Code 42 Software Inc., developers of CrashPlan and CrashPlan PRO, award-winning backup software for home and business, today announced the release of CrashPlan+, Version 3.0. In addition, the company announced new pricing for CrashPlan+ which now includes CrashPlan Central, an online backup destination.
CrashPlan+, Version 3.0 features easy-yet-powerful multiple backup sets, allowing users to specify which files go to which locations and with what settings. Consumers are now able to mix and match destinations with different backup settings to fit even the most complex backup scenarios. Additional enhancements to CrashPlan+ include: flexible scheduling of the dates and times that backups occur, recognition of new computers and devices, automatic subscription renewal and the ability to scan and verify the files in your backup files selection (or in your backup sets) on demand.
“The most common request we hear from CrashPlan users has been the ability to have multiple backup configurations for different destinations. Our new Backup Sets feature delivers that, and more,” said Matthew Dornquast, founder and CEO of Code 42 Software. “Because we protect people’s data, we’ve spent a lot of time testing these new capabilities to ensure that they’re rock solid and easy to use. We believe CrashPlan version 3.0 is the most powerful, yet easy to use, backup system available.”
In addition to the new software features of CrashPlan+ version 3.0, the company also rolled out new affordable pricing plans which include all of the expanded features of CrashPlan+ and online backup to CrashPlan Central, a secure, online backup destination. With the new pricing structure, consumers can chose from one of three packages for CrashPlan+:
· CrashPlan+ 10GB – $24.99/year – All of the expanded features of CrashPlan+ and the option to store up to 10 GB of data from one computer on CrashPlan Central.
· CrashPlan+ Unlimited – $49.99/year – All of the expanded features of CrashPlan+ and the option to store unlimited data from one computer on CrashPlan Central.
· CrashPlan+ Family Unlimited – $119.99/year – All of the expanded features of CrashPlan+ and the option to store unlimited data from every computer within a household on CrashPlan Central.
CrashPlan is comprehensive backup software for Windows, Mac, Linux (and Solaris) users, which allows automatic back up of any computer to hard disks, other computers on a local network, and the optional CrashPlan Central online backup facility. With CrashPlan’s unique social backup feature, users can back up to computers belonging to friends and family (and vice versa). CrashPlan’s wide compatibility, flexibility and security set it apart from other backup providers, delivering unrivaled protection against the unexpected. CrashPlan’s basic software (without online backup) is free for non-business use. Expanded features are available on CrashPlan+ which comes standard with all three new pricing options.
CrashPlan+ version 3.0 and CrashPlan version 3.0 will be delivered as an automatic upgrade to current users. First-time users can download and try CrashPlan+ for free for 30 days at: www.crashplan.com/consumer/download.html. To learn more about CrashPlan, please visit www.crashplan.com.
Upon launch, ivi offers more content than Hulu and a 30 day free trial to watch major broadcast channels including ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, The CW, PBS, and others from a growing number of local affiliates, all available via a downloadable app at ivi’s website, ivi.tv.
“The cable industry has spent countless millions of dollars on so-called ‘TV Everywhere’ solutions in a blind effort to prop-up outdated technology and business models” said Todd Weaver, founder and CEO of ivi, Inc. “However, ivi empowers its users to experience TV Anywhere, offering them major broadcast channels delivered live to their laptop or desktop, anywhere on the planet. Whether eventually integrated into Google TV, Apple TV, or meshed with an existing platform’s digital strategy, ivi makes the set-top-box and any ‘Web to TV’ products obsolete. Instead of attempting to bring the Web to the TV, ivi intuitively brings TV to the Web.”
The ivi TV player transforms a computer into a television, containing multiple channel offerings that viewers can select from the user-friendly channel guide or by simply changing the channel. ivi TV is a stand-alone, simple application that allows users to seamlessly watch broadcast television on their computer without sacrificing the user’s ability to run other applications simultaneously. The ivi TV player is currently available for download to any Windows, Apple, or Linux computer, and will soon be available on other platforms, including mobile devices, tablets, and set-top-boxes.
As consumers devote more time to the Internet, the proliferation of new devices is driving them to seek OTT and cord-cutting options. ivi offers the first cross-platform, live TV application allowing both place and time shifting in a single software solution. The basic ivi Air package contains over 25 major broadcast channels for $4.99/mo USD, after the 30 day free trial, with more air channels to be added each month for no additional cost to the base package price. In addition, an upgrade offering time-shifting DVR functionality is available at an introductory price of $0.99/mo USD.
ivi’s launch is bolstered by recent published findings from multiple renowned research firms validating this shift in consumer behavior. Leading research organization, SNL Kagan reported that, for the first time, cable companies lost a staggering 711,000 subscribers in the second quarter of 2010 alone—the biggest quarterly loss in cable TV’s history. Yankee Group recently issued a report indicating that the broadcast and cable industry stubbornly clings to a belief that their pay TV revenues continue to increase when, in fact, they decrease, as consumers become gradually more educated and word-of-mouth spreads about OTT as a viable solution.
In spite of prolonged economic pressure on consumers, cable TV subscription rates have increased 5-7.5% each year while the quality of cable service has steadily decreased, with consumer dissatisfaction soaring.
ivi offers a fresh, innovative and affordable approach to live television by providing an online cable system for those consumers who are increasingly expressing discontent with cable’s antiquated content delivery methods, limited options, and high subscription costs.
Weaver continued, “Recognizing the fate of the landline telephone and the digital debacle experienced by the music industry, ivi offers the broadcast and cable industries innovation they do not have time to build. Consumer-friendly features like a la carte are built in the ivi technology and are available as a turn-key solution to shift cord-cutting losses into online paid views for content owners, offering consumers the choice they have long demanded, with a compelling solution to a multi-billion dollar problem. Forcing consumers to pay for undesired content did not work for the music industry, and it is equally unsustainable for the cable and satellite industries. There is no incentive to fight us, when they should simply join us.”
The ivi TV player allows the consumer unparalleled flexibility in their live television viewing experience. ivi TV moves across devices and locations, allowing users to watch programs at home on a desktop computer or on their laptop while at their favorite cafe–the ivi subscription travels with the user.
Fast Facts About ivi
· No buffering – ivi’s proprietary technology solves frustrating buffering problems typical with watching video content online. ivi offers continuous TV programming, just like traditional TV, but online.
· ivi’s nimble technology allows easy installation and requires minimal system requirements.
· ivi plays in different quality levels, depending on your broadband connection, so anyone can enjoy live TV anywhere they are connected to the Internet, regardless of its speed.
· ivi allows users to watch local content anywhere in the world, such as viewing New York City broadcast channels anywhere from Paris to Perth to Peru.
· Offering a la carte channels, channel packages, and subscription services gives consumers more options and control.
· Priced at $4.99/mo, ivi is significantly less expensive than traditional cable TV, which averages $71.00 per month, according to research firm Centris.
· ivi TV is cross-platform, working identically on Windows, Mac and Linux systems.
· America’s favorite pastime of channel surfing remains alive and well with ivi, which compiles (aggregates) channels into one viewing format allowing the user to discover, select, and watch their favorite channels.
· ivi is in talks with Nielsen, providing valuable analytics to help the existing advertising business model of channels and broadcasters.
openDesktop.org, the meeting place for Linux desktop users and IT experts, recently broke through the 200,000 downloads of free software and artwork per day barrier.
Frank Karlitschek, founder of openDesktop.org, ascribed the download frenzy to two factors. “Firstly, the library on openDesktop.org of free software and artwork has grown exponentially and now stands at 62,000 applications, artwork and documents. Secondly, new applications and artwork are added at the rate of about 100 per day. The size of the library and the fact that new stuff is added daily, are pulling the crowds,” he said.
openDesktop.org receives 5.7 million visitors per month. They view on average 14 pages per visit for a total monthly page view statistic of almost 80 million.
“To date the financial markets crisis hasn’t impacted negatively on us. In fact, up- and download activity has increased in the wake of the crisis,” said Karlitschek.
Registration is only required for users intending to upload applications, artwork and documents to the portal. To date 120,000 users have registered.
Users do not only come to upload, browse and download applications. They also network with other open source developers and IT experts in groups and on forums. Users leave profiles send messages and browse the free job and project board.
Having just finished my PB+J (Jif and grape) sandwich, I had to share this comic Shane sent me months ago. It was on my MacBook Pro and I forgot all about it until I backed it up last week before dusting it and re-installing Leopard on it.
Anyway, this comic totally made me LOL (for real!). You’ll have to be using that thing called the CLI (command line interface) in either UNIX (you OSX users) or Linux to get this. I can’t tell you how many times a day I try to do something on my Mac in Terminal and I get the dreaded “you’re not important enough for me to listen to” error. It’s almost to the point I’m prefacing every command with sudo now. 
Ya, I know, dangerous, but it still prompts for the password at least.
Enjoy the joke and if you know if more geeky jokes like this, let me know in the comments.
So you’ve got a Mac or a Windows box with disk encryption and you’re feeling pretty good about your data’s safety. Bitlocker on Vista and File Vault (developed for the Depart of Defense even) on OS X put you at ease with its promises of using some super hard encryption scheme to defeat. The only way anyone’s getting in is via a key. Guess what? Hackers now can get that key.
A video on YouTube demonstrates just how easy it is to retrieve the very key that unlocks your hard drive. From start to finish, the video shows the retrieval of a laptop, the sniffing of a key, and then the opening of all the “protected” files. Just like that.
Now granted, the hacker will need physical contact with your computer in order to grab your key; however, this isn’t that reassuring if you think about it. In recent months, there has been a slew of reports of lost laptops from not just business professionals, but from government agencies such as the FBI, CIA, and of those in Congress. These laptops are in danger of losing very important and highly classified data. If enemies of the state are able to obtain such a nugget, it’s no telling what could result from the breach.
Again, the video does demonstrate a small window of opportunity in data retrevial; however, in our busy lives, it is easy to lose track of our laptops for a few minutes. That’s just enough time for someone to simply walk by and grab it without you even knowing.
The easiest and best way to protect yourself is to insure your laptop is OFF and not in standby when in public. Make sure it has been off for at least 30 minutes prior to placing yourself in a vulnerable situation. These two measures alone will greatly reduce the chance of the key residing in your memory and thus keep your data safe.
One of the biggest gripes with most for all the other iTunes wannabe types is the lack of Mac software. Universal yanked its content from Apple’s popular video downloading service for its own little venture with the likes of Fox called hulu. As you may have guessed, hulu is Windows only and at this point, is a private beta. Sources have indicated to SvenOnTech that only a few episodes are available for viewing of each show and it is using Adobe’s Flash technology. Your stuck to your PC screen.
SyncTV wants to change all that. It wants to share the video love with Windows, Mac, and Linux users. Giving each of them a client, now everyone can enjoy their favorite shows, now or later. Unlike hulu, all shows will be downloadable and will eventually even support portable media devices. What ever you choose to download, you can go a la carte or get every episode of every year. No restrictions. While this all sounds like iTunes, sans the Linux version, Apple won’t give you any of its content in HD. SyncTV does. To prove how good it looks, SyncTV is showing off its service on a 1080p HDTV at CES this week.
As for content, this seems to be the limited aspect of SyncTV. Only recognizing one show, Dexter, SyncTV has a long way to go before it can take on Apple or even hulu. Fortunately though, the Internet has removed the boundaries of “popular” and with “networks” such as Revision3 and ZiffDavis, featuring DL.TV, the old school TV networks may find itself lost in the shuffle just a few short years from now.
Paradial has recently announced the new availability of RealTunnel for a couple of new platforms. RealTunnel can now support not only Windows XP and Vista, but also Windows Mobile and Linux platforms, along with XMPP (Extensible Mesaging and Presence Protocol.) More platforms supposedly will be made available in the coming months.
RealTunnel provides excellent connectivity and call completion on all the major operation systems. Paradial first released RealTunnel back in 2002. It is the most mature, advanced firewall NAT product on the market today, and is also very cost effective. It is also the only product on the market that supports any SIP client/registrar, and the only supporter of application, voice, and video sharing across any and all firewalls with no network or firewall modification.
RealTunnel is used not only by the leading telecommunications carriers, but also by telecommunication and video conferencing manufacturers and SIP/IM vendors. Espen Skjæran, CTO at Paradial said that: “The availability of RealTunnel on Windows Mobile allows mobile operators and service providers to expand their product offerings by easily deploying IP-audio / IP-multimedia services with maximum call completion rates to end-users on mobile devices. This RealTunnel release also shows Paradial’s commitment to making RealTunnel available on all major end user platforms and to support all popular IP-communication protocols”, said Espen Skjæran, CTO, Paradial. More info is available at www.paradial.com.
PVR (Personal Video Recorder) has become all the rage since TiVos DVR (Digital Video Recorder) has spawned its popularity into the computer market in last few years. With Microsoft’s Media Center Edition of Vista and Apple’s pending iTV release, 2007 looks to be the year that PVRs break out and becomes mainstream. With third-party software already out for both platforms that do the PVR game pretty darn well, it’s any wonder that they will be working even harder to impress potential customers with their offerings. Competition is a great thing, ain’t it?
SageTV is one such competitor that wants not just one side of the market, but all of it. SageTV Media Center 6.0 is a full out PVR oozing with features many TiVo users have come to love. But SageTV goes the extra mile with features that TiVo can’t match such as playing unencrypted DVDs, video from sites such as Google TV, and it even has support for global DVB broadcasting standard, as well the ability to play virtually and music standard and video file. Like the TiVo, you can pause live TV and bring a recording with you for later viewing. Unlike TiVo, there is no monthly fee and you won’t be nickel-and-dimed for features like shows on the go as it’s all included in the one time cost of $99.
But wait, why stop there? SageTV knows that not all timeshifting viewers have a Windows box so it has made the Media Center available for you geeky Linux users, too! Mac users can join in on the fun with the just announce version of SageTV Placeshifter software. This makes SageTV the only cross-platform PVR for OS X, Windows, and Linux users. With the Placeshifter software installed, you’ll be able to view recorded shows, watch live TV, play music, or browse video files from anywhere in the world with a broadband or via a local area network (LAN) connection! It’s highly doubtful iTV will be able to pull of this task and we know Microsoft’s offering does not. BeyondTV? No Mac client. ReplayTV. Nope (it doesn’t even have legacy support for its old hardware boxes!)
Placeshifter comes bundled with Media Center and additional licenses can be purchased for $29.99. With the power and beauty of no monthly fines, er, fees, SageTV could be all the rage in ’07.
SvenOnTech informed you of one way to watch Flash-based movies from your Mac last week and this week we’ll show you another one entitled Democracy Player. As America spoke yesterday with swinging the House to the Democratic party, the Participatory Culture Foundation has cleared its throat and brought to the Mac, Windows, and Linux world an interesting player for us all to enjoy and love for free.
Democracy Player is an open-source player that brings all sorts of content to you. With over 700 channels to chose from, you could spend a lot of time with this nicely laid out player. If you find a channel that you really enjoy, you don’t have to even view the movie in a small window. With a flick of a few keys or a click of a mouse, you can delight it in full screen.
But what really is Democracy Player? Well, the authors themselves tell us that it is a player that lets you get, “the best internet TV shows in one powerful application: any video RSS feed, video podcast, video blog, or BitTorrent file. Fullscreen, high resolution, 100% free and open source. New channels arrive daily in the built-in Channel Guide.”
In a nutshell, that’s it. Using the freeware Quicktime plug-in Perian, the Democracy Player will bring you hours and hours of fun to your Mac, PC, or Linux host for sure. Now go download it and waste esteem some time!
I’m not a huge fan of Entourage but use it because Apple Mail doesn’t handle Exchange very well. I do love, love, iCal and will use it to view events since Entourage will synchronize to it. Yet still, I have to use Entourage. I still live in a PC/Mac world and thus there doesn’t seem to be much choice. But for some, there is Chandler.
Chandler is, “a next-generation Personal Information Manager (PIM), integrating calendar, email, contact management, task management, notes, and instant messaging functions.” It integrates nicely with iCal as it will easily accept ics files. It loves sharing calendars with others in the office or those around the world. Speaking of around the world, different time zones is a trivial thing for Chandler to handle and you’ll never have a missed appointment because your PIM didn’t know if you were coming from Cali or going to London.
The exciting aspect of this open source project is the teams vision for it. They see it being used by not just home users but power users with high-volume traffic. The office is what this is built for yet still the average Joe can grab it. No one is forgotten in this formula.
With its similar color toned look-and-feel of iCal, there is a low learning curve for current Mac users. You Windows or Linux users may have to learn a thing or two, but it won’t take too long to get it. Did I say Windows and Linux? Yes. That’s right, this is a cross-platform application that really brings everything together. Allowing just about anyone (sorry, no OS/2 version) from any office or home to collaborate with one another.
With such power and a price of free, this is a definite item to take a look at and see if it’s right for you. Still in its early stages, the Chandler team eagerly puts in overtime to get this one step closer to 1.0. Some may say it’s not a prime time application, but I would say at least it looks a lot better than Entourages calendar view.