Microsoft Talks About Engineering Windows 8 for Mobile Networks

Andrew Edney
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0
Microsoft Talks About Engineering Windows 8 for Mobile Networks

In another article on Windows 8, Microsoft talk about engineering Windows 8 for Mobile Networks.

Windows 8 Wireless

This is how the article starts:

People want similar mobility on their PCs as they get on their smartphones.

It is unlikely that your end goal is just to get connected to the Internet. Instead, connecting to the Internet is a step (or a hurdle) towards what you really want to do, like surf, socialize, or explore, and you would prefer that your PC is connected and ready for you to use whenever you want and wherever you are.

We looked at the fundamentals of wireless connectivity and re-engineered Windows 8 for a mobile and wireless future, going beyond incremental improvements. This is a good example of work that requires new hardware to work in concert with new software in order to realize its full potential.

To continue reading this interesting article, click here.

Microsoft Talks about Designing the Windows Store

Andrew Edney
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0
Microsoft Talks about Designing the Windows Store

In the next of their articles on Windows 8, Microsoft details designing the Windows Store.

Windows store

This is how the article starts:

When we set out to design the Windows Store, we had a number of design goals and principles that guided us to our final experience. The fundamental building block of our Store design was to ensure that people could easily discover and quickly acquire apps. While this is a somewhat obvious goal for a catalog or marketplace, it’s actually pretty challenging when the size and diversity of the catalog grows as quickly as we expect to happen in the Windows Store.

In this post, I’ll introduce you to all of the major parts of the Store anatomy: the landing page, editorial topic pages, data-generated lists, app listing pages, and the search, browse, install, and update experiences. I’ll discuss the relationship between those UI surfaces and how we applied the Windows Metro style design language to achieve our goals for efficient app discovery.

So to continue your Windows 8 learning, click here to read the rest of the article.

StableBit DrivePool Moves to Beta M4 Build 5472

Andrew Edney
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0
StableBit DrivePool Moves to Beta M4 Build 5472

There has been another beta build from CoveCube! StableBit development marches on – now its beta M4 build 5472.

600px-Stablebit_drivepool_screen_thu16

Here is how CoveCube describes this application:

  • Combine all your hard drives into one big storage pool (except the system drive with the OS).
  • Add and remove drives from the pool at any time without re-partitioning or manually moving folders.
  • Create duplicated folders on the storage drive pool that are protected against single drive failure. If a drive fails on which a duplicated file was stored, the contents of that file will remain readable even without the drive.
  • All your data is stored in standard NTFS files. You can always access your files even if the Windows Home Server completely crashes or this add-in can’t be used.

This version’s change log:

1.0.0.5472 ———-

* Tweaked folder details presenter.

* [D] Changed pool part initialization / refresh to be synchronous.

Get More Information About the Beta Here Download Stablebit Drivepool build 5472 here

Untethered Jailbreak for iPhone 4S and iPad 2 with GreenPois0n Absinthe

Andrew Edney
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2
Untethered Jailbreak for iPhone 4S and iPad 2 with GreenPois0n Absinthe

If you want to have an untethered jailbreak on your iPhone 4S or iPad 2 the wait is finally over thanks to GreenPois0n Absinthe.

Green Pois0n

GreenPois0n Absinthe can be used with both iPhone 4S running iOS 5.0 (build 9A334) and iOS 5.0.1 (builds 9A405 and 9A406) and iPad 2 running iOS 5.0.1 (build 9A405).

Currently there is only a Mac version of the software, although expect a Windows version pretty soon!

Download the software via this direct link.

Hands-on with the HP Omni27 All-in-One PC at CES 2012

Andrew Edney
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0
Hands-on with the HP Omni27 All-in-One PC at CES 2012

Last week at CES HP invited us to a private briefing that included their new HP Omni27 All-in-One PC. We got to spend a little time with it and here are our thoughts.

UWHS - HP Omni27 - 1

Let’s just remind ourselves about the Omni27:

The HP Omni27 All-in-One PC is designed specifically for consumers who demand meticulous design, simplicity and performance and an expanding viewing experience. Its elegant flat panel display features edge-to-edge glass and tilts up to 25 degrees, allowing users to adjust the 68.6 cm (27”) diagonal high-definition (HD) screen to their comfort level.

The HP Omni27 features HP’s Magic Canvas software allowing the desktop to expand horizontally and accommodate all the photos, videos and applications consumers need. Windows desktop shortcuts, task bar and start menu can all be accessed through the Magic Canvas allowing users to work without ever leaving the interface. Convenient features like HP LinkUp let users access and edit content from a notebook PC on the Omni27’s large display with virtually no file transfer hassles.

The HP Omni27 offers multi-core processors, advanced HD graphics and up to 2TB of storage.(2) Additionally, standard features such as Beats Audio, and optional ones such as the Blu-Ray disc drive and TV tuner make it the ultimate multimedia machine.

So let’s take a closer look in pictures:

UWHS - HP Omni27 - 4UWHS - HP Omni27 - 5UWHS - HP Omni27 - 6UWHS - HP Omni27 - 7UWHS - HP Omni27 - 8UWHS - HP Omni27 - 9UWHS - HP Omni27 - 11UWHS - HP Omni27 - 12UWHS - HP Omni27 - 14UWHS - HP Omni27 - 13UWHS - HP Omni27 - 10UWHS - HP Omni27 - 15UWHS - HP Omni27 - 16UWHS - HP Omni27 - 18UWHS - HP Omni27 - 17UWHS - HP Omni27 - 3UWHS - HP Omni27 - 2

All-in-all (see what we did there), the new Omni27 All-in-One PC packs quite a lot into its body. There is a Blu-ray writer, and there is even an HDMI input so that you can connect other devices to the screen.

I was very impressed on how well the screen performed at different angles – and the quality was excellent.

There are also enough ports to keep most people happy!

I look forward to putting the Omni27 through it’s paces properly, because from the few minutes we got with it, I was very impressed.

The HP Omni27 All-in-One PCs are expected to be available on March 5th in EMEA at a starting price of € 999.

Learn more from the HP website

The Bark Side: 2012 Volkswagen Game Day Commercial Teaser

Andrew Edney
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1
The Bark Side: 2012 Volkswagen Game Day Commercial Teaser

Last year’s Superbowl had a number of cool adverts – this year there is another Volkswagen ad, and if you like Star Wars you will love this!

VW Bark Side

 

These are not the dogs you are looking for – move along!

I’m looking forward to see the full advert.

Media Center Master Updated to Version 1.34

Andrew Edney
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2
Media Center Master Updated to Version 1.34

Peter Souza IV has released version 1.34 of his excellent Media Center Master software.

MCM_SS_01_450_thumb1_thumb

What is Media Center Master?

Here is how Peter describes Media Center Master for those of you who don’t know what it is:

Smooth, powerful interface to organize your media collection.
Support for the built-in Windows Media Center Video Library strip (dvdid.xml) as well as MediaBrowser extension (mymovies.xml).
Movies, television, and adult title search from a variety of configurable meta data sources.
Built-in, fully-automated episode torrenting from multiple sources. Keep your T.V. series updated through the internet for free.
Full meta-data editor with tools to automate movie and T.V. episode renaming.
Theatrical trailer downloader with options for automatic re-encoding.
Extendable fetcher system allows other programmers to write fetchers — sample source code included in the forums.
Configurable to download actor/actress thumbnails and movie/T.V. posters, fan art, backdrops, and banners.
Flexible post-processing allows command-line operations after a movie title has been fetched — works great with Stark Covers.
…and a whole lot more…

What’s Included in this update?

Lots — auto-update with major fix for NZBMatrix.com. Other updates available via Issue Tracker (changelog).

Learn more from the Media Center Master website

StableBit DrivePool Moves to Beta M4 Build 5452

Andrew Edney
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0
StableBit DrivePool Moves to Beta M4 Build 5452

There has been another beta build from CoveCube! StableBit development marches on – now its beta M4 build 5452.

600px-Stablebit_drivepool_screen_thu16

Here is how CoveCube describes this application:

  • Combine all your hard drives into one big storage pool (except the system drive with the OS).
  • Add and remove drives from the pool at any time without re-partitioning or manually moving folders.
  • Create duplicated folders on the storage drive pool that are protected against single drive failure. If a drive fails on which a duplicated file was stored, the contents of that file will remain readable even without the drive.
  • All your data is stored in standard NTFS files. You can always access your files even if the Windows Home Server completely crashes or this add-in can’t be used.

This version’s change log:

1.0.0.5452 ———-

* [D] Added support for undocumented directory listing file system behavior having to do with indexed requests. Managed to keep the same parallelized performance aspect of the algorithm, while adding deterministic ordering of results. Indexed queries are not as fast as non-indexed queries, but they are rarer (E.g. Triggered by: XP, OS X, boxee, MS-DOS applications, …), and are only issued for large directory listings.

* [D] Tightened up the directory listing algorithm code.

Get More Information About the Beta Here Download Stablebit Drivepool build 5449 here

Pre-order the ZTE Tania Windows Phone from Clove

Andrew Edney
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2
Pre-order the ZTE Tania Windows Phone from Clove

This week a new Windows Phone was announced – the ZTE Tania. Now if you are in the UK, you can pre-order one from Clove.

ZTE Tania Windows Phone

ZTE are one of the biggest manufacturers of smartphones globally, but only now are they making their name know in the UK and Europe.

Just because you haven’t heard of them, doesn’t mean you should discount them. Being the 4th largest manufacturer must mean they are doing something right.

What ZTE do is deliver value. It is about providing a full functioning product that performs as you would expect at a price more often than not cheaper than the competition.

The ZTE Tania is fully equipped with the latest Windows Phone 7.5 software which is great for both business and pleasure and makes it easier than ever to connect and share with friends, family, and colleagues.

Web browsing, social networking, document and email handling, it is all possible on the Tania and it will be handled with relative ease by the phone thanks to the 1GHz processor. It might not be fast enough for the gamers out there but if communication and general smartphone use is what you want then the Tania is certainly an ideal candidate.

The 4.3 inch display with a 800 x 480 resolution gives a more immersive user experience. Web pages are easier to view, documents easier to handle and pictures bigger and clearer.

At only 10.7mm depth the Tania is not as big as you may expect.

A 5MP camera with autofocus and flash allows you to capture images and these can be easily shared online or through social media networks thanks to the 3G and WiFi connections available on the Tania.

A product that offers performance and a price that wont break the bank, consider the ZTE Tania.

Features of ZTE Tania
  • 1GHz processor
  • 4.3 inch display
  • 5 megapixel camera with auto focus & flash
  • 4GB Internal Memory
  • WiFi 802.11b/g/n
  • 3G/HSPA
What’s in the box of ZTE Tania
  • ZTE Tania
  • Battery
  • USB Cable
  • 3 Pin UK Mains Charger
  • Documentation

The price to pre-order the ZTE Tania from Clove is £249.99 (which includes VAT). It should be shipping some time in February, and remember, that is without a contract.

Learn more from the Clove website

Microsoft Acknowledges Xbox 360 Video Playback Problem

Andrew Edney
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1
Microsoft Acknowledges Xbox 360 Video Playback Problem

Pretty much as soon as the latest Dashboard update hit, some people were reporting video playback problems. Microsoft have now acknowledged the problem.

This is what MajorNelson tweeted:

Xbox problem

So, at least they have acknowledged it, although there is still no ETA for a fix.

When we hear more we will let you know.

Have you had any problems since the update? Let us know….

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