Archive for June, 2011

Intel Releases ULV 17-watt Sandy Bridge CPUs

June 23rd, 2011

The Core i5-2557M has already found a home in the Asus UX21 that was modeled as an Ultrabook at Computex earlier this month.

Apple is also expected to refresh its line of MacBook Air laptops with this new family of chips.

Apple’s current MacBook Air still use Core 2 Duo CPUs paired with Nvidia chipsets, as license agreements prevent the pairing of Nvidia technology with Intel’s current generation of processors.

The integrated graphics of Intel’s Sandy Bridge chips, however, will likely be enough to satisfy Apple’s performance targets for the MacBook Air.

Source:http://www.tomshardware.com/news/sandy-bridge-ulv-macbook-air,12980.html

Relocating Your Stuff and Your Computer to the Cloud

June 23rd, 2011

Cloud Computing is the undisputed future of the IT industry, but because of its intangible nature, there are millions upon millions of people who still have absolutely no clue what it is.

To simplify the subject, let’s just say that Cloud Computing is the process of accessing data and various other programs and applications through the Internet.

While this may not sound earth shattering, when this technology is harnessed correctly, it allows you to rent your hardware rather than buy it; a paradigm shift in the way people traditionally compute.

Since the hardware doesn’t belong to you, it also makes support of that hardware obsolete –any issue with the infrastructure is handled on the back end by the Cloud provider. Much like utilities, Cloud Computing is consumption based– meaning: you only pay for the amount of resources you consume, which avoids a waste of money and the inefficiency of buying overly robust hardware that you may (more likely than not, you won’t) need.

Cloud Desktops are the most intriguing form of Cloud Computing. Unfortunately, they too are immaterial (being virtual and all) and therefore they are difficult for people to wrap their heads around.

Contributing to this confusion is the growing variety of pseudonyms (akin to Baskin Robbins flavors), that keep sprouting up, such as; Virtual Desktops, Virtualized Desktops, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), Desktop Virtualization and Managed Desktops, to name a few. These aliases are so numerous that even 24’s Jack Bauer would need some serious help from his CTU counterpart Chloe O’Brian, to nail down such an elusive culprit.

The virtual nature of a Cloud Desktop may perplex those thinking about and interested in using them as a business tool, so I wish to simplify further. A Cloud Desktop is your computer located in the Cloud.

Source:http://technorati.com/technology/it/article/relocating-your-stuff-and-your-computer/

Hannspree Hannspad SN10T1 Android tablet computer

June 22nd, 2011

Arriving slightly late to the party, the Hannspad SN10T1 is tablet computer running the Android operating system.

Unfortunately it uses a version of Android (2.2) that is already out of date and designed for phones, not tablets. The company has applied a special ‘skin’ on top of the operating system to make it more suitable for the tablet form but, while it looked good, the skin served only to block access to features.

The fundamental point of tablet computers is the touch-sensitive screen, but the Hannspad’s touchscreen was very poor. In fact, it was one of the worst we’ve seen and, at times, was totally unresponsive. Even when it worked it required several taps before it was able to register what we’d pressed. The poor touchscreen here is akin to a laptop with a broken keyboard.

Even when the touchscreen did work, it didn’t look very good, which is a surprise given that Hannspree is known as a monitor manufacturer. It’s a widescreen display but quality was poor and the viewing angle very limited. Like a lot of cheap tablets we’ve looked at, the computer’s screen reflected everything around it, which made it hard to use in well-lit rooms or sunshine.

The customised version of Android that’s been put on the Hannspad limits its functionality dramatically. As well as being a bit slow, it doesn’t include access to the Android Market for downloading apps, as it doesn’t meet the market’s hardware requirements.

Instead, there is a rather sparsely populated App Centre. The apps that came pre-installed on the tablet were decent enough, covering all the usual areas: weather, clock, internet, email, calendar, music, photos and video. While they’ve been customised for use on a tablet, we didn’t think they were as good as the standard Android apps available on other models.

The lack of a camera is also a strange oversight, although it does have an HDMI socket for displaying video on a flat-panel TV.

The Hannspree Hannspad SN10T1 is very cheap compared with other models, but you get what you pay for and this model fails to get the basics right. With the poor screen, lack of apps and out-of-date operating system, it’s hard to recommend.

Source:http://www.computeractive.co.uk/ca/review/2079905/hannspree-hannspad-sn10t1-android-tablet

HP Will Keep Sort Of Fixing Your Computer Until Warranty Runs Out

June 22nd, 2011

Terry is a graduate student, and doesn’t really need to be shipping his only computer off for repairs every few months. If the computer is unplugged while asleep, the display refuses to come back on. He paid extra for an “in-home” warranty, so why does he have to keep mailing his computer to HP so they can not really fix it? He tells Consumerist that HP really seems to want him to leave him alone, being consistently rude. Even the person who answered the phone at executive customer service called him an “angry person with a phone number.” Maybe he wouldn’t be so angry if he had a working computer.


My display on my HP dv7 notebook is not functioning properly. My computer is less than one year old and has been in 3 times for repair, but still has the same problem. When you unplug the laptop and it’s asleep, the display turns off and won’t come on. Look at the support forum, I’m not the only person with this issue.
When I sent the laptop in the first time they replaced the motherboard. I got it back worse than I sent it in. I called the tech support and he said, “Since we can’t fix it, I’ll just sell you a new one.” I was upset and got a case manager. My computer went in for repair again. It came back and was still messed up. I called several days and was unable to get in touch with my case manager. Therefore, a new case manager took over my case. She made several promises, none of which were kept. My computer went back for repair. I got my laptop back with “no problem found” even though it still has the same issue. By this point, I was assigned an executive case manager. She was rude and hateful. She misquoted me and I tried to correct her and she said, “No, you’re going to let me finish.” I asked her not to speak to me with such an attitude and she said that she didn’t have an attitude. I was upset at the way I was treated and asked for a new case manager. When I finally got a new executive case manager she said she wouldn’t replace my laptop, she’d just keep fixing it. I never asked her to replace the laptop. Once she made that remark, I asked for a refund. She told me to take it to Best Buy. The Geek Squad said it wasn’t their problem, it was HP’s problem.

I contacted the Better Business Bureau about the problem and the treatment I’ve received. I simply asked for a warranty which is stated in my warranty that I am entitled to in the event of repeated hardware problems. I just received a response she told me to take the computer to Best Buy or that I could ship it back to HP. I’ve already tried to take it to Best Buy once and they said they will not fix it. Also, they have had my laptop three times already.

I’m a master’s student and shipping my laptop to HP is extremely stressful. I tried to get the issue taken care of before I started my classes. It’s even more frustrating that I have an “in-home” warranty.


“A supervisor from Executive Customer Support is the guy that told me I’m just an angry person with a phone number,” he told Consumerist in a followup email. Well, then. It’s time to reach beyond regular old customer service and seek help in the law. His state attorney general’s office can probably help here, but it sounds like Terry has a pretty solid lemon law case. Small claims court has also forced HP to do the riht thing for other readers.

Source:http://consumerist.com/2011/06/hp-will-keep-sort-of-fixing-your-computer-until-warranty-runs-out.html

Software to Recover Missing Photos from Digital Media Storage Devices

June 22nd, 2011

Reliable and trustworthy photo recovery software retrieves missing, erased, deleted media files and folders such as pictures galleries, memorable photographs, digital images, snapshots, video albums from various storage devices in simplified manner.

Comprehensive image recovery software retrieves digital pictures, photographs, favorite snaps from bad sector infected hard disk drive.
www.picrecovery.com
Have you lost digital photographs from USB removable media or hard disk drive? Use complete and comprehensive photo recovery solution to retrieve inaccessible, virus infected and undetectable picture files and folders missing due to formatted drive, human mistake, improper device handling, system crash, improper system shut down or hardware malfunctions. Highly optimized digital images recovery software designed and developed by well educated team of professional software developers to restore picture galleries, favorite snaps, memorable photographs from computer hard disk (ATA, SATA, SCSI). Exclusively developed card recovery software retrieves missing image files and folders from USB removable media drives, different type of memory cards such as Secure Digital Card, Compact Flash Card, Multimedia Memory Card, XD Picture Card or other similar USB flash memory cards.
Technically advance memory card recovery software easily gets back virus infected photographs even if “drive not detected” “drive not formatted” error messages displayed on computer screen while accessing USB drive on Laptop, Desktop etc. One of the best digital photos recovery software retrieves images, pictures, photographs from hard disk drive with supports to different versions of Windows Operating System such as Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP Editions, Windows NT etc.

Source:http://libcom.org/news/software-recover-missing-photos-digital-media-storage-devices-22062011

LaCie combines NAS and cloud for backups

June 22nd, 2011

LaCie has introduced CloudBox, a backup package that combines cloud-based storage with local hardware to avoid uploads hogging an internet connection.

Launched on Tuesday, CloudBox is a small NAS server that you connect to your existing network. Included software will then automatically back up important files of your choice from your computer to the device. As this is done locally, it takes less time than uploading it directly to the internet. The CloudBox then uploads its content to LaCie’s online storage service by itself. This allows users to operate the computer like normal while still having online backup.

Once the data has already been backed up to LaCie’s cloud, it can then be accessed via the internet from any computer. Data backed up on the cloud is also kept in separate versions — up to 10 — meaning you can go back to the old version of a Word file, for example, if you need to retrieve a large chunk of important deleted text.

LaCie is aware that it takes a long time to upload a large amount of data via the internet; it optimises the CloudBox for those who want to back up important information and limits its storage to just 100GB.

Source:http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/storage/2011/06/22/lacie-combines-nas-and-cloud-for-backups-40093184/

Use your feet for mousing/heyboarding

June 22nd, 2011

Keith McMillen Instruments, which makes hardware and software for the music, gaming, video, ergonomica and assistive technology industries, today launched its SoftStep KeyWorkx pad, which lets users control their computer and software with their feet. The “multi-touch foot controller” is pressure and location-sensitive, USB-powered for PCs and Macs, and offers 10 customizable keys that can remember up to 100 sets of commands for repetitive tasks.

Here’s a video showing off some of the different things you can do with the KeyWorx:

For disabled users who can’t use their hands for mousing/keyboarding, this new device can offer them a chance to use their computers in a new way. For others, maybe using their feet instead of hands can give the lower-body more work during work hours, or for end users who have repetitive stress injuries in their hands/arms

Source:http://www.itworld.com/hardware/176285/use-your-feet-mousingkeyboarding

Get Adobe Flash playerPlugin by wpburn.com wordpress themes