Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » avril 8, 2016

BetaNews.Com (18 non lus)

Microsoft releases Project Centennial Desktop App Converter Preview for Windows 10

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 10:43pm CEST par Mark Wilson
At Build 2016 earlier this month, Microsoft talked about Project Centennial and the Desktop App Converter. Part of the company's app drive, the tool has been designed to make it easier for developers to convert legacy apps into Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps for Windows 10.

This is Microsoft's attempt to get more apps into the Store, making things as easy as possible for devs. Designed to run on the Enterprise and Pro versions of Windows 10 Anniversary Update build 14316 and newer (Redstone), Desktop App Converter is a free tool that can be used to quickly create apps that will run not only on Windows 10 desktops, laptops and tablet, but also phones, HoloLens and Xbox One, taking full advantage of features such as Live Tiles.

Microsoft's Mark LeBlanc introduces the Desktop App Converter Preview in the Windows Dev Center. He describes the tool as being compatible with "Windows 10 Anniversary Update Enterprise edition preview (Build 10.0.14316.0 and later)", but Paul Thurrott says that Microsoft contacted him to say that this is a typo and the Pro version of Windows 10 is also supported.

LeBlanc's post explains a little about the tool and provides instructions for getting started, along with some examples:

Desktop App Converter is a pre-release tool that enables you to bring your existing desktop apps written for .NET 4.6.1 or Win32 to the Universal Windows Platform (UWP). You can run your desktop installers through the converter in an unattended (silent) mode and obtain an AppX package that you can install by using the Add-AppxPackage PowerShell cmdlet on your development machine.

The converter runs the desktop installer in an isolated Windows environment using a clean base image provided as part of the converter download. It captures any registry and file system I/O made by the desktop installer and packages it as part of the output. The converter outputs an AppX with package identity and the ability to call a vast range of WinRT APIs.

True to recent form for Microsoft, Desktop App Converter has a telemetry element to consider:
Desktop App Converter may collect information about you and your use of the software and send this info to Microsoft. You can learn more about Microsoft's data collection and use in the product documentation and in the Microsoft Privacy Statement. You agree to comply with all applicable provisions of the Microsoft Privacy Statement.

By default, telemetry will be enabled for the Desktop App Converter. Add the following registry key to configure telemetry to a desired setting:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DesktopAppConverter
- Add or edit the DisableTelemetry value by using a DWORD set to 1.
- To enable telemetry, remove the key or set the value to 0.
You can grab a copy of Desktop App Converter from Microsoft.

Photo credit: omihay / Shutterstock
5 common data migration mistakes

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 10:41pm CEST par Deon Stark
Every once in a while you will have to migrate data from one system to another. This could be for reasons of upgrading your systems or for development of infrastructure. When you want to test your new apps during the development process, you will need to use the data that your business has generated. The test data is really hard to access simply because of the migration work. It is hard for the developers to migrate data from the full sandboxes to the developer sandboxes.

It is only left to the imagination how difficult migrating all of your business’ data can be. There are so many mistakes that you are most likely to make during the data migration process. You should beware of these pitfalls and learn how to avoid them. If you fall into them, you are going to spend a huge amount of money and time repairing the errors that they will cause. Here are some of those challenges.
1. Failing to Involve Business Users at the Onset
A majority of companies are all about data warehousing nowadays. This involves a lot of consolidation of multiple systems’ information into one. When you are migrating data from one system to another, you need to involve everyone who might be affected by it. Some people will simply need to be notified about the data migration project that is coming and others will have to take an active part in the planning of the project.
1. Poor Legacy Data Quality
The data in the legacy system is the one that is being migrated. If it is of poor quality then even the best data migrator might not help you so much. There are data migration tools which might cover up for some errors, but if you have inconsistencies in the legacy system, you will definitely have a problem with the data migration work.
1. Wrong Data Migration Tools
There are so many data loaders and migration tools in the market. It is an assurance that you will be completely spoilt for choice. Flosum, for instance, is one of the best tools for migrating data from Salesforce.
1. Failure to Test and Validate Data Migration Process
There is always the temptation to test and validate the process after it has been completed. This is just a recipe for disaster. You should do the testing long before you even begin moving the test data. During the pre-migration stage, you should ask yourself questions like how you are going to test the data and who will do the testing and evaluation.
1. Absence of Data Governance Policies
Some companies lack data governance policies and for this reason they are unable to figure out how they are going to use the data or manage it. Who has the right to create, edit, approve and remove data from certain systems? Does the business have a process for managing the data’s lifecycle? These are details that you must consider.

Deon Stark works with one of the best remote database administration companies. He also has experience in data migration processes.

Photo Credit: phoelix/Shutterstock
EMC wants to sell Documentum

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 9:09pm CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

The EMC-Dell deal never stops to capture headlines, and today is no different. The media have reported that EMC is looking to sell Documentum, its enterprise content management platform.

Documentum was acquired by EMC in December 2003, when it cashed out $1.7 billion for it. The platform is a part of EMC’s Enterprise Content Division (ECD) business unit.

Bloomberg was the first to start reporting how EMC is looking to sell Documentum, although it failed to mention the price. It did, however, said that the company would be very interested in selling software assets Sonicwall and Quest, all together for a price of about $4 billion.

According to multiple media reports, Documentum has an annual turnover of $600 million, and has a 30 percent profit margin. The sources are, according to Bloomberg, very acquainted with the subject matter, but would like to remain anonymous as the discussions aren’t public.

The Dell-EMC merger was announced on October 12, 2015. Back then, Dell announced it would be acquiring the company in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $67 billion. This is the biggest acquisition to ever happen in the tech industry.

However, such a large acquisition has left Dell is significant debt, which is why it is looking to offload non-core assets to mitigate the cost of the merger. According to The Register, Dell’s services business was sold to NTT Data Corporation in March for $3 billion.

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

Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com
G.SKILL unveils Trident Z DDR4-3600MHz 16GB (2x8GB) CL15 desktop memory kit

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 6:48pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

If you are a PC builder, you know that we are in the middle of a shift to DDR4. While DDR3 is perfectly fine for now -- and the only option for current AMD builds -- DDR4 is certainly the future. Believe it or not, prices for this newer RAM can sometimes be lower than DDR3 at the same capacity.

If you are planning to do a new Intel build, G.SKILL -- a very well-respected manufacturer -- has a new RAM kit that will certainly interest you. This 16GB DDR4 CL15 kit runs at an insane 3600MHz, making it perfect for things like gaming.

"Utilizing specially selected high performance memory components, G.SKILL has continued to improve upon the specifications of DDR4 to maintain a latency of CL15 at 3600MHz, a high frequency that typically could only be achieved with slower latencies. Designed with XMP 2.0 profiles, achieving a highly efficient system is now easier than ever", says G.SKILL.

The company shares stress test results below (click to enlarge).

While pricing is not yet known, G.SKILL promises that the Trident Z DDR4-3600MHz 16GB CL15 desktop memory kit will be available at the end of April. You can buy it from your favorite retailers, such as Newegg and Amazon.
Maktub ransomware phishing scam knows your home address and uses it as leverage

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 5:55pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Ransomware is one of the most prevalent security threats at the moment, and each week there are new examples that up the ante a little more. In recent months we have seen cross-platform ransomware, Tesla 4's unbreakable encryption, and the MBR-overwriting antics of PETYA, but a new phishing scam takes another approach.

In a cleverly orchestrated campaign, a phishing scam is doing the rounds whereby malware meets social engineering in a bid to extract cash from victims. It marries together the file-encrypting Maktub ransomware with a thinly-veiled threat -- home addresses. Quoting victims' home addresses to them serves two purposes: it adds a level of authenticity to the phishing email, but also acts as additional leverage by upping the fear level.

Andrew Brandt from security firm Blue Coat explains that victims receive emails informing them that they owe large sums of money to various businesses. To make the phishing scam seem genuine, victims are advised that hard copies of invoices will be sent to their home address -- which is listed in the email -- but a link purports to provide instant access to the documents. Of course, clicking the link is a mistake.

Speaking to the BBC, Brandt said that the speed with which the ransomware strikes is terrifying:

It's incredibly fast and by the time the warning message had appeared on the screen it had already encrypted everything of value on the hard drive -- it happens in seconds.

There have been suggestions that addresses have been gathered from eBay accounts, but this is something that eBay denies. What is clear however, is that quite some thought has been put into this ransomware campaign which is all about getting people to pay up.

As with other instances of ransomware, pressure is put on victims to pay the ransom to decrypt their files sooner rather than later. Pay within three days, Maktub promises, and the fee is 1.4 Bitcoins (around $588), but leave it a while and this increases to 3.9 Bitcoins (around $1638). The ransomware threatens that if it is ignored for more than two weeks encrypted data could be rendered completely unrecoverable.

Photo credit: zsooofija / Shutterstock
Outlook gains Evernote, Facebook and Wunderlist integration on Android and iOS

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 5:45pm CEST par Mihăiță Bamburic

Outlook is without a doubt one of the most powerful email apps available on Android and iOS. It supports all the major email providers, works with popular cloud storage services, gives you access to contacts, and integrates your calendars. On top of all this, Outlook is also optimized for use in the enterprise, so it can be a great app for work too.

Microsoft is now making Outlook even better as it launches Calendar Apps. This is a new feature that is designed to give you access to more calendar sources, with Evernote, Facebook and Wunderlist being the first available services.

Microsoft says that you view the tasks, events and notes that you have in Evernote, Facebook and Wunderlist. The aforementioned accounts will be displayed under Calendars, along with the other services, like Outlook.com and Gmail calendars.

In the case of Evernote, you can view reminders, to-dos and other things, but also edit content by tapping on the Open with Evernote button under the respective event. The popular service has introduced an add-in for Outlook users, which can be used by Outlook.com and Office 365 users running Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016 or Outlook online, according to Evernote's announcement.

The Facebook integration adds Facebook Events in your Outlook calendar, which will show events that you have been invited to attend and accepted but also your friends' birthdays. Microsoft says that you can RSVP from within Outlook, and open Facebook when you need more information.

As far as Wunderlist goes, when you add it to Outlook the app will show all of your to-dos. As mentioned in the two cases above, you can also open Wunderlist to edit the entries.

If you want to try the app you can grab the Android version here or the iOS version here.

Photo Credit: 60416644/Shutterstock
WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption is not all it's cracked up to be

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 4:53pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Just a few days ago, WhatsApp trumpeted the roll out of end-to-end encryption for its messaging service. The world rejoiced. With events such as the battle between Apple and the FBI turning attention to encryption, the announcement was well-timed to ride the crest of the wave. But it seems that for all of the bluster and bravado, the news about extra protection may not be quite as good as it seems.

Analysis of WhatsApp's privacy documentation reveals that the Facebook-owned company retains a huge amount of data about messages that are sent. If this all sounds familiar, it's because the retention of metadata is precisely what the NSA was (is?) up to, trawling web communications and upsetting Edward Snowden and privacy advocates around the world. WhatsApp's encryption and policies mean that those who are concerned about their privacy should not rest on their laurels.

The end-to-end encryption now employed by WhatsApp may mean that it -- and third parties -- do not have access to the contents of messages that are sent, but it does still know a great deal of potentially privacy-invading information about communication. Included in the data that WhatsApp 'may retain' (which, it's fair to assume, can be read as 'does retain') is information about who has communicated with whom, when this communication took place and the intriguingly worded 'any other information which WhatsApp is legally compelled to collect'.

The privacy section of WhatsApp's Terms of Service says:

WhatsApp may retain date and time stamp information associated with successfully delivered messages and the mobile phone numbers involved in the messages, as well as any other information which WhatsApp is legally compelled to collect. Files that are sent through the WhatsApp Service will reside on our servers after delivery for a short period of time, but are deleted and stripped of any identifiable information within a short period of time in accordance with our general retention policies.

The Apple vs FBI case-that-never-was has highlighted the fact that even when encryption is in place, it is certainly no guarantee that data cannot be accessed by law enforcement agencies. WhatsApp's connection with Facebook -- a social network that gathers huge amounts of information about its users not only in the interests of personalization, but also for ad-tailoring -- coupled with the privacy policy will do little to quell the fears of those concerned about snooping into their correspondence. End-to-end encryption is a step in the right direction, but it is far from being the end of the story when it comes to privacy.

Photo credit: Maksim Kabakou / Shutterstock
Consumers do not trust Internet of Things

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 4:50pm CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

Even though consumers see tangible benefits of the Internet of Things (IoT) adoption, many have their doubts regarding security, trust and safety, and that could seriously hurt the adoption of the new technology.

Those are the results of a new study conducted by global mobile trade body Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF). The Global Consumer Survey asked 5,000 mobile users in eight markets about the future of the connected world.

Globally, 60 percent of consumers are worried about the new technology, especially in the emerging markets such as Brazil, India and South Africa (66 percent). The biggest concerns are trust (62 percent) and security (54 percent), followed by physical safety (27 percent), and not being able to fix the technology (24 percent).

Ten percent said they couldn’t see the benefits of a world filled with IoT devices.

"Whilst this survey shows that consumers are excited about a future connected world, it also clearly identifies the need for the industry to consider how such technology and services are rolled out when it comes to building a trusted relationship with consumers", said Rimma Perelmuter, CEO of MEF.

"The business opportunities surrounding IoT are clear, but only if industry heeds the lessons of the broader mobile ecosystem when it comes to the paramount importance of building consumer trust at the outset. Our 2016 Global Consumer Trust Report demonstrated the demand for transparency in mobile apps and services with 64 percent saying it’s important to be told when an app is collecting and sharing personal information. This new report reaffirms the need for all stakeholders in the ecosystem to take action now to secure a viable future for such technologies".

The full report detailing how consumers perceive IoT can be found on this link.

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

Image Credit: Ahmetov_Ruslan / Shutterstock
Stream torrents before they’re fully downloaded with WebTorrent Desktop

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 3:15pm CEST par Mike Williams

There’s nothing new about the idea of streaming torrents before they’ve finished downloading, but WebTorrent Desktop does a better job than most of making that happen.

It’s open source, and installs on Windows, Linux or Mac with minimal hassle. No adware, no browser extensions, no complicated options to consider: just run the installer and it’s finished within seconds.

The interface is equally straightforward. It’s compact, with jargon and text kept to a minimum. And that’s not because it’s hiding any complexities in a multi-tabbed Settings dialog: there aren’t any.

The functions you do get are easy to discover. Move a mouse over the example tile for the movie "Big Buck Bunny", and familiar Play, Download and Close icons appear.

If you still aren’t sure, hovering a mouse over any of these displays an appropriate tooltip.

We clicked Play, a player window appeared, and the movie began streaming in under 5 seconds.

A progress indicator shows which parts of the movie have downloaded so far. Playback was smooth for us, but if your network or torrent peers aren’t delivering the speed you need, hitting Pause may give them time to catch up (and there’s a Download button for viewing later, if all else fails).

Seeking also worked well. If you seek to a part of the movie which hasn’t downloaded yet, WebTorrent simply reprioritizes to read from that point.

Adding your own torrents is as simple as dragging and dropping a .torrent file, or pasting a magnet link.

Support for tracker servers, DHT, peer exchange and WebTorrent helps the program find and connect to peers.

There’s even support for streaming media to AirPlay, Chromecast, and DLNA, apparently, although we didn’t test this.

Put it all together and WebTorrent is a well-designed package, ideal for torrent novices, and anyone else who’d like to see streaming done properly.

WebTorrent Desktop is an open source application for Windows, Linux and Mac.
The Internet of Things gets its own day (and lots more Things)

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 3:11pm CEST par Ian Barker

The idea of connected devices is nothing new, the University of Cambridge had a connected coffee pot, to save on trips down the corridor to see if it had finished brewing, as early as 1991.

But as more and more devices go online we've come up with the idea of the Internet of Things. This, apparently, is such a good idea that it also now has its own day on April 9.

To mark this year's Internet of Things Day, electronics supplier RS Components has produced an infographic looking at how the IoT has developed and what it means for our day-to-day lives.

By 2020 it's reckoned that there will be about 13 billion household Things like toasters, fridges, TVs and thermostats connected to the internet. To put that into perspective in 2016 there are around two billion mobile phones online.

There will also be around 3.5 billion Things in Cars online by 2020, 411 million wearables and 646 million Things in Hospital, like heart monitors and body implants. In addition 9.7 billion Things in the Street like traffic lights, parking meters and buildings will be online too.

You can see more detail in the full graphic below, but just remember, a connected Thing is for life not just April 9.

Image Credit: Ahmetov_Ruslan / Shutterstock
Facebook encourages conversation with Messenger Links and QR-like Messenger Codes

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 1:48pm CEST par Mark Wilson

WhatsApp may have a billion users, but Facebook Messenger isn't far behind: Mark Zuckerberg says "900 million people now use Messenger every month". Nowadays, Facebook is about much more than people sharing pictures of breakfast and bitching about their friends, it's also a valuable tool for businesses.

With this in mind, Facebook is adding a number of features to Facebook Messenger that it says will make it easier for businesses to connect and converse with their customers. Usernames will make it easier for people to identify businesses, while Messenger Links and Messenger Codes (just think QR codes with a fresh lick of paint) are being rolled out to make it quicker and easier to start conversations.

Messenger Links are fairly self-explanatory affairs: a simple URL that people can click to start a Messenger conversation. The URL takes the form m.me/username, and is really an extension of the idea of vanity URLs. In a very similar vein are Messenger Codes. Like QR codes, these are similar to barcodes and can be scanned with a smartphone camera as a shortcut to starting a messenger conversation.

Zuckerberg himself explains Facebook's spin on QR codes:

Messenger Codes let you just pull out your phone and scan someone else's code -- it's the new circular pattern surrounding their profile photo in Messenger settings. Messenger then starts a conversation with them. No more misspelled names or mistyped phone numbers.

As you can see from the image above, Messenger codes are somewhat more attractive and customizable than QR codes. Facebook says that "businesses can use Messenger Links and Messenger Codes in ads, on their website or in any other marketing channel to prompt people to reach out to them directly".

If you don’t see these new features yet, just sit tight as they're rolling out gradually over the coming weeks.
How to access Facebook's secret inbox and view messages you never knew you'd received

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 1:09pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with friends both past and present. You can post something on another person’s wall, or spark up a chat through Messenger.

For the most part, holding a conversation on the social network is easy. If someone is a friend they’ll be able to send you a private message, and anyone who isn’t currently connected to you will be able to get in touch by sending a message request. But what you probably don’t know is Facebook has a secret inbox which may well contain messages you never even knew you’d been sent.

Accessing the secret inbox is very straightforward but it will depend on what operating system you’re running and which version.

For the web version of Facebook, click on the Messages button at the top of the page, and then click on Message Requests. Clicking on See filtered requests will reveal the hidden inbox and any messages that were sent to you but automatically filtered out of your main inbox by Facebook. This is essentially a spam folder, but will probably contain messages from people you know or pages you’ve liked.

To get to this folder in iOS or Android, open Messenger and tap Settings at the bottom, then tap on People and Message Requests > See filtered requests.

The process for getting here on Android will vary depending on the version of the OS you’re running, but just find People and go from there.

The messages I had in that folder were all from a couple of years ago, but my wife discovered two messages from last year, including one a friend swore she’d sent, but which my wife had never received -- or so she thought.

Photo credit: serafima / Shutterstock
IBM teams up with DocuSign to boost cloud services

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 1:01pm CEST par Phoebe Jennelyn Magdirila

Clients of IBM’s software and services will soon be capable of embedding eSignature and Digital Transaction Management through the IT giant’s new strategic global partnership with DocuSign.

DocuSign is working with IBM Cloud -- with a 47-data center footprint -- to provide customers with access to public, private, and hybrid cloud services. DocuSign’s APIs will also be available through Bluemix, which will be key to embedding eSignature and DTM functionalities within IBM’s Cloud platform.

Many of IBM’s 100 MobileFirst for iOS apps -- such as those for the banking, retail and telco industries -- and users of IBM solutions for human resources and Enterprise Content Management will benefit from the partnership.

IBM also plans to collaborate with DocuSign on a range of Business Process Services solutions aimed to help increase accuracy, speed, and compliance for customers in industries such as home mortgage origination and procurement.

"Cloud offers a way for companies to get started with digital in an agile way, quickly delivering tangible value as they step-up to long-term digital transformation. While companies might be moving assets to the cloud or leveraging near-real time technology to gather insights into what their employees worry about, there is an inherent analog issue when it comes to business processes that require authenticated signatures. This transformation is rapidly changing and through this strategic global partnership, IBM and DocuSign intend to help enterprises accelerate this process", said Inhi Cho Suh, general manager, IBM Collaboration Solutions,

Along with the announcement, DocuSign announced that it has experienced a 125 percent year-over-year customer growth in the DocuSign Global Trust Network, which translates to more than 225,000 companies and more than 85 million users with nearly one million transactions per day.

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

Tomasz Bidermann/Shutterstock
Best Windows apps this week

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 11:22am CEST par Martin Brinkmann
One-hundred and seventy-five in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps and games released for Windows 8.x and Windows 10 in the past seven days.

This week saw the release of several great applications and games including Quantum Break, a Windows 10 exclusive game (also available on Xbox One).

App of the week is Lego Juniors, a free app for children to use Lego to build and drive vehicles.

As always, if I missed an app or game that has been released this week that you believe is particularly good, let me know in the comments below or notify me via email instead.

Discounts This Week

The following discounts are provided by Red Stripe Deals, a weekly changing list of offers, and the Deals Hub application.

Here is this week's selection:
- Daddy was a thief, an action game for $0.99
- File cards: Modern file manager suite, for $1.49
- Sparkle 2, a Zuma-like puzzle game for $2.99
- Media Player Gold, for $5.99
- Abyss, an exploration game for $1.49
- Doodle Tanks, a puzzle game for $1.49
App of the week

Lego Juniors: Create & Cruise

The Lego application introduces children age 4 to 7 to Lego. It is part construction game in which you create drivers and vehicles from Lego pieces, and part (basic) racing game, in which you take your newly created ride for a test drive.

You collect Lego pieces while you ride your vehicle and get access to new pieces once you have collected a certain amount. This can be new car parts or new character outfits that you can use in the construction part of the game.

Additionally, you unlock new scenes at the end of each ride that you may encounter during future rides.

It is refreshing that the app comes without in-app purchases or advertisements.

Other apps

Mariott International

The new UWP application enables you to find hotels, make reservations, and check in or out using the application.

You can create a new account and, once you have done so, check the reservation status, look up support hotlines, or find out more about individual hotels.

You can pin hotels to the Start menu, get a map, and call individual hotels.

Project Cheshire

This official Microsoft application can be installed already but it may not provide any functionality whatsoever currently (it may display 'Coming soon' on start).

It is a new to-do application for Windows 10 that is simple and easy to use.

Disney Crossy Road

This is a Frogger-like game in which you try to cross roads using Disney characters.

You can collect coins scattered around the level and may unlock new characters while you are playing the game.

The game is more advanced than Frogger though, as you will not only encounter obstacles on roads, but also some that advance on you directly.

Suto Stream

Suto Stream is a universal unofficial Twitch.tv client. It displays top games on start, and a search to find games or channels not listed on the frontpage.

A click on a channel starts playback right away. The app provides you with options to change the stream quality, and to turn off chat.

Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2

The game downloads quite a bit of data on start without revealing how much. If you check later on, you will find out that its total installation size is more than 2.2 Gigabytes.

It is a tactical free to play game set in the Avengers universe. You control up to three characters, including Captain America, Thor, Black Widow or The Hulk against enemy cannon fodder and bosses.

Combat is turn-based, and some actions cost character specific action points, for instance Rage if you control the Hulk or Ammo if guns are used by a character.

Characters level up as you play the game, and you find items and other stuff as well. The game makes heavy use of free to play mechanics such as energy that replenishes over time (you need energy to play the game), premium currency to buy new heroes and abilities, and more.

Bandsaround Concerts ($0.99, free trial available)

This is an unofficial Bandsintown application that provides you with a list of concerts in your local area.

Search for artists and bands, track them, and pin pages to the start menu for quick access.

Tibetan Quest

Tibetan Quest is an adventure game in which you journey to the city of Shangri-La to find your missing niece.

The free version of the game is limited, but you can unlock the full version of the game from within.

The adventure game itself falls into the hidden object type where in which you complete mini games to advance.

Send Anywhere

Send Anywhere is a cloud-based file transfer service that you can use to send files from one device to another.

Unlike the majority of services out there, it does not require that you create an account first before you can start using the service.

To send files add them using the application. This generates a six digit security key that is valid for 10 minutes or 24 hours. To receive the files, enter the security code using the app and the file download will start immediately thereafter.

Gem Well

Gem Well is a free puzzle game in which you throw coins into a well to gain points. The number of coins you can throw is limited, and you need to get a certain number of points by hitting the right spots in each level to proceed.

Notable updates
- The official Dailymotion application got support for video casting in version 6.1.39.0.
- Fhotoroom, a popular image editor is out of beta and released as a UWP app.
- Todoist application (official) is out of beta.
- Windows Camera support for pause and resume in video mode added.
- Word Mobile supports RTF files with the latest update. Another new feature provides you with options to insert images from the camera directly.
Microsoft's Hub Keyboard now available on iPhone, iPad

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 11:22am CEST par Wayne Williams

Microsoft continues to bring out apps for rival mobile operating systems that aren’t available for Windows Phone.

Its Hub Keyboard, which was first released for Android back in February, is now available for iOS and makes it easy to access content from other apps. It also offers Office 365 integration.

Installing Hub Keyboard is the same as installing other keyboards on iOS. Navigate to Settings > General > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard, and select Hub from the list.

Microsoft describes the new app like this:

Isn’t it painful to switch between apps just to complete your routine on-the-go tasks?
Hub Keyboard, a Microsoft Garage project, lets you stay in context by bringing information from different services to your fingertips and help complete your tasks faster. Sign in with your Office 365 work or school account to unlock access to more information.

You can use it to access docs and contacts straight from the keyboard, as well as most recently used content. You can also search for what you need.

Hub Keyboard is currently available in English for the US and UK markets but Microsoft is working on adding more languages and countries.

Download Microsoft Hub Keyboard from the App Store for free.
Why it's vital for retailers to have a mobile strategy [Q&A]

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 10:57am CEST par Ian Barker

We already know that having a mobile friendly site is important to search rankings, and with Google's announcement in March that it will start to rank mobile-ready sites even higher, companies are likely to focus even more on the mobile experience.

It's particularly important for retailers to connect with millennial shoppers who are more likely to research or buy using their mobile devices. We spoke to Aaron Shook, executive software architect of digital transformation specialist PointSource, to find out why a mobile strategy and good design are key to success.

BN: How important is it for shopping sites to deliver a positive mobile experience?

AKS: Very. Not only does mobile friendliness now affect SEO holistically (desktop included), but it also is a huge driver in determining mobile conversion rate and overall traffic numbers. A poor mobile user experience will send users directly to competitors who offer better experiences on the customer's device.

BN: Does a move towards more mobile friendly sites risk alienating older users?

AKS: No. E-comm sites can be mobile friendly without being flashy. Mobile friendliness simply means that you cater to the device that your user is viewing your page on; older users have a similar need for mobile pages to be easily viewable when using mobile devices. Design differences around flashiness, button sizes, etc. can be driven by analyzing your user demographics, but mobile friendliness is a must regardless of age group.

BN: Are we seeing a trend towards accessing retails sites using apps rather than browsers and what impact does this have?

AKS: For every-day retail shopping, I don't think that retail-branded apps will outpace mobile web in the foreseeable future. When users have simple purchases to make, their go-to is still going to be a web browser rather than downloading a retail-specific app. That said, apps are very valuable because they allow retailers to occupy real estate on users' phones and thus every day lives and continually engage the user. The most loyal customers who are spending the most with your brand are also the ones who will keep brand-specific apps installed, so providing these customers with additional value-adds through an app to reward them for loyalty is definitely a revenue driver. A solid mobile strategy needs to account for both mobile web and apps.

BN: How can mobile be used to enhance the physical in-store experience?

AKS: Newer technologies are making it possible to track user journeys through stores in ways that we couldn't have imagined prior to smartphones. Beacon technologies can allow retailers to track user movements through the store in order to optimize shopping patterns, send promotions, and gain a firm understanding of the user journey in a brick-and-mortar setting.

BN: Surveys have shown that surfers visit fewer pages of a site on mobile devices than they do on desktops. How can retailers adapt to this?

AKS: Our belief is that a big part of the reason for this pattern is twofold, and the reasons are heavily intertwined. Firstly users often pull out mobile phones to research a specific item rather than to browse e-comm storefronts since browsing is easier on a desktop device. Second, user experiences on retail mobile sites are still not up to par with desktop experiences, making it more difficult to shop on the majority of sites. We've seen huge gains in overall traffic, page views per user, average usage time, etc. by designing mobile websites with experiences specifically catering to the needs of mobile users. Designing an experience specifically for your mobile users is a must in order to truly unlock an e-comm mobile site's full potential.

BN: Will we see numbers of mobile shoppers continuing to increase or are we reaching a plateau?

AKS: Numbers continue to rise and don't show signs of stopping any time soon. 2015's holiday period mobile numbers set record numbers for mobile across the board, as did 2014, 2013, and so on. While 2013 and 2014 mobile transaction numbers were still relatively low compared to desktop counterparts, 2015 saw a rise of customers checking out and completing purchases on mobile. According to IBM, more than 36 percent of e-commerce sales during the 2015 holiday period took place on mobile devices, up from 27 percent the year before. The numbers may eventually plateau, but we are not anywhere close to that point yet.

Image Credit: Slavoljub Pantelic / Shutterstock
Global IT spending will reach $3.49 trillion in 2016

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 10:33am CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

IT spending, worldwide, will decline 0.5 percent this year, Gartner forecasts. The market analyst firm says this year’s forecast totals $3.49 trillion, down from $3.50 trillion which were spent in 2015. Last quarter’s forecast was 0.5 percent growth, and these new changes are mainly due to currency fluctuations, Gartner says.

"There is an undercurrent of economic uncertainty that is driving organizations to tighten their belts, and IT spending is one of the casualties", said John-David Lovelock, research vice president at Gartner. "Concurrently, the need to invest in IT to support digital business is more urgent than ever. Business leaders know that they need to become digital businesses or face irrelevance in a digital world. To make that happen, leaders are engaging in tough cost optimization efforts in some areas to fund digital business in others".

Device markets (PCs, laptops, ultramobiles, mobile phones, tablets and printers) will continue to shrink, and sales will continue to drop this year. At the same time, the spending on data centers and enterprise software will continue to grow.

The device market is forecast to decline 3.7 percent. "The underlying reasons are a combination of factors and are geography-specific, and the worsening economic conditions in many countries only serve to amplify the impact of these factors", Gartner says in the press release.

Spending on data centers will reach $175 billion in 2016, representing a 2.1 percent increase, compared to a year before. Spending on enterprise software is expected to hit $321 billion globally this year, a 4.2 percent increase from 2015.

The full Gartner report can be found on this link.

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

Photo credit: beeboys / Shutterstock

Microsoft Translator for iOS gets offline language support and new Safari extension

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 2:52am CEST par Brian Fagioli

0243.iPhoneVertical

While learning a second language is probably very rewarding -- I wouldn't know -- it is becoming less necessary. Thanks to technology, people can easily translate languages while on the go with a smartphone or tablet. The problem? Many translator apps require an internet connection. This is a problem, as many people need these apps when traveling abroad, where they may not have a data connection.

Today, Microsoft updates its Translator app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch making it infinitely more useful for those traveling without data. In addition, the app is getting a new Safari extension, so users can easily translate webpages when needed.

"Until now, iPhone users needed an Internet connection if they wanted to translate on their mobile devices. Now, by downloading the Microsoft Translator app and the needed offline language packs, iOS users can get near online-quality translations even when they are not connected to the Internet. This means no expensive roaming charges or not being able to communicate when a data connection is spotty or unavailable", says Microsoft.

5857.SafariExtension

If you want to take advantage of the offline packs, you can get them for the following languages.

Arabic	Greek	Romanian
Bosnian	Hebrew	Russian
Bulgarian	Hindi	Serbian
Catalan	Hungarian	Slovak
Chinese Simplified	Indonesian	Slovenian
Chinese Traditional	Italian	Spanish
Croatian	Japanese	Swedish
Czech	Korean	Thai
Danish	Latvian	Turkish
Dutch	Lithuanian	Ukrainian
Estonian	Malay	Urdu
Filipino	Norwegian	Vietnamese
Finnish	Persian	Welsh
French	Polish
German	Portuguese

The next time you travel to a foreign country, you should download the appropriate language pack in advance. Then, when you go out exploring and sightseeing, you will be prepared to communicate with the locals.

When you do have a data connection, and need to translate a webpage, the app is gaining that functionality too. The Windows-maker further says, "in addition to the new downloadable offline language packs, this update to the Microsoft Translator app for iOS includes a new Safari extension which lets users translate web pages within their Safari browser. After you have turned your extension on, whenever you find yourself on a webpage in a language you don't understand, just click on 'Microsoft Translator' from your list of available extensions and it will be translated automatically".

If you want to try the app, you can get it here. If you download it, tell me what you think in the comments.

← avril 7 (14 éléments) avril 9 (4 éléments) →

Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » avril 8, 2016

Canaux

BetaNews.Com (18 non lus)

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 10:43pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 10:41pm CEST par Deon Stark

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 9:09pm CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 6:48pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 5:55pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 5:45pm CEST par Mihăiță Bamburic

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 4:53pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 4:50pm CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 3:15pm CEST par Mike Williams

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 3:11pm CEST par Ian Barker

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 1:48pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 1:09pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 1:01pm CEST par Phoebe Jennelyn Magdirila

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 11:22am CEST par Martin Brinkmann

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 11:22am CEST par Wayne Williams

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 10:57am CEST par Ian Barker

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 10:33am CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

Publié: avril 8, 2016, 2:52am CEST par Brian Fagioli