Thursday 31 March 2011

New Acer EMEA President – Walter Deppeler

Acer announces the appointment of Acer Deputy President of Acer EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), Walter Deppeler as the new Acer EMEA President, with immediate effect.

Gianfranco Lanci, who served as both CEO and President of Acer Inc., and President of Acer EMEA, resigned from the company on March 31. Hence, Walter Deppeler becomes new President of Acer EMEA.

Born in Baden in 1957, Deppeler joined Acer in 1997, and currently serves as Senior Corporate Vice President of Acer Inc. and as Deputy President of Acer EMEA. He has extensive sales and marketing experience in the region, and has contributed significantly toward Acer’s growth.

Deppeler will take over the strong foundation in EMEA laid by Lanci, and lead the EMEA management team to pursue further growth. EMEA is Acer’s largest market, and where our notebooks rank No. 1.

Okobe.co.uk is an Acer GOLD Channel Partner.

Eee Slate EP121: The Intuitive Way to Work, Learn & Play

ASUS Announce Eee Slate EP121 with Intel Core i5 Processor and Windows 7 Home Premium Operating System

ASUS have today announced the launch of the Eee Slate EP121 – a handy slate computer which combines the freedom of a tablet with the functionality of a notebook.

With Windows 7 Home Premium and a range of input options including a Bluetooth keyboard and Wacom Digitaliser, the Eee Slate EP121 is an intuitive, easy-to-use option for a range of uses from home entertainment to learning in the classroom, through to working on the move to presenting at the office.

The Eee Slate EP121 is also the first tablet to feature a full-power Dual Core Intel Core i processor, providing a wealth of power and performance to ensure a smooth, responsive environment for the multi-tasking users who demand it.

Multiple input options to suit you in every working scenario:

The Eee Slate EP121 offers three clever ways in which data can be inputted into the device:

Bluetooth Keyboard: Using the bundled Bluetooth keyboard, users can easily input large quantities of text with speed, ease and comfort over long period of use. The slate boasts Bluetooth 3.0 technology ensuring a smooth, uninterrupted typing experience.

Stylus: When out and about, the active stylus accessory with Wacom Digitiser will make a lighter option to travel with whilst still providing a high level of precision, thanks to the intelligent palm rejection function to improve accuracy. What’s more, built-in pressure recognition technology makes the stylus a particularly useful tool for creating graphics and artwork, and those in the design industry or even just those with a creative bug, will appreciate the pre-loaded Art Rage graphics application.

Fingertip: With a multi-touch screen, fingertips can be used to pinch, scroll, zoom and manipulate data on screen. Not only does this provide an incredibly intuitive and natural way to navigate (especially for younger children), it supports multi-user input, providing a collaborative interface for sharing media, games and work projects with friends and colleagues.

A reassuringly durable design provides protection against loss both inside and out:

In such a portable form (it boasts a profile only 17mm thick) it is inevitable for the Eee Slate EP121 to be used in a range of demanding scenarios both inside and out – glaring sunlight, rough journeys or even just excited kids. ASUS have thoughtfully designed the device both inside and out to ensure damage and data loss is kept to a minimal risk.

Inside, data is stored on a Solid State Drive (SSD) which, with no moving parts, is much more robust against physical bumps and shocks than traditional hard disk drives. With a 64GB capacity there is plenty of space to keep your most prized documents and photos safe.

On the outside, the Eee Slate EP121 features a 12.1” Cornel Gorilla screen, which is highly durable and scratch-resistant. Optical bonding ensures reduction in condensation and sunlight reflection, making it far easier to read and see the screen in a range of external environments – whether it’s on a sunny day in the garden or on a dimly lit plane journey for meetings.

Perfect for sharing media and staying connected with friends, family and work:

The Eee Slate EP121 plays host to a range of features which make sharing files and staying connected a breeze.

The 12.1” LED backlit screen with AFFS boasts a 175 degree viewing angle which means it can be turned and rotated and still be easily viewed by a big audience – a feature great for sharing videos with friends or showing a project outline with colleagues or classmates.

With a mini HDMI port included, users can easily connect an external HD display and enjoy movies and presentations in full 1080p HD quality for a rich cinema experience.

A high quality front-facing camera (2MP) means users can take advantage of video conferencing tools – whether it’s for staying in touch with long distance friends or conducting a last minute work meeting across the miles.

Integrated fast wireless (802.11b/g/n) alongside Bluetooth 3.0 and a built-in card reader means it is fast and effortless to copy files between your devices or to share across networks with friends or colleagues.

High performance technology provides a smooth environment for work and play:

As the first tablet to feature a full-power Intel Core i processor, the Eee Slate EP121 surpasses performance levels previously possible in a slate form and can handle high demands responsively.

The Intel Core i5-470UM processor in combination with Intel GMA HD graphics allows users to enjoy a rich multi-tasking environment for work, learning and play without compromising performance. Support of Adobe Flash 10.1 means the Eee Slate EP121 is readily compatible with a huge range of video, animation and gaming content online.

What’s more, the processor integrates Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 alongside Hyper threading technology – essentially this combination means that the Eee Slate EP121 distributes power and performance to applications which need it most at the right times, giving users a speedy and uninterrupted experience whether they are enjoying movies with family or preparing an important work presentation.

Windows 7 Home Premium provides a convenient and familiar environment to use:

Many users don’t have time to learn a whole new operating system just to take advantage of the mobile benefits of tablets.

The Eee Slate EP121 with Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) provides a familiar, convenient way to work and play, with a huge range of compatibility and support for files and applications already in existence.

Microsoft Office is supported by the system, and users can easily navigate their working environment by organising windows side by side, viewing previews of open applications from the taskbar or viewing lists of recent documents.

Plug-and-play is recognised so users can easily connect a variety of external devices such as cameras, printers and scanners without the need to install extra software.

Windows Live Mesh enables synchronisation between other computers, with easy access to the latest version to avoid working on an older document – making it a superior option for those who often work away from the office/home, or for collaborative groups who share working documents.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Do you wish to have music everywhere in the home? Then go wireless with Trust!

Do you wish to be able to enjoy your favourite music throughout the home without any fuss? With Trust, you will have a wireless music system in no time thanks to a new, inventive product: the FreeWave Audio Set.

Enjoy your favourite MP3s, podcasts and Internet radio stations wherever you want with this new, useful product from Trust. With the FreeWave Wireless Audio Set, you can easily turn your speakers into a wireless music system.

The FreeWave Wireless Audio Set allows you to play music from your laptop or PC in the kitchen, the bathroom or any room you wish. It works as follows. Insert the small USB transmitter into your notebook or PC. Next, connect your speakers to the wireless receiver. Place your speakers in any room you wish and you can then listen to your music. Ideal, for example, if you wish to play Internet radio or your digital music library anywhere in the home.

Another useful option is to connect the FreeWave Audio Set to your audio system so that you can send the music on your notebook or PC wirelessly to your audio system and enjoy the best sound quality through your speakers. The FreeWave Set ensures high-quality sound and a wireless range of up to 15 metres. Therefore, lean back and enjoy the ultimate sound experience.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Entertainment on the Road from Intel!

On vacation, kill some time whether you’re on the plane, train or in a hotel room with these apps from the Intel AppUpSM centre. Read your favourite book using the Nook for PC to access over two million NOOKbooks, magazines and newspapers. Watch some YouTube videos through Desktube.tv Lite where users find, view, manage and share videos. Browse, organize and share your latest vacation pictures on your netbook or laptop with the SnapAct photo manager. Or, tweet about your latest excursion to your followers using Tweetdeck.

Coen Brothers cut “True Grit” in Final Cut Pro

To make a critical Christmas 2010 release date for their Oscar-nominated film, True Grit, the Coens negotiated several tight turns in post-production with a custom Final Cut Pro editing workflow honed over the course of their last several features. Says Joel Coen: “We had to get the movie done in a very short period of time. Final Cut Pro, because of its efficiencies and speed, enabled us to meet that deadline”.

For the current range of Apple Photo & Video Editing Software available at Okobe.co.uk Please Click Here...

Tuesday 29 March 2011

Synology® Launches RackStation RS2211+ and RS2211RP+ NAS Servers

High-Performance, Scalable up to 22-bay with RX1211/RX1211RP, Full-featured, and Powered by Synology DiskStation Manager 3.1

Synology® Inc. today launched RackStation RS2211+ and RS2211RP+, 2U 10-bay rack mount NAS servers offering high-performance and rich business features to fulfill the rigorous demands of business users. Their expansion units, Synology RX1211 and RX1211RP, seamlessly scale up the storage space to 22 hard drives via InfiniBand cable that offers up to 12Gb/sec speedy throughput.

“The new RS2211+/RS2211RP+ made Synology’s data management solution even more speedy, scalable, and reliable,” said Rosiel Lee, product manager of Synology Inc. “The pay-as-you-grow design makes the solution within reach even for SMB market.”

When the storage capacity of the RS2211+/RS2211RP+ come to limit, the RX1211/RX1211RP expand the total capacity to 66TB with 3TB hard drives. The RackStations and expansion units are connected by a custom-designed InfiniBand cable that offers high-bandwidth connectivity and reliable connection. In addition, the RS2211+/RS2211RP+ come with default 1GB RAM that can be upgraded to 3GB to enhance efficiency.

Businesses need fast and reliable access to critical data. Synology RS2211+/RS2211RP+ reach an average 198MB/sec reading and 166MB/sec writing under RAID 5 configuration in a Windows® environment, with link aggregation enabled. The two LAN with failover support and hot-swappable drives ensure continual service uptime. To further assure uninterrupted services, the RS2211RP+ and RX1211RP come with redundant power supplies.

Running on a 1.8GHz dual-core processor, the RS2211+/RS2211RP+ consume only 115.5W during operation and 49.5W in hibernation, which is contributed by CPU underclocking and HDD suspension. The RX1211/RX1211RP even save up to 90% of power consumption when they enter deep sleep mode. Their reliability is solidified by Synology’s 3-year limited warranty.

With comprehensive iSCSI support, the RS2211+/RS2211RP+ provide a seamless storage solution for major virtualization servers, including VMware® vSphere™, Citrix® XenServer™ and Microsoft® Hyper-V™. In addition, the RS2211+/RS2211RP+ fit in business environment easily with Windows ADS and ACL support.

Go the distance with headphones by Sony: MDR-RF865RK wireless headphone and MDR-NC13 noise cancelling in-ear travel headphones

Two new headphones from Sony let you enjoy your favourite sounds where and when you want to.

Headphones MDR-RF865 Headphones MDR-NC13

MDR-RF865RK wireless headphone system. With a transmission range of up to 100m, the MDR-RF865RK wireless
headphone system lets you enjoy rich, immersive sound anywhere in the house. Light and comfortable to wear, it’s an ideal companion for watching TV, listening to the radio or playing video games without disturbing others – and with no clutter from extra wires.

40mm driver units ensure smooth, rich audio with a deep bass response, while wireless interference noise is reduced for a clear, transparent listening experience.

It’s easy to set sound levels with the headphone’s conveniently-mounted volume control. This saves you the trouble of getting up to adjust volume on your TV, radio or music player.

When it’s not being used, just rest the MDR-RF865RK on its elegant charging dock. The headphone recharges in just 3.5 hours, with no need to fiddle with power leads. With its rechargeable batteries fully charged, you’ll enjoy a generous 25 hours uninterrupted listening time. The headphone also turns off automatically to save power when it’s placed back in its charging dock.

MDR-NC13 noise cancelling headphones

Ideal for music-loving travellers, the new MDR-NC13 immerses you in a blissful world of unspoiled, crystal-clear sound.

The noise cancelling design reduces ambient noise by approximately 87.4%, cutting out background distractions if you’re on the bus or in the air. The closed-type vertical in-ear design combines superb sound quality with excellent wear comfort.

The headphone’s energy-efficient design provides plenty of battery stamina for the daily commute or longer trips away from home. While the MDR-NC13 comes supplied with a manganese battery, a single AAA alkaline battery (not supplied) boosts listening time to a full 100 hours.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Lenovo Revs Up New Workstation & Desktop Engines for Powerful Performance

Lenovo announced today the ThinkStation E30 workstation and ThinkCentre M81 desktop – two new solutions that bring users speedy performance with 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processors, rapid boot up/shut down and extra productivity features. Designed for creative, engineering and financial professionals who rely on specialised software applications to power their work, users get workstation-class performance and reliability. Meanwhile, the ThinkCentre M81 desktop equips large businesses with the advanced computing features employees need to be most productive.

“Workstation users need the kind of performance that lets them do more each minute. The ThinkStation E30 workstation builds on our strong workstation platform, combining new rapid processing for data-crunching with more vivid and intense graphics capabilities,” said Tao Gu, executive director and general manager, Workstation Business Unit, Lenovo. “We created the ThinkStation E30 workstation to offer extremely powerful processing on a software-certified solution at desktop prices.”


Hard Core Workstation-Class Performance
The ThinkStation E30 workstation builds on its predecessor, the E20 which was named Editor’s Choice by PC Magazine for entry-level workstations in 2010. It offers choices of 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processor technology with up to four cores for super fast computing when including an Intel® Xeon™ processor. Both the ThinkStation E30 workstation and ThinkCentre M81 desktop can take advantage of Intel® Turbo Boost™ technology to overclock on performance-laden tasks. Only Lenovo machines can stay in Turbo Boost+ mode longer for greater performance due to specific proprietary thermal engineering enhancements.

In addition to traditional hard drive storage, the ThinkStation E30 workstation offers choices of 80 or 160 GB SSD for snappy performance opening, rendering and saving/closing files. For creating and consuming 2D and 3D content, the powerful workstation offers choices of NVIDIA Quadro or NVS graphics. The workstation features SATA III for twice as fast and USB 3.0 for 10 times faster data transfer speeds compared to SATA II and USB 2.0. And with up to 16 GB of 1333 mHz Error Correcting Code memory, memory-related failures are virtually eliminated.


Dynamic Business Computing
The ThinkCentre M81 desktop, available in tower and small form factor, comes equipped with choices of 2nd generation Intel™ Core® processors, storage up to 160 GB SSD and choices of Intel HD graphics or ATI discrete Radeon graphics. It also comes with SATA III and USB 3.0. For more screen real estate and extra productivity, users can drive four independent displays by adding a discrete graphics card.


Both the ThinkStation E30 workstation and ThinkCentre M81 desktop are optimised for fast start up and shut down time under Lenovo’s Enhanced Experience (EE) 2.0 for Windows 7 program. EE 2.0 features 20 second on average faster boot up than a typical Windows 7 computer1 thanks to Lenovo’s RapidBoot technology which uses a range of proprietary optimisation techniques. The ThinkStation E30 workstation logs a 57 percent faster boot time and 38 percent faster shut down time over previous models, while the ThinkCentre M81 desktop starts up 30 percent faster.


Driving Extra Productivity

Both machines are loaded with extra features for a productive computing experience. The ThinkStation E30 workstation carries certifications from leading independent software vendors in engineering, digital content creation and financial markets, including AutoCad, SolidEdge, Adobe and SolidWorks, along with support for Red Hat Linux. The ThinkStation E30 workstation also offers an optional Blu-ray player as well as features nine USB ports for connecting to external hard drives and other peripherals. Both machines also come with a DVD burner/player and address office place security by including port disablement and Lenovo’s Hardware Password Manager to manage encrypted hard drives.

Lowering Energy Costs

The workstation and desktop deliver high levels of energy efficiency with reduced environmental footprints. The ThinkCentre M81 desktop saves 56 percent more energy than previous models[1], features Energy Star 5.0 models and includes the new Power Manager utility for managing energy settings on desktop fleets. It also uses 42 percent recycled materials in its construction. In addition to high marks for energy efficiency with its 80 Plus Gold certified power supply and Energy Star 5.0 rating, the ThinkStation E30 extends Lenovo’s commitment to the environment through using 65 percent recyclable materials in plastic parts and meets several environmental certifications including EPEAT Gold, TCO and GREENGUARD.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Stagecoach Extends Fujitsu Contract for Rail Ticketing Systems on South West Trains and East Midlands Trains

Cites sustained operational performance from Fujitsu as key to success.

South West Trains and East Midlands Trains, both part of the Stagecoach Group, have enhanced their contracts with Fujitsu for ticket issuing systems. The contracts, which will see Fujitsu undertake a technical refresh and upgrade of the STAR Point of Sale (POS) ticketing system to Team POS 3000, run to the end of each of the company's franchises (2017 for South West Trains and 2015 for East Midlands Trains).

The enhanced system will enable both Train Operating Companies (TOCs) to further increase the speed at which tickets are issued to customers as well as have a technology platform that enables them to add ancillary products to their service at a later stage, such as contactless card payments and dual customer displays to support full-motion video advertising Fujitsu is currently responsible for the STAR ticket issuing systems in 164 stations for South West Trains and 30 for East Midlands Trains.

The enhancement of Fujitsu's equipment is a mark of the success achieved since the original contract signing for South West Trains in October 2004 and East Midlands Trains in September 2009.

Paul Chick, head of retail systems for Stagecoach Rail, said: "We're pleased to be continuing our successful working relationship with Fujitsu and are looking forward to working with them on the upgrade of the STAR ticket issuing system. This will provide our passengers with a faster service when buying tickets at our stations."

Nick Chisnall, head of rail at Fujitsu UK & Ireland, added: "Increasingly TOCs are demanding a more 'retail-like' experience for their ticket issuing systems. We’re confident that our significant experience and heritage in both rail and retail means we can support the TOCs in driving innovation in the way they issue tickets and work with them to ensure that key innovation in this area forms part of their franchise proposals when the time comes."

Okobe.co.uk is a Fujitsu Partner. To view the current range of Fujitsu Products available at Okobe.co.uk Please Click Here...

Monday 28 March 2011

New ultra-compact A3+ Canon PIXMA iX6550 Launched!

The small and stylish PIXMA iX6550 creates photo-lab quality prints up to A3+ with vivid colours and exceptional detail.

This ultra compact and stylish printer delivers exceptional quality prints of photos and documents up to A3+ format. Featuring a raft of creative facilities, it’s ideal for the home or small office.

Features:
  • Ultra compact and stylish A3+ printer
  • Up to 9600 dpi print resolution with min. 1pl ink droplets
  • 5 Single Ink Tanks
  • ISO ESAT 11.3 ipm mono / 8.8 ipm colour
  • 10x15 cm borderless photo in approx. 36 sec
  • Access to professional “Solution Templates”
  • ChromaLife100+
Compact and stylish A3+ printer for photos and documents.

Compact and stylish

This A3+ inkjet printer offers exceptional quality photo and document printing. Its ultra compact and stylish design makes it a perfect solution for both home and small office – especially where space is a premium.

High quality print

Print professional looking business documents, posters, spreadsheets, architectural plans or marketing materials with vivid colours and exceptional detail on plain paper up to A3. Bring your pictures to life with photolab-quality photo prints up to A3+ thanks to Canon’s FINE inkjet technology using ink droplets as small as 1pl and a resolution as high as 9600 dpi.

Single ink tanks

The PIXMA iX6550 incorporates 5 single ink tanks. When one colour runs out, only a single tank needs replacing, which minimises wastage and helps keep print costs low.

Productive speeds
Enjoy efficient document print speeds of 11.3 ipm in mono and 8.8 ipm in colour. A high quality 10x15 cm borderless photo can be produced in approximately 36 seconds*.

Print directly from movies
Turn your Canon digital camera movie moments into beautiful prints with Canon’s Full HD Movie Print feature. Simply play your movie on a PC and capture the frame or frames to print.

Intelligent software

Photo printing has never been simpler thanks to Easy-PhotoPrint EX, offering features such as red-eye correction, and face smoothing, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles. Content from multiple websites can be effortlessly combined and printed with Easy-WebPrint EX.

Added creativity

CREATIVE PARK PREMIUM is an online service that lets you download photos and illustrations from internationally recognised photographers and artists**. These can be used to create professional-looking greeting cards, calendars and much more.

Easily create impressive looking business documents – such as flyers and point of sale material – thanks to a set of downloadable “Solution Templates”, compatible with Microsoft Word.

Please click here to view the Canon PIXMA iX6550 at Okobe.co.uk...

Introducing the NEW HANNS G HL245 LED Monitor

HANNS G is pleased to announce its latest entry into the HL series of LED monitors - introducing the new HL245. The HL monitor series combines the energy efficiency and design advantages of LED technology, with HANNSG’s own proprietary display technologies and an affordable price tag.

The new LED monitor from HANNS G sports a 23.6” anti-glare display, featuring a full HD friendly 1920 x 1080 native resolution (16:9 ratio). It has a 15000000:1 dynamic contrast ratio delivering a crisp precise picture quality and a sensational viewing experience no matter what content is thrown at it.

With the advantages of LED technology included, the HL245 is sleek and slim. Finished in a matt black, with a traditional design, the monitor makes no fashion statements - it is simply a monitor by name and by nature. The practical design incorporates DVI-D (with HDCP support) and VGA connectivity, and includes tilt functionality with a robust stand. The HL245 also boasts a super wide 170º viewing angle to ensure versatile visibility.

LED backlighting technology: increases a monitors green credentials and increases a display’s lifespan. The HL245 is around 20% more energy efficient than its LCD counterparts and is much more recycling friendly as it doesn’t contain hazardous materials such as Mercury.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Apple iPad 2 Sells Out Internationally!

After launching Friday in 25 countries (outside the U.S.) Apple's iPad 2 was already sold out by Saturday afternoon across major markets, according to several reports. Okobe.co.uk sold out of the New Apple iPad 2 by Saturday afternoon.

The Apple iPad 2 has now Sold Out at Okobe.co.uk but there will be more arriving soon...

Please click the links below to view the NEW Apple iPad 2 at Okobe.co.uk:

Apple iPad 2 16GB model Black & White
Apple iPad 2 32GB model Black & White
Apple iPad 2 64GB model Black & White

Apple iPad 2 16GB model Wi-Fi & 3G Black & White
Apple iPad 2 32GB model Wi-Fi & 3G Black & White
Apple iPad 2 64GB model Wi-Fi & 3G Black & White

Chip Shot: Intel Unveils Third-Generation SSD

Intel Corporation announced today its highly anticipated third-generation solid-state drive (SSD) the Intel® Solid-State Drive 320 Series (Intel® SSD 320 Series). Based on 25-nanometer (nm) NAND flash memory, the Intel SSD 320 replaces the award-winning Intel® X25-M SATA SSD. With improved performance and uniquely architected reliability features, the new Intel SSD 320 offers new higher capacity models, at an up to 30 percent price reduction over its current generation.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Intel Announces Third-Generation SSD: Intel® Solid-State Drive 320 Series

Third-generation Intel® SSD 320 Series on 25-nm NAND flash memory offers 40-, 80-, 120-, 160-GB plus higher capacity 300- and 600GB options.

Advanced architecture enables robust, reliable SSDs with enhanced security features for desktop/notebook PCs or server data center storage.

Performance, reliability upgrades enhance solid line of high-performing SSDs with up to $100 price drop over current Intel® X25-M SSD model.

Intel Corporation announced today its highly anticipated third-generation solid-state drive (SSD) the Intel® Solid-State Drive 320 Series (Intel® SSD 320 Series). Based on its industry-leading 25-nanometer (nm) NAND flash memory, the Intel SSD 320 replaces and builds on its high-performing Intel® X25-M SATA SSD. Delivering more performance and uniquely architected reliability features, the new Intel SSD 320 offers new higher capacity models, while taking advantage of cost benefits from its#25nm process with an up to 30 percent price reduction over its current generation.

"Intel designed new quality and reliability features into our SSDs to take advantage of the latest 25nm silicon, so we could deliver cost advantages to our customers," said Pete Hazen, director of marketing for the Intel Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) Solutions Group. "Intel's third generation of SSDs adds enhanced data security features, power-loss management and innovative data redundancy features to once again advance SSD technology. Whether it's a consumer or corporate IT looking to upgrade from a hard disk drive, or an enterprise seeking to deploy SSDs in their data centers, the new Intel SSD 320 Series will continue to build on our reputation of high quality and dependability over the life of the SSD."

The Intel SSD 320 is the next generation of Intel's client product line for use on desktop and notebook PCs. It is targeted for mainstream consumers, corporate IT or PC enthusiasts who would like a substantial performance boost over conventional mechanical hard disk drives (HDDs). An SSD is more rugged, uses less power and reduces the HDD bottleneck to speed PC processes such as boot up and the opening of files and favourite applications. In fact, an upgrade from an HDD to an Intel SSD can give users one of the single-best performance boosts, providing an up to 66 percent gain in overall system responsiveness.

The Intel SSD 320 Series comes in 40 gigabyte (GB), 80GB, 120GB, 160GB and new higher capacity 300GB and 600GB versions. It uses the 3 gigabit-per-second (3gbps) SATA II interface to support an SSD upgrade for the more than 1 billion SATA II PCs installed throughout the world. Continuing to offer high-performing random read and write speeds, which most affect a user's daily computing experience, the Intel SSD 320 produces up to 39,500 input/output operations per second (IOPS) random reads and 23,000 IOPS random writes on its highest-capacity drives. In addition, the company has more than doubled sequential write speeds from its second generation to 220 megabytes-per-second (MB/s) sequential writes and still maintains one of the highest read throughputs at up to 270 MB/s sequential reads. This greatly improves a user's multitasking capabilities. For example, a user can easily play background music or download a video, while working on a document with no perceivable slow down.

Already one of the most solid-performing SSDs over time, Intel continues to raise the bar on SSD reliability in the way it has architected its third generation, using proprietary firmware and controller, to further demonstrate that not all solid-state drives are created equal. In this rendition, Intel creatively uses spare area to deploy added redundancies that will help keep user data protected, even in the event of a power loss. It also includes 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard capabilities on every drive, to help protect personal data in the event of theft or loss.

"With recent announcements, we have expanded our SSD product line and now offer both consumers and computer OEMs more SSD choices," said Tom Rampone, vice president and general manager, Intel NVM Solutions Group. "We see the Intel SSD 320 as a solid advancement to our SSD roadmap, and will continue to upgrade and refresh our SSD product line as we add more enterprise options for our business customers throughout the year."

Another benefit for Intel SSD purchasers is the Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer, a free utility which provides Microsoft Windows* users with a powerful set of management, information and diagnostic tools to help maintain the health and out-of-box performance of the drive. To help ease the installation process, all Intel SSD users can download the free Intel® Data Migration Software to help clone the entire content of a previous storage drive (SSD or HDD) to any Intel SSD.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

The Apple iPad 2 Sold Out on Saturday at Okobe.co.uk but there will be more arriving soon...

The Apple iPad 2 Sold Out on Saturday at Okobe.co.uk but there will be more arriving soon...

Please click the links below to view the NEW Apple iPad 2 at Okobe.co.uk:

Apple iPad 2 16GB model Black & White
Apple iPad 2 32GB model Black & White
Apple iPad 2 64GB model Black & White

Apple iPad 2 16GB model Wi-Fi & 3G Black & White
Apple iPad 2 32GB model Wi-Fi & 3G Black & White
Apple iPad 2 64GB model Wi-Fi & 3G Black & White

Still time to order for Mothers Day!

There is still time to order for Mothers Day at Okobe.co.uk.

Please click here to view our special range for Mothers Day 2011!

Apple iPad 2 Competition at Okobe.co.uk Coming Very Soon...

Apple iPad 2 Competition at Okobe.co.uk Coming Very Soon...

30 million people online on Skype!

A few hours ago, Skype passed a new milestone. There were 30 million people, online on Skype, at the same time.

Well done Skype!

NETGEAR Demystifies Security for Growing Companies

The new NETGEAR ProSecure UTM150 delivers state-of-the-art unified threat management without a “big IT” price

NETGEAR®, a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and service providers, today introduced the NETGEAR ProSecure® UTM150 – a Unified Threat Management (UTM) gateway for businesses with around 150 users that refuse to compromise on security.

Securing modern networks is more difficult than ever before. Recent studies report that malware infections have doubled in the past year, and that web browsing now causes 80% of infections. Mobility, cloud and virtualization solutions introduce new risks to applications and data while users demand more services from new platforms and locations. Traditional "big IT" approaches are complex and costly while lower cost offerings may simply be insufficient. Growing companies may be forced to choose between products that are overly complicated or unacceptably risky.

NETGEAR's ProSecure products take the guesswork out of planning and implementing comprehensive security solutions. The new UTM150 delivers unparalleled award-winning reliability and performance in an affordable and simple package. Enhanced graphical reporting capabilities and automatic software and malware signature updates dramatically reduce network management overhead. Busy IT professionals can replace an existing VPN/firewall or router with a UTM in less than 30 minutes, ensuring complete protection against viruses, malware, spam, phishing attacks, denial-of-service attacks and malicious embedded code. The UTM150 can even prevent productivity losses due to inappropriate online activity.

"Today, with many UTM vendors offering products that seem similar on the surface, it becomes even more important for customers to focus on how effective these solutions actually are at protecting mid-sized enterprise networks," said Lawrence Pingree, research director for data center transformation and cloud security at Gartner. "IT decision-makers should also consider speed, capacity, reliability and ease of use when evaluating UTM devices."

"The NETGEAR UTM150 is a revelation – I never expected a unified threat management device could directly improve the productivity of our workforce," said Michael Christie, Director of Information Technology at Lawley Automotive Group, the largest auto dealership group in southern Arizona. "With its speed, flexibility and rock-solid security, the UTM150 makes it easy to keep employees away from the distraction of web and social media sites that aren't work-related, to manage VPNs between our six locations, and to ensure our network isn't crippled by malware or other online threats. Before the UTM150, I couldn't find enterprise-grade protection and intelligent controls in such an affordable gateway security solution."

"Growing businesses tell us they need 'smart IT,' not 'big IT.' The UTM150 delivers on this commitment with reliable protection and intelligent controls that previously required expensive, hard-to-configure solutions," said Jason Leung, Senior Product Marketing Manager at NETGEAR. "This is the 'democratization of IT' in action, where growing companies now have access to a level of security sophistication that until recently was only available to larger enterprises with larger budgets. Customer surveys prove this – the number one reason why customers purchase ProSecure equipment is our security effectiveness, and the number two reason is the extraordinary value our equipment represents."

Canon introduces three 1.3 Megapixel network cameras and new recording software

Canon, world-leader in imaging solutions, today announces the launch of three new 1.3 Megapixel cameras in its network camera range: the VB-M600D, VB-M600VE and VB-M700F, and a new software application for megapixel network cameras: the RM-64; RM-25 and RM-9, which support recording from a maximum of 64, 25 and 9 cameras respectively.

Ideal for use in security surveillance solutions, the VB-M600D, VB-M600VE and VB-M700F cameras all share the same high specifications – high resolution, ultra wide-angle lens, 3x optical zoom and embedded analytics functions – but each is housed in a different casing, ensuring that there is a Canon megapixel solution for every security environment.

The VB-M600D is a discrete dome shape network camera, to be either ceiling or wall-mounted in spaces such as public transport stations, airports, banks, hotels, entertainment venues, car parks, and shopping centres.

The VB-M600VE is a strengthened vandal-resistant version of the VB-M600D, shock-resistant to 50 joules, water-resistant and dust-resistant to IP66 rating and operational in temperatures from -30° to 50°C[1], making it ideal for higher-risk or outdoor environments such as public stations, offices, car parks, banks, retail stores, airports and transportation hubs.

The VB-M700F is a high-spec. standard box camera. Available with additional outdoor housing, this model is ideal for video surveillance applications that require fixed monitoring to be installed on the outside of a building

All devices are in conformance with ONVIF (v1.02) and therefore can be easily integrated in systems with 3rd party ONVIF compliant equipment.

Lens innovation
The VB-M600D, VB-M600VE and VB-M700F all benefit from a newly designed megapixel lens. The ultra-wide over 100° horizontal field of view and 3x optical zoom allow the cameras to capture tremendous image breadth and depth, making them suitable for placement in a wide range of situations; for example, wide open spaces such as city surveillance, warehouses, critical infrastructure, and retail environments, or enclosed in narrow spaces such as an ATM within a bank, or an office or shopping centre corridor.

In addition, by incorporating the powered focus and zoom lens system, the first to be fitted in Canon’s dome-type network camera range, these cameras incorporate remote focus and zoom adjustment features at the time of installation.

The cameras are also designed to deliver consistently high quality images in all light conditions, by combining a very bright F1.2 lens; an auto cut IR filter and Canon Smart Shade Control (SSC).

Easy installation features
All cameras are easy to install, with powered focus and powered zoom features available during set-up. The features allow users to automatically or manually select their preferred focus and control zoom and Pan/Tilt/Rotation to adjust the viewing area from a remote PC, without physical adjustment of the lens. Once installed, the cameras can be accessed and controlled through the intuitive browser-based Admin Viewer.

All cameras also include a built-in SD Memory Card slot which can be used as a back-up of recording stream images[2] and upload images in case of any network disruption.

Intelligence features
All cameras include Canon video content analytic functions to detect camera tampering or identify if designated objects are moved or removed from a scene, or abandoned. Sound detection also allows the camera to be used in environments where it is important to detect changes in volume. Detection functions can be set to activate automatic recording and uploading to a server or automatic email notification.

The cameras also include a Privacy Mask Function to block certain areas of view, for example, to prevent recording a PIN code being entered at an ATM.

The vandal resistant VB-M600VE
The VB-M600VE includes additional protective features which make it suitable for use in areas which are prone to vandalism, such as transport hubs, car parks or anywhere where the camera is within reach. These include a ‘camera damper’ mechanism which automatically retracts the lens inside the casing by 15.0mm on impact and a polycarbonate and aluminium casing.

The VB-M600VE is also designed to withstand adverse weather conditions and includes a ventilation system to prevent fogging in cold climates, which uses a porous membrane and a fan to circulate heat from the circuit board within the dome housing.

Software applications
The new Canon Network Video Recording Software RM-64, RM-25 and RM-9 support H.264, a highly cost efficient compression method which drastically reduces the storage requirements of recording high resolution megapixel video. Additional benefits of the RM software are innovative new keyword Tagging and Filtering functions, where users can name cameras with a keyword of their choice (e.g. ‘entrance’ or ‘building A cameras’) and quickly view video from tagged cameras through a search bar. This greatly enhances the ease of use in systems with a high amount of cameras.

Each application can manage up to five server groups of cameras; up to a maximum configuration of 320 cameras using RM-64.

Floris Oranje, Business Development Manager, Network Camera Solutions, Canon Europe, says: “Canon has introduced 70 years of optical heritage to the Video Surveillance market. The new devices and software announced today make Canon’s cutting edge lens technology and highly detailed video capture available to our broadest range of customers ever. From sites with changing light and weather conditions, where water or dust resistance is required to areas vulnerable to vandalism, Canon network cameras will ensure businesses don’t miss a thing.”

Sunday 27 March 2011

Introducing the Iomega® StorCenter™ ix4-200d Network Storage, Cloud Edition!

Introducing the Iomega® StorCenter™ ix4-200d Network Storage, Cloud Edition which offers content sharing with advanced media features and data protection in an easy-to-use product ideal for small/remote offices, workgroups and home office networks.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Friday 25 March 2011

Iomega ScreenPlay DX HD Media Player/Server launched!

Iomega ScreenPlay DX HD Media Player/Server launched!

Iomega has announced the ScreenPlay DX HD Media Player/Server.

Boasting an internal storage capacity of up to 2TB, it will let you access various services such as Netflix and Pandora, and with DLNA certification, you can connect to other compatible devices in the household sans wires.

Also, with support for 1080p video playback as well as Dolby / DTS decoding, you can be sure that your eyes and ears will be treated to a feast each time you fire up the ScreenPlay DX. 802.11n Wi-Fi connectivity is provided in the form of an adapter, and a wireless QWERTY keyboard does its job to help you navigate through apps and a handful of web pages.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

iPad 2 now available at Okobe.co.uk While Stock Lasts!

The Apple iPad 2, the next generation of Apple’s third post-PC device, is now available at Okobe.co.uk!

The Apple iPad 2 is available in a selection of models. Please click the links below to view the NEW Apple iPad 2 at Okobe.co.uk:

Apple iPad 2 16GB model Black & White
Apple iPad 2 32GB model Black & White
Apple iPad 2 64GB model Black & White

Apple iPad 2 16GB model Wi-Fi & 3G Black & White
Apple iPad 2 32GB model Wi-Fi & 3G Black & White
Apple iPad 2 64GB model Wi-Fi & 3G Black & White

Find the Perfect Gift at Okobe.co.uk for Mother's Day 2011!

Find the Perfect Gift at Okobe.co.uk for Mother's Day 2011!

Here at Okobe.co.uk we have put together a few gift ideas for Mother's Day 2011.

With only one week to go until Mother's Day check out the gifts today at the following link: Mother's Day Gifts at Okobe.co.uk!

Thursday 24 March 2011

FileMaker delivers free FileMaker Go Starter Solutions

The top-selling business database app for iPhone and iPad, FileMaker Go, allows you to search, view and edit FileMaker Pro databases remotely or locally on an iOS device. And now, with the release of three free Starter Solutions for FileMaker Go - Contacts, Documents and Assets - the organisation of your critical business information becomes more effective than ever. Designed from scratch for the iOS platform, the FileMaker Go Starter Solutions are optimised for iPhone and iPad displays and Multi-Touch gestures, and also come with a free 30-day trial version of Filemaker Pro 11.

Get out and about with the Chicago 2-in-1 notebook bag from Trust!

Trust has a new travel partner for those who enjoy travelling and never leave home without their notebook. The Chicago notebook bag can be used as a trolley or as a backpack and is, therefore, perfect for every destination.

Now that spring is almost here, more and more people are getting itchy feet. Spring is indeed a wonderful time to get out and about. And why would you go travelling without taking your notebook with you? The Chicago 16” Notebook Trolley Backpack from Trust ensures that you pack your notebook as safely as possible.

The Chicago is actually two bags in one, because this notebook bag is both a trolley and a backpack. The adjustable shoulder straps, the padded rear and the waist belt make the Chicago very comfortable to carry on your back. If you prefer to pull the bag behind you, then simply extend the durable, aluminium handle and let the wheels on the bottom of the bag do the work for you.

The Chicago is extremely suitable for carrying your notebook. The main compartment is big enough for notebooks with a screen of up to 16" and the soft lining protects your notebook against scratches and other damage. The four zipped pockets at the front give you enough space for all your accessories and personal possessions, such as your wallet, iPod, power adapter and mobile telephone. You can also keep two water bottles in the compartments on the side of the bag, so that you have everything easily available when you are travelling.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

The NEW Apple iPad 2 Coming very soon to Okobe.co.uk!

There’s more to it. And even less of it!

Two cameras for FaceTime and HD video recording. The Apple dual-core A5 chip. The same 10-hour battery life.1 All in a thinner, lighter design. Now iPad is even more amazing. And even less like anything else.

Once you pick up iPad 2, it’ll be hard to put down. That’s the idea behind the all-new design. It’s 33 per cent thinner and up to 15 per cent lighter, so it feels even more comfortable in your hands.2 And it makes surfing the web, checking email, watching films and reading books so natural, you might forget there’s incredible technology under your fingers.

Two powerful cores in one A5 chip mean iPad can do twice the work at once. You’ll notice the difference when you’re surfing the web, watching films, making FaceTime video calls, gaming and going from app to app to app. Multitasking is smoother, apps load faster and everything just works better.

With up to nine times the graphics performance, gameplay on iPad is even smoother and more realistic. And faster graphics help apps perform better — especially those with video. You’ll see it when you’re scrolling through your photo library, editing video with iMovie and viewing animations in Keynote.

Even with the new thinner and lighter design, iPad has the same amazing 10-hour battery life.1 That’s enough juice for one flight across the ocean, or one film-watching all-nighter or a week’s commute across town. The power-efficient A5 chip and iOS keep battery life from fading away, so you can get carried away.

You’ll see two cameras on iPad — one on the front and one on the back. They may be tiny, but they’re a big deal. They’re designed for FaceTime video calling, and they work together so you can talk to your favourite people and see them smile and laugh back at you.3 The front camera puts you and your friend face-to-face. Switch to the back camera during your video call to share where you are, who you’re with or what’s going on around you. If it’s worth filming, let the back camera roll. It’s HD, so every movie you shoot is a mini-masterpiece. And you can take wacky snapshots in Photo Booth. It’s the most fun a face can have.

iPad 2 and the iPad Smart Cover are made for each other. Literally.4 We designed the iPad Smart Cover to work side-by-side with iPad — and on top and underneath it too. Smart magnetic technology built into each really pulls them together. The iPad Smart Cover falls perfectly into place and stays put to protect your iPad screen, yet doesn’t add bulk to its thin, light design. Open the Smart Cover and your iPad wakes up instantly. Close it and your iPad goes to sleep automatically. And here’s another smart part: it transforms into the perfect film-watching, game-playing, web-surfing stand. It comes in 10 bright colours — including five in rich, aniline-dyed Italian leather.5 Choose your favourite, and your iPad will be smart all round.

iPad is one big, beautiful display — 9.7 inches of high-resolution photos, films, web pages, books and more. LED backlighting makes everything you see remarkably crisp, vivid and bright. Even in places with low light, like an airplane. And there’s no wrong way to hold iPad. It’s designed to show off everything in portrait and landscape, so with every turn (even upside down), the display adjusts to fit. Because it uses a display technology called IPS (in-plane switching), it has a wide, 178° viewing angle. Hold it up to someone across the room, or share it with someone sitting next to you, and everyone gets a brilliant view.

Technology is at its best when it feels completely natural, almost like there’s no technology at all. That’s Multi-Touch on iPad. You use your fingers to do everything, so everything you do — surfing the web, typing email, reading books and swiping through photos — is easier and a lot more fun. How does it work? When your fingers touch the display, it senses them using electrical fields. Then it instantly transforms your taps, swipes, pinches and flicks into lifelike actions. Just like that.
iOS 4.

iOS 4 is the operating system for iPad (along with iPhone and iPod touch). It lets you browse, read and see everything just by pointing your finger. It includes all the powerful, innovative and fun built-in apps you use every day, many times a day. And it’s the platform on which more than 65,000 other amazing apps have been created for iPad. It’s highly secure, stable and responsive, and it’s made to work seamlessly with the iPad hardware. iOS 4 is the reason no other device has yet come close to iPad.

Pick up your iPad, press the Home button and it wakes from sleep instantly. That’s because iPad features fast, efficient and reliable flash storage that lets you access data quickly. So everything effortlessly springs to life.
Wi-Fi and 3G.
Two great ways to stay connected.

Every iPad is built with advanced 802.11n wireless technology. It automatically finds Wi-Fi networks, which you can join with a few taps. iPad is also available with 3G connectivity. So if you’re somewhere without Wi-Fi, such as outdoors on a camping trip or on the road, you can still surf the web, check email or get directions.6
Learn more about Wi-Fi and 3G

With the built-in accelerometer, you can rotate iPad to portrait or landscape, or even upside down, and whatever you’re watching, reading or seeing adjusts to fit the display. And now the accelerometer, three-axis gyroscope and compass all work together. They sense where iPad is, which direction it’s facing and how it’s moving. So games, maps and other apps know your every twist, turn, tilt and 360. It’s an epic win for gaming. And it’s just the beginning of better-than-ever iPad apps.

All the great stuff on your iPad — your music, photos and video — can now stream wirelessly to your HDTV and speakers via AirPlay-enabled speakers or Apple TV on a Wi-Fi network.7 With just a tap on the AirPlay icon, blast some tunes, have a film night, show off some photos or watch YouTube. And go big.
Learn more about AirPlay

Video mirroring is new for iPad and for every app, web page, presentation, video, film or photo you want to show a big audience. Just plug in the Apple Digital AV Adapter or Apple VGA Adapter (sold separately) and your HDTV or projector becomes a bigger version of your iPad. One plug, that’s it. Everyone sees what’s on your display — even when you rotate iPad from portrait to landscape or zoom in and out on photos.

Print your email, photos, web pages and documents straight from your iPad over Wi-Fi.8 There’s no software to download, no drivers to install and no cables to connect. With just a few taps, you can go from viewing something on the iPad screen to holding a printed copy.

The NEW Apple iPad 2 Coming very soon to Okobe.co.uk!

Wednesday 23 March 2011

FileMaker updates entire Bento product line

FileMaker has refreshed the entire Bento product line for Mac, iPhone and iPad. With new features that include the ability to print labels, export libraries with data, automatically add geographical locations to records, and lock down forms, this is a major step forward for this popular range of personal database software. Bento 4 for Mac is now available to buy on the Mac App store, and Bento 1.1 for iPhone and iPad is available to buy on the App Store.

Kyocera Mita Launches Green Channel Programme

Accreditation scheme will promote continuous sustainability improvement by business partners

Kyocera Mita UK Ltd today announced the launch of its Green Partner Programme, which will promote sustainability throughout its distribution, reseller and servicing dealer partners. The accreditation scheme will enable Kyocera business partners to demonstrate their achievement in the field of environmental performance to customers and prospective customers.

Kyocera Mita channel partners will be able to apply for one of two different accreditation levels: Green Partner, or Green Partner Plus, depending on their achievement of sustainability criteria. The programme has been designed to accommodate organisations that are at different levels of environmental performance, enabling those who are already advanced to fast-track their accreditation, while those who are still developing environmental policies will be offered practical support in greening their business and achieve recognition for the stage that they have reached.

Tracey Rawling Church, Director of Brand and Reputation at Kyocera Mita UK Ltd, commented: “Our sustainable approach has long been a point of differentiation for Kyocera Mita, and several of our partners already position themselves as sustainable suppliers, taking advantage of the growing weight placed on this area by purchasers. The Green Partner Programme will formalise the achievements of our partners in the field of sustainability, giving customers increased confidence in the claims being made. We have designed the programme to be very flexible, providing a pathway for increasing environmental sustainability that acknowledges companies that are at different points of the journey. This is an important element of Kyocera Mita’s commitment to greening its entire supply chain, both upstream and downstream.”

David Gibson, Managing Director of Altodigital, one of Kyocera’s premier partners comments “We have always placed significant focus on our environmental credentials not just in terms of our own organisation’s carbon footprint, but also in ensuring that our customers benefit from carbon reduction through the solutions and services we provide. Kyocera has a reputation for leading the way in environmental sustainability within the industry and the Green Partner Programme is a fantastic initiative which we are very keen to support.”

To achieve Green Partner status, Kyocera Mita channel partners will need to demonstrate that they have policies in place covering sustainable office working, sourcing and recycling. They will also need to show that they inform customers about WEEE recycling and Kyocera’s toner returns service, as well as wider issues around the responsible use of office equipment. In addition to these mandatory criteria partners will be able to select from optional criteria to attain the remainder of the points required. This recognises the variation in partner business models and their progress on the sustainability agenda.

Channel partners who have independently verified carbon emissions reduction achievement, ISO 14001 accreditation, a sustainable procurement policy, CSR reporting and a demonstrable customer engagement programme will be automatically fast-tracked to Green Partner Plus status.

Kyocera Mita will provide supporting resources to enable its partners to self-assess their organisations, plus tools and advice to help them improve their performance.

Okobe.co.uk is proud to be a Kyocera Business Partner. For the current range of Kyocera range Please Click Here...

Tuesday 22 March 2011

ASUS Releases the Dual-Core GTX 590 Graphics Card

The most powerful NVIDIA® graphics card ever created with a dual-GPU model offers unmitigated gaming performance for hardcore enthusiasts

Presenting more graphics processing output than any single-board product developed to date, the ASUS GTX 590 uses dual NVIDIA® GF110 cores. With ASUS exclusive Voltage Tweak to drive the card at 918MHz, it enables DirectX® 11 gaming in the highest resolutions possible and with all details and effects turned on to maximum, as well as smooth and realistic 3D gaming and movies through NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ Surround for three-screen displays.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

The New Toshiba Store Alu2S & Store Steel S External Hard Drives Announced

Toshiba announced 2 new external hard disk drives today - the Store Alu2S & Store Steel S. With up to 2TB of storage for all your photos etc!

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

iPad 2 arrives in 25 more countries this Friday!

On Friday 25 March, iPad 2 will go on sale in 25 additional countries, including the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. iPad 2 will be available at Apple Retail Stores and select Apple Authorised Resellers at 5:00 pm local time, and online through the Apple Store beginning at 1:00 am. “While competitors are still struggling to catch up with our first iPad, we’ve changed the game again with iPad 2”, said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’re experiencing amazing demand for iPad 2 in the US, and customers around the world have told us they can’t wait to get their hands on it. We appreciate everyone’s patience and we are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone”.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Acer MT Series Monitor TVs. Multi-functional media performance in a timeless design

With computers becoming real entertainment hubs, monitors must follow suit to let user enjoy a compelling experience, whether they are watching videos or movie, playing games or catching their favourite TV shows. A jewel of multi-functionality, Acer new monitor TV MT series is engineered to maximize and optimize the user entertainment experience.

The new MT monitor TV series combines advanced functionality and technologies with a lean and sophisticated design, making them the perfect addition to any home environment and the ideal choice for any kind of home entertainment. Sized jus right to fit anywhere in your home and to be used as a handy second TV, the MT monitor TV are available in two formats, 51 cm (20”) and 58 cm (23”).

Framed by a glossy black bezel, the MT Monitor TV series shows off a slim design, further enhanced by the hidden speakers and the touch sensitive controls that maintain the monitor’s clean lines. The graceful round base, also black and shiny, evokes a melt of metal, while subtle lighting under the display indicates the power status and its reflection on the base creates a unique effect. What’s more, all ports are located on the side, for easier access.

To ensure a superior user experience, these monitors are rich of outstanding features and can easily toggle between TV and monitor mode simply pushing the input button on the remote control. With embedded DVB-T HD, DVB-C and CI+ support, the display turns into a digital TV set giving instant access to your favourite programmes. What’s more you can record your favourite shows to an external hard drive via USB, rather than to a dedicated PRV (personal video recorder) and watch them at your leisure with as many breaks as you like thanks to the time-shift feature that allows pausing the playback. The time-lag period depends on the storage capacity of the device.

A comprehensive set of ports, including VGA, Component, SCART, S-Video and two HDMIs, ensures ample connectivity to a wide range of home entertainment devices. Plus, the HDMI port connects all high definition devices with the best quality video enabling amazing high-definition viewing and an instant hook up to DVDs, Blu-ray, set-top boxes and HD games consoles. The intelligent Monitor TVs also integrate a USB multimedia reader which provides convenient access to photos and music for easy connectivity and instant enjoyment.

With HD+ and Full HD resolutions the MT series delivers dazzling cinematic views of the latest high definition content and all formats support a 16:9 aspect ratio, the ideal size to enjoy a true-to-master picture and watch your multimedia content with the same the luxury of a theatre screen.

Moreover, the MT monitors take advantage of Acer Adaptive Contrast Management (ACM) technology that dynamically adjusts the contrast ratio to enhance colour quality and obtain ultra-sharp images. The result is awesome: achieving a contrast as high as 12,000,000:1, these displays ensure a dramatic improvement of gradation and detail especially in dimmer and brighter scenes for stunning picture quality.

With a fast 5ms response time that reduces deviations in transition time and allows the display to reproduce true to life moving images, the play-back of simply flawless videos and games is a given. True 24p frame rate conversion preserves original film quality for a real cinema-like experience, making these monitor ideal for fast moving images portraying crisp imagery without the ghosting effect.

These Acer monitor TVs also benefit from Acer display technology that brings a suite of five advanced, easy-to use optimization features designed to achieve images as close to real life as they can possibly be:

Gamma Correction controls the brightness level and colour ratios of red to green to blue, revealing images that are highly defined and vibrantly lifelike.

Progressive Scan increases the vertical resolution enhancing picture quality and clarity.

3D Comb Filtering removes flickering and provides the most accurate on-screen colours.

Noise Reduction uses an algorithm to remove picture noise and artefacts. The result is a grain-free, crystal-clear picture

Pull down recovery is a technology that ensures fluid image motion and superior DVD quality, preserving the original film quality for a truly cinema-like experience.

The Acer Monitor TVs are also equipped with the Acer eColor Management system. This technology adapts the performance of the panel to different environments, light conditions and viewing preferences enabling users to fine-tune the display settings by redefining the colour precision according to the work mode: data, media, cinema or images.

Ideal for environmentally conscious users, the MT monitor TV series monitors falls under Acer range of EcoDisplays.
Acer EcoDisplays are compliant with the most stringent international standards such as ROHS and Eup®. Plus, all packaging materials are highly recyclable and all major plastic components are properly labeled, indicating the composition code and recycling symbol.

All the MT models integrate White LED technology that does away with hazardous substances such as mercury or halogen gases and allows the reduction of power consumption by up to 68% compared to the traditional CFFL displays. What’s more, LED lamps not only ensure exceptional reliability and great savings but deliver a better performance. In fact, they allow the reproduction of a larger color range with better saturation: the result is extraordinary realism, unobtainable with standard technologies. Acer EcoDisplays are also free of hazardous substances, such as PVC and BFR, in casing, printed circuits laminates, connectors and internal cables, for both system and panel.

The Acer series of Monitor TVs offer a perfect combination of display and TV technologies with the possibility of delivering high performing graphics via the PC as well as having the additional benefit of TV functionality.

Acer H9500 video-projector - Enchanting entertainment in your living room!

The image quality is of the utmost importance to enjoy an unforgettable entertainment. This why Acer designed the H9500 video-projector, that offers Full HD projection with native 16:9 aspect ratio and combines it with a number of technologies designed to produce a stunning visual experience and incredibly lifelike images with enhanced contrast and greater brightness.

Better black levels are the key to enhance the home theatre experience, and the H9500 projector features DynamicBlack™ technology that dynamically fine-tunes each scene to optimal black levels while maintaining the original brightness of images, achieving a contrast ratio as high as 50,000:1 and vibrant colours for a true cinematic adventure.

To achieve a truly movie-quality projection the Acer H9500 packs a number of image improving technologies. With Acer TRUE MOTION technology the projector optimizes the advanced MEMC (Motion Estimation/Motion Compensation) to improve picture clarity in fast moving scenes and reduce motion blur, by creating and inserting new frames the smoother motion. The H9500 is also equipped with the True 24p feature. This means the projector can display a 1080p resolution image in 24 frames per second, for the same grand visual enjoyment as watching a movie in the theatre.

Two HDMI™ ports provide seamless connection to the latest digital sources ensuring exceptional high-definition viewing. The advanced lamp technology, with illumination of up to 2000 ANSI lumens, in combination with the 50000:1 contrast ratio and native Full HD resolution, help bringing a new level of brightness, colour and clarity to the images.

Thanks to the lens shift feature this projector shows great versatility and flexibility. Thanks to the lens shift the lens can be moved horizontally or vertically, so images can be projected in their original size without moving the projector. On top of this there is also the 15° Vertical Keystone Correction to fix any distortion and project perfect images.

The quality of images is ensured by top-class technologies designed to enhance colour accuracy and sharpness. The H9500 reproduces images with more natural and balanced shades, achieving truly lifelike tones, thanks to Acer ColorBoost II+ featuring an optimised 6-segment colour wheel design, a powerful image processor and an advanced lamp waveform to improve colour performance. Colour brightness is enhanced and automatically adapted to the displayed content with the aid of Acer eView Management.

Over time, projectors can be affected by colour decay that adds a yellowish or greenish shade to the images on screen. Now Acer’s projectors take advantage of ColorSafe II, DLP® technology and Acer unique colour compensation technology on the optical components to ensure picture integrity even after prolonged use, making them virtually immune to colour decay.

Thanks to the wall-colour compensation feature, the projector can display accurate images even on coloured surfaces. There is no longer need to set up a screen, you only have to choose the wall colour in the OSD menu, and the projector will do the rest. What’s more, the H9500 features the Acer Side-loading Lamp design, to easily change the lamp module even when the projector is mounted on the ceiling.

Elegantly designed with smooth, rounded contours, the H9500 has a chic white surface with glossy finish. The ventilation grill is hidden by gracefully sculpted lines, while the embedded control pad is highlighted by a sleek black rim, enhancing the sophisticated look of the projector.

Up to 2500 hours of lamp life save lamp replacement costs ensuring long-term dependable projector use. Moreover, the H9500 comes with Acer EcoProjection, an environment friendly management solution that reduces standby power consumption by up to 80%. The projector automatically enters ECO mode if there isn’t any input signal for 5 minutes, with up to 20% additional power savings and automatically performs a safety shutdown if it does not receive input for a certain time. Also included in the Acer EcoProjection suite is Acer ePower Management, a tool that lets you create customised power-saving configurations.

To improve ease-of-use, Acer projectors are equipped with Empowering Technology, a suite of tools designed to simplify access to simple setup, viewing and timer utilities, making you more productive and helping get the right message across first time.

Acer H9500 video-projector comes with 5 years warranty on the DLP chip and 1 year warranty on the lamp without hour limit.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Bell Mobility Deploys NETGEAR MBR1210 HSPA+ Mobile Broadband Routers

NETGEAR®, Inc. a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and service providers, announced today that Canadian wireless provider Bell Mobility selected the NETGEAR MBR1210 HSPA+ Mobile Broadband Router for deployment to customers on its HSPA+ network. The MBR1210 offers broadband internet access at speeds up to 21 Mbps downstream by 5.7 Mbps upstream, which rivals wired broadband access performance. It delivers network diversity with an Ethernet WAN port, and on the LAN side delivers 4 Ethernet ports and 801.11n Wi-Fi up to 300 Mbps.

"We selected the MBR1210 for its ability to meet our performance requirements, led by the extended mobile reach of its internal mobile broadband modem and network integration capabilities," said Mike Martins, Vice President of Core Networks & Services at Bell Mobility. NETGEAR's broad mobile product portfolio, its North American based technical and logistics support as well as its creative bilingual documentation have proven valuable to Bell and its clients."

"We applaud the leadership Bell Mobility has shown in its HSPA+ wireless network deployment which makes mobile broadband internet access possible for remotely located customers, those on the move, and businesses needing innovative IP based fleet management services," said Michael Clegg, VP & GM at NETGEAR.

Monday 21 March 2011

devolo Vianect® AIR TV: Comprehensive software update for Mac users Vianect® AIR TV

Aachen, Germany-based devolo AG, specialist for powerline-based networks and digital connection solutions, is releasing a comprehensive software update for all Mac users of Vianect® AIR TV. Optimised for the current Macintosh operating systems OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") and 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"), AIR TV can now be used on the Mac with much greater flexibility. In addition, the stability of the drivers has been improved significantly. Thanks to Wireless USB technology, the one-of-a-kind devolo streaming solution transmits multimedia content in HD quality from laptops to big-screen devices such as LCD and plasma TVs and projectors and thus is ideal for showing digital content on large displays.

The devolo trademark Vianect® stands for innovative digital connection solutions. The Aachen-based company premièred the first product under the newly created product brand, Vianect® AIR TV, in September 2010. Just six months after the market launch, devolo has responded to a wide variety of suggestions from Mac users and provided these in the form of a comprehensive driver update for Apple operating systems OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") and 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") as a free download at http://www.devolo.de. The primary, critical improvement is stability under Apple's latest OS. In addition, the improvements were focused on making initial use particularly easy.

Current driver versions are also available for Windows users to download. devolo likewise supports all current operating systems, such as Windows XP, Vista and 7. For Windows Vista and 7, both 32-bit and 64-bit drivers are available.

Vianect® AIR TV It's easy to show computer content on your TV or projector
devolo Vianect® AIR TV provides a particularly easy way to expand audio and video content wirelessly from laptops or desktop computers to a TV set or projector. Thus viewing HD videos, YouTube clips, holiday pictures or Web content is no longer limited by a small screen—Vianect® AIR TV makes enjoying them on the big screen a shared experience. The devolo product is based on Wireless USB technology, a wireless variant of the familiar USB standard. The broadband connection has a range of approximately ten metres in buildings, making it the optimal symbiosis of high transfer rate and quick and easy installation. Thus devolo's "plug & play" philosophy has also been implemented in the Vianect® AIR TV. The transmission is designed for HD signals with 720p or a resolution of 1,400 x 1,050 pixels. For this purpose, the Vianect® AIR TV computer adapter is connected to a USB port of the computer; the AIR TV station can be connected to the screen via HDMI or D-Sub RGB. The audio signal is either transmitted via HDMI or output via a 3.5 mm mini-jack on the receiver.

To view the current range of Devolo products available at Okobe.co.uk Please Click Here...

Everything’s clear with new PC headsets and microphones by Sony

Comfort and great sound quality for gaming, VoIP chat and more.

DR-GA100 for clear, comfortable PC gaming
DR-ZX103USB and DR-ZX102DPV for music, videos and VoIP
DR-EX13DPV in-ear headset for VoIP
ECM-PC60 microphone for VoIP and voice recording

Whether you’re playing online, chatting with friends overseas or relaxing to music, you’ll enjoy superb sound and comfort with the stylish new range of PC headsets from Sony.

DR-GA100 PC gaming headset
Joining the DR-GA500 and GA200, Sony further expands its range of PC gaming headsets with the new DR-GA100. Treating you to a dynamic soundstage, it’s also ideal for VoIP or listening in comfort and privacy to music or movies on your PC.

Optimised for everyday gaming, the DR-GA100 is a perfect partner when you want to chat with other networked players. The noise-cancelling boom microphone delivers crisp, clear voice quality, while unique Virtual Phones Technology by Sony assures full, rich reproduction of voice and music from any source.

Great for extended play sessions, the DR-GA100 focuses on maximum wearer comfort with a newly-designed soft cushion earpad and light, low-pressure headband. The headset cord includes a handy in-line volume control. There’s also a mic muting switch if you need to need to chat off-air without being heard by fellow gamers.

DR-ZX103USB and DR-ZX102DPV PC headsets for music, video and VoIP
Enjoy crystal-clear sound in privacy from your PC, whether you’re listening to music or watching movies on Blu-ray Disc™ or DVD.

Light and comfortable to wear, new DR-ZX103USB and DR-ZX102DPV Sony headsets feature closed-type 30mm driver units for full, rich sound from any source. There’s also an unobtrusive in-line mic in the headset cord for VoIP conversations. The DR-ZX103USB adds the extra refinement of a USB audio box that reduces background noise levels for even clearer, more intelligible speech. PC connection via USB frees up your computer’s jack for plugging in other devices (e.g. PC speakers). The control box also offers a volume control and mute function for handy level adjustments.

DR-EX13DPV in-ear PC headset for VoIP
The light, compact DR-EX13DPV in-ear headset appeals to business travellers and on-the-go VoIP users who need high-quality speech with less to carry.

Smartly styled for business or leisure, the attractively-priced headset is an ideal choice for anyone who likes staying in touch with colleagues and family via their PC. The comfortable in-ear design features a 9mm EX driver for richly satisfying audio reproduction with full, deep bass. Voice quality via the in-line microphone is clear and crisp. There’s also a handy in-line volume control for fingertip control of listening levels while you’re chatting on the move.

ECM-PC60 microphone for VoIP, PC gaming
You’ll always be heard clearly with the new ECM-PC60 electret condenser microphone. This small, high-quality mic is an essential PC add-on for anyone who wants to chat via VoIP or popular instant messenger services. It’s supplied with an angle-adjustable stand for desk mounting, plus a tie-clip mount for recording a presenter/interviewee on your PC or digital voice recorder.

It’s partnered by two other new microphones from Sony. The ECM-TL3 is an ‘earphone’ style electret condenser model that’s ideal for recording conversations while you’re holding a telephone handset or mobile to your ear. The ECM-CS3 is an affordable omni-directional mic that clips discreetly onto a lapel or clothing for recording lectures, meetings or interviews.

Coming Soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Thursday 17 March 2011

Western Digital Introduces 6TB External Hard Drive to Support Increased HD Content Creation by Creative Pros & MAC Enthusiasts

New My Book® Studio Edition™ II Offers FireWire® Performance and Huge Storage Capacity for Today's HD Content Productions

Western Digital the world's leader in external storage solutions, today introduced its My Book® Studio Edition™ II dual-drive storage system with a massive 6 terabytes (TB) of storage to meet the capacity needs of today's creative pros and Mac® enthusiasts who create, store, edit and archive large HD video and photo files. The new capacity provides users 33 percent more storage than the previous capacity, while maintaining the same footprint.

Combining its extended 6 TB storage capacity and compatibility with Apple® Time Machine®, the new My Book Studio Edition II drive becomes an instant storage solution for a variety of professions including art and design, photography, legal and medical, and a host of other small businesses.

The system offers a quad interface providing maximum performance and flexibility including eSATA and FireWire® 800 when maximum performance is essential; and FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 when system flexibility is most important.

"Thanks to advancements in HD video devices including digital SLR cameras and HD video cameras, the quality and quantity of video content being produced by professionals and enthusiasts alike has grown at an astounding pace," said Dale Pistilli, vice president of marketing for WD's branded products group. "The My Book Studio Edition II drive now available with 6 TB of storage provides creative individuals with the expanded storage and bandwidth they need to effectively shoot, edit, and safely store their video productions without the need to compress their videos or reduce the overall quality of them for the sake of available space."

Extra-fast Performance and RAID Supported Configurations
Fast eSATA or FireWire 800 interfaces, combined with RAID-supported configurations will yield the speed and responsiveness users need for a variety of tasks including fast, smooth video editing; rendering complex 3D objects or special effects; and saving/transferring enormous blocks of data in a fraction of the time it once took.
Formatted for Mac computers, these new storage systems feature:

Features:
  • Massive 6 TB capacity;
  • Extra-fast performance with four interfaces (FireWire 800/400, eSATA, USB 2.0)
  • Cool, eco-friendly operation with WD's drives with WD GreenPower Technology that consume approximately one-third less power than standard dual-drive external storage systems and efficient convection cooling architecture and power-saving mode and designed without a fan to run quietly
  • Automatic and continuous backup software
  • User serviceability, enabling the user to open the enclosure and replace the drive inside
  • Capacity gauge to see at a glance how much space is available on the system and
  • 5-year limited warranty.
Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Tuesday 15 March 2011

devolo celebrates OEM success at the IPTV World Forum 2011: Global market leader with over 10 million products

Powerline expert devolo AG is presenting the strongest dLAN® OEM product line-up in its history at the leading trade fair for Internet service providers, the IPTV World Forum 2011. Innovative PLC products for IPTV and home networks will be featured at the company's stand. At the same time, devolo will celebrate over 10 million products shipped throughout Europe – the global powerline world market leader has shipped over 4 million adapters in the OEM segment. Interested companies from the ISP environment will benefit from the newly established ISP division, which now guarantees customised OEM product versions on the highest level.

Innovative, powerline-based OEM products for internet service providers are the focus of the devolo presentation at the IPTV World Forum 2011. There, the Aachen-based company will feature both special (Hybrid-)IPTV solutions and its wide range of powerline products. At the fair, held in London from 22 to 24 March 2011, devolo will present the highlights for state-of-the-art, high-performance powerline networks at the National Hall, Olympia, Ground Floor, Booth 43). The newly established devolo ISP division will make its debut at the IPTV World Forum. In addition to the classic OEM business, the division offers customised solutions for major customers. Interested companies benefit from the professional product development, from design over implementation to customisation. This guarantees the highest standards of quality "Made in Germany" with the Production Test System (Spirent TestCenter, NI TestStand, IxChariot) developed in-house.

The OEM business area at devolo is growing continuously: the company shipped 4 million devices to renowned OEM customers – in conjunction with classic sales under the devolo dLAN® brand, the number of products across Europe totals some 10 million.

Hybrid TV – Innovative home entertainment from xDSL and satellite services
For OEM customers, devolo is presenting two hybrid TV solutions that offer extensive TV offerings with optimal xDSL network utilisation and enable triple play services to be offered in regions that have a less well-developed xDSL structure. While Video-on-Demand services – such as content from the media library – continues to be loaded via the broadband network, live TV formats reach the home via satellite according to the DVB-S2 standard. This not only significantly increases the potential in terms of addressable IPTV customers, it also greatly reduces the individual installation times and costs.

To make this possible, devolo has developed a modular hybrid TV system consisting of a tuner and IP set-top box. The satellite tuner is simply connected to the satellite antenna – the signal covers the distance to the IP set-top box via the power line. However, the devolo set-top box is not the only option for reception. Every computer in the house also becomes a digital entertainment centre with TV and Web content. This also enables many IPTV set-top boxes that are already on the market to be converted to hybrid IPTV solutions by a firmware upgrade.

dLAN® 500 – The new powerline standard for stable multi-room entertainment
With the dLAN® 500, devolo is presenting the new dLAN® generation for in-home powerline networks at the IPTV World Forum. The adapters, which are in compliance with the international IEEE 1901 standard, offer both a higher transmission rate of 500 Mbps and a longer range. This allows, for example, four HDTV channels to be transmitted simultaneously and retrieved throughout the home. The company's development also takes into account the FTTx efforts of many ISPs, who want to provide 100 Mbps broadband Internet for European households via glass fibre. dLAN® 500 is compatible with all correspondingly standardised powerline adapters and the previous dLAN® 200 generation. The Quality of Service performance feature ensures perfect multi-room/multi-service transmission.

In addition, dLAN® 500 offers TR069 support for comprehensive remote management: for example, the Internet Service Provider can install new firmware using remote maintenance or configure the entire product scenario automatically. The first adapters of the dLAN® 500 portfolio will be available for OEM customers shortly. With the first, the dLAN® 500 AVmini, devolo offers a popular product variant that features an outstanding cost-optimised design and compact dimensions.

dLAN® 200 AV Wireless N – Home networking centre unites WLAN, LAN & powerline
With the dLAN® 200 AV Wireless N, devolo completes its dLAN® 200 AV portfolio: the 3-in-1 adapter unites WLAN, LAN and powerline in one compact device. This way mobile devices like a laptop, web tablet or smart phone easily connect to the dLAN® home network via WLAN, while the desktop computer, network printer and NAS hard drive in your home office are connected via the three classic network ports. The same applies for Internet TVs, Blu-ray players and game consoles in the living room. The compact dLAN® adapter is equipped with two internal WLAN antennas with MIMO technology and enables WLAN zones to be set up quickly and easily for wireless surfing. Support of the fast WiFi N standard ensures that the full dLAN® bandwidth of 200 Mbps is used.

"Since our founding, devolo AG has been a reliable partner in project business. We are pleased to be able to celebrate over 4 million OEM products shipped at the IPTV World Forum 2011," remarks Heiko Harbers, CEO of devolo AG. "Thus we have passed the milestone of over 10 million powerline devices, which confirms our role as powerline market leader while also energising us for the future. devolo offers a comprehensive portfolio in the OEM segment and thus has the right solution for all networking scenarios – from the innovative range of IPTV products to home networks for the new xDSL, FTTH and LTE offerings. devolo also features outstanding customised products that are always focused on the needs of OEM partners."

To view the current range of Devolo products available at Okobe.co.uk Please Click Here...

Monday 14 March 2011

Statement on FinePix X100 availability

Following the 11th March earthquake and tsunami in Northern Japan, FUJIFILM can confirm that the factory responsible for production of the new FinePix X100 digital camera has been temporarily shut down due to safety concerns.

Fortunately, none of the workers at the factory are reported injured but inevitably some damage has occurred to the factory building, causing a temporary halt in production for the FinePix X100. FUJIFILM is currently assessing the factory conditions as well as accessibility via domestic logistics and is working to determine the potential impact on the X100 market availability and initially scheduled release dates.

I'm sure you will also want to join us in extending our thoughts and condolences to everyone affected by these terrible events in Japan.

FUJIFILM is making every effort to quickly gather the information needed to provide an accurate update to our retail partners and consumers.

FUJIFILM appreciates your patience and will provide a formal update as soon as possible.