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VLC 2.0.2 now supports MacBook Pro Retina Display

Publié: juin 30, 2012, 7:57pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Popular media player VLC has been updated to version 2.0.2 and despite the minor version number increase, the changes should be immediately noticeable. The big news here is addition of support for Retina display so if you have invested in a new MacBook Pro, this is one app that will enable you to take full advantage of the enhanced screen.

Retina display support means that not only can video itself be seen in much better quality, but also that subtitles and any other overlays for a particular file can be displayed at a much higher resolution. This is clearly a release that will be of most interest to OS X users, and in addition to the new display option, a number of known problems have also been addressed. Blu-ray playback has been improved and issues that users had experienced with rotating, cropping and zooming with video have also been fixed.

Additional changes and additions include better support for compressed file formats and H.264 webcam output. Previous versions’ problems with HTTP access through a proxy and issues with certain file types have also been addressed. The on-going development of VLC, particularly for OS X, means that this continues to be one of the most impressive and feature-packed media players available.

Audacity, the free, cross platform audio editing tool has also been released. Again, there is not a very big increase in version numbering, but Audacity 2.0.1 is still worth a look thanks to the number of big fixes that are included, but there are also new effects and features to explore. For Mac users, there is now compatibility with VoiceOver screen reader.

You can find out more and download free copies of the programs by paying a visit to the VLC and Audacity review pages.

Four self-hosted Dropbox-like services businesses can use

Publié: juin 30, 2012, 6:42pm CEST par Martin Brinkmann

File synchronization services like Dropbox have really taken off in recent time. They basically allow you to sync files between devices using cloud storage as buffer. Depending on the service, you get web access, document editing options, photo galleries, media streaming and more on top of that.

All services have in common that they encrypt the connection between your computer and the cloud host to protect the data from third parties that try to intercept or record what is being transferred. Each service has implemented its own scheme, and it is often difficult and sometimes even impossible to find out how the data is protected by the service.

Businesses face another issue, as regulations, company guidelines and maybe even laws may prevent them from using some or even all third-party services. Those decisions may be based on security regulations or something mundane like the location of the server the data is saved on.

For users, it is often a question of privacy and to a lesser extent one of control over the data.

A Solution

Privately-hosted services can be a solution. While they are probably more appealing to webmasters, geeks and privacy advocates, they can prove to be a viable alternative for businesses as well. A self-hosted server gives you full control over the data, up to the point where you can simply log into the server's admin dashboard or shell to delete all files remotely and unrecoverable.

The following guide looks at several different solutions that all allow you to sync local files with a self-hosted server. Another advantage of self-hosted solutions is that storage space is usually not limited to a few Gigabytes.

A word of caution: Not every web hosting company permits the use of storage space and its network infrastructure for purposes that are not linked to web hosting. It is recommended to verify that they are okay with it before you start synchronizing your data with their servers.

FTPBox

FTPBox is an open-source program that synchronizes files to an FTP server from where they are synchronized with all systems running the client software. The solution may be ideal for webmasters who have access to a web server or hosting account with FTP server. Alternatives are a local FTP server which can also be used for the purpose.

If you already have access to a FTP server, all that is left to do is install the client software on all systems that you want to sync files between. You are asked to supply the FTP server address, path, server login credentials, and the local root folder on first start.

A web interface is provided if PHP is installed on the server as well. Files can be downloaded directly though if that is not the case.

The program in its current stage has its issues and shortcomings. It is for instance only available for Windows, synchronization and bandwidth management are not available, and the web interface and sharing feature has issues of its own.

The developer seems dedicated, though, and many of the shortcomings should be ironed out in future releases. A Linux and Mac version are promised, with no word on mobile ports.

ownCloud

ownCloud is packed with features that makes it more than a capable rival of services such as Dropbox or Google Drive. The program requires a web server where the server-side components need to be installed on. It has a bunch of dependencies, like php 5.3 or up, php5-curl or libcurl3 which are all listed on the install page on the official website.

Installation should not be too difficult provided that the server is meeting all requirements and that you have permissions to install new software on the server. It all comes down to running two commands on the server to install ownCloud on it.

Clients are available for Windows, Linux and Mac, with options to synchronize calendar and address book data with Apple's iOS.

As far as features go, there are plenty offered. Here is a short list of what it supports out of the box:

Server encryption support and support for SSL connections
Versioning
Web access
Data sharing
Calendars, tasks, file viewers, video streaming
Application store with first party and third party app support.

Syncany

This project is still in development, and no release has been made by the developer so far. The project offers flexible options in terms of hosting your content. This includes hosting them locally, on FTP, SFTP or ssh, using an IMAP folder, WebDav, Windows Share, and various hosted solutions offered by Amazon, Google, Rackspace and others.

The first release will be for Linux, with Windows and Mac versions said to be following later in development. Syncany encrypts the data on the client-side before it is sent to the selected hosting solution.

Syncany supports file versioning, integration into the native file manager, and gives users the option to sync any folder on the system, and not only files and folders that reside in a root folder that the software creates during installation.

This is a service to look out for, even though development seems to have slowed down a notch recently.

SparkleShare

This is a specialized solution for project hosting, management and collaboration. It is free and open source, and comes with clients for Linux, Windows (Vista and newer only) and Mac. Unlike other solutions, it concentrates on projects, and offers to synchronize files with popular code-hosting providers such as Github or Gitorious next to a self-hosted solution.

A custom host needs to have git and openssh-server installed. You can check the project website for a detailed tutorial on how to prepare a server. On the client side, you basically point it to that server, so that you can synchronize a local folder and all of its files with that server.

SparkleShare supports file versioning, a web interface which you can use to invite project members, and the synchronization of multiple projects.

The program has not been updated in a year's time at the time of writing.

Closing Words

It takes resources to produce and maintain a self-hosted file synchronization solution. Several of the services that I looked at had -- and did not include in the list -- not been updated for some time, and even two I did include are not updated frequently yet.

The ownCloud service is one of the few technically mature services that you can start using right away.

What about you? Are you using a file synchronization service? If so, which are you using and why?

Photo Credit: Inq/Shutterstock

Apple's injunction stopping Galaxy Nexus sales is shameful

Publié: juin 30, 2012, 5:03am CEST par Joe Wilcox

I'm ashamed of Apple, and myself for giving anything to iPhone today. To celebrate iPhone's fifth anniversary, I asked BetaNews writers to offer missives based on their experience using the handset. We published Wayne Williams' story on Wednesday, another by Chris Wright early day and my own this afternoon. Two other stories are in the queue. We'll run them over the weekend, however, instead of today. There's no longer any sense of birthday celebration in these halls.

Today, US District Judge Lucy Koh gave Apple a great gift for iPhone's fifth, that I see as anything but. Apple's preliminary injunction against the Samsung-manufactured, Google-branded Galaxy Nexus is an outrage and demonstrates how far fallen is Steve Jobs' company from the innovative spirit that brought iPhone to market. The original set the smartphone market ablaze and brought Apple to unimagined success as seen from 2007. There was a time when Apple innovated rather than litigated and up-ended so-called copycats by making bold, breath-taking successor products. But that Apple is gone, buried with Jobs, who sadly left this world last year.

Before the litigious spirit invaded Apple, innovation negated any need for litigation. iPod nano is my favorite example. In January 2004, Apple announced iPod mini, in five delicious colors, and started shipping about six weeks later. The music player immediately sold out. I luckily got one for my wife for Mother's Day because Apple Store Montgomery Mall opened that weekend and stocked iPod mini for the occasion.

By autumn 2005, competitors started shipping iPod mini knock-offs to stores for the holidays. Rather than meet them, Apple did something truly innovative, from a product marketing perspective: Left them behind. The company killed off iPod mini at the height of its popularity, a simply unthinkable act in retail, and replaced it with something better. In September 2005, in a stunning product unveiling, Jobs showed off the diminutive iPod nano, pulling it out of the coin pocket of his jeans. The gum-box sized music player was an instant hit.

Imitative Innovation

iPod mini is a great example of what Apple does best: imitative innovation. The company culls from what others do and improves on it. Sadly, idiot fanboys will comment about how Apple imitates no one, just innovates. These guys really need to get out more into the real world. There's nothing wrong with imitation. There's everything right about it. Humans are gregarious and observing of each other. Copying, imitating is natural. How do you think babies learn to walk and to talk? They imitate adults.

Designers are some of the biggest imitators of all, looking to past successes and extending them to the present. In 1927, Kodak commissioned Walter Dorwin Teague to design a new line of cameras. The company wanted to increase its cameras' appeal among women. Teague presented the diminutive Vest Pocket line in five distinct colors. Nearly 80 years later, Apple chief designer Jony Ive applied the same five-color concept to iPod mini. Similarly, like Teague presented a smaller camera, Ive designed a smaller music player. Ive learned from Teague and paid homage to him, appropriately. iPod mini was the Kodak camera of its age -- life-changing consumer tech for the masses.

Jobs recognized the value of imitation as a way of driving innovation. In a 1990's interview he said: "Picasso had a saying, he said: 'Good artists copy, great artists steal'. We have, you know, always, ah, been shameless about stealing great ideas". That's what good artists do. They extend the great work of others and in so doing honor them.

So it's no surprise that Apple expected imitation and chose to check it through continuing innovation. That's the lesson iPod nano teaches and subsequent other Apple products, particularly those that defied convention and in process imitation. The original iPod should have been easily imitated, but competitors didn't get why the product succeeded. I spoke to some of them during the mid-Noughties, when working as an analyst. They bulked up features, such as FM radio listening or broadcasting, all while sacrificing battery life. Apple prioritized other attributes, such as simply sync, long battery life and easy use -- meanwhile making iPod smaller and cheaper to buy. iPod was more by being much less.

The Pride is Gone

iPhone is another example of imitative innovation. Apple didn't invent the smartphone, but its slate-design approach, capacitive touchscreen and use of proximity sensors transformed the user experience. The original iPhone responded to users and took on human-like qualities. Two problems overlapped: iPhone's revolution became an evolution of further designs. Meanwhile some competitors, Samsung most of all, got what made iPhone good. Samsung's imitative innovation propelled it to become, last quarter, the world's top handset manufacturer, and also for smartphones, as measured by sales, according to Gartner.

Apple fell behind Samsung, responding surprisingly. The Apple that once out-innovated competitors chooses to litigate when out-imitated. Rather than compete with Samsung and Android 4.x, Apple sues over patents -- many for arguably vague software processes. Koh's ruling is shameful. Apple demanding the preliminary injunction is shameful. The pride of 2005, when Apple outflanked copycats through innovation, is the shame of 2012.

Today, court briefs are the true measure and extent of Apple innovation. Apple can copy -- innovation by imitation -- but no one else. Apple engineers, you should feel ashamed at what suits -- the people wearing them and cases they file -- your company has become.

As an American I want to feel pride in Apple's accomplishments. Instead, three weeks ago, I boycotted Apple products because of the patent bullying. Today, I feel ashamed, because it's not enough.

Linas T/Shutterstock

Preliminary injunction bars Galaxy Nexus, but Apple is a loser for winning

Publié: juin 30, 2012, 3:07am CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

Apple's ridiculous patent assault against Samsung finally hits Google, which suddenly looks genius for choosing Asus to manufacture the Nexus 7 tablet. On Friday, US District Judge Lucy Koh issued a preliminary injunction against Galaxy Nexus, which is Google's flagship, stock Android smartphone. Days earlier she barred Galaxy Tab 10.1. For the preliminary injunction to go into effect, Apple must first put up $96 million.

What timing. To preview Android 4.1 Jellybean, the company gave one to each of more than 5,000 developers during Google I/O earlier this week. The new OS releases to Motorola XOOM tablets and Galaxy Nexus in mid-July, making the smartphone the first to get the important upgrade. The preliminary injunction would somewhat stymie Jellybean distribution ahead of iO6, which Apple is months from releasing. New features include voice response, that in BetaNews testing smoke Apple's Siri. If you're thinking about buying Galaxy Nexus, don't wait!

The injunction hinges on rather vague US Patent no. 8,086,604 -- a "universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system”. From the patent:

The present invention provides convenient access to items of information that are related to various descriptors input by a user, by means of a unitary interface which is capable of accessing information in a variety of locations, through a number of different techniques. Using a plurality of heuristic algorithms to operate upon information descriptors input by the user, the present invention locates and displays candidate items of information for selection and/or retrieval. Thus, the advantages of a search engine can be exploited, while listing only relevant object candidate items of information.

Apple looks desperate from the looks of things, as it wants to restrict sales of old products. While Galaxy Nexus will initially be the main device for Jellybean, it's not considered a top-seller and Google and Samsung jointly launched the phone in October. In the United States, Sprint and Verizon sell the LTE model locked and subsidized, while Google offers the HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus unlocked.

Judge Koh granted the injunction, accepting Apple claims of irreparable harm because of "long-term loss of market share". These words speak for themselves in this case. Apple claims that the Galaxy Nexus has dented their market share, which is really laughable, considering Samsung Galaxy S II is by measure of many millions the bigger seller. The lawyers must be pleased with their finding, as it took them 7 months to find it. Maybe they're laughing, too, at their snookering the judge.

The fact that Apple is going for products that don’t have much market time left in them also speaks volumes about the philosophy of CEO Tim Cook. On one hand, during last quarter's earnings conference call, he claims that he doesn’t like to go to court; but, on the other hand, he sues a competitor to get an injunction for a 7-month old product, which is close to its end-of-life. Apple got the preliminary injunction after failing to bar Samsung Galaxy S III and gaining temporary ban against HTC One X.

That Samsung has done so poorly in the courts might be one explanation Google chose Asus for the Nexus 7 tablet. Samsung is Apple's largest competitor and, and as such, takes the most legal attacks -- all while iPhone and iOS fall behind Android.

Apple's patent lawsuits can only hurt their public image and align people against them. Earlier this month my colleague Joe Wilcox boycotted Apple for being a "patent bully".

Apple’s behavior looks more like continuation of late-Steve Jobs personal vendetta against all Android phone manufacturers basically and it’s an appalling way to gain temporary increase in market share. The only ones affected are, as always, the fans of Google/Samsung that want to buy the Galaxy Nexus.

Apple is subtly telling the world that it doesn’t matter what anyone wants and that they’ve got the resources to find any possible reason to stop them from getting what they want. And they’re doing a great job at it, too.

Nexus 10: Three extra inches of BYOD Hell

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 9:28pm CEST par Randall C. Kennedy

It’s relentless. Just when my psyche was beginning to recover from the Nexus 7 bombshell, here comes the Nexus 10. A rumored upsized-version of Google’s recently announced reference platform, the Nexus 10 will be to the iPad what the Nexus 7 is to the Kindle: An immediate, existential threat pounding on the gates of Fort Cupertino.

To Apple, the thought of an ultra-cheap (think sub-$300), 10-inch iPad fighter must send chills down CEO Tim Cook’s spine. But to me, the Nexus 10 represents something much worse: Three extra inches of BYOD hell for enterprise IT shops.

You see, with the Nexus 7, IT shops could make a reasonable argument that it’s just a media consumption device, and thus not appropriate for enterprise use. Plus, it’s unlikely that many users would think of using a Nexus 7 as a laptop replacement in a corporate setting. At 7 inches, the screen is simply too small for serious work (though I know Playbook owners who would argue otherwise).

However, with the Nexus 10, users will likely purchase the device as an iPad alternative. And as many IT shops have learned to their dismay, 10 inches is just the right size to inspire all sorts of crazy thoughts in otherwise sane people. Thoughts like, "it’s so thin and light -- do I really need to haul around my company-issued laptop?" Or, "my Nexus 10 is so convenient, I wonder if I can use it to VPN into the home office network?"

And then the fun begins. Now, instead of supporting one consumer-focused tablet platform, you’re forced to support two -- both from equally IT-hostile companies that are more interested in ensuring “buttery smooth” UI transitions than preserving enterprise policies regarding security or data integrity. It’s the perfect storm of BYOD mayhem, and IT management will be lucky to survive with their collective sanities intact.

Fortunately, the Nexus 10 is still only a rumor. With any luck, Google will look around at the carnage wrought by the various failed attempts to dethrone the iPad and realize that it’s just not worth the effort. Or perhaps they’ll concede the 10-inch challenger role to Microsoft and let the Redmond behemoth do the heavy work of cracking the iPad’s tablet hegemony. Google can then swoop in with an even more polished “sweet treat du jour” and exploit the beachhead established by Surface.

In the meantime, IT shops would do well to check their defenses. If your organization has so far managed to resist the iPad BYOD onslaught, then now is the time to reinforce the bulkheads by embracing a more enterprise-friendly alternative, like Windows 8. But if the enemy is already inside the gates, then you’re only solution is to isolate and compartmentalize the invaders with a comprehensive MDM solution. That way you’ll have the tools and experience you need to repel the initial advance and eventually subdue the opposing force within a blanket of strict IT policies and best practices.

No matter how you slice it, a Nexus 10 tablet device is bad news for IT. Here’s hoping that the upsized tablet’s little brother, the Nexus 7, flops big time, and that Google loses their nerve. Otherwise, we’ll find ourselves fighting a war on two fronts. In the winter. In Asia. A scenario that rarely turns out well for the protagonists.

Photo Credit: Don Cline/Shutterstock

The iPhone moment

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 7:55pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Third in a series. Editor's note: To commemorate iPhone's fifth-anniversary, we present several stories looking at its debut and colorful history -- so far.

iPhone is five years old today, and what a half-decade it has been. Apple launched the handset on June 29, 2007, marking its first foray into the cellular device market and with a single carrier: AT&T, which was Cingular before the launch. There were risks all around: Apple leapt into a market of sharks -- Nokia and Research in Motion, namely; AT&T bet the brand on the one device; and iPhone sold, locked and unsubsidized for $499 and $599 -- who would pay unlocked-mobile prices for a device that wasn't? One million people through early September 2007. For these early buyers, and perhaps for bazillion more who followed, iPhone isn't a phone but a cultural phenomenon.

Before continuing that thought, look at what iPhone has done. Nokia invented the smartphone is 1996, and Apple reinvented it 11 years later by cleverly incorporating sensors and capacitive touchscreen that made the device responsive -- more human-like. Nokia and RIM led the market category five years ago, but now they're laid waste. RIM is near collapse and last quarter Nokia fell from the top market share position held for 14 years. Surely Android is catalyst, but would there be droids if not for iPhone. Manufacturers like HTC and Samsung needed something to compete and Windows Mobile wasn't it. Since iPhone launched, the handset market is heaved over. Last decade's market leaders are the dregs.

This dramatic change started from the iPhone moment, when a perceptive set of people looked ahead to a different future. That's what I recall most about the handset's launch outside Apple Store Montgomery Mall in Bethesda Md. One buyer told me that the launch would change everything, and we would look back on the moment in 10 years or more and see so. Well, it didn't take nearly that long.

Other buyers expressed a sense of community, of belonging to something greater, something good. Again, the sense of being part of a historical moment came through. The photo above pictures iPhone buyers Chris, Steve and Eddie. I went around asking people: "Show us your phones! -- what they would leave behind.

I captured the iPhone moment in a Microsoft Watch blog post the following day, and I present the entire missive here as way of looking back and capturing the moment in historical context and for seeing iPhone's success as much about technology and culture as device innovation:

Maybe the iPhone phenomenon is about purpose or community, making people feel like they can participate in something important or unusual.

My wife put forth that theory this morning as we discussed my experiences covering the iPhone launch at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, Md. No question, the people I talked to in line yesterday had a sense of being caught up in a historical moment.

"I think this is a day that you're going to see a change in how computers, how handheld computers are done", iPhone buyer Steve told me yesterday afternoon. "It's a little marketing history. I'm seeing it that way...I think we'll look back in 10 or 15 years, and like on that day the gadget came out -- same thing with iPod -- it changed the game".

Why are you reading about iPhone on Microsoft Watch? Again. In part because Apple, a cell phone upstart, has generated so much excitement about the iPhone. Microsoft has been in the mobile market for the last decade, with Pocket PC. Windows Mobile reached Version 6 this year. Yet, no Windows Mobile-based cell phone has ever garnered near as much interest or fanaticism as iPhone. Microsoft and its partners can learn much from Apple -- and not from the technology.

Microsoft also must ask how it can reclaim the past. Windows 95 generated excitement -- that sense of history and belonging -- the company has been unable to recapture. Microsoft needs to understand what Apple is doing right and apply the lessons.

The people turning out to buy iPhones yesterday made up one motley group -- representing a broad swath of America. I saw in the line people of all races, ages and lifestyles. For example, near the front, waited a brawny Hispanic dude, with cut T-Shirt that exposed a praying hands tattoo on his upper right arm. He looked more like the kind of guy who works with metal, using his hands, rather than holding a pretty cell phone. Yet he was typical of the people waiting; they shattered geek stereotypes.

The line of strangers happily chatted, with me, with Apple employees and with each other. This moment gave them a sense of belonging together; of being a community and part of something bigger. In retrospect, I feel saddened they couldn't have joined together for some better purpose than commerce.

Apple certainly contributed to that sense of belonging, of participation. The first person in line got there at 4 a.m.; the mall let him and others inside around 7 a.m. Apple store employees brought the line waiters bottled water, snacks and coupons for discounted coffee throughout the day. Employees chatted with customers, adding to the reverie.

An hour before the doors opened at 6 p.m., employees ripped off the paper covering the display windows and set clocks on the two, large iPhone displays to countdown the hour. When the store later opened, customers passed through a human alley of Apple employees, who cheered and clapped. The cheering and clapping resumed whenever iPhone buyers left or entered the store.

No question, Apple made iPhone buyers feel special, even for just a few moments, which, by the way, is a good tactic for endearing customers to the product or brand.

Earlier, before the doors opened, when I asked Apple fan Chris if he was really buying an iPhone to be "cool", he admitted, "I do have my finger on the pulse of pop culture".

Being cool is part of belonging, too, if by standing out.

"We live in a world of gadget envy now", said iPhone buyer Eddie. "There was a time when people judged you based on your clothes or what type of shoes you had. Now, it's like what kind of cell phone do you have. All these people who are standing in line will be cool people for the rest of the week, while everyone else is upset, secretly fuming because they didn't stand in line for one".

For a little while anyway, those first buyers will know who the are, the community they belong to, by the iPhones they see each other use.

Later, after finishing the interviews and taking pictures, I went to the back of the line. There I chatted with a Microsoft solution provider, who more fit my stereotype of an iPhone buyer: Older, white male, who is very much into technology and gadgets. While installing and servicing Microsoft software is his living, the solution provider personally uses Apple products. He admitted using Windows XP on a Mac virtualized with Parallels.

We chatted for about 15 minutes, before getting to the front of the line and being ushered into the Apple Store. I got caught up in the moment, too.

Editor: Do you have a story to tell in celebration of iPhone's fifth anniversary? Please email your personal account to joe at betanews dot com.

It's a gargantuan war among industry titans and the winners will control everything for years to come

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 6:26pm CEST par Mike Feibus

Damn, what an extraordinary month.

Let’s recap. First, we saw a spate of exciting new Ultrabook announcements, along with some x86- and ARM-based Windows 8 tablets at Computex. Then Apple introduced new spins of iOS and OS X for tablets and PCs, respectively, at its developer gathering. Microsoft unveiled Windows Phone 8 at the Windows Phone Summit -- and let's not forget the Surface tablet. And this week, Google rolled out new products and concepts buckshot-style at Google I/O, showcasing its first branded tablet, the Nexus 7, and Android 4.1, just to name a few.

Get Your Finances in Shape

If your eyes aren’t bugged out by now, then I’m afraid we’re going to have to pull your Geek Card, my friend. Taken together, these are the ingredients for a perfect storm that will pound store shelves this holiday season. Indeed, there may never be a more exciting time to possess a credit card. So many platform advancements on so many fronts. Not like last Christmas, when your choice boiled down to an iPad, a Kindle or a new laptop that looked like the one you already had. So start preparing now. You’ve got the summer to get your finances in shape so you don’t sprain your wallet this fall.

That said, the coming retail nirvana is only the tip of the iceberg, the most visible piece of a war between industry titans. And the stakes in this war are gargantuan. The winners will influence -- and maybe control -- the distribution of just about everything for years to come. From the news we read and watch to the entertainment we pay for and enjoy. From the brands and models we decide to buy to the places we buy them. And from the routes we take to the places we visit and the restaurants in which we eat.

To be sure, ours is an era of hyperbole, an era of extremes. It is an era in which journalistic oversight and balance has given way to unsubstantiated ranting on the blogosphere. It is the era of Fox News and MSNBC. Even in these times, though, it is nearly impossible to overstate what this war means to the players. Or to us.

It's Coke or Pepsi

There have been battles for control of distribution channels before. Like Coke and Pepsi’s war for control over restaurant soda machines. (And Dr. Pepper, for you Windows Phone fanboys.) Or like Wal-Mart and downtown America. Or, more recently, like Apple’s iTunes and the record labels.

But there has never been a battle like this before. It’s an opportunity afforded by the Internet as well as an increasingly concentrated set of options for tapping the Internet. The cable TV folks, the phone companies and the wireless carriers are trying valiantly to maintain relevance. But as video-on-demand gives way to streaming services like NetFlix, as home phone lines are supplanted by VOIP, and as wireless services like AT&T Navigator are cannibalized by free stuff from Google, the role for those players is being relegated to conduit. Increasingly, we find ourselves selecting the platform and device we want.

The choice of carrier is becoming an afterthought, sort of like snatching a package of plugs and wires when we buy a home theater. We’re not there yet. But that’s where we’re headed.

So it should come as no surprise that the war pits Apple, Google and, increasingly, Microsoft. But there are others in the mix, as well. And each of them is trying to protect and extend its turf. Like Amazon, which controls a growing number of distribution channels. And like Facebook, which has helped expand and solidify our social networks to include long-lost classmates we might otherwise have the opportunity to chat with only once a decade. And hardware giants like Intel, Nvidia, QualComm, Samsung and TI, which have the power to tip the balance in the platform wars with superior solutions.

Playing to Win

With so much at stake, it’s easy to understand why the players are suing each other in courts across the globe and spending billions on intellectual property assets. But that’s not all they’re doing. Here are a few other tactics:

Acquisitions. They’re buying technologies and companies that buttress their platform packages. Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype last fall is a good example.

Proprietary Features. They are implementing proprietary features, which is a double-edged sword. It does tend to create brand loyalty. But it can also isolate your customers. FaceTime is a good example. The downside for Apple is limited in this case, however, provided it also makes competing apps like Skype and Google Voice available to its customers. Apple’s halfway there...

Partnerships. As the old adage goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. That explains why Apple joined forces with Tom Tom. And why it sidled up to Microsoft’s Skype.

Pretty heady stuff, I know. So keep an eye out. The longer the war goes on, the better it will be for our businesses and for our wallets. And we can play a role in maintaining the balance of power.

One thing’s for sure. No one is going to get knocked out this year. So rest easy for the time being. And when you dream, dream about all the stuff you’re going to buy yourself for the holidays.

Photo Credit: photofriday/Shutterstock

Google comes clean: Yes, your kernel panic is Chrome's fault

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 5:33pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

The last thing Google needs following its exciting developer conference (ending today) is for something sharp to pop its big fun beach ball called Chrome. The search and information giant scrambles to fix a bug that sends the newest MacBook Air into kernel panic. That's "crash" to you Mac layfolk.

Starting just shortly after the release of Sandy Bridge-powered Macbook Airs earlier this month, troublesome reports appeared on Apple’s support communities where, owners complained their slender machines crashed to the point of kernel panic -- and frequently.

The culprit of the grey screens of death is Google's browser, particularly Chrome GPU acceleration, when used on the Intel HD 4000 graphics chip. What Google calls a "resource leak" is actually a very strange thing. Chrome is a Userland level application -- general applications that have to work through the "system space" / "system level" applications in order to reach the kernel, or brain of the operating system that handles hardware interaction via drivers. However, browsers using hardware acceleration tend to sidestep this, since they use graphics cards to increase rendering and processing for interactive HTML5 browser graphics and animation, and even video.

In a statement first reported by Gizmodo, Google acknowledges the MacBook Air problem stating:

We have identified a leak of graphics resources in the Chrome browser related to the drawing of plugins on Mac OS X. Work is proceeding to find and fix the root cause of the leak.

The resource leak is causing a kernel panic on Mac hardware containing the Intel HD 4000 graphics chip (e.g. the new Macbook Airs). Radar bug number 11762608 has been filed with Apple regarding the kernel panics, since it should not be possible for an application to trigger such behavior.

While the root cause of the leak is being fixed, we are temporarily disabling some of Chrome's GPU acceleration features on the affected hardware via an auto-updated release that went out this afternoon (Thursday June 28). We anticipate further fixes in the coming days which will re-enable many or all of these features on this hardware.

Late last night, Google provided an auto-update patch that temporarily disables GPU acceleration on Mac hardware with the HD 4000 Intel graphics chip. More information is available on the Google Chrome Releases blog.

Photo Credit:

Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 5 sports a new look

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 5:04pm CEST par Mike Williams

German developer Ashampoo has released Photo Optimizer 5, the latest edition of its fast and easy-to-use photo editing tool.

The revamped interface gives the program a very different look, but its core functionality is unchanged. You open with a thumbnail browser, and after browsing to your photo collection, can optimise the color, sharpness and lighting of any shot with a click.

There are also basic editing options to sharpen, blur, mirror or rotate an image. If the automatic enhancements don’t appeal then you have the ability to manually adjust colours for more precise results. While an interesting “Image Age” effect allows you to give any photo the look of an aged photograph.

The editing features have been enhanced this time in a variety of ways. You can now compensate for shaky camera work by straightening the horizon; live previews show you the results of an effect right away; and you get more control over image metadata (you can decide whether it’s saved with an image, or exported when an image is shared, for instance).

Perhaps most usefully, there’s now straightforward and more flexible batch processing. You don’t just have to select an individual image or a full folder any more; if you want to apply a particular image tweak, simply choose the shots you need, click the effect button and you’re done.

And as previously, when you’re happy with the results Photo Optimizer’s Export menu means you can share your chosen images immediately via email, Facebook or Picasa.

The Photo Optimizer 5 feature set remains a little basic, then, but it’s also fast, easy to use, and may well appeal to novice users looking for a safe and simple way to enhance their photos. The program is priced at $14.99, and a trial build is available now.

ADOBE FLASH IS DEAD -- on mobile!

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 4:40pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

From the halls of Adobe come the bells of impending death tolls. The master slayed its dragon. Flash is dead. The words from Adobe today in a public blog post mark another major blow to Flash, at least in the mobile form. The company announced that it will no longer develop Flash for Android after Android 4.0. There will be no certified implementations for Android 4.1.

Earlier this week, during its developer conference, Google officially unveiled the newest Android version -- Jellybean -- which replaces the stock browser with Chrome, for which Flash already isn't available. Google released Chrome for Android beta, supporting on v4 Ice Cream Sandwich, in February. From that perspective, the announcement, and timing, isn't super surprising.

Starting August 15, Adobe will also limit access to the Flash Player in the Google Play Store to only devices that already have it installed and later removing it entirely. This is a major death blow to the Flash platform -- seemingly now to match the prophetic reasons the late Steve Jobs blocked it from the iPhone (although his reasons had more to do with Apple platform competition than anything else).

Strangely, Adobe could do more to end Android fragmentation than anything Google has done. Nearly 93 percent of Android devices have versions older than Ice Cream Sandwich. Google has given no indication that Chrome will ever be available for them. As Flash disappears, and the utility of the stock Android browser further decreases, cellular carriers and phone manufacturers may face increasing customer pressure to get devices off Gingerbread, which has the largest install base, and onto Android 4.x.

Clearly fragmentation is a problem for Adobe, which cites time-consuming device certification as one reason to abandon Flash on Android:

Certification includes extensive testing to ensure web content works as expected, and that the Flash Player provides a good user experience. Certified devices typically include the Flash Player pre-loaded at the factory or as part of a system update.

With the increase in the speed of the Android platform roadmap, and Chrome rising above the stock browser, Adobe just doesn't want to continue. However, in the blog post, the developer reiterates its support for the PC market. But I say they know the writing's on the wall.

LONG LIVE HTML5 + CSS3 + Javascript!

Photo Credit: metalstock/Shutterstock

I run my business from iPhone 3G

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 4:06pm CEST par Chris Wright

Second in a series. Editor's note: To commemorate iPhone's fifth-anniversary, we present several stories looking at its debut and colorful history -- so far. Who says you need the newest tech to be productive, eh?

As a writer and freelance IT contractor, I am in effect running my own business. I have multiple clients, assignments with deadlines, meetings with suppliers and contacts, and lots of marketing to arrange. Over the last few years I’ve noticed that I can manage all of these activities from my humble iPhone 3G. In effect I’m running my business from my phone, which is pretty amazing when you think that the original iPhone is only five years old today. In that short time the ‘God phone’, as some dubbed it at the time, has completely transformed what a phone can be.

So how do I manage my day to day business activities from my iPhone 3G?

It’s Not All About the App Store

Apps are of course a big part of this story, but they came later. The first thing my iPhone gave me was access to the real Internet, in a useable way, in the palm of my hand. It is easy to forget now but Apple was the first company to make mobile browsing work for the masses. Opera did an excellent job, and I still have fond memories of using Opera Mini on my Sony Ericsson, but the iPhone gave me access to the web I was used to. Not a cut down version, or the woeful WAP, but the real thing. I could pinch and zoom and visit pretty much all the sites I needed (The ever topical Flash issue aside).

This gave me the power of information, literally at my fingertips. On the way to conferences I could Google who I was meeting. I could check sources for articles on the train. I could stay ahead of the curve with access to my RSS feeds and normal news sites. We take all this for granted now but it was revolutionary stuff half a decade ago.

(Almost) Never Be Late for a Meeting Again

The Maps app (soon to be revamped in iOS 6) has saved my bacon more times than I care to remember. Sitting here at my desk now, I’m more than happy to set off for a meeting or trip without really knowing where I am going. Sure I check the general locale, or the train or bus times. But when I get somewhere I rely on my iPhone to tell me where I am, or more typically how far I am away from where I actually need to be. Again Maps is something I now take for granted, but which 20 years ago would have been almost (almost) on par with flying to Mars. It helps me get to where I need to be, quicker than I can on my own, and for work that is invaluable.

All the Media I Need

Straight off, the iPhone included everything that was good about the iPod (bar the storage of the iPod Classic, but I can forgive that). For work this means a few things. Firstly I can carry around all of the Podcasts and audio books that I need. Research material, background reading, the latest news -- all of it can be stored on my phone. Secondly, I can keep important video files on hand. More and more for work these are video interviews with people I need to know about, or shows that I have missed and try to catch up with on the move.

Ok, It Is All About the Apps

I admit it, iPhone apps are pretty persuasive, and mean I can customize my phone to do the specific things my business needs of it. Apps are one of the first things many people think of when they think iPhone, but it is interesting to note they weren't even part of the original device. Downloadable applications where only introduced as part of iOS 2.0, a year after the original phone came out. So what apps do I need to run my business? Well there are a fair few, and this isn’t a ‘Top 100 Business Apps’ piece, but the most useful for me are:

Dropbox
The Dropbox service is a great way for me to keep my files synced across devices. The iPhone app means I always have an up-to-date set of my work with me in my pocket, and I can share with anyone directly from the app. The whole package makes even a USB thumb stick seem antiquated.

AnalyticsPro
I need to know who is visiting my various sites, when, and why. This app hooks up to my Google Analytics account and quickly and clearly tells me what I need to know.

Twitter
Now officially part of iOS, the Twitter app lets me interact with that community wherever I am. Marketing and "social networking" are a big part of running a modern small business. This app helps me do it. To clarify: Twitter is integrated into iOS 5, which isn't supported on iPhone 3G. I use the separate app on iOS 4.2.1.

Capsule
Capsule is a lightweight CRM tool that lets me manage my work and contacts. Their iPhone app is actually a web application that I’ve bookmarked to my homescreen. It lets me get to my customer information quickly, and uses HTML5 to provide a very slick ‘app style’ interface. Offline access would be nice, but I can just about live without it.

Editor: Do you run a business from your iPhone, or perhaps you have a story to tell in celebration of iPhone's fifth anniversary? Please email your personal account to joe at betanews dot com.

Photo Credit: George Panos

Project Now iOS app generates a soundtrack for your life -- Kind of

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 3:16pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Reality Jockey is responsible for some of iOS’s more interesting audio apps, including RjDj, Inception and Dimensions. The London-based developer’s latest offering, Project Now, is an ambitious music app that aims to choose the perfect music for every situation you find yourself in. For example, if you’re just relaxing at home, it will play a selection of suitable tunes from your music collection. Go to work and it will switch to something more fitting for the business environment. Visit the gym, and you’ll hear music to work out to. Cleverly it also mixes in external sounds from your microphone, so you can still hear the world around you when you’re out cycling, or in the office.

When you first run the app it will import your music, which will take a while to complete. After then it will attempt to assess your situation, based on the current day, time, location and sounds around you, and find music to match. It can identify 21 different circumstances, including calm, active, asleep, snowy, night out and full moon. Quite why you’d want to listen to different music when the moon is full I’m not sure.

If you don’t think a song matches the mood you can tag it as #fail. Perfect matches can be #win. (At least in theory -- after a full day it’s still importing my music so won’t allow this). You can also pause and skip tracks, and view the ranking of each situation, and access personal music charts.

Although it’s pretty good at detecting situations, the app is far from perfect. It’s slow, often only plays snippets of songs, and continued use of GPS zaps the battery life so quickly you wonder why "Charging Device" isn’t one of the situations on offer.

Most annoyingly of all it requires you to link it to Facebook or Twitter before you can access the settings, which sucks.

Still, it has great potential, and hopefully future updates will fix some of the issues, and add further possible situations. There are no plans for an Android version yet, but Reality Jockey hasn’t totally ruled out the idea.

Secunia PSI 3 keeps your PC software up to date

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 2:03pm CEST par Nick Peers

Danish software developer Secunia ApS has released a brand new version of its free security audit tool for Windows users. Secunia PSI (Personal Software Inspector) 3.0 allows users to automatically scan their computer for missing Windows updates and outdated software, and, in many cases, the program can then automate the update process where necessary.

Version 3.0 boasts a cleaner, simpler user interface, automated patching support, localization support and improvements to underlying features.

Secunia PSI 3.0 aims to make the patching and updating process as painless and as simple as possible, and its new streamlined interface makes it abundantly clear what’s going on. After launching, the application provides a security rating for the user’s computer, then lists outdated software and missing patches as easily identifiable program icons.

Secunia PSI then automatically attempts to update any outdated software and patches automatically on behalf of the user – if it can’t do so (the user needs to pick a language, for example, or the application in question can’t be closed automatically), those programs are clearly labelled and the user can manually click them to update. Similarly, the user can right-click an entry and opt to exclude it from the list -- perfect for software that is up to date, but has been superseded by a newer version.

Secunia PSI is also configured out of the box to sit in the background, automatically providing updates as soon as they appear -- these options can be configured from the program’s Settings button, while a History button lets users see what apps and updates have been patched through Secunia previously.

Other changes in version 3.0 include support for five major languages -- English, French, German, Spanish and (understandably given the program’s origins) Danish -- as well as what Secunia describes as “enhancements” to existing features, all designed to help simplify the updating process further.

In simplifying the interface, Secunia has made the program more attractive to less experienced users, but fans of previous versions may be disappointed at the lack of manual tweaks or advanced settings on offer.

Secunia PSI 3.0 is available now as a freeware download for PCs running Windows XP or later.

Photo Credit: sheelamohanachandran2010/Shutterstock

Will iOS users dump Safari for Chrome?

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 1:51am CEST par Joe Wilcox

That's really my question for iPad and iPhone users. Today Google released Chrome for iOS. Will you dump Safari for Chrome? I would. But can't. I boycotted Apple earlier this month because of its patent bullying, which later succeeded in blocking Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 imports. What madness!

In May, I claimed that I would use iPad if Chrome was available. Well, the browser is here and I won't, mainly because of the boycott. But also because I'm mad. To receive holy admittance into the Apple App Store shrine, Google sacrificed a lamb and prostrated before the great iOS idol. Chrome and Safari may both be based on WebKit, but Google's browser actually uses a different rendering engine. Well, not on iOS.

Chrome for iOS uses Apple's slower UIWebView, which puts Chrome on uneven footing, since Safari is default browser no matter what. That's not by choice, but Apple requirement.

Still, Chrome marks an important beachhead on iOS, and it's not alone. Google also released Google Drive for the platform today. In tandem, combined with Gmail, Google+ and YouTube, Chrome and Drive fill out a compliment of Web services competing with Apple's. Move over iCloud.

Seamless sync across devices is Chrome's big kick-butt feature. I've said for years that synchronization is the killer app for the connected age. Google gets it and delivers, and better than Apple. But is that enough to woo you away? Again, that's my question for you.

BetaNews reader Dennis Remillard says it "will be nice to have more Google apps on my iPad".

smarterthanuare: "This is what makes Android better than the iPhone...the fact that you can install whatever legitimate app you want on Android without rooting your phone".

We all know about Apple's App Store restrictions.

Please respond to the poll and answer in comments below.

On June 28, 2012, Google released Chrome for iPad and iPhone. Will you swap Safari for Chrome as your primary mobile browser?

RIM Death Watch: Revenues plummet, jobs cut, BB10 delayed until 2013

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 1:30am CEST par Ed Oswald

The news for Research in Motion went from bad to worse after the close of the market Thursday, as the company reported a sharp 33 percent drop in revenues quarter-to-quarter. Worse yet, its next-generation BlackBerry 10 operating system is postponed until the first quarter of next year, meaning any major new device releases are also delayed.

As part of its earnings announcement, RIM is also giving some bad news to its employees: layoffs for 5,000, or about a third of its workforce. Looks like it's time to start the RIM death watch once again.

Revenues for the second quarter were $2.6 billion, down from $4.2 billion in the previous quarter and $4.9 billion a year ago. This resulted in a net loss of $519 million, sharply down from the $695 million profit reported in the year ago quarter.

"I am not satisfied with these results and continue to work aggressively with all areas of the organization and the Board to implement meaningful changes to address the challenges, including a thoughtful realignment of resources and honing focus within the Company on areas that have the greatest opportunities", RIM president and CEO Thorsten Heins says.

RIM's death spiral is hard to pin on Heins, though. He has only had control of the company for less than six months, and much of these problems predate his tenure and will be hard to overcome.

It's not like the company does nothing: In March, Heins announced a restructuring strategy based on integrating, rebranding, and licensing. It's too soon to know, however, whether Heins' plan will have any positive effect.

While some may consider RIM's decision to push off BB10 and thus any new BlackBerry devices as foolish when the company is already circling the drain, Heins is framing it as a move aimed at preventing a half-baked version of the BlackBerry OS out in the wild before it is truly ready.

"I am confident that the first BlackBerry 10 smartphones will provide a ground-breaking next generation smartphone user experience", Heins says. "We are encouraged by the traction that the BlackBerry 10 platform is gaining with application developers and content partners".

Even with this confidence, don't expect the company to bounce back quickly. In reporting this quarter's results, RIM says it expects to lose additional money this quarter. It also will begin to shrink its product portfolio and offer less devices over time, meaning revenues could sink further as its product line contracts.

That seems to match up with the comments from analysts earlier this week. In a note to clients obtained by InformationWeek, Morgan Stanley suggested many of the changes that RIM was forced to make today.

"We believe the only way RIM remains a viable entity is at a fraction of its current size, a transformation that erases much of its earnings power," the firm writes. "The next nine months will likely see rapidly deteriorating fundamentals on the one hand offset by stories of potential strategic options on the other".

What Recon Instruments' HUD SDK means to you [video]

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 12:41am CEST par Joe Wilcox

Yesterday at Google I/O, Recon Instruments announced the HUD SDK. I couldn't get time at the booth until today, they were so busy. Recon is best known for its goggle mods, which put an Android computer inside a heads up display that provides alpine skiers and snowboarder with all kinds of useful information such as speed, navigation and location, among others. Oh, yeah, music, too.

The development kit turns the device into a platform. Now third parties can write their own apps -- it's no longer a Recon affair. Tyson Miller explains what the SDK means for the company, its customers, developers and future products.

Google+ celebrates 1st birthday with Events and History

Publié: juin 28, 2012, 10:57pm CEST par Wayne Williams

One year ago today, Google moved onto Facebook's turf and stunned techdom in the process. How much has changed? Google+ now has a total of 250 million users. Of that figure, Google says 150 million people use the service at least monthly, and 50 percent of those active users do so daily. That doesn’t actually mean 75 million people go to Google+ every day though -- it just means that they have some sort of interaction with Google’s social features, or more likely, click +1 buttons.

Despite its reasonably impressive growth, Google+ still lags a long, long way behind Facebook, which has over 900 million users. Google knows it’s got its work cut out to persuade ordinary Facebook users to give Plus a try. Especially, as in most cases, their friends won’t be using it. To help encourage sampling and indeed regular usage, Google has consistently added more and more features to its site, and beefing up its mobile offerings. At Google I/O it announced a new app for Android smartphones with new profiles, a ribbon bar, and new notifications, as well as native tablet apps for both Android and iPad designed specifically for the larger screen sizes. The Android version is already available, with the iPad edition coming "soon".

Google+ Events

At Google I/O the company also introduced a brand new feature called Events, which basically offers integration with Google Calendar, allowing you to send invites to upcoming occasions, manage attendance, share photos and more.

Using the new feature is very straightforward. Just give your event a title, set the date and time, add an optional location, then fill in the details and invite some people. You can invite anyone, they don’t need to be Google+ users, although any who are, will have access to additional features, like live photo sharing.

You can change the theme of the invitations to suit the type of occasion. Clicking the left and right arrows, will let you move through 28 "cinemagraphic" themes (subtly animated images), or you can click the Change Theme button and select some of the featured choices, choose some stationary, or add one of your own photos. You can pick an image available on Google+ or Picasa, or upload something from your computer.

People who receive an invite will be able to confirm whether they’ll be coming or not, and will be given the option of checking their availability on Google Calendar before committing themselves. If your friends don’t check into Google+ very often, it doesn’t matter as events are automatically added to Google Calendar as well.

Upcoming occasions are all accessed through the new Events section and selecting something will show you who’s attending, and any comments they’ve made about it.

Best of all, people will be able to add photos, before, during or after the event, by linking or uploading them, or using the Google+ app on their phones. All of the photos will appear under the Event information, and if your friends have enabled the instant upload feature on the Google+ app (Party Mode), the photos will appear as they are snapped. Which is very, very cool, and could be a major draw.

Google+ History

Another new feature that’s being worked on is Google+ History. The API (currently available as an early preview will allow developers to add a few lines of code to their website or app that will privately save a user’s actions in his or her Google+ History. For example, if someone listens to a song in a media player, that information will be saved, but not shared on the social network. If the user wants to share it, they’ll be able to do so, but it won’t be public by default. Although it’s very early days, this could have some great uses, such as allowing users to republish some, but not all of their tweets, for example.

As with all previous updates, it’s unlikely these new features will persuade huge numbers of Facebook users to migrate over, but I can see the Party Mode in particular, proving very popular.

What’s your opinion on Google+? Do you currently use it? Do you plan to use it? And what do you think of the new features?

Meet Google Nexus 7, Kindle Killer

Publié: juin 28, 2012, 5:04am CEST par Joe Wilcox

I told you so, in April. Contrary to pundits at the time viewing Google's tablet as an iPad competitor, I saw something else: Google isn't gunning for Apple but Amazon. After getting my hands on the tablet this evening, and comparing the experience using my wife's Kindle Fire, there is no doubt. Google will probably save Android from Amazon, but the end cost may be greater gains for iPad.

By just about every measure -- the exception being buying tens of thousands of retail goods -- using Nexus 7 feels like Kindle Fire, only better in every way. Significantly, the experience is different from using Google Nexus smartphones or other Android tablets. That's because Google Play is so visible. I can't say if that's a function of Android 4.1 Jellybean or how Google has set up the tablet. But content pushes to the forefront, like Kindle Fire, and much of it is similar.

Make no mistake, Nexus 7 is all about content consumption, much the same way as Amazon's tablet and also iPad. Google offers a curated stack that feels end to end. Like Kindle Fire, also iPad, users can read books and magazines, watch movies and TV shows and listen to music. Sure other Android tablets can do these same things, but it's how that matters -- all coming from a single cloud store. Also, the different sections, say for movies or newspapers, feel much like using Amazon's store. If I wasn't at Google I/O, and so home, I would take screenshots of my wife's Kindle Fire and show the similarities.

In the default setup, the main screens fill with Google Play content, one of these on separate screens: My Books/My Magazines, My Library, My Movies and My Music. Boundaries between device and content blur, and the approach is closer to Chromebook than any Android tablet. Nexus 7 is your life in a cloud device. Sure you access local content, but like Kindle Fire there is seamless integration with cloud content and device.

Let's compare to see how much Nexus 7 is meant to compete with Kindlfe Fire:

They're about the same physical size with 7-inches displays.
Resolution is roughly comparable 1280 x 800, but Nexus 7's IPS display looks better.
Kindle Fire runs Android 2.3 and Google's tablet v4.1, and there is no comparison; Nexus 7 is smoother and lusher in every way.
8GB storage is same, at $199, but Google offers 16GB for $50 more.
Nexus 7 has 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera; Kindle Fire none.
Google's tablet has WiFi and Bluetooth; the latter is missing on Amazon's device.
The newer Android has Tegra 3 quad-core processor (let's just not talk about the other).
Amazon offers its own Silk browser, which uses a unique server-caching system; Google serves up Chrome.

Then there is the similar curated cloud content services and ways they feel alike.

In raw performance and fluidity, Nexus 7 is nothing like Kindle Fire, or any other Android tablet I've used. Actually, performance feels very much like Galaxy Nexus, which is another Google branded, co-designed device (this time with Samsung). Until today, Galaxy Nexus was by far the best Android device I've ever used. The responsiveness of the touchscreen and overall using apps is very similar, and that's with different operating systems. My Galaxy Nexus has Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich.

This is one smooth performer, and I'm baffled by how much better than my Transformer Pad 300, which Asus also makes. Actually, I'll sell the Transformer soon after returning home, and I bought it for the quad-core processor and stock Android. Nexus 7 is so much better.

But there's a problem. The user experience is so good -- and in ways oh-so like Galaxy Nexus -- I look at the two and wonder why have both of them. The 7-inch tablet doesn't feel that much larger than Galaxy Nexus' 4.65 display.

Something else: Google goes where neither Apple nor Amazon can. Google+ is a huge differentiator and topic too big for this post. But briefly -- the social network and the many Jellybean enhancements that respond to your behavior and habits. The device is primed for the two Google+ killer features, Hangouts and the new Events. As for Android 4.1, multiple features, including revamped Notifications and new voice response, make the OS more of a personal assistant -- and by demo much stronger than Apple's Siri. But that's all topic for another day.

In April I identified six things I expected Google's tablet to bear -- and they mostly related to killing Kindle Fire: Brand equity, $199 price, superior operating system, curated lifestyle apps, deep cloud service integration, and reference design for other Android licensees to follow. I see these all here. What I didn't anticipate: How closely Google imitates and exceeds the Kindle Fire curated apps, browser, operating system and services experiences.

Nexus 7 is available now for preorder from Google Play. There's good chance I'll replace my wife's Kindle Fire with one very soon, and she loves that device. According to my buying poll, 47 percent of you plan to buy Nexus 7 within the first month of release and another 18 percent in three months. Is that Kindle killing or what?

But is it enough to take out iPad? Not that I see. Nexus 7 success will prevent the Android tablet market from fracturing around specialized versions, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble offer. But the device is more likely to take away sales from these Android adaptations rather than from iPad. Six months from now? Who knows? If you think you do, please pontificate in comments.

Google Nexus 7: yet another cheap Android tablet (YACAT)

Publié: juin 28, 2012, 2:37am CEST par Randall C. Kennedy

The cat is finally out of the bag. After weeks of speculation surrounding Google’s vaporous "7-inch Kindle killer", the Nexus 7 is now real. And as I suspected, the search giant’s new reference platform is nothing more than another in a long line of cheap, uninspiring Android tablets.

I mean, what is there to differentiate the Nexus 7 from similarly-sized tablets by Samsung or Acer? They all have the same crappy build quality, the same limited output options (no HDMI?) and the same tinny, poorly-placed speakers that have come to define the 7-inch Android tablet category.

Sure, the Nexus 7 has quad cores. But when it comes to mobile CPUs, more isn’t necessarily better, something Apple so aptly demonstrated with the new iPad. In fact, a good argument could be made that Google was forced to go with quad cores in order to achieve decent frame rates under the increasingly bloated Android 4.xx OS platform.

And speaking of Jellybean, Google could have thrown us enterprise IT types a bone and offered some improvements in device manageability. As it stands, we haven’t had to deal with many post-Android 2.3 devices because every 3.xx and non-phone 4.xx device has flopped big time -- and because market fragmentation keeps the Android OS upgrade cycle creeping along at a glacial pace.

However, if (and it’s a big if) the Nexus 7 takes off, we’ll likely see a deluge of users wanting to bring these things to work with them. And that means the onus is on Google to start thinking about making the platform more manageable. Never mind that the Nexus 7 is targeted at the Amazon Prime crowd. BYOD virtually guarantees that we’ll end up having to support it at some point in the near future.

By the way, am I the only one to notice how the 7-inch form factor has now become the ideal for portable media consumption and gaming? Back when RIM first shipped the Playbook, the company was slammed for creating a tablet that was "too small" (i.e. smaller than the iPad). A year later and, not only is 7-inch an accepted form factor, it’s now the size of choice for Google’s reference platform. Even Apple is rumored to be working on a 7-incher.

Funny how quickly the conventional wisdom can change. What hasn’t changed, however, is the fact that the Android marketplace still can’t seem to deliver a tablet solution that IT can embrace. What we want is a robust device that is portable, has excellent build quality and emphasizes security and manageability over bleeding edge specs and questionable software engineering.

Sadly, none of the current crop of Android devices can deliver, including the Nexus 7. To find these qualities you have to look beyond Google’s frat party of an ecosystem to a solution that IT organizations can fully embrace. In other words, you have to buy a Playbook.

Autodesk cloud goes pretty much anywhere, even Chromebook [video]

Publié: juin 28, 2012, 12:03am CEST par Joe Wilcox

Perhaps my biggest surprise walking around Google I/O 2012: Autodesk, and a Chromebook! Cough, cough, gag, gag. What the hell is this? Why would Autodesk demo its big-iron 3D design products on the Samsung Series 5 550. This is not MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

As Randy Young explains it's all about the cloud and extending Autodesk customers' capabilities in the cloud. Let's say you're a builder. You've got AutoCAD and your client doesn't. They can view the design in Chrome. Sure enough, there's an AutoCAD WS plug-in available in the Chrome Webstore. Yes, apps for Android and iOS are available, too. But the developer is here promoting Autodesk 360 cloud service. The concept: Store and share design files in the cloud. If your customer is crazy enough to buy Chromebook. No problem.

These developers love Android -- Chrome OS not as much [video]

Publié: juin 27, 2012, 11:38pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

This morning, before Google I/O 2012 keynote kicked off, I spoke with three developers from Ice Development Solutions, all from Phoenix, Arizona. They expressed excitement about Android and imminent Nexus 7 tablet announcement.

They feel real good about Chrome, too, but not as much about Chromebook. Some of their work involves games, and they say the hardware Chrome OS currently runs on isn't good enough. Get this: Their games run better on Ubuntu on the same hardware. Damn, good thing I don't game on the Samsung Series 5 550 Chromebook.

Apple's Mountain Lion will allow automatic security updates

Publié: juin 27, 2012, 10:45pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

In the most recently released developer preview of Mac OS X, Mountain Lion, Apple has included an automated system that lets the user check and install new Security Updates. Part of a new set of OS X 10.8 protection tools against the once non-existent Mac OS malware threat, the new feature is called "OS X Security Update Test 1.0," and it will be rolled into the release version of Mountain Lion when it comes out next month.

The new security automator can run at a daily scheduled interval, or upon system restart, and it offers the user the ability to download and install updates in the background. In the Mac App Store, Apple states that after restarting your Mac, it will provide a much more secure connection to Apple's update servers, providing an encrypted connection to help protect from possible man-in-the-middle attacks for each update.

The new Security Update is available through the Mac App Store and comes in at 1.15 GB.

Photo credit: megainarmy/Shutterstock

T-Mobile USA CEO Gives himself the axe

Publié: juin 27, 2012, 8:41pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

T-Mobile CEO Philipp Humm announced in a statement today that he will be resigning from the top executive postion of Deutsche Telekom's US-based subsidiary.

Humm joined Deutsche Telekom in 2005, and was responsible for the company’s mobile business in Germany. In 2008, he took on the responsibility of managing the sales and service activities within the larger Deutsche Telekom Group. In May 2010, he moved to T-Mobile USA, taking over as CEO in November of that same year.

While CEO of T-Mobile USA, his main goal was that of fixing the diminishing user base and fixing the company's notoriously falling profits in the US Market. He was one of the key players in the initial bid for the US T-Mobile / AT&T merger.

In the statement, Rene Oberman, CEO of parent company Deutsche Telekom said:

"Philipp Humm has given the company some important initiatives over the past years: Under his leadership the cost situation at T-Mobile USA has vastly improved and he led the company during a difficult phase regarding the planned merger with AT&T."

Oberman also announced that Jim Alling, Chief Operating Officer of T-Mobile USA will be taking over the role as CEO, saying, "Now we need somebody who can convert initiatives into market-successes."

Photo Credit: Jonnystockphoto/Shutterstock

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean: a dozen or so of the biggest improvements

Publié: juin 27, 2012, 8:26pm CEST par Tim Conneally

It appears that this round of mobile operating system updates will be incremental for all platforms involved.

Following Apple's announcement of iOS 6, and Microsoft's announcement of Windows Phone 8, Google on Wednesday outlined the upcoming features of Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean," and revealed the update will provide mostly under-the-hood changes that aren't geared toward "wowing" users.

Rolling out to consumers at some point in mid-July, Jelly Bean is available as a developer preview today. Big features of this release include:

--"Project Butter" is a fundamental change to how Android is rendered, run, and displayed. This change includes a couple of impressive features. For example, the entire OS now runs at 60 frames per second, and "CPU Touch Responsiveness" has been added, which ramps up CPU performance whenever the screen is touched.

--Self-correcting homescreen arrangement. Widgets now resize to fit existing space, or app shortcuts automatically re-align themselves around widgets. Previously, resizing was disallowed when widget dimensions did not match screen real estate availability.

--Predictive Keyboard which guesses the next word of your message based upon context.

--Speech recognition and voice typing now has offline mode.

--Support for more input languages including Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Hindi, and Thai has been added, bi-directional text is now supported.

--Gesture Mode, combining touch and voice, has been improved for visually impaired users.

--Jelly Bean Camera app includes new review mode of previously-taken photos, with a pinch to zoom gesture to pull back out to "filmstrip view," where users can swipe to discard photos, similar to the tab feature in Chrome beta.

--Android Beam now engages interdevice communication with NFC, but hands information transfer over to Bluetooth.

--The stock Android browser has been replaced fully with Google Chrome.

--Improved, actionable notification system, including calling directly from notification menu rather than opening the dialer, Gmail notifications turn into a full view of the inbox, Google Plus information such as posts, +1's, and photos are interactive from within the notification tray. It's actually quite a bit like Microsoft's hub/tile system in Windows Phone.

--Google voice Search has been given a question and answer search method similar to Apple's popular Siri.

--Multicast DNS-based service discovery now lets applications find and connect to services offered by peer devices over Wi-Fi networks.

Google unveils Nexus Q, the 'Tiny Android computer'

Publié: juin 27, 2012, 7:40pm CEST par Tim Conneally

If Boxee shook up the design world by turning the standard set-top box form factor into an odd geometric shape, Google has completely eliminated the "box" from the equation, and unveiled the Nexus Q, a streaming home entertainment hub for connecting your TV to your Android devices and to Google Play for content distribution.

It features:

OMAP 4460 chip (same as the Galaxy Nexus)
Android OS
25W audio amplifier
Optical digital audio output
Dual-band Wi-Fi
Ethernet
NFC, Bluetooth
Micro USB

Google has described it as an Android computer, but it is clearly designed to be a competitor with home audio consumption tools like the Sonos Wi-Fi audio system for iTunes. We're gathering more information on the device as it's announced, so stay tuned!

Google's Nexus 7 tablet goes up for sale at $199, ships in July

Publié: juin 27, 2012, 7:33pm CEST par Tim Conneally

At Google's I/O 2012 developer convention on Wednesday, the long-rumored Asus tablet sporting the Google Nexus brand was finally revealed. Confirming the rumor from Gizmodo Australia earlier this week, the tablet is known as Nexus 7.

As the rumors had suggested, the $199 device is going to be the first to run Android 4.1 (aka Jellybean), sport a 7-inch, 1280 x 800 display, run on a quad-core 1.3GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 processor with 1GB of RAM and a "12 core" GeForce GPU, be Wi-Fi only, and offer a 1.3 megapixel forward-facing camera, accelerometer, and NFC chip for device-to-device communication. The total weight of the device is just 340 grams.

Some additional features of the tablet that rumors missed are the new apps designed specifically to compete with the Kindle Fire: Google Play Magazines, Movies and TV, Google Maps with offline mode, Google Chrome as the default browser.

The device will go on sale directly from Google Play in the Google Play device shop in the US, Canada, and the UK with orders shipping in mid-July.

The low price of the Nexus 7 is thanks to Nvidia's low-cost tablet platform known as Kai, and the price and size put it in direct competition with Amazon's Kindle Fire, the most popular Android tablet on the market. The Kindle Fire, however, is expected to reach its second generation in the coming months, and it is entirely within the realm of possibility that the Kindle Fire 2 will also be built upon Nvidia's Kai platform and competition in the space will be fierce.

And as always, when competition is high, the consumer wins.

Liveblog from Google I/O -- it's insanity

Publié: juin 27, 2012, 4:36pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

I'm here in San Francisco, undeterred by cancelled and delayed flights, and it's madness. At 7 am PDT, when the doors were supposed to open, the line wrapped around and down the block and around the next one. Man, you should have come. I/O closes an exciting month of developer events -- Apple's WWDC, Microsoft's TechEd, Windows Phone and surprise Surface announcement. But the last word goes to Google, which is expected today to debut the Nexus tablet, expand cloud services and delight with lots more. I'm too rushed to go through them all.

The keynote commences at 9:30 am PDT -- that's 12:30 pm Eastern Time, and all updates here will be in chronological order reversed -- meaning newest first. You'll want to refresh often.

11:41 am. That's a wrap.

11:40 am. Here it comes. Participants receive an Android Developer Pack: Galaxy Nexus phone, Nexus 7, latest Jellybean version and Nexus Q. The crowd roars! And won't stop!

11:39 am. The first live event is tonight featuring Paul Oakenfold and Train. Sweet music!

11:37 am. Gundotra returns to wrap up his interrupted Google+ Events presentation.

11:36 am. Well, I guess no one cares now that CEO Larry Page is missing in action.

11:34 am. Brin announces Google Glass Explorer Edition. Available for preorder only at Google I/O. Cost is $1,500 and ships next year. He calls it rough around the edges, but the price mutes audience enthusiasm. So that's big bucks spent today for something coming next year.

11:31 am. My battery is in the red. I've had the Chromebook running nearly consistently since 5:30 am.

11:28 am. Another Glass objective: Accessing information quickly, which is consistent with Google's core product approach. Think search.

11:24 am. Among Google's objectives for Glass: Communication through images and providing first-person perspective.

11:23 am. Glass uses an asymmetrical design that puts the video device, which weighs less than typical sunglasses, and puts the capture above eye level so that it's not in the way.

11:17 am. Here they come into the keynote hall!

11:13 am. Now guys ride on the roof wearing Glass. Amazing.

11:12 am. He lands on Moscone Center roof.

11:11 am. Brin's friend jumps out of plane in a squirrel suit wearing Glass. Wait a view!

11:06 am. Google cofounder Sergey Brin runs on stage and he is demoing glass. Surprise!

11:04 am. After the event, guests receive an email asking them to upload their photos and videos, which are collected together, presented in chronological order and identified by person shooting them.

11:01 am. Google+ Events includes Party Mode, which allows live updating from the event, such as photos from different devices showing up in real time. The feature "gives your party a live pulse". There's a real-time slideshow.

10:59 am. Google+ Events is about connecting social with the real world, such as using cinema-graphic invitations. There is calendar integration and invites. "Set the right mood for your event", he says.

10:57 am. New feature: Google+ Events.

10:54 am. New Google+ for Android app also is available today.

10:53 am. Google+ for tablets, available today! For Android. "Available for iPad, soon", Gundotra says.

10:52 am. "We have more people using Google+ from mobile than desktops".

10:51 am. Google+ users spend 12 minutes a day in the stream.

10:51 am. Gundotra says there 250 million Google+ users and 150 million monthly active users -- half of them active every day.

10:48 am. Gundotra is back to discuss Google+, which he announced one year ago tomorrow.

10:45 am. Nexus Q will cost $299 and ships in July, with preorders starting today at Google Play. (Photo is giant one outside the keynote hall.)

10:43 am. Nexus Q hugely leverages the cloud and sync. You hook up your device to any TV, and so take your movies with you. There's no configuration and no messy DRM-connect to deal with. Movies resume where they were last watched.

10:41 am. Hell, everyone thought the tablet would be the big gadget news. And Google kept this secret. Move over, Apple.

10:40 am. Google calls Nexus Q the first social connected streaming device. Friends can add their songs to the device from their Google Play libraries. This is great for parties, eh?

10:36 am. Nexus Q integrates into Google Play, pulling your content from there. You use your Android phone to control it. The sphere-shaped device connects to home speaker systems and features NFC, digital audio ports, WiFi and Ethernet, among others.

10:34 am. Nexus Q is a cloud-connected Android computer. Gee, what does this mean for Chromebox?

10:33 am. Google has designed its first consumer electronics device -- Nexus Q

10:31 am. Nexus 7 price, as rumored, starts as $199, which includes $25 credit for Google Play and some free games. Preorders start today at Google Play and the device ships in mid-July.

10:29 am. Google also pitches Nexus 7 as a portable gaming platform, taking advantage of the CPU, GPU and Project Butter performance improvements.

10:28 am. Google Currents is updated and that includes translation capabilities.

10:27 am. Nexus 7 supports offline maps.

10:25 am. Chrome is the standard browser!

10:24 am. Uh-oh, there's a new Shazaam-like feature for listening to and identifying music.

10:24 am. Following the theme of Google Now, a new recommendation widget uses your past activity to suggest content.

10:22 am. The presentation is beautiful and reminds of Google+ for Android and iOS. Full bleed, baby.

10:20 am. Everything about Nexus 7 is killing Kindle Fire. The basic setup and presentation of content is oh-so similar in concept.

10:18 am. Nexus 7: 7-inch display, 1280 x 800 resolution, quad-core Tegra 3 processor, 9 hours HD video playback, weighs 340 grams.

10:17 am. It's Nexus 7, running Jellybean and designed for Google Play.

10:16 am. Here it comes -- the Google tablet, manufactured by ASUS.

10:16 am. Magazine subscriptions are new, a big catchup with iPad.

10:15 am. Available today, movie and TV purchases, which is a catch-up feature.

10:14 am. Yerga discusses Google Cloud Messaging, which developers can tap into for free.

10:12 am. New Jellybean feature: Device-specific encryption for apps.

10:10 am. Google Play unpaid apps are available in 190 countries, 132 countries paid.

10:10 am. Chris Yerga, engineering director, discusses Google Play. There are 600,000 apps and over 20 billion downloads.

10:08 am. Jellybean SDK releases today.

10:07 am. Jellybean will be available to Galaxy Nexus and Motorola XOOM devices in mid July, as well as to open source.

10:04 am. Google Now looks in every way a superior personal assistant to Siri, and it shows how all that information the search giant collects can benefit you. If Google Now works as good as it demos, it will be Jellybean's killer feature.

10:00 am. Final search change -- Google Now, which uses your history, such as web searches, calendar, etc. Example: Offering best route to work based on your usual commute. Another example: Search for a flight, Google Now updates you on your flight status.

9:59 am. Uh-oh, voice search delivers answers ala-Siri. Ask a question, get an answer like Siri. Presentation is beautiful.

9:58 am. Search UI is completely redesigned, in a card fashion that reminds somewhat of Apple's Siri. Behind the cards are standard search results. The feature also taps into Google graph.

9:55 am. Wow, wow. There are many new Notifications enhancements. They expand, collapse and show more information.

9:54 am. Two new Android Beam features: Share videos and connect to NFC devices via Bluetooth.

9:54 am. More than 1 million NFC Androids ship every week.

9:53 am. New swipe features improve viewing the photos as you take them on the camera.

9:52. Jellybean supports gesture and touch, for the seeing-impaired, and connection to Braille devices via Bluetooth.

9:50 am. Jellybean improvements mean that voice typing now works without a data connection.

9:45 am/ Performance gains are about getting things in lockstep, such as task and graphic operations. This Jellybean feature will be US English first.

9:43 am David Burke, engineering director, discusses Project Butter, for improving Jellybean performance. "Everything feels a lot smoother...all buttery smooth".

9:42 am. It's official, Android 4.1, Jellybean.

9:41 am. 1 million activations per day, up from 400,000 last year.

9:40 am. 400 million Android devices activated, up from 100 million during last Google I/O. That's more than iOS.

9:37 am. Crowd countdowns and Vic Gundotra takes the stage. "Welcome to Google I/O". He says 1 million YouTube viewers.

9:31 am. MGMT plays, keynote starts in 5 minutes.

9:27 am. There are Droids everywhere.

9:22 am. As I come up the stairs, there's little question what this event is all about. Android.

9:20 am. The crowd runs in.

9:18 am. Keynote doors are still closed. More than 5.000 people wait, crushed down a wrap-round hallway that blocks access to the press room.

9:10 am. I see one of many Android phone charging stations.

9:00 am. As attendees pass, a lone Googler tests the classic Pac-Man machine.

8:55 am. Attendees shuffle upstairs to make room.

8:43 am. A Googler says there about 5,000 people waiting to get into the keynote.

8:40 am. I just spoke with three guys from Ice Development. Some of their work involves games, and they say the hardware Chrome OS currently runs on isn't good enough. Get this: Their games run better on Ubuntu on the same hardware.

8:23 am. The downstairs area is full of developers waiting to get into the keynote. Doors open at 9 am. I've started conducting video interviews with developers, using my Galaxy Nexus and uploading directly from the phone to YouTube.

8:00 am. Now this is a conference. Free soda, including regular and diet Dew.

7:44 am. Buzz is big. Over breakfast, developers chatter about the keynote and what comes next. Pretty much everyone expects the Nexus tablet. But is it enough to woo more of them to developing for Android before iOS? That's a question better answered after the keynote finishes.

7:21 am. My God, there are Chromebooks everywhere. At registration and anywhere you could possibly look. Samsung Series 5 550s one and all. I'm using one, too. Shame. Shame.

7:20 am. We're in, and a crowd of green-shirted Googlers greets the first people coming in the door.

7:00 am. The crowd is enormous and anxious, because the doors aren't open. The entrance is marked like you would a Google Map.

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I once was blind but now I see -- or, why I’ll never give up my PC for a tablet and smartphone

Publié: juin 27, 2012, 3:48pm CEST par Mike Feibus

Oh man, what a hellish 10 days this has been.

Before we get too far, let me just warn you that when the doorbell rings, this little chat will be over. I don’t care if I’m in mid-sentence. That’s it. Period. End of story.

The reason: tucked under the arm of the hand attached to the finger pressing the doorbell will be my precious Lenovo ThinkPad. It’s been 10 days now since she sputtered and failed, and five days since I’ve last seen her. I sent her off in a box last week to rehab in Atlanta and then I packed up and hopped a plane to San Jose, in the other direction.

I returned home last night. And she’ll show up any minute, her arrival trumpeted by the chime in the entryway.

Don’t worry. This isn’t a fable on the perils of casual backup. We’ve all heard too many of those. Besides, my data was backed up, so the issue wasn’t even in play. Sort of. (If anyone knows how to tease your contacts, calendar and tasks out of Outlook when it doesn’t want to expose them, I’d love to hear from you.)

Rather, it played out more as a mash-up of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol theme, with a glimpse into a present-day vision of a computer-less future sprinkled with an insight or two from Technology Past.

I decided to load present-day Windows 7 and Office 2010 onto my nine-year-old ThinkPad x31, an ultra-portable whose time has clearly passed. Not an ideal solution by any stretch. But I had real work to do, so I wasn’t going to be without a laptop. And as I like to say, I only make room for one device in my briefcase and one in my pocket. So the tablet didn’t make the cut. And so I headed off to San Jose with nothing but an old laptop. And a smartphone. With an eTrade app.

(And, uh, my MP3 player. OK, two MP3 players.)

Tell you what: let’s cut right to lessons learned. Because as I said, once that doorbell rings...

1. Size does matter. Manipulating multiple inter-connected spreadsheets felt arduous on the X31’s 12.1-display, even though it was only 1.3 inches less than my ThinkPad X220. (Now where is that UPS driver?) Once in the Bay Area, though, I was able to reverse that deficiency thanks to a delightful 27-inch display made available to me. Except in the most extreme instances, most of us would choose a laptop over a smartphone for any serious content creation. That’s obvious.

What may not be as intuitive, though, is that the bigger-is-better tenet applies across the spectrum. For work, a 13.3-inch laptop beats a 12.1-inch laptop. And a 12.1-inch laptop trumps a 10.4-inch tablet. Sure, there are advantages to the tablet. But getting work done isn’t one of them.

2. Storage capacity does matter. Try to find a tablet with more than 32GB of flash. Yes, I know they’re out there. But $699 for a new iPad with 64GB? Hell, I can’t even squeeze everything I want into my 32GB MP3 player! Storage was a big deal on my trip. I frequently swapped files with a couple of flash drives and a USB hard disk. And the X31 has a 100GB hard drive!

3. The cloud does matter. I much prefer to physically have what I need in hand, locally. That said, the past 10 days would have gone much smoother had I been taking advantage of all those storage services up there in the sky. Nothing like leaving the barn door open to teach you what you needed to know yesterday.

Hmmm. Come to think of it, maybe this is a why-you-should-back-up story. Whatever the case, I can tell you that next time...

Computer’s here. See ya!

Secure your PC with Bitdefender 2013

Publié: juin 27, 2012, 3:28pm CEST par Mike Williams

Bitdefender has released its 2013 range: Antivirus Plus 2013 ($49.95), Internet Security 2013 ($69.95), and the high-end Total Security 2013 ($79.95).

And the headline addition this time is Safepay, a secure virtual browser which aims to protect your online banking and shopping details (although the technology will help to shield any confidential online activity). It’s a useful feature and is available on all three products.

The 2013 products also now include a “USB Immunizer”. Right-click a flash drive in Explorer, select “Immunize this drive” and it’ll be protected against future infection by autorun-based malware.

The other major new feature is Anti-Theft, a computer location service which is available in Total Security 2013 only. If your system is lost or stolen then just log in to your Bitdefender account, and you may be able to display its whereabouts on a map, as well as locking the computer remotely or, as a last resort, wiping it clean.

And just as you’d expect, several of the existing features have also seen worthwhile enhancements. The parental controls are more capable, Safebox now allows secure file sharing, and the MyBitdefender dashboard now makes your program status accessible to any internet-connected device, for instance.

Put it all together and this looks like a solid move forward for Bitdefender. Safepay in particular seems a very effective way to avoid malware, and it’s good to see the tool available in every program across the range. If you’re looking for a new security suite then Antivirus Plus 2013, Internet Security 2013, and Total Security 2013 deserve careful consideration, and 30-day trial builds of each are available now.

Photo Credit: dohtoor/Shutterstock

iPhone changed phones forever

Publié: juin 27, 2012, 3:21pm CEST par Wayne Williams

First in a series. Editor's note: To commemorate iPhone's fifth-anniversary, we present several stories looking at its debut and colorful history -- so far.

On January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone at the Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco. It was the usual quality presentation from Apple’s boss, with some great moments of humour. Our first glimpse of the phone was in fact actually a mock-up of an iPod with a rotary dial in place of the usual click wheel. The audience clapped and hooted. Jobs then went on to show the real device, and to be honest it was pretty mind-blowing.

Here was a phone that looked nothing like a phone. It looked nothing like an iPod, for that matter either. It was pretty much all screen, controlled by touch using your finger -- or fingers, thanks to the power of multi-touch -- and was, according to Jobs, powered by OS X. The device could tell if you were holding it portrait or landscape, and knew when you were holding it up to your ear, and so prevent you prematurely ending a call with the side of your face. It came with a 620MHz processor, 128MB of memory and a 2MP camera. It was a magical device. This was the future, being shown right here. A device to be coveted by all.

But I didn’t want one.

Perhaps it was because I had a regular dumb mobile, without a built-in qwerty keyboard or any great bells and whistles, that I just couldn’t really see the benefit. I was happy enough using predictive text to send lightning fast SMS messages. The idea of a virtual touchscreen keyboard just didn’t appeal. Mind you, at that point my experience of touchscreens was mostly limited to Personal Information Managers controlled with a stylus, and kiosk computers with unresponsive screens, that often did nothing when touched, or moved an on-screen cursor to somewhere only vaguely near where you were frustratingly prodding.

The first iPhone went on sale in the USA on June 29, 2007. Exclusively on AT&T it was initially available in 4GB and 8GB models for $499 and $599 respectively. Would-be purchasers queued right around the block outside the Apple stores. I wasn’t one of them. Partly because I wasn’t interested, and partly because I live in the United Kingdom and the iPhone didn’t come out here until four months later, by which time the 4GB model had been discontinued stateside and the price of the 8GB model cut by a third to $399.

Out of curiosity, and because I was in the market for a new phone, I went into an Apple store in December 2007, and tried out the iPhone for myself. It was light, thin, and surprisingly responsive. I played with it some more and liked it. This was a great piece of kit. A quality phone, crossed with an iPod, that I could use to browse the web comfortably. I remember holding the iPhone in my hand, and being really, really impressed.

So impressed, a few hours later I went home the proud new owner of a BlackBerry 8800.

Next Generation

In February 2008, the 16GB iPhone was announced and four months later Jobs introduced us to the iPhone 3G. This was the iPhone for the 3G network and came with GPS. Available in 8GB and 16GB models, it was thinner, and ran iOS 2.0. Most excitingly of all, users could now download or buy third-party apps from developers like Google through the new App Store. I liked what I saw. I liked it a lot. But I liked my CrackBerry more.

The iPhone 3GS released on June 19, 2009. This new model came in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB flavors, was faster, thanks to an 833MHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor and 256MB of memory, and had a much better 3MP camera that, unlike its predecessors, could record video (VGA). It offered voice control too.

I wavered, but still preferred my phone. We were in it for the long haul and I couldn’t imagine being without it.

Then the BlackBerry’s charging port broke.

So I finally relented and purchased an all new, shiny iPhone 3GS, and fell instantly and deeply in love with it.

My love affair with the 3GS didn’t last very long though. The iPhone 4 released on June 24, 2010, bringing with it the Retina Display, a super-speedy 1Ghz Apple A4 processor (making it twice as fast as my new phone, and four times as fast as the original model) and 512MB of memory. It was slimmer, had a glass body, and a new and improved 5MP camera capable of recording 720p HD video. It had a front camera too, so users could FaceTime (Apple lingo for video chatting). It also had a new feature called "Death Grip", which caused calls to drop when you held the phone in a certain way. But Jobs had me at "Retina Display" so I upgraded immediately.

Getting Siri-ous

On October 4, 2011, with everyone hoping for the iPhone 5, the 4S was announced by new Apple boss Tim Cook. This had various improvements, including 1080p video recording, but the most notable new inclusion was Siri -- a magical personal assistant who could read messages aloud and send dictated replies, tell you the weather, convert measurements, schedule events, and more -- if you were lucky. The UK got Siri’s dumb brother (also called Siri) who was rubbish, couldn’t understand regional accents, and had no idea about local businesses. Thankfully he soon got smarter.

There didn’t really seem enough in this new version to justify upgrading so I decided to stick with my iPhone 4 for a little longer. That little longer turned out to be a month. Juggling my phone while walking I dropped it and the screen cracked. It was like fate. I had to get a new phone and there was only one possible choice for me.

So I bought a Samsung Galaxy S III.

I have no regrets about no longer having an iPhone, but I do sometimes miss the way it works and feels, the ease of the interface and the sheer volume of brilliant apps. I’m an Android convert, but I still love iOS. Which is why I have an iPod touch and an iPad to ease the cravings.

The iPhone changed phones forever, and brought us so many good things – multi-touch, video calling, proper web browsing, and of course apps. Without the iPhone we wouldn’t have Angry Birds.

Five years on the iPhone is sleeker, faster and more powerful, but it’s still essentially the same device, with the same interface. The first iPhone was a revolution. Every subsequent update has been an evolution, and that’s how it should be.

At some point in the near future Apple will announce the iPhone 5. It has some serious competition now from Android, and Samsung in particular, so is going to need to really step things up. The new device might have a 3D GUI -- this is just one of the many patents Apple’s submitted -- or it might not. It might have a ton of innovations, or it might not. It will likely be taller with a bigger screen, have a faster processor (maybe an A5X, or even a quad-core A6 chip) and offer HDR video recording. But whether that will be enough to tempt me back, only time will tell...

What’s your recollection of the iPhone? Did you buy the first model, or come to it later on? Or did you choose to go down another route, like Blackberry or Android, and if so why? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below. I’d also be interested to know what you think the next generations of iPhone will be like.

Photo Credit: Joe Wilcox

Chrome 20 released -- get it now!

Publié: juin 27, 2012, 1:30pm CEST par Mike Williams

Google has released Chrome 20 to the Stable Channel for Windows, Linux, the Mac and Chrome Frame. And while it’s a less-than-exciting maintenance build with no major visible changes, there are more than enough patches included to justify updating.

The official Chrome Releases blog details its usual top 20 security fixes, for instance. SVG and PDF-related code in particular sees some useful updates this time, although there are other important tweaks as well, including one to “prevent sandboxed processes interfering with each other” (the fact that this was possible before is a significant issue).

This is just the start, though, and Chrome 20 also sees a long list of fixes to enhance performance, eliminate memory leaks, avoid crashes and generally improve the browser. If you’re interested in the low-level technical details then the SVN revision log will tell you more.

If you’re running an older edition of Chrome then you may be able to update manually: just click the wrench icon and look for an option to “Update Google Chrome”.

But if you’re starting from scratch then you can alternatively download the full build of Chrome 20, which is also available now.

Surely timing isn't coincidence, coming right before Google I/O

I do not care about Facebook's email service, nor will I use it

Publié: juin 27, 2012, 12:39am CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

Facebook has really made waves among its users by changing the contact email address information in personal profiles.

In a move meant to popularize Facebook's own email service, users have been given an @facebook.com email address with the same address as the one in their personal URL. For instance, now you have idontcareaboutfacebook@facebook.com if you had the URL www.facebook.com/idontcareaboutfacebook. I believe that is the best news Facebook could have given to those 800 million users, and I think it’s the best thing they’ve done so far.

Oh Wait...I’m Joking

Most people would voluntarily change their email address if a new and better service became available, and Facebook is gunning for the likes of Gmail and Hotmail. So how are they going after the freemail leaders? Not by offering something better, but instead by changing the contact details on your Facebook profile. It’s a terrific strategy to get people annoyed, at least.

The fact of the matter is Facebook email is old news and it's obvious that no one cared about it back when it was released, even though it was called a "GMail killer."

If we didn't care about it then, what makes Mark Zuckerberg think that we do now?

I’m one of the "lucky few" that are "honored" to have a Facebook email account. Do I ever want to change from Gmail, Hotmail, or even Yahoo? The answer is complex and involves a series of lists containing pros and cons, so here goes: no.

The decision to make their email service popular --or forcibly get noticed, so to speak-- actually has done considerably more harm than good. It was done silently and without user consent; an ugly way to get free publicity and to try to increase revenues.

In light of the recent IPO failure (overestimating Facebook's value) the site is currently trying to cover the lost ground by undermining the users that have made it what it is today. The fact that General Motors backed out of paying Facebook for ads and said they bring no benefit is another reason for concern. They won't be the only rat off the ship.

It just shows that Facebook is so desperate to make money that it would go so far as to dismiss its users' rights to get it.

Social networks have to treat their users with respect. I like my privacy to be respected, I like to have control over what information is being publicly displayed, and control over how I can use my own account. In light of all this, I am very much in doubt that my Facebook account is important enough to keep. I hope Mark Zuckerberg enjoys his new email address, because I sure as hell don't.

Gina Sanders/Shutterstock

Cisco launches its first 802.11ac gigabit wireless router

Publié: juin 26, 2012, 9:39pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

Cisco has taken the plate and swung hard for the fences with their new draft 802.11ac gigabit wireless router product, the Linksys Smart Wi-Fi Router EA6500.

Scheduled for release in August, the EA6500 is available as a $219.99 pre-order in Cisco's Web store. Besides the feature set of the latest draft 802.11ac for speeds of up to 1300 Mbps, it also includes a fancy new NFC (near field communication) capability for smart device admin access, and the new "Cisco Connect Cloud" which will allow remote monitoring and administration from a native mobile device app. The Cisco Connect Cloud will be free and also have support to control other home automation devices such as smart appliances, smart security systems, and smart TVs.

Other features included in the device are: backwards compatiblity with a/b/g/n devices, two USB ports for printer and NAS storage support with DLNA certified media server support, easier and more robust quality of service (QOS) tools specifically designed for streaming HD video. Full IPv6 support.

And like all modern Cisco Linksys routers, the new device is equipped with four gigabit LAN ports and 1 gigbit WAN port.

Why is Motorola first and last to market?

Publié: juin 26, 2012, 8:00pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

In light of the recent news that Google finished the acquisition of Motorola Mobility, one has to wonder which direction Motorola is heading.

Google claims it has not acquired Motorola just for the patents (though that is a great bonus if I’m being honest), but rather that Motorola's technical know-how and experience will be a great card up Google’s sleeve.

Motorola wins against Apple

But this is the big and popular news that we all know of. What’s more interesting is what happens under the radar. On Verizon the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX has actually surpassed the iPhone 4S on sales, it’s the best-selling Verizon smartphone, so the iPhone 4S can no longer claim the title of best-selling smartphone at every North American carrier. This is something big.

The recipe for success doesn't seem that complicated: take your best device, and increase its battery life. Motorola took its best Droid to date, the Droid RAZR, and replaced its 1790 mAh battery with a 3300 mAh battery, giving it a net 85% increase in longevity. There is currently not a single smartphone that can hold a candle to it in the battery life department.

Motorola says the RAZR MAXX is being updated to Ice Cream Sandwich within the next few days. You may be thinking that all of this is great news (and it is,) but what happens in areas where there’s no Verizon? What about the rest of the world?

It’s coming to Europe and Middle East (May)

Back in May, Motorola made it clear that the RAZR MAXX is coming to Europe and Middle East. Close to a month has passed, and the device is still not available at any major carrier in Europe. Only a few retailers, such as the British online shop Clove have it, but at quite a high price. At Clove, the device is listed at £430.80, which is just £70 shy of the mighty Samsung Galaxy S III. Honestly, which one would you choose? My money’s on the Samsung.

Motorola released a great phone to market too late. With no presence on major carriers yet, and only smaller retailers with lower market penetration offering it, the considerable sales needed for the phone to be relevant just aren't likely to happen. Especially as quad-cores and latest generation dual-cores overshadow the previous generation of devices.

What took you so long, Motorola?

The Droid RAZR MAXX was released early in the year (January), and close to six months have passed since. In Europe, it took them five months to release it; time in which it could have become very popular.

As it usually happens, the phone is at its highest price when it’s first released, then the price slowly decreases. If this had happened, Motorola could have actually been able to launch the RAZR MAXX in Europe and the Middle East at a lower price. Unfortunately, it is still extremely costly, and now the only thing that is cutting edge about it is its battery life.

"Born crippled" is a good way to describe the European and Middle East launch of the phone that beat the CDMA iPhone.

What to do next?

Simple: build every new device like the MAXX, but forget about trying to make it the slimmest on the market. Who cares that the original was a little bit more than 7 mm thick when it had the longest battery life of any smartphone?

Motorola quite literally made the first commercial mobile phone ever. With nearly 30 years under its belt, it obviously has enough experience and technology to create one of the top smartphones on the market. So, Motorola, leave all other products behind, just start building only MAXX phones. You’ve made battery life a priority when no one else has, so keep it up in your upcoming phones.

Google-backed CliQr may have the solution to end cloud vendor lock-in

Publié: juin 26, 2012, 6:57pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Google-backed startup CliQr launched its cloud management platform on Tuesday. CliQr's offering is aimed at making it easier for enterprise IT to migrate legacy apps to the cloud, as well as between different cloud platforms with little additional work.

Lock-in has become an increasing concern among cloud computing industry watchers, as Amazon Web Services takes an ever more dominant role. Rackspace president Lew Moorman slammed AWS last week, saying its proprietary cloud tools make it difficult for Amazon customers to migrate elsewhere.

CliQr supports Amazon's cloud architecture, as well as any VMware or Openstack-based cloud. "Migrating their existing applications has been costly and complex, often involving cloud-specific re-coding, virtualization and, once on the cloud, sub-optimal performance", CliQr co-founder and CEO Gaurav Manglik says. "CloudCenter changes all of that".

CloudCenter is made up of two separate applications, Orchestrator and Manager. Orchestrator is the platform which allows CliQr to enable migration between the various cloud architectures it supports, while the Manager allows for the administration of "moving, managing, optimizing and securing their applications on clouds".

Orchestrator itself has three parts. The first are templates to speed deployment of specific applications on CliQr-supported cloud platforms. The company is offering templates for Hadoop, High-Volume Batch, Parallel Computing, Web-Apps, Cluster Computing and Multi-step Workflows initially.

Another part is called Orchestrator and deals with allowing the application to run on any supported cloud without modification, and the last is called CloudBlades, and are "unique, cloud-specific best-practice implementations of a cloud's rules and behaviors around compute, storage, network and security". These "snap-in" to CloudCenter, and will initially support Amazon, HP and Rackspace as well as Openstack and VMware in the private cloud.

Manager on the other hand supports the overall migration process and includes modules for application lifecycle, policy, storage, benchmarking, cloud account management, license management, and security.

"We designed CloudCenter to be an extremely approachable platform that looks at the task of cloud computing from an application's perspective, simplifying on-boarding without modification and image management, optimizing performance and providing end-to-end cloud security for any business application on any one or combination of private, public or hybrid clouds", co-founder and chief technical officer Tenry Fu says.

CliQr CloudCenter is available starting today. The company says it charges on an "on-going basis" according to a FAQ on the product, but does not publicly disclose specifics.

Photo Credits: James Thew/Shutterstock

NOW would you buy a Google Nexus tablet?

Publié: juin 26, 2012, 6:40pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Google I/O starts tomorrow, and if rumors are right -- and I believe them -- developers get a big peak at the 7-inch Nexus tablet. About a month ago, I asked how much would you pay for one. Now with more details available, I ask if you will buy the Google device.

The Nexus tablet, manufactured by Asus, features a 7-inch IPS LCD display with 1280 x 800 resolution; 1.3 GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, 1GB RAM; 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera; near field communications; and Android 4.1 "Jellybean". There are two capacities, 8GB and 16GB, selling for $199 and $249, respectively. This information comes from a leaked training manual that Gizmodo Australia obtained. The big differentiator is price. As I explained in April, "Google isn't trying to save Android tablets but kill Kindle Fire".

Google should have released this device at least a year ago, if for no other reason than providing a choice, stock Android tablet for enthusiasts. In January 2010, Google released the Nexus One, for this purpose and carried it forward with Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus. Perhaps it's no coincidence that Android phone sales soared following Nexus One's release. Google gave developers an up-to-date, stable platform for Android development and hardware partners a baseline for devices; although some commenters will say OEMs use iPhone as reference design -- for shame! From that perspective, I expect Google's Nexus to be a boon for Android tablets.

But BetaNews reader yeahmannn disagrees: "Initially, Nexus played the role of a reference model to spur OEMs into producing the devices Google envisions. At this point, I think Google is just trying to capitalize on the Nexus brand. It may be a smart marketing move but from the POV of the consumer it's just another Galaxy Tab. Nothing to get excited about".

More importantly, Google can begin to regain control of tablets -- largely lost to Amazon, which offers a customized, curated OS and supporting services. Forrester Research predicts that proprietary Android will surpass the Google Android ecosystem by 2015. Stated differently, Google's open-source mobile platform risks fracturing into multiple fatally fragmented Android ecosystems. Not one but many. Amazon is at the forefront of this trend. It's no coincidence, this tablet is the same size as Kindle Fire and similarly priced.

I'll be at I/O tomorrow and expect Google will provide Nexus tablets to participants. If not, I'll certainly buy one. What a bargain -- 200 bucks for a pure Android tablet. The price is right for many of you, too. Based on our recent poll, 45 percent of respondents say they would pay $199 for the Nexus tablet, while 27 percent would pay $249. So more than 70 percent would spend as much as either rumored price.

ToeKneeC67: "I would bet Amazon will just drop the Kindle Fire to $150. It's the game console wars all over, and only if Google wants to lose on each sell, Amazon has the power to do so (with music, movies, apps of the day). I would also expect a Kindle Fire II, and of course the rumors of a 7-inch iPad (which personally I would like) at $249".

Google plans to release a 7-inch quad-core tablet, for $199 (8GB) and $249 (16GB). Would you buy one?

Neoprimal is "buying this to fill in the gap between my 3.7-inch Android phone and 10-inch Android tablet screen. Do I need it? Nope. But for $199? Why the hell not?!"

So is it "why the hell not" for you? Would you buy a $199 Android tablet with the newest version, Jellybean, and assurance that it will stay up to date? Please take the poll and respond in comments.

Google Apps vs Office 365: Which wins over users?

Publié: juin 26, 2012, 6:40pm CEST par Derrick Wlodarz

Unlike most tech industry analysts that pit Google versus Microsoft in a paper-specs war each time they opine about these cloud email platforms, I’ve got two cents to offer on the subject from a slightly different -- and perhaps more down-to-earth -- perspective. I’m an IT consultant by day who is responsible for implementing, supporting, and training on each company’s product.

It allows me to have better perspective about how end-users feel about these major cloud suites when “non techies” are at the wheel. And the things they tell me are often no-holds-barred as they rarely hold back. The bigger question most analysts fail to answer still stands: who’s winning the “hearts and minds” of those using these suites?

Before the fanboys go haywire on my assertions abbout each cloud platform, I will preface this article by saying that my computer repair company FireLogic fully supports both Office 365 and Google Apps. We have been working with customers utilizing each platform for a few years now, and while we tend to provide more professional training on Google Apps, we haven’t pigeon-holed ourselves into either heavyweight’s corner. We even happen to be Office 365 resellers at this point in time. My opinions in this op/ed are based both around the feelings of my customers and my experiences in supporting these environments.

For the uninitiated, Google hit the ground running with their Google Apps suite for businesses back in 2006. The service started out as a vanilla clone of Gmail for those looking to move their email to the cloud, but quickly expanded into a full blown suite offering a bevy of sub-products that were rolled in at no extra charge.

Microsoft took notice of this yearning for the cloud in the business sector and gave us BPOS (Business Productivity Online Suite), which launched a few years after Google Apps. Since then, Microsoft morphed BPOS into what we now know today as Office 365, which is the culmination of bringing together the power of Office Web Apps and Exchange Online. Each company has had its respective cloud platform in the wild for some time now, so it’s more than fair to pit them in an honest “in the wild” taste test.

Office 365 Cloud of Confusion

I strongly believe that Microsoft has a solid head on its shoulders. But when customers approach me with questions about which Office 365 price plan is best for them, I can rarely answer in a single phone call. This cloud of confusion begins with the very heart of Microsoft’s perception problem in how Office 365 is priced: the labyrinth of options people have in what service level they need is as much a test in patience as it is a fact-finding mission.

If you don’t believe me, have a look at their full pricing layout for the various Office 365 plans. Where does one begin? Their main flavors of O365 are divided into 6 plans across 3 tiers, with another separate tier of 2 plans for “kiosk workers.” In total, that’s eight possible flavors of Office 365 to choose from. And you thought the menu of Office 2010 or Windows 7 editions was tough to wade?

The confusion doesn’t end there. Have a peek at the FAQs page that Microsoft offers, which covers numerous other details about plans. One big question from potential Office 365 customers is if they can move between plan levels if their organization’s needs change. You’d think that would be an easy task in the cloud (as Google Apps offers at any time) but Microsoft says it doesn’t allow for this. In order to change plan “tiers” you need to go through the ungodly task of cancelling your old account and creating a new one under the fresh plan. Is that a sensible upgrade/downgrade path for customers? Everyone I’ve talked to doesn’t think so.

Furthermore, take a look at which levels within the various tiers get 24/7 support from Microsoft. Google solves this problem quite simply by following a common logic: free Google Apps users get no support; paid users get full support. Redmond instead offers support for nearly all plans except for the Small Business and Kiosk.

Fair enough, until you have a look at the price points of these plans. Note that the cheap $4/month Email Only plan gets support, but the more expensive P1 Small Business plan at $6/month gets no support. Of all the customers who would use Office 365, don't you think that small businesses would be the ones needing the most support Microsoft can offer? Given how Microsoft targets Office 365 towards small businesses without formal IT departments, this gotcha just doesn’t add up. To me, this is a continuation of the one-foot-in, one-foot-out approach of where Office 365 sits in Microsoft’s portfolio.

By contrast, customers rarely have any issues or questions about Google’s offering with Apps because the approach is simple enough. My smallest customers who refuse the 24/7 support and SLA who likewise have under 10 users sometimes opt for the Standard edition of Google Apps, while most business customers willingly agree that $50/user/year is well worth the admission price for the full blown suite. If Microsoft wants to see more uptake on Office 365, then they need to get serious about thinking like a small business owner.

Whose Chair in the Cloud is More Comfortable?

Winning the hearts and minds of users goes beyond merely appealing to peoples' ingrained assumptions about how their email platform should function. And this is where I believe Microsoft’s public thinking about cloud email is fundamentally flawed in some ways. They believe that anyone testing the cloud waters coming from an Exchange environment is automatically expecting a duplication of look, feel, and functionality. If that was solely the case, then cloud platforms wouldn’t be in consideration in the first place. Making a move to the cloud inherently comes with flexibility and a differentiated approach to finding a replacement product. Leaving full-blown, on-premise Exchange and expecting to end up in the same boat riding in the cloud is an incorrect approach. This is where IT professionals like myself come into play to help customers with tough decisions about the future of their communication backbone.

One particular client of ours who asked to be moved off of Office 365 and onto Google Apps complained about the complete dependence on Sharepoint Online and the desktop version of Office 2010 in order to fully utilize Office Web Apps. Unlike Google Docs (which the customer is enamored with), Office Web Apps utilize a three step approach before they can be edited anywhere through a web browser. One must:

Create the initial documents in Office 2010 (on a desktop or laptop).
Upload them through Office 365’s Sharepoint Online interface.
Once uploaded, they can be accessed by given users through Office Web Apps.

This customer’s previous IT consultant failed to disclose this disparity in perception and actual usage, and they quickly became frustrated. With Google Docs, they can utilize Drive or Office Cloud Connect if they wish to use a hybrid cloud approach to document management, or stick to merely creating and editing docs through the online interface for a full-on cloud experience. This strategy can be mixed and matched to the user’s own content. If Microsoft expects Office Web Apps to become as integral to the suite as Google Docs is to the search giant’s platform, they need to take off the virtual leash from its desktop cousin.

This reliance on the desktop doesn't stop at Office Web Apps. How about the need for the Lync client in order to fully utilize instant messaging and voice/video conferencing within your Office 365 domain? This is another thing that irks customers of ours. Some of them use it; a majority install it and just let it run after the novelty wears off and the hassle of switching interfaces gets to them. Google Apps integrates Chat within Gmail with voice and video, and you don’t need the separate Talk client for much of anything nowadays. Good move, Google.

Microsoft’s Legacy Background Not Entirely a Bad Thing

The few places where Google Apps flounders is where Office 365 takes the upper edge. Not surprisingly, most of these areas are Microsoft’s strong points from their deep knowledge of the landscape of enterprise IT. For example, Google Apps utilizes a neat feature called User Organizations, which on the outset is a stellar inclusion but under the surface it still needs a good deal of work. One blatant missing facet of this attempt to recreate the look/feel of Active Directory-like controls is the fact that Orgs and Sub-Orgs are used only to control which services different groups of users have access to. None of the fine service-level control that Google Apps offers (save for a few like email security) can be ratcheted down per Sub-Org. Office 365 picks up the slack where Google has a few things to learn on security, and has the breadth of security functionality that admins are used to seeing. Is this a deal breaker? In some cases, yes.

Shared contacts is another area that I have experienced first-hand to be a sore after-thought on Google’s part. They provide a nifty Shared Contacts API that can be scripted to work if you have the coding background to get it going; but a clean user interface for managing these shared contacts (external global contacts, to be exact) is sadly missing in the Google Apps Control Panel. Getting this feature to work like some organizations are accustomed to takes some serious heavy lifting either through Google Docs scripting, or through the use of excellent Google Apps Marketplace tools like the free SherpaTools Directory Manager. But then again, Microsoft relies on its partners for much of the functionality we have come used to folding in via third party -- so I can’t hark on Google too far.

Google Apps for the Masses, Office 365 for Niche Users

This sums up my feeling towards how end users feel about the two suites. Google Apps brings an interesting breath of fresh air to the cloud platform market, while Microsoft feels like it’s forcing the tie-ins back to its desktop roots in order to make a cloud presence. For those that have a strong reliance on big M’s desktop apps like Office 2010, their taking to Office 365 may be a better fit. But the “rest of us” who are looking for a new way to manage email and take the jump into the cloud, Google Apps bakes a prettier cake that tastes pretty good, too.

I really do want to fully appreciate Office 365 and what it has to offer, but it seems that at every turn, Microsoft throws a prickly thorn into its side with all the roundabouts and catch 22’s that represent its showing in the cloud email atmosphere. If Microsoft claims that it’s truly invested with a “We’re All In” approach to the cloud infrastructure sphere, they need to place a better foot forward with Office 365. Google Apps innovates on a rapid-fire basis, and the users I support continuously see Office 365 as nothing more than a “me-too” product not ready for prime time usage.

Photo Credit: Tom Wang/Shutterstock

Derrick Wlodarz is an IT professional who owns Park Ridge, IL (USA) based computer repair company FireLogic. He has over 7+ years of experience in the private and public technology sectors, holds numerous credentials from CompTIA and Microsoft, and is one of a handful of Google Apps Certified Trainers & Deployment Specialists in the States. He is an active member of CompTIA's Subject Matter Expert Technical Advisory Council that shapes the future of CompTIA examinations across the globe. You can reach out to him at info@firelogic.net.

Nexus 7 tablet rumors all point at Amazon's growing Android dominance

Publié: juin 25, 2012, 9:40pm CEST par Tim Conneally

The existence of a 7-inch Google-branded Android tablet has been rumored for a couple of months, and Asus has proudly taken credit for manufacturing the device. Still, the specifics have not be officially laid out, so we have to rely on unnamed sources and ambiguous evidence for the next few days until Google I/O begins.

Reportedly, some "training materials" uncovered by Gizmodo Australia related to a tablet known as the "Nexus 7" provide some confirmation to prior rumors of an Asus-made Google Tablet, similar to the MeMO 370T that was debuted by Asus earlier this year.

These details include:

7-inch (1280 x 800) IPS LCD screen
Android 4.1
1.3 GHz Quad-core Tegra 3 SoC, 1GB RAM
8GB-16GB Storage
1.2 Megapixel forward-facing camera
NFC chip
Retail price of $199-$249

Lying deep behind all of these rumors is the fact that the most successful Android tablet, Amazon's Kindle Fire, has no connection to Google's content distribution ecosystem, and is blazing trails as the most profitable app distribution platform for Android. Though Amazon used Android for its original purpose --helping hardware get to the consumer quicker and more cheaply-- Amazon has arguably become "better at Android" than Google.

Most recently, Amazon announced it had finally opened its Android app store to sales in The United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Amazon's Android app store existed long before the Kindle Fire, but it is expected that Amazon's next move will be to release an international version of the Kindle Fire.

So besides looking for this new tablet at Google I/O this week, it will also be important to watch Google's maneuvers to improve its competition with Amazon in music and movie content distribution, in improving app monetization, and in generally establishing its position at the helm of Android, where it belongs.

Box OneCloud third-party sync solution now available for Android

Publié: juin 25, 2012, 9:21pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Cloud storage service Box extended its mobile app framework OneCloud to the Android platform on Monday, allowing apps to use Box as storage for data. The company released a similar offering for iOS developers back in March.

Both platforms offer Box compatibility with 50 productivity apps on either platform. An SDK and API have been made available so that other developers may use Box in their own apps. The apps supported here initially with OneCloud for Android include iAnnotate, Breezy, Docusign Ink and Fetchnotes.

The standalone Android app will direct users to apps that are compatible with Box, the company says.

"Box OneCloud offers the most complete suite of productivity tools for today's post-PC enterprise", CEO and co-founder Aaron Levie says. "IT departments and the mobile workforce now have a unified platform to securely manage applications and content from any device or location".

Box's offering may please enterprise IT administrators who are facing increasing pressure to support the growing bring-your-own-device trend. With the introduction of these devices also come security concerns. Box is playing to these concerns, releasing administration tools to help manage how corporate data is shared through the service.

OneCloud also keeps corporate security concerns in mind, and Box says it has taken steps to ensure data is protected -- including never storing files unencrypted on the device. This forces the user to be authenticated at all times to view the files.

An app for Box OneCloud is now available from Google Play, and the company says its developer SDK is available through its developer website. For those looking for the APIs for iOS, they are available through the same site, although no separate OneCloud app exists.

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Microsoft’s Surface pricing dilemma is two opportunities waiting to be missed

Publié: juin 25, 2012, 8:10pm CEST par Wayne Williams

In an article that appeared earlier today on BetaNews, Robert Cringely talks about how Microsoft can compete with Apple on pricing but -- due to supply and manufacturing issues -- won’t be able to undercut its rival. It’s an interesting observation, and one that’s based on sound thinking.

But Surface is a curious beast. The iPad is, to all intents and purposes, a scaled-up Smartphone. Microsoft’s tablet (or tablets, rather) is a touch-screen PC. It runs Windows 8, and Office, and applications like Photoshop.

PCs usually retail for a lot less than Macs (not just, as Robert would have us believe, because they are inferior, but because Apple can charge what they like and the fanboys will still lap it up) and we’re used to that. A slim, touch-screen device, fashioned from Mithril (or whatever) that can run proper programs, has a keyboard that’s also a case (genius!), and comes direct from Microsoft, could be positioned as superior to the iPad in every way. Surface is not just for checking email, browsing the web or updating Facebook. You can do substantial things with it -- like office work, or video editing. You can use it to write a novel, or pilot a rocket to Mars!

If Microsoft does what it should, and positions Surface as superior to the iPad, and all of the other casual-use tablets out there at the moment, it could easily slap a superior price tag on it.

Apple premium-prices its products because it can. Microsoft would love to be in that position, too. Surface would be the one product that would give it that chance.

Microsoft’s Problem

But, here’s the rub. Microsoft really needs Surface to succeed. I mean, really, really, needs it to succeed. Because Surface runs Windows 8, properly. Surface runs Windows how it’s been designed to run. Windows 8 has, after all, been built with touchscreen devices in mind.

People talk about Windows 8 as being an operating system, but it’s more than that. It’s a strategy. Microsoft wants you to use its OS on every device you own. It wants you to see its logo when you fire up your desktop PC or laptop, when you turn on your Windows Phone 8, and when you use a tablet.

On the PC, controlled using a keyboard and mouse, Windows 8 is clumsy and awkward. Joe Wilcox sums up the experience perfectly here, and for that reason, the new OS could well flop. Windows XP die-hards are unlikely to want to switch to it and Windows 7 users will be similarly reluctant.

Windows Phone 8 will mostly be snapped up by, well, who knows? Most of us will be sticking with our iPhones or Androids.

Which leaves Windows 8-powered tablets to save the day. And by tablets, I mean Surface. So Microsoft could, if it was feeling very brave, go low with the price. Take a big, big hit and hope for the best. A quality device like Surface, sold at an incredibly attractive price, would absolutely fly off the shelves. In a stroke Microsoft would be back in the game, Windows 8 would be a winner, and boring old PCs would truly be consigned to the dustbin of yesteryear. Apple would be on the back foot for the first time in a long time.

Except, of course, Microsoft doesn’t have that kind of vision, or balls, for that matter (it doesn’t really even have the money). Microsoft has always been a bottom-line company, so it’ll doubtless just price Surface somewhere middling -- not too expensive and certainly not too cheap -- and watch as it sells about as well as all the other tablets that don’t have an Apple-logo etched on them. Probably.

Or will it? What pricing approach do you think Microsoft will take? There’s no prize for correct guesses, but we’d be interested to see what the consensus is amongst BetaNews readers.

Apple admits malware defeat

Publié: juin 25, 2012, 7:05pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

Apple is one of the single software companies that hasn't really faced the problem of viruses, for years claiming their operating system is the most secure among all. Seemingly every Mac user claims that his or her computer is the safest and greatest -- they’re invincible!

But those claims collapse as Apple products grow in popularity. Back in April 2012, Flashback infected 670,000 Macs worldwide. The Mac maker responded so well it needed to do the job twice, as the first security patch wasn’t so good. In light of all this one has to wonder whether Apple needs to call it quits and just admit defeat.

Security Claims Change?

The Apple world, due to their irrelevance on the market -- around 10 percent PC share in the United States, less than 5 percent worldwide, according to Gartner and IDC -- hasn't gotten much attention from the bad guys. Well, until recently. Apple can put to rest their security needs and send the consultants and developers they have on vacation for the bigger part of the year, but when something happens it’s pretty bad, as Flashback demonstrates.

What does Apple do in light of all this? No apologies, as it’s too embarrassing. They quietly (like running through a room full of people thinking no one’s going to notice) change their security motto.

Apple used to claim that the Mac "doesn’t get PC viruses" or "a Mac isn’t susceptible to the thousands of viruses plaguing Windows-based computers. That’s thanks to built-in defenses in Mac OS X that keep you safe, without any work on your part".

I especially like the last claim because it’s true that Mac users don't have to do any work to get infected. Apple is right about "thousands of viruses". It only takes one to infect 670,000 Macs worldwide and collect them into a botnet. What a market strategy. It only takes one to defeat our army, don’t bother sending all the guys.

Apple's modified marketing language about OS X: "It’s built to be safe" and "built-in defenses in OS X keep you safe from unknowingly downloading malicious software on your Mac". Now is Apple calling on the defensive card? Basically they’re saying that you’ll know when you get a virus, it will come straight forward at you, not stab you from behind.

Would Mac Users install Security Software?

Hasn't Apple admitted defeat, simply by backing off earlier security claims? Malware does infect Macs, and surely instances will rise with increased Apple product popularity. Look at how much emphasis Apple places on new security features coming in OS X Mountain Lion.

Is this news scary enough for OS X users as to get some sort of protection? Or is it just that 0.0001% percent when Apple is wrong? Or will Apple create greater false sense of security with Mountain Lion. Being cocky has its benefits, but when you go down people will remember.

In your opinion, do Macs need antimalware protection? Would you install Mac security software or you do you feel safe enough?

Photo Credit: Jirsak/Shutterstock

New Sony Google TV launches ... in the UK, oh goody

Publié: juin 25, 2012, 5:57pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

The Google TV platform kind of flopped when first launched in the United States two years ago. Anemic hardware and wonky UI made the experience a total cluster bomb of grief and end-user cursing for anyone that purchased it. Logitech took a $30 million write-off and ditched their failed Google TV product, Logitech Revue.

The set-top box that "augmented" your television viewing experience also launched with the Sony NSZ-GT1 and Sony Internet TV with Google TV. The old consumer electronics behemoth that is no stranger to showing gumption for beating a dead horse will try again. Starting July 25, Sony will release the NSZ-GS7 set-top box in the UK for £200/$199. International launch will follow.

Google TV 2.0 released in December, adding desperately needed updates and refining the user interface. But still lacked polish, while some system performance issues remained, mostly due to underpowered hardware. A major update was integration with the Android mobile application platform. The Sony NSZ-GS7 not only takes advantage of these improvements but will use the new apps support to its advantage.

The NSZ-GS7 runs on a beefier 1.2 GHz dual-core Marvell processor, which should offer plenty of power compared to the older model. It comes with a new touchpad remote with 3-axis motion control, as well as finger gesture control and voice control.

Following the UK release in July, Sony plans to launch in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico and Netherlands later this year. The NSZ-GP9, a GS7 with an integrated Blu-ray player, will arrive in October for the UK priced at £280/€300/$299.

UK users of Google TV devices can look forward to localized content powered by UK newspaper The Guardian. But other info about localized apps and UK-specific services is still sketchy at the moment. Google's own Google TV blog states that UK users will find out more in the coming week at Google I/O.

FolderChangesView tracks file changes in real time

Publié: juin 25, 2012, 5:29pm CEST par Mike Williams

Your hard drive is buzzing, and you don’t know why. Finding out what’s going on is probably a good idea: at best a legitimate program is tying up resources and slowing you down, at worst you’ve got a malware infection. But what do you do now?

Launching FolderChangesView, the latest release from NirSoft, could be a good first move.

The program monitors file changes on your hard drive, and opens by asking exactly which base folder you’d like it to watch. By default this is C:\, but can be set to whatever you like. And you also have the option to view changes only in that folder, or all its subfolders as well.

For your first run, though, just click OK to accept the default settings, then do something which will create file system activity: launch Firefox, say. And immediately you’ll see the FolderChangesView window begin to detail what’s happening, listing the path and name of any files; whether they’ve been created, modified or deleted; and the date and time of each event.

If you have been experiencing any odd hard drive activity then this report, in particular the file and folder names, should give more clues as to the cause (Firefox-related action usually takes place in or below the \Users\[UserName]|AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox folder, for instance).

And simply leaving FolderChangesView running for a while can tell you a lot about what’s happening on your system. If you find a non-critical program is more active than you thought then maybe it’s worth considering removing or restricting it in some way, so reducing background activity and improving your PC’s performance.

Of course Sysinternals Process Monitor (a far more sophisticated tool) will do all the same things, and a lot more, including telling you which process is responsible for each action.

FolderChangesView is simpler and easier to use, though, so if you’d just like to find out more about drive activity right now -- no need to mess around with filters or anything else -- then the program makes a better first choice.

Although as the entire set of FolderChangesView files consume only around 92KB on our test PC, it’s not really as though you have to pick one or the other. We say: you need them both.

Photo Credit: megainarmy/Shutterstock

RIM is a far more formidable player than either Google or Apple

Publié: juin 25, 2012, 5:28pm CEST par Randall C. Kennedy

I like it when I’m right. Whether it’s dispelling the myths surrounding the Windows 7 kernel (I was right), or bursting the bubble of the VDI-everywhere zealots (right again), I enjoy having my predictions come true.

I’m also an operating system technology purist. I believe that a strong OS foundation is what determines whether or not a given platform will succeed over the long haul. This is why I’m convinced that Microsoft will ultimately dominate the enterprise mobile computing space (Windows Phone 8 is based on Windows NT, an OS for which I have tremendous respect). And it’s also why I believe they eventually will share this space not with Apple or Google, but rather the company that everyone likes to write-off: Research in Motion.

Why use iOS Crippleware?

Yes, the grandfather of the smartphone industry is poised to make a comeback. Why? Simple: QNX. Those three letters translate into a huge competitive advantage over any other mobile computing platform. In fact, the only mobile OS that comes close to QNX’s capability is Windows 8. Both are based on robust, scalable, multitasking kernels, and both support the kind of distributed computing magic that will usher in the next generation of killer mobile applications.

iOS? Crippleware from a vendor that seems obsessed with putting training wheels on everything in sight. Android? A sloppy pile of hacks and tweaks (it’s based on Linux, after all) that is being rapidly torn asunder by market fragmentation and competing vendor agendas.

By contrast, QNX is a true, real-time OS. Do a little research and you’ll discover that its reliable, proven kernel has been used in everything from the control circuits for nuclear reactors to the dashboard infotainment systems in tens of thousands of vehicles.

And now RIM owns it, along with The Astonishing Tribe (TAT), Jaycut and a host of other critical acquisitions. In fact, from a pure mobile technology portfolio standpoint, RIM is a far more formidable player than either Google or Apple, and they match up quite well against Microsoft in terms of long-term platform potential.

Those of us who have experience with RIM’s current incarnation of QNX -- whether through the Playbook or the Dev Alpha preview of the upcoming BB10 platform -- get a kick out of the latest Samsung ads slamming Apple’s lack of useful multitasking in iOS. The Playbook’s OS has offered that sort of capability for over a year, and BB10 is based on this same QNX implementation.

QNX runs Circles Around Competitors

Case in point: As I write this on my Playbook, the device is also downloading a torrent (Swarm), playing an MP3 (native music app), synchronizing my email/calendar/contacts (native messaging app), checking for forum messages (TapaTalk), updating my twitter account (Blaq) and copying about a gigabyte of files (ES File Explorer) into the device’s local storage, over WiFi, from a network share on my Windows 7 PC.

Note, also, that three of the above named programs -- Swarm, TapaTalk and ES File Explorer -- are Android apps. QNX is powerful enough to support multiple application runtimes, in this case a parallel copy of the Android Dalvik VM that integrates seamlessly with the overall Playbook UI. Factor in the Playbook’s ability to multitask these apps alongside its own native QNX apps, and you could argue that RIM’s much maligned tablet delivers a “better Android than Android” type of experience.

Bottom Line: My year-old Playbook with QNX is running circles around every competing mobile platform out there, with the possible exception of Windows 8. Which is why I’m convinced that RIM has a bright future in the enterprise: IT appreciates the qualities that QNX brings to the table, namely, scalability, robust multitasking and rock-solid security.

Whether or not these factors will translate into success in the consumer space remains to be seen. Unless we see some very sexy BB10 and Windows Phone 8 devices by this fall, BYOD may yet seal the fates of both RIM and Microsoft alike.

However, with market leader Samsung now pitching “multitasking” as a selling point vs. the competition, the game has suddenly shifted to a trajectory that passes right through the middle of RIM’s QNX wheelhouse.

Here’s hoping they seize the moment and hit one out of the park with BB10.

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Microsoft and Google won’t have a price advantage with iPad, so they’ll have to actually make a better product

Publié: juin 25, 2012, 3:40pm CEST par Robert X. Cringely

Last week Microsoft kinda-sorta announced its new Surface tablet computer. This week will come a Google-branded tablet. Both are pitted against the mighty iPad. Both companies see opportunity because of what they perceive as a Steve Jobs blind spot. And both companies are introducing tablets under their own brands because they can’t their get OEM’s to do tablets correctly.

For all the speculation about why Microsoft or Google would risk offending hardware OEMs by introducing name branded tablets, the reality is that neither company really had any choice but to make the hardware. In the commodity PC market, no one company is likely to be willing to make the investment necessary to compete with the highly-integrated iPad. Samsung tried, and even then it didn’t pay off for them. Taiwan Inc + Dell just don’t seem to run that way. Furthermore, it is a lot easier to make a product when you control the operating system. You have the experts right there. You don’t have to go through support channels to fix stuff. So ultimately, Microsoft and Google should be able to make much better products than their licensees.

If their OEMs want to compete, really compete, let them spend the extra money required or stop complaining.

Move Over, iPad

Both Microsoft and Google can compete at around the same price as Apple (for the WindowsRT and Android versions) but no less. Microsoft’s Windows 8 version will cost more due to the Intel tax and the Windows license tax. Both Microsoft and Google will likely use Tegra as the System On Chip (SOC) since it is the fastest out there and closest to the A5X. All the other components are available. Apple can cause component supply problems for Microsoft, and possibly some component pricing issues as a result. But Microsoft and Google will just swallow these extra costs in the beginning to remain price-competitive.

The real question is software. iPads suck for productivity apps like Office. This is of course by design, because Jobs did not value the enterprise market (that’s the blind spot). Both Microsoft and Google tablets will be aimed squarely at that spot, with the Microsoft tablet being essentially an Office/Exchange machine and the Google tablet dedicated to Google Apps.

Email is okay on the iPad, but full Outlook compatibility is still missing (contacts, calendaring still seem to miss from time to time). So Microsoft can win with the executive & enterprise audience, although I have to assume that Apple is going to provide a major revamp of iWork one of these days, plus an integrated iPad/Macbook Air type of productivity product.

Ironically, IT departments will be attracted to the Microsoft tablet, especially, because it won’t be as locked-down as the iPad -- a complete reversal of policy.

Target: Enterprise

Today, PCs basically beat Apple on price but not much else. Most people and companies buy PCs despite their inferiority in every respect then try to defend their decision on the grounds of personal preference or corporate policy. Microsoft and Google won’t have a price advantage with tablets, so they’ll have to actually make a better product, or win on corporate policy which is getting harder to do. That’s why succeeding in tablets is important for both companies but absolutely vital for Microsoft.

Microsoft has a chance in this space if the embedded/xBox team are given the tools to do it right. But my bet is that they won’t break through to the knuckleheads on the Office and Windows teams who desperately want to protect their margins and still struggle with usability.

Google is the dark horse here. Their tablet will presumably come from Motorola Mobility and will run Google Apps like crazy. But Google, like Microsoft, doesn’t have a reputation for quality that’s required to compete in this space. Editor's Note: All indications are ASUS as manufacturer for Nexus tablet.

With Jobs gone and Apple finally allowed to take some cues from the marketplace, what these two tablets may do most of all is awaken a sleeping giant, filling him with terrible resolve.

Fortunately that can only be good for consumers.

Reprinted with permission.

Makeover Windows with open-source Rainmeter 2.3

Publié: juin 25, 2012, 2:25pm CEST par Nick Peers

Open-source desktop customization tool Rainmeter 2.3 has been released, boasting a number of major changes. Rainmeter allows Windows users to customise their desktop well beyond the options provided by the OS using a range of “skins”, which can be downloaded from other sites or created from scratch by the user.

Version 2.3’s headline new feature is a new, improved Rainmeter Skin Package system, which will simplify the process of distributing new user-created skins to others.

Users wishing to install new themes, skins or custom plugins in Rainmeter 2.3 will find there’s a new standalone Rainmeter Skin Packager application from the Manage menu for switching between them. It’s also where skin developers should head to package up their own customised skins for sharing with others via sites like deviantART.com and Customize.org, which will in future only accept uploads of skins created using the new .rmskin packaging system.

Other related improvements includes a new @Resources folder within skins for storing, using and distributing images, fonts, sounds and add-ons – an improvement Rainmeter says will both simplify the skin development process and make it more reliable.

Rainmeter 2.3 also sees a simplified installer that reduces installation to just a few clicks, despite continuing to support both 32-bit/64-bit builds and portable/normal installations. Users will also find the About dialog box provides more information about the currently running skin, which will help both developers and end users track down potential problems they encounter.

Rainmeter’s localization has also been extended and improved to cover 35 languages, while the program itself is designed to better interact with the Windows User Account Control dialogs, plus work more reliably across multi-user setups.

Most other changes will appeal to skin developers, such as a more efficient and resource-friendly RecycleManager plug-in, new OnCloseAction setting for taking actions when a skin is closed and improvements to the String meter options to simplify horizontal and vertical alignment. The developer environment for custom plugins has also been virtually rewritten to provide an easier, more stable API approach, while existing standard plugins can now also support dynamic variables in the measures.

Rainmeter 2.3 is a free, open-source download for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows XP or later, including the forthcoming Windows 8 release.

Looking for an affordable, compatible Excel alternative? Try Gnumeric

Publié: juin 25, 2012, 1:36pm CEST par Mike Williams

If you’re looking to equip your PC with a free spreadsheet, then your first thought will probably be to download one of the open-source Office competitors: OpenOffice, maybe, or LibreOffice.

But if you prefer something a little more lightweight then there’s an interesting alternative in the GNOME Project’s Gnumeric.

If you’re used to Excel 2010 then the Gnumeric interface may initially seem a little plain. There’s no ribbon here, nothing too flashy: the program has more of the look and feel of Office XP. (Which of course could be a major plus point if you’re not a ribbon fan.)

Excel file compatibility is reasonable, though, as least when it comes to importing, with the program handling our text XLS and XLSX files just fine, as well as supporting many other formats (xlt/ xlw, OpenDocument’s ods/ odt/ sxc/ stc, Lotus 1-2-3 wk1/ wks, the generic CSV and more).

And while, it’s true, exporting is less capable in this build -- support for writing xlsx files, for instance, is described as “incomplete” – Gnumeric has more than enough options to get by.

When you start working, though, you’ll find there’s plenty of solid and familiar core functionality here. There interface works as you’d expect, there’s the same functions as in Explorer (plus a few more), the same format support, a good range of graphs, and plenty of advanced functionality: linear and non-linear solvers, comprehensive random number generation, Monte Carlo simulation tools and a whole lot more.

OpenOffice and LibreOffice may do a better job of grabbing the headlines, then, but Gnumeric is also a very capable tool with plenty to offer every level of user. Make sure it’s on your shortlist when you’re next looking for a free spreadsheet.

Android users are smarter than you

Publié: juin 25, 2012, 3:00am CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

Just ahead of Google I/O 2012, The Street claims that "Android users don't know enough to matter". Interesting story, especially considering the timing, and one that’s bound to stir lots of criticism just because it puts down all Android fans in the world.

There are plenty of references, but they sustain a flawed point of view.

Eric Jackon, writing for The Street, hones in on the 80-7 ratio -- that's the percentage of device users on the current version of iOS versus Android. The smaller number is supposed to be bad. But is it?

Android fragmentation isn’t Google’s fault nor Android’s by itself. As we all know, besides the Nexus line of phones, the rest of them are updated by the phone manufacturer whenever it wants to, then the carrier pushes updates to users, or not. The Nexus line is the only one that keeps Android stock, offering the genuine experience that Google wants. But do all people want that?

Fragmentation doesn't matter

What Jackson might call fragmentation -- he never explicitly uses that word -- I call choice. Samsung, HTC, LG and others customize stock Android to offer additional features or connect to cloud services. That translates into a different experience with each phone. Samsung TouchWiz and HTC Sense, for instance, are very different from the stock launchers used by Google. Change is for the better, and that's the principle of Android. Make it different, make it your own. Take away choice and customization and you're left with millions and millions of devices exactly the same. Like....iPhone.

Comparing all the Android devices with iPhones is a big mistake, because there isn't as much choice. Apple only has to update three devices, the iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S and not all features are available to all devices. There is fragmentation here, too, but iPhone supporters don't want to notice that. Siri is still iPhone 4S-only and this is just one example, and the feature disparity will grow when Apple releases iOS 6 later this year.

The majority of Android users have Gingerbread. Heck, Sony just released the hot Xperia ion 4G LTE, which runs Android 2.3, not 4.0. As long as apps run on the different phones, and people have lots of Androids to choose from, so-called fragmentation isn't a black eye. It's a badge of honor.

There's another way to look at fragmentation -- cloud services. Earlier this month, during its developer conference, Apple said that cumulative iOS device sales were 365 million, but there are only 125 million iCloud users. While 80 percent of iOS device users have the newest version, only about one-third connect to Apple's cloud. By comparison, Google account sign-in or creation is part of the Android setup process, which also syncs the kinds of information iCloud does on iOS. Presumably, then, the majority of more than 300 million Android devices connect to Google's cloud, which today is baked into iOS through search and maps as well.

Too Dumb to Go Online?

Jackson claims that "Apple users out-browse Google Android users by a 3.3x margin"; he uses NetApplications data cited by SlashGear for February. The newest NetApplications data isn't hard to find and puts Android usage share at 19 percent and 64 percent for Apple's mobile browser. Other reputable firms disagree. The months-old citation ignores StatCounter, which put Android's browser usage share ahead of Mobile Safari for February, and continued to do so through May.

Using comScore data, Jackson claims that "70 percent of American Android users can't seem to figure out how to use WiFi on their devices". That's based on more than two-thirds of them connecting to the Internet over carrier mobile networks, while only 29 percent of iPhone users do so, preferring WiFi. Are Android users too dumb, like he infers, or are they smarter?

In the United States, the cumulative number of iPhone users can be found on AT&T, which has a bad reputation for dropped calls and data connections. The majority of Android users can be found on the other carriers. Verizon's network reputation is stellar, while Sprint and T-Mobile offer unlimited or near-unlimited data plans. Wow, could it be more Android users choose cellular because they can -- they don't have to switch to WiFi to get to the Internet?

Android users also have faster mobile network Internet options. For example, Verizon offers more than a dozen Androids with LTE, while T-Mobile has models supporting HSPA+ at speeds up to 42Mbps. There is no LTE iPhone, and HSPA+ tops out at 14Mbps, if you can get that much from AT&T's congested network.

I could go on. There are more things that don’t add up to a quality article. It makes some valid points, but it mostly sounds like a broken record and it misses the broader point completely.

Do you use Android or iOS? What’s your take on this whole idea? Do Android users matter less than those with iOS?

'So long Apple, hello Android'

Publié: juin 24, 2012, 9:55pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Now that Samsung's Galaxy S III is kind of available here in the United States, it's past time to discuss the inevitable iPhone migration. Hey, this is the iPhone 4S killer, right?

Samsung generated a little buzz over the weekend about one tool, Media Mushroom's Easy Phone Sync. The app extends capabilities already offered by the developer's free and paid iTunes offerings. Easy Phone Sync grabs non-DRM music and videos, contacts, calendars and messages -- provided there's a backup on your PC or Mac. Near as I can tell, and someone using the app can correct me, this thing isn't iCloud friendly.

The process is two-step. The iPhone abandoner will need to install an app on Mac or PC and supported Samsung smartphone. The S3 is certain, as are Galaxy Note and S2, according to people using and rating the app. It's incompatible with my Galaxy Nexus HSPA+, also a Samsung device -- lucky I'm not moving from iPhone.

There are a scant 7 reviews at Google Play, but all are five stars. "So long Apple, hello Android", writes second-reviewer Adam. "Excellent application, copied my iPhone contacts and music over to my Galaxy S3. I can keep using iTunes and use this app to sync my music, brilliant!" Oscar, rating today, says Easy Phone Sync "deserves more than five stars".

Too bad, the same cannot be said about the Galaxy S III's US launch, which I would call near disaster. If you want one, you're lucky to get it. Apparently Samsung underestimated global demand, so there are some serious early supply problems. Quick update -- all prices with two-year contracts:

AT&T takes preorders in both colors and 16GB, for $199.99. Some preorders arrive next week, supposedly, and that without official launch date.

Sprint takes preorders for both colors and both capacities -- $199.99 (16GB) and $249.99 (32GB). The carrier officially launched June 21, and some customers got phones.

T-Mobile has the S3 online in both colors -- Pebble Blue and Marble White -- but only 16GB capacity. The 32GB models aren't available. They sell for $279.99 and $329.99, respectively. The carrier hasn't yet stocked stores. The carrier officially launched June 21, and some customers got phones.

Verizon takes preoders, and its prices are same as Sprint's. The S3 officially launches July 11.

Will you buy Samsung Galaxy S III?

I feel for those of you who preordered and will have to wait longer to dump iPhone. ;-) According to BetaNews poll "Will you buy Samsung Galaxy S III?", 19.92 percent preordered or plan to -- that's among 3,348 respondents as I post. Another 32.14 percent plan to buy within 3 months, well, assuming Samsung can meet demand. That's a helluva lot of interest among our readers. If you haven't taken the poll, please do so now.

For those of you still thinking about the S3, please read both our HSPA+ model reviews, which have quad-core processors. The US models are dual-core and LTE. Reviewer Mihaita Bamburic calls the S3 the "fastest phone available in the world", while Ian Lewis asks and answers: "Was it worth the wait? Absolutely".

Samsung has already started airing the first Galaxy S III TV commercials, and like predecessor S2, iPod idolaters are marketing target. In one 16-second spot, two Apple bees walking in a restaurant stop and look at a guy using the S3. One asks the other: "Is he texting and watching video at the same time?" The other guy asks the S3 user: "What are you doing?" You know the answer. The two guys agree that you can't text and watch video at the same time. "And yet I'm doing it", he answers.

The difference now as the anti-Apple ads ramp up: Samsung Galaxy S III owners have a utility for easily migrating their stuff from iPhone 4 or 4S.

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We’re really just on the cusp of smart home technology

Publié: juin 24, 2012, 7:35pm CEST par Nick Simpson

Today’s homes are becoming smarter and smarter, thanks to embedded technologies. While we’re a good way off from talking homes with their own personalities -- popularized on television and in the movies -- they can do amazing things.

Our homes can keep out burglars, conserve energy, control temperature and humidity and even make our morning coffee, all with little input from us. Interestingly enough, today most of those functions are independent of one another. Our "smart" homes are really a collection of decentralized smart devices, all of which make modern living easier and more comfortable.

Here’s a look at a number of the most common smart components you’ll find in today’s homes:

Security systems. There was a time when security systems were primarily a unified whole. You hired a security company to come into your home and install various pieces. The system is then monitored by the security company, which alerts authorities in the event of an emergency.

While such systems are still available, it’s becoming more and more practical to create your own security system from individual components. There are all sorts of security devices powered by embedded processors that you can use, such as:

Window and door sensors
Glass break sensors
Wireless cameras that work via your home’s WiFi network
Motion-sensitive cameras
Motion-sensitive lighting

And that’s just to name a few. You can pick up these pieces bit by bit, and many of them can actually be controlled via a WiFi connection to your smartphone. Others require you to use a personal computer as your control panel, but in many cases those implementations can also be controlled or viewed from your smartphone via a web-based interface.

Lighting. There are plenty of gadgets and devices you can use to control the lighting in your home, as well. Some of these systems hook into your circuit breaker, and control your home’s entire electrical system; others are standalone devices that might control a single lamp or an outlet.

Here again, many of these systems can be managed via a smartphone app.

Heating and cooling. Programmable thermostats were a significant advancement in terms of controlling your home’s temperature. Some of today’s programmable thermostats offer a WiFi control interface. You don’t even have to be in the home to change the temperature; you can log in to a web management console hosted on your computer via your smartphone. This enables you to change your home’s heating or cooling settings on the road, which can come in very handy when you’re travelling.

Home theater systems. There are an increasing number of entertainment systems vendors that are building their devices with WiFi capability. For example, you might be able to use a specific TV with wireless. You just download the manufacturer’s smartphone app and you've got a remote control that isn't likely to get lost in the couch cushions or run out of batteries.

Other devices are starting to appear in this category as well. Most often we’re seeing Blu-Ray players, but there are stereos on the market that take advantage of this kind of technology, too.

Appliances. Programmable coffee makers are some of the most common examples of technology that could be considered "smart home" technology. Of course, we've had these kinds of devices for years. Still, newer generations offer more features, and more and more appliances are becoming "smart".

For example, consider the "smart" refrigerator. This refrigerator allows you to keep track of your food on hand via a touchpad interface on the front of the appliance. When you’re low on something (let's say you use the last of the milk) it can automatically send you an SMS message or email that lets you know to add it to your grocery lists. Some versions of this appliance actually create and print a grocery list for you, with the necessary items marked.

There are more appliances like this on the marketplace and in development. For example, imagine being able to remotely turn off your oven 20 minutes after you’ve left the house and realized that it was still on.

We’re really just on the cusp of smart home technology. While some smart home solutions seem to be ripe for integration and centralization, for many families it makes sense to take a more decentralized approach. In fact, this may well be the trend for the future, with the smartphone or the computer taking the place of the centralized control panel.

Photo Credit: mmaxer/Shutterstock

Nick Simpson is Social Media Coordinator at Kontron, a leading designer of the box PC as well as rugged systems. Kontron caters to a number of industries including the energy, military and medical industries.

Microsoft should have bought Yammer two years ago

Publié: juin 24, 2012, 6:45pm CEST par Chris Wright

Editor's Note: On June 25, Microsoft announced acquisition of four year-old, enterprise social-networking startup Yammer, for $1.2 billion. A day earlier, in the midst of rumors, Chris Wright put the merger in context, in this sharp and insightful analysis.

Recent press reports claim that Microsoft has bought Yammer, or that they are buying Yammer, or that they at least want to buy Yammer. The scenario currently playing out isn't entirely clear, although the New York Times seems confident the deal is done. In reality, we won’t know the exact nature of what is going on until any paperwork is complete.

But the whole thing seems a little bit late to me. Why didn't Microsoft buy Yammer two years ago? Why are they only just getting round to it now?

Yammer Hammer

For those that aren't familiar with Yammer, it is an enterprise social network that owes a fair bit to Twitter, rather than the likes of Facebook. At its core is messaging and communication between users, hence the Twitter comparison. The product's feature set has expanded in recent years, and now includes a number of additions that would be familiar to users of other broader social networking tools. Earlier this year the company acquired OneDrum, which allows it to go further and add document collaboration and sharing. Yammer moved towards being a complete enterprise platform, one that has very solid social-networking foundations.

This makes Yammer's likely purchase by Microsoft even more interesting. Microsoft SharePoint is another enterprise platform, but one that has never really got to grips with social in any useful way. In fact, SharePoint pretty much missed the boat completely when it comes to social networking. The early versions of SharePoint were born from very Web 1.0 team collaboration and document management tools, with a little bit of content management thrown in for good measure.

By the time SharePoint 2010 came around, May 2010 to be exact, Facebook had 500 million users. But years earlier, when SharePoint 2010 would have been on the drawing board, social networking was still in its infancy. That isn’t to say Microsoft wasn’t watching -- they invested in Facebook in 2007 -- but clearly the SharePoint team could only do so much. SharePoint 2010 does have user profiles, basic status updates, even rudimentary walls. But I’ve yet to see a really good social SharePoint implementation, certainly one that hasn’t required heavy customization or third-party software.

So where does that leave Yammer and its acquisition by Microsoft? Well, the obvious conclusions to draw: Microsoft wants to bulk up its social output, and will use Yammer to do this. Yammer already integrates with SharePoint but Microsoft must want to go further. In addition, the company probably wants the people behind the code, which is sensible. So at some point we will see lots of bits of Yammer inside SharePoint, Lync and maybe even Office 365. But I can't help feeling it is all just a bit late.

Right Product, Wrong Time

According to Microsoft, the next version of SharePoint is due out this year, with a beta coming any time now. New versions of SharePoint On Premise, SharePoint Online (as well as the rest of Office 365) and the Office suite are all expected. Surely the purchase of Yammer is too late to affect anything we are going to see in this slew of new products? Numerous SharePoint and Office professionals who are on the special advance preview program (I'm not) have played with these new products for months. I doubt they have kept a lid on an obvious incorporation of Yammer, no matter what NDAs they signed. From a commercial point of view, Microsoft isn't going to incorporate a product it might or might not own at some point in the future. And if the sale does go through this week then there obviously isn't time to do anything this late in the development lifecycle.

It seems much more likely to me that this is a purchase for the future. SharePoint Online has been incrementally updated since its launch last year. So maybe it will see some Yammer-style updates early next year. Maybe the first service pack for the full fat version of SharePoint will bring with it some new functionality. However, it might be another year before we see an update, and past service packs have brought little more than bug fixes.

So this deal just leaves me a bit cold. If Microsoft had bought Yammer in 2010, and put it at the center of this upcoming version of SharePoint, then that would be exciting. Microsoft could have used it to fuse social to the core of the behemoth enterprise tool. It could have launched the new SharePoint in a couple of months and really hit the mark with a fresh social offering. As it stands, I don’t really expect to see Yammer as a useful part of SharePoint for a year at least.

It just all feels a bit slow, a bit reactive, and a bit typically Microsoft really. And that's a real shame.

Photo Credit: nopporn/Shutterstock

What's wrong with Larry Page?

Publié: juin 24, 2012, 4:43am CEST par Joe Wilcox

I don't own shares in Google -- or any other company, for that matter (conflict of interest). But were I a shareholder, I'd want to know why Google's CEO missed this week's shareholder meeting and will skip next week's I/O developer conference. Given that Page has only been on the job (his second time as CEO) since April 2011, visibility at big events should be a top priority. His absence already has raised health questions, and Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt isn't helping by giving a health reason (laryngitis) as reason why Page will miss Google I/O.

Google shouldn't pull an Apple and play the privacy card. Apple withheld critical information about then-CEO Steve Jobs' health during crucial junctures. He died, which says much about the severity of his illness and impact on his ability to run Apple. I've long contended shareholders had a right to know. Apple is a public company owned by them. Google is much less since cofounder Sergey Brin, Page and Schmidt are the majority stakeholders. They should be informed, and surely are, if no one else. Nevertheless, Google's shares are publicly traded. If something is up (or down) with Page's health, Google should say so. If he's okay, stop the ill-health rumor stories by publicly saying so.

Lost Voice

The latter is the more important. If Page's health is generally good, Google should issue a brief statement to quell rumors. Apparently, he sent a memo (that I haven't seen) to employees stating "there is nothing seriously wrong with me". Well, is there something not so serious but worrisome. The lost voice excuse that Schmidt gives isn't believable -- not for a CEO of a company like Google. People of Page's caliber are paid to stand up even when they feel so crappy all they want to do is lie down.

During high school, I got laryngitis the day before the drama club performed a big play. My teacher told me to heap Vicks Vapor Rub into a sink filled with steaming water, pull a towel over my head, lean into the mist and breathe. I couldn't say two words without sounding indistinguishable from my grandfather, who had emphysema and walked around with an oxygen tank. There was no cure for my voice, I assured her. But there was. The old teach (well, she was actually young and dreamy) knew her stuff. Next day, I got my voice back, and the show went on, as they say.

But Google I/O will go on without Page, unless he gets his voice back before Wednesday. Can I order you some eucalyptus oil from Amazon, Larry? I've got Prime and could get the order to you by Tuesday afternoon. My teacher knew her voice cures. Or perhaps losing his voice is code for stage freight. Page doesn't exactly strike me as the outgoing type. But we're not friends or anything, so how could I know for sure.

Page publicly posted to Google+ today for the first time in nearly a month. I don't see anything surprising in the distance between posts, since there are likely so many more to limited Circles. Just because we don't see the posts doesn't mean there aren't lots of them. Maybe Page really is convalescing, and he had time to post today.

No Private Matter

When Jobs suddenly took medical leave in January 2009 and again two years later, I stood fast that his health isn't a private matter. Similarly, as leader of a public company, Page has no inherent right to privacy where his ability to act as CEO is concerned. The Securities and Exchange Commission doesn't explicitly require disclosure of executives' health-related issues, but it should.

Presuming that Page might be in ill-health but qualifying there's no indication he is, Google shouldn't hold back like Apple did. Google operates by an "open principles" philosophy that includes transparency reports about different aspects of its business. By that measure, Google has a higher obligation to be transparent about its chief executive than Apple, which corporate culture is all about veils of secrecy.

That said, I feel less strongly about Page disclosing health information than Jobs. Simple reason: Outside shareholders are Apple's major owners. Three insiders, all top executives, have controlling interest in Google. However, in the spirit of transparency Google touts and out of respect for the many shareholders, the company should come clean.

The Echo Chamber

The temptation to keep secrets is understandable. There's presumption that bad news about the CEO's well-being can send the share price falling. But Apple performs better following Jobs' death than before, and he was an icon -- the good taste messiah of tech. Jobs' illness and death posed much greater threat to Apple than any news about Page could pose to Google.

Besides, Schmidt ran the company for a decade before Page resumed the helm. He's the man who is the backup plan. The executive chairman brings confidence that Google will be in good hands. I wouldn't sweat the share price, no matter what the news -- that's assuming there is anything to disclose (I assume not, actually).

At the least, if Page is as healthy as my grandfather's prized hog, just say so. Squelch the rumors and speculation. Silence allows the echo chamber of blogs and news sites to fill the quiet with noise. The link in this post's first paragraph goes to Wall Street Journal story "What's ailing Google's chief?" (Damnit, I saw this one after picking the similar headline to this story. I'm too attached to change it.) The Journal will be copied everywhere by Monday. Without Google's response, the echo chamber will resound with crazy stories and by the time I/O starts on Wednesday you'll think Page might soon join Jobs.

Perhaps Page is just too busy to attend both events, or he's working on some all-consuming skunk works project Google wants to keep secret. Maybe there is some family crisis, like someone seriously sick. There are lots of reasons why Page is MIA, and none have to do with his health. Perhaps if not for Jobs, the blog and news site echo chamber wouldn't be so sensitive to the slightest hint of another stricken CEO. It's all the more reason for Google to break the silence.

Photo Source: Larry Page's Google+ profile

26 software downloads you shouldn't miss this week

Publié: juin 24, 2012, 12:40am CEST par Joe Cassels

As we reach the end of June, commercial developers are busy preparing software for a Q3 launch, so we’ll be entering a lean period for key, new releases. This doesn’t mean it was a quiet week; far from it. TechSmith released Camtasia 8.0 for Windows and 2.2 for Mac. This powerful screen-recording tool will enable you to produce professional-level presentations for just about any audience.

If you’re seeking an image editor to complement your screen recording toolkit, look no further than the free GIMPshop 2.8. This is effectively the popular GIMP, wrapped up in a different and user-friendly interface. The various K-Lite Codec Packs are a collection of codecs you can use to play video and audio content on your PC. Although it’s becoming more of a challenge to find videos that won’t play on your PC, there are still plenty encoded using a compression format that was more popular in the early part of the previous decade. Download K-Lite Codec Pack 8.92 Basic, the Standard pack, Full or Mega, which also contains a number of conversion tools.

On the same theme, take a close look at the Freemake Audio Box 0.9.4, which received a small update this week. This powerful search tool will enable you to locate and find free audio across the Internet. Winamp 5.63 was made available, whilst MakeMKV 1.7.4 will take your DVDs and Blu-rays and convert them to a MKV file you can use for streaming to your PC or TV.

One of our favorite hard drive management tools received an update this week. Paragon Backup & Recovery 2012 Free Rev.2 is a surprisingly powerful and comprehensive backup (and recovery) tool. The latest version ships with Windows 8 Release Preview support. Paragon Software also updated the commercial versions of Hard Disk Manager 12 Suite and Hard Disk Manager 12 Professional. Note, both are provided as function-limited demos.

You’d be surprised how many applications require Microsoft’s .NET Framework to operate. Most are seamless as .NET Framework is embedded within the Windows operating system. If the framework fails to work correctly, it’s very difficult to resolve and, as a result, applications may refuse to launch. The Microsoft .NET Framework Repair Tool 1.0 will scan your computer, look for .NET Framework issues and, hopefully, resolve them.

The powerful free virtualization manager, VirtualBox 4.1.18 received a welcome update this week, along with the VirtualBox Extension Pack 4.1.18. A virtualization tool will enable you to host and run another operating system on top of Windows, without the guest operating system affecting your regular installation. Ideal for testing a Linux distro or Windows 8 Release Preview. Another good reason for using a virtualization manager is to test new software in a sandboxed environment (you can quickly revert back to a previous working snapshot) or for developers to test their software in Windows XP running as a guest OS.

The week was surprisingly free of any major web browser releases, which makes a change. Firefox Australis 16.0.1a is a sideline project based on Firefox Nightly, with a (slightly) refined user-interface. Google Chrome 12 Dev received an upgrade and is worth a mention for it’s improved Windows 8 Metro UI support. Retina MacBook Pro users might want to take a look at Google Canary v22, which is Google’s answer to Mozilla’s Firefox Nightly. The latest Google Canary now ships with basic support for Retina Mac’s.

IObit Advanced SystemCare with Antivirus 2013 takes their popular (yes, it is popular) system optimization tool and combines it with an antivirus engine from established security developers, Bitdefender. On the theme of security, MailWasher Free 2012 received its first major upgrade for a couple of years. Free version is very limited, with the commercial MailWasher Pro 2012 offering more functionality, albeit at a cost. LastPass 2.00 is a major upgrade to the secure password manager. KeyScrambler Personal 2.9.2 will securely scramble everything you type in to your web browser.

Other highlights this week include Geekbench 2.3.3, which Windows, Mac and Linux users can use to benchmark their computers and compare against other users. ImDisk 1.5.7 is a handy free tool that can be used to mount ISO files on your desktop, QuickMove 1.1.8 is a simple file management tool, whilst ExtremeCopy 2.1 Standard attempts to speed up file copying within Windows.

Photo Credit: Rafaël Croonen/Shutterstock

Microsoft Surface can win you over

Publié: juin 24, 2012, 12:16am CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

People can't stop talking about Microsoft Surface. It’s a very hot and disputed topic. Some critics say that the tablets (there are two) will fail, while others are enthusiastic. There's heated discussion about price, too.

For me and many others like me, Surface is the only tablet that can be used for more than common tasks -- certainly not Apple's iPad. Windows is a very powerful platform, and most professionals need it for work. I want to tell you why you need Surface.

The tablets

Even if you know the specs -- well, what little Microsoft disclosed -- there’s need to discuss them (again) from another perspective. The specs serve a purpose choosing the right tablet for your needs; choosing wrong is not an option.

Microsoft Surface with Windows RT: 10.6-inch ClearType HD display; 32GB/64GB storage; microSD, USB 2.0 and Micro HD Video ports; 2x2 MIMO antennae; and Office 15. Weighs 676 grams and is 9.3 mm thick.

Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Professional: 10.6-inch ClearType HD display; 64GB/128GB storage; microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video ports; and 2x2 MIMO antennae. Weighs 903 grams and is 13.5 mm thick.

Microsoft Surface with Windows RT

Let’s take them one at a time. Surface with Windows RT brings something that no Android or iPad offers. Microsoft puts Office 15 on the table (or tablet, if you will). Most of us edit documents, make presentations, need a reliable email client and so on. Having such a powerful program as Office preinstalled is reason enough for many to choose this tablet over any competing one. There are alternatives to Office, but none are as good nor as useful. I’d be lost without Office. So far, Microsoft Surface RT is the only tablet that can satisfy this need for me.

But there's more. Having a keyboard does wonders for productivity and that USB port isn’t there for bragging rights. What Microsoft wants to do is give people a tablet that really can replace a computer. The case doubles as a keyboard and the tablet has a kickstand. Plug in a mouse and you’re ready to go everywhere, while doing your work. This has more potential than many people imagine.

Is it the right tablet for you? Much depends on your needs and what you like personally, but I am sure that for many people that would like a tablet and professional programs installed, this fits the bill. Can it fully replace a desktop or laptop? I think it can, but only if the applications support Metro or the ones designed for Windows 8 (desktop version) and below will work as intended on Windows RT. If they don’t, Microsoft has got a solution for that too.

Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Professional

This one appeals more to me. I need processing power, and the balance with light weight is a great bonus. Surface with Windows 8 Pro weighs 903 grams, or 2 lbs, and it can fully replace my laptop, and should run every single program I need. My world revolves around using design programs like AutoCAD, structural analysis applications such as Robot Structural Analysis Professional and engineering calculation software like MathCAD.

I study civil engineering and the programs that I need only work on Windows. There’s no other way for me to do my assignments other than having the right and only software platform available, which (light bulbs start glowing) is Windows. Some other well-known programs that will fit this scenario: Adobe Photoshop, Acrobat Reader Professional, Maya3D, VMware (if supported by the CPU) or Microsoft Virtual PC and many, many others. The list could go on, but you get my idea.

If developers make their current programs compatible with Windows RT, the other Surface will also make waves and it will be the more significant one of the two. Its competitors, mainly the iPad, don't offer the range of apps -- and certainly not those running on a real PC operating system.

How Much?

Price is a big consideration, but a mystery. Microsoft hasn't said how much either Surface will sell for, other than to say RT will be competitive with iPad and Pro with ultrabooks. A lot of speculations are made on price and the most current rumors are just that, rumors. The Windows 8 Professional model will be more expensive due to better specs, if nothing else.

Which should You Buy?

You’re faced with two choices: Get a Surface tablet and do real work, or get another tablet -- Android or iPad -- and do your work on a PC. From this point of view, I find Microsoft Surface to be a no-brainer. Editor's Note: Don't forget third-party tablets running Windows RT or Windows 8 Pro as alternatives.

I think that Microsoft didn’t design these tablets for everyone that might be interested in one, but those people who want the power of Windows and the applications behind it. People who have work to do, who need to be productive, not those who sit around and play. If this is what Microsoft has in mind, Surface is it. But the price has to be right. And as we all know, the right price doesn’t always mean cheap.

The best tagline for the new Microsoft Surface is: "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts".

I’m very interested in hearing your opinion about whether these tablets would fit your requirements for a tablet and how they could influence your day to day living. Please share in comments.

Apple's patent case against Motorola is over

Publié: juin 23, 2012, 4:08am CEST par Joe Wilcox

One thing I have to say about US District Judge Richard Posner, he doesn't mince words. He's direct and cutting. If only there were more jurists like him on the bench. Cut he did today, in an order slicing Apple and Motorola to bits -- but the fruit-logo company he turned to mush. In a 38-page opinion and order, the judge effectively ended Apple's patent lawsuit against Motorola. Apple can appeal, but it's finished presenting before Posner.

"It would be ridiculous to dismiss a suit for failure to prove damages and allow the plaintiff to refile the suit so that he could have a second chance to prove damages", he writes. "This case is therefore dismissed with prejudice; a separate order to that effect is being entered today". Ouch.

Posner chopped Apple, its case, demands for damages and the legal arguments supporting the lawsuit, following trains of thought he expressed in recent court hearings. That Posner dismissed the case isn't surprising. The fierce rhetoric and how deeply it cuts surprises.

What I found most interesting: Apple's attempt to do with the court what it does elsewhere -- use clever marketing to convince and cajole. Posner wants nothing but substantive legal arguments in his courtroom. He writes:

In its latest written and oral submissions Apple attempts what I told its legal team at a pretrial conference I would not let it do in the liability trials then envisaged: turn the case into an Apple versus Motorola popularity contest. Apple wanted me to allow into evidence media reports attesting to what a terrific product the iPhone is. I said I would not permit this because the quality of the iPhone (and of related Apple products, primarily the iPad) and consumers' regard for it have, so far as the record shows, nothing to do with the handful of patent claims that I had ruled presented triable issues of infringement. Apple’s 'feel good' theory does not indicate that infringement of these claims (if they were infringed) reduced Apple’s sales or market share, or impaired consumer goodwill toward Apple products.

The case is important to Apple, or was. Google now owns Motorola, setting up a direct patent fight between the companies and an outcome that could affect all Android, not just a licensee. But Posner wouldn't let the case go that far.

Not that he showed much love for Motorola either and its attempts to get damages from Apple for using what are commonly called FRAND -- "free, reasonable and non-discriminatory" -- or RAND patents. To participate in technology standards, patent holders agree to license on reasonable terms. These cover what are typically called "standard essential patents" that are broadly adopted and necessary, meaning certain products require them.

Posner stated many reasons why Motorola's demands aren't reasonable. Among them: "The Federal Trade Commission recently issued a policy statement which implies that injunctive relief is indeed unavailable for infringement of a patent governed by FRAND".

While both sides are losers, Apple had the most to gain, and so the most to lose. Motorola's FRAND claims already were tenuous at best. From Posner's perspective, neither side made a compelling case for damages or calculation of them. Nor compelling reason for them.

Photo Credit: JustASC/Shutterstock

Live Capture grabs the grub from your PC's screen

Publié: juin 23, 2012, 1:15am CEST par Mike Williams

Most PC users need to capture an image of their screen from time to time, and Windows’ ability to grab the full screen and active window will usually be enough. Opting for a specialist screen grabber can give you considerably more options, though, and the open source Live Capture is a particularly good example.

The program allows you to draw a rectangular (or freehand) area you’d like to capture, for instance. It can grab the contents of a fixed area of the screen. There’s an option to grab a program menu, and the Window Control Capture tool makes it easy to grab specific elements of a window: a toolbar, say, or the folder tree in Explorer.

More advanced options include the Web Capture tool, which grabs an image of a web page. The Auto Scroll option aims to scroll a program window, ensuring all of its content can be captured (although this was the one feature which didn’t always work for us). And the Timing Capture tool grabs an image at the time you specify, and can then take further captures at a defined interval, optionally turning them into an animated GIF.

Live Capture’s configurability is a major plus point. Each capture type has its own customisable hotkey, for instance. Images may be saved as PNG, GIF, JPG or BMP files, either with an automatically generated name or one you provide. And once the image has been captured, then you can have the program open it in an application, print it out, upload it to the web (perhaps your own FTP server), and more.

And the program includes several useful bonus tools: a screen magnifier, ruler, colour picker, palette viewer and more.

Live Capture still isn’t quite as good as the best of the commercial competition. Editing and annotation options are limited, for instance, and you don’t get canned options to upload your grabs to Facebook, Flickr and so on.

The program’s interface can be a little quirky, too, which means it may take you longer than usual to figure out how everything works.

Once you have mastered the basics, though, Live Capture proves a very capable screen grab tool, highly configurable and packed with essential features. Two thumbs up from us.

Photo Credit: olly/Shutterstock

Ahead of Google I/O, Android is the tortoise winning the race

Publié: juin 23, 2012, 12:21am CEST par Tim Conneally

The annual Google developer convention I/O will take place next week. Like Apple's WWDC and Microsoft's TechEd, it is the big summer event where the world is given a look at each of the respective companies' plans for the coming year.

Google is expected to announce a lot of staggering new stuff, like its own branded sub-$200 tablet and its own Cloud platform to rival Amazon Web Services.

But what I am anticipating most eagerly is Google's answer to Apple's look at iOS 6, and Microsoft's early peek at Windows Phone 8: a look at the next version of Android. The last few months have proven to be an exciting ramp-up to the first look at what's next for Android.

Firstly, there has been a major turnaround in platform exclusives in 2012. Last April, the wildly popular iOS exclusive Instagram was released for Android, and the iPhone elitests whined. Three weeks ago, Instapaper, which was founded and run by an iOS favoritist broke exclusivity and came to Android.

Perhaps the biggest symbolic Android port was released on Thursday, when athletic footwear company Nike pushed out its Nike+ Running App for Android. That application existed on Apple products before there was even an iPhone or iPad to speak of. Six years ago, Nike+ debuted on the freakin' iPod Nano.

So even the PMP market-owning iPod is being offset by the gradual rise of the smartphone, and the presence of Android within that market is simply too commanding for Nike to avoid any more.

Friday, to add fuel to the fire, Flipboard, the two-year old "social magazine" exclusive to iOS that was heralded as a "paradigm shift" for news consumption launched on Android.

In terms of sheer volume of content, Apple is still in the lead, but that margin is shrinking. Last February, there were more than 720,000 apps in the iTunes app store, and according to AppBrain, Android is trucking along with 467,603 apps.

It's a very different story from three years ago, when Apple dominated the app space with five iOS apps to every Android app. Now, that difference has shrunk to just about one and a half iOS apps for every Android app. And as we have recently seen, platform exclusive apps don't stay that way for long.

Still, Flurry Analytics recently said that "for every 10 apps that developers build, roughly 7 are for iOS" thanks to Android's prevalent device fragmentation and lower profit margins per app.

But Apple's upcoming iOS 6 release has already been called "catch-up technology" where Apple is just adding features that have long been present in Android, such as including turn-by-turn navigation, deep Facebook integration, video chat over mobile connections, and canned SMS responses to missed calls. To be frank, the next version of iOS looks forgettable.

Meanwhile, the biggest takeaway about Windows Phone 8 was the fact that no devices will be able to upgrade to it. It was another not-so-great announcement for mobile platforms.

So next week will present a golden opportunity for Google to impress developers and users with something new and cool... something like, the Ubuntu Android webtop would be a start, don't you think?

But really, a big announcement could be anything, as long as it's memorable and nobody gets screwed over in the process of making it real, the slow and steady takeover of Android can continue unabated.

Rackspace exec says Amazon Web Services is doing it wrong

Publié: juin 22, 2012, 7:50pm CEST par Ed Oswald

The rift between Amazon and its cloud competitors got a little wider on Thursday after Amazon Web Services' dominance in the market took center stage at the GigaOM Structure conference in San Francisco. Rackspace president Lew Moorman called for an open alternative to AWS, and warned the service is creating vendor lock-in.

Rackspace and Amazon are becoming increasingly bitter rivals as competition in the cloud heats up. Moorman's company is one of the leading participants in OpenStack, an open-sourced cloud standard. Amazon does not follow cloud standards, and that has lead to the development of OpenStack rivals such as CloudStack.

Soon Rackspace will compete directly with Amazon on the IaaS front, offering a cloud hosting service similar to AWS based on OpenStack, starting in August. Moorman obviously has a vested interest in pointing out Amazon's negatives.

Vendor lock-in is one area that Moorman has an issue with. "Once you’re integrated into a cloud provider it’s very tempting to use proprietary features of those clouds", he said. "And Amazon’s made great advances here and launched a lot of great services like SimpleDB and DynamoDB. But once you use these applications and once you use these components, you are truly fused to that cloud provider."

Another point Moorman brought up in his talk was the subject of AWS API cloning. Eucalyptus is an example of this. The company, which open-sourced its software that clones AWS APIs locally on Tuesday, is obviously who he is talking about. AWS endorsed Eucalyptus' activities back in March.

Moorman warned that simply cloning the API would not be enough. Since AWS is proprietary, those who clone the API would be simply baking the same compatibility issues into their own deployments that already exist in the AWS cloud.

"There’s the basic fact that APIs are nothing more than an interface to real technology", he argued. "They’re a bridge, a protocol. But the truth of the matter is the cloud is not a protocol".

Flipboard finally brings its magazine-like news reader to Android

Publié: juin 22, 2012, 6:34pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Flipboard, the social newsreader with a stylish magazine-like design, has emerged from beta and is now available free for all Android devices, including the Kindle Fire (although it’s optimized for smartphones rather than tablets). Editor's Note: It's not compatible with my ASUS Transformer Pad 300 -- curses.

The app lets you build a magazine made up of topics that interest you. Categories on offer include News, Technology, Flipboard Picks, Design, Photography, Politics, Sports, Style, Film, and Travel. Content is pulled from a range of quality sites like the BBC, Wired Magazine, and USA Today, and fully localized. American readers will see something different from British or Australian users.

Once your magazine has been built, you flip through it by moving your finger up or down. Open an article and swipe left or right to move from page to page. If you don’t have time to browse all of the news, a cool Cover Stories section will let you view a selection of the latest top stories. Swiping your finger downwards from the front screen will refresh the contents.

Connect the app to your social accounts and you’ll also be able to see what your friends have read or shared. Flipboard supports all the usual services, including Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, YouTube, and Google Reader.

You can search for anything in the app, including topics, people, your favourite sites, and hashtags.

Sign up for a free Flipboard account and you’ll be able to read your magazine across all of your compatible devices. Stories that interest you can be saved to Instapaper, Pocket, or Readability.

Flipboard is a latecomer to Android -- iOS users have had the app for longer. Android isn't the only news. Google+ and YouTube are now available. Meanwhile, Flipboard users in Germany, Italy, Korea, Netherlands and Spain enjoy full-translated interfaces and regional recommendations.

Menu Uninstaller Lite makes removing apps a whole lot easier

Publié: juin 22, 2012, 5:26pm CEST par Mike Williams

Uninstalling a program within Windows can take a little work. You might have to head off to Control Panel, find the “Uninstall a program” applet, wait for it to display (which can take a few seconds in itself on some systems, as Windows calculates “disk space used” figures and more), then find and double-click your unwanted application.

Menu Uninstaller Lite could make your life a little simpler, though. Once installed removing any program is as easy as right-clicking its shortcut, selecting the new Uninstall option and confirming your decision. Menu Uninstaller will then find and launch its regular uninstall application, which will remove it as usual.

What you won’t get here is any additional cleanup support. Menu Uninstaller can’t monitor installations. It doesn’t search your system post-uninstall for application remnants. The program’s sole purpose is to add and support its Uninstall context menu option; the job of removing each application will be carried out by its standard uninstall tool, just as before.

And we also had a small privacy concern in that Menu Uninstaller demands your name and email address before it’ll install, unusual for such a basic tool. (Although, to be fair, a checkbox allows you to opt out of being sent promotional emails.)

If you can live with that, though, there’s no denying that having the Uninstall option available from a program shortcut is more convenient. And if you regularly install and remove programs then Menu Uninstaller Lite will probably be a welcome addition to your PC.

Photo Credit: Pavel Ignatov/Shutterstock

Prepaid wireless gets some respect

Publié: juin 22, 2012, 4:53pm CEST par Madeline Marshall

It is time to sing the praises of prepaid wireless in an economy that is still uncertain. Too often we fall victim to 2-year contracts because one of the big-five US carriers offers the latest in smartphone technologies at a seeminglylow price. You only feel the pain 6 months or a year down the road when the newest Android or iPhone releases and you are still stuck in your contract.

We all remember the days when prepaid was not the choice to make if you wanted a top of the line phone. Carriers like Virgin Mobile or Boost offered great plans with more minutes than most of the big five. The problem was the phones were horrible. Sure, they covered the basics -- you could talk for hours, text, and if lucky, you had some type of a data package to check emails. The phones were not glamorous in form or function and they lacked the service that consumers got from AT&T or Verizon.

Only recently have the prepaid service providers stepped up their game and become competitors in this lucrative market. Sprint has run out in front of the other carriers, owning both Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile. Sprint now offers top-rated phones at reasonable prices with no commitments.

The New Millenium Research Council believes that one in four Americans use prepaid service as of right now. John Weber from IDC predicts that the prepaid market will increase by at least 7 percent growth each year up until 2016. In this new economy, that is a good sign of recovery.

Traditionally, prepaid allowed people who couldn't afford or qualify for contract phones to get them. However, "this segment of low-credit prospects represents a discrete subset of the overall wireless market", says Nielsen's Bruce Wilkinson. Among respondents to a recent survey, nearly 50 percent give one of five "non-credit related reasons" for choosing prepaid. Simplicity, no monthly bill and no lengthy contract rank highest.

Carriers are responding by offering better phones. Virgin Mobile released the Motorola Triumph last year featuring a 4-inch touch screen ushering in a new era for prepaid service. It also debuted at under $300. Boost now has a variety of touchscreen devices for low prices. Your dedication to them also gets you perks, the biggest being their shrinkage packages.

Virgin Mobile will go even farther, releasing the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4s on June 29. The cost is $549 and $649 respectively. Cricket started offering both iPhone models today, for $399 and $499, respectively, in 59 cities. Even the smaller provider US Cellular offers the Galaxy II for $399.

This may seem like a large amount to pay out at one time, but the monthly packages are priced so low, the phones pay for themselves in no time. Signing up for a 2-year contract with AT&T when purchasing the iPhone 4S- 16GB, subscribers will spend at least $1,600 plus all taxes and fees AT&T feels are applicable. If you have the capital to purchase the Virgin Mobile version, the cost over a two year period is only $720 for the smallest plan.

If the other carriers don’t offer something decent in the prepaid line soon, Sprint is going to win the race by a landslide. Boost offers unlimited data in all of its packages going no higher than $55 per month; a current promotion reduces unlimited talk and text payments to as low as $30/month for customers who stay longer and pay their bills on time. Most of the devices run Android Froyo or higher.

In this changing economy, prepaid is a wonderful alternative to contract plans. So if you are having a hard time deciding which way to go when picking a phone or a phone plan, you should give the prepaid service a go. You can always leave it behind, should you choose to, and there are no cancellation fees!

Enterprise IT will kick Microsoft Surface to the curb

Publié: juin 22, 2012, 3:21pm CEST par Randall C. Kennedy

What a week! Just when I thought Microsoft could never be as cool as Apple, bang! Here comes Surface (no, not that Surface) to shatter my preconceptions about the weather in Seattle and its effect on product innovation.

Surface is sleek, sexy, and, dare I say it, kind of cool. It’s got this rockin’ kickstand thingy at the back, a neat-o magnetic keyboard/cover and is made from some cutting-edge alloy straight out of a Star Trek episode (specifically, Voyager -- DS9 would never stoop so low). In short, Surface has all the ingredients of an iPad killer. But while it may achieve some success in the consumer space, enterprise IT shops won’t touch it with a 3-meter pole.

Sorry, Microsoft, but you should know by now that IT doesn’t shop at the mall. Nor do we buy one-off marvels from an unproven vendor. Sure, you have all sorts of experience designing and supporting enterprise software. However, enterprise hardware is a very different game, with its own rules for how products are developed and introduced.

Surface Breaks the Rules

Rule #1: It needs to be manageable. A sleek, industrial look means little if you can’t remotely diagnose a failed unit. Ignoring for a second the "RT" (i.e. consumer) version, will Surface "Pro" support the full range of pre-boot diagnostics? In other words, will we have the same kinds of robust troubleshooting capabilities that we do with virtually any premium-brand enterprise desktop/laptop? Or will "send it in to IT for repair/replacement" be our only option?

Rule #2: It needs to be engineered for IT. Many large IT shops are intimately involved with the design and specs of the products they’ll purchase. When I worked with Morgan Stanley, the PC platform folks told HP what they wanted in their next generation workstation chassis and the company dutifully complied (see the HP xw6200 for an example of the end result).

Given the secrecy surrounding Surface’s development, I seriously doubt that Microsoft has engaged its enterprise customers at this level. So what we’re getting is essentially a shiny black box. And IT doesn’t like black boxes.

Rule #3: It must have a well-defined lifecycle. IT doesn’t buy one-offs. We want to see a clear roadmap, from conception to deployment to long-term maintenance/support. What do we do when a unit fails? Whom do we call? Microsoft Consulting Services? What plans are in place to support enterprise customers who expect an instant response to technical questions and immediate troubleshooting and/or replacement of defective units? And will these same types of services be available on smaller scale for SMEs?

Bring Your What?

The tablet market is in a state of hyper-development. New product designs and form factors are flying out of the idea labs faster than we can write about them. For Microsoft, the challenge will be balancing the desire to peel-back some of Apple's dominance while still preserving its relationship with core enterprise customers. And foisting an unmanageable, "me too" glamor product onto an unsuspecting IT world is not the way to treat your most consistent source of high-margin revenue.

BYOD was bad enough with all of the RDF "sheeple" toting their iPads to work with them. In that case, we could argue that iOS wasn’t supported for corporate use. But what do we do when they start showing up with Surface? After all, it runs Windows! The corporate standard! How do we say no to it running on a tablet and yes to it running on a laptop/desktop?

Microsoft had better sort this out pronto, or they’ll find that even "Corning Gorilla Glass 2.0" won’t be enough to save their image once enterprise IT kicks Surface to the curb.

Photo Credit: AlexandreNunes/Shutterstock

Use ImDisk to mount ISO images as virtual discs

Publié: juin 22, 2012, 2:30pm CEST par Mike Williams

One of the plus points of Windows 8 is that it can natively mount an ISO image as a virtual disk, allowing you to browse it without requiring a physical disc. If you’d like to have that ability right now, though, there’s no need to wait -- the free ImDisk provides capable ISO handling and a whole lot more.

If you’d like to take a closer look at an ISO file, for instance, then right-click it, select “Mount as ImDisk Virtual Drive” > OK, and in a few seconds the image will be available within Explorer as a new virtual drive. (The program supports NRG images, too.)

Maybe you’d like to create an ISO file of your own? Right-click the drive with the image, select “Save disk contents as image file”, and the program will create an ISO image for you.

You don’t have to stop with optical discs, though. If you’ve built up a great portable toolkit on a USB drive, say, then you can create an image of its contents in exactly the same way. Which could work as a backup, or an easy way to share the files with others.

And the program can even create a RAM-based virtual disk. This may help drive-bound programs run much more quickly, for instance. Or you might improve privacy by using a RAM disk to store a program’s activity-related details, like your web history (you’ll know they’ve gone when you next reboot).

There are plenty of options here for advanced users, including an extensive command line interface which means you can automate just about any ImDisk option from your own scripts.

But even if you’re not so technical, the program is still very accessible. ImDisk may display plenty of options when you’re mounting an image, for instance, but the default settings work well, so most of the time you can ignore them all and just click “OK”.

Perhaps most remarkable of all, though, is that the program comes in the form of a 312KB installer, which runs just fine on anything from Windows NT 4.0 (no, really) through to Windows Server 2008, and all the 32 and 64-bit editions in between. ImDisk really is an excellent piece of efficient coding, and if you don’t currently have a good way to work with virtual disks then you should definitely give it a try.

Photo Credit: AISPIX by Image Source/Shutterstock

What will it take to make Linux popular?

Publié: juin 22, 2012, 8:28am CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

In a recent interview Linus Torvalds, the mastermind behind the Linux kernel, said that the operating system is not as popular as Windows on consumer PCs because it doesn’t come preinstalled. Manufacturers sell the computers they make with an operating system on board, which most of the time is Windows. Why can’t it be Linux instead?

According to Net Applications, in 2011, sales estimates have Linux at roughly 1.5 percent usage share on desktop and laptop computers. Windows on the other hand was evaluated at 92 percent in the same estimate. The discrepancy in sales points out few of the issues that Linux has to overcome in order to reach a broader market adoption, but it can also provide a solution.

The Glitch

Here lies the problem behind Torvalds' thinking. He believes that there is a direct relation between Android coming preinstalled and its success and that this can be mirrored by Linux by coming preinstalled on new PCs.

The problem is that Android is a mobile operating system and it is designed from the start to operate like one. The popularity of Android can’t be attributed to it coming preinstalled on mobile phones and tablets, as this is a basic assumption that it does and we expect it to work this way. Nobody would want to install the OS on the device right after buying it. It’s just not natural. The popularity of Android comes from the whole user experience, the diversity it offers in the market and the performance of the devices running it, among other reasons, but none of them is that it comes preinstalled.

On the other hand, Linux is not designed to work the way Android does on smartphones. Android is indeed derived from Linux, but the interface is not like any interface made for Linux. To make "popularity happen", a redesigned interface should be offered that would provide a similar experience to Android.

It may not be ideal for power users, but most buyers are not experienced setting up a Linux distribution; for them, ease of use is just critical. Any bump in the road can be very challenging and even considered a dead end. Linux developers must paving the road by rethinking what the market needs to open itself to alternatives to Windows.

But There is a Solution

There is some logic behind Torvalds' thinking. Linux needs support from computer manufacturers like Dell, HP, Acer, ASUS, etc. The big players need to offer the option to have a distribution (flavor of Linux if you will) preinstalled that is user friendly and at the same time can satisfy all the user’s needs (like an available office suite for instance). It has to have all the basics covered and work from there.

A very good place to start is to provide a consistent user experience that doesn’t involve the user needing to know anything related to how the operating system works. Why? Because the majority of people buying a new PC expect it to work from the beginning; they don't want to deal with installing drivers or the complexity of setting up every detail on a freshly installed operating system. The Linux community needs to treat every person as a guest into their ecosystem and not demand active membership. The guest should have everything at his or her disposal, but shouldn’t need to work too much to get it, other than taking a few simple steps.

It Can Be Done

"How could that be possible?" you ask. The idea behind this is not too complicated and it involves a simple recipe: find a rounded Linux distribution as a starting point with good community support (like Ubuntu for instance) then make sure it works perfectly on the computers you want to sell it on and then help people set it up before they go home with it. Imagine not having to do anything when you get home and just use what you just bought -- no tinkering required.

The world doesn’t need to get introduced to the hardcore part of Linux. If you want that you already have it and that’s why I think a fresh set of ideas should be implemented to pave the way for Linux to become more popular in the consumer market. This is what the people that want to make this happen should fight for.

Trying to make something that isn’t completely user friendly work is a more difficult process in the long term than just starting fresh. Trying to create a completely redesigned OS from the start is not necessary. The parts are ready, they just need to get packaged right.

What do you think should be done? Could this idea work or is it just wishful thinking?

Linus Trovald's interview at Aalto University in Finland is embedded above. Watch out for the kind words towards nVidia at the end. Perhaps you heard about them already?

Local Website Archive easily saves the pages you need most

Publié: juin 22, 2012, 6:15am CEST par Mike Williams

When carrying out research online you may often find important pages that you’d like to save, and of course you might do this by simply clicking File > Save from your browser. The results can be a little messy, though, with files and folders scattered everywhere, and reviewing the pages later might be difficult.

Local Website Archive tries to help by storing the pages for you. There’s no need to worry about file names or folders -- the program can handle all of that -- and when you’re done you’ll have a neatly presented archive of pages, which is far easier to browse and search.

The process starts in your browser (IE, Firefox, Chrome and Opera are supported). Just search the web as normal, and when you’ve found something interesting, switch to Local Website Archive and click Add. The program grabs the URL and name of the current page from the browser, and can then save it in the current archive in a couple of clicks.

If you’d like to get a little more organized, though, you can customise the website name, or have the page saved in a particular archive subfolder. And it’s also possible to add your own text notes to a saved page, perhaps useful as reminder of whatever content you found particularly interesting.

But even if you don’t go that far, what you’ll be left with is a convenient list of saved pages. These can be reviewed at any time in Local Website Archive’s internal browser (even if you’re offline). And the program’s search tool helps you scan all of these for the particular data you need.

If you’re reasonably disciplined then you could plainly do a lot of this with Windows alone. You might create a new folder for a specific research project, say; save your pages there; each file will be given the name of the page, and you could use Windows Search to locate specific content of interest.

Local Website Archive still does a little more, though, while keeping everything very straightforward, and could be of use to anyone who regularly carries out research online.

And if you like the idea then there is a more powerful Pro version available, too. This can import text and HTML documents from a predefined folder, is able to archive PDF files via a PDF printer, and includes additional management tools: you can rate documents, highlight them, mark them as read, highlight or edit text in archived documents, and more. Prices start at around $38 and you can find out more at the author’s site.

Photo Credit: RAJ CREATIONZS/Shutterstock

Google seeks to save 3,000+ languages from extinction

Publié: juin 22, 2012, 12:19am CEST par Wayne Williams

English, Spanish, French, German, Mandarin… How many different languages can you name? At a guess, probably no more than about twenty, which sounds bad when you consider there are an estimated 7,000 languages being spoken every day somewhere on our planet. The vast majority of these are, of course, virtually unknown, and used by a very small portion of the world’s population.

In fact, according to National Geographic, the 3,500 smallest languages are spoken by just 8.25 million people, and the tiniest of these native tongues are teetering on the brink of being silenced forever. It’s believed that one language dies every 14 days -- as its speakers switch to more common alternatives -- and nearly half of the world’s languages are expected to have been wiped out within a century.

The Endangered Languages Project, backed by a new coalition called the Alliance for Linguistic Diversity, and supported by Google, aims to provide a hub for anyone interested in linguistic diversity to document, preserve and even help to teach the world’s most threatened languages.

Clicking the "Start Exploring" button on the site brings up a world map, with thousands of languages marked on it in the form of colored dots. Green means a language is at risk, yellow means it’s endangered, while red shows it’s severely endangered. There’s also a good portion of grey dots which are described simply as "vitality unknown". You can filter the dots by classification, and by the number of native speakers – this can be Any, 0-100, 100-1000 or 1000+.

Clicking one of the dots will tell you the name of that language, and clicking the heading will take you to its page where you can view a description, any samples (in text, audio or video formats) and view any submitted documents or activity. Perhaps unsurprisingly most of the pages have nothing to show at moment, but it’s very early days.

Although Google oversaw the project’s development and launch, it plans to step aside to allow it to be managed by true language preservation experts, starting with the First Peoples' Cultural Council and The Institute for Language Information and Technology (The Linguist List) at Eastern Michigan University.

Stupid IT mistakes make AWS outages even worse

Publié: juin 22, 2012, 12:03am CEST par Ed Oswald

The massive outage that struck Amazon Web Services last week proved the cloud service is becoming an increasingly vital part of the IT infrastructure of many companies. For better or worse AWS is becoming a standard in the cloud, and its own fortunes are tied to that of some of the biggest web services out there.

Quora and Pinterest are just two services that rely on AWS in part or in full. When Amazon's cloud goes down, these sites will too.

Cloud service analysis firm Newvem says that as much as 40 percent of companies currently using AWS are not prepared for the next outage. Worse yet, only three in five companies choose to backup their data. What's this mean? Amazon has a catastrophic failure that involves loss of data, and you're pretty much screwed.

While this may sound like something only newbies to IT would do, Newvem finds that it is fairly common among larger enterprises as well, where IT personnel obviously have a good deal more knowledge in the field and should know better.

At issue is an overreliance on Amazon itself. Users of AWS assume that the company is taking all steps to protect critical data from loss, when Amazon itself provides no guarantee that all data is being backed up. The responsiblity to ensure the integrity of customer data is -- and should be -- the customer.

So what can you do in order to prepare yourself for the (inevitable) AWS outage? First things first, back up. Ensure that all data in the cloud also resides somewhere else, either locally or on another cloud service.

Overdependence on AWS is another issue. Is there a way to not lean on Amazon so much? There are other providers -- like Rackspace and now Oracle's own cloud offering -- where your cloud can reside.

In addition, redundancy is always good too. If you wish to still stick with AWS, deploy your cloud across multiple regions. Amazon itself strongly discourages the practice of deploying in one region only. Of the two major outages on AWS over the past two years, both were limited to servers in a single region (its Eastern US servers).

The sites affected most? Those that didn't think of redundancy in the cloud, in the same way they would in their own physical data centers. In the end, it appears more that AWS users should be blaming themselves for not following proper (and smart) IT practices.

Photo Credit: fbmadeira/Shutterstock

AutoCAD worm is serious example of suspected industrial espionage

Publié: juin 21, 2012, 11:53pm CEST par Righard Zwienenberg

The new, targeted, high-tech, military grade malicious code such as Stuxnet, Duqu and Flamer dominates security news. So imagine our surprise when an AutoCAD worm, written in AutoLISP, the scripting language that AutoCAD uses, suddenly showed a big spike in one country on ESET’s LiveGrid two months ago, and this country is Peru.

We have seen other small number of infections of ACAD/Medre.A in other countries, but they are all in regions that are near Peru or have a large Spanish speaking contingent. The odd one out in the infection table would be the People’s Republic of China, but not quite so weird when we started to analyze the worm based on this sudden spike. More about China will follow later.

Why (mainly) Peru? Of course it does not mean much that we see high detection numbers because they may not all be live infections. But watching ESET’s LiveGrid, where we can also see detections at specific URLs., which made it clear that a specific website supplied the AutoCAD template that appears to be the basis for this localized spike as this template was also infected with ACAD/Medre.A. If it is assumed that companies that want to do business with the entity have to use this template, it seems logical that the malware mainly shows up in Peru and neighboring countries. The same is true for larger companies with affiliated offices outside this area that have been asked to assist or to verify the, by then, infected project and then infecting their own environment. Other information that is described later also points to live infections.

So what exactly is ACAD/Medre.A doing?

The sample is able to infect versions 14.0 to 19.2 of AutoCAD by modifying the corresponding native startup file of AutoLISP (acad.lsp) by being named as the auto-load file acad.fas. It employs Visual Basic Scripts that are executed using the Wscript.exe interpreter that is integrated in the Windows operating system since Windows 2000. The author assumes that his code will even work for future versions of AutoCAD as it has support for the AutoCAD versions that will be released in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

After some configuration, ACAD/Medre.A will begin sending the different AutoCAD drawings that are opened by email to a recipient with an email account at the Chinese 163.com Internet provider. It will try to do this using 22 other accounts at 163.com and 21 accounts at qq.com, another Chinese Internet provider. Remarkably, this is done by accessing smtp.163.com and smtp.qq.com with the different account credentials. It is ill advised to have port 25 outgoing allowed other than to your own ISP. Obviously the Internet Providers in Peru do allow this. Also it is reasonable to assume that the companies that are a victim of this suspected industrial espionage malware do not have their firewalls configured to block port 25 either.

Besides the drawings that are sent, ACAD/Medre.A will create a password protected RAR-file containing the drawing and the requisite “acad.fas” file and a “.dxf” file and send it separately by email. The password used, just one character long being “1”, on the RAR-file brings back some memories (you may remember that Win32/Bagle used the same password on RAR-files).

The included .DXF file is generated by ACAD/Medre.A and consists of information that the recipient needs to load the stolen drawing into the right system with the right language:

For a technical details of ACAD/Medre.A refer to Robert Lipovsky’s blog post and the description in ESET’s Threat Encyclopedia.

When our analysts looked into the email accounts used by ACAD/Medre.A, they noticed that the Inbox for each of them was already full (over 100,000 mails). All of the messages In the Inbox were error-messages as the Inbox of the final recipient is full. And there were still almost 5,000 emails to be sent.

As the path and filename are sent with the attachment, we could do some analysis just based on the location where the drawings are stored and their possible content. Our analysis also shows that several people actually use an Administrator Account or store their projects on the Desktop. The pie-chart does not reflect all the different possibilities, just the most frequently used ones.

From our analysis of all the used email accounts we can derive the scale of the attack and conclude that tens of thousands of AutoCAD drawings (blueprints) leaked. This is a significant amount of data leakage and we felt it called for further action. Upon realization of the magnitude of the problem ESET reached out to Tencent, owners of the qq.com domain. Due to swift quick action on the part of Tencent the accounts used for relaying the emails with the drawings have been blocked and thus no further leakage will occur. We would like to express our appreciation to the distinguished team at Tencent’s Desktop Security Business Division for their cooperation and their prompt action.

ESET has also reached out to CVERC, the Chinese National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center, and they also responded quickly by word of the First Deputy Director of CVERC, who also assisted in getting the accounts removed.

There is code in ACAD/Medre.A that will check to see if either Outlook version 11.0, 12.0 or 13.0 is present or Foxmail. If Outlook is present the worm tries to email PST files found on the computer to the final recipient in China via the qq.com relays. Outlook PST (Personal STore) files contain email, calendars, contacts, and more. If Foxmail is present, there is code in ACAD/Medre.A that is designed to exfiltrate the Foxmail Address Book and the Foxmail Send Folder, but errors in the code cause that this does not happen.

After the discovery of ACAD/Medre.A, ESET decided to make a free stand-alone cleaner available. The utility can be found here. We established contacts with Autodesk, producers of AutoCAD, who immediately took the problem seriously and full assistance was given.

ACAD/Medre.A is a serious example of suspected industrial espionage. Every new design created by a victim is sent automatically to the authors of this malware. Needless to say this can cost the legitimate owner of the intellectual property a lot of money as the cybercriminals will have designs before they even go into production by the original designer. The attacker may even go so far as to get patents on the product before the inventor has registered it at the patent office. The inventor may not know of the security breach until his patent claim is denied due to prior art.

If there is one thing that becomes obvious from our experience with this piece of malware it is that reaching out to other parties to minimize damage is not only the right thing to do, it really works. We could have tried to clean up the problem without the assistance of Autodesk, Tencent and CVERC and solely focus on removal of the malware from the infected machines. By working with Autodesk, Tencent and CVERC, we were able to not only alert and inform users but also defeat the e-mail relay system used by the attackers and deny them access to the e-mail boxes, so the damage is now contained.

Reprinted with Permission

Righard Zwienenberg is a senior research fellow at ESET, where he joined in February 2012. He started researching computer viruses in 1988 after encountering the virus problems on a system at the Technical University of Delft.

Tumblr for iOS 3 catches up to Android counterpart, and then some

Publié: juin 21, 2012, 10:59pm CEST par Wayne Williams

There was nothing really wrong with Tumblr’s previous iOS app. It offered all the features you’d expect, such as the ability to access your dashboard, create a post, manage multiple blogs and view and reply to messages. The interface was straightforward, intuitive and unmistakably Tumblr.

Version 3.0, however, is just so much better in every way. It’s been rebuilt from the ground up, so is faster, sleeker, easier to use and more in line with its Android counterpart, which itself was updated a couple of months ago.

There are four buttons at the bottom of the screen for Dashboard, Tags, Account, and Post. Dashboard displays your previous entries and you can quickly edit, delete or reblog each one. Scrolling downwards will take you all the way to the start, and your very first item. Loading each chunk of postings takes a little while, but it’s still reasonably speedy.

The Tags screen brings up a random selection of blogs to explore, and typing some keywords into the search box will display any matching posts. The Account page lets you switch to a different blog, and manage notifications, followers and likes.

Tapping the Post button will call up a black screen with icons for Text, Photo, Quote, Link, Chat and Video. These are colourful and swish in from the sides in a slightly hypnotic manner. If you need to post something quickly, and don’t have time to mess around, swiping the Post button upwards will open the camera so you can take a picture. Swiping left will open the Text Post screen.

Other smart new features include support for Spotify, an updated image viewer that can display high-res photos, and offline support so you can create a post or like or reblog something, even if you’re in the middle of nowhere without a connection. The app will sync everything when you’re next back online.

All in all, it’s a great release unless you’re an iPad user as it doesn’t really scale up all that well. Hopefully this just means that a dedicated version for the larger screen is finally on its way.

Tumblr 3 for iOS catches up to Android counterpart, and then some

Publié: juin 21, 2012, 10:59pm CEST par Wayne Williams

MailWasher 2012 Free cleans up the spam

Publié: juin 21, 2012, 10:37pm CEST par Mike Williams

FireTrust has today revealed MailWasher 2012 Free, a new version of its popular spam filter. The latest release will provide all the features of the full commercial MailWasher Pro edition for its first 10 days of use, but after that introduces four main restrictions.

There’s no Recycle Bin, which means you can’t browse or restore deleted emails. Preview options are limited, so it may be more difficult to manually determine whether a particular message is spam. Technical support is unsurprisingly reserved for paying customers. And, probably most crucially, the program will be limited to checking 1 email address only, perhaps a deal-breaker for many people.

If you can live with the final restriction, though, MailWasher 2012 Free could serve you very well: it’s easy to set up (the program imported all our Outlook contacts and email account details automatically), simple to use, and the Bayesian filters deliver a high level of accuracy, all helping to keep your Inbox pleasingly clear of junk.

Photo Credit: Archipoch/Shutterstock

You can hack Windows 8 Metro

Publié: juin 21, 2012, 9:59pm CEST par Martin Brinkmann

The Metro user interface is without doubt the most controversial feature of Microsoft's upcoming operating system Windows 8. When you dive deeper into the criticism that Metro faces, you notice that one argument stands out among the majority of critics: Metro is for tablets and touch-devices and not the desktop.

While it is possible to use Metro with a mouse and keyboard, its big buttons and controls, like the Charms menu and swiping motions, do cater to an audience that uses touch-devices. When you look closer, you will also notice that Metro does not really offer anything that desktop users can't do on the PC or on the Internet as well, oftentimes even better.

Take some of the default apps that are displayed in the interface after installation. The web browser, IE 10, lets you browse the Internet, but only on one site at a time. The desktop version of Internet Explorer does not have that restriction.

It gets worse when you need to use a file browser, for instance when using the video player. If you have ever tried to open a local file, you may have noticed that it takes quite some time to browse to the directory of the video, provided that it is not stored in the Video library folder. On the desktop, you can use Windows Explorer instead to find the video, or simply drag and drop it into the video player to play it.

Metro apps on the other hand provide access to news, information and tools in a direct way. Users can check the latest weather report, sports news or the latest video trailers directly from within the interface with a minimum number of clicks.

Despite the criticism that Microsoft faces, the intention is to go forward with Metro, and everyone should understand that there is no turning back at this point in development.

Hacking Metro

Customizability has long been one of Windows' greatest strengths. We have seen hacks and tweaks for nearly every part of the system, and as soon as Microsoft announced that Metro would be part of the next version of Windows, users started to develop tools and methods to bypass Metro or even disable it completely.

Some of the earlier tools that worked in the Windows 8 Developer Preview or Consumer Preview, no longer work in the Release Preview.

I would like to provide you with two options that do work in the latest public version of Windows 8 -- one that lets you bypass Metro on start, and one that disables it completely.

Bypass Metro. If you are switching to the desktop right away on start of the operating system, you may be interested in bypassing the Metro interface automatically. This method is not disabling Metro nor the interface enhancements that go along with it. A tap on the Windows-key for instance brings you right back to the Metro interface.

To automatically switch to the desktop during start of the system you need to complete the following steps:

Create a new plain text document on your desktop or another location. You can do so with a right-click and the selection of New > Text Document from the context menu.
Add the following contents to the new document and save it afterwards:

[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=Explorer.exe,3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop

Rename the text document to metro.scf. Make sure the .txt extension gets removed in the process. You can verify that by comparing the icon before and after the renaming: it should be different after you have renamed it.
Now it is time to add the file as a Task to the Task Scheduler. The easiest way to open the Windows Task Scheduler is to press the Windows-key to get into Metro (how ironic), enter schedule, switch to the settings filter on the right, and select the scheduler from the results listing.
Select Task Scheduler Library in the new window, right-click in the task listing, and pick the create new task option from the context menu.
Enter a name for the task, e.g. Metro, and switch to the triggers tab.
Click on the add button here and select at log on in the begin the task menu at the top of the new window.
Switch to the actions tab afterwards, select browse, and then the metro.scf file that you have created previously.

When you restart Windows 8 now, the operating system should automatically bypass the Metro interface. On most PCs, this should be near instant.

Disable Metro. A small demo program has been released a few days ago in the Chinese PC Beta forum. The program, with the name Fxxk Metro disables Metro completely when it is executed. It needs to be noted that this is only valid for the active session, and that a restart, or logging off and on again, will enable Metro again on the system.

The program has several side-effects that make it quite difficult to work with the operating system. The Windows-key for instance won't open the Metro interface anymore, and the Charms bar is not displayed when the mouse is moved to the lower or upper right corner of the screen.

Some side-effects can easily be circumvented. It is for instance possible to use Alt-F4 to display the shutdown or restart menu. Others, however, require third party software to be installed.

Probably the biggest issue is the missing search and program launch option, as Metro is disabled, and the Start Menu not present anymore in Windows 8. A program like Classic Shell adds the Start Menu back to the operating system, along with search, program launching options and access to the operating system's control panel.

The program itself demonstrates that it is still possible to disable Metro in the Windows 8 RP. This can also be seen as an indication that similar methods will be available when Windows 8 is released by Microsoft later this year. Caution is advised when using the program, even though a VirusTotal scan returned 0 hits.

Closing Words

Demand for tools or methods to bypass or disable Metro will be high, especially in the beginning days of the Windows 8 operating system. It is likely that we will see professional tools shortly after the release that will take care of Metro in one way or the other.

The pursuit of this goal obviously depends very much on the individual users. Most Windows 8 users who do not like Metro, or can't see a purpose to use it, will probably simply ignore it for the most part, while die-hard users might use one of the then available tools to bypass or disable the interface completely.

What's your take on Windows 8's Metro interface? Have you tried to bypass or disable it, or do you feel that it adds value to the operating system?

Hometalk relaunches: one part Pinterest, one part Angie's List

Publié: juin 21, 2012, 9:33pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Hometalk, a year-old home improvement-themed social network, underwent a total redesign and re-launched on Thursday in hopes of making its content easier to access, and to keep its roughly 100,000 members stuck to the site longer.

The site is designed for homeowners to share pictures, videos, ideas, and conversations about general design and repair themes, including (but not limited to) topics like flooring, gardening, remodeling, painting, and more. This is done in very much the traditional social networking fashion, with user profiles building up networks of friends/followers, and sharing posts based heavily upon photographs. With this redesign, Hometalk has clearly taken note of Pinterest's success, and it includes a new feature called, simply, "Saving." With this feature, users can save any post or photo from other users on a "Virtual Clipboard," similar in both name and design to Pinterest's "Virtual Pinboard."

But beyond the social networking aspect of Hometalk, the site includes a "professionals" section where users connect with local contractors, to hire them for jobs, or simply to ask for advice and opinions. Though it lacks the review and quality control aspect that Angie's List was designed to have, it does provide a free method of communicating directly with home improvement specialists in a place where they can actually build their reputation in front of everyone.

This is a highly valuable aspect to the service which is actually quite understated right now. If you know individuals with their own construction, repair, or design business, you might want to tip them off about Hometalk.

"With this relaunch, Hometalk is now the best place to discuss your home on the Internet," said Matt Shampine, Vice President of Business Development at Hometalk. "The new design is faster and easier to use, so that homeowners can spend less time clicking and more time sharing ideas and enjoying their homes."

Microsoft Surface is all style and no substance at all

Publié: juin 21, 2012, 7:18pm CEST par Robert X. Cringely

Microsoft’s Hollywood announcement Monday of its two Surface tablet computers was a tactical triumph but had no strategic value for the world’s largest software company because the event left too many questions unanswered. If I were to guess what was on Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s mind it was simply to beat next week’s expected announcement of a Google branded tablet running Android. Microsoft, already playing catch-up to Apple’s iPad, does not want to be seen as following Google, too. So they held an event that was all style and no substance at all.

This is not to say that Microsoft shouldn’t make a tablet and couldn’t make a good one, but this particular event proved almost nothing.

Microsoft announced two tablets but only one was shown. No prices and few specs were announced. The clever keyboard cover mentioned in all stories (including this one) wasn’t functional. No reporters thought to count the ports on the sides of the one tablet available for use and they couldn’t look at their pictures to count them later because they weren’t allowed to take any that showed the sides.

What Microsoft did was play well the mystery card, copying Apple, though I’m not sure how well that will work the next time. To their credit, though, when Google’s tablet is covered here and everywhere next week you can bet the Surface line will get nearly as much comparative play as Apple’s iPad.

Now you See It, Now You Don't

With that out of the way let’s consider what are Microsoft’s expectations for a tablet, which are more diverse than one might expect.

Several stories pointed out that building a Microsoft branded tablet might alienate Redmond’s long list of hardware OEMs. While this is true, I’d suggest you look at it another way. I have over the last 25+ years attended dozens of high-profile Microsoft events for products that never made it to market. Knowing that, my first instinct said this was a Microsoft threat more than anything else.

Look back to Microsoft’s many antitrust defenses and you’ll see they threatened just about every OEM at some point. Bullying is in Microsoft’s DNA. Their legal defense was that they never intended to follow through which, by the way, didn’t work with the judges, either.

So does Microsoft really intend to introduce these tablets? Probably. Could something happen to change that determination? Sure.

One really good reason for announcing such vaporous products under the Microsoft brand is that novelty has dissuaded many commentators from questioning the whole enterprise. Microsoft is being given the benefit of the doubt based on what, a kickstand?

It's About Exchange

So here’s what I’ve been able to figure out about the two Surface machines and where they might be positioned. For one, the ARM-based unit had an nVIDIA Tegra2 processor like most of the Android tablets. The Win8 unit will use an Intel Atom.

It’s puzzling to think how Microsoft will position these tablets. But having scratched my head a lot I’ve decided their story will be that these are the corporate tablets. They’ll run Exchange really, really well, come packed already with Office, and if your IT department is comfortable with Windows, well they’ll be comfortable with these tablets, too.

It’s weak, I know, but that’s the best I could come up with, folks. Sorry.

Microsoft can’t claim these tablets are better than the iPad, and I didn’t see a word to that effect in any of the stories (I wasn’t invited to the L.A. event). They might try to compete on price, but they don’t seem to be doing that either. Nor can they, really, since Apple makes its own CPUs and Microsoft doesn’t. How can Microsoft undercut Apple on price? Maybe by thinning margins, but these tablets aren’t going to leave Redmond with a $100 bill taped to the bottom. Those days are over.

Windows is always playing catch-up to OS X just as these tablets are to the iPads. While we’ll see instances of design brilliance, like that kickstand, not even Microsoft expects their product to be in any way broadly superior to the iPad.

So Microsoft is vying here for second place and the comparison that really counts is with next week’s Google tablet, not the iPad.

Reprinted with permission

Robert X. Cringely has worked in and around the PC business for more than 30 years. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, Forbes, Upside, Success, Worth, and many other magazines and newspapers. Most recently, Cringely was the host and writer of the Maryland Public Television documentary "The Tranformation Age: Surviving a Technology Revolution with Robert X. Cringely".

Microsoft rolls out SmartGlass SDK to first crop of devs

Publié: juin 21, 2012, 6:38pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Microsoft on Thursday released the Xbox SmartGlass Software Development Kit (SDK) to partners that have agreements to develop Xbox games and entertainment applications for the Xbox 360.

The device-agnostic SmartGlass application was first revealed at the Electronic Entertainment Expo earlier in June, showing how users will eventually be able to pair their tablet or smartphone with their Xbox 360 for enhanced content consumption and gaming. Now that Microsoft's Surface and Windows Phone 8 initiatives have been revealed, the SmartGlass project has begun to take clearer shape.

Today's SDK release gives developers the Xbox SmartGlass Studio application, the SmartGlass JavaScript library which contains core device APIs, and also a sample application for code examples.

Entertainment app developers eligible for the program can download the SDK at [https:] now.

Keep your hard drive in tip-top shape with Eassos PartitionGuru Free

Publié: juin 21, 2012, 5:51pm CEST par Mike Williams

Most free recovery tools focus on undeleting files only. As its name suggests, though, Eassos PartitionGuru Free goes a little further: the program can recover anything from individual files to entire partitions, and it has a few other useful features thrown in, too.

That’s the theory, at least. In practice the free edition of the program is a little restricted, and can’t recover data on USB keys, GPT disks, or regular drives which don’t use 512-byte sectors. If that’s not going to affect you, though, PartitionGuru does otherwise have some interesting functionality which you might find very useful.

The program opens with a straightforward text-based interface showing your drives on the left, and details on the currently selected partition on the right. This isn’t as attractive as the graphical approach taken by most partition managers, but it gets the job done. And if you would like a graphical view of how the files are distributed on the current partition, just click “Analyze” for a quick look.

If you’ve accidentally deleted a few files (or a partition) then clicking File Recovery will begin the process of trying to bring them back. Choose the “File” option and the program will scan your selected partition, looking for remnants of lost documents, and if your files are found then you can restore them in a couple of clicks. The program didn’t find everything in our tests, though, and the inability to preview files in the free version is also an issue.

Partition recovery seemed more reliable in our experience, though, if a little slow. Once we’d chosen the relevant option the program crawled over our hard drive, correctly locating and restoring our test partitions. It was all very straightforward.

PartitionGuru also provides some useful backup options. It’s able to copy files, clone individual partitions or entire drives, for instance. And there’s an option to back up and restore your partition table, very useful should disaster strike.

There’s a partition manager thrown in, too. It’s all fairly basic -- no fancy wizards to help you redistribute free space from one partition to another – but the program can create, format, hide and delete partitions, and there are options to scan them for errors, rebuild the Master Boot Record, convert between primary and logical types, and more.

And if you can’t do this within Windows for whatever reason, then there’s even an option which will reboot you to a DOS version. This made us a little nervous as immediately before restarting, the program displays a warning on what to do if your PC stops booting entirely (use the “rebuild MBR” command), but we carried on anyway, and everything worked just fine. Still, this may not be something to try if you’re not entirely sure what the MBR is, and how to fix it.

PartitionGuru Free has plenty of restrictions, then, and the file undelete option is unimpressive. Partition recovery worked better for us, though, and with plenty of bonus functions on offer the program could well appeal to the more technical PC user.

a Photo Credit: Balandina G/Shutterstock

Windows users, get a Firefox Australis sneak peak

Publié: juin 21, 2012, 5:09pm CEST par Mike Williams

It’s been public knowledge for a while now that Mozilla intends to provide a uniform interface for Firefox across all platforms. The aim of the Australis project is to ensure that the browser looks and feels the same just about everywhere (as much as possible, anyway), and you can read more at MozillaWiki.

This is no longer just theory, though. Jared Wein, a Software Engineer at Mozilla, has written a blog post with an image of the new Australis design (or the new curvy tab shape, anyway), which he says aims to bring “more customizability in a cleaner and fresher user interface”. And if that’s not enough, he’s also created a test Firefox 16.01 build so that you can view it for yourself.

The build is Windows-only, unfortunately, but comes in two forms: a zip or an installer. Following the links above or below will get you the zip version, but the blog post also links to the installer if you need it.

And on launch you will see the new rounded tab shape. Which is more or less as shown in the design documents which have been released (so no need to feel too left out if you don’t have a Windows system – looking at the grab here gives you more or less the same information).

Still, there’s no doubt the interface is looking good, and we’ll be interested to see how the Australis interface develops in future releases.

How does Windows Phone 8 affect you?

Publié: juin 21, 2012, 4:44pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Something at Microsoft has changed, and it's rather startling. The company so long risk-adverse takes some really big ones -- with Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and Surface tablets high among them. Windows 8 radically changes the user interface, which already irks some long-time customers, particularly in businesses. Windows Phone 8 is incompatible with every WP handset ever sold, even two-and-a-half-month old HTC Titan II or Nokia Lumia 900. Surface competes with OEM partners, and some already complain Microsoft blind-sided them. This isn't your father's Microsoft, or elder sibling's.

For years, Microsoft sought to preserve the status quo, and still does. But no longer is CEO Steve Ballmer and his top guns willing to stand still while the market moves forward. IBM chose status quo during the computing-era transition from mainframe to PC -- cater to existing customers and preserve existing revenue streams. For years, Microsoft followed similar course during the early transition from the PC to the cloud-connected device era. No longer. Microsoft takes big risks to preserve its computing relevance, and they'll either sink the company or preserve its place in the new world order. The question: How does it all affect you?

Hard Upgrade

Today, I put that question to anyone who recently bought Windows Phone or is planning to do so. The first handsets running the operating system shipped two years ago come autumn. That means except for some international customers with 18-month contracts or those buying unlocked handsets (or prepaids), every Windows Phone ever sold is bound by some contractual commitment. Their buyers won't be able to upgrade the software to Windows Phone 8 or be eligible to buy subsidized handsets (unless Microsoft and carriers work together to allow it). From the perspective of future upgrades, every Windows Phone now available is obsolete -- or will soon be. My question: Does that matter to you?

I can understand some reasons why Microsoft would leap Windows Phone 8 ahead, while leaving customers behind. For starters, there are fewer of them than the potential number in the future. At the end of first quarter, for example, Windows Phone global market share, as measured in actual sales, was 1.9 percent, according to Gartner.

Windows Phone really has no place to go but up, and the company wants to improve the platform's architecture while bringing it more in line with Windows 8. As example, the move to native code software development, which should improve the quality and number of applications -- something Microsoft already provides on Windows 8. These changes should make the mobile OS more competitive with Android and iOS.

Risky Business

The risk isn't so much number of customers, but who they are. Presumably, many Windows Phone buyers are Microsoft enthusiasts -- the kind of customers who influence other buyers. Some also may be Nokia enthusiasts, which is another concern. Microsoft imposes risks on its hardware partners, too, with Nokia being most affected. The manufacturer has adopted Windows Phone as its primary mobile OS, and the majority of handsets supporting it are merely months on sale. Nokia is in dire straights. During last week's layoff announcement -- some 10,000 employees -- CEO Stephen Elop said that Windows Phones aren't selling as well as Nokia expects.

The question: Could Microsoft's backward-incompatibility approach and Windows Phone 8 announcement now stall Nokia Lumia sales? Surely Nokia knew this was coming, which offers additional context to last week's cut-back announcement, Elop warning of rockier-than-expected Lumia sales and his emphasizing renewed commitment to feature phones -- even as IDC warns plummeting dumb phone sales.

What Irony

There's a strange irony here. For years, Apple had a well-deserved reputation for making changes, mainly hardware, that left customers behind. For example, I recall in 2001 owning three Mac monitors which connectors were all incompatible; they had to be matched to the right computer or be useless. Meanwhile, Microsoft has long made backward compatibility a development priority. Suddenly roles are reversed. Apple's forthcoming iOS 6 will run on iPhone 3GS, which launched three years ago. Windows Phone 8 is incompatible with handsets released this quarter. To reiterate, this isn't your daddy's Microsoft.

So that's another thing changed. Microsoft has long had well-deserved reputation for being one of the best partners. But Surface and Windows Phone 8 show a different Microsoft emerging, one willing to leave them behind to push Windows ahead. There's good reason. The future relevance of Microsoft's core platforms are in jeopardy.

What's good for Microsoft might not be good for you. But only you can answer that, which is why today I ask: How does Windows Phone 8 affect you? If you recently bought a WP handset, do you care there is no Windows Phone 8 upgrade? Responding, please state which phone you have and when purchased. If planning to imminently buy a new Windows Phone, will you still do so, wait or even buy something else? State what would buy or whould have bought. I'll compile your responses into a future post.

Paragon Backup & Recovery 2012 now supports Windows 8

Publié: juin 21, 2012, 1:25am CEST par Mike Williams

Already one of our favorite free disk imaging tools, Paragon Backup & Recovery 2012 Free has today been improved further via a maintenance upgrade.

The headline addition this time around is support for Windows 8. There is a wrinkle in the small print, where Paragon say “Paragon Backup and Recovery 2012 Free edition has been tested on Windows 8 Developer Preview and Consumer Preview” -- so presumably if you’ve moved on to the latest Release Preview then there’s still the possibility of issues. (Although, to be fair, if you want guaranteed data security then you probably shouldn’t be using the buggy and unfinished Windows 8 in the first place.)

If you plan to use Paragon Backup & Recovery 2012 Free on a more stable operating system, though, the real reason to upgrade comes in the program’s use of Paragon’s latest performance engine, which the company claim will “deliver the fastest, most stable and effective hard disk operations”.

And if you’ve not tried the program before, it’s a surprisingly capable tool which offers basic partition management, easy drive imaging and complete and differential backups. Your data can be saved to external or network drives, DVDs or Blu-ray discs, and excellent bootable recovery environments come ready to repair common Windows startup problems, or restore recent backups to get your system working again.

Put it all together and Paragon Backup & Recovery 2012 Free really is a very polished package, which has got just a little better with today’s release. Grab your copy immediately.

Photo Credit: Sergii Korolko/Shutterstock

Windows Phone 8 won't be available on anything out today, but that's okay, right?

Publié: juin 20, 2012, 11:23pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Microsoft revealed its plans for the next generation of Windows Phone on Wednesday, which includes broadening hardware support, revising the user interface, and adding a couple of new features that bring Windows Phone up to speed with the Android platform.

Unfortunately, though, no current Windows Phone devices will receive an upgrade to the new operating system. Instead, they will receive the graphical overhaul of the new Start screen in a sub-update called "Windows Phone 7.8."

Microsoft's Joe Belfiore said:

"Some of you have been wondering, 'Will we also get Windows Phone 8 as an update?' The answer, unfortunately, is no. Windows Phone 8 is a generation shift in technology, which means that it will not run on existing hardware. BUT we care deeply about our existing customers and want to keep their phones fresh, so we’re providing the new Start screen in this new update."

Some in the media have already called it "fragmentation,", and some have made cracks that the "smartphone beta test" is still going on, referring to Nokia's Lumia advertising campaign.

This clear line in the sand between generations should already be familiar to anyone who has followed Microsoft's transition from Windows Mobile to Windows Phone. Two years ago, when Windows Phone 7 debuted no Windows Mobile 6.5 devices were eligible for upgrade, effectively halting any incentive for consumers to purchase a Windows Mobile device when the next version was just around the corner.

But that was a different affair. Windows Mobile was an operating system that spanned more than just phones, and that is why the "Windows Phone" brand was created three years ago. When Microsoft changed its phones from Windows Mobile to Windows Phone, it was truly a shift in focus.

Windows Mobile 6.5 never went away, and still lives on today as Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5, an operating system for rugged terminals, handheld computers, and traditional tablet computers. Just yesterday, in fact, Juniper Systems announced its Mesa Rugged Notepad (pictured above) was upgrading to Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5.

It is unclear at this point whether the generational shift Belfiore mentioned today is about the next-gen hardware in Windows Phone 8 (multi-core processors, NFC chips, different screen resolutions), or if it's about the convergence of Windows Phone with Windows which will effect developers when the next SDK is released later this Summer.

Windows Phone 8 will have native C and C++ support, and support for gaming middleware like the Havok Vision Engine, Autodesk Scaleform, Audiokinetic Wwise, and Firelight FMOD, and also native DirectX-based game development. The Windows Phone 8 SDK, and the new Visual Studio 11-based development tools will unlock all of these capabilities.

Furthermore, Belfiore said the Windows Phone team is working to create a program for "registered enthusiasts," that will give them early access to the Windows Phone 8 update prior to broad availability, irrespective of carrier obligations. We reached out to Microsoft to find out more about this program, because we are as curious about that as you are, but company reps couldn't divulge anything further today.

We'll be on the lookout...

Microsoft Surface gets a positive response from this Windows developer

Publié: juin 20, 2012, 10:24pm CEST par Chris Boss

After seeing the latest information about Microsoft's new Surface tablet computers and also reading Joe Wilcox's latest article about them, I finally get Microsoft's mindset -- and I am impressed. So what does this Windows developer think of Surface? Need a tablet to appreciate what it is all about.

I don't have deep pockets, so I try to use my computers as long as possible, but after hearing about Windows 8, I knew I needed to get a tablet as soon as possible. Something big was afoot ! Fortunately Microsoft made is easier for me when the Microsoft Store had an amazing deal on an ExoPC Windows tablet for only $399. I jumped on that deal, and I think it was the right one.

When the Windows 8 Developers Preview was available, I quickly downloaded and installed it on a desktop and on my tablet. The tablet produced the better experience, and I appreciated Windows 8 from the start. The ExoPC has the requirements to fully support Windows 8, since unlike some other Windows tablets it has the minimum 1366 x 768 resolution required for the Snap functionality. The tablet also has a 64 gig SSD, so I could partition the drive and install Windows 8 side by side with Windows 7. This allowed me to easily compare the two.

Microsoft has long seen the value of mobile computing, but concepts like Tablet PC just never caught on. This did not mean the concept was wrong, but simply the necessary factors for success just weren't there yet. Apples iPad really got things rolling and now the hardware for Windows has finally caught up to Microsoft's vision.

Across the Surface

So far I am impressed with what Microsoft promises with their Surface tablets. A couple factors I believe make a difference. First, the built in stand, which appears to be very solid, is a great idea. Second is the unique keyboards. Making them dual-purpose, as a cover for the tablet and keyboard, is a very good idea. Offering two different keyboards, one thin and light-weight for those who don't need to do a lot of heavy typing and the other for those who really need the ability to type as well as they do on their laptop is smart thinking.

I can see how the Windows RT and the Windows 8 Pro versions will likely target different markets. I would imagine the RT version would be the less expensive of the two, so it likely will target consumers, while the Windows 8 Pro version will likely be for businesses.

Price is the Big Question

I am not interested in the Windows RT version, since I want a real Windows tablet capable of running current software. My biggest concern though is the price point for the Windows 8 Pro version. There is a lesson to be learned from the netbook, which grew in popularity as much because of price, if not more, than small size and former factor. Whether you are a consumer or a business user, price does make a difference. This can be seen by the success of the Amazon Kindle Fire. Price is the key to its success.

There are plenty of expensive alternatives for those who can afford them, but many people are simply looking for the best mobile experience that is most affordable. The Surface tablets are a great idea, but the price they sell for may be far more important than their specifications. Intel's StudyBook tablet, for example, is a great idea, but unless you can afford to buy them in bulk (like a large school) the price is also likely too high (for individuals). One company sells a version of the StudyBook for about $500, which is way too expensive for my tastes. Price is the main reason I purchased the ExoPC. The features were there, but the price was right.

Surface, Don't stop There

I also would like to see a 7-inch Surface tablet running Windows 8 (not just RT). But to make lower priced tablets a reality, some changes to Windows 8 could help. It is obvious to me as a developer that the Windows 8 Pro Surface tablet will be a bit on the expensive side, because it will have a quad-core CPU. More powerful CPUs not only cost more but they also consume more power.

One of the problems with Windows is how software is developed today. Suffice it to say, that a lot of software is bloated and slow. This is no reflection on the hardware, but how software is written. Herb Sutter in his talk, "Why C++?" discusses how software lacks performance today, and he suggests getting back to writing native code.

As a long-time native code developer myself, I can see the benefits of this. It is possible to write software for Windows that uses minimal resources and which executes very fast. To make lower-cost Surface tablets a reality, getting closer to the operating system makes a lot of sense, since it promotes a more "fast and fluid" experience, while allowing manufacturers to build tablets using less expensive parts.

Businesses want Tablets

Some have suggested that Microsoft is forgoing businesses in favor of consumers, with Windows 8. I have to believe that Microsoft is just as committed to its business customers, so the question arises, are businesses looking for ways to integrate tablets into their companies? Just look at the iPad, for example. There is little doubt that businesses are very interested in the iPad and some are finding ways to integrate them into their operations.

The Surface tablets have the potential for being successful in the workplace, but aside from features, price also may be critical. One of the problems with using any tablet in a business is the cost of developing software for them. If a company has to develop software separately for its desktop computers and its tablet computers, this produces added expense.

This is why the backward compatibility of Windows 8, with previous desktop versions of Windows, is so important. Building Metro apps exclusively may be more expensive, so some software needs to be developed for the desktop but with a more Metro-style so it blends well with Metro, while still being able to run on older computers running Windows Vista or Windows 7.

To be able to build an application that is intuitive, can run full screen and runs just as well on Windows Vista as Windows 8 is a great benefit for companies. This is one reason native coding has some advantages and should be promoted more, rather than less.

Now if businesses, especially the Enterprise, can buy affordable Windows 8 Surface tablets (and even from OEM partners their tablets) and be able to write intuitive software (which can tell whether touch is available) that runs well on legacy desktops, on current desktops and also runs well on a Windows 8 tablet with minimal hardware (so low cost), then Microsoft might see a significantly faster adoption of Windows tablets.

$200 Price Point

Of course many tablets will be in the $500 to $800 range, comparable to many laptops today, but the $200 price point is definitely worth working towards.

Imagine how businesses would jump to buy multitudes of $200 Windows 8 tablets. If a business could buy four $200 tablets instead of just one $800 tablet, likely they would adopt them more quickly. Of course there will also be a market for the more expensive tablets, but a low-cost alternative could make Surface a household name.

Many Form Factors

While I really like the idea of a small mobile computer, I don't think desktops will disappear anytime soon. Even a laptop keyboard can't compare to a quality desktop keyboard (I am still using a 20 year-old IBM Model M keyboard, one of the best ever built). A touchpad just can never replace a mouse for some applications. The ability to be able to easily upgrade a desktop with off-the-shelf parts is a big advantage, especially for a business.

Yet, tablets appear to be here to stay, so software developers need to find ways to be able to build software for both the desktop and tablet worlds. One thing is for sure. Windows has definitely been reimagined! New ways of computing are surfacing and likely more are to come. So far, Microsoft Surface gets a positive response from this Windows developer, but I am still waiting to see how they are priced.

Chris Boss is an advanced Windows API programmer and developer of 10 year-old EZGUI, which is now version 5. He owns The Computer Workshop, which opened for businesses in the late 1980s. He originally developed custom software for local businesses. Now he develops programming tools for use with the PowerBasic compiler.

QuickMove automatically puts files where you want them

Publié: juin 20, 2012, 9:09pm CEST par Mike Williams

Is your hard drive a little messy, cluttered with files that aren’t where you’d like them to be? You’re not alone, and a part of the problem is that Windows really doesn’t make it very easy to clear up. No matter how many times you drag and drop a ZIP file into your Archives folder, say, Explorer never learns that’s where they’re kept, and so you have to move them there manually. Every. Single. Time.

Don’t give up just yet, though – help is at hand in the shape of QuickMove, a simple free tool which aims to speed up your file management. Teach the program where you’d like to keep particular files or file types and you’ll be able to move them all to their destination, in just a couple of clicks.

To get started, just right-click a file you’d like to move (a JPEG image, say), click QuickMove, and a dialog will appear where you can create a new rule. At a minimum, you might choose to move all files with this extension to the Pictures folder, perhaps. Once that’s done, clearing a bunch of JPEGS from your desktop is as easy as selecting them, right-clicking and choosing the QuickMove option -- the program will then move them to your specified folder.

Now repeat the process with other file types: ZIP, RAR, ISO, whatever you like. You may not have a general Images folder for ISO files, say, but now you have a tool which can learn these rules it may be worth creating one. And so just having the program available encourages you to get your system organized.

Of course having only one destination folder is probably a little unrealistic, but fortunately the QuickMove developers have realised this. You can alternatively have the program display a list of target folders, then choose the best destination for each batch of files.

And if this doesn’t suit all your file management needs, that’s not a problem. QuickMove is an addition to Explorer’s usual options, not a replacement, so you can carry on manually copying and moving files just as you always have.

There is also a QuickMove Pro edition (yours for $4.99), which has a few advantages, the main one being that you’re able to use regular expressions to define which files match a particular rule. And that adds so much extra flexibility that you may find it worth the relatively small payment (especially as the authors say that’ll get you all future builds, too).

The free edition of QuickMove has more than enough power to be useful, though, and if you’d like to speed up the file moving process then you should definitely give it a try.

Photo Credit: Zadorozhnyi Viktor/Shutterstock

8 big features of Windows Phone 8

Publié: juin 20, 2012, 7:22pm CEST par Tim Conneally

At the Windows Phone Summit in San Francisco today, Microsoft provided the first look at its upcoming update to the Windows Phone mobile operating system, Windows Phone 8.

Microsoft has unveiled just a few of the banner features that will be included in the next versions of Windows Phone 8. Conveniently, there are eight major parts of the company's announcement today.

1) Windows Phone 8 will have a "shared core" with Windows 8 to facilitate cross-platform application development. Like Mac OS' evolution to be more like iOS, Windows and Windows Phone are on the same convergence path.

2) Windows Phone 8 will support multi-core processors. Windows Phone 7 was designed for single-core processors because dual-core processors and beyond suck up more electrical energy. Due to advancements in energy managment, Microsoft has broken that shackle, and opened the platform to multi-core processors.

3) Support for more screen resolutions. Originally, Windows Phone only supported HVGA and WVGA, but Windows 8 will support 480 x 320, 800x480, 1280x720 (16:9), and 1280x768 (5:3).

4) MicroSD support. Technically, Windows Phone always supported expandable SD memory, but devices were locked into the OEM's chosen SD cards to improve performance. Users were actually advised against removing and switching them. In Windows Phone 8, this will no longer be so.

5) Internet Explorer 10 will be the system's default browser. Microsoft's HTML5-compatible browser will come as the pack-in with Windows Phone 8. Current devices ship with IE9.

6) Native support for near field communications (NFC). All Windows 8 devices will ship with "Wallet" payment functionality, similar to the advances made by Google with Android 4.0.

7) Mobile Device Management functions for enterprise deployment. The enterprise space is a big deal, especially for Microsoft, so Windows Phone 8 will include Secure boot, the Office app, and on-device encryption.

8) New Live Tile homescreen design. Undoubtedly the most recognizable element of the Windows world today is its Metro UI "tile" design. In Windows Phone 8, tiles can be resized to include more or less information, and more colors are available for more user customizability.

Broadcom debuts gadget for streaming video from PC/Phone/Tablet to your TV

Publié: juin 20, 2012, 5:53pm CEST par Tim Conneally

<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-501856p1.html" target="_blank">Sellingpix</a>/<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com" target="_blank">Shutterstock</a>

In the race to connect our smartphones and tablets to our televisions, there is still no clear winner.

Apple has Airplay wireless video streaming with Apple TV, the MHL consortium has its wired solution for connecting mobile devices to HDMI, Intel has its own Wireless Display (WiDi) standard for connecting laptops wirelessly to televisions, and the Wi-Fi Alliance has Miracast for wirelessly connecting devices to displays on existing Wi-Fi networks.

Chipmaker Broadcom announced on Wednesday a device platform supporting the Wi-Fi Alliance Miracast standard that might push it out ahead of the rest and get everyone sharing their mobile screens with their televisions.

Broadcom's platform uses the HDMI dongle form factor that has recently been growing in popularity, and end users will simply plug the dongle into any open HDMI port on their TV, and it becomes an open channel for Miracast streaming.

The dongle has 2x2 MIMO antennas, and is built using Broadcom's BCM43236, and the video encode/decode is handled by the company's 2835 system on a chip. It's entirely self-contained, offers an extremely simple UI, and is really a complete end-to-end solution, as long as the source supports the Wi-Fi Display Miracast protocol. Broadcom is offering this as a turnkey solution to OEMs and service providers such as traditional telecom providers who want to add over-the-top content to their service packages.

"Without exaggeration, we have interest from every mobile player looking to provide this as a video sharing accessory," said Dino Bekis, Senior Director of the Wireless Connectivity Combos Group at Broadcom. "WiDi didn't really materialize because it was PC-only, and it just didn't align well. Miracast is a non-proprietary, standards-based approach. Any platform can take advantage of it."

At the end of May, the Wi-Fi Alliance announced it was finalizing its Miracast certification program, and it is expected to be ratified and complete by the end of the third quarter. At that point OEMs can get certified, and Broadcom's turnkey HDMI dongle design is likely to begin going into production.

Broadcom expects consumer products built on the platform to hit the market next year.

Photo: Sellingpix/Shutterstock

Samsung Galaxy S III HSPA+ hands-on review

Publié: juin 20, 2012, 5:48pm CEST par Ian Lewis

I got my shiny new Galaxy S III about ten days ago -- my first phone upgrade for quite a while. Although I’ve been watching smartphone developments with great interest, I used my Nokia N900 for nearly three years. Nothing out there really looked much better. But suddenly the flagship phones of this generation seem to be a significant improvement over their predecessors.

So was it worth the wait? Absolutely. There are plenty of reviews which give you all the numbers. This is a personal account of what it’s like to use the beast for real (with my contract committing me to it for two years).

Unpacking

The phone (mine is white, because that was what was available) arrives in a smartish white box, which would be perfect for a pet hamster’s coffin. Inside, the suave black lining will be familiar to anyone who’s ever unpacked anything from Apple. But, to be honest, this is a bit as if Samsung had heard about Apple’s packaging but never actually had seen it. Or as if they’re making a gesture they don’t really believe in. Still, we’re not buying a box.

Apart from the phone there’s a (black) USB cable for data and charging, and a matching charger built in to an electrical plug-top. (Even Amazon supplies white Kindle cables when they’re trying to be smart.) There’s also a battery, and a set of earphones (white).

Holding the Baby for the First Time

White would not have been my first choice, but I believe in buying what’s available now, rather than waiting for something that’s promised "real soon". In fact, because the screen is so large, there’s no big impression of whiteness -- you almost don’t notice. Editor's Note: Samsung delayed the blue model because of manufacturing problems.

The phone is large, but lightweight, and fits comfortably enough in my hands, which are not massive. It’s also very thin and weighs less than my old phone (130 grams instead of 180 grams). Partly because it’s so thin, the S3 slides quite easily into a pocket. Some reviewers complain Galaxy S III feels cheap and "plasticky". Well, without comparing side by side with the competition, it’s not the impression I have.

The phone feels perfectly solid and grown-up to me, and I’m used to the truly chunky N900. As you’ll have read elsewhere, there are three real hardware buttons: a rocker volume control, a power switch, and the "Home" button at the bottom of the front panel. The other Android "back" and "menu" buttons, on either side of the Home button, are touch-sensitive and light up when available, being otherwise pretty much invisible.

The touch buttons are very sensitive, and it’s unfortunately very easy to touch them by accident during normal handling of the phone -- with a variety of unintended consequences. It’s irritating, though I quickly get used to avoiding them most of the time. Still, if you’re incurably clumsy, you might want to try this in a store before you commit to buying it.

Inside the enclosure, the micro-SIM card appears as if you would be able to swap it without removing the battery, but in practice, the battery is just thick enough to stop you. The neighboring microSDHC slot is clear, and although you have to take the back cover off the phone, you can swap cards without pulling the battery or even switching the phone off. Samsung says the phone will take a card of up to 64GB, and the camera defaults to storing stills and video on the card if it finds one installed. It’s worth paying a little extra for faster cards (say Class 10) if you plan to use the camera a lot, or shoot HD movies, since the cheaper cards won’t be able to keep up with the data being chucked at them.

There’s a micro-USB socket for charging and data transfer, and a headphone/microphone socket. The supplied headset has a four-pole 3.5mm jack that includes the microphone, but you can plug a normal stereo headset in and listen to your music in stereo. The supplied charger is a 1 Amp charger. I tried various other chargers including a Nokia, a USB socket on a power board, and the PC, and they all seemed to work quite happily -- though I guess charging will take longer from lower-powered chargers.

The screen

Indoors the screen is beautiful -- good contrast, convincing color and bright enough to hurt your eyes on a blank web page. There are also a number of pre-set "looks" that adjust contrast, saturation, and gamma -- "Dynamic", "Standard", "Neutral", or "Movie" -- choose the one you like best. I found the automatic brightness setting was nearly always too dim, but that 90 percent of the time I’m comfortable with manually setting the brightness to about 35 percent.

Outdoors is a different story. Even with the screen at full brightness, in common with most backlit screens, bright sunlight makes this pretty hard to use except for big button work like the phone and the camera. Shaded, or in shadow it’s fine, and you’ll have no trouble reading messages or maps and using the phone, but it’s definitely a more comfortable experience indoors.

Smoothness

The most wonderful thing about Galaxy S III is that its performance is so wonderfully smooth. There’s no hesitation about swiping, scrolling or switching screens (there are seven home screens). It’s the way it should be. And it’s the way all devices will be in a year or so, but haven’t quite been until now. At last the hardware -- and software -- has grown to the stage where it can handle everything we want our phones to do. (Please don’t say iPhone to me. What I mean is that all phones will be this good, because it’s the way it’s supposed to be -- what we’ve all been waiting for.)

Connectivity

Samsung provides a freely downloadable program called Kies to sync the phone with your PC or Mac. Personally, having tried it out, I prefer to go without. Connecting the phone via USB loads the necessary drivers in Windows (without Kies) and the phone appears in Explorer as a music device -- but you can still explore the phone and the SD card and move files about as you can with any drive.

You can sync contacts and calendar through Google or Activesync. You can also connect to your desktop using Bluetooth, or the built-in "direct wireless" connection, and there’s something called S Beam that lets Samsung devices talk to each other.

The phone also has NFC, so you can empty your bank account without feeling a thing, and will share files via DLNA. Tethering is available through WiFi or Bluetooth, and is dead easy: simply select the appropriate tick-box in the phone settings. I used the phone as a wireless hotspot and connected my Asus Transformer Android tablet in less than a minute; no need to root or hunt through Google Play store for weird apps. I know this is part of Ice Cream Sandwich, but manufacturers have to play along for it to work properly.

S Voice and Smart Stay

Two little refinements that Samsung makes a fuss about in their publicity: Smart Stay will keep the screen lit if the front camera sees you are still looking at it; and S Voice is Samsung’s answer to Apple's Siri. Well, I can only speak for myself, but if these are your reasons for buying the Galaxy, you might like to try them out first.

Smart Stay never seems to recognize that I have a face, and S Voice -- even if it correctly understood me -- produces some very strange results. I ask for pubs in Farnham, England (where I live). S Voice correctly shows the question on the screen and gives me an excellent list of bars in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Voice search on Google is much more impressive, but I’ll stick with typing for now.

I certainly don’t feel like trusting S Voice with voice-controlled dialling and texting. But inevitably this will suit some people better than others, and you may have the perfect voice and intonation for it. If you really need voice control, it’s certainly worth trying it out to see for yourself. Editor asks: Could it be your accent, Ian?

Camera

The Galaxy S III camera is impressive. It’s probably the first phone or compact camera I’ve encountered that does not overexpose everything, so, especially on the S3 screen, pictures look detailed and the colors rich, though not over-saturated. However, the 8-megapixel shot is compressed to a very squeezed 3MB on the SD card, and there doesn’t seem to be a way to change that -- so a lot of detail is being thrown away, and this shows when you zoom in on details at 200 percent or more on a big screen. It’s an excellent casual camera, but don’t throw away your digital SLR quite yet.

Photo taken with Samsung Galaxy S III

Usefully, you also have burst and HDR modes, so the camera can automatically take a sequence of shots from which you can choose the best; and in HDR mode will take a number of different exposures and combine them to give you a High Dynamic Range result. All this is excellent and useful stuff for the kind of rapid, ad-hoc use that this camera is likely to encounter.

Movies

You can also film mp4 movies in full HD (1920x1080). The results are impressive, even in high contrast scenes, but, again, you have to be realistic about what you’re getting. Movies on the S3 take about 150MB of storage space per minute. (This might sound like a lot, but consider that, compressed with a professional Digital Intermediate format such as ProRes or Cineform, HD footage uses 1GB for each minute, and uncompressed HD needs 8GB to 10GB per minute.)

Movie playback on the screen is excellent, and, since you can squeeze a whole movie at watchable quality into around 1GB to 1.5GB of your storage card, you no longer have to worry what the airlines are offering on that long flight -- as long as your eyes are good enough.

Audio

Music playback quality with the supplied headphones is perfectly acceptable, and a lot better than many supplied headsets I’ve heard. I found it a little bright-sounding, but that’s a good thing from a phone point of view, since voice frequencies are emphasised. Overall I’ll be quite happy using this as my main music player when I’m travelling, possibly using my slightly more expensive AKG headphones, but the Samsung ones are usable.

I listen with Sennheiser HD600s, which are really quite expensive, to judge the sound of the device rather than the headset. It won’t blow your socks off or threaten any HiFi manufacturers, but the overall experience is enjoyable enough for what it is.

Phone

You’re not actually going to make phone calls with this are you? It’s a good phone. Voice quality is good. Signal sensitivity seems average to good. You can set the hardware buttons to accept and end calls if you’d rather not wait for the screen to light up, but the lag is minimal on using the software buttons. Interaction with contacts, rapid availability of the keypad in the middle of a call, the speakerphone -- all these are better and snappier than I’ve often experienced. Text messaging, too, has no surprises and works well.

Battery Life

Battery life is the thing that seems to raise the most complaints with most smartphones, and in other reviews and comments the Galaxy S III doesn’t escape. If you have everything on -- WiFi, 3G, Bluetooth, GPS -- turn the screen brightness up and play games solidly, then don’t be surprised if you’re running for a charger after half a day. However, I do an experiment: with the screen turned to 35 percent as mentioned above, Bluetooth and GPS off, WiFi and/or cellular data on only when required --- collecting email regularly, web surfing, installing programs, getting maps -- and switched off when I no longer need it.

I also read books with the Kindle software for maybe three hours, listen to music for an hour, take a few photographs, and make about 45 minutes worth of calls. After 48 hours, the battery is still at 30 percent -- and I leave the phone in standby overnight. So it can be done. It seems to me that expecting to charge a device like this every night and needing to do it every couple of days is very little sacrifice for the truly astonishing amount of power that it contains.

Prices

SIM-free in the UK, the phone is selling for around £500/$750 including taxes. With a two-year contract including call and data package the Galaxy S III is generally on offer at £31 to £35 a month (say $45-$53). Except for one offer on T-mobile through mobiles.co.uk where I found mine for £26/$39 a month. So that was pleasing. These rates are more or less the same for the S3 as for the HTC One X, and I agonized over the choice for a couple of weeks.

Galaxy S III: 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display (306 ppi) with 1280 x 720 resolution; 1.4GHz quad-core processor; 1GB RAM; 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage, expandable with microSD card; HSPA+ 21Mbps (850/900/1900/2100); 8-megapixel rear-facing and 1.9MP front-facing cameras; LED flash; zero shutter-lag; 1080p video recording; accelerometer; ambient-light sensor; gyroscope; GPS; proximity sensor; digital compass; NFC, Bluetooth 4.0; WiFi N; 2100 mAh battery; Android 4.0 and TouchWiz "nature" UI. Measurements: 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm, 133 grams. US models have dual-core processor and 4G LTE.

From everything I’ve read, and the limited hands-on experience I had with the One X, I don’t think anyone will be disappointed whichever choice they make. Why did I go for the Galaxy S III? I did prefer the changeable battery and the ability to add storage capacity (though I’ve never run out of space on my N900, with 32GB built in, and the original battery is still fine).

Otherwise, it was purely an indefinable feeling of preference. I still have no reason to recommend one over the other for anyone else.

Editor's Note: This is the second of two reviews this week, as the first Galaxy S IIIs go on sale here in the United States. However, these reviews cover the international models, which offer faster processors but no LTE. Our American readers interested in reviewing the US model should email joe at betanews dot com.

Photo Credits: Ian Lewis

Ian Lewis is a writer and filmmaker based near London, England. He has relied on personal computing in his professional life since the Commodore 64 was cutting edge. He has just finished work on the latest edition of coolcucumber.tv

Microsoft's Windows Phone Summit Liveblog: Introducing Windows Phone 8

Publié: juin 20, 2012, 4:23pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Microsoft sure is busy this week! Join BetaNews starting at 12 pm EDT for our liveblog of the Windows Phone Developer Summit in San Francisco. We're expecting the debut here of Windows Phone 8, the next version of Microsoft's mobile operating system.

Windows Phone 8 is expected to have a host of new features, including Near Field Communications, support for multicore processors, new screen resolution support, improved Skype application (although still seperate), and the replacement of the Zune PC client with something that's closer to ActiveSync, Mary Jo Foley reports.

Of course, Microsoft seems to have a penchant lately to surprise, so who knows -- we might see a few things we don't expect. What we're most interested in hearing here at BetaNews is whether or not the rumors that current Windows Phone devices are indeed not upgradable to WP8. May not be said here but we could get the first indications of Microsoft's plans.

So thanks for joining us again for another liveblog, and we'll see you soon. Until then, what's your hopes for Windows Phone 8? Better yet to those not on the platform, what would it take to make you switch? We want to hear your thoughts.

[Updates are in chronological order (in EDT), newest first]

1:20pm: The in-depth developer talk begins now, so we're going to stop the liveblog here. Thanks for joining us today. What do you think of what you've heard?

1:19pm: Video time showing Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 shared core functionalities and how they'd work together. If your expecting huge news here, it's not going to happen. This is a developer-centric event, remember.

1:09pm: Wallet now being shown, with a early preview of a Chase app that is due later this year.

1:05pm: NFC being shown in game play to create a peer-to-peer network on the fly. Devices were tapped together to start the game.

12:59pm: Developer geekiness here. Marble Maze, a game that's been in the DirectX SDK for a long time, ported to WP8 with "incredibly small" code changes. Works with the phones accelerometer.

12:54pm: Demo of the anti-phishing technology from IE that is being brought into WP8.

12:52pm: He just pointed out a Windows Phone 7.5 app that is running in this new UI. There's your background compatibility.

12:51pm: Belfiore is demoing how easy it is to customize and move things around. As an iPhone guy, there is something that appeals to me about this. The UI just works for me. Now I'd argue that the tile idea doesn't transfer well to the desktop, but here on mobile, I'm a fan.

12:46pm: Full customization. Tiles are no longer one single size. It's up to the user which tiles are bigger and smaller. "Windows Phone is even more personal that it was in the past". You'd think this looks busy, but it is pretty nice looking.

12:44pm: Windows Phone 8 looks like changes the start screen. We're getting a demo.

12:43pm: WP8 includes device management and other features to ease deployment in enterprise. Secure boot, office app, encryption.

12:39pm: Nokia's mapping technology will be built in.

12:38pm: Every WP8 phone will ship with Wallet. Orange will be the first carrier to launch with Secure SIMs that work with the Wallet in Europe. In US, Microsoft is working with Isis, but it will not be available at launch.

12:39pm: WP8 will support NFC natively. This is also coming to laptops well that run with Windows 8. Microsoft is including a Wallet Hub within WP8. Belfiore makes mention to the wallet feature within iOS 6, calling WP8's implementation "similar".

12:32pm: Native Code developers, WP8 is for you. "We're expecting some fricking killer games". Hah.

12:29pm: IE10 included in WP8.

12:27pm: Multicore support is in. As is screen resolutions. 800x460, 1280x768, 1280x720 (720p). MicroSD support is a core part of the platform now.

12:24pm: 8 Platform Announcments today. "We're not disclosing today all the end user features".

12:24pm: For consumers, it means more hardware and new experiences. More apps due to the fact W8 apps will run easily on WP8. Hardware partners experience faster time to market because the drivers and core is similar to that of a PCs.

12:22pm: Yes, WP8 shares a core with Windows 8. "It changes what the platform is about".

12:20pm: Platform Preview today. Joe Belfiore on stage.

12:19pm: Seven of the top nine phones on Amazon by rating are Windows Phones.

12:17pm: Three principles guided WP development: Windows Phone needs to be a more personal experience, needs to be more relevant to the user, wanted to deliver the most connected experience.

12:16pm: Terry Myerson is on stage. Your typical welcome. "This year Microsoft has reimagined Windows." We're here to promote the next chapter .. Windows Phone 8.

12:11pm: Just a note Microsoft, your electronic music selections are seriously dated. Come on now.

12:07pm: Announcement that we're beginning in five minutes. Sit tight.

12:03pm: We're still waiting. Hopefully not as long as we waited for Surface!

10:30am: We'll start our coverage around 11:45am ET, with some early thoughts. See you then!

Camtasia Studio 8 for Windows and for Mac 2.2 add ease and power

Publié: juin 20, 2012, 3:48pm CEST par Mike Williams

TechSmith Corporation has released new editions of its flagship screen recording and video editing software, Camtasia Studio 8 for Windows ($299), and Camtasia for Mac 2.2 ($99). And this is no minor upgrade: the latest versions include some very substantial new features.

Flash and HTML5 support mean it’s now possible to add many new interactive elements to a video for instance. This could be as simple as providing a hotspot link to web content, but it’s also possible to ask the viewer questions in a variety of types (multiple choice, true/ false, “fill in the blank”, and more). TechSmith’s servers compile the answers and you’re emailed detailed reports on the results.

The new TechSmith Smart Player is provided to support all this, and also provides an additional benefit: you’ll no longer have to create the same video for multiple screen sizes, as the Player will deliver the best possible results on everything from a smartphone to a desktop.

Elsewhere, the new multi-track timeline ensures it’s now quicker and easier to create your videos in the first place. And if your project is looking a little plain, then the new Asset Library means you can add music, callouts, animations and more with just a drag and drop.

And TechSmith claim that the redesigned video engine ensures that Camtasia Studio 8 is now optimized for high definition video capture, with a new default recording rate of 30 frames per second (double the previous edition) delivering notably smoother playback.

While the features we’ve listed so far relate to Camtasia Studio 8, Camtasia for Mac 2.2 also now supports in-video hotlinks to web content, enhanced video sharing (your content will play on most devices), spotlight and mask video effects (an easy way to make viewers focus on a particular area), and more. Sounds good to us, but if you’d like to find out more for yourself, then trial versions are available now.

Photo Credit: Leigh Prather/Shutterstock

Save big on these June software deals

Publié: juin 20, 2012, 3:01pm CEST par Mark Wilson

We’ve made it to June -- the year just seems to be flying by! -- and with each passing month there are more and more great offers in the Downloadcrew Software Store. In fact, there are so many great offers to be found that we thought that we had better collect together some of the highlights to make things a little easier for you.

Starting things off are two disc burning tools from Roxio.Roxio Creator 2011 is available for just $19.99 (a saving of 80 percent off the MSRP) while its big brother Roxio Creator 2011 Pro could be yours for just $24.99, instead of $105. These immensely powerful media suites include everything you need to create CDS, DVDS and Blu-rays containing video, audio and data.

There are a number of security products to be found on sale in the store, including Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 [5-PC, 1-Year]. This security suite costs just $39.95 (a saving of 64 percent) and can be installed on five computers, while Webroot Internet Security Essentials 2011 [3-PC] includes a firewall, antivirus tool and spyware detection for just $4.95 (saving you a massive 92 percent) as well as a free upgrade to SecureAnywhere Essentials 2012.

The same upgrade offer is available if you buy Webroot Internet Security Complete 2011 [3-PC] which could be your for just $9.95 instead of the usual price of $79.95. From the same company is Webroot AntiVirus with SpySweeper 2011. This great security tool costs just $4.95, a saving of 88% off the MSRP, and includes a free upgrade to SecureAnywhere Antivirus 2012! There are also deep discounts from the Bitdefender range of security software.

If you feel like getting creative with your music, photos and videos, look no further than the special offers on CyberLink products. You can save 30 percent off the regular price of CyberLink PowerDirector 10 Ultra when you buy it for just $69.95 and this immensely powerful suite includes everything you need to create your own stunning videos. In addition to saving $30, you will also receive $89 worth of complementary software (CyberLink MediaEspresso 6.5 and Travel Pack 2).

The previous version of PowerDirector, PowerDirector 9 Ultra64 is still available and can be snapped up for the bargain price of just $29.95 -- saving your 70 percent off the MSRP of $99.95.If you buy CyberLink Media Suite 10 Ultra at a 23 percent saving for just $99.99, you’ll also a free copy of PowerDirector 10 Ultra worth $99.95 in this Downloadcrew store, world exclusive CyberLink-approved offer.

We’ve already mentioned some security tools that can be found in the store, and there a several special offers that you can take advantage of if you’re looking for products from AVG. AVG Internet Security 2012 Plus Bundle is available at an 80 percent discount for just $29.95, while AVG Premium Security Complete Bundle could be yours for 77 percent off the MSRP -- just $29.95. AVG is most famous for its antivirus software, and if you have spent your time up until now working with the free version of the program, there has never been a better time to upgrade to a paid-for version. AVG Anti-Virus 2012 [1-PC, 1-Year] has been massively reduced to just $4.95 – a saving of 88 percent off the MSRP of $39.99 -- giving you a great and cheap way to keep your computer protected. Just to show that AVG is not only concerned with security, AVG PC Tuneup 2012 [3-PC, 1-Year] costs just $16.00 instead of $33 and could help to boost the performance of up to three computers.

To finish off the selection of special office this month, you’ll find a number of programs that have been designed to help improve the performance of your system. TuneUp Utilities 2012 is great value for money as not only can it be installed on three computers, it also features a lifetime non-expiring license – all for the bargain price of $16.99. For just a little more, TuneUp Utilities 2012 + avast! Pro Antivirus 7 could be yours. For just $19.95, a huge 78% off the MSRP, you can secure and boost your computer.

The final two products for the month both some from Auslogics. Auslogics Disk Defrag Pro 4 is on sale at half the usual price at just $14.95, and Auslogics BoostSpeed 5 is another great deal which sees you saving 70% off the MSRP when you buy this great performance and maintenance tool for just $14.95.

Of course, this is just a selection of some of the great offers you can find in the store. To take a look at the full range of what’s available, head on over to the Downloadcrew Software Store.

Photo Credit: iQoncept/Shutterstock

BabelPad opens unicode files in 60 character sets

Publié: juin 20, 2012, 2:10pm CEST par Mike Williams

At first glance text files may seem very easy to edit and display. After all, even Windows Notepad can handle the key basics. If you’ve ever tried to view or edit a Unicode file, though, one which uses a different character set to your own, then you’ll know it can be surprisingly difficult -- unless you turn to a specialist tool, like BabelPad.

As you’d expect, the program offers support for opening files in more than 60 encodings: Arabic, Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and more, they’re all here. So if you’re just looking for a way to display a file as the author intended, BabelPad will do the trick.

There are also some powerful features on offer, though. Like BabelPad’s ability to assign different fonts to individual scripts, helping you to more easily work with multi-script files.

Elsewhere, the program also provides input methods which allow you to enter a variety of scripts: Tibetan, Manchu, Mongolian, Uyghur and Yi (Nuosu), as well as the ability to manually enter Unicode characters by entering their hexadecimal values. You can switch between left-to-right and right-to-left page layouts in a couple of clicks, and the use of Microsoft’s Uniscribe rendering engine ensures everything looks as it should.

And whether you’re working on an important contract in Vietnamese, or just writing a shopping list in English, BabelPad has plenty of editing features to help you out: there’s optional auto-indent, powerful find and replace, drag-and-drop support (select some text and you can drag and drop it anywhere else in the document), multi-level undo and redo, and more.

Even if you only very occasionally need to work on Unicode files, then, there may be other reasons to keep BabelPad around. Especially as it’s free, and comes in the form of a single executable file. Give the program a try, or if you’re really living on the edge, check out the beta version which supports Unicode 6.2 (final release expected in September or October).

Photo Credit: Dmitriy Shironosov/Shutterstock

Google stands against government spying and censorship

Publié: juin 20, 2012, 2:27am CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

Google's fifth "Transparency Report" shows that the emperors of the world wear no clothes. The search and information giant started releasing the data two years ago, offering a small peek into the bombardment of user information requests that world governments make -- everything from non-copyrighted YouTube video take-downs, to search result link removals, to, most alarmingly, private citizen emails and information.

But what is most alarming about these requests? Many are not even for serious matters of national security. Most are down right requests to silence, censor, track, and or monitor dissident internal political groups and political opponents. In some, it is the outright censorship of non-violent organizations, ideas, or even the requested silence of whistle-blowers pointing out corruption. Google's own policy analyst, Dorothy Chou, sees a disturbing trending rise, particularly from "Western democracies not typically associated with censorship".

Google, Take Down This Post

Google states at the top of its 'Content Removal' by country government chart just some of the basic reasons for the content take downs by governments:

Content removals are requested due to allegations of defamation, while others are due to allegations that the content violates local laws prohibiting hate speech or pornography. Laws surrounding these issues vary by country, and the requests reflect the legal context of a given jurisdiction

An example of local country law violations that lead to reasonable requests for removal is that of Germany, ranked second in the list. German courts had 60 requests for 1304 items, while the German government had 43 requests for 418 items. Google's self-reported compliance with the requests was at 80 percent for the court orders and 72 percent for the direct government requests.

The majority of these requests were brought by the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (BPjM - Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien), a federal government youth protection agency in Germany. The requests were for the removal of some 70 videos on YouTube and lists of urls that have content that violates the German youth protection law which blocks content touting Nazi memorabilia, extreme violence or explicit pornography material that children can easily access. Google responded by removing the urls from Google.de and limited the videos playback from inside of Germany. Google uses its own discretion in requests, not entirely removing possible valid items from the entire search index.

Another example of local country rules is Thailand. All of the requests came from the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology -- to remove 149 YouTube videos for allegedly insulting the monarchy in violation of Thailand's lèse-majesté law. There was 100-percent Google compliance reporting for four requests. Google responded with the discretion by restricting 70 percent of these videos from viewing in Thailand.

But as a US citizen I find it most shocking that the United States collective State & Federal governments ranked No.1 in the top 10 for 'Content Removal' requests by both court order and by government agency request. Under court orders the US Government requested 117 times to remove 3851 items and under Government agency requests; ranging from Executive branch down to local police, there were 70 requests for 2341 items. In the court-ordered take-down requests, Google's self-reported compliance level was 40 percent. In the government agency requests that was slightly higher at 44 percent removal compliance. But the real question is what kind of data is the US requesting to take down?

Google's own summery states:

We received a request from a local law enforcement agency to remove a blog because of a post that allegedly defamed a law enforcement official in a personal capacity. We did not comply with this request, which we have categorized in this report as a defamation request.

We received a request from a local law enforcement agency to remove 1,400 YouTube videos for alleged harassment. We did not comply with this request. Separately, we received a request from a different local law enforcement agency to remove five user accounts that allegedly contained threatening and/or harassing content. We terminated four of the accounts, which resulted in the removal of approximately 300 videos, but did not remove the remaining account with 54 videos.

We received a court order to remove 218 search results that linked to allegedly defamatory websites. We removed 25 percent of the results cited in the request.

Mr. Googler, Papers Please?

The worst thing though is that the United States leads in the request of personal user data. The rise between 2009 and 2011 is astounding:

In Google's 2009 July to December dataset, the United states made 3,580 requests for an undisclosed number of US citizens' user data.
In 2010 January to July that jumped to another 4,287 requests for an undisclosed number of US Citizens' data.
In 2010 July to December it was another 4,601 requests for an undisclosed number users' data but with Google reporting the percentage of data requests fully or partially complied for the requests to be 94 percent.
2011 January to June marks the first time we get a number of users accounts specified, with the United States making 5,950 requests for 11,057 individual users/accounts private information with a 93 percent full/partial fulfillment by Google.
This last dataset for 2011 July to December now sees United States hit a high score of 6,321 requests for 12,243 accounts with Google agreeing fully or only partially to 98 percent.

To put this into context of all the other recorded countries on the list. The United States has been No. 1 since Google started the transparency reports. No country is even close to competing with the number of private user data requests. In the combined datasets of 2011 the United States requested access to a total of 23,300 individual accounts. That more than beats the second highest requester of India, which requested access to only 5,866 individual user accounts in the combined 2011 datasets. Brazil was third with only 4,044 individual users' private data requests.

The US government also has the dubious record of largest growth of their requests. The United States has shown an astounding 66.2 percent increase since the start of Google's Transparency Report. Google cannot even state the reason for these partial or full data requests they provide. Is it terrorism threats? Are these criminal accounts? Are they possible connections to internal attacks or the banking collapse? The stage curtain has been opened to unveil only another curtain in this play of possible privacy invasion and spying on US citizens.

We Are No Longer In Kansas, Dorothy

Chou is the one who crafted the official blog post announcing the latest six month datasets for the Transparency Report findings. Chou explains how at first the report started out just showing basic info of the requests but now shows far more information. Such examples include graphs showing traffic patterns and disruptions to Google services from different countries. The most recent new feature is a section showing the requests Google gets from copyright holders to remove search results. What most of you have seen when google searches end in this iconic statement:

In response to a legal request submitted to Google, we have removed 1 result(s) from this page. If you wish, you may read more about the request at ChillingEffects.org.

But what Chou hammers on in this short blog post is what you should be made very much aware of:

Unfortunately, what we’ve seen over the past couple years has been troubling, and today is no different...We noticed that government agencies from different countries would sometimes ask us to remove political content that our users had posted on our services. We hoped this was an aberration. But now we know it’s not.

Chou warns that the most disturbing of these government offenders are Western democracies with requests that tantamount to censorship. What I like to call "Political Character Cleanup" or "Internet Personal Image Sanitizing" is on the rise. Chou spotlighted Spanish regulators and Poland public institutions:

Spanish regulators asked us to remove 270 search results that linked to blogs and articles in newspapers referencing individuals and public figures, including mayors and public prosecutors. In Poland, we received a request from a public institution to remove links to a site that criticized it. We didn’t comply with either of these requests.

Chou goes on to say that this last dataset had the largest amount of "interesting fact annotations" yet, as to reasons for requests. You can read more of on the transparency report annotation page.

Brave New Digital World: A Writer's Closing Opinion

The digital world has changed the face of how the people are heard by the world, and by their governments. The Arab Spring was born following the self-immolation suicide protest of Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi. He protested corruption, high unemployment, food inflation, lack of freedom of speech and poor living conditions; he was memorialized on Facebook and twitter. His death lead to Internet-connected protest organization across seventeen Arab and African countries, toppling four autocratic governments and getting massive changes in seven others governments, hopefully for the better.

Google's YouTube showed us the 2009 Iran Green Revolution protests that questioned the Religious police and disputed the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The galvanizing video that will be remembered is of the Assassination of Iranian Neda Agha-Soltan. Her death became the "voice", as her name in Persian actually meant, for citizens to rise up. They recorded everything and posted it to YouTube in any way possible.

But in all this change for the good there is a scary back peddle in developed countries. Even those we thought were the strongest free-speech democracies are taking cues from authoritarian and autocratic regimes in denying freedom of speech and the ability to whistle-blow wrongdoing of corrupt leaders or systems. America is no innocent bystander in this. On a state by state level recordings of police misconduct and assaults have been met with retaliatory prosecutorial action. Prime examples being the Maryland state case of Anthony Graber. He was brought up on charges for wiretapping. All for posting a video to YouTube that his helmet camera recorded as a plain clothes off duty officer pulled him over at gunpoint for speeding on interstate 95 in the baltimore county area. Garber had just come home from his last tour of duty with the Maryland National Guard duty, serving in Afghanistan.

Police violence to protestors at the Occupy protests have been famously documented using YouTube from New York City to Oakland Calif. with police even singling out journalists to delete footage and photos that caught them in acts of grievous violence from cameras. But it keeps happening to such a point where protestors are now livestreaming every protests and every action they take to make sure people have it documented. Even if police raid the live streaming broadcast centers to try to shut them down. I don't even think I need to go on to the lack of protection to whistle-blowing in America now. The creation of whistle-blower sites has created tidal waves of posts.

When a country is based on freedom of speech and the right to address grievances to government those rights should be supported universally on any platform. If we have learned anything with last year's domino effect fall of several autocratic dictators, no matter how much governments try to censor information, or try to downright turn off the pipes to the internet, the signal cannot be stopped. The right to say something, no matter how vile to our ears -- unless it supports acts of unjust violence, mass panic, hate speech, bigotry, or harassment -- is the universal right of every man, woman, child, and sentient being on this planet. To try to secretly reign that in behind closed doors on the behest of corrupt politicians, campaign donating corporations, and embarrassed military and police is a sad state of affairs. In America we are supposed to be a shining example in personal freedom and in the experiment of a democracy. It is what we are suppose to support in the American experience we represent.

I'm glad to see Google believes in these ideals to a greater extent than most companies I have seen in the past. The company might have to do the bidding of some corrupt governments to do business but discloses what in the transparency reports. I for one applaud Google's civic and community responsibility in supporting and publishing so much in real time. I just wish more companies did reports like this, especially when we status update minute-to-minute with our latest inane thoughts, feelings, or regrettable emotional outbursts.

Photo Credit: Andrea Danti/Shutterstock

Cybele launches beta of 'Metro-style' HTML5 Web terminal emulator

Publié: juin 19, 2012, 11:21pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Tuesday, legacy access software company Cybele Software launched the beta of z/Scope Anywhere version 7.0, a HTML5 and Javascript-based terminal emulator that lets any modern device securely connect to IBM S/390 Mainframe, AS/400, and Unix hosts through the browser in a conspicuously "Metro-style" interface with touch and virtual keyboard support.

Remote users connect to the z/Scope Anywhere server with any HTML5-complaint browser, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer, as well as mobile and tablet browsers. Once connected, the server translates all of the interactions between the "old school" architecture and the "new school" client device. The z/Scope server software, meanwhile, can be run on Windows XP/Vista/7 and Windows Server 2003/2008 setups.

TN3270E, TN5250E, Telnet VTxxx, SSH, and other protocols are supported by z/Scope Anywhere, and multiple sessions can be run on a single client instance.

To join the beta test of z/Scope Anywhere v7.0, register on the Cybele Software site.

When Windows annoys with file 'in use', try LockHunter

Publié: juin 19, 2012, 9:02pm CEST par Mike Williams

It should be simple. All you want to do is copy, move, maybe delete a particular file. And yet Windows won’t allow it, complaining instead that the file is “in use”. It’s annoying, but don’t give up: LockHunter can help.

Once installed, a quick right-click displays a new “What is locking this file?” option, and if you choose this then LockHunter will pop up, telling you which process “owns” the file. Or that’s the idea, anyway -- the program would occasionally give odd results in our tests, though for the most part it worked just fine.

Just knowing which process is holding on to a file can be very useful. And if it’s not something system-critical then your next step should be to close it down. Which will free up the file, and allow you to do anything you like with it.

If you can’t close the process, though, just clicking “Unlock It!” will probably be enough to free up the file for you. But beware: there’s no telling how the locking process will behave now. It might lose data, crash, even bring down your entire PC, there are no guarantees.

There is one scenario where you’ll probably want to continue with LockHunter anyway, though -- and that’s where you’ve identified a malware component and are trying (unsuccessfully) to delete it. This can be a real challenge, but the program provides a few additional options which could prove useful.

Clicking Other > Unlock and Rename, for instance, will rename the file to whatever you choose. If this is a malicious executable then with any luck it won’t be relaunched again.

If you think the locking process is also malware then you can click Other > Close Locking Process to terminate it, and there’s even a “Delete locking processes from disk” option to get rid of them forever.

Of course deleting processes in this way is even more risky, and if you accidentally remove something important then you could crash your PC, and then find it won’t boot up again. Don’t even think of trying this unless you’ve a full system backup available.

If you know what you’re doing and are fully prepared, though, LockHunter provides a quick and easy way to unlock files and then delete, rename, copy or otherwise work with them. And if you ever need to manually remove malware then that can be very useful indeed.

Photo Credit: Kheng Guan Toh/Shutterstock

Rise of the quad star -- Samsung Galaxy S III [review]

Publié: juin 19, 2012, 8:52pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

Editor's Note: This is the first of two reviews we will run over the next day, as the first Galaxy S IIIs go on sale here in the United States. However, these reviews cover the international models, which offer faster processors but no LTE.

Starting at the end of May, Samsung is in the process of launching worldwide its new flagship smartphone, Galaxy S III, or i9300 as it's designated internationally. Customers in Europe get the HSPA+ (21Mbps download, 5.76Mbps upload) model, while those in the United States and Canada will get the LTE variant. So what’s it like to live with a Samsung Galaxy S III? Just awesome. I know that's a spoiler, but you must have expected it.

Hardware Hunk

The S3 is a terrific phone first of all because of the hardware -- what's visible and hidden behind the nice exterior. Inside: 1.4GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 CPU on a Samsung made Exynos 4 chipset; a Mali-400MP GPU; 1GB of RAM; a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display running at 720p resolution under the Corning Gorilla Glass 2; 8MP camera with autofocus and LED flash; 1080p video recording capability on the back; 1.9MP front-facing camera with 720p video recording; 802.11 N; Wi-Fi support; Near Field Communications; 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage capacity with a microSD slot; and last, but not least, 2100 mAh battery. Other features include A-GPS with Glonass support; 3.5mm audio jack; digital compass; and accelerometer, gyroscope and proximity sensors. Also: Bluetooth 4.0, TV-out with 1080p support coming from the microUSB port, which also allows charging the phone, and Flash support.

The S3 is mighty thin and light for such a big phone: 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm and 133 grams; it's no trouble to hold or to work with on a daily basis. The colors currently available are Marble white and Pebble blue, with the white model being the first available at launch. The enclosure is polycarbonate, which is still plastic at the end of the day, but it’s very resilient -- and pliable: The back cover bends but you don’t have to worry that it will easily break, that’s how flexible it is. There is an aluminum-like strip on the side, surrounding the case, but it is still plastic, though you can’t tell without touching it.

The specs are impressive, but one thing is missing: wireless charging, which Samsung says will come this fall. This is a feature I am very interested in. According to the information available so far, it will come as an optional accessory, so we'll have to buy it if we want to charge wirelessly.

These specs are for the international model, but the North American Galaxy S III differs, with dual-core Snapdragon S4, 2GB of RAM and LTE biggest among them (LTE is not supported by Exynos).

Basic Functions

Specs aren't everything. How does the phone actually work in real life, and what is it like to live with on a daily basis? Here enters Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0.4) and TouchWiz 5.0. This is where I can clearly say that the S3 is the best Android phone on the market so far. We have the latest available Android version topped by the best TouchWiz iteration -- with no fussy colors or cartoonish appearance of old. As many of you know Android manufacturers try to make the OS better overall, but few ever succeed. Touchwiz is light, but this doesn’t make it stock, being not that far from it though if I have to be honest. Surprisingly, Samsung managed to make TouchWiz unobtrusive, which makes me give it a big thumbs up.

For example, the launcher works with you and helps enrich the experience provided by the best and fastest Android version. I appreciate the small details, like when holding the home button for a second or two the Task Manager pops up and lets you kill every running application with the press of a single button. There's no fussing around with sliding your finger left or right to kill individual applications, just a single button to do it for you. That’s convenient especially when you’re playing with your shiny new toy and all you’ve done all day is open all the applications you could, just to see how it handles the workload. And I have to say that I’ve done just that and the hardware didn’t break a sweat, but more on that later.

The default touchscreen keyboard is truly one of the best I have used so far. If you have ever used an iPhone keyboard you know what I’m talking about: the keys are not spaced too far from each other, but they are not too close either. By comparison to a device I’ve used recently, the Nokia Lumia 800 keyboard has to be the worst I have used so far in my entire life: the keys are spaced too close, they are small and the whole experience feels cluttered.

The typing experience is great on the Galaxy S3; you rarely miss a key, and when you do you don’t care, as it doesn’t happen too often. The keys are the appropriate size for me, and I do have big thumbs, so it shouldn’t be a problem for anyone. Typing is not as satisfying while in landscape, though, as this phone is fairly big and could use better placement of the keyboard -- in my opinion. It’s a stretch to reach a key close to the left or right extremity of the keyboard. The best part is that if you don’t like the keyboard there’s always another for you to try on Google Play.

What Samsung Adds

I have yet to talk about the features Samsung packs, that are exclusive to the Galaxy S III -- at least so far. S Voice is one of them. I have to say that it’s nice of Samsung to treat S Voice as a Siri competitor -- competition is always good for improvement -- but from my perspective it needs a lot of work. Just like most any other voice recognition software, S Voice deals with voice commands pretty well, but just don’t expect the experience to be like "Star Trek". S Voice could use a bit more human touch, as it sounds pretty boring. Maybe a sexy voice would actually motivate the developers to talk more to it and to make it the best there is. Who know.

One particular thing I have to mention here: S Voice waits for a double press on the home button and that means that whenever the home button is pressed there is a delay between pressing it and actually going to home. If S Voice is not your thing, you can disable the double press and the delay will be gone.

Smart Stay uses the front camera to determine whether you’re looking at the screen or not. It keeps the screen active while you’re looking at it and if you’re not, it simply dims, then the screen shuts down. Smart Stay works as expected, and it’s a very useful feature. One downside: It actually requires the front camera to stay active, which implies impact on the battery life. How much of an impact I do not know, but it’s fair to assume that with a 2100 mAh battery sacrifices can be made to get the best experience -- and that is actually the point of such a phone: plenty of features.

S Beam is another feature exclusive to the Galaxy S III. Basically it works through NFC and more exactly like this: you tap the phones, wait until the tap is recognized by another phone and then select the file that you want to share. The good part is that it uses Wi-Fi for fast transfer speeds, but the ugly is that it works only between S3s. It’s a feature that has great potential, but limiting to Galaxy S III phones is a bit disappointing.

Direct call is a feature that helps ease the process of calling someone whenever you’re in direct contact -- well, a contact on your phone. The S3 dials the number for you when you hold it to your ear. It's a handy feature that’s cool also. One interesting fact about the use of the sensors: While you’re scrolling through contacts and don’t want to slide your finger across the screen to go to the top of the list, a simple double tap on the top of the phone will do just that. How cool it is to make technology work for you?

Also, picking up the phone will make it vibrate when you have notifications, as to let you know that you have something to deal with. It’s particularly useful while I leave the phone on my desk and I go away for an hour or so then come back and I received some notifications in-between. I pick up the S3, and it vibrates, letting me know something happened.

Overall, the software pleases, and Samsung has already released an update. But the phone manufacturer isn't the fastest updating to new Android versions. With Jelly Bean around the corner I have to wonder when this device will get updated. The S3 will get Jelly Bean, but the only question is how much we’ll have to wait.

Vroom, Vroom

Enough about software, what you want to know is how fast the Galaxy S III performs.

Let me tell you that this is the fastest phone available in the world. That's an opinion, of course, but I can’t think of a faster phone -- because there isn’t any. Whether I play games or use various applications, hardware never lets me down. There is a sense of fluidity when using the Galaxy S3 that no other phone can match. That is partly due to the quad core 1.4Ghz processor and partly to the great GPU inside. The best of games can’t kneel this new guy on the block.

Many of you know what Pen-Tile and RGB matrix are, but on the S3 you just can’t tell by looking at the display. It’s so crisp that you can’t believe that it’s a Pen Tile arrangement. A 4.8-inch 720p display is among the biggest in the business, maybe only outshined by Samsung's Galaxy Note, which is more of tablet than a phone, at least for me. The 720p on a 4.8-inch display is roughly 306 ppi (pixels per inch), which is not far off from the iPhone 4S, which has a 1.3-inch smaller display. The viewing angles are great, which is to be expected from SAMOLED, and so are the colors. I'm not a big fan of the way AMOLED displays colors, but with the S3 I can chose whatever color-profile I want or need. There is one that makes colors more natural, another that makes them more saturated and so on. The choice is there and Samsung is here to please.

But Wait...

I can report on a few problems, as well, as this phone isn’t without its fair share. S Voice, whilst nice to have isn’t all that great and could use a lot of work. Telling it to do minor tasks like setting up an alarm or set a reminder isn’t a problem, but more advanced commands shows its shortcomings. The software has its kinks, minor issues if you will, but a crash here and there is frustrating coming from a phone that costs EUR550+. (Americans can expect to pay $660 or more, imported).

The phone looks great, but that glossy plastic has its disadvantages. First of all the case attracts fingerprints like honey attracts a bear -- and second it’s slippery. If you have sweaty palms you should be very careful and maybe get some sort of protection (film or case), as accidents can happen. The last problem I have: The case looks great, but it feels like plastic. I am sure that for the price Samsung could have looked at HTC and thought: we can better that, but instead didn't bother.

For me, those are minor problems overall. Every device, no matter how much it costs, has its fair share of advantages and disadvantages. I can live with the very few this phone has.

The Winner Is?

The competitors are not that hard to define. I’ll have to get it over with and dismiss the iPhone 4/4S, based on screen size. I see the Galaxy S III's biggest competitors coming from HTC: Either One X -- with Tegra 3 (international) and Snapdragon S4 (North America). The display size is roughly the same and the performance is comparable. Then again, they are different. The HTC devices have S-LCDs, which are on par with the SAMOLED of the S3, but battery life isn't as good. The Snapdragon S4 HTC One X is as fast as the S3 in many benchmarks and in real life you can’t tell the difference.

For many perspective buyers, the biggest competitor will come from Samsung. The Galaxy S II is not that far behind in terms of real life performance and the price has gone down considerably. However, this device is approaching its end of life software support, so it’s more a competitor based on price. A few future competitors will be the next Razr model from Motorola, LG Optimus LTE 2, LG Optimus 4X HD, the next Nexus phones and the future line from Sony. But nothing from the future is certain, and I can only attest to the current phones.

Still, with almost no real competition, aside from HTC, it’s hard not to crown the Galaxy S III as the best Android device on the market so far. The combination of the best software and best hardware to date is hard to beat. Hopefully in the short term there will be more devices to compete with the S3. Competition is good, but so far there isn’t an army of phones claiming the crown. The king may rest easy for now.

Photo Credit: Sham Hardy

Mihaita Bamburic attends Technical University "Gh. Asachi" of Iasi", where he studies civil engineering. His interests lie within technology and the engineering that goes behind it.

HP will use Intel Atom for first low power 'Moonshot' servers, but what about ARM?

Publié: juin 19, 2012, 8:35pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Late in 2011, Hewlett Packard announced "Project Moonshot," an initiative to shrink data center size and energy consumption by using "hyperscale" low-power servers.

Initially, HP announced the project's low-power server design codenamed "Redstone" was based on Calxeda's ARM-based EnergyCore processors which used just 1.5 Watts of power per SoC. At the same time, ARM announced it was getting into the server business with its first ever 64-bit architecture. The excitement for ARM servers was high.

Today, however, HP announced Intel's "Centerton" Atom chips will be used for the first Project Moonshot production system instead. Centerton has a 6-watt TDP power envelope, which is a slightly different metric than Calxeda used, so it's not a directly comparable figure.

Still, HP said it will "realize similar power, cost and density benefits of the previously announced Redstone development platform."

The Atom-based server design is codenamed "Gemini," which sticks with the rocket-themed naming culture. HP said Gemini will be the first production design because it features 64-bit support, hardware virtualization, and error correcting code memory, while still meeting the low power requirements.

HP representatives said the ARM-based Redstone design is "powered on and shipping into the Discovery Lab," and the Redstone Development Server continues to be part of Project Moonshot's robust roadmap.

"We expect to use [Calxeda and ARM] processors as well as others as part of HP Project Moonshot," HP told Betanews on Tuesday.

Eucalyptus open sources software, cozies closer to Amazon Web Services

Publié: juin 19, 2012, 8:04pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Hybrid cloud software provider Eucalyptus open sourced its software on Tuesday, moving the entire package to code-sharing site GitHub. Version 3.1 of the software includes performance enhancements and a feature called FastStart, which allows IT administrators to deploy Amazon Web Services-compatible clouds in under 20 minutes.

Eucalyptus is an application that reproduces the AWS cloud locally, which in turn allows IT personnel to easily migrate cloud applications built from AWS back and forth from the public to private cloud. Amazon itself supports Eucalyptus, giving the nod to Eucalyptus' efforts to support Amazon Web Services' APIs back in March.

Version 3.1 of the software brings compatibility with the latest version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, with EC2, EBS, S3 and IAM using Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization and VMware virtualization platforms. It expects additional enhancements to come out of its decision to move to GitHub as more open source developers get their hands on the code.

"Creating enterprise IT platforms with innovations coming from open source communities, Eucalyptus is laying the foundation for new levels of collaboration in driving the future of cloud computing", Opscode marketing chief Jay Wampold says.

While the move sounds good in theory, it is sure to cause some concern among those developers wary of giving Amazon all but the level of a standard when it comes to cloud computing. Remember back to April when Citrix began pushing CloudStack, its recently acquired cloud platform. That comes with AWS API support built in.

The company saw the effort as a necessity considering the level of use AWS has throughout the IT industry. At the same time, it elevates AWS' profile just like cloning the API for private cloud use would here with Eucalyptus. The company's partners seem to care less though, and point to it as a strength.

"Eucalyptus has the features we need, such as strong AWS API compatibility, to operate a research-oriented cloud service", Cornell University's Center for Advanced Computing director David Lifka says.

Eucalyptus 3.1 is set for public availability on June 27, according to the company.

Photo Credit: Sergej Khakimullin/Shutterstock

Zip Art lets even the totally talent-free express their creative potential

Publié: juin 19, 2012, 5:58pm CEST par Mike Williams

Some people seem to be born with great artistic talent, able to produce amazing work with just a few strokes of a pencil or some well-placed dabs of paint. If, like the rest of us, you’re not so lucky, though, you’re probably going to need to help to produce anything which deserves to be called “art”. And that’s where Zip Art comes in.

The program was created by light sculptor, scientific artist and former physicist Paul Friedlander, in an effort to help anyone, even the totally talent-free, express their creative potential. And while, as a software developer Friedlander is clearly a great artist, Zip Art is an interesting way to produce appealing abstract images, often in just a few seconds.

Launch the program and you’ll probably be a little confused by the odd interface, which ignores convention and does things very much its own way. Fortunately the core of Zip Art is very straightforward: just choose a drawing tool -- waves, curves, rectangles, and a whole lot more -- then click and drag with the mouse. And immediately you’ll be generating colourful abstract designs, and shaping them however you like.

Despite Zip Art’s small size (the core executable is a mere 506KB), there are plenty of options here. You can change the colour palette, background and pen width, for instance. You get various customisations to help tweak the program’s algorithms, and it can even record your efforts, replaying them later as an animation.

And what might you be able to create? There’s a small gallery on Friedlander’s site which will give you a general idea, but even our brief experience with the program suggested most people will probably be able to produce something much better. If you like this kind of abstract imagery then there’s a lot of fun to be had here.

You’ll probably have to fight through more than a little frustration first, though, because the program’s interface is something of a mess. Zip Art doesn’t use regular toolbars, buttons, help menus or anything else, choosing instead to generate everything itself, and initially it all feels quite strange. Persevere, though, and you’ll soon be feeling more at home, producing spectacular abstract designs with the absolute minimum of effort.

Surface is Project Origami's revenge

Publié: juin 19, 2012, 5:39pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Surface isn't just about the future. The tablet is also about the past, and Microsoft bringing to market a vision quashed by its hardware partners. In 2012, Surface is all about Apple and Microsoft securing a fast foothold in the emerging cloud-connected device category. But the tablet also encompasses something sought six years ago: Project Origami.

It's no coincidence that Project Origami's launch was, until yesterday, the last time Microsoft held a super-secretive media event that generated big buzz. Surface and the other share much in common, and not just buzz. Before there was iPad, Microsoft developed Ultra-Mobile PC -- or what Project Origami came to be branded. The idea: To bring to market a sub-$500 touchscreen computer. The software giant sought this product category four years before iPad stormed the media tablet market. Surface is Project Origami's revenge, against Apple and Microsoft's hardware partners.

Microsoft's Baby

When working as a JupiterResearch analyst, I met with Microsoft product managers during Ultra-Mobile PC's development. They were keen to get my opinions, which I never really got to give. Someone else in attendance, not from Microsoft, interrupted with over-enthusiastic praise, using up all our time. I was more cautious, believing Project Origami could only succeed if products met Microsoft's sub-$500 price objective. But I remained doubtful OEM partners would deliver.

You have to understand something about Ultra-Mobile PC. This was Microsoft's baby, although it was presented as a partnership with hardware manufacturers at launch. Microsoft developed the concept, which simplicity was brilliant: Build a low-cost touchscreen computer using off-the-shelf parts -- stuff readily available rather than having to be engineered. The advanced engineering, the product refinement, could come later.

But greedy OEMs looked at Ultra-Mobile PC differently, as a new category for which they could charge more. The first devices cost twice as much, or more, than Microsoft planned. Selling for the same price as cheap laptops, UMPCs couldn't compete. They offered too little for the price. The products failed, and everyone blamed Microsoft. But the people behind Project Origami had the right idea. Microsoft created the reference design and prototypes for OEM partners but depended on others to bring the vision to market. They failed.

Taking Charge

Six years later, Microsoft makes another attempt at bringing the concept, now vastly evolved, to market. Only this time, the company won't rely on OEM partners. Microsoft isn't so much competing with OEMs, but pushing around them. They've been in the way -- obstacles of innovation for years. That the company would bypass them at all shows just how much has changed inside the software giant. It also shows how much Microsoft is willing to risk -- relationships with any, and perhaps all, OEMs -- to advance its software and services platforms.

Microsoft isn't a follower but a leader. For anyone in the Apple Fan Club suggesting Microsoft is imitating iPad's maker, get a real life. Put down the Kool-Aid. Microsoft pioneered the tablet market a decade ago and sought to break into the low-cost, touchscreen computer market six years past. But the company was beholden to hardware partners. No longer. Microsoft is doing with Surface what it should have done years ago -- design, brand and sell its own PC hardware, software and services platform. The software giant has bled too much for OEMs far too long.

Had Project Origami succeed six years ago, there likely would be no iPad today, perhaps even no iPhone. In some alternate universe somewhere, perhaps that is reality. Microsoft can't afford any more setbacks, as its future is at stake. The PC era is over. Cloud-connected devices are the future, and Android and iOS devices are leaders in a category where Windows share is too small for analysts to measure. Microsoft is right to take charge.

What Price?

The only question is price. Will Microsoft maintain that sub-$500 price vision? I expect the answer will be yes for Surface running Windows RT. Value is a long-standing Microsoft corporate cultural trait. I see it at my local Microsoft Store, where products are value-priced and deals often are better than anywhere else I can shop. Microsoft tends to plan five years or more out. Surface will get bigger as the company opens more branded stores.

What we're witnessing is completion of Microsoft's three-screen strategy, while tacitly acknowledging the strategy is a failure relying on third parties. There are Xbox and Surface, which Microsoft designs and brands. There remains one more screen, around Windows Phone, where with Nokia Microsoft is close to delivering an end-to-end product.

I wonder if now, with Nokia reduced to junk status and shedding jobs, if Microsoft shouldn't buy the manufacturer. I wouldn't be surprised to find out later that current downsizing turns out to be as much about prepping for Microsoft buyout as trying to aright listing Nokia. In such circumstance, Microsoft's three-screen strategy would be complete, without the need for third parties.

If Microsoft could ship today, Surface would send ripples across the tablet marketplace. It's too bad the first devices won't arrive for months. But come autumn, for all Apple's early sales success, Microsoft will pull from a much larger and deeper ecosystem -- and across the Surface, iPad is but a stone's throw away.

LastPass 2.0 is your first line of data defense

Publié: juin 19, 2012, 2:30pm CEST par Mike Williams

LastPass has released a major new update for its secure password manager, LastPass 2.0, and the big addition is the extension of its Secure Notes feature.

As well as safely protecting simple text information, the new release also allows you to add confidential documents, PDF files and images as attachments to your secure notes. As with all other stored data, these will be locally encrypted to keep them safe from snoopers. And of course the attachments will then be synced to any location where you log in to your account, so they’ll be available anywhere.

Usability improvements mean it’s easier to set up the program, add notes and manage your stored data (especially as the vault now looks and works in just the same way, whether you’re using one of the browser addons, or using the web login at LastPass.com).

And Internet Explorer users of LastPass 2.0 will now better from faster startup times and silent upgrades.

As well as changes to the program’s core functionality, LastPass users in the United States can now benefit from optional free credit monitoring alerts. Essentially all you have to do is fill in a form, and you’ll be alerted if there’s a change which could affect your credit report.

Presumably the hope here is that you’ll upgrade to the LastPass Premium credit monitoring service (a monthly $9.95), which tells you exactly what’s changed, but even if you’ve no intention of doing that, the basic service seems like it could be useful. The official LastPass blog post on this new release tells you more.

Photo Credit: Pavel Ignatov/Shutterstock

Microsoft Surface is all about Apple

Publié: juin 19, 2012, 1:40am CEST par Joe Wilcox

I dunno if it's branding or magic, but Microsoft's "big-ass" Surface table suddenly is smaller. In a jam-packed media event this evening, the software giant unveiled a 10.6-inch display tablet. Case is magnesium with beveled edges that give a sleek appearance. The tablet weighs as little as 676 grams. That's a helluva lot lighter than the Surface table introduced 5 years ago. That baby measured 30 inches and newer Samsung model is 40 inches. The tablet is pretty compact compared to the table.

So the rumors were true about a Microsoft tablet. But Surface? Not Xbox? It's smart branding that pits Microsoft's tablet against Apple's -- industrial design, announcement timing, Surface branding and more.

The Hardware

Quick specs for two models, running either Windows 8 or Windows RT:

Windows RT model: 10.6-inch ClearType HD display; 32GB or 64GB storage; microSD, USB 2.0 and Micro HD Video ports; 2x2 MIMO antennae; and Office 15. Weighs 676 grams and is 9.3 mm thick.

Windows 8 Professional model: 10.6-inch ClearType HD display; 64GB or 128GB storage; microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video ports; and 2x2 MIMO antennae. Weighs 903 grams and is 13.5 mm thick.

The Windows 8 model isn't just bulkier, it requires a heftier battery. Welcome to the differences between Intel and ARM processors. As I've expressed before Windows RT is the future.

Scratching the Surface

Observing these tablets, I struggle to see exactly what really makes them different from others, except industrial design and Surface branding. Let's be clear, unless there's some real software magic Microsoft will disclose later, Surface really is more about branding than anything. It's a cunning move.

But there is something else: Microsoft finally gets to design things the way it wants. Too many OEMs make choices that favor their margins rather than the user experience. Microsoft can't compete with Apple on those terms, and there is need as the fruit-logo company makes early mind share and market share gains in the cloud-connected device era.

Finally Microsoft seizes control of the Windows user experience in ways it should have long ago. "What about channel competition?" you ask. Where will partners go? They can't license iOS, and Android doesn't have the enterprise chops -- or at least it's not what big businesses are accustomed to. Microsoft will compete with its OEMs, but they don't have a lot of options.

Channel Competition

Besides, Surface branding is a differentiator that softens channel competition. These aren't Windows 8- or Windows RT-branded tablets. Hell, Microsoft really isn't calling them tablets at all. They're Surface!

More significantly, Microsoft has released the de facto reference design -- the baseline for Windows 8/RT tablets. What I want to know, and surely you also, is pricing. But Microsoft isn't saying: "Suggested retail pricing will be announced closer to availability and is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC. OEMs will have cost and feature parity on Windows 8 and Windows RT".

Yeah, right. Pricing is where channel conflict is most likely. Microsoft has built-in cost advantage because of Windows licensing fees. Something else: Microsoft doesn't have to make a penny on any Surface tablet; selling at a loss is viable option. The company is building out the Windows ecosystem anew -- with Metro UI and energized focus on cloud-connected devices. Gaining market share, particularly against iPad, is more important now than making money selling hardware.

Target: Apple

The question I've been asking for days, why June 18? Why announce now something that won't ship until autumn? The answer: iPad. Back-to-school promises to be big for new iPad and, with OS X Mountain Lion coming next month, MacBook Air. But Microsoft just gave anyone considering Apple reason to wait. The old adage remains true: No one gets fired for buying Microsoft, and Surface is good reason to budget for just that. Frak iPad.

Make no mistake, Surface is all about putting Apple in its place. Microsoft announced today's event short notice; rumors buzzed for days; media turn-out was huge; and the presentation, which emphasized design and manufacturing, and the marketing are very Apple-like. Just look at the Surface product page. The aspirational presentation is oh-so Apple-like. Then there's the industrial design stuff. The molded VaporMg enclosure, built-in kickstand and 3 mm Touch Cover.

Hell, Yeah

Earlier today, I asked: "Should Microsoft release a branded tablet?" Many of you responded affirmatively.

Reader chinch987 smartly answers:

Yes for these reasons:

1. Microsoft Retail Stores coming all over USA.
2. Set reference design with standardized 'options' and 'accessories' which was a huge strength from the original iPod never matched.
3. Set price point and quality baseline vs Fire tablet and/or iPad
4. Wireless carriers shift to shared data plans (see Verizon with $10/mo tablet addon)
5. B&N deal
6. Bolster new media deals (zune replacement and subsequent new subscription plans not yet announced)
7. MS Bundles for holidays with Xbox/Phone

Robert Schiele: "They'd better, and they'd better sacrifice a virgin or whatever it takes to make that branded tablet compete successfully with the iPad and Android tablets. If they can't or don't, the Windows 8 release is likely to be the most epic failure in Microsoft's history".

1DaveN shares my sentiments about the channel: "To gain traction in the established tablet market, Microsoft might have to price an entry lower than an OEM would or could. Think of the XBox, which they subsidized for a long time to gain market share. OEMs will not, and should not, lose money on hardware to gain market share, but that might be appropriate and necessary for Microsoft".

Indeed, yes. Now these readers expressed their opinions before Microsoft announced anything, when there were rumors of a Barnes & Noble-manufactured tablet or Xbox branding. So...what do you think of Surface?

Windows 8 is like a bad blind date

Publié: juin 17, 2012, 7:26pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

She's stunning, sexy and sultry. But you can't live with her.

Every day for the last three weeks, I sat down to write this analysis but couldn't bring myself to. I resisted for not having used Windows 8 as much as its predecessors -- typically from public beta to release candidate before offering hard opinion. In October, I requested one of the Samsung tablets handed out to BUILD attendees but Microsoft wouldn't provide one. After several more requests, I got one in April and May for about a month's use and was shocked -- and not "wow, it's good". Windows 8 demos much better than my actual user experience. I blamed myself. Surely the problem is mine -- that Microsoft wouldn't unleash UX worse than Windows Vista. But as I see other users/reviewers sharing similar experience, time has come to break my silence. I wouldn't recommend Windows 8, in its current form, to anyone.

Design Disaster

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes finally set my writing in motion. Yesterday his June 7 ZDNET post "Final thoughts on Windows 8: A design disaster" popped up in my RSS feeds. The headline doubly impacted: "final thoughts" -- for software not released -- and "design disaster". While reading, I kept thinking "yeah" over and over, because my experience so closely mirrors his.

Kingsley-Hughes writes: "On the face of it, the Metro UI looks good...And then you start to use it". Almost nothing more needs to be expressed. That sums up the biggest problems. Metro is exhausting and demands users to scroll too much. The flat, user interface feels old -- not modern -- after the initial excitement. It's pretty to start with, but the beauty is skin deep. That's my experience using Metro on a tablet, which is what the UI is designed for. The complaints among testers using mouse and keyboard are cacophony.

Metro is a usability nightmare, and mixing it with the desktop motif makes matters worse. Kingsley-Hughes astutely writes:

Not only did someone at Microsoft think that it was a good idea to make Metro the primary user interface in Windows 8, but they also decided to destroy the 'classic' user interface experience too by also 'ribbonizing' most of the applications. These ribbon toolbars are packed with small user elements and are fiddly to use with a mouse, and even more fiddly -- at times bordering on impossible to use -- when driven with a finger.

Going from those big tiles on Metro to the tiny, finger-hating ribbon buttons is jarring and frustrating. User frustration is one of the primary things that killed Windows Vista. Developers should want users to feel good about their software. Vista made many people feel bad, and I predict many more will feel worse about using Windows 8. Metro is bad enough. Metro + Desktop = UX fail.

Bad Vibrations

How people feel about a product is paramount to success. For me, it's not about resistance to change. I'm all for breaking habits, and I frequently switch products in part to shake up my routine. So change isn't my problem with Windows 8. But something else: The changes make Windows harder to use, which is no recipe for market acceptance or adoption.

From a performance perspective, however, there is much to like about Windows 8. Startup is fast, and the UI zips. But there's a split personality here, with the OS trying to be two things and doing neither really well. Hopefully, Microsoft addresses this problem with Windows RT, which is more about the future than supporting the legacy past.

When Microsoft issued Windows 8 Release Preview, I asked BetaNews readers for their reviews. Craig Simpson writes from Australia: "This operating system should be first and foremost renamed Windows 8 Mobile. It is completely useless without a traditional Start Menu and desktop for a desktop PC".

That's another problem with Windows 8. Besides grappling with the ribbon motif adopted from Office, users find something missing: The traditional Start Button/Menu. I don't miss it all that much, but based on BetaNews comments and postings elsewhere, I'm a minority there. Simpson continues:

I have tried to use it in a virtual machine and I’m sorry but it is completely useless. I’m not the only one as I have shown many friends and customers and they have no idea at all how to use it. When they try to do something that would come naturally in windows xp, vista or 7. They just give up and ask how does this work and are completely gobsmacked by the solutions. None of them have suggested that they will upgrade to windows 8. Microsoft have created a dog of an OS for desktops and yet they do not realize it.

Devil in the Red Dress

Recognizing that I spent much less time with Windows 8 Consumer Preview and none with Release Preview, yesterday I asked for reaction on Google+. "Windows 8 has a learning curve", Martin Brinkmann writes -- "a steep one". He continues: "After having tried all three public releases I have to say that Microsoft has improved the operating system considerably, and while I personally would not update my copy of Windows 7 to 8, I definitely would consider updating XP or Vista to it, and would not mind buying a new PC with it installed". He offers more in blog post: "Windows 8 is not that bad actually".

Oh, but it is that bad. Windows 8 is the blind date who is pretty in the red dress but a real bitch outside the bedroom. She's too demanding. She's fussy. She wants you to change to conform to her rather than finding common ground.

"The problem I see, is the closing off of any form of choice", Jake Weisz responds on Google+. "They've now decided what their customer wants doesn't matter. They didn't just make the Start Menu go away, they put in the effort to prevent you from bringing it back. They didn't just create Metro, they force you to start in it".

Pushkar Chivate agrees "about Metro's usability experience on laptop or desktop. The use of Windows 8 Consumer Preview and now the release candidate reminds me of the training issues I had with users when they had to switch from classic menu to the ribbon interface. The usability of Metro could become a deciding factor whether organizations upgrade to Windows 8 or not and how soon. Personally, I am not finding much use of Metro on desktop or laptop and prefer Aero".

A Picture Too Dark?

In Microsoft's defense, Windows needs a modern makeover, and this is the right release for it. The majority of enterprises, which compromise Microsoft's core customer base, will have recently deployed Windows 7 or will be in process when its successor ships. They won't be ready for Windows 8 anyway. Even if adoption is modest, as low as Vista, Microsoft risks little, while preparing the market for what comes next. The Windows ecosystem will be much different in three years, particularly with rash of Metro apps available through the Windows Store.

Siamak Masnavi responds that "Metro UI is good enough already, and by next year I believe there will be Metro versions of all the popular mobile apps. He emphasizes:

The classic Windows interface will receive less and less attention from software developers as time goes on, but as the success of the iPad at both the home and enterprise has shown, the path to greater profits for Microsoft lies in following a mixture of the Apple and Google models and Microsoft's recent efforts indicate that they are not averse to learning lessons from both of these companies.

Meanwhile, Brinkmann sees many Windows 8 pluses:

I did work with Windows 8 on a second desktop PC for the last month or so, and have to say that many paint a picture that is too dark. Take things like the search. Instead of pressing the Windows key to open the start menu, typing in the search term and picking the results from there, I press the Windows key which automatically switches to Metro, where I'm presented with a superior search interface that allows me to filter and all. I have to admit though that I would have preferred that interface to become available on the desktop right away. Still, it is not as bad as it is painted once you get used to it.

I've seen those and other benefits, too, but must agree with Kingsley-Hughes, who calls Windows 8 "clumsy and impractical". Frankly, he's being polite. The split-personality UI motif doesn't work; Microsoft has moved so many things around, many users will feel lost and frustrated; and Metro's prettiness wears thin damn fast.

You must understand: I want to like Windows 8, and it's another reason my real assessment is so long coming. I'd like to see Microsoft give Apple some real competition on tablets -- generating competition that results in better products in a category that may define the cloud-connected device era. Instead, Windows 8 may create more opportunities for iOS, as businesses, particularly, either cling to Windows 7 or embrace iPad -- or both! Perhaps the future is Windows RT, but who really has seen it in action outside of Microsoft and its core partner ecosystem?

My disappointing expectation: Particularly for businesses, Windows 8 will be instead of a leap forward a step backwards -- to Windows 7.

Add .NET Framework Repair Tool to your kit

Publié: juin 16, 2012, 9:06pm CEST par Mike Williams

Microsoft has released the .NET Framework Repair Tool, a compact and portable executable file that aims to detect and resolve some common .NET Framework problems.

The program focuses mainly on issues relating to installation or updates. If its tests don’t reveal anything obvious in this area, though, it can also apply a couple of generic solutions: specifically, stopping, re-registering and restarting the Windows Installer service. And as a result, the Repair Tool may also help to resolve a variety of other Windows Installer-related problems.

The program itself comes in the form of a single, small executable (828KB) -- just download it and you’re ready to go immediately. It’s been designed for non-technical users, too, so there are no complex options to consider: a wizard-like interface walks you through the three core steps, and the entire process could be complete within seconds.

Run the Repair Tool, for instance, and it’ll display a licence agreement (necessary as it collects data on your setup – the licence tells you more).

If you accept the agreement and click Next, the program will run nine simple tests, which on our PC took something less than a second.

And the verdict is then displayed, leaving you to either click Next to apply any suggested fixes, or Cancel to close the program down (so no settings will be changed unless you specifically agree to them).

Overall the Repair Tool doesn’t appear to be doing anything too surprising, and we’d hazard a guess that most people will just get the same recommendation to restart and reregister the Windows Installer service. This can be a useful fix for a whole range of issues, though, so on balance it’s probably still worth adding the program to your portable troubleshooting toolkit.

Photo Credit: studio online/Shutterstock

Is there an IT labor shortage in the USA that can only be solved with more H1B visas?

Publié: juin 16, 2012, 6:47pm CEST par Robert X. Cringely

My recent series of columns on troubles at IBM brought me many sad stories from customers burned by Big Blue. I could write column after column just on that, but it wouldn’t be any fun so I haven’t. Only now a truly teachable lesson has emerged from a couple of these horror tales and it has to do with US IT labor economics and immigration policy. In short the IT service sector has been shoveling a lot of horseshit about H1B visas.

The story about H1B visas is simple. H1B’s are given for foreign workers to fill US positions that can’t be filled with qualified US citizens or by permanent US residents who hold green cards. H1Bs came into existence because there weren’t enough green cards and now we’re told there aren’t enough H1B’s, either. So there’s a move right now in Washington to increase the H1B limit above the current level of approximately 65,000 because we are told the alternative is IT paralysis without more foreign workers.

Says who?

Who says there will be chaos without more foreign IT workers and are they correct?

Cynics like me point out that foreign workers are paid less and, more importantly, place much less of a total financial burden on employers because they get few, if any, long term benefits. I tend to think the issue isn’t finding good workers it’s finding cheap workers. But the H1B program isn’t supposed to be about saving money, so that argument can’t be used by organizations pushing for higher visa limits. All they can claim is a labor shortage that can only be corrected by issuing more H1Bs.

Big Blue goes Dark

To test this theory let’s look at Memphis, TN, where IBM has recently lost two big customers. One of them, Hilton Hotels, dumped IBM only this week. The other company is ServiceMaster. Hilton just announced they are canceling almost all of their contracts with IBM less than two years into a five-year contract. This includes global IT helpdesk all data centers, and support of "global web" (hilton.com and all related systems).

According to my sources at Hilton, the IBM contract was a nightmare. Big Blue couldn’t keep Hilton’s Exchange servers running. The SAN in the Raleigh data center hasn’t worked right since it supposedly came up in January, with some SAN outages lasting more than a day. IBM couldn’t monitor Hilton’s servers in the IBM data center. Hilton had to tell IBM when the servers were running low on disk space, for example.

Now IBM is gone, replaced by Dell, and Hilton has a new CIO.

If there’s one point I’d like you to keep in mind about this Hilton story it’s IBM’s apparent inability to monitor the Hilton servers. More about that below.

ServiceMaster is the other former IBM customer I know about in Memphis. Among its many beefs with Big Blue, ServiceMaster also had a server monitoring issue. In this case it was the company’s main database that was going unmonitored. IBM was supposed to be monitoring the servers, they were paid for monitoring the servers, but in fact IBM didn’t really monitor anything and instead relied on help desk trouble tickets to tell it when there was a problem. If you think about it this is exactly the way IBM was handling server problems at Hilton, too.

Now to the part about labor economics.

When ServiceMaster announced its decision to cancel its contract with IBM and to in-source a new IT team, the company had to find 200 solid IT people immediately. Memphis is a small community and there can’t be that many skilled IT workers there, right? ServiceMaster held a job fair one Saturday and over 1000 people attended. They talked to them all, invited the best back for second interviews, and two weeks later ServiceMaster had a new IT department. The company is reportedly happy with the new department, which workers are probably more skilled and more experienced than the IBMers they replace.

No Labor Shortage Here

Where, again, is that IT labor shortage? Apparently not in Memphis.

About that database monitoring problem, ServiceMaster hired DBADirect to provide their database support from that high-tech hotbed, Florence, KY. The first thing DBADirect did was to install monitoring tools. Remember IBM didn’t have any monitoring running on the ServiceMaster database.

How can a company 1/100,000th the size of IBM afford to have monitoring? Well, it seems DBADirect has its own monitoring tools and they are included as part of their service. It allows them to do a consistently good job with less labor. DBADirect does not need to use the cheapest offshore labor to be competitive. They’ve done what manufacturing companies have been doing for 100+ years -- automating!

Even today IBM is still in its billable hours mindset. The more bodies it takes to do a job the better. It views monitoring and automation tools as being a value added, extra cost option. It has not occurred to them you could create a better, more profitable service with more tools and fewer people. When you have good tools, the cost of the labor becomes less important.

Which brings us back to the H1B visa issue. Is there an IT labor shortage in the USA that can only be solved with more H1B visas? Not in Memphis and probably not anywhere else, either.

There’s certainly a shortage of imagination, absolutely a shortage of integrity, and neither shortage is saving anyone money.

Reprinted with permission

Photo Credit: Cory Thoman/Shutterstock

Rev up this week's 20 exciting software downloads

Publié: juin 16, 2012, 5:29pm CEST par Mark Wilson

There are a number of worthy highlights this week, including the long awaited Opera 12 release, iTunes support for iOS 6 devices and a relatively major update to Skype for Windows and Mac.

The major release this week must be Opera 12. After months of beta-testing, the browser is finally available, along with an interesting twist, in the form of the first native 64-bit build. Whether a 64-bit version of a web browser makes a huge difference is another matter entirely. Opera 12 ships with numerous speed improvements, including basic support for hardware acceleration. It’s not all good news though as gone are the widgets and other features such as Opera Voice. Download Opera 12, Opera 12 (64-bit) and the separate Opera Portable 12, which you can take on the road.

Skype 5.10 is a relatively major update for the Windows edition, despite the version number. Leaving aside the debate about adverts in Skype-to-Skype audio calls, the new version brings a single contact list for your Facebook and Skype contacts, the ability to pin your favorite contacts to the top of your contacts list, plus backwards-compatible video rendering, for older PCs that do not support hardware acceleration. Skype 5.8 for Mac also received a major upgrade with support for better handling of Skype calls from mobile phones, improved screen sharing, as well as a refined contacts list.

Security-wise, Norton Power Eraser 3.0.0.21 received a big update this week. This powerful portable tool can be used alongside your existing security software to find, seek and removal problematic malware. AppRemover 2.2.26.1 is a very different tool that will remove stubborn security software, whilst Kaspersky Security Scan 2.0 is a simple tool that will find and notify of potential security issues (but won’t fix them). Bitdefender Parental Control Beta is new software you can use, as a parent to restrict your children’s access to the internet, plus monitor their behaviour. Note there’s a separate Bitdefender Parentral Control Beta (64-bit).

VMware Player 4.0.4 is free software you can use to host a virtual operation system. Ideal if you want to test the latest Linux distribution or Windows 8 Release Preview. You can’t create a virtual host in Player, but you can within VMware Workstation 4.0.4, also updated this week. If you’re a Mac user, VMware Fusion 4.1.3 was updated and made available this week.

Apple announced the developer preview of their iOS 6 mobile operating system this week and an updated iTunes 10.6.3 and separate iTunes 10.6.3 (64-bit) to allow users to manage their iOS 6 devices (if you’re lucky enough to be able to get hold of iOS 6). Free Studio 5.6.1 is a powerful 47-in-1 multimedia suite, with a host of conversion tools, whilst other DVDVideoSoft titles were updated, including Free Disc Burner 3.0.11, Free WebM Video Converter 5.0.13, Free AVI Video Converter 5.0.13 and Free Audio Converter 5.0.13.

WinRAR 4.20 (32-bit) and (64-bit) was updated this week, along with the general-purpose archive management tool, PeaZip 4.6. Also available as a 64-bit build and portable version.

Finally, if you have you have any downtime, take a look at 0 A.D. r11863, which is an alpha of an historical RTS game, with superb graphics for a free game.

Photo Credit: nito/Shutterstock

That Facebook account verification email in your inbox is a scam

Publié: juin 16, 2012, 1:36am CEST par Cameron Camp

If the scary email or app notification, and subsequent webpage, is to be believed, you have only a few days to verify your Facebook account or you’ll be out of luck. But don’t worry, a few days later you will magically get a few more days to verify, and so the scam goes.

A Twitter follower with the handle of @chasapple sent us a tip on an app message they received, here’s a screenshot of what happens if you clicked the link.

Notice how target-word-rich this example is: There is scary sounding language about the SOPA ACT (and a few misspelled words and syntax errors, a tip the author probably doesn’t speak English as a first language). The call to action is in RED, apparently for added effect. The second thing to note is that the website is definitely NOT facebook.com, but some other domain name, which clearly wouldn’t be a host of an official notification with the ability to suspend your account.

Notice also that the Firefox NoScript add-on, which I have enabled on my system, caught 13 different scripts trying to execute when the page loaded. Along with a mix of ad revenue sites, there were various other scripts as well. Also, both buttons would lead a user to the same link, and potentially set them up for a host of ensuing nastiness no matter which one chosen.

It seems that tapping into the vast pool of over 900 million Facebook users is a favorite strategy among scammers these days, and this is no exception. But as my friend Randy Abrams has pointed out for some time, much of the nastiness could be averted simply by educating/imploring users not to click on suspicious-looking emails. The same is true of apps these days. The problem, he opines, is that the average user doesn’t really have a clear sense of what a suspicious-looking email/app is, and how to tell the difference between legitimate ones and scams.

While user education is an ongoing challenge, the simple version is to tell users to visit a website directly through their web browser and navigate from there, rather than clicking on an email/app link. But it’s not so simple in practice as our inboxes are exploding with email messages these days and the time to take a few extra steps can be hard to carve out. But it takes a lot longer to respond to having your account compromised, so there’s the tradeoff. It’s also a good idea to install script blocking technology in case the temptation to click on links is too strong, then add domains like this one to a network-based blacklist.

Reprinted with permission.

Cameron Camp is a researcher for global security provider ESET and has played a critical role in building the ESET North America Research Lab. Cameron has been building critical technology infrastructures for more than 20 years, beginning as an assembly language programmer in 1987 and eventually becoming an evangelist for Linux and open-source technologies with an emphasis on the security sector. Prior to joining ESET, he founded Logical Web Host in 1998, a data-driven web services company.

Ethiopian government outlaws VOIP, 15-year prison sentences possible

Publié: juin 15, 2012, 9:14pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

Troubling news is coming out of East Africa this week. International media site Al Jazeera has just picked up that on May 24th 2012, Ethiopia ratified new legislation called the 'Ethiopian Telecom Service Infringement Law'. The Legislation criminalizes any third-party Internet services not run by the state controlled telecom monopoly, Ethio Telecom, with Skype being a focus. However, the ban affects other services, such as Google Talk.

The new telecom law is meant to impede Internet telephony, with reported punishments of heavy fines and 8 to 15 years in prison if caught. The legislation prohibits all network telephony traffic, along with audio and video data traffic via social media, reports the The Africa Review.

In order to catch people, Ethio Telecom has implemented brand new "deep packet" inspecting services to filter its citizens' Net access to political opposition blogs and other news outlets. Reporters Without Boarders was first to report about the new Internet censorship tools going in to country that are specificly designed to also catch people using the popular Internet proxy anonoymizer tool TOR, the onion router.

According to watchdog group OpenNet Initiative, Ethiopia currently has the second-lowest Internet penetration rate in sub-Saharan Africa and just around 700,000 of the country’s 84 million citizens had Internet access in 2010. The average Internet speed in Ethiopia, says Akamai, is currently 622 kbps.

When questioned about the reason for the ban and criminalization of outside VOIP services, particularly Skype, Ethiopian officials reportedly said at first it was for national security. They later let slip about concerns that Skype hurt the state-owned telecommunications company; the legislation also helps to squash independent journalism and bloggers over social media.

A recent ruling political party media workshop titled "Internet Management", supported by China's Communist Party, was held in Ethiopia's capital city of Addis Ababa. The workshop was headed up by Professor Gao Hongeim of the Chinese Leadership Academy. The head topic of the talk was about the experience of China regarding "mass media capacity building", "mass media institution management" and "Internet management".

This was reported by Etheopia's own ruling party, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front. A quick 'sanitized language' to layman translation of the topics basicly states China is teaching other countries how to censor and shut down its citizen right to free speech.

Microsoft, Symantec team on future disaster recovery solutions for Azure

Publié: juin 15, 2012, 9:13pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Customers of Microsoft's Windows Azure platform will gain disaster recovery features thanks to a partnership with Symantec announced this week. The offering is the first such service for the Azure platform, the two companies say.

While the effort was announced this week during Microsoft's annual TechEd conference in Orlando, Microsoft says the actual service itself will not be available until sometime next year, and is a move that makes sense for Symantec at this point.

"Windows Azure is growing rapidly as a platform, and we are seeing many of our customers utilizing it as part of a new delivery model for computing resources", the company's storage and availability management head Deepak Mohan says.

The security company will build the service on top of Azure and will extend its Storage Foundation High Availability for Windows and Veritas Volume replicator disaster recovery (DR) software solution to the cloud. It says the offering goes beyond common and traditional backup systems.

For example, Symantec's Azure service will not only protect data but the applications as well. In the event of an outage, a subscriber would be able to start a virtual machine to run mission-critical applications in the cloud while restoration of on-site resources is completed.

In other words, data from the customer's primary IT site is duplicated to disaster recovery site. At the same time, this data is also duplicated to a location close enough to the customer so that applications can be run without an appreciable decrease in overall performance.

"Leveraging cloud computing as a disaster recovery target addresses business continuity needs for organizations that cannot afford a secondary site or at-a-distance failovers for mission-critical, virtualized workloads", IDC research vice president Jean Bozeman says of the news.

Photo Credit: Jirsak/Shutterstock

Nokia layoffs = Benefit for US, Sweden. Problem?

Publié: juin 15, 2012, 9:13pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Last year, when Microsoft announced it was partnering with Nokia in Windows Phone development, it was widely expected to result in significant staff cutbacks in Nokia's research and development department. In fact, it was part of the agreement. Both Nokia and Microsoft said there would be an R&D handoff. Finland's Minister for Economic Affairs, Mauri Pekkarinen went so far as to say it would result in the biggest structural change that Finland has ever seen in the new technology sector.

Yesterday, Nokia CEO Steven Elop announced major R&D cutbacks...these 10,000 layoffs should have surprised no one.

Yet, stock prices took a nosedive on Thursday, and ratings agency Moody's on Friday downgraded Nokia's debt grade to junk status, and the tech public wrapped its sweaty palms around the cord to toll the bells of doom for Nokia (a favorite pastime in this business.)

The bad news that everyone has focused on:

The closure of Nokia R&D facilities in Ulm, Germany and Burnaby, Canada.

The closure of Nokia's manufacturing facility in Salo, Finland.

The "streamlining" of IT, corporate and support functions.

Reductions related to non-core assets, which could include divestments similar to the long-expected sale of luxury phone brand Vertu.

Firstly, we've heard from some inside sources that all of Nokia's research and development in the EU that is being closed down is being relocated to a new center somewhere on the West coast of the US. The higher-ups in Nokia's research enterprise will relocate to the United States, and other EU-based research jobs will be terminated...Statistically speaking, this is a net benefit for the United States.

Secondly, Nokia actually tried to tie in a positive announcement into yesterday's outlook reassessment, but it was largely lost. In short, Nokia has made a significant investment in its imaging and camera tech by acquiring both talent and intellectual property from Swedish company Scalado AB.

Scalado's facility in the Swedish city of Lund is going to become a key site for Nokia's imaging software for smartphones, in addition to those in Espoo and Tampere, Finland. So Nokia's research facilities in Germany and Canada are being closed down, but facilities in Sweden and the United States where Nokia did not have a presence previously will see increased action in the near future.

It's far from a push, and Nokia is undoubtedly shaving off a huge chunk of its workforce. However, when viewed in light of Nokia's impressive new product launches, and the recent restructuring plans from competitor Research in Motion and PC market leader Hewlett-Packard, there is clearly an evolution going on, and not some out-of-control death spiral.

Will Microsoft's mystery product be 'clap on, clap off' for mobile?

Publié: juin 15, 2012, 8:15pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Cue up the rumormill for anyone's guess what Microsoft will announce at 6:30 pm EDT on Monday. I'll throw out one, inspired by software developer Robert Johnson, who occasionally writes for BetaNews (and we wish it was more often).

"If Mashable is correct and Microsoft really is gonna announce a self-manufactured tablet then it could possibly be a further refinement of the laptop that was rumored a few months ago", he speculated. "Remember how there were reports of people who had seen a device made by Asus that contained Kinect cameras?" Yes I do, and replied: "Kinect mobile has limited applications, but they're big for key enterprise markets, such as healthcare. Otherwise what have you got? 'Clap on, clap off' for PCs".

My wife laughed at the idea and got the meaning right away (as you should, too). Standing close to a small screen and waving, what else could you do? She joked: "No, it's an app you download" -- and she clapped. Then she honed in on Kinect PC for car keys. "You start clapping or waving, and they start beeping". I must say, there are lots of weird applications developers could create for Kinect built into a tablet or convertible. But be careful waving to friends during that video chat, you might open the garage door or delete the PowerPoint you spent two days creating.

"As far as Kinect for mobile, I think if you just think of Kinect as gestures, then yes, it's limited", Robert opines. "But Kinect is also speech -- and when you combine the two, I think you have a more broad base of applications. Because the technology is natural, a person would use a combination of gestures and speech to use a device".

Speech's value is obvious. But you don't need cameras or special sensors for that. Except that the best mobile devices are all about sensors -- how they respond to you and add personality and humanness. That's what Apple got right with the original iPhone. The handset uses motion and proximity to respond to you. It's also what Microsoft did so well with Kinect for Xbox, but with limitations. Sure, games respond to motion and voice, but the user stands far from the console. There's no intimacy.

Tablets, and also smartphones, are much more intimate, because of proximity and touch and for what the devices are used for. Microsoft already has released a Kinect SDK for PCs, but built-in cameras/sensors would change the user experience, making it much more natural, intimate and even human.

Robert gets it. "I may log in to my PC/phone by the PC recognizing my face. Or I may answer the phone by speaking to it. I personally find the Kinect interface on Xbox very helpful -- voice and gestures -- especially when I can't find my remote or don't feel like walking in the living room to use the remote. I am ready for the tech to make its way over to my other devices".

So perhaps there is broader utility than, say, healthcare or research and development -- or clap on, clap off.

Robert emphasizes that there will be a "ton of people out there who are thinking 'I don't have a need for that', but in reality, once they use it, they find themselves using it again and again". Truly innovative technologies don't extend the status quo but transcend it, by providing people something they didn't know they needed but realize after getting it they always wanted it.

Clap on, clap off, baby.

Photo Credit: Arkady/Shutterstock

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We can’t expect regulators to become our crowdfunding coaches

Publié: juin 15, 2012, 6:37pm CEST par Robert X. Cringely

Last in a series. In part one, we learned how important crowd funding can be for helping tech startups and the economy. In part two, we worried about how criminals and con men might game the eventual crowdfunding system when it starts in earnest next January. And in this final part I suggest a strategy for crowdfunding success that essentially comes down to carpe diem– seize the day!

Crowdfunding done right will have a huge positive impact on any economy it touches. But by done right I mean done in a manner that maximizes impact and minimizes both corruption and unnecessary complexity. This is not something that must be accomplished specifically through strict regulation, either. I’m not opposed to regulation, just suspicious of it. I’m suspicious of any government policy that purports to be so elegant as to accomplish economic wonders at little or no cost. That just hasn’t happened in my fairly long lifetime so I see no reason to expect things to change.

Seize the Day from Regulators

Left to their own devices regulators will either make the system too tough to function or too loose to protect. So I propose a different approach, one that sidesteps the regulators to some extent simply by preempting them.

Understand there are no crowdfunding regulations yet, nor is there even a designated US crowdfunding regulator. That’s all coming in the next few months on a timetable that will most likely be dictated more by Presidential election politics than anything else. So I expect to see little progress until after the November election.

Most crowdfunding startups will use this time to raise funds and sit on their hands as they wait to see how they’ll be allowed to make money after January 1. I see this as a perfect time for moving forward, though, to seize the day and attempt to define the regulatory conversation. This is possible since anything that already exists when the regulators are chosen and the regulations written must be taken into account, as opposed to secret or yet-to-be-written plans that can have no impact at all.

Bill Gates is Right

Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates told me something back in 1990 that I’ve always remembered. “The way to make money in technology,” he told me in Redmond the day before he took over as Microsoft CEO, “is by setting de facto standards.”

MS-DOS was a de facto standard as are Windows and Microsoft Office. Those three products created the greatest concentration of wealth since OPEC.

Gates knew what he was talking about.

With crowdfunding nascent and only next year appearing in anything like its grownup form, there’s a chance right now to define those de facto standards. Some of this has already been done by sites like KickStarter that have defined crowdfunding as project-based, for example. While it may seem minor or obvious for individuals to put money in projects that excite them, for US investors that’s generally a new thing. We traditionally bought shares in GM, not in the Chevy Volt.

See? Things are already different.

Tug-of-War

I see a huge opportunity in defining the way crowdfunding projects are presented to investors. This format, not regulations, will be what keeps the crowdfunding business honest and will allow it to be successful. Regulations, remember, exist mainly to deter bad guys by defining how regulated activities are not supposed to be done. Regulations are used to justify lawsuits, not build fortunes, so we can’t expect regulators to become our crowdfunding coaches.

We have in business a fundamental tug-of-war between companies and regulators. I see this with my kids (where I’m the regulator) and can see it emerging already in the crowdfunding space. The question comes down to how much businesses will be allowed to get away with? Remember the very essence of the JOBS Act was removing regulatory restrictions, so this has been on the menu all along. If crowdfunds are allowed to get away with a lot there will be plenty of action in the space until the bubble eventually bursts and investors are hurt. Or if the regulators are wary then strict regulations may scare crowdfunds away entirely so this opportunity will have been squandered and the JOBS Act will be seen entirely as having been election grandstanding.

The trick is to get beyond this concept of how much or how little to regulate and simply install a system that works well on its own and can function in virtually any regulatory environment through the simple expedient that this one part of the system isn’t even regulated.

Huh?

Crowdfund Communications

I’m not describing a crowdfund here, because crowdfunds will inevitably be regulated and should be. I’m describing the medium through which crowdfunds communicate with investors -- a medium that ought logically to be run by uninterested third parties.

Say you are a crook who wants to start a crowdfund to steal the savings of elderly but adventurous investors. The essence of that crime would be failing to deliver on the investment -- taking the money but giving back little or nothing in return. This could be accomplished by selling something the crowdfund had no right to sell or it could be accomplished by selling something that wasn’t as it was portrayed -- a bad investment or perhaps no investment at all -- in which case it would be pure theft.

Now here’s where it gets interesting. It is possible, through the use of financially uninterested third parties with completely different business models, to keep both types of corruption from happening, while lowering costs for all parties.

Crowdfunds selling securities they have no right to sell can be preempted by having a registry of which crowdfunds can legally sell which investments. The SEC could do this, but the New York Times could do it just as well (and with a lot more style), since it comes down to simply validating the identity of the investment, the crowdfund, and their business relationship.

The crime of misrepresentation (claiming an investment is better than it really is) can be regulated, too, but it’s easier and intrinsically better to create a standardized, publicly available, and perfectly transparent archive of due diligence materials held by a third party. If that third party determineseverything that has to be disclosed about every crowdfunded investment and those requirements are pretty comprehensive, then it becomes extremely difficult to misrepresent the deal, cheating investors.

Crowdfunds and investments alike would register with the uninterested third party. Information disclosed to potential investors would be comprehensive, standardized (nothing left out) and completely public, somewhat like a really well done Multiple Listing Service for real estate. And while crowdfunds presumably make their money from fees paid by startups, the uninterested third party would make his money in some way that is economically decoupled from the investment transaction, like advertising.

I like this idea a lot – so much that I’ve decided to do it myself.

My third-party crowdfunding due diligence service will be cleverly disguised as a YouTube channel called the Startup Channel.

Reprinted with permission

Photo Credit: Cory Thoman/Shutterstock

Rapid Environment Editor makes useful a Windows relic

Publié: juin 15, 2012, 5:40pm CEST par Mike Williams

Long ago, in the days of DOS, there was no Registry where key system settings could be stored. And so variables such as, say, the location of the operating system Temporary folder were saved instead to the Environment, where they could be freely accessed by all your programs.

These days the Environment is largely a relic of the past, but it can be useful to check its contents occasionally, if only as a part of cleaning up your system. And while you can do this within Windows (right-click Computer, click Properties > Advanced System Settings > Environment Variables), it’s generally much easier to use the free Rapid Environment Editor.

Launch the program as an administrator, if appropriate (right-click, select Run as Administrator) and you’ll see two groups of settings. The left-hand pane lists your System Variables, those which apply to the PC as a whole, while the right-hand User Variables pane lists everything that applies to your particular account.

Start just by browsing the list. You’ll probably find that several of your programs have created variables with a pointer to their installation folders (on our test PC these included Java, VirtualBox and SiSoft Sandra). If the variables disappear or become corrupted at some point then the applications may no longer work, so knowing which programs use the environment can be useful for troubleshooting purposes (or if you want to move a program folder without reinstalling, say).

And Rapid Environment Editor will try to alert you to issues by highlighting “broken” environment variables in red. On our test system, for instance, the System Path (a list of locations where Windows will search for executable files) was highlighted. And sure enough. expanding the tree revealed two copies of “C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Roxio Shared\DLLShared\” in the list, which no longer existed as we’d uninstalled the Roxio software.

If you similarly find path variables which you’re 100% sure are safe to remove, click File > Backup to save a copy of your original environment first, just in case, then right-click each variable in question and select Delete. And the shorter path will then reduce the work Windows has to do when searching for executable files, though only fractionally (there almost certainly won’t be any measurable difference).

Rapid Environment Editor can help you clean up your system in other ways, though. Scan down the list of Path folders, and you may find some for tools which you know you’ve uninstalled, but aren’t highlighted in red, and this means those folders are still present on your PC.

On our test system, for instance, the system path included “C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Roxio Shared\13.0\DLLShared\”, which wasn’t highlighted, and that meant the folder had been left behind when we uninstalled a previous Roxio trial. Checking the folder revealed it contained only a “roxio_lvm.log” file, so we knew it was safe to erase, before moving on to delete the Path variable as well.

Of course as optimisations go these are all very minor, and Rapid Environment Editor won’t exactly be replacing CCleaner any time soon. The program can help you to identify configuration issues which aren’t otherwise easy to spot, though, and so it’s a good idea to keep a copy around, if only for very occasional use.

Photo Credit: Lilya/Shutterstock

Apple cofounder calls Siri 'poo-poo'

Publié: juin 15, 2012, 5:21pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

It's another dress-down Friday here at BetaNews, and how could I resist dressing down Apple's Siri when cofounder Steve Wozniak makes doing so easy? Besides, I've already asserted "Siri sucks", then there is that lawsuit about the voice assistant. Speaking of Apple legal wranglings, who needs enemies when you've got friends like Woz. Surely the lawyers behind that lawsuit are drooling all over the Times Union, where the comments appeared.

Apple's misfortune: Wozniak used Siri before the iPhone maker bought the company, and he really liked the technology. He called it "pretty incredible". But no longer. "A lot of people say Siri. I say poo-poo". He gives an example. Before Apple bought Siri: "I would ask 'What are the prime numbers greater than 87?' and they would come up all in a row". Afterwards: "I'd say 'What are the prime numbers greater than 87?' And I'd get prime rib".

Another example -- before Apple's acquisition: "'Siri, what are the five largest lakes in California?' and it would come up, one, two, three, four, five". Afterwards: "'What are the largest lakes in California?' I'd get all these lakefront properties".

While Woz has hopes for voice recognition's future, he says about Siri's post-Apple acquisition: "I'm really disappointed".

He's not alone. The lawsuit focuses on misleading advertising. BetaNews reader Duke Fawcett: "The crime is the commercials that make it seem like it actually works. A quick disclaimer at the bottom of a 30-second commercial says sequences shortened. No shit. If you tried to do what was shown, it would take you 4 times as long. Jobs is still laughing at you" (I cut out the part about aliens).

"The worst part about Siri is they advertise it as such a great thing, when it clearly does not work as well as stated", gerryf comments. "That is my gripe with Apple. Oddly, not mentioned here, but Windows Phone voice commands works better than both iOS and Android in my experience (got one of each phone)".

But reader Chandana Kulatunga makes a good point. "Suck or not suck, once again Apple put technology in the hands of millions. And again, everyone is following. [It's] not a gimmick if most like it and if competitors are trying to match it". (I cut out the part about me).

Reader malin chimes in: "Most non-smartphone owners (the pool for smartphone growth) don't even know that Android can do anything with voice. Siri may not be perfect, but everyone including grandmas knows it exists -- that is a huge success for Apple. Being first (to advertise), especially when what it takes to make something good is a large tester base using it, is very smart".

But it's more than being first to advertise. Apple was first to brand. Microsoft bought TellMe five years ago, with one goal making voice a primary user interface for mobile devices. Microsoft had market lead but Apple seized the branding. Similarly, Google added terrific voice capabilities with release of Nexus One in January 2010. But, again, there was no brand identity to the feature.

For all the talk about other companies imitating Apple, I'm still stunned so few copy the approach of branding discreet features. If this story was about Android voice being crap, how many of you would remember in a week or a month? But most everyone will remember Siri. In marketing there is no bad publicity. People tend to remember the brand, not what was said about it. From that perspective, Siri wins. People will remember the commercials about how it's supposed to work whenever it does and feel good -- not that for awhile Siri was "poo-poo".

Photo Credit: Julien Tromeur/Shutterstock

Polyglot 3000 is a universal translator for text

Publié: juin 15, 2012, 4:26pm CEST par Mike Williams

I you have some text that you’d like to get translated then there’s usually no need to know its language. Plenty of online services will do their best to automatically detect the language for you, then translate it to whatever you need. If your preferred service can’t recognize the language, though, it might be useful to have a desktop alternative like Polyglot 3000 to hand.

The program’s design is very straightforward, and works exactly as you’d expect. Just paste your sample text into Polyglot (or enter it manually, or open it in a plain text file), click the “Recognize language” button, and the program will deliver its report. Which usually means naming the most likely language for this sample (currently 474 are supported), and providing a Recognition Accuracy estimate to let you know how reliable this verdict might be.

In our tests Polyglot 3000 proved surprisingly accurate. Entering large amounts of text produced the correct result, time and time again. And even providing only very small samples made little difference. We tried typing three words of dimly remembered German, at least one of which was probably mis-spelled, but the program still told us that German was the most likely language. All that really happened was the Recognition Accuracy figure dropped to 71%, or “fair”.

Of course if you entered just a few phrases which also happened to be similar in several languages, then Polyglot 3000 might run into difficulty. You might see the Recognition Accuracy figure drop dramatically. Or it’s possible that the language might be misidentified entirely.

Fortunately the developers have provided a filtering option which may help. If you click Recognition > Prominent Languages then Polyglot 3000 will only consider the 119 most significant possibilities, rather than all 474, which could give it a better chance of coming up with the correct identification.

Photo Credit: Lightspring/Shutterstock

Western Digital branches out into routers with new My Net products

Publié: juin 15, 2012, 7:27am CEST par Tim Conneally

Western Digital has been around for decades, and is known primarily for its storage solutions. Thursday, WD unveiled a new line of home networking products that show the company's continued interest in personal media management and entertainment, a relatively small segment of their product line that currently includes the the WDTV product line and My Passport AV line.

The new My Net line includes five differently-equipped dual-band routers and an 8-port network switch which range from $79 to $350 in cost.

The flagship products of the line are the My Net N900 and N900 Central. The N900 Central is an 802.11n router with WD's trademark storage built in. It can be configured with either 1TB or 2TB of internal storage, and in addition to the 2.4 and 5 GHz band wireless routing capabilities, the N900 Central includes 4 LAN and 1 WAN Gigabit Ethernet ports, as well as one USB port. The internal storage in the N900 Central can be accessed on any computer through WD2go.com, or through the WD mobile app for iOS and Android devices.

The N900 offers a similar configuration, but has been tailored to a more heavily wired household. Therefore, instead of internal storage, this router is equipped with 7 LAN, and 1 WAN Gigabit Ethernet ports and two USB ports. Both My Net N900 and N900 Central are Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) and Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) certified.

The other two routers: My Net N600 and My Net N750 feature variations on the same theme, but at more affordable prices, and with slightly fewer features. Most of the new products are available immediately in the U.S. directly from Western Digital and select retailers. The N900 Central, however, will not be available until the next quarter of the year, so you have time to save up some extra cash and splurge on a new router you don't actually need.

At least that's what I plan to do.

IDC will finally count Windows tablets with iPads and Androids

Publié: juin 15, 2012, 3:07am CEST par Joe Wilcox

Hopefully, Gartner and other analyst firms will show as much sense.

Windows tablets have gotten the shaft from IDC and other analyst firms for far too long. They count the devices as PCs, not tablets. Last year, after Gartner's tablet forecast failed to include Windows, several prominent bloggers fanned the flames of misinformation, wrongly concluding Microsoft's OS would have no share by 2015. Today, IDC issued a new forecast that still ignores Windows tablets, but changes are promised.

"We’re looking forward to rolling the Windows-based tablets into our tablet forecast in order to give customers a complete view of tablet slates all in one place", Tom Mainelli, IDC research director, says. The research firm will adjust its taxonomy to include Windows 8 and RT tablets, starting next quarter. The first devices running the operating systems are expected to ship by mid-autumn.

However, inclusion doesn't mean much, and I wonder if IDC analysts put too little stock in Microsoft's leverage from its duopoly position -- Office and Windows. "Our current thinking, based upon early pricing expectations for these products, is that Windows-based tablets will be largely additive to our existing media tablet market forecast", Mainelli says. "We don't expect Windows-based tablets to necessarily take share from Apple and Android, but will grow the overall tablet market".

That's a polite way of saying they'll cost too much. Price is a hot topic this week, after reports from Computex estimate OEMs will pay Microsoft around $85 per copy of Windows RT, which tablets many had viewed as being more competitive with iPad and Androids, because of ARM chip support and approach to platform architecture. That price surely will put Windows RT tablet prices much higher than iPad and Androids. Apple realizes the cost of iOS as part of its research and development, while Android is free -- well, except to those OEMs paying Microsoft's patent tax. Effectively, Windows RT adds $85 to the cost of every tablet, unless Microsoft gravely discounts for smaller form factors.

Something else -- and, again, Windows gets the analyst shaft: Based on last week's Computex announcements, many of the most compelling Windows 8 models are hybrids that have touchscreens and keyboards. Are these tweeners PCs or tablets? The answer is important to perceptions. If, for example, Windows 8 tweener forecasts are for high-volume shipments but they're counted as PCs, then Microsoft's OS would look weaker on tablets than Apple's or Google's going forward. Based on Mainelli's statements, separate categorization should be expected. One solution is to follow the approach Canalys and NPD DisplaySearch take and lump PCs and tablets together.

IDC is overall bullish about tablet shipments during second half, and Mainelli acknowledges Microsoft's contribution: "Demand for media tablets remains robust, and we see an increasing interest in the category from the commercial side. We expect pending new products from major players, increasingly affordable mainstream devices, and a huge marketing blitz from Microsoft around Windows 8 to drive increased consumer interest in the category through the end of the year".

As such, the analyst firm raised its forecast:

2012: 107.4 million, up from 106.1 million
2013: 142.8 million, up from 137.4 million
2016: 222.1 million

The analyst firm also adjusted market share, raising iPad to 62.5 percent from 58.2 percent and lowering Android tablets to 36.5 percent from 38.7 percent. IDC reckons shipments based on tablet operating system.

"After a very strong launch of new products in March, Apple's iPad shows few signs of slowing down", Mainelli says. "The addition of the Retina Display and 4G capabilities to the third-generation products clearly enticed many current owners to upgrade. And Apple's decision to keep two iPad 2s in the market at lower prices -- moving the entry-level price down to $399 -- seems to be paying off as well".

The non-iOS, non-Windows market is pushing down to 7-inch models, which sell for considerably less, such as the $199 Kindle Fire and $249 Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.7.0. Google is rumored to debut a $199 Nexus tablet during its developer conference, starting June 27.

"If Apple launches a sub-$300, 7-inch product into the market later this year as rumored, we expect the company’s grip on this market to become even stronger", Mainelli predicts.

Amazon improves customer support options for AWS customers

Publié: juin 15, 2012, 12:42am CEST par Ed Oswald

Amazon has expanded its support options for its Amazon Web Services cloud offering, giving better free support to all customers and reducing the pricing of paid support tiers. The company is also renaming the paid tiers to better represent its target customers.

These tiers had been named Bronze, Gold and Platinum -- they are now referred to as Developer, Business, and Enterprise. Amazon expanded its paid support options back in January, and added third-party support and Trusted Advisor services in beta to its Gold and Platinum support levels. Thursday's moves take these offerings out of beta, and makes the higher-level support options affordable to a wider range of AWS customers.

So, here's what's included in these new tiers:

Amazon's Basic tier will be provided to all customers upon registration. The free support now includes 24-hour access to customer and technical support. This is in addition to the previously offered features of free support including access to technical papers, guides, and the AWS Service Health Dashboard and AWS Developer Forums.

The Developer tier will offer all features of Basic plus 12-hour guaranteed response time to service tickets, one on one customer support, and access to AWS Technical Support Engineers. That tier will cost $49 monthly.

The Business tier will drop its minimum monthly fee to $100 from $400, and betters ticket response time to one hour, and access to support engineers 24 hours per day. Third-party application support is also included. Business customers will gain access to AWS Trusted Advisor, "a program that monitors AWS infrastructure services, identifies customers' usage patterns, and notifies customers when opportunities exist to save money, improve system performance, or close security gaps".

The high-end Enterprise tier will change its pricing from the flat fee used in the Gold tier to a usage-based system. Usage was previously figured as a 10-percent flat fee based on the total of your AWS bill; that has now changed to tiers of 10 percent, 7 percent, 5 percent, and 3 percent. Fifteen-minute response time to tickets is guaranteed, and a dedicated "Technical Account Manager" is provided, which will familiarize him or herself with the customer's specific AWS cloud architecture. Access to Trusted Advisor is also available.

These new support options are available immediately, Amazon says, and can be changed or cancelled at any time as they carry no contractual agreement.

Broken trust: Nation-state malware has a negative impact on GDP

Publié: juin 14, 2012, 9:44pm CEST par Stephen Cobb

The slow drip of revelations about Flame have kept this piece of malware in the news for more than two weeks so it is worth reminding people that most antivirus programs now protect against Flame (ESET products detect it as Win32/Flamer.A). The coverage of Flame was boosted last week by a conveniently-timed assist from leaks that put Stuxnet back in the headlines.

Frankly, many antivirus experts were underwhelmed by reports that anonymous officials in the US. government were asserting that the industrial-sabotage malware known as Stuxnet was developed as part of attacks on Iran's industrial infractructure sanctioned by the President of the United States (a lot of us already assumed that was the case). There has also been a longstanding presumption of Israeli involvement in Stuxnet and so it was no surprise to hear "Stuxnet is our baby; Obama disclosed it for his reelection campaign" coming from Mossad agents. The third unsurprising revelation is that part of the Flame code is nearly identical to code found in Stuxnet.

Of course, that fact alone does not mean the same organization wrote both Stuxnet and Flame or that there were two teams who collaborated. All code can be used and abused by anyone who gets a copy. And that seems to be the part of the Flame/Stuxnet story that is being overlooked: Your taxpayer dollars are being used to develop malicious code that cannot be controlled or contained, and the effects of which cannot reliably be predicted.

This "gift to the bad guys" was a topic I discussed with TechTarget's Rob Westervelt and Jim Lewis of the Center for Strategic and International Studies on a recent podcast: Demystifying nation-state attacks and their impact. The short-term implication is that our government is putting malicious code into the wild where bad guys can copy and modify it for their own ends.

The long term implications are even worse. A large slice of the American economy is digitally driven and Internet-based. Malware undermines the trust we place in all things networked and digital. When our own government adds to the malware threat it adds to an erosion of trust that undermines the digital economy. That's why I think nation-state malware has a negative impact on GDP.

I expect some eager students of economics are already crunching the numbers to verify or refute this hypothesis. I do know for a fact that some economists are very interested in the relationship between trust and economic growth. For example, here two economists based in Paris, Yann Algan and Pierre Cahuc show that GDP per capita in 2000 would have been more than 100% greater in Africa and India if the level of inherited trust among the working age population had been the same as in Sweden by that time:

This graph comes from the article "Social attitudes and economic development: an epidemiological approach." The article is well worth reading, as are the documents the authors reference. As you read, consider to what extent your trust in LinkedIn was impacted by their recent security breach, or any of the many hundreds of other examples of security breaches in the last 12 months, a signficant percentage of which were aided and abetted by malware.

Malware erodes trust and in my opinion our goverment should not be making it or spreading it. But don't just take my word for it. Consider who else is warning about the dramatic cascading effects of weaponized malware: The White House's first cybersecurity coordinator, Howard Schmidt, former president and CEO of the international nonprofit Information Security Forum and chief information security officer at eBay and Microsoft. While antivirus researchers are prepared to keep up the good fight against malware, it would be a relief to hear that our government is now ready to think twice about adding to the problem.

Reprinted with permission.

Photo Credit: Bartlomiej K. Kwieciszewski/Shutterstock

A Certified Information System Security Professional since 1996, Stephen Cobb has more than 20 years’ experience helping companies, government agencies and consumers to manage their computer security and data privacy, notably in the area of emerging threats. Now based in San Diego, he works on the Research team at ESET in the role of security evangelist.

Get ready for Microsoft mystery Monday

Publié: juin 14, 2012, 8:57pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Say, it must be vacation time. The folks from Redmond, Wash. will trek to Los Angeles for a mysterious June 18 event. It's the right month to soak up Southern California sun. Timing surely isn't coincidental -- a week following Apple's swaggering MacBook Pro with Retina Display, iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion announcements and 9 days before Google's developer conference commences. Apple and Google chose San Francisco venues, while Microsoft will get its people out of the clouds into some blue skies (well, once the Marine layer blows off). I'm all for LA, since it's driving distance from San Diego. Not that I received an invitation.

But others who got one have shared the details, of which there are none. Microsoft is being uncharacteristically cagey, a corporate cultural quality that is in too short supply up North. Nothing builds buzz like mystery. With Apple's announcements behind, and Google I/O too far away, Microsoft has given bloggers, commenters, reporters and other pundits something to speculate about. Oh, what could it be?

I can tell you what Microsoft should but likely won't announce: Windows 8 release to manufacturing. RTM coming just weeks after the Release Preview would be totally unexpected and ensure launch sooner than most anyone expects. The big gold code drop would flummox competitors, while deflating Google I/O news and Mountain Lion's July launch. RTM would be the mother of all marketing coups. I can dream.

Something big must be going on? Why else would Microsoft rip so many of its employee dads from loved ones on their one special day of the year. Surely CEO Steve Ballmer or Windows & Windows Live President Steven Sinofsky aren't that cold-hearted. Eh, right? (Now's the time for you Microsoft employees to take advantage of anonymous commenting and answer.) Anything less than big will be a wallowing let-down.

Surely, Microsoft isn't ruining Father's Day just to show off a bunch of Windows tablets, as some have speculated, that we all know something about? LA is right venue for Xbox Music -- you know, now that Zune really is dead. But is that really big enough? I wouldn't truck up to Los Angeles for that.

That's the problem with mystery, buzz and rumors. If this thing isn't as big as the rumors, Microsoft will get all the blame -- even if rumormongers set the lofty expectations. That's the risk, particularly if Apple or Google fanboys spread rumors that get their Microsoft counterparts really worked up. Stuff like: The next version of Office will be free, Windows RT tablets will sell for $199, Bing will become the default search engine for iOS or the city of Los Angeles will adopt Office. The latter one is devious because it's believable given Google's fallout with LAPD over Apps but disappointing reason to schlep to Los Angeles.

Truly sinister rumor to spread: Steve Ballmer will step down as CEO in a year. Los Angeles is so unexpected a venue compared to New York or Redmond, that it's believable enough as diversionary locale.

Circling back to the plausible, consider this: Event time is 3:30 pm PT, which is strange. That's 6:30 am Tuesday in Beijing, China, 7:30 am in Tokyo, Japan and 8:30 am in Canberra, Australia. Is there a connection? Also: Microsoft's fiscal year closes June 30. Something financial -- that Microsoft wants to get on the books for FY 2012 -- makes lots of sense. But it would still need to be big enough to warrant a mid-June cloak-and-dagger shindig. What could it be? Please speculate in comments.

Photo Credit: matis/Shutterstock

Acer Aspire S5, the ultrabook with the weird I/O trapdoor, comes this month at $1399

Publié: juin 14, 2012, 8:26pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Acer America on Thursday announced the price and availability of the Aspire S5-391-9880 ultrabook. This particular PC stands out from the mass of selfsame thin and light PCs because of the interesting design Acer used to hide the machine's extra USB, HDMI and Thunderbolt ports.

With a thickness ranging from 0.44 inches at its thinnest point to 0.59 inches at its thickest, The S5 isn't the thinnest ultrabook going, and at 2.65 lbs, it's not the lightest. Nor is it the most powerful, capacious, or flashy, with a 3rd Generation Intel Core i7-35i7U ("Ivy Bridge") processor, a 256GB solid state drive, and a 13.3 inch (1366 x 768) backlit LED screen, a common feature to many Ultrabooks.

However, the machine is Acer's first to include a high-speed Thunderbolt communications port, offering 20Gbps transfer speeds and the ability to daisy chain up to six Thunderbolt devices to it. And to accommodate this port, as well as others, Acer has equipped the Aspire S5 with "Magic Flip," a design feature that is reminiscent of hydraulics on a custom car. By pressing a button, the chassis of the Aspire A5 cranks upward, and the I/O panel that was previously hidden within the body of the computer is exposed to the air.

This design innovation allowed Acer to slim down the overall profile of the device, since the input and output ports of PCs have proven to be the limit to how thin ultrabooks can get.

The Acer Aspire S5 Ultrabook will be available at a retail price of $1,399.99 in the last week in June directly from Acer or through leading U.S. retailers.

Skype 5.8 for Mac and 5.10 for Windows offer small changes with big impact

Publié: juin 14, 2012, 7:27pm CEST par Mike Williams

Skype has just launched Skype 5.10 for Windows, and 5.8 for Mac, and both releases contain small but worthwhile tweaks that should make the upgrade worthwhile.

The Windows client sensibly merges the Facebook and Skype contacts into a single Contacts list, for instance. And if you’ve so many friends and colleagues that it becomes tricky to manage, no problem: it’s now possible to pin your most important contacts to the top, so they’re always immediately accessible.

And if you’ve recently had major issues with video calls using old computers then you’ll appreciate a new option to disable hardware encoding. It’s not something to use unless absolutely essential (performance will be drastically affected), but if that applies to you then a basic configuration tweak is all you need. Exit Skype, go to C:/Users/*WindowsUsername*/AppData/Roaming/Skype/*SkypeName*/, open Config.xml, and add the following line under the [General] section. <VideoDisableDirectX>1</VideoDisableDirectX>

Meanwhile, Skype 5.8 for Mac sees a partial rethink regarding the full-screen interface introduced in version 5.0. The slimline contacts list has now returned, and you can reposition and resize it however you like.

Elsewhere, video calling to mobile devices is now smarter. If your contact is using Skype for iPhone, iPad or Android, and they change their device orientation, then Skype will automatically switch the call to portrait or landscape, as appropriate. (This already works when you’re talking to Windows Phone users.)

Skype Premium users will now find that screen sharing displays live video alongside their desktop or photos.

And as a bonus Skype say 5.8 is now built to work with the upcoming OS X Mountain Lion.

If none of that means too much to you, there are also the obligatory bug fixes. And these seem especially important for the Windows build (the official blog has more), where a screen sharing-related crash and some video calling issues have been resolved.

If you’re running Skype with the default settings then it’ll probably have updated itself already. You can also check manually, though (Help > Check for Updates, say). And if you need to install or reinstall the program somewhere, then Skype 5.8 for Mac and Skype 5.10 for Windows are both available now.

Photo Credit: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

Nokia stock collapses after announcing massive layoffs

Publié: juin 14, 2012, 7:05pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

It is a dark day for the employees of the world's most-recognized phone maker in Espoo, Finland. Stephen Elop, Nokia CEO, announced today that 10,000 positions will be made redundant by the end of 2013. In what is being called part of a strategy to rescale Nokia's operations after terrible losses over the past four quarters, offices in Finland, Germany and Canada will close. Also executives Niklas Savander, Mary McDowell, and Jerri DeVard will step down.

The market reacted swiftly and painfully, driving down Nokia's share price about 18 percent to $2.30. In early trading, Nokia shares dropped their greatest percentage in 11 years.

"These planned reductions are a difficult consequence of the intended actions we believe we must take to ensure Nokia's long-term competitive strength", Elop says. "We do not make plans that may impact our employees lightly, and as a company we will work tirelessly to ensure that those at risk are offered the support, options and advice necessary to find new opportunities".

"Lightly" but taken with a heavy hand? When did the once great titan of wireless innovation -- inventor of the smartphone and until recently global handset market share leader -- become frail patient on life support?

The fall of Nokia started with the rise of touchscreen smartphones, following Apple's June 2007 launch of iPhone. Nokia could not offer multitouch smartphones that competed. What followed: An innovation heart attack that put the once proud Finnish phone maker in weakened state.

But it's the transition to Windows Phone that has put Nokia at death's door. The February 2011 distribution deal replaced Symbian for Microsoft's mobile OS, and Nokia has lost nothing but market share, customers and money since.

A once proud brand is tarnished. Could it get any more worse before it gets better?

"We intend to pursue an even more focused effort on Lumia, continued innovation around our feature phones", Elop says, "while placing increased emphasis on our location-based services. However, we must re-shape our operating model and ensure that we create a structure that can support our competitive ambitions".

Nokia will cut smart devices research and development, accelerating a hand-off to Microsoft. The restructuring -- R&D cuts, layoffs and plant closures, among others -- won't be cheap, adding by 2013 1 billion Euros to the 900 million already announced.

Photo Credit: Viorel Sima/Shutterstock

0 A.D. raises the game for open-source RTS

Publié: juin 14, 2012, 5:40pm CEST par Mike Williams

Open-source RTS games aren’t generally known for having quality graphics, even when finished, so you probably wouldn’t expect too much from an alpha build. Which is why 0 A.D. is a real surprise, thanks to visuals that are more impressive than many commercial products.

Okay, it’s true, the program has been in alpha for a very long time (running on Windows, the Mac and Linux must make for a complex development process), but the attention to detail is still impressive. Your citizens are people, not anonymous blobs. Buildings look as though like people live in them, with seating areas, pots and vases scattered around. And they live in a realistic and complex world, so for instance a desert will have sand, rocks, animals, perhaps palm trees which cast true shadows.

This continues throughout the game, too, so as you upgrade your simple homestead into a mighty citadel, or build a huge army (or navy) 0 A.D. still looks better than the cover art of some of the competition.

The program isn’t just about the graphics, though: there’s plenty of gameplay, too. You must create units of various types, collect resources, construct new buildings to expand your empire, and of course build an army to protect yourself from (and, ultimately, conquer) your enemies. This isn’t quite as intuitive as we’d like so you’ll probably need to spend some time with the online manual (which also could be better organised), but once you’ve mastered the basics then you’ll be ready to explore all the game has to offer.

The graphics aside, though, you do have to keep in mind that this is an alpha version, so problems and deficiencies are to be expected. Enemy AI can be a little on the basic side, for instance, and the program crashed a couple of times.

Still, if you’re a fan of this kind of RTS game and willing to make allowances for the occasional issue then there’s a lot of entertainment value to be found here: with more than 50 scenarios to play, and a multi-player option too, 0 A.D. could keep you busy for quite some time.

Opera 12 is available -- get it now!

Publié: juin 14, 2012, 4:01pm CEST par Nick Peers

Norwegian browser developer Opera Software ASA has released Opera 12 32-bit and Opera 12 64-bit for Windows, Mac and Linux.

Version 12 of the cult web browser, which is a major player in Eastern European markets, but enjoys more cult status worldwide with around 4 percent market share, introduces several major new features, including theme support and the ability to directly access the user’s web camera from the browser.

Opera 12 adds the ability for compliant websites to directly access the user’s webcam. Although not yet widely supported, a number of examples -- a photo booth and Facekat game -- are supplied by way of example. The idea is to prevent users from having to use a third-party application to access the webcam for browser-related activities such as updating a profile picture.

The latest version also introduces theme support, allowing users to customize their browser window with a lightweight skin. These are accessible from the Opera > Appearance menu, and can be installed and switched between without having to restart the browser.

Version 12 also makes security settings more visible by utilising colour-coded badges in the Address bar to help review a site’s privacy and security settings. There are improvements to the Address Field, including improved drop-down suggestions and smart URL shortening.

Opera 12 also promises improved performance, utilising experimental hardware acceleration and WebGL support (the feature is disabled by default -- switch it on following the advice at the Opera blog), claiming better website loading times and faster startup when many tabs are involved. It also introduces a dedicated 64-bit build for Windows and Mac users for the first time. Web standards support -- particularly HTML5 and CSS3 -- has also been updated.

Program stability has also been improved by running all plug-ins as separate processes, allowing the user to shut down misbehaving plug-ins without having to close Opera itself. In return extensions can now interact with tabs and manage both tab groups and windows.

One of the downsides of the latest update is the fact that many of these latter improvements merely ape what is already happening with other web browsers, particularly those on a rapid-release cycle like Firefox and Chrome. Sadly it highlights how Opera’s reputation as a web pioneer is coming under threat from rival products’ ability to roll out major updates more quickly.

Another drawback for some users will be the news that Opera Unite, Opera Widgets and Opera Voice are all being discontinued from version 12 -- the first two are switched off by default (but can still be enabled), while voice support has been removed entirely.

Opera 12 32-bit and Opera 12 64-bit are available as freeware downloads for Windows, Mac and Linux platforms. In addition, Opera Mini 7.0 is available for mobile devices, including iOS, Android and Windows Phone.

Anti-Twin hunts down duplicate files

Publié: juin 14, 2012, 2:35pm CEST par Mike Williams

Emptying your Recycle Bin and clearing away temporary files are a good first step in cleaning up your system, but there’s another type of hard drive clutter which is a little less obvious: duplicate files. These can consume a surprising amount of hard drive space, but fortunately tools like Anti-Twin make it easy to detect and delete them.

While there are plenty of duplicate file finders around, Anti-Twin scores points immediately for its lengthy list of configuration options. These don’t get in your way -- the default settings are sensibly chosen, and you can have the program checking your system within seconds – but if you have more complex requirements then Anti-Twin will do its best to fulfil them.

Take the decision of where and what you’re going to scan, for instance. This could be a single folder, maybe holding your digital photos. But you could also compare two folders. You might choose to scan all subfolders, too. And a versatile filtering option means you can tell the program to only compare files of a certain size or type, while ignoring other file types to help improve performance.

Then there’s the issue of how Anti-Twin will compare your files. It could run a simple, byte-by-byte comparison. But you might also choose to compare images by pixels, or more generally, compare files by size, or name, with or without the file extension. And whatever you choose, there’s the option to set a “percentage match”: set this to, say, 90% instead of 100 percent, and now Anti-Twin will find similar files as well as precise matches.

Once the scan is complete then you can of course choose duplicates manually, deciding what you’d like to keep, and what can safely be deleted. But if there are lots of duplicates then it might be easier to have Anti-Twin choose them automatically, and this can be done in many different ways. You might choose to scrap files based on their creation date, size, directory level, name and more, for instance, and you can even combine these criteria to produce the most accurate results.

And while deleting duplicates can be a risky business -- don’t do it unless you’ve a full system backup to hand -- Anti-Twin does do its best to minimise the chance of disaster. If you specify a path including your Program Files or Windows folders then you’ll be warned; and by default the program will ignore many executable file types (EXE, DLL, DRV and more).

The program does have a few issues, in particular with performance: scanning and comparison speeds aren’t the best. It’s still perfectly usable, though, and the sheer weight of its configuration options mean Anti-Twin deserves a very high ranking on your duplicate file finder shortlist.

Photo Credit: megainarmy/Shutterstock

Apple is the new Compaq

Publié: juin 13, 2012, 11:03pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Surely we can blame Tim Cook for that. Wait. You're too young to remember Compaq? Well, Apple's CEO worked there in the 1990s, and his leadership brings some decidedly bad Compaq habits from Texas to California. So for those of you thinking Apple is different under Cook than Steve Jobs, most definitely.

See, my eyes buggered when reading in iFixit's terrific MacBook Pro with Retina Display tear-down: "Unlike previous generations of MacBook Pros, the MacBook Pro with Retina display is guarded by Apple's proprietary pentalobe screws". Proprietary screws? That sounds familiar. Oh yeah. Compaq!

Screw you screws

Apple actually started using the five-point screws in 2009, but we can still blame Cook for them. As then-COO, he was responsible for Apple manufacturing and logistics and most certainly these screws would come under his area of responsibility. Perhaps the ever-micromanaging Jobs had a say, too, but he sadly has left this world and Cook remains to take the blame.

Apple first started using pentalobes -- let's call them the "screw you screws" -- to secure stuff it didn't want people accessing, like previous generation MacBook Pro batteries, iPhone 4/4S and MacBook Air. They're screw you screws because they require special tools. I can understand iPhone, but MacBook Pro? Surely the kind of person plunking down $2,199 or more for this computer might want to use it for a very long time and upgrade later on.

Cook and Company don't want you doing that. In December 2010, I asserted: "MacBook Air will redefine personal computing". It has, at least for Apple, which MacBook Pro with Retina Display clearly demonstrates. MBA bears more resemblance to a consumer electronics device than personal computer. Buyers make final configuration decisions when ordering -- there are no upgrades later on. I wrote two years ago: "MacBook Air's design is compact and tidy, packing some proprietary components in a package not meant to be touched after manufacturing".

Apple brings the same kind of design philosophy to where it hasn't really been: High-end laptops. Along with the screws, the flash memory, which Samsung makes, is proprietary, too. Sure, we've seen this on MacBook Air but it's new to the Pro line. Perhaps for safety reasons: "Someone really did not want the battery in the MacBook Pro to come out of the upper case", according to iFixit. "We tried valiantly with our iFixit 6 Inch Metal Ruler to free the battery from its aluminum confines, but to no avail. Rather than risk puncturing a lithium-polymer battery cell, we left the power source in place".

Score One for Repairability

The bottom line should send shivers down the spine of any CIO or IT manager considering buying MacBook Pro with Retina Display. The iFixit folks give the new laptop a repairability rating of one out of 10. If this was a Rotten Tomatoes-rated movie, you would spend your money elsewhere. Reasons include the screw you screws, soldered-down graphics chip, proprietary memory, glued-in battery and fused display assembly. This box is never meant to be opened, and your AppleCare warranty better be up to date if something breaks MBP. Replacement may be the only option.

Apple really is the new Compaq, which was renown for proprietary parts that made mockery of the whole Windows PC ecosystem of interchangeable everything. Compaq did invent the PC clone, after reverse-engineering the IBM BIOS. I guess those Texans didn't want done to them what they had done to others. Proprietary parts kept Compaq cloners at bay, locked in customers and assured beaucoup bucks for the company's resellers. Enterprises complained long and hard about everything from proprietary memory to power supplies.

Long-time Mac fans will argue there's nothing new here and that Apple has long been proprietary. (Gasp, and that's a good thing?) I won't debate this, because it's not relevant to this discussion. In the past, Apple wanted Macs to be serviced, now it doesn't. Compaq worked with select resellers who had the tools to tinker inside its boxes and order proprietary parts. Apple has done likewise for years, but going further. Every part must be accounted for under warranty and returned to Apple. Now, no one other than perhaps your smarter-than-Albert-Einstein Apple Genius is meant to crack open the MacBook Pro enclosure. Say, do these experts don white coveralls and work in clean rooms hidden inside Apple Store?

This locked-down approach continues the shift started with MacBook Air -- making computers more like end-to-end consumer electronics products, which are often thrown away when busted rather than repaired.

But Apple's approach exceeds Compaq's in a way fitting corporate culture. Apple treats its product designs like works of art. Now the company wants you to do likewise. Look, but don't touch.

Cisco debuts networking products for the cloud

Publié: juin 13, 2012, 8:04pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Cisco knows that the cloud is worthless without networking, so its Cloud Connected Solution announced on Wednesday shouldn't surprise anyone. The company debuted both new cloud-enabled software for its ASR and ISR routers as well as a virtualized router aimed at extending virtual private networks to the cloud.

This new router software will be found on the ISR G2 platform, and a new Aggregation Services Router (ASR) platform based router, the ASR 1002-X was introduced. Cisco announced new Unified Computing System (UCS) E-Series Server Modules on the ISR G2, which is also on the way.

"The Cisco Cloud Connected Solution redefines the WAN architecture with key innovations that leverage the network intelligence as a critical link in cloud deployments by putting more functionality into traditional enterprise routing", Cisco Services Routing Technology Group chief Praveen Akkiraju says.

Cisco says the new router software should help improve the performance and security of cloud applications, while the the new CSR virtualized router should prove useful to those looking to adopt hybrid cloud architectures.

The San Jose, Calif. based company's moves to cozy up to cloud computing don't come as a surprise. As said previously, the network is key when it comes to the cloud: if that doesn't work, neither does the cloud. Cisco is also making a smart move making a play for the hybrid cloud market, as an increasing number of IT departments are embracing the cloud by incorporating both public and private elements.

"Network infrastructure must rapidly adapt to fully support future enterprise communications systems, which will be highly virtualized, intelligent and application-aware. The impact of new infrastructure and application strategies on the network cannot be overstated", Gartner principal analyst Bjarne Munch says.

Everything announced Wednesday is currently available except for the Cisco UCS E-Series on ISR G2, which will ship in the fourth quarter, and the the ASR 1002-X, which is due in September.

Photo Credit: Inq/Shutterstock

Windows 8 lacks true spirit [review]

Publié: juin 13, 2012, 7:59pm CEST par Itamar Even-Zohar

I have been testing Windows 8 Release Preview 64-bit for over 10 days now. I have installed it onto a second partition on two computers: Lenovo ThinkPad T61 and desktop clone computer. On both PCs, Windows 7 is also installed as an alternative OS. I set up dual boot using free tool Easy BCD.

My conclusion so far: this is an operating system one can live with, but that hardly justifies upgrading from Windows 7. That is unless you have got a tablet computer and like the new Metro UI. Since I haven't got one, the new Metro UI for me is just a bother -- simply a hindrance for efficient work. Except for this new user interface there is actually hardly anything new, while on the other hand, not one single awkward or archaic concept has been replaced by something new.

Monstrous Labyrinth

For example, the Registry is the same monstrous labyrinth, the Desktop is the same desktop, and the overall configuration of the computer is basically unchanged, although the so-called Classical Display has been eliminated. In reality, this hasn't changed much the possibilities of customization. I naturally immediately customized the display for "best performance" (only adding "smooth edges of screen fonts") and selected a solid background to allow the icons to be visible.

I'm sorry to say that the amount of garbage that has accumulated in my computer during these 10 days is astounding -- and unfortunately, it could not be purged. For example: items planted by various programs into the Notification Area, which could at least be manually eliminated in Windows 7 can no longer be removed the same way, and I haven't found any direct method for handling the undesirable implants.

However, the Notification Area is a minor trouble in comparison to the Registry, which still needs daily cleansing by dedicated programs, and this will continue to prosper because so much garbage accumulates here and nothing is ever deleted. This is the situation, unless you've got a good uninstall program; Microsoft's remove applications procedure will not take care of the leftovers of misbehaved programs. Based on my short experience, the accumulation of garbage is so quick that I fear that the Registry under Windows 8 will impede fast performance as it has done in all of its predecessors.

Talk to Me

Another unchanged feature, Windows Speech Recognition (WSR), which was one of Windows Vista's major innovations, is happily still a built-in feature of the new OS, but is now concealed one level deeper under Easy Access. The feature itself hasn't changed a bit since Windows Vista; it seems that Microsoft has given up on the idea of introducing speech recognition as a major feature. WSR has a great potential to become a superpower tool, especially with its added macro language, which is also concealed by Microsoft for the average user. There is still much to fix in WSR, but in view of the huge investment made so far, it is almost incomprehensible why Microsoft has decided to forget about it.

Memory management has always been a major issue. I have read some contentions that the memory management under Windows 8 should be much better, especially with a 64-bit computer and 4GB RAM or more. My subjective experience: There is no difference between Windows 7 32-bit and Windows 8 64-bit in matters of speed or crashing. During the 10 days of testing, the OS got stuck many times, and I had to resort to Task Manager quite often, even to force reset. This reminded me very much of previous versions of Windows, namely those that preceded even Windows 7.

I fully join the opinons expressed by various reviewers that Microsoft make it possible for desktops and notebooks to completely turn off the Metro UI and return to the desktop option. Of course, it would have been nice had Microsoft introduced some innovations into the latter, too, but I believe one can live with the Windows 7 configuration quite well.

Where is Metro's Off-switch?

There is a vicious circle here, because with the Metro UI turned off and the desktop restored, Windows 8 simply becomes quite identical with Windows 7. This does not mean that I would like to have the Metro UI in the first place even if I had a tablet computer. I find Metro applications to be hardly attractive, in part because I can't find any way to control them. Even playing a video by the Metro application turns out to be painful because there are no buttons to control them. I assume that the applications can be controlled not by mouse or keyboard but by touching gestures, but since I've got no access to such options on my computer that couldn't be tested. And frankly, as I use my computer for doing work rather than for playing and gaming, I am not even tempted to get those options in future. On the whole, I find touching the screen of a regular computer to be quite uncomfortable -- and even worse than a mouse for repetitive stress injuries.

Another astounding issue is that after all these years Microsoft has left the user with a primitive tool for copying and moving files, namely Windows Explorer or My Computer, which should have been replaced long ago by an application like the good old Norton Commander or its modern equivalent Total Commander.

Although this is only a short review, there is no way to avoid the extremely painful security measures that often prevents one from accessing one’s own disks. This can sometimes be solved through a tedious and, often unclear, permission and sharing settings. But I find that Windows 8 has made it even tougher than Windows 7, because even when I turn completely off, I still cannot copy, move or open files to my own folders where for some reason I have got no permission.

Sync illuminates the Gloom

Against the background of this rather gloomy view, there is one new feature in Windows 8 that might foretell some beneficial future, but its current implementation is rather limited. I am referring to the new sync account, which is the default in W8 (alternatively, or side-by-side with it, you may open “local” accounts). The advantage of the sync account is that some of one’s settings are automatically synchronized on all computers where you open the same user account.

For example, if you add a language on one of your computers, that language will also be configured on all of your other PCs. It would be naturally helpful if such a feature was at least optionally extended to other domains, such as certain folders, though SkyDrive is meant to render a similar service, but with far less comfort.

To sum up this hasty review, I'm not sure what Microsoft has achieved with this OS except the Metro UI that is not likely to serve non-tablet users or encourage people to get one. When a beta tester for Windows Vista, I was quite appalled by its so many useless features and unnecessary complications. Windows 7 later fixed many of those unfortunate components. Windows 8 doesn't appear to be appalling in any way -- it simply lacks any true spirit. It has adopted too much the Macintosh view of computer users as complete idiots.

Naturally, I don't object to providing people with an OS that liberates them from making decisions, but a good OS also can be freely, openly and amply customized by users who wish to do so. And a good OS does not waste the user’s time on such a myriad of places for configuration (Control Panel, Settings under the new Start menu, and more).

Itamar Even-Zohar has been professor of Culture Research at Tel Aviv University since 1969. He was an early adopter of PC applications and belonged to the first group of pre-Internet networkers ("Humanist Listserv"). In 2003 he founded the Microsoft Speech Recognition Group on Yahoo, which helped promote discussion and powerful use of the feature in Windows.

Unroll.me launches in public beta, puts an inbox within your inbox

Publié: juin 13, 2012, 7:56pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Email newsletters are about a half of a step above spam. If you purchase something online, install some piece of software, or sign up for some service and thoughtlessly breeze past the checkbox that says "Keep me informed about (product)!" you can very easily find yourself getting monthly, weekly, or in the case of the most egregious mailers (like Bed, Bath, and Beyond or Victoria's Secret) daily newsletters or circulars, and those things add up quickly.

Or, if you are a systems administrator of one sort or another, and you receive automatic server notifications in your inbox, you can go from inbox zero to a deluge of semi-important messages in no time at all.

This is the type of thing Unroll.me can help you with. When you pair your Gmail or Yahoo mail account with the Unroll.me service, it automatically "rolls up" all of your subscriptions (i.e. categorizes, organizes, and summarizes them) and you can then manage how you receive them, or indeed if you continue to receive them at all.

By default, Unroll.me pulls all your subscription emails out of your immediate inbox view, and puts them in a timeline which is emailed to you in the morning, afternoon, or evening, depending on when you'd like it. Clicking anywhere on the timeline will take you to the Unroll.me site, where your timeline becomes a full rollup history, and where you can change the states of your subscriptions.

New users to the service will want to pay close attention to what is getting "rolled up" initially, because it will not appear as a new message in your inbox. It is very easy to lose track of automatic email notifications, because we train ourselves to look at them when they're there, but not look FOR them when they're not. This means Unroll.me requires a degree of vigilance on the user's part, but can ultimately result in a uniquely organized inbox, by using a sort of virtual inbox within it.

Unroll.me is now in public beta, and is accepting new users.

MacPro is doomed

Publié: juin 13, 2012, 5:54pm CEST par Robert X. Cringely

Not all of Apple’s new and upgraded products were even mentioned in Monday’s Worldwide Developer Conference keynote. I was especially interested in Apple’s tower computer, the Mac Pro, which was both upgraded and killed at the same time.

The Mac Pro is Apple’s machine for media professionals. With up to 12 CPU cores, 64 gigs of RAM and eight terabytes of disk storage, it is a very powerful machine aimed at video editors, DNA sequencers, and anyone else who needs a supercomputer under their desk. And on Monday Apple upgraded the Mac Pro for the first time in two years, adding faster processors, better GPU options (it has, remember four PCI Express slots), and interesting SSD options. But what Apple didn’t upgrade was the Mac Pro’s USB ports to USB 3.0.

That told me the Mac Pro is doomed.

Product lines come and go all the time at computer companies, even at Apple. But this simple decision not to go to USB 3.0 shows that Apple has no further plans for the Mac Pro beyond this model. They didn’t rev the motherboard. And what makes that worth writing about is the Mac Pro is Apple’s only expandable product. There are no card slots, no extra drive bays, no GPU options on any other Apple products.

Apple has effectively killed its last conventional computer.

Taking away customer options, especially customer-installed options, will make Macs more reliable and easier to support. But what about the power users?

Apple will eventually have to explain to those folks how less is more and how this new world is even better for them. I think I know how Apple will do it.

When the Mac Pro dies for good Apple will replace it in the market with a combination of Thunderbolt-linked Mac Mini computing bricks backed up by rented cloud processing, all driven from an iMac or MacBook workstation.

I just wonder: when they’ll get around to telling us?

Reprinted with permission

AVG Family Safety alternative browser launches on Windows Phone, updates on iOS

Publié: juin 13, 2012, 4:35pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Security software company AVG has taken an active role in providing security apps for the popular mobile platforms like iOS and Android, and has garnered approximately 114 million active users across them all.

Today, AVG has released its free alternative Web browser AVG Family Safety for Windows Phone, following yesterday's update to the software for iOS.

AVG Family Safety is a mobile browser built to protect its users against malicious and generally unsavory websites. If you're one of those parents who finds himself handing his smartphone over to his kid to keep them occupied on long trips or while waiting in line or suchlike, AVG had you in mind with this app.

Websites that are known to harbor malicious content, malware, phishing, pornography, or proxy and anonymizer web services are blocked using data provided by AVG’s LinkScanner technology. This feature rides on top of the built-in mobile security provided by the operating system.

On iOS devices, for example, you can password-protect Safari so your kids can only use AVG Family Safety. This feature does not exist on Windows Phone, but Internet Explorer can be buried in sub-menus and AVG Family Safety can be put front and center and set as the default so that parents can provide a comparable level of security.

AVG Family Safety is not quite a "freemium" app, because it can be a fully enclosed experience on its own. But it can also be paired with AVG's $20 per year Family Safety account, which allows users to set up user security profiles and apply them to up to three different mobile devices per household.

UpdateFreezer ices apps in place

Publié: juin 13, 2012, 3:45pm CEST par Mike Williams

When managing a PC you’ll normally want software updates to be installed just as soon as they become available. But there may be occasional exceptions.

If you’re working on a slow and expensive mobile internet connection, say, or you’re going to make a really important presentation tomorrow and want to be sure your PC behaves exactly as it does today, then you may want to disable updates, just temporarily. And Update Freezer is a compact, portable and free utility which makes that very straightforward.

Just launch UpdateFreezer.cmd and you’ll immediately see the current update settings for Windows, Adobe, Google, Java, Firefox and Skype. The program also displays the various update options available in each case – “Disabled”, “Notify Only”, “Automatic”, whatever they might be – and you can change them at a click. (Which of course you could do from the individual applications anyway, but Update Freezer just simplifies the process by making several settings available from a single interface.)

And, conveniently, Update Freezer also includes a Restore All option which resets your update settings to whatever they were before you first ran the program. So when you’re happy to receive updates again, simply hit the “Restore All” button and you’ll be back to normal.

Of course while disabling updates can be convenient sometimes, you don’t have to use Update Freezer for that purpose: the program is just as handy for checking a PC’s status, or turning updates on. If you’re troubleshooting a computer and wondering what its update settings might be, say, running Update Freezer from a USB stick will quickly tell you more, and you can correct any problems with a click.

Photo Credit: Stephen Orsillo/Shutterstock

Get Bitdefender Parental Control Beta for Android and Windows

Publié: juin 13, 2012, 2:49pm CEST par Mike Williams

Most security companies don’t seem to place much value in parental controls, usually demoting them to an underpowered module in the darkest recesses of their security suite. But maybe that’s about to change. Bitdefender has just made available the first public beta of its standalone Parental Control package, and at first glance it looks really quite impressive.

You can of course use the program to prevent particular actions. In just a few clicks it’s possible to filter inappropriate web content, for instance. You’re able to restrict the use of particular applications, block instant messages from anyone other than a list of allowed contacts, and ensure the child can only use the internet at the times you define.

And because Bitdefender also includes a mobile component, you can also stop them receiving phone calls or text messages from certain phone numbers (although at the moment this is only available for phones running Android 2.3 or later).

If you’d rather take a hands-off approach, though, you could just use the program to monitor your child’s activity. You’re able to see what they search for online, the sites they visit, and everything that happens on their Facebook account, for example. Install the Android app and you’ll also have access to their calls, messages, settings and more. And because all of this is visible from a web interface you’ll be able to check up on them easily, wherever you are.

As this is a beta, there are of course some oddities. One issue is that Parental Control only works with Bitdefender Antivirus 2012, for instance, and the company says if you’ve an earlier Bitdefender product installed then you’ll need to uninstall it. Which seems drastic. The Bitdefender site has more.

The program worked well for us, though, so if you’re interested then we’d say it’s well worth a look. Parental Control downloads are now available in 32-bit, 64-bit and Android flavors.

Verizon Share Everything plan shares very little savings

Publié: juin 13, 2012, 12:45am CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

I find it humorous to read a press release from a large telecom in regards to cellular service plans. They use powers of the telecom heavens to make their calling and data plans "easier" for simple, dumb mortals. Carriers play it up like they have come down from Olympus to give us fire. All so we can build temples to them faster.

Of the top-three of the pantheon of cellphone carriers, Verizon is the biggest of them all -- the Zeus of wireless, who can screw anyone in any form. It's pretty simple for them. They have the biggest lightning bolts if you didn't know. It's clearly in their commercials for the "lightening" fast 4G LTE data speeds. So when they have something they think is "game changing" they send their fastest messenger.

The Hermes for this plan change is Tami Erwin, vice president and chief marketing officer of Verizon Wiresless:

“Customers asked, and today Verizon Wireless delivered an industry first" ... "Share Everything Plans are the new standard for wireless service. They are simple; customers no longer have to think about their voice and message plans, because both are unlimited. Share Everything Plans are convenient; customers purchase one data plan and they share it with up to 10 mobile devices. And, they are worry-free; customers can connect their 3G or 4G devices wherever and whenever they want on America’s most reliable network.”

Isn't that nice? Silly mortals no longer have to worry about voice and message plans. That means the cost of service is all one simple clean fee with the data rates right? WRONG! What once was the voice and phone service is now a "Monthly Line Access" fee. This line access fee is $10 per month for tablet devices, $20 per month for USB modems, hotspots, and netbooks; and $30 per month for basic dumb feature phones. Lastly it's $40 a month for a smartphone. This is on top of the $50 to $100 dollar per month fee for the shared data that you have from 1GB to 10GB to share.

To clarify this in a simple form. For $100 dollars a month you can have unlimited voice and messaging with only 2GB of data on a smartphone. For $90 dollars share 2GB of data on three tablets. Or for one laptop, one tablet, and one laptop / modem share 2GB data for $130. And this 2GB is over both LTE 4G and EDVO. To everyone on Verizon who will lose your unlimited grandfathered plans since your telecom god has forsaken you, I'm sorry for your loss. The temple of Sprint says hello though. That's where I worship.

Will you buy Apple's 15.4-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display?

Publié: juin 13, 2012, 12:26am CEST par Joe Wilcox

I ask because one of my colleagues already has ordered one (shipping time is a couple weeks), and I got into an interesting Google+ debate about display technologies earlier today.

Apple announced the new laptop yesterday during its Worldwide Developer conference. The new MBP is thinner and lighter, which are nice-to-have features but nothing remarkable. The 2880 x 1800-resolution, IPS screen is really what sets the portable apart from other notebooks, whether Macs or Windows PCs. Apple has raised the standard of art, but the technology isn't gamechanging, as some bloggers or reporters claim. Apple is a laggard with respect to high-res displays, which on Windows PCs have outclassed Macs for years.

Mac Fan Club

You may have noticed that Macs are quite popular among tech writers. There are lots of reasons for this. Among them: More and more journalism schools require Macs; Apple has long appealed to creative types; and iLife is the jack-of-all tools for anyone producing media content. Many Mac-loving writers who don't use Windows also don't know what they're missing out on. That combined with Apple passions can lead them to mistake something old for something new.

For example, writing for Wired, Nathan Olivarez-Giles asserts: "MacBook Pro With Retina Display gives Apple 1-Year lead on Ultrabooks". That might be true, but where was the story years ago about, say, Lenovo ThinkPad or Sony VAIO, having a year (and it turned out to be several) lead over MacBook Pro?

Perhaps MacBook Pro is a game-changer for my Mac-obsessed peers who suffered with lower-screen res for years -- well, compared to their Windows counterparts who have long enjoyed much better. Apple isn't leading the pack but catching up from behind. What's new for the people using Macs and writing about them isn't for the broader PC market.

Laggard plays Catchup

I've criticized Apple's lagging behind competitors' displays for more than four years. I noticed the difference because high resolution has long been a priority when buying Macs or Windows PCs and where the Wintel camp has long excelled. In a long 2009 missive, for example, I explained why I chose Windows 7 on a Sony VAIO Z720 over Snow Leopard on 13.3-inch MacBook Pro. High among my reasons: "While the computers are fairly close in terms of base hardware, I find the VAIO's higher screen resolution to be a highly appealing feature, and the major reason for my replacing the MacBook rather than installing Windows 7 via Boot Camp. The VAIO had stunning 1600 x 900 compared to the Mac's 1280 x 800".

Apple started upping the resolution on portables in 2010. For example, 11.1-inch and 13.3-inch MacBook Airs ushered in 1366 x 888 and 1440 x 900 resolutions, respectively, long after Wintel competitors got there. New models announced yesterday keep the same resolution.

The current VAIO Z Series model, by comparison, offers 1920 x 1080 resolution on a 13.1-inch display; that exceeds the MacBook Air, which is same size class. The VAIO costs $100 more than the high-end 13.3-inch Air, with twice the RAM (8GB) but half the storage (128GB). The point: In the market sweet-spot, Windows laptops still outclass Macs. Where Apple raises the bar above Wintel machines is high-end 15-inch models.

Apple offers four standard 15.4-inch MacBook Pros -- two of which with 1440 x 900 panels; like the predecessors, they can be upgraded at extra cost to 1680 x 1050. Hell, the 15.4-inch ThinkPad T60p I used more than 5 years ago had a panel with that resolution. To get 1440 x 900, you pay Apple $1,799. Retina Display starts at $2,199.

Sound Advice

Some of my peers do put MacBook Pro with Retina Display in proper perspective, and they're worth calling out. At AnandTech, Anand Shimpi offers a superb analysis of the new MacBook Pro, focusing on the improved display technology. This is a must-read analysis for anyone considering buying the new MacBook Pro mainly for its display.

Peter Pachal writes for Mashable:

With this machine, Apple is sending a loud message to the world: We aren’t content to just sell computers -- we want to define what people want in them. While Apple would probably say that attitude has always been in its DNA, it’s really only been delivering on it since it unveiled the first MacBook Air. Before that, Apple machines -- the hardware -- were certainly capable machines, but their standout features typically had more to do with design (think the original iMac) than usability and performance.

Peter's right. Mac laptops have trailed Windows PC hardware for years.

At Chip Chick, Chance Kinney asks and answers: "The New MacBook Pro with Retina Display -- Hot or Not?" Regarding the display, "as far as clarity and pixel density goes, no other laptop on the market is matching that, or even coming close". Kinney continues:

Next up is the graphics processor, and this is where we need to put the brakes on the Apple hype train for just a second. This is a quote from the presentation: 'You are going to see a gaming experience unlike any you’ve seen before'.

I don’t know exactly where the line between hyperbole and outright lying is, but I know this quote is toeing it. The next generation MacBook Pro will have an Nvidia GeForce GT 650M graphics processor. For laptops, that is the highest of Nvidia’s mid-range line of notebook graphics processors. That means that while you’ll be able to play most computer games on the market (at least, the ones you can actually play on a Mac), you won’t be running them on the highest settings. Again, the Retina display is very nice, but the GT 650M isn’t going to maximize the potential of that display for gaming. It will be a gaming experience that you have assuredly seen before.

Kinney warns: "Before you make your decision, you should consider this -- you can get an awful lot of other high-end notebooks that are almost as impressive for much, much less money".

On June 11, 2012, Apple debuted the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro with 2880 x 1880 resolution Retina Display. Prices start at $2,199. Will you buy one?

Price Comparisons

Unquestionably, MacBook Pro with Retina Display has jaw-dropping specs and price to match. That's one of the main reasons Olivarez-Giles' year-advantage over ultrabooks claim is so outrageous. These computers aren't in the same class. Ultrabooks are thin-and-lights with displays generally smaller than 14 inches and selling for $1,000 or less. MacBook Pro with Retina Display sells for $2,200 or more. But let's spec it out, and do more meaningful comparisons.

MacBook Pro with Retina Display: 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor (with 6MB L3 cache); 15.4-inch display (with 2880 x 1880 resolution); 8GB of RAM ; 256GB flash memory; Intel HD Graphics 4000 and 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 650M; 720p webcam; Thunderbolt and USB 3 ports; SDXC card slot; HDMI port; Bluetooth 4.0; WiFi N; and OS X Lion.

As aforementioned, that one sells for $2,199. Apple also offers standard config with faster processor and 512MB flash storage for $2,799. I wondered, what kind of value is this? So I configured a comparable Lenovo ThinkPad T530 -- and, whoa, it costs more.

ThinkPad T530 BTO: 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor (with 6MB L3 cache); 15.6-inch display (with 1920 x 1080 resolution); 8GB of RAM ; 180GB SSD; 1GB DDR3 Nvidia GeForce NVS 5400M graphics; DVD burner; 720p webcam; USB 3 ports; express card slot; mini-display port; Bluetooth 4.0; WiFi N; and Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. Price as configured: $2,324. Price about balances out when adding Ethernet adapter and DVD drive to the MacBook Pro. Still, IBM's sold-state storage tops out at 180GB and the LED display resolution falls below the Mac's IPS display. Apple's laptop is thinner and lighter, too.

I also priced the Sony VAIO S with 15.5-inch display.

VAIO S: 2.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor; 15.5-inch display (with 1920 x 1080 resolution); 8GB of RAM ; 256GB SSD; 2GB Nvidia GeForce 640M LE graphics; DVD burner; webcam; USB 2 and 3 ports; SD card and Memory Stick slots; HDMI port; Bluetooth 4.0; WiFi N; and Windows 7 Home 64-bit. Price as configured: $1,729. The VAIO sells for $470 less than the Mac, but offers twice the graphics memory and lower high-resolution screen -- granted, Apple's display offers more.

Specs are but one consideration. There are many of factors that make up a good computer, with operating system and motherboard design being among them. But the question remains: Will you buy Apple's 15.4-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display? Please take the poll above and answer in comments below.

Cloud adoption is finally beginning to live up to all the (over)hype

Publié: juin 12, 2012, 10:37pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Cloud computing is one of the most hyped (some would say overhyped) concepts in IT right now. But data from research firm Strategy Analytics suggests that real-world application of the cloud is now beginning to match that hype.

SaaS is experiencing significant growth, as it is perhaps the easiest cloud technology for enterprises to adopt and deploy. Some 64 percent of the 1,750 organizations surveyed across the US, UK, France, Germany, China, India and Brazil report increased spending year over year. Other cloud technologies are seeing growth, but nowhere near to the degree of SaaS.

IaaS spending increased in 37 percent of those organizations surveyed, and 22 percent for PaaS.

Enterprise software and Communications director and analyst Mark Levitt points to the fact that many organizations are relying on software that is increasingly migrating to the cloud -- be it email, CRM, and web and audio conferencing -- for more than a decade.

"A majority of corporations have abandoned traditional on-premise software deployments for many types of application and infrastructure software", he explains. "Public and private cloud computing is now the norm, not the exception".

The common benefits of cloud computing, including scalability, visibility, and manageability, is what is driving this growth, Strategy Analytics finds. That said, the cloud still has its issues that keep some from adopting it in their own IT deployments.

Respondents cited security concerns, downtime concerns and reliability as their barriers to cloud adoption. These should also begin to fade if recent news is any indication. Most cloud providers are building a good deal of redundancy into their services, and security has become a major concern.

In fact, security was the main reason Oracle decided to offer its cloud customers individual virtual machines in its offering. CEO Larry Ellison seems to consider multitenancy as a security risk since data is co-mingled with other customers, and he may be right.

There may be another driver to the cloud madness in IT, and that's mobility. Strategy Analytics noted that companies seem to be both adopting the cloud in greater numbers, while at the same time becoming more mobile. The firm cautioned however that it didn't have enough evidence to consider one factor was driving the other, yet.

Photo Credit: Helder Almeida/Shutterstock

Amazon S3 hits 1 trillion objects stored in the cloud

Publié: juin 12, 2012, 7:35pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) has reached the one trillion mark in number of objects stored. For some perspective, that's 142 objects for every person on the planet, or counted one per second, it would take you 31,170 years to count them all.

The feat shows that Amazon's cloud business growth continues to accelerate. In a blog post announcing the event, web services evangelist Jeff Barr notes object growth reached an astronomical 3.5 billion per day, or about 40,000 every second. There doesn't appear to be any end to it either as more and more large scale customers hop onto S3.

"On behalf of the Amazon S3 team, I'd like to thank you for all of the amazing ways that you've found to put S3 to use. We really enjoy hearing and reading about your applications", Barr writes.

Growth also appears to be accelerating. In October, S3 hosted about 566 billion objects, and 762 billion in January. By April, that number had surpassed 900 billion. S3's object growth is probably closely linked to similar growth in AWS itself, so it's fairly likely that during this same period Amazon's cloud user base has also grown as fast.

Will it continue now that it has competitors in both Microsoft with its most recent release of Azure with IaaS functionality, and Oracle Cloud? That remains to be seen.

Photo Credit: T. L. Furrer/Shutterstock

After a year exclusive to Android, Amazon launches Cloud Player for iOS

Publié: juin 12, 2012, 6:48pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Amazon Cloud Player, a service that lets Amazon users stream their cloud-stored music collection to their mobile device over a regular data connection, has been available on Android for more than a year. Tuesday, Amazon finally released the iPhone and iPod touch version of the Cloud Player App.

Just like the Android version, users can stream their music, download songs, or manage their music in the cloud, with the included ability to share playlists created in iTunes with the user's cloud library.

Amazon's Mp3 store is one of the fiercest competitors to iTunes, and Amazon Cloud Player is naturally now a competitor to Apple's iCloud service. Amazon Cloud Player comes with 5GB of free cloud storage, the same amount that Apple offers with iCloud.

iCloud storage upgrades cost $20 per year for 15 GB of storage, $40 per year for 25 GB of storage, and $100 per year for 55 GB of cloud storage.

Amazon's paid cloud storage plans are both cheaper, and somewhat different from iCloud. The free 5GB that comes with Amazon Cloud player holds up to 1,000 songs. But if you upgrade to any paid tier for Amazon cloud storage, your cap on songs is removed, and you have unlimited space. So for Amazon's $20 per year, the user gets 20 GB of storage and unlimited music storage. $50 per year gets 50 GB of Amazon cloud storage and unlimited music, $100 gets 100 GB, and so forth, all the way up to $1000 for 1000 GB.

FreeFixer finds malware other apps miss

Publié: juin 12, 2012, 5:50pm CEST par Mike Williams

Conventional antivirus tools are fine when they’re pitted against established threats, well-known malware with a match in their signature database. If you’ve been hit by something new, though, you may need to go hunting for the culprit manually – and FreeFixer is an excellent tool to help you along the way.

Launch a scan with the program and it’ll examine 39 key areas that may contain signs of malware. These include Browser Help Objects, your HOSTS file, AppInit_DLLs, Windows services, Namespace service providers, shell extensions, running processes, Winlogon modules, Firefox extensions, and more.

In theory this could obviously result in a very lengthy list of files, but FreeFixer helps out here in a couple of ways. Critical Windows system files aren’t included in the report, and files from trusted vendors (Apple, Microsoft, top antivirus companies and more) are displayed, but with a green background to mark them as safe. With sometimes dramatic results.

In the Services section of our test PC, for instance, 43 services were whitelisted and could be safely ignored, leaving only 9 for us to check manually. There were similar results elsewhere -- 33 running processes were whitelisted, leaving 9 “unknowns” -- and it’s clear that if you are hunting for malicious software on a PC, FreeFixer could save you a great deal of time.

Ultimately, though, it will be up to you to browse the remaining files and decide if any should be removed. While this is easy enough to do -- just check the box to their left and click the “Fix” button -- you could obviously cause all kinds of problems if you delete something legitimate, and this really isn’t something you should be trying unless you’ve a complete system backup to hand.

Of course this isn’t a problem specific to FreeFixer, though: any general malware removal tool has its potential risks. If anything, FreeFixer minimises them by removing so many whitelisted files from its report, reducing the chance that you’ll make a mistake.

And even if the program can’t uncover the specific malware executables, it has some bonus features which you may find helpful. One of its sections lists “recently created or modified files”, for example, perhaps highlighting hidden file system activity. Another will detect and fix some HOSTS file issues. And the program can even list and undo system policies sometimes used by malware to make their removal more difficult (preventing you launching REGEDIT, for instance).

There’s no magic solution here, then. FreeFixer can’t precisely identify malware, spyware or anything else. You’ll need to spend some time working through its reports to see if you’re likely to have a problem. And it’s removal tools aren’t particularly strong.

If you believe a PC is infected by something nasty and would like to investigate further, though, FreeFixer can greatly speed up the research process, and on balance it’ll make a great addition to any geek’s security toolkit.

njaj/Shutterstock

O&O DiskImage 6.8 supports Windows 8

Publié: juin 12, 2012, 4:45pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Berlin-based O&O Software has announced a major update to its Windows back-up and restore tool. O&O DiskImage 6.8.1 Professional, also available in 64-bit, boasts full Windows 8 support, plus promises faster performance in key areas.

Version 6.8.1 also takes into account third-party power settings, ensuring it stays on for the whole backup process, plus streamlines and simplifies key parts of the program in response to customer and partner feedback.

O&O DiskImage 6.8.1, which is a free update for registered users of version 6.0, builds on the new features introduced in O&O DiskImage 6.0. These included support for file-based backups, the ability to restore backups to different hardware platforms, and support for forensic-based images for the purposes of data recovery.

Version 6.0 also introduced support for converting DiskImage drive images to and from Microsoft VHD format for use in virtual environments. The latest update promises faster VHD file creation in addition to its raft of other performance tweaks and improvements.

O&O DiskImage 6.8.1 Professional 32-bit and O&O DiskImage 6.8.1 Professional 64-bit are both available as free trial downloads for PCs running Windows XP or later, including the latest Windows 8 Release Preview. The full Professional version can be purchased for just $23 through theDownloadcrew Software Store.

Photo Credit: Sergey Mironov/Shutterstock

Photo Data Explorer exposes hidden image metadata

Publié: juin 12, 2012, 3:20pm CEST par Mike Williams

Viewing a digital photo’s EXIF metadata can provide all kinds of useful information, including the date and time the original image was taken, the camera used to take it, exposure and ISO settings, shutter speed, metering mode and a whole lot more. And seeing some of this can be as simple as clicking on the image in Explorer (the bar at the bottom of the window will show you a few key tags).

Displaying more EXIF data can be a challenge, though, even if you try a third-party image viewer: some display only a few tags, others force you to open a new window each time to see the relevant information, and a few ignore it altogether. So if you prefer an easy life then you might be interested in Photo Data Explorer, a simple image viewer which pays particular attention to a photo’s metadata.

The program earns plus points immediately for its convenience. There’s no installation required, no bulky DLLs, no unwanted extras at all – just download the 1.2MB executable and you can run it right away.

The interface is reasonably straightforward, too. You can open an individual image, but you’ll probably prefer to open a complete folder. Once you’ve done that, any photos it contains are displayed in thumbnail form in a panel on the left. Clicking one displays it in the central pane, and a toolbar then provides the usual image viewer-type features (zoom in, zoom out, rotate, flip, step backwards and forwards through the folder, and so on). You can even resave the image as a Photoshop PSD file, amongst other formats.

The key here, though, is the tabbed pane on the right. By default this displays up to 50 EXIF tags (theauthor’s site tells you which ones). If you only need the basics then clicking on the Summary tab will show just the main 15 (Make, Model, Title, Subject, Keywords and so on). And there’s a third tab, Maker Data, which currently doesn’t show much at all (on one test image it displayed “White Balance”, “Focus Area”, and “Quality”, “Quality”, “Quality” – yes, three times), but presumably that’s just a beta-related bug of some kind. It doesn’t get in the way of the other tabs, regardless, so we just ignored it.

As an image viewer, Photo Data Explorer is very basic. File format support is limited, presumably because it’s mostly about the metadata (you can’t view PNG files, for instance). You can’t view photos full-screen. And it’s not suitable for even simple photo management (you can’t select multiple images, and the program doesn’t provide access to the regular right-click Explorer context menu).

If you just need a quick, portable viewer with easy display of EXIF metadata, though, Photo Data Explorer could already be very useful. And of course it’s very new, so there’s still hope that its image viewing abilities will improve over time.

Photo Credit: archerix/Shutterstock

Uh-oh, Windows blue screened and you don't know why? WhoCrashed answers

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 11:05pm CEST par Mark Wilson

When Windows dies it’s not always easy to determine just what caused the problem. Sometimes you may be lucky and find that you are shown a helpful error message that singles out the culprit, but for most BSoDs and crashes you’ll end up with an error code that is all but impossible to interpret. In many cases you will find that Windows simply restarts, giving you no opportunity to find out what has caused the problem. Install WhoCrashed and you should be able to learn so much more.

After or during crashing, Windows will generate a crash dump file that could help you to find out just what the problem is. However, finding, reading and understanding these dump files can be a problem on its own. WhoCrashed Home Edition is a free program that will automatically scan your hard drive for the presence of crash dump files and let you know which drivers are likely to be responsible.

Having identified the culprit that led to the Windows crash, you are then in far better position to set about the task of diagnosing and fixing the issue. You can easily check for updates that may be available for the device in question and you should hopefully find that this addresses the problem. The crash dump analysis can also reveal program files that have caused issues and you can use this information to choose to update or uninstall problematic software.

While WhoCrashed is not a perfect program, it makes things a great deal easier than blindly trying different options. You should find that you are pointed in the right direction pretty much every time, and even if a direct solution is not offered, you have been provided with the data you need to carry out your own investigations.

You can find out more and download a free copy of the app by paying a visit to the WhoCrashed Home Edition review page.

Photo Credit: Roger Jegg - Fotodesign-Jegg.de/Shutterstock

iOS 6 Developer Preview out today, public release this fall

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 11:02pm CEST par Ed Oswald

While the focus of WWDC's iOS 6 announcements surround Apple's decision to kick Google to the curb when it comes to maps, there are plenty of other features coming to the next version of Apple's mobile operating system that deserve mention.

"iOS 6 continues the rapid pace of innovation that is helping Apple reinvent the phone and create the iPad category, delivering the best mobile experience available on any device", iOS chief Scott Forstall says.

Siri's getting a bit smarter, including the capability to answer sports questions, show movie listings and reviews, and display better restaurant information. Integration with the OpenTable app will allow Siri to assist in placing reservations. Siri can even post Twitter updates, and yes even to Facebook, which gets the same integration throughout iOS (and Mac OS X "Mountain Lion" too) that Twitter did.

And guess what? She's finally coming to the iPad, and even cars too. In an effort that seems directed at the likes of OnStar and even Microsoft's Sync, Siri will make its way into select BMW, GM, Mercedes, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota and Honda vehicles via a button on the steering wheel.

While it will still require you to carry an iPhone (smart move Apple, it doesn't affect their iPhone sales), Siri will talk to you through your car's integrated Bluetooth system. The details are really scant as it was only a passing mention by Forstall during the keynote, but expect to see this in cars within the next year.

Photo Streams will now be shareable between iOS devices, and finally Apple has turned on cellular data support for FaceTime, making the videoconferencing feature truly useful.

A new app called Passbook makes its debut; Forstall described it as an easy way to keep passes in one place, such as airline or movie tickets, or even loyalty cards. Since the app is location aware, the ticket or loyalty card needed will automatically appear when you are near to a specific location.

Other enhancements include iCloud Tabs; photo upload functionality; full-screen functionality in mobile Safari; VIP mail functionality, which generates a notification when a message is received by an important sender; do-not-disturb option that turns off all types of notifications; and enhancements designed to improve the experience for Chinese users.

The latest version of iOS 6 will be compatible with the iPhone 3GS, 4, and 4S, and the new iPad, iPad 2 and iPod touch (fourth generation). It appears as if owners of the original iPad are out of luck for now, unfortunately. iOS 6 beta is available to developers today with an expected release in the fall for the public, likely close to the launch of the iPhone 5.

Does iOS 6 finally place Apple's mobile operating system on level playing ground with Android as far as functionality goes? Arguably, yes. Turn by turn navigation was an advantage to Android's mapping platform -- that is now available in iOS. Attaching photos and videos the right way from the Mail app was another pet peeve of many, which you coud do far easier on Android. That's fixed.

It does seem like Apple took a long look at Android this time around and decided to close the gap completely. It's hard not to say Apple is building momentum in the mobile space as of late, and iOS 6 does look to maintain if not accelerate it. The real test though will be the iPhone 5 in the fall. Will the combination of a phone from Apple that finally admits we need larger displays, combined with a considerably better mobile OS be the ticket?

Time will tell. That said, don't forget Google I/O is in two weeks. While the gap has closed today, Google might be able to jump back out front with the release of "Jellybean".

Post PC? Not So Much. Apple debuts next-generation Macbooks

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 11:02pm CEST par Tim Conneally

For as much emphasis as Apple puts on its mobile ecosystem, the company's Mac business continues to grow. At WWDC 2012 in San Francisco on Monday, Apple unveiled its latest upgrades to the Macbook line of personal computers, bringing out new versions of the MacBook Pro and Air lines, and introducing a new subset of MacBook Pros that carry the higher resolution Retina display.

MacBook Air

The skinny MacBook Air, progenitor of the "ultrabook" class of PCs, has been updated with Intel's third generation Core processors (also known as Ivy Bridge), more RAM, and more storage options. Their prices start at $999 and go all the way up to $2199 for all of the internal upgrades.

11.6" stock configurations $999 and $1099
Height: 0.11-0.68 inch
Width: 11.8 inches
Depth: 7.56 inches
Weight: 2.38 pounds

64GB or 128GB (options go up to 512GB)
1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB shared L3 cache

$1099 model configurable to dual-core 2.0GHz Intel Core i7 with 4MB shared L3 cache.
4GB of 1600MHz DDR3 onboard memory (Configurable to 8GB)
720p webcam
Two USB 3.0 ports (up to 5 Gbps)
Thunderbolt port (up to 10 Gbps)
802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 4.0

13.3" stock configurations $1199 and $1499
Height: 0.11-0.68 inch
Width: 12.8 inches
Depth: 8.94 inches
Weight: 2.96 pounds

128GB or 256GB (optional configurations go up to 512GB)
1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB shared L3 cache
$1499 model configurable to dual-core 2.0GHz Intel Core i7 with 4MB shared L3 cache.
4GB of 1600MHz DDR3 onboard memory (Configurable to 8GB)
720p Webcam
Two USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps)
Thunderbolt port (up to 10 Gbps)
SD card slot
802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 4.0

MacBook Pro

The MacBook Pro upgrade actually began late last year when Apple quietly shifted to Ivy Bridge chips and upgraded the MacBook Pro line mid-stream. Today's announcement only bumps up processor speed and other internal specs very slightly upward, including a terabyte of hard drive capacity.

13.3" stock configurations: $1199, and $1499

Height: 0.95 inch
Width: 12.78 inches
Depth: 8.94 inches
Weight: 4.5 pounds

2.5GHz Dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB L3 Cache, or 2.9 GHz dual core Intel Core i7 with 4MB L3 Cache.
4GB of 1600MHz DDR3 configurable up to 8GB
Integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000
HDD configurations include 500GB, 750GB, or 1TB 5400 rpm drives
SSD configurations include 128GB, 256GB, or 512 GB
720p webcam
Gigabit Ethernet port
FireWire 800 port (up to 800 Mbps)
Two USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps)
Thunderbolt port (up to 10 Gbps)
Audio line in/out
SDXC card slot
Kensington lock slot
802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 4.0
Backlit keyboard

15.4" stock configurations: $1799, and $2199

Height: 0.95 inch
Width: 14.35 inches
Depth: 9.82 inches
Weight: 5.6 pounds

2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 with 6MB L3 Cache or 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with 6MB L3 cache
4GB of 1600MHz DDR3 configurable up to 8GB
HDD configurations include 500GB, 750GB, or 1TB 5400 rpm drives
SSD configurations include 128GB, 256GB, or 512 GB
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 512MB of GDDR5 memory or NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory
720p webcam
Gigabit Ethernet port
FireWire 800 port (up to 800 Mbps)
Two USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps)
Thunderbolt port (up to 10 Gbps)
Audio line in
Audio line out
SDXC card slot
Kensington lock slot
802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 4.0
Backlit keyboard

MacBook Pro With Retina Display

This is the cutting edge of this crop of PCs. It offers the "resolutionary" (2880 x 1800) retina display with 220 pixels per inch that first launched on the iPhone two years ago, and then made its way to the third generation iPad. The Retina Display MacBook Pro with fully maxed specs will cost $3749

15" configuration only

Height: 0.71 inch
Width: 14.13 inches
Depth: 9.73 inches
Weight: 4.46 pounds

$2199 - 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with 6MB shared L3 cache
$2799 - 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with 6MB shared L3 cache (Can be configured with 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7)
8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L onboard memory (Configurable to 16GB)
256 GB, 512 GB, 768 GB Flash-based storage
Integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000+NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory and automatic graphics switching
720p webcam
Two Thunderbolt ports (up to 10 Gbps)
Two USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps)
HDMI port
Headphone port
SDXC card slot
802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 4.0
Backlit keyboard

Apple dumps Google Maps

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 9:44pm CEST par Ed Oswald

The marriage is over. As widely rumored, Apple debuted its own mapping service alongside the unveiling of iOS 6 at the Worldwide Developers Conference Monday. The move had been expected for awhile now, considering the Cupertino, Calif. company's recent acquisitions.

Apple's Maps include turn-by-turn navigation with smooth vector-based graphics. "Flyover mode" is the company's answer to Google Earth and Street View: it includes photo-realistic views of major cities, even allowing you to fly around and see all sides of a particular building. Traffic including crowd-sourced reports are built in, which can be used to change directions on the fly.

The moves are a direct challenge to nearly everything about Google's mapping service, and made possible through Apple's various acquisitions. In 2009, it acquired Placebase which gave the company the maps it needed. This was followed by the purchase of Poly9 in 2010, which gave Apple access to high-resolution imagery. Finally, the purchase of C3 Technologies last October rounded out Apple's mapping endeavor with its 3D rendering technologies.

But Apple's plans to oust Google from maps may go even further back than that. Some reports indicate that Apple has planned to take over maps almost the whole time the iOS platform has existed. This contradicts some analysis out there saying Android was the cause: the massive growth only accelerated the planned divorce. Given Maps was the only native application that relied on technologies that Apple did not own, this was bound to happen.

Also with the increasingly strained relationship between the two companies, it looked likely. Eric Schmidt left the board in 2009, later saying "he just couldn't stand it anymore", and Jobs even said in the statement announcing his resignation that Google's business activities and Apple's planned ones created a "conflict of interest".

Google did not have any immediate comment on the move, but it's clear that its mapping service is about to see a significant decrease in traffic as a result.

Apple sells 365 million iOS devices, primps iOS 6

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 8:45pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

It's a big number and one still well ahead of Android. Just in early 2012, Apple has shipped at least 50 million iOS devices, with iPad adding force to iPhone. Apple calls them "post-PC devices". For all 2011, Apple sold 172 million iOS devices. But wait, haven't we heard this 365 million number before? Indeed, it's same as revealed in late April for the period through end of March. I'm quite surprised Apple didn't update the number, considering the big iOS 6 reveal during today's Worldwide Developer Conference keynote.

New iOS 6 features include FaceTime video over cellular, Facebook integration, Passbook for buying movie tickets and other passes, shared photo streams and new maps app, among others. The new capabilities aren't just for iPhone users but developers, as Apple provides them more built-in utilities to tap into. They received iOS 6 beta today. The software ships in autumn, presumably with iPhone 5.

Android and iOS are engaged in a brutal platform war that likely will define the next major computing era. However, much still depends on what Microsoft accomplishes with its next-generation Windows PC and mobile operating systems. Two weeks ago, Microsoft issued Windows 8 Release Preview, and OEM partners showed off compelling touch-and-keyboard models during last week's Computex tradeshow. These include Windows RT tablets that will compete directly with iPad, and also Androids. New Windows devices are expected for the holidays, setting the stage for a dramatic upset for Android.

Google's operating system does well, but almost exclusively on smartphones. Late yesterday, Android chief Andy Rubin revealed there are 900,000 activations per day -- that's 27 million per month or 81 every 90 days. Gartner, which tracks sales to end users rather than the analyst firm standard of shipments into the channel, reports 81.067 million Androids sold during first quarter. Based on the reconciled numbers, and those from analysts tracking tablet shipments, Android does squat in the device category.

Beyond devices and operating systems are applications. Today, Apple revealed that App Store now offers 650,000 applications -- 225,000 just for iPad -- and that downloads now top 50 billion.

Google's response comes in just 16 days, when its developer conference opens. Top of list: Android 4.1 "Jellybean", where Google can answer Apple. Problem: Even as Google pushes ahead with Jellybean, the user base is largely stuck on Gingerbread (Android 2.x) -- 65 percent -- based on devices accessing Google Play for the 14 days leading up to June 1. Ice Cream Sandwich: 7.1 percent.

The importance of iOS to Apple and keeping ahead of Google, Microsoft and their partners can't be overstated. According to financial filings, for calendar 2011, Apple sold 92.95 million iPhones and 40.45 million iPads -- generating $61 billion and $24.95 billion revenue, respectively. For all calendar 2011, Apple generated $127.84 billion revenue. The two products accounted for 67 percent of the company's sales for the year (again referring to calendar and not Apple's fiscal year, which is offset by one quarter). During first calendar quarter, Apple shipped 11.8 million iPads and 35.1 million iPhones, generating $6.6 billion and $22.7 billion in revenue, respectively. Combined the two products accounted for 75 percent of Apple revenues during first calendar quarter.

The point: Apple's future is iOS, not OS X. Executives really mean it when talking about the post-PC era, which really means post-Mac, too. Still, OS X is a big investment for Apple, as seen by today's launch of new MacBook Airs and Pros and Mountain Lion's launch date being set for July.

OS X Mountain Lion launches in July

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 8:10pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Today, at Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple laid a big challenge before Microsoft. While Windows 8 continues in testing, and won't come to new PCs until autumn, the next OS X version is ready for the masses sooner, as in next month. In the battle of oneupmanship, Apple is the clear winner. Today, Apple launches an OS war against Microsoft. The company also announced new MacBook Airs and Pros, which ship immediately, with free upgrades to Mountain Lion.

During the WWDC keynote, Apple revealed there are 66 million Mac user worldwide, which is three times the number five years ago. Apple has shipped 26 million copies of Lion to date, accounting for 40 percent of the install base. That's seems low considering it costs just $29.99.

Perhaps even 30 bucks isn't low enough. Like predecessor Lion, OS X 10.8 will be available via the Mac App Store but sell for $19.99, for multiple machines. In a stunning contrast, Microsoft charges purchasers of new Windows PCs $15 for an upgrade. They don't get the full product and can use it on only one computer. That foreshadows Microsoft charging considerably more for Windows 8, like its forebears, than Apple does for OS X.

Apple gains first-to-market and mindshare/marketing advantage during the crucial back-to-school buying period, while Microsoft and its partners wait on the sidelines. Don't be surprised if new OS X laptops combined with the new iPad give Apple a big educational sales boost during third calendar quarter.

OS X is primed for the cloud, with synchronization the key benefit shared among most of the new capabilities. More broadly, Apple increasingly blurs the differences between core iOS and OS X features. Among the new capabilities:

iCloud. Apple touts sync capabilities coming in OS X 10.8, that iOS users already use as well as those on OS X 10.7. There are 125 million iCloud users. Today, Apple re-emphasized Documents in the Cloud syncing capabilities.

iCloud Tabs. Among Safari's new features is a capability borrowed from Chrome. Tabs now sync across devices, much as they do in Google's browser.

Messages. The app replaces iChat, bringing the messaging client in line with iOS. The feature relies heavily on sync to keep the message thread going. Start a message on the Mac and resume it on iPad or iPhone. Capabilities include message delivery and read notifications.

Gatekeeper. Can you say copycat? One of Windows 8's hallmark new features is the new security architecture, bolstered by app distribution through Windows Store. Apple makes claims, too, giving users more control of app installations, leveraging Mac App Store to curate applications and boasting capability to remotely remove apps (should malware sneak through); Google uses similar remote removal capabilities in Android Market.

Dictation. Users can talk to their Macs. This includes apps, like Microsoft Word, or even Facebook. How Star Trek is that?

China. "Huh?" you ask. "China is a feature?" Apparently it is, so to speak, or important enough for Apple to call out. China is Apple's second-most important market (next to North America).

According to Apple marketing material:

OS X Mountain Lion brings all-new support for many popular Chinese services. And they’re easy to set up. Mail, Contacts, and Calendar work with QQ, 163, and 126. Baidu, the leading Chinese search provider, is a built-in option in Safari. The video-sharing websites Youku and Tudou are included in the new Share Sheets, so users in China can easily post videos to the web. They can also blog with Sina weibo, the popular microblogging service. And with improved text input, typing in Chinese is easier, faster and more accurate.

Notification Center. Well, the feature borrowed from Android for iOS 5 makes its way to the Mac. It's an essential capability for tying Macs to iOS devices as communications/social hubs.

Reminders. It's an enhanced, synced to-do list.

Power Nap. OS X will automatically backup and sync. Say, isn't this also a capability coming in new Windows Ultrabooks?

Notes. Apple looks to make mincement out of Microsoft OneNote for iPad connected to SkyDrive. According to Apple's marketing material: "Notes in OS X Mountain Lion is designed for whatever’s on your mind. Think it up. Jot it down. Make it even more noteworthy with photos, images, and attachments...Notes works with iCloud, so when you create or edit a note on your Mac, it automatically updates on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch". That sounds a lot like OneNote to me, minus the one.

Twitter. Like iOS, Mountain Lion users will be able to tweet across the OS and from apps tapping into the API.

Share Sheets. We love to share stuff. Human beings are naturally social. Apple will add share buttons throughout OS X 10.8, much like iOS 5 today.

AirPlay Mirroring. This feature extends Mac-to-Apple TV capabilities already available.

GameCenter. Is any explanation needed? This popular iOS feature comes to the Mac.

Something else: The operating system is primed for the new 15.4-inch MacBook Pro's stunning 2880 x 1880 pixel display.

Apple App Store reaches 650,000 available, 30 billion downloads

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 7:10pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Where else would Apple tout App Store's success but its premier developer conference. Today the company disclosed 650,000 apps are now available -- that's up from 550,000 in March, when cumulative downloads reached 25 billion. That number is now 30 billion.

Additionally, CEO Tim Cook revealed that Apple now has 400 million App Store users -- that means with credit cards attached. Also, the number of available iPad apps is 225,000, which is up from 200,000 in March.

As I explained in February, "Apple is winning the mobile platform wars". Many developers create apps for iPhone first, iPad second and finally Android. But with iPad sales soaring and causing some businesses or consumers to put off PC upgrades, there's increasingly question when developers look to iPad first and iPhone second. Such change in behavior would hugely advance Apple's post-PC ambitions, while delivering market blow to Android, which success is almost exclusively tied to cellular handsets.

Google will have its say during the I/O developer conference later this month. But, today, Apple shines bright light of success on iOS and the applications supporting it. Surely Microsoft watches carefully as it prepares Windows 8 and Windows RT for autumn launches and seeks to woo away developers that abandoned its platforms for Apple's.

Typically, successful platforms share six common traits:

There are good development tools and APIs for easily creating applications
There is at least one killer application people really want
There is breadth of useful applications
Third parties make lots of money
The platform is broadly available
There is a robust ecosystem

By and far, money is the most important. If third parties make lots of it, they'll hinge their futures to the platform. Apple has paid $5 billion to developers, Cook said today.

Apple's WWDC 2012 Keynote Liveblog: iOS 6 and more

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 6:41pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Apple's yearly developer conclave is here, and we're expecting a good deal of news out of this year's event. We'll see the debut of iOS 6, and likely a significant refresh to the Mac lineup. Of course, Apple always likes to surprise, so it's fairly likely that some of the rumors we've heard -- from new native apps to some enhancements to iCloud -- will also be announced.

WWDC 2012 is also the first major company event to happen after the death of Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs. It will be interesting to watch how CEO Tim Cook and the team handle the event without their iconic and charismatic leader running the show.

[Updates are in chronological order (in ET), newest first]

2:53pm: He seems to be wrapping it up, praising those who work for the company and its developers. And with that it's over. It's a wrap!

2:51pm: Tim: "so what do you think?" Crowd obviously cheers.

2:50pm: iOS 6 looks quite impressive, and finally deals with a lot of the issues that gave Android the edge, especially in maps. Developers get the iOS 6 beta today. Public this fall, and will even be supported by the 3GS! Tim's back on stage.

2:42pm: Heres the 3D stuff thanks to the C3 acquisition. You can even rotate to see the sides of the buildings. It's clear here that Apple wanted to make a huge splash here with map, and what we're seeing here is quite impressive.

2:39pm: Here it is. Maps. Google is gone. Traffic also included, including real-time crowd sourcing of data. And FINALLY (yes, again) -- turn by turn navigation, with realtime adjustments based on traffic.

2:36pm: A new app called Passbook debuts. Forstall says its for things like boarding passes, movie tickets, store cards, etc. Even GPS enabled so it pops up the necessary item when you're at your location. Developers will be able to integrate with this app easily. These cards are live, meaning if something changes on them, it's done so automatically.

2:34pm: iOS 6 can share Photo Streams, and appears within the Photo apps. Commenting also enabled. Mail gets enhanced with a "VIP" function that generates a notification, and FINALLY you can insert photo and video within Mail, without having to go through the Photo app first.

2:28pm: FINALLY. iOS 6 introduces FaceTime over a cellular connection.

2:26pm: Phone app is getting some enhancements, which will allow you to slide up from the answer screen to reply with a canned message or remind yourself to call back later. A Do Not Disturb mode, which appears as a Slider in settings will never light up the screen or make a sound, Forstall says.

2:23pm: Facebook integration in iOS 6, just like Twitter. Even Siri can post your status updates now. Facebook integration will be coming to the Mac as well.

2:21pm: Ready for a Siri button in cars? Apple is working to get it in models from BMW, GM, Mercedes, Toyota, Honda, within a year. It is integrated with the iPhone itself. Sounds like Apple wants to go for OnStar's throat. Local search is being expanded worldwide, several new languages.

2:18pm: Better restaurant information, and the capability to place reservations, thanks to integration with OpenTable -- although that looks like you still need OpenTable's app. It also includes movie information along with ratings from Rotten Tomatoes. She even can now launch apps for you.

2:15pm: iOS 6 is official. Up first, Siri's getting a makeover. Now you can ask her questions on sports: "What the score the last Giants game?" or "What is Buster Posey's batting average?" You can even ask questions on standings, or compare two players.

2:11pm: Now onto iOS, and Scott Forstall is up. He's of course taking some time to point out Android fragmentation as part of the introduction, given 80% of iOS users are on iOS 5.

2:10pm: Holy heck. Mountain Lion is $19.99. Snow Leopard and later can upgrade for this price. One purchase good for all Macs, and it's coming in July.

2:04pm: This is going to be one of Apple's longer keynotes in recent memory. 65 minutes in and we still have iOS 6 to go, at least. And oh dear, somebody who looks like Stig from Top Gear just came on stage to play what else but a racing game through Game Center, which is being done to also show off AirPlay Mirroring, since Stig is on an iPad.

2:02pm: Apple has a new feature called "Power Nap", which while the computer sleeps keeping your e-mail, calendar, photos and other data up-to-date. Updates for your computer downloaded as well as Time Capsule backup. AirPlay Mirroring will send your Mac's screen to your AppleTV. Game Center is also coming to Mac OS X.

1:59pm: "Lightning fast" page scrolling and loading. Tabs are sent to the cloud and then synced across your iOS devices. This is obviously going to be an iOS 6 feature. Multitouch support.

1:55pm: Now talking about the iOS-like Notifications center that is coming to OS X. Dictation is also en route. "Sharing" is another new feature, built in system wide. For example, share a link to Twitter within Safari, etc. New Safari is also coming, with unified search (search within the address bar) and the "fastest JavaScript engine of any browser on the planet."

1:46pm: Mountain Lion. They're talking about eight features today. Deep iCloud integration, "Documents in the Cloud" will support documents-based apps, including third-party solutions, with a Developer SDK to be made available.

1:44pm: On to OS X. Craig Federighi on stage now.

1:43pm: 15.4", 2.3GHz i7, 8GB RAM, 256GB flash storage for $2,199. A little pricey but not bad and ships today.

1:39pm: Asymmetric fans make the computer run quieter, with improved venting system.

1:36pm: HDMI, two Thunderbolt ports, an SD slot. USB 3.0/2.0 ports on both sides. Glass multitouch, 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0, Facetime HD camera, dual microphones, better speaker. Video now playing, we haven't heard anything on price yet. This should be pricey. But hey, this could be the buildup before they try to knock your pants off. Who knows.

1:34pm: i7 processor 2.7GHz, up to 16GB of RAM, Nvidia Kepler Graphics, 768GB of Flash storage. This thing is a beast. 7 hours of battery, with 30 hours standby.

1:31pm: Updates for Aperture and Final Cut Pro coming. Adobe is working on a "jaw-dropping" version of Photoshop, as is AutoCAD. Diablo 3 will even be retina ready. Wow. Apple telling developers about products AHEAD of time? What Apple is this?

1:30pm: The notebook will ship with Lion, so at least we know that Mountain Lion is likely NOT releasing today or in the near future from that comment.

1:29pm: Essentially this new MacBook Pro looks like a MacBook Air. It's thinner than his finger at .71 inches. About the same thickness as the Air. Weighs 4.46 lbs.

1:25pm Next generation MacBook Pro being announced, with a Retina Display...

1:24pm: NEW LAPTOP LINE...

1:24pm: MacBook Pro will get Ivy Bridge too, up to 2.7GHz, 8GB memory, USB 3.0. 13" and 15" sizes. 13" starts at $1,199 with a $1,499 option. 15" starts at $1,599 with a quad core i7 model for $1,799. High end $2,199 model too. Also shipping today.

1:21pm: 11" and 13" models. The 11" has prices of $999 and $1,099, the 13" $1,199 and $1,499. Note the top end models are down $100. And they start shipping today. Next up, MacBook Pro.

1:18pm: Macbook Air first. Getting updated with 3rd generation Ivy Bridge chip, i7 up to 3.2GHz, 8GB RAM, as much as 512GB of FLASH storage (wow). 60% faster graphics, and USB 3.0 is being included. Wonder what this means for Thunderbolt?

1:16pm: Joe was right, new OS X. And iOS 6 and major laptop changes. Phil Schiller on stage to talk about notebooks first.

1:12pm: Various apps being shown from Ariadne GPS to 3D4Medical and Airbnb's apps.

1:10pm: Well 10 minutes into this, and we still haven't gotten anything new. Nice touching video on how developers are doing some cool things with iOS.

1:05pm: App store, 400 million accounts, with credit cards. 650,000 apps on the store, of which 225,000 are for the iPad. "A few hundred" for our competition. 30 billion apps have been downloaded, making $5 billion for developers.

1:03pm: Tim Cook on stage.

1:00pm: Keynote begins with Siri telling absolutely horrible jokes. Next...

12:55pm: We know iOS 6 is a given, and likely a large Mac refresh. Joe points out that Mountain Lion might be a surprise guest since all these new Macs are coming out. He might be onto something.

12:45pm: Keynote is scheduled to start in about 15 minutes. We'll start updating right here when it starts.

Microsoft: the cloud is your future, and ours

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 5:16pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Microsoft is doing what it can to promote cloud computing, focusing on the platform at the TechEd annual developer conference in Orlando, Fla. this week. In the event's opening keynote, Server and Tools chief Satya Nadella told a sold-out crowd of 10,000 that the future of Microsoft is in the cloud.

In the month or so leading up to TechEd, Microsoft has made a fair number of cloud-related announcements. Some of this is out of necessity, because of customer demand, but a lot of it has to do with competitive pressures.

Microsoft finds itself squeezed by Google and Amazon, as both make their plays for the cloud. It could be argued that Google is one of the premier PaaS providers out there, while Amazon pretty much has the IaaS sector locked up. This leaves little space for Microsoft, who long ruled the traditional computing market with an iron fist.

That doesn't phase Nadella though, and he believes Microsoft is uniquely positioned to make a play for the cloud.

“The operating system does two things: it looks after the hardware, and it provides a platform for applications. The modern datacenter and modern apps put more pressure than ever on infrastructure to become truly cloud-optimized, and that’s where Microsoft builds on our legacy with the OS to help our customers,” Nadella said.

Nadella pointed to Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate as a sign of the company's seriousness in helping its customers adopt the cloud. The RC is being marketed alongside System Center 2012 as a way to embrace both virtualization and the cloud, both public and private.

The latest update to Windows Azure and its move from a PaaS play to an Iaas and PaaS offering is another facet of Microsoft's increasing support for the cloud. Azure now permits users to run persistent virtual machines of both Windows and Linux, as well as develop virtual private networks that extend from on-premise into the cloud. Obviously, Microsoft is attempting to take on Amazon Web Services here, which has a very strong presence in the IaaS market.

Finally, Nadella announced a new version of Windows Intune, which includes expanded mobile device management features and upgrade rights to the latest version of Windows as the company moves towards a fall release of Windows 8.

In an accompanying blog post, Nadella explains more about Microsoft's cloud strategy. "With Windows Server 2012 and Windows Azure, we’ve taken everything we’ve learned from running datacenters and services at global scale and are delivering the next generation of operating systems -- the 'cloud OS' -- to help our customers seize the opportunities of the cloud", he wrote.

Photo Credit: Alexander Kirch/Shutterstock

Worried your PC has malware? Try Kaspersky Lab Security Scan 2.0

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 5:04pm CEST par Mike Williams

Kaspersky Lab has released Security Scan 2.0, a simple and free tool designed to scan a PC for security issues.

The program can run either a quick or full system scan to detect any malware; it will also check to see whether the computer is properly protected with antivirus software; and you’ll even get a report on possible problems with Windows settings (Security Scan will check Internet Explorer’s configuration options, for instance).

What Security Scan 2.0 won’t do, unfortunately, is fix any of these issues itself. It’s essentially just a neat piece of Kaspersky advertising: if it does find a problem, you’ll see a “Fix Now” button which will prompt you to purchase something from the Kaspersky site.

But does this mean the program has no value? Far from it.

If you regularly help out friends or family members with their PC problems, for instance, then you’ll probably find that even now, a few of them don’t have antivirus software (a recent McAfee survey said as many as 17 percent of PCs worldwide had no active protection). When you encounter an unprotected system then your first step should probably be to check for infections, and Security Scan is a great way to make this happen, quickly giving you a good idea of your target computer’s security state.

If your PC does have an antivirus package installed, but you’d just like a second opinion on a possible infection, then again Security Scan can be useful. Especially as it offers both quick and full system scans, so you can choose speed or thoroughness, according to your situation.

And whatever you’re doing, it’s good to see that Security Scan 2.0 comes in the form of a convenient 175KB executable. This is just a stub, of course -- it needs to download 42MB of Kaspersky antivirus technology before you can really get started – but it does at least mean you can initiate the process from a USB stick, making it easy to get a report on just about any PC you encounter.

Photo Credit: Andrea Danti/Shutterstock

Crowdfunding will bring out the crooks and the con men

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 4:54pm CEST par Robert X. Cringely

Second in a series. Legal crowdfunding is coming, as I explained in the first part of this series. Thanks to the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, investors big and small will soon have new ways to buy shares in startups and other small companies. This should be very good for growing companies and for the economy overall, but there’s peril for individual investors -- from scammers likely to be operating in the early days of this new law.

Most concerns hearken back to the Banking Act of 1933, enacted to bring order and regulation to the banking industry during the Great Depression. It was the collapse of the banking industry, not the stock market crash, that did most of the damage during the Depression. Also called the Glass-Steagall Act, it established federal insurance for bank deposits, keeping banks in the savings business and out of investing, leaving the trading to stock brokers and investment banks, which were not allowed to take deposits. Glass-Steagall along with the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 established a regulatory structure that many people thought worked well, until 1999 when parts of Glass-Steagall were repealed by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Sorry for all the legislative history, folks, but you can’t tell the players without a program.

I am not at all sure that we can fully blame the financial bust of 2008 on the repeal of Glass-Steagall, since a lot of bank shenanigans started before that 1999 repeal. Still there’s a place for financial regulations and the protection of smaller investors and the JOBS Act might well open up a number of problem areas even for the best-intentioned entrepreneurs.

Let me give you an example. Last week IndieGoGo, a crowdfund originally intended to support makers of independent (non-studio) films, raised $15 million to expand operations under the JOBS Act. That’s good, right? But a cold breeze is simultaneously rushing through the Indy film community as filmmakers, who have always had to raise money in dribs and drabs, deal with the possible reality that under the JOBS Act they’ll have to reveal possible risk factors to their investors as the SEC requires presently of larger companies.

The old trend was to pitch your movie. The new trend might be pitch your movie then explain how the money, every cent, could be easily lost if anyone dies in the making of the film, if anyone sues for almost any reason, if the weather is too bad, if the star walks out, if, if, if… Hey, this is hard work!

But it won’t be hard for everyone because in the early days of crowdfunding some people will get away with underestimating risks, overselling equity like inThe Producers, etc. This is the fear being spread -- that crowdfunding will bring out the crooks and the con men.

Of course it will, but then so did the transit of Venus this week. Crooks and con men will always be with us.

What’s misunderstood in this is how much we weren’t being protected under the old rules. I am a so-called Qualified or Accredited Investor and have for many years invested in startups as an angel. This is based on my income and/or net worth and is supposed to mean that I have enough money to survive a bad investment or two and am sophisticated enough to be responsible for my own bad decisions. A key point of the JOBS Act is that it removes this requirement allowing anyone to invest in startups.

Now here’s the important part: no entrepreneur, company, fund, or government agency has ever asked me to prove that I have what it takes to be an accredited investor. In my experience, which is pretty broad, this primary requirement that keeps little people from being involved in private equity is based entirely on the honor system.

If we look at how the current system is run, then, all those little guys who have been feeling excluded could have probably been included if only they’d pushed harder.

Frankly, I was operating as a qualified investor long before anyone even asked me the question -- before I even knew the requirement existed. It’s possible, too, that in some of those early days I may not even have been qualified, not that it mattered to me in my glorious ignorance.

Just as Citibank owned Smith Barney before it was theoretically allowed, so, too, lots of startup investors may have been making and losing money in violation of rules they didn’t even know existed.

What’s changed with the JOBS Act and crowdfunding is that what was happening all along is now going mainstream. And going mainstream means that there will be more abuses and more little investors affected, good and bad.

The trick to making this more good than bad is in how the system is designed. And by that I don’t mean how the regulations are written. We can’t rely on the politicians to fix everything because they tend to be self-important dolts. Fortunately there’s a lot we can do ourselves to make crowdfunding a huge success.

And that’s what I’ll cover in the third and final part of this series.

Reprinted with permission

Photo Credit: auremar/Shutterstock

Today Apple and Microsoft write Android's epitaph

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 4:12pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

As I compose this post, Microsoft's TechEd keynote is underway, while Apple will kick off Worldwide Developer Conference in just a few hours. Both events will put forth very different views of the cloud-connected device future, which Gartner says will start as soon as 2014, when the cloud replaces the PC as everyone's personal digital hub.

For Apple, iOS 6 will be center stage, whetting consumers' appetites and giving them another weapon in their bring-your-own-device assault on workplace IT. Meanwhile, Microsoft pitches new wares for the enterprise -- Office, Windows 8, RT and Server, for starters. Where the two companies meet is the tablet, and there's no room between them for Android.

Matters would be better for Google's OS if Android tablets weren't such market failures or had the search and information giant taken decisive leadership when there was still time. In January 2011, while iPad 2 rumors circled, I explained: "The most important tablet is missing from CES, and it's not iPad 2", but a Google Nexus device. Google needed to do for tablets what Nexus One and its successors did for smartphones: Establish a reference design and provide developers a device with always up-to-date Android.

In December, when Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said a branded tablet would come within about a half-year, I warned: "Google Nexus tablet in six months is a year too late". Apple's lead is too great, and the sleeping giant, meaning Microsoft, would soon wake up. Oh, whoa, has it.

Last week, Microsoft partners showed off compelling Windows RT tablets at Computex. Google and Microsoft share many of the same OEMs, which will find more leverage moving buyers from Windows to Android. Asus' Windows RT Transformer tablet, thumps its flagship for Android -- and could be a knockout if the price comes in well under $500.

Android tablets haven't gained market share fast enough to secure solid footing. Windows RT can easily push them aside, as well as Windows 8 combos with touchscreens and keyboards. If Android loses the tablet wars it could easily lose the broader mobile platform wars -- even smartphones. Look at the United States, where, according to comScore, one in four smartphone users already own tablets. With Windows' established install base as leverage, RT tablets will offer much more from the same OEMs as Android and court the majority of the same developers.

Platform 101 economics is this: The must successful platforms make money for third parties. In tablets, that's more likely to be iOS or Windows RT/8 than Android. The Android Army should worry about advancing Microsoft more than Apple territory before it.

Yesterday, Android chief Andy Rubin revealed there are 900,000 activations per day. He last disclosed activations per day -- 850,000 -- on February 27. The new number means 27 million a month or 81 million every 90 days. That number is consistent with actual smartphone sales. Gartner, which tracks sales to end users rather than the analyst firm standard of shipments into the channel, reports 81.067 million Androids sold during first quarter. Based on the reconciled numbers, and those from analysts tracking tablet shipments, Android does squat in the device category.

Clearly someone at Google recognizes the risk -- hence the late-coming Nexus tablet (if you believe the rumors and I do) and purchase of QuickOffice. Windows RT tablets ship with Office 2012. Google needs something like QuickOffice that competes. Google Apps isn't enough when Office -- the product enterprises use and love so well -- comes with the device.

If Android loses on tablets, particularly considering high usage alongside smartphones and replacement behavior with respect to PCs, it could lose the connected-device platform wars to iOS and Windows RT/8. Apple and Microsoft may be writing the epitaph, but Android isn't in the ground yet. The body is still full of life. But if Google continues its brain-dead behavior, someone someday soon will pull the plug on life support. Are you listening, Google?

Photo Credit: metalstock/Shutterstock

Find more with UltraFileSearch

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 3:34pm CEST par Mike Williams

If you’ve read a few PC speedup guides then you’ll know that Windows Search (or its indexing service, at least) often gets significant blame for tying up system resources and generally slowing you down. We’re not entirely sure how accurate this is -- the indexing service should only run when your PC is idle, minimising any disruption -- but if you’d like to try an alternative index-free search tool anyway then you might be interested in the portable UltraFileSearch Lite.

The program looks a little like the Windows XP search tool, and is similarly easy to use. There’s no need to remember a lengthy list of search filters: you’re able to search by name, size, and file creation/ modification/ last access dates in just a few clicks.

There’s also an option to search files for particular words or phrases, although this has some limitations. UltraFileSearch Lite only works with the raw version of the file, so if that’s encoded in some way (like a Word .DOCX file) then the program probably won’t be able to find your text.

You’re able to modify your searches in many different ways. You don’t just have to enter a part of the file name, for instance (Accounts.2012); you can also enter use wild cards (*.??12) or even use multiple search masks (Accounts.2012|Accounts.*|*.2012).

And UltraFileSearch can scan local, external or network drives without difficulty. (It’s not one of those MFT search tools which is restricted to NTFS drives only.)

Of course the down side of not having any indexing is that performance is relatively slow, especially if you’re searching for text within files. We found it acceptable on a fast PC with an SSD, but if you’re running something more basic (or just have a lot of files to search) then it may not be good enough.

UltraFileSearch’s portability means you can try the program with the minimum of hassles, though. And if you find you like it, then it might also be worth considering the program’s commercial big brother, UltraFileSearch Standard. This makes it easier to search a named set of folders, so helping to improve performance; adds filters to properly locate text within many common file types; and can be yours for $24.95. The program site has more.

Photo Credit: megainarmy/Shutterstock

Google activates 900,000 Androids per day

Publié: juin 11, 2012, 5:06am CEST par Joe Wilcox

Andy Rubin revealed the number late day, on the eve of Apple's developer conference. Google's Android chief disclosed the activations while dispelling rumors circulated by Robert Scoble about leaving for startup CloudCar. Rubin isn't going anywhere.

He last disclosed activations per day -- 850,000 -- on February 27. The new number means 27 million a month or 81 million every 90 days. That number is consistent with actual smartphone sales. Gartner, which tracks sales to end users rather than the analyst firm standard of shipments into the channel, reports 81.067 million Androids sold during first quarter -- again, that's smartphones and doesn't include tablets. By comparison, Apple sold 33.1 million iPhones, but the number doesn't include iPad or iPod touch.

Rubin's "just for meme completeness" tweet gives bloggers and journalists something other than Worldwide Developer Conference speculation to write about -- well, perhaps not the Apple Fanclub. Its members gloated last week over reports from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners and IDC claiming Android sales slowdowns. Android isn't in trouble, certainly not with activations continuing to rise and sales so much higher than iOS devices.

Earlier, uberblogger Scoble posted to Google+: Today I heard that the head of Android, +Andy Rubin, will soon leave Google and head to a new startup called [cloudcar.com].

I responded: "Google could buy CloudCar and solve the Andy Rubin-is-leaving-problem. If the rumor is true, of course"; and later in response Scoble's reply: "The first question I always ask about rumors: Who benefits?"

Scoble made no pretense as to knowing whether the rumor was true, but plainly stated: "If it's not true, it's easy for someone like +Larry Page or +Vic Gundotra to signal such in the comments here, not to mention Andy himself".

Rubin responded, posting to Google+: "How a rumor gets factualized: Cloudcar are a group of friends who I give free office space to in my incubator in Los Altos. Revel Touch (Mar Hershenson's company: www.reveltouch.com) is another cool company that shares this space. I'm not joining either one and I don't have any plans to leave Google. See you on the 27th!" -- referring to the start of developer conference Google I/O.

Rubin isn't leaving, a shakeup that would have set the stage for tomorrow's WWDC keynote. The 900,000 activations per day does lay the gauntlet before Apple, which likely will reveal number of cumulative iOS device sales. Hey, Andy, now there's another meme. How many Androids?

You don't want to miss Process Explorer 15.2

Publié: juin 10, 2012, 7:11pm CEST par Mike Williams

Microsoft Sysinternals has released Process Explorer 15.2, the latest edition of its excellent Task Manager replacement. And while recent Sysinternals updates haven’t exactly been exciting, this is one you don’t want to miss: it contains some very useful additions.

The Process Timeline column, for instance, displays a bar which shows how long a particular process has been running in relation to everything else. And so you can tell at a glance what’s been running since Windows launched, and what’s only just started (very useful if, say, you think you’ve just been hit by malware and want to check new processes in particular).

The Process Timeline bars won’t be displayed by default, though, so if you’re interested then you’ll need to turn them on manually: click View > Select Columns, click the Process Performance tab and check Process Timeline.

Now you can see which processes have been around for a very long time, you might wonder which of them are configured to launch at boot time. And a new Autostart Location column can tell you this, too, revealing at a glance the Registry key used to launch them. This may also not be displayed by default, but clicking View > Select Columns > Process Image and checking Autostart Location will turn it on.

Of course seeing that a particular process is referenced at HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\nsi (or whatever) might leave you wanting to know more, but the program can also help here. Double-click the process and its autostart location will be displayed on the Image tab; if you’re interested, clicking Explore should launch the Registry editor at that particular key (although you’ll need to have run Process Explorer as an administrator for this to work).

And if all that’s not enough, more technical additions this time see .NET stack walking support added to the thread stack dialog, while the new ability to use the Windows 8 private ETW logger should ensure better compatibility with other ETW-based programs.

Put it all together and Process Explorer 15.2 is a very useful update which somehow manages to make an already excellent tool even better: it’s an essential component of every PC owner’s troubleshooting toolkit.

Photo Credit: Liv friis-larsen/Shutterstock

Use a 'code book' to protect (and to recall) your online passwords

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 9:18pm CEST par Aryeh Goretsky

With the recent announcements of password breaches at LinkedIn, and warnings from Google about state-sponsored attacks on Gmail accounts, it seems like a good idea now to review some password security basics. Then there is report today that someone hacked presidential candidate Mitt Romney's Dropbox and Hotmail.

In this post, we’re going to take a look at a rather low-tech solution to a decidedly high-tech problem: How to guard against password reset attacks, and where to securely store the answers to your password reset questions.

Even if you use highly secure passwords, it is possible someone might still be able to compromise your account if they were able to gather enough information about you to know -- or at least guess -- the answers to your password reset questions. Many services use the same questions, e.g., your mother's maiden name, the name of the town you were born in, the name of first pet and so forth. Because similar questions are used over and over again to reset passwords, it can be fairly easy, even somewhat boring, for an attacker who gathers this type of information to use it to gain access to all sorts of accounts one might have, across services ranging from those which are purely social to financial institutions, or even identity theft. The reported Romney hack is about someone guessing the answer to one of his security questions.

Password Reset Hack Attacks

Sometimes, though, it’s even simpler than that: An example of this is former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, whose personal Yahoo! mail account was compromised via password reset using data about her available from public resources. Of course, most people are not going to have enough biographical data available online to make such an attack easy. Or do they?

With the rise of social networking has come a kind of blurring of the sorts of personal information it’s okay, and safe, to put online. Eager to generate more revenue, social media sites encourage, and in some cases may even require, people to share information about themselves such as birthdays, hometowns, where they went to school and so forth. While this is the sort of information we readily share with friends and family, social media companies request it because it allows for more targeted advertising. The fact that it is the same type of information needed to perform an attack or an impersonation is not something those companies typically tell you about when asking you to fill out your profile, or warn you that profile is not complete.

To date, I cannot recall any criminals going after aggregate personal data en masse in order to perform password reset attacks. Data breaches typically provide the password themselves or other information that can be readily used for identify theft, such as birth dates, information about credit cards and, in some cases, even social security identification numbers.

Defending Your Passwords

But even if you are not a politician, celebrity or somewhere between the two, you should still take steps to safeguard your privacy and, these days that means some creativity is needed when filling out online forms, such as when filling in the answers to questions used to reset a password.

One of the largest problems is, of course, deciding exactly what to enter. In the case of birthdates, some websites, such as online stores, might require you to enter your birthdate so they can send you a birthday offer or as the answer to a password reset question. They have no other reason for asking for this information, though, and there’s no guarantee they will keep this information secure or use it for other purposes, including selling it to marketing firms. On the other hand, there are plenty of web sites -- financial, insurance and government all come to mind -- where you may not only need to enter your correct birth date but you may be obligated to give them the correct information.

There’s also another issue to consider, both for you and the website, and that’s the issue of ethical behavior. Knowingly providing false data to a website is something of a gray area, even if there is no legal requirement not to do so. How does your obligation to provide a website with correct information balance with your right to freedom from the theft of that data, let alone the issue of privacy? Measuring these competing, and often contradictory, needs is something everyone has to do for themselves, and we cannot make the decision for you. You will need to decide if breaking this social contract is justified as a matter of practical protection.

If you have made the decision not to enter your actual birthdate, than what should you enter? The correct month and day of your birthdate, but the wrong year? The correct year, but with January 1st as your date of birth? The date of your favorite holiday? Making the answers to your password reset questions as unique as your passwords is the key to protecting against attacks on them, so using the same answer over and over again is out: That simply provides another widely-disseminated piece of information for a criminal to collect during the data aggregation phase of the attack.

One Low-Tech Solution

There is a solution, though, and it is a decidedly low-tech one: Write them down in a small notebook (that is, the kind you write in with a pen or pencil, not a laptop computer). Or, if you are not partial to keeping a little black (or orange) book, a business card or recipe card holder filled with index cards works just as well, too. Store your little “code book” in the area near, but not directly at, the computer, preferably in a location where it is at least out of site. The ubiquitous junk drawer works well for this purpose. Of course, if you use a computer in a shared area, you might want to look at storing your code book in a locked desk drawer, filing cabinet or safe.

Now that we have discussed what to use your code book for and where to place it for safekeeping, exactly what sort of information should you write in it? I would recommend something along the following lines:

name of website
username
date you signed up for the service
answer(s) to password reset questions
date of last password change (and/or date of next password change)

For additional security, do not store the actual answers to your password reset questions, but rather mnemonics or clues that will tip you, but not an attacker, to the answers.

During the course of writing this blog post, I came across the rather descriptively-named Personal Internet Address & Password Log Book, which, as the name implies, is a place to store information about your website and email accounts. It does, however, contain fields to enter the actual passwords, and not the answers to the questions used to reset those passwords.

Regardless of whether you choose to store password reset questions or the actual passwords, it’s important to keep in mind, though, that the physical security of any written-down information in your notebook -- whether it be the passwords themselves or just the responses password reset challenges -- is paramount: Writing down that information is the equivalent to putting your passport, driver’s license, social security card, check book, credit cards and debit cards (and their PINs) all together in one convenient bundle.

If you do not have a place that is physically secure enough to store a password reset notebook in, you should not use one for this purpose. Keep in mind that an accident or disaster could result in the notebook being destroyed or unavailable, and plan accordingly. Another thing to keep in mind is that as a tangible, physical object, your password reset notebook is subject to loss. Making a copy of it with a photocopier and storing that offsite in a secure location like a safe deposit box is far less risky than scanning it and storing the copy on your PC where an attacker can access it.

Reprinted with permission.

Photo Credit: urfin/Shutterstock

Aryeh Goretsky is distinguished researcher for security provider ESET. He is responsible for a variety of activities, including threatscape monitoring, investigating new and emerging technologies, working with ESET's developers, QA and support engineers, and liaising with other research organizations. He was the first employee at McAfee Associates and is a veteran of several software and networking companies. A Microsoft MVP since 2004, he runs the C-SQUAD mailing list for law enforcement and IT professionals.

3,000 websites turn on iPV6 and nothing happens -- that's the way it should be

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 8:32pm CEST par Robert X. Cringely

Two days ago, 3,000 important websites, including Google, Facebook, YouTube, and Yahoo as well as many top Internet Service Providers, turned on their IPv6 support and this time they left it turned on. Nothing happened. Or maybe I should say nothing bad happened, which is good, very good.

The world is quickly running out of new IPv4 addresses, with almost 3.7 billion issued. There are two workarounds: 1) complicate the Net further with cascading arrays of Network Address Translation (NAT) servers that slow things down, inhibit native inbound connections like VoIP, and defeat location services both good and bad, or; 2) move to IPv6 with 128-bit addresses (IPv4 is 32-bit) that would allow giving an IPv6 address not only to every person and device but to every sock in everyone’s sock drawer as well, allowing bidirectional communication with hundreds of billions of devices from pacemakers to doorbells. Editor: Yes, but what about the socks that disappear in clothes dryers?

And that’s ostensibly what happened on Wednesday except that about 80 percent of the Net is still running on IPv4 and will be until more and more sites and service providers switch over and more routers are shipped that support IPv6. While some home routers have been IPv6 capable for years, most have not, so expect ad campaigns urging us all to buy new stuff.

I’m there already since Comcast, my ISP, was among those yesterday switching on IPv6 support and my home network has been ready since our move back to California.

We noticed nothing at all on Wednesday, which is the way it should be. No readers messaged me complaining, either. I wish my network had become obviously quicker but it didn’t and probably never will. But a whole new level of utility will be available once IPv4 is turned off, which I hope is soon but probably won’t be for years.

And IPv6 won’t catch the bad guys offguard, either, since they seem to always be ahead of the technical curve. A Comcast VP who has oversight of this area for America’s largest ISP reported that his very first IPv6 email after the cutover was spam.

Reprinted with permission

Photo Credit: nmedia/Shutterstock

Microsoft gets 80,000 seat Office 365 contract with FAA, DOT

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 8:03pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Microsoft's Office 365 cloud productivity suite gained even more momentum on Thursday, with both the Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration announcing they will move some 80,000 employees to the platform.

The deal is worth some $91 million over seven years, and is provided through Microsoft partner Computer Sciences Corp. Office 365 plays a central role in the SaaS deal, which will offer DOT and FAA employees email, instant messaging, calendaring and webconferencing tools in a multi-platform environment.

The two agencies follow other federal government agencies that have begun moving to the cloud. The General Services Administration and the Agriculture Department moved there last year, and in May, the Interior Department announced a move to Google Apps.

Chief rival Google already has a strong presence in the government sector with its Google Apps for Government product, which has now been around for two years. It counts state and local government entities in 44 states among clients, including cities of Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Pa., and Orlando, Fla., and the state of Wyoming.

Less than two weeks ago Microsoft announced Office 365 for Government in an effort to loosen Google's grip in the government sector. This deal is the first major "get" for the company since that announcement.

"Microsoft has supported government agencies such as the FAA for nearly 30 years, and as a committed partner we'll continue to innovate in ways that help our public-sector customers improve efficiency and reduce operating costs while delivering better citizen services", Microsoft's US public sector division vice president Curt Kolcun says.

Photo Credits: James Thew/Shutterstock

Social CRM is about thinking and feeling as customers do

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 7:55pm CEST par Irving Fain

New York City buzzed earlier this week when Salesforce announced it will acquire Buddy Media for $689 million. For those that have watched Mike Lazerow build the company from "a social media agency", as people jabbed in the early days, to a true social management platform, this outcome doesn’t come as a surprise. Buddy quickly grew as brands’ presence on social media shifted from experimental marketing budgets to a critical part of any chief marketing officer’s strategy. While Buddy originally (and wisely) hitched its wagon to Facebook as the network took off, they have since diversified outside the walls of Mark Zuckerberg’s castle and into other networks and platforms like Twitter, Google+ and more.

While this purchase may or may not come as a surprise to people, I have seen many folks scratching their heads and asking: "Why Salesforce?" Why not go, instead, with WPP (who’s an investor), Facebook, or another big agency holding company. The answer to this question lies in the difference of business fundamentals between agencies, Facebook, and Salesforce.

While both Facebook and traditional agencies are focused on helping their clients or advertisers build relationships with their customers, they approach this problem with a shorter-term, campaign-based strategy. Whether you’re talking about a sponsored story on Facebook, a coordinated media campaign around the summer from an agency or a big splash for back-to-school, these companies think more about the “now” than the “later.” The hope is that if the "now" is successful, then a customer will still be around when it comes time to plan the next “now” moment. Unfortunately, this isn’t always true.

CRM is about the customer lifecycle and not just the moment. Customer Relationship Management tools help companies build long-term relationships with their customers by allowing them to understand who they’re speaking to and where those conversations are happening. However, as Salesforce’s acquisition proves, this is becoming increasingly complex in the multi-channel world that we’re living in. If you look at IBM’s most recent CMO study, the top 3 areas where CMO’s are feeling underprepared are Data Explosion (71 percent of those surveyed), Social Media (68 percent) and Growth of Channel and Device Choices (65 percent). Buddy Media helps Salesforce offer a solution to these problems while also providing a new horizon for growth.

Marketers tend to think in channels and verticals, often because this is how their organizations are structured. There is a team that handles social media, another team that deals with email marketing, yet another team that coordinates the web, and so on. Customers, however, see a wholly different picture. When they look back at a brand, they don’t see a group of different channels, but rather one face spread across a number of different platforms. If you want to build deeper relationships with your customers, than you need to start thinking and feeling as they do. Whereas traditional CRM has been thought of in the context of measuring, tracking and recording activities like phone calls, meetings, emails and, of course, purchases, Social CRM promises to track customers across the networks where they spend their time and share their lives. Understanding a more holistic view of the customer will only become more critical as the landscape continues to fragment.

With the acquisition of Buddy Media and Radian6, Salesforce looks to provide its clients with the ability to manage, listen to, and understand their customers in more places than ever before. They will tie together the traditional CRM philosophies and tools along with the social side coming from these new additions to its portfolio. By thinking about Buddy Media as a means to manage relationships in new places rather than simply a platform to manage social marketing campaigns, Salesforce is able to realize substantially more synergy. As the old marketing adage goes, it’s anywhere between 5-10 times more costly to acquire a new customer vs. retaining an existing one. And what’s required for effective retention? Understanding.

Thinking about future growth, this acquisition also makes a lot of sense for Salesforce. Recently, Gartner stated that "By 2017, a CMO will spend more on IT than the CIO". With the two aforementioned acquisitions, Salesforce is making a solid commitment towards servicing the marketing side of any organization. They are looking to become the true one-stop-shop for both internal and external relationship management. Because they already have so many major companies as customers, their ability to upsell these services is significantly easier than a company like Facebook or a big ad agency.

Now, there is still plenty of work ahead before this dream becomes a reality. Buddy and now Salesforce need to work hard to shatter the notion that the platform is simply an easy way to push content out to multiple networks from one place and then manage it. If they both continue to evolve their analytics as well as effectively integrate into Salesforce’s other tools and platforms, Buddy Media’s tank has just been given an injection that can carry it much further than it’s already come.

Photo Credit: nopporn/Shutterstock

Irving Fain is the CEO & Co-founder of CrowdTwist, a NYC-based social loyalty and rewards platform that helps brands increase sales and engagement in an increasingly cross-platform world. Earlier, Fain ran Digital Marketing & Social Platforms for Clear Channel Radio Digital, developing and implementing an online marketing and social strategy for 1,000+ radio stations. Prior to his life as a media entrepreneur, Fain wore a suit everyday in the world of finance. He spent time both as a venture investor here in New York as well as an investment banker, specializing in raising capital for early stage companies. He holds a B.A. from Brown University.

Why do we need crowdfunds?

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 5:35pm CEST par Robert X. Cringely

First in a series. When President Obama signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act on April 5th, the era of crowdfunding began as individual investors everywhere were promised an opportunity to gain access to venture investments previously limited to institutions, funds, and so-called qualified investors. Come January 1, 2013, we’re told, anyone can be a venture capitalist, but hardly any of these new VCs will know what they are doing. Spurred by the new law we will shortly see a surge of crowdfunding startups giving for the first time unqualified investors access to venture capital markets. And it will be a quagmire.

Like disk drive startups in the 1980s, each of these new crowdfunds will project 15-percent market share. Ninety-five percent of these funds will fail from over-crowding, under-funding, mismanagement, lack of deal flow, being too late, being too early, or just plain bad luck. A few will succeed and a couple will succeed magnificently, hopefully raising all boats. The point of this column and the two to follow is to better understand this phenomenon and how readers can benefit from it or at least avoid losing their shirts.

Most people think of KickStarter as the archetypal crowdfund and it is one, but KickStarter is not a way to invest in companies. It’s a way to contribute to or pre-order from entrepreneurs with interesting ideas, but not a way to buy stock in those companies because that would violate the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

But the JOBS Act will loosen some of those Depression-era requirements, allowing small companies more freedom in how they sell their shares and allowing small investors for the first time to actually buy those shares. In general I think this is a good thing. But the devil is in the details and frankly there are no details yet about the crowdfunds made possible by the JOBS Act, because the regulations have yet to be written. In fact the regulating agency hasn’t even been selected. Still, on January 1, 2013 these funds are supposed to be open for business.

The next six months are going to be very busy in Washington, DC.

It’s important to understand that startups are not just important to America, they are vital to our very survival.

Startups Matter

Small companies create most of the new jobs in America. Companies less than five years old generate two-thirds of the new jobs created in the United States each year. Without these startups more jobs would be lost than created, the U.S. economy would permanently shrink and America would eventually lose its superpower status.

The startups that most reliably become giant American corporations and creators of wealth are technology startups. Technology startups assume types and amounts of risk that are not usually tolerated by large companies. Without startups to compete with or acquire, big technology companies would do almost nothing new. In the United States, large companies depend on startups to explore new technologies and new markets.

Startups play a particularly important role in growing jobs out of a recession. New companies produced all of the net new jobs in the United States from 2001-2007, and also from 1980-1983, the last big American downturn prior to The Great Recession. Technology startups are leading us out of our current economic mess, too.

The U.S. technology sector is particularly dependent on startups, which are born and die at astounding rates. Ninety-five percent of technology startups fail -- 95 percent. With odds at 19-to-1 against success, why do entrepreneurs even bother to build these companies? Because the potential rewards are huge (Microsoft and Apple, Cisco and Intel, Amazon and Google were all startups, remember) and for real entrepreneurs there are some things even worse than failure, like boredom or just being like everyone else.

American technology startups change the world all the time and are this countryʼs primary non-military global advantage, though hardly anyone knows that. Encouraging technology startups is the key to keeping America competitive and prosperous, though hardly anyone does that. Technology startups succeed despite these adversities because Americans are full of ideas, startups are so darned fun to do, and they donʼt have to cost that much, either -- sometimes nothing at all.

Technology export sales drive the U.S. economy and technology startups drive US industry, yet in this era of too-big-to-die companies hardly anyone knows about or understands this phenomenon.

Inbred Venture Firms

This is great, but why do we need crowdfunds? Do some research and you’ll learn that traditional venture funds are awash with cash and some are even giving money back to their investors. It would be great if this were a sign of success but it is actually a symptom of failure. Venture returns have been poor for many years for a variety of technical reasons. Some blame it on a lack of good IPOs (compounded most recently by the Facebook debacle) and on The Great Recession, but I think there’s a simpler reason: the venture capital industry has become inbred.

Let’s compare Sand Hill Road (the very center of the Silicon Valley venture business) and ancient Rome.

While all roads may have led to Rome, the city-state was very different from the lands that supported it, just as Sand Hill Road is different from Denver or Detroit. Rome was a center of consumption, it couldn’t produce enough food to feed itself, yet it was also the center of power -- a power that became distorted over time as the ruling class grew distant from the realities of their minions. For Rome this meant Nero and Caligula and for Sand Hill Road it means second- and third-generation VCs who themselves may have never built or run a company. It means funds packed with too much money attracting entrepreneurs whose ideas aren’t so much to change the world or build their dream machine as to get funded and exit in three years.

It’s a reality distortion field that has contributed to the poor results Sand Hill Road has seen in recent years.

The glory years of venture investing are over, or threaten to be, unless new blood, new values, and new ideas make their way in. That’s the value of crowdfunding, which promises to bring vast amounts of new capital to bear, not just on the same old ideas but on a broad array of ideas and business types that could never get through a door right now on Sand Hill Road.

Next, how not to do crowdfunding.

Reprinted with permission

Photo Credit: Kristijan Zontar/Shutterstock

Get more from your mobile website with Keynote MITE

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 3:50pm CEST par Mike Williams

Building a website which looks good on desktop computers and mobile devices generally requires a lot of thought. There are plenty of design issues to consider, and even when you think you’ve finished you’ll still need to test the site thoroughly to confirm that all is well. (Just browsing a few pages with your iPad almost certainly won’t be good enough.)

Grab a copy of the free Keynote Mobile Internet Testing Environment (MITE), though, and the process of properly analysing your site could prove easier than you think. While it’s comes packed with essential testing functionality, MITE’s core capabilities are so simple to use that anyone can get at least something from the program.

After signing up for an account with Keynote, then downloading, installing and launching MITE, the program opens with a surprisingly straightforward interface. And so you can start testing just by clicking “Browse website”, entering the URL of your site, and choosing a device profile from the more than 2,100 on offer (Apple, Blackberry, HTC, LG, Amazon, just about anything you like). We chose to open Google in an iPhone, for instance, and in a just a second or two were looking at the mobile version of the site. It’s all very easy.

This isn’t a true emulator, of course: for the most part MITE is just configuring itself to send the same user agent and accept headers as your chosen device. The program does extend its simulation a little further in some cases, though -- it’ll download only up to four images simultaneously on the iPhone 4 as that’s the phone’s maximum number of concurrent threads, for example -- and this is more than enough to be useful.

Seeing how the site looks is just the beginning, though. MITE also produces a more detailed report on your content. Is it mobile-friendly; have you fully optimized the page for performance; are you following best practice for mobile sites? Any issues will be highlighted, and your page will be given a score to show how you’ve done.

If you need more speed-related information then clicking the “Performance view” tab displays a waterfall graph showing you everything you’ve downloaded, and its impact on page load time.

And serious MITE users will love its scripting feature. This allows you to record your actions in navigating a site, then replay them later, so you can see how page load speeds have responded to any tweaks you’ve made: a real time-saver.

The core MITE features are very accessible, then, even to beginners, yet the program also has the power that web design professionals need. If you’re developing a mobile website and don’t currently have any formal test plans set up then Keynote MITE is a great way to get started. Go grab your copy immediately.

Photo Credit: CLIPAREA l Custom media/Shutterstock

Nike+ fitness tracking integrated into Xbox Kinect? Not so fast, Marathon Man

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 3:27pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

At the Microsoft E3 2012 Press Conference Microsoft executive Yusuf Mehdi talked about a rather amazing brand partnership, introducing Stefan Olander, Nike vice president. The Nike+ service, already made famous for its partnerships with Apple, and the ability to help track your workouts and keep you motivated to stay fit, is coming to the Xbox 360. Olander came on to show us the history of Nike+ and the goals of Nike to help empower the athlete in everyone to reach their peak of performance. A demo of footage of a title called Nike+ Kinect Training hit the jumbo screen with flashes of CGI models inter-spliced with live action human models demonstrating moves -- even flash of a screenshot showing the Nike+ app on a Windows Phone tracking a workout.

But not much else was talked about. Would Nike+ track you as you played all kinect titles? Would you know just how many calories you might have lost while shaking your money maker to the dance moves of Dance Central 3? Would you be able to know you not only saved the world with the Mutant, Magic, and Technology infused powers in Avengers: Battle For Earth? What about the workout you get from a magical onslaught you wrought upon the hoards of baddies in Fable: the Journey?

I, like others, expected to get more information at Microsoft's E3 Xbox booth. But, alas, that was not true. From what I could get from the very mum public relations team of Edleman the Nike+ will not be integrated across the board to track your workout in any other kinect games. It will only be applied to the Nike+ Kinect Training. I'm personally sadden by the fact I will not get to know how many calories I loose playing with virtual baby tigers in Kinectimals. Microsoft PR told me that more information about Nike+ on Xbox will be released Monday June 11th.

Photo Credit: Patrick Roanhouse

AutoUP keeps apps up to date

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 3:12pm CEST par Mike Williams

It’s important for your PC’s security to install application updates just as soon as they become available, but if a program doesn’t check for these itself then that can be a challenge. Unless you have the time to monitor every application website yourself then you’ll probably need some third-party help, and the latest candidate is the free and portable AutoUP.

The program provides support for updating 68 applications, which isn’t in itself particularly impressive, but there are at least plenty of major names in the list: Adobe AIR/ Flash/ Reader, CCleaner, Evernote, Firefox, Foxit Reader, Chrome, KeePass, Paint.NET, VLC Media Player, and more. (The full list is here).

Launch AutoUP, and it’ll display any supported programs it finds on your system, along with the current version number. Choose any you’re particularly interested in (or right-click and select Check All to highlight everything), click Scan and you’ll be quickly alerted to any updates (regular or beta) which might be available.

All you then have to do is choose any updates you’d like to install, click Download, and the program will grab the various files to the folder of your choice. Unlike the similar Patch My PC, it won’t also try to install these for you, but we’re not sure that really matters (personally we like to keep some control of our updates).

And just in case this isn’t enough functionality, click the Software tab and AutoUP will display all its supported applications, whether they’re present or not. If you’re setting up a new PC, say, and want to install Audacity, Blender, Defraggler or anything else on the list, simply check the relevant boxes, click Download and the program will grab the latest versions for you.

We did spot a few interface quirks and other problems with AutoUP.

There’s no immediately obvious way to scan everything for updates when you first launch the program, for instance.

Clicking the Download button opens new dialog, which then pointlessly waits until you click Download again.

And once it’s grabbed everything, you’d expect to be left with a “Close” option, but only the “Download” button remains (and clicking that produces an error message). So you’re left to click the regular window close button in the top-right corner.

Once you’ve learned the basics, though, none of these issues will get in the way of AutoUP’s core functionality. And while we’d like it to support more applications, on balance the program remains a straightforward and very useful software update checker.

Photo Credit: Curioso/Shutterstock

Write for BetaNews

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 6:25am CEST par Joe Wilcox

We're hiring and taking on new freelancers and other writers. You could be among them. Paid and unpaid writing positions are available. Staff positions are paid BetaNews employees. Freelancers don't directly work for us but receive payment for their work. Unpaid writers typically receive compensation other ways, such as increasing their profile for personal or business gain.

BetaNews seeks a summer social media intern, staff writer and associate editor. These are paid, employee positions. We're also looking for new freelancers and other contributors. Writing is creative, rewarding and fulfilling work. Many of the best writers started out as news reporters. Few market sectors are as satisfying as technology. The pace of change makes for interesting topics, quelling the kind of boredom common to the other beats.

Social Media Intern. We’re looking for someone to help us build our presence on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit and Google+. This means getting more of our web content posted and engaging with users. Intern will also prepare market research reports, providing analysis on what is working for other publishers.

Please click the link for full list of responsibilities. Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume, including links to social media accounts they maintain personally: intern at betanews dot com.

Staff Writer. We are looking for one or more intern journalists who think that technology and the business of tech are exciting and important. We need someone who wants to
dive into what is new and what is coming in web services, SAAS, the cloud, enterprise IT, mobile computing, and whatever is next. Writers with expertise in cloud or enterprise computing receive priority consideration.

Please click the link for full list of responsibilities. Applicants should send a brief introduction, short resume and examples (links are fine) of your writing: write at betanews dot com.

Associate Editor. We're looking for a manager and writer who can lead/build a team that will produce unique and influential technology content. This person will need to find writers and content sources that have a strong voice and draw in a diverse audience of people who care about technology. They will need to ensure that we expand our audience and traffic by producing excellent content and getting it read.

Please click the link for full list of responsibilities. Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume, including links to editing or writing samples: jobs at betanews dot com.

Freelancers/Contributors. The BetaNews audience is much bigger than any staff can reach. Some of the most valuable content comes from freelancers who specialize in narrow tech areas and our readers or vendors, who often live on the bleeding edge of what comes next. There is no way to overstate the immense value you bring to our pages.

Throughout the summer we would like to greatly expand the number of paid and unpaid non-staff writers contributing to BetaNews. Some of the most insightful stories posted this year came from people who would never have considered themselves writers yet contributed compelling, even controversial, stories.

If you would like to freelance or contribute, please contact me directly -- joe at betanews dot com; or Circle me on Google+.

Something else: We would like to expand our international staff, whether employee, freelancer or contributor. Living or working outside the United States is an opportunity. BetaNews readership is global, and we want more of our stories to reach our broader audience. Too much tech reporting everywhere is US-centric. Help us broaden the scope and better expose the world of innovation -- even imitation.

Photo Credit: Andrii Muzyka/Shutterstock

PlayStation Mobile might be kinda dope ... if this display case tells you anything

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 6:01am CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

Here at E3 Expo, nowhere on the general floor are any of the Sony Playstation Mobile certified devices. No one of the Sony PR team can even tell me anything. Even the head of the Playstation Digital Platforms, the team in charge of the Playstation Network Store and Playstation Plus can't answer my question: "Will games purchased on Playstation Mobile certified devices be playable on Playstation Vita or Playstation 3?"

But on the press- and developer-only second floor of the Sony E3 Booth stands this sad lonely unmanned glass covered case. It tells me NO TOUCH, but I have to take pictures. Now don't hate me if I'm wrong because I'm using deduction from display case association; from the looks of this case the Playstation Vita is considered one of the Playstation Mobile Certified devices, which would mean: If you purchase a Playstation Mobile Certified game that is a PSONE Classic or PS Mini title, it should be playable on all certifies Playstation Devices. Sony is always cagey with details, but I got two bits to bet on this one that I'm right.

Get back, Siri, Bing Britannica answers questions

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 1:43am CEST par Joe Wilcox

For as long as Microsoft has offered a search engine, CEO Steve Ballmer or one of his minions has talked about the goal of providing answers to real questions rather than forcing people to use keywords. The success of social search service Quora or Yahoo Answers shows how much people simply want to ask. Bing and Google handle questions much better today than ever, but often the answers come unqualified and without the depth or authority of, say, a peer-reviewed encyclopedia. Apple tries with Siri on iPhone, with Wolfram Alpha behind it. But we all know that, for now, Siri sucks.

Today, Microsoft seized the answer search initiative, by incorporating Encyclopedia Britannica into Bing results. Sure Google places Wikipedia front and center, but Britannica is an undisputed, reliable authority -- well for anyone old enough to have owned a set of the books. Ask a question. "The answer provides a quick overview of the subject, a thumbnail image, and useful facts and figures making it easier than ever to get trusted content in search", Franco Salvetti, Bing principal development lead, explains. "We also pull in direct links to other trusted sources".

Well, hell, I just have to try it out. Question: "When did the French Revolution start?" Uh-oh, Wikipedia, LoveToKNow and WikiAnswers are top results. No Britannica.

Since it's still such a controversial topic and an election year, I ask: "Where was Barack Obama born?" Top result: BarackObama.com, followed by Wikipedia and breitbart.com. Salvetti uses "Giordano Bruno" as example of Bing Britannica in action. So I ask who he was. Again, there's no Britannica I can see, but Wikipedia, Catholic Encylopedia and infidels.org as top results.

What about Google? To question "Who was Giordano Bruno?", Britannica is third result, but nowhere as pop-out pretty as Salvetti promises from Bing. To "Where was Barack Obama born?" Google puts "Honolulu" at top of page with link to five sources -- none of them Britannica.

So maybe this Britannica thing is a work progress. I'd ask Siri the same questions, but my iPhone 4S-using daughter is away on a school trip.

Red Hat moves hybrid cloud management software CloudForms out of beta

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 12:45am CEST par Ed Oswald

Red Hat moved its hybrid cloud management software called CloudForms out of beta on Thursday, aiming to allow IT customers with considerable infrastructure to leverage it with public cloud resources to enable easy migration between the two.

The open-source software company first introduced CloudForms last May, then positioning it as an IaaS product. Since then, the company has begun contributing heavily to the OpenStack IaaS platform, and is now a platinum member of the OpenStack Foundation.

Given that hybrid clouds seem to be in vogue in cloud computing right now, this repositioning may not be that bad of an idea. It will run on a software stack that includes Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, JBoss Enterprise Middleware, Red Hat Storage, and thousands of certified ISV applications.

CloudForms will allow for applications to be moved between the cloud and in-house infrastructure even if the cloud architecture itself is different. Red Hat says this helps to avoid "vendor lock-in" and negates the need for configuration adjustments.

"We recognize that for a complete open hybrid cloud, enterprises need more than just the management layer – they also need openness and portability across compute, data/services, programming models and applications", chief technical officer Brian Stevens says of the platform.

Like competitors offerings, CloudForms offers end user control for self-service capability. It also reduces administration times through use of a predefined application blueprint, which define everything the application needs to run in a particular environment. CloudForms itself maintains a catalog of these blueprints, which are called anytime an application is requested.

"There's no doubt that end users want to help themselves to cloud-like compute resources, but the IT department still needs to centralize deployment, management and integration", 451 Research vice president Rachel Chalmers says.

Photo Credit: Sergej Khakimullin/Shutterstock

Pocket TV is a mini Android computer in an HDMI dongle

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 12:37am CEST par Tim Conneally

After meeting its Kickstarter goal of $100,000, three-year old startup Infinitec has made its Android-powered Pocket TV available for pre-order for just $99. The device utilizes the relatively new "HDMI Dongle" set top box form factor used by the Roku Smart Stick, and it brings Android Ice Cream Sandwich to the television screen.

The Pocket TV is powered by a 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor with 512MB of RAM, has 4 GB of internal storage and a microSD port supporting cards up to 32 GB in size. It's also equipped with a mini USB port for devices such as keyboards or webcams.

Once it is plugged into an HDMI jack, it can be controlled with a standard infrared remote, which it ships with. It can also be paired with an Android smartphone or iPhone and be controlled from there, or from Infinitec's upgraded "Air Remote" which has a full QWERTY chiclet keyboard and Wii-like motion mouse control.

This product dwells in a grey area between form factors. It's not exactly mobile, and it's not exactly a set-top-box. Furthermore, because it's an external piece of hardware, it's not a smart TV, even though it enables smart TVs.

Yet, with the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) just wrapping up, we can see how useful a product like this could be as a rudimentary Android-powered gaming computer against the other alternative gaming providers like Gaikai, or streaming game services like OnLive.
And at just $99, the price is right for those looking to experiment with new Android form factors.

Samsung Smart TV Cloud Gaming Powered by Gaikai and Nvidia [Video]

Publié: juin 8, 2012, 12:14am CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

Hidden away in the middle of the concourse walkway between South and West halls of the Los Angeles Convection center sits this little corner display booth. Most people pass it by not knowing how big it might be to the future of gaming but as soon as I see who is there I have to stop and ask questions.

Gaikai is a service that started just two years ago -- at first thought of as nothing more than phantom console level vapor it is one of the two companies to announce "Cloud Gaming"; PC gaming via virtualization. Its first demo shows off high-end games from producers / developers EA and Red Project for titles like Mass Effect 3 or The Witcher 2. Using a web page Java applet client it runs on any Windows, Mac, or even Linux machine.

But now Gaikai is taking the fight to the TV. Partnering up with Samsung and LG, Gaikai, with the help of video card power house Nvidia, will be powering cloud gaming stores for Samsung and LG Smart TVs.

The services need a broadband connection and provide 720p game video for 5Mbps connection and 1080p with connection of 10Mbps; Ping times are under 100ms but sweet spot is 60ms and below. It even supports stereoscopic 3D titles if the game and television support 3D. This would need a connection of about 15Mbps to 20Mbps.

It's up to the partner what to do for controllers but the software supports all native USB controllers, even the Xbox one, and you are good to go. The client for the desktop runs in a Java applet.

Game stores are handled by the provider who lease the Gaikai service so for purchasing games you purchase them through the Samsung SmartTV or LG Smart TV app stores. No information is available as of yet if you can take them to other devices or even run them on your desktop.

Unlike other well-known cloud gaming service Onlive, the Network Multiplayer doesn't have to be in a walled garden, you could in theory play against other Windows, Macintosh, or Linux PC gamers who are on desktop machines. But that is up to the software developer and service provider and agreements to what they do.

Acer's cheap 7-inch Android tablet hints at wave of devices for Q3

Publié: juin 7, 2012, 11:21pm CEST par Tim Conneally

At Computex 2012, Acer quietly showed off an update to its 7 inch Android-powered Iconia A100 Tab which is expected to come out in the third quarter of the year.

The new tablet is known as the A110, features a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor with 1 GB of RAM, and will run Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich.

The noteworthy thing about this device is that it will reportedly be priced under $200, which hints that it could be the first beneficiary of the Nvidia Kai reference platform for tablets. Kai was first revealed to Nvidia investors in May, and it showed Nvidia's interest in providing tablet manufacturers with a cost-effective hardware solution for $199 tablets.

"Does KAI make sacrifices? Sure it does. It has to. But it makes these sacrifices in the right places, with many options for our partners to deliver the right solution to the market for consumers," last week, Tegra marketing director Matt Wuebbling wrote in the Nvidia blog. Wuebbling said Kai-based devices are coming soon, but still none have been announced. Acer did not say whether the Iconia A110 is actually based upon this platform or not.

However, Acer is longtime supporter of Nvidia's Tegra platforms, and has typically been one of the first out of the gate with Nvidia-powered hardware. Furthermore, the competitive landscape in Android tablets has shifted somewhat, and manufacturers are looking to provide competition for Amazon's Kindle Fire with their own 7", low-cost devices. If Acer launches the A110 in the third quarter, that will likely be the time when other manufacturers come out with Kai-based tablets of their own, the most noteworthy of which being Google/Motorola.

Microsoft wants Azure cloud to play with the big boys

Publié: juin 7, 2012, 9:09pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Microsoft beefed up its Windows Azure cloud platform Thursday, announcing a host of features that take it out of a primarily Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) role and place it into the realm of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). The Redmond, Wash. company appears ready to take on IaaS heavyweights like Rackspace and Amazon Web Services, as well as new entrant Oracle, who announced its own cloud offering on Wednesday.

Microsoft doesn't "catch a new trend right with the first iteration but they keep at it and eventually strike the right tone and in more cases than not, get good enough", Forrester analyst James Staten says of the company's moves. "And often good enough wins".

Azure is now much more of a full-service cloud platform than it had been, and there is a reason why Microsoft began leaking details of these upgrades a little early yesterday.

Oracle's announcement yesterday spanned across all of the major aspects of cloud computing -- Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), PaaS, and IaaS -- and Oracle has gone from a nobody in the cloud to a significant player practically overnight.

Microsoft, on the other hand, has been in the cloud game for over two years now, and the company runs the risk of being relegated to also-ran status if it doesn't beef up its offerings quickly.

Microsoft is enabling users to run persistent virtual machines of both Windows and Linux within Azure. Linux distributions supported include OpenSUSE 12.1, CentOS 6.2, Ubuntu 12.04 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP2, while Windows Server 2008 R2 and the Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate VMs will also be supported.

The company is also embracing the "hybrid cloud" concept, allowing IT administrators to develop virtual private networks that extend from on-premise into the cloud. A third concept, called Windows Azure Web Sites, will allow users to build and deploy websites based on a number of standards, as well as supporting migration of open-source applications like WordPress, Joomla!, DotNetNuke, Umbraco, and Drupal to the Azure cloud in only a few clicks.

Staten says some work still remains for Azure. "It has a big task before it to get the thousands of Windows applications built by its partners moved over to Windows Azure", he says. "This is probably their biggest outstanding task, as the ecosystem of partners offering SaaS, PaaS, management tools and cloud services on AWS is a huge reason for its outsized success".

Audit your network with Spiceworks

Publié: juin 7, 2012, 7:21pm CEST par Mike Williams

Keeping track of what’s happening across even the smallest network can be a challenge. To put it mildly. Whether it’s your users misbehaving, or genuine hardware and software issues are cropping up, there’s always some problem to consider.

You don’t have to try and tackle this on your own, though. Spiceworks is a powerful free network auditing and inventory tool that will automatically scan your systems and alert you to what’s going on, and it’s suitable for everyone from regular home users through to large business networks.

A reasonably straightforward setup process sees Spiceworks install its service on your main PC, and after creating an account the program will scan your local setup, displaying the results in a highly configurable browser-based interface. A detailed map reveals all your networked systems, and you can zoom in on any of these to see its installed applications, complete with version numbers, licence details and more.

Spiceworks then repeats its scan on a daily basis, producing a simple timeline showing you what’s changed: new network devices found, applications added, hotfixes installed, whatever it might be.

The program can also detect and alert you to problems on your local system and across the network. Does a computer have no antivirus package installed? Is a key server offline? Is one of your systems running short on drive space? Maybe a printer is running short of ink? Spicework’s Monitors can help you find out.

The Spiceworks Dashboard keeps you up-to-date on all of these items, and a whole lot more. You can view panes showing you the latest Microsoft Security Bulletins, say, or new software patches; an RSS feed display makes it easy to keep up-to-date with other sites; and if you are using the program in a business environment then there’s even more functionality, from Microsoft Exchange support to Active Directory integration.

We did have one or two issues here. The “Latest Software Patches” widget didn’t always seem entirely up-to-date, for instance, and wasted space by including patches for applications we weren’t using; we’d prefer this to be relate to our installed software only. And we found a few annoyingly irrelevant links and ads, including one which asked whether we were ready to “Upgrade to Windows 7″ when it was running on Windows 7 Ultimate.

These complaints are all very minor, though, and on balance Spiceworks is a great tool, easy to use and packed with functionality: if you need a little network inventory help then you should definitely check it out.

Photo Credit: De Mango/Shutterstock

Asus introduces the first notebook with next-gen Wi-Fi

Publié: juin 7, 2012, 7:00pm CEST par Tim Conneally

One of Broadcom's goals for 2012 is to bring to market new hardware that supports the fifth-generation of Wi-Fi networking standards, 802.11ac. At CES 2012, Broadcom debuted its first 802.11ac chips, then rolled out more designs in the following months so device manufacturers could take advantage of the faster throughput the new standard allowed.

Asus, D-Link, Huawei, and LG all have announced plans to support 802.11ac with consumer hardware, and this week, Asus and Broadcom unveiled the first consumer-facing notebook computer to feature full 802.11ac compliance, the Asus ROG G75VW gaming notebook.

Since an access point is naturally required to take advantage of the faster throughput of 802.11ac, Asus also debuted the RT-AC66U dual-band router to complete the package.

The ROG G75VW features Intel 3rd generation Core i7 processors and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 660M or GTX 670M GPU with up to 3GB of GDDR5 VRAM. It supports up to 16GB of DDR3 DRAM, and dual RAID 0/1 hard drives, and is built with a dual-fan cooling system.

The RT-AC66U router works in 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, and can provide data transmission rates up to 1.75 Gbps. It uses the ASUSWRT three-step setup, supports multiple SSIDs, and has twin USB ports for file servers, print servers and DLNA servers.

Neither device has been priced or given a concrete launch date, and these will vary depending upon the region of release.

Smasung SSD might give you a Ghost of a chance

Publié: juin 7, 2012, 6:47pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

In the crowd of hungry tired worn-out journalists at the Showstoppers Tech and Gadget showcase event at the Icon LA Ultra Lounge, right next to a Hooters, across the from the Los Angeles Convention Center, Samsung, like everyone else, isn't showing off anything new. But the particular bobble they have that catches my eye is the Samsung 830 series solid-state drive, released back in October of 2011. It is a sleek little gun-metal black drive thinner than 1/5 of an inch and no weight to it whatsoever. The case is a gun metal brushed aluminum with only the silver raised logo of Samsung emblazoned on it.

This is when I strike it up with Chris Geiser, senior product management at Samsung. Geiser is passionate about the product. He lets it drop that, "Samsung is now spendings $12 billion a year on memory research". Every SDD samsung makes is 100-percent Samsung made parts, from the NAND storage memory to the controller.

Geiser tells me that over the Samsung 830 series SSD's Serial ATA 3.0 6Gb/s interface you can expect to get a sequential read speed of up to 520 MB/s and in sequential writes, a speed of 400 MB/s. The drive has full support for TRIM as well. This is where he really hits me with some cool features of the device, its controller is powered by a multicore Arm9 processor. Three cores constantly focus on one task. One core handles the data writing. Another handles the data read. The last handles constant garbage collection.

This dedicated core for garbage collection is a very good thing. One of the issues with SSD drives is that over time the bits stored in the NAND, while removed from the record of the journal of a file system, are still there and reading and writing over them over and over can cause serious issue and drop performance nearly 50 percent after so many read and write-overs of an SSD Drive.

The MSRP for the drives now are:

$129.99 for the 128GB model kit
$229.99 for the 256GB model Kit
$719.99 for the 512GB model kit

But you can find these on amazon for $139.99, $269.99, and $699.99.

Included in the kit is Norton Ghost transfer/Backup/Recovery software, 5.25 drive adapter tray, USB power / transfer adapter and for a limited time starting this month any Samsung SSD drive sold comes with a coupon for a free copy of the new Ubisoft title, "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Solider".

The bigger thing about this is that Samsung has reached the dollar to gigabyte cost factor for solid state drives. It will only get cheaper.

Photo Credit: Patrick Roanhouse

iPhone kills carrier profits

Publié: juin 7, 2012, 6:14pm CEST par Sameer Singh

Second in a series. Two days ago, I established that iPhone's market share is heavily dependent on carrier subsidies. Now let's take a look how iPhone subsidies affect carriers and the potential impact this could have on Apple.

To Summarize, under iPhone's current subsidy structure, it is practically impossible for carriers to break-even. Even when factoring higher churn rate of other smartphones and lower cost of retaining iPhone users, Apple's device still costs carriers too much to be really profitable compared to other smartphones. Essentially, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone users subsidize iPhone owners. Carriers make more money from non-iPhone smartphone owners, while raising data and early-termination fees to offset iPhone costs.

Are iPhone Subsidies a Problem for Carriers?

Apple CEO Tim Cook had the following to say, to calm investors regarding any potential fears about carrier subsidies:

The most important thing by far is for Apple to continue making great products that customers want. And we are deeply committed to doing this and are innovating at a rate and pace that's unbelievable in this area. For -- from a carrier's perspective, I think it's important to remember that the subsidy is not large relative to the sum of the monthly payments across a 24-month contract period. And any delta between iPhone and maybe another phone is a -- an even smaller level of difference.

And iPhone has some distinct advantages for the carrier over competing smartphones. For example, many of the carrier executives have told me that churn from iPhone customers is the lowest of any phone they sell in their whole -- in all of the phones they carry. And that has a significant direct financial benefit to the carrier.

Also, our engineering teams work extremely hard to be efficient with data and differently than some others. And we believe that as a result of this, that iPhone has far better data efficiency compared to other smartphones that are using sort of an app-rich ecosystem.

Finally, we think that the -- and this is the most important, is that iPhone is the best smartphone on the planet to entice a customer who is currently using a traditional mobile phone to upgrade to a smartphone. This is by far the largest opportunity for Apple, for our carrier partners and is a great, fantastic experience to the customer. And so there's a win-win-win there.

While Tim Cook is one of the best CEOs in the world right now, I would rather not take his words at face value. So let's analyze his arguments and see if they hold any water.

I've focused on the US market, as these trends would most likely hold good across the globe. Analyzing figures from AT&T and Verizon, for the last four quarters, can give us great insight into the financial impact of iPhone. Since Sprint only began selling iPhone in Q4 2011, it has been excluded from this analysis.

Incremental Subsidy Costs

The primary reason for iPhone's dependence on carrier subsidies is that all models are high-priced, high-margin products for Apple. So even though a subscriber may get an iPhone 3GS for free or an iPhone 4 for $99 on a two year contract, carriers still have to pay Apple an average subsidy of roughly $400 - $450 per device. Meanwhile, Apple's competition is diversified across price points, receiving an average of $200-$300 in subsidies per device. On average, it is safe to assume that iPhone receives an incremental subsidy of $150 per device, when compared to the competition.

Based on the incremental subsidy per device and iPhone sales from AT&T and Verizon from Q2 2011 to Q1 2012, we can calculate the total incremental subsidy burden for these two carriers.

Subscriber Churn Savings

Cook may very well be right in his assertion that iPhone subscribers have a lower churn rate than those using competing smartphones. But according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), the churn rate among iPhone subscribers is just 6-percent lower than other smartphone subscribers, which means the reduction in carriers' overall smartphone churn rate would be even lower. Now we need to understand the cost savings that carriers receive thanks to iPhone and compare that with the additional subsidy burden. To calculate these cost savings, I have actually assumed that the overall smartphone churn rate of carriers reduces by 6 perceent because of carrying iPhone, which implies the churn rate reduction among iPhone users is assumed to be around 10%. This assumption actually favors Apple's stance more than Consumer Intelligence's findings do.

There are numerous estimates of the cost of acquiring a wireless subscriber. According to one estimate, the cost of acquiring a wireless subscriber ranges from $300 to $400. Another estimate measures this cost at $250 to $300 per customer. A research report from 1998 also estimates this cost as $400. Since estimates seem to be fluctuating even over such a long time frame, we can make a safe assumption of the cost of acquiring a customer as the high end of the ranges mentioned here, i.e. $400. Most reports also mention that acquiring a new customer costs five times as much as retaining a current customer, i.e. $80. So, the incremental cost to replace a subscriber would be the difference of these two, i.e. $320.

Now, using the figures above, in conjunction with the number of postpaid smartphone subscribers for Verizon (47 percent of 88 million postpaid subscribers) and AT&T (41.2 million postpaid smartphone subscribers), we can estimate the total savings carriers have gained thanks to the reduction in churn rate, due to iPhone. The actual cost savings would be lower than this as the average size of the AT&T and Verizon subscriber base over the last four quarters would be lower than the size in the latest quarter.

Churn Savings vs. Subsidy Cost

As the chart clearly shows, costs savings due to reduced churn is only 27 percent of incremental subsidy cost for AT&T and 45 percent for Verizon. This means AT&T is actually losing a net figure of more than $2 billion, while Verizon is losing nearly $1 billion, due to high iPhone subsidies. Verizon's gap is lower because it sold fewer iPhones than AT&T. This gap is so large that any realistic change in inputs would not affect the outcome by much. And the really scary part for carriers is that incremental subsidy costs would continue to outgrow cost savings as iPhone sales increase.

We can also estimate the cost savings and the corresponding reduction churn rate required to break even on iPhone's incremental subsidy costs. Using average monthly churn figures for AT&T and Verizon from Q2 2011 to Q1 2012, we can calculate the also average annual churn rate for these carriers and compare these figures with the required reduction in churn rate:

Does anybody else see a problem here? The required reduction in churn rate to break even on the subsidies is actually higher at AT&T and nearly equal at Verizon, when compared to the average annual churn rate for all subscribers (smartphones & feature phones). Given that both Verizon and AT&T have a monthly churn rate in the range of 1-1.5 percent for smartphone subscribers, the average annual churn rate for smartphone subscribers would be in the same range as in the chart above. Given these figures, it is practically impossible to achieve break-even under iPhone's current subsidy structure.

This analysis does not even take into account the fact that Android smartphones consume nearly 20 percent more data than iPhones (this seems to hold true even with iCloud and Siri). In the absence of "all-you-can-eat" data plans, which is where carriers seem to be moving, this would translate into a much higher average revenue per user (ARPU) figure from Android smartphone subscribers as compared to iPhone subscribers. Clearly, there is no incremental ARPU gained from iPhone subscribers that can even begin to balance out the incremental subsidy costs.

Based on the analysis above, it is clear that Cook's comments do not mean much from a carrier's perspective and that iPhone's current subsidy level is unsustainable. The only positive is that iPhones use less data and hence, place less load on network infrastructure, but that results in lower ARPU as well.

Can Carriers Really Reduce Subsidies on iPhone?

Carriers have already begun their efforts to reduce the impact of subsidies on their financials:

1. The push started with US carriers increasing upgrade fees for customers who wanted to switch phones and increasing data subscription charges.

2. Verizon has told its subscribers that their current unlimited data plans will only remain available for customers who buy phones at full retail price, i.e. with zero subsidies.

3. AT&T made the boldest move, by announcing its intention to limit 2011 smartphone sales to 2012 levels, and most importantly push to reduce subsidies on phones it currently sells. Given that iPhone accounted for 78 percent of AT&Ts Q1 2012 smartphone sales, that push is obviously going to be against Apple.

CLSA has argued that the presence of most favored nation (MFN) clauses in all of Apple's contracts with US carriers would mean that "US carriers would need permission from Apple to alter subsidy levels". To be honest, this argument doesn't make much sense. CLSA admits that the presence of a MFN clause implies that any offering to one carrier has to necessarily be offered to another. An MFN clause, by definition, ensures that if one carrier is able to negotiate better terms with Apple when their contract runs out, those terms are applicable to the existing contracts of the other carriers as well. The MFN clause in no way implies that you need permission to implement the clause. Therefore, with AT&T's contract set to run out first, it would also be beneficial for Verizon and Sprint if AT&T was able to negotiate lower carrier subsidies from Apple.

AT&T is very clear that it intends to reduce iPhone's subsidy burden. Since AT&T is the responsible for the highest number of iPhone sales in the country and iPhones comprise a majority of AT&T's smartphone sales, neither AT&T nor Apple would consider walking away from each other. My guess is that both sides play hardball and eventually come to a compromise, resulting in a reduction of iPhone subsidies across all US carriers to a more manageable level.

Apple's carrier subsidy reduction could either be implemented by allowing carriers to increase contract prices or by reducing margins on iPhone. Cook's decision could boil down to a classic volumes vs. margins debate.

Conclusion: From the analysis above, it is clear iPhone subsidies are not beneficial to carriers and seem to be unsustainable. Since the massive margins and volumes on iPhone are the biggest reason driving Apple's high gross margins on a consolidated basis, any reduction could negatively affect Apple's stock price.

Reprinted with permission.

Photo Credit: Lou Oates/Shutterstock

Sameer Singh is an M&A professional and business strategy consultant focusing on the mobile technology sector. He is founder and editor of tech-thoughts.net.

Take those online videos to go with Wondershare vDownloader

Publié: juin 7, 2012, 4:45pm CEST par Mark Wilson

There are countless websites that feature hours of streaming video that you can watch whenever you have an Internet connection. But what about those times when you are not able to get online? If you are going on a trip and want to ensure that the children have something to watch on a laptop or tablet, Wondershare vDownloader is a tool that can be used to grab a load of videos in advance and load them onto the device of your choosing.

Saving videos from some websites is easy enough -- just right click a link and save the target file to your hard drive. With other sites things are a little more tricky, you may need to examine source code and determine the link needed to download a file. And then there are some sites that make it all but impossible to save a copy of a video you have come across. Whether you’re looking to make it quicker and easier to download videos, or you want to be able to save copies of those videos that are hard to get, Wondershare vDownloader is a valuable, and free, tool.

The service is available as a browser plugin that can be used with Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox, which is great if you’re looking for a seamless way to browse and download video. When you are working your way through the likes of YouTube, you need simply click the newly added Download button that is added by the extension. You also have the option of copying and pasting links into the program itself which is a good option if you want to queue up a number of downloads .

There are various uses for this app. You might just fancy the idea of having your own copy of a video you like, but it can also be useful for getting hold of offline footage that can be viewed when you don’t have an Internet connection, or could be transferred to a different device. The number of sites that Wondershare vDownloader can be used with is impressive -- Hulu, YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and many more -- and there is a built in player than can be used to watch the videos that you add to your library.

You can find out more and download a free copy of the app by paying a visit to the Wondershare vDownloader review page.

Photo Credit: cybrain/Shutterstock

Diskeeper 12 supports TRIM, improves boot times

Publié: juin 7, 2012, 3:22pm CEST par Mike Williams

Condusiv Technologies has released Diskeeper 12, the latest edition of its powerful and professional defrag tool. Improvements this time include an optimised HyperBoot engine, which aims to further improve your system boot times. Diskeeper’s HyperFast technology now supports TRIM to maximize Solid State Drive performance.

A handy set of monitoring tools collect data on your I/O usage and Diskeeper effectiveness, and track your drive’s key SMART attributes, enabling the program to alert you to possible signs of impending hardware failure.

Perhaps more controversially, all of this is presented in a completely revamped interface. We don’t just mean the usual tweaks you might expect in any upgrade (a new background colour here, a different toolbar there): this is radically different. The Home screen has no list of volumes, for instance, no substantial details on your system state -- it barely looks like a defrag tool at all.

As soon as you start to drill down into the various sections then this all changes, fortunately, and Diskeeper delivers all the stats and feedback you’d expect (and then a little more, thanks to the new monitoring tools). And once you understand how the new interface works then it seems straightforward enough. It does represent a major change, though, and we suspect not all Diskeeper users will be happy with the new approach.

If you’d like to take a look for yourself, though, the standard edition of the program comes in two flavours.

Diskeeper 12 Home ($29.95) is the core build, which provides everything we’ve listed here.

And Diskeeper 12 Professional ($64.95) extends this with free space consolidation, file access speed improvements of up to 80%, and a core engine specifically designed to cater for massive file fragmentation on hard drives in excess of 1TB.

Photo Credit: Oleksiy Mark/Shutterstock

Which Firefox is right for you -- 13, 14, 15 or 16?

Publié: juin 7, 2012, 2:29pm CEST par Nick Peers

Following on from the release of Firefox 13 FINAL, Mozilla has updated its developmental branches to versions 14 (Beta), 15 (Aurora) and 16 (Nightly/UX) respectively. After the relatively exciting new features in version 13, what’s coming next? How does integrated social networking tools, panel-based download manager and improvements in OS X Lion users sound for starters?

Get a head’s up on what’s coming and discover which build is best for your personal needs with our updated guide to what the future holds in store for Firefox.

Firefox 13.0 FINAL

Without a doubt the recommended release for most users, as it’s the most stable build out there. As we revealed earlier in the week, version 13 introduces redesign home and New Tab pages, support for “tabs on demand” reloading of web pages when restoring the previous browsing session and a new Reset Firefox feature for quickly resolving common problems.

Firefox 14.0b6 Beta

The most notable new feature in version 14 is actually reserved for the mobile Android version, which will now support Flash video in Android 2.x and 4.x. Despite the promises of more radical changes when version 14 was in Aurora, the actual features making the transition to beta stage are relatively low key. The most notable is “Windows 8 Metro Firefox”, a project designed to build a Metro-specific version of Firefox for the next Windows release. This is still at the “definition” stage so no evidence of how it will look or perform currently exists. One other potentially game-changing feature is inline URL autocomplete, which has apparently landed in version 14. Seeing as this was backed out of versions 12 and 13 before they reached Final status, we’ll reserve judgement until we actually see it appear.

Firefox 15.0a2 Aurora

Firefox’s “alpha” build installs alongside either Firefox Final or Beta, allowing you to test it without affecting day-to-day browsing. Settings are shared between both builds, however, so install and use with caution.

The most interesting features in Aurora are still marked as “definition” or “development”, which means they’re not present and may not appear in Firefox 15 at all. These include integrating web apps into the desktop, which has already slipped back from version 14, the transition of the Firefox options dialogue to an integrated tab in Firefox itself (you can currently preview this in Firefox UX) and -- the most intriguing of all -- “Firefox Social Integration”.

This latter feature, still at “definition” stage, has four touch points: integration of persistent social notifications into the Firefox toolbar, a built-in share/recommend service in the Firefox toolbar, the integration of various news feeds, tickers, buddy lists and so on into a dedicated sidebar and the integration of chat, voice and other communication tools into a dock or floating window. None of these features are accessible in the current Aurora build.

Other changes are minor, and slipped from version 14, including Windows start-up performance improvements, incremental garbage collection and silent background updates. Mac users will also see improvements in its accessibility support.

Firefox 16.0a1 Nightly

Firefox’s Nightly channel gives users access to code hot off the press, and again it installs alongside other Firefox builds. It’s incredibly unstable, updated frequently and you’re just as likely to see new features disappear as appear.

Version 16 currently includes a number of improvements and new features, including support for OS X Lion’s newer features, such as full-screen mode and the new scroll bars. There’s opt-in activation for plug-ins for improved security, speedy session restore and the panel-based download manager. Developer Toolbar and Command Line tools for developers are also slated to appear, along with support for viewing PDF files in the browser window itself.

Some of these features can currently be previewed via Firefox 16.0a1 UX, the parallel nightly build of Firefox where interface improvements make their first appearance. We’d recommend all but developers and serious, knowledgeable enthusiasts avoid the Nightly builds of Firefox.

So, to summarize

Which version of Firefox should you try? There’s little available to preview in these releases to suggest anyone but developers and enthusiasts should install anything other than Firefox 13 FINAL.

If you do plan to take a look into the future of Firefox, back up if you plan before installing Beta or Aurora builds of Firefox. And If you do decide to give the Nightly or UX builds a try, consider using a non-critical machine or virtual setup (try VirtualBox) instead of your main computer, just in case...

Exorcise ghost devices from the Windows Registry

Publié: juin 7, 2012, 1:27pm CEST par Mike Williams

Every time you connect a new device to your PC, Windows will install the appropriate driver, if necessary, and add a reference to the Registry so that your hardware can be utilised more quickly in future. And under normal circumstances there’s no need to worry about any of this: it just works.

Over time, though, your system may build up a collection of “ghost” devices, hardware that was connected to your system at least once, but you no longer use (an old webcam which broke long ago, a USB drive a visitor used, whatever it might be). These will increase the size of your Registry a little, and can require Windows to do just a little extra work at boot time, but fortunately there’s an easy solution: just use GhostBuster to detect and remove them for you.

Launch the program and within a few seconds it’ll display a list of all your devices, with those it considers “ghosts” highlighted for you. Browse the list, checking the Device and Description columns to identify devices you know are no longer required.

When you spot something you’re sure is surplus to requirements, right-click it and select Add Device (or Add Class to choose everything in that section). Your selections will then be highlighted in red, which means they’re marked for deletion. (Right click and select Remove Device or Remove Class to undo that last step, if you’ve made a mistake.)

Once you think you’ve selected everything, check the “Create System Restore Checkpoint” box. Accidentally deleting an important device could cause you significant issues, so it’s a very good idea to have some form of backup to hand. (And while you’re most unlikely to need it, we wouldn’t recommend you try this unless you also have your Windows DVD and a full system backup to hand, too.)

We are just being cautious here, though, because for the most part GhostBuster worked very well: we used it to remove more than 100 leftover devices from a test PC with no ill effects at all. Of course it made no significant difference to our system performance, either, but if you’re just looking for another PC cleanup option (or you’re troubleshooting specific device issues) then GhostBuster could prove very useful.

Photo Credit: Dmitrijs Bindemanis/Shutterstock

Oracle debuts massive end-to-end cloud strategy

Publié: juin 7, 2012, 12:59am CEST par Ed Oswald

Oracle jumped head-first into the cloud Wednesday, announcing the immediate availability of its comprehensive cloud offering. Oracle's cloud service spent seven years in development, and is comprised of over 100 apps.

In an event announcing Oracle's cloud strategy, CEO Larry Ellison stressed that his company's efforts were a long time coming and that Oracle had no interest in being a "niche" provider. "Very few companies can cross the chasm from one technology to the next" like Oracle has, he told attendees.

He did not shy away from taking shots at a number of competitors -- most notably SAP, Salesforce.com, and Workday. These are favorite targets of Ellison over the past few years as his company made a slow and steady march to the cloud, even as its outspoken leader publicly derided the term cloud computing as "complete gibberish".

Oracle's cloud apps are a mixture of in-house development and technologies acquired through recent acquisitions. Talent management offerings come from its February acquisition of Taleo, while its customer experience apps come out of services acquired through its acquisitions of RightNow and Virtue, the latter which it acquired just last month.

All other services were developed in-house, from ERP and HRM to sales and marketing software, with a focus on adhering to web standards. All of Oracle's cloud apps have HTML5 and mobile compliant interfaces, something that sets it apart from competitors, the CEO says.

Oracle Cloud also separates itself in that every customer is given its own virtual machine. Typical cloud providers comingle users' data, something Ellison seemed to infer was a security risk. He compared the company's cloud efforts most closely to Amazon, which also follows a similar strategy.

Another difference is in upgrades. The company would not force upgrades of its SaaS products for up to one year, which Oracle says gives partners the chance to upgrade on their own terms. In addition, data can be easily taken on and off the cloud, so that customers wouldn't be making a "forever commitment" to Oracle services.

Ellison repeatedly pointed out that it took many years of work and a good deal of resources to get to this point. He contrasted Oracle's announcement Wednesday with recent comments from its chief rival SAP, who has previously indicated it may be as late as 2020 before its services are available in the cloud.

"All SAP's got? SuccessFactors", he quipped. "2012 is way to late to start with the cloud", adding that simply buying things would not have been enough.

Photo Credit: nokhoog_buchachon/Shutterstock

How will the LinkedIn hack affect you?

Publié: juin 7, 2012, 12:48am CEST par Cameron Camp

This morning when I logged into LinkedIn I was greeted with several front page references to the reported hacking of the site, and instructions for changing my password, which I did immediately. This is a good time to change all of your social media passwords, making sure you create a fresh password that is hard to guess and unique to each site. It is not unusual for malicious parties who grab a bunch of passwords from one site to try those same passwords on other sites.

Over 6.5 million account passwords showed up on a Russian forum in SHA-1 (hashed) format to prove that the hackers had indeed succeeded in penetrating LinkedIn. There is a good chance that if the hacker(s) achieved access to LinkedIn passwords then they also know the corresponding LinkedIn usernames, i.e. the matching email address of the account owner.

The difference with this hack, as opposed to many others, is that people put their real information about themselves -- their professional information -- on the site, not just what party they plan on attending, or which games they are playing, which you might see on other networks like Facebook. Furthermore, every time one of your LinkedIn contacts updates their profile, you get updates from LinkedIn showing what’s happening. This has the aggregate effect of a form of peer review on what you post about yourself, knowing that it is exposed to those business or career contacts that have a direct impact on your life. This causes people to tend toward being very accurate and honest on their LinkedIn profile. In other words, mess with somebody’s professional profile on LinkedIn, and you’re messing with their life, and their contacts know about it.

A broader question is how to assess the aggregate value of this level of business intelligence about an individual, let alone a whole business sector? This is the kind of information that advertisers and bad actors alike drool over. If, for example, you determined from LinkedIn that a competitor was losing staff at a rapid pace, it might affect a merger/acquisition negotiation, potentially swinging the value of the deal significantly. Also, since LinkedIn can be used as a sort of timeline of a user's real history, there are deep stacks of historic business intelligence that can be garnered.

It all adds up to a very bad day for LinkedIn, and we hope they take very proactive steps to assure users and protect data going forward. In the meantime, besides changing your password, it's a good idea to review your user settings and try to understand/limit/narrow access to your key information to those with whom you intend to share. In this way you can help prevent unintended data sprawl, also meaning other user accounts which might become compromised won't have as much of a direct effect on your personal information.

Several people have notified us that they received emails today asking them to confirm their LinkedIn email addresses and we have determined that these are scams. We are investigating the exact details but in the meantime please do not click on links in email to change or verify account information, at LinkedIn.com or on any other membership site. Instead, navigate to the site directly by typing in the address bar in your browser.

[Note that the first link --"Click here" -- is the one that takes you to somewhere other than LinkedIn. In this case the destination is an illegal online pharmacy selling Viagra and similar products. Because similar emails have been circulating for some time it is hard to say if this is an example of a coordinated scam designed to leverage the security breach made public today, or simply a coincidence (like getting a phishing email asking you to reset your Bank of America online banking password two days after you opened an account there). Sadly, we are likely to see more of these emails as LinkedIn tries to rebuild trust among members.]

Reprinted with permission.

Photo Credit: Feng Yu/Shutterstock.com

Hands-on with Microsoft's SmartGlass [video]

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 11:19pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

Microsoft's Xbox SmartGlass announcement yesterday provided a shot of adrenaline in the aging leg of the Xbox 360. While Kinect was a way to extend the life of the console for a couple of years during the motion control craze, SmartGlass is a further push to open the console to unique gameplay elements in the future, and to advance the "settopboxification" of the Xbox 360 console.

This is a good thing.

A running gag among many Xbox 360 owners is that the console has aged into the NetfliXbox. The demonstration of SmartGlass we saw doesn't do anything to really change that joke, but it does show that the new secondary display information and control options afforded by SmartGlass can really expand the movie-watching experience. It's just up to developers to build this "augmented active media experience" into their apps.

What we're potentially looking at is an era of secondary information displays in entertainment technology, which started by Nintendo eight years ago with the DS, and has been upheld by countless end users who couldn't watch TV without their iPad in their lap.

But the question is: Will SmartGlass out-Wii the Wii U?

The fact that SmartGlass will work on Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone and Windows 8 tablets, while Wii U will only work with the Wii Gamepad might give you a hint who has the upper hand this round.

Windows 8 needs a little more work

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 9:56pm CEST par Chris Boss

Windows 8 gets a poor grade on a simple task. What is that task you may ask? Read on.

Every Windows computer needs a beginners programming language. Those of us from the DOS days can look back fondly on QBasic. From learning how to program, to just having a quick and easy scripting language that a business user can use to write some simple app in a few minutes, a beginners language makes sense. So what beginners programming language might fit the bill for Windows 8? Microsoft's own Small Basic!

Yes, Small Basic. It is free. It is popular. It is BASIC, ala .NET-style. I thought Small Basic would be the perfect choice to download and install on my latest install of the Windows 8 Release Preview. Sadly, it was not good news. I will be kind and just assume that Small Basic was not on Microsoft's top-10 list of apps to test on Windows 8, but this does indicate that Microsoft may want to make sure Windows 8 is really ready for those who have lots of existing desktop apps to install.

I downloaded Small Basic from Microsoft's website and tried to install it. The first problem I experienced: The software requires a version of the .NET runtime that appears to not come with Windows 8. I had to then download the .NET 3.5 (service pack 1) runtime first before I could even install Small Basic.

Okay, I was now ready to play with Small Basic. I ran the app and then started to try some of the sample Small Basic apps (source code) that come with it. I loaded one source code file after another, but with each encountered a problem that I still don't know the solution to. Each time I ran (compile and run) a Small Basic sample app I got the same error message: "Sorry we found some Errors" and "Access Denied". Likely there is a solution to overcome this, but I could not find it on the web (did a Google Search). I could not get a single sample app to run in Small Basic.

So I decided to download another beginner's scripting language, called ThinBasic, which I know is not a .NET application (written in pure native API code) to see how well it worked. I downloaded and installed ThinBasic, and it ran fine -- each sample app. Even some OpenGL 3D sample apps ran quite well (I had installed the latest video drivers on my Windows 8 installation).

Now, this may not be important to many of those who are currently testing out Windows 8, but I do think this does say something. With all the emphasis going into Metro, maybe a little more testing of the Windows desktop would be in order here. Maybe this is simply a .NET issue, but shouldn't all of the .NET runtimes be installed on Windows 8 and multiple popular apps that use different versions of .NET be tested?

Remember, Small Basic does come from Microsoft and it is their solution to the need for something akin to DOS' QBasic for Windows, so it makes a lot of sense that it should have been tested with Windows 8.

I will give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt here, since I understand they have a lot on their plate right now with Metro and all. I would like to say that it would be nice to see Small Basic added to Windows 8 so every PC or tablet shipped will offer an easy to learn programming language. Please just make sure it works on the official release version of Windows 8.

Google announces upgrade to Maps and Earth: First step, offline mode for mobile

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 9:56pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Google on Wednesday announced some upcoming changes to its geospatial products Maps and Earth, which promise to greatly improve the user experience with the two services.

These changes will include more "Street View" maps for areas where there's no street, an expanded presence of Google's DIY mapping tool Map Maker which will be available in South Africa, Egypt, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland, and greatly improved 3D aerial imagery in Google Earth.

For iOS and Android-based mobile devices, changes will be on the way very soon. First, Google will officially roll out offline mode for Google Maps. This feature was revealed last July in Google Labs, just two weeks before Google announced it was shutting down the Labs section entirely. Over the next few weeks, users will be able to use Google Maps without a data connection in more than 100 cities across the globe.

This connectionless feature was one of the most outstanding components of Nokia Maps and Drive, as we saw with the Nokia Lumia 900. Users could have the same experience disconnected as they could with a data connection, an extremely valuable feature when traveling abroad or when under data cap constraints.

But competition with Nokia and Windows Phone are not the primary concern for Google at present. Currently, it is believed Apple will be replacing Google maps with its own in-house mapping solution in iOS 6. This rumor has been traced back to Apple's acquisitions of Placebase, Poly9, and C3 Technologies. The impressive 3D city views crafted by C3 Technologies have already drawn some to the conclusion that any mapping product from Apple is going to be impressive. Examples of the the photo-realistic 3D renderings can be seen...in Nokia Maps, of all places Nokia licensed C3's rendering technology for Ovi Maps last year.

Google Earth on mobile devices, therefore, will be getting 3D models of entire metropolitan areas in the coming weeks. Google has shown that its 45 degree imaging will improve the metropolitan 3D renderings in Google Earth, and based on the video released by the company today (embedded below) it looks like the mapping software will produce an experience very similar to that of C3 Technologies.

LinkedIn hack is much worse than you think

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 8:58pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Today's LinkedIn hack, exposing more than 6 million encrypted passwords, is more serious than it might appear and reveals one of the biggest security shortcomings social networks pose: Linked or shared data. Literally linked-in accounts expose information from others -- then there is the sheer amount of personal data hackers can siphon.

LinkedIn hasn't confirmed the hack, but is investigating. Meanwhile the stolen data already is available on the Internet. Cyber-security expert Robert David Graham says he has confirmed "this hack is real". The stolen data was published as password hashes. He created a SHA-1 hash of his password and found it in the dumped data. "The password I use for LinkedIn is in that list", he explains. "I use that password nowhere else. Furthermore, it's long/complex enough that I'm confident nobody else uses the same password.

Like Facebook, LinkedIn is a social network, but one geared specifically to business users. There they share quite a bit of information as part of their professional networking efforts. That sets the password theft apart from many others.

"The difference with this hack, as opposed to many others, is that people put their real information about themselves professionally on the site, not just what party they plan on attending, ala Facebook and others", Cameron Camp, ESET security researcher says. "And every time one of your LinkedIn contacts updates their profile, you get updates from LinkedIn showing what’s happening. This has the aggregate effect of garnering a form of peer review on what you post about yourself, knowing that it is exposed potentially to those business or career contacts that have a direct impact on your life".

He emphasizes: In other words, mess with somebody’s professional profile, and you’re messing with their life, and their contacts know about it".

Trust is the cornerstone to successful cloud services, but nowhere more importantly than those catering to professionals. They are more likely to share information to foster their careers, and LinkedIn provides tools that push out changes rapidly. That's okay, as long as the network is secure.

"The bigger question is what is the aggregate value of this level of business intelligence about an individual, let alone a whole business sector", Camp says. "This is the kind of information that advertisers and bad actors alike drool over. If, for example, you knew your competitors were losing staff at a rapid pace, it might affect a merger/acquisition negotiation, potentially swinging the value of the deal significantly. Also, since LinkedIn can be used as a sort of timeline of a users real history, there are deep stacks of historic business intelligence that can be garnered".

The point: There will be extreme interest in someone exploiting accounts and the connections revealed.

In researching this post, I was taken aback at the grilling LinkedIn is receiving today, and some of it is quite funny. Apparently, I'm not alone having, but not really using, the social network.

"The guy who went to LinkedIn and stole 6.5 million passwords should be easy to find since he's the guy who went to LinkedIn", Tom Siedell tweets.

Shawn King: "When changing your LinkedIn password, remember not to use 'LinkedIn_are_a_bunch_of_skeevy_a-holes', it's already been taken".

"Imagine if the LinkedIn password thing was just a ploy by LinkedIn to get everyone to log into the site for the first time in two years?", Gary He tweets.

Matt Goldich: "A Russian hacker knows my LinkedIn password. That makes one of us".

Mikko Hypponen: "LinkedIn seems to be one of those services where I never go to -- except to change my password".

Photo Credit: OleGunnarUA/Shutterstock

If Windows Phone is No. 2 by 2016, I'll clean Steve Ballmer's toilet

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 7:16pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

In March of last year, I boasted: "If Windows phone is No. 2 by 2015, I'll kiss Steve Ballmer's feet". Looks like Microsoft's CEO and I get a year's reprieve. Once again, IDC makes ridiculous, bold claims about how Windows Phone will ascend to second place in market share, now in 2016. Oh, pleeease forgive my skepticism considering how Windows Phone share has done nothing but fall like a rock -- 1.9 percent sales share in Q1, according to Gartner.

It's a year later in the forecast, so I'm making a new pledge. Since my prediction and ego would be in the toilet, I'll clean Ballmer's if Windows Phone rises like IDC predicts. It's a pledge I never expect to fulfill, so it's easy to make. Besides, in this newer forecast, IDC places an escape clause, suggesting waning confidence Nokia can lift Windows Phone so high.

Before getting to Windows Phone, let's dispatch with Android, and the headline you'll repeatedly read today as the Apple Fan Club of bloggers and journalists wallow in another IDC prediction: That Android growth will peak this year and fall by 2016. Defeat is in their grasp! Long live iPhone! Eh, yeah. What about iOS/iPhone peaking and falling below Windows Phone within four years? IDC expects Android smartphone OS share, based on shipments, to reach 61 percent this year but fall to 52.9 percent by 2016. Oh, the grief Google product managers must be experiencing today. What a terrible crisis to have only 53 percent market share -- or more than the next two competitors combined. Let's pause a moment and wipe a tear for Android.

But we needn't weep for iOS/iPhone, since I believe IDC is wrong about Windows Phone and the forecast puts Apple and Microsoft mobile OSes neck and neck -- 19 percent and 19.2 percent, respectively. For Apple that's a decline, by the way, from 20.5 percent, which granted is nowhere near Android's predicted fall. IDC sees Windows Phone rising from the wallows of 5.2 percent this year. Whoopsie, IDC's forecast for both is Windows 7 and Mobile combined.

For a little added perspective, let's compare the new forecast with the old, which admittedly differ by a year. In 2015, IDC had predicted market share for Android at 45.4 percent, Windows Phone at 20.9 percent and iOS at 15.3 percent -- coming from in 2011 39.5 percent, 5.5 percent and 15.7 percent, respectively.

IDC's revised BlackBerry OS data shows just how wrong these forecasts can be in a fast-changing and hard-developing category. In the last forecast, the analyst firm had BlackBerry share dipping from 14.9 percent in 2011 to 13.7 percent in 2015. The new: 6 percent in 2012 to 5.9 percent in 2016. My oh my.

The point: IDC doesn't have a crystal ball or time machine. Its forecasts are often wrong and have repeatedly proven to be so regarding mobile devices -- there it's not alone.

The newest forecast is flawed in many of the same ways as its predecessors. IDC assumes that Nokia's reach, particularly in emerging markets, will lift Windows Phone shipments. At last, IDC concedes this by placing a big "exit in the case of emergency" clause in the new forecast by qualifying: "Assuming Nokia's foothold in emerging markets is maintained".

Five factors negate IDC's Windows Phone predictions:

1. Samsung ended Nokia's 14-year handset lead during first quarter, as measured by shipments and actual sales. Nokia market share slumped from 25.1 percent year over year to 19.8 percent in the broader handset market, or a 22.7 percent decline. Nokia is caught between a rock and a hard place -- declining feature phone sales and Windows Phone transition.

2. IDC's first-quarter data on shipments and Gartner's on sales show Nokia losing momentum in emerging markets, even as smartphone conversion accelerates. Samsung smartphone shipments soared 267 percent in the quarter, according to IDC, while Nokia fell 50.8 percent. Looked at differently: Smartphones accounted for 43.9 percent of actual Samsung sales in Q1, but only 16 percent for Nokia.

3. IDC forecasts a 10-percent decline in feature phone shipments, the majority going to the same emerging markets where Nokia is strongest -- places like China and India. Handset owners aren't upgrading to newer "text and talk" mobiles or to smartphones, mainly because of economic uncertainty or actual hard times. If people don't buy in Nokia's core markets, Windows Phone doesn't gain share from its major distributor, creating more opportunities for Android and iPhone to sweep away customers later on.

4. Samsung accounts for 40 percent of Android sales, and this is a new and rapidly accelerating trend. More significantly, Gartner's Q1 data on actual sales shows Samsung gaining in Nokia's traditionally core emerging markets. Samsung's success comes at Nokia's expense, raising Android while keeping Windows Phone down. There's a war afoot, and it's not between Android and Windows Phone but Samsung and Nokia. The Finnish phone maker is losing.

5. The smartphone market is consolidating around two major manufacturers -- Apple and Samsung. Based on actual sales data from Gartner, Apple and Samsung will as soon as second quarter account for more than 50 percent of all smartphone sales.

IDC hinges Windows Phone's ascension to Nokia distribution. But as these five points show, Nokia's future success is uncertain.

Kevin Restivo, IDC senior research analyst, says that smartphone growth "will increasingly be driven by a triumvirate of smartphone operating systems, namely Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7". That's not how I see the numbers. Unless something dramatic happens over the next 12 months, Apple and Samsung will dominate the smartphone market, leaving Nokia a far distant third at best.

Sorry, Steve Ballmer, you'll have to clean your own toilet.

Photo Credit: Ammit Jack/Shutterstock

Instead of buying a touch-enabled PC for Windows 8, just use your iPad or Android tablet

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 5:52pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Splashtop Inc. makes a handful of applications that allow users to link their mobile tablets with their PC in different ways. On Wednesday, the company released a new tool for developers that lets them use an Android tablet or an iPad as the touch interface for Windows 8.

Called Win8 Metro Testbed -- Powered by Splashtop, the application recognizes more than a dozen Windows 8 touch gestures, including: Swipe to view the Charms menu, Swipe to switch apps, Swipe left/right in Internet Explorer to move between pages, Swipe down to bring up additional menus, Swipe down on an item to select it, Pull down to close an app, Slow swipe to "snap" two apps side-by-side, Swipe to show running apps, Pinch for "Semantic Zoom," and more.

The solution is meant to give developers a way to test their Windows 8 app touch interactions even if they don't have a touch-enabled Windows device to test upon.

Win8 Metro Testbed is available in Google Play and the iTunes App Store today at a discounted price of $24.99. After launch, the app will be available for its full retail price of $49.99.

Change your LinkedIn password NOW: 6.5 million accounts at risk

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 4:56pm CEST par Ed Oswald

LinkedIn users are advised to change their passwords after it was revealed that more than 6.5 million encrypted passwords were posted to a Russian hacker website. The hackers are attempting to enlist help to crack the encryption, and 300,000 accounts are already compromised.

Security experts who have seen the data say the encryption appears weak and will likely be broken in short order. This means millions more will soon be at risk of having their accounts compromised. While the social network has yet to confirm the breach, it did say it was "looking into reports".

With 150 million users total, this hack only affects about five percent of LinkedIn's userbase. That said, the attack vector nor extent of the hack is known and more password data may exist. While the hackers have not posted user data to match these passwords, Finnish security firm CERT-FI believes they have access to such information.

If you're on LinkedIn, it's a good idea to change your password now. Make sure this password is different from those of other sites, for additional security. This makes you less susceptible to attacks where a hacker gains access to one of your accounts and then attempts to use these credentials elsewhere.

News of the hack follows another report from Wednesday morning on the way LinkedIn's iOS app transmits data. TheNextWeb reports that the app collects notes and calendar information and sends it to the company in plain text, possibly disclosing private information to snoopers.

The option is opt-in, so by default the app will send no data. LinkedIn appeared to take issue with the report, although it has updated both the iOS and Android apps as a result.

"You may have seen a few press stories highlighting concerns about how your data is used in the opt-in calendar feature of our mobile phone apps", mobile product head Joff Redfern writes in a blog post.

Calling it a "great feature", Redfern says the LinkedIn app will "no longer send data from the meeting notes section of your calendar event". Additionally, the app now includes a "learn more" link for users to understand better how their data is being used. Redfern stressed that data had always been sent over a secure (SSL) connection.

Photo Credit: Gunnar Pippel/Shutterstock

PickMeApp moves just about all your applications from one PC to another

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 3:58pm CEST par Mike Williams

In the long list of PC Jobs We Really Hate, there’s one task in particular which stands out from all the others: reinstalling (or relocating) applications. Installing the core program files on a new PC is easy enough, but then you have to manually recreate accounts, remember and restore all your old configuration settings, perhaps download extensions and addons: it can take forever to get everything working as it was.

You could avoid most of this hassle by using the appropriate Laplink package to relocate the programs for you, of course, but that can be a little expensive. And so you might prefer to opt for PickMeApp, a free tool that also promises to help move just about all your applications from one system to another, without requiring any manual reinstallations at all.

Free? Yes, although this does mean you’ll have to navigate more than your share of adware issues while using the program. On installation PickMeApp wanted to install Babylon Search and 2YourFace, for instance. And the terms and conditions also state that you’ll be offered further “interesting” software once every 4-7 days of program usage.

And for some reason the developers also make it unusually difficult to download the program. You must create an account, wait for an email, log in and set a password before you get access to the PickMeApp build.

If this isn’t enough to put you off, though, the underlying functionality of the program seems reasonably solid. It appears to recognise a lot of programs; it can capture them (store their files and state) in a click or two; and it’s just as easy to deploy those programs onto a new PC.

There are some conveniences we weren’t expecting, too. If you need to configure multiple new PCs in the same way, for instance, you’ll appreciate PickMeApp’s command line interface, which makes it easy to automate the processes of capturing, installing or uninstalling applications.

And once you understand the basics then the program is generally fairly easy to use. (If you’d like a preview, the User Manual will tell you more.)

Aside from the adware, though, our major concern with PickMeApp is that it’s still a beta, more liable than usual to contain bugs. And if your applications aren’t relocated with 100% accuracy then it could cause you all kinds of hassles. Don’t let that put you off entirely – if PickMeApp works for you then it’ll probably save you a great deal of time -- but just be careful, test it with a few minor applications before you relocate a complete system.

Photo Credit: Liv friis-larsen/Shutterstock

Microsoft gives back to Android, but users say 'no thanks'

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 6:01am CEST par Joe Wilcox

Thanks to some smart lawyering or perhaps fears CEO Steve Ballmer will show up unannounced, Microsoft has negotiated envious patent fee payments from nearly all major Android licensees. So there's something fitting about the software giant giving a little something back to Android, by way of an exclusive app -- well for now -- on{X}. Or perhaps it's a Trojan Horse to undo Android phones, chopping up performance or draining battery life. Or maybe Microsoft sees Android users as easy beta testers, considering the more rigorous standards for getting into Apple's App Store than Google Play.

One thing is certain: Early on{X} users despise the app, which has some of the worst reviews you'll see at Google Play. As I post, the app has average rating of 1.8 stars out of five. Among the 244 reviewers, 178 give the app a single star. Ouch! I had planned to grab this one, which is available in beta, but skipped after seeing the scathing response.

Microsoft quietly announced on{X} on June 3, but apparently not loudly enough to be noticed. The app and companion website got a second debut late yesterday, on the Bing blog. So Eran Yariv, principal development manager, had the pleasure of blogging twice about on{X}, which does look cool in concept. Perhaps the app will grow rapidly better.

Yariv describes on{X} as a "developer-oriented service that enables us, the developers and technological enthusiasts, to easily program our mobile device to dynamically react to the continuously changing environment". Now there's another good reason for Microsoft making the app an Android affair for now. The enthusiast community of jailbreakers and custom ROMs is active, and many of its members are developers.

For the end user, on{X} is an automation system, for programming the phone to respond to activities or actions, some of which can be trigged by time, tasks or the phone's motion. For developers, Microsoft is building out an automation platform.

Yariv explains: "For each such triggering event, we can easily create reactions. Instead of limiting the reaction to a simple list of actions, we are offering the full power of JavaScript. That’s right, you can push any arbitrary JavaScript code, remotely, down to your mobile device and hook it up to a continuous signals sensing framework that you only need to download and install once. The possibilities are wide open -- you no longer need to worry about the target platform".

Think of on{X} like applying email rules to the Android phone. The app runs JavaScript rules that respond to triggers that lead to some action. The triggers range from the phone's sensors to information it collects -- anything from motion to changes in the weather. Example: Phone is programmed to detect when you're done working -- perhaps by time, motion or both -- and texts someone you're heading home.

"One of the most useful APIs that we offer is "modeOfTransport", says Saar Yahalom, Microsoft senior developer. This allows apps to "detect whether the user is walking, running or driving a car". Developers can incorporate the API, and others, into their apps.

Microsoft provides a selection of what it calls "Recipes" that on{X} users can apply to their Androids right now. Too bad early users are dissatisfied.

Among the biggest complaints: Microsoft requires Facebook login to use on{X}. The first seven reviews (as I write) all give one star, complaining about the Facebook requirement. The FB complaints go on and on and on. Eoin, who uses HTC, is typical: "Facebook? App sounds great, but forced Facebook ruins it". Brandon: "First ever app comment. Everybody's life doesn't revolve around Facebook! So since I can't log in using a normal email address I can't use the app. FAIL". Scoot: "Who uses fb these days? Why do i have to in order to use this app? Lame".

Some of the few people who actually have used the app, find it beneficial. Carlos Niebla, who gives on{X} four stars, calls it "a very good idea and a nice implementation. Is working perfectly on my SGS2, excep for it doesn't respect the 'back' button to exit the app (got to hit "home"). If you already use Facebook I see no problem to 'login with Facebook', as it is not a Google app ;-) Going to experiment with the Javascript interface :-)".

Glenn calls Facebook-only a "deal breaker", adding:

Why? Every Android phone has a Google Account, and with the auth API's built into Andoroid it's simply stupid that this is not an option. Google Auth done properly is a very seemless and pleasent experiance on an Android phone, and trivial to add to any web site. For ease of use Google Auth should be included, and the default, on any such Android App. Also, having MS Live auth would be a good idea as well, allowing integration later with OneNote and Hotmail. While having a Facebook option is also a good idea, it is incredibly stupid to have it as the only option.

Nicole, who has the Motorola Photon 4G and gives the app one star, wonders: "Only make new rules from a computer?" That's a good point.

Microsoft could have saved itself from most of these negative reviews, which give an awfully bad impression of the app, simply by offering a different or another authentication system.

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Sony Playstation Mobile wants certified third-party Android devices in the gaming ecosystem starting with HTC

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 2:50am CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

At the the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012 Sony Press Conference, Sony announced a big push for their mobile phone gaming platform for Android powered mobile devices. Once called Sony Playstation Suite, Sony is first changing the name to Playstation Mobile. The whole idea is about making it possible to allow access to PlayStation Classic games and other PlayStation titles on "PlayStation Certified" devices. This move expands the selection of access to Playstation games for mobile beyond the current Sony made Xperia phone and tablet line of Android devices.

Sony Computer Entertainment of Europe (SCEE) president, Andrew House, announced this on stage during the briefing as a big move, "That is promoting PlayStation Mobile for third-party Android Cellphone makers". House also unveiled the initiative's first third-party hardware partner is HTC. Not much more in the way of details besides this has been released. It's interesting that Sony would jump into this kind of bed.

Sony Electronics is known to keep all equipment very insular in its platforms. The typical goal from Sony has been "consumer product solutions" by owning all Sony electronics. Sony's goal is to sell more Sony gadgets, VAIO computers, Bravia TVs, Playstation game consoles, Alpha cameras, and Xperia phones -- all part of the "Sony Life" branding. That is why I find it so very strange the consumer electronics giant would be one to put its games on someone else's hardware, even if just mobile phone games.

To put it in context, think Nintendo putting Mario on iPhone or another console other than its own. The only reason I see Sony doing this is the overhead costs and returns for allowing these classic, e.g. old, properties on third-party devices. But how will this integrate with the already existing PSN network store? Will you be able to transfer those Playstation classics between phone, console, and Vita? That is the question I want to really find out.

Meg Whitman battles to convince world that HP isn't in terminal decline

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 1:49am CEST par Ed Oswald

HP Discover is the company's yearly opportunity to showcase its product lineup for enterprise customers. This year's event takes on a different tone, as some people are concerned about the company's future direction and whether or not HP's best days are behind it.

HP CEO Meg Whitman took over the company last September, following mixed messages on the fate of its consumer-facing businesses and a failed mobile operating system strategy in WebOS.

This culminated two weeks ago with the announcement that HP will cut 27,000 jobs, nearly eight percent of the workforce. This turbulence has given corporate customers -- typically used to slow change and stability -- reasons to worry.

Whitman took the stage Tuesday morning in Las Vegas to allay those fears. "The kind of turmoil that HP has had at the top of the company can take a toll on company's, employees, and shareholders", she told those in attendance. That said, Whitman noted the company was taking actions to right HP's sinking ship. "HP is a remarkably resilient company".

While former CEO Apotheker signaled HP was to exit the hardware business, Whitman's on stage comments suggest the sector that makes up nearly three quarter's of HP's revenues is a key part of its future strategy. Whitman says hardware is the "foundation" for its more service-centric future.

Her words should provide some solace to investors and customers. HP must "get with the times" and wean itself off of hardware revenues. Services are far more profitable, and increasing in demand in the enterprise as the entire sector moves to the cloud. Whitman understands this while at the same time acknowledging that sectors like cloud computing are extraordinarily competitive.

That could be one of the reasons why HP has decided to stick with its hardware business for the time being. It already has a successful business here, and will provide investors with the steady stream of income they're looking for to assure them the company is in good health.

At the same time, these investors (as well as employees, who are likely shaken by last month's layoffs) are looking to see that the company is ready to meet the market demands of the future. "We are here to make it matter for you. We are aligning our portfolio to deliver what you need most", Whitman told attendees.

Nintendo says Wii U will revolutionize the living room, we hope so

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 1:19am CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

The stage is set at the Nokia theater. The large screen in the middle of the stage flickers with the logo of Nintendo before the familiar face of Shigeru Miyamoto, the father of Mario and Zelda, shows up with his pixie-like smile and innocent glee. Nintendo's opening act for today's E3 Expo press conference -- the Wii U update of the Gamecube classic Pikmin in Pikmin 3, setting the tone for the entire presentation.

This conference is about the games first, hardware accessories are a far second thought. The features of the Wii U hardware are only mentioned by Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime, by saying "The Wii U will have YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Video, but you can find out more about the console later, let's do a rundown of the new GamePad and get back to what's important, the games!"

That's it on the Wii U console. The only other time hardware/accessories are mentioned outside of the rest of the press event is a quick blurb viral meme joke from Fils-Aime: "My body is ready" to talk about the Wii Fit U Fit Meter and how it will sync a Pedometer via the IR port on the Wii U GamePad.

The next act for Nintendo is to introduce their new social platform: "The Miiverse", what Nintendo views as its answer to the Xbox Live social interaction juggernaut. Using the interaction of your cartoony Wii avatar called a Mii, Nintendo wants to show you with visual representation of your friends' Miis what's popular and what's hot in the apps and games on your Wii U.

The desktop loads to an open space where your friends' Miis gather around large floating tiles representing a game or app on the Nintendo Wiiverse. It gives an instant understanding of what games or apps are hot or not by the crowd of Mii's around it. You also will see message bubble popups similar to that seen in a social interactive Twitter map.

This new Social window is key to games like "New Super Mario Bros. U", which will integrate with the Miiverse. Miis leave message bubbles with tips and tricks on a per-level basis, or as Fils-Aime says: "a real time social window that will open up as you play".

There will also be new integration for multiplayer in what Nintendo calls dual-screens gameplay - asymmetric gameplay in which the person uses the new GamePad to control, lead or mess with other people just playing with the Wiimotes. This is where Nintendo announces that Wii U will support two separate Wii U GamePads, knowing the console only comes with one of them. No price is set yet though.

Another game integrating with Miiverse is Scribblenauts Unlimited -- a port of the popular iPad and Nintendo DS game now brought to the home console in HD, that will now allow your Mii friends to share and create new items to help solve puzzles and share with friends.

The Wii U marketing is in the games, and as such we get a demo of several Wii U games -- including Batman Arkham City, Armored edition. This version of the popular Batman franchise from Warner Brothers interactive integrates the usage and control of the Wii U GamePad in ways that extend the story and gameplay mechanics. Using the Wii GamePad will have you picking weapons, looking at scans, and planning your attacks.

There is also ZombieU from Ubisoft, which will have players trying to survive a "28 days later" zombie outbreak in Great Britain. The Wii U GamePad becomes a sniper scope, and electronic panel to unlock security doors, inventory menus and motion scanner panel.

Lastly, there is the Miiverse and Wii U GamePad equivalent of Windows solitaire, with the how to use the Wii U title called Nintendoland. Much like Wii Sports, it will take players through a series of mini games that will train Wii U owners how to play with the new interface and services. Each mini game is themed on twelve different Nintendo properties turned into rides at an amusement park.

Miiverse will also be available through web apps, mobile phones, and on the Nintendo DS on the launch day for the Wii U during Holiday 2013.

Photo Credit: Patrick Roanhouse

Zune -- It's really dead this time

Publié: juin 6, 2012, 12:30am CEST par Ed Oswald

Stop me if you heard this one before: the Zune is dead. Buried within Microsoft's slate of announcements at E3 was a change in branding, which effectively kills off the Zune altogether. A new music service is in the cards, called Xbox Music, which will be its replacement.

The Xbox branding is more appropriate considering the service will be available across Microsoft's disparate platforms -- Windows 8 computers and devices, Windows Phones, and the Xbox 360. Removing the Zune branding also gives the service a fresh start, free from the negative connotations the Zune name may have among many consumers.

Microsoft is all but confirming this, saying it decided on the Xbox brand name as it is better known. Zune players were discontinued last year, although the brand lived on in the form of an entertainment service for Windows-powered devices.

Now it appears Microsoft wants to scrub its hands of Zune altogether and start fresh. To be honest, it's probably not a bad idea.

Editor: Zune was dead long ago, Microsoft now admits the body is buried.

Google warns you when you're under cyber attack from the state

Publié: juin 5, 2012, 10:54pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Kentoh, Shutterstock

With the recent talk of state-sanctioned malware like Stuxnet and Flame, Google on Tuesday announced it has taken measures to alert its users when it believes they are the target of state-sponsored cyber attacks.

Google Vice President of Security Engineering Eric Grosse said on Tuesday that targeted users will receive an alert like the one pictured above. This alert warns when Google's internal analytics have sniffed out patterns that look like their email is the target of phishing or malware.

The question is, how is a state-sponsored activity any different from private activity?

"We can’t go into the details without giving away information that would be helpful to these bad actors, but our detailed analysis—as well as victim reports—strongly suggest the involvement of states or groups that are state-sponsored," said Grosse.

Though the methods are a mystery to the lay person, it is a sign of the times, indeed.

Photo: Kentoh/Shutterstock

iPhone market share heavily depends on carrier subsidies

Publié: juin 5, 2012, 10:44pm CEST par Sameer Singh

First in a series. Recently, there have been some articles stating that carrier subsidies may pose a risk to Apple. But before we accept or reject this assertion at face value, it would be prudent to find out just how much of an impact they have. We can do this by delving into a statistical analysis to isolate the key drivers of the iPhone's country-wise market share. So let's dive right in.

To start off with the analysis, we need to create a shortlist of a few key drivers that could have a major impact on the iPhone's market share. If these inputs do not have much of an impact, then the analysis would show us as much, so this initial shortlist doesn't have any bearing on the actual outcome of the analysis. My shortlist:

Brand Strength and Product Quality (difficult to quantify)
Purchasing Power of consumers in a given country
Carrier Subsidies

Analysis Inputs

Even though Brand Strength could not be directly included in the analysis, the percentage of variation in the iPhone's market share that is explained by changes in purchasing power and carrier subsidies, would give us a hint of the dependence on brand/product quality or any other factors as well.

It is important to mention that we are benchmarking these drivers with the iPhone's market share, and not absolute sales volume. It is obvious that carrier subsidies and purchasing power would be directly proportional to sales volume, since higher sales volume can be achieved at lower prices, while selling to consumers who have higher disposable income. These factors would affect all smartphone manufacturers and not just Apple. So we need to understand if these drivers have a greater impact on the iPhone's sales volume and hence, its market share and understand the implications of that impact.

So, our first task is to compile a list of countries along with the iPhone's market share in that country, the average carrier subsidy given to the iPhone and a measure of purchasing power parity (PPP) of that country. I managed to get a hold of data (see chart below) for 11 countries (the limiting factor for the selection of these countries was the availability of subsidy data).

Market share. The market share figures here are for sales in the most recent quarter or year (based on availability of figures). The only case where I had to take the market share for active devices was for Canada, as I couldn't find any alternate data (I've performed a sensitivity analysis of this data point just to make sure, and the variation is insignificant).

Market Share figures for USA, UK, Australia, Germany and Spain are from Kantar Worldpanel. The US market share for the iPhone seems a little inflated to me, being far higher than what all the other research firms have reported. But it wouldn't be right to ignore just the US figures from Kantar Woldpanel, so I performed the analysis separately with both Kantar Worldpanel's US market share numbers, as well as NPD's numbers to ensure this didn't skew the analysis.

Here are the sources for market share figures of the remaining countries -- China, Japan,India, Greece and Portugal. Kantar Worldpanel did include data for a few more countries, like France and Italy, but unfortunately, for these countries I was unable to uncover any reliable data on subsidies.

PP Index. This indicates the purchasing power of the consumers in the respective country, indexed to the US. So, the US has a PP index of 100 percent, while the purchasing power of other countries is a number relative to the US. I calculated the purchasing power index by taking the ratio of the country's nominal GDP to PPP adjusted GDP, as per IMF estimates.

Subsidy Index. This was the trickiest part. According to most reports, the most popular iPhone model is the 16GB iPhone 4S, and last year, it was the 16GB iPhone 4. The subsidy index is essentially the percentage of the retail price of an iPhone that has been subsidized by carriers.

In order to calculate this, I have considered the subsidized price of the 16GB iPhone 4S on a two year contract in relation to the unsubsidized retail price. I believe this is representative of the average subsidy per iPhone because of two reasons. First, this was the same price that the 16GB iPhone 4 sold at before the iPhone 4S was launched. Second, older iPhone models, like the current 8GB iPhone 4 are being sold completely subsidized and the higher end iPhone models (32GB and 64GB) are being sold with the same absolute subsidy amount, but with a higher retail price -- this means that the subsidized percentage is smaller. Hence, the average subsidy level would fall at around the same level as the 16GB iPhone 4S. In any case, the most important part of the data is the way the subsidy pattern changes across countries, which would be the same irrespective of the iPhone model we use to index the data against.

Here are my sources for the country-wise iPhone subsidy -- USA, China (China Telecom),UK (Vodafone), Australia, Japan, Germany, Canada (Telus), Greece and Portugal. Spanish carriers have already stopped carrier subsidies and Indian carriers have so far refrained from this practice as well. For some countries, I had to consider data from individual carriers, as all carriers did not separate device cost from data usage cost.

Correlation. The correlation between iPhone market share and the subsidy index is incredibly high, at 85 percent. When we consider NPD's market share data for the US, this becomes even higher at 90 percent. Meanwhile, the correlation between iPhone market share and the PP Index is just 56 percent. But just by looking at these figures, we cannot conclude that iPhone market share is dependent on carrier subsidies. We have established correlation, but not causality.

Regression Analysis

Our goal now is to test if a causal relationship exists between iPhone market share and the Subsidy/PP Index. In order to do this, we need to perform a multiple linear regression analysis with iPhone market share as the dependent variable and the Subsidy Index and PP Index as independent variables. In order to explain the output of the regression analysis, I will have to delve into some statistical principles. So, to make this easy for readers, I've separated the output into two sections -- Statistical Interpretation and Practical Interpretation. Readers who are unfamiliar with statistical principles can just skip to the next section.

Statistical Interpretation

Here is the output of the multiple linear regression analysis (with Kantar Worldpanel's US market share figures):

On first glance, we can clearly see that R Square of the model is 0.735, which indicates that that our model is quite robust. The F Significance is just 0.5 percent, which is well within the 5 percent significance level, implying a confidence level of 99.5 percent. The Subsidy Index has a p-value of 0.7 percent, which is also well within the 5 percent significance level. However, the PP Index has a p-value of 48 percent and hence is not statistically significant.

If we use US market share figures from NPD, the R Square improves to 0.855, with an F significance of just 0.04 percent, i.e. a confidence level of 99.96 percent. The Subsidy Index has a p-value of 0.1 percent, i.e. a confidence level of 99.9 percent. Even here, the PP Index has a p-value of 15 percent and hence is not statistically significant. This shows us that while NPD's US market share numbers improve the model, they give us essentially the same results.

Now, since PP Index is not statistically significant to our model. I also ran a simple linear regression to see just how strong the impact of carrier subsidies is. Here is the output of the simple linear regression analysis (with Kantar Worldpanel's US market share figures):

This is really the clincher. The R Square is 0.717 when we use the Subsidy Index as a single independent variable. The F Significance is just 0.1 percent and the Subsidy Index also has a p-value of just 0.1 percent.

When we use NPD's US market share figures, the R Square improves to a staggering 0.809. The F Significance is 0.2 percent and the Subsidy Index also has a value of 0.2 percent.

This again proves just how robust our model is and conclusively proves that the iPhone's market share is heavily dependent on carrier subsidies.

To ensure that this is correct, I have also measured the impact of carrier subsidies on Android's market share. I assumed the same carrier subsidy percentage for Android, as that is likely even if the absolute subsidy amount differs. In addition, the subsidy index across countries would definitely follow the same pattern. The results showed no statistical significant results as the R Square was just 0.076, with an F significance of 85 percent.

Practical Interpretation

Based on the outputs of our regression analysis, we see that the iPhone's market share is heavily dependent on carrier subsidies but, interestingly, does not depend on purchasing power in a given country. More than 70 percent of the variation in the iPhone's market share can be explained exclusively by carrier subsidies. This figure improves to more than 80 percent if we consider NPD's US market share figures, which not only proves the dependence of the iPhone's market share on carrier subsidies, but also that our model is fairly accurate. We have also been able to prove that carrier subsidies have no impact on the market share of Android smartphones.

Using the derived coefficients from the regression analysis, we can derive an estimation of the iPhone's market share in any country:

iPhone Market Share = 6.3% + 0.305 x Subsidy Index

The intercept of 6.3 percent gives us an indication of the impact of Apple's brand strength on its market share and a rough estimate of the expected market share in a world without carrier subsidies. Clearly, this is far lower than the impact carrier subsidies have on its market share.

The value of the intercept may not necessarily be accurate as it may depend on the brand loyalty for Apple in that particular country as compared to other manufacturers. But the model can accurately estimate the impact of changes in carrier subsidies on the iPhone's market share. For the US market, this translates into the iPhone losing roughly 4-5 percent in market share for every $100 reduction in carrier subsidies.

Based on the output of the regression model, it is clear that the iPhone derives most of its market share thanks to carrier subsidies and the impact of other factors like brand loyalty are comparatively low. Stay tuned for my next article on why the iPhone is so dependent on subsidies and why this will be a big problem for Apple.

Sameer Singh is an M&A professional and business strategy consultant focusing on the mobile technology sector. He is founder and editor of tech-thoughts.net.

Netflix will build content delivery network of its own

Publié: juin 5, 2012, 9:43pm CEST par Ed Oswald

Netflix is building its own content delivery network, a sign that the company wants to be able to deliver its content on its own terms. The move signals trouble for current content delivery partners, many of which get a large portion of their revenues through contracts with Netflix.

The company is not immediately tearing up these contracts: rather Netflix will continue to use these commercial networks for the "next few years". Eventually, however, most Netflix content will be delivered through its own pipes, called the "Open Connect Network".

"Given our size and growth, it now makes economic sense for Netflix to have [our own network]", vice president of content delivery at Netflix Ken Florance writes in a blog post.

About one billion hours of movies and TV shows are currently delivered by Netflix every month. Other major content providers -- such as YouTube -- have already deployed their own content networks. The effort aims to provide users with the best experience possible.

Netflix will deliver the content to the locations ISPs desire, or choose to access the content from a common Internet exchange. The company is also open-sourcing portions of the Open Connect framework, which it says is "suitable for any high-volume provider of large media files". About five percent of Netflix's traffic is already served through the next-generation network, the company says.

As expected, some of Netflix's partners in the content delivery space saw their stocks tumble following the announcement. Eleven percent of Limelight Network's revenues come from its Netflix contracts, and its stock tumbled over 13 percent to $2.34 in late trading, near a 52-week low. Akamai, another partner of Netflix, was down five percent to $26.93. Level 3 stock was up slightly to $20, but opened sharply down as news of Netflix's plans broke.

Limelight did not respond to requests for comment, although a spokesperson for Akamai said the company had been aware of Netflix's content delivery plans for several months.

Photo Credit: nmedia/Shutterstock

Google acquires Quickoffice, massively changes the mobile productivity scene

Publié: juin 5, 2012, 8:59pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Google issued a succinct announcement on Tuesday, stating it had acquired cross-platform mobile productivity app makers Quickoffice, and that Quickoffice will soon be integrated into the Google Apps product suite.

"When we embarked on our mission to become the world leader in office productivity, we knew we were taking on a huge challenge. We worked very hard to build Quickoffice as a user friendly, seamless and yet powerful way to view, edit, sync and share documents anywhere, anytime. It's been a very humbling experience to see this vision embraced by our users," said Allen Masarek, Co-founder and CEO of Quickoffice in a statement on Tuesday. "Now, we are ushering in a new chapter with Google. By combining the magic of Google's intuitive solutions with Quickoffice's powerful products, our shared vision for anytime, anywhere productivity can only grow."

Besides the fact that it's the best Office suite Android has, it's important to recognize that Quickoffice's applications serve as a bridge between Google Docs and Microsoft Office on Apple's iOS, the mega-important "bring your own device" platform.

In the first quarter of this year, Quickoffice launched an enterprise mobile app called ProSelect HD. This app lets companies with iPads in deployment have secure, centrally-managed mobile document editing via select cloud service providers and applications such as Box, Copiun, Oxygen Cloud, Accellion, Alfresco, GroupLogic, Moprise and Stratoshperix.

Toshiba teases two Windows RT devices, but has nothing to show

Publié: juin 5, 2012, 7:30pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Toshiba USA on Tuesday announced a small selection of next-generation Windows machines, including a new ultrabook in the Satellite family, a convertible Windows 8 notebook designed in conjunction with Intel, and pair of mobile devices running Windows RT.

Unlike Asus, who yesterday presented mostly finished preproduction prototypes of its first Windows RT device, Toshiba did not show off much in the way of RT hardware. Instead, the company presented a loose roadmap for device availability.

The two devices Toshiba announced on Tuesday are being designed in conjunction with Texas Instruments, and will be powered by multi-core TI OMAP systems on a chip. One will be a touchscreen clamshell PC, and one will be a mobile tablet with keyboard dock similar to the Asus Tablet 600.

And that's about it as far as Windows RT is concerned. The company did not provide any preliminary specs or prototype designs, and aside from a few comments about how the devices will be launched at roughly the same time as the other Windows RT devices.

Unfortunately, it's such a small category right now, there's only the one "other" Windows RT device.

Photo: Reinhold Leitner/Shutterstock

Techies, June will be the most amazing month EVER

Publié: juin 3, 2012, 6:57pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Save your greenbacks now. During these thirty days you'll hear about lots of innovative and imitative products coming for the holidays. There's no coal in Santa's stocking this year, just too much tech to fit your gift list.

Not since the late 1990s, when seemingly every day some vendor announced a new PC that was ever-so-better than the one you bought the week before, is there so much new tech coming so close together. The cloud connected-device era ushers in a storm of tech. Save up now so you don't break the bank account or exceed credit card limits later.

Computex. Microsoft kicked off this amazing June early, by issuing days ahead of schedule Windows 8 Release Preview. The new operating system foreshadows lots of new an exciting PC and slate designs. You'll hear about some of them during Comutex in Taiwan, which runs from June 5-9. Sure, Windows 8 won't ship for yet another three or four months, but development is far enough along for OEMs to announce hot, new models for the holidays. Some of the most innovative products will run Windows RT.

E3. There's no need to wait until Tuesday. Later today, 6pm EDT, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announces details about the Wii U ahead of the formal E3 video game expo June 5 keynote. There's more: Microsoft is expected to make big noise June 4 at Noon EDT, while Sony preps PlayStation 4 news at 9 pm EDT. These are among the big, pre-show announcements; E3 officially runs from June 5-7 in Los Angeles.

Google Maps. On June 6, Google will announce the next-generation of Maps, in what promises to be an out-Appling Apple. The iPhone maker often steals competitors' thunder by way of big announcement or unofficial leak around the same time as their news. Google gives Apple a little goose, ahead of rumors that Maps is out and home-grown replacement in upcoming in iOS 6.

WWDC. Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference runs from June 11-15, with the big keynote planned for Day One. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company already unveiled next OS X version Mountain Lion, which is expected to get a big, splashy coming-out party. In February, Apple said that Mountain Lion would ship this summer, which by the calendar could be anywhere from June 20 to September 22. My guess: Mountain Lion will come concurrently with rumored, higher-resolution MacBook Pros.

Meanwhile, iOS 6 is sure to debut, ahead of the next iPhone's release, when WWDC 2012 commences in San Francisco. I don't expect Apple to launch iPhone 5, although doing so would steal thunder from hot, new Androids, like HTC One X or Samsung Galaxy S III. Much of the S3 innovation is about software. Apple has opportunity with iOS 6 to snatch back mindshare.

Galaxy S III. Speaking of Samsung's hot, new smartphone, expect June 20 launch on these shores. A S3 variant with 2GB of RAM is confirmed for Canada, while US counterparts have started sneaking through the FCC approval process (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon). Sure, Samsung launched Galaxy S III in 28 countries last month, racking up 9 million preorders, but North America is the leading market for smartphones (it's not China yet). There is definite demand.

Google I/O. The month caps off June 27-29 with the Google I/O developer conference. There the search and information giant is rumored to announce an Asus-manufactured, 7-inch quad-core Nexus tablet and next Android version Jellybean. Given Google's renewed emphasis on cross-integrating products and services, anniversary launch of Google+ (also this month) and increasing emphasis on social search, the event promises much. That's without considering Chrome, which StatCounter claims beat out Internet Explorer as top-used browser in May, or Chrome OS, supported by new Chromebook models and Chromebox launched this past week.

There is much to look forward to this month, and I've only hit on the obvious stuff. Expect loads more, as vendors prepare some truly exciting tech for summer and autumn release, stacking up the goodies for holiday 2012.

Photo Credit: doglikehorse/Shutterstock

Start off June with one of these 23 software downloads

Publié: juin 2, 2012, 8:24pm CEST par Mark Wilson

By far the biggest releases of the past week come from Microsoft. The up-coming Windows 8 is now really not too far away and you can check to see whether your computer is going to be able to run it by downloading yourself a copy of Microsoft Windows 8 Release Preview Setup. This simple little tool can also be used to obtain a product key that can be used to install Microsoft Windows 8 Release Preview (32-bit) or Microsoft Windows 8 Release Preview (64-bit).

Whether you are using the very latest version of Windows or a slightly older one, security is of the utmost importance, and ZoneAlarm Free 10.2.47.0 is a free firewall that helps to protect your internet connection, while IObit Advanced SystemCare 5.3.0.246 is a complete security suite with added optimization options. From the same stables, there is also IObit Advanced SystemCare with Antivirus 2012 (v5.5.2) Beta 2 add virus protection in this preview release.

Cyberlink upgraded its product line with the release of CyberLink PowerDirector 10 Deluxe (build 1703), which has been updated with improved processor support -- third generation Intel Core i5/i7 and second generation AMD APU 4000 and 5000 series -- along with improved stability and performance. Also available is CyberLink PowerDirector 10 Ultra (build 1703), which also includes native 64-bit support, 3D options and more. As well as video editing, Cyblerlink also produces video and DVD playback software. CyberLink PowerDVD 12.0.9380.1620 Pro can be used to play DVDs, Blu-rays, as well as a wide range of online content; CyberLink PowerDVD 12.0.9380.1620 Ultra is also available and includes DLNA Digital Media Controller and Renderer.

If you have photos to work with rather than videos, the updated Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.1 may be what you’re looking for. The latest release adds new Color Fringing corrections, the ability to work with HDR TIFF files as well as support for Adobe Revel.

Struggling to keep on top of your inboxes? EmailTray 4.0 is an email prioritization tool that ensures that you are only notified about the most important emails that hit your inbox while lower priority messages and spam are filtered out. If you’re looking to kit out your computer with software to enables you to get to work, you could do much worse than installing LibreOffice Productivity Suite 3.5.4, and TED Notepad 6.0.2 is a great replacement tool for Notepad completed with nine built in clipboards for easy copying and pasting of text.

In a similar vein, Notepad++ 6.1.3 plugs the gap that exists between the likes of Notepad and fully fledged word processors, with support for large files, recognition of various coding languages and much more -- there’s even a portable version available in the form of Notepad++ Portable 6.1.3.

Anyone looking to benchmark their system or just find out more about hardware and software should take a look at the updated AIDA64 2.50, which now features SensorPanel graphs and gauges, and support for Intel 330 and OCZ Vertex 4 SSD. This week there have also been a few releases that help you to make better use of your monitors.DisplayFusion 4.0.1 is a great tool if you have two or more monitors in place, providing you with shortcuts for moving programs and windows between screens.

Dexpot 1.5.17 and Dexpot 1.5.17 Portable are more suitable if you only have one monitor, as it gives you virtual desktop to work with – up to twenty, in fact! If you’re reading this article, you undoubtedly have an interest in software, and Sandboxie 3.70 is a great way to ensure that new software doesn’t affect the rest of your system by giving you the option of sandboxing apps. The penultimate app for this week,

BlueStacks App Player 0.7.0 (beta) can be used to run Android apps on your PC. If you need a break from working with apps, why not play a game? Space Invaders OpenGL 0.6.1 is a great way to relive your youth by returning to the virtual arcade.

That’s it for this week’s roundup.

Photo Credit: Victor Correia/Shutterstock

What's in game at E3 Expo? You wanna know, and we're gonna tell you

Publié: juin 2, 2012, 6:43pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

Follow me, Patrick Roanhouse, as I cover major press news from the E3: Electronic Entertainment Expo -- the the biggest video game trade show in the United States. Developed and birthed when the video game industry outgrew the once gigantic consumer electronics tradeshow Comdex, E3 expo first pressed the start button in 1995.

Historically Los Angeles based, E3 Expo marks the start-off point for the titans of the video game industry to sell their newest wares to retail corperate buyers for the Latin, American, and European markets in Las Vegas-level neon showcases. An industry, journalism, and buyer only tradeshow, attending E3 Expo typically is the the dream for most video game nerds eager to see the next big thing.

News breaks, tech is shown and people openly weep. Joy or sadness, you never know which. But this is the tradeshow that gets kids and man-childs burning pen to paper for holiday wishlists. This year plans to be a big one. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo are all speculated to announce or set release dates for big bad brand new home game consoles.

The industry has greatly evolved since the days of Pong, Atari 2600, and Colecovision. Video games and video consoles are massive multi billion dollar multimedia convergence platforms. With the integration of "apps" and downloadable content the new game consoles have evolved to now be the end all be all box for your home entertainment experience.

But the big-three console makers will be drop big news this year. As previously stated, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, each have new consoles in the works. Now pushing the boundaries of the online gaming, 2k video, motion control, and 3D. If rumors are to be believed, 4k video will be state of art and gamers will get even more user control with voice and motion. Nintendo, though, is just entering the HD race with the new Wii U, while another minor internal beefed up to the Wii and Gamecube; its new killer feature is an iPad-like six-inch touchscreen and joy pad combo controller for the primary player. It was demo showcased behind closed doors at last year's E3. But the big question burning in most gamers' mind's eyes is ''What will Sony and Microsoft have?"

Sony has their system spec leaked Playstation 4, codename 'Orbis'. In the Microsoft camp, they have their developer whispered Xbox 720, codename 'Durango'. Both are rumored to support more platform services intergration for online stores and media playback. But they are also rumored to push full 1080p 60fps 3D video support. Also multiplayer and 3D games the tech is being prepped to handle the future Super HD video standards of 4k video -- display tech that only just got announced in prototype form at the CES 2011 tradeshow this year from LG and Sharp.

The point is the big boys are coming out and they are ready to fight it out in this next chapter of the console wars. I will provide coverage from the press conferences and interviews with developers over the course of the insanity that takes the downtown LA area like a tropical storm.

The current schedule for major press conferences I will focus on are:

Monday, June 4th, 9:00 am -- Xbox E3 2012 Media Briefing
Monday, June 4th, 6:00 pm -- Sony E3 Press Conference
Tuesday, June 5th, 9:00 am -- Nintendo All-Access Presentation @ E3 2012
Tuesday , June 5th, 6:00 pm -- ShowStoppers @ E3

All times are Pacific.

I will also do booth tours and interviews and post them as the day goes by between the show floor days June 5th to June 7th.

Photo Credit: Joe Wilcox

The world will break the Zettabyte barrier in 2016

Publié: juin 1, 2012, 9:02pm CEST par Tim Conneally

Ghanaian cinema may have already shown us that 2016 is going to be an awesome year, but this week networking technology company Cisco released its Visual Networking Index Forecast which makes some big predictions about data traffic in the year 2016 that are pretty mind-blowing themselves.

Cisco's VNI whitepaper is built upon reputable third-party analyst projections, in-house forecasts, and hard data collection, and it is part of the company's initiative to track the growth of "visual networking," or the use of video as the central communicative and entertainment medium over IP connections, including TV-over-Internet, social video, and video on demand.
In it, Cisco makes a number of noteworthy predictions:

Global IP traffic will exceed a Zettabyte for the first time- Cisco predicts approximately 1.3 Zettabytes of traffic will pass through the global pipeline in the year 2016. This is approximately 109.5 exabytes of traffic per month, or 12.5 petabytes every five minutes.

There will be three times as many connected devices as there are people- In 2011, there was one connected device per capita. Cisco says this will triple by 2016. It's well on track to meeting Swedish network technology company Ericsson's own goal of making 50 billion connected devices by 2020, or 7.3 connected devices per capita (based upon today's global population.)

Wireless end user traffic will exceed wired- . In 2016, wired devices will account for 39 percent of IP traffic, while Wi-Fi and mobile devices will account for 61 percent of IP traffic.

All Non-PC devices will grow at a much faster rate than PCs- Cisco says PC-originated traffic will grow at a compound annual growth rate of just 26 percent from 2011 to 2016, while TVs will grow at a CAGR of 77 percent, tablets will grow at 129 percent, smartphones at 119 percent, and machine-to-machine modules will have a growth rate of 86 percent.

Online gaming is the fastest growing segment of consumer Internet traffic- In 2011, Cisco says online gaming (that is, casual online gaming, networked console gaming, and multiplayer virtual-world gaming and not the downloading of games) generated approximately 67 Petabytes worth of consumer Internet traffic per month. In 2016, that will have blown up to 440 Petabytes a month, showing a 46 percent compound growth rate, a faster growth than file sharing, internet video, VoIP, Web surfing, e-mail, and general data exchange.

Long-form video and Live Internet TV will peak in 2015 and decline- Cisco predicts long-form content streaming (that is, any video over seven minutes in length) and live streaming television events on the web will grow to generate a peak combined total of 22,340 Petabytes of traffic in 2015, and then begin to decline in 2016. Cisco predicts all other forms of video (short-form, ambient/webcam, Internet PVR, Mobile video, etc.) will continue unabated growth into 2016.

Cisco's Whitepaper can be downloaded here.

Say, iPad idolaters, don't write the laptop's epitaph just yet

Publié: juin 1, 2012, 8:05pm CEST par Mike Feibus

May you live in interesting times. It’s an ancient curse. Or is it a blessing? There are volumes devoted to that age-old issue. In my world, though, there’s nothing gray about this topic. I get paid to answer questions, so interesting times are a blessing. Straight up. When clients don’t have any questions, now that’s a curse.

These are blessed times we live in, my friends. At least it is in my world. It’s hard to believe that it’s only been two years since Apple sold the first iPad. The year before, the tech world marveled at the vitality of the PC. Incredibly, shipments grew in 2009, defying gravity at a time when the rest of the economy seemed to be in a free-fall. My, how things have changed.

Today, many of you now are busy chiseling the epitaph onto the face of the laptop’s tombstone. Sorry, I don’t mean to spoil the ending. I know you’re still working. But from what I gather, it’s going to read something like this:

"Here lies the laptop
Sluggish, heavy, unresponsive
We’d miss you
If we didn’t all have iPads"

You might want to put the funeral plans on hold for a while, though, because the PC is about to get interesting again. The ecosystem, sparked by Intel’s Ultrabook initiative, has been hard at work trying to erase its shortcomings, which together singed a hole in the market wide enough to drive more than 100 million media tablets through.

I’m fond of saying that equilibrium for personal electronics stands at two devices, one in the pocket and one in the briefcase. When we buy a third device, it’s for picking up the slack for one or both primary devices.

If you’ve strolled down the aisle of a commercial flight during the past year, you might conclude that what the iPad brought to the computing world was Solitaire. I’m being facetious, of course, though the real answer is interrelated.

First and foremost, the tablet is tackling the laptop’s deficient battery life. It’s giving us a chance to read, watch a movie -- and yes, play Solitaire -- without siphoning any of the juice needed for productivity apps.

That’s how the tablet pushed its way alongside the laptop in our briefcases. That it’s a more recline-friendly form factor, that it boasts superior battery life, that it’s easier and quicker to engage and access is why we’re turning to it more and more.

Many of us still opt for the laptop for more creation-centric tasks. But because the tablet is more accessible, it wins out for anything that we can do equally well on either device, like researching something on the web.

So there’s a lot riding on the PC ecosystem’s response, which kicks off in earnest at the Computex trade show next week in Taiwan. It will be the coming-out party for dozens of new laptop models. They’re sleek and sexy. They’re more responsive. They boast better battery life.

Many of them are convertible clamshells that double as tablets for reading, gaming and watching video. Some have touchscreens or offer them as an option.

If you have a tablet and a laptop, these new portables probably won’t convince you to go back to one device. But if you’re deciding whether to buy your first tablet or replace your current system, I’ll bet that one of these new laptops will lure you in.

All in all, a good first step toward bringing us back to equilibrium, and a good reason to put off finishing that tombstone.

Photo Credit: metalstock/Shutterstock

Mike Feibus is principal analyst at TechKnowledge Strategies, a Scottsdale, Ariz., market research firm focusing on client technologies. You can reach him at mike at techknowledge-group dot com.

XtraFinder 0.5 gives OS X Snow Leopard or Lion more roar

Publié: juin 1, 2012, 7:05pm CEST par Nick Peers

It may not be the sexiest feature in OS X, but there’s little doubt of the importance of Finder to your day-to-day computing. Each iteration of OS X comes and goes, tweaks and refines Finder that little bit more, and yet along come developers who take the Apple ethos that little bit further and find tweaks to make things just work.

Most of these Finder add-ons or plug-ins don’t come free, but if you’re prepared to miss out on some higher end features like tabbed Finder windows, then you can give Finder a welcome shot in the arm for no cost at all with the help of XtraFinder 0.5.

The software comes in .pkg format -- double-click to install it, and it’ll restart Finder and sit unobtrusively in the background. If you’re not aware of what to look for, you might not even notice it’s there, but take the time to dig a little deeper and you’ll like what you find.

There are two noticeable changes -- first, you’ll see folders now appear at the top of all Finder windows, while clicking the green zoom button now maximises all windows to fill the entire screen. Select View > Show Path Bar and you’ll see the familiar Path Bar appear. Now, while it’s normally possible to drag files into different folders on the Path Bar, XtraFinder adds one nifty new feature – it’s now spring-loaded, meaning that if you drag a folder or file on to any part of the path and wait a second or two, the Finder window will jump to that location.

Open Finder’s View menu and you’ll discover more useful additions -- options for showing hidden items and collapsing all expanded folders, plus refreshing the current folder. Even more extras appear when you right-click a file or folder -- Copy to… and Move to… provide an alternative means of shunting files around your system without having to open a second Finder window. Contents allows you to view inside a folder via a sub-menu – you can drill right down to files hidden away via this clever tool.

There’s even more hidden way, accessible via the Finder > XtraFinder menu. Choose “Show Status Bar Icon” to shunt this menu to the menu bar, while Restart Finder and Uninstall XtraFinder are self-explanatory. You’ll also discover the program’s Preferences menu – from here you can disable any of the options you don’t like, plus enable even more cool features, such as clicking any item in the Path Bar to show its contents via a context menu, allowing Cut & Paste or automatically arranging items by name when in icon view.

It all adds up to a tool that should prove its worth to anyone who finds themselves mired in a sea of folders and files on a regular basis. Sure, it’s got some kinks to iron out -- you currently have to uninstall it completely to disable it -- but considering it’s still at version 0.5, XtraFinder has a lot going for it.

XtraFinder 0.5 is a freeware download for Macs running Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6.6) or later.

Don't let that software agreement be a devil's deal, try EULAlyzer

Publié: juin 1, 2012, 6:56pm CEST par Mike Williams

You’ve downloaded an interesting new application, and you’re eager to try it out. So it’s hardly a surprise if, when you’re presented with a lengthy and complex licence agreement, you’ll just choose the “Agree” option without even reading it.

Ignoring the EULA does mean you’re missing out on some potentially interesting information, though, as a program’s agreement could reveal how installing it might result in you receiving targeted advertising, spam, or having personal information shared with third parties. Of course you’ll need to pick out these more interesting clauses from the background noise, but if you find that a problem then you can always get a little help from BrightFort’s EULAlyzer.

The program is simple enough to use. Just have it running when your installation starts, then drag and drop the target icon onto the EULA window when it appears to grab the text, and click Analyze to review the results.

Sometimes this results in, well, nothing at all: EULAlyzer will explain that it didn’t find any interesting words of phrases in the EULA, and therefore it’s probably safe. In our tests this was generally correct, too, and in real life would have saved us a little time.

When the program does find clauses it thinks you need to know about, though, they’ll be displayed in the Results window, and organised into categories like “Advertising”, “Promotional Messages”, “Third Party” and so on. So if you’re worried about being sent spam, say, you might expand the “Promotional Messages” section. The program will then display a few words of any relevant clause it’s found, and in a click you can jump straight to that section in the full EULA, to read it in context.

While this sounds reasonable, the actual analysis being performed here is little more than searching for and highlighting a few key words in the text. When we provided the program with one sample EULA, for instance, it added a reference including the word “advertisements” to the “Advertising” section. Did this mean we were agreeing to be bombarded with targeted ads? Not at all: this was a clause saying that we weren’t allowed to use this particular service to send ads, chain letters or spam, all perfectly fair.

And the other problem here is that EULAlyzer scans for a lot of words, which may leave you with a great deal of reading. In one case the Results window presented us with 33 clauses to check, most of which were harmless: it would have been quicker and easier to simply speed-read the original EULA ourselves, without looking for any third-party assistance.

None of this should be a great surprise. EULAs are difficult to understand, perhaps intentionally in some cases: if someone were to develop a program intelligent enough to fully understand what they’re saying then they wouldn’t be giving it away for free.

And, to be fair, we found EULAlyzer was useful sometimes, if only in pointing out which programs didn’t have any dubious clauses in their licence agreements.

For the most part, though, the program just added complexity to a process which is already difficult enough. And so, if you’re worried about what you’re installing, the best advice remains the same as it always has: you should read the EULA yourself. Even if you just do what the program is doing, skim the text just looking for a few key words, you’ll still pick up interesting points occasionally, and it’s certainly better than simply agreeing to a EULA without reading it at all.

Photo Credit: Texelart/Shutterstock

Microsoft turns on 'Do Not Track' in Internet Explorer 10 by default

Publié: juin 1, 2012, 6:23pm CEST par Ed Oswald

In a move that is sure to rankle web advertisers, Microsoft late Thursday disclosed that Internet Explorer will have "Do Not Track" functionality on by default. This will prevent browser data crucial to behavioral and targeted advertising from being sent to third parties and could seriously disrupt the advertising industry in general.

Microsoft is vowing to move ahead despite the complaints of the industry. "While some people will say that this change is too much and others that it is not enough, we think it is progress and that consumers will favor products designed with their privacy in mind over products that are designed primarily to gather their data", IE vice president Dean Hachamovitch says.

The Federal Trade Commission began efforts in December 2010 to develop a standard for "Do Not Track" technology, which allows consumers to choose whether they will permit online tracking. Microsoft launched support for the feature in Internet Explorer 9 that same month, with Firefox and Chrome announcing plans to support the initiative last year.

DNT is optional, which means that advertisers and websites don't need to support it. Either way, the effort is gaining momentum, with Twitter announcing support for do not track last week. Microsoft's support then has to be seen as a good thing, although the move to make it on by default could become an issue.

Advertisers, the Feds, and technology companies are busy hammering out an agreement which both honors the concept of Do Not Track, yet does not restrict the advertisers too much. It's a loose and fragile coalition, and Microsoft's move may blow it up completely.

Why? When Internet Explorer 10 releases, a significant portion of Internet users will upgrade fairly quickly. A sizable portion of surfers will now be unreachable by these targeted ads, which are by far the most lucrative for the advertising companies.

Nothing would stop these companies from then directly appealing to the websites and services to pass on adding support for DNT. Since it's a voluntary service, and needs support from both the browser and the website to work, this would effectively kill the effort altogether.

Photo Credit: Sweet Lana/Shutterstock

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Confused yet? NetApps ranks Internet Explorer No. 1 (Microsoft agrees), but StatCounter puts Chrome tops (Google agrees)

Publié: juin 1, 2012, 5:58pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

The battle of the browsers reached new territory in May, as IE and Chrome directly engaged for the first time. Firefox is collateral damage -- destined to fall to No. 3, whether by Net Applications' or StatCounter's reckoning. Mozilla's open-source champion that took back the web from Microsoft, falls before Chrome's advances. The browser wars are back with a vengeance and the heretofore top two are in retreat. Well, depending on whose counting you believe.

While the top browser, as measured by usage share, may be disputed, Firefox's decline is not. StatCounter put Chrome ahead of Firefox last summer. NetApps has the Mozilla browser and Chrome in a May photo finish -- 19.71 percent and 19.58 percent share, respectively. Given the downward and upward trajectories of both, Google's browser is all but certain to claim second place during June. Firefox's decline is all but inevitable -- that despite Mozilla adopting similar fast-track development that sets both browsers' apart from slow-updating Internet Explorer and Safari.

If NetApps is to be believed, Microsoft needs only worry about which competitor is No. 2. IE usage share was 54.05 percent in May, down slightly from 54.09 percent in April. IE share has fallen from 75.47 percent in January 2008, first eroded by Firefox and later Chrome, which officially shipped in December of that year. StatCounter ranks the browsers remarkably differently -- Chrome leads with 32.43 percent usage share, followed by IE and Firefox, with 32.12 percent and 25.55 percent, respectively.

"The browser wars are back with a vengeance", StatCounter CEO Aodhan Cullen says. "This time there are three major players competing for the top spot but, ultimately, the real winner will be the end user who can look forward to more choice and innovation as a result of this increased competition".

StatCounter's full-month data corroborates that for the week May 14-20, when Chrome nudged ahead of IE. Unsurprisingly, Microsoft regards NetApps' data as more credible. In March, Roger Capriotti, director of Internet Explorer product marketing, peeled back StatCounter's methodology layer by layer, repeatedly impugning its credibility while praising NetApps. Among his points:

Net Applications actually reports usage share based on unique visitors. It is this type of analysis that allows them to achieve more accurate representations of browsing habits and actual usage by removing Chrome prerendering traffic (4.3 percent last month) in an effort to separate real page views from invisible page views. It is also seen as a more accurate way to determine actual browser usage because it is less susceptible to fraud.

Google now prerenders pages for the purpose of offering search suggestions as users type and to deliver the results more quickly. However, NetApps started adjusting for prerending in May, which had little to no perceptible impact on Chrome's share rise, which diminishes one of Microsoft's core StatCounter criticisms.

It's no shocker that Google supports StatCounter's results. Yesterday, during the D10 conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, Google senior veep Sundar Pichai told veteran tech journalist Walt Mossberg: "Our internal data corresponds pretty well with what StatCounter quoted. We are No. 1 or a bare No. 2 in almost all the countries in the world". Chrome is most popular in emerging markets, where in some "our share is over 50 percent there today".

While NetApps and StatCounter are leaders compiling browser usage data, they aren't alone. W3Counter is another tracker, but I don't see a May report available this morning. In April, W3Counter ranked IE tops with 28.9 percent share, followed by Chrome and Firefox, with 25.9 percent and 24.1 percent share, respectively. While Chrome trails IE, the trend more closely aligns with StatCounter than NetApps.

Clicky also offers browser share data. IE and Chrome played kissing cousins on May 27 with 31.38 percent and 31.47 percent share, respectively. Again, the trend is more in line with StatCounter than NetApps.

In April 2011 I asked: "Is web browser development moving to fast?". After all, Microsoft bet on stability -- that businesses need something they can put in place and leave there for a long time. Google's approach means new versions in stable or beta channels about every six weeks. But perhaps fast-track development has merits.

Certainly, many BetaNews readers don't mind or even embrace the six-week cycles. Among the 1,437 that so far responded to our browser poll, Chrome is "preferred primary" among 46.69 percent of you, followed by Firefox and IE with 25.47 percent and 19.35 percent, respectively.

No matter where Chrome ranks in relation to Internet Explorer, Firefox is the loser, but by no means finished. "While attention has recently been focused on the battle between Chrome and IE, not-for-profit Mozilla's Firefox with its loyal membership base should not be underestimated", Cullen says. Is he right?

Photo Credit: Marc Majcher

Most of you use Google Chrome

Publié: juin 1, 2012, 4:20am CEST par Joe Wilcox

On June 1, Net Applications and StatCounter will release browser usage share for May. But why wait? Ten days ago I asked which is your preferred primary browser. You answered, and Chrome takes the crown, followed by Firefox and Internet Explorer. The days of IE dominance are over. No wonder the European Union is crawling down Google's throat over search.

The poll results are fairly consistent with those from one conducted last year, even though the sample size is smaller, 1,160 as I write. I asked: "Which is your preferred primary web browser, meaning when you can choose it? (For personal computer, not phone or other device.)" The idea is to gauge browser usage based on what people would choose, pushing aside what they might be compelled to use at work. A stunning 46.72 percent of respondents choose Chrome, 25 percent Firefox and 20.4 percent Internet Explorer.

I asked about browser usage because of a May 14-20 StatCounter report that put Chrome global usage share ahead of Internet Explorer -- 32.76 percent to 31.94 percent, respectively. Today during the D10 conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, Google senior veep Sundar Pichai told veteran tech journalist Walt Mossberg: "Our internal data corresponds pretty well with what StatCounter quoted. We are No. 1 or a bare No. 2 in almost all the countries in the world". Chrome is most popular in emerging markets, where in some "our share is over 50 percent there today".

Mossberg asked Pichai about different operating systems. He said that Chrome is "more popular on Windows" because Google launched the browser on the platform first and the Mac later. "But we are seeing the same trends there".

Remember that Internet Explorer is only available for Windows, so Chrome success cuts Microsoft's browser to the quick. The real question: What can Internet Explorer 10 do to recover users and perhaps regain share?

Earlier today, Microsoft issued Windows 8 Release Preview. The new version ships with IE10, which will be the only primary browser on ARM version Windows RT. It's all leverage for regaining lost usage share, assuming there is rapid adoption of either or both operating systems.

Chrome 1.0 shipped in December 2008, making its rise in popularity a simply stunning achievement. The browser benefits from a number of factors, including:

Speed -- the browser is fast and reliable.
Privacy, such as multiple user accounts for one browser.
Security, both perceived (against IE) and real (for Chrome).
Leverage from search (Google share is tops in most geographies).
Ties to other Google services, such as Google Plus, Gmail or Maps.
Web applications that run in the browser, from the cloud rather than desktop.
Marketing -- Google is aggressively advertising Chrome, now in TV commercials.
Rapid-fire development cycle delivering new features (Chrome 17-19 released this year).
Little legacy -- Google doesn't need worry about supporting business users or years of plugins.

"I use Chrome as my main browser, although simultaneously Firefox (Pale Moon version) for web work and IE when I have to check compatablity", charliemaggot comments. "Chrome's add-ons, speed, and flexibility are the main reasons. I still like Firefox and again the add-ons are a huge plus".

It's my experience, particularly Windows, that Chrome demands too much, and charliemaggot aggrees: "Chrome, however, can be a definite hog. Too many tabs with too much session history will eat up resources, and I find myself killing of tabs and restarting the browser to get it back under control. But that is still not big enough to move me off it".

Which is your preferred primary web browser, meaning when you can choose it? (For personal computer, not phone or other device.)

Reader malin makes an important point about Internet Explorer: "The United States is not the only country in the world! In Europe, IE is stripped out of Windows and not the default browser. Also, the French and other Europeans are very suspicious of Microsoft and IE and it is very poorly thought of there". Because of an adverse antitrust ruling on the continent, Microsoft makes available one version of Windows without Internet Explorer.

"Yes, in the US IE will probably always be dominant on desktops and laptops", malin continues. "But in other countries no way. In many European countries IE has been a minority browser for many years, and the only real trend we see in those places is people switching from Firefox to Chrome due to IMO the reliability of Chrome and the inability of Firefox to fix itself when it gets mangled".

"I have tried many of the popular browsers and go back to Chrome because I perceive it to be the fastest, both on my MacBook Pro and my Windows PC", Alan Freeman comments. "It is not bloated like Firefox".

And you? If you haven't taken the poll, please do.

Judge strikes down Oracle API copyright claims against Google

Publié: juin 1, 2012, 2:51am CEST par Ed Oswald

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison may have felt like king of the world Wednesday night as he announced his company's move to the cloud, but today he's likely licking his wounds: Oracle's case against Google over Android's use of Java is essentially dead.

Judge William Alsup ruled Thursday that Oracle could not assert copyright claims on Google for 37 different Java APIs used within Android. Alsup ruled that only the code within, and not the way they are used, are subject to copyright claims.

Oracle was obviously displeased with the ruling and said in a statement that it intends to appeal.

"Google’s implementation of the accused APIs is not a free pass, since a license has always been required for an implementation of the Java Specification", it argues. "This ruling, if permitted to stand, would undermine the protection for innovation and invention in the United States and make it far more difficult to defend intellectual property rights against companies anywhere in the world that simply takes them as their own".

For those keeping score, Oracle won a muddled victory in the copyright phase, with the jury finding that Oracle had successfully proven Google's infringement upon the overall structure, sequence and organization of its Java copyrights. At the same time, the jury could not agree if Google's application of Java constituted "fair use".

In the patent phase of the trial, Oracle lost outright, with the jury finding no evidence at all of patent infringement. Now with the API question resolved in Google's favor, Oracle's case is pretty much decimated.

It should be noted that Alsup's ruling is fairly narrow, which doesn't address the point of whether or not APIs are actually copyrightable. "No court of appeals has addressed the copyrightability of APIs, much less their structure, sequence and organization. Nor has any district court", he says in his ruling.

That statement should calm developers' nerves, says legal site Groklaw "The sky has been full of FUD about this topic, with folks, both self-styled experts and even a lawyer who has done work for Microsoft claiming that APIs have been copyrightable for years and years, throwing cases at us and examples of terms of use", the site writes. (A copy of the ruling is also available on the site as well.)

"Terms of use don't make law, ladies and gents and experts and lawyers. A company can say whatever it pleases, but that doesn't mean they are in harmony with the law". In other words, some company is going to need to take the issue itself to court in order to get solid legal opinion on what has become a hot-button issue for many in the development community.

So where does this leave Oracle? Without a case and with little restitution, it appears. For the copyright infringement portion of its case, the maximum Oracle will be able to collect is $150,000. That's far below the millions it has spent over the last two years to attempt to cash in on Android.

In a statement, Google lauded Alsup's decision as a victory for innovation. "The court’s decision upholds the principle that open and interoperable computer languages form an essential basis for software development", a spokesperson says.

Photo Credit: JustASC/Shutterstock

Microsoft debuts Visual Studio 2012, .NET 4.5 and Windows Server 2012 release candidates

Publié: juin 1, 2012, 1:05am CEST par Ed Oswald

Microsoft's suite of enterprise products isn't about to let the consumer-facing ones steal the headlines. On the same day the Redmond, Wash. company announced the Release Preview of Windows 8, the company's enterprise and developer software arm announced the release candidates of .NET Framework 4.5, Visual Studio 2012 and Windows Server 2012.

Visual Studio 2012 and .NET Framework 4.5 are available for download by anyone by visiting the Visual Studio 2012 website, while Windows Server 2012 is available only to TechNet and MSDN subscribers by visiting TechNet.

New to Visual Studio is a redesigned logo, tweaked to follow the design cues of the Metro interface. Setup is improved, with install times down 20 percent over previous beta releases according to the company. Installation customization has also been added back in -- a vital consideration for those of us that like to tinker with the install itself to save on hard drive space.

Microsoft says testers will notice appreciable performance boosts throughout VS2012. Debugging, the editing of large C++ files, and XAML performance is all improved, along with user interface changes based on tester feedback -- many having to do with giving VS2012 subtle hints of Metro styling.

[See this post on the Visual Studio blog for more on the UI changes.]

On the Metro front, Microsoft has added and improved tools for building upon the platform, including a host of new templates, and improvements to existing ones.

Microsoft is shipping both VS 2012 and .NET 4.5 with "Go Live" licenses, meaning developers are free to begin using and deploying production applications using these tools.

Windows Server 2012 also is out today, and is aimed at solidifying Microsoft's place in cloud computing. The Release Candidate is being marketed alongside the Release Candidate of System Center 2012 as a way to embrace both virtualization and the cloud, both public and private.

"With nearly 300,000 downloads to date of the beta release [of Windows Server 2012], the excitement around this new Windows Server is unprecedented", Windows Server Lead Architect Jeffrey Snover says of the excitement surrounding the product.

Microsoft did not immediately specify when final versions of the product will ship, although it may be a good bet that the development products will release before Windows 8 debuts this fall.

Photo Credit: .shock/Shutterstock

Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » juin 2012

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BetaNews.Com (210 non lus)

Publié: juin 30, 2012, 7:57pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Publié: juin 30, 2012, 6:42pm CEST par Martin Brinkmann

Publié: juin 30, 2012, 5:03am CEST par Joe Wilcox

Publié: juin 30, 2012, 3:07am CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 9:28pm CEST par Randall C. Kennedy

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 7:55pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

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Publié: juin 29, 2012, 5:33pm CEST par Patrick Roanhouse

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 5:04pm CEST par Mike Williams

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Publié: juin 29, 2012, 4:06pm CEST par Chris Wright

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 3:16pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 2:03pm CEST par Nick Peers

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 1:51am CEST par Joe Wilcox

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 1:30am CEST par Ed Oswald

Publié: juin 29, 2012, 12:41am CEST par Joe Wilcox

Publié: juin 28, 2012, 10:57pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Publié: juin 28, 2012, 5:04am CEST par Joe Wilcox

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Publié: juin 27, 2012, 3:28pm CEST par Mike Williams

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Publié: juin 21, 2012, 9:33pm CEST par Tim Conneally