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WD Drive For Mac Comes With E-Label

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WD has launched a new portable drive for Mac that features FireWire 800 and a customisable e-label for easy file organisation.


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The new My Passport Studio portable drives are formatted for Mac computers, is compatible with Apple TimeMachine software, feature automatic and continuous backup with WD SmartWare software, and 256-bit hardware-based encryption.
 
The e-label smart display on the front of the My Passport drives can be changed often using the included WD SmartWare software. The e-label also shows available capacity and whether the drive is locked. Utilizing e-paper technology, the information on the display remains visible even when the drive is unplugged.
 
WD’s Vice President of Marketing for its Branded Products, Dale Pistilli said, “Many of our customers store their content on multiple external drives, making it difficult to know what content is on each drive. The e-label smart display is an elegant and practical solution for organizing and keeping track of one’s digital life and work. WD SmartWare software makes it easy for users to protect their valuable content with automatic and continuous backup and encryption.”
           
The My Passport Studio offers automatic continuous backup using its SmartWare software and 256-bit hardware-based encryption that scrambles files before they are stored.

The My Passport Studio drives are offered in capacities of 500 GB and 640 GB for $239.99 and $269.99, respectively.     

Sales And Profits Up For JB Hi-Fi

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JB Hi-Fi Limited has reported a record half yearly net profit of $76 million from $1.554 billion in sales for the six months ending 31 December 2009. The company has also reported that its dividend has increased 120 per cent to 33 cents per share.The company has also reported a comparable store sales growth of 10.2 per cent for the period in Australia, while gross margins remained stable despite competitor discounting and the strong performance of low margin categories.

In addition, the company’s cost of doing business was down 39 basis points to 13.2 per cent. EBIT margin increased 10 basis points to 7.2 per cent, while cashflow from Operations was strong at $168.4 million for the half year.

The company has raised the dividend declaring a fully franked dividend of 33.0 cents per share, an increase of 120 per cent (HY09 was at 15 cents).

Sales in December were solid across all categories, with comparable store sales of 6.5 per cent.

 

JB Hi-Fi’s CEO, Richard Uechtritz said, “We are once again extremely pleased with this strong result, particularly in the comparable store sales growth of 6.5 per cent in December, when compared to the prior corresponding period, which was impacted by the government’s stimulus package.”

“JB has proven to be very resilient throughout the economic downturn which led to low consumer confidence and spend. This performance is testament to our strong retail model and the depth and strength of our management team,” he said.

“We continue to grow our market share as recently opened stores mature, we open new stores, expand our offering, and reduce our prices on the back of increased economies of scale and a continued focus on costs,” added Uechtritz.

The company has opened 15 new stores in the half and is expecting to open 7 more in the second half of FY10, bringing the number of new stores to 22, which “will be the largest number it has opened in any year since formation,” says the company.

Finally, the company said that sales in January have met internal expectations with comparable store sales at 7.2 per cent.

“Whist the retail outlook continues to be uncertain, the company is cautiously optimistic that it will have another strong year. JB confirms its previous guidance that sales will be circa $2.8 billion or a 20 percent increase on the prior financial year, and expects Net Profit after Tax to be in the range of $117 million to $120 million or a 24 percent to 27 increase on the prior year.

12-Inch Lenovo Netbook Plays Full HD Movies

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Lenovo has launched its first 12-inch netbook which comes with a full-sized keyboard and offers an increased processor and graphics option which the company claims will play Full HD movies without slowdowns.

Using Nvidia’s Ion graphics platform, the company says that users will be able to watch 1080p video with smooth and quick playback, or watch it on an external monitor via its HDMI connection. Select models of the IdeaPad S12 will also ship pre-loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium edition.

Lenovo says that the IdeaPad S12 measures less than an inch thick, weighs 1.5kgs, features an ExpressCard slot, has up to 320 GB of storage and 3 GB of memory, offers Lenovo’s OneKey Rescue System that recovers user data or system settings, and lasts up to six hours. In addition, the unit also comes with Lenovo’s VeriFace facial recognition technology, a Lenovo Quick Start environment that allows e-mail and Internet browser without waiting for the full operating system to boot, and a 4-in-1 multicard reader.

Lenovo ANZ’s Product and Marketing Director, Chris Kelly said, “We’ve heard from consumers loud and clear about the need for affordable and extremely portable computing devices, and we’ve responded by introducing our third generation netbook with a completely new form factor, making mini-computing easier and redefining value in this market. We are pioneering new territory in this developing arena by being the first to give customers high quality video capabilities and even more choices to optimise their netbook performance.”

The IdeaPad S12 netbook will be available in December through www.lenovo.com.au and Lenovo business partners with pricing starting at $799.

Small Wireless USB Adapter From D-Link

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D-Link announced a Nano Wireless-N USB adapter that sports a small form factor.


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The D-Link DWA-131 Wireless-N Nano USB Adapter connects to a Wireless N network so users can access files quickly. It comes with a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) feature that enables it to establish a single-click connection with an access point or wireless router and also offers advanced security features.

D-Link’s Quick Setup Wizard promises an easy way to set up the USB adapter, while its included Wireless Manager helps to keep track of recently accessed networks.

D-Link Australia and New Zealand’s Marketing Director, Maurice Famularo said,
“With its unique ‘Firefly’ design and unmatched performance, this ultra-portable USB adapter is an ideal choice for setting up a secure, high-performance wireless connection.”

The DWA-131 Wireless N Nano USB Adapter is available now for $79.95.

Panasonic Whiteboards Now With Audio

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Panasonic announced three new Elite Panaboard electronic whiteboards that come with an integrated stereo sound system, text and graphic capabilities, and rugged screen.


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Available in three panel sizes (diagonal) ranging from 83 inches (UB-T81W), to 77 inches (UB-T81), to 64 inches (UB-T761), the new Elite Panaboard whiteboards boast seamless PC/projector integration), onboard avi/wmv/mpg/mpeg/swf-compatible streaming media playback, spotlight mode for highlighting a specific part of the screen, and a screen capture utility that automatically records every operation performed on the board along with accompanying audio commentary.

Panaboard’s Product Manager, Bob Curci said, “I strongly believe that Panasonic giving ‘voice’ to these Panaboards will prove tremendously beneficial to sales executives, teachers and all other interactive-audio video presenters. For the first time they can integrate ‘talking heads,’ sound effects, and video/audio files into their presentations without needing access to an external sound system to play them in rich, conference-room filling stereo sound.”

“With tools like Panasonic’s innovative Spotlight electronic highlighter, these new Elite Panaboard whiteboards take creating and displaying engaging, dynamic classroom and enterprise presentations to a new level of simplicity and sophistication,” added Curci.

Other features of the UB-T781/61 Elite Panaboards include simplified driver and software setup, an optimized electronic pen for easy, mouse-like operation, from-the-whiteboard PC control with onscreen keyboard input, auto saving of text and graphics written on the board, and integrated drawing tools. 

HP Reinforces Commitment To Planet Ark

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HP has today announced the launch of its recycling program in Australia that will enable customers to return HP printing supplies for environmentally responsible recycling.


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According to HP, its Planet Partners Program will provide online and phone based customer support services, convenient drop-off points for consumers and collection services for corporate customers.  

Since 2003, the collection and recycling of HP printing supplies in Australia has been coordinated and managed by Cartridges 4 Planet Ark. Recycling services have been provided by Close The Loop, a co-creator of the Cartridges 4 Planet Ark program.  HP was a founding member of Cartridges 4 Planet Ark, which has collected close to ten million cartridges in total since 2003.  

HP’s VP and General Manager for IPG, Richard Bailey said, “HP remains committed to the Cartridges 4 Planet Ark Program until the end of the 120-day notice period.  We will continue to cover the costs associated with the collection and recycling of original HP branded supplies by Cartridges 4 Planet Ark until this point and we have taken steps to ensure an immediate start to the transition. We have moved quickly to put the HP customer service line and collection points in place.  These services will ultimately form part of HP Planet Partners Program in Australia when the formal transition to the new program is complete.” 

 

To facilitate smooth transition, HP has established convenient drop off points for consumers in ten locations around Australia. Available immediately, the drop off points will supplement the existing Cartridges 4 Planet Ark collection points, which HP intends to support until August 29th, 2009.

HP Planet Partners Customer Service Line – New and existing HP customers can call 1300 325 961 to register for the program and for further information.

HP Planet Partners Collection Boxes – Collection boxes for commercial customers will be available from June 1st, 2009.  The boxes provide medium and large business customers with a central collection point within their organisation for used printing supplies hardware.

Commercial customers can register for the program and order their collection boxes via the HP Planet Partners Customer Services Line on 1300 325 961.  

See: www.hp.com

No Wire Clutter With Crest Charger

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Crest has launched the Powerdock, a charging solution that allows consumers to charge up to four different types of mobile devices at once.


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Powerdock, which possesses only one mains power cord, comes with three interchangeable charging ‘slices’ (iPod/iPhone, mini USB, and a Nokia 2mm jack) as well as one permanent USB charging outlet.

Crest’s Power Category Manager, Colin Holdsworth, said, “When you’re trying to charge multiple mobile devices, there’s nothing worse than trying to find the right chargers and then having to deal with the mess of tangled cords.”

The company has found that an average household has more than five mobile devices, many of which typically possess different types of charging connections.

“Our insights have clearly led Crest to design, develop and launch Powerdock, an innovative portable 4-in-1 multi-charging unit that takes the mess and inconvenience out of charging mobile devices,” said Holdsworth.

Another ten individual charging slices are also available (connections for phones by Samsung, LG, Motorolla, Sony Ericson, games units PSP, Nintendo DSi) for separate purchase ($14.95) by consumers.

The Crest Powerdock is now available for $79.95.

Crest Powerdock Charges Four Devices

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If you play with your PSP while on the train, listen to your iPod in the office, and use your mobile to call your friends, then there is a possibility that you have to charge them all at the same time. Instead of plugging three chargers at the same time, why not use a single dock that can charge up to four devices at once?


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The Crest Powerdock allows a user to charge up to four different types of mobile devices at once. This circular dock has one power cord and comes with three interchangeable ‘slices’ designed for Nokia phones, iPods, and mini-USB devices. A USB charging port is also included and is located beside the AC port.

Since there are only three slices included in the package, users can purchase an additional slice for $14.95 if they want to charge another device (10 available). Checking online, we found that Bing Lee sells the charging slices for $14.

Charging is straightforward: all a user needs to do is to plug the Powerdock into an outlet, connect the devices that need charging, and press the on/off switch located in the middle. The green LED should light up, which means that the devices are now charging.

 


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If the green light is flashing while charging, you may have to remove a device as it indicates potential overload and overheating. The Powerdock comes with a built-in fuse to prevent overloading, but we are happy to say that we did not experience this throughout our test.

Charging space is definitely not an issue with the Powerdock as we were able to charge our BlackBerry Bold, iPod Classic, and Nokia phone at the same time. But like any other charging docks available in the market, users cannot use their mobile phones unless removed from the station.

If you want to have a dock that charges all you devices in one location, then the Crest Powerdock is worth taking a look at. It is available now for $79.95 (comes with a Nokia, iPod, and Mini-USB slice) and $14.95 for additional charging slices.

Crest Powerdock | $79.95 |  | Powerdock.com.au

For: Charges up to four devices at once; Reduces clutter; Slices can be bought separately; Built-in USB port
Against: Only three slices are included; Users must buy a slice if their phone is not compatible the first time around.
Conclusion: A desktop charger without the messy wires.

Low Maintenance Hitachi Projector Unveiled

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Hitachi announced a new projector that comes with a filter that only needs replacing every 4000 hours.


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According to the company, the Hitachi CP-X4020 3LCD projector comes with a Hybrid Filter that provides a lower total cost of ownership, requiring less frequent maintenance schedules. Now, instead of every 100 hours, the filter only needs maintenance every 4000 hours.

In addition, the projector features a high brightness output of 4000 ANSI lumens, weighs 4.2 kilograms, comes with native XGA (1024 x 768) resolution, a high contrast ratio of 2000:1, and 16 Watts of built-in audio.

Bill Christoforou, Product Manager, Digital Presentations Solutions Division, said, “When installing projectors into medium to large venues, it is imperative that the best solution for the space is used to ensure quality image projection. The Hitachi CP-X4020 provides high performance and ease of use for a variety of applications. In addition to its affordable price point, the CP-X4020 provides easy maintenance as it doesn’t need to be regularly accessed for maintenance purposes, providing users with a very low total cost of ownership.”

The CP-X4020 projector also offers advanced features proprietary to Hitachi projectors such as: MyMemory, MyText, MySource and MyButton functions. The CP-X4020 also offers blackboard/whiteboard mode and daytime mode, as well closed captioning and input source naming, allowing users to rename input sources to fit their needs.

In addition, the CP-X4020 features a Transition Detector, requiring a password to operate the projector when it is moved from a fixed position. The CP-X4020 also offers PIN Lock and MyScreen functions, along with a security bar that enables the use of a heavy chain to prevent theft.

The Hitachi CP-X4020 is available for $2595

Tethering Now On Telstra iPhone

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Telstra announced that tethering on the Apple iPhone is now available for its customers. This means that users can now use their iPhone as a modem.


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According to Telstra, customers can activate tethering through an update to their settings, which is available through iTunes. There is no charge for activating this feature; however, ongoing usage rates apply if you use this service.

“Data used when tethering is charged at either a ‘Pay as you go’ rate or as part of a Browsing Pack. To assist in managing costs Telstra recommends that customers who plan to use this feature add a browsing pack which provides a set amount of data each month for a monthly fee. If customers use more than their pack amount per month, they will pay for the extra browsing at a reduced rate,” says Telstra.

The Mobile as Modem Browsing Pack ranges from a 1GB plan up to a 9GB plan. For more information, visit www.telstra.com.au/mobile/browsing_packs.html