Joseph McDonnell | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 14 May 2015 15:09:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png Joseph McDonnell | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 PowerNAS launch CMA Central Hub NAS https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/powernas-launch-cma-central-hub-nas/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/powernas-launch-cma-central-hub-nas/#respond Thu, 14 May 2015 15:08:54 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=249455 At the PC Retail Boot Camp up in Northampton, British storage specialists PowerNAS has just launched its latest consumer and small business products, including a unit known as the Converge Media Appliance or CMA for short. Based up in Tamworth, Staffordshire, PowerNAS specialises in creating custom storage set ups and system integration. The team has over …

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At the PC Retail Boot Camp up in Northampton, British storage specialists PowerNAS has just launched its latest consumer and small business products, including a unit known as the Converge Media Appliance or CMA for short.

Based up in Tamworth, Staffordshire, PowerNAS specialises in creating custom storage set ups and system integration. The team has over 15 years' experience – primarily in the business to business environment – but will now be creating more products for consumers and small business owners.

The Converge Media Appliance is expected to retail at around £599 and is expected to land shortly through M2M.

PowerNAS-CMA-NAS-Launch-KitGuru

We spoke with PowerNAS specialist Mark Lambert who told us, “We see the PC, NAS and media centre coming together, so decided to create a system that sits at the exact point where those technologies will converge. The CMA centres on a Windows 8.1 install using Storage Spaces”.

“Microsoft has been pushing hard in this area for the past 3 years and we're finally beginning to see the way it will develop going forward”, he told us.

In terms of specification, the CMA uses a Gigabyte mainboard with a 3GHz Intel dual core processor, 4GB of 1600MHz DDR4 and it boots from a 60GB SSD.

As well as dual integrated gigabit LAN ports, it also has 801.11 a/b/g/n/ac wireless with an antenna. It has dual HDMI ports and the DVI-D means you can support 3 screens in total. As well as Windows 8.1, it also has Kodi Media Centre.

“We've used a high quality chassis, high efficiency 250w power supply and worked hard to keep noise to a bare minimum with the CMA”, Mark told us. “It is, in effect, a completely functional PC, that also has high end media centre capabilities and four hot-swap SATA-3 bays that can support a combined total of 24TB”.

Here's the PowerNAS/M2M team at the launch, Mark is on the left.

PowerNAS-M2M-Team-PC-Retail-KitGuru

KitGuru says: It will be interesting to get the CMA into the KitGuru Labs and see if this combination of functionality really does serve a useful purpose.

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Win 3 copies of Total War Attila this weekend! https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joseph-mcdonnell/win-3-copies-of-total-war-attila-this-weekend/ Fri, 08 May 2015 14:37:29 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=248676 Bank holiday weekend is upon us and our good friends at MSI UK wanted to offer up some shiny game codes. If you ever fancied yourself as a modern day Sun Tzu – then dust off your copy of The Art Of War and join in the fun with other KitGuru readers. This weekend we …

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Bank holiday weekend is upon us and our good friends at MSI UK wanted to offer up some shiny game codes. If you ever fancied yourself as a modern day Sun Tzu – then dust off your copy of The Art Of War and join in the fun with other KitGuru readers.
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This weekend we will be giving away 3 game codes for Total War ATTILA on our Facebook page. No complicated entry rules – just head to this post and share a funny caption for the image above via your Facebook account. On Monday you could be one of three readers awarded with a free copy of this game – each worth £30 on STEAM.

Simply join in the competition over HERE. It is open worldwide.

Special thanks to MSI UK for offering up a batch of game codes. Be sure to visit their page HERE for the latest news, reviews and competitions.

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Win MSI Z97 Gaming 9 AC, R9 290X Gaming GPU and LE Siberia V2 https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/competitions/joseph-mcdonnell/win-msi-z97-gaming-9-ac-r9-290x-gaming-gpu-and-le-siberia-v2/ Fri, 06 Jun 2014 09:16:18 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=196968 Today we have a monster competition starting courtesy of our good friends over at MSI. One lucky KitGuru reader will win one of their new flagship Gaming 9 AC motherboards, as well as an R9 290X Gaming graphics cards and a limited edition Steelseries Siberia V2 headset! MSI will be shipping the prizes direct to …

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Today we have a monster competition starting courtesy of our good friends over at MSI. One lucky KitGuru reader will win one of their new flagship Gaming 9 AC motherboards, as well as an R9 290X Gaming graphics cards and a limited edition Steelseries Siberia V2 headset! MSI will be shipping the prizes direct to one lucky reader!

MSI mega giveaway
So what prizes are up for grabs?

An MSI Z97 Gaming 9 AC Motherboard (product page here)

An MSI R9 290X Gaming GPU (product page here)

A Steelseries Limited Edition Siberia V2 in MSI colours!

Ok, enough already, how do I enter?

You can like the KITGURU FACEBOOK page!
You can like the MSI UK FACEBOOK page!

To stand a chance of winning all the hardware, just answer this question.

What are the maximum memory speeds (OC) that MSI officially list for the Z97 Gaming 9 AC motherboard?? (click HERE for help)

1: DDR3-2400mhz
2: DDR3-3000mhz
3: DDR3-3300mhz

Rules on entering (please read!)

Email Kitguru your answer (1, 2 or 3)  along with your full address and telephone number in the main email text. A link to your Facebook page is also required. If the auto fill link doesn’t work – email competitions@kitguru.net with subject line ‘MSI MEGA JUNE 2014 GIVEAWAY’.

Why this information?

We ask for your physical shipping address to help reduce the entries from the same person using multiple email addresses. Your Facebook page link is required to verify you as a real person.

This competition is open Worldwide.

The competition will close 00.00 GMT 30th June 2014 and the winner will be announced by the 8th of July 2014. Please note that KitGuru may use your email address for future mailing lists. You can unsubscribe from these emails at any time. We do not give your email address to any third parties, we value your privacy. Please note that multiple entries with the same shipping address will be blacklisted.

Do not email other Kitguru addresses, or send private messages via Facebook – they will be ignored and your entry will be invalid. Kitguru staff may not enter. Our decision is final. By emailing an entry you are agreeing to the terms of the competition.

Comments are closed. This is an email entry only competition.

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Raspberry Pi low cost monitor breaks funding goal https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/joseph-mcdonnell/raspberry-pi-low-cost-monitor-breaks-funding-goal/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/joseph-mcdonnell/raspberry-pi-low-cost-monitor-breaks-funding-goal/#respond Tue, 05 Nov 2013 08:10:55 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=160638 A Kickstarter campaign to build an inexpensive 9 inch high definition monitor to connect to the Raspberry Pi was fully funded in just three days. The £65 HDMIPi is an affordable small and portable HDMI monitor to connect to the Raspberry Pi. It broke the funding target of £55,000 and today has gathered £106,623 with …

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A Kickstarter campaign to build an inexpensive 9 inch high definition monitor to connect to the Raspberry Pi was fully funded in just three days.

The £65 HDMIPi is an affordable small and portable HDMI monitor to connect to the Raspberry Pi. It broke the funding target of £55,000 and today has gathered £106,623 with 25 days left to go.
panel

Alex Earnes, co-founder of the HDMIPi said “Small HDMI screens are expensive. Native HD ones are astronomical. We want to drive the price down “Raspberry Pi” style.”

The panel has a 9 inch 1280×800 HD Display complete with the HDMI controller board and traditional display ribbon cable similar to those found on laptop displays. It needs assembly before use and means builders can incorporate it into their own chassis. The panel is not just limited to use with the Raspberry Pi however as it could be used with any device featuring an HDMI output, including consoles, computers or smartphones.

Kitguru says: The Raspberry Pi has proven popular, costing only £30 and supporting Linux and other software such as Plex or XBMC.

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Tiny 2 inch CuBox-i mini computer available on preorder https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/joseph-mcdonnell/tiny-2-inch-cubox-i-mini-computer-available-on-preorder/ https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/joseph-mcdonnell/tiny-2-inch-cubox-i-mini-computer-available-on-preorder/#respond Wed, 25 Sep 2013 08:11:49 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=154294 Solidrun have just announced their second generation computer – the CuBox-i. This tiny little computer is fanless and therefore completely silent. It is available in black or red. The CuBox-i1 is able to run Android Jelly Bean or Linux and has a 1GHZ processor, 3D graphics and 512MB of memory. For only $45 it seems …

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Solidrun have just announced their second generation computer – the CuBox-i. This tiny little computer is fanless and therefore completely silent. It is available in black or red.

The CuBox-i1 is able to run Android Jelly Bean or Linux and has a 1GHZ processor, 3D graphics and 512MB of memory. For only $45 it seems like a good deal to us.

The range comprises four systems measuring 5 x 5 x 5 cm and are built around Freescale i.MX6 system on chip architecture with ARM Cortex A9 CPU options. The system can be paired up with XBMC Media Center for a perfect, out of sight media system to play movies direct to a television.

At the low end of the scale is the CuBox-i1 with a single core 1GHZ processor, Vivante GC880 3D graphics with support for OpenGL and ES 1.1 and 2.0. There is no internal storage, but it can accept a microSD card for storage and OS duties. You can run either Android 4.2.2. or a Linux distro.
redd

All of the devices have HDMI 1.4 output, two USB 2.0 ports an 10/100 Mbps ethernet ports. WiFi and Bluetooth are optional – costing $15 extra.

The top model is called the CuBox i4Pro, priced at $119.99. This system features a Quad core 1ghz processor, Vivante GC2000 3D graphics and 2GB of DDR3 memory. The OS is still run from a MicroSD card, however it also has a eSATA II 3Gbps interface to hook up external hard drives. This model also has GB ethernet and 802.11n Wifi and Bluetooth.

You can pre-order them now and they are due to ship end of November. You can get more information over here.

Kitguru says: Can't get much smaller than this!

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Sony release multi talented Walkman WH headphones https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/headphones/joseph-mcdonnell/sony-release-multi-talented-walkman-wh-headphones/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/headphones/joseph-mcdonnell/sony-release-multi-talented-walkman-wh-headphones/#respond Fri, 13 Sep 2013 07:27:38 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=152148 There are no shortage of headphones available today, however the latest model from Sony has many people already talking. The new Walkman WH series headphones feature a music player and speakers to entertain other people close by. The NWZ WH505 and NWZ WH303 each feature a built in digital music player with storage and an …

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There are no shortage of headphones available today, however the latest model from Sony has many people already talking. The new Walkman WH series headphones feature a music player and speakers to entertain other people close by.

The NWZ WH505 and NWZ WH303 each feature a built in digital music player with storage and an integrated lithium ion battery which is said to support up to 20 hours of playback before a recharge. They also feature stereo ‘surround sound' speakers and dynamic dome type headphone drivers. Both of them also have LED Walkman logos.
walkman-wh-3

The NWZ WH505 has large 40mm headphone drivers with a range between 5hz and 25khz, 105 dB/mW sensitivity and 40ohm impedance. Attached to the digital player device is 16GB of Solid State Storage which can support MP3, WMA, AAC-LC and Linear PCM format files via USB.

Each of the earcup housings has playback control buttons and a switch to transfer sound playback between the speakers and headphone drivers. The speakers support xLOUD and VPT speaker technologies.
walkman-wh-0

The NWZ WH303 has 4GB of storage and 30mm headphone drivers with a frequency response of 30hz to 20 khz and 107 db/mW sensitivity and a 30 ohm impedance. Battery life is the same as the more expensive WH505 model.

Both sets of headphones can be paired up with a smartphone, tablet or music player via a supplied audio cable. No indications yet of when the headphones will be available, or the cost.

Kitguru says: An ‘All in One' pair of headphones, something you would be interested in?

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BT Infinity advert banned for misleading broadband performance claims https://www.kitguru.net/professional/networking/joseph-mcdonnell/bt-infinity-advert-banned-for-misleading-broadband-performance-claims/ https://www.kitguru.net/professional/networking/joseph-mcdonnell/bt-infinity-advert-banned-for-misleading-broadband-performance-claims/#respond Thu, 12 Sep 2013 07:32:40 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=151943 BT have had their knuckles rapped by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) due to an advert that made ‘misleading claims' about the speed of their fibre optic broadband service. The ad claimed that BT Infinity was ‘eight times faster than the UK average' and depicts two students helping a housemate get a ticket by using …

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BT have had their knuckles rapped by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) due to an advert that made ‘misleading claims' about the speed of their fibre optic broadband service.

The ad claimed that BT Infinity was ‘eight times faster than the UK average' and depicts two students helping a housemate get a ticket by using BT Infinity broadband to upload a photograph and then buy concert tickets.

A complaint was made that the data used in the advert was not based on the latest Ofcom figures and was misleading. Another four complaints challenged the speed of the photograph upload shown and the speed with which the ticket was purchased online. Complaints said the ad ‘exaggerated the performance of BT Infinity'.
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BT responded and said that when the ad was made, the claims were in fact based on the latest reports. They argued that the photograph could be uploaded at the speed they claimed.

The ASA didn't agree with BT and that they had misinformed consumers with out of date data. The advert cannot be broadcast now on any level in its current form.

Kitguru says: Many claims by UK broadband providers seem ‘optimistic to us' at best.

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Grand Theft Auto V cost £170 million but set to take over £1.2bn https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joseph-mcdonnell/grand-theft-auto-v-cost-170-million-but-set-to-take-over-1-2bn/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joseph-mcdonnell/grand-theft-auto-v-cost-170-million-but-set-to-take-over-1-2bn/#respond Thu, 12 Sep 2013 07:01:23 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=151929 Very few games can create the hype of Grand Theft Auto, and with the release of the latest version only 5 days away the air of anticipation continues to heighten. Console gamers will be able to enjoy the Grand Theft Auto 5 on both Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Rockstar focus first on the current …

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Very few games can create the hype of Grand Theft Auto, and with the release of the latest version only 5 days away the air of anticipation continues to heighten.

Console gamers will be able to enjoy the Grand Theft Auto 5 on both Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Rockstar focus first on the current generation consoles, much to the chagrin of PC gamers worldwide. We are confident the PC version will arrive, but if history is any indicator, it will probably be Q3 2014 before than happens.

Grand Theft Auto 5 boasts figures that would make any Hollywood A list film envious. It has been five years in the making and cost £170 million to produce. Analysts are already claiming that this title will break all records, shifting 30 million copies in the first year alone, to hit sales of £1.2 billion.

The title is such a big deal that shares in Take Two interactive, the parent company of famous RockStar have almost doubled in the last year alone.
GTA-5-New-Screen-1

Gamers will be able to control three protagonists and journey across the 49 square mile environment, set within a recreation of southern California. The list of activities is already mouthwatering, from being able to dive with sharks, to hijacking trains. Murder and mayhem are always high on the list of fun pastimes and we don't expect this to change.

So far, the Grand Theft Auto series has sold 135 million copies and is a global success story. A lot of research goes into creating the titles. RockStar North have a head count of 300 staff and a team have analysed hundreds of thousands of photographs to recreate Los Angeles and the environment.

As always, we would expect the title to receive some negative attention from the press, as RockStar always add plenty of ‘adult' elements into their games. Players will be able to enter into Strip Clubs and can even use drugs, such as marijuana. RockStar have employed the talents of real life gang members for some of the voice acting.

Kitguru says: One of the years biggest sellers? Without a doubt.

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Nikon show the Coolpix S02 https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/nikon-show-the-coolpix-s02/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/nikon-show-the-coolpix-s02/#respond Mon, 09 Sep 2013 07:14:04 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=151551 Nikon have announced the Coolpix S02, a replacement for the S01 which features a resolution increase. The new version uses a 13 megapixel 1/3.1 inch CMOS sensor (up from a 10 megapixel CCD). It ships with a 30-90mm (33mm equivalent) f/3.3-5.9 lens. Video recording capabilities have also increased from 720p to a full HD 1080p. …

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Nikon have announced the Coolpix S02, a replacement for the S01 which features a resolution increase. The new version uses a 13 megapixel 1/3.1 inch CMOS sensor (up from a 10 megapixel CCD). It ships with a 30-90mm (33mm equivalent) f/3.3-5.9 lens. Video recording capabilities have also increased from 720p to a full HD 1080p.
nikons02

The S02 is a diminutive little camera measuring 77.1 x 51.3 mm x 17.5 mm. It is ideal to be carried around in a pocket without weighing too much. Due to the small size the battery is not removable and there is 7.3GB of memory built in. On the rear of the body is a 2.7 inch touch sensitive screen.

The Nikon CoolPix will be available in September in pink, white, blue or silver for $180.

Kitguru says: A tiny pocket wonder from Nikon.

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People start queuing 4 days in advance of iPhone reveal https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/joseph-mcdonnell/people-start-queuing-4-days-in-advance-of-iphone-reveal/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/joseph-mcdonnell/people-start-queuing-4-days-in-advance-of-iphone-reveal/#comments Sun, 08 Sep 2013 09:29:16 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=151398 Apple are due to unveil the new iPhone in the next couple of days, but people have been queuing since late last week at the Apple New York store. Apple will be showing their new flagship iPhone 5S and possibly their budget model next week, but it doesn't necessarily mean people can buy them immediately. …

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Apple are due to unveil the new iPhone in the next couple of days, but people have been queuing since late last week at the Apple New York store.

Apple will be showing their new flagship iPhone 5S and possibly their budget model next week, but it doesn't necessarily mean people can buy them immediately. Pre-orders normally happen a few days after the new iPhone reveal, followed by another week before the orders ship to customers. The expected release date is said to be around the 20th of September.
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The people queueing outside the New York store might have a long week on their hands. Venture Beat have a story published which reads ‘These idiots are already lining up at Apple's NYC store for the new iPhone launch.'

Kitguru says: Are these people insane or just really dedicated Apple fans?

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Nikon announce the Coolpix P7800 https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/nikon-announce-the-coolpix-p7800/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/nikon-announce-the-coolpix-p7800/#comments Fri, 06 Sep 2013 08:01:20 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=151169 Nikon has announced an update to their top of the range Coolpix digital compact camera. The Coolpix P7800 has a new improved viewfinder which has a 921k dot resolution, delivering clear and sharp images. With the addition of the new viewfinder Nikon have had to move the buttons around. The camera ships with a 28-200mm …

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Nikon has announced an update to their top of the range Coolpix digital compact camera.

The Coolpix P7800 has a new improved viewfinder which has a 921k dot resolution, delivering clear and sharp images. With the addition of the new viewfinder Nikon have had to move the buttons around.

The camera ships with a 28-200mm f2.0-4.0 lens and has a 12 megapixel 1/1.7 inch CMOS sensor – the same as the previous P7700.
coolpixp7800

The P7800 is well equipped with a mode dial on the top of the body and individual controls for exposure – making it a good compromise for those people used to handling a full on DSLR.

The release date in the United Kingdom is set for September 26th with a price of £499.99.

Kitguru says: Just in time for the end of year Christmas deals.

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Sony showcase NFC water resistant SmartWatch 2 https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/joseph-mcdonnell/sony-showcase-nfc-water-resistant-smartwatch-2/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/joseph-mcdonnell/sony-showcase-nfc-water-resistant-smartwatch-2/#respond Thu, 05 Sep 2013 07:30:51 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=150932 Sony have announced their latest SmartWatch 2, which is billed as the first NFC watch which is resistant to water. The SmartWatch 2 is created to work with Android smartphones as an extension of the existing screen. It can serve as a notification device meaning a smartphone can be kept inside a pocket. There are …

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Sony have announced their latest SmartWatch 2, which is billed as the first NFC watch which is resistant to water.

The SmartWatch 2 is created to work with Android smartphones as an extension of the existing screen. It can serve as a notification device meaning a smartphone can be kept inside a pocket. There are applications available to handle calls and to take photographs. The watch also has integration with Twitter and Facebook. Sony say that their product has more dedicated software applications than any other available on the market today.

The screen is 1.6 inches with a resolution of 220×176 pixels. The company claim good readability in direct sunlight.
sonysmartwatch2-3

The watch is waterproof, meaning you won't need to worry if you get caught in a heavy rain shower on the move. It also has NFC connectivity meaning you can connect to an NFC capable Android device quickly.

Pricing information is not yet available, although Sony say it will be made available later this month. It certainly looks quite capable although the jury is still out on whether smartwatches are hot in demand.

Kitguru says: Something you would be interested in?

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Apple will showcase new iPhone models September 10th https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/iphone/joseph-mcdonnell/apple-will-showcase-new-iphone-models-september-10th/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/iphone/joseph-mcdonnell/apple-will-showcase-new-iphone-models-september-10th/#respond Wed, 04 Sep 2013 06:51:47 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=150756 The iPhone is still Apple's top selling product and last year it accounted for half of their revenue. The challenge from companies such as Samsung continues to grow, so the release of a new model every year is very important for Apple. On September 10th Apple will showcase two new iPhone models – a flagship …

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The iPhone is still Apple's top selling product and last year it accounted for half of their revenue. The challenge from companies such as Samsung continues to grow, so the release of a new model every year is very important for Apple.

On September 10th Apple will showcase two new iPhone models – a flagship model and a less expensive model to target developing regions.

Tim Cook, Apple Chief Executive will also be placing a focus on the new Apple iOS operating system powering the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices. Apple have already previewed the software redesign on their website to build hype before official release. There will be changes to the email, photo applications and calendar as well as new fonts and icons.
tim cook and steve jobs

The pressure rises for Tim Cook, with many analysts claiming that the company has been lacking invention since the passing of iconic co-founder and leader Steve Jobs.

Kitguru says: Apple have not held an event at their Cupertino base since 2011 when they launched the iPhone 4S, a day before Steve Jobs died.

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Record labels ask broadband providers to collect info on illegal downloads https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/record-labels-ask-broadband-providers-to-collect-info-on-illegal-downloads/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/record-labels-ask-broadband-providers-to-collect-info-on-illegal-downloads/#respond Tue, 03 Sep 2013 07:42:33 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=150643 Broadband providers have been asked to collect information and create a database of customers who are illegally downloading music, films and books. This data could be used to disconnect or even prosecute people who continually download copyright protected material. The subject will be discussed in a Downing Street Breakfast on 12th September. Record label bosses …

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Broadband providers have been asked to collect information and create a database of customers who are illegally downloading music, films and books. This data could be used to disconnect or even prosecute people who continually download copyright protected material.

The subject will be discussed in a Downing Street Breakfast on 12th September. Record label bosses and their trade association – the BPI have been invited to meet up with Prime Minister David Cameron.

So far BT, Virgin Media, BSkyB and TalkTalk have been approached by music and film organisations to sign up for a voluntary code to monitor illegal downloading.

It is claimed that between November 2012 and January this year that 280,000,000 music tracks have been downloaded illegally in the United Kingdom, alongside 52,000,000 television shows, 29,000,000 films and 18,000,000 ebooks and 7,000,000 computer games.

The data was collected by communications regulator Ofcom. 18 percent of Internet users aged 12 and over have recently downloaded copyright material and only 9 percent are concerned about getting caught by authorities.

Many people have suggested that key material should be made available to companies like Netflix. Breaking Bad for instance, one of the most popular television shows aired in America is now available on Netflix and iTunes within hours of the showing in America.
computer guy

The Digital Economy Act was set up to battle piracy but it has yet to be implemented despite being voted into law by parliament in 2010. It looks as if the act won't come into action until 2014 at the earliest and may even be pushed back until after the general election in 2015.

If major ISP's in the United Kingdom start monitoring what people are downloading then customers may receive letters saying their internet IP address can be used to facilitate copyright protected media.

Those people who receive three letters may face sanctions. Measures taken could be throttling internet connections to slow them down, or blocking users from specific IP addresses completely. Disconnections may even come into action if the offenders are very active. The last stage would be prosecution.

Other sources say that holding a database may actually be illegal under the Data Protection Act which does state that companies can only retain information about individuals when it is needed for commercial purposes.

Emma Hutchinson, a Virgin Media spokeswoman said “Music and film companies are speaking to broadband providers about how to address illegal file-sharing but what they're currently proposing is unworkable.”

A spokeswoman for TalkTalk said “We are involved in discussions about measures to address illegal file-sharing and ultimately would like to reach a voluntary agreement. However our customers' rights always come first and we would never agree to anything that could compromise them.”

Kitguru says: It will be interesting to hear how the talks go with David Cameron next week. Over the coming years, it looks as if the penalties for downloading copyright material will get more severe.

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Microsoft rename Xbox Live Marketplace to ‘Xbox Games Store’ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/microsoft-rename-xbox-live-marketplace-to-xbox-games-store/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/microsoft-rename-xbox-live-marketplace-to-xbox-games-store/#comments Mon, 02 Sep 2013 07:44:57 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=150452 Out with the old, in with the new. You can forget the Xbox Live Marketplace because Microsoft want to call it the Xbox Games Store now. Microsoft killed the name on Friday, rebranding it in a new effort to ‘simplify' their multiple platforms well in advance of the Xbox One console launch later this year …

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Out with the old, in with the new. You can forget the Xbox Live Marketplace because Microsoft want to call it the Xbox Games Store now.

Microsoft killed the name on Friday, rebranding it in a new effort to ‘simplify' their multiple platforms well in advance of the Xbox One console launch later this year (or 2014 if you live outside the selected list of countries Microsoft will be supporting initially).

An unnamed Microsoft representative spoke with Joystiq and said “That's right, [Xbox Live Marketplace] is now called the Xbox Games Store, and will sit alongside the Xbox Music Store and Xbox Video Store. This is to make it easier for consumers to find content both on Xbox 360 today and Xbox One when it launches in November.”
xbox-one-box-art

The interface is almost identical to before, although the ‘points' system has been relegated. Last Monday Microsoft did away with the points system, moving currency to standard cash equivalents. If you had points in the system when the change happened, the conversion took place for you automatically.

Microsoft will also accept Microsoft points cards until ‘further notice'. If you use them, the points get converted automatically into cash in the system.

The new Xbox Games Store will sit alongside the Xbox Music Store and the Xbox Video Store. Microsoft are keen to remind everyone that the Xbox One is not just designed for gaming, it is a universal device set to the the only (‘One') piece of hardware you will need in the future. Wishful thinking we feel, but that's the official stance.

Kitguru says: A step in the right direction?

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Replace your iPhone 5 camera with Ladibird https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/iphone/joseph-mcdonnell/replace-your-iphone-5-camera-with-ladibird/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/iphone/joseph-mcdonnell/replace-your-iphone-5-camera-with-ladibird/#respond Fri, 30 Aug 2013 07:29:27 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=150076 If you are unhappy with the quality of your iPhone 5 camera then a new product dubbed ‘Ladibird' might be the answer. A trio, Adam Latip, Surekha Yadav and Hansheng Chui have created the Ladibird case to enhance the image quality from the Apple smartphone. The design features a mirrorless CMOS sensor which they claim …

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If you are unhappy with the quality of your iPhone 5 camera then a new product dubbed ‘Ladibird' might be the answer. A trio, Adam Latip, Surekha Yadav and Hansheng Chui have created the Ladibird case to enhance the image quality from the Apple smartphone.

The design features a mirrorless CMOS sensor which they claim is 7.5 times larger than the iPhone 5's own 1/3.2in image sensor. It is also twice the size of many compact camera sensors. The benefits are improved low light performance, increased resolution and a sharper image. It has no built in flash system, but future versions should have the ability for flash.
ladibird

The Ladibird has its own 50mm f/1.8 portrait lens with a high quality Bokeh. It has a single shutter button on the side, pressed half way to focus then full way to take the shot. There will also be a Ladibird application to give simple touchscreen controls for editing and post processing.

It can also record video although specific details on the image quality and frame rate have not yet been released.
[yframe url='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WLgQMbdt1s']

When the image is taken, it is passed via a Lightning connector to the iPhone 5. The built in iPhone 5 camera is made redundant inside the case. The developers are working on creating the prototype and have launched funding on Indiegogo. You need to pledge $167 USD to get your hands on an early model when it is released on September 30th, 2014.

At time of publication they have raised around $18,000 of the $20,000 needed. You can join in, over here.

Kitguru says: Interested in a higher grade camera for your iPhone?

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Vodafone and O2 rolling out 4G networks https://www.kitguru.net/professional/networking/joseph-mcdonnell/vodafone-and-o2-rolling-out-4g-networks/ https://www.kitguru.net/professional/networking/joseph-mcdonnell/vodafone-and-o2-rolling-out-4g-networks/#respond Thu, 29 Aug 2013 07:44:50 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=149906 Mobile companies o2 and Vodafone are rolling out their first 4G data services in three cities in the United Kingdom. The networks will be forced to compete against EE who have been the only company to offer super speed mobile data speeds in the UK since 2012. Vodafone are limiting their 4G data initially to …

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Mobile companies o2 and Vodafone are rolling out their first 4G data services in three cities in the United Kingdom.

The networks will be forced to compete against EE who have been the only company to offer super speed mobile data speeds in the UK since 2012.

Vodafone are limiting their 4G data initially to parts of London and o2 will launch in London, Leeds and Bradford. 4G can provide data at speeds up to 10x compared to standard 3G networks. Ideal for watching high definition video on the move.

The United Kingdom are lagging behind in many regards – The US, Japan, Australia and South Korea have widely adopted 4G. The UK will have to wait until the end of 2015 for comprehensive coverage.

EE are leading the way in the UK right now, with 105 towns and cities covered with 4G support. When EE launched their 4G services, competitors complained that it gave the company an unfair advantage.
vodafone4g-582_size_blog_post

The BBC spoke to Steven Hartley, principal analyst at telecoms consultancy Ovum and accused o2 and Vodafone of taking a ‘very conservative approach' to 4G.

He said “The UK's mobile networks are hedging their bets with 4G. They are trying the same strategy they used when they rolled out 3G, which is to offer 4G as a premium service to consumers, in an effort to move them onto expensive phone tariffs.”

He also added that EE could have been more aggressive commercially in their deployment of 4G.

The slow movement of 4G in the UK could be related to customer feedback. Ofcom published a report earlier this month and they found that almost 25 percent of smartphone users said they did not see the benefit of moving to a superfast network.

Vodafone and o2 will be offering added extras to take advantage of the performance improvements, including football highlights and streaming music. They hope they can lure EE customers to their plans, once their services hit more major cities. No details yet

Kitguru says: Are you interested in 4G or do you already connect to a super fast network?

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Addicted to Facebook? try Pavlov Poke https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/addicted-to-facebook-try-pavlov-poke/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/addicted-to-facebook-try-pavlov-poke/#respond Wed, 28 Aug 2013 07:07:22 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=149718 Plenty of people are addicted to Facebook. Just look around any restaurant and there will be at least one couple discussing their location on Facebook or even taking pictures of their dinner to upload. It is a clear indication how tightly integrated social networking is into every day life now. Are you addicted to Facebook? …

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Plenty of people are addicted to Facebook. Just look around any restaurant and there will be at least one couple discussing their location on Facebook or even taking pictures of their dinner to upload. It is a clear indication how tightly integrated social networking is into every day life now.

Are you addicted to Facebook? You are are not sure and think you might be in denial then use this handy scale to check. Many studies already suggest that social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook are more difficult to resist than alcohol and cigarettes.

Pavlov Poke is an amusing idea to help stop your Facebook addition. MIT PhD students Robert R. Morris and Dan McDuff have suggested that users are on Facebook for an average of 400 minutes per month. The Pavlov Poke is an aversion therapy device to help you spend less time on the website.
screenshot268

It consists of a UI inspector that keeps a record on computer application use. It will document how often and how long each site is visited and if it falls into the guidelines set for distraction then a code will pop up via an onscreen alert. An Arduino platform is connected to the computer via a USB feed. The code will then signal a shock and the Arduino triggers the shock circuit sending a current through a pair of electrodes to give the user a harmless, but rather irritating shock.
[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH2PEBGPXwk']

Thanks to TechCrunch for the information.

Kitguru says: It seems all like a bit of fun to us.

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New York Times website subjected to hack attack https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/new-york-times-website-subjected-to-hack-attack/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/new-york-times-website-subjected-to-hack-attack/#respond Wed, 28 Aug 2013 06:51:10 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=149712 The New York Times was subjected to a ‘malicious external hack' yesterday, according to a spokeswoman. The attack crippled the website, making it unavailable to many users from around 3pm ET. This is the second time the website has gone offline in the last two weeks. Eileen Murphy, a spokeswoman for the New York Times …

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The New York Times was subjected to a ‘malicious external hack' yesterday, according to a spokeswoman.

The attack crippled the website, making it unavailable to many users from around 3pm ET. This is the second time the website has gone offline in the last two weeks.
screenshot262

Eileen Murphy, a spokeswoman for the New York Times posted on Twitter that the analysis of the downtime was ‘most likely result of malicious external attack.' She added that they were working hard to fix it.

A Twitter account reported to represent the Syrian Electronic Army, an internet hacktivist group who support the Assad regime claimed responsibility for the attack on the New York Times.
screenshot263
At 4.23pm the New York Times posted the update above.
screenshot264
A mere three minutes later they posted another update ‘We will continue to publish the news.' linking to their latest report on Syria. This link led to a very basic version of the usual website which seemed to be up and running, albeit slowly.

The last attack happened on Wednesday 14th August. The site disappeared around 11am, along with their mobile application. It was offline for two hours before the administration team got it back up and running.

Kitguru says: We would imagine this isn't the last of the attacks on the New York Times.

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Half of UK afraid to be without a mobile phone https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/joseph-mcdonnell/half-of-uk-afraid-to-be-without-a-mobile-phone/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/joseph-mcdonnell/half-of-uk-afraid-to-be-without-a-mobile-phone/#respond Tue, 27 Aug 2013 07:58:03 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=149596 A study of mobile phone use has highlighted that more than half of the UK population claim to suffer from ‘Nomophobia' – the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. This includes having no signal, running out of battery or losing sight of your phone. The term Nomophobia is an abbreviation of ‘no mobile …

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A study of mobile phone use has highlighted that more than half of the UK population claim to suffer from ‘Nomophobia' – the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. This includes having no signal, running out of battery or losing sight of your phone.

The term Nomophobia is an abbreviation of ‘no mobile phone phobia' and was first thought up in the UK after a study by YouGov examined various anxieties related to mobile use.

AppRiver also recently ran a poll which found that 42 percent of people brought their mobile phones to the beach with them on holiday, and one in five checked email in bed from them as well.
Total-Number-of-Mobile-Exceed-Human

Women are 17 percent more likely to be affected by Nomophobia in general. Women are also 10 percent more likely to check emails or texts when out on a dinner date.

Fred Touchette, a senior security analyst at AppRiver highlighted security concerns, saying “It is pretty clear that we are a society totally reliant on our phones and not only for personal use, but business use too. What worries me is that, with so much information stored on them – confidential office documents, contact details, emails, photos and bank log ins – when these devices get lost or stolen and end up in the wrong hands, the information is so easily exploited.”

Kitguru says: Do you suffer from Nomophobia?

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Panasonic develop ultra wide 64:9 video platform https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/panasonic-develop-ultra-wide-649-video-platform/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/panasonic-develop-ultra-wide-649-video-platform/#comments Tue, 27 Aug 2013 07:02:13 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=149571 Most people at home will be using a monitor either with a 16:9 or 16:10 aspect ratio, but Panasonic have taken it a couple of steps further by creating a platform to deliver 64:9 Ultra Wide video. The system has a 160 degree horizontal angle of view, able to capture an entire sports field in …

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Most people at home will be using a monitor either with a 16:9 or 16:10 aspect ratio, but Panasonic have taken it a couple of steps further by creating a platform to deliver 64:9 Ultra Wide video. The system has a 160 degree horizontal angle of view, able to capture an entire sports field in a single image.
pansonic ultra wide system

The Panasonic system incorporates four of their AW-HE120 16:9 cameras. These are mounted in a 2×2 configuration inside a rig which weighs a total of 40kg. All four cameras move in unison with each camera taking the shot where another one stops. Software is then used to seamlessly stitch the four camera's shots together in real time, side by side, to create a really wide angle picture. The picture is then views on linked 16:9 screens.

The Panasonic system should be released sometime commercially in November, with the price being revealed around the same timeframe.

Kitguru says: A great platform for wide angle sports content, we think.

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Canon adds Wifi capable models to PowerShot range https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/joseph-mcdonnell/canon-adds-wifi-capable-models-to-powershot-range/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/joseph-mcdonnell/canon-adds-wifi-capable-models-to-powershot-range/#respond Mon, 26 Aug 2013 09:32:34 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=149428 Canon have updated their PowerShot camera range by adding wireless connectivity to some of their models. The G16, S120 and SX510 HS get wi-fi connectivity and some updates from the previous models. Canon PowerShot SX510 HS The new SX510 uses the DIGIC 4 image processor. It has a 12 megapixel CCD sensor. Autofocus is improved …

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Canon have updated their PowerShot camera range by adding wireless connectivity to some of their models. The G16, S120 and SX510 HS get wi-fi connectivity and some updates from the previous models.

Canon PowerShot SX510 HS

canon-powershot-wifi

The new SX510 uses the DIGIC 4 image processor. It has a 12 megapixel CCD sensor. Autofocus is improved over the last revision and the camera can record Full HD video (1080p) at 24 frames per second. The lens is a 4.3-129mm zoom and Canon have incorporated a new Zoom Framing Assist feature to help people automatically maintain the correct distance from the subject by using face recognition to track and capture them.

US price has been confirmed at $250.

Canon PowerShot N Facebook

canon-powershot-facebook

The previous model of this camera already had Wi-Fi connectivity, however the company have updated the model, adding a new dedicated Facebook button. The new Facebook version allows the user to post directly to their facebook page by simply pressing a button. Ideal for those people who really can't be bothered messing around with settings. You do need a Wi-Fi connection however, there is no 3G or 4G support.

The US price has been confirmed at $300.

Canon PowerShot S120

canon-powershot- S120
The PowerShot S120 has been updated since the S110, getting WiFi support and the DIGIC 6 image processor. It still has a 12 MegaPixel 1/1.7 inch CMOS sensor and a 5.2mm-26mm F2-5.9 lens, giving a 35 mm format equivalent of 24-120mm.

The S120 has received some low light improvements with a continuous shooting speed up to 12.1 frames per second, this drops to 9.4 fps from the sixth shot onwards. Canon claim the new model has better auto focusing speeds and can record full HD 1080p video at up to 60 frames per second, which is impressive.

The US Price has been confirmed at $450.

Canon PowerShot G16

canon-powershot G16
The G16 takes the mantle from the G15. The new camera has a 12 megapixel 1/1.7 inch CMOS sensor and a 6.1-2.8 lens, which gives a 35mm focal length of 28-140mm. The new model has the DIGIC 6 image processor to help with low light performance and the camera is capable of handling continuous speeds up to 12.2 frames per second, this drops to 9.3 fps after the first five shots. Canon claim autofocus is better and video recording is set to Full 1080p HD at up to 60 frames per second.. The G15 was limited to 24 fps.

The new model gets Wi-Fi support, meaning you can upload pictures and videos or connect to iOS and Android products via the Canon CameraWindow App.

The US price has been confirmed at $550.

Kitguru says: We look forward to seeing these cameras soon!

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Microsoft ‘need to lead and not follow’ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/microsoft-need-to-lead-and-not-follow/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/joseph-mcdonnell/microsoft-need-to-lead-and-not-follow/#comments Mon, 26 Aug 2013 07:15:01 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=149400 We reported at the weekend that Microsoft shares soared when it was announced that Steve Ballmer would be retiring … such is the lack of confidence in his leadership ability. Microsoft are now searching for a shortlist of possible candidates under the control of chairman and founder Bill Gates. According to the BBC this morning, …

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We reported at the weekend that Microsoft shares soared when it was announced that Steve Ballmer would be retiring … such is the lack of confidence in his leadership ability.

Microsoft are now searching for a shortlist of possible candidates under the control of chairman and founder Bill Gates. According to the BBC this morning, many analysts would be happy to see his replacement sourced from outside the company.

They add that Manoj Menon, managing director of consulting firm Frost & Sullivan believes that Microsoft lost their position as the market leader and have became a market follower, always responding to moves from Google and Apple.
ballmercrazed

Microsoft are still a formidable company, but many people believe that poor leadership has weakened their market position. If they pick the right CEO to take over from Ballmer, perhaps this will change in the coming years.

Kitguru says: Will Microsoft start to lead again with a new CEO in place?

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Ubuntu Edge falls short in crowdfunding campaign https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/joseph-mcdonnell/ubuntu-edge-falls-short-in-crowdfunding-campaign/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/joseph-mcdonnell/ubuntu-edge-falls-short-in-crowdfunding-campaign/#comments Fri, 23 Aug 2013 08:07:31 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=148978 British developer Canonical managed to break crowdfunding records on the site Indiegogo but still failed to reach the goal by around £12.8 million. Many big organisations jumped into the crowdfunding offers and even Bloomberg donated £51,000 to the cause. CTO Mark Shuttleworth said that everyone will get their money back in the next week. Fortunately …

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British developer Canonical managed to break crowdfunding records on the site Indiegogo but still failed to reach the goal by around £12.8 million.

Many big organisations jumped into the crowdfunding offers and even Bloomberg donated £51,000 to the cause. CTO Mark Shuttleworth said that everyone will get their money back in the next week.

Fortunately people will still be able to use Ubuntu phones, regardless of the funding shortfall for the Edge phone.

CTO Shuttleworth said “So ends a crazy month. We've broken records, we've been written and talked about across the world, we've worn out our F5 keys, and we've learned a lot of invaluable lessons about crowdfunding.”
ubuntuedge_large_verge_medium_landscape

He added “Our bold campaign to build a visionary new device ultimately fell short, but we can take away so many positives. The big winner from this campaign is Ubuntu. While we passionately wanted to build the Edge to showcase Ubuntu on phones, the support and attention it received will still be a huge boost as other Ubuntu phones start to arrive in 2014.

Thousands of you clearly want to own an Ubuntu phone and believe in our vision of convergence, and rest assured you won't have much longer to wait.”

The Ubuntu Edge broke crowdfunding records on the first day of the campaign, raising £2.2 million in just 24 hours. After this, the contributions slowed down. Canonical pushed hard for the investment donations in the last days of the campaign, but they fell short of the $32 million goal.

The Ubuntu Edge was going to have a 4.5 inch 1,280 x 720 HD screen with a pure sapphire crystal touchscreen, rather than glass.

Kitguru says: A success story in many regards, but the funding demand was very high.

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Galpin 2013 Ford GTR1: 1024hp V8 engine, $1 million https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/joseph-mcdonnell/galpin-2013-ford-gtr1-1024hp-v8-engine-1-million/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/joseph-mcdonnell/galpin-2013-ford-gtr1-1024hp-v8-engine-1-million/#respond Thu, 22 Aug 2013 07:08:50 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=148790 Galpin Auto Sports have taken a 2013 Ford GT and added a 1,024 bhp V8 engine. The Galpin GTR1 puts the car into Bugatti/McLaren territory. Galpin have had 60 years experience in the industry, customising and selling cars to rich enthusiast owners. The GTR1 was designed to present a possibility of what might have happened …

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Galpin Auto Sports have taken a 2013 Ford GT and added a 1,024 bhp V8 engine. The Galpin GTR1 puts the car into Bugatti/McLaren territory.

Galpin have had 60 years experience in the industry, customising and selling cars to rich enthusiast owners. The GTR1 was designed to present a possibility of what might have happened if the Ford GT had survived until today.

The GTR1 body is five inches wider than the original GT although Galpin have been determined to maintain the appearance of the original car while bringing it into a new era. The body and headlamps have been resculpted and the side intakes have been redesigned.

The engine is the talking point. The GTR1 has almost twice the horsepower of the original car. The mid mounted, twin turbocharged 5.4 litre V8 engine delivers 1,024 bhp and 739 lb-ft of torque. If it is using 100 octane fuel then those numbers increase to 1,197 bhp and 887 lb-ft.

While the speeds yet need to be confirmed, the company claim the car is capable of a top speed of 225mph (or greater) and can accelerate to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. Interested buyers can opt for an aluminium or carbon fibre body and 20 inch forged aluminium wheels and Pirelli P-Zero Rosso tires. The braking system is suitably high tech with carbon rotors connected to Brembo calipers.

Inside, there is a Mcintosh sound system and a machined aluminium instrument configuration. Handcrafted leather makes an appearance, supplied by Scottish leather specialist Bridge of Weir.

You can read more on this car, over here.

Kitguru says: There will only be a maximum number of 24 of these cars produced and the price will be $1,024,000 with production set for 2014. Best to start saving those pennies now then.

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Firefox OS smartphone sells out https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/joseph-mcdonnell/firefox-os-smartphone-sells-out/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/joseph-mcdonnell/firefox-os-smartphone-sells-out/#respond Wed, 21 Aug 2013 07:07:59 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=148534 We reported on the Firefox OS smartphone before and the latest news indicates a great success for the initial run of sales. The Firefox OS smartphone went on sale for £59.99 in the UK and $79.99 in the US, it was released on the website on Friday and sales were immediately impressive. By Monday both …

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We reported on the Firefox OS smartphone before and the latest news indicates a great success for the initial run of sales.

The Firefox OS smartphone went on sale for £59.99 in the UK and $79.99 in the US, it was released on the website on Friday and sales were immediately impressive. By Monday both the US and UK eBay stores of ZTE, the Chinese company who manufactured the smartphone, had sold out.

The budget priced smartphone will now no longer be available until the next production run which has yet to be announced. The ‘Open' handset is unlocked and is a web based platform with the focus on maintaining a low price point. Users do not need to download and install applications either.

The Open has a 3.5 inch screen, 1 ghz processor, 512mb of integrated storage and a 3.2 megapixel camera.
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Dr Li Gong, a vice president at Mozilla said “Mozilla is dedicated to moving the web forward as a platform for innovation and building products that people love. We are pleased that now we will put the full power of the web in even more people’s hands.

“With a great potential user base, we know that even more developers around the world will create their apps with new APIs to stimulate an inspiring new wave of innovation.”

The device is proving popular for those people with limited income. Whether it can make a mark and challenge iOS, Android and Microsoft operating systems remains to be seen.

Kitguru says: No indication yet of exactly how many phones were sold in the initial run.

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Microsoft announce 50 game Xbox One launch, more to come https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joseph-mcdonnell/microsoft-announce-50-game-xbox-one-launch-more-to-come/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joseph-mcdonnell/microsoft-announce-50-game-xbox-one-launch-more-to-come/#respond Tue, 20 Aug 2013 07:35:55 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=148415 Microsoft may have annoyed many countries after announcing some will need to wait until 2014 to get the Xbox One, but the company have announced a huge list of games for the next generation console. According to Xbox.com, there are now 50 games listed for the Xbox One console, with titles to suit everyone. Battlefield 4, Call …

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Microsoft may have annoyed many countries after announcing some will need to wait until 2014 to get the Xbox One, but the company have announced a huge list of games for the next generation console.
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According to Xbox.com, there are now 50 games listed for the Xbox One console, with titles to suit everyone. Battlefield 4, Call of Duty: Ghosts, and FIFA 14 are coming with exclusive Xbox content to sweeten the deal and there are 19 other titles which are exclusive to the Xbox One console. Exclusives include Killer Instinct, Forza Motorsport 5, Powerstar Golf, Sunset Overdrive and D4.

To check out the full list of games – head over here.

Kitguru says: It will be interesting to see how the Xbox One sells globally, particularly after the somewhat messy prelaunch tactics from Microsoft.

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Mozilla to launch Metro friendly Firefox December 10th https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/operating-systems/joseph-mcdonnell/mozilla-to-launch-metro-friendly-firefox-december-10th/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/operating-systems/joseph-mcdonnell/mozilla-to-launch-metro-friendly-firefox-december-10th/#respond Mon, 19 Aug 2013 07:04:06 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=148252 Mozilla released the notes from their latest Firefox planning meeting showing that they plan on releasing a version of Firefox for Windows 8's ‘Metro' user interface system. The preview release will officially arrive as part of the companies Firefox 26 release on December 10th. If you want it earlier, then you can get the Aurora …

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Mozilla released the notes from their latest Firefox planning meeting showing that they plan on releasing a version of Firefox for Windows 8's ‘Metro' user interface system.

The preview release will officially arrive as part of the companies Firefox 26 release on December 10th. If you want it earlier, then you can get the Aurora version of Firefox on September 16th, this is when Mozilla will merge Firefox Metro into the Aurora 6 variant of Firefox. Just be prepared to deal with some potentially nasty bugs as this is an early test environment.
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The Aurora features will hit the Beta channel on October 28th, which will prove a better way to play with the new features as this is a more stable channel for builds.

Mozilla have struggled to keep pace with Google's Chrome browser as they have had a Metro friendly version of the software since last June.

Kitguru says: Have you adopted Windows 8 yet?

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Motorola Skip – unlock your MotoX with a belt clip https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/joseph-mcdonnell/motorola-skip-unlock-your-motox-with-a-belt-clip/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/joseph-mcdonnell/motorola-skip-unlock-your-motox-with-a-belt-clip/#respond Fri, 16 Aug 2013 07:45:43 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=147989 Protecting a mobile phone with a password is often necessary, if a little annoying. If like me you hate using codes to protect devices then the new belt clip from Motorola called the ‘Skip' will be interesting. The Motorola Skip is a new device that uses NFC. You can unlock the phone by simply tapping …

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Protecting a mobile phone with a password is often necessary, if a little annoying. If like me you hate using codes to protect devices then the new belt clip from Motorola called the ‘Skip' will be interesting.

The Motorola Skip is a new device that uses NFC. You can unlock the phone by simply tapping it against the clothing. The device has been discussed on the Motorola global website here and they are calling it a ‘wear it anywhere accessory'.

It is a small clip which you can attach to your clothing, such as a shirt or trousers. Pair it up with the MotoX via Near Field Communication and you can bypass the secure password or pattern lock with a quick touch. The good news is that if you lose your phone, without the Skip, the phone will still be locked out. Unless you lose both at the same time that is, which seems unlikely.
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Right now the company are only selling it for the Moto X flagship phone, but we would imagine if it sells well then other companies will lock onto the idea and adopt it for their own phones, under different names.

Kitguru says: A neat idea, just don't lose both at the same time.

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GeekBench 3 released https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/apps-software/joseph-mcdonnell/geekbench-3-released/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/apps-software/joseph-mcdonnell/geekbench-3-released/#respond Fri, 16 Aug 2013 06:54:50 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=147977 The latest version of Geekbench has just been released, the first major update to the program in 6 years. The software is available for Windows, OSX, Linux, Android and iOS. Geekbench 3 includes 15 new benchmark tests that are designed to model real-world processor intensive tasks.  The new tests cover a number of different application …

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The latest version of Geekbench has just been released, the first major update to the program in 6 years. The software is available for Windows, OSX, Linux, Android and iOS.

Geekbench 3 includes 15 new benchmark tests that are designed to model real-world processor intensive tasks.  The new tests cover a number of different application domains, including encryption, image processing, signal processing, and physics simulation.

Geekbench 3 also includes 12 completely rewritten benchmark tests from Geekbench 2.  These tests are now more representative of real-world applications and usage scenarios.

Geekbench 3 includes a completely new scoring system that separates single-core performance and multi-core performace into two separate scores.

While multi-core performance is becoming more relevant as applications are rewritten to take advantage of multi-core processors, single-core performance is still a very important metric because every application benefits from great single-core performance.

With Geekbench 3, if you know your applications can't take advantage of the latest multi-core processors, you can use the new single-core scores to find the fastest machine for your tasks.

Geekbench 3 has a completely new iOS interface that's optimized for iOS 7.  With a new design that matches the “flat” aesthetic of iOS 7, Geekbench 3 looks great on both iOS 6 and iOS 7.

There are also a couple of new features in Geekbench for iOS:

  • Geekbench now automatically archives each benchmark run, allowing you to go back and view past benchmark results.
  • Geekbench now integrates with Dropbox, allowing you to share results between your devices and your computers without going through the Geekbench Browser.

Geekbench 3 uses JSON as its native file format.  JSON is a lightweight format based on JavaScript.  Not only is JSON is easy for people to read and write, but it's also easy for computers to understand.  Parsing a JSON file only takes one line of code in most languages.  This will make writing scripts that use Geekbench data easier than ever.

Geekbench 3 also includes more information about each benchmark test in its file format, allowing users to dig deeper into their benchmark results.

Grab it here.

Kitguru says: Definitely worth a look.

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