Apple : In Depth: Computer ergonomics explained: set up your PC or Mac the right way |
- In Depth: Computer ergonomics explained: set up your PC or Mac the right way
- Updated: Apple iTV release date, news and rumours
- WD reveals dual drive - a full 120GB SSD and 1TB hard drive in one
- Apple confirms purchase of PrimeSense 3D motion-tracking company
| In Depth: Computer ergonomics explained: set up your PC or Mac the right way Posted:  According to the NHS nearly eight million working days are lost each year because of back pain or other MSDs (Musculoskeletal Disorders). For small business owners creating a safe working environment not only ensures they comply with health and safety regulations, but can also result in an efficiency boost right across their businesses. Ergonomics is the study of how people use their environment. In a business context this usually means how each component of their offices is set up. A good example where ergonomics can be used to great effect is reducing the instances of RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) that can be highly debilitating. As one of the most common components of an office environment is the computer workstation, ensuring these are set up correctly is vital to avoid RSI and more serious MSDs. Follow these steps to create the perfect ergonomic workstation:
Lynn Fotheringham, Marketing Director, Insideout Buildings who manufacturer bespoke office spaces states through personal experience, "As a past sufferer myself, I don't think people start to understand the issues until they have a MSD. I think that the key issues that people need to think about are: A tight, 'hunched up' mind creates a tense, tight body, which then leads to MSD problems. So a good quality office that is your own personal space, built from natural materials and incorporating well designed office equipment is vital." Ergonomic designChoosing the right peripherals and accessories that offer high levels of ergonomic design is now vital. For none touch typists the Natural keyboards that Microsoft has been developing for several years can relieve RSI in some users, as it splits the keyboard and encourages a typing angle that takes pressure off the wrists. The humble mouse has also been given an ergonomic makeover with devices including several designs of mouse that can offer desktop and notebook users more comfort. For notebook and tablet users, attaching an external keyboard that offers more space and therefore, easier typing will help reduce the risk of RSI. Here a number of suppliers have high quality external keyboards such as Logitech, and covers for tablet PCs with built in keyboards from Kensington and Belkin.
As more of us use laptops, it's important to think about position with them, too Ergonomics also goes much further than the peripherals or accessories that a typical workstation would use. Choosing the right desk and lighting are also important. Today there is a range of desk options including standing up desks that have proven to be beneficial to health, and LED task lighting including the award winning Horizon from Humanscale that also have a range of highly adjustable chairs to suit every need. And think carefully about the monitors your business is using. The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 apply where staff habitually use display screen equipment - such as computers. A new range of monitors from BenQ dubbed Eye-Care monitors that reduce flicker to alleviate eye-strain. The key for small businesses is to carefully assess every component of their office environment and ask how this could be improved with ergonomics. Reducing and even preventing many of the common health issues that can impact on a small business' efficiency and productivity is now possible with some well chosen ergonomic peripherals. |
| Updated: Apple iTV release date, news and rumours Posted:  Apple iTV rumours: what you need to knowWe love the Full HD Apple TV box, but Apple really isn't so sure: the company has seemed more interested in getting iPads into your living room than its Apple TV box. Apple says the Apple TV is a hobby, but the company is thinking bigger. Much, much bigger: it wants to sell you the entire TV set, not a little box beneath it. In an early 2012 earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted again at the release of something bigger and better than the current Apple TV. Check out our in-depth look at How Apple's television will really work or read on for all the latest rumours. Cut to the chase What is it? A TV, but with added Appleness When is it out? Probably late 2014 What will it cost? An awful lot, we expect Is Apple iTV confirmed?Cook says: "With Apple TV, however, despite the barriers in [the TV set top box] market, for those of us who use it, we've always thought there was something there. And that if we kept following our intuition and kept pulling the string, then we might find something that was larger. "For those people that have it right now, the customer satisfaction is off the charts. But we need something that could go more main market for it to be a serious category." However, it is possible that he meant a set top box, and rumours have continued to rumble on that Apple is in talks with US cable providers and more content providers over a new version of its existing Apple TV box. Stronger hints came in a December 2012 Tim Cook NBC interview. "When I go into my living room and turn on the TV, I feel like I have gone backwards in time by 20 to 30 years," Cook told Williams. "It's an area of intense interest. I can't say more than that." Apple isn't the only one dropping big hints either - manufacturer Foxconn had to refute reports in late May 2012 that it had begun to produce the Apple iTV after a story emerged quoting chief executive, Terry Gua, as saying Foxconn was "making preparations for iTV." More speculation citing Foxconn involvement emerged in December 2012 and then again in late March 2013 and July 2013, especially as the company has decided to move into TVs. But then in late 2013, analysts suggested the project had been postponed in favor of developing the iWatch and an Apple A7-toting Apple TV box. Here are all the rumours and speculation surrounding the Apple iTV, which some have also claimed may end up with the surely unlikely name of the Apple iPanel. Apple iTV release dateMost rumours predicted a 2013 Apple iTV release date but as we head into the Christmas silly season, this is clearly not happening. Analysts in Japan predicted in October 2013 that Apple would in fact ship 55-inch and 65-inch 4K Ultra HD TVs in the fourth quarter of 2014 which sounds a lot more realistic. The New York Times says that price, not technology, is the problem: Apple is waiting for the cost of large LCD panels to fall further before building iTVs. But we're pretty doubtful we'll see a new Apple TV or iTV device in Autumn 2013. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster suggested in November 2012 that the iTV would come out a year later, in November of 2013. Wrong. Earlier in 2012 Munster was calling for Apple to announce the Apple television in December, then the first half of 2013, but he was proved totally wrong before changing his estimate to 2014. Maybe right. According to Market Intelligence Center, David Einhorn from Greenlight Capital told his investors that he believed Apple would come out with its next "blockbuster product" - the iTV - soon. Wrong. In December 2012 Wall Street Journal sources said that various TV prototypes have been on the company's slate for a number of years. Apple iTV designA report in mid-2013 from Cult of Mac claimed one of their contacts saw a working prototype of the Apple TV. The report claimed that Siri and iSight will feature (so face and voice recognition then), while the design is similar to that of an Apple Cinema Display. In August 2013, Patently Apple found a patent that included a fused glass process for housing, a bit similar to that found on the iPhone 4S, being used on various Apple devices, including iPhones and iPods, in the future. The Telegraph says that "sources within the company" say that Jeff Robbin, the man who helped create the iPod, is leading the team. Apple has seemingly denied rumours that it is working with French designer Philippe Starck. Remember when he worked with Microsoft on a mouse? However, it appears that Starck was actually working on another project, a yacht, with Steve Jobs before his death. On 13 May 2011, we reported that Apple is rumoured to be in talks to buy TV manufacturer Loewe. AppleInsider wrote that talks have entered the advanced stages and Loewe is expected to make a decision on Apple's offer within the next week. Apple iTV specificationsAustralian tech site Smarthouse says that the Apple iTV will come in three sizes, including 32-inch and 55-inch models. That's quite a range! Smarthouse isn't usually the go-to site for Apple rumours, but its report echoes similar claims by respected Apple analyst Gene Munster, who told the recent Future of Media conference that Apple will make its TV in a range of sizes. "The smallest one will be 42 inches in size, followed by a 52 inches one and a 60 inches iTV (coincidence or not, these exact sizes are available on Sharp TVs, too)," said Gozmorati. This information was repeated in several similar stories. Rumours also continue to circulate that Samsung could be heavily involved in the iTV project, not least because of features such as TV Discovery, enabling you to easily find programming. An early 2013 patent, reported on by Macworld, describes "a sound system that could be launched as part of its iTV. The intelligent system could determine where a user is in a room, and if he or she was not within the optimum range, the processor could modify the audio output, says the application. It could also adjust based on which way the user is facing, and the environment that the user is in," Clever stuff. Apple iTV 4K?New rumours from the ever-questionable Digitimes suggest we could be seeing a 3,840 x 2,160 display from Apple. Apparently LG would manufacture the display. We'd be amazed if this one was true, but the rumours aren't exactly going away and reached fever pitch in July 2013. See Is Apple eyeing LG's Ultra HD panels for its own iTV set? Apple iTV operating systemAs with the Apple TV, any iTV is likely to run iOS, albeit in slightly disguised form. Compatibility with other iOS devices is a given: current Apple TVs already accept video streamed via AirPlay and access shared iTunes libraries. We'll be amazed if the iTV doesn't get apps. Expect Apple iTV and Apple TV to work more like iOS does on the iPad; the newest iOS 6 Beta for the Apple TV enables app icons to be moved around the homescreen just like on the iPhone and iPad. That has led some observers to conclude that the rumoured App Store for Apple's favourite 'hobby project' might be on the way sooner rather than later. Apple iTV and iCloudSteve Jobs told his biographer: "I'd like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use. It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud. It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it." According to one source which claims to have seen the device, the new TV has Siri and FaceTime. Apple iTV remote controlThe iTV will come with an ordinary remote control, and will be controllable with iPhones, iPod touches and iPads, but the real remote control will be Siri. Apple's voice recognition system will be the heart of the new Apple TV, enabling you to choose channels and control the TV's functions with voice alone. That means " the simplest user interface you could imagine" is voice. However, according to a new patent filed in March 2012, Apple has come up with the design for an advanced universal remote that would also be compatible with your iPhone and iPad. But could Apple also be thinking more about games? Some sources say so, with an official joypad-type device possibly on the cards to work alongside Apple TV. Apple iTV AirPlay mirroringAfter AirPlay mirroring from Mac to Apple TV was present in the developer preview of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, it's not a great leap to suggest that the Apple iTV could mirror the display of your Mac or iPad wirelessly too. AirPlay mirroring is now 1080p with the new iPad and new Apple TV. When a prototype was reportedly 'seen' it did feature AirPlay. Apple iTV programmesWhile the iTV will get content from iTunes and iCloud, it's not going to be completely separate from current TV broadcasters: Munster says that you'll still need a cable TV subscription and decoder because Apple doesn't have enough content. However, the August 2013 rumours suggest that Apple has given up on cable providers, instead opting to negotiate directly with content partners such as ESPN, HBO and Viacom. We're not sure whether it would play nicely with Freeview and Freeview HD here in the UK, but perhaps a DVB-T compatible unit will arrive as part of a second generation. Les Moonves, who is CEO at CBS, says he was previously the recipient of a pitch from Steve Jobs regarding his network's participation in a subscription-based service, but turned him down. Apple is also rumoured to be talking about getting partners involved for movie streaming. His reasoning? Moonves says he was worried about damaging the network's existing revenue streams through broadcast and cable television. The main question is whether Apple will open the door for third-party content, like the BBC iPlayer, Sky Go and 4oD and other apps we've seen on connected TV platforms. These may well arrive with apps - the Apple TV SDK will pull on the iTV ecosystem and we're expecting apps to be available for Apple TV too. Mind you, it's also been claimed that Apple will seek to cut traditional TV providers out of the content loop. Apple iTV displayMarch, June and December 2012 rumours pointed at Sharp being the manufacturing partner. SlashGear says work on components is already under way. In mid April, Sharp announced it had begun production of 32-inch HI-DPI LCD panels at its Kameyama Plant No. 2 - could these be the panels destined for the Apple iTV? Apple contractor Foxconn's parent company has made a rather large investment in Sharp - does this indicate something we wonder? Both companies were apparently working together to 'test' TV designs in the December 2012 rumours. In February 2013 it became clear that Apple had hired James (Jueng-jil Lee, a former senior researcher at LG. According to the OLED Association, he had been working on a printed AMOLED TV display. According to his LinkedIn profile, Lee lists his role at LG as "OLED Technology Development for TV Application" and he said he was "developing the Soluble Technology (RGB Type) for OLED TV application at LG Display". LG continues to be rumoured to be involved. If the iTV does appear, it won't leave manufacturers quaking in their boots. That's according to Samsung's Chris Moseley who told Pocket-Lint in early February 2012 that the firm isn't overly concerned with what Apple launches if it decides to enter the TV market "We've not seen what they've done but what we can say is that they don't have 10,000 people in R&D in the vision category," he says. "They don't have the best scaling engine in the world and they don't have world renowned picture quality that has been awarded more than anyone else." Apple iTV priceGene Munster reckons that the iTV will be twice the price of a similarly sized TV. Ouch. However, new March 2012 rumours point at a subsidised launch - courtesy of various partners. Apple iTV gaming and appsAlthough most of the rumours so far have been about the hardware involved in the iTV, gaming may be a major focus of the new device. Apple CEO Tim Cook was spotted in mid-April at the HQ of Valve Software, the company behind gaming platform Steam. Some rumours are drawing more from this meeting, saying Apple could be producing a Kinect-style gesture-based console. But this is likely to be part and parcel of the iTV. Will Apple iTV do well?With smart TVs taking over the TV market, analysts reckon that the time is ripe for an Apple iTV to be launched. Smart TV adoption grew from 12% in 2011 to 25% in 2012, according to a new report from TDG. |
| WD reveals dual drive - a full 120GB SSD and 1TB hard drive in one Posted:  Western Digital has announced what it calls a dual drive - a full 120GB SSD and 1TB hard drive in one designed for the upgrade market. The concept is a step on from the hybrid drives we've become used to seeing. Those drives tend to only have a small slice of caching flash memory to boost boot and app startup times – the storage space is still predominantly the domain of the conventional hard drive. However, WD is at pains to point out that it still sees a big market for hybrid drives despite the new launch. Because it's designed to appeal both to horders as well as those of us who are used to speedy mobile devices, it could be said the WD Black 2 dual drive offers something of the best of both worlds with a full 6GB/s flash drive to store and speed along your OS, apps and programs plus a cavernous hard drive to contain all your photos, videos and files. And all in the size of a single 2.5-inch drive. Easy transferMind you, the hardware isn't cheap at £250 (around USD $405, AUD $443), but WD believes there will be a decent tranche of existing mobile device owners wanting their snazzy ultraportables and tablet devices to have a bit more storage space. However, while the drive is compatible with everything from Windows XP to Windows 8, there is no Mac support currently. That's a shame, since we can't think of anything better to pair this with than a MacBook Air. Still, watch this space as we bet WD is working on it.
The drive connects through a single cable and fits into a conventional 9.5 mm slot. Note that the drives are totally independent and show as two separate drive letters; they can't be spanned into one drive. Handily, WD is making it reasonably simple for upgraders to transition to the new drive with minimum disruption; it's providing a cable and setup software so you can clone the contents of your existing drive onto the new one before you swap the hardware over. We'll be publishing a WD Black 2 dual drive review very soon on TechRadar.
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| Apple confirms purchase of PrimeSense 3D motion-tracking company Posted:  Apple is now the proud owner of its own motion-tracking company, after confirming the acquisition of Israeli firm PrimeSense. Following reports last weekend that a deal was close, an Apple spokesperson confirmed the purchase to AllThingsD, for a reported fee of around $360m (around £221, AU$392). PrimeSense, which focuses mainly on 3D sensor technology, made its name by producing the motion-sensing technology behind the first Microsoft Kinect sensor. It is not clear how Apple plans to put the company to use, but speculation has been rife that the long-rumoured Apple iTV set will offer a gesture controlled user interface. RefiningIn confirming the deal, Apple spokesperson Kristin Huguet was unsurprising cagey over the company's future plans. She said: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans." Since it assisted with the production of the first Kinect sensor, PrimeSense has been refining its motion sensing offerings, with the new Capri model significantly reducing the size of the sensor. |
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