HP Sponsors "ComiIdol 2007" & Voting Starts!

HP Singapore has agreed to become prime sponsor for "ComiIdol 2007", the contest to find the best digital artists in Singapore – a theme that fits well with HP's "Invent" brand values. This sponsorship also coincides with the official start of pubic voting today!

A nationwide contest created by ComiAsia (www.comiasia.com) and supported by Singapore's MDA (www.mda.gov.sg), ComiIdol is a new initiative with the singular mission of discovering and nurturing a new generation of superstar digital artists from Singapore.

Amid much fanfare and wide-ranging media coverage over 8 weeks, in excess 200 newly-created artworks have been submitted to ComiIdol 2007 by aspiring digital artists from all across Singapore. All eyes are now on the coveted top spots... the best of the emerging superstars. The voting officially opens this week with the general public able to view and vote on their favourite artwork at www.comiworld.com/idol. In addition, 10 of the most outstanding submissions will be showcased by @Life on their plasma screens in McDonald's restaurants across Singapore with voting taking place via SMS there!

The public voting lasts until the 26th of April, with one lucky voter winning a brand new HP Pavilion notebook! The winning "ComiIdols" will be announced at a Grand Prize ceremony at the National Library headquarters on Sunday 29th April. Presenting the ComiIdol Awards will be our special guest of honour, Mr Wee Tian Beng, the Chairman of the Comics Society of Singapore and CEO of TCZ Studios, Singapore's leading comics publisher.

ComiIdol winners will receive prizes worth up to S$13,000, including:

• Mentorship by top professional comic artists
• Expert help to develop, promote and market a full series of commercial comics internationally – provided by ComiAsia and TCZ Studios
• Latest HP Pavilion entertainment tx1005AU notepads provided by HP Singapore – with swiveling screens, drawing direct on the screen with a stylus or even your fingers and with automatic handwriting to text conversion
• Showcase in the international press, on the @Life TV network in McDonalds all across Singapore, and via our forthcoming ComiTV shows to be broadcast in China later this year.

Mr Wee will be conducting an industry-first hands-on seminar after the awards ceremony, where he will discuss the new opportunities for the digital media industry created by the "Future of Mobile Comics", launch of pioneering new Interactive Mobile Comics with ComiAsia and conduct a comic drawing demonstration using HP's latest notebooks.

Details of the ComiIdol 2007 contest can be found at www.comiworld.com/idol.

About ComiAsia:
ComiAsia (www.comiasia.com) is an interactive digital media start-up, founded in 2005 by Anthony Lim and Karen New, two young Singaporean entrepreneurs passionate about comics and digital media. Since its creation, ComiAsia has evolved to become the leading user-generated mobile comics company. ComiAsia provides the tools, support and platforms to enable independent and aspiring artists to create, publish, promote and sell comics and digital art to an online and mobile audience worldwide. It has staff and offices in Singapore and Shenzhen and provides mobile delivery to over 130 countries. ComiAsia's 3 areas of focus are: ComiStudio – the software and tools to publish comics online and via mobile handsets, including plans for an intelligent, interactive multi-media comics platform; ComiIdol – contests and initiatives to help promote and support aspiring digital artists; ComiTV – youth magazine format tv show focused on digital arts, comics, animation and games due to broadcast first in China in a few months. ComiAsia is backed and supported by entrepreneurs Yen Lu Chow, William Klippgen and Steve Melhuish and Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB).

About HP Singapore:
HP focuses on simplifying technology experiences for all of its customers – from individual consumers to the largest businesses. With a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure, HP is among the world's largest IT companies, with revenue totaling $94.1 billion for the four fiscal quarters ended Jan. 31, 2007. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.

About Media Development Authority (MDA) of Singapore:
The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) was formed on 1 January 2003 to champion Media 21, a blueprint to transform Singapore into a global media city. Media 21 seeks to create a vibrant media environment by establishing Singapore as a media exchange, exporting Made-by-Singapore content, internationalising local media companies, nurturing local media talent and developing digital media. More information on MDA can be found on www.mda.gov.sg.

MEDIAction! is a year-round public outreach initiative organised by the Media Development Authority (MDA), with our partners, to inspire Singaporeans to discover the benefits and possibilities that media can offer for work, learning and play. MEDIAction! offers all Singaporeans the opportunity to learn more about the media and upgrade their media literacy skills through participation in fun and engaging events. For more information on MEDIAction!, visit www.mda.gov.sg/mediaction.

About @Life:
At-Life (www.atlife.sg) is a new interactive media service allowing consumers and retailers to connect using cool new channels. Marketing partners with AtLife develop truly interactive, mutually-beneficial relationships with their target audiences and customers. @Life manages the plasma tv screens in McDonalds' restaurants and other retail outlets in Singapore, on-screen content and advertising, SMS/WAP mobile interaction, and marketing campaigns.

About Comics Society (Singapore):
The Comics Society (Singapore) was founded in 2006 by Mr Wee Tian Beng, Founder and CEO of Singapore's TCZ studios. The key objectives of the Comics Society (Singapore) are to represent Singapore in the global comic industry; promote comic culture in Singapore; nurture and develop local comic talents. Mr Wee also runs the TCZ Studio, Singapore's first comics publisher set up in 2001 publishing "The Celestial Zone Series", one of the best-selling and longest running comic series in Singapore.