Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » janvier 22, 2015

BetaNews.Com (15 non lus)

The potential and pitfalls of HoloLens

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 10:31pm CET par Sameer Singh

Microsoft made some long expected announcements today -- the return of the start menu, one version of Windows 10 across all devices and an attempt to make Windows apps work across those same devices. Unfortunately, the limited overlap between Windows PC developers and mobile developers makes the latter a weak proposition. On the other hand, Microsoft's HoloLens headset may have some potential.

I have long been a believer in the long-term potential of "field of vision" devices (AR and VR) for one simple reason -- despite their downsides, their potential benefits cannot be matched by existing computing platforms. In my opinion, this is a necessary (but not sufficient) condition for triggering a new market disruption. While we are still in the early stages of the technology (think first mobile phone, not first smartphone), I believe we could see increasing consumer interest in this category over the next five years.

Looking at HoloLens specifically, it holds a couple of advantages over other field of vision devices we have seen so far -- 1) It is not meant to be mobile (at least for now) so social acceptance will not be a barrier, 2) It blends elements of augmented reality and virtual reality. The second point is particularly interesting as it falls between the "glance" based interaction model targeted by Google Glass and the complete immersion provided by Oculus. By allowing users to interact with virtual, 3-dimensional objects (not really holograms) in their surroundings, Microsoft is exploring a truly novel interaction model here. Another good sign is that hands-on experiences of the device from enthusiasts and the press seem fairly positive. Increasing awareness could help attract developers that are interested in exploring new interaction models. All in all, it seems like Microsoft is going in the right direction with this technology.

That said, there are some very obvious pitfalls here for Microsoft. Since this isn't meant to be a "mobile" device, it could potentially be used in conjunction with other devices. Microsoft showed off this particular use case in the "Mars demonstration" -- Users on their PC could move their mouse cursor "off screen" to interact with the virtual environment. There may be a temptation here to link the HoloLens technology (or platform) with Windows to increase developer interest on their mobile platforms. That could immediately shrink an already small early adopter base and cause mobile developers to look at options like Oculus and Magic Leap. But as long as Microsoft plays their cards right, they may be on to something here.

This story was reposted with permission from tech-thoughts.

Sameer Singh is an M&A professional and business strategy consultant focusing on the mobile technology sector. He is founder and editor of tech-thoughts.net.
We hate spending too much time on our smartphones, but do it anyway

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 8:17pm CET par Barclay Ballard

Approximately two-thirds of Britons hate how much time they spend using their smartphone, according to a new survey by Voucher Codes Pro.

A poll of 2,500 UK adults found that 62 percent resent the fact that they find it so difficult to stop using their phone.

As reported by the Huffington Post, the extent of our smartphone addiction is staggering. 11 percent of respondents said that they spend literally half of their time awake on their phone. 31 percent admitted to using their handset for at least five hours a day and 24 percent for three hours or more.

A similar survey late last year by Tecmark found that individuals in the UK picked up their smartphones 221 times a day.

The Voucher Codes Pro report also highlighted some reasons why smartphone users want to cut down on their technology dependence. 36 percent hated how their mobile device was taking over their life while 18 percent said that they could not live without it. It was also found to have a detrimental effect on users’ social lives, with nine percent of respondents claiming that it prevents them from spending time with their family and friends.

The survey also revealed that technology usage, in general, is having a negative impact on relationships.

54 percent believe that their partner is spending too much time using technology, with gaming being the number one culprit and mobile phone use a close second. 16 percent of respondents admitted that they had ended a relationship because of their partner’s technology addiction.

Last week, a scientific study revealed that when individuals are separated from their iPhone they perform poorly in simple tests and become noticeably anxious, highlighting the effect smartphone dependency is having on our mental faculties.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.

Image Credit: Michaelstockfoto / Shutterstock
Kim Dotcom launches encrypted MegaChat beta, complete with bounty for security flaws

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 7:52pm CET par Mark Wilson

There was a time when Kim Dotcom was hardly out of the news, but it's been a little quieter for him of late. He popped up recently when he apparently intervened and persuaded Lizard Squad to stop attacking the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. Dotcom used the opportunity and attention he drew to himself to advertise his Mega storage service, and anyone following him on Twitter can't help but have noticed constant references to MegaChat.

Well, the time for talking about MegaChat is over. The browser-based, ultra-secure chat service that offers end-to-end encryption is now ready for you to talk through. Dotcom refers to it being a Skype-killer, but it remains to be seen just how much trust people are willing to place in the service.

Offering MegaChat as a cloud-based service is hardly surprising when you consider Mega's track record with online services. It's also free of charge, but it's not yet clear whether this could change further down the line, either in the form of a subscription fee or charges for different services. At the moment video calling is available, but this will expand to include text chatting and video conference calls as well.

Dotcom announced the launch on Twitter in his own inimitable style, poking fun at the NSA into the bargain:

3 years ago #Megaupload died 2 years ago #Mega was born 1 year ago the Internet Party Today you get #MegaChat @MPAA @TheJusticeDept @NSA

— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) January 22, 2015

Right from the start it's clear that security is, at least on the face of it, being placed as a top priority. Dotcom tweeted: "#Mega offers a security bounty again. Please report any security flaw to us. We'll fix it and reward you. Thanks for helping".

MegaChat is pitting itself firmly against Skype. Dotcom has previously said that the likes of Skype (meaning US-based services) have no choice but to bow to the demands of the NSA and provide backdoor access -- the implication here is clearly that MegaChat will do no such thing.

If you feel so inclined, you can check out MegaChat through an existing Mega account, or sign up for a new one on the same page.
Five iconic phones that came before iPhone

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 7:50pm CET par Jamie Hinks

It’s weird to think that this time 10 years ago we still hadn’t been interrupted from our feature phones to grasp hold of Apple’s smartphone revolution, which in fact didn’t take place until mid-2007. Those gray (or off-yellow) and black tinged days when all we wanted to do was type a text that was longer than 161 characters and play games about slithery animals on small screens.

So grab a hold of your eBay account details as these five beauties will have you bidding on bricks to help you relive those days.

Motorola StarTAC

Before Motorola got swallowed up by Google, regurgitated, and then ingested by Lenovo it used to make some iconic handsets. The clam-shell was where it really stuck out against the likes of Nokia and Ericsson, and the StarTAC was the one that every remembers for its odd design that at one point looked like one phone giving a small baby phone a piggy-back. Motorola sold around 60 million StarTACs thanks to its lightweight and compact design, ability to send SMS text messages, and a vibrate alert.

Sony Ericsson w550i

We’ll move from there on to the only swivel mechanism phone on the list and also the only one to be named after another technological icon – the Sony Ericsson W550i (or Walkman550i). Yes this phone looked a little bit odd, to the untrained eye had no keypad, and had a carrying handle that would have only been of help to The Borrowers. It may have also been incredibly easy to break in two, but it was a neat phone. It did have a whopping 256MB of expandable memory, FM radio, a 1.3-megapixel camera, THREE speakers, and dedicated gaming buttons.

Nokia 5110

When you think of mobile phones that came out before the iPhone it’s hard not to dedicate the entire list to Nokia. The 5110 with its distinctive design that enabled owners to customise the facia was also the first one to feature snake as a playable game. It was a sad day when its three-year run ended in 2001.

Nokia 3310

If the 5110 built up Nokia’s popularity amongst most people, the 3310 took it onto another level. At the time it replaced the very popular 3210 and anyone at Nokia worried about what its replacement was foolish to think it would fail. The 3310 sold around 126 million units worldwide thanks to a series of handy features such as being allowed to send text messages that were three times longer than normal, voice dialing, Snake II (!!), custom ringtones and interchangeable covers.

BlackBerry’s QWERTY phones

Back in the 2000s was when BlackBerry or should I say Research in Motion, really meant something as a company. The iPhone hadn’t arrived and it was sitting pretty with its popular line of handsets that brought a QWERTY keyboard to the table that made the regular keypads favoured by its competitors pale into insignificance. There were plenty of different handsets that RIM pushed out and we’re pretty sure you have your favorite so fill in the gap here -- the BlackBerry ___ was one of the best.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Microsoft shows off Office for Windows 10 and reveals Office 2016 plans

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 7:26pm CET par Mark Wilson

Microsoft told us a lot about Windows 10 yesterday (it's free!), as well as the future direction of some other interesting projects such as HoloLens and the Spartan browser. We did get a brief glimpse at the touch-friendly versions of Office apps for Windows 10, but today Microsoft also reveals more about the next desktop release -- Office 2016.

In keeping with Microsoft's latest vision, the focus with Office moving forward is "mobile-first, cloud-first". We'll be able to try out Office for Windows 10 very soon as the universal apps are due for release for Windows 10 Technical Preview very soon, and the final version will be pre-installed -- for free -- on phones and small tablets. Some of this we knew yesterday, but talk of Office 2016 is new!

Perhaps the first question that Office users will have is "when will Office 2016 be released". Obviously it's very early days at the moment and a precise date hasn't been pinned down, but Microsoft has pencilled in some time in the second half of 2015 -- so anything from five to 11 months away.

But the next big release for Office is Office for Windows 10, and over on the Office Blog, the Office Product Management team's general manager Julia White shared a series of screenshots showing off the applications. As these are touch apps designed with smaller screens in mind, it should come as little surprise that the interfaces are noticeably cleaner than those currently found in full-blown Office.

Word (pictured above) takes elements of Office 365, but gives them an even more modern twist. A dedicated Read mode strips things back even further for distraction-free reading. Excel (pictured below) boasts a similar look, and White claims that "new touch-first controls shine in Excel, you won’t even miss your keyboard and mouse when selecting ranges of cells, formatting your pie charts or managing your workbooks".

OneNote looks like it has undergone the biggest cleanup; a tabbed interface makes it possible to store a wealth of data in a relative small space. Outlook Mail and Outlook Calendar for Windows 10 (below) draws heavy inspiration from the look of Outlook.com, and this will help to make the transition from web to app easier for people to bear.

Although it's still not clear exactly when we'll be able to try out Office for Windows 10 for ourselves, things seem to be shaping up very nicely. In the meantime, you can check out the video below to see the software in action, and the Office blog for more screenshots.
Microsoft's Windows 10 has tight Skype integration -- are Google Hangouts and Apple iMessage in danger?

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 6:59pm CET par Brian Fagioli

I have been having difficulty staying in touch with friends and family lately. The problem? Everybody is using different services! Apple fans are on iMessage and Facetime. Google users are on Hangouts. Other people embrace Facebook Messager or SMS. Quite frankly, it is maddening. Lately, I have been considering embracing Skype, as it works on Windows, Linux, OS X, iOS, Android and Windows Phone. In other words, I don't have to worry about the platform the other person is on. I can have my friends and family use Skype to get in contact with me.

Luckily, Windows 10 will have Skype installed by default, meaning every user of that operating system can easily access it. I will not have to instruct people how to download and install it -- this is huge. Not only is it installed, but tightly integrated into the OS. Plus, with Lync being transformed into Skype for Business, Microsoft's communication solution may be poised to dominate.

"As you may have heard, Skype will come built into your communications suite on Windows 10 devices across your PC, tablet and phone. As always, we look for ways to make doing more together intuitive, and on your Windows 10 device what better way to do that than to build Skype directly into messaging, calling and video experiences so you don’t have to download an app and barely need to setup", says Joyce Kim, Microsoft.

Kim further explains, "the most important thing to us is that you can reach your contacts to share everyday moments. Skype makes this easy by talking to your mobile and email address books, which means you can connect to friends using Skype not just on Windows devices, but also on iPhones, Macs, Androids and more".

True, Microsoft does get an unfair advantage by pre-installing Skype on all Windows 10 machines. With that said, there is nothing stopping users from installing alternatives. This is no different than bundling Internet Explorer -- a once decried practice -- that Apple and Google do with their browsers now too.

Besides including it, what really gives Microsoft a leg up is the strong brand which is Skype. It is a globally recognizable solution, that many people already embrace to video chat with distant friends and family. Microsoft is simply making it is easier for the less technically inclined to access.

Most importantly, Skype has the potential to dominate the highly sought-after chat and communication market, because of its biggest strength -- multi-platform support. iMessage is not available outside of the Apple ecosystem -- severely limiting its availability. This makes it a non-starter for many.

Hangouts has great apps for mobile operating systems such as iOS and Android, but no native apps on the desktop. In other words, Google's solution on Windows, Linux and OS X requires a web browser to be running constantly (some third-party options such as Pidgin will work too). This is less than ideal, especially as web browsers continue to consume lots of RAM.

While newer competitors such as Whatsapp are gaining ground, Microsoft's brand is more recognizable and arguably more trustworthy than the newcomers.

Do you think Skype can become the dominant force in communication? Tell me in the comments.
I'm sold on Windows 10, but are you?

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 6:40pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Windows 10 is shaping up to be the best Windows yet. I am still wrapping my head around it, but after going through most of the changes I think there are a ton of things to like about it, which is an astonishing achievement. Microsoft really managed to surprise me, and I didn't expect that, to be perfectly honest.

However, what seals the deal for me is how all the changes tie together. I can now say that there are clear benefits to using the latest Windows across all devices that support it. It makes total sense, for the first time. In fact, without even trying the new Preview release, I am sold on Windows 10. Count me in as one of the first to make the switch on all of my devices!

Windows 10 has to be taken as a whole to really understand what makes it so attractive. For the first time, Microsoft has envisioned Windows not just as an operating system that can work on PCs, tablets or smartphones, but as an operating system that works on PCs, tablets and smartphones. There's a huge difference there in approach, which shows in the way Windows 10 is designed to look, feel and work.

Just look at how uniform the experience seems to be with Windows 10, as opposed to Windows 8.1 + Windows Phone 8.1. Both Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 are evolutions of prior designs, each treated as a separate entity. There's no wonder they haven't intersected. They don't have much in common where it really matters.

There are differences all over the place, starting with small details as the homescreen background and moving on to more advanced parts like the settings menu. Yes, there are tiles, but, really, these two Windows releases are not cut from the same cloth, because Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 weren't either.

For example, updating Windows Phone 8.1 takes you through a different menu structure compared to Windows 8.1. That's not to say that the two should share the exact same settings menu, but some commonalities have to exist. The structure should be the same, even if some options are only available for one type of device or another.

Consistency matters, but the design has to be adapted to the form factor. For instance, I expect to find the Wi-Fi settings in the same place on all Windows 10 devices, but I do not expect to find an option to add local, limited users or ways to configure UAC on Windows 10 phones. There's just no point in it.

What I just described is how Windows 10 looks to be designed at the moment. I am sure that Microsoft is not ruling out changes in this department, but if it sticks to this idea until the end I, and many others, will have no reason to complain.

Speaking of taking Windows 10 as a whole, I like what Microsoft has done in uniforming the experience with regards to core apps and features. I have always wanted to see Windows on PCs offering a notifications center, just because it is so darn hard to keep up with all the things that are buzzing around me, especially when I'm not there to see it happen. Now it's here in Windows 10.

At the same time, I have always wanted to see Windows on PCs synchronizing notifications with the smartphone counterpart, so that once I dismiss a notification on my Lumia it also goes away on my laptop. If I don't want to see it somewhere, I don't want to see it anywhere. Similarly, if I access a notification on my laptop, like reading a new mail, there is no point in seeing it anymore on my Lumia, as it's already been read. This is really a clever way of dealing with notifications.

As I mentioned apps, given the whole push for universal apps, it makes sense for Microsoft to bridge the gap between Windows on PCs, tablets and phones by giving users core apps that have a similar look and feel across all of their devices. I saw how this works for the Outlook and Photos apps and I quite like the approach. The layout is different depending on the size of the display, which is how it is supposed to be, but it is an otherwise consistent experience.

Outlook definitely looks to be much more powerful than the Mail app we have today, which is a good step forward for power users. Being able to swipe emails left and right in the inbox to flag or delete them is an awesome feature to have. I hope Microsoft lets us configure what those gestures do, as I want to be able to mark as read and archive instead.

Outlook is part of the new Office apps for Windows 10, which are touch-optimized across the board. A full-fledged Office 2016 is in the works, as the next version of the long-standing Office suite, but for those using Windows 10 on phones and small tablets the touch-optimized version will be the only choice. They're lighter than the full-fledged Office apps, naturally, and more similar to the Office apps that you may find on iPhones and iPads, which is a good thing, as Office on Windows Phone 8.1 begs for an update.

Following its Windows Phone debut, Cortana will be available across all Windows 10-supported form factors. I would love to see it in action on a PC, with always-on listening capabilities. Just imagine saying something like "Hey, Cortana" followed by "Open BetaNews in the browser" to open your favorite tech news site in the world without touching a single key or button. (The same can apply to playing YouTube videos, for instance, but that's not more important than getting your BetaNews fix, right?)

Now, because Windows 10 looks so good, users of older Windows versions might want to upgrade to it. I'll get back to this in a minute, but for a minute I want you to consider the possibility that Windows 10 will gain a market share that is so relevant that developers that matter might pay attention to it.

And this brings me to universal apps, which make more sense than ever now. A single app that works across three popular form factors (PCs, tablets and smartphones), available in a unified store which has hundreds of millions of users. It will not happen over night, but I think those usage numbers are entirely possible.

What developer will not want to be part of that? It would be too big of a market to ignore, for sure. But, therein lies the problem. Windows 10's success hinges on Microsoft's ability to convince Windows users to upgrade. As we all know, that's not something Microsoft has been good at, not by a long shot.

Windows 10 is hugely attractive. It looks so good that I think I wouldn't regret switching from my MacBook Air to a Surface Pro 3 to enjoy it in its full glory, and I am sure that there will be lots of users who will also upgrade to Windows 10.

But, as always, this will not happen overnight. And, most importantly, many users may not (actually, will not) upgrade at all, regardless of the fact that Microsoft is giving it away for free to those who make the switch from an older Windows version in the first year.

Right now, even though Windows 8.1 is basically given for free to Windows 8 users, there are still many who have not yet upgraded. In fact, nearly half as many Windows 8.1 users are still rocking Windows 8, which is strange to say the least. Sure, some are business users who have to abide to different upgrade policies, but not all of them are in this position. They refuse to take the plunge. And it is not because Windows 8 is better in any way, quite the opposite in fact. They just don't want to.

Convincing me, and likely many of you who are reading this wonderful site, to upgrade to Windows 10 is easy. I am a technology enthusiast and early adopter, after all. Call me a geek, I don't mind it. I like having the latest technology around. I like new things, yes. I'm easy to sell Windows 10 to. But how many Windows users are the same?

Photo Credit: xavier gallego morell/Shutterstock
The Windows 10 presentation gets an A -- for Apple

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 5:22pm CET par Wayne Williams

Yesterday’s Windows 10 briefing was weird. I mean that in a good way. Microsoft went all Apple on us, aping much of the style and presentation of its rival, right down to the "one more thing" which turned out to be a crazy holographic nerd helmet that was nowhere near finished and can’t yet do most of the things claimed for it. But has potential.

In the aftermath of the presentation tech writers began asking questions like "When did Apple become the boring one?", and that would have raised a smile or two at Redmond. Microsoft needed to shake off its reputation of a firm which makes dull, or flawed "me too" products, and for the main I think it succeeded.

The company seems to be trying to transition into a firm you can like. "The People’s Apple" if you will. The old Apple trick of repeating a word -- "love" in Microsoft’s case yesterday ("we want you to love Windows 10", "we want people to move from needing Windows, to choosing Windows, to loving Windows") -- to drum it into the minds of those in attendance or viewing online, was handled well, and with a subtlety I liked.

It wasn’t a perfect presentation though. At two and a half hours it dragged on, with occasional periods of boredom interrupted by annoying long periods of buffering.

The gathered audience -- writers hunched over screens -- clearly hadn’t been whipped up into a frenzy as the excitement you feel from an Apple event wasn’t noticeable here.

When Terry Myerson revealed Windows 10 would be a free upgrade to users of Windows 8.1, the room was totally silent, and stayed silent when he added Windows Phone 8.1 to the list (the only sound was a solitary comedy cough). He then played the trump card and announced Windows 7 customers would also be getting a free upgrade only to be greeted with more silence, followed, finally, by some sporadic clapping and a lone whistle. It was like watching a comedian dying on stage.

Similarly, when Satya Nadella was announced, there was some polite clapping and that was it. This is the frigging CEO of Microsoft. Give him a rockstar welcome! Except… you can see where they were coming from. Steve Ballmer would have bounded on stage, and torn the roof off. Satya Nadella did his best to drain the energy from the room.

Satya’s doing a great job of turning Microsoft around, and he’s given the company a modernity, drive and strategy that has been missing for a long time. But he’s not exactly a front man.

When it was his turn on stage he gave a long, meandering speech in which he spoke a lot of words, but said very little of substance. He waffled, and he rambled, and used buzzwords and phrases but if Microsoft had cut out his appearance on stage ("Sorry, Satya, we’re out of time"), we would have been none the worse off.

Satya Nadella is no Steve Jobs, he’s not even a Tim Cook, but so what? Failing to inspire on stage doesn’t matter if you can inspire in the work place, which -- with the aid of a team of good people -- he seems to be able to. I just wish he would come up with a better slogan. “Mobile first, cloud first” is rubbish. So what are you saying? It’s a draw? They’re both equally important? There are no winners? I don’t get it.

Satya Nadella is never going to be exciting, but Microsoft’s future products could be.

The holographic nerd helmet took up a big chunk of the running time, and some people have described it as Microsoft’s iPhone moment. But it isn’t. The device is nowhere near finished, and you won’t be able to buy it this year, or maybe even next, despite what you may be fooled into believing.

Microsoft was keen to stress it had been working on the HoloLens for years and years, "hidden in plain sight" in the visitors center, to avoid the accusation it had thrown together a quick prototype, which is what the demo version looked like. I’d love to know how much development time was actually spent on it across the years. I expect not much in the beginning. I would also have loved to see Steve Ballmer dancing around with it on his head, but sadly that’s not to be.

Overall though, I enjoyed the Microsoft presentation. It followed the Apple playbook closely -- start with big numbers, give the audience what they’re expecting, and something impressive as a bonus ("Windows 10 will be free!") and then finish with an innovation. Apple showed off the Watch, which isn’t ready, and Microsoft gave us the HoloLens, which isn’t ready.

I said before Windows 8 launched that Microsoft wants to be Apple, and yesterday that seemed truer than ever. There are exciting times ahead for Microsoft, it no doubt has exciting news, and exiting products to communicate, but it still needs to learn the big Apple trick Steve Jobs was the master of -- making great products seem even more exciting and desirable than they are.
Watch the entire Xbox on Windows 10 presentation [video]

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 3:13pm CET par Alan Buckingham

Just yesterday Microsoft held its big Windows 10 event -- you likely may have seen something in the news about it. Sort of hard to miss. There was much more to the show than just a new operating system. Surprises included HoloLens and more. One thing that featured prominently was the company's gaming console.

Yes, Xbox will be a part of Windows 10, and a big one if Phil Spencer is to be believed. The head of this wing of Microsoft did an extensive presentation during the event. According to Spencer, games are about being social, and that is one of the things the company tried to work into this. He also talks about gaming as a personal experience.

The company is attempting to revolutionize the computer gaming experience, and it wants to "bring together the games you love, the people you play with and the epic moments they create".

Spencer proceeds to show off the app extensively, walking the viewer through all that is possible in the latest operating system. But I don't have to explain it all to you -- the company released a video of the 18 minute presentation and you can watch it below, though you'll need a bit of time for this one.
Twitter keeps you abreast of missed tweets with 'While you were away'

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 3:06pm CET par Brian Fagioli

Twitter is super-awesome and fun; all the cool kids use it. If you aren't on the social network, you just aren't trendy. It is a great way to stay on top of Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian and other very important people. But seriously folks, it's also a great means of tracking news, interests, and updates from your friends.

The service is only engaging when you follow interesting people, and that is a problem. Why? There are a lot of quality people to follow on the network -- which can make your feed noisy -- making it easy to miss important Tweets while away. Today, Twitter aims to alleviate some of that pain, with a new feature called 'While you were away'. As much as the company would like us to be on the service 24/7, some of us have jobs and have to, you know...sleep. Now, you can be kept abreast of top Tweets that you may have missed throughout the day. Don't worry, the list only contains people you follow.

"A lot can happen while you’re on the go. To fill in some of those gaps, we will surface a few of the best Tweets you probably wouldn't have seen otherwise, determined by engagement and other factors. If you check in on Twitter now and then for a quick snapshot of what’s happening, you’ll see this recap more often; if you spend a lot of time on Twitter already, you’ll see it less", says Twitter.

The company further explains, "our goal is to help you keep up -- or catch up -- with your world, no matter how much time you spend on Twitter. With a few improvements to the home timeline we think we can do a better job of delivering on that promise without compromising the real time nature of Twitter. Recaps, marked with a “While you were away” heading, will begin to appear for all Twitter for iOS users today, and on our Android app and twitter.com soon".

Dang! iOS users get to use this new feature first, while, Android and web users will have to wait. This is frustrating, as there are far more Android users than iOS users in the world. With that said, it could be that users of Apple's devices are better tastemakers or more active. Luckily, this cool new feature will be available to all users soon.

Do you think this new feature is useful? Tell me in the comments.
Windows Phone users rejoice! Dropbox is here

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 2:11pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

It is fair to say that Windows Phone still needs quite a few major titles in Store before the so-called app-gap can be considered a thing of the past. Take cloud storage services for example. You can embrace OneDrive if you want to stick with Microsoft services, or, as an alternative, use Box. But neither Dropbox nor Google Drive are an option. Both are hugely popular services, and their availability can be a deal-breaker for prospective Windows Phone users.

The good news is that at least Dropbox's availability on Windows Phone is no longer an issue, as the cloud storage service just launched its app in Store. It's undeniably a major win for the tiled smartphone operating system, which has consistently been criticized for lacking an official Dropbox client.

I do not have high hopes for the app at this stage, as this is its first public release (version 1.0.0.0 nonetheless). Some polish is clearly needed here and there.

Just like Mega, as far as I can tell, Dropbox can only upload photos from Windows Phone. You can, however, download and open any content you have stored on Dropbox, as long as there is an app which supports it (like a PDF reader for PDF files). You can also save that content locally, as long as the app which supports it offers you that option.

A user is also reporting on Dropbox's blog that the app, despite being listed as available in Spanish, works in English on his Windows Phone. Another complains that the app is not visible in Store, with a fellow user adding that it is not listed in the Austrian version of Store. Offline support is also reported as unavailable.

You can, however, perform file management operations. You can create new folders, delete, favorite, move, rename, search and share content stored on Dropbox.

To share, you can either copy a link to the clipboard or send it using Windows Phone apps that you can share content to (in other words, apps which appear in the share menu).

The highlight of Dropbox for Windows Phone, at least for the moment, is that it supports automatic camera uploads, meaning that it will automatically upload your photos to the cloud if you so choose. It will not do the same, however, for videos, and, for this feature to work, you have to have your Windows Phone plugged in, on a Wi-Fi network with a battery that is nearly fully charged.

You can also choose to enable automatic camera uploads when Dropbox is open, at which point you can also choose to use cellular data. Dropbox gives you some degree of flexibility here.

I just wish it would integrate with the auto upload feature that is built-into Windows Phone 8.1, so that automatic camera uploads can work in the background, independent of the aforementioned requirements.

To mention all the features, it also lets you set a PIN to protect your cloud-stored content from prying eyes. It's a neat little feature, which more apps should have in this day and age. You can also pin folders to the home screen for easy access.

Dropbox is actually a universal app, meaning that if you have already gotten it in Windows Store it will appear as purchased in Windows Phone Store as well. Dropbox also updated its Windows 8.x app, to reflect the changes made for Windows Phone, but, depending on where you live, it may or may not be available. My colleague Brian Fagioli says the app is still available for him, while Wayne Williams says the app is no longer available in his case. Strange things are happening. Not a smooth launch.

Dropbox is available to download from Windows Phone Store.
Face-to-face status meetings are bad for productivity

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 1:22pm CET par Ian Barker

American workers spend an average of 4.6 hours a week preparing for meetings and 4.5 hours actually in them, but most would rather be doing something else.

This is among the findings of a new survey by enterprise collaboration software specialist Clarizen. It also shows that almost half of respondents would rather "do any unpleasant activity" than sit in a status meeting, including going to the Department of Motor Vehicles or watching paint dry.

35 percent say that status meetings -- a meeting with updates for team members on completed and active work tasks -- are a waste of their time. Three in five also report that they multitask during meetings.

"Survey results continue to show that status meetings do not boost employee productivity," says Avinoam Nowogrodski, founder and CEO of Clarizen. "In today's modern workplace, where demands are constantly changing, employees need easy, real-time access to their discussions, work content and processes. This is what fuels employee productivity and quality work, not sitting in status meetings or preparing lengthy status reports. Clarizen enables company-wide collaboration, accountability and transparency, meaning workers spend less time in meetings and more time completing actual, meaningful work".

Clarizen's latest release includes a new mobile platform which mirrors the features of its web-based application. This creates a seamless user environment which allows users to have a consistent experience wherever they are and whatever device they’re using.

By offering immediacy and flexibility it allows employees to get their work done and stay up to date without having to spend time sitting in meetings.

The latest release is available now at no charge to existing Clarizen customers. For more information on what it offers you can visit the company's website.

Image Credit: wavebreakmedia / Shutterstock
Labrys is an alternative Start Menu for Windows 7+

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 1:20pm CET par Mike Williams

Microsoft’s decision to drop the Start Menu in Windows 8 persuaded many developers to produce their own alternatives, and there’s no shortage of free options to explore (Classic Shell is probably still the best)

Finding yet another example in the new Labrys didn’t exactly fill us with excitement, then, but despite several flaws it’s different enough to be interesting.

Installation was straightforward, no adware or other complications -- it appears entirely safe to try and use.

There’s no need to explore a vast library of Start buttons, either, as the program doesn’t provide any: it just pops up whenever you press the Win key or click the regular Start button.

Launch Labrys and you’ll find it doesn’t just reproduce the regular Start menu. Applications and shortcuts are located and sorted alphabetically, and a left-hand index bar provides keys to jump straight to a particular letter. When we clicked "P", for example, the menu jumped to Paint.exe, PaintNET and so on.

Individual menu entries display an arrow to their right if Jump Lists are supported, and clicking this lists any recent files in a second pane.

Labrys makes good use of screen space, taking the full maximum available height and enabling you to adjust the width as required.

A Search box allows you to locate a particular shortcut, and can be toggled to Command mode and used to manually launch some executable. Labrys remembers these commands and autocompletes them later, and there’s also an option to create simple command aliases (for example, by default "PwS" launches "PowerShell -Command "%typed_command%" with whatever arguments you type).

One issue we noticed is that newly installed programs aren’t added to the menu. (The developer says "Shortcuts changes are not being monitored yet", which may be the reason).

You have to manually launch Command mode, too (Labrys always displays its Search box first, and it takes a click to see the commands).

Despite this, the alphabetical indexing and command alias features could make Labrys useful in some situations, and as the program is still very new (v. 0.8.2) there’s plenty of time for it to improve.
Is it time to say goodbye to the password?

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 12:01pm CET par Ian Barker

Microsoft's Bill Gates predicted the death of the password as long ago as 2004, yet we're still heavily reliant on them for our day-to-day security.

Part of the reason the password has lingered so long is the lack of solutions that provide security combined with ease of use.

Now though thanks to the widespread adoption of smartphones we may be getting closer to seeing the death of the one-time password. SSL certificate supplier SSLs.com has produced an infographic looking at the alternative authentication methods that are set to take over.

Biometric security methods range from the fingerprint readers we're increasingly familiar with to technologies that can detect your cardiac rhythm, scan the shape of your ear -- perhaps not so useful for boxers -- or even read your brainwaves.

Other authentication technologies involve syncing your phone to other devices, proximity devices or wearables that authenticate devices within range. There's even the possibility that you could swallow a pill or have a tattoo that lets your body act as an authentication token.

For a look at these and other methods of eliminating the need for a password you can see the full infographic below.

Photo Credit: Dr. Cloud/Shutterstock
Hey Apple, you can learn a thing or two from Microsoft's Windows 10 event

Publié: janvier 22, 2015, 4:01am CET par Brian Fagioli

There once was a time when the entire world would anticipate an Apple launch event. While there is still some interest nowadays, much of it dissipated when Steve Jobs died. In other words, most of the magic was Jobs -- he was a genius innovator, but more importantly, an epic salesman.

Tim Cook is a nice fellow, but he just is not Jobs. Today, some of that launch event magic returned, but it was not by Apple and not in California. Nope, this was Microsoft's day to shine -- a sea change if you will -- as the winds of innovation came to the state of Washington. Unlike Apple, this is no one man show; Microsoft's presentation was a team effort, where products were more important than the presenter. I hope Tim Cook and the fruit-logo company were taking notes today.

Windows 8 was a consumer disaster, despite some people -- like yours truly -- growing to like it. However, it was a necessary UI change that signaled Microsoft's new approach to Windows. You see, whether you are on a tablet, laptop, desktop, or phone, the idea was to have a shared operating system and experience. It was and is a good idea, just poorly executed.

Windows 10 is here to save the day, however, and today Microsoft laid out the operating system for the world to see. Unlike Apple, there was no Jedi mind tricks by anyone a-la Steve Jobs. No, Satya Nadella and team simply presented a vision and told customers how the new operating system would help them. Unlike Windows 8, this new interface will be more reminiscent of previous version like XP, and 7.

So, why do I say Apple should take notes? Innovation. With Steve Jobs death, innovation has all but disappeared from Apple. We are at the point where iPhones and iPads are just getting thinner, while OS X just gets prettier. It's all fluff.

Conversely, Microsoft is taking chances and actually innovating with new ideas and concepts. Did you hear all the chatter about Windows as a service? Apple wouldn't know services if it bit it on the buttocks. All of its services are half-assed; iCloud is an abomination.

Microsoft didn't stop at Windows and services, but new useful apps too, such as a new mail client and calendar. Not to mention Cortana integration in the operating system. Shockingly, Microsoft beat Apple in this regard, as Siri is still not in OS X. Quite frankly, Siri is rather useless anyway. As an iPad owner, I ask her the weather, and she can tell me that fairly well, but she is far too rudimentary to be useful on a desktop.

While iOS has some great casual games, Microsoft has one of the largest gaming brands and its own consoles with Xbox. Soon, Xbox One users will be able to stream games to their Windows machines. Maybe Apple will bring games to Apple TV one day. Angry Birds on the big screen... yawn!

More importantly, Microsoft took us to the future with things like Surface Hub and Holo Lens.

While Surface Hub will not likely be a home consumer product, it may have big success in the enterprise -- waters where Apple dare not tread. The closest Apple gets to the corporate world is executives on iPads and bulky keyboard cases. With Hub, Microsoft is actually addressing business needs and not just making a square executive feel hip with his tablet. Videoconferencing desperately needs innovation and Surface Hub is it.

The truly futuristic thing, however, is Holo Lens. A virtual reality / hologram product that makes Google Glass look like a turd. This was Microsoft's "One more thing" moment -- a cause for "oohs" and "ahhs" from an audience -- something Apple hasn't experienced in years. I don't expect anyone to be giddy over the rumored 12 inch iPad, sorry Mr. Cook.

Yes, Apple still makes a ton of money and has legions of loyal followers. True, Windows Phone is a laughing stock in the mobile world, commanding an inconsequential market share. With that said, Windows is still the number one desktop operating system, and that should only increase with the release of Windows 10 -- consumers are going to love it.

Apple innovated while Microsoft napped and paid dearly for resting on its laurels. The 2015 Microsoft is hungry again, however, and the tables have turned. It is time for the company to leapfrog Apple as it now slumbers -- hey, counting all that money is tiring.

Photo Credit: Piotr Marcinski / Shutterstock