StableBit DrivePool Moves to Beta M4 Build 5452

Andrew Edney
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0
StableBit DrivePool Moves to Beta M4 Build 5452

There has been another beta build from CoveCube! StableBit development marches on – now its beta M4 build 5452.

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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:

1.0.0.5452 ———-

* [D] Added support for undocumented directory listing file system behavior having to do with indexed requests. Managed to keep the same parallelized performance aspect of the algorithm, while adding deterministic ordering of results. Indexed queries are not as fast as non-indexed queries, but they are rarer (E.g. Triggered by: XP, OS X, boxee, MS-DOS applications, …), and are only issued for large directory listings.

* [D] Tightened up the directory listing algorithm code.

Get More Information About the Beta Here Download Stablebit Drivepool build 5449 here

Pre-order the ZTE Tania Windows Phone from Clove

Andrew Edney
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2
Pre-order the ZTE Tania Windows Phone from Clove

This week a new Windows Phone was announced – the ZTE Tania. Now if you are in the UK, you can pre-order one from Clove.

ZTE Tania Windows Phone

ZTE are one of the biggest manufacturers of smartphones globally, but only now are they making their name know in the UK and Europe.

Just because you haven’t heard of them, doesn’t mean you should discount them. Being the 4th largest manufacturer must mean they are doing something right.

What ZTE do is deliver value. It is about providing a full functioning product that performs as you would expect at a price more often than not cheaper than the competition.

The ZTE Tania is fully equipped with the latest Windows Phone 7.5 software which is great for both business and pleasure and makes it easier than ever to connect and share with friends, family, and colleagues.

Web browsing, social networking, document and email handling, it is all possible on the Tania and it will be handled with relative ease by the phone thanks to the 1GHz processor. It might not be fast enough for the gamers out there but if communication and general smartphone use is what you want then the Tania is certainly an ideal candidate.

The 4.3 inch display with a 800 x 480 resolution gives a more immersive user experience. Web pages are easier to view, documents easier to handle and pictures bigger and clearer.

At only 10.7mm depth the Tania is not as big as you may expect.

A 5MP camera with autofocus and flash allows you to capture images and these can be easily shared online or through social media networks thanks to the 3G and WiFi connections available on the Tania.

A product that offers performance and a price that wont break the bank, consider the ZTE Tania.

Features of ZTE Tania
  • 1GHz processor
  • 4.3 inch display
  • 5 megapixel camera with auto focus & flash
  • 4GB Internal Memory
  • WiFi 802.11b/g/n
  • 3G/HSPA
What’s in the box of ZTE Tania
  • ZTE Tania
  • Battery
  • USB Cable
  • 3 Pin UK Mains Charger
  • Documentation

The price to pre-order the ZTE Tania from Clove is £249.99 (which includes VAT). It should be shipping some time in February, and remember, that is without a contract.

Learn more from the Clove website

Microsoft Acknowledges Xbox 360 Video Playback Problem

Andrew Edney
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1
Microsoft Acknowledges Xbox 360 Video Playback Problem

Pretty much as soon as the latest Dashboard update hit, some people were reporting video playback problems. Microsoft have now acknowledged the problem.

This is what MajorNelson tweeted:

Xbox problem

So, at least they have acknowledged it, although there is still no ETA for a fix.

When we hear more we will let you know.

Have you had any problems since the update? Let us know….

The Home Server Show Episode 169 Out Now

Andrew Edney
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0
The Home Server Show Episode 169 Out Now

Dave at the guys at the Home Server Show have released episode 169.

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Here’s what Dave has to say about this weeks show:

It’s the first podcast after returning from CES 2012 and we have a wrap for you. Don’t worry though, we keep the CES talk short because there are other matters to attend to. Windows 8 and Storage Spaces. We dive deep into a blog post about Windows 8 and how the new Storage Spaces works. There are some telling points to discuss about the future of Windows Home Server and how storage management is changing for Windows.

As usual you can listen to the show from here.

Apple Also Launches iTunes U for Free Course Materials and More

Andrew Edney
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2
Apple Also Launches iTunes U for Free Course Materials and More

Apple also launched iTunes U today – which gives people access to complete courses from leading universities and other schools — plus the world’s largest digital catalogue of free education content.

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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

The world’s largest catalogue of free education content:
• Choose from more than 500,000 free lectures, videos, books, and other resources on thousands of subjects from Algebra to Zoology
• Browse collections from education and cultural institutions in 26 countries — including Stanford, Yale, MIT, Oxford, UC Berkeley, MoMA, the New York Public Library, and the Library of Congress

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Download iTunes U Now

Twonky Music Now in the Blackberry App Store

Andrew Edney
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0
Twonky Music Now in the Blackberry App Store

We talk about Twonky a lot here at UWHS, now if you are a Blackberry owner, you can get Twonky Music in the Blackberry App Store.

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Twonky Music incorporates the best features of multiple music apps into one easy to use experience. Play music from your personal collection, listen to a wide selection of ad-free genre-based radio stations and customize radio stations with your preferences. Your focus should be on the music, not switching between apps or devices, so we’ve included features that make Twonky Music one-stop listening. Each song contains more info with artist bios, news and Twitter feeds, as well as song lyrics. Your custom radio stations pull from a catalogue of millions of songs made up of all the major music labels and some of the biggest Indie labels too. Add ‘Presets’ to the Home screen to access your favourite stations more quickly.

Convenient, and as basic or interactive as you want to make it, Twonky Music enhances something you already love – Music! Visit http://www.twonky.com for more information about

Twonky Music and other Twonky products. Please note: Some features require setting up a free Twonky account.

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Download Twonky Music from the Blackberry App Store

Apple Releases iTunes Version 10.5.3

Andrew Edney
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0
Apple Releases iTunes Version 10.5.3

Apple has today released iTunes version 10.5.3 with updates for iBooks textbooks and iBooks Author.

itunes

What’s new in iTunes 10.5.3

iTunes 10.5.3 allows you to sync interactive iBooks textbooks to your iPad. These Multi-Touch textbooks are available for purchase from the iTunes Store on your Mac or from the iBookstore included with iBooks 2 on your iPad.

iBooks textbooks are created with iBooks Author — now available as a free download on the Mac App Store

Apple Launch iBooks Author App – Now You Can Be A Published Author

Andrew Edney
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1
Apple Launch iBooks Author App – Now You Can Be A Published Author

Along with today’s announcement about iBooks 2, Apple also launched an app called iBooks Author, which enables anyone to create a book for the iPad.

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As a published author myself, this is a really great idea and a smart move on the part of Apple! I can’t wait to try it out – maybe my next book will appear in the Bookstore!

Here is how Apple describe iBooks Author:

Create and publish amazing Multi-Touch books for iPad.

Now anyone can create stunning iBooks textbooks, cookbooks, history books, picture books, and more for iPad. All you need is an idea and a Mac. Start with one of the Apple-designed templates that feature a wide variety of page layouts. Add your own text and images with drag-and-drop ease. Use Multi-Touch widgets to include interactive photo galleries, movies, Keynote presentations, 3D objects, and more. Preview your book on your iPad at any time.

Then submit your finished work to the iBookstore with a few simple steps. And before you know it, you’re a published author.

Apple-designed templates
• Give your book a great beginning with templates that include a choice of page designs with matching fonts, colors, and textures
• Easily customize your book with text and images, create new layouts, and even save a custom template
• Use the Book Navigator to organize your book and add a cover and table of contents
Beautiful text and layouts
• Use a variety of text styles in each template to give your book a rich yet consistent look
• Add text, shapes, charts, tables, and media anywhere on the page
• Import a chapter written in Pages or Microsoft Word and apply a great-looking layout from your current template
• Add any word to the glossary with a single click and easily include photos, images, charts, tables, and shapes next to any definition
• Automatically create a portrait view of your book, which allows readers to focus on the text
Multi-Touch widgets
• Choose from a variety of widgets that add Multi-Touch interactivity to your book
• Add a photo gallery, chapter review, movie, Keynote presentation, interactive image with callouts, 3D object, or custom HTML anywhere in your book
• Widgets include placeholders for titles and captions and are automatically numbered so you can reference them in your main text
• Add accessibility descriptions to any widget so that it can be used by sight-impaired readers easily with VoiceOver

Export for iBookstore or iTunes U
• Preview your book in iBooks on an iPad to see how it looks and works
• Easily add a cover, video introduction, copyright page, dedication, and foreword
• Submit your book to the iBookstore for sale or free download with a few simple steps*
• Export your book in iBooks format to share on iTunes U or to give to others
• Create a version of your book as a PDF file

Keynote ’09 (v5.1.1 or later) is required for Keynote widgets
iBooks 2 is required for previewing
iTunes 10.5.3 is required for syncing
* Books may only be sold through the iBookstore; additional terms and conditions apply.

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Download iBooks Author from the App Store now

Apple Announce iBooks 2 for iPad Featuring iBooks Textbooks

Andrew Edney
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3
Apple Announce iBooks 2 for iPad Featuring iBooks Textbooks

Apple today announced iBooks 2 for iPad, featuring iBooks textbooks, an entirely new kind of textbook that’s dynamic, engaging and truly interactive. iBooks textbooks offer iPad users gorgeous, full screen textbooks with interactive animations, diagrams, photos, videos, unrivalled navigation and much more.

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Earlier this week we told that Apple were making an Educational announcement, and this was part of it.

This is what Apple said about iBooks 2:

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.

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iBooks 2 is available now for free in the App Store

LG Prada Phone Out in February on T-Mobile in UK

Andrew Edney
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0
LG Prada Phone Out in February on T-Mobile in UK

We first told you about the LG Prada phone back in December. T-Mobile here in the UK are now showing it as Due February.

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This is now on the UK T-Mobile website:

LG Prada on T-Mobile

More info when we get it.

IK Multimedia Launch the iRig PRE

Andrew Edney
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0
IK Multimedia Launch the iRig PRE

IK Multimedia presents the iRig PRE, the ultimate solution for connecting any type of microphone – from regular stage microphones to expensive studio models – to any iPhone, iPhone touch or iPad providing access to the widest range of recording applications.

irig pre

iRig PRE is the first high-quality microphone preamp designed specifically for iOS devices that allows musicians to use their favourite high-quality stage or studio mics with their iOS device.

The microphone plugs directly into the standard XLR connector of iRig PRE with no need for extra cables or adapters.

Its adjustable thumbwheel gain control allows the user to easily make precise level settings. The onboard 9V battery provides the necessary voltage for phantom-powered studio condenser microphones for at least for 15 hours of continuous use.

The 3.5mm (1/8″) standard stereo headphone output allows monitoring while recording.
The lightweight housing sports a convenient cable for iOS device connection and also includes a Velcro strip slot for easy mounting on a mic stand or other stage locations.

Like all other IK Multimedia microphones, it includes 2 free apps: iRig Recorder (an easy-to-use recording/editing app) and VocaLive (an effects processing app for singers).
And like the entire range of iRig accessories, it’s highly portable thanks to its pocket-sized form factor for recording anywhere.

iRig PRE features

  • 40 cm (15.75″) TRRS cable to connect to any iOS device headset jack
  • XLR input connector for microphones
  • Gain control
  • +48 V phantom power
  • Headphone output
  • On/Off switch
  • Power/Phantom Power provided by 9V battery
  • Battery life is approximately 40 hours with dynamic microphones and 15 hours with phantom powered condenser studio microphones

Pricing and availability
iRig PRE costs only €29.99 (excl. tax) and will be available in early Q2 2012 from electronic and music retailers around the world.  For more information visit www.irigpre.com

We saw it at CES last week, and here are some pictures:

UWHS - iRig PRE at CES - 1UWHS - iRig PRE at CES - 2UWHS - iRig PRE at CES - 3UWHS - iRig PRE at CES - 4

LOVEFiLM Comes to LG’s Smart TV

Andrew Edney
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0
LOVEFiLM Comes to LG’s Smart TV

LG and Amazon announced today that LOVEFiLM will be coming to LG’s Smart TV platform very soon.

UWHS - LG Smart TV at CES

This is what LG posted on their blog:

Amazon’s LOVEFiLM today announced it is working with global electronics company LG to bring LOVEFiLM’s video streaming service, LOVEFiLM Instant, to LG’s award winning Smart TV platform. This deal will give UK film fans yet another option to watch LOVEFiLM’s vast range of films and TV episodes instantly on their big screen.

The LG Smart TV platform already boasts over 250 applications in the UK, with access to almost limitless content on demand via the Internet. The addition of LOVEFiLM Instant, which provides a unique offering of instantly streamed films and TV episodes, is LG’s first ever film and TV subscription streaming application.

LOVEFiLM recently introduced an unlimited streaming-only package which provides access to films and TV shows via LOVEFiLM Instant for an introductory price of 4.99 per month.

LOVEFiLM members watching movies via LOVEFiLM Instant on LG TVs will have instant access to thousands of titles, with a continually growing library.

Exclusive streaming access to titles such as sci-fi action sequel Terminator Salvation, RED starring Helen Mirren and Bruce Willis, Batman sequel The Dark Knight, breakout comedy The Hangover and mystery thriller Unknown, will be available from launch.

Forthcoming titles on LOVEFiLM Instant will include Source Code starring Jake Gyllenhaal and family animation Gnomeo & Juliet.

The application will also enable members to manage their movie rental list, rate movies, read reviews and search movies by cast and crew. Members can also find films within the bespoke collections via LG TVs, which will make it easier than ever to discover new favourites.

Functionality is further enhanced by LG’s Magic Motion Remote, which is controlled by movements and gestures, instead of buttons.

UWHS - LG Magic Motion Remote

This is LG’s Magic Motion remote at CES last week.

We took a look at LG’s Smart Share for their Smart TV’s at CES last week.

Microsoft Outlook Social Connector Provider for Facebook Updated

Andrew Edney
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0
Microsoft Outlook Social Connector Provider for Facebook Updated

Connect your Facebook account to the Outlook Social Connector and stay up to the minute with the people in your network by accessing everything from e-mail threads to status updates in one single, centralized view.

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The Microsoft Outlook Social Connector Provider for Facebook allows you to connect your Facebook account to the Outlook Social Connector and obtain information about your friends and colleagues. You can see status updates and recently posted items from your Facebook contacts.

You can also use Outlook Social Connector to display a quick view of related Outlook content when you click on an email from a contact, such as recent e-mail conversations, meetings, and shared attachments to help you easily track your communications

NOTE: The Microsoft Outlook Social Connector Provider requires Microsoft Outlook Social Connector and the related update (KB983403) to be installed. If these components are not already installed on your machine, the Microsoft Outlook Social Connector Provider for Facebook will download and install the necessary updates from the Microsoft Download Center before completing the provider installation.

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=5039

The Digital Lifestyle Show #337-CES 2012

Andrew Edney
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0
The Digital Lifestyle Show #337-CES 2012

This weeks Digital Lifestyle Show has just been released – its show 337, and we recorded this one at CES for you.

DLS Show

Here’s what Ian says about this week show:

Welcome to our first show with interviews from CES. CES 2012 was as hectic as ever and I have a great selection of interview for you. I have Andrew Edney and Dave McCabe talking about Microsoft’s keynote and the first couple of days at CES, I have Microsoft’s Mark Pendergrast from the Windows Media Center Embedded team talking Embedded Windows Media Center, Eben Upton from the Raspberry Pi Foundation talking about the low cost computer for education and enthusiasts and Ed Bott returns to CES after a couple of years away so we catchup and talk about Microsoft and Ed’s thoughts on them pulling out from CES.

You can listen to or download the show from here.

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