We have received confirmation that on May 5, 2009 HP will officially be launching its next MediaSmart Server product, the single drive LX195 Windows Home Server. Designed as a budget, entry-level backup solution, the sub-$400 LX195 features [PDF Data Sheet] an Intel Atom 1.6GHz 230 processor, 1GB of DDR2 memory, and 640GB of storage which one can swap out for a larger capacity SATA I / II drive in the future. The new server, like its big brothers the EX485/EX487, is capable of supporting Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs, as well as, game consoles like the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Other nice features include: Gigabit Ethernet, Sleep Mode (the LX195 will power itself down and consume only 3W of power when not in use), 4 USB 2.0 ports that be utilized for attaching external storage, and a svelte form factor measuring 3.90”(W) x 8.20”(H) x 8.00”(D).

We covered Simplify Media’s original iPhone / iPod touch App back in August of ‘08 and came away impressed by its ability to stream music from your home Windows / Mac / Linux computer remotely — including music libraries from up to 30 of your friends. Now the developers of Simplify Music [app link] have added additional features like UPnP support, FLAC, and favorite tagging across your network that make the $5.99 app worth every penny (currently on sale for $2.99 until 5/14). MORE »

It appears that Dell is trying to encroach on HP’s TouchSmart family of PCs’ territory. Geared towards folks who are looking for a communal counter-top PC, a productivity PC, or a simple PC for the kids, Dell’s Studio One 19 all-in-one Desktop PC is a compelling new offering that may soon find a place in your home. Starting at $699, the multi-touch, all-in-one comes with a 18.5-inch 16:9 touchscreen, Intel Pentium E5200 Dual Core processor, 2GB DDR2 memory, NVIDIA GeForce 9200 integrated graphics, a 320GB hard drive, a slot-loading DVD drive (upgradeable to Blu-ray), 1.3MP webcam,  integrated audio / stereo speakers / mic, Ethernet, a 7-in-1 card reader, and a bevy of USB connectors. Unfortunately, Wi-Fi is an optional feature that will cost you an extra $20 for 802.11b/g or $40 for 802.11n. [via] MORE »

Cablevision is announcing today that beginning May 11th the company will begin offering a new 101Mbps downstream / 15Mbps upstream high-speed Internet package called Optimum Online Ultra for $99.95/mo. The package, which will serve the New York metro area, is the nation’s first 101Mbps broadband service to hit the impressive benchmark. The closest competitor, Verizon, offers a 50Mbps package for $140/mo. According to AP, the 101Mbps service should theoretically allow people to download a 4GB HD movie in 5 1/2 minutes and a 1.6GB SD movie in about two. MORE »

By now most of you are familiar with Time Machine for Mac. Most likely you’ve also wished Windows had a similar drop-dead-simple device to handle all your backup duties that wasn’t a full-blown network attached server. Well, folks… feast your eyes on Replica from Seagate. The USB 2.0 interface backup drive (MSPR $129 250GB | $199 500GB Multi-PC version) provides continuous, automatic backup of your entire PC (i.e. operating system, programs, settings, and files). What’s more, Replica makes use of a versioning system that allow users to drag-and-drop archived files they may have in inadvertently deleted back into their current folder structure or restore a whole PC to a previously working state. Replica even makes recovering from a fatal crash as easy as inserting Replica’s Recovery CD and having it rewrite your PC’s drive with Replica’s stored backup. All in all, a worthwhile investment that won’t break the bank and will provide you with some peace of mind. MORE »

I just got wind of the news. It looks like on April 8th a Netflix plugin for Plex was rolled out that allows people to navigate and play content from Netflix’s “Watch Instantly” service. The Netflix plugin for Plex requires the latest version of Silverlight to be installed on your Mac for it to work. Aside: It appears this plugin is only available on Plex at this time and has not yet been ported to XBMC (see: thread 1, thread 2). However, Boxee has its own Netflix plugin already in place for Windows and Mac OS X.

The moment many of you HP (EX485/EX487) MediaSmart Server owners have been waiting for has arrived. You can now download your free copy of iStream from iTunes to gain remote access of your server’s stored photos, music, and videos via your iPhone or iPod touch (no syncing required). HP cautions, however, that copy protected files may not stream properly — so keep that in mind. Also, HP recommends downloading the latest software updates for your MediaSmart Server and your iPhone or iPod touch before installing iStream. [via]

When I heard the news this morning that PBS launched a new video portal (currently in Beta) near the same level of Hulu, I was intrigued. In the past, I’ve taken the opportunity to watch a few missed broadcasts online through pbs.org, but the experience and quality level back then seem sub-par. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case. MORE »

For all the early HD DVD movie adopters who got burned when the industry decided to go Blu-ray instead, you’ll be happy to learn that Warner Bros. will trade your WB distributed titles for a Blu-ray version (up to 25 per household) through its new Red2Blu program [Terms PDF] for only $4.95 each (plus any applicable taxes). Just select the movie from the titles listed at red2blu.com, mail in the original cover art sleeve, and wait 4-5 weeks for your new movie to arrive. Note: You will have to pay an additional $6.95-$8.95 shipping & handling charge depending on where you live per order. [via]

TVersity has stepped up their game and has added access to many of the top video sites on the Net [full list]. According to TVersity’s announcement (attached below), TVersity Pro ($29.95) is able to accomplish this by playing premium web content via an “off-screen browser.” TVersity is still able to transcode user generated video from these same sites for playback on supported devices, but premium content, which needs to maintain ad insertion / tracking / measurement scripts, will open up in a dedicated browser. In addition, TVersity has added new drag-in-drop subscription functions (in addition to RSS) to its GUI so one can keep current with their favorite content channels. MORE »