The new Seagate 600 SSD

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

The Seagate 600 SSD, which was announced today, is the manufacturer’s first consumer-grade solid-state drive (SSDs). The drive is geared toward general users who want to move forward from the hard drive. The storage vendor also announced today the release of the Seagate 600Pro SSD, which is designed for “pro-consumers” and enterprise use.

First 5mm SSD
The Seagate 600 SSD is the first SSD on the market that’s available in both 7mm and 5mm thicknesses. The new 5mm thickness was first introduced in the WD Blue hard drive and is designed for ultrathin devices.

The difference in levels of thickness doesn’t affect the drive’s capacities or performance. Each of the two designs is available in three capacities, 120GB, 240GB, and 480GB. The 240GB and 480GB capacities offer up to 500MBps and 400MBps in sequential reading and writing, respectively. They offer random reading and writing of up to 80K-IOPS (input/output operations per second) and 70K-IOPS, respectively. The 128GB capacity, however, has a slightly slower writing speed of 300MBps for sequential writing and up to 60K-IOPS in random writing.

The new SSD is available in both 7mm and 5mm thicknesses but retains the standard 2.5-inch design that’s used in most laptop drives.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

Standard design
The Seagate 600 SSD supports the latest SATA 3 (6Gbps) standard and comes in the popular 2.5-inch design. Seagate says the drive uses 19nm Multi-Level Cell NAND flash memory and support the latest “on-the-fly error-correction algorithms.” It also supports Native Command Queuing and Data Set Management with Trim to offer high performance and a long life span.

According to Seagate, the 600 SSD can be used exactly the same way as any Seagate 2.5-inch standard hard drive, but it should be used with Windows 7 (SP1) or Windows 8 to ensure the proper use of the Trim functionality. (Read more about Trim and SSDs in general.) It’s unclear for now whether the drive is compatible with Macs.

Hard-drive-like power consumption
Seagate says that the new 600 SSD consumes about the same amount of power as a regular 5,400rpm hard drive. The SSD requires about 950mA on startup and about 4W max power during operation. This is a very high power requirement compared with other SSDs. The Samsung 830 series, for example, uses just 0.24W during operation and 0.14W when idle. It’s unclear why the new SSD requires so much power, but this means it’s best suited for desktop computers where battery life is not a big concern.

Another factor that’s unclear is the pricing of the new 600 SSD. Seagate says that the drive will be “very competitively priced,” so check back soon for the full review, where we’ll put it up against other SSDs in terms of both performance and value.

Design
Rectangular, flat, and extremely thin, the HTC One is practically all screen. Its 4.7-inch (1080p) LCD display uses what the company calls SoLux technology for improved picture quality and generates 468 pixels per inch (ppi). This, says HTC, helps the One’s screen to boast the most impressive viewing experience of any phone it has ever created. Since the display is slightly smaller at the same resolution, the One’s screen has a denser pixel count than the Droid DNA(5-inch, 440 ppi).

Indeed I can verify that the One’s display has plenty of impact with vibrant colors, wide viewing angles, and plenty of brightness. Details also look extremely crisp. Just how this device’s screen measures up against the best mobile displays from Samsung and Apple, however, remains to be seen.

HTC also makes a big deal about the One’s all-aluminum chassis, describing it as using a zero-gap unibody design. Indeed, available in hues of black and silver, the handset feels sturdy, has reassuring heft, and its smooth metallic skin exudes high-end craftsmanship. HTC also took pains to point out that while the thin white trim encircling the silver model I manhandled appears to be plastic, it is in fact metal

ADL has 125 ‘Arrive and Go’ Enviro400 double decker hybrids in production consigned for service in Manchester, Yorkshire and London with operators Stagecoach, London United, London General and Metroline.

The ‘Arrive and-Go’ technology provides the capacity to shut the diesel engine down when vehicle speed drops below four mph (6.4km/h) and restarts when it rises above seven mph (11.2km/h).

A series of test vehicles operating in Manchester, London and Birmingham demonstrate a further six percent improvement on the 30 percent and 35 percent fuel and CO2 savings made with previous generation hybrids.

“We have always said the route to zero emissions is a progressive journey,” an ADL spokesman says.

“Together with our technology partner BAE Systems we see this as another important step along the way.

“We remain convinced that series hybrid is the only technology currently offering an incremental path to zero emission buses that are economic and can perform to the gruelling 14-hour work cycles expected of them.

“Our next step is extended zero emissions, which will deliver further fuel savings.”

ADL’s aim is to run on pure electric power with a regenerating bus fit for purpose.

“No recharging every few hours, or plug-in overnight, simply a ‘Virtual Electric’ that delivers what it promises,” the ADL spokesman says.

The move from ‘Arrive and Go’ technology to ‘Virtual Electric’ mode will not require hardware changes, say ADL and BAE.

ADL has also confirmed in parallel with its hybrid technology investment it is also forging ahead with a major on-route recharging project in the United Kingdom.

A £3.2m (AUD$4.8m) joint initiative involving ADL, BAE Systems, battery manufacturers Axeon and Strathclyde University is now underway with a view to pilot operations being introduced early in 2014.

The HTC 8X and 8S

HTC, a worldwide guide in versatile development and outline, and Microsoft today uncovered the first mark Windows Phones, the dazing Windows® Phone 8X and 8S by HTC®. The smartphones quality the revamped Windows Phone 8 managing framework and gloat notorious outline, studio-value sound with Beats Audio™ and staggering zoom lens proficiencies.

“Blending HTC’s marvelous revamped Windows Phone 8X and 8S with our mark is a huge breakthrough for both associations,” stated Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. “As one we are offering clients a clear decision and a without a doubt interesting background. I’m thrilled to take our longstanding partnership to the following level.”

“We’ve been roused by Windows Phone 8 to make unique smartphones that give the stage the notorious outline and identity it merits,” declared Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “Windows Phone has decidedly risen as one of the top portable biological systems and is focused opposite whatever available smartphone stage in the planet.”

Notorious Design The sole telephone with Live Tiles, Windows Phone has a clear, differentiated vision and the shopper interaction has been broadly distinguished as being momentous, creative and brand new. HTC composed the Windows Phone 8X and 8S to mix the virtual and the physical using a several dimensional, uni-form style dependent upon the Windows Phone Live Tiles. The Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC are flawlessly chiseled with a sensational taper making them feel slender in your hand.

In light of the fact that shade is quite an impressive essential part of the Windows Phone experience, HTC is carrying striking, complex and dauntless shades in a premium matte fulfill to the proposed gadgets. The Windows Phone 8X will arrive in a mixture of shades incorporating California Blue, Graphite Black, Flame Red and Limelight Yellow. The Windows Phone 8S by HTC could be ready in Domino, Fiesta Red, Atlantic Blue and High-Rise Gray.

Catch and part your planet

Outside of the norm, HTC is introducing a 2.1mp, f/2.0 gap, 88° far reaching edge front-confronting camera that permits up to four folks and more to be caught as soon as possible. It in addition

helps 1080p film catch. The back zoom lens games a 8mp CMOS sensor with posterior-light (BSI) for upgraded flat-light exhibition, on top of a f/2.0 opening, 28mm lens and a devoted imaging chip. A physical screen catch makes it speedy and simple to catch spontaneous activity, regardless of the possibility that the telephone is bolted.

Terrific Sound with Beats Audio

Solely accessible on HTC smartphones, Beats Audio gives credible, studio-value sound that conveys the spirit of the first ever recording. The Windows Phone 8X by HTC emphasizing Beats Audio in addition offers an one of a kind sound enhancer driving the 3.5mm sound jack and the speaker, boosting the sound indicator for far better quality no matter if you’re listening to music, playing a diversion or viewing a motion picture.

Splendid Display

The Windows Phone 8X by HTC headlines a marvelous, 4.3” HD-determination super LCD 2 screen ensured from ordinary knocks and rub by lightweight Gorilla ® Glass 2, while optical overlay lessens reflections and glare, guaranteeing you see each portion. The Windows Phone 8S by HTC gloats a spendid super LCD 4” screen with Gorilla ® Glass, permitting clients to see the Windows Phone Live Tiles, and each memo and photograph, with gem clearness and sparkling color.

Excitement

With the Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC folks can convey their best music, films and photographs with them wherever they go. With the Windows Phone Store and Xbox Live, it is less demanding than at any other time in recent memory to delight in the most recent movie, music and amusements moving.

Microsoft on Wednesday revealed six locations for new retail stores it will open in early 2013, including four transformed from its holiday specialty stores, dubbed “pop-ups,” that it established in October.

The move will expand the company’s ability to sell its own hardware, notably the Surface RT tablet launched two months ago, and the upcoming Surface Pro.

Geekwire first reported the new outlets. Microsoft also blogged about the 2013 store locations.

According to Microsoft, the new brick-and-mortar sites will be in Beachwood, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio (at Beachwood Place); Miami (Dadeland Mall); St. Louis (St. Louis Galleria); Salt Lake City (City Creek Center); San Antonio (The Shops at La Cantera); and San Francisco (Westfield San Francisco Centre).

Four of the six — those in Beachwood, Miami, St. Louis and San Francisco — will be former pop-ups turned into permanent locales.

Earlier this month, Microsoft announced it was extending the lifespan of most of its 34 holiday pop-ups into 2013 — originally, they were to exist only during the October-Decemeber 2012 sales season — and turn an unspecified number into 12-month stores.

Microsoft has declined to say how long the pop-ups will remain open, but the logical move would be to keep them running well into 2013: The company plans to start selling the Surface Pro, a more expensive tablet that runs Windows 8 Pro, in late January.

The Surface Pro will sell for $899 and $999 in 64GB and 128GB configurations, with the Touch Cover and Type Cover keyboards selling separately for $120 and $130.

Some of the to-be-established stores have been long in the works. The Salt Lake Tribune, for example, reported last July that Microsoft had filed a building permit with the city for a store in the downtown City Creek Center.

That outdoor mall also boasts an Apple retail store. Microsoft’s strategy has been to place its retail stores in the same malls or shopping centers as existing Apple stores, sometimes in very close proximity. Although Salt Lake’s City Creek Center noted that the Microsoft store was in the works, it did not locate the store on its mall map.

The San Francisco store, one of the mutated pop-ups, will be Microsoft’s first in the city. The current closest outlet is in Marin County. Microsoft’s San Francisco store will be about a block from one of the city’s three Apple stores.

With the addition of the six new stores, Microsoft will soon have 37 permanent storefronts in the U.S. and Canada. However, its total of 67, including the remaining pop-ups, is only 17% of Apple’s 390 stores worldwide as of last September.

Two weeks ago, Microsoft also expanded its retail footprint to a pair of U.S. chains, Staples and Best Buy, to sell its Surface tablets, and announced it would add retail partners in several other countries in the near future.

When I saw the starting wave of Surface analyses hit, I began pinging certain people to see provided that I may get my involved one to survey simultaneously. I needed to go for Microsoft’s unique unit on account of I such as testing all revamped mechanisms, guaranteeing that I administer an exceptional feeling for the generally speaking scene. Besides, I find it intriguing that Microsoft is now doing their particular Windows-based fittings. It’s nothing if not energizing. Would they be able to pull it off?

Unfortunately, it demonstrated harder than I pictured to get my active an apparatus. While from the start, a few individuals got again to me offering to either give me or demonstrate to me a Surface promptly, Microsoft rapidly laid the mallet down. From my comprehending, one such request even descended from a certain as of late-left official’s office.

Notwithstanding, obviously, I had to get one. What’s more fortunately, there was an effortless choice ready to me that not even Microsoft might square: I may purchase one. Then again that would be precisely what I did.

In knowledge of the past, I now see why Microsoft did not prefer me to evaluation the Surface. That was doubtlessly the right call from a PR viewpoint. It’s basically not a great item.

In the wake of utilizing it for over a week now, its no picnic to think of a considerable measure of superb things to state concerning the Surface. Don’t get me wrong, there are some unyielding things here. Yet by and great, its an odd, and clunky feature that I essentially can’t envisage numerous folks acquiring after the introductory buildup wears off.

Put a different way: I got one, yet I don’t get it.

Yes, I cherish essentially all Fruit items and the iPad (and now iPad small) specifically. Might a thousand “BIASED!!!” remarks blossom in the cesspit underneath this post—I’ll give you more than enough manure. Anyway at the finish of the day the reality remains that depending on if I tear separated an item that would be genuinely exceptional, that looks grave on me. My point is basically to indicate what I accept to be the best features. In late years, in my view, the aforementioned have been Fruit items. Be that as it may that hasn’t constantly been the situation. What’s more that won’t consistently be the situation.

With that out of the way, wouldn’t it be great if we could start, ought we?

“Ugh.” I should have uttered that expression out boisterous a few dozen times while testing the Surface. Then again actually to be clear, the variant I’ve been testing is the “Surface with Windows RT”—not to be confounded with the “Surface with Windows 8 Expert” which isn’t out yet and no living creature appears beyond any doubt when it can be out past the enigmatic “impending soon”.

I acquired the benchmark $499 model which goes together with 32 GB of inside space. But I acquired a Touch Blanket for an extra $119.99 (why Microsoft is pitching the Surface for $499.00 level and the Touch Blanket for $119.99, I don’t know—but it runs decently with the absence of synergy I feel crosswise over the whole item). Yes, it could have been cheaper to get a pack for $599, anyway I needed a red Touch Blanket. Notwithstanding if I’m paying my particular cash for this thing, you’re determined to be damn certain I’m determined to get what I need.

The beginning set up of the Surface went all in all easily. I did it all on the apparatus and didn’t need to utilize a PC/Mac for any of the above to validate my message location. In less than 15 moments I was set up, logged-in and joined with the web.

Interfacing diverse aids to the Surface was more unwieldy. Gmail was basic enough to catch (which sort of shocked me, given the Microsoft/Google connection). At the same time the interaction of utilizing Gmail through the fabricated-in Post application is moderate and unbalanced. Catching Twitter and Facebook (they key mainstays of the fabricated-in Individuals application) needed joining them to my Windows Exist record. To do that, I had to head off to the net—which I may do on the tablet, at the same time it still wasn’t as perfect as the completely local experience you’re utilized to in iOS and Android for such things.

The essential situation here is that not Twitter or Facebook have genuinely raised local applications for Windows 8. Believe it or not, to utilize those utilities, you either need to utilize this Microsoft-raised Individuals application (which is an abominable course to see a great deal of qualified data since the substance tiles are immense—and its abate) or you need to utilize them on the network. (There are a few third-gathering advanced Twitter clients in the Windows Store, be that as it may as you may have listened to, those are as of now running into issues with the Twitter API points of confinement.)

At the point where you get every one of the previously mentioned things joined, the synchronizing between the social utilities and Microsoft’s particular applications works somewhat well in certain cases and somewhat inadequately in others. Your Facebook pictures show up in the Photographs application. Special days (through Facebook) show up in the Schedule application. But you can offer by means of the far reaching offer usefulness by way of the Folks application—which is extravagantly abate and ridiculously numerous “clicks” distant, in my notion.

Your Facebook wires show up in the Informing application—however strangely, just distinct wires endure. In the event that you utilize Facebook Wires for assemblies, those don’t appear to work. Acknowledging that is essentially how I utilize Facebook Wires, that would be evidently not perfect and I had no thought what was wrong from the beginning.

With all that up-and-running, I instantly headed to the Windows Store (the virtual unified with applications, not the physical unified with Surfaces) to get certain applications. Add up to bad dream. In the ten days I’ve been utilizing the Surface, that Archive has either been down or altogether unresponsive an expansive rate of the time. It actually hangs and hangs and hangs, evidently eternity. I restart, re-open and certain things work, then it hangs again. I’ve been attempting to download one application for a long time—still no fortunes. I’m tired of restarting. What’s more the back-bind actually isn’t working. Bliss.

Obviously, that doesn’t even address an absence of applications in stated store—which, how about we be trustworthy, is the true blue situation. There are some you’ll know and need for example the Arouse application, the New York Times application, Skype obviously), and Netflix. What’s more there are an astounding few in vogue diversion applications like Cut the Rope, Doodle God, and even the revamped Star Wars Irate Fowls. Anyhow, for the most part, its an apparition town.

But its past carriage. I attempted to institute a trial form (before purchasing it) of the Star Wars Furious Winged animals application

East Africa International Technical Assistance Centre (EAST AFRITAC) board members meet in Kigali to review and share experiences on finance management to boost finance sector in the region.

The steering committee comprises of representatives from all East African countries except Burundi. Malawi, Ethiopia and Eritrea were also represented totalling seven countries that attended the 14^th East AFRITAC for capacity building finance sector.

Both participants came from different institutions that deals with finance directly and management of national budget. The aim of the meeting is to streamline the engaging challenges faced in the new emerging electronic banking.

“This program is design by IMF to support developing countries with capacity building to manage finance sectors, statistics and money. Most of the representatives are from finance institutions that will review the last year ended plan, evaluate the budget and we plan ahead, we will also learn from the experience” ,Minister of East African Cooperation, Monique Nsanzabaganwa, revealed.

East AFRITAC supported Rwanda with technical part by training statisticians, Rwanda Revenue Authority members and designing regulations according to our culture, the minster added.

In this program Rwanda is currently focusing on mobile banking, methods of taxation respecting countries norms and pensions. The finance experts will plan ahead to the engaging challenges that are likely to come with the new technology in finance sector.

“The activities and operations of East AFRITAC in the member states are visible and relevant.  There is no doubt that the institution has been instrumental to institutional capacity development in our countries for over the last ten years” Amb. Claver Gatete, Rwanda’s central bank governor said.

The East AFRITAC was initiated by the International Monitory Fund (IMF) to assist Sub Saharan region in capacity building and its regional centre is in Dar-Salama Tanzania

While the plan is to roll out the program across all relevant government institutions involved in international trade, at the pilot stage, the Electronic Single Window project will involve 5 principal stakeholders: the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), Rwanda Ministry of Health (MoH), Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) and Magasins Generaux du Rwanda (MAGERWA).

The electronic single window allows information and administrative requirements for imports and exports to be submitted at a single entry point online.

“Once effectively implemented, it will improve the country’s competitiveness in terms of increased domestic investment and foreign trade due to the simplified clearance processes,” said Francois Kanimba, the Rwandan Minister for Trade and Industry.

Kanimba added that as a land locked country, Rwanda needs to introduce simplified systems to facilitate trade, as well as create a conducive investment climate to attract more investments to spur economic growth.

The process is expected to introduce greater transparency and accountability into the whole chain of clearing goods.

It will be using ASYCUDA World, which is a combination of customs management system and integrated border management system developed by UNCTAD.

The project is financed by Trade Mark East Africa to a tune of $3.33 million as part of its programme of supporting Regional Integration and reducing the cost of transport and the pilot phase of the single window implementation will run for approximately three months before the full roll out with other organizations come May 2012.

Kuwa mbere tariki ya 23/01/2012 mu masaha ya saa cyenda ubwo imvura yagwaga, inkuba yakubise ibyuma bikwirakwiza connexion birindwi bituma akazi kose gakoresha connexion kagenda buhoro cyane.

Umukozi ushinzwe Ikoranabuhanga ku karere, Nshimiyimana Levis yadutangarije ko iyo nkuba yatwitse ibyuma bikwirakwiza connexion bitandatu by’akarere n’ikindi kimwe cy’Ikigo cy’Iterambere mu Rwanda (RDB) ndetse n’imashini ngendanwa (laptops) eshanu z’abakozi.

Akomeza avuga ko ibyo byagize ingaruka mu kubura connexion mu karere kose. Zimwe muri serivise zikenera cyane connexion nka serivise y’icungamari ndetse n’iy’ubwisungane magirirane mu kwivuza akazi gasa nk’aho kahagaze.

Bamwe mu bakozi twaganiriye badutangarije ko na bo bafite ikibazo kinini cyo gutanga amaraporo kuko kenshi na kenshi batangaga raporo bakoresheje connexion.

Hagati aho abakozi bamwe batangiye gukoresha amamodemu ariko bakinubira ko connexion zayo zigenda buhoro ugereranyije na connexion inyuze mu butaka (fibre optique).

Kubera iminsi amasoko yo kugura ibyo bikoresho bizasimbura ibyahiye bizatwara, ikibazo gishobora gukemuka hafi inyuma y’ibyumweru bibiri.