Intel - Smart Art for Children

Now that school is out, use the summer time to cultivate your child’s creative side while learning. For children ages 3 to 6, Leah’s Farm Paint and Play app on Intel AppUpSM center gives your children free reign to color 23 farm pictures. The app also features 10 farm jigsaw puzzles to solve and uses a professional voiceover to speak the names of the farm pictures and colors to reinforce learning. Glow lets you and your child create beautiful “glowing” art. Check out Intel AppUp for more apps for your young aspiring artist.

KYOCERA to Acquire 100 percent Ownership of Denmark-Based Industrial Cutting Tool Manufacturer UNIMERCO Group A/S

Kyocera Corporation (President: Tetsuo Kuba; herein “Kyocera”) today announced that its wholly-owned Germany-based subsidiary Kyocera Fineceramics GmbH (President: Shigeru Koyama; herein “KFG”) has completed a share purchase agreement regarding the Denmark-based industrial cutting tool manufacturing and sales company Unimerco Group A/S (President: Kenneth Iversen; herein “Unimerco”). Effective July 11, KFG will acquire 100% ownership of shares of Unimerco, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary and allowing KFG to strengthen its cutting tool business in Europe.

Established in Denmark in 1964, Unimerco is a globally expanding cutting tool manufacturer concentrated in Europe. As an independent supplier of high-performance, custom-made solid-type cutting tools for a diverse range of industrial fields including automotive, aviation, wind power, hydraulic equipment and woodworking, the company has earned a highly respected reputation in the cutting tool market.

Kyocera, which started its industrial cutting tool business in 1973, has been contributing to advanced productivity for its customers through the development, manufacturing and sales of mainly its wide range of indexable cutting tool products. With the addition of solid-type tools to its lineup, Kyocera is aiming for continued growth as a comprehensive cutting tools manufacturer able to meet a wider range of customer needs.

By incorporating Unimerco as a wholly-owned subsidiary, KFG will be able to expand sales locations throughout the predominant European market and strengthen sales of its conventional product lines. Furthermore, by adding Unimerco’s line of high-quality, high-precision, custom-made solid-type cutting tools to the Kyocera Group lineup, KFG will also be able to fully engage in the growing fields of cutting tools for aviation and energy, as well as the distinct northern European woodworking market, thus expanding its business.

“Kyocera shares Unimerco’s corporate culture and management style of valuing its employees and encouraging participation by all,” stated KFG President Shigeru Koyama. “By combining the strength of the two companies we will aim for further growth in the European industrial cutting tool market.”

“We are extremely happy to be joining the Kyocera Group,” said Unimerco CEO Kenneth Iversen. “In unifying the two companies we will strive to aggressively develop our business on a global scale, and continue to supply products that provide full satisfaction to our customers.”

The acquisition also means that Kyocera will enter into a new business arena with Unimerco’s other major activity, Unimerco Fastening, which sells nailers, nails and compressors under the Tjep brand. This part of the company — primarily targeting the construction industry — is currently growing rapidly in a number of European markets, and over the coming years further globalization is expected.

Upon completion of the agreement, Kenneth Iversen will remain as Unimerco president and all employees will be kept on in continuation of Unimerco Group operations.

In recent years, market competition has been intensifying, with increased demand in manufacturing fields for high-performance industrial cutting tools that can deliver high-precision and high-speed cutting. The synergy created by the unification of Kyocera and Unimerco will strengthen the company’s cutting tool business to a new level, and allow it to meet an even wider variety of customer needs — helping to contribute to enhanced productivity on the factory floor.

WIN an iPad 2 and Smart Cover!

WIN an iPad 2 and Smart Cover!  
What you need to do: It’s quite simple; all you have to do is “Like” our Okobe Facebook Page!*

The Prize: Win one of two 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G Apple iPad 2 and one Smart Cover!

How to Win: Everyone who 'Likes' the Okobe Facebook Page will be automatically added to a list on the 31st July 2011 and TWO Lucky Winners will be selected at random. Winners will be announced on the 1st August 2011!

Please note if you already 'Like' Okobe on Facebook you will automatically be entered into the competition.

If you have any questions please do email us through the Okobe.co.uk website and we will be happy to help.

*Terms and Conditions do apply

Terms & Conditions:
• Both winners will be notified via a Facebook message on the 1st August 2011. They will have two weeks to respond before another person will be selected.
• Please note only one entry per person is aloud.
• If you already 'Like' Okobe on Facebook you will automatically be entered into the competition.
• Okobe.co.uk reserves the right to terminate this competition at any point.
• There is no cash alternative available.
• Okobe.co.uk employees are excluded from this competition.

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Kyocera Grows “Green Curtains” of Foliage to Help Meet Energy Reduction Targets in Japan

  

As part of its ongoing environmental protection activities, and to help meet foreseeable 15% energy reduction targets around Japan due to the effects of the March 11 earthquake, the Kyocera Group is planting “Green Curtains” which are grown on trellises to shade windows and outer walls of manufacturing and office buildings at 19 locations in Japan*. The foliage of the Green Curtains create a screen, preventing direct sunlight and heat radiation from raising the internal temperature of buildings — thus reducing the load on energy-intensive air-conditioners during the hot summer months.

Green Curtains mitigate temperature increases inside workplaces thus reducing the load on air conditioner units, and can also help reduce the overall operation time. At some of the company’s locations with Green Curtains daily air conditioner usage time is reduced thanks to the cooling effect of the Green Curtains in the morning hours.

The Kyocera Group Green Curtain Activities Web site provides an overview of the eco-friendly activity with photos and illustrations showing how to grow your own Green Curtains, complete with a list of materials and step-by-step instructions for planting seeds and constructing trellises.

Kyocera’s Green Curtain effort began at its Okaya Plant in Nagano Prefecture, Japan in 2007 as part of the company’s energy conservation / climate change prevention activities. The program has since been adopted at other Kyocera Group locations in Japan, and was also undertaken at select Group companies overseas last year. This year, Kyocera will also hold a Green Curtain photo contest for employees to further encourage individuals to take up the activity at their homes as well.

2nd Chance to WIN one of two 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G Apple iPad 2 & a Smart Cover!

What you need to do: It’s quite simple; all you have to do is “Like” our Okobe Facebook Page!*

The Prize: Win one of two 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G Apple iPad 2 and one Smart Cover!

How to Win: Everyone who 'Likes' the Okobe Facebook Page will be automatically added to a list on the 1st May 2011 and TWO Lucky Winners will be selected at random. Winners will be announced on the 2nd May 2011! Please note if you already 'Like' Okobe on Facebook you will automatically be entered into the competition.

If you have any questions please do email us through the Okobe.co.uk website and we will be happy to help.

*Terms and Conditions do apply

Terms & Conditions:

* Both winners will be notified via a Facebook message on the 2nd May 2011. They will have two weeks to respond before another person will be selected.
* Please note only one entry per person is aloud.
* If you already 'Like' Okobe on Facebook you will automatically be entered into the competition.
* Okobe.co.uk reserves the right to terminate this competition at any point.
* There is no cash alternative available.
* Okobe.co.uk employees are excluded from this competition.Click Here to 'Like' the Okobe Facebook Page...

Acer wins Bangkok government tender - Provides over 21,000 PCs and servers plus related services, demonstrates Acer’s strength in the commercial PC sector

Acer Inc. has been awarded the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) tender to supply computer systems for the “School Computer Development Project”, which aims to enhance computer literacy in primary schools. Acer Inc. will supply over 21,000 PCs and servers, making this the largest education tender project in Thailand, and demonstrating Acer’s significant progress in the commercial business market.

On June 27th, the BMA unveiled an exemplary classroom, equipped with Acer personal computers and software. The mayor of Bangkok, M.L Sukhumpan Boripat and Acer Thailand’s Managing Director, Harry Yang, were in attendance, and the event was widely-publicized by television and newspapers.

In accordance with the contract between Acer and BMA, Acer will provide 20,625 personal computers, 436 servers, educational software and networking solutions. This project represents the largest purchasing transaction ever in the Thai education sector.

Harry Yang said Acer has worked for two years on this project to successfully fulfill the stringent requirements of the Bangkok government and outshine competitive bids with the winning tender. This achievement demonstrates that Acer not only leads in consumer products and notebooks, but is also strong in commercial products and servers.

BMA will allocate Acer’s hardware, software and services to 442 primary schools, to enhance students’ computer literacy and efficiency. This project represents the Thailand government commitment to provide universal access to computers in education.

Yang also pointed out that in the Thai market Acer is the no. 1 brand in consumer notebooks, and also in a strong position in the commercial market. Last year, Acer servers and services were used by 1100 post offices in Thailand, and were also popular with many financial institutions.

Acer believes that there is potential for commercial PC growth this year. Therefore, in order to strengthen the commercial products business, a commercial taskforce team was created to build commercial solutions and optimize Acer’s full range of products. Acer will also provide products and solutions to fulfill the requirements of government, schools, small to medium businesses, and large businesses.

Acer previously built the fastest supercomputer in Taiwan for Taiwan’s National Center for High Performance Computing (NCHC); with this project for BMA, Acer once again proves very strong in the commercial computing business.

According to Gartner Dataquest statistics, Acer holds the number one position in market share for personal computers and notebooks in Thailand since 2005. Last year Acer’s market share for PC in Thailand was 27.5%, for notebooks was 33.9%; this year’s Q1 PC market share in Thailand was 28.3%, and notebook market share was 33.8%, maintaining the number one position.

Seagate Delivers Unmatched Price-Performance Storage For World’s First Tablets Featuring Hard Drives

Seagate is delivering hard disk drive storage for the world’s first handheld tablet computers with hard drives. The ARCHOS G9 8- and 10-inch tablets, announced today in Paris, feature the Seagate Momentus® Thin hard drive, a speedy notebook drive with a super-slim 7mm profile.

The performance and capacity of the Momentus Thin drive are the perfect complement for the cutting-edge speed of the ARCHOS G9 family of tablets that features the industry’s fastest dual-core 1.5 GHz processor and, on the strength of the Momentus Thin drive, gives users 250GB of capacity, eight times more than a standard 32GB tablet but at the same cost, making the ARCHOS G9 one of the tablet industry’s best cost-performance values.

Seagate Momentus Thin, the world's first ultra-thin 2.5-inch hard drive for ultra-portables including tablets and slim laptop PCs.

“Seagate continues to break new ground in the development of products and technologies that matter most to customers by delivering the Momentus® Thin drive for these powerful ARCHOS tablets,” said Rocky Pimentel, Seagate Chief Sales and Marketing Officer. “The Momentus® Thin drive gives tablet buyers a compelling option, providing great storage capacity and performance that dovetail with the processing power of the new ARCHOS products for great Android and multimedia experiences.”

The Seagate Momentus Thin hard drive is ideal for tablet computers and other ultra-portables, entry-level to high-performance laptop PCs, and slim consumer electronics devices. The world’s first 2.5-inch hard drive with a 7mm profile features:
Seagate SmartAlign™ technology to smooth the transition to 4K sectors without the need for software utilities
320GB, 250GB and 160GB capacities
7200RPM and 5400RPM spin speeds with 16MB of cache
Optional: Government-grade encryption to protect computer data where it lives – on the hard drive – for powerful data security. (The Momentus Thin drive is FIPS 140-2 certified, delivering government-grade encryption, and conforms to the Trusted Computing Group Opal specification, developed to enable the ecosystem for self-encrypting drives and increase their adoption.)

The ARCHOS 80 and 101 G9 tablets featuring the Seagate Momentus Thin hard drive.

In another move into the tablet computing market, Seagate last month announced the GoFlex Satellite™ mobile wireless storage device, the first battery-powered external hard drive to wirelessly extend the storage capacity of any Wi-Fi enabled mobile device including tablets. With 500GB and Wi-Fi access over 802.11 b/g/n and a rechargeable battery, the GoFlex Satellite device enables users of tablets and other ultra-portables to carry an entire library of video, music, pictures and documents.

Acer completes fastest supercomputer in Taiwan Ranks #42 in Top500® - 177 TFLOPS supercomputer, scalable with flexibleservices

Acer Inc. has completed construction of the 177 TFLOPS ALPS (Advanced Large Parallel System) supercomputing system for Taiwan’s National Center for High-performance Computing (NCHC). The system is the fastest supercomputer in Taiwan, and will be used to support research in science and engineering, including the fields of chemistry, disaster simulation, biotechnology, alternative energy, life sciences and more.

NCHC is the leading research institute in Taiwan for HPC. The center works with academic and enterprise institutes to take part in joint research and HPC service support. To further their service and support for the growing HPC research needs, the center sought to build a new supercomputing system that can offer flexible HPC resources for the research needs of Taiwan. The contract was awarded to Acer in November 2010.

Acer Corporate President, Jim Wong, emphasizes that “this system was a great opportunity for Acer to demonstrate our computing ability in the most demanding environments. Supercomputing is a benchmark for all fields of IT and proves Acer servers are ready to carve their space in datacenter environments.”

Regarding the build, NCHC’s director, Kuo-Ning Chiang, explained: “The decision to build this machine was made out of necessity. NCHC provides supercomputing resources to Taiwan’s many research groups and universities, and our previous machine with only 20 TFLOPS had a long waiting list for running computing jobs. The new system by Acer not only satisfies the current demand, but gives us a lot of room to grow.”

NCHC’s deputy director, Weichang Huang, was closely involved in the build and oversaw much of the work. He comments: “We greatly appreciate having Acer and its partners’ experience and expertise on this difficult case. Under tight deadlines, they were able to work with NCHC teams to complete this complex system. In addition to the largest system ever built in Taiwan, the experience learned from this effort has offered a great deal of knowledge for both NCHC and Acer, boosting the expertise of the HPC community of Taiwan to the next level.”

“Acer’s strong portfolio of High Performance and Technical Computing systems, integrated with industry leading technology partners, allowed us to deploy a custom HPC infrastructure able to support a wide range of applications to meet the needs of a diverse user community,” said Gianluca Degliesposti, Acer Vice President of Global Server Business Development.

The ALPS supercomputing system, nicknamed Windrider, was constructed through the consolidated efforts of Acer, AMD, Qlogic, DataDirect Networks, and Platform Computing.
The Cluster system uses the latest AMD Opteron™ 6000 Series processors and has a total of 8 compute clusters, 1 large memory cluster, and over 25,000 compute cores.
In order to meet a broad set of HPC needs, the system’s architecture is flexible to grow or shrink depending on the computing demand, and since all requests are off loaded from clients located all over Taiwan and the surrounding Asia region, the system advances the concept of HPC in the cloud.

The ALPS supercomputing system is completing user acceptance testing, and will begin fulfilling Taiwan’s research needs in July 2011. It is currently listed as number 42 in the June 2011 update to the Top500® List.

Kodak's NEW 2x Optical Zoom Lens Accessory!

Kodak’s new pocket video camera 2x optical lens accessory lets you zoom to the heart of the action.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Kyocera Launches the TASKalfa 6550ci & 7550ci - High-speed A3 colour multifunctionals!

Turning business ambitions into reality

Kyocera’s TASKalfa 6550ci and 7550ci are the enablers for your business’ future ambitions. They sit at the heart of your document processes, not just handling high-volume printing, copying and scanning but also integrating with the business applications that are vital to your organisation’s professional expansion.

To suit today’s business, these multifunctionals have been designed to work the way you work, to communicate with the fleet and document management, cost-control and security applications your organisation needs to use. They will accelerate existing business processes and present the opportunity to exploit new ones.

Like all TASKalfa multifunctionals, the 6550ci and 7550ci are founded on the long-life technology for which Kyocera is famous. This delivers an unrivalled level of reliability to your organisation along with the reassurance that your daily work will not be disrupted by frequent service visits.

TASKalfa 6550ci & 7550ci

Features:

Up to 70 / 75 A4 pages per minute in colour / monochrome
Outstanding colour speed, quality and consistency through Fiery controller*
2GB RAM & 320GB hard disk memory
Network colour printing (PCL and PostScript-compatible) and scanning
4,150-sheet paper capacity as standard, expandable to 7,650 sheets
Wide range of media support: 300GSM, over-sized A3 and 1.2m banners
Flexible paper handling (up to 8 media sources)
Productive finishing options including booklet printing and tri-folding
Single-pass double-sided document processor
Dealer launch materials for these products are attached below.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Kyocera Launches the TASKalfa 6500i & 8000i High-speed A3 monochrome multifunctionals!

Extending the scope of high-volume devices

The TASKalfa 6500i and 8000i rewrite the role of high-volume monochrome multifunctionals. Far from being the dull workhorse hidden in the basement, these high-capacity, high-performance devices will form the backbone of your office’s document infrastructure.

That they can produce incredible quantities of printed and copied documents is beyond question. The long-life technology for which Kyocera is famous ensures that the TASKalfa 6500i and 8000i will deliver documents reliably without failure, interruption or intervention.

But these devices are so much more than document factories. They combine quality and finesse with high-volume capabilities. For example, the TASKalfa 6500i and 8000i add booklet-creation and tri-folding of letters to the usual finishing options of stapling and hole-punching*.

TASKalfa 6500i & 8000i
 
Features:

Up to 80 A4 pages per minute
2GB RAM & 320GB hard disk memory
Network printing (PCL and PostScript-compatible) and colour scanning
4,150-sheet paper capacity as standard, expandable to 7,650 sheets
Single-pass double-sided document processor
Wide range of media support: 300GSM, over-sized A3 and 1.2m banners
Flexible paper handling (up to 8 media sources)
Expandable fax functions* – dual-line fax, network fax and Internet fax
Productive finishing options including booklet printing and tri-folding
Dealer launch materials for these products are attached below.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk... 

Kyocera Launches the TASKalfa 3050ci, 3550ci, 4550ci & 5550ci Mid-range A3 colour multifunctionals!

If you can dream it, we can print it

The days when multifunctionals only had to print, copy, scan and fax are long gone. To be effective, today’s multifunctional has to be able to work with the software applications that drive your business in ways that suit your staff.

TASKalfa multifunctionals have the intelligence and compatibility to work with leading document management, security, cost control and fleet management software suites. As a part of an advanced document-handling environment, they will enhance and accelerate your business processes.

It’s about making multifunctionals work for you rather than you working around multifunctionals.

TASKalfa 3050ci, 3550ci, 4550ci & 5550ci

Features:

30-50ppm A4 (colour); 30-55ppm A4 (monochrome)
Consistently excellent image quality due to advanced colour technology
Colour management through Fiery controller
Time to first copy: 5.4 seconds in colour
Up to 2 GB RAM & 320GB HDD memory and storage
Expandable fax functions*: dual-line fax, network fax, and Internet fax
Single-pass or reversing double-sided document processors
Flexible paper handling (max. 8 media types) and productive finishing options
Dealer launch materials for these products are attached below.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Kyocera Launches the TASKalfa 3500i, 4500i & 5500i Mid-range A3 monochrome multifunctionals!

The power behind your organisation's future!

Today’s organisations benefit from ever-more sophisticated document processes. Gone are the days when the printed document reigned supreme. While printing and copying remain the bedrock on which document processes are built, modern businesses need to be able to handle a massive range of incoming and outgoing digital documents.

The TASKalfa 3500i, 4500i and 5500i are perfectly equipped to support such modern offices. As well as having ample ability to produce monochrome documents rapidly and reliably day after day, their abundant digital capabilities will make them the hub of your business communications.

TASKalfa 3500, 4500i & 5500i

Features:

Up to 55 A4 pages per minute
1GB RAM & 160GB hard disk memory
Network printing (PCL and PostScript-compatible) and colour scanning as standard
1,150-sheet paper capacity as standard, expandable to 7,150 sheets
Single-pass or reversing double-sided document processors
Wide range of media support: 300GSM, over-sized A3 and 1.2m banners
Flexible paper handling (up to 8 media sources)
Expandable fax functions* – dual-line fax, network fax and Internet fax
Productive finishing options including booklet printing and tri-folding
Dealer launch materials for these products are attached below.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Acer TravelMate 8481 - The ultimate road-smart companion

Professionals spending most of their working life on the go need a notebook that is up to any challenge. A notebook capable of combining top performance with optimal security and extended battery life. Add to the mix a slim and light design and you have the TravelMate 8481, a true road warrior.

With the TravelMate 8481 there is no need to make compromises. First of all, it deliver all the power required for serious business on-the-go via the 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processors that not only allows to run business productivity applications 60% faster than the previous generation, but it delivers smart performance that adapts to the task at hand, enabling more responsive multitasking while ensuring energy efficiency.

What’s more, thanks to Intel® HD Graphics 3000 the new model provides an impressive visual performance for sharper images and richer color, while thanks to Intel® Wireless Display technology, it can share presentations or videos on HD displays or TVs via an easy to set up wireless connection. Smooth HD video playback and exceptionally clear image and sound will make any presentation really impressive.

The TravelMate 8481 is also available with discreet graphic options. Featuring NVIDIA® Optimus™ technology, NVIDIA GPUs boost graphic performance without impacting on battery life. In addition, multi-monitor support takes productivity to the next level, allowing easier multitasking.

In terms of storage, this laptop can be equipped with a standard HDD with up to 320 GB of space and a Solid State Drive (mSata) with up to 64GB of capacity, a combination that can be used as boot/OS partition to boost the system. The integrated multi-in-1 card reader supporting the most used formats simplifies data sharing and provides more storage options.The TravelMate 8481 can also count on up to 8 GB of advanced DDR3 memory that dramatically increases data bandwidths allowing faster multitasking and lowers power consumption.

Besides performance, long lasting battery life is another highly sought after feature. The TravelMate 8481 can offer up to 9 hours battery life, so that it won’t let you down in the middle of something important. What’s more, it features Acer PowerSmart long cycle battery, that ensures up to 3 times longer battery life cycles (1000 vs. 300 cycles) and maintain 80% capacity after 1000 cycle count. The battery will last longer, reducing the need to replace it.

The TravelMate 8481 comes with a 35.6 cm (14.0 inch) Acer ComfyView LCD LED backlit display, with HD (1366x768) resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio offering clear visuals down to the latest detail. The super-slim, frameless display fits into a 13-inch footprint, thus increasing the screen area by 15% for enhanced productivity on one side and improved portability on the other. The ultra-thin design – only 2.2 cm (0.87 inches) at its highest point – combine with the ultra-light weight, 1.5 kg (3.306 lbs.) with 4-cell battery pack to create an extremely portable system.

Not only the TravelMate 8481 comes with a complete range of reliable connectivity options such as Acer InviLink™ Nplify™ 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, or high-speed wired access via Gigabit Ethernet, to be able to reach critical business information or have communication with customers anytime and anywhere, it also offers a fast way to check important information via Acer InstantView. Acer InstantView is a Linux based light OS designed for fast boot up. Starting up in only 8 seconds, it allows to launch Calendar, Document, Email, contacts almost immediately to quickly review information and increase business productivity.

With the USB 3.0 port users can transfer data to and from external devices 10 times faster than before. On top of it, this laptop flaunts the Power-Off USB Charging technology, to let you charge your smartphone or other USB devices even without turning the computer on. As your laptop becomes your charging station you can travel even lighter because there is no longer need to carry along power adapters.

Data protection, both from physical accidents or from unauthorized access to the system, is critical for business users. This is why Acer professional notebook are thoroughly protected. Starting from the outside, the TravelMate 8481 comes with a resilient case design with a Magnesium-Aluminium cage to uniformly distribute all external forces and withstand extreme pressure. The metal alloy hinge comes with a reinforced coil for maximum hold strength, while the Autolock feature ensure your notebook lid is tightly secured for LCD protection.

Next generation DASP (Disk Anti-Shock Protection) provides all around suspension of the hard disk inside an Mg-Al enclosure to guarantee the physical integrity of your data. HDD is also soft-mounted onto the system to provide extra cushionig. The result is a significant improvement in preventing HDD failure and higher MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure).

To keep the system cool while performing faster, the TravelMate 8481 features the innovative Acer DustDefender technology, designed to prevent the accumulation of dust inside the system. A smart reversing mechanism in the cooling fan can push the dust out.
Acer BioProtection Fingerprint solution featuring pre-booth authentication prevents unauthorized access to your system by recognizing your unique fingerprint. It combines with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) solution to guarantee the integrity of the client platform. TPM also allow a secure storage and reporting of security relevant metrics. Plus, it detects changes to previous configurations.

The TravelMate 8481 is the result of careful design and utmost attention to details. The next generation Acer FineTouch keyboard offers an extra-comfortable typing experience for better productivity. The oversized touchpad offers more precise control and next generation multi-touch permits to perform more functions without switching to the keyboard. Together with more responsive touchpad buttons, it offers more precise control. Productivity hotkeys are designed to efficiently access frequently-used functions such as microphone mute, backup, InstantView and programmable key.

To ensure the utmost dependability and lower TCO, Acer professional notebooks are submitted to a series of reliability tests and are compliant with the most stringent criteria of the industry. On top of this they offer Energy Star® 5.0 compliancy together with EPEAT® Silver criteria, guaranteeing energy savings and longer battery life.

All Acer notebooks come with a standard 1 year Carry In (International travellers warranty - ITW) which can be extended to 3 years’ cover with the Acer Advantage service that also covers accidental damage to the notebook.

June SALE

June SALE now on at Okobe.co.uk...

http://www.okobe.co.uk

Wacom Introduces Bamboo Stylus For iPad!

 
Bamboo Paper, launching globally on the Apple App Store today, allows iPad users to create and share ideas visually with handwritten notes, sketches or doodles.

The launch of Bamboo Paper demonstrates Wacom’s dedication to creating fun and engaging human interface products that offer computer users natural and expressive ways to communicate. A perfect complement to the Bamboo Stylus for iPad, Bamboo Paper turns any iPad into a digital notebook with the ability to share handwritten or sketched ideas and concepts during brainstorming sessions, whilst mind mapping or when doing homework.

Paired with the Bamboo Stylus, it turns your iPad into the ultimate paperless communications tool for use at school, work or home. It is what you need to do your thing – personally, naturally, creatively.

Acer boosts everyday multitasking with the new Aspire 7560, 5560,and 4560 notebooks

Even everyday tasks are increasingly challenging for computers, as users demand more power, top quality media playback as well as a more comfortable viewing and editing experience. To meet and exceed all these needs, Acer designed the Aspire 7560. 5560 and 4560 models that thanks to 2011 VISION Technology from AMD.
The new Aspire x560 series includes everything you need to enjoy an extraordinary entertainment experience as well as outstanding performance to be productive or have fun at home or away. Enclosed in a simple yet classy design with a streamlined profile you can find all the latest technologies to provide superior computing capability, stunning audio and visuals as well as reliable connectivity.

Faster performance and superior multitasking are ensured by new high-performance AMD Fusion A-Series Accelerated Processing Units (APUs), together with AMD’s latest performance GPUs that offer dynamic application-triggered capabilities to deliver performance on demand for a seamless user experience, while reducing power consumption. The result is heightened performance and brilliant HD entertainment with unrivalled visual quality, making the new Aspire x560 notebooks the perfect instruments to handle any need.

To ensure a truly engaging entertainment experience, these notebooks can let you enjoy movies at their best via the optional Blu-ray Disc™ drive, while Dolby Advanced Audio v2 offers an incredible listening experience. Professionally tuned specifically for notebooks, Dolby Advanced Audio creates better audio and a virtualized surround sound experience, allowing users to get the optimal audio output with any content or application. Add an HDMI port to conveniently connect to the latest high-definition systems via a single cable link and you are ready for a superb entertainment experience, a true feast for your senses.

What’s more, The Aspire x560 series comes with clear.fi, Acer’s new media sharing system. No matter where they are, with clear.fi you can seamlessly manage, share and enjoy all the multimedia files saved on your clear.fi enabled devices. Clear.fi is a cross-platform solution for media sharing and enjoyment that works straight out of the box, automatically detecting the clear.fi-enabled devices connected to the wireless home network, and then allowing all digital content stored on any of these to be shared seamlessly using the Clear.fi media interface.

The series comes in three format sizes – 43.9 cm (17.3”) for the Aspire 7560, 39.5 cm (15.6”) for the Aspire 5560 and 35.5 cm (14”) for the Aspire 4560 – with high-definition Acer CineCrystal™ LED backlit displays presenting more details and clarity for a startling realism. Featuring a 16:9 aspect ratio and high resolution the Aspire x560 series ensure breathtaking visuals in high definition for the ultimate cinematic entertainment experience at home or away.

Advanced performance and high definition technologies are matched by a streamlined profile and chic design. Available in two colour options – mesh black and mesh blue – the new models are road-warriors, thanks to the textured finish both on the cover and palm-rest that helps avoid scratches and fingerprints while adding visual richness. Beneath the cover is the highly responsive keyboard with larger keys for extra-comfortable typing. The multi-gesture touchpad puts swift, flawless navigation at your fingertips, while media control keys offer easier access to entertainment. Plus, the Aspire 7560 and 5560 also feature the numeric keypad for convenient input and enhanced productivity.

While powerful processors speed up productivity, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory ensures an ultra fast system response and a seamless handling of multitasking demands. As for storage, large capacity hard disks provide generous space (up to 1.5TB on two disks on the Aspire 7560) to easily stow your growing digital archive. A multi-in-one card reader that supports the latest high capacity storage devices not only allows easy and speedy data transfer, but increases storage options.

Equipped with the most advanced wireless and wired technologies, the new models will put the entire world within your reach: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED® network connection, optional Bluetooth® 3.0+, and Gigabit LAN. In addition, the built-in Acer Crystal Eye high-definition 1.3MP webcam and built-in microphone offer optimal video capture and sound clarity. They are just perfect to engage in high-resolution face-to-face chats with your friends and contacts around the world.

And the icing on the cake is the combo audio jack. It works with the Acer smart handhelds headset, offering hands-free convenience and premium sound quality for listening to music and receiving calls simultaneously.

Still Time to Order for Father's Day 2011!

There is still time to order for Father's Day 2011!

Why not treat your Dad to something special this year - check out our Perfect Gifts for Father's Day Today!
 
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Intel-Based Set-Top Box Powers Comcast's Next-Generation Xfinity* TV Experience

Today at The Cable Show, Intel Corporation announced that its Intel® CE media processors are helping power Comcast's next-generation Xfinity TV experience which uses a new guide and user interface to make the television more interactive, personal and social.

The Intel-based set-top box, designed and developed by Pace, enables Comcast to deliver services that are easier to navigate and search as well as interactive applications that are seamlessly integrated into the television experience. Comcast is using Intel's processors in new set-top boxes in its Augusta, Ga. market trial of Xfinity TV.

"The new Xfinity TV experience is an outstanding implementation of next-generation television," said Erik Huggers, vice president and general manager of Intel's Digital Home Group. "It takes advantage of the breakthrough technologies in our Intel system-on-a-chip products and is well-positioned to lead the innovation charge as we push the boundaries ever further."

Intel's system-on-a-chip also offers a new level of CPU and graphics performance that is capable of running multiple platform technologies and device drivers.

"Our next-generation Xfinity TV is a platform that brings a much richer, personalized and interactive experience, with the ability to continually improve and expand features for our customers," said Sam Schwartz, president, Comcast Converged Products. "Partnering with Intel accelerates this innovation through the large community of companies and technologies that support their processors today."

According to Mike Pulli, president, Pace Americas, "By working with Intel and Comcast on the Xfinity TV set-top box platform, we're providing consumers with an extraordinary level of entertainment, personalization and interaction that further enhances Comcast's offering to their subscribers."

* Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

Samsung to Overtake Nokia as the World's Largest Smartphone Vendor!

Samsung will become the world's largest smartphone maker, overtaking Nokia this quarter.

Nokia has been the market leader since the mid - 90s.

Canon unveils the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II – the ideal telephoto lens for aspiring photographers

Canon today announces the launch of its latest high-quality telephoto zoom lens. The new EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II is a compact and affordable lens, offering powerful telephoto performance combined with high image quality, making it ideal for photographers wanting to get closer to the action.

The versatile new lens enables photographers to shoot a variety of subjects due to its variable focal range. It’s ideal for shooting anything from portraits to longer-distance subjects, such as wildlife, sports, or even features within a landscape – ensuring the moment is always captured in impressive detail.

The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II will be available separately and also as part of a double lens kit, bundled alongside the recently-announced EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II with EOS 550D, EOS 600D and EOS 60D bodies, providing beginners with a fantastic start to their photography system, all in one box.

Designed and manufactured to exacting standards, the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II reflects Canon’s premium design philosophy, with an enhanced exterior design and a number of premium technologies to ensure leading image quality. Canon’s four-stop Image Stabilizer (IS) counters image blur during low light and handheld shooting, and the inclusion of an Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) lens element and Canon’s Super Spectra Coatings also ensure beautifully crisp, high contrast and glare-free images. The latest EF-S lens to be added to Canon’s range is ideal for photographers seeking an affordable and versatile lens for general-purpose telephoto photography.

Kyocera Honored as “Recycler of the Year” by City of San Diego

Kyocera continues its reign as the city's Most-Awarded Company for environmental programs.

Okobe.co.uk is a Kyocera Business Partner. Please click here for the current Kyocera range...

Chip Shot: One Devices Fits All? Not with Intel.

At Computex 2011, Doug Davis kicked off his satellite event with a video highlighting the need for unique companion computing solutions that provide a personal connection between the user, the device and the application, including Intel-based netbooks and tablets. It’s not a “one device fits all” model. We don’t all like the same food. We don’t all drive the same car. And we don’t all want the exact same experience from our devices. Intel believes a great companion computing experience begins with a device and a software stack that offers the user a broad range of choice in terms of how it looks, what it is best at, and how you interact with it.

Trying to Juggling your Laptop and Accessories when you’re typing on the couch? Try the Logitech N600 Coming Soon!

If you’ve ever tried to use your laptop anywhere other than your desk, you know it can sometimes be tricky. From laptop heat to trackpad snafus, using your laptop away from your desk isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be.

That’s why we’re excited to unveil the latest addition to our lineup of lapdesks, the Logitech Touch Lapdesk N600. The Lapdesk N600 features a multiple-layer heat-shielding design that keeps your lap cool throughout the day, and also incorporates a retractable touchpad with multi-touch navigation.

The five-inch touchpad lets you move the pointer with one finger, scroll with two and swipe through pages and pictures with three – giving you enhanced capabilities without the need for additional peripherals. Buttons on the side of the touchpad even let you launch your browser or adjust volume.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Acer TravelMate 5760 - Working with a touch of glamour!

A professional notebook that stands out for the crowd. The new Acer TravelMate 5760 represents the perfect synthesis of productivity, security, efficiency and ergonomic design, with the added appeal of a touch of glamour.

Developing this notebook Ace made no compromises on performance. The TravelMate 5760 takes advantage of the second generation Intel® Core™ processor family with mobile Intel® HM65 Express Chipset ensuring smart performance that adapts to users’ needs, giving a significantly faster performance to speed through demanding tasks and boost productivity, while saving energy.

In addition, these processors provide built-in capabilities for enhanced multimedia creation and enjoyment and with a compatible adaptor connected to an HD display the notebook can easily set up wireless presentations with seamless HD video playback, stunning image and sound quality. With this notebook presentations will be impressive as never before!

The TravelMate 5760 is also available with discreet graphic options. Featuring NVIDIA® Optimus™ technology, NVIDIA GPUs boost graphic performance without impacting on battery life. What’s more, multi-monitor support takes productivity to the next level, allowing easier multitasking.

Acer takes the protections of users’ data and valuable assets very seriously. This is why the TravelMate 5760 features robust security solutions. To secure the IT investment, protect data and reduce TCO thorough remote management features, the TravelMate 5760 comes with Acer ProShield Security, a suite of security and manageability tools integrated in a unified user interface. Acer ProShield features pre-boot authentication (PBA) and protects the notebook from BIOS level all the way to application level. It allows creating a Personal Secure Drive to store and encrypting all critical files, so that even if the notebook is stolen or lost the data cannot be accessed. Unwanted files or folders can be permanently removed beyond recovery thanks to the File Shredder utility. Finally, it offers the automated solution to manage IT assets remotely and on the go.

In addition, the TravelMate 5760 comes with Intel Anti-Theft technology and Absolute Data Protection (ADP) by Absolute Software. With built-in Anti-Theft technology, if the notebook is lost or stolen users can remotely delete files, freeze or lock it. During lock down the notebook is inoperable and access to encrypted data is disabled. Once the computer is recovered, it can be easily unlocked. Plus, ADP allows users to track their computer if it's lost or stolen.

Through Acer Backup Manager the TravelMate 5760 keeps valuable data protected also from accidents or crashes, allowing to back up data and files at ease, while Acer eRecovery Management provides recovery on-demand for complete peace of mind.

The TravelMate 5760 comes with a 39.5 cm (15.6 inch) high-brightness LED backlit display with 16:9 aspect ratio offering clear visuals down to the latest detail. Plus, LED backlight display provides 33% more energy saving than the standard LCD screens.

Every detail has been carefully designed to ensure maximum productivity and excellent ergonomics. The Acer FineTouch keyboard with extra key travel distance was designed for a more comfortable typing experience, plus it includes the numeric keypad. The unique key shape is designed to avoid mis-typing and the accumulation of the dust, while space and arrow keys have a convex shape making them instantly recognizable by touch. The oversized touchpad offers more precise control and next generation multi-touch permits to perform more functions. The engraved scrolling area ensures easier navigation. Productivity hot keys are designed to efficiently access frequently-used functions such as backup, application launch, volume mute, and wireless on/off switch.

Storage-wise the TravelMate 5760 can count on a spacious Hard Disk drive with up to 750 GB of capacity, providing ample room for storing ever growing digital archives while allowing the system to boot up and load applications faster. The DVD-Super Multi double-layer drive and integrated multi-in-1 card reader supporting the most used formats simplify data sharing and provide more storage options. These notebooks can also count on up to 8 GB of advanced DDR3 memory that dramatically increases data bandwidths allowing faster multitasking and lowers power consumption.

Reliable companions for everyday tasks, these notebooks are equipped with a full range of connectivity options: Gigabit Ethernet for ultra-fast wired connection, WiFi network connection supporting Acer SignalUp™ with Nplify™ wireless technology, Bluetooth® 3.0 (depending on configuration) and integrated 3G module, depending on the model.
Keeping in touch with business contact and setting up videoconferences whenever you need is extremely easy with the Acer Video Conference solution that includes the Acer CrystalEye webcam, Acer Video Conference Manager software and integrated microphone.

All Acer professional notebooks are submitted to a series of reliability tests and are compliant with the most stringent criteria of the industry, thus ensuring the utmost reliability. On top of this they offer Energy Star® 5.0 compliancy together with EPEAT® Silver qualification, guaranteeing energy savings and longer battery life.

All Acer notebooks come with a standard 1 year Carry In (International travellers warranty - ITW) which can be extended to 3 years’ cover with the Acer Advantage service that also covers accidental damage to the notebook.

Chip Shot: Intel Capital Invests in Robots

Intel Capital has made its first robotics industry investment, leading a $13 million investment in Aldebaran Robotics. The company currently manufactures and sells advanced, programmable humanoid robots focused on the education, personal services and research markets. Its products combine a range of facial and voice recognition technologies with location awareness capabilities, providing a flexible platform for application development. The funding from Intel Capital will play a key role in allowing Aldebaran Robotics to develop its product offering into additional vertical sectors such as health and social care.

Chip Shot: A Chat with will.i.am and Intel Futurist Brian David Johnson

will.i.am, Intel’s director of creative innovation, brings his brand of insight, humor and humanitarian vision to the first in a series of video chats hosted by Intel futurist Brian David Johnson. Topics include early memories of geekdom, why movies about the future are wrong and when apps meet the world of Harry Potter. Is a trade show called “Wand-con” far off?

Sony introduces α35 (SLT-A35) with Full-time Continuous AF powered by Translucent Mirror Technology!

Light, compact camera with 16.2 effective megapixels and new in-camera ‘Picture Effect’

16.2 effective megapixels Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor
Exclusive Translucent Mirror Technology by Sony for high- speed, full-time continuous AF with stills and AVCHD movies
Up to 7fps in Tele-zoom High Speed Shooting mode with approximately 1.4x magnification
Ultra-high quality, low noise images with up to ISO 12800
In-camera ‘Picture Effect’ enhances stills or HD video

Light, compact and easy to use, the new α35 (SLT-A35) by Sony brings pro-style shooting speeds and generous creative options to photographers of all abilities.

As introduced on the acclaimed α33 and α55, Translucent Mirror Technology by Sony allows high-speed shooting with responsive, accurate continuous autofocus - whether you’re shooting stills or Full HD movies.

Making its debut on the α35, Tele-zoom High Speed Shooting magnifies a central portion of the image area to give an effective approximately 1.4x magnification while you shoot at up to 7 fps. Providing continuous tracking autofocus of still or moving objects, it’s ideal for capturing fast-moving sports, children’s faces or distant subjects with a high-speed burst of frames. There’s also a rapid 5.5 fps drive mode that offers full-resolution continuous shooting with tracking AF.

With a resolution of 16.2 effective megapixels, the newly-developed Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor delivers stunningly detailed, low-noise still and HD video images. Complementing the sensor’s extremely high resolution and sensitivity, the powerful BIONZ processor cleans and optimises image data to assure flawless images with rich, natural colour reproduction. With a maximum sensitivity of ISO 12800, it’s possible to capture beautifully natural still images and HD video in low light where other cameras struggle.

Advanced Quick AF Live View continuously displays a real-time output from the main image sensor during still- or Full HD video shooting. Light is partially directed from the translucent mirror to an AF sensor to permit non-stop precision TTL phase-detection autofocus – a benefit that’s not possible with traditional DSLR cameras.

Whether you’re shooting stills or AVCHD video, you’ll enjoy a superbly detailed view on the high-quality Xtra Fine LCD. TruBlack technology assures high-contrast images with rich, deep blacks – even if you’re shooting outside.

The high-resolution Tru-Finder offers a precision alternative to framing shots on the camera’s LCD. Offering an extremely detailed, high contrast image with full 100% field coverage, it’s ideal for live preview of picture effects and exposure adjustments. Accurate composition of landscapes, architecture and other scenes is enhanced by switchable grid lines.

Aside from its powerful imaging possibilities, the α35 is refreshingly accessible, even for photographers stepping up to their first interchangeable lens camera. The on-screen Help Guide gives a clear explanation of selected functions and how they’re used.

More advanced photographers, meanwhile, will welcome the top panel-mounted customisable button that allows instant recall of any of 14 frequently-used functions.

The α35 offers a new in-camera ‘Picture Effect’ setting that lets users add extra impact to stills or HD video during shooting, without the worry of editing images afterwards. Effects can be previewed on the camera screen, allowing photographers to see the result of a chosen effect instantly rather than post-shooting. The inspiring palette of artistic treatments includes Retro Photo, High-key, Toy Camera and Posterisation.

It’s also easy to produce dramatic Partial Colour effects, with a single colour picked out against the rest of the image in monochrome. This popular effect normally takes a series of painstaking steps to achieve with photo editing software: with the α35 it’s both automatic and instant.

Refinements in power consumption now boost the camera’s shooting stamina to a generous 440 still shots (approx. when using the rear LCD panel) between battery charges – that’s a 30% increase over its predecessor. The α35 is compatible with the full range of 32 A-mount interchangeable lenses from Sony that includes six Carl Zeiss lenses.

Version 2.00 firmware update for α33, α55
Available from June 20th, a firmware upgrade for existing α33 and α55 cameras by Sony adds several creative and operational enhancements.

Support for the ‘Picture Effect’ function featured on the new α35 is now offered. High-Speed Synch is supported during wireless operation with a compatible external flash (only α55). Ergonomics are further improved with revised menus and a new mode that lets users switch off shooting parameters overlaid on screen for clear, uncluttered composition. The camera’s Digital Level Gauge can also be displayed when shooting via the optional CLM-V55 external LCD monitor. Frequently used features can now be custom-assigned to the D-RANGE button for rapid, menu-free access.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

Sony introduces world’s smallest, lightest* interchangeable lens camera with APS-C sized sensor!

Easy-to-use α NEX-C3 with 16.2 effective megapixels, HD video and friendly new interface

· DSLR-quality images with 16.2 effective megapixel Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor
· Intuitive new ‘Photo Creativity’ interface for jargon-free adjustment of picture settings
· In-camera ‘Picture Effect’ with real-time preview
· Multi-frame imaging techniques including 3D Sweep Panorama, AutoDR and Handheld Twilight mode
· Optional accessories including compactHVL-F20S travel flash and 30mm F3.5 E-mount macro lens

* Among interchangeable-lens digital cameras with APS-C size image sensor, as of 8th June 2011

The new α NEX-C3 by Sony is the world’s smallest, lightest interchangeable lens digital camera in its class.

Offered in a choice of stylish colours, the NEX-C3 features an attractive new body design that combines a satisfyingly solid metal top casing with an easy-to-use streamlined grip shape. Reducing the size of main circuitry shrinks camera body weight to just 225g – that’s almost 6% less than the NEX-3.

Image quality, functions and usability of the NEX-C3 also surpasses that of the NEX-3.

Resolution of the large Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor is boosted to 16.2 effective megapixels, capturing stills and 720p HD video with breath-taking clarity. The large, DSLR-sized sensor also lets you produce pro-quality ‘bokeh’ background defocus effects, whether you’re shooting HD video or stills.

Even if you’re not familiar with specialist photo jargon, the NEX-C3 puts sophisticated picture controls within easy reach, whether you’re shooting stills or HD video. The intuitive new Photo Creativity interface replaces technical terms like ‘aperture’, ‘exposure value’ and ‘white balance’ with the friendlier and more intuitive ‘background defocus’, ‘brightness’ and ‘colour’.

There’s no need to dig into confusing menu options or guess their effect on your composition. Just turn the camera’s rear-mounted control wheel and instantly see the effect of your settings previewed on screen. If you wish, two or more different settings can be combined to create more sophisticated creative effects.

A new in-camera ‘Picture Effect’ setting lets users add extra impact to stills or HD video during shooting, without the worry of editing images afterwards. ‘Picture Effect’ options include Partial Colour, Retro Photo, Pop Colour, High Contrast Monochrome, Posterisation, High-key and Toy Camera. There’s also a ‘Soft Skin’ effect that removes wrinkles and blemishes from portrait subjects.

Tilting for comfortable viewing at any angle, the high contrast 7.5cm Xtra Fine LCD features TruBlack screen technology for high-contrast images with rich, deep blacks. It’s a great way to compose shots and judge the effect of adjusting picture settings, even when you’re viewing outdoors in bright sunlight.

Advanced multi-frame imaging technologies by Sony broaden the possibilities of the NEX-C3 further still.3D Sweep Panorama captures extra-wide images in 3D to enjoy on your 3D TV. Auto HDR ‘stacks’ a high speed burst of three successive exposures to capture extreme shadow and highlight details in a single frame. Similarly, Handheld Twilight and Anti-Motion Blur modes automatically combine six exposures to capture smooth, low-noise images: this avoids hand-blur and subject-blur when you’re shooting in available light.

The NEX-C3 works even harder to capture more amazing images and HD video between battery charges. Improved energy efficiency boosts battery stamina to a generous 400 still shots per charge – over 20% more than the NEX-3/NEX-5.

New E-mount 30mm macro lens (“E 30mm F3.5 Macro”) and accessories
The versatility of the α E-mount compact camera system grows with new style-matched accessories to expand your shooting possibilities even further.

Joining the range of E-mount interchangeable lenses, the SEL30M35 is currently the world’s lightest1 life-size macro lens (138g) for interchangeable-lens cameras. This high-quality 30mm F3.5 macro lens features a 1:1 magnification ratio and minimum working distance of just 2.4 cm, making it ideal for capturing detail-packed close-ups of small subjects like flowers and insects. Despite its extremely compact size, the SEL30M35 employs one ED glass and three aspherical lens elements for excellent optical performance, with minimised aberration and very high edge-to-edge sharpness and contrast. It also offers smooth, quiet autofocus operation whether you’re shooting stills or HD video. The macro lens is supplied with a matching lens hood.

HVL-F20S Flash
Also available as an option, the new HVL-F20S is a style-matching flash that clips onto the camera’s Smart Accessory Terminal. Powered directly by the camera, the flash requires no batteries, achieving an ultra-compact size and light weight when you're travelling. With a generous GN20 (50mm, at ISO 100, m) flash power rating and adjustable head, it’s ideal for creating natural fill-in and bounce flash effects with portraits and everyday shooting subjects.

The expanded range of co-ordinating accessories features a new body case/lens jacket, soft carrying case, straps and value accessory kits.

Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...

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Toshiba Honeycomb 'Thrive' Tablet available for pre-order in US!

Toshiba US has announced more details its first Android Honeycomb tablet. Set for pre-order from June 13th in the US, it will be cheaper than Apple iPad 2.

Running Honeycomb which is Android 3.1, the Toshiba Thrive will feature a 10.1-inch LED backlit screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio. A 5MP camera and another 2MP camera.

Connectivity includes HDMI, WiFi and Bluetooth, USB 2.0 port and a SD card slot.

The Toshiba Thrive is a US only tablet and although the UK will be getting a tablet from Toshiba, however there’s no information regarding a date yet. We will keep you posted at Okobe.co.uk...

Apple Introduces iCloud Free Cloud Services Beyond Anything Offered to Date!

Apple® today introduced iCloud®, a breakthrough set of free new cloud services that work seamlessly with applications on your iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch®, Mac® or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and automatically and wirelessly push it to all your devices. When anything changes on one of your devices, all of your devices are wirelessly updated almost instantly.

“Today it is a real hassle and very frustrating to keep all your information and content up-to-date across all your devices,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iCloud keeps your important information and content up to date across all your devices. All of this happens automatically and wirelessly, and because it’s integrated into our apps you don’t even need to think about it—it all just works.”

The free iCloud services include:

The former MobileMe® services—Contacts, Calendar and Mail—all completely re-architected and rewritten to work seamlessly with iCloud. Users can share calendars with friends and family, and the ad-free push Mail account is hosted at me.com. Your inbox and mailboxes are kept up-to-date across all your iOS devices and computers.

The App Store™ and iBookstore℠ now download purchased iOS apps and books to all your devices, not just the device they were purchased on. In addition, the App Store and iBookstore now let you see your purchase history, and simply tapping the iCloud icon will download any apps and books to any iOS device (up to 10 devices) at no additional cost.

iCloud Backup automatically and securely backs up your iOS devices to iCloud daily over Wi-Fi when you charge your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Backed up content includes purchased music, apps and books, Camera Roll (photos and videos), device settings and app data. If you replace your iOS device, just enter your Apple ID and password during setup and iCloud restores your new device.

iCloud Storage seamlessly stores all documents created using iCloud Storage APIs, and automatically pushes them to all your devices. When you change a document on any device, iCloud automatically pushes the changes to all your devices. Apple’s Pages®, Numbers® and Keynote® apps already take advantage of iCloud Storage. Users get up to 5GB of free storage for their mail, documents and backup—which is more amazing since the storage for music, apps and books purchased from Apple, and the storage required by Photo Stream doesn’t count towards this 5GB total. Users will be able to buy even more storage, with details announced when iCloud ships this fall.

iCloud’s innovative Photo Stream service automatically uploads the photos you take or import on any of your devices and wirelessly pushes them to all your devices and computers. So you can use your iPhone to take a dozen photos of your friends during the afternoon baseball game, and they will be ready to share with the entire group on your iPad (or even Apple TV®) when you return home. Photo Stream is built into the photo apps on all iOS devices, iPhoto® on Macs, and saved to the Pictures folder on a PC. To save space, the last 1,000 photos are stored on each device so they can be viewed or moved to an album to save forever. Macs and PCs will store all photos from the Photo Stream, since they have more storage. iCloud will store each photo in the cloud for 30 days, which is plenty of time to connect your devices to iCloud and automatically download the latest photos from Photo Stream via Wi-Fi.

iTunes® in the Cloud lets you download your previously purchased iTunes music to all your iOS devices at no additional cost, and new music purchases can be downloaded automatically to all your devices. In addition, music not purchased from iTunes can gain the same benefits by using iTunes Match, a service that replaces your music with a 256 kbps AAC DRM-free version if we can match it to the over 18 million songs in the iTunes Store®, it makes the matched music available in minutes (instead of weeks to upload your entire music library), and uploads only the small percentage of unmatched music. Apple today is releasing a free beta version of iTunes in the Cloud, without iTunes Match, for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users running iOS 4.3. iTunes in the Cloud will support all iPhones that iOS 5 supports this fall.

Apple introduces iCloud

Introducing iCloud, a breakthrough set of free new cloud services that work seamlessly with applications on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC. “Today it is a real hassle and very frustrating to keep all your information and content up-to-date across all your devices”, said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iCloud keeps your important information and content up to date across all your devices. All of this happens automatically and wirelessly, and because it’s integrated into our apps you don’t even need to think about it — it all just works”.

New version of Apple iOS includes 200 new features!

Apple has previewed iOS 5, the latest version of the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, and released a beta version to iOS Developer Program members that includes over 200 new features. “iOS 5 has some great new features, such as Notification Center, iMessage and Newsstand, and we can’t wait to see what our developers do with its 1,500 new APIs”, said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Perhaps iOS 5’s paramount feature is that it’s built to seamlessly work with iCloud in the Post PC revolution that Apple is leading”.

Apple Mac OS X Lion Available Soon!

Mac OS X Lion, the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system, will be available to customers in July as a download from the Mac App Store. “The Mac has outpaced the PC industry every quarter for five years running and with OS X Lion we plan to keep extending our lead”, said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “The best version of OS X yet, Lion is packed with innovative features such as new Multi-Touch gestures, system-wide support for full screen apps, and Mission Control for instantly accessing everything running on your Mac”. 

Now available: Free FileMaker Go Starter Solutions

FileMaker has released three Starter Solutions for FileMaker Go – Contacts, Documents and Assets – with a free 30 day trial version of FileMaker Pro 11. The top-selling 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. Designed from the ground up for the iOS platform, the FileMaker Go Starter Solutions are optimised for iPhone and iPad displays and Multi-Touch gestures, and are available in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Swedish.

Apple to unveil iCloud-based music service...

We are all awaiting further information on the Apple iCloud today.

With whats expected to be the biggest news of the year for the company! Steve Jobs will take the stage at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) to unveil its Internet-based media service, iCloud!

We can't wait to find out more...

Kingston takes an SSD to gamers with a Sandforce controller

Kingston has joined with Sandforce to launch a top-end solid state disk (SSD) drive for the "turbo market" of hardcore gamers. It also showed off a wireless storage add-on for IOS users that can help share content and extend the limited capacity of their Iphones and Ipads.

Sitting down with The INQUIRER at Computex, Kingston seemed pretty pleased that it has managed to team up with one of the most respected names in SSD controllers.

The resulting 120GB and 240GB SSDs will ship under Kingston's Hyperx brand and feature Sandforce SF-2281 controllers with a SATA 3.0 6Gbits/s interface.

It's something of a departure for Kingston, which has been best known for regular SSD products aimed more at the mass market, but by pairing the second generation Sandforce controller with Intel 25nm NAND flash that offers 5,000 rewrite cycles, the target audience is the enthusiast end of the market.

In short, the drive will perform quicker and last longer than your average SSD, according to the firm.

Available as a bundle with the Hyperx Upgrade Kit for easy installation, the product could prove popular for Kingston.

The same might also be said of its Wi-Drive, which The INQUIRER also had a look at during Computex. Looking almost like a 3G Iphone without a screen, the WiFi enabled NAND Flash based external storage device provides users with extra capacity for less money than buying a new device.

More usefully, it is possible to share content via the device with at least three people, possibly more unless that content is video, meaning the device has the potential to appeal to small business users who are keen to share documents with co-workers or partners.

As Kingston marketing manager David Leong explained, it's effectively a wireless USB link that allows users to drag and drop their content from a PC to the Wi-Drive and then access that content from their mobile Apple device via the free app.

Windows 8 previewed by Microsoft!

Demonstrations of Microsoft Windows 8 running on tablets, phones and desktops were given at conferences in the US and Taiwan.

The software can be used either using a traditional keyboard and mouse or by touchscreen.

Microsoft Windows 8 is expected to be available before October 2012.

LENOVO Acquires MEDION AG to Expand its Business in Western Europe!

Lenovo, the world’s fastest growing major PC Company, today announced that it is acquiring Germany’s MEDION AG, a leader in multimedia products, mobile communications service and consumer electronics. The acquisition, when completed, will double Lenovo’s market share in Germany and make it the third-largest PC Company in Europe’s largest PC market. Together, the combined company will have more than 14% share in the German PC market and approximately 7.5% share in the Western Europe PC market. This agreement also fuels Lenovo’s expansion in consumer PCs and the high-growth mobile Internet market.

“This agreement represents another bold move for Lenovo to realize its long-term strategy. It will complement both Lenovo's core PC business and new businesses which are key areas for development.” said Yang Yuanqing, Lenovo Chief Executive Officer. “With their strong consumer sales, marketing, services and retail capabilities, MEDION AG’s business is perfectly aligned with our consumer growth strategy in Western Europe. Bringing together this ‘front end’ with Lenovo’s ‘back end’ manufacturing capability and supply chain will make both companies even more successful and competitive. Together, we can build a complete, end-to-end consumer platform that will both accelerate our PC business and give us the capabilities, expertise and relationships needed to win in the mobile Internet space.”

The combined companies are also looking to realize the benefits of collaboration, global scale, cost savings and increased synergies in the areas of procurement, global supply chain, software development, distribution channels and product and business model innovation.

“This announcement will strengthen MEDION AG's competitive marketplace position while maintaining the stability, flexibility and existing company structure in Essen,” said Gerd Brachmann, founder and CEO of MEDION AG. “I am proud to become a major private investor in the world’s fastest growing PC Company. Along with my management team, I look forward to leveraging the synergies and ambitions that our companies share in growing our business together.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Lenovo will commence a public offer for all outstanding public shares of MEDION AG for 13 Euros per share in cash. The offer price represents a 29 percent premium over the average closing price for the previous 30 calendar days and a 27 percent premium over the average closing price for the previous 90 calendar days.

Under a separate agreement, Gerd Brachmann has agreed not to participate in the public offer, but to sell 40 percent of MEDION AG’s outstanding shares to Lenovo at 13 Euros per share. 80% of the purchase price to Gerd Brachmann shall be paid in cash and 20% in Lenovo shares. The public offer is conditioned upon a minimum participation level of at least 15 percent of MEDION AG’s outstanding shares by shareholders other than Gerd Brachmann.

Gerd Brachmann will stay as a major shareholder – holding 20% of the shares – at MEDION AG.

Last week, Lenovo announced its FY 2010-2011 earnings, surpassing $21 billion in revenue for the first time and delivering growth in every region, every segment and every product line. The company outgrew the worldwide market 28.2% to 7.4%. Additionally, it strengthened its profitability and market share position in Western Europe and in Germany.

“This agreement with MEDION AG accelerates our penetration into the consumer market in Western Europe and the German market specifically, and provides additional growth opportunities leveraging MEDION AG’s knowledge of the retail market in Western Europe. We believe the complementary market positions of the two companies fit perfectly into our “protect and attack” strategy. We have a proven track record bringing technology companies together in order to realize the economies of scale and operational synergies that increase competitiveness.” added Milko van Duijl, president, Lenovo Mature Markets Group.

After the transaction, both companies expect that all their existing operations, including customer service, product delivery and warranty fulfillment, will continue business as usual. In the near term, MEDION AG and Lenovo will continue to maintain their own product brands and provide sales and support through existing channels.

Lenovo’s and MEDION AG’s Boards of Directors have approved the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions including minimum level of participation in the public offer and regulatory approvals. The transaction will be financed from Lenovo’s existing cash resources. The public offer is expected to close in the third quarter of 2011.

Barclays Capital is acting as sole financial advisor to Lenovo in connection with this transaction.

Apple iWork now available for iPhone and iPod touch users!

The groundbreaking iWork productivity apps Keynote, Pages and Numbers are now available for iPhone and iPod touch, as well as iPad. Created for the Mac and then completely redesigned for iOS and the Multi-Touch interface, Keynote, Pages and Numbers allow you to create and share stunning presentations, beautifully formatted documents, and powerful spreadsheets on the go. iWork apps are available on the App Store for £5.99 each to new users and as a free update for existing iWork for iPad customers.

Intel's Museum of Me

Have you checked out Museum of Me yet? It's a visual archive of your social activity on Facebook from Intel.
 
Check it out today: http://www.intel.com/museumofme/r/index.htm

Kyocera receives “TÜV Service tested” certificate

TÜV: Product quality and support are Kyocera’s strengths.

The Japanese technology corporation Kyocera is the first company in the solar energy sector in Germany to receive the “TÜV Service tested” certificate. Roughly 1,600 professionals from across the solar industry were questioned for a survey, with Kyocera earning a good overall result; which is underlined by a high willingness among respondents to pass on a recommendation for the company.

Of those who responded to the survey, 94.9% indicated they would recommend Kyocera; an opinion that carries weight, as the survey targeted 1,548 experts from the solar energy sector including electricians, roofers and energy advisors. Respondents rated their overall satisfaction with the company as 2.07 on a scale of five (1 being the best, and 5 being the worst), while they put their overall satisfaction with the service provided by Kyocera at 1.84.

For 73% of those who responded to the survey, the most important criteria was product quality, with 89.1% indicating being satisfied or even very satisfied with products from Kyocera. Almost equally decisive for the survey participants is the energy output performance of the solar power system — 72% regard this aspect as important — with 81.9% indicating being satisfied or very satisfied with the performance of Kyocera’s products.

The “TÜV Service tested” certificate is awarded on the basis of a representative customer questionnaire and is only awarded to companies that receive a correspondingly good rating from their customers. Apart from product quality and system performance, assessment criteria also include system reliability, warranty conditions and speed of reaction to onsite issues.

Quality is crucial for Kyocera. It is one of the few companies in the industry to carry out all production steps in its own manufacturing facilities. This vertical integration makes it possible to conduct 100% product control and helps to guarantee the output of every individual cell and module.

In January of this year Kyocera announced that its solar modules were the first in the world to have passed the “Long-Term Sequential Test” performed by TUV Rheinland Japan Ltd, a company which independently evaluates quality and reliability of solar modules. The company’s conventional 210-watt solar module was the test subject, and has proven to maintain a constant level of power output throughout the rigorous testing.

Okobe.co.uk is a Kyocera Business Partner.