servers

Review: VLC Media Player plays every type of media you can think of

VLC Media Player for Mac is the all-around reliable, works-out-of-the-box media player that you might never have heard of, though that's no reflection on the app, itself.

We installed the latest update for VLC Media Player for Mac on our test machine without problems. We quickly downloaded the DMG, and then copied VLC to Applications, overwriting our previous installed version. As longtime users of this software, we were happy to see that not much has changed. The interface remained the same, with standard buttons for playback, forward, and back. Advanced controls are available for more options, as well. The … Read more

Windows 8.1 to let you shut down directly via Start button

Windows 8.1 will try to make your life a bit easier by letting you shut down or restart your PC from the Start screen.

The preview edition of Windows 8.1 isn't due out until Wednesday. But the Windows Server 2012 R2 preview is available now for download. Since both versions share many features in common, the server-based preview provides a good glimpse at what's ahead for PC and tablet users.

Windows 8.1 users will be able to trigger a shut down or reboot much more quickly than in Windows 8. On the PC's Start … Read more

Microsoft, Oracle join forces to stomp on cloud rivals

Microsoft and Oracle announced a lot of piece parts with their June 24 partnership around Azure and Oracle databases and middleware.

Here's your Cliff Notes version: Oracle apps are now certified to run on Windows Server, Hyper-V, and Windows Azure. Up until today, they were only certified to run on Windows Server. Oracle Linux also gets added to the list of Linux varianst supported in Azure's VMs, too.

Microsoft already has been certifying its own applications on Windows Azure, including its SQL Server database. (Here's a list of which versions of various database, security and other enterprise … Read more

Lenovo chief sees servers, storage as key to future

Lenovo chief Yang Yuanqing says his company will be exploiting growth opportunities in servers, storage, and the smartphone industry over the next year.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal published Thursday, Yang said storage and server solutions are an area that Lenovo wants to expand and develop. In addition, if acquisition opportunities appear, the PC maker will take them.

The Lenovo chief believes there is still a market for PCs, although a number of analysts and research firms disagree. In the latest round of ITC figures, global PC shipments were estimated to have plunged 14 percent year over … Read more

Microsoft gives timetable for Windows 'Blue' servers

Microsoft finally peeled back the covers on the server-side products coming as part of the "Blue" wave on the opening day of the annual Microsoft TechEd North America conference.

Microsoft officials went public with details about Windows Server Blue, which is officially christened "Windows Server 2012 R2"; System Center "Blue," which will be called "System Center 2012 R2"; SQL Server Blue, a k a "SQL Server 2014"; and Visual Studio Blue, or "Visual Studio 2013," on Monday at its show for IT pros and developers in … Read more

Missing the Xserve? Sonnet has a rack-mounted answer

Apple's Xserve computers were a rack-mountable line of Macintosh systems designed for enterprise use; however, in 2011 Apple abandoned the project, leaving only its Mac Pro and Mac Mini with available server options. Though anyone can download the OS X Server tools from the Mac App Store and convert any current Mac into a server system, some may wish to get a rack-mounted setup going again.

Fortunately, even though the demise of the Xserve means there aren't officially supported rack-based options from Apple, there are some ways you can get your Macs back into the rack. Of course, … Read more

Google breach may have led to sensitive data leaks

U.S. officials are concluding that the 2010 hacks into Google's servers may have ended with Chinese hackers getting ahold of sensitive data, according to The Washington Post.

Current and former government officials told the Post that the hackers were able to access information on U.S. intelligence, as well as find out which possible Chinese spies government officials may have been targeting.

In January 2010, Google shocked the security community by being one of the first tech companies to disclose that it and other companies had been hit by attacks that originated in China. The Web giant said … Read more

Top six storage devices: A digital hoarder's wish list

There's more to digital storage than you might be aware of, and your needs often require devices across the entire spectrum. Start with the internal drive, then get an external drive, then a portable drive, then something you can access remotely or stream content from. Or just maybe, you might find you need something that works both as a portable drive and a media streamer, even when you're out and about. Yes, you could just realize that you want too much!

But no worries, you won't need to spend too much time on your search. The six … Read more

Plex Media Server for Mac 0.9.7.19 Review

For users who are not just looking for a simple video management solution but a total online video content solution, this app could prove useful. With Plex Media Server for Mac you can watch free online video content straight from the archives, manage your own videos, add your own channels, and more.

The application runs as an in-browser extension that allows you to plug into the feature and content of the Plex website. Once you have installed the app, launch it and you'll be taken to the Plex homepage. Here you can add and manage your own videos, or … Read more

Google search has technical issues listing iTunes app pages

A slew of news stories published today questioned whether Google search was lowering the ranking of iTunes apps in query results, but the Web giant says it was actually just having technical issues.

"We've been having some issues fetching pages from the iTunes Web servers, and as a result some people may have had problems finding iTunes apps in search easily," a Google spokesperson told CNET. "We're working with the team there to ensure search users can find what they're looking for."

It seems the issue was first noticed by Appsfire co-founder Ouriel … Read more