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ATTENTION ZOMBIES FANS – Message from Activision!

The Nuketown Zombies Bonus Map is Now Available on PlayStation 3 and Windows PC for Call of Duty®: Black Ops II DLC Season Pass Holders

Call of Duty®: Black Ops II DLC Season Pass holders on PlayStation 3 and Windows PC now have immediate access to the game’s fan favourite Nuketown Zombies bonus map!  Call of Duty®: Black Ops II DLC Season Pass holders not only get four epic DLC Map Packs** for the discounted suggested retail price of $69.95 AUD, but they also get the Nuketown Zombies bonus map – plus an exclusive in-game calling card.

Check out the new Nuketown Zombies trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzaVSj0omXo

We hope you’re enjoying the amount of gameplay packed into Call of Duty: Black Ops II.  If you haven’t done so already, grab the DLC Season Pass and take on Nuketown Zombies, and be sure to track your Zombies stats with Call of Duty Elite.

Sincerely,

Activision & Treyarch

 
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TEAM NINJA SPELLS OUT NEW DETAILS OF DEAD OR ALIVE 5 PLUS CROSS-DEVICE FUNCTIONALITY

Team NINJA, which has previously announced that its upcoming DEAD OR ALIVE® 5 PLUS for PlayStation®Vita will feature cross-platform matches and shared saved data and in-game purchases, today revealed this process and functionality in more detail. As the game’s March 22nd launch approaches, the developer is finalizing its strategy to give players a seamless Dead or Alive 5 experience across console and handheld platforms while delivering maximum value.

CROSS-PLATFORM PLAY

  • Hardware icons will appear next to player names in cross-platform battles to indicate whether they are playing on PS3 or PS Vita
  • Cross-platform battles will run at 60fps on both platforms so there will be no lag or slowdown even when playing on different devices
  • All characters that have been unlocked on PS3 can be used on PS Vita—and vice versa
  • In-game rankings will show whether players are on PS Vita or PS3

CROSS-PLATFORM DLC

  • Using the PS Store, DLC purchases will be shared across both platforms so players can pay a single price while getting dual platform use
  • Over 100 costumes have been delivered to date as DLC, and the cross-platform transfer allows players to preserve their collection while getting new gameplay options with DEAD OR ALIVE 5 PLUS on PS Vita

CROSS-PLATFORM GAME SAVES AND UNLOCKED CONTENT

  • Saved games on PS Vita or PS3 can be used on the other platform, so gamers can play on the go and then bring their progress back to the console (or vice versa)
  • All unlocked content on one platform is available on the other platform; for instance, Tina’s Legend Swimsuit earned by completing Legend mode in Arcade mode without continuing will be available on PS3 if earned on PS Vita
  • “Any new stages for DOA5 on PS3, will also be available on DEAD OR ALIVE 5 PLUS for PS Vita”

DEAD OR ALIVE 5 PLUS brings the signature DOA fighting style to PS Vita with all-new system-specific features complementing the stunning graphics and new martial arts techniques of the recent console release. Players will take on the roles of the cast of DOA fighters in an action-packed brawler set in visually striking international locales, with each stage featuring interactive backdrops. With a sensual yet realistic style, characters are rendered in incredibly lifelike detail.

 
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Entries Are Now Open for the 2013 iAwards – Australia’s Leading Awards Program for ICT Innovations

Wednesday 16 January, 2013 – The call for entries is now open for the 2013 iAwards, Australia’s premier technology awards program. The iAwards boasts the most comprehensive array of awards which recognise the achievements and contributions that ICT makes across all facets of the Australian economy.

The iAwards program recognises and celebrates the reach and value that ICT delivers throughout Australia and indeed the world.

Host partners the Australian Computer Society (ACS), Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) and the Pearcey Foundation are calling for anyone who has created an innovative ICT product or service to enter the 2013 iAwards.

“We’re keen to see the latest ICT product and services, developed by professionals or organisations, which demonstrate true innovation and have the potential to, or are already, adding value and driving productivity. ICT is everywhere and we are looking forward to seeing the next wave of innovations and future thinking at this year’s iAwards,” commented Wayne Fitzsimmons, Chairman, The Pearcey Foundation and iAwards host partner.

Cameron Tuesley, Managing Director of Integral, a 2012 iAward and APICTA winner has said of the program, “Integral is delighted to have won the 2012 iAward for Sustainability & IT and to have then gone on to win the APICTA award for Green and Sustainable IT for our Queensland ClimateSmart Home Service technology platform, which we developed in partnership with LGIS.”

“To be recognised by such highly esteemed awards programs – and on a national and then an international stage – is a great validation of the effort, passion and innovation that went in to making this program such a success.”

Some of the categories for this year’s iAwards program have been changed to reflect the shifting landscape that is the Australian ICT community. The result is a new look 2013 iAwards program across seven domains, recognising individual achievement, product innovation, project excellence and entrepreneurial spirit.

Amongst the new 2013 iAwards categories are Community and Consumer, as well as new Regional and Resources categories which aim to recognise the ICT innovators who are making their mark in the regional and rural areas.

“We’ve worked hard to ensure that the 2013 iAwards program has evolved in the same way as the ever changing ICT industry so that the new frontiers, where ICT innovation is adding value, are included and celebrated by the iAwards program,” Mr Fitzsimmons added.

From Health and Education to Resources and Mining, from Finance and Government to the CIOs and ICT Professionals who lead the way – the 2013 iAwards program will showcase the ways in which ICT adds value and drives productivity and innovation in Australia.

If either your company or you have created an innovative ICT product or service – and you think you have what it takes to be an iAwards winner – then enter today. Alternatively, if you know an outstanding ICT innovator, you can nominate them for an individual achievement iAward.

As the only truly international ICT awards program in Australia, company winners of the 2013 iAwards will have the opportunity to compete with businesses from across the Asia Pacific region at the 2013 APICTA Awards (Asia Pacific ICT Awards) in Hong Kong.

 
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EA Releases New Video in the Real Racing 3 Development Diary Video Series

The Australian made Real Racing series has been in development since 2009 and local Melbourne team Firemonkeys are excited to reveal additional information on one of the most exciting elements in the newest iteration of this fan favourite series.

Real Racing 3 lets fans race on real world circuits with powerful dream cars from all-new manufacturers like Porsche, Audi and Dodge. With the improvements achieved with Real Racing 2, the team aimed to raise the bar on expectations and continue to give their artists the ability to create the most realistic graphic effects on cars on an individual basis. Real Racing 3 delivers the unique experience of speeding in some of the best cars on world famous race tracks.

The Firemonkeys have released the second video in their development diary series to provide fans with more of Real Racing 3 including realistic reflections, customisable cars and improved detail down to glosses and finishes. For more information on Real Racing 3 please visit us on Facebook.

 
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Acronis Names Cloud Storage as a Crucial Part of IT Strategies in 2013

Sydney, 17 January 2013 – On the heels of the cloud’s widespread adoption in 2012, 2013 will be the year in which the cloud’s storage capabilities are truly leveraged for enterprise mobility and data accessibility. And, with IDC claiming that combined spending for public and private cloud storage will reach US$22.6 billion worldwide by 2015, Acronis predicts cloud storage will play an integral role in IT strategies in 2013. Organisations will use it to meet increasing demands for data availability, protect against security concerns of enterprise mobility, manage the explosion of data and see it as a strategic differentiator.

Traditionally, the cloud’s capabilities have been focused on server scalability, hardware optimisation and the portability of applications from one virtual server to another within the cloud fabric, but 2013 is the year the cloud will make an even greater business impact through its storage capabilities.

Storage costs have the ability to cripple an IT department’s budget. And, with businesses and consumers creating 2.5 quintillion bytes of data per day, it’s essential for organisations to find a cost-effective storage solution that can handle the volume, variety and velocity of growing data.  This means finding new approaches to ensure all needed data is backed up, accessible and available for business critical functions, while reducing storage costs.  In 2013, this will be achieved through hybrid cloud infrastructure that will seamlessly integrate on-premise and cloud environments, and by the use of new technologies to reduce the cost and increase the availability of data stored in the cloud.

“Businesses will not be able to compete without hybrid cloud storage strategies,” said Andy Purvis, General Manager ANZ, Acronis. “The need to create, store and access more data, from mobile and traditional computing devices, makes old storage and data protection solutions obsolete, inflexible and expensive.  If IT departments don’t provide end users with this capability, end users will bypass IT and obtain it themselves.”

The premiere cloud strategy of 2013 and beyond will also increasingly address the security concerns of the rising enterprise mobility trend. A Harris Interactive survey found that 81 percent of employees use at least one personal device for business use, and it is likely that these employees are collaborating and accessing sensitive data outside the company network. To expel security concerns, IT managers should take an holistic approach to the cloud in 2013, implementing comprehensive solutions that address the security and availability of data both inside and outside the traditional IT infrastructure.

About Acronis

Acronis is leading the next wave of data availability, accessibility and protection solutions to simplify today’s complex IT environments. Acronis technology enables organisations of all sizes to manage the always-on anywhere data access demands of users, reducing risk against the loss of valuable corporate data and controlling management and storage costs. With proven technology for data migration and disaster recovery for physical, virtual and cloud environments, and secure enterprise file-sharing and synchronization regardless of type or platform, Acronis is enabling organisations to embrace new IT strategies and options such as BYOD and Mac in the enterprise. Please visit www.acronis.com.hk. Follow Acronis on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acronis and visit Acronis on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Acronis.APAC

 
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AVG’s Predictions for 2013

The start of a new year is a good time to look ahead and forecast what will be the biggest developments in the threat landscape in 2013.

AVG predicts the ‘traditional’ threats targeting businesses and consumers will be accompanied by more recent developments such as attacks on virtualised cloud infrastructure; and threats to privacy from both legitimate and criminal sources as they seek to profit from personal data.

Michael McKinnon, Security Advisor at AVG Technologies AU, said: “Our lives are becoming more closely intertwined with online services and so the potential rewards for cybercriminals in that area grow too. I expect to see more attacks on the cloud services that businesses and consumers rely on day-to-day, both to cause disruption and to steal personal and financial data.”

McKinnon warns that consumers must expect to also find their privacy under attack from legitimate businesses seeking to maximise profits by using personal data without users’ consent.

AVG’s top five digital threats facing businesses and consumers in 2013 are:

  1. Privacy: Online      advertising on PCs, tablets and smartphones will become even more      aggressively personalised as businesses seek to increase capitalise on      users’ privacy. Advertisers will use browser tracking, social media      trawling and geo-location data to identify individual users, and then      serve them a customised program of ads, all without the users’ consent.
  1. Cloud security: Attacks      against virtualised cloud infrastructure will expose the risks in public      cloud services and the large additional investments needed to better      secure them. Well-known cloud systems such as Dropbox,      SkyDrive,      Cloud      Drive (Amazon) and Google      Drive have reportedly been attacked by malware, and we will see an      increase in attacks against such systems from Denial of Service (DoS)      /Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
  1. Mobile threats: As the      world’s most popular mobile operating system, Google’s Android OS is now      the prime target for smartphone and tablet malware. Due to security      enhancements in Android 4.2, threats will become more sophisticated and      use polymorphic code that is designed to mutate in order to avoid      detection by traditional app store security.
  1. PC threats: The      steady increase in popularity of Windows 8 will inspire hackers to reveal      new vulnerabilities, develop new-style malware and fraudware, and present      new proof-of-concept exploits. The number of infected websites targeting      PCs will also increase with the growing popularity of ‘commercial’ exploit      kits such as Blackhole, while users’ problems will be compounded by an      increased reliance on built-in security systems.
  1. Mobile-to-PC threats:      Increased connectivity between mobile devices and PCs, combined with the      growing Bring Your Own Device trend will make it much easier for malware      and viruses to spread across business and home networks. We also expect to      register more      MITMO (Man-In-The-Mobile) attacks that target PC and mobile internet banking      apps. These multi-factor authentication attacks will be stealthier, more      polished and more location-oriented.

Michael McKinnon said: “As cybercriminals and hackers use ever more sophisticated attack tools, so too should users of the latest technologies do everything they can to protect their personal information and finances. You may have data in the cloud but keep your feet on the ground! To have the best chance of beating the criminals, run always on, automatically updating antivirus on every one of your Internet-connected devices – be they house bound or mobile.”

 

 
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NIKITA: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON

Available to own on Blu-ray™ for $69.95 RRP and on DVD for $59.95 RRP from February 13

Also available To Download now

International action star Maggie Q returns as sexy assassin Nikita as when Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group (WBHEG) releases Nikita: The Complete Second Season. This release will features all 23 episodes from the hit Warner Bros. Television series, plus over an hour of never-before-seen bonus content. Nikita: The Complete Second Season will be available on Blu-rayTM and DVD on February 13.

 
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SHAMELESS: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON

Available to own on Blu-ray™ for $49.95 RRP and on DVD for $39.95 RRP from February 13.

Also available To Download now. 

Get set for another season of outrageous family dysfunction when Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group (WBHEG) releases Season Two of Shameless on Blu-ray™ and DVD February 13, 2013. From award-winning executive producer John Wells (ER, The West Wing) and Warner Bros. Television, Shameless stars Oscar®-nominated/Emmy®-winning actor William H. Macy (Fargo, Door to Door) as the affable but hopelessly incurable alcoholic father of an unconventional family from Chicago’s South Side. Shameless: The Complete Second Season will feature all 12 episodes from Season Two, plus over 90 minutes of bonus content including three featurettes, five Shameless Actor Discussions, and deleted scenes.

 
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Crysis 3: 7 Wonders Episode 4 – “The Typhoon”

Meet the Typhoon, the pinnacle of firepower capable of delivering over 500 rounds a second, ripping through anything and everything in its path. That is why the Typhoon is exactly the sort of tool Prophet needs in his attempt to save mankind and the planet known as Earth

 
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Beware the Dragon

Chinese armory advances conquest of World of Tanks

16th January, 2012 – Wargaming today announced that Update 8.3 for its massively popular MMO action game World of Tanks, complete with the addition of a brand new nation, the Chinese, is now live in Europe and Southeast Asia. North-American players will get the update on January 17, while the Korean audience will start testing the new tech tree starting from January 21.

The game’s latest evolution adds 17 steel machines used by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in the mid-20th century warfare.

The lower tiers of the new tech tree feature a hotchpot of various foreign designs, including the first Japanese-made tank in the game – the Type 97 Chi-Ha. Heavy Soviet influences are reflected in the top-tier tanks, which also include a number of original Chinese models, some of which never went into mass production.

Decent armor, impressive mobility and accurate guns with high damage potential make the Chinese tanks fearsome opponents to face off.

About World of Tanks

World of Tanks is the first and only team-based, massively multiplayer online action game dedicated to armored warfare. Throw yourself into the epic tank battles of World War II with other steel cowboys all over the world. Your arsenal includes more than 230 armored vehicles from United States, Germany, the Soviet Union, France, Great Britain and China, carefully detailed with historical accuracy.

Join World of Tanks:

About Wargaming

IWargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher and one of the leaders in the free-to-play MMO market. Founded as a privately held company in 1998, Wargaming has shipped more than 15 titles. Currently, Wargaming is focused on its team-based MMO war series dedicated to the mid-20th century warfare that will include the armored World of Tanks, the flight combat World of Warplanes, and the naval World of Warships. The three intertwined titles will form a common gaming universe integrated within the portal – www.wargaming.net.

Official website: www.wargaming.com

 
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