Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » juin 29, 2015

BetaNews.Com (18 non lus)

8 years ago today the iPhone went on sale and changed everything -- so why didn't I want one?

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 9:08pm CEST par Wayne Williams

On January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone at the Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco. It was the usual quality presentation from Apple’s sorely missed boss, with some great moments of humor. Our first glimpse of the phone was in fact actually a mock-up of an iPod with a rotary dial in place of the usual click wheel. The audience clapped and hooted. Jobs then went on to show the real device, and it was pretty mind-blowing.

Here was a phone that looked nothing like a phone. It looked nothing like an iPod, for that matter either. It was pretty much all screen, controlled by touch using your finger -- or fingers, thanks to the power of multi-touch -- and was, according to Jobs, powered by OS X. The device could tell if you were holding it portrait or landscape, and knew when you were holding it up to your ear, and so prevent you prematurely ending a call with the side of your face. It came with a 620MHz processor, 128MB of memory and a 2MP camera. It was a magical device. This was the future, being shown right here. A device to be coveted by all. But I didn’t want one.

Perhaps it was because I had a regular dumb Nokia mobile, without a built-in QWERTY keyboard or any great bells and whistles, that I just couldn’t really see the benefit. I was happy enough using predictive text to send lightning fast SMS messages. The idea of a virtual touchscreen keyboard just didn’t appeal. Mind you, at that point my experience of touchscreens was mostly limited to Personal Information Managers controlled with a stylus, and kiosk computers with unresponsive screens, that often did nothing when touched, or moved an on-screen cursor to somewhere only vaguely near where you were frustratingly prodding.

The first iPhone went on sale in the USA on June 29, 2007 -- eight years ago today. Exclusively on AT&T it was initially available in 4GB and 8GB models for $499 and $599 respectively. Would-be purchasers queued right around the block outside the Apple stores. I wasn’t one of them. Partly because I wasn’t interested, and partly because I live in the United Kingdom and the iPhone didn’t come out here until four months later, by which time the 4GB model had been discontinued stateside and the price of the 8GB model cut by a third to $399.

Out of curiosity, and because I was in the market for a new phone, I went into an Apple store in December 2007, and tried out the iPhone for myself. It was light, thin, and surprisingly responsive. I played with it some more and liked it. This was a great piece of kit. A quality phone, crossed with an iPod, that I could use to browse the web comfortably. I remember holding the iPhone in my hand, and being really, really impressed.

So impressed, a few hours later I went home the proud new owner of a BlackBerry 8800.

Next Generation

In February 2008, the 16GB iPhone was announced and four months later Jobs introduced us to the iPhone 3G. This was the iPhone for the 3G network and came with GPS. Available in 8GB and 16GB models, it was thinner, and ran iOS 2.0. Most excitingly of all, users could now download or buy third-party apps from developers like Google through the new App Store. I liked what I saw. I liked it a lot. But I liked my CrackBerry more.

The iPhone 3GS was released on June 19, 2009. This new model came in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB flavors, was faster, thanks to an 833MHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor and 256MB of memory, and had a much better 3MP camera that, unlike its predecessors, could record video (VGA). It offered voice control too.

I wavered, but still preferred my phone. We were in it for the long haul and I couldn’t imagine being without it.

Then the BlackBerry’s charging port broke.

So I finally relented and purchased an all new, shiny iPhone 3GS, and fell instantly and deeply in love with it.

My love affair with the 3GS didn’t last very long though. The iPhone 4 was released on June 24, 2010, bringing with it the Retina Display, a super-speedy 1Ghz Apple A4 processor (making it twice as fast as my new phone, and four times as fast as the original model) and 512MB of memory. It was slimmer, had a glass body, and a new and improved 5MP camera capable of recording 720p HD video. It had a front camera too, so users could FaceTime (Apple lingo for video chatting). It also had a new feature called "Death Grip", which caused calls to drop when you held the phone in a certain way. But Jobs had me at "Retina Display" so I upgraded immediately.

Getting Siri-ous

On October 4, 2011, with everyone hoping for the iPhone 5, the 4S was announced by new Apple boss Tim Cook. This had various improvements, including 1080p video recording, but the most notable new inclusion was Siri -- a magical personal assistant who could read messages aloud and send dictated replies, tell you the weather, convert measurements, schedule events, and more -- if you were lucky. The UK got Siri’s dumb brother (also called Siri) who was rubbish, couldn’t understand regional accents, and had no idea about local businesses. Thankfully he soon got smarter (and later transitioned into a woman).

There didn’t really seem enough in this new version to justify upgrading so I decided to stick with my iPhone 4 for a little longer. That little longer turned out to be a month. Juggling my phone while walking I dropped it and the screen cracked. It was like fate. I had to get a new phone and there was only one possible choice for me.

So I bought a Samsung Galaxy S III.

I had no regrets about no longer having an iPhone, and quickly became an Android convert, but secretly, deep down, I was still love in love with iOS. I still had an iPod touch and an iPad to ease the cravings.

The iPhone 5, announced in September 2012, didn’t appeal enough to get me to switch. Sure it had a larger screen than its predecessor -- a massive 4-inches -- but my Galaxy S III had a 4.8 inch screen and I didn’t want to lose that real estate. But aside from LTE connectivity, a better camera, and the change from glass to aluminum on the back, there really wasn’t much about the new iPhone to interest me. The Apple Maps fiasco made me even surer this was a phone to be ignored.

I looked forward to upgrading to a Samsung S4.

But then in 2013 Apple unveiled the iPhone 5s, with its stylish new colors -- space gray, silver and gold -- and new 64-bit A7 processor which was twice as fast as the iPhone 5, according to Apple. This device also introduced a new M7 co-processor, F2.2 aperture camera lens, Touch ID -- the long rumored fingerprint reader -- and the all new iOS 7. There was also another new iPhone, the plastic/polycarbonate bodied 5c in a choice of bright colors, but I didn’t care for that. I was already in love with the 5s, and upgraded to it at the first opportunity.

Last year, Apple gave the world the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Both devices are much bigger, offer Apple Pay (a new way for iPhone users to pay for their morning coffee!) and sport the usual raft of minor improvements. I wasn’t convinced it was worth the upgrade, however, so chose to stick with my 5s for a while longer.

Will I be upgrading to the 6s (or whatever name Apple gives it)? It’s hard to say for certain, until the phone is actually announced at least, but I expect the answer will be a resounding yes! I do still own Android phones, and I love, love, love CyanogenMod (my Samsung Galaxy S III still lives on because of it). I also covet my wife’s HTC (M8) more than I expected to. But I cannot see myself ever not owning an iPhone again.

With the iPhone Apple changed phones forever, and brought us so many good things -- multi-touch, video calling, proper web browsing, built-in personal assistant, and of course apps. It's fair to say, without the iPhone today’s mobile phones would be very, very different.

Eight years on and the iPhone is sleeker, faster and more powerful, but it’s still essentially the same device. The first iPhone was a revolution. Every subsequent update has been an evolution, and that -- for me -- is exactly how it should be.

What’s your recollection of the iPhone? Did you buy the first model, come to it later, or have you always avoided it, and if so, why? Comments below please.
You'll be able to buy this jetpack for $150,000

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 8:58pm CEST par Barclay Ballard

The dreams of science fiction fans could be about to come true after the world’s first commercially available jetpack was unveiled.

The Martin Jetpack has been in development for 35 years and will be available next year for $150,000 (£95,000).

Although most fictional depictions of jetpacks use rockets to propel the wearer upwards, the Martin model uses two fans either side of the pilot in order to gain greater control. The fans are driven by a two-liter petrol engine and can carry up to 120kg of weight. Prospective buyers will be pleased to know that it also comes with a low-altitude parachute.

The latest version of the device was shown at last month’s Paris Air Show, where it achieved speeds of 74 kilometers per hour and was capable of flying constantly for 30 minutes. It is also claimed that pilots will be able to reach altitudes of 1,000 meters.

Although the Martin Jetpack appears to be a largely useless, but entertaining gadget, its manufacturers believe that it could prove helpful to emergency services teams.

"For example, in the fire services going around to look at the situational awareness of what’s going on, perhaps through water security or even search and rescue on beach patrol, something along those lines", explained Martin chief executive Peter Coker. "Naturally for the ambulance service getting to a point of importance of rescuing people in the shortest possible time. So there’s a lot of uses within that first responder environment".

The jetpack’s ability to take off and land in confined spaces is its main advantage over other forms of air travel and it will be made available to the emergency services from the second-half of 2016. Martin will then begin selling the product commercially from 2017.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Here's what you REALLY THINK about Windows 10

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 8:43pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

Let the countdown begin. One month from today, July 29th, Microsoft releases Windows 10. Three weeks ago we asked what you like about the operating system. Many of you are testers, and keeping with the spirit of the "beta" in our site's name, we just had to inquire.

Microsoft hasn't made this transition easy enough, even before the code's release. For starters, there is, or was, or may still be, or may never stop being, confusion over who is eligible for the free upgrade. Microsoft kind of, sort of, clarified who gets and who doesn't -- and those of you who are Windows Insiders, and remain so, can continue on the forever free track, albeit running betas. Based on our poll posted last week, 10 percent of you without valid licenses will stay with the Windows Insider program to keep the free software coming. More than half of you plan to stick with the testing track.

Windows 10 is "a bit understated, but neat and tidy enough", BetaNews reader Stephen Leslie says. That's actually high praise. Ten years ago, I posted here at BN an analysis explaining the merits of Apple's understated design ethic. There is much to be said for simple, or simpler, particularly when sync -- as I've asserted for more than a decade -- is the killer app for the connected age.

ADRz responds to Leslie, asserting that the new OS "does not do much beyond Windows 7. In fact, some parts are hilarious".

"It's not whizz bang", Leslie concedes. "It's just sort of understated, but maybe that's a good thing. It is more secure, and quicker to a degree than Windows 7. Once it's out there, and the teething is worked out, it will be a capable computing platform for today's PC Plus computer ecosystem". The discussion that follows is worth reading.

J. Smith likes "Cortana"; "Windows Modern apps"; "faster launching, faster performing, more capable modern apps". But doesn't like "no glass effect"; text "too small on my laptop"; "no improvements in Desktop since Windows 95. Actually there were regressions".

1DaveN spotlights "two things I like about Windows 10":

First of all Cortana. It's long been a pain point for me that Outlook can remind me of my 3 p.m. dentist appointment, but I don't know it's 2:30 and time to leave. Particularly with multiple reminders on the same day, they don't stand out from each other enough to get the 'now' -- as in 'leave now'. Cortana, in her most rudimentary and basic form, does that. If she does more, so much the better, but that alone will be a big improvement for me.

Biometrics. I'm picturing the office, where 30 people will get logged in just by sitting down at the desk. We're fairly security conscious, and this will let me put on a very short screen saver lock without getting ambushed by furious users.

Regular reader barely_normal also is a fan of the voice assistant. "I do like Cortana and would add it in an instant if offered for Windows 7". He expects, and based on past releases is likely right, that "there will be plenty of complaining, and whining about Microsoft not getting it right", and the "cautious will wait for a while...What will be truly interesting to see is how many are persuaded to move quickly from Windows 7. Moving away from Windows Ate is a no brainer, but moving away from something solid without any real need will show how popular Metro and 'one-size-fits-all' will truly be over time".

Case in point: "I received the notification that I can get Windows 10 for free. But I like Windows 7 and frankly didn't like developer preview of W10", says brunul, who "will wait for a while. Long while".

"I stopped looking at W10 as a beta or even TP and more like ongoing development", Mike Lukic assets. He believes, and I agree, that "new users of Windows will have much less reservations about 10 than long-time users used to some ways about tweaking-system because of half implemented changes to, let's say, Control Panel, Main, and Modern menu etc."

I wonder how many new Windows users there really are, but unquestionably see development realignment that is focused more on process -- bringing ongoing improvements -- as Microsoft's cloud and connected-device strategies evolve. Google gets away with delivering Chrome OS updates every six weeks or so. Why not Windows?

UglyStuff opines about the "rolling distribution approach:

It's good and it's bad. Good, because when bugs and sources of discontent are readily identified, they can be addressed in a subsequent build, leaving the users in a permanent state of hope and expectation.

It's also bad, because choices must be made, and more often than not, minor -- from a developer's point of view -- issues can be put on the back burner, only to be forgotten and never fixed.

"My favorite part of Windows 10 is that isn't not Windows 8", Eric Sleeper says. "Windows 10 Desktop is pretty much Windows 7 Desktop on steroids. It's more intuitive, faster—at least snappier—more functions, more features, and of course still evolving".

What does Jack Bnimble like about Windows 10? "That Windows 7 gets updates to 2020, and I won't ever have to deal with it".

There clearly is some division among BetaNews readers about Windows 10. So let's ask agin: What do you like? Don't like?

Photo Credit: Ahturner/Shutterstock
Avira wins case upholding its right to block adware

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 7:46pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Security firm Avira has won a court case that can not only be chalked up as a win for consumer rights, but could also set something of a precedent. German company Freemium.com took Avira to court for warning users about 'potentially unwanted applications' that could be bundled along with a number of popular games and applications.

Freemium.com downloads included a number of unwanted extras in the form of browser toolbars, free trial applications, adware, and other crapware. Avira's antivirus software warned users installing such applications; Freemium took objection to this and filed a cease and desist letter, claiming anti-competitive practices. But the court ruled in Avira's favor, saying it could continue to flag up and block questionable software.

Freemium runs a number of download and gaming sites, and its own installer is frequently used in place of a regular setup executable. It is used to install software from partners and advertisers to generate extra funds. The company claimed its ad revenue has dropped by 50 percent since its software had been flagged. The court said that Avira was well within its rights to issue warnings about potentially unwanted components. Freemium was ordered to pay all court costs.

Avira CEO Travis Witteveen said:

This ruling establishes a major legal milestone in the fight against misleading consumers into unintentionally installing unwanted software onto their computers. Earlier this year we established clear guidelines defining unethical software behavior, and defining what our security software will block. We believe in 'freemium' and advertising-supported business models, however they must remain transparent and ethical in their implementation.

Freemium had argued that users were given the ability to opt out of installing extra software, but the court found that opting out was not made sufficiently clear.

Photo credit: zimmytws / Shutterstock
Microsoft celebrates USA veterans with 'Old Glory Relay' sponsorship

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 6:49pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

The Fourth of July is almost here. You know what that means, right? USA Independence Day! Yes, on this day, Americans will barbeque delicious meats and watch fireworks to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and subsequent defeat of the tyrannical British empire. Of course, our former oppressors are now one of our greatest allies.

Microsoft is one of the most famed American companies, and one of its founders, Bill Gates, is a great example of how anyone can become a success within America's borders. Today, Microsoft announces that it is celebrating the people that earned the USA its freedoms -- our veterans -- by sponsoring a 60 day, 3,400 mile relay race called the "Old Glory Relay". What great news so close to July 4th!

"Each day will begin with the American flag being unfurled and entrusted to the day’s first runner and will end with the last runner folding the flag and storing it for safekeeping overnight. During the relay, the flag will be passed from runner to runner along a pre-determined route, with no less than 50 miles traveled each day. Teams of runners will carry the flag for a day, as well as choose how many runners to use and how far each runner will run. A celebration will be held every day of the relay, to allow towns along the route to participate in meaningful way", says Microsoft.

Chris Cortez, vice president, Military Affairs, Microsoft explains, "we are proud to partner with Team Red, White and Blue as we cross our great nation together in the Old Glory Relay. We strongly admire their organization as it enriches the lives of veterans and their families through inclusive and healthy connections in local communities. We hope that by engaging our entire Microsoft community in the Old Glory Relay we'll inspire the IT industry to join us in our mission to open doors to IT careers for the next greatest generation and to embrace the amazing talent veterans have to offer".

Sadly, many veterans come back to the USA after their tour of duty only to have trouble with finding employment. This is disappointing, because those men and women risk their lives, while many of us work in cushy offices and sit comfortably at home with our iPads and big screen TVs.

Microsoft deserves major kudos for not only sponsoring the event, but shining a light on veteran issues and hopefully inspiring the IT community to realize the great value in a returning veteran. These people are great candidates for employment.

If you want to donate or learn more, you can do so here.
Wozniak: Robots will rule, treat us as their pets

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 6:34pm CEST par Sam Pudwell

Speaking at the Freescale Technology Forum about the growth of artificial intelligence, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has claimed that one day robots will be in charge and will treat humans as their pets.

After previously warning about the dangers of AI, "the woz" now believes that the robots we create will learn to protect and nurture us in much the same way that we look after dogs today.

"They’re going to be smarter than us and if they’re smarter than us then they’ll realize they need us", he said. "We want to be the family pet and be taken care of all the time. I got this idea a few years ago and so I started feeding my dog fillet steak and chicken every night because 'do unto others'".

Wozniak’s acceptance seems to go against the general feeling that AI is something to be feared rather than promoted.

SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk recently went so far as to say that we are "summoning the demon" with regards to robots and AI, voicing fears that Google boss Larry Page could accidentally create humanity-destroying machines.

And he’s not alone, as Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Professor Stephen Hawking have also confessed to having concerns about the rise of AI, prompting a widespread debate as to whether we should fear artificial intelligence.

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

Photo Credit: Ed Schipul
Family Safety updated and renamed Microsoft Family ready for Windows 10

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 5:36pm CEST par Mark Wilson

It can't have escaped your attention that we are now on the home straight for the release of Windows 10. With just a month to go, there are a few loose ends to tie up with the operating system itself, but there are also areas of the Windows ecosystem that are receiving attention ahead of the launch. One such component is Family Safety, Microsoft's parental control system.

Now renamed to Microsoft Family, the settings can be used to monitor and restrict what younger computer users are able to do on a computer. As well as the change of name, Microsoft Family is now part of Microsoft Account and there has been a bit of a redesign to make it easier to get around.

It is now easier to restrict access to adult content (it's blocked by default) and to block individual websites. Age ratings have also been updated to make it quicker to prevent the use of unsuitable apps and games. It's not all a matter of simplifying things. Changes to linked accounts mean that if you have linked your children's Family Safety accounts, you will need to manage settings for each device separately. Microsoft recognizes that "this may be painful for some of you" but says that it will help to make account roaming easier.

There's more to come for Windows 10 users as well. On the Microsoft Family FAQ, the company says:

On Windows 10, you'll need a Microsoft account in order to use Microsoft family whether you're part of a family as an adult or a child. When kids are added to a Microsoft family with a Microsoft account, any time they sign in to a Windows 10 device their settings will be applied and their activity will be reported to the adults in their family. Adults can always turn off activity reporting or remove children from the Microsoft family at account.microsoft.com/family.

There are more changes to come in the next few months, and Microsoft recommends keeping an eye on the FAQ for further updates.

Photo credit: Krigerix / Shutterstock
Raspberry Pi Foundation introduces a new print version of its official magazine

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 4:10pm CEST par Wayne Williams

If you’re a big fan of the Raspberry Pi, as we are, there’s a good chance you might have downloaded The MagPi digital magazine before. This is an official magazine packed with builds, hacks and step-by-step tutorials.

It’s always been very popular (partly due to being free of course), with over 100,000 downloads for issue 31 alone. And now the Raspberry Pi Foundation is going to start printing copies of a bigger and better version of the mag and distributing it in the US and UK, starting from 30 July.

Russell Barnes, editor says: "The MagPi magazine has already proved itself to be one of the most successful new technology magazine launches of the year and I couldn’t be happier. It’s not every day that a digital magazine goes to print, but that’s exactly what we’re doing next issue. The Official Raspberry Pi magazine will be available throughout the UK and America, with plans to branch out into other territories and languages as soon as possible".

The 100 page magazine will include the usual mix of builds and guides, as well as features and reviews. It will cost £5.99 in the UK, pricing for other territories will vary (which is the Foundation’s way of saying "not confirmed yet". It will be available in all the major UK newsagents, and you’ll also be able to buy it in the Swag Shop.

Don’t worry if you think this will be the beginning of the end for the free download version, because it won’t. The MagPi will continue to be free to download as a PDF.

Barnes says: "While we’ve been getting hundreds of requests for the magazine in print over the last six months, The MagPi has always been available as a Creative Commons-licensed PDF, and that’s the way it’s going to stay! You can download every issue of The MagPi from raspberrypi.org/magpi and you’ll soon be able to join a mailing list to get the issue delivered to your inbox every issue".
Microsoft brings the Quran to a wider audience

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 4:09pm CEST par Alan Buckingham

The Quran, sometimes written Kuran, is the holy text of the Islamic religion. It literally translates to "the recitation". Most religions have such books to guide their beliefs and provide some foundation for how to proceed in life.

You can read many such works online, and Microsoft is aiding in this with Islam 360, a searchable Quran app. The software giant has talked it up, though it isn't particularly new. Instead Microsoft wants to alert those who aren't aware of its existence and tout the features it brings along.

In a blog post Usman Ur Rehman Ahmed states "The app has over 1.5 Million Downloads on all platforms and has just been overloaded with tons of features for Windows Phone. The app is a resultant of efforts from Mr. Zahid Hussain Chihpa and is launched in collaboration with local Microsoft DX division".

Features include ten translations of Urdu and English with searchable features including audio, search the entire text using both English and Urdu and search using an Arabic word or rootword.

You can check it out by following the preceding link. Regardless of your beliefs, it may be worth a read to find out what it's all about.
NETGEAR launches cloud management platform

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 3:03pm CEST par Ian Barker

It's not uncommon for businesses to have multiple access points, whether on a single site or in multiple locations. This can lead to challenges when it comes to managing access and ensuring software and security are up to date.

To make life simpler NETGEAR is launching a software as a service platform called Business Central designed to provide small to mid-sized organizations with an affordable way to establish and manage key IT networking services and network devices.

The first service to be introduced under Business Central is a Wireless Manager which makes it easy for businesses with multiple sites like retail chains, coffee shops and those with several branch offices to roll out the same settings to every location and manage it all centrally.

"Having multiple standalone access points is no longer feasible as configuration changes become routine rather than occasional. However, for some organizations, the jump to a managed wireless LAN network can become demanding and overly complex for both IT budgets and IT resources," says Peter Newton, senior director of product management for the NETGEAR Commercial Business Unit.

"What's needed is a bridge solution between standalone APs and a controller, where flexibility, scalability and ease-of-use are standard and -- more importantly -- affordable," adds Newton. "For small to large enterprises and organizations with single to multiple branch locations, our Business Central Wireless Manager maximizes ROI and is the optimum tool for easy and cost-effective centralized WiFi management. It's an effective solution for both customer-deployed scenarios as well as a VAR-managed service. VARs and their customers can benefit from a free 90-day introductory trial".

With Business Central Wireless Manager, all management is performed remotely through a standard web browser. Admins can manage wireless SSIDs, configure wireless security settings, control free or fee-paying guest and private Wi-Fi access on the network, and run bandwidth usage reports. It allows clear, comprehensive and real-time visibility into the network for total control of evolving service needs.

Pricing is per access point per year on 12 or 36 month contracts but is arranged so that even if new devices are added mid-contract everything expires together to make licensing easier. You can find out more about Business Central Wireless Manager on the NETGEAR website.
Manage between two and 20 virtual Windows desktops with Virtuoz

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 2:04pm CEST par Mike Williams

UnChecky developer RaMMicHaeL has announced the release of Virtuoz, a simple and lightweight virtual desktop utility for Windows.

"It was inspired by Sysinternals Desktops", the author explaines, "but uses a different approach, which doesn’t impose the limitations which Desktops is bound to".

The program is a tiny 403KB download, which gets you both 32 and 64-bit editions. No installation is required for either, just run the appropriate executable and it runs in the background, adding an icon to your system tray.

Features are best described as minimal. You can switch from one desktop to another in various ways (use an Alt+1, Alt+2… hotkey, left or right-click the system tray icon and choose it from a list); there’s a hotkey to move the current window from one desktop to another, and that’s it.

Hotkeys may be customized, and the number of supported desktops changed from 2-20, but there’s no interface for this -- you must edit an INI file. We had problems changing the "move window" hotkey, too, although this might have been due to our keyboard layout.

Virtuoz is simple and extremely lightweight, though, never requiring even close to 1MB RAM on our test PC. The developer knows what he’s doing, so we’ve no doubt that if there are any issues they’ll be fixed soon, and if you just need the virtual desktop basics then it might be worth a look.
Chromecast update moves users to beta channel and breaks apps

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 1:45pm CEST par Mark Wilson

A recent update pushed to Chromecast devices has caused a series of problems for users. One of the most obvious issues is that users who were signed up to the regular, stable update channel found that they had been moved to the beta channel without their permission. Although the problem started to appear a few days ago, Google has been slow to issue a fix.

The update has also caused problems with a number of Chromecast apps including YouTube, Plex, and HBO GO. Not all users have been affected by the issues, and Google insists that only "a small percentage of users" have the issue which is flagged up by a beta/developer string at the bottom of the screen.

There are a few threads on the Chromecast help forums in which users complain about the problems they are experiencing. Google has pushed out an update which has been very slowly rolling out to users. While the update has removed the beta/developer text for some people, not everyone has been as lucky. Google suggested using the Chromecast app to force an update, but apps remain problematic for some.

Problems remain for some users who rely on the Plex app, and YouTube playlists have been plagued by an issue with unwanted disconnections. Other problems that have been reported include a loss of subtitles in HBO GO.

Have you experienced problems with your Chromecast?
Apple Music, Beats 1, iOS 8.4 to launch June 30

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 1:33pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

After months of testing, Apple revealed earlier this month, at WWDC 2015, that iOS 8.4 will be officially available in late-June, bringing us the new Apple Music streaming service and Beats 1 radio station. While those are the biggest changes, the new version of the popular mobile operating system will also feature a number of under-the-hood tweaks to improve the user experience, as we have come to expect from the most-recent iOS releases.

Quite a few of us expected Apple to launch iOS 8.4 way before the end of the month, but it looks like the company has other plans in mind, as iOS 8.4 is officially set to launch on the very last day of June.

The announcement was made this weekend by Apple Music senior director Ian Rogers on his personal blog. "Tuesday morning we'll be unveiling the next chapter. Please make a note to upgrade to iOS 8.4 Tuesday, June 30th and listen to our first day of broadcasting", says Rogers.

While the blog post does not mention an exact launch hour for iOS 8.4, on Twitter Rogers says that it will be available tomorrow from 8 am. Beats 1 will be live an hour later, with Zane Lowe's show being the first at the station.

Apple Music, on top of Beats 1, will also introduce a paid streaming option that costs $9.99 per month or $14.99 for the family plan which gives users access to Apple's music catalog. Come iOS 9 this fall, it will also bump up the iTunes Match song limit to 100,000, from the current 25,000.

We do not expect iOS 8.4 to bring any changes to the list of supported devices coming from previous releases, but we do expect it to fix that annoying Messages bug that can crash your iOS device.
Apple Music to quadruple iTunes Match limit to 100,000 songs

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 12:23pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Apple Music has managed to cause quite a storm before it even launches, and Eddy Cue has revealed something that will be music to the ears of subscribers. Writing on Twitter he confirmed that Apple Music subscribers will be able to take advantage of an iTunes Match-like feature that allows tracks to be stored in the cloud.

This in itself is nothing new, but the Apple executive also talked numbers. He explained that while Apple Music would have the same 25,000 as iTunes Match to start with, there are plans to increase this fourfold. The jump to 100,000 songs is penciled in as a feature for iOS 9.

The track matching feature of Apple Music is detailed on the Apple Music website. Here Apple explains that it will work in much the same way as iTunes match. It will scan the music libraries of users to see if Apple has the tracks in its own library. Wherever a match is found, the tracks will be made available through iCloud so they can be accessed from any device without using up any local storage space.

The revelation about the upper limit increase came in a Twitter exchange Eddy Cue had with Apple users over the weekend:

@karlfranks @robmsimoes 25k for launch and working to get to 100k for iOS 9

— Eddy Cue (@cue) June 27, 2015

The increase should help to eliminate the appearance of "limit reached" messages -- at least for a while.
Why you shouldn't embrace contactless payments on your phone

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 12:21pm CEST par Jens Bader

Changes in the payments industry are intrinsically tied to consumer behavior. How people pay, where they pay, and what they pay with, is determined by convenience.

As smartphones increasingly dominate the lives of consumers -- from how they search the internet to how they shop -- it is unsurprising that the next frontiers for payment innovation are widely anticipated to be within mobile commerce (m-commerce).

Most notably, there is a great deal of interest around the combination of m-commerce with contactless technology. Apple Pay, for instance, which allows you to pay contactlessly with your iPhone, has already broken ground in the US, and is set to be released in the UK shortly, no doubt to great fanfare.

But will the technology live up to the hype? Is the UK payments industry about to be fundamentally altered? And, if so, what implications will consumers need to consider?

What Makes Apple Pay So Special?

The first thing to remember when it comes to Apple Pay is that contactless payment is by no means new, or unique to Apple. The use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology for payments is well established. Contactless cards have already been successfully trialled, adopted by card issuers, and embraced by UK consumers.

This is no surprise. The key to contactless’ success undoubtedly lies in its ease of use and its multi-usage possibilities. A contactless user in London for instance, can pay for a sandwich at lunch, a pint after work and their bus or train home, all with the same card. Following its success, it is unsurprising that large players are keen on making contactless payment part of the phone ecosystem.

Apple is simply trying to brand the NFC technology. No doubt, Apple is imagining customers will walk into a shop and ask the question "do you accept Apple Pay here?" which, in my opinion, is an unlikely future. With so many competitors adopting contactless (from card companies, to other tech schemes such as Android Pay), "contactless accepted here" is the sign I expect to see on shop-fronts.

All that being said, the combination of contactless with mobile technology will promise increased functionality, which may prove popular enough to encourage people to pay using NFC via their phones. Additional features such as the ability to see your balance on your phone screen as you pay, or receive an instant e-receipt, for example, adds another dimension to contactless bound to be popular with consumers.

Furthermore, extra authentication features such as the iPhone’s use of biometrics may be enough to convince safety conscious users of its security.

It's the End of the Payments Industry As We Know It?

Whether these features will be enough to completely alter the payments industry, however, is a different story. For the younger generation, where smartphone use is ubiquitous, mobile payments may be desirable. The vast majority of the population, however, will stick to what they know. Working in the online payment industry you sometimes forget that there are still people uncomfortable with mobile technology, or even paying online, but this is the reality -- so contactless mobile payments are a far stretch for this demographic.

The true mark of success for a payment method is how inclusive it is. The "war on cash", for example, has been underway for a very long time, yet cash is by far and away the most inclusive payment method, used internationally and across all sectors of society. Consequently, cash remains unchallenged as the most widely used payment method.

Payment behaviors are notoriously hard to change, and while contactless does hold some benefits, I doubt these are great enough to convert people away from their trusted methods of card and cash. Already there are indications that Apple Pay has not been adopted in the US on the scale that Apple had hoped for when it dubbed 2015 "the year of Apple Pay", with retailers often citing insufficient customer demand.

Unanswered Questions

More important than the success of the technology, however, are the issues raised by the combination of NFC with mobile technology, especially in terms of security.

Security in the payments industry is often a battle between usability and consumer FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt). The branding of contactless payment may help tip the balance, as consumers feel they can trust a brand. However, in my opinion, consumers place too much trust in brands when it comes to payment security.

Branding doesn’t secure a device, and the introduction of a phone creates more issues than it solves. Who owns the network, and who can access it? Who created the app? How is the network being secured against malicious software? Do I breach my bank’s T&Cs by storing card details or other sensitive data on my phone or within a mobile app? Where do the liabilities lay if something goes wrong? These are questions I cannot answer, and in security the more unanswered questions there are, the more dangerous it usually is.

However, the most important question for me is: who is responsible? If my wallet is stolen, I phone my bank and cancel my cards. But if my phone is stolen, who do I call? My bank? My mobile network provider? Apple?

Consumers may trust brands enough to overlook these issues, but they shouldn’t. Until these questions are definitively answered, I’ll be probably pressing "deny" to NFC payment technology on my phone.

Jens Bader is chief commercial officer at Secure Trading.

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

Image Credit: scyther5 / Shutterstock
Microsoft launches new, cheaper Core i7 Surface Pro 3

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 11:41am CEST par Mark Wilson

While we await news of the Surface Pro 4, Microsoft has revealed another model to the Surface Pro 3 lineup. The latest addition is a Core i7 model, bringing the total number of Surface Pro 3s featuring this version of Intel's processor to three.

In all there are now six Surface Pro 3 models to choose from, and the new Core i7 model makes it cheaper to jump into the higher end of the range at a lower cost. While the new model features the same processor and same 8GB of RAM as the very top of the Surface Pro 3 range, storage has been dropped to 128GB to help keep the price down.

Priced at $1,299, the 128GB/Intel Core i7 1.7GHz/8GB RAM Surface Pro 3 costs the same as the most expensive Core i5 version. There are now three very distinct bands to the Surface Pro three range. For those looking for a cheap entry point, the 64GB Core i3 and 128GB Core i5 at $799 and $999 respectively are a good starting point.

Anyone looking for a Core i7 model previously had to part with more than $1,500 for the 256GB/8GB RAM model $1,549) or the 512GB/8GB model ($1,949). Nestling smack in the middle of the two extremes, are the two $1,299 systems. So for mid-range buyers, there is a simple question to answer -- do you want a Core i5 with more storage, or would you prefer the benefit of a Core i7 chip instead?

Head over to the Microsoft Store if you fancy placing an order.
Kaspersky scanning your PC when visiting Facebook

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 10:18am CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

Facebook has added security firm Kaspersky Lab to its roster of antivirus companies protecting its users from malicious software, the social media site has announced.

In a blog post by Facebook Security, the company said it is keeping users’ computers safe just by using Facebook, in the way that Kaspersky Lab, together with the likes of ESET, F-Secure and Trend Micro, runs a clean-up tool in the background while you use the social network.

If a person logs on to Facebook via an infected machine, it gets scanned and the user gets notified once the scan is complete to see what it found.

"In the past three months, Kaspersky Lab helped us protect more than 260,000 people accessing Facebook from malware", Facebook said.

Facebook says that in the past three months, thanks to the collaboration of these companies, it has helped clean up more than two million people’s computers that it detected were infected with malware. It says it avoids the "whack-a-mole" approach and instead systematically combats malicious activity and does away with whole clusters of bad links at a time.

"This strategy works well, but to make an even greater impact, we begin a few steps earlier and help fix compromised computers when they connect to Facebook", it says in the blog post. "We use a combination of signals to help find infections and get the malware off of your computer for good, even if the malware isn’t actively spreading spam or harmful links".

Being used by more than a billion people worldwide, Facebook is among the top targets of hackers wanting to spread malware.

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

Photo credit: Gil C / Shutterstock
Will you or won't you? The state of cord-cutting in 2015

Publié: juin 29, 2015, 4:34am CEST par Alan Buckingham

We last looked at the cord-cutting revolution in early 2014 and asked who planned to do so in the coming year. A surprising number of you said you'd already done it. What has happened since then that will make those who haven't switched do so now? A couple of interesting developments have happened in this time.

Before we get to those, we'll pose the question one more time. Will you, or for that matter have you, cut the cord? If you have no plans to, then why? There are obviously many possible answers to these questions and many good reasons both for and against the change in your entertainment options.

What Improved Since Last Year?

The year saw a couple of major developents. The first was the release of Amazon Fire TV, a tiny set-top box with an ever-growing list of options, which obviously puts Amazon Prime front and center. Like other streaming services, it brings an increasing catalog of movies and TV shows, including original content.

The Fire TV Stick brings the same content, but is even smaller, simply an HDMI dongle that can be plugged directly into a TV. For those conscious of such things, it eliminates the need for a box near the big screen.

In March 2014, Roku introduced a stick as well. Roku has countless channels and, similar to Amazon, is always adding new offerings, or channels.

Perhaps the biggest news was Sling TV. As opposed to Amazon Prime, Netflix and Hulu, Sling works like a real cable or satellite provider, but it does so utilizing your internet connection. You can easily install it on Fire TV or Roku. It has lined up many channels, including all ESPN properties, which begins to eliminate the previous stumbling block of "live sports". Other channels include HBO, which is a first. Yes the actual live channel, not just the GO or NOW app. All channels also offer on demand shows. It isn't cheap, at $20 per month, though that's much less than cable. There are also packages availble for $5 each, such as sports, news, etc.

Other services have been around longer, including Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Lesser know ones such as as Crackle and PlayOn also exist, though the latter -- in some cases -- requires you to verify a TV subscription.

So What Will You Do?

That, in a nutshell, is where we stand today. The real question is what you think? Have you joined the ranks of the surprising number that said they'd already cut the cord last year and, if not, will you do so this year?

You'll save money, though you can't cut your entertainment bill to $0 -- unless you plan to watch nothing. The services named cost money, though it's likely less than half of that cable bill. With the addition of Sling, live sports are coming around. We just need to wait for the NFL to catch up, which will happen at a snail's pace.

Let us know what you plan to do and what you think.

Image Credit: Subbotina Anna / Shutterstock