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Next Office for Mac leaks, shots of UI appear

<b>A Chinese website yesterday published what it claimed were screenshots of Microsoft's next edition of Office for the Mac.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>The nearly two dozen screenshots posted by cnBeta.com were of Outlook, the email client that’s included in Office on both Windows and OS X. cnBeta.com said that the screenshots were taken from a leaked internal test version of the application.<br />
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Some long-time Microsoft watchers, including Tom Warren of The Verge, have reported that previews of a new Office for Windows have been circulating among partners and testers. The software that cnBeta.com obtained may have come from a similar early-look program for Office on the Mac.<br />
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cnBeta.com’s screenshots showed an Outlook more closely aligned with the user interface (UI) of the client in Office 2013, the current edition for Windows, and fit OS X Yosemite’s look-and-feel with a “flatter” design.<br />
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According to the leaked build, Outlook will still rely on a “ribbon” at the top of the window, a UI feature that debuted in Office for Mac 2011 four years ago to some resistance.<br />
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Additionally, the new Outlook will integrate with OS X’s Notification Center to show the most-recently-received messages. And, not surprisingly, the suite’s applications will be tightly bound to Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud-based service for document storage and collaborative work.<br />
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Where's the new version?<br />
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An upgrade from Office for Mac 2011 is long overdue: Microsoft shipped that edition in October 2010. The long lag time has implications because 2011’s support retirement date—when the company stops providing security updates—is Jan. 12, 2016, less than 14 months away.<br />
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In the past, Microsoft’s OS X development team has talked up upcoming editions, but this cycle there was been only silence from the company. Among the unknowns are a release date, the name of the edition and pricing.<br />
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One certainty is that the next Office for Mac will be available to subscribers of Office 365, Microsoft’s rent-not-buy program. It’s also likely that Microsoft will continue to offer perpetual licenses—the traditional kind that are paid for once, with rights to use the software as long as the customer wants—because revenue from the Office 365 subscription model continues to lag far behind the more familiar one-off or volume perpetual licenses.<br />
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It’s also a good bet that Microsoft will retain the price synchronization of retail Mac licenses with Windows’ Office 2013, a move the company made last year when it introduced Office 365. Currently, a single-license Office for Mac Home & Student lists for $139.99, and Home & Business for $219.99, prices identical to the same-named version of Office 2013.<br />
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The Office 365 editions of Office for Mac 2011 are equivalent to Home & Business in that they include Outlook, but subscribers can also use Office on tablets, such as Office for iPad.<br />
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cnBeta.com also cited “Outlook 16” as the application’s formal name, implying Microsoft has skipped a version: Office for Mac 2011’s Outlook was pegged v. 14. The v. 16 may indicate that the next Office for OS X will be based on the same code as the next edition for Windows: Office 2013 is formally tagged v. 15. Rumors have also pinned the code name “Office 16” on the upcoming Windows edition.<br />
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Office 16, probably named to match Microsoft’s convention, may launch as early as the spring of 2015. If that’s the case, and Microsoft releases a companion upgrade for the Mac at the same time—or even earlier—it would be another departure for the Redmond, Wash. company, which in the past has shipped the OS X version an average of six months after the one for Windows.<br />
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On the side of an early appearance of Office for the Mac is the fact that Microsoft shipped a touch-only version for the iPad in March, but has yet to do the same for touch-centric Windows devices, including Microsoft’s own Surface.</div>
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Next Office for Mac leaks, shots of UI appear

A Chinese website yesterday published what it claimed were screenshots of Microsoft's next edition of Office for the Mac. The nearly two dozen screenshots posted by cnBeta.com were of Outlook, the email client that’s included in Office on both Windows and OS X. cnBeta.com said that the screenshots w…

03Nov2014

'Microsoft Band' fitness tracker leaks out

<b>It looks like the curtains have been raised early on Microsoft's attempt to join the wearable game.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">update: goes on sale Thursday for $199</td></tr>
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Windows Central points out that sync apps have appeared in the Mac and Androidapp stores (update: and Microsoft's), set to personalize and track data for your "Microsoft Band." Rumors had pointed to a fitness tracker more than a watch that could debut within weeks, and judging by the apps that's just what we'll get. According to the Google Play, Windows Phone Store and iTunes listings, the device itself has more in common with Nike's FuelBand than the what we've seen from Apple and Google so far. That includes tracking steps, heartbeat, calories burned and sleep quality. 9to5Mac linked a privacy agreement that goes into even deeper detail about what else it can do, namely display notifications from your mobile device or take notes and set reminders with Cortana.<br />
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Microsoft confirmed that the Band will go on sale for $199 Thursday in its online and physical stores, to US customers only, in "limited quantities." Designed by Quentin Morris (who also developed the Xbox One controller), it carries ten sensors onboard to measure things from heart rate to UV exposure to stress levels, and can last as much as 48 hours on a single charge.</div>
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'Microsoft Band' fitness tracker leaks out

It looks like the curtains have been raised early on Microsoft's attempt to join the wearable game. update: goes on sale Thursday for $199 Windows Central points out that sync apps have appeared in the Mac and Androidapp stores (update: and Microsoft's), set to personalize and track data for your "M…

02Nov2014

Lenovo's new 13-inch 'Yoga' tablet is as big as its Windows Ultrabooks

<b>Lenovo seems to be coming full circle. After knocking our socks off with the original Yoga, a 13-inch Ultrabook whose screen could fold all the way back, the company followed up with a spinoff product called the Yoga Tablet.</b><br />
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Today, the lineup includes both Android and Windows tablets, mostly in the 8- and 10-inch range. Now, though, Lenovo is blurring the lines: Its new 13-inch Yoga Tablet 2 is the same size as its ultraportable laptops, except it has a kickstand that folds out of the back, and the optional keyboard doesn't attach to the device.<br />
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It's a weird little device: It looks like a tablet, but it's the same size as a notebook, and its screen (2,560 x 1,440) is about as sharp, too. What's even stranger is that on the inside, it actually runs more in line with a netbook, thanks to a quad-core Atom processor (though four gigs of RAM might help speed things up). All told, then, it definitely seems like a niche product: a large tablet, and an unpowered one, at that. Then again, the power-sipping chip could have at least one benefit: The battery life here is rated at up to 15 hours, far longer than most Ultrabooks we know of. It's also lighter than any 13-inch laptop, at 2.27 pounds. Still, will you want to pay a full $700 and up for it when it comes out next month? We'll leave that to you and your wallet.<br />
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Lenovo seems to be coming full circle. After knocking our socks off with the original Yoga, a 13-inch Ultrabook whose screen could fold all the way back, the company followed up with a spinoff product called the Yoga Tablet. Today, the lineup includes both Android and Windows tablets, mostly in the 8- and 10-inch range. Now, though, Lenovo is blurring the lines: Its new 13-inch Yoga Tablet 2 is the same size as its ultraportable laptops, except it has a kickstand that folds out of the back, and the optional keyboard doesn't attach to the device.<br />
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It's a weird little device: It looks like a tablet, but it's the same size as a notebook, and its screen (2,560 x 1,440) is about as sharp, too. What's even stranger is that on the inside, it actually runs more in line with a netbook, thanks to a quad-core Atom processor (though four gigs of RAM might help speed things up). All told, then, it definitely seems like a niche product: a large tablet, and an unpowered one, at that. Then again, the power-sipping chip could have at least one benefit: The battery life here is rated at up to 15 hours, far longer than most Ultrabooks we know of. It's also lighter than any 13-inch laptop, at 2.27 pounds. Still, will you want to pay a full $700 and up for it when it comes out next month? We'll leave that to you and your wallet.</div>
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Lenovo's new 13-inch 'Yoga' tablet is as big as its Windows Ultrabooks

Lenovo seems to be coming full circle. After knocking our socks off with the original Yoga, a 13-inch Ultrabook whose screen could fold all the way back, the company followed up with a spinoff product called the Yoga Tablet. Today, the lineup includes both Android and Windows tablets, mostly in the …

31Oct2014

Microsoft Android Wear app lets you search Bing by twisting your wrist

<b>Slightly irked that you have to say "OK Google" whenever you want to use voice search on your Android Wear smartwatch? Microsoft, of all companies, is coming to your rescue.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Microsoft Android Wear app lets you search Bing by twisting your wrist</td></tr>
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The developer is leading a trio of experimental Android releases with Torque, an app that lets you start a Bing search just by twisting your wrist; you only have to speak when you're asking your question. You'll get optimized output for certain kinds of search results, including maps, stocks and weather.<br />
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The other apps are meant solely for your phone, but they could be equally handy. Next Lock Screen puts important at the top level of your phone, including missed calls and frequently used apps; you can also change the lock screen's background depending on your location. Journeys & Notes, meanwhile, lets you write notes to share with anyone else who visits nearby, such as tips about what to eat. All three of Microsoft's latest Android apps are free, so it probably won't hurt to give them a try.</div>
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Microsoft Android Wear app lets you search Bing by twisting your wrist

Slightly irked that you have to say "OK Google" whenever you want to use voice search on your Android Wear smartwatch? Microsoft, of all companies, is coming to your rescue. Microsoft Android Wear app lets you search Bing by twisting your wrist The developer is leading a trio of experimental Android…

24Oct2014

Google to build Play-like hardware store for Project Ara

<b>Drawing inspiration from its Play Store, Google will create a hardware store in which users can buy and sell Lego-like hardware modules for the customizable Project Ara smartphone.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google to build Play-like hardware store for Project Ara</td></tr>
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Project Ara is Google’s upcoming build-your-own smartphone that allows users to mix and match features. The $50 configurable smartphone will come with a basic frame, and users can add or remove features by simply snapping on or taking off modular parts.<br />
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For example, users will be able to individually swap out screens, cameras, antennas and CPUs, which could be a cheaper way to replace parts than buying new smartphones. Google is pursuing biometric modules, and independent hardware makers have mulled creating temperature, input, gaming, antenna and medical sensors. Modules can be designed with Google’s Module Developers Kit (MDK), which contains reference designs, specifications and guidelines.<br />
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“Anybody can create a module per the specifications of the developer’s kit and put it in the Ara module marketplace, which is analogous to the Google Play Store, and sell directly to consumers,” said Paul Eremenko, head of Project Ara at Google’s ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects) division, during a question and answer session at Purdue University earlier this month.<br />
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Rankings and ratings<br />
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Buyers will be able to see the most popular modules based on reviews and user ratings, much like with apps in the Google Play store, Eremenko said.<br />
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A market pilot for Project Ara will begin in 2015, during which Google will try to understand usage and iron out kinks. Google has developed three Project Ara smartphone prototypes with different screen sizes, and Eremenko indicated it could be a while until final products ship worldwide. </div>
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“There’s a lot more that we need to do in terms of retiring technical risks on the project. We have probably two more ...prototypes to make. And during the market pilot we have a lot to learn about how people interact with this device,” Eremenko said.<br />
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Modular phones are not a new concept. Israeli company Modu in 2010 announced Brewphone, to which keyboard, speaker and camera modules could be attached. ZTE isdeveloping a customizable smartphone called Eco-Mobius, which has not yet been released.<br />
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The viability of Project Ara has been heavily debated, but Eremenko believed consumers will appreciate its flexibility.<br />
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“If we can span price points that range from a feature phone crossover price point all the way to an aspirational, very high-end device that may be able to do...portable medical diagnostics, that could potentially help us on the way of delivering the mobile Internet to the next five billion people who are not smartphone enabled,” Eremenko said.<br />
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Success defined by flexibility<br />
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The success of Project Ara could ultimately lie on its functionality, which will be defined by the swappable modules. Eremenko wants to make module development easy, and his team is working on new design tools to make hardware design as simple as writing mobile apps.<br />
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“Today it takes maybe 12, 18, 24 months to make a new smartphone and bring it to market and we’re hoping to get that down to a couple of months,” Eremenko said.<br />
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Google is encouraging developers to come up new module ideas, and is also working on some of its own. The company is chasing the idea of “adaptive commerce experiences” in which health sensors can track monitor human biometric signals.<br />
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“That includes galvanic skin response, sweat levels, your pupil dilation, gaze direction, and a variety of things that we can pick up non-invasively about you as you’re interacting with the e-commerce system. If you’re stressed or impatient or bored with the experience, we could present a differently curated experience,” Eremenko said.<br />
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During the talk, Eremenko also floated the idea of secure modules with private user information, which can be swapped depending on who’s using the smartphone.<br />
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Google and Linaro are developing a custom version of Android for Project Ara. Work is underway around plug-and-play recognition so modules are identified immediately without restarting the smartphone. Much like USB attachments, modules will be recognized based on different driver “classes,” such as those for storage, input, networking, imaging and others. Some modules not recognized, like high-end cameras, will be placed in isolated zones so as not to compromise the smartphone.<br />
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The modules are electropermanent magnets that can turn on and off but use no power in either state. Instead of connectors, the modules use inductive coupling for data transfers.<br />
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To make module development cheaper, Google ATAP is also partnering with companies like Flextronics and Quanta so developers can inexpensively turn designs into actual hardware.</div>

Google to build Play-like hardware store for Project Ara

Drawing inspiration from its Play Store, Google will create a hardware store in which users can buy and sell Lego-like hardware modules for the customizable Project Ara smartphone. Google to build Play-like hardware store for Project Ara Project Ara is Google’s upcoming build-your-own smartphone tha…

23Oct2014

Android 5.0 Lollipop to hit the wild on November 3

<b>Google is telling developers to step on it if they want their apps ready for a November 3 release of Android Lollipop.</b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Android 5.0 Lollipop to hit the wild on November 3</td></tr>
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It’s the first specific date we’ve heard, which means the newest flavor of Android will start hitting the street in less than two weeks. The Nexus 9 preorders start shipping on that same date as well. Though as is often the case with preorders, they may show up on some people’s doorsteps early.<br /><br />With Lollipop so close, Google is gently nagging programmers in the Google Play Developer Console (pictured) to grab the latest release of Android and get cracking. They can already upload apps and schedule them for release when Lollipop goes live.<br /><br /> GOOGLE PLAY DEVELOPER CONSOLE<br /></div>
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This isn’t a guarantee that your device will get Lollipop on November 3, but at least we know when the rollout will start. Expect Nexus devices to get it first, with others manufacturers planning to follow suit.  Manufacturers like HTC have promised some phones (like the One M8 and M7) will get an update within 90 days of the official release—this would be the date to start the clock. Software updates often have to be tested by carriers before they're released, too.<br /><br />Why this matters: It’s one thing to get Android 5.0 Lollipop out the door, it’s quite another to get the rest of the ecosystem ready. Lollipop is a significant rewrite of how Android looks and performs, so it will be rather funky if third-party apps look like they don’t belong.<br /><br />Google is nudging developers to update their apps so the transition to Lollipop is a smooth one, which won’t happen if all of a sudden Android owners can't get their favorite apps to work properly.<br /></div>
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Android 5.0 Lollipop to hit the wild on November 3

Google is telling developers to step on it if they want their apps ready for a November 3 release of Android Lollipop. Android 5.0 Lollipop to hit the wild on November 3 It’s the first specific date we’ve heard, which means the newest flavor of Android will start hitting the street in less than two …

22Oct2014

Verizon's Edge program changes make you wait longer to upgrade

<b>Eyeing an upgrade to the Droid Turbo? An iPhone 6? Maybe the One M8 for Windows? If you're on Verizon's Edge payment program, you're going to have to be more patient than usual -- or at least, open your wallet a little wider.</b><br />
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The carrier has confirmed a Droid-Life leak revealing that Big Red is modifying Edge in a way that makes it harder to upgrade quickly. As of October 16th, payments for new devices will normally be distributed over two years, rather than 20 months; if you can't wait that long to get new gear, you'll have to pay off 75 percent of the hardware price rather than 60 percent. In practice, that means that you'll either be waiting at least 18 months to trade up (instead of 12) or else paying more to accelerate the upgrade process.<br />
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It's not strictly a doom-and-gloom scenario, thankfully. More payments should mean lower monthly rates, and Verizon is increasing the per-line discount for lower-cost plans (those with 8GB of data or less) from $10 to $15. You'll have to wait longer if you dutifully obey the payment schedule, then, but you aren't necessarily paying more in the long run. The big problem is simply that this now sounds more like a conventional contract rather than the fast track you were probably expecting -- it's just that the math has changed.</div>
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Verizon's Edge program changes make you wait longer to upgrade

Eyeing an upgrade to the Droid Turbo? An iPhone 6? Maybe the One M8 for Windows? If you're on Verizon's Edge payment program, you're going to have to be more patient than usual -- or at least, open your wallet a little wider. The carrier has confirmed a Droid-Life leak revealing that Big Red is modi…

21Oct2014

Surface Hub is a stylus configuration app that's more trouble than it's worth

<b>Rarely does Microsoft release an app that isn’t worth your time. For now, however, Surface Hub probably falls into that category.</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ux7V083BgXa_QMx_weWCImo8zqhn9aEe27uc19oP8iWpjgxVcCdbPKM42LkxouN6cJLsiG-KsMmPmGe31a47PMwBB9B7wrwyA68vZjmH9n9yySN4YJAw5lHzYfcGJ01RyDkSjFc0ZLWU/s1600/Surface-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ux7V083BgXa_QMx_weWCImo8zqhn9aEe27uc19oP8iWpjgxVcCdbPKM42LkxouN6cJLsiG-KsMmPmGe31a47PMwBB9B7wrwyA68vZjmH9n9yySN4YJAw5lHzYfcGJ01RyDkSjFc0ZLWU/s1600/Surface-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Surface Hub is a stylus configuration app that's more trouble than it's worth" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surface Hub is a stylus configuration app that's more trouble than it's worth</td></tr>
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Released over the weekend, Surface Hub is apparently built on a recent Surface Pro 3 update that paved the way for additional pen sensitivity. The app is extremely basic: Users can adjust the sensitivity curve of the pen and change the behavior of the launch button at the top of the pen. That’s it.<br />
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Surface Hub is just an odd app, in general. The launch screen trumpets “GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SURFACE,” but then you have to find the two menu items that hang off the right edge of that screen, requiring you to slide right.<br />
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<b> MICROSOFT</b><br />
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Surface Huib offers the basics and not much more.<br />
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There, you can adjust the sensitivity curve or the launch button. I’m no artist, but the differences in the curve change the thickness of the Surface Pro 3’s pen minimally, at best.<br />
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A small improvement is the option to change the app that launches when you click the button on top of the pen—either the modern OneNote app, or the desktop version. There’s still no way to change what the buttons on the side of the stylus do, however.<br />
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Both functions worked as expected. But unfortunately, after launching the app, my input devices began acting up. Although I was able to launch OneNote (or the desktop version of OneNote) as expected, I switched back to my Web browser. When I tried to type in a new Web address, however, the PC seemed to think I was trying to search for a particular file and opened up the search Charm instead. Concerned that I might have inadvertently tapped a keyboard shortcut or hotkey, I rebooted. <br />
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<b> MARK HACHMAN</b><br />
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So far, you can’t change the functionality of the two buttons modway down the Surface Pro 3 stylus. <br />
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At that point, however, my mouse refused to work, as did the touchpad. Since I had set my Windows 8.1 desktop to open on my (non-touch-enabled) standalone monitor, I had to tap the Windows key + X to allow me to enter the desktop via the menu. At that point, the mouse began working again. User error may have played a role, but it was also annoying for an app to begin behaving unexpectedly, when it already did so very little.<br />
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Many users have already begun complaining that the app itself refuses to recognize their stylii, so it appears there are other problems I didn’t experience. In any event, you might want to check back after Surface Hub gets updated.<br />
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Why this matters: The bottom line is that it seems Surface Hub is more trouble than it’s worth at the moment. But if Microsoft updates it to allow you to configure its buttons and sensitivity—say, like a mouse—then it may prove to be a useful utility. So why didn’t Microsoft release it when all these capabilities were included?</div>
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Surface Hub is a stylus configuration app that's more trouble than it's worth

Rarely does Microsoft release an app that isn’t worth your time. For now, however, Surface Hub probably falls into that category. Surface Hub is a stylus configuration app that's more trouble than it's worth Released over the weekend, Surface Hub is apparently built on a recent Surface Pro 3 update …

20Oct2014

Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks

<b>Those face-meltingly fast new 802.11ac routers might not be king of the wireless networking world for long. On Sunday, Samsung announced it’s developing new 802.11ad Wi-Fi technology that can turbocharge network speeds fivefold, from today’s 866Mbps per-device maximum to a blistering 4.6Gbps. At that rate, Samsung says, a 1GB movie file can transfer from one device to another in under 3 seconds.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQ7eEhxqn_HXTJKap3JJ5XMjpRvzK1g7wNlbGuISXXR2GGlcGecHpDd0o5_goSpj3k1tX8ukk2kwZ_CtZDTXyZBhSg9gHJmnno19mg-Hc2oh7GZbvqIQow9HeXUw3vJS1E1LOx9yBmoci/s1600/Samsung-futuristic-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQ7eEhxqn_HXTJKap3JJ5XMjpRvzK1g7wNlbGuISXXR2GGlcGecHpDd0o5_goSpj3k1tX8ukk2kwZ_CtZDTXyZBhSg9gHJmnno19mg-Hc2oh7GZbvqIQow9HeXUw3vJS1E1LOx9yBmoci/s1600/Samsung-futuristic-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b>The secret sauce: Ditching the crowded 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless channels used by today’s routers and jumping to the 60GHz frequency band.<br />
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Even though you might not have heard of them, neither the futuristic 802.11ad standardnor the idea of using the 60GHz frequency for ultra-fast Wi-Fi are new. But prior implementations have run into a brick wall, both literally and figuratively: 60GHz signals can’t easily penetrate walls. That’s obviously a big problem for real-world usage. Most of the 60GHz-capable "WiGig" accessories you can find today are designed to operate at very, very short ranges as a result.<br />
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But Kim Chang Yong, head of Samsung’s DMC R&D Center, says the company has “successfully overcome the barriers to the commercialization of 60GHz millimeter-wave band Wi-Fi technology.”<br />
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Samsung’s press release says it overcame those physical and metaphorical barriers with "high-performance modem technologies and by developing wide-coverage beam-forming antenna." The WirelessHD and WiGig standards groups have also been trying to improve 60GHz signal performance using beam-forming, a Wi-Fi technology that detects where client devices (like PCs and tablets) are physically located and then sends a focused signal directly at those devices, rather than mindlessly broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal in all directions as most routers do. (Beam-forming is already becoming a common feature in high-end 802.11ac routers.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFDk4_bOCzHlgyJme-GaHWmS8x4U_Os3CnZAKgXvfQw9JgV0S6_a5m6FcYwhfZNlZZYci90jZRAwtKtEB0ybWmeDe3rvAlr2towIiueE3u8rsUD5skVQaVdMIez_O1tQz1YR6dxWHwZ8e/s1600/Samsung-futuristic-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFDk4_bOCzHlgyJme-GaHWmS8x4U_Os3CnZAKgXvfQw9JgV0S6_a5m6FcYwhfZNlZZYci90jZRAwtKtEB0ybWmeDe3rvAlr2towIiueE3u8rsUD5skVQaVdMIez_O1tQz1YR6dxWHwZ8e/s1600/Samsung-futuristic-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks" /></a></div>
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Don’t start saving your pennies for this particular bit of next-gen networking kit just quite yet, however. While Samsung’s press release states that “commercialization is expected as early as next year,” that’s only talking about industry-wide usage of the 60GHz frequency itself—not necessarily the release of Samsung products packing the company’s new technology. A Samsung spokesperson provided the following statement to John Ribeiro of the IDG News Service:<br />
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"As 60GHz is an unlicensed band spectrum globally, along with 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectrum, industry-level of commercialization is expected as early as next year, but there's nothing we could confirm at this point on when Samsung products supporting 60GHz Wi-Fi will be available in the market."<br />
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It seems 802.11ac routers will have to do for now. Fortunately, there are a slew of compelling options available.<br />
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The story behind the story: The idea of making wireless networks as fast or faster than wired connections holds obvious appeal—the less time you spend waiting for files to transfer, the more stuff you can get done. But while Wi-Fi improvements like Samsung’s new technology should (eventually) turbocharge sharing files, streaming locally stored movies, or playing games across your home network, don’t forget that a fast router won’t magically make your actual Internet connection any faster. Activities like browsing the web or zoning out on the couch and watching Netflix are usually limited by your Internet speed, not your router.</div>
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Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks

Those face-meltingly fast new 802.11ac routers might not be king of the wireless networking world for long. On Sunday, Samsung announced it’s developing new 802.11ad Wi-Fi technology that can turbocharge network speeds fivefold, from today’s 866Mbps per-device maximum to a blistering 4.6Gbps. At tha…

20Oct2014

Google's Nexus Player offers streaming and gaming for $99

<b>Remember the Nexus Q? Yeah, we'd rather forget it, too. Google regained its streaming cred with the Chromecast, and now it's looking to offer up another set-top box. The compact Nexus Player will handle streaming, games and run Android apps. An included remote wrangles navigation with voice controls for finding the content you're after on the ASUS-made gadget. For those gaming sessions, a $39 controller can be tacked on as an additional purchase.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google's Nexus Player offers streaming and gaming for $99</td></tr>
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The Nexus Player will offer much of the same functionality as Mountain View's diminutive dongle, adding the ability to leverage those mobile apps as well. It's also the first device to run Android TV, an effort detailed back at I/O and promised to arrive alongside Android L, er... Lollipop. And yes, you'll be able to "cast" stuffs from other devices to your TV. In terms of content options, you can expect Netflix, Hulu, Food Network, Travel Channel and more for now -- but there's no mention of either WatchESPN or HBO Go. Inside, the unit packs a 1.8GHz quad-core Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB of storage and Imagination PowerVR Series 6 graphics. Intel tells us that 64-bit chip is capable of "console-like graphics" alongside 1080p video streaming. As you might expect, the Player will connect to your TV via HDMI with WiFi for grabbing content and Bluetooth for the included remote.<br />
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If all of that sounds somewhat familiar, Amazon's Fire TV touts a similar set of entertainment abilities for the same price. Of course, one taps into Prime Instant Video while the other leverages the Google Play repository. Speaking of cost, the $99 unit will be available on November 3rd, however if you're anxious to lock one down, you can pre-order the Nexus Player on October 17th.</div>
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Google's Nexus Player offers streaming and gaming for $99

Remember the Nexus Q? Yeah, we'd rather forget it, too. Google regained its streaming cred with the Chromecast, and now it's looking to offer up another set-top box. The compact Nexus Player will handle streaming, games and run Android apps. An included remote wrangles navigation with voice controls…

19Oct2014

Google reveals the $649 Nexus 6, pre-orders begin on October 29th

<b>Forget the pomp and circumstance that comes with a formal launch event -- Google just outed the new Nexus 6 on its official Android blog, and it's just about everything the rumor mill said the Motorola-made device would be. The Nexus 6 is the first phone to run Android 5.0 Lollipop, and while it might look like a super-sized version of this year's Moto X -- down to the dual speaker grilles and the lock button/volume rocker placement along the phone's edge -- it packs plenty of notable improvements over its smaller, non-Nexus cousin.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google reveals the $649 Nexus 6, pre-orders begin on October 29th</td></tr>
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A 5.9-inch Quad HD screen? Check? A more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset, clocked at 2.7GHz? You betcha. Hefty 3,220mAh battery? Of course. A camera with optical image stabilization? Sure (though it's still a 13-megapixel sensor). It's as if Motorola addressed nearly every issue we had with the Moto X, and capped things off with a big ol' Nexus logo on the back. In fact, the only component that doesn't seem to have been upgraded is the dual-LED flash on the Nexus 6's back. What's a bit curious is that the Nexus 6 seems to come with at least one Motorola-conceived feature that isn't part of stock Android: Ambient Display debuted on the Moto 360, and fires up the screen when it can tell the user wants to check the time or their notifications.<br />
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That's great and all, but what about the really juicy tidbits? Well, the Nexus 6 will be available with either 32 or 64GB of internal memory (no word on a microSD slot, alas) and you've got your choice of Cloud White and Midnight Blue color schemes. Pre-orders for the Nexus 6 will kick off on October 29th with a full retail launch to follow some time in November, but expect to shell out more than a few pretty pennies for it. You'll be able to nab your own 32GB Nexus 6 sans contract for a whopping $649, making it the most expensive Nexus phone to date (though the decidedly non-Nexus Sony Z Ultra came in at the same price). Itching to pick it up with a little carrier discount? Not to worry: AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular and Verizon Wireless will all be getting the Nexus at some point, and if a recent slip-up is any indication, it could be damn cheap. An error on AT&T's site suggested that the 6 could go for as little as $49.99 with a two-year contract -- if true, that'd make the Nexus half the price of the Moto X.</div>
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Google reveals the $649 Nexus 6, pre-orders begin on October 29th

Forget the pomp and circumstance that comes with a formal launch event -- Google just outed the new Nexus 6 on its official Android blog, and it's just about everything the rumor mill said the Motorola-made device would be. The Nexus 6 is the first phone to run Android 5.0 Lollipop, and while it mig…

19Oct2014

Facebook Stickers Are Now Available In Comments On Timelines, Groups And Events

<b>Facebook Stickers – the cute, cartoonish images Facebook Messenger users take advantage of to spice up their conversations – are now rolling out to a wider audience. Facebook announced today that stickers will be available on comments found on people’s Timeline posts, Group posts and Event posts.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Facebook Stickers Are Now Available In Comments On Timelines</td></tr>
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To access the stickers, users tap the smiley face icon in the bottom-right of any comment field on Facebook in order to pick the sticker they want to share with the others on the thread. The engineer on the project, Bob Baldwin, shared his thoughts on stickers when announcing the news on his own timetime this afternoon, explaining that “stickers will allow people to reply to a variety of posts in a more fun way than words alone.”<br />
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“You can now easily show your excitement for a post with good news, cheer up a friend who’s feeling down, and express a variety of more nuanced reactions,” he says.<br />
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Stickers and emoji are sometimes seen as silly things — and, well they are to some extent. After all, you can’t take a picture of a dog eating a cheeseburger or a cat riding a scooter all that seriously. But they also allow users to express their tone in a way that may not always come across in a digital format where interactions historically have been text-based.<br />
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Many times, we’ve seen threads where one friend makes a sarcastic comment and others jump on them in a viral mob of Facebook abuse – but the original commenter was only making a joke, as it turned out. It just fell flat. And they were attacked.</div>
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A sticker could have diffused the situation at the forefront by letting others know the poster was not serious. In a world where cyberbullying is now rampant, I’d actually argue that anything that can prevent comment threads from turning ugly is fairly important – even if it comes in the form of a bird with a lampshade on its head. (Yes, this is an actual sticker.)<br />
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Stickers also allow social networking and messaging users to engage in conversations more easily from a mobile phone since they can sum up an emotion or thought with just a picture. That’s obviously another key area for Facebook to focus on as it continues its shift to mobile.<br />
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However, enabling stickers in comments could also make scrolling through longer threads — like those on public pages — more time-consuming.<br />
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The stickers are now available to Facebook users across web and mobile, the company says.</div>
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Facebook Stickers Are Now Available In Comments On Timelines, Groups And Events

Facebook Stickers – the cute, cartoonish images Facebook Messenger users take advantage of to spice up their conversations – are now rolling out to a wider audience. Facebook announced today that stickers will be available on comments found on people’s Timeline posts, Group posts and Event posts. Fa…

19Oct2014

Microsoft updates Skype for Windows, Mac with new chat interface

<b>Chatting in Skype for Windows and the Mac now looks more like the Windows Phone version, whether you like it or not.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Microsoft updates Skype for Windows</td></tr>
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Microsoft's Skype announced version 7.0 for the Mac together with a new preview version for the Windows desktop. Both include a number of potentially attractive productivity improvements, including the ability to chat and talk simultaneously in the new Mac version. But there's still an awful lot of white space, which may annoy some.<br />
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"For the last year we’ve dedicated a lot of time to refresh the chat experience in Skype. We’ve brought more improvements to the desktop," Tom Huang, a Skype exec, wrote in a blog post. <br />
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<b> MICROSOFT</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vPP6yBUHx-YIq6gCkOICeQpqsViTgRXMZcCX4Gc0tg4z8PL2AGTLbcQmXKk8DKhb1sWevXzfwW08hSUbSphkJKGlGZaDlMlgSvAF7fXEvABl_1mvsR4le-t0hs7uk-VtgpJnCxqH8sF0/s1600/Skype-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vPP6yBUHx-YIq6gCkOICeQpqsViTgRXMZcCX4Gc0tg4z8PL2AGTLbcQmXKk8DKhb1sWevXzfwW08hSUbSphkJKGlGZaDlMlgSvAF7fXEvABl_1mvsR4le-t0hs7uk-VtgpJnCxqH8sF0/s1600/Skype-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Microsoft updates Skype for Windows" /></a></div>
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Why this matters: What's good for the goose isn't necessarily good for the gander. On a phone, scrolling is part of the experience. On a PC, it's more annoying. The new chat UI could use some tightening up, especially if spread out across a large, high-resolution monitor, to cut out some of that white space. But while Skype hasn't come out and said it, we suspect the new Skype app (at least on Windows) is intended to be (eventually) snapped inside one of the four corner windows that Windows 10 allows. In that scenario, the UI should (hopefully) tighten up and conserve space more efficiently.<br />
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Some useful additions<br />
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In general, the new chat UI looks nice, with round avatars representing your friends. Photos can easily be dropped into a chat session, as can documents. Both are useful features when talking back and forth with a colleague or friend, although the layout isn't quite ideal—they sort of dominate the conversation. Microsoft touts this increased spacing as a benefit, although it may prove a bit annoying to scroll back through a long chat.<br />
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<b> MICROSOFT</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1UM3Xrq4lf1RChkvSKGVJlxzXav8d6sOJNqGkNWHoew7o8tWaAULjp6JybobPt5JiXmj3uhyphenhyphen_c8NP5LkKigYkcjInUhr3-mI9bV08K0CYHVraf9lxqu1PfDa8r5hrGUekO88px5opWao/s1600/Skype-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1UM3Xrq4lf1RChkvSKGVJlxzXav8d6sOJNqGkNWHoew7o8tWaAULjp6JybobPt5JiXmj3uhyphenhyphen_c8NP5LkKigYkcjInUhr3-mI9bV08K0CYHVraf9lxqu1PfDa8r5hrGUekO88px5opWao/s1600/Skype-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Microsoft updates Skype for Windows" /></a></div>
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When chat is tucked into a narrow window, however, it seems to work well. Skype for Mac 7.0 adds the ability to text-chat and video-chat in side-by-side windows, sharing photos and documents alongside the live commentary that you and your friends can provide. And Microsoft also promised that the free group video calls that the company previously announced will work better than ever. <br />
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Naturally, the Skype team promises more updates in the future, and to respond to feedback. How do you like the new chat UI within Skype? Do you actually chat within Skype, or is it more of a tool you use to chat via video? Let us know in the comments.</div>

Microsoft updates Skype for Windows, Mac with new chat interface

Chatting in Skype for Windows and the Mac now looks more like the Windows Phone version, whether you like it or not. Microsoft updates Skype for Windows Microsoft's Skype announced version 7.0 for the Mac together with a new preview version for the Windows desktop. Both include a number of potential…

14Oct2014

Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14

<b>It’s been a full year since Lenovo announced it had signed up Ashton Kutcher as a “product engineer,” and Lenovo is apparently happy with the partnership. The actor/investor is to appear via satellite at a Lenovo event in London on Thursday to introduce several new products, including the new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14 notebooks.</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VqkC2wiovjr7tZyexiP3onYmQCpY08y7ZKznrkqpvMbAiftaDUeb0E9YX-VC9NtjkDK0TTNCVuQ1AevrO9S410zdkQBfylulQibEkSf0ZKTndYOWBx8zjViaCBV64X7jv0z4tBsfDewO/s1600/Lenovo-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VqkC2wiovjr7tZyexiP3onYmQCpY08y7ZKznrkqpvMbAiftaDUeb0E9YX-VC9NtjkDK0TTNCVuQ1AevrO9S410zdkQBfylulQibEkSf0ZKTndYOWBx8zjViaCBV64X7jv0z4tBsfDewO/s1600/Lenovo-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14</td></tr>
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<div>
Moving parts are usually the first things to break on a computer, so conventional wisdom is the fewer, the better—especially on a notebook that must withstand the rigors of travel.That renders the hinge design Lenovo’s engineers have come up with (I can't imagine Kutcher had much to do with this) as audacious as it is beautiful. Dubbed the “watchband” hinge, it consists of more than 800 individual pieces of steel and aluminum.<br />
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Metal watchbands are pretty durable, so maybe the 800 pieces of steel and aluminum that comprise the Yoga 3 Pro's "watchband" hinge will stand the test of time. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXExk0ZBT_eoTghbW0WYeVf3cDinfNhKbbTzatK0cKMkGT8idES_c40uG_PYcQNU790Mad-P9TUsCYTXq8-GAtIVD9aqdNgzY7UF5NZPruAtY0kunmzzIMaxHwFzMUK-P03zBnYwT6VlPO/s1600/Lenovo-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXExk0ZBT_eoTghbW0WYeVf3cDinfNhKbbTzatK0cKMkGT8idES_c40uG_PYcQNU790Mad-P9TUsCYTXq8-GAtIVD9aqdNgzY7UF5NZPruAtY0kunmzzIMaxHwFzMUK-P03zBnYwT6VlPO/s1600/Lenovo-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14" /></a></div>
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Lenovo says the hand-assembled hinge enabled its engineers to render the Yoga 3 Pro thinner and 14 percent lighter than last year’s model. And it certainly looked that way based on a preproduction sample Lenovo showed me last week: The laptop measures just 0.5 inches high and weighs only 2.62 pounds.<br />
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The Yoga 3 Pro will be one of the relatively few laptops powered by Intel’s latest (and very late) mobile processor, the long-delayed Core M-70. That chip's integrated graphics will support a 13.3-inch, 3200x1800 IPS touchscreen. The new model boasts twice as much memory and solid-state storage as the Yoga 2 Pro we reviewed late last year: 8GB of DDR3L memory and a 256GB SSD.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLDurkUU22wno81O1AMZJ1cCJkhdBHNZG-ErtVevU4CDcHZAhRyT_5wjPgt3Wu1sPSrA6eDFq634_8U4E4vAn8jcoG536lGwrjD5rEF4cy5LQG3LS-z_5nuxKcps4cz4xbXu2GcWFdPHn/s1600/Lenovo-03-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLDurkUU22wno81O1AMZJ1cCJkhdBHNZG-ErtVevU4CDcHZAhRyT_5wjPgt3Wu1sPSrA6eDFq634_8U4E4vAn8jcoG536lGwrjD5rEF4cy5LQG3LS-z_5nuxKcps4cz4xbXu2GcWFdPHn/s1600/Lenovo-03-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14</td></tr>
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It also moves up to 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity, compared to 802.11n on the older model. This is an important feature, because it can be difficult or impossible to update a laptop’s Wi-Fi adapter without resorting to a USB dongle.</div>
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<br />
And rather than use a separate power connector that’s useless when running on battery power, Lenovo came up with a new design that has you plugging its AC adapter into a USB 2.0 port (the Yoga 2 Pro also has two USB 3.0 ports and a 4-in-1 memory card reader). Lenovo claims up to nine hours of battery life for its new laptop.<br />
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ThinkPad Yoga 14<br />
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Lenovo launched Yoga as a consumer brand in 2012, and it introduced the first ThinkPad Yoga to the business-notebook market one year later. The model we reviewed last yearfeatured a unique “Lift ‘n Lock” mechanism that raised the frame surrounding the keyboard so that it’s flush with the keys when the laptop is in tent or tablet mode. The appeal is that you don’t feel the keys when the keyboard is flipped around and the bottom of the chassis makes contact with the top of the lid.<br />
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This design has been carried over to the new, larger ThinkPad Yoga 14, but this machine won’t be getting the fancy hinge treatment or the Core M processor the consumer model has. And while its 14-inch IPS display is larger than last year’s 12.5-inch model, the Yoga 14 will remain limited to resolution of 1920x1080 pixels.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVndegyAM5_VH3X8HHmM-lnn2c1DvyCH1BsE0rD1iBnbzjj303cID-Qi23tGpi1z4o6RDYoRbXoEUy9yshHJ3ItsxpW5R-ftWU-6qm2iQM6Jc9XXr7UvvpwqARGdM1_LaLjLCs9f8_uJJ/s1600/Lenovo-04-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVndegyAM5_VH3X8HHmM-lnn2c1DvyCH1BsE0rD1iBnbzjj303cID-Qi23tGpi1z4o6RDYoRbXoEUy9yshHJ3ItsxpW5R-ftWU-6qm2iQM6Jc9XXr7UvvpwqARGdM1_LaLjLCs9f8_uJJ/s1600/Lenovo-04-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14</td></tr>
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The new ThinkPad is powered by a Haswell-class Intel Core i5 processor, with integrated graphics in the base model. An Nvidia GeForce 840M mobile graphics processor is available as an option. Both configurations come with 8GB of DDR3L memory, a 1TB hard drive supplemented by a 16GB solid-state memory cache, a 4-in-1 memory card reader, two USB 3.0 connectors, and one USB 2.0 connector that serves double duty as a power port.<br />
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Being a business-oriented laptop, the ThinkPad Yoga 14 has a docking connector adjacent to this power port, so you can connect it to one of Lenovo’s desktop docking stations using a single cable.<br />
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The ThinkPad Yoga won’t be a super thin-and-light machine, measuring 0.7 inches thick and weighing 4.1 pounds without the discrete graphics processor option. Lenovo says buyers can expect to get up to 8 hours out of its battery.<br />
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Pricing and availability<br />
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Lenovo says the Yoga 3 Pro will be available in three colors—Clementine Orange, Platinum Silver, and Champagne Gold—when it goes on sale at Best Buy and Lenovo.com at the end of October. Prices start at $1349. The ThinkPad Yoga 14 will also be available at the end of October, but in basic black and exclusively at Best Buy, with prices starting at $1199.<br />
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What do you think of Lenovo’s designs? Are you enamored with the hybrid laptop/tablet idea? Do you prefer hybrids with detachable displays? Do you think the whole hybrid concept is silly, and that laptops should be laptops and tablets should be tablets? Should Ashton Kutcher go back to looking for his car? Let us know in the comments section, below.</div>

Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14

It’s been a full year since Lenovo announced it had signed up Ashton Kutcher as a “product engineer,” and Lenovo is apparently happy with the partnership. The actor/investor is to appear via satellite at a Lenovo event in London on Thursday to introduce several new products, including the new Yoga 3…

13Oct2014

A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope

<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;">A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope</span></h2>
<b>There are many, many people who've always wanted a powerful space telescope in their backyards but can't exactly afford one. </b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope</td></tr>
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For avid makers and DIY enthusiasts, at least, that's not such an absurd dream anymore -- not when someone has designed an automated 3D-printed telescope that's powered by a commercially available phone: theNokia Lumia 1020. The device is called Ultrascope, and it stands one meter tall when assembled, with a base that measures 65 centimeters wide. It was created by Open Space Agency founder James Parr, who promised to upload the current design and future iterations to his organization's website once the ongoing beta testing's done.<br />
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Here's how the robotic telescope works: first, your Windows laptop locates the ISS and forwards its location to Ultrascope's Arduino shield to move its motors. After the telescope positions itself, the 1020 starts snapping images and sends them to the cloud for post-processing. Parr hasn't revealed how powerful Ultrascope is exactly, but it's worth noting that the 1020's 41-megapixel camera blew us away when we tested it. It'll sadly take a while before you can find out for yourself, though, as OSA's busy working with Microsoft at the moment, developing an app that connects Lumia phones to the device.</div>
</div>

A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope

A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope There are many, many people who've always wanted a powerful space telescope in their backyards but can't exactly afford one. A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope For avid makers and DIY enthusiasts, at least, th…

10Oct2014

Moto X review (2014): from also-ran to amazing in one year

<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;">Moto X review (2014): from also-ran to amazing in one year</span></h2>
<b>I'll be honest with you: When the first Moto X came out last year, some early apprehension soon gave way to unwavering fondness. It wasn't because of the sheer horsepower (there wasn't much of it) or a stunner of a screen (it was fine, at best). </b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moto X - from also-ran to amazing in one year</td></tr>
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No, it was because the Moto X smacked of pluck. You could customize it to hell and back. It tried to improve on stock Android with software features that were actually quite useful. And the icing on the cake? It was a pure joy to hold. Motorola -- a company that basically jump-started the premium Android phone movement with the Droid before getting lost in an endless loop of modest annual upgrades -- seemed to have a pulse again. So here we are, one year later, and the X has finally gotten an upgrade to match the rest of the mobile big boys. Is it enough to make the new X a winner? Is Motorola really back? Read on, dear friends, and we'll see.<br />
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<b>PROS</b><br />
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• Runs near-stock Android<br />
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• Motorola's additional features are smart and useful<br />
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• Snappy performance<br />
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• Thoughtful, comfortable design<br />
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• Lots of customization options<br />
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<b>CONS</b><br />
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• Cameras are average at best and frustrating at worst<br />
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• Unremarkable battery life compared to rivals<br />
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• Some carrier bloatware<br />
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<b>SUMMARY</b><br />
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The 2014 Moto X is a huge step forward from last year's model, and it's finally equipped to compete with a sea of strong competitors. With an impressive (not to mention customizable) design and some thoughtful software features, this is the flagship phone that Motorola should have made in the first place. </div>
</div>
</div>

Moto X review (2014): from also-ran to amazing in one year

Moto X review (2014): from also-ran to amazing in one year I'll be honest with you: When the first Moto X came out last year, some early apprehension soon gave way to unwavering fondness. It wasn't because of the sheer horsepower (there wasn't much of it) or a stunner of a screen (it was fine, at b…

03Oct2014

Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10, will ship later in 2015

<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;">Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10, will ship later in 2015</span></h2>
<b>Instead of announcing the next version of its iconic operating system in front of a massive crowd of thousands, Microsoft chose an intimate venue with 50 or so reporters to launch the new Windows, which it's calling Windows 10.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10</td></tr>
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The company looks at the new number (yes, it oddly skipped a number) as an indication of the direction it's taking with the OS; Microsoft says it'll be "the most comprehensive platform ever," featuring afull range of products that'll be placed under the Windows 10 umbrella as part of "one tailored experience." That means it will support everything from the "Internet of Things" to enterprise servers, taking advantage of responsive design.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVFDtD9-XmzX9y2hkzRgSDVR3U3LCjJfBjy6l_xbECOZJK0vRmWtHUiCQZFSzG3dY1Qk1PNu_ZiMMpV3QVzQk5Lq5Z10lTuWP6heXMq6HH_k-aoXgZfWj251N5oWQDTOaXL0Y3FxoCEKF/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVFDtD9-XmzX9y2hkzRgSDVR3U3LCjJfBjy6l_xbECOZJK0vRmWtHUiCQZFSzG3dY1Qk1PNu_ZiMMpV3QVzQk5Lq5Z10lTuWP6heXMq6HH_k-aoXgZfWj251N5oWQDTOaXL0Y3FxoCEKF/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Microsoft's Joe Belfiore showed off an early beta version of the new Windows on stage, which looks very much like the leaked screenshots we saw not too long ago; Belfiore says that the company wanted to bring the familiarity of Windows 7 and combine it with the functionality of Windows 8.</div>
</div>
</div>

Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10, will ship later in 2015

Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10, will ship later in 2015 Instead of announcing the next version of its iconic operating system in front of a massive crowd of thousands, Microsoft chose an intimate venue with 50 or so reporters to launch the new Windows, which it's calling Windows 10. Microsoft's …

02Oct2014

Microsoft Announces Windows 10

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<span style="color: blue;">Microsoft Announces Windows 10</span></h2>
<b>This morning at an event in San Francisco, Microsoft announced the next version of its Windows operating system: Windows 10.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Microsoft Announces Windows 10</td></tr>
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The name is definitely not in line with expectations, but also comes on the heels of rumor talk that it could pick up another title. Happily, the last 943 people to cover the operating system got the name wrong.<br />
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Starting tomorrow, Microsoft will launch a Windows Insider Program that will give users who are comfortable with running very early beta software access to Windows 10. This first preview will be available for laptops and desktops. A build for servers will follow later. Microsoft says it is opening up this beta process to get more feedback from more users early on, but also noted that this will be a learning experience for the company and that some experiments users will get in new builds may not make it into the final version.</div>
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The company went on to detail that its new operating system will have a tailored user experience between different screen sizes — that’s to say that if you are on a smaller device, you will see a different sort of user interface. The code will run across all device categories: “One product family. One platform. One store.”</div>
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Microsoft is currently riffing on the following: Enterprise value, device management, the ability to customize the store to the device you are on, and a way to protect data. Or, to put it more precisely, there will be the ability of the enterprise to manage their devices, and “customize” their application store, and so forth.<br />
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As expected, the company is bringing back a few features of Windows 7, too, including a redesigned start menu that combines the basic Windows 7 menu with the (resizable) tiles of the Windows 8 start screen. Windows 8 Metro apps can now also open in a windowed mode on the desktop, so you aren’t taking into the full-screen mode by default and you can use a “modern” Windows 8 side by side with a standard Windows desktop app. <br />
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Windows 10 will also allow users to work with multiple desktops. Thanks to Microsoft’s new “Snap Assist” UI, the company is making it easier for these power users who need these multiple desktops to grab apps from multiple desktops and move them around.</div>
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While Microsoft focused mostly on the regular mouse and keyboard combo for interacting with the operating system, the company stressed that it is not giving up on touch. Windows 10 will still have a Windows 8 like Start Screen for users on touch-enabled machines, for example.<br />
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Some of the gestures will change a bit in Windows 10 (swiping in from the left now gets you a task view, for example), but the overall feature set seems to be very similar to that in Windows 8 and even the Windows 8 Charms bar is still available.</div>
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One thing Microsoft did not show (at least so far), is any other consumer features in Windows 10. What the company did talk about a bit, however, is that Windows 10 for the phone will look and work almost exactly like the slightly pared down modern UI on Windows 10. One thing Microsoft clearly learned from the experience with Windows 8 is that if it wants to build a single operating system and user interface for every device, it can’t just optimize for edge cases. Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore, for example, noted that while it was an obvious choice to combine the interfaces for tablets and phones, “the real rub comes in the middle.” This time around, he said, he feels “pretty positive about the outcome we are going to get.”</div>

Microsoft Announces Windows 10

Microsoft Announces Windows 10 This morning at an event in San Francisco, Microsoft announced the next version of its Windows operating system: Windows 10. Microsoft Announces Windows 10 The name is definitely not in line with expectations, but also comes on the heels of rumor talk that it could pi…

01Oct2014

Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 Docking Station is a capable, costly upgrade

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<span style="color: blue;">Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 Docking Station is a capable, costly upgrade</span></h2>
<b>By now, you should probably think of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 tablet as the Windows equivalent of a MacBook Air: an exquisitely constructed, premium tablet for those who aren’t worried about their next mortgage payment. </b><br />
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The new Surface Pro Docking Station simply completes the experience. For thesuperlative Surface Pro 3 is already a tablet that is already almost a two-in-one notebook. When docked, the tablet provides enough horsepower to drive two other monitors, adding its own high-definition screen as a bonus. At that point, you may as well be working at a desktop PC.<br />
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MICROSOFT<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One possible setup of multimonitor configurations, all connected to the Surface Pro 3.</td></tr>
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The dock itself costs $199. Yes, $199. It's definitely pricier than tablet docking stations from the likes of Dell and HP, but also fancier, and a minor upcharge to the $1,200 or so you might pay for a midrange Surface Pro 3. If you’re going to spend that much already, you may as well go whole hog.<br />
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Physically, the new dock looks very similar to the dock Microsoft built for the Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2. Microsoft also stole a page from Hollywood and "rebooted" the name, calling it simply the Surface Pro Docking Station. Despite the moniker, however, only the SP3 is supported. <br />
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MARK HACHMAN</div>
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Like earlier models, the sides of the dock clasp the tablet like a vise, connecting power and I/O alike through the tablet’s charging connector. The Surface Pro 3 doesn’t dock as easily to the Surface Pro Docking Station as the Surface Pro 2 did to its own dock, though, because of the way the new Type Cover connects to the tablet.<br />
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If you fold the Type Cover upward to provide yourself an angled typing surface, make sure you “unfold” the cover and lay it flat. Otherwise, the dock’s extended charging connector may miss the tablet’s port, possibly damaging itself or the tablet.<br />
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You can either leave the SP3's stylus in its fabric loop, or attach it via a handy magnetic connector Microsoft has added to the left side of the dock.<br />
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MARK HACHMAN</div>
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If you’re buying a docking station, you’re buying connectivity, which is one of the slight deficiencies of the Surface line in general. Each Surface Pro 3 tablet, by itself, includes just a miniDisplayPort and a USB 3.0 connection. The docking station does not obstruct those ports, and it adds five more USB ports—two USB 2.0 and three USB 3.0. (That’s a slight step up from the Surface Pro/Pro 2 dock, which had three USB 2.0 connectors and a single USB 3.0 connector.) There’s also another (replicated) miniDisplayPort connector on the back, plus Gigabit Ethernet, a headphone jack and Kensington lock. Microsoft removed the mic jack from the Surface Pro 2 dock, probably because no one was using it.<br />
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Microsoft doesn’t make it clear whether you can daisy-chain two DisplayPort monitors together, as its documentation refers you to a support site where that question wasn't addressed. Microsoft has said previously that you can, however. (I lacked the appropriate miniDisplayPort adapters to test this properly.)<br />
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MARK HACHMAN</div>
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One slight annoyance is that the pitch at which the dock reclines is fixed, which takes away from the nearly limitless pitch options that the SP3’s flexible kickstand delivers. You’ll probably end up using the desktop monitor as your primary display, however, which means you’ll be staring at the Surface display a lot less than you might have otherwise. <br />
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Finally, a true left-handed gaming tablet<br />
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Right-handers blithely move through the world, failing to appreciate that everything from desks to golf to the way we write has long favored a right-handed approach. While the world's somewhat kinder to southpaws these days, gaming remains biased. I'm left-handed, and I can’t effectively game on a PC without access to a keyboard’s number pad—which compact keyboards like the Surface’s Type Cover sacrifice to save space.<br />
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That’s not a dealbreaker, of course. A game like Trine or the Batman Arkham series work well with gamepads or an Xbox controller. But with the dock, I can finally connect a mouse and keyboard and game as I choose. <br />
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MARK HACHMAN</div>
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That said there are other options. Consider spending $199 for the Surface Pro 3 dock, versus $19—yes, $19—for a powered four-port USB 3.0 hub that can plug right into that USB 3.0 slot. You're sacrificing the option of an extra monitor connection, but saving yourself $180. The weight of that hub, plus the miniDisplayPort, might be enough to topple an undocked Surface Pro 3. But I doubt it.<br />
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With Microsoft’s Surface Pro Docking Station, you have a fairly simple decision to make: Do you need that extra connectivity? Most likely, you do. But I also think you could probably find a cheaper alternative.<br />
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If money’s no object, however, you won’t regret it: Microsoft’s Surface Pro docking station is a well-engineered, robust piece of hardware that looks great and makes your Surface Pro 3 even more useful than before. </div>

Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 Docking Station is a capable, costly upgrade

Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 Docking Station is a capable, costly upgrade By now, you should probably think of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 tablet as the Windows equivalent of a MacBook Air: an exquisitely constructed, premium tablet for those who aren’t worried about their next mortgage payment. The ne…

01Oct2014

Windows 9 will be free to Windows 8 owners

<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;">Windows 9 will be free to Windows 8 owners</span></h2>
<b>We already know quite a bit about Windows 9 (or whatever Microsoft decides to call it). Thanks to the president of Microsoft Indonesia, we might now know another detail about Microsoft’s upcoming OS—its price.</b><br />
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According to Indonesian news site Detik.com (via BGR), Andreas Diantoro, the president of Microsoft Indonesia, confirms that Windows 9 will be a free upgrade for all Windows 8 users.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windows 9</td></tr>
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Why it matters: Users are becoming more accustomed to free operating system updates, given the fact that even major iOS, Android, and OS X updates are gratis. And after the negative reception Windows 8 received, Microsoft has some added incentive to earn back its users’ trust. With that in mind, Windows 9 is just as much a chance to change the tenor of discussion surrounding Windows as it is a new version of the OS.<br />
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<b>Taking cues from Windows 8.1, OS X</b><br />
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According to BGR, Windows 9 will be available as a free download, much like Apple’s updates to OS X–and much like Windows 8.1, which was a free update provided to Windows 8 and Windows RT users through the Windows Store. <br />
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We don’t yet know if Windows 9 will be free to users of earlier versions of the OS, such as Windows 7 or Vista. A free upgrade for all would make sense, though, in that it would make it easier for Microsoft to entice as many of its users as possible to upgrade to the latest and greatest.</div>

Windows 9 will be free to Windows 8 owners

Windows 9 will be free to Windows 8 owners We already know quite a bit about Windows 9 (or whatever Microsoft decides to call it). Thanks to the president of Microsoft Indonesia, we might now know another detail about Microsoft’s upcoming OS—its price. According to Indonesian news site Detik.com (v…

29Sep2014

Tech24H

Next Office for Mac leaks, shots of UI appear

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Microsoft Android Wear app lets you search Bing by twisting your wrist

Google to build Play-like hardware store for Project Ara

Android 5.0 Lollipop to hit the wild on November 3

Verizon's Edge program changes make you wait longer to upgrade

Surface Hub is a stylus configuration app that's more trouble than it's worth

Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks

Google's Nexus Player offers streaming and gaming for $99

Google reveals the $649 Nexus 6, pre-orders begin on October 29th

Facebook Stickers Are Now Available In Comments On Timelines, Groups And Events

Microsoft updates Skype for Windows, Mac with new chat interface

Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14

A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope

Moto X review (2014): from also-ran to amazing in one year

Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10, will ship later in 2015

Microsoft Announces Windows 10

Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 Docking Station is a capable, costly upgrade

Windows 9 will be free to Windows 8 owners

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