The Olympus OM-D E-M5 II – the successor of the Olympus OM-D E-M5, is a small 16MP camera made in Olympus’ compact range. Users of the OM-D E-M5 might think that they are still holding the same camera while holding the OM-D E-M5II.

This is because the most obvious upgrade by Olympus on the OM-D E-M5II is its more advanced movie capabilities and a multi-shot 40MP mode. For me the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II does not exactly feel like a big leap forward from the Olympus OM-D E-M5. So, if your E-M5 still works – keep it!

Nonetheless, Olympus has done all it can to tweak the camera with refinements and polishes there. 

These are the Olympus E-M5 II’s key features:

• 1080/60p shooting and 1080/30p at up to 77Mbps
• Improved 5-axis image stabilization in both stills and movie modes
• 10fps continuous shooting, 5fps with AF
• 16MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor
• 40 MP multi-exposure mode
• 1/8000th sec maximum shutter speed (1/16000th with electronic shutter)
• Built-in Wi-Fi
• Clip-on rotating, bounceable flash

	Olympus OM-D  E-M5	Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
Pixel count	16MP	16MP
Image stabilization	5-axis	5-axis
Stabilization (CIPA)	4 Stops	5 Stops
Max shutter speed	1/4000	1/8000 (1/16000 electronic)
On-sensor PDAF	No	No
Continuous shooting (without /with AF)	9fps / 3.5fps	10fps / 5fps
Flash	Clip-on Fixed direction	Clip-on Tilt/bounce/rotate
Viewfinder	1.44m dot LCD 1.15x mag	2.36m dot LCD 1.48x mag
Max video res/rate	1080/30p	1080/60p
Max bitrate	17Mbps	77Mbps
Mic socket	No	Yes
Rear screen	Tilt 3.0" OLED touchscreen 0.61m dots	Fully-articulated 3.0" touchscreen 1.04m dots
Wi-Fi	No	Yes
Accessory Port?	Yes	No
Environmental sealing?	Yes	Yes
Battery life (CIPA)	360	310
Weight	425g	469g
Dimensions	121 x 90 x 42mm	124 x 85 x 45mm

I will draw attention to the 40MP multi-shot mode. This feature uses the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II’s sensor-shift system to move the sensor to eight fractionally different positions and create a high-resolution composite image from these eight exposures.

Olympus has also greatly enhanced the E-M5 II’s movie recording capabilities by adding a 1080/60p shooting and an All-I, 77Mbps compression option for 30p capture.

Other movie recording features include focus peaking, uncompressed HDMI output, a mic input socket and timecode, amongst others.

The E-M5 II camera’s defaults uses an excellent Super Control Panel user interface. Olympus has also shifted from 'modal' display modes and now allows users to combine a histogram, level guide and highlight and shadow warnings in any combination.

Still, these changes to the camera, including the higher resolution viewfinder and screen, limit battery life - the E-M5 II is rated at 310 shots per charge, down from 360 shots for the original E-M5 camera.

However, in 'Quick Sleep' mode, which involves the camera turning off the screen as soon as you take your eye off it, this increases to 750 shots per charge.

The official South African Apple distributor, Core Group, on Monday said that it is now offering the iPhone 4S for R2 999.

This older model iPhone has 8GB of memory, has been refurbished and comes with a one year Apple warranty.

The 4S in particular, was mired in controversy after it went on sale for a so-called "grip of death".

Apple subsequently issued free covers that mitigated against the device dropping signal when held in a particular way.

The offer comes at a time when emerging markets like SA have shown an appetite for lower cost devices, while at the same time, exposure to pop culture makes the Apple brand popular among young people.

Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge has arrived in South Africa – on 10 April 2015. Vodacom, which has been taking pre-launch orders, will sell the Galaxy S6 with 32GB of internal storage, and the 64GB model of the Galaxy S6 Edge.

You can also get the Samsung Galaxy S6 in South Africa through the Cellucity and Samsung websites.

Samsung S6 Edge

Vodacom is yet to reveal cash pricing for either of the Galaxy S6 devices.

Information from Europe suggests the Samsung Galaxy S6 will be priced about the same as the iPhone 6, while the Galaxy S6 Edge will be slightly more expensive than the iPhone 6 Plus.

Samsung Galaxy S6

The key specifications of the devices are listed below.

Specifications	Samsung Galaxy S6	Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
Dimensions	143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8mm	142.1 x 70.1 x 7mm
Weight	138g	132g
Operating system	Android 5.0 Lollipop	Android 5.0 Lollipop
Display	5.1-inch quad-HD Super AMOLED (2560×1440)	5.1-inch quad-HD Super AMOLED (2560×1440) dual edge
Rear camera	16MP	16MP
Front camera	5MP	5MP
Storage, internal	32GB/64GB/128GB	32GB/64GB/128GB
Storage, expandable	-	-
RAM	3GB DDR4	3GB DDR4
Graphics	Mali-T760	Mali-T760
Processor	Quad-core 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 and quad-core 2.1GHz Cortex-A57	Quad-core 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 and quad-core 2.1GHz Cortex-A57
Battery	2550mAh	2600mAh
Cellular data	HSPA, LTE (Cat. 6)	HSPA, LTE (Cat. 6)

Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Apple iPhone 6 

Name	Samsung Galaxy S6	Apple iPhone 6
Operating System as Tested	Android 5.0	iOS 8
Dimensions	5.65 by 2.78 by 0.27 (HWD) inches	5.44 by 2.64 by 0.27 inches
Weight	4.87 oz	4.55 oz
Screen Size	5.1 inches	4.7 inches
Screen Type	Super AMOLED HD	IPS LCD
Screen Resolution	2560 x 1600 pixels	1,334 by 750 pixels
Screen Pixels Per Inch	577 ppi	326
Camera Resolution	16MP Rear; 5MP Front-Facing	8 MP Rear; 1.2 MP Front-Facing
Video Camera Resolution	4K/1080P	1080p
Bluetooth Version	4.1 LE	4.0 LE
GPS	Yes	Yes
NFC	Yes	Yes
Total Integrated Storage	32/64/128 GB	32/64/128 GB
microSD Slot	No	No
Colors Available	Black, Blue, Gold, White	Gold, Silver, Space Gray

The new Dell Inspiron 3000 Series, available from distributor Drive Control Corporation (DCC), is the ultimate range of notebooks available in 14-inch and 15.6-inch models for mobile workers. 

With powerful processor capability up to Intel Core i7, optional touchscreen display and impressive battery life, the Inspiron 3000 Series lets you travel light and will keep you working wherever you are, even during extended power outages. 

“Mobility is key in today’s world, but battery power is also becoming an essential differentiator. Not only is this critical for extended work ability on the move, with the on-going power problems in South Africa it is fast becoming vital for working in the office as well. 

The new range of Dell Inspiron 3000 notebooks features extended battery life of up to seven hours and more, depending on the configuration, to keep users productive no matter what the current power circumstances,” says Farhad Alli, Dell Consumer Product Specialist at DCC.

With a starting weight of just two kilograms, up to 8 Gigabytes (GB) of memory and a 500GB hard drive, the 3000 series is portable, powerful and has enough storage for work and play. 

A range of graphics options, including AMD Radeon R-Series Graphics, provide crystal clear visual details for work, gaming, videos, photos and more, while Waves MaxxAudio audio processing enhances sound quality and speaker output, ideal for movies, presentations and web chats. 

Combine this with Intel Wireless Display, which enables users to wirelessly project High Definition (HD) video and surround sound audio, and the 3000 series becomes both the ultimate office presentation tool and a brilliant home theatre solution. 

In addition, the 3000 Series features USB 3.0 connectivity, offering 10 times the speed for file transfers compared to USB 2.0 for faster content sharing.

“The Inspiron 3000 series is made for working on the move, featuring a sleek, stylish, lightweight and durable design. These notebooks ship with Windows 8.1 for the latest seamless Operating System (OS) experience across Windows-enabled devices. 

Long-lasting battery life ensures users can keep going for extended periods away from power, and a spill-resistant keyboard with heavy-duty hinges and durable components are made for working on the go. Both models also feature a built-in DVD drive for added convenience. 

This is the ideal machine for home or Small to Medium Business (SMB) users who need mobility without compromising features and performance,” Alli concludes.

The Dell Inspiron 3000 series is available immediately from resellers and selected retailers.

For more information visit www.drivecon.net. 

Raul Del Fabbro

The Tandberg Data RDX provides simplified data security, backup, compatibility and ease-of-use for small-to-medium sized businesses (SMB) with growing data storage needs.

With over 2.2 million RDX media and over 650,000 RDX removable drives shipped worldwide, RDX is a proven and fast-growing backup and archiving solution of choice for SMEs worldwide. RDX removable storage solutions deliver breakthrough cost efficiency by uniquely combining the fast backup and restore of disk-to-disk backup, with the portability and simplicity of a removable media archive system. 

RDX technology provides enterprise performance and fast access with capacities up to 2 Terabytes (TB) per cartridge, and in many environments is a reliable and practical alternative to cloud backup.

“The RDC disk-based removable storage system allow existing customer configurations to backup data with minimal fuss and without having to plug in host adapters and cables. 

RDX offers users an uncomplicated method to secure and retain data backup and resellers require very little technical know-how to sell this solution. Furthermore, offering customers blistering disk-based speed, access and near instant file retrieval, the robust RDX solution can easily withstand the rigours of being physically transported from remote offices to central datacentre sites,” says Raul Del Fabbro, Manager: Enterprise Solutions at DCC.

Tandberg Data RDX removable disk storage now features AccuGuard Enterprise software with deduplication capability for storage-efficient, automated backup and recovery. The source-based data deduplication engine of AccuGuard Enterprise is designed to provide users with a 20x increase in storage efficiency, and frees up to 95 percent of critical network bandwidth compared to traditional backup methods. 

The versatility of RDX is further expanded with integration into Overland Storage SnapServer Network Attached Storage (NAS), plus MAC media compatibility, Windows backup, and the RDX QuadPAK rack mount kit. Additionally, enterprise customers who need compliance-related secured data retention can utilise WORM technology-enabled RDX media cartridges and rdxLOCK software that is available at no charge.

AccuGuard Enterprise for RDX

Tandberg Data AccuGuard Enterprise for RDX is a comprehensive, easy-to-deploy Windows-based backup and disaster recovery software that protects data on multiple local and remote servers and workstations. 

To fulfil compliance or backup and disaster recovery requirements, users can set data retention recovery points to free up valuable disk space on backup targets such as Overland Storage SnapServer NAS systems, or removable media including RDX QuikStor and iSCSI-attachable RDX QuikStation disk arrays.

"Overland Storage has wisely expanded the capability of their Tandberg Data AccuGuard single-server software to now include enterprise-wide data protection," says Randy Kerns, senior analyst with Evaluator Group. 

"RDX technology, combined with AccuGuard Enterprise software, is an affordable complement to a cloud backup strategy, allowing users to protect their servers and mobile workforce, and realise true bare metal recovery with a complete backup of all systems and application data."

RDX Integration with Overland SnapServer

Overland Storage provides SMB customers with an affordable integrated solution for backup and data exchange by integrating SnapServer NAS systems with RDX. By simply connecting RDX QuikStor to SnapServer via USB, the RDX disk-based removable storage system is automatically detected as a backup device. 

The combined solution of RDX and SnapServer allows administrators to selectively copy data from disk to RDX and store backup data offsite as part of their disaster recovery plans. Fully integrated in Overland's GuardianOS, administrators can format attached RDX media directly with XFS or NTFS options to optimise data for compatibility and file restores.

RDX for MAC Media Backup and Transport

MAC users can now utilise RDX disk-based removable storage as a reliable method for moving their data between locations. In the media and entertainment industry, large data files are frequently transported between locations for editing and adding special effects or sound. Overland Storage provides SSD-based RDX media for fast data transfer rates up to 250 Megabytes (MB) per second with USB 3.0 for storing one hour of High Definition (HD)-720p video in less than four minutes.

Microsoft Windows Backup with RDX

Many computer users utilise the backup capabilities included in the Microsoft Windows Operating System (OS), but find that removable media such as external CDs, DVDs and tape are not supported. 

The RDX QuikStor removable disk technology helps Windows Backup users utilise removable storage devices for daily backup. By providing a fixed disk mode, RDX removable storage can be used with Windows Backup for native data protection operations including scheduled backup system protection or media rotation.

RDX QuadPAK Rack Mount Kit

As external RDX QuikStor drives are often attached to multiple servers in a rack, data centre administrators need a simplified installation and media rotation solution. 

The new RDX QuadPAK rack mount kit offers an easy way to consolidate up to four external USB 3.0 RDX QuikStor drives in a 1U form factor, to coexist with other Overland Storage products such as SnapServer NAS and NEO tape libraries in a data centre server rack.

"We are very pleased to see rapid growth of RDX removable disk storage solutions fuelled by its expanded use by SMBs and SMEs as a practical complement to existing backup and archiving solutions," says Nilesh Patel, VP of Product Management and Product Marketing at Overland Storage. 

"With expanded capabilities for Windows and Mac environments, and integration with our award-winning enterprise storage portfolio, we see RDX to be a great choice as an extension to the enterprise-wide data back up and retention solution for distributed enterprises."