Apple Updates the iMac

Apple released an updated iMac today.  Read on for details.

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Apple released an updated iMac today.  Here is the announcement:

All-New iMac Features Stunning Design, Brilliant Display & Faster Performance

SAN JOSE, California—October 23, 2012—Apple® today unveiled a completely new iMac® with a stunning design, brilliant display with reduced reflection, and faster processors.* With third generation Intel quad-core processors, powerful NVIDIA graphics and an innovative new storage option called Fusion Drive, the new iMac is the most advanced desktop Apple has ever made.

“With a stunning design, brilliant display and faster performance, we’ve made the world’s leading all-in-one desktop computer better in every way,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The all-new iMac is unbelievably thin, yet packs an incredible amount of performance and technology into our most innovative desktop.”

Redesigned from the inside out, the new iMac packs high-performance technology into an aluminum and glass enclosure with up to 40 percent less volume than its predecessor and an edge that measures just 5 mm thin. Built with an unprecedented level of fit and finish, the new iMac delivers an amazing desktop experience in a gorgeous design. The new iMac also features a completely reengineered display that reduces reflection by 75 percent while maintaining brilliant color and contrast. In the new design, the cover glass is fully laminated to the LCD and an anti-reflective coating is applied using a high-precision plasma deposition process. Every iMac display is individually color calibrated using an advanced spectroradiometer.

The new iMac features third generation quad-core Intel Core i5 processors that can be upgraded to Core i7. The latest NVIDIA GeForce processors deliver up to 60 percent faster performance for advanced gaming and graphics intensive apps. Every new iMac now comes standard with 8GB of 1600 MHz memory and a 1TB hard drive, and customers can choose to configure their iMac with up to 32GB of memory and a new 3TB hard drive, or 768GB of flash storage for ultimate performance. With two Thunderbolt and four USB 3.0 ports, the new iMac delivers even greater expandability and support for high-performance peripherals.
Fusion Drive is an innovative new storage option that gives customers the performance of flash storage and the capacity of a hard drive. It combines 128GB of flash with a standard 1TB or 3TB hard drive to create a single storage volume that intelligently manages files to optimize read and write performance. Fusion Drive adapts to the way you use your iMac and automatically moves the files and apps you use most often to flash storage to enable faster performance and quicker access.

Apple also updated the Mac® mini with third generation dual-core Intel Core i5 and quad-core Intel Core i7 processors that are up to twice as fast and have integrated graphics that are up to 65 percent faster.** Mac mini comes standard with 4GB of 1600 MHz memory with support for up to 16GB. Retaining its amazingly compact aluminum design, the new Mac mini now includes four USB 3.0 ports in addition to its Thunderbolt, HDMI, SDXC, Gigabit Ethernet, and FireWire® 800 ports.

Both iMac and Mac mini meet stringent Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieve an EPEAT Gold rating.*** iMac uses up to 50 percent less energy than the previous generation when idle, and features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. Mac mini retains its status as the world’s most energy efficient desktop computer, using only 11W when idle. Both the iMac and Mac mini include PVC-free components and cables, contain no brominated flame retardants, and use highly recyclable materials and material-efficient packaging designs.
iMac and Mac mini ship with OS X® Mountain Lion, bringing Messages, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, AirPlay® Mirroring, Dictation, Game Center and the enhanced security of Gatekeeper to your Mac. With iCloud® built into the foundation of OS X, Mountain Lion makes it easier than ever to keep your content up to date across your Mac, iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch®.

Pricing & Availability
The 21.5-inch iMac is available with a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.2 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M for a suggested retail price of $1,299 (US); and with a 2.9 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US). The 21.5-inch iMac will be available in November through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.
The 27-inch iMac is available with a 2.9 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (US); and with a 3.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US). The 27-inch iMac will be available in December through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.
The Mac mini is available with a 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1 GHz, 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $599 (US); a 2.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, 4GB of memory and a 1TB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $799 (US); and a 2.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, OS X Server, 4GB of memory and two 1TB hard drives for a suggested retail price of $999 (US). The Mac mini is available today through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.

Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at apple.com/imac or apple.com/mac-mini.

*Testing conducted by Apple in October 2012 using preproduction iMac configurations. For more information visit apple.com/imac/features/.
**Testing conducted by Apple in October 2012 using preproduction Mac mini configurations. For more information visit apple.com/mac-mini/features.html.
***Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed within the EPA ENERGY STAR 5.2 energy database as of October 2012. EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Check out the iMac website here, and sound off in the comments if you plan on buying one of these!

Apple iMac Website

Apple Introduces 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display

Apple introduced a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display today.  Read on for details.

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Apple announced a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display today.  Here is the press release:

SAN JOSE, California—October 23, 2012—Apple® today introduced an all-new version of its popular 13-inch MacBook® Pro featuring a stunning Retina™ display and all flash storage in a new compact design. At a mere 0.75 inches and 3.57 pounds, the remarkably portable 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is 20 percent thinner and almost a pound lighter than the current 13-inch MacBook Pro.
“The 13-inch MacBook Pro is our most popular Mac, and today it gets completely reinvented with a new thin and light design, fast flash storage and a gorgeous Retina display,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With vivid colors, razor sharp text and more pixels than anyone else’s 15 or 17-inch notebooks, the Retina display completely changes what you expect from a notebook.”

The new MacBook Pro packs more than 4 million pixels into its 13-inch Retina display, nearly twice the number of pixels in an HD television. At 227 pixels per inch, the Retina display’s pixel density is so high the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels at a normal viewing distance, so images look sharp and text looks like it does on the printed page. With four times the pixels of the current 13-inch MacBook Pro, you can view and edit video in pixel-accurate 1080p and see a new level of detail in high resolution images. The 13-inch Retina display uses IPS technology for a 178-degree wide viewing angle, and has 75 percent less reflection and 28 percent higher contrast than the current generation.

Featuring flash storage that is up to four times faster than traditional notebook hard drives, the all-new MacBook Pro is extremely responsive, whether it’s waking from sleep or launching your favorite apps.* Fast flash storage combined with the latest Intel dual-core processors gives the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display plenty of power to run your most demanding apps with ease.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display features 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 processors with the option to choose faster 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7 processors, Intel HD Graphics 4000, 8GB of 1600 MHz memory, and up to 768GB of flash storage. Two Thunderbolt and two USB 3.0 ports allow users to connect to multiple displays and high-performance devices, and a new HDMI port offers quick connectivity to an HDTV. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display also features a FaceTime® HD camera, dual microphones, improved speakers, three-stream 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a MagSafe® 2 power port.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro battery delivers up to 7 hours of wireless productivity and can remain in standby for up to 30 days.** With the all new Power Nap feature in OS X® Mountain Lion, your MacBook Pro with Retina display stays up to date while it sleeps. Power Nap automatically refreshes Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, and Photo Stream, and when the notebook is plugged in, downloads software updates and backs up your Mac® using Time Machine®.

Continuing Apple’s commitment to energy efficiency and the environment, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display meets stringent Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves an EPEAT Gold rating.*** Each unibody enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. Apple notebooks contain no brominated flame retardants, are PVC-free and are constructed of highly recyclable materials.

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display ships with OS X Mountain Lion, bringing Messages, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, AirPlay® Mirroring, Dictation, Game Center and the enhanced security of Gatekeeper to your Mac. With iCloud® built into the foundation of OS X, Mountain Lion makes it easier than ever to keep your content up to date across your Mac, iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch®.

Pricing & Availability
The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is available with a 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1 GHz, 8GB of memory and 128GB of flash storage starting at $1,699 (US); and with 256GB of flash storage starting at $1,999 (US). Configure-to-order options include faster dual-core Intel Core i7 processors and flash storage up to 768GB. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at apple.com/macbook-pro. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is available today through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.

*Testing conducted by Apple in October 2012 using preproduction MacBook Pro with Retina display configurations. For more information visit apple.com/macbook-pro/features-retina/.
**The Wireless Web protocol testing was conducted by Apple in October 2012 using preproduction MacBook Pro with Retina display configurations. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. For more information visit apple.com/macbook-pro/features-retina/.
***Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed within the EPA ENERGY STAR 5.2 energy database as of October 2012. EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Here are some product pictures:

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This is a very nice computer, but $1,699 for a Core i5 seems a little expensive for a 13” device.  Check out the Apple website for the MacBook Pro here.

Apple Website for MacBook Pro

Apple Introduces the iPad Mini

Apple made the smaller iPad official today, releasing the iPad Mini.  Read on for details.

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Apple has announced a smaller iPad, 7.9” and largely based on the hardware of the iPad2.  Here is what they announced:

Apple Introduces iPad mini

Unveils New Fourth Generation iPad with Retina Display, Faster A6X Chip, FaceTime HD Camera & Ultrafast Wireless

SAN JOSE, California―October 23, 2012―Apple® today introduced iPad® mini, a completely new iPad design that is 23 percent thinner and 53 percent lighter than the third generation iPad. The new iPad mini features a stunning 7.9-inch Multi-Touch™ display, FaceTime® HD and iSight® cameras, ultrafast wireless performance¹ and an incredible 10 hours of battery life²―every inch an iPad, yet in a revolutionary design you can hold in one hand. Apple today also announced the fourth generation iPad featuring a gorgeous 9.7-inch Retina™ display, new Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime HD camera and ultrafast wireless performance. Both iPad mini and fourth generation iPad come with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features.

“iPad mini is every inch an iPad. With its gorgeous 7.9-inch display, iPad mini features the same number of pixels as the original iPad and iPad 2, so you can run more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPad mini is as thin as a pencil and as light as a pad of paper, yet packs a fast A5 chip, FaceTime HD and 5 megapixel iSight cameras and ultrafast wireless―all while delivering up to 10 hours of battery life.”

iPad mini comes in a beautiful new aluminum and glass design that is just 7.2 mm thin and weighs only 0.68 pounds. The 7.9-inch Multi-Touch display delivers the same iPad experience users have come to expect, in a design that has 35 percent more screen real estate than 7-inch tablets and up to an astonishing 67 percent more usable viewing area when browsing the web. The dual-core A5 chip delivers responsive graphics and a fast, fluid Multi-Touch experience, while still providing all-day battery life.

iPad mini features a front-facing FaceTime HD camera and a 5 megapixel iSight camera on the back with advanced optics for taking sharp still pictures and recording full 1080p HD video. The iSight camera includes video image stabilization and both cameras feature backside illumination to let users capture great pictures in low light. iPad mini also allows easy sharing of photos with friends and family using iCloud’s Shared Photo Streams.

iPad mini features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support for speeds up to 150 Mbps,³ which is twice the Wi-Fi performance compared to previous iPad models. iPad mini is available in Wi-Fi + Cellular models which are world-ready with built-in support for ultrafast wireless standards, including LTE¹ and DC-HSDPA, so you can browse, download and stream content fast from wherever you are. iPad mini data plans will be available with no contract so you can simply sign up and activate service directly from your iPad.⁴ The Personal Hotspot feature means you can share a fast cellular data connection via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB with up to five other devices such as MacBook® Pro, iPod touch® or another iPad.⁵

The new fourth generation iPad features the amazing 9.7-inch Retina display and includes a new Apple-designed A6X chip that delivers up to twice the CPU performance and up to twice the graphics performance of the A5X chip, all while delivering an incredible 10 hours of battery life in the same thin and light iPad design. Other new features include a FaceTime HD camera, twice the Wi-Fi performance when compared to previous iPad models and support for additional LTE carriers worldwide.⁶

iPad mini and fourth generation iPad both feature support for the Lightning™ connector that is smaller, smarter and more durable than the 30-pin connector. Lightning connector accessories are available to support cameras, SD cards and VGA or HDMI digital video.⁷ Existing iPad Smart Covers and the iPad Smart Case are compatible with fourth generation iPad, and new polyurethane Smart Covers custom-designed for iPad mini are available in pink, green, blue, light gray, dark gray and (PRODUCT) RED for $39.

iPad runs over 700,000 apps available on the App Store℠, including more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad, from a wide range of categories including books, games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. iPad also supports the more than 5,000 newspapers and magazines offered in Newsstand and the more than 1.5 million books available on the iBookstore℠. The iTunes Store® puts the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store at your fingertips with a catalog of over 26 million songs, over 190,000 TV episodes and over 45,000 films. The new iBooks® app for iPad lets users read ebooks in over 40 languages. iBooks also lets users experience an entirely new kind of ebook that’s dynamic, engaging and truly interactive. Ebooks created with Apple’s new iBooks Author offer gorgeous, fullscreen ebooks with interactive animations, diagrams, photos, videos, custom fonts, mathematical expressions and much more.

Tomb Raider cover artwork unveiled

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The cover artwork for the forthcoming Tomb Raider game has been unveiled.

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Tomb Raider will be released March 2013 – watch out for a preview and several interviews coming up soon.

D-Link Unveils 2-Bay Network Storage Solution

D-Link has released a new 2-bay NAS product and is bundling cloud features and mobile device access.  Read on for details.

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D-Link has released a new 2-bay NAS product and is bundling cloud features and mobile device access.  The price point, without disks, will be $149.99.  Here is the announcement:

D-Link Unveils 2-Bay Network Storage Solution Offering Local and Cloud Capabilities for

Home Users and Small Business Owners

Delivering Versatility, Performance and Remote Accessibility, the Cloud Storage 2000 is Ideal for Remote File Access and Management, Mobile Streaming and Backup

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – Oct. 23, 2012 – Expanding its portfolio of cloud-enabled products, D-Link today announced its latest ShareCenter® 2-Bay Cloud Storage 2000 (DNS-320L), offering a centralized storage solution with remote sharing, streaming, and management capabilities. Delivering a complete home and small business cloud storage solution, the D-Link® Cloud Storage 2000 enables users to remotely and locally download and upload files, delete files and folders from their storage device, and access files stored on their ShareCenter® from  any computer via the mydlink.com portal.  Plus, with a free app for iPad®, iPhone® and Android™ devices, users can now easily view photos, and stream music and videos from their ShareCenter directly to mobile devices from anywhere in the world.

“As the need for centralized storage has increased in today’s digital home, D-Link continues to offer high-performance and versatile storage solutions,” said Ken Loyd, director, consumer products, D-Link Systems, Inc. “Beyond providing a robust and secured storage solution, the Cloud Storage 2000 allows users to create their own personal cloud to locally and remotely access and manage files, store video recordings from a mydlink-enabled Cloud Camera and even stream music and video to a mobile device.”

The Cloud Storage 2000 replaces D-Link’s leading DNS-320 storage device and includes a faster CPU, Gigabit Ethernet port for high-speed data transfers and an intuitive hardware design supporting up to two 3.5-inch SATA hard drive.  The Cloud Storage 2000 supports multiple user streams simultaneously and does not require any tools for installation – providing a high performance user-friendly storage solution for today’s digital home. For added protection, the Cloud Storage 2000 is equipped with RAID 1 technology to protect user’s valuable files.  Users can also backup their files using the secure Amazon S3 service to protect files in the event of a catastrophe.

In addition, the Cloud Storage 2000 features a brand new Photo Center which aggregates and organizes user’s photos from their storage device, allowing administrators to create photo albums, view them with a slide show, and share photos with friends via emails, Cooliris and posts to your Picasa web album.

Additional Features:

  • mydlink.com Portal for Remote File Management over the Internet
  • mydlink® Access – NAS Mobile App for Remote File Access and music, photos and video streaming
  • Multiple hard drive configurations – Standard, JBOD RAID 0 and RAID 1
  • High-Speed Gigabit Ethernet Connectivity
  • Built-in Web File Server and Secure FTP Server for File Access Over the Internet
  • DLNA Server to Stream Music, Photos, and Video to Compatible Media Players, including Boxee Box by D-Link, PlayStation® 3 and Xbox® 360
  • USB Port Supports USB Drives, USB Printers and UPS Monitoring
  • Supports PC Backup, Local Backup, Apple Time Machine Backup, USB Backup, Remote Backup, and Cloud Backup (via Amazon S3)
  • Auto Power Recovers and Power-off Scheduling
  • Automatic E-mail Notification of Device Status

Availability and Pricing

The Cloud Storage 2000 will be available for a retail price of $149.99 throughout the D-Link network of retail and e-tail outlets in North America.

Adding two disks will get you at about $300, but at that price point, you get a RAID1 and get access to some pretty decent mobile apps as well.  This is a reasonably priced entry level solution and should be on your list of affordable storage options.  Here are some product pictures:

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So what do you think?  Is this an interesting option?  Sound off in the comments!

D-Link ShareCenter Product Page

Assassin’s Creed III Launch Trailer released

With Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed III out next week, the launch trailer has been released.

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The American Colonies, 1775. A brave young warrior fights to save his homeland. But what begins as a struggle over territory turns into an extraordinary journey that will transform him into a Master Assassin—and will forever change the destiny of a nation.

You are Connor, warrior son of a Native American mother and British father. As the colonies draw closer to revolution, you will dedicate your life to the freedom of your clan –becoming the spark that ignites the revolution into full blaze. Your crusade will take you through blood-soaked battlefields to crowded city streets, to perilous wilderness and beyond. You will not only witness history—you will make it.

Set against the backdrop of one of the bloodiest Revolutions in world history, prepare to be drawn back into the centuries old battle between the Assassin’s Order and their sworn enemy, the Templars. Unleash lethal new skills and experience a stunningly realistic world created by Anvil Next, a new engine that redefines gaming.

Welcome to an entirely new chapter in the Assassin’s Creed saga.

And here are some screenshots from the game:

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Are you going to buy it? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Check out our interview with Steve Masters about Assassin’s Creed III Check out our interview with Martin Capel on Assassin’s Creed III Liberation

Rocksmith Classic Rock Pack DLC now available

If you are a fan of Rocksmith, there is a new Classic Rock Pack available to buy.

187 ROD PS2 Inlay UK

The Classic Rock Pack contains:

Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Free Bird”

Deep Purple – “Smoke on the Water”

Boston – “More Than a Feeling”

Heart – “Barracuda”

Blue Öyster Cult – “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper”

The Blues Brothers – “Soul Man”

The Police – “Message in a Bottle”

The Police – “Roxanne”

The Police – “Synchronicity II”

Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Queen – “Fat Bottomed Girls”

Queen – “Keep Yourself Alive”

Queen – “Killer Queen”

Queen – “Stone Cold Crazy”

Otis Redding – “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay”

Classic Rock DLC pack now available on Xbox LIVE for Xbox 360 (£23.99 or 2400 MS points).

It will be available on October 31st, 2012 on the Playstation Network for Playstation3. This pack will be followed by the Alternative Rock pack and the Metal pack to enrich even more Rocksmith’s track list with different rock styles.

And here is the video we made last month:

Have you played Rocksmith? Let us know what you think and what your favourite song is by leaving a comment below.

EE announces plans and pricing for its 4G services and Fibre Broadband

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EE today unveiled the pricing and plans for its new superfast Fibre Broadband and 4G services.

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The UK’s first 4G mobile service will launch on Tuesday October 30th, offering consumers and businesses a new way to access the people, places and things they want on the move, with speeds typically five times faster than 3G.

EE will also launch its new fixed-line fibre service for the home and offices, with speeds typically ten times faster than today’s standard broadband plans.

The delivery of increased speeds and connectivity has inspired the development of EE’s first next-generation digital services, such as EE Film and EE’s new device and digital content replacement services.

EE will be the first company in the UK to launch a mobile 4G service, along with its new fixed-line fibre broadband service. It will be called 4GEE and will offer speeds five times faster than 3G, and speeds typically ten times faster than currently available in homes and offices.

EE will be available to buy nationwide, with the 4GEE service going live initially across ten cities on 30th October. The company has an aggressive 4G rollout plan in place with six further cities coming online in the run up to Christmas, with further cities and rural locations planned for 2013, and 98% of the population due to be covered by the end of 2014.

Once achieved, this will be the fastest rollout of any UK network in history.

EE’s Fibre Broadband service, available to both consumers and businesses, will be available in 11 million premises nationally with plans starting at just £15 per month.

 

Smart new services

The launch of superfast mobile and fixed speeds by EE will inspire the birth of revolutionary and exciting new services for business and consumers.

The first such service is EE Film, the only service in the UK which combines 2-for-1 cinema ticketing, listings, trailers and film downloads or streaming in one place. The Film Store presents the largest catalogue of new releases available in the UK, with more than five times the number of new releases than other similar providers, and more than 700 films available in total.

EE customers will be able to watch a film of their choice on their mobile, on their PC or even on their TV (via their laptop). Pause & Play also allows customers to view the film on one device, such as their smartphone, pause it, then pick it up on another device, such as their laptop.

4GEE customers will able to download or stream a film, each week, on EE, without impacting their data allowance. Further films can be downloaded or streamed with prices starting at 79p, and the cost can be charged to customers’ mobile bill, or credit and debit cards.

Simple pricing for the digital consumer

4GEE phone plans will offer customers a wide selection of simple smartphone and mobile broadband plans, putting the customer in control by combining a range of data options with unlimited UK calls and texts. Data allowances start with the light data usage entry plan, offering 500MB (£36/pm) and extending up to 8GB (£56/pm) for the heavier data user.

Data controls will alert customers when they are approaching the data allowance limit, and then when their limit is reached. They can then choose to buy a data add-on, or wait until the next bill period starts.

All customers will be able to tether or use VoIP services as part of their plan – with no need to buy specific data add-ons. BT Wi-fi is also included in all plans at no extra cost, providing on-demand access to millions of wireless hotspots across the UK.

For just £5 more a month, customers will be able to take their unlimited voice and text allowance abroad with them, in Europe and selected countries in the rest of the world, as well as access to special data add-ons offering significant value on data use while abroad.

New Fibre Broadband and 4GEE plans for Business

Small business customers will have a range of 4GEE phone plans, with data allowances of 1GB including unlimited UK calls and texts starting from £35/pm (excl. VAT). Companies can also reduce costs by choosing the new 4GEE Sharer Plan, which allows sharing of data allowances across all users and devices within their business, plus inclusive calls to colleagues and landlines.

EE also provides medium sized, public sector and corporate customers with a range of dedicated 4GEE plans from an additional £3 a month on top of their existing or new package, as well as added services including security and mobile application development. Data share plans are also available for these companies, with the added benefit of increased spend control through reduced out-of-bundle rates for data, and spending caps ranging from £50-£200.

Olaf Swantee commented: “UK Businesses have shown considerable interest since our 4G launch intentions were announced. We hope that our new 4G plans and services will make us the most exciting digital communications business partner to work with in the UK.”

 

EE Consumer Fibre Broadband plans

EE’s Fibre Broadband will offer speeds typically up to ten times faster than the UK average. Ideal for households or small businesses with multiple devices, EE Fibre broadband offers maximum download speeds of 76Mbps – allowing customers to stream HDTV, play online games, watch films on demand or quickly upload or download large files. Plans start from £15 per month, with off-peak calls and a free BrightBox router included as standard.

4GEE customers save £5 per month when taking EE’s Fibre Broadband product for the entire length of their phone plan – offering savings of up to £120. Orange and T-Mobile customers can also benefit, allowing them to enjoy EE Fibre Broadband in the home or office at reduced rates.

Expert service

EE customers can expect a superior level of service on the high street, on the phone and online, with a significant new service approach and services designed to give customers peace of mind.

10,000 EE experts have been trained to serve and sell to customers in a new way, designed around specific handset types.

If an EE customer wants to speak to an expert at one our customer centres, they can fast-track the automated call system by first connecting, then dialling 33, to get connected directly to an expert.

EE also operates customer services on social networks Twitter and Facebook.

A number of new services, fit for the digital world, have also been developed to provide peace of mind for new EE customers.

Clone Phone: Clone Phone from EE securely backs up data such as contacts, calendar and content (customers’ own photos and videos) via an App, which provides an easy way to restore your content if a phone is lost, stolen or broken. It means you don’t just get your handset back, but you get your digital life back too.

Repair & Loan Phone: Repair and Loan Phone provide a convenient way to arrange a repair in store and stay in touch in the meantime. All customers will be provided with a replacement phone, and phones will be repaired and returned within 14 days. Small business customers benefit from next day replacement for any faulty phone.

Transforming the high-street

From the 30th October, all existing Everything Everywhere, Orange and T-Mobile stores will become newly branded EE stores.

4G Ready

EE will be offering a simple process for Orange and T-Mobile customers who’ve already purchased a 4G ready handset, to swap to 4G, at no additional cost.

EE price plans are:

£36 a month for 500MB

£41 a month for 1GB

£46 a month for 3GB

£51 a month for 5GB

£56 a month for 8GB

For more information on 4G and Fibre plans or the EE brand, please visit www.ee.co.uk.

So what do you think? Are you going to give EE a try? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

App Update: LinkedIn for iOS updated to version 5.1.1

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The LinkedIn app for iOS has been updated to version 5.1.1, bringing support for the iPhone 5.

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Get on-the-go access to your professional network with LinkedIn for iPhone & iPad. Find and connect with more than 150M members worldwide, read the latest industry news, keep up-to-date with your groups, and share content with your network from anywhere.

What’s New in Version 5.1.1

• Support for iPhone 5

Download now from the Apple App Store

App Update: Dropbox for iPhone and iPad updated to version 1.5.6

Dropbox has updated it’s iPhone and iPad app to version 1.5.6, including support for the iPhone 5.

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Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring all your photos, docs, and videos anywhere. After you install Dropbox on your computer, any file you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers, your iPhone and iPad and even the Dropbox website! With the Dropbox app, you can take everything that matters to you on the go.
Read your docs or flip through your albums when you’re out and about. Save photos or videos to your Dropbox and share them with friends in just a couple taps. Even if you accidentally leave your iPhone in a taxi, your stuff is always safe on Dropbox.

Features:

  • Always have your stuff with you, no matter where you are.
  • Add files to “Favorites” for fast, offline viewing.
  • Easily save photos and videos to your Dropbox.
  • Share your photos and docs with family and friends.
  • Save email attachments straight to your Dropbox.

What’s New in Version 1.5.6

– Support for the iPhone 5
– Full-size photos used when printing and saving to the camera roll
– Bug fixes and improved support for iOS 6

Download now from the Apple App Store

Microsoft Introduces the New Entertainment Experience from Xbox

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Today for Microsoft marks the beginning of two major launches for Xbox entertainment.

This is what Microsoft said:

First, on top of what is the greatest year for games in Xbox history, beginning today a brand new update will roll out broadly for every Xbox 360 owner in the world that brings entirely new TV entertainment experiences. We are bringing the Web to the TV like never before with Internet Explorer, launching a brand new music service, and making it even easier to find the entertainment you love using Kinect and Bing voice search. This release is the next step in our journey to transform Xbox 360 from a games console to an all-in-one entertainment system.

Second, we are bringing Xbox Entertainment off the console to your phone, tablet and PC to deliver great games, music, TV and movie experiences. And as a part of this effort with Xbox SmartGlass we are going to introduce amazing multi-screen entertainment experiences.

Back in June, we talked about how this is the year Xbox becomes the premium entertainment service for Microsoft. While our success with Xbox to date has been led by a box in the living room, we’re now reaching individuals in new and exciting ways across PCs, tablets and phones. Xbox will be a gateway to the best in movies, TV shows, music, sports, your favourite games and instant access to your friends, wherever you are.

This week, with the launch of Windows 8, followed shortly thereafter by Windows Phone 8 devices, we’ll flip the switch on that transformation with the launches of four new experiences that make entertainment better on every screen in your life:

· Xbox Music,

· Xbox Video

· Xbox Games; and

· Xbox SmartGlass.

At that moment, we will rapidly accelerate the reach of Xbox entertainment from more than 67 million consoles to literally hundreds of millions of devices worldwide. Also this week, we will take our biggest step ever to increase our global reach, extending Xbox entertainment experiences to 222 countries from 35.

We realize some may ask, “Why are all these apps called Xbox, isn’t Xbox just a game console?” For us the decision to have Xbox stand for our broad entertainment efforts was a simple one. It is a natural evolution of our consumer offering. Even as Xbox has become the number one game console in the world, and continued to deliver arguably the best line up of games in our history, we have seen the use of Xbox broaden to watching TV/movies and listening to music.

During the last couple of years, we have grown our global entertainment portfolio to more than 62 TV and entertainment partners. Our Xbox LIVE subscribers now spend more time enjoying entertainment apps than multiplayer games. And this is occurring even when multiplayer gaming is also growing on our console.

Also, we live in a multi-device world. The millions of people enjoying entertainment on their Xbox are doing so within arm’s reach of another device. We believe your entertainment should travel seamlessly across devices, that devices should work together to make your entertainment more accessible and create entirely new experiences. We knew we needed a single name for all entertainment experiences from our company and nothing means entertainment at Microsoft more than Xbox.

Xbox SmartGlass is a great example of our approach to multi-screen entertainment. With SmartGlass we are focusing on two key objectives:

1. Make discovering and controlling your entertainment simple, no matter the device you’re using; and

2. Ensure you get more from your entertainment experience.

Xbox SmartGlass is a free downloadable app that takes your Windows 8 and RT tablets and PCs, Windows Phone 8, iOS and Android devices, and converts them into smart second screens for the entertainment you are enjoying through your Xbox.

Today, we are unveiling our first wave of experiences and partners for Xbox SmartGlass. They are the first of many to become available over the coming months.

Navigate your Entertainment – Your phone and tablet will become the best remote controls in your house. Use the touch screen on your smartphone or tablet to control your Xbox 360, and use your devices to pause, rewind or advance entertainment.

TV & Movies – With Xbox Video, start a TV show or movie on your Windows 8 tablet and finish it on the big screen through Xbox 360; see the names of cast and crew for the film you are watching and discover related films. To give you one example of what you can expect, coming next season, HBO GO’s “Game of Thrones” will offer groundbreaking Xbox SmartGlass experiences.

Sports – While watching the game, use a second screen to follow real-time stats, player bios, news and highlights you may have missed. All of this and more will be available for NBA Game Time, ESPN and UFC in the coming months.

Music – Control your Xbox Music experience on the TV using your smartphone or tablet, discover related artists and songs, cue up additional music, read artist bios and more.

Internet Explorer for Xbox – The Web comes to TV like never before with Xbox 360 and Xbox SmartGlass. With your smartphone or tablet, pan or pinch and zoom to explore the Web on the largest and best screen in the house, enjoy easy text entry with the keyboard on your tablet or phone, and then move your browser back to your device to take it on the go.

Games – Get more from your game when you can use a second screen. Turn you phone or tablet into a virtual GPS in Forza: Horizon. Don’t stop the dance party in Dance Central 3 by going back to the menu to choose your next song. Instead, queue it up on your tablet or smartphone. In HomeRun Stars, use SmartGlass on your favorite device to throw a surprise pitch to your friend up at bat in front of Kinect. See detailed stats on how you are progressing in Halo 4, or check up on friends. All of these features and much more will be available when your favorite game extends to multiple screens.

And we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what’s possible. In the future, new games will be created, TV shows and movies will be re-imagined, and sports will be broadcast from the ground up with Xbox SmartGlass in mind.

Read more from the Technet Blogs

Ubisoft and New Regency Partner on Assassin’s Creed Film

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Ubisoft and New Regency recently announced that they would partner on the upcoming Assassin’s Creed film project.  Read on for details.

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Ubisoft and New Regency recently announced that they would partner on the upcoming Assassin’s Creed film project.  Here is the announcement:

UBISOFT AND NEW REGENCY PARTNER ON ASSASSIN’S CREED® FILM
Deal Builds on Attachment of Michael Fassbender

SAN FRANCISCO – October 22, 2012 -Today, Ubisoft and New Regency announced that they are partnering on the forthcoming Assassin’s Creed® film.

Ubisoft Motion Pictures, the film and television division of Ubisoft, will develop the Assassin’s Creed film in close collaboration with New Regency. The development of a screenplay is beginning immediately and the project is being fast tracked as the creative pieces come together, while allowing Ubisoft to maintain control of key elements of the movie’s creative direction. Financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

“Ubisoft chose to partner with New Regency because they are a talent- and filmmaker-driven company, with the same independent and creative mindset that we have at Ubisoft Motion Pictures,” said Jean-Julien Baronnet, chief executive officer, Ubisoft Motion Pictures. “Bringing aboard New Regency’s renowned production and distribution expertise while maintaining our own creative and financial flexibility ensures that Assassin’s Creed will be a high-quality film that respects the lore and fans of the video game franchise.”

The partnership with New Regency comes hot on the heels of Ubisoft Motion Pictures attaching distinguished actor Michael Fassbender to the Assassin’s Creed film.

“We wanted to do everything we could to secure the rights to Assassin’s Creed, which Ubisoft has maintained with such care and quality over the years,” said Brad Weston, president and chief executive officer, New Regency. “Having just finished working with Michael on Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave (with Plan B) made the partnership even more irresistible.”

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No word on financial details, and no word yet on a release date.  I’d be up for an Assassin’s Creed movie…how about you?

Hulu Plus Releases Windows 8 App

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Hulu has released a Windows 8 app for Hulu Plus, taking advantage of the new Windows 8 UI.  Read on for details.

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Hulu has released a Windows 8 app for Hulu Plus users, taking advantage of the UI elements that were introduced in Windows 8.  Here is the blog post:

At Hulu, we are relentless about creating beautiful, intuitive and engaging experiences that help you find and enjoy popular current season TV shows whenever you want, on whatever device you want. Which is why we are so proud to announce the Hulu Plus app is now available on one of the newest operating systems: Windows 8.

Our team has been heads down building a gorgeous new Hulu Plus app that is optimized for the Windows user interface. The app will be available to the general public on October 26th, but those of you with early access to Windows 8 can check out the Hulu Plus app now. You’ll see we’ve included a few new goodies.

The new Hulu Plus app leverages core Microsoft design principles with our touch-optimized experience. The UI is simple and clean and puts the most relevant content first, creating a visually immersive experience in the most engaging way.

Launching the app presents you with an immersive panorama of your favorite shows and episodes laid out in a wide canvas.

The Hulu Plus app uses a tile-based view common to the new Windows UI. This will make it easy for you to find the latest episode of the shows you want to watch, but also to discover new ones.

When using Hulu Plus, we know you care about getting to “Family Guy” or “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” as quickly as possible. The Hulu Plus app on Windows puts key features into the app bar to keep the focus on content.

Check out the full blog post here, and check out the Hulu Plus app in the Windows 8 app store when Windows 8 goes live.

Hulu Plus Windows 8 Blog Post

Celebrate The Greatest Video Game Music With a Free Track

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The World Famous London Philharmonic Orchestra, in between performing Disney’s Fantasia, have been busy recording the second in the Greatest Video Game Music series, featuring tracks from some of the gaming world’s most iconic games, such as Batman: Arkham City, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, Final Fantasy VII and Halo and more.

Two of the tracks were chosen by readers of IGN and Kotaku, who picked Mass Effect 3 and Skyrim for the orchestral arrangement treatment.

To celebrate the completion and imminent 6th of November release, X5 Music Group have made available the track Never Forget/Peril from Halo, free on their website. To grab your track, simply go to http://www.greatestvideogamemusic.om/#download fill out the simple form and they will email it over to you.

You can pre-order the album now on iTunes for the measly sum of £5.99. For 17 tracks, that’s amazing value.

The track list is impressive too:

  • Assassin’s Creed – Main Theme
  • The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Far Horizons
  • The Legend of Zelda: Wind Walker – Dragon Roost Island
  • Final Fantasy VII – One-Winged Angel
  • Mass Effect 3 – A Future For The Krogan/An End Once And For All
  • Halo – Never Forget/Peril
  • Sonic The Hedgehog – A Symphonic Suite
  • Chrono Trigger – Main Theme
  • Luigi’s Mansion – Main Theme
  • Kingdom Hearts – Fate Of The Unknown
  • Super Metroid – A Symphonic Poem
  • Diablo III – Overture
  • Batman: Arkham City – Main Theme
  • Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Icarus Main Theme
  • Fez – Adventure
  • Portal – Still Alive
  • Little Big Planet – Orb Of Dreamers (The Cosmic Imagisphere)

The Greatest Video Games Music 2 is released on the 6th November.