IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 12/15/2014

Experts say BYOD will boost wireless LAN security market by 2019
TechNavio has published a report on the Global WLAN Security Market, claiming that it's expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 27.99 percent during the 2015-2019 period.

This tech-focused research firm claims that WLAN security systems are in high demand for enhanced network performance, stating that growth is currently being experienced as more companies are utilizing Bring Your Own Device (BYOC) policies which has prompted users to "go mobile" - with even schools taking part in similar schemes.

The Vice President of TechNavio, Faisal Ghaus, mentioned that "WLAN Security is finding growing relevance as employees are using their own devices while working on confidential company information and applications outside of the office". Further expanding on his companies report which claims that the amount of data being processed by these BYOD systems and the sensitive nature of whats involved will see a major boost come to the wireless security sector in coming years.

With more employees and students being urged to bring their own devices into their workplaces and schools from 2015 onwards, expect to see major advancements in wireless security be released on a regular basis.

In relation to this information, TechNavio has also released papers on similar subjects throughout 2014 including the Global BOYD security market.


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NASA's OPALS system provides broadband Internet in space
NASA hopes the International Space Station (ISS) will have better Internet courtesy and communications access courtesy of the laser-based Optical Payload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) instrument. A SpaceX Dragon cargo vehicle delivered OPALS to the ISS in April, and has successfully completed four months of testing - with a focus on minimizing atmospheric turbulence that leads to increased data loss.

OPALS uses four individual lasers to send a beam down to the JPL's Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory ground station in California. The ground station is able to send four lasers and deliver a payload, and is working on daytime testing.

"OPALS has shown that space-to-ground laser communications transmissions are practical and repeatable," said Matthew Abrahamson, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory OPALS mission manager, in a statement published by Space.com. "As a bonus, OPALS has collected an enormous amount of data to advance the science of sending lasers through the atmosphere. We look forward to continuing our testing of this technology, which sends information to and from space faster than with radio signals."


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R.I.P Aussie Internet - Labor NBN plans now officially extinct
The poor residents of Australia have been wondering for a while now what was going to happen to their precious National Broadband Network (NBN). Set in place by the previous Labor government to bring Fiber To The Home (FTTH) services to all Australian families in years to come, this service was to be rolled out to every doorstep for free - seeing consumers only have to pay a regular monthly payment as seen with normal ADSL2+ offerings in today's climate.

The new Liberal party led government didn't like this idea - claiming that a top speed of 25 megabits per second was perfectly sufficient for any Aussie home, further claimed that the NBN was a financial blowout and provides highly unnecessary speeds and technology to help Australia ascend out of the 18th century. And such, after a long struggle, the NBN has finally been officially axed.

The Liberal government has just announced major changes to the broadband policy, with Australian Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull (cue crowd boo'ing) and Finance Minister Matthias Cormann issuing a new policy document. This release is said to "set out a road map for reform in the telecommunications sector which will see several restrictive aspects of existing market regulation gradually replaced with more competition-friendly settings."

ITWire brought this news to light, stating that the released document includes "a radically different course for the NBN. It outlines a number of proposed reforms based on the Government's response to the 53 recommendations for regulatory changes proposed earlier this year following a review carried out by an independent panel of experts chaired by Dr Michael Vertigan. The paper is here."

Turnbull and Cormann further commented that these reforms will "encourage a more competitive, responsive telecommunications market complement the Government's goal of completing the NBN as quickly as possible to ensure all Australians have access to affordable high-speed broadband." Now they will charge developers to place NBN infrastructure into greenfields sites and remove the requirement for uniform national pricing. These changes mean that the NBN will be ran differently, with companies also able to vary their pricing within a certain 'cap' - no longer strictly regulated.

In short, the NBN that we once knew (and loved) has been murdered and its head is now displayed on a spike proudly at the gates of Kings Landing - Game of Thrones style.

If you're wanting a full explanation of the changes and some more interesting quotes form the politiants themselves, you can check out their full paper for yourself.


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Panasonic expands their Toughbook H2 battery recall in America
Panasonic has just announced that they're "expanding the scope of the U.S. recall Panasonic voluntarily previously put in place of battery packs included with the Toughbook H2 rugged tablet PC and those sold separately or as a result of servicing" according to a press release.

This recall is for all Toughbook H2 battery packs manufactured between June 2011 and September 2012, following the original recall announced in May 2014 which covered battery packs manufactured between June 2011 and May 2012. The reason these batteries are being asked for return is due to a possibility of them overheating and catching on fire due to manufacturer issues.

If you're unsure about your battery packs qualification for this recall, you can check your model number and manufacturing lot number on the battery pack itself. There are two battery slots on your device, located on the left and right of the PC, only battery packs showing both numbers will qualify for this warranty claim.

As according to the press release, you need to have the following two displayed clearly on the battery pack:

1. Applicable battery pack model number: CF-VZSU53AW
2. Applicable manufacturing lot numbers: Beginning with B, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, C93, C94, C96, C9C, C9J, C9K

It's also said that some other Panasonic models may be effected by this battery pack issue, depending if your back is original or not - with the issued release stating that "the CF-VZSU53AW battery pack has a shape identical to the battery packs for the Toughbook H1 and Toughbook U1, and it may also be in use with those models. Please check the battery pack of your Toughbook H1 or Toughbook U1 as well."

If you're wanting to send back your pack, Panasonic recommends that you "shut down the PC and remove the battery pack, and contact Panasonic Customer Support at (855) 772-8324 (option 1 for laptops) or H2BatteryProgram@us.panasonic.com for free replacement."


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Microsoft recommends you remove the latest update for Windows 7
Microsoft's latest KB 3004394 update for Windows 7 is causing a myriad of issues for users, with the company asking users to remove it. The first issue is that some users are reporting that the new update blocks people from installing AMD's new Catalyst Omega drivers.

But AMD users aren't the only ones in pain over the latest update for Windows 7, with NVIDIA users confirming that it's now hard to install new GeForce drivers. It's not just graphics drivers and their installations that are problematic, some users are reporting that USB 3.0 drivers are now broken, and User Account Control (UAC) prompts are playing up. Microsoft has said it is aware of these issues, and that it even prevents the installation of future Windows Updates.

One of the worst things that this new update does to Windows 7, is disable the Windows Defender service, which is completely disabled with the new update. Microsoft has since issued a patch for the broken update, which is known as KB3024777, and is available directly through Windows Update.


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An eSports fighting games season receives a $500k boost thanks to Sony
The Capcom Pro Tour 2015 season is about to hit the big time as confirmed by Yoshinori Ono.

Next years tournament will feature a hefty $500,000 total prize pool as announced in this years live Capcom Cup finals which are currently being run live on stream. Yoshinori Ono took the stage, announcing that the Capcom Pro Tour 2015 would be going ahead once again, but with a slight difference thanks to a partnership with Sony.

He stated that the total prize pool will be 'at least' $500k, meaning that there is room for improvement. Usually when we see a big name sponsor jump on board like this, many others become interested in a slice of the exposure, meaning that there's no saying where this number could progress to. Hopefully sponsor bids haven't closed and we can see this prize pool elevate to much higher levels.

This brings fighting games tournaments into the mainstream eSports spotlight, they're still far behind Dota 2 and League of Legends' multimillion dollar offerings but it's certainly a step in the right direction.


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Apple's next-gen A9 chip enters production at Samsung's plant in Texas
Samsung is currently producing Apple's next-gen A9 system-on-chips (SoC) at its Austin, Texas-based plant according to a report from Korean IT news site Electronic Times.

Considering TSMC built most of the A8 chips for Apple, this is a very big deal for Samsung - to lead production of the A9 processor for its biggest competitor. TSMC will still make some of Apple's A9 processors, but Samsung will be making the majority of them. Samsung is reportedly using their 14nm process to build Apple's A9 chip, as Samsung's Semiconductor Business President and General Manager, Dr. Kinam Kim, revealed the news in late October.

We don't know when Samsung will provide Apple with the first fresh out of the oven A9 processors to Apple, or when Apple will launch new products with the next-gen SoC. I think we'll see Apple announce a new iPhone earlier than normal, especially if Samsung is already making the A9 processor for the company.


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Google works with France's space agency on next-gen Internet balloons
Google has already teamed up with the leading telecommunications company in Australia on its Internet balloon technology, but now its teaming up with France's space agency, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES).

The search giant has said that it has been working with the semi-secret lab for 12 months now, in order to take Project Loon to the next level. CNES has been helping Google analyze data from its ongoing tests, as well as getting the design of its next-gen Project Loon technology into the air. Google will help CNES work on long-haul balloon flights into the stratosphere.

Google's VP in charge of the project, Mike Cassidy, said: "No single solution can solve such a big, complex problem. That's why we're working with experts from all over the world, such as CNES, to invest in new technologies like Project Loon that can use the winds to provide Internet to rural and remote areas". CNES' Toulouse Space Center director Mark Pircher admitted that when Google first approached the space agency and told them their plans, he didn't think Project Loon was that realistic.

It may sound hard to believe, as Google wants to get 100,000 balloons into the air to provide Internet connectivity to remote places all around the world, and then retrieve them when they lose air. Google did team up with CNES in the end, so the team at the French space agency must have seen the light, with some people thinking Project Loon has some great ideas behind it, which could "reduce the cost of the balloons by 10 times or so".


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Mojang say 'no' to a 'Goonies-style' movie about Minecraft
Mojang and Warner Bros. have been having discussions about a Minecraft movie, with Night at the Museum director Shawn Levy walking away from the project. Levy was brought on to work on a Minecraft movie, but Mojang didn't like the idea of an adventure movie similar to 1985's The Goonies.

Levy talked with The Wall Street Journal saying: "How might this ever be a story for a movie? Because it's not a narrative game. And we came up with an approach that felt good to us, and I discussed it with Mojang". Levy continued, saying that his idea wasn't exactly a comedy, but "It had a bit of a Goonies flair. ... It was an adventure movie, and I thought it could have been a lot of fun and fulfilled a lot of the qualities that people love about the game".

The director said that Mojang didn't see it that way, with Levy continuing: "And they're like, 'That doesn't sound like what we want. If we're going to see a movie get made, we don't know what we want, but that doesn't feel right". Levy had four other movies to work on going into the New Year, where he added: "The truth is there is a long history of trying to make great movies out of games, and they're rarely done well. Mojang is still figuring out what they want. We gave it a shot and it wasn't the right fit, so, these things happen".


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Oculus VR acquires hand-tracking company Nimble VR
It looks like Facebook has been spending big on its most exciting acquisition, Oculus VR, to acquire two companies that would better position Oculus VR as the absolute champion of VR technology... when the Rift launches that is.

Oculus VR has acquired two companies this week, the first being Nimble VR while the second one being 13th Lab. Nimble VR is a two-year old company that took to Kickstarter a while ago, developing skeletal hand tracking and software, as well as a depth-sensing camera dubbed Nimble Sense that would see the hands of Oculus Rift users in the VR world, all with gesture recognition. 13th Lab is the other company Oculus VR acquired, which makes accurate, maker-less augmented reality tracking and real-time 3D construction framework technology.

Oculus VR talked about its acquisition of 13th Lab in a blog post saying: "The ability to acquire accurate 3D models of the real-world can enable all sorts of new applications and experiences, like visiting a one-to-one 3D model of the pyramids in Egypt or the Roman Colosseum in VR". Oculus isn't finished just yet, as it also announced it has hired motion capture expert Chris Breglar, who is a professor of Computer Science at New York University and contributor to motion tracking special effects in big Hollywood films like Star Trek Into Darkness and The Lone Ranger. Bregler will lead a vision research team at Oculus VR.

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COD: Advanced Warfare sales down 27% against COD: Ghosts in the US
You probably thought Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare has been selling millions upon millions of games, and with it being better received than the last Call of Duty outing - Call of Duty: Ghosts - most would think the sales would've been beating Ghosts, but that's not the case.

When it comes to retail copies in the US, Advanced Warfare has sold around 27% less than Ghosts did last year. Piper Jaffray analyst Michael Olson has noticed the downward trend based on figures from stat-tracking firm NPD. According to NPD's November report, Activision sales were down 22% for the month, with Advanced Warfare seeing a 27% year-over-year decline in sales compared to Ghosts.

Olsen said: "This is disappointing data following first week Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare sales showing a year-over-year increase. NPD data does not include digital copies or international sales, which, if included, would lessen the year-over-year decline, but we believe this data suggests potential for Q4 revenue upside is now very low". While a 27% drop might sound bad, consider that Advanced Warfare has been the best-selling retail game of the year in the US. Activision announced earlier today: "In only its first month of release, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is already the number one top-selling console game of the year through November in the U.S. overall, as well as individually on Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and PS3".


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Sony enjoying PlayStation 4 success, looks ahead to cloud gaming
The Sony PlayStation 4 - and the company's overall gaming portfolio - has done well, while Sony struggles company-wide with six financial losses over the past seven years. Specifically, Sony looks to transition gamers to PlayStation Now, a streaming game service available for its consoles, and that has required large investments and careful preparation.

Sony has increased efforts to purchase surfers and investing more in cloud technology, so it will be able to increase stability of PlayStation Now. Even though Sony could cannibalize its own PS4 hardware - the company understands it should work towards embracing cloud-based gaming as soon as it feels ready to. Gamers only need game controllers and PS Now provides around 200 game titles that are sent directly to any high-definition TV.

"If you look at other forms of entertainment and the dramatic impact streaming has had on those, that says to us that there's clearly a strong consumer satisfaction with the instant gratification that's provided by streaming experiences," said Andrew House, Sony Computer Entertainment president, in a recent statement published by Bloomberg Businessweek. "We think that has a role to play in the future of games, as well."


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Facebook drops Microsoft's Bing search, will unveil its own tool
Facebook has quietly decided to stop showing Microsoft Bing search engine results on its social networking site, as the company continues to develop its own search engine. Facebook plans to roll out a new search tool on Monday so users are able to find past comments, posts and other data published by their friends.

It will be curious to see how Facebook develops its own search tool, as Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo have continually revamped their own search offerings. Furthermore, Facebook has more than 1 billion users and a whopping 1 trillion posts - and despite initial difficulties - will be a crucial endeavor for the No. 1 social networking website.

"We're not currently showing Web search results in Facebook Search because we're focused on helping people find what's been shared with them on Facebook," a Facebook spokesperson told Reuters. "We continue to have a great partnership with Microsoft of lots of different areas."

Here is what Microsoft noted in a statement to VentureBeat: "Facebook recently changed its search experience to focus on helping people tap into information that's been shared with them on Facebook versus a broader set of Web results. We continue to partner with Facebook in many different areas."


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Researchers want to study sleep disorders by using your smartphone
Researchers from Florida State University and the Stevens Institute of Technology teamed up for a six-month study that used earbuds equipped with an in-line microphone and an Apple iPhone. Participants' breathing habits could be accurately recorded within half a breath per minute while using the smartphone and earbuds next to the bed, even when compared to a chest-worn respiration monitor.

A custom smartphone app will be released sometime next year. Using the app would be an accurate and significantly cheaper method to track quality of sleep - and could help identify sleep apnea and other potential health problems. Researchers will present their paper during the IEEE Infocom conference next April.

However, it could be difficult to accurately measure respiratory signals if there is more than one person sleeping in the bed, according to Andrew Campbell, a co-director of the Dartmouth Networking and Ubiquitous Systems Laboratory.


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The Pirate Bay have been taken down, but didn't drop piracy levels
It very well could have been a symbolic victory and nothing else, after The Pirate Bay was shuttered, but digital piracy levels didn't significantly drop. Piracy torrent statistics have been made available courtesy of the anti-piracy Excipio firm, which tracks movie, TV shows, music, video games, and software torrent downloads - and on Dec. 8, the day before Pirate Bay servers were seized, there were 101.5 million IP addresses engaged in torrent downloads.

The number dropped to 99 million on Dec. 9, then down to 95 million on Dec. 10, and 95.6 million downloads on Dec. 11, according to Excipio. However, the number again topped 100 million on Dec. 12, which noted that the daily average of torrent downloads worldwide since Nov. 1 was 99.99 million.

For interested Internet users, there are dozens of other websites that allow access to torrent downloads, and Internet piracy will continue to be a thorn in the side to governments and copyright holders.


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Interested in eSports? Here's a guide to start your viewership journey

Getting started with eSports viewing

It's been a commonly asked question by friends of mine throughout the last four or so years - "I want to get into eSports spectating, where do I go", or "I'd like to follow eSports, but I have no idea how". What I'm going to list for you below is a simple FAQ on following some of the largest PC eSports titles, alongside providing you with some websites to help scratch that competitive gaming itch.

The first step to following eSports is deciding exactly what game or games interest you the most. There are a few 'major' players on the market at this stage, with these games seeing massive international competitive support in the form of gaming teams, tournaments, organizations and developer initiative.

If you want to start off with some of the biggest and you're not exactly sure where to begin, here are a few for you in no particular order:

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• StarCraft II
• Dota2
• League of Legends

There are millions of dollars in prize money, sponsorships and endorsements already flowing throughout these respective gaming scenes, and if you want to start off with the biggest, most loved and most respected titles - we've provided them for you.

The next step in following eSports is to figure out exactly how you're going to watch these tournaments as they take place. Twitch.tv is one of the most commonly used streaming platforms, with most major tournaments being broadcasted on here. Alongside Twitch, there are other platforms including YouTube's streaming service and Azubu.tv.

A streaming service is the best way to keep in touch with the action as it happens - it will allow you to watch the games live, hear professional grade commentary and pick up some tips and tricks along the way. However, how are you to know when the events are going to take place? How will you know the tournament structures, timing, teams competing and rules involved? This is where news sites come in handy.

Unlike 'traditional' media, news sites in the competitive gaming realm generally only cover one (sometimes two or three) different games total - this allows them to keep up to date with the latest information and continue pumping out reports quickly and efficiently. These websites, you will notice, tend to go into more detail than many traditional media outlets, providing multiple quotes, user opinions and in-game statistics to back up their claims - especially when some of the scenes most famous writers like Tomi "Lurppis" Kovanen are concerned.

On the next page, I will list some of the world's most popular websites, alongside what their majorly supported game titles include and their main target audience location.
... Read the rest in your browser!



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SP/ Silicon Power Wins Great Recognition from Golden Pin Design Award 2014
Taipei, Taiwan - December 12th, 2014 -SP/ Silicon Power, the world's leading provider of memory storage solutions, today is proud to announce that SP has won great recognition from the prestigious Golden Pin Design Award 2014 for the two exceptional products－Armor A60 portable hard drive and Thunder T11 external solid state drive. This year, SP has got great achievement in setting the remarkable award records including iF Product Design Award 2014, reddot Design Award 2014, COMPUTEX d&i awards 2014 and GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2014. With the honor of Golden Pin Design Award, SP once again proved its great success in product development and further strengthened its dominant status in the memory storage solutions industry. For SP, there is no end for perfection, and it is why SP can keep amazing the judges every year and winning over customers all over the world.

Golden Pin Design Award, founded in 1981, is organized by The Industry Development Bureau, MOEA (Ministry of Economic Affairs) and has become the longest-running and reputable design award in Taiwan. With the jury joined by international professionals and strict evaluation system, Golden Pin Design Award is well-known for its integrity and credibility. Intending to encourage more creative product designs in Chinese-speaking market, Golden Pin Design Award has successfully offered a perfect stage for designers and companies to present their brilliant works. This year, Golden Pin Design Award opened its door to non-Taiwanese participants and attracted more than 1,900 entries from Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore and Malaysia. Among such great numbers of outstanding designers, SP still won two awards for its distinguished products, Armor A60 portable hard drive and Thunder T11 external solid state drive, to show its preeminent product designs that incorporate three crucial elements－fashion designs, excellent functions and high quality.

Armor A60 Portable Hard Drive

Armor A60 USB 3.0 2.5"portable hard drive adopts the ultra-rugged rubber casing and internal suspension system, allowing perfect buffer effect for all physical impacts and promising rigid protections against crushes, dust and spraying water. Furthermore, Armor A60 is engineered with incredibly strong construction that has passed the US military MIL-STD-810G (transit drop test) and IPX4 waterproof level, making itself the toughest data guard for outdoor users. The innovative slot design is especially equipped for simple cable storing that users can easily wrap the cables around the drive. Armor A60 also exercises the special surface texture which can perform anti-slip function and keep the drive away from fingerprints and scratches.

Thunder T11 External Solid State Drive

Thunder T11 is the lightest and the smallest Thunderbolt� external SSD on the market, which is half the size of ordinary storage devices and only weights 65g. In addition, Thunder T11 is three times the speed of USB 3.0 HDD, which delivers astonishing transfer rate up to read/write 340MB/280MB and offers the ideal storage solution for professionals on the go. Moreover, Thunder T11's aluminum enclosure enables stylish appearance and a totally noise-free user experience. Featuring such superior product design, Thunder T11 also won the reddot design award 2014 and COMPUTEX d&i award 2014.


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ASUSTOR Announces All NAS Devices are Upgrading to ADM 2.3
ASUSTOR Inc., a leading innovator and provider of network storage solutions, has announced that it is releasing the ASUSTOR Data Master (ADM) 2.3 operating system for all of its NAS devices (6, 3 and 2 Series). All ASUSTOR NAS users will be able to upgrade online to ADM 2.3, in order to enjoy a newly redesigned user interface along with brand new applications for both multimedia and business use.

ADM 2.3's new crisp and modern user interface optimizes loading times and provides users with a smoother multitasking experience. Support for SMB 2.0 increases overall transfer performance by 30%-50%. After upgrading to ADM 2.3, users will be able to enjoy a variety of new business applications and features including TFTP support and seamless integration with Windows AD infrastructure. With regards to new multimedia functionality, ASUSTOR is also releasing beta versions for the LooksGood NAS App and AiVideo mobile app for Android.

"ADM 2.3 was extremely well received upon its launch with our AS70 series devices," said Steve Huang, Product Manager at ASUSTOR. "We are now very excited to release ADM 2.3 for all of our NAS products. Along with the powerful new business functionality in ADM 2.3, we are also releasing beta versions of LooksGood and AiVideo, extending the multimedia capabilities of ASUSTOR NAS and allowing our users to create customized cloud storage with limitless possibilities."

New Functions in ADM 2.3

• Refreshed and modernized user interface featuring enhanced browsing smoothness and speed
• New sign in page featuring customizable styles for the creation of a unique NAS experience
• Support for TFTP server
• Support for proxy server connections
• ACL advanced permissions management provides added convenience for IT professionals
• Smart sleep mode allows the hard disks to automatically enter into hibernation when idle for a specified period of time allowing for effective power saving
• SMB 2.0 support increases Windows networking performance by 30%-50%

LooksGood and AiVideo Beta

LooksGood is a powerful Web-based multimedia player application that features two major functions: Media Explorer and TV Recordings. Media Explorer provides a folder browsing mode which allows users to view all the photos and videos stored on their NAS and gives them the ability to play them online. The TV Recordings function allows users to use supported USB digital TV dongles to directly receive DVB-T/ DTMB digital TV signals for high definition streaming and recording. Additionally, LooksGood provides a 7 day TV program guide, manual and repeat recording settings along with the ability to start recordings earlier or later for flexible scheduling. LooksGood can also be combined with the AiVideo mobile app that lets users take their digital TV and videos on the go. No matter if it is high definition 1080p streaming videos or favorite TV shows, users will have complete access in the palm of their hands. LooksGood and AiVideo also both feature fast and intuitive user interfaces, with recorded programs neatly organized as thumbnails making them easy to find and access.

• Built-in Media Explorer and TV Recordings functions
• Supports viewing of jpg, jpeg, bmp, png, gif, tif image files and video playback
• View all TV dongle information at a glance
• Provides a 7 day TV listings guide with 1-click recording
• Intuitive scheduled recordings including repeat and manual recording functions
• Search for recorded programs via Recently Added, Recently Watched and Favorite categories
• Supported external subtitle file formats: srt, ass, srt
• AS-302T and AS-304T models support real-time transcoding
• AiVideo is available first for Android devices, giving users access to all videos on their NAS in the palm of their hand.

Mail Server Official Version:

Features a concise interface and complete functionality that provides enterprise users with a comprehensive and cost-effective mail server.

• Each ADM Account can Become an Independent Email Account
• Provides IMAP and POP3 Mail Protocols
• Email activity monitor
• Backup mechanism protects critical emails
• Built-in antivirus mechanism
• Spam filter
• Sender authentication protects against inappropriate usage

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Finalwire Introduces AIDA64 v5.00 benchmarking software
FinalWire Ltd. today announced the immediate availability of AIDA64 Extreme 5.00 software, a streamlined diagnostic and benchmarking tool for home users; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Engineer 5.00 software, a professional diagnostic and benchmarking solution for corporate IT technicians and engineers; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Business 5.00 software, an essential network management solution for small and medium scale enterprises; and the immediate availability of AIDA64 Network Audit 5.00 software, a dedicated network audit toolset to collect and manage corporate network inventories.

The latest AIDA64 update introduces wireless remote monitoring of sensor values on smartphones and tablets via RemoteSensor and Logitech Arx Control. It also provides detailed information on system certificates, and supports Aquaero and Aquaduct sensor devices.

DOWNLOAD: AIDA64 Extreme v5.00 Installer | ZIP Package

New features & improvements

• RemoteSensor smartphone and tablet LCD integration
• Logitech Arx Control smartphone and tablet LCD integration
• System certificates information
• Support for Gravitech, LCD Smartie Hardware, Leo Bodnar LCD devices
• Microsoft Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 9888 support
• Improved support for Intel "Skylake" CPU
• Preliminary support for Intel "Braswell" SoC
• Aquaero and Aquaduct sensor devices support
• Improved support for Crucial SSDs

What's new since AIDA64 v4.00

• Microsoft Windows 10 Technical Preview and Windows Server 2015 Technical Preview support
• Microsoft Windows 8.1 Update 1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 Update 1 support
• OpenCL GPGPU Benchmark Suite
• AMD Mantle graphics accelerator diagnostics
• Multi-threaded memory stress test with SSE, SSE2, AVX, AVX2, FMA, BMI and BMI2 acceleration
• Optimized 64-bit benchmarks for AMD "Kaveri", "Bald Eagle", "Mullins", "Beema" APUs
• Optimized 64-bit benchmarks for Intel Atom C2000 "Avoton" and "Rangeley" SoC
• Optimized 64-bit benchmarks for Intel "Bay Trail" desktop, mobile and tablet SoC
• Full support for the upcoming Intel "Haswell Refresh" platform with Intel "Wildcat Point" PCH
• Support for 47 new LCD and VFD devices
• Improved support for Intel "Broadwell" CPU
• Preliminary support for AMD "Carrizo" and "Toronto" APUs
• Preliminary support for Intel Quark X1000 "Clanton" SoC
• Preliminary support for Intel "Skylake", "Cherry Trail", "Denverton" CPUs
• Improved support for Intel "Haswell-E" CPU and DDR4 memory modules
• Support for DDR4 XMP 2.0 memory profiles
• Intel H97 and Z97 chipset based motherboards support
• LGA2011-v3 motherboards support
• Socket AM1 motherboards support
• SMTP SSL support
• Improved handling of XSL files
• Revamped Direct3D Compute Shader devices enumeration
• CUDA 6.5, OpenGL 4.5, OpenGL ES 3.1 support
• Improved support for OpenCL 2.0
• Support for VirtualBox v4.3 and VMware Workstation v10
• AData SP610, AData SP910, A-Data SP920, Corsair Force LX, Corsair Neutron, Corsair Neutron GTX, Crucial M550, Intel 730, OCZ Arc 100, OCZ Vector 150, OCZ Vertex 460, Plextor M6M, Plextor M6S, Samsung 845DC Evo, Samsung 850 Pro, Samsung XP941, SanDisk Extreme Pro, SanDisk X300s, Seagate 600 SSD support
• GPU details for AMD Radeon R5, R7, R9 Series
• GPU details for nVIDIA GeForce 700, 800, 900 Series

Pricing and Availability

All AIDA64 v5.00 editions are globally available today.

Targeting business customers, AIDA64 Business is a comprehensive IT asset management solution, which offers hardware diagnostic, network audit, change management and remote capabilities to corporate customers. The product is available for $199.90 for up to 10 clients with 1-year maintenance; $1499 for 100 clients with 1-year maintenance and $2999 for 200 clients or more.

AIDA64 Network Audit is dedicated network inventory solution for businesses. It is available for $99.95 for up to 10 clients with 1-year maintenance; $749 for 100 clients with 1-year maintenance and $1499 for 200 clients or more.

A professional solutions for corporate IT technicians, AIDA64 Engineer is a system information, hardware diagnostic and benchmarking utility, which provides exhaustive details about both the hardware components and the installed software. It is available for $199.90 for 1 engineer with 1-year maintenance.

Based on the award-winning AIDA technology, AIDA64 Extreme is an industry-leading system information, diagnostic and benchmarking solution for PC enthusiasts, which can be purchased for $39.95 with 1-year maintenance.


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ADATA Clicks Off a Stylish New UC340 USB 3.0 Flash Drive
ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM memory modules and NAND Flash applications, launches a new UC340 USB flash drive. The Choice UC340 flash drive features trim geometric lines and a clean glossy finish. Carry it on a neck strap, purse, or key chain. With SuperSpeed USB 3.0 connectivity, you can transfer anywhere between 16GB to 256GB of audio, video and data files in just a few moments. Just push-to-click the colored head to extend the USB connector. Push again to retract it. Simple, stylish, practical. Click into your style with ADATA's UC340 flash drive.

The UC340 is a work of utterly elegant geometry. Multiple black triangular facets on its casing complement a brilliantly colored translucent body. Not a mere storage drive, it embodies the best in performance and quality within the classic lines of fashion. Simply click the USB head to extend and retract the connector quickly and easily. With no end cap to hassle with or lose, the UC340 is both convenient and easy-to-use. An amply large triangular lanyard hole matches the US340's classy geometric design. Carry it on a key ring. Wear it on a neck strap or bracelet.

Quick & Practical

The UC340 comes in sizes ranging from 16GB to 256GB, and features the USB 3.0 high-performance SuperSpeed transmission standard. With read and write speeds up to 200/120 MB/s, enjoy quick transfer speeds that reduce the time you need to move your video, audio and document files. With ADATA's Choice UC340 flash drive, you can experience an elegant balance of style and utmost practicality. Additionally, purchasers of USB flash drives are entitled to download ADATA's free "UFDtoGO" and "OStoGO" software as well as enjoy a lifetime warranty backing up great mobility and convenience.


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NVIDIA to Launch GeForce GTX 960 in January
NVIDIA is reportedly preparing to launch its mid-range GeForce GTX 960 video card some time in January, 2015; according to a SweClockers report. The card could be launched in the sidelines of the 2015 International CES. The card will be based on the company's new GM206 silicon, and it won't be a cut-down GM204. Its only specifications doing rounds are the memory bus width of 128-bit, and standard memory amount of 2 GB. Out of the box, the card could offer performance comparable to a GeForce GTX 770, with much lower power draw, and a $200-ish price.

Source: Techpowerup

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EK Introduces Water Blocks for GIGABYTE X99 Series Motherboards
EK Water Blocks, Ljubljana based premium liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is proud to introduce a new, universal hybrid water cooling kit for GIGABYTE X99 series motherboards, consisting of a MOSFET water block and a passive PCH heat sink.

EK-FB KIT GA X99 LE is a value oriented hybrid water cooling solution for GIGABYTE X99 Series motherboards consisting of VRM water block and a passive heat sink. Universal PCH cooling solution allows this product to be compatible with virtually every GIGABYTE X99 series motherboard. Please check the Cooling Configurator online compatibility system for detailed compatibility list.

The water block directly cools power regulation (VRM / MOSFETs) module while the passive aluminum heat sink cools Intel X99 southbridge (PCH) chip. Please note this water block cools exactly as much heat generating components as GIGABYTE factory cooling solution. The VRM cooler is a high flow water block that can be easily used with systems using weaker water pumps.

Base of the water block is made of nickel-plated electrolytic copper while the top is made of acrylic glass material. The screw-in standoffs are already pre-installed on both water block- as well as aluminum heat sink and allow for easy and trouble-free installation by utilizing original motherboard backplates.

In order to simplify the search for suitable and compatible water block EK is adding newly released video cards and motherboards from various manufacturers to EK Cooling Configurator database and compatible hardware are being added to the list on daily basis. This hybrid water block kit is made in Slovenia, Europe and is readily available for purchase through EK Webshop and Partner Reseller Network.

EK-FB KIT GA X99 LE - 64,95€


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AMD Announces Move to Nasdaq
AMD recently announced that it is transferring its stock exchange listing to The Nasdaq Stock Market from The New York Stock Exchange, effective after market close on December 31, 2014. AMD shares are expected to begin trading as a Nasdaq-listed security on January 2, 2015 and will continue to trade under the symbol AMD. This transfer is expected to be seamless for AMD investors and shareholders.

"We are excited to join other industry-leading technology companies listed with Nasdaq and believe this move will help AMD reach investors and shareholders more efficiently and effectively as we continue transforming the company for long-term growth," said Devinder Kumar, senior vice president and chief financial officer, AMD. "We are proud to welcome AMD to Nasdaq and look forward to a successful partnership with the company and its shareholders," said Bruce Aust, Vice Chairman at Nasdaq.


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Razer Debuts Seiren Digital Microphone with Studio-Grade Recording Quality
Razer, a world leader in connected devices and software for gamers, today announced the Razer Seirēn (stylized as "Seirēn" and pronounced "Sigh-ren"), a plug-and-play digital microphone designed for studio-grade recording and streaming.

The Razer Seirēn features a versatile multi-pattern USB digital connection capable of four different recording pattern configurations with three custom-tuned 14 mm condenser capsules. This makes the Razer Seirēn digital microphone ideal for the needs of professional musicians, streamers and YouTubers who demand superior clarity. With plug-and-play simplicity this microphone is simple to use at the studio or at home.

The Razer Seirēn also allows content creators to quickly switch between 4 different polar recording patterns (Cardioid, Stereo, Bidirectional and Omnidirectional) by rotating the main control knob. Allowing for greater versatility of use depending on recording applications. The microphones built-in headphone amplifier allows for zero latency, real-time accurate monitoring of recordings to ensure users sound exactly as they intend to.

"Platforms like YouTube and Twitch are a big part of how people experience their media today, and they shape how we interact with each other," says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. "Tuned for a professional-style setup and able to be assembled and transported quickly and easily, the Razer Seirēn is a microphone designed specifically for streamers and YouTubers."

Razer is also initiating a "Razer Sponsored Streamer Program" to help aspiring content creators and streamers take their recordings to a professional level. Content creators will be divided up into 3 experience levels and are entitled to different levels of sponsorships ranging from a sponsored Razer Seirēn to a full Razer peripheral suite. Razer is committed to help budding streamers achieve higher level recordings and create immersive content.

For more information on the Razer Sponsored Streamer Program, visit this page.

The Razer Seirēn digital microphone is the company's latest audio product designed to go beyond pure gaming. Earlier this year, Razer launched the Leviathan, a gaming and music soundbar and the Adaro audio line, a series of four headphones tuned for music and designed for comfort and durability. The Adaro collection continues to be popular among EDM artists, musicians and avid music listeners ever since its acclaimed launch at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show.

Beyond its music partners, Razer works with some of the top professional gaming YouTubers and streamers. Many of which were inspirations in the creation of the Razer Seirēn and will play roles in its future development.

Professional recording accessories such as a shock mount and pop filter are also available to pair with the Razer Seirēn digital microphone for the complete recording setup. These accessories along with the Razer Seirēn professional bundle will be available exclusively on RazerStore.

Price: Razer Seirēn digital microphone U.S. $179.99 / EU €179.99.


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Spire Announces Curvature Ergonomic Keyboard
Did you know that one in six computer users are suffering from some form of RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Mostly related to intensive use of a traditional keyboard and mouse. As part of our new ergonomic computing product line, Spire is rolling out products which will make your long hours of computing more comfortable and better for your well-being. The latest addition to our ergonomic line is the Curvature.

The Curvature series ergonomic Keyboards are high quality, multimedia keyboards, intended to relieve the strain of everyday computer use. The special curved and arched shape of this keyboard give your arms a more natural position and let's your wrists relax while typing, instead of the regular strained position with generic keyboards. Compatible with all current Windows OS and the latest MAC OS, this keyboard is widely compatible. The Curvature is build out of HIPS (high impact polystyrene) plastic and equipped with multimedia hot keys, connected through the 1.5m long USB cable and backed by 2 years manufacturer warranty.

Main Features:

• Curved and arched, ergonomic design
• Large palm rest and support
• Natural wrist and arm positioning
• Suitable for long computing hours
• Multimedia keyboard hot keys
• High-quality membrane key switch

Part number:

• SP-K4003-USB
• Codename: CURVATURE
• EAN/UPC: 6943051264035

Manufacturer suggested retail price:

$51.95 (Dollar, ex VAT)


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Mad Catz Ships the C.T.R.L.i and Micro C.T.R.L.i Mobile Gamepads
Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. announced today the shipping of the Mad Catz C.T.R.L.i and Micro C.T.R.L.i Mobile Gamepads, a new range of controllers designed for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Previewed earlier in the year at Mobile World Congress, the C.T.R.L.i and Micro C.T.R.L.i are the first controllers in the Company's GameSmart mobile product range designed for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, iPad Air, iPad mini 2 and iPod touch (5th Generation) running iOS 8 and iOS 7.

Featuring a premium build and high quality components, such as pressure sensitive action buttons and D-Pad, the C.T.R.L.i allows for immersive, complex gaming when used with controller-compatible iOS games. For those who prefer compact control, the Micro C.T.R.L.i is approximately 20% smaller than the regular controller, ideal for on-the-go gaming or for younger gamers.

"Thanks to technology like Metal, gaming on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch is approaching the quality traditionally seen on home consoles. The C.T.R.L.i products have been designed to capitalize on these rich gaming experiences and, whether playing on the move or when connected to the big screen, the C.T.R.L.i delivers uncompromised control," said Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz. "We believe our strong heritage in specialty controllers has allowed us to bring an extremely distinctive controller for iOS devices to market and we are confident that the competitive price combined with the high specification will prove enticing to gamers of all ages."

Power efficient wireless Bluetooth technology provides up to 30 hours of gameplay via 2 x AAA batteries, and gamers can choose to mount their device to their C.T.R.L.i via the travel clip (included), or remove and play untethered should they wish. Gamers can choose to install the Mad Catz C.T.R.L.i app to their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch running iOS 8 or iOS 7, allowing users to update firmware and providing input diagnostics for battery level and button and axis input. In addition, the app also displays an updated list of gamepad compatible iOS games.

The Mad Catz C.T.R.L.i app is available from the App Store.


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Fractal Design Announces Three New Kelvin Series Liquid CPU Coolers
Earlier this year, Fractal Design entered the liquid cooling market with the revel of the Kelvin Series. After final design and engineering tweaks, we are ready to present to you the precise, powerful and quality Kelvin T12, S24 and S36. The Kelvin water cooling is an open loop DIY system, a perfect option for those users looking for powerful water cooling with the benefits of a DIY system provides and the conveniences AIO systems deliver. Kelvin allows you to expand and improve the cooling for your system like the professionals.

Simple to install, silent operation, powerful performance and easy expand-ability define the Kelvin Series. The silent high-performance ceramic pump is strong enough to support considerable expansion, should you decide to include GPU blocks and/or additional radiators in the same loop. The Kelvin Series water cooling systems are constructed from enthusiast class components. Both the CPU block and the radiator are made from pure copper, for maximum performance and an increased product lifespan with zero maintenance required.

All modern CPU sockets are supported by the versatile, easy-to-use mounting kit.

Fractal Design has created a water cooling micro site to work as a tool to illustrate the key benefits and functions that make up the Kelvin units, provide general liquid cooling guidelines, tips and how-to videos to offer a resource to those looking for general or extra education. Fractal Design's goal and dedication to our end users is to bring great products along with knowledge that helps to build a great system.

For more information, visit the product pages of Kelvin T12, Kelvin S24, and Kelvin S36. The three are priced at US $99.99, $119.99, and $139.99, respectively, and will start selling in December, 2014.

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Shuttle Releases Energy Efficient 4K HTPC, DS81L
Shuttle Inc., leading maker of small form factor technology, today announces its low power consumption slim-PC for automotive and industrial robotics application. The DS81L features the same processing capability as DS81, including support for Intel's 4th generation Core i3/i5/i7 series, but with lower power consumption. It runs on a mere 12 Volts and consumes a maximum of 84Watts while it's older brother, DS81 runs on 19 Volts and consumes a max 90Watts. The 12V power supply and decreased energy consumption is essential for automotive and other commercial applications which require long-term operation.

The DS81L is a barebones media player equipped with an Intel H81 chipset, supporting 4th Generation Intel Core i3/i5/i7, Pentium, and Celeron processors (65W). The system is designed to drive interactive commercial applications and 4K video content. The DS81L supports dual display Full HD video or single display Ultra HD video. The system memory supports dual-channel DDR3 1600 with maximum capacity up to 16GB.

Compact, the DS81L is easily integrated into a variety of commercial applications. Its slim metal chassis is VESA mountable, highly connectable, and operational in 0-50°C ambient temperatures, making the DS81L ideal for automotive, robotics, digital signage, kiosk, and vending machine applications. The device is 24/7 certified. It runs quiet and cool throughout extended use due to Shuttle's exclusive thermal technology.

The system has a robust I/O interface with (2) USB 3.0 ports, (4) USB 2.0 ports, Dual Gigabit LAN ports, (2) DisplayPorts, (1) HDMI port, and two COM ports. Users may also install a VGA output accessory (model#: PVG01) which connects on the motherboard (note: only one COM port is available while PVG01 is in use). The DS81L features diverse connectivity and is fit for application in a variety of industries. The DS81L is currently being distributed globally.

For more information, visit the product page.


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Ozone Launches Argon Ocelote World Gaming Mouse
Ozone launches the Argon Ocelote World gaming mouse. The official launch of the new mouse Argon Ozone-OceloteWorld was 8th December in European countries, and it will be available worldwide from 12th January at Ozone's official resellers. The mouse was presented past 7th December at Gamergy Madrid by Ocelote.

This product has been designed to bring together the expertise of Ocelote and the advanced technique of Ozone Gaming's engineering team to cover the most demanding needs of the gaming community, with the aim to improve the gaming experience of the user.

"I'm not an expert when it comes down to DPIs, laser sensors and so on... But what I'm good at is knowledge what I'm playing with is comfortable and simply good, or not. After testing many different shape designs, sensors and textures with the ozone engineering team we have developed the best mouse I have ever tested. Argon Ocelote is extremely comfortable, amazingly precise and it has the quality a professional player needs in-game," says Ocelote about Argon Ocelote World.

Mouse features:

• 8200 DPI Laser Sensor: Holding an ADNS 9800 Enhanced Laser Gaming Sensor. DPIs are fully customizable and can be changed On-The-Fly from 100 to 8200. Default Levels are - 800/1800/4000/8200.
• 8200 DPI Laser Sensor: Holding an ADNS 9800 Enhanced Laser Gaming Sensor. DPIs are fully customizable and can be changed On-The-Fly from 100 to 8200. Default Levels are - 800/1800/4000/8200.
• 9 progammable buttons: Ultra-rapid response Buttons with Switch tech for maximum control of weapons. Main buttons powered by OMRON to have a total control on the weapons.
• Rubber Coating Surface : Including a top quality surface specially coated with leading-edge antislip rubber material. You will never lose control of your game. Within the style, Argon OceloteWorld incorporates 4 impacting orange LED lights to offers a great experience for the player.
• 128KB of Memory and configurable weight: Save your configurations into 5 independent profiles. Mice memory makes possible to save up to 5 exclusives profiles by its exclusive software from OZONE OCELOTEWORLD. In addition, the product weight can be changed thanks to the 4.5 gr 4 weights included in the mouse lowest part.
• Intelligent Ambidiextrous design: Ensuring maximum control and precision for both right and left handed users.

For more information, visit the product page.


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Avago Expands Industry-Leading Family of 12Gb/s SAS Host Bus Adapters
Avago Technologies today announced it is expanding its industry-leading family of 12Gb/s SAS Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) by shipping new 16-port solutions. The new 9300-16i HBA will join the Avago family of high port count SAS HBAs. With the versatility of 16 ports using internal or external storage connectivity, 12Gb/s SAS bandwidth, and nearly 2 million IOPS of performance, the Avago SAS 9300 HBA family, which offers 4-, 8- and 16-port options, enables OEMs and system builders to deliver maximum connectivity for high-end servers and storage systems that exceed the most demanding requirements for data centers, web, and cloud.

As part of the industry's broadest portfolio of 12Gb/s SAS storage solutions, the Avago SAS 9300 16-port HBA family is an ideal solution for large scale-out storage requirements. With the Avago SAS 9300 16-port HBA, IT departments can now deploy fewer servers with more available storage ports, which translates into measurable cost savings, reduced data center footprint, and lower power consumption.

"Enterprise-class web and cloud applications in software defined data center environments require levels of scale and performance that the Avago SAS 9300 family of 16-port HBA solutions now provide," said Tom Swinford, senior vice president and general manager, Data Center Solutions Group, Avago. "As the industry-leader in 12Gb/s SAS technology, this latest addition to the Avago SAS 9300 family enables the required performance for high-bandwidth server and storage applications."

"Supermicro extends our industry lead with the widest range of enterprise-class SAS3 server and storage platforms featuring Avago's latest 16-port 12Gb/s SAS HBAs," said Don Clegg, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Supermicro. "This latest evolution across our 1U to 4U SuperServers, SuperStorage and 7U SuperBlades delivers 2x bandwidth with cache offload and 12Gb/s expander technology, offering our customers greater performance and higher efficiency with best cost advantages."

"Seagate SSD and HDD solutions that use 12Gb/s SAS deliver increased transactional performance for servers designed to meet growing data storage demands and consumption," said Joel Hagberg, Seagate's vice president of product management. "Combining our SSD and HDD solutions with Avago's latest 9300 series HBA with 16-ports will provide the connectivity and scale required by many of these next-generation data center deployments."

The new Avago SAS 9300 family of 16-port 12Gb/s SAS HBAs address storage connectivity requirements and deliver proven performance with:

• 6 external or internal 12Gb/s SAS + SATA ports
• 8 lanes, PCI Express 3.0
• 12Gb/s data transfer rates
• 2 x LSI SAS 3008 12Gb/s SAS + SATA controllers
• Certified by Avago to support up to 1024 SSDs, HDDs, and tape drives
• Certified by Avago OS Support for Microsoft Windows, Linux (SuSE, Red Hat), Solaris, VMware, FreeBSD

Visit the links for more information about the Avago SAS 9300-16e and SAS 9300-16i 12Gb/s SAS Host Bus Adapters.


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PNY Launches HP v231w USB 2.0 Flash Drive
PNY Technologies, the leading manufacturer of memory products and PC peripherals, has officially announced the limited edition HP v231w USB flash drive to coincide with the much celebrated and auspicious Chinese New Year. 2015 marks the Year of the Goat, which ranks the eighth of all the animals in the Chinese zodiac and represents a symbol of creativity and intelligence. To celebrate the Lunar New Year also known as the Year of the Goat, PNY has released the specially designed HP v231w, the latest addition to their Chinese zodiac USB drive line-up.

Specially crafted with gold housing and finished with electronic plated durable metallic casing makes HP v231w a unique and high quality flash drive. In celebration of the Chinese Lunar Year 2015, the drive comes decorated in artistic goat illustrations, which embrace the joyous and majestic spirit of the festival.

The drive lends a trendy and stylish look and can be looped around a lanyard or attached to key chains, handbags and laptop bags. The HP v231w will be released as a limited edition set, so grab one and be the proud owner of these one-of-a-kind exquisite flash drives.

Apart from its good looks, the HP v231w sports a tough exterior casing that protects your files from any damage or loss. Waterproof and dustproof features ensure additional protection and security of the drive.

Weighing at 4.5 g and measuring at H 4.5mm x W 12.2mm x L 34.6mm, the HP v231w is a lightweight and compact flash drive that can be carried anywhere you go, your own personal storage device. It is available in storage capacities ranging from 16GB to 64GB, so you can store your images, movies and transfer them in ease. It sports USB 2.0 specifications that can be used in all laptop models available in the market. It supports Windows 2000/ XP / Vista, 7, 8, Mac OS: 10.3 and above operating systems and comes with a promised warranty of two years within the date of purchase.

The HP v231w makes the perfect New Year's gift for your family and friends and welcome together the year 2015 with pomp and joy.


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Toshiba Announces Canvio AeroCast Wireless Hard Drive
Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today introduced the Canvio AeroCast Wireless Hard Drive, an innovative device that blends the benefits of high-capacity external storage with the ultimate in wireless freedom. Users can connect to their Chromecast device (sold separately) to experience their personal digital content such as movies, music and photos - by downloading Toshiba's Google Cast Ready app to cast entertainment from the Canvio AeroCast Wireless Hard Drive to an HDTV. The 1TB Canvio AeroCast Wireless Hard Drive is a fast and reliable all-in-one device that helps manage storage needs wirelessly.

"Storage needs are changing. By understanding the importance of mobility, we have taken storage to the next level. With integrated wireless capabilities, we empower our users to share and stream their personal digital content the way they want, wirelessly," said Maciek Brzeski, vice president, Branded Storage, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "The Canvio AeroCast Wireless Hard Drive fills a real need for consumers - they're now able to enjoy the content that they own, wirelessly on the home television."

Users can easily upload and back up content from their mobile devices directly to the Canvio AeroCast Wireless Hard Drive for secure, centralized storage. Instant access is available to stored files through the device's own local Wi-Fi connection (no Internet required). The Canvio AeroCast Wireless Hard Drive has a battery life of up to five hours and can connect simultaneously with up to six devices, making accessing and sharing files from the digital library easier than ever.

Also announced today, the Canvio Cast Wireless Adapter, extends the usefulness of existing hard drives, letting users wirelessly upload, share, download and stream their stored digital library from the hard drive to any connected mobile device. The Canvio Cast Wireless Adapter is compatible with iPad, iPhone, and Android mobile devices.

The release of the Canvio AeroCast Wireless Hard Drive and Canvio Cast Wireless Adapter expands Toshiba's portfolio of wireless products, which is aimed at satisfying a broad range of customer needs. Previously announced were the Canvio Wireless Adapter and Canvio AeroMobile Wireless SSD, which are both now on sale.

Toshiba has been providing storage solutions worldwide since 1967 and has more than 47 years of experience developing storage offerings that complement our comprehensive ecosystem of devices. Leveraging an annual $3.1 billion investment in research and development, Toshiba continues to push the boundaries of storage technology to meet customers' needs.

Pricing and Availability

The 1TB Canvio AeroCast will be available for purchase at select retailers and on toshiba.com/us/ for $219.99 MSRP beginning on December 11, 2014. The Canvio Cast Wireless Adapter will be available for purchase at select retailers and on toshiba.com/us/ for $79.99 MSRP beginning on December 11, 2014.


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GIGABYTE Secret OC Session Unlocks 9 World Records
GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and video cards hosted last week at its headquarter in Taipei a Secret OC session in the effort to give its soon to be launch motherboard, the X99-SOC Champion, a test run to see if it is able to live up to its name. 7 of the world's most experienced professional overclockers gathered in GIGABYTE's OC Lab to see just how fat the GIGABYTE X99-SOC Champion board was under LN2.

The results are impressive; after 7 days of almost nonstop benching by HiCookie, Sofos1990, Dinos22, Vivi, SteponZ, SniperOZ and YoungPRO, the team of elite overclockers achieved a total of 9 World Records, 23 Global Firsts and 25 Hardware Firsts all using the X99-SOC Champion. On top of that, HiCookie also managed to reach the top of the Reference Clock Worldwide Overall Ranking for X99 motherboards with a score of 182.49 MHz! Lastly, 4 additional World Records were also achieved using the already famous Z97X-SOC Force.

"After this Secret OC, I am confident the X99-SOC Champion will be a success. Even though it was hard work and we had a lot to accomplish, everyone had tremendous fun testing firsthand the new X99-SOC Champion." commented HiCookie, Chief Overclocking Evangelist, GIGABYTE Motherboard Business Unit. "These secret overclocking sessions are very important as they allow us to prove the quality and the performance of our new products, and also allows us to fine tune them before their launch. Considering the amount of World Records, Global 1st and Hardware 1st we achieved, everyone should get ready to see a lot more of the X99-SOC Champion!"

GIGABYTE X99-SOC Champion to Launch at CES

Featuring the latest Intel X99 Chipset and support for Intel's Core i7 Extreme Edition (LGA 2011-v3 socket) processors and latest DDR4 memory support, the X99-SOC Champion looks very promising. Launch of the new overclocking flagship motherboard is scheduled to take place January 5th, 2015 at CES, Las Vegas - USA where HiCookie, Sofos and Dinos22 will be on hand to see if they can break some new world records live at the event. More information about the specifications and look of the X99-SOC Champion shall be revealed then.

Find details of each of the records here.


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COUGAR Announces 500K Gaming Keyboard
COUGAR, a leading player in the computer gaming hardware market announces today the release of a breakthrough product: the COUGAR 500K Gaming Keyboard. The 500K is the most recent addition to COUGAR's series of gaming peripherals. Its main target are gamers who either due to habit or due to a wish to minimize hardware cost prefer to use membrane keyboards and at the same time do not want to be in inferiority when playing against mechanical keyboard users. The 500K achieves this by being one of the extremely few real N-Key Rollover membrane keyboards on the market and by including all the pro gamer functions of the acclaimed COUGAR 700K.

When it comes to features and functionality, the 500K is the best membrane keyboard currently available. For a start, being an N-Key Rollover membrane keyboard it outclasses all the non-NKRO keyboards and competes directly with high-end mechanical keyboards. Apart from doing away with the precision gap between membrane and mechanical keyboards, the 500K also includes a whole set of premium gaming-oriented features. It sports the same layout as the acclaimed 700K: Apart from the standard keyboard keys, it includes 6 fully customizable G-keys and dedicated keys for macro recording, configuration profile switching (both for itself and for COUGAR Fusion mice), backlight control, Windows key locking and multimedia functions. It also includes a palm rest with a detachable component to increase comfort when playing FPS.

All this functionality can be managed through the COUGAR UIX Device Management System. This software, provided for free for all compatible COUGAR products, allows gamers to unleash the full power of their devices: an easy and intuitive configuration of key functions; macro recording, storage, configuration and macro export and import and many other functions.


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Available Tags:wireless , security , NBN , Panasonic , Windows 7 , Microsoft , Windows , Sony , Google , gaming , Facebook , Bing , smartphone , USB 3.0 , USB , NVIDIA , GeForce , GTX , GIGABYTE , Motherboards , AMD , Keyboard , CPU Cooler , CPU , HP , Toshiba , GIGABYTE , Keyboard ,