Page 3774 – Capsule Computers

Spend Friday the 13th at EVENT Cinemas George Street

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May 14, 2014

Get ready horror fans! EVENT Cinemas George St are putting on one hell of a show for you! on Friday, June 13th EVENT will be screening the original Friday the 13th film in all its glory (we are talking the original 1980 version, not the 2009 remake). Not only that but there will be cheap drinks ($9 cocktails!), and costumes for the best dressed patrons on the night! Like previous movie events, this one is sure to be a killer!

Tickets are available online here for the low-low price of $10. Cocktails and the best dressed costume party start at 8pm, with the film screening at 9pm. Get your tickets early because this one is likely to sell out quickly, also make sure you check out the Facebook Page for more info on the event.

If you have never seen Friday the 13th then this is the perfect opportunity to do so. Let us know in the comments below whether or not you will be getting your fright on, and make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the horror movie news as it becomes available.

Star Citizen gets new Executive Producer from Blizzard

Mateja Simovic

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May 14, 2014

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Star Citizen, the space simulation game famous for making tremendous piles of cash through crowdfunding on kickstarter ($43.6 million to be exact), has acquired a new asset in the form of another veteran of the game’s industry. Alex Mayberry, formerly the lead game producer at Blizzard Entertainment, has taken on a new role at Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) who are currently behind the development of the aforementioned Star Citizen. Mayberry will be in charge of overseeing all product development for Star Citizen and managing the distributed development process across the various owned and contracted production studios. Mayberry will report diretly to CIG founder and CEO, Chris Roberts ( who is himself famous for creating the Wing Commander series).

Mayberry was selected due to his 18 years experience in development, including the management of large multiplayer games including World of Warcraft and Diablo III and its sequel.

I don’t think we could have found a better fit than Alex Mayberry for helping me manage Star Citizen’s development… Alex brings a wealth of experience in managing very large online games with huge communities, including the biggest of all, World of Warcraft.
– Chris Roberts

Following a very successful Kickstarter back in 2012, Star Citizen has defined itself by its grand ambitions which include to create a game universe which will be constantly persistent. In effect, CIG aims to create a game which in which player ships and stations will remain in the game even after the player has logged out. Alongside this, there has been talk of developing sophisticated procedural generation technology to create new planets and environments to explore as add-ons for the game… after all, what’s the point of playing a space sim if you can’t go to where “no man has gone before”?

I’m not sure whether Star Citizen will be able to meet Robert’s ambition, but hopefully with the addition of this veteran talent they’ll be one step closer to achieving their goals and we ourselves will be one step closer to traversing a game with an ever-expanding universe.

Knights of Sidonia Episode 4 Impressions

Sergei Lazarev

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May 14, 2014

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Knights of Sidonia
Episode 4 – Choice

Gravity is a harsh mistress and I have to commend Knights of Sidonia for finally bringing it to our attention when so many other anime featuring space colonies didn’t. When something goes wrong on a gigantic floating city in space, gravity (aside from oxygen) is the first thing that could go haywire. Who knew that a few G’s of force could be so catastrophic?

The fourth episode kicks into gear from where we were left off. Akai’s crack team of ace pilots is all but obliterated and the Gauna is heading straight for Sidonia. The brass at HQ waste no time in preparing the Heavy Mass Driver to fire again and at this distance the creature has no way of dodging a round the size of several kilometres travelling at near light speed. It wouldn’t be a very entertaining if it was that easy and naturally the Gauna dodges the shot and doesn’t deviate from its path.

Here’s where it gets interesting. The captain orders the unusual command of activating Sidonia’s engines at full blast, one after the other, in a dangerous evasive maneuver. The inhabitants are ordered to attach the harnesses that are worn at all times to metal bars placed throughout the vessel. There isn’t enough and in the scramble many people don’t make it to a safe point.

Once those massive engines kick in the result is as devastating as flipping a monopoly board full of people, but the board happens to be an immense space colony. Hundreds die as the gravity is inverted and the captain doesn’t give ground, ordering the second engine to activate. More than ever, this scene shows how grim this anime really is.

It seems to pay off, however, as Sidonia narrowly avoids the Gauna’s trajectory. With the alien flying thousands of kilometres in the opposite directions, this gives the ship time to consolidate its position.

Hundreds of Gardes are mobilised to form a defensive line between Sidonia and the Gauna. A retrieval squad is deployed consiting of Nagate, Kunato, En and Shizuka to fetch two precious Kabizashi spears that team Akai left behind. One of which is right on the outer rim of Sidonia’s communication reach.

After a tense journey the team manage to grab the spears and head back, just when the Gauna shifts its focus to Sidonia once again. While we’re wondering if they’ll make it back in time, we’re thrown a curveball as the Gauna mutates to fire a Higgs laser cannon, much like the ones mounted on the Garde frames, only much much bigger.

Our team narrowly avoids the fate of Akai’s, but three of the Gardes are disabled leaving only Nagate with his manual Type 17.Shizuka’s frame spirals out of control as its engine goes haywire and risks exploding. She ejects but is still at risk of flying endlessly into space.

Although Nagate is ordered to evacuate his team mates and retreat to Sidonia, he ignores the order and charges at the Gauna with a Kabizashi spear. Dodging the enormous beam once again he actually manages to destroy the Gauna’s core with his spear pretty easily but with pinpoint accuracy. Such a huge threat gone in seconds.

Now they have another problem. Shizuka is flying out into space in her escape pod while Nagate is ordered to forget about her. Unable to follow this order, he goes after her in his ailing frame knowing full well he won’t be able to return to Sidonia in his condition and that no help will come.

I say this a lot but Sidonia has so much going for it. It puts space simulators and the idea of an alien hive fleet (Tyranids from Warhammer 40k?) with anime together. It doesn’t beat around the bush. It looks like the next episode takes a page out of the recent Gravity movie too. Here’s hoping our two lost souls find their way back.

Check out more Knights of Sidonia Impressions HERE.

UBISOFT ANNOUNCE PANEL AT VIVID IDEAS

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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May 14, 2014

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UBISOFT ANNOUNCE PANEL AT VIVID IDEAS

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – May 14, 2014 – Ubisoft Australia in association with Ubisoft Montreal is pleased to announce a collaboration with Vivid Ideas, a panel event entitled Ubisoft Montreal Presents – Developing Games: From Indie to Blockbuster – Child Of Light & Watch Dogs.

Jean-François Poirier, Producer, (Child Of Light) & Kevin Shortt, Lead Story Designer (Watch Dogs) from Ubisoft’s Montreal studio will be travelling to Sydney to participate in the panel and provide an inside view on how these titles are delivered through the entire creative process.

The panel will discuss game design, story narrative, production and a range of other development aspects and considerations required to deliver both videogame titles to global audiences.

Ubisoft Australia Managing Director, Edward Fong said “We’re delighted to be a part of Vivid Ideas. The festival provides an insight into some of the world’s most creative minds and industries, and to have speakers from Ubisoft Montreal, our biggest development studio, participate is a great honour and reflection of the amazing games they create.”

Lucy O’Brien, journalist at IGN Australia, who will be chairing the panel, said, “We’re very excited to be involved with Vivid Ideas alongside Ubisoft Montreal. It’s an amazing time to be a gamer; game developers have never had such powerful tools and platforms to create and distribute games of every shape and size. This panel event will reflect that.”

Limited number of Tickets are available at Vivid Ideas’ website – http://bit.ly/PpbF9W, however they are selling fast.

Event Details:

WHAT: Ubisoft Montreal Presents – Developing Games: From Indie to Blockbuster – Child Of Light & Watch Dogs

WHEN: Sunday25th May 2014

3:30 pm to 5.00pm

WHERE: Museum of Contemporary Arts

George Street, Circular Quay

Sydney, Australia

Imagine Dragons Create Original Song for Transformers: Age of Extinction

Andrew Day

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May 14, 2014

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If it isn’t new pictures of the robots in disguise, it is some other piece of news coming out! Grammy Award winning rock band Imagine Dragons have teamed up with Paramount Pictures and Michael Bay to help score a song for the upcoming Transformers: Age of Extinction. The new song “Battle Cry,” has been written specifically for the film and will be featured throughout (much like Linkin Park’s music was used for previous installments). Check out the announcement video below:

In addition to writing and creating the song, Imagine Dragons will be singing it live for the first time at the Transformers: Age of Extinction world wide release in Hong Kong on June 19th. We have a little sneak peak at the song that you check out below. Transformers: Age of Extinction will be hitting the silver screen here in Australia on June 26th, so make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Transformers news as it becomes available.

Family Guy Season Thirteen Review

Andrew Day

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May 14, 2014

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Family Guy Season Thirteen
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Publisher: 20th Century Fox
Format: DVD
Release Date: May 14th, 2014
Price: $29.98 – Available Here

Overview

After two cancellations and a world of chaos and protesting, Family Guy has become a staple of adult-centred animation today. The exploits of the insane Griffin Family are some of the most offensive and deranged out there, but millions of viewers still can’t get enough – and it is easy to see why. Now in its 13^th season, Family Guy is no longer in its fighting prime, but much like the prize boxer it can still go a few more rounds.

Story

Family Guy sticks to a tried and true method of storytelling where each episode is its own self-contained story that results in its own conclusion. Rarely do episode plot points carry over to future episodes, and when they do it is usually in the form of a brief mention or cameo character appearance.

Out of the 22 episodes from season thirteen, there are a couple of impressive standouts. Leading the pack here is easily Yug Ylimaf, which has Brian accidentally reversing time. This episode features an awesome inverse giant chicken fight, as well as some backwards-reverse takes on some of Family Guy’s classic jokes (like another instalment of Peter falling down the stairs from season 12).

Ratings Guy is another great standout from the season, where Peter gets his hands on 100 Nielson Boxes and has control over television. The episode even features a cameo from Mad Men’s Jon Hamm who is coerced into changing the show or risk plummeting ratings.

Sadly, many of the characters have lost a lot of their depth and development that happened during the early seasons, devolving into caricatures of themselves. The most notable example of this is Peter, many of who’s actions resemble a toddler’s. It is this kind of writing that shows Family Guy, while still enjoyable is past its prime.

At this stage, the writers are not afraid of poking fun at themselves, or other similar programs. Stabs at The Simpsons, South Park and Bob’s Burgers are all par for the course this year. We even get the first glimpse at a Simpsons/Family Guy crossover (set to air in September this year) when Dan Castelanetta makes a brief appearance as Homer Simpson, pointing out that they are in the midst of a particular story line that Family Guy did first (poking fun at the fact that many critics and fans of each series have commented that Family Guy reuses old Simpsons storylines in its shows). Of all the self-mockery though, the parody of Macfarlane’s offensive Oscars hosting ceremony stands out as a highlight from the season.

Visuals

Not a lot has changed visually in between seasons 12 and 13. Family Guy still uses the same art style that focuses on clean lines and exaggerated features to make its characters stand out from its competition. The benefit of it looking like this is the fact that anyone who has seen even five seconds of the show can see a still shot, or a piece of artwork and know instinctively that it is Family Guy. Like recent seasons, it is presented in HD visuals, but aside from the intro at the beginning of the episode, you likely wont really notice it when. Sadly, there is no Blu Ray release for Family Guy Season 13 (yet), so DVD is your only option here.

If I seem disappointed, it may be because I originally watched the episodes on TV in 720p, so watching the DVD release in 480p is a little bit of a downgrade. Don’t get me wrong, it by no means is a bad looking show, we are just so spoiled for quality nowadays that the differences between a Blu Ray and a DVD become apparent quite quickly.

Audio

At this point in Family Guy’s life span, the audio is very much set in place. The actors have all made the rolls their own, and the little musical flourishes are unique and feel just as much a part of the series as the Griffin family. As usual, Seth Macfarlane does most of the heavy lifting, both behind the scenes and with voicing the majority of the characters but it wouldn’t be Family Guy without the guest stars and special appearances. Everyone from H. Jon Benjamin to Jon Hamm and even Johnny Depp make cameo appearances this season (an awful lot of John’s in this year’s Family Guy).

The absolute best part about picking up a DVD collection of a show like Family Guy is the fact that you get to watch it and experience it how it was originally intended. This includes all of the swearing and vulgarity that was too inappropriate for television. Unlike similar programs, Family Guy only lightly sprinkles its foul language into its scripts. It is only on the rare occasion that the f-bomb will be dropped more than once in an episode and that is if it was used in the first place.

Family Guy doesn’t rely on its language to fuel its humour, so this means that when a character does eventually cry out an exasperated “F***!” that it catches you off guard and really adds to the punch line. One particular episode had me in stitches, which featured a cameo by everybody’s favourite web-slinger, who tells peter “You’re just a fat nobody, and I’m F***ing Spider-man!”

family-guy-season-13-screenshot-05 — You’re a fat nobody, and I’m F***ing Spider-Man! How do you think that makes me feel!?

Extras

Here we come to the good part, the deleted scenes! Each of the season’s three discs has its own deleted scenes for a bunch of episodes. These fill a wide variety from crude to hilarious, from unnecessary to “why could they cut that!?” all in all, there is a lot to see and enjoy here.

Several episodes also feature director’s commentary over the tracks for those of you who love behind the scenes action, and there is even a look at some of how of the animation comes to life. Lastly, Fox have included the entire panel from last year’s Comic-Con that went over the present and future of the franchise, including the announcement of the Simpsons/Family Guy Crossover for 2014.

family-guy-season-13-screenshot-04 — I really wanted to transcribe this joke for you all… But I wanted to keep my job more. Check it out on Disc 2!

Overall

It is a sad fact that Family Guy has definitely passed its prime. The jokes are starting to become a little tired, and the characters have become caricatures of themselves, but there is still a lot to enjoy here. The humour while crude, still exudes a lot of intelligence. Macfarlane and his team are not idiots, and while their over the top antics might make people cringe, there is a lot of depth to a lot of the storylines here.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Magic: The Gathering – Mortals of Myth Review

Andrew Day

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May 14, 2014

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Magic: The Gathering – Mortals of Myth Intro Pack

Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Price: $19.99 official site here

Magic: The Gathering Intro Decks aren’t designed to win tournaments, or be unbeatable in any of the game’s formats. Their primary purpose is to provide a pre-made deck that new players can pick up and play, secondary to this is that they typically introduce and make use of the new rules implemented in the set they are from. In this way Intro Packs provide a great first stop for anyone jumping into Magic: The Gathering.

NOTE: Since Intro Decks are made for newer Magic: The Gathering players, I wrote the review to reflect that, and used some terminology that only Magic players will understand. This review was constructed using the Mortals of Myth Intro Pack with references to other standard-legal sets.

Wizards has taken us on a whirlwind adventure through the ancient Greece inspired Theros block for the better part of a year now, and with the release of Journey into Nyx, that adventure has come to a close. With a whole bunch of new abilities and new cards for players to strategise over.

Mortals of Myth is a White/Green intro pack that focuses on +1/+1 counters. More specifically, it focuses on getting as many +1/+1 counters onto your creatures as you can. It accomplishes this with a bunch of creatures with Heroic abilities. Heroic makes it so that creatures you control get additional benefits when they are targeted by spells that you cast. The Heroic Abilities are only the first part of the pie for this deck however, with the second half coming from the newly introduced Strive mechanic. Spells that have Strive allow you to pay additional mana in order to target multiple creatures with them. That means with only one card, you can activate the Heroic abilities of all of your creatures.

There is an interesting dichotomy with this deck. Many of the permanents are white, while many of the deck’s instants and sorceries are green. There are of course a little bit of bleed between the two, but primarily you will be leaving white things on the field and casting your green things as one offs. Even the deck’s two rares are both white-aligned. Here they are:

Dawnbringer Charioteers is by far one of my favourite cards from Journey into Nyx. It costs 1 extra mana than Wingsteed Rider does, and has an all the bells and whistles plus an additional 2 toughness and lifelink. This card is a gamechanger, and if left unchecked can cause some serious damage to your opponent. Spear of Heliod is another great card from Theros, and gives all of your creatures +1/+1 while also serving to ward off attackers. It’s ability is a bit restrictive in that until you have a five or more land in play.

It is fun to see what kind of combinations this deck can pull off, especially since it is in white/green – two colours that are typically associated with small creatures and getting tonnes of mana. Sadly though, this deck doesn’t exactly feature too many of each. The creatures in the deck aren’t exactly big, with most sitting around the 3-4 mana cost, which hopefully means you will be casting them around turn 3. Golden Hind is going to be the card that has you playing creatures out earlier than you should – it is a new twist on the staple “Llanowar Elves” card that has existed forever.. Plus it has some cute as artwork.

Once your creatures are on the field, it is time to hit them with the Strive spells. Anything that targets more than one creature at a time is a massive bonus in this deck, and can help combat the fact that you probably wont be doing much attacking until turns 4 or 5. All eight Instants and Sorceries in this deck have strive, so you have to wait until the absolute right moment to play them.

Lastly, we have a few more creatures and some enchantments that are there to ramp up your creatures even more. Namely this big guy:

Easily my favourite card from Theros, Phalanx Leader puts a +1/+1 counter on ALL your creatures whenever he is targeted. That means if you strive a spell onto both him AND another creature, they will get the bonuses from each heroic ability. Can we say massive creatures quickly? It is also of note that enchantments will trigger Heroic so Raised by Wolves will turn something like Pheres-Band Thunderhoof into a 7/8 behemoth all on its own.

The rest of the creatures either help you slow down your opponents, or build up your dudes in their own way so that when you swing in to attack, it is worth it. There is a good mix of spells and abilities here and it all synergises quite nicely. The major flaw is how slow the deck can feel, with most of your attacking creatures coming a little later into the game. If you were going to take this deck’s concept and make it a bit better, creatures like Favored Hoplite or Elvish Mystic would help it out in the early game.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

TITANFALL: EXPEDITION AVAILABLE ON MAY 15

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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May 14, 2014

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The Frontier is about to get bigger as today Respawn Entertainment revealed the release date for the first Titanfall DLC pack, Expedition. Coming May 15 to the Xbox One and PC, Titanfall: Expedition introduces three new maps to the Frontier – Runoff, Swampland and War Games, and extends the heart-pounding action and adrenalin-fueled gameplay to new heights.

Titanfall: Expedition is the first of three planned DLC packs, each retailing for $13.45 AUD. For gamers looking to further extend the fight on the Frontier, the Titanfall Season Pass* will deliver three content packs as soon as they become available. The Titanfall Season Pass is available at a one-time price of $33.45 AUD and can now be purchased for the Xbox One, Xbox 360 and on Origin for PC. Titanfall: Expedition for the Xbox 360 will be available in June.

Heralded as “a new breed of multiplayer” by Game Informer and “the next big thing” by Polygon, Titanfall drops players in the middle of a conflict between the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation (IMC) and the Militia on a distant frontier on the edge of the universe. The action is rapid and varied – featuring parkour-style wall running, massive double jumps and the ability to hijack titans. The freedom to shift back and forth between pilot and titan allows players to change tactics on the fly, attacking or escaping depending on the situation and extending the action vertically to new heights.

For more information on Titanfall, please visit www.titanfall.com/au. Join the conversation on Twitter^® at www.twitter.com/titanfallgame and #Titanfall, or on Facebook^® at www.facebook.com/titanfallgame.

*Requires Titanfall for Xbox One, Xbox 360 or Origin for PC (sold separately). Content must be redeemed by March 11, 2016. See www.titanfall.com/au/dlc for expansion pack release schedule.

Parrot Bebop Drone, the ultra-light drone with a full HD camera digitally stabilised on its 3-axis!

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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May 14, 2014

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Take aerial video and pictures like a pro!

Parrot Bebop Drone, the ultra-light drone with a full HD camera digitally stabilised on its 3-axis!

With Bebop Drone, Parrot demonstrates its technological expertise and confirms its commitment to the civil drone market. The Bebop Drone is a super-high-tech leisure quadricopter with features similar to those of a professional one!

Equipped with a 14 megapixel fish-eye camera, the Parrot Bebop Drone takes images and video of the world in a 180° field with remarkable image quality. Featuring a fully digital technology of image stabilisation, the Bebop Drone captures video despite the movements inherent in aerial footage.

The combination of numerous sensors gives it impressive stability and great maneuverability when piloting with a smartphone or a tablet.
The use of the lastest Wi-Fi 802.11ac MIMO and four ceramic antennas 2.4GHz and 5GHz ensures an unequalled reach.

For even more extreme piloting experiences, the Parrot Bebop Drone can be piloted with an optional controller compatible with FPV glasses.

Parrot expands its range of leisure drones with the Bebop Drone that takes professional-quality images.

A 180° vision

Parrot Bebop Drone is equipped with a 14 megapixel fisheye-lens front-facing camera that records video in Full HD (1080p x 1920p) and streams live immersive views of the flight to the screen of the piloting Smartphone or tablet. The pilot can control the angle of the camera simply with his thumb, directly from the piloting application. The shifting on a 180° angle is fully digital.

Thanks to algorithms developed by Parrot engineers, the Bebop Drone benefits from an exclusive 3-axis image stabilisation system that maintains the angle of the view steady, regardless of the inclination of the drone and movement caused by turbulence.

The camera of the Parrot Bebop Drone is mounted on an ingenious structure with rubber shock absorbers that cushion vibrations. The images taken by the Bebop Drone are digitally treated thanks to the Parrot P7 Dual core processor, its GPU and a proprietaryImage Signal Processor. The landscapes are captured on the 8Gb flash memory of the Parrot Bebop Drone with stunning precision and sharpness.

After landing the drone, videos (MP4 format) and photos (JPEG and DNG formats) can be transferred onto the piloting device or a computer via Wi-Fi or the embedded micro-USB connector.

Astounding stability

The Parrot Bebop Drone is piloted via Wi-Fi through a free application available for iOS and Android Smartphones and tablets.
To guarantee optimal stability of the quadricopter, without compromising maneuverability, the Bebop Drone integrates data coming from numerous sensors:

o One 3-axis accelerometer
o One 3-axis gyroscope
o One 3-axis magnetometer
o One ultrasound with a reach up to 8 meters
o One pressure sensor
o One vertical camera

A MIMO Wi-Fi connection
The Parrot Bebop Drone is equipped with 4 Wi-Fi antennas so it can manage the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies in MIMO (Multiple Inputs Multiple Outputs) format.
The Wi-Fi liaison uses the latest Wi-Fi 802.11ac.
Depending on network interference, the pilot can select the frequency of their choice.

The Bebop Drone integrates a GNSS chipset that associates the GPS, GLONASS and GALILEO data. The Bebop Drone is capable of autonomous flight and automatic return to the take-off position. The BebopDrone automatically records the data of each flight to the Parrot cloud: “Pilot Academy”.

A featherweight of high technologies

About 50 engineers, specialising in digital signal processing, aeronautics, Wi-Fi radio and industrial design, worked on the development of the Parrot Bebop Drone, a high performing high-tech jewel weighing 380g without its hull (400g with the hull) and enabling indoor and outdoor flights without the risks linked to the weight of more imposing drones.

1. Mother board (Parrot P7 dual core CPU and quad core GPU – 8GB flash memory – All are fixed on a magnesium shelf that acts as an electromagnetic shielding and as a radiator.)
2. Fisheye lens (6 optical elements – 14 megapixels sensor)
3. Brushless outrunner engines
4. Glass fibre reinforced (15%) ABS structure
5. Three-blade propellers in Polycarbonate with fast disassembly system
6. Inertial measurement unit (GPS+Glonass+Galileo – 3-axis accelerometer – 3-axis gyroscope – 3-axis magnetometer – pressure sensor)

7. Wi-Fi MIMO antennas (2 double-set of ceramic antennas for 2.4 and 5 GHz)
8. Vertical stabilisation camera (Every 16 miliseconds, an image of the ground is taken and compared to the previous one to determine the speed of the Bebop Drone)
9. Ultrasound sensor (Analyses the flight altitude up to 8 metres)
10. Hull in EPP (Clips and unclip easily, to adapt to indoor and outdoor flight – Protects the propellers against potential bumps. Can be removed to reduce wind resistance )
11. Anti-vibration rubbers

Freeflight 3.0: An ultra intuitive application

The Parrot Bebop Drone comes with a free piloting application, FreeFlight3.0, for iOS and Android Smartphones and tablets. The ergonomics of the application have been developed to offer perfect ease-of-use and to let the pilot focusing on the pleasure of flying. On the welcome screen, the pilot accesses the ground functionalities: Piloting, photos/videos, flight plan, Cloud ‘Pilot Academy’.

When the ‘take off’ button is touched, the Parrot Bebop Drone starts its engines, takes off, stabilises and awaits the pilot’s instructions. The left thumb activates a virtual joystick that enables control of the altitude of the drone, its rotation and movements while tilting the smartphone/tablet, to indicate the direction: forward, backward, left, right. The right thumb enables control of the angle of tilt of the front camera while flying.

A ‘flight plan’ piloting mode enables the pilot to program an autonomous flight, using the functionalities of the GNSS chipset. When the ‘landing’ button is touched, the Parrot Bebop Drone lands smoothly. A ‘Return Home’ button makes the Bebop Drone come back to its take-off position, guided by GPS.

Skycontroller: fly further, higher*

To benefit from a more powerful Wi-Fi connection, Parrot will offer the Skycontroller as an option.

Equipped with an amplified Wi-Fi radio and 4 antennas, the Parrot Skycontroller extend the Wi-Fi range up to 2 kilometers.

The piloting Smartphone or tablet is fixed on a shelf that is compatible with the vast majority of tablets available in the market.
The pilot takes the helm of the drone via 2 joysticks.

For even more extreme flight experiences, it is possible to connect FPV (First Person View) glasses to the Parrot Skycontroller with the HDMI plug. Then, leaning the head will position the camera of the Bebop Drone!

*Expert pilots and beginners should take the helm of leisure drones in a responsible manner and in respect of the local rules and regulations.

Parrot Bebop Drone technical data
− CPU Dual core A9
− Linux
− Open source SDK
− Wi-Fi:
·     Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
·     Wi-Fi MIMO 2.4 and 5GHz
·     26dBm
− GNSS : GPS+Glonass+Galileo
− Inertial unit: Gyroscope, Acelerometer, Magnetometer, Altimeter, Ultrasound, Vertical camera.
− Battery : Lithium Polymere 1200mAh
− Flight time: Around 12 minutes
− Compatibility: iOS and Android Smartphones/tablets
− Weight: 380g without the hull – 400g with the
− hull
− Dimensions:
·     28x32x3.6 cm without the hull
·     33x38x3.6 cm with the hull
− Parrot Skycontroller technical data
− Android 4.2
− Wi-Fi:
·     Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n up to 36dBm
·     Antennas directives range up to 2kilometres
·     Wi-Fi MIMO 2.4 and 5GHz
·     Second chipset Wi-Fi to connect to a tablet
− GPS
− USB, HDMI extensions
− Sun-visor included
− Weight: 450g

Sun-visor included

The Parrot Bebop Drone and Parrot Skycontroller will be available in Q4, 2014
MSRP: TBA

ABOUT PARROT
Founded in 1994 by Henri Seydoux, Parrot creates, develops and markets advanced consumer technology products for Smartphones and tablets
Parrot also offers the most extensive range of hands-free communication systems on the market for cars. Its globally recognised expertise in the fields of mobile connectivity and multimedia around Smartphones has positioned Parrot as a key player of in-car infotainment.
Additionally, Parrot designs high-end wireless multimedia products dedicated to sound, and explores new possibilities with Bluetooth Smart technologies.
Finally, Parrot is expanding on the UAV market with the Parrot AR.Drone, the first quadricopter piloted via Wi-Fi and also with new solutions to address the UAV market for professional use.
Parrot, headquartered in Paris, currently employs more than 850 people worldwide and generates the majority of its sales overseas.
Parrot is listed on NYSE Euronext Paris since 2006. (FR0004038263 – PARRO)
For more information: www.parrot.com

MICHAEL BAY’S “TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION” TO FEATURE AN ORIGINAL SONG BY THE GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING BAND IMAGINE DRAGONS

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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May 14, 2014

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MICHAEL BAY’S “TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION” TO FEATURE AN ORIGINAL SONG BY THE GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING BAND IMAGINE DRAGONS

THE BAND CONTRIBUTED CREATIVELY IN THE SCORING PROCESS WITH THE FILM’S COMPOSER STEVE JABLONSKY

WILL PERFORM LIVE AT THE FILM’S WORLD PREMIERE IN HONG KONG ON JUNE 19th

HOLLYWOOD, CA (May 13, 2014) – Director Michael Bay, film composer Steve Jablonsky and Paramount Pictures are collaborating with the Grammy Award-winning band IMAGINE DRAGONS to feature the band’s original music in the upcoming film “TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION,” one of the most anticipated movies of the summer.

Following an early footage screening of the film, IMAGINE DRAGONS wrote the original song “BATTLE CRY,” which Bay used in critical points in the film. Additionally, the band contributed original music during the scoring process by recording cues with Jablonsky, the film’s composer, and Hans Zimmer, who assisted in the process. The collaboration resulted in added depth to the sound of the film.

“We’re incredibly lucky that Dan, Wayne, Ben and Daniel were available to work with us,” says director Bay. “I remember being drawn to the emotion of ’Demons’ and ’Radioactive’ the first time I heard those songs, and I knew I wanted that same energy and heart for this movie. They’ve created a really epic, otherworldly sound for ’Battle Cry.’”

“The TRANSFORMER franchise has set the bar for cinematic innovation over the years, says Alex Da Kid, label head at KIDinaKORNER records. We are excited to collaborate with Michael Bay and Paramount Pictures and view this as an incredible global platform.”

IMAGINE DRAGONS will perform its new single live at the film’s worldwide premiere in Hong Kong, one of the locations in the film, on June 19th.

Grammy Award-winning rock band IMAGINE DRAGONS is one of the 2013’s breakout artists, having played to sold-out audiences in North America, South America, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Their debut full length album, Night Visions, (KIDinaKORNER/ Interscope Records) arrived on the Billboard Top 200 at #2 with the best first-week sales for a full-length debut by a new rock band in over six years.

Certified multi-platinum selling over 4 million copies worldwide, the album was propelled by the success of the multi-platinum single, “It’s Time,” with follow-up singles “Radioactive” selling over 10 million globally and “Demons,” which has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. Rolling Stone proclaimed Imagine Dragons “the biggest breakout of the year” and Entertainment Weekly called 2013 the “Year of the Dragons.”

IMAGINE DRAGONS are Dan Reynolds (vocals), Wayne Sermon (guitar), Ben McKee (bass), and Daniel Platzman (drums).

“TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION” is the fourth film in director Michael Bay’s global blockbuster franchise. Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Li Bingbing , Kelsey Grammer, Sophia Myles, T. J. Miller, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor and Titus Welliver star. The film begins after an epic battle that left a great city torn, but with the world saved. As humanity picks up the pieces, a shadowy group reveals itself in an attempt to control the direction of history… while an ancient, powerful new menace sets Earth in its crosshairs. With help from a new cast of humans, Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) and the Autobots rise to meet their most fearsome challenge yet. In an incredible adventure, they are swept up in a war of good and evil, ultimately leading to a climactic battle across the world.

Produced By Don Murphy & Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Ian Bryce.
Based on Hasbro’s Transformers™ Action Figures. Written By Ehren Kruger. Directed By Michael Bay.

“TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION” opens in theaters on June 27, 2014.