SYDNEY, 7 February, 2011: Canon announced today the achievement of a new EF lens-manufacturing milestone with the production of the company’s 60-millionth lens at its Utsunomiya Plant in Japan.

“Canon is proud to have achieved this significant production milestone, which is representative of the huge growth in the popularity of digital SLR photography in Australia and around the world,” said Darren Ryan, General Manager Consumer Product Marketing, Canon Australia. “The Digital SLR format offers the ultimate in quality and creative potential, and its popularity with consumers everywhere is evident by the fact that our last 10-million units were produced in just 13 months, compared with eight and a half years for our first.”

Production of interchangeable EF lenses for Canon EOS-series AF (autofocus) single-lens reflex cameras began in 1987 at the company’s Utsunomiya Plant, and has since expanded to a total of four production facilities. EF lenses reached the 10-million-unit milestone after approximately eight and a half years in production, followed by the 40-million-unit mark in April of 2008. Owing to the popularity of the EOS Digital series, production then increased and EF lenses achieved the 50-million-unit mark in December of 2009. Canon has since produced 10 million units just in one year and one month and reached the 60-million-unit milestone in January 2011.

R&D delivers ‘world’s first’ innovations

“Canon’s continued focus on investment in R&D of approximately 10% of consolidated net sales each year has seen the EF lens feature a range of innovative proprietary technologies that lead the industry,” continued Ryan. “Our lens technology is a strategic advantage across all camera categories and contributes to Canon’s overwhelming No.1 position in the total retail camera market here in Australia.” *1

Canon’s innovations include such world’s firsts*2 as the Ultrasonic Motor-powered lens (USM), Image Stabilizer (IS) to compensate for the effects of camera shake, Subwavelength Structure Coating (SWC) anti-reflection technology, and a super telephoto lens that employs a diffractive optical element. Last year, Canon successfully launched EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM, featuring outstanding optical performance and Image Stabilization.

Canon’s current EF lens line-up comprises 65 models*3 ranging from super-wide-angle lenses to super-telephoto zoom lenses, catering to the varying needs of photographers from first-time users to advanced-amateurs and professionals. The company’s diverse selection of lenses offers several features including a number of zoom options ranging from standard to super-telephoto, Image Stabilizer-equipped lenses, large-diameter lenses, macro-lenses and TS-E lenses featuring a special tilt-shift mechanism allowing manipulation of image perspective and distortion. In addition, the EF8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM, the world’s first*2 fisheye zoom lens, is planned for market release in March 2011.

“The Canon EOS brand is synonymous with quality and creativity, and the 65 EF lenses available in Australia, together with the challenges laid down to users on the World of EOS, allow all photographers to take their photography to the next level of creative expression,” added Ryan.

*1 30% share by value for the most recent 12 months. Source: GfK Retail and Technology Australia, Digital Still Cameras, Retail Sales Value Dec 2009 to Nov 2010 (excludes MMC, internet and online channels)

*2 Among interchangeable lenses for SLR cameras

*3 Including two EF lens extenders and models available outside of Japan

The entire world stands on the brink of war and you are the one person at the center of it all. On February 23, 2011, BioWare™ will release a demo for Dragon Age™ II, allowing gamers on all platforms to experience a portion of this epic action RPG. Featuring enhanced graphics, faster, more responsive combat and a gripping storyline, the Dragon Age II demo is your chance to find out firsthand why IGN, Game Informer, MTV and The New York Times’ Seth Schiesel have endorsed Dragon Age II as one of the most anticipated games of 2011.

In the demo, players will venture through the game’s prologue, choosing from three different character classes. They’ll also learn more about Hawke and hone their skills and abilities that will make them the ultimate hero. After finishing the prologue, players will enter a key new location in the world of Dragon Age, Kirkwall, befriending Isabela, a romantic interest in the game who is also a deadly smuggler. Upon completion of the demo, players will unlock a special weapon, Hayder’s Razor, an ancient dwarven blade which increases health, mana, and combat abilities, in the full release of Dragon Age II.*

This demo represents just a small taste of what Dragon Age II has to offer. With a whole new realm to discover, and an all-new hero to become, players will go deeper into the world of Dragon Age unlike ever before in an adventure that shapes itself around every decision you make. The time has now come to engage in action-packed, dynamic combat that allows you to think like a general and fight like a Spartan! The legend of your rise to power, begins now!

Dragon Age II will be available on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system and PC on March 10, 2011 in Australia and March 11, 2011 in New Zealand. For more information about Dragon Age II and the upcoming demo, please visit www.dragonage.com .

*Conditions and restrictions apply. See http://dragonage.bioware.com/da2/demo for details.

The  entire world stands on the brink of war and you are the one person at the center of it all. On February 23, 2011, BioWare™ will release a demo for Dragon Age™ II, allowing gamers on all platforms to experience a portion of this epic action RPG. Featuring enhanced graphics, faster, more responsive combat and a gripping storyline, the Dragon Age II demo is your chance to find out firsthand why IGN, Game Informer, MTV and The New York Times’ Seth Schiesel have endorsed Dragon Age II as one of the most anticipated games of 2011.

In the demo, players will venture through the game’s prologue, choosing from three different character classes. They’ll also learn more about Hawke and hone their skills and abilities that will make them the ultimate hero. After finishing the prologue, players will enter a key new location in the world of Dragon Age, Kirkwall, befriending Isabela, a romantic interest in the game who is also a deadly smuggler. Upon completion of the demo, players will unlock a special weapon, Hayder’s Razor, an ancient dwarven blade which increases health, mana, and combat abilities, in the full release of Dragon Age II.*

This demo represents just a small taste of what Dragon Age II has to offer. With a whole new realm to discover, and an all-new hero to become, players will go deeper into the world of Dragon Age unlike ever before in an adventure that shapes itself around every decision you make. The time has now come to engage in action-packed, dynamic combat that allows you to think like a general and fight like a Spartan!  The legend of your rise to power, begins now!  

Dragon Age II will be available on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system and PC on March 10, 2011 in Australia and March 11, 2011 in New Zealand. For more information about Dragon Age II and the upcoming demo, please visit www.dragonage.com .
 
*Conditions and restrictions apply.  See http://dragonage.bioware.com/da2/demo for details.

Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with 50% off Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars at the App Store

In celebration of the Year of the Rabbit, we’re happy to announce that Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad is on sale from now until 4pm on Monday, February 7th (AEST), get either Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars or Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars HD for 50% off.

Get ’em at the App Store:
http://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/rockstar-games/id330049731

The Next BIG Thing Reveals its official website and MORE Exclusive Images

With today’s official website launch, adventure gaming fans can discover The Next BIG Thing, the brand new adventure game from Pendulo Studios, creators of the million-selling Runaway series. The website contains exclusive information about the game, its development, characters, and story plus the latest news and assets.

To celebrate this launch, we are happy to reveal exclusive images, which can also be viewed on the website!

The Next BIG Thing is Pendulo Studios’ biggest production to date. The game takes players on a grand adventure through the world of cinema, where they will solve an unbelievable case! It truly shines with HD graphics in a gorgeous hand-drawn style. With funny dialogue and a dynamic duo at the helm, adventure fans will want to play The Next Big Thing when it releases in April 2011 for PC.

Watch the video (youtube)

More than $940 million Box Office Worldwide! 

Sydney, AUSTRALIA, February 2^nd, 2011 – Everything has led to this moment.  The epic finale begins with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, which arrives on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download this April 15th from Warner Home Video and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. Setting the stage for the much anticipated theatrical release of  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 this July, the entire ensemble cast is back for this must-see seventh installment of the top-grossing motion picture franchise in history, based on the best-selling book series by J.K. Rowling.   

From celebrated director David Yates (Harry Potter series Years 5-7), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 brings back the highly-acclaimed cast including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, as well as Academy Award^® Nominee Ralph Fiennes (Clash of the Titans, The English Patient), Academy Award^® Nominee Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech, Sweeney Todd), Academy Award^® Nominee Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake), Alan Rickman (Sweeney Todd, Love Actually), and Michael Gambon (The Good Shepherd, Gosford Park).  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 also introduces Golden Globe^® Winner Bill Nighy (The Constant Gardener, Love Actually) as Rufus Scrimgeour.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 will be available on 4-Disc Combo Pack, featuring a 2-Disc Blu-ray™, a 1-Disc DVD and digital copy of the film on a separate disc for $49.95RRP and on 2-disc DVD for $44.95RRP. 

Harry Potter fans, old and new, can sign up to join the “Quest for the Hallows”, an exciting global online adventure throughout the year.  The “Quest for the Hallows” allows a participant to unlock exclusive content, including videos, photos and other exciting, never-before-seen materials and also enter sweepstakes promotions featuring spectacular prizes. For more information and to sign up for the “Quest for the Hallows” visit www.questforthehallows.com.

On April 15^th, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 will be available for rent ON DEMAND through Digital Cable, Satellite TV and select game consoles.  It will also be available to buy through DIGITAL DOWNLOAD from digital movie retailers and select game consoles.

The celebration begins on March 30^th with the full range of catalogue titles available on Blu-ray™ and DVD at a special promotional price for a limited time only. The full range includes Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The Blu-ray™ versions will be available for $19.95RRP and the DVD versions will be available for $14.95RRP.

Finally, and most importantly, fans will also be interested to know that Warner Bros. Entertainment Australia will place the Blu-ray™ and DVD versions of the current Harry Potter Complete Collection Box Set in the vault from today. There are only a limited number in market, so consumers will need to hurry so as not to miss out on the opportunity. The next availability date for the box set is not scheduled until later in the year, to tie in with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 and the Christmas gift giving period.

SYNOPSIS

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final adventure in the Harry Potter film series, is a motion picture event, told in two full-length parts.

Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the Horcruxes – the keys to Voldemort’s immortality. On their own, without the guidance or protection of their professors, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart.

Meanwhile, the wizarding world has become a dangerous place for all enemies of the Dark Lord. The long-feared war has begun and Voldemort’s Death Eaters seize control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorising and arresting anyone who might oppose them. But the one prize they still seek is the one most valuable to Voldemort: Harry Potter. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as Voldemort’s followers look for Harry with orders to bring him to the Dark Lord…alive.
Harry’s only hope is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds him. But as he searches for clues, he uncovers an old and almost forgotten tale–the legend of the Deathly Hallows. And if the legend turns out to be true, it could give Voldemort the ultimate power he seeks.
Little does Harry know that his future has already been decided by his past when, on that fateful day, he became “The Boy Who Lived.” No longer just a boy, Harry Potter is drawing ever closer to the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts: the ultimate battle with Voldemort.

BLU-RAY™ AND DVD

Special features:

4-Disc Blu-ray™ Combo Pack includes:

• Exclusive Sneak Peek of a scene from the highly anticipated upcoming film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2  
• Maximum Movie Mode – Join host Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), and other members of the cast and crew, on an interactive journey through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.  Plus, revisit important moments from the previous films to prepare for the final battle that takes place in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
• Dan, Rupert and Emma’s Running Competition – While filming the escape scene from the Snatchers in Swinley Forest, Dan, Rupert and Emma engage in a little competition of their own.  With colourful commentary by Director David Yates, see the competitive spirit on set and this hilarious rivalry between the three leads.
• The Seven Harry’s – See how Daniel Radcliffe recreated the personalities of the different characters that transform into Harry’s in the hilarious Privet Drive scene.
• On the Green with Rupert, Tom, Oliver and James – Accompany Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Oliver Phelps (George Weasley) and  James Phelps (Fred Weasley) for a round of golf and get a glimpse into their 10-year friendship that developed while making the Harry Potter films.
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Promotional Trailer – Join Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and other cast members from the Harry Potter films on their first visit to the Grand Opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
• Additional Scenes
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1: Behind the Soundtrack
• Standard Definition DVD of the feature film
• Digital Copy of the feature film

2-disc DVD includes:

• Additional Scenes

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION ELEMENTS

Consumers who buy or rent the movie digitally will receive special bonus materials: 

• iTunes – Fans that purchase the title from iTunes will receive extras including a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 soundtrack, additional scenes, and an interview with Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, Oliver Phelps and James Phelps discussing growing up on set and life after Potter.

• Telstra BigPond and T-Box – Fans that rent the film On Demand from Telstra will also receive exclusive access to great bonus content including State of Evil featurette, The Weasleys featurettes, Dan, Rupert and Emma’s Running Competition, The Wizarding Prop Shop featurette, The New Guys featurette and One Book Two Movies.

ALL BONUS CONTENT IS TBC AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Spammers Set for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day brings excitement for celebrating love and affection between dear ones. Spammers are gearing up for Valentine’s Day with several offers like product spam, gift cards, personalised cards, and financial spam. Symantec has been observing Valentine’s Day-related spam since early January and we have recently seen a spike in product spam related to the event.

Below are Valentine’s Day related spam samples:

Subject: An original gift for Valentine’s Day

Subject: Take Her Breath Away

Subject: Super great designer watches

Subject: Personalized gifts for your Valentine

Subject: Very Hush-Hush Valentines Day Offer

Subject: The best Valentines gifts

Subject: Quick and Easy Valentine’s Day Gifts

Subject: $19.99 Flowers for Valentine’s Day + FREE Vase

Spammers promoting fake product offers at discounted price and the URL mentioned in the message redirects the user to the spam Web page which asks for personal information.

We are also observing interesting phishing attacks based on the Valentine’s Day theme. The domains used in phishing attacks resemble the name of the event.

http://www.valentinegirlxxxx.co.uk/~friday/myca/us/logon/action.html

http://www.valentinegirlxxxx.co.uk/~logic/us/myca/logon/action.html

http://valentinexxx.org/~bloom/help/weurhwe9urh9w[removed]/Login.htm

Last year’s statistics show that product spam was the most popular spam tactic. Continuing that trend, we expect product spam to remain the most dominant compared to other spam categories.

Symantec advises our readers to be cautious when handling unsolicited or unexpected emails. Updating antispam signatures regularly helps prevent personal information from being compromised. We at Symantec are closely monitoring the Valentine’s Day spam attacks to keep our readers updated.

Hot off the press from Namco Bandai – New Deus Ex: Human Revolution screenshots! Enjoy!

Square Enix and Obsidian Entertainment bring classic action-RPG franchise to HD game consoles for the first time 

Sydney, Australia  (February 4^th, 2011) – Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in PAL territories, announced today that DUNGEON SIEGE™ III will be available from 26^th May, 2011, in Australia (and 27^th in New Zealand), with an exclusive Limited Edition available for pre-orders.

Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, the all-new incarnation of the classic action-RPG franchise will make its debut on high-def home video game consoles. Players will experience the much-awaited next chapter in the DUNGEON SIEGE lore on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC.

Game details

In DUNGEON SIEGE III, players assume the role of one of four legionnaires in the crumbling kingdom of Ehb, fighting for the sake of their fallen comrades. Conflict is constant and decisions have lasting consequences, allowing players to dictate the outcome of the tale. Do battle as a lone hero or fight alongside up to three friends and, thanks to robust AI, DUNGEON SIEGE III’s co-op multiplayer mode allows players to seamlessly drop in and out of battle without interrupting the action or impacting the campaign.

Limited Edition

Available exclusively for pre-orders, a limited edition Dungeon Siege III pack will be available in PAL territories featuring four unique in-game items available to activate on day of launch, enhancing and increasing your characters’ abilities as they venture forth through the Kingdom of Ehb. Full details attached.

“With DUNGEON SIEGE III we are bringing the rich world and lore of Ehb to an all new audience,” said Ned Browning, Brand Manager at Square Enix. “The depth of story and wealth of characters and classes will take players on an incredible journey whether in single player or with up to three friends online.”

For more information, visit www.dungeonsiege.com.

About DUNGEON SIEGE III

Story

Torn asunder, the delicate balance of power between the kingdom of Ehb’s powerful factions has fallen apart. As one of the few remaining members of the disgraced protectors of the land, the 10th Legion, it is up to you to rebuild the once great Legion and prevent Ehb from descending into darkness. Joined by a group of unique companions, you will travel through the striking land of Ehb defeating all manner of villains and beasts through a combination of heroic abilities, screen-shaking magic and pure cunning.

DUNGEON SIEGE III seamlessly blends intuitive action gameplay, a robust RPG system featuring a large selection of abilities, an extensive multiplayer component and the depth of story Square Enix and Obsidian Entertainment are known for creating.

Features

• Experience DUNGEON SIEGE on high-def consoles for the first time.
• Adventure solo or with friends in co-op multiplayer.
• Uncover a deep story that only Square Enix and Obsidian Entertainment can deliver.
• Pick from unique and highly customisable character classes with a wide range of abilities.
• Recruit companions with unique personalities, abilities and views on the world around them.
• Make weighty decisions that impact alliances, enemies and ultimately the culmination of the story.

DUNGEON SIEGE III is not yet rated. For more information about DUNGEON SIEGE III, please visit the official website at www.dungeonsiege.com.