http://www.osnews.com/ Exploring the Future of Computing en-us Copyright 2001-2013, David Adams OSNews version 4 donotreply@osnews.com (Adam Scheinberg) donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Wed, 22 May 2013 07:27:51 GMT http://www.osnews.com/images/osnews.gif http://www.osnews.com/ 120 http://www.osnews.com/story/27054/A_sneak_peek_into_Windows_OS_with_Leap_Motion/ http://www.osnews.com/story/27054/A_sneak_peek_into_Windows_OS_with_Leap_Motion/ The Verge pointed me to a blog post by Leap Motion - which reveals how their Kinect-like motion control works with Windows 8. "From the second you plug in your Leap Motion Controller, you'll be able to browse the web and interact with your computer just by moving your hands and fingers in the air. With Leap Motion technology and Windows, you can do everything that's possible with multi-touch inputs - without actually touching anything. This also means that existing applications in Windows 7 and 8 will respond to your natural hand and finger movements. Soon, we'll show you how Leap Motion will work with Mac OS X." Quite cool. Mon, 20 May 2013 22:43:50 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 19 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News http://www.osnews.com/story/27029/Windows_8_1_will_be_free/ http://www.osnews.com/story/27029/Windows_8_1_will_be_free/ "Today at the JP Morgan Technology, Media & Telecom Conference in Boston, Tami Reller shared with the audience that the update previously referred to as 'Windows Blue' will be called Windows 8.1 and will be a free update to Windows 8 for consumers through the Windows Store." They really didn't have much of a choice, but good news anyway. Tue, 14 May 2013 17:38:46 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 68 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News lucas_maximus http://www.osnews.com/story/27024/Windows_8_New_Coke_/ http://www.osnews.com/story/27024/Windows_8_New_Coke_/ "Microsoft's communications chief has a tough job these days, and with Windows 8 is under attack from all sides he's bravely called for a return to the center and a less partisan conversation about the new OS. There's just one problem: The periodicals he’s called out for engaging in 'sensationalism and hyperbole' are in fact right about Microsoft's strategy. And ignoring that is the real problem." Sun, 12 May 2013 22:30:02 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 21 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News http://www.osnews.com/story/27023/Windows_slower_than_other_operating_systems_/ http://www.osnews.com/story/27023/Windows_slower_than_other_operating_systems_/ "Windows is indeed slower than other operating systems in many scenarios, and the gap is worsening." That's one way to start an insider explanation of why Windows' performance isn't up to snuff. Written by someone who actually contributes code to the Windows NT kernel, the comment on Hacker News, later deleted but reposted with permission on Marc Bevand's blog, paints a very dreary picture of the state of Windows development. The root issue? Think of how Linux is developed, and you'll know the answer. Sat, 11 May 2013 21:41:19 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 220 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News http://www.osnews.com/story/27015/Blue_Microsoft_promises_changes_based_on_feedback/ http://www.osnews.com/story/27015/Blue_Microsoft_promises_changes_based_on_feedback/ "After acknowledging its Windows Blue codename publicly in March, Microsoft is getting closer to revealing all about the upcoming Windows 8 update. In an interview with The Verge this week, Microsoft's Windows CFO Tami Reller provided some details on where the company is heading with its Blue project." Tue, 07 May 2013 22:46:32 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 89 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News http://www.osnews.com/story/27003/Microsoft_goes_mainstream_to_win_phone_share/ http://www.osnews.com/story/27003/Microsoft_goes_mainstream_to_win_phone_share/ "Microsoft's phone chief hates to call the new Nokia Lumia 521 cheap, but the lower-priced smartphone launching in the United States is the company's boldest move yet to win mass market share from leaders Apple and Samsung. The world's largest software company has so far focused on putting its Windows Phone software into expensive, high-end devices - chiefly from Nokia and HTC. But the new model will go on sale at Walmart later this month at an unsubsidized price under $150, relatively cheap for a new phone running up-to-date software without a long-term contract." Windows Phone is racing to the bottom just as fast as Android - with the difference being that expensive Android devices do not fail to sell. Fri, 03 May 2013 18:27:26 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 46 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News http://www.osnews.com/story/26968/Windows_8_1_set_to_bring_back_the_Start_button/ http://www.osnews.com/story/26968/Windows_8_1_set_to_bring_back_the_Start_button/ The Verge confirms an earlier story by Mary Jo Foley. "Microsoft is preparing to revive the traditional Start button it killed with Windows 8. Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans have revealed to The Verge that Windows 8.1 will include the return of the Start button. We understand that the button will act as a method to simply access the Start Screen, and will not include the traditional Start Menu. The button is said to look near-identical to the existing Windows flag used in the Charm bar." Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:10:57 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 49 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News http://www.osnews.com/story/26964/What_a_Windows_8_U-turn_will_mean_for_the_PC/ http://www.osnews.com/story/26964/What_a_Windows_8_U-turn_will_mean_for_the_PC/ "Many PC OEMs are dissatisfied with what Microsoft has done with Windows 8 and the way the company has handled the negative response to the operating system. Privately, one OEM source told me that Microsoft is 'destroying' the PC industry, while another claimed that Windows 8 has 'handed over millions of customers to Apple'. Other OEMs are making their displeasure known publicly. Both Lenovo and Samsung have released Start button replacements for Windows 8." Windows Phone isn't the only thing not catching on. I'm really happy with my Surface RT - warts and all - but there's no denying the response to Windows 8 has been Vista-esque bad. Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:31:12 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 51 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News http://www.osnews.com/story/26954/Microsoft_iOS_running_of_steam_Android_is_a_mess_/ http://www.osnews.com/story/26954/Microsoft_iOS_running_of_steam_Android_is_a_mess_/ Microsoft's Terry Myerson, corporate vice president of Windows Phone, talks about the competition. "With iPhone, I sense that it's running out of steam. With iOS, [Apple] just added a fifth row of icons. Android is... kind of a mess. Look at Samsung - there's clearly mutiny going on. The only OEM making money off of Android is Samsung." There's truth to all these statements, which makes it all the more surprising that Microsoft appears to be unable to properly capitalise on them. Sure, WP appears to be doing well in a few select markets, but by no means the kind of success Microsoft and (Nokia) was banking on. Microsoft will pull through. Nokia on the other hand... Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:37:22 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 109 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News http://www.osnews.com/story/26952/Windows_8_1_to_include_boot_to_desktop_setting/ http://www.osnews.com/story/26952/Windows_8_1_to_include_boot_to_desktop_setting/ This is interesting. "Microsoft is planning to change the way its Start Screen operates with the release of Windows 8.1. Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans have revealed to The Verge that the company is currently testing builds of Windows 8.1, known as codename Windows Blue, that include an option to boot directly to the traditional desktop. We're told that the option is disabled by default, allowing users to simply turn on the functionality should they want to avoid the 'Metro' Start Screen at initial boot or login." This won't disable Metro; the hot corners, task switching, and everything else that makes up Metro is still there. All this does is load up the classic desktop as the first application upon boot. Update: The Start button might be returning too. Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:43:39 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 38 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News http://www.osnews.com/story/26948/The_problem_with_Metro/ http://www.osnews.com/story/26948/The_problem_with_Metro/ You can say what you will about Windows Phone and Windows 8's Metro interface (I refuse to drop that name) - it's inefficient, unpopular, cumbersome, beautiful, ugly, organised, clean, limiting - but there's one thing we can all agree on: it's unique and distinctive. CNet has published a profile of Microsoft's Albert Shum, the man behind Metro, and he highlights what I think is at the very core of Microsoft's problems in mobile right now. Sun, 14 Apr 2013 18:22:56 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 81 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News MOS6510 http://www.osnews.com/story/26937/What_Microsoft_could_learn_from_the_Google_Play_update/ http://www.osnews.com/story/26937/What_Microsoft_could_learn_from_the_Google_Play_update/ "Google announced an update to its Google Play mobile app on Android - its online store for apps, music, books, magazines, movies and TV shows - today, one that is aimed at cleaning up the UI and optimizing it for different device types. It's a model of clarity and discoverability, not to mention scalability, features that are sorely lacking in Microsoft's Windows Store." As a Surface RT owner, I couldn't agree more with Paul Thurrott. Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:40:31 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 16 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News http://www.osnews.com/story/26899/Where_are_Windows_Phones_outselling_iPhones_/ http://www.osnews.com/story/26899/Where_are_Windows_Phones_outselling_iPhones_/ "According to Kevin Restivo, an analyst at IDC, the countries where Windows Phone shipments exceeded those of iPhone during the fourth quarter were: Argentina, India, Poland, Russia, South Africa and Ukraine. A seventh 'country' where Windows Phone shipments beat iPhone is actually a group of smaller countries, including Croatia, that IDC lumps together in a category called 'rest of central and eastern Europe'." Not bad. Unsurprisingly, these are Nokia countries. Wed, 27 Mar 2013 23:33:31 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 42 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News http://www.osnews.com/story/26898/Microsoft_endlessly_disappoints_with_new_WP8_applications/ http://www.osnews.com/story/26898/Microsoft_endlessly_disappoints_with_new_WP8_applications/ "Microsoft has breathlessly announced several new game titles for Windows Phone 8. And once again, Redmond continues to disappoint." I'm lucky not to require too many applications, but this article still hits nails on heads. Wed, 27 Mar 2013 22:48:26 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 13 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News http://www.osnews.com/story/26891/Windows_8_built-in_application_updates_due_Tuesday/ http://www.osnews.com/story/26891/Windows_8_built-in_application_updates_due_Tuesday/ Tom Warren at The Verge details that, yes, we're getting a major update to the communication applications in Windows 8 tonight or tomorrow, and there's some definitively good stuff in there, such as much-needed performance improvements, lots of new functionality for the currently abysmal Mail application, and more. Sadly, the update does not include support for CalDAV and CardDAV, and it actually removes Google sync support for Calendar. Google is already moving to its Google Calendar API, though, so maybe Microsoft will just skip CalDAV altogether. Seems like a solid set of updates, to hit your Windows 8 machine any moment now. Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:50:54 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom Holwerda) Windows 5 http://www.osnews.com/topics/37 News