Archive for April, 2008

Into the Pixel Video Game Art Exhibition Opens for 2008 Submissions

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
The world's only exhibition that brings together experts from both the fine art establishment and the interactive entertainment industry to explore the art of the video game, Into the Pixel today announced that it is accepting submissions for the 2008 collection at www.IntoThePixel.com. Now in its fifth year, Into the Pixel (ITP) is the one annual opportunity for published video and computer game artists to be recognized by renowned fine art experts, the art-loving public and by their peers in the video game industry. Artists must submit their work by May 21, 2008, for consideration by the ITP jury.

Each year Into the Pixel convenes a jury of world-renowned museum curators, gallerists, educators, artists and interactive entertainment art veterans to review the art submitted by video game artists from all over the world. Only sixteen pieces are ultimately selected by the jury to be printed by a master printer, framed and hung in the ITP gallery, which then travels around the US and abroad. The highly anticipated 2008 art exhibition will be unveiled to the game industry at the E3 Media & Business Summit, July 15-17, and will open to the public at “Entertainment for AllTM Expo” (E for All), October 3-5, 2008 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

“As an art historian and museum curator for traditional prints and drawings, Into the Pixel has been something of a revelation to me,” said Louis Marchesano, ITP Co-lead Juror and Curator of Prints and Drawings, at the Getty Research Institute. “What I’ve found is that the artistic quality of some of these images is sometimes poetic, sometimes nostalgic, and sometimes downright brilliant.”

Into the Pixel was created by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) and the Prints and Drawings Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

“Over the course of four years, we have seen submissions of some amazing art, and expect to see some tough contenders for the 2008 collection,” said Joseph Olin, president, Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. “The Academy and ESA are thrilled to once again showcase the artistry and creative genius of the men and women within the interactive entertainment industry and like years past, the selected pieces are sure to be impressive.”

The newly appointed 2008 Into the Pixel Jury:

Louis Marchesano, Curator of Collections, Prints & Drawings, Getty Research Institute
Kevin Salatino, Curator of Prints & Drawings, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Daniel Dociu, Chief Art Director, NCsoft North America
Richard Duardo, Managing Director and Master Printer, Modern Multiples Fine Art Studio
Tracy Fullerton, Assistant Professor, USC School of Cinematic Arts, and Co-Director, Interactive Media Division/Electronic Arts Game Innovation Lab
Lorne Lanning, Co-Founder and President, Oddworld Inhabitants
Glenn Phillips, Consulting Curator, Getty Research Institute
Kiki Wolfkill, Executive Producer, Microsoft Game Studios

Submissions must be art from published or soon-to-be-published computer and video games, or art that was used in the creation of the games. Artists may submit up to three (3) original works. Deadline is May 21, 2008 at midnight (Pacific). Interested artists should visit www.IntoThePixel.com for more detailed information or to submit artwork.

Into the Pixel is the world’s only curated art exhibition that brings together the traditional fine art and digital art worlds to explore and celebrate the art and artists behind the video game. Each year, a jury of world-class museum curators, cutting-edge gallery owners and interactive entertainment industry experts evaluate and select the art to be featured in the collection. Now in its fifth year, Into the Pixel has established itself as the annual opportunity for computer and video game artists to receive critical review of their creative achievements by both peers in the digital art world and renowned fine art experts. The program is a joint effort of the Entertainment Software Association, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, and the Prints & Drawings Council of LACMA. For more information, please visit www.IntoThePixel.com.

The ESA is the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of the companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. ESA members collectively account for more than 90 percent of the $9.5 billion in entertainment software sales in the U.S. in 2007, and billions more in export sales of entertainment software. For more information about the ESA, please visit www.theESA.com.

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) was founded in 1996 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of the interactive arts. The Academy’s mission is to promote and advance common interests in the worldwide interactive entertainment community; recognize outstanding achievements in the interactive arts and sciences; and conduct an annual awards show (Interactive Achievement Awards) to enhance awareness of the interactive art form. The Academy also strives to provide a voice for individuals in the interactive entertainment community. In 2002 the Academy created the D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit, a once yearly conference dedicated to exploring approaches to the creative process and artistic expression as they uniquely apply to the development of interactive entertainment. The Academy has over 12,000 members, with the board comprised of senior executives from the major video game companies including BioWare/Pandemic, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Insomniac Games, Microsoft, Nintendo of America, Sony, THQ and Ubisoft. More information on AIAS and the D.I.C.E. Summit can be found at http://www.interactive.org and http://www.dicesummit.org.

Alienware Unveils Its Most Powerful Notebook Ever: the Area-51 m17x

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
Alienware – the leading manufacturer of high-performance desktop, notebook and entertainment systems – launches the Area-51® m17x, a commanding and aggressive addition to the newly redesigned Area-51 line of notebook computers. Alienware already shocked the computer industry this year by demonstrating the raw power of the 15.4-inch Area-51® m15x, and the company has once again upped the ante. With a brilliant 17-inch, widescreen HD display, Alienware designed the Area-51 m17x for PC gamers, 3D content creators and multi-media enthusiasts.

The Area-51 m17x surpasses expectations as the fastest notebook Alienware has ever designed. An Intel® Core™ 2 Extreme processor teams with the fearsome power of dual, SLI®-enabled NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800M GTX GPUs for unprecedented performance levels. The notebook’s 500GB mobile hard drives are the world’s largest. Dual drives configured in a RAID 0 array plus a 500GB Smart Bay drive for additional storage give the user an astounding 1.5TB capacity, accommodating approximately 250 games, 375 full-length movies or nearly 400,000 songs.

“We pride ourselves in designing elite systems for consumers who absolutely refuse to settle for second best,” said Frank Azor, Executive Vice-President for Alienware’s Product and Marketing Groups. “The Area-51 m17x is, by far, the most aggressive, most powerful notebook computer Alienware has ever built.”

The Area-51 m17x satisfies even the most demanding mobile users by delivering:
  • NVIDIA SLI technology with dual NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX graphics cards to produce an unrivaled mobile DirectX® 10 gaming experience.
  • Intel’s 45nm Core 2 Extreme X9000 mobile processors supporting maximum speed and responsiveness during intense battle sequences in users’ favorite games, crisp 3D rendering, flawless music encoding and other high-intensity tasks.
  • Up to 1TB of hard drive capacity configured in a RAID 0 array for storing massive entertainment collections, plus support for solid state drives and hybrid hard drives.
  • Smart Bay technology that allows users to swap out their optical drive for an additional 500GB hard drive, bringing the notebook’s storage capacity to 1.5TB.
  • The Alienware Command Center control panel, home to exclusive programs such as the AlienFX® customizable lighting feature and the AlienFusion power management system.

When asked to compare the Area-51 m17x to its sibling system, the Area-51 m15x, Azor said, “With both systems, Alienware has once again revolutionized mobile performance. The Area-51 m15x is ideally suited for road warriors or students who are constantly on the move but still want that boost of power Alienware delivers. The Area-51 m17x is for professionals and hardcore enthusiasts who want pure, unbridled performance with the added benefit of portability.”

“Intel’s Core 2 Extreme and Core 2 Duo mobile processors power the Area-51 m17x to performance results that are nothing short of spectacular and can even rival most desktop systems,” said Erik Reid, Director of Marketing, Mobile Products Group, Intel. “Improvements in speed and energy efficiency delivered by the Intel Core microarchitecture give Area-51 m17x users confidence that they are working and gaming on the most advanced technology imaginable.”

“With NVIDIA SLI and two GeForce 8800M GTX GPUs, the most powerful notebook graphics processing solution ever, Alienware’s Area-51 m17x is equipped to generate an unrivaled visual experience,” said Rene Haas, general manager of notebook GPUs at NVIDIA. “Whether users are tackling the new era of DirectX 10 games, high-definition movies or dynamic Windows Vista applications, they can count on the Area-51 m17x to deliver.”

For more information on the Area-51 m17x, please visit: www.alienware.com/m17x.

Alienware offers unique and award-winning technology products that incorporate state–of–the–art components, innovative engineering and design, and unprecedented customer service. Alienware has been recognized by INC 500, won the Shoppers’ Choice Award as the Best Performance Desktop by Computer Shopper’s reader survey, had its Alienware Area-51 ranked among “The 25 Greatest PCs of All Time” by PC World and also received PC Magazine’s Reader’s Choice Award in its 18th Annual Reader Survey. Alienware systems are available direct within the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. For more information, please visit www.alienware.com or call 1-800-ALIENWARE (254-3692).

Audible Announces New Agreements with Orson Scott Card and Other Top Sci-Fi & Fantasy Writers

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
The leading provider of premium digital spoken audio information and entertainment, Audible, an Amazon.com subsidiary, today announced a major new science fiction and fantasy initiative that will give fans exclusive access to their favorite authors and deliver exclusive content.

Highlights of this new initiative include:

Audible Frontiers imprint and exclusive production agreements:
Audible is launching its original science fiction and fantasy audio imprint, Audible Frontiers, backed by a series of exclusive production agreements with today’s most-popular writers. The goal of Audible Frontiers is to expand greatly the number of audiobooks available to science fiction and fantasy fans. As a result, Audible is bringing to audio for the first time works by Jack Campbell, Harry Turtledove, Joe Haldeman, Robert J. Sawyer, Mike Resnick, Allen Steele, Connie Willis, Simon R. Green, Sean Williams, and other authors. These titles include more than a dozen Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novels and novellas.

“Science fiction is all about exploring strange new worlds -- and doing it in new ways! I'm excited to be part of Audible's initiative, and applaud them for recognizing what Hollywood has long known but few others seem to have grasped: the most popular entertainment today IS science fiction,” said science fiction favorite Robert J. Sawyer.

Orson Scott Card Selects:
In an exclusive relationship, Audible is launching a monthly recommendation program with Hugo Award-winning Orson Scott Card, the author of the classic Ender’s Game, and one of the industry’s best-selling writers. Card will provide exclusive audio critiques of each selection.

“It's easy for great novels and novellas to get lost in the bookstore - not everything can get front-of-store display!” Card said. “That's what I'll be doing with ‘OSC Selects’ - moving new and classic sci-fi and fantasy right to the front, so fans will have a better chance of noticing terrific stories performed by first-rate readers.”

“Orson Scott Card Selects” kicks off with the April selection, Star Born by Andre Norton.

Guest Editors:
Each month, a different prominent science fiction and fantasy writer will write an exclusive guest column for Audible customers, highlighting great listens in the Audible catalogue. Best-selling author Ben Bova will be the inaugural Guest Editor for April.

“Audiobooks have opened a new dimension to the enjoyment of good fiction, and I'm happy to be part of the Audible team that brings the best in science fiction (and other genres) to this new and growing audience,” said Bova.

In addition, through content relationships with HarperCollins, Macmillan Audio, Recorded Books, Blackstone Audio, Harlequin, and Wonder Audio, Audible is pleased to offer digital exclusives from John Scalzi, Vernor Vinge, Jay Lake, Philip K. Dick, Philip Jose Farmer, Kim Stanley Robinson, Maria V. Snyder, and many more.

The Audible science fiction and fantasy catalogue now exceeds 1,500 titles. Visit www.audible.com/scifi for more than 100 exclusive and digital exclusive titles and more than 50 Hugo and Nebula Award winners.

Audible (www.audible.com) is the leader in spoken audio information and entertainment on the Internet. Content from Audible is downloaded and played back on personal computers, CDs, or AudibleReady computer-based and wireless mobile devices. Audible has over 40,000 audio programs from more than 470 content providers that include leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers. Audible is the preeminent provider of spoken-word audio products for Apple's iTunes Store. Audible, Audible.com, AudibleListener, AudibleReady and AudibleKids are trademarks of Audible, Inc. or its affiliates. Other product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Djimon Hounsou to Testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Behalf of Runaway and Homeless Youth

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
National Network for Youth:

WHO:

Academy Award Nominated Djimon Hounsou joins Runaway and Homeless Youth Activists from across the country to speak out for youth

WHAT:
"Living on the Street: Finding Solutions to Protect Runaway and Homeless Youth" - a special hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee addressing the Reauthorization of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act

WHEN:
Tuesday, April 29, 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:
Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 226

WHY:
A bill introducing this act is expected to be introduced by the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), soon after the hearing date

Media will be welcome to stay following the hearing to ask questions of Mr. Hounsou and the rest of the witnesses regarding the hearing and the reauthorization of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act.

Filmaka announces winner of annual competition; 21 year-old aspiring filmmaker lands opportunity to helm first movie

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
Filmaka, a global digital entertainment studio and robust online creative community, today announced Nuru Rimington-Mkali as the winner of its first annual feature film competition with his short “And I Refuse to Forget.” Hailing from London, the 21 year-old aspiring filmmaker was awarded the opportunity to direct his first feature film, which Filmaka will produce.

Filmaka, founded by acclaimed film producer Deepak Nayar and led by renowned industry executive, Sandy Grushow, is committed to inspiring, celebrating, and rewarding creativity and talent by providing a variety of professional opportunities for undiscovered filmmakers and writers from all corners of the world. Competitions are juried by industry leaders including Colin Firth (Bridget Jones Diary), Werner Herzog (Rescue Dawn), Neil LaBute (Nurse Betty), John Madden (Shakespeare in Love), Zak Penn (X-Men: The Last Stand), Paul Schrader (Raging Bull), Bill Pullman (Independence Day) and Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire).

“The quality of films Filmaka received was excellent! In a community of more than 3,600 filmmakers and film lovers, Nuru stood out among them and rose to the top,” said Deepak Nayar, Founder and CEO, Filmaka. “We look forward to producing his first feature film.”

Grushow added, “Nuru is a great example of how Filmaka creates professional opportunities for undiscovered talent. Our annual competitions are a powerful engine for generating top-quality content from our expanding community. We look forward to working with many of the 2007 finalists and in seeing the exciting new works our 2008 competitions will deliver!”

Rimington-Mkali, along with 36 other competitors, vied for the highly sought after grand prize in the final competition themed, “The Secret Adventures of ….” Entrants originated from 15 different countries including Japan, India, Portugal, Venezuela, Sweden, Brazil, Germany, and the United States. During the last stages of the competition, Rimington-Mkali and six other finalists pitched their film and series concepts to Nayar and Grushow. The finalists also met with agents from William Morris Agency as well as Filmaka Jury members Bill Pullman and Zak Penn.

Acclaimed writer/director Neil LaBute was one of the many jury members who reviewed the finalist’s films. “I found Nuru’s film (And I Refuse to Forget) a wonderfully impressive ‘paranoid thriller’ that was told with great economy and vivid imagery,” said LaBute. “I was also duly impressed with his technical work on the picture – which was very assured – and I feel that Nuru has great potential as a feature director. I really look forward to the next step in his already interesting career.”

“I am so honored to be recognized by Filmaka for my short,” said Rimington-Mkali. “I have been making films for several years, spurred by a passion for cinema and joining the Filmaka community has allowed me to pursue my ultimate dream of creating a feature film.”

Luis Bernal Salazar (Mexico City, Mexico) was awarded $5,000 as first runner up while Noah Harald (Los Angeles, California, U.S.), Anne Heeno (Copenhagen, Denmark), Max Sacker (Berlin, Germany), Santiago Tapia (Boston, Massachusetts U.S.), and Cullen Paul Wright (Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.) were named runner-ups and awarded $2,000 each. A complete list of finalists is below and all 37 final films can be viewed on www.filmaka.com.

Today Filmaka also launches its 2008 annual feature film competition, themed “Behind Closed Doors.” Once again, a series of competitions will result in one talented, aspiring filmmaker being awarded the dream of a lifetime, the opportunity to direct a feature film produced by Filmaka. Go to www.filmaka.com for details.

Complete List of 2007 Filmaka Feature Film Finalists

Nuru Rimington-Mkali (Winner) London, England, UK

Luis Bernal Salazar (1st Runner-Up) Mexico City, Mexico

Noah Harald (Runner-Up) Los Angeles, CA, USA

Anne Heeno (Runner-Up) Frederiksberg, Denmark

Max Sacker (Runner-Up) Berlin, Germany

Santiago Tapia (Runner-Up) Boston, MA, USA

Cullen Paul Wright (Runner-Up) Lincoln,NE, USA

Joe Anderson (Finalist) London, England, UK

Hedia Anvar (Finalist) Los Angeles, CA, USA

Daniel Barosa (Finalist) Buenos Aires, Argentina

Rudolf Buitendach (Finalist) London, England, UK

Simăo Cayatte (Finalist) Lisboa, Portugal

Ted Chung (Finalist) Los Angeles, CA, USA

Richard de Almeida (Finalist) Lisboa, Portugal

William Donaruma (Finalist) Granger, IN, USA

Sahra Girshick (Finalist) London, England, UK

Trevor Hardy (Finalist) Lancing, England, UK

Varda Hardy (Finalist) Los Angeles, CA, USA

Randy Hines (Finalist) Austin, TX, USA

Byron Husky (Finalist) Kansas City, MO, USA

Anshul Joshi (Finalist) Mumbai, India

Smita Kapoor (Finalist) Mumbai, India

Anastasia Kirillova (Finalist) London, England, UK

Hugo Lilja (Finalist) Stockholm, Sweden

Karoly Ujj Meszaros (Finalist), Budapest, Hungary

Terry Miles (Finalist), Vancouver, BC, Canada

Emil Mkrttchian (Finalist) Kista, Sweden

Miguel Nienstadt (Finalist) Caracas, Venezuela

Azi Rahman (Finalist) London, England, UK

Kevin Redford (Finalist) Los Angeles, CA, USA

Fernando Reyes (Finalist) Mexico DF, Mexico

Barbara Rothenborg (Finalist) Los Angeles, CA, USA

Ambika Samarthya (Finalist) Los Angeles, CA, USA

Fili Seifert (Finalist) Copenhagen, Denmark

Wataru Uno (Finalist) Tokyo, Japan

Brett Wagner (Finalist) Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Richard P Wojcicki (Finalist) Centerport, NY, USA

Filmaka (www.filmaka.com) is a global digital entertainment studio and robust on-line creative community for aspiring filmmakers. Filmaka is committed to inspiring, celebrating and rewarding creativity and talent by providing professional opportunities for undiscovered filmmakers and writers from all around the world. The unique mechanism is a series of competitions which are juried by industry leaders. Each month, Filmaka challenges its community to create original, professionally produced high-quality scripted and unscripted films, Web series, and branded entertainment, ranging from funny or provocative, to dramatic or animated. Rewards range from cash prizes to the opportunity to create series for traditional and digital media. Filmaka will also produce at least one feature film and documentary directed by community members.

Seven Arts premieres Deal in Vegas and signs theatrical distribution pact with MGM for Burt Reynolds, Shannon Elizabeth film

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
Seven Arts Pictures premiered its movie DEAL directed by Gil Cates, Jr. Thursday night in Las Vegas at the Palm Hotel’s Brandon Theater. The film is set against the world of high stakes poker and stars Burt Reynolds (Boogie Nights, The Longest Yard), Bret Harrison ("Orange County") and Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie). Burt Reynolds plays a reformed gambler and world class poker player who meets up with a hot-shot, card playing college student, and teaches him how to “play the player”, and not the cards. After a falling out, the aging pro returns to the game he left thirty years ago and now must face his protégé in the finals of the world series of poker.

Seven Arts further announced that it signed a U.S. theatrical distribution agreement in April with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, one of the seven American major studios, to distribute Deal. The agreement will see Deal released in movie theatres in major markets across the United States.

Peter Hoffman, CEO of Seven Arts Pictures, commented on the agreement with MGM, “This agreement will give Seven Arts access, not only to MGM′s vast theatrical distribution, but also to their important DVD and television distribution. We are confident that this picture has the hallmarks of a theatrical success and will have the longevity that will create long term value for Seven Arts in years to come with continued strong performance on television and DVD.”

Seven Arts Pictures was founded in 2002 as an independent motion picture production and distribution company engaged in the development, acquisition, financing, production, and licensing of theatrical motion pictures for exhibition in domestic and foreign theatrical markets, and for subsequent worldwide release in other forms of media, including home video and pay and free television.

How the West Was Won to be released in new collector’s edition

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
The wondrous western historical saga How the West Was Won gallops onto home theatre screens August 26th in three new restored and remastered editions. One of only two narrative feature films produced in the original Cinerama® three-panel widescreen process, How the West Was Won is a stunning epic, following four generations of a courageous New England farm family as they travel to the fertile Ohio Valley during America’s early westward expansion.

This ultimate western film gets the Ultimate treatment with How the West Was Won Ultimate Collector’s Edition. The two disc Standard Definition Ultimate Collector’s Edition is loaded with collectible memorabilia including a 20-page theatrical press book reproduction, 10 behind-the-scenes photo cards and 10 postcards, and an exclusive movie poster offer. Streeting simultaneously will also be a glorious Blu-ray Hi-Def version. Exclusive to Blu-ray is the “SmileBox” version of the film which presents the image with a unique curvature that virtually recreates the true Cinerama® experience in a home theater. This Blu-ray™ Hi-Def Edition comes with a special Digi-book packaging featuring 32-pages of rare press materials and behind-the-scenes photos. The third new edition is a Two Disc-Special Edition in standard definition.

WARNER HOME VIDEO WESTERN CLASSICS COLLECTION

To further celebrate the western genre, Warner Home Video proudly announces the DVD debut of 6 long-awaited favorites, each newly remastered especially for this release.

Escape from Fort Bravo (1954)
Union officer William Holden contends with Confederate prisoners inside Fort Bravo…and fierce Indians outside. John Sturges (The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven) directs.

Many Rivers to Cross (1955)
First ever home-video release!
Trapper and resolute bachelor Bushrod Gentry comes to Kentucky, where a marriage-minded lass is waiting. Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker team in a comedy/adventure.

Cimarron (1960 remake)
Oklahoma is theirs...if they can tame it. Glenn Ford stars in the decades-spanning tale of the famed land rush and of settlers sinking deep roots. Anthony Mann (Winchester ’73) directs this two-time Oscar® winner.

The Law and Jake Wade (1958)
Lawman William Holden is sworn to uphold the law but destined for a showdown with his outlaw past when former partner Richard Widmark resurfaces. Directed by John Sturges.

Saddle the Wind (1958)
First ever home-video release!
Blood for blood; brother against brother. An ex-gunslinger’s attempts to go straight meet a fury of violence ignited by his brother. Robert Taylor stars in Rod Serling’s taut tale.

The Stalking Moon (1968)
A suspenseful manhunt saga. A relentless foe tracks Army scout Gregory Peck as he attempts to lead a woman (Eva Marie Saint) once held captive by Apaches to safety.

ERROL FLYNN WESTERNS

Montana (1950)
The star heads for the wide-open spaces of Montana in this adventure saga about a bitter range war.

Rocky Mountain (1950)
Errol Flynn saddles up for his final Western starring as Confederate Captain Barstow in a brawny tale directed by William Keighley (co-director of Flynn’s The Adventures of Robin Hood) and filmed wholly in the rugged environs of Gallup, New Mexico. Co-star Patrice Wymore became Mrs. Flynn weeks before the film’s release.

San Antonio (1945)
San Antonio features blazing action in Technicolor® (a rip snorting saloon gunfight), suspense (a tense showdown in the granddaddy of Texas monuments, the Alamo) and a beautiful girl (Alexis Smith as a sultry songbird) to add romantic luster to the heroics.

Virginia City (1940)
In his second Western, Errol Flynn again teams with Dodge City director Michael Curtiz to play an undercover Union officer determined to stop a gold-laden train rolling to Dixie.

Fanatec steers gamers into fast lane with Porsche 911 Turbo Racing Wheel

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
Fanatec, a leading brand of high-end input devices for game consoles and PCs, today introduced the Porsche 911 Turbo Racing Wheel for PC and Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3). It offers Porsche fans and gamers alike an authentic look and feel along with a rich feature-set that delivers a genuine Porsche racing feeling when playing games such as Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, Racedriver: GRID, rFactor, etc. Starting in early May 2008, this product will be sold exclusively at www.FANATEC.com.

Licensed by Porsche Lizenz- und Handelsgesellschaft mbH, the Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo Racing Wheel offers gamers latency free wireless USB technology (wheel and pedals), three force feedback motors and smooth belt drive, both of which help to deliver sensational realism, 6+1 speed H-pattern gear stick with realistic shifting feel, and authentic wireless pedals with realistic clutch pedal (with declining resistance) and brake with soft-stop. The wheel itself is covered with fine, automotive grade leather.

Other key features include:

1. TUNING display: allows gamers to change settings like sensitivity or Force Feedback during gameplay
2. Adjustable turning angle: changes can be made directly on the wheel to 900°, 360°, 180° or in 1° steps by software
3. Extra strong Force Feedback effects: Mabuchi RS 550 Motor
4. Additional Force Feedback actuators in the wheel: stimulate motor vibrations
5. Extra smooth and silent belt drive without mechanical dead zone
6. 2 separate shifters: H-pattern and sequential
7. Illuminated buttons: show different symbols whether you connect the wheel to the PlayStation or the PC
8. 1 GB USB flash drive: Driver and manual are stored on flash drive in the shape of a Porsche key

For more information and additional features on the Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo Racing Wheel, visit: www.911wheel.com

“It took us seven years to get the Porsche license and their one major condition was that we develop the best wheel out there,” said Thomas Jackermeier, CEO, Endor AG. “It was a big challenge for us and it took an enormous effort but we now know that it was worth it!”

Fanatec is a leading brand of high-end input devices for game consoles and PCs. Designed and manufactured by parent company ENDOR AG, the brand’s focus is centered solely on offering highly innovative and highly functional products designed to enhance and maximize the gaming experience. The brand is sold in Asia, Australia and Europe through distributors and in the U.S. directly through its ENDOR AG USA subsidiary. Headquartered in Landshut, Germany, ENDOR AG was founded in 1997. For more information, visit www.endor.ag. To learn more about the Fanatec lineup of products, visit www.fanatec.com.

CinemaNow and uVuMobile launch first large catalogue of films to mobile phone users

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
CinemaNow, the digital entertainment innovator in delivering high-quality Hollywood movies and TV shows across multiple platforms, and uVuMobile, a mobility software and services company that offers content providers, carriers, and entertainment brands a full suite of products to effectively deliver video and audio content to mobile handsets, announced today that they have integrated their technologies to offer a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) service that allows consumers to preview movie trailers and remotely download full-length movies to compatible consumer electronic devices directly from mobile phones.

“As Internet-enabled phones rise in popularity, companies need to keep pace with innovation, offering solutions which leverage that feature,” said David Cook, president and COO of CinemaNow. “This partnership with uVuMobile has helped CinemaNow pioneer another first-to-market digital distribution method that we expect will make a tremendous difference in the industry by giving customers access to movies anytime, anywhere.”

Users with Internet access on their mobile phones have the option to preview high-quality trailers prior to purchase from CinemaNow’s comprehensive library of 10,000 movies, TV shows, and music videos. In addition, they can go directly to http://mobile.cinemanow.com to purchase a full-length version of the movie right from the mobile phone and download it to any of CinemaNow’s Media Manager-enabled connected devices, including PCs, digital television sets (DTV), portable media players (PMP), set-top boxes (STB) and network attached storage (NAS) devices.

The CinemaNow WAP service is a combination of uVuMobile’s Media Distribution Platform and CinemaNow’s proprietary digital entertainment distribution technology. uVuMobile’s Media Distribution Platform enables content owners to publish their content to mobile users on any carrier network and to multiple types of compatible devices. Leveraging CinemaNow’s extensive catalog and its distribution technology, the resulting combined solution offers benefits that will be felt across the digital media landscape. For example, the CinemaNow WAP service enables online retailers to expand their delivery options, providing a more complete consumer experience.

“CinemaNow has always been at the leading edge of entertainment distribution, and we are confident our partnership will offer consumers a valuable new way to interact with their digital entertainment,” said Scott Hughes, chief technology officer of uVuMobile. “uVuMobile excels in the portable video experience with our integrated mobile solutions. Combining our solutions with premium rental video content from CinemaNow creates an optimal ‘on-the-go’ service for consumers who are demanding a more flexible way to acquire and manage their digital entertainment. This is another strong example of how uVuMobile is helping set the pace for continued innovation and mobile device optimization.”

CinemaNow is an innovator in digital entertainment technology, delivering high-quality Hollywood movies, TV shows and music videos to users across multiple platforms. Founded in 1999, CinemaNow has partnered with some of the biggest brands in consumer electronics and digital entertainment including ARCHOS, EchoStar Communications, Hewlett-Packard, Macrovision, Microsoft, Samsung, Sonic Solutions and Technicolor to deliver thousands of video titles directly to consumers. CinemaNow works with more than 250 licensors including 20th Century Fox, Disney, EMI, HDNet, IFC, Lionsgate, MGM, Miramax, NBC Universal, Paramount Pictures, Sony, Sundance Channel, Vivendi Entertainment and Warner Bros. For more information: www.cinemanow.com.

uVuMobile recognizes the ever-increasing demand for personalized, interactive entertainment content anytime and anywhere on media-enabled devices by offering a full suite of products that effectively deliver video and audio content to mobile handsets. uVuMobile provides back-end media hosting, application development, mobile marketing, messaging, content aggregation, billing, advertising and other services directed towards the mobile business-to-business market. These services are now available to entertainment brands, carriers, developers, aggregators, distribution partners and other players in the mobile value chain. uVuMobile now offers ad supported and white label mobile video services. For additional information, please visit www.uvumobile.com.

National Free Comic Book Day hits Saturday, May 3rd

Monday, April 28th, 2008
May 3rd, the day after Paramount's Iron Man hits theaters, thousands of comic book retailers across North America and around the world will share the magic of comics with their customers when they distribute millions of comic books free of charge during the seventh consecutive Free Comic Book Day.

Comic industry heavyweights Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, Image Comics, and Marvel Comics are among the many publishers and manufacturers creating special titles for this year’s Free Comic Book Day. The free books appeal to a broad range of reader tastes, from exciting super-hero adventures for all ages to cutting-edge graphic fiction for older, more mature readers.

“We are thrilled to be a part of Free Comic Book Day for the seventh year in a row,” said Marvel President and Publisher Dan Buckley. “This is the best opportunity retailers have to actually increase readers and customers to their stores and each year has been more successful than the last. This event is about celebrating creative expression and the unique art form it represents.”

This year’s Free Comic Book Day is particularly special because it coincides with two major comic-related happenings: the eagerly awaited opening weekend of Paramount's Iron Man and National Cartoonists Day (a celebration sponsored by the National Cartoonists Society, the world's largest and most prestigious organization of professional cartoonists). All three events promise to make this first weekend in May a memorable one for comic-lovers everywhere.

To find a store in your area and to learn more about Free Comic Book Day go to www.freecomicbookday.com