Thursday, 29 December 2011
Chip Shot: Relive Holidays with Angry Birds Seasons on Intel AppUp(SM) center
The end of the year may be coming, but that doesn’t mean you can’t relive your favorite holidays of the year. Check out the special on Best Buy’s Facebook page for a free copy of Angry Birds Seasons, a special edition of Angry Birds that takes the furious fowl through some of our favorite holidays from Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Moon Festival to many others! The app is free for new users who download and register for the Intel AppUpSM center, your one-stop shop for all your favorite PC apps.
Sunday, 25 December 2011
Friday, 23 December 2011
Only 8 Days Left of the Okobe.co.uk WIN Christmas 2011 Competition!
Only 8 Days Left of the Okobe.co.uk WIN Christmas 2011 Competition!
Find out more: http://www.okobe.co.uk/ws/s/promos/comp2011
Like us on Facebook and have a chance of Winning here: http://www.facebook.com/Okobecom
t&cs apply - closes 31st December 2011
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Chip Shot: Download Intel AppUp(SM) center to Fend Off the End of the World
The end of the world is coming (again)! Prepare to save the Earth from space poultry today with the release of Chicken Invaders 4: Ultimate Omelette Christmas Edition on Intel AppUpSM center. To help fight the invasion, Intel is giving away this PC app, valued at $6.99, for FREE when you download and register for the newly updated Intel AppUpSM center, the one-stop shop for all your favorite PC apps. Will you join the fight in fending off these invaders or are you chicken?
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
WD® Adds Thousands of New HD Movies for WD TV® Customers
IRVINE, Calif., - Dec. 20, 2011 - Western Digital (NYSE: WDC), the world's leader in external storage solutions and maker of the acclaimed WD TV® media player family, has added streaming movie service VUDU, as well as several additional new sports and entertainment services to the WD TV Live™ and WD TV Live Hub™ media players, adding to the media player family's current content offerings from Netflix®, Hulu Plus™, Blockbuster®, CinemaNow®, Spotify™, Pandora®, YouTube®, Facebook® and many others. In addition to VUDU, new services include SnagFilms, XOS College Sports, SEC Digital Network, Comedy Time and Watch Mojo.
Additionally, the new WD® TV Remote™ app improves the navigation experience for WD TV Live and WD TV Live Hub users by turning their iPhone®, iPod touch®, iPad®, or Android™ compatible mobile device into an advanced feature remote control for their WD TV. The WD TV Remote advanced features allow users to more easily navigate the wide variety of digital media WD TV users enjoy on their television, from leading entertainment services to personal video, photos or music.
New Services1
VUDU - WD TV customers now have access to VUDU's large HD library of movies and TV titles instantly on their home entertainment systems. WD supports the HDX™ video format that features 1080p Full HD video and rich Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 audio, allowing users to enjoy a cinema-like experience at home with the hottest new releases available on-demand without any subscription fees or late fees. Upon VUDU registration on their device WD TV media player users will receive a $4.99 USD credit towards VUDU movie rentals, which are available to rent starting at just $2 USD for two nights.
SnagFilms - Customers now have on-demand access to SnagFilms' broad collection of full-length independent films, free of charge, in genres such as documentary, comedy, drama, family friendly and pop culture.
XOS College Sports - This free service offers the largest digital library of college sports video, including more than 75 years of current and classic college sports action.
SEC Digital Network - On demand access is available for current season and classic Southeastern Conference games, videos, interviews and more. This service includes more than 1,000 hours of original and exclusive video.
Comedy Time - This free service includes a broad library of short-form comedy video programming.
Watch Mojo - Customers now have free access to Watch Mojo's professionally-produced premium videos in categories such as comedy, education, fashion, food, health & fitness, music, politics, technology and video games.
Improved Navigation with WD TV Remote
The new WD TV Remote app improves the navigation experience for WD TV Live and WD TV Live Hub users, providing all the features of the standard WD TV remote control along with several advanced features, including a gesture pad to help navigate menu screens and services with intuitive touch gestures, as well as QWERTY keyboard support for text entry and search functionality. A favorites screen provides quick access to entertainment services on the WD TV. WD TV Remote connects over the home wireless network and can work with multiple WD TV media players in the home. Additionally, WD TV Remote is available in multiple languages, including English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Russian, and Portuguese.
"WD TV personalizes the entertainment experience for consumers better than any other digital media player," said Chris Bull, director of marketing for WD's Connected Home Solutions group. "Whether it is photos or movies on your PC, Mac®, tablet, smartphone, personal cloud drive such as the My Book® Live, or one of our exciting entertainment services such as VUDU, WD TV media players enable anyone in the family to easily enjoy a custom entertainment experience with their favorite movies, TV shows, music and photos."
Additionally, the new WD® TV Remote™ app improves the navigation experience for WD TV Live and WD TV Live Hub users by turning their iPhone®, iPod touch®, iPad®, or Android™ compatible mobile device into an advanced feature remote control for their WD TV. The WD TV Remote advanced features allow users to more easily navigate the wide variety of digital media WD TV users enjoy on their television, from leading entertainment services to personal video, photos or music.
New Services1
VUDU - WD TV customers now have access to VUDU's large HD library of movies and TV titles instantly on their home entertainment systems. WD supports the HDX™ video format that features 1080p Full HD video and rich Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 audio, allowing users to enjoy a cinema-like experience at home with the hottest new releases available on-demand without any subscription fees or late fees. Upon VUDU registration on their device WD TV media player users will receive a $4.99 USD credit towards VUDU movie rentals, which are available to rent starting at just $2 USD for two nights.
SnagFilms - Customers now have on-demand access to SnagFilms' broad collection of full-length independent films, free of charge, in genres such as documentary, comedy, drama, family friendly and pop culture.
XOS College Sports - This free service offers the largest digital library of college sports video, including more than 75 years of current and classic college sports action.
SEC Digital Network - On demand access is available for current season and classic Southeastern Conference games, videos, interviews and more. This service includes more than 1,000 hours of original and exclusive video.
Comedy Time - This free service includes a broad library of short-form comedy video programming.
Watch Mojo - Customers now have free access to Watch Mojo's professionally-produced premium videos in categories such as comedy, education, fashion, food, health & fitness, music, politics, technology and video games.
Improved Navigation with WD TV Remote
The new WD TV Remote app improves the navigation experience for WD TV Live and WD TV Live Hub users, providing all the features of the standard WD TV remote control along with several advanced features, including a gesture pad to help navigate menu screens and services with intuitive touch gestures, as well as QWERTY keyboard support for text entry and search functionality. A favorites screen provides quick access to entertainment services on the WD TV. WD TV Remote connects over the home wireless network and can work with multiple WD TV media players in the home. Additionally, WD TV Remote is available in multiple languages, including English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Russian, and Portuguese.
"WD TV personalizes the entertainment experience for consumers better than any other digital media player," said Chris Bull, director of marketing for WD's Connected Home Solutions group. "Whether it is photos or movies on your PC, Mac®, tablet, smartphone, personal cloud drive such as the My Book® Live, or one of our exciting entertainment services such as VUDU, WD TV media players enable anyone in the family to easily enjoy a custom entertainment experience with their favorite movies, TV shows, music and photos."
KYOCERA MITA achieves ISO Certification for latest TASKAlfa series of colour and black & white multifunctional systems
20 December 2011 - KYOCERA MITA Europe B.V., one of the world's leading document solutions companies, announced today it has been awarded ISO 15408 Certification for Data Security Kit (E) for its recently-launched TASKalfa series of colour and black & white multifunctional products (MFPs). Data Security Kit (E) meets Evaluation Assurance Level 3 (EAL3) requirements, conforming to the standards set forth and known as Common Criteria. With this ISO-certification announcement, KYOCERA is continuing its strategy to provide products and solutions that meet the security initiatives and requirements of today's business.
KYOCERA is continuing to make strides to ensure compliance requirements that are given for instance by government mandates, as well as stringent data security needs to ensure secure printing, sending and copying of highly confidential materials. KYOCERA's Data Security Kit (E) includes critical elements of Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Overwriting and Data Encryption. In addition, Data Security Kit (E) will overwrite all data on the standard HDD at the device level immediately after each copy, print and scan job is completed. With efficient encryption at the HDD included in the process, both the data management table and image data are eliminated. Additionally, KYOCERA enables enhanced security measures with applications and utilities including Secure Printing, Card Authentication Kit and more.
"KYOCERA is committed to developing solutions to help its customers to best protect their confidential documents, information and assets, while providing a reliable deterrent to unauthorized activity and access," said Oliver Kreth, General Manager European Marketing at KYOCERA MITA. "As security is a critical part to an organization's business strategy, KYOCERA continually seeks to deliver a highly secure portfolio of utilities and applications, answering the security needs for our document imaging solutions."
KYOCERA is continuing to make strides to ensure compliance requirements that are given for instance by government mandates, as well as stringent data security needs to ensure secure printing, sending and copying of highly confidential materials. KYOCERA's Data Security Kit (E) includes critical elements of Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Overwriting and Data Encryption. In addition, Data Security Kit (E) will overwrite all data on the standard HDD at the device level immediately after each copy, print and scan job is completed. With efficient encryption at the HDD included in the process, both the data management table and image data are eliminated. Additionally, KYOCERA enables enhanced security measures with applications and utilities including Secure Printing, Card Authentication Kit and more.
"KYOCERA is committed to developing solutions to help its customers to best protect their confidential documents, information and assets, while providing a reliable deterrent to unauthorized activity and access," said Oliver Kreth, General Manager European Marketing at KYOCERA MITA. "As security is a critical part to an organization's business strategy, KYOCERA continually seeks to deliver a highly secure portfolio of utilities and applications, answering the security needs for our document imaging solutions."
KYOCERA MITA achieves ISO Certification for latest TASKAlfa series of colour and black & white multifunctional systems
20 December 2011 - KYOCERA MITA Europe B.V., one of the world's leading document solutions companies, announced today it has been awarded ISO 15408 Certification for Data Security Kit (E) for its recently-launched TASKalfa series of colour and black & white multifunctional products (MFPs). Data Security Kit (E) meets Evaluation Assurance Level 3 (EAL3) requirements, conforming to the standards set forth and known as Common Criteria. With this ISO-certification announcement, KYOCERA is continuing its strategy to provide products and solutions that meet the security initiatives and requirements of today's business.
KYOCERA is continuing to make strides to ensure compliance requirements that are given for instance by government mandates, as well as stringent data security needs to ensure secure printing, sending and copying of highly confidential materials. KYOCERA's Data Security Kit (E) includes critical elements of Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Overwriting and Data Encryption. In addition, Data Security Kit (E) will overwrite all data on the standard HDD at the device level immediately after each copy, print and scan job is completed. With efficient encryption at the HDD included in the process, both the data management table and image data are eliminated. Additionally, KYOCERA enables enhanced security measures with applications and utilities including Secure Printing, Card Authentication Kit and more.
"KYOCERA is committed to developing solutions to help its customers to best protect their confidential documents, information and assets, while providing a reliable deterrent to unauthorized activity and access," said Oliver Kreth, General Manager European Marketing at KYOCERA MITA. "As security is a critical part to an organization's business strategy, KYOCERA continually seeks to deliver a highly secure portfolio of utilities and applications, answering the security needs for our document imaging solutions."
KYOCERA is continuing to make strides to ensure compliance requirements that are given for instance by government mandates, as well as stringent data security needs to ensure secure printing, sending and copying of highly confidential materials. KYOCERA's Data Security Kit (E) includes critical elements of Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Overwriting and Data Encryption. In addition, Data Security Kit (E) will overwrite all data on the standard HDD at the device level immediately after each copy, print and scan job is completed. With efficient encryption at the HDD included in the process, both the data management table and image data are eliminated. Additionally, KYOCERA enables enhanced security measures with applications and utilities including Secure Printing, Card Authentication Kit and more.
"KYOCERA is committed to developing solutions to help its customers to best protect their confidential documents, information and assets, while providing a reliable deterrent to unauthorized activity and access," said Oliver Kreth, General Manager European Marketing at KYOCERA MITA. "As security is a critical part to an organization's business strategy, KYOCERA continually seeks to deliver a highly secure portfolio of utilities and applications, answering the security needs for our document imaging solutions."
Monday, 19 December 2011
ONLY 12 Days Left of the Okobe WIN Christmas 2011!
ONLY 12 Days Left of the Okobe WIN Christmas 2011 (t&cs) Competition & we still need 1523 Likes! Please share again...
http://www.facebook.com/okobecom ...thank you everybody!
http://www.facebook.com/okobecom ...thank you everybody!
Panasonic, Samsung, Sandisk, Sony and Toshiba join forces to collaborate on next generation secure memory solution
Five Companies plan to jointly form ‘Next Generation Secure Memory Initiative’
Panasonic Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SanDisk Corporation, Sony Corporation and Toshiba Corporation today announced that they have reached an agreement in principle to collaborate on a new content protection technology for flash memory cards such as SD Cards and various storage devices. Under the ”Next Generation Secure Memory Initiative,”*1 the five companies will start preparing for licensing and promotion of HD (high-definition)-capable security for SD Cards and embedded memory for use in advanced consumer applications such as tablets and smartphones.
This content protection solution will be robust enough to protect HD content. A high level of content security will be realized through the use of the initiative’s technologies, including unique ID (identification) technology for flash memory and robust copy protection based on public key infrastructure.
The five companies believe this technology will enable various HD content applications such as HD network download, broadcast content to go and HD Digital Copy/Managed Copy from Blu-ray DiscTM*2 media. With these applications, users can enjoy HD content on a wide range of devices, including AndroidTM*3-based smartphones and tablets, TVs and Blu-rayTM*4 products.
The five companies believe that they each can make substantial contributions that, when combined, will enable them to start licensing the new secure memory technology early next year. The five companies expect to see adoption of flash memory products and various embedded flash memory solutions using this technology in the market in 2012.
"Panasonic has always been an innovator in providing the best possible content viewing experience in the living room through development of Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3DTM technologies and products" said Yoshiyuki Miyabe, Corporate CTO, Panasonic Corporation. "With our new secure memory solution, we are excited to create a strong link between the living room experience and the mobile experience. Now consumers can enjoy watching premier content, such as movies, on the go with their smartphones and tablets".
“Samsung believes that the time is ripe for an advanced security solution and welcomes the opportunity to deliver a highly viable solution using flash memory chips. Samsung’s ongoing commitment to technology excellence will now further extend to early market availability of high-performance NAND technologies implementing the new advanced security solution,” said Young-Hyun Jun, Executive Vice President, Memory Business, Samsung Electronics. Co., Ltd.
“Consumers are ready for a solution that enables the effortless consumption of online and offline content across multiple device platforms,” said Sumit Sadana, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for SanDisk. “SanDisk looks forward to building on its history of innovation in the Flash industry by delivering optimized memory solutions to enable this new usage model with robust security technologies that can protect premium content.”
“We believe the secure solution created by this initiative will enable customers to enjoy high quality experiences anytime, anywhere. Sony has always been focused on bringing amazing experiences to people through highly-advanced technologies in content creation, content distribution and picture display,” said Hiroshi Yoshioka, Corporate Executive Officer and Executive Deputy President, Sony Corporation.
“This technology will open a new door to flash memory applications. As a flash memory manufacturer, we are pleased that our flash memory technology will contribute to bringing people more convenient and exciting experiences of HD content. We will continue our development efforts to create surprising innovation,” said Yasuo Naruke, Corporate Vice President, Vice President, Memory Division, Semiconductor & Storage Products Company, Toshiba Corporation.
Panasonic Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SanDisk Corporation, Sony Corporation and Toshiba Corporation today announced that they have reached an agreement in principle to collaborate on a new content protection technology for flash memory cards such as SD Cards and various storage devices. Under the ”Next Generation Secure Memory Initiative,”*1 the five companies will start preparing for licensing and promotion of HD (high-definition)-capable security for SD Cards and embedded memory for use in advanced consumer applications such as tablets and smartphones.
This content protection solution will be robust enough to protect HD content. A high level of content security will be realized through the use of the initiative’s technologies, including unique ID (identification) technology for flash memory and robust copy protection based on public key infrastructure.
The five companies believe this technology will enable various HD content applications such as HD network download, broadcast content to go and HD Digital Copy/Managed Copy from Blu-ray DiscTM*2 media. With these applications, users can enjoy HD content on a wide range of devices, including AndroidTM*3-based smartphones and tablets, TVs and Blu-rayTM*4 products.
The five companies believe that they each can make substantial contributions that, when combined, will enable them to start licensing the new secure memory technology early next year. The five companies expect to see adoption of flash memory products and various embedded flash memory solutions using this technology in the market in 2012.
"Panasonic has always been an innovator in providing the best possible content viewing experience in the living room through development of Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3DTM technologies and products" said Yoshiyuki Miyabe, Corporate CTO, Panasonic Corporation. "With our new secure memory solution, we are excited to create a strong link between the living room experience and the mobile experience. Now consumers can enjoy watching premier content, such as movies, on the go with their smartphones and tablets".
“Samsung believes that the time is ripe for an advanced security solution and welcomes the opportunity to deliver a highly viable solution using flash memory chips. Samsung’s ongoing commitment to technology excellence will now further extend to early market availability of high-performance NAND technologies implementing the new advanced security solution,” said Young-Hyun Jun, Executive Vice President, Memory Business, Samsung Electronics. Co., Ltd.
“Consumers are ready for a solution that enables the effortless consumption of online and offline content across multiple device platforms,” said Sumit Sadana, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for SanDisk. “SanDisk looks forward to building on its history of innovation in the Flash industry by delivering optimized memory solutions to enable this new usage model with robust security technologies that can protect premium content.”
“We believe the secure solution created by this initiative will enable customers to enjoy high quality experiences anytime, anywhere. Sony has always been focused on bringing amazing experiences to people through highly-advanced technologies in content creation, content distribution and picture display,” said Hiroshi Yoshioka, Corporate Executive Officer and Executive Deputy President, Sony Corporation.
“This technology will open a new door to flash memory applications. As a flash memory manufacturer, we are pleased that our flash memory technology will contribute to bringing people more convenient and exciting experiences of HD content. We will continue our development efforts to create surprising innovation,” said Yasuo Naruke, Corporate Vice President, Vice President, Memory Division, Semiconductor & Storage Products Company, Toshiba Corporation.
AMD launches cashback programme for record breaking
The Guinness World Record breaking AMD FX Processors, with unrestricted power and unbeatable pricing, are now available at even better value.
Friday, 16 December 2011
KYOCERA MITA MFPs achieve Blue Angel environmental standard
16 December 2011 - KYOCERA MITA Europe B.V. today announced that eight of its recently launched mono and colour multifunction devices have successfully achieved the rigorous Blue Angel environmental accreditation. The Blue Angel award is only given to products that fit to a comprehensive list of criteria that ranges from low power consumption in sleep mode and low noise in operation to waste prevention, long-life components, eco-friendly packaging and harmless toner emissions. Additionally the products must provide standard duplex functionality and suitability for use with recycled paper.
The qualifying devices are the colour multifunctionals: FS-C2026MFP+, FS-C2126MFP+, FS-C2526MFP, and FS-C2626MFP and the monochrome multifunctionals FS-3040MFP+, FS-3140MFP+, FS-3540MFP, and FS-3640MFP. All of these devices benefit from KYOCERA MITA’s unique ECOSYS long-life components, which aim to reliability and lower consumables costs whilst minimising waste.
Bernhard Koll, Product Manager at KYOCERA MITA Europe: “We’re pleased that these recently launched products have confirmed their strong environmental performance by meeting the Blue Angel standard. As the oldest environment-related approval label for products and services in the world, Blue Angel is one of the most stringent and well respected standards to achieve.”
About KYOCERA MITA Europe B.V.
KYOCERA MITA is one of the world's leading office document solutions companies. Its product range consists of ECOSYS printers, reliable multifunctional systems and wide format devices, completed by supplies, efficient document solutions and comprehensive services. KYOCERA MITA provides innovative products, built on a foundation of long-life components, allowing it to offer its customers low total cost of ownership and high efficiency in any workplace. For further information, visit: www.kyoceramita-europe.com
KYOCERA MITA Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of KYOCERA Corporation, which marked its 50th anniversary in 2009. Ranked no. 604 on Forbes magazine’s 2011 “Global 2000” listing of the world’s largest publicly traded companies, KYOCERA Corporation is a leading manufacturer of high-tech ceramics, electronic components, solar cells and electronic office equipment. KYOCERA Corporation’s long-term growth strategy is to focus on business that supports telecommunications, information processing, environmental protection and the preservation of quality of life.
International Service Award winners enjoy unique incentive trip to Japan and China
16 December 2011 - From November 6th until November 12th, six KYOCERA MITA service engineers from Europe, the U.S., Canada and Brasil took part in a unique incentive trip to KYOCERA MITA facilities in Japan and China. This trip was the first prize of the 2011 International Service Award competition organized by KYOCERA MITA. On the trip’s agenda were Tokyo and Osaka, where KYOCERA and KYOCERA MITA are headquartered, then to Hong Kong and Dongguan in China, where KYOCERA MITA operates its Shilong factory. The engineers also visited the cities of Ise and Kyoto in Japan.
Every year engineers from EMEA countries in which KYOCERA MITA operates are invited to test their skills and knowledge against one another in areas ranging from product knowledge and technical understanding, to highly complex hardware fault diagnosis and repair. This competition is unique in the industry and shows KYOCERA MITA’s commitment to excellent service and customer satisfaction. This year, over 600 engineers from nine countries competed for the title of the local Service Award Champion. There are several qualifying rounds, and only the best-in-class from each country can proceed to the finals, the European Service Award, to determine the overall winner.
The European competition was held in May this year at KYOCERA MITA Europe’s branch office in Meerbusch, Germany. The final competition was won by the following Service Engineers:
1st: Stephan Callm of Bureau Knipper GmbH Dealership (Germany)
2nd: Martijn Jansen of L&N Printing Solutions B.V. Dealership (The Netherlands)
3rd: Jesper Johansson of STAPLES Advantage Dealership (Sweden)
In addition to the European competition, engineers from KYOCERA MITA America (KMA) also participated in their own Service Award competition this year. No fewer than 1,011 engineers took part worldwide.The winners from KYOCERA MITA America were:
1st (U.S.): Michael Parmer from Quality Digital Office Solutions Dealership
1st (Canada): Marcel Bureau from COPICOM INC. Dealership
1st (Brasil): Ednei Cristin Barbosa from POSITIVA DO BRASIL Dealership
At the Head Office in Osaka the winners were officially welcomed by KYOCERA MITA Corporation’s President Mr. Komaguchi and the company’s board members. The trip was a great opportunity for KYOCERA MITA to showcase its very high standards of its manufacturing, production and quality assurance processes, and all the participants were left extremely impressed by both the company, and the unique countries and cultures of Japan and China.
Next year, the 5th anniversary of this competition, we are going global as KYOCERA MITA Australia and KYOCERA MITA Asia also plan to participate in the scheme.
Every year engineers from EMEA countries in which KYOCERA MITA operates are invited to test their skills and knowledge against one another in areas ranging from product knowledge and technical understanding, to highly complex hardware fault diagnosis and repair. This competition is unique in the industry and shows KYOCERA MITA’s commitment to excellent service and customer satisfaction. This year, over 600 engineers from nine countries competed for the title of the local Service Award Champion. There are several qualifying rounds, and only the best-in-class from each country can proceed to the finals, the European Service Award, to determine the overall winner.
The European competition was held in May this year at KYOCERA MITA Europe’s branch office in Meerbusch, Germany. The final competition was won by the following Service Engineers:
1st: Stephan Callm of Bureau Knipper GmbH Dealership (Germany)
2nd: Martijn Jansen of L&N Printing Solutions B.V. Dealership (The Netherlands)
3rd: Jesper Johansson of STAPLES Advantage Dealership (Sweden)
In addition to the European competition, engineers from KYOCERA MITA America (KMA) also participated in their own Service Award competition this year. No fewer than 1,011 engineers took part worldwide.The winners from KYOCERA MITA America were:
1st (U.S.): Michael Parmer from Quality Digital Office Solutions Dealership
1st (Canada): Marcel Bureau from COPICOM INC. Dealership
1st (Brasil): Ednei Cristin Barbosa from POSITIVA DO BRASIL Dealership
At the Head Office in Osaka the winners were officially welcomed by KYOCERA MITA Corporation’s President Mr. Komaguchi and the company’s board members. The trip was a great opportunity for KYOCERA MITA to showcase its very high standards of its manufacturing, production and quality assurance processes, and all the participants were left extremely impressed by both the company, and the unique countries and cultures of Japan and China.
Next year, the 5th anniversary of this competition, we are going global as KYOCERA MITA Australia and KYOCERA MITA Asia also plan to participate in the scheme.
Chip Shot: Intel and Wind River Boost Wind River Linux Development
Wind River today introduced Wind River Linux Performance Studio for Intel® Architecture (IA), integrating the latest generation of IA-optimized embedded development tools from Intel with Wind River Linux 4. The Wind River Linux Performance Studio for Intel Architecture includes the Intel® C++ Compiler, Intel® Integrated Performance Primitives and Intel® VTune™ Amplifier XE. The suite helps make it easier for embedded developers to boost performance and power savings as well as increase the reliability of system and application code by taking advantage of the latest capabilities in embedded Intel® Atom™, Intel® Core™, and Intel® Xeon® processors.
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition
Returning to Somerset House for a second year, the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition presents the award-winning work of hundreds of photographers from professionals to students from across the globe. Set in the stunning Embankment Galleries, the exhibition promises an extraordinary range of contemporary photography covering a wide range of subjects from photojournalism and documentary to fashion, nature, architecture and sport. The exhibition is curated by Michael Benson, Director of Candlestar, and one of this year’s judges, and will bring together photography in its many forms, mixing traditional print with digital and moving installations.
A highlight of the annual Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition, which was held for the first time at Somerset House in April 2011, will be the work of the recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award, who will be announced in early 2012. Also on show will be the winning images of L’Iris d’Or/ Sony World Photography Awards Professional Photographer of the Year who will be announced at the annual Sony World Photography Awards ceremony in London on 26 April 2012.
Gwyn Miles, Director, Somerset House Trust said: ‘We’re thrilled to be working with World Photo and hosting the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition for the second year. Last year’s exhibitions in our Embankment Galleries and Terrace Rooms were a huge success. World Photo is another highlight in our varied, year-round programme that includes showcasing work by established photographers and emerging talent’.
Michael Benson added: ‘The Sony World Photography Awards celebrate such a diverse range of photographic practice that the exhibition at Somerset House presents a significant curatorial challenge: how to present and celebrate this rich diversity while, at the same time, presenting the work in a way that is comprehensible and informative. It is a challenge that I and my colleagues at Candlestar, with their considerable curatorial experience, are both honoured and excited to take on.’
World Photo, London (27-30 April) is open to everyone with a passion for photography - professionals, amateurs, students and, of course, the photo-loving public. The Festival will include a wide-ranging programme of events, talks, seminars, workshops and exhibitions; honorary Judges for the 2012 Awards and other international industry experts will also be participating in the events. These include WM Hunt, Photographic Consultant; James Reid, Photography Director of Wallpaper* and Claudia Hinterseer, MD and co-owner of NOOR, an international photo agency and foundation.
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Find Okobe.co.uk on Google+ now... add us to your circle today...
Find Okobe.co.uk on Google+ now...
add us to your circle today...
Buffalo partners with Trend Micro to provide security solution for business NAS range
London UK, 13th December 2011 - Buffalo Technology, a global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of storage and wireless networking solutions, is today announcing it has partnered with anti-virus software specialist Trend MicroTM to provide a strong, fast and easy-to-use protection solution for its NAS (network attached storage) TeraStation range.
Trend MicroTM NAS Security protects your Buffalo TeraStation from becoming host to viruses, Trojans, bots and other malware, offering real time protection, high performance and low processing overheads. The partnership will see Buffalo's TeraStation III and TeraStation Pro users benefit from centralised virus/malware scanning, pattern updates, event reporting and configuration, preventing hackers from stealing sensitive data such as email addresses and passwords.
The software is pre-installed and can be purchased as a one, three or five year subscription package. Trend MicroTM NAS Security is managed through an intuitive web-based console and offers users real time updates ensuring systems are safeguarded from the latest online threats.
Paul Hudson, Sales Director, Northern Europe at Buffalo Technology says: "As security becomes more important for businesses, thedemand for an anti-virus feature has also increased. Buffalo has recognised this demand from users and as such, partnered with a trusted security company that can protect our business storage range. We are delighted to be partnering with Trend MicroTM and giving our business users the security they need."
Trend MicroTM NAS Security protects your Buffalo TeraStation from becoming host to viruses, Trojans, bots and other malware, offering real time protection, high performance and low processing overheads. The partnership will see Buffalo's TeraStation III and TeraStation Pro users benefit from centralised virus/malware scanning, pattern updates, event reporting and configuration, preventing hackers from stealing sensitive data such as email addresses and passwords.
The software is pre-installed and can be purchased as a one, three or five year subscription package. Trend MicroTM NAS Security is managed through an intuitive web-based console and offers users real time updates ensuring systems are safeguarded from the latest online threats.
Paul Hudson, Sales Director, Northern Europe at Buffalo Technology says: "As security becomes more important for businesses, thedemand for an anti-virus feature has also increased. Buffalo has recognised this demand from users and as such, partnered with a trusted security company that can protect our business storage range. We are delighted to be partnering with Trend MicroTM and giving our business users the security they need."
Apple Launches iTunes Store in Brazil & Latin America
World’s Number One Music Store Kicks Off with All Major Labels & Thousands of Indies
SAO PAULO, Brazil—December 13, 2011—Apple® today announced the launch of the iTunes Store® in Brazil (www.itunes.com/brazil) with an incredible selection of Brazilian and international music from all the major labels and thousands of independent labels. Launching with a catalog of over 20 million songs, the iTunes Store in Brazil features local artists including Ivete Sangalo, Marisa Monte and the digital debut of Roberto Carlos’ catalog, available to purchase and download along with a wide range of international artists including the Beatles, Rihanna, Coldplay and thousands more. With most songs priced at 99 cents and most albums at $9.99, the iTunes Store in Brazil is the best way for iPad®, iPhone®, iPod®, Mac® and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music online.
The iTunes Store in Brazil offers over a thousand movies to rent or purchase, with many in stunning HD, from major studios including 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Universal Pictures, The Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures. The iTunes Store in Brazil now joins the revolutionary App Store™, which offers more than 500,000 apps to consumers in 123 countries, reaching hundreds of millions of iPad, iPhone and iPod touch® users around the world. Customers have downloaded more than 18 billion apps to date.
Apple is also bringing the iTunes Store to 15 additional Latin American countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.
The iTunes Store in Brazil and Latin America offer music from major labels EMI Music, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music, and thousands of independent labels. All music on iTunes® comes in iTunes Plus®, Apple’s DRM-free format with high-quality 256 kbps AAC encoding for audio quality virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings.
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 new service that upgrades your music to iTunes Plus when matched to the over 20 million songs in the iTunes Store catalog. iTunes in the Cloud is available today for free in Brazil and Latin America and iTunes Match is available today for a $24.99 annual fee in Brazil.
Monday, 12 December 2011
Apple’s Mac App Store Downloads Top 100 Million
CUPERTINO, California—December 12, 2011—Apple® today announced that over 100 million apps have been downloaded from the Mac® App Store™ in less than one year. With thousands of free and paid apps, the Mac App Store brings the App Store experience to the Mac so you can find great new apps, buy them using your iTunes® account, and download and install them in just one step. Apple revolutionized the app industry with the App Store, which now has more than 500,000 apps and where customers have downloaded more than 18 billion apps and continue to download more than 1 billion apps per month.
“In just three years the App Store changed how people get mobile apps, and now the Mac App Store is changing the traditional PC software industry,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With more than 100 million downloads in less than a year, the Mac App Store is the largest and fastest growing PC software store in the world.”
“With Autodesk products in both the App Store and Mac App Store, we can reach hundreds of millions of Apple users around the world,” said Amar Hanspal, senior vice president of Platform Solutions and Emerging Business at Autodesk. “With our free AutoCAD WS and the more powerful professional drafting tools of AutoCAD LT, we’re using the Mac App Store to deliver new products and reach a growing base of new Mac customers.”
“The Mac App Store has unparalleled reach and has completely transformed our distribution and development cycle,” said Saulius Dailide of the Pixelmator Team. “Offering Pixelmator 2.0 exclusively on the Mac App Store allows us to streamline updates to our image editing software and stay ahead of the competition.”
“In less than one year we’ve shifted the distribution of djay for Mac exclusively to the Mac App Store,” said Karim Morsy, CEO of algoriddim. “With just a few clicks, djay for Mac is available to customers in 123 countries worldwide. We could never have that reach through traditional channels.”
The Mac App Store offers thousands of apps in Education, Games, Graphics & Design, Lifestyle, Productivity, Utilities and other categories. Users can browse new and noteworthy apps, find out what’s hot, see staff favorites, search categories and look up top charts for paid and free apps, as well as user ratings and reviews. The Mac App Store is included with Mac OS® X Lion and is available as a software update for any Mac running Mac OS X Snow Leopard®. For more information visit, www.apple.com/mac/app-store.
Mac developers set the prices for their apps, keep 70 percent of the sales revenue, are not charged for free apps and do not have to pay hosting, marketing or credit card fees. To find out more about developing for the Mac App Store visit, developer.apple.com/programs/mac.
Chip Shot: Google Doodle Celebrates Robert Noyce, the "Mayor of Silicon Valley"
The microprocessor is often referred to as the "brains" inside your computer, and today we celebrate one of the brains behind the "brains" of your computer - Robert Noyce, co-founder of Intel, was nicknamed the "Mayor of Silicon Valley" and would have been 84 years old today. We are reminded of Noyce's intelligence and leadership as innovation in microprocessor and related technologies continues to fuel the next era of the computing experiences integrated into our daily lives. Google gives honor to Noyce with today's Google Doodle of the Intel 4004 microprocessor, which recently celebrated its own milestone 40th anniversary. To read what one Intel employee has learned from integrated circuit pioneer Robert Noyce, please visit Intel's Inside Scoop.
Intel’s Fourth-Quarter Revenue to Be Below Expectations Due to Hard Disk Drive Supply Shortages
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 12, 2011 – Intel Corporation today announced that the company’s fourth-quarter results are expected to be below the company’s previous outlook due to hard disk drive supply shortages. The company now expects fourth-quarter revenue to be $13.7 billion, plus or minus $300 million, on both a GAAP and non-GAAP basis, lower than the previous expectation of $14.7 billion, plus or minus $500 million.
Sales of personal computers are expected to be up sequentially in the fourth quarter. However, the worldwide PC supply chain is reducing inventories and microprocessor purchases as a result of hard disk drive supply shortages. The company expects hard disk drive supply shortages to continue into the first quarter, followed by a rebuilding of microprocessor inventories as supplies of hard disk drives recover during the first half of 2012.
The company now expects the fourth-quarter gross margin to be 64.5 percent, plus or minus a couple of percentage points, lower than the previous expectation of 65 percent, plus or minus a couple of percentage points. The expectation for a non-GAAP gross margin is 65.5 percent, plus or minus a couple of percentage points, lower than the previous expectation of 66 percent, plus or minus a couple of percentage points.
All other expectations are unchanged.
Intel will hold a public webcast at 8 a.m. PST today on its Investor Relations website at www.intc.com. A webcast replay and MP3 download will also be made available on the site.
Status of Business Outlook
Intel’s Business Outlook is posted on intc.com and may be reiterated in public or private meetings with investors and others. The Business Outlook will be effective through the close of business Dec. 16 unless earlier updated; except that the Business Outlook for amortization of acquisition-related intangibles, impact of equity investments and interest and other, and tax rate, was no longer effective as of the close of business on Oct. 25. Intel’s Quiet Period will start from the close of business on Dec. 16 until publication of the company’s fourth-quarter earnings release, scheduled for Jan. 19, 2012. During the Quiet Period, all of the Business Outlook and other forward-looking statements disclosed in the company’s news releases and filings with the SEC should be considered as historical, speaking as of prior to the Quiet Period only and not subject to an update by the company.
Risk Factors
The above statements and any others in this document that refer to plans and expectations for the fourth quarter, the year and the future are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “should” and their variations identify forward-looking statements. Statements that refer to or are based on projections, uncertain events or assumptions also identify forward-looking statements. Many factors could affect Intel’s actual results, and variances from Intel’s current expectations regarding such factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Intel presently considers the following to be the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the company’s expectations.
Demand could be different from Intel's expectations due to factors including changes in business and economic conditions, including supply constraints and other disruptions affecting customers; customer acceptance of Intel’s and competitors’ products; changes in customer order patterns including order cancellations; and changes in the level of inventory at customers. Uncertainty in global economic and financial conditions poses a risk that consumers and businesses may defer purchases in response to negative financial events, which could negatively affect product demand and other related matters.
Intel operates in intensely competitive industries that are characterized by a high percentage of costs that are fixed or difficult to reduce in the short term and product demand that is highly variable and difficult to forecast. Revenue and the gross margin percentage are affected by the timing of Intel product introductions and the demand for and market acceptance of Intel's products; actions taken by Intel's competitors, including product offerings and introductions, marketing programs and pricing pressures and Intel’s response to such actions; and Intel’s ability to respond quickly to technological developments and to incorporate new features into its products.
Intel is in the process of transitioning to its next generation of products on 22nm process technology, and there could be execution and timing issues associated with these changes, including products defects and errata and lower than anticipated manufacturing yields.
The gross margin percentage could vary significantly from expectations based on capacity utilization; variations in inventory valuation, including variations related to the timing of qualifying products for sale; changes in revenue levels; product mix and pricing; the timing and execution of the manufacturing ramp and associated costs; start-up costs; excess or obsolete inventory; changes in unit costs; defects or disruptions in the supply of materials or resources; product manufacturing quality/yields; and impairments of long-lived assets, including manufacturing, assembly/test and intangible assets.
Expenses, particularly certain marketing and compensation expenses, as well as restructuring and asset impairment charges, vary depending on the level of demand for Intel's products and the level of revenue and profits.
Intel's results could be affected by adverse economic, social, political and physical/infrastructure conditions in countries where Intel, its customers or its suppliers operate, including military conflict and other security risks, natural disasters, infrastructure disruptions, health concerns and fluctuations in currency exchange rates.
Intel’s results could be affected by the timing of closing of acquisitions and divestitures.
Intel's results could be affected by adverse effects associated with product defects and errata (deviations from published specifications), and by litigation or regulatory matters involving intellectual property, stockholder, consumer, antitrust and other issues, such as the litigation and regulatory matters described in Intel's SEC reports. An unfavorable ruling could include monetary damages or an injunction prohibiting us from manufacturing or selling one or more products, precluding particular business practices, impacting Intel’s ability to design its products, or requiring other remedies such as compulsory licensing of intellectual property.
Sales of personal computers are expected to be up sequentially in the fourth quarter. However, the worldwide PC supply chain is reducing inventories and microprocessor purchases as a result of hard disk drive supply shortages. The company expects hard disk drive supply shortages to continue into the first quarter, followed by a rebuilding of microprocessor inventories as supplies of hard disk drives recover during the first half of 2012.
The company now expects the fourth-quarter gross margin to be 64.5 percent, plus or minus a couple of percentage points, lower than the previous expectation of 65 percent, plus or minus a couple of percentage points. The expectation for a non-GAAP gross margin is 65.5 percent, plus or minus a couple of percentage points, lower than the previous expectation of 66 percent, plus or minus a couple of percentage points.
All other expectations are unchanged.
Intel will hold a public webcast at 8 a.m. PST today on its Investor Relations website at www.intc.com. A webcast replay and MP3 download will also be made available on the site.
Status of Business Outlook
Intel’s Business Outlook is posted on intc.com and may be reiterated in public or private meetings with investors and others. The Business Outlook will be effective through the close of business Dec. 16 unless earlier updated; except that the Business Outlook for amortization of acquisition-related intangibles, impact of equity investments and interest and other, and tax rate, was no longer effective as of the close of business on Oct. 25. Intel’s Quiet Period will start from the close of business on Dec. 16 until publication of the company’s fourth-quarter earnings release, scheduled for Jan. 19, 2012. During the Quiet Period, all of the Business Outlook and other forward-looking statements disclosed in the company’s news releases and filings with the SEC should be considered as historical, speaking as of prior to the Quiet Period only and not subject to an update by the company.
Risk Factors
The above statements and any others in this document that refer to plans and expectations for the fourth quarter, the year and the future are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “should” and their variations identify forward-looking statements. Statements that refer to or are based on projections, uncertain events or assumptions also identify forward-looking statements. Many factors could affect Intel’s actual results, and variances from Intel’s current expectations regarding such factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Intel presently considers the following to be the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the company’s expectations.
Demand could be different from Intel's expectations due to factors including changes in business and economic conditions, including supply constraints and other disruptions affecting customers; customer acceptance of Intel’s and competitors’ products; changes in customer order patterns including order cancellations; and changes in the level of inventory at customers. Uncertainty in global economic and financial conditions poses a risk that consumers and businesses may defer purchases in response to negative financial events, which could negatively affect product demand and other related matters.
Intel operates in intensely competitive industries that are characterized by a high percentage of costs that are fixed or difficult to reduce in the short term and product demand that is highly variable and difficult to forecast. Revenue and the gross margin percentage are affected by the timing of Intel product introductions and the demand for and market acceptance of Intel's products; actions taken by Intel's competitors, including product offerings and introductions, marketing programs and pricing pressures and Intel’s response to such actions; and Intel’s ability to respond quickly to technological developments and to incorporate new features into its products.
Intel is in the process of transitioning to its next generation of products on 22nm process technology, and there could be execution and timing issues associated with these changes, including products defects and errata and lower than anticipated manufacturing yields.
The gross margin percentage could vary significantly from expectations based on capacity utilization; variations in inventory valuation, including variations related to the timing of qualifying products for sale; changes in revenue levels; product mix and pricing; the timing and execution of the manufacturing ramp and associated costs; start-up costs; excess or obsolete inventory; changes in unit costs; defects or disruptions in the supply of materials or resources; product manufacturing quality/yields; and impairments of long-lived assets, including manufacturing, assembly/test and intangible assets.
Expenses, particularly certain marketing and compensation expenses, as well as restructuring and asset impairment charges, vary depending on the level of demand for Intel's products and the level of revenue and profits.
Intel's results could be affected by adverse economic, social, political and physical/infrastructure conditions in countries where Intel, its customers or its suppliers operate, including military conflict and other security risks, natural disasters, infrastructure disruptions, health concerns and fluctuations in currency exchange rates.
Intel’s results could be affected by the timing of closing of acquisitions and divestitures.
Intel's results could be affected by adverse effects associated with product defects and errata (deviations from published specifications), and by litigation or regulatory matters involving intellectual property, stockholder, consumer, antitrust and other issues, such as the litigation and regulatory matters described in Intel's SEC reports. An unfavorable ruling could include monetary damages or an injunction prohibiting us from manufacturing or selling one or more products, precluding particular business practices, impacting Intel’s ability to design its products, or requiring other remedies such as compulsory licensing of intellectual property.
Thecus® N4100EVO: The First Dual-core Cavium-based 4-bay
12/12/2011 - Taipei (Taiwan): Thecus is well known in the market for always putting innovative hardware and state of the art technology on the table for a fair price in order to guarantee our customers the best value. Thecus's new N4100EVO NAS offer a broad range of advanced features and differentiate themselves with low-energy hardware for those who place strong value on cutting down their electricity costs and carbon footprint. This cost-effective hardware is the first four-bay NAS on the market to feature the speedy and efficient dual-core Cavium CPU to get the quick transfer speeds necessary for large backups and heavy use. The N4100EVO is designed to change the way you run your office, at home or at work.
Dual Core CPUThe N4100EVO doesn't bust your budget and still has plenty of power to throw around. It integrates a Cavium dual-core processor, making file sharing, web hosting, and even heavy data backups easy and fast. This four bay NAS will also have 2 USB 2.0 ports for easy data backup to and from external hard drives and an LCD screen for more convenient administration.
Hardware RAID and the Powerful XOR Engine
The XOR Engine makes the N4100EVO the first SMB/home NAS on the market to use dedicated hardware to lighten the load of building RAID and free up the CPU to keep your NAS running fast. The N4100EVO embeds a dedicated XOR engine in order to speed up all RAID 5 computations and minimize one of the main drawbacks of RAID protection: rebuilding time!
A Well Rounded Software Bundle
It is important to give users the support and applications they need to take full advantage of storing and networking their data. That's why Thecus provides a lot of useful tools to be sure their NAS can be pushed to the fullest extent. If you feel you are a tinkerer, you can also develop your own modules and share them with the community.
- Thecus Firmware includes support for all the newest advances: XFS, 3TB HDD, SATAIII HDD, iSCSI, an open source module system, and more.
- The powerful Acronis Backup software makes backups easy and keeps your data safe!
- More than a dozen free modules are available on the Thecus website, including:
o A download manager for BitTorrent, eMule and HTTP. You don't even need to switch on your computer!
o The brand new Piczza! photo server, which allows you to share your pictures with friends and family in a smart and easy-to-use interface.
o A Web Disk module to upload and download data simply and easily to and from your NAS.
"As the demand for storage capacity continues to grow, SMB/home users are requiring greater integration of storage into their environments," said Florence Shih, Thecus Technology General Manager. "The N4100EVO is designed to deliver performance, features, and reliability at an affordable price to satisfy these needs."
"Cavium is delighted to be working with Thecus in introducing the revolutionary 4-Bay NAS product to the market," says Douglas Cheung, Director of Marketing for Consumer and Home Networking at Cavium. "Our ECONA family of dual-core System-On-Chips (SoCs) deliver best-in-class NAS performance with the lowest power consumption. N4100EVO leverages these attributes of ECONA SoC to deliver an energy efficient 4-bay solution without compromising the performance or cost targets."
Kyocera supplies solar modules for second phase of 16 MWp solar park
12 December 2011 - Kyoto / Neuss − The solar industry in Italy is still on the rise, as high levels of energy production owing to favourable sunlight conditions and an attractive feed-in tariff promote the expansion of renewable solar energy. The Japanese technology company Kyocera, one of the leading manufacturers in the field of photovoltaics, has recently delivered an additional 10 MWp of solar modules for an existing 6 MWp installation near Turin in Cigliano, Italy.
The additional output of 10 MWp is distributed equally between the "Lotti" and "Petiva" sites. 20,640 KD240GH-2PB Kyocera modules were installed at each of the two plants. Owing to its high efficiency, the large module is particularly suitable for installation in industrial and open-space facilities. With 60 cells, the Kyocera module has a performance of 240 Wp.
Recently completed, these new plants supplement an existing 6 MWp solar plant located in the Piedmont region, which is operated by Kyocera’s partner Enermill. With an expanded total output of 16 MWp, the Enermill solar park is the largest installation in Italy to use Kyocera modules. The solar park is comprised of 41,280 Kyocera KD240GH-2PB modules, 13,920 KD215GH-2PU modules, and 12,900 KD235GH-2PB modules. The park can produce approximately 20 GWh of solar electricity, which is the equivalent energy requirement of 4,500 households, and off-set 18,000 tons of CO2 annually. The Enermill solar park covers an area of 22ha.
Sunny future for the solar energy sector in Italy
Italy is one of the most important markets for solar energy in Europe. According to the GSE — an authority founded by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance for the promotion of renewable energies — in this year alone additional photovoltaic installations with an output of 6.5 GWp have been completed as of September. Furthermore, the sustainable production of electricity using photovoltaics is promoted by the Italian government with a feed-in tariff, for which the rates are considerably attractive in comparison to other European countries.
Kyocera Solar: high quality for exceptional performance
Kyocera has been developing solar cells for photovoltaics since 1975 and is regarded as a pioneer in the field. The company covers the entire value chain, from processing the raw material through to module assembly. This results in solar modules of a particularly high quality. By 2013, Kyocera aims to generate a production capacity of one gigawatt (GWp) per year.
The additional output of 10 MWp is distributed equally between the "Lotti" and "Petiva" sites. 20,640 KD240GH-2PB Kyocera modules were installed at each of the two plants. Owing to its high efficiency, the large module is particularly suitable for installation in industrial and open-space facilities. With 60 cells, the Kyocera module has a performance of 240 Wp.
Recently completed, these new plants supplement an existing 6 MWp solar plant located in the Piedmont region, which is operated by Kyocera’s partner Enermill. With an expanded total output of 16 MWp, the Enermill solar park is the largest installation in Italy to use Kyocera modules. The solar park is comprised of 41,280 Kyocera KD240GH-2PB modules, 13,920 KD215GH-2PU modules, and 12,900 KD235GH-2PB modules. The park can produce approximately 20 GWh of solar electricity, which is the equivalent energy requirement of 4,500 households, and off-set 18,000 tons of CO2 annually. The Enermill solar park covers an area of 22ha.
Sunny future for the solar energy sector in Italy
Italy is one of the most important markets for solar energy in Europe. According to the GSE — an authority founded by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance for the promotion of renewable energies — in this year alone additional photovoltaic installations with an output of 6.5 GWp have been completed as of September. Furthermore, the sustainable production of electricity using photovoltaics is promoted by the Italian government with a feed-in tariff, for which the rates are considerably attractive in comparison to other European countries.
Kyocera Solar: high quality for exceptional performance
Kyocera has been developing solar cells for photovoltaics since 1975 and is regarded as a pioneer in the field. The company covers the entire value chain, from processing the raw material through to module assembly. This results in solar modules of a particularly high quality. By 2013, Kyocera aims to generate a production capacity of one gigawatt (GWp) per year.
Thursday, 8 December 2011
Chip Shot: Intel Gives LabTech Customers Remote Control
LabTech Software, a managed service software provider, is taking advantage of 2nd generation Intel® Core™ vPro™ processors to improve its customers’ access to and interactivity with remote PCs. With this activation of Intel® vPro™ technology, IT professionals can remotely access powered-off PCs, schedule shutdowns and backups and troubleshoot problems that would normally require an on-site visit by using LabTech Software. The improved remote connectivity helps IT professionals lower operating costs, improve efficiency and speed the diagnosis and repair PC problems in the business. Learn more about Intel vPro technology at Intel.com.
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
Chip Shot: 2011 Milestones: The Re-Invention of the Transistor
As 2011 draws to a close, Intel achieved many milestones this year. Intel announced a significant breakthrough and historic innovation with 3-D Tri-Gate transistors. Intel’s transistors have powered not only all computers, mobile phones and consumer electronics to-date, but also the electronic controls within cars, spacecraft, household appliances, medical devices and thousands of other everyday devices for decades. New innovations will be enabled across a broad range of devices, from the smallest handhelds to powerful cloud-based servers. In the first half of 2012, 3rd Generation Intel Core processors, codenamed “Ivy Bridge,” will be built on this revolutionary design and power the next generation of Ultrabooks™ and PCs worldwide.
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
Introducing Thecus® High-value NAS Series
A powerful high-capacity NAS with the best price in the business
12/06/2011- Thecus is releasing a new line of network attached storage that takes on a quickly growing part of the market: high-capacity, high-value storage. The value, or "V", line, supplement Thecus's existing full lineup of NAS, by giving users a choice between more value and more power. These new NAS combine the newest line of powerful Intel® processors and Thecus's potent software to provide a solution that can accommodate a broad spectrum of business and personal storage and computing needs while staying within your budget.
Built for Enterprise Tasks
The N8900V is the unification of power and price, functionality and frugality. The new Intel® PentiumTM G620 running at 2.6GHz keeps user requests screaming along and allows the N8900V to multitask smoothly, balancing such activities as data transfer, web serving, and RAID building without any delays or slowdowns in service.
The N8900V adds an important choice for consumers in need of an 8-bay NAS at a great value and is the unchallenged highest performance and function for price option on the market. It promises to set new standards in an environment increasingly leaning towards cost-saving measures that still guarantee data integrity and professional functionality.
Two NAS packed with all the Thecus hardware innovations
The N12000V and N16000V are bundled with useful pieces of hardware innovations to ensure that your NAS is a solid investment. The system relies on a very recent high-value Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1225 Quad Core @3.10 GHz.
The NAS are long-term products. That's why Thecus added a lot of attractive hardware delicacies. Thanks to their multiple PCI-e slots, the N12000V & N16000V benefit from:
SAS controller to support current and future cutting-edge disks, up to 15000rpm.
USB 3.0 ports: tired of waiting? Use high-speed external hard drives with speeds up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0!
10GBASE-T Ethernet adapter to connect to 10GbE networks with a regular Ethernet cable (CAT6 with RJ45 plug): no more expensive and fragile optic cables.
With the remaining slots, you've got room to improve for future and exciting technical improvements of the network industry.
Last but not least, those two models feature a HDMI output. Besides simple monitoring, what you can do now with your NAS is virtually limitless and does not require a computer anymore!
A generous software suit for unmatched availability
Delivered with the same 64-bits software as their regular versions, the N12000V & N16000V come with the now famous Thecus-HA (High Availability): instant NAS cloning and service recovery in case of hardware failure. You can know more about Thecus-HA here.
The embedded Firmware comes with everything useful for your enterprise, maximizing the ROI: buying a smart centralized unit such as Thecus NAS will reduce maintenance costs, diminish initial investment and remain flexible: iSCSI capabilities for dynamic space allocation, Citrix and VMware certifications for virtualized environments, all the common and uncommon RAID levels for data redundancy, compatibility with all network protocols to be sure your NAS can work with anyone, distant access over Internet, and so on. Functions can be added on the fly thanks to the Thecus module system.
Also each of the V Series comes bundled with one Acronis Backup Software to give users a well-designed, professional software backup solution to simplify storage and backup tasks.
"While IT budgets are tightening, the need for quality high-capacity NAS has, paradoxically, never been so strong within professional environments. Combining Thecus quality standards, innovations and high-value hardware, the V series is designed to bring customers alternative solutions and help them to manage their critical resources without crippling their budget" says Florence Shih, General Manager of Thecus Technology Corp.
Belkin Adds Dual-Head DVI & USB to OmniView Desktop KVM Product Line
(Playa Vista, CA) -December 6, 2011- Belkin today announced the addition of the OmniView Dual-Head DVI & USB Keyboard-Video-Mouse (KVM) Switch to its OmniView Desktop KVM Switch product line. The addition of the Dual-Head DVI & USB KVM completes the OmniView desktop KVM line and brings the total number of products in the line to 10, offering customers a solution for all possible monitor and workstation scenarios. Belkin's newly introduced Dual-Head DVI & USB KVM Switch allows users to share a keyboard, mouse and two DVI monitors between up to four computers.
"We spend a lot of time in front of our computers and high definition content has become the norm. Most of our team uses multiple monitors and manage several PC and Mac systems at once. Belkin's Dual-Head DVI & USB KVM Switch allows us to multi-task between graphic design, production, and web development with a single set of peripherals," said Jason Geitzenauer, director of technology for Freshecho Interactive.
Helping to improve efficiency and productivity, the OmniView Desktop KVM Switch product line is designed to keep clutter off of the desk and files spread across multiple systems. The OmniView line provides innovative features including built-in USB 2.0 2-port hubs, user friendly design with front-panel buttons to provide easy-to-access switching between multiple computers and the ability to switch seamlessly between Macs and PCs. The OmniView Desktop KVM Switch product line includes 2 and 4 ports options for:
"Belkin continually strives to understand the market and create innovative technology to meet the unique needs of our users," said Luis Artiz, director of product management at Belkin. "With the introduction of our Dual-Head DVI & USB KVM Switch, we have a complete product line that allows us to provide a superior option to our customers no matter what their needs may be."
The Dual-Head DVI & USB KVM Switches are now available through Belkin's channel partners.
"We spend a lot of time in front of our computers and high definition content has become the norm. Most of our team uses multiple monitors and manage several PC and Mac systems at once. Belkin's Dual-Head DVI & USB KVM Switch allows us to multi-task between graphic design, production, and web development with a single set of peripherals," said Jason Geitzenauer, director of technology for Freshecho Interactive.
Helping to improve efficiency and productivity, the OmniView Desktop KVM Switch product line is designed to keep clutter off of the desk and files spread across multiple systems. The OmniView line provides innovative features including built-in USB 2.0 2-port hubs, user friendly design with front-panel buttons to provide easy-to-access switching between multiple computers and the ability to switch seamlessly between Macs and PCs. The OmniView Desktop KVM Switch product line includes 2 and 4 ports options for:
"Belkin continually strives to understand the market and create innovative technology to meet the unique needs of our users," said Luis Artiz, director of product management at Belkin. "With the introduction of our Dual-Head DVI & USB KVM Switch, we have a complete product line that allows us to provide a superior option to our customers no matter what their needs may be."
The Dual-Head DVI & USB KVM Switches are now available through Belkin's channel partners.
Monday, 5 December 2011
Made in IBM Labs: Researchers Demonstrate Future of Computing with Graphene, Racetrack and Carbon Nanotube Breakthroughs
Prototypes developed for first time in real-world manufacturing environments are critical step towards transferring research into commercial devices.
Washington - 05 Dec 2011: WASHINGTON - Dec 5, 2011: Today at IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, IBM (NYSE: IBM) scientists unveiled several exploratory research breakthroughs that could lead to major advancements in delivering dramatically smaller, faster and more powerful computer chips.
For more than 50 years, computer processors have increased in power and shrunk in size at a tremendous rate. However, today's chip designers are hitting physical limitations with Moore's Law, halting the pace of product innovation from scaling alone.
With virtually all electronic equipment today built on complementary-symmetry metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, there is an urgent need for new materials and circuit architecture designs compatible with this engineering process as the technology industry nears physical scalability limits of the silicon transistor.
Following years of key physics advances previously only achieved in a laboratory, IBM scientists successfully integrated the development and application of new materials and logic architectures on 200mm (eight inch) diameter wafers. These breakthroughs could potentially provide a new technological basis for the convergence of computing, communication, and consumer electronics.
Racetrack Memory
Racetrack memory combines the benefits of magnetic hard drives and solid-state memory to overcome challenges of growing memory demands and shrinking devices.
Proving this type of memory is feasible, today IBM researchers are detailing the first Racetrack memory device integrated with CMOS technology on 200mm wafers, culminating seven years of physics research.
The researchers demonstrated both read and write functionality on an array of 256 in-plane, magnetized horizontal racetracks. This development lays the foundation for further improving Racetrack memory's density and reliability using perpendicular magnetized racetracks and three-dimensional architectures.
This breakthrough could lead to a new type of data-centric computing that allows massive amounts of stored information to be accessed in less than a billionth of a second.
Graphene
This first-ever CMOS-compatible graphene device can advance wireless communications, and enable new, high frequency devices, which can operate under adverse temperature and radiation conditions in areas such as security and medical applications.
The graphene integrated circuit, a frequency multiplier, is operational up to 5 GHz and stable up to 200 degrees Celcius. While detailed thermal stability still needs to be evaluated, these results are promising for graphene circuits to be used in high temperature environments.
New architecture flips the current graphene transistor structure on its head. Instead of trying to deposit gate dielectric on an inert graphene surface, the researchers developed a novel embedded gate structure that enables high device yield on a 200mm wafer.
Carbon Nanotubes
IBM researchers today demonstrated the first transistor with sub-10 nm channel lengths, outperforming the best competing silicon-based devices at these length scales.
While already being considered in varied applications ranging from solar cells to displays, it is expected that computers with in the next decade will use transistors with a channel length below 10 nm, a length scale at which conventional silicon technology will have extreme difficulty performing even with new advanced device architectures. The scaled carbon nanotube devices below 10nm gate length are a significant breakthrough for future applications in computing technology.
While often associated with improving switching speed (on-state), this breakthrough demonstrates for the first time that carbon nanotubes can provide excellent off-state behavior in extremely scaled devices-- better than what some theoretical estimates of tunneling current suggested.
IBM and Nanotechnology Leadership
"Throughout its history, IBM's continued investment in scientific research to identify new materials and processes has not only extended current technologies but is providing a sustainable technology foundation for tomorrow," said T.C. Chen, vice president, Science and Technology, IBM Research. "Today's breakthroughs challenge the status quo by exploring the boundaries of science and transforming that knowledge into information technology systems that could advance the power and capability of businesses worldwide."
Washington - 05 Dec 2011: WASHINGTON - Dec 5, 2011: Today at IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, IBM (NYSE: IBM) scientists unveiled several exploratory research breakthroughs that could lead to major advancements in delivering dramatically smaller, faster and more powerful computer chips.
For more than 50 years, computer processors have increased in power and shrunk in size at a tremendous rate. However, today's chip designers are hitting physical limitations with Moore's Law, halting the pace of product innovation from scaling alone.
With virtually all electronic equipment today built on complementary-symmetry metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, there is an urgent need for new materials and circuit architecture designs compatible with this engineering process as the technology industry nears physical scalability limits of the silicon transistor.
Following years of key physics advances previously only achieved in a laboratory, IBM scientists successfully integrated the development and application of new materials and logic architectures on 200mm (eight inch) diameter wafers. These breakthroughs could potentially provide a new technological basis for the convergence of computing, communication, and consumer electronics.
Racetrack Memory
Racetrack memory combines the benefits of magnetic hard drives and solid-state memory to overcome challenges of growing memory demands and shrinking devices.
Proving this type of memory is feasible, today IBM researchers are detailing the first Racetrack memory device integrated with CMOS technology on 200mm wafers, culminating seven years of physics research.
The researchers demonstrated both read and write functionality on an array of 256 in-plane, magnetized horizontal racetracks. This development lays the foundation for further improving Racetrack memory's density and reliability using perpendicular magnetized racetracks and three-dimensional architectures.
This breakthrough could lead to a new type of data-centric computing that allows massive amounts of stored information to be accessed in less than a billionth of a second.
Graphene
This first-ever CMOS-compatible graphene device can advance wireless communications, and enable new, high frequency devices, which can operate under adverse temperature and radiation conditions in areas such as security and medical applications.
The graphene integrated circuit, a frequency multiplier, is operational up to 5 GHz and stable up to 200 degrees Celcius. While detailed thermal stability still needs to be evaluated, these results are promising for graphene circuits to be used in high temperature environments.
New architecture flips the current graphene transistor structure on its head. Instead of trying to deposit gate dielectric on an inert graphene surface, the researchers developed a novel embedded gate structure that enables high device yield on a 200mm wafer.
Carbon Nanotubes
IBM researchers today demonstrated the first transistor with sub-10 nm channel lengths, outperforming the best competing silicon-based devices at these length scales.
While already being considered in varied applications ranging from solar cells to displays, it is expected that computers with in the next decade will use transistors with a channel length below 10 nm, a length scale at which conventional silicon technology will have extreme difficulty performing even with new advanced device architectures. The scaled carbon nanotube devices below 10nm gate length are a significant breakthrough for future applications in computing technology.
While often associated with improving switching speed (on-state), this breakthrough demonstrates for the first time that carbon nanotubes can provide excellent off-state behavior in extremely scaled devices-- better than what some theoretical estimates of tunneling current suggested.
IBM and Nanotechnology Leadership
"Throughout its history, IBM's continued investment in scientific research to identify new materials and processes has not only extended current technologies but is providing a sustainable technology foundation for tomorrow," said T.C. Chen, vice president, Science and Technology, IBM Research. "Today's breakthroughs challenge the status quo by exploring the boundaries of science and transforming that knowledge into information technology systems that could advance the power and capability of businesses worldwide."
Improving USB Security – Best Practices for Portable Data
Sunbury-on-Thames - December 5, 2011 -- Kingston Digital Europe Ltd, an affiliate of Kingston Technology Company Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, reveals best practices and the risks associated with a lack of security policies in organisations using USB Flash drives containing confidential corporate data.
"Data is the DNA of any company and as such, must be protected at all times and handled cautiously and wisely," said Jim Selby, European Product Marketing Manager at Kingston Technology. "Data on USB devices should be secured and policies implemented to ensure the information is safeguarded, stored, downloaded, and shared with only authorised parties. Failure to do so exposes a company to a host of negative consequences including non-compliance, fines, financial loss and lack of customer confidence and trust."
Based on Kingston's extensive market experience and customer feedback, the company identified the top best practices that organisations should follow to protect confidential data. In the current economic climate, it's even more important that companies foster a greater understanding of USB security among their staff and put the correct policy in place to ensure they are not the next ones making the headlines.
The best time to develop an encrypted USB plan is before you need to prove you had one - incorporate secure USB Flash drives and policies into your organisation's overall security strategy.
"Data is the DNA of any company and as such, must be protected at all times and handled cautiously and wisely," said Jim Selby, European Product Marketing Manager at Kingston Technology. "Data on USB devices should be secured and policies implemented to ensure the information is safeguarded, stored, downloaded, and shared with only authorised parties. Failure to do so exposes a company to a host of negative consequences including non-compliance, fines, financial loss and lack of customer confidence and trust."
Based on Kingston's extensive market experience and customer feedback, the company identified the top best practices that organisations should follow to protect confidential data. In the current economic climate, it's even more important that companies foster a greater understanding of USB security among their staff and put the correct policy in place to ensure they are not the next ones making the headlines.
The best time to develop an encrypted USB plan is before you need to prove you had one - incorporate secure USB Flash drives and policies into your organisation's overall security strategy.
Chip Shot: Intel AppUp(SM) center Now Available Through Sprint
App lovers can now go to Sprint.com and download apps from the Intel AppUpSM center. For a limited time, people who install and register with the Intel AppUp center will receive Angry Birds Rio and History Channel Trivia Challenge 2.0 for free. Sprint is the first wireless provider in the U.S. offering Intel AppUp center to their customers. Whether you’re in the mood for some home cooking, social networking or new twists on classic games, the Intel AppUp center is home to thousands of PC apps, and a perfect complement to Sprint’s 3G/4G-powered Dell Inspiron 11z.
Friday, 2 December 2011
Acer Presents the ICONIA TAB A200
The tablet for sharing good times with family at an affordable price.
London, 2nd December 2011 - Acer Inc. announces the release of the ICONIA TAB A200, the company's latest tablet. Ideal for sharing good times via gaming, e-books, movies, music, photography, social networking and more, this tablet is an amazing hub of activity for people of all ages, and it comes at a very affordable price. Shipments in select countries include the Android 3.2 OS (code named Honeycomb) beginning in November. Shipments with Android 4.0 (code named Ice Cream Sandwich, or ICS) will start in January 2012 worldwide. A free ICS upgrade to current ICONIA TAB A200 users will also be made available at that time.
Priced right and looking sleek from all angles, the ICONIA TAB A200 stands out in Titanium Gray or Metallic Red. The rear side is soft to the touch and features an eye-catching pattern. Made especially for multimedia enjoyment, this tablet packs hardware and apps for loads of fun. Visuals are fantastic on the generous 10.1" multitouch screen, and even thrilling games run smoothly thanks to the NVIDIA® TegraTM 2 Dual Core 1 GHz processor and gyrometer.
The ICONIA TAB A200 improves multitasking with the Acer Ring interface for setting easy-access apps from any screen. It also features Screenshot, which quickly captures web images, articles, Google Maps and even smiling faces from video calls. Screenshot can be used in any app on any screen for maximum convenience.
Adapted perfectly for mobility, this tablet has a full-size USB port for hooking up other devices and a MicroSD slot for passing data. A 2 MP web camera enables face-to-face chats for keeping friends and family close at hand wherever you are. Whether on the road or at home, sharing multimedia is easy; you can read an e-book or watch a streaming movie, anytime. For enhanced social networking the ICONIA TAB A200 includes Acer SocialJogger, which consolidates Facebook, Twitter and more.
The ICONIA TAB A200 is expected to be available mid Q1, pricing to be advised.
Coming soon to Okobe.co.uk...
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Belkin Increases Channel Support with Enterprise Team Expansion
Dec. 1, 2011- Belkin, a leading provider of security technology, infrastructure and mobility products to business and government clients, today announced the addition of five new members to its enterprise team.
With an increasing number of products available through its channel partners - including secure and desktop keyboard-video-mouse (KVM) switches, cables, surge protectors and data center solutions - Belkin has committed to growing with them.
"We strongly believe that our channel partners play a direct role in our success and are continually investing in ways to support our partners and the enterprise market," said Cliff Unger, director of enterprise sales and marketing at Belkin. "We are excited to be expanding our enterprise team and adding these talented individuals to our roster. As we continue to scale our business to meet the demands of the channel we understand the positive impact these new additions can play in reaffirming our commitment to our customers and channel partners."
Belkin welcomes the following individuals, who are focused on the company's channel program, to the business and government solutions team:
Deeya Bhandari, Associate Channel Marketing Manager, Enterprise Marketing
Edward Deckard, National Account Manager, Channel Sales
Aaron Sunshine, Business Development Representative, Channel Sales
In addition to expanding the number of people devoted to maintaining relationships with channel partners, Belkin's enterprise division is also growing its team of product managers. Dedicated to delivering a comprehensive product offering to end users across industries and verticals, and expanding an already robust product portfolio, Belkin has also added the following individuals to their enterprise team:
Bjorn Jacoby, Regional Product Manager, Cables and Infrastructure
Sydney Wen, Senior Global Product Manager, Enterprise Division
"We've been a technology leader for almost 30 years and these are exciting times at Belkin," said Luis Artiz, director of product management at Belkin. "As we look ahead to 2012 we see a range of opportunities for our enterprise division that are focused on the data center and mobility, with the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, and we'll be exploring new verticals and markets."
With an increasing number of products available through its channel partners - including secure and desktop keyboard-video-mouse (KVM) switches, cables, surge protectors and data center solutions - Belkin has committed to growing with them.
"We strongly believe that our channel partners play a direct role in our success and are continually investing in ways to support our partners and the enterprise market," said Cliff Unger, director of enterprise sales and marketing at Belkin. "We are excited to be expanding our enterprise team and adding these talented individuals to our roster. As we continue to scale our business to meet the demands of the channel we understand the positive impact these new additions can play in reaffirming our commitment to our customers and channel partners."
Belkin welcomes the following individuals, who are focused on the company's channel program, to the business and government solutions team:
Deeya Bhandari, Associate Channel Marketing Manager, Enterprise Marketing
Edward Deckard, National Account Manager, Channel Sales
Aaron Sunshine, Business Development Representative, Channel Sales
In addition to expanding the number of people devoted to maintaining relationships with channel partners, Belkin's enterprise division is also growing its team of product managers. Dedicated to delivering a comprehensive product offering to end users across industries and verticals, and expanding an already robust product portfolio, Belkin has also added the following individuals to their enterprise team:
Bjorn Jacoby, Regional Product Manager, Cables and Infrastructure
Sydney Wen, Senior Global Product Manager, Enterprise Division
"We've been a technology leader for almost 30 years and these are exciting times at Belkin," said Luis Artiz, director of product management at Belkin. "As we look ahead to 2012 we see a range of opportunities for our enterprise division that are focused on the data center and mobility, with the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, and we'll be exploring new verticals and markets."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)