– Follow-up to Smash-Hit RPG Coming to Wii in Australia Spring 2009, with Exclusive New Content – 

CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE – 23 April 2009 – NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe today announced that role-playing title Tales of Symphonia™: Dawn of the New World  is heading to Australia, Spring 2009 with exclusive new content.  Only on Wii™, the game continues the story of the best-selling Tales of Symphonia™ for Nintendo GameCube™, while introducing a new monster collection system that lets players capture, evolve and do battle with more than 200 monsters alongside a huge cast of new and returning characters. 

Set two years after the events of the award-winning Tales of Symphonia, Dawn of the New World introduces two new young heroes, Emil Castagnier and Marta Lualdi, as they journey to find the cause of a catastrophic change in their world. Crossing paths with fan-favourite characters such as Lloyd, Colette and Sheena, the brave adventurers will also encounter a spirit known as Ratatosk, lord of all monsters, who will grant them new and incredible powers over the fearsome creatures that now roam the land.

Debuting a major new gameplay system for the Tales series, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World allows players to capture more than 200 unique monsters that they face in battle. Players can feed these monsters to make them more powerful, and even evolve them into several new fearsome forms. Up to three monsters can be taken into any battle situation, offering unique benefits against enemies and imparting new strategic depth to the Tales series’ lauded real-time battle system.

Brand new content exclusive to the PAL version of Tales of Symphonia™: Dawn of the New World include the Gallery Mode and head accessories.  Unlocked once the game is completed, the Gallery Mode includes a Skits Library containing viewable skits of the gameplay, and an Image Library with a wealth of design sketches, illustrations, pack art and more.  The game also contains a number of new themed masks and head accessories for Emil and Marta which are exclusive to the PAL version and allow players to customise the characters in battle and will also add new special effects during fights.

Featuring a massive cast of returning playable characters, Dawn of the New World offers complete freedom in creating a custom party that best suits the needs of each enemy encounter. Up to four players can enjoy the full game together cooperatively, working together to strategically complete each battle.

For more information on the Tales series, please visit www.namcobandaigames.com.

For more information on Atari’s entire product line up visit www.atari.com.au and log on to the Atari Trade Site for all box shots, demos, trailers and online screenshots.

– Follow-up to Smash-Hit RPG Coming to Wii in Australia Spring 2009, with Exclusive New Content – 

CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE – 23 April 2009 – NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe today announced that role-playing title Tales of Symphonia™: Dawn of the New World  is heading to Australia, Spring 2009 with exclusive new content.  Only on Wii™, the game continues the story of the best-selling Tales of Symphonia™ for Nintendo GameCube™, while introducing a new monster collection system that lets players capture, evolve and do battle with more than 200 monsters alongside a huge cast of new and returning characters. 

Set two years after the events of the award-winning Tales of Symphonia, Dawn of the New World introduces two new young heroes, Emil Castagnier and Marta Lualdi, as they journey to find the cause of a catastrophic change in their world. Crossing paths with fan-favourite characters such as Lloyd, Colette and Sheena, the brave adventurers will also encounter a spirit known as Ratatosk, lord of all monsters, who will grant them new and incredible powers over the fearsome creatures that now roam the land.

Debuting a major new gameplay system for the Tales series, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World allows players to capture more than 200 unique monsters that they face in battle. Players can feed these monsters to make them more powerful, and even evolve them into several new fearsome forms. Up to three monsters can be taken into any battle situation, offering unique benefits against enemies and imparting new strategic depth to the Tales series’ lauded real-time battle system.

Brand new content exclusive to the PAL version of Tales of Symphonia™: Dawn of the New World include the Gallery Mode and head accessories.  Unlocked once the game is completed, the Gallery Mode includes a Skits Library containing viewable skits of the gameplay, and an Image Library with a wealth of design sketches, illustrations, pack art and more.  The game also contains a number of new themed masks and head accessories for Emil and Marta which are exclusive to the PAL version and allow players to customise the characters in battle and will also add new special effects during fights.

Featuring a massive cast of returning playable characters, Dawn of the New World offers complete freedom in creating a custom party that best suits the needs of each enemy encounter. Up to four players can enjoy the full game together cooperatively, working together to strategically complete each battle.

For more information on the Tales series, please visit www.namcobandaigames.com.

For more information on Atari’s entire product line up visit www.atari.com.au and log on to the Atari Trade Site for all box shots, demos, trailers and online screenshots.

The votes from Week 1 declared the original Guitar Hero game the winner, and the songs from that game that appear in Guitar Hero Greatest Hits were revealed.  The voting continued and established Guitar Hero® II as the clear victor this week. The voting resumes, and fans can now cast their votes online at GreatestHits.GuitarHero.com to determine which of the remaining genre-defining titles, Guitar Hero® Encore: Rocks the 80s and Guitar Hero® III: Legends of Rock, they would like to have the songs revealed from next.

Guitar Hero Greatest Hits explodes onto store shelves on June 17, 2009 with 48 master tracks now playable for the entire band, including the following tracks from Guitar Hero II:

Guitar Hero® II

Avenged Sevenfold – “Beast And The Harlot”

Rage Against The Machine – “Killing In The Name”

Rush – “YYZ”

Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Free Bird”

Foo Fighters – “Monkey Wrench”

Iron Maiden – “The Trooper”

Nirvana – “Heart-Shaped Box”

Lamb of God – “Laid To Rest”

The Police – “Message In A Bottle”

Wolfmother – “Woman”

Kansas – “Carry On Wayward Son”

Stone Temple Pilots – “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart”

Warrant – “Cherry Pie”

Alice in Chains – “Them Bones”

Danzig – “Mother”

Jane’s Addiction – “Stop!”

Reverend Horton Heat – “Psychobilly Freakout”

The Sword – “Freya”

Mötley Crüe- “Shout At The Devil”

Includes the Hilarious All-New Short “Super Rhino”!

What does a dog that thinks he has superpowers, a street wise alley cat, and a star-struck hamster all have in common? A hilarious and heart warming journey across the USA when BOLT strikes on 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, from 1 July 2009!

In this Academy Award® nominated fish-out-of-water tale of bravery and courage, BOLT (voiced by JOHN TRAVOLTA) is the crime fighting super-dog of mass television fame. To ensure the reality of his performance on the show, the producers of the program have trained BOLT well. So well in fact that he believes he is capable of the amazing powers and achievements he displays on the show.

Following a particularly intense TV shooting schedule, BOLT escapes from the studio believing that his devoted owner and co-star Penny (voiced by MILEY CYRUS) is still in danger, and through a series of circumstances, wakes up to find himself a long way from the safety of his Hollywood studio and lost in New York City!

Desperate to return to Penny’s side, still believing he is the super dog BOLT, and under the impression that all cats are evil and somehow connected to the plot to hurt Penny, BOLT kidnaps a street-smart alley cat named Mittens (voiced by SUSIE ESSMAN) to ensure justice prevails.

As they begin their quest BOLT, with Mittens in tow, soon encounter his number one fan – the energetic TV junkie hamster Rhino (voiced by MARK WALTON), and the three unlikely companions embark on a journey of self-discovery across the USA.

As they near their final destination of Hollywood, the unlikely three create a powerful friendship that helps BOLT realise that the world is not as he had thought, and together they learn the value of teamwork, friendship, and most of all, that you don’t need superpowers to be a hero.

From the makers of Cars and The Incredibles, BOLT is one of Disney’s most sophisticated animated films to date using the amazing all new ‘brush stroke’ CG animation.

The BOLT DVD is also packed with hilarious special features including the never before seen bonus short Super Rhino, deleted scenes, interviews and the music video I Thought I Had Lost You!

The Blu-ray Hi-Def edition of BOLT includes all the exciting bonus features on the DVD, plus the standard definition DVD, plus these exclusive-to-BD features:
• Bolt’s Be-Awesome Mission – In order to defeat the Green-Eyed Man, Bolt has to find his way through three challenging levels in an exciting interactive game. Viewers can join in collecting clues, conquering ninjas and unleashing the power of the Super Bark!
• Bolt Art Gallery – Animation enthusiasts can check out the film’s early creative concepts in the Bolt Art Gallery, which contains the building blocks of a big screen blockbuster, from storyboards to character mock-ups. Gallery sections include Visual Development, Character Development, Storyboard Art and Colour Script Images.

So BOLT to your favourite DVD retailer and don’t miss this hilarious and heart-warming tale of the bond between a dog and his owner in this hilarious Disney DVD release!

Available to own on Disney DVD and Blu-ray Hi-Def from 1 July 2009

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. — April 24, 2009 — Seagate Technology (NASDAQ:STX) today began worldwide shipments of a power-thrifty desktop hard drive family that combines the largest storage capacity available with the best power efficiency and performance in its class, using as much as 50 percent less electricity than standard desktop hard drives*.

The new line of Seagate Barracuda® LP (Low Power) hard drives deliver on the promise of sustainability, energy efficiency and a more eco-friendly footprint by helping organizations cut PC power costs and giving money-minded consumers great performance for their energy dollar. The new family of energy-efficient Seagate desktop drives helps reduce system power costs, runs quieter than traditional drives and operates at lower temperatures, extending the life of system components.

“Growing demand for power-efficient computing systems is not just a data center phenomenon as more builders of external storage devices, desktop PCs and home networking systems work to provide customers with products that combine power-efficiency with rock-solid performance,” said Joan Motsinger, Seagate vice president of Personal Systems Marketing and Strategy. “Seagate is pleased to deliver a new low-power product line in our Barracuda family that enables system builders and end users alike to attain a higher level of environmental friendliness while cutting costs.”

The Seagate Barracuda LP hard drive, a 3.5-inch 5900RPM drive, is available in capacities of 2TB, 1.5TB and 1TB. The new hard drive family helps reduce product costs for makers of low-power personal computers, external PC storage and multiple-drive home networking SOHO systems by allowing them to use lighter-duty fans, power supplies and other system components.

For more information on the Barracuda LP family, please visit:

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/desktops/barracuda_hard_drives/barracuda_lp

For Additional Product Information and Related Multimedia Content:

http://www.seagate.com
http://media.seagate.com/

http://seagate.mediaseed.tv/

To Subscribe to Seagate Technology’s RSS Feeds:

Entire Seagate Blog:  http://media.seagate.com/feed

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*The Barracuda LP hard drive also uses as much as 25% less electricity than competing “green” hard drives.

Blast off with the irresistible Buddies as they go where no puppy has gone before in an All-New Movie, SPACE BUDDIES, coming to Disney DVD and Blu-ray disc 1 July 2009.

Your favourite talking puppies from the sold out DVD SNOW BUDDIES are back in their greatest adventure yet!

Join Buddha, B-Dawg, Rosebud, Budderball and MudBud with new friends Spudnick and Gravity as they the summon courage and ingenuity to fly at warp speed, dodge asteroids and come up with amazing plans to attempt a moon landing and then rocket trip back home! But will they have what it takes?

Overflowing with intergalactic action, follow the Buddies in this amazing new adventure and watch as along the way they learn that teamwork, loyalty and following your dreams can lead to an out-of-this world adventure.

With more heart, more suspense and more tail-wagging fun than ever before, SPACE BUDDIES is the must-have movie for all family DVD collections.

Packed with bonus features including Buddy bloopers, fun facts, a music video by Camp Rock’s Alyson Stoner, deleted scenes and behind the scenes featurette DisneyPedia: The Buddies Guide to Space Travel.

An all-new Buddy movie with fun and adventure, SPACE BUDDIES is only available on Disney DVD and Disney Blu-ray 1 July.

Networked Storage Leader Achieves First in Category VMware Certification, iSCSI Support and More in Affordable New Iomega Rackmount Network Storage 

For Small Businesses and Remote Offices
 

SYDNEY, Aust., April 22, 2009 – Iomega, an EMC company and a global leader in data protection, today announced the latest addition to its growing network solutions portfolio with the worldwide launch of the affordable, easy-to-use Iomega® StorCenter™ Pro ix4-200r NAS Rackmount Server.  Powered by the robust EMC® LifeLine™ operating system, the StorCenter Pro ix4-200r delivers economical file sharing, fast data throughput, cross-platform support and world class enterprise level features for today’s small to medium businesses and remote work groups.

The new StorCenter Pro ix4-200r provides up to 4TB* of networked storage to business users searching for the easiest and most technologically advanced way to share, secure and protect their most important data, including productivity application data, media files, backup data, and other digital files.  This four-drive NAS rackmount server offers such advanced features as iSCSI block-level access, multiple RAID configurations, folder quotas support, jumbo frames, Windows Active Directory support, remote access and management, IP security camera support and a first for its rackmount storage capacity and price category: VMware® Ready certification for vitualisation installations – with a starting price from $3,889.00inc

“The feature set and EMC software innovation in the new StorCenter Pro ix4-200r makes this rackmount NAS a powerful and affordable networking solution for today’s dynamic small and mid-sized businesses,” said Jonathan Huberman, President of Iomega and the Consumer and Small Business Products Division of EMC.  “Rock solid reliability and ease-of-use are hallmarks of the new ix4-200r NAS.  Iomega is the only entry level NAS provider that incorporates EMC’s world class storage technologies into products like the new ix4-200r, which not only separates Iomega from the competition but sets apart the ix4-200r from similar rackmount units.”

Important Features of the new StorCenter Pro ix4-200r NAS Rackmount Server

The new ix4-200r NAS offers an array of business-focused features that make it an advanced, innovative and easy-to-use network storage rackmount unit.  The features include:

State of the Art Hardware: The ix4-200r contains 4 disk drive bays, a 3.2 GHz Intel Celeron processor, 1GB system memory and one Gigabit Ethernet connection in a 1U (1.75 inch) high chassis that is mountable in NEMA-standard 19-inch racks.  The ix4-200r ships with disk drives fully populated, for a total capacity of 2TB or 4TB.
iSCSI Support: Provides block-level access for the most efficient storage utilisation, especially for database, email and backup application performance.  This feature also allows host-based operating systems and virtualisation software to use the full capabilities of their native file systems, such as enabling VMFS for VMware utilisation.
VMware® Ready Certification: The ix4-200r is certified as both NAS (NFS) and iSCSI storage VMware ESX server 3.  The ix4-200r is the only product in its class to carry VMware Ready Certification, and enables SMBs to affordably take advantage of the tremendous benefits and advanced features offered by shared storage in a VMware environment.
Remote Access: Set up remote access and remotely manage and access data from your ix4-200r.
RAID Support: The ix4-200r is pre-configured for RAID 5 but also offers the alternatives of RAID 10 (both with automatic rebuild), as well as single volume storage (JBOD).
Multiple Network Protocols: The ix4-200r works in Windows, Linux and MAC environments with network protocol support including CIFS/SMB/Rally, NFS, and AFP/Bonjour.  The ix4-200r also supports advanced protocols such as HTTP, FTP and SNMP.
Windows® Active Directory Support (ADS): The ix4-200r functions as a client member in an Active Directory domain.
UPS Support: Uninterruptible power supply enables unattended system shutdown without data loss in the case of power failure.
Expandability and versatility: Add storage capability by connecting external USB hard drives via three USB 2.0 ports.  On expansion storage, the ix4 supports read and write on various formats, including Fat32, NTFS or ext2/ext3 formatted hard disks (read only on external HFS+ formatted drives).
Video Surveillance: Supports up to four Axis® Network video cameras, for real-time monitoring and video capture directly to the ix4-200r, dependent upon system workload and network conditions.
Print Server: Supports intelligent print sharing capability for up to three USB printers directly connected to the ix4-200r.
Advanced Media Support: Includes UPnP™ support through an integrated DLNA™ certified media server.  The ix4-200r includes an iTunes server and also supports Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) via one of three USB 2.0 ports, as well as Bluetooth® uploads from a cell phone, pocket PC or Blackberry® phone.
 

Ease of Implementation and Use – Ideal for SMBs and Remote Offices

With just four mouse clicks, the ix4-200r is ready to work with any computer on the network.  Management of the ix4-200r is handled by a user friendly web interface, accessible in any of 11 supported languages.  Users can access files from any networked Windows PC, Linux workstation or Macintosh computer for easy file-sharing, data backup and print-serving.

The four drives in the ix4-200r are hot-swap SATA II hard drives that minimise downtime and allow for easy replacement. And with Gigabit Ethernet connectivity and a high-performance embedded architecture, the ix4-200r boosts small business productivity by making data readily accessible and secure over a local network. 

Backup and Security Software for a Complete Solution

The StorCenter Pro ix4-200r NAS provides data backup and protection for any number of desktops and laptops with integrated EMC Retrospect® Express backup software.  During the set-up process, users choose files and folders for scheduled automatic backups.  After that, any changes or additions are updated and saved automatically.

For additional protection, the ix4-200r includes MozyHome™ online backup service, a secure way to store, protect and access important files.  MozyHome online backup service provides 2GB of free online storage per user for backing up selected folders directly from their computers to world-class EMC data centres. 

The StorCenter Pro ix4-200r also includes RSA® BSAFE® encryption security technology for protecting installs and upgrades from viruses or malware.  RSA is the security division of EMC that protects digital data at many of the world’s largest banks.

Compatibility

The StorCenter Pro ix4-200r NAS Rackmount Server is compatible with Windows®, Mac OS®, and Linux® environments.  The interface is localized in 11 languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, German, and Russian).

Pricing, Availability and Warranty

The 2TB and 4TB Iomega® StorCenter™ Pro ix4-200r NAS Rackmount Server are now available in Australia from $3,889. Both models include a three-year warranty (with registration).

About EMC

EMC Corporation is the world’s leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology and solutions that enable organisations of all sizes to transform the way they compete and create value from their information. Information about EMC’s products and services can be found at www.EMC.com.

About Iomega
Iomega Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation headquartered in San Diego, is a worldwide leader in innovative storage and network security solutions for small businesses, home offices, consumers and others. The Company has sold more than 400 million digital storage drives and disks since its inception in 1980. Today, Iomega’s product portfolio includes industry leading network attached storage products, external hard drives, multimedia drives, and our award-winning removable storage technology, the REV® Backup Drive. To learn about all of Iomega’s digital storage products and managed services solutions, please go to the Web at www.iomega.com.au  Resellers can visit Iomega at http://www.ioclub.net/.

Sydney, Australia, April 22, 2009 – ASUS today announced the release of the new Eee Box B204 and B206 of the HD variety, next generation nettop and latest product addition to the emerging Eee Family.

The tiny, one-litre sized Eee Box latest versions, the Eee Box B204 and B206 nettops, now offer superb high definition home entertainment. The small footprint of the Eee Box B204 and B206 also makes it ideal for users seeking a simple, space-saving home entertainment solution – the unit can be discreetly positioned on a desk or mounted to any VESA75/VESA100 LCD display.

Coming pre-installed with Eee Cinema – a full-featured media player that supports all popular music, video and photo formats, the Eee Box B204 and B206 enables users to effortlessly play HD content offering superior format compatibility and extensive media library management options.

The Eee Box B204 and B206 from ASUS will be available from March 2009 in Australia through selected retailers and resellers. RRP: B204 – AU$899 inc GST, B206 – AU$799.

About ASUS
ASUS is a leading company in the new digital era. With a global staff of more than ten thousand and a world-class R&D design team, the company’s revenue for 2008 was 8.1 billion US dollars. ASUS ranks among the top 10 IT companies in BusinessWeek’s “InfoTech 100”, and has been on the listing for 11 consecutive years. ASUS was also selected by the Wall Street Journal Asia as No.1 in quality and service. For more information, visit www.asus.com.au.

SYDNEY AUSTRALIA – APRIL 22, 2009 – “Halo Wars” mixes up the battlefield with the “Strategic Options” Game Add-on Pack, available in the coming weeks exclusively on Xbox 360®.  

“Strategic Options” ushers in the next wave of battle for “Halo Wars” fans with three new game modes which dramatically change the multiplayer experience and challenge players to rethink their battle tactics. The three new modes include:

•        Keepaway Mode is the “Halo Wars” adaptation of “capture the flag”.  Teams will battle it out to capture a free-roaming Forerunner Sentinel to score points before the other team. Capture three sentinels to claim victory.

•        Tug of War Mode is all about having a stronger army than the opponent.  Defeating enemies is essential, but success is determined by a combination of the army, buildings and resources left standing in the end.

•        In Reinforcement Mode, all active battle units are provided in successive waves.  Players must adapt their tactics and use the ever-changing set of units to outwit and outlast the enemy.

 “Strategic Options” also adds four new Achievements worth a total of 100 points:

•        “One and Done” (30 points):  Score the winning point in a game of “Keepaway” against Legendary A.I.’s

•        “Pull Hard, Pull Deep” (20 points):  Win and never trail in a “Tug of War” game

•        “Freak on a Streak” (20 points):  Gain at least 15 population from a single wave in a “Reinforcement” game

•        “Living Loving Bug” (30 points):  Obtain a Scarab during a “Reinforcement” game

More information on “Strategic Options” including release date and pricing will be available soon. “Halo Wars” is rated PG and is available worldwide. A demo is also available on Xbox LIVE in all LIVE enabled regions worldwide. 

For more information including screenshots from the “Strategic Options” Add-on, visit www.xbox.com/en-AU/games/h/halowars/ or www.HaloWars.com .

SYDNEY AUSTRALIA – APRIL 22, 2009 – Today, Xbox 360 owners around the globe have front row seats to an exclusive trailer for “TEKKEN® 6”, the upcoming console version of the favoured arcade fighting game from NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.  

Xbox LIVE® silver and gold members can log on to view the latest from the TEKKEN series of fighting games before the title’s launch this spring.

The exclusive new trailer introduces fans and newcomers alike to the characters that will appear in the eagerly awaited title which looks ready to set a new standard for fighting games with stunning realism and uncompromising quality. 

”TEKKEN 6” also promises to deliver a pulse-pounding edge-of-your-seat experience with bone-jarring punches and gut-wrenching grapples. When the title launches this spring, Xbox 360 owners will also be able to take the battle online for classic match-ups and to compete for world domination with the 17 million Xbox LIVE members worldwide.

Xbox 360 owners will have a unique glimpse into the latest from the “TEKKEN” franchise which has sold more than 33 million units to date. The trailer, which can also be viewed on www.xbox.com.au , is the perfect curtain raiser as a new era begins in the sixth “King of the Iron Fist Tournament”, complete with intense game play modes along with new features and environments.