Amazon Mobile app for Windows Phone updated to version 1.8

The Amazon Mobile app for Windows Phone has been updated to version 1.8, and finally brings with it support for UK and German stores.

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The Amazon Mobile App allows Windows Phone users to quickly search, compare prices, read reviews, share products with friends, access Gold Box Deals, and make purchases on Amazon using a simple, yet elegant, interface. To make on-the-go shopping and price comparison even easier, the Amazon Mobile App includes helpful shopping features that allow users to scan a barcode or type a search to quickly compare prices and check availability.   Users may also save time by pinning the Amazon barcode scan tile to their Start screen, enabling them to simply tap the tile to take them straight to the barcode scanner.

Shoppers are able to access Amazon’s US, United Kingdom, and Germany sites from a single app by simply selecting their desired Amazon country store. Amazon customers have full access to their existing cart, wish lists, payment and Amazon Prime member shipping options, order history, and 1-Click settings. All purchases made on Amazon Mobile are routed through Amazon’s secure servers just as they are on the web.

What’s New in 1.8

* Support for United Kingdom and Germany country stores.
* We hate bugs as much as you do (so we fixed a bunch).

Download now from the Windows Marketplace

CoPilot offers free upgrade for CoPilot Live v8 iPhone, iPad and Android customers

CoPilot are offering a free upgrade for all CoPilot Live v8 iPhone, iPad Android Customers giving them access to all the new features.

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This is what CoPilot posted on their blog:

We have great news for all CoPilot Live v8 iPhone, iPad & Android North America and USA customers.  You can now upgrade to get the latest and greatest CoPilot features for FREE!

As an existing CoPilot Live v8 customer you can unlock turn-by-turn, voice-guided navigation features in our new CoPilot GPS app at no cost.  By upgrading, you’ll continue to enjoy unlimited CoPilot Live navigation, only better – and with regular app updates in the future.  Plus, we’ll restore all your existing CoPilot Live Favorites, Recents and subscriptions!

CoPilot GPS gives you our latest and greatest navigation features, including alternate routes, drag and drop route editing, and a sleek new user interface designed specifically for the latest smartphones and tablets.

Here’s how to get your free upgrade:

Important:  You do not need to delete your CoPilot Live v8 app in order to upgrade.

1.    Download our latest CoPilot Live v8 free app update in iTunes or Google Play
2.    Launch your CoPilot Live v8 app and sign in with your existing CoPilot ID (email address)  Click here if your forgot your password
3.    Tap Upgrade Now. You’ll be asked if you want to back up your v8 Favorites, Recents and subscriptions before upgrading.
4.    Once your CoPilot Live has completed the backup, you’ll be automatically directed to the App Store/Google Play to download CoPilot GPS
5.    When you initially launch CoPilot GPS, sign in with your existing CoPilot ID (the one you signed in with on your v8 app) to activate your free upgrade and transfer your v8 Favorites, Recents and subscriptions. It will take a few moments to restore everything.  Please note if you tap Create Later you will have to go to MyCoPilot > Register or Sign In to complete the upgrade.
6.    On the My Maps screen, tap Get Maps. Choose the map region you wish to download from the list.
7.    Once the map download is complete, the map will be stored on-board your device. Now you’re ready to start navigating!

If you try it out, let us know what you think of it!

Gameloft launches N.O.V.A. 3 Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance game for Android

Gameloft have announced that N.O.V.A. 3 – Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance is now available on Google Play for a range of Android devices.

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The most immersive and impressive sci-fi FPS franchise on smartphones is back! Fight for mankind’s survival in the greatest space shooter on mobile devices!

Four months have passed since Kal ruined the Volterites’ plans by sabotaging their war factories, and stopping the extraction of the Judger Artifacts. However, following the assassination of President Folsom, the government surrendered the colonies to the Volterite Protectorate in order to prevent civil war amongst the increasingly pro-Volterite citizens.

Kal Wardin has been laying low since Folsom’s death, but now he has received a desperate plea from Yelena to come to Earth. Once again, the hero must rise to save mankind!

An Epic Space Drama (single player campaign)
•          Humanity finally returns to Earth after years of exile. Kal Wardin must rise again to protect his kind.
•          Extended powers & weapons (Flamethrower, squasher, freezegun and more) & abilities (repel, shield, shift + more)
•          Improved enemies from N.O.V.A. 2, plus brand new enemies to battle against.
•          Multiple environments: From terra-formed Earth to frozen Volterite City, and more.
•          10 levels in the single-player which will last 5+ hours.

Evolved 12P multiplayer
•          Now includes highly anticipated vehicles, such as war buggy, mech, and jetpack (you also experience these in the single player campaign)
•          For the first time, truly drive vehicles and team up to defeat your enemies!
•          6 game modes across 6 different maps (w/ match customisation options such as aim assist on/off, killchains on/off, adjustable time limit, kill limit & max players)
•          New players customizable classes – weapons, perks, items & add-ons unlocked as you rank up: add-ons include faster reload, extended magazine etc. & items include jetpack, chemical grenades etc. – all of which can be saved as character pre-sets for convenience.

The next visual and technical benchmark
•          Dual core optimized: Dynamic lightning & shadows, real physics engine, huge draw distance, highly detailed textures and geometry
•          Story told through cinematics, supported by compelling characters and interactive cut-scenes
•          Uses Gameloft’s own proprietary engine

NOVA3_SanFran

Buy now from Google Play for £4.99

Pure announces Contour 200i Air wireless audio system with AirPlay

Pure yesterday announced the availability of Contour 200i Air, a powerful and stylish wireless audio system with Apple AirPlay that allows the user to play their music wirelessly via a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch without the need to dock the device.

Contour 200i Air
At an SRP of just £199.99, the Pure Contour 200i Air not only supports wireless streaming, but also includes a dock for iPad, iPhone and iPod for charging as well as music playback.

Contour 200i Air is one of the first products with Apple AirPlay to include Wi-Fi login sharing, which means that it is extremely easy to set up. All the user has to do is dock their iOS device, which is connected to their home Wi-Fi network, press the Wi-Fi setup button on the back of Contour 200i Air and accept a message displayed on the iOS device asking whether they want to ‘share Wi-Fi settings’.

Says Colin Crawford, Pure’s director of marketing: “Some day we’ll wonder why we ever had to physically connect devices, and Apple AirPlay is leading that behavioural seachange. There is nothing to beat the convenience of sitting back in your armchair to control your music collection with your iPad or iPhone, while the music itself is played beautifully and powerfully by Contour 200i Air.”

Contour 200i Air connects simply to the user’s home network via Ethernet or WiFi, and produces 36W RMS of digital quality sound delivering an expansive, room-filling listening experience. The DSP corrected, high-efficiency audio amplifiers and custom designed 3.5 inch dual full-range speaker drive units ensure exceptional clarity and tonal richness.

Contour 200i Air is an ideal companion to the free Pure Lounge app which enables access to tens of thousands of internet radio stations, on demand content (podcasts and listen again programmes) and ambient sounds, as well as the ability to discover, explore and listen to millions of music tracks via the Pure Music subscription service**. All content from the Pure Lounge app including Pure Music, can be streamed wirelessly to Contour 200i Air.

‘Works with iPhone, iPod and iPad’ compliant, the Pure Contour 200i Air allows users to dock, charge and play their iPad, iPod or iPhone. When docked, music stored on the Apple device can be controlled using the supplied credit card style remote control. It is also possible to connect the Contour 200i Air to a home AV system using the digital audio ouput and there is an auxiliary input for connecting an MP3 player. A multi-coloured LED status indicator shows which source the Contour 200i Air is playing. Software updates are delivered seamlessly to Contour 200i Air over WiFi.

As well as being a key part of the expanding Contour dock family, Contour 200i Air is also part of the an EcoPlus programme, a statement of Pure’s ethical philosophy and ongoing commitment to looking after the environment. All Pure products are designed to minimise their environmental impact and manufactured in ethically approved and audited facilities. They have reduced power consumption in operation and standby, use recycled packaging materials, have the smallest possible packaging and components selected to minimise environmental impact.

Learn more from the Pure website

ITV Player app for Android updated to version 1.3.1

Earlier in the week the ITV Player app for iOS was updated and now it’s the turn of the Android version.

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Catch up on ITV programmes from the last thirty days, on your mobile device.
ITV Player on Android is ITV’s video catch-up service for mobile and tablet devices.

This is the first Android application that allows you to view ITV programmes on your handset.

You can watch all ITV programmes that we have the rights to show on mobile, for up to thirty days after broadcast.
– Works on your Android mobile and tablet devices
– Requires a Wifi connection to playback programmes
– Catch up on programmes from ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and CITV
– Free to download with unlimited usage
– Browse recommended programmes
– Search for programmes by channel or alphabetically

To use this application you need a mobile phone or tablet device that runs Android 2.3, Adobe Air 3.1 (or higher) and is connected to wireless internet.

What’s in this version:

– You can now watch content for up to 30 days after broadcast
– Inclusion of CITV content
– Exit button – we listened to your feedback and you can now fully close the app
– Parental Controls – you can now set a 4 digit PIN to prevent access to content that carries a Guidance warning
– Improved usability and carousel responsiveness
– Fixes various performance and stability issues

Download now from Google Play

SkyDrive for iPhone and iPad updated to version 2.1

Microsoft have just updated SkyDrive for the iPhone and iPad, taking it to version 2.1.

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What’s New in Version 2.1

•    Bug fixes.
•    Updated to support iPad, including the new iPad with Retina display.
•    Choose multiple photos or videos to upload from your iPhone or iPad.
•    Share your files and photos—send a link in email or get a link you can copy and paste.
•    Manage your files—move, delete, rename, or create new folders.
•    Open your SkyDrive files in other iOS apps.

Are you using SkyDrive yet?

Take a look at the day with spent with Microsoft using SkyDrive Download now from the Apple App Store

NVIDIA to release Windows 8 certified R302 drivers next week

NVIDIA have announced that they will be releasing Windows 8 WHQL-certified graphics drivers next week.

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This is what NVIDIA posted:

In conjunction with today’s launch of Microsoft Windows 8 Release Preview and the opening of the Microsoft Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) for Windows 8, NVIDIA has received Windows 8 certification for its new R302 graphics drivers.

The WHQL certification of R302 drivers highlights the fact that NVIDIA is in lock-step with Microsoft and is fully prepared for Windows 8.

The new Windows 8 WHQL-certified GeForce R302 drivers will be available for download early next week from GeForce.com (Note: R302 drivers will be Windows 8 only. Other Windows operating systems will continue to use R300 drivers).

NVIDIA’s Windows 8 drivers support all the features in the new Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) v1.2. The drivers also support award-winning NVIDIA 3D Vision and 3DTV Play products, allowing you to play more than 600 games, watch Blu-ray movies and view photos – all in 3D.

So let’s keep an eye out for them next week.

We will also be meeting with NVIDIA at E3 next week to talk about their Tegra 3 enhanced gaming offerings.

E3 Computer and Video Games Show next week

Next week sees the annual E3 Computer and Video Games show in LA, and CDW will be there to cover it!

E3

E3 is the world’s premier trade show for computer and video games and related products. The show is owned by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of the companies, publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet.

E3 draws tens of thousands of professionals to experience the future of interactive entertainment. The most influential people leading the most innovative companies in the business attend E3 to see ground-breaking new technologies and never-before-seen products for computers, video game consoles, handheld systems, mobile, and the Internet.

So expect lots of tweets, pictures and news as we see what’s coming this year, and next!

We will be attending all the big press conferences from Microsoft, Sony, EA Games, Nintendo and Ubisoft, so keep checking out CDW for the latest news.

Is there anything you would like us to cover? Just let us know.

Microsoft updates AutoUpdate for Mac to version 2.3.4

Microsoft have released a small update to it’s AutoUpdate for Mac tool, taking it to version 2.3.4.

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If you are running Office for Mac you should go update now.

RIM Releases PlayBook Os 2.1 Beta

RIM announced the release of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1.0.560 to developers.  Read on for details!

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RIM  released the latest beta version of BlackBerry PlayBook OS, version 2.1.0.560, recently.  Here is what RIMm had to say about this beta:

Today we are releasing a beta of BlackBerry® Tablet OS 2.1.0 for developers to test their applications with. Developers can test using devices or a simulator, and there are some items that I think will be of particular interest.

The WebKit implementation on BlackBerry Tablet OS continues to keep pace with the latest updates to the WebKit project. There are numerous updates included which keep the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet at the forefront for Tablet Browsers in the market, as seen by our HTML5 Test Score (391 and 10 bonus points).

This latest score at html5test.com is a bit out of date, but I’m sure that won’t last long once you’ve got your hands on the beta. The beta is an improvement of 18 points and 1 bonus point over 2.0.1, most due to the inclusion of the FileSystem API.

There are three major enhancements to the Android™ Runtime in 2.1.0:

  • Each Android app will now run in its own window. This greatly improves the user experience and consistency among the other application runtimes.
  • Access to the Camera hardware is now supported for Android apps, allowing many more application types to work on the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet.
  • In-App Payment is now supported through the BlackBerry Payment SDK, so Android applications can include virtual items for sale in their applications.
But wait, there’s more!

There are a couple other items I noticed that I think will appeal to some developers. Full device encryption is now supported, so that the whole device and personal partition can be secure. If you develop an application that deals with sensitive personal information, you may want to include a suggestion to your users that they turn this feature on. Finally, there is a minor update I noticed which developers asked for and will be well received: screenshots are now saved in lossless PNG format. That should help quite a bit when you want to promote your application and add screenshots to the BlackBerry App World™ storefront.

For those of you wandering around the rest of the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1 beta, you’ll notice a few extra enhancements geared towards end users such as:

  • Portrait support for Email, Calendar and Contacts
  • Improved folder support including IMAP folder support

The other 2.1 features will come full steam when the new OS is commercially released. The 2.1 Android SDK will be released in beta coinciding with the OS release, and the 2.1 Native SDK will be posted next week, with an update to the Adobe® AIR® SDK to come shortly after.

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I  reviewed this tablet here and and found it lacking in email and calendar apps, so these changes are welcome indeed.  If you are a developer, go and get your beta and test your apps!

Register and Download PlayBook OS Beta

Virgin Media and London Underground name first stations for London Underground WiFi launch

London Underground and Virgin Media have named the first London Underground stations that will be WiFi enabled for free this summer. Stations including Oxford Circus, Stratford, Liverpool Street, Leicester Square and King’s Cross will be among the first to launch, with around 80 stations WiFi enabled by the end of July.

Wi-Fi technical testing on London Underground 4

With the eyes of the world on London this summer, Virgin Media’s next generation WiFi service will be made available to all Tube passengers for free throughout the summer. Millions of commuters and visitors to London will be able to get online at Tube stations and find their way around the capital with up-to-the-minute TfL travel information, access social media whilst they wait for their next train on the station platform or browse the web to discover the very best London has to offer this summer.

Gareth Powell, London Underground’s Director of Strategy and Service Development, said: “Our customers will soon be able to connect to the internet for live travel information while they are on the move through stations.

“Bringing a next generation WiFi service to one of the world’s oldest underground transport networks is progressing as planned and the forthcoming service is testing well.

“The first stations include some of our busiest and most well-known destinations and we’re on-track for a successful launch this summer – all delivered at no additional cost to fare payers or tax payers.”

Jon James, Executive Director of Broadband at Virgin Media, said: “In partnership with TfL, we’ve been working around-the-clock to install and test WiFi on London Underground and are about to connect some iconic and world famous Tube stations with a WiFi service London will be proud of.”

Virgin Media and London Underground engineers continue to test and prepare the forthcoming WiFi service, including recent capacity testing at Chancery Lane underground station where hundreds of devices were connected to the station’s WiFi service at exactly the same time to reproduce the service experience of a busy Tube train arriving at the station.

The new free online portal will offer up-to-the-minute TfL service information including TfL’s journey planner and entertainment and news content useful for a commute to work or trip into town.

The London Underground stations planned for installation by the end of July 2012 are:

Tube Stations

Samsung finally releases ICS for UK Galaxy Note owners

Today saw Samsung finally release ICS for UK Galaxy Note owners.

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Both Dan and I have Samsung Galaxy Notes, and we have been eagerly awaiting the release of ICS (Android 4.0) for the Note for a while now. A few people managed to somehow get it, but for most us it’s been a waiting game of constantly tapping Check for Updates, that is until today.

Dan texted me to say that his Note was telling him the update was available. Strangely mine wasn’t!

So I tapped the Check for Update and got the usual message:

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I thought I would check via KIES as well, and after a quick KIES software update I was rewarded with this message:

CDW - Samsung Galaxy Note ICS Update - 7

So I tapped Updated and read the Notice telling me what was in the update….

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Then I waited while the update downloaded, was prepared and then installed….

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Finally I was told it was ready!

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Then after the Note rebooted, and I was told that a number of my apps needed updating I saw what I had been waiting to see:

CDW - Samsung Galaxy Note ICS Update - 8

Have you got your update yet? Let us know how you got on.

Read Dan’s review of the Galaxy Note here

Microsoft talks about Web Browsing in Windows 8

In the next of their Build articles, Microsoft talks about Web Browsing in Windows 8.

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This is how they start this new article:

We built a new browsing experience in lockstep with Windows 8 to give you all the advantages that Metro style apps offer. We built that experience by extending IE’s underlying architecture to provide a fast, fully hardware-accelerated browsing engine with strong security and support for HTML5 and other web standards.

Internet Explorer 10 is designed to make website interaction fast and fluid for touch as well as for heavy mouse and keyboard use. With IE10, websites participate in the Metro style experience in Windows 8, including the Start screen, charms, snap, and more. IE10 also provides the best protection from malicious software on the web while providing convenient control over your online privacy.

The Metro style browsing experience is a better way to browse on a desktop computer with a big screen, mouse and keyboard, or on a touch-enabled mobile device. As people browse more “chromelessly” on their phones, they’ve become accustomed to a more immersive and less manual browsing experience compared with the desktop. Metro style browsing offers you a full-screen, immersive site experience with every pixel of the screen for your favorite sites. With IE and Windows 8 you can always use the charms to accomplish what you want to do next with a website (e.g. share, print, search…). We’ve heard from many people – even those with the most enthusiastic and intense browsing patterns – prefer Metro style browsing because it’s fast, fluid and more focused on what you browse than on how you browse.

To continue reading, click here.

Learn about the Windows 8 Release Preview here

Habey USA Releases New Embedded Atom-Based Board

Habey USA today announced a new fanless Atom-based embedded board, with both commercial and industrial grade SKU’s.  Read on for details.

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Habey USA announced today a new embedded board, using an Atom processor and fanless design.  First, some background on who Habey is:

HABEY is North American arm of NORCO Intelligent Technology Inc in China. Founded in 1991, the company has become one of the leading design and manufacturing companies in the Industrial PC field. Our products include Embedded Computing Platforms, Panel Computers, Industrial PC platforms, Server Storage Products and Network Appliances. HABEY’s products are widely used in computer-based applications such as factory automation, computer telephony integration, Network Appliance, security system, POS system, in industries like defense, police administration, banking, transportation, communication, and medical instrument.

Having multiple manufacturing facilities in China, a state-of-art research and development center, over 30 branch offices in China and across the globe allows us to delivery to our customers the most affordable products while still providing superior quality and services. HABEY is an Associate Member of the Intel® Embedded Alliance, a community of developers and solution providers utilizing Intel technology in the development and deployment of solutions. We offer board level, system / barebone level industrial and embedded PC customized design and integration service for the IPC market. Based on our professional ODM/OEM service, the customers will receive the competitive advantages with the effective reduction of the TSC (Total System Cost) and time-to-market.

Being recognized as the TOP BRAND of China in the industry, HABEY believes it is set to emerge as one of the global big names in the IPC field.

And now, today’s announcement:

Habey USA, a leading manufacturer of industrial chassis and embedded computers, today releases its new 3.5″ compact embedded board with enhanced performance from Intel® Atom™ N2800/D2550 processor offered in both commercial and industrial grade models. Built with embedded chips, the EMB-3930 offers rich connective I/Os for flexible machine to machine connection and provides provide faster processing power to increase efficiency. In addition, the new compact (5.75? x 4.00? or 146mm x 105mm) EMB-3930 embedded fanless board benefits from the Atom processor’s 10W power and low heat to function in a fanless and/or battery-operated configuration to provide greater flexibility and cost-savings. Designed to operate in space constrained environments, EMB-3930 is ideal for applications such as medical devices, industrial automation and handheld gaming, home entertainment, network devices, high-end vending machines and in-vehicle infotainment, and non-security-based applications such as VPN, network monitoring and gateway.

Product Highlight

Based off the Intel NM10 chipset, the EMB-3930 is able to use up to 4GB DDR3 memory with I/Os including 2 Intel 82574L Gigabit Ethernet controllers to ensure network connectivity, 4 RS-232 serial connection with 1 full RS-232/422/485, 6 USB 2.0s, 1 KB/MS, 2 SATAII, and 1 LPT to offer connectivity with a long-life cycle support inherent in every HABEY product. Support for VGA and LVDS displays provides diversified display functionalities including dual independent displays while offering a maximum native resolution of 1440×900 (D2550). For expansion slots, a mini-PCIe slots with option to configure to mini-PCIe SSD, 1 PC/104 slot for expansion cards, and GPIO are given for more flexibility for variety of applications. With ultra low power consumption, the EMB-3930 3.5’ uses a 12VDC input for applications that require mobility such as in-vehicle infotainment, transit systems, and much more.

Key Advantages:

– Intel NM10, onboard Intel Atom N2800/D2550 up to 1.86 GHz

– Low-footprint, Low-power consumption board with 12VDC

– 1x DDR3 800/1066MHz SO-DIMM, up to 4GB

– Support VGA+LVDS dual independent display

– 2x Gigabit Intel 82574L Ethernet

– 2x SATAII /6x USB2.0 /4x COM /1x Mini PCIe/1x LPT

Habey Atom Pic 2Habey Atom Pic 1

Pricing was not available.  Operating systems supported include Windows Embedded, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Vista and Linux.

Check Out the Data Sheet Here!