Samsung Galaxy Gear smart watch doesn't impress in full review

I think they nail it in this review really. Its still a concept but it's a decent effort. Battery is also rather shocking apparently.



http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/samsung-galaxy-gear-smart-watch-doesnt-impress-in-full-review-50012363/

ISPreview: Headache for Broadband ISPs as Netflix UK Add Super HD Movie Streams

The interesting bit is:

"Naturally the extra quality might give a headache to some providers and that’s one reason why Netflix are attempting to encourage ISPs to adopt Netflix Open Connect, which is their “highly optimized video content delivery network” that’s available at no cost to broadband providers."

I doubt any ISP's would struggle in their core of distribution layers of their network with this upgrade. The only problems will arise if there are access network capacity issues that beat forecasts in certain areas, otherwise this is a bit of a non-story really. 

I hope Now TV move to match this quality. Their standalone NowTV box (for people who don't want Sky or prefer a pay as you go model) is awesome for the price but let down by being only 720p. 

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2013/09/headache-broadband-isps-netflix-uk-add-super-hd-movie-streams.html

Steam is coming to a new operating system

So Valve are going with their own OS. I think it's a interesting move but i'm not sure its the right one.

Still if they push it hard enough it might work. I'm guessing it's going to be a skinned Linux (probably based off Ubuntu).

It'll be interesting to see what they do about graphics driver support. Thats usually a bug bear of many linux gamers although the quality of them have come a lone way in recent years.

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/

Also they have released an image of their new controller design:

It looks weird to say the least! Again it's a bit of risk as PC gaming is designed around a keyboard mouse combo.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/27/valve-steambox-announcement-3/

Fibre on Demand footprint starts to grow

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/6058-fibre-on-demand-footprint-starts-to-grow.html

I'll be at Eurogamer Expo today!

I'll try and take some pics...



http://www.eurogamerexpo.com/

Update with some pics:

BT List 19 Final UK Exchanges for their GBP2.5bn Fibre Broadband Rollout

The Absolutely Final 19 Commercial Fibre Exchange Upgrades

ANFIELD – Merseyside
ASHFIELD – West Midlands
BEACON – West Midlands
BRADFORD – West Yorkshire
CANARY WHARF – Greater London
FARNWORTH – Greater Manchester
GOSCOTE – Leicestershire
HALESOWEN – West Midlands
HOLMEWOOD – Derbyshire
LEEDS – West Yorkshire
NETHERLEY – Merseyside
NEWCASTLE EAST – Tyne and Wear
NORTH SHIELDS – Tyne and Wear
OLD WHITTINGTON – Derbyshire
ORRELL – Greater Manchester
RIPPONDEN – West Yorkshire
RUBERY – West Midlands
STONE CROSS – West Midlands
WAKEFIELD – West Yorkshire

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2013/09/bt-list-19-final-uk-exchanges-commercial-fibre-broadband-rollout.html

New iMacs are out!

Apple have refreshed the line up with new processors, better wireless & graphics. The Nvidia graphics are a particular nice boost. Hopefully these will come with a discount or free offer for OS X's next iteration coming out in a few months (Mavericks). 

http://store.apple.com/uk/mac/family/imac

Surface 2 release date, news and features

See link for details on the product launch.

USB3 is a nice addition. Better performance and a better design. With a full Office suite on Windows RT (the version for mobile chips inside tablets) it might now be more appealing for businesses instead of only considering the more expensive Pro version with full fat Windows.

http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/surface-2-what-microsoft-s-reddit-q-lls-us-about-the-next-surface-tablet-1129998

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7361/microsoft-surface-event-live-blog

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/

When wireless charging standards collide...

So Qualcomm has decided to Join the management board of it's rival standard Qi. interesting move.
I've only used Qi charging in the Nokia Lumia 920 and for what it's worth I liked it. It was a bit slow but it worked. It just needed cheaper chargers and integration in more convenient places!

http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/20/qualcomm-wireless-power-consortium-board-of-management/

BBM for iOS rollout underway, Android versions still taking it's sweet time.

Not really news worthy to me with the prominence of message apps like Whatsapp.

I'm not really sure what they are trying to achieve with diversifying their messaging system.

Blackberry (formally RIM) really needed a bigger marketing push and awareness with the news OS and phone refreshes. Maybe some new business focused ideas to push at the corporate market.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/21/psa-bbm-for-android-available-on-play-store-now-ios-incoming-t/

This could end fighting over a single TV!*

You know that time old tradition of fighting over the living room TV? The Xbox one might seen an end to that, buy a massive TV and do picture in picture with the PS4 via the HDMI input on the XBOX One!

http://kotaku.com/your-xbox-one-and-ps4-can-hook-up-1357855006?utm_campaign=Socialflow_Kotaku_Facebook&utm_source=Kotaku_Facebook&utm_medium=Socialflow

The Original Google Hardware Device Makes a Comeback

"A decade ago, when it was known for little more than web search, Google introduced a bright yellow box that let businesses use the company’s search technology to find stuff stored on their own internal networks. The Google Search Appliance was the company’s first venture into the business world,leading the way for a long list of other enterprise tools, including Gmail and Google Docs and Google Chromebooks.

The GSA — as Google calls it — is now overshadowed by so many other Google hardware and software tools. But the company still believes in its mission. On Tuesday, Google unveiled a new version of the tool — GSA 7.0 — boasting of a new interface, several new search tools, and the ability to handle much larger amounts of data. According to the company, a single rack of these appliances can now juggle the equivalent of the Google.com search index as it stood in the year 2000 — i.e. an index spanning one billion webpages."

http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/10/google-search-appliance/

UK ISP EE Launch New BrightBox 2 Router Alongside its Fibre Broadband

Interesting that the article mentions a lack of info on IPv6 support. You would think that a mobile operator would be all over that in terms of implementation and marketing given that mobile operators tend to be more familiar with IPv6 in their cellular networks (I'm generalising here).

802.11ac and a gigabit Ethernet port are nice additions for a bundled router though!

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2013/09/uk-isp-ee-launch-new-brightbox-2-router-alongside-fibre-broadband.html

Eurostar connectivity to get a lot better.

"Commuters travelling on the Channel Tunnel route could soon benefit from even faster wireless Internet access, alongside a seamless switchover at international borders, after Nomad Digital announced that its connectivity solutions would also be installed on 10 of their latest e320 trains.

The 320 series, which first surfaced at the end of 2010, can travel at speeds of up to 200mph (Miles per Hour) on parts of the track that support such performance and are also able to negotiate different signalling equipment and power supplies between countries (i.e. fewer changeover stops required)."

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2013/09/new-eurostar-e320-train-fleet-get-faster-wifi-internet-access.html

OS X 10.8.5 update more than doubles 802.11ac file transfer speeds

Apple's latest update squashes a speed-sapping bug in the 2013 MacBook Air.

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/09/os-x-10-8-5-update-more-than-doubles-802-11ac-file-transfer-speeds/