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

Download Issue 5 of The MagPi Digital Magazine for lovers of the Raspberry Pi

If you have, or are interested in the Raspberry Pi, then you might want to download the new issue of The MagPi digital magazine.

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This is how the Raspberry Pi guys describe the magazine:

The MagPi, a free online magazine dedicated to the Raspberry Pi, whose first issue was released a few days ago, is a perfect example of that. It’s been put together entirely by volunteers, guided by Ash Stone, Jason “Jaseman” Davies, Meltwater and other names you may recognise from the forums and comments on this site. I was broadly aware they were up to something, but I was amazed at the scope of what they sent me to look at earlier in the week, and I’ve been really, really impressed by the first issue. There are Debian and Puppy guides, articles on computing history, ideas for robotics projects, tutorials in Scratch and Python (with code you can type in yourself, just like in the good old days), features about the Raspberry Pi itself, and other goodies to dig into. I really can’t recommend it enough, and if you haven’t been lucky enough to get to the head of the queue, you don’t need a Raspberry Pi to find it useful (you might actually find the magazine good preparation before yours arrives).

It is a really interesting read – so go download it today, and let us know what you think!

Download the new issue of The MagPi here

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Collection #4: Final Assault pack trailer released

The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Collection #4: Final Assault Pack will be available next week and to keep you going we have the new trailer.

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Saluting Modern Warfare 3’s Season of Content, the fourth and final DLC collection deploys with five all-new Multiplayer Maps. Surrounded by mountains, “Gulch” sends combatants into a forgotten mining town with only mine shafts and equipment sheds for cover. The Jersey coast awaits in “Boardwalk,” where fun in the sun means facing enemies on the beach. Players must earn their sea legs on “Off shore” and “Decommission,” where deadly oceanic oilrigs and a maze of rotting ocean liners provide the perfect setting for shoreline-based combat. Rounding out the collection is a trip to New Orleans’ war-torn French Quarter, where “Parish” pits players against one another amidst the city’s rubble.

Modern Warfare 3 Collection 4 Final Assault is available from 6th September on Xbox Live

Check out our review of Call of Duty: MW3

Have you tried any of the packs yet? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Halo 4 Forward Unto Dawn Cryo video released

A new video for the forthcoming live-action digital series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn has just been released – it’s called Cryo.

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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.

The new recruits at Corbulo Academy of Military Science, the UNSC’s premiere training facility, gear up for their first-hand training with cyro-sleep in a new vignette entitled “Cryo” from the upcoming live-action digital series, “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.”

At the Corbulo Academy of Military Science, cadets receive first-hand training with cryo-sleep, a technology necessary for deep-space travel to other worlds. But for one cadet, trying to get normal sleep the night before his first experience with cryo proves difficult when his head is filled with stories from his very creative room-mate. You can watch the video 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.

I am really looking forward to Halo 4, and I am also looking forward to watching Forward Unto Dawn!

What do you think of it so far? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 Version 2.13 Pre Release 1 released

Brian has also released version 2.13 Pre Release 1 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.

My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 2.13 (PR1) changes:

Added: Option to use external storage devices instead of only internal storage.

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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.

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

App Update: Skype for Android updated with Bluetooth improvements

Skype for Android has been updated and brings both bug fixes and Bluetooth improvements.

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Make free Skype-to-Skype video calls, and call phones at Skype rates on the move

Make free voice and video calls to anyone else on Skype, whether they’re on an Android, iPhone, Mac or PC, as well as IMs to your friends and family.

Features:
– Skype to Skype IMs, video and voice calls are free over 3G or WiFi.
– Make low-cost calls and SMS to mobiles or landlines from your Android.
– Send pictures, videos and files to any of your contacts.
– Enjoy high-quality sound when you call anyone else on Skype.
– Talk face to face or show what you’re seeing with front and rear-facing cameras.

What’s in this version:

Bluetooth improvements
•    More reliable connection with headsets
•    More headsets supported
Bug fixes
•    No more random signing out
•    Fixed green video on HTC devices
•    Restored video quality on Nvidia-powered devices

Download now from Google Play

Pure adds three new flavours to their Sensia 200D Connect range

Back in July we introduced you to the new Sensia 200D Connect from Pure, and this week at IFA they introduced some new colours.

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In addition to black and white, Sensia 200D Connect is now available in a series of on-trend colourways:

Mango

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or Lime Green

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and finally in Burnt Orange (just don’t call it red).

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Sensia 200D Connect is available now at just £249.99 (SRP) from all good retailers. For more information, visit www.pure.com

We have been using one for a little while and will be publishing our review shortly so watch this space.

Have you used on? Let us know what you think of it by leaving a comment below.

Apple iPad Mini cases outed at IFA 2012

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With talk of Apple announcing an iPad Mini this month, it wasn’t surprising to already see vendors here at IFA 2012 showing off iPad Mini cases!

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Obviously these are not Apple approved products, and just because there are cases here on display doesn’t actually mean that Apple will indeed launch the iPad Mini, but it certainly adds fuel to the rumour mill!

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Would you buy an iPad mini? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

IFA 2012: HP Unveils Innovative Multitouch Hybrid PC and Ultrabooks

HP unveiled three new laptops and ultrabook units.  Read on for details!

HP ENVY x2

HP unveiled three new laptop/ultrabook models this week.  Here are the details:

BRACKNELL, August 30, 2012 — HP today announced three consumer notebooks featuring multitouch displays, including a uniquely designed hybrid PC that gives people more choice in how they access information.

The HP ENVY x2 is a powerful and ultrathin hybrid PC with the advantages of two devices in one.

As a notebook that doubles as a tablet, the HP ENVY x2 has a detachable screen that becomes a full tablet when separated from the keyboard via a seamless magnetic latch. Customers no longer have to choose between a product that lets them create rich content and another that lets them enjoy entertainment on the go—they can have both in one device.

The HP SpectreXT TouchSmart Ultrabook™ and HP ENVY TouchSmart Ultrabook™ 4 bring the intuitive power of touch to ultramobile PCs.

“Consumers want the flexibility to move between creating rich documents and losing themselves in a great movie,” said Louis Perrin, director, Personal Computer Consumer Division, HP EMEA. “With the HP ENVY x2, customers can have it all, and the touch experience on these three new notebooks brings out the best of Windows 8.”

These notebook PCs are the first HP products announced with Microsoft® Windows® 8; additional notebooks, desktops and tablets will be announced later in 2012.

HP ENVY x2—the right device for the right time, every time

The HP ENVY x2 solves the “Do I bring my notebook or tablet?” dilemma. Consumers get the power of a notebook and the freedom of a tablet in one stylish, lightweight device.

Featuring a sleek aluminum finish and an innovative hinge with magnets that smoothly guide the tablet into place, the HP ENVY x2 weighs 1.4 kg.(1) When separated, the tablet portion weighs just 0.71 kg.

Customers can interact directly with the optimized Windows 8 touch interface on the HP ENVY x2’s vivid 29.4 cm (11.6”) HD(2) touch display. Ultrawide viewing angles and a bright, 400-nit In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel provide a superb visual experience indoors and outdoors, while an HD webcam on the front and an 8-megapixel camera on the back capture high-quality photos and video. The HP ENVY x2 boasts up to 14 hours battery life with an intelligent charging mechanism.

The HP ENVY x2 also features Beats AudioTM for the best-sounding, richest audio experience available on a PC. An optional stylus offers added creativity, giving customers the freedom to write, draw and navigate with added accuracy.

The HP ENVY x2 also makes sharing and staying connected with friends and family a breeze. A new HP Connected Photo(3) application seamlessly syncs photos across multiple devices and offers basic editing options and instant-sharing capabilities for social networks. The HP ENVY x2 uses solid-state memory for improved reliability and faster startup times. Near Field Communication (NFC) technology lets users share content, including photos, contacts and URLs, with a simple tap.

IFA 2012: Samsung Announces New Smart TV’s

Samsung announced two new smart TV’s, both OLED based and with the ability to be controlled with gestures.  Read on for details.

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Samsung announced two new smart TV’s, both OLED based and with the ability to be controlled with gestures.  Here is what they announced:

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS DISPLAYS NEXT-GENERATION SMART TV TECHNOLOGY AT IFA 2012

Worldwide TV leader showcases OLED TV delivering, new consumer experiences with Smart Content and Smart Interaction

Berlin, Germany 30th August, 2012 Today at IFA 2012, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, showcased its much-anticipated 55-inch ES9500 OLED TV, featuring unrivalled picture quality, luxurious design and the new Samsung Multi View function. Also on show was the premium 75-inch LED ES9000 Smart TV with rose-gold bezel and the latest Smart Content. The Samsung Smart Hub demoed Angry Birds, played for the first time on Samsung Smart TV using Gesture Control.

Samsung’s IFA exhibit contains the “World’s Biggest OLED Experience”, comprising of twenty 55-inch OLED TVs, nine of which are suspended from the ceiling and rotate to create a captivating visual effect. This demonstration highlights OLED’s incredibly vivid picture quality and thin design. Visitors can experience first hand the superb OLED technologies, such as Samsung Multi View and crosstalk free OLED 3D, and glimpse the new OLED logo, an icon for the TV’s ability to reproduce intense, true-to-life colours and varying degrees of blacks.

Seven Years of Industry Leadership and Innovation

For the seventh consecutive year, Samsung championed its unrivalled leadership in Europe and worldwide by maintaining its leading position in the TV industry. This year, Samsung’s popularity was evident with the company’s Smart TV revenue holding 42.9 percent market share during the first half in Europe, while its 3D TV revenue held 44.7 percent market share. Samsung’s overall flat-panel TV revenue, including LCD and plasma TVs, represented 35 percent market share in Europe leading to the position as the No.1 TV maker worldwide for seven years running.

ES9500 OLED TV with Samsung Multi View

The long-anticipated Samsung ES9500 OLED TV, unveiled in Europe for the first time, marks the beginning of a new era in the TV industry. The 55-inch ES9500 OLED TV delivers ultimate picture quality through enhanced contrast ratio, richer colours and faster response time.

The ES9500’s self-emitting sub-pixels can individually reproduce life-like colours, creating a more immersive experience that draws the viewer into the action on the screen. OLED technology is also able to differentiate between varying degrees of blacks, enabling its contrast ratio to deliver unparalleled detail in shadows, shapes and subtle colours even in the darkest of scenes.

With no need for a separate light source, the ES9500 offers a fast response time, eliminating motion blur. That incredible speed translates into action scenes and sports games that are amazingly life-like and 3D experiences with virtually no crosstalk.

The ES9500’s minimalist design features a super-slim bezel, thin screen and distinctive back. The set gets thinner toward the edges of the metallic frame, and the small camera embedded in the bezel disappears when not in use, adding a further touch of elegance. Wires and connections can be neatly tucked away in the TV’s centre stand.

Samsung’s OLED TV supports the new Samsung Multi View, thanks to the TV’s high processing speeds and innovative wireless sound system. This feature allows two people to watch two different shows at the same time on the same full screen—with the ability to hear each programme separately using Samsung Multi View 3D glasses with integrated earphones. With Samsung Multi View, there are no restrictions on the type of content users watch, so the possibilities are endless.

75-inch LED ES9000 Smart TV

Samsung’s 75-inch LED ES9000 Smart TV combines the best in design and performance to deliver a view unlike any other. Created with consumer demand for larger TVs and a more engaging viewing experience in mind, the ES9000’s design is so thin and unobtrusive, it allows users to become fully immersed in the stunning picture quality. Featuring a luxurious rose-gold finish 7.9mm frame and hidden push-up camera, the ES9000 offers the essence of sophistication and premium design along with the best of Samsung’s Smart TV features.

Both Samsung’s OLED TV and 75-inch LED ES9000 Smart TV also support Smart Interaction, Smart Content and Smart Evolution—features that were introduced to Samsung’s future-proofed, flagship Smart TVs early this year.

The World’s First Motion-Controlled Angry Birds Experience for Smart TV

Building on a heritage of killer Apps with the most robust Smart Content in the industry, Samsung is the first to bring Angry Birds, one of the world’s most loved games, to Samsung Smart TV with Gesture Control. Consumers can play the game like never before with Smart Interaction, using natural hand gestures to control the game and activate the unique skills of each bird on a bigger screen, creating an experience that is more fun compared to the mobile version of the game.

Samsung Smart TV brings family members together to enjoy a unique shared experience on a large screen with superior picture quality, while Smart Interaction technology adds a new level of interaction to Angry Birds that truly immerses each player in the game. Angry Birds is just one great example of the new experiences made possible by Smart Content, which gives consumers the power to use television with the same ease, flexibility and seamless connectivity shared by all other Samsung devices. To date, Samsung’s 2,000 Smart Content apps worldwide—nearly 1,000 of which are available in Europe—have been downloaded more than 45 million times.

Samsung also introduced a Samsung Smart TV with Google TV at IFA 2012, expanding the premium content and services available through Samsung Apps. Samsung Smart TV with Google TV will enhance the Smart TV experience for consumers seeking more options and seamless connectivity.

Samsung Smart TVs also feature Smart Evolution, which eases purchasing concerns by providing easy access to future technologies using the Samsung Smart Evolution kit. The European Image and Sound Association (EISA) recently awarded Samsung’s ES8000 series top accolades as the “European Future Proof TV” for making it remarkably simple for consumers to make their TVs “smarter” year to year.

Google TV integrated into the TV, the ability to control the TV with motion and gestures, and OLED technology in an attractive package make this line of TV’s really interesting!

Here is a product picture; this is a smart-looking TV set.

A Closer look at the Dell XPS 10 Windows 8 device

Yesterday at IFA, Dell announced three new XPS computers – one of those one the Dell XPS 10, and although we were not allowed any hands-on time with it, we got to see it a little more!

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It’s a small laptop:

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And the screen can be removed and used as a very thin slate:

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Here is the XPS 10 behind glass!

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No specifics yet on pricing, but Dell are claiming some really great battery life figures, so we look forward to being able to test one out for ourselves very soon.

What do you think of the Dell XPS 10? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Hands-on with the Dell XPS One 27 at IFA 2012

Yesterday at IFA, Dell announced three new XPS computers – one of those one the Dell XPS One 27, and after the press conference we got some hands-on with one.

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Here is the XPS One 27 in all it’s glory.

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Here are some close up shots, including some of the ports on the One 27.

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Moving the screen into a different position was simple.

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I really liked the Dell XPS One 27, the green is amazing quality – you can literally stand at the other side of the room and still see it clearly.

The touch element was very responsive too!

No word yet on pricing, so watch this space.

And we hope to have one for review soon.

What do you think of the of Dell XPS One 27? Let us know by leaving a comment below.