Amazon Strikes Deal with Viacom for More Streaming Content

Andrew Edney
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Amazon Strikes Deal with Viacom for More Streaming Content

Amazon.com, today announced a licensing agreement with Viacom that will allow Amazon Prime members to instantly stream TV shows from MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, TV Land, Spike, VH1, BET, CMT and Logo.

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This deal will bring the total number of Prime Instant Videos to more than 15,000. Amazon Prime members can enjoy this selection on over 300 different devices, including Kindle Fire—the Kindle for movies, TV shows, music, magazines, apps, books, games, and more. Right out of the box, Kindle Fire users experience the benefits that millions of Amazon Prime members already enjoy — unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of movies and TV shows with Prime Instant Video and the convenience of Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items from Amazon.com.

Prime members will have access to thousands of episodes from Viacom through Prime Instant Video over the next several months. Titles will include kids’ favourites, stand-up comedy, and reality TV. Amazon will offer MTV shows including The Hills, Jersey Shore, The Hard Times of RJ Berger, several seasons of The Real World, and Comedy Central shows such as Chappelle’s Show and The Sarah Silverman Program. For kids, Amazon brings Nickelodeon episodes of iCarly, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, Yo Gabba Gabba, along with TV Land favourite, Hot in Cleveland.

“Over the last year we have received fantastic customer feedback about Prime Instant Video. We are constantly working to improve the service by adding the shows that our customers enjoy the most,” said Brad Beale, director of video content acquisition for Amazon. “This deal with Viacom brings Prime customers and Kindle Fire users thousands of comedies, kids’ shows, reality TV and much more from some of the best cable networks available. We now offer more than 15,000 movies and TV shows in Prime Instant Videos and are working hard to add even more great content.”

Here in the UK we still don’t have Amazon’s Prime Instant Video service, but who knows, maybe one day?

Do you use the service? Tell us what you think of it….

Chrome Beta for Android Now Available

Andrew Edney
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Chrome Beta for Android Now Available

Now you can use Chrome on your Android phone or tablet with the just released Chrome app beta.

Android Chrome

The speed and simplicity of Chrome, now on your Android phone and tablet.

Browse fast on your Android smartphone or tablet, and bring your personalized Chrome experience with you anywhere you go. Chrome for Android is available, initially in Beta, on Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich. To check if it is available in your country, please visit: http://goo.gl/6ARvc

Features:
– Browse fast with accelerated page loading, scrolling, and zooming
– Search and navigate directly from the omnibox
– Open and switch between unlimited tabs in an easy-to-view stack
– Sign in to Chrome to sync your bookmarks and view tabs you have open on your computer
– Send pages from desktop Chrome to your smartphone or tablet with one click and read them on the go, even if you’re offline
– Browse privately in Incognito mode

Download the Chrome beta from the Android Market

Raspberry Pi Available by the End of February

Andrew Edney
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Raspberry Pi Available by the End of February

We mentioned Raspberry Pi early in January, now they have said that it will be available by the end of the month.

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This is what the Raspberry Pi guys posted:

I’ve got some bad and good news about manufacturing. The bad news is that it’s taking a little longer than we’d hoped, because the factory had some trouble sourcing a specific component. The quartz crystal package we had chosen when we thought we were manufacturing in the UK is readily available over here in Europe, and was the cheapest we could find; but it turns out that in China, that crystal package has been overtaken in price and size by a smaller, cheaper one, so the one we’d designed for has been a bit hard to find. The factory has sourced crystals now, so we’re all go. The good news is that this finally means we have a date for the first batch: the boards will be finished on February 20. Eben and I may be going to China to make sure that the boards can be brought up properly for that date if necessary. We’ll be airfreighting them to the UK immediately, so you should be able to buy them before the end of the month.

I’m looking forward to getting my hands on one!

FireCore Releases aTV Flash (black) 1.3 for the 2nd Generation AppleTV

Andrew Edney
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FireCore Releases aTV Flash (black) 1.3 for the 2nd Generation AppleTV

Today saw the release of aTV Flash (black) version 1.3 for the 2nd generation AppleTV.

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Here is what Firecore said:

It’s not quite Valentine’s Day, but we couldn’t wait to show how much we love you all – so today we have a fresh new version just for you. Version 1.3 includes an all-new firmware backup option, new translations, playback enhancements and a whole slew of other improvements and fixes.

Full details on what’s new and how to update can be found below.

Automated Firmware Backups

New in version 1.3 is an option to automatically backup firmware signatures. This feature will integrate seamlessly with the upcoming version of Seas0nPass, allowing for one-click restores to the firmware of your choosing.

Full Changelog

  • Added automated firmware signature backups
  • Added Danish, Dutch, French, Greek, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish translations
  • Added support for advanced (learned) remote commands
  • Added support for multiple external subtitles (movie.en.srt, movie.de.srt, etc…)
  • Added support for folder based organization/playback
  • Added support for embedded DVD chapters
  • Added chapters section heading to Playback Menu
  • Added global zoom setting
  • Improved playback performance for movies with invalid timestamps
  • Improved appearance of VobSub subtitles
  • Improved metadata fetching for localized file names
  • Improved audio track filtering
  • Improved playback bar to match native player
  • Improved metadata and bulk folder fetching stability
  • Improved Media > Settings menu layout
  • Resolved issues with folder name changing on metadata fetching
  • Resolved issues with buffering
  • Resolved rare DVD related crash
  • Resolved floating AFP issue that was causing connection issues
  • Resolved floating buffer overflow in software decoder
  • Minor changes to Grid View appearance
  • Minor UI improvements
  • Other miscellaneous bug fixes

Hooray! Where can I get it?

If you’re already running a version of aTV Flash (black) the new 1.3 version can be installed through the Maintenance –> Manage Extras menu. Links for the new version can also be found in your account under the Downloads tab.

If you’re not yet using aTV Flash (black) you can learn about all the great benefits here.

Windows 8 Consumer Preview Launching February 29th

Andrew Edney
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0
Windows 8 Consumer Preview Launching February 29th

According to ZDNet, Microsoft will be launching the Windows 8 Consumer Preview on February 29th.

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The date, which happens to be the last day of February (which just about meets Microsoft’s promise of being released “late” February) coincides with the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona.

More news when we get it!

StableBit DrivePool Moves to Beta M4 Build 5669

Andrew Edney
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StableBit DrivePool Moves to Beta M4 Build 5669

There has been another beta build from CoveCube! StableBit development marches on – now its beta M4 build 5669.

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Here is how CoveCube describes this application:

  • Combine all your hard drives into one big storage pool (except the system drive with the OS).
  • Add and remove drives from the pool at any time without re-partitioning or manually moving folders.
  • Create duplicated folders on the storage drive pool that are protected against single drive failure. If a drive fails on which a duplicated file was stored, the contents of that file will remain readable even without the drive.
  • All your data is stored in standard NTFS files. You can always access your files even if the Windows Home Server completely crashes or this add-in can’t be used.

This version’s change log:

1.0.0.5669 ———-

* [D] Fixed compatibility issue with volume shadow copy service (for non-pooled drives). It is a good idea to reboot BEFORE upgrading to this version, just in case VSS is locked up. If VSS is locked up while upgrading, the upgrade will lock up: In that case, Reboot -> Dashboard -> Remove DrivePool -> Reboot -> Install latest build.

* Fixed M4 migration issue causing “Access denied” error.

* [D] Workaround for issue in rdbss (bug?) that denies a flush on a read-only handle. This incorrectly returns access denied errors for non-write operations. This only affects files accessed using a UNC share path, locally on the server. Accessing shares from remote or from the local drive letter does not trigger this problem.

* [D] When cloning directories, clone the owner properly.

* [D] Improved performance / accuracy of file size tracking.

Get More Information About the Beta Here Download Stablebit Drivepool build 5669 here

Apple Release EFI Firmware Update

Andrew Edney
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Apple Release EFI Firmware Update

Apple has just released an EFI firmware update for 2010 model MacBook Air, Pro and iMac’s.

EFI

This is what it contains:

This update enables Lion Recovery from an Internet connection on MacBook Pro (Early 2010) models.

This update enables Lion Recovery from an Internet connection on MacBook Air (Late 2010) models and addresses an issue where the system could restart if the power button is pressed immediately after waking from deep sleep.

This update enables Lion Recovery from an Internet connection on iMac (Mid 2010) models.

Microsoft Releases OneNote for Android

Andrew Edney
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0
Microsoft Releases OneNote for Android

Today Microsoft announced the release of OneNote for Android on the Android Market app store.

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With this release, the OneNote mobile apps are available across a variety of platforms — including Windows Phone 7, iPhone, iPad, and now Android . The release allows users to effortlessly collect, share, and find all of the information they want to keep track of, using a variety of features from simple lists and pages to full-fledged notebooks that can be shared with friends, family, co-workers, or classmates.

OneNote 1.0 for Android supports the following features:

•             Text formatting, images, and bulleted lists in any note

•             Checklists and To-Do lists

•             Quick photo capture with a phone’s camera

•             Quick access to recent notes

•             Store and access multiple OneNote notebooks

•             Sync to your free SkyDrive  account for access anywhere

•             Offline access to notes

•             Option to sync notebooks only over a WiFi connection

•             Built-in spell checker

•             Support for external hyperlinks

•             Table editing

•             Free technical support

OneNote for Android is free to download and use for up to 500 notes. When users have reached this limit, they can upgrade OneNote for Android for a one-time fee of £2.99 for unlimited use.

Download OneNote from the Android Market

WHS 2011 Add-In Update: Home Server Status 3.02

Andrew Edney
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0
WHS 2011 Add-In Update: Home Server Status 3.02

Jerry Wade has just released version 3.02 of his Home Server Status add-in.

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What’s New in Version 3.02 (See full changelog)
  • Fixed: Small bugs.
  • Fixed: SMTP bug when backups are running, cancelled, etc.
  • New: Improved settings page with tabbed pages for additional functionality
  • New: Ability to enable iOS alerts via Prowl for iPhone, iPad, and iPod
  • New: Ability to enable SMTP and UDP network backup alerts
  • New: Network Backup Log for all those running HSS on your network
  • New: Ability to detect Windows shut down, restart, and logoff during a backup
  • New: Automatic checking, download, and installion of updates
  • Updated: Less resource intensive
Learn more from here

Toshiba AT200 Tablet Now Available in the UK

Andrew Edney
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0
Toshiba AT200 Tablet Now Available in the UK

We first mentioned the AT200 back in September, and today Toshiba UK announced the ultra-thin AT200 tablet is now available online, and will be available in UK stores from 15th February 2012, exclusively from Carphone Warehouse.

Toshiba AT200 tablet (2)

Available with 16GB or 32GB storage, the Toshiba AT200 is just 7.7mm thin and runs Android™ 3.2, Honeycomb, offering an intuitive and customisable experience. A 25.7cm (10.1”) touchscreen, multiple connectivity options and up to eight hours battery life are housed in a lightweight, brushed metal design, delivering a stylish, portable tablet that can be enjoyed all day or on the move.

Android Market and Toshiba Places give users access to a world of downloadable content, including thousands of apps, games, movies, music and TV shows on-demand. With Adobe® Flash® 10.3 pre-installed, the Toshiba AT200 also provides complete web browsing, straight out of the box.

A selection of essential ports and wireless options make it easy to connect the Toshiba AT200 to a host of devices. Micro-USB and micro-SD card ports allow users to access content from external drives or expand storage, while a micro-HDMI® port connects the AT200 directly to HDTVs, monitors or projectors for big screen playback. Wi-Fi connectivity ensures fast, wireless internet access and Bluetooth® lets users connect to compatible devices.

The high resolution LED backlit screen displays high-definition video, photographs, games and web content with exceptional clarity and detail, while advanced audio features and stereo speakers deliver rich audio for full-bodied portable sound.

The Toshiba AT200 is available exclusively from www.carphonewarehouse.com and in Carphone Warehouse stores from 15th February 2012.

AT200 specifications

· Android™ 3.2, Honeycomb

· 7.7mm thin

· High resolution 25.7cm (10.1”) capacitive touchscreen with LED backlight (1,280×800), 16:10

· Multi-touch support

· Micro-USB, Micro-HDMI® and Micro-SD, Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi™ (802.11b/g/n) connectivity

· Docking port

· Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 processor (1.2GHz)

· 1GB DDR2 RAM

· Adobe® Flash® 10.3 support pre-installed

· GPS, 3D Accelerometer, gyrometer, electronic compass, ambient light sensor

· 5.0MP camera (rear), 2.0MP camera (front)

· Stereo speakers (2x 1.5W)

· Toshiba Media Player supporting a wide selection of video, picture and audio formats

· Weight: 535g

· 256mm x 176mm x 7.7mm

· Battery life (backlight 60nits): 8h (100% video playback). 8h (65% web browsing via WLAN 10% video playback 10%; 25% standby)

· 16GB – £399

· 32GB – £449

Toshiba AT200 tablet (4)Toshiba AT200 tablet (12)Toshiba AT200 tablet (9)Toshiba AT200 tablet (5)

Star Wars Kinect Game Launching April

Andrew Edney
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0
Star Wars Kinect Game Launching April

For those of us waiting for the Star Wars Kinect game for the Xbox 360, the wait is almost over – it is launching 3rd April!

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I had the pleasure of playing the game last and it was great!

So, mark your calendars for the 3rd of April, and it will cost £39.95. At least they didn’t wait until the 4th of May to launch it (think about it!)

Expect a full review soon.

Microsoft Talks Windows 8 Improving Power Efficiency for Applications

Andrew Edney
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0
Microsoft Talks Windows 8 Improving Power Efficiency for Applications

In the next article on Windows 8 from Microsoft, they talk about Improving power efficiency for applications.

Windows 8 power

This is how the article begins:

Minimizing the power consumption of your PC while maximizing the responsiveness and utility (making it “fast and fluid”), is a significant engineering challenge. While it starts with the work we do in Windows to provide support for the right level resource usage, this work requires developers to take resource utilization into account as they develop their apps. Power efficiency applies to all form factors and all usage scenarios—using less power is the right thing to do for everyone. This is an area of significant innovation for Windows 8 PCs, and builds on the foundation of the new runtime model in WinRT—it is not the sort of thing you can retrofit onto existing desktop applications while still maintaining functionality and compatibility. Much like state migration and setup that we talked about earlier, power consumption is an area of Windows that has been reimagined for new scenarios. With your existing x86-based PC, all of the existing support is still there, and all of the work you do on the desktop continues exactly as it has before (and of course, has been improved, as we have seen). As we see new hardware across all supported SoC hardware (including Intel) this level of power efficiency will be more broadly available. Though we will discuss some of the work we’ve done to improve the power consumption of desktop apps, to enable the all-day, always-connected scenarios we’re going to see new apps written to WinRT that run on a new generation of hardware that supports new power management capabilities.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

And not long now until the beta, or should we say Consumer Preview.

Nokia Announce White Nokia Lumia 800 Windows Phone

Andrew Edney
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0
Nokia Announce White Nokia Lumia 800 Windows Phone

Today Nokia announced a white version of it’s popular Nokia Lumia 800 Windows Phone.

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Nokia today announces the latest addition to its Lumia Phone range with the introduction in March of the Nokia Lumia 800 in a stunning glossy white finish.

With Windows Phone 7.5 software, the white Nokia Lumia 800 features a head-turning design matched with the best social and Internet performance, with one-touch social network access, easy grouping of contacts, integrated communication threads and Internet Explorer 9.

“Since we began selling it late last year, the Nokia Lumia 800 has received rave reviews around the world,” said Ilari Nurmi, Vice President of Product Marketing, Nokia. “Now in white, the Lumia 800 brings with it a more premium look and feel with its gloss finish, and is packed with power and performance underneath its sleek body.”

The Nokia Lumia 800 in white features a 3.7-inch AMOLED ClearBlack curved display that blends seamlessly into the body, and is packed with power with its 1.4 GHz processor with hardware acceleration and graphics processor. The Nokia Lumia 800 provides an instant-share camera experience based on leading Carl Zeiss optics, HD video playback, 16GB of internal user memory and free SkyDrive storage for keeping images and music.

Lumia smartphones include signature Nokia experiences optimised for Windows Phone, including Nokia Drive, which delivers a fully-fledged personal navigation device with free, turn-by-turn navigation and dedicated in-car user interface; and Windows Marketplace also provides Lumia users with more than 55,000 apps to choose from.

To celebrate the launch of the white Lumia 800, new and existing Lumia users can find a special ‘White’ selection on Nokia’s unique music service, Mix Radio, featuring free music from the likes of White Stripes, Barry White, and a whole host of ‘white’-themed and influenced hits.

Available to pre-order from Phones 4u today, the Nokia Lumia 800 in white will be available FREE from £20.50 a month on a choice of networks from early March. 

The QOOQ Cooking Tablet Coming to the UK

Andrew Edney
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0
The QOOQ Cooking Tablet Coming to the UK

The QOOQ Tablet is designed for use in the kitchen, and it’s coming to the UK later this year.

QOOQ Tablet

The QOOQ tablet is a designer 10-inch Wi-Fi touch tablet which accompanies you
throughout your home and offers you all the multimedia functionality of standard
touch tablets:

  • An ultra-fast browser for surfing the Net and accessing all cookery sites in particular
  • Access to the social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.
  • A video player for watching films and series from a USB or SD source
  • An MP3 player for listening to your music from a USB or SD source
  • Radio stations
  • A digital photo album for displaying all your photos from a USB or SD source
  • Access to your e-mails
  • A weather app
  • A note pad
  • And coming soon, via regular (and free) updates of the interface, a host of other new
    applications for home use.

Designed specially to be used in a kitchen (splash-proof, non-slip, etc.), the QOOQ tablet also allows access to the QOOQ digital platform of culinary content and services :

  • Very high-quality (subscription-based) content: a database of over 3,500 interactive
    recipes including 1,200 entirely on video, the participation of over 100 renowned
    chefs who explain all their secrets on film, more than 1,000 pages on ingredients,
    wines and the techniques shown on video, a culinary magazine and new content
    every month.
  • Numerous personalized services: management of weekly menus, automatic
    adjustment of quantities, creation of shopping lists, option of entering your own
    recipes and sharing them with your friends.

The price for the QOOQ France is 349 Euros but to you will also need a subscription to access the subscription content mentioned above.

The QOOQ should be able in the UK during the 2nd half of this year.

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