What's Next for the Web? "Web + Everything"

Inverge 2008 Conference Provides Interdisciplinary Glimpse into
the Heart of Internet and Media Convergence's Next Evolutions
PORTLAND, Ore.--(Business Wire)--
Inverge 2008: the interactive convergence conference
(www.inverge.com) will take place Sept. 4-5 at the Armory in
Portland's Pearl District (128 NW 11th Ave.). In its second year,
Inverge brings together digital thought-leader presenters and
attendees from multiple disciplines to explore business opportunities
resulting from the digitization of media, the democratization of
distribution, and the proliferation of connectivity.

The program features keynote-level speakers from arenas as diverse
as consumer products, advertising, interactive, telecom, immersive
environments, academia - even toy design - to examine the blurring
line between media channels, physical and virtual worlds, and producer
versus consumer. Attendees will acquire actionable tools to leverage
this communication shift and a crystal ball-peek, courtesy of the
world's top digital media innovators, into the new platforms and
applications likely to emerge in the next 3-5 years.

This unique blend of disciplines expands the audience's
understanding of convergence to a big-picture view through
entertaining, "ah-ha"-inspiring presentations. The two most popular
presenters from last year's conference are returning to the Inverge
stage for 2008, including Joshua Green from MIT and Renny Gleeson of
Wieden+Kennedy (also Master of Ceremonies).

Inverge 2008 Presenters:

-- Andy Mooney, Chairman, Disney Consumer Products, The Walt
Disney Company

-- Tony Uphoff, CEO, TechWeb

-- Joshua Green, Research Manager, Convergence Culture Consortium
at MIT (back by popular demand)

-- Renny Gleeson, Global Digital Strategies Director,
Wieden+Kennedy (emcee)

-- David Card, VP & Research Director, JupiterResearch

-- Karl Long, Product Manager of OVI.com and Games, Nokia

-- Chris Heatherly, VP/GM, Disney Electronics; CTO, Disney Toys,
The Walt Disney Company

-- William Swartout, Director of Technology, USC Institute for
Creative Technologies

-- Marc Scarpa, director MySpace LIVE! and Live Nation Verizon
VCAST Mobile Performances

-- Ed Lantz, President & CTO, Vortex Immersion Media; Founder &
Chair of Harmony Channel.

-- Paul Matthaeus, Founder, Chief Creative Officer and Chairman,
DIGITALKITCHEN

-- Scott Kveton, Chairman, OpenID Foundation; VP of Open
Platforms, Vidoop

-- Richard Rosen, President & CEO, Rosen; originator/chief
architect of the Brand-Interaction Marketing & Advertising
method; author of Convergence Marketing

The Portland region is emerging nationally as a strategic center
for technology, design and the arts; Business Week recently named the
city the "Leader of the New Urbanism". As part of an emerging
Portland-area "event cluster," Inverge is integrated with four other
events in Portland over the same multi-day period: the Time-Based Arts
(TBA) Festival, an annual convergence of contemporary performance,
dance, music, new media and visual arts projects; MusicFestNW, a
four-day, multi-venue showcase of 100+ local and national musical
acts; the First Thursday Gallery Walk, a monthly mix of
open-to-the-public art shows and events; and the reemergence of the
Portland Creative Conference.

The two-day conference runs 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. both days.
Early-bird prices are $395 advance and $495 at the door; one-day
passes are $199. Inverge 2008 is also offering a limited time 2-for-1
discount: register two people and receive 50% off with Discount Code
"2for1NEWS." For more information and to purchase tickets, visit
http://inverge.com/register.

Inverge is sponsored by the Portland Development Commission, 52
LTD and Wieden + Kennedy.

For more information: www.inverge.com

The Time-Based Art Festival: www.pica.org/tba

MusicFestNW: www.musicfestnw.com

First Thursday: www.firstthursdayportland.com

The Portland Creative Conference: www.cre8con.com

Xposure Unlimited
Karamy Muessig, 503-750-9041
karamy@xposureunlimited.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008