Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » novembre 16, 2012

BetaNews.Com (15 non lus)

Xbox Music is an epic failure

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 11:36pm CET par Robert Johnson

I had great hopes for Xbox Music when announced in October. It’s essentially the best of Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, and Google music services all wrapped up into one. But the sheer number of problems with this initial offering leaves myself and others in complete disappointment.

Xbox Music replaces Zune on Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, and the Xbox 360. The service includes the ability to purchase music a la carte, stream or download songs (via Xbox Music Pass subscription for $9.99 per month), sync playlists across devices, access a music locker, and more. Any tunes you purchase from the Xbox Music store, or playlists you create, sync across devices. Well, that's the idea, except, it’s not working for some people.

I hoped to finally cancel my Spotify subscription but it looks more and more like that’s a long way off. Here’s my biggest struggle with this new service: playlists I create on other devices are not syncing. Additionally, music stored on one device is not picked up by Xbox Music and synced to other PC’s. I created several playlists on my Xbox, but those do not show up on my Surface or Windows 8 Pro machine.

Some of you reading this may not have these problems and things may be going well for you, but there are other people for whom this service is simply not working at all. I opened a post on Microsoft’s Answers Community and within a few days time, others had piggy backed onto my post with similar issues. A recent browse through the Xbox Music forums on Xbox.com reveals even more people similarly afflicted. So obviously these are not a few isolated incidents.

Here’s a screenshot of the sync error. Since I have started getting this error, Microsoft has released an update to the Xbox Music app but nothing appears to have fixed this. If you are getting this error or have other issues with Xbox Music, I encourage you to jump on the Xbox forums or answers community to let Microsoft know.

Personally, I find the company's silence about this issue to be ridiculously sad. While I’m not suggesting Microsoft needs to issue a public apology (as this may only be a problem limited to a few thousand users), someone needs to be more active on these issues and at least let users know that someone is aware of the problem and is actively trying to find a resolution.

Playlist and music sync is not the only problem. Users also report problems with the Xbox Music app not properly scanning and identifying music already existing in their music library. The scan-and-match service apparently is laughably bad at identifying music on the local PC and matching to the equivalents in the cloud.

Hopefully Microsoft addresses these issues as soon as possible. Xbox Music has great potential, but right now this service is not at the level it needs to be for me to adopt it as my main music service. Are you using this service? What devices are you using it on? What kind of problems (if any) are you experiencing?
True Image Lite 2013 beta offers no-frill backups

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 10:37pm CET par Mike Williams

Acronis International has released a beta version of True Image Lite 2013, a stripped-down version of its True Image backup tool.

The new release ditches disk, partition, email and file backup types, for instance (there’s non-stop backup and online backup only). There are no full or differential backups (just incremental). No scheduling, no backups to CDs, DVDs or Blu-ray, no option to create a bootable recovery disc, and of course none of the extensive settings you’ll find in the full True Image package.

By way of compensation, though, cutting out all these features means True Image Lite 2013 does become very easy to use.

To create a backup, for example, you just have to click “Nonstop” backup, choose the folders you’d like to protect, a destination, and that’s it. Your files will automatically be protected as often as every five minutes, while you get on with other things.

That’s the idea, anyway. As a beta, though, the program will contain bugs, and so not always behave as expected (we found it crashed a couple of times for no apparent reason, for instance). And so you probably won’t want to use it as your sole backup tool.

If you’re an Acronis fan, though, it may be interesting to take the beta for a spin, just to see where the company are going next.

And if you submit enough quality issue reports and feedback then there is the chance of a reward. Apparently the top 10 beta testers will receive a free licence of True Image Lite 2013, while the top 5 will get a free 1-year subscription for 250GB cloud storage.

If you’re interested, Acronis True Image Lite 2013 has minimal system requirements, and should run comfortably on any PC running Windows XP, 7 or 8 (we’d bet it runs happily on Vista, too, but Acronis haven’t apparently tested that as of yet).

Photo Credit: Jakub Pavlinec/Shutterstock
The cloud ate my homework: Why I plan to use more physical backups instead of fewer

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 9:41pm CET par Tim Conneally

This week was big for consumer cloud storage services, Dropbox passed 100 million users, Box rolled out an overhauled Android app, while Microsoft's SkyDrive got new selective sync and simpler sharing functionality.

In addition to all of the news, I had one of those personal moments where cloud storage kind of saved my ass this week. But where the cloud helped me immensely, it didn't save everything.

I was supposed to give a presentation on the state of the Japanese imaging and optics industry, but despite all my care, the presentation I brought on a USB stick was corrupted and would not open on the PC at the lectern.

This was, of course, no reason to panic. I am in the habit of mirroring important files on one or more cloud services. The service I choose depends largely upon what devices and software I have been using to manipulate these files. In this instance, I had spent a couple of hours on a train ride updating the presentation with QuickOffice on my Nexus 7, so I had uploaded a copy to my Google Drive.

Standing up there with the seconds ticking down, wouldn't it have just been perfect if the computer somehow couldn't connect to my Google Drive? Yes, and that is exactly how it happened. Still, it wasn't time to panic.

That panic would come a few moments later when Google Drive finally connected. I downloaded the presentation to the local machine only to find that it was an earlier revision than I had expected. I forgot that I had done all of my final revisions in PowerPoint at home, which I did not automatically mirror online. I was forced to give the presentation with some important charts missing.

I had to resort to verbally describing a couple of essential bar graphs, not exactly the most effective way to convey information.

The problem is that I thought I had myself adequately covered against any setbacks of this nature. My physical copy failed, and my cloud backup partially failed because the document in the cloud was not the master, but instead a backup iteration. If I had put the cloud first in this situation, and used the physical media as the backup instead of the master, the outcome would have been different.

I walked away from the lectern at the end of my presentation thinking I should re-evaluate my personal content management strategy. I found myself thinking it might finally be time to put my master copies in the cloud, then back them up with another cloud service as a first line of defense, and then back them up on physical media as the final failsafe.

Yet, redundant cloud coverage is really only a single line of defense against a service-level disconnect. It is much easier to knock out both my primary copy and my backup with a single point of failure such as a wonky, unreliable network connection. It would actually be more beneficial for me to carry a second physical backup on a different type of portable media, such as a mobile hard drive or another form of removable media like an SD card.

The problem, of course, is that this requires a handful of additional steps in the course of saving a document, and it means I have to carry additional physical media that must be protected. But despite the additional steps required in carrying redundant physical media, it's still a more versatile backup solution than the cloud, even in simple settings with a low security risk.

Alexey Kashin/Shutterstock
Google Nexus 4 receives root shortly after the big launch

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 7:45pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Google is known for its laissez-faire philosophy when it comes to Android modding. As a result, shortly after the company launched the new Nexus 4 with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, members of the modding community bestowed the new smartphone with elevated privileges (popularly known as "root").

Rooting Android 4.2 Jelly Bean on the Google Nexus 4 is similar to the method that I recommended in "How to root Android 4.2" for the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7. In order to run apps with elevated privileges Nexus 4 users have to enable Android debugging, unlock the bootloader and load (not install) a custom kernel or recovery. The latter of the two allows to flash the SuperSU package in order to root Android 4.2, while the former requires to perform a number of commands in order to achieve the same result.

The process is fairly straightforward on both counts and does not pose a major difficulty. The only problem is getting hold of a Google Nexus 4, as rooting already awaits.
Best Windows 8 apps this week

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 7:33pm CET par Martin Brinkmann

Third in a series. Each week we are looking at the best apps released for Microsoft's new operating system Windows 8. Today, we introduce new information to the format that informs you about potential compatibility issues with Windows RT. As you may know, apps released in Windows Store are always compatible with Windows 8 and Pro, but not necessarily with Windows RT, the version running on ARM hardware, such as Surface.

Not compatible with Windows RT indicates this if so. We also take a look at application updates and if they introduce exciting new features, include updated apps in the list. This week that's for instance the case with the Google Search app, which not only becomes compatible with ARM systems but also introduces YouTube video playback with an update.

Google Search

While not released this week, the application received a major update a few days ago that introduces two new features. First, it is now fully compatible with Windows RT systems, and second, it can now play videos on YouTube out of the box. Previously, YouTube displayed an error message that Flash Player was not installed on the system. The application itself feels like a limited version of Google Chrome for the operating system's modern user interface with some limitations, like missing tab or extension support, and a search bar at the top that is always visible.

Norton Satellite

Not compatible with Windows RT. An antivirus application for Windows 8 that you can use to scan your Facebook feed, Dropbox account, or files or folders on the local system. The application connects to Symantec servers during scans, which means that you need an Internet connection to run scans using the app. The file and folder selection options are cumbersome to use. The program won't scan subfolders for instance and does not accept the selection of multiple folders for a scan.

Nook

The official Barnes & Nobles Nook application for Windows 8. Syncs with Nook tablets and PCs so that access to all books and magazines is available on all devices. The application features an integrated store, popular channels, lists and magazines. The reader supports bookmarks, various font settings, options to pin books to the operating system's Start screen and more. If there is a thing to criticize, it is the lack of options to import books from the local system. That's actually also missing in Amazon's Kindle application

Nick

The official Nickelodeon application for Windows 8. If you happen to be a fan of Spongebob Squarepants, or have little ones running around who are, the mixture of information, videos and games should prove to be quite entertaining. The start page displays links to popular series that run on Nickelodeon, popular characters like Spongebob, Ninja Turtles or Victoria Justice, as well as games and videos of which only the latter play directly in the app. The games open in a browser window instead.

Backgrounds Wallpapers HD

This application enables you to pick fresh wallpaper images for the operating system's lock screen and account picture. New content is added on a regular basis to the application, and options are available to save the picture you are viewing in the application to use it as the system's desktop background image as well.

The application features popular, new and wallpaper of the day categories, as well as group-based wallpaper listings.

WordWeb

The popular English dictionary and thesaurus makes its debut on Windows 8. The application enables you to look up words you want to find out more about, including definitions, spelling suggestions, phonetic spelling, usage examples, synonyms and related words.

It is completely free of advertisements, does not require an online connection and supports North American, British, Australian and international English.

Uvideos

A video application for a Spanish speaking audience bringing shows, telenovelas, dramas and video clips from Univision Networks to Windows 8. All contents are free to access, and features such as pinning your favorite shows to the start screen are available to make it as comfortable as possible to access shows right from that screen.

How Stuff Works

This is the official How Stuff Works application that makes available the same content that you find on the website and the site's YouTube channel on Windows 8. You can browse popular articles, dive into channels or browse the show listings from the apps' frontpage.

Contents displayed in the application are always displayed in fullscreen, which is probably the biggest advantage over the website where menus and other page elements are displayed as well.

PopSci

This application is in many regards similar to the How Stuff Works, only that it makes available contents from Popular Science instead. Articles and videos are available when you open the application. From here you can browse the latest articles and videos on the site, or browse one of the available categories such as gadgets instead.

Indian Recipes

This cooking application not only lists ingredients, directions and other related information on how to cook a tasty Indian dish, but also video instructions that explain exactly how you can cook it at home.

The videos set it apart from other cooking related applications that do not offer that feature.
Spybot - Search & Destroy gets a major update on Monday

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 6:44pm CET par Alan Buckingham

You may think you don't need additional security on your Windows 8 machine because it comes with Defender built in. Think again, because no single program is capable of finding and blocking every threat out there. One of the best complements to any Windows PC is third-party software that is capable of scanning, blocking and removing troublesome problems like spyware and malware that get into your system.

One of those third-party scanners, Spybot - Search & Destroy from Safer-Networking, is set to release its complete version 2.0 next Monday, The software is currently available in its third release candidate revision, which you can download in FileForum right now if you want to get a quick look at what to expect on Monday.

According to the Irish company, "The software has been completely rewritten and now has a new user interface as well as improvements in functionality and performance."

Before we get to what is new, let me just point out that no features appear to have been removed -- meaning the app still scans your computer for malware and rootkits, provides system immunization, and even can scan your iPhone profile. It also still allows users to control processes that run at startup and checks for registry errors.

As far as new features go, there is a new adware toolbar that provides scan and fix options, a new user interface, and Windows Security Center integration. The company claims a faster startup and scanning time and users can now scan network drives in addition to local ones. Finally, the app will also provide automatic updates for Premium users.

As previously stated, Spybot - Search & Destroy will be released this Monday and we will have a review at that time. Personally, I am most looking forward to the new network drive compatibility and updated UI. If all of the new features work as advertised, it should be a major improvement overall.
Is Windows 8 already a failure?

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 6:15pm CET par Joe Wilcox

Late this morning, Robert Johnson sent me a link to Paul Thurrott story "Windows 8 Sales Well Below Projections, Plenty of Blame to Go Around" -- "Uncertainty could turn Windows 8 into the next Vista". The lead sentence is frightening: "Sales of Windows 8 PCs are well below Microsoft’s internal projections and have been described inside the company as disappointing". Uh-oh.

Robert asked my opinion, and I'll give it. Relax. Slow start isn't surprising at all. I've said for more than a year that Windows 8 wouldn't be big. It's a transitional operating system coming when most businesses just upgraded to Windows 7 or are in process of doing so and when tablets capture consumer interests more.

Perhaps Microsoft managers drank their own Kool-Aid and simply expected too much too soon. Look at the economy. Target and Walmart posted disappointing results this week, sending stocks downward. Retail is weak right now, which surely affects consumer PC buying. Besides, something is missing: Compelling designs at affordable prices.

I'm surprised at how lackluster are Windows 8 computers and how over-priced they are. Reality is this: Companies like Dell and HP drove down prices long ago. Consumers expect to pay bottom dollar, but, suddenly, everyone wants to be Apple this release cycle. Windows 8 slates selling for one-thousand bucks compete with Android tablets or iPads selling for less than $500. New Windows PC designs I've seen ask too much but give too little. ASUS and Microsoft stand nearly alone offering reasonably feature- and price-competitive models.

Then there is Microsoft's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde user interface. Among several of Thurrott's on-the-money statements: "It’s a floor wax. No, it’s a dessert topping. Microsoft’s new whatever-the-F-it-is operating system is a confusing, Frankenstein’s monster mix of old and new that hides a great desktop upgrade under a crazy Metro front-end".

The two-motif approach doesn't work, particularly on Surface. If users can't install legacy apps on the desktop, why have it at all? Windows RT should be an all Modern UI affair, with Windows 8 Pro presenting the desktop by default on any computer without touchscreen.

Thurrott is right about Windows RT: "Imagine Apple announcing a major new version of iOS and then releasing a new tablet that runs Mac OS X instead of that new iOS version. Doesn’t make a lick of sense, does it? Well, that’s what Microsoft did".

Windows 8's greatest risk is Microsoft. I rightly faulted the company for killing off the Windows Vista "Wow" marketing campaign and making other strategic changes soon after launch. Like Windows 8, the executive responsible for managing Vista's development and launch left the company. In the wake of Jim Allchin's departure and concerns about slow early sales, Microsoft wrongly shifted marketing strategies, which as much anything else doomed Vista. History repeats. Steven Sinofsky is out, and if Thurrott is right Microsoft sees slower-than-expected sales. The temptation will be to shift strategies, particularly marketing. Change now would repeat past mistakes. Stay the course, Microsoft.

Windows XP sales started slowly, too. Microsoft released during a recession and six weeks after the Twin Towers fell. Consumers' mood was grim. Yet despite early hurdles, XP proved to be the most endearing release ever. Just because Windows 8 stumble starts doesn't mean it's already finished.

Photo Credit: Joe Wilcox
App -- the first movie that actually encourages you to get your phone out in the cinema

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 5:21pm CET par Wayne Williams

There’s nothing more annoying than someone playing on their mobile phone during a movie. Even if you’re sitting a good distance away, the glowing small screen lights up the cinema like a beacon, making it harder to focus on what’s happening on the big screen.

Forthcoming feature-length thriller App is set to turn what is usually seen as socially unacceptable behavior into a highly social act, encouraging everyone to use their iPhones and Android devices to follow a parallel storyline while the film is playing.

The plot of the movie, which is being created by Amsterdam-based 2CFilm, apparently revolves around the titular app which has "become an autonomous force" (make of that what you will). The companion smartphone app, developed by Service2Media, will use Civolution’s SyncNow digital watermarking technology to deliver the second story in perfect sync.

Edvard van ‘t Wout, founder of 2CFilm, says: "App is our first step on to the international stage with our new approach to film, creating commercially-successful films that fit with how today’s audiences consume content and which resonate with the modern world."

Alex Terpstra, CEO of Civolution, adds: "This is a first of a kind synchronized multi-screen experience for cinema and other forms of distribution. It takes full advantage of the latest state of technology and creative skills, united in a unique partnership, defining a new level of entertainment experience leveraging people’s smart mobile devices".

App is due for release in the Netherlands on Feb. 24, 2013 (no word about distribution in other countries just yet) and is intended to be the first of several such projects.
Firefox OS simulator available for Mozilla's browser

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 5:02pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Mozilla is moving forward with the Firefox OS plans, even though odds are not in its favor. The open-source organization released a prototype simulator for the in-house operating system, which gives a glimpse of what potential customers should expect. All the action happens in a small Firefox window.

Mozilla did not release a standalone application, but instead the Firefox OS is available as an extension for the popular open-source browser. Firing up the new operating system is done with a simple flick of the Simulator toggle, and for easier control there are some keyboard shortcuts assigned to physical button operations. Users can experiment with Firefox OS straight from the lockscreen, so let's take a peek.

The lockscreen looks similar to earlier versions of Android. There is the typical slider to open camera or unlock the phone on top of the date and time. The interface is pretty basic in the camera department, but this is just a glimpse in the stable Firefox OS.

Unlocking the virtual phone reveals the homescreen, which looks fairly simple with the bottom row of apps, simple status bar and what appears to be a clock and date widget. Pressing the home button triggers the list of open apps which can be dismissed by swiping up or down.

Swiping right on the lockscreen allows to view the pre-installed apps from the simulator. A left swipe displays the online app store with content divided into categories (social, games, local, etc.). Apps can be added by providing the address to a site or a manifest. The latter is needed to submit programs to the Firefox Marketplace.

Another familiar element is the notification window, which can be triggered by swiping down from the top, like Android and iOS. It's nothing groundbreaking, as it includes common toggles or a Clear All button. Some of the functionality is not yet fully developed, considering the early stages.

Mozilla's operating system obviously comes with Firefox preinstalled, as well as the common apps for calendar, email, messages or music. At a first glance the design looks a bit tacky if you will, or rather gimmicky. The apps that I tested work, but running either in a tiny window without feeling the integration with the hardware makes it more difficult to judge.

One thing that caught my eye was the Maps app which is powered by Nokia Maps. The choice is rather interesting at this point because of Microsoft's relation with the Finnish manufacturer. Seems rather curious as to why the latter would allow Mozilla to use its own maps for Firefox OS.

There's more to the future operating system than a simulator, but it's useful to notice whom Mozilla's project might appeal to. For me it looks like a combination of Android, iOS and Windows Phone in some ways, and I can't honestly say that I feel a connection. There's no wow.

As it stands Firefox OS is not really a competitor for middle to high-end devices, nor necessarily for cheap ones. Android is a suitable platform for less expensive smartphones because it's free and competent, and I struggle to see how Firefox OS in its current form could outdo the green droid without going even lower on the price scale.
Quickly fix application file associations

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 4:30pm CET par Mike Williams

Install a new application and it’ll often want to associate itself with particular file types (images, for instance). And that’s fine if it asks for permission, but some programs don’t, which means double-clicking those files later may not deliver the results you want.

The standard Window solution is to manually reassociate those file types with your preferred application. But Unassoc takes a simpler approach, allowing you to simply delete the new association, so that your system uses the global settings automatically.

The program is tiny (52KB), and portable, so there are no real hassles here. Just unzip it, launch the single executable and you’re immediately looking at a list of file types.

The idea is that you then select a particular file type where your user account settings aren’t appropriate: JPEG, say, if you’re tired of images opening in some graphics tool as opposed to the Windows viewer.

And then clicking “Remove file association (User)” will remove that user-level file association for you, leaving your PC to use the system settings instead. (If that button is greyed out then it means the file type has no user association.)

Plainly this isn’t going to save you a vast amount of time. After all, if you just wanted JPEGs to open in the Windows viewer, then you could simply go to the standard Windows tool, click JPEG > Change Program > Windows Photo Viewer > OK, and you’re done.

It may not always be so clear which application you need to reassociate with a particular file type, though, and Unassoc’s approach of simply deleting the new association is undeniably more straightforward. (Plus it can also remove entire file types without deleting the Registry, handy if you spot a few left behind by some long-uninstalled application.)

You do need to be careful, though, as if you click “Remove file association” there’s no “are you sure?” check: the file association is just deleted, immediately. So use Unassoc with caution, and ideally have a system restore point to hand, just in case of accidents.

Photo Credit: Lilya/Shutterstock
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean leaked ROM available for Samsung Galaxy S II

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 4:01pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

No, there is no "I" missing from the end of the headline. More than a week ago a leaked Android 4.1 Jelly Bean ROM surfaced for the Samsung Galaxy Note, and now there's one for the Galaxy S II as well. So if you like jelly beans and can't wait for the official upgrade there's a way to get that quick fix.

The leaked Android 4.1 Jelly Bean ROM for the Galaxy S II is compatible only with the international model (codename "I9100"). As a result it will not work with other variations such as US carrier-specific versions. The build is dated November 6 and it is based on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, build number JZO54K (newest available). Users can expect a similar look and feel to the latest TouchWiz interation, under the hood changes thanks to Project Butter and improved voice search using Google Now.

A number of Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II specific features such as Direct Call and Smart Stay are also introduced in the leaked ROM. Basically at a first glance it looks similar to its younger Samsung brothers.

Samsung's effort to bring the Galaxy S II in line with its newest flagship models is commendable for what is basically last year's hero. From a personal perspective the only problem is that it is still one software generation behind the latest Android.

Photo Credit: Joe Wilcox
Geekbench 2.4.0 supports Windows 8, new Macs

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 3:08pm CET par Mike Williams

Primate Labs has updated its cross-platform, flagship benchmark tool with the release of Geekbench 2.4.0 for desktop, Android and iOS. The latest build promises something new for all platforms, from bug fixes to added support for the latest models.

Notable improvements include Windows 8 support, plus the addition of all recently released Apple mobiles and the 2012 Mac mini. The results view has also been tweaked. The build is released as a free update for all Geekbench 2 users.

Version 2.4.0 adds support for the latest round of new Apple products, including the 2012 Mac mini, 4th-generation iPad, new iPad mini and 5th-generation iPod touch models. It also adds support for the Android-powered Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 tablets, and improves support both for Windows 8 and Windows systems running 64 cores.

The latest mobile updates also add localization support on both Android and iOS, while the latter also fixes a bug that misidentified the international version of the iPhone 5 and disables the timer that could cause the screen to sleep during benchmarking.

Android users now get a progress view, allowing them to track the benchmarking process, while a problem that caused the benchmarking process to cancel when the device was rotated has also been resolved with this release.

Linux users will be pleased to learn that version 2.4.0 no longer needs to be run as the root user in order to gather accurate system information, while the results view design has also been refreshed slightly to produce cleaner graphs.

Geekbench 2.4.0 is available now as a free function-limited trial for Windows, Mac and Linux. Stress tests and 64-bit benchmarks are not available in the tryout version, while results can only be displayed in the user’s web browser. The full version can be purchased for $12.99. Geekbench 2.4.0 for Android is also available, while Geekbench 2.4.0 for iOS has been submitted to the App Store for review and should be released shortly. All mobile apps cost 99 cents each.
Office 2013 Professional Plus 2013 trial version hits TechNet

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 1:53pm CET par Alan Buckingham

Perhaps the new Office 2013 has been a bit overshadowed by the hype around the launch of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, but a new version of the Office suite is a big deal for both consumers and businesses. A public preview version was released several months ago and last month the software officially reached RTM.

Now Microsoft has pushed out the first trial version of Office 2013 to their TechNet web site. This trial is only for the Professional Plus version of the suite. The download includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, Access, Publisher, and Lync. Customers will find some interesting new features like a new Start page for each app and also an Office Store. This latest Office suite also features integration with the SkyDrive cloud storage service and Office 365 as well.

According to the TechNet download page the new Office 2013 trial is available for both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows and in multiple languages like "Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish."

Ironically, if you have purchased the new Surface RT tablet that launched with Windows 8 back on October 26th then you already have the final release version of Office 2013. If you didn't try out the preview version, or even if you did, you may want to grab this 60 day trial and check out what is new. Pricing will be announced on December 1st and the consumer launch will likely follow soon.
Google TV's killer app is simply amazing

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 7:29am CET par Joe Wilcox

This week, Google brought a little something from ill-fated Nexus Q to Google TV. Even my non-techie wife is amazed, and that's the point. This little something is really big, because anyone can use it and get dramatic benefits.

The new YouTube for Android app installed on smartphone or tablet now acts as a remote control to Google TV, taking interaction far removed and clumsy and making it intimate, fun and easy. If Amazon and Netflix operated similarly -- and the set-top box got Hulu Plus -- I'd cancel AT&T U-verse, baby.

There is so much done right here, I almost don't know where to begin. YouTube updates. You open the app, which prompts with a circle to touch to sync with the TV. That's it! You choose a video and it plays on the big screen.

The Mrs. and I spent the night on YouTube instead of Primetime. First we used my Nexus 7, then she chose videos from hers. The experience is somewhat shared, because the app shows the last video watched regardless who played it. When resuming control, I saw her last watched video on my tablet.

Google TV sadly presents a cumbersome YouTube experience from the remote. But on a touchscreen, the app is easy to use, and finding, selecting and watching videos light-years better. Bringing the two together, and how magnificently Google has done so, changes everything.

But I've seen something like it before, on Nexus Q -- the streaming sphere Google mysteriously yanked before sales started during summer. Android phone or tablet is the remote, which I found to be odd at first, but by the third movie caught on to the benefits.

The YouTube app as remote for the service on the big screen follows similar concept, and a little more. Google designed Nexus Q to be a shared device, such that people with different accounts can play content. There's a little of that concept sprinkled into the new YouTube app.

Google just needs to go further. Touch on tablet is such a superior way to search for and access content than the clunky remote control. After all, which motif is the app, and others like it, designed for? Hint: Not the television.

YouTube is a tremendously satisfying start. Amazon is an even worse experience right now. Video content presents in Chrome on YouTube like it would on a PC. The remote is painful way to get around Amazon's store. But an app with similar design to YouTube, and touch-friendly, would elevate the whole user experience.

The key point: Touch isn't enough. The YouTube experience dazzles because the app so easily connects to Google TV, the layout looks good on both screens (and navigates simply on the small one) and play, pause or stop is finger-loving good. Heck, the app even puts videos in a "TV Queue".

For the record, I have the Sony NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV, which has got about the worst remote imaginable. The thing is two-side, requiring constant flipping over, and the touchpad has poor tactile response. What a difference the Nexus 7 makes as remote, or a smartphone, of course.

I like Google TV, but must accept annoying idiosyncratic behavior that's nearly all about the user interface. YouTube is now killer on the device, which could be killer if Google made more improvements like this one. That's above and beyond the new Google TV update announced two days ago.
Enterprise IT spending reaches $2.68 trillion in 2013

Publié: novembre 16, 2012, 12:01am CET par Joe Wilcox

Economic worries will hold back enterprise IT spending next year, Gartner predicts. The analyst firm sees tepid 2.5 percent growth to $2.679 trillion, up from projected $2.603 trillion. "The global economic outlook has deteriorated in 2012, leading to scant overall growth in enterprise IT spending", Kenneth Brant, Gartner research director, says.

But there's a glimmer of sunlight in the economic gloom. "Our third-quarter outlook points to more substantial growth in 2013, if significant fiscal crises are avoided in the US and Europe, and in subsequent years. Most enterprises have already significantly cut discretionary IT spending growth over the past several years and, barring a global economic catastrophe and significant contraction of operations, they have little room to reduce IT spending further over the long run".

While vertical segment growth is projected to be lower single digits everywhere, some will outpace others. Insurance and transportation track for 4 percent growth, followed by 3.5 percent for banking and securities. Content and media services: 3 percent. The sector typically dedicates 5 percent of revenue on a five-year basis to IT spending.

"Several subsectors within CMS are heavily IT-intensive", Brant says. "Professional and IT services firms, communications service providers, software and Internet services, and media companies invest considerably in IT across hardware, software, IT services, internal services and telecommunications. With demands for a secure Internet connected backbone and faster wireless data services, coupled with the pervasiveness of social media and video, these industries will need to continue to invest in IT".

He expects the sector to spend $426 billion next year. That compares to $460 billion for banking and securities and $478 billion for manufacturing and natural resources.

By comparison, public spending is headed downward, 2 percent, to $445 billion.

"Austerity measures and budgetary reductions have affected government spending worldwide as measured by the reconciliation of government budget proposals across the US and Europe" Brant says. But that's a simplification.

"In some respects, IT budgets are being decoupled from the overall operating pressures facing governments", he continues. "At the same time, government organizations recognize that new technology investments may help reduce the cost of service delivery, improve operational efficiency or reduce future expenditure. Consequently, government IT spending intensity is beginning to diverge from traditional operational spending trends".

Photo Credit: Lucia Pitter/Shutterstock