Doctor Who Encyclopedia Updated For iPads

Monday, 17 December 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
A revised and updated iPad app is being released for the Doctor Who Encyclopedia later this week.

Developed by Brandwidth with BBC Books, the app has up-to-date information on every episode since the show returned to our TV screens in 2005. New entries and images cover The Doctor, The Widow, and The Wardrobe, the first five episodes of Series 7, and mini-episodes such as Pond Life. In addition, four of the 11 portals have been updated.

  • Scroll your way through a complete A-Z of the show. You'll discover the Doctor's fiercest enemies and closest allies as well as key places and objects, and have the chance to preview and buy episodes.
  • There are 3,200 entries. Additionally, each entry has an episode reference, allowing you to search the encyclopedia by episode or series.
  • It contains 11 portals, with those for Amy, Rory, River Song, and the Daleks having been updated to reflect recent episodes.
The app is now optimised for iOS6, and BBC Books says that no more in-app purchasing is needed.

The updated app will be released on Wednesday 19th December.








FILTER: - Merchandise - Books - BBC

Devil in the Smoke

Thursday, 13 December 2012 - Reported by Harry Ward
BBC Books have announced the release of a second Doctor Who ebook. The story, written by Justin Richards, is set prior to the events of this year’s Christmas special, The Snowmen, and features Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax.

BBC Books’ second digital-only Doctor Who adventure (the first being The Angel's Kiss) will be published on 18 December 2012.

Devil in the SmokeDevil in the Smoke
An Adventure for The Great Detective

Recounted by Mr Justin Richards

Madame Vastra, the fabled Lizard Woman of Paternoster Row, knew death in many shapes and forms. But perhaps one of the most bizarre of these was death by snow…

On a cold day in December, two young boys, tired of sweeping snow from the workhouse yard, decide to build a snowman – and are confronted with a strange and grisly mystery. In horrified fascination, they watch as their snowman begins to bleed…

The search for answers to this impossible event will plunge Harry into the most hazardous – and exhilarating – adventure of his life. He will encounter a hideous troll. He will dine with a mysterious parlour maid. And he will help The Great Detective, Madame Vastra, save the world from the terrifying Devil in the Smoke.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Books - Series 7/33 - BBC

BBC AudioGo: Destiny of the Doctor

Tuesday, 11 December 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Hunters of EarthBBC AudioGo have announced Destiny of the Doctor, the name for their series of brand new audio dramas to celebrate the Doctor during the 50th Anniversary year. Produced by Big Finish, there will be a story for each Doctor next year in the run up to the anniversary itself in November.

The series kicks off in January with Hunters of Earth, a story featuring the First Doctor and his granddaughter Susan in an adventure that takes place in Shoreditch prior to the events that unfold in the first televised episode, An Unearthly Child. Written by Nigel Robinson, the story is performed by Carole Ann Ford and Tam William, with sound design by Simon Hunt.

Details on further adventures will be announced during the course of 2013, which will feature a number of familiar Doctor Who related names lending their vocal talents to the range.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio

TARDIS PC System Launched

Tuesday, 11 December 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
A PC system modelled on the TARDIS has been launched by a UK firm.

Bolton-based Scan Computers has been officially licensed by BBC Worldwide to produce the aluminium scale model, which has been finished in the Pantone blue of the Doctor's Ship.

It comprises 45 pieces of individually-cut brushed aluminium, all of them based on the prop model, and measures 205mm x 205mm x 430mm.

The basic tech spec includes the following:
  • Intel Pentium G2120 dual-core processor
  • 8GB of Corsair Vengeance 1,600MHz DDR3 memory
  • 500GB hard drive
  • Blu-ray reader
  • Microsoft Windows 7
The PC system, which has been developed with Dorset-based design house Head Cases, is also available to order with a variety of specifications.





FILTER: - Merchandise - UK

Character Building: Series Three rare micro-figures

Monday, 10 December 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Character have released details on five rare micro-figures that have been included within the regular range of Series Three packs that are now in shops.

Character Building: Series Three Rare Figures

The figures include only 500 of the Eleventh Doctor in tuxedo, 250 each of Rory in his nurse's uniform and River Song in a catsuit, and just 100 each of Amy with tally marks and a space-suited Tenth Doctor. Each also comes with a golden ticket of authenticity.

Mark Hunt, Brand Manager for Character, commented:
The first and second series of super rare micro-figures were such a hit that we just had to add some super rare figures to the new collection. There is a huge demand for these figures which are findable… but it is a challenge!





FILTER: - Merchandise - Character

Legends of Kids TV (Vol 2)

Friday, 7 December 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Legends of Kids TV (Volume 2)A second volume of Legends of Kids TV has been published, and features some 44 interviews with stars of children's television both from the past and present.

This volume includes an interview with Sophie Aldred, who chats about her career in children's shows - and what's so special about Sylvester McCoy's eyebrows... Also, new series regular costume actor Paul Kasey tells how he went from his childhood on a farm to trying to conquer the universe!

The book is available to buy from publisher GJB Publishing, and all proceeds will go to the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's charity. It is also possible to donate through Just Giving.
 
Legends of Kids TV - Volume Two
by Garry Vaux

This collection covers nearly 150 different programmes and includes presenters, performers, writers, entertainers, voice artistes, puppeteers, physical performers, storytellers and comedians. It can guarantee explosions, monsters, animals, royalty, West End stars, award winners, cartoons, stupid deaths, time-travelling tales, bogies, aliens, funny stories and puppets galore as well as plenty of iconic faces which I hope will have those memories flooding back. So, floor that helmic regulator and travel back in time to relive your childhood, in the knowledge you'll be helping those children who are going through difficult times.

Sophie Aldred ~ Stanley Bates ~ Geoffrey Bayldon ~ Warrick Brownlow-Pike ~ Neil Buchanan ~ Nancy Cartwright ~ Dave Chapman ~ Jonathan Cohen ~ Matthew Corbett ~ Lee Cornes ~ Dick & Dom ~ Johnny Edward ~ Simon Farnaby ~ Keith Field ~ Peter Firmin ~ Phil Fletcher ~ Keith Harris ~ Brian Herring ~ Jeremy Hitchen ~ Sarah Jane Honeywell ~ Wayne Jackman ~ Chris Jarvis ~ Paul Kasey ~ Pui Fan Lee ~ Carol Lee Scott ~ Christopher Lillicrap ~ Maria Morgan ~ Erkan Mustafa ~ Hugo Myatt ~ Nigel Plaskitt ~ Lee Pressman ~ Tony Robinson ~ Michael Rosen ~ Sid Sloane ~ John Sparkes ~ Susan Stranks ~ Hacker T. Dog ~ David Tate ~ Brian Trueman ~ Henry Woolf ~ Tim Whitnall ~ Nick Wilton ~ Francis Wright




FILTER: - Merchandise - Books

DWM Companion: The Eleventh Doctor (Vol 6)

Friday, 7 December 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The sixth volume chronicling the adventures of the Eleventh Doctor from Doctor Who Magazine will be published on Thursday 20th December, and covers the five adventures broadcast during September this year, plus associated mini-episodes and last year's Children in Need auction escapade.

The Doctor Who Companion
The Eleventh Doctor
Volume Six

The 2012 series of Doctor Who saw married couple Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) joining the Doctor (Matt Smith) for their final adventures together in the TARDIS. Their travels in time and space took them from the terrifying Asylum of the Daleks, to the American Wild West, and came to an abrupt and sad conclusion in New York. They encountered insane Daleks, a cyborg assassin, River Song, an invasion of mysterious black cubes, the Weeping Angels... and dinosaurs on a spaceship!

Now, Doctor Who Magazine takes you behind the scenes of these astonishing episodes with an in-depth episode guide – including original storylines, deleted scenes, media appearances, ratings information and hundreds of facts about the day-to-day life of the making of Doctor Who – all illustrated with gorgeous, never-before-seen photos.

This collectors’ edition examines all five episodes of the latest series – Asylum of the Daleks, Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, A Town called Mercy, The Power of Three and The Angels Take Manhattan – as well as the five-part mini-adventure Pond Life, the DVD extra Night and the Doctor and the two Script to Screen winning entries Death is the only Answer and Good as Gold, plus the Doctor offering his clothes for auction for Children in Need in 2011.

Written and researched by Andrew Pixley, this is your essential 100-page guide to Series Pond!
 





FILTER: - Merchandise - Magazines - DWM

Spearhead From Space Remastered In High Definition

Tuesday, 4 December 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
The debut story of Jon Pertwee has been given the high-definition treatment for Doctor Who's 50th anniversary.

Spearhead From Space - Doctor Who's first colour story - is the only adventure from the classic era that can be remastered into true HD say experts because, thanks to industrial action at BBC TV Centre, all four episodes were shot on location on 16mm film rather than being recorded on videotape - the only time this was ever done on the show.

The digital media services team of BBC Studios and Post Production was commissioned by BBC Worldwide to remaster the story, which was first broadcast in January 1970 and also introduced Caroline John as assistant Liz Shaw. The "facelift" has given the story a cinematic finish, and the Blu-ray is now scheduled for release on Monday 15th July 2013.

The original 16mm negatives were scanned and digitised using state-of-the-art equipment, and other work has included repairing damage done to one episode's negative caused by a reaction with chemicals during a printing process some years ago. Dirt has also been removed, grain lessened, joins cleaned up, and picture movement stabilised. The soundtrack, which had previously been remastered, was then added to the final master version.

Jonathan Wood, the team's lead colourist, said:
The look of this HD remaster is a low-key filmic approach, which gives it more of a dramatic result. Working with the original negative and using a powerful, non-linear grading system, we decided to treat this four-part story like an individual filmed drama rather than thinking of it as part of an ongoing series normally shot in a TV studio.
Clive Hodge, the digital media services head, said:
We're delighted to have teamed up with BBC Worldwide to have remastered such an iconic programme for its 50th anniversary. Doctor Who is one of the few series to remain popular through the ages, and it's fantastic that the younger generations will have the chance to see this landmark story in the same picture quality that they've become used to with the more recent series.

News Links: 4rfv.co.uk; Ariel




FILTER: - Merchandise - Jon Pertwee - Classic Series - BBC Worldwide - WHO50 - Blu-ray/DVD

Christmas Tree Decorations

Saturday, 1 December 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Doctor Who Christmas Decorations (BBC Shop)After the success of their Christmas decorations last year, the BBC have once again released some festive figures to hang on your Christmas tree!

This year K9 and a yellow Dalek join the Red Dalek and TARDIS in a special presentation set, available exclusively from the BBC Shop.

Give your Christmas tree an intergalactic touch from far beyond the brightest star the human eye can see with this unique and stylish pack of four Doctor Who Christmas tree decorations, only available at BBC Shop. Including a classic blue TARDIS, red and gold Daleks and silver K-9. Each hand-crafted and styled in the traditions of mouth blown glass. Skilled artisans have hand painted each ornament with intricate details. A must-have for Doctor Who fans this Christmas. Dimensions: 5" high.





FILTER: - Merchandise

Character Building: Micro-Figures Series 3

Friday, 30 November 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Character have announced the release of the third series of their Character Building micro-figures:
Character Building: Series Three FiguresHot on the heels of the latest TV series, there’s a brand new collection of Character Building micro figures emerging from the TARDIS!

Each collection has to have the Doctor leading the way and the series three editions depict the Eleventh Doctor in his bow tie, complete with trusty Sonic Screwdriver. Popular companions Amy Pond and Rory also take their place in the line up alongside the mysterious River Song.

To create your own epic battles of good versus evil there are plenty of foes in this new collection too including, Ood and Vashta Nerada figures, along with the Doctor’s most fearsome enemy, a Dalek.

Each Micro figure comes in a foil bag and costs just £1.99, making it the perfect pocket money treat. But as you never quite know what you’re going to get, we have one question... "Who will be the first to find them all?"
There are twelve figures to collect in this series, which as well as those mentioned above also includes a Sontaran, Cyberleader, Handbot, Judoon and Madame Kovarian.

The packs will be available to buy from a number of retailers, including Forbidden Planet, from next week.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Character