Twonky Beam Browser app for Android updated to 2.0.1

Andrew Edney
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1
Twonky Beam Browser app for Android updated to 2.0.1

Twonky have just released an update to its Beam Browser app for Android.

Twonky Beam Browser

Twonky Beam Browser provides you with a simple and familiar way to discover and enjoy Internet videos with your tablet or phone and beam them to your TV or other media players on your home network.

When you visit your favourite websites, or discover new ones, Twonky Beam Browser will display a Twonky Beam button over the media files that you are able beam to your TV or sound system. The home page of Twonky Beam Browser contains links to popular websites with great content you can beam. Browse many pages at once through tabs, with the home page always available to you as the main tab. You can also create and manage bookmarks, so that you can easily find your favourite sites.

A simple tap of the screen will beam the chosen content to your selected player, such as your Airplay enabled, UPnP or DLNA certified device. The beaming mode in Twonky Beam Browser can be toggled on and off, allowing you to use the application to discover and enjoy content locally on your tablet or phone.

What’s in this version:

• UI improvements
• Tabbed browsing

Download from Google Play

StableBit DrivePool Moves to Beta M4 Build 5905

Andrew Edney
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0
StableBit DrivePool Moves to Beta M4 Build 5905

There has been another beta build from CoveCube! StableBit development marches on – now its beta M4 build 5905.

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Here is how CoveCube describes this application:

  • Combine all your hard drives into one big storage pool (except the system drive with the OS).
  • Add and remove drives from the pool at any time without re-partitioning or manually moving folders.
  • Create duplicated folders on the storage drive pool that are protected against single drive failure. If a drive fails on which a duplicated file was stored, the contents of that file will remain readable even without the drive.
  • All your data is stored in standard NTFS files. You can always access your files even if the Windows Home Server completely crashes or this add-in can’t be used.

This version’s change log:

1.0.0.5905 ———-

* Added option to force a duplication consistency check (Pool tab).

* Added code to safeguard against non-responsive (malfunctioning) devices.

* [D] Added code to handle non-responsive (malfunctioning) devices.

Learn more from the new Stablebit DrivePool home Download Stablebit Drivepool build 5905 here

VLC Media Player 2.1 Released for Mac

Andrew Edney
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0
VLC Media Player 2.1 Released for Mac

The excellent VLC Media Player for the Mac has had an update, taking it to version 2.1.

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Here are the most important improvements for VLC for the Mac:

  • fixed delay when changing the volume
  • added a way to minimize the playlist
    • option-click on the playlist button, if the video is played within the main window
    • click normally on the playlist button, if the video is played in a detached window or no video is playing at all
  • provided a way to hide the sidebar
  • added playback controls to the detached video window
  • added OSD feedback when changing the volume
  • added accessibility support to the black UI mode
  • resolved fullscreen playback issues on Lion and Snow Leopard
  • the forward / backward buttons are way less sensitive now, so you can skip the movie much more slowly (the speed matches iTunes now)
  • disabled the native fullscreen mode on OS X Lion by default
  • fixed issues with the track synchronization panel
  • fixed playback of multicast UDP / RTP streams on certain setups
  • fixed SAP service discovery on certain setups
  • fixed crop functionality in the main menu and the video effects panel
  • fixed issues with the aspect ratio and subtitles menu items
  • fixed various crashes and minor ui issues
    • progress bar flickering, video window getting larger than the actual screen size, re-appearing “Updating font cache” dialogs, etc.

This update includes the following security content:

  • Updated libpng to 1.5.9 (CVE-2011-3026)
  • Updated freetype to 2.4.9 (CVE-2012-1126 up to CVE-2012-1144)
  • Fixed MMS stack overflow (VideoLAN-SA-1201)
  • Fixed RealRTSP heap overflow (VideoLAN-SA-1202)

Additionally, VLC 2.0.1 includes the following cross-platform improvements:

  • Access:
    • fixed and improved the CDDB information retrieval
    • fixed the samba module compilation
    • improved HTTP Live Streaming support
    • multiple fixes for HLS support, notably on Windows and for encryption
    • multiple fixes for Bluray discs playback
    • improved DVD playback on some RPC-I drives
  • Codecs:
    • Support for MXPEG files
    • limited auto-detected threads to 4 in avcodec module
    • fixed the use of QuickTime audio codecs in RTSP streams
  • Muxers:
    • FIxed OGM header creation
  • Demuxers:
    • Fixed multi-file splitted RAR archive support
    • Fixed a crash when seeking in mka
    • Improved MKV multi-video tracks support
  • Audio filters:
    • limited spatializer filter distortions
    • Use the fastest SinC algorithm for the samplerate module
  • Web interface:
    • fixed mobile display for remote control mode
    • support for .drc and .3ga extensions
  • Service discovery:
    • fixed SAP discovery, where an item was added multiple times
    • Updated Jamendo selections
Download VLC Player here

BYOB Podcast Episode 81 Out Now

Andrew Edney
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0
BYOB Podcast Episode 81 Out Now

The guys over at the BYOB podcast, including our very own Tim Daleo have just released episode 81.

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Here is what is included in this weeks show:

[box style=”rounded” border=”full”]eVGA SRX motherboard, Zenbook, The new iPAD, the new Apple TV, SSD Caching with Highpoint’s new card, on Episode 81 of the BYOB Podcast.[/box]

As usual you can listen to the show from here.

My Weekend with the New Apple iPad

Andrew Edney
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2
My Weekend with the New Apple iPad

My new iPad arrived on Friday and I have been playing with it ever since, and I have to say I am really impressed so far.

Unboxing the new iPad

The box contains the iPad, a cable, the power plug and some documentation – just as before.

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A Closer Look

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Comparing the New iPad to the iPad 2

If you put the new iPad next to the iPad 2 then you really won’t see a difference – for those of you who want to know, the new iPad is the one on the right.

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The new iPad is a little bit thicker, but not much (it’s the one on the top).

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What is really noticeable however is the quality of the retina display – it is amazing.

This is a photo of the new iPad – the wording under the icons is crystal clear.

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The same picture on the iPad 2 and the wording isn’t as sharp or defined. It’s interesting that after only a few minutes of using the new iPad it is hard to look at the iPad 2 again!

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Using the New iPad

The initial screen has a different backdrop that the iPad 2, other than that it’s business as usual.

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The quality on the camera is excellent though. The picture below is taken with the new iPad.

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And here is the same Moomin taken with the iPad 2, notice the difference!

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Final Thoughts

After only two days I am really impressed with the new iPad. I wasn’t sure if the retina display was going to be all it was cracked up to be, but it turned out that it certainly was. The quality is just amazing, and when you use apps that are design specifically for the retina display it’s even better.

I am also really impressed with the quality of the camera, although I can’t see myself standing in the street taking pictures with it!

Did you get a new iPad? If so let us know what you think of it.

Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 3.10 released by Apple

Andrew Edney
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0
Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 3.10 released by Apple

Apple has just released a Digital Camera Raw Compatibility update – version 3.10 – that adds RAW image compatibility for a number of cameras to both Aperture 3 and iPhoto ’11.

Screen Shot 2012 03 18 at 20 36 38

This update adds RAW image compatibility for the following cameras to Aperture 3 and iPhoto ’11:

• Canon PowerShot G1 X

• Nikon D4

• Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GX1

• Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ35

• Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ38

• Samsung NX200

• Sony Alpha NEX-7

• Sony NEX-VG20

It’s a small download so go update now!

A Preview of Kinect Star Wars – Don’t underestimate the power of the Force

Andrew Edney
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0
A Preview of Kinect Star Wars – Don’t underestimate the power of the Force

This week UWHS got to spend some time with Microsoft hearing all about the forthcoming Kinect Star Wars and getting to play it, and it was fun!

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We got to play on all the levels in the game, Jedi Destiny: Dark Side Rising, Podracing, Rancor Rampage, Galactic Dance Off and Duels of Fate.

Each one is different and brings it own challenges, and fun. For example it is a lot fun controlling a podracer and racing around the track using only your body, and the sheer amusement you get out of smashing up buildings and eating people as a Rancor cannot be beaten. And yes, ok, there is the Galactic Dance Off as well. It feels a little strange at first, but it’s actually quite fun, and I can certainly see the younger players enjoying that.

And the Duels of Fate levels – wow, being able to have a light sabre battle with Darth Vader himself it just fantastic. What I wouldn’t have given for this game back when I was a kid when Star Wars first came out!

I even played it in 3D (which usually I am not a fan of) but in this case the 3D works really well and really makes you feel that you in the game.

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Several familiar faces were on hand to help with the day:

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We even got to see one of the special Xbox Kinect Star Wars consoles:

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I can’t wait until I get the game at home and can play it to my hearts content!

And check out the promo video for Kinect Star Wars below:

Kinect Star Wars will be out on the 3rd April so get your pre-orders in if you haven’t already!

 

Take a closer look at Kinect Star Wars here

Hands-on Review of the Parker Ingenuity Pen

Andrew Edney
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0
Hands-on Review of the Parker Ingenuity Pen

You may be asking why would we review a pen? Well, before iPads, and Ultrabooks, those of us old enough to remember such things used to use something called a pen to use with our notebooks. In fact, you could say that was the ultimate bit of technology then, and now Parker has taken that to the next level with their new Ingenuity Pen.

UWHS Review - Parker Ingenuity Pen 006

The Parker Ingenuity collection was created for exclusive use Parker 5th Technology.

This is what Parker say about the 5th Technology:

An innovative new writing system from Parker is set to revolutionise how we feel about writing. The innovation consists of a cutting-edge refill tip and an engraved metallic hood – together they constitute Parker 5TH Technology, the next generation in pens.

The Parker 5TH Technology – so named as it offers a genuine fifth way of writing, following decades of fine writing being led by the fountain pen, ball point, roller ball and the mechanical pencil – was born out of extensive research into consumers’ needs. Today PARKER presents a single pen that answers these expectations combining ease, a soft writing feel and a stylish, high-end design. This new innovation provides an unparalleled writing experience producing pleasurable and beautiful penmanship while being the perfect pen that can travel with you anywhere.

Highlights

  • A Smart Glide Tip rapidly adjusts to your personal writing style after writing just a few words
  • A simple and clean refill process
  • The Ink is designed to produce an intense, clear rendering and prevent hand-smudging on the page
  • The Parker 5th refill design eliminates pressure, impact and temperature-induced ink leaks
  • Refill tip is design to maximise cap-off time
  • Available in Fine or Medium size and in Black or Blue ink

What’s in the box?

The gift box is very elegant and when you lift the lid you find the pen sitting firmly in place waiting for you to pick it up and start using it.

Along with the pen is the initial refill (the pen ships with a dummy refill in place) and some paperwork.

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A Closer Look

The pen is beautiful, and when you first take off the top you would think it’s a fountain pen, which of course it isn’t.

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StarTech.com announce new 8-port IEEE Power over Ethernet switch

Andrew Edney
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0
StarTech.com announce new 8-port IEEE Power over Ethernet switch

StarTech.com has announced the release of the IES8100POEGB – an 8-port IEEE Power over Ethernet switch capable of delivering up to 15.4 Watts of power, as well as network data, to up to 8 PoE-compliant devices – double the capability of most IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet switches to date.

IES8100POE-High Res Photo

The switch can be used as a PSE (Power Sourcing Equipment), eliminating the need for peripheral power supplies for end-point powered network devices such as IP phones, wireless access points and video cameras.

The new PoE switch features a compact, yet rugged metal design that makes it suitable for industrial environments and other applications that require durable equipment. The switch can be used with existing network wiring (Cat5, Cat5e or Cat6), making it easy to situate without having to re-run network cables.

“This new Power over Ethernet switch, with its advanced switch design, is a very versatile endspan for many different environments and applications. Its ability to deliver full power through all ports makes it a unique and effective network tool.” said Carey Cline, Senior Product Manager for StarTech.com’s Networking I/O product line.

Features of the new IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet Switch include:

· Up to 15.4 W of power delivery through each network port

· Auto MDI/MDI-X port detection as well as full/half-duplex auto-detect

· IEEE 802.3x flow control for full-duplex and back-pressure flow control for half-duplex

Recommend Retail price for the IES8100POEGB 10/100 Power over Ethernet Switch is £172.99 (GBP). It is available for purchase from leading technology resellers including Insight, Amazon.co.uk and Dabs and will also be distributed by Enta, Ingram Micro and Micro-P.

HTC One X and HTC One S now available to pre-order from Phones 4u

Andrew Edney
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0
HTC One X and HTC One S now available to pre-order from Phones 4u

Last month we told you about the new HTC One X and One S smartphones – now they are available to pre-order from Phones 4u in the UK.

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This is what Phones 4u said:

Further to confirming that both the HTC One X and HTC One S are now available to pre-order from Phones 4u, the high street mobile retailer is also pleased to announce that ALL customers who preorder either handset from the HTC One series range will receive a FREE HTC Media Link HD.

Worth £79.99, the HTC Media Link HD* plugs into any HDMI port and allows you to share your favourite content from your mobile phone by streaming it directly to any HDMI equipped TV or monitor. With Dual-Screening technology, whilst streaming media from your phone to your TV, you can even use your phone display for something else, whether you fancy emailing, chatting, internet browsing – the choice is yours.  The HTC Media Link HD is so small, compact and portable, it allows you to carry it anywhere, turning ANY HDMI TV into a ‘smart’ TV.

The HTC One series range integrates Android 4.0 (ICS) with HTC Sense™ 4, HTC’s new version of its branded user experience, which introduces HTC ImageSense™.  This is an amazing suite of camera and imaging features that offers HTC’s most premium mobile experience in an iconic new design.

With the HTC One series, Beats By Dr. Dre Audio™ integration has been enabled for the first time across the entire mobile experience resulting in a sharper, richer, more authentic sound experience.  The HTC One X is for those who want a high-end smartphone with impeccable quad-core performance and amazing camera and sound quality, all in a compact, slim and slick design.

Scott Hooton, Phones 4u Chief Commercial Officer said: “Not only does the HTC One series range bolster our existing range of high-end HTC smartphones, it offers our customers superior sound and image quality in the form of the HTC One X and HTC One S.  We wanted to take that image and sound experience even further by allowing our preorder customers to experience that same HTC quality on their HD TVs, and the free HTC Media Link HD does just that.”

Available at Phones 4u stores and online from 5th April 2012, the HTC One X will be free from £36 a month on contract and the HTC One S will be free from £31 a month on contract, both on a choice of networks. Visit the Phones 4u website to preorder both now and to view hands on reviews of both the handsets in the HTC One series range, as well as watch a video of the HTC Media Link HD in action:

HTC One X

http://www.phones4u.co.uk/htc/one-x/

HTC One S

http://www.phones4u.co.uk/htc/one-s/

About the HTC Media Link HD (*requires a WiFi connection):

Compatibility               Sense 4.0 devices, One X and One S

Special features          Dedicated pairing button (for manual pairing)

Physical connection    HDMI Type A, HDMI v1.3, HDCP 1.2, CEC

Wireless support         WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, 1×1 dual band (2.4GHz & 5GHz), WiFi display DLNA DMR

Wifi Link Encryption    DTCP-IP

Video Codecs               H.264, VC-1, XviD, MPEG-1, MPEG-4, WMV, Divx

Audio Codecs               MP3, AAC, WMA, FLAC, OGG Vorbis, supported via HDMI pass-through: AC-3, DTS, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio

Image Codecs              JPEG, BMP, PNG

Power                          Micro USB Input

Software Update Brings New Features to TomTom LIVE customers

Andrew Edney
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0
Software Update Brings New Features to TomTom LIVE customers

A major software update brings a whole range of new features to TomTom LIVE Services customers.  Drivers can access Expedia and Trip Advisor, share their destination on Twitter, and enjoy many other enhanced features.

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New features and improvements include:

Latest alternative route viewer
Shows you a faster alternative route when one is available.

Improved Speed Cameras service
Drivers are warned about speed cameras with new, clearer icons.
They can report and delete speed cameras with a single touch.

They can confirm that a speed camera is still there.
And they can see their average speed when driving in an average speed checkzone.

Support for the memory card slot

If their navigation device has a memory card slot, drivers can now install their maps on a memory card

Easier POI installing
Drivers can install multiple POI files or POI categories on their navigation device using a ZIP file.

A new  privacy policy
A new privacy policy for the collecting and sending of anonymous information to TomTom.

A quicker start time
After the software update, navigation devices will start up quicker.

Automatic start up and switch off
When the device is connected to the charging cable in a car, it will turn on and off with the car ignition.

Further user improvements
Various performance enhancements, user-interface improvements and bug fixes have been implemented.

This update is available on TomTom Via LIVE 120/125, GO LIVE 820/825 and GO LIVE 1000/1005 devices. It can be downloaded from MyTomTom when a customer’s LIVE subscription is valid.

Windows 8 Codec Pack from Shark007 Released

Andrew Edney
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1
Windows 8 Codec Pack from Shark007 Released

Because Media Player doesn’t support all media types, you have to install a codec, sometimes more than just one. For Windows 7, I often use a codec pack from Shark007. When now they they have released a codec back for Windows 8!

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This is what they said:

The following filetypes are enabled and SUPPORTED by the installation of the Windows 8 Codecs:
amr | mpc | ofr | divx | mka | ape | flac | evo | flv | m4b |mkv | ogg | ogv | ogm | rmvb | xvid
All of the above filetypes can be queued to the Windows Media Player Playlist using a right-click.

Things the Shark pack does that other packs cannot do . . .
1. Full color thumbnails including FLV’s and 10bit MKV’s
(also allows users to select at what point by percentage to grab the thumbnail)
2. Enable the Preview Pane for ALL newly enabled filetypes such as MKV and FLV.
3. Explorer properties are displayed for non native filetypes such as MKV and FLV
4. Updated often – and has update notification builtin
5. Allow use of the PDVD12 decoders for 32bit LiveTV
6. Supports the use of Xbox360 as Extenders to playback MKV files
7. Allows singleclick setup of Bitstreamed Audio
8. Support playback of MOD audio files and M4A files containing ALAC
9. Supports playlist creation for use in Media Center
10. Allow users to Enable/Disable codecs installed on their system
11. Functionality such as Win7DSFilterTweaker builtin.
12. Support ‘Add to Windows Media Player List’ using rightclick on all files such as MKV.

Learn more and download from here

StableBit DrivePool for WHS 2011 Manual taking shape

Andrew Edney
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0
StableBit DrivePool for WHS 2011 Manual taking shape

The beta may have been going on for what seems like forever now, but with it coming to an end, CoveCube are working on the manual, and you can check out the progress.

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Have you used DrivePool? Let us know what you think.

Check out the manual here

Google Earth for Android updated to version 6.1; brings Earth Gallery with it

Andrew Edney
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3
Google Earth for Android updated to version 6.1; brings Earth Gallery with it

Google Earth for Android has been updated to version 6.1 and with that comes the Earth Gallery.

Google Earth

Explore the world from the palm of your hand with Google Earth.

Use Google Earth to fly around the planet with the swipe of a finger. Explore distant lands or reacquaint yourself with your childhood home. Search by voice for cities, places, and businesses. Browse layers including roads, borders, places, photos and more.

For tablet users (Android 3.0 or newer), you can now enjoy a new Google Earth experience optimized for the large screen. With a new action bar, you can get easy access to search, reset-to-north, my location, and layers. Also, on tablets and select phones, you can now explore the same photo-realistic 3D buildings that have previously only been accessible with the desktop version of Google Earth. Visit the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Taj Mahal in India, or the Sydney Opera House in Australia, all in their full 3D glory! To view 3D buildings, just select “3D Buildings” from the layer menu.

You can easily navigate with your fingers, using:
* a one finger swipe to move the globe
* a two-finger pinch and rotate to zoom in and out and rotate your viewpoint
* two-fingers swiped together to tilt your view
* a one single finger double-tap to zoom in and
* a two-finger double-tap to zoom out

What’s new in Version 6.1:

  • Earth Gallery: Explore a curated list of layers, such as real time flights, earthquake, and city tours.
  • Touring: load tours from the Gallery or inside balloons.
  • Share your current view through Google+ or other social applications.
  • New Zoom around and pinch gesture.
  • Stability and performance improvements
Download now from Google Play
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