Apple Releases iTunes Version 10.5.2

Apple has today released iTunes version 10.5.2.

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What’s new in iTunes 10.5.2

iTunes 10.5.2 includes several improvements for iTunes Match and fixes an audio distortion problem when playing or importing certain CDs.

iTunes 10.5.1 included:

• iTunes Match. Store your entire music library in iCloud, including music you’ve imported from CDs, and enjoy your collection anywhere, anytime, on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, computer or Apple TV.

• iTunes in the Cloud. iTunes now stores your music and TV purchases in iCloud and makes them available on your devices anywhere, anytime, at no additional cost.

• Automatic Downloads. Purchase music from any device or computer and automatically download a copy to your Mac, PC and iOS devices.

• Download Previous Purchases. Download your past music, TV, app and book purchases again, at no additional cost. Previous purchases may be unavailable if they are no longer on the iTunes Store.

• Sync with your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with iOS 5.

• Wi-Fi Syncing. Automatically sync your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with iTunes anytime they’re both on the same Wi-Fi network.

You can download the latest version directly from the Apple website, or from your installed copy of iTunes.

DVBLogic Announce DVBLink EPG Loader for Digiguide

Today DVBLogic announced an addition to their product offering – the DVBLink EPG Loader for Digiguide.

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Here is what they said:

We introduce today a new product in our DVBLink product family – DVBLink EPG Loader for Digiguide.

This complementary product provides DVBLink TV channels with comprehensive TV Guide listings delivered by Digiguide.tv service (Digiguide.tv Premium subscription is required).
The Digiguide.tv EPG information is avaiable up to two weeks in advance and contains full set of metadata tags for each program including name, description, genre, series information, cast, star rating and more!

The product can be downloaded from the main page of our website www.dvblogic.com

Do not miss our 10% off introduction offer for DVBLink EPG Loader for Digiguide!

DVBLink Product Suit v4.1 Has Been Released

Today saw the release of version 4.1 of the DVBLink product suite.

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What is new and fixed:

General

  • Fixed: limit of 4 physical channels when doing manual channel merge
  • Fixed: it takes a long time for dvblink server to start-up and wake up from standby (this also caused tuner conflict message in MediaCenter after wake-up from standby)
  • Fixed: xmltv files in ISO-8859-2 encoding cannot be read
  • Fixed: BSOD in dvblink drivers when starting up Mediacenter (also on the dvblink network client side)
  • Fixed: dissapearing channels in MediaCenter (also on the dvblink network client side)

DVBLink TVSource:

  • Fixed: BSOD in drivers of Omicom tuner during channel scan
  • Fixed (by AnySee new drivers): TVSource does not scan channels with AnySee E7 S2 tuner without CNO running

DVBLink Connect! Server

  • Added: Web streaming interface
  • Fixed: DLNA server crashes on startup because of corrupt nms description file
  • Added: url to retrieve m3u file with dvblink channel list
  • Fixed: Android streaming stops sometimes after 30-60 seconds

NETGEAR Announce the Wireless Extreme for Mac and PC

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NETGEAR launches new router with unique features for Macs, enhanced capabilities and performance for all users.

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Here is the press release:

The NETGEAR wireless extreme offers first true home networking solution for large number of households that use both Macs and PCs

London, UK – December 12, 2011 — NETGEAR®, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR), a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and service providers, today announced worldwide availability of the NETGEAR Wireless Extreme for Mac and PC (WNDRMAC).  The Wireless Extreme is the company’s first home router to offer Mac-specific capabilities – including native support for Apple’s Time Machine® back-up software and Bonjour® automated networking technology – in addition to the speed, range and premium features found in NETGEAR’s latest consumer routers.

A large number of NETGEAR’s consumer customer base use both Macs and PCs, in addition to iPhones, iPads and other devices, on their home networks.  The Wireless Extreme is designed from the ground up to offer a best-of-all-worlds solution. It includes the advanced features found in NETGEAR’s award-winning family of routers – parental controls, DLNA compatible media streaming, a broadband usage meter and simultaneous dual-band wireless performance. In addition, the Wireless Extreme also features NETGEAR’s Genie, which is a dashboard-style application that provides easy and complete router and network management, CD-less installation and support for Mac-specific technology, such as Time Machine and Bonjour.

A key benefit of the Wireless Extreme is that it can be installed and set-up without a CD via a simple and intuitive interface from Android Smartphones, iPhones, iPads or any PC or MAC computer.  For Mac users, NETGEAR’s ReadySHARE® technology enables the Wireless Extreme to double as a fully functional Time Machine backup device with an attached USB external hard drive. The new router also supports Apple’s Bonjour automated networking technology, which allows Macs, PCs and other Bonjour compatible devices to find each other on a home network and share USB printers.

 

The Wireless Extreme also features Dual-band wireless N networking (2.4GHz and 5GHz) and an advanced 680 Mhz processor to support state-of-the-art HD media streaming, multiplayer online gaming and simultaneous downloads. The router is DLNA certified for streaming media to DLNA-compatible high-definition televisions, Blu-ray™ players and game consoles.

Other advanced features of the Wireless Extreme include:

  • ReadySHARE® Printer. The Wireless Extreme makes it easy to turn any existing USB printer into a fully functional networked printer that is fully compatible with Macs, PCs and a growing number of mobile platforms.
  • NETGEAR Genie. This free utility for PCs and Macs allows home users to control, monitor, repair and manage their home networks easily through a simple and elegant dashboard.  NETGEAR customers can download the utility at http://www.netgear.com/genie).  The Mac version is available as a public beta.
  • Guest network access. The Wireless Extreme’s browser interface and the NETGEAR Genie utility make setting up a guest network simple and easy.  Visitors can go online freely without the need for your secure login information.  The guest network also prevents users from seeing and accessing your computers, printers, storage drives and other home-network devices.
  • DLNA. A USB hard drive plugged into the router becomes a powerful DLNA media server for sharing any entertainment content stored on the drive – including video, music and photos – to DLNA-certified, Internet-ready consumer electronic devices, including televisions, Blu-ray™ players and game consoles.
  • Advanced Quality of Service. By prioritizing video streams over other home network traffic, advanced Quality of Service (QoS) provides the best possible viewing experience for online video.
  • Gigabit wired Ethernet. The Wireless Extreme comes with four high-speed gigabit Ethernet ports for ultra-fast wired connections.
  • Leading Security. The router supports WPA and WPA2 protocols for WiFi, has double firewall (SPI and NAT) protection against Internet threats, and provides Denial of Service (DoS) attack prevention.
  • Broadband usage meter. This tool enables users to monitor their Internet data consumption and can send customized alerts when usage is close to monthly bandwidth limits, avoiding costly overage fees for those with metered service plans.
  • NETGEAR Live Parental Controls.  This centralized, flexible and reliable parental control solution for all the devices on the network, including Macs, Windows PCs, smartphones and tablets, provides a safe online environment for children and teenagers –no subscription required.
  • Automatic WiFi security.  The Wireless Extreme comes with wireless security turned on out-of-the-box with a pre-configured network name and password so home WiFi networks are protected by default.

“Consumers live in a multiplatform world of Macs, PCs, iPads, iPhones, smartphones, and tablets.  NETGEAR’s new Wireless Extreme combines the best of all of these worlds in a single, powerful networking product that also adds Mac-specific features previously available only in Apple’s networking products,” said Som Pal Choudhury, NETGEAR director of product marketing.  “For the first time, Mac users can purchase a high performance router with NETGEAR’s advanced technology features, while PC users can deploy a home network that makes it easy to integrate Macs and enjoy all of their unique network capabilities.”

Pricing and Availability
The NETGEAR Wireless Extreme for Mac and PC (WNDRMAC) is available now in the United States from $129.99, and worldwide from major retailers in stores and online.

Learn more from the NETGEAR website

WHS Add-in Update : LDisk for Windows Home Server 2.0.0.4

B.J. from Intelisan has been in touch to tell us that their Windows Home Server add-in LDisk has been updated to version 2.0.0.4.

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LDisk Windows Home Server Add-In adds iSCSI Target Storage capability to your Windows Home Server. Using LDisk, you can create a single appliance to provide all your storage and backup needs.

– iSCSI Target Storage for Windows Home Server

– IP SAN (Storage Area Network)- Block transfer

– iSCSI SAN interface over Ethernet

– Snapshot with schedules, revert, and convert to volume

– Fully protected data using SAN Volume duplication

– Supports all Internal or external drives

– Drive Extender for WHS 2011

– Storage Expansion through iSCSI for WHS 2011

Some of the changes in this version are:

1- Major improvement to Disk Pooling / Drive Extender. With this change, you can create one storage pool, and serve iSCSI or NAS volumes from the same storage pool. Only one disk is needed for both NAS and SAN volumes.

2- Combining all LDisk tabs under one main Tab to simplify use of the product.

3- Adding ability to create Raid-0, Raid-1 volumes for SAN or NAS in addition to normal volumes.

Learn more from the Intelisan website

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BBC iPlayer App Updated to Version 1.3

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Today saw an updated for the BBC iPlayer App taking it to version 1.3.

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BBC TV and Radio programmes now on your iPad and iPhone.

Watch and listen live, or choose your favourites from over 400 hours programming from the last 7 days.

– Watch live TV
– Listen to live radio
– Scroll through and find Featured and Most Popular programmes
– Add programmes to your favourites and have them ready and waiting when a new episode or series is available
– Drag and drop programmes to Favourites with one easy move
– Browse through the schedule for upcoming programmes

What’s New In Version 1.3

New features in this update include:

– BBC iPlayer is now available on the iPhone and iPod touch.
– Watch on your TV using Apple AirPlay on iOS5
– Watch or listen to your favourite programme over 3G networks

Grid Junction 2.0 Add-In for WHS 2011 and SBS Essentials 2011 Public Beta

A few months ago we told you that Grid Junction 2.0 for WHS 2011 was coming soon. Now there is a public beta of this great add-in.

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In case you are not familiar with Grid Junction, which means you’re not jumping for joy just yet, the original add-in was designed for Windows Home Server to manage an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) via the Windows Home Server Dashboard. Grid Junction integrates seamlessly to issue power alerts and help protect Windows Home Server from power problems such as brownouts, or blackouts by safely powering down the Windows Home Server when battery levels reach a set threshold.

This is what Alexander posted:

We welcome everyone to make full use of it but do issue a warning of caution as how it is still NOT the final version please try not to use it on your production/live servers.

Please visit the following link: Grid Junction v2.0 BETA to download your free trial version, put it to through the ringer and let us know what you find. This beta trial will run until January 31, 2012.

Let us know what you think of the beta….

BYOB Podcast Episode 69 Out Now

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The guys over at the BYOB podcast, including our very own Tim Daleo have just released episode 69.

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Here is what is included in this weeks show:

[box style=”rounded” border=”full”]Cloning with Acronis, WHS on an SSD. Arcsoft Media Converter, #60 has a new Dashboard and Windows 8 Rumors?[/box]

As usual you can listen to the show from here.

Review of PressReader for the iPhone and iPad

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Here we review PressReader, an app that lets you download and read your favourite publications.

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What is PressReader?

PressReader is a free application that enables you to download your favourite publications to your PC, Mac, tablet, mobile device or eReader allowing you to read them even when you’re offline.

Enjoy your favorite daily read from a selection of more than 2,000 newspapers and magazines from 95 countries in 51 languages with PressReader!

With every article, advertisement, crossword puzzle and cartoon presented in its original context, PressReader offers many of the same rich user interface and intuitive interactive features PressDisplay.com users have come to love.

And with the added convenience of being able to hold your favorite publication directly in your hands and read it from cover to cover just the way you would in-print, PressReader makes reading full-content digital replicas an absolute delight with features such as:

  • Flipping pages like you’re reading a real publication
  • The ability to pan, zoom or rotate pages, articles and photos
  • Navigating publications using thumbnails or table of contents
  • Opening full articles in easy-to-read text views
  • Listening to publications using on-demand audio
  • Searching online across titles and selecting the titles you wish to download

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PressReader for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch sports a bold, new look and incorporates dozens of user requests, including: faster page navigation; smoother operation; and simplified downloading and auto-delivery of newspaper subscriptions. Imagine holding a digital replica of your favorite publication and reading it from cover to cover, just the way the title was printed — with no compromises in quality, fidelity or content.

PressReader on the iPad

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When you first launch the app it downloads the latest catalogue of papers.

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You then have the option to either see a demo or select a paper.

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You can see some of the papers available for you to select, based on where you are. You could just tap on the Download button now to download a paper and read it.

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You can either use the 7 free credits to select papers, or if you have purchased a subscription you can enter your details and authorise the subscription.

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Get the Halo Waypoint App for your iPhone or iPad Now

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Halo Waypoint is the official app for all things Halo: Reach on your iPhone or iPad!

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Waypoint features ATLAS, the official multiplayer companion for Halo: Reach. Check out overhead views of multiplayer and firefight maps, as well as beautifully illustrated versions from Brady Games. The maps show weapon and vehicle locations, and you can get near real-time position and score information for Multiplayer games, for you and your team.

With Halo Waypoint, you have direct access to your Waypoint Career progress, all of your Halo: Reach stats, including game history, campaign progress and stats by weapons and enemies. You can stay in contact with your Halo friends on Xbox LIVE no matter where you are.

Invite your friends to compete in Halo: Reach by creating Custom Challenges, which let you pick a game type, a goal (like Kills or Headshots), a time limit and an amount. Then you can invite friends to see who can beat the goal in time.

Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing—you, access Halo at any time, through Halo Waypoint for your iPhone or iPad.

Download the App from the App Store now

Windows Phone Alternative Marketplace – BAZAAR

Are you looking for an alternative to the Windows Phone Marketplace? Then you might be interested in Bazaar. It does for Windows Phones what Cydia does for iPhones.

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This is what was posted:

For a long time we’ve been struggling with searching forums for new applications and deploying them using our PC.

Windows Phone OS is also missing a platform for publishing new applications that cannot be released using WP Marketplace – such as Homebrew apps or application that are not complaint with Microsoft Marketplace policies (very much like IPhone’s “Cydia”).

We are happy to introduce to you a new application that we have been implementing for the past couple of weeks.

Meet Bazaar – an alternative Windows phone Marketplace.

Bazaar is an application that will allow you to browse applications by categories, share, download and install them directly within your device without the need to connect your device to your PC.

In the near future we will add more functionalities as-
• Creating an account within Bazaar
• Managing favorites applications list and the ability to download and install them as a batch process (very useful after reset/flashing new ROM version)
• Add ratings and comments for applications
• Submit new applications via Bazaar web site
• Online search in Bazaar applications repository
• And many more…

You are all welcome to suggest features that you would like to see in our future releases.

Today we are releasing a public beta that contains temporary repository of the official marketplace free applications – in order for us to see how the application and the server handles load (About 1000 applications including screenshots and information) – and of course to give you a taste of what is coming to your Windows phone soon.

In the mean time we would like to ask you – beta testers – to provide us with feedback about the application, suggestions, and all the things that comes in your mind that will help to improve Bazaar.

More importantly, we would like to ask from independent developers (and who ever knows such) to send us information about YOUR apps – Icon, description, screenshots, categories, etc.. – so we can help getting your app to as many devices.

important notes –
• Bazaar is NOT a place to distribute “cracked” games and apps. We’re not encouraging piracy.
UPDATE – Bazaar will work on ANY Rom that supports installing XAP files via the device’s IE.

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Learn more about Bazaar from here

Covecube Walk Us Through Stablebit DrivePool M4 for Windows Home Server 2011

It’s been a little while since we had an update from Covecube on their Stablebit DrivePool addin for WHS 2011. Today they have published a really interesting walk-through on the M4 release which is coming very soon.

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Here is how the walk-through starts:

It has been a while since I posed anything, but all this time there has been a lot of work going into DrivePool, and BETA M4 is finally nearing completion. DrivePool BETA M4 should be released to the public at the end of this month or in January. BETA M4 will be the final BETA and will turn into the 1.0 final once it’s tested.

There’s a lot to get excited about in M4 so let’s take a look at what’s new and what’s changed.

Keep in mind that the screen shots are based on a development version and might change before release.

And this is the conclusion:

In DrivePool M4 the UI has been cleaned up and streamlined. Where possible, DrivePool now uses the default built-in wizards.

But this is not the whole story because DrivePool M4 features a brand new back-end, including a new file system written specifically for pooling files and maintaining maximum compatibility with existing applications that expect NTFS. But that’s a whole different story.

Once again, DrivePool BETA M4 is scheduled to be released publicly at the end of December 2011 or January 2012 and will be available for the Windows Server Solutions family of operating systems.

Go check out the full article from the Covecube wiki, it’s worth the read.

Two Minute Review of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3

A few weeks ago we attended the UK launch party for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3. We have been playing it ever since! So now it’s time for our two minute review.

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Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare™, the new action-thriller from the award-winning team at Infinity Ward, the creators of the Call of Duty® series, delivers the most intense and cinematic action experience ever.

Armed with an arsenal of advanced and powerful modern day firepower, players are transported to treacherous hotspots around the globe to take on a rogue enemy group threatening the world. As both a U.S Marine and British S.A.S. soldier fighting through an unfolding story full of twists and turns, players use sophisticated technology, superior firepower and coordinated land and air strikes on a battlefield where speed, accuracy and communication are essential to victory.

The epic title also delivers an added depth of multiplayer action providing online fans an all-new community of persistence, addictive and customizable gameplay.

Who are Activision?

Not that you probably need to be told, but from their website:

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Blizzard, Inc. is a worldwide online, PC, console, handheld and mobile game publisher with leading market positions across every major category of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry.

Activision Blizzard’s portfolio includes best-selling video games such as Call of Duty® as well as Spider-Man™, X-Men™, James Bond™ and TRANSFORMERS™, leading franchises such as Spyro™ and Blizzard Entertainment’s® StarCraft®, Diablo®, and Warcraft® franchises including the global #1 subscription-based massively multi-player online role-playing game, World of Warcraft®.

Campaign

The campaign mode continues from where Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 left off and the action doesn’t stop.

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I’m a big fan of campaign modes or single player modes on games, and I had a really enjoyable time playing this one. I found myself being drawn more and more into the game.

Multiplayer

Where the game really comes into it’s own is the multiplayer. No two games are the same and you can play with thousands of other players.

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When you first start playing on the multiplayer game it takes a while for you to build up your skill and weapons. What can be frustrating is that you have no real control over which game you join, so you often end up playing against seasoned players. My first few games had me up against level 74 players and I was lasting about 5 seconds before getting killed!

Final Thoughts

There is also a Specials Ops mode to go along with the Campaign and Multiplayer modes. You can play against or with a friend, or even on your own.

I really enjoyed this game – as I said, I found myself being drawn in with each passing mission.

There are plenty of weapons to choose from, including Reaper drones and more!

I only have two criticisms – the first being that the campaign mode seems to finish all too quickly. In fact, I completed it in a single day (ok, I played it for a long time that day, but still…).

The second relates to multiplayer – there are still far too many people who want to only curse you and talk trash. This is one of the reasons I don’t usually bother with multiplayer modes. I have spent quite a few hours (ok, days) playing MW3 in multiplayer now and every other game has someone talking trash, and frankly it gets a bit tired!

That being said I found myself becoming quite addicted to the multiplayer mode. In fact, I was going to write up this two minute review several hours ago but I decided to have just one more game – ok, that turned into 27 more games, but you get the idea!

I played MW3 on both the Xbox 360 and also on the PC. I found the PC version much easier for playing multiplayer with as I was finding I was getting fragged before I could even aim quick enough on the Xbox.

There is also a PS3 and a Nintendo DS version of the game if you want to play it on that.

If you like first person shooters, both with campaign and/or multiplayer modes, then this is the game for you!

Maybe see you on the battlefield?

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Save 10% on the Tranquil PC Riley Barebones Storage Server

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We’ve told you a lot about the Tranquil PC Riley servers, now you can save an additional 10% on the Riley Barebones storage processor.

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Here is what Tranquil told us:

The Riley series are already proving very popular with our customers, but what if you want to add your own operating system, and enjoy the silent beauty of the Riley – with Linux etc on board.  Now you can, and for an introductory period you can save a further 10% off the already attractive £299.00!

Learn more here

To claim your saving use the following COUPON CODE at the checkout : RBB1010