LaCie Upgrades Rugged Hard Drive With Integrated Thunderbolt Cable [Mac Blog]

LaCie has upgraded its Rugged Hard Drive, adding an integrated Thunderbolt cable and improved damage resistance. The SSD version, available in 250 and 500GB capacities, achieves transfer speeds of up to 387MB/s. There is a USB 3.0 interface as well, though only the Thunderbolt cable is permanently attached.



The integrated Thunderbolt cable allowed LaCie to increase protection against water and dust because the dust cap can be left on even when the device is in use. When not in use, the bus-powered Thunderbolt cable tucks into the case and is protected by the cover. LaCie says the SSD version of the drive can withstand up to two-meter drops and conforms to the IP54 durability standard. LaCie has also increased the warranty from two years to three.

"My assignments take me to the top surf spots all over the world," said Surfer Magazine staff photographer Zak Noyle. "So it’s imperative that my equipment is ready for any challenge. The LaCie Rugged’s speed allows me to deliver projects quickly, and its resilience to water, sand and drops make me confident that my photos are protected. From the beaches of Oahu to Tahiti, the LaCie Rugged has never let me down."

The new LaCie Rugged drive goes on sale today in 250GB ($300) and 500GB ($500) solid state versions, plus 1TB ($220) and 2TB ($300) 5400RPM hard drive versions.

Read More [...]

Posted in 2014 at 02:59PM, June 05

BREAKING: Apple to unveil new Smart Home platform at WWDC next week

Apple won't have an exciting new iPhone 6 or an iWatch to show off at its annual Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco next week, but it looks like the company will still have a few tricks up its sleeve. Beyond iOS 8, OS X 10.10 and a mysterious new device, Apple will reportedly unveil a brand new smart home platform, according to a new report.

Continue reading...

Read More [...]

Posted in 2014 at 02:59PM, May 26

Pioneer's NEX In-Dash Systems to Receive CarPlay Firmware Update in a 'Few Weeks'

Pioneer announced earlier this year that its latest aftermarket NEX infotainment systems will be compatible with CarPlay, allowing customers to install the Apple technology in an existing automobile. The hardware requires only a firmware update that is expected to be available in "a few weeks", putting the company on or even slightly ahead of its original "early summer" schedule.





Pioneer was in San Francisco this week showcasing the technology, which provides drivers with an integrated experience for placing phone calls, using maps, listening to music and messaging via Siri. As noted by Macworld , demo cars included the high-end $1400 Pioneer AVH-8000NEX system, which contains an in-dash capacitive touchscreen that allows the driver to tap on the infotainment screen to interact with the CarPlay system. CarPlay also supports hands-free operation using Siri to control many of the available functions.



Macworld did note some issues with Siri's ability to handle background noise in the car, but Pioneer's Ted Cardenas pointed out that with Siri's ability to learn and improve over time, those background noises will become less of a distraction as Siri learns to pick out the driver's voice.






The current version of Apple's Carplay technology requires a Lightning cable connection between the iPhone and the receiver, limiting its usage to the iPhone 5, iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. Rumored wireless support over Wi-Fi connection has not been confirmed by Apple, but even then the feature would require updated hardware for Pioneer, as the current NEX systems do not support Wi-Fi connectivity.



Pioneer is one of the first automobile electronics companies to offer an aftermarket CarPlay system to customers who don't want to purchase a new car in order to experience the feature. Alpine also announced its own series of aftermarket CarPlay receivers, but they are expected to arrive later this year.

Read More [...]

Posted in 2014 at 02:59PM, May 16