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Apple’s App Store Marks Historic 50 Billionth Download

CUPERTINO, California?16 May, 2013?Apple® today announced that customers have downloaded over 50 billion apps* from the revolutionary App Store?. Customers are downloading more than 800 apps per second at a rate of over two billion apps per month on the App Store. The 50 billionth app was Say the Same Thing by Space Inch, LLC, which was downloaded by Brandon Ashmore from Mentor, Ohio who received a $10,000 App Store Gift Card to commemorate this historic milestone.

“Apple would like to thank our incredible customers and developers for topping 50 billion apps downloaded,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “The App Store completely transformed how people use their mobile devices and created a thriving app ecosystem that has paid out over nine billion dollars to developers. We’re absolutely floored to cross this milestone in less than five years.”

The App Store opened in July 2008 with 500 apps. Since its introduction, Apple’s incredible developer community has created an app for doing almost everything imaginable on an iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch®.

“We were blown away with our success on the App Store back in 2008,” said Rich Riley, CEO of Shazam. “And almost five years later we continue to be amazed with how much people love using Shazam on their iPhone or iPad. With the App Store, we can effortlessly provide users with updates that give them great new features while making it easy for new users to discover and download Shazam for themselves.”

“We started our company in 2008 as three friends focused on creating great educational apps for our children,” said Caroline Hu Flexer, co-founder of Duck Duck Moose. “The App Store brought ‘Wheels on the Bus’ to the world in a big way. Sixteen apps later, a fan base of millions of parents, children and educators and a growing company with 20 full-time employees, we couldn’t be happier with our success.”

“The App Store has been integral in getting us into the hands of millions of iOS users and has transformed our business,” said Elizabeth Francis, Chief Marketing Officer of Gilt.com. “Our apps allow our members to access their favourite sales on Gilt every day, anytime, anywhere. App Store customers have proven to be a loyal shopper base and have been influential in making Gilt the globally recognised brand it is today.”

The revolutionary App Store offers more than 850,000 apps to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users in 155 countries around the world, with more than 350,000 native iPad apps available. App Store customers can choose from an incredible range of apps in 23 categories, including newspapers and magazines offered in Newsstand, games, business, news, sports, health & fitness and travel.

*50 billion unique downloads excluding re-downloads and updates.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

 
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How I Met Your Mother Season 9 Spoilers

Ted finally meets his soul mate in Season 9 of How I Met Your Mother… unfortunately for Ted, the entire gang meets his soul mate first with Season 9 focusing on the wedding weekend! [Source TV Line] This is also the FINAL season for How I Met Your Mother.

… and here is Ted’s future soul mate…

… actress Cristin Milioti

 
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NEW SCREENSHOTS AND ARTWORK RELEASED FOR FINAL FANTASY XIV: A REALM REBORN

Sydney 16th May – Square Enix are pleased to announce that new screenshots and artwork have been released for FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn. The new images include artwork of the mighty primals Bahamut and Odin and a plethora of new monsters, as well as screenshots of the stunning locations that can be found across the city states of Eorzea.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn is scheduled to enter the third phase of closed beta testing in June.  Beta phase three will introduce PlayStation®3 users to FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn for the very first time, where they will be able to experience the captivating world of Eorzea alongside PC players due to the game’s cross-platform functionality.

Additionally, beta phase three testers will gain access to a wealth of new content, including the introduction of the city states of Ul’dah and Limsa Lominsa.

Visit the official website for more info here: www.finalfantasyxiv.com

Apply to become a beta tester here: http://entry.ffxiv.com/beta/eu

Follow the official FINAL FANTASY XIV Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/FinalFantasyXIV

 
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CODEMASTERS® REVEALS GRID 2™ DRIFT EVENTS AND ASIAN LOCATIONS

FROM DRIFT IN JAPAN TO STREET RACING IN DUBAI, NEW GAMEPLAY VIDEO SHOWCASES ASIAN GRID 2 CONTENT

Sydney 16th May – Today Codemasters® released a new GRID 2™ gameplay video that showcases the game’s intense Drift events and reveals key Asian locations, including the addition of Hong Kong, set to feature in the game; the video is now playing at http://youtu.be/Cr4yTAKzBGA 

The ‘World Series Racing 3: Asia – New Frontiers’ video focuses on the Asian cars, clubs and locations set to star in GRID 2. Racers earn points for style and form in Drift events on steep and aggressive mountain roads filled with hairpins inspired by Okutama in Japan. Open Road racing is represented with Touge events in Hong Kong, where players must close the gap and take their chance to pass in one-on-one, contactless sprints.

The Street Racing category is showcased in Dubai, as cars power down highways and speed past stunning skyscrapers in this distinctive city fuelled by petrol-powered wealth. Track Racing is shown at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, one of the most advanced and thrilling dedicated racing circuits in the world which has played host to a wide range of motorsport up to the very highest level. 

Drift events in GRID 2 push players to show their skill in maintaining style and form as they break traction on ribbons of asphalt. Available in career mode, split-screen and online, each Drift event features three short multi-car runs on technical sections featuring combinations of corners and hairpins. Players must record the highest score possible, earning points for the speed, angle and duration of their drift as well as proximity to drift markers on corners. Drifting in GRID 2 requires players to look at cars in a different way, rewarding them for car control in a vehicle’s most unstable state on each and every spectacular run.

GRID 2, the long-awaited sequel to the BAFTA-award winning, critically acclaimed Race Driver: GRID™, will ship to retail on May 30 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Windows® PC and is available for pre-order now.

 
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Gran Turismo®6 is coming!

Kazunori Yamauchi announces new game at Gran Turismo 15th anniversary event

SYDNEY, 16th May 2013 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. have announced Gran Turismo®6 (GT6™), the latest version of PlayStation®’s best-selling franchise, will be released during the Holiday season, 2013. The news was revealed by legendary Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi at an event held at Silverstone (UK) to celebrate 15 years of the 70-million-selling series.

GT6 for PlayStation®3 will bring new levels of authenticity to ‘the Real Driving Simulator’ as well as introducing stunning new tracks and cars and a revised user interface. A new compact game engine will improve operation and increase the flexibility to expand it with downloadable content. Meanwhile, the game is also set for expanded connectivity with other devices such as smart phones and tablets and increased social and community functions.

All of the cars and tracks from Gran Turismo®5, which has sold over 10m copies since launching in 2010, will be retained in GT6. But notable new additions to the already impressive line-up of historic cars, road cars and the latest race cars, brings the total car list to 1200 at launch, with new cars set to be continually added online. Several thousand aerodynamic parts and custom wheels will be available for almost all cars, and players can personalize their own custom cars in game to the greatest ever level possible.

The UK’s famous Silverstone Circuit will be just one of seven new locations in Gran Turismo 6, taking the total to 33, with 71 different layouts available, 19 of them brand new. There will also be regular additions of new tracks set to be made available online. The improved course maker function will provide gorgeous scenery spanning several tens of square kilometers including the magnificent backdrop of Andalucía.

 

The theme of Gran Turismo’s innovative collaborations with partner companies will increase with the inception of GT6. A number of exciting new projects that blur the line between the virtual and real will be announced in the run up to the game’s launch. Not least of these is GT Academy, a collaboration with Nissan to unearth real racing driver talent that first ran in 2008. It was announced during the event that the competition returns to participating territories for its biggest ever year in 2013, with the entry mechanic set to take place on an exclusive GT6 demo in July.

Other notable partnerships in the development of GT6 have been with tyre manufacturer Yokohama Rubber and suspension company KW Automotive. Both companies are active in the commercial car industry and in racing, and they have acted as technical development partners for the game’s new physics engine, for its tyre and suspension kinematic modeling, creating an even more realistic experience for GT fans.

“It is amazing to think that it is 15 years since we first released Gran Turismo,” explained Kazunori Yamauchi, during the announcement at Silverstone Circuit. “Things have changed a lot since then and now Gran Turismo 6 is a further evolution of my dream.  We’re pleased to deliver GT6 to PlayStation 3 as we have a very loyal community on that platform. However, we have refactored the game to make it very flexible and expandable, with a view to making many future developments. I am very pleased with everything about the new game and the new additions, but the launch will be only the beginning for GT6. The game will continue to develop throughout its life. I already have many ideas for things I want to achieve in the next 15 years of Gran Turismo!”

The celebration of 15 years of Gran Turismo event at Silverstone included a demo of GT6 featuring the famous circuit. Guests were able to play the game in the familiar circular Gran Turismo race pods before having a chance to take to the real track in cars provided by Audi, Ford, Jaguar, KTM, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Toyota.

Further news about Gran Turismo 6 will be revealed at the forthcoming E3 and Gamescom events and on www.gran-turismo.com. #GT6iscoming

 
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BEYOND PRESENTS ULTIMATE DVD COLLECTION FOR STATE OF ORIGIN FANS

Beyond Home Entertainment (Beyond) will release the highly?anticipated State of Origin Ultimate Collection on DVD in Australia on 19 June, 2013. A stunning showcase of one of Australia’s greatest and most revered sporting contests, this limited edition 64?disc collection will include every Origin game played from 1980 to 2012, and will be released to coincide with this year’s Holden State of Origin Series.

Regarded by many commentators as highest level of representative Rugby League, State of Origin has provided Australian sport with some of its most iconic moments. From Arthur Beetson leading his underdog Maroons side onto Lang Park in the first ever Origin game and the bruising contests of the 1980s, to the Blues’ domination of the 1990s and Queensland’s unprecedented seven straight series wins of recent years, the State of Origin Ultimate Collection presents 96 Origin games retrieved from the archives, comprising over 145 hours of classic Rugby League. Presented in a limited edition hardcover collector’s book, the collection also features a stunning pictorial retrospective of Origin’s most iconic images, and a history of the famous contest including series statistics and memorable moments.

The State of Origin Ultimate Collection represents the first time that every State of Origin game has been made available in a complete DVD set. “No other event embodies the rivalry, tradition, pride and passion of Australian sport like State of Origin,” says Phil Maddison, General Manager at Beyond. “We trust that fans will enjoy this wonderful piece of DVD memorabilia as much as we have enjoyed making the complete Origin chronicle available for the first time in history.”

The State of Origin Ultimate Collection will be released on DVD on 19 June, 2013 and will be available through all good DVD retailers. Production will be strictly limited to 3,000 units.

 
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Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag – Under the Black Flag Gameplay Trailer

 
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Mouth of Sauron Is The Latest DLC In Guardians of Middle-earth

Gamers can download and play as Sauron’s deadly ambassador, Mouth of Sauron in Guardians of Middle-earth on Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network.

As the only person who directly communicates with the Dark Lord, Mouth of Sauron provides orders to the armies of Gorgoroth, the northwestern region of Mordor.  He briefly encountered Aragorn before the Battle of the Black Gate, dismissing him as the new King of Gondor and Arnor.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Monolith Productions also released new character art, bio, ability details and a new video about playing as the Mouth of Sauron.

The Mouth of Sauron trailer can be viewed here.

 
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High Performance Photography with Photo Sharing and Saving with the Samsung NX300 and NX2000

Samsung announces the newest additions to the innovative NX family including Samsung’s first one lens 3D system                       

Additional lens sold separately 

Sydney, Australia – May 16, 2013 – Samsung Electronics Australia today announced that the new NX300 and NX2000 cameras will be available in Australia joining the existing flagship NX20 and Smart Camera 2.0 range. Samsung has also announced the separate NX 45mm F1.8 2D/3D interchangeable lens, Samsung’s first one lens 3D system capable of capturing both still images and full HD movies in accurate 3D quality. Samsung is privileged to also announce an exclusive, multi-layered partnership between the NX300 and the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt.

The NX300 and NX2000 cameras boast the updated version of SMART CAMERA 2.0, a hub of innovative connectivity features. The device is designed to deliver useful, advanced and practical features for the enthusiast photographer looking for premium compact system cameras (CSC) and allows great shooting in most environments and for every moment.

“Following last year’s launch of the GALAXY Camera and the Smart Camera 2.0 family earlier this year, we are excited to bring the new NX300 and NX2000 cameras into Australia. Both cameras are designed to combine high imaging performance whilst allowing the camera user to easily edit, share and back up images” said Craig Gillespie, Head of Digital Imaging, Samsung Australia. “With 12 different interchangeable lenses in the NX family including the new 45mm 2D/3D lens, each sold separately, NX camera users can ensure that there’s a lens for almost any purpose.”

The Samsung NX300 recently won the ‘Best CSC Advanced’ award at the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) Awards, recognised as one of the most coveted photo and imaging awards worldwide. This award recognises the NX300 as one of the best advanced compact system cameras (CSC) on the market. The Samsung 45mm f/1.8 (2D/3D) lens was also awarded the ‘Best Imaging Innovation’ award. In total, Samsung won four 2013 TIPA Awards in the categories of ‘Best CSC Advanced’, ‘Best Mobile Imaging Device’, ‘Best Imaging Innovation’ and ‘Best Photo TV’.

Shoot Fast, Share Fast

Premium Wi-Fi connectivity in the NX300 and NX2000 is designed to allow users to share their photographs between compatible devices and desktop computers. The Direct Link hot key feature is designed to enable images to be shared securely at the touch of a button between compatible camera, smartphone and tablet technology. The SMART CAMERA App1, available on AndroidTM and iOS, connects the user’s compatible smartphone to the camera via a Wi-Fi connection to easily edit, share and back-up images.2

The NX300 includes a Hybrid Auto Focus (AF) system that is designed to enable fast, accurate phase and contrast detection, while the 1/6000 sec shutter speed and up to 8.6fps in continuous shooting mode helps to ensure moments are not missed.

Both NX300 and NX2000 cameras integrate the new 20.3 Megapixel APS–CMOS sensor, capable of capturing high quality detailed images with sharp, life-like colours that are crisp and clear in most lighting conditions.

Both cameras also incorporate the new DRIMe IV engine which works to reduce noise, improve speed and enable superior color reproduction.

Additionally the integrated Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the NX2000 links to many NFC-enabled compatible Android smartphones and tablets. Simply tap the camera with the compatible smart device and NFC immediately launches the Samsung SMART CAMERA App1 and automatically pairs the device via a direct Wi-Fi connection.2

The NX300 will include a bright 3.31” AMOLED screen and tilt display making more angles easy to shoot, while the hybrid touch screen and 5-way manual key interface is simple and intuitive to use. The NX2000 will include a large 3.7-inch WVGA Full Touch Screen for convenient and intuitive navigation to access a range of features.

The NX300 is designed to make it easy for anyone to capture professional standard pictures. Samsung’s Smart Mode allows users to choose from 14 different settings, such as Creative Shot, Landscape, Light Trace or Action Freeze. Each setting will automatically adjust both aperture and shutter speed in order to obtain a great shot.

1 Applications may need to be downloaded from Samsung Apps.  Internet connection required.  Data, subscription and other charges may apply.  Usage may be subject to third party service provider agreements.   

2 Internet connection required.  Data and subscription charges may apply.  

Android is a trademark of Google Inc.  

iOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco in the U.S. and other countries and is used under license.

Partnership with the world’s fastest man 

Like Usain Bolt, the NX300 camera is super-fast and allows its users to be part of the front row action and shoot amazing moments. The global ‘NX Junior Photographer’ campaign will see Samsung and Usain Bolt work in partnership to build on the athlete’s natural love of being behind the camera and will see the six-time gold medal winning Olympian, showcase his very own ‘Usain Bolt Foundation’ to provide equipment and lessons to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Over the coming months, other activities will be launched globally through the exclusive partnership with Usain Bolt and Samsung for those that like speed.

 

Pricing and Availability

 

The Samsung NX300 will be available in-store from mid-May, from leading retailers and photography stores at a RRP of $899. It will include the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS III lens and a copy of Adobe® Lightroom® 4 editing software for photographers. The NX300 will be available in brown or white with a contrasting silver band.

 

The Samsung NX2000 will be available in-store from late June, from leading retailers and photography stores.  It will also include a copy of Adobe Lightroom 4 editing software and will be available in white or black.

 

The Samsung NX 45mm F1.8 2D/3D interchangeable lens will be available in-store from mid-May, from leading retailers and photography stores at a RRP of $499.

 

Adobe is either a registered trademark or trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

 
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STAR TREK – GOOGLE+ Hangout in Space with NASA | PLUS all new content

What:

 

 

 

 

 A GOOGLE+ HANGOUT IN SPACE: “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS”   DIRECTOR J.J. ABRAMS, WRITER AND PRODUCER DAMON LINDELOFAND STARS JOIN NASA   ASTRONAUTS AND THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

In this live Google+ Hangout, NASA astronauts will   connect with “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” director J.J. Abrams, writer and   producer Damon Lindelof, and stars Chris Pine, John Cho and Alice Eve to   discuss the emerging intersection between the fiction of Star Trek and the   reality of NASA’s current programs.
When: Friday, May 17, 2013

2:00 – 2:45 a.m. AEST

 
Where: http://www.google.com/+NASA

Submit your questions now: Use the hashtag #askNASA on Google+, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram, or leave a comment   on our Star Trek Into   Darkness Facebook page. Questions will be taken throughout the event.

About the Event:

Director J.J. Abrams, writer and producer Damon Lindelof, and stars Chris Pine, John Cho and Alice Eve will video chat with astronauts Chris Cassidy, who is currently on the International Space Station, and astronauts Michael Fincke and Kjell Lindgren from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX.

This is the first time talent from a major motion picture is participating in a NASA Google+ Hangout. The participants will ask each other questions, as well as take questions from fans on social media, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City (home of the space shuttle Enterprise)” and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington.

About “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS”:

“STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” follows the crew of The Enterprise as they are called back home to Earth in the wake of a shocking act of terror from within their own organization.  In defiance of regulations and with a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads his crew on a manhunt to capture an unstoppable force of destruction and bring those responsible to justice.  As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

“STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” is written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman & Damon Lindelof and directed by J.J. Abrams.  Abrams is producing with Bryan Burk through Bad Robot Productions, along with Lindelof, Kurtzman and Orci.  Jeffrey Chernov and Skydance Productions’ David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake are the executive producers.

 
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