Hasta La Gadget!

Microsoft recently revealed that it would be retiring its longstanding Live Messenger platform. However, instead of receiving a commemorative wristwatch and rocking chair for its services, the once prominent IM client will be integrated into Skype during Q1 2013. Taking its first step to get the ball rolling, the company issued an update to Skype for Windows 8. The latest software push brings group searches, improved video performance, bug fixes and most notably Messenger contacts are now available to call. While these changes are subtle, it’s good to finally see Microsoft making moves after shelling out $8.5 billion for the privilege a little over a year ago. Hopefully, this will lead to more practical roads, like finally bringing Skype to the Xbox 360. But that would make too much sense, wouldn’t it?

Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Microsoft

We know better than most that when you’re working to a deadline, constant pop-ups, notifications and pings can be a real pain. Our frustrations might soon become a thing of the past, however, with some help from boffins at the Graduate University for Advanced Studies in Japan. They are working on technology which monitors keyboard pressure and silences those distractions until it deems you’re not busy, showing over 80 percent accuracy during volunteer testing. Understanding that quiet time is also appreciated for other tasks, they plan to use similar techniques to spot when you’re staring intently at that report or — more importantly — attending to a beverage. It’s still early days for the project, but if the stress-saving tech ever spawns a product, we’ll take two please.

[Image Credit: Getty Images / Jean Louis Batt]

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Software

Pressure-sensing PC technology knows when you’re busy, blocks notifications accordingly originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 15:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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