GIGABYTE Launches World’s First Fully Certified Dual Port Thunderbolt Motherboards

Jim McCarthy
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GIGABYTE Launches World’s First Fully Certified Dual Port Thunderbolt Motherboards

GIGABYTE announced the launch of the world’s first certified dual Thunderbolt™ motherboards.  Read on for details.

GIGABYTE Logo

GIGABYTE announced dual port Thunderbolt™ motherboards the other day.  Here is what they announced:

City of Industry, California, July 5th , 2012 – GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, today announced the latest GIGABYTE 7 series motherboards, the very first to offer fully certified dual onboard Thunderbolt™ ports. Capable of connecting up to 12 devices plus 3 digital displays simultaneously, with breathtaking data transfer speeds that can transfer 1TB of data in only five minutes, GIGABYTE Thunderbolt™ motherboards offer the fastest connection interface ever on the desktop PC.

GIGABYTE Thunderbolt™ motherboards allow users to daisy chain up to 12 devices simultaneously via an incredible bi-directional 10Gbps data pipeline that includes both PCIe and DisplayPort traffic. GIGABYTE Thunderbolt™ motherboards redefine desktop PC connectivity to make it far easier to connect multiple high speed storage devices and HD displays to your PC than ever before.

“Thunderbolt technology represents a leap in performance and simplicity for media creators and entertainment enthusiasts,” says Jason Ziller, Intel’s director of Thunderbolt marketing. “We are pleased to be working with GIGABYTE as they bring the first dual Thunderbolt port motherboard to market. It’s a great example of what Thunderbolt makes possible.”

GIGABYTE Dual Thunderbolt™ motherboards open up a wealth of new possibilities regarding high-performance storage devices. GIGABYTE has worked closely with several leading device partners, including Promise® Technology, LaCie, BlackMagic, Western Digital, Seagate, Elgato, CalDigit and cable manufacturer Sumitomo:

“Working with GIGABYTE has been very exciting,” said Kosta Panagos, Director of Creative Marketing, at CalDigit. “GIGABYTE’s new line of Intel 7 series motherboards featuring dual Thunderbolt ports, will usher in a new era of flexibility to the PC platform.  It is also a perfect match with CalDigit’s new T1 and T2 Thunderbolt drives which provide professional level performance on all platforms at consumer prices, a feat that was previously unattainable, thanks to GIGABYTE and Thunderbolt technology.”

“GIGABYTE’s new dual port Thunderbolt motherboards are an exciting innovation, giving incredible performance and are perfect for video and film professionals using Thunderbolt and the PC,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “Customers using our wide range of Thunderbolt devices will now be able to choose to work in whatever format they need, giving them the flexibility to build whatever production and post production workflow they need.”

“In line with GIGABYTE and its dual on board Thunderbolt ports, WD’s My Book® Thunderbolt™ Duo offers dual Thunderbolt ports for amazing creative flexibility while allowing daisy-chaining of up to six My Book Thunderbolt Duo drives or other high performance peripherals for fast and efficient workflow,” said Craig Davis, Director Sales & Marketing, Retail Division, Western Digital Asia Pacific & Japan Region.

“Thunderbolt technology is a fantastic way to deliver both data and display via one interface. It provides unparalleled performance and plenty of flexibility,” said Leo Paskin, Product Marketing Manager at Seagate. “With the ability to daisy chain up to 12 devices on GIGABYTE’s new dual port Thunderbolt motherboards, you can turn a desktop PC into a central device hub by plugging in a single cable!”

“As the first Intel certified cable vendor, Sumitomo is delighted to see GIGABYTE bring the first dual port Thunderbolt motherboard to market, creating the ultimate connectivity for desktop PCs, commented Motoi Matsuo. “These new Thunderbolt motherboards are also the perfect fit for Sumitomo’s exclusive high speed 20m optical cables.”

“Thanks to their dual Thunderbolt™ ports, Gigabyte’s new 7 series motherboards deliver unbeatable flexibility”, says Adam Steinberg, Vice President Marketing at Elgato. “The unique dual port feature enables users to combine multiple portable Thunderbolt™ devices like the powerful Elgato Thunderbolt™ SSD.”

“LaCie is pleased to see GIGABYTE announce Thunderbolt technology on their lasted motherboards,” said Erwan Girard, Professional Business Unit Manager, LaCie. “The time is now for demanding PC users, especially digital content creators, to experience the unprecedented speeds and advantages enabled by Thunderbolt Technology. The desire for computers and peripherals to keep up with their work flow is a concern of the past.”

Seagate Announces Preliminary Q4 Results

Jim McCarthy
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Seagate Announces Preliminary Q4 Results

Seagate announced preliminary Q4 2012 results the other day, missing earnings and gorss margin expectations.  Read on for details.

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Seagate announced preliminary Q4 results the other day.  Sales were $4.5 billion, shy of the target of $5 billion, and non-GAAO gross margins were 33.6% compared to the expectation of 34.5%.  Here is what they said:

Seagate Technology Announces Selected Preliminary Fiscal Fourth Quarter 2012 Financial Results

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Seagate Technology plc (NASDAQ:STX) today announced selected preliminary financial results for its fourth fiscal quarter of 2012, which ended on June 29, 2012.

Seagate expects to report record revenue of approximately $4.5 billion and non-GAAP gross margin of 33.6%. These preliminary results compare to the Company’s previous expectations for revenue of at least $5 billion and non-GAAP gross margin of at least 34.5%.

Seagate expects to report record unit shipments for the June quarter of approximately 66 million, reflecting approximately 45 exabytes of storage capacity and maintaining approximately 42% market share. During the quarter the company paid $1.2 billion to redeem over 45 million ordinary shares and exited June with 396 million basic shares outstanding. Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and short term investments totaled $2.2 billion at the end of the June quarter.

“Seagate expects to report another record quarter of revenue in the June quarter, however we did not meet our expected revenue and margin plan,” said Steve Luczo, Seagate chairman and chief executive officer.

“The June quarter’s shortfall was due primarily to two factors. First, we did not achieve our planned market share growth as we reduced shipments in response to the industry’s faster than expected recovery from their supply chain disruption. Second, we experienced an isolated supplier quality issue that affected one of our enterprise product lines. This product issue impacted enterprise product unit shipments by approximately 1.5 million units and drove our non-GAAP gross margin below our targeted plan. While this disruption to our business was disappointing, we acted quickly and conservatively by suspending shipments of the affected products. We have resolved the issue and have resumed fulfilling our supply commitments to customers.”

Luczo continued, “Based on the macro-economic concerns indicated by a broad base of customers, we are approaching the September quarter conservatively and aligning our business for a relatively flat addressable market and modest improvements in our product mix. We are adjusting our production and inventory planning accordingly, and we expect average selling prices and margins to remain relatively stable in the September quarter. We also continue to expect to exit the calendar year with non-GAAP gross margins exceeding 30%.”

Full Fiscal Fourth Quarter 2012 Financial Results

Seagate will report full fiscal fourth quarter 2012 financial results on Monday, July 30, 2012 after the close of the market. A conference call for the investment community will take place at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The conference call can be accessed online at www.seagate.com/investors.

A replay will be available beginning July 30 at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time through August 6 at 8:59 p.m. Pacific Time. The replay can be accessed through Seagate’s website at www.seagate.com/investors.

About Seagate

Seagate is the world leader in hard disk drives and storage solutions. Learn more at www.seagate.com.

Seagate closed today at $25.36, down 2.34% on the day.

STX Real-Time Quote

Dishonored gameplay videos from E3 released

Andrew Edney
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Dishonored gameplay videos from E3 released

Last month at E3 I was shown a demo of a new game from Bethesda called Dishonored. Unfortunately at the time it was a “behind closed doors” session, but now that demo is available for everyone to see.

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Dishonored casts you as a supernatural assassin driven by revenge. Creatively eliminate your targets with the flexible combat system as you combine supernatural abilities with weapons and gadgets at your disposal. Pursue your targets under the cover of darkness or ruthlessly attack them head on with weapons drawn. The outcome of each mission plays out based on the choices you make.

Below are some images from the game:

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In these videos, Co-Creative Directors Raphael Colantonio and Harvey Smith guide you through two different play-throughs of  ‘The Golden Cat’. The first video shows a stealthier approach to eliminating The Pendleton Brothers, two corrupt aristocrats. The second video depicts the more direct, action-oriented style of play to assassinate the targets. In addition to ‘The Golden Cat’, the second video illustrates a fight with the Tallboys who are patrolling the streets in ‘The Flooded District’.  Both videos were shot using non-final code and all the powers and gadgets have been unlocked to help with the demo.

Here is part 1 (its just over 14 minutes long):

And here is part 2 (at a shorter 8 minutes long):

Dishonored will be available in the UK on October 12, 2012, and is slated for release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

I have to say that I was really impressed with the demo and I can’t wait to see more. October is going to be a great month for gamers!

For more information on Dishonored visit www.Dishonored.com.

Synology announce DiskStation Manager (DSM) 4.1 beta

Andrew Edney
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0
Synology announce DiskStation Manager (DSM) 4.1 beta

Today Synology announced their DiskStation Manager (DSM) 4.1 beta program, and you can join!

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The new features of DSM 4.1 include:

  • Deliver leading and robust storage solutions for virtual infrastructure.
  • Boost business productivity and management efficiency with evolved Cloud Station, Syslog Server and Mail Server.
  • Offer efficient resource allocation and powerful data sharing solutions to comply with large enterprises’ standards.
  • Unlock multimedia sensations with the brand-new Video Station, advanced Photo Station, Audio Station and mobile apps.
  • Elevate surveillance intelligence with overhauled and robust Surveillance Station 6.

Among the first to support VMware vStorage APIs for Array Integration (VAAI) technologies, DSM 4.1 offloads various data operations from Hypervisor to DiskStation and RackStation by performing Full Copy, Zero Block, Atomic Test & Set (ATS) and Storage Reclamation, resulting in boosted performance and optimised storage space in demanding vSphere 5.0 environment.

DSM 4.1 brings the intelligence business users need to increase productivity. Cloud Station evolves to support two shared folders in sync and get files on mobile devices synced. Cloud Station also supports encrypted transmission, HTTPS and proxy server setting. Syslog Server is more proactive by presenting instantaneous overview, notification rules with keywords matching and customisable archiving policies. The Mail Server becomes full-fledged, which supports SMTP relay services, email alias, multiple domains, spam filter, auto-reply, plus real-time monitoring of mail quantity and bandwidth.

DSM 4.1 provides powerful resources sharing solution. Traffic Control and Speed Limit prioritise, reserve or limit bandwidth usage for different applications, users and groups. Resources Monitor additionally offers real-time and historical report of disks’ IOPS and transfer rate. By supporting SFTP, FXP and settings of connecting to the Internet via proxy server, file sharing is more efficient yet secure to comply with large enterprises’ standards. Furthermore, shared folders from multiple DiskStation and RackStation can be synchronised to a common destination.

DSM 4.1 unlocks multimedia sensations. The all-new Video Station greets users with film posters and detailed information gathered online automatically. With TV Recorder module, users can watch TV shows or set a recording schedule. DS video lets users watch videos and manage recording schedules on iOS devices. Furthermore, Photo Station introduces timeline to chronologically map out users’ albums pinned on a Google map. Location and name tags with automatic facial recognition help users filter out photos easily. Audio Station can displays lyrics and allows every account user to host a personal library. iOS users can enjoy music stored in cache despite no access to Internet. DS audio and DS photo+ additionally support Windows Phone. Furthermore, the new DS download allows users to manage download tasks.

With an overhauled interface for intuitive navigation, Surveillance Station 6 now features four time-sliders corresponding for different channels for video playback, finding critical moments is a lot easier. Various object tracking features, including Tally Counter, Virtual Fence and No-idle Zone helps users stay alert of intruders. Web APIs make it easy for developers to integrate Surveillance Station with their applications.

Applied Models of DSM 4.1 and Beta Packages:

12-series: DS712+, DS212, DS212+, DS212j, RS212, RS812, DS1512+, DS1812+, DS3612xs, RS3412xs, RS3412RPxs, DS112j, DS112, DS412+, RS812+, RS812RP+, RS2212+, RS2212RP+, DS112+

11-series: RS3411xs, RS3411RPxs, RS2211+, RS2211RP+, RS411, DS3611xs, DS2411+, DS1511+, DS411+II, DS411+, DS411, DS411j, DS411slim, DS211+, DS211, DS211j, DS111

10-series: RS810+, RS810RP+, DS1010+, DS410, DS410j, DS710+, DS210+, DS210j, DS110+, DS110j

9-series: RS409+, RS409RP+, RS409, DS509+, DS409+, DS409, DS209+II, DS209+, DS209, DS209j, DS109+, DS109, DS109j, DS409slim

If you are interested in joining the DSM 4.1 beta program, just click here.

Let us know if you do join and what you think of it.

Dropbox doubles space for their Pro accounts for free and adds a 500GB plan

Andrew Edney
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0
Dropbox doubles space for their Pro accounts for free and adds a 500GB plan

If you are a Dropbox Pro subscriber then you will find tonight your storage has doubled!

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As well as doubling the 50GB plan to 100GB and the 100GB to 200GB, Dropbox are also introducing an all new 500GB plan for those more storage hungry users.

Learn more about the pricing for the new 500GB later tonight when it goes live by clicking here.

Are you a Dropbox Pro subscriber? If so let us know what you think of this news.

Twitter app for iOS updated to version 4.3; brings Expanded Tweets

Andrew Edney
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0
Twitter app for iOS updated to version 4.3; brings Expanded Tweets

The official Twitter app for the iPhone and iPad has been updated to version 4.3, bringing with it expanded tweets.

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What’s New in Version 4.3

– Expanded Tweets: when you view Tweet details containing links to partner websites, you can now see content previews, view images, play videos and more [please note: this feature is rolling out gradually]
– Enhanced experience around selected events with the best Tweets and photos from those involved
– Push notifications for Tweets: choose to receive notifications from people you follow anytime they tweet or retweet
– Ambient notifications: enables you to see brief non-interruptive notifications in the status bar while you are using the app
– Improvements to search autocomplete for users
– Discover: now indicates when new stories are available for you to view
– Tappable avatars that take you directly to user profiles
– Performance improvements
– Support for password entry in app when experiencing authentication issues
– Hungarian language support
– Updated with new Twitter bird
– Many other tweaks, polish, and bug and crasher fixes

Download now from the Apple App Store

Google+ App for iOS Gets Updated to Version 3.0

Andrew Edney
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0
Google+ App for iOS Gets Updated to Version 3.0

Google have just updated it’s Google+ app for iOS devices with Google+ events added.

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What’s New in Version 3.0

✓ Full iPad support
✓ New feature: Google+ Events
✓ Attach Instant Upload photos to posts
✓ Start and join hangouts

Go get it now from the Apple App Store.

Kingston Digital Ships next-generation DataTraveler Locker+G2 Secure USB Flash Drive

Andrew Edney
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1
Kingston Digital Ships next-generation DataTraveler Locker+G2 Secure USB Flash Drive

Kingston Digital Europe today announced the second-generation of its popular DataTraveler Locker+ secure USB Flash drive for consumers. The new, lower priced DataTraveler Locker+ G2 works interchangeably between Mac OS X and Windows systems and all data is secured with hardware-based encryption.

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Users simply setup a password upon first use for access and the drive is as simple as plug and play with no extra software or partitions needed. The DataTraveler Locker+ G2 also features a password manager that allows users to store names and passwords for up to 20 accounts. The stylish, durable metal casing also features a key loop for easy attachment to a backpack, briefcase or purse.

“Data security for consumers is simple and affordable with the new DataTraveler Locker+ G2. The data encryption makes this the perfect USB drive to keep your information safe and out of strangers’ hands in case it ever gets lost,” says Krystian Jaroszynski, European Product Manager – Flash & HyperX, Kingston Digital Europe. “Users can take their data between Mac and PC systems with ease, and also safely store login information to websites with the included password manager.”

Kingston DataTraveler Locker+ G2 Features and Specifications:

· Hardware encryption: the best in personal security to keep your data safe

· Superior password protection: user sets a password to prevent unauthorized access

· Versatile: works interchangeably between Mac OS X and Windows systems

· Secure: drive locks down and reformats after 10 invalid login attempts

· Easy to use: no application installation required

· Password Manager: access and store user names and passwords for up to 20 accounts

· Stylish: durable metal casing with built-in key loop

· Customizable1: Co-Logo program available

· Supports: Windows 7, Vista, XP & Mac OS X

· Guaranteed: five-year warranty with free technical support

· Capacities2: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB

· Speed3: 10MB/s read and 5MB/s write

· Compatibility: designed to USB 2.0 specifications

· No admin rights required

· Minimum System Requirements:

– USB 2.0 compliant and 3.0 compatible

– Two free consecutive drive letters required for use

· Dimensions: 2.28″ x 0.73″ x 0.38″ (58.00mm x 18.6mm x 9.75mm)

· Operating Temperature: 32°F to 140°F (0°C to 60°C)

· Storage Temperature: -4°F to 185°F (-20°C to 85°C)

The DataTraveler Locker+ G2 is available in 4GB (rrp: £7.43), 8GB (rrp £8.61), 16GB (rrp: £15.33) and 32GB (rrp: £34.43) capacities – all prices exclude vat. It is backed by a five-year warranty and free technical support. For more information visit www.kingston.com/europe

Microsoft talks about Protecting user files with File History in Windows 8

Andrew Edney
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1
Microsoft talks about Protecting user files with File History in Windows 8

In their next Building Windows 8 article, Microsoft talks about Protecting user files with File History.

Win 8 file history

This is how the article starts:

File History is a backup application that continuously protects your personal files stored in Libraries, Desktop, Favorites, and Contacts folders. It periodically (by default every hour) scans the file system for changes and copies changed files to another location. Every time any of your personal files has changed, its copy will be stored on a dedicated, external storage device selected by you. Over time, File History builds a complete history of changes made to any personal file.

It’s a feature introduced in Windows 8 that offers a new way to protect files for consumers. It supersedes the existing Windows Backup and Restore features of Windows 7.

What is unique about this approach compared to a more traditional backup and restore?

Regretfully, backup is not a very popular application. Our telemetry shows that less than 5% of consumer PCs use Windows Backup and even adding up all the third party tools in use, it is clear nowhere near half of consumer PCs are backed up. This leaves user’s personal data and digital memories quite vulnerable as any accident can lead to data loss. In Windows 8 Microsoft is actively trying to accomplish the following:

  1. Make data protection so easy that any Windows user can turn it on and feel confident that their personal files are protected.
  2. Eliminate the complexity of setting up and using backup.
  3. Turn backup into an automatic, silent service that does the hard work of protecting user files in the background without any user interaction.
  4. Offer a very simple, engaging restore experience that makes finding, previewing and restoring versions of personal files much easier.

While designing File History we used learnings from the past and added requirements to address the changing needs of PC users.

  • PC users are more mobile than ever. To address that, we optimized File History to better support laptops that constantly transition through power states or are being connected and disconnected from networks and devices.
  • PC users create more data and are more dependent on it than ever before. So we do not only protect what’s currently on the system drive but also any work they have done and data they have created in the past.

When a specific point in time (PiT) version of a file or even an entire folder is needed, you can quickly find it and restore it. The restore application was designed to offer engaging experience optimized for browsing, searching, previewing and restoring files.

To continue reading it, click here.

I can see that this feature is going to be very useful and will really help people out!

What do you think and are you excited about Windows 8?

WD announces new RED hard drives designed for NAS devices

Andrew Edney
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1
WD announces new RED hard drives designed for NAS devices

WD today announced the debut of WD Redhard drives, an innovative line of SATA hard drives specifically designed for home and small office NAS (network attached storage) systems with one to five drive bays. Compatibility-tested with top NAS box manufacturers and optimised for power and performance, WD Red hard drives are now shipping in 3.5-inch 1 TB, 2 TB and 3 TB capacities.

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The WD Red line features NASware technology, designed to improve reliability and system performance, reduce customer downtime, and to simplify the integration process. This new product line addresses the unique environment of NAS and the growing demand for affordable, reliable, and compatible storage that reduces customer total cost of ownership. WD Red hard drives also feature 3D Active Balance Plus, an enhanced balance control technology, which significantly improves the overall drive performance and reliability. In an exclusive service for WD Red customers, WD is offering free premium 24×7 dedicated support and a three-year limited warranty.

The addition of WD Red expands WD’s “Power of Choice” client hard drive solutions. WD recognises that customers and their applications are diverse and they should be empowered to choose the drives that best suit their specific storage needs. With distinguishable colours, the “Power of Choice” storage solutions are clear and easy to identify: WD Blue (solid performance and reliability for everyday computing), WD Green (cool, quiet, eco-friendly), WD Black (maximum performance for power computing), and WD Red (home and small office NAS). The four colours enable quick selection of the best WD drive for customers’ application or usage requirements.

“The network attached entry level storage market is poised to grow at an 86.2% 2011-2016 CAGR,” according to John Rydning, IDC’s Research vice president for hard disk drives. “WD’s new Red hard disk drives offer a unique combination of product features and customer support for users seeking to expand the capacity of their entry level network attached storage solutions.”

“Until now, customers had to choose between using desktop or high-end server drives for their home or small office NAS systems – neither of which were both cost effective for consumer solutions and fully NAS compatible,” said Melyssa Banda, senior director of product marketing for WD. “WD saw this challenge as a perfect opportunity to design a better solution so we developed WD Red drives, an optimised product for this rapidly-growing segment.”

WD Red hard drives integrate seamlessly with WD NAS solutions, and are qualified to work with a wide array of WD OEM partners. An updated list of WD Red-qualified products and manufacturers is available on the WD website at http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=810.

WD Red hard drives are available now at select resellers and distributors. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the WD Red 1 TB drive (model #: WD10EFRX) is £69.99, the 2 TB drive (model #: WD20EFRX) is £89.99 and the 3 TB drive (model #: WD30EFRX) is £129.99.

We should have some RED drives for review very soon, so watch this space.

CDW was told that WD are also dropping the Caviar and Scorpio name and replacing the those names with the new colours branding to try and make it easier for users to understand what drives they have or might want. Also they are now including QR codes on the drive (as you can see in the image above). This is a good idea, and along with the new 24×7 support line just for the Red drives, buyers should be very comfortable in their selections.

Microsoft announces Windows 8 on track for August RTM

Andrew Edney
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2
Microsoft announces Windows 8 on track for August RTM

Today at their Worldwide Partner Conference, Microsoft announced that Windows 8 was on track for an August RTM, meaning that it will reach general availability by the end of October.

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This is what was posted on the Windows team blog today:

Today in Toronto, Canada, at Microsoft’s annual Worldwide Partner Conference, Windows Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Financial Officer Tami Reller spoke to thousands of partners from around the world. She shared some exciting new details regarding Windows that I wanted to pass along.

For the first time, we provided details on Windows 8 availability. Tami confirmed that Windows 8 is on track to Release to Manufacturing (RTM) the first week of August. For enterprise customers with Software Assurance benefits, they will have full access to Windows 8 bits as early as August. Additionally, she noted that RTM is when we’ll be turning on the commerce platform so that developers can start earning money for their apps – we’ll have more to share on the Windows Store for developers blog soon. Of course, right now with the Windows 8 Release Preview, all apps are still free for people to try.

Tami went on to say that Windows 8 will reach general availability by the end of October! This means that new Windows 8 and Windows RT PCs will be available to buy and upgrades will be available starting in October. She also mentioned that that Windows 8 will be available in 109 languages across 231 markets worldwide.

Finally, Tami announced a new milestone with Windows 7. There is no question that Windows 7 is the bestselling operating system in history – and the number of licenses sold keeps growing. In her remarks, Tami announced that more than 630 million Windows 7 licenses have been sold to date – and that more than half of enterprise desktops today are running Windows 7.

For Windows 8 hardware demos from our partners, I recommend watching the replay of the keynote, which will be available here later today.

So what do you think? I have mixed emotions about it – on the one hand I think it’s great on a tablet or slate device, and on the other I am not yet convinced on a desktop!

Only time will tell I suppose.

Activision announces The Walking Dead video game based on the TV series

Andrew Edney
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0
Activision announces The Walking Dead video game based on the TV series

Activision Blizzard and Terminal Reality announced today an all-new The Walking Dead video game. Based on AMC’s Emmy-Award winning TV series, the do-whatever-you-need-to-survive first-person action game will allow players to assume the role of the mysterious, crossbow-wielding survivor Daryl Dixon, alongside his overbearing brother Merle, on a haunting, unforgiving quest to make their way to the supposed safety of Atlanta.

Walking Dead Video Game

“The work AMC has done with the TV series has been amazing and we’re ecstatic at the opportunity to be brought into the fold,” said Drew Haworth, Creative Director at Terminal Reality.  “The studio is made up of fans of the show, and we think other fans will see that the situations and walkers featured in our game are every bit as gruesome and shocking as they are in the TV series — they look, move and react as expected with full authenticity — and they will surprise you.  The player’s fight-or-flight survival instinct is constantly engaged.  ‘Flight’ is usually a good bet.”

Terminal Reality’s The Walking Dead video game takes the undead and brings them out of the TV show and into console gaming systems in a new, terrifying way.  The iconic walkers will relentlessly hunt down players like their television counterparts, using a combination of sight, sound and smell.  As Daryl, players will need to tread carefully throughout each new area they explore.  Once discovered, it doesn’t take much to attract an unstoppable horde of undead walkers, so every threat needs to be assessed, and every situation analyzed.  Players will have to choose between whether to stay and fight while risking a gruesome death or using stealth to avoid the undead.  No place is truly safe for Daryl as he makes his way through the Georgia countryside in this new, post-apocalyptic world.

“Activision and Terminal Reality are working to deliver a powerful combination of a deep, engrossing story with intense action,” said Charlie Collier, AMC’s president.  “Daryl is such a unique and complex character and we’re excited to offer fans the opportunity to experience this new video game.”

Resources are scarce and scattered in The Walking Dead video game, and gamers will have to not only ration supplies, but carefully consider their food, medical needs, ammunition, and other goods as survival in the game is based upon wit and intellect more so than simple, sheer skill.  In order to endure this constant state of danger, players will have to do all they can to silence the noises they make and avoid detection.  Throughout his journey, Daryl will encounter a slew of other characters that can help or hurt him in a variety of ways, and whether or not they accompany him is completely up to player choice and represents just some of the major decisions that will constantly be made while fighting to survive.

The Walking Dead video game is scheduled for release in 2013 for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC, and is currently rated “RP” (Rating Pending) by the ESRB.  For more information, visit www.TheWalkingDeadBegins.com

I am a big fan of both the comic and the TV show, and I really like what TellTale Games have done with their game so I am excited to see what Activision will bring.

NOW TV from Sky to be available on YouView

Andrew Edney
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0
NOW TV from Sky to be available on YouView

NOW TV, the new internet TV service from Sky, is expected to be one of the first content partners on YouView, the new set-top box offering subscription-free digital TV, catch-up and a selection of pay TV.

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NOW TV is a new service giving millions more people an easy and commitment-free way to access some of the UK’s best pay TV content. Powered by Sky and launching this summer, it will offer access to some of Sky’s most popular programming. Sky Movies will be available from launch and the service will later expand to offer sport and entertainment.

With no minimum contract, customers will be able to choose from a variety of pricing options – for example, paying monthly for unlimited access to Sky Movies, or renting a single movie on a simple, pay-as-you-go basis. With immediate streaming delivered through an intuitive interface, customers will quickly and easily find the content they most want to watch.

Backed by some of Britain’s biggest names in TV and broadband – the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Arqiva, BT and TalkTalk – YouView will bring a fully integrated service to homes across the country via a broadband internet connection, television aerial and a YouView set-top box. Alongside NOW TV, YouView has also confirmed that STV is expected to be a content partner on the platform, alongside the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

In addition to YouView, NOW TV will roll out across a wide range of connected devices, including PCs, Macs, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, games consoles and connected TVs. More information can be found here: www.nowtv.com

BYOB Podcast Episode 91 Out Now

Andrew Edney
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0
BYOB Podcast Episode 91 Out Now

The guys over at the BYOB podcast have just released episode 91.

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Here is what is included in this weeks show:

[box style=”rounded” border=”full”]WHS2011 is dead! Server 2012 essentials, Windows 8’s amazing deal,AMD does it still blow? Intel 330 SSD, iOS Podcast app, WD has Routers?! Gigabyte and Thunderbolt…wonder twin powers activate![/box]

As usual you can listen to the show from here.

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