Category: Software

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has announced a slate of mobile games to be released this year.

From Spider-Man 3 to Jeopardy, the studio’s offerings range from puzzle and classic arcade games to those based on blockbuster feature films, Sony PlayStation platforms, and America’s favorite television game shows.

Timed with the release of the movie Spider-Man 3 is a 2D side-scrolling game that takes advantage of Spider-Man’s darker side. Utilising his new-found Black suit and its increased powers, Spider-Man is stronger and more aggressive than ever. Stop villains with fierce hand-to-hand combat, earn intense combination moves, and have fun with agile navigation.

Fans can use the destructible environment to feed the power of the black suit: punch, climb, swing, jump, shoot webs and break objects. Spider-Man must fight numerous thugs and stop disasters caused by key characters from the movie. In the final scenes, Spider-Man returns to his more modest blue suit to fight against Venom using skill and prowess, since he no longer has the power of the Black Suit to defeat him with force.

Then there is the Spider-Man Puzzle. It is a casual mobile game inspired by the motion pictures, this is a “match 3 with a path” game where the player matches three or more identical game pieces on a grid-shaped board in order to advance, score points and defeat villains – Venom, Goblin and Sand-Man.

Backgrounds are inspired by the film, and the path is a significant addition to the popular match three gameplay. Making matches uncovers a path, which the player moves along as it is revealed, allowing for a number of story-driven elements including interacting with other characters. A character follows a path on a scrolling board. Game levels can be completed in short 3-5 minute sessions, each level becoming increasingly difficult.

Another game is God of War: Betrayal. Taking place after the events of God of War, in this first installment of the God of War mobile series, Kratos wages a bloody campaign as the new God of War. During battle, humans and Gods alike mistakenly accuse Kratos of betraying the Olympians.

As the fury of the Gods rain down upon him, Kratos must clear his name and win back the favor of Olympus. Original story from the Writer of the console game, this title features a cutting edge mobile 2D character animation engine, triple the number of frames per second versus recent competitive titles, and a rich interactive environment.

Jeopardy! 2007 is a sequel to the quiz game. There is a newly designed interface, all content is created by writers of the hit TV Show. Opportunities exist to win over 75 different virtual trophies and badges.

The game includes five modes of play including single, against computer, and play against other contestants in daily tournaments. Users can play the category of the day or download randomly generated games based on existing content. This is a subscription game with fresh content delivered monthly.

In Jump That Car fans can drive a buggy through environments filled with hills and valleys, taking crazy jumps and trying to make even crazier landings. The challenge is to drive and jump the car while landing as smooth as possible, overcoming hills, ramps, tunnels and obstacles. During the race, the player can collect power-ups which will enhance the buggy’s performance.

All of the collectibles will be placed in the air, requiring the player to adjust the speed of the jump to collect the power-up. Players can race alone, against a ghost buggy of their previous best time or play a crash mode, where the farthest crash-landing wins. Features single player with multiple modes (race, survival, and crash), pass and play multiplayer with 2 modes, physics-based jumps and landings, and easy one thumb play.

The other titles available include James Bond: Casino Royale, Ghostbusters and Elevator Action.

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has announced a slate of mobile games to be released this year.

From Spider-Man 3 to Jeopardy, the studio’s offerings range from puzzle and classic arcade games to those based on blockbuster feature films, Sony PlayStation platforms, and America’s favorite television game shows.

Timed with the release of the movie Spider-Man 3 is a 2D side-scrolling game that takes advantage of Spider-Man’s darker side. Utilising his new-found Black suit and its increased powers, Spider-Man is stronger and more aggressive than ever. Stop villains with fierce hand-to-hand combat, earn intense combination moves, and have fun with agile navigation.

Fans can use the destructible environment to feed the power of the black suit: punch, climb, swing, jump, shoot webs and break objects. Spider-Man must fight numerous thugs and stop disasters caused by key characters from the movie. In the final scenes, Spider-Man returns to his more modest blue suit to fight against Venom using skill and prowess, since he no longer has the power of the Black Suit to defeat him with force.

Then there is the Spider-Man Puzzle. It is a casual mobile game inspired by the motion pictures, this is a “match 3 with a path” game where the player matches three or more identical game pieces on a grid-shaped board in order to advance, score points and defeat villains – Venom, Goblin and Sand-Man.

Backgrounds are inspired by the film, and the path is a significant addition to the popular match three gameplay. Making matches uncovers a path, which the player moves along as it is revealed, allowing for a number of story-driven elements including interacting with other characters. A character follows a path on a scrolling board. Game levels can be completed in short 3-5 minute sessions, each level becoming increasingly difficult.

Another game is God of War: Betrayal. Taking place after the events of God of War, in this first installment of the God of War mobile series, Kratos wages a bloody campaign as the new God of War. During battle, humans and Gods alike mistakenly accuse Kratos of betraying the Olympians.

As the fury of the Gods rain down upon him, Kratos must clear his name and win back the favor of Olympus. Original story from the Writer of the console game, this title features a cutting edge mobile 2D character animation engine, triple the number of frames per second versus recent competitive titles, and a rich interactive environment.

Jeopardy! 2007 is a sequel to the quiz game. There is a newly designed interface, all content is created by writers of the hit TV Show. Opportunities exist to win over 75 different virtual trophies and badges.

The game includes five modes of play including single, against computer, and play against other contestants in daily tournaments. Users can play the category of the day or download randomly generated games based on existing content. This is a subscription game with fresh content delivered monthly.

In Jump That Car fans can drive a buggy through environments filled with hills and valleys, taking crazy jumps and trying to make even crazier landings. The challenge is to drive and jump the car while landing as smooth as possible, overcoming hills, ramps, tunnels and obstacles. During the race, the player can collect power-ups which will enhance the buggy’s performance.

All of the collectibles will be placed in the air, requiring the player to adjust the speed of the jump to collect the power-up. Players can race alone, against a ghost buggy of their previous best time or play a crash mode, where the farthest crash-landing wins. Features single player with multiple modes (race, survival, and crash), pass and play multiplayer with 2 modes, physics-based jumps and landings, and easy one thumb play.

The other titles available include James Bond: Casino Royale, Ghostbusters and Elevator Action.

MUMBAI: Sony today unveiled a portable multimedia PC with Blu-ray Disc technology that packs power and entertainment into a compact package.

Part of a series, the new VAIO FZ notebook comes in multiple configurations, including a premium and standard model. The premium version plays Blu-ray Disc high-definition content so you can enjoy movies in full 1080 HD resolution, as well as record, store and play back personal content on high-capacity BD media.

Weighing less than six pounds, the FZ notebook is designed to maximize LCD real estate integrating space-saving, engineering refinements throughout the chassis. Combined with Sony’s patented XBrite-HiColor technology (on the premium model), the result is a 15.4-inch widescreen display that produces razor-sharp details and crisp, bold colors within the “footprint” of a much smaller notebook.

The FZ premium model also has an HDMI™ connector so you can connect to a high-definition television.

Sony Electronics senior VP VAIO product marketing Mike Abary says, “With the premium model, we are bringing the power of Blu-ray to a portable PC at an unprecedented price of about $2,000. Now consumers can enjoy stunning HD entertainment on their terms— virtually anywhere, any time.”

The new PC incorporates an Intel Centrino Duo processor technology and built-in 802.11n wireless LAN technology for high-speed, wireless computing with greater range and reliability than ever before. A compatible 802.11n access point is required. The model comes pre-installed with the Windows Vista™ Home Premium operating system.

The FZ notebook includes multimedia controls just above the keyboard. With the push of a button the user can go straight to his/her CDs, pictures — even watch movies — without ever booting up the operating system (on the standard model).

And with Sony’s original Sound Reality technology, the FZ notebook offers professional-quality, high-resolution surround-sound.

The new model also comes loaded with LocationFree software so you can “place-shift” live TV, access your personal video recorder or DVD player, and view that content on your notebook via the Internet (base station and broadband connectivity required).

An integrated camera and microphone let you send video messages. You can enjoy this feature with free video messaging services, such as AOL Instant Messenger, and stay connected to family, friends and co-workers with user-friendly chat and video mail functions (broadband connection and third-party services required).

The FZ notebook supports ExpressCard, letting you port data at incredible speeds. This makes it easy to transfer video and large files from external devices to your PC. The unit also includes S-video, which enables convenient connectivity to televisions, cameras and projectors. It also supports all versions of Memory Stick Flash media.

MUMBAI: US broadcaster Fox and Electronic Arts will release a game based on the show The Simpsons.

Created in partnership with Gracie Films, the game will have a storyline crafted by the TV show’s writers. The action-comedy will also feature the full cast of voice actors from the TV show who will reprise their roles for the game.

In the game the show‘s characters Homer, Marge, Bart, and Lisa use powers to save the world from rising chaos. To help the Simpsons, gamers at home must journey through all of Springfield (as well as vast worlds beyond!), vanquish an amazing array of villains, and fight their way through parodies of multiple popular games.

Scot Amos who is serving as the executive producer of the project says, “Our goal in developing The Simpsons Game is to create the most original game ever, which is a lofty goal and only possible given the close collaboration with The Simpsons creative team.

“We are also especially proud of the game’s warm visual feel, which captures – for the first time ever in a game – the look of the TV show.” As Comic Book Guy says, ’Best. Simpsons Game. Ever!’”

MUMBAI: US media conglomerate News Corp‘s social networking site MySpace has announced that it has put up a new system for copyright management called Take Down Stay Down.

The system is designed to keep content that has been removed from MySpace.

When a content owner informs MySpace that a user has improperly posted its content onto MySpace Videos, not only is the video promptly removed, but it also creates a digital fingerprint of the video content and adds it to its copyright filter, which is based on Audible Magic technology.

If any user tries to upload the same content that has been removed, the filter will recognize the digital fingerprint and block the content from being uploaded.

Fox Interactive Media executive VP and general counsel Michael Angus said, “MySpace is pleased to be the first website to implement a more effective solution to this challenging problem. This is a ground-breaking and unprecedented benefit for copyright owners that re-enforces MySpace‘s position as the leader in copyright protection on the internet.”

MUMBAI: Epson has announced the launch of Epson Dreamio EMP-TW1000, a home theatre projector. The company claims 1080p 3LCD High Definition projector is the world‘s first consumer projecting device with a HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) 1.3 input interface.

Priced at Rs 2,15,000 the Epson EMP-TW1000 delivers impeccable image quality with a slew of advanced breakthrough features. Equipped with vertical and horizontal lens shift, one can get the right image even if the projector is off-centre. The 2.1x wide zoom is incorporated into the lens which makes the projector capable of beaming an 80-inch screen from just 2.5m.

While standard HDTV broadcasts and DVD movies are delivered on 8-bit colour depth, HDMI 1.3 supports a revolutionary 30-bit ‘Deep Colour‘ format. ‘Deep Colour‘ supports 1.8 times as many colours as the common RGB (Red, Green, Blue) primary colours that make up most of the digital images that we see.


With a high 12,000:1 contrast ratio, Epson Cinema Filter and Epson Super White, the projector gives ultra realistic images both in deep blacks and bright backgrounds.
Epson‘s Auto Iris Optical System is an intelligent engine which controls lamp brightness at an amazing 60 times per second. For optimal optical efficiency, Epson‘s proprietary E-TORL (Epson-Twin Optimise Reflection Lamp) with 1200 ANSI lumens is more than capable of beaming clear and striking images for the home theatre.

MUMBAI: In a bid to enrich and excite its 2 million community, eBay India has announced an array of initiatives.

eBay India has launched two new features – eBay Blogs and My World, enabling its community members to express their personality and increase their engagement with each other.

eBay India country manager Rajan Mehra said, “We introduced the My World and eBay Blogs feature to enable the fast growing eBay community to interact and exchange views on a common platform. We hope this will facilitate interaction between trading partners that will amount to better understanding, higher satisfaction and greater transparency and connection within the eBay community.”

eBay Blogs allow community members an opportunity to create their own personalised publication. Blogs are your personalised space to showcase your personality, opinions and knowledge. one can share bidding tips, movie trivia, vacation tales or astrology gyan. Sellers can use the blogs to creatively promote their products and attract buyers.

eBay has also introduced a new profile page for its community called eBay My World. My World can be used to show the rest of the eBay community who you are! Users, who have been trading with each other for years together, can give a face and personality to the eBay id. The My World page complements eBay users‘ About Me page and enables them to showcase their personality and interests by creating a special landing page combining many of the features already available on eBay.

Users can customise their page‘s look, layout and content through a variety of available features and modules:

* Feedback – Member Feedback will always be prominently displayed at the top of My World so that you can instantly see the transaction history of each member.

* Listings – One can display ones current listings and customise how they appear on ones page.

* Photo or Icon – One can upload ones own personal photo or choose from over 30 icons to represent oneself.

* Bio – Provide a description of yourself, your interests, your selling policies or anything else you want to include. You can also create search tags that make it easy for other members to find you.

* Shop – eBay Shop sellers will have their own Shop module with customisable promotion boxes.

* Find people with similar interests and passions – Ones interests, hobbies, things one buys, things you sell etc, get tagged on the My World page. When one clicks on a tag, one get to see all people who have similar interest as yours.

MUMBAI: Contests2win.com (C2W) has launched Web Charades.

This it says is the world’s first Dumb Charades on video and is being done in association with digital interface devices firm Logitech.

Web Charades is the internet extension of Dumb Charades, the picnic and party game. Now for the first time, you can play this game online in the comfort of your home or office – all at the click of a mouse only on Contests2win.com.

Web Charades can be played at Contests2win.com. All the consumer has to do is guess the name of the movie that the model is “enacting” by understanding the cues that are given to him using the usual DumbCharades clues. Participants can WIN themselves a Logitech – QuickCam. What is unique is that this is done though video and not in the usual illustrated or animated formats.

C2W COO Raj Menon says, “The Internet is evolving and so are consumer’s expectations with regard to content. They are exposed to the very best from sites like YouTube and expect the same from Indian sites. C2w has been the pioneer when it comes to innovative solutions – this is c2w’s first foray into Video contesting using formats that the Indian consumer can relate to and enjoy.”

Logitech director-South Asia Moninder Jain says, “Web Charades brings to life the attributes of Logitech QuickCam – an interactive range of web cameras with outstanding features that combine quality with aesthetic elegance. The webcams allow users to experience echo-free audio with RightSound technology and tame bad lighting with their state of the art RightLight 2 Technology.

“Logitech is actively engaging the use of new media in the era of Web 2.0 and using opportunities like those that exist in adver-gaming to engage with the consumer in the most intuitive way possible.”

MUMBAI: IMG Media is to launch a new digital media production facility in Sydney, to complement its established television production capabilities

IMG Media already provides web, mobile, digital video content and many other services to the global sports, entertainment and fashion industries, with more than 300 people employed in digital media around the globe. Staff based in London, New York City, Cologne and Hamburg service more than 100 clients including Manchester United, Rugby World Cup and Wimbledon.

The Sydney operation will allow IMG Media to provide the full range of the digital media and technical services to new and existing clients not only in Australia and New Zealand, but throughout much of Asia Pacific. This will include web and mobile site production, hosting and operations; digital content creation and rights management; commercial and technical consulting and implementation; live and VOD streaming across various platforms and systems integration, as well as tapping into the substantial mobile content expertise of the recently acquired Nunet business in Germany.

IMG Media, Australia head of digital media Andrew Cronyn said, “Establishing digital production capabilities in Australia is the natural next step in evolving our already substantial international digital media business. It means we will now be able to provide Australian and Asian-based digital media clients with the same quality of service that we have been providing to other international high profile and high volume organisations for over ten years. It will also mean we can offer a truly 24/7, global service to all of our clients wherever they are located, with production staff now covering all time zones.”

IMG Media Australasia GM David Dodds adds, “TWI and IMG Media have been producing and distributing coverage of some of Australia’s and the world’s biggest sporting events, to the Australian television market place. Our new digital team will enhance our existing content business by being able not only to deliver to all platforms, but also to tailor content to the delivery medium. It will also open up substantial new areas of business for us by enabling us to cater to the growing part of the market that is bypassing television altogether “

NEW DELHI: Even as the government has admitted hacking of about twenty websites of the centre and states including law enforcement agencies, a Centre for Communication Security, Research and Monitoring is to be set up during the Eleventh Five Year Plan.

The Centre would help national security agencies by using high-technology methods and practices to keep tabs on those who might use computer and telecommunication networks to violate law and national interests.

Official sources told indiantelevision.com that the websites hacked included one of Delhi Police, apart from those of institutions linked to several central state Governments. These include four of the Kerala Government, three of the Government of Andaman, one each of the Governments of Assam and Punjab, and seven of central ministries or institutions including the National Knowledge Commission and the Depart of Information Technology.

The communications and information technology ministry says that as the hackers are from outside the country, they are not under control of the government and hence no action can be taken against them as it would be difficult to identify them. In any case, action is only initiated by the network service provider.

All the sites were provided by the National Information Centre, the Ministry sources claim that NICNET computer systems hosting websites are located in a physically-protected zone and access to them is controlled using access control, intrusion prevention systems, anti virus software, and application level firewall policies. All websites are audited for vulnerabilities before hosting on computers.

Meanwhile, IT Minister Dayanidhi told Parliament this week that India stood third after Japan and the United Kingdom in adopting Cyber Security Standards prescribed by the International Standards Organization (ISO), according to information compiled by the International Information Management System User Group. A policy in protection of critical infrastructure was in place and a panel of 55 IT security auditors had been created by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), he added.

Activities like lawful interception, monitoring and analysis as well as telecom testing and security certification would be undertaken by the proposed centre, for which a sum of Rs 500 million has been set aside by the Planning Commission. The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-Dot) is to be the nodal agency to implement this scheme whch was approved by the Cabinet in March.

The primary aim of the Centre is to combat threats relating to the reported use of telecom infrastructure by undesirable social and criminal elements.

The scheme envisages setting up of a core platform and software would be executed at a location that would act as a centralised national hub for lawful interception and for telecom testing and security certification.