Toshiba launches the R9 business laptop range

Andrew Edney
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0
Toshiba launches the R9 business laptop range

Toshiba UK today announced the launch of the R9 Series – three new premium business laptops with industry leading features and advanced management functionality.

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Comprising the ultraportable 33.8cm (13.3”) Portégé R930, the mobile 35.6cm (14”) Tecra R940 and the high performance 39.6cm (15.6”) Tecra R950, the R9 series is a highly reliable collection of business laptops in a variety of screen sizes and specifications. Designed to cater for large corporations, SMBs or individual professionals, the R9 range also features advanced security measures to help protect files from theft, unwanted access and online intrusion.

Powerful and well connected
A unique air-flow cooling system on the Portégé R930 allows full-voltage processors to be used, despite its incredibly compact design. Featuring 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors, up to 16GB of RAM and optional dedicated AMD Radeon® graphics, the R9 Series is capable of handling multiple demanding tasks and running graphic-heavy applications with ease.

All R9 Series models feature an optical disk drive, up to four USB ports, including two USB 3.0, a SmartCard reader, VGA and HDMI® outputs, ensuring connectivity isn’t compromised. All-day battery life on each model is ideally suited to long-haul journeys, full days out of the office or working in remote conditions without access to mains power. The Tecra R950 is also suited to office workers looking for a powerful, large screen alternative to a desktop PC.

Streamlined and robust
Each model in the R9 Series features a smart, elegant and slim look, designed to match recent generations of the Portégé and Tecra lines – delivering a common laptop aesthetic throughout the entire taskforce. Improved ergonomics across the new range include a tiled keyboard with a matte-black finish, reducing unattractive fingerprint marks on the keys, and a larger AccuPoint tracker on both Tecras for additional control.

Constructed using a lightweight but durable chassis, the R9 Series is perfect for professionals requiring a laptop able to withstand the rigours of frequent travel. The Portégé R930 also features a sturdy magnesium alloy chassis, strengthened with an ultra-resilient honeycomb structure, helping to absorb impact from accidental drops. A spill-resistant keyboard is standard on each Portégé R930, protecting internal components from damage and allowing users additional time to save important documents and fully shut down the computer.

Each R9 model has been through exhaustive Highly Accelerated Life Tests (HALT), conducted by the independent German test institute TÜV Rheinland®. As part of the process, samples are put through several extreme situations, including temperature variations, resistance to shocks, repetitive vibration and pressure tests – resulting in a premium range of laptops with exceptionally low failure rates.

Safe and secure
In addition to the streamlined hardware, each model in the R9 Series also shares a common software platform – including the BIOS, operating system, firmware and security features, simplifying updates and troubleshooting tasks for IT managers and administrators.

Featuring a TPM security module as standard across all Portégé and Tecra models, the R9 range comes equipped with advanced encryption capabilities, keeping important documents safe in the event of theft, or if the laptop goes missing. Available with self-encrypting drives (SEDs), the laptop automatically encrypts all data stored on the HDD, without having to rely on additional software or the operating system, eliminating any impact on the overall system performance. Additionally, each R9 laptop includes Intel® Anti-Theft™ firmware, allowing IT managers or individual users to add remote security services to the laptop, enabling remote shutdown, tracking or further encryption.

Toshiba R9 Series details

  • 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors
  • Optical disk drive
  • Up to 16GB DDR3 RAM
  • Compatible with all Hi-Speed Port Replicator II docks
  • Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n) wireless LAN
  • Bluetooth® 4.0, optional 3G HSPA Mobile Broadband
  • Intel® Wireless Display support
  • Up to 500GB HDD or up to 256GB SSD
  • Energy Star® 5.0 qualified
  • Windows 7 Pro

Portégé R930

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  • 33.8cm (13.3”) HD screen with LED backlighting or High Brightness display (1366 x 768)
  • Intel® HD 4000 graphics
  • 2x USB 3.0, 1x eSATA/USB, VGA, HDMI®
  • Dimensions: 316 x 227 x 18.3 (front) / 26.6 (back) mm
  • Weight: starting at 1.5kg
  • 1.3MP webcam
  • Up to 9 hours battery life

Tecra R940

Toshiba Tecra R940 (7)

  • 35.6cm (14.0”) HD screen non-reflective display with LED backlighting or High Resolution display (1366 x 768 or 1600 x 900)
  • Intel® HD 4000 graphics, optional dedicated AMD Radeon® HD graphics
  • 2x USB 3.0, 1x eSATA/USB, VGA, DisplayPort, Gigabit LAN, SD Card reader
  • Dimensions: 341 x 239 x 19.9 (front) / 27.6 (back) mm
  • Weight: starting at 1.99kg
  • 1MP webcam
  • Up to 9 hours battery life

Tecra R950

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  • 39.6cm (15.6”) HD screen non-reflective display with LED backlighting or optional High Resolution display (1366 x 768 or 1600 x 900)
  • Intel® HD 4000 graphics, optional dedicated AMD Radeon® HD graphics
  • 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, 1x eSATA/USB, VGA, DisplayPort, Gigabit LAN, SD Card reader
  • Dimensions: 375 x 252 x 20.8 (front) / 25.4 (back) mm
  • Weight: starting at 2.4kg
  • 1MP webcam
  • Up to 7 hours battery life

The Toshiba R9 Series will be available from Q3 2012 from £899 (TPP).

Sony announces Wonderbooks; J.K. Rowling’s Book of Spells as first release

Andrew Edney
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0

Tonight at the Sony Playstation press conference here at E3, Sony announced their Wonderbooks augmented reality offering, starting with a new book by J.K. Rowling called Book of Spells.

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Book of Spells is a collaboration between Sony Playstation and Pottermore and is designed to teach you magic spells as a student at Hogwarts.

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It uses the Playstation Move controller to act as your magic wand and the Playstation Eye to capture everything. It also uses a physical book, which is your book of spells and then uses augmented reality to bring it all to life.

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Each task you complete earns you house points (just like in the books and films) and at the end of each level is a poem about a student at Hogwarts.

The demo looked fun, although they had a few problems with it not working exactly as it should when trying to open a door, but to be fair it wasn’t exactly normal home conditions!

And there was even a message from J.K. Rowling – it would have been a little more effective had she delivered it in person, or even on film.

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There will be other books available as part of the Wonderbooks range, including educational books and stories. The only other Wonderbook to be mentioned was a storybook called Diggs Nightcrawler.

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Book of Spells will be available this Holiday season, no information was given on price though.

What do you think of this new offering? Is it something you might buy for your children? Let us know.

BYOB Podcast Episode 87 Out Now

Andrew Edney
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0
BYOB Podcast Episode 87 Out Now

The guys over at the BYOB podcast, including our very own Tim Daleo have just released episode 87.

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Here is what is included in this weeks show:

[box style=”rounded” border=”full”]Big Show this week. As if Windows 8 release Preview wasn’t enough. A budget case, low end HTPC, SSDs. Server upgrade and customer service that really works?[/box]

As usual you can listen to the show from here.

Boxee Launches New Cloud Service

Jim McCarthy
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0
Boxee Launches New Cloud Service

Boxee announced that they are now launching a new cloud service called Cloudee.  We have details for you!

Cloudee

Boxee announced a beta cloud application that allows you to share videos from your iOS devices.  Plans are to charge for this service once it goes live.  The beta is invite-only and requires a Facebook account.  Here is what they shared on their blog:

We believe the cloud is going to play a major role in the future of TV and today we are taking the first step towards a Boxee cloud offering. So say hello to Cloudee. We are starting with an invite-only, beta iPhone app for Cloudee that lets you share personal videos with family and close friends.

For a while now, it’s been painful to get our personal videos to the TV screen – our Road Trips, Boxee Meetups, family videos with our kids, concerts and the occasional weirdness on NYC streets. Some of these videos were on our phones, others on our laptop or network storage, and the ones we really wanted to see were always taken by our friends. Yes, we could copy videos into a thumb drive, upload to YouTube and set it to private, setup a cloud storage account and give permissions to friends … but it was all too much work, so videos just sat there… never being watched, never being shared.

This new iPhone app lets users upload videos to Cloudee, organize them into collections and share them with their family and close friends. During the beta period the service is free, but we will later release a paid version with unlimited video storage in the cloud, which you will be able to access from your Boxee Box and any browser.

If you’re like us, as you go through your videos to share them you’ll experience a serendipitous feeling of re-discovery – bringing forgotten memories back to life. We found concerts long passed, videos of our kids that they had filmed without us knowing, videos of loved ones no longer with us. It became a very powerful connection to our past, and to each other. We think it can do the same thing for millions of other people.

The cloud is the natural place for personal videos. We are now capturing videos on connected devices, which makes it easy to upload them directly to the cloud, watch them from anywhere and share them with whomever we like. It doesn’t make sense to continue storing these videos on a hard drive that isn’t universally accessible and runs the risk of crashing or being lost.

This is only the first step into the cloud for Boxee. We believe more of our video watching will shift towards on demand and secondary screens, which will mean more video coming from the cloud. Cloudee will become an integral part of the Boxee offering and we are very excited about its future.

During the beta Cloudee requires a Facebook account and an invite. If you’d like to be put on the standby list, please sign up here.

Boxee Announces Cloud Service

E3 2012: Microsoft and NIKE announce Nike+ Kinect Training

Jim McCarthy
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0
E3 2012: Microsoft and NIKE announce Nike+ Kinect Training

Microsoft and NIKE announced a new fitness app for the XBOX at E3 today called Nike+ Kinect Training.  We have the details!

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Microsoft and NIKE announced a new Kinect-based fitness game called Nike+ Kinect Training at E3 today.  Here are some details from the announcement:

Xbox and Nike Team Up to Revolutionize Fitness at Home

“Nike+ Kinect Training” brings a world-class Nike experience into your home.

LOS ANGELES — June 4, 2012 — At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) today, Microsoft Corp. and NIKE Inc. ushered in a new era of home fitness, unveiling “Nike+ Kinect Training” only on Kinect for Xbox 360. Featuring Nike trainers who work with some of the company’s top athletes, “Nike+ Kinect Training” is a custom training program rooted in elite Nike fitness and specifically designed to help athletes of all levels reach their potential in the comfort of their own homes.
Whatever your fitness goal, “Nike+ Kinect Training” will give you the tools to get you there. Through the magic of Kinect, the personal trainers within the experience can see how your body moves, assess your physical strengths and athleticism, identify areas for improvement, and create a personalized workout plan to help you achieve your personal best. With real-time feedback to make sure positions and movements are correct, the “Nike+ Kinect Training” custom program evolves as you do, helping you get fitter, faster and stronger.

“By combining Nike’s understanding and knowledge of great athletes with the powerful technology of Kinect, we have created a personal training program unlike anything currently available,” said Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of Marketing and Strategy of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “Kinect becomes the eyes for ‘Nike+ Kinect Training’ instructors, bringing a new level of engagement and personalization to the program that blurs the lines between a personal training session and a game.”

Nike is the leader in sports innovation and has developed new ways to inspire athletes at every level with digital services such as Nike+ and the Nike+ FuelBand. With “Nike+ Kinect Training,” Nike training can be personalized for anyone — from a professional athlete to an everyday athlete or even for someone who is just getting started.

“‘Nike+ Kinect Training’ gives everyone access to the same training that we give our professional athletes. It merges our understanding of the greatest athletes in the world with the amazing sensor technology of Kinect for Xbox 360,” said Stefan Olander, vice president of Digital Sport at Nike. “‘Nike+ Kinect Training’ will make working out at home fun and inspiring, and with its seamless connection to two huge global communities in Xbox LIVE and Nike+, you’ll always find more motivation in someone to train with or challenge.”

Take your training experience further by competing in challenges, sending encouragement to friends, and staying connected with a mobile app that keeps you motivated and on track for your next workout.1 “Nike+ Kinect Training” will be available exclusively on Kinect for Xbox 360 during the holiday 2012 season.

Here are some box and screen shots from the game:

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I use the EA game Sports Active 2 for the Kinect and really like it.  I will be interested to see if this implementation of a training game with Kinect is easier to use.

NIKE+ Kinect Training Press Release

E3 2012: Microsoft Announces XBOX SmartGlass

Jim McCarthy
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1
E3 2012: Microsoft Announces XBOX SmartGlass

Today at E3, Microsoft announced a new XBOX feature called SmartGlass, an application for Windows 8, Windows Phone, and other portable devices that connects phones, PCs and tablets with your Xbox 360 console.  We have details!

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At E3 today, Microsoft announced a new application for Windows 8, Windows Phone and other portable devices that ties together your TV, your XBOX and your portable devices to deliver new and more immersive entertainment options.  Here are portions of the press release:

Xbox Makes Entertainment More Amazing on Phone, PC, Tablet and TV

Xbox SmartGlass will deliver new ways to enjoy entertainment in the home and on the go.

LOS ANGELES — June 4, 2012— What if your tablet or phone knew what you were watching on TV and presented bonus features without you having to lift a finger? What if you could use your tablet to draw up a play in EA SPORTS’ “Madden NFL” and then perform it to perfection on your TV?  What if you could control your favorite websites on the TV with a simple swipe, pinch or zoom on your tablet’s touchscreen?

To kick-start the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Microsoft Corp. today unveiled a bold new vision for enjoying entertainment at home and on the go with Xbox SmartGlass. Launching this year, Xbox SmartGlass is an application for Windows 8, Windows Phone, and other portable devices that connects phones, PCs and tablets with your Xbox 360 console to make your entertainment smarter, more interactive and more fun.  The intelligence of Xbox SmartGlass makes your entertainment more engaging, Web surfing more effortless, and playing games more immersive by delivering companion content and control to enhance your TV experience.
“Xbox is on a mission to make the entertainment that you love even more amazing,” said Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “With Xbox SmartGlass, we are lighting up entertainment across your phone, tablet, PC and TV in a completely new way. If you love to play games, watch TV and movies, surf the Web, or listen to music, there has never been a better time to be on Xbox.”

Two years after the launch of Kinect for Xbox 360, Microsoft unveiled the next step in its journey to make Xbox synonymous with entertainment by unveiling Xbox SmartGlass, Internet Explorer for Xbox, and new TV, movie and music offerings.

The Web Transformed for TV
Microsoft will launch Internet Explorer for Xbox this fall in all countries where Xbox and Xbox LIVE are available. Through the power of Xbox, the magic of Kinect and the intelligence of Xbox SmartGlass, you will be able to surf the Internet using your voice on your Xbox 360 and navigate using your mobile devices for an incredibly easy Web browsing experience on the television. Whether it is a new website you want to check out on the big screen, an HD video you want to share in your living room, or your favorite website you check daily and want to view in the 10-foot experience, you will have the power of the Web now on your TV.

Entertainment Keeps Getting Better on Xbox
Last year, Xbox added voice search powered by Bing and the power of Kinect, making it easier to find the entertainment you want. This year, voice search is expanding to 12 additional countries: Australia, Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland.
Adding to the current catalog of customized sports, TV, movies and music apps from world-leading TV and entertainment providers, this year Xbox will continue to deliver all the content you care about in unique ways.

Your home for sports.  Microsoft announced more must-have sports experiences and content coming to Xbox this year, further establishing it as the home for sports fans everywhere.

  • NBA Game Time with NBA.com League Pass Broadband (U.S.) and NBA League Pass (outside of the U.S.). Fans who subscribe to NBA.com League Pass Broadband will have access to hundreds of out of market live games (blackout restrictions apply in the U.S. and some international markets), plus highlights from around the league and up to the minute stats of your favorite players.
  • NHL GameCenter LIVE™ (Worldwide except Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden). Hockey fans will be able to enjoy every moment of the live action as it happens on the ice, with live games (out-of-market and blackout restrictions apply), more in-game interactivity, and replays and highlights on demand any time.
  • ESPN (U.S.). Later this year fans will enjoy 24/7 live programming through WatchESPN from ESPN Networks – ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3 and ESPN U. All the favorites, including “SportsCenter,” “SportsNation,” “The Mike and Mike Show,” as well as ESPN’s coverage of the NFL, MLB and the NBA, will be live on Xbox.

Xbox also announced regional sports provider SPORT1 coming later this year to Austria, Germanyand Switzerland.

Verizon Preorders for Samsung Galaxy S III Begin June 6th

Jim McCarthy
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0
Verizon Preorders for Samsung Galaxy S III Begin June 6th

Verizon announced that pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone will begin at 0700 on June 6th.  Read on for details.

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Samsung’s most recent Android smartphone with Android 4.0, the Galaxy S III, will be up for pre-orders on Verizon here in the US on June 6th at 0700 Eastern time.  We told you about the phone’s announcement here.

Here is some of what Verizon’s pre-order page is saying:

The next big thing is coming to America’s Largest 4G LTE network.

  • Innovative sharing capabilities and new intelligent features.
  • 8.0 MP rear camera with zero shutter lag.
  • Vivid 4.8″ HD Super AMOLED™ display.
  • Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich.

A Higher Standard of Coverage

Among the four major wireless carriers, only Verizon’s 4G network is 100% 4G LTE — the gold standard of wireless technology. And Verizon 4G LTE is available in more than 250 cities, covering over two-thirds of the US population. That’s more 4G LTE coverage than all other networks combined.

Verizon 4G LTE means real-time responsiveness. Apps. Games. Movies. Seamless streaming. And pics and flicks downloaded in a blink. Do it all on the largest 4G LTE network in America.

Go Beyond Sharing

Now your digital content moves as fast as your life does. Maybe even faster.

  • S Beam. “Beam” photos, videos and music between Samsung Galaxy S III devices simply by touching their backs.
  • Share Shot. Connect to a nearby friend’s Galaxy S III and share photos with each other instantly.
  • AllShare Play. Connect and stream multimedia content to your Samsung SmartTV or compatible home audio systems, tablets and laptops.

A Smarter Smartphone

So smart, you’ll think it can read your mind.

  • Pop Up Play*. It’s like picture-in-picture for your smartphone. Watch HD videos while you surf, email or text.
  • S Voice. It responds to your words. You tell it what to do. Call Charlie’s Mobile. Play my work-out playlist. Find an Italian restaurant.
  • Smart Stay. It knows when you’re watching. As long as you’re looking at the phone, it maintains a bright display.
  • Motion Gestures. Swipe, and it captures the screen. Put the phone to your head, and it makes a call. Interact with your phone in totally new ways.

*Not compatible with Netflix, YouTube, Media Hub or DRM protected videos.

Amazing Camera. Best Photo.

Capture every moment with an 8.0 MP rear camera with zero shutter lag and LED flash, a 1.9 MP front camera, and HD video recording. And with one touch, you can take a burst of 8 photos — the phone will show you which is best.

Hardware That’s Hard to Beat

  • Powered by America’s fastest 4G network — Verizon 4G LTE.
  • See and do more on the stunning 4.8″ HD Super AMOLED™ display with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2.0.
  • A 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and 2 GB of RAM allows seamless multitasking without delay.
  • Sleek, slim, and light, you won’t believe so much fits in one package.

Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich

Rethought and redefined, Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich brings an entirely new look and feel to Android. With an evolved user interface plus new look, screen, widgets, notifications and more, it’s simple, beautiful and brilliant.

There is no mention of world phone capabilities on Verizon’s page, leading me to believe that this will be a US-only LTE phone, but we’ll keep you posted.  In the meantime, if you are interested in the S III on Verizon, head on over to the pre-order page and sign up for updates.

Our Coverage of the Original Announcement Verizon Pre-Order Page

 

Nintendo E3 Annoucements

Jim McCarthy
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Nintendo E3 Annoucements

Nintendo demonstrated the final Wii U controllers and Miiverse universe functionality.  Read on for details.

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Nintendo held a pre-event announcement event from E3 in Los Angeles yesterday.  They went into some details of their upcoming Wii U system, showing a final release version of the Gamepad touchscreen controller, announcing a new Xbox-style controller, and new social networking capabilities that will be built into Wii U.

Gamepad Controller

Nintendo showed a beta version of the Gamepad detachable tablet-like controller back at CES.  Nintendo has now finalized the design, upgrading the analog controls to joysticks and increasing the size somewhat.  Nintendo demonstrated a TV remote control application for the Gamepad, in addition to showing the second screen interacting with the game system.  The tablet-like Gamepad controller promises to be the key element to gaming with Wii U.

Miiverse and Social Interactions

Miiverse is a new screen that shows global users’ Mii avatars grouping around games that they are playing.  You can click on avatars to initiate chats and see what games other people are playing.  In addition, video chat is available, and you can also send text messages to other gamers using your Wii U system.

Professional Controller

Trying to play a shooter on the Wii has been a frustrating experience.  Nintendo announced a new Professional controller that looks like an Xbox or PS3 controller, and should make shooters possible on the Wii U system.

Overall, Nintendo showed some very interesting Wii U content in their pre-E3 presentation.  Check out the whole vide for yourself here.  Check out all video updates from Nintendo here as E3 rolls on this week.  And keep checking back with ConnectedDigitalWorld.Com for more E3 news as Andrew is on the ground out in LA for the show!

Nintendo Pre-E3 Presentation Nintendo E3 Coverage

CDW Giveaway: Win the iLuv Professional iPad 2 Case with Detachable Bluetooth Keyboard – The Winner

Andrew Edney
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0
CDW Giveaway: Win the iLuv Professional iPad 2 Case with Detachable Bluetooth Keyboard – The Winner

Back in February we reviewed the Professional iPad 2 Case with Detachable Bluetooth Keyboard from iLuv. Our latest giveaway gave you the chance to win one, and here is the winner!

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Designed in New York, this professional, stylish case is the perfect combination of form and function especially designed for your mobile lifestyle. It features a removable wireless Bluetooth keyboard that seamlessly connects to your iPad for portability. The unique design has a retractable kick-stand, providing you various options of viewing angles and laptop style keys for an improved typing experience.

What did you have to do to win?

This one wss simple, all you had to do was leave a comment or send us an email to be entered – simple!

And the winner is….

George J

Well done George, we will be in touch shortly.

And for everyone else who entered, we will have another great giveaway coming up shortly, so stay tuned to CDW!

And thank you again to iLuv for the prize.

E3 2012: Your coverage starts here

Andrew Edney
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0
E3 2012: Your coverage starts here

E3 2012 is this week here in LA, and we are on hand to bring you all the news and updates, starting right now.

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There are press conferences for all the big players – Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, and others. The assumption is that Nintendo will talk more about the Wii U, whilst the rumours are that Microsoft will talk about the Xbox 720 and Sony the Playstation 4.

I suspect that we may have to wait longer to hear about new consoles, that Microsoft will be talking more about their plans for the Xbox and making it more of an entertainment hub for the home.

Everywhere you turn there are posters and artwork for forthcoming games, including the highly anticipated new Tomb Raider game.

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And of course Halo 4 – which is probably the game I am most excited about seeing more on this week.

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There was even this for The Elder Scrolls on the side of a building across the street from the hotel. At first I thought they hadn’t finished hanging the poster for the third column, but later I saw a group of guys actually hand painting it!

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So keep checking out CDW and our coverage of the E3 over the coming week.

What do you think will be announced and what would you like to see? Let us know.

Netflix app for iOS updated to version 2.2

Andrew Edney
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0
Netflix app for iOS updated to version 2.2

This week saw the Netflix app for iOS updated to version 2.2, bringing with it enhancements to the player user interface.

netflix ios

Netflix is the world’s leading subscription service for watching TV episodes and movies on your phone. This Netflix mobile application delivers the best experience anywhere, anytime.

What’s New in Version 2.2

– Enhancements to the player user interface
– Ability to select audio language when available (requires iOS 5.0 or greater)
– General performance improvements

Download Netflix from the Apple App Store now

G-Technology G‐RAID Thunderbolt drive now available in UK

Andrew Edney
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0
G-Technology G‐RAID Thunderbolt drive now available in UK

As of this week, stock of the recently launched G-Technology G‐RAID Thunderbolt drive is available in UK stores. The G-RAID Thunderbolt is available in capacities of 8, 6 and 4TB.

G_Raid_Thunderbolt_Hero1_medium Aimed at the professional AV creative market, the G‐RAID with Thunderbolt drive delivers blazing speeds, as well as massive capacity, transforming Thunderbolt‐enabled laptops and desktops into full‐fledged video editing workstations. With this speed, it can transfer a full‐length, high‐definition, internet‐ready H.264 movie in less than a minute.

By incorporating 10 gigabit per second (Gbps) Thunderbolt technology by Intel® and two 4TB, 7200 RPM Deskstar™ hard drives, the G-RAID with Thunderbolt sets a new capacity and performance standard for RAID storage. It features two Thunderbolt ports, enabling the connection of up to six Thunderbolt peripherals such as additional G‐RAID drives, high‐resolution displays and professional video capture devices. It also delivers up to 280MB/sec sustained throughput to handle multi‐stream compressed HD workflows, including REDCODE, DVCPro HD, XDCAM HD and ProRes 422.

Building on G‐Technology’s AV storage experience, and the capabilities of Intel’s Thunderbolt technology, highlights of the new G‐RAID with Thunderbolt family include:
·         Ultra high performance with up to 280MB/sec sustained throughput

·         Two‐drive, RAID 0 designed specifically for professional content creation applications

·         Supports multi‐stream HDV, DVCPro HD, XDCAM HD, ProRes 422 and uncompressed SD workflows

·         Dual Thunderbolt ports for daisy chaining up to six Thunderbolt‐compatible peripherals

·         Time Machine® ready, plug‐and‐play setup on Mac OS

·         8TB, 6TB and 4TB capacities

·         Two, high‐speed 7,200 RPM Deskstar hard drives

·         Solid all‐aluminum case for ultimate durability

·         Kensington® Lock slot for security

·         Smart‐cooling fan technology for cool, quiet operation

·         Three‐year limited factory warranty

G‐Technology’s new G‐RAID with Thunderbolt drive family is now available nationwide in Apple and Jigsaw stores. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the 8TB drive is £769.99, 6TB is £654.99 and 4TB is £539.99.

Learn more from the G-Technology website

LucasArts announce Star Wars 1313 game

Andrew Edney
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1

LucasArts, a Lucasfilm Ltd. company, announced a new internally developed videogame franchise, Star Wars 1313.

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The game will make its formal debut at the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles June 5-7.  As players take control of a lethal bounty hunter in a never-before-seen dark and mature world, Star Wars 1313 introduces an integrated development approach by bringing together great artists across the Lucasfilm organization, including LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation Ltd. and Skywalker Sound. A third person cinematic action adventure game, Star Wars 1313 will bring to life the Coruscant underworld, the most dangerous place in the Star Wars galaxy.

Named for Level 1313, a ruthless criminal underground deep below the surface of the planet of Coruscant, the game puts players in control of a deadly bounty hunter as he uses an arsenal of exotic weaponry to hunt down his marks and uncover the truth surrounding a criminal conspiracy.  Star Wars 1313 emphasizes epic set pieces and fast-paced combat with a hero who uses human skills and gadgets, rather than supernatural Force powers, to make his way through this dangerous world.

“We’re excited to share one of the projects LucasArts has been hard at work developing,” said Paul Meegan, President, LucasArts.  “Star Wars 1313 dives into a part of the Star Wars mythos that we’ve always known existed, but never had a chance to visit. We are committed to bringing the best gameplay experience and visual fidelity to life and I truly believe the work we are showcasing at E3 will speak for itself.”

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More details about Star Wars 1313 will surface in the coming months. Visit www.StarWars1313.com for the latest updates.

We hope to see a lot more of Star Wars 1313 at E3 this coming week. We will of course bring you more on this when we have it,

Dolby Home Theater v4 and Dolby Advanced Audio v2 to Deliver Immersive Entertainment and High Quality Audio for Lenovo ThinkPads and IdeaPads

Andrew Edney
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Dolby Home Theater v4 and Dolby Advanced Audio v2 to Deliver Immersive Entertainment and High Quality Audio for Lenovo ThinkPads and IdeaPads

Dolby Laboratories announced that it has entered into a two-year agreement with Lenovo, the world’s second largest PC vendor, to include Dolby Home Theater v4 or Dolby Advanced Audio v2 technologies in select Lenovo products, including future ThinkPad, ThinkCentre, IdeaPad and IdeaCentre PC product lines.

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“At Lenovo we recognize how crucial it is to keep pace with consumer demands for a top quality entertainment experience available through PCs and laptops”, said Bai Peng, Vice President and General Manager, IdeaPad Business Unit, Lenovo.  “We are thrilled to be working in collaboration with Dolby, a consumer trusted brand, to provide a uniquely rich audio experience, ensuring a great, all-around multimedia entertainment device for our customers.”

“Adding to our reputation as a significant supplier of business laptops, we are excited that people are using Lenovo PCs for entertainment and social interaction, and that is why we are working with Dolby to bring high-quality audio and cinematic surround-sound to Lenovo consumer and enterprise product lines.” said Dilip Bhatia, Vice President and General Manager, ThinkPad Business Unit, Lenovo. “By delivering the best audio features and listening experiences, Lenovo aims to meet the evolving needs of our customers, who want a powerful and versatile way to enjoy music, movies, television and games on a PC.”

Today’s connected world has changed the way people enjoy movies, music and games. Dolby’s entertainment technologies are designed to solve a number of challenges associated with providing a high-quality PC or mobile audio entertainment experience.  For example, distortion and, low volume playback are common problems with the small speakers built into today’s laptops. Also several audio problems arise when transferring an experience intended for the cinema environment to smaller personal entertainment devices such as PCs, tablets and cell phones.

As a leader in delivering premium quality audio, Dolby helps preserve and maintain the integrity of the artist’s vision from creation, through distribution and rendering.

“Dolby is thrilled to expand our relationship with Lenovo, so that more Lenovo customers can enjoy entertainment in the way it was envisioned by creators, delivered right to their laptop,” said Mike Chao, Managing Director, Greater China, Dolby Laboratories.  “Together with Lenovo, we aim to address a rapidly growing demand for high-definition content delivered across a wide range of devices.”

The Dolby PC Entertainment Experience program offers two technology suites, Dolby Home Theater v4, which delivers immersing surround sound and high fidelity audio for all forms of entertainment content, and Dolby Advanced Audio v2, which delivers a consistent listening experience and virtual surround sound via built-in PC speakers as well as high-fidelity audio for all forms of entertainment content.

The following features are included in Dolby Home Theater v4:

  • Surround Decoder: converts stereo content into 5.1- or 7.1-channel surround sound and converts 5.1 surround sound into 7.1 surround sound
  • Surround Virtualizer: creates a virtualized surround sound experience over the PC’s built-in speakers or over headphones
  • Dialogue Enhancer: improves intelligibility of dialogue across all types of content
  • Volume Leveler: maintains a consistent volume across all content and applications according to where the user sets the volume level
  • Volume Maximizer: boosts the level of the audio signal so users can turn up the volume without causing noise or clipping
  • Intelligent Equalizer: monitors and adjusts audio to match the user’s chosen preset
  • Graphic Equalizer: lets consumers tailor audio to their exact specifications using high-quality digital filtering
  • Dolby Digital Output: provides real-time encoding of PC content into the Dolby Digital format over S/PDIF or HDMI outputs; users can then enjoy audio content from their PCs in surround sound on their home theater systems
  • Audio Optimizer: improves the frequency response of the PC’s built-in speakers so content sounds true to the creator’s intent
  • Audio Regulator: eliminates or reduces distortion caused by the combination of overdriven speakers and amplifiers

Dolby Advanced Audio v2 offers Surround Virtualizer (for built-in speakers), Volume Leveler, Volume Maximizer, Graphic Equalizer, Audio Optimizer, and Audio Regulator.

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