The Latest Tales of Title Makes its Way to EMEA and Australasia in 2013

Sydney, Australia – From the Japan Expo event, NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S. announced that it will be bringing Tales of Xillia™ brand to Australia and New Zealand exclusively for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. The latest in the acclaimed Tales of Japanese role-playing game franchise, Tales of Xillia lets players enter the world of  Rieze Maxia in a tale of unwavering convictions.  Tales of Xillia will be available in 2013.

“The recent success for last autumn’s release of Tales of the Abyss™ and the anticipated release of Tales of Graces™ f and its exclusive European Edition has helped make localizing Tales of Xillia for the western market one of the easiest decisions we have ever made,” said Olivier Comte, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Publishing for NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S. “The latest game in this prolific series gives gamers a brand new world and cast of characters to adventure with along with its celebrated battle system that has yet to be rivaled by other Japanese RPGs.”

Tales of Xillia follows Jude Mathis, a clever medical student attending school in the capital city, and Milla Maxwell, a mysterious woman accompanied by four unseen beings. Players will be able to choose either Milla or Jude at the outset of their adventure through the world of Rieze Maxia, where humans and spirits live together in harmony.  The kingdom of Rashugal has been experimenting with a powerful device that has been draining the mana from the world.  Realizing the harm it is inflicting on the world, Milla and Jude set off on a journey to destroy it and restore the mana back to the world.   Over the course of the game their lives will intersect with a vast ensemble of characters that will teach them the strength of unwavering convictions and they are accompanied with the responsibilities it entails.

Players will engage enemies with the critically acclaimed Linear Motion Battle System that the Tales of series is famous for.  The system allows for real-time movement and attacks, giving the player a more tactical role in the midst of fights.  The battle system in Tales of Xillia has been upgraded to Double Raid Linear Motion Battle System to let two characters combine their attacks to utilize devastating dual-character attack, letting fans strategize the best party setup for their style of play.

For more information on Tales of Xillia and the Tales of series, please visit: http://www.namcobandaigames.eu or http://facebook.com/tales

Industry Standards Increase SSL Security, User Protection and Trust against Cyber Threats

SYDNEY, Australia. – July 10, 2012 – Symantec Corp. (NASDAQ: SYMC) today announced it has adopted the Certification Authority Browser (CA/B) Forum Baseline Requirements. As the largest issuer of SSL certificates worldwide and an active member of the CA/B Forum , Symantec has driven and adopted the Baseline Requirements to further strengthen the security around SSL operations and authentication processes for greater protection and trust in online transactions.

The requirements include enforcing more stringent verification of identity and guidelines on certificate content and profiles, CA security, revocation mechanisms, use of algorithms and key sizes, audit requirements, liability, privacy and confidentiality, and delegation (including external sub-CAs and registration authorities). Released by the CA/B Forum in December 2011, the Baseline Requirements represent the first time Organisational Validation (OV) and Domain Validated (DV) certificates have a defined standard.

The CA/B Forum Baseline Requirements which help minimise risk, increase user confidence and trust, raise all CAs to a higher level of standards and authentication security. Through its adoption of the Forum’s Baseline Requirements, Symantec is demonstrating its commitment and dedication to the CA community while providing customers and partners with enhanced protection of their operations, reputation and customer relationships.

Symantec Quote:
“Planning for and adopting these new global standards have been a top priority for Symantec since their release,” said Fran Rosch, vice president, Identity and Authentication Services, Symantec. “With the recent breaches of CAs, it has become imperative that an industry-wide standard be set and enforced to provide the highest level of protection for businesses and websites. We fully support this initiative, and will be helping to move it forward.”

As the world’s largest information security provider, Symantec continues to innovate around security best practices. The CA/B Forum Baseline Requirements are a move in the right direction towards improved industry standards and increased security for Internet users worldwide. For more information on SSL certificates and Symantec Website Security Solutions, please visit Symantec.com.

Related

• CA/B      Forum Baseline Requirements for the Issuance and Management of      Publicly-Trusted Certificates
• Symantec      Achieves Highest Number of SSL Certificates Issued Globally
• Symantec      SSL Certificates
• CA/B      Forum Changes
• Blog      Post: Why are the Certification Authority/Browser Baseline Requirements so      important?

Connect with Symantec

• Follow      Symantec on Twitter
• Join      Symantec on Facebook
• View      Symantec’s SlideShare Channel
• Subscribe      to Symantec News RSS Feed
• Visit      Symantec Connect Business Community

About Symantec
Symantec protects the world’s information, and is the global leader in security, backup and availability solutions. Our innovative products and services protect people and information in any environment – from the smallest mobile device, to the enterprise data center, to cloud-based systems. Our industry-leading expertise in protecting data, identities and interactions gives our customers confidence in a connected world. More information is available at www.symantec.com or by connecting with Symantec at: go.symantec.com/socialmedia

MELBOURNE, 10 July 2012 — In its ongoing efforts to protect Australians from cyber crime, AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd reiterates its warnings regarding the long running ‘Microsoft Technical Support’ phone scam.

If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from ‘Microsoft’, ‘Windows Technical Support’, or something similar, advising that your computer has a virus, they are likely to be a scammer. Microsoft and other security vendors never contact customers in this way. (For details of how the scam operates and how best to respond, see below.)

Michael McKinnon, Security Advisor at AVG (AU/NZ), distributor of AVG Technologies’ award-winning AVG Internet and mobile security software in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, confirmed that: “People continue to fall for this scam, despite all the warnings, so it is obviously a very lucrative business for cybercriminals. Every day, our Technical Support Team in Melbourne assists customers who have been contacted by scammers and told their computers are infected – when in reality, they aren’t. Just this week, one of our customers told us that he had paid more than $4,000 to a scammer.”

This dangerous scam takes advantage of consumer vulnerabilities. Computers and gadgets are evolving so rapidly that users are, understandably, often unsure how to use them properly and securely, or who trusted vendors might be. “Because many people are fearful of malfunction or online infections, it is no surprise they respond to what sounds like expert technical intervention,” McKinnon said.

AVG (AU/NZ) advises that, in Australia, if your computer really does become infected with malware, it is possible you may receive a legitimate phone call from your Internet Service Provider (ISP), as many of them participate in the Australian Internet Security Initiative. And you will have protocols in place with your ISP for online or phone communications. A call from any other organisation should not be trusted.

How the scam works

• You receive a call from      someone claiming to be from a reputable company, such as Microsoft, saying      that your computer has a virus.

• The caller might suggest      your Internet security software licence has ‘expired’. They won’t be too      specific because they’re really just trying to establish whether you will      believe them.

• They might ask you to pay a      fee for them to fix the problem, often the ruse will be for you to pay for      remote access software so the ‘technician’ can get into your computer to      immediately clean your machine. To convince you, the level of cogent      instruction can be quite detailed.

• Their preferred method of      payment is credit card and they will ask you to visit a website so you can      transact securely with them.

• During the remote support      session, the technician will bring up misleading configuration windows      that most people will be completely confused by, and suggest that what      they are showing you is evidence of a ‘virus’ – when in reality they are      just normal system settings.

• They will once again ask that      you pay money for the ‘virus’ to be removed.

• If you still don’t pay,      they may then deliberately disable your computer by turning off a number      of critical services that your computer needs to restart. They will then      reboot your computer remotely, leaving you with a computer that no longer      starts at all. Shockingly, they may then proceed to demand even more money      to fix it, because you chose not to act on their earlier advice.

A YouTube Fake Scammer clip can be seen here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb69H7l0vJA).

5 quick tips to avoid falling victim

• Be cautious when allowing      someone remote access to your computer – especially if they call      unexpectedly. Always make sure you know and absolutely trust who your      supplier and support vendors are.
• Avoid international      technical support unless they have a local office: having a website or      even a telephone number that works still doesn’t mean they are legitimate.
• Keep up to date backups of      your computer: use automatic, always running backup solutions, such as      AVG’s LiveKIve, to protect your important data.
• Protect your computer from      viruses and other infections – with a solution like AVG Internet Security.
• Stay informed about the      latest scams – view the latest reports at SCAMwatch.gov.au and connect      with AVG (AU/NZ) on Facebook and Twitter.

The game now launches here in Australia on August 22nd!

Directed by Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries), ON THE ROAD is based on the beloved beatnik novel by Jack Kerouac and showcases an ensemble cast including Garrett Hedlund (TRON), Sam Riley (Control), Kristen Stewart (Twilight series), Amy Adams (The Fighter), Elisabeth Moss (TVs Mad Men), Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia), Viggo Mortensen (The Road), and Steve Buscemi (TVs Boardwalk Empire).

ON THE ROAD – in cinemas September 27, 2012
Synopsis: After the death of his father, Sal Paradise, an aspiring New York writer, meets Dean Moriarty, a young and dangerously seductive ex-con. They hit it off immediately. Determined not to get trapped in a narrow life, the two friends burn their bridges and hit the road: thirsting for freedom they discover the world, others and ultimately themselves

On Thursday 26 July, Melbourne Museum’s special evening event SmartBar returns due to popular demand and this time visitors will delve into the deepest depths of the human mind. 

Syphilis, phobia-inducing spiders, mind games and straitjackets will be some of the highlights of the 18+ event, where some of the Museum’s most peculiar objects and stories come out after dark.

“Visitors will have plenty to stimulate their minds at this unique event”, said Georgie Meyer, Public Programs Manager, Melbourne Museum. “SmartBar is the perfect opportunity for adults to explore our award winning exhibitions in a different light and in a relaxed, kid-free environment.”

“After the popularity of our first SmartBar earlier this year, we’re expecting another sell-out and my advice to anyone wanting to come, is to book early as we only have limited tickets.”

Visitors can enjoy talks by Museum Victoria experts that will take them on a journey through the complex world of the human brain, the neurological side-effects of syphilis and some interesting psych experiments. Life drawing classes will be held throughout the night and a collection of live creepy crawlies will be on hand to aid discussion about phobias.

The Human Body and The Mind: Enter the Labyrinth exhibitions will be open on the night, providing a glimpse into some of the Museum’s world renowned Psychiatric Services Collection objects, including an isolation cell, straitjackets and locked gloves. Visitors will also be able to explore the ways artists make sense of dreams, trauma, dementia and schizophrenia in the Cunningham Dax Art Collection.

Popular DJ Andrew McClelland will spinning tunes on the night and visitors can help compile a playlist, featuring songs about or with the words brain, mind and eyes. Follow Melbourne Museum on Facebook and Twitter for more information.

While activities on the night focus on the Mind and Human Body exhibitions, all of the Museum’s Science and Life Galleries will be open, including Dinosaur Walk and Bugs Alive!

SmartBar is an exciting new addition to Melbourne nightlife and forms part of a growing range of adult programs presented at Melbourne Museum.

Food and drinks will be available for purchase on the night.

SmartBar at Melbourne Museum

Date:    Thursday 26 July 2012

Time:   6pm –10pm

Cost:   Adults $18, Concession $16

Adults 18+ only

To purchase tickets visit http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum or phone 13 11 02.

To avoid the queue, buy online and print and bring your ticket with you.

For further information follow Melbourne Museum on Facebook | Twitter

The Real City-Building Simulation Game Is Now Live and Available to Play  

SYDNEY, Australia – SimCity™ Social cuts the ribbon on the world’s largest social network! Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) today announced that SimCity Social is now live on Facebook. A close collaboration between many talented people at Maxis and Playfish, SimCity Social takes the hallmark features that SimCity fans have loved over the past two decades and integrates them with advanced social features, bringing the real social city-building simulation to the masses.

“SimCity Social will entice a new generation of urban planners with its easy-to-use tools that allow anyone to expand and grow their own unique sprawling metropolises and watch as it comes to life in fun and unexpected ways,” said Jami Laes, Vice President of Global Studios for Playfish. “SimCity Social is about playing with your friends. Whether you do that with kindness by helping put out a fire or through mischievous acts like helping a criminal escape, the decisions you make with your friends will determine how the story of your cities plays out.”

In SimCity Social, there are no set linear paths to follow; cities evolve as a direct result of player-driven choice allowing for more creative freedom. As mayor, players will deal with unforeseen issues like fires, crime and pollution, and will make crucial decisions that will help them discover how their cities take shape. Social interactions in SimCity Social go far beyond just visiting friends’ cities or using them as resources to complete tasks. Players can choose to build friendly relationships with other cities or form an intense rivalry through a dynamic and ever-evolving friend and foe system. With multiple options for city growth, unexpected gameplay events that shape the destiny of the city, and city-to-city relationships, players will see recognizable changes that bring forth aesthetic and gameplay alterations based on the decisions made in the game – for better or for worse.

SimCity fans can visit www.facebook.com/simcitysocial to “Like” the game and join the more than 750,000 fans. Players of SimCity Social who “Like” the game get access to free in-game exclusive content. 

Car fanatics worldwide, excluding North America, can also visit the site to learn more about the partnership with Mercedes-Benz and the A-Class car.  Through in-game quests they can add a Mercedes-Benz factory and other items to their cities.  The partnership will have a limited run through the summer of 2012.

Following the success of the integration in The Sims Social, Dunkin’ Donuts will be integrated into SimCity Social at launch where players can gift Coffee Boosts and Donut Boosts to enable friends to enhance their game play experience. Dunkin’ Donuts will continue to launch new features and gifting campaigns in the game throughout the year, including exclusive SimCity Social items available to players who choose to visit and “like” the Dunkin’ Donuts Facebook page.

Melbourne Australia, July 10 2012 – Check out this massive Hobbit Banner of the upcoming Movie – Click to Zoom

250,000 Internet Connections at Risk When FBI Shuts Rogue Servers 10^th July 

SYDNEY & AUCKLAND – 9 July, 2012 – Bitdefender, the leading global antivirus company, has released a tool to prevent computer users worldwide infected with DNS Changer malware from losing their internet connection after the 9^th July.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation will shut down rogue DNS servers on Monday following an investigation into the DNS Changer malware that hijacks users’ traffic. The malware, which redirects users to malicious pages by changing the way computers resolve domain names, may result in the loss of a quarter of a million internet connections worldwide.

During the investigation, the FBI seized the IP addresses of the rogue servers and deployed legitimate ones to keep resolving names for affected users, but that service is about to end. The Bitdefender DNS Changer Fixer corrects the effects of the malware and safeguards Internet connectivity with a single click.

“The DNS system is a core part of the Internet, and cyber-criminals are constantly trying to subvert it to seize control of the destinations the user wants to visit,” said Catalin Cosoi, Chief Security Researcher. “Most of the times, the user is redirected towards malicious or phishing pages, but, in special circumstances, when the rogue DSN infrastructure is destroyed, web connectivity becomes impossible. The DNS Changer Fixer applies the appropriate settings to the PC to restore safe connectivity to the Web.”

This utility is available for free from http://www.bitdefender.com/freetools/

Over the weekend, Superbot Entertainment attended the Las Vegas annual Evolution Championship Series where they took the opportunity to announce two new challengers in PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale!

Introducing Heihachi Mishima and Toro Inoue:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDlqJ1WWi8A

Hailing from the ever-popular Tekken series, the original mastermind behind Mishima Zaibatsu joins the battle!  Making his first appearance on PSX in 1995, Heihachi Mishima is one of only five characters to appear in every iteration of Tekken thereafter, brawling his way through 17 years of King of Iron fist tournaments. Heihachi fans will feel right at home with this newest interpretation.

Familiar moves such as his Electric Wind God Fist and Twin Pistons are intact and as deadly as ever. He excels at close-range combat, overwhelming opponents with quick, powerful strikes. Heihachi’s combo potential ranks among the best in the roster, turning every encounter into a stylish martial arts exhibition. Though the battlefield has changed, Heihachi brings his signature fighting style and brutal attacks to PlayStation All-Stars!

Here’s Heihachi Mishima in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyJ6NlEpeTI

Toro Inoue, also known as the Sony Cat, has been a faithful mascot to Sony Japan for over a decade!  He has made appearances in numerous video games spanning several different Sony consoles and is a welcome addition to our roster.  Though appearing to be simply a cute feline, the warrior within proves to be as formidable as the next.

Toro brings a unique stance-based fighting style to PlayStation All-Stars, affording him several different sets of attacks to utilise in combat. He transitions seamlessly from a close-range fighter in his Justice form, to a ranged specialist in his Torobi form, to an effective wide-area controller in his Oni form.  All the while, Toro’s fun-loving charm comes through in every action he performs.

Here’s Toro Inoue in action:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7mp8LrKv2M

PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale is confirmed to launch in stores across Australia on 25th October 2012.