Consumer Electronics Daily News

SEGA and Fox Consumer Products to Launch Aliens: Colonial Marines Globally on February 12, 2013

SEGA^® of America, Inc., SEGA^® Europe Ltd., Gearbox Software and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products are thrilled to announce that the highly anticipated first-person shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines™ will be in stores worldwide on February 12, 2013. As the authentic addition to the ALIENS franchise canon, the game’s stunning visuals and adrenaline pumping action will deliver breathtakingly immersive single, cooperative and competitive multi-player modes. Providing for an innovative asymmetrical competitive multiplayer experience, Aliens: Colonial Marines lets players fight in first person as the ultimate combatants – the United States Colonial Marines, or in third person as the universe’s deadliest killers – the Xenomorphs. Plunging into familiar and new environments from the iconic film franchise, players will have to fight the fear and face the true horrors of the ALIENS universe.

“I am thrilled to announce the definitive launch date for Aliens: Colonial Marines,” said Randy Pitchford, President of Gearbox Software. “Aliens: Colonial Marines is the culmination of a life-time of inspiration from the films and relentless passion and drive from the exceptionally talented development team behind the scenes.”

“We knew this game would be incredible from the moment Gearbox began developing Aliens: Colonial Marines,” said Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing for SEGA Europe and SEGA of America. “Now that the title is in its final stretch of development, we can confidently release the exact date that gamers will finally get to experience this blockbuster thrill-ride.”

“SEGA has a proven track record with the ALIENS franchise. ALIENS vs. PREDATOR released by SEGA in 2009 became one of their top-selling titles,” said Gary Rosenfeld, Senior Vice President for New Media for Fox Consumer Products. “We look forward to working with them and bringing an exciting new way for fans to immerse themselves in the ALIENS world.”

In partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and developed by critically acclaimed studio Gearbox Software, Aliens: Colonial Marines will bring new levels of bone-chilling suspense and adrenaline-filled action to the renowned franchise. Aliens: Colonial Marines begins with an ostensibly abandoned ship, the U.S.S. Sulaco, recovered in orbit around LV-426. Players lead a group of highly trained United States Colonial Marines as they board the deserted craft to uncover the fate of the crew. They will have to fight to survive unspeakable horrors and their own anxieties as they chase down the truth behind a galaxy-spanning deception that places humanity at the mercy of the most murderous and deadly species in the universe. Aliens: Colonial Marines features authentic environments, such as the surface of LV-426 and Hadley’s Hope, weapons inspired by the film series and is designed to provide an exhilarating and engaging new chapter in the ALIENS universe.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will be available in stores across the globe on February 12, 2013 on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC. A release date for the announced Wii U™ version will be revealed at a later time.

For more information, please visit www.sega.com/alienscolonialmarines

netTALK Launches netTALK DUO II

netTALK, a telecommunications, consumer electronics and cloud technology company, announces the launch of their most affordable solution yet, the netTALK DUO II. The netTALK DUO II is the same revolutionary, easy-to-use VoIP device that consumers everywhere count on for unbeatable reliability, call quality, depth and breadth of features, and cost-savings, with a major new feature: the cost savings are taken to unheard-of lower levels. The netTALK DUO II carries a suggested retail price of just $34.95, including three full months of free calling throughout the US and Canada, with all of the features netTALK DUO owners rave about.

“Even I am shocked and amazed that we are able to offer the new netTALK DUO II for the incredibly low price of $34.95,” commented Anastasios ‘Takis’ Kyriakides, President and CEO. “The netTALK DUO II offers a world of cost-savings and calling enjoyment with its easy, simple setup which does not require a computer to work. The neTALK DUO II offers amazing portability, with the option to use your existing number (number porting) or select a new free one, personalized customer service and tech support, and a seemingly endless list of free features. The netTALK DUO II liberates everyone from high monthly home phone bills and does it all for dramatically less money. Along with the initial savings, DUO to DUO calling is free anywhere in the world, which translates to savings of hundreds or even up to a thousand dollars per year. That kind of savings is something to talk about!”

The netTALK DUO II is designed for anyone who wants all the benefits of the netTALK DUO phone service that consumers and critics have been raving about ever since its introduction, at a lower cost. The netTALK DUO II comes with free, crystal-clear calling throughout the United States and Canada, and all the features, for a period of three months after initial set-up. netTALK offers a variety of flat rate low-cost international calling plans that you can chose from to fit your budget, starting at as little as $2.50 average per month. For an additional 12 months of standard service its only $29.95 for a total of 15 months of free service.

The netTALK DUO II is now available at netTALK.com and select retailers across the U.S. and Canada.

Open Source Survey Results Point To Era Of "Open Innovation On Demand"

North Bridge Venture Partners and Black Duck Software today announced the results of the sixth annual Future of Open Source Survey. Conducted in partnership with The 451 Group, the 2012 survey reveals that open source software (OSS) is leading innovation in major technology segments including mobile, cloud and big data, as well as creating innovative business models such as Open SaaS.  The quality of open source, and the ability to continuously improve, is now one of the top reasons for its adoption.

"The 2012 Future of Open Source Survey reveals the OSS market is thriving. This year's results show an important shift in respondents' view of OSS, focusing less on cost and more on how OSS can innovate and help create industries.  Taken together with applications like mobile and enabled by cloud, we are entering an exciting new era of 'Open Innovation on Demand,' where not only can OSS innovate faster, it can be deployed immediately and consumed as a service from the cloud," said Michael Skok, General Partner, North Bridge Venture Partners.

More than 700 respondents – the largest number in the survey's history – took part in the 2012 survey, including representatives from both vendor and non-vendor communities.  The survey, supported by over 25 collaborators, polled industry influencers about open source trends, opportunities and expectations for 2012 and beyond. Respondents were asked about a wide range of issues affecting the OSS landscape, including areas of growth in OSS, key drivers of and barriers to OSS adoption, and suggestions for building and maintaining profitable OSS business models.

Key Findings:

• Open source is leading, not following, in important areas including cloud, big data, mobile apps and enterprise mobility.
• Quality of open source is one of the top three reasons that make it attractive for use.
• More than 50 percent of software acquired in the next five years will be open source software.
• Respondents predicted that the top two trends for open source by 2015 will be the adoption of OSS in non-technical segments (e.g., health care, automotive, government) followed by general enterprise adoption, reflecting maturation in the OSS segment.
• Almost half (44 percent) of respondents identified data management as the segment most likely to be affected by OSS in 2012.
• Nearly half (43 percent) of respondents named "project maturity" as the most important factor when choosing an open source project for integration into a product or service.
• When asked about revenue generating strategies likely to create value for vendors, 52 percent of respondents said an annual, repeatable support and service agreement was the most likely value strategy.
• Challenges remain – for example, top barriers to selecting OSS versus proprietary software are unfamiliarity with OSS solutions and lack of internal technical skills among developers.

"The Future of Open Source Survey results point to much stronger adoption in the enterprise, expanding well beyond industries with deep OSS expertise," said Tim Yeaton, President and CEO, Black Duck Software.  "Automotive, mobile, financial services and IT services are rapidly adopting OSS, with nearly all incorporating cloud and mobile solutions. As we've come to expect, awareness of the competitive advantages enabled by open source technologies and methods is spreading rapidly."

This year's survey results point to three important conclusions:

1. Open source is not just fueling innovation, but leading it.  Important areas of innovation include big data, mobile apps and enterprise mobility, vertical-driven open source communities in industries including automotive, financial services, aerospace and others, and new business models like Open SaaS.
2. Broad-Scale Enterprise Adoption.  Results indicated that OSS use will be an even larger percentage of software acquisitions and purchases, that adoption by non-technical segments and broader adoption is gaining traction, particularly as OSS projects mature (the most popular factor in choosing specific open source projects), and that OSS quality, which was once used as an excuse for non-adoption, is now one of the top three reasons for adopting the code.
3. Open Source Remains a Good Investment and Smart Business Tool.  Data indicates that 2011 was a record year for OSS investment, which increased by 49 percent to $675M, and new software companies are increasingly based on OSS and adaptive business models.

The survey also points to challenges associated with OSS use, including finding personnel resources with the right knowledge and technical skills, and the complexity associated with OSS use – from choosing the right project from the over 600,000 available to managing the acquisition, integration, maintenance and support needs off OSS, along with learning to engage with the greater open source community and shifting both the style and culture of some development organizations. 

The survey results were released today during the opening panel at Computerworld's OSBC conference. The panel featured open source industry leaders Tim Yeaton, President & CEO, Black Duck Software; Tom Erickson, CEO, Acquia; Ryan Garner, VP, Direct-to-Consumer Services, Warner Music Group; and Gil Yehuda, Director of Open Source and Open Standards, Yahoo! Inc. The panel was chaired by Michael Skok, General Partner, North Bridge Venture Partners.  

"Our experiences with Open SaaS, Software-as-a-Service solutions built using open source technologies, has been game changing for how we create and manage our artist web properties," said Ryan Garner, Vice President, Direct-to-Consumer Services, Warner Music Group.  "As a company whose core competency is not engineering, we've often relied on proprietary SaaS products, but by introducing the power of open source into our SaaS relationships we have accelerated our ability to innovate, reduced costs and removed the risk of vendor lock-in.  We believe we are helping to create a disruptive model that will be a no brainer for companies like ours."

Motorola Mobility Showcases the Evolution of TV and a Smart, Simple Connected Home

Motorola Mobility, Inc. empowered the history of modern TV and the smart, simple connected home—and @ The Cable Show 2012, the company will show the industry how it is driving its future.

Motorola's mix of smart software, network and in-home technologies will be on display in a Living Room setting (Booth #733), demonstrating how the company is further empowering service providers to deliver on the promise of the IP Connected Home of the Future.

Motorola's Home and Network Cloud technology is a huge differentiator for providers staking their claim in the True TV Everywhere, personalization, and connected home experiences. Motorola will also be hosting one of the first HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) demonstrations in North America, showcasing a revolutionary new video compression technology that enables amazingly realistic images across multiple screens. 

"You can't talk about the future of TV or the connected home without talking about Motorola. We invented digital TV, launched the world's first wireless cable modem, and powered the first mass commercial launch of home automation in North America," said Dan Moloney, president, Motorola Mobility. "Today, Motorola is once again at the forefront of the next big media revolution, creating the enabling technologies for tomorrow's digital lifestyle."

EVOLVING TV THROUGH SMART SOFTWARE
Motorola unveiled its early vision for converged media experiences two years ago when it launched the Medios Multi-Screen Software Suite @ The Cable Show 2010. Since then, Motorola has continued innovating into the Medios platform and will showcase its latest advancements @ this year's show, including DreamGallery, Merchandiser, Video Flow and SecureMedia®.

Consumer demand for simple and continuous access to content will continue to explode, presenting a tremendous opportunity for service providers to extend and brand content beyond the traditional TV set. With a modular approach, Medios enables service providers to develop multi-screen offerings faster, differentiate and brand the experience, and monetize an infinite array of content—ultimately staying on top of the increasing complexity in the home.

Medios continues to attract top-tier customers, due to its flexibility, open approach and industry-leading DRM. This month, Motorola disclosed a key customer win for Medios, and plans to announce more, on a global front, in the months ahead.

Time Warner Cable Selects SecureMedia® Encryptonite ONE™ HLS+ by Motorola Medios
Finally, entertainment – everywhere. Time Warner Cable's subscribers will be able to enjoy their favorite Hollywood and network entertainment on their device of choice – thanks to SecureMedia, from Motorola Mobility. Time Warner Cable selected the SecureMedia Encryptonite ONE HLS+ solution to streamline its video distribution across a variety of devices – including smartphones, tablets, game consoles, connected TVs and Blu-Ray players – and avoid the cost and complication of operating multiple streaming platforms and security systems to reach multiple device types.

DRIVING EVEN MORE EFFICIENCIES IN THE CLOUD WITH HEVC AND nDVR
HEVC – Optimize Bandwidth Delivery in the Cloud
Motorola will showcase one of the first HEVC demonstrations in North America at The Cable Show 2012.  The demonstration will highlight how HEVC dramatically improves video quality in a bandwidth-efficient, yet cost-disruptive way.

HEVC video compression technology reduces bandwidth by 50 percent in comparison to MPEG4 AVC/H.264 – while still delivering similar video quality. HEVC provides stunning video resolution in the home and makes HD video over wireless links (Wi-Fi or cellular) much more practical and attainable for service providers. Additionally, HEVC can be a significant factor in dramatically reducing storage costs for in-home and networked DVRs.

This revolutionary compression technology was jointly developed by ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG). Motorola's HEVC demonstration builds on its heritage of network innovations and the importance of video compression in driving the evolution of TV. Motorola has been an active contributing member of MPEG2 (1993) and MPEG4 (2008) standards.

Visit Booth #733 to see a powerful side-by-side comparison of HEVC and MPEG4 AVC/H.264.

nDVR – Say Goodbye to Storage Wars and Welcome to True TV Everywhere
Motorola will also be highlighting how new technologies such as network DVR (nDVR) leverage the efficiencies in the cloud and providers' networks to deliver the unlimited storage capacities their consumers have been clamoring for...and, ultimately, a true TV Everywhere experience.

Consumers today are already embracing the concept of accessing their video content anywhere in the world.  Motorola's own research tracked a five-fold jump in mobile viewing in just one year. Enter the nDVR – the key to that true multi-screen experience. By migrating DVR functionality into the network, providers can deliver the convenience and anytime, anyplace, any screen access to content their consumers crave.

DELIVERING THE IP CONNECTED HOME OF THE FUTURE...TODAY
Motorola invites you into the Living Room of Tomorrow – where the set-top is evolving…and getting smarter and more connected. 

And, with the number of connected devices predicted to increase to +24 billion by 2020, Motorola sees a very bright future.

A future in which its DCX3600 Video Gateway – nextgen set-top technology – evolves to become the entertainment hub in the Living Room...morphing into the Center of the IP Connected Home.

And while there is a lot of talk about emerging TV technologies, Motorola's Video Gateway portfolio is uniquely positioned to deliver the connectivity and access to rich content that consumers are craving, across all of their screens.

At The Cable Show, Motorola will be showcasing how its DCX3600 Video Gateway's powerful combination of hardware, software, and cloud technologies maximizes service providers' infrastructure investments to deliver the anytime, anyplace, any screen experiences their consumers crave...today. The DCX3600 will be feeding content from a variety of sources to a variety of devices – including a connected TV and tablet – to demonstrate how subscribers can view, record, or play video on any networked device (TV, tablet, smartphone, gaming console), in any room, seamlessly. 

The future of the set-top is just one example of how Motorola is driving the evolution of TV and a smart, simple connected home through innovative hardware and software technologies.

Others include:

• SecureMedia® Encryptonite ONE™ HLS+ from Motorola Medios
• DreamGallery™ from Motorola Medios – HTML5 & Home Cloud Technology. DreamGallery is to TV what search was to the Web. Discover next-generation TV that's as personalized, dynamic and rich as the Internet. Service providers can offer an on-screen interface that can be customized to each subscriber and updated on-the-fly to include new services, features and applications. DreamGallery will also allow them to deliver the first consistent TV Everywhere experience across multiple screens.
• Managed Home Solutions – End-to-End Solutions for Connected Home Services. Motorola's Managed Home Solutions – including the award-winning 4Home platform – provide a full-service suite of platform, network and cloud-based tools for enabling connected home services that help consumers save time, energy, and money via remote monitoring and control of their home. 

EMPOWERING THE IP CONNECTED HOME OF THE FUTURE THROUGH SMARTER NETWORK TECHNOLOGY
Motorola also continues to add intelligence to the network to help deliver more bandwidth for more video, data and connections. At The Cable Show 2012, Motorola will be demonstrating how its intelligent network evolution empowers providers to deliver the complete home ecosystem of the future.

Motorola's latest network innovations that will be on display at the show include:

• VSN200 Optical Node (NEW) – The VSN200 1 GHz 2X2 Optical Node provides the smart solution to a complex issue facing service providers today: How do you economically provide ultra-broadband services, while optimizing your existing infrastructure, to deliver the future of TV? Operators can repurpose existing housings by efficiently installing the new system using only an Electronics Package (E-Pack) and Lid swap, avoiding the costly downtime of cutting out the entire node to make the upgrade. As a result, they can quickly upgrade their network, minimize installation times, and avoid costly downtimes associated with removing the entire node
• 10Gig CherryPicker (NEW) – The CherryPicker® Application Platform (CAP) represents leading-edge IP-based solutions for today's high-density digital video applications for Digital Program Insertion, EBIF Ad Decision Management, rate shaping, and stream conditioning. Motorola is addressing the proliferation of 10G networking with a Fall 2012 upgrade to the CAP-1000 standard configuration that includes 10G I/O networking support—-a 10-fold increase in I/O capability. For service providers, this means reduced complexity—as the CAP-1000 can be connected directly to core networking gear—and greater flexibility in traditional DPI and multiplexing applications.
• SRM10 (NEW) – Motorola will also showcase the Supervisory Routing Module (SRM) 10G, a new combined control, switch fabric and network interface card for the BSR 64000 DOCSIS platform that increases the platform's IP ingest capacity by a factor of six. Together with the TXPlus card, the SRM10G enables the BSR 64000 to expand downstream bandwidth by 300% making it the highest density CMTS available. This enables service providers to cost effectively support the growing demand for downstream bandwidth and protects their investment BSR 64000's as they migrate to CCAP.
• TXPlus – Consumer demand for both OTT and managed IP video is increasing bandwidth requirements by 40-60 percent per year. Motorola continues to steadily increase channel density to keep providers ahead of this explosive growth. It recently set a new standard with the TXPlus software upgrade for Motorola's TX32 decoupled downstream module. As a result, Motorola will have the highest density integrated or modular CMTS with a fully redundant system of 384 DOCSIS 3.0 downstream and 288 upstream channels per CMTS and 768 downstream and 576 upstream channels in a standard rack
• APEX3000 –Motorola will also showcase its APEX3000 high-density, CCAP compatible universal edge QAM and its Automated Backup Service, which offers secure incremental offsite data backup with automated alerts and easy management. When fully configured, the APEX3000 uses 80 percent less power or <1W of power per QAM channel versus previous versions.
• ST-6000 Series Transcoder – Motorola's new ST-6000 series transcoder supports evolving network needs and headend requirements – while reducing overall costs – by delivering the highest-quality video per channel within a given bandwidth...or increasing the number of video channels in a given bandwidth with no loss of video quality. The ST-6000 offers flexible channel configurations for significant capital and operational savings and a highly simplified deployment model. With options to consolidate up to 12 channels of MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 onto a single 1RU platform, the ST-6000 provides an up to 80 percent reduction in power consumption and up to 90 percent savings in overall headend space requirements compared to single channel transcoding solutions.

Dolby Elevates the Quality of Lossless Audio on Blu-ray

Dolby Laboratories, Inc. today announced the ability for studios, authoring houses, and mastering facilities to unlock the full sonic potential of television, movie, and music content, further elevating playback performance of lossless audio on Blu-ray Disc™.

Blu-ray Discs premastered using Dolby^® TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling can now deliver to consumers a full-range high-definition surround sound experience ensuring optimum performance from today’s advanced A/V receivers and Blu-ray Disc players. The new Dolby TrueHD coding solution enables facilities to integrate the benefits of 96 kHz playback quality audio into the final master while simultaneously reducing the incidence of digital artifacts introduced during the content-creation process.

“Lossless audio is a key distinguishing feature of Blu-ray content. All things being equal, you cannot improve on the quality of lossless audio coding; however, you can improve on the quality of the source PCM content prior to lossless encoding, and this is precisely what we have achieved with our advanced 96k upsampling technology,” said Craig Eggers, Director, Content Creation and Playback, Home Theater Ecosystem, Dolby Laboratories. “A significant amount of Hollywood content has been captured in native 48 kHz. Studios and authoring facilities that implement Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling can elevate the quality of PCM audio prior to lossless Dolby TrueHD encoding, ensuring that consumers get the very best audio performance possible from their Blu-ray playback systems.”

Besides enabling optimum 96k upsampling, this technology features a unique apodizing filter that “masks” the unwanted digital artifacts known as “preringing,” which is introduced during the content-capture and content-creation process. These digital artifacts can introduce an unnatural edginess or harshness to the audio. Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling restores the natural tonality of the soundtrack. The effect can be subtle or dramatic, depending on the quality of the source material. Content mastered with Dolby TrueHD with advanced upsampling is fully playback compatible with all Dolby TrueHD enabled Blu-ray™ players and A/V receivers. Listeners are assured the highest-quality playback experiences possible through their systems.

Respected authoring houses and mixing facilities worldwide have recently upgraded to Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling within the Dolby Media Producer Encoder v2 to provide customers with the highest-quality audio experience available on Blu-ray. These facilities include United States-based Deluxe Digital Studios, Giant Interactive, Mi Casa Multimedia, POP Sound, and Technicolor^®; and leading Greater China-based companies Best & Original Production Limited, Hualu Publishing & Media Co., Ltd., and Media Asia Films.

“Deluxe Digital Studios recently installed Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling after we conducted a blind test, and everyone agreed the upsampled stream was better than the original,” said Roger Fiets, Technical Manager, DVD and Blu-ray Audio, Deluxe Digital Studios. “With the advanced 96k upsampling treatment, the sound was clearer and is especially advantageous for titles that have levels ranging close to 0dBFS, delivering less fatigue for the listener.”

“We were particularly impressed with the excellent results of Dolby’s new Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling on one of our most recent projects, the San Francisco Symphony at 100 Blu-ray,” said Luke Fazzary, Director of Operations, Giant Interactive. “We’re very pleased to be able to share the benefits of this technology with our clients and plan to use it on future projects, whether concerts, live-action films, or episodic programming.”

“One of the best features in Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling is the apodizing filter, which makes remarkable improvement in the articulation in high-frequency attacks while simultaneously cleaning up midrange mush,” said Brant Biles, President and Chief Engineer, Mi Casa Multimedia. “Upsampling with the apodizing filter on any program information, whether it is music, dialogue, or effects, delicately unveils the sound and adds an extra dimension of depth and clarity. Job well done, Dolby!”

“I am very impressed with Dolby TrueHD advanced 96k upsampling as it definitely makes a difference with some of the transient elements of the audio mix,” said Tim Hoogenakker, Senior Mixer, POP Sound. “For example, when I used the advanced 96k upsampling on a portion of a film that I mixed recently, I noticed the cannon shots had a sharp transient quality that blended well with the loud crack and thump of the cannon fire that provided much more depth at 96k.”

“As a pioneer on the premastering of Blu-ray Disc in Greater China, Best & Original constantly seeks for innovative technologies that help us better maintain the artistic intent of the content and bring the home theater viewing experience to a higher level,” said Michael Lau, Production Director, Best & Original Production Limited. “Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling definitely is one of the best from this perspective, and we are delighted to be the one of the first production houses in the region to use this solution with the latest Chinese blockbuster Blu-ray release, The Flowers of War.”

“As one of the top studios in the region, Media Asia’s mission is to offer the best possible entertainment experience for people in the cinema and at home. The capability of Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling delivers superior audio that fulfills our needs,” said Ricky Tse, General Manager, Sales & Distribution, Media Asia Films. “We are planning to use Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling in the Blu-ray version of a series of movies set to be released in this calendar year.”

Dolby plays a critical role in ensuring that the artistic intent of the audio mix is maintained through the entertainment ecosystem, from the soundstage into the home theater. Dolby TrueHD delivers powerful sound that is bit-for-bit identical to the original studio master, unlocking the full entertainment value of Blu-ray Disc and other HD media. The advanced 96k upsampling raises the bar for playback of movies, television, and concert films mastered for Blu-ray Disc. Beyond the Greater China release of The Flowers of War, Blu-ray Disc titles including the Joe Satriani concert film, Satchurated: Live in Montreal, and San Francisco Symphony at 100 have been premastered using Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling.

To learn more about the use of Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling used in the San Francisco Symphony at 100 Blu-ray Disc release, visit https://vimeo.com/42325868.

Hear director and producer François Lamoureux and drummer Jeff Campitelli give insight into the making of the Joe Satriani concert film Satchurated: Live in Montreal now available in Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling, http://vimeo.com/42316824.

Studio staff and others interested in learning more about Dolby TrueHD with advanced 96k upsampling can read the following PDF white papers: Dolby TrueHD Encoder with Advanced 96k Upsampling and Elevating the Performance of Lossless Audio in the Home Theater: Dolby TrueHD with Advanced 96k Upsampling.

Turtle Beach's Expanded Lineup Of Wireless, Mobile And Dolby Surround Sound Gaming Headsets In Stores Now

Turtle Beach, pioneers and market-leaders of the gaming headset category, proudly announce its expanded lineup of premium quality headsets, all of which are now available online and at major retailers. Following the success of the XP500 – the world's first gaming headset with full wireless Xbox LIVE® Chat– Turtle Beach is expanding the line and building upon its first generation. Details on the latest offerings include:

• Ear Force XP400 Wireless Dolby® Surround Sound Xbox 360® Headset with Wireless Xbox LIVE®  Chat;  MSRP $219.95
• Ear Force XP300 Wireless Stereo Xbox 360® Headset with Wireless Xbox Chat; MSRP $169.95
  • Designed for the hard-core gamer, the Ear Force XP400 and XP300 include a rechargeable battery, 5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi technology, 50mm speakers and dual-pairing Bluetooth technology that provides wireless Xbox LIVE® chat for a truly wireless gaming experience with premium audio quality.

 

• Ear Force X42 Wireless Dolby® Surround Sound Xbox 360® Headset; MSRP $159.95
• Ear Force X32 Wireless Stereo Xbox 360® Headset; MSRP $99.95
  • These classic headsets replace the popular Ear Force X41 and X31 models and feature 5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi technology that actively navigates the wireless landscape in your home or office to find open bandwidth and eliminate interference with wireless devices and LANs.

 

• Ear Force M5 Mobile Gaming Headset; MSRP $49.95
• Ear Force M3 Mobile Compact Gaming Headset; MSRP $39.95
• Ear Force M1 Mobile Gaming Ear Buds with In-Line Mic; MSRP $59.95
  • For the gamer on the go, Turtle Beach's new M-Series mobile lineup includes both over the ear headsets and ear buds equipped with in-line microphones for hands free calling or chatting during gameplay. High fidelity drivers and noise isolating designs deliver premium audio without disturbing those around you

 

• Ear Force DP11 Dolby® Surround Sound Gaming Headset; MSRP $119.95
• Ear Force DXL1 Dolby® Surround Sound Gaming Headset; MSRP $99.95
  • The DP11 and DXL1 are the world's lowest cost Dolby Surround Sound headsets for value-conscious Xbox 360® and PlayStation® gamers. Both models include Turtle Beach's state-of-the-art DSS2 Dolby® Surround Sound Processor featuring adjustable surround sound angles and multiple equalizer presets to deliver a stunning audio experience.

 

• Ear Force Z11 Stereo PC Gaming Headset; MSRP $39.95
  • The Z11 includes comfortable circumaural ear cups and acoustically angled speakers with 50mm drivers to deliver superior audio quality for PC gamers on a budget.

Microsoft Announces Return of PC and Xbox 360 Offer for Students

Microsoft Corp. today announced the return of its successful student offer that allows students buying a qualifying Windows 7-based PC to also get a free Xbox 360 4GB console. The offer is available for current students while supplies last, starting May 20 at participating retailers in the U.S.; a similar offer will be available starting May 18 at participating retailers in Canada. Terms and conditions will vary by participating retailer.

Together, a Windows 7-based PC and an Xbox 360 console provide students the functionality they need for school while also helping them stay connected to friends and family far away. To take advantage of this offer, students or their parents must provide valid student identification as defined by the participating retailer. Participating retailers may change over the course of the promotion, but will include Best Buy, Fry's Electronics, Dell.com, HPDirect.com, Microsoft Stores and NewEgg.com in the U.S., and Best Buy, Dell.ca, Future Shop, Staples and The Source in Canada.

Windows 7-based PCs come in a wide variety of styles, sizes and colors; many new thin and light options such as the Dell XPS 13, HP ENVY15 and Samsung Series 5 ULTRA boast high-definition displays and fast boot-up times, and are super lightweight for great mobility. With an Xbox 360 console, students can have fun gaming while also enjoying a range of entertainment options, including streaming videos, sports, music and more.

Customers can check with participating retailers for more information about this offer.

Sprint Simplifies Wireless Communications for Individuals with Speech Disabilities

Sprint today has made it easier for individuals with speech disabilities to initiate calls using a wireless phone. Sprint’s newly launched “My Wireless STS” service enables individuals with speech disabilities to simply dial a short wireless code – *787 – to place an operator-assisted call.

A Speech to Speech (STS) operator listens to the conversation and repeats the words of the person with a speech disability to the other party. STS users can instruct the STS operator to repeat every word spoken or to simply repeat the words that are unclear. No special equipment is needed.

STS users can access the *787 service from anywhere in the country 24 hours a day, 365 days per year – and at no charge to the user.

“We are very excited to announce *787 – a service that’s tailored to the needs of STS users,” said Michael Ellis, Director, Sprint Relay. “We are the first in the industry to bring this service to market, and we’re pleased to have developed it in collaboration with speech disabled communities across the country.”

Sprint also offers “My Email Set-up” for STS users with access to email. “We know that some STS users may tire and speech may become more difficult during long calls. Our new Email Set-Up makes it easier,” Ellis said. “To reduce the amount of energy needed to provide calling instructions, STS users can email that information directly to the STS operator 2 to 24 hours prior to the call. This can include information such as the number to be dialed, the name of the person being called, any special instructions and subject of the call, or anything that makes it easier for the STS user to complete the call.”

Sprint also recently announced the availability of dedicated customer service for STS users. Sprint’s STS support staff provides one-on-one assistance, training on the STS service and can assist STS users to register their calling preferences. The new STS support toll-free number is 1-877-787-1989.

More information about the enhanced STS features can be found at www.sprintsts.com

For its innovation and industry-leading customer service in the deaf, hard of hearing and speech disabled communities, Sprint has been lauded with third-party awards and endorsements. The Paisley Group National Relay TTY Performance Index™ ranked Sprint Relay highest in customer care and speed of service. Sprint Relay also earned ABILITY Magazine’s Best Practices Award for its “spirit of inclusion” in the workplace and in the consumer marketplace.”

Sprint now provides relay service to 32 states and the federal government, to the country of New Zealand and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Sprint also provides Captioned Telephone “CapTel” services to 31 states and the federal government.

Callaway Announces upro mx+ Golf GPS Device

Callaway Golf Company today announced that its new upro mx+™ golf GPS device will be available in stores starting May 30th. The upro mx+ is the only golf GPS on the market that offers ProMode®, offering golfers actual aerial imagery and video flyovers of each hole for the most realistic view of the course.  Golfers will be able to purchase this product at a new product introduction price of $249 with no additional fees.  Each device will come with access to free and unlimited ProMode course downloads.

"The upro mx+ device is the result of extensive listening to what golfers want out of a distance measuring device out on the course," said Dr. Alan Hocknell, Senior Vice President, Research & Development, Callaway Golf. "Active listening was followed by a lot of hard work to deliver an easy to use, meaningful experience that will help golfers see more and know more out on the course, and give them the confidence to hit better shots."

A compact, three-ounce device boasting a full-color, 2.2" LCD touch screen, the upro mx+'s updated software also features Anypoint® Technology, which helps golfers strategically plan their upcoming shots. The Anypoint Technology feature shows yardage to any location selected on the hole, and the yardage left from that location to the green. Additionally, a Digital Scorecard allows golfers to track their scores and basic golf stats on the device, including fairways hit, greens in regulation and putts during each round.

In addition to the device's introduction, Callaway has also enhanced features on its uxplore™ web site, www.callawaygolf.com/uxplore. UPRO users tracking performance on the device's digital scorecard will be able to automatically upload their scores and stats to the uxplore web site to view their historical performance and compare to other golfers in the community.  Golfers will also continue to have access to all 25,000 courses in Callaway's online database to help get ready to play at a new course.  These web-based features are available to upro mx+ GPS owners and those who register for free on the site and want to input their scores manually.   

The Callaway upro mx+ device is ready to use right out of the box, preloaded with 25,000 courses with BasicMode™ (yardage and hazard data) and GoMode™ (yardage data plus renderings of the greens and hazards).  ProMode courses, which include hi-resolution aerial photography and video flyovers, can be downloaded from the Callaway uxplore site for no additional fee or subscriptions.

For more information on the Callaway upro mx+, please visit www.callawaygolf.com/upromx+

iHome Infuses Rainbow of Fun into New Color-Changing Speaker Tower

Adding a spectrum of colors to home audio systems, iHome today announced the iP76 LED Color Changing Speaker Tower with Bluetooth technology. Available in July 2012, the décor-enhancing showpiece is packed with 16 multi-color LED clusters to create exciting light effects; four high performance speakers in Reson8^® speaker technology for towering sound, and the latest in Bluetooth technology for an untethered audio experience.

“Our Glowtunes line continues to evolve and offer a wide range of speakers for today’s most popular multimedia devices,” said Evan Stein, Director of Marketing, iHome. “We’re very excited to release our first speaker tower and believe the design and array of features will make the iP76 stand above the competition.”

The three-foot high iP76 LED Color Changing Tower Bluetooth Stereo Speaker System livens up any room with its vibrant color palette, ability to stream music from Bluetooth-enabled devices; charge iPhones and iPods when docked, and send video content from your device to your television via the built-in component video outputs. The unit can be customized to feature your favorite color and boasts a variety of options such as color fade, pulse to music and strobe effect for the ultimate music and light show.

The iP76 will be available in July 2012 at retailers nationwide and on www.ihomeaudio.com for $199.99. For detailed product information, please visit https://www.ihomeaudio.com/iP76WZ/.