Verbatim, the information storage pioneer and computer peripherals leader, helps consumers nationwide get "plugged in" like never before with the brand-new MediaShare Mini, an easy-to-use home networking solution that makes any USB drive and its files network accessible. The new unit also allows for seamless content sharing with friends and family as well as multimedia streaming.

"With more than 18 million external hard drives expected to be shipped this year, coupled with the increasing need for users to be able to access and share their content whenever and wherever they are, the MediaShare Mini is the perfect solution for helping people manage their digital life in the most efficient possible way," said Verbatim Product Manager, Ron Hanafin. "Whether it's retrieving files remotely, streaming iTunes music or uploading photos directly onto Facebook, the MediaShare Mini is the must-have tool for today's connected consumer."

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer of world class NAS servers, NVR Video Surveillance Systems, and Network-based Media Players today announced the TS-x19P+ lineup of affordable Turbo NAS servers targeted primarily for home and SOHO users. The new models utilize Marvell's new 1.6GHz embedded processor and include 512MB of DDRIII memory and Gigabit LAN ports, mustering up transfer rates exceeding 100MB/sec and offering a unique blend of performance and features at very affordable price points. The new models include the 1-drive TS-119P+, 2-drive TS-219P+ and 4-drive TS-419P+. With up to 8TB of networked storage, the TS-x19P+ series NAS servers combine an attractive industrial design, outstanding performance, consumer-friendly features, and above all, legendary QNAP quality and reliability.

NAS servers are becoming a popular addition to home and SOHO networks as they solve the problem of how to share digital pictures, music, and videos among computers in the home without resorting to a USB keychain drive. QNAP's new TS-x19P+ models are easy to attach to an existing home network and provide easy file sharing between PCs, Macs, Linux, and UNIX-based computers. QNAP's TS-x19P+ NAS servers can also provide automatic backup of all computers on the network, host websites, record home security surveillance video from IP cameras on the network, be a UPnP-compliant media server, and act as a stand-alone file server for BT/FTP/HTTP and eMule downloads.

Synology Inc. today launched DiskStation DS110+ and DS210+, high-performance and secure NAS servers for SMB users to share and backup data efficiently and increase productivity with rich business-oriental features.

The Synology DS110+ and DS210+ are ideal for users who require a reliable data storage solution and demand high-performance speed for file sharing. The performance test conducted by Synology's lab showed that in a Windows environment, the Synology DS110+ serves an average of 108+ MB/sec reading speed and 68+ MB/sec writing speed while the Synology DS210+ delivers 108+ MB/sec reading and 58+ MB/sec writing. The web server responsiveness is impressive, too. The Synology DS110+ and DS210+ take 85.08 and 78.14 seconds respectively to handle 1,000 simultaneous requests.

Verbatim Americas LLC, the information storage pioneer and computer peripherals leader, introduces MyMedia Server, a home network storage solution designed to efficiently help consumers consolidate, preserve and share all their content on one dependable, high-performance device. Whether seamlessly transferring documents directly onto the server or uploading vacation photos from a remote location, Verbatim's MyMedia Server brings file storage and media sharing to the next level. MyMedia Server will be on display during CES at Booth #36523 in South Hall 4 of the Las Vegas Convention Center, January 7-10, 2010.

"Many homes today have more than one computer, creating the need for consumers to share or access their digital content from either the comfort of a living room or sitting in café or classroom." said Ron Hanafin, Verbatim Product Manager. "With a user interface and design that creates a more enjoyable experience, MyMedia Server is straightforward for anyone to set up and start saving their important data quickly and easily. From here it only takes a couple of clicks to easily access files, listen to music, or share photos with friends and family."

Buffalo Technology, a global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of wired and wireless networking, storage and memory solutions today announced the new, fully redesigned LinkStation Pro. As the answer to all your storage and sharing needs, this high performance NAS device allows iPhone owners to access their photos, videos, files, etc., via Buffalo's unique Web Access 2.0 feature. Web Access allows users to access data via a web browser from any computer.

As the latest addition to the award-winning LinkStation line of consumer NAS devices, the new LinkStation Pro comes equipped with a new, stylish chassis and faster processor for quick and easy file transfers and backups. With Web Access 2.0, iPhone users can conveniently download content stored on their home or office LinkStation Pro right to their iPhone, anytime, anywhere.

We all knew it would happen. Apple just made it official. The new 3G enabled iPhone will hit stores on July 11. The 8GB version will come in a black finish and cost a mere $199, while the 16GB variant will set you back $299 US Dollars. The latter can also be bought in white. Check out the Apple Online Store website for further details. Some notable additions are A-GPS, tri-band 3G support and longer battery life.

According to the Financial Times, Apple is currently in discussions with music companies regarding the possibility of providing users with unlimited access to music downloads. The plan would most likely involve customers having to pay a premium for iPods/iPhones and then being able to download as much music as they want - essentially embedding the cost of music into the price of the player itself. However, the discussions are apparently stalling a bit at present as the companies negotiate over pricing. Apple is reportedly offering only $20 per device, which is much lower than companies like Nokia, which is paying almost $80 per handset for a similar plan. Another possibility is that users may pay a subscription fee each month to have unlimited downloads, with the capability of keeping 40 to 50 tracks each year even if the subscription is cancelled.

Apple today announced that more than 100,000 iPhone developers have downloaded the beta iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) in the first four days since its launch on March 6. The iPhone SDK provides developers with the same rich set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and tools that Apple uses to create its native applications for iPhone and iPod touch. "Developer reaction to the iPhone SDK has been incredible with more than 100,000 downloads in the first four days," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "Also, over one million people have watched the launch video on Apple.com, further demonstrating the incredible interest developers have in creating applications for the iPhone."

Two American universities have decided to try and attract more students by offering free iPhones and MacBooks. Oklahoma Christian University is offering all new students attending New Student Orientations a brand new MacBook, and current college students will be given the opportunity to trade in their current laptops to receive one. In addition to this, the University will also offer students an iPhone or iPod touch, depending on whether they're willing to pay the contract fees. Meanwhile Abilene Christian University in Texas is offering a similar deal to all freshmen, giving them the choice of an iPhone or iPod Touch. Dr Dwayne VanRheenen of ACU said:

Because 93 percent of ACU students bring their own computers with them to college, we are choosing to take them to the next level by providing converged mobile devices.

All you iPhone owners out there should know that Apple released firmware update 1.1.4 today for the iPhone. The last update - 1.1.3, introduced a few new capabilities such as the ability to customize the home page, but the only thing noted as new in 1.1.4 are "bug fixes". Please connect your iPhone to iTunes to start downloading the new software.

Despite much talk, Apple is currently "dead in the water" as far as negotiations with Chinese telecommunications companies go. However, Apple doesn't appear to need to be concerned: over one million iPhones have been sold in China so far. However, the clever people who live in China have a different idea than go along with corporate policy. A telecommunications company in China reported that over 400,000 iPhones, unlocked, have been activated and put onto their service. Considering that there are roughly one million iPhones in China, this means that two out of every five iPhone customers is likely to unlock theirs. What's really impressive about this is that the Chinese are still unlocking their iPhones despite many attempts to "brick" iPhones through firmware updates.

While some people felt that the iPhone would crash and burn, it has in fact done quite the opposite. Of those in America that own mobile phones, 28% own an iPhone. While most people would wonder how a very expensive product isolated to a single network could possibly sell so well, market analysts see this rather large market share as a wakeup call to mobile phone manufacturers. Hopefully, we'll see less generic phones in the future, and more phones that will seem to be works of art more than tools of necessity (for some more than others, obviously).

Customers who'd like to carry more music, photos, and videos with them now have new models of iPhone and iPod touch with double the memory from which to choose. The revolutionary iPhone now comes in a new 16GB model for $499. It joins the 8GB model for $399. And the iPod touch now comes in a new 32GB model for $499. It joins the 16GB and 8GB models for $399 and $299, respectively.

iPhone Software Update 1.1.3, a free software update available today via iTunes 7.5 or later, brings significant new features to iPhone. After installing the update, iPhone customers will be able to automatically find their location using the redesigned Maps application; text message multiple people in one message; create Web Clips for their favorite websites; customize their home screen; and watch movies rented from the new iTunes Movie Rentals right on their iPhone.

On Monday, Symantec found a Trojan software identified as iPhone firmware 1.1.3 prep. "This Trojan claims to be a tool used to prepare the device for an upgrade to firmware version 1.1.3," the US-CERT advisory said. "When a user installs the Trojan, other application components are altered. If the Trojan is uninstalled, the affected applications may also be removed." The Trojan appears to be timed to exploit rumors that began in early December about new features in an upcoming iPhone firmware upgrade. Various online news sites and blogs cited a report published by CNET France that claimed an imminent iPhone update would feature a disk mode, for using the iPhone as a portable flash drive, and a voice recording mode. In a blog post here, Symantec security researcher Orla Cox said that "this is technically the first Trojan horse seen for the iPhone, however it does appear to be more of a prank than an actual threat,"

The first phone posted on our front page, is about to get 3G support sometime next year. Because we're a hardware and gaming site, phone news are not allowed, but since it's an Apple creation and not exactly a phone (it's an iPhone) we can make an exception once. At a meeting of the Churchill Club on Wednesday, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said: "You'll have it next year," when asked when a 3G iPhone would appear. AT&T is the exclusive mobile carrier for the iPhone in the US. Current iPhones connect to EDGE-based networks for intensive data-transmission chores such as browsing and email. EDGE advertises in-the-field download speeds in the 70Kbit/s to 135Kbit/s range, although its technical top end is 384Kbit/s. 3G networks use HSDPA/UMTS technology and boast download speeds between 600Kbit/s and 1.4Mbit/s. The iPhone's reliance on the much slower EDGE technology was roundly criticised before the smartphone was launched in June, and the issue has come up again as Apple released the iPhone in Europe, where 3G-based cellular networks are much more widespread than in the US. But in September, Apple CEO Steve Jobs made it plain that the iPhone would stick with EDGE for now because of power and battery issues.

That's right folks, for the low low price of €749, you can go to France and get your very own non-contract-binding iPhone from Orange. The iPhone is normally around €399, with a binding two-year contract. The fees add up as such: You buy a no-contract iPhone for €649, and if you want the iPhone unlocked, it'll cost you €100 more. The fee only applies for the first six months of iPhone ownership, however, so if you wait a while the unlocked iPhone will "only" cost €649. Anyone from the U.K. hoping to pick up a somewhat cheaper unlocked iPhone can expect to spend around £536 for the whole kit and caboodle. The iPhone goes on sale in France tonight.

Germany is the first country, other than France, to offer an unlocked iPhone. For €999 ($1481/£720), the German citizen can march over to T-mobile and purchase an iPhone devoid of contracts and locks. This is more than double the price of a stock iPhone, which is roughly €399. However, when you think about it, €999 actually isn't all that bad. After the initial €399 cost, T-Mobile iPhone customers are boxed into a 2-year contract. After all fees are said and done, iPhone customers would spend €1575 to maintain two years of service, which they are legally obligated to do, lest they incur early termination fees.

T-Mobile also announced that it would be happy to unlock iPhones already purchased, but did not name a price for this premium service at time of publication.

In Europe, it seems like the iPhone is greeted with nothing but tribulation and joy. After initial sales figures of 10,000 units were reported in the mid-afternoon of the first day of sales in Germany, one of the CEOs of T-mobile exclaimed "we're delighted". British sales were not much different. After stores opened their doors to queues seen camping out overnight, the BBC recorded scenes of "mayhem" in London. The iPhone goes on sale in France on November 29th, twenty days later than it did in Germany and the UK. However, the wait will be worth it: by French law, all mobile phones sold in France must come unlocked, to join whatever network the French customer chooses. Apple is working closely with French telecom companies to make sure that French iPhones do not make their way out of France, where a factory-unlocked iPhone would fetch a pretty penny.

Mobile email company Visto has launched a service that delivers corporate mobile email access on the iPhone. The Visto Mobile service lets iPhone users securely and easily access corporate email without downloading any additional software to the iPhone or requiring any changes to security policies or corporate firewall settings. The service is already available in the US and will be made available across Europe from today through Visto's website. Use of the service is free for the first 60 days, a video demonstration of the service in action is also available. Visto Mobile exploits the iPhone's user interface, which already allows users to send and receive attachments, receive rich HTML email and view e-mails as they were originally sent. Visto Mobile adds the corporate directory search capability, so individuals can search for any contact and either place a call, send an email or obtain driving directions by selecting the contact's phone number, email address or physical address.

Despite the utterly deplorable weather conditions in London last night, a small horde of dedicated iPhone enthusiasts was seen waiting in front of the local O2 store. Graham Gilbert, 22, officially has the honor of being the first man to be seen waiting for the iPhone in London. Graham has "been looking forward to the iPhone since it was announced in January." Once Graham has an iPhone, he plans to stick with O2, and not unlock/modify his iPhone. He his efforts to unlock the phone would be in vain every time Apple released a firmware update. The Apple iPhone die-hards will be able to get their hands on the iPhone at 6PM tonight, local time.

Apple has begun limiting sales of its popular iPhone to two per customer and no longer accepts cash for payment.

We're requiring a credit or debit card for payment to discourage unauthorized resellers,

said Apple spokesperson Natalie Kerris, calling the demand for the iPhone "off the charts." The previous limit was five iPhones per person, which tempted hackers to buy in quantity to resell or unlock them from their intended use with AT&T Mobility. This precaution is intended to lower the sale rate of phones, bought to be unlocked. The new restrictions are also aimed at ensuring enough iPhones for increased holiday sales. The iPhone will soon launch in Germany, the United Kingdom and France.

Despite all the bad press the iPhone has been getting in response to such allegations as locking people to a certain network and preventing third party applications from going on the iPhone, 82% of all people who've ever bought an iPhone are reported as being "very satisfied". The iPhone also makes up two percent of all phones on the street today, and 16% of all phone customers who plan on buying a new phone within the next six months are planning on getting an iPhone.

Big deal, most would say, every console or device that hopes to catch on needs an SDK (Software Development Kit), so that popular games and applications can run on the device. However, for quite a while, Apple seemed to think it was impervious to this law of the market. With the latest iPhone controversy however, involving lawsuits of network-locking and possible toxicity, Apple decided it was for the better if they let third-party developers put their stuff on the iPhone. An SDK will be shipped to anyone who wants one as soon as all the kinks are worked out, which Apple estimates to be some time in February 2008.

Lawyers filed a class action lawsuit against Apple and AT&T seeking $1.2 billion in damages because the iPhone is locked to AT&T's wireless network. The suit also notes that Apple will not allow unauthorized applications on the iPhone. Filed on behalf of Paul Holman in the State of Washington and Lucy Rivello in California, the lawsuit explains that in the United States the SIM chip is locked to the wireless carrier, not the hardware device. Damian Fernadez, the attorney who filed the state suit explains in court documents what Apple is accused of:

Apple punished consumers for exercising their rights to unlock their iPhones. Apple issued a software update that 'bricked' or otherwise caused iPhone malfunctions for consumers who unlocked their phones and installed the update. Apple's unlawful trust with AT&T substantially lessens competition and tends to create a monopoly in trade and commerce throughout the entire United States.

Apple and AT&T both declined to comment on the story.