HIT Entertainment and Callaway Digital Arts Launch New Interactive App Based on Thomas & Friends'™ Latest Adventure: Day of the Diesels

NEW YORK, Oct. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- HIT Entertainment, one of the world's leading providers of high-quality children's entertainment, and Callaway Digital Arts, leading publisher of premium children's and lifestyle applications, have announced the launch of Thomas & Friends™: Day of the Diesels for the iPad®, iPhone® and iPod touch®, now available in Apple's App Store.

Based on the animated feature-length movie Day of the Diesels, this innovative app offers children a fun, interactive way to experience Thomas' latest adventure as he finds that Diesel engines are up to mischief and must enlist some "steamwork" to stop them. Thomas fans can read, watch, listen and play with multi-touch animation, CGI imagery video, painting, puzzles and games. 

HIT Entertainment and Callaway Digital Arts have published two previous Thomas & Friends apps, which have both reached #1 in the App Store's "Books" category.

"The Thomas & Friends brand experience is further deepened with the new Day of the Diesels story-inspired app and is another example of innovation that has been made possible through our collaboration with Callaway," said Natasha Fishman, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Management and Digital Media, HIT Entertainment. "The Day of the Diesels adventure is uniquely depicted in this vibrant, interactive app and we are thrilled to be bringing it to Thomas fans around the world." 

Nicholas Callaway, Chief Creative Officer of Callaway Digital Arts, adds, "With Day of the Diesels, Callaway Digital Arts and HIT Entertainment have once again proven their unique ability to bring users an immersive reading experience for iOS devices by seamlessly weaving together story, play, and interactivity."

The first Thomas & Friends app launched in 2010 and there are now 14 Thomas apps available in Apple's App Store. Embraced by families and children around the world, recommended by the Parents' Choice Foundation and acclaimed by industry experts, the Thomas apps portfolio has already made a significant impact on kids' digital landscape.  

The Day of the Diesels app is available for a special introductory price of $0.99 USD/0.69 pounds Sterling from the App Store on iPad, iPhone 3GS and above, and iPod touch 3rd and 4th generations at www.itunes.com/appstore/.

About Callaway Digital Arts

Callaway Digital Arts (CDA) publishes innovative mobile and tablet applications for children and families. Funded in August 2010 with an investment from Silicon Valley's Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, CDA creates meaningful digital experiences that transform the way families connect with media and with each other. With a grant from the Department of Education, CDA is reinventing learning by creating a series of game-based mobile applications that builds reading and math skills for children ages two through eight. All but one of CDA's apps have reached the number one position in the Books or Lifestyle categories in the Apple App Store. In addition, CDA apps have been featured as App of the Week and among Apple's Best Interactive Story Apps of 2010. For more information, visit www.callaway.com.

About HIT Entertainment

HIT Entertainment is one of the world's leading independent children's entertainment producers and rights-owners. HIT's portfolio includes properties, such as Thomas & Friends™, Barney™, Bob the Builder™, Fireman Sam™, Angelina Ballerina™, Mike the Knight™, Pingu™ and Rainbow Magic™. HIT represents Chapman Entertainment's Fifi and the Flowertots™ and Roary the Racing Car™ in North America, as well as Wallace & Gromit™, Shaun the Sheep™, Timmy Time™ and Aardman Classics from Aardman Animations.  HIT also acts as representative for The Wiggles® in the UK. Launched in 1989, HIT's lines of business span television and video production, content distribution, publishing, consumer products licensing and live events and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan.  HIT is a part-owner of US-based preschool channel, Sprout®. For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com.

SOURCE Callaway Digital Arts