Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » septembre 12, 2013

BetaNews.Com (10 non lus)

Outlook.com embraces IMAP

Publié: septembre 12, 2013, 8:17pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic
Earlier today Microsoft introduced IMAP support for its Outlook.com email service. The latest addition is designed to allow feature phone users and those who rely on a number of third-party email clients, such as the Mail app from OS X, to take advantage of email sync.

IMAP joins Exchange ActiveSync and POP as the supported Outlook.com protocols and falls between the two, in terms of functionality (EAS is more feature-rich compared to POP). "While we believe that EAS is the most robust protocol for connecting to your email, with syncing in near real time, and superior battery and network efficiency, there are still some devices and apps that haven't made the upgrade to EAS", says Outlook.com Protocols principal program manager lead Steve Kafka. "As an older protocol, IMAP is widely supported on feature phones and other email clients such as those on a Mac. We heard your feedback loud and clear that this was important".

As some of you may know, the Mail app from OS X (I have personally tested this on Mountain Lion) cannot connect to Outlook.com through anything other than POP, resulting in a sub-par experience for the users of the email service. Why? Because it connects through POP, any change performed on the device, like marking an email as read or deleting it, does not reflect on the server -- email will still be listed as unread or not removed, respectively. Basically, there is no synchronization between the two -- a problem which does not exist with IMAP.

According to Microsoft, the following settings should be used to connect through IMAP (the supported version is 4, revision 1) to Outlook.com:

For incoming:
- Server address: "imap-mail.outlook.com"
- Server port: "993"
- Encryption type: "SSL"
For outgoing:
- Server address: "smtp-mail.outlook.com"
- Server port: "587"
- Encryption type: "TLS"
(Please note that you have to remove the quotes when using the aforementioned settings.)

The IMAP support also brings OAuth (version 2.0) to Outlook.com. It is used for authorization purposes.

The IMAP support brings another benefit to Outlook.com. "In addition to offering more complete device connectivity, IMAP (along with OAuth) gives developers opportunities to build third-party clients and services that offer value-added scenarios on top of your Outlook.com email", says Kafka. "We are excited to launch the first set of services today that integrate with Outlook.com, and look forward to sharing many more in the future".

Some of the third-party service and clients that now support Outlook.com include the TripIt journey planner, the Slice online purchase tracker and the Unroll.me subscription manager, which I previously discussed (and recommended) here.

Photo Credit: 2jenn/Shutterstock
How to delete or disable (almost) all of your accounts from the cloud

Publié: septembre 12, 2013, 5:35pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

Over the years I have amassed a vast collection of unused accounts on websites. I am sure you have too. I have signed up for various online services -- email, cloud storage, content streaming, social networking and more -- with the prospect of trying new things or replacing old ones. The antiquated accounts got left behind, abandoned or forgotten.

The downsides, at least for me, are the constant email reminders which I receive, trying to pull me back in, or, worse, the likelihood of exposing personal information to hackers (if I don't use something then I surely will not change my password frequently or enable new security features). The solution? The unused accounts have to go. And Just Delete Me is one of the best services to help do that.

Just Delete Me is, at heart, a collection of direct links to official account deletion or deactivation webpages. A significant number of services are listed, from the aging AOL and ICQ to newer ones like Instagram and Path. The list also includes Amazon, Ask.fm, Craigslist, Dropbox, eBay, Facebook, Foursquare, Google, Grindr, Last.fm, LinkedIn, MySpace, New York Times, Outlook.com, PayPal, Pocket, Spotify, Tumblr, Twitter, Vine, WhatsApp and Yahoo, among others. But whether you can actually remove your account (or, deactivate it) depends solely on the provider.

Just Delete Me shows you how difficult it is to delete the account (rated as easy, medium, hard or impossible), and provides indications on how to perform the action, and the direct link for the respective page. The only requirements for removal are your login credentials and, depending on the service, security answers, which you must type in when the service asks you to.

The upside in the way Just Delete Me works (versus doing these actions on your behalf) is that there are no safety concerns regarding handing your data over to a third-party, in the hope of getting rid of the accounts you no longer use.

Photo Credit: Duc Dao/Shutterstock
Facebook closes Social Fixer's page -- owner warns other businesses

Publié: septembre 12, 2013, 5:15pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Social Fixer is a browser extension available for Chrome, Firefox and others. It exists to make Facebook a more pleasurable experience, by ironing out annoyances and adding extra features. In theory this means Facebook users are happier and therefore use the site more -- everyone's a winner. The tool is free and over the course of four years its developer, Matt Kruse, built up a following of hundreds of thousands of users. Now Facebook has wiped that out.

The Social Fixer tool still exists and still offers the same options as it did before, but it no longer has a Facebook presence. Back on 2 September the Social Fixer Facebook Page (which is still inaccessible) was "unpublished" by Facebook. The reason specified was that the page had been flagged up for spam -- this is something Matt vehemently denies ever engaging in.

This in itself is nothing particularly out of the ordinary. Pages do get temporarily suspended from time to time, and it can be done by mistake. But what is more interesting is what happened yesterday, 11 September, following an appeal. This time Facebook completely removed the Social Fixer page entirely, citing a violation of "community standards".

The page had over 330,000 likes but these have now been lost forever. The support group was used by over 13,000 people, but this has now been closed as well.

In a blog post entitled "Beware: Your Business Is At The Mercy Of Facebook!" Matt explains his experiences and warns other businesses who use Facebook to be aware of the possibility of page removal.

The case of Social Fixer is probably unique. It is free of charge, although donations are accepted, and the extension website does feature advertisements, but it is understandable why Facebook might take umbrage at its very existence. Social Fixer has its own website and is not exactly reliant on Facebook but the social network is where many people turn to for support from any product or company.

I've reached out to Matt to try to get some more details about what is happening now and next, and I'm waiting to hear back from him -- I'll update this article as and when I do.

In the meantime, what do you think about this? Assuming Matt has not been spamming users, what justification could Facebook have for closing down the pages? Do you use Facebook as a point of contact for your business, and does this worry you? Obviously Facebook is, ultimately, free to close any pages it wants for whatever reason -- but is this right?
All Aboard! Google Street View sails to the Galapogos

Publié: septembre 12, 2013, 4:51pm CEST par Alan Buckingham

You will not be the first to explore the islands' biodiversity, and you won't be arriving on the HMS Beagle, but you also no longer need to face the hardships of a long sea journey to visit the Galapogos. Google Street View has made the trip for you and, as the team always does, it recorded every moment so that you can visit without leaving your computer.

The search giant partnered with the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park and Charles Darwin Foundation in order to capture panoramic imagery of the small island group. The company hopes the data will not just be a source of enjoyment for Street View users, but also "play an instrumental role in the ongoing research of the environment, conservation, animal migration patterns, and the impact of tourism on the islands".

According to Raleigh Seamster, Project Lead for Google Earth Outreach, "Darwin for a Day is a web application that invites you to step into Darwin’s shoes by exploring the Galapagos Islands through Google Street View and document its unique plants and animals. When you see an animal or plant you’d like to catalogue, you can describe it by creating an observation. You can just enter your best guess as to what it is -- for example, 'bird' -- or enter in the scientific name, if you know it! All of your observations will be shared with the iNaturalist community & the Charles Darwin Foundation, and will contribute to research of the Galapagos Islands".

If that isn't enough, Google has also posted a behind-the-scenes experience, adding to this latest Street View journey. The company could have held out for a Darwin Day launch, but February is a ways off and this data is good to have available sooner rather than later.
AVG CrowdControl aims to protect your Facebook privacy

Publié: septembre 12, 2013, 3:39pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

I use Facebook daily to stay in touch with friends, family and colleagues. However, despite my heavy usage, I am concerned about my privacy. Facebook is notorious for changing its policies and settings and it can be difficult to stay on top of it. Today, popular security and anti-virus company AVG announces a solution called AVG CrowdControl, which the company calls "its first privacy app built on the Facebook API".

"CrowdControl is designed to make Facebook experiences safer by customizing who can view a status, videos and photos posted on a personal timeline. AVG’s goal is that this will make privacy and online security, a more front-of-mind issue for users", says the company.

“Most people have hundreds of friends on Facebook, but may not feel comfortable sharing their daily activity with such a large group, including old business colleagues, fellow students, or people who you can barely remember. This is why we designed AVG CrowdControl. We believe that people will share more and have a more fulfilling experience on social networks when they know they are sharing only with the group that's right for them”, says Jim Brock, VP Privacy Products, AVG Technologies.

I was intrigued by the app so I decided to give it a try by following this link. However, I was slightly taken aback by the permissions that it required:

AVG PrivacyFix will receive the following info: your public profile, friend list, custom friends lists, News Feed, relationships, notes, work history, status updates, education history, hometown, current city, photos, likes and your friends' notes, work histories, status updates, education histories, hometowns, current cities, photos and likes.

Reluctantly, I selected "OK" and proceeded to the settings page. Once there, I was presented with pictures of all of the people in my friends list. The message at the top says "Pick friends who should not see your post by default". All of my friends already had green check boxes on their pictures.

It was not clear to me if they were selected to see my posts or not. Clicking on the friend replaced the green check with a red "X". Did the "X" mean I was deselecting them from not seeing my posts? Or, was I blocking them from seeing my posts? Confusing!

Ultimately, I had to abandon this app. AVG is a great company and I have used its anti-virus over the years. However, this app is no less confusing than the default Facebook settings.

Photo Credit: higyou/Shutterstock
BullGuard Identity Protection safeguards your personal data

Publié: septembre 12, 2013, 3:08pm CEST par Ian Barker

Where once malware was aimed at disrupting your computer, today it's more likely to be out to steal your personal information and get access to your finances. BullGuard has a track record of guarding against this type of threat with products like Premium Protection 13 its complete security package.

But the company's latest release, BullGuard Identity Protection, is designed to work alongside your existing security suite -- of any brand -- and ensure that your personal information and social networking activities are protected against threats.

Identity Protection allows you to specify the details you want protected such as credit card and bank account numbers, usernames and passwords. It will then notify you by email or SMS if any suspicious activity occurs. It also allows you to monitor social networking accounts for things like suspicious friends and links to malicious websites. You can unobtrusively monitor a child's account for inappropriate content too.

Alex Balan, Head of Product Management at BullGuard, says, "We’re all too well aware of the growing number of threats that are targeting internet users, and the popularity of social media sites such as Facebook has made it an increasingly attractive alternative for would-be cyber-criminals and cyber-bullies.

"We developed BullGuard Identity Protection squarely with this in mind. It provides frequent and casual internet users with peace of mind because their data and their children’s activity, is monitored and kept safe".

BullGuard Identity Protection is a web-based service so it will work on any device with a browser and you can log in to change your account settings from anywhere. You can subscribe to the service on a month-by-month or annual basis.

For more information visit www.bullguard.com.

Photo Credit: Pavel Ignatov/Shutterstock

Smartphones to cannibalize tablets, but it's the PC getting eaten

Publié: septembre 12, 2013, 1:56pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Tablets are where the growth is right now, with sales of touch devices eating away at the market share of traditional PCs. But that’s not the only cannibalization going on in the tech world. The iPad mini certainly impacted on sales of the standard-sized iPad upon launch. And with the line between tablets and smartphones becoming increasingly blurred, market analysis firm IDC predicts large-screen (5+ inch) smartphones will start to gnaw away at the smaller (7-8 inch) tablet market from 2014.

"The device world has seen several iterations of cannibalization impacting different categories, with the last few years focused on tablets cannibalizing PC sales," Bob O'Donnell, Program Vice President, Clients and Displays, observes. "Over the next 12-18 months, however, we believe the larger smartphones, commonly called 'phablets', will start to eat into the smaller-size tablet market, contributing to a slower growth rate for tablets".

IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Smart Connected Device Tracker expects the smart connected device market (made up of PCs, tablets, and smartphones) to grow globally by 27.8 percent year over year in 2013, building on the impressive 30.3 percent growth witnessed in 2012. Predictably this growth will be powered by tablets and smartphones, with PC shipments dropping by 10 percent this year.

Four months ago IDC predicted tablets will be out-shipping PCs by 2015 and while the firm is still sticking to that time frame, it forecasts tablet shipments will surpass total PC shipments in the fourth quarter of 2013 -- presumably as a result of tablet manufacturers pumping out more product for the holiday season.

Looking forward, the firm says global smart device shipments will surpass two billion units by the end of 2015 with a market value of $735.1 billion. By 2017, PC shipments are expected to drop to 13 percent, while tablets and smartphones will contribute 16.5 percent and 70.5 percent respectively to the global market.

Tablet and smartphone growth will largely be fuelled by the proliferation of low cost devices.

"At a time when the smartphone and tablet markets are showing early signs of saturation, the emergence of lower-priced devices will be a game-changer," says Megha Saini, Research Analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Smart Connected Device Tracker. "Introducing new handsets and tablet devices at cheaper price points along with special initiatives like trade-in programs from Apple and BestBuy will accelerate the upgrade cycle and expand the total addressable market overnight".

Smart Connected Device Market by Product Category, Unit Shipments and Market Share, 2013 and 2017 (shipments in millions)

Product Category	2013 Unit Shipments	2013 Market Share	2017 Unit Shipments	2017 Market Share	2013—2017 Growth
Desktop PC	134.4	8.6%	123.11	5%	-8.4%
Portable PC	180.9	11.6%	196.6	8%	8.7%
Tablet	227.3	14.6%	406.8	16.5%	78.9%
Smartphone	1,013.2	65.1%	1,733.9	70.5%	71.1%
Total	1,556	100%	2,460.5	100%	58.1%

Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Smart Connected Device Tracker, September 11, 2013.

Photo Credit: Timothy R. Nichols /Shutterstock

Huddle aims to connect workers via the cloud

Publié: septembre 12, 2013, 10:22am CEST par Ian Barker

Content collaboration specialist Huddle has launched its Connected Desktop experience aimed at streamlining team working by linking the desktop with the company's content collaboration system.

Groups of people can work together, editing and saving files from their desktops into a secure cloud. This aids productivity regardless of where workers are located or what type of device they're using. The latest release offers five new capabilities.

Seamless interaction with the cloud allows users of Huddle for Windows or Mac to edit documents in their desktop application whilst ensuring that it's locked to prevent conflicts. If connectivity is lost the latest version is uploaded as soon as it's restored.

Huddle for Outlook integrates with the mail client to save documents and email conversations into the Huddle cloud. Email responses are recorded as comments on the file so that the context of discussions is retained.

Huddle Drive offers enterprise-grade storage allowing easy access to files for all team members as well as enhancing security by reducing the risk that corporate data will be leaked or lost.

Huddle Viewer ensures that photos and videos can be viewed directly from the cloud via a browser without the need to open a separate desktop application. It also makes locating and sharing the latest version of an image simpler.

Finally Huddle Dashboard creates a business activity stream showing all of the activity on a project in a single place. Files for approval, notifications, comments, tasks and actions are immediately flagged and teams can easily see what progress has been made across projects.

"The office of the future is no longer a physical environment -- with a desk, chair and workstation tied to the network -- it’s a secure virtual environment that is accessible from anywhere via whatever device people wish to use," says Alastair Mitchell, CEO of Huddle. "People’s devices are now the doorway to their world of work. Thanks to the cloud, they can securely store, access and share all of their files and collaborate with everyone they need to -- inside or outside of the organization".

Huddle is browser-based but native apps are also available for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. The infographic below shows how it works, you can find out more and see a video of Huddle in action at www.huddle.com.
Apple burnishes while we wait for another breakthrough

Publié: septembre 12, 2013, 10:09am CEST par Robert X. Cringely

Some readers have asked me for a post on the new Apple iPhones announced two days ago. I’ll get to that in time but prefer to do so when I actually have an iPhone 5S in my hands because I have a very specific column in mind. And no, it’s not the column you think it is. But this is still a good time to write something about Apple in general, which is how Cupertino appears to now stand at a crossroads.

There is a world of difference between Microsoft and Apple but one way they are similar is in facing a generational change. Another way they are similar is in having robust legacy businesses that both put a drag on such change (who needs change, we’re doing great!) and make it easy to wait or at least to go slowly. But no matter how much money they have in the bank, each company must eventually come to terms with how it is going to move forward in an evolving market. Neither company has.

Microsoft is in the tougher position because its core business isn’t growing, but Apple can pretty easily plot its own growth and see where that will eventually peak and tail-off, too. Before then there is still room for plenty of growth as Apple enters new global markets and eventually adds all carriers (China Mobile, for example). In Apple’s case I’m thinking of it right now as a mobile phone company, because that’s, for the most part, what it has become.

Following past trends the challenge for Microsoft is what next to copy, for Apple it’s what next to re-create. Microsoft’s job is easier but is made complicated by the company’s innate need to carry with it the entire Windows ecosystem. Yet there are some places where Windows just doesn’t fit. Apple’s challenge is to both re-create and to do so without Steve Jobs. Not wanting to overstate or understate the value of Steve to Apple, I see his role is one of demanding re-creation, which as anyone who knew Steve will tell you has nothing to do with recreation.

Two years since the death of Steve Jobs, Apple is still trying to get its bearings. Plenty is happening in Cupertino, I’m sure, but how much of that will make it to market? There’s a big numbers problem here: Apple has grown so large that its options for new businesses are limited to those that can add tens of billion in sales. Selling six million Apple TVs in a year is still a hobby to Apple, because that’s only $600 million.

To some extent I think Apple has been treading water or has even been indecisive, but I don’t attribute that to Steve’s passing. I believe it was already happening back when Steve was fully in charge. Secrecy, you see, can hide a lot of things, even nothing when the world wants to believe that something is there.

You may recall I wrote a column a couple years ago about Apple’s huge North Carolina data center. This was just before we moved back to California. In that column I questioned whether anything was even happening in the $1 billion facility since nobody was driving in or out. It seemed overkill to me. Then recently a longtime reader (and you know with me longtime means a long time) told me about meeting a representative of the company that built all the servers in that Apple data center -- all 20,000 of them.

Twenty thousand servers is a lot of servers. It’s certainly enough servers to run iTunes and Apple’s various App Stores as well as Software Update. Twenty thousand servers feels about right for the Apple we know today. But my friends who build data centers tell me that Apple facility in North Carolina could hold a million servers or more. The data center appears to be only five percent populated.

It’s one thing to build with the future in mind, but building a facility twenty times bigger than you need is more than that, it’s a statement, an obfuscation, or maybe it’s a joke.

For a company with a $600 million hobby, why not a $1 billion joke?

Google and Facebook have way more servers than that, so maybe Apple isn’t their competitor at all? And of course Apple isn’t, not directly.

My guess is Apple’s trying to keep its options open. There are sure to be competing forces inside vying to control which industry the company will next re-create. It’s probably fair to assume that decision has not yet been made. It’s also fair to predict that Apple would be smart to get on with it, whatever it is.

When Steve Jobs retired and Tim Cook took over as Apple CEO I predicted there was another shoe to drop. I simply didn’t see Cook, a manufacturing guy, as the one to lead Apple into its next stage of growth. I thought Steve had some grand plan, some big surprise. I even thought I knew who would be Steve’s eventual successor. Only when I wrote that, Steve reached out to me to say that -- "yet again" in his words -- I was wrong. It was the last time I ever heard from him.

I don’t know what’s happening with Apple beyond the obvious burnishing that’s taking place. Look at that iPhone 5S and you’ll see a piece of jewelry -- a luxury item in the tradition of luxury meaning good design and craftsmanship, not just a high price. I can’t wait to get mine. But the iPhone 5S isn’t the future of Apple. That’s yet to be written.

Reprinted with permission
Meenova Mini MicroSD Card Reader [Review]

Publié: septembre 12, 2013, 3:12am CEST par Brian Fagioli
Crowdfunding is all the rage nowadays. It feels like not a day goes by without some new venture begging users for money. While many of the products are less than desirable, every once in a while, a gem shines through. Case in point, the Meenova Mini MicroSD Card Reader for Android.

According to the company, "it is just like a SD card reader that you use on your computer, except it is for Android tablets and smartphones that have MicroUSB port. You can use it to read/write MicroSD cards, copy files between your phone/tablet and a MicroSD card".

I funded this device in May and forgot about it. However, to my delight, I received shipping confirmation this week and today it finally arrives. You can witness the unboxing video posted below.

As you can see, it is very small and very orange. Technically, the company calls that color "Vibrant Orange" but it also comes in "Carbon Black", "Creamy White" and "Metallic Silver".

The company claims the following compatibility:
- Samsung Galaxy S2, S3, S4, Note, Note 2, Mega, Galaxy Express, Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet.
- HTC One, One Mini, HTC First, HTC One X+, Evo 4G LTE, DROID DNA.
- Motorola Moto X, Droid Mini, Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx, RAZR M, RAZR HD, RAZR MAXX HD, Xyboard 8.2" Tablet.
- Galaxy Nexus, Google Nexus 7 (2012 Original & 2013 New) & Nexus 10; requires third-party software or device being rooted.
- Sony Xperia Z; LG Optimus G Pro; Asus MeMO ME171.
- Xiaomi 1S, 2, 2S, 2A, Xiaomi Box; Meizu MX, MX2; Huawei Ascend D2, Mate.
I tested the card reader using two Android devices -- the Nexus 7 2013 and the Motorola Droid Maxx using a 64GB microSDXC card. However, results were surprisingly different.

With the Droid Maxx, it was plug and play. The device is not rooted and is running Android 4.2.2. factory. Once I plugged in the card reader, it showed up in settings as available. Using an app called Root Explorer (even though I don't have root), I was able to navigate to the 64GB card and access pictures and videos.

With the Nexus 7, I plugged in the device and got nothing; I was shocked. This was surprising to me as I expected a Nexus device to support it with the least amount of struggle. The tablet is on Android 4.3 factory but is rooted. And so, I went to the Play Store and downloaded an app called Stick Mount. Using this I was able to mount and use the card just as I did with the Droid Maxx.

While I am very pleased with the card reader for Android, the fun does not stop there. Also included in the box is a full-sized USB adapter that essentially turns the card reader into a flash drive. You can then plug the microSDXC card into any Windows, Mac, Linux or Chromebook and access the files. I successfully mounted it in Windows 8, Mountain Lion, Fedora 19 and my Samsung Chromebook.

Overall, this is the best $12.00 that an Android user can spend. The functionality is limitless. Using a microSD to SD adapter, you can take pictures on your point-and-shoot camera and upload them to your tablet or phone while on vacation. Or, you can take pictures with your Android smartphone and then transfer them to a PC with the USB adapter.

I may knock Android from time to time, but the fact that this is even possible is a testament to the operating system. While Apple offers a similar card reader for iOS, it is very limited without Jailbreak since the operating system blocks the file system from the user -- lame!