Archive

Sony Announces the Handcam NEX-VG20

Gadgets
Tech

Andrew Edney

-

Aug 24, 2011

0

Today Sony introduced the Handycam NEX-VG20 with touch screen, interchangeable lenses and 16.1 megapixels.

Effective 16.1 megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor
AVCHD Full HD video plus 50p and 25p progressive modes
DSLR-quality 16 megapixel stills with RAW support*
Improved audio with Quad Capsule Spatial Array microphone and stereo/5.1 sound recording
Manual controls and revised ergonomics with new hand grip, Assignable Dial and dedicated function keys
7.5cm (3”) Xtra Fine LCD touch-screen with Tru-Black technology
Widened choice of E-mount lenses

* Effective 16 megapixel still image resolution in JPEG mode

The new Handycam NEX-VG20E camcorder from Sony broadens creative possibilities for shooting cinematic Full HD video and high-resolution still photos.

Offering comprehensive manual controls, the NEX-VG20E lets videographers explore the artistic potential of the growing range of E-Mount lenses. With refined ergonomics, improved imaging quality and upgraded sound, it provides several enhancements over the acclaimed NEX-VG10E – the world’s first consumer HD camcorder with interchangeable lenses.

With a resolution of 16.1 effective megapixels, the Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor assures outstanding video image quality, with extremely low noise in low light. It also captures pristine 16 megapixel still photos, with RAW format support for all the post-processing flexibility that’s familiar to DSLR users*.

Whether you’re shooting video or stills, the large sensor rivals the expressive picture quality of a DSLR camera. This allows the creation of beautiful background defocus (‘bokeh’) effects with your E-mount lens collection.

Full HD video shooting in AVCHD format is now complemented by a choice of 50p and 25p (progressive) frame rate options. Footage shot at 25p can be enhanced with Cinema Tone Gamma™ and Cinema Tone Colour™ for an even richer, more cinematic look.

Dialogue and other sounds are captured by the precision Quad Capsule Spatial Array Microphone that now supports stereo and 5.1 channel surround. There’s a new audio level control, plus pro-style jacks for an external mic and monitoring headphones.

Several ergonomic refinements let videographers shoot HD video and stills in even greater comfort. The camcorder’s handgrip has been redesigned and offer excellent stability. Allowing manual adjustment of exposure, iris and other settings, the pro-style control dial can now be accessed even when the LCD panel is closed.

Button layout has also been revised with ‘hard’ function keys, direct access to each shooting mode (Iris, Shutter speed, Program AE), a second REC button for low-angle shots and expanded focus button – all sited for intuitive operation without taking your eye from the electronic viewfinder.

Shots can also be framed and reviewed on the 7.5cm/3″ Xtra Fine LCD that features TruBlack technology for clear, high contrast images. The screen can be rotated over a 270 degree range for easy framing in any position, even with the camera held low. Touch panel operation simplifies fingertip operation of shooting functions.

The Handycam NEX-VG20EH comes with the SEL18200 F3.5-6.3 E-mount lens. With a wide 11x optical zoom range and built-in Optical SteadyShot, this versatile lens offers smooth, quiet autofocus operation during movies and still shooting.

There is now a choice of seven E-mount lenses to cover virtually any shooting situation. Also available, the optional LA-EA2 lens mount adaptor gives even wider compatibility with the established family of A-mount optics. Translucent Mirror Technology supports high-speed phase-detection AF that keeps even fast-moving subjects in focus.

The Handycam NEX-VG20E Full HD E-mount system camcorder from Sony will be available from November 2011.

Orbitsound Raises the Bar with the T12v3

Andrew Edney

-

Aug 24, 2011

0

Orbitsound Raises the Bar with the T12v3

Yesterday Orbitsound announced its new T12v3 soundbar for your iPod or iPhone and a few weeks ago I had a listen.

A few weeks ago I got a preview of the T12v3 and I have to say I really liked it. The sound was amazing. And it had to be at £299!

Here is what Orbitsound said:

Acclaimed British audio technology brand, Orbitsound today announces the T12v3 soundbar which will launch to market in September. Its flagship product upgrade still delivers the ‘spatial sound’ experience that Orbitsound is famous for, but now has even greater sound clarity, improved bass response and extended volume range.

The technical improvements to the T12v3 are significant. A smoother, tighter bass response has been achieved with an improved subwoofer, allowing the T12v3 to perform in most room sizes without compromising on quality. The main speaker drives include higher quality components which produce a more rigid, balanced, cleaner sound stage and the system is now more powerful. Aesthetically, the T12v3 has remained faithful to the original form, the elegant, high-gloss unit perfect for sitting almost unnoticed in front of a flatscreen TV. A metal speaker grill gives a more high-end finish and also ensures the sound is more acoustically transparent. The unit, again, couldn’t be simpler to install with no multiple speakers and no messy wires.

The patented ‘spatial stereo’ technology incorporated in the device is capable of reproducing true, stereo surround sound from one single unit, something other conventional sound systems simply cannot achieve. Eliminating the much accepted notion of a ‘sweet spot’, the T12v3 effectively reproduces surround sound wherever you are standing or sitting in the room. Moreover, the sound produced is much more faithful to the original audio recording and more akin, for example to watching an acoustic live musical performance or play.

The team behind Orbitsound includes Founder Ted Fletcher, a former musician and renowned audio electronics designer, who has previously worked with legendary producer Joe Meek, The Eagles and Elton John. Ted Fletcher said “In essence, Orbitsound is reinventing the wheel. The sense of depth and space experienced with our technology is simply not possible to achieve when listening to a traditional ‘left’ and ‘right’ speaker system. The result is that the ‘spatial sound’ is more pure, truer; it is essentially how sound deserves to be heard. If the ‘perfect’ sound really does exist, then we’re coming even closer to replicating it.”

Orbitsound has already proven a massive hit with music and film fans alike. In less than a year, UK sales of the T12v2 soundbar have already rivalled those of more well known brands and for good reason: the technology really works. Orbitsound is working closely with retail partners including John Lewis and Harrods and has recently signed a deal with UK distributors Widget. The launch of the T12v3 will open more doors to a wider consumer audience and the company hopes to establish Orbitsound as a household name. John Cameron, Orbitsound’s Chief Operating Officer, said “We are delighted to be launching the T12v3 to market in September. The commercial success of the T12v2 has been overwhelming and we are thrilled to bring consumers a significantly improved model in the T12v3, at the same price point and in time for Christmas.”

The T12v3 comes with an upgraded remote control with extended range and controls all playback options and menu functions as well as volume, source and tone. TV streaming is possible through the dock (iPod and iPhone) so the user can watch or listen to any library song, TV programme or film. The T12 also features a 3.5mm stereo jack, and inputs for the latest digital TVs, CD, MP3/MP4, laptop and desktop computers and games consoles.

Pricing & Availability

The T12v3 soundbar costs £299 and will be available from September 2011. For more information about the Orbitsound and the T12v3, visit www.orbitsound.com.

Samsung Announce Series 7 Gamer Notebook

Tech

Andrew Edney

-

Aug 24, 2011

0

Samsung Announce Series 7 Gamer Notebook

Last week we told you that Diskeeper’s ExpressCache would be seen first on Samsung’s new Series 7 notebook – now Samsung have officially announced it!

There is a 17.3-inch 3D Full HD display, a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and AMD Radeon HD graphics card with 2GB of GDDR5 graphic memory.

There is also a 2MP camera, virtual 3D surround sound and a Blu-ray drive.

It comes with Windows 7 Home Premium and a pair of active shutter 3D specs.

There is VGA, HDMI, DisplayPort, headphone and microphone inputs, two USB 3.0 slots and two USB 2.0 slots – so that’s a lot of ports!

And the price – well the price starts at a whopping £1,499 and is available now!

Drobo Announce the Drobo B1200i 12-bay SAN

Andrew Edney

-

Aug 24, 2011

1

Drobo Announce the Drobo B1200i 12-bay SAN

Drobo have just announced their new Drobo B1200i 12-bay SAN, and it’s pricing starts at $10,000, so this is definitely for businesses!

Designed for applications like VMware, Microsoft Exchange, and backup for small and medium businesses, the Drobo B1200i offers another fundamental breakthrough with our new Automated Data-Aware Tiering technology. This innovation enables Drobo to automatically optimize performance over a mix of SAS and SSD drives within a single chassis. Performance levels adapt to your workloads in real time (no knobs, no tuning, no waiting), making it truly application-driven, not admin-driven!
The Drobo B1200i also includes:

12-bay SAN (iSCSI-attached) capabilities, with dual redundant power and other hardware redundancy.
Patented BeyondRAID technology for the world’s most automated data protection.
Drobo’s thin provisioning and thin reclamation capabilities to optimize your capacity and expandability needs.

All of these features, which you’d be hard-pressed to find in any one system at any price – starting at about $10,000. automated, application-driven, and affordable; perfect for small and medium businesses.

Drobo model B1200i Specifications

Connectivity

3 x 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet ports
1 x 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet port for out-of-band management

Capacity

12 drive bays
3.5″ SATA 1 / SATA II orSAS 3.0 Gbpsdrives
Expandableby hot-swapping drives with larger ones. Use our capacity calculator to estimate available storage in various configurations. Go to Capacity Calculator.

BeyondRAID Features

Thin Provisioning
Instant Expansion
Mixed Drive Size Utilization
Automatic Protection Levels
Dual Disk Redundancy
Virtual Hot Spare
Data Aware
Drive Re-ordering

Additional Features

Data-Aware Tiering
Smart Volumes (LUNs, up to 255)
Drive Spin Down
Drobo Copy
Field-replaceable controller, power supplies, and fan unit

Ethernet Features

Connection failover
Jumbo Frames (up to 9000 bytes MTU)

Network Protocols

iSCSI
CHAP Authentication

Operating System Support

Windows 2008 Server R2 SP1 64 bit
Windows 2003 Server R2 SP1 32 and 64 bit
Windows XP SP1 32 and 64 bit
Windows Vista SP1 32 and 64 bit
Windows 7 SP1 32 and 64 bit
Mac OS 10.5.8 or later (Intel Only)
Mac OS Server 10.5.8 or later (Intel Only)
VMware vSphere 4.x
Citrix XenServer 5.6

File System Options

Windows: NTFS
Mac OS X: HFS+
VMware: VMFS

Certified Applications

VMware vSphere 4.x
Citrix XenServer 5.6
Symantec Backup Exec 2010

Management

Drive bay indicator lights, capacity gauge, status lights
Drobo Dashboard version 2.1 or later
Drobo-initiated email notifications
SNMP

Size and Weight

Width: 17.17 in (436.1 mm)
Height: 5.20 in (132.1 mm) – 3 rack units
Depth: 21.85 in (555.0 mm)
Weight: 47lbs (21.3 kg)

Power and Cooling

Dual, redundant, hot-swappable power supplies
Hot-swappable cooling fanunit

Warranty

One (1) year warranty in the US or outside the EU, or two (2) year warranty in the EU (as provided by EU law).

Box Contents

Drobo model B1200i
2 x 6′ power cord
Quick Start Instructions
User Guide
Resource CD, includes:
- Drobo Dashboard application
- Help files
- Electronic Documentation

Learn more and take a risk free trial from here

Sony Announce the NEX-5N Digital Camera

Gadgets

Andrew Edney

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Aug 24, 2011

0

Today Sony announced a number of new cameras, including the NEX-5N which sports 16.1 megapixels and full HD movie mode!

World’s fastest release time lag and quick, responsive autofocus

16.1 effective megapixels Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor and new BIONZ processor enabling ISO 25600 high sensitivity
Full HD Movie with 50p/25p, manual focus, full P/A/S/M exposure control and improved audio
Tilt-angle 7.5cm (3”) Xtra Fine LCD touch-screen and easy-to-use Photo Creativity interface
10 fps continuous shooting (In Speed Priority Continuous mode)
Styled in magnesium, just 23.3mm slim (Distance from front of body to LCD monitor screen surface)

Drawing on the fantastic reception of the NEX-5, the new NEX-5N from Sony has advanced further still and offers the superb responsiveness, image quality, and creative possibilities of a DSLR camera in a compact body.

Styled in tough, light magnesium alloy and just 23.3mm at the slimmest point, the NEX-5N evolves the sleek, minimalist design of the acclaimed NEX-5. It’s also a step forward from its predecessor in terms of still images, HD video quality, powerful creative features and easy operation.

Responses are accelerated further by a release time lag of approximately 0.02 seconds¹: the fastest of any interchangeable lens digital camera in the world. This, combined with an improved AF algorithm which doubled the readout speed from the image sensor and allowed for more efficient image processing, results in an AF that is significantly faster than the current NEX-5 model.

The camera’s Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor with 16.1 effective megapixel resolution is partnered by a specially-optimised version of the powerful BIONZ image processing engine. This combination of sensor and processor ensures exceptionally clean, low noise images. Maximum sensitivity is also boosted to ISO 25600, the highest among mirror-less interchangeable lens cameras, allowing very high quality handheld shooting in low light conditions.

At the touch of a button, the NEX-5N shoots smooth AVCHD ver. 2.0 (Progressive) Full HD movies with high-quality stereo sound at 50p – a world first for interchangeable lens cameras with an APS-C size sensor. Faster readout from the sensor increases the maximum frame rate to 60 fps over the previous 30 fps. When shooting at the 25p setting, movies achieve a beautifully expressive, artistic feel. As with stills shooting, Tracking Focus allows a target object to be selected via the touch-screen for accurate focusing, even when the subject is moving.

Photographers can also enjoy full control over exposure, when shooting video, with Programme, Aperture/Shutter Priority and all-Manual modes (PASM) – just like a DSLR camera. Stereo audio quality is improved, with revised circuitry that lowers wind noise levels, especially when shooting quiet scenes.

The NEX-5N is the first E-mount interchangeable lens camera from Sony that features an intuitive new Photo Creativity Touch interface. Background Defocus, Exposure, Picture Effect and other adjustments can be previewed, applied and combined in an instant via the LCD touch panel and control dial, with no photo jargon to confuse newcomers.

First introduced on the NEX-C3, Picture Effect simplifies the production of sophisticated artistic effects ‘in camera’, with no PC or post-processing needed. There are now 11 modes and 15 effects, including new HDR Painting, Soft Focus, Miniature, Rich-Tone Monochrome and Soft High-key. A generous palette of other artistic imaging functions includes 3D Sweep Panorama, Soft Skin, Auto HDR, Handheld Twilight and Anti Motion Blur Modes.

In Speed Priority Continuous mode, the NEX-5N captures fast-moving action at up to 10 fps (actual speed depends on shooting conditions and memory card performance). This represents the world’s fastest burst shooting speed of any mirrorless interchangeable lens camera².

The camera’s 7.5 cm (3.0″) Xtra Fine LCD angles up to 80° up or 45º down for easy viewing in any shooting position. TruBlack technology assures superb detail and contrast and dramatically reduces on-screen reflections. Enhanced by the new Photo Creativity Touch interface, the LCD makes composition, shot review and adjustment of camera settings easier and more flexible than ever.

Lenses and accessories

The growing choice of E-mount lenses compatible with all α NEX cameras now includes the new Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* E 24mm F1.8 ZA, E 50mm F1.8 OSS and long-awaited Telephoto zoom E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS.

The world’s first mount adaptor with built-in Translucent Mirror Technology™, the optional Mount Adaptor LA-EA2 allows phase-detection AF with almost all of the A-mount lenses for both still image and video shooting. Also available, the optional Electronic Viewfinder FDA-EV1S, XGA OLED Tru-Finder™ offers high resolution/contrast and wide viewing angle.

Also new in the range of accessories, the stylish Body Case (LCS-EB50) and Lens Jacket (LCS-EL50) protect the camera and lens from scratches, the Shoulder Strap (STP-XS3) fits tightly to the body with its quick fit structure and the Soft Carrying Case (LCS-EMF) holds the E-mount camera body with attached lens as well as an additional lens or other accessories.

The NEX-5N ultra-compact interchangeable lens digital camera from Sony will be available from September 2011.

LaCie Launch LaCie NAS OS 2.0 Software

Storage & NAS

Andrew Edney

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Aug 24, 2011

0

LaCie have launched an update to their NAS software called LaCie NAS OS 2.0.

Intuitive management console with remote access
PC, Mac, and Linux client support for seamless network integration
Automated RAID migration and storage expansion
Powerful tools for server backup

The LaCie NAS OS 2.0 represents a significant update to its line of network-attached storage (NAS) devices. It features a simplified graphical user interface, the Dashboard, and new advanced features such as storage expansion with automated RAID migration and a robust backup system. This new operating system already powers new LaCie NAS, and existing customers can upgrade their NAS free of charge.

So if you have one of the supported devices (d2 Network 2, 2big Network 2 or 5big Network 2) go upgrade now!

Learn more from the LaCie website

Sony Augmented Reality Tool for Choosing the Right Size TV

Digital Home

Andrew Edney

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Aug 23, 2011

0

Sony Augmented Reality Tool for Choosing the Right Size TV

Today Sony launched a new augmented reality tool for helping you choose the right size TV for your home – and it’s pretty cool.

Here is what Sony say:

Sizing up televisions for the home can raise a number of questions for consumers. Judging if a TV will fit into a certain space and whether it will complement the style of the home are just some of the considerations associated with making a purchase. A lack of confidence over whether ‘bigger will look better’ often leads to consumers opting for a smaller size, when a larger television could easily fit within the space they have at home.

To help consumers choose the best size TV with confidence, Sony has developed its own ‘TV Size Guide’ tool. Hosted online (www.sony.co.uk/article/tv-size-guide), it uses augmented reality to show how different sized TVs look in any given location.

The prospective TV buyer simply goes to the TV Size Guide website and follows four easy steps:

1. Download and print out a marker – this is a simple shape printed onto an A4 piece of paper that the app will recognise and transfer onto a selected TV.

2. Place the marker where they want their TV to go, either on a flat horizontal surface or mounted on a wall, and take a photograph of it.

3. Upload the image to Sony’s online tool and it will automatically pick up the marker, working out the appropriate scale and position for the TV. It also allows the prospective buyer to choose different size TVs which will appear on top of the marker to find the best size TV to suit their needs.

4. The images will also be saved to create a gallery of choices to compare and contrast.

The TV Size Guide also acts as a reference point to provide clarity around the actual size of current TVs in comparison to previous years – for example, when comparing one of Sony’s top of the range 32-inch Trinitron TV’s from 2001(*1) and today’s 46-inch award winning BRAVIA, the KDL-46HX923 –– the latter is only 10cm wider than the Trinitron and half as deep at 24cm, including the stand, as the TV alone is just 3cm thick. This is because the frame around the actual screen takes up less space, as well as it being much flatter.

Tim Schwarz, Online Content Manager, Sony Europe explains: “Up until now a tape measure and guess work is all that most of us have had to rely on when it comes to picking the best sized TV for the home and this often leads to mistakes. We know consumers put a lot of emphasis on getting the right screen size and our research has shown that this is one of the most important features they look for when buying a TV(*2).

What people don’t often realise is that TVs take up a lot less space than they used to, so you really can go larger. This is why we’ve developed this simple guide – to give you the confidence to choose the right size TV by accurately visualising how it would look in situ before you buy.”

For more details on how the Sony TV Size Guide works you can watch a how to video below:

Microsoft Release Zune 4.8 Software

Microsoft

Andrew Edney

-

Aug 23, 2011

2

Today Microsoft have released version 4.8 of their Zune software.

Here is what Microsoft posted on their Zune blog:

Today we’re releasing the next version of the Zune software. As one of the Zune program managers, I wanted to provide a brief look at what’s new in the 4.8 release, which you can download here. To update your current version, click Settings > Software > General, and then click Check For Updates.

If you already have a Windows Phone, you probably know that the Zune software is a key companion for your device. It allows you to update your phone software, sync photos and videos, shop for apps, and more.

You probably won’t notice too many differences in how Zune 4.8 looks: Most of the changes were designed to pave the way for the next release of Windows Phone, codenamed Mango. Our primary goal with this release was to make the Zune software the best companion for your Mango phone, so the team implemented a few new features and made a bunch of under-the-hood refinements and fixes, including several based on your feedback.

Faster Windows Phone updates

One important job of the Zune software is to update your Windows Phone software. In version 4.8, we’ve streamlined the process to help get your phone up and running again faster with the latest features and fixes.

Progressive updates: In Zune 4.8, you only have to click the update button once for multiple updates. Once an update is finished, the software automatically checks for more and repeats the installation process until your phone is completely up to date.

Streamlined backup. By synching media separately from other phone content, we’ve lowered the overall time it takes to back up your phone. The backup file is also more compact, so it should take up less space on your computer.

Skip phone backup: If you don’t have enough room on your computer to store a phone backup file, you’ll now have the option to skip this step so you’re not blocked from updating your phone.

More places and languages

As we’ve announced, Mango will expand the number of locations and languages where Windows Phone is available around the world. We made sure the Zune software would follow. While it may seem small, this is possibly the largest overall change in Zune 4.8. You’ll also notice vast improvements in text entry and sorting for many Asian languages.

Zune 4.8 now supports 22 display languages, including Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English (US and UK), Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish.

In addition, Zune 4.8 is available in these countries or regions: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Tweaks and fixes

Finally, the team made a lot of under-the-covers changes to improve your overall experience in Zune 4.8, although not all of these changes may be readily apparent. Here are a few you will notice:

48-hour movie rentals

Parental Controls now support M-rated (Mature) content

Option to hide purchase confirmation dialog for faster app checkout

See what apps are compatible with the Windows Phone you own

We’re continually looking for ways to improve the Zune software and Marketplace. On behalf of the entire Zune software team, thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy this release.

Update Rollup 1 for Small Business Server 2011 Essentials Available Today

Microsoft

Andrew Edney

-

Aug 23, 2011

0

Update Rollup 1 for Small Business Server 2011 Essentials Available Today

Over the weekend we brought you the news that update rollup 1 for Small Business Server 2011 Essentials was coming on Tuesday. Well here we are and now we can tell you what’s included.

Here is what is included in UR-1:

Update Rollup 1 for Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials is available. This article describes the new feature and some of the updates that are included in this update rollup.
Important This update rollup contains server-side fixes. In addition to this update package, you must also install the client-side package on all client computers. For more information about the client-side package, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

2554637 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2554637/ ) The client-side package for Update Rollup 1 for Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials, for Windows Home Server 2011, and for Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials is available

Feature that is included in Update Rollup 1 for Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials

This update adds an alert that reminds you to enable Microsoft Update. The alert appears after you install Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials and complete the “Getting Started” tasks on a computer. The alert displays the following message:

Microsoft Update is not enabled
Microsoft Update is not enabled on this computer. You will not be notified when updates for other Microsoft products are available
Resolve this alert
To enable Microsoft Update for this computer:
1. Open the server Dashboard.
2. On the Home page, click GETTING STARTED TASKS.
3. Click Get updates for other Microsoft products.
4. Follow the onscreen instructions.

Major issues that are resolved by this update

Issue 1

Consider the following scenario:

You migrate some user accounts from an earlier version of Windows Small Business Server to Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials.
You try to disable or delete one of the user accounts.

In this scenario, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

Cannot retrieve the user account information
An unknown error prevented the wizard from retrieving the user account information. If this problem persists, restart the server, and then try again.

Notes

The migrated user account may also disappear from the dashboard unexpectedly. However, the user account is still listed in Active Directory. Additionally, the user account is still valid.
For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:2542106 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2542106/ ) May be unable to modify some users and users may disappear from the SBS Essentials Dashboard

Issue 2

You cannot register a Remote Web Access domain name that contains two or more root domain levels (such as testuser.com.uk). Additionally, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

The domain name is not valid
This domain name is invalid. Ensure that the domain name and the extension are correct, and they try again.

Issue 3

In the Alert Viewer window, you select an alert, and then you click Ignore the alert to stop receiving notifications for this alert. However, the notifications still appear.

Issue 4

Consider the following scenario:

You have a server that is running Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials.
You change the current system time to a time that is earlier than the time that you installed Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials.
You restart the server.
You change the system time back to the original setting.

In this scenario, the machine certificate becomes invalid and cannot be recovered. Additionally, most of the Windows Server services do not start after the server restarts.

Issue 5

When the machine certificate is changed incorrectly or is removed, you are not prompted by any troubleshooting measures. After you install this update, an automatic process tries to resolve this issue. If this issue cannot be resolved automatically, the dialog box gives you a link to a troubleshooting website. The website provides the latest solutions and updates for the kind of issue that you are experiencing.

Issue 6

A backslash (\) may be displayed incorrectly in Korean or Japanese content.

Issue 7

“Connect site” is translated incorrectly in a non-English dashboard.

Issue 8

Some important non-English instructions or guides are truncated in a non-English dashboard or wizard.

Update Rollup 1 for Windows Home Server 2011 Available Today

Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

-

Aug 23, 2011

2

Update Rollup 1 for Windows Home Server 2011 Available Today

Over the weekend we brought you the news that update rollup 1 for Windows Home Server 2011 was coming on Tuesday. Well here we are and now we can tell you what’s included.

Here is what is included in UR-1:

Update Rollup 1 for Windows Home Server 2011 is available. This article describes the new feature and some of the updates that are included in this update rollup.
Important This update rollup contains server-side fixes. In addition to this update package, you must also install the client-side package on all client computers. For more information about the client-side package, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

2554637 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2554637/ ) The client-side package for Update Rollup 1 for Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials, for Windows Home Server 2011, and for Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials is available

Feature that is included in Update Rollup 1 for Windows Home Server 2011

This update adds an alert that reminds you to enable Microsoft Update. The alert appears after you install Windows Home Server 2011 and complete the “Getting Started” tasks on a computer. The alert displays the following message:

Microsoft Update is not enabled
Microsoft Update is not enabled on this computer. You will not be notified when updates for other Microsoft products are available
Resolve this alert
To enable Microsoft Update for this computer:
1. Open the server Dashboard.
2. On the Home page, click GETTING STARTED TASKS.
3. Click Get updates for other Microsoft products.
4. Follow the onscreen instructions.

Major issues that are resolved by this update

Issue 1

You cannot register a Remote Web Access domain name that contains two or more root domain levels (such as testuser.com.uk). Additionally, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

The domain name is not valid
This domain name is invalid. Ensure that the domain name and the extension are correct, and then try again.

Issue 2

In the Alert Viewer window, you select an alert, and then you click Ignore the alert to stop receiving notifications for this alert. However, the notifications still appear.

Issue 3

The Client Deployment Wizard fails with an authentication failure if one of the following conditions is true:

The server password contains a backslash and a double quotation mark (\”).

The server password ends with a backslash (\).

The server password contains a double quotation mark (“) but does not end with a double quotation mark.

NoteThis issue occurs only on client computers that are running the following operating systems:

Windows XP Professional

Windows Vista Business

Windows Vista Enterprise

Windows Vista Ultimate

Windows 7 Enterprise

Windows 7 Professional

Windows 7 Ultimate

Issue 4

When the server and the clients are in an OpenDNS network environment, you cannot connect to the server or the clients through the Remote Web Access webpage. Additionally, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

Remote Desktop can’t find the computer <name>.

Issue 5

Consider the following scenario:

You have a server that is running Windows Home Server 2011.

You change the current system time to a time that is earlier than the time that you installed Windows Home Server 2011.

You restart the server.

You change the system time back to the original setting.

In this scenario, the machine certificate becomes invalid and cannot be recovered. Additionally, most of the Windows Server services do not start after the server restarts.

Issue 6

When the machine certificate is changed incorrectly or is removed, you are not prompted by any troubleshooting measures. After you install this update, an automatic process tries to resolve this issue. If this issue cannot be resolved automatically, the dialog box gives you a link to a troubleshooting website. The website provides the latest solutions and updates for the kind of issue that you are experiencing.

Issue 7

A backslash (\) may be displayed incorrectly in Korean or Japanese content.

Issue 8

“Connect site” is translated incorrectly in a non-English dashboard.

Issue 9

Some important non-English instructions or guides are truncated in a non-English dashboard or wizard.

So keep checking your server as the download will be available shortly.

HP TouchPad Fire Sale – Did Anywhere Actually Have Any?

Tablets & Slates

Andrew Edney

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Aug 23, 2011

18

HP TouchPad Fire Sale – Did Anywhere Actually Have Any?

With all the news about the HP TouchPad fire sale both here in the UK and in the US over the last few days, I have to ask the question – did anywhere actually have any?

I know that Jim tried to get them from various sources in the US, and mainly failed.

I even managed to get an order placed first thing yesterday morning with Barnes & Noble in the US for one, only to get the following email 24 hours later:

Here in the UK, the online sale started at 6pm last night, but could you get one? No you couldn’t!!!

At 6pm Dixons claimed to have both the 16GB and the 32GB ones in stock – I even managed to get a 16GB added to my basket, but as soon as I tried to check out my basket was emptied and then it was sold out!

This seemed to be the story everyone else got as well.

Other places like PC World, Currys and other claimed to have them available for in store collection, except that no store actually had them!

At 9am this morning you were supposed to be able to buy them in store, so at 9am I was at a very large Curry’s Digital in Central London and asked them if they had any.

The response was a bit of a surprise – I was told that “….since 1pm yesterday they have been like gold dust” (which was a surprise because the new prices only started from 6pm) and then the funniest comment I got was “they were priced that low for a reason………”.

That seemed to be the general consensus wherever I tried. So, either most places didn’t have much stock and quickly sold out, huge crowds magically arrived at 9am this morning and got them all (which is unlikely given the comments from 4 different places saying they all sold out yesterday) or staff working for these places all got them yesterday before the pricing was official.

Ebay today shows rather a lot of £160 TouchPads – so you be the judge!

DId you try and get one? What happened?

RIM Launch BlackBerry Curve 9360 Smartphone – UWHS First Look

Andrew Edney

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Aug 23, 2011

0

RIM Launch BlackBerry Curve 9360 Smartphone – UWHS First Look

Today RIM launches it’s latest smartphone – the BlackBerry Curve 9360, featuring the new BlackBerry 7 OS, and UWHS has a first look at the device.

Everything You Need
The new BlackBerry Curve smartphones are slim, stylish and simply beautiful. They are ergonomically designed with a comfortable and iconic keyboard for fast, accurate typing and an optical trackpad for easy, one-handed navigation. GPS and Wi-Fi® support are also included, as well as a 5MP camera with flash and video recording so that memories can be captured and instantly shared on social networks. The microSD/SDHC slot supports up to 32 GB memory cards for additional media storage.

In addition to supporting the new BlackBerry 7 OS, the new BlackBerry Curve smartphones feature a range of powerful hardware enhancements including upgraded processors, displays and memory, and built-in support for NFC (Near Field Communications), a new technology that is enabling many exciting capabilities, including the ability to pair accessories or read SmartPoster tags with a simple tap of the smartphone.

Next-Generation BlackBerry 7 OS
BlackBerry 7 introduces a next generation BlackBerry browser which combines the dramatically improved performance of the advanced WebKit browser engine with the hardware enhancements in the new BlackBerry Curve smartphones to deliver a significantly faster, more fluid web browsing experience. Additional enhancements to this next generation BlackBerry browser have also enabled smoother navigation and optimized HTML5 performance for incredible gaming and video experiences.

BlackBerry 7 OS also includes a number of other pre-loaded applications and integrated functionality for increased productivity and collaboration right out of the box. The Premium version of Documents To Go is included free of charge, offering users powerful document editing features as well as a native PDF document viewer. BlackBerry® Protect is also pre-loaded*, offering customers the peace of mind that personal data can be backed up and secured in the cloud. With BlackBerry Protect, users can locate their misplaced BlackBerry smartphone using GPS or remotely turn up the ringer for an audible notification if their handset is close-by. BlackBerry® Balance (announced May 2, 2011) is integrated in BlackBerry 7, allowing users to enjoy the full BlackBerry smartphone experience for both work and personal purposes without compromising the IT department’s need for advanced security and IT controls. The popular universal search capability has also been enhanced with support for voice-activated search, so users can now simply speak to begin searching their device and the web for information.

WHS 2011 Add-in: Drive Bender Beta 4 Release v1.1.7.7 Out Now

Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

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Aug 23, 2011

0

Today saw an update to Beta 4 of Drive Bender for Windows Home Server 2011 released, taking it to version v1.1.7.7.

Here is what is included in the beta 4 update:

Drive Bender v1.1.7.7

(9.6M) Release v1.1.7.7 – beta (2011-08-23)
– Bug fix: A number of issues were found that could cause instability issues, these have now been fixed.

For more information check out the Drive Bender website

Apple Releases iTunes 10.4.1

Apple

Andrew Edney

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Aug 22, 2011

1

Apple have just released iTunes version 10.4.1.

What’s new in iTunes 10.4.1

iTunes 10.4.1 provides a number of improvements, including:

• Includes QuickTime 7.7
• Fixes a problem where the media keys on some third-party keyboards work inconsistently with iTunes
• Addresses issues with adding artwork to songs and videos
• Resolves an issue which may cause iTunes to become unresponsive when purchasing an HD film

Drobo model B1200i Specifications

Faster Windows Phone updates

More places and languages

Here is what is included in UR-1:

Feature that is included in Update Rollup 1 for Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials

Major issues that are resolved by this update

Issue 1

Issue 2

Issue 3

Issue 4

Issue 5

Issue 6

Issue 7

Issue 8

Here is what is included in UR-1:

Feature that is included in Update Rollup 1 for Windows Home Server 2011

Major issues that are resolved by this update

Issue 1

Issue 2

Issue 3

Issue 4

Issue 5

Issue 6

Issue 7

Issue 8

Issue 9

Drive Bender v1.1.7.7

What’s new in iTunes 10.4.1