HIS Launch the HIS 6670 iSilence 5 1GB Graphics Card

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Hightech Information System (HIS) today announced the launch of the HIS 6670 iSilence 5 1GB, the ideal graphics card for multi-media and home entertainment enthusiasts looking for a completely silent yet powerful GPU. The card creates zero noise and is ideal for those building a bespoke super silent media centre PC.

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The range also features low power consumption and does not require external power, perfect for upgrading your system without having to upgrade your PSU.

The HIS 6670 iSilence 5 1GB has an SRP (excl. VAT) of £60.

iSilence 5

HIS 6670 iSilence 5 is equipped with HIS’ innovative passive cooler made from high quality copper, the ideal material for GPU cooling. 6670 iSilence 5 features a 190 x 97 x 32mm super large cooling area which is equipped with 4X 6mm thick heatpipes for maximized cooling efficiency.

6670 iSilence 5 1GB Key Features.

DirectX® 11.1 support

With full Microsoft DirectX® 11.1 support, the card is ready for next generation DirectX games. The card also offers up to 2x faster tessellation and faster DirectCompute over earlier cards for realistic graphics!

3D

Expand your game across up to 3 displays while your opponents have one monitor. Along with stereo 3D support, universal bezel compensation and brand new display configurations, take the advantage over your opponent and win more with the surround sight!

Perfect Sound

Featuring 7.1 channel surround sound over HDMI with no additional cables required.

Impeccable viewing experience

The HIS 6670 iSilence 5 supports 30” LCD monitors and large size TVs up to 80″ featuring 16:9 ratio in an amazing 4096 by 2160 resolution Enjoy HD Beauty

With Full HD 1080p support, the card delivers high quality 1920X1080 graphics, enabling seamless full-screen video playback.

Enjoy Copy Protected Movies

The card is HDCP complaint, enabling users to play copy-protected content, such as commercial DVD movies.

Learn more from the HIS website

WHS 2011 and SBS 2011 Essentials Add-in Update: Snoop-de-dupe version 1.75 now available

Version 1.75 of Snoop-de-dupe has been released for Windows Home Server 2011 and Small Business Server 2011 Essentials.

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What is Snoop-de-dupe?

Keep your server’s storage space optimized! Snoop-de-dupe will automatically scan your server storage and display duplicate files in an easy-to-view layout directly within the server’s user Console. Once snoop-de-dupe locates duplicate files then you can respond to them as you choose. You can delete the duplicate files, ignore/keep the duplicate files, or replace the duplicate files with a hard-link (available in WHS/SBS 2011 only). You will be in command of your server storage space like never before!

New Features:

•Updated the Batch Resolve dialog to allow batch processing of simultaneous “Set As Original” operations (e.g. You can now select multiple duplicate files(by holding down the shift or control key and then select “Set As Original” to reset any number of duplicate files as the original duplicate file)
•Updated layout for German localization

Enhancements :

•Improved load-time within the WHS Dashboard/Console
•Fixed compatibility issues with WHS systems with older versions of the Microsoft C Run Time Library
•Minor bug and usability issues

Existing Snoop-de-dupe users can upgrade directly within the add-in. Open the WHS Dashboard and select the Snoop-de-dupe tab then select More Settings | Check For Software Update and follow the link to download the software update.

A 15 day free trial is available http://www.snoopdedupe.com/trial.html

NVIDIA releases Windows 8 Driver updates

Today saw NVIDIA release the first of their driver updates for the Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

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This is what NVIDIA posted on their blog:

Two weeks after the release of Microsoft‘s Windows 8 Consumer Preview, we have released our first driver update for NVIDIA GeForce and Quadro GPUs.

This release, part of our partnership to support NVIDIA GPU-based systems, represents the start of regular NVIDIA driver updates for Windows 8. These drivers, version 296.17, are available for both GeForce and Quadro GPU-based desktops and notebooks on NVIDIA.com, as well as on Microsoft’s Windows Update.

Download the new NVIDIA 296.17 drivers for the Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Windows 7 and Windows XP users can use today an equivalent driver, version 296.10 (WHQL-certified), from GeForce.com. These drivers are a quick refresh from the recent GeForce 295.73 drivers and a must-have for gamers looking for the best experience in upcoming games like Blacklight: Retribution. These drivers also carry all of the R295 goodness that I told you about just a couple weeks ago.

Download the new GeForce 296.10 drivers for Windows 7/Vista and Windows XP

A final note about NVIDIA’s Windows 8 driver support: NVIDIA’s Windows 8 drivers support all the features of the new Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) v1.2, as well as award-winning NVIDIA 3D Vision and 3DTV Play products, allowing you to play more than 600 games, watch Blu-ray movies and view photos – all in 3D. With Windows 8’s new built-in stereoscopic 3D support in DirectX 11, 3D Vision is poised to provide users the best platform for games and applications.

For more information on 3D Vision and 3DTV Play support in Windows 8, please read the Windows 8 FAQs http://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/list/kw/Win83D.

For more information on the Microsoft Windows 8 Consumer Preview, please visit: http://preview.windows.com

The list of supported NVIDIA GPUs for Windows 8 can be found here on NVIDIA.com.

Apple’s New iPad Available on Friday

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Apple has reminded everyone today that the new iPad will be available from Friday.

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This is what Apple released today:

Apple® today announced the new iPad®, the third generation of its category defining mobile device, will arrive at Apple’s retail stores and the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com) on Friday, March 16 at 8:00 a.m. local time in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland and the UK; along with Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

The new iPad features a stunning new Retina™ display, Apple’s new A5X chip with quad-core graphics and a 5 megapixel iSight® camera with advanced optics for capturing amazing photos and 1080p HD video and still delivers the same all-day 10 hour battery life* while remaining amazingly thin and light. iPad Wi-Fi + 4G supports ultrafast 4G LTE networks in the US and Canada, and fast 3G networks around the world including those based on HSPA+ and DC-HSDPA.** Additionally, iPad 2 is available at a more affordable price starting at just $399.

Every customer who buys a new iPad at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup service, helping them customize their iPad by setting up email, loading new apps from the App Store™ and more, so they’ll be up and running with their new iPad before they leave the store. Personal Pickup, available at Apple retail stores in the US and a feature of the free Apple Store® app, lets iPad customers shop and buy from anywhere they are, then pick up their purchase at any Apple retail store. In the US the new iPad will also be available at Best Buy, Radio Shack, Sam’s Club, Target and Walmart.

Pricing & Availability
The new iPad Wi-Fi models will be available in black or white starting on Friday, March 16 for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model, and $699 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad Wi-Fi + 4G for ultrafast 4G LTE networks in the US and Canada and fast 3G networks around the world including those based on HSPA+ and DC-HSDPA, will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad will be sold in the US through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and select Apple Authorized Resellers. Additionally, the incredible iPad 2 is now offered at a more affordable price of $399 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and just $529 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G model. iOS 5.1 and iTunes® 10.6 are currently available as free software updates. iPhoto®, iMovie® 1.3 and GarageBand® 1.2 are now available for $4.99 (US) each from the App Store (www.itunes.com/appstore). Keynote® 1.6, Pages® 1.6 and Numbers® 1.6 are available for $9.99 (US) each from the App Store. Updates are available for free to existing customers.

Starting March 23 the new iPad will be available in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

As we reported earlier this week, the lead times on the online store are now between 2 and three weeks so if you want one this weekend you will have to be quick!

Did you order one? Let us know….

WinZip App for iOS updated to version 1.1

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WinZip for iOS has been updated to version 1.1 and you can download it now for free!

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WinZip, the leader of file compression for over 20 years and the creators of WinZip the world’s # 1 zip utility for file compression, file sharing, file encryption and data backup.

With WinZip, a zip file management application for iPhone and iPad you can:
– Open Zip files and Zip attachments from email
– Browse and view Zip files, including multi-file attachments
– Open encrypted Zip files
– Copy the contents of Zip files to the clipboard
– View Zip file attachments from webmail (Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc)
Zipped file types that can be previewed:
– .txt, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .rtf, .pdf, .key, .numbers, .pages, .htm, .htm, .jsp, .bmp, .jpg, .jpeg, .tif, .tiff, .png, .gif

An easy-to-use interface for quickly opening and manage compressed Zip files on your iPhone and iPad.

What’s New in Version 1.1

• Support for unencrypted RAR files
• Extract files and “open in …” another app
• Save files extracted from Zip or RAR files
• Improved notification for archives that use an unsupported compression or encryption method
• Bug fixes

I use WinZip all the time on my PC, so it’s going to be very useful to have it on my iPhone and iPad!

Download WinZip from the Apple App Store

My Movies for iPhone Pro 1.81 Released

The latest version of My Movies for iPhone Pro, version 1.81, has been released.

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What is My Movies for iPhone?

My Movies for iPhone allows you to catalog your entire movie collection from our high quality online data service containing data for more than 475,000 DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD titles from various countries. If you have one or more titles that is not in our service, you can report it and it will be created within 48 hours by our staff.

If you would like to evaluate the application, you can install My Movies for iPad Free, which is a freely available identical version with the exception of it being limited to 50 titles, and only 10 items in release and trailer lists.

You can use My Movies for iPhone as a standalone product by adding titles by barcode or title searches, or use it as a companion to our My Movies software packages for Microsoft Windows, allowing you to keep your movie collection synchronized between clients.
My Movies for iPhone requires you to create a user account, or log on to an existing My Movies account to be able to use the program. Your collection will follow your user account through our online servers, allowing you to switch between different clients without ever losing your data. If you log in to an existing My Movies account, your current collection will automatically be synchronized to your iPhone.

You can within the program activate an online collection website of your movie collection, allowing you to send friends and family a website that allows them to browse your entire collection.

With My Movies for iPhone, you can keep track of movies you own, previously have owned, rented or movies you wish to purchase. Never again will you have to purchase or rent a movie twice.

Features:
– Add titles by barcode, title search, manually or scan barcodes with the camera on your device.
– Preview titles with complete details before adding to your collection, or quickscan a title to view details without adding it.
– Add titles to different groups (Owned, Wished, Rented, …), and move titles between groups.
– Report missing titles to our staff to have the titles created in our service.
– Report incorrect data to our moderation team if you find an error in our database.
– View movie trailers for titles in your collection, or scan and quickly view a movie trailer for titles when in the movie store.
– Management loans to friends and family.
– Search your collection.
– Sort titles by title, collection number, rating, running time, production year, release date, parental level or added date both ascending and descending.
– Filter titles by type, genre, group, watched status, parental rating, production year, running time, personal categories or online status. (Watched status, Categories and Online status requires My Movies software suite for Windows).
– View movie details, including synopsis, cast list, audio tracks, subtitles and much, much more.
– View full screen or zoom-able high resolution front and back covers.
– View actors and directors with photos, biography and list of titles the person stars in.
– Create an online collection website to share with friends and family.
– Update movie profiles from our service to always have the latest, most complete and accurate data.
– Upload your collection directly from My Movies Windows software suite as an alternative to synchronize through our online servers.
– See weekly releases of titles on Blu-ray and DVD including all details and trailers. (Release lists are not complete in all countries).
– Keep collection synchronized between different devices.

What’s New in Version 1.81

NOTICE! The update will upgrade the internal database, which includes loading more data from the online service, a process that can take a while.

– Fixes a bug with watched statuses that were not working correct after the 1.80 update.
– Fixes a bug with Twitter integration where prior stored data could cause a crash.

Download My Movies for iPhone from the Apple App Store

My Movies for iPad version 1.81 Released

Brian has released an update for My Movies for iPad – its now version 1.81.

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What is My Movies for iPad?

My Movies for iPad allows you to catalog your entire movie collection (maximum 50 titles in free version) from our high quality online data service containing data for more than 500,000 DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD titles from various countries. If you have one or more titles that is not in our service, you can report it and it will be created within 48 hours by our staff – a service you will not find elsewhere.

You can use My Movies for iPad as a standalone product, or use it as a companion to our My Movies software packages for your desktop computer, allowing you to keep your movie collection synchronized between clients.

My Movies for iPad requires you to create a user account, or log on to an existing My Movies account to be able to use the program. Your collection will follow your user account through our online servers, allowing you to switch between different clients without ever losing your data – we have clients available for iPhone, iPad and Mac OS X. If you log in to an existing My Movies account, your current collection will automatically be synchronized to your phone.
You can within the program activate an online collection website of your movie collection, allowing you to send friends and family a website that allows them to browse your entire collection.

With My Movies for iPad, you can keep track of movies you own, previously have owned, rented or movies you wish to purchase. Never again will you have to purchase or rent a movie twice.

What’s New in Version 1.81

NOTICE! The update will upgrade the internal database, which includes loading more data from the online service, a process that can take a while.

– Fixes a bug with watched statuses that were not working correct after the 1.80 update.
– Fixes a bug with Twitter integration where prior stored data could cause a crash.

It is well worth the $6.99 asking price, but if you are still not convinced you could try the Free version.

Download My Movies for iPad from the Apple App Store

QNAP Adds 4TB Drive to Compatibility List

 

QNAP announced that a 4TB drive has been added to their compatibility list today.  Read on for details.

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QNAP added a 4TB option to their compatible hard drive list today, meaning that their TurboNAS units now support a 4TB drive option.  Here is what they had to say:

Los Angeles, CA, March 13, 2012–QNAP®, Inc. today announced its Turbo NAS series products are compatible with new 4TB 3.5-inch hard drive.

After a series of thorough verification by QNAP lab, the Turbo NAS series is proven to be working with Hitachi® Deskstar HDS724040ALE640 (4TB, 3.5-inch, 7200 RPM). “QNAP well understands businesses’ demands for high capacity storage. We’re delighted to announce that QNAP Turbo NAS now supports 4TB hard drive, providing users with higher storage capacity,” said David Tsao, product manager of QNAP.

For the complete compatibility list of supported peripherals, please visit: http://www.qnap.com.

About QNAP System, Inc.

QNAP Systems, Inc. is a privately held company founded in 2004 and is dedicated to bringing world class NAS storage, professional NVR video surveillance, and network video players to consumer, small/medium business, and entry level enterprise market segments. QNAP leverages not only hardware design but also a growing core competency in software engineering that is precisely focused on bringing to market products that offer the highest available performance coupled with outstanding reliability, scalability, and ease of installation and use. QNAP is a multi-national company with headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, and subsidiary offices in China and the United States.

This is good news!  If you are looking to use 4TB drives in your QNAP NAS, this Hitachi drive is now supported.  Always check the compatibility list before you by to ensure that the drive that you have picked will work.  You can find it here.

Microsoft talks Web browsing in Windows 8 Consumer Preview with IE10

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In the next of their Windows 8 articles, Microsoft talks about Web browsing in Windows 8 Consumer Preview with IE10.

Windows 8 IE 10

This is how the article starts:

In this post we want to talk about the new Internet Explorer 10 browsing experience. We have considerably improved the underlying browsing engine with performance, standards, and features as we have previously blogged about (link). IE10 designed for a Metro style experience is a new and improved way of browsing, where you can truly focus on the information you want to browse rather than the task of browsing – a fully immersive experience. At the same time it provides all of the safety and controls you are used to – tabs, keyboard shortcuts, InPrivate browsing, and more.

To continue reading, click here.

Mass Effect 3 Datapad app for iOS launched

If you have Mass Effect 3, and an iOS device, you can download the Datapad app for additional fun.

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This is the description for the app:

TAKE YOUR GALAXY WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO! Mass Effect 3 Datapad is the ultimate companion application for Mass Effect 3, the latest adrenaline-pumping game from BioWare & Electronic Arts.

GET UPDATES FROM YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTERS
Receive in-app messages from characters in Mass Effect 3 after you interact with them in the game. How many Easter eggs can you unlock?

RECEIVE BREAKING NEWS FROM THE ALLIANCE NEWS NETWORK
Get up-to-the-minute news about BioWare and the Mass Effect Universe direct to your device.

LEARN ABOUT THE MASS EFFECT IN THE CODEX DATABASE
Review codex entries from Mass Effect 1, 2 & 3 and learn more about the thrilling story and characters that populate the Mass Effect Universe.

DEPLOY TROOPS TO THE GALAXY AT WAR USING FLEET COMMANDER
Use your tapping skills to deploy fleets of ships to increase your chance of success against the Reapers in Mass Effect 3 single player mode. Influence the Readiness Rating of your troops directly from your iOS device.

BROWSE EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS AND PHOTOS IN THE MEDIA LIBRARY
Spice up your device with the latest Mass Effect screenshots, videos, and wallpapers.

Will you defeat the Reapers, or will Earth be lost forever?

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Download from the Apple App Store

RIM announced the BlackBerry Mini Keyboard for the PlayBook

Research In Motion (RIM)  today introduced the BlackBerry Mini Keyboard, a new accessory for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

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The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard is ultra portable and comes complete with a stylish convertible case that doubles as a stand for the tablet.  In addition to a full QWERTY keyboard, it offers an integrated touchpad that allows users to navigate and control the BlackBerry PlayBook as easily as using the touch screen on the tablet itself. When the keyboard is active, the PlayBook tablet’s virtual keyboard remains hidden, freeing up 100% of the display for the task at hand.

· Powerful Multi-touch Control – The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard comes equipped with a touchpad that supports BlackBerry PlayBook gestures. The touchpad also offers additional gestures similar to the standard mouse and touchpad controls on a laptop, including a single tap to simulate a mouse click, a two finger tap to right-click, and a two-finger up or down swipe to scroll vertically.

· Ultimate Portability – The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard is ultra-portable and lightweight, measuring less than 6mm thick.

· Security – The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard connects to your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet via Bluetooth®, and features 128-bit encryption to keep the data passed between keyboard and tablet secure.

· Powered and Ready When You Need It – The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard conveniently uses the micro-USB charger that comes with the BlackBerry PlayBook (one less charger to carry), and the keyboard battery lasts up to 30 days on a full charge.

· Third Party App Support – The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard is a great productivity enhancer. It works with the new BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 Messages, Contacts and Calendar apps as well as Documents To Go, and provides an optimal user experience for third party apps such as Citrix Receiver, which allows users to remotely access their Windows desktop and apps from the tablet.

The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard is now available for pre-order internationally at http://www.shopblackberry.com for US$119.99.

Raspberry Pi Pricing Updates published

The Raspberry Pi guys have today posted an update on pricing for the Raspberry Pi model B devices.

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This is what the Raspberry Pi guys said:

In response to your request for a breakdown of the RS prices and shipping across the world for Raspberry Pi Model B….

With demand running at such a high level, and in an effort to keep things as simple as possible, RS have decided to set a single global price and a single global delivery charge! This should help you communicate to the Raspberry Pi community very clearly.

We will allow all orders to be placed on our website using this universal pricing mechanism, which will ensure that we ship on a first-come first-served basis to everyone that has registered, in the order that they registered with RS following the launch on 29th Feb. It will also enable us to ship one Raspberry Pi to each customer who places their order, until availability eases and we can ship multiple Pi’s to anyone requesting more. We will be in contact with our registered customers with instructions on how to place their orders over the next few days, as we will soon be able to provide accurate availability information based upon volume manufacturing.

So, in every country that we are legally able to ship to, where we are not restricted from selling to private individuals*, we will apply the following universal £GBP selling price, shipping charges and VAT:

Raspberry Pi Model B = £21.60

+ Shipping Charge = £4.95 (this shipping charge also covers any accessories ordered to be shipped with a Raspberry Pi – Customers will only pay ONE charge of £4.95 per shipment)

VAT @20% = £5.31

(Liz edit: if you’re in the EU but outside the UK, your VAT may be calculated differently. Outside the EU you will not pay VAT, but will still have to pay any local sales and import taxes.)

Total inc VAT and shipping = £31.86

PAYMENT: We will accept payment via PayPal and Credit Cards. Any customer ordering with a credit card will be charged in local currency by the bank issuing the credit card, in accordance with the bank’s exchange rate policy.

The single Shipping Charge of £4.95 will apply to all orders and will also include any Raspberry Pi accessories ordered from RS at the same time as the Raspberry Pi Model B board (eg. Memory Card, Power Supply, Cables, Keyboard, Mouse etc.). We will not charge a further shipping charge for any accessories that are ordered and shipped with the Raspberry Pi board.

* – Currently we are restricted in selling to private individuals in Austria only.
[ADDENDUM : This means the only place individuals cannot buy from RS is Austria.]

Did you manage to get one? Let us know! Mine is coming in May apparently!

Sky+ app for Android Updated to version 2.1.8

The Sky+ app for Android has been updated and includes some graphic enhancements.

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The latest Sky+ App ensures you never miss the latest and greatest TV.

For a start, there’s a full Seven Day TV Listing Guide that presents all your favourite channels.

And for shows that are simply unmissable, we’ve now introduced Series Link for mobile. This ever-so-useful function lets you record entire seasons of favourite shows to your compatible Sky+ HD box. And all with just a few finger taps.

In the app’s Showcase section you’ll find the top TV picks of the week – whether it’s a movie premiere, a big match or a new must-see drama.

Now & Next shows you what’s on and what’s coming up. And beneath individual Programme Details you’ll find Other Airings (which tells you when else a favourite programme is on air) plus alternative programmes you may like.

The Sky+ App also lets you group channel Favourites together to create your very own personal TV guide. Recording couldn’t be easier – you just tap on the Record button alongside your chosen programme and the request will go straight to your Sky+ box. What’s more, the app allows you to record from anywhere in the world.

What’s new in 2.1.8:

  • 7 day listings are now accessed via the new Calendar icon on the top toolbar
  • Navigation improved for TV guide and Now & Next
  • Graphic enhancements
  • Minor bug fixes
Download now from Google Play

Android 4.0 Rolling out to Samsung Galaxy S II next week

Samsung have today confirmed that Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) will be rolling out to the Galaxy S II next week!

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This is what Samsung posted:

Samsung UK can confirm that the roll out of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) on Galaxy S II will be available from week commencing 19th March, however the availability of software upgrades in the UK will be dependent upon each network’s own software approvals process. ICS for GALAXY Note, GALAXY S II LTE, GALAXY Tab 8.9 and 10.1 will follow soon.

Do you have the Galaxy S II? Let us know when you get ICS!