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For Malaysia Bringing Google Apps and Chromebooks to the classroom

2013-05-18T10:32:00.001+05:30

This week at #io13 we talked about how technology is transforming education. Chromebooks are now used in 3,000+ schools worldwide, and we announced Google Play for Education, a new destination for schools to find great educational content in +Google Play: http://goo.gl/ybU9f
For another look at how Google products are making an impact in schools, watch our video about how the Malaysian government is bringing Google Apps and Chromebooks to their education system.

For Malaysia: Bringing Google Apps and Chromebooks to the classroom

Google+ Lunches I/O today Auto Awesome Photos

2013-05-16T07:48:00.001+05:30

Photos have always been at the center of the Google+ experience and at I/O today, Google announce a major update to Google+ Photos that now makes use of the many of the tools the company acquired when it bought Nik Software last September. The focus of this update is squarely on automating a lot of the photo editing and sharing process. Google+ can now, for example, automatically enhance the tonal distribution in an image, soften skin, sharpen certain parts of an image and remove noise – and all of those computations happen in the cloud.

As Google’s Vic Gundotra told us before the event (and reiterated today), “you don’t take a photograph, you make it.” Users spend thousand of dollars to make photos great, he noted, but photography is still labor intensive and organizing photos is often still a hassle. “It takes time, and most of don’t have the time,” Gundotra said. But what if Google’s data centers could be your darkroom?

So what if Google could automatically fix your image sand pick the best ones and highlight them automatically? That’s another new feature the company is launching today. The system can now analyze your images and kick out blurry photos, duplicates, images with bad exposure (which it will try to fix). It can also recognize good images with certain landmarks, for example, and detect faces and see if people are smiling and/or of those people are in your Google+ circles. It will also try to make some decision based on aesthetics. What used to take hours of work, Gundotra said, now happens automatically in the cloud and take seconds.

Using all of this, the system can make greenery pop, soften skin tones, clean up the color of the water and apply local enhancement to contrast and other features automatically. It can also automatically remove red eyes. Users can, of course, apply all of these enhancements separately as well.

The original images, of course, always remain untouched and users can easily toggle back and forth between the enhanced version and the original.

Now that Google offers everybody 15GB of free storage, users an also upload 15GB worth of full-size images to Google+ Photos. In addition, the autobackup feature provides unlimited storage space for photos at sized under 2048px.

Auto Awesome

In today’s age of animated GIFs, the Google+ team also decided to get in on the game – but with a twist. The system – which is apparently called “Awesome” – can automatically detect when an image is part of a series and stitch it together in one image or an animated GIF. “If we detect that you took a series of photos, in burst mode or otherwise, we can stitch them together,” Gundotra told us. To recognize these images, the system does a bit of analysis to make sure the background hasn’t moved.

This is about more than animated GIFs, though. This new feature – which Google calls “auto awesome” – can also automatically create a group photo from a series of photos and pick the one where everybody is smiling. It can stitch together landscape photos to create panoramas and create HDR images from a series of photos where it detects bracketed exposures. All of this happens extremely fast, too, thanks to the power of Google’s data centers.

All of these features are going live today and Google has already gone back and created “awesome” images for all of your existing photos in Google+.

Tags: google i/o, google, photos, googleio2013, io2013

Google launches Siri rival for iPhone, iPad

2013-04-30T15:50:00.001+05:30

SAN FRANCISCO: Siri may be feeling a little job insecurity. The sometimes droll assistant that answers questions and helps people manage their lives on Apple's iPhone and iPad is facing competition from an up-and-coming rival made by Google.
The duel began with the release of a free iPhone and iPad app that features Google Now, a technology that performs many of the same functions as Siri.
It's the first time that Google Now has been available on smartphones and tablet computers that aren't running on the latest version of Google's Android software. The technology, which debuted nine months ago, is being included in an upgrade to Google's search application for iOS, the Apple software that powers the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. It's up to each user to decide whether to activate Google Now within the redesigned Google Search app, which is available through Apple's app store.
Siri tried to dismiss the competitive threat. When asked for an opinion about Google Now, Siri responded: "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather Google later."
Mike Allton, a St. Charles, resident who has owned an iPhone for four years, could hardly wait to check out Google Now, even if Siri might interpret it as a betrayal.
Siri "is looking a little green with envy," Allton, 36, said with a laugh after he installed Google's new app. "I love Apple products, but I like to see the competition because it probably will lead to even more improvements. I believe this technology is going to be even more deeply ingrained in our lives a few years from now."
Other iPhone users - even those who have grown fond of Siri - welcomed Google Now's arrival toiOS in mostly enthusiastic and sometimes amusing remarks posted on Twitter and Google Plus. One person joked that Google Now is so helpful that the technology prompted him to wash his hands after using the bathroom. The biggest gripe was about the possibility of Google Now's location-tracking features draining a device's battery more quickly.
Google Now's invasion of Siri's turf marks Google Inc.'s latest attempt to lure iPhone and iPad users away from a service that Apple built into its own devices.
Google quickly won over millions of iPhone users in December when it released a mapping application to replace the navigation system that Apple dumped when it redesigned iOS last fall. Apple's maps application proved to be inferior to Google's ousted service. The app's bugs and glitches made Apple the butt of jokes and fueled demand for Google to develop a new option.
Apple has been losing to Google on other fronts in a rapidly growing mobile computing market, an arena that was revolutionized with the iPhone's release in 2007. Smartphones and tablet computers running Google's free Android software have been steadily expanding their market share in recent years, partly because they tend to be less expensive than the iPhone and iPad. In 2012, Android devices held about 69 per cent of the smartphone market while iOS had about 19 percent, according to the research firm IDC.
Android's success has been particularly galling for Apple because its late CEO, Steve Jobs, believed Google stole many of its ideas for the software from the iPhone. That led to a series of court battles over allegations of patent infringement, including a high-profile trial last year that culminated in Apple winning hundreds of millions in damages from Samsung Electronics, the top seller of Android phones. That dispute is still embroiled in appeals.
The rise of Android also is squeezing Apple's profit margins and has contributed to a nearly 40 per cent drop in the company's stock price since it peaked at $705.07 last September around the time that the iPhone 5 came out.
Android's popularity is good news for Google because the company's services are built into most versions of the operating system. That brings more traffic to Google services, creating more opportunities for the company to sell ads - the main source of Google's revenue.
Siri is billed by Apple as an "intelligent feature." Since the technology's release in October 2011, Apple has made it a centerpiece of some marketing campaigns that depict Siri and its automated female voice as an endearing and occasionally even pithy companion.
Google believes its Siri counterpart is smarter because Google Now is designed to learn about a user's preferences and then provide helpful information before it's even asked to do so. The technology draws upon information that Google gleans from search requests other interactions with the company's other services. Knowing a person's location also helps Google Now serve up helpful information without being asked.
"This concept of predicting your needs and showing you them at the right time is unique to Google Now," said Baris Gultekin, Google Now's director of product management. "We want computers to do the hard work so our users can focus on what matters to them so they can get on with their lives."
If the technology is working right, Google Now is supposed to do things like automatically tell people what the local weather is like when they wake up to help decide what to wear and provide a report on traffic conditions for the commute to work. During the day, Google Now might provide an update on the score of a user's favorite sports team or a stock quote of a company in a user's investment portfolio. On a Friday evening, Google Now might offer suggestions for movies to see or other weekend events tailored to a user's interests. For international travelers, Google Now might provide currency conversion rates, language translations of common phrases and the time back home.
Most of this automatic information is provided in summaries that Google calls "cards." Like Siri, Google Now also is equipped with voice technology that allows it to respond to questions and interact with users, though it hasn't shown the wit that delights some of Siri's users.
The Google Now app for iOS isn't as comprehensive as the Android app, which only works on devices running on the latest version of Android - known as "Jelly Bean." Some of the Android features missing from Google Now's iOS app include cards for showing airline boarding passes and movie tickets bought though online vendor Fandango. Both of those options are available on the iOS through Apple's built-in Passbook feature that's designed to be a digital wallet.
Google Now's expansion on to the iOS underscores Google's ambitions for the service. The company, which is based in Mountain View, California, views it as a pivotal tool in its effort to peer deeper into its users' brains. In doing so, Google believes it will be able to provide more useful services and also show more relevant ads. For Google Now to become more intuitive, it needs to widen its availability.
"The more you use Google Now, we will have a better chance of understanding what your needs are and providing you with the right information," Gultekin said. "It's a virtuous cycle."
Shawn Jacob, a student at the University of North Texas, activated Google Now on his iPhone Monday and was startled by how much the service already knew about him when he logged in for the first time. "I was blown away," Jacob, 21, said. "It made me wonder if I really want Google to know this much about me. It's like Google wants to take over the world."
Gultekin declined to discuss whether there are plans to make Google Now apps for mobile devices running on Microsoft's Windows system. He also refused to comment on speculation circulating in technology blogs that a Web version of Google Now will be offered as a replacement for iGoogle, a tool that allows people to encircle the Google search engine with a variety of services suited to their tastes. IGoogle is scheduled to close in November.

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Compassion Researcher Helps Facebook’s Apps Get Emotional With Animated Stickers

2013-04-29T13:18:00.001+05:30

Facebook’s Apps Get Emotional With Animated Stickers

Charles Darwin’s Galapagos Finches and his book “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals” are the inspirations for Facebook’s new animated Sticker pack, which begins rolling out today to Chat in Facebook for iOS and Messenger for Android. Designed by UC

Berkeley “compassion researcher” Dacher Keltner, the downloadable Finch Sticker set lets friends send each other vivid emotions, not just emoticons.

The new Stickers feature which Facebook launched earlier this month lets people add big, cute illustrated icons to their chat conversations, similar to apps like Line and the most recent version of Path.

Facebook tells me, “Facebook messages help people connect with others everyday, and our goal is to help make those connections as rich as possible. Stickers are a fun, lightweight, and visual way of letting your friend know how you feel. So far, we’ve introduced stickers for Facebook for iOs and Messenger for Android. Soon you’ll be able to send stickers with Messenger for iOs and Facebook for Android too.”

Facebook first began working with Keltner, the co-director of University of California-Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Program, to bring better emotional understanding and compassion to Facebook’s abuse reporting flow. His goal was to help people use visual emotions to the peer resolution flow, which lets people sort out their own disagreements about embarrassing photo tags and bullying before Facebook steps in.

Now with illustrator Matt Jones and animator Sam Hood, Keltner is bringing Stickers to life. The Finch set moves and smiles at you. When you first send one of the moving emoticons, it will go through it’s animation once, and then again if you or your conversation partner taps on it.

Jones explained, “As an artist, it was an interesting challenge to try to improve upon what is already an iconic symbol — the emoticon. How do you re-design a circle? Arturo at Facebook and Dacher at Berkeley felt that the conventional emoticon didn’t communicate enough emotion. Once Dacher pointed me toward Darwin’s definitions of the emotional states, the expressions I drew became richer and more authentic. I turned to Sam to bring color and movement to my sketches and his interpretation of the emotions brought them to life. By applying classic animation principals, both in design and motion, we arrived at Finch — an appealing character who appears to think, emote, and communicate. We hope we have achieved the first step in redefining emoticons.”

A lot of people wonder why the tech world is going gaga over stickers. Well have you ever had a text messaged misinterpreted? You meant to be playful but it came off mean. Or you meant to be adorable but you just seemed creepy. Facial expressions and body language tip us off to people’s intentions when we’re face to face, but we’re in the dark when asynchronously messaging from a distance. Stickers and emoticons help us recreate those visual cues so people understand us, even when we’re far apart. Delivering that more authentic interaction is critical to your satisfaction with a messaging app, so expect more pre-drawn faces whenever you use a keyboard.

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Nokia unveils Asha 210 with Wi-Fi and dedicated WhatsApp button

2013-04-29T12:46:00.001+05:30

Nokia has announced the launch of Asha 210 phone. This is the same device that was teased on company's website earlier this week.

Nokia Asha 210 comes with a QWERTY keyboard and a dedicated WhatsApp button for fast access to instant messaging. To celebrate the Nokia and WhatsApp partnership, WhatsApp is offering its service for free on all Nokia Asha 210 devices button for their lifespan. The phone comes with the ability to launch WhatsApp direct from contact cards in the Phonebook.

The Nokia Asha 210 comes with a 2-megapixel camera that can be accessed through a dedicated key even when the keypad is locked. The smart camera also offers a choice of image capture, editing and sharing options, including a self-portrait that lets you capture perfectly centred self portraits, even without a front-facing camera. The built-in voice guides the user to ensure they are in the frame, before taking the shot. The phone also comes with support for editing of images directly from the camera app and easy sharing of images to social networks.

Nokia Asha 210 also has a dedicated button for turning the Wi-Fi on or off. The phone comes Slam sharing feature, also seen in Nokia Asha 205 and Nokia 206. Slam makes it easy to share content over Bluetooth by eliminating the need of pairing the devices. FM radio is included as well.

Asha 210 comes with Nokia Xpress Browser which, according to Nokia, reduces data consumption by up to 90 percent. The Nokia Asha 210 also features Nokia Nearby, a web app that lets people discover points of interest such as restaurants, shopping and ATM machines close to their location. Other pre-installed apps include YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and support for popular email accounts such as Gmail.

Nokia Asha 210 will be available in single-SIM and dual-SIM options featuring Nokia's EasySwap technology that enables consumers to change SIM cards without having to turn off the device.

Nokia Asha 210 comes with a 1200mAh battery rated at 12 hours of 2G talktime.

The Nokia Asha 210 will be available in Yellow, Cyan, Black, Magenta, and White colour options. The estimated retail price for the Nokia Asha 210 is around $72 (Rs. 3,900) and it is expected to start shipping in the second quarter of 2013.

Nokia Asha 210 technical specifications

2.4-inch QVGA (240x320) display (169 ppi)
32MB RAM
Expandable storage up to 32GB
2-megapixel rear camera
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, USB, FM radio
111.5mm x 60mm x 11.8mm
99.5 grams
1200mAh battery
Series 40 Asha

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Ways To Enjoy Your Time Alone

2013-04-29T12:18:00.001+05:30

Ways to enjoy things alone

If you love socialising, you may find it difficult to enjoy things alone when you do not have anyone for company. But why shouldn't you enjoy your own company? We tell you how
1. Nobody's watching you
When you are alone at home and no one's around you, of course no one's watching you. You can do all those things you wished to do without being noticed. No one's going to judge you. So you can do all those things you always wanted to do but could not do because there were people around. So be free and sing your heart out, dance like a crazy woman and eat whatever you wish to.
2. Observe things and people around you
It's fun to watch people do things when they feel no one's watching them. So go to a park, sit there and observe people and their behavior. It's real fun. Try it and you'll enjoy seeing how one person is different from the other. In our busy lives, you do not have the time to stand and stare at the beautiful nature. So sit amidst nature, relax and make the most of your time you have with yourself.
3. Create, create, create
When you have free time, be productive instead of being lazy! If you wish to cook a new dish, prepare something new for yourself and then enjoy it while listening to music. You can even paint if you love art or pen down something about yourself. If you're creative enough, there is so much you can do when you are alone.
4. Disconnect
Many people hate being alone at home thinking they are missing out on something more important. So keep away your mobile phone and take a break from the internet. Stop checking your bbm, Facebook or twitter. This will disconnect you from the world and won't make you curious about what's going on elsewhere and what your loved ones are doing while you are alone.

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More Google Glass Specs Revealed As Android Tinkerers Look For Ways To Root It

2013-04-29T10:12:00.001+05:30

Google felt it appropriate to highlight some of Glass’ specs earlier this week, but there’s much more to the company’s wearable display than just the 5 megapixel camera and its 16GB of internal storage. In case you were hankering for a taste of what else makes Google Glass tick, Android developer (and Glass Explorer) Jay Lee spent some time tinkering with his preview unit and managed to figure out what kind of hardware it has under the hood.

Lee managed to confirm that Glass runs Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich (CEO Larry Page noted during Google’s most recent earnings call that Glass “obviously” runs on Android), and also determined that it has a Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 chipset. In case you haven’t been keeping abreast of developments in the mobile chipset market, the OMAP 4430 was used in devices like the original Motorola Droid RAZR and Samsung’s 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2.0 — solid devices during their prime, but the chipset that powered them is far from new.

Sadly, some of the particulars are still shrouded in mystery — Lee wasn’t able to figure out the processor’s clock speed (the 4430 CPU can be clocked between 1 and 1.2 GHz), and the device only reports that it has 682MB of RAM, but Lee suspects the total is actually 1GB. Still, that’s not too shabby a spec sheet for a device that essentially lives on your face, and some recent reports reveal that the ambitious headset may be surprisingly too simple to root to. Liam McLoughin, an intern for Google’s Chrome team, recently tweeted to note that gaining root access to the search giant’s curious head-mounted display seemed simple in theory, a development that prompted Lee to go digging in the first place.

Meanwhile, Cydia founder and administrator Jay Freeman revealed on Twitter that he too had made progress in gaining access to the device, and even posted a picture to show off how far he’d managed to go. At this point we’ve already seen some companies embrace the Glass platform (Path and the New York Times immediately spring to mind) and others like Evernote are known to be crafting experiences for Glass, but some moderately powerful hardware and seemingly easy rootability could make Glass an even bigger hit for Android tinkerers.

Source : Techcrunch

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Samsung to manufacture Galaxy S4 in India

2013-04-28T18:51:00.001+05:30

Samsung India today said it will soon start manufacturing its flagship high-end smartphone Galaxy S4 in India.

NEW DELHI: Samsung India today said it will soon start manufacturing its flagship high-end smartphone Galaxy S4 in India.

"We are planning to start manufacturing of S4 soon at our Noida facility," Samsung Mobile and Digital Imaging Country head Vineet Taneja told PTI.

He, however, refused to share any timeframe by when the production will start. The Noida facility is manufacturing about 35-40 million phones annually, including 12 smartphones such as Galaxy S3.

The company currently imports the recently launched Galaxy S4 from South Korea.

Sensing huge demand for Galaxy S4, the company is also looking to double up the high-end smartphone (above Rs 20,000) market size in India, which is currently contributing around 10-12 per cent of the overall smartphone market.

The Galaxy S4, which is packed with newer imaging features as well as 'gesture-control' technology, has a five-inch full HD super AMOLED touchscreen, 13 mega pixel rear and 2 mega pixel front camera and supports 3G networks.

Although Samsung is the market leader in smartphone market in India, competition from Apple, BlackBerry and Nokia has put pressure on it to add new software features to maintain its lead.

According to research firm IDC, the overall mobile phone market in India reached about 218 million units in 2012, growing 16 per cent year-on-year.

Of this, 16.3 million units were smartphones, but the category saw a growth of about 48 per cent. Samsung was the leader in the quad-core and 5-inch plus screen size models, IDC added.

The demand for smartphones is expected to be around 34-36 million units this year.

Globally, Samsung had 30.3 per cent share of the smartphone market (with sales of 215.8 million units) in 2012, while Apple had a 19.1 per cent share with sales of 135.9 million units, according to IDC.

Source : Times of India

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How To Add Facebook Like Box To Blogger 2013

2013-04-24T22:30:00.001+05:30

Adding Facebook Like Box to Blogger is a new trend of bloggers, Which helps them in getting a huge amount of traffic from the popular social network called Facebook. Facebook provides the "page feature" for users which is the main source to develop a healthy relationship with blog readers.Facebook Page also helps to give updates to the regular visitors and lovers of your Blog. However in this regard blogger comes with a Like Box , through which you can get Facebook Page likes.This Like Box is little bit different from other Like Boxes. We have already posted a Popup Facebook Like Box,but this one box is static and new one hope you will like it , its installation is also very easy.

How To Add Facebook Like Box To Blogger

Installing this Like Box is very simple , you have to add a simple script into HTML/JavaScript Box.

Go To Blogger Dashboard.
Now Click On Layout.
After that Click On Add a Gadget.
A Box will popup Select HTML/JavaScript.
Now Copy the Below Script and paste it in HTML/JavaScript Box.

Now just hit Save and that's it !

Note: Changing In The Script/Code

Before pasting the script into the HTML/JavaScript box replace the username of Facebook page to your Own Facebook page User name i.e"9ttech".Another thing if you want to change the width or height of the Like Box,it can be done easily,just change the values of width and height as indicated with red i.e 300 and 248.Now Copy and paste it in the HTML/JavaScript Box

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How To Add Google G+ Comments Widgets to Blogger 2013

2013-04-24T21:26:00.001+05:30

Blogger has recently introduced Google+ Comments for Blogs. As Facebook had released Facebook Comment Box for Bloggers, contrary Google+ has also introduced new comments widget i.e Google+ Comment Widget For Blogger. Actually Comments helps you to inspire the new entries of your blog. As far Comment is Consider we can called it half meeting with your Blog readers. However Google has just made few improvement for Bloggers i.e now you can simply add your Google+ Comment widget to Blogger. And the most amazing thing is that we can enable this widget from Our Blog Dashboard. Once it is enabled then enjoy different comments from users.

Features

As the Author of the Blog or Admin of the Blog you will receive visitors Comments
Comments can be done by those who has Google+ Profile or Page
It is very easy to navigate and friendly Comment widget
When someone comments on the shared link(i.e from Google+) this widget will fetch that Data(comments) and will show it in Blogger Comments Area.

How To Add Google Plus Comments Widget To Blogger

Go To Blogger.com
Sign in to your Blogger Account
Now Click On Google+ (at the right side)
Now a Another page will appear,there select "use Google+ Comments on this Blog",
And that's it
Enjoy Google+ Comment Widget in Your Blog

Note:-

It will show this Option in those Blogs which Email Address is attached to the specific blog.In simple words it will work with the blog which you own and you have to full access of your blog and email address.

How To Remove Google+ Comments Widget To Blogger

Actually i applied this Comment widget, but it is not as interesting as the blogger old One Comments Default widget. So i removed it,Now how to remove this its very simple follow the below steps.

Go To Blogger Dashboard
Now Click On Google+ at the right side
Now Unchecked "use Google+ Comments on this Blog",it will looks like as shown in the below screen shot

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Share Price of Google Touch $900: Analysts

2013-04-20T01:44:00.001+05:30

Google's share price should resume its upward march to about $900 from less than $800 now, analysts said on Friday, after the search giant's strong quarterly profit reinforced its status as a technology sector favorite.

At least five analysts increased their 12-month price target on the stock, by between $50 and $130 to $820-$925. Three others, who already had targets above $935, trimmed theirs.
Some analysts said the predictability of Google's results over the last several quarters was allowing them to better model earnings and stock price trends.
The strength of Google's core search business, which lends stability to its overall results, will also help it fund projects such as Google Glass wearable computers and high-speed fiber networks as the company seeks newer streams of revenue, some analysts said.
Google shares peaked at $844 in March but have slipped since then because of uncertainty about the company's mobile advertising business and its Motorola mobile division.
Still, some analysts have said they expect the stock to hit $1,000 soon.
Google shares were set to open around $772 on Friday, up less than 1 percent. Google reported stronger-than-expected earnings after the market closed on Thursday.
"Google can grow its core search business in the low teens over the next few years at high incremental margins," analysts at Morgan Stanley said. "(It) may therefore be able to invest in newer projects while keeping core operating margins about stable."
The decline in Google's cost-per-click also slowed in the first quarter from the fourth quarter. Cost-per-click, or the rate advertisers pay Google, has been hit by lower advertising rates on cellphones over the past few quarters.
Google recently changed the way marketers run ad campaigns on its website -- a strategy it calls Enhanced Campaigns -- blurring the distinction between ads for PCs and mobile devices.
Some analysts believe this could help boost Google's overall ad prices.
"Mixed trends could lead to diverging views on Google coming out of the quarter, but we'd be buying any weakness in Google shares," JP Morgan analysts said.
"We remain positive on Google as mobile and display, Enhanced Campaigns, and Google Shopping/Play Store App should drive strong year-over-year growth in the second half of 2013 and into 2014."
JP Morgan maintained its price target at $860, with an "overweight" recommendation.
Macquarie Equities Research raised its price target to $925 from $795, while Oppenheimer, which had the lowest stock price target of the group, raised its target to $820 from $765.
Citigroup and Needham and Co also forecast that Google shares would breach $900. Piper Jaffrey, Evercare Partners and Deutsche Bank, which had targets above $935, trimmed theirs slightly. All these brokerages maintained their "buy" or equivalent ratings.

A History of Windows Highlights from the first 25 years

2013-04-03T23:16:00.001+05:30

1975–1981: Microsoft boots up

Getting started: Microsoft co-founders Paul Allen (left) and Bill Gates

It’s the 1970s. At work, we rely on typewriters. If we need to copy a document, we likely use a mimeograph or carbon paper. Few have heard of microcomputers, but two young computer enthusiasts, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, see that personal computing is a path to the future.

In 1975, Gates and Allen form a partnership called Microsoft. Like most start-ups, Microsoft begins small, but has a huge vision—a computer on every desktop and in every home. During the next years, Microsoft begins to change the ways we work.

The dawn of MS‑DOS

In June 1980, Gates and Allen hire Gates’ former Harvard classmate Steve Ballmer to help run the company. The next month, IBM approaches Microsoft about a project code-named "Chess." In response, Microsoft focuses on a new operating system—the software that manages, or runs, the computer hardware and also serves to bridge the gap between the computer hardware and programs, such as a word processor. It’s the foundation on which computer programs can run. They name their new operating system "MS‑DOS."

When the IBM PC running MS‑DOS ships in 1981, it introduces a whole new language to the general public. Typing “C:” and various cryptic commands gradually becomes part of daily work. People discover the backslash (\) key.

MS‑DOS is effective, but also proves difficult to understand for many people. There has to be a better way to build an operating system.

Geek trivia: MS‑DOS stands for Microsoft Disk Operating System.

1982–1985: Introducing Windows 1.0

Microsoft works on the first version of a new operating system. Interface Manager is the code name and is considered as the final name, but Windows prevails because it best describes the boxes or computing “windows” that are fundamental to the new system.Windows is announced in 1983, but it takes a while to develop. Skeptics call it “vaporware.”

The fully-packaged Windows 1.0

On November 20, 1985, two years after the initial announcement, Microsoft ships Windows 1.0. Now, rather than typing MS‑DOS commands, you just move a mouse to point and click your way through screens, or “windows.” Bill Gates says, “It is unique software designed for the serious PC user…”

There are drop-down menus, scroll bars, icons, and dialog boxes that make programs easier to learn and use. You're able to switch among several programs without having to quit and restart each one. Windows 1.0 ships with several programs, including MS‑DOS file management, Paint, Windows Writer, Notepad, Calculator, and a calendar, card file, and clock to help you manage day-to-day activities. There’s even a game—Reversi.

Geek trivia: Remember floppy disks and kilobytes? Windows 1.0 requires a minimum of 256 kilobytes (KB), two double-sided floppy disk drives, and a graphics adapter card. A hard disk and 512 KB memory is recommended for running multiple programs or when using DOS 3.0 or higher.

1987–1992: Windows 2.0–2.11—More windows, more speed

On December 9, 1987 Microsoft releases Windows 2.0 with desktop icons and expanded memory. With improved graphics support, you can now overlap windows, control the screen layout, and use keyboard shortcuts to speed up your work. Some software developers write their first Windows–based programs for this release.

Windows 2.0

Windows 2.0 is designed for the Intel 286 processor. When the Intel 386 processor is released, Windows/386 soon follows to take advantage of its extended memory capabilities. Subsequent Windows releases continue to improve the speed, reliability, and usability of the PC.

In 1988, Microsoft becomes the world’s largest PC software company based on sales. Computers are starting to become a part of daily life for some office workers.

Geek trivia: Control Panel makes its first appearance in Windows 2.0.

1990–1994: Windows 3.0–Windows NT—Getting the graphics

On May 22, 1990, Microsoft announces Windows 3.0, followed shortly by Windows 3.1 in 1992. Taken together, they sell 10 million copies in their first 2 years, making this the most widely used Windows operating system yet. The scale of this success causesMicrosoft to revise earlier plans. Virtual Memory improves visual graphics. In 1990 Windows starts to look like the versions to come.

Windows now has significantly better performance, advanced graphics with 16 colors, and improved icons. A new wave of 386 PCs helps drive the popularity of Windows 3.0. With full support for the Intel 386 processor, programs run noticeably faster. Program Manager, File Manager, and Print Manager arrive in Windows 3.0.

Bill Gates shows the newly-released Windows 3.0

Windows software is installed with floppy discs bought in large boxes with heavy instruction manuals.

The popularity of Windows 3.0 grows with the release of a new Windows software development kit (SDK), which helps software developers focus more on writing programs and less on writing device drivers.

Windows is increasingly used at work and home and now includes games like Solitaire, Hearts, and Minesweeper. An advertisement: “Now you can use the incredible power of Windows 3.0 to goof off.”

Windows for Workgroups 3.11 adds peer-to-peer workgroup and domain networking support and, for the first time, PCs become an integral part of the emerging client/server computing evolution.

Windows NT

When Windows NT releases on July 27, 1993, Microsoft meets an important milestone: the completion of a project begun in the late 1980s to build an advanced new operating system from scratch. "Windows NT represents nothing less than a fundamental change in the way that companies can address their business computing requirements," Bill Gates says at its release.

Unlike Windows 3.1, however, Windows NT 3.1 is a 32-bit operating system, which makes it a strategic business platform that supports high-end engineering and scientific programs.

Geek trivia: The group that develops Windows NT was originally called the "Portable Systems" team.

1995–2001: Windows 95—the PC comes of age (and don't forget the Internet)

On August 24, 1995, Microsoft releases Windows 95, selling a record-setting 7 million copies in the first five weeks. It’s the most publicized launch Microsoft has ever taken on. Television commercials feature the Rolling Stones singing "Start Me Up" over images of the new Start button. The press release simply begins: “It’s here.”

Launch day: Bill Gates introduces Windows 95

This is the era of fax/modems, e‑mail, the new online world, and dazzling multimedia games and educational software. Windows 95 has built-in Internet support, dial-up networking, and new Plug and Play capabilities that make it easy to install hardware and software. The 32-bit operating system also offers enhanced multimedia capabilities, more powerful features for mobile computing, and integrated networking.

At the time of the Windows 95 release, the previous Windows and MS‑DOS operating systems are running on about 80 percent of the world’s PCs. Windows 95 is the upgrade to these operating systems. To run Windows 95, you need a PC with a 386DX or higher processor (486 recommended) and at least 4 MB of RAM (8 MB of RAM recommended). Upgrade versions are available for both floppy disk and CD-ROM formats. It’s available in 12 languages.

Windows 95 features the first appearance of the Start menu, taskbar, and minimize, maximize, and close buttons on each window.

Windows 95

Catching the Internet wave

In the early 1990s, tech insiders are talking about the Internet—a network of networks that has the power to connect computers all over the world. In 1995, Bill Gates delivers a memo titled “The Internet Tidal Wave,” and declares the Internet as “the most important development since the advent of the PC.”

In the summer of 1995, the first version of Internet Explorer is released. The browser joins those already vying for space on the World Wide Web.

Geek trivia: In 1996, Microsoft releases Flight Simulator for Windows 95—the first time in its 14-year history that it’s available for Windows.

1998–2000: Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me

Windows 98

Released on June 25, 1998, Windows 98 is the first version of Windows designed specifically for consumers. PCs are common at work and home, and Internet cafes where you can get online are popping up. Windows 98 is described as an operating system that “Works Better, Plays Better.”

With Windows 98, you can find information more easily on your PC as well as the Internet. Other improvements include the ability to open and close programs more quickly, and support for reading DVD discs and universal serial bus (USB) devices. Another first appearance is the Quick Launch bar, which lets you run programs without having to browse the Start menu or look for them on the desktop.

Geek trivia: Windows 98 is the last version based on MS‑DOS.

Windows 98

Windows Me

Designed for home computer use, Windows Me offers numerous music, video, and home networking enhancements and reliability improvements compared to previous versions.

First appearances: System Restore, a feature that can roll back your PC software configuration to a date or time before a problem occurred. Movie Maker provides users with the tools to digitally edit, save, and share home videos. And with Microsoft Windows Media Player 7 technologies, you can find, organize, and play digital media.

Geek trivia: Technically speaking, Windows Me was the last Microsoft operating system to be based on the Windows 95 code base.Microsoft announced that all future operating system products would be based on the Windows NT and Windows 2000 kernel.

Windows 2000 Professional

Windows 2000Professional

More than just the upgrade to Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional is designed to replace Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 on all business desktops and laptops. Built on top of the proven Windows NT Workstation 4.0 code base, Windows 2000 adds major improvements in reliability, ease of use, Internet compatibility, and support for mobile computing.

Among other improvements, Windows 2000 Professional simplifies hardware installation by adding support for a wide variety of new Plug and Play hardware, including advanced networking and wireless products, USB devices, IEEE 1394 devices, and infrared devices.

Geek trivia: The nightly stress test performed on Windows 2000 during development is the equivalent of three months of run time on up to 1,500 computers.

2001–2005: Windows XP—Stable, usable, and fast

On October 25, 2001, Windows XP is released with a redesigned look and feel that's centered on usability and a unified Help and Support services center. It’s available in 25 languages. From the mid-1970s until the release of Windows XP, about 1 billion PCs have been shipped worldwide.

For Microsoft, Windows XP will become one of its best-selling products in the coming years. It’s both fast and stable. Navigating the Start menu, taskbar, and Control Panel are more intuitive. Awareness of computer viruses and hackers increases, but fears are to a certain extent calmed by the online delivery of security updates. Consumers begin to understand warnings about suspicious attachments and viruses. There’s more emphasis on Help and Support.

Ship it: Windows XP Professional rolls to retail stores

Windows XP Home Edition offers a clean, simplified visual design that makes frequently used features more accessible. Designed for home use, Windows XP offers such enhancements as the Network Setup Wizard, Windows Media Player, Windows Movie Maker, and enhanced digital photo capabilities.

Windows XP Professional brings the solid foundation of Windows 2000 to the PC desktop, enhancing reliability, security, and performance. With a fresh visual design,Windows XP Professional includes features for business and advanced home computing, including remote desktop support, an encrypting file system, and system restore and advanced networking features. Key enhancements for mobile users include wireless 802.1x networking support, Windows Messenger, and Remote Assistance.

Windows XP has several editions during these years:

Windows XP 64-bit Edition (2001) is the first Microsoft operating system for 64-bit processors designed for working with large amounts of memory and projects such as movie special effects, 3D animations, engineering, and scientific programs.
Windows XP Media Center Edition (2002) is made for home computing and entertainment. You can browse the Internet, watch live television, enjoy digital music and video collections, and watch DVDs.
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition (2002) realizes the vision of pen-based computing. Tablet PCs include a digital pen for handwriting recognition and you can use the mouse or keyboard, too.

Geek trivia: Windows XP is compiled from 45 million lines of code.

2006–2008: Windows Vista—Smart on security

Windows Vista is released in 2006 with the strongest security system yet. User Account Control helps prevent potentially harmful software from making changes to your computer. In Windows Vista Ultimate, BitLocker Drive Encryption provides better data protection for your computer, as laptop sales and security needs increase. Windows Vista also features enhancements toWindows Media Player as more and more people come to see their PCs as central locations for digital media. Here you can watch television, view and send photographs, and edit videos.

Windows Vista Ultimate

Design plays a big role in Windows Vista, and features such as the taskbar and the borders around windows get a brand new look. Search gets new emphasis and helps people find files on their PCs faster. Windows Vista introduces new editions that each have a different mix of features. It's available in 35 languages. The redesigned Start button makes its first appearance in Windows Vista.

Geek trivia: More than 1.5 million devices are compatible with Windows Vista at launch.

2009: Windows 7

Windows 7 was built for the wireless world that arose in the late 2000s. By the time it was released, laptops were outselling desktops, and it had become common to connect to public wireless hotspots in coffee shops and private networks in the home.

Windows 7 included new ways to work with windows—like Snap, Peek, and Shake—which both improved functionality and made the interface more fun to use. It also marked the debut of Windows Touch, which let touchscreen users browse the web, flip through photos, and open files and folders.

Improvements to the Windows 7 taskbar include live thumbnail previews

Geek trivia: Windows 7 was evaluated by 8 million beta testers worldwide before it was released.

2012: Windows 8

Windows 8 is Windows reimagined from the chipset to the user experience. It functions as both a tablet for entertainment and a full-featured PC for getting things done. It introduces a totally new interface that works smoothly for both touch and mouse and keyboard. Windows 8 also includes enhancements of the familiar Windows desktop, with a new taskbar and streamlined file management.

Windows 8 features a Start screen with tiles that connect to people, files, apps, and websites. Apps are front and center, with access to a new place to get apps—The Windows Store—built right in to the Start screen.

Along with Windows 8, Microsoft also launched Windows RT, which runs on some tablets and PCs. Windows RT is designed for sleek devices and long battery life, and exclusively runs apps from the Windows Store. It also comes with a built-in version of Office that's optimized for touchscreens.

Geek trivia: Power users will notice that Windows 8 has made the detection and correction of file system errors both more transparent and less intrusive.