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pc mini VOT550 looks awfully familiar

The last of a slew of ViewSonic launches is the pc mini VOT550, although, again as with the previous two mini computers, this one comes in two different models with its more basic sibling going under the name of VOT530.

The VOT550 comes with Windows Media Centre and is intended as a home entertainment or home theatre PC and as such, ViewSonic has equipped the top of the line model with a Blu-ray drive. We’re not sure how big of a selling point this is, especially as this is a rebadged system from AOpen that we’ve seen sold under several other brand names in the past.

In terms of features, the VOT550 has a mobile Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of memory, a 320GB hard drive, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, eSATA and a DVI port. A dongle is supplied that turns the DVI port into an HDMI port which allows for easy connectivity to your HD TV.

The VOT530 shuns the Blu-ray drive in favour for a DVD super-multi drive and both models feature slot-in type drive, similar to those in a car CD player. Price wise the VOT530 is going to set you back £494, while the Blu-ray equipped VOT550 ups the price to £678, making both fairly poor value for money compared to the other mini PCs that ViewSonic has just launched.

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Hardware Desktop PCs Viewsonic Blu-ray

ViewSonic launches Blu-ray home theatre PC originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:39:36 +0100

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Layers enabled

Google has announced that it’s releasing a new version of its mapping software for mobile phones – version 3.2. The new edition adds compatibility for layers – info that has long existed in the desktop version of the software.

Google says: “Layers make it easier and more useful to find and interact with geographic content, like public transit, traffic (with incidents!), local search results, Latitude friend locations, Wikipedia and more”.

You can also see your own content, saved on My Maps on the desktop version, as a layer in the new mobile client. Multiple layers can be combined, too, so you can see the tube map, along with geotagged Wikipedia articles too.

Google appears to be trying to unify the functionality of the mobile and desktop versions of its mapping software. Recently, as reported on Pocket-lint, the latter gained the former’s location-indicating blue dot.

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Related links:

• News – Google Maps adds "My Location" button
• Via – Google Mobile Blog

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CarAndGPS Phones mobile phone applications Google Google Maps Software Online

Google Maps for Mobile hits version 3.2 originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:18:50 +0100

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Mainstage and Logic Pro upgraded

Apple has announced an updated version of its music authoring software, Logic Studio, which includes more than 200 new features for users of Logic Pro and MainStage.

Among the new functionality is an Amp Designer, that lets you create a custom amplifier for guitars, along with a Pedalboard plugin for stompbox effects. New Flex Time tools let you manipulate timing and tempo, too.

Logic Studio also includes Soundtrack Pro 3, which has multitrack audio tools for video production, and Compressor 3.5, for encoding content into a variety of different formats. MainStage 2 has new Playback and Loopback plugins for real-time backing tracks and loop recording on stage.

Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said “The new Logic Studio is ideal for professional musicians, live performers and GarageBand enthusiasts who want to take their music to the next level”.

Logic Studio is available now and costs £399. An upgrade from existing versions will still cost you £160. Logic Express, a cut-down version of the software, will show up in August and cost £160.

Related links:

• News – Apple unveils Logic Studio
• Buy – Apple Store

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Software Apple Audio Music Mac software Software updates

Apple releases new Logic Studio software originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:23:40 +0100

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Easy spam-filtering

Gmail has added a new feature that lets you get out of those irritating mailing lists that you can’t quite be bothered to unsubscribe to. When you mark certain lists as spam, Gmail will offer to unsubscribe on your behalf.

Gmail says: “We don’t think you should be burdened with managing messages you don’t want to receive. We do our best to put messages in Spam when we’re pretty sure you won’t want or need them. But everyone has different preferences about the mail they want to see”.

“We’re providing you with an unsubscribe tool for some messages. You’ll see the unsubscribe tool when you mark a message from particular types of mailing lists as spam. If the particular message is a misuse of a mailing list you like to receive, you can Report spam as usual. But if you never want to receive another message or newsletter from that list again, click Unsubscribe instead”.

Quite a useful tool, though it won’t work on every mailing list. It’ll also usually take a few days to process the request.

What features would you add to Gmail if you had the option? Share in the comments.

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Related links:

• News – iPhone to get push Gmail, via an app?
• Via – Lifehacker

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Software Websites Google Gmail

Gmail allows auto-unsubscription from mailing lists originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:56:41 +0100

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Due this week

Despite research, reported on Pocket-lint, that claims that young people are abandoning email in favour of social network messaging functionality, MySpace is launching a webmail service.

The launch is planned to be slow, with a full rollout taking place towards the end of the year, but anyone who wants one will eventually be able to get an @myspace.com email address. It’s not clear whether it’ll be available worldwide, or just in the USA.

The system is being built from what one person called “a bunch of ex-Hotmail guys”, as the team is being run by MySpace’s director of Product Management, Rajit Marwah, who worked at Microsoft before joining MySpace in 2008.

It’ll be interesting to see how MySpace approaches the webmail market, and how tightly it’ll be integrated with the social networks’ existing functionality. We’ll keep you posted of more details as they arrive.

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Related links:

• News – Social networking overtakes email use
• Via – PaidContent

Tags:
Software Biz Online Websites Email MySpace

MySpace launching email service originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:20:56 +0100

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