QuarkXpress 8 Available Today
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Today Quark announced that QuarkXPress® 8, the next major release of the industry standard page-layout and design software, is now available to purchase directly from Quark and through Quark Authorized Resellers worldwide.As a user of QuarkXpress for many years, this new release really excites me. I hope to bring you two video reviews covering the new features over the next few weeks, so watch this space.
QuarkXPress 8 delivers superior design power through a new, intuitive interface developed purposefully for the creation of high-end page layout and includes new features such as built-in print, Web and Flash® authouring tools, advanced typography control, and global publishing capabilities. QuarkXPress 8 also offers users an enhanced design experience so they can work faster and smarter by quickly and easily accessing the tools they need. The new, intuitive interface delivers updates that allow for more design with fewer clicks. For example:
- Flash and Web Authouring Tools: Without any programming skills, designers and creative professionals can share print content on the Web and in Flash format without purchasing multiple applications or learning code.
- Picture Content Tool: Allows users to grab, rotate, and scale images in real-time without typing in numbers or switching from tool to tool.
- Item Tool and Text Content Tool: Smart behaviour within these tools allows for less switching between tools, even for rotation and managing multiple items.
- New Bézier Pen Tools: Draw illustrations directly in QuarkXPress 8 with the redefined Bézier Pen tool.
- Workspace Enhancements: Include new buttons for instant access to master pages and exporting to PDF, EPS, SWF, and HTML - plus new split-view buttons, enhanced contextual menus, and customisable active pasteboards.
- Measurements Palette: Further enhanced to make even more functions easily accessible, including new clickable controls for on-the-fly drop-shadow modification.
- Drag-and-Drop: Drag text and pictures from the desktop, Adobe® Bridge, iPhoto®, or any other application that supports drag and drop. Alternatively, drag content from QuarkXPress to Photoshop®, Illustrator®, Microsoft® Word, and other applications for direct editing.
"We are excited to announce the broad availability of QuarkXPress 8. This new version of our flagship product raises the bar once again for page-layout and design," said Terry Welty, Senior Vice President of corporate marketing for Quark. "QuarkXPress 8 offers users advanced features and functionality and increased productivity while maintaining familiarity for long-time users. I encourage everyone to try QuarkXPress 8 with our 60-day Test Drive version, or visit us at one of our Xperience Design Global Tour stops."
60-Day Test Drive
In addition to being available for purchase, Quark is also now offering a free, fully functional, 60-day Test Drive version to users who are interested in experiencing QuarkXPress' new user interface, improved typographical control, built-in Flash functionality and much more. The 60-day Test Drive can be downloaded here.
Xperience Design Global Tour
The Xperience Design Global Tour is now underway and, in total, will span 30 countries and 58 cities across the globe. The upcoming portion of the tour to hit the United States includes Dallas and Milwaukee (Pewaukee). The international tour will visit various cities in the following countries: Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Chile, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Please visit this page to find out more.
Purchase Information
QuarkXPress 8 is now available for purchase directly from Quark and through Quark Authorized Resellers. An upgrade to QuarkXPress 8 from any previous version is £279 and full product can be purchased for £779. To purchase, visit the Quark Store http://www.quark.com/sales/estore.html or find your nearest authorized Quark reseller.
Labels: General News
Belkin Active Battery Backup UPS Review
Monday, July 28, 2008
When it comes to protecting your computer kit there are various steps you can take. Most users go along the route of a surge protector, that plugs into their main socket and takes the hit of any electrical surges or spikes before they hit and damage your equipment. One potential hazard that many overlook is that of a power outage or powercut (as we refer to them in the UK). Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) are just like big rechargeable batteries. You plug them into your main socket to recharge and in turn you plug your equipment into the UPS. If the power goes down, then the UPS takes over and gives you a window in which you can save you work and shut your system dow in a safe a proper manner. Some of these units also protect from surges and spikes too. Equipment suddenly shutting down is very important to protect against and can sometimes do just as much damage as a power surge.In this review I take a look at the Belkin Active Battery. I place UPS units into two categories, those that can protect complete systems and those that are good for maybe one or two peripherals. The 'Active Battery Backup' unit (Part # BU308000ukDB) that I am testing here, just about fits into both categories, let me explain why... all UPS units are rated by Volt Amps (VA) or Wattage (W) and the Active Battery comes in three flavours. A 400A/240W, 600VA/360W and 800VA/480W. The first two in this series I would say are only really good for peripherals or maybe older less demanding computer systems. If you take into account that a 20-inch iMac draws 200W then you would barely expect three of four minutes of battery use from the entry level model if your mains power fails. Imagine you are using a Mac Pro drawing 360W and a separate monitor that draws 60W and you can see where I am going.
Well, although I tested the Belkin 800VA/480W model on our 24-inch iMac, my main test was in keeping my broadband equipment protected and running. I already have a beefier Belkin UPS (1200VA Universal UPS) which I will be reviewing next week for you, so my iMac is safe. What I need to ensure is that I can still communicate with the outside world when the power goes out. So, into the Active Battery I plugged the following. A Linksys WAG160N router, a Negear GS608 ethernet switch and my BT DECT landline phone. This presented me with the first stumbling block, but one that is very easy to overcome. Almost all UPS units have IEC sockets on the back, rather than 3-pin UK sockets.
If you take a look at the image here, you will see what an IEC socket looks like. Well, this is east to overcome with a computer, you simply plug in with the supplied IEC cable, or purchase extra ones for a couple of pounds. They have an IEC plug on one end and a socket on the other that plugs into your computer. Well, all three of the products I wanted to plug in have their own AC/DC adapters, so I could not exchange these for new cables, nor could I chop their plug off and replace it.
The solution was to get a two or three gang trailing socket, with an IEC plug on the other end. These are available from the likes of Maplin or CPC in the UK. Problem solved, I now had three standard 3-Pin UK sockets.Once everything was plugged in, I left the UPS charging for a good 24 hours. It was then time to simulate a powercut. Switching the socket off that the UPS was plugged into was the easiest way. The Active Battery lets out a beep to warn you that this has happened. Then I carried on using my laptop with full network connectivity for a very useful 16 minutes. I must admit I was expecting longer, but I am no mathematician, so was part guessing the result. Just under an hour of continuous hard use, without mains power is fantastic. The results on the computer set-up were a lot different, but again they really impressed me. With a 24-inch iMac, external 21-inch Samsung monitor and ScanSnap S300M scanner plugged in, I flicked the switch off and was able to finish a few scans and post an article on the website. I also checked my emails one last time, then safely saved my open documents and shut the system down. This took around six minutes and no sooner had I shut down the iMac safely that the battery was depleted. In total this meant I in real use, you could expect around five or six minutes using this sort of system to save your work and safely shut down, this is more than enough time.
For your money you get a fairly compact UPS here, capable of protecting either just a few peripherals or a medium sized computer. The Active Battery Backup also protects from electrical surges and spikes, with a £40,000 connected equipment warranty too. Add to this a two year replacement warranty (including the battery itself) and this really puts the icing on top of the cake. This is fantastic value for money, it does exactly what it claims for a really great price.
Product: Belkin Active Battery (BU308000ukDB)
Price: £51.96 (Amazon UK)
Supplied by: Belkin UK
Contact: +44 (0)1933 35 2000
Labels: Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals, Reviews
Pure Digital Highway DAB Review
Thursday, July 24, 2008
If you want to get DAB into your car, it normally involves having a new head unit installed. Although this is not too expensive, in modern cars it is sometimes not possible, due to the mouldings and custom-made units they have. The Highway from Pure Digital is an option, allowing your to wirelessly send DAB broadcasts to your existing car stereo. Check out the video review below.
Product: Pure Digital Highway
Price: £59 (average price)
Supplied by: Pure Digital
Contact: +44 (0)1923 277488
Lexar Media - Expanded Crucial Ballistix DDR3
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, today announced immediate availability of Crucial Ballistix® PC3-10600 (DDR3-1333MHz) and PC3-14400 (DDR3-1800MHz) high-performance memory modules. These new modules expand on the award-winning Crucial Ballistix DDR3-1600 and DDR3-2000MHz product offering. As part of its commitment to the PC enthusiast and gaming community, Lexar Media continually seeks to bring new memory offerings to market and enhance its product lines.Specific Crucial Ballistix modules, such as the DDR3-1600MHz, -1800MHz, and -2000MHz modules, have enhanced performance profiles within the module programming that when paired with a supported platform, provide users with an option for easy setup and configuration instead of a manual process that may require trial and error or advanced system knowledge. The modules also support manual configuration in the event the user wants to maintain full control.
"We're pleased to offer gaming enthusiasts a full spectrum of DDR3 product speeds and densities that will satisfy their system and over-clocking requirements," said Jeremy Mortenson, Lexar Media's senior DRAM product marketing manager. "Crucial customers can now select from a wide variety of award-winning DDR3 offerings to best suit their needs, while experiencing advanced performance and stability."
The new Crucial Ballistix DDR3 memory modules are available in 1GB modules and 2GB kits at www.crucial.com/ballistix, www.crucial.com/uk/ballistix or www.crucial.com/eu/ballistix.
Labels: General News
Airun + - at last an alternative to Nike+
I previously covered the Nike+ iPod at the 2006 Mac Expo and it seems that whilst this product has stood still, other companies have been developing this technology to a new level. Airun have launched a new and rather snazzy looking trainer, that records a lot of vital exercise stats. Not only is speed recorded, but also the weight you are putting down through your right foot. Your BMI and daily calorie burn is also calculated. Not only does this look like a very promising product, but the trainers look very stylish too.From the company press release... The first product to launch out of the Airun lab is Airun +. Featuring the latest in Weighted Technology, on board Smart Technology Controller and a world first in Sensory Technology, Airun + is a serious contender in the motivational fitness market and a leader in the demand for healthy footwear.
When the creators of Airun Plus researched how many people knew what their goal or calorie burn should be when exercising, 99% of people studied didn’t know. The truth is, most of us fail to maintain our exercise plans and don’t achieve our optimum fitness and weight because we lack goals, guidance and motivation.Based on this problem, the developers of Airun Plus designed a trainer that would offer all levels of wearer, from first timers to professional athletes, the structure, information and statistics necessary to begin a successful exercise plan or up the intensity of a previously planned workout. By using the Smart Technology Controller to calculate current fitness levels andexercise stats, Airun Plus aims to put the motivation back in to exercise.
The Airun+ trainers are going to set you back £125 and are available in yellow or black, in UK sizes 3.5 to 10. Well worth checking out, if you are serious about your training.
Labels: General News
Griffin announce Lucky 7 Slots for iPhone
Griffin Technology Inc., creator of all things iPod and iPhone, today announced the availability of its second app for iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPod touch. Lucky 7 Slots, a Vegas-style slot machine game, is offered exclusively through Apple's App Store and iTunes.Lucky 7 Slots is the second in a series of applications that Griffin is rolling out for the Apple App Store. Griffin apps are available for download directly onto the iPhone or via iTunes, and give users the convenience of accessing the game at all times, even when iPhone is in Airplane Mode.
To play Lucky 7 Slots, simply place a bet and set the reels rolling. The machine begins the game with 1000 credits and allows you play between one and three credits a spin. When you're finished playing, Lucky 7 Slots keeps track of your winnings.
- Easy to play slots simulator
- Fast animation and graphics
- Keeps track of your winnings and hands played, won and lost
- An iTunes App Store exclusive
Lucky 7 Slots is priced at $1.99 and is now available for download at Apple's iTunes App Store. For additional information on Lucky 7 Slots, please visit the product here.
Labels: Apple iPhone, General News
Buffalo LinkStation Live Review
Monday, July 21, 2008
In this ever-growing digital world, where for entertainment we rely on digital cameras, MP3 files and movie downloads, the need for more and more storage space is a weekly, if not daily problem. For those of you who produce projects, such as home videos, the problem is even more evident. Add to this that the average household will have more than one computer, the value of some sort of shared centralised storage device is very valuable indeed.Network Attached Storage devices (or NAS as they are often referred to) are growing in popularity. In their simplest form, they are hard drives that connect to your network via ethernet, rather than locally to your computer via USB. The fact that they are attached to your network means that you can make the content accessible to computers that are also attached to your network. This even extends to wireless use, whereby if your NAS is attached to a wireless router, then the content can also be accessed wirelessly.
Over the past week I have been testing the LinkStation Live from Buffalo Technologies. It is availble in sizes up to 750GB. The model on test is the 250GB HS-DH250GL. This compact box contains a SATA hard drive and sports a nice front panel with informative status LED's up front. Around the back of the unit you plug in your power cable (the power supply is in the unit itself, so no external brick). The back also sports the 10/100/1000 Mbps ethernet socket, so it is nice to see that Gigabit speeds are supported. When viewing the back you can also see a vent, behind this hides a tiny fan for cooling purposes. In use, you can definitely hear the fan, but is is very quiet, so not intrusive at all. There is also a USB 2.0 port, which is great. It allows you to plug in another hard drive, so you can expand the amount of storage capacity on your network with a standard external hard drive.
Setting up the drive is really easy. Everything is configured via a standard web browser interface. You can set up users and passwords, folder shares, maintenance of the drive etc. It is also possible to schedule backups, so that USB 2.0 port around the back has a second use. Rather than using it to add storage, you can assign the connected hard drive to act as a backup drive. Once scheduled the LinkStation will backup files to this second drive, even when your computer is switched off... this is a very useful feature.
The flexibility of the LinkStation Live is where the added value comes in. Rather than me trying to guess what your use would be, let me tell you a little of how it helped me. In just 30 minutes I was up and running and had set up folders and shares on the drive to tackle two organisational tasks that I wanted to do with my iMac. Firstly, I have a large iTunes library, probably around 100GB including the downloaded video content. Having moved this all over to the LinkStation (which took a lot less time than I had anticipated), it solved two problems. Not only had it freed up 100GB of space on my iMac, but it also allowed me to wirelessly access my iTunes content on my MacBook Pro too. My second task was to move all of my video content. Producing the videos for Geekanoids eats up a lot of space. So I moved all of the completed movies I had made, some 120GB. Although they are uploaded to various sites already, it is essential that I keep them locally too. Again, the LinkStation handled the transfer with no problems, and also allowed me to stream them to my computers easily. On the wired network (the iMac) the streamed content played back with no hitches. Over the wireless connection (the MacBook Pro) there were a few stutters, but these were very minimal and once some buffering was done things ran very smoothly.
So in my tests the LinkStation Live gave me back over 200GB of space on my iMac. It also allowed for a much more useful and versatile experience. The single fact that it opened up my iTunes library to my laptop too is worth the spend alone. It is a very solid unit, good build quality, easy to set-up and as such offers superb value for money.
Product: Buffalo LinkStation Live (HS-DH250GL)
Price: £118.23
Supplied by: Buffalo Technology
Contact: +44 (0) 1344 381700
Labels: Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals, Reviews
Why my iPhone 3G went back
Friday, July 18, 2008
It is a sad day in the Geekanoids office. I love my Mac computers, my Leopard, all of my iPods, but my iPhone 3G just did not cut the mustard. I had the original iPhone and loved it (still do) and I suppose that the greatness of the original, plus a couple of other things, combined into the decision to return my 3G... let me explain...First off, the iPhone 3G. Yes, it was sexy, but it felt cheap. The 3G connectivity was poor to say the least. I found myself turning 3G off to get a good signal in my area, and to correct an error where the handset would not receive cellular data. This error would stop Maps, Email, Internet, basically anything that needed access to the cellular network would fail. It also ran warm, and after a couple of days use a small pimple had raised up on the back of the handset. These problems may have been isolated to just my iPhone, but they worried me.
Then throw in the equation of the original iPhone. It was better built and felt classy. The brushed aluminum back was really nicely done and did not show those fingerprints. The screen seemed nicer to me, yes, we all know about the yellow added to the 3G, but c'mon Apple, you should give us the choice.
Finally, a look at me. I am in the office probably 75% of my time, bringing you reviews. Of the remaining time that I am out, I probably have my laptop with me. During this time, I only get a few calls, so I can pick those up on my original iPhone. If I want an Application, I can get that over my broadband connection at home (rather than EDGE). If I want to find my way, I have a TomTom. So I came to the conclusion, that problems aside, I did not need 3G. Don't get me wrong, it is a great mobile phone, just not essential for everyone, and definitely not an essential upgrade from the original iPhone.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Opinion
Apple give 30 day free extension for MobileMe problems
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Well, you certainly can't say that Apple don't value their customers. They acknowledge that the MobileMe roll-out did not go quite as smoothly as planned. They also tell us that their use of the word 'push' was not exactly as users had expected. As a goodwill gesture, they have given all MobileMe subscribers a FREE 30 day extension to the service.
Text below;
We have recently completed the transition from .Mac to MobileMe. Unfortunately, it was a lot rockier than we had hoped.
Although core services such as Mail, iDisk, Sync, Back to My Mac, and Gallery went relatively smoothly, the new MobileMe web applications had lots of problems initially. Fortunately we have worked through those problems and the web apps are now up and running.
Another snag we have run into is our use of the word "push" in describing everything under the MobileMe umbrella. While all email, contact or calendar changes on the iPhone and the web apps are immediately synced to and from the MobileMe "cloud," changes made on a PC or Mac take up to 15 minutes to sync with the cloud and your other devices. So even though things are indeed instantly pushed to and from your iPhone and the web apps today, we are going to stop using the word "push" until it is near-instant on PCs and Macs, too.
We want to apologize to our loyal customers and express our appreciation for their patience by giving all current subscribers an automatic 30-day extension to their MobileMe subscription free of charge. Your extension will be reflected in your account settings within the next few weeks.
We hope you enjoy your new suite of web applications at me.com, in addition to keeping your iPhone and iPod touch wirelessly in sync with these new web applications and your Mac or PC.
Thank you,
The MobileMe Team
Labels: Apple News
Aten CS1782 KVM Switch Review
Monday, July 14, 2008
If you own a couple of Macs, or perhaps a combination of a Mac and PC, then this product could be for you. The Aten CS1782 KVM Switch allows you to have two computers connected, but to tidy up your desktop by using just one keyboard, mouse and screen. It even handles the sound too, so one set of external speakers are suffice.
In use, the Aten CS1782 performed very well, with no degradation in video quality. It worked very well with two Macs connected and I assume equally as well when you add a PC into the equation. For the full rundown of what this device can offer, check out the video review below.
Product: Aten CS1782 2-Port USB 2.0 KVM Switch
Price: £118.66 (inc. VAT)
Supplied by: Aten UK
Contact: +44(0)1753 539121
Labels: Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals, Reviews
iPhone 3G - First Impressions Review
Sunday, July 13, 2008
So, it might be a day later than anticipated, but I finally got my iPhone 3G. After spending a tiring (but enjoyable) day at the Apple Store Bluewater, I returned yesterday to pick up my new baby. Many thanks again to Nick for bagging me up a shiny new version of what is likely to be the most successful device of 2008. Having now used it for almost a whole day, I am happy to say that it performs admirably. Take a look at my video coverage below to see exactly what I think;
The Pros for the iPhone 3G
Much faster data download speeds
Richer colours and deeper on-screen blacks
GPS is very accurate
Sleeker styling
The Cons
No dock included for the iPhone 3G's new shape
Plastic back seems as though it isn't as strong as the original iPhone
Labels: Apple iPhone, Reviews
Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D for iPhone
When the App Store first went online a few days ago, I rushed to download all the free apps that caught my attention. Then I came across some users reporting that Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D was only available in the UK store and that it was pretty good. So I splashed out the £5.99 for it... and was it worth the money? Well, I have to say a resounding YES.
The graphics are amazing, on par if not a little punchier than the games dedicated Nintendo DS. The game play is very smooth, with good animations and special effects. There is a little bit of slow redraw in the distance, but it is not distracting. The controls are superb too. You tilt forwards to speed up, backwards to slow down and left/right to steer. Skids are performed by touching the screen whilsts turning and power-ups are planted onto your opponents by tapping the appropriate icon. On the sound front it is amazing, very cool music and in-game sound. It also shows that the iPhone 3G has greatly improved speakers, having played this on both the new unit and the first generation.If you want to give a paid for App Store offering a go, make this one of your first choices.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Reviews
iPhone 3G GPS Not Working - How to fix it
There have been many reports of the iPhone 3G having problems with its GPS positioning. Many users are reporting that they go into Maps on their new iPhone, click the target to lock onto their position and it is just not working. I too was experiencing this and have three things to advise, that may point to a solution.Firstly, check the version number for your 2.0 software. Mine was factory shipped with 2.0 (5A345). I did a restore through iTunes and it downloaded the later 2.0 (5A347) version. After this was downloaded the iPhone got a cellular signal a lot quicker, plus a lot stronger signal too.
Secondly, check you at least have a cellular or mobile phone network signal. The iPhone (both 3G and first generation) use the cell network to work out your position. I found that once I had a four bar signal or more, the iPhone locked onto my position very quickly. It was not that accurate, but it did respond quickly.
Finally, put your iPhone 3G outside for at least 15 minutes. You will find that if it has a non-restricted path to the satellites you will get it to lock on. After leaving mine outside, the target changed to the blue glowing dot and found my position. It was very very accurate, even tracking if I was at the top or bottom of my back garden. This is very impressive indeed.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Opinion
iPhone 3G update : thanks Apple Store Bluewater
Saturday, July 12, 2008
A very quick update for you all. Having driven back down to Apple Store Bluewater today, I am a happy bunny. Just 30 minutes later and I was out of the store with my iPhone 3G. A big shout out to Nick, thanks so much for doing the VMWare goodness on my contract and getting the iPhone into my hands so quickly. It makes a lot of difference when you are served with a smile, by someone who is genuinely interested that you have a great Apple experience.Rather than rush my review for you, I have left my iPhone sealed until tomorrow. Hopefully, by about midday, you will be able to see a very special video review of my new baby. It'll be worth waiting for... believe me.
Labels: Apple iPhone
iPhone 3G Speeds - 2G Queue - no iPhone for UK
Friday, July 11, 2008
Please excuse the rather strange title, but I would love to share my experience with you today... one that was shared by thousands. It purely reflects my personal experience, not my opinion of the product... the new iPhone that I have yet to get my hands on.So, my iPhone was ordered from O2 just over two weeks ago. Yes, I know it was first come first served, but when I was in the store there were supposedly six 16GB versions in stock and four people ahead of me, so no problem. Then when I sat to do my paperwork, oh no, they had sold the last 16GB version. Well, an 8GB one would not do, and whilst the salesperson was very apologetic, they did not really seem that bothered. The customer experience at O2 is nowhere near that of an Apple Store, so it is a shame they tarnished my experience.
I then headed on down to take some more photos at the Apple Store in Bluewater. Mid-morning and about twenty people in front of me, there were problems. Aparently the O2 servers that allows Apple to activate the sim cards was down. Perhaps it runs on Windows, if only O2 would listen to Steve Jobs ! An hour or two passed, and although it was a long wait the guys and gals there were great. They served up cappucinos and hot chocolates from the local Starbucks. Then lunchtime came around and they were waiting on O2 to call them to do things over the phone. That call did not happen for a long time, so an Apple provided prawn sandwich found my hunger satisfied, but no sign of my iPhone. Around 4pm I really had to leave, at which time they had sold just three iPhones. What an absolute mess. As I write this I am trying to ring them to ask if they actually put on aside for me, along with my £15 complimentary iTunes voucher.
Well, the good news is that the Apple Store seem to have plenty of stock and some more customers have been lucky and got their sims activated and are now enjoying using the device. From what I saw whilst at the store, the device is very sleek, with the curved glossy back being very comfortable to hold. The screen also seemed very bright and crisp, although I did not side-by-side comparison.
A big thank you to all those smiles at the Apple Store Bluewater. Although I came away empty handed, you made the day bearable, although the caffeine shots have left me a bit wide-eyed.
Labels: Apple iPhone
iPhone 3G activation DOWN at Apple Store
After waiting in queue at the local O2 store and having an iPhone 3G sold from under my nose, I headed on down to cover the launch at the Apple Store Bluewater. Unfortunately the O2 servers were experiencing serious overload, so the queue was not moving. The guys and gals here were breaking into the petty cash to supply us with coffee and cakes, but people were getting a little frustrated. Let's hope the queue starts moving soon. Expect to see full coverage on the website later in the day.Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple News
iPhone 2.0 Software - £5.99 for iPod touch
Thursday, July 10, 2008
We all wait with baited breath for the new iPhone 3G tomorrow, but don't forget, existing iPhone and iPod touch owners can upgrade to the new version 2.0 software. It will be free for all iPhone users and just £5.99 for iPod touch users.
Labels: Apple iPhone, iPod Touch
Apple's App Store is online - gallery
Wow, now this is exciting, the App Store is online. A bit hard to get to, but if you follow this link and then backtrack to the App Store (next to the little Home button in iTunes) you get there. Loads of App goodness to browse through, so you can get downloading ahead of tomorrow.Twitteriffic is there as a free app, as is SmugShot a geotagging photo app, PayPal for sending money, Shazam for identifying music tracks, and Sketches for jotting notes and scribbles. Most of them are free, which is fantastic. See our gallery below, for some App Store goodness.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple News
iPhone 3G lands at AT&T Store
Wow, this video is an exciting one, building up some great anticipation for tomorrows iPhone 3G launch. It shows a delivery of the new iPhones to an AT&T store, duly stacked onto shelves and locked away. I am very surprised that this video was allowed to be shot, I guess it is an employee or a friend of a friend. The 16GB white models come in white boxes, how cool is that!
Click here to watch the attvideolog Youtube video.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple News
O2 iPhone 3G Launch - Official Details
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
This one skipped under my radar, but I have been looking for the official word on how O2 are handling the iPhone 3G launch this Friday. Well, below is their official press release. Of note is the fact that any existing user can buy an iPhone PAYG sim card from July 11th too. This can be topped up as you use it and for £10 per month you get unlimited data and wi-fi access. No word on if these sim cards will be free, or if you can get one of the myriad of free O2 sims and then just get it put on the iPhone deal, but I will let you know this as soon as I find out. Here follows the press release.O2 announced this week, that Apple's highly anticipated iPhone 3G will go on general sale from 8.02am on Friday 11 July in O2, Apple and Carphone Warehouse retail stores*. To ensure fairness, O2 will sell the device on a strictly first come, first served basis to both new and upgrading customers in all retail outlets.
Demand for the revolutionary device is already at unprecedented levels, far in excess of the original iPhone. “We’ve never seen any mobile device create the excitement and demand of the iPhone 3G,” said Ronan Dunne, CEO of O2 in the UK. “We want to ensure that everyone who wants an iPhone 3G can get one so we’ll be working with Apple to continually replenish our supplies throughout the summer.”
This morning customers who had pre-registered their interest in iPhone 3G were given the opportunity to purchase via O2’s online shop (http://shop.o2.co.uk) a limited stock of devices which had been set aside. The response was so great that the online store completely sold out of iPhone 3Gs within just a few hours. Though O2 had invested several million pounds to increase the order capacity of the site (with order processing capacity increased by over 250 times its normal rate), at times the site still couldn’t process the sheer weight of demand.
Details of when new supplies of iPhone 3Gs will be available via the O2 online shop will be updated regularly via the website.
Business customers can from today also start placing orders for iPhone 3G through O2 business channels. Delivery timings will be communicated when an order is placed.
iPhone 3G combines all the revolutionary features of iPhone with 3G networking that is significantly faster than the first generation iPhone. The device has built-in GPS for expanded location based mobile services, iPhone 2.0 software (which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync) and runs the hundreds of third party applications already built with the recently released iPhone SDK. These can be accessed via iTunes.
The 8GB iPhone 3G will be available for free to customers opting for the £45 or £75 tariffs and £99 on the £30 and £35 per month tariffs. The 16GB model will cost £159 on the £30 and £35 tariffs, £59 on the £45 tariff and it will be free on the £75 tariff. All customers will continue to receive unlimited UK data browsing over O2’s mobile network and unlimited access to over 9,000 Wi-Fi hotspots through both The Cloud and BT Openzone***.
Existing iPhone customers can upgrade early to the iPhone 3G through O2 channels by re-signing a new 18 month contract, taking advantage of the same great offer as new customers. They will then be able to give their existing 2G iPhone to a friend, family member or colleague who can transfer onto an iPhone tariff if they are an existing O2 Pay Monthly or business customer, stick in their existing O2 SIM and buy the appropriate Bolt Ons for unlimited data, or buy an iPhone Pay & Go SIM card from 11 July offering unlimited data and unlimited Wi-Fi access to The Cloud and BT Openzone hotspots for £10 per month. Full information is available on o2.co.uk/iPhone.
The iPhone 3G will launch on O2 Pay and Go (Prepay) in time for the Christmas shopping period, with pricing details to be confirmed closer to launch.
*The iPhone 3G will go on sale at 8.02am in all Apple stores and at selected O2 and Carphone Warehouse stores on the high street. All remaining stores will open at standard trading times. Check with your local store or online for opening times.
**Based on 3G and EDGE testing. Actual speeds vary by site conditions.
*** Subject to O2’s excessive use policy.
Labels: Apple iPhone
Fonix iSpeak delivers voice dialing on the iPhone
Fonix Speech, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fonix® Corporation (OTCBB: FNIX) has announced the release of Fonix iSpeak™ - a voice activated application for the Apple iPhone™ 3G. Users can initiate several operations simply by speaking the command in natural language. Fonix iSpeak™ connects the user by just saying the phone number or by saying the name of a person in the contacts database. Additionally, users will be able to navigate their music libraries and launch a song or playlist simply by saying the name of the artist, song, or playlist.Fonix iSpeak™ is the first of several anticipated product releases that support the growing mobile device and gaming industries and is at the core of the efforts of the company to focus its efforts on these markets.
“The powerful and dynamic tools provided by Apple have allowed the Fonix team to quickly and efficiently develop Fonix iSpeak™ for the Apple iPhone 3G ” says D. Lynn Shepherd, Fonix Sr. VP product engineering. “The feature rich iPhone™ is easy to use and our robust embedded speech interface will further create a positive and natural user-friendly environment which will further illustrate the dynamic features of this phone.”
Fonix iSpeak, includes a run-time engine that sits on the phone allowing users to interact with the personal contents of their Apple iPhone™. Unlike other voice applets that enable voice search of the Internet by sending commands over the airwaves, this client-side application gives users the power of voice interaction with their personal content and eliminates network latency.
Fonix iSpeak will be available for release directly from Fonix Speech Inc., and expects to be available through traditional Apple™ distribution channels. For more information, call (801) 553-6600 and say “Sales” for demos, availability and pricing.
Labels: Apple iPhone
Asus Eee PC 1000H - Mini Review
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
We were very lucky to get our Asus Eee PC 1000H today from Clove Technology. The version we have here in the Geekanoids office is a 10-inch Windows XP version, with 1GB RAM and an 80GB hard drive. Having only just unboxed the tiny wonder and played with it for around one hour, this is by no means a full review, rather a first impressions.See the gallery at the end of this review.
Firstly, the accessories you get in the box make it seem a lot better value than other offerings. The stumpy, yet high capacity battery should yield much longer runtimes than the 3-cell batteries shipping with other netbooks. You also get a nice little manual, a polishing cloth, Support CD and MS Works 9.0 licence. There is also a slip case, which is functional and means you can get out-and-about with your Eee very quickly.
The 1000H unit is very very sexy. Our model is in black and it has a very high gloss finish. It looks as thought it'll really be a fingerprint magnet, but this does not seem to be the case. Touching the outer lid leaves no traces of smudges, which is a good sign. On first switch on, you get a feel for how the screen delivers a nice bright picture. It is not quite as bright as the Advent 4211 (MSI Wind), but it is bright enough, giving a just slightly off-white look (only very slightly) at its brightest setting. The keyboard is nicer than the Advent, it is better spaced, and you have a little room at the edges, so I like it a lot more. The feel of the keys is nicer too, giving a nice amount of travel and a very positive feel.
Where the 1000H really wins my vote is the trackpad. It is a proper size and offers multi-touch, so you can do the two finger scrolling that makes navigating web pages and your other windows just so much easier. Yes, I know that this unit is an extra £70 over the Advent, but it does come in at almost the same price as the official MSI Wind. I think that the extra price is more than justified. It feels more solid, more like a real laptop and like I said, you will love the trackpad and the keyboard. When you think that those two features are the most used on any laptop, the Eee PC 1000H is certainly a very wise choice. Don't ride the 'wind', fly higher on the Eee.Labels: PC Hardware, Reviews
Elgato Launches EyeTV DTT Deluxe
Today, 8th July 2008, Elgato is pleased to announce the EyeTV DTT Deluxe, a TV Tuner Micro-Stick for Digital Terrestrial Television (DVB-T). Exceptionally small and beautifully designed, this USB tuner is a perfect fit for every lifestyle and every Mac including the MacBook Air.A perfect fit for your Mac
EyeTV DTT Deluxe slips easily into the USB port of any Mac without blocking other devices, not even on the MacBook Air's port hatch. For areas with a strong DVB-T signal, EyeTV DTT Deluxe comes with a miniature telescopic aerial that attaches directly to the end of the micro-stick. It's a good-looking and unobtrusive solution for those who wish to enjoy television on a Mac without the need for cables. EyeTV DTT Deluxe also includes a portable rod aerial for areas with a weaker DVB-T signal, as well as an adapter cable to connect a rooftop aerial to deal with a very weak or blocked signal. What's more, EyeTV DTT Deluxe ships with a remote control and award-winning EyeTV 3 software.
Quality and Power
Despite its exceptionally small size, EyeTV DTT Deluxe is a powerful digital TV tuner that delivers full-size, crystal-clear reception and uncompromising quality. EyeTV DTT Deluxe has one quality setting, lossless. The DVB stream is recorded unaltered for full quality DVB-T content as encoded by the broadcaster. EyeTV DTT Deluxe supports DVB-T multilingual programming and Dolby Digital sound. In areas in which HDTV is broadcast, EyeTV DTT Deluxe delivers stunning 720p or 1080i HDTV (MPEG-2 as well as H.264/AVC).
A perfect fit for any lifestyleThe whole package is ideal for watching TV on a desktop Mac, but EyeTV DTT Deluxe's tiny size means that it can work with a laptop in all kinds of places. Because the EyeTV DTT Deluxe takes its power from the USB, users can climb to the top of a mountain and watch the Olympics, or sit in a tent in the country and watch Ray Mears Goes Walkabout. It's the perfect fit for any Mac, and any lifestyle.
Included in the Box
- EyeTV 3 digital TV recorder software (CD-ROM)
- EyeTV DTT Deluxe TV receiver
- DVB-T rod aerial (MCX) with tilt/swivel magnetic base and detachable suction cup
- Telescopic DVB-T aerial (MCX)
- Infrared remote control with battery pack
- USB cable
- IEC-MCX adapter
- PDF product manual (CD-ROM)
- Quick Start Guide
- Installation instructions for MacBook Air owners
Availability
The EyeTV DTT Deluxe ships today and is available to buy online immediately, and be available in stores very soon. You can buy direct from Elgato at www.elgato.com, or most good Mac retailers, including the Apple Store. The price is £69.95, or €79.95 including VAT.
System Requirements
Macintosh computer with a PowerPC G4,G5 or Intel Core processor, 512 MB of physical RAM, a built-in USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X v10.4 or later. Internet connection required to download Program Guide data. Note: 720p or 1080i HD features require an Intel Core 2 Duo processor.
Labels: General News, Mac Peripherals
Apple Store add new iPhone 3G details
The second addition to the online Apple Store seems to be some new iPhone 3G pages. Clicking through the links from the store gives you a summary of what's new, plus help in finding an O2 or Carphone Warehouse store to buy your new device. Rumours are rife that come July 11th there will be a big shortage of the new iPhone 3G. O2 have apparently run out of stock for online ordering... let's hope they kept enough back for their stores!Labels: Apple News
Apple Store online - MobileMe added
The Apple Store is now back online, with a couple of updates to the store. The first is the new MobileMe retail packages being added. As we already knew, £59 for a single user or £89 for a family pack (5 users). The product/service is being touted as shipping Mid-July, which seems about right. The transition for current dotmac subscribers is this week, on the 9th July, so the following week for new users gives Apple a few days to bed in the new service. I am looking forward to this one and will bring you my views on MobileMe when it goes live.Labels: Apple News
Apple Store is Down - new Products or MobileMe
What could it be this time? The Apple Store is down this morning. Could this be just the MobileMe news of a July 9th start date. They will obviously be selling new subscriptions through the online store. Or, could it be a new product, like an updated MacBook? My money is on the MobileMe product, but my dreams are with a new Aluminum MacBook, with a nice sleek case... oh, no, that's the Air... we will keep you posted.Labels: Apple News
Eee Monitor - challenge to iMac
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Over at Laptop Mags blog we found some really snazzy photos and brief details of the Eee Monitor. Please check out their gallery and article here.I find this news very interesting for many reasons. Firstly, with my recent acquisition of an Advent 4211, I have been reading with great interest about users getting Mac OS X running on it. My proposed use is to also install Linux (Ubuntu) on this little unit.
Secondly, I have an Asus Eee PC 1000H on winging its way to the Geekanoids office. Why? I hear you ask. Well, I know that we cover primarily Mac based news, but these new mini-PCs or Netbooks, give users the chance to have a really portable device. In my day-to-day use, there is often times when I pop out, to a meeting, or perhaps to a local café for a change of scenary and I don't want to take my 15-inch MacBook Pro with me. I am sure a lot of people have the same thing happen to them, where a cheap 8.9-inch or 10-inch laptop would be ideal.
This leads me to my interest of the Eee Monitor (sorry it took so long to get to the point). For a long time now, if I wanted a second desktop based Mac, perhaps for myself, or another room in the house, my only choice due to price was the Mac Mini. The iMac is just too expensive for a secondary or luxury purchase. Well, if the Eee Monitor comes in at around the £300 mark, they will get my money. It looks very impressive. I am sure the 19-inch monitor will be of a decent quality and the Linux OS will suit me very well for the intended internet browsing and email use. Add into the equation the slim possibility of being able to install Mac OS X and you have a win win situation. The question of whether this is intended to be a monitor for an Eee PC netbook or a standalone all-in-one computer... I favour the latter. It has no VGA or DVI port to accept another computers video signal. Also, if you look closely at the back, it has one ethernet and a modem output, hinting that it has networking built-in. Last, but by no means least, the front of the uit sports an infrared receiver, triggering this would enable the built-in tuner, surely controlled by the units OS. Oh, and one more thing, around the back you can see some fans underneath the central grill... these must be to cool a processor.
I will be watching the Eee Monitor very closely. It really looks as though it is challenging the iMac on the design front and absolutely smashing it on price... interesting!
Labels: Opinion
Advent 4211 Mini Netbook - MSI Wind Rebadge
Friday, July 04, 2008
Always on the hunt for new toys, and primarily a replacement for my 12-inch PowerBook. I had been keeping my eye on the netbook front for the last month or so. Initially I was really tempted to wait for the Asus Eee PC 901 or 1000H, but then through the forums I heard of the MSI Wind U100. This little 10-inch screen notebook looked superb. The term being touted is 'Netbook' due to it being ideally suited to surfing and emails, with the odd office task.A slideshow of this little netbook can be viewed at the bottom of this review.
Anyway, the MSI model seemed to be so hard to get hold of. Then the Advent 4211 appeared on the PC World website. It was a rebadge, sourced and manufactured by MSI, so really just a different colour Wind, except at £279 it is cheaper. The box is tiny and hides this little laptop inside. The laptop itself is very solid and has a nice build to it. The lid that houses the screen has very little flex which is encouraging. The screen itself is very hard, pressing a little causes no ripples, so it seems very robust. The battery is a slimline 3-cell, which proves a bit hard to fit and remove, but a snug fit, which does not protrude from the base of the laptop at all.
The keyboard feels nice and responsive, with the keys have just the right amount of travel. Size is good too, comparing to a full size notebook it is almost the same, just a bit more compact. The symbols on the keys are nice and clear too.On first start up, you are asked a few set-up questions, but it lets you get underway with Windows XP SP3 pretty fast. I was certainly up and running within about five minutes. The only problem I have experienced is getting it to recognise my wireless network, but I am sure I will sort that out.
In use the screen is very crisp and clear. The backlighting seems very even and the brightness is pretty darn impressive. Normally my experience of PC laptops is that the screen never goes as bright as I would like. The Advent 4211 is the first that I have to say I am happy with. A white page is as it should be, white and not grey. After an hours use, the system is running very quietly. I created a restore backup following the instructions, using an SD card. This tooks about 12 minutes, and I suggest you do the same, as it means you have a copy of all the drivers you need too. Overall, the Advent 4211 has impressed. The trackpad is a little small, but again you will get used to it. If you need something really portable thought, then pop into a PC World and take a look. You will be surprised at what £279 gets you. For such a compact package, you can really get truly mobile, with the addition for a PAYG or contract mobile (such as the great offers from Three), you can add mobile broadband easily to this tiny package.*UPDATE* I am happy to confirm that after an official BIOS update and updating the network card driver, the wi-fi connection is now OK and very stable.
Labels: Opinion, PC Hardware, Reviews
Olympus MJU 850SW Digital Camera Review
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Time for a digital camera that offers that little bit extra. With the Olympus MJU 850SW you can dive right in, literally. This compact digital can go underwater, with no additional housing required. Check out the video review and the digital photos taken with the 850SW.
Product: Olympus MJU 850SW
Price: £172 (average UK)
Supplied by: Olympus UK
Contact:+44 (0)1923 831100
Labels: Digital Photography, Reviews
Apple release OS X Leopard 10.5.4 Update
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Fantastic news hit the scene late yesterday. Apple released the 10.5.4 update to OS X Leopard. This comes with some great fixes, and it is certainly nice to see Apple continually strive to improve the speed and reliability of Leopard. For a full rundown of what the 10.5.4 delivers check out the Apple article here. The update is available via 'Software Update' that resides in your Apple menu, or you can download the combo update here. A smaller 'Delta' download, for those of you already on 10.5.3 can be found here.Some of the main inclusions are as follows;
- Resolves an issue with saving and reopening Adobe Creative Suite 3 files on a remote server.
- Includes additional RAW image support for several cameras.
- Addresses AirPort reliability issues with 5GHz networks.
- Improves overall iCal reliability for meeting requests, cancellation notices, delegation, and syncing with iPhone.
- Resolves an issue that prevents deleting an iCal event without notifying the creator.
- Addresses a potential performance issue when loading secure web pages in Safari.
- Addresses an issue in Spaces, in which switching from a space with a Finder window keeps the Finder as the active application instead of the application residing in the destination space.
- Fixes another Spaces issue in which dragging an application from the list of application assignments in Spaces System Preferences does not assign the application to the desired space.
Labels: Mac Software
The Authors
Dave
Dave has been in the graphic design industry for 14 years. Long time reviewer of technology related products, he is Owner/Editor of Geekanoids.
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