Sonic the Hedgehog is back in the race for 2008 – he’ll appear in two new advanced games – Sonic Unleashed (PS2, PS3, Xbox, and Wii) and Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (Nintendo DS). To reconnect you with Sonic’s activities over the past 15 years, here’s a short calendar of major feats Sonic has achieved over his life.  

Sonic, born June 23 1991 as the fastest, most technologically advanced character for the SEGA Genesis console, continues to innovate as he stars in the multi-platform Sonic Unleashed and exclusive to the DS, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. 

Super Sonic Milestones

·         Sonic The Hedgehog is one of the most popular videogame icons of all time with over 44 million games sold worldwide

·         An estimated 50 million people have played at least one Sonic game

·         Gamers have collected over 66 billion rings while playing Sonic

·         Sonic was the first videogame included in the National Film and Television Archive of the UK, where historic films and TV programs are preserved

·         An average of 8,000 Sonic games are sold worldwide every day

·         Gamers have spent over 500 million hours playing Sonic games

1990: Development of ‘action game for the new age’ commences in April. In November, Sonic The Hedgehog is officially announced.

1991: On December 28, Sonic The Hedgehog for Game Gear is released in Japan, marking Sonic’s debut on handheld platforms.

1992: In November, Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is released for Genesis and Game Gear in the US on ‘Sonic 2s Day’. Miles ‘Tails’ Prower is introduced for the first time. The game sells over 400,000 copies in five days.

1993: Sonic sponsors the F1 Williams team in April, and in the same month scientists discover a new gene with spikes similar to Sonic’s. They dub the new gene ‘Sonic The Hedgehog gene’. In June, the Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog cartoon begins airing nationwide in the US. In September, Sonic The Hedgehog appears in US arcades, and in November, Sonic stars in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade with a 65-foot long balloon.

1994: Sonic The Hedgehog 3 blasts on Genesis February 2^nd. In October, Sonic and Knuckles ships in the US. The two games could be combined by locking Sonic and Knuckles into the Sonic 3 cartridge, allowing the complete adventure to be played. In October, Sonic appears in a nationwide MTV ‘Rock the Rock’ special shot on Alcatraz. Twenty-five finalists from over 100,000 entrants compete in Sonic 3 for the title of “The World’s Most Hard-Core Gamer.”

1996: In a videogame first, Sonic is included in the National Film and Television Archive of the UK, where historic films and TV programs are preserved. Marking Sonic’s first full 3D

adventure, Sonic 3D Blast is released on Saturn.

1997: Sonic R and Sonic Jam ship in Japan for SEGA Saturn.

1998: In December, Sonic Adventure is released in Japan on Dreamcast.

1999: Sonic Adventure ships August 31 in the US, eventually becoming the best-selling SEGA Dreamcast game of all time with over six million copies sold worldwide. Sonic’s second cartoon series launches in the US. In October, Sonic’s first clothing line is released in Japan.

2000: The Sonic fashion project makes its way to Paris as Sonic apparel is displayed at the Concept Store/Jean Charles de Castelbajac.

2001: On June 18, Sonic Adventure 2 ships in the US for Dreamcast. In June, a series of tenth birthday celebrations for Sonic are held across Japan. In December, CoroCoro Comics announces that the artist of the Sonic The Hedgehog comic will be well-known artist Santa Harukaze. The comic first appears in December.

2002: Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is released for GameCube on February 3, marking Sonic’s debut on the platform. Sonic Team’s Yuji Naka receives a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Game Developers Choice Awards in the US, an award presented to individuals who have made innovative and significant achievements in the videogame industry.

2003: In February, the new animated series Sonic X is announced.

2004: In January, Sonic Heroes is released on GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, marking Sonic’s largest multi-platform launch to date.

2005: On November 15, Shadow the Hedgehog marks Shadow’s first appearance in a standalone game, shipping on NGC, PS2, and Xbox. On the same day, Sonic debuts on Nintendo DS with the well-received Sonic Rush.

2006: With games shipping or in development on seven different platform, 2006 marks Sonic’s busiest and most diverse gaming year to date. Games released included Sonic Riders,

Sonic Rivals and various Sonic games for mobiles.

2007: Mario and Sonic make video game history by joining forces in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. Sonic makes his debut on the Wii system with Sonic and the Secret Rings shipping in February.

2008: Sonic appears in two new Sonic-focused games, Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Chronicles

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

Exclusive to the Nintendo DS, Sonic Chronicles is Sonic’s first appearance in an RPG (role playing game). Solve puzzles, work as a team, explore and battle your way through the Sonic Universe in the eyes of Sonic the Hedgehog. Available now in stores for $69.95 RRP. 

Sonic Unleashed

Navigate through the graphically stunning environment at super high speeds as Sonic races to save the world. Sonic Unleashed, available on PS2, PS3, Xbox and Wii, takes everything you know Sonic and adds distinct new powers that transform Sonic into an all-action fighting werewolf at night. Sonic Unleashed will be released in November 2008 and is available on the PS3 ($99.95 RRP), PS2 ($49.95), X360 ($99.95) and Wii ($79.95).

Sydney, Aust., 28 October, 2008 – Iomega Corporation, an EMC company and a global leader in consumer and small business data protection, today announced an industry first in integrating local and remote backup in a single product offering.  Iomega external hard drives are now rolling out with a new downloadable software bundle that integrates EMC® Retrospect® Express backup and recovery software with Mozy™ online backup service, vastly improving the convenience of securely storing, protecting and accessing important files. 

Today’s announcement marks the first time that EMC-owned brands and market leaders Iomega, Retrospect and Mozy have united to offer consumers a single integrated hardware and software solution for nearline and online backup. EMC acquired Iomega in June, having previously purchased Dantz Development Corporation, makers of Retrospect backup software; and Berkeley Data Systems, the developers of MozyHome™ and MozyPro™ online backup software.

The new EMC backup bundle is currently available on the newly introduced Prestige 500GB Desktop HDD from Iomega.  Prestige is Iomega’s entry level USB 2.0 desktop drive, has a new stylish enclosure and retails at $169.  

“The combination of Iomega external hard drives with Retrospect backup software integrated with Mozy online backup service means storing, protecting and accessing digital files is now easier than ever before,” said Jonathan Huberman, President of the Consumer and Small Business Products Group at EMC Corporation. “Computer users now have a seamless backup system for local backup of every file, as well as backup to the cloud for files that warrant another copy.  This bundled solution provides the versatility of any time, anywhere access. 

“Industry-leading Iomega storage devices provide tremendous capacity and dependability for storing all of a user’s files while Mozy and Retrospect Express work seamlessly with each other so the user has both regular local backups of all files as well as an extra level of security and remote access for files stored online,” continued Huberman. “This integrated product combination is the first example of EMC’s consumer and small business product division bringing computer users an unparalleled combination of the best hardware, software and services in the market today.” 

Iomega Hard Drive Owners Get a Total Storage Solution Right Out of the Box

Today, buyers of Iomega external hard drives can now choose the version of Retrospect Express backup software that is right for their needs, as well as the easy-to-use added bonus of 2 GB* of MozyHome online backup.

EMC® MozyHome is a consumer service that enables Windows and Mac users to securely back up important files – such as photos, music, videos, financial documents and more – over the internet to world-class EMC data centres. By automatically sending copies of these files to a safe, remote location, MozyHome provides protection against fire, theft, natural disaster, and all the other unexpected events from which a local backup provides little or no relief. And because MozyHome backs up throughout the day and night, it provides an additional layer of protection from hardware failure and accidental deletion. With 2GB of free storage, MozyHome makes it easy to try online backup.

New buyers of Iomega hard drives will receive in the product box details on how to download the free license of the Retrospect Express software of their choice (for Windows or Macintosh platforms) and the MozyHome Free 2GB.  Owners of Iomega hard drives that have previously downloaded Retrospect can update to these latest versions free of charge either through automatic product updates or by proactively going to the Help Menu within the Retrospect user interface and clicking on “Update”.  Registered Iomega customers with product still under warranty*** will be sent emails giving them information on how they can participate in this program as well. 

There are three free download options of Retrospect software available to new owners of Iomega hard drives:

Retrospect Express HD 2.5 for Windows (includes MozyHome integration)MozyMoasdfFor works seamlessly to enable simple, reliable backups. The two programs can share setup information and send backups to either nearline storage (an external hard drive or network drive) or online storage (the internet), or both. Retrospect Express HD protects the contents of a PC by regularly making a backup copy and storing the backup on a second local hard drive or one on the network. It’s easy, fast and reliable, and even backs up open files so that a computer does not have to be shut down to initiate a back up. A setup wizard guides the user through three quick steps: choose what to protect, select a hard drive to hold the backups, and set a schedule. 

Retrospect Express 7.6 for Windows (with integrated launch into MozyHome or MozyPro) is more configurable for advanced users, protecting a single Windows desktop or notebook computer by backing up to internal and external hard drives, NAS devices, CD/DVDs and removable drives such as Iomega’s award-winning removable HDD technology, the REV Backup Drive. Retrospect Express 7.6 delivers proven data protection capabilities in an easy-to-use software package that includes built-in open-file support. A launch button for MozyHome and MozyPro online backup software is built into Retrospect Express 7.6.

Retrospect Express for Macintosh 6.1 protects a single Macintosh desktop or notebook computer by backing up to internal and external hard drives, NAS devices, CD/DVDs and removable drives such as REV. Retrospect Express delivers proven data protection capabilities in an easy-to-use software package. MozyHome online backup service has not yet been integrated into Retrospect Express for Macintosh 6.1, but the MozyHome software available on the Iomega download site and supports Mac OS X 10.4 and above.

Iomega Portable and Desktop Hard Drives

Iomega has one of the broadest lines of portable and external desktop hard drives in the market today. Iomega 2.5-inch portable hard drives range in capacity from 160GB to 320GB, including the popular eGo™ portable hard drive, available in 160GB, 250GB and 320 GB models. Iomega portable hard drives are available as USB-powered models that require no external power supply, as well as dual interface models that incorporate USB 2.0 and Firewire 400 interfaces.  Iomega’s line of 3.5-inch desktop hard drives range in capacity from 500GB to 1.5TB, including the recently announced 1TB Iomega eGo Desktop Hard Drive, available in several personalised colors. Iomega desktop hard drives are available as USB 2.0 only, dual interface (USB 2.0 and Firewire 400, or USB 2.0 and eSATA), triple interface (USB 2.0, Firewire 400 and Firewire800), and tetra interface models (USB 2.0, Firewire 400, Firewire 800 and eSATA).

Availability

Iomega external hard drives with the new downloadable software bundle that integrates EMC® Retrospect® Express software with Mozy online backup service will be available this month in the U.S. at retail, online, catalogue and other channels; the integrated product offering will be available in international markets later this summer. 

Users of EMC Retrospect Express can upgrade for a fee to EMC Retrospect Professional for Windows or Desktop for Macintosh to add increased functionality with computing environments that have more than one computer and/or mixed operating systems (Windows, Macintosh and Linux). Retrospect Professional and Windows or Desktop for Macintosh each comes with two additional heterogeneous clients so that users can backup three computers on a network.  Users can also purchase more clients as needed.  These Retrospect upgrades can be purchased through a channel partner such as a reseller for a significant cost savings.  

About EMC

EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC) is the world’s leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology and solutions that enable organisations of all sizes to transform the way they compete and create value from their information. Information about EMC’s products and services can be found at www.EMC.com. 

About Mozy

Mozy is the leader in online data backup for consumers and businesses. With more than 750,000 users and 20,000 business customers, Mozy offers a simple, automatic and secure service for backing up data over the Internet. Mozy was acquired by EMC Corporation in 2007 and operates as part of the EMC Cloud Infrastructure and Services Division. Information can be found at www.mozy.com.

About Iomega
Iomega Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation headquartered in San Diego, is a worldwide leader in innovative storage and network security solutions for small and mid-sized businesses, consumers and others. The Company has sold more than 400 million digital storage drives and disks since its inception in 1980. Today, Iomega’s product portfolio includes industry leading network attached storage products, external hard drives, and our award-winning removable storage technology, the REV® Backup Drive. OfficeScreen®, Iomega’s managed security services, available in the U.S. and select markets in Europe, provides enterprise quality perimeter security and secure remote network access for SMBs, which help protect small enterprises from data theft and liability. To learn about all of Iomega’s digital storage products and managed services solutions, please go to the Web at www.iomega.com.au  Resellers can visit Iomega at www.iomega.com/ipartner.

NOTE: This release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined under the Federal Securities Laws.  Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors, including but not limited to: (i) adverse changes in general economic or market conditions; (ii) delays or reductions in information technology spending; (iii) our ability to protect our proprietary technology; (iv) risks associated with managing the growth of our business, including risks associated with acquisitions and investments and the challenges and costs of integration, restructuring and achieving anticipated synergies; (v) fluctuations in VMware, Inc.’s operating results and risks associated with trading of VMware stock; (vi) competitive factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures and new product introductions; (vii) the relative and varying rates of product price and component cost declines and the volume and mixture of product and services revenues; (viii) component and product quality and availability; (ix) the transition to new products, the uncertainty of customer acceptance of new product offerings and rapid technological and market change; (x) insufficient, excess or obsolete inventory; (xi) war or acts of terrorism; (xii) the ability to attract and retain highly qualified employees; (xiii) fluctuating currency exchange rates; and (xiv) other one-time events and other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in EMC’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  EMC disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

IRVINE, Calif. — October 28, 2008 — Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. announced today that the subscribership for World of Warcraft®, its award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), now exceeds 11 million players worldwide. This milestone was reached as the beta test for Wrath of the Lich King®, World of Warcraft’s second expansion, nears completion. Wrath of the Lich King will launch in several regions around the world starting on November 13, with Australia and New Zealand following soon after on November 14.

“It’s been very rewarding to see gamers around the world continue to show such strong support for World of Warcraft,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment®. “We remain fully committed to responding to that enthusiasm with a high-quality, constantly evolving game experience.”

Since debuting in North America on November 23, 2004, World of Warcraft has become the most popular MMORPG around the world. It was the bestselling PC game of 2005 and 2006 worldwide, and finished behind only World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade®, the first expansion pack for the game, in 2007.* In addition to being the bestselling PC game of 2007 in both North America and Europe, The Burning Crusade holds the record for fastest-selling PC game of all time, with nearly 2.4 million copies sold in its first 24 hours of availability and approximately 3.5 million in its first month.

World of Warcraft was recently launched in Russia and Latin America, and is currently available in eight languages. In addition to North America and Europe, the game is played in mainland China, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Chile, Argentina, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.

To keep pace with the continued growth of World of Warcraft as well as development on other Blizzard Entertainment games, the company is currently hiring for numerous open positions. More information on available career opportunities at Blizzard Entertainment can be found at www.blizzard.com/jobs.

For further information on World of Warcraft, The Burning Crusade, and Wrath of the Lich King, please visit the official website at www.worldofwarcraft.com.

World of Warcraft’s Subscriber Definition
World of Warcraft subscribers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or have an active prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, as well as those who have purchased the game and are within their free month of access. Internet Game Room players who have accessed the game over the last thirty days are also counted as subscribers. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired prepaid cards. Subscribers in licensees’ territories are defined along the same rules.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® series, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes ten #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active users.

Sydney, Australia – October 29, 2008 – The fate of New York City lies in gamers’ hands starting today as Activision Publishing, Inc.’s  (Nasdaq: ATVI) and Marvel’s (NYSE: MVL) all new Spider-Man: Web of Shadows™ ships to retail outlets nationwide.  The enthralling action-adventure saga introduces players to a cataclysmic Big Apple clash against an invasion of alien symbiotes that threatens mankind itself.  Rated PG (Mild violence, coarse language and themes) by the Classification Board, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows™ is available on Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system the Wii™ home video game system and Windows® PC.  PG (Mild Violence) Classification Board rated version is also available on Nintendo DS™.

“Spider-Man: Web of Shadows delivers the deepest combat system ever in the Spider-Man universe, whether it’s going vertical up the side of neck-breaking skyscrapers or web-slinging into action over them for high-altitude, high-octane aerial battles,” said Rob Kostich, vice president, global brand management, Activision Publishing, Inc.  “The team has captured a truly captivating Spider-Man experience that combines mesmerising combat and riveting visual effects with a compelling and unfolding storyline that places gamers in control of the action.”

With a story penned by acclaimed Marvel comic book writer, Brian Reed, the title features a New York City devastated by a deadly symbiote invasion, in which players are faced with the choice to play the heroic web-slinger in his classic, agile red suit or the dark, formidable black suit. Battling with or against a huge cast of fan-favourite Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains, gamers can switch allegiances instantly as they decide which missions will ultimately save mankind.

An all-new combat system, built from the ground up, combining web-slinging and customisable superpowers provides gamers the unrivalled opportunity to fight and explore in an open free-roaming and destructible environment.  In battle, Spider-Man’s speed and agility are tested within the diverse cityscape, challenging players to master fast-moving acrobatic combat, powerful new web-slinging moves and destructive combo attacks, as  combat seamlessly migrates  from the streets, up the sides of buildings and onto rooftops. 

Developed by Shaba Games and Treyarch, with additional development by Amaze and Aspyr, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is available now. Fans can learn more about Spider-Man: Web of Shadows by visiting www.seizecontrol.com. 

About Marvel Entertainment, Inc.

Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years.  Marvel utilises its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics).  Marvel’s strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including feature films, consumer products, toys, video games, animated television, direct-to-DVD and online.  For more information visit www.marvel.com.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision, Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.  

Activision Publishing maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, Japan and South Korea.  More information about Activision Publishing and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

Wednesday 29th October 2008 – SEGA Europe Ltd. today announce that Empire: Total War™ will incorporate Steamworks™, a complete suite of publishing and development tools that offers PC game developers and publishers access to the game features and services available through Steam.

Steamworks will support both the retail and electronic versions of the Empire: Total War game giving players game updates, downloadable content, friend-list support and achievements. To play single-player Empire: Total War, players need only to connect to the internet once via the Steam client after installing the game.

The offer is part of Saints Row 2’s sponsorship of this year’s Movember – a month long charity initiative which sees Citizens of Movember (Mo Bros and Mo Sistas) unite to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer and male depression by either growing a moustache, or supporting the efforts of a moustache enthusiast.  

At the end of Movember, Gala Partés are held to thank everyone for their efforts and to crown a ‘Man of Movember’ at each event. This year, the top ten winners of Movember in Australia and New Zealand will have their ‘Mo’s’ digitally recreated as part of an update pack for the game scheduled to be released online. 

“Saints Row 2 is a proud to be a supporter of Movember 2008. Movember is a perfect fit for our game”, said Martin Good, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific. “THQ staffs are signing up for Movember, and we are calling on anyone involved in the gaming industry to do likewise.  We are targeting to have 1,000 members of the Australian video game industry signed up to grow a Mo before November 1^st 2008.”

Saints Row 2 is an open-world game with the deepest character customisation ever in a console game. Players have near limitless possibilities to create their ideal character, including changing their height, weight, voice, walk, clothing, and facial features including a huge variety of different types of facial hair.  Saints Row 2 released on Sony PLAYSTATION3 and Microsoft’s Xbox360 on October 16, 2008.

““The gaming world is a tight knit one, as is the Movember community, and we are thrilled that THQ, through its new game, Saints Row 2, is uniting alongside the Citizens of Movember to raise awareness and money for men’s health in 2008. We are so pleased to know that THQ believes in promoting both physical and mental health and hope that through this partnership we successfully highlight men’s health in the gaming community,” said Luke Slattery, Movember Founder.

To get involved in Movember, visit www.movember.com

For more information about Saints Row 2, visit www.freeyourinnersinner.com.au

Shaun White is due for release on all formats November 13th

Watch: http://uplay.uk.ubi.com/?video=9z971t6w

Download: http://ubisoft.vo.llnwd.net/d1/marketing/EMEA/uplay/download/all/SWS_multiplayers_trailer_UK _Download_720p.wmv

An hilarious zero-to-hero story about a larger-than-life Average Joe, the international box office hit GULLIVER’S TRAVELS sails on to Blu-ray, DVD and 3-D Blu-ray from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on May 4, 2011. This family-friendly misadventure features side-splitting moments with Lilliputian foosball, a square-off duel with a robot and hysterical theatrical productions of Gulliver’s ‘life story’ including his vanquishing of Darth Vader!

Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda, School of Rock) brings his irreverent humour to this adventure-comedy based on the classic tale. To impress the pretty newspaper travel editor Darcy (Amanda Peet, 2012), an underachieving mailroom clerk named Gulliver (Black) takes a writing assignment travelling to Bermuda. When a shipwreck lands him on the fantastical island of Lilliput, he transforms into a giant — in size and ego! Gulliver’s tall tales and heroic deeds win the hearts of the tiny Lilliputians, but when he loses it all and puts his newfound friends in peril, Gulliver must find a way to undo the damage. Through it all, Gulliver may just learn that it’s how big you are on the inside that counts.

GULLIVER’S TRAVELS also stars Jason Segel (I Love You, Man), Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada), Billy Connolly (The X-Files: I Want to Believe) and Chris O’Dowd (Dinner for Schmucks).

In a format first for Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, fans can now enjoy the hilarious GULLIVER’S TRAVELS at its larger than life best with a special Blu-ray 3D combo pack which contains a 2D and 3D copy of the movie on Blu-ray, a DVD with digital copy, plus loads of laugh out loud special features.

Also available is a 2 disc Blu-ray combo pack containing the movie on Blu-ray with special features and a second disc with the DVD and digital copy, so it really can be played everywhere.

The DVD also comes in a 2 disc pack with the DVD with digital copy, and a bonus content disc.

Gulliver’s Travels DVD Clip – I Come In Peace

Gulliver’s Travels DVD Clip – Gulliver’s Life

Gulliver’s Travels Featurette – Down Time

Gulliver’s Travels DVD Clip – President The Awesome

About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.

Sydney, Australia, October 27, 2008 – ASUS, manufacturer of high quality computer chassis’, has released the new ASUS TA-8G and TA-8H chassis.

Incorporating advanced ventilation, the TA-8G and TA-8H chassis deliver maximum thermal efficiency for more stable operations. Injury-proof installation, easy access to hardware components and a large hardware capacity offer more effortless customised PC building. Additionally, the independent USB port design provides users with convenient access to USB devices and avoids mutual interference when multiple USB devices are connected.

The TA-8G and TA-8H are aesthetically designed and presented in a smart and stylish overall look. The plastic textured bezel (available in different colours) fastened on the front faceplate provides a subtle contrast with the matt black finishing of the chassis, while the power button is back-lit with a blue LED light radiating an elegant ambience during operation. The TA-8G and TA-8H are also equipped with a top ODD cover that shields dust, at the same time displaying a consistent overall colour tone. Furthermore, the surfaces are sturdy and scratch-free with rounded corners to prevent users against cuts and abrasions, as well as accentuating the chassis sleek look and feel.

The widespread cooling design of the TA-8G and TA-8H enables extensive, continuous operations for the most powerful processing platforms and increases overall system performance and stability. The ventilation model supports dual 80mm front and rear fans, with the option of upgrading the front fan to a 120mm large fan – catering to users who require increased airflow at lower fan speeds for quieter computing. The side ventilation gaps pull in cool air to lower CPU and graphics card temperatures, with the air-duct funnels direct cool air towards the CPU. Its unique rear ventilation gaps enhance aeration around the add-on cards.

Easy access installation makes for convenient and safe do-it-yourself – the screw-less hard drive cage with user-friendly holders and side panels with thumbscrews enable easy system upgrade and maintenance. The injury-proof hard drive cage with folded and plastic-covered metal edges protects fingers from scrapes and scratches. Intelligently located USB ports in the front IO port guard against dust and avoids mutual interference when multiple USB devices are connected.

The TA-8G and TA-8H provide support for four 5.25-inch and six 3.5-inch drive bays, seven PCI slots, two USB ports and two audio ports and one 1394 port to support an vast array of optical drives, hard disks, sound cards, LAN cards and peripherals – providing users with the ultimate in scalability for future upgrading options.

Overall, the TA-8G and TA-8H enable long and continuous stable operations for the most powerful processing platforms, increasing total system performance and reliability.

The ASUS TA-8G and TA-8H chassis is now available from selected computer resellers. Recommended retail price is AU$179 inc GST.

Sydney, Australia, October 27, 2008 – ASUS has announced its ultimate gamer G Series notebooks, bringing out the big guns with full throttle power and portable performance. In keeping with tradition and breaking new ground, ASUS is proud to present the world’s first Intel® Quad Core™ Gaming notebook—the G71.

Specifically designed for gamers, the G71 is the latest addition to its expanding G Series and the first in ASUS’ planned series of Quad Core™ gaming notebooks. The G71 delivers a total gaming experience in a highly portable package, with an emphasis on audio clarity and stunning display of graphics.

The world’s first Quad Core™ gaming notebook – the ASUS G71 – is powered by the new Intel Core™ 2 Extreme processor QX9300. The removal of the Overspeed Protection means that the G71 is capable of ultra-high performance through overclocking. This is the ultimate in muscle gaming, pushing the envelope in computer processing power thus allowing users to multi-task in mammoth proportions.

As a dedicated gaming notebook, the G71 sports an impressive array of advanced components, such as a 17” Crystal Shine high brightness display with a quick response time of 8 ms, powered by a NVIDIA GeForce 9700M GT GDDR3 512 MB graphics card. The G71 also features up to 4GB of DDR3 1066MHz system memory coupled with dual hard disk drives of up to 1 TB (500 GB x 2) – enabling users to enjoy multimedia entertainment and games while on the move.

Direct Console 2.0 is an all-in-one gaming control interface that allows users to select from three processor speed settings depending on their mode of usage. The same interface also includes controls for Direct Messenger, enabling communication utilities such as Instant Messaging (MSN™), Meeting and E-mail notification. Acting as a secondary display, it displays email notifications, instant messages, battery reserves and system loadings in real-time even during a game in progress. This allows users to keep in touch with their friends and family while multi-tasking between various applications.

The G71 is also equipped with gaming hotkeys enabling users to launch their favourite games with a single touch and execute in-game commands on-the-fly. Its chassis features a programmable lighting system, which lights up and blinks during in-game events. These lights can be configured through the Direct Console 2.0, providing the user with a pyrotechnic-like ambience while in the game.

Incorporating several entertainment features that promise to give users a unique gaming experience, the G71’s built-in Altec Lansing speakers with subwoofer deliver excellent sound reproduction, further complimented by Dolby™ Home Theater. A 2.0 megapixel webcam allows users to communicate visually through Skype™ or MSN™, while a dedicated game keyboard layout provides strategically placed movement keys on a full-sized keyboard – offering quick access to in-game inventories and allowing the issue of commands in the shortest time possible. These elements combine to provide an entire host of gamer-centric features for users to immerse themselves in a world of audio and visual entertainment with style.

The G71 not only has the sheer power to satisfy the needs of serious, hardcore muscle gamers, it is also suitable for casual gamers who have a more laid-back approach to gaming.

The ASUS G71 notebook will be available from November 2008 from selected computer resellers. Recommended retail price is AU$5,199 inc GST.