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Seagate Delivers On Technology Milestone: First to Ship Hard Drives Using Next-Generation Shingled Magnetic Recording

Shingled Magnetic Technology is the First Step to Reaching a 20 Terabyte Hard Drive by 2020

NEW YORK, NY — Sept.10, 2013 —Seagate Technology plc (NASDAQ:STX), a world leader in storage solutions, today announced it has shipped over one million drives using shingled magnetic recording (SMR). SMR is the next generation in storage technology and is critical for continued improvement in areal density (the amount of data that can be stored on a single disk) to support global growth in cloud and mobile usage. The SMR generation of storage technology is expected to power gains of up to 25 percent.

“With nearly 7 billion inhabitants on earth we are creating  an astounding  2.7 Zettabytes of data a year and as such are rapidly approaching the physical limits of how much can be written on a single conventional  hard disk drive,” said Mark Re, Seagate’s chief technology officer. “With SMR technology, Seagate is on track to improve areal density by up to 25 percent or 1.25TB per disk, delivering hard drives with the lowest cost per gigabyte and reaching capacities of 5TB and beyond.”

The last technology transition, perpendicular recording, improved areal density by arranging the bits in a perpendicular fashion, thereby enabling narrower data tracks and read/write heads. Due to physical limitations read/write heads cannot become smaller. The most reliable option to improve areal density is to change the way data is written to the drive.

This is where SMR technology comes into play. A fundamental change to the architecture of the media, SMR technology rearranges the way data is stored on a disk by overlapping tracks— similar to shingles on a roof— thereby, increasing track density and improving aerial density. As a result of increased track density the amount of data on a single disk increases as does the overall storage capacity of a single drive.

“The HDD industry is experiencing Petabyte shipment growth rates greater than 30 percent per year while at the same time HDD areal density is improving at a rate less than 20 percent per year,” noted John Rydning, IDC’s research vice president, for hard disk drives. “Shingled magnetic recording technology is a solution that leverages existing drive architecture to help close the gap in these growth rates while at the same time providing a relatively simple yet economical path to higher capacity HDDs for many applications.”

Importantly, SMR can improve reliability by allowing Seagate to use fewer heads and disks to achieve new capacity points. SMR also provides a better value by increasing storage capacity while utilizing the same disk and heads as drive configurations shipping today thereby,  providing a more cost-effective approach to increasing aerial density.

For more information on Seagate shingled magnetic recording technology click here SMR.

 
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AMD’s Groundbreaking “Never Settle Forever” Program Empowers Gamers to Choose

Gamers now have the flexibility and freedom to choose from among up to nine AMD Gaming Evolved titles

Sydney, Australia — September. 10, 2013 — AMD announced the arrival of “Never Settle Forever,” the third edition of the award-winning “Never Settle” franchise of game bundles. The “Never Settle Forever” program represents a historic first in the GPU industry by enabling gamers with the power to assemble their own game bundle from an extensive catalog of titles optimised for AMD Radeon™ graphics cards. The bundle underscores AMD’s serious commitment to the Unified Gaming Strategy and its broader philosophy of choice and openness.

With “Never Settle Forever,” the purchase of qualifying AMD Radeon™ HD 7000 Series GPUs at a participating retailer will invite gamers to join the Radeon™ Bronze, Radeon™ Silver or Radeon™ Gold Reward tiers with a digital or in-box coupon. Starting with the Radeon Bronze Reward, the coupon will empower gamers to select one game from a catalog of six AMD- optimised titles. With a Radeon Silver Reward, the coupon will free gamers to choose any two games from a roster of eight AMD- optimised titles. And with the ultimate coupon, Radeon Gold Reward, gamers may choose any three titles from a stunning roster of nine games.

“AMD has numerous close ISV partnerships with the world’s top game developers and we are thrilled to collaborate with them to the benefit of gamers,” said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, Graphics Business Unit, AMD. “But the ‘Never Settle Forever’ program is an entirely new dimension of that commitment, as it pioneers the concept of a completely customisable game bundle. For the very first time, gamers can assemble their own perfect bundle from a vast catalog of games optimised for AMD technology.”

Finally, hardcore gamers that already own all titles of interest to them can save their coupon up until December 31, 2013 in anticipation for one or more new games that may enter the “Never Settle Forever” program.

Reviewing and selecting these incredible game titles will be conducted through an all-new redemption portal called “Radeon™ Rewards.” “Radeon Rewards” will enable gamers with a unique user account that can be accessed at any time to: browse the catalog of games available in each reward tier, check the time remaining on their coupon, fully redeem their coupon, or access self-help and assisted customer service.

Never Settle Forever Bundle
The “Never Settle Forever” bundle enables user choice in one of three Reward tiers with the purchase of select AMD Radeon™ HD 7000 Series GPUs at participating retailers:

RADEON™ BRONZE REWARD   TIER:
AMD Radeon™ HD 7790 Graphics Card
AMD Radeon™ HD 7770 GHz Edition		 RADEON™ SILVER REWARD   TIER:
AMD Radeon™ HD 7800 Series		 RADEON™ GOLD REWARD   TIER:
AMD Radeon™ HD 7970 GHz Edition
AMD Radeon™ HD 7970 Graphics Card
AMD Radeon™ HD 7950 Graphics Card
CHOOSE ONE:
•    Deus Ex Human Revolution™
•    DiRT® 3
•    DiRT® Showdown
•    Far Cry® 3
•    Far Cry® 3 Blood Dragon
•    Sleeping Dogs™		 CHOOSE TWO:
•    Deus Ex Human Revolution™
•    DiRT® 3
•    DiRT® Showdown
•    DMC Devil May Cry™
•    Far Cry® 3
•    Far Cry® 3 Blood Dragon
•    Hitman Absolution™
•    Sleeping Dogs™		 CHOOSE THREE:
•    Deus Ex Human Revolution™
•    DiRT® 3
•    DiRT® Showdown
•    DMC Devil May Cry™
•    Far Cry® 3
•    Far Cry® 3 Blood Dragon
•    Hitman Absolution™
•    Sleeping Dogs™
•    Tomb Raider™

Participating titles in “Never Settle Forever” program at launch; see full terms and conditions for more detail.

To celebrate the introduction of “Never Settle Forever,” the Radeon™ RAMDisk software will also feature a special promotional price of just $8.99 USD (a $10 discount on the retail price.) The ideal companion to any game or application, the Radeon RAMDisk software can dynamically harness unused system RAM for dramatically improved load and execution times. Gamers in any tier of the “Never Settle Forever” program will be offered this exclusive opportunity upon registering their Radeon Reward code.

AMD will be showcasing the titles in its “Never Settle Forever” program at Gamescom 2013 in Cologne, Germany. Visit hall 10.1 stand B080 and meet with AMD Gaming Evolved representatives to learn more about this groundbreaking program.

Supporting Resources
•    To purchase: Never Settle Forever bundle
•    Browse the games: Radeon Rewards
•    Learn more about AMD Gaming Evolved
•    Learn more about AMD Radeon graphics
•    Engage with us on Twitter @AMDRadeon
•    Become a fan of AMD Gaming on Facebook
•    Become a fan of AMD on Facebook

 
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FINAL FANTASY XIV PLAYSTATION® 4 BETA ANNOUNCED

FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn Coming to PlayStation® 4 

SYDNEY (10th September, 2013) – Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products, today announced that the opening of beta tests on the PlayStation® 4 version of FINAL FANTASY® XIV: A Realm Reborn from Saturday the 22nd of February 2014 and a free service that will allow players to switch from playing the game on the PlayStation® 3 to the PlayStation® 4.

Square Enix Co., Ltd (Based in Shinjuku ward Tokyo, CEO: Yusuke Matsuda,) today announced the date for the start of beta tests on the PlayStation® 4 (PS4) version of FINAL FANTASY® XIV: A Realm Reborn (FFXIV: ARR).

Beta testing will commence on the PS4 version of FFXIV: ARR, on Saturday the 22nd of February 2014.

The FFXIV: ARR game service is now live on Windows PC and the PlayStation® 3 (PS3), and a PS4 version is currently in development. Essential work to increase the number of servers and strengthen the service environment, with the aim of alleviating the crowding on existing servers is also in progress.

Furthermore, those who are currently playing the PS3 version of FFXIV: ARR will not have to re-buy the game on PS4 and will be able to transition to playing on PS4 at no additional cost. They will even be able to carry over their character data and continue playing on the new platform.

Further information on the PS4 beta tests and the PS4 version transition service will be released soon and we hope everyone will have a great experience with FFXIV: ARR.

Related Links

The Lodestone:  http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/

Official Website: http://www.finalfantasyxiv.com

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FinalFantasyXIV

Official Twitter: @FF_XIV_EN

Official YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/FINALFANTASYXIV

 
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The Popular Game Continues to Dominate the Smartphone and Tablet Charts.

Following the incredible success of Despicable Me 2 in theatres worldwide, the game companion based on the franchise, “Despicable Me: Minion Rush,” has been an epic hit on the App Store and Google Play. The free-to-play title has been downloaded over 100 million times since its release less than three months ago.

Thanks to close collaboration between mobile and social game developer Gameloft, Universal Partnerships & Licensing and Despicable Me creators Illumination Entertainment, “Despicable Me: Minion Rush” has become a major sensation. That success is due in no small part to the polished look and feel of the game, which is infused with the genuine heart and soul of the franchise.

“We’ve been lucky to work with such creative and visionary minds like the team at Illumination Entertainment,” says Julien Fournials, SVP Production at Gameloft. “Bringing the Minions to life in a game was great fun. Our collaboration brought a lot of authenticity to the table, from the Minion voices to the uniquely comedic gameplay, and that authenticity helped introduce a lot of fans to the game.”

“Gameloft did an incredible job recreating the Minions and the environments from the movies,” says Stephanie Sperber, President of Universal Partnerships & Licensing. “We are continuing to work hard to bring new and exciting content to the game to engage the millions of fans who enjoy ‘Minion Rush’ on a daily basis.”

Gameloft remains dedicated to keeping the “Despicable Me: Minion Rush” universe well populated. The first update to the game added a full new environment, El Macho’s Lair, including the new film’s villain El Macho and the purple Evil Minions. There will continue to be more content in future updates, where fans can expect new areas and Minion costumes from the movies.

The new update to the game is now available on Google Play and soon on the App Store. It includes a full new environment: The Minion Beach from Despicable Me 2, with tons of fun and cute Minion moments! There are also beach themed costumes like the Snorkeler Minion and Surfer Minion. In addition, more variety has been added in all locations, including new lanes for more fun in each run!

Since its release in June 2013, “Despicable Me: Minion Rush” players played more than 260 million hours, collected 2,000 billion bananas, performed 55 billion Despicable Actions!

 
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Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag – Diary: A Diverse Open World

 
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Plastic Wax Studios helps bring the world of Saints Row IV™ to life

World-class cinematic studio discuss animating the latest entry in the Saints Row series

Sydney, Australia – September 10, 2013 – Plastic Wax Animation and Deep Silver Volition today revealed the studio behind the mind-blowing cutscenes and animation in the smash hit latest instalment of the Saints Row franchise, Saints Row IV™.

Plastic Wax, who have a major studio in Sydney, produce pre-rendered and in-engine content for games and film and have worked on some of gaming’s biggest brands, including Bioshock, Transformers, Fallout ,Civilization V and Neverwinter. With their animation work, the team was extensively involved in the production of Saints Row IV, as Plastic Wax EVP Dane Maddams explains;

“Plastic Wax was fortunate enough to work with the always incredibly talented Volition and Deep Silver teams, we (Plastic Wax) handled full body and hand-keyed animation for 46 minutes of cutscene material, the project took around seven months to complete. Being tied so closely to the content we had an early sneak peek at the game prior to release, and believe me, the fans are in for an incredible ride.”

Volition’s Animation Director Zach Lowery explains, “Working with the talented team at Plastic Wax on Saints Row IV was a true pleasure. We tried hard to make sure that there wasn’t a feeling of separation and at the end of the day, it truly felt like Plastic Wax was a natural extension of our internal team.”

“The final product speaks for itself, and I’m very proud of what our teams accomplished together.”

Saints Row IV has gone on to sell more than a million units globally in its first week of release.

For more information on Plastic Wax, head to Plastic Wax’s official website to view the studio’s portfolio of games and entertainment work.

 
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EB Games Official Grand Theft Auto V Midnight Launch Party – Featuring some of Australia’s hottest acts.

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA- September 10, 2013. EB Games is celebrating the release of the highly anticipated blockbuster, Grand Theft Auto V, with a massive official launch party in World Square, Sydney.

“Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V) is no ordinary game, so we wanted to go all out and give our customers a launch like no other,” said Debra McGrath, EB Games National Brand, Events and Engagement Manager.

The party starts;  9.30pm, Monday 16th September, featuring Australia’s best DJ’s and upcoming acts, warming up to when the star of the show, Grand Theft Auto V goes on sale at Midnight.

“Music is just the beginning; customers will have the chance to participate in competitions such as Burrito eating and Grand Theft Auto V cosplay to win money-can’t-buy Grand Theft Auto V prizes. There are free burritos for the first 400 customers and of course the main event- being able to be one of the first people in the world to get their hands of Grand Theft Auto V at midnight”.

The night will be hosted by Danny Clayton, MC Losty, Kez (EB Games Community Manager) who will be giving away money can’t buy Rockstar Games Merchandise, EB Expo tickets and more across the evening.

The party will feature the following live acts:

Alison Wonderland
Leah Mencel + Lee Monro
The Havknotz

Everyone is invited to attend this free event, however if a customer wishes to pick up a copy of Grand Theft Auto V at midnight and get a free burritos from Guzman Y Gomez (Limited to 400 people), they must preorder and pay in full for their copy of Grand Theft Auto V at any of these EB Games locations:

 

Eastgardens
Bondi
Galeries
Broadway
Marrickville
Chatswood
Royal Randwick
Greenwood Plaza
Maroubra
Chatswood Chase
EB World Square
Darling Harbour
Birkenhead Point

 

 

EB Games will also be opening at midnight to release the game in over 320 locations across Australia (excludes WA). Western Australian stores will be open from 8am Tuesday 17th September – customers are invited to prepay their title in full in order to gain access to express  queues during the breakfast launch. Customers should check with their local store for details.

 

Media are invited to attend the EB official Grand Theft Auto V midnight launch at World Square, Sydney. The events kicking off at 9.30pm Monday 16th September, with the game being sold from 12.01am Tuesday 17th September.

 

About EB Games

EB Games Australia head office is located in Queensland, with retail stores operating in every Australian State and Territory. EB Games Australia is part of GameStop Corp- the world’s largest multichannel video game retailer. Currently EB Games have 400 retail stores in Australia and New Zealand. The Company sells new and preowned video game software, hardware and accessories for video game systems from Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft and Apple. In addition, the company sells PC entertainment software, related accessories and other merchandise. General information on EB Games can be obtained at the company’s website: http://www.ebgames.com.au.

 

 
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New iPhone 5S Launch To Create Mountains Of Stockpiled Obsolete Mobiles

With the launch of the Apple iPhone 5S around the corner, (11 Sep) Australia’s official, not-for-profit mobile recycler, MobileMuster, is urging Australian consumers to recycle their old mobiles if they upgrade.

“Any new smartphone sees significant interest from Australian consumers, but they are still holding onto their old phones – 23 million of them!” said Rose Read, Recycling Manager for MobileMuster.

In addition to there being one old unused mobile for every person in Australia, the latest research shows that nearly the majority of these phones are four years old or more .

“We know that most Australians hold onto their old mobile ‘just in case they need it ’ but given that the majority of these old mobiles are considered to be outdated, and potentially pre-smartphone, Aussies are just holding onto old technology they are unlikely to ever use again,”

“Let’s get all Australians digging into their drawers at home or at work and dropping off their old mobile for free at one of the 4,000 MobileMuster drop-off points around Australia, or jumping online and downloading a reply-paid mailing label and posting them in for free,”

“It is much better to recycle any obsolete mobiles than leave them lying around at home,” commented Read.

More than 90% of materials inside of a mobile can be recovered and made into new products, which in the last year lessened the need to mine 1,165 tonnes of precious metal ore and had the environmental benefit of planting over 5,600 trees.

Everything collected by MobileMuster is recycled in a safe, secure and ethical way with no mobiles resold for reuse or dumped into developing countries.

While some people may consider passing their old phones on to developing countries as a way to help people in need, keep in mind that most of these countries have poor or no recycling facilities.

Any benefit gained from extending the life of the phone is lost as it will eventually be dumped into landfill or processing in a manner harmful to human health.

“E-waste in developing countries is becoming such a big issue that just last month the WHO launched an inquiry into the potential health effects on local communities,” commented Read.

“We want all Australians to stop, think and recycle in Australia with MobileMuster as it is industry-funded and the safest, most ethical way possible.” concluded Read.

Additionally, MobileMuster also has a partnership with the Salvo’s meaning if consumers are looking to recycle their old mobile and do something good for the community then they should drop their old mobile into their local Salvos store and MobileMuster will provide a donation for every kilo of old mobiles, batteries or chargers collected.

 
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ACTIVISION’S CALL OF DUTY®, EMINEM COME TOGETHER FOR ULTIMATE FAN OFFER

Pre-Order Call of Duty: Ghosts at EB Games to receive Special Price offer to Purchase Eminem’s new The Marshall Mathers LP 2 Featuring Bonus Studio Track for Limited Time

Sydney, Australia – Sept. 10, 2013 – The year’s most anticipated game, Call of Duty®: Ghosts, and music icon Eminem are giving fans another reason to line up this November 5.  With Activision’s new blockbuster Call of Duty and Eminem’s new The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (Aftermath/Interscope) dropping on the same date this November, fans of both are in store for an incredible offer at a great price.  In close collaboration with EB Games, anyone who pre-orders the game at EB Games will get their copy of Call of Duty: Ghosts at launch, which will include a code, at time of pick up, to download a special edition of Eminem’s new The Marshall Mathers LP 2 featuring an exclusive, bonus studio track at a special price of $14.99.

“The energy and intensity of ‘Survival’ really matches Call of Duty: Ghosts,” commented Eminem.  “I’m excited to continue to be a part of the franchise.”

This program continues the close coordination announced in August, when Eminem first revealed “Survival,” a track from the upcoming album release as part of Activision’s worldwide live reveal event for the multiplayer mode of developer Infinity Ward’s new title. The ongoing collaboration between Activision and Eminem will continue later this month with a music video trailer featuring “Survival” and Call of Duty: Ghosts, and will extend throughout the launch of the blockbuster title.

“Call of Duty is the ultimate adrenaline rush.  It’s the intensity and heart-pounding excitement you feel as the action unfolds.  And Eminem embodies this same spirit and captures this in his music,” said Tim Ellis, CMO of Activision Publishing, Inc.  “The breadth of this program takes our partnership to a new level and will continue to unfold in the months to come.  It’s going to be a massive day in entertainment with the launch of Call of Duty: Ghosts and Marshall Mathers LP 2 both hitting on November 5th.”

The offer is redeemable through Tuesday, November 19th, 15:59PM AEDT and applies to purchases of Call of Duty: Ghosts exclusively at EB Games locations as well as select additional retailers worldwide.

The news of this limited time offer follows additional pre-order headlines, in which Activision and EB Games revealed that gamers who pre-order Call of Duty: Ghosts at EB Games will receive an exclusive Limited Edition featuring a pack of content that includes the bonus classic Simon “Ghost” Riley multiplayer character. Made famous in the original Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 2, the return of one of the most iconic characters in Call of Duty history as a playable multiplayer character is a first for the series and is a pre-order incentive only available at EB Games.

Published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), and developed by Infinity Ward, Call of Duty: Ghosts will release on Xbox 360 game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, PC and Wii U™ on November 5. The title will also release on the Xbox One, the all-in one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PlayStation® 4 later this year. Call of Duty: Ghosts is rated “MA15+” (Strong Violence and Coarse Language) by the Australian Classification Board. For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com/ghosts, www.facebook.com/CODGhosts, or follow on Twitter @InfinityWard / @CallofDuty_ANZ.

 
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Gamious and Philips uWand debut same-screen Smart TV multiplayer gaming

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Video games publisher Gamious has announced today a partnership with Philips uWand, the intuitive camera-based direct pointing remote control technology, to bring same-screen multiplayer gaming to Smart TV for the first time.

“We are delighted to be working with Philips uWand to introduce a social element to gaming on Smart TV,” said Pim Bouman, CEO at Gamious. “As one of the leading innovators in this space, Philips uWand’s direct pointing technology makes same-screen multiplayer incredibly easy and will help us bring our latest game, Dark Day LA, to a new audience.”

Bouman added: “Thanks to our partnership with Philips uWand we can now enter the Smart TV market, something that simply wasn’t possible with the controllers that are now provided with Smart TVs. Other pointing control technologies we have experimented with do not deliver the right experience for gaming. Now, on Smart TV, we can give players the same immersive experience that they’ve come to expect from console based gaming and new mobile platforms.”

Philips has enhanced its direct pointing technology to enable up to four uWand equipped remotes to be used simultaneously and to individually control distinct on-screen elements. To demonstrate this, Gamious’ latest title, Dark Day LA, will be multi-playable at the uWand booth at IBC 2013. In the game, one player assumes the role of a vampire trying to mingle with the crowds, while the other is a police sniper tasked with tracking the vampire down.

“TV is a social experience and gaming is a social experience, but until now a multiplayer gaming experience has required a games console. Our technology and partnership with Gamious shows how that gap can be bridged and new audiences addressed,” said Navin Natoewal, General Manager at Philips uWand. “The current generation of TV remote controls are letting consumers down. They are barely capable of navigating increasing complex Smart TV EPGs, let alone sophisticated multiplayer gaming. We have changed that.”

uWand technology uses an infrared camera embedded within the body of a remote control. The camera monitors the remote’s position relative to a small ‘beacon’ on the TV. This direct pointing technology makes uWand ideal for multiplayer gaming, as the cursor appears exactly where the user is pointing, and now up to four remote controls can be monitored at once.

For more information about uWand technology, or same-screen multiplayer Smart TV gaming, visit Philips uWand at IBC 2013, Amsterdam, 13th – 17th September (hall 14 stand 103).

 

 
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