Facebook to launch in-browser video chat powered by Skype?

Microsoft’s $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype hasn’t closed yet, but it looks like Redmond is already working behind the scenes to make the service even more ubiquitous. According to an anonymous source interviewed by TechCrunch, Facebook is going to introduce video chat next week, and that service will be powered by none other than Skype. And while the service will be browser-based, it’s also said to include a desktop component. We’d say none of that sounds too fantastical — video calls would be a logical extension of Facebook chat, and let’s not forget about the $240 million Microsoft invested in the site back in 2007. What’s more, Facebook sent out invites for an event next week, where Mark Zuckerberg was clear the outfit would unveil a new product from its Seattle team. That’s in Microsoft’s backyard, of course, the invites themselves have chat icons on ’em, and, most tellingly, that Seattle office has been snapping up engineers specializing in desktop software. All told, that adds up to a likely true story to us, but we won’t know for sure until the long, beachy weekend is through.

Facebook to launch in-browser video chat powered by Skype? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 17:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget app for Windows Phone is here

The Engadget app for Windows Phone is here

25,000 apps? Make it 25,001. The Engadget app for Windows Phone is here. Finally. Now your HD7 or Surround or Trophy or Omnia can get some native news in a format that’s so Metro it doesn’t even have a driver’s license. We know that it took awhile, but we needed it to be right, and now it is. On the app you can get all the posts from the main site as well as Mobile and HD, plus podcasts, videos, and all the content we pour our hearts in to every day, pushed right to your palm. If you have a Windows Phone device that can handle QR codes, there’s an image waiting for you after the break. Or, you’re welcome to click on the source link below, which should open the Zune app and make some magic happen. No Zune app installed? No magic, but maybe that just means you’d prefer our similarly enchanting iPad, iPhone, webOS, BlackBerry, or Android flavors?

Continue reading The Engadget app for Windows Phone is here

The Engadget app for Windows Phone is here originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Phone Marketplace now populated by 25,000 apps, speeding up rate of growth

It’s not just Apple’s App Store striding past milestones today, Microsoft’s Windows Phone Marketplace has also rounded a notable marker in its development. Specifically, it’s now reported to have passed 25,000 apps by one site tracking comings and goings within it, though that figure’s up for debate as the other WP7 apps tracker still lists the total at just under 25k. The main point is that the WP7 ecosystem is growing, and faster than previously at that — it took until the end of March to accrue 11,500 apps, a span of five months from its launch, whereas the last 13.5k have come in the brisker period of three months. Provided this acceleration continues, and there’s no reason to expect it’ll slow down with Mango on the horizon, Microsoft’s mobile OS reboot promises to be in pretty competitive shape in time for its first anniversary — a notable feat considering how far behind WinMo had fallen. Perhaps RIM can use this as an instructive example?

[Steve Ballmer image courtesy of Reuters]

Windows Phone Marketplace now populated by 25,000 apps, speeding up rate of growth originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 09:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft shuts down utility monitoring service, proves you can’t go Hohm again

Is there anything more tragic than a broken Hohm? Microsoft announced this week that it will be shuttering its utility monitoring service at the close of May 2012, citing a lack of consumer adoption. The news comes a week after Google announced the closing of its competing PowerMeter service. Despite the shutdown, however, Microsoft assures us all that it’s still in the business of developing energy solutions for cities with a wide-ranging list of partners. Hohm itself will continue to operate through the end of May 2012, at which point its users will be rendered Hohmless.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Microsoft shuts down utility monitoring service, proves you can’t go Hohm again originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft: European cloud data may not be immune to the Patriot Act

If you thought you could evade US intelligence by moving to Europe and storing your dirty little secrets in Microsoft’s cloud service, guess again. During this week’s launch of Office 365, Gordon Frazer, managing director of Microsoft UK, admitted for the first time that cloud data stored at European datacenters could still be handed over to American officials, as outlined by US law. When asked whether Microsoft could guarantee that its EU-stored data would never leave the continent (even if requested under the Patriot Act), Frazer replied: “Microsoft cannot provide those guarantees. Neither can any other company.” Because the company’s headquarters are in the US, it’s obligated to adhere to American laws, meaning that any of the data stored on its servers is fair game for authorities to seize and inspect. Frazer insisted that targeted users “would be informed whenever possible,” but claimed that neither Microsoft nor any other US company can guarantee advanced notification. Bottom line: you’re better off hiding those nefarious files the old fashioned way — in an offshore safe deposit box.

Microsoft: European cloud data may not be immune to the Patriot Act originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft inks Android patent deal with Velocity Micro — sound familiar?

Microsoft inks Android patent deal with Velocity Micro -- sound familiar?

Further proving that patent infringement claims are incentive enough to drum up licensing deals, yet another Android device maker has signed on the dotted line to pay up to Redmond. Following up on Monday’s licensing agreement with Itronix, Microsoft has just announced a deal with Velocity Micro, Inc., that will have the outfit feeding the software giant’s coffers. Of course, details are scarce here; in fact, all we really know is Velocity Micro will pay royalties in regards to its Android-based devices, including the Cruz Tablet. Looks like those talks are paying off. Full PR after the break.

Update: Looks like Onkyo’s playing nice, too.

Continue reading Microsoft inks Android patent deal with Velocity Micro — sound familiar?

Microsoft inks Android patent deal with Velocity Micro — sound familiar? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 21:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Platform Wars: How Competing App Stores Stack Up

As app stores proliferate with the rise of multiple mobile platforms, one question remains: Which one will you choose? (Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com)

In the mobile world, tablets and smartphones are only as good as the apps they’ll run. Besides, what’s a tablet without apps? A fancy digital photo frame.

There’s no dearth of choice in hardware out there, and considering the pros and cons of a mobile platform’s application ecosystem is equally important to purchasing the device itself. From “open” to closed, sprawling to sparse, each platform’s parent company has a different philosophy when it comes to delivering apps.

Over the past few years, application markets have been popping up hand in hand with new hardware releases, all in varying states of maturity. Some, like Apple’s iOS devices, have flourished. Others, like Android devices, have seen tremendous growth and promise. And still others, like RIM’s BlackBerry products, have dwindled. But whatever the case is with the hardware, half the battle lies in figuring out how to beef up an app ecosystem properly, and how to catch on with consumers.

Why is an app store so important? In today’s app-obsessed age, a software ecosystem defines a gadget’s longevity as an investment. Customers get more value from their hardware if they have access to the latest and greatest apps. And programmers will make software for app stores that have a large audience and a viable future.

We took a look at some of the most prominent mobile-application ecosystems out there today, comparing the benefits and drawbacks of each. Before buying that next tablet or smartphone, we suggest you take a look.

Apple’s App Store

For better or for worse, Apple’s approach is clear: We’re in control.

Well known by now as the “walled garden,” Apple reviews every app submitted to its App Store. Developers are required to follow a seven-page list of strict guidelines in order for their app to be approved.

But the vetting process has its upside. Official reviews from Apple employees means an average of higher quality apps — more wheat, less chaff.

The Good:
Apple worked extensively with developers from the beginning, and it shows. As of late May, the App Store is host to more than 500,000 approved applications, with over 85,000 registered developers creating apps for the platform. The iPad alone has over 90,000 native applications available for download.

If your app is featured on the App Store’s front door, you’ve got a chance at striking it rich. Steve Demeter made $250,000 in just two months after releasing his application. The creators of MacHeist, another popular iOS game, have raked in millions.

The Bad:
With such a large ecosystem, it’s difficult not to get lost in Apple’s sea of apps. That’s hard on developers — who want to be seen, and want their apps downloaded — as well as customers who just want to find a cool app. Despite Apple’s careful curating and centralized location for apps, it’s nearly the same amount of work as finding an independently distributed web app.

Apple’s wait time to approve your app is also uncertain, ranging anywhere from two days to two weeks, according to independent app developer Ralph Gootee.

And of course, Apple maintains complete editorial censorship control over any and all apps submitted. So if your ideas are too racy, twisted or politically incorrect, you’re probably susceptible to Apple’s axe.

Android Market

Even though the gradual development of iTunes gave Apple’s App Store a 10-year head start, Google’s platform growth is a force to be reckoned with.

As the second biggest player in the mobile app space, Android has made staggering gains in the two-plus years it’s been publicly available. In May, Google announced that the platform surpassed 200,000 apps in the Android Market, and a recent tweet from Android chief Andy Rubin claims 500,000 new device activations every single day.

The Good
Google’s main draw rests on its heavily-marketed “open” approach. Although this mainly applies to the open source principles of the Android platform code itself, some of this openness ideal has spilled over into the Android Market. Unlike Apple, for instance, there’s absolutely no vetting process for developers who want to submit apps to the Market. As long as developers follow the relatively lax rules Android has in its submission agreement — no malware, no porn — many types of apps make it in to the store that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to find with Apple. Upload the app and boom — it’s available for download almost instantaneously, no waiting period required.

Not to mention the other open aspect of Android apps: alternative markets. Unlike Apple, which only lets you download applications from its official App Store — unless your iPhone is jailbroken, of course — Android allows the existence of app markets outside of its own. By authorizing installations from “unknown sources,” you can install an app store provided by someone else, right on the phone. And through a process called sideloading, you can transfer apps you download from a website to your Android device either via USB, or by downloading the .APK file independently. Although you run the risk of installing malicious code, it’s far more choice than you’d otherwise get with an iOS device.

The Bad
Despite the burgeoning platform’s promise, developers still have problems making money on their apps. Eighty percent of all paid applications in the Android Market are downloaded less than 100 times, according to a study published by Destino in May.

And even with the flood of Android-powered tablets hitting the market this year, relatively few native tablet apps populate the Android Market. As of early June, only 232 apps created specifically for Honeycomb are available for download through Google’s store.

The Android Market web-based presence isn’t as mature as that of its main competitor. Unlike Apple, which has allowed access to its App Store via desktop or laptop since 2007, Android launched its web store in February of this year.

Google is still working out the web store kinks, too. In May, Android drastically revamped the Market’s front page, highlighting top paid, free, grossing and trending app downloads, among other categories. By contrast, Apple has had much more time to mature its landing page with a three-year head start.


Windows Phone Mango ripe for developers to sink their teeth into

We were among the first to check out the upcoming Mango update for Windows Phone, but developers won’t be left out of the festivities any longer. Microsoft released the second version of Developer Tools Beta, which lets eager app-building folks try out the refresh on their own devices. More importantly than solid bragging rights, it affords developers the opportunity to test apps in a realtime environment, rather than on an emulator. This can only mean good things for Windows Phone users; with nearly four months remaining before the first Mango phones show up, devs have gobs of time to make sure their apps work flawlessly before the anticipated launch. As if this isn’t encouraging enough, Microsoft is also doing a fabulous job of helping students get started — not only is Redmond offering free registration, it’s giving out up to 50 phones to members signed up for the DreamSpark program. There’s no shortage of opportunities here, so aspiring developers may want to click on the source link and follow the directions to the letter. Full PR after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Windows Phone Mango ripe for developers to sink their teeth into

Windows Phone Mango ripe for developers to sink their teeth into originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Make XP Look Like Vista For FREE

This article was written on May 20, 2006 by CyberNet.

How To Make Your XP Machine Look Like Vista For FREE

Vista Transformation Pack 4.0 was just released and it does a great job of giving your XP machine the Vista look. In December last year Windows Blinds released a new version of their software that was designed to provide Windows XP with transparent effects, however, it wasn’t free. That is where the Vista Transformation Pack comes into play. It is free and does a great job of giving my machine a look similar to Vista. It doesn’t have the powerful transparency effects for every window (as seen on the window to the right in the screenshot above) but does have enough transparency to make me happy. The greatest thing is that it is free!

It does have uninstallation options in case you decide you want to get rid of it, so there really isn’t anything to lose. However, when you install the software it has to overwrite some system files (it modifies things like the boot screen) so Windows will prompt you stating that your system files have been changed. It will ask whether you want to change them back or leave them, so just leave them if you want the system to function properly.

The software is also nice because it allows you to choose what you want it to change. If you don’t want it to alter the boot screen then you just have to uncheck the “Boot Screen” box during installation (the boot screen is kinda ugly, see the screenshots link below). This is a very nice piece of software.

Update: Here are the steps you need to take to adjust the transparency of the windows:

  1. Right-click on the Glass2K icon in your system tray and select “Settings”. Now check to see what your keyboard shortcut is (I changed mine to be Ctrl + Shift).
  2. Open the window that you want to adjust the transparency of, like Windows Explorer or Notepad for example.
  3. Use the shortcut above in conjunction with a 0-9 number key. 0 means you want no transparency where 9 means you want the most transparency. If I wanted a window with no transparency I would press Ctrl+Shift+0.
  4. That’s all! I don’t believe there is a way you can do this for every application at one time so you will have to perform this for each application individually.

Download The Vista Transformation Pack (14.61MB via RapidShare)
Nice Screenshots
Forum Discussion

Update:
There is a newer version of the Vista Transformation Pack available here.
Update 2:
The newest WindowBlinds, version 6, will be making XP look eve more like Vista. While it does cost a little money the big benefit is that it supports blurring much like Vista’s Aero.

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Angry Birds lands on Windows Phone 7, ready to explore the third ecosystem

Nowadays, you can’t really claim to have a mobile OS worthy of the title if your users can’t run Angry Birds on it. Good news from Microsoft, then, as Windows Phone 7 can finally be admitted at the grown-up table now that it has released its port of Rovio’s epic bird-launching experience. $2.99 is the Marketplace price for the full version, though there’s also the option to try out the first few levels for free. Because, you know, there might still be people out there who haven’t yet been exposed to the charms of this perniciously addictive little game.

Continue reading Angry Birds lands on Windows Phone 7, ready to explore the third ecosystem

Angry Birds lands on Windows Phone 7, ready to explore the third ecosystem originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 03:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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