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Joe Belfiore talks Continuum in Windows 10 Twitter Q&A

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 10:40pm CEST par Mark Wilson

In an impromptu Q&A on Twitter, Microsoft's Joe Belfiore has revealed more about how Continuum will work on Windows 10 for Phones. He started off by saying that it is a very high-end feature and will require new hardware as it uses dual screens.

Continuum is part of Microsoft's drive to make a uniform experience for Windows 10 users across a range of different devices -- from desktops and laptops, to tablets and smartphones. Belfiore shared pictures of a Xiaomi Mi4 showing how Continuum allows windows to be moved from a desktop to mobile display, giving a tantalizing glimpse of what's to come.

Windows Insiders in China should be able to try out Continuum on their own Xiaomi phones in the next few weeks, but for now we'll just have to make do with the information Microsoft is willing to share about the feature. Belfiore is more than a little upbeat about the potential of Continuum and used his Twitter session to press just how similar apps feel on different devices:

One of the coolest things about Continuum for Phones is how *identical* the Mail/Calendar, Word, Excel, PPT experiences feel to your PC.

— joebelfiore (@joebelfiore) July 30, 2015

He points out that the phone he has shared pictures of is a custom engineering sample, and went on to try to clear up some misconceptions about how Continuum works and its requirements:

Continuum for phones DOESN'T require you to carry a device to connect. It's wireless (BT/Miracast) *or* wired (eg. could have a dock).

— joebelfiore (@joebelfiore) July 30, 2015

The build of Windows 10 that Belfiore is currently using on his Xiaomi Mi4 is described as "a candidate we're testing out to MAYBE flight". We're told that it "needs a bit of time", but at the moment there is no real indication of when a new build will be released.

Is Continuum a killer feature of Windows 10 for you?
Windows 10 Service Release 1 may launch next week

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 9:45pm CEST par Mark Wilson

We know that Windows 10 is the last version of Windows ever -- and this is really another way of saying that Windows will never be finished. Over the coming weeks, months, and years, we can expect to see a near-endless stream of updates to the operating system.

But while a trickle of updates was anticipated, few would have expected that a huge update would be just around the corner. Despite having launched just 24 hours ago, it seems as though the first big update to Windows 10 -- and it's shaping up to be a huge one -- is already looming on the horizon. Windows 10 Service Release 1 (SR1) could be released as early as next week!

According to The Verge, Microsoft's developers have not stopped working on Windows 10 just because the OS has been pushed out of the door. Windows 10 SR1 is a massive collection of patches, fixes, and updates that address the issues that Windows Insiders have complained about, and continue to plague non-Insiders in the RTM build.

Microsoft has already released a 1GB day-one update for Windows 10, but Service Release 1 is shaping up to be even more significant in terms of squashing bugs. Anyone hoping for more new features will be disappointed to hear that SR1 is nothing more than a collection of fixes (albeit a large collection). It is possible that Windows Insiders will be given the opportunity to try out Windows 10 SR1 before everyone else, but The Verge's sources say that early August has been pencilled in as the main release date.

Following this -- perhaps as early as October -- will come yet another big update to Windows 10. This time around, however, new features are expected. Many people were disappointed to learn that Microsoft Edge launched without support for the long-promised extensions, but this will be added in the next major build of Windows 10. Other new features include a new messaging app, and this is something that Insiders will certainly get to try out before everyone else.

Is there anything in particular you want to see in SR1 and later updates?
Nokia unveils OZO: 360 degree VR camera

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 8:07pm CEST par David Curry

Nokia’s event in Los Angeles wasn’t a smartphone, but instead a 360-degree film camera for virtual reality projects. Named OZO, it is intended for Hollywood and other video makers who intend to use virtual reality in the future.

The eight sensors that cover the spherical camera will collect film in 360-degrees, with playback stitched together within minutes. Nokia claims this is the first of its kind, with playback through VR normally taking hours in post production.

This near real-time software is a big enhancement for directors, who want to check a scene for mistakes before moving on. The software stitching is not bulletproof, with a lot of tearing and processing making the 360-degree film look wonky, but Nokia claims that can be fixed in post-production.

The virtual reality device will also have three microphones, capable of tracking where the noise came from. This is the most interesting feature on the camera setup, binaural audio allows the user to look behind them and see where the noise is coming from, instead of the developer or film editor adding the noise in later.

Having a more natural audio system will remove some of the issues with lip syncing, an issue virtual reality films have suffered from in their short lifetime. Nokia also plans to make headway with the design of the device, a lot less bulky than other virtual reality cameras.

Nokia OZO will be available for a five figure price, meaning hobbyists will need to empty their pockets to pay for this. Hollywood, advertisers and professionals are the target demographic and Nokia wants this to become the standard tech for filming VR.

It already has a few film studios lined up to partner with, but has not disclosed the price for OZO. We expect to hear about it more in the coming months, as Nokia ramps up production for the camera.

Unlike the phone and tablet, Nokia intends to manufacture and sell this directly. This will be the first product post-Microsoft sale that is built by Nokia, instead of licensed to a third-party company.
Toshiba Encore 10 tablet, 10K 2-in-1 have Windows 10 -- made for school and business

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 7:57pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

Tablets are definitely hot products in the business world. Many executives embraced the iPad as a way to consume information; the lightweight and portable nature made it a popular choice. Keyboards, however, made it a passable way to create too. Even schools are getting in on the tablet action, equipping students with the touch-friendly devices.

Today, Toshiba announces a beautiful new Windows 10 tablet with a focus on both business and education. The Encore 10 and Encore 10k with detachable keyboard feature great specs, but more importantly, are aggressively priced too.

"Powered by Intel’s Atom x5 quad-core processor, the Encore 10 and Encore 10K offer the ideal combination of battery life and business-class performance. The Encore 10 delivers up to a 7-hour battery life rating and the Encore 10K has up to an 11-hour battery life rating due to the battery in the keyboard dock", says Toshiba.

The manufacturer further explains, "both the Encore 10 and Encore 10K feature a 64 GB solid state drive⁴, enabling business users to store files, presentations and videos with a variety of storage options, and up to 4GB of on-board LPDDR3 memory for easily multitasking. The device also includes powerful wireless capabilities, including 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, plus Bluetooth 4.0".

While the Encore 10 looks like a great tablet, it is the 10K variant that truly excites me, as it comes with a detachable keyboard. According to Toshiba, there are no short-term plans to sell the keyboard separately, so if you think you might want it, splurge on the 10K.

Quite frankly, based on photos, the keyboard looks like a dream to type on, but BetaNews will need to review it and try it to verify.

The keyboard is much more than a way to type, however, as it includes a battery which extends the overall usage to an amazing 11 hours from seven. In addition, the keyboard is home to two USB 3.0 ports, RGB out, HDMI out, and Ethernet. In other words, the Encore 10K makes for an excellent portable workstation for both business travelers and students alike.

Without the added keyboard, the tablet features Micro USB, Micro HDMI and Micro SD on its own. Mamma mia, that's a lot of "micro"!

Toshiba explains that the Encore 10 supports its very cool Connect and Charge accessory, which enables the user to charge the tablet while also connecting an accessory, such as a flash drive or mouse, to the micro USB port. Think of it as a smart splitter.

Pricing is very simple -- the Encore 10 with Windows 10 is starting at an affordable $299. Want Windows 10 Pro? That will be starting at $399. Want Windows 10 Pro and the keyboard? The Encore 10K is $479.

Toshiba explains that you can buy them from "Corporate Direct, Reseller and DMR Partners, as well as ToshibaDirect.com in the mid-September timeframe".

Which models will you buy? Will it be for business, education or personal use? Tell me in the comments.
Toshiba announces Windows 10-ready Tecra A50 laptops for SMBs

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 7:54pm CEST par Mark Wilson

With Windows 10 now out of the starting blocks, a slew of hardware is beginning to appear to take advantage of Microsoft's latest operating system. Adding to its existing SMB lineup, Toshiba today unveils its Tecra 50 range of laptops.

Designed with small businesses in mind, the Tecra A50 can be customized with an Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 processor, and features a 15.6-inch display. A user-replaceable battery provides almost 8 hours of power for those on the move, and security is offered by support for Toshiba Cloud Client Manager and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) v1.2. With a starting price of just $729.99, this is an inexpensive system that will appeal to SMBs with a budget.

It's not just software security that's to be found in the Tecra A50. There is also EasyGuard Technology, which offers "multi-tiered security and data protection measures that guard components against accidental bumps". In terms of connectivity, there are two USB 3.0 ports, and one USB 2.0. You'll also find full-size HDMI and VGA ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and an SD Card reader. There's an optical drive and a full-sized keyboard replete with number pad, too.

Toshiba's Carl Pinto says there is a lot for SMBs to investigate:

Small and mid-sized business need more enterprise-class features and performance than ever before, but for a low total cost of ownership. Our line of SMB products not only delivers powerful, secure devices that each meet the varying needs of this segment, but are now Windows 10-ready, enabling businesses and IT departments to take advantage of the new platform as soon as they are ready.

The Tecra A50 range will be available from August; the Tecra A50-C1510 and Tecra A50-C1510W10 will be available for $729.99, while the Tecra A50-C1520 has a MSRP of $799.99. Despite the price, Toshiba offers a guarantee system, that in the event of LCD panel, hard drive, memory, or system board failure, the company will supply a new replacement laptop.
I bought a Windows 10 PC, but not for me

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 7:18pm CEST par Joe Wilcox

My brother-in-law's Dell laptop, so old it shipped with, and still had, 1GB RAM, died last week. He emailed asking my buying advice about a Windows 7 replacement. Reasoning: He would move up from XP. But his dad stepped in, offered to pay, and I, acting as agent (being the more knowledgable about computers), suggested $400 budget. By coincidence, shopping day coincided with Windows 10's launch.

Timing couldn't be better, with the rush of new 10s, discounts to clear out old inventory, and typical back-to-school season sales. I expected to grab good gear. Choosing for my brother-in-law is quite different than for myself. I prefer something smaller and lighter, with high-resolution screen. He wanted a larger screen (we agreed on 15.6 inches), full-size keyboard, DVD player, and WiFi. Meaning: Roomy and backward-compatible with what he has already. I confidently looked for something within budget.

I won't detail the whole exploratory process, which spanned Amazon, Microsoft Store, and many other online retail shops. I ended up seriously looking at Dell, for price, configurations, and his familiarity with the brand.

Dude, You're Getting...

For years, I have claimed that refurbished makes used better than new. Dell Outlet typically offers big bang for the buck. Some systems were returned, others come from cancelled orders. But all are discounted. I searched the store, expecting to purchase there.

I gravitated towards the Inspiron 15 Touch, which topped the budget, at $459. Config: 15.6-inch touchscreen (1366 x 768 resolution); 1.7GHz Intel Core i3-4010U processor (4th gen); 500GB hard drive; 4GB DDR3L RAM; Intel HD Graphics; DVD writer/player; and Windows 8.1. The resolution is too low for my tastes, particularly on such a large screen. buy I wasn't buying for myself. I would want more RAM, too. But my brother-in-law would move up from an ancient laptop. I expected, and we'll see when the thang arrives, he will wow because of the bigger display, touch capabilities, faster performance, and Modern UI. Buy what the recipient needs, not what you want.

Because the system exceeded the budget, and it was Windows 10 launch day, I stepped back from the Outlet and looked for new. What a surprise I got. The entry-level newer model cost less and gave more. Dell's base configuration for the 15 Touch was discounted (when aren't the PCs, eh) by $200 to $399.99. Dell has a "10 Days of Windows 10" promotion going. We'll see if prices really go up on the 11th day.

Config for the new laptop, the Inspiron 15 5000 Series Touch: 15.6-inch touchscreen (1366 x 768 resolution); 2.1GHz Intel Core i3-5010U processor (5th gen); 500GB hard drive; 4GB DDR3L RAM; Intel HD Graphics; DVD writer/player; and Windows 10.

The processor and operating system are the major differences—and price. I considered going over-budget to add more memory, but he can do that later. One-hundred dollars is pricey for another 4GB; no thanks, Dell. But I do appreciate the free shipping, which reduced my father-in-law's sticker shock (I exaggerate) for sales tax taking the purchase over-budget by $27 and some change.

My brother-in-law does want Office, and I could have added Office 365 Personal for another $49.99. But I've got an unused license hanging around that I got with another Windows PC purchase last summer. He can have that. Dell also offered an 8-inch tablet for 100 bucks, or half off, which I passed on.

This will be a big upgrade for my brother-in-law, and I may follow up with a story about his reaction. Depends on whether he would or not object.

Back-to-School Surprise

Microsoft releases rarely coincide with back-to-school season, and it's about fraking time for change. Windows 8 launched in late October 2008. Win7 and 8.1 also had October releases, in 2009 and 2013, respectively. Vista was way worse, with Microsoft launching after Holiday 2006. How the frak do you miss Christmas? Windows XP was another October affair. Each and every one missed the students, whom I presume Microsoft doesn't want carrying Chromebooks or Macs to class during the 2015-16 school year.

If you asked me last week, whether or not I would buy a Windows 10 PC on launch day, the answer would have been "No". What an unexpected surprise. I picked it and initially paid for it. My brother-in-law really would have been happy with Windows 7, or so he says. He can fall back to Desktop mode for a little of that.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
Say, we've got a poll that's live asking whether or not you will upgrade to Windows 10, either straight up on the PC you have or by buying a new one. I've embedded the poll above. As I write, there are 380 responses. Among them, 56 percent are in a hurry. They will upgrade as soon as they can, either when Microsoft lets them or by buying preloaded PC. More than 70 percent plan to upgrade sometime. Among the No answers, 17 percent will keep what they have got, and another 3 percent don't use Windows.

Please answer the poll and, if you already upgraded, please share something about your experience in comments.

Footnote: After I finished writing this story, around 12:40 p.m. EDT, I returned to Dell's website looking for art of the Inspiron 15 Touch to illustrate this post. Dell offers another configuration, for $100 less, that wasn't there 90 minutes earlier. How funny! Paying $299.99, you step down to the Intel 3205U Celeron. processor.
Help me, help you: Time management strategies for small businesses

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 5:17pm CEST par John Oechsle

As a small business owner, you have a lot on your plate. You’re managing your business’ value in the marketplace on a daily basis while at the same time striving to maintain superior customer service and employee satisfaction. There’s a lot on your mind and the minds of your employees, too. Some days, it feels like nine a.m. becomes five p.m. in a heartbeat. At times like this, you spend most of your time just trying to keep the ship afloat.

Of course, you also want your employees to feel accomplished and productive at the end of the day. Professional success is largely a mental game, after all. If you believe you are getting things done and doing good work -- then you will probably get things done and do good work! The following are steps you can take to ensure that your team is put in the best possible position to effectively manage their time.

Provide them with tools to manage their time

A great way to help your employees organize their time and increase efficiency is by providing them with a tool to do so. The digital age has created various software solutions capable of managing everything from employee calendars to contacts and customers. With the right system, employees can plug important data into their daily and monthly schedules -- like meetings and engagement reminders. Once an employee finishes a sale or solves an issue, they can record the data from the interaction so that it is easily accessible the next time they need it. Managing time with the right software solution can help your small business grow by allowing your employees more time to engage with new and existing customers.

Make sure there is clear communication

Effective communication plays a critical role in managing the time of employees at any small business. If employees are able to seamlessly share and communicate vital organizational and customer information, they will have a clearer understanding of the big picture in any given situation. Whether dealing with a customer complaint, a partnership agreement or an internal process issue, getting the right information into the right hands is essential to a timely resolution. A siloed approach doesn’t bode well for effective time management in a small business environment. There are too many moving pieces and it’s too easy for things to fall through the cracks. Maintain an updated database of shared customer information, hold weekly team meetings, and set the tone by communicating directly with each member of your team on a regular basis. Do whatever it takes to ensure there is an excellent stream of communication within your organization because a little extra effort now can save a lot of time in the long run.

Manage employee time with customers

Another way to help your employees manage their time is by keeping track of their customer service experiences. Your employees are the faces and voices of your business, and you work hard to provide a pleasant experience for your customers. You want each experience to be beneficial and productive for your team and your patrons. Have a process in place so that your staff knows how to route different problems in order to expedite service. The most efficient way to boost your customer experience is to decrease wait time. When one employee can’t solve an issue, they should have the necessary tools and information to transfer their client to the person most capable of meeting their needs promptly. One employee shouldn’t spend an hour troubleshooting a customer problem when another can handle the case in just a few minutes.

Cross-train and delegate responsibilities

Small businesses are better positioned to grow lean if they emphasize the importance of cross-training employees and delegating responsibilities effectively. Employees who are trained to serve multiple functions for the company can be moved around based on current needs as the business grows. If the popularity of your product is increasing quickly, you can reallocate cross-trained employees to help with sales or customer service. If you’ve just release a new product, you can put more people on customer service and training. Cross-training and properly delegating your workforce to help out where they are most needed is a great way to manage the time of the most important asset a small business has -- it’s employees.

Successfully managing your time and the time of your employees will boost efficiency and create new growth potential for your business. Your employees will be able to increase productivity and customer satisfaction by dealing with issues quickly. Be the leader that encourages your team’s success through effective time management solutions.

Photo credit: Filipe Frazao / Shutterstock

John Oechsle joined Swiftpage in July 2012 and currently serves as president and chief executive officer. John came to Swiftpage with a 30 year track record of building highly profitable and sustainable revenue growth for emerging companies and established global leaders. John is an advocate for technology and education in Colorado and has been an active contributor to the Colorado Technology Association (CTA). He has been recognized several times for his involvement in the tech industry. In 2006 and in 2009, John was awarded the Technology Executive of the Year, and the Titan of Technology awards by the CTA. John was also awarded the Bob Newman Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Community by the CTA in 2011.
The best alternative Start menus for Windows 10

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 1:40pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Windows 10 is here, and with it is the Start menu missing from Windows 8.x. The world rejoices. Except not everyone likes the new Start menu which blends the functionality of the Windows 7 menu with the Metro/Modern tiles from Windows 8.

If you’re not a fan of Windows 10’s Start menu (and some people are avoiding the free upgrade purely for this reason), the good news is there are a number of decent replacements available.

Classic Shell

Ask any Windows 8 users which is the best Start menu and the chances are they’ll say Classic Shell. It truly is fantastic. It offers a choice of three different menu styles -- Classic, Two Columns and Windows 7 -- which can be skinned to suit your tastes.

It is packed with options, including a dedicated shutdown button, the ability to pin programs directly from Explorer and an enhanced Windows Search function.

Most people will choose this Start menu over all others, but there are further choices to consider.

IObit Start Menu 8

Sure, from the name you might think IObit’s Start menu only works in Windows 8, but it supports Windows 10 too. The program offers a choice of styles. You can opt for the usual Windows 7 look, or go for the Windows 8 design which places the Start (or Apps) screen inside a window on the desktop. It offers a selection of different Start button choices too.

Power8

Not the most polished looking of Start menus, it lets you access frequently used applications and pin items. It doesn’t require installation, so you can try it out without risk. It will work with both Windows 8.x and 10.

Start10

Stardock’s Windows 10 Start menu replacement lets you choose between classic or enhanced Start menus. There’s unified search for apps, settings and files, and you can access desktop and modern apps from the menu. There’s also a skinnable Start button. It will set you back $4.99, but there is a 30-day free trial. I'm actually a big fan of this particular Start menu and would definitely recommend you at least consider it.

Others

It’s possible that other Start menus designed for Windows 8.x will work with Windows 10, but I’ve chosen to only include ones I know will work with the new OS.

Will you be using a third party Start menu in Windows 10?
Hackers target PDF readers, yet a high percentage go unpatched

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 1:15pm CEST par Ian Barker

Vulnerability intelligence firm Secunia has released its second quarter 2015 country report for US and 14 other countries around the world. This looks at what programs users have installed and which are most at risk.

The big news is that a high percentage of users have unpatched versions of Adobe Reader. Adobe has the highest market share in this segment and PDF readers are a common target for hackers.

Kasper Lindgaard, Director of Research and Security at Secunia says, "PDF readers remain one of the world’s most popular targets for hackers so it is concerning that we are still seeing 75 percent of PCs that have Adobe Reader 10 or 11 installed are unpatched. There are steps that PC users can take to defend themselves, and any system they are connected to, against known exploits. By upgrading to the latest version of the program and by applying priority patches in a timely manner, PC users can make great strides towards minimising their exposure to security risks".

Among other findings are that the average US PC user has 76 programs installed from 27 different vendors, 43 percent of those installed are Microsoft programs. Unpatched operating systems are in use by 13.2 percent of users and 11.9 percent have other Microsoft programs unpatched. End of life programs -- those that are no longer patched by the vendor -- are in use by 5.5 percent.

Oracle's Java Runtime Environment is least likely to be up to date, with 80 percent of version 1.7 and 38 percent of 1.8 users running an unpatched version. Among VLC Media Player 2 users 54 percent have an unpatched version and Apple QuickTime 7 is 31 percent unpatched.

The reports are based on data from users of Secunia's Personal Software Inspector (PSI). The data includes the average numbers of installed programs -- patched and unpatched -- on private PCs in each of the different countries.

You can see Secunia's reports on the US and other countries on the company's website.

Image Credit: viviamo / Shutterstock
Recording Microsoft HoloLens videos: How it's done

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 1:12pm CEST par Nabil Ansari

I know this is some Iron Man-level stuff, but it is true. Microsoft’s HoloLens allows you to interact with holographic objects that are set in the real world.

If you told me five years ago that I’d be able to wear a futuristic augmented reality headset and do so many tasks, I wouldn’t have believed you. We already saw what HoloLens can do and how it can make us feel like the Iron Man (except the suit). The best thing is, we are barely scratching the surface of the capabilities of this headset. A recent research paper outlines how the headset can be used to grab live video and turn it into a hologram.

Microsoft says that the headset is capable of capturing, compressing and recreating life like situations. The headset takes advantage of 1-6 RGB, infrared cameras and a green screen to produce holographic videos.

These are the requirements for creating holographic videos for now, but we believe that with the advancement of holographic technology, it might be possible that a user could just wear the headset and see the real world in a hologram form.

For a more detailed, and in depth look at this new technology, watch the video below.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
How to cope with Stagefright

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 12:26pm CEST par Ian Barker

Earlier this week we reported on the Stagefright vulnerability that could affect 95 percent of Android devices. It has arisen as a result of code vulnerabilities which could have been detected and resolved earlier.

Application security company Checkmarx has been looking more deeply into Stagefright and what it means for users and developers.

Stagefright can infect a device by simply downloading an MMS message -- which happens automatically in most cases. Once infected, the hacker has full control over the phone's data. The scary thing is that the Android device just needs to receive an MMS message. The user doesn't have to open it in order to get infected.

First of all there's a temporary workaround to avoid infection. Open the Hangouts app, go to Settings from the hamburger menu, select SMS, choose Hangouts as your default SMS app and uncheck Auto-retrieve MMS. There's usually an option to turn off auto retrieval of MMS in other messaging apps too, so check your settings.

Google was notified about the vulnerability and the numerous bugs quite a while ago and after a couple of days introduced a fix to the software. That, however, doesn’t mean everyone is safe. It means that all the different mobile-phone makers need to implement the fix in their versions of the Android OS and distribute a patch to their users. This may take some time, however most mobile phone companies have already stated that they are working on it while others have announced availability of a patch or have already addressed the issue when it was reported to Google.

Amit Ashbel of Checkmarx writing on the company's blog says, "It is clear by now that the Stagefright vulnerability was a result of one or more code vulnerabilities. It is also clear that these could have been detected at an earlier stage of the development and resolved at that stage. What is not yet clear is what the exact vulnerability is however that should become clear within the coming days after the full information about the CVEs reported are disclosed".

Checkmarx's CxSAST for Mobile delivers code security analysis for Android, iOS and Windows applications. This helps eliminate code vulnerabilities during the coding process rather than waiting for them to appear at a later stage.

Image Credit: Christos Georghiou / Shutterstock
PC-to-Xbox One game streaming is in the pipeline for Windows 10

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 11:50am CEST par Mark Wilson

One of the features of Windows 10 that created ripples of excitement is the ability to stream Xbox One games from the console to a PC. But what about doing things the other way round?

If you like the idea of turning your already-powerful Xbox One into a fully upgradable games PC, you'll soon be able to do just that. Microsoft is currently working on PC-to-Xbox One game streaming, and you might not have to wait too long.

In an interview with The Verge, Microsoft's Phil Spencer said that there are few obstacles to overcome to make PC-to-console streaming a reality, including adding support for using a mouse and keyboard. Microsoft has learned that gamers want greater flexibility and this is a luxury that Windows 10 affords them.

It is relatively simple to bring console games to PC, but giving people the option of playing PC games on their Xbox One is a slightly different matter. Console-to-PC streaming is easy to manage "because we know exactly what you have. It's actually a little more challenging doing the encoding on the PC side to the Xbox, but challenge is good". The range of hardware that’s out there for PC gamers clearly presents something of a challenge as developers need to find a way to bring powerful features to a non-upgradable console.

This is really a continuation of Microsoft's vision of blurring the boundaries between devices, and it will be interesting to see how popular it proves.
Uber shows phantom cabs on taxi map

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 11:14am CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

You know all those little car icons you see when you open up your Uber app? All those little cabs in close proximity, just waiting to pick you up?

Well, they might be fake. Researchers from think-tank Data & Society said the cars shown to be very close to you could be fake, but the arrival times are still accurate.

According to LBC, employees of think-tank Data & Society wrote: "The presence of those virtual cars on the passenger’s screen does not necessarily reflect an accurate number of drivers who are physically present or their precise locations".

Why would Uber do such a thing in the first place? Apparently so you could better visualize how close the cars really are.

"Instead, these phantom cars are part of a 'visual effect' that Uber uses to emphasize the proximity of drivers to passengers. Not surprisingly, the visual effect shows cars nearby, even when they might not actually exist".

Uber claims that it aims to be as accurate as possible, LBC says, although it’s not always technically possible, while it also wants to protect the safety of the drivers by not revealing their location until a taxi is booked.

A UK spokesman for Uber told Independent: "This is simply not true. The cars you see in the app are the cars on the road".

Alex Rosenblat, a New York-based data researcher who studied how Uber drivers interact with the Uber app, alleges that Uber customers are manipulated by the symbols on their screens, Independent says.

|If a potential passenger opened up the app and saw no cars around, she might take another cab service. But if she saw a cluster of cars seemingly milling around on the same street, she’s more likely to request a ride", wrote Mr Rosenblat, whose research -- funded by Microsoft -- is published on Vice magazine’s Motherboard blog.

"What the passenger app shows can be deceptive", writes Mr Rosenblat, who found that Uber drivers "across multiple forums discuss the fake cars they see on their own residential streets".

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

Photo credit: 360b / Shutterstock.com
So you've upgraded to Windows 10... ready to leave the Insider program?

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 11:07am CEST par Mark Wilson

The wait is finally over. Over the past few months you've downloaded countless gigabytes of Windows 10 related files and now you've had enough. Windows 10 RTM is now installed on your computer and you're happy to stick with a relatively stable version for the foreseeable future.

You've had enough of being a Windows Insider, but how do you stop those pesky preview builds from being downloaded? Thankfully it is very simple to opt out of the Insider program so preview builds will become a thing of the past; here's what you need to do...

While it was fun to get the new builds of Windows 10 during the preview period, you might well feel that it's time to kick back and just enjoy the finished product (not, of course, that Windows 10 will ever be 'finished'). To leave the program just open up Settings followed by Update & Security. Hit the Advanced options link in the Windows Update section and then click the Stop Insider builds button.

That's it. You're out!

Any updates that are rolled out to the Fast and Slow rings will be ignored, and your computer will only receive regular updates. Here at BetaNews we'll let you know whenever an interesting preview build is released, and you can always rejoin the program if there's something you like the sound of.

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How to import iTunes playlists into Groove Music in Windows 10

Publié: juillet 30, 2015, 9:50am CEST par Wayne Williams
If you’ve upgraded to Windows 10 you’ll likely have discovered an app called Groove Music. This is the new name for Xbox Music which was included in Windows 8.x.

When you first open the app there’s not much to see. Groove Music is a rather bland looking affair with lots of white space. The app will automatically import music from your PC, although if you’re anything like me, you’ll need to change the location it looks in to get all of your songs and albums added. To do this, and also import iTunes playlists into Groove Music, just follow these instructions:
- If the sidebar menu isn’t open, click the hamburger button at the top right to open it.
- Click the gear button.
- Under 'Music on this PC' you’ll see two options. You can change the default music locations by clicking 'Choose where we look for music'. To import any playlists created using Apple’s software, click 'Import iTunes playlists' and then click the Import button.
Groove Music will search your PC for iTunes playlists and then add them. The process is very quick, although the songs and artwork won’t be added if Groove Music doesn’t know where to look for them.

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