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Mike Wheeler

Iomega Hard Drive Integrates Dual Backup

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Iomega Corporation today announced an industry first in integrating local and remote backup in a single product offering designed for the home office and small businesses.


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Iomega’s Prestige 500GB Desktop HDD external hard drives, which is the company’s entry-level USB 2.0 desktop drive, are rolling out with a new downloadable software bundle that integrates EMC Retrospect Express backup and recovery software with Mozy online backup service. Iomega claims this improves the convenience of securely storing, protecting and accessing important files.

The new EMC backup bundle is currently available on the newly introduced Prestige 500GB Desktop HDD, which is Iomega’s entry level USB 2.0 desktop drive.

Today, buyers of Iomega external hard drives can now choose the version of Retrospect Express backup software that is right for their needs, as well as the easy-to-use added bonus of 2GB of MozyHome online backup.

MozyHome is a consumer service that enables Windows and Mac users to securely back up important files – such as photos, music, videos, financial documents and more – over the internet to world-class EMC data centres. By automatically sending copies of these files to a safe, remote location, MozyHome provides protection against fire, theft, natural disaster, and all the other unexpected events from which a local backup provides little or no relief. Because MozyHome backs up throughout the day and night, it provides an additional layer of protection from hardware failure and accidental deletion. With 2GB of free storage, MozyHome makes it easy to try online backup.

RRP
$169

Security System For Home Office

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Cage Security’s new secure Internet Protocol-based security monitoring service is said to offer reliable protection for your home and for your workplace using a dual-path security monitoring system.


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One path is a simple connection to your home or business internet router, transmitting securely over the internet. The second path is a wireless connection via a mobile phone network that also transmits securely over the internet. Both paths link to Cage Security’s fault tolerant back-to-base 24-hour National Monitoring Centre.

“Your home and your workplace contain your most treasured possessions and are reflections of you and your lifestyle,” says Cage Security’s Bruce de Graaf. “It’s vital to put plenty of thought into keeping them safe.”

When an alert comes through an operator at the monitoring centre will quickly call the client company, phone the alarmed premises, alert the police or ambulance service or send out a guard patrol. The system is also aware if the client’s alarm is unable to communicate with the National Monitoring Centre, which occurs if the system is destroyed or stolen. Monitoring operators can respond immediately, informing the client and taking the necessary and appropriate action to prevent a security breech.

RRP
From $800 installed

IDC Revises IT Value Forecast Down

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IDC expects the overall ICT business market in Australia to reach a value of almost $47 billion by 2012, down from the 2008 forecast of $48 billion, in a report made available today.

The analysis report titled Australia Vertical Markets 2009-2012 Forecast and Analysis, IDC has revised its verticals forecast compound annual growth rate from 4.0 percent to 3.6 percent over the period 2008 to 2012.

In tough economic times, the natural inclination for companies is to put major transformational initiatives on hold and focus on tactical optimisation of business operations. “However, in this slow ICT spending environment, it’s more important than ever for suppliers to identify and focus their businesses towards key customers, new offerings and new vertical industries that will yield the greatest opportunities in order to make the most of the economic downturn,” said Melissa Martin, Senior Analyst, IT Spending and Verticals.

“Suppliers that push too hard on the brakes will not only limit their viability in the long term but also miss key growth opportunities in 2009,” she added.

 


Ranking of the top vertical markets in Australia in 2009 remains unchanged: Banking, Finance and Insurance at $8.8 billion and 21.1 percent of the business market; Government at  $6,1 billion and 14.7 percent and Communications and Media at $5.3 billion and 12.7 percent.

However, it is the Government, Education and Construction sectors forecasted to experience the fastest increase in ICT investment in the next few years (with respective CAGRs of 6.1 percent, 5 percent and 4.7 percent in the forecast period) as the Government aims to stimulate the Australian economy by increased spending and incentives in these sectors.

The vertical industries that will be the biggest losers in current economic times will be Retail, Transportation and Business Services. A very large part of these industries in Australia produce or sell intermediary goods destined to be consumed by other industries.

Modem Router Offers Increased Wireless Coverage

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A new modem router has been specifically designed for the home or small office, and allows users to share a high-speed ADSL Broadband connection with up to 250 other network users.

Edimax’s nMax AR-7265Wn is an 11n ADSL2/2+ modem router and works with all existing ADSL types, such as ADSL, ADSL2 and ADSL2+, supporting a maximum download speed of 24Mbps.

Based on the 802.11n wireless standard, the AR-7265Wn offers data transmission rates up to 300Mbps and an increased wireless coverage.

Providing a greater range and faster speeds, the 11n technology allows users to create a secure and stable wireless network to share photos, files, music, videos, printers and network storage among the computers in the network.

It supports Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) which enables users to set up advanced wireless security, simply by pushing the pairing button on the router.

Claimed to be easy to install, even for inexperienced users, the router supports Virtual Server and Virtual DMZ functions for increased security. Furthermore, by providing three detachable high-gain antennas with a standard SMA antenna connector, the unit allows users to enhance the wireless range even further by replacing the antenna.

RRP
$175

Eco-Friendly Projector From Sharp

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Sharps new LCD projector offers a projection size up to 500 inches, WXGA compatibility and has an eco mode to help reduce running costs.


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The Sharp XG-C455W employs widescreen WXGA (1,280 x 800) resolution to offer a viewing area 1.25 times wider than standard XGA. With 16:10 widescreen aspect ratio becoming increasingly common with modern business applications and its compatibility with HD signal (TV broadcast, Blu-ray etc.) this state-of-the-art projector allows viewing widescreen media in full native size.

The projector’s high-quality picture reproduction and a vibrant colour spectrum are due to the Reon VX video processor, with award-winning Hollywood Quality Video technology, to provide the highest quality 1080p image.

The advanced HQV scaling, noise reduction and detail enhancement engines ensure that SD images are up-converted and delivered at a quality approaching HD.

High brightness of 4,000 ANSI Lumens combined with Sharp’s optoelectronic technology maximises the XG-C455W’s light output and produces bright, sharp images even in large and well lit rooms. To reduce the projector brightness and minimise the fan noise the Eco+Quiet mode may be turned on, which also helps to reduce the projector running cost and extend the projector and its lamp life-span.

Weighing 4.9 kg its compact design, with a carry handle and a recessed lens for added protection against damage while in transit, makes portability easy and secure. An easy set-up system with auto or manual keystone correction and tilt leveler for quick adjustment of the projected image will add to the viewer’s comfort. Its mobility is enhanced by the direct power off function allowing instant unplugging and removal of the projector without waiting for the projector to cool down.

 


It features four optional lenses and a quick replacement system for a wide variety of applications and projection situations. These lenses allow projection distances ranging from 3.2m up to 15.5m for a 100-inch wide screen (16:10 aspect ratio). The side access lamp and filter construction enables easy projector maintenance whether ceiling mounted, or on the tabletop.

Other advanced features include Sharp Unique Network System providing the remote access and management of the projector via a LAN connection. It enables a wide range of control and diagnosis functions, such as power on, input select and volume adjustment by a computer located in another room, or sending an automatic e-mail message when detecting event like fan break-down, unusual heating or lamp going out.

It offers the capability of Network Surveillance System for theft detection as an add-on feature to other hardware protection: system lock, Kensington lock and Notevision lockdown functions.
 
RRP
$3,999

USB Drive Worth Weight In Gold

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UCC Australia has imported Super Talent Technology’s PICO-C Gold, a 24-carat gold-plated, water-resistant USB drive that weighs less than 5gms. It is smaller than an SD card, and can store over 2,000 MP3 songs.


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The unit uses chip-on-board (COB) technology to squeeze 8GB of Flash into an impressively small 31.3mm x 12.4mm x 3.4mm gold-plated steel case. It is shock-resistant, and has up to 200X (30MB/sec) transfer speeds. The Pico-C Gold includes a sturdy gold chain, and looks more like a fashion accessory than a high performance Flash drive.
“Is it the speed, the ruggedness, the water resistance, the incredibly tiny size or the pure elegance that people like most in our Pico-C drive? Who knows?” says Super Talent’s marketing director Joe James. “But, this combination of features and style is not offered in any other terrestrial storage device, which makes it a real craze.”

RRP
$84.95