May 04

16GB Zune HD drops to $169, edging closer to EOL?

Posted in: Microsoft, Today's Chili, windows phone 7, WindowsPhone7, Wp7, zune, zune hd, ZuneHd


With Windows Phone 7 offering full Zune functionality and then some, the new mobile OS has clearly created a surplus of lower-capacity Zune HD devices, causing Microsoft to respond with a rather significant price drop. Typically, a discount would indicate an imminent refresh, but we doubt that’s the case here. The 16GB Zune HD has shaved off $30, to $169.99, and you can now grab the 32GB version for $199.99 — the same price you would have paid for the 16 gig before the drop, and nearly $100 less than the $299 you’ll spend on a 32GB iPod touch. The 64GB model is holding fast at $349.99, but with a $70 plunge on the mid-capacity model, you might have just enough cash left over for that tattoo you’ve always dreamed of.

[Thanks, Daniel]

16GB Zune HD drops to $169, edging closer to EOL? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 May 2011 09:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 03

Microsoft Launches Preview of Task Market to “Get More Done”

Posted in: Microsoft, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on May 30, 2008 by CyberNet.

Have you ever been working in Excel and you knew there was a complex formula you could use to makes things easier but you just couldn’t think of (or didn’t know) how to do it? Or maybe you were designing a brochure and you needed some help with the graphics or formatting. Where would you go to get the help for either of those situations and would it be worth paying for? Microsoft is hoping you’ll turn to their new Task Market, a site currently in the “Preview” stage that will allow people who have a task they need to accomplish, find people that will be able to help them with those tasks. In a way it reminds me of the former Google Answers and Rentacoder.com, both sites that accept(ed) money from people who need(ed) to get something done with the help of someone else.

The key things that tasks have on the Task Market site include:

  • something that can be done for $20 to $500
  • something that the task poster could use help doing
  • something that can be delivered electronically, like a Microsoft Office document

If you take a look at the site found at www.taskmarket.com, you’ll notice that it’s actually got a pretty nice interface, and it’s easy to find jobs, post jobs, and if you’re working on completing jobs, viewing the ones that you’ve accepted.

Task Market.png

Microsoft says,

For every person who throws up both hands at the prospect of creating a complex formula in Microsoft Excel, somewhere in the world there’s another person who can make it look easy. For every poor proofreader, there’s an expert one out there who wouldn’t mind making a few extra dollars. For every small business owner who doesn’t have time to do background research on a new business prospect, there’s a talented researcher who could quickly put together a dossier.

The big idea with Task Market is this: create a viable market to get them together and things get done.

Those people who are “solvers” are able to create profiles that list the skills that they have and when someone posts a task that needs to be completed that fills their skill-set, they’ll receive an email. Each member on the site, both those who post and solve jobs, have a “reputation”, a system based on five stars where people can rate the jobs that they posted, and those that they solved. For task solvers, their profile will display how long it typically takes them to solve a job.

Because it has just launched into a preview, there are not too many jobs available(it’s free to post a job) but with time, we think this could turn into a place where people will willingly go, to get help with what they need. It could also be a great place for those who have the skills, to make some extra money.

Go check it out and let us know what you think. It’s at www.taskmarket.com.

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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May 03

Latest Windows 8 leaks reveal cloud-based settings, more app store evidence

Posted in: AppStore, cloud, leak, Microsoft, operating system, OperatingSystem, os, Today's Chili, Windows, windows 8, Windows8
We’re sure Microsoft is going to announce some more official details about Windows 8 one of these days, but until then we’ll just have to make do with the seemingly unending stream of tidbits being unearthed from the leaked version of the OS. Most notably, this latest batch includes the most conclusive evidence yet of a Windows 8 app store, including the logo pictured above, and a slew of other references at the code level — things like the ability to download a trial app and then unlock the full version (rather than re-download it), for instance, and the existence of things like screenshots and system requirements in the app store listings. Another recent leak has also revealed some new cloud-based settings options that could let you take your desktop profile and other personalizations from one computer to another, and even give you the ability to sync apps from that aforementioned Windows Store between PCs. All that, plus support for 3D displays and WiFi Direct. Hit up the links below for some additional details.

Latest Windows 8 leaks reveal cloud-based settings, more app store evidence originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 16:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Geek.com, Electronista  |  sourceMSWin.me, Windows 8 Italia (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

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May 03

Microsoft and BlackBerry Team Up to Battle Google Search

Posted in: BlackBerry, Microsoft, nokia, Phones, RIM, steve ballmer, Today's Chili

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer talks about the future of Windows at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2011. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com

Microsoft has announced a partnership with Research In Motion. No, it’s not the end of the world — yet.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took the stage at RIM’s BlackBerry World on Tuesday to deliver the news: Microsoft’s Bing will be the new default tool for web search and map navigation on future BlackBerry devices.

“We’re going to invest uniquely into the BlackBerry platform,” Ballmer said at the conference. “I’ve never been more excited about where our future is going.”

Clearly, with the new search agreement, the two tech giants have their targets locked on Google.

The BlackBerry-Bing partnership marks the second major alliance that Microsoft has formed this year to strengthen its position in the mobile game. Previously, Microsoft and Nokia in February announced a partnership in which they agreed to ship future Nokia smartphones with Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 7 operating system. The alliance symbolizes a radical break from the past, with Nokia laying to rest the Symbian operating system that it’s shipped on smartphones for several years.

Microsoft, Nokia and RIM each face shriveling market share in the mobile game. And perhaps to these companies, teaming up is the only way to prevent Apple and Google from completely gobbling up the mobile industry with their iOS and Android platforms, respectively.

Still, RIM’s partnership with Microsoft is bizarre. RIM has steadfastly shipped smartphones with its own proprietary operating system, without much meddling from third parties.

“Steve Ballmer at BlackBerry World?” said Michael Gartenberg, a Gartner analyst attending the BlackBerry conference. “It’s like being transported to an alternate universe.”

“It shows when it comes to mobile search, the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Gartenberg added.

Though a search engine is just one component of a mobile experience, the BlackBerry-Bing alliance is a sign that Microsoft and RIM are aiming to pare down some of Google’s dominance, particularly in the search game.

Bing already has seen substantial growth in recent months. Microsoft in April surpassed a milestone with Bing powering 30 percent of all U.S. searches, according to research firm Hitwise. Incidentally, Google in March lost 3 percent of its search share, with 64 percent of U.S. searches.

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May 03

Microsoft’s home of the future lulls teens to sleep with tweets (video)

Posted in: Microsoft, Today's Chili, twitter, video
Microsoft Home

Microsoft Home is a sort of “world of tomorrow” for the computer nerd set where Surface takes the place of video phones and dinner pills. The only difference is that, unlike those World’s Fair staples, Redmond’s vision of the not-so-distant future isn’t open to the public. This is a private testing ground where researchers can try out concepts, like a watch that records health data and syncs it with your home network or a media center that can analyze video and identify products and locations featured on screen. You might not be able to swing by the campus and visit, but you can catch a glimpse of suburban life in 2025 — populated by touchscreen wireless charging trays and interactive walls — in the video after the break. We’ll take it all, except the wallpaper — we don’t need #winning tweets floating overhead while we try to get some shut-eye.

[Thanks, Vygantas]

Continue reading Microsoft’s home of the future lulls teens to sleep with tweets (video)

Microsoft’s home of the future lulls teens to sleep with tweets (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 11:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink WinBeta  |  sourceChannel 9  | Email this | Comments

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May 03

BlackBerry to integrate Bing services at the OS level

Posted in: BlackBerry, breaking news, Microsoft, partnership, RIM, search, Today's Chili
Steve Ballmer made an appearance today at BlackBerry World 2011 and after briefly pimping Windows Phone live on stage, announced a partnership between Microsoft and RIM to integrate Bing into BlackBerry products. In addition to making Bing the default search and map provider for all BlackBerry devices going forward, the services will be added at the OS level instead of being bundled as a series of apps. This will provide features ranging from voice and location-aware search to panorama stitching. It also suggests that we’ll likely see another iteration of the BlackBerry OS beyond version 7 — based on QNX, perhaps? — sometime before the holidays.

BlackBerry to integrate Bing services at the OS level originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 09:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 03

1 Million Copies of Safari for Windows Downloaded

Posted in: Apple, Microsoft, Screenshots, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on June 15, 2007 by CyberNet.

It’s been just four days since the public could get their hands on Safari for Windows.  Ryan reviewed Safari earlier this week and noted the features that it has to offer, as well as some of its shortcomings including security concerns.

Yesterday Apple announced that during the first 48 hours since it was available, more than 1 million copies of Safari were downloaded. That is pretty impressive considering some of the bad rap that it’s gotten. Perhaps it’s because this was an unexpected move from Apple which generated a lot of buzz, and so everybody wanted to check it out to see what it’s all about?

Apple sounded pretty happy with the number of downloads, but I’m not sure whether that number is a good or bad thing. There have been many problems with it already, and now one million people have already formed their opinion of the browser and may not be willing to go back and try it again after Apple corrects the problems and releases it out of beta.

I’m sure there are also many curious developers who wanted to get their hands on it, which is beneficial to Apple anyways. The more developers that start working with it, the more applications we’ll see made available for the iPhone which Apple is betting on to be the breadwinner.

Apple has already released an updated version, Beta 3.0.1. that includes security improvements. If you haven’t yet downloaded it, or you’d like to get the updated version, you can download that here. (Thanks for the tip Cory!)

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Apr 30

Shocker! Microsoft commands 79 percent of worldwide OS revenue (update)

Posted in: Apple, Linux, mac os x, MacOsX, market share, marketshare, Microsoft, operating system, OperatingSystem, os, statistics, stats, Today's Chili, Windows
Everyone knows that Windows is installed on the vast majority of computers, but it’s always interesting to be reminded of what a cash cow the OS has been for Redmond. According to Gartner, Microsoft owned 78.6 percent of the global market revenue share for desktop operating systems at the end of 2010 — revenue up almost 9 percent from 2009. That means, of the $30.4 billion in revenue that various companies generated, $23.8 billion lined Microsoft’s coffers. But while Windows remains the kingpin, Mac OS X and — wait for it — Red Hat, posted more substantial gains. Apple’s market revenue shot up almost 16 percent to 1.7 percent, Red Hat surged 18 percent, while dark horse Oracle leaped from ninth place to fourth, with a 7,683 percent growth in income — no small thanks to its 2009 acquisition of Sun Microsystems. Only one question remains, then — who’s the loser here?

Update: Looks like we got this one wrong, folks, as it’s not market share that’s being measured here, but rather revenue share — how much money each company made from its operating systems relative to one another. That means companies that price their operating systems cheaper will be at a disadvantage in the rankings, not to mention those organizations that charge nothing at all — Ubuntu, anyone? Oh, and as some of you have pointed out in comments, there are both desktop and server operating systems in the chart above.

Continue reading Shocker! Microsoft commands 79 percent of worldwide OS revenue (update)

Shocker! Microsoft commands 79 percent of worldwide OS revenue (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Apr 2011 15:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 29

Microsoft launches API Mapping tool to help devs point iPhone apps at WP7 libs

Posted in: developer, developers, ios, iPhone, Microsoft, sdk, Today's Chili, windows phone, windows phone 7, WindowsPhone, WindowsPhone7, Wp7
Microsoft launches API Mapping tool to help iPhone devs point their apps to WP7 libraries

If you’ve spent much time coding in a development environment that has buttons, you know that Microsoft’s tools are among the best. In the spirit of helping developers (developers, developers) find their way to its mobile platform of choice, the company has launched the API Mapping tool for iPhone. Basically, it’s a utility that will look at the calls your iOS app’s code is making and help you find a new home for them in .Net’s ample libraries. Microsoft is also providing documentation to help with the porting and, we hear, asking really, really nicely that you consider Windows Phone for your next project.

Microsoft launches API Mapping tool to help devs point iPhone apps at WP7 libs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 29

Windows 8: 7 Things We Know For Sure [Windows 8]

Posted in: arm, Microsoft, Today's Chili, top, Windows, windows 8

Pre-release versions of Windows 8 have leaked to the web. Here’s what they tell us about the upcoming OS. More »

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