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(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- Email management appliances and software developer AtMail (www.atmail.com) announced on Wednesday that company founder and CEO Ben Duncan will be embarking on a six-month trek to the Australian coast, outback, brush-country and badlands.
According to the press release, Duncan will travel in a Land Rover equipped with computer sever, satellite broadband access and remote webmail, where he will "combine adventure with innovation, using his time in the wilds to draw on the solitude and awesome power of nature to develop new technologies for his company."
This is certainly an unorthodox announcement, particularly coming from a software company, but what's perhaps even more surprising is that this is not the first time Duncan has set out on a quest for inspiration.
Eight years ago, Duncan went on a similar, year-long excursion when he first developed the core technology for AtMail.
"For me it's vital, as a means of rejuvenation and drawing upon innovative creativity, to immerse myself in the wilds of nature, with total solitude and 'detoxification' of modern life and to live for a bit with the rhythm of the road," says Duncan. "Being connected via the latest technologies, including satellite and our own AtMail email system, I have the flexibility to be connected, unconnected or code new software within the most unorthodox of environments. I also have the peace-of-mind knowing I have a great AtMail team dedicated to building great email solutions and delighting our customers on a daily basis."
The company recently released AtMail 5.6, the latest version of its flagship AtMail email management application, which includes iPhone push mail support, DKIM filtering and improved WebAdmin functionality.
Duncan has outfitted a 2009 Land Rover Defender with a solar panel, AtMail webmail server, IP-camera and laptop.
The Land Rover is fully customized with a range of capabilities, including an inbuilt EEE-PC, where email messages are routed to the vehicle through mobile broadband coverage; an IP-network camera installed on the roof, which will enable Dunacan to document the trip with 640 x 480 images taken every five minutes; and a GPS connected via eeepc, which will plot Duncan's location on a Google-map every five minutes.
The journey first began at AtMail's headquarters in Brisbane on January 26. From there, Duncan departed to his first major stop in Sydney, where he plans to meet with fellow business leaders in the capital city.
He will also make subsequent stops in Melbourne, Adelaide, Tasmania, Alice Springs and Perth. Those interested in reading about Duncan's excursion can find updates on the AtMail blog.
Headquartered in Brisbane, Australia with an office in the US, AtMail provides a complete suite of email messaging solutions, including email server appliances, groupware collaboration and web-based administration systems to more than 15 million users and thousands of organizations.
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