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PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4” GLOBAL “WANT IT” CLOSES IN ONE WEEK!

“WANT IT” AND BE THE FIRST TO SEE IT

October 5, 2012 – Paranormal Activity fans all over the world have only one week left to earn the chance to be the first to see the new “Paranormal Activity 4,” the latest film in the smash hit horror franchise from Paramount Pictures.

Don’t be left out!  Make sure your city is in the top 25 worldwide to receive a free screening days before everyone else by going to www.ParanormalActivityMovie.com.au and clicking “Want It.”  Voting ends October 11.

The film’s website has been inundated with votes from fans across the globe in anticipation of its release on October 18.  Cities currently in the running to receive a free screening and be the first in the world to see “Paranormal Activity 4” in theaters include Lima, Peru; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Paris, France; Moscow, Russia; New York, NY; London, UK.  For a complete list, go to www.ParanormalActivityMovie.com.au.

If your city isn’t making the cut, visit www.ParanormalActivityMovie.com.auand click the “Want It” button or like it on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ParanormalActivityAU for the chance to bring an advance screening to your city.

“PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4” is directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman.

Like “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4” on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ParanormalActivityAU and follow it on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TweetYourScream

 
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LATEST NEWS FROM FACEBOOK: more than one billion people are using Facebook actively each month

Melbourne Australia, 5 October 2012 – Check out these interesting Facebook facts and be shocked!

Since Facebook launched, we’ve seen:

  • Over 1.13 trillion likes since launch in February 2009
  • 140.3 billion friend connections
  • 219 billion photos uploaded
    • Data was pulled on 9/10/2012, and represents the total # of photos currently on this site – in other words, it excludes deleted photos. If we wanted to include all photos ever uploaded, the estimate we have is 265 billion. Photo uploading launched fall 2005
  • 17 billion location-­-tagged posts, including check—ins
    • Includes location-­-tagged posts as well as check-­-ins. Data was pulled 9/10/2012, and represents total location-­-tagged posts & check-­-ins since launch of the product in August 2010
  • 62.6 million songs have been played 22 billion times -­- that’s about 210,000 years of music
    • Data was pulled on 9/11/2012, and represents song plays since the launch of music-­-listening applications in September 2011

Characteristics of users joining the week Facebook hit 1B

  • The median age of the user is about 22
  • The top five countries where people connected from at the time we reached this milestone were Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States (NOTE: in alphabetical order)
  • Facebook now has 600M mobile users

Characteristics of users joining the week Facebook hit 500M users (July 2010)

  • The median age of the user at that time was about 23
  • Top five countries where people connected from at the time we reached this milestone were Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States (NOTE: in alphabetical order)
  • Users signing up at this time now have an average of 305 friends

Characteristics of users joining the week we hit 100M (August 2008)

  • The median age of the user at that time was about 26
  • The top five countries where people connected from at the time we reached this milestone were Chile, France, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States (NOTE: in alphabetical order)
  • The user signing up at this time now has an average 334 friends

Characteristics of users joining the week Facebook hit 50M users (October 2007)

  • The median age of the user signing up at this time was about 26
  • Top five countries where people connected from at the time we reached this milestone were Australia, Canada, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States (NOTE: in alphabetical order)
  • Users signing up at this time now have an average of 321 friends

In Australia, there are 11.5 million monthly active users around the country.  Key insights following ‘Aussies on Facebook’ research conducted by Nielsen shows:   

  • Facebook is on par with TV daily consumption
  • 89 per cent of Australian Facebook users have been simultaneous consumers of Facebook with another media
  • Women multi-task Facebook/TV and Facebook/Radio more commonly than men
  • Nearly two thirds of all online Australians have a Facebook profile
  • Facebook reaches 2 in 3 aged 50-64 and half of those aged 65+
  • 73% of business people use Facebook daily
  • Around one in four consumers say Facebook is the first media of the morning and the last for the night
  • Facebook is the main way that one in four Australian’s keep up to date

 

 
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Bethesda Softworks Opens Battlecry Studios in Austin

Long-time Industry Veteran Rich Vogel to Head Development at New Studio 

Sydney, Australia – October 5, 2012 – Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, is pleased to announce it has established a new studio in Austin, Texas, Battlecry Studios, to be headed by long-time industry veteran Rich Vogel. Most recently, Vogel worked at Bioware where he served as the executive producer on the development of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Rich has a long history in the industry having worked on Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies as well as other online and console titles during his 20+ years in game development. The new studio is currently hiring other experienced game developers to fill key roles for an unannounced project.

“I have always admired and respected Bethesda’s approach to making great, original games,” said Vogel. “It’s a belief and passion I share, and I’m looking forward to building a team of high quality developers who want to bring that same commitment and creative energy to the games we’ll be creating.”

“We are very pleased to have someone with Rich’s vast experience join us at Bethesda,” said Vlatko Andonov, President of Bethesda Softworks. “Rich has a history of building and managing talented development teams and bringing high quality games to market, and we look forward to working with him on a new exciting project.”

Battlecry Studios will be the second ZeniMax studio located in Austin, joining Arkane® Studios, whose highly-anticipated title, Dishonored™, ships this month. For more information about Bethesda Softworks and available jobs at Battlecry Studios, visit: http://jobs.zenimax.com/.

 
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Dishonored | Interactive (choose your own adventure) Video Now Available!

Bethesda has just released an interactive video for Dishonored. A true choose your own adventure, the trailer offers a full series of interactive videos – including a branch that allows for a non-violent playthrough.

As you make your way through the video, which was created with the help of the Twine interactive game engine, be on the lookout for hidden giveaways.

Dishonored casts you as a supernatural assassin driven by revenge. Creatively eliminate your targets with the flexible combat system as you combine supernatural abilities with weapons and gadgets at your disposal. Pursue your targets under the cover of darkness or ruthlessly attack them head on with weapons drawn. The outcome of each mission plays out based on the choices you make.

Dishonored will be available in Australia, New Zealand and Spain on October 11, 2012 and throughout Europe on October 12, 2012, and is slated for release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. For more information on Dishonored visit www.Dishonored.com.

 
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Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen star in The Guilt Trip / NEW TRAILER

 
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**Football Manager 2013 Video Blogs**

Classic #2

Classic #3

 
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The Master Chief Welcomes Fans to EB Games Expo

With the first day of the EB Games Expo open to the public today, eager fans were surprised to meet The Master Chief , the hero of hotly anticipated blockbuster game Halo 4 which is one of the most successful gaming franchises of all time, and is set to be the biggest release of the year on Xbox 360.

The Master Chief is one of the most popular characters in gaming history, with the franchise to date selling more than 43 million games. In November this year fans will experience the next chapter of this iconic franchise.

 
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The New Dynasty Has Begun: 2K Sports Announces NBA® 2K13 Now Available

World’s top NBA video game franchise joins forces with JAY Z to create an unparalleled entertainment experience

Sydney, Australia, 5th October 2012 – 2K Sports today announced that NBA® 2K13, the latest installment in the top-selling and top-rated NBA video game simulation franchise*, is now available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and Windows PC.

NBA 2K13 represents the greatest year-to-year leap we have made in the franchise’s history,” said Greg Thomas, president of product development for 2K Sports. “Our partnership with JAY Z brought a new dynamic to the game, and really elevated it to new heights.”

This year, 2K Sports transcends sports video games by joining forces with multi-platinum recording artist JAY Z, who serves as the Executive Producer of NBA 2K13. The music icon personally curated the game’s 24-song soundtrack, and lent his artistic vision to its interactive menus, pregame introductions, and more. NBA 2K13 also introduces the Control Stick, which gives players more control by mapping all dribbling and shooting to the right analog stick, as well as the long-awaited matchup between the 1992 “Dream Team” and 2012 U.S. Men’s National Team.

“Partnering with a great franchise such as NBA 2K13 has been a unique experience,” said JAY Z. “The best basketball video game is now a premier entertainment experience.

NBA 2K13 is the latest iteration in the top-rated and top-selling NBA 2K franchise, which has sold-in more than 11 million copies and garnered more than 45 Sports Game of the Year Awards over the last two years.

2K Sports recently announced NBA 2K Everywhere, giving fans the opportunity to experience NBA 2K virtually anywhere via an all-new mobile companion application, a social game on Facebook, and a full-featured mobile version of NBA 2K13 for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android devices. NBA 2K Everywhere will extend the NBA 2K experience by offering players greater flexibility, more variety and new ways to play, at home or on the go, with these all-new social and mobile games. Additionally, both the mobile companion app and Facebook game enable players to feed data and experience right back into NBA 2K13 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, introducing a new level of connectivity and continuity to the NBA 2K experience.

Developed by Visual Concepts, a 2K Sports studio, NBA 2K13 is rated G by the OFLC and is now available at leading video game retailers nationwide for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system, PSP system and Windows PC. The Wii version of the title will be available from Friday 19th October and the Wii U™ version will be available around the console launch on Friday, 30th November.

For more information on 2K Sports, visit www.2KSports.com.

For more information on NBA 2K13, visit http://www.facebook.com/NBA2K.

 
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IT PAYS TO HAVE FRIENDS IN KNIGHT AGE

Social Network System Gives Players Unique Abilities

October 05, 2012— Joymax, leading online game developer and publisher widely known for longstanding quality titles including Silkroad Online and Digimon Masters, introduces a new game system to their wildly popular fantasy MMORPG, Knight Age.  With a full month of service under its belt, there is much to explore in the world of Knight Age.  Squires ready to train their first mount can sign up on the official website at http://www.joymax.com/knightage/

Playing with friends and family is already awesome, but did you know there’s more than just accepting a friend invitation in Knight Age?  From sharing Hearts to performing Miracles, Joymax reveals details for their Social Network System in Knight Age!

So what is a Social Network System?  Knight Age allows players to utilize their character’s connections to their friends and guild members in a new way.  Every player now has their own Social Network Level, with its own “social EXP” bar.  As a player adds new friends, joins a guild and more, the player’s Social Network experience increases – thus, the more social a player is, the more social EXP they will earn.  Once every few hours, players can send a Heart to anyone in their Social Network. These hearts grant the recipient a major social EXP boost for both them and the sender.  With more friends and guild members to share hearts with, the faster the player will be able to level up!

Why level up your character’s Social Network?  For the abilities you can’t find anywhere else!  As a player raises their Social Network Level players will unlock skills such as Auto-Warp, which allows players to teleport instantly to any of the Social Network connections.  The ultimate goal is to knock the top tier Miracle skill.  Performing a Miracle on one of your close allies resurrects them instantly with no penalties – removing the damage in armor and weapon durability and eliminating the status effect normally induced by resurrection.  So, if the player parties with their best buddies, the player won’t need to worry about falling in battle and vice versa.  It’s a win-win situation which players should definitely take advantage of.

With frequent double EXP events and goodie bags being rewarded to players for every 30 minutes they spend in-game, now’s the best time to not only join Knight Age, but to maximize your social potential.  Who will be the first to perform the ultimate Miracle?  Joymax will be watching at http://www.joymax.com/knightage/

Don’t forget, Knight Age’s thriving community can be accessed via the game’s forums, or on the official Knight Age Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/officialknightage, with over 13000 fans or on Twitter @KnightAgeOnline.  The more “likes” Facebook receives, the more events players will be able to participate in, so follow today.  

About Knight Age

Knight Age, developed by GNiSoft and licensed by Sesi Soft, is a free-to-play, 3D fantasy MMORPG that features unique riding-action where players can ride their mount to victory engaging in exciting mounted combat!  Raise a magical pet, battle other guilds and explore a colorful world full of unique characters and non-stop excitement!

 
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Shining a Big Light on the Human Face of Big Data –

“Mission Control” Events in New York City, London and Singapore Spark a Global Conversation

At Mission Control, Entrepreneurs, Scientists and Innovators Presented Fascinating Examples of How Their Work with Big Data Is Changing Our Lives

NEW YORK, NY – October 2, 2012 – Today, a global conversation around the The Human Face of Big Data was sparked at “Mission Control” events in London, Singapore and New York. Leading experts provided attendees (and those watching around the world via a live stream) with an extraordinary view of humanity’s new ability to collect, analyze, triangulate and visualize vast amounts of data in real time. Rick Smolan, co-creator of the groundbreaking “Day in the Life” series and other globally crowdsourced media projects, and The Human Face of Big Data primary sponsor EMC , shone a spotlight on how Big Data is changing our planet, addressing some of the most pressing issues of our time and creating what amounts to a central nervous system for our world.

“Big Data is beginning to affect every aspect of our existence,” said Smolan. “Everyone carrying a smartphone has become a human sensor. Our increasing ability to sense and measure the world in real time is something our planet has never seen before. From curing diseases to conserving precious resources such as water and energy, Big Data may be the exact toolset we need to address many of the most pressing issues of our time.”

At Mission Control: NYC, attendees heard from an impressive list of presenters, including Carlos Dominguez, Esther Dyson, Juan Enriquez, Sheldon Gilbert, Scott Harrison, Aaron Koblin, Deb Roy, Paul Sagan and Jer Thorp. They also got a preview of images and stories from the upcoming “The Human Face of Big Data” book. The book features photography, essays and infographics by Nigel Holmes , and is being delivered to 10,000 world leaders, scientists, business leaders and other influencers in 30 countries on November 20.

Immediately following, more than 25 leading entrepreneurs, scientists and innovators shared examples of their work in an interactive “Big Data Lab.”

At Mission Control in Singapore, speakers included Kristian Kloeckl and Russell John. In London, speakers included Jake Porway and Dave Lundberg.

“It’s important to show that Big Data isn’t just ones and zeroes; it affects people’s lives. Rick knows how to show that. He has a magical way of making things happen and getting people to contribute to projects like this,” said Esther Dyson, founder of EDVenture and a speaker in New York.

“Through Big Data, we can go beyond just isolating largely circulated messages and their authors. We can even find out how influential a person is in social media to show how they are driving real-time conversations. The compilation of Big Data gives us the power to identify the key influencers in any industry,” said Deb Roy, co-founder and chairman of Bluefin Labs.

“Big Data is changing our world and, for the first time in history, we have the ability to use data on our own to change the world for the better. By connecting the skills of the data science community with the causes and vision of the social sector, we can go beyond just using data to make better decisions about what kind of movies we want to see or what restaurants we want to go to, and instead use data to make better decisions about what kind of a world we want to see,” commented Jake Porway, executive director of DataKind.

Also shared at Mission Control today was a sampling of early results from the first of eight weeks of data to be collected from “The Human Face of Big Data ” mobile app. This free application—available now through November 20, when The Human Face of Big Data book and free iPad app will be released—allows people from around the world to anonymously share and compare their lives using the sensors in their phones and by responding to thought-provoking questions about their dreams, interests and views on family, sleep, trust, sex and luck. The Android version of the app is currently available, and the iOS version will launch soon.

At the end of the project on November 20, the anonymized data will be made available to educators, historians, anthropologists, scientists and the public, providing a snapshot of two months in the life of humanity.

Full videos from each event—New York, London and Singapore—and individual videos from each presenter will soon be available on HumanFaceOfBigData.com.

To learn more about other elements of The Human Face of Big Data, including the book, the free iPad app and a student initiative called Data Detectives, please visit the website.

The Human Face of Big Data is editorially independent and is made possible through the support of EMC Corporation, which serves as the primary sponsor. Additional supporting sponsorship is provided by Cisco, VMware, Tableau and Originate. Visualizations were provided by metaLayer.

About The Human Face of Big Data

The Human Face of Big Data , produced by Against All Odds Productions, is a globally crowdsourced media project focusing on humanity’s new ability to collect, analyze, triangulate and visualize vast amounts of data in real time. Against All Odds, described by Fortune magazine as “one of the 25 coolest companies in America,” specializes in the design and execution of large-scale global projects that combine compelling storytelling with state-of-the-art technology. The company’s projects have been featured on the covers of numerous magazines including Fortune, Time, Newsweek and US News & World Report.

Privacy and The Human Face of Big Data App

The Human Face of Big Data app was developed with user privacy in mind. The information gathered through the app will be used for noncommercial, educational purposes and is intended to provide a fun look at how each user’s answers compare with those of other users around the world. The data fall into two categories: (1) information voluntarily supplied by users, including photographs, and (2) information gathered automatically from users as they use the app. We do not ask for users’ names, email addresses or other contact information, and users will not need to create a username or password. We do ask for age and gender and ask users to confirm the city or town that their mobile device reports when they first use the app. We analyze the information users provide on age, gender and location, and the answers they provide to our questions, and compare it to the information provided by others to help users learn more about the views and aspirations of users of the app throughout the world. If they choose to do so, users can use the app without providing any personally identifying information; they can choose not to upload photographs and not to include personally identifying information in their activity responses. The full App Privacy Policy is available here.

To learn more, visit HumanFaceOfBigData.com and follow the project on Twitter and Facebook.