BBC iPlayer introduces Mobiles Downloads capability so you watch offline on your mobile device

Andrew Edney
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0
BBC iPlayer introduces Mobiles Downloads capability so you watch offline on your mobile device

BBC iPlayer has got a new feature call Mobile Downloading which gives you the ability to download your favourite programmes from BBC iPlayer and watch them offline later on your mobile device.

This is what the BBC say about Mobile Downloads:

More and more people are comfortable with watching TV across different devices depending on where they are and what they’re doing. For example, our data shows that children’s content is particularly popular on tablets, as they are devices kids can sit and play with wherever. BBC Three comedy is popular on smart phones, and is watched by young people while out and about or waiting for a bus or train.

There is, of course, a barrier to you watching your favourite BBC programmes wherever you want: you need to be online to stream video to your phone or tablet, which means you can’t use BBC iPlayer on the tube or on a plane.

Today, that barrier is lifted. With the launch of mobile downloads for iPlayer, on-the-go viewing is transformed. For the first time, you can watch BBC programmes on your phone or tablet even if you don’t have a Wi-Fi connection or 3G signal. You can download multiple programmes to your device and store them for 30 days. Once you’ve pressed play you can keep watching for seven more days. Why not take your favourite shows with you when you go on holiday? You could watch them on the plane, on the beach, anywhere you want.

The new mobile downloads feature is initially available on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices running iOS 5.1. We will be bringing this feature to Android phones and tablets soon, and are looking at making downloads available on other devices in the future.

Here is how you download your favourite TV show:

• Tap the Download option on the programme you want to save

• The programme will be added to your download queue

• When you next connect to Wi-Fi, open the app and the programme will automatically start downloading to your device

For those with kids who love watching Justin’s House, a CBeebies favourite, they will now be able to enjoy Justin and his friends on a tablet or phone in the back of the car without the need for a 3G signal. And, people with smartphones can continue to enjoy the new series of Dr Who on the train or tube, without worrying about connections or data allowances – another benefit of downloading shows over Wi-Fi and watching them offline.

This is a really great feature and one I will be using a lot!

What about you? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Raspbmc for Raspberry Pi gets PVR support and more

Andrew Edney
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2
Raspbmc for Raspberry Pi gets PVR support and more

Raspbmc for Raspberry Pi has just been updated again, this time with PVR support, easy codec installation and more.

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This is what was posted:

A few days ago I announced MPEG2 hardware decoding support for the Raspberry Pi. Prior to this announcement, there was little point in pushing out a PVR build, as only H264 broadcasts would be playable. Now we’ve got an MPEG2 decoder, it seems fitting to allow PVR support.This PVR build is custom and I have implemented it into the Raspberry Pi XBMC branch itself, so it is technically an unsupported platform. Thanks to empat0 for OMXPlayer patches. Don’t expect a lot of support on this for now!

What does PVR offer?

  • You can view your TV schedule, watch TV channels and schedule recordings.
  • Works with TVHeadend backend, MythTV, yaVDR, MediaPortal and will soon work with ForTheRecord
  • Works with IPTV / DVB-T (known as Freeview in the UK), and DVB-S (satellite), and in some regions DVB-C (cable).

This means you can now watch live TV on any Pi from a single antenna / dish / cable connection.

Easy codec installation

Now it’s easier than ever to enter your license keys you got from the foundation as you can do it right from the Raspbmc Settings addon.

New XBMC release

This PVR functionality is now available in the form of a new XBMC update. This update brings bug fixes and enhancements as well. To get this functionality, you need to install it from the Nightly build list in the Raspbmc Settings addon. It’s being kept separate from the standard XBMC Raspbmc offers for reasons of stability and maintainability.

Known issue: CEC

CEC support is broken in this build. I can resolve this later, but haven’t had much time to look at it as I’m a little busy for now working on the next release.

Many thanks and enjoy

Check out the videos we made with Eben Upton Check out our unboxing of our Raspberry Pi

Have you ordered one? Let us know if you get yours and what you do with it.

IFA 2012: Elgato Announces Updates to Eye-TV

Jim McCarthy
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5
IFA 2012: Elgato Announces Updates to Eye-TV

Elgato announced some updates to its Eye-TV product line.  Read on for details.

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Elgato announced some updates to their Eye-TV line at IFA last week.  Here is the announcement detail:

Munich, August 30, 2012 – Elgato today unveiled the new EyeTV Mobile, a redesigned, even smaller model of its highly acclaimed DVB-T TV Tuner designed to fit the iPad’s and iPhone’s dock connector. With the IFA 2012 launch of the new EyeTV Mobile comes the announcement of EyeTV Micro, an ultra-compact DVB-T TV Tuner for Android smartphones and tablets. Also on display at this years IFA is the Game Capture HD, Elgato’s solution for recording and sharing PlayStation or Xbox gameplay. Visit Elgato in Hall 12 / 113.

An even smaller EyeTV Mobile
Thanks to highly efficient chip technology, the new EyeTV Mobile is just half the size of any other TV tuner for the dock connector. Despite its ultra-compact enclosure, EyeTV Mobile can be used with different aerials to get the best possible reception both on the move and at home. EyeTV Mobile will be available for the new iPad (3rd generation), iPad 2, and iPhone 4S in September at a price of GBP 89.95 £ through Elgato’s online shop and resellers. The EyeTV Mobile app is free and is available on the App Store.

EyeTV Micro turns Androids into TVs
EyeTV Micro brings powerful DVB-T reception, extreme portability, and clean design to Android. It connects to the Micro USB port which is common on many smartphones and tablets. Alternatively, EyeTV Micro can be connected to a computer using the included USB adapter cable, and Mac or PC software. EyeTV Micro ships with different aerial options to deliver the best possible reception both on the move and at home. It will be available in September for Android devices with a dual-core CPU, NEON support and Android 4.0.3 (“Ice Cream Sandwich”) at a price of GBP £54.95 through Elgato’s online shop and resellers. The EyeTV Micro app is free and is available on Google Play.

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Game Capture HD
Elgato also shows the Game Capture HD a simple and stylish solution for recording and sharing PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 gameplay using a Mac or PC. With Elgato Game Capture HD, gameplay videos are easier to record, edit and share than ever before thanks to its innovative hardware design, powerful H.264 encoder, and software that is specifically tailored to gamers needs. Elgato Game Capture HD is available for EUR £179.95 .

Here is a brief video that shows you a little more about the Eye-TV Mobile.

The new tuners that attach to your IOS or Android devices are a good idea!  Here’s hoping that they cross to the US soon!

Click Here For More Information

Synology Announces Official Release of DiskStation Manager 4.1

Jim McCarthy
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0
Synology Announces Official Release of DiskStation Manager 4.1

Synology has released DiskStation Manager 4.1.  Read on for details.

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Synology has released DiskStation Manager 4.1 for their line of NAS units.  Here is what they announced:

Leaner, more agile and productive NAS OS

Milton Keynes, United Kingdom – August 31, 2012—Synology® today released the official version of DiskStation Manager (DSM) 4.1. In just 50 days DSM 4.1 beta drew in more than 80,000 downloads, which made it another successful operating system in Synology’s history. “

The popularity has shown customers’ recognition of our unremitting endeavor to add innovative and enhanced capabilities to DSM,” said Vic Hsu, CEO of Synology Inc. “Continuing the evolution, DSM 4.1 is driving business productivity and delivering a gratifying user experience.” DSM 4.1 offers:

  • Agile storage for virtual infrastructure: DSM 4.1 fully supports VMware® vSphere 5 vStorage APIs for Array Integration (VAAI) features. By integrating Full Copy, Zero Blocks, and Atomic Test and Set (ATS) features, Synology DiskStation and RackStation boost the performance of ESXi servers and optimize storage utilisation to empower business with an efficient virtualised data centre.
  • Dynamic business applications: The revamped Syslog server features real-time log overview, extensive notification service, and customizable log archive, making it easy for IT managers to manage logs collected over the network. Cloud Station syncs individual files as large as 5GB, allows for two folders in sync, and complies with business IT policy by supporting HTTPS tunneling and proxy to establish secure connection. Mail server is re-designed with an intuitive interface where users can clearly view e-mail activities and data bandwidth at first glance. It also provides SMTP/SMTPS relay services, email alias, multiple domains, spam filter, and auto-reply to meet business’ needs for a sophisticated mail service.
  • Robust resource sharing solutions: DSM 4.1 boasts streamlined data consolidation by enabling users to sync shared folders from multiple DiskStation and RackStation to a single destination. File sharing becomes not only more efficient with FXP support, but also more secure with SFTP server support to meet enterprise security standards. Moreover, Traffic Control and Speed Limit can prioritize or throttle bandwidth for different users, groups or services, and thus ensuring quality of services.
  • Unleashing multimedia sensation: The brand-new Video Station has a sleek interface that presents the entire video information gathered automatically, providing a convenient way to organise users’ video collections. With a USB DTV tuner, users can live stream TV shows or set a recording schedule. DS video extends their multimedia enjoyment to iOS devices and supports streaming H.264 videos of selected formats in HD quality for finest viewing experience. Timeline is built into Photo Station and allows users to display photos chronologically with geotags. Featuring a redesigned interface with an elegant appeal, Audio Station lets every user host a personal library and shows live lyrics with highlight of the current line. Even without Internet access, iOS users can enjoy music stored in cache. Additionally, DS audio and DS photo+ are brought to Windows Phone®. The new DS download allows iOS users to manage download tasks on-the-go.
  • Elevating surveillance intelligence: Architected to enhance usability, Surveillance Station 6 features a refreshed, intuitive interface, making video playback more efficient with four time-sliders that correspond to their respective channels. New object tracking features, including Tally Counter, Virtual Fence and No-idle Zone, help users detect intruders easily. Furthermore, web API offers system integrators an immense opportunity to add more functionality to their surveillance system.
Availability

Synology DSM 4.1 is free to download for users who own a DiskStation or RackStation x09 series and onward.

Supported models include:

DS213+, DS213, DS712+, DS212, DS212+, DS212j, RS212, RS812, DS1512+, DS1812+, DS3612xs, RS3412xs, RS3412RPxs, DS112j, DS112, DS412+, RS812+, RS812RP+, RS2212+, RS2212RP+, DS112+, RS3411xs, RS3411RPxs, RS2211+, RS2211RP+, RS411, DS3611xs, DS2411+, DS1511+, DS411+II, DS411+, DS411, DS411j, DS411slim, DS211+, DS211, DS211j, DS111, RS810+, RS810RP+, DS1010+, DS410, DS410j, DS710+, DS210+, DS210j, DS110+, DS110j, RS409+, RS409RP+, RS409, DS509+, DS409+, DS409, DS209+II, DS209+, DS209, DS209j, DS109+, DS109, DS109j, DS409slim

The download is available at http://www.synology.com/support/download.php

The live demo site is available at http://www.synology.com/products/dsm_livedemo.php

The integration with live TV tuners looks very interesting indeed!  This is a major release so if you have a Synology that can handle this upgrade, go ahead and get it!

Download DiskStation Manager 4.1 Here! See teh Live Demo Site Here!

Next 7 tracks for We Sing 80s game revealed, including Cyndi Lauper

Andrew Edney
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0
Next 7 tracks for We Sing 80s game revealed, including Cyndi Lauper

Following the success of We Sing Pop!, and the reveal of the first 7 tracks for We Sing 80’s , here are the next 7 tracks.

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The 80s will be remembered for many things – big hair, fluorescent socks and Cabbage Patch Kids, to name but three – but perhaps its most famous export is the music.

Fans of the decade which gave us power ballads, soft rock and some of the most memorable songs ever written are in for a treat this October, as Nordic Games Publishing announces We Sing 80s.

We Sing 80s will feature 30 nostalgic favourites, covering the unforgettable decade’s cult hits and dazzling disco tracks, all of which include the original videos. Each song has its own difficulty rating and can be played in short or full length song modes.

Party mode includes We Sing, Versus, Group Battle, Pass The Mic, First to X, Marathon, Blind and Expert. There’s also Solo mode, which can also be played in Blind and Expert mode. Karaoke mode strips the track of vocals to really challenge players, or those that fancy an authentic karaoke experience.

Other features include Singing Lessons to help singers fine tune their voices and a Jukebox to queue up songs like their own personal music channel.

In-game awards come from playing either single or multiplayer modes, adding further depth and replay value to We Sing 80s. Plus, once a track has been sung, players can replay performances and add cool effects to their voice.

More points come thanks to Star Notes which provides extra points for hitting hard notes and Player Statistics give a detailed breakdown on performance on notes hit and missed with a comment on your performance at the end.

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The hugely popular True Colours is known worldwide and rightfully fits on the tracklist for We Sing 80s. Performed by Cyndi Lauper, it spent two weeks in the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and the song received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

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Shout, sung by the British band Tears for Fears, was released in 1984, the heart of the 80s. A synth-rock anthem, Shout would become one of the most successful pop songs of 1985 eventually reaching the Top Ten in 25 countries.

Yazoo released Only You in 1982, featuring its smooth synthesized melody beat that took Only You to as high as number two in the UK charts. The song’s popularity was further increased by being covered the Flying Pickets, which took it to the UK Christmas number one in 1983.

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All Around The World was a relatively late release in the 80s, with the title being launched in November 1989. However Lisa Stansfield made this song a hit with All Around The World hitting the top spot for two weeks in a row in the UK and reaching number one in 11 other countries.

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Paula Abdul is a woman of many talents; a singer-song writer, dancer, choreographer, actress and a mainstay in American television reality show The X Factor USA. Paula Abdul will always be remembered for her 1988 hit single Straight Up which reached number one in the Billboard Hot 100.

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Simple Minds were certainly Alive and Kicking in 1985 with the title making it to number seven in the UK singles chart and hitting the heights of number three in the US Billboard Hot 100, retaining a spot in the top five for four weeks. Alive and Kicking remains a classic today having been used on BSkyB’s FA Premier League trailers.

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In 1985 Baltimora released its debut single Tarzan Boy and it became an instant hit with its smooth dance beat, dominating charts across Europe. Its great success was in France where it topped the charts for five consecutive weeks. Tarzan boy was so successful it has been covered by many artists over the years.

So that’s the next 7 of the 30 tracks revealed. Back at Gamescom a few weeks ago I got a sneak preview of the rest of the tracks, and even sang one of them, although I can’t say what that song was because it’s not one of the ones above.

Visit the We sing website: http://www.wesinggame.com

Are you going to sing along? Tell us what 80’s tracks you would like to sing to by leaving a comment below.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn – new trailer, screenshots and concept art released

Andrew Edney
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0
FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn – new trailer, screenshots and concept art released

Square Enix has released a new gameplay trailer, new screenshots and concept art for FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn following stage show reveals at the FINAL FANTASY 25th Anniversary celebration event in Tokyo.

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The ‘Limit Break!’ gameplay trailer highlights the new party-based battle system coming to FINAL FANTASY: A Realm Reborn, and is a full, expanded version of a short teaser trailer first unveiled on stage at Gamescom 2012.

Here is the trailer:

The artwork and screenshots reflect the presentation given at the FINAL FANTASY 25th Anniversary celebration event in Tokyo, including images of the newly announced battle class, the Arcanist, and job that stems from this class, the Summoner.

Here is the amazing artwork:

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And the screenshots:

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What do you think of game? Is it one you will buy? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Xbox LIVE on Windows 8 Titles Announced

Andrew Edney
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2
Xbox LIVE on Windows 8 Titles Announced

Earlier this year Microsoft announced that Xbox is coming to Windows 8. Now, in addition to its industry-leading gaming service, Xbox is pleased to announce support from Microsoft Studios, Rovio, Miniclip, Gameloft, ZeptoLab, Glu Mobile, Halfbrick Studios, and others to bring high quality Xbox games to Windows 8.

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The first wave of will bring many of the games you already know and love, and will include 29 titles from Microsoft Studios, some of which will be exclusive to Windows 8.

Many games will be available starting October 26th with on-going new releases coming through the Christmas period and beyond. This growing portfolio spans genres and delivers an innovative mix of fun-to-play titles that will be playable on any Windows 8 PC, laptop, or tablet.

Xbox games will be easy to find in the preinstalled Windows 8 Xbox Games app and available in the Windows 8 Store. In addition, all Xbox games for Windows 8 will have Xbox Achievements, and many will also take advantage of other Xbox features, including leaderboards, multiplayer modes and connecting with friends, and more. Have a look at the first wave from the portfolio:

1. 4 Elements II Special Edition

2. A World of Keflings

3. Adera: Episode 1

4. Adera: Episode 2

5. Adera: Episode 3

6. Angry Birds

7. Angry Birds Space

8. Big Buck Hunter Pro

9. BlazBlue Calamity Trigger

10. Collateral Damage

11. Crash Course GO

12. Cut the Rope

13. Disney Fairies

14. Dragon’s Lair

15. Field & Stream Fishing

16. Fruit Ninja

17. Gravity Guy

18. Gunstringer: Dead Man Running

19. Hydro Thunder Hurricane

20. IloMilo

21. iStunt 2

22. Jetpack Joyride

23. Kinectimals Unleashed

24. Microsoft Mahjong

25. Microsoft Minesweeper

26. Microsoft Solitaire Collection

27. Monster Island

28. PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX

29. Pinball FX 2

30. Reckless Racing Ultimate

31. Rocket Riot 3D

32. Shark Dash

33. Shuffle Party

34. Skulls of the Shogun

35. Taptiles

36. Team Crossword

37. The Harvest HD

38. Toy Soldiers Cold War

39. Wordament

40. Zombies!!!

So are you going to get any of these? Let us know which ones by leaving a comment below.

A closer look at the Toshiba Satellite U920t Convertible Ultrabook running Windows 8

Andrew Edney
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0
A closer look at the Toshiba Satellite U920t Convertible Ultrabook running Windows 8

This week at IFA, Toshiba announced a new convertible Ultrabook running Windows 8 called the Satellite U920t, and we got to play with one.

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Here is a closer look at it both laptop and tablet configuration:

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And that all important new Windows button:

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And here is a short video of it in action:

And no specifics on a release date or a price at this stage, but expect it around the end of October.

What do you think of the U920t? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

A closer look at the TomTom Navigation app for Android

Andrew Edney
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0
A closer look at the TomTom Navigation app for Android

This week TomTom announced that their Navigation app was coming to Android, and yesterday at IFA we got a closer look at it.

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The Android version works in both portrait and landscape modes.

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There is also a special mount coming for use with Android devices. And don’t worry about the size of your device because the mount has moveable holders. It also has a built in charger for the phone or device and a microphone on a cable that can be placed anywhere in the car for better and clearer speech.

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And here talk to Charlotte Saayman from TomTom who gives us a demo of the app:

Do you have an Android device and want the TomTom app? Let us know what you think of it by leaving a comment below.

A closer look at the HP ENVY Touchsmart laptop running Windows 8 at IFA 2012

Andrew Edney
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1
A closer look at the HP ENVY Touchsmart laptop running Windows 8 at IFA 2012

This week HP announced three new laptops running Windows 8, and at IFA we got to see them in action. Here we take a closer look at the HP ENVY Touchsmart laptop running Windows 8 at IFA 2012.

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And here is a video of it in action:

No specifics on pricing yet, but as with all the Windows 8 devices shown at IFA expect them to be launched at the end of October at or around the same time that Windows 8 is officially released.

So what do you think of the HP ENVY Touchsmart then? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

A closer look at the HP Spectre XT Touchsmart laptop running Windows 8 at IFA 2012

Andrew Edney
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0
A closer look at the HP Spectre XT Touchsmart laptop running Windows 8 at IFA 2012

This week HP announced three new laptops running Windows 8, and at IFA we got to see them in action. Here we take a look at the new Spectre XT Touchsmart running Windows 8.

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This is the follow up to the ENVY 14 Spectre launched earlier in the year at CES.

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And here is a video of it in action:

No specifics on pricing yet, but as with all the Windows 8 devices shown at IFA expect them to be launched at the end of October at or around the same time that Windows 8 is officially released.

So what do you think of the HP Spectre XT then? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

A closer look at the HP ENVY X2 Windows 8 Hybrid PC at IFA 2012

Andrew Edney
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0
A closer look at the HP ENVY X2 Windows 8 Hybrid PC at IFA 2012

This week HP announced three new laptops running Windows 8, and at IFA we got to see them in action. Here we look at the HP ENVY X2 Windows 8 Hybrid PC.

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The X2 is very lightweight and the screen is very responsive.

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Here is the screen and keyboard separated:

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Here you can see the ports on both sides of the X2.

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And the new Windows logo along with the button to release the slate,

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And this is the back of the slate part:

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And here is a short video of it in action:

No specifics on pricing yet, but as with all the Windows 8 devices shown at IFA expect them to be launched at the end of October at or around the same time that Windows 8 is officially released.

So what do you think of the HP ENVY X2 then? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The Home Server Show Episode 195 Out Now

Andrew Edney
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0
The Home Server Show Episode 195 Out Now

Dave at the guys at the Home Server Show have released episode 195.

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Here’s what Dave has to say about this weeks show:

We are back with a packed episode this time. We start out with the 2nd Annual Meetup date and details. You don’t want to miss it! I’ll be talking a lot about Synology and differences between 2 and 4 bay units. Synology also has a new box coming out and we talk about it a bit. CrashPlan and SkyDrive are also a part of the conversation as well as Windows 8 tablets and phones that are headed our way. We also briefly touch on LastPass and 2 factor authentication.

Listen to this week’s show from here

StableBit DrivePool for Windows Home Server 2011 Beta 1.0.2.6817 released

Andrew Edney
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0
StableBit DrivePool for Windows Home Server 2011 Beta 1.0.2.6817 released

There has been another beta build from CoveCube! StableBit DrivePool development marches on – now its version 1.0.2.6817.

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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 beta version’s change log:

1.2.0.6817

* Enabled 3rd party balancing plug-in support. To write your own plug-in see: http://wiki.covecube.com/StableBit_DrivePool_-_Develop_Balancing_Plugins

* Pool size chart vanished when pool had < 1KB of data.

* Balance ratio will not decrease unless pool has > 1MB.

* [D] Fixed real-time file size tracking issues related to multiple handles (will re-measure on upgrade).

* Added Settings tab to the balancing settings window. – Control when automatic balancing happens. – Control automatic balancing triggers. – Allow 3rd party balancers to start an immediate balancing pass at any time.

Download the latest beta version from here
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