It’s time for more magical mystery solving, bedtime adventures and exciting African expeditions for all 2 – 5 year olds this November with the release of the all-new full-length feature movie Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland, and the release of My Friends Tigger and Pooh: Bedtime with Pooh and Little Einsteins: Go to Africa, all available and exclusive to Disney DVD from 4 November 2009!

Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime as the Clubhouse gang takes you on an amazing ride through a wondrous world in an all new feature length fairytale movie with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland. Join Mickey, Donald and the entire Clubhouse gang as they embark on a magical journey into an astonishing world and help them navigate giant mazes and solve mysterious riddles while they hunt for the lost cuckoo bird! Put on your detective hat as they will need your help to solve the mystery and get back to the Clubhouse in time for Daisy’s surprise birthday party!

Inspired by Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland features all-new CG animation, fun new songs and three different ways to watch the movie, including:

• Fast Play – view the full-length movie without using the remote
• Adventure Mode for ages 2-3 – enables you to use your remote to answer fun questions about colours, shapes and sizes
•  Adventure Mode for ages 4-6 – similar to Adventure Mode for ages 2-3 but moves to a higher level with more challenging questions using your remote  

An additional bonus feature in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland also includes a bonus episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Goofy Goes Goofy, exclusive to Disney DVD! 

Whether you’re singing along to the all-new songs or helping the gang solve the mystery, you’ll have tons of fun discovering the magic and wonder of Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland invites preschoolers to help solve problems and overcome obstacles, with an emphasis on early maths, shapes, sizes, relationships and numbers through a vibrant and highly interactive adventure with their favourite Clubhouse characters. This all-new, feature length movie will inspire all youngsters to dive into a delightful world of imagination and creativity with three fun new ways to watch and play including active play and interactive play modes to provide even more challenge and excitement! 

It’s time to put on your pyjamas, grab your favourite teddy and snuggle up with My Friends Tigger and Pooh: Bedtime with Pooh, in this delightful and fun-loving adventure about bedtime and best friends. Join Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and all your favourite friends from the Hundred Acre Wood for plenty of singing and laughing as they put their super sleuthing skills to the ultimate test and try to solve the mystery of the missing moon! There’ll be plenty of learning, fun and adventure as the gang looks for clues and works together to help their friends – all before bedtime! 

Get ready to jump out of bed and pack your bags again; it’s time to discover some of the world’s most fun and natural wonders as the Little Einsteins Go To Africa on an amazing Safari adventure! Take a journey with the Little Einsteins and Rocket as they visit the Ivory coast and help Baby Chimp, who only speaks through music, find his parents before you zoom off to Egypt and learn about exciting new cultures, fascinating landmarks and have plenty of musical fun along the way! Help the gang solve puzzles, play games and meet new friends but make sure you watch out for Big Jet! He’s up to his cheeky tricks again and the Little Einsteins need your help to save the snacks and feed the baby animals before they get too hungry! You’re in for the ultimate travel adventure in this three-episode DVD when the Little Einsteins Go to Africa! 

WHAT YOUR CHILD CAN LEARN WITH PLAYHOUSE DISNEY:

This delightful range of Disney DVDs enables children to learn about solving age-appropriate puzzles and tasks, work with numbers and identify shapes all while having fun with their favourite Disney characters! Mickey leads the gang in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse range as they work together to encourage friends and viewers to seek out solutions to everyday challenges. The My Friends Tigger and Pooh range takes kids on interactive adventures to solve mysteries and learn more about the amazing world that surrounds them, and music is the key with the Little Einsteins, offering children colourful and adventurous learning through creatures that communicate via musical sounds and audience participation. 

Other titles recently released to the Playhouse Disney DVD range include Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Big Splash; Little Einsteins: Go to Europe; My Friends Tigger and Pooh: This Mystery is History; Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Detective Minnie; My Friends Tigger and Pooh: The Nature of Things and Little Einsteins: Animal Expedition.

                                          Available to own on Disney DVD: 4 November 2009

Playhouse Disney DVD titles are distributed by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.  A division of Walt Disney Studios (US), Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures and Buena Vista DVD releases.  Buena Vista is the Australian sell-through market leader and has been a recognised world video / DVD industry leader for over a decade.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and MTV Games today revealed that LEGO® Rock Band™ will feature the likeness of David Bowie, pop music icon and best-selling music artist, as a LEGO minifigure.  Fans can play as Bowie while singing his song “Let’s Dance,” which will be included in the play list.   

LEGO Rock Band puts the power of Rock into the hands of tweens, teens, families and gamers of all ages as they go on a wild journey to rock stardom to “Build a Band and Rock the Universe.”  Developed by TT Games in partnership with Harmonix, for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™ home videogame console. LEGO Rock Band for Nintendo DS™ is co-developed by TT Games and Harmonix in partnership with Backbone Entertainment, a Foundation 9 Entertainment studio.  All versions are scheduled for release November 2009.

Almost 2000 students from across Victoria will converge on Scienceworks to race solar-powered cars and boats in the 2009 Victorian Model Solar Vehicle Challenge held on October 17 and 18. 

“We are looking forward to a day of action and great excitement,” says event organiser Paul Wellington.  “This year we see students putting more effort in than ever before to participate in the challenge and gain a valuable, hand-on chance to experience the power and potential of the Sun.” 

With the chance to compete at the National Finals in November, teams from up to 60 schools from across the state have spent months preparing their models for the annual competition.

The event, which began in 1990, encourages young people to explore the potential of solar energy through the construction of working models and boasts some of the finest achievements in technology and science of Victorian school children.

There are a number of categories listed for the day including student designed cars, kit cars and boats. The solar car models will compete on a specially built 100m figure 8 track, the kit cars in a “pursuit” around an oval track and the solar boats will race in a purpose built 10-metre pool.

 “Scienceworks is delighted to have a long association with the model solar vehicle challenge”, says Genevieve Fahey, Scienceworks Manager.  “It is a wonderful opportunity for students to bring engineering to life in their remarkable creations, and to think about how solar power can play a part in solving environmental challenges.”

The National finals of the 2009 Model Solar Vehicle Challenge will be held on 28 & 29 November at Scienceworks, with entries from around Australia pitted against international teams from Iran and Taiwan. 

For further details please visit www.modelsolar-vic.net. 

Scienceworks is open 10am – 4.30pm daily. 2 Booker Street Spotswood
(03) 9392 4800

museumvictoria.com.au/scienceworks

Kingston Increases Speed on DataTraveler 410 USB Flash Drive
DataTraveler 410’s Faster Read/Writes Follow Speed Increases on Consumer-Level USB Drives

Sydney, Australia – October 07, 2009 – Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced it is increasing read and write speeds on its DataTraveler 410 USB Flash drive to 20MB/sec. read and write. Shipping in capacities up to 32GB, the speedy DataTraveler 410 allows for faster file transfers and is password protected to help keep data secure.

“Power users, enterprise customers and everyday consumers have wanted the ability to store and move large files around faster as USB Flash drives have become more prevalent in everyday use,” said Vaughan Nankivell, Regional Manager- Australia and New Zealand for Kingston Technology. “Based on customer feedback, we developed the DataTraveler 410 with higher data transfer rates and security in mind as well as a terrific price point.”

The faster read and write speeds make the DataTraveler 410 the ideal drive for high-definition photos, large documents, presentations, music, videos and other data. It includes SecureTraveler software which allows users to create and access a password-protected area of the drive called the “Privacy Zone.”

The increased data transfer rates of the DataTraveler 410 follows a recent speed bump of the higher capacities (16- and 32GB) of Kingston’s consumer-level DataTraveler I, DataTraveler 101 and DataTraveler 112 drives to read and write speeds of 10MB/sec. These drives offer consumers choices in color, capacity, and whether the USB comes with a retractable body or swivel design.

Kingston DataTraveler USB drives are backed by a five-year warranty and free tech support. For more information, visit www.kingston.com/anz.

DataTraveler 410 Product Features and Specifications:
• Capacities1: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB
• Dimensions: 2.58″ x 0.71″ x 0.41″ (65.76mm x 17.98mm x 10.7mm)
• Fast2: data transfer rates of up to 20MB/sec. read and 20MB/sec. write
• Operating Temperature: 32º F to 140º F (0º C to 60º C)
• Storage Temperature: -4º F to 185º F (-20º C to 85º C)
• Simple: just plug into a USB port
• Practical: capless swivel design protects USB connector; no cap to lose
• Guaranteed: five-year warranty
• Safeguarded3: includes SecureTraveler security software for Windows
• Enhanced4: for Windows ReadyBoost on Vista-based systems

1. Some of the listed capacity is used for formatting and other functions and thus is not available for data storage.  For more information, please consult Kingston’s Flash Memory Guide at Kingston.com/Flash_Memory_Guide.
2. Speed may vary due to host hardware, software and usage.
3. Those with administrative rights can protect corporate data by creating a partition on the drive for additional security with SecureTraveler.
4. Although DataTraveler 410 is enhanced for ReadyBoost, SecureTraveler will not operate properly if ReadyBoost cache is enabled on the drive. However, you may enable ReadyBoost cache on a separate drive.

Compatibility Table

Product Summary
Manufacturer: Kingston Technology
Product name : Kingston DataTraveler 410
RRP for 4GB:  A$29.95, NZ$34.95
RRP for 8GB:  A$49.95, NZ$60.95
RRP for 16GB: A$86.95, NZ$119.95
RRP for 32GB: A$178.95, NZ$224.95
Website: www.kingston.com/anz
Australian Distributors:  Avnet Australia Pty Ltd, Ingram Micro, Simms International Pty Ltd., Synnex Australia PTY Ltd.
New Zealand Distributors: Ingram Micro NZ, Synnex NZ

To discuss this product on Kingston Blog, please go to www.kingston-blog.com.
To try the game “Challenge Your Memory”, please go to www.kingston-blog.com/challenge_your_memory/en/.
To find out if your Kingston product is genuine, Kingston also provides an online verification site: www.kingston.com/asia/verify.
To try the game “Search for Genuine Kingston”, please go to http://anti-counterfeit.kingston-blog.com/en_index.jsp.

About Kingston Technology Company, Inc.
Kingston Technology Company, Inc. is the world’s largest independent manufacturer of memory products. Kingston designs, manufactures and distributes memory products for desktops, laptops, servers, printers, and Flash memory products for PDAs, mobile phones, digital cameras, and MP3 players. Through its global network of subsidiaries and affiliates, Kingston has manufacturing facilities in California, Taiwan, China, Malaysia and sales representatives in the United States, Taiwan, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Europe, Russia, Turkey, and Latin America. For more information, please visit www.kingston.com/anz.

CHILDREN COLLIDE’S NEW REMIX SINGLE MADE EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE WITH FIFA 10 ON PLAYSTATION® 

Sydney, Australia — October 7^th 2009 – Children Collide and Electronic Arts Pty Ltd, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) company announce a unique collaboration that will see the remix of the band’s brand new single ‘Skeleton Dance’, mixed by uber-cool UK band Ladytron, launch exclusively via the highly anticipated release of EA SPORTS™ FIFA 10 on all PlayStation® platforms. 

The ‘Skeleton Dance’ remix track will be made available with EA SPORTS™ FIFA 10 on all PlayStation® platforms through Australia’s leading retailers from October 1^st.

The exclusive remix single will be available to consumers to download when they purchase EA SPORTS™ FIFA 10 for any of the PlayStation® platforms – PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), PlayStation®2 and PlayStation®3 , the ultimate home entertainment system where the game is just the start.

Over the past twelve months Children Collide have garnered a reputation as one of Australia’s hottest bands.  Now, the band’s ‘Skeleton Dance’ remix taps the trend for exposure of music artists via video games.

Supplementing the remix, the original mix of ‘Skeleton Dance’ – taken from the band’s debut album ‘The Long Now’ – features on the official EA SPORTS™ FIFA 10 in-game soundtrack.

“Playing video games was one of the ways that Heath, Ryan and I found out about music growing up, and it’s something we’ve always been interested in getting involved with.,” said Johnny Mackay, Children Collide’s vocalist and guitarist.

“My Irish cousins punishing me at FIFA while they called me ‘Skippy’ didn’t deter me from loving this game, and the chance to get remixed by Ladytron – who we’re all fans of – has been the icing on the cake of the whole experience.”

The EA SPORTS™ FIFA 10 soundtrack showcases great music from every corner of the globe, bringing together tracks from 39 different artists representing more than 25 football nations such as England, Germany, Mexico, Brazil and Spain and many more.  A broad and diverse range of artists are featured, including The Enemy, Röyksopp, Major Lazer and Wyclef Jean.

The complete EA SPORTS™ FIFA 10 track listing can be enjoyed via EA’s proprietary EA Trax in-game music player, which lets users customize playlists and select music to soundtrack their progress while they play the game.

“The exposure now offered by videogames is unprecedented,” said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Head of Music and Marketing at EA. 

“Each copy of EA SPORTS™ FIFA 10 will be played for hours and hours with players hearing the featured music tracks repeated at high frequency.  Multiply the millions of copies of the game sold worldwide this year by that reach, and it translates into billions of song impressions during the game’s lifetime.  This provides even more exposure than a number one record in multiple territories.”

EA SPORTS™ FIFA 10 is one of the world’s most eagerly anticipated gaming releases this year, following on the heels of the top-selling EA SPORTS™ FIFA 09* winning 25 international gaming awards, clocking up more than 275 million online games played**.

EA SPORTS™ is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling franchises including Madden NFL Football, FIFA football, NHL^®  hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA^® Football and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR^®.

Visit FIFA.EASPORTS.COM for more details.

 *Based on total sales in 2008 according to GFK Australia and NPD in North America

** Number of games played while connected online between September 2008 and June 1, 2009

Amazon Kindle Now for Sale to Customers in More Than 100 Countries

Over 200,000 English-language books now available to readers around the globe

Sydney, Australia—October 7, 2009—Kindle is Amazon’s most wished for, most gifted, and #1 bestselling product, but prior to today it has been available only to U.S. customers.  Now for the first time, Kindle is available to customers around the world.  Kindle wirelessly downloads books, magazines, newspapers and personal documents to a crisp, high-resolution 6-inch (15.24 cm) electronic ink display that looks and reads like real paper.  Kindle utilises the same 3G wireless technology as advanced cell phones, so you never need to hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot.  Readers around the world can pre-order Kindle today for US$279.00 at www.amazon.com/kindle and it will begin shipping October 19.

“We have millions of customers in countries all over the world who read English-language books,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO.  “Kindle enables these customers to think of a book and download it wirelessly in less than 60 seconds.”

The Kindle Store (www.amazon.com/kindlestore) offers international customers over 200,000 English-language books, including new releases and New York Times Bestsellers, which are typically priced less than physical editions.  Over 1,000 different rights-holders now have books available in the Kindle Store, including leading publishers Atlantic Books, Bloomsbury, Canongate, Faber and Faber, Hachette, Harlequin, HarperCollins, Lonely Planet, Penguin, Profile Books, Quercus, Simon & Schuster and Wiley. 

“Penguin is a leading supplier of digital books to Kindle in the U.S. and we are delighted to be extending that successful partnership to the rest of the world,” said John Makinson, CEO of Penguin, the world’s largest publisher of English language books.   “The publishing industry is experiencing explosive growth in digital book sales in the U.S. and we hope to stimulate digital buying elsewhere by making our content widely available on new devices.”

“At Faber and Faber we are always seeking new ways of finding readers for the writers we publish, so we’re excited by Kindle’s launch beyond the U.S., and to be developing our strong partnership with Amazon beyond physical books,” said Faber and Faber Ltd Publisher and Chief Executive Stephen Page.

Over 85 top U.S. and international newspapers and magazines are also available in the Kindle Store for single purchase or subscription.  Many international newspapers are available in the Kindle Store for the first time, including La Stampa (Italy), El País (Spain), El Universal (Mexico), O Globo (Brazil), The Daily Telegraph (UK), joining top papers such as The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, Le Monde (France), Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany) and The Washington Post.  Newspaper and magazine subscriptions are auto-delivered wirelessly to Kindle. 

Customers around the world can now enjoy the same features that have helped make Kindle the #1 bestselling product on Amazon.com, including:

• Slim and Trim: At just under a centimetre thin (0.91 mm) and weighing just over 280 grams, Kindle is pencil thin and lighter than a typical paperback.

• 3G Wireless:  Readers living in or travelling to Kindle’s wireless coverage areas can wirelessly shop at the Kindle Store, download books in less than 60 seconds, automatically receive newspaper and magazine subscriptions, and receive personal documents—all without a PC, Wi-Fi hot spot, or syncing.  Customers who are not in the coverage area can quickly transfer content to Kindle over USB. 

• Reads Like Real Paper: Kindle’s 6-inch (15.24 cm) electronic ink display reads like printed words on paper because the screen works using real ink and doesn’t use a backlight, eliminating the eyestrain and glare associated with other electronic displays.

• Stores Up To 1,500 Books: Kindle’s 2 GB of memory holds up to 1,500 books and Kindle books are automatically backed up by Amazon so customers can re-download titles in their library.

• Read For Weeks On A Single Charge: Kindle’s electronic paper display sips battery power so users can read for over two weeks with wireless turned off and up to four days on a single charge with wireless on.

• Read-To-Me: With the experimental Text-To-Speech feature, Kindle can read most newspapers, magazines and books out loud.

• Automatically Syncs With Kindle and Kindle Compatible Devices: Amazon’s “Whispersync” technology automatically syncs customers’ last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights across Kindle, Kindle DX, and Kindle compatible devices like Kindle for iPhone.

• Wirelessly Receive and Read Personal Documents:  Wirelessly send, receive, and read personal documents in a variety of formats such as Microsoft Word and PDF.

• Instant Dictionary Lookup:  Kindle comes with the New Oxford American Dictionary and over 250,000 definitions that appear instantly at the bottom of the page.

• Choose Text Size:  Kindle lets readers customise their reading preference by providing six different text sizes. 

• Bookmarks, Notes, and Highlights:  By using the QWERTY keyboard Kindle users can add annotations to text, as well as highlight and clip key passages and bookmark pages for future use

See Harry Potter as Never Before!

HARRY POTTER

ULTIMATE EDITIONS
on BLU-RAY & DVD 18^th November 2009!

The Philosopher’s Stone & The Chamber of Secrets Contain First Two Parts of Series’ Comprehensive New Documentary…“Creating the World of Harry Potter” 

48-page Photo Book Included along with Five Hours of Special Features; New Screen Tests and Intimate Cast & Filmmaker Stories about the Creation of Harry Potter’s World On Screen.  

Warner Home Video is creating a whole new way for muggles, wizards and Harry Potter fans to see the world’s # 1 film franchise. 

Beginning 18^th November 2009, the studio will release on Blu-ray and DVD the first two of eight Harry Potter Ultimate Editions.  Each of the Ultimate Editions will include a new one-hour featurette that highlights a unique aspect of the filmmaking process and will be combined to make the complete 8-hour documentary, Creating the World of Harry Potter.  Ultimate Editions include five hours of special features (one hour of which is the new featurette); theatrical and extended versions of the film; 48-page collectible photo book and other magical collectibles. 

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Ultimate Edition will have Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 1: The Magic Begins, in which viewers get an inside, in-depth look at the planning, creativity, personalities and other elements that went into the initial creation of Harry’s screen world.  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets contains Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 2: Characters.  Here fans get a first-hand look at the unique strengths of each of the films’ directors and what they brought to the principal characters in the Harry Potter film series.  In addition, it will include clips of never-before-seen screen tests of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, giving fans a chance to see how the characters have been transformed over the past decade. 

With newly produced featurettes, both extended cut and theatrical versions included, premium packaging and themed collectibles, plus a Digital Copy of the theatrical film, the Harry Potter Ultimate Editions are bound to be irresistible gifts for this holiday season.  They will sell for $94.95RRP on 3-disc Blu-ray and $79.95RRP on 4-disc DVD.    

The Blu-ray editions include all the DVD contents PLUS the In-Movie Experience with director Chris Columbus – an interactive viewer experience where the entire film is examined with Picture in Picture, Storyboard Comparisons, Still Galleries, as well as BD live with access to worldwide events, special guest participants, community features and more. 

The five Harry Potter films comprise the biggest film franchise in history, totalling a worldwide box-office gross, to date, in excess of $4.4 billion.  In theatres now, the sixth and latest instalment, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, insures that “Pottermania” continues unabated. 

Day and date with the 18^th November 2009 release of the new above-mentioned series will be the Blu-ray and DVD release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.  The entire ensemble cast is back for the sixth instalment of the record-breaking franchise. 

The Blu-ray disc of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will feature Warner Bros. Maximum Movie Mode, an interactive viewing experience that examines the entire film with such features as Focus Points, Picture-in-Picture, photo galleries and more.  Maximum Movie Mode includes commentary from director David Yates, producers David Heyman and David Barron, as well as cast members Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Tom Felton. 

The disc also includes Warner Bros. BD-Live™, which allows users with web-enabled Blu-ray players to access exciting additional content and connect and share with other BD-Live users. 

Another feature of the BD-Live interactivity is Facebook Connect, which allows users to interact with their friends from Facebook, update their Facebook status while in BD-Live and invite their Facebook friends to a Live Community Screening.   

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

 DVD Ultimate Edition 

Welcome to the first Harry Potter Ultimate Edition!  For the First Time Ever…Uncover the intimate details of the search to cast Harry Potter and his friends

• See Daniel, Rupert and Emma’s never-before-seen audition tapes

• Be there with stars and filmmakers walking onto the set for the exciting first day of shooting

• Learn about Chris Columbus’ critical, step-by-step decisions behind the creation of Harry Potter’s world on screen

• Look back on an amazing decade’s worth of movies with Daniel, Rupert and Emma in new and vintage interviews never seen before.

Plus: Exclusive Introduction by Daniel Radcliffe.

DISC 1: Theatrical Version

DISC 2: Extended Version with 7 Minutes of Footage Not Shown in Theatres.

DISC 3:

•         Diagon Alley

•         Tour the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry’s Room and the Great Hall – Welcome to the self-guided tour of Hogwarts, home of witches and wizards in training, and take in the sights.

•         Classrooms:

•         Defence Against the Dark Arts; Spells and Charms; Potions; Transfiguration; Third Floor Corridor; Deleted Scenes.

•         Sorting Hat

•         Library

•         Gallery of Art & Architecture

•         Hogwarts Yearbook

•         Guide to Ghosts – Discover the many marvellous and mysterious ghosts of Hogwarts.

•         Hogwarts Grounds

•         Quaffle and Bludger – Get a lesson from Oliver Wood on how to play Quidditch.

•         Tour Hagrid’s Hut – Welcome to the self-guided tour of Hagrid’s Hut, home of Rubeus Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, and his faithful companion, Fang.

•         Extra Credit

•         Interview – Capturing the Stone: A Conversation with the Filmmakers – Director Chris Columbus, Producer David Heyman, Screenwriter Steve Kloves and Production Designer Stuart Craig talk about casting and bringing the novel to life.

DISC 4:

•         Introduction by Daniel Radcliffe – An introduction to the many special features for the Harry Potter films [NEW]

•         Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 1: The Magic Begins – Discover the story of how one vision for the Harry Potter films came together out of limitless possibilities to create the visual world we have come to know and love. [NEW]

•         A Glimpse Into the World of Harry Potter 2001 International TV Special

•         Deleted Scenes

•         Trailers and TV Spots

Blu-ray Ultimate Edition

Includes everything listed above as well as the following Blu-ray exclusives:

• In-Movie Experience with Director Chris Columbus: An interactive viewer experience where the entire film is examined; includes Picture in Picture, Storyboard Comparisons, Still Galleries
• WB Maximum Movie Mode picture-in-picture programming, cast walk-ons, focus points, graphics and more.
• BD Live with access to worldwide events, special guest participants, community features and more. 

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 

DVD Ultimate Edition 

Welcome to the second Harry Potter Ultimate Edition!  A Whole New Realm of Discovery…Discover the intriguing inside stories of why so many of Britain’s most celebrated stars took roles in the series

• See the newly unveiled screen test between Daniel Radcliffe and Evanna Lynch (selected to play Luna out of 15,000 hopefuls!)

• Go on the set to see firsthand how each of the directors brought unique strengths to the series

• Witness the amazing transformations as Daniel, Rupert and Emma grow with their characters over a decade of unprecedented filmmaking. Plus: Never-Before-Seen Screen Tests of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson

DISC 1: Theatrical Version

DISC 2: Extended Version with 13 Minutes of Footage Not Shown in Theatres.

DISC 3:

•         Deleted Scenes

•         Lockhart’s Classroom

•         Photo Gallery

•         Certificates – Have a look at Gilderoy Lockhart’s many achievements.

•         Required Reading – Find out what text books you’ll need for Lockhart’s Defence Against the Dark Arts class.

•         Extra Credit

•         Behind Hogwarts

•         A Conversation with J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves – The author and screenwriter detail how the books are brought to life, and the changes that happen in the process.

•         Dumbledore’s Office

•         Build a Scene – Building a scene as magnificent as Professor Dumbledore’s office takes more than wood, plaster, nails and paint.  It takes imagination.

•         Tour Dumbledore’s Office – Welcome to the self-guided tour of Professor Dumbledore’s office, one of the most fascinating rooms at Hogwarts.

•         Interviews with Students, Professors and More

•         Students – What would you ask the cast, if you could?  Put yourself in the interview chair as the stars answer questions about making the film.

•         Professors and More  – Enjoy personal moments with the professors and others as they discuss their characters: Prof. Gilderoy Lockhart, Lucius Malfoy, Prof. Pomona Sprout, Molly Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Prof. Albus Dumbledore, Rubeus Hagrid, Prof. Severus Snape, Uncle Vernon Dursley, Aunt Petunia Dursley, Argus Filch, Prof. Minerva McGonagall.

•         Gallery of Production Sketches

•         Activities

•         The Chamber Challenge [Game]

•         Tour the Chamber of Secrets – What are you doing here?  This place isn’t safe.  Begin your journey down the dark corridor for the self-guided tour of the Chamber of Secrets.

•         The Forbidden Forest Challenge [Game]

•         Colin’s Darkroom

•         Tour Diagon Alley – Welcome to the self-guided tour of Diagon Alley, where you can find all your supplies for the school year.  Explore the many shops, such as Flourish & Blotts and the Magical Menagerie.

•         Spellcaster Knowledge Challenge [Game]

•         EA Game Preview

DISC 4:

•         Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 2: Characters – Explore how the cast and creative team of directors and designers take the characters’ descriptions on the page to the actors’ performances on film. [NEW]

•         Screen Tests of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson [NEW]

•         Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Revealed – 2002 HBO First Look special

•         Trailers and TV Spots

Blu-ray Ultimate Edition

Includes everything listed above as well as the following Blu-ray exclusives:

•         In-Movie Experience with Director Chris Columbus: An interactive viewer experience where the entire film is examined; includes PiP, Storyboard Comparisons, Still Galleries

•         WB Maximum Movie Mode picture-in-picture programming, cast walk-ons, focus points, graphics and more.

•         BD Live with access to worldwide events, special guest participants, community features and more

 The Complete Season One 

From Lucasfilm Ltd. and Warner Home Video, Four-Disc Set Includes Companion Featurettes For All 22 Action-Packed Episodes, and a Blu-ray Exclusive – Jedi Temple Archives

After wowing TV audiences with a cutting-edge, animated look at “a galaxy far, far away,” Star Wars: The Clone Wars™ The Complete Season One is coming to DVD and high-definition Blu-ray Disc 18 November 2009 from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Warner Home Video. 

Live the adventures again and again, and dig deeper into the first season of The Clone Wars with a comprehensive look behind-the-scenes of the popular animated series. Uniquely packaged with an exclusive 64 page production journal, the four-disc set contains all 22 episodes from the groundbreaking first season – including seven extended Director’s Cuts – as well as companion featurettes for each episode. And exclusive to the Blu-ray disc, The Jedi Temple Archives provides in-depth access to an extensive database of creative materials. 

“I’m a longtime Star Wars fan, and the same’s true for a lot of the guys working on the show,” said supervising director Dave Filoni. “And as a fan, I know that Lucasfilm can be pretty secretive. They’re famous for it. But we’re all so proud of the work that’s gone into The Clone Wars, and we wanted to share some of our production tricks, and open up the vault and reveal our efforts. You’re going to get unprecedented access, to see the nuts and bolts of our series – from concept to finished animation.” 

Created and executive produced by George Lucas, the first-ever TV production from Lucasfilm Animation explores the tumultuous time between Episodes II and III of the live-action saga, expanding the scope of Star Wars beyond anything seen in the feature films. With the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance, the heroes of the Republic – including the valiant Jedi Knights and their loyal clone troopers – fight bravely to repel the attacks of the evil Separatists and their droid army. 

“The live-action saga was just the beginning. The universe is vast, and there are so many more stories to explore beyond Anakin’s fall and redemption,” said Lucas. “The scope of the war gives us the perfect vehicle for a weekly series, allowing us to look at how the conflict has affected the farthest reaches of the galaxy, including characters, creatures and races we only glimpsed in the feature films. Animation has allowed us to visualize the worlds and characters of Star Wars in all new ways.” 

Star Wars: The Clone Wars The Complete Season One will be available 18 November 2009 on DVD for $79.95RRP and Blu-ray for $99.95RRP. 

Special Features:

Star Wars: The Clone Wars The Complete Season One is presented in widescreen with English, Spanish and French 5.1 DTS audio and English, French and Spanish subtitles.  Bonus features include:

• Seven Director’s Cut Episodes:
• 22  Episodic Featurettes that go behind-the-scenes with Supervising Director Dave Filoni and crew  about the making-of each episode
• Spectacular 64 page production journal that includes early sketches, artist notes, and concept art from each episode from Season One
• Blu-ray Exclusive – The Jedi Temple Archives

•  
  • Rising Malevolence, Shadow of Malevolence, Lair of Grievous, Rookies, Storm Over Ryloth, Innocents of Ryloth and Liberty on Ryloth

•  
  • An extensive database exploring test footage, early concept art, 3-D character and object turnarounds and early animation. The Archives is a rare look at the assets in various stages of creation for The Clone Wars, with a wealth of surprises and never-before seen moments sprinkled throughout.  

Synopsis 

As the Clone Wars sweep through the galaxy, the heroic Jedi Knights – including Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master Yoda and padawan Ahsoka Tano – struggle to maintain order and restore peace.  But despite the best efforts of these brave protectors, more and more planets are falling prey to the sinister forces of the dark side…     

Star Wars: The Clone Wars features the voices of Matt Lanter (“90210”) as Anakin Skywalker, Ashley Eckstein (“That’s So Raven”) as Ahsoka Tano, James Arnold Taylor (“The Spectacular Spider-Man”) as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Tom Kane (“Wolverine and the X-Men”) as Yoda. 

Lucasfilm, Star Wars: The Clone Wars™, Lucasfilm Animation and related character names, vehicle names and properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd.  All rights reserved.  All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners

The Complete Series

Available to own on BLU-RAY for $109.95RRP

from 18 November 2009. 

You’ve never seen a Rome like this… Extravagant, awe-inspiring, colossal, HBO Video proudly presents the Blu-ray event of 2009 – Rome: The Complete Series.  On 18 November 2009 the critically acclaimed, historically authentic drama that chronicles the fall of a Republic and the creation of an empire through the experiences of two ordinary soldiers will rule supreme.  The 10-disc Blu-ray set includes all 22 captivating one-hour episodes. 

Unlike anything seen on television or film, “Rome” is as epic as the time it represents.  The production included over 4,000 pieces of wardrobe, approximately 1,250 pairs of shoes and sandals, 250 chain mail tunics, each weighing 36 pounds, a crew of 350, over 750 extras and the largest standing set in the world.  Rome: The Complete Series Blu-ray set continues this grandeur.  Packaged in a limited edition slipcase, the Blu-ray has a monumental array of bonus materials and interactive features totalling over 20 hours.  The extraordinary extra features include: 

Enhanced Blu-ray content:

• All roads lead to Rome: an in-depth, interactive on-screen guide prepared by the Series’ historical consultant Jonathan Stamp

• Bloodlines: an interactive on-screen guide highlighting the connections between the soldiers, senate and families of Rome 

Bonus content:

• Friends, Romans, Countrymen – introduction to the characters of Rome.

• The Rise of Rome – behind-the-scenes featurette on sets, wardrobe and actors’ boot camp.

• When in Rome – featurette on the culture of ancient Rome.

• Shot x Shot: gladiator – a closer look at the thrilling season 1 episode 11 fight sequence.

• Shot x Shot: Caesar’s triumph – detailing the production of the epic season 1 episode 10 triumph scene.

• A Tale of Two Rome’s – ancient Rome was two different cities for two different classes. See how the patricians and the plebs differed in all matters, from jobs to recreation to religion.

• The Making of Rome, Season II – take a tour of the production of the epic series, from costumes to sets to special effects – plus a detailed look at the battle of Philippi.

• The Rise of Octavian: Rome’s First Emperor – the larger-than-life story of the cunning boy who became the most powerful man in Rome.

• Antony & Cleopatra – a revealing look at one of the most famous love affairs of all time.

• Thirteen revealing audio commentaries with cast and crew. 

Synopsis

Every city has its secrets. The year is 52 B.C.  Rome is the wealthiest city in the world.  Four hundred years after the Republic was founded on principles of shared power and fierce personal competition, the foundation has crumbled, eaten away by corruption and excess.  After eight years of war, soldiers Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo unwittingly become entwined in the historical events of ancient Rome.  A serialised drama of love and betrayal, masters and slaves, husbands and wives, “Rome” chronicles a turbulent era that saw the death of a republic and the birth of an empire. 

Critical Acclaim

Since its premiere episode “Rome” has been praised by critics across the world.  

“Hail Rome!” says the TV Guide, “a lusty, gaudy historical spectacular…a feast for the eyes…a ripping good story.”  

“Simply fantastic,” exclaimed Entertainment Weekly.  

USA Today declared the show “…burns with realistic depiction…as extravagant, enticing and chaotic as Rome itself…opulent…vibrant, colourful, sensual…you may never want to leave.”  

The first season received two 2006 Golden Globe^® nominations for Best Drama and Best Actress (Polly Walker) and was listed on several “Best of” lists including Variety and The Denver Post.   

Program Information

Cast regulars include Kevin McKidd (“Kingdom of Heaven”) as Lucius Vorenus, Ray Stevenson (“King Arthur”) as Titus Pullo, Ciarán Hinds (“Road to Perdition”) as Gaius Julius Caesar, Kenneth Cranham (“Gangster No. 1”) as Pompey Magnus, Polly Walker (“Patriot Games”) as Atia of the Julii, James Purefoy (“Vanity Fair”) as Mark Antony, Tobias Menzies (“Foyle’s War”) as Marcus Junius Brutus, Lindsay Duncan (“Under the Tuscan Sun”) as Servilia of the Junii, Indira Varma (“Kama Sutra:  A Tale of Love”) as Niobe, Max Pirkis (“Master and Commander:  The Far Side of the World”) as Gaius Octavian and Kerry Condon (“Angela’s Ashes”) as Octavia of the Julii. 

“Rome” is one of the largest co-production deals ever by the BBC for an American series, and marks the first series co-production of the two networks.  HBO and the BBC previously partnered on the 2001 miniseries “Band of Brothers,” which won six Emmy^® Awards, including Outstanding Miniseries.  “Rome” began shooting in Rome in March 2004, with Michael Apted (“Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “The World Is Not Enough”) directing the first three episodes.  Additional directors include Allen Coulter (HBO’s “The Sopranos”), Julian Farino (HBO’s “Entourage”), Jeremy Podeswa (HBO’s “Carnivàle”), Alan Poul (HBO’s “Six Feet Under”), Mikael Salomon (HBO’s “Band of Brothers”), Steve Shill (HBO’s “The Wire”), Alan Taylor (HBO’s “Deadwood”) and Timothy Van Patten (HBO’s “Sex and the City”).  Production for the series is based at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios, with additional locations throughout Italy. 

About HBO Video

HBO Video markets an extensive array of programs ranging from HBO’s critically-acclaimed and groundbreaking series The Sopranos^® and Sex and the City^® to theatrical features such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the #1 romantic comedy of all time.  The company’s catalogue contains hundreds of titles including the multiple Emmy^â Award winning miniseries Band of Brothers, children’s programs like I Spy, based on the best-selling book series, and innovative movies from HBO Films including Elephant, winner of the Palm D’Or, and Sundance Festival award winners American Splendour and Real Women Have Curves. Launched in 1984, HBO Video created a London-based international division in 2003 to capitalise on the rapidly expanding worldwide DVD market.

“ROME” FACT SHEET

— HBO decided to shoot “Rome” in Italy in spring 2003, and pre-production began at Rome’s legendary Cinecittà Studios that August.

— The set was designed by Joseph Bennett, and building began in November 2003.  Location shooting began March 22, 2004, and the first shoot at Cinecittà began April 1, 2004.  Production wrapped in May 2005.

— “Rome” is the first English-language series to be shot entirely in a non-English-speaking country.

— The Forum set is approximately 60% the size of the original Foro Romano.  Twenty-five percent of the set is invisible in the form of wiring, pipes and gas to fuel its working braziers and torches.  The olive trees in the Sacred Grove are over 200 years old.

— References for the vibrant colours of the temples, statues and streets, as well as graffiti and signage, are taken directly from the ruins of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Ostia.

— The series required over 4,000 pieces of wardrobe, designed by Oscar^®-nominated costume designer April Ferry; 2,500 pieces were used in the first three episodes alone.  Approximately 1,250 pairs of shoes and sandals were made in Bulgaria.

— All of the fabrics used in the costume design and set dressing are authentic to the time – wool, linen, cotton and silk.  Fabrics came from Prato, Italy, as well as India, Tunisia and Morocco.  They were purchased in their natural state and dyed on set. 

— Two hundred and fifty chain mail tunics for soldiers, each weighing 36 pounds, were made in India, as well as 40 leather cuirasses for legionary officers.

— Leatherwork for the principal actors was done on set by Augusto and Giampaolo Grassi, second-generation craftsmen whose father created the body armour for “Cleopatra” and other period films shot at Cinecittà.  The quality is such that many of those costumes are still in use decades later, rented throughout the world for other productions.

— Prototypes for helmets and other metal costume elements were handmade by metal designer Luca Giampaoli and replicated in India.  He personally created all metal costume elements for the principal actors. 

— “Rome” used a peak of 40 horses in one scene, and on the largest day of shooting, 750 actors/extras for the scene of Caesar’s triumph.

— Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson trained with sword master Giorgio Antonioni for one month before shooting, learning authentic Roman fighting techniques rarely portrayed on film or television.

— Fifty-five Italians were cast as “special ability” extras and sent to a two-week boot camp, living in tents, to train as Roman soldiers; 43 completed it.

— Battle scenes in “Rome” represent one of the first times authentic techniques are portrayed – for example, no large, slashing sword movements like Gauls and Celts used; instead the series featured a tightly-packed “Roman Wall” of men shoulder-to-shoulder, thrusting straight from above and below their shields.  The front line rotated to the back every 30-45 seconds, ensuring well-rested soldiers in the fray at all times.

Big names in Music sign up for U-SING™ the game 

Sydney Australia Tuesday 6^th October 2009: Determined to take the #1 position in the console karaoke genre, Universal Music & Mindscape sign up some of the biggest names in music for their hot new karaoke title U-SING™. Mindscape today release 10 more of their impressive artist & song line up for U-SING with a now revealed 20 of the final 30 tracks available this Christmas on the Nintendo Wii. 

Further to the announcement of 10 new music titles for U-Sing is the release of the official U-SING trailer. The U-Sing trailer is the first release showing video footage of the game which includes the original video clips from each song – be the first to see U-Sing in action! 

U-SING can be played alone or with friends and boasts some exclusive game modes not seen before in karaoke games. U-SING, (the “U” denotes Universal) will launch exclusively on the Nintendo Wii™ this Christmas. 

www.u-sing-thegame.com

 10 New Artists, Songs & their original video clips

The first 10 songs released:

Official Assets for download

• Trailer: here  

About Mindscape  (www.mindscape.com.au)

Mindscape develops, publishes and distributes kids and family games, productivity and reference software on the PC, Mac, DS, Wii and online platforms.   The company’s rich portfolio of award-winning products includes Broderbund, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Endemol, Hoyle Games, IMSI, Legacy Interactive, Myhorseclub, Nancy Drew, Nuance, The Learning Company, Punch, Playfirst, PopCap, Thomas & Friends and Roxio.  Mindscape is a publicly listed company on the Paris Stock Market – Alternext, since December 2007. 

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the world’s leading music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its’ businesses also include the Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry’s leading global music publishing operation. 

Universal Music Group’s record labels include A&M/Octone, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Motown Republic Group, Universal Music Latino, Universal Records South and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world’s most popular artists and their recordings. UMG’s catalog is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, its new media and technologies division; Bravado, its merchandising company; Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division; and Helter Skelter, its live music agency. 

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.