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BetaNews.Com (12 non lus)

Microsoft sets up shop in your local Best Buy

Publié: juin 13, 2013, 9:21pm CEST par Alan Buckingham

Microsoft continues its battle for your retail dollars. Not only has the company set up store fronts in malls around the country, as well as pop-up locations during this past holiday season, but now seeks other outlets. The software giant is invading your local big box store, announcing custom stores within Best Buy.

The company's Brandon LeBlanc lets us know, "today, we announce a strategic partnership to create the Windows Store only at Best Buy, a comprehensive store-within-a-store in 500 Best Buy locations across the United States and more than 100 Best Buy and Future Shop locations in Canada".

Plans include stores that will range in size from 1,500 square feet to 2,200 square feet and will be the latest destination for consumers to see, try, compare and purchase a range of products and accessories. This will include Windows tablets and PCs, Windows Phones, Microsoft Office, Xbox and more.

The launch comes in plenty of time for the new Windows 8.1 and Xbox One, and Microsoft has other full blown stores in the works as well.
Vodafone UK’s new Smart Mini gives you the power of Jelly Bean for just £50 -- contract free

Publié: juin 13, 2013, 7:07pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Great news for British Android lovers. If you’re in the market for a new mobile phone, but money’s a little tight right now, Vodafone’s new own-brand Smart Mini could be just what you’re looking for.

One of the cheapest Android smartphones around, the device is understandably pretty low spec with a 3.5-inch 480 by 320 display, 2-Megapixel camera, 1GHz processor and 4GB of internal storage.

However it comes with a microSD card slot so you can expand storage by up to 32GB, and offers HSDPA connectivity, GPS, Wi-Fi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0.

It runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean too, which should make it more appealing, and will only cost £50 on Pay As You Go. And you get free delivery. Not only that, but if you top up with a Freedom Freebee between now and the end of July you’ll get free mobile internet for 30 days.

Smart Mini is available to buy now and you can choose from any color so long as it’s black.
Microsoft announces availability of Windows Embedded Compact 2013

Publié: juin 13, 2013, 7:03pm CEST par Alan Buckingham

Today Microsoft announces the general availability of Windows Embedded Compact 2013, a version that is optimized for building small-footprint industry devices. Windows Embedded Compact 2013 includes new tools and capabilities -- including support for Visual Studio 2012 that is designed to further enhance Windows.

According to Microsoft, "the release is the latest generation of one of the smallest and most flexible products in the Windows Embedded portfolio, designed to power devices that need real-time performance and silicon flexibility, with support for x86 and ARM architectures".

The operating system is used to power devices such as programmable logic controllers and human-machine interface panels used to monitor processes in manufacturing, RFID scanners in retail environments, and portable ultrasound machines and diagnostic lab equipment in a healthcare setting.

"It’s now essential for businesses to tap into the vast potential of data if they want to compete", says Kevin Dallas, general manager for Windows Embedded at Microsoft. He goes on to explain "with Windows Embedded powering industry devices, that data is made readily available to drive real, actionable operational intelligence for industries. Windows Embedded Compact 2013 is a really powerful, flexible platform for extending that capability to some of the smallest industry devices".

Microsoft says this will offer improved memory management, network management, a snapshot boot, which allows devices to boot within seconds to a known state, cellular and Bluetooth technologies and support from thousands of developers (at least that's what company claims).

Microsoft is hoping this latest release brings industry a bit closer to Windows 8. With companies being slow to adopt any new OS, that remains to be seen.
Hey Microsoft, here’s another ball! Try not to drop this... oh

Publié: juin 13, 2013, 5:33pm CEST par Wayne Williams

If I worked for Microsoft, and my sole job was to come up with products that divided opinion and alienated many previously loyal users, I reckon I would be due a promotion about now.

While some divisions within Microsoft are doing a great job (Bing and Outlook.com spring to mind), you have to wonder what the bloody hell is going on when the tech giant is able to so badly foul up not only Windows but Xbox too.

Windows 8 was a brave step. Taking the OS in a new direction, making it suitable for tablets and fully embracing touch was a smart move, but one that was followed by lots of dumb decisions. Microsoft appears to have taken every single factor into account except one -- its existing customer base. It seems as if at no point did anyone involved in the operating system’s development or testing say, "Do you think customers will like that we’ve removed the Start button and menu, made things harder to use with a mouse, and forced users to discover where menus live before they can access them?" or "But what if they don’t want apps? If they want to just go to the desktop, run existing programs and, you know, multitask?"

With Windows 8.1 Microsoft says it’s listened to its customers. Why didn’t it do that before it released Windows 8?

Tami Reller, Windows division CFO, admitted in an interview with the New York Times that the Windows 8 learning curve is real. Of course it is. Microsoft rolled out numerous preview versions of the OS before releasing the full thing, so I'm sure that issue was mentioned, but at no point did anyone appear to make changes where changes blatantly needed to be made. "Here's a preview version, use it and feel free to provide feedback, but don't be too surprised when we don't listen to anything you say".

When the finished version of Windows 8.1 arrives we will likely get the OS Windows 8 should have been. But don't fool yourself into thinking Microsoft is going to take more of an interest in your keyboard and mouse PC. It isn't. I watched this video yesterday. It shows how "Windows brings it all to life on your Windows tablet, PC and phone". Notice the order of the devices -- Windows tablets first. When the video shows the PC, it's a computer without a mouse. Maybe Microsoft removed the pointing device for aesthetics, figuring it didn't look good in the video, or maybe it’s a subliminal message…

Xbone Headed

You’d think following up a much loved games console like the Xbox would be hard to screw up, yet Microsoft seems to be doing a damn fine job of that too, alienating hardcore gamers -- the people who would usually rush to buy an Xbox -- by (initially at least) portraying it as an entertainment center rather than a games console.

On top of that, the Xbox One isn’t backwardly compatible with Xbox 360 games, and treats everyone like a pirate, with restrictive copyright protection measures that require the device to connect to the internet at least once a day (or every hour if you're logged into someone else's games library) and by restricting the trading and selling back of games. It even comes with a camera that stares unblinkingly at you the whole time and can’t be disconnected. Because in the wake of PRISM who wouldn't want that? (I know Microsoft has addressed privacy concerns here, but still…)

With the Xbox One I wanted a games console that could also handle the entertainment side of things. What Microsoft is offering is an entertainment box which can also do games, provided you agree to some crazy terms and don't want to try and use it anywhere without an internet connection. At E3, Microsoft has pushed gaming heavily and won back some fans, but its design choices and attitude will have had plenty of people looking at the PS4 more favorably than they otherwise might have.

Lock Down

Eight months ago, before Windows 8 launched, I said that Microsoft wants to be Apple. I meant that it wanted a slice of the apps pie, a drink from the revenue stream that Apple has been slurping from so successfully for so long. But I think MS wants to be more like Apple in other ways too.

Apple keeps a firm grip on lots of aspects of its products. It makes devices which are less easy to upgrade or customize, it vets all the apps before they appear on the App Store (not always successfully) and it basically tells users how to use its products.

That’s essentially what Microsoft tried to do with Windows 8. It wants users to just accept the new tiled interface, buy touch devices, forget about the Start menu and not skip the Modern UI. But Microsoft customers are not like Apple ones. We're used to freedom, to doing things the way we want to -- so to be suddenly faced with an OS that works not how we want it to, but how Microsoft says it has to be, just jars badly.

And telling potential customers that if you don't like certain features of Xbox One to buy an eight year old gaming console instead is, frankly, a dick move.

Microsoft is pushing its vision on to users and really that’s how it should be. But when your vision is out of step with what many users want (or think they want at least), compromises need to be made. Don’t just rush into things.

Windows 8 could have been a halfway step between Windows 7 and a more radical Windows 9. It could have catered more for the existing audience, the keyboard and mouse users, while still being welcoming for the fledgling touch brigade at the same time.

Similarly, Xbox One should have put games on at least an equal footing with entertainment from the offset, and made the whole internet check-in just less... mandatory. Give people a choice. Not too much choice of course, but some at least.

Ultimately I think Microsoft’s vision with Windows 8 and Xbox One is right. But its approach is all wrong and doing the company -- and its devoted users -- no favors at all.

Agree or disagree with me? Leave your comments below.

Photo Credit: Johnny Sajem/Shutterstock
TweetDeck 3 for Windows unveils new design and better navigation

Publié: juin 13, 2013, 5:30pm CEST par Nick Peers

Twitter has released TweetDeck 3.0.2 for Windows, a major new build of its desktop Twitter client. The new release adds support for minimizing the application to the Taskbar Notification area, plus unveils a new layout, followers column and additional search filters.

TweetDeck is designed to make it easier to track real-time conversations as well as monitor specific Twitter feeds or hashtags through the use of a multi-columned layout. Users can also access TweetDeck via their browser using its web-based app, which also recently gained a redesign.

TweetDeck 3.0.2 opens with a design refresh that Twitter describes as a "cleaner look", stripping back the interface to provide a more user-friendly experience with extra space for columns and tweets.

As part of this redesign, users can now easily switch between columns using the icon-based sidebar that has been moved from the top of the TweetDeck window to the left. The sidebar also supports drag-and-drop reordering of columns, simplifying this process further.

When adding new columns, a new Followers option has also been added, allowing users to quickly review the Twitterati who are following them, plus take further action from following back or blocking to sending direct messages or tweets. The design tweaks mirror those unveiled last week at [https:].

Version 3 also adds a number of new search filters -- including the ability to filter by media or retweets, plus supports minimizing to the Taskbar’s Notification area via a new icon. TweetDeck 3.0.2 is available now as a freeware download for Windows, along with TweetDeck 2.7.1 for Mac OS.
qMetro helps you travel the world’s subways like a local

Publié: juin 13, 2013, 5:19pm CEST par Mike Williams

Subways can be a great way to get around a big city, but of course you have to understand their layout, first. That can be a challenge, particularly if you leave it until the last minute, and are left peering at a huge map on a tiny smartphone screen (that’s if you can get a signal at all). But plan ahead with a little help from qMetro and your life could be very much easier.

An open source tool available for Windows, Linux, OS X and more, qMetro comes bundled with 23 maps covering subways in many big cities: Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Brussels, London, Madrid, Moscow, New York, Paris, Tokyo and others. But if that’s not enough, there are something like 200 maps available online (and in theory, at least, you can even create more yourself).

At a minimum, you might use qMetro just to open and display a static map of your chosen subway. Navigation is easy, you can spin the mouse wheel to zoom in and out, or click and drag the map to pan around. Your current map scale and position will by default be saved, too, so you can close the program, come back later and carry on where you left off.

The qMetro maps aren’t just images, though. Find and click on one station, and all the others on the map will display a figure indicating how many minutes away they are.

And if you click a second station then the program can even calculate a route for you, including any transfers and the total travel time.

QMetro does have a few interface irritations. If you click a couple of stations then the program correctly displays the route between them, for instance. But if you then accidentally click anywhere in the map window, that route is immediately cleared, which can be very annoying.

Some functions don’t work as you expect. There’s a Search window where you can enter station names, for instance, and we thought the obvious application for this would be to zoom in on, or highlight whatever station you need. But we were wrong: it doesn’t do that at all. (We’re not entirely sure how it works, in fact, and the lack of any documentation doesn’t help.)

And more fundamentally, you’re more likely to need this kind of functionality on a mobile device than a desktop. The program doesn’t even include a Print option so that you can take a route along with you (the best it can do is copy a route to the clipboard, so you can paste and print it elsewhere).

Still, qMetro’s core functionality has a lot of promise. There are plenty of maps. They’re open format, so it’s relatively easy for others to add more. The route calculation engine seems reliable, from what we can see (although that requires major testing to tell for sure). And just a few relatively small tweaks, like providing more ways to save and share your route, would make the program much more useful. If you’re interested in metros or maps then you should take a closer look.
Sony wants developers to build custom firmware for its SmartWatch

Publié: juin 13, 2013, 4:05pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

Just as with smartphones and tablets, manufacturers look towards developers and enthusiasts to help speed up the adoption of smartwatches. The attractive hardware only gets a wearable so far but companion apps and dedicated software can really open up its appeal towards a larger audience.

But Sony wants to take things one step further. On Thursday, the Japanese maker launched a new project called Open SmartWatch which is designed to "inspire and make it possible" for "advanced developers" to create and run third-party firmware for its SmartWatch. The company takes a similar approach as with the AOSP project for the Xperia Z, by providing the necessary technical information, instructions and software.

As it stands, Open SmartWatch appears to have a limited focus, with the company promoting its own firmware to "normal consumers and end users". But, from what I can tell, Sony will not stop daring enthusiasts from downloading and installing the custom software onto their SmartWatch. That is, of course, if developers do release third-party firmware.
New Myspace launches... Hello...? Is anyone there?

Publié: juin 13, 2013, 3:24pm CEST par Ian Barker

A funny thing happened when I checked my email this morning. I found I had a friend request from Myspace, something I haven’t had for a long time. Even funnier was when I clicked on it Myspace -- or at least Myspace as I knew it -- was gone. In its place was a new sleek, Modern UI meets Spotify, music-based site. A site that doesn't seem to do friend requests anymore either so it's lucky I got that email or I might never have stumbled on it at all (conspiracy theories on a postcard please).

Of course this really shouldn't have come as a surprise, around nine months ago my colleague Wayne Williams reported early news of the update with the headline New Myspace is gorgeous, but who will use it? Like everyone else though I’d read about a Myspace update and not deemed it worthy of brain space. So suddenly finding myself on the new site -- fresh out of beta -- was a bit of a shock.

Not an unpleasant one as it happens. After a bit of reorientation (the site is much more minimalist than in the past and it isn't always obvious how things work) I thought it looked good. In fact visually it's a winner with chunky graphics, tablet-friendly sideways scrolling and a neat floating player at the bottom of the page. There's also a change in emphasis, rather than trying to recapture its pre-Facebook glory days as a one-size-fits-all social network it now focuses on creatives; musicians mainly but also artists and writers. Old Myspace was always good for finding music and the new one looks set to capitalize on that. There are new mobile apps too that allow you to build your own personalized radio station.

Tim Vanderhook, co-owner of the site along with his brother Chris and singer Justin Timberlake, says, "Today more than ever there's this need for a creative ecosystem that kind of caters to the creative community and that's both a social network and the streaming services attached".

There's no doubt that the new site is a visual treat but I'm not convinced that it does anything better than the competition that will tempt me to use it regularly. And with Google and Apple both moving into the streaming market that competition is about to become a whole lot tougher.

By targeting the site at artists the owners clearly hope that fans will follow. This could be a risky strategy but Myspace has the advantage of some 27 million existing users in the US and around twice that number worldwide. Many of those, like me, probably haven't used the site for a while but if they can be tempted back from their dormant state by the new interface they could give it a head start over the competition.

What we have then is a site that's undergone a radical redesign, gone off in a fresh direction with a new focus and, on the whole, seems to have done it well. This should be the big social network news story of the week, but sadly it comes at the same time that Facebook borrows the hashtag feature from Twitter, so poor old Myspace ends up as the bridesmaid once again.
Microsoft beefs up Windows Azure with two-factor authentication

Publié: juin 13, 2013, 12:54pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

In an effort to beef up the security of its cloud platform, late-yesterday, Microsoft introduced two-step authentication for Windows Azure. The new feature is available through a service called Active Authentication and, according to the software giant, is mostly aimed at enterprises.

"Companies can enable multi-factor authentication for Windows Azure Active Directory identities to help secure access to Office 365, Windows Azure, Windows Intune, Dynamics CRM Online and many other apps that are integrated with Windows Azure AD", says Windows Azure director Sarah Fender. "Developers can also use the Active Authentication SDK to build multi-factor authentication into their custom applications and directories".

The Windows Azure implementation of two-factor authentication works similarly as on other cloud services by requiring users to type in an additional passcode on top of the traditional log in credentials (username and password).

The security code can be obtained through a mobile app (Microsoft recommends its own app, called Active Authentication which is available for Android, iOS and Windows Phone), phone call or text message.

On Windows Azure, two-factor authentication doesn't come for free. Microsoft charges users who wish to deploy the security feature either per authentication or per user per month.

During the preview, the former runs for $1 for 10 authentications and the latter goes for $1 per user per month. Once the feature reaches GA (General Availability or stable) status, the software giant estimates that the price of each of the two options will double.

Photo Credit: jörg röse-oberreich/Shutterstock
Goodbye Google Reader -- I'm switching to Readable.cc

Publié: juin 13, 2013, 11:43am CEST par Hammad Saleem

It really doesn’t make any sense for Google to be shutting down such a widely used and cherished feeds subscriber as Google Reader, but the web giant isn’t going to change its mind unfortunately, so we must look towards alternatives that we can adopt.

But with countless options to choose from, where should one even begin looking? An excellent place to start is a website called Readable.cc.

Since Google announced it would be shuttering Reader I've tested almost a dozen alternatives, but this is the first service I've found that could effectively become my Reader replacement. Although the interface it offers is quite different from that of Google’s service, you will soon get accustomed to it and, with time, might even prefer it.

Let’s Begin

You can browse the featured stories, and search for topics of interest, but to get the most from Readable.cc you need to sign up for an account by entering an email address and password (no logging in with your Google or Facebook credentials here). Once you do that, you can begin subscribing to some popular feeds provided on the website, or by entering a feed address.

Naturally, importing and exporting feeds is also possible, so you can bring your Google Reader feeds into Readable.cc through Google Takeout; making the migration a quick and painless process.

With this step complete, you can begin viewing your feed stories. The interface provided is minimal, neat, and clutter-free.

From the list of articles, you can click on any one to expand it -- something that enables convenient and efficient reading. Once you are done with an article, you can vote it up or down by marking it as "Interesting" or "Boring". This is one feature that I really like. When you mark an article as Interesting, Readable will prioritize similar types of stories above others, so that you don’t have to dig into your RSS feeds for articles you want to read.

Sharing stories can be done via Facebook, Google+, and Twitter. Articles can also be stored in a "Save" list for later access. This list, along with your own feed, can be accessed from a bar at the top of the screen.

A Search button lets you search through all of your feeds, specific subscriptions, or all of the content on the website.

Summing Up

Readable.cc is a simple to use RSS reader that offers all of the features you’re likely to require wrapped up in a clean and uncluttered interface. The only thing I don’t like about the service is that to view the list of subscribed websites and updates, you have to go to the subscriptions page. The service is definitely a respectable alternative for Google Reader though, and I'm pleased to have found it.

Have you tried Readable.cc? If so, what did you think of it? Leave your comments below.

Photo Credit: Markus Gann/Shutterstock
PlayOn refresh adds PlayMark, RecordTo and PlayTo

Publié: juin 13, 2013, 3:34am CEST par Alan Buckingham

PlayOn, one of my favorite media apps for my Google TV, today unveils major new updates to its offering. The service is a life-saver for cord-cutters and has somehow managed to avoid lawsuits during its existence, even going so far as to partner with set-top box maker Roku, selling a box with PlayOn pre-installed.

The company first introduces a new service it calls PlayMark. This means, when you are browsing the web on your PC and you come across a cool video that you want to show to your family or friends later on TV, then you can click the PlayMark icon in your browser menu to mark the video. Then continue browsing the web and, later that evening, when you are in front of the TV looking for something to watch and remember that you wanted to show something to your family, you can bring up PlayOn, find the PlayMark folder, click on it and, in a few seconds, you will be watching that same web video you PlayMarked earlier.

PlayMark has another cool feature integrated into it called PlayTo. Instead of simply bookmarking it for later -- if you have a Roku, Xbox 360 or Google TV, or any other Digital Media Renderer, then you can just click "send to" and the video will start playing on your TV -- providing the Roku, Xbox, or GoogleTV is connected to that TV. You can also use PlayTo from your mobile phone or tablet.

There also is the addition of RecordTo, which is for PlayOn users who also have a PlayLater subscription (a DVR feature). This lets you select a video from your phone’s PlayOn app and record it via PlayLater. As long as your PlayOn app is paired with your PlayLater PC and PlayLater is running, it will just add the video to the recording queue on your PC.

PlayOn continues to progress as the best option for many customers looking to get out from under heavy cable and satellite bills. With continued improvements, the service trends on a steady upward pace.
Yahoo email is like a box of chocolates

Publié: juin 13, 2013, 2:21am CEST par Brian Fagioli

You never know who you are going to get.

Yahoo has announced that starting mid-July, it is going to begin recycling email addresses. All Yahoo email addresses that have been inactive for 12 months or longer, will be made available again. Users will be able to stake claims on desired and expired Yahoo email addresses on a first-come, first serve basis. This sounds like a fun thing for Yahoo users who want a shorter or easier email address.

There is only one problem -- it is the worst idea ever; from a security standpoint, this is a huge blunder. They are making it easier for identity thieves and hackers to steal Yahoo clients’ identities and information.

For example: A Yahoo user died a year or more ago and a devious person knows of this. They can stake a claim to the inactive email address and begin intercepting emails that were intended for the deceased party. They can then impersonate the deceased party to people who aren't aware that the person died -- the potential is endless. They may be able to access 3rd party sites (example: Amazon.com) by resetting the deceased party’s passwords. After all, many sites only require access to the associated email address to reset a password. They could even potentially access other email accounts if the Yahoo email address was listed as a secondary account.

However, this is not limited to professional identity thieves, it can be stumbled upon by accident. For example: Someone stakes claim and wins an expired Yahoo email address with good intentions. All of a sudden, they start receiving email that was intended for the previous owner. Whether the new owner is honest or not -- it is a security issue, the content of the email is compromised. What is the new owner to do?

Most importantly, it is not only the previous Yahoo email address owner that is affected. The party sending the emails can be impacted; someone sending sensitive documents intended for the original Yahoo owner will have no way of knowing that they are going to the new owner. They could contain personal data, secret plans or other important things. This can seriously jeopardize a business or agency -- there may be a financial impact if business secrets are leaked.

While Yahoo’s intentions seem to be good, its negligence to security is unsettling. This oversight can cost the company its reputation and user trust. When it can be avoided, email addresses should never be recycled. Yahoo is choosing fun over security. Potentially, after mid-July, you can never be 100 percent sure of who will be reading the email you send when the recipient has a Yahoo email address.

Will you still feel comfortable sending information to a Yahoo email address? Tell me in the comments.

Photo Credit: arek_malang/Shutterstock