Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » février 3, 2014

BetaNews.Com (14 non lus)

Microsoft wants to see your pets on Skype

Publié: février 3, 2014, 9:43pm CET par Brian Fagioli
Whenever I go to the pet store, I am amazed by the diverse selection of animals. Other than the typical cats and dogs, there are hermit crabs, chinchillas and snakes. Even more amazing is the amount of toys, clothes and treats for the pets. Some of the dog clothes cost more than mine!

While catnip and squeaky toys are still the standard purchases, isn't that a bit old school? I mean, come on, this is 2014 -- it is time to buy your pet a webcam. While this may sound crazy, Microsoft actually wants to see your pets on Skype.

"Skype is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family -- and that includes our four-legged, finned, and feathered family members, too! I use Skype both to stay in touch with our pets when I’m traveling without them and to introduce my friends to our pets since they're a special part of my life", says Paris Permenter, Skype’s Pet Brand Ambassador.

Permenter lists the following ten reason as to why you should utilize Skype in regards to your pet:
1. To share your pet with others
2. For the joy of seeing your pets when you're traveling
3. To check up on your pet's health
4. To give your pet a boost when you're away
5. To talk with your pet sitter when you're traveling
6. To check on your pets from work.
7. To use as a nanny cam to watch your pet-sitter
8. To check your pet's behavior when you leave the house
9. To make sure your pet's automatic feeder is working in your absence
10. To teach an old dog new tricks
These are actually very good suggestions that may improve your pet's quality of life. Yesterday, during the Super Bowl, Microsoft highlighted how technology can empower humans and improve their quality of life. For many people, a pet is a member of the family, so it is great that Microsoft is looking out for them too.

Does your pet use Skype? Tell me about it in the comments.

Image Credit: iko / Shutterstock
Google Cast SDK opens up Chromecast to developers -- more apps on the way!

Publié: février 3, 2014, 8:18pm CET par Mark Wilson

Today, Google launches the developer preview of Google Cast SDK, allowing for the development of apps for the company's plug-in-and-forget-about-it streaming unit. In a post on the Chromium Blog, Engineering Manager John Affaki, explains that developers will find it easy to make existing mobile and web apps ready for use with Chromecast as the SDK allows for easy integration. In addition to the Chrome extension, the SDK is also available for Android and iOS.

The lack of new and exciting apps that offer Chromecast support has partly contributed to the fact that Google's streaming device has not really caused the explosion of excitement that it should have done. Google will be hoping that by making the SDK available, developers will start to integrate the API into existing apps that are suitable for taking advantage of second screen casting.

Developers will be able to self-manage the publication of apps through developer console, and Google has produced some documentation to help with getting started. Resources include a design checklist as well as numerous sample apps. Everything developers need to get started can be found on the Google Cast website.

Check out the introductory video below, and keep your eyes open for -- hopefully -- some exciting releases over the coming weeks and months.
MediaMonkey improves Android and iOS sync, UPnP support

Publié: février 3, 2014, 8:02pm CET par Nick Peers

Ventis Media, Inc has released MediaMonkey 4.1, a major update to its media management tool for Windows. Version 4.1, available in free and Gold editions, provides a powerful set of tools for managing and organizing music and video.
Version 4.1 builds on UPnP/DLNA library sharing introduced in version 4 with a number of improvements, but most notably updates its mobile sync capabilities for both Android and iOS users with some significant enhancements.

MediaMonkey 4.1 now supports wireless sync with the paid-for version of the MediaMonkey app for Android, allowing users to keep their music collection in sync between PC and Android device. Also added is bi-directional sync and support for iOS 7 devices. iOS 7 users were previously forced to install an iTunes plug-in as a workaround to allow MediaMonkey to sync with their devices.

UPnP/DLNA improvements include per-client format conversion, indexed browsing, UPnP renderer and controller functions and the ability to run the library sharing tool as a Windows service.

Also added in version 4.1 is improved lookup for album art and lyric metadata along with a number of metadata fixes, improved Windows integration and a new default skin, Metro M. The skin is designed to look better in Windows 8, but some users have complained it’s too dark -- two other lighter skins are provided in the app (including the previous default, Vitreous), and can be selected in place of Metro M via Tools > Settings > Skin.

The update is rounded off with over 300 other minor tweaks, bug fixes and improvements. MediaMonkey 4.1 is available now as a free download for PCs running Windows XP or later. A Gold license is available for purchase within the free version for $24.95, and provides additional features and performance improvements.
Quick Review: Hornil Photo Resizer

Publié: février 3, 2014, 7:59pm CET par Mike Williams

Hornil, creator of the popular StylePix editor, has released Hornil Photo Resizer, a free batch image processing tool.

Despite its name, the program isn’t just about resizing images. It can also rotate and flip them, apply various filters (auto level/ contrast, sharpen, more), add an image watermark, and batch rename them according to various rules.

The Photo Resizer interface looks good, with its colorful Windows 8-style icons. Click "Add", choose your source images, and you’re then able to select its various functions from the left-hand toolbar.

The core resizing function is reasonably configurable. As well as setting an image to a fixed resolution (640 x 480, for example), you can also adjust the height alone, the width alone, the longer or shorter lengths.

The batch renaming function is similarly versatile. In a click or two you can take the source file name and customize it with a date (in your choice of format), a serial number, extra text or whatever you like.

There are some surprising options. We’re used to graphics tools allowing you to set your JPEG quality setting, but this goes much further. You’re able to save optimized or progressive JPEGs, with your choice of sub sampling settings. You can choose the number of colors in your GIF palette, whether it’s standard or optimized, perhaps setting transparency. It’s even possible to strip EXIF tags from your images.

This kind of functionality doesn’t apply everywhere, unfortunately, and some of the other tools are rather more basic. Most of the filters have no options, so you can add a "Sharpen" effect, but there’s no way to customize how it works. We would have appreciated a text watermark option, too.

The interface has some issues. Although you’re able to carry out multiple actions on an image -- resize, rotate and sharpen, maybe -- these are all configured in separate panes, and there’s no single place where you can view everything you’ve asked the program to do.

The lack of documentation is another problem. As we write, clicking Help > Quick Start Guide takes you to the guide for a different program, while Help > Online Manual just displays an error message.

Still, Hornil Photo Resizer does have some promise. You can already use it to quickly rename and resize a batch of photos. There are useful configuration options on hand. The program is free, with no adware or other hassles, and with a little more development it’s going to be a very capable batch photo processing tool.
Google unveils new holiday calendars

Publié: février 3, 2014, 7:14pm CET par Brian Fagioli

When I was a young man, there were only a handful of holidays that we celebrated. They were based on your faith, your country or to celebrate an exemplary figure like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. However, the internet has made it so that every day can be a holiday, as anyone can proclaim it to be so. Quite frankly, it is a bit silly to celebrate something like "Talk Like a Pirate Day", but apparently people like to do it. According to www.daysoftheyear.com, today is Carrot Cake Day. I love carrot cake, but come on now...

Google apparently wants to get in on the fun, but with real holidays -- based on national holidays from around the world. Yes, Google announces it is expanding the available holidays for Gmail users.

"Interested in celebrating Carnival with your cousin in Argentina, or not sure when your friend in Zurich is off for the Swiss National Day holiday? You can now choose from 30 additional country holiday calendars in Google Calendar to help keep track of special occasions in different countries so there will be even more to celebrate", says Ronnie Falcon, Associate Product Manager Intern.

Falcon further explains, "the calendars, which will be rolled out over the next few days, also contain a wider variety of holidays and display dates for holidays further into the future, so you can have enough time to book a flight to Buenos Aires to join your cousin for the water games, or ask your friend to send you a dozen August-Weggen".

In other words, Google is making it possible for Gmail users to celebrate national holidays from additional countries. Hopefully, this means we will see less people celebrating nonsense, like Elmo from Sesame Street's birthday -- which is today. Happy birthday you creepy red puppet!

Image Credit: Korn/Shutterstock
Indiegogo project bRight Switch wants to add tech to your wall

Publié: février 3, 2014, 5:10pm CET par Alan Buckingham

Last week my colleague Derrick Wlodarz wrote a great deal about today's home automation push, comparing the entire thing to Skynet. I see his point, but I'm not sure I can resist the urge. After all, the convenience is so enticing, it's hard to ignore the technology that can add so much functionality to your home.

Over the weekend I stumbled upon an Indiegogo project that captured my fancy. bRight Switch is designed to replace your wall-mounted light switch, adding just a bit more technology to the room.

The product is a digital screen that replaces the traditional switch and not only allows you to raise and dim the lighting, but also access Pandora (playing on a Bluetooth speaker), use an intercom (requires more than one installed), use Skype, and even get into security features.

This isn't just about the cool features though, the company also promises that it can save up to 30-percent on your electricity bill by turning off the bulb when it senses nobody present. bRight Switch can also be programmed to turn lights on and off at set times. Much like Nest, the project claims "bRight Switch stores all the usage data as it learns your habits and your power usage, shutting off lights when you leave and turning them on when you come home".

There will be apps available for Android, iOS and Blackberry as well, allowing for remote control of everything. "bRight Switch uses Wi-Fi to reach the Internet and for extended functions, and the Z-wave standard to talk to lights and other wireless products. Z-wave allows bRight Switch to control lights not directly wired to the switch", the company claims.

None of this comes particularly cheap, of course. Bottom line funding starts at $70 and rises from there. The $220 level looks to be the sweet spot, but that's just my opinion. You can check it all out over at Indiegogo.

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5 things Windows Phone 8.1 needs to succeed

Publié: février 3, 2014, 4:08pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Even though more than one year has passed since Windows Phone 8 arrived, Microsoft has yet to officially take the wraps off the upcoming new version of its tiled smartphone operating system. This long release cycle is uncommon in this business, as more popular competitors boast two major iterations launched in the course of a year. Windows Phone 8.1 has a lot of catching up to do, giving us plenty of leeway to compile and compare our own wish lists before the grand unveiling.

The foundation that Windows Phone 8 has laid out for its successor, starting with the original release that was subsequently improved by three minor updates, is solid enough for Microsoft to build upon and launch something mind-blowing (whenever that happens). Nothing else will cut it, as the platform needs a big boost to overcome the paltry 3.6 percent market share from last year. And, it is about time Windows Phone gets a solid head start on the competition, that has created an unshakable duopoly in the market, responsible for 94.4 percent of smartphone shipments in 2013. What Microsoft decides to bake in Windows Phone 8.1 can make or break the operating system's chances of ever becoming that respected third player, that is taken seriously due to its traits not its incidental place on the podium.

Hit the Gas!

The biggest thing standing in front of Windows Phone 8.1's success is Microsoft. So far, the software giant has not shown the signs many pundits have been waiting for, myself included, that the tiled smartphone OS is one of its main priorities. Development has moved along at a slow pace, dare I say inertial, since Windows Phone 8 came out in October 2012. The biggest update -- the enterprise feature pack -- has also yet to arrive, like Windows Phone 8.1, even though it is extremely important for boosting adoption on the businesses side.

With Windows Phone 8.1 I would like to see Microsoft embracing a different approach, that will allow users to enjoy new major features more often -- every quarter would be ideal from my point of view -- without having to wait for the next iteration or upgrades launched by vendors. The software giant should be the one in control of the distribution of core changes to Windows Phone users, much like things are now with its beta/preview program (that should be built into the upcoming tiled smartphone OS version).

Windows 8.1 Synergy

Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 8.1 should be able to better communicate with each other. This is a no-brainer, but it is also something that is not happening right now. To give you an idea of what this should entail, changes performed on one platform should automatically be reflect on the other. A good example of this would be reading an email in the Mail app from Windows 8.1 and seeing it marked as read shortly after in Windows Phone 8.1. Similarly, bookmarked addresses in Internet Explorer -- either in Windows 8.1 or Windows Phone 8.1 -- should be readily available on both OSes (likewise for new passwords, preferences and so on). Synchronized notifications is a must-have feature as well, as it is quite frustrating to read the same information twice (or more).

It will probably take a while until Microsoft is able to achieve the right API parity in order to allow developers to release the same app for both Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1, but a greater deal of progress in this area is always welcome as, right now, users have to pay twice to enjoy the same app on the two platforms. The unification of the two app stores will remedy the frustrations many have right now.

Feature Parity with Main Rivals

This is an area that many pundits have advised Microsoft to improve upon. Windows Phone 8 is years behind its more popular rivals in regards to essential features. The tiled smartphone OS lacks, off the top of my head, a notifications panel, quick settings menu, browser sync, tightly integrated personal assistant, individual volume controls, unified search (both online and on-device) and improved compatibility with wearables. And, the social network integration must be updated for use in 2014, as things like Twitter image previews and direct messages are not available, and so is the option to share Facebook posts.

Empower Users

Windows Phone 8 can be frustrating when it does not allow users to exercise a greater deal of control over how some features work. The OS makes (unwanted) decisions on their behalf, often without giving them any say on the matter. More leeway would certainly be welcome in some areas. Here are some examples.

Windows Phone 8 automatically disconnects Internet sharing after a certain period of inactivity, which cannot be lengthened or shortened or turned off; I found this behavior frustrating on numerous occasions as I had to re-enable the feature. Updates, for both apps and the OS, cannot be automatically installed even though this would insure a better and hassle-free experience. Users are forced to connect to Wi-Fi networks to download or upload larger files (the limit is, again, not configurable), like games and high quality photos and videos, even though they may have an unlimited data plan (or may not care about the extra cellular traffic). These things have to change. Users should, at least, get the option to configure them.

I would also like to see Windows Phone 8.1 allowing app installs on microSD cards. I know this may lead to problems (removing the microSD card also removes any installed software), but for users who have devices with tiny internal storage -- like the Nokia Lumia 520 -- it sometimes is impossible to enjoy new apps and games without removing something, even though there is plenty of room available elsewhere. With software becoming increasingly larger (there are many games larger than 1 GB), this option may come in handy for entry-level Windows Phones.

The X Factor

More than anything, Windows Phone 8.1 should capture our attention with a mind-blowing feature. There has to be something truly revolutionary in the upcoming version of the tiled smartphone OS that leads people to talk about it and consider switching from their current devices. Windows Phone 8.1 needs a breakthrough somewhere to take the lead, and outdo its competitors.

What do you want to see in Windows Phone 8.1?

Photo Credit: Steve Lovegrove/Shutterstock
Security breach exposes personal data of 800,000 Orange users

Publié: février 3, 2014, 4:01pm CET par Mark Wilson

2014 is not proving to be a very good year for security -- and it is not just down to the Syrian Electronic Army. Hundreds of thousands of Orange customers in France have had their personal details exposed after hackers managed to procure a mass of unencrypted data from the My Account section of the orange.fr website.

The attack was carried out on 16 January, but details are only coming to light some two weeks after the security breach.

Orange France says that less than 3 percent of its customers were affected, but this still amounts to some 800,000 people. Hackers were able to gain access to unprotected data including names, addresses, phone numbers and other account details, although Orange insists that passwords remain safe and the integrity of accounts has not been compromised. The company recognizes that the information gathered by hackers could be used to launch a large-scale phishing attack and it has directed customers to a support page explaining how to avoid falling victim.

Customers received an email from Orange France on 23 January providing a warning to be wary of phishing attacks, but no reference was made to the data breach. A subsequent email revealed some details about what had actually happened, and speaking to PCInpact, Laurent Benatar, technical director of Orange France said that sensitive information such as bank account details were obscured and therefore unusable.

As yet there are no reports of any phishing attacks having been launched on customers, but this in itself will do little to reassure customers. Many will be asking questions such as why data was stored in an unencrypted state, and why customers were not alerted sooner.

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Corero SmartWall helps service providers strengthen their defenses

Publié: février 3, 2014, 3:18pm CET par Ian Barker

Cyber threats and in particular DDoS attacks are a major problem for both service providers and customers and have grown in both frequency and sophistication.

Corero Network Security a leader in enterprise security systems has launched a new product to help service providers fend off these threats.

Corero SmartWall Threat Defense System (TDS) aims to offer a first line of defense that's always on and provides visible threat protection to customers. It's a purpose-built family of network security appliances that can be configured to meet the needs of service providers.

The SmartWall TDS is rack mounted and comes as a series of appliances that can be used individually or clustered together. The Network Threat Defense unit guards against DDoS attacks using IP address blocking, SYN flood protection, TCP/UDP rate control and Client-Server connection limiting. Application Threat Defense, as the name suggests, protects against application threats with Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) of Layer 7 protocols and payloads in combination with behavioral anomaly detection.

The Network Forensics Appliance supports 10Gbps line rate packet capture to enable network forensics of security incidents. Finally the Network Bypass Appliance helps avoid downtime using intelligent zero power network bypass technology in the event of power or equipment failure, or during routine maintenance and configuration upgrades.

"We are excited to introduce this new portfolio of First Line of Defense solutions for service providers," says Ashley Stephenson, CEO of Corero Network Security. "Building upon our years of experience supporting enterprise customers with on-premises DDoS protection, we have now enabled service providers to similarly assist their customers in the escalating battle against cyber threats. With the addition of the SmartWall TDS, Corero is well positioned to keep pace with the evolution of the DDoS defense market and customer demands for improved levels of cybersecurity protection, both on-premises and in the cloud".

The technology will be demonstrated on Corero's stand at RSA 2014 in San Francisco. SmartWall TDS solutions will be available for trials shortly and for full deployments by the second quarter of 2014.
Windows XP showing much stronger growth than Windows 8.x -- Yes XP!

Publié: février 3, 2014, 1:53pm CET par Wayne Williams

I have to admit I look forward to seeing NetMarketShare’s monthly breakdown of desktop OS market share. The figures always provide a great talking point. You can pretty much guarantee that Windows 8’s share will decline, Windows 8.1’s share will increase, and combined the tiled OS’s growth will be outpaced by one of the older versions of Windows.

Usually it’s Windows 7 that’s showing the top growth. Sometimes besting Windows 8.x by a tiny amount, other times absolutely trouncing its newer sibling. But this time around, there’s a brand new leader in the growth stakes, and it’s a 13 year old OS that’s set to reach its end of life in April.

Yes, you can forget about XP users switching to Linux, or upgrading to Windows 8.x, because in January the veteran OS actually grew its market share by 0.25 percent. In December XP had a 28.98 percent share, but in January that rose to 29.23 percent.

Windows 8 fell from 6.89 percent in December to 6.63 percent in January, which is to be expected as users continue to upgrade to 8.1 (although you have to wonder why more people aren’t upgrading to the very latest version given it’s a marked improvement -- and free). In the same time period Windows 8.1 rose from 3.60 percent to 3.95 percent. Combined the two flavors of tiled OS grew by 0.09 percent, which is much, much less than in previous months. And, let’s not beat about the bush here, a bloody appalling result for Microsoft which would have been hoping to see solid growth for "New Windows" following the holiday season.

There is some good news for Windows 8.x, and that’s it managed not to get beaten by Windows 7 as well this month. For the first time in half a year, the older OS actually lost market share, dropping from 47.52 percent to 47.49 percent, a fall of 0.03 percent. That doesn’t mean much really -- it's worth pointing out it comes off the back of a stunning 2.62 percent gain last month -- and Windows 7 could well show growth again in February.

Now, let’s be realistic here. NetMarketShare’s figures don’t suggest Windows XP is suddenly going to come roaring back, it’s just a statistical anomaly (although I said that the first time Windows 7 started really outpacing its newer sibling), but you have to smile that with all the effort Microsoft has put into persuading people to jump from Windows XP to Windows 8.x, the ancient OS actually grew market share much faster than its supposed replacement.

Photo credit: Bevan Goldswain/Shutterstock
Good news and bad as the enterprise threat landscape evolves

Publié: février 3, 2014, 1:00pm CET par Ian Barker

Technology giant HP has released its Cyber Risk Report 2013 which highlights the top enterprise vulnerabilities.

The report also offers an analysis of the current threat landscape, pointing out increased reliance on mobile devices, the spread of insecure software and the growing use of Java as adding to a growing "attack surface".

On a positive note the total number of disclosed vulnerabilities is down six percent over the previous 12 months and the number of high-severity vulnerabilities is down for the fourth consecutive year.

It's not all good news though, other key findings include the fact that 80 percent of applications reviewed contain vulnerabilities outside their source code. Plus 74 percent of applications had unnecessary permissions. This shows that even good applications can be vulnerable if wrongly configured.

Of the mobile applications studied 56 percent use encryption improperly. The research shows that mobile developers often fail to use encryption when storing sensitive data, rely on weak algorithms to do so, or misuse stronger encryption capabilities, rendering them ineffective.

It also finds that inconsistent malware definitions complicate risk analysis. HP examined more than half a million Android apps and found major discrepancies in how antivirus engines and platform vendors classified malware.

Sandbox bypass vulnerabilities were most common for Java users. Attackers have stepped up their Java attacks by exploiting multiple known and zero day vulnerabilities in combined attacks to compromise specific targets.

HP’s Zero Day Initiative, aimed at rewarding responsible researchers for disclosing vulnerabilities, uncovered more vulnerabilities with Internet Explorer than any other software. However, the report notes that this is a result of market forces focusing researchers on Microsoft vulnerabilities and doesn’t reflect on the overall security of Internet Explorer.

"Adversaries today are more adept than ever and are collaborating more effectively to take advantage of vulnerabilities across an ever-expanding attack surface," says Jacob West, chief technology officer, Enterprise Security Products at HP. "The industry must band together to proactively share security intelligence and tactics in order to disrupt malicious activities driven by the growing underground marketplace".

The report recommends that businesses must stay in touch with the latest security risks, particularly for mobile devices, and that robust security procedures must be put in place to protect data and privacy. This includes eliminating opportunities for unintentionally revealing information that may be useful to hackers.

While it's impossible to eliminate all attacks without sacrificing functionality, HP says that a combination of the right people, processes and technology does allow organizations to effectively minimize vulnerabilities and dramatically reduce overall risk. Collaboration and sharing of intelligence among the security industry also helps to strengthen protection and create a safe environment.

The full report and recommendations are available to download from the HP website.

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Syrian Electronic Army strikes again! PayPal and eBay come under attack

Publié: février 3, 2014, 12:18pm CET par Mark Wilson

There have been a lot of website compromises in 2014 despite the fact we're only just into February. Now it looks as though the Syrian Electronic Army is at it again. This time it is eBay and PayPal who found themselves in the crosshairs, as some users discovered that they were redirected to sites that announced the hack, praised Syria and chided the US government.

It might seem obvious that the Syrian Electronic Amy was behind the attack, but in case there was any doubt, the group used their Twitter feed to claim responsibility.

The message on the sites read "Hacked by Syrian Electronic Army! Long live Syria! Fuck the United States Government", although it was slightly hard to read what with being hidden behind a Syrian flag comprising red and white zeroes and ones. It seems as though the attack was short-lived, and PayPal claims that aside from the inconvenience of not being able to access their account, users were not placed at any risk.

Talking to security analyst Graham Cluley, PayPal issued a statement:

We were not hacked. For under 60 minutes, a very small subset of people visiting a few marketing web pages of PayPal France, UK and India websites were being redirected. There was no access to any consumer data whatsoever and no accounts were ever in any danger of being compromised. The situation was swiftly resolved and PayPal’s service was not affected. We take the security and privacy of our customers very seriously and are conducting a forensic investigation into this situation.

At time of writing, the Syrian Electronic Army's Twitter account has been suspended, but it will probably not be long before it reappears in one guise or another. It is not clear why the SEA chose PayPal and eBay in particular -- it may just be a matter of both being high profile sites which will gain greater coverage.

Were you affected by the hack? Does it worry you that so many big-name sites are falling victim to one form of attack or another in recent weeks?

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Windows 8.1 Update 1 leaks online -- This is what's new

Publié: février 3, 2014, 9:18am CET par Wayne Williams

There have been lots of rumors about what to expect from Microsoft’s forthcoming Windows 8.1 update, including that it will allow users to pin Windows Store apps to the taskbar -- a time saving tweak for anyone who avoids the Modern UI but still likes to use apps from time to time. So is it true, and what other tweaks has Microsoft made to its tiled OS?

Well, a version of Windows 8.1 with Update 1 in place has leaked on to the internet, revealing (nearly) all. The 64-bit build is not the final release -- it’s three weeks old -- but it gives us a good look at what to expect from Update 1 which is set to be released next month.

First up, yes you can pin Windows Store apps to the taskbar by right-clicking an app, or holding down on it, and selecting Pin to Taskbar. The Windows Store app is pinned there by default. You can also set the OS to display all running apps on the taskbar, which is really handy.

There are two new buttons on the Start screen next to your username -- Search, which opens the Search charm, and Power, which lets you shutdown, restart, or send your computer to sleep. Two additions that will definitely appeal to first time users.

If, like me, you prefer to have the Apps screen as the default rather than the Start screen, there’s a new alphabetical view which lets you filter apps by letter.

Mouse users can now sort the Start screen in a more traditional way. Right-click an app and a context menu will pop up that will allow you to unpin that item from Start screen and/or taskbar, resize its tile or uninstall it.

Windows Store apps now come with a title bar, making it easier to minimize or close them, and split left or right. You can also access the taskbar from within running apps, which I personally think will make a huge difference to usability.

Internet Explorer 11 has been tweaked and comes with a new enterprise mode.

One of the rumors regarding Update 1 was that it will make booting to desktop the default option, but that doesn’t appear to be the case in the leaked version. Whether Microsoft will flip that switch in the official release remains to be seen.

So what do you think of the changes? Do you approve? If you’ve yet to upgrade to Windows 8.1 is there enough here to finally persuade you to do so? Sound off in the comments below.
Android location app tackles snooping fears

Publié: février 3, 2014, 9:15am CET par Claire Woffenden

University researchers have developed an app that can reveal when others are tracking your location amid growing concerns that many people are oblivious to their data being accessed.

More than a third of Android apps can track and record your location yet some are doing so without disclosing it, security company Bitdefender has revealed.

Documents recently leaked by US whistleblower Edward Snowden also claimed that both US and British spy agencies routinely try to gain access to personal data such as your location using mobile apps including Angry Birds.

I rarely read the fine print when downloading apps and, evidently, it’s not just me. According to researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey, most people don’t understand what information can be gleaned from apps. Although many Android applications display when they are accessing your location via a flashing GPS icon, the Rutgers team say its research shows most people do not properly notice or understand what the icon means.

The Rutgers team developed its new Android app, codenamed the RutgersPrivacyApp, to easily show when apps are accessing location-based data. It will detect if any other app is accessing your location logs and inform you via an alert. During experiments with the app, it was discovered that most participants found their location was accessed by several apps they would have not expected to access their location and that several apps accessed their location more frequently than they expected.

Janne Lindqvist, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rutgers University, told me: "Our research shows that people don’t know what is really going on with their apps at the moment. With our app, they will know better what is happening with their data, and are able to make better decisions with respect to their privacy and app usage".

The RutgersPrivacyApp will initially be released for Android but other platforms will be considered if it proves popular.

Lindqvist said: “We will release the app as soon as possible. It might take still a few weeks or up to two months before we will launch it for public use. We'll first put it out only on Android, but if it gets enough traction, we'll certainly look for opportunities to see what we could do on other platforms as well".

Image Credit: Chesky/Shutterstock