Events

Raxco Release PerfectDisk 12.5 SP3 Build 310

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 2, 2012

0

Raxco Release PerfectDisk 12.5 SP3 Build 310

Raxco have just released version 12.5 SP3 build 310 of their PerfectDisk software.

What’s New

Client:

Fixed ability to schedule Exchange datastore compaction.
Fixed “Invalid parameter / namespace” defragmentation errors.
Fixed testing of connection to an Exchange server.
Fixed algorithm for determining thin provisioned drives in Hyper-V Guest.
Fixed incorrect dumping of registry keys in PD support information.
Fixed an error in setting exclusion periods via Group Policy.
Fixed detection of drive types for attached iSCSI disks in Virtual Guest (vSphere and Hyper-V).
Added logging of errors when communicating with Exchange 2010 servers to the application event log.
Improved refreshing of drive type in Virtual Guest when Virtual Awareness setting is enabled/disabled.

Console:

Fixed several issues when pushing a Configuration Profile to clients.
Fixed saving of database data retention parameters.
Fixed usage of proxy settings during client deployment.
Fixed pushing of Configuration Profile during client deployment.
Improved GUI in PD client deployment wizard.
Allow display, assignment and deployment of Schedules, Configuration Profiles and License Keys to both PD12.5 and PD12.0 clients.

Check out our review of PerfectDisk 12

My Movies Collection Management for Windows Media Center 4.03 PR1 Released

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 2, 2012

0

As well as the news versions of My Movies 4.03 PR1 for Media Center and My Movies 2.11 PR1 for Windows Home Server 2011, Brian has also released version 4.03 PR1 of the Collection Management component.

Here is the complete changelog:

Added: If a directory contains a “Trailer” or “Trailers” subfolder, the trailer will automatically be loaded from this directory. If there are multiple trailers, all are played as part of a playlist.
Added: Option to add directly to a category from the movie details page.
Added: PowerDVD 12 added to external players.
Added: Data service API function to retrieve data in external applications.

Change: Ignore “Trailers” and “Trailer” directories in folder monitoring.
Change: The remote server is now prepared to be open for third parties.
Change: Online collection link to new URL.
Change: Changed Server and Standalone installations on Windows 8 to be based on SQL Server 2008 R2 rather than SQL Server 2005, which have compatibility issues.

Update: Database package to iOS 1.80. This release is currently held by Apple.

Fix: Error was generated when pressing OK in export to android without a target destination.
Fix: Minor error generated when selection change in title list hit a title without a media type.
Fix: Issue with ignore file check that could go down one folder too many, causing a delay in import on some setups.
Fix: Issue that could cause slow import times on Windows Embedded.
Fix: Search did not function properly on TV Series in non-English languages.
Fix: Issues with folder monitoring when running against a My Movies server as standalone.
Fix: Installer issue on Windows 8.
Fix: Dune issue that could cause an empty playback on local drives.

Download My Movies 4 Collection Management Now

What do you think of My Movies?

Check out our review of My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 2.0 Pre Release 7

My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 Version 2.11 PR1 Released

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 2, 2012

0

Brian has also released version 2.11 PR1 of My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011.

Windows Home Server 2011

My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 operates as database back-end for My Movies clients in multi-zone environments.

The My Movies for Windows Media Center or My Movies Collection Management products can be downloaded and installed on client PC’s to maintain movies in the database on My Movies for Windows Home Sever 2011.

My Movies may not be pre-installed on commercial products, nor in any way redistributed or provided to end-users by installers that is not part of our installer program.

Change Log:

Added: Converter now supports ISO files that are coupled to a title as ‘Online File’.
Added: better handling of situations where converter hasn’t converted the title on a disc.
Added: Popcorn Hour NMJ storage.
Added: Path for converted discs is now stored.
Added: Third and Fourth priority in searches.
Added: Data service API function to retrieve data in external applications.
Added: Back-end support for downloading of converted movies from WHS to mobile devices.

Fix: Minor error with empty image list on Collection List.
Fix: Services autostart did not respect users choice when setting it, but instead set it if they were started previously.
Fix: Missing message about required points for video converter.
Fix: Audio lookup on mounted Blu-ray wasn’t done on the mounted drive.
Fix: Audiotracks for blu-rays were not in the same order as handbrake uses.

Before installing a pre release version, you must make a backup of your database using the Collection Management program. There are no guarantee that a pre release version functions as expected, and it should therefore only be used for evaluation purposes. The database backup ensures that you can revert back to the latest stable version.

My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 2.10 Pre Release 9 can be used as server for My Movies 4.02 Pre Release 9 clients.

You can download the Windows Home Server 2011 edition here Check out our review of My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 2.0 Pre Release 7

My Movies for Windows Media Center 4.03 PR1 Released

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 2, 2012

1

Brian has just released My Movies for Windows Media Center version 4.03 PR1.

Here is the change log:

Added: If a directory contains a “Trailer” or “Trailers” subfolder, the trailer will automatically be loaded from this directory. If there are multiple trailers, all are played as part of a playlist.
Added: Option to add directly to a category from the movie details page.
Added: PowerDVD 12 added to external players.
Added: Data service API function to retrieve data in external applications.

Change: Ignore “Trailers” and “Trailer” directories in folder monitoring.
Change: The remote server is now prepared to be open for third parties.
Change: Online collection link to new URL.
Change: Changed Server and Standalone installations on Windows 8 to be based on SQL Server 2008 R2 rather than SQL Server 2005, which have compatibility issues.

Update: Database package to iOS 1.80. This release is currently held by Apple.

Fix: Error was generated when pressing OK in export to android without a target destination.
Fix: Minor error generated when selection change in title list hit a title without a media type.
Fix: Issue with ignore file check that could go down one folder too many, causing a delay in import on some setups.
Fix: Issue that could cause slow import times on Windows Embedded.
Fix: Search did not function properly on TV Series in non-English languages.
Fix: Issues with folder monitoring when running against a My Movies server as standalone.
Fix: Installer issue on Windows 8.
Fix: Dune issue that could cause an empty playback on local drives.

Before installing a pre release version, you must make a backup of your database using the Collection Management program. There is no guarantee that a pre release version functions as expected, and it should only be used for evaluation purposes. The database backup ensures that you can revert back to the latest stable version.

My Movies 4.03 Pre Release 1 can be used as client for My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 2.11 Pre Release 1 or My Movies for Windows Home Server 2.00.

Download My Movies 4.03 PR1 now Check out our review of My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 2.0 Pre Release 7

XBMC 11.0 Eden Release Candidate 2 Available Now

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 2, 2012

0

The guys over at XBMC.org have just released the XBMC 11 Eden Release Candidate 2 build, only a few days after RC1.

Here is what they posted:

We are pleased to announce that the video sync bug introduced has been resolved and Release Candidate 2 released in record time.

For those of you who skipped RC1, a review of major changes since Beta 3 may be found in this post. Additionally, you are welcome, as always, to review our coding changes on Github.

Meanwhile, those of you excited to get to downloading, as always, visit our Download page at any time.

Lastly, we’re still a few days away from being ready for the next round of XBMCbuntu, but, as always, we’ll update you as soon as possible. Thanks for bearing with us! With your reports, we’re getting closer every day!

Let us know what you think of it!

OnLive Desktop Now Brings Windows Apps to Android Tablets

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 2, 2012

0

OnLive Desktop Now Brings Windows Apps to Android Tablets

Back in January we told you all about OnLine Desktop which enabled iPad users to gain access to Windows apps. Well now Android tablet owners can feel the love too!

The key things to note is that there are various flavours of the OnLive service, including a free version, a Desktop Plus version and a Desktop Pro version, amongst others.

The OnLive Desktop app requires at least Android 2.3 and has been tested on the Acer Iconia Tab A500, ASUS Eee TF101, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 and HTC Jetstream.

Learn more about OnLive Desktop from here

This is the press release:

OnLive, Inc., the pioneer of instant-action cloud computing, is pleased to announce that its revolutionary OnLive™ Desktop App is now available for Android® tablets, bringing full Microsoft® Office apps, Adobe® Reader® and, with the OnLive Desktop Plus service, gigabit-speed1 accelerated browsing regardless of the tablet’s local Internet speed and local computing capability. The free OnLive Desktop App, released in the Android Market to select Android tablets2, delivers no-compromise, media-rich, instant-response Windows® applications including Microsoft® Word, Excel® and PowerPoint® software and Adobe Reader for PDFs, along with 2GB of cloud storage. OnLive Desktop Plus, available for $4.99/month at http://www.desktop.onlive.com, provides all OnLive Desktop Standard features plus OnLive’s gigabit-speed accelerated browsing experience. Already available on iPad® and coming soon to smartphones, PC, Mac®, TVs and monitors, OnLive Desktop delivers instant access to your personal desktop on all devices, so that if you use OnLive Desktop on Android, and then later use it on iPad, you will have the same files and browser Favorites (with OnLive Desktop Plus) on both tablets, with automatically-adjusted screen resolution.

Running remotely on powerful PCs in the cloud that are connected by Gigabit Ethernet to the Internet, OnLive Desktop utilizes OnLive’s patented instant-action cloud gaming technology to deliver a seamless PC application and Web experience, instantly responsive to multi-touch gestures, as well as a full PC on-screen keyboard, handwriting recognition and optional Bluetooth® PC-compatible keyboard or mouse.

“Android tablets are a great platform for OnLive Desktop,” said Steve Perlman, OnLive Founder and CEO. “With full HD resolution, PC keyboard/mouse support and available 4G LTE, Android tablets deliver an excellent experience with full Microsoft Office and Adobe Reader PC applications, not to mention gigabit-accelerated browsing through OnLive Desktop Plus-even over 4G LTE.”

OnLive Desktop Plus brings the world’s fastest browsing experience, whether over Wi-Fi- or 4G LTE-connected Android tablets. Regardless of your local connection speed, even the most complex websites-including ones that would take minutes to load over your local connection-load in seconds, instantly delivering fully interactive animation, video and sound. A 50 megabyte file from cloud storage (e.g., Dropbox) or a 15 megabyte attachment from Web email (e.g., Gmail™, Yahoo!® Mail, etc.) can literally download or upload in less than a second, resulting in an utterly transformative Web experience. And, despite the astounding speed improvement, OnLive Desktop Plus can dramatically reduce Web browsing data usage, since only the top layer of the currently visible part of a website is ever sent over the local connection. Essentially, OnLive Desktop delivers only what you can see or hear at a given moment, potentially reducing data usage by a factor of 10 or more.

The free OnLive Desktop app is available for select Android tablets and iPad now in the United States. Smartphones, PC, Mac and monitor/TV support (via the OnLive MicroConsole™ thin client with Bluetooth keyboard/mouse) are coming soon-with your same OnLive Desktop available by login from any device. Support for the United Kingdom and other countries is coming soon. OnLive Desktop can be accessed anywhere, on any device, at any screen resolution, preserving application and browser files between devices.

Set up your free OnLive Desktop account at http://www.desktop.onlive.com. OnLive Desktop services include:
· OnLive Desktop Standard, FREE!-Available Now!
– As-available3 access to OnLive Desktop, with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Reader
– 2 GB of secure cloud storage, appearing as your Documents folder on OnLive Desktop
· OnLive Desktop Plus, $4.99/month-Available Now!
– All features of OnLive Desktop Standard and…
– Priority access to OnLive Desktop
– Cloud-accelerated Web browser1, with:
§ Lightning-fast transfer of Web mail attachments (e.g., from Gmail, Yahoo! Mail) and cloud storage files (e.g., from Dropbox)
§ Full Adobe Flash and Acrobat® PDF plug-ins
· OnLive Desktop Pro, starting at $9.99/month-Coming Soon!

– All features of OnLive Desktop Plus and…
– 50 GB of secure cloud storage, appearing as your Documents folder on OnLive Desktop
– Ability to customize OnLive Desktop with additional PC applications

Introducing the ARCHOS 7″ Child Pad with Ice Cream Sandwich

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 2, 2012

0

Introducing the ARCHOS 7″ Child Pad with Ice Cream Sandwich

ARCHOS announced today a themed 7” Android tablet for children, called the Child Pad. The 7’’ Child Pad features a compact light weight design, the latest Android version, 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich”, a 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM.

Kid friendly features of the Child Pad include access to the Kids App Store powered by AppsLib which is filtered down to 14-friendly categories and 10,000 apps including games, entertainment, communication, multimedia, books, comics, sports and more.
In addition, ARCHOS has created a kid-friendly user interface with colored icons, home screen folders with direct access to games, entertainment, learning and puzzles and the top 28 kids’ apps pre-loaded including Angry Birds, Pig Rush and Flight Frenzy.
ARCHOS has also designed the Child Pad to comply with both CIPA and COPPA regulations, ensuring a safe tablet environment for kids and peace of mind for parents. The parental controls and safe web browsing is powered by Editions Profil, whose “Mobile Parental Filter” is ranked as the most efficient parental control software in worldwide benchmarks.

The Child Pad will be available in stores starting the end of March with the recommended retail price of $129.

Nokia Lumia 900 available to pre-order unlocked in UK

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 1, 2012

0

Nokia Lumia 900 available to pre-order unlocked in UK

We told you about the new Nokia Lumia 900 again yesterday, and now if you are in the UK you can pre-order an unlocked one!

At the high end of the range comes the Nokia Lumia 900 in white, cyan and black, designed for the rest of the world, outside the United States. Designed for entertainment, with a stunning combination of big screen and processing power, people all over the world can’t wait to get their hands on this latest flagship Nokia phone. It offers the best quality video and entertainment performance in the Lumia family on the 4.3-inch ClearBlack AMOLED display, housed in the unique polycarbonate unibody.

A number of sites in the UK, including Unlocked Mobiles are showing the Lumia 900 for pre-order. The best price we have found is from Unlocked Mobiles for £445.98 (including VAT).

They are showing it as Expected on 21/05/2012.

Are you interested in buying one?

Knowhow Movies streaming service from Currys and PC World launches

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 1, 2012

0

Knowhow Movies streaming service from Currys and PC World launches

A few days ago we told you about yet another streaming service hitting the UK, this time in the guise of Knowhow Movies from Currys and PC World. Well today it launched and there isn’t that much to see yet!

Teaming up with major film studios including Disney, Warner Bros, and Momentum Pictures means customers can rent or buy fantastic films and TV episodes from launch, with new studios being added imminently. With KNOWHOW Movies, new releases will be added to the library on the day of release, meaning customers will have access to them as soon as they become available. New releases are priced at £3.99 to rent and £12.99 to buy and catalogue titles are priced from £2.99 to rent and from £5.99 to buy. TV shows start at £1.99.

Having a look around the site doesn’t show that much new content. For example, under New Releases are films like Tron Legacy which has been out a while.

I suppose we have to give it time, but I am not yet convinced that we need another streaming service.

I will give it a try though and report back!

Will you give it a try?

Fixed AMD Catalyst drivers for Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 1, 2012

0

Fixed AMD Catalyst drivers for Windows 8 Consumer Preview

AMD have released fixed Catalyst drivers for the Windows 8 Consumer Preview – so go grab them now!

Full WDDM 1.2

Highlights include:

Native Stereo 3D support: Windows 8 will natively support Stereo 3D for full-screen and windowed gaming, and video applications

Unified Video API – Video playback is now integrated within the DirectX® 11 API; enabling simultaneous high quality Video and 3D content, and the potential for enhanced video transcoding performance

Optimized screen rotation

improved sleep / resume performance

Optimized Power Consumption

AMD Eyefinity
OpenC™
OpenGL®
UVD
AMD Dual Graphics / AMD CrossFire™ Technology
AMD Overdrive™
AMD Catalyst Control Center / Vision Engine Control Center

Please note: A future AMD Catalyst Windows 8 driver release will add support for the AMD Radeon™ HD 7900 Series, and AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series in the coming weeks.

Instructions:

Download and install the Driver from the following location:

AMD Catalyst Driver 8.93.7 RC10

Applicable Products for Driver Version 8.93.7 RC10:
This article applies to the following configuration(s):

Hardware

AMD Radeon HD 6000 Series
AMD Radeon HD 5000 Series
AMD Radeon HD 7000M Series
AMD Radeon HD 6000M Series
AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5000 Series
AMD A-Series APU
AMD C-Series APU
AMD E-Series APU
AMD FirePro Series
AMD FIrePro 3D Series

Operating Systems

Windows 8 32-bit Edition
Windows 8 64-bit Edition