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Best Windows 8 apps this week

Publié: janvier 11, 2013, 9:08pm CET par Martin Brinkmann

Eleventh in a series. Microsoft has updated two of the native apps that Windows 8 ships with this week. The News and Finance apps have received updates that enhance performance, improve network connectivity and add support for additional regional sources.

A total of 24,749 apps are listed in the US Windows 8 store this Friday. Of those, 20,019 are free to download and install, while 4,730 are paid applications. That's an increase of 961 apps this week.

Dropbox

The popular file hosting and synchronization company Dropbox has launched its official Windows 8 application. You can use it to access all files hosted on Dropbox. The application does not sync files with the operating system though, which means that the files are retrieved when you request them. You get a picture viewer and an option to watch videos as well, but that is about it. The application lacks important features, such as the ability to upload files to Dropbox or to download files to the system. All you get right now is the ability to launch the selected file in the default application of the system.

YouVue

This music app for Windows 8 makes available genres, news songs and more than 40 different music charts. Like many other apps, it uses YouTube as the backbone for that. When you start the application you can either dive into one of the supported genres, 80s, pop, jazz or dance for instance, check out the what's new listing where artists are featured, or check out the extensive charts section. You find US and UK Top 40 charts here, Europe Top 100, as well as Single, Soundtrack and even Web Top charts. The music continues to play in the background when you leave the screen. You can for instance use it to play the week's top 40 of the US or UK as a playlist while you do other chores on the system.

Answers

The official application is a knowledge base that you can use to find answers for your questions. It is a direct copy of the web service of the same name, and not to be confused with Yahoo Answers, which offers a similar service. You can browse categories on the Start page if you just want to browse, check out featured questions and answers, new answers or questions, or type in a question that you have to receive answers for. There is no guarantee of an answer though and many of the answers on the site appear to be rather short in size. Some on the other hand provide you with detailed information.

Hotels.com

The official application lets you find hotels all over the world. You can browse by continent, map, or search for hotels by entering the name of city, landmark, hotel, address or post code in the search form. Hotels are displayed with their rating, stars, location and price on the results page, which is somewhat hard to read due to the choice of colors on it. A right-click on the page opens up options to sort the hotels, for instance by price, stars or special deals, filter the listing, or display them all on a map instead. The map view is useful as it shows you locations of all hotels in the vicinity so that you can narrow down the results this way.

Manga Flow

If you can't get enough of Japanese Manga you may be interested in Manga Flow, another Manga reader for Windows 8. It taps right into the databases of the four popular services Manga Reader, Manga Fox, Manga Panda and Manga Here. Why different sources? Because they use different databases, which increases the chance that you find the Mangas you are looking for in one of them. You can browse the collections by category or use the search to find a particular series that you are interested in.

GMusic

If you are using Google Music you may like this unofficial application that brings your library to Windows 8. Once you have signed in you get access to all of the music available on Google Music. You can stream songs to your device, manage playlists or rate songs using the application. The only benefit over playing music directly on the Google Play website is that you do not need to have a web browser open all the time to do so. If you are working locally and are short on RAM, you may prefer to use the application. Otherwise, it is recommended to use the official service instead.

Free Kindle Books

This app makes available a selection of free ebooks that Amazon is offering for its Kindle devices including the Kindle Reader for PC. You can access the four categories Free Kindle Books, Top Free Kindle Classics, Top Independent Authors 2011 and Top Independent Authors 2012 on the start page. A click opens a list of free books sorted by genre. Each listing includes the name of the book and its author, the genres, star ratings, number of reviews and size. When you click on a book, you are taken to an embedded Amazon page where you can add it to your Kindle collection (you need to add it to your shopping cart and check out).

Your Tube 8

A front end for YouTube that provides you with a selection of hand-picked popular videos and options to browse or search the vast YouTube video database. The application is responsive and easy to use as it uses a native search option and not the operating system's standard way of searching applications. The app seems to remember the quality setting so that you only need to change it once to use the same quality, if available, from that moment on.

Typo

If this is your first touchscreen device you may need some practice to increase your typing level. Typo is a game that you can play to type faster using the touchpad. While designed for that, it can also be played with the keyboard. You see words falling down from the top and need to type them before they reach the bottom. It begins with three letter words and slowly increases both the letter count and speed of the words when you reach new levels.
Google tracks the flu and the news is not good

Publié: janvier 11, 2013, 7:34pm CET par Alan Buckingham

This is not the first year that Google has tracked the spread of the flu, but it may be the worst, from what the search giant's tracker is showing. Speaking for BetaNews, if I can, we have certainly felt the flu's effects so far this season, and we are spread out across the world, so that alone is telling.

The Google Flu Trends for the 2012-2013 season shows an alarming swing, with the graph heading steeply in the up direction beginning in early November and skyrocketing from there. In fact, most of the 50 states are now depicted in red -- 42 red versus 8 in orange. And orange is not much better.

None of this is cut-and-dry information, but Google has a pretty good handle on what is going on thanks to its position as the clear leader in the search market with close to 70 percent market share. This allows the company to keep track of trends in every area -- in this case those searching for flu information. The company can then use that data to project the number of cases and the locations of them. In fact, the data is so good that Google got it published in the prestigious science journal Nature.

Of course, what all of this means boils down to getting a shot, if you have not done so already, and doing your best to follow other good practices like sneezing into your bent elbow, washing your hands, etc. Also don't waste time and money on quack solutions, many of which are available online and even in pharmacies. Be smart and stick with proven science.
View the world from space on your desktop (sort of) with Desktop Earth

Publié: janvier 11, 2013, 4:39pm CET par Mike Williams

Let’s be frank: the regular Windows wallpapers are a little dull. And setting up a more dynamic system can take quite some time, as for instance you research different wallpaper changers, and try to find a source which provides images you like.

If you’re looking for a simpler way to liven up your desktop, then, you might prefer Desktop Earth, a small but simple tool which generates and regularly updates some gorgeous images showing the Earth from space.

This starts with some NASA images of the planet, which are updated monthly to reflect the seasons (foliage will turn from green to brown, the snow line will move, and more).

Desktop Earth can then overlay these with dynamic, updating clouds. Although while these look fantastic, they’re not real snapshots, so you can’t use the program for weather forecasting.

The program next grabs the time from your system clock, and uses this to darken areas of the globe where it’s night (even adding city lights for extra realism).

By default Desktop Earth will update all this every 5 minutes, so you can watch as sunlight slowly creeps across the face of the planet.

And if this doesn’t quite suit your needs then you can change the update interval (and many other program options) from Desktop Earth’s Settings dialog.

Unlike some similar tools, the program doesn’t use any real-time imagery, include any weather forecasting features, or provide anything else of great practical value. And if you regularly launch programs from desktop shortcuts then you’ll probably find this kind of automatically updating wallpaper to be distracting in the extreme.

Desktop Earth does generate some beautiful images, though, is surprisingly light on resources (its background process used around 5MB RAM on our test PC), and is entirely free, with no adware or other installation issues to worry about. And if you’d like a more dynamic desktop then the program could be the ideal choice.
Archos slaps a price-tag on its Titanium tablet lineup

Publié: janvier 11, 2013, 2:09pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

In late December, French consumer electronics company Archos unveiled the 97 Titanium HD, an Apple iPad 4-like tablet running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, but failed to release any pricing information. Nearly three weeks later, at CES 2013, Archos has finally revealed the missing detail.

The French firm places the 97 Titanium HD as "an alternative to the new iPad" but without the intimidating price-tag. The 9.7-inch tablet will run for a more sensible EUR249, $249, or £199, depending on the market, half of what the newest iPad goes for. Archos also released pricing for the remaining Titanium lineup.

The 7-inch 70 Titanium will retail for EUR199, $119 or £99, the 8-inch 80 Titanium for EUR169, $199 or £149 and the 10.1-inch 101 Titanium for EUR199, $199 or £169.

The company says that all of devices feature an IPS multi-touch panel, 1.6 GHz dual-core processors, "aluminium design" and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The specs are nothing to write home about, but the price is attractive.
Switchblade 0.70 troubleshooting toolkit revamps programs, adds Process Hacker

Publié: janvier 11, 2013, 2:00pm CET par Mike Williams

It’s a week since we covered Switchblade, an interesting portable troubleshooting toolkit which was a little flawed by its selection of programs. While there were some excellent choices, the package was distinctly short on system monitoring tools. And we weren’t entirely sure that most people would want to install a copy of Apache on a PC they were investigating, either.

With further questions soon emerging over licensing issues for some of the programs, it wasn’t long before the author removed the SourceForge download. It’s just reappeared in a new Switchblade 0.70 build, though, which appears to address at least some of the previous issues and concerns.

Some had wondered whether the author had the right to distribute a portable edition of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, for instance, and sure enough it’s now been removed. And IObit Uninstaller and Advanced System Care have similarly been pulled from the lineup.

The current bundle is also the more compact version, which doesn’t include Apache (amongst other things), and that makes for a much smaller download (45MB as opposed to more than 220MB).

And yet the package also greatly ramps up its troubleshooting abilities with some very useful system monitoring and tracking tools. AppCrashView gives you a detailed view of the last system crashes, for instance. LastActivityView provides a vast amount of information about what’s been happening recently on the target PC (startups, shutdowns, user logons and logoffs, programs run, applications installed and more). While Process Hacker shows you exactly what’s running on your system right now.

The interface has been revamped a little, with Switchblade’s various programs and features now all organized into four tabs (Security Tools, System Tools, Networking, Other).

And the "System Information" pane now correctly displayed the free RAM, IP address and host name of our test PC (previously this was blank).

We’re still left with a licensing question or two. Does the author really have the right to distribute Microsoft Security Essentials, for instance?

There’s no doubt that Switchblade 0.70 is much improved, though, especially with the inclusion of Process Hacker, and it’s good to see the package back and available for download again.
232 years in the making, Ordnance Survey launches its first maps app for iOS

Publié: janvier 11, 2013, 1:55pm CET par Wayne Williams

Shortly after Apple launched its disastrous maps app, Google’s CEO Larry Page made a comment regarding how it had taken Google seven years of hard work to get to where it’s at now. Seven years sounds like a long time, but it pales into insignificance when compared to the 232 years that British mapping agency Ordnance Survey has been making and refining its maps.

It’s rather surprising that it’s taken this long for the OS to put its work on iOS, but the agency has at last come up with an official app. OS MapFinder isn’t a straight alternative to Google Maps or Apple Maps though. Rather, as Ordnance Survey puts it, the app is "aimed at walkers, ramblers, runners, cyclists and generally anyone looking to enjoy the outdoors".

The app lets users view, navigate and download up-to-date OS Landranger (1:50,000) and OS Explorer (1:25,000) maps of Great Britain in high-resolution. There’s no danger of getting lost with these, as the highly accurate maps have been produced using a team of 250 surveyors and two aircraft making an incredible 10,000+ changes to the mapping database every day.

Although the app itself is free, Ordnance Survey isn’t one to give its maps away for nothing, so users will need to pay to download more detailed data. A single 10km-by-10km tile at 660dpi costs 69p. You do get a free tile of Exeter but it’s probably not worth moving there just for that.

The data is cached on the device, so you can use it offline -- handy when taking a stroll in the Scottish Highlands, for example, where it might be tricky to get a 3G signal.

Users can search for locations by place name, postcode or Ordnance Survey Grid reference. You can record your own personal routes on your device (in real-time), plan routes and measure your times for each trip.

Launching the new app, Peter ter Haar, Director of Products said: "Ordnance Survey prides itself on generating accurate and up-to-date mapping data. Customers have been asking us to extend the ways they can access our detailed and trusted mapping to meet the demands of today’s digital lifestyle. We are delighted to be launching OS MapFinder to give consumers the most up-to-date mapping from just 69p. Customers will now be able to enjoy the same experience as using a trusted Ordnance Survey paper map when exploring Great Britain on the go, at the touch of a screen".
Skype 6.1 for Windows improves account management, adds Outlook integration

Publié: janvier 11, 2013, 11:54am CET par Nick Peers

Microsoft has released Skype 6.1 for Windows and Skype 6.1 for Mac. Despite the same version numbering, both builds are effectively separate developments, with the key changes coming in the new Windows desktop build in the form of a toolbar refresh and integration with Microsoft Outlook 2010.

The new release comes hot on the heels of Microsoft’s announcement that its older messaging service -- Messenger -- is being retired worldwide (with the exception of mainland China). Contrary to original reports, the service will not go offline on March 15, but that is the date when Microsoft will begin to migrate Messenger users over to Skype ahead of its planned switch-off.

Skype 6.1 for Windows continues the recent theme of Microsoft tying in its recent acquisition more tightly with existing products and services. The key change here sees Skype being integrated into Microsoft Outlook (2010 or later), firstly through its contacts list -- now users can see contacts’ Skype status, contact information and mood message within their Outlook contact card.

Also added is the ability to call people on their mobile or landline directly from within Outlook itself, which triggers Skype to initiate the call using the user’s credit or subscription as payment. This works with all Outlook contacts that have phone numbers attached, not just Skype friends.

As well as adding phone capabilities, users can now also start Skype chats, video and voice calls directly from Outlook too, so long as the contact exists in both Skype and Outlook.

Additional improvements to Skype 6.1 for Windows itself include simplifying the process for adding a contact -- users can now search for them directly from their contacts list and add that person with just two clicks. The account profile screen has also been updated to provide more detailed information about the user’s account as well as options for managing the user’s account directly from within the program itself.

Also released is Skype for Mac 6.1. This update is less radical than its Windows’ counterpart, but includes the updated account profile screen, plus click-to-call support in Safari, which requires a separate download.

At time of writing, Skype 6.1 for Windows is not yet available through the program’s own update checker. Users can, however, download it directly and upgrade over the previous version. Also available as separate downloads are Skype for Mac 6.1, Skype for Linux 4.1, Skype for Windows 8, Skype for iPhone, Skype for iPad and Skype for Android.

Photo Credit: Goodluz /Shutterstock
Windows RT Jailbreak Tool available, makes running unsigned apps a breeze

Publié: janvier 11, 2013, 11:30am CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Jailbreaking Windows RT just got easy. Merely days after a complicated method to run unsigned apps on Microsoft's tablet operating system was uncovered, there is now an automated method available, dubbed RT Jailbreak Tool. No more messing around with debuggers and assembers.

Compared to the previous method, the RT Jailbreak Tool, dressed as a BAT file, overly simplifies the process such that even inexperienced users can jailbreak Windows RT devices. The prerequisites for running the automated hack are straightforward -- the user has to boot the tablet, log in and "sit on the desktop for about a minute" before opening the RT Jailbreak Tool.

The BAT file then automatically goes through the necessary steps to run unsigned apps, only requiring the user to press the Volume Down key in order to finish the process and validate any prompts that appear.

Using Bochs, an open-source x86 emulator, Twitter user @stroughtonsmith managed to run an "early OS X [Server]" using a VHD file on Windows Surface RT. Other currently known working apps include PuTTY, TightVNC, 7-Zip, Notepad++, Unikey and CrystalBoy (a Nintendo Gameboy emulator), among others.

Judging by the modding community's interest and success stories revealed so far, Windows RT just turned into a hacker's delight. The ability to run mature apps, which are mostly open-source at the moment, is no small feat when the Windows Store app selection is not overly evolved. This will not equate to record sales, but will give Windows RT-powered tablets an ever-so slight boost among enthusiasts. No bad thing.

Right now, Microsoft's worst move is to hinder the jailbreak method. Considering the previous statement released by the software giant, it appears that there are no such plans in the foreseeable future.
Google launches Chrome Beta channel for Android

Publié: janvier 11, 2013, 8:49am CET par Wayne Williams

Users of Google’s popular desktop browser have a choice of release channels. If you hate bugs and crashes, there’s the stable version of the browser (which was just updated). If you don’t mind taking a little risk and want to get your hands on the newest features, there are the Beta and Dev channels. And finally, if you want to be on the absolute cutting edge, there’s the Canary build which runs alongside any other Chrome installs you have.

Android users don’t have this degree of choice, but from today Google is offering a new Beta channel for phones and tablets running Android 4.0 and up, and the good news is it can be installed alongside your current version of Chrome so you’ll always have a stable version of the browser on hand.

According to Google, "Chrome for Android now benefits from all the speed, security and other improvements that have been landing on Chrome’s other platforms". The first Beta release includes improved Octane performance, and HTML5 features for developers.

You can grab the new version from the Google Play store now. You will need to use the link as the app can’t be found by simply searching for it.
5 weirdest tech products unveiled at CES 2013

Publié: janvier 11, 2013, 7:05am CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Four days ago I reported about "5 CES 2013 pre-show announcements you should know about". As the show leads towards a (long awaited) finale, let's take a look at the five weird pieces of tech unveiled since Sunday.

Some serve as part of the "What were they thinking?" lesson in announcing new products, while others are good examples of tech gone too far. Since quantifying which one's more out of place than the other, the following five products will be listed in a non-particular order. Feel free to name the weirdest of all in the comments below. Be advised, that's no easy task to undertake!

iPotty for iPad

If you want to teach your child how to use the toilet and you happen to have an Apple iPad lying around, or don't mind buying a new one, then the iPotty for iPad delivered by CTA Digital might be just the thing for your tyke's toilet-duty training.

The portable potty comes with a splash-guard that covers the fruit logo-branded device and one for the potty itself, just in case any youngster decides to test the iPad's water-resistance (which obviously it does not have) or rebels against the proper seating position.

That said, parents are looking at quite an expensive plastic toilet. The iPad 2 starts at $399, while the iPad 4 runs for $499. Don't forget to use the splash-guard before letting the toddler take it for a spin!

HAPIfork

HAPILABS describes the HAPIfork as "an electronic fork that monitors your eating habits. The HAPIfork gives you precise information about your eating schedule. The HAPIfork alerts you with the help of indicator lights when you are eating too fast".

Basically designed for those who cannot help but rush a meal, the HAPIfork also allows the user to track down progress by uploading the information via USB to the Online Dashboard. Cool, isn't it? I mean, who doesn't want a bunch of lights on their fork while they're eating and a method to compare grubbing habits?

Likely the company behind the product deems it efficient, although I'd like to know whether it is entirely water-proof. There is no mention, but seeing as it's still a fork and gets dirty, using water is a necessity.

Discovery Wall Oven

Imagine salesmen say: "Dear Sir (or Madam), may I interest you in an Android-controlled wall oven?" Likely you'd think he or she would be nuts, but thanks to Dacor one of the remotely thinkable ideas has already been put into practice, and will come in stores as the Discovery Wall Oven.

The cooker features an integrated Discovery IQ Controller for Android, "truly a revolutionary wall oven controller that has raised the bar for cooking convenience and performance". The controller also features Wi-Fi connectivity so that the oven can be remotely operated. Neat, isn't it?

Dacor says the Double Wall Oven runs for $7,499 when available during the "Summer of 2013", while the Single Wall Oven goes for a more modest $4,499. For that price buyers do get text messages or push notifications once the "dish is ready to serve". That's like looking inside the oven, but without actually being there to do it.

Samsung T9000

Likely due to a desperate need for differentiation (how many refrigerators types can there be?), Samsung unveiled the T9000. With an MSRP of $3,999 the T9000 comes with a LCD display and "apps to help families stay organized and connected in the kitchen".

More precisely, the refrigerator features Evernote integration, allegedly to allow buyers to share photos, videos or recipes, as well as calendar and weather apps, among likely other ones. You might wonder: "Why run Evernote on my smartphone and tablet when I can basically do the same thing on a fridge?"

So has Samsung gone too far with the T9000? Technology is further advancing into our lives, indeed, but there has to be some point where there's too much of it. Checking the weather app and digital notes on a fridge surely qualify as such.

Nano Nails

Touted as a product designed for the ladies (although it may appeal to some men as well), is Nano Nails. In short the device is basically a stylus (more or less) that looks like a faux finger nail.

It's literally "a stylus that is always at your fingertips" according to Tech Tips, although I can only assume that it's just not as good because of the larger contact surface. The company aims the Nano Nails at women artists wanting to use their phone to draw, adding notes and so on. But wait, isn't there a Samsung Galaxy Note II for that?

Ah, but you see the Nano Nails can work on any phone even the smaller iPhone 5 for instance. Surely success awaits such a glamorous and innovative product, doesn't it? On a more serious note I can only wonder how does it stay glued (likely pun intended) to the finger nail, how easy it can be removed and if the Nano Nails are actually frustrating to take on and off on a daily basis.

These are just five examples of wacky and weird tech product unveiled at CES 2013. If you have other ones that you fancy adding to the list, please use the comments section below.
Google releases Chrome 24 -- get it NOW!

Publié: janvier 11, 2013, 6:08am CET par Mike Williams

Google has released Chrome 24 to the stable channel for Windows, the Mac and Linux. And while there are no major additions this time around, the build still has enough to make for a worthwhile upgrade.

There’s the usual focus on performance, for instance. When the Chrome 24 beta appeared the development team claimed a 26.3-percent improvement in JavaScript performance over the last year, and the latest release includes yet more optimizations. No need to take their word for it, though: run Chrome’s Octane benchmark before and after upgrading, see for yourself.

Elsewhere, new support for MathML allows the browser to properly display mathematical content written using MathML markup. This new ability may not always be recognized by web pages (we found some complained that the browser “didn’t support MathML”), but when they could use it, everything worked just fine.

Developers may be interested in CSS Custom Filters, which could allow them to create all kinds of visual effects (like curling page corners or cinematic transitions) via simple CSS code alone. The W3C "Filter Effects 1.0" document explains all the key details, and you can try out this experimental feature by going to chrome://flags and enabling CSS Shaders.

The release includes the usual lengthy list of security fixes, including a number of issues relating to PDF handling. The official Chrome Releases blog has the full list.

And while Google Chrome 24 may be short on major new features, there are an enormous number of smaller bug fixes, usability improvements and other optimizations included. The SVN Revision Log has everything you need to know (but beware, you’ll be reading for a very, very long time.)