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HTC Announces Windows Phone 8X and 8S

Jim McCarthy

-

Sep 20, 2012

HTC announced the Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S yesterday. Read on for details!

HTC rolled out their two new Windows Phone models yesterday: the Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S. Both are very nice phones and will be a good option if you are on one of the 150 carriers worldwide that will sell them, including Verizon, AT&T and T-mobile in the US. Here is the press release:

HTC and Microsoft unveil first signature Windows phones
New Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC to be available through more than 150 mobile operators globally

NEW YORK, 19th September, 2012 — HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, and Microsoft today unveiled the first signature Windows Phones, the stunning Windows® Phone 8X and 8S by HTC®. The smartphones feature the new Windows Phone 8 operating system and boast iconic design, studio-quality sound with Beats Audio™ and incredible camera capabilities.

“Pairing HTC’s beautiful new Windows Phone 8X and 8S with our brand is a big milestone for both companies,” said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. “Together we are offering customers a clear choice and a truly unique experience. I’m thrilled to take our longstanding partnership to the next level.”

“We’ve been inspired by Windows Phone 8 to create new smartphones that give the platform the iconic design and personality it deserves,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “Windows Phone has clearly emerged as one of the top mobile ecosystems and is competitive against any other smartphone platform in the world.”

Iconic Design
The only phone with Live Tiles, Windows Phone has a clear, differentiated vision and the consumer experience has been widely recognized as being groundbreaking, innovative and fresh. HTC created the Windows Phone 8X and 8S to blend the virtual and the physical utilizing a three dimensional, pure uni-body design based on the Windows Phone Live Tiles. The Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC are perfectly sculpted with a dramatic taper making them feel magically thin in your hand.

Because color is such an integral part of the Windows Phone experience, HTC is bringing bold, sophisticated and adventurous colors in a premium matte finish to these devices. The Windows Phone 8X will come in a variety of colors including California Blue, Graphite Black, Flame Red and Limelight Yellow. The Windows Phone 8S by HTC will be available in Domino, Fiesta Red, Atlantic Blue and High-Rise Gray.

Capture and share your world
For the first time, HTC is introducing a 2.1mp, f/2.0 aperture, 88° ultra-wide angle front-facing camera that allows up to four people and more to be captured at once. It also supports 1080p video capture. The rear camera sports an 8mp CMOS sensor with backside-illumination (BSI) for improved low-light performance, along with an f/2.0 aperture, 28mm lens and a dedicated imaging chip. A physical shutter button makes it quick and easy to capture spontaneous action, even if the phone is locked.

Spectacular Sound with Beats Audio
Exclusively available on HTC smartphones, Beats Audio provides authentic, studio-quality sound that delivers the spirit of the original recording. The Windows Phone 8X by HTC featuring Beats Audio also offers a unique audio amplifier powering the 3.5mm audio jack and the speaker, boosting the audio signal for even better sound no matter if you’re listening to music, playing a game or watching a video.

Brilliant Display
The Windows Phone 8X by HTC features a beautiful, 4.3″ HD-resolution super LCD 2 screen protected from everyday bumps and scrapes by lightweight Gorilla® Glass 2, while optical lamination reduces reflections and glare, ensuring you see every detail. The Windows Phone 8S by HTC boasts a bright super LCD 4″ screen with Gorilla® Glass, allowing users to see the Windows Phone Live Tiles, and every message and photo, with crystal clarity and sparkling color.

Entertainment
With the Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC people can carry their favorite music, movies and photos with them wherever they go. With the Windows Phone Store and Xbox Live, it is easier than ever to enjoy the latest video, music and games on the move.

Availability
The Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC will be available beginning in November. Available through more than 150 carriers in 50+ countries, the Windows Phone 8X or 8S by HTC will be available from the world’s top carriers including: United States: AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. Europe: Orange, O2 Telefonica, MTS, Three UK, T-Mobile, and Vodafone Asia-Pacific: Chunghwa Telecom, Optus, Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (Singtel), Smartone, Telstra and Vodafone Australia.

Both handsets are based on the Qualcom Snapdragon chipset in the Lumia 920 and 820, as well as the Samsung ATIV device. They should be available in November. Here are some product shots of the 8X flagship device:

And the 8S:

The 8X has 16GB of onboard storage and does not have any kind of expandable storage option, which puts this device at a disadvantage vis-à-vis the Lumia 920 and the ATIV. The screen is 4.3”, which is great, and the device carries a 720p resolution. The camera is the same as on the related Android device and has a great reputation for quality. The 8X also has an amplifier and Beats Audio to help with music performance. The battery is not removable.

The 8S comes with a WVGA 800×480 4” screen and 4GB of onboard storage, which can be expanded. The camera is a 5mp shooter. This is a lower-end phone aimed more at budget-minded buyers.

My take here is that HTC has created two very nice handsets, but they fall a little short of what Nokia’s Lumia models deliver. I’m holding out for a 920 on Verizon myself; I sure hope that Big Red gets that device. However, I will give the 8X a close in-store look before buying my next phone. It sure is nice to have choice in high-end Windows Phone handsets!

So what do you think? Will you buy this, a Lumia, or the ATIV? Or are you a dedicated iOS or Android customer? Sound off and let us know what you think.

Office for Mac 2011 14.2.4 update released

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 20, 2012

2

Office for Mac 2011 14.2.4 update released

Microsoft have released update 14.2.4 for Office for Mac 2011, bringing with it fixes and improvements.

Here is what the update includes:

The Office for Mac 2011 14.2.4 Update includes the following improvement:

Office 2011 for Mac now supports retina rendering on Mac computers that are equipped with a retina display.

Improvements for Outlook for Mac 2011

This update adds the ability for reminders of calendar events to be displayed for all calendars in Outlook. Previously, reminders were only displayed for calendar events in the default account’s calendar. Reminders are now displayed for other calendars, and this includes local On My Computer calendars. This update adds the ability to select a default text encoding for composing new messages. The encoding that is selected in composing preferences will be applied to all new messages that are sent from Mac Outlook. To access composing preferences, select Outlook, select Preferences, and then select Composing. The new preference is Preferred encoding for new messages.

This update changes the HTML syntax of new signatures to be compatible with Mountain Lion and the latest version of WebKit. Email signatures in HTML-formatted email messages may not be displayed in the intended color when the messages are viewed in Mountain Lion or in previous OS versions that were upgraded to the latest version of WebKit. Existing signatures that exhibit this problem must be deleted and recreated to resolve the problem.

This update improves Mac Outlook’s handling of partially downloaded messages. It is now possible to delete or move partially downloaded Exchange messages within the same account.

This update fixes an issue in which Mac Outlook would crash when it moved certain messages to On My Computer folders by using client-side rules.

This update fixes an issue in which the last entry from search results in the Select User dialog box was chosen even when another entry was selected. Distribution lists that are selected from search results in the Select User dialog box are chosen correctly. This issue was related to searching and selecting distribution lists only.

This update resolves an issue that prevented Mac Outlook from downloading mail, calendar, or contact items that contained certain nonprintable characters.

This update fixes an issue in Mac Outlook with delegated access to email. In certain cases, the email address of the primary user would be added incorrectly to the “Me” contact of the delegate.

This update resolves the issue in which, in some cases, searching in Mac Outlook by using a date filter returned the wrong results.

This update fixes an issue in Mac Outlook that affected certain messages that were originally imported from PST files. If such messages were copied into an Exchange account, certain messages would not be readable on Outlook Web Access or other Exchange mail clients.

The update is 111 MB in size and is available now.

App Update: My Movies for iPad 1.84 Released

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 20, 2012

0

App Update: My Movies for iPad 1.84 Released

Brian has just released an update for My Movies for iPad – its now at version 1.84.

What is My Movies for iPad?

My Movies for iPad 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 iPad as a standalone product by adding titles by barcode or title searches, use it along with My Movies for iPhone Light or Pro or use it as a companion to our My Movies software packages for Microsoft Windows, allowing you to keep your movie collection synchronized between all devices and 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. If you log in to an existing My Movies account, your current collection will automatically be synchronized to your iPad, and users of My Movies for iPhone can use it’s batch barcode scanning functionality to quickly add titles and automatically have them synchronized to their iPad.

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. Users of My Movies for Windows Media Center can also use the application to start playback of movies on their Media Center.

Features:
– Add titles by barcode, title search or manual creation.
– Preview titles with complete details before adding to your collection.
– 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.
– Management loans to friends and family by selecting from contacts or typing name.
– High resolution front and back covers.
– Search your collection.
– Browse using our movie wall or list views with large or small thumbnails.
– Sort titles using advanced data options.
– View actors and directors with photos, biography and list of titles the person stars in.
– Update movie profiles from our service to always have the latest, most complete and accurate data.
– Create an online collection website to share with friends and family.
– 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).
– Start playback of movies in My Movies for Windows Media Center.

What’s New in Version 1.84

– Updated to support iOS 6
– Login screen did not look as expected on “New iPad”.
– Update for WMC remote functions auto-detection of host. (My Movies for WMC 4.04 Build 3 or later required).
– List UI customization could revert after app restart.
– Purchase prices could in some situations result in a slightly different value than what was entered.

Buy now from the Apple App Store

App Update: Podcasts app for iPhone, iPod and iPad updated to version 1.1

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 19, 2012

0

App Update: Podcasts app for iPhone, iPod and iPad updated to version 1.1

Apple has released an update to its standalone app for listening to and subscribing to podcasts, bringing support for iOS 6.

Features:

• Enjoy all of your audio and video podcasts in a single app
• Explore hundreds of thousands of podcasts including shows in over 40 languages
• Try the innovative new Top Stations feature to find new podcast series in a variety of topics, including arts, business, comedy, music, news, sports, and more.
• Browse by Audio or Video podcasts, or see what’s most popular in Top Charts
• Tap subscribe for your favorites and automatically receive new episodes for free as they become available
• Stream episodes or download to listen while offline
• Skip forward and back using simple playback controls
• Turn on Sleep Timer to automatically stop playing a podcast while listening in bed
• Share your favorite episodes with friends using Twitter, Messages and Mail
• Optionally sync your favorite episodes from iTunes on your Mac or PC
• Sync your episode playback for seamless transition between devices

What’s New in Version 1.1

Podcasts 1.1 adds support for iOS 6. This version also includes:

• Automatically keeping your podcast subscriptions up to date between devices using iCloud
• A new setting to choose to automatically download new episodes only when on Wi-Fi
• A new setting to choose whether to play episodes by oldest to newest or newest to oldest
• Pull to refresh a subscription to check for new episodes on iOS 6
• Additional performance and stability improvements

Download Podcasts from the Apple App Store

I have tested the app and it’s very simple to use and now means I don’t have to sync podcasts through iTunes before syncing them to my device.

Have your tried it yet? Let us know what you think of it.

Apple Updates iBooks to version 2.2

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 19, 2012

0

Apple has just updated it’s iBooks app to version 2.2 bringing with it support for iOS 6.

This is what Apple said about iBooks 2 when it launched:

iBooks textbooks can be kept up to date, don’t weigh down a backpack and never have to be returned. Leading education services companies including Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill and Pearson will deliver educational titles on the iBookstore℠ with most priced at $14.99 or less, and with the new iBooks Author, a free authoring tool available today, anyone with a Mac® can create stunning iBooks textbooks.

“Education is deep in Apple’s DNA and iPad may be our most exciting education product yet. With 1.5 million iPads already in use in education institutions, including over 1,000 one-to-one deployments, iPad is rapidly being adopted by schools across the US and around the world,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Now with iBooks 2 for iPad, students have a more dynamic, engaging and truly interactive way to read and learn, using the device they already love.”

The new iBooks 2 app is available today as a free download from the App Store. With support for great new features including gorgeous, full screen books, interactive 3D objects, diagrams, videos and photos, the iBooks 2 app will let students learn about the solar system or the physics of a skyscraper with amazing new interactive textbooks that come to life with just a tap or swipe of the finger. With its fast, fluid navigation, easy highlighting and note-taking, searching and definitions, plus lesson reviews and study cards, the new iBooks 2 app lets students study and learn in more efficient and effective ways than ever before.

What’s New in Version 2.2

iBooks 2.2 adds support for iOS 6.

iBooks 2 is available now for free in the App Store

Apple Updates iTunes U to version 1.3

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 19, 2012

0

Apple also updated iTunes U today to version 1.3 bringing support for iOS 6.

Free courses in a wide array of subjects:
• Take free courses created and taught by instructors from leading universities and other schools
• See all assignments and updates from the instructor in one place, and check off assignments as you complete them
• Take notes and highlight text in iBooks and see them consolidated for easy reviewing in the iTunes U app
• Access course materials, including audio, video, books, documents & presentations, apps, and new iBooks textbooks for iPad

What’s New in Version 1.3

iTunes U 1.3 adds support for iOS 6. This version also provides:
• A new single day view to see all of your posts and assignments due on a particular day.
• Addresses an issue which prevented Closed Captioning from appearing when available.

Download iTunes U from the Apple App Store

App Update: Shazam for iOS updated to version 5.1

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 19, 2012

0

The very cool music identification app Shazam has been updated to version 5.1, bringing support for iOS 6 and the iPhone 5.

Having tried some different music, I cant honestly say it find’s the song in a matter of seconds, in some cases, only two or three words had been sung. I was very impressed!

This is how Shazam is described:

Lightning fast tagging. Now discover, explore and share more music, TV shows and brands you love in as little as one second.

With unlimited tagging use Shazam as much as you want, and experience more of what you like, faster.

You can also:
○ Save & listen again (30 sec preview)
○ Buy tracks easily on iTunes & find more by tagged artists
○ View extra content as you watch TV
○ Watch music videos & concerts from YouTube
○ Share on Facebook, Twitter & email
○ See streaming lyrics in time to the music
○ Discover new music in Shazam Friends & Charts
○ See when an artist is touring
○ Use it when you don’t have a signal

What’s New in Version 5.1

○ Optimised for the fabulous new iPhone 5 and iPod touch.
○ Comment on your friends’ tags! See what they’re tagging with Shazam Friends and chat about your favorite finds.
○ Improved Tag result design – now see artwork in all its glory.

New:
○ Invite Friends – now there’s an easy way to invite friends to share their discoveries
Numerous bug fixes, including:
○ Crash fixes (including an occasional crash while tagging)
○ Fixed an audio capture issue that would sometimes cause repeated ‘No Match’ results until the app was restarted
○ Improved messaging around tagging issues

Download now from the Apple App Store

Apple Releases EFI Firmware Update 2.5

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 19, 2012

0

Apple has just released an EFI firmware update 2.5.

The update is recommended for MacBook Air (mid 2012) models and fixes a few issues.

Apple updates iPhoto for Mac to version 9.4

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 19, 2012

0

Apple has just updated it’s iPhoto for Mac application to version 9.4.

This update includes:

Supports compatibility with OS X Mountain Lion
Sharing options now include Messages and Twitter
Includes performance and stability improvements

Do you iPhoto? If so, tell us what you think of it by leaving us a comment below.

Apple releases OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.2 update

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 19, 2012

1

Apple releases OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.2 update

Apple has also released OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.2 bringing updates and new features.

The OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.2 update is recommended for all OS X Mountain Lion users and includes new features and fixes.

Updating your system

You should back up your system before installation; you can use Time Machine.

Do not interrupt the installation process once you have started to update your system.

You may experience unexpected results if you have third-party system software modiﬁcations installed, or if you’ve modiﬁed the operating system through other means.

Choose Apple () menu > Software Update… to check for the latest Apple software via the Mac App Store, including this update.

Other software updates available for your computer may appear, which you should install. Note that an update’s size may vary from computer to computer when installed using Software Update. Also, some updates must be installed prior to others.

You can also download the manual update installer. This is a useful option when you need to update multiple computers but only want to download the update once. These versions of the standalone installers are available from Apple Support Downloads.

Additional Information

This update is recommended for all OS X Mountain Lion users, and includes new features and fixes:

Facebook

Single sign on for Facebook
Adds Facebook as an option when sharing links and photos
See Facebook friends’ contact information and profile pictures in Contacts
Facebook notifications now appear in Notification Center

Game Center

Share scores to Facebook, Twitter, Mail, or Messages
Facebook friends are included in Game Center friend recommendations
Added Facebook “Like” button for games
Challenge friends to beat your score or achievement

Other new features

Adds Power Nap support for MacBook Air (Late 2010)
iMessages sent to your phone number now appear in Messages on your Mac*
You can now add passes to Passbook (on your iPhone or iPod touch) from Safari and Mail on your Mac*
FaceTime can now receive calls sent to your phone number*
New shared Reminders lists
New sort options allow you to sort notes by title, the date you edited them, and when you created them
Dictation now supports additional languages: Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Korean, Canadian English, Canadian French, and Italian
Dictionary app now includes a French definition dictionary
Sina Weibo profile photos can now be added to Contacts

* Requires iOS 6
General fixes

The OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.2 update also includes general operating system fixes that improve the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac, including the following fixes:

Adds an option to discard the changes in the original document when choosing Save As
Unsent drafts are now opened automatically when launching Mail
Receive Twitter notifications for mentions and replies from anyone
URLs are shortened when sending tweets from Notification Center
Notifications are disabled when AirPlay Mirroring is being used
Adds SSL support for Google searches from the Smart Search Field in Safari
Adds a new preference to have Safari launch with previously open webpages
Resolves an issue that may cause the “Enable Autodiscover” checkbox to always remain checked
Enables access to the Mac App Store when Parental Controls are enabled
Support for @icloud.com email addresses
Resolves a video issue with some VGA projectors when connected to certain Mac notebooks
Addresses an issue that may prevent Active Directory accounts from being locked out
Resolves an issue that may cause the policy banner to re-appear prior to logging in
Improvements to SMB
Addresses an issue with NIS users when auto-login is enabled
Addresses an issue in which the Keychain may not be accessible
Ability to pre-authenticate a FileVault protected system
Addresses an issue that may cause Xsan to not automatically start after migrating from Mac OS X Snow Leopard

have you updated yet? Let us know what you think of the update by leaving a comment below.

Apple releases iOS 6 update

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 19, 2012

0

Tonight saw Apple release iOS 6 for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. We have been using iOS 6 for a few months now and really like it.

This update contains over 200 new features, including the following:

• Maps
◦ Apple-designed, vector-based maps
◦ Turn-by-turn navigation with spoken directions on iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (2nd and 3rd generation)
◦ Real-time traffic information
◦ Flyover for photo-realistic, interactive 3D views of major metropolitan areas on iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd generation) and iPod touch (5th generation)
◦ Local search results with Yelp photos, ratings, reviews and available deals
◦ Siri integration for requesting directions and finding places along a route
• Siri improvements
◦ Sport: scores, player stats, game schedules, teamsheets and league standings for American football, baseball, basketball, football and ice hockey
◦ Films: trailers, showtimes, reviews and facts
◦ Restaurants: reservations, reviews, photos and information
◦ Send a Tweet
◦ Post on Facebook
◦ App launch
◦ Eyes Free in supported automobiles
◦ Local search available in Siri-supported countries (availability may be limited during initial rollout)
◦ Additional country and language support for Canada (English and Canadian French), China (Mandarin), Hong Kong (Cantonese), Italy (Italian), Korea (Korean), Mexico (Spanish), Spain (Spanish), Switzerland (Italian, French, German), Taiwan (Mandarin), US (Spanish)
◦ Supported on iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd generation) and iPod touch (5th generation)
• Facebook integration
◦ Single sign-on from Settings
◦ Post from Photos, Safari, Maps, App Store, iTunes, Game Center, Notification Centre and Siri
◦ Add location and choose audience for any post
◦ View up-to-date Facebook profile photos and contact information in Contacts
◦ View Facebook events and birthdays in Calendar
◦ Like content and see your friends’ Likes in App Store and iTunes Store
• Shared Photo Streams
◦ Share selected photos with the people you choose
◦ Friends can view shared photos in Photos app, iPhoto and Apple TV
◦ Friends can like and make comments on individual photos
• Passbook
◦ One place for boarding passes, store cards, film tickets and other passes
◦ Barcode display for boarding flights, buying coffee, getting into films and other actions
◦ Passes displayed on Lock Screen based on time or location
◦ Passes can be automatically updated
◦ Supported on iPhone and iPod touch
• FaceTime improvements
◦ FaceTime over mobile network support for iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (3rd generation)
◦ Receive FaceTime calls, sent to your iPhone number, on your iPad and iPod touch
• Phone improvements
◦ Do Not Disturb to suppress incoming calls and notifications
◦ ‘Reply with message’ option when declining a call
◦ ‘Remind me later’ option based on time or location when declining a call
• Mail improvements
◦ VIP mailbox to quickly access mail from important people
◦ Flagged email mailbox
◦ Insert photos and videos when composing email
◦ Open password-protected Office docs
◦ Pull down to refresh mailboxes
◦ Per-account signatures
• Safari improvements
◦ iCloud tabs to see open pages on all your devices
◦ Offline Reading List
◦ Photo upload support
◦ Full-screen landscape view on iPhone and iPod touch
◦ Smart app banners
◦ JavaScript performance improvements
• App Store and iTunes Store improvements
◦ Updated store design
◦ iTunes Preview history
◦ Complete my series
◦ Complete my album
• Game Center improvements
◦ Challenge friends to beat high scores and achievements
◦ Post high scores and achievements to Facebook and Twitter
◦ Friend recommendations based on your Facebook friends
• Accessibility improvements
◦ Guided Access to limit device to one app or restrict touch input on certain areas of the screen
◦ VoiceOver integration with Maps, AssistiveTouch and Zoom
◦ Support for Made for iPhone Hearing Aids for iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S
• Improved privacy controls for Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Photos and data shared over Bluetooth
• Reminders can be reordered in the Reminders app
• Custom vibrations for alerts on iPhone
• Clock app for iPad
• Clock alarm with song
• Search all fields in Contacts
• Automatic film mode for improved video sound quality
• Definitions of a selected word for Chinese, French, German and Spanish
• New keyboard layouts for French, German, Turkish, Catalan, Arabic and Icelandic
• Keyboard shortcuts shared across devices via iCloud
• Bluetooth MAP support
• Global network proxy for HTTP
• Features for China
◦ Baidu web search
◦ Sina Weibo integration
◦ Share videos to Tudou
◦ Share videos to Youku
◦ Improved text input for handwriting and Pinyin
• Bug fixes

Have you installed iOS 6 yet? Let us know what you think of it by leaving a comment below.

ViridianPC Announces New Cloud Backup Service

Jim McCarthy

-

Sep 19, 2012

0

ViridianPC announced a new cloud backup service called Virivault, powered by Amazon S3. Read on for details.

ViridianPC announced a new cloud backup service called Virivault, powered by Amazon S3. While aimed at their Windows Home Server customers, it can also be used with NAS and PC units. Here is a little more information from their webpage:

Virivault is our online backup service. The backup client provides the facility to backup your server to both a local target on your network (such an a NAS or even a second server), and to secure off-site storage. The software can be configured with seperate backup jobs, so for example large volumes of data like a video collection can be backed up locally, where as smaller and possibly irreplaceable data like office documents and photos can be stored off-site.

The backup client even supports continuous backups, so files are copied to the off-site storage as they are created or modified for near-instant protection.

The off-site storage is provided by Amazon’s S3 cloud storage system, with storage facilities in North America and Europe.

You have the choice of locating your backup data in the US or Ireland, and pricing starts at £5 per month. If you are in the market for cloud backup, click here to check out Virivault.

ViridianPC Announces Virivault

Sony announces new smaller and lighter Playstation 3

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 19, 2012

0

Sony announces new smaller and lighter Playstation 3

Sony Computer Entertainment today announced the new PlayStation 3, featuring a new design and a downsized form factor, will become available in the UK on September 28^th and October 12^th. The new PS3 will come in two models, a 500GB Hard Disk Drive (HDD) version (launching September 28^th), and a newly added 12GB flash memory model (launching October 12^th).

Completely redesigning the internal design architecture, the internal volume and weight of the new PS3 is reduced by more than half compared to the very first PS3 model with a 60GB HDD, and by 20 % and 25% respectively compared to the current PS3. By adopting a sliding disk cover, the new PS3 continues with the characteristic sleek curved simple body design, which fits various places in the home and enables users to enjoy an array of entertainment content.

With the extra HDD capacity which has been extended from 320GB and 160GB, users can store and enjoy more and more entertainment content including games, music, photos, and video on the new PS3. In addition, the new PS3 with 12GB flash memory offers opportunities to experience the world of PlayStation at an affordable price point. Users can also expand the storage capacity of the new PS3 with 12GB flash memory by connecting a dedicated HDD (250GB) to be released concurrently with the new PS3. In addition, a variety of accessories will be introduced by SCE to meet various kinds of needs from users including a vertical stand that offers more flexibility in how the new PS3 can be displayed.

Since the launch of PS3 in November 2006, the number of Blu-ray based titles has reached more than 3,300 titles and downloadable PS3 games to 4,100 titles worldwide, with the support from a broad range of third party developers and publishers. In addition to this extensive software title line-up, exciting and attractive new titles are to be released from third party developers and publishers as well as SCE Worldwide Studios, including Call of Duty Black Ops 2 (Activision Publishing, Inc.), Assassin’s Creed III (Ubisoft Entertainment.), FIFA 13(Electronic Arts Inc. ), PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, LittleBigPlanet Karting, God of War: Ascension (Sony Computer Entertainment), and more.

SCE will further accelerate the expansion of the PS3 platform which is in the 7th year of its lifecycle, by continually releasing a vast library of exciting and attractive software titles and offering users a choice from a variety of hardware models.

Specifications

PlayStation 3 (CECH-4000 series)

Product name		PlayStation®3
Release date		UK: September 28^th, 2012 (HDD 500GB) October 12^th , 2012 (Flash Memory 12GB)
Product code		CECH-4000series (Charcoal Black / Classic White)
CPU		Cell Broadband Engine™
GPU		RSX®
Audio output		LPCM 7.1ch, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS-HD, AAC.
Memory		256MB XDR Main RAM, 256MB GDDR3 VRAM
Storage size		CECH-4000A : Flash Memory 12GB CECH-4000B : HDD 500GB^*1
Inputs/ Outputs^*2	Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0)	2
Networking		Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T) × 1
		IEEE 802.11 b/g
		Bluetooth® 2.0 (EDR)
Controller		Wireless Controller Bluetooth®
AV output	Resolution	1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, 480i (for PAL 576p, 576i)
	HDMI OUT connector^*3	1
	AV MULTI OUT connector	1
	Digital out (optical) connector	1
BD?DVD?CD drive (read only)	Maximum read rate	BD × 2 (BD-ROM) DVD × 8 (DVD-ROM) CD × 24 (CD-ROM)
Power		AC 220 – 240, 50/60Hz^*4
Power consumption		Approx. 190W
External dimensions (excluding maximum projecting part )		Approx. 290 × 60 × 230 mm (width × height × length)
Mass		Approx. 2.1kg ^*5
Included ^*6		PlayStation®3 system × 1 Wireless Controller (DUALSHOCK®3) × 1 AC power cord × 1 AV cable × 1 USB cable × 1

*1 Hard disk capacity calculated using base 10 mathematics (1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes). System software versions 1.10 and later calculate capacity using binary mathematics (1 GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes), which will display lower capacity and free space. A portion of hard disk capacity is reserved for system administration, which varies depending upon system software version, and is not available for use.

*2 Usability of all connected devices is not guaranteed.

*3 “Deep Colour” and “x.v.Colour (xvYCC)” defined by HDMI ver.1.3a are supported.

*4 Power changes depending on countries or regions.

*5 PS3 with flash memory 12GB weights approximately 2.0kg

*6 For certain regions, Euro-AV cable will be included.

Note: This product is not compatible with PlayStation®2 games.

Vertical Stand (CECH-ZST1J)

Product name	Vertical Stand
Release Date	UK: September 28^th, 2012
Recommended Retail Price	UK: TBC
Product code	CECH-ZST1
Included	Vertical Stand ?CECH-ZST1? × 1
External dimension	Approx. 120 mm x 17.5 mm (diameter × height (thickest part)
Mass	Approx. 200g
Supports	CECH-4000 series

* The “Vertical Stand” is for the new PS3 system (CECH-4000 series) and cannot be used on the current model.

Dedicated HDD(250GB) for PlayStation 3 (with attachment) (CECH-ZHD1)

Product name	Dedicated HDD (250GB) for PlayStation®3 (with attachment)
Release date	October 12^th, 2012
Recommended Retail Price	UK: TBC
Product code	CECH-ZHD1
Included	HDD 250GB ?CECH-ZS1? × 1
External dimension	Approx. 88 mm x 18 mm x 260 mm (width × height × length)
Mass	Approx. 115g
Supports	CECH-4000A

* The “Dedicated HDD(250GB) for PlayStation®3 ” is for the new PS3 system (CECH-4000A) and cannot be used on the other models.

Pre-order Halo 4 for some really cool bonuses

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 19, 2012

0

Pre-order Halo 4 for some really cool bonuses

The excitement for Halo 4, one of this year’s most anticipated games keeps building as participating retailers are now offering exclusive pre-order bonuses for fans – ahead of the worldwide launch on 6^th November.

“Halo 4” marks the return of legendary hero Master Chief, named by Fast Company as “one of the most popular characters in gaming history,” and aims to set a new standard for blockbuster interactive entertainment. Set four years after the events in “Halo 3,” Master Chief returns to confront his destiny and face an ancient evil that threatens the fate of the entire universe. Developed by 343 Industries, “Halo 4” marks a new beginning for the landmark entertainment franchise that has sold more than 40 million games worldwide and inspired multiple New York Times best-selling novels, live-action shorts, comic books, action figures and apparel.

The following exclusives are now available from the following outlets:

· GAME: Downloadable Blue Circuit Armour Skin, Arctic Weapon Skin and 6 specialisations for use in Halo 4 “Infinity” Multiplayer experience

· HMV: Downloadable Locus Helmet, Purple Spartan Warrior Armour and Xbox LIVE Unicom Avatar Armour (if ordered in-store)

· Tesco: Halo 4 T-shirt and Downloadable Black Raptor Armour Skin

· Amazon: Downloadable Gold Web Armour Skin, Bulletproof Emblem and Spartan Emblem

· Blockbuster: Downloadable Xbox LIVE Spartan Warrior Avatar

· Play: Downloadable Deadeye Helmet

· Shop2net: Downloadable Assassin Emblem

· Grainger Games: Downloadable Red Pulse Armour Skin

These Halo 4 exclusives are available by pre-ordering the game now from participating retailers, while supplies last. For additional information on the Halo 4 pre-order bonuses, please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/Marketplace/Product/Halo-4/BuyNow.