Given how popular Apple’s iPad and iPhones are, Australia Day celebrations will involve these devices in some way or other.  

It’s a day of recognising the good life we have in our country while having fun with friends and family.  While everyone has their own use for their iPhone and/or iPad, Logitech has compiled a list of uses of these smart phones and tablets to make the most of the day.

As the foodie phenomenon kicked-off by MasterChef continues, why not turn the traditional Australia Day barbecue into a culinary masterpiece. Take advantage of the plethora of recipe apps out there available for iOS devices and wow the guests of the barbeque.

To make the experience richer, Logitech recommends the Logitech Speaker Stand for iPad. The device allows you to mount an iPad in the kitchen for ease of viewing and scrolling through pages of recipes. The suggested retail price is $99.95

Share your favourite Australian albums with others picnicking
Compile an Aussie Day playlist from some of the great classic Australian bands as well as some of those unsigned artists that are making their music available online. Names such as Feeding Edgar and Delamare who toured Australia last year as part of the national Logitech Rock the Schools tour are the type of act which will feature on many Australia Day playlists this year.

To make the experience richer, Logitech recommends the Logitech Wireless Boombox which wins out on traditional iPod docks as the ‘DJ’ can change the song from anywhere around the party, as opposed to stopping what they are doing to walk over to the music source. The Wireless Boombox has an RRP of $199.95

Take a moment to share your party plans with far flung Aussies
It’s always a tough task get friends from all walks of life together for a party, some live far away, some have very conflicting schedules so why not share your party plans with them via email, Facebook, your blog or a text message.

This could be done on the iPad’s touch screen or to make the experience richer, Logitech recommends the Logitech Keyboard for iPad, a compact, lightweight keyboard add-on for the iPad which makes typing out long-winded party plans a breeze. The RRP for this device is $99.95.

Call those that can’t be there with you
Not all of us are lucky enough to be able to spend Australia Day with family or friends so why not call them via Skype and take a tablet around the party, giving the absentee a virtual tour. Obviously there will need to be some audio to augment the experience so why not plug in the Logitech Wireless Headset. As guests take turns chatting to them, the noise-cancelling microphone will allow for flawless conversation despite the party in the background. The Logitech Wireless Headset is available for an RRP of $99.95.

Support the Aussies at the Open
By the time Australia Day rolls around we will be up to the semi-finals in the Australian Open and hopefully Tomic, Stosur and co. will have made it that far and Aussie Day revellers can crowd around an iPad and stream the matches. To make the experience better Logitech recommends the Logitech Speaker Stand for iPad, which negates the need for one unlucky person to hold the device. The Speaker Stand mounts the iPad at ideal viewing angles comes with rich stereo sound. The stand retails for $99.95.

Or, if it is just one party-goer interested in the tennis Logitech recommends the UE 200 Noise-Isolating Earphones. Tuned with a slight increase in high frequencies. That means there will be a brightness in audio like never before. The UE headphones have a suggested retail price of $39.95

Once it’s over, revisit your new year’s resolutions
As it’s nearly a month since you promised yourself to do more exercise, take stock of how it’s going.  If you’re struggling to find the motivation then compile your fastest and most energising music into an exercise playlist and listen to it as you prepare and complete your exercise.

To make the experience fitter, Logitech recommends the UE 300 Noise-Isolating Earphones.  The shapeable ear loops can be worn over the ear for a secure, customised
fit while jogging, biking or at the gym; and are made to resist sweat.  Suggested retail price is $59.95.

SWEAT IT OUT WITH NEW FITNESS-INSPIRED JUST DANCE^®3 DLC

Sydney, Australia – January 17, 2012 –Ubisoft^® has announced new downloadable content for its best-selling title Just Dance^® 3, called “Just Sweat Packs”. Two new Just Sweat DLC packs will be downloadable through the in-game Just Dance store on January 17^th on Xbox360® Kinect for 480 Microsoft Points and on January 18^th on Wii^TM for 600 Wii points^TM each.

Staying in shape for the New Year is more fun than ever with Just Dance^®3. The new Just Sweat DLC packs supplement the game’s existing Just Sweat Mode on Wii^TM and the Xbox360® Kinect tracklist, allows players to combine exercising with dancing by offering fitness-focused dance moves.

The DLC packs include all new dance tracks by the Sweat Invaders: Beat Match Until I’m Blue, Touch Me Want Me, Dun N Dusted, Cardiac Caress, Merengue and Boomsday. All the tracks will have you breaking a sweat on the dance floor!

These new tracks join other Just Dance 3 DLC songs available on Wii™ such as Anja’s Baby Don’t Stop Now, Studio Allstars’ Jump, Olé Orquesta’s Jambo Mambo, The Girly Team’s Twist And Shake It, U Can’t Touch This and Soul Searchin by Groove Century and In the Style of Irene Cara’s Fame, and also the Mario DLC, each priced at 250 Wii Points.

There are 19 other DLC tracks, including Cosmic Girl by Jamiroquai, Satisfaction (Isak Original Extended) by Benny Benassi and Baby Girl by Reaggaton, available on Xbox360® Kinect.

For more information about Just Dance, please visit: www.justdancegame.com

Unstoppable Gorg™  – Release Date, Price and a New Platform Announced For Orbital Tower Defense Game

HELSINKI, FINLAND – JANUARY 16, 2011 – Get ready to experience a revolution in tower defense later this week when Futuremark® Games Studio releases Unstoppable Gorg™, a thrilling new tower defense game that challenges you to defend the solar system from fearsome aliens by sending satellites into orbit. Unlike other tower defense games, in Unstoppable Gorg you can move your towers by rotating the orbits that surround planets, moons and space stations.

Today, Futuremark Games Studio revealed that in addition to the previously announced versions for PC, XBLA and iPad, Unstoppable Gorg will also be released for Apple Mac computers. Unstoppable Gorg will launch as a Steam Play title on Steam meaning the game can be bought once, and then played on both Mac and PC.

RELEASE DATES, PLATFORMS AND PRICES

Windows PC and Apple Mac

To be released on Steam Thursday January 19, 2012

$9.99 (Steam Play – buy once, play on either PC or Mac)

Apple iPad

To be released on the App Store Thursday January 19, 2012

$4.99

Xbox LIVE Arcade

To be released in the first half of 2012.

Price TBA

Unstoppable Gorg is a lovingly crafted homage to vintage sci-fi films from the 1950s. Flying saucers, rubbery aliens, dodgy effects, it’s got them all. The game’s story scenes were shot on film using models, miniatures and live action actors and then edited together with genuine archive footage to create a classic sci-fi experience that is out of this world.

GAMEPLAY TRAILER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT1JFIJdFl0

Follow Unstoppable Gorg on Facebook for behind the scenes footage and photos, dev diaries, giveaways and more. http://www.facebook.com/unstoppablegorg/

ONE OF THREE EXCLUSIVE CLANS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!

Tuesday 17^th January 2012 – SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. today unveiled the pre-order content available for Total War: SHOGUN 2™: Fall of the Samurai, the stand alone expansion to the critically acclaimed Total War: SHOGUN 2™.

Depending on your pre-order preference, there are three unique playable clans to choose from.

The Saga are staunch industrialists. Forward-thinkers in both war and politics, they have embraced the technological influence of the Western Powers, and excel with artillery weapons and modern warships to further the cause of The Emperor.

The once-humble Tsu are artful strategists. They are skilled in swaying popular opinion to the Imperial cause and are rightly feared for their use of Ninja and assassins both on the battlefield and as agents in the campaign, there are few who can stand against the guile and cunning of such an adversary.

Finally the Obama clan are famed for their control of power, their strength in governance and ability to influence the will of the people. Staunch defenders of their lands their people gladly suffer the burden of high taxation. Whichever of these great houses you chose, their destiny and that of all Japan lies with you!

For more information on these pre-order packs and how to get them in your location please visit www.totalwar.com.

Total War: SHOGUN 2 pushes forward the hugely successful Total War series by perfecting the features from previous games such as full 3D land and naval battles and a detailed campaign map, whilst adding an exciting new multiplayer experience. Total War: SHOGUN 2 released in March 2011.

For more information about the game, please visit www.totalwar.com

Bitdefender wins gold and bronze medals in year’s tests

SYDNEY & AUCKLAND – January 17, 2012 – Bitdefender®, the award-winning provider of innovative antivirus solutions, has won the Top-Rated Award for 2011 from respected independent testing organisation, AV Comparatives, after a year of rigorous, repeated tests.

Bitdefender won the ‘Gold Medal’ in Whole-Product Dynamic Protection and Malware Removal, outperforming all other products in those categories. It also won a Bronze in On Demand Malware Detection after tests on antivirus products from 20 companies last year, AV Comparatives said in its Summary Report 2011.

Bitdefender received Advanced+ score – the highest possible – in six categories, including both On-Demand tests in February and August, the Whole Product Dynamic test from March through June, the Retrospective Test in August, and the Removal test in November. Whole Product Dynamic tests from August through November also awarded Bitdefender the Advanced+ score.

AV Comparatives examines leading antivirus products for rate of detection and false positives, scoring them in four categories depending on performance – “advanced +”, “advanced”, “standard” and “tested”. The Top-Rated Award was given to five providers for scoring Advanced+ grades in at least five categories.

“It’s always an honour to receive such recognition,” said Viorel Canja, Head of Bitdefender Labs. “Bitdefender products have shown a pattern of rapid advancement in recent years that is keeping the company always a step ahead of competitors. We always look forward to these tests to receive independent confirmation of that.”

“Bitdefender consistently meets very high standards and we always look forward to testing it,” said Andreas Clementi of AV-Comparatives. “Our testing standards are extremely rigorous, so any company that achieves the Top Rated award has the right to be very proud indeed.”

Bitdefender technology has been highly rated in a range of top industry and consumer testing. Alongside AV Comparatives and AV-Test.org, Bitdefender has won praise by influential organisations such as Which? in the UK, Stiftung Warentest in Germany and Consumersearch in the US

LARKSPUR, CA. – January 16, 2012 – Deep Silver announced today a new mission-based DLC pack will be released for the best-selling action horror blockbuster, Dead Island™.

The Ryder White DLC campaign follows the story and perspective of the main game’s antagonist character and allows players to experience the events on Banoi through his eyes.  Players will take on the role of Ryder White as a playable character in a single player campaign with several hours of gameplay as well as brand new weapon blueprints. 

Developed by Techland, Dead Island combines first-person action with a heavy focus on melee combat, character development and customization of a vast array of weapons. The engaging survival-focused gameplay aspects are combined with a rich and immersive storyline in which a small group of people find themselves in a tropical paradise turned into total chaos and carnage after a mysterious zombie outbreak. Cut off from the rest of the world, the player’s only chance to survive is to fight to the death and find a way to escape from the island.

“I always like to think of antagonist characters not as evil, but simply….misunderstood,” evil Marketing & PR Tarantula Aubrey Norris argued while sharpening her talons and drinking the blood of the innocent from a jewel encrusted chalice.  “Ryder White was obviously suffering from a massive case of beast mood in Dead Island, and I think it’s only fair we got to learn his side of the story.”

Featuring four customizable, unique character classes and engrossing role-playing elements combined with an intense four player co-op experience, Dead Island stands out as one of the most comprehensive zombie experiences to date.

Dead Island’s Ryder White DLC will be available on January 31, 2012, for $9.99 on PlayStation®3 system and on February 1, 2012, for 800 MSP/$9.99 on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and Steam.

For more information, visit:

Official website:  http://www.deadisland.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/deadislandgame

Twitter: @deadislandgame

Single Player game for PS3 on the Playstation Network!

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand – 16^th January 2012 – Stickmen Studios, a rapidly growing company from New Zealand focused on creating casual games for the leading consoles and PC has today announced they’re bringing their popular title, Doc Clock™: The Toasted Sandwich of Time to the Playstation Network!

Join Doc Clock in his first incredible inventing adventure. Navigate Doc Clock and his sarcastic robot Sack, on their journey through time in a bid to save the Doc’s beloved cat Franklin from a prickly fate! Test your mental skills by designing ingenious inventions to overcome improbable obstacles. Then, push your piloting abilities to the limit as you attempt to steer your crazy contraptions through an insane world of spiky pits, icy chasms and erupting volcanoes all dominated by techno-phobic hippy robots.

Pricing for the game will be announced in the coming weeks.

Doc Clock™: The Toasted Sandwich of Time features:

• Infinite Possibilities – Invent almost anything you can imagine from the objects you discover; such as spring powered vehicles, catapults and incredible flying machines
• Sarcastic Humor – Enjoy wise cracks from Sack as he berates Doc Clock throughout the adventure
• Instant Gratification – Immediately undo your calamitous mistakes with Doc Clock’s amazing Time Slider
• Prove Your Awesomeness – Win Trophies by unlocking achievements such as “Headhunter” and “Rocketman”

New features introduced for the Playstation Network:

• PlayStation®Move Motion Controller Support
• Sandbox Level – Doc’s playground for tinkering and building with loads of objects
• New in-game abilities such as building while seated

Keep an eye on Doc Clock’s blog here on Facebook to hear his exciting adventures and stay tuned for prizes, or visit the website at http://www.docclock.com to see Doc in action for yourself!

What have the critics been saying about Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich of Time?

– GameZebo – 4/5 Stars “Doc Clock is really clever stuff, bursting with personality and neat ideas”

– GameVortex – 89% “Definitely worth checking out”

– Totalbiscuit the Cynical Brit – “I feel smart now, thanks to this game”

– VGNetwork – 8.5/10 “A joy to play”

About Stickmen Studios

Based in beautiful Christchurch New Zealand, Stickmen Studios is an independent game design company dedicated to producing world class casual games. The company provides a complete suite of game production services from game design and concept art to quality animation, programming and testing. Stickmen Studios is an officially licensed developer for Nintendo of America (Wii), Nintendo of Europe (Wii) and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (PS3, PSN). For more information, please visit: www.stickmenstudios.co.nz

“… get it all out, freaking do everything that you can. Have sex with an old man and steal a plant and get arrested and then do whatever” – Snooki

Jersey Shore Season 3 Comes to DVD on March 1^st, 2012

After the drama of Miami in Season 2 (The Situation nearly burning the house down, Ronnie’s on again off again creeping, Angelina getting it on with Vinny as well as Snooki’s Smush and then disappearing into the wild blue yonder, and, of course, THAT anonymous letter), well, the gang are headed back to the Guido heartland for the third season of the MTV’s smash hit series – Jersey Shore.

It seems like the break has not cooled the gang off at all. Deena “Blast in a glass” Cortese, a long-time friend of Snooki’s, and the replacement for the now permanently departed Angelina, doesn’t take long to make an impression – if making an impression includes a strip tease for The Situation and starting a brawl. Ronnie and Sammi may not be going out any more (sort of) but they are still upsetting their housemates by missing out on “family dinner”. It is a big deal apparently.

Season 3 also bares witness to Ronnie’s excessive drinking, Snooki’s arrest, Sammi making up with the girls, J-Woww’s ex-boyfriend, Sammi leaving, Sammi coming back, The Situation stirring the pot… you know what, just buy the DVD and you’ll see.

Jersey Shore Season 3 includes all 13 episodes of the original season plus the end of season reunion special, a host of special features including extended scenes, featurettes, confessionals and a bonus episode – the pilot of the UK spin off series Geordie Shore.

Episode Guide

DVD TECHNICAL DETAILS

JERSEY SHORE SEASON 3 QUOTES:

Sammi on Exboyfriends:

Arvin: Sam, we made out before.
Sam: No, we haven’t.
Arvin: Yeah, we have.
Sam: No, we haven’t.

Snooki On Running For Office:
Snooki: After I run for president, Deena is going to be vice-president. I would get $h!t done in this country. The economy would rise, everyone would be tan, and all the radios would play house music.

Pauly D on aesthetics:
Grenade: I know I’m a grenade, but you guys are fine as hell.
Pauly D: This woman is not a grenade. This woman is an atomic bomb about to blow.

Vinny fake tans:
Vinny: Oh my God, I’m a different race!

J-Woww (curiously profound) on life:
Jenni: It reminds me of the aquarium, the moment you tap the glass and make ’em come to you, it freaks you out.

Vinny on Homosexuality:
Vinny: Are you fully gay?
Girl: No.
Vinny: Awesome.

Ronnie on honesty:
Sammi: I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!
Ronnie: This is why I cheated on you in Miami!

The Situation on… well, your guess is as good as mine:
Situation: He orders her roses, and then she texts this kid. The principle that she … the intention … and that intention, once you cross that line, that intention line, it’s horrible. it’s not good. You do not let a girl do this to you.

JERSEY SHORE NEWS

The Situtation is in legal trouble with yet another clothing manufacturer. After the whole Ambercrombie & Fitch vs The Situation, situation, The Situation (and that is the most Situations in a sentence ever) is reportedly being sued by Serious Pimp for reneging on a promotional deal.

JWoww’s greatest accomplishment? Featuring on the January cover of 2012 apparently. Hey! You’ve not done it.

And this just in, Snooki and her father are working together as boxing promoters for Team Snooki Boxing. Insert joke here.