Assassin’s Creed 3 for PC now has an official UK launch date of November 23, fulfilling the standard Ubisoft PC delay prophecy. “Up until now the release date of Assassin’s Creed 3 PC has been unannounced,” Ubisoft’s announcement to CVG reads. “Today we can officially announce the PC release date as the 23rd November in the UK.”Ubisoft previously denied there’d be a delay. We’re getting in touch with Ubisoft in the States to find out if it would like to confirm the staggered release between console and PC for the North American side of the pond.Update: Ubisoft has confirmed to Joystiq a November 20 launch date in the United States for Assassin’s Creed 3 on PC. Show full PR text PRESS RELEASE UBISOFT® CONFIRMS ASSASSIN’S CREED® III PC WILL RELEASE ON NOVEMBER 23 London, UK – August 10, 2012 – Today, Ubisoft announced that Assassin’s Creed® III for PCs will be available in the UK on November 23, 2012. Set against the backdrop of the American Revolution in the late 18th century, Assassin’s Creed III introduces a new hero, Ratohnhaké:ton, of Native American and English heritage. Adopting the name Connor, he becomes the new voice for justice in the ancient war between the Assassins and Templars. Players become an Assassin in the war for liberty against ruthless tyranny in the most stylized and fluid combat experiences in the franchise to date. Assassin’s Creed III is set to release on October 31st for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and will be available for Wii U™ from Nintendo when the Wii U™ launches. Assassin’s Creed III can be pre-ordered at UBIShop® by visiting: http://shop.ubi.com/assassinscreed3 For more information on Assassin’s Creed, please visit the Assassin’s Creed Official Website (www.assassinscreed.com) and facebook.com/assassinscreed. About Assassin’s Creed: Initially launched in 2007, the first four Assassin’s Creed games have sold more than 38 million units worldwide, and the franchise is now established as one of the best-selling series ever. Re
cognized for having some of the richest, most engrossing storytelling in the industry, Assassin’s Creed transcends video games, branching out into other entertainment experiences including comic books, Facebook games, novels, short films and more. About Ubisoft: Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified lineup of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 26 countries and has sales in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2010–11 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of 1.039 billion euros. To learn more, please visit http://www.ubisoftgroup.com ©2012 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Kinect, Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft.
Month: October 2019
Stop motion animated film ParaNorman taps 3D printers to create 31,000 unique facial features
Take one look at the upcoming 3D stop motion film ParaNorman and it’s easy to see that moviegoers are in for some stunning visuals come August 17th. Once you realize the contribution of 3D printing to the film’s creation, however, you’re likely to appreciate the movie on an entirely new level. In order to portray a wide array of emotions on the faces of the film’s 62 characters, animation studio LAIKA tapped 3D Systems and their ZPrinter 650 to generate over 31,000 individual facial parts for inclusion in the production — talk about working overtime. According to Brian McLean of LAIKA, “By using a color 3D printer we were not only able to push facial performance to new levels, but we were also able to achieve a level of detail and subtlety in characters’ faces that a few short years ago would have seemed impossible.” If you’ve yet to catch a preview of ParaNorman, just hop the break to see some of the printed handiwork. Show full PR text 3D Systems’ Full Color Printers Bring LAIKA’s ParaNorman to Life ROCK HILL, S.C., Aug. 8, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD) announced today that the company’s ZPrinter(R) 650 is the first ever full color 3D printer used in a stop-motion animated film, ParaNorman, produced by Portland, Oregon based animation studio LAIKA. Known for integrating innovation with the hand-created artistry of the stop motion technique, LAIKA utili
zed 3D printing to create over 31,000 individual, color facial parts for production. 3D Systems’ ZPrinter technology allowed LAIKA animators to quickly and accurately print hundreds of facial features and expressions for each of the film’s 62 characters. “ParaNorman is an enduring and emotional story that is driven by strong characters and exquisite designs,” says Brian McLean, LAIKA’s Creative Supervisor of Replacement Animation and Engineering. “In order for us to give the characters the facial expressions and emotional range needed to support such a wonderful story, we needed to try something unprecedented. By using a color 3D printer we were not only able to push facial performance to new levels, but we were also able to achieve a level of detail and subtlety in characters’ faces that a few short years ago would have seemed impossible. This technology, combined with a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication from talented artists and technicians, has created something truly unique and beautiful.” “We are absolutely thrilled to partner with the ground breaking team at LAIKA as they utilize our full color 3D printing technology to revolutionize storytelling,” said Cathy Lewis, Vice President of Global Marketing for 3D Systems. “We look forward to ParaNorman being a great success with global audiences.” ParaNorman premieres nationwide in theatres August 17, 2012.
Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE up for pre-order, hitting Sprint August 19th for $200
Sprint subscribers aching to get their thumbs on some QWERTY keyboarding, LTE action won’t have to wait much longer. The carrier announced today that Motorola’s verbose Photon Q 4G LTE will be hitting the network on Sunday, August 19th, carrying a $200 price tag. The handset’s packing a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, Ice Cream Sandwich and an eight megapixel rear-facing camera. Interested parties can pre-order the Photon Q, et al. today. More information can be found in the press release after the break. Show full PR text Calling All QWERTY Fans! Motorola PHOTON Q 4G LTE from Sprint Available Aug. 19 for $199.99; Pre-Order Begins Today Offering a device packed with features to provide the ideal work-life balance, Sprint (NYSE: S), the only national wireless carrier offering truly unlimited data for all phones while on the Sprint network1, today announced the Sunday, Aug. 19, availability of the first 4G LTE-enabled smartphone from Sprint with a full QWERTY keyboard and international roaming capabilities, Motorola PHOTON™ Q™ 4G LTE. Motorola PHOTON Q will cost $199.99 (excludes taxes) with a new line of service or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement. Motorola PHOTON Q will be available for pre-order beginning today at www.sprint.com/photonq. Customers who pre-order Motorola PHOTON Q will begin receiving their smartphone as early as two days before the device goes on sale – while supplies last. “At Sprint, we recognize there is a large group of our customers that love the ease of a physical QWERTY keyboard,” said David Owens, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. “By bringing a device like Motorola PHOTON Q into our portfolio, we are able to give these customers the option of a physical keyboard plus international roaming capabilities to stay connected while traveling abroad.” Motorola PHOTON Q features a slide out PC-like QWERTY keyboard for double-thumb efficiency. Each laser-cut key is outlined in LED lights so users can see what they’re doing, even in the dark. It also has a dedicated number row for maximum t
yping efficiency and accuracy. Combined with a large 4.3-inch ColorBoost™ display, Motorola PHOTON Q offers the largest screen currently available on a 4G LTE smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard. Its 8-megapiexal rear-facing camera with 1080p capture and playback along with an HD front-facing camera produce a high-quality multimedia experience that provides the perfect blend of business and pleasure with blazing speed on the Sprint 4G LTE network2. Additional key features on Motorola PHOTON Q include: 1.5GHz dual-core processor Android™ 4.0.4, Ice Cream Sandwich ULE Platinum Certification, the highest level of environmental performance recognized by sustainable requirements established by UL Environment and Sprint SMARTACTIONS™, the free Motorola app that helps extend battery life and intelligently automates routine, everyday tasks so that smartphones can do more for consumers Mirror mode when connected with HDMI cable (sold separately) to view images, files and movies on a larger screen, like your TV at home Sprint ID, offering an innovative way to personalize an Android-powered smartphone with apps, widgets, ringtones and more all, in a single download NFC support to share links, apps, YouTube™ clips and more with Android Beam™ Sprint Professional Grade designation making it business ready with full corporate security, including remote wipe, pin lock and data encryption Motorola PHOTON Q customers can enjoy an unlimited data experience with Sprint Everything Data plans. Sprint’s Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $79.99 per month for smartphones – a savings of $20 per month versus Verizon’s comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and 2GB web (excludes taxes and surcharges). Customers across the country are beginning to benefit from Network Vision – an all-new network from Sprint, which offers enhanced 3G service – with a stronger wireless signal, faster data speeds, expanded coverage and better in-building performance – and 4G LTE, with faster data speeds for data applications.
To the Moon hits Steam September 7, next episode incoming
After teasing in
April that a launch would happen “soon,” Freebird Games’ To the Moon is officially hitting Steam on September 7.To the Moon has been on our radar since last year, when it made our 2011 Best of the Rest roundup. Back then it was available on the developer’s site and on Desura, but it was absent on Steam, a service with a wider audience, higher profile and where a game of To the Moon’s caliber truly belonged. To the Moon will be available in English, French and German, and likely Italian and Korean, Freebird’s Kan Gao says.Freebird is working on another episode of To the Moon, featuring the same doctors invading another dying person’s memories in the attempt to make their patient’s greatest wish come true, mentally, at least.In April, Gao said To the Moon will be free on Steam to those who purchased it previously, and that it wouldn’t include Steamworks, since it’s such a short game anyway. Gao confirms that To the Moon won’t use Steamworks for achievements or saves, but “it’s possible that a new form of cloud saves will be used.”Those who bought To the Moon from Freebird’s site, and only from Freebird’s site, will get a Steam version for free. This will be on a request basis, since Gao has to manually email each person with a free code. He’ll announce an email account for retrieving free codes once it’s all set up.
The Zen of KickBeat
Zen Studios is best known for its prowess in the pinball market, amassing its fame from titles such as Pinball FX, Zen Pinball and Marvel Pinball (Notice a trend?). This success has enabled Zen to expand its creative department and develop a wide range of games for varying platforms.KickBeat, for example, is a music-based crossover action title for Vita that throws a brilliant twist into the tired rhythm genre. It combines the quick dexterity of classic rhythm games with a few of the industry’s favorite tropes and trends: fighting and ninjas.The most noticeable fad that Zen Studios doesn’t integrate in KickBeat also happens to be the game’s best feature: It has absolutely no touchscreen or rear touchpad functions. With a foundation of rhythm games and ninjas, KickBeat could easily turn into a campy, kitschy mess, but Zen Studios successfully balances serious marital arts with light-hearted design. KickBeat is, at its heart, a traditional rhythm game that has players tap the square, circle, triangle and X buttons at certain times in various levels, to the beat of licensed songs. How this tapping is visualized is where the revolution begins.Rather than placing notes on a rolling track for players to hit as they reach a checkpoint, KickBeat has a martial artist in the center of a ring of angry, masked foes. The enemies rush in from four directions and as each one reaches the edge of the ring around the middle character, the player hits the corresponding button to kick or punch him. I played the first two rounds on normal difficulty after watching a developer play an advanced level, and just like most rhythm games, KickBeat is harder than it looks. Enemies circle the center character in an ordered frenzy that is just precise enough to function as a solid “tap here now” display, and as they build up speed and introduce new patterns the challenge is extremely satisfying, mirroring that of Guitar Hero, but exclusively for your thumb. As each enemy is taken down, KickBeat manages to retain the feeling of an action game. Every time I missed a tap and an enemy hit me I felt the damage like a small-scale blow in Marvel vs. Capcom 3.Differently colored enemies have different functions, with red dudes signalling the player to press two buttons at once, and those chained together with a yellow trail mean “hold on the first, release on the second.” Tap twice on enemies with icons over their heads to gain whatever goodie they have to offer. KickBeat has depth.Played to a soundtrack featuring Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie and Pendulum – “The stuff we liked in college,” Zen’s Mel Kirk says – among others, KickBeat succeeds as both a rhythm game and a fighting one. KickBeat succeeds as both a rhythm game and a fighting one.And then it gets interesting. The soundtrack for KickBeat is fine, but it doesn’t really matter if you’re down with “The Beautiful People” in the long run. The game allows players to directly upload and play with their own music collection, similar to principles in Audiosurf. Zen Studios spent one year creating its own song-determining technology, which is “probably some of the best in the world,” creative director Neil Sorens says. It doesn’t use an algorithm to guess the rhythm of new songs, but instead has the player tap the tempo into a calculating tool and add customization options, such as the number of enemies and difficulty settings.I didn’t get to play with the personal music integration, but if it works as well as the in-game songs, KickBeat will be a brilliant game for Vita, acting as an iPod with a thrilling, integrated rhythm-action game.KickBeat is poised to launch in late fall or early winter this year.
Samsung calling its dockable Windows 8 tablets ATIV Smart PC and Smart PC Pro outside the US
Samsung didn’t leave its ATIV introductions to just an ARM tablet and a phone. We first saw them as the Series 5 and Series 7 tablets, which will likely be their final US names; to recap, though, the newly branded ATIV Smart PC and ATIV Smart PC Pro both look to capture some of that Transformer-like aura by mating an 11.6-inch tablet with a detachable keyboard dock for a laptop experience. Some of Samsung’s own Galaxy Note vibe rubs off on them, too — both carry an S Pen and a bundled S Note app for some on-the-spot writing. They likewise share support for 3G and 4G as well as micro-HDMI and USB, but there’s a clear difference depending on what you buy. Going for the regular Smart PC loads in a modest Clover Trail-based Intel Atom processor and a 1,366 x 768 display, but offers a lengthy 13.5-hour battery life, 2GB of RAM, up to a 128GB flash drive, a rear 8-megapixel camera and a 2-megapixel front camera. Slap that “Pro” moniker on the front and you have to drop to eight hours of battery life and a 5-megapixel rear camera, but you’ll get a much faster Core i5 processor, a 1080p display, 4GB of RAM and as much as a 256GB SSD. Unlike the ATIV Tab, we do know the Smart PCs will be available in the US on October 26th at $649 for a base Smart PC/Series 5, $749 for a bundle with the keyboard and $1,119 for a Smart PC Pro/Series 7 with a 128GB SSD built-in. Gallery: Samsung ATIV Smart PC and Smart PC Pro Press Shots | 6 Photos 6 +2 Show full PR text Samsung Ready to Go With Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 Introduces ATIV[ati:v] family of Smart PCs, Tablets, and Smartphones with a true unified Windows experience BERLIN, Germany – August 29, 2012 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced its brand-new ATIV devices based on the Windows 8 for Smart PCs, tablets and Windows Phone 8 for smartphones. With the introduction of Microsoft’s Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 operating systems, Samsung introduces “ATIV”, the new brand for its Windows-based devices. ATIV, the reverse order of the word VITA, meaning “Life” in Latin, is a pledge by Samsung to make everyone’s life extraordinary with excitement. The full range of Windows-powered devices will enable this goal. Today Samsung introduces ATIV SMART PC, ATIV Smart PC Pro, ATIV Tab, and ATIV S, a full range of ATIV devices. Samsung is one of very few companies that is capable of offering such a diverse product lineup and is committed to offering more choices based on the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 platforms for consumers. “Samsung is delighted to introduce a wide portfolio of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8-powered devices. With our leadership in design and technology and Microsoft’s leadership in operating systems, together we are able to provide customers with a full range of ATIV devices for cross-category convergence,” said Seong Woo Nam, Executive Vice President of IT Solutions Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is a highly valued partner and it’s great to see this investment in a global brand for its Windows-based Smart PCs, tablets, and phones,” said Nick Parker, corporate vice president, OEM, Microsoft. “This gives us an increased opportunity to inspire our customers with excitement and confidence as they enjoy Windows experiences across their beautiful Samsung devices, including entertainment scenarios, mobile productivity and cloud services.” Samsung’s ATIV devices are simple, powerful, and beautiful. The Windows operating system is sleek, intuitive and compatible across devices. Together Samsung and Microsoft will provide users with an advanced, productive and creative experience with its ATIV devices. Its full lineup is designed for a simple user experience to share your work and ideas as well as enjoy consuming content. Furthermore, Samsung’s Windows devices are enhanced with Samsung’s own unique services and content. Samsung Family Story provides fun and intuitive content sharing. Samsung’s ChatON service complements Microsoft’s popular People Hub to provide a wide range of social communication options across these versatile devices. Samsung ATIV Smart PC & Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro Combing revolutionary design, the power of a notebook PC and the convenience of a tablet PC, the 11.6-inch Samsung ATIV Smart PC and ATIV Smart PC Pro are Samsung’s next set of smart devices. These provide computing power with Windows 8 functionality as well as full Windows 7 compatibility. Each device features a detachable keyboard-docking system that allows users to easily switch between a clamshell notebook PC and a tablet PC form factor. These devices allow for great mobility with maximum productivity. An advanced 10-finger multi-touch screen provides a technological leap in interactivity, surpassing the traditional two-finger touch features. Its enhanced sensitivity allows users to pinch-to-zoom, rotate images and scroll through pages with ease to enjoy the full capabilities of the latest entertainment applications. In addition to commonly-provided input methods, the ATIV Smart PC and ATIV Smart PC Pro are equipped with the renowned S Pen, delivering real writing and drawing experiences for maximum productivity, both on the desk and on-the-go. Just like using a pen or pencil, the Wacom digitizer pen is capable of meeting the demands of professional designers with its 1024-level pressure sensitivity. The pre-loaded S Note application accompanies the S Pen to make writing and drawing as simple and intuitive as possible. While the S Camera fully exploits the performance of the integrated front and rear cameras, the S Player ensures seamless playback of images and videos in any format. This content is presented with Samsung’s SuperBright 11.6-inch Full HD LCD display, producing the most vivid colors and sharpness with 400nit brightness. Beautifully stylish and ultra-portable, the ATIV Smart PC and ATIV Smart PC Pro are only 9.9mm and 11.9mm thick, respectively; and there are no compromises on performance. The ATIV Smart PC Pro’s powerful Intel® Core™ i5 processor can handle particularly demanding professional use and multimedia consumption; while the ATIV Smart PC’s next generation Intel® Atom™ processor is a solid match for everyday productivity tasks. Despite their compact and portable form factor, the two devices feature USB 2.0(Smart PC), USB 3.0(Smart PC Pro), mHDMI, miniSD and two extra USB 2.0 ports on the keyboard. To get the experience going, the ATIV Smart PC has a battery life of up to 13.5 hours, whereas its stronger sister device, the ATIV Smart PC Pro, runs up to eight hours. Samsung ATIV Tab: Windows RT Tablet with the optimization of PC experience and mobility The new Samsung ATIV Tab is designed with a classy hairline finish, and delivers a full Windows 8-based PC experience with superior tablet mobility. Weighing 570g, featuring a 10.1″ display, and measuring 8.9mm thick, the ATIV Tab is always ready to go. It instantly boots up without lagging and comes with Office Home and Student 2013 RT, offering the new versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote to help transform the way people get things done at home, school or work. These applications are fully featured with complete document compatibility, meaning people can open and create any document, make edits on it and share it with others just like we do with PCs. An 8,200 mAh battery provides enough power to allow you to work on your projects and review or share them virtually anytime and anywhere. Moreover, the ATIV Tab is compatible with a range of Windows-based PC devices and accessories, including printers, keyboards, projectors, external monitors, and other peripherals, through its USB port and uHDMI, with no need to install e
xtra software. Samsung ATIV S: Smartphone with maximized PC experience Samsung ATIV S is a new smartphone for both work and entertainment featuring Windows Phone 8.. ATIV S brings a stunning hairline design and high performance with a range of content-sharing and productivity options. Its impressive 1.5GHz dual-core processor and HSPA+42 connectivity enable great browsing performance and high responsiveness even for the most demanding gaming or work applications. Users can enjoy the brand new Windows Phone 8 experience on the ATIV S’s stunning 4.8″ HD Super AMOLED display.
Sony announces new PlayStation Certified Xperia tablet and phones
There may be a lot of “not video games” happening on this tablet’s screen, but it’s Sony’s next big PlayStation Certified device, the Xperia Tablet S. Not to be confused with last year’s totally non-Xperia Tablet S, the new Tablet S is filled with a Tegra 3 processor, Android 4.0 (Ice-Cream Sandwich) and, depending on how much money you want to shell out, 16 to 64 gigs of storage. The device has a 9.4-inch IPS screen and will be available on September 7 for $400, $500 or $600, again depending on storage options.Sony has also announced two new PlayStation Certified smartphones: The Xperia T and Xperia V. The T will be Sony’s new flagship smartphone, featuring a 4.6-inch 1,280 x 720 screen, 1.5 Ghz dual-core Qualcomm processor, 13 megapixel camera and NFC capabilities. The V, on the other hand, is a water resistant LTE device with a slightly smaller screen (4.3 inches) and no NFC tricks, but otherwise similar internals. Both phones will launch before the end of the year, with the T dro
pping within the next few weeks.Though all three devices ship with Android 4.0, an upgrade to Jelly-Bean will be available for both phones and the tablet sometime in the near future.
Around Azeroth: I’m on a shark
Did I get your hopes up for a Mists of Pandaria rideable shark? Or perhaps a
nice shark-making glyph in honor of the recently concluded Shark Week? Sorry to disappoint. There’s no shark mount in this game. There is no justice in this world. (Thanks to gleeful undead shark-rider Kaliy of S O S Brigade on Dragonmaw [US-H] for the submission!) Gallery: Around Azeroth 3 | 796 Photos 796 +792 Want to see your own screenshot here? Send it to aroundazeroth@wowinsider.com. We strongly prefer full-sized pictures with no UI or names showing. Include “Azeroth” in the subject line to ensure your submission dodges email spam filters; if you’d like to be credited, also include your name, guild and realm.
SLIPS liquid repeller is inspired by carnivorous plants, enemy to insects and graffiti artists alike
When a team of Harvard researchers wanted to create the ultimate liquid- and solid-repelling surface, they looked toward the Nepenthes pitcher plant, where curious insects check in and never check out, thanks to slippery walls that lead to their tiny, horrific fate. The tropical plant inspired the creation of SLIPS (Self-healing, Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surface), a synthetic material that utilizes nano/ microstructured substrates, capable of repelling just about anything you can throw at it. During a visit to the hallowed Crimson halls, the team was kindly enough to show off the material through a series of messy, messy demos, dropping water, motor oil, liquid asphalt and newly-mixed concrete on aluminum and glass. The team even went crazy with a can of black spray paint, comparing the results to a Teflon surface. The outcome was the same in all case — an amazingly repellent material. The team has published a number of papers on the stuff, including ones that demonstrate its ice- and bacteria-repelling properties. Oh, and like its natural inspiration, SLIPS does a great jobs keeping bugs off its surface. You can check o
ut our demos and one unhappy ant filmed by the SLIPS team. No insects were harmed in the making of our video, at least — and the lab assures us that ant had a good life before learning the hard way why it shouldn’t mess with Harvard scientists.
Barnes & Noble continues British invasion, forges pacts with Argos, Blackwell’s and Foyles
Barnes & Noble has continued its quest to stock the shelves of United Kingdom bookstores with Nooks, by adding Argos, Blackwell’s and Foyles to the list of where you can get one. Those retailers will join John Lewis in carrying the Nook Simple Touch and its Glow Light-toting cousin, giving UK’ers nearly a thousand bricks and mortar sites to get one — including bookstores at 55 colleges and universities. Those locations will join Barnes & Nobles recently launched online website in s
elling the e-readers — but if you like to Touch before buying, the PR is after the break. Show full PR text Barnes & Noble Continues its NOOK Expansion into the UK, Announces Partnership with Argos, Blackwell’s and Foyles, To Offer Award-Winning NOOK® Products NOOK Reading Devices Available to Millions of Argos, Blackwell’s and Foyles Customers in Stores, Catalogues and Online Beginning in October NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller and leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, today announced partnerships with major retailers in the UK including multi-channel retailer Argos, the leading academic bookseller Blackwell’s and award-winning independent bookstore Foyles. These leading retailers will offer the highly sought-after NOOK digital products to reading and entertainment lovers in the UK this autumn. These retail partnerships are an important component of Barnes & Noble’s recently announced plans to expand its award-winning, beautifully designed NOOK products to millions of customers in the UK. “Barnes & Noble’s NOOK was born in and developed by a bookshop, so it is the ideal digital reading device to be sold by one” “We’re excited to work with Argos, Blackwell’s and Foyles to introduce our popular NOOK reading experience to an even broader audience in the United Kingdom,” said Jamie Iannone, President of Digital Products at Barnes & Noble. “Argos built its brand on choice and convenience, and with 90 percent of the population living within 10 miles of an Argos store, this literally brings the NOOK experience close to home for millions of UK consumers. Blackwell’s has built a reputation on its wide selection of titles and extremely knowledgeable staff, much like Barnes & Noble, and we’re delighted to continue in our dedication to the education space. As London’s largest independent bookshop chain, Foyles is a trusted name in books and literature in the UK, so we’re pleased to work together to bring NOOK and our expansive digital catalog to people passionate about books and reading.” The retail partners will first offer Barnes & Noble’s top-ranked line of E Ink® Readers – NOOK Simple Touch™ and NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight™ – in time for the holiday shopping season. NOOK will be stocked in more than 700 Argos stores, and prominently promoted through Argos’ robust online and telephone catalogue starting in October, providing shoppers easy and convenient ways to learn about, try and purchase NOOK products. “As a leading retailer of technology products in the UK, our team of experts are always focused on the best new products, so we are delighted to partner with Barnes & Noble on the launch of NOOK,” said Andy Hannan, Argos Trading Director. “From October, our customers will be able to buy NOOK online and in-store and we are sure it will be one of the must-have gadgets this Christmas.” The announcement also marks partnerships between major bookselling retailers in the United States and the United Kingdom. Blackwell’s – the leading UK retailer of academic, professional and specialist books – will carry NOOK digital products across an estate which serves 55 universities and major high streets nationwide. “Blackwell’s is delighted to announce our partnership with Barnes & Noble to bring NOOK to the UK,” said David Prescott, Managing Director of Blackwell’s Bookshops and Online. “It was critically important to us that we found a device partner who understood the specific needs of our customer groups. Barnes & Noble’s bookselling expertise, academic heritage and market leading NOOK reading devices made them the outstanding choice for Blackwell’s customers.” Foyles will bring NOOK to its six award-winning, internationally renowned London and Bristol bookshops and its online shop, allowing customers to explore, discover and purchase highly acclaimed NOOK products and content. “Barnes & Noble’s NOOK was born in and developed by a bookshop, so it is the ideal digital reading device to be sold by one,” said Sam Husain, CEO of Foyles Bookshops. “Foyles is always looking for new ways to recommend books to our customers and with NOOK, our booksellers now have superb hardware at hand to do so. NOOK is a market leader in eBook technology we are delighted to now be able to offer to our customers.” Today’s announcement reinforces Barnes & Noble’s commitment to offer the best choice in reading and tablet products for UK customers, expanding the expected number of UK retail outlets to nearly 800, in addition to various leading online retail platforms offering NOOK products and the company’s soon to launch online storefront, www.nook.co.uk. Barnes & Noble is a leader in creating innovative products that provide the best digital reading and entertainment experience for millions of customers today. The award-winning NOOK Simple Touch – the easiest-to-use Reader with the world’s best, most paper-like reading screen – and NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight, which adds an evenly distributed and adjustable light that’s perfect for reading in the dark, are expected to be available through leading UK retailers starting this autumn. Further product, pricing and availability details will be announced in the autumn. Commercial terms of the partnership have not been disclosed. About Barnes & Noble, Inc. Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE:BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, operates 691 bookstores in 50 states. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, also operates 647 college bookstores serving over 4.6 million students and faculty members at colleges and universities across the United States. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through BN.com (www.bn.com), one of the Web’s largest e-commerce sites, which also features more than 2.5 million titles in its NOOK Bookstore™ (www.bn.com/ebooks). Through Barnes & Noble’s NOOK® eReading product offering, customers can buy and read digital books and content on the widest range of platforms, including NOOK devices, partner company products, and the most popular mobile and computing devices using free NOOK software. Barnes & Noble is proud to be named a J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Customer Service Champion and is only one of 50 U.S. companies so named. Barnes & Noble.com is ranked the number one online retailer in customer satisfaction in the book, music and video category and a Top 10 online retailer overall in customer satisfaction according to ForeSee E-Retail Satisfaction Index (Spring Top 100 Edition). General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company’s corporate website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com. NOOK®, NOOK Tablet™, NOOK Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™, NOOK Simple Touch™, NOOK Color™, Reader’s Tablet™, Best-Text™ Technology, VividView™, PagePerfect™, NOOK Store™, NOOK Bookstore™, NOOK Book™, NOOK Newsstand™, NOOK Magazine™, NOOK Newspaper™, NOOK Apps™, FREE NOOK Reading Apps™, NOOK Kids™, NOOK Digital Shop™, NOOK Cloud™, NOOK® for Web, Read In Store™, More In Store™, LendMe®, NOOK Books en español™, NOOK Study™, NOOK Library™, Lifetime Library™ and Read What You Love. Anywhere You Like™ are trademarks of Barnes & Noble, Inc. Other trademarks referenced in this release are the property of their respective owners. Follow Barnes & Noble on Twitter (www.bn.com/twitter), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/barnesandnoble) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/bnstudio). About NOOK® from Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble’s NOOK brand of eReading products makes it easy to read what you love, anywhere you like™ with a fun, easy-to-use and immersive digital reading experience. With NOOK, customers gain access to Barnes & Noble’s expansive NOOK Store™ of more than 2.5 million digital titles, and the ability to enjoy content across a wide array of popular devices. NOOK Tablet™ is Barnes & Noble’s fastest, lightest tablet with the best in entertainment from top services and everything you want in a tablet at a great value ($179 for NOOK Tablet – 8GB, and $199 for NOOK Tablet – 16GB). Both NOOK Tablet and the award-winning NOOK Color™ ($149) feature a stunning 7-inch VividView™ Color Touchscreen to read all of the content you love, shop popular apps, connect via e-mail, browse the Web and more. NOOK Simple Touch™ ($99) is the fastest, easiest to use reader with the world’s best reading screen and the longest battery life and NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight™ ($139) features innovative lighting technology that makes it perfect for reading at bedtime and on the beach. Barnes & Noble offers NOOK owners Always Free NOOK Support in any of its nearly 700 bookstores, as well as free Wi-Fi connectivity to enjoy the Read In Store™ feature to read NOOK Books™ for free, and the More In Store™ program, which offers free, exclusive content and special promotions. Barnes & Noble was the first company to offer digital lending for a wide selection of books through its LendMe® technology, available through NOOK eReading products. Find NOOK devices in Barnes & Noble stores and online at www.nook.com, as well as at Best Buy, Walmart, Staples, Target, Radio Shack, Books-A-Million, OfficeMax, Fred Meyer, P.C. Richard & Son stores, Office Depot, Fry’s Electronics, Kmart, hhgregg, Sears and Systemax Inc. retailers. In addition to NOOK devices, Barnes & Noble makes it easy for customers to enjoy any book, anytime, anywhere with its Free NOOK Reading Apps™, available at www.nook.com/freenookapps. Customers can use Barnes & Noble’s free eReading software to access and read books from their personal Barnes & Noble digital library on devices including iPad™, iPhone®, iPod touch®, Android™ smartphones and tablets, PC and Mac®. Lifetime Library™ helps ensure that Barnes & Noble customers will always be able to access their digital libraries on NOOK products and software-enabled devices and BN.com. Barnes & Noble also offers NOOK Study™ (www.nookstudy.com), an innovative study platform and software solution for higher education, NOOK Kids™ (www.nookkids.com), a collection of digital picture and chapter books for children, and NOOK Books en español™ (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ebooksenespanol), the first-ever Spanish language digital bookstore in the United States. For more information on NOOK devices and eReading software, updates, new NOOK Book releases, Free Friday™ NOOK Books and more, follow us on www.twitter.com/nookBN and www.facebook.com/nook. About Argos Argos is the UK’s leading multi-channel retailer, offering more than 33,000 products from around 750 stores throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland, online at www.argos.co.uk, over the telephone and uniquely, through Argos TV. Argos continues to be the UK’s largest high street retailer online with over 430 million website visits annually. Argos serves around 130 million customers a year through its store network. In the financial year to February 2012, Argos sales were £3.9 billion and it employed some 31,000 people across the business. Argos is part of Home Retail Group, the UK’s leading home and general merchandise retailer. About Blackwell’s Blackwell’s is the leading academic bookseller in the UK with shops serving 55 higher education institutions across England, Scotland and Wales. It has built an international reputation for bookselling excellence with links to academic institutions and libraries around the globe and has continued to expand its UK base on high streets and in university campuses up and down the country. Today Blackwell’s has been trading for over 130 years from its world-famous flagship store on Broad Street in Oxford. Blackwell’s booksellers are renowned for their expertise, depth of knowledge and love of books, a tradition which has been maintained since the first Blackwell shop opened its doors in 1879. About Foyles Foyles, award-winning National Bookseller of the Year and Children’s Bookseller of the Year at this year’s Bookseller Industry Awards, has bookshops located in the traditional home of bookselling on Charing Cross Road and in four other London landmark locations. Foyles at Royal Festival Hall opened in 2005, Foyles in St Pancras International and Foyles in Westfield London opened in 2008 and Foyles in Westfield Stratford City opened in November 2011. The first Foyles shop outside London for seventy years, Foyles Cabot Circus, opened in Bristol in March 2011. The Foyles ecommerce site www.foyles.co.uk has 15 million books and over 230,000 eBooks for sale, with live stock availability from all its bookshops and details of upcoming literary events and book signings. Website customers receive a 15% discount on their purchases, with free delivery in the UK to all stores and on orders of £10 and over. Foyles was founded by brothers William and Gilbert Foyle in 1903 and became one of the most famous bookshops in the world. A multi-million pound refurbishment was completed in 2004. Well known for its breadth and range of stock and the expertise of its booksellers, Foyles bookshops remains family owned with Christopher Foyle as its non-executive Chairman. Sam Husain, only the second non-family CEO in Foyles’ history, is working with his fellow executive directors and senior managers to maintain Foyles as a book lovers’ destination of choice for the 21st century.