Author - boothby

Apple Unveils iPhone 11 Pro Smartphone Line

2019/09/10
boothby
Geek News, Mobile News, News, Tech News

Cupertino, California — Apple today announced iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, a new pro line for iPhone that delivers advanced performance for users who want the very best smartphone. The new Super Retina XDR display is a pro display with the brightest display ever in an iPhone. The powerful Apple-designed A13 Bionic chip provides unparalleled performance for every task while enabling an unprecedented leap in battery life to easily get through the day. A new triple-camera system provides a pro-level camera experience with an Ultra Wide, Wide and Telephoto camera, delivering huge improvements to low-light photography and offering the highest quality video in a smartphone that is great for shooting action videos.
iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max come in four gorgeous finishes including a beautiful new midnight green, and will be available for pre-order beginning Friday, September 13 and in stores beginning Friday, September 20.

“iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are the most powerful and advanced smartphones we have ever made. They are packed with sophisticated technology that pros can count on to get their work done, and for anyone who wants the very best device made, even if they are not a pro,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone 11 Pro has the first triple-camera system in iPhone and is far and away the best camera we’ve ever made, it provides our customers with great range of creative control and advanced photo and video editing features in iOS 13. The Super Retina XDR is the brightest and most advanced display in iPhone and the A13 Bionic chip sets a new bar for smartphone performance and power efficiency.”

Pro Design and Display

iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max have a textured matte glass back and polished stainless steel band, and come in four stunning finishes including a beautiful new midnight green. The most powerful devices are also designed to be durable — iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max feature the toughest glass ever in a smartphone and are rated IP68 for water resistance up to 4 meters for up to 30 minutes, and are protected against everyday spills including coffee and soda.1

The new Super Retina XDR display, a custom-designed OLED, provides users an immersive HDR viewing experience for movies and other high-definition video with up to 1,200 nits brightness. Super Retina XDR features wide color support with system-wide color management and True Tone to offer a more natural viewing experience. With a 2 million-to-one contrast ratio with true blacks, pro users can enjoy a more vivid viewing experience for HDR videos and photos, and the Super Retina XDR display is even more power efficient. Customers can interact with their favorite apps in a quick, seamless way with Haptic Touch deeply integrated across iOS 13 to provide app shortcuts for everyday tasks right from the Home screen, including taking a selfie in Camera, checking an appointment in Calendar or previewing email within Mail with just a simple press.

Fastest Performance with the Best Battery Life

A13 Bionic, the fastest chip ever in a smartphone, provides unparalleled performance for every task iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max handle and features up to 20 percent faster CPU and GPU than A12. A13 Bionic is built for machine learning, with a faster Neural Engine for real-time photo and video analysis, and new Machine Learning Accelerators that allow the CPU to deliver more than 1 trillion operations per second. Together, A13 Bionic and iOS 13 make up the best machine learning platform in a smartphone.

All of this compute, graphics and ML performance is delivered while still enabling an unprecedented leap in battery life, with iPhone 11 Pro offering up to four more hours of battery life in a day than iPhone XS, and iPhone 11 Pro Max offering up to five hours more than iPhone XS Max.

A Pro Camera System for Everyone

iPhone 11 Pro introduces a transformative triple-camera system with all-new Ultra Wide, Wide and Telephoto cameras, deeply integrated into iOS to create a pro-level camera experience designed for everyone.

iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max set a new standard in video, with the highest quality video ever in a smartphone. Each camera in the triple-camera system records brilliant 4K video with extended dynamic range and cinematic video stabilization. With a wider field of view and large focal plane, the Ultra Wide camera is great for shooting action videos. Users can easily zoom between each of the three cameras, while Audio Zoom matches the audio to the video framing for more dynamic sound. With iOS 13, powerful video editing tools are accessible to everyone with the ability to rotate, crop, increase exposure and apply filters to videos instantly. These adjustments are easy to apply and review at a glance, so even a novice can create professional quality video projects.

With the tight integration between hardware and software, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max take the traditional camera experience even further in a way only Apple can. The all-new Ultra Wide camera fundamentally changes the camera experience by capturing four times more scene, great for taking landscape or architecture photos, tight shots and more. The new Wide sensor with 100 percent Focus Pixels and advanced software enables Night mode, and delivers huge improvements to photos shot in indoor and outdoor low-light environments, resulting in brighter images with natural colors and reduced noise.

The triple-camera system takes Portrait mode to a new level with the ability to choose Wide and Telephoto framing, enabling Portrait mode with a wider field of view, great for taking portraits of multiple people. The Telephoto camera features a larger ƒ/2.0 aperture to capture 40 percent more light compared to iPhone Xs for better photos and videos.

Next-generation Smart HDR uses advanced machine learning to recognize subjects in the frame and intelligently relight them for more natural-looking images with greater detail. A new True Tone flash is over 30 percent brighter. Deep Fusion, coming later this fall, is a new image processing system enabled by the Neural Engine of A13 Bionic. Deep Fusion uses advanced machine learning to do pixel-by-pixel processing of photos, optimizing for texture, details and noise in every part of the photo.

A redesigned camera interface provides a more immersive experience that works together with the triple-camera system and all-screen display to let users see and capture the area outside of the frame. For the first time, users can easily record video without switching out of Photo mode with QuickTake by simply holding the shutter button to start recording.

The new TrueDepth camera introduces a new 12MP camera with a wider field of view to capture selfies, and next-generation Smart HDR enables more natural-looking photos. Expressive selfie videos take on a whole new look with the TrueDepth camera that now records 4K video at up to 60 fps and 120 fps slo-mo.

Additional Features

  • The new Apple-designed U1 chip uses Ultra Wideband technology, the first ever in a smartphone, for spatial awareness. With iOS 13.1 coming on September 30, AirDrop gets even better with directionally aware suggestions.
  • Face ID, the most secure facial authentication in a smartphone, gets up to 30 percent faster and easier to use with improved performance at varying distances and support for more angles.
  • Spatial audio provides an immersive surround sound experience and Dolby Atmos delivers powerful, moving audio to iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
  • Gigabit-class LTE up to 1.6Gbps and Wi-Fi 6 allow for even faster download speeds2 and Dual SIM with eSIM.3

Featuring iOS 13

iOS 13 on iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max delivers a seamless experience with software and hardware integration unlike any other smartphone. iOS 13 introduces a dramatic new look with Dark Mode, a more private way to sign in to apps and websites with Sign In with Apple, and an all-new Maps experience.4

With advanced Camera and Photos features, photo editing is more comprehensive and intuitive with powerful new tools that now extend to video editing. Portrait Lighting adjustments can be made right in the Camera app to adjust the intensity of light on a subject, and a new High-Key Mono effect creates a beautiful, monochromatic look for Portrait mode photos.

Pricing and Availability

  • iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max will be available in 64GB, 256GB and 512GB models in midnight green, space gray, silver and gold starting at $999 and $1,099, respectively. Customers can also get iPhone 11 Pro for $24.95 a month5 or $599 with trade-in6 and iPhone 11 Pro Max for $29.12 a month or $699 with trade-in from apple.com, in the Apple Store app and Apple Stores. iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are also available through Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers (prices may vary).
  • Customers in the US, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and more than 30 other countries and regions will be able to pre-order iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max beginning at 5 a.m. PDT on Friday, September 13 with availability beginning Friday, September 20.
  • Through Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, customers in the US can get iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max with the protection of AppleCare+, choose their carrier (no multiyear service contract required) and have the opportunity to upgrade to a new iPhone every year. The iPhone Upgrade Program is available for iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max at apple.com and Apple Stores in the US with monthly payments starting at $49.91.
  • Customers who would like to pay monthly for their iPhone — including those trading in their current device or joining or upgrading through the iPhone Upgrade Program — can use the Apple Store app on their iPhone to get pre-approved until 9 p.m. PDT on Thursday, September 12, before iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max pre-order begins.
  • iOS 13 will be available on September 19 as a free software update for iPhone 6s and later. Additional software features will be available on September 30 with iOS 13.1.7
  • Apple Arcade on the App Store will be available with iOS 13 as a subscription for $4.99 per month and is launching with a one-month free trial.8 Users get unlimited access to the entire catalog of over 100 new, exclusive games, all playable across iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and Apple TV.
  • Apple TV+ will be available on the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, Mac and other platforms, including online (tv.apple.com), for $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. Starting today, customers who purchase any iPhone can enjoy one year of Apple TV+ for free.9
  • Apple Arcade on the App Store and Apple TV+ on the Apple TV app join Apple’s breakthrough services that include Apple Music, Apple News+, Apple Pay and iCloud.
  • Every customer who buys iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max from Apple will be offered free Personal Setup in-store or online to help customize their iPhone by helping transfer their data, wiping data from an old device, setting up email, highlighting new apps from the App Store and more.
  • Customers get 3 percent Daily Cash when they buy iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max from Apple with Apple Card.
  • Customers can extend their limited warranty with AppleCare+ and AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss, and get 24/7 priority access to technical support.
  • Customers interested in learning more about iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro can join one of Apple’s new Today at Apple sessions, Quick Tips. Quick Tips are 15-minute drop-in sessions focused on some of the most popular features of iPhone, like photography. The new Quick Tip sessions begin Friday, September 20.

Apple Unveils Apple Watch Series 5

2019/09/10
boothby
Geek News, Mobile News, News, Tech News

Cupertino, California — Apple today announced Apple Watch Series 5, debuting an Always-On Retina display that never sleeps, so it’s easy to see the time and other important information, without raising or tapping the display. New location features, from a built-in compass to current elevation, help users better navigate their day, while international emergency calling1 allows customers to call emergency services directly from Apple Watch in over 150 countries, even without iPhone nearby. Apple Watch Series 5 is available in a wider range of materials, including aluminum, stainless steel, ceramic and an all-new titanium. Combined with the power of watchOS 6, users are empowered to take charge of their health and fitness with new features like Cycle Tracking, the Noise app and Activity Trends.

“We’ve seen Apple Watch have a meaningful impact on our customers’ lives and we’re excited to deliver even more capabilities with Apple Watch Series 5 and watchOS 6,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “The seamless integration of new hardware and software delivers an enhanced experience that makes it even easier to stay active and connected to the people and information users care about.”

Starting today, Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS) is available to order in 41 countries and regions and Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS + Cellular) is available to order in 22 countries and regions. Both models will be available in stores beginning Friday, September 20.

Always-On Retina Display

Apple Watch Series 5 features an innovative new display that allows the time and important information to remain visible at all times. Each watch face has been carefully optimized for the new display and to preserve battery life, the screen intelligently dims when a user’s wrist is down and returns to full brightness with a raise or a tap. Several advanced technologies work together to deliver this new feature, including the industry’s only low-temperature polysilicone and oxide display (LTPO), ultra-low power display driver, efficient power management integrated circuit and new ambient light sensor. This combination of hardware innovation and incredible software design allows Apple Watch Series 5 to offer all-day 18-hour battery life.2

Navigation

Updated location features on Apple Watch Series 5 provide customers with greater navigation tools to use throughout the day. The new built-in compass and updated Maps app allow users to see which way they are facing. With Apple Watch Series 5, customers can use the new Compass app to see heading, incline, latitude, longitude and current elevation. Users can even add one of three new Compass complications to their watch face to see direction at a glance.

International Emergency Calling

For added personal safety while traveling, users with cellular models of Apple Watch Series 5 can now complete international calls to emergency services, regardless of where the device was originally purchased or if the cellular plan has been activated. International emergency calling also works with fall detection, if enabled, to automatically place an emergency call if Apple Watch senses the user has taken a hard fall and remains motionless for about a minute.

watchOS 6

Additional health and fitness features come with watchOS 6, including the new Cycle Tracking app, which gives customers the ability to log important information related to their menstrual cycles, and see predicted timing for their next period and fertile windows using the convenience of Apple Watch.3 The Noise app helps users understand the ambient sound levels in environments such as concerts and sporting events that could negatively impact hearing, and Activity Trends on iPhone provides a long-term view of their activity patterns to help them understand their progress. watchOS 6 also brings dynamic new watch faces, including Meridian, Modular Compact and Solar Dial, which can be easily customized for quicker access to favorite apps.

Apple Watch Lineup

Apple is introducing a new case material made of titanium, a prized material in watchmaking that has superb strength-to-weight ratio and is lighter than stainless steel. Available in two beautiful brushed finishes, the natural titanium has a custom-engineered surface which helps maintain its color and resist staining, while the space black titanium achieves its deep color from a diamond-like coating (DLC).

Classic styles like the stainless steel case in gold, silver and space black remain, while the aluminum case in silver, gold and space gray is now made for the first time from 100 percent recycled 7000 series aluminum. This fall, the highly scratch-resistant and beautiful white ceramic case is also available, along with a new sport loop and a wide range of great new band colors, which work with any generation of Apple Watch.

Apple Watch Nike features a new watch face inspired by the classic Nike Windrunner jacket design, accompanied by new colors of the Nike Sport Band and reflective Nike Sport Loop. Apple Watch Hermès introduces several new styles, including an update to last fall’s popular color block band, now in a new Della Cavalleria print, and an all-black version with an exclusive Hermès gradient watch face.

  • Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS) starts at $399 (US) and Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS + Cellular) starts at $499. The popular Series 3 (GPS), with built-in GPS, optical heart rate sensor and water resistance, starts at a new low price of $199 and Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) is $299.
  • Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS) is available to order today from apple.com and in the Apple Store app, with availability beginning Friday, September 20 in the US, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and 38 other countries and regions.
  • Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS + Cellular) is available to order today from apple.com and in the Apple Store app, with availability beginning Friday, September 20 in the US, Puerto Rico and 20 other countries and regions. For carrier availability, visit apple.com/watch/cellular.
  • Apple Watch Nike is available to order today from apple.com and in the Apple Store app, with availability beginning Friday, October 4 in the US, Puerto Rico and more than 51 other countries and regions. For more information, visit apple.com/apple-watch-nike or nike.com/applewatch.
  • New Apple Watch bands are available to order today from apple.com and in the Apple Store app, with availability beginning Friday, September 20.
  • watchOS 6 will be available for Apple Watch Series 3 and later on September 19 and for Apple Watch Series 1 and 2 later this fall.
  • Customers in the US can trade in their eligible device for an Apple Store Gift Card, or a refund on their purchase. If their device isn’t eligible for credit, Apple will recycle it for free.4
  • Customers get 3 percent Daily Cash when they buy Apple Watch Series 5 from Apple with Apple Card.
  • Customers can get up to two years of technical support and accidental damage coverage with AppleCare+.
  • Customers who buy Apple Watch from Apple will be offered free Personal Setup, in-store or online,5 to help set up and personalize their new Apple Watch with calendars, notifications, apps and more.

Apple Unveils new Seventh-Gen iPad

2019/09/10
boothby
Geek News, Mobile News, News, Tech News

Cupertino, California — Apple today introduced the new seventh-generation iPad, bringing more screen area and support for the full-sized Smart Keyboard to its most popular and most affordable iPad. Starting at just $329, the upgraded iPad features a stunning 10.2-inch Retina display and the latest innovations including Apple Pencil support, the fast A10 Fusion chip, advanced cameras and sensors, unmatched portability and connectivity, ease of use and great all-day battery life.3 The new iPad is available to order starting today and in stores starting Monday, September 30.

“The new iPad packs even more value into our most popular and affordable iPad model featuring a bigger 10.2-inch Retina display, support for Apple Pencil and for the first time, the full-size Smart Keyboard,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Product Marketing. “The new iPad was built to run iPadOS, which introduces powerful new ways to multitask, manage and mark up documents, use Apple Pencil and view more information at a glance on a redesigned Home screen. This new iPad with iPadOS takes everything people love about our most popular iPad and makes it even better for creating, learning, working and playing.”

Bigger Display in a Powerful and Portable Design

The new 10.2-inch Retina display iPad has nearly 3.5 million pixels and a wide viewing angle making it a vivid canvas for creative expression and perfect for immersive augmented reality (AR) experiences that take advantage of its enhanced cameras and advanced sensors. Featuring the powerful A10 Fusion chip, the new seventh-generation iPad brings up to two times faster performance over the top-selling Windows PC4 for powerful multitasking and smooth gameplay in Apple Arcade.

Designed to be ultra-portable and durable, iPad weighs about one pound and for the first time features an enclosure made from 100 percent recycled aluminum with the same strength, durability and beautiful finish as the aluminum in all Apple products.5 Staying connected is easy on iPad with ultra-fast wireless performance and support for Gigabit-class LTE connectivity — delivering three times faster6 cellular data connections.7 With Touch ID, unlocking iPad is simple and secure using just a finger, to keep important information safe.

A New iPad Experience with iPadOS

iPadOS brings powerful new capabilities and intuitive features designed for the unique experience of iPad. A redesigned Home screen shows more apps on each page and the Today View can now be added, allowing quick access to widgets for at-a-glance information including news headlines, weather and calendar events. Working with multiple files and documents from the same app is now easier on iPad with updates to Split View, as well as switching between multiple apps using Slide Over.

The must-have Apple Pencil opens up new ways to be creative and more productive and is even more integrated into the iPad experience. Customers can now mark up and send entire webpages or documents by simply swiping Apple Pencil from the bottom corner of the screen, and a redesigned tool palette gives easier access to useful tools, colors and shapes.

Managing documents in the Files app with iPadOS gets even more powerful with support for external USB drives and file servers. Safari brings desktop-class browsing to iPad so users always get the website best optimized for iPad, as well as support for popular web apps like Squarespace and Google Docs. For additional information on iPadOS features, including Dark Mode, custom fonts and working with Photos, visit apple.com/ipados.

The Most Complete iPad Family Ever

The newest, most affordable iPad joins iPad mini, iPad Air and the most advanced iPad Pro models, offering the best, most versatile iPad lineup ever. The complete lineup includes Apple Pencil support, best-in-class performance, advanced displays and all-day battery life for an experience unmatched by any other tablet. Whether customers prioritize portability, screen size, power or price, there’s an iPad for everyone. Learn more about the iPad family at apple.com/ipad/compare.

Pricing and Availability
  • The new seventh-generation iPad comes in silver, space gray and gold finishes in 32GB and 128GB configurations. iPad starts at $329 (US) for the Wi-Fi model and $459 (US) for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model from apple.com, in the Apple Store app and Apple Stores, and is also available through Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers (prices may vary).
  • The new iPad is available to order starting today from apple.com and in the Apple Store app in the US and more than 25 other countries and regions. iPad will be available in stores in those countries and more beginning September 30.
  • iPadOS ships for free with the new seventh-generation iPad and will be available as a free software update on September 30 for iPad Air 2 and later, all iPad Pro models, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 4 and later.
  • Apple Pencil (1st generation) is available for purchase separately for $99 (US).
  • The Smart Keyboard is a full-size keyboard that connects to the 10.2-inch iPad with the Smart Connector. It is available for purchase separately for $159 (US) with layouts for over 30 languages, including simplified Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish.
  • Schools can purchase iPad starting at $299 (US) and Apple Pencil for $89 (US).
  • Polyurethane Smart Covers are available for $39 (US) for iPad in charcoal gray, white, pink sand and a new Alaskan blue.
  • Customers in the US can trade in their eligible device for an Apple Store Gift Card or a refund on their purchase. If the device isn’t eligible for credit, Apple will recycle it for free.8
  • When customers buy online from Apple, they can make their new iPad their own with free engraving.
  • Customers get 3 percent Daily Cash when they buy iPad from Apple with Apple Card.
  • Customers can extend their limited warranty with AppleCare+ and get 24/7 priority access to technical support.
  • Every customer who buys iPad from Apple can enjoy free Personal Setup in-store or online, and receive guidance on how to customize their iPad, set up email, find new apps from the App Store and more.
  • Apple Arcade on the App Store will be available with iOS 13 as a subscription for $4.99 per month and is launching with a one-month free trial.9 Users get unlimited access to the entire catalog of over 100 new, exclusive games, all playable across iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and Apple TV.
  • Apple TV+ will be available on the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, Mac and other platforms, including online (tv.apple.com), for $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. Starting today, customers who purchase any iPad can enjoy one year of Apple TV+ for free.10
  • Apple Arcade on the App Store and Apple TV+ on the Apple TV app join Apple’s breakthrough services that include Apple Music, Apple News+, Apple Pay and iCloud.
  • Anyone who wants to learn more or go further with iPad or iPadOS can sign up for free Today at Apple sessions at apple.com/today.

Wreckfest Retro Rammers Car Pack Launch Trailer

2019/09/10
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Vienna, AUSTRIA / Helsinki, FINLAND, September 10th, 2019 – Expand the World of Wreckfest with these three classic vehicles! The Retro Rammers Car Pack is out today on all platforms for $ 3.99 | € 3.99 | £ 3.29.

  • Wingman: The huge American classic Tailfin car from the late 1950s is the perfect choice for derbies and figure 8 tracks.
  • Buggy: This classic European design with a rear engine feels right at home on twisty tracks.
  • Bumper Car: Carnage at the Carnival! The world’s fastest bumper car makes your dreams come true – Ram hard.

Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest Unveils Scarier 30 Hour Coffin Challenge

2019/09/10
boothby
Geek News, Halloween, News

JACKSON, N.J. — September 10, 2019 — As if laying in a cold, lonely coffin for 30 hours wasn’t hard enough, the team at Six Flags Great Adventure has developed an even more dastardly Six Flags 30-Hour Coffin Challenge to celebrate this year’s Fright Fest. The morbid special event will return Oct. 13 and 14, and this year’s challenge will feature a guest emcee — The Munsters star Butch Patrick — a variety of frightful, new rules and ghastly games for the six unlucky coffin dwellers.

More than 4,000 applicants from around the world vied for the chance to occupy one of Six Flags Great Adventure’s six coffins in 2018. Since all dwellers survived the event, the park team has implemented new rules and challenges for 2019. A new point system will tabulate one grand prize winner and runners up. Challenges will offer coffin dwellers the chance to earn points, and penalize them if they waive a challenge.

Highlights of this year’s Coffin Challenge include:

  • Fully-covered coffin lid with just a small mesh hole for that ultra-claustrophobic feeling;
  • Games that include live bugs, pungent food items and trivia to earn points, penalties and a “Get Out of the Coffin” card;
  • Fewer bathroom, stretch and phone breaks – coffin dwellers will only be permitted to leave the coffin once for 13 minutes every three hours to use the restroom or their phones;
  • Sleep deprivation with Yacht Rock and songs like “Baby Shark” on repeat during overnight hours;
  • Applications accepted from individuals and pairs who want to conquer the event together; and
  • Guest emcee Butch Patrick, who starred as Eddie in The Munsters, will host challenges, The Munsters trivia and the Raising from the Dead Ceremony for any survivors on Oct. 14.

Contestants will eat all of their meals in the coffin, and endure surprise visits from Fright Fest freaks and live critters like snakes, spiders and skunks. Scores will be tabulated throughout the event, and the grand prize winner will receive $600, two Six Flags Gold Passes and two Fright Fest Haunted Maze Passes. Runners up will receive items ranging from Fright Fest day passes to season passes.

Interested coffin dwellers can complete the application through Sept. 22 on www.sixflags.com/greatadventure/coffin-challenge   Finalists will be chosen the week of Sept 23. The event will begin Sunday, Oct. 13 at 1 pm with a Laying to Rest Ceremony, and conclude Monday, Oct. 14 at 7 pm with a Raising from the Dead Ceremony.

Aisha Tyler to Host the 2019 Saturn Awards

2019/09/10
boothby
Geek News, Movie News, News

LOS ANGELES (September 10, 2019) – The Saturn Awards organization today announced that actress and comedian Aisha Tyler will host the 45th annual awards show on Friday, September 13, 2019.

For the first time ever, the show will be broadcast live in an exciting simulcast across one of the largest aggregations of genre media partners ever assembled, making the show available to over 100 million viewers. The partners include Cinedigm’s CONtv, Nerdist, the newly launched Pluto TV Sci-Fi Channel (Ch 661), Shout Factory TV, Twitch, one of YouTube’s top 50 channels WatchMojo.com, and the newly launched Official Saturn Awards YouTube Channel. The show will also be available via the Saturn Awards website www.SaturnAwards.com and iOS & Android app.

The Saturn Awards will air live across these platforms on Friday the 13th of September at 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT.

Host Aisha Tyler shared, “I’m thrilled to be spending a night honoring the best in genre storytelling. I’ve loved sci-fi and fantasy since I was a little girl, and it’s a blast to get to celebrate the brilliant minds and thrilling stories that shape our loftiest dreams and fuel our darkest nightmares.”

Saturn Media’s CEO Justin W. Hochberg, said, “For the first time ever that fans can watch the Saturns, it only made sense to create the largest collaboration of partners ever assembled to showcase the biggest night in genre programming. Aisha Tyler is one of the most versatile artists in entertainment and we could not imagine a more perfect host to take the Saturn Awards into this new era and throughout the galaxy. You’re all invited!”.

The 2019 Saturn Awards will take place on Friday, the 13th of September at the historic Avalon Theater in Hollywood.

Follow The Saturn Awards here:
FB: @TheSaturnAwards
TW: @SaturnAwards
IG: @SaturnAwards

NASCAR Heat 4 Gold Edition Out Today

2019/09/10
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 10, 2019 — Today 704Games, NASCAR Team Properties’ exclusive console simulation-style video game licensee, will release the latest version of the NASCAR Heat franchise. Fans who pre-ordered or plan to purchase the limited NASCAR Heat 4 Gold Edition will have early access to gameplay starting today, while the Standard Edition will be available nationwide on Friday, September 13th. The game will be available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices, including the Xbox One X, and PC via the Steam Store.

NASCAR Heat 4 delivers improved gameplay mechanics, audio and visual enhancements, and an expanded career mode. The gameplay features an all-new handling and tire wear model, multi-groove racing, and major upgrades to the AI system to more closely mimic racing conditions. Additional enhancements include new engine audio, sourced from authentic stock car recordings, and visual upgrades to all 38 tracks including enhanced lighting, the addition of motion blur, and day-to-night transitions. NASCAR fans and gamers alike will enjoy the inclusion of the Carousel at Sonoma Raceway as well as the latest iterations to the Charlotte Roval and the ability to race Martinsville Speedway at night.

The new game also features expansive upgrades to career mode with the option, for the first time, to start in any of the four series included in the game. Players also have the ability to participate in the Xtreme Dirt Tour and join the Smoke Racing team led by dirt racing enthusiast and cover star, Tony Stewart.

“The 704Games team has been hard at work during our product development cycle making adjustments to ensure that we deliver the best NASCAR video game yet for our fans,” said Colin Smith, President of 704Games. “Our developers – informed in part by input from the NASCAR Heat community – have implemented numerous upgrades to the game this year that serve to capture and relay the realism and excitement surrounding the NASCAR experience.”

Professional eNASCAR drivers participating in the inaugural eNASCAR Heat Pro League season transitioned to the new game in advance of the 2019 eNASCAR Heat Pro League Playoffs. The Playoffs will begin on September 11th at the virtual Las Vegas Motor Speedway and culminate on October 23rd at the virtual Martinsville Speedway with teams competing live at NASCAR Plaza in Charlotte.

NASCAR Heat 4 is priced at $49.99 for the Standard Edition and $69.99 for the Gold Edition, which features NASCAR Legend Jeff Gordon. Players who purchase the Gold Edition will also receive the 2019 Season Pass (valued at $29.99).

GreedFall Out Now

2019/09/10
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

PARIS — Sept. 10, 2019 — GreedFall, the fantasy RPG developed by Spiders Studio in partnership with Focus Home Interactive, sets sail for its great journey today with its official release on PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and Windows PC.

Take your first steps into adventure right now with GreedFall‘s spellbinding launch trailer!

The mysterious island of Teer Fradee looms on the horizon, a beacon of hope for your troubled homeland. Uneasy relationships simmer between the island’s many factions, both settler and native, and their fates depend on your decisions as a hero, explorer and diplomat.

Freedom lies at the heart of GreedFall: shape your story from character creation to conclusion, carving a path through endless decisions that will affect the lives of the world around you. Choose which companions to take with you on your quest, which talents, skills and attributes to learn, and how you want to craft and customize your gear. With the world teetering on a precipice, how will you tip the scales of destiny? Befriend, betray, and make the toughest choices as you shape both your destiny and the island’s.

GreedFall is available for $49.99 digitally and at major retailers on consoles, as well as via Steam for PC. This game is rated M (Mature) by the ESRB. For more information about GreedFall, visit http://greedfall.com.

Reign of Terror Gets Even Bigger for 2019

2019/09/09
boothby
Geek News, Halloween, News

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 — THOUSAND OAKS, CA — Reign of Terror Haunted House, one of the most highly-acclaimed, award-winning walk-through Haunted Houses in California and across the entire U.S., reveals thrilling additions and all-new effects to create an astounding production for its 20th consecutive season in 2019. Featuring a record-breaking 115 bone-chilling rooms, 9 inter-connected horror themed attractions, all indoors and covering 25,000 square feet of floor space in the single largest indoor haunted house in Southern California, Reign of Terror will open 16 nights, starting September 28, and running October 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31 and November 2 at Janss Marketplace, located off the 101 Freeway, at the intersection of Hillcrest Drive and Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks. Reign of Terror hours are 7 – 10 p.m. weekdays and 7 – 11 p.m. on Saturdays. On average, it takes 25 minutes or more to complete a walk-through of this massive haunted house.

An entirely new section, called “Containment”, premieres as Reign of Terror’s 9th haunted attraction. All hope is lost for the residents inside Containment, who managed to avoid the horrible mutations of Quarantine, yet are doomed to forever be restrained from the public, until outsiders unwittingly provoke the worst. Also new for 2019 is “Widow’s Den”, an eerie experience that lures a special kind of dreadful anticipation for visitors. New hair-raising special effects, spectacular props and a massive horde of new live action characters add to frightful thrills galore.  The existing “Asylum” attraction has also been re-imagined and re-organized as never seen before.

Reign of Terror’s incredible high level of detail, theming and overall fun will be evident again across all the changes made to existing attractions: Miner’s Revenge, Asylum, The Victorian Haunted Mansion, Inbred, Casa Blood, Infected, Quarantine and Fun House. Fan favorites, including “The White-Out Experience”, “Slime Bog”, and the “Vortex Tunnel” return, each creating uniquely disturbing encounters.

In addition, due to popular demand, a “Lights OUT” special event, will run on Saturday, November 2. Visitors to “Lights OUT” walk through all 115 rooms in total darkness, lit only by one small glow stick per group. It is highly recommended for visitors to come to Lights OUT as their bonus, end of season extra visit, only after visiting Reign of Terror’s regular production where all lighting and special effects run as usual. This will allow visitors of Lights OUT to truly appreciate and enjoy how different it is.

For additional info, including an extensive FAQ list, visit www.ROThauntedhouse.com

Ticket prices range from $17 to $25 for general admission and $30 to $40 for express entry admission.  Tickets are available for purchase with credit cards now online at www.ROThauntedhouse.com . Tickets can be purchased at the event as well at the Reign of Terror Box Office at Janss Marketplace starting 6:30 p.m. each night. Box Office sales are cash only, and an ATM is located nearby for convenience.  Anyone holding a ticket and in line for entrance prior to closing time each night is guaranteed entrance.

Reign of Terror is an intense experience geared for horror and thrill-seeking fans over 13 years old. It is not designed for small children or sensitive adults. However, it can still be enjoyed by all ages. For families with children under 13, Reign of Terror Lights On tours are offered two Saturday afternoons, October 19 and October 26 from 1 – 4 p.m.  Lights On tours have no special effects, no darkness or scares in operation, but all regular, white lighting is on. Admission for the Lights On tour is $5 for children and adults, payable in cash only at the Box Office on the day of the tour.
Reign of Terror succeeds in providing more than good scares and fun times, by giving back to the community. Because Janss Marketplace hosts the event in over 25,000 square feet of indoor space, the haunted house is able to donate proceeds from entrance fees to the Conejo Recreation and Parks District.

Each year, Janss Marketplace’s annual donation benefits the District’s Thousand Oaks Teen Center, Young Artists Ensemble programs, and the Conejo Theatre for Everyone, which gives special needs youth the opportunity to perform. Over the past ten years Reign of Terror at Janss Marketplace has generated over $300,000 in donations.

Reign of Terror Haunted House 2019 Quick Facts

  • 20th year in consecutive operation
  • Open 16 nights
  • Over 115 custom horror themed rooms to walk through
  • 9 different, interconnected attractions target a different type of fear
  • Covers 25,000 sq feet of indoor floor space, making it the single largest indoor haunted house in all of Southern California.
  • New Characters: A horde of new gruesome characters will join our army of scare actors to lurk among our rooms
  • New Attraction: “Containment” – See how these restrained victims react to your unwelcome presence
  • New Experience: “Widows Den”- Avoid being wrapped up in a point of no return
  • New Props, New Effects: Upgrades and new effects have been added throughout.
  • Special Event Adventure: “Lights OUT” – After you see Reign of Terror once, come back again on November 2 to be terrified all over again, this time in TOTAL darkness.

Reign of Terror Haunted House won numerous haunt industry awards including,

  • “Oscares Award, Best Haunt”, from The Haunted Attraction Association (National)
  • “Must See Haunt in the U.S. (one of 31 nationwide)” from Haunted Attraction Magazine
  • “Best Professional Haunt”, from CreepyLA
  • “Best Halloween Attraction in Los Angeles”, from Hollywood Gothique

Borderlands 3 Cinematic Launch Trailer

2019/09/09
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

September 9, 2019 – Borderlands 3 won’t be out until Friday, but the official cinematic launch trailer is available now! To watch our new badass Vault Hunters blow up some Psychos and face down the Calypsos to the tune of a pretty killer Queen track, just click right here.

Borderlands 3 launches this Friday, September 13, on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Players can pre-load the game on any of those three platforms starting roughly 48 hours ahead of launch. To learn more about the exact timing across all regions and platforms, check out this handy blog.

Not sure if your PC rig will be able to handle all the mayhem? Then click right here to learn more about the minimum and recommended PC specs for Borderlands 3.

Still reading this? Then consider catching up on all the end game content we revealed at PAX West, including True Vault Hunter Mode, Mayhem Mode, and Guardian Rank. Yep, you guessed it, there’s a blog for that too!