Plus! RaceNet records two million cars wrecked in DiRT Showdown demo ahead of retail launch on May 24^th

Tuesday May 15^th– Get the lowdown on DiRT® Showdown™’s locales as cars speed through the snow, smash through city streets and burn it up in the desert in the latest gameplay video now playing at www.dirtgame.com. Capturing DiRT Showdown’s raucous racing and turbo-charged party atmosphere, the ‘Race Hard, Party Hard’ video showcases just some of the events on the Showdown Tour, revealing how each location becomes a chaotic festival of speed on track and a hedonistic party for thousands of fans off it.

DiRT Showdown is set to race into retail on May 24^th*, but players can experience the game today by downloading the demo, which features a full-impact solo race and a bone-jarring eight player online demolition derby event from Xbox Live Marketplace, PlayStation Network and Steam on PC.

Since the demo’s launch, players have:

• Destroyed two million cars in crashes.
• Driven far enough to travel around the world 100 times.
• Consumed enough oil to make five returns trips to the moon.

These impressive results were recorded by RaceNet, the free new online extension for Codemasters Racing games that tracks and rewards player achievements, (See Notes).

DiRT Showdown will deliver a new world of competitive and combative racing as players race, crash and hoon their way to ‘Showdown’ finals on a chaotic tour of motorised mayhem when it launches May 24^th† for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and PC.

A special ‘Hoonigan’ edition of DiRT Showdown is now available to pre-order from leading Australian retailers. Sporting unique packaging, the DiRT Showdown: Hoonigan Edition will include an in-game cash boost, an online XP multiplier plus Monster Energy liveries for the Kohler D350, Duke Coupe and Ford Fiesta Gymkhana 3 and Hoonigan liveries for the Holbrook Growler, Logan Vulture and Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X JUN, redeemed via an online code.

For all the latest updates straight from the studio, crash over to www.dirtgame.com, www.facebook.com/dirtgame or follow the team at www.twitter.com/dirtgame.

New multimedia notebook showcases pro-grade sound, stylish elegance, and 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors

Sydney, Australia (May 15, 2012) – The new ASUS N Series of multimedia notebooks now includes the N56.  The notebook features SonicMaster Premium audiophile-worthy sound, wide-view screens with up to full HD 1080p, and an all-new deluxe look that has already won a prestigious reddot 2012 design award.  Intel® 3rd generation Core™ processors power the N Series, which also uses exclusive ASUS Super Hybrid Engine II technology to offer 2-second instant on resume.

ASUS creates incredible experiences
N Series notebooks feature a focus on attractive design and aesthetic appeal alongside the finest professional-grade audio offered on notebook PC. They also provide consumers with improved and highly intuitive touch input that has been engineered to ensure greater accuracy, and an optional backlit keyboard purpose-built to provide complete convenience.

New SonicMaster Premium audio redefines notebook sound
Following the success of original SonicMaster, exclusive ASUS SonicMaster Premium pushes notebook audio further. Knowing that sound holds a vital place in daily computing enjoyment, ASUS audio engineers have developed SonicMaster Premium together with the expertise of Bang & Olufsen ICEpower®, employing optimised audio hardware and bundling a dedicated external subwoofer to provide unmatched notebook PC audio enjoyment, including deeper bass. SonicMaster Premium also applies professional-grade Waves MaxxAudio 3 tools, which deliver meticulously tuned sound with extensive personalisation options.

Wider and more vivid views
All new N Series notebooks feature advanced wide-view panels that provide 150° horizontal by 120° vertical angles. These allow for better shared viewing of content by several people, and mean image quality remains uncompromised from almost any direction. Every panel offers at least 720p HD, and optional panels support full HD 1080p for even finer image quality with improved clarity, brightness, and contrast.

Elegant, luxurious design
Although brand new, N Series notebooks have already secured a coveted 2012 reddot design award for their attention to stylish materials and design considerations. They offer consumers an attractive hairline-etched metallic cover with an illuminated ASUS logo for added impact, plus a unique ripple-effect speaker mesh that signifies the flow of sound provided by SonicMaster Premium.

More powerful than ever before
N Series notebooks include the power of 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors, based on Ivy Bridge technology. The platform enables enhanced processor output and overclocking, smoother multimedia, and more extensive multitasking capabilities. Utilising the latest technology from Intel® renders the new iteration of the N Series more powerful as well as sleeker to use. The addition of exclusive ASUS Super Hybrid Engine II power consumption management technology has further resulted in true 2-second instant on resume from deep sleep, bringing smartphone-like responsiveness to high end notebooks.

Specifications

New ASUS N Series

Product specifications and features may change without prior notice. Check www.asus.com for details.

– Up to 12 hours of battery life¹ and Double the Performance-Per-Watt² compared to Previous Generation —
– 17-watt APU Gives Users an Affordable and Uncompromised Visual Experience for Ultrathins
– AMD has a record number of APU-based notebook design wins with Global OEMs

Sydney, Australia. — May 15, 2012 — AMD today announced the widely anticipated launch of its 2nd-Generation AMD A-Series Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) for mainstream and ultrathin notebooks, All-in-One and traditional desktops, home theater PCs and embedded designs.

The 2nd-Generation A-Series APU, codenamed “Trinity”, is a grounds-up improved design over the previous generation, enabling a best-in-class PC mobility, entertainment, and gaming experience. New features of the product design include:
•    Double the performance per watt of the previous generation²
•    The AMD HD Media Accelerator with a unique set of technologies designed to optimise video quality available with premium and Internet video content, and accelerate video file conversion;
•    An increase in CPU performance of up to 29 percent³  with higher processor speeds thanks to the next-generation AMD “Piledriver” CPU core with 3rd generation AMD Turbo Core technology, where power is dynamically shifted between the CPU and GPU depending on application needs, effectively providing a more responsive experience that can boost CPU frequencies to up to 3.2 GHz;
•     AMD Radeon™ HD 7000 Series graphics for an increase of graphics performance up to 56% over the previous generation⁴. Combined, the CPU and GPU cores deliver more than 700 gigaflops of computing performance⁵ – several times more than the fastest x86 CPUs – to boost performance of hundreds of applications.
•    Up to 12 hours of battery life through CPU and GPU power enhancements, with clear battery life leadership in notebook form factors.

“The latest OEM notebooks, ultrathins, All-in-Ones and desktops based on the new AMD A-Series APU enable the best video and gaming experiences, highly responsive performance with AMD Turbo CORE, and accelerates an ever-increasing range of productivity and multimedia applications — in sleek, stylish designs at price points that make sense,” said Chris Cloran, corporate vice president and General Manager, AMD Client Business Unit. “Our 2nd Generation AMD A-Series APU is a major step forward in every performance and power dimension, allowing users to enjoy a stunning experience without having to give up the things that matter to them most. This experience doesn’t stop at mainstream notebooks. It carries over into affordable ultrathin form factors featuring the latest in AMD Radeon™ graphics.”

The Growing AMD Accelerated Application Ecosystem
The developer ecosystem continues to gravitate to the unmatched level of compute and unique processing capabilities of the APU as more than 100 applications and games are now accelerated by AMD APUs.  The 2nd-Generation AMD A-Series APU gives users superior Web-based video experience thanks to plug-ins for Google Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer 9 that make it easy for consumers to turn on AMD Steady Video technology⁶.  Recent applications that have been optimized optimised for use on AMD A-Series APUs include Adobe Photoshop CS6, WinZip 16.5 and VLC Media Player. AMD A-Series APUs are also well-positioned to take advantage of the upcoming transition to the Windows® 8 operating system.

“We are excited for the introduction of the 2nd-generation AMD A-Series APU and are confident it will continue the great work Microsoft and AMD have done together on the A-Series APU,” said Aidan Marcuss, Senior Director, Windows Business Planning, Microsoft Corp. “We look forward to seeing the A-Series APU in action with Windows 8 to deliver a great user experience across a variety of hardware.”

For developers who want to engage in the industry’s move toward heterogeneous computing, the upcoming AMD Fusion12 Developer Summit will offer them a unique opportunity to enhance their knowledge base. More information on AFDS 12 can be found here.

Unmatched Mobility
With more than 12 hours of ‘resting’ battery life, AMD is now an industry leader in notebook battery-life performance. The 2nd-Generation AMD A-Series APU delivers increased levels of performance, while consuming half the power as its predecessor.

These gains can be attributed to the new, power-optimised “Piledriver” CPU core, as well as to AMD Start Now technology, which is designed to maximise system responsiveness by quickly entering and exiting low power states. With AMD Start Now, the computer resumes from sleep mode in as few as two seconds and boots to the desktop in as few as 10 seconds⁷.

In ultrathin form factors, AMD enables an uncompromised visual experience thanks to a power-efficient and premium AMD Radeon™ graphics engine. Consumers can expect to see ultrathin notebooks based on the dual-core 17-watt and quad-core 25-watt AMD A-Series APUs. These products will be easily identifiable by aluminum-styled VISION Technology stickers at a range of competitive price points.

Best-in-class Entertainment
As more and more people turn to their computers as the hub for their entertainment, the visual aspect of computing becomes ever more important. To enhance these capabilities, AMD created the AMD HD Media Accelerator – a unique set of technologies that enable the best video quality on a PC. Key features of the HD Media Accelerator include:
•    AMD Perfect Picture HD – An image, video processing and display technology that automatically makes images and video better with color vibrancy adjustments, edge enhancement, noise reduction and dynamic contrast fixes.⁸
•    AMD Steady Video Technology – A technology that enables smooth playback of jittery video content with a single button click thanks to plug-ins for popular Web browsers and multimedia applications.⁶
•    AMD Quick Stream Technology – A new technology that prioritizes prioritises video streaming on PC systems for a smooth, virtually uninterrupted video stream.⁹
•    True HD video chat with up to four people at once.
•    AMD Video Converter – A video compression engine for fast conversion and sharing of media files across multiple formats and devices.
•    Full decode support for H.264, MPEG-2, VC-1, MVC, DivX and WMV.

Gaming Leadership
The 2nd-Generation AMD A-Series APU builds on AMD’s legacy of gaming leadership with an increase in graphics performance of up to 56% over the previous generation⁴ and support for:
•    AMD Eyefinity Technology – For the first time, this immersive technology is available from an APU without the need for a discrete graphics card.¹⁰
•    Performance-leading DirectX® 11 graphics architecture and 1080p gaming a life-like level of detail.
•    AMD Radeon™ Dual Graphics support that delivers a performance boost of up to 75 percent when adding a discrete graphics card to the APU.¹¹ The AMD Radeon™ Dual Graphics option also offers support for DirectX® 9 for older game titles, and uses new AMD CrossFire™ Technology Profiles for easier updates.

Availability and Technical Details
AMD has a record number of design wins with companies like  Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba  based on our 2nd-Generation AMD A-Series APUs and VISION Technology from AMD, with mainstream and ultrathin notebooks, as well as embedded solutions, available beginning today.

Desktops systems and component channel parts will be available later this year.

Supporting Resources
•    Find photos and other support materials on the 2nd Generation A-Series APU landing page
•    Read recent AMD news at http://blogs.amd.com/fusion/  
•    Check out demos of AMD APUs on the AMD YouTube Channel
•    Follow all news from the AMD on Twitter at @AMD_Unprocessed

About AMD
AMD (NYSE: AMD) is a semiconductor design innovator leading the next era of vivid digital experiences with its groundbreaking AMD Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) that power a wide range of computing devices. AMD’s server computing products are focused on driving industry-leading cloud computing and virtualisation environments. AMD’s superior graphics technologies are found in a variety of solutions ranging from game consoles, PCs to supercomputers. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com.

APPGEAR Landing in Australia Soon

APPGEAR, the newest sensation in cutting edge portable interactive entertainment is about to land in Australia. Hold onto your iPhones, iPads, and android devices, as your world will never be the same again.

What is APPGEAR?

APPGEAR™ is the latest creation from WowWee®, the toy and entertainment think-tank that brought us Robosapien™, and a whole line of technological entertainment marvels.

Designed to change the way we interact with our devices, APPGEAR™ combines toy, games and innovative mobile technology, to bring the ultimate gaming experience to your fingertips

APPGEAR™ allows users to go beyond the usual gameplay, and really jump into each game, whether it’s taking to the skies, fighting zombies or battling an alien invasion.

Using the concept of augmented reality, each APPGEAR™ game includes a physical toy which unlocks the multi-platform game within. It’s what WowWee® like to call, Amplified Reality, and it goes beyond anything we’ve seen in games before. Without the accompanying toy, the APPGEAR™ game is like any other device application. Add the element of amplified reality, and your gameplay experience shifts up a gear, and you’re playing in a whole new space, you’re playing in the space around you. Every time you fire up these games, you are creating a whole new gaming experience that is entirely in your hands.

The first APPGEAR™ title to be released in Australia will be Foam Fighters, an amplified reality dogfight game that will work with both phones, and tablets. Foam Fighters is an innovative creation, that allows you to drop right into the cockpit of your very own fighter plane, and fly through the sky, your lounge-room, or even the bus!

Several APPGEAR™ titles are slated for release in July, 2012. Stay tuned for more announcements.

APPGEAR is compatible with:

iOS devices: iPad2, iPhone4 and above, iPod Touch 4th Generation or better.

Android devices: Google Android 2.3.3 or above.

Where? (MAP)
Rear lane way
1-35 Wellington Street
Collingwood VIC 3066

When?
Saturday 26th of May
8am till 3pm

DVD AND BLU-RAY FROM $5!

Toys, Merchandise, Apparel, Framed & Signed Posters, Office Furniture, Anime & Film Memorabilia, hardware and much more…

Madman is moving and there’s just way too much stuff to take with them, so they’re flinging open the doors to their Collingwood warehouse and inviting you to go nuts with themone last time. They’ve got over 10 years worth of stuff here and even they don’t know what’s in all of the boxes pallets!

Their warehouse sales are the stuff of local legend, but this time it’s different – everything must go!

So tell your friends, gather a posse, get in early and snaffle yourself a bargain! This is it guys, our last ever warehouse sale!

Prestigious award adds to 2012 medal tally in 25^th anniversary year of the Canon EOS SLR camera system 

Sydney 15 May 2012: Canon Australia has today announced that the EF8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM interchangeable lens has been honoured in Japan with the prestigious Camera Grand Prix 2012 “Lens of the Year Award.” The accolade marks the second award to date for the Canon fisheye lens, which was also named “Best Professional DSLR Lens in 2012” in Europe by the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA).*¹

The Camera Grand Prix, considered the most sought-after camera and lens product awards in Japan, is organised by the Camera Journal Press Club,*² comprising journalists from major domestic photography and camera magazines. Separated into four award categories, the 29th Camera Grand Prix honoured Canon’s EF8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM with the “Lens of the Year Award” based on a review of lens products introduced in the Japanese market during the past year.

“This latest award is a tremendous affirmation of Canon’s leadership in optical technology and reinforces why Canon EOS is Australia’s brand of choice for interchangeable lens cameras*⁴,” said Rebecca Pearson, Assistant Brand Manager – EOS, Canon Australia. “The two awards received this year are formal industry recognition of the EF8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM’s innovative, extreme wide angle and fisheye performance, made possible by Canon’s optical technologies.”

25 years of Canon EOS

The Canon EOS camera system was introduced in March 1987 as a new generation of AF SLR cameras that incorporate the world’s first electronic mount system, achieving complete electronic control not only between the lens and body but throughout the entire camera system. Since that time more than 50 million EOS cameras and 70 million EF lenses have been produced. Comprising more than 65 models, Canon’s current EF lens line-up enables an infinite range of creative options to suit photographers from beginner level to professional.

Reason for selection*³

Delivering both 180-degree diagonal angle of view and 180-degree circular fisheye in a single zoom lens, Canon’s EF8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM enables a wide range of stunning imaging possibilities with unique and interesting perspectives. The lens was selected for this year’s Camera Grand Prix award thanks to such factors as its 8-15mm focal length range, and its high-image-quality performance made possible by the incorporation of UD (ultra-low dispersion)-glass and high-precision glass-mould aspherical elements to correct for aberrations. The lens was also recognised for its Subwavelength Structure Coating (SWC), which minimises the occurrence of ghosting and flare; its compact design delivering enhanced portability; and a dust-proof, moisture-proof structure for reliable shooting even in harsh weather conditions.

Related links:

–        Press release: Canon scoops six TIPA Awards

–        Canon World of EOS experience site

*1             The Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), comprising 29 photography and imaging magazines across 14 European countries, awards products based on an annual vote

*2             Launched in September of 1963; currently comprises 11 affiliated magazines (as of April 2012)

*3             Based on announcement by the Camera Journal Press Club 2012 executive committee

*4             50% value share of the total interchangeable lens camera market in 2011. Source: GfK Retail Tracking – Interchangeable Lens Jan – Dec 2011 (excludes Internet/Online Sales)

About Canon: 

Canon is the world’s leading imaging brand that actively inspires with imaginative ideas that enable people to connect, communicate and achieve more than they thought possible through imaging solutions for business and consumers. Canon’s Australian R&D company, CiSRA, develops and exports digital imaging technologies for use in Canon products worldwide. Canon has ranked among the top-four US patent recipients* for the past 20 years, and had global revenues of around $US46 billion in 2011. Canon Australia also operates Canon Finance Australia, which offers one-stop shopping for customers wanting leasing or finance services. For more information, visit www.canon.com.au, www.facebook.com/canonaustralia, www.twitter.com/canonaustralia, www.youtube.com/canonaustralia

In the lead up to the launch of Sorcery on PlayStation 3 on May 24, we have a new teaser featuring BBC science expert, Steve Mould, who with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have created a series of educational films demonstrating ‘The Science Behind the Magic’ by recreating magical spells from the game!

Game of Thrones: Behind the Wall

Take a look behind the scenes of Game of Thrones, the role-playing game adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s extraordinary saga, coming soon to Xbox 360®, PlayStation® 3 and PC.

Narrated by Project Director Thomas Veauclin and Lead Game Designer Sylvain Sechi from Cyanide Studio, “Behind the Wall” explains how the role-playing game set in the famous A Song of Ice and Fire universe was born. The pair discuss working with author George R.R. Martin to produce a game faithful to the universe he imagined, and how the TV series produced by HBO has influenced their work.

The game’s creators also explain their desire to tell an original story running parallel to the first book of the saga, involving two original characters: Mors of the Night’s Watch, and Alester the Red Priest. They detail the attributes of these two characters that players will embody throughout the game, following a style of narration similar to George R.R. Martin’s in the novels. We invite you to discover all this and many more fascinating details with this video, “Behind the Wall.”

Enter the world of JUSTIFIED, a raw and gritty modern-day Western tale that lives up to its name. Timothy Olyphant (Damages and Deadwood) stars as a modern-day 19^th century-style lawman based on the character created by legendary crime novelist Elmore Leonard from his short story, Fire in the Hole.

Deputy Marshall Raylan Givens (Olyphant) is exiled to his hometown of Harlan County, Kentucky after the shooting of a Miami drug cartel hit man raises debate amongst his superiors over his renegade style of law enforcement. Unfortunately it isn’t long before trouble resurfaces and his old life follows him to Harlan in the most unexpected ways.

Raylan’s new job of pursuing prison escapees, fugitive con men and a corrupt local sheriff has never been more intense. Find out what makes Raylan’s Wild West, gun-slinging actions ‘justified’ in every thrilling episode of JUSTIFIED: SEASON 1, available on Blu-ray and DVD from June 7, 2012. 

Blu-ray™ & DVD Bonus Features:

• Find out how Raylan Givens made it from page to screen directly from      the man who created him, Elmore Leonard
• Go beyond the story to meet the cast and crew who create JUSTIFIED 

JUSTIFIED: SEASON 1:

Cast: Timothy Olyphant (Damages, Deadwood)

Nick Searcy (Moneyball)

Joelle Carter (High Fidelity)

Jacob Pitts (Euro Trip, 21)

Price: DVD SRP $44.95

Blu-ray™ SRP $49.95

Configuration:   3 discs  / 13 episodes / 537 mins

Genre: Drama

Rating: M