Today, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and NetherRealm Studios are unleashing an all-new trailer for the highly-anticipated video game Mortal Kombat releasing in 2011 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The rocking trailer features several classic Mortal Kombat fighters hidden in the shadows preparing for their next vicious attack. Even in the darkness, players will recognize the blue blaze of Raiden’s electricity and the iconic spear attack of Scorpion.  You’ll find these kombatants are just as brutal, if not more, under the veil of darkness.

The new Mortal Kombat trailer’s soundtrack is provided  by the single “Another Way to Die” from the new album Asylum from hard rock band Disturbed.  Asylum is the fifth studio effort from the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated hard rock band and is available everywhere now. The band has 11 million albums and six million digital tracks worldwide, and have scored eight No. 1 singles at Active Rock radio over the course of their career. For more information on the band please visit www.disturbed1.com

Demo available for Shinji Mikami’s epic sci-fi third-person action shooter

Thursday 2^nd September 2010 – SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. can confirm that the VANQUISH™ Official Demo: Velocity Attack, is available exclusively for download from Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, and PlayStation® Store for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system in North America, across Europe, and Australia today.  

VANQUISH™ is the hottest title Shinji Mikami has worked on in over 4 years, achieving high tension throughout the game and delivering a new sense of game merged shooting and action in a finely balanced manner. The game is set for release across North America on 19^th October, Australia on 21^st of October and across Europe on October 22^nd 2010 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.

For more information about the game, please visit www.vanquish-game.com and for press assets, please visit www.sega-press.com.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) and Krome Studios are proud to announce a new demo for Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole – The Videogame available on September 7, 2010 for Xbox 360 through Xbox Live Arcade and for PlayStation 3 through PlayStation Network on September 8, 2010. The full game will be soaring onto store shelves on September 30, 2010 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and Nintendo DS.

The demo allows players take to the sky as they defend all of owlkind and do battle with the evil Pure Ones. As a winged warrior, players will learn several awesome aerial combat maneuvers and explore the landscape in the world of Ga’Hoole with full 360 degree flight mechanics.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole – The Videogame is an all new flight action game that gives families the chance to battle against evil in the skies and is being released in conjunction with the highly-anticipated 3D fantasy family adventure film from critically-acclaimed director Zack Snyder. The movie and game are based on the New York Times children’s bestselling series, Guardians of Ga’Hoole, by Kathryn Lasky.

In Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole – The Videogame, a young owlet named Soren arrives at the Great Ga’Hoole Tree and tells of his escape from the evil Pure Ones, revealing a new threat to the owl kingdom. Players can take control of their favorite owl and fly around the kingdom fending off evil with their feathery allies.

Last week, two TV wall mount models from a reputable US mount manufacturer designed for the home and commercial uses were recalled from the international market. Apparently, the elbow joints of these faulty mounts were unable to carry the weight of the mounted TV screen as claimed. Depending on the weight of the display, people are experiencing sinking, slumping or falling televisions.

An appealing design is not always a guarantee of a safe installation.

Atdec, Australia’s largest flat screen mounting company and a world leader in mounting innovation and design, advises consumers to research TV mounts thoroughly before making a purchase, as many TV mounts in the market today may look fancy and have an attractive price tag, but are actually a poor and inferior display support system in disguise.

Jerome Green, managing director at Atdec, says, “Having aesthetically pleasing qualities doesn’t mean you have to compromise on safety for flat panel mounting in the home and commercial situation. Smart design today isn’t just strength or aesthetics. It means functionality, environmentally responsible design, ease of installation and stylish design without compromising strength and durability.”

Atdec has a strict quality control system based on years of research and development and vigorous testing so that its TV mounts not only have sleek designs but also have the capacity to hold heavier screens securely.

For example, Atdec’s Telehook TH-3270-UFM has the capacity to hold 65kg in weight, and comes pre-assembled which guarantees a quick and easy installation.

Atdec’s Telehook TH-400-LED allows displays to be ‘hung’ from the wall using a state-of-the-art picture-hanging principle. The TH-400-LED is lightweight yet strong and durable, allowing any display up to 50kg in weight with a 400mm-wide VESA mounting hole pattern to be ‘hung’ only 15¼mm from the wall.

The Telehook TH-3060-LPF offers the closest wall contact for ultra-slim TVs – just 14mm from the wall. It can carry all displays weighing up to 65kg, and is held from the wall with an easy to attach click-on mounting system, combined with a safety spring lock.

Atdec TV mounting designs marry functionality with safety, and are available in Australia and New Zealand. For more information please visit www.atdec.com.au

What would you do if you caught a fairy?! 

See Tinker Bell fly into the human world for the first time in the magical, all-new movie: Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue! Coming to Disney DVD and Blu-ray 15 September.

Watch with excitement as the worlds of fairies and humans meet for the first time in, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue! This stunning all-new full-length film, featuring breathtaking CG animation and an all-star voice cast, is releasing its magic for audiences of all ages on to Disney DVD and Blu-ray, 15 September 2010!

Before she was ever introduced to Wendy and the Lost Boys, the loveable and world favourite Tinker Bell met Lizzy, a girl with a strong belief in fairies. During a summertime visit to the beautiful English countryside, an enchanting encounter unfolds when Tinker Bell is discovered by Lizzy. As their different worlds unite, Tink develops a special bond with a curious girl who is in need of a friend.

As her fellow fairies launch a daring rescue, Tinker Bell takes a huge risk, putting her own safety and the future of all fairies in jeopardy.  This action-packed adventure takes the fairies of Pixie Hollow on a daring flight to London to save Tinker Bell and all of fairy kind.

Come fly with Tink, Silvermist, Fawn, Rosetta and Iridessa to experience Disney’s astonishing movie about the true power of faith and friendship.  Bursting with excitement and imagination, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue is magical entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. Sprinkle some pixie dust, believe in Tink magic and you might even learn to fly!

Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue also comes to DVD and Blu-ray with exceptional bonus features including deleted scenes, games, activities and a music video.  

Available to own: 15 September 2010

Rated: TBD

Running time:  TBD Mins

Price: DVD $39.95, Blu-ray Value Pack $49.95

Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue 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

AVG Threat Labs to offer Customers Quantitative, Qualitative Insight to Internet

Threats, Scams

Melbourne and AMSTERDAM, 2 September 2010 – AVG Technologies, developers of the world’s most popular free anti-virus software, today announced a limited public beta test of its new online tool, AVG Threat Labs. Designed to help consumers combat criminal elements on the Web, Threat Labs is an innovative online information portal that merges the quantitative Web threat detection data that AVG routinely collects from its almost 100 million users with data from AVG’s LinkScanner technology.

AVG users with LinkScanner already installed are protected in real-time from sites containing malware. Threat Labs complements this software by enabling the user to type in the URL of a specific Web site to gather more information. Users not currently using AVG software still benefit from visiting Threat Labs as this unique tool provides an instant and complete safety analysis of a Web site including detection statistics, a detection timeline, an analysis of linked sites and a detection map. AVG’s Threat Labs augments AVG’s existing free, downloadable anti-virus software and enhances the company’s unique “people powered protection” approach to security.

“Web threats are constantly evolving and it is our mission to provide consumers with the resources they need to not be victims of Internet crimes,” said JR Smith, Chief Executive Officer of AVG Technologies. “What really excites me about Threat Labs is that it is all about what makes AVG a different security software company from our competitors because it is based on people powered protection. From the standard AV tools and malware detection, to more cutting edge resources like threat labs and our new social media tools, AVG is committed to a product line that is effective against the risks we understand today and the threats that are evolving as we speak.”

The full consumer launch and availability of AVG’s Threat Labs is slated for late September 2010. It will be part of a set of tools for the AVG Internet Security suite to help consumers more safely navigate the murky waters of social networks, as well as resources such as Threat Labs that bring together the quantitative data with reputational data to empower consumers on the Web. AVG’s product suite will create a global army of citizens, nearly 100 million strong, working together to thwart Internet crime.

AVG Threat Labs Beta can be accessed at http://www.avgthreatlabs.com/sitereports. AVG Free or AVG LinkScanner® can be downloaded free of charge

About AVG Technologies – www.avg.com

AVG is a global security software maker protecting more than 110 million consumers and small businesses in 170 countries from the ever-growing incidence of Web threats, viruses, spam, cyber-scams and hackers on the Internet. AVG has nearly two decades of experience in combating cyber crime and one of the most advanced laboratories for detecting, pre-empting and combating Web-borne threats from around the world. Its free, downloadable software allows novice users to have basic anti-virus protection and then easily upgrade to greater levels of safety and defense when they are ready. AVG has nearly 6,000 resellers, partners and distributors globally including Amazon.com, CNET, Cisco, Ingram Micro, Play.com, Wal-Mart, and Yahoo.!

1. The humble television set may have changed in size and features throughout the years, but one thing remains certain – it will always pose a threat. Think twice before hanging a TV  – no matter how lightweight is seems be – on an inferior mount. A good television mount is strong enough to sustain the equipment.

2. Your television is normally the centrepiece of your living room, and should be easily viewable by everyone. Flexibility also allows you to position the TV away from the curious eyes of a toddler. There are mounts in the market that allow for greater movement with three pivot points, giving you full motion control over tilt and pan.

3. Don’t forget the other display screens in the house.  Invest in a quality screen mount for the monitor to ensure it will not fall over.

4. With projector TVs, the important element for optimal viewing is positioning the projector at the right distance and ensuring it stays in place. A good projector mount should handle up to 15kgs easily, and offer flexible adjustments, such as 360-degree rotation and pitch and roll adjustments. Some mounts even allow a projector to be mounted on an angled ceiling, offering a stable base for easy installation.

5. Wires are an imminent danger. Hide cable clutter properly. Many TV mounts now have an in-built cable management channel along the pole, which allows freedom for the cables to move along with any height adjustment.

To conclude, a smart mounting solution can enhance the style and value of your home entertainment system safely. Please visit www.atdec.com.au for the full series of home entertainment mounting solutions.

Journey through the human body and discover the wonders of The Human Machine at Scienceworks these spring school holidays from 18 September to 3 October 2010.  

Activities include: 

Anatomy Academy – Live show

Learn about some of the amazing things your body can do in the Anatomy Academy live science show.

Time: Daily 12 noon and 2pm.

Touch Trolley

Get hands-on with an assortment of real human implants and prostheses at the Touch Trolley.

Time: Daily 10:30pm and 3:30pm.

Under your Skin

The leg bone is connected to the knee bone, the knee bone is connected to the…? Make a mobile of a human skeleton that you can take home. 

Time: Daily 1pm – 3pm

Uniquely You

Do you have a widow’s peak? Is your second toe longer than your big toe? Find out about some of your body’s unique traits and compare them with your family and friends.

Time: Daily 10am – 4:30pm

Visit the exhibition Humanoid Discovery

Go on a journey through the human body and discover how different body systems and organs function; from breathing to digestion, skin and hair, even how your brain works. Explore common misconceptions about the body, investigate the different layers of the skin, look at how long your intestines are and discover how food is digested!

Developed by Scitech, Perth

Date: Until Monday 14 March 2011

Cost: Included with Scienceworks admission

Other exciting school holiday activities and programs include:

Trekking Towards Tomorrow

Be magnetised and electrified by this brand new 30 minute Lightning Room show, starring live lightning bolts! Discover how technology has developed over time and in what ways it may continue to develop further. Imagine a world without electricity as we consider what may happen without the resources we now rely on, and see how future technological advancements could lead to us travelling in flying trains and having cheaper spaceship launches.

Date: Sessions run daily, visit museumvictoria.com.au/scienceworks for session times.

Cost:  Adults $13, Concession $4 and Children (3-16 year) $3.50 (includes admission to Scienceworks)

Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks

There is a range of Planetarium shows running daily through the school holidays, including Stories in the Stars: The Night Sky of the Boorong People, Black Holes: Journey into the unknown and the international award winning Our Living Climate.

Cost: Adults $13, Concession $4 and Children (3-16 years) $3.50 (includes admission to Scienceworks).

Scienceworks, 2 Booker St, Spotswood. (Melway 56, B1). Open daily 10.00am – 4.30pm (except Good Friday and Christmas Day). Admission: Adult $8, Children and Concession FREE. Additional charges apply to special exhibitions, Planetarium and Lightning Room shows. For further details phone 03 9392 4800 or visit museumvictoria.com.au/scienceworks

Learn about the world’s youngest nation, Timor Leste, at the Immigration Museum these school holidays from 18 September until 3 October. Explore stories from Victoria’s East Timorese community and join in traditional activities.  

School holiday activities include: 

Weaving: The Shape of Tais to Come

Learn about the tradition of weaving Tais, an important part of East Timorese culture. Tais are used as a valuable item to exchange or in rituals. Join in and weave your own Tais to take home and use different colours of ribbon to create your own special pattern.

Time: Daily 10am – 5pm

Booking: not required

Cost: FREE for children

East Timor Kites

Make your own traditional kite using recycled materials and decorate it using an East Timorese pattern or create a design of your own. Take your kite outside to the Tribute Garden to see how it flies. 

Time: Daily 10am – 5pm

Booking: not required

Cost: FREE for children

Story Time

Listen to stories from around the world in our storytelling area.

Time: Monday to Friday 11.30am and 1.30pm

Booking: not required

Cost: FREE for children

Exhibition:

Visit the exhibition Honouring our Ancestors: Remembering Timor Leste

This exhibition explores a ritual called Se Matebian, which takes place each year on All Souls Day and honours East Timorese ancestors. It looks at how the East Timorese community in Australia continue to practise this ritual today. Personal stories and reflections of people from the East Timorese community are shared and featured objects include a silver breast plate and head piece worn by elders during ceremonial peace, a silver jewellery box with an ancestral worship home on top, jewellery associated with ancestors, timber statues representing ancestors, hand woven baskets and East Timorese fabrics.

Date: From 19 September 2010

The Immigration Museum is now taking group bookings for school holiday groups for a fun morning or afternoon. Places are limited so call 03 9927 2700 to secure a place.

Entry to the Immigration Museum and all exhibitions is FREE for children.

Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders Street, Melbourne. Open daily 10.00am – 5.00pm (except Good Friday and Christmas Day). Admission: $8 Adult, children and concession FREE. For further details phone (03) 9927 2754 or museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum

Explore all things Titanic in the Engine Room activity space at Melbourne Museum these school holidays. Play a game of “Icebergs”, dress up in 1912 style clothes and listen to tales about the Titanic, from 18 September and 3 October 2010.

Ship Shape

Create your own toy Titanic model to take home, complete with all four funnels. Use folding and construction skills to make your ship take shape.

Time: Daily 11am – 3pm.

Icebergs

All set to sink your opponent’s ships?  Designed as a 1912-style board game, two players compete to see who can keep their ships afloat and outwit their rival.

Time: Daily 11am – 3pm.

Titanic Tales

Travel back to 1912 with characters from the grandest ship in the world.  Let our storytellers take you on a journey of adventure and survival with their true tales of the Titanic.

Time: Daily 11.30am, 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

An Iceberg’s Journey

Map the course of the Titanic and experiment with a small scale iceberg.  Study the science behind a North Atlantic iceberg and observe the full life cycle of these amazing natural wonders.

Time: Daily 11am – 3pm.

Visit Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition

Explore detailed reconstructions of the ship’s interior including the Grand Staircase and first and third class cabins. Discover how the ‘unsinkable’ ship met its fate and connect with the personal stories of people onboard as you view artefacts recovered from the ocean floor. See treasures never before presented in Australia in this Melbourne-only showing.

Date: Until 17 October 2010 (open until 9pm Thursdays)

Cost: Adult $24, Concession $18, Child $16, Family $66 (includes entry into Melbourne Museum)

Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition is presented by Melbourne Museum and Frontier Events in association with RMS Titanic, Inc.

Also these school holidays – don’t miss Melbourne Museum’s newest exhibition:

600 Million Years: Victoria evolves

The newest exhibition in the redevelopment of the Science and Life Gallery, 600 Million Years: Victoria evolves explores the big question: how did life on Earth come to be the way it is? Taking you on a journey through time, 600 Million Years brings the story of Victoria’s evolution to life through animation, animatronics, models and multimedia interactives. Over millions of years Victoria has moved from the tropics to the Antarctic circle and now to temperate zone. It has been shaped by periods of volcanic activity and major climate shifts. Featuring fascinating fossils, gold, coal, dinosaurs and whales, the exhibition highlights the processes that make Victoria the special place it is today.

Date: Now showing

Melbourne Museum, Nicholson Street, Carlton. Open daily 10.00am – 5.00pm (except Good Friday and Christmas Day).  Admission: Adult $8, children and concession FREE. For further details phone 13 11 02 or visit museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum