News

Kabel Deutschland (KD) is the first cable operator in the world to successfully achieve a download speed of 4.700 Mbit/s (4.7 Gbit/s) via the cable network in a field test. The future-proof network capacity of broadband cable was demonstrated in a field test in the cable network of the city of Schwerin. Back in 2010, KD already achieved a speed test peak of 1.17 Gbit/s in a field test in the cable network of the city of Hamburg. The maximum download speed of 4.7 Gbit/s achieved now in the Schwerin field test enables KD to transmit more bandwidth than current PC and laptops could process.

Customers of Kabel Deutschland living in houses with a modernised inhouse network are already able to surf the internet with up to 100 Mbit/s in the cable network of the city of Schwerin which has been upgraded to 862 MHz. The Schwerin field test shows that an 862 MHz upgraded cable network is able to broadcast download speeds of up to 4.7 Gbit/s. „Using this speed, a DVD could theoretically be downloaded within eight seconds. Current standard laptops or modems cannot even process these high speeds. It will take many more years until users find online services and web content that need a download speed of up to 4.7 Gbit/s”, explained Lorenz Glatz, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Kabel Deutschland. „The Schwerin field test demonstrates that the broadband cable network is already today a high-performance and sustainable infrastructure offering huge untapped potential. At the same time, it is the only broadband infrastructure in Germany that is able to provide these high bandwidths extensively”, says Dr. Adrian v. Hammerstein, CEO of Kabel Deutschland.

The field test was carried out on a test account in a school in the modernised cable network of the city of Schwerin. Works such as civil engineering were not needed. The 4.7 Gbit/s field test is completely based upon already available standards, technologies and hardware. In co-operation with technology leader ARRIS, KD uses the EuroDocsis 3.0 standard that is being extensively utilised in the footprint of Kabel Deutschland. The KD head-end in Schwerin used a standard commercial ARRIS C4® CMTS (Cable Modem Termination System, the counterpart of the cable provider to the cable modem in the customer household) from ARRIS. In the school KD connected a broadband test setup of twelve ARRIS Touchstone CM820S cable modems that supplied the download speed by channel bundling. „Our field test with a download speed of significantly more than 4 Gbit/s was a complete success and underlines once more the possibilities of a cable network as the only extensive ultra-broadband network in the German broadband market”, Glatz summarises.

Don Reisinger writing on cnet reports ” Google Chrome overtook Internet Explorer last week to become the world’s most popular browser. According to the data the company compiled, during the week of May 14 to May 20, Chrome secured 32.76 percent market share, compared to Microsoft’s 31.94 percent,” based on stats from StatCounter.

Chrome overtakes Internet Explorer, according to StatCounter. (Credit: Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET)

“Still, it’s important to note that StatCounter’s method of counting data is slightly different than those from other analytics firms. StatCounter counts raw page views, but doesn’t correct its data for geographic differences between global browsing patterns and its own network usage. StatCounter only recently started removing prerendered pages which are not viewed from its stats.

Despite its worldwide success, Chrome still has a ways to go to catch Internet Explorer in the U.S. In fact, StatCounter’s data shows that the week Chrome overtook Internet Explorer, Google’s browser held just 23.83 percent market share, compared to Microsoft’s 37.81 percent. Chrome’s success appears to have come in large part from Europe, where the browser outpaced Internet Explorer by more than 1 percentage point.”

Full article: http://asia.cnet.com/chrome-browser-takes-top-global-spot-62215569.htm

Engadget reports “Google Docs bumps up free storage to 5GB, primes servers for Drive?”

Is space at a premium in your Google Docs folder? Good news from Mountain View, then, as it’s just stealth-increased the storage allowance for its cloud-based document editor. Unfortunately, anyone that’s already plumped for a paid extension of their Google Docs storage won’t see an extra 5GB on top. This new storage limit also tallies with what we’re expecting to see from Google Drive — presumably pretty soon.

With free Google Docs you can Create and share online documents, spreadsheets and presentations. You can: 1) Access your documents online from any computer with an internet connection. 2) Add collaborators to your document and Docs will send them a link to access the doc online (no need to send email attachments back and forth) 3) Decide who can view and edit each document (only you, some people, or everyone)

For a quick tour, check out: www.google.com Or to get started, visit: docs.google.com

ZTE Corporation, will next week announce a significant extension of its Smart Terminal capabilities – both in its product range and routes to market – including a major new quad-core flagship handset.

ZTE will unveil eight new devices, delivering significant advances in power, high definition multimedia capabilities and design. Based on technology innovations including multi-core chipsets, LTE, 4G radio and the latest Android and Windows Mobile platforms, the new devices form a core component of ZTE’s ambition to become a top three handset provider by 2015.

On the infrastructure side, ZTE will be demonstrating a wide range of application scenarios covering LTE/LTE-A, smart networks and cloud computing.

“There is no doubt that this year’s Mobile World Congress will again see some exciting device launches. The new devices from ZTE will demonstrate how ZTE is without doubt among an elite group of handset providers as next generation telecommunications networks roll out globally. ZTE returns at least ten percent of its revenues back into R&D to ensure that it sustains its position as a true market innovator – and we’re counting down to being able to showcase this to the world’s mobile industry next week,” said Mr. He Shiyou, Executive Vice President and Head of the Terminals Division at ZTE.

The devices will be officially unveiled in a press conference at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Monday 27th February at 10:30 CET. The new devices, together with a comprehensive portfolio of ZTE terminals, will be on display at the ZTE booth in Hall 8, stand B145.

The Apache Software Foundation (ASF), the all-volunteer developers, stewards, and incubators of nearly 150 Open Source projects and initiatives, today announced version 2.4 of the award-winning Apache HTTP Server. Celebrating its 17th anniversary with an all-time record of nearly 400 million Websites powered worldwide[1], the Apache HTTP Server has been the most popular Web server on the Internet since April 1996.

“It is with great pleasure that we announce the availability of Apache HTTP Server 2.4”, said Eric Covener, Vice President of the Apache HTTP Server Project. “This release delivers a host of evolutionary enhancements throughout the server that our users, administrators, and developers will welcome. We’ve added many new modules in this release, as well as broadened the capability and flexibility of existing features”.

Numerous enhancements make Apache HTTP Server v2.4 ideally suited for Cloud environments. They include:
• Improved performance (lower resource utilization and better concurrency)
• Reduced memory usage
• Asyncronous I/O support
• Dynamic reverse proxy configuration
• Performance on par, or better, than pure event-driven Web servers
• More granular timeout and rate/resource limiting capability
• More finely-tuned caching support, tailored for high traffic servers and proxies.

Additional features include easier problem analysis, improved configuration flexibility, more powerful authentication and authorization, and documentation overhaul. For the complete feature list, please see http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/new_features_2_4.html

The Apache Web Server began as a fork (an independent development stream) of the NCSA httpd Web server created by Rob McCool at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). After McCool’s departure from NCSA in 1994, an online community of individuals called the Apache Group formed to support and enhance its software via email collaboration. The Apache Group’s founding members included Brian Behlendorf, Roy Fielding, Rob Hartill, David Robinson, Cliff Skolnick, Randy Terbush, Robert Thau, and Andrew Wilson.

Within less than a year of the Apache Group’s formation, the Apache server surpassed NCSA httpd as the #1 server on the Internet –and remains so to this day. In March 1999, members of the Apache Group formed The Apache Software Foundation to provide organizational, legal, and financial support for the Apache HTTP Server.

Availability and Oversight
Apache HTTP Server software is released under the Apache License v2.0, and is overseen by a self-selected team of active contributors to the project. A Project Management Committee (PMC) guides the Project’s day-to-day operations, including community development and product releases. Apache HTTP Server source code, documentation, mailing lists, and related resources are available at http://httpd.apache.org/

About The Apache Software Foundation (ASF)
Established in 1999, the all-volunteer Foundation oversees nearly one hundred fifty leading Open Source projects, including Apache HTTP Server — the world’s most popular Web server software. Through the ASF’s meritocratic process known as “The Apache Way,” more than 350 individual Members and 3,000 Committers successfully collaborate to develop freely available enterprise-grade software, benefiting millions of users worldwide: thousands of software solutions are distributed under the Apache License; and the community actively participates in ASF mailing lists, mentoring initiatives, and ApacheCon, the Foundation’s official user conference, trainings, and expo. The ASF is a US 501(3)(c) not-for-profit charity, funded by individual donations and corporate sponsors including AMD, Basis Technology, Cloudera, Facebook, Google, IBM, HP, Hortonworks, Matt Mullenweg, Microsoft, PSW Group, SpringSource/VMware, and Yahoo!. For more information, visit http://www.apache.org/

Roland DGA Corp. has introduced the iModela hobby milling machine, providing hobbyists with easy and affordable access to 3D milling technology.

“iModela is a completely new concept – a digital hobby mill designed to support a range of unique creative pursuits, from miniatures and model railroading to jewelry design and craft projects,” said Brian Brooks, product manager for Roland DGA Corp. “The applications for this innovative technology are endless, and we can’t wait to see what our customers will produce with it.”

With iModela, 3D modelers and hobby enthusiasts can easily and accurately create and embellish a wide range of projects by producing 3D shapes, reliefs, textures and patterns from modeling wax, foam, balsa wood and plastic materials. With a milling area of 3.39 inches wide by 2.17 inches in length and 1.02 inches in height, iModela is the perfect tool for small-scale creative projects.

Based on 25 years of proven Roland milling technology, iModela is a complete solution, with a cutting tool, sample materials and software. To build on this starter kit, Roland offers a variety of optional tools and materials that can be purchased conveniently online. Designed for ease of use, iModela comes equipped with a virtual panel that allows users to operate the machine right from a personal computer.

Included with the hobby milling machine is iModela Creator design software, which includes free hand drawing tools for sketching out designs and ideas. Intuitive menus and icons guide the user through the design process. Once designs are completed, they are easy to output on iModela using the included Windows driver. More advanced CAM software is available for download as well at http://icreate.rolanddg.com, allowing users to mill 3D files from other popular CAD applications.

iModela “iCreate” Community

To help iModela artists further their creative goals, Roland has established an online iModela community at http://icreate.rolanddg.com. The site serves as a collaborative forum for sharing design ideas, production workflows and technical tips. In addition, users can download free software and sample projects for production on iModela.

Priced at $899, iModela can be purchased online at www.rolanddgastore.com, and is available for delivery anywhere throughout North and South America (except Brazil). To purchase iModela outside this region, please visit http://icreate.rolanddg.com.

MetalCompass will reveal for the first time two models of gaming accessories for smartphones – The Xappr and the Micro-Xappr guns. The models will be revealed in the international toy fair that will take place in Nuremberg, Germany between February 1st and February 6st.

Both the Xappr and the Micro-Xappr allows players to play a variety of augmented reality and shooting games. “The Xappr guns has already more than 10 amazing augmented reality games that will allow the player to intercept alien spaceships, find and eliminate ghosts, fight evil flying robots, hunt a horde of blood thirsty zombies and the most important – engage in battle with other players” says Oren Shtark, MetalCompass’ CDO.

MetalCompass will release this spring the first real world multiplayer first person shooter for smartphones – ATK. ATK will allow players to simulate combat scenarios with different types of weapons – guns, rifles, grenade launchers and powerful pulse weapons. ATK will support three battle modes: Death-match, Last Man Standing and Teams Mode.

The Xappr guns will be available this spring but players from the US, Canada or the EU you can pre-order the Xappr gun now, get a discount and be the first among their friends to get the Xappr gun this spring.

www.xapprgun.com

Nikon Inc. has introduced a new line of COOLPIX digital cameras that combine affordability and convenience with performance and versatility to create a lineup of cameras that are ideal for the modern, fast-paced and connected family. Perfect for any type of family adventure from the sidelines to the backyard, the COOLPIX L810, L26 and S30 each offer a simple, convenient and fun way to capture great photos and HD movies with ease.

Expanding on Nikon’s outstanding long zoom reputation, the COOLPIX L810’s extremely powerful zoom (26x) offers a chance to capture every detail without giving up the convenience of a compact point-and- shoot camera. The COOLPIX S30 is a new type of camera from Nikon, providing worry-proof construction with a simple to use interface and an affordable price point so any family can enjoy photography with a camera that instills confidence. The COOLPIX L26 is ideal for casual photographers and streamlines photo- taking with intelligent Nikon technologies like automatic Scene Modes and easy-to-understand controls. All three cameras are AA battery compatible for the ultimate on-the-go convenience.

“Today’s family spends time together in more places than the dining room table; they are on adventures and vacations together, constantly in motion and creating memories,” said Bo Kajiwara, director of marketing, Nikon Inc. “Nikon’s latest COOLPIX cameras combine Nikon’s renowned image quality, advanced performance and superior technology to offer simple and affordable cameras for every member of your family.”

COOLPIX L810: Zoom That Goes the Distance

Whether at the game or in nature, users need a camera that can go the distance to get in close to the action. The COOLPIX L810 sports a powerful 26x (22.5mm-585mm) zoom that makes it possible to capture every detail with extraordinary precision. This latest affordable ultra zoom continues in a long line of superb Nikon compact long zoom cameras and features a super wide 22.5mm wide angle lens with VR image stabilization technology to help eliminate blur in photos and movies, regardless of focal length. Nineteen Scene Modes optimize camera settings automatically for picture-perfect results, while the Smart Portrait System helps make every portrait flattering and pictures priceless. Additionally, the COOLPIX L810 features a Sports Continuous Shooting mode to capture fast moving subjects. If still images aren’t enough to tell the whole story, begin recording 720p HD movies with stereo sound through a simple one-touch control button and play them back on a 3-inch, 921,000-dot high resolution LCD display.

COOLPIX S30: No Muss, No Fuss – Ready for Action

A wonderful addition to any family, the COOLPIX S30 makes it easy and fun to preserve memories from the priceless to possibly messy, including a baby’s first steps, first swim or first plate of spaghetti. Boasting a shockproof* (up to 2.6 feet) and waterproof *(up to 9.8 feet) exterior, the COOLPIX S30 affords a chance to capture all of their favorite moments without hesitation or worry. A 10.1-megapixel image sensor produces high quality images and HD video that can be easily e-mailed, printed and framed for family and friends. A 3x wide angle zoom lens, HD video capabilities and extremely easy-to-use modes like the Smart Portrait System make the COOLPIX S30 simple, durable and affordable.

COOLPIX L26: The Simple Way to Great Photos and Movies

Let the camera do the thinking while marveling at the great images taken with the COOLPIX L26. Simply point, shoot and let the camera do the rest with easy-to-use and intelligent automatic Scene Modes, helping bring out the user’s inner photographer. Featuring a 5x (26mm-130mm) optical Zoom-NIKKOR lens for close to intermediate distance shots, the COOLPIX L26 is fun and easy to use whether snapping photos on a field trip or capturing 720p HD video of a birthday party. A wide and bright 3-inch LCD screen, vibration reduction and Smart Portrait technology make this the ideal camera for the beginner or casual photographer who might not use a camera often, but knows they want amazing image quality when they do.

Price and Availability

The COOLPIX L810 will be available in February 2012 for a suggested retail price (SRP) price of $279.95** in a choice of colors including Black, Red and Blue. The COOLPIX S30 will be available in February 2012 for an SRP of $119.95** in a choice of colors including White, Blue and Pink. The COOLPIX L26 will be available in February 2012 for an SRP of $119.95** in a choice of colors including Red, Black and Silver. For more information about these and other COOLPIX cameras, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

Nikon Inc. announced the addition of the new AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G FX-format lens to its legendary line of NIKKOR lenses. The new 85mm is a fast, fixed focal-length lens with medium telephoto capabilities and a large maximum aperture of f/1.8 that is capable of performing a wide variety of imaging tasks with amazing sharpness and clarity.

“Whether a professional photographer who needs extreme sharpness or a photo enthusiast looking for an affordable, lightweight lens with amazing clarity, Nikon photographers appreciate and rely on the vast selection and dependability of NIKKOR lenses for their imaging needs,” said Lisa Osorio, general manager of marketing at Nikon Inc. “The new 85mm f/1.8 is fully optimized for capturing amazing photos and videos, while providing the ability to utilize background blur to compliment the subject of their photo.”

A welcome addition to Nikon’s growing line of versatile prime lenses, the new AF- NIKKOR 85mm is ideal for travel, general photography, low-light, landscape, portraiture and capturing movies with extreme depth of field. The 85mm is designed to capture photos utilizing beautiful image blur achieved due to its large maximum aperture. Furthermore, the lens is lightweight, easy to carry, and provides an equivalent focal length of 127mm when attached to a Nikon DX-format D-SLR camera body.

The construction of the 85mm f/1.8 consists of nine optical elements, with a seven-blade diaphragm which contributes to a substantially more circular bokeh for a natural appearance to out-of-focus background elements. Additionally, instances of lens flare and chromatic aberration are suppressed using Nikon’s exclusive Super Integrated Coatings, which also help ensure vividly accurate color balance.

The new lens also comes equipped with a carefully engineered optical system optimized to deliver superior image quality. The integration of an ultra-compact Silent Wave Motor (SWM) ensures fast, whisper-quiet AF operation, which is essential when recording movies. The 85mm also features two focus modes, M/A (manual-priority autofocus) and M (manual) to further enhance versatility and adapt to a shooters needs. Additionally, Internal Focus (IF) design prevents the front element from rotating, allowing for the use of filters and attachments.

Price and Availability
The lightweight AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G will be available in March 2012 for a SRP* of $499.95. For more information, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

To see the new AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G lens and other new Nikon products, visit Nikon at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at booth # 11039 from January 10-13th, 2012 in Las Vegas, NV.

Home automation provider Control4 has released a version of its MyHome software for phones and tablets

Control4, a leader in affordable IP-based home control systems, announces their new Control4® MyHome™ application for Android™-based smartphones and tablets. This addition to the popular Control4 MyHome family lets homeowners use the simple yet powerful Control4 interface on the leading mobile device platforms, providing total home control over video, music, lighting, thermostat, security, and more.

“Android’s fresh features and popular marketplace have driven mobile platform’s popularity, and now our customers want the convenience to interact with their Control4 systems from their new Android devices,” said Martin Plaehn, Chief Executive Officer of Control4. “Like our MyHome iPad™ and iPhone™ apps, both popular additions to our lineup, we anticipate the new app for Android will let our dealers put the best Control4 interface in front of our customers. With smartphones and tablets topping most holiday gift lists, we’re expecting more and more consumers to demand home control from these devices…and we are delivering.”

Dealers now have the ultimate flexibility to deliver the best control interface for each customer, whether they want to use smartphones, tablets, Control4 touch screens, remotes, and/or keypads to control functions in their home. Since MyHome provides a familiar Control4 user interface on leading mobile device platforms like Android and iOS, customers will feel productive and in control no matter where or how they interact with their systems.

Dealers can leverage the MyHome licensing model to mix and match Android, iPhone, iPad, or even PC or Mac interfaces into a single Control4 system. For customers adding MyHome capability to their systems, the enabling license for multiple devices at a single location, or site, is $499, while a single device license is $199. Homeowners who already have a MyHome site license can add support for their Android devices for free; they simply have to download the app.

Over 250 Control4 Dealers participated in a private preview for the Control4 MyHome application for Android and provided the following reviews:

“Works amazing! I am so excited that my clients can take advantage of their Android devices.” – Chris Coleman, Perfect Solutions AV

“I will have a lot of happy customers.” – Bryan Ware, CrossLink Integrated Solutions

“Installed flawlessly and works like a charm on mine and my wife’s Nexus S running 2.3.6. Fast and responsive. I am so happy not to have to switch back and forth from [my] remote to [the] app!” – Sanjay Rana, Kays Interiors

“I love this thing so far!” – AJ Brunson, Foothills Systems

The app will be available as a free download on December 14, 2011, on the Android Market or on the Amazon Appstore for Android. The MyHome application for Android supports Android operating systems 2.1 through 3.2.

The app includes a demo mode that allows customers to see the features supported in the application. To try the app in demo mode, download the app from the Android Market and from the Welcome Screen, simply launch the app into Demo mode.

For more information on Control4 or to locate a Control4 Dealer in a city near you, please visit www.control4.com.

About Control4
Control4, a leading provider of the operating system for the smart home, delivers intelligent control over consumer electronics products, appliances and networking systems through an easy-to-use and intuitive software interface. Founded in 2003, the company delivers affordable automation of lighting, music, video, thermostat, security, and energy management systems through more than 2,000 custom integrators, retail outlets, and distributors in over 70 countries. With the most intelligent, open and affordable control solution on the market, Control4 is the platform of choice for major consumer electronics companies, residential homes, hotels, businesses and utilities that require an intelligent, open and affordable control solution. For more information visit www.control4.com.

Google announced that it is introducing new features to its Google+ social network, including new controls that adjust how posts from a given circle are blended into the overall stream of posts, along with which posts are highlighted for your attention. The Google+ Android app has also been updated.

More info: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/google-few-big-improvements-before-new.html

Botta design presents the world’s first dual one-hand-watch for two time zones

Our world may be becoming smaller, but one boundary still remains – time.

Before we contact someone in another time zone, we always find ourselves wondering what time it is there – is it early in the morning or late at night? Will my call be a disturbance, or will it come just in time?

The DUO 24 offers a simple solution to this problem: being a dual one-hand watch, it shows both the local time and the time at one additional time zone, using just one hand in each case.

This is the simple yet amazingly logical principle which the DUO 24 uses to give its wearer reassurance when dealing with different time zones.

The main display on the outside shows the local time. The striking 12-hour hand points to the specially developed one-hand scale familiar for more than 25 years from the UNO.

The second time zone is shown, somewhat less prominently, next to the local time. The 24-hour numerical ring and the delicate hand are situated on a lower display level and are clearly separated from the 12-hour display. An artificial horizon divides the dial into a day half and a night half – making sure that unwanted alarm calls are a thing of the past.

The DUO 24 is the ideal dual one-hand watch for anyone at home in two worlds.

Klaus Botta has been designing and creating wristwatches for clients like Junghans AG, Bestform and Watch People since 1986. Botta-Design wristwatches have already received over 40 renowned design awards, both in Germany and abroad. Some of them are exhibited in the Chicago Museum of Architecture and Design and the Museum für angewandte Kunst (Museum of Applied Art) in Frankfurt.
Watches from Botta-Design are characterized by a concentration on the bare essentials. The salient design features of every Botta-Design wristwatch are functional clarity and a high degree of technical aesthetic which is underlined by the choice of materials and the precision of the workmanship.

Botta-Design
Klosterstraße 15a
61462 Königstein im Taunus
Germany
[email protected]
Tel.:+49 6174 961188
Fax:+49 6174 961189