You can watch the third developer diary on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CltcbgwDi4) or on the official Perfect World blog (http://www.perfectworld.com/blog/?p=35971).

AMD Delivers Elite Visual Computing Performance with Latest Desktop Computing Platform
New AMD Phenom™ II X6 Processor, AMD 890FX Chipset and ATI Radeon™ HD 5000 Series Graphics Create AMD’s Most Powerful Desktop Platform Ever

Sydney, Australia: April 28th, 2010 — AMD announced the immediate availability of the AMD Phenom™ II X6 processor and AMD 890FX chipset ushering in a new era of immersive 3D entertainment and visualization. Trailblazing consumers seeking immersive 3D entertainment and high definition multi-monitor display now can affordably upgrade to six-core performance and award-winning ATI Radeon™ HD 5000 series graphics. Today also marks the availability of the flagship AMD Phenom™ II X6 1090T Black Edition processor, AMD’s fastest and most tunable desktop processor ever.

“With AMD Phenom II X6 processors, discerning customers can build an incredible, immersive entertainment system and content creation powerhouse,” said Bob Grim, director of Client Platform Marketing at AMD. “AMD is answering the call for elite desktop PC performance and features at an affordable price.”
AMD Phenom II X6 processors feature new Turbo CORE technology that transfers performance to three dedicated cores operating at higher frequency. AMD Phenom II X6 processors can shift to Turbo mode for demanding games and productivity software which may employ two or three cores, or shift back to six real cores for the demands of core-hungry content creation and immersive 3D applications.

• The AMD Phenom II X6 processor works with existing AM3 and AM2+ socket motherboards with proper BIOS support, making these processors an easy upgrade
• With the new AMD OverDrive™ 3.2.1, computer enthusiasts can tune system performance, customize settings, and tune memory performance for the latest AMD platforms with the new AMD Phenom II X6 processor1
• The AMD 890FX chipset is the premier complement to the AMD Phenom II X6 processor, featuring ATI CrossFireX™ technology, and is ready for up to four ATI Radeon HD graphics cards and award winning ATI EyeFinity multiple-display technology2
• All of the necessary components to build a complete AMD-based system featuring the AMD Phenom II X6 processor can be purchased for less than the price of our competition’s only six-core desktop processor3
• The AMD 890FX with SB850 chipset includes the latest SATA 6Gb/s hard drive interface, Gigabit Ethernet, HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology, and PCI Express® Generation 2.0 designed to provide high performance data flow
• Many AMD 890FX-based motherboards feature SuperSpeed USB 3.0, quickly synchronizing and transferring digital media files on the new generation of USB 3.0 devices

Pricing and Availability
Vendor: AMD
Model: AMD Phenom™ II X6 processor and AMD 890FX chipset
RRP:
AU $371 for 1090T
AU $254 for 1055T
Website: www.amd.com
Australian and New Zealand Distributors: Avnet, Synnex and Ingram
Availability: Now

Supporting Resources
•    AMD Phenom II X6 Features on the AMD At Home Blog
•    AMD Underground Do-It-Yourself Web Site
•    AMD 8-Series Chipsets Product Page
•    AMD 5000 Series Graphics Product Page
•    AMD GAME! Web Site
•    ATI EyeFinity Technology

1    AMD’s product warranty does not cover damages caused by overclocking – even when overclocking is enabled via AMD software.
2    ATI Eyefinity technology can support up to 6 displays using a single enabled ATI Radeon™ graphics card with Windows Vista or Windows 7 operating systems (systems with multiple graphics cards can support a maximum of 8 displays with 6 in SLS and 2 in extended mode) – the number of displays may vary by board design and you should confirm exact specifications with the applicable manufacturer before purchase. ATI Eyefinity technology works with games that support non-standard aspect ratios, which is required for panning across multiple displays. To enable more than two displays, additional panels with native DisplayPort™ connectors, and/or certified DisplayPort™ adapters to convert your monitor’s native input to your cards DisplayPort™ or Mini-DisplayPort™ connector(s), are required. 
3    Pricing based on  competitive MSRP averages of: motherboard, memory, ATI Radeon HD 5670 graphics, hard drive (7200 rpm), chassis, power supply unit, standard  24” 1080P LCD, as advertised on www.newegg.com on 4/15. AMD processor pricing is online at AMD’s website. Intel Core i7 six-core price as advertised on www.newegg.com on 4/15. All prices subject to change.

April 28^th, 2010 – Precisely one week after the worldwide release, Fruit Ninja’s first juicy update is here with heaps of great extra content to improve the hottest new game on the App store! Halfbrick is continually working on the game to improve the slash-tastic experience, as well as taking feedback from members of the community on Twitter, Facebook and gaming forums!

Here is what you can expect in today’s free update:

-          New fruit: We proudly welcome two new additions to the Fruit Ninja family – Mango and Pear! They can look forward to a short and painful life.

-          Multislash: Take to the screen with more than one finger at a time and slash to your heart’s content! – http://www.fruitninja.com/screenshots/image_04.jpg

-          High score: Now displayed in-game for you to keep constant track of your best Fruit Ninja score!

-          Three new Openfeint Achievements!

-          10 new fruit facts!

-          Improved font and background for even more beautiful fruit carnage!

-          Collision / bug fixes and improvements!

Thanks for taking part in the Fruit Ninja way of life, and we look forward to serving you even more new content and gameplay in update 2!

Trailer

www.fruitninja.com

App Store

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fruit-ninja/id362949845?mt=8

About Halfbrick

Halfbrick is a professional game development studio based in Brisbane, Australia. Founded in 2001, it has developed popular titles for the Game Boy Advance, PSP, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS, with expansion into XBLA, PS3 and iPhone development. For further information, please visit www.halfbrick.com and follow on Twitter, Youtube and Facebook!

SYDNEY, Australia – 28^th April 2010 – Leading video game publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S. announced that a new action-packed “GAC Pack” downloadable content (DLC) will be available in PAL Territories on May 26 for Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for Xbox 360 and PlayStation®Network. This new premium DLC pack will include two all new gameplay modes in addition to the “Jack Pack” and “Shadow Pack” DLC, which were previously only available to pre-order customers.

Dead to Rights: Retribution is a ground-up reinvention of the multi-million unit selling crime action series. Thrusting players into a mature neo-noir crime drama as vice cop Jack Slate and his canine companion Shadow, the game introduces an innovative new hybrid combat system that seamlessly blends third-person shooting with hand-to-hand brawling and AI partner. For the first time in the series, players will also be able to play as ferocious canine Shadow with his own unique gameplay style and feel. Deadly on their own, Jack and Shadow are even more formidable as they team up to defeat the threats they uncover in Grant City.

“We’ve completely rebooted the Dead to Rights franchise to deliver a satisfying, visceral and action-packed gameplay experience for existing fans and new gamers,” said Olivier Comte, VP Marketing, sales and publishing, NAMCO BANDAI Partners SA.S.. “We’re boosting the action up another notch with an accessibly priced DLC pack filled with all new missions and game-enhancing bonus content.”

The “GAC Pack” will include two new completely different modes of gameplay as well as exciting bonus options to enrich the player’s experience with the core retail game. “Assault on the 87^th Precinct” is a new mission that reveals a flip side to the story, allowing players to experience the action from the GAC (Grant City Anti-Crime) enemy’s side of the battle. Players step into the boots of the GAC Sniper, Brawler and Tank characters as they converge upon the GCPD (Grant City Police Department) stronghold under orders to contain all police officers so they can secure a tactical advantage. In “Riot Control Mode,” Jack and Shadow fend off increasingly difficult waves of GAC forces to earn points and achievements based on speed and style, with high score bragging rights on international leaderboards. In addition, the previously exclusive “Jack Pack” and “Shadow Pack” are also included in the “GAC Pack” allowing players to access armor for Jack, stealth camouflage for Shadow, an “action mode” with explosive rounds gunplay, and a “noir mode” with a black, white and red graphic filter.

Developed by Volatile Games the “GAC Pack” DLC add-on content will be released on May 26 for Xbox LIVE Marketplace and on PlayStation Network. Players must have the retail game in order to access the “GAC Pack” content. For more information, please visit http://www.deadtorights.com/ or www.namcobandaipartners.com.au

About NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe:

NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S., is a leading interactive entertainment software publisher based in Cergy-Pontoise, France. The company is a part of the NAMCO BANDAI group of companies known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including the RidgeRacer™, Tekken™, SOULCALIBUR™, Tamagotchi™, Digimon™, Dragonball® and Naruto™ brands.

About Volatile Games

Volatile Games specializes in the creation of games for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system. Based in Leamington Spa in the UK, Volatile Games is dedicated to the creation of high-quality and high-profile boxed console games for a mature gaming audience. Volatile Games is a division of Blitz Games Studios, founded in 1990 by games industry veterans Philip and Andrew Oliver and currently one of the largest independent games developers in the world.  

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox LIVE are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

Dead to Rights™: Retribution & © 2010 NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

Press Release © 2010 NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S.

Award-winning Gameplay and Technology From EA’s Best-Selling Franchise
Maximised For Console and Handheld Players With All-New Platform-specific Features  

28 April 2010, Australia – The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts Inc. today announced that the critically-acclaimed The Sims™ 3 is in development for the PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, the Wii™ and Nintendo DS™, and will be available this spring!

Millions embraced the launch of The Sims 3 on the PC/Mac last winter making it the biggest PC launch in EA’s history and going on to become to the #1 best-selling PC title in 2009*. The groundbreaking The Sims franchise has continued to gain momentum, remaining a worldwide cultural touchstone for its enormous and growing fan base.

“We’re bringing players the best console and handheld game for The Sims franchise to date and are excited to offer a unique experience for all types of gamers on their platform of choice,” explained Sam Player, Executive Producer at EA. “Building on the unique traits system, living open neighbourhood, lifetime wishes and endless customisation options, we’ve tailored each platform of The Sims 3 with exclusive features to allow for even more control, creativity and connectivity.”

In The Sims 3 for console and handheld, players will be able to create Sims with unique personalities, fulfill their desires…or not, and control their lives within a living neighbourhood.

Additionally, all-new features make it easier than ever to mess with life as players can unlock the ultimate “Karma Powers” for instant control and unleash them on their Sims. Players can help their Sim “get lucky,” bless them with “instant beauty” or be deviant and curse them with an “epic fail.” But players should use these powers wisely—they may have unexpected results and karma may come back to bite.

Rich, immersive gameplay is complimented with a seamlessly integrated exchange system on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms. Gamers will now be more connected than ever before as they design, build and share their creations, and download content from other players around the world without ever leaving the game.** Facing short and long term challenges, players will reap rewards and trophies and can even share achievements with friends by connecting to Facebook**.

Exclusive to the Wii version, players will be able to enjoy an all-new beach town with unique residents, traits, careers and lifetime wishes. For the first time ever, players can enjoy The Sims 3 with friends by going head to head in the new “Life Moments” game to earn rewards.

Finally, players will also enjoy several adventure quests, as the game will challenge them to explore their town and discover the secrets therein.

Never before seen on Nintendo DS, players can use the stylus to build their Sims’ homes with tools, draw walls and floors, and customise virtually everything from décor objects, textures and more. Players will use the stylus to sculpt their Sims’ facial features, choose hair styles and clothing, and dictate personalities in the most robust Create a Sim yet for a handheld game.

In Story Mode, players will control multiple Sims within a family and enjoy life’s special moments. For the first time ever on the Nintendo DS, players can enjoy a complete life simulation as they guide their Sims through completing challenges to unlock additional items, new buildings and landmarks, and more.

“The Sims series’ continues to be one of the most successful videogames of all time by providing universally appealing content and focusing on the player’s imagination, emergent gameplay mechanics and the innate humor evident in the virtual world of The Sims,” said Scott Evans, General Manager of The Sims Studio. “We’re building on this foundation and applying new features that will make for a robust, deep and rewarding gameplay experience. I’m extremely proud of the game that the team is making and can’t wait to bring these exciting new features like Karma Powers to life and get them into players’ hands.”

The Sims 3 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and Nintendo DS is developed by The Sims Studio and is not yet rated by the OFLC.

For more information about The Sims 3, please go to http://AU.TheSims3.com. The Sims 3 is also available for PC, Mac, iPhone®, iPod touch® and mobile devices. To download artwork, please visit www.info.ea.com.


* In North America and Europe according to NPD data, Chart-track UK, Gfk France, Gfk Spain, Gfk-MCC Germany and EA internal estimate.
** INTERNET CONNECTION, EA Online Account, and registration with single-use serial code enclosed with new, full retail purchase of The Sims 3 for Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 required.  PlayStation®Network/Xbox LIVE® account required and separate fees may apply.  Some features subject to availability through PlayStation Network and/or Xbox LIVE. Registration is limited to one EA Account per serial code and is non-transferable once used.  You must be 13+ to register.  EA Online Terms & Conditions found at www.ea.com.

WD® Leads in 2.5-inch Areal Density with New 750 GB Notebook Hard Drives
WD Mobile Hard Drives with Advanced Format Technology Offer Highest Capacity For Mainstream Notebook Computers

Sydney, Australia: April 23, 2010 – WD® today announced that it is now shipping 750 GB of storage capacity in a standard-height 2.5-inch notebook hard drive — the industry’s highest capacity to date in this form factor. Designed for mainstream notebook computers, the WD Scorpio® Blue™ 750 GB hard drives utilize WD’s leading 375 GB-per-platter areal density and Advanced Format technology.

An ideal solution for notebook computers and other portable devices whose users require extreme capacities in a small package, extended battery life and cool, reliable operation, the WD Scorpio Blue 750 GB hard drive is also one of the quietest 2.5-inch drives on the market.

“WD continues to lead the market with capacity points that enable consumers and business professionals to store large quantities of data and rich media content,” said Jim Morris, WD’s senior vice president and general manager of Storage Products. “Our leading power efficiency, achieved without compromise to performance, is another example of the added features and value that our customers have come to expect from WD.”

Features of the WD Scorpio Blue include:

• Advanced Format technology – Technology being pioneered by WD and adopted by other drive manufacturers to increase media format efficiencies, thus enabling larger drive capacities.
• WhisperDrive™ – WD’s exclusive WhisperDrive technology combines state-of-the-art seeking algorithms to yield one of the quietest 2.5-inch hard drives on the market. These algorithms also optimize the way a drive seeks for data, which significantly improves power consumption.
• ShockGuard™ – Leading-edge ShockGuard technology protects the drive mechanics and platter surfaces from shocks.
• SecurePark™ – WD’s SecurePark technology parks the recording heads off the disk surface during spin up, spin down, and when the drive is off. This ensures the recording head never touches the disk surface resulting in improved long term reliability due to less head wear, and improved non-operational shock tolerance.
• Fast and efficient – Ultra-fast 3 gigabits per second (Gb/s) SATA interface speed yields performance fit for demanding mobile applications.
• Tested for compatibility – WD performs extensive tests on hundreds of systems and a multitude of platforms in its FIT Lab™ and Mobile Compatibility Lab to give our customers confidence that our drives will work in their systems.

Price and Availability
Manufacturer: Western Digital
Product Name: WD Scorpio Blue 750 GB
RRP: AU$139, NZ$179
Australia Distributors: Achieva Australia, Synnex Australia,
New Zealand Distributors: Synnex NZ, Ingram Micro NZ, VST NZ
Website: www.westerndigital.com
Warranty: Three-year limited warranty
Availability: Now   

About WD
WD, one of the storage industry’s pioneers and long-time leaders, provides products and services for people and organizations that collect, manage and use digital information. The company designs and produces reliable, high-performance hard drives and solid state drives that keep users’ data accessible and secure from loss. Its advanced technologies are configured into applications for client and enterprise computing, embedded systems and consumer electronics, as well as its own consumer storage and media products.

WD was founded in 1970. The company’s storage products are marketed to leading OEMs, systems manufacturers, selected resellers and retailers under the Western Digital® and WD brand names. Visit the Investor section of the company’s Web site (www.westerndigital.com) to access a variety of financial and investor information.

Sydney, Australia – 27^th April: Brace yourselves for a riveting glimpse into one of the darkest secrets of the “Halo” universe. This week is the premiere of “Birth of a Spartan”, a live-action short directed by award-winning director Noam Murro. “Birth of a Spartan” is a stirring depiction of the transformation of Carter 259, the future leader of Noble Team in “Halo: Reach”, from an ordinary young man to a superhuman Spartan warrior.

The highly classified bio-augmentation procedure is a Spartan candidate’s final and most difficult ordeal before joining the ranks of the legendary soldiers. The dramatic interpretation of Carter’s rebirth as a Spartan embodies the themes of courage, sacrifice and honour in “Halo: Reach” and gives viewers a unique look into the origins of a central character in the upcoming blockbuster game.

The short will be available on www.welcometonobleteam.com on Wednesday, April 28th at 2 p.m. EST. In addition to being able to view the short, users can also upload a photo of themselves and get an image created of them as a Spartan III.  On the following day, a special extended two minute 30 second version will be available for download on Xbox LIVE exclusively for Gold members.

“Birth of a Spartan” was directed by Noam Murro, the director of the 2008 feature film “Smart People” and numerous award-winning ad spots for Toshiba, Volkswagen and more. The recipient of the Director’s Guild of America’s 2005 Director of the Year award, Murro was also recently named the U.K.’s #1 director by Campaign magazine. For production of the short, Microsoft partnered with Biscuit Filmworks Co., a production company Murro founded in 2000.

Developed by acclaimed studio Bungie, “Halo: Reach” launches this year exclusively on Xbox 360 and is available for pre-order today in standard, Limited and Legendary editions. The “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta, which is poised to be the definitive Xbox LIVE event of this autumn, kicks off in one week on 4^th May. Players can access the beta via the “Halo 3: ODST” campaign disc.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The trailer contains content that may not be appropriate for children and therefore must be behind an age-gate with NO EXCEPTIONS

Motherboard Innovator Extends Its Leading Expertise to Enabling Full CPU Potential with Turbo Unlocker and Core Unlocker

Sydney, Australia, 27 April 2010 – ASUS once again provides timely, optimised solutions to utilise incoming technology from AMD, supporting the chip maker’s new six-core CPU design. Exclusive features added to ASUS 890FX motherboards realise the hexa-core architecture’s capabilities to the fullest degree.

Both ROG Crosshair IV Formula and M4A89TD PRO include the AMD 890FX chipset and deliver thrilling PC performance through award-winning ASUS exclusives Core Unlocker and Turbo Unlocker, empowering users with on-demand overclocking and performance boosts for greater CPU capabilities in real time. Combined with the potential of the new design from AMD, these motherboards provide an experience like no other.

ASUS shows the way in extreme PC performance with the inclusion of Core Unlocker on new 890FX boards. This technology remains the most reliable and successful way to unlock additional cores for performance improvements on motherboards using the AMD 800-series chipset. Core Unlocker makes it possible to turn a budget quad-core version of a CPU into a full six-cores for significant computing gains*.

It is accompanied by Turbo Unlocker, an intelligent overclocking engine that opens up CPU performance instantly by CPU core ratio when engaged in heavy computing or intensive tasks, including gaming.

Joe Hsieh, General Manager of Motherboard Business with ASUS, said, “ASUS will never stop developing the friendliest and most performance-boosting features available to consumers, whether enthusiasts, beginners or anyone else. Both Core Unlocker and Turbo Unlocker realise CPU potential, making them ideal for users looking for the best value on the best performance motherboards around.”

Real Time Boost on All Phenom II Black Edition CPUs (2/3/4/6 Cores)

Turbo Unlocker represents the next evolution of performance tuning from ASUS. Designed for AMD Black Edition and 6-core processors equipped with an unlockable multiplier, it intelligently adjusts CPU clock speeds with one-click input from users to attain even more computing power. When running single-core optimised applications, Turbo Unlocker dynamically adjusts resources and ensures maximum performance on dedicated cores. For multi-threaded applications, all cores supercharge to the highest performance available. Performance gains occur dynamically and instantly based on actual system conditions, so overclocking is always safe and stable.

Turning Four Cores into Six

Using a switch on both new motherboards, award-winning Core Unlocker is an ASUS exclusive that leads to fast and easy performance gains through the activation of latent CPU cores. One press sets Core Unlocker going as it scans the CPU for additional cores and puts them to work for major computational gains. Heavy multitasking, rendering and gaming go faster and better with additional cores available, as Core Unlocker can turn a dual-core CPU into a tri or quad, or turn quad-core versions into a full six-cores for significant computing gains*. In many cases Core Unlocker has demonstrated up to 103% in added performance—it is a supremely capable technology that injects great value into these motherboards.

Faster than Ever Connectivity

Both ROG Crosshair IV Formula and the M4A89TD PRO boast native next-generation data USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s. These super-fast connections bring users into the HD era with the speed and reliability needed to handle large files quickly. The motherboards feature two USB 3.0 ports each, transferring data at up to ten times the speed of USB 2.0, so moving an entire Blu-ray disc (25GB) takes just 70 seconds. SATA 6Gb/s offers twice the throughput of its predecessor, making hard drives noticeably more expedient.

With the performance and speed demanded by users constantly rising, these technologies could not have come at a better time.

Specifications

* Core unlocking results may vary with the CPU used.

Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Please visit www.asus.com for more details.

-       ends -

About ASUS

ASUS is a leading company in the new digital era, with a broad product portfolio that includes notebooks, netbooks, motherboards, graphics cards, displays, desktop PCs, servers, wireless solutions, mobile phones and networking devices. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s home and office users. ASUS won 3,268 awards in 2009, and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with the Eee PC™. With a global staff of more than 10,000 and a world-class R&D design team, the company’s revenue for 2009 was US$7.5 billion. ASUS ranks among BusinessWeek’s InfoTech 100, and has been on the listing for 12 consecutive years.

ASUS Motherboards: No.1 in the World

ASUS is the No.1 motherboard brand in the world, commanding the biggest market share globally. Today, one in every three computers houses an ASUS Motherboard. ASUS is the pioneer of numerous innovations that have gone on to become industry standards. Recent examples include the Hybrid Phase power design, Hybrid Processor and Hybrid Switch overclocking design, and Protect 3.0 for safe operation. With its decades of expertise and dedication to pushing the envelope of motherboard design, ASUS is poised to continue leading the industry in motherboard performance, safety and reliability.