Acer's new 38-inch UltraWide: FreeSync, 3440x1600 res

The first thing that jumped out at me was the resolution of this monitor. The following tweaktown blog article provides a quick rundown of this monitor specifications:

Acer's new XR382CQK is a 38-inch UltraWide monitor with a native resolution of 3440x1600 (compared to the 3440x1440 on 34-inch UltraWide displays) - with AMD's FreeSync technology offering up to 75Hz. We also have DTS Sound with 2 x 7W speakers, and Acer's impressive ZeroFrame design. Here's the full run down of what to expect:

• AMD FreeSync™ renders smooth, stutter-free gameplay
• Ergonomic stand promotes optimum comfort with adjustable tilt, swivel and height
• ZeroFrame design affords maximum viewing area and near seamless multi-monitor setups
• Dynamic sound effects thanks to DTS® Sound and two 7W speakers
• Excellent multitasking capabilities via picture-by-picture, picture-in-picture and daisy chaining

Display connectivity includes 1 x DP, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, and 4 x USB 3.0 ports.

I think the additional pixels on the XR382CQK will be interesting to see, with 3440x1600 being a nice addition to the 3440x1440 native res I've come to know and love over the years. The 75Hz refresh rate is a little disappointing, as we're in a world of 3440x1440 monitors with a native 100Hz refresh rate. But still, 75Hz with FreeSync will be great for UltraWide gamers who aren't playing twitchy first-person shooters.

Acer's new XR382CQK is available at US retailers for $1299 right now.

It is not just your IoT's that can get you into trouble with the LAW!

A recent article in Naked Security how gentleman's pacemaker information may help to convict him of setting a fire in his own home. It shows how so much of our lives now is being recorded by different types of devices and in so many different locations that it is hard to stay off of the grid. With this being said, it makes you wonder how people think that they can get away with illegal acts. Remember, Big Brother is watching!

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IRS: New Email Phishing

this article from healthcare info security  discusses  what to look for  and helps prevent  your  organization from  being fooled into sending  out  money  to perpetrators of this type of phishing attack. 

The IRS is warning of one of the "most dangerous" kinds of phishing scams in which fraudsters are successfully tricking organizations into sending wage data on employees and then making fraudulent wire transfers.

Don’t be fooled!

Having an issue with OneDrive or SharePoint?

Email a take a quick look at this new version of OneDrive which my guys are telling me that it has stabilized synchronization to both one drive shares and SharePoint libraries out of Office 365. I am all for doing just that and I will be looking forward to getting this installed on all of my workstations and notebooks to see how well it begins a synchronization between all of those devices and are SharePoint document libraries. The link above will take you to Microsoft's blog article that discusses this new update and you may want to view this article to see exactly how to install the new client. Good luck!

Windows 10 Cloud?

Windows 10 cloud has just been recently announced and it looks a lot like standard Windows 10. It is meant to be a chrome OS competitor and will be interesting to see as time goes on the type of equipment will be required and how well it will work on that equipment. This operating system is targeted for education and business sectors and ZDNet is reporting that it is designed to only run universal apps from the Windows store. I don't know the release date as of yet, but will be keeping my eyes open for new information as time goes by.

Thinking about creating a Media Server in your Home?

It is great to have all the information and entertainment that you want right at your fingertips on any device that you pick up and at the location that you currently are at. Is this plausible? Of course it is!

Gizmodo put together an interesting article on “How to Build an Ultimate Movie and Music Server” that provides the basic components that you need to consider in creating your own home system. Most of the people in our office have put together some kind of NAS (network attached storage) box that creates a a storage area for all your videos, photos and music. Most of us are also using a server application called plaques which has android Apple and many other clients that can be called upon to connect to your media storage server.

When putting together your NAS device make sure you take in consideration the amount of media that you are putting in the box. To be surprised how fast you can fill it up. There are some great suggestions in the article for the base components and some suggestions on what types of drives that you should use.

There are lots of ways to collect your media that always consider adhering to your local  copyright laws.

Other How To Articles:

• Put together a home media server - This Old Nerd
• Starting a Plex Media Server - Everything you need to know
• Mastering Your Plex Media Server
• YouTube search for other Plex Support

Sophos XG Firewall 16.5 Release Info

Sophos XG Firewall from Sophos on Vimeo.

You can also continue reading on our product pages about new features and what’s new in the latest release.

• Sophos XG Firewall Brochure
• Datasheet
• Advanced Persistent Threats Whitepaper

Thinking about getting a New Bike?

As I am getting older I'm trying to come up with different ways that I might be able to exercise and enjoy the process of it. An article in Gizmodo by Michael Nunez got my eye about a bicycle made by Priority Bicycles. It is their Continuum model that is categorized as a commuter bike and is outfitted with low maintenance components in a drivetrain system using a variable transmission hub located in the rear wheel that gives this bike a continuous spectrum of gears rather than a fixed number. The bike doesn't require a derailleur system which provides the bike with a much smoother ride.

While most bikes in this category are several thousand dollars, priority bicycles sells this bike four $899 which is not exactly a bargain looking at many commuter bikes being in the $400-$500 range the Michael says that once you write it it will become your favorite bike to ride.