Events

BYOB Podcast Episode 70 Out Now

News
Tech

Andrew Edney

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Dec 18, 2011

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The guys over at the BYOB podcast, including our very own Tim Daleo have just released episode 70.

Here is what is included in this weeks show:

[box style=”rounded” border=”full”]Gaming build, VM build, and VM philosophy. Tonight we talk to Paul Braren (aka: tinkererguy on the forums) about two of his builds. We also cover some details on ESXi as well as a general discussion on VMs. A special thanks to Paul for joining us and sharing his builds. [/box]

As usual you can listen to the show from here.

SlingPlayer for Logitech Revue Launched

Andrew Edney

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Dec 17, 2011

0

If you are one of the small number of people that own a Logitech Revue you can now get the SlingPlayer app.

Here is how Sling describe it:

SlingPlayer for Logitech Revue now works with the Slingbox to extend your complete living room HDTV experience to another TV in your home, or wherever you want to watch. Access the SlingPlayer app from Google Spotlight and change channels, navigate the program guide, or watch and schedule recordings on your DVR – all on the big screen. Now you can enjoy your programming in crystal-clear HD on a TV in your ski condo, beach house, or let your college student watch in the dorm.

Technical Requirements

An HDTV connected to a Logitech Revue Set-Top Box
Slingbox SOLO or Slingbox PRO-HD with the latest firmware
Wired or wireless connection to the internet
Bandwidth Requirements
- HD: 2 Mbps or higher
- SD: 600 Kbps or higher

If you own a Google TV-powered Logitech Revue, you can access the free SlingPlayer app from Google Spotlight!

Review of the ASUS ZENBOOK UX31E Ultrabook

Reviews
Tech

Andrew Edney

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Dec 17, 2011

3

Review of the ASUS ZENBOOK UX31E Ultrabook

If you are in the market for a Windows PC that’s as slim as a MacBook Air then you may want to take a look at the ASUS ZENBOOK UX31E Ultrabook – and here is our review.

Incredible 3mm at the front and 9mm at the rear
Spun metal and hairline aluminum for incredible beauty
ASUS exclusive Super Hybrid Engine II with instant on 2-second resume, four to five times the standby time, automatic data backup and recovery, and 25% longer battery life!
SATA Revision 3.0 solid state drive and USB 3.0 incredible speed of data transfer rates
SonicMaster technology co-developed with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower® increases audio performance with lifelike surround impact
The latest Intel® Core™ processors

Who Are ASUS?

ASUS, the world’s top 3 consumer notebook vendor and the maker of the world’s best-selling and most award winning motherboards, is a leading enterprise in the new digital era. ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home, office and person, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktops, Eee Box and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, tablet devices, servers, multimedia and wireless solutions, networking devices, and mobile phones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 3,398 awards in 2010, and is widely credited with revolutionising the PC industry with the Eee PC™. With a global staff of more than 10,000 and a world-class R&D team of 3,000 engineers, the company’s revenue for 2010 was around US$10.1 billion.

What is an Ultrabook?

Intel describe the Ultrabook:

Built with the energy-efficient 2nd generation Intel Core processor, Ultrabook adapts to your needs and wakes up in a flash.

At less than an inch thick, Ultrabook is the ultra-thin device that’s ready to go wherever and whenever you are.

With built-in visuals and smart multitasking for the performance and capabilities you expect.

Specifications

What’s in the Box?

The box contains the UX31E, some manuals, cable ties, power supply, case, mini VGA adaptor and Ethernet adaptor (both with a little case).

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Rollout Out to Nexus S Devices

Andrew Edney

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Dec 17, 2011

0

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Rollout Out to Nexus S Devices

Google announced last night that it was starting to roll out Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, to Nexus S devices.

Google have also put together some help for users updating to Android 4.0 here.

Have you got the update yet? Let us know…..

Windows 8 : Signing In with a Picture Password

Andrew Edney

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Dec 17, 2011

0

Windows 8 : Signing In with a Picture Password

One of the new features coming in Windows 8 is the ability to sign in using a Picture Password. Microsoft have posted a detailed article on how this works and it’s worth reading.

This is the start of the post:

Picture password is a new way to sign in to Windows 8 that is currently in the Developer Preview. Let’s go behind the scenes and see how secure this is and how it was built. One of the neat things about the availability of a touch screen is that it provides an opportunity to look at a new way to sign in to your PC. While many of us might prefer to remove the friction of getting to a PC by running without a password, for most of us, and in most situations this is not the case or is at least unwise. Providing a fast and fluid mechanism to sign in with touch is super important, and we all know that using alpha passwords on touch-screen phones is cumbersome. This post is authored by Zach Pace, a program manager on our You Centered Experience team, and looks at the implementation and security of picture password in Windows 8. Just as a note, you can also use a mouse with picture password too, just by using some click and/or drag actions.

Check out the entire blog post, it’s very interesting.

New Game Modes Added to Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Dec 16, 2011

0

New Game Modes Added to Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3

There are some new game modes that have been added to Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3.

This is what Infinity Ward posted:

Friday, December 16th, we’re updating the playlists on Modern Warfare 3 to introduce some new game modes as well as change up some existing ones.

The biggest change you’ll notice is the addition of Community Playlists. This is where we will add popular or unique private match modes to the public playlists, so you can start ranking up on them! The first playlist changes for Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer are listed below:

DROP ZONE

Get to the drop zone to earn points, the first team to 7500 points wins the round, but thats not all. As long as the Drop Zone is occupied, a care package will drop every 15 seconds, which ever team has the most members in the drop zone at that point “owns” the care package, but anyone can steal it. This is the only way to earn air support in this mode, all other pointstreaks are disabled. You’ll earn 20 points per team member, for every second they’re in the drop zone plus 20 XP individually for your time spent in the zone. Kills are worth 50 XP in this mode.

Custom Settings: Pointstreaks (besides those obtained through in-game care packages) are disabled.

Hardcore HQ Ricochet

We’ll be adding Hardcore Headquarters to the Hardcore Team Tactical playlist.

Hardcore Ricochet

We’ll be converting all Hardcore modes to Ricochet variant as a response to team killing. This means, any friendly fire, is applied to the attacker, rather than the victim. So choose your shots wisely and any attempt to team kill will simply kill yourself.

Check out our review of Call of Duty: MW3

Firecore Updates Seas0nPass Jailbreak Tools Package for AppleTV 4.4.4 Users

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

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Dec 16, 2011

0

Firecore Updates Seas0nPass Jailbreak Tools Package for AppleTV 4.4.4 Users

Seas0nPass has been updated to support a tethered jailbreak of the new AppleTV 4.4.4 software.

Here is what they said:

Seas0nPass has been updated to support a TETHERED jailbreak of the new AppleTV 4.4 (iOS 5) software released on 10/12 (also supported are the new minor updates – 4.4.1 released on 10/17, 4.4.2 released on 10/24, 4.4.3 released on 11/17, and 4.4.4 released on 12/16). Full details on what’s new in 4.4, status of 3rd party features, and how to update are below..

Should I update?

Currently the jailbreak for 4.4+ is tethered, which is a bit less convenient than an untethered version. If the features added in 4.4 excite you it may be worth updating; however, the previous 4.3 version will continue to be supported so updating is not required.

The full list of changes included in 4.4 can be found below:

AirPlay Mirroring: Now with video mirroring – wirelessly stream what’s on your iPad 2 screen to your HDTV.

Photo Stream: View photos recently taken on your iOS device and pushed to your Photo Stream in iCloud.

Trailers: A whole new way to browse and view hundreds of the latest theatrical trailers.

National Hockey League: Watch live games. View highlights, scores, and more.

Wall Street Journal Live: Watch up-to-date news, business commentary, and financial analysis from leading experts.

Apple has also added support for subtitles in Netflix and three new slideshow themes: Photo Wall, Flip-up, and Shifting Tiles.

Which plugins are supported on 4.4?

Couch Surfer (works)

Last.fm (works)

Media Player (works)

NitoTV (works)

Overflow (works)

Remote HD (works)

Rowmote (works)

RSS Feeds (works)

Weather (works)

XBMC (nightly builds only)

Plex (not working)

How do I update?

Seas0nPass will default to the latest untethered version, which is currently 4.3. If you want to use Seas0nPass to update and jailbreak a newer version simply follow the steps below.

Download version 4.4.2 (9A336a) and save the IPSW in an easy to find location.

Download the latest version of Seas0nPass.

Open Seas0nPass then Option + click (Mac) or Shift + click (PC) the Create IPSW button and select the new IPSW file that was downloaded in step #1.

Seas0nPass will complete the jailbreak and restore process automatically.

After the restore is complete, move the AppleTV to your TV and follow the steps for performing a Tethered Boot.

Enjoy. 🙂

Update: It seems Apple has taken down the 4.4.1 AppleTV update due a number of reported issues. For now 4.4 is the recommended version for those wishing to update.

Update 2: Looks like the 4.4.1 version has been re-released.

Update 3: Seas0nPass has been updated to support AppleTV 4.4.2 which was released on 10/24.

Update 4: Seas0nPass has been updated to support AppleTV 4.4.3 – released on 11/17.

Update 5: Seas0nPass has been updated to support AppleTV 4.4.4 – released on 12/15.

PURE Launch Lounge App for Android

Andrew Edney

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Dec 16, 2011

0

Today saw the launch of the PURE Lounge app for Android, brining with it over 16,000 internet radio stations, and so much more.

The PURE Lounge app is your passport to an entire world of listening. Choose from over 16,000 internet radio stations, thousands of on-demand podcasts and programmes, and a library of evocative PURE sounds. From the cool, to the conventional, to the crazy – it’s all on the Lounge!

Bringing PURE Flow technology to Android, the Lounge app gives you access to the huge variety of listening provided by our unique radio portal, the Lounge.

Use our powerful search tool to find exactly the radio station, podcast or PURE sound you need. Filter by station name, language, country, genre, quality, or a combination of all five. Use Quick Jump to navigate results for quick tuning.

•Powerful search engine with five different search criteria plus combination search
•Easy to use
•Save unlimited favourite stations (requires FREE registration)
•Current song name displayed where available
•Featured and exclusive content
•Similar content recommendations (Browse Similar)
•Facebook and Twitter integration. Share your recommendations with your friends!
•List content by popularity
•Choose from over 16,000 internet radio stations
•Select from over 5,000 podcasts
•Browse a library of evocative PURE sounds
•Supported stream formats: MP3, AAC, WMA, Real
•Supported stream protocols: HTTP, SHOUTcast, RTSP, MMSH
•Supported playlist formats: M3U, PLS, ASX, RAM, SMIL

The Lounge app is part of the PURE Flow experience, which is also available on all of our connected radios, see http://www.pure.com for details.

Download PURE Lounge from the Android Market

Dell No Longer Selling Netbooks

News
Tech

Andrew Edney

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Dec 16, 2011

0

Dell said yesterday that they are no longer selling netbooks – and I’m not in the least surprised.

In a statement sent to CNET:

“We sold through the Dell Mini some time ago. We’re committed to the highly portable space and have focused on delivering thin + powerful solutions, for which we’ve seen strong success, particularly in our XPS line,” Matthew Hutchison, director of Dell Global Consumer PR, said.

To be honest I can’t say that I am surprised. A couple of years ago Netbooks were all the rage. I even wrote a book about them! The problem was always the lack of processing power. They were ok for checking email and surfing the web, but if you wanted to do much more it was a problem. And now with tablets selling a lot of units and being able to do so much more, no one is really interested in netbooks anymore. Oh, and now you have the ultrabooks as well…….

Subscription-Free Mobile TV for less than £50 with PCTV nanoStick Solo

Andrew Edney

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Dec 16, 2011

0

Subscription-Free Mobile TV for less than £50 with PCTV nanoStick Solo

Watch, record & rewind live TV anywhere in the world on your Apple or Android device with PCTV’s affordable nanoStick Solo.

· Freeview USB DVB-T tuner for sub £33

· Pocket-sized DVB-T experience for everyone

· Works with iPad, iPhone and Android Devices

· Quality guaranteed

· Competition units available

How would you like to watch Freeview TV anywhere in the world for less than £50, with no additional subscriptions needed? PCTV’s compact and ultra light nanoStick Solo makes it possible. Watch, record and rewind live-TV, all with your iPad, iPhone or Android* device, no matter where you are in the world. It couldn’t be simpler.

Control your TV

Use the clever DistanTV and TVCenter 6.4 software, bundled for free with the stick, to take full control of your TV remotely. Stream live programs to your Smartphone or Tablet and even schedule TV recordings, timeshift or rewind live-TV, all from your device over the internet. With the festive season upon us, why worry about missing your favourite program? Via the internet, you can watch your favourite TV with the nanoStick Solo anywhere in the world.

The PCTV nanoStick Solo (73e SE), a USB digital terrestrial TV (DVB-T) tuner, also comes with a mini rod-antenna and is certified for Windows Vista and Windows 7. With its ultra-sensitive receiver technology, TV reception is guaranteed even in areas with poor signal strength. With its compact housing and a protective slider, this is the perfect accessory to make travelling just that little bit better. The PCTV nanoStick Solo also works with PCs, laptops, netbooks and Macs.

* Android 2.2 or later

Key Features

· Compact and ultra-sensitive tuner hardware

· Good DVB-T reception – even with weak signal

· Compact hardware design with integrated slider

· Includes mini rod antenna

· Compatible with Windows® Media Center

All-new TVCenter 6 software

· Watch TV wherever you are

· Follow your favourite TV shows in full-screen or a freely scalable window

· Use Timeshift to stop and rewind live TV

· Watch and record TV directly to your hard disk (in MPEG-1 or MPEG-2)

· Best system performance to run smoothly even on Netbooks

· Integrated EPG and ultra-fast teletext (where available)

DistanTV for Windows

· Enjoy TV on your iPhone, iPad. Android device (2.2 or newer), your Mac, tablet or PC at home

· Stream live TV to your iPhone, iPad. Android device (2.2 or newer) or your Mac while travelling – via Wi-Fi or UMTS

· Stream live TV to multiple PC’s inside your home network

Great program guide

· Use TV Digital OnGuide software and the experience of Europe’s largest TV editorial staff to find your favourite TV shows and schedule recordings3

Technical Specification

System Requirements

· Microsoft® Windows 7® or Windows Vista with latest Service Pack, 1 GB RAM

· Or Windows XP (32 bits) with latest Service Pack, 512 MB RAM

· PC with 2.6 GHz multi-core processor

· Graphics and sound controllers with support for DirectX® 9 or higher

· Free USB 2.0 compatible port

· Hard disk with 5 GB free space (for Time shifting and TV recordings)

· CD/DVD drive (for the software installation)

· Internet connection for DistanTV streaming, software updates and activations

Tuner

· TV standard: Digital terrestrial DVB-T (MPEG-2, optional MPEG-4 AVC2 / H.2642)

· Tuning range 174~862 MHz

· Channel bandwidth 7, 8 MHz

· Antenna input: IEC, 75 Ohm

· Interface: USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed)

TV Recording Formats

· MPEG-1 (off-line trans-coding)

· MPEG-2 transport stream

1 DVB-T radio is not available in all regions.

2 HDTV is a free option available for online activation; HDTV may not be transmitted via DVB-T in your region!

3 30 days trial period of editorial content with paid upgrade to 12

months subscription; after expiration free editorial EPG content for up to 3 days in advance (depending on TV station) and free broadcasted content for up to 7 days in advance