Perth, Western Australia — July 10, 2009 — On Sunday July 12, 
GameRanger, the multiplayer matchmaking service for PC and Mac, will 
celebrate its 10th birthday. GameRanger would like to invite everyone 
to join in, bring their friends, and play online with some of their 
favorite games this Sunday.

GameRanger launched in 1999 providing matchmaking support for 11 Mac 
games, and today supports 542 PC games and 181 Mac games. At a decade 
and going strong, GameRanger has lasted longer than all other gaming 
services.

“I’m excited to reach such a milestone, and hope to see a ton of 
people join us online on Sunday,” said Scott Kevill, president of 
GameRanger Technologies. “Let’s set some new records and try to make 
the servers sweat!”

GameRanger is available as a free download from <http://www.GameRanger.com
 >
Trivia: The most consistently played game through each and every year 
of the last decade was Age of Empires II. Thousands of gamers continue 
to play it even today.

Trivia: Back in 1999, 70% of users played online using dial-up modems. 
Their typical gaming computer had 128MB of RAM and an 8GB hard disk.

Lifetimes of Other Related Services:

  – ImagiNation Network: 1991-1998
  – DWANGO: 1994-1998
  – Kali: 1995-2005 (on life-support)
  – TEN: 1996-1999
  – MPlayer: 1996-2000
  – HEAT.NET: 1996-2000
  – WON.net: 1998-2004
  – Zone.com: 1997-2006
  – GameSpy Arcade: 2000 onwards (no longer updated as of 2006)
  – Xbox Live: 2002 onwards (Xbox Live 360: 2005 onwards)
  – Xfire: 2003 onwards
  – Steam: 2003 onwards (Steam Community: 2007 onwards)
  – Games for Windows Live: 2007 onwards
  – Battle.net is really just a collective term for multiple separate 
game services only supporting individual Blizzard games. The earlier 
services have not been updated with features of later services.
About GameRanger

GameRanger is the longest running multiplayer online gaming service, 
having originally opened to Mac gaming in 1999. In November 2008, 
GameRanger expanded to PC gaming with full lobby support for over 500 
games — significantly more than any other multiplayer service — and 
is rapidly becoming the preferred choice of gamers for playing their 
friends online. GameRanger Technologies is located in Perth, Western 
Australia.

If you haven’t finished Prototype yet or want to start playing again, a new trailer has been released showing some hints, tips and stupid chopper tricks that will help you soften up the target and accomplish the impossible. 

You can watch the trailer here or alternatively let me know if you would like a copy.

Xbox LIVE use soars as families in Australia  and New Zealand embrace at-home social entertainment  

SYDNEY — JULY 10, 2009 — Australians and New Zealanders looking for an affordable family entertainment experience during the current global financial situation clocked up a huge 101 million hours on Xbox LIVE during the 2009 financial year*.  In addition, the number of consoles connected to Xbox LIVE jumped by 73 per cent and the Xbox 360 experienced console sales growth of 83 per cent year on year to date in 2009, making it the fastest growing console in the total market**.   

Nearly 400,000 Aussies and Kiwis have connected to the Xbox LIVE network, with each user averaging five hours online each week, connecting with friends, squaring off in multiplayer games and downloading music tracks for hit titles like Lips and Guitar Hero .Compared to the same period last year, Xbox LIVE content downloads increased by 39 per cent, with over 6.4 million downloads of free game demos, trailers and other content occurring in the last 12 months. 

“The July toy sales offered by the major retailers give cash-strapped families a great opportunity to plan their Christmas spending well ahead of time,” commented David McLean, Head of Microsoft Entertainment. “During the July sales retailers offer consumers layby which reaches into the Christmas period meaning now is an ideal time to make a smart purchase that doesn’t hit the hip pocket all in one go. 

“Before Christmas, Xbox 360 users will have access to high definition movies-on-demand, Facebook, Twitter and a host of other features through our console. This will give families even greater freedom to share, socialise and interact online, as some of the world’s largest social networks move from the PC to the TV, and into the heart of the family living space,” McLean concluded. 

Starting at a recommended retail price of $299 AUD, Xbox 360 is a high-value purchase with a broad range of games available to suit all tastes***.  

Further facts:

–          Over 734,000 consoles have been sold throughout Australia and New Zealand (according to GfK Australia data)

–          Over half of these are connected to Xbox LIVE, the world’s largest social console network, with over 20 million members worldwide

–          Xbox 360  consoles come equipped with Family Settings devices to help parents manage the content accessed in the household

* Source: internal logs
* *Source: GfK Australia data (January – June 2008 compared with January to June 2009)
*** Recommended retail price. Actual price is set by the retailer

Intel has just released a high-res photo story called ‘From Sand to Silicon – The Making of a Chip’ that we thought might interest you. This photo story explains how silicon chips/CPUs are made and illustrates essential steps of the process from sand to the retail-boxed processor. It offers a glimpse of the amazingly sophisticated work happening right now in Intel’s manufacturing facilities.

http://www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/chipmaking/

Taxi rides will never be the same again after you catch the amazing adventure and alien-action in Disney’s RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN, coming to Disney DVD and 2-Disc Blu-ray™ Hi-Def Combo Pack, which includes a Blu-ray Disc plus a DVD copy of the film in a single package, 26 August 2009!

DWAYNE ‘The Rock’ JOHNSON stars in this family science-fiction thriller as Jack Bruno, a Las Vegas cabbie who finds himself taking passengers to a UFO convention staged out in the Nevada desert. One lucky customer is the failed and kooky scientist Dr Alex Friedman (CARLA GUGINO), who has plans to “reveal all”, at the event about her theories on UFOs and outer space.

Soon afterwards, Bruno ends up with two strange teens, Sara (ANNASOPHIA ROBB) and Seth (ALEXANDER LUDWIG) as his next passengers – volunteering to pay more than $15,000 to take them to a secret destination. Intrigued by the children and enticed by the impressive sum on offer, Bruno embarks on a taxi trip that leads the unlikely trio to a rundown house in the middle of nowhere.

Before Bruno can take his fare and farewell the children, events take a turn towards bizarre with the revelation of a fascinating secret, including an out-of-this-world plan by evil aliens to invade Earth.  Now in mortal danger, Bruno enlists the help of Dr Friedman and the gang battle to escape powers far greater than they ever imagined – in a RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN, to save the world!

With alien forces and secret government agents on their tail, including There Will Be Blood’s CIARAN HINDS as Special Agent Burke, Bruno’s quest to return Seth and Sara back to their home planet and prevent alien domination on Earth will be the greatest test of his life.

A modern take on an adventurous Disney classic, and based on the book by Alexander Key, RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN will take you on a heart-stopping ride of non-stop thrills with the unlikely team of two teens with supernatural powers, a cabbie and a failed scientist set out to save us all. 

Packed with special features including deleted scenes and bloopers, don’t miss RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN, released to Disney DVD and Blu-ray Hi-Def Combo Pack 26 August 2009.  

RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN is 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 

The video graphic novel for Wolfenstein has now been released – The grit gets real when Hitler straps on the chain guns!

Watch it here!

High-performance, high-capacity cards designed for capturing stunning, high-definition video 

Sydney, Australia, 1^st July 2009 – Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, announced today a new line of memory cards specifically designed for extended, standard- and high-definition (HD) video capture. The Lexar® Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC™) Full-HD and the Lexar Memory Stick PRO Duo™ Full-HD Video memory cards give consumers a wide selection of easy-to-use memory solutions for capturing and storing more videos in 1080 resolution full-HD video.  

In addition to providing consumers with a reliable alternative to traditional tape-based storage devices, the Lexar Full-HD video memory cards also offer high-speed video transfer from the card to a computer for backup and sharing on popular user-generated content websites.  

The Lexar SDHC Full-HD Video memory card is available in 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB capacities, with the ability to record up to 90, 180, and 360 minutes of content, respectively. The Lexar Memory Stick PRO Duo Full-HD Video memory card comes in capacities of 4GB and 8GB.  

“As more consumers embrace digital video recording as part of their lifestyles, it is critical they have easy and reliable ways to record and store their memories and important events,” Richard Clarke, National Sales Manager A/NZ, Lexar Media. “Whether they are capturing sporting events, dance recitals, school plays, or their babies’ first steps, consumers require memory cards designed to meet the requirements of 1080 HD video. The Lexar Full-HD video memory cards provide the extended recording times they need and the reliability they have come to expect from Lexar Media.”

The growing popularity and affordability of HD digital camcorders makes the Lexar Full-HD Video memory cards an increasingly popular option for consumers looking to record their memories. With the line of Lexar Full-HD video memory cards, consumers receive the capacity to record and store more of life’s milestones and important events, as well as the speeds to quickly move that content from the card to the host computer. They also receive Lexar Media’s reliability, helping to ensure that captured video remains safe when stored on the Lexar Full-HD memory card. 

“Fewer camcorders use tape media to record video, and more compact digital cameras have High Definition video capture capabilities,” said Chris Chute, research manager, Worldwide Digital Imaging Solutions Group, IDC. “This combination has lead to increased demand for features within video-specific memory cards, especially the capability to record and store 1080 HD video. As consumers invest in HD camcorders, they want to make sure their memory cards can take full advantage of those HD capabilities.”

The Lexar SDHC Full-HD and Memory Stick PRO Duo Full-HD Video memory cards include a five-year limited lifetime warranty. The cards also include jewel cases and writeable labels to help users organise and identify videos. 

Availability and Pricing

The Lexar® Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC™) Full-HD and Lexar® Memory Stick PRO Duo™ Full-HD Video memory cards are available now. The Australian distributor of Lexar Media products is WestGroup – Ph: 1300 130 578 

The suggested local retail prices are:

–       Lexar SDHC Full-HD 4GB AU$24.85

–       Lexar SDHC Full-HD 8GB AU$40.80

–       Lexar SDHC Full-HD 16GB AU$73.50

–       Lexar MSPD Full-HD 4GB AU$30.50

–       Lexar MSPD Full-HD 8GB AU$50.25

-ends-

About Lexar Media
Lexar Media is a leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of NAND flash and DRAM memory products under the Lexar and Crucial^® brand names. Lexar offers products in all major flash and DRAM memory categories, including consumer and enterprise-level USB flash drives, industry-leading memory cards for photography, and all popular form factors of memory cards for mobile devices. For computers, Lexar also offers a full range of DRAM computer memory upgrades for PCs and Mac® systems, and solid state drives (SSDs). An industry leader in innovative, patented flash memory technology, Lexar is vertically integrated with Micron Technology, one of the largest semiconductor manufacturers worldwide.

For more information about Lexar, visit www.lexar.com/au. For more information about Crucial products, visit www.crucial.com, www.crucial.com/uk or www.crucial.com/eu. Lexar Media, Inc. is a subsidiary of Micron Technology, Inc. Lexar Media is a division of Micron Europe Limited, a division of Micron Semiconductor Asia Pte. Ltd., and a division of Micron Japan, Ltd.

About Micron
Micron Technology, Inc., is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions. Through its worldwide operations, Micron manufactures and markets DRAM, NAND flash memory, CMOS image sensors, other semiconductor components, and memory modules for use in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking, and mobile products. Micron’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit www.micron.com.

Lexar Media to showcase New Flash Memory and Mobile Products, and Expanded Range of Kodak Products  at Lexar Media booth #605  

Sydney, Australia, May 30 2008: Lexar Media, Inc., a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, will exhibit five of its new product ranges at PMA 2008 under the banner, “If It’s Important to You, It’s Safe With Us.” Lexar Media’s new products include Lexar mobile memory cards & readers, Kodak-branded flash memory products designed to cater to consumer demand for higher capacities, smaller form factors, and innovative lifestyle features. 

Jeff Cable, Marketing Director of Lexar Media commented: “Lexar Media has always strived to create products that provide tangible benefits to consumers. With our 2008 product range, there is a clear emphasis on supplying advanced memory solutions that offer key lifestyle benefits and provide users with the confidence and peace of mind that comes from knowing that important data is safe with Lexar Media. Through our diverse range including Solid State Drives (SSDs) for data-sensitive professionals, to consumer and enterprise-class USB flash drives, microSD and microSDHC mobile memory cards, and SDHC Standard and High Performance SDHC Cards, there is a Lexar Media product to suit absolutely everyone!”

Mathew Luu, Marketing Manager of Lexar Media ANZ & South Asia said: “Over the last year, Lexar Media has undergone major growth and has emerged as a strong partner to some of the world’s most respected and well-known brands. Coupled with the expansion of our Crucial and Lexar Media product offerings our brand relationships with companies like Kodak and Disney, mean we are penetrating new and emerging markets, offering a full range of reliable, secure and advanced feature-driven memory products and technologies to consumers and resellers.”

At PMA 2008, the Lexar Media booth will showcase a variety of new and exciting products under the Lexar Media, Crucial & Kodak brands. 

Crucial Solid-State Drives, a new line of Crucial solid-state drives (SSDs), available initially in capacities of 32GB and 64GB. The drives feature an industry standard 2.5-inch drive enclosure with a native SATA 3.0Gb/s interface. Crucial SSDs are more durable, require less power, and offer greater overall system performance than traditional hard disk drives. Crucial External 2.5 inch Storage Kit and various online customer tools, are available at www.crucial.com/ssd or www.crucial.com/uk/ssd.
Local pricing will be announced later in Q2 2008

New Lexar microSD™ and microSDHC™ Mobile Memory Cards, introductory products in a new line of Lexar Mobile Memory Cards that address the ever increasing storage needs of today’s feature-rich mobile devices. Allowing users to download and store a vast numbers of photos, videos, music, gaming, and other media files. The Lexar microSD Mobile Memory Card includes free adapters for use in miniSD and SD devices, and the Lexar microSDHC Mobile Memory Card includes a free adapter for use in SDHC devices so users can maximise their memory card investment by using a single card in a variety of devices.
Products are now available in Australia and the suggested RRPs are:

§  Lexar microSD Mobile Memory Card 1GB – AU$18.95

§  Lexar microSD Mobile Memory Card 2GB AU$25.95

§  Lexar microSDHC Mobile Memory Card 4GB – AU$59.95

§  Lexar microSDHC Mobile Memory Card 8GB local pricing will be announced later in Q2 2008

New 8 GB Kodak SDHC Standard and High Performance SDHC Cards, provide digital camera users with a major upgrade in memory capacity and utility options. Both cards are designed for use with SDHC-enabled devices, including digital cameras, MP3 players, and more. The high-speed, high-capacity KODAK SDHC High Performance Memory Cards are ideal for rapid-fire picture taking and capturing TV-quality video with an SDHC-enabled device. 
Local pricing will be announced later in Q2 2008

New Kodak USB Flash Drive, powered by Lexar, the new Kodak USB Flash Drive includes all the features that have made Lexar JumpDrive® USB flash drives popular among today’s knowledgeable computer users. Stylish, compact, and reliable, the new Kodak USB Flash Drive lets users easily store, transfer, and carry photos, files, music, and more. It is designed for total compatibility with Kodak EASYSHARE Digital Picture Frames—users simply plug the drive directly into the frame to easily view stored photos.
Products are now available in Australia and the suggested RRPs are:

KODAK USB Flash Drive 1GB AU$18.95
KODAK USB Flash Drive 2GB AU$25.95
KODAK USB Flash Drive 4GB AU$45.95
KODAK USB Flash Drive 8GB AU$75.95
 

Availability

Lexar Media digital memory products are now available from the following retailers; Officeworks, Myer, David Jones, Harvey Norman, Dick Smith, Teds, Michaels and selected JB HiFi & Camera House Stores.  Local distributors of Lexar Media products include: WestGroup – Ph: 1300 130 578 and Ingram Micro – Ph: 1300 651 124.

About Lexar Media
Lexar Media is a leading marketer and manufacturer of NAND flash and DRAM memory products under the Lexar and Crucial brand names. Lexar Media also sells flash memory products under the Kodak brand. For more information about Lexar Media, visit www.lexar.com/au. For more information about Crucial products, visit www.crucial.com. Lexar Media, Inc. is a subsidiary of Micron Technology, Inc., and Lexar Media is a division of Micron Europe Limited, a division of Micron Semiconductor Asia Pte. Ltd., and a division of Micron Japan, Ltd.

About Micron Technology, Inc.
Micron Technology, Inc., is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions. Through its worldwide operations, Micron manufactures and markets DRAMs, NAND flash memory, CMOS image sensors, other semiconductor components, and memory modules for use in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking and mobile products. Micron’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit www.micron.com.

© 2008 Lexar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Information is subject to change without notice. Lexar, the Lexar logo and Jumpdrive are trademarks of Lexar Media, Inc. Micron, Crucial, and the Crucial logo are trademarks of Micron Technology, Inc. Kodak and the Kodak trade dress are trademarks of Kodak used under license. Eastman Kodak Company is an authorized licensee of the SD and xD-Picture Card trademarks. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

REYKJAVIK, Iceland–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CCP is pleased to announce a grand space opera set in the universe of EVE Online, the largest and most successful science fiction Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) today with over 300,000 subscribers worldwide. EVE: The Burning Life will be published in November 2009 via partnerships with Tor Books and Orion Books. 

‘The Burning Life’ is the first effort of novelist Hjalti Daníelsson who has worked in different capacities on EVE Online since its 2003 release and currently serves as CCP’s main creative writer for the harsh universe of New Eden, the setting for EVE Online. He is the author of more than seventy short stories and some plays set in the EVE Online universe. A visceral writer whose aggressive prose and grand operatic scope is reminiscent of Iain M. Banks and Joe Haldeman, Daníelsson’s storytelling talent and familiarity with the EVE universe make him the ideal candidate for a full-length novelization for fans and newcomers alike.

“EVE is a phenomenal SF offering,” said Eric Raab, Tor Editor. “The game is beyond awe-inspiring, and its intricacies deserve stories. Hjalti’s storytelling skills shine in-game and in his short fiction. We at Tor are truly excited for his first foray into the novel form.” 

“Though the player-driven drama unfolding daily in EVE Online is the essence of our virtual world, CCP firmly believes that EVE can transcend the boundaries of a single medium to offer new ways of experiencing its richness,” said Thor Gunnarsson, VP of Business Development at CCP. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the incredibly talented teams at Tor Books and Orion, two recognized giants in the science fiction world, to bring a taste of the EVE universe to sci-fi readers around the world.”

A hybrid of space opera and military science fiction, EVE: The Burning Life stands on its own for science fiction readers looking for a new universe to explore. It also appeases fans by complementing the vast EVE backstory and providing a personal narrative to their enjoyment of the game similar to that given by last year’s EVE: The Empyrean Age novel by Tony Gonzales.

Availability and Pricing

EVE: The Burning Life will be available at retailers everywhere in November 2009 and is currently open to pre-orders on Amazon.com and its affiliate sites.

EVE: The Burning Life

By Hjalti Danielsson

400 pages

On-Sale: November 2009

Tor Books

ISBN: 0-7653-2486-5

$14.99

Orion Books

ISBN-10: 0753817683

ISBN-13: 9780575090163

£12.99 / £18.99

More information forthcoming at www.eveonline.com

About EVE Online

Set tens of thousands of years in the future, EVE Online is a breathtaking journey to the stars, to an immersive experience filled with adventure, riches, danger and glory. With over 300,000 subscribers worldwide inhabiting the same virtual universe, EVE boasts the largest, richest science fiction MMO universe in gaming history, featuring a vast player-run economy and virtual professions ranging from commodities trader to mercenary, industrial entrepreneur to pirate, engineer to battle fleet commander, and much more.

About CCP Games

CCP is widely recognized as an industry-leading pioneer of the single-server persistent universe architecture as the developer and publisher of EVE Online, the critically-acclaimed, science fiction-based massively multiplayer online game (MMOG). Utilizing a cross-discipline approach combining cutting-edge technology and artistic excellence, CCP is dedicated to providing vibrant, compelling products that transcend the boundaries of conventional MMOGs and facilitate social networking through virtual worlds. Privately held and founded in Reykjavik, Iceland in 1997, CCP’s international reach now spans the globe with offices in Atlanta and Shanghai as well as a base of operations in London. More information about CCP is available at the company’s website, www.ccpgames.com

AUSTRALIA,  July 7 – Ubisoft announced plans today to open a full development studio in Toronto, Ontario – a first for the company in the province. This significant announcement is expected to result in the creation of 800 net new jobs within the province over the next decade. The government of Ontario is investing CA$263 million over ten years in the company and Ubisoft’s net investment will be over half a billion CAD in the new studio, which will begin operations in late 2009.

“Today’s announcement marks a strategic move for Ubisoft as we continue to expand our internal development force,” said Yves Guillemot, president and chief executive officer at Ubisoft. “We are in an excellent position to grow and after extensive analysis we are thrilled to have reached an agreement with the government of Ontario to found our new studio in Toronto. The city is one of North America’s  economic and cultural epicenters and our expectations are high.  We’re excited to be able to count on the exceptional local talent, who will contribute to our accelerated growth and will have a profound impact on the video game industry with the excellence of their creativity.”

Ubisoft Toronto will be overseen by Yannis Mallat, chief executive officer at Ubisoft Montréal, whose proven leadership and vision will be a major asset to the growth and success of the new studio.  Ubisoft Toronto will work on Triple-A games and will emulate the proven business model and creative excellence for which Ubisoft is known. In addition, Ubisoft Toronto will bring its own flavour to the global Ubisoft brand, which will benefit from the deep pool of dynamic and quality talent trained in video game design and production in the province of Ontario.

The Toronto studio will also build on the city’s existing experience with the film production industry. Collaborating with local film industry veterans to enhance video game production and extend Ubisoft’s convergence strategy, Ubisoft Toronto will contribute to Ubisoft’s global plan of extending its brands to complementary platforms and mediums, including books, comics, short films and other products.

“We are incredibly excited to finally tap into the remarkable talent Ontario has been developing over the years,” said Yannis Mallat. “Toronto’s unique pool of experience video game industry and film industry talent will allow us to develop a team with exceptional ability to help us realise our goals for creating brands with universal appeal that extend beyond the world of video games.”

The studio in Toronto will be the fourth for Ubisoft in Canada, with other studios located in Montréal, Quebec City and Vancouver and employing more than 2,300 creative staff across the country.

Today’s announcement is made possible with the support of the Ontario provincial government and its dedication to invest in organisations that create jobs and provide long-term value for the provincial economy. Premier Dalton McGuinty was on hand today at the Ubisoft press conference in Toronto to help announce plans for the new studio and elaborate on the provincial government’s support for the endeavour, stating “Our world is one where you can borrow capital, you can copy technology and you can buy natural resources. But to build a high wage and a high standard of living you need talent. By investing in Ubisoft, we’re building Ontario’s economy now and for the future.”

Among its more than 17 multi-million selling franchises, Ubisoft is  known for developing and producing such legendary game brands as Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell®, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®, Assassin’s Creed®, Prince of Persia®, Red Steel®, Rayman®, Rayman Raving Rabbids®, and Far Cry®.