Archive

into Windows Phone App Updated to Version 1.3.0.0

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

into Windows Phone App Updated to Version 1.3.0.0

Microsoft have today released an update to it’s into app for Windows Phone, taking it to version 1.3.0.0.

A brand new version of the into mobile app for Windows Phone has been released. into is the companion app to ‘into’ Windows Phone, the social rewards programme on Facebook. The new version is full of improvements including a profile tile, access to the exclusive content within into, and a leaderboards section showing who’s at the top of the all-time, monthly and best best leaderboards. You can even see your own ranking. Not forgetting that you can still access amazing offers..

What is the into Windows Phone App?

Film, fashion music, food, travel, gadgets? Whatever it is you’re into, you’ll find it through into by Windows Phone.

You’ll get access to hand-picked offers and money can’t buy experiences, content and articles from top UK contributors and have access to really unique events, plus with this app, you can show the best bits of Windows Phone to your friends earn points along the way. Share, tweet, like and invite your way to some fantastic rewards.

Pin the app to your Start screen and through the Live Tile you can keep up to speed with all the new great rewards and offers coming to into by Windows Phone.

An Evening at the into Windows Phone Insider Social with Alex James

SlingPlayer for Kindle Fire Released

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

0

The SlingPlayer app has just been released for Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet.

Watch your home TV and DVR from anywhere on your Kindle Fire. When connected over Wi-Fi to a Slingbox SOLO or PRO-HD (Slingboxes sold separately), the award-winning SlingPlayer app will play anything you can watch on your TV at home on your Kindle Fire. Now you can change channels, control your DVR, and watch your favorite live and recorded shows.

Extend your living room TV experience to your Kindle Fire with a SlingPlayer app. Flip through your local channels with the virtual remote control. Pause, fast-forward, rewind, and schedule DVR recordings. Watch video on demand and even pay-per-view programs. Never miss another show or game — whether you’re in the backyard, out to lunch, or on the other side of the world. It’s your TV. Don’t let it be trapped in your living room. Set it free!

SlingPlayer allows you to view and control videos sources such as cable set-top box and DVR, satellite set-top box and DVR, Telco/IPTV set-top box and DVR, basic cable, digital over-the-air broadcasts (Slingbox PRO-HD only), Tivo, Apple TV, and home security cameras.

SlingPlayer for Kindle Fire may work on certain Slingboxes prior to SOLO and PRO-HD, in certain configurations. Technical support is not available for such usage. If you own a prior-generation Slingbox, you may be eligible to receive an upgrade discount on a supported model. Please visit Slingbox’s website for more details.

The cost of the app is $29.99.

Buy the SlingPlayer app from here

namco Arcade App for iOS Released

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

0

A few days ago, a namco Arcade app was released for the iPhone and the iPad bringing with it some serious nostalgia.

As a kid (a long time ago now) I spent a lot of time in the arcades, and some of my favourite arcade games were produced by Namco. Now there is an app that lets you play them all over again.

This app is free, however you need to buy coins to play more than once a day and also to buy more titles.

Personally I would have preferred the app was just sold at a set price, including a number of games and let me play whenever I wanted to play without having to pay again and again.

Check out the app if you want to relive your childhood.

This is how the app is describe on the App Store:

Those gems of gaming that were so much fun back in the day are back, and are now available in the App Store! Namco’s arcade games, which turned the arcades of the eighties into centers of fun and thrills, have been completely restored for you to enjoy on the iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad! Whether you’re an old school pro or a beginner, be sure to take this opportunity to play these classic titles, packed with a unique charm that seems both nostalgic and new at the same time!

[Included Titles]
XEVIOUS
THE TOWER OF DRUAGA
MOTOS
PHOZON

More titles coming!

Every day you can choose a title to play one free game!

Try all the titles and find a favorite!

Plus, by purchasing Play Coins, you can play all your favorites whenever you like!
Players seeking an extra challenge can compete with other players around the world in the online ranking board.

Rankings reset weekly so take a shot at getting a high score with any of the titles!
Players from all over the world can also upload replay data, so you’ll be able to see amazing stunts and discover eye-opening strategies!

The color, transparency, auto-fire function, and controller arrangement can be freely customized.

The virtual stick can also be switched between analog and digital operation.
Control settings can be changed from the pause menu.

Check out the App Store now

LaCie Announce LaCie 5big Office Server with WHS 2011

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

1

LaCie Announce LaCie 5big Office Server with WHS 2011

LaCie announced today an update to it’s 5big server range in the form of the 5big Officer Server running Windows Home Server 2011 – yes, WHS 2011!

This is how LaCie describe the 5big Office:

Total protection for your data. Easy collaboration for your business. Solid investment for your company. The LaCie 5big Office brings professional backup to your small office in record time. It features the industry-trusted Windows Home Server 2011 and a powerful 1.6GHz Intel® 64-bit Atom™ processor. It provides full data protection, superior data sharing for your office and offsite parters, easy integration, and low maintenance.

Here are the specs:

And the cost? Well its $599.00 for a 2TB version. While that’s not a bad price, given it’s only a 1.6GHz Atom processor, and the current cost of a WHS 2011 licence is peanuts, I can imagine there may not be a line of people waiting to buy one.

That said however, this is the first OEM to actually really a WHS 2011 box, and also the first company to release a box in the US (we seem to have quite a few companies in the UK releasing though).

Are you going to buy the LaCie 5big Office server?

Learn more from the LaCie website

Shuttle Computer Announced XPC Barebone Model SZ68R5

News
Tech

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

0

Shuttle Computer Announced XPC Barebone Model SZ68R5

Shuttle Computer Handels GmbH, the European subsidiary of Shuttle Inc., one of the leading developers and manufacturers of compact PC solutions such as the world-renowned XPC Mini-PC barebones, today announces its new top-of-the-range XPC Barebone model SZ68R5.

It is the first time a Shuttle Mini-PC integrates Intel’s Z68 high-performance desktop chipset with Smart Response Technology (SSD caching). An SSD is used here to speed up the boot process and to ensure ultra-rapid application startup. Space-saving mSATA-SSDs can be fitted in the corresponding Mini-PCIe slot on the motherboard.

The Intel Z68 Express chipset combines the numerous features of the H67 Express with the performance benefits of the P67 Express chipset.

The new XPC Barebone SZ68R5 is able for the first time to accommodate four add-on cards: 1x PCIe-x16-2.0, 1x PCIe-x4-2.0, 1x Mini-PCIe-x1-2.0 and 1x mSATA. On the motherboard there are four sockets for up to a total of 32 GB DDR3 memory. Of particular interest to experienced users are the diverse performance-enhancing BIOS parameters for fine-tuning the machine. The “TurboBoost” function gets the most out of the machine’s processors when under full load. In addition, new power-saving features ensure low energy consumption and less heat buildup. There is an extremely wide range of LGA 1155 processors supported by this barebone, including Intel Celeron, Pentium, Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7.

The SZ68R5 has an HDMI port and DVI-I port – ideal for many second-generation Intel Core processors with integrated graphics. The new Intel HD graphics are normally sufficient for casual gaming and enable the smooth playback of HD content. With an additional graphics card fitted in the PCIe-x16-2.0 slot, up to four screens can be controlled at once.

A Smart USB port on the front with 2 Amp power feed is suitable for devices with high charging requirements (e.g. iPhone/iPad). In total, the machine offers the following host of external connectors: 4x USB 3.0, 6x USB 2.0, 1x eSATA/USB Combo, 7.1 Audio, S/PDIF. On the UEFI motherboard, there are 2x SATA 6 Gbit, 2x SATA 3 Gbit, 2x USB 2.0 and 1x RS232 ports waiting for the user. There is even a 500 Watt 80 PLUS-certified power supply unit already built in providing the juice to power all this.

“The long-awaited XPC Barebone based on Z68 Express has now landed in Europe,” states Tom Seiffert, Head of Marketing & PR at Shuttle Computer Handels GmbH. “Not often in our long history has the sales launch of a new model been so keenly awaited. In fact, there were already requests for this development as soon as the first model with LGA1155 was introduced.”

Shuttle’s recommended retail price for the XPC Barebone SZ68R5 is EUR 301.00 (ex VAT).

Learn more from the Shuttle website

Apple Release Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

0

Apple today released Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3, a significant update to its revolutionary professional video editing application.

This update which introduces multicam editing that automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos; advanced chroma keying for handling complex adjustments right in the app; and enhanced XML for a richer interchange with third party apps and plug-ins that support the fast growing Final Cut Pro X ecosystem. Available today as a free update from the Mac® App Store™, Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 also includes a beta of broadcast monitoring that supports Thunderbolt devices as well as PCIe cards.

Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 includes a collection of groundbreaking new tools for editing multicam projects. Final Cut Pro X automatically syncs clips from your shoot using audio waveforms, time and date, or timecode to create a Multicam Clip with up to 64 angles of video, which can include mixed formats, frame sizes and frame rates. The powerful Angle Editor allows you to dive into your Multicam Clip to make precise adjustments, and the Angle Viewer lets you play back multiple angles at the same time and seamlessly cut between them.

Final Cut Pro X builds upon its robust, one-step chroma key with the addition of advanced controls including color sampling, edge adjustment and light wrap. You can tackle complex keying challenges right in Final Cut Pro X, without having to export to a motion graphics application, and view your results instantly with realtime playback.

In the seven months since launch, the third party ecosystem around Final Cut Pro X has expanded dramatically. XML-compatible software like DaVinci Resolve and CatDV provide tight integration for tasks such as color correction and media management. The new 7toX app from Intelligent Assistance uses XML to import Final Cut Pro 7 projects into Final Cut Pro X. In addition, some of the industry’s largest visual effects developers, including GenArts and Red Giant, have developed motion graphics plug-ins that take advantage of the speed and real-time preview capabilities of Final Cut Pro X.

Broadcast monitoring in Final Cut Pro X is currently in beta and allows you to connect to waveform displays, vectorscopes, and calibrated, high-quality monitors to ensure that your project meets broadcast specifications. Final Cut Pro X supports monitoring of video and audio through Thunderbolt I/O devices, as well as through third party PCIe cards.

Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 is available from the Mac App Store for $299.99 (US) to new users, or as a free update for existing Final Cut Pro X customers. A 30-day free trial of Final Cut Pro X is available at www.apple.com/finalcutpro/trial. Full system requirements and more information on Final Cut Pro X can be found at www.apple.com/finalcutpro.

CyberLink Launch PowerDVD 12

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

1

CyberLink Corp today launched the new PowerDVD 12 Ultra, the latest version of the world’s leading Blu-Ray and Media Player.

I am a big fan of PowerDVD, and I have been using it for years. At CES earlier this month I got to spend a couple of hours with CyberLink running through this product (and some others I am not allowed to talk about yet) and I have to say I was really impressed.

With its new companion apps PowerDVD Mobile v.4 and PowerDVD Remote v.2, PowerDVD 12 is the ideal single solution for the multi-platform home, as the world’s only universal multimedia player to provide a unified solution for the Windows, iOS and Android platforms. Now, users can easily stream, store and share their multimedia content across any device in their home—including iPhones, iPads and Android tablets and smartphones. With enhanced TrueTheater® technology, users can enjoy a unique experience and enrich any content to its best possible HD & 3D quality, including DVDs, low-resolution videos and content from popular social media sites.

“PowerDVD 12 Ultra delivers the total freedom to enjoy all types of media content in enhanced quality on any device at home or on-the-go,“ said Alice H. Chang, CEO of CyberLink. “With the proliferation of devices and operating systems, PowerDVD automatically converts videos at the optimal quality to play on iPads, iPhones and Android devices. PowerDVD 12 Ultra is truly a premium media experience for the consumers.”

The latest version of PowerDVD comes with more than 30 new features and additional media format support, including the ability to intelligently sync media gallery content with Android devices, convert Blu-ray movies from 2D to 3D, and deliver 7.1 channel surround sound audio from DTS and Dolby, together with new lossless audio format support for OGG and FLAC files.

Offered free with PowerDVD 12 Ultra, the PowerDVD Mobile device app enables users to effortlessly play, share and wirelessly stream their videos, music and photos from their PCs to portable devices, while PowerDVD Remote lets users control Blu-ray Discs, DVDs and high-definition videos as well as the music and photo playback features in PowerDVD, remotely. Both new apps support Apple iPhones and iPads as well as Android phones and tablets.

Key Features in PowerDVD 12 Ultra

Play Blu-ray, 3D, DVD and any HD media: Whether it’s Blu-ray, upscaled DVDs, videos or photos, PowerDVD 12 Ultra can play them all flawlessly with optimized CPU/GPU hardware acceleration; new ultra-fast Instant Seek lets you search for movie scenes in your Blu-ray or DVD movies in a flash.
Turn any media into HD & 3D with TrueTheater® technology: Premium TrueTheater® enhancements upscale DVD movies to HD quality, or turn 2D movies and photos into 3D, including new support to convert Blu-ray movies to 3D.
Enhance player experience for ultimate enjoyment: PowerDVD 12 Ultra provides several enhanced features to provide total flexibility and ease of use for media browsing, including Smart Media Library, Instant Seek, Instant zoom, Instant View and Instant Scale.
Sync media gallery to portable devices: Smart Sync allows users to set up rules for syncing the PowerDVD media library to Android devices automatically; better yet, PowerDVD 12 will automatically choose the best fit video format for your mobile devices.
Social Media – enhanced & convenient: Watch videos from YouTube and view Facebook and Flickr photos and slideshows all from PowerDVD. You can also apply TrueTheater® enhancements to the media for a “better-than-browser” viewing experience.

Product Availability

CyberLink PowerDVD 12 is available today and can be purchased from the CyberLink online store. It is available in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Russian and Portuguese.

PowerDVD 12 Versions

PowerDVD 12 Ultra: UK £79.99

PowerDVD 12 Pro: UK £59.99

PowerDVD 12 Standard: UK £34.99

Upgrade from previous PowerDVD versions are available starting at £39.99

PowerDVD Mobile v.4 and PowerDVD Remote v.2 can be found on the Apple Store and Android Market supporting the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Russian and Portuguese.

PowerDVD Mobile v.4

PowerDVD Mobile v.4 (for PowerDVD 12 Pro/Standard version users): £14.59

PowerDVD Mobile v.4 For Ultra (for PowerDVD 12 Ultra users): FREE

PowerDVD Remote v.2

PowerDVD Remote (for PowerDVD 12 Pro/Standard version users): £3.99

PowerDVD Remote FREE (for PowerDVD 12 Ultra users): FREE

Sky Go App for iPhone and iPad Updated to Version 2.0.2

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

0

The Sky Go app for the iPhone and the iPad has been updated to include the Sky Atlantic channel.

Here is the description for the Sky Go app:

Enjoy live TV from Sky wherever you have a 3G or WiFi connection in the UK or Ireland on your iPad, iPhone 3GS or above or iPod touch 4th gen.

Take the magic of Sky Movies with you this winter.

Customers with Sky Movies 1 & 2 can now watch all 11 live channels including Sky Movies Premiere and Sky Movies Christmas. Plus, hundreds of movies on demand to watch whenever you fancy over a WiFi connection.

Watching live Sky Movies on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch through a 3G connection will use data and contribute to the monthly allowance set by your mobile network operator. Exceeding this could result in significant charges.

Stay up to date with the latest Sky Sports action.

Sky Sports pack customers can watch all five dedicated live Sky Sports channels including Sky Sports News.

Sky News is also available to all Sky TV customers.

What’s New in Version 2.0.2

The Sky Atlantic channel is now available live through the Sky Go app; free for all Sky TV customers.

Sky Go App Coming to Android in February

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

1

Sky Go App Coming to Android in February

We have talked about the Sky Go app for the iPhone and iPad previously, now there is news from Sky that their Sky Go app is coming to Android in February.

As well as the new Android app, there will be a number of new additions to the service, including Sky 1, Sky Living and Sky Arts 1.

Sky Atlantic is available now and for those of you interested in F1, Sky’s new F1 channel will be available during March.

Have you used Sky Go? What do you think of it?

Sky Launching Fibre Broadband and Free Wi-Fi Service

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

0

Sky Launching Fibre Broadband and Free Wi-Fi Service

Sky has announced a number of enhancements to its range of broadband services to create more choice for customers and build on its strong growth. The move means that more households will have access to Sky’s great-value broadband, customers will be able to enjoy
free Wi-Fi access on the move and there will be a new fibre option for customers who want
faster speeds.

The announcement comes as new figures show that customers continue to respond in record numbers to Sky’s high-quality broadband and telephony products. In the last three months of 2011, Sky sold more than half a million home communications products, cementing its position as the fastest growing home communications provider in the UK. The latest growth means that , since launching in 2006, Sky has grown its UK broadband market share to 17% (3.6 million customers) and 29% of all Sky homes now take all three of Sky TV, Sky Broadband and Sky Talk.

The new enhancements planned for the months ahead include:

Building out Sky’s network to reach even more UK homes: Sky is extending its network footprint to bring great value broadband to 88% of the UK by June 2013. This means more than 1 million extra homes will be covered by Sky’s network.
Providing customers with free WiFi wherever they are: Sky will shortly launch its public Wi-Fi service, powered by The Cloud. This will provide Sky Broadband Unlimited customers with free access to more than 10,000 hotspots across the UK. Available in venues such as Caffe Nero, Pizza Express and Wagamama, Sky customers will enjoy seamless and convenient access to public WiFi. This will prove particularly valuable for customers who access Sky content on the go, with high quality wireless delivering an even better experience for Sky Go and Sky’s other video-rich applications.
Adding choice with Sky Broadband Unlimited Fibre: Sky is to give customers even more choice by adding a fibre broadband product to its range from April. For £20 a month, customers will be able to access download speeds of up to 40 megabits with a totally unlimited product that has no usage caps. From launch the new product will be available to around 30% of UK homes, growing over time in line with BT’s fibre roll-out programme.

Stephen van Rooyen, Managing Director of Sky’s Sales and Marketing Group, comments:

“I’m delighted that our existing home communication products are making such an impact with customers. It’s clear that customers are responding to the higher levels of value, quality and service we offer.

“This year sees a number of enhancements that will ensure we create even more choice. Whether it’s the launch of free public WiFi, extending our network into more parts of the UK, or adding fibre to our product mix, we are focused on meeting the demands of customers and on being their number one choice for home communications.”

Apple Release AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule Firmware Update 7.6.1

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

0

Apple Release AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule Firmware Update 7.6.1

Yesterday saw Apple release the 7.6.1 firmware update for AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule.

This update is for all 802.11n AirPort Express, 802.11n AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule models. It fixes an issue with wireless performance and provides support for remote access to an AirPort disk or a Time Capsule hard drive with an iCloud account.

For detailed information on AirPort base station and Time Capsule firmware updates, including instructions how to install the update, please visit:
All about Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Express base station firmware updates

It is recommended that AirPort Utility 5.5.3 or later be installed before updating to Firmware version 7.6.1. iCloud setup requires AirPort Utility 6.0 and Mac OS X Lion v10.7.2 or later.

Note: This firmware update is for all 802.11n capable AirPort base stations and Time Capsules.

WHS 2011 Add-In Update: Advanced Admin Console Coming Tomorrow

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

2

WHS 2011 Add-In Update: Advanced Admin Console Coming Tomorrow

Andreas Miceli, author of the popular Advanced Admin Console add-in, has today tweeted that the final version will be released in 24 hours.

Learn more about Advanced Admin Console 2011

Official 2012 Honda CR-V Game Day Commercial – “Matthew’s Day Off”

cars
News

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

0

Official 2012 Honda CR-V Game Day Commercial – “Matthew’s Day Off”

There are always cool commercials as part of the Superbowl, Honda have just released theirs, and for fans of Ferris Bueller, it like a trip back in time!

Sky to Launch New Internet TV Service

Andrew Edney

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Jan 31, 2012

0

Sky today announced plans to launch a new service allowing customers to watch some of its most popular content over the internet.

Taking advantage of the rapid growth in broadband-connected devices, and building on Sky’s experience in multi-platform TV, the new service will
be an additional choice for people who don’t currently subscribe to a pay TV service.

Launching in the first half of 2012, the new service will provide instant and simple access to a range of Sky content, including hundreds of films from Sky Movies. Giving consumers even more choice and flexibility, the service will be available to anyone in the UK with a broadband connection.

Key features of the new service will include:

Great content – the new service will offer some of Sky’s most popular programming. Sky Movies will be available from launch and the service will expand to offer sport and entertainment soon afterwards.
Flexible pricing – with no minimum contract, customers will be able to choose from a variety of pricing options. For example, people will be able to pay monthly for unlimited access to Sky Movies or rent a single movie on a simple, pay-as-you-go basis.
Easy access – the new service will be available across a wide range of connected devices, including PCs, Macs, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, games consoles and connected TVs.
Ease of use – with immediate streaming through an intuitive interface, backed up by recommendations and editorial support, customers will quickly and easily find the content they most want to watch.

More details of the new service will be revealed closer to launch.

Sky has offered television over the internet for a number of years and in 2006 became the first UK broadcaster to offer content to download over the internet. The service has since evolved into Sky Go, which is now accessed across millions of internet-connected devices. Alongside the new internet TV service launching this year, Sky Go will continue to develop as a bonus service for existing Sky TV customers, offering access to a wide range of live channels and on demand content. The launch of a new internet TV service will complement Sky’s existing pay TV services and open up a wider opportunity to bring its content to more consumers.

Jeremy Darroch, Sky’s Chief Executive, said:

“This exciting new service will offer some of Sky’s most popular content through a wide range of broadband connected devices. Alongside the continued growth of our satellite platform, this will be a new way for us to reach out to consumers who love great content, but may not want the full Sky service. Bringing a distinctive, new choice to the marketplace will help us meet the needs and demands of an ever wider range of consumers.

“This new product launch will build on our early leadership in multi-platform distribution. It will allow us to make our expertise and investment in content and technology work even harder, extending our options for continued growth.”