CoPilot Live satnav apps get ActiveTraffic service as standard

The award-winning sat nav app for iOS & Android smartphones, CoPilot Live, now includes 12 months free access to premium real-time traffic information to avoid delays and reduce driving costs.

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Here is the press release:

ALK Technologies, leading provider of mobile navigation software, today announced that its best-selling app for smartphones and tablets, CoPilot Live Premium, will now include real-time traffic information as an included standard feature – an industry-first for a full-featured sat nav app.

Previously a £9.99 additional annual subscription, CoPilot Live’s ActiveTraffic™ service uses high quality real-time traffic flow information from Nokia to intelligently calculate the fastest route to destinations and provide a highly accurate Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) based on actual road conditions. While driving, the service automatically monitors the route ahead for delays and suggests a faster alternative way to go if available.

“Real-time traffic information is becoming an essential way for drivers to reduce the delays and extra fuel costs caused by traffic congestion,” comments David Quin, Head of Consumer Applications at ALK Technologies. “We are delighted to make ActiveTraffic a standard feature for our CoPilot Live Premium customers: it is useful every day for any journey – whether on your commute, school run or a weekend getaway.”

“ALK Technologies continues to provide leading navigation apps and we are delighted to support its new real-time traffic service with live feeds from NAVTEQ Traffic™,” added Bruno Bourguet, Sales Vice President, Nokia, Location & Commerce. “We have a comprehensive range of sources including the world’s largest compilation of both commercial and consumer GPS probe data. Unique, proprietary technology is used to integrate and process the source data ready for transmission via CoPilot’s Live’s ActiveTraffic™ service as consistent, seamless and borderless traffic information.”

CoPilot Live Premium apps with 12 months FREE ActiveTraffic service are available immediately on the Apple AppStore and on Google Play. Existing CoPilot Live Premium customers can download a free update to enjoy the service now. Customers who already have ActiveTraffic will get an additional 12 months on top of their current subscription.

Pricing (including lifetime-use navigation and 1 year of ActiveTraffic):

CoPilot Live Premium UK + Ireland: £24.99 CoPilot Live Premium Europe: £37.99

*12 months use of ActiveTraffic is included as standard within CoPilot Live Premium apps for Android and iOS devices. Requires a mobile internet connection.

We will be reviewing CoPilot Live shortly.

Learn more from the CoPilot Live website

Dropbox app for iPhone and iPad updated to version 1.4.7

In a week with cloud storage announcements with SkyDrive and Google Drive, Dropbox has updated it’s iPhone and iPad app.

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Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring all your photos, docs, and videos anywhere. After you install Dropbox on your computer, any file you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers, your iPhone and iPad and even the Dropbox website! With the Dropbox app, you can take everything that matters to you on the go.
Read your docs or flip through your albums when you’re out and about. Save photos or videos to your Dropbox and share them with friends in just a couple taps. Even if you accidentally leave your iPhone in a taxi, your stuff is always safe on Dropbox.

Features:

  •  Always have your stuff with you, no matter where you are.
  •  Add files to “Favorites” for fast, offline viewing.
  •  Easily save photos and videos to your Dropbox.
  •  Share your photos and docs with family and friends.
  •  Save email attachments straight to your Dropbox.

What’s New in Version 1.4.7

  • Bug fixes
Download now from the Apple App Store

Netflix updates its Windows Phone app again

Today saw Netflix update it’s Windows Phone app again to version 2.1, only this time there doesn’t appear to be many changes.

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There isn’t anything release notes wise or updates shown, so I assume there are just minor bug fixes included.

Netflix members can go to the Windows Phone Marketplace, download the Netflix App.

Have you tried it yet? Let us know.

Angry Birds Space gets 1st update, brings 10 new levels

Angry Birds Space has had it’s first update, bringing with it 10 new levels!

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After a giant claw kidnaps their eggs, the Angry Birds chase it into a wormhole and find themselves floating in a strange new galaxy – surrounded by space pigs! Luckily the Angry Birds have super powers of their own…

Angry Birds Space features 60 interstellar levels on planets and in zero gravity, resulting in spectacular gameplay ranging from slow-motion puzzles to lightspeed destruction. With regular free updates, new in-app purchases, brand new birds, brand new superpowers, and a whole galaxy to explore, the sky is no longer the limit!

What’s New in Version 1.1.0

  • A new moon rises and puts pigs in motion! If you thought it was hard to pop pigs in space before, just wait til they’re orbiting around the icy planets in these 10 NEW LEVELS!
  • Enjoy 20 FREE SPACE EAGLES!
  • Log in daily to get ONE FREE SPACE EAGLE every day!
  • Addressed crash issues in older devices.
  • Download now! Squawk!
Get Angry Birds Space from the Apple App Strore now

Windows Phone Marketplace changes; removing Zune shop option and other changes

Microsoft have today posted that they are making some changes to the Windows Phone Marketplace, including removing the option to buy apps from within the Zune PC software.

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This is what Microsoft posted on their blog:

First, we’re removing the option to shop for Windows Phone apps from the Zune PC software. Second, as part of a larger Marketplace improvement effort, you’ll soon need Windows Phone 7.5 installed on your phone to buy and download new apps, or update existing ones.

Read more about the changes here.

To be honest I don’t think this is going to cause any real issues. Any apps I have purchased, admittedly not that many, have been done via the phone or the Marketplace directly.

What do you think?

Drive Bender v.1.3.0.0 (Tomcat) for Windows Home Server 2011 available now

Today saw an update to Drive Bender for Windows Home Server 2011 released, taking it to version v1.3.0.0, also known as the Tomcat release.

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Release v1.3.0.0 release (2012-04-24)

– Update: New Windows and WHS interface.
– Bug fix: File count feature could report the incorrect number of files.
– Update: Minor health monitor improvements.
– Bug fix: Networked mount points are non-writable on Windows 2008 R2.
– Update: If a drive removal process fails, the drive is no longer mark with an error. The pool will continue to operate a normal.
– Added: Drive swap feature. This allows a pooled drive to be swapped out with a new drive.
– Update: Smooth Stream performance improvements with high volume, small file reads.
– Bug fix: The drive removal process could fail with a “not enough free space in the pool” error.
– Update: Thin provisioning has been implemented.
– Bug fix: Folder rename and delete functions can fail on a folder marked for duplication.

For more information check out the Drive Bender website

Skype Now Available for PlayStation Vita!!

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Today, Skype announced the availability of their application for the PlayStation Vita.  Read on for details!

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A few weeks back, I brought you my review of the PlayStation Vita.  I mentioned that I’d really like to see Skype for video and voice calling released on the Vita.  Well, today I got my wish!  Here is what Skype had to say about this news:

Now You Can Take Your PlayStation®Vita Gaming Experience to the Next Level with Skype Video Calling

Skype is happy to announce that the Skype Video and Voice calling app for PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) will officially be available through PlayStation®Store later today*.

Later today you can enjoy free Skype calls on PS Vita. Now you can keep in touch with gamers around the globe while you’re on the go as Skype is available for both the 3G/Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi models. For users in Europe and Asia, the Skype app for PS Vita will be available for download tomorrow, April 25.

The Skype app includes free Skype-to-Skype voice calling, as well as high quality video calling that utilizes PS Vita’s front and rear cameras. The Skype app on PS Vita runs in “background mode” while you’re gaming or using other applications** — meaning you have the capability to “pause” a game, conduct a call and then return to your previous activity — so you never miss a call. Plus, with a little Skype credit you can make low-cost calls to landlines and mobile directly from your PS Vita.

Boosting a person’s digital swagger, PS Vita is equipped with a 5″ OLED touchscreen, dual analog sticks, precise rear touch pad, two cameras and a built-in microphone that can be used with any Skype-certified headset.

Want to learn more? Check out what our friend, fellow game enthusiast, Fatal1ty thinks about the new Skype app.

Please visit www.skype.com/intl/en-us/get-skype/on-your-ps-vita for more information on Skype features for PlayStation Vita. For feedback or questions please visit Skype Support. Happy Gaming!

*It may take up to 48 hours for the app to propagate in all local PlayStation®Stores.
** Certain games/applications will not be able to “pause” during a call.

I plan on downloading it tonight and checking it out…stay tuned for my review.  And if you have a Vita, go ahead and download the app here!

Angry Birds Space is Now Available in BlackBerry App World

Angry Birds Space is now available for PlayBook in BlackBerry App World.

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After a giant claw kidnaps their eggs, the Angry Birds chase it into a wormhole and find themselves floating in a strange new galaxy – surrounded by space pigs! Luckily the Angry Birds have super powers of their own…

Angry Birds Space features 60 interstellar levels on planets and in zero gravity, resulting in spectacular gameplay ranging from slow-motion puzzles to lightspeed destruction. With regular free updates, new in-app purchases, brand new birds, brand new superpowers, and a whole galaxy to explore, the sky is no longer the limit!

Angry Birds Space features 60 interstellar levels on planets and in zero gravity, resulting in spectacular game play ranging from slow-motion puzzles to light speed destruction.

FEATURES:

• 60 interstellar levels

• Regular free updates

• Brand new birds and new superpowers

• Zero-gravity space adventures

• Trick shots using planets’ gravity

• And hidden bonus levels

Cost: $4.99

• Download Angry Birds Space from BlackBerry App World

Microsoft Security Essentials Gets An Upgrade to version 4.0.1526.0

Today saw Microsoft release an upgrade to Security Essentials, its virus and spyware protection software.

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This version has been in beta for a little while now, and I have been running it successfully.

Download from here or upgrade via Windows Update

Another Cloud Storage service launches, this time it’s Google Drive

Hot on the heels of all the Microsoft SkyDrive announcements, Google has finally launched it’s Cloud Storage service – Google Drive.

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This is what Google posted on their blog today:

Today, we’re introducing Google Drive—a place where you can create, share, collaborate, and keep all of your stuff. Whether you’re working with a friend on a joint research project, planning a wedding with your fiancé or tracking a budget with roommates, you can do it in Drive. You can upload and access all of your files, including videos, photos, Google Docs, PDFs and beyond.

With Google Drive, you can:

  • Create and collaborate. Google Docs is built right into Google Drive, so you can work with others in real time on documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Once you choose to share content with others, you can add and reply to comments on anything (PDF, image, video file, etc.) and receive notifications when other people comment on shared items.
  • Store everything safely and access it anywhere (especially while on the go). All your stuff is just… there. You can access your stuff from anywhere—on the web, in your home, at the office, while running errands and from all of your devices. You can install Drive on your Mac or PC and can download the Drive app to your Android phone or tablet. We’re also working hard on a Drive app for your iOS devices. And regardless of platform, blind users can access Drive with a screen reader.
  • Search everything. Search by keyword and filter by file type, owner and more. Drive can even recognize text in scanned documents using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. Let’s say you upload a scanned image of an old newspaper clipping. You can search for a word from the text of the actual article. We also use image recognition so that if you drag and drop photos from your Grand Canyon trip into Drive, you can later search for [grand canyon] and photos of its gorges should pop up. This technology is still in its early stages, and we expect it to get better over time.

You can get started with 5GB of storage for free—that’s enough to store the high-res photos of your trip to the Mt. Everest, scanned copies of your grandparents’ love letters or a career’s worth of business proposals, and still have space for the novel you’re working on. You can choose to upgrade to 25GB for $2.49/month, 100GB for $4.99/month or even 1TB for $49.99/month. When you upgrade to a paid account, your Gmail account storage will also expand to 25GB.

Are you going to try it, or have you tried it? Let us know.

Lights-Out on WHS 2011 and WHS v1 Service Pack 2 now available

Martin has been in touch to say that he has released Service Pack 2 for his Lights-Out add-in for both WHS v1 and WHS 2011.

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What’s new in version 1.5.2 Build 1737 (Service Pack 2)

New Mac Agent for OS X!

A client package is now available for all users running Apple Mac Computers with their Windows Home Server 2011.

See here for installation and operation.

New option for client action after backup

Service Pack 2 introduces a new client option called “Force end action”. This option is enabled by default to ensure the previous behavior. If you disable this option, the action after backup is only executed if a start-up or wake-up for a scheduled backup has been detected AND if there has been no user activity in the last 10 minutes or during backup.

This new features prevents a standby or shutdown (after backup) if a user is already working on the machine. It also prevents a standby or shutdown (after backup) if the machine is already running before the backup has been started. For more details see Client action after Backup.

Changed handling of Gateways or Repeaters

Problem: Devices connected via a router (or a repeater or VPN gateway) are not visible to the Lights-Out network scanner because for each IP address we always get the same gateway MAC address. Manually added devices with fixed IP addresses sometimes lost the IP address because Lights-Out wrongly detected an IP address conflict and changed that fixed IP address to 0.0.0.0.

Service pack 2 addresses this problem with two changes: Manually added devices are marked with a “fixed IP flag” and are no longer changed to 0.0.0.0 on a conflict.

The second change is a new flag for routers (and repeaters or gateways). Setting this flag in the device properties (Lights-Out computers tab) allows Lights-Out to handle manually added devices with a fixed IP.

If you have a setup, where devices are connect via a repeater or router, assign a fixed IP address and add these devices manually in Lights-Out. Then run the network scanner and Lights-Out should automatically find and mark the router (or repeater/gateway).

User Action instead of Standby or Shutdown

Service Pack 2 introduces a new user action. When you select “User Action” in Lights-Out settings, a new text box is displayed where you can enter a command file. See here for more information.

Command line client for Windows Computers

Those who like to control the server via batch files can now use the Lights-Out command line client.

Lots of bug fixes

See here Release notes and known issues

World’s first over-18 live ad for Prototype 2 launch airs in UK – the video

Last week we told you that Activision’s new game PROTOTYPE 2, the sequel to Radical Entertainment’s original best-selling game of 2009, would be launched in the UK with the world’s first ever over-18 live outdoor advertisement, and yesterday we told you what happened. Today we can share the video for those of you who didn’t catch it live!

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Covent Garden, which often plays host to family-friendly entertainment, revealed a darker side last night as audiences were witness to the world’s first ever over-18 live outdoor advertisement to celebrate the launch of new video game, PROTOTYPE 2. So explicit was the ad, that it was shown post-watershed to avoid a younger audience.

The live ad – inspired by PROTOTYPE 2 – featured actors playing the parts of the game’s new protagonist Sgt. James Heller and his nemesis Alex Mercer, as well as Blackwatch military and the disease-ridden Infected. Action from the game, including a gruesome and bloody confrontation between Heller and Mercer, was considered unsuitable viewing for those below the age of 18 for fear of causing upset or distress.

A first of its kind, fans were also offered the opportunity to choose the finale to the ad through a voting mechanic that closed just hours before the action went live. The dramatic close saw Mercer triumph over Sgt. Heller in an intense showdown.

PROTOTYPE 2 is available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation3 computer entertainment system today, and for Windows PC on 24th July 2012.

Expect our review soon.

Let us know what you think of the advert.

Windows 8 Release Preview available first week of June

At the Windows 8 Developer Days conference in Japan Microsoft announced that the Windows 8 Release Preview would be available the first week of June 2012.

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The final release date for Windows 8 is still expected to be in October, although no official word has been given.

Recently Microsoft announced that there would only be 3 versions of Windows 8.

Intel Announce the Quad-Core 3rd Generation Intel Processors

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Intel announce the World’s First 22nm Quad-Core Processors Bringing Up to Twice the Visual Performance for Unmatched Overall PC Experiences.

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  • Quad-core processors available starting today in powerful, high-end desktop, laptop, and sleek and beautiful all-in-one designs.
  • Accelerates Intel’s “Tick-Tock” cadence for first time to simultaneously bring to market the world’s first processors developed on 22nm manufacturing process using innovative 3-D tri-gate transistor technology and a new graphics architecture.
  • Up to twice the HD media and 3-D graphics performance, as well as significant processor performance, deliver stunning visual experiences from mainstream gaming to HD video editing.
  • Ultrabook™ devices, all-in-one (AIO) platforms, business PCs and Intelligent systems in retail, healthcare and other industries will benefit from Intel’s newest processors, with formal announcements in the coming months.

Intel Corporation today introduced the quad-core 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processor family, delivering dramatic visual and performance computing gains for gamers, media enthusiasts and mainstream users alike. Available now in powerful, high-end desktop, laptop and sleek all-in-one (AIO) designs, the new processors are the first chips in the world made using Intel’s 22-nanometer (nm) 3-D tri-Gate transistor technology.

The combination of Intel’s cutting-edge 3-D tri-gate transistor technology and architectural enhancements help make possible up to double the 3-D graphics and HD media processing performance compared with Intel’s previous generation of chips. As a result of the stunning, built-in visual performance, all the things people love to do on their PCs — from creating and editing videos and photos, surfing the Web, watching HD movies or playing mainstream games — are quicker, crisper and more life-like. With as much as 20 percent microprocessor performance improvements and new technologies to speed the flow of data to and from the chips, the new processors further extend Intel’s overall performance leadership.

In the coming months, additional versions of the 3rd generation Intel Core processors will be available to power a new wave of systems ranging from Ultrabook™ devices, to servers and intelligent systems in retail, healthcare and other industries.

“The 3rd generation Intel Core processors were created from the ground up to generate exciting new experiences,” said Kirk Skaugen, Intel vice president and general manager of the PC Client Group. “Our engineers have exceeded our expectations by doubling the performance of media and graphics versus the best processors we’ve built until today, which means incredible new visual experiences are here for new all-in-one PCs and upcoming Ultrabook devices. What makes all this possible is the combination of Intel’s leading manufacturing and processor architecture, and our unwavering commitment to drive computing innovations forward.”

“Tick-Plus” – The Intel Advantage

The performance gains found in the new processors are due in part to the groundbreaking, three-dimensional structure of the new Intel transistors. Until today, computers, servers and other devices have used only two-dimensional planar transistors. Adding a third dimension to transistors allows Intel to increase transistor density and put more capabilities into every square millimeter of these new processors. Intel has once again re-invented the transistor and delivered an unprecedented combination of performance and energy efficiency, thus sustaining the pace of technology advancement and fueling Moore’s Law for years to come.

Intel engineers also reworked the graphics architecture of the 3rd generation Intel Core processors, helping to deliver dramatic improvements in the overall visual experience. Changing the chips’ architecture while at the same time shrinking the size of the underlying transistors is an acceleration of Intel’s “tick-tock” model. Previously, the company adhered to a strict “tick-tock” model in which a new manufacturing process was introduced in 1 year (the “tick”), and the architecture of the chip (the “tock”) was altered the next. The ability to accelerate the roadmap and change both the chips’ architecture and the manufacturing process at the same time was made possible because Intel is one of the few companies that both designs and manufactures its chips, a method called Integrated Device Manufacturing.

Get Visual and Get Your Game On

The 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processor with Intel® HD Graphics 4000 delivers up to two times better 3-D graphics performance compared to the previous-generation processor, bringing more gaming fun with richer detail at higher resolutions. Intel® HD Graphics 4000 supports Microsoft* DirectX 11, OpenGL 3.1 and OpenCL 1.1.

“The 3-D graphics capabilities in 3rd generation Intel Core processors represent a major step forward for PC gaming,” said Gabe Newell, co-founder and managing director of Valve Software, a leading online game provider. “Mainstream gamers are going to have a blast playing titles like our upcoming DOTA 2 on Intel HD Graphics 4000.”

Great visual experience is about more than just gaming. Online video continues to grow dramatically, and is expected to comprise half of all Internet traffic this year.** The key to making video fun is the ability to quickly convert it for online sharing with friends and family. With Intel® Quick Sync Video 2.0 technology built into the new processors, people can convert their videos up to two times faster than even last year’s processors and up to 23 times faster than PCs just three years old.

Experiences, Secured. Platform, Enhanced.

The 3rd generation Intel Core processor also adds security features, including Intel® Secure Key and Intel® OS Guard to safeguard personal data and identity. Intel Secure Key consists of a digital random number generator that creates truly random numbers to strengthen encryption algorithms. Intel OS Guard helps defend against privilege escalation attacks where a hacker remotely takes over another person’s system. These two features join existing platform security features such as Intel® Identity Protection Technology (Intel® IPT) and Intel® Anti-Theft technology (Intel® AT) to help make Intel platforms some of the most secure in the

industry. When paired with the Intel® Series 7 Chipset, the new processors with Intel IPT can make a portion of the screen unreadable to spyware with the “protected transaction display” feature, helping prevent a hacker from obtaining login credentials that could lead to identity theft.

Platforms based on 3rd generation Intel Core processors also deliver faster data transfer capabilities made possible by USB 3.0 integrated into the Series 7 Platform Controller Hub (PCH) and PCI Express 3.0 integrated into the processor. These next-generation I/O technologies bring bigger data pipes to the platform to keep data moving, minimizing any interruption to the PC experience.

Processor and System Availability

Systems based on quad-core 3rd generation Intel Core processor products will be available beginning this month from leading system makers. Boxed versions of these processors will also be available this month from online, retail and channel resellers. Additional versions of the 3rd generation Intel Core processor products for servers, intelligent systems in retail, healthcare and other industries, Ultrabook devices and laptops and more will be available later this year.

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