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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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.

Permalink BetaNews  |  sourceGartner  | Email this | Comments

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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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Apr 28

Stick: Launch Applications, Manage Files, and Take Notes

Posted in: Freeware, Software, Today's Chili, Windows

This article was written on February 25, 2010 by CyberNet.

stick tabs.png

arrow Windows Windows only arrow
I’m always on the lookout for unique apps, and Stick is one of those that is unlike most others. Some may say it’s an application launcher or even a note taker, but it really just comes down to what you decide to use it for.

Stick lets you create tabs along the edge of your screen… as many as you want. They can be placed along any edge, and they snap to the edge of your Taskbar when the two are placed on the same side. What makes these tabs interesting, however, is the functional variety they can serve up:

  • Calculator – A basic calculator
  • Calendar – A simply formatted monthly or weekly calendar
  • Explorer (both files and Internet) – Display the contents of a specific folder or a website
  • News Feed – You can combine any number of RSS feeds into a single tab
  • Notes – Each note tab is saved to an individual text file on your machine
  • TaskBar – View all running applications, and switch between them

My favorites are definitely the “explorer” and “notes” tabs. The explorer tab is nice because you can specify a starting directory, but when expanded it actually behaves like the native Windows Explorer app. It has your standard back/forward buttons, supports IE favorites, and even has drag-and-drop functionality. Yes, you can actually drag a file from your desktop into any folder you can see within the tab. Or you can go even further and drill into directories to find exactly what you’re looking for. If you right-click on an item you’ll also notice that you’ve got the full Explorer context menu at your disposal, which means you can easily extract those pesky files you download.

stick notes.png

The notes tabs are really nice because each one gets tied to a text file on your machine. This will especially compliment you nicely if you’re already using a text file for your todo list. It also has some WordPad-style formatting options (bold, italic, alignment, color, etc…). It’s not extravagant, but it’s a great way to keep those frequently used text files just a mouse click away.

In terms of memory usage I’d say it runs pretty light. I added one of every different kind of tab, and it was sitting a hair under 20MB. I can definitely spare that for the quick access this provides to my most used folders and text files.

Stick Homepage (Windows only; Freeware)

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Apr 28

Stardock DeskScapes Extends the Vista DreamScene

Posted in: Software, Today's Chili, Windows, Windows Vista

This article was written on February 14, 2007 by CyberNet.

Yesterday Microsoft released the pre-release of DreamScene as part of the Ultimate Extras that Vista Ultimate users have the capability to use. It’s one of those “wow” factors that a lot of people will probably be impressed with. You could take it and use it for it’s face value, or you could dive in and try out DeskScapes which extends the Windows DreamScene and adds more capability.

DeskScapes was created by Stardock who was contracted by Microsoft to work with them on the animated wallpaper feature. Stardock were actually the ones that created the default wallpapers that you’ll find with the DreamScene. While they were at it, they created the program DreamScapes which is free, and supports the new .DREAM format (which supports dynamic content instead of video, generated dynamically). According to the official news release, the program extends the DreamScene to include dynamic/live content, and triggers.  These triggers could be used to change videos when the weather changes.

The graph below shows you what Windows DreamScene can do, and what Stardock DeskScapes adds to the feature. Remember, it’s not a replacement for DreamScene, rather it just adds more capability.

The WinCustomize forum has a great post detailing all of the enhancements which you can visit for all of the details, I’ll just point out some of the highlights.

  1. Dynamic Wallpaper: Create your own dynamic, animated wallpaper (or download one from the gallery).  The image below was taken from the WinCustomize forum, and it just gives a glimpse at what you could do.  The World actually rotates in real-time.
      
  2.  Triggers: Using triggers, you can set different conditions. The example they give is: IF time is morning, then play wallpaper A, IF Time is afternoon, play wallpaper B, etc. So based upon the time of the day, you could have your wallpaper change, and you’d be able to set a variety of conditions. The image below is just a basic example of a trigger you could do:

 

They have a gallery that will contain a list of some of the “Dreams” people have created using “Dream Maker” which you can download. There’s not much to choose from yet, but you can expect over time that it will fill up. If by chance you decide to create a Dream and submit it to the gallery, you’ll be given credit so that people will know who created it.

So, in a nutshell, DeskScapes was created by Stardock. It extends the capabilities of Windows DreamScene which can be downloaded and used by Windows Vista Ultimate users. You can create your own Dream for your use, and to share with others using Dream Maker. Both DeskScapes and Dream Maker are free. Enjoy!

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Apr 27

Windows 8 settings page suggests tablet compatibility, embraces Metro scrollbars (video)

Posted in: arm, leak, Microsoft, operating system, OperatingSystem, os, tablet, Today's Chili, video, Windows, windows 8, Windows8
Latest Windows 8 settings page hints at tablet compatibility, Metro scrollbars? (video)

We’re still waiting for Microsoft to blow us away with its strategy for tablet domination but, thanks to the latest build of Windows 8 to drip through onto the internets, we have yet another indicator that the company’s hopes rely on that OS. Of course we already know that it’ll run on ARM processors, and now we have a look at a set of settings that have strong tablet implications. On display in the video below (and the picture above) are toggles for mobile broadband, Bluetooth, and GPS. Sure, laptops have those too, but here it’s all presented with a Metro flair that, frankly, looks like a real chore to manage with a mouse. (Just look at those scrollbars!) But, with a 16:9 screen and gesture swiping, maybe it’ll all come together. Meanwhile, WinRumors is reporting that there will be six separate flavors of Windows 8 and that tablets are actually quite far along, again pointing to a Q1 2012 release at the latest. Yes, we’re already looking forward to next year’s CES, aren’t you?

Continue reading Windows 8 settings page suggests tablet compatibility, embraces Metro scrollbars (video)

Windows 8 settings page suggests tablet compatibility, embraces Metro scrollbars (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 07:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Microsoft News  |  sourceCompixels, WinRumors  | Email this | Comments

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Apr 27

Windows Live Messenger Now Updates via Windows Update

Posted in: Software, Today's Chili, Windows

This article was written on June 22, 2007 by CyberNet.

Use Windows Live Messenger? Now you’ll receive your updates for Messenger via Windows Updates.  You may have noticed the Windows Update icon in your taskbar today. Click on it, and you’ll see the update for Messenger 8.5 beta.  This is the first time that Microsoft has taken this route to distribute updates for Messenger.

I have to say, it is a really convenient way to get updates.  Nothing was changed with this version of Messenger because it was released so that they could test the process of updating Messenger via Microsoft Updates. It appears to have worked well! The screenshot below shows what it will look like when you open up Windows Updates:

Messengerupdate

This made me think about Windows Updates and if it could be used for non-Microsoft updates.  What if during the installation process of any program, like Firefox, it asks you if you’d like to allow the program to update via Windows Updates. When there was an update available, Microsoft could have a database of reputable companies so that they could check and see if you’d be updating from a trusted source. If it was trusted, you’d automatically receive the update. If it wasn’t, Microsoft could warn of a potential problem and allow you to continue at your own risk.

They always say that people need to get better about downloading the latest versions of all their software for security purposes, and using Windows Updates to provide them isn’t such a bad idea.

Sources: LiveSide and Windows Vista Blog

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Apr 26

Sony teases ‘Freestyle Hybrid PC’ tablet slider and next-gen ultra-portable laptop

Posted in: laptop, notebook, PC, portable, slider, sony, teaser, Today's Chili, ultraportable, vaio, Windows

We’re not sure how this slipped past us at the Sony Android tablet event, but turns out the electronics giant also teased a couple of interesting VAIO laptops. First up is a “Freestyle Hybrid PC” that slides between tablet mode and laptop mode — very much like the Samsung Sliding PC, but with a seemingly slimmer bottom-half sans trackpad (though we can just about spot a pointing stick on the keyboard). No word on specs, prices, or availability here, but you may recall our proven tipster mentioning a 9.4-inch screen and a $799 launch in the fall. Could this be it? We shall see.

Also shown alongside is a swanky “Ultimate Mobile PC” — pictured after the break — with a hint of USB 3.0 and HDMI on a slim body, but again, there’s not much else to go with this slide. Hey, at least we now know it’s time to start saving up for these bad boys.

Continue reading Sony teases ‘Freestyle Hybrid PC’ tablet slider and next-gen ultra-portable laptop

Sony teases ‘Freestyle Hybrid PC’ tablet slider and next-gen ultra-portable laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 01:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Netbook News  |  sourcePC Watch  | Email this | Comments

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Apr 26

Sony teases ‘Freestyle Hybird PC’ tablet slider and next-gen ultra-portable laptop

Posted in: laptop, notebook, PC, portable, slider, sony, teaser, Today's Chili, ultraportable, vaio, Windows

We’re not sure how this slipped past us at the Sony Android tablet event, but turns out the electronics giant also teased a couple of interesting VAIO laptops. First up is a “Freestyle Hybrid PC” that slides between tablet mode and laptop mode — very much like the Samsung Sliding PC, but with a seemingly slimmer bottom-half sans trackpad (though we can just about spot a pointing stick on the keyboard). No word on specs, prices, or availability here, but you may recall our proven tipster mentioning a 9.4-inch screen and a $799 launch in the fall. Could this be it? We shall see.

Also shown alongside is a swanky “Ultimate Mobile PC” — pictured after the break — with a hint of USB 3.0 and HDMI on a slim body, but again, there’s not much else to go with this slide. Hey, at least we now know it’s time to start saving up for these bad boys.

Continue reading Sony teases ‘Freestyle Hybird PC’ tablet slider and next-gen ultra-portable laptop

Sony teases ‘Freestyle Hybird PC’ tablet slider and next-gen ultra-portable laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 01:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Netbook News  |  sourcePC Watch  | Email this | Comments

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Apr 25

Is this the Future of Windows?

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

This article was written on May 03, 2007 by CyberNet.

We all like to know what the future has in store for technology, and I came across a video that demonstrates what Microsoft has planned for real-time collaboration. With services like Google Docs that support collaboration, there is no doubt that this will only become more advanced as time goes on.

Here’s the video demonstration (6 minutes and 44 seconds long):

Microsoft 2010The movie was actually produced in 2005 to showcase what Windows could be like in 2010. Now that we are 2–years later it is tough to imagine that collaboration will have advanced that far, but I guess the future of Windows is really in Microsoft’s hands.

There were really two things that I found interesting in the elaborate demonstration that they put together. Both are pictured to the right, and the top one confirms what people thought Microsoft would be going towards…pie menus! Those are menus that popup when you click on the screen, and they offer all of the available options in a circular fashion. It is a lot nicer having everything located immediately surrounding your cursor instead of having to move the mouse a long ways in order to find the option you’re looking for.

The bottom screenshot looks to be what our future desktop could look like, and unless it is hidden I don’t see a Start Menu/Taskbar. Of course this is just a mockup so I’m sure it is missing a lot of the functionality and features that Windows would actually have.

I’ve learned to take these demos with a grain of salt though after what Vista should have been:

Source: I Started Something

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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