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KOBO UNVEILS NEW EREADING LINEUP, TAKING READERS BEYOND THE BOOK

Kobo Arc 10HD, Kobo Arc 7HD and Kobo Arc 7 tablets and the Kobo Aura 6” E Ink eReader, put reading first with enhanced Reading Life platform  

SYDNEY, Australia, August 28, 2013Kobo, a global leader in eReading, today announced its new lineup of eReading devices, featuring the new Kobo Aura 6” E Ink eReader, the Google-certified Kobo Arc 10HD and two Kobo Arc 7 tablets. Designed for Readers, the new lineup is built on Kobo’s unique user experience, Reading Life, enabling the collection, curation and discovery of content, delivering on the company’s promise to put reading first.

“Kobo remains focused on Reading; a time-honoured passion that keeps people informed, lets them escape, learn about new cultures, see things from a new perspective, travel back in time, and imagine new worlds,” said Michael Serbinis, CEO, Kobo. “With magazines joining our eBookstore, a new kids experience, and the best eReading devices possible, we will help Readers find more of what they love – taking them beyond the book.”

To best showcase the company’s world-class bookstore with 4-million titles, which now includes magazines and a dedicated Kids Store, the NVIDIA®-powered Kobo Arc 10HD and Kobo Arc 7HD tablets offer beautiful and responsive high definition displays and uncompromised access to Android™ 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and the Google Play™ Store. With Reading Life, Kobo’s reading-first user experience, Readers can discover more of the content they’re interested in with new ways to organise and curate collections of eBooks, magazines and other multimedia content from across the web including movies, music and games. Kobo’s new Reading Mode feature eliminates distracting notifications and pop-ups from email, apps and social media, optimizes the lighting settings, and extends the tablet battery life from hours to days.

For Readers who prefer a dedicated reading experience, Kobo has created the beautiful Kobo Aura 6” E Ink eReader, which boasts a stunning edge-to-edge, high-resolution (212 dpi) display. The Kobo Aura leverages a new low-flash screen technology to virtually eliminate ghosting and page refresh for the best book-like reading experience, and holds up to 3,000 books and lasts more than two months on a single charge. Plus, for the first time ever, Readers can now send articles and webpages to read on their E Ink devices through the company’s partnership with Pocket.

Across its new lineup of eReading tablets and E Ink eReaders, Kobo is helping Readers discover more of the content they’re interested in with the company’s all-new Beyond the Book experience, which highlights key topics within a book and provides aggregated content from across the web known as Collections. To share Kobo’s own passion for discovering great reading materials, Featured Collections are personalised with Kobo’s own editorial voice as well as respected influencers including authors, publishers, and other notable people who are experts in their field.  

UNITING BEAUTIFUL DESIGN AND IMMERSIVE READING – COMING SEPTEMBER 16

KOBO AURA

Hot on the heels of the limited-edition Kobo Aura HD, the new 6” Kobo Aura eReader is a beautifully designed, front-lit E Ink eReader.  Available in black and pink, the Kobo Aura features a high-resolution, edge-to-edge display and the most even front-lit ComfortLight technology, wrapped in a contemporary aesthetic to keep people passionate about reading books – day or night.

The sophisticated design of the eReader delivers the closest experience to print-on-paper with a 212 dpi and Pearl E Ink screen. With pinch-and-zoom capabilities for FLePubs/PDFs, Kobo Aura creates a great print-on-paper reading experience with a low-flash waveform screen to virtually eliminate page refresh and ghosting. Readers will never be at a loss for compelling reads with access to 4-million titles, curated Collections from Kobo, and the new Pocket partnership. With 4GB of storage (up to 3,000 books), expandable up to 32GB with a microSD card, Kobo Aura has a battery life of up to two months, making it perfect for passionate Readers. The Kobo Aura retails for AUD $189.95 and is available in Australia for pre-order at www.kobo.com. 

THE BEST HIGH-DEFINITION TABLETS FOR READERS – COMING OCTOBER 16

KOBO ARC 10HD

Kobo Arc 10HD celebrates reading with Kobo’s Reading Life platform, a compelling reading dashboard that is part of the user interface, with full access to the content people love to consume including books, magazines, news, and social media. With an NVIDIA® Tegra® 4 1.8GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, the Kobo Arc 10HD tablet is the best 10-inch HD Google-certified multimedia tablet on the market today for Readers. The Kobo Arc 10HD tablet boasts a stunning 2560×1600 high-definition display with up to 1080p video playback, making it the perfect companion to enjoy the rich content from Kobo’s bookstore like magazines, as well as the 1-million+ games and apps from the Google Play Store. The Kobo Arc 10HD tablet also includes a front-facing 1.3 MP HD camera, dual stereo speakers, WiFi 802.11, Bluetooth 4.0, and Miracast connectivity support for Wi Fi media streaming. With Reading Mode, the battery life is extended from 9.5 hours to more than 10 days. Available in black, the Kobo Arc 10HD retails for AUD$499.95(RRP).

KOBO ARC 7” TABLETS

The Kobo Arc 7HD tablet leverages the beautifully designed Reading Life platform that makes collecting, curating, and discovering content easier for Readers.

The Kobo Arc 7HD tablet is powered by the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 1.7GHz quad-core processor and 1920×1200 display with up to 1080p video playback delivering a crisp, seamless viewing experience. The HD tablet has a 1GB of RAM, a front-facing 1.3 MP HD camera, and a battery that lasts up to 8 hours so readers are never at a loss for words. Available in black, the Kobo Arc 7HD retails for AUD$249.95 (RRP) with 16GB and AUD$299.95 (RRP)with 32GB.

For those Readers new to tablets, Kobo is offering the Kobo Arc 7, perfect for first-time users and families. With a 1024X600 display, MTK 8125 1.2GHz quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM, the Kobo Arc 7 offers Readers a compact, multimedia tablet for reading and entertainment on the go. The Kobo Arc 7 retails for AUD$199.95 (RRP) with 8GB. 

ABOUT READING LIFE

Kobo puts reading first and then takes you Beyond the Book with its enhanced Reading Life platform. Kobo’s exclusive Reading Life user experience gives Readers access to all the content they love to consume, and allows them to customize based on their reading habits. On the new Kobo Arc series of tablets, the home screen showcases Readers’ recent activity and personalised recommendations. A swipe to the left takes Readers into an uncompromised Android experience including access to the full Google Play Store. To the right of the home screen, Readers discover a personalised bookshelf where they can collect and organise eBooks, magazines, and other multimedia. To maximise the tablet experience for Readers, Kobo’s Reading Mode provides settings to help eliminate distracting notifications from email and apps, adjust the lighting settings, and enhance battery life from hours to days.

On Kobo’s new tablets and E Ink eReaders, Beyond the Book offers a way for passionate Readers to discover and engage with content by discovering books, Collections, and online material related to their latest reads and areas of interests. While reading a book, Readers can turn on this feature to discover content that is related to key subjects within the book. With Collections, Kobo opens the door to more reading material from across the web that is collected into themes like an author, genre, or topic of interest. Partnering with Pocket, the Read It Later feature allows Readers to save articles and other content from the Web, and seamlessly access it in the “Articles” section of their Kobo libraries. Reading Life also offers:

  • The option of 11 fonts (including Dyslexie, designed for dyslexic Readers), and 24 font sizes
  • Ability to take notes, highlight text, and make bookmarks
  • Track reading with fun stats and awards, letting readers learn more about their reading habits
  • Share favourite passages, quotes and books to Facebook Timeline 

For more information, please visit www.kobo.com

 
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Company of Heroes 2 releases Semoskiy multiplayer map

The Company of Heroes 2 multiplayer offering is about to become even more robust with the addition of two new maps to the matchmaking roster. Based around the hugely popular Semois from the original game, Semoskiy has been rebuilt from the ground up for Company of Heroes 2 with both a summer and a winter variant available. Players will be able to enjoy the summer version of Semoskiy later today when it is patched into the game, with the winter map being released on 10th September.  Both maps will be provided to players free of charge by automatic download via Steam.

 
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Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol™ Now Available on Steam

Legendary game designer Sid Meier’s first strategic aerial combat game hits PCs worldwide

Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hash tag #SidWantsYou

Sydney, Australia – August 28, 20132K and Firaxis Games today announced the launch of the critically acclaimed turn-based strategic aerial combat game, Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol™, on Steam. Now available to download for $14.99 on Windows® PC’s worldwide, Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol for Steam is a premium version of the free-to-play iOS title, which launched in May 2013. The title currently boasts a 4.5/5 star user rating on the App Store, and allows gamers to relive WWI history as they pilot the skies in defense of their base camp and allies.

“At Firaxis, one of our biggest objectives is to deliver great games to our fans on platforms they’re enjoying,” said Sid Meier, director of creative development at Firaxis and lead designer/ programmer on Ace Patrol. “Since the launch of Ace Patrol on iOS, the team has been thrilled by the glowing praise we’ve received, and we’re very excited to now provide the same strategic experience to fans on PCs.”

As the legendary designer’s first strategic aerial combat game, Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol has garnered strong critical praise: 

  • “If you have any love for Sid Meier, strategy games, aviation sims, or just darn good games you’d be crazy to not give this game a shot.” – Touch Arcade, 5 out of 5 
  • “Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol is good – really good – for a debut effort, and more than worth a spot in your iPhone or iPad’s library.” – Gamezebo, 4.5 out of 5 
  • Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol is a fantastic strategy title that any fan of aviation or the genre will absolutely appreciate.” – 148Apps, 4.5 out of 5
  • “Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol is a deceptively deep, highly polished and surprisingly addictive look at the strategy behind old-school dogfights.” – Mac|Life, 4 out of 5 
  • “Civilization guru Sid Meier took a welcome crack at mobile gaming and succeeded with his turn-based dogfighting game set in WWI.” – Modojo 

“The overwhelmingly positive response from both fans and media alike surrounding the launch of Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol has made it impossible to ignore the title’s potential,” said Sarah Anderson, SVP of Marketing at 2K. “2K is honored to be a partner to such an incredible game designer, and excited to see his latest project now grow beyond an iOS exclusive title and become a fun and innovative entertainment experience for both online and mobile gamers everywhere.”

Whether a Sid Meier enthusiast, dogfighting and/or WWI aficionado, players are sure to find Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol an engaging strategy game that is true to Firaxis’ tactical core. Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol challenges gamers to embrace their inner military aviator by inviting them to lead a team of Aces through various campaigns across Europe, as they simultaneously upgrade skills, improve aircraft and much more. 

Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol is now available to download for $14.99 via Steam for Windows® PC.  For additional information, please keep an eye out for updates on the Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol Facebook and Twitter pages.

2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

 
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Metro: Last Light is coming to Mac and Linux – 4A Games handling development in-house

Deep Silver and 4A Games today confirmed that a dedicated Mac version of Metro: Last Light will be released on September 10th, 2013 via the App Store and Steam. A Linux version is also in development, scheduled for release later in the year.

“The Mac and Linux versions of Metro: Last Light are further testimony to the power and flexibility of the 4A Engine,” said Oles Shishkovstov, Chief Technical Officer at 4A Games. “Development was handled in house by 4A games, and we are very happy with the results. We hope that Mac & Linux gamers will appreciate our efforts to create the best possible version for their machines.”

Metro: Last Light on Steam will support Steam Play, meaning that owners of any Steam version will automatically find the game added to their PC, Mac and Linux Steam libraries.

Metro: Last Light for Mac and Linux will receive the same DLC packages as the PC and console versions.

The Metro: Last Light Season Pass, and the Faction Pack and Tower Pack DLC will be available at launch for the Mac release , and the upcoming Developer and Chronicles Packs will release on Steam and the App Store alongside the PC and console releases.

For more information about Metro: Last Light, visit http://www.enterthemetro.com, like us at Facebook.com/MetroVideoGame or follow us on Twitter @MetroVideoGame.
 

 
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BRAD PITT STARS IN THE BLOCKBUSTER PHENOMENON, WORLD WAR Z, AVAILABLE ON DVD, DOUBLE PLAY & 3D SUPERSET OCTOBER 23

EXPERIENCE THE INTENSE THRILLS & ACTION ON
DVD, DOUBLE PLAY & 3D SUPERSET OCTOBER 23

Global Hit Debuts One Week Earlier on Digital Purchase

SYDNEY, Australia. Wednesday, August 28 – “It will stress you out. It will mess you up. But you’re still going to love living through every last dismembered bit of World War Z.” (Daily Telegraph).

The fast-paced, pulse-pounding epic thriller, debuts on DVD, Double play, 3D superset and On-Demand on October 23, 2013. The pandemic begins one week early on Digital Purchase October 16th.

Starring international superstar, Brad Pitt and based on the best-selling and wildly popular novel, World War Z, took audiences by storm and was hailed by critics as “jaw dropping” (Film Ink) and “the best doomsday thriller Hollywood has given us” (The Australian).

The tense and thrilling film follows a former United Nations investigator (Pitt) as he helps stop the chaotic pandemic that has gripped populations around the world. World War Z features stunning visual effects and “edge-of-your-seat” (Film Ink) action and suspense that take the zombie apocalypse phenomenon to a more extreme and electrifying level. 

World War Z will be available on Double Play, DVD and 3D Superset, and boasts an in-depth look into the making of the film, the seamless blending of practical and digital effects, the science behind the zombie outbreak and much more.

DVD TECHNICAL DETAILS

Title World War Z
Discs 1
RRP $39.99
Rating Check the Classification
Technical Details Feature Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1

Special Features Audio: Stereo

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 16 x 9 Letterbox 2.40-1

Running Time 111 Minutes
Special Features
  •   Feature film in standard definition (Theatrical   version)
  •   Origins—The filmmakers discuss collaborating with   renowned actor/producer Brad Pitt to create a Zombie film the likes of which   have never been seen.

 

  •   Looking to Science—Explore the scientific   realities of Zombie behavior in nature and learn more about Zombies in   literature and film.

DOUBLE PLAY TECHNICAL DETAILS

Title World War Z
Discs 2
RRP $49.99
Rating Check the Classification
Technical Details Feature Audio: 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

Special Features Audio: Stereo

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 16 x 9 Letterbox 2.40-1

Running Time 116 Minutes
Special Features Blu-ray

  •   Feature film in high definition

 

  •   Origins—The filmmakers discuss collaborating with   renowned actor/producer Brad Pitt to create a Zombie film the likes of which   have never been seen.

 

  •   Looking to Science—Explore the scientific   realities of Zombie behavior in nature and learn more about Zombies in literature   and film.

 

WWZ: Production

  •   Outbreak—Go on set with Brad Pitt and   director Marc Forster for a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s breathtaking   first attack in Philadelphia.

 

  •   The Journey Begins—Delve deeper into Gerry’s   fight for survival during the dramatic escape in South Korea.

 

  •   Behind The Wall—Explore the epic scene in   Jerusalem and discover the incredible logistics of creating the elaborate   stunts and crowd sequences.

 

  •   Camouflage—Experience the final   confrontation between Gerry and the Zombies and discover the phenomenal scope   of the film’s production.

 

DVD

•                 Feature film in standard definition (Theatrical version)

 

3D SUPERSET TECHNICAL DETAILS

Title World War Z
Discs 3
RRP $59.99
Rating Check the Classification
Technical Details Feature Audio: 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

Special Features Audio: Stereo

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 16 x 9 Letterbox 2.40-1

Running Time 116 Minutes
Special Features
  •   DVD and Blu-ray disc contain special features as   above.
  •   3D disc does not contain additional special features
Title World War Z
Discs 3
RRP $59.99
Rating Check the Classification
Technical Details Feature Audio: 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

Special Features Audio: Stereo

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 16 x 9 Letterbox 2.40-1

Running Time 116 Minutes
Special Features
  •   DVD and Blu-ray disc contain special features as   above.
  •   3D disc does not contain additional special features

 
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Trailer Alert – Exciting “First Look” at DIVERGENT

 
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THE MIGHTY QUEST FOR EPIC LOOT OPEN HOUSE, ACCESSIBLE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 4

Join the “Loot-O-Thon” to Help Unlock Lord Marleybone

Ubisoft has kicked-off the third Open House for The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot, signalling the official start of the “Loot-O-Thon.” The Open House allows anyone that signs up a chance to get a sneak preview of The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot while the game is still in closed beta. Better still, players will have the chance to participate in The Mighty Quest’s first-ever “Loot-O-Thon,” challenging them to put their looting skills to the test for the highest bounty yet.

The first Open House for The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot resulted in more than 71 million gold coins plundered, while the second Open House lead to more than 498 million gold coins plundered. In the third Open House, we’re raising the stakes and challenging players to shatter this record! If players can collectively loot ONE BILLION gold coins from player-created castles, Lord Marleybone, boss of the Glimmering Valley region, giant bone puppeteer and master of the dead, will be unlocked for players. Lord Marleybone reigns fear over all castles in level 20 to 24, and with a lot of plundering and looting, he can be all yours.

A new trailer has also been unveiled featuring the Mage, a.k.a The Earl of Evilosity, who is the latest character to join the quest. A new trailer and screens from the game break down his past, his flashiest spells and his “I-want-to-dominate-the-World” obsession. The Earl of Evilosity can conjure 76 different types of pure flame by simply snapping his fingers which is pretty scary. This character is more than happy to explain to players how magic rules the kingdom and how he manages to become the biggest Wizard of Opulencia. 

The third Open House will take place from today to September 4 at 5:00AM AEST. Players will be able to sign up or sign in with their existing Uplay account at www.themightyquest.com, and will be granted immediate access during the event.

 
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ROBERT DE NIRO STARS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER ‘RED LIGHTS’, OUT ON SEPT 25

Red Lights, a psychological thriller which explores the human brain’s perception mechanisms and the diffuse frontiers between belief and science, is available on Blu-ray, DVD and To Download from September 25 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and Nostromo Pictures.

Two investigators of paranormal hoaxes, the veteran Dr. Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and her young assistant, Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy), study the most varied metaphysical phenomena with the aim of proving their fraudulent origin.

Simon Silver (Robert De Niro), a legendary blind psychic, reappears after an enigmatic absence of 30 years to become the greatest international challenge for both orthodox science and professional sceptics. Tom starts to develop an intense obsession with Silver, whose magnetism becomes stronger with each new manifestation of inexplicable events. As Tom gets closer to Silver, tension mounts, and his worldview is threatened to its core…

FORMATS

  • Blu-ray$39.95 RRP

–   Feature film in high definition

–   Interviews with cast and crew

–   Running Time- 114 mins

 

  • DVD- $34.95 RRP

–   Feature film in standard definition

–   Interviews with cast and crew

–   Running Time- 110 mins

 
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2K Drive: Dev Diary 1

 
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Bitdefender Upgrades Mobile Security for Android with Privacy Advisor

Bitdefender Mobile Security keeps an eye on your apps with Privacy Advisor 

Sydney, AUSTRALIA, Aug. 28, 2013 – Bitdefender, the creator of innovative global antivirus solutions, has released the unique Bitdefender Mobile Security to protect Android devices from malware and keep you up to date on what your apps might be doing with your personal data.

Bitdefender Mobile Security, which has won perfect scores for protection and usability in testing by independent analysts, now includes Privacy Advisor, a feature that lets device owners monitor suspicious apps that endanger privacy, handle sensitive data carelessly, deliver unwanted spam and access private information

Privacy Advisor enhances the other features of Bitdefender Mobile Security, including on-demand scanning, remote locking with Anti-Theft, minimised battery impact and cutting-edge antivirus software from the world leader in quality antivirus technology.

“Threats to Android devices are growing rapidly in both number and variety,” said Bitdefender Chief Security Strategist Catalin Cosoi. “Traditional varieties of malware are a perennial, and growing, danger. But new threats are steadily appearing from among the apps users install on their devices. We’ve tooled Bitdefender Mobile Security to deal with all of these issues, and potential new ones, all at once.”

Last month, Bitdefender Mobile Security achieved perfect scores across the board for a second straight time in testing by independent security analysis firm AV-TEST. It caught 100 percent of malware samples and gave off zero false warnings. Testing showed no impact on battery life, and no slowdown of the device.