This time it is all about creativity and collaboration. We are really excited about what we have managed to pull together.

Kicking off at 7pm on Friday the 10th of September, this edition of the Orcon Great Blend will run as part of The Edge's Deep and Meaningful series in our beautiful new venue, the Civic Wintergarden. Russell Brown and guests will be exploring the nature of creative collaboration.

And "explore" doesn't just mean talking about collaboration, but doing it. The Orcon Great Blend has brought together prominent local creatives to see what emerges when they work together.

Novelist Emily Perkins and graphic novelist Dylan Horrocks decided to jointly create a comic as page-by-page "conversation about writing", and they'll "perform" that illustrated conversation on stage on the night.

The event also brings together painter Karl Maughan and Auckland graffiti artist and video director Askew One to jointly create a large-scale work in Askew's studio. They'll be making a video and photographic record of the process, and presenting the work at the event.

Russell Brown will also interview local music industry legend Simon Grigg - flown in specially from Bangkok - about the interface between commercial management and creative artists, with particular reference to the OMC story, which is the subject of Simon's forthcoming book.

And 95bFM's ukulele queen Silke Hartung will round out the stage programme with a musical collaboration of her own.
After the main stage programme is completed, it'll be party time. Simon Grigg will DJ at a purpose-built "nightclub" within the Wintergarden, there will be a space for relaxed conversation and networking in the Safari Room, and NZ On Screen and Flying Nun Records are collaborating on a special video programme in the adjacent Taj Mahal room.

As usual, the ticket price is a bargain, you lucky Orcon customers can come along for free. Let us know you would like to come along by dropping us an email: greatblend@orcon.net.nz with your Orcon username as our lovely new venue has a strictly limited capacity. We will drop you an email back to let you know that we have saved you a place.

This Friday and Saturday sees speakers such as Storm Thorgerson, Jessica Hische, The Light Surgeons, Pixar, Adrian Shaughnessy, Poke London and many more joining hot talent from closer to home to share some of their amazing work and how they go about making it.

If you would like to get along then we have got good news for you. We have 2 tickets (valued at $290 each!) to give away to 2 lucky Orcon customers.

Because this is one of the highlights of the creative calendar here in Auckland we want you to do something a little creative to get hold of one of these tickets. So, to enter we want you to write us a Haiku explaining why you want to go in the comments section below. On Wednesday the 18th at 5pm we will pick our 2 favourites, and they will both get their hands on a free pass. It's that easy.

In case you need a little inspiration check out this show reel from the Light Surgeons who will be speaking at Semi-Permanent 2010.

Find out more about Semi-Permanent, including the full list of speakers, over at www.semipermanent.co.nz

Here is the deal... We want to give you the chance to get to where ever in the world it is that you want to go.

So we built a site to do just that: airpoints.orcon.net.nz

All you need to do is make a little video explaining to New Zealand why they should donate their extra Airpoints Dollars to you, a complete stranger, when they join Orcon (of course they also still get 60 Airpoints - so there's something in it for them). When someone signs up through your video you’ll automatically get their ‘friend get friend’ 60 Airpoints Dollars. We’ll promote your video to all potential Orcon customers via a link on our home page. Send it off to friends and family too.

The more interesting your dream trip, and creative your video, the more likely it is that regular New Zealanders will go out of their way to get you to where you want to go.

And just in case you needed a little more motivation, remember that the first 20 approved videos that we get will get a bonus 100 Airpoints Dollars to get them started toward their goal! Also, we may just put the best of the best (the ones that we think are really worthy) on TV to really make sure that people get behind them.

Here is a little 'how to' video that we whipped up to help you understand exactly what we are looking for:

Malte Jehmlich and Matthes Mikysec from sputnic.tv have designed and built a real world Wipeout-style track added a converted arcade machine, roadio contolled car, video camera, and a whole lot of technical wizardry to produce what looks like an innovative (and fun!) gaming experience they are calling racer. Check out the first demo video below, or see their website for more info about the project: http://racer.sputnic.tv/

(via designboom)

Kate Ray recently graduated from New York University in pshychology and journalism. In this film she interviews some of the key people shaping the way the web is evolving, along with some of those who do not belive that the semantic web is all that its proponents make out. Well worth a watch for anyone who is interested in the future of the Internet.

Via Swissmiss

Starship Childrens Hospital is collecting old moible phones through their mobile phone recycling appeal. You can send it to them free post, or drop it in at locations around the country (including right here at Orcon HQ). They then collect them, recondition those that are able to be, and then sell them in developing countries. Those that can't be reconditioned are disposed of in an envrionmentally responsible way.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the reconditioned phones then goes toward the care of sick kids at the Starship Childrens Hospital.

You can find out more about the scheme over at the Starship Childrens Hospital website.

Every year the NetGuide People's Choice Awards canvas the New Zealand public to find out their favourite websites. This is your chance to have your say about your favorite sites out there on our little New Zealand corner of the web.

We know that most of you probably aren't regular NetGuide readers, but we would love it if you took a couple of minutes to head over and vote for us as 'Best ISP - Nationwide'.

You can feel good knowing that you are helping introduce thousands of other New Zealanders to the best Internet service provider in New Zealand.

It is fair to say that Orcon customers have a pretty eclectic taste in music. Enjoy!

Phoenix Foundation - 40 years

Dukes - Vampires

Computers Want Me Dead - We Walk in Circles

The Black Seeds - One by One

The Upbeats - Thinking Cap (feat Georgie)

Shihad - Sleepeater

Electric Wire Hustle - Perception

Die!Die!Die! - Sideways Here We Come

Crowded House - Fall at Your Feet

Vorn and the Plastic Palace People - Follow Me

Shapeshifter - Electric Dream

Split Enz - I Got You

Salmonella Dub - For the Love of it

Patea Maori Club - Poi E

P Money - Everything (feat Vince Harder)

Josh Leys - Miracle

Dave Dobbyn - Loyal

This means that you can get TVNZ Ondemand catch up TV content on your television, simply by accessing the TVNZ Ondemand menu item in the Xross Media Bar.

And if you are an Orcon@Home or Orcon@Work broadband customer the data wont count towards your monthly data cap because the TVNZ Ondemand service is one of the sites in our O Zone. That means you can watch as much TVNZ Ondemand content as you want, whether it is on your computer or your PlayStation 3, and you wont have to worry about racking up big excess data charges.

TVNZ Ondemand currently has more than 150 local and international shows, including The Pacific, Lost, Go Girls, and Shortland Street.

There is no doubt that social media is one of the hottest topics in business right now. If you are wondering where to get started, or want to know more about it then the Social Media Junction event could be just the thing for you.

Featuring several international experts, along with some great insights from local businesses (including us), Social Media Junction is a great way for you to get a better understanding of how you can use social media in your business.

The event is split in to two days: a one day social media marketing conference, and a one day masterclass in online reputation management.

You can find out exactly what the event is all about, along with the complete speaker line up over at the Social Media Junction website: http://socialmediajunction.co.nz/

If you would like to see some of the things that we have been up to with social media lately check out the Orcon Facebook page, or the Orcon twitter account.

Terms & Conditions: You must be a current Orcon customer to win the competition. The prize includes entry to both the Social Media Marketing conference on the 17th of May 2010, and the Online Reputation Management masterclass on the 18th of May 2010. Prize does not include travel or expenses. One entry per customer. Winner will be notified by email.