Thursday 26 June 2008

Shaq Speaks: Kobe, How's My Love Taste?

What a difference a few days makes!
Play video
On Sunday, Shaquille O'Neal invited Kobe Bryant to toss his salad -- but today he told our camera, "I love you Kobe!"

He's got a funny way of showing it.



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Wednesday 18 June 2008

Autodesk Announces Sound Devices as Inventor of the Month for May 2008

Digital Prototyping Helps Manufacturer Deliver Innovative Audio Device to
Marketplace in 50 Percent Less Time

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., May 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk, Inc.
(Nasdaq: ADSK) today announced that Sound Devices, LLC a leading
manufacturer of professional audio recording and mixing equipment, has been
named as the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for May 2008. Sound Devices
relied on Autodesk Inventor software, the foundation for Digital
Prototyping to develop the 788T, an innovative 8-track digital audio
recorder. This powerful, compact device allows audio professionals to
capture and process sound more effectively in a variety of "on location"
situations -- from documentary films and reality television programs, to
music events and sports broadcasts -- which ultimately provides a more
satisfactory audio experience for listeners and viewers.

The Inventor of the Month program recognizes the most innovative design
and engineering advancements made by the extensive community using Autodesk
Inventor software -- the foundation of the Autodesk solution for Digital
Prototyping. A digital prototype is a realistic 3D digital simulation of
the entire end product, used to virtually optimize and validate a product
before it is built to reduce the need for constructing physical prototypes.

To design the 788T, Sound Devices had to figure out a way to fit eight
full-featured microphone inputs and eight tracks of recording into a
chassis weighing less than four pounds and roughly the size of a hardcover
book. Digital prototypes created with products from the Inventor family of
products proved invaluable in helping the company check for interferences
between various components and explore design variations before anything
was actually built.

"Using Inventor, we were able to digitally prototype the 788T nearly a
dozen times before we cut a single sheet of metal," said Jason McDonald,
Design Engineer for Sound Devices. Jon Tatooles, Managing Director of Sound
Devices added, "The flexibility that Digital Prototyping provides does more
than help us avoid the time and costs associated with physical prototypes
-- it also allows us to incorporate customer feedback into the
decision-making process at a very early stage, which helps ensure we're
creating products that truly meet our customers' needs."

McDonald estimates that Digital Prototyping helped the company reduce
its product development time by nearly 50 percent, as the company went from
initial design sketches of the 788T to full production within a period of
just six months. Specific Inventor functionality such as the Sheet Metal
Design feature -- which provides an accurate 3D model of sheet metal
folding -- helped the company to quickly and easily explore different
product configurations until it was able to come up with a portable audio
recorder that delivered outstanding performance without a size, weight or
cost penalty.

"Manufacturers of every type are feeling the pressure of compressed
product development cycles," said Robert "Buzz" Kross, senior vice
president of Autodesk Manufacturing Solutions. "Successful companies like
Sound Devices have realized that Digital Prototyping can help them thrive
in this environment by increasing innovation, even as they reduce the time
to market for their pioneering new products. It is a pleasure to name Sound
Devices as our Inventor of the Month for May."

About the Autodesk Inventor of the Month Program

Each month, Autodesk selects an Inventor of the Month from the more
than 700,000 users of Autodesk Inventor software, the foundation for
Digital Prototyping. Winners are chosen for engineering excellence and
groundbreaking innovation. For more information on Autodesk Inventor of the
Month, contact us at IOM@autodesk.com.

About Sound Devices, LLC

Sound Devices' portable audio mixers, digital recorders, and related
products are used worldwide for mission-critical productions including
feature film, episodic television, documentary, newsgathering, and
acoustical test & measurement. The company designs and manufactures its
products in Reedsburg, WI. For additional information about Sound Devices,
visit http://www.sounddevices.com.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc. is the world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the
manufacturing, construction, and media and entertainment markets. Since its
introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk has developed the
broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art digital prototyping solutions to
help customers experience their ideas before they are built. Fortune 1000
companies rely on Autodesk for the tools to visualize, simulate and analyze
real-world performance early in the design process to save time and money,
enhance quality and foster innovation. For additional information about
Autodesk, visit http://www.autodesk.com/.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor and Inventor are registered
trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other
brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective
holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and
specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for
typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.


(C) 2008 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050415/SFF034LOGO)

Contact: Christine Stoner 416.874.8841 Alyson Howard 312.297.7430
Email: christine.stoner@autodesk.com alyson.howard@edelman.com



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Monday 9 June 2008

Viewers like CW's "Farmer"

LOS ANGELES — The CW's "Farmer Wants a Wife" has been a solid country cousin to network's other hits such as "Gossip Girl" and "America's Next Top Model."



The reality dating show has posted close to 2.2 million new-episode viewers for the season so far, according to Nielsen Media Research. "Gossip Girls" averaged nearly 2.6 new-episode viewers, and "America's Next Top Model" averaged up to 4.8 million viewers this season.



"Farmer," about Missouri farmer Matt Neustadt's quest for a bride, has outdrawn other, hipper former occupants of its 9 p.m. Wednesday slot on the CW, including "Pussycat Dolls Present" and "Beauty & the Geek," in both total viewers and the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49 demographic.



"Farmer" continues with new episodes until the June 25 finale, and maybe an engagement ring.



The format has an international track record. Versions have aired in the United Kingdom, France, Finland and elsewhere with respectable or better ratings.








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Tuesday 3 June 2008

Grey's Anatomy star cast by Irish director

Chris O'Donnell has been cast in Irish director John Moore's new film 'Max Payne'.
This is the first leading film role for 'The Grey's Anatomy' star, who played Meredith's boyfriend in the medical drama, since 2000's 'Vertical Limit'.
According to Entertainment Weekly, 'Behind Enemy Lines' director Moore is currently directing the live-action adaptation of the Rockstar game in Toronto.
Mark Wahlberg has been cast in the crime noir drama as Payne, a police officer haunted by the death of his family, who is out to seek revenge.
One of O'Donnell's first lead roles was in Maeve Binchy's 'Circle of Friends', shot on location in Ireland in 1994.