What is Windows Home Server?

Sky+ app for Android Updated to version 3.0.2

Andrew Edney

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Mar 31, 2013

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The Sky+ app for Android has been updated.

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 3.0.2:

– Fixes a bug where some customers are seeing incorrect airing times in Planner items

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bskyb.android.skyplus

Win a copy of Tomb Raider on Xbox, a book and Kick Energy Drinks

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Mar 31, 2013

2

This month saw the launch of Tomb Raider and the return of one of gaming’s most iconic characters, Lara Croft. Developed by Crystal Dynamics, this gritty reboot depicts the first adventure for a young and inexperienced Lara Croft in a story which charts the journey of an ordinary woman who finds out just how far she must go in order to stay alive.

To celebrate the release of Tomb Raider, we’re teaming up with Square Enix and Microsoft to give three lucky adventurers a copy of the game on Xbox, a book and a case of Kick Energy drink.

So what do you have to to win of the prize packs? Well its simple – go check out our review of Tomb Raider, and tell us what score we gave it. Then just click on the Contact Us link at the top of the page and tell us your answer. Make sure you use a valid email address when submitting your entry otherwise we can’t contact you. You can enter as many times as you like, but only one entry per day will be accepted.

Usual contest rules apply, and the winners will be selected at random. This contest is only available to those people in the UK because of the game – sorry!

The contest closes Saturday 6th April, so good luck.

Tomb Raider is out now www.tombraider.com

My Movies Home and Essentials Server Solution 2.13 Build 4 released

Andrew Edney

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Mar 30, 2013

1

My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 has been renamed to My Movies Home and Essentials Server Solution, as it now supports both Windows Home Server 2011 and Windows Server 2012 Essentials and version 2.13 Build 4 has just been released.

My Movies Home and Essentials Server Solution 2.13 Build 4 change log:

Added: Advanced configuration dialog added back in – it have been missing since WHS V1. This allows for configuration to restart server on update of AnyDVD.

Fix: There could be a problem adding video converter jobs to paths on NAS devices.
Fix: There was a problem downloading MP4 files when stored on NAS devices.
Fix: Issue that could prevent the video converter service to stop processing, if automatic backups were enabled.
Fix: Incorrect path could be stored for mobile locations, when videos were converted to external NAS devices.

You can download My Movies Home and Essentials Server Solution 2.13 Build 4 here Check out our review of My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 2.0 Pre Release 7

My Movies for Windows Media Center and Collection Management for Windows 4.05 Build 5 released

Andrew Edney

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Mar 30, 2013

0

Brian has just released My Movies for Windows Media Center and Collection Management for Windows version 4.05 Build 5.

My Movies for Windows Media Center and My Movies Collection Management for Windows 4.05 Build 5 changelog:

Added: Update to API commands.
Added: Online locations are now sent to the server, but not sync’ed down.

Fix: Issue with MediaInfo MPEG-2 video in some situations.
Fix: Add of standalone TV Episodes is now again synced to server automatically.
Fix: SQL Server 2008 R2 installation would not work on some Windows 8 machines. It have been updated to SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2. Users already affected by this problem, please use our uninstall tool.

Download My Movies 4.05 Build 5 now Check out our review of My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 2.0 Pre Release 7

TOMB RAIDER now has micro-transactions

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Mar 30, 2013

1

Square Eniq quietly added micro-transactions to Tomb Raider yesterday.

For those players who want a little boost, they can buy items and upgrades rather than earning them in the game. These transactions are available on the PC version on Stream (see the list below) and also on Xbox 360 for 80 MS Points each.

Do you agree with micro-transactions? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Gears of War – Judgment Haven Map and Execution Mode Released

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Mar 29, 2013

0

Gears of War – Judgment Haven Map and Execution Mode Released

Today Epic Games for Gears of War – Judgment has released a new pack includes a new multiplayer map called Haven and the fan-favourite mode Execution. There will be special playlists for Haven and Execution which will feature 2 XP for a limited time. VIP pass holders will receive 3 XP within that playlist for a limited time.

IMPORTANT: You must download the DLC pack directly from the Xbox 360 dashboard or add it to your download queue via Xbox.com. The dialogue box prompting you to download the pack in-game is not functioning properly and will be fixed as soon as possible.

As for the title update, check out the list of fixes below:

Various dedicated server improvements.
Players no longer get stuck in the main menu background after playing three random matches.
Locusts no longer spawn at the second E-Hole on the first wave of Island.
Players will no longer get stuck inside of a Boom Shield that has been planted by an enemy player.
Players will no longer able to look down the scope with a Markza while holding a Meat Shield.
If a Locust destroys an objective at the same time the timer runs out in OverRun using Mercy rules, the match will not end early.
Fix for exclamation points not disappearing after viewing an unlocked character.
While holding a Meat Shield you will only need to tap B to melee.
The Meat Shield will now drop if you switch to the snub.
The “Spray and Pray” ribbon can now be earned in the first round.
If the Boom Shield is disabled in weapon swap you will no longer see the icon in Tac-Com.
You will now earn the Team Savior ribbon for reviving three individual teammates in a single life.
Players can no longer chainsaw another player while holding the Boom Shield.
Improvements to the Hammer of Dawn targeting.
You will now see XP tallies between matches.

Halo 4 Forge Island out now

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Mar 29, 2013

0

343 Industries have released the Halo 4 Forge Island add-on early, and you can get it now.

Referred to as the ‘Great Anvils’ by UNSC personnel deployed to the southwestern peninsula of Requiem’s smallest continent, these massive sentinels tower high above the shield world’s warm tropical ocean. The geologic data acquired from these islands has offered incredible fodder for Infinity Science’s Forge group, providing diverse and modifiable terrain for the War Games combat simulations.

You can download Forge Island for free right now.

What do you think of Forge Island? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME Shatner Vs The Gorn video

Andrew Edney

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Mar 29, 2013

0

More than four decades after they first squared off on an isolated desert planet, William Shatner comes face-to-face again with the menacing Gorn species of STAR TREK fame … but this time the battle begins on a comfy sofa with the two former foes seated in front of a video screen as they fight again in promotion for the April 26 release of STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME. The Kirk-Gorn rematch can be viewed below:

The original Kirk-Gorn duel was seen in the classic 1967 “Arena” episode of the STAR TREK series.

Shatner and a stunt man in a replica Gorn suit are seen casually playing STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME when a dispute leads to a friendly fight re-enacting actual choreographed punches from the classic TV brawl blow-for-blow. This time, however, couch pillows replace what appeared to be “space rocks” that were thrown the first time around.

“What better way to spotlight the adventure and fun everyone can have actually playing as Capt. Kirk in the new game, than to team up the legendary former captain himself to play one of his old foes,” commented LeeAnne Stables, President of Consumer Products at Paramount Pictures, the studio releasing the game. “Mr. Shatner is such a great sport and that Gorn had absolutely no chance of coming out on top this time.”

After spending a day on the set with the Gorn to create the video, veteran actor Shatner, who originated the role of Capt. Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series, added: “It never ceases to amaze me how many people still ask me about that scene. It’s 46 years later, and he hasn’t aged as well as I have.”

The highly anticipated STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME features a vastly updated version of the Gorn as the key foe to legendary duo Kirk and Spock. Players take on the roles of Kirk and Spock, who work together to get to the heart of a mysterious attack by an enemy with unimaginable strength – a re-imagined version of the Gorn. In an entirely original story, written by BAFTA award winner Marianne Krawczyk, the Gorn is a terrifying threat, with an army that could overwhelm Kirk, Spock and the crew of the Enterprise.

The all-new video showdown between the two STAR TREK icons can also be found online at www.startrekgame.com starting today, and highlights the co-op play that is at the heart of STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME, which will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Pre-ordering is available now.

STAR TREK The Video Game is under license by CBS Consumer Products and will be released April 23 in North America and April 26 worldwide by Paramount Pictures and NAMCO Bandai Games.

Check out our recent interview with Brian Miller below:

Office for Mac 2011 14.3.2 update released

Andrew Edney

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Mar 29, 2013

0

Microsoft have released update 14.3.2 for Office for Mac 2011, bringing with it fixes and improvements.

This security update provides the latest fixes for Office for Mac 2011. These include the following:

Contacts that were created in x500 format did not work in Outlook for Mac
Fixes an issue in which messages that were addressed to contacts that were created in x500 format and sent in Mac Outlook were not deliverable.
BCC recipient was missing on Gmail IMAP draft message in Outlook for Mac
Fixes an issue in which BCC recipients were not saved when you saved a draft message on an IMAP server.
Some contractions were marked as spelling errors in Outlook for Mac
Fixes an issue in which letters before the single quotation mark in contractions were marked as misspelled.
Shared folders could not open other mailboxes that used Kerberos protocol in Outlook for Mac
Fixes an issue in which shared folders could not be opened for accounts that used Kerberos authentication.
Coordinated Universal Time was not included when you created a calendar event in Outlook for Mac
Adds Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+0 without a DST offset) to the list of available time zones when you create a calendar event.
Offline Address Book (OAB) was not updated correctly
Fixes an issue in which OAB was not updated correctly for certain Office 365 users.
When the “Save As” dialog box was displayed, VBA code that was running did not wait for user’s action (Save/Cancel) before the code advanced to the next line of the VBA code.
Fixes an issue that occured when you ran a Macro that contained “Applications.Dialogs(xlDialogSaveAs).Show.” Now, the macro aligns with Windows VBA behavior in this particular scenario.
Scrolling when Track Changes default settings are enabled in larger documents crashed Word for Mac
Stability is improved when scrolling through documents that have Track Changes bubbles.
Transitions had graphic issues during slide shows in PowerPoint for Mac
Fixes an issue in which artifacts may have appeared during slide show transitions (This issue affects users who have NVIDIA video cards that are running Mac OS X Mountain Lion).

Have you downloaded the update yet? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Winners of the tickets for The Gadget Show LIVE at the NEC

Andrew Edney

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Mar 29, 2013

3

The Gadget Show LIVE returns to the NEC next week and we had 10 pairs of tickets to giveaway – and here are the winners.

Joy Dehany

Lynn Fancy

P Robinson

Greig Spencer

Michael C

Sameer Zabir

Ridwan Khalifa

George K

Spencer Holmes

Jas Singh

Congratulations to everyone, you should have now received an email from us with your tickets – enjoy the show.

The event takes place on 3-7 April at the NEC, Birmingham, and more details are available from www.gadgetshowlive.net/birmingham.

Review of the CalDigit AV Pro External 240GB Solid State Drive

Andrew Edney

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Mar 29, 2013

2

More people are using external drives for storage of photos, videos and music, and CalDigit have released a drive called the AV Pro which is optimised for Audio and Video, and here is our review.

This is how CalDigit describe the drive:

The CalDigit AV Pro is the first Single Drive Solution that makes no compromises. It is truly one of the most powerful single drive solutions on the market today. The AV Pro evolves as the storage demands of its users expand.

What is most impressive about the AV Pro is that it can not only accept regular 3.5” HDD’s, but also the much faster, more secure 2.5” SSD’s. When it comes to storage capacity, the AV Pro can store a huge amount of data for such a small device. With a regular 3.5” HDD installed the AV Pro can store up to 4TB of data, and with an SSD installed it will be available in capacities up to 480GB.

The AV Pro has been optimized for Audio and Video, making it the perfect companion for professional Audio and Video software. The CalDigit AV Pro is powerful enough work with these high end applications, and extremely easy to use.

Who are CalDigit?

From their website:

At CalDigit, we know storage. Quality, performance, and support are our forte. CalDigit has specialized in creating storage solutions for creative professionals for over ten years. CalDigit was the first to provide external PCIe storage as well the first to bring USB 3.0 to the Mac. CalDigit products are designed to provide users with reliability, performance, style and flexibility. CalDigit is a single vendor support company; we design, build, and assemble all of our products. This results in the ability to provide users with unparalleled support and service.

CalDigit emphasizes the use of quality components to produce products that would lessen the chances of component failure, and loss of productivity. Every product undergoes real world testing, cutting it to perfection. We believe in building a trust with our customers, which is why we offer legendary technical support.

Specifications

What’s in the Box?

• 1 x CalDigit AV Pro
• 1 x Drive Module
• 1 x USB 3.0 Cable
• 1 x FireWire Cable
• 1 x AC Adapter
• 1 x Drive Key
• 1 x Drive Stand
• 1 x Manual (Preinstalled)

A Closer Look

Setting Up

When you first connect the drive you need to run the CalDigit Drive Assistant software that is sitting on the drive itself.

You then follow the steps in the Drive Assistant.

I had some issues using the Recommended setup with it sticking at 30%. I tried it several times on multiple machines but for some reason I couldn’t get past 30%, so I started it up again and chose the Manual Format option and did it all myself – which to be fair only took a few moments and I was comfortable about doing it.

Performance Tests

We ran the usual performance tests using HD Tune Pro 5.00 and CrystalDiskMark 3.0.2.

The average Read speed was 272.7 MB/s with an average Write speed of 186.9 MB/s, which is a fair bit slower than CalDigit claim as “up to 430 MB/s”. I ran the tests multiple times on a number of machines and the results didn’t change.

Final Thoughts

The review drive we were sent was the U3+FW800 SSD 240GB variant. It was only tested using USB 3.0 as I didn’t have any hardware available with FireWire 800 on it.

Plugging in the drive and getting going was simple and quick, but I have no idea why the Recommended Setup didn’t work for me, however performing a manual format worked perfectly, as did the drive so it wasn’t a huge deal.

The inclusion of a stand was a good idea – that way you can decide to leave the drive laying down (if you have the room on your desk) or on it’s side. The drive when in the stand was very sturdy.

I was slightly disappointed with the performance testing results considering the drive was an SSD as the claims of up to 430 MB/s, and you can get some very fast SSD’s these days, such as the Samsung 840 but there is nothing stopping you from swapping out the SSD, and this is one of the useful features of the AV Pro. Also different equipment and setups may yield faster results, and to be fair, it’s not like the results were bad, they were good!

UPDATE: Having spoken with CalDigit, we were not able to get the 430MB/s speed because the AV Pro uses the latest USB 3.0 Technology called UAS (USB Attached SCSI), and in order to get that speed it has to be used on a Mac or PC that has USB 3.0 ports and drivers that support UAS. All Macs with USB 3.0 support UAS, and any Windows PC with a motherboard that supports UAS can get that speed. My motherboard didn’t support that which is why I couldn’t get it.

Opening up the drive bay was as simple as inserting the key and sliding the bay out. The drive sits in the bay and can be easily removed by unscrewing a few screws – simple as that. Then you just slide the bay back in and it locks into place.

The design and feel of the drive is good and solid – its made of aluminium and it’s not that heavy, although it’s not really the sort of external drive you can slip in your pocket and carry around with you, but then if that’s what you are looking for you probably won’t be looking at this one.

If you are someone who does a lot with audio and video then you really should take a look at the AV Pro, it may just be the external drive you have been waiting for.

There are two main variants – HDD and SSD, with different sizes of drive available for both.

The model we had for review retails for £309 but as usual look around for the best deal.

Learn more about the CalDigit AC Pro External drive from their website.

Game Gets UK Exclusive on Game Stick

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Mar 29, 2013

0

Today Game Digital announced that they got the Exclusive on the Game Stick for the UK with a Preorder price of £79.99 with a launch date of June 2013.

Game Stick – Expected June 2013

No consoles. No clutter. Just great gaming on the big screen. This is Game Stick. Designed to be the affordable, portable, dedicated device to bring games to any TV, Game Stick is just that a powerful and portable stick that connects to your TV via HDMI and lets you enjoy hundreds of games on the big screen.

Powered by Android, Game Stick will let you enjoy a wealth of new games from top developers, offering affordability and choice to big screen gaming. Plus the Game Stick uses a specially-designed controller giving you a traditional gaming experience – which you can use to store and transport the Game Stick wherever you go.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayKBm4GIDGo%5D