Synology today announced the official release of DiskStation Manager 3.2 (DSM 3.2). In just 40 days, the beta program of DSM 3.2 attracted more than 60,000 downloads, drawing excited users to get their hands on Synology’s latest operating system.
In just 40 days, the beta program of DSM 3.2 attracted more than 60,000 downloads, drawing excited users to get their hands on Synology’s latest operating system.
“The NAS server’s evolution accelerates with the launch of DSM 3.2,” said Rosiel Lee, product manager of Synology Inc. “DSM 3.2 features a wealth of advances to streamline resources management, integrate new technologies and create a more engaging user experience.”
DSM 3.2 is packed with features which deliver the following values.
Business convergence and management efficiency – Synology’s comprehensive LDAP service incorporates the abilities to create an LDAP directory server and to integrate a DiskStation into users’ existing Mac® or Linux environments for easy account & privilege control. Syslog Server gathers all logs aggregated from multiple devices and facilitates troubleshooting with different types of search criteria. CIFS files in different servers can be shared via the same access portal using Remote Folder. Virtual Drive makes it convenient to mount distributed ISO images onto a DiskStation.
Business’ mobility – DSM mobile realises server management mobility. IT administrators can slide fingers left or right to enable or disable services as well as manage accounts and privileges of DiskStations on their iOS or Android™ devices. DSM 3.2 supports Google Cloud Print™, with which users can print documents from their mobile devices to distantly located printers over the Internet, without installing any drivers.
Rich multimedia experience – The brand new Photo Station 5 features a theme designer for album customisation and accelerates thumbnail generation. Users can strike a balance between their privacy and social life by protecting selected albums with passwords and importing photos to Facebook with support expanded to major file hosting sites, Download Station accelerates file hunting.
Mac-friendly solutions – Synology is among the first in the NAS industry to support Mac® OS X Lion and provides a reliable backup destination for Time Machine®. Surveillance Station has taken the lead by operating on the latest Safari® browser, delivering an easy to deploy and cost effective NVR solution on Mac. Moreover, camera grouping and batch editing as well as common privilege profile grants rapid large scale deployment.
Enhanced user experience – The revamped Package Centre allows users to discover and install latest applications in a snap. Package Centre also makes it easy to update users’ selected applications after they receive desktop or e-mail notifications. DSM 3.2 incorporates advanced HTML5 capabilities and CSS3 style, engaging users through drag-n-drop support in File Browser and Download Station, and allowing them to upload files from their PC desktop. Synology Hybrid RAID makes volume ready for use 95% faster than before.
Availability
Synology DSM 3.2 is free to download for users who own a DiskStation x08 series and onward. Supported models are: DS3611xs, RS3411xs, RS3411RPxs, DS2411+, RS2211+, RS2211RP+, DS1511+, RS411, DS411+II, DS411+, DS411, DS411j, DS411slim, DS211+, DS211, DS211j, DS111, DS1010+, RS810+, RS810RP+, DS410, DS410j, DS710+, DS210+, DS210j, DS110+, DS110j, DS509+, RS409+, RS409RP+, RS409, DS409+, DS409, DS209+II, DS209+, DS209, DS209j, DS109+, DS109, DS109j, DS409slim, RS408, RS408-RP, DS508, DS408, DS108j
Today saw the release of Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac, which enables you to run virtual machines on your Mac, including the ability to run Windows. And this version fully supports Lion.
I use Parallels 6 on my Mac at the moment, and I love it. I will be upgrading to 7 shortly.
Here’s a short video:
Here is the full announcement:
Renton, WA – September 1, 2011 – Parallels® today announced the September 6th availability of Parallels Desktop® 7 for Mac (www.parallels.com/desktop/seven), the fastest, most intuitive and immersive version yet of the No. 1 selling software for running Windows and Mac applications side-by-side on a Mac without rebooting. Over three million current Parallels Desktop users can upgrade to Parallels Desktop 7 starting today. More than 90 new and enhanced features in Parallels Desktop 7 include Mac OS® X Lion integration, performance boosts and a powerful new Parallels Mobile app and My Parallels services platform for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch devices. Parallels Desktop 7 is packed with features most desired by users, extending its lead as the best solution for businesses and consumers worldwide.
“As Macs have become more popular than ever, a growing number of Mac users, including enterprises, find they need to run critical Windows programs on their Macs. Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac lets you run popular apps like Windows Internet Explorer, Access, OneNote, Quicken and more, even the most demanding graphical programs, without rebooting and without compromise on speed and usability. Run Windows applications like they were made for your Mac,” said Parallels CEO Birger Steen. “The people have spoken and Parallels listened to make the best even better. Whether you’re a business, individual or student, Parallels Desktop 7 gives you the best Windows on Mac performance plus mobility from any iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.”
According to results from more than 4,000 benchmark tests conducted by independent publisher MacTech, Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac outperformed its closest competitor in 92 percent of 3D graphics tests and 84 percent of general performance tests.¹ Parallels Desktop 7 performance is even faster. It outpaces its competitor by 120 percent when copying files within Windows, and 40 percent when starting and resuming Windows, according to testing conducted by Parallels. It is also 60 percent faster than Parallels Desktop 6 for resuming Windows and up to 45 percent faster for 3D graphics in some applications.
Parallels Desktop 7 delivers the most immersive and integrated Windows on Mac experience ever so customers can enjoy the full benefits of the Mac hardware they love. Highlights include:
Enjoy Lion functionality including Full Screen, Launch Pad and Mission Control, for your Windows programs
Run multiple copies of OS X Lion or Windows and their applications on your Mac
Use your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch to watch and listen to Flash videos in Windows on your Mac; access and run your OS X, Windows, Chrome, Ubuntu and other operating systems, their applications and files on your Mac anytime from anywhere
Windows on Demand – purchase and automatically install Windows on your Mac right from Parallels Desktop 7 in the U.S. – Parallels does all the work for you!
For people who want to switch from PC to Mac, Parallels also announced the availability of Parallels Desktop 7 Switch to Mac Edition™, which includes Parallels Desktop 7 plus Parallels High Speed USB transfer cable, as well as almost two hours of video tutorials that make it easy to learn how to use your new Mac. Parallels Desktop for Mac Enterprise Edition (www.parallels.com/desktop/enterprise) empowers businesses and IT departments to support Windows based business applications for Mac users with a configurable, policy-compliant solution that easily fits into existing business processes and helps reduce the cost of deploying and maintaining client-based software.
Today Parallels also separately announced (www.parallels.com/press) the new Parallels Mobile app with My Parallels service for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch devices works with Parallels Desktop 7 and is for sale in the App Store on (or shortly after) September 6th. The new Parallels Mobile app lets you remotely access and control both your Mac and Windows applications, and files from anywhere. Its new Windows features include audio support for Flash and the ability to copy and paste text between Windows programs on your Mac and your Apple mobile devices. Details are available at www.parallels.com/mobile.
Parallels Desktop 7 has more than 90 new and improved features including:
Simple Switching, Simple Daily Use
You asked for it: New look and feel delivers on top customer requests for usability
Make Windows programs roar: Enjoy Lion functionality including Full Screen, Launch Pad and Mission Control, for your Windows programs.
Keep your routine: Run Windows programs like they were made for your Mac, with seamless integration, improved virtual printing, shared folders and more.
Moving to Mac made easy: Move your programs, files, and user settings – even browser favorites – from your PC to your Mac with a complete set of switching tools. Make your new Mac just as familiar as your old PC.
Webcams: Enjoy using your Mac’s iSight or FaceTime HD camera in both OS X Lion and Windows programs
Windows on demand: U.S. customers can purchase and automatically install Windows on your Mac right from Parallels Desktop 7 – Parallels does all the work for you²
Speed and Performance
Fastest ever: Start, stop and resume Windows more quickly than ever. Access and work faster with Windows and Mac files.
Brilliant graphics: Experience Parallels’ maximum speed and performance for 3D and graphic intensive applications with improved full screen support and up to 1GB of video memory
Richer audio: Enjoy music, movies, videos and games more than ever before with support for 7.1 surround sound and a new 5.1 sound driver
Mobility and Manageability
Get more done: Work or play longer with improved battery life performance
Connect anytime, anywhere: Access Mac or Windows applications and documents from your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch with the new Parallels Mobile app – including new capabilities such as audio support and cut-and-paste within Windows applications running on your Mac
Flash video with sound on the go: New audio integration with Flash means you can watch and listen to Flash videos on your iPad and iOS devices by remotely running Windows Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player on your Mac with the new Parallels Mobile app
Multiple virtual machines: Run multiple copies of OS X Lion or Windows and their applications on your Mac. Easily open virtual machines created by other Parallels products as well import virtual machines created in third-party software.
Anti-Virus and Internet Security for both Mac and Windows: Enjoy peace of mind with a free 90-day trial of Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac and Kaspersky Internet Security for Windows.
Availability and Pricing
Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac is available today as an upgrade for current Parallels Desktop users. It will be available to the general public, both a downloadable version and packaged software for delivery, from www.parallels.com starting on September 6th. Packaged software will also be available starting September 6th at Apple retail stores, Apple.com, Amazon.com, Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics, MicroCenter and hundreds of other retail locations nationwide.
The standard retail price (SRP) of Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac is $79.99 and a student edition is available for $39.99. Parallels Desktop 7 Switch to Mac Edition is $99.99. Special pricing of $49.99 is available for customers currently using WMware Fusion who want to have a solution that is fully compatible with Lion. Upgrades are available now for existing Parallels Desktop for Mac customers for $49.99. Details are available online at www.parallels.com. Volume pricing and site-license opportunities for Parallels Desktop for Mac Enterprise Edition are available by contacting the Parallels Sales Team athttp://www.parallels.com/desktop/volume-licensing.
Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac is available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Japanese. Additional localized versions will soon be available in, simplified and traditional Chinese, Korean, Czech, Polish and Portuguese.
A free trial of Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac is available starting September 6th, along with in-depth information, videos and screenshots of the new features at www.parallels.com/desktop/seven.
Customers who purchased Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac from an authorized reseller on or after August 1, 2011, are eligible to upgrade to Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac at no additional cost. If you purchased from parallels.com or have registered your product activation key you will automatically be emailed instructions on how to upgrade to Parallels Desktop 7 at no additional cost.
The new Parallels Mobile app is available in the App Store on (or shortly after) September 1 with a $4.99 introductory price; the standard retail price is $19.99. Current users of the free Parallels Mobile app will receive a free upgrade to the new Parallels Mobile app when it becomes available by simply updating the Parallels Mobile app on their mobile devices.
Last month we reported that Sonos were warning users not to upgrade to Mac OS X Lion because of some issues. Good news, they have now fixed the problem!
Here is the update from Sonos:
Good news: Mac OS X 10.7 Lion works with Sonos®. Even better news: the solution is ready for download. Just select Check for Updates in the Sonos menu on your Sonos Controller for Mac. Now you can play all the music stored on your Mac in every room with Sonos and use Lion. Problem solved.
Thank you for your patience as we worked out this incompatibility issue. We’re sorry if this interrupted your music listening in any way. If you still have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our Technical Support team at: http://www.sonos.com/support
Sincerely,
Andrew Schulert
VP of Quality
That is great news – so if you are a Lion user go get your download now!
Today Firecore released beta 7 of their aTV Flash (black) software for the AppleTV 2.
What’s new in Beta 7?
Beta7 is a major update for aTV Flash (black) and brings a number of great new features to the 2nd gen AppleTV including music playback, Last.fm powered artist slideshows, cloud backups and more.
Keep reading to learn more about what’s new.
Music Playback
A new music player has been built into Media Player, which allows you to stream most music file types from a Mac, PC or NAS drive without using iTunes. During playback, album art, track info, and artist images will automatically be downloaded from Last.fm. Artist images are used in slideshows that can be viewed while music is playing in the background. Support for folder playlists is also included.
During playback you can navigate away from the current track, and a new ‘Now Playing’ option will appear in the main menu which allows you to quickly jump back into your playlist.
Cloud Backups
We’ve added a new cloud backup feature that provides a way to easily backup all your 3rd party (FireCore, XBMC, Plex, etc…) settings and data to the cloud. Once backed up, a list of your previously saved backups will be available allowing you to to easily restore one of them if needed.
Backups are stored securely in the cloud and will remain linked to the AppleTV’s serial number – this means they will always be available even if you update or restore your AppleTV.
Metadata Views
Media Player now features three distinct options for viewing different types of metadata. The the left (<<) and right (>>) buttons can be used to cycle through the views when browsing through your media. More details on each view can be found below.
General (default) view – This is the first view and contains a portion of the synopsis, and other info like who’s in the movie and when it was released.
Synopsis view – This is the second view and shows the full movie synopsis.
Technical view – This is the third view and shows technical information about the video file.
Full Changelog
Added support for music files (mp3, aac (adts), wav, aiff, m4a)
Added AC3 and DTS (5.1+ surround) sound
Added playback menu (hold select during playback)
Added support for .srt subtitles
Added support for multiple audio tracks
Added support for chapters
Added cloud backup for 3rd party settings
Added three metadata views (overview, synopsis, technical)
Added MPAA rating to metadata
Added support for localized metadata
Added support for local cover art
Added option to refetch metadata for a specific file
Added option to clear all metadata
Added toggle setting for volume control
Added access to DVD menus during playback (press menu)
Added low buffer detection warning (prevents stuttering)
Improved metadata fetching (courtesy of themoviedb.org)
Improved progress bar controls
Improved AFP/SMB reliability
Improved DVD file playback
Improved playback of larger files
Improved buffering and re-buffering (when required)
Improved FF/RW controls for larger files
Improved audio decoding performance
Improved center channel (voices) audio mixing
Improved file sorting logic
Improved performance and memory management
Improved error handling
Resolved screensaver/slideshow related issues
Resolved playback issues for files with 20+ streams
Resolved issues with AFP volumes with long file names
Resolved floating issues with subtitles
Resolved issues related to 3rd party remote apps
Resolved floating crash in SMB library
Resolved aspect ratios issues for certain video types
Resolved file browsing related crashes
Resolved metadata fetching related crashes
Resolved audio queue related errors
Resolved Top Shelf related playback issues
Resolved playback related memory leaks
Resolved DVD subtitle issues
Resolved stalls observed with some files during and after FF/RW
Resolved synchronization issues observed after buffering some files
Resolved audio synchronization issues
Resolved rare floating crash observed at the end of some files
Resolved resume related playback issues
Resolved various screensaver related issues
Local files are now hidden when one or more remote shares are setup
Minor UI and other miscellaneous fixes
ZOTAC have released the Z68-ITX WiFi and Z68-ITX WiFi Supreme motherboards – a new series that deliver features and capabilities desired by adventurous and demanding enthusiasts.
London, 01 September 2011 – TomTom today previews the latest version of the TomTom App for iPhone which will be optimised for the iPad.
Those customers who already have the iPhone version will be able to download this new version to their iPads for free.
This latest version will feature enhanced screen resolution, sharpened graphics and more intuitive controls specifically developed for the iPad.
“We have listened to our customers,” says Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director at TomTom. “In response to strong customer demand, we have optimised our TomTom App for the iPad. Now customers have one App for all iOS devices.”
The new TomTom App will be available in Autumn 2011.
Do you miss some of the information you used to see in WHS V1? Well Jerry Wade has written an app that brings that information to WHS 2011 and it’s just been updated to version 2.02.
This is how Jerry describes this app:
It wasn’t long ago I told my friend, John, about my wonderful WHSv1. He decided to create his own box and use WHS 2011. However, he noticed that the icon did not give him the same information as mine such as, connectivity and backup in progress (eg: blue icon). After pondering over this, I decided to put my limited programming skills to work and develop a home server status application. So, without further hesitation, world, humbly meet: Home Server Status v1.0.
REQUIREMENTS:
.NET Framework 4
WHS 2011 Connector
Windows 7 32/64-bit machine. (Why only Windows 7? Well, it offered the features I wanted to see such as, the overlay icons and taskbar pinning.)
Change log:
FIXED: Cosmetic problems with higher than 96 DPI settings.
ADDED: Ability to input switches for file paths on additional menu items (Small addition but I was asked for it)
The P is definitely designed with gaming in mind. In fact, it is “certified” for the PlayStation! The screen was very clear, and it was quite easy to use. The two screens does take a little getting used to though.
Here is a short video:
Sony Tablet P
Tablet S
The S is a very nice device indeed! Easy to use, very light and has a number of planned accessories.
Here is a short video:
We hope to have a much more in-depth hands-on and review on both of the Sony tablets in the near future.
The guys over at the BYOB podcast, including our very own Tim Daleo have just released episode 57.
Here is what is included in this weeks show:
[box style=”rounded” border=”full”]CETON USB, HD Homerun, Crucial Firmware, Michael’s WHS, and Video Streaming. This week we have a short show and talk about several subjects, including a listener email on video/audio streaming.[/box]
The WHS V1 add-in, Home Server SMART, has been updated to version 2.0.8.25, including a number of new features.
This release implements a number of new features, the most notable being automatic, continuous monitoring and USB disk support. There are a number of new enhancements, changes and bug fixes:
New Features
Home Server SMART runs as a Windows Service. Disks are monitored automatically every 3 minutes (configurable) and health alerts are accordingly raised in WHS. Polling can be done as little as once per minute, up to once every two hours. The service runs and monitors continuously whether or not you are logged into the WHS Console.
USB disk support. Many USB external enclosures with SMART-capable disks will expose their SMART data that Home Server SMART can use to display full health details. Not all USB enclosures are supported.
Double-click feature in SMART details. Double-click on any SMART attribute for any disk to get a more in-depth look at that attribute.
Added a green starburst icon next to attributes Home Server SMART classifies as super critical. This does not mean the attribute is causing a problem; rather, it is HSS’ way to highlight attributes HSS watches more closely.
Added an examination of each attribute’s Flags field, which tells whether or not an attribute is Critical, as well as whether it’s an error rate, event counter, self-preserving, statistical or performance.
Added an icon to the physical disk list which gives a quick visual indication of a disk’s health.
Added the ability to ignore certain problems (i.e. bad sectors); problems that are ignored don’t generate health alerts again unless the number of events increases, or the SMART threshold is exceeded.
Added the ability to delete stale (no longer installed) disks from the Registry.
Added the ability to reset the user-configurable settings, ignored problems or everything. Resetting everything deletes all information about all disks and starts over fresh.
Added the ability to stop and start the Windows service.
Added a Settings button to pull up Home Server SMART settings directly.
Added Windows event logging.
Added Debugging controls to the settings, which can be used if necessary to aid in troubleshooting.
Added the ability to check for updates from the Settings dialogue.
Changes to Known Good Functionality
Removed the Email tab from Settings. Please use Alex Kuretz’s Remote Notification add-in if you desire emailed alerts. Alex’s add-in also supports SMS messaging and more.
Combined some modules to eliminate a DLL and reduce the application’s overall footprint and memory consumption.
Disabled (dimmed) the ability to ignore Critical alerts. May enable at a later date, but it seems to defeat the purpose of the add-in.
Changed several icons on buttons in the main UI.
SMART data in UI is read directly from the Registry. This results in much faster application loading and display.
Refresh button triggers an immediate, manual polling of data which updates the Registry data for display.
“Please Wait” message appears during manual refresh.
Changed the attribute “type” text that is displayed from “Health” and “Age” to “Pre-Fail” and “Advisory,” respectively.
Changed how the attribute “critical” flag is displayed. Previously it was set to Yes for any attribute with a non-zero threshold. This is incorrect per the SMART specification. Correct analysis relies on the attribute’s Flags field.
Changed how a disk’s health is reported when its Value falls to EQUAL its non-zero threshold. Previously this would set the attribute to Fail; it is now set to Warning (SMART specification states that an attribute fails when the Value is LESS than the threshold).
Changed the number of bad sectors, end-to-end errors and other super criticalattributes necessary to trigger Critical and Degraded states.
Bug Fixes
HSS-14: Can’t view SMART status for any drives. This was caused by improper NULL checking on servers with media card readers, including those attached to printers.
HSS-15: Warnings stay even though un-checked.
HSS-16: Some disks no longer show SMART data (they did in previous production build).
HSS-17: WHS Console Crash when refreshing. This could happen when certain Resets are performed in the Settings. In-use objects are marked for deletion and the user must log out and back in to clear the objects.
Fixed problem with Silicon Image SiI controllers which don’t expose SMART threshold data via standard COM (P/Invoke); WMI is used to get this data.
Fixed a NullReferenceException that was thrown when populating the Select a Disk to View field. This is caused by some disks not exposing a string in the Win32_DiskDrive field.
Fixed “not supported” error some users were still encountering.
Known Issues
Some users with Silicon Image SiI controllers that previously exposed SMART data but stopped doing so may not see SMART data from those controllers. Some users have reported this after performing factory resets to their home servers. This data also disappears from WMI, so even previous versions of Home Server SMART will not display data for them.
Users with Sunplus USB enclosures: Only one Sunplus bridge chip is working with HSS, specifically VID 04FC, PID 0C15. Users with USB disks on other Sunplus chips will not see SMART data from those disks.
In a strange move, Acer is not showing their Acer RevoCenter Windows Home Server 2011 server at IFA!
IFA is Europe’s largest Consumer Electronics Show, and as you have seen here on UWHS many companies show off their new and future gadgets and hardware. Back in April we told you about Acer’s new WHS 2011 box, and then everything went quiet. Then last week we told you that Microsoft have blogged that it was coming very soon.
What I thought was strange was that WHS 2011 has been out for quiet a while now without any real OEM support from the “big” players apart from the initial announcement followed by a huge silence. Then months later, after Microsoft dropped the price of WHS 2011 to System Builders, suddenly there is another announcement saying its coming soon, but again no real concrete information.
No worries I thought, Acer have a huge area at IFA and they are bound to be showing off this new box, and there in the corner of the booth I spotted it, or at least I thought so. It said RevoCenter on the card in front.
It turned out to be Acer’s original WHS version 1 box, which is a few years old now! When I asked where the new box was I was told they were waiting on the version of WHS, which the guy couldn’t remember what it was called but it began with a V! When I said Vail, he said yes, they were waiting for Vail to be released before they were going to start shipping. When I told him that Vail was WHS 2011, and it had been out for months now he seemed surprised. I even asked him about the Microsoft announcement and he didn’t seem to know what I was talking about. Now to be fair on him, not everyone working on the booth will know everything about the product release schedule, but you would think he would know about this given it was the area of the booth he was working, and he certainly knew about WHS V1!
So I am very confused. Why bring a really old product to IFA and not bother to bring your new one, even after Microsoft “announced” it publicly only a week before?
Does this mean that Acer’s WHS 2011 box isn’t quite as ready as Microsoft would lead us to believe?
Philip’s will launch one of the world’s first PMPs to be powered by Android.
The GoGear Connect media player with Android Gingerbread gives full access to the hundreds of thousands of apps and games on the Android Market.
The player, features inbuilt Wi-Fi and a bright high quality 3.2” capacitive touch screen, to allow users access all of the benefits Android such as email, web browsing, YouTube and unlimited gaming.
Among the many announcements at IFA, Samsung announced a new smartphone called the GALAXY Note, and we got a brief hands-on.
GALAXY Note combines the market’s largest HD Super AMOLED display, supreme portability and advanced S Pen interface, creating a new type of smartphone.
We managed to get a few moments with the GALAXY Note, and again, apologies for the focus problems, this was due to all the bright lights and the position of the phone!
