Archive for January, 2014

By January 31, 2014 Read More →

Two Chromebooks coming from Lenovo

Lenovo-IdeaPad-Yoga-13-modesHere is a bit of news for Chrome OS and Lenovo fans out there – the popular PC manufacturer has just announced two new laptops! The Thinkpad 11e and the Thinkpad Yoga 11e come in two versions, sporting Windows 8 and Chrome OS (wouldn’t it be nice if they could dual-boot?).

These Chromebooks are said to be aimed towards education, but they seem to be great options for the regular consumer too. Specs were not specified, but we do have some details you might want to know.

Lenovo ThinkPad 11e Chromebook

As the name entails, the ThinkPad 11e sports what is now the standard in terms of Chromebook displays. Of course, we are talking about an 11.6-inch HD, LED display. HD probably does mean 1366x768p resolution, which is what most other 11.6-inch Chromebook displays have.

You will also get “over 8 hours of battery life”, but that is not what makes the ThinkPad 11e special. Its main feature is its construction, which comes with a rugged nature. The laptop will feature “rubber bumpers, reinforced ports and stronger hinges.” It’s a Chromebook built to last.

Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e Chromebook

The ThinkPad Yoga 11e will not be as resistant, but it will be a much more functional and flexible (literally) tool. This laptop takes on Lenovo’s signature Yoga design, allowing a laptop to take on 4 different configurations. It adapts to the type of use you want to give it at any given moment.

You can transform Yoga laptops in the following configurations: laptop, tablet, tent and stand. You can see the image below to see examples.

The TinkPad Yoga 11e also comes with an 11.6-inch display, but it sports an IPS panel. This will give the screen much better viewing angles and color accuracy. It’s also important to note that this is the third Chroembook to come with a touchscreen! I know many of you will fancy that.

All versions are set to be released during the Spring of 2014. Price is a bit more vague – Lenovo says the Chromebooks will start at $349. Are you getting one of these bad boys?

Posted in: Laptops, News, Tablets
By January 31, 2014 Read More →

Retro Tech Addicts Podcast 10: Life is Good

RTA Logo MTAGareth and Phil enjoy a warm and fuzzy recollection of days gone by in this the latest instalment of the Retro Tech Addicts podcast.

This week Gareth and Phil take a closer look at the tech-giant LG and discuss a variety of the company’s products and hostory.

 

Direct Download

Watch the video on Youtube

Get the Android App from Amazon

iTunes

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Posted in: Podcast
By January 31, 2014 Read More →

Sony DSC-QX10 and QX100 Firmware v2.0 is available to download from Sony Asia

IMG_4172Towards the end of 2013 Sony announced that a firmware for the DSC QX10 and QX100 lens cameras for use with Smartphones would be released in January. With only a few days left to meet this target, the promised update has appeared on the Sony Asia support site. At the time of writing the UK site still doesn’t show the download.

New features for the version 2.0 update are:

  • ISO Setting added
  • Movie Recording size changed: MP4 1440 x 1080(30p) to MP4 1920 x 1080(30p)
  • Shutter Speed Priority Shooting mode added (DSC-QX100 only)

I updated my QX10 yesterday and the time taken to connect to my Nexus 5 has reduced drastically and the connection itself seems to be much more stable. These were two issues that I highlighted in my review and once I have had a chance to play with the the camera with the new firmware some more I will update the review with my new thoughts.

The update was painless and all of the steps required are clearly explained in the updater software. It seems that the existing firmware on the lenses is a mix of v1 and v0.1 so it looks like some units were sold with an earlier release and no update was offered.

If you’d like to grab the update now, try these links.

http://www.sony-asia.com/support/product/dsc-qx100

http://www.sony-asia.com/support/product/DSC-QX10

Posted in: Cameras, News
Tags: ,
By January 30, 2014 Read More →

Samsung to halt Windows notebooks in favour of Chromebooks

Samsung-Chromebook-ConnectiSources within the supply chain serving the South Korean electronics giant, are reporting that Samsung “will no longer launch conventional notebook models except Chromebooks” from 2015. Samsung will no longer launch conventional notebook models except Chromebooks…

The company was one of the first on the block with Google’s thin-client cloud-based OS, launching one of the first Chromebooks back in 2011. A refreshed version of their best-selling ‘Samsung Chromebook’ is rumoured to arrive near Easter, utilising an eight-core ARM processor.

A rumour like this is probably most unlikely however when thinking of Dell’s decision to discontinue shipping Windows 7 on their hardware there might be something in it. With that said, the report does give a potential reasoning for such a switch. Samsung expected to ship 17 million notebooks in 2013 but only managed to shift 12 million. As a result, insiders say the company has lowered its notebook forecasts for 2014 to 7 million units. Do it make sense to drop an entire platform when notebook and laptop sales are down and tablet sales are up?

 

Posted in: Laptops, News
Tags: ,
By January 29, 2014 Read More →

Some New Mini-Games for Glass

Google-Glass-Mini-Games-MatcherWhile Google still works on getting Google Glass ready for official public consumption, the company has been to building five simple games for the wearable technology in the hopes that it will encourage developers to make more games for it. There are already a couple of games out from third parties however on a whole things are pretty sparse.

These new games are all current available on Glassware to try out for those few people who were approved and managed for fork out $1500 for an early version of Google Glass. If you’re looking for some seriously advanced gaming to be found with these five titles, you won’t find it. These games are pretty simple but do illustrate different things you can do with Google Glass in conjunction with games.

Interested in seeing what these games are like? Well lucky for you Google has released a short video showing each one which you can watch above. It will be interesting to see if this does spur on some additional developer interest for Google Glass when it comes to games.

 

By January 29, 2014 Read More →

Google Announces Prescription Glass Frames for Google Glass

TitGoogle announced their newest upgrade to the Google Glass wearable smart-glasses, only this time it isn’t a software or hardware upgrade, but is actually a structural one. They now have prescription glass frames available that are specifically designed to fit with Google Glass. They are called the Titanium Collection, and that doesn’t just describe their aesthetics. These new Google Glass frames are literally made of ultra-light titanium alloys. 

Their Titanium Collection includes “four feather-light titanium frames and two new styles of twist-on shades, designed just for you.” Now you can consider getting Google Glass without worrying about looking like a full-blown dork, just a half-dork! (We kid about this because some of us here at HQ are actually becoming more intrigued by this device regardless of how it looks to other.)

 

By January 28, 2014 Read More →

HTC One gets Android 4.4.2 KitKat

HTCOneKKThanks to HTC’s own Android update status page, we knew that the KitKat update for the HTC One was pretty imminent and today many users will have been presented with a notification to say that there was indeed an update available for their HTC One.

At the moment I’m installing the update on my own HTC One and so far it seems to be pretty painless.

The latest Android 4.4.2 KitKat update promises the following:

  • System improvements
    • Android 4.4.2 update
    • Security Enhancements
  • Printing imrovements
    • Cloud Print Services
  • Bluetooth improvement
    • New Bluetooth profiles to support more media interactions
  • Browser
    • Support of Flash Player removed
Posted in: News, Phones
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By January 28, 2014 Read More →

A 4G router arrives at Solwise!

mailerSolwise are pleased to announce their first 4G/LTE router has finally arrived! The Solwise 4G-LTE-S4 is a full 4G router that includes 150Mbps 11n WiFi and WAN connectivity. The ‘S4’ router includes a  4G modem with SIM slot (standard size) so just insert your 4G SIM card, configure the unit with the login details for your 4G data account and you are then ready to share your 4G data connectivity. No need for a dongle. The S4 also supports 3G data SIM cards. 

The S4 has two antenna connectors for 4G and 1 built-in WiFi antenna. The antenna connectors allow you to attach an external antenna which may improve the 4G signal into your home.   The S4 works for UK standard 800MHz, 1800MHZ, and 2600MHz LTE (4G) bands.

Speed (4G) 100Mbps download; 50Mbps upload
Speed (3G) 42.2Mbps DC-HSPA+ download; 5.76Mbps upload

NET-4G-LTE-S4 – £215.06 including VAT
http://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-routers-4g-lte-s4.htm

Solwise offer a number of 4G antennas to compliment the new S4 4G Router.
http://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-antenna-outdoor.htm

By January 27, 2014 Read More →

Three Main Reasons Why a Thriving Company Requires Business Video Conferencing Solutions

Video Conferencing SolutionsThese days, more and more companies decide to pursue their bold ambitions by opening satellite offices in different parts of the globe. This is an amazing opportunity to boost their influence and their profit margins; nonetheless, this decision also leads to a series of inevitable changes and new requirements that should be handled with maximum care by all business owners.

For instance, companies that have to establish and maintain solid relationships with remote clients, partners and staff members require the very best business video conferencing solutions designed to fill in the gaps created by distance, improve communication and enhance productivity.

Now, these highly beneficial elements are no longer a luxury, but a real necessity for businessmen who strive to take their enterprises to the next level on time and on a budget.

“As the software-based solutions evolve, we expect to see greater adoption of videoconferencing at lower price points,” explains Roopam Jain, Frost & Sullivan’s industry director of Unified Communications and Collaboration, cited by Corporate Tech Decisions.

Here are three of the most important reasons why business video conferencing options are a must-have for bold players who want to make a name for themselves on a larger scale.

First: The Increased Popularity of Video conferencing

The question is this: can you really afford to ignore the crucial importance of video conferencing, highlighted in almost any field? Video conferencing usage has witnessed a 50% growth only in 2012, and it becomes increasingly popular as more and more people realize that this revolutionary communication method perfects daily interactions with a broader audience and triggers considerable savings.

Second: Multipoint Video Calling Gradually Becomes an Indispensable ally

A new market study conducted by NPD In-Stat, mentioned by Social Media Today, reveals that videoconferencing is expected to hit a new record of 550 billion minutes of video calling, recorded until 2015. Moreover, the same source indicates that emerging videoconferencing solutions come from leading players like Skype, Tango, Google, Microsoft Kinect, ooVoo, and Raketu.

 

Video conferencing reduces travel expenses, consolidates the relationship between clients, partners, and employees, and boosts the productivity of any enterprise. As this revolutionary technology proliferates and becomes a powerful ally for more and more companies, businessmen feel the need to organize meetings with multiple participants. This method, entitled multipoint calls, is now utilized on a large scale. Now, the successful, result-oriented meetings include several meeting rooms and a considerably larger number of users.

Multipoint calls enable participants to express their ideas in front of different segments of public, in a time-effective manner. This communication method is highly effective, as it encourages the participation of several categories of users and allows participants to address different aspects without wasting any time in the process.

Third: Interoperability Requirements

Most importantly, business video conferencing solutions manage to prevent misunderstandings and eliminate communication barriers created by distance. At the same time, as technology evolves at a fast pace, users get the opportunity to connect with their clients, partners, or colleagues using a wide range of video-enabled devices.

This is the main reason why interoperability is an important requirement in the business sector. No matter what type of gadget they use to get actively involved in a meeting, smart business video conferencing solutions should enable participants to profit from flawless interactions anytime, anywhere and set up a thriving collaboration environment.

To be able to select the right business video conference solution for you, you must understand some of the most important trends and current approaches leading to a higher number of satisfied customers. The Wainhouse Research Paper provides concise answers to some of your most pressing questions and enables prospects to make an informed decision when it comes to identifying and implementing the best video conferencing alternative tailored to their specific needs.

This source of information allows users to

  • discover the multipoint video conferencing fundamentals
  • find everything there is to know about on-site multipoint bridging alternatives
  • analyze different deployment architectures and evaluate
  • select the best type of hosted video bridging services

 Of course using video conferencing technology is a smart way to to do business but there are still occasions when face-to-face meetings cannot be substituted. Business people will still need to book conference and meetings rooms so if you have rooms to rent out having a streamlined, easy to use booking system like MeetingsMaker on hand to do the heavy lifting is a must.

 

By January 27, 2014 Read More →

ZOTAC TurboBoosts 4th Generation Intel Core ZBOX nano Series

ZBOX NANO ID69_PLUS_12ZOTAC International, a global innovator and manufacturer of graphics cards, mainboards and mini-PCs, today turbo boosts the 4th Generation Intel Core ZBOX nano series with the new ZBOX ID68 and ID69 series mini-PCs. The new ZBOX nano duo integrate Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors with Intel Turbo Boost technology to take the palm-sized form factor to new performance heights. 

“The new ZBOX nano ID68 and ID69 series are our most powerful palm-sized mini-PCs yet. The addition of Intel Turbo Boost technology enables the two ZBOX nano ID68 and ID69 series to deliver performance comparable to much larger systems while consuming much less energy,” said Carsten Berger, senior director, ZOTAC international.

Users that want a taste of Intel Turbo Boost technology can opt for the ZOTAC ZBOX nano ID68 series with a high-performance Intel Core i5 4200U that can turbo boost up to 2.6 GHz. Demanding users that require the best performance available from the compact form factor can step up to the ZOTAC ZBOX nano ID69 series with an Intel Core i7 4500U processor that turbo boosts up to 3.0 GHz. 

There’s plenty of connectivity on the ZOTAC ZBOX nano ID68 and ID69 series with plenty of USB 3.0 ports, eSATA for fast storage expansion, DisplayPort and HDMI outputs and high-amperage charging front USB 2.0 ports. High-speed 802.11ac wireless networking and lightning-fast Gigabit Ethernet enables the ZOTAC ZBOX ID68 and ID69 series to maximize networking performance via wired or wireless home networks.

It’s time to play with the ZOTAC ZBOX ID68 and ID69 series!

 

ZBOX NANO ID69_PLUS_2

ZBOX NANO ID69_PLUS_3

ZBOX NANO ID69_PLUS_15

ZBOX NANO ID69_PLUS_20

ZBOX NANO ID69_PLUS_23

ZOTAC is pleased to TurboBoost the 4th Generation Intel Core ZBOX nano series with the new ID68 and ID69 series mini-PCs.

General details

  • ZOTAC TurboBoosts 4th Generation Intel Core ZBOX nano Series
  • New ZBOX nano ID68 and ID69 series
  • ZOTAC ZBOX ID68 series
    • Intel Core i5 4200U
    • 1.6 GHz, dual-core, 3MB L2 cache
    • Intel TurboBoost up to 2.6 GHz
    • Intel HD Graphics 4400
  • ZOTAC ZBOX ID69 series
    • Intel Core i7 4500U
    • 1.8 GHz, dual-core, 4MB L2 cache
    • Intel TurboBoost up to 3.0 GHz
    • Intel HD Graphics 4400
  • PLUS models available with preinstalled memory and hard drive
    • 4GB DDR3
    • 500GB HDD
  • HDMI & DisplayPort outputs
  • 802.11ac Wi-Fi & Bluetooth 4.0 w/ external WiFi antenna
  • Gigabit Ethernet
  • High-amperage USB charging capable (yellow ports)
  • Bundled VESA75/100 mount

 

 

Posted in: Desktop Computing, News
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