“Death will rise from the tide!” Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain once warned — and at BlizzCon 2010, the band’s dire musical prophecy will finally come to pass. Everyone who attends this year’s BlizzCon or purchases the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket will receive an exclusive set of murlocalyptic in-game items for World of Warcraft and StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. World of Warcraft players will be joined by Deathy, a murloc companion decked out as Deathwing and doing his best to strike fear into the hearts of Azeroth’s crustacean population.

You’ll also be able to display your tidal pride in StarCraft II with a Murloc Marine character portrait and a pair of deep-sea decals to emblazon on your units, each with a different terran, protoss, and zerg design.

BlizzCon 2010 takes place on October 22 and 23 at the Anaheim Convention Center. For further details or to order the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, visit www.BlizzCon.com.

We’re proud to announce a brand new contest open exclusively to residents of Australia and New Zealand. We’re looking for some tightly knit guilds who are ready to rumble their way into our World of Warcraft: Cataclysm beta test.

We want you to share screenshots of your guild’s greatest triumphs and proudest achievements with us. Whether you and your mates just took down the Twilight Destroyer or you’ve crushed Kel’thuzad for the first time, we want to witness the milestones of your success. Each guild master who submits a winning screenshot will win 10 invitations to the World of Warcraft Cataclysm beta test for their guild. The contest will be on for five weeks and each guild is limited to just one submission. We’ll pick five winners each week for a total of 25 winning submissions from eligible participants, starting August 27, 2010.

Before entering the contest, be sure to read the full contest rules for details and eligibility.

Targus Australia designs three new laptop bags just for women  

Sydney, 26 August 2010 – Targus has launched a new collection of laptop bags for women. The new designs are based on extensive local research showing that women are frustrated by the selection on offer at department stores, luggage retailers and computer stores.

“More than 50 percent of professionals are female, and our research showed that most women found it difficult to find a laptop bag that suited their requirements. We took it upon ourselves to design a collection of laptop bags for women that answered the needs of the market,” said Alenka Tindale, Managing Director, Targus Australia.

As part of the research, Targus looked into how women sourced information about laptop bags, how they shopped and what they liked and disliked about existing bags on the market. The findings revealed that women wanted a laptop bag that was mobile, stylish, functional and protective. With this insight in mind, Targus created three new laptop bags that cater to the diverse styles and budgets of Australian women.

The Targus Women’s Collection is available from leading retailers, resellers and distributors. For information, please visit www.targus.com.au or call customer service free call line 1800 641 645.

Sydney (Thursday 26th August) QVS, Zen United & Arc System Works are pleased to announce that BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, the sequel to the acclaimed Calamity Trigger, will be making its way across Australia and New Zealand in November 2010 on Xbox 360® and PlayStation® 3.

In addition to the already-stunning HD 2D graphics and progressive fighting mechanics that have made it one of the most exciting entrants into the fighting genre in recent years, Continuum Shift will be delivering a wealth of improvements and extra content to satisfy everyone from hardcore veterans to BlazBlue novices.

Continuum Shift will deliver;

A BRAND NEW STORY

Following on from the events of the acclaimed Calamity Trigger story, this new chapter introduces 28 individual stories, voiced in both Japanese and English. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift offers twice the story content of its predecessor. 

7 NEW CHARACTERS

Including the sinister Hazama, the deadly Lambda, brutally efficient Tsubaki and the ungodly power of Noel evolution, Mu.

15 NEW STAGES

Featuring more of the gorgeous, detailed 3D backgrounds that give BlazBlue its unique style – the total battle arena count now stands at a massive 29!

REFINED GAMEPLAY

Expect your favourite characters to have some new tricks up their sleeves! Arc System Works have tweaked and refined the incredible fighting mechanics so BlazBlue plays better than ever before.

 And much more…. 

With such a wealth of new content, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift is a real step up from its predecessor – and helps cement its position as one the freshest, most compelling fighting experiences you’re likely to play this year.

Released to commemorate the  75^th Anniversary of his birth – in January of this year: ELVIS ON TOUR 

Noted Golden Globe®-Winning documentary, debuting in newly-restored and remastered version. 

Available to own from 29 September 2010 on:

DVD for $14.95RRP

BLU-RAY for $19.95RRP

ON DEMAND and TO DOWNLOAD. 

Elvis on Tour, the Golden Globe^®-winning documentary that followed Elvis on a    15-city tour of the United States in 1972, will make its debut 29 September 2010 in newly-restored and remastered Blu-ray™ and DVD version from Warner Bros. Entertainment Australia.

Elvis on Tour, considered to be Presley’s last film before his death in 1977, was described by Variety in their review as “a bright, entertaining pop music documentary detailing episodes in the later professional life of Elvis Presley, the pioneer Pied Piper of rock music.”  The film was written and directed by Robert Abel and Pierre Adidge, and the cinematographer was Lucien Ballard. Songs included “See See Rider,” “Proud Mary,” “Burning Love,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Teddy Bear,” “Hound Dog,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You,” “Love Me Tender,” “All Shook Up,” “Suspicious Minds,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Are You Lonesome Tonight” and more.

Highlights

• Remastered in High Definition with 16 x 9 2.40 letterboxed image, as seen in the theatrical release.
• Includes a collectible book, featuring photos of Elvis, quotes, trivia, a tour itinerary, set lists, costumes, and background information about the filming techniques used.
• 25 musical numbers spotlight Elvis Presley’s talent, range and showmanship in captivating on-stage performances and intimate backstage rehearsals with his band.
• Contains Elvis’ first performance of “Burning Love,” which was so new, Elvis referred to the lyric sheet during his performance.
• Elvis’ Ed Sullivan Show performance is included, in which the charm, personality and musical ability that made him an icon is so evident.
• Montage sequences (supervised by Martin Scorsese) showcasing Elvis’ early career and movies. 

About Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was one of Hollywood’s top box-office draws, starring in 31 feature films and two theatrically-released concert documentaries over the course of his career. His music was as much a part of his box-office success as his good looks and charisma. In fact, some of his top-selling songs were from the movie soundtracks. Eleven of his soundtrack albums made it into the top ten on the Billboard Album charts and of those, four became number one hits. It is estimated that Elvis has sold over a billion records worldwide, more records than any other artist in record industry history, and even 30 years after his death, Elvis still conquers new legions of fans as recent compilations of his RCA recordings, “Elvis 30 #1 Hits” and “Elvis 2nd to None,” both topped the Billboard charts of best selling albums. 

More biographical information is available at the official Elvis Presley Web site, www.elvis.com

About the Film

Available for the first time on Blu-ray and DVD, this Golden Globe^® winning documentary is the final motion picture to star Elvis Presley. In the film, the king is followed as he embarked on a 15-city U.S. tour in April 1972. More than 25 numbers spotlight Elvis’ talent, range and showmanship in captivating on-stage performances and intimate backstage rehearsals with his band during this lively chronicle. In addition, montage sequences (supervised by Martin Scorsese) showcase Elvis’ early career and movies. 

Shot with multi-cam (similarly to Woodstock), Elvis on Tour combines concert, rehearsal and backstage footage to provide all the excitement of having a front-row seat at the show.

DVD

Special Features:

• None 

Approx Runtime:

89 mins

Rating:

G

BLU-RAY

Special Features:

• None

 Approx Runtime:

93 mins

Rating:

G

Black Prophecy wins “Best of” award at gamescom

Hamburg, August 25, 2010 – One of the highlights of gamescom, which took place in Cologne, Germany from August 18 – 22, was undoubtedly gamigo and Reakktor’s space combat MMOG Black Prophecy. Not only could the crowds of visitors barely tear themselves away from the demo stations, press from all over Europe and North America were also impressed by its presentation.

Market-leading German publications GameStar and GamePro used the occasion of the world’s largest games trade fair to select their favorites in seven categories. Black Prophecy and Mytheon, another gamigo game, were both nominated in the category “Best of Free-to-Play”. In the end, Black Prophecy took the prize and was awarded “Best of gamescom” in its category.

Gamestar and GamePro: “Games that are free to download are becoming increasingly popular. And anyone who’s into exciting battles in space will have lots of fun playing Black Prophecy. The Hanover-based developers Reakktor Media plan to launch their science fiction adventure in 2010. It is the winner of the GameStar and GamePro “Best of gamescom” award in the category “Free-to-play Games”.”

Kirk Lenke, CEO of Reakktor Media said: “We feel quite honored.  This award is recognition for all the hard work our team has put in over the past few years. We are also very happy about all the feedback we received at gamescom and would like to thank everyone sincerely.”

Patrick Streppel, member of gamigo’s executive board: “Black Prophecy bears a special meaning for gamigo because we are actively involved in the development of this space combat game, which means the game benefits from our years of experience in the area of massively multiplayer online games. As proven by our recently-launched browser-based game Cultures Online, we are focused on high-quality games that stand out from the competition. This award attests to our commitment to innovative ideas.”
 
Official Website: http://www.blackprophecy.com

gamescom 2010 trailer: [Download] [Youtube]
 
Black Prophecy’s features at a glance:

• State-of-the-art graphics
• Open world maps
• Real-time combat
• Exciting PvP battles
• Enthralling backstory
• Modular ship design
• Numerous community features
• Earn awards and medals
• Craft your own ship components
• Master the tactics of battle

AVG study looks at the safest and most dangerous places to surf the Internet –

Australia No. 37^th and New Zealand No. 63^rd riskiest  

Melbourne and Amsterdam, 24 August 2010. Where in the world are you most likely to be hit by a malicious computer attack or virus? According to Internet Security company AVG Technologies, it’s the Caucasus region, with web surfers in Turkey, Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan all being the most likely to face threats while online.

However, at the other end of the scale, some of the world’s safest surfers can be found in Japan and Taiwan, while seven of the 10 safest countries in which to surf the Internet are in Africa. As a continent, South America was ‘safest’, and North America ‘riskiest’. Meanwhile, globally your chances of being attacked while online on any given day are 1 in 73.

By compiling data for 144 countries (including Australia and New Zealand), involving 127 million PCs, AVG was able to look at the incidence of security threats that its software had to deal with in the last week of July 2010. From these figures, AVG was able to average out the likelihood of the average web user facing a web security attack. Key results are as follows:

• Turkey leads the league table for the world’s riskiest web surfers, with AVG’s software having to step in to protect one in 10 using the Internet. Web users in Russia (1 in 14 were hit), Armenia (1 in 24), and Azerbaijan (1 in 39) also suffer high rates of attacks.

• Other areas where web surfers are disproportionately at risk include Bangladesh (1 in 41), Pakistan (1 in 48) and in SE Asia, Vietnam and Laos (where the chances of facing an attack are both 1 in 42).

• Closer to home Australia ranked 37th (1 in 75 attack ratio), while New Zealand came in at 63rd (1 in 103).

• What about other major Western countries? The US is at number nine when it comes to the riskiest places to go online (1 in 48), UK is ranked 31st (1 in 63), while German web surfers come in at number 41 (1 in 83).

• However, other major developed nations fared much better with web surfers steering clear of suspicious websites. Though Sierra Leone (1 in 692) and Niger (1 in 442) were ‘safer’, if you look at broadband penetration in these countries as well as overall Internet use, surfing the web in Japan (1 in 404 attacked) arguably offers the safest experience.

• Meanwhile Taiwan (1 in 248 attacked), Argentina (1 in 241 attacked), and France (1 in 224 attacked) all came in the top 20 list of the world’s safest surfers.

South America and Africa ‘Safe’ 

Analysing the data by continent, your chances of getting attacked while surfing the web in North America are 1 in 51. In Europe it is 1 in 72, while in Asia (including Asia Pacific) it is 1 in 102. The safest continents are Africa (1 in 108), and by a long way South America (1 in 164).

While African countries make up seven of the top 10 ‘safe surfing’ list, it’s noteworthy that the chances of being attacked in all South American countries is more than 1 in 100. The ‘riskiest’ country in South America was Peru at 1 in 131, which globally still only ranks 78^th out of 142 countries. 

AVG Urges Travellers to Keep Safe 

According to AVG spokesperson, Roger Thomson, this rearch tells us a lot about the typical behaviour of web surfers worldwide. Internet users in Turkey, Russia and some Central Asian countries, the Caucasus, South-east Asian and Indian sub-continent states show disproportionately higher rates of being attacked than the global average of 1 in 73.

“Some of this may be a tendency to access semi-legal or illegal download sites, while some of it probably is down to being less cautious when it comes to sharing links and files online. For example, it’s worth noting that in Japan where both Internet use and broadband penetration are high, AVG software only picked up a web attack for every 403rd user. Awareness levels in Japan about risky behaviour online are probably higher.

“However, our research should also serve as a wake-up call to people going abroad. Very often you may access your files on a computer that doesn’t belong to you, or you may access a shared network – neither of which incidentally are things we would ever recommend.

“In those cases, we would urge that web users exercise caution, not only when it comes to going online in our top 50 risk list, but in general. 

“Finally the key point is that all these web attacks were successfully caught and stopped by AVG. Even the global average of facing a 1 in 133 attack on any given day does not present great odds if averaged out across a year. Hence the importance of making sure that your computer really does have the right anti-virus software installed,” Thomson concluded. 

Methodology 

AVG looked at the number of Internet attacks worldwide for the final week of July 2010, as well as the number of AVG installs per country. From this, AVG was able to work out the chances of the average web surfer being attacked.

The research involved taking data from 127 million AVG installations across 144 countries.

Risky Surfers – the Top Ten List
(the chances of getting attacked, 1 in X) 

1 – Turkey   1 in 10

2 – Russia   1 in 15

3 – Armenia   1 in 24

4 – Azerbaijan   1 in 39

5 – Bangladesh   1 in 41

6 – Laos   1 in 42

7 – Vietnam   1 in 42

8 – Portugal 1 in 43

9 – USA   1 in 48

10 – Ukraine  1 in 48

10 -Pakistan 1 in 48

Safe Surfers – the Top Ten List 

1 – Sierra Leone   1 in 696

2 – Niger   1 in 442

3 – Japan   1 in 403

4 – Togo 1 in 359

5 – Namibia 1 in 353

6 – Belize 1 in 302

7 – Madagascar 1 in 283

8 – Mozambique 1 in 264

9 – Zambia 1 in 262

10 – Slovakia 1 in 254

What Are the Chances of Getting Attacked, By Continent 

Globally – 1 in 73

North America – 1 in 51

Europe – 1 in 72

Asia (including Asia Pacific) – 1 in 102

Africa – 1 in 108

S America – 1 in 164 

Quick Tips to Stay Secure While You’re Travelling: 

Security Settings: 

Make sure your system is updated with robust anti-virus software that includes a real-time web scanner, firewall and e-mail protection.

Ensure that you clean your devices of any spyware and malware before every trip and periodically do so even during the visit. This will reduce the risks of attacks in unsecure zones.

Guarantee that the security settings (including firewall settings) on your devices are set on high and on maximum prevention.  

Wi-fi and High Speed Internet Zones: 

Be very careful what information you share in public locations. Even seemingly innocuous logins to Web-mail accounts could give hackers access to get into your more important data, especially if you’re like most people and use the same password – maybe with a few variants – for almost all of your online accounts.

Turn off shared folders. If you unwittingly connect to a malicious network, a hacker could easily transfer a malicious spyware agent onto your machine that could follow you and track your online activities even after you leave the public location.

When at hotels, airports or restaurants make sure you use the secure connections offered by them.

As far as possible, while travelling, avoid logging in to any financial websites or using your credit cards to conduct any transactions online especially when in Wi-Fi zones.

Data on Your Device: 

Ensure your laptops and PDAs are protected using hard drive password locking systems. Another effective tip to avoid outsiders from accessing your personal files is enabling screen-saver passwords. This will ensure that even if someone gets hold of your devices, they won’t be able to access any information and data.

Ensure that you create back-ups of all your work and personal data that you have on your devices before your expedition and keep it in a safe and secure place.

Physical Theft: 

Avoid carrying written copies of passwords, credit card numbers and other PINs, which can easily be lost or stolen and fall into the wrong hands.

Use locks, combinations, chains and other devices to avoid thefts.

Avoid saving any personal data or confidential data on your laptop, mobile phone or PDAs so that the information doesn’t fall into the hands of criminals in case of thefts.

If your laptop, phone or other portable device is stolen, make sure that you report the theft to the local police.

AVG (AU/NZ) has a comprehensive range of security tips on its web site at http://www.avg.com.au/resources/security-tips/.

Academy Award® winning Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition

Blu-ray™ Value Pack and 2 Disc DVD available from 13 October 2010

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is proud to announce the release of Disney?s animated masterpiece, Beauty and the Beast. Coming out of the Disney Vault for a limited time only, this enchanting tale will be available for the first time in high definition on Blu-ray and DVD.

Winner of two Academy Awards® for music in 1992, three Golden Globes® for Best Motion Picture, Best Original Score and Best Original Song in 1992, and two Grammy Awards in 1993, this Disney masterpiece will enchant families all over again in high definition magic.

Set in and around a quaint French village during the late 18th century, Beauty and the Beast follows the adventures of Belle, (voiced by stage veteran Paige O?Hara), a beautiful and bright young woman who dreams of more than her „provincial life?. With her head buried in books, Belle imagines adventure afar while trying to deflect the advances of Gaston, the town?s most eligible and arrogant bachelor.

Not far from the town through a dark forest lives a young prince, trapped under a spell from an enchantress who transformed him into a beast after he showed there was no kindness in his heart. The enchantress?s spell transformed the entire castle and servants into animated objects, forcing the cruel Beast to live in exile.

In order to remove the curse, the Beast must discover a true love who will return his affection before the last petal falls from an enchanted rose.

While travelling to the local fair, Belle?s inventor father stumbles upon the castle and is taken prisoner by the Beast. Worried for her father?s safety, Belle comes to his rescue and offers her imprisonment in return for his freedom.
With a little help from the castle?s enchanted staff, Belle soon sees beneath the Beast?s exterior and discovers the heart and soul of a human prince.

Together, families will delight in this adventurous tale and join Belle to discover true inner beauty and love.

PRODUCTION OVERVIEW – Beauty and the Beast:
Directors: Gary Trousdale
Kirk Wise
Producer: Don Hahn
Writers: Helen Aberson
Harold Pearl
Voice talent: Paige O?Hara (Belle)
Robby Benson (Beast)
Richard White (Gaston)
Angela Lansbury (Mrs. Potts)
Jerry Orbach (Lumiere)
David Ogden-Stiers (Cogsworth)
Bradley Pierce (Chip)
Jesse Corti (Lefou)
Hal Smith (Philippe)
Jo Anne Worley (Wardrobe)
Mary Kay Bergman (Babette)
Brian Cummings (Stove)
Alvin Epstien (Bookseller)
Tony Jay (Monsieur D?Arque)
Genre: Animation/family
Rating: G Rating
Release date: 13 October 2010
RRP: $39.95 – 2 disc DVD

$49.95 – 2 disc Diamond Edition Blu-ray Value Pack including bonus 1 disc DVD

DVD NEW BONUS FEATURES Original Theatrical Release Work in Progress Edition Special Extended Edition Deleted Scenes

INCLUDES ORIGINAL BONUS FEATURES: Games and Activities The Story Behind the Story “Beauty and the Beast” Music Video Performed by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson Early Presentation Reel Alternative Version: “Be Our Guest”
Alternative Score: The Transformation Deleted Song Animation Camera Move Test Trailers and TV Spots Audio Commentary

BACKSTAGE DISNEY:
Beyond Beauty: The Untold Stories Behind Making Beauty and the Beast Broadway Beginnings: Up close interviews with stars of the Broadway production, Toni Braxton, Nick Jonas and Donny Osmand Composing a Classic: A musical Conversation with Alan Menken, Don Hahn and Richard Kraft

MUSIC AND MORE Music Video Sing-along Track

NEW BLU-RAY BONUS FEATURES
Special Extended Edition Original Theatrical Release Original Theatrical Release (with story
reel picture-in-picture) BEYOND BEAUTY: The Untold Stories Behind The Making of Beauty and the Beast Laugh-O-Gram Fairy Tales
– Puss in Boots
– Little Red Riding Hood
– Cinderella
– The Four Musicians of Bremen Act II: Struggling With the Beast Full Circle to Broadway The Purdham Reel Act III: Something There Ever a Surprise: A Portrait of Howard Ashman “Human Again” Reel Act IV: Casting a Spell Animation and Production Galleries Frame by Frame: A Thumbnail Sketch of the History of Animation Backgrounds and Concepts
– Visual Development
– Backgrounds Act VI: Classic Beauty Enchanted Musical Challenge: A Disney Quest Game

INCLUDES ORIGINAL BONUS FEATURES:
The Story Behind the Story “Beauty and the Beast” Music Video: Performed by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson Deleted Song

BACKSTAGE DISNEY: Composing a Classic: A musical conversation with Alan Menken, Don Hahn and Richard Kraft Deleted Scenes Broadway Beginnings: Up close interviews with stars of the Broadway production, Toni Braxton, Nick Jonas and Donny Osmand Music and More

Discover How Digital, Downloadable and Cloud Computing Change Home Entertainment at www.GameTheoryOnline.com

SEATTLE, WA (August 24, 2010) – Game Industry TV™ today announced the launch of new mini documentary “The Future of Digital Distribution,” which reveals how streaming media, downloadable content (DLC) and cloud computing are radically impacting the entertainment industry. Available now at www.gametheoryonline.com, the video takes a deeper look at how a new wave of digital amusements including online music, movies, TV shows and video games are completely reinventing the way in which we interact with media.

Highlighted topics range from the dawn of digital distribution and publishing to the rise of downloadable add-ons, growth of online purchases (“microtransactions”) and what tomorrow holds for fans of streaming high-definition and 3D home entertainment. Also explored are the potential uses for and impact of cloud computing, how direct distribution channels fundamentally change the relationship between consumers and content creators, and the role social networks and iPhone/Android apps will play in tomorrow’s entertainment business.

Featuring commentary by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, Electronic Arts creator Trip Hawkins, THQ CEO Brian Farrell, Gaikai head David Perry and Disney Interactive Studios GM Graham Hopper, the video also includes input from leading reporters and analysts from The Los Angeles Times, MSNBC, VentureBeat and more. From social to mobile, online and DLC, “The Future of Digital Distribution” takes a deeper look at how digital is reinventing the home entertainment and gaming industries.

For more information, please visit http://www.GameTheoryOnline.com.