Events

An afternoon at the Cambridge Raspberry Jam

Andrew Edney

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Jul 15, 2012

An afternoon at the Cambridge Raspberry Jam

Saturday the 14th July saw the first ever Cambridge Raspberry Jam event, and we were there to enjoy it.

The location for the first ever Cambridge Raspberry Jam event was the William Gates building at Cambridge University.

Alan O’Donohoe, who came up with the idea for the Raspberry Jam events was expecting around 20 to 30 people originally – there ended up being around 300 people there.

Outside the lecture theatre there was a few Pi’s on show running kit including a Gertboard, the Pi camera module and some cool lego!

This is what the lecture theatre looked like about 1.15pm.

And this is what it looked like 15 minutes later!

Alan gave a quick introduction and then it was straight on to the presentations.

Dr Andrew Robinson from the University of Manchester have a short presentation on the PiFace. Pi-Face Digital is the first of a range of interfaces to allow the Raspberry Pi to control and manipulate the real world. It allows the Raspberry Pi to read switches connected to it – a door sensor or pressure pad perhaps, a microswitch or reed switch, or a hand held button. With appropriate easy to write code, the Raspberry Pi then drives outputs, powering motors, actuator, LEDs, light bulbs or anything you can imagine to respond to the inputs.

You can learn more about the PiFace from here.

One really interesting session was called Eye SPI and was delivered by Alasdair Davies and Gary Fletcher from ZSL London Zoo. They talked about using the Pi to create a networked camera that could be used to capture images of endangered animals in the wild. It was really interesting seeing what they have planned and I look forward to hearing more from them in the future. The project is called Instant Wild.

Liam Fraser also did a short presentation about his Raspberry Pi Tutorials. The tutorials YouTube channel was created on 31st October 2011 and as of the Jam day it had roughly 10,000 subscribers and 942,000 views, which isn’t bad going at all!

And there was also a demo for RISC OS running on a Pi – in fact, it was the only session of the day that was actually run on a Pi!

William Gardener from Herber also have a short presentation on their Herber X10i board. The X10i is a universal, powerful and secure real-time controller that permits control over multiple inputs/outputs, via USB, from any PC system. Heber now offers support in many programming languages to make it even easier for programmers, inventors and developers to connect with the outside world from their PC.

You can learn more about the Herber X10i board from here.

There was also a Q&A session with the guys from the Raspberry Pi foundation. You can read more about that, and watch a video I took here.

Eben surprised everyone by saying that he had brought along 200 Pi’s and he wanted to make sure that no-one left the Jam without a Pi who wanted one! I helped Liz sell them and there was a very long queue of people (all of whom went away happy – I hope)!

And then there were a number of breakout meetings held at some local pubs, including discussions on Linux and RISC OS, Robotics, Gaming and more. Oh, and people just drinking and talking about all sorts of things.

All in all it was a really fun day and I can’t wait for the next one!

Big thanks go out to Alan and everyone else for organising the day – well done guys!

Did you come to Cambridge? If so, tell us what you thought of the day by leaving us a comment below.

Learn more about Raspberry Jam’s from here.

Ceton’s next-generation Media Center Extender, codename Echo out for 2012 Holiday season

Andrew Edney

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Jul 15, 2012

0

Ceton’s next-generation Media Center Extender, codename Echo out for 2012 Holiday season

Today Ceton posted more details on their next-generation Media Center Extender, codename “Echo”.

The Ceton “Echo” is a next-generation Media Center Extender and the first to support Internet video services and Internet browsing, along with live and recorded high-definition TV services and access to your personal digital media libraries. Ceton “Echo” allows you to stream media from a Ceton “Q” entertainment gateway or a Windows 7-based PC to both high-definition and standard-definition TV sets over your home network.

This is the updated that Ceton posted on their blog today:

Today we are informing the folks who have been selected to participate in the Ceton “Echo” beta program. It’s an exciting next step on the path to launching the Echo later this year. Those selected have been notified by email from us at beta@cetoncorp.com. We received thousands of beta applications but only have about 1,000 beta slots available, so we weren’t able to accommodate everyone who signed up unfortunately. We did our best to ensure we have a great pool of testers who represent the Echo customer base at large. Echo beta units will ship to testers in September. The Echo will be available from a variety of retailers for general consumer purchase in time for the 2012 holiday shopping season at a suggested retail price of $179.00. The Echo will be available in the US to start, with expansion to select international markets over time. We’ll provide more details on our US launch date and international plans later on.

Is this something you might be interested in buying? If so, let us know by leaving a comment below.

Learn more about the Ceton Echo here

Review of the LaCie 1TB Porsche Design Mobile Drive P’9220

Andrew Edney

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Jul 15, 2012

0

Review of the LaCie 1TB Porsche Design Mobile Drive P’9220

For our next review we take a look at the 1TB Porsche Design Mobile Drive P’9220 external hard drive from LaCie.

This is how LaCie describe the P’9220:

The LaCie Porsche Design P’9220 mobile hard drive is more than just a place to store your files-it’s a collaboration between one of the most renowned design firms in the world and LaCie. With the P’9220, we’ve combined speed, design, and technology to result in a different breed of mobile drive.

LaCie first partnered with Porsche Design in 2003 to produce one of the most iconic and enduringly popular external hard drives on the market. Since then the two companies have worked closely to create products that blend flawless functionality and pure design. The luxury brand and the leading technology company complement each other, with technical influence from LaCie, together with an exclusive and timeless shape presented by Porsche Design.

Safe, Strong, and Aluminum Porsche Design is known worldwide for their sophisticated, timeless creations, and the P’9220 is no exception. With 3mm of strong aluminum casing surrounding the drive inside, you can be sure that your data is solidly protected. LaCie and Porsche Design worked together to combine form and function-resulting in a mobile drive that looks great (and works great)-no matter where you take it.

Specifications

What’s in the Box?

Apart from the P9220, the box contains a USB 3.0 cable and a quick start guide.

A Closer Look

Using the P9220

When you connect the drive to your computer it is automatically recognised, but it still needs some preparation.

A Slice of Raspberry Pi with the Foundation at the Cambridge RaspberryJam

Andrew Edney

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Jul 15, 2012

22

A Slice of Raspberry Pi with the Foundation at the Cambridge RaspberryJam

Yesterday was the first Raspberry Jam event in Cambridge, and several of the Raspberry Pi Foundation guys were on hand to talk about the Pi.

The Raspberry Jam event took places in the William Gates building at Cambridge University. Before the event had even started there were some Pi’s on display, including a Gertboard, shown off by Gert himself!

A lot of people have asked when the Gertboard will be available to buy. During the Q&A session it was revealed that the boards should hopefully be available in the next few weeks. More on that when we have it.

Also on display was a working camera attached to the Pi. We can reveal that the camera should be available very soon at a $20-25 price point. It is a 5MP pixel as well!

The quality of the images it was taking were extremely good. Here is a picture of me taking a picture of it!

Then it was onto the days events, and towards the end of the day there was a Q&A session with some of the guys from the Raspberry Pi Foundation. You can watch the entire Q&A session below.

One thing Eben did that surprised the audience was to say that he didn’t want anyone to leave the event who wanted a Pi not to have a Pi so he had brought 200 Pi’s with him.

And he wasn’t kidding! I helped get the Pi’s from the car, and at one point I was carrying 100 Pi’s, and the scary part – they were lighter than an average laptop!

It wasn’t long before there was a massive queue of people wanting to get their hands on a Pi, and we ended up selling around 65 in just a few minutes! I even bought another one which I will be giving away on the site soon, so stay tuned. In fact, Liz is holding my Pi in the picture at the start of this article.

Liz and I taking a break after selling all those Pi’s.

There were even Raspberry Pi stickers around!

All in all it was a fantastic day, and I had a great time. Lots more Pi news coming up over the next few weeks so keep checking out CDW for more!

Take a look at the Q&A session video below (you will probably want to turn your volume up – sorry!):

Also you might want to take a look at some of the previous videos we took.

A Slice of Raspberry Pi at Beeb@30 A Slice of Raspberry Pi at Sci-Fi London Horizons

Have you got your Raspberry Pi yet? If so, what do you plan to do with it? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

And if you were there yesterday let us know what you thought of the event.

XBMC for Android announced

Android
News

Andrew Edney

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Jul 14, 2012

0

The guys over at XBMC.org have just announced XBMC for Android!

This is what they posted:

We have been keeping a little secret.. the kind that is so much fun to share when the time comes.

Today we announce XBMC for Android. Not a remote, not a thin client; the real deal. No root or jailbreak required. XBMC can be launched as an application on your set-top-box, tablet, phone, or wherever else Android may be found.

The feature-set on Android is the same that you have come to expect from XBMC, no different from its cousin on the desktop. Running your favorite media-center software on small, cheap, embedded hardware is about to become a hassle-free reality. And as Android-based set-top-boxes are becoming more and more ubiquitous, it couldn’t be a better time. In fact, primary development was done on a Pivos XIOS DS set-top-box. And that is no coincidence, you will notice that Pivos is now listed as an official sponsor (more on that later). XBMC is stable and works great there, as well as on various tablets and phones. Though with Android, as many of you probably know, that is only the beginning of the story.

Learn more from here including a video of it in action.

The official eBay app for Windows Phone updated to version 1.18

Andrew Edney

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Jul 13, 2012

0

The official eBay app for Windows Phone updated to version 1.18

If you you eBay then a good app to have is the official eBay app for your Windows Phone, and it has just been updated to version 1.18.

The eBay Mobile application is designed specifically for Windows Phone. Using a streamlined interface that’s as elegant as it is practical, eBay members can search, bid, and check their activity on the go. Buyers can submit that last-minute bid on a hard-to-find item, sellers can check on their sales, and act on time-sensitive information on the spot without a computer. eBay is open for business anytime, anywhere on Windows Phone!

As usual there doesn’t seem to be any specific information on what is included in the update, so if you notice any changes let us know by leaving a comment below.

Download the eBay app now from the Windows Marketplace

Would you like Dr Who’s Sonic Screwdriver as a TV remote control?

Andrew Edney

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Jul 13, 2012

0

Would you like Dr Who’s Sonic Screwdriver as a TV remote control?

Last year we reviewed the Kymera Magic Wand remote control from the Wand Company, and for their next offering they have the 11th Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver remote control. Bring on the Sonic!

Widely considered to be the result of highly advanced Gallifreyan technological experiments, the Sonic Screwdriver is an indispensable tool for any travelling Time Lord. But whether you’re an original member of the Prydonian Chapter, or simply a massive fan of the popular TV series, it’s been impossible to get your hands on the Mark VII. Until now.

Immaculately designed and packed full of features, this die cast metal model is hand detailed, with polished copper plating and an authentic soft touch grip. Painstakingly built to last; with a little bit of care and occasionally replaced batteries you’ll be able to use this Sonic Screwdriver up to your 13th incarnation (and beyond?).

But it’s not just a spectacularly detailed collectable replica, oh no; the Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver is also a fully programmable, gesture based Universal Remote Control! Utilising infrared technology to control everything from TV’s and DVD players to stereos and iPod docks, you’ll be able to make changes with just a flick of the wrist.
With the blessings of the BBC, the Sonic Screwdriver boasts 13 authentic special FX sounds from the Whoniverse and comes in a gorgeous presentation case. Including detailed instructions straight from the Doctor himself, you’ll be able to get started learning how to use it straight away.

With 4 Operational Modes, you can practice and program your gestures; use it as a full blown replica, or control your Earthly devices in either full FX mode or Quiet Control mode. Plus, just like the Doctor, you don’t want it falling into the wrong hands so when not in use you can lock the Sonic Screwdriver using your personal authorisation code.

Product Features:

Advanced gesture recognition technology – 3 banks of 13 gestures
Die cast construction, copper plated, soft touch grip
Control any infrared device including iPod docks, TVs and Blu-ray players
Guided Setup – spoken prompts help you program your controls
13 authentic special FX sounds
Illuminating tip lights up when in use and pulses on standby
Personal Lock Code
High quality presentation case
Double sided illustrated instruction manual

To learn more, click here. We hope to have one soon for review, so watch this space.

It will be available to buy on the 31st August for £59.99.

Apple updates iPhoto for Mac to version 9.3.1

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

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Jul 13, 2012

0

Apple updates iPhoto for Mac to version 9.3.1

Apple has just updated it’s iPhoto for Mac application to version 9.3.1.

This update includes:

– Addresses a problem during the migration of albums from MobileMe Gallery that may cause photos to be moved from their original events into a new event called “From MobileMe”

– Fixes an issue that in rare cases could cause iPhoto to hang when upgrading libraries

Do you iPhoto? If so, tell us what you think of it by leaving us a comment below.

XBMC 11.0 June Cycle update

News

Andrew Edney

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Jul 13, 2012

3

The guys over at XBMC.org have posted details on what is included in their June development cycle.

This is what they posted on their blog:

As mentioned previously, we have now moved into a monthly development cycle, in which we merge new features at the beginning of the month and then perform bug fixes through the rest of the month. This means, at the end of every month, developers, bug-reporters, and those willing to deal with potentially highly unstable builds can try a snapshot from the current development cycle, and the organization, in turn, will have a more stable and predictable development process. For those of you who would prefer a stable version of XBMC, we will always recommend the most recent stable release (XBMC 11.0), but for the brave, you are welcome to try the end of the month build. To give an idea of just how unstable/alpha these builds can be, there will almost certainly be months in which some platforms won’t actually have usable builds. As always, we recommend you backup your userdata folder before upgrading.

With that said, let’s review some of the more notable changes in the June Changelog.

Airplay Updates

Two major updates have occurred on the Airplay side. First, AirTunes have finally been implemented on the Windows side. This means you can send both music and video from your iOS and iTunes devices to XBMC for Windows.

Second, when sending AirPlay music to XBMC, XBMC can now read the metadata sent in the stream and display the music information (e.g. title, author, coverart, etc.) on the screen. Unfortunately, this is only possible when sending audio from iTunes. iOS devices use FairPlay encryption, which XBMC is not totally compatible with at this time.

GSOC Updates

The efforts of our GSOC students are beginning to come to fruition. Montellese has been working over time to make the XBMC library faster and smarter. This month he has managed to push two fixes/updates to the library. First, movie sets now sort in a manner that better fit the rest of the library. In the past, movie sets were simply listed at the front of the movie library, like folders in front of files. Now, they are sorted based on the category. For example, the average rating of the movies inside the set would determine where the set would reside in a “sort by rating.”

A second new GSOC feature by Montellese should drastically speed up movie listings over JSON-RPC, which will greatly benefit mobile remote users and anyone else accessing the library from non-local devices. In the past, every call to XBMC’s movie library required spitting out every item in that library, even if the remote device was only looking for a few items. Now, a device can just pull those items it needs at any given point, for a massive time saving.

Conclusion

That covers some of the more notable and easily visible changes in this cycle. For a full list of all the May changes, feel free to take a look at our list of June milestones. Also, keep an eye out for the July Cycle. Or, if you are feeling a bit brave and a bit lucky, just start downloading here for Windows (OSX should be available within 24 hours)! Look here for Apple TV and iOS installation instructions.. Given the additional complexities of distribution, builds for Linux are not yet available at XBMC.org.

Also, as you no doubt may notice, there are fewer big features this month as more man hours are spent continuing to improve the features already recently added to XBMC (e.g. AudioEngine) and performing work to get XBMC ready on all platforms. As such, it is likely that we may begin intentionally winding down adding on additional new features in an attempt to get Frodo out sooner than later. When a roadmap has been established, we will, of course, update everyone.

I look forward to seeing what they do next!

Do you use XBMC? Tell us what you think of it by leaving us a comment.

Halo 4 Forward Unto Dawn trailer premieres at Comic-Con

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Jul 13, 2012

1

Halo 4 Forward Unto Dawn trailer premieres at Comic-Con

The full trailer for the live-action digital series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn has just been released following it’s world premiere at Comic-Con.

Premiering this October on the new Machinima Prime channel on YouTube, and on Halo Waypoint, “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” is a live-action digital series that takes fans back to the terrifying beginning of the Human/Covenant war, when the Master Chief inspired a young cadet who would eventually become a leader aboard the UNSC’s greatest vessel: the UNSC Infinity. “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” tells a story leading into the events of “Halo 4,” the biggest entertainment event of 2012.

Check out the cool trailer below:

“Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” tells an exciting story of heroism and sacrifice on a scale never before seen in the “Halo” universe, taking fans back to the beginning of the human and Covenant war and leading into the events of “Halo 4.” Set against the backdrop of a United Nations Space Command (UNSC) military academy, a group of highborn cadets are training to be the next generation of soldiers in the UNSC’s ongoing war with insurrectionists in the outer colonial planets. Among these cadets, Thomas Lasky struggles with his doubts about this war, and with the burden of expectations he may not be able to carry. As Lasky comes to terms with his potential as a military leader, the terrifying alien alliance known as the Covenant arrives and turns his world upside down. Inspired by the Master Chief, he must decide what it means to be a hero. “Halo” fans that experience Lasky’s thrilling origin story in “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” will be rewarded with special insights into the story of “Halo 4” and the “Halo Infinity Multiplayer” experience.

Directed by Stewart Hendler (“H+,” “Sorority Row”) and written by Todd Helbing and Aaron Helbing (“Smallville,” “Spartacus”), “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” features a diverse cast of established and up-and-coming Hollywood talent, including Tom Green (“Dance Academy”) as Thomas Lasky, Anna Popplewell (“The Chronicles of Narnia”) as Chyler Silva, Daniel Cudmore (“X2,” “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “The Twilight Saga”) as the Master Chief, Ayelet Zurer (“Angels & Demons,” “Munich”) as Mehaffey, Mike Dopud (“Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol”) as General Black, Enisha Brewster (“Footloose”) as April Orenski, Masam Holden (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Elizabethtown”) as Michael “Sully” Sullivan, Osric Chau (“2012”) as JJ Chen, Iain Belcher (“Supernatural”) as Vickers, and Kat De Lieva as Dimah.

“Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” is backed by a top-tier production team led by executive producers Lydia Antonini and Josh Feldman, former Warner Bros. and Playtone executives, respectively. Continuing its involvement with the “Halo” franchise, Legacy Effects (“The Hunger Games,” “The Avengers,” “Avatar”) is creating specialised costumes and armor, and visual effects are being designed by an award-winning team led by John Sullivan (“The Pacific”). Production services are provided by Herzog & Co.

An extended, 90-minute Special Edition featuring additional footage and bonus content will be available Nov. 6 in the “Halo 4” Limited Edition and on video on-demand services.

Set almost five years after the events of “Halo 3,” “Halo 4” takes the series in a bold new direction and sets the stage for an epic new sci-fi saga, in which the Master Chief returns to confront his destiny and face an ancient evil that threatens the fate of the entire universe. In addition to a rich story and campaign, “Halo 4” introduces a groundbreaking new multiplayer offering, called “Halo Infinity Multiplayer,” that builds off of the “Halo” franchise’s rich multiplayer history and promises to continue to innovate and redefine the way people think about storytelling and multiplayer experiences.