Tech. In Total.

Windows 8.1: Everything You Need to Know

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Sat, 8 Jun 2013 21:58:00 +0530

Microsoft continues to reveal details about the update to Windows 8, now known as Windows 8.1 and formerly known as Windows Blue.
Windows 8.1 shown off at the Microsoft Build developer conference in June and the final version will be available as a free downloadable Windows 8 update.
Microsoft also said in early May that there would be a preview version available before full release which we'll get on June 26

The "first look" blog post by Microsoft's Antoine Leblond doesn't talk about a Start button. It does, however, say that the Start "tip" will change to "be the familiar Windows logo".

That's pretty much the same as before - so, sorry people, you won't be getting a proper Start menu. "The new tip appears anytime you move the mouse to the bottom left corner of the screen, and is always visible on the taskbar when on the desktop," says Leblond.

Windows 8.1 will bring greater personalisation

earlier this year: "Not only will Windows 8.1 respond to customer feedback, but it will add new features and functionality that advance the touch experience and mobile computing's potential." The feedback he's talking about is surely the mellowing of the Start screen dream and the reintroduction of a Start button of some sort.

Windows 8.1 security: what's been improved

"We're only a bit more than seven months into a new, bold approach to computing," continues Leblond.

"The response to Windows 8 has been substantial - from new devices to strong app growth to key enhancements to the OS and apps. We've learned from customers in how they are using the product and have received a lot of feedback. We've delivered hundreds of updates to the product and to apps. We're just getting started, and the potential ahead is tremendous."

"We've been watching, we've been listening"

We've picked out the top 10 enhancements in Windows 8.1 along with some quotes from Leblond about each one.

1. Lock screen slideshow

"As people started using Windows 8, we found that people were using their Lock screens to show pictures of their families," Leblond says. So in Windows 8.1, you can turn your PC or tablet into a picture frame by making your Lock screen a slide show of your pictures - either locally on the device or photos from Microsoft SkyDrive. "We also added the ability to take pictures with the built-in camera right from the Lock screen without having to log in."

2. More backgrounds

Windows 8.1 offers more colours and backgrounds for the Start screen - including some with motion. You can also choose your desktop background as your Start screen background.

3. Different tile sizes

As in Windows Phone 8, the Windows 8.1 Start screen features a variety of tile sizes including a new large and new small tile. It's also even easier to name groups and rearrange tiles, says Leblond: "We found people were accidentally moving tiles on their Start screen so in Windows 8.1, you press and hold (or right click) to move things around." You can now select multiple apps all at once, resize them, uninstall them, or rearrange them:

"View all apps just by swiping from the bottom to view all apps, and we've added the ability to filter your apps by name, date installed, most used, or by category. You want the Start screen to be about all the things you love.

So when you install a new app from the Windows Store, we no longer put that app on your Start screen. Instead,

you'll find these apps under apps view as mentioned above and marked as 'new' where you can choose to pin the apps you want to your Start screen." Tiles can be even smaller

4. Aggregated search

Instead of having to select an app and then search when you go to the Search charm, Bing now powers an aggregated search system from the web, your files, SkyDrive and elsewhere. Leblond says: "We think this will really change the way you interact with the Web and with Windows making it quicker and easier to get things done. It is the modern version of the command line! Results from local files, apps, and settings are easily accessed in the same convenient view by scrolling to the left."

5. Enhanced apps

New app enhancements are also promised to all the built-in apps. According to Leblond: "The Photos app now has some new editing features that let you quickly edit or adjust photos when you view them in the Photos app or open them from other places like the Mail, SkyDrive, and Camera apps. And our Music app has been completely redesigned to help pick and play music from your collection. We plan to talk more about updates to the built in apps in

Windows 8.1 and some brand new apps we will be introducing in the future. We're also making improvements for using multiple apps at once in Windows 8.1."

6. More snap views

If, like us, you use Windows 8 a lot, you'll have been frustrated by the lack of 50:50 split snap views. This is the game-changer for Windows 8 apps. "You will have more ways to see multiple apps on the screen at the same time," says Leblond. "You can resize apps to any size you want, share the screen between two apps, or have up to three apps on each screen if you have a multiple displays connected, you can have different Windows Store apps running on all the displays at the same time and the Start Screen can stay open on one monitor (yes!). This makes multitasking even easier. Also in Windows 8.1, you can have multiple windows of the same app snapped together - such as two Internet Explorer windows." We're really looking forward to that.

7. An enhanced Windows Store

App updates will now install automatically in the background as they come through the Store. And search is available in the upper right hand corner for finding the apps you want. Leblond elaborates: "The improved Windows Store is designed to show more info than before in Windows 8 with detailed lists of top free apps, new releases, and picks for you on the homepage. The app listing is more descriptive and informative and includes an area for related apps to help with app discovery."

8. Save direct to SkyDrive, plus offline files

In Windows 8.1 your files can be saved directly to SkyDrive. The SkyDrive app will also get a new update so that files are available even when offline - as in the desktop version.
SkyDrive will get offline support

9. You no longer need the desktop Control Panel

The updated PC Settings in Windows 8.1 gives you access to all your settings on your device without having to go to the Control Panel on the desktop. "You can do things like change your display resolution, set power options, see the make and model of my PC, change the product key, let me do Windows Update, and even join a domain – all from PC Settings," says Leblond. You can also manage SkyDrive from PC Settings as well.

10. A new Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer 11 will ship with Windows 8.1. "IE11 will offer even better touch performance, faster page load times and several other new features we think you will enjoy," says Leblond. "For example, you can now adjust the appearance of modern IE11 to always show the address bar and you can have as many open tabs as you like. And you can access your open tabs in sync across your other Windows 8.1 devices."

11. Better with a mouse and keyboard

For devices without touch, Windows 8.1 features a number of improvements for easier navigation using a mouse and keyboard. "PCs today are evolving for a world of mobile computing where people interact with their devices through touch, and we designed Windows 8 for this," explains Leblond. "But we also recognize there are many non-touch devices in use today - especially in the commercial setting."

12. A change to the Start 'tip'

You've already heard about this one, right? Leblond adds that there are also options to change what the corners do, and options to boot into alternate screens: "For example, if you prefer to see the Apps view versus all the tiles, you can choose to have the Start screen go directly to Apps view."
Microsoft says it will be releasing more Windows 8.1 details "in the coming weeks. As you've heard before, Windows 8.1 will be available later this year as a free update."
Microsoft also says that it will also be sharing more about Windows Embedded at Build. Embedded will be"updated in the same timeframe as Windows 8.1. We're aligning the platforms even more to bring Windows to form factors of all types, including not only tablets and PCs, but also the growing category of devices such as ATMs, point of service (POS) terminals, and kiosks."

Gmail's New Inbox Gets a Tabbed View - Gives A Way To Auto Organize Your Mails

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Wed, 29 May 2013 23:48:00 +0530

Google is rolling out a major update for Gmail, adding tabs to the top of your inbox to
automatically categorize smart labels such as promotions and social updates.

According to the official Gmail blog, you'll be able to select which categories will be enabled as tabs (Social, Promotions, Updates, or Forums, as well as "Primary" for your classic inbox). The tabs will show you how many new emails you have for each category and offer another way to organize your inbox. You'll be able to drag-and-drop messages between tabs and set specific senders to always appear in a certain tab.

Don't worry if this isn't to your liking (it might not be if you prefer the Priority Inbox or other non-default Gmail view, which the tabs won't work with). You'll be able to turn off this tabbed view if you wish.

Here's the demo video published over official gmail blog:

The feature is rolling out gradually on the desktop and is coming to Android and iOS apps as well over the next few weeks (on mobile, the tabs will slide in from the side). If you'd like to enable this sooner, keep an eye on the gear menu for the "Configure Inbox" option in Settings when it's available.

A new inbox that puts you back in control | Official Gmail Blog

Xbox One: Entertainment First, Gaming Second. A Replacement to TV?

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:58:00 +0530

Microsoft may have been the last of the major console makers to announce their next generation system but they certainly didn’t disappoint - that is, depending on whom you ask. Leading up to the reveal, many believed Microsoft would position the next generation system as a device designed to be as much of an entertainment hub as a gaming system.

After watching the Xbox One unveiling, however, we are inclined to believe that most got it wrong. Given the One’s heavy focus on live television, it’s easy to envision how Microsoft may have figured out a way to transform the Xbox from a gaming console that also handles media into a home entertainment hub that just happens to play video games.

The Xbox One is now positioned to become a huge mainstream success if Microsoft plays their cards right and even more so if they can get broadcast executives on board with their vision. There’s still a lot of unknowns, but let’s take a closer look at the facts thus far.

The Xbox One includes HDMI in and out which will be used as a passthrough for your cable or satellite set-top box. That’s huge in and of itself because it means Xbox One users can circumvent the dismal programming guides found on traditional set-top boxes. Instead, users will have access to OneGuide.

With OneGuide, users can navigate through programming using voice and gesture commands via Kinect 2.0 which will come standard with every Xbox One. These new input methods are designed to do away with traditional remote controls. What’s more, OneGuide contains fresh features that let users see what’s trending and tune in immediately or even track fantasy sports stats while watching live television as part of an exclusive deal with the NFL.

It wasn’t until 30 minutes into the hour long event that Microsoft finally got around to discuss games – something that’s extremely telling in. It’s understandable, however, as Microsoft needed to save some content to show off at E3 next month.

One of the bigger questions in the overall picture has to do with how devices like the Xbox One will affect the way television programming is broadcast over the long haul. Tech companies have been trying for years to get broadcast behemoths to change their ways and there’s been a good bit of progress. We’re now able to stream pre-recorded movies and television shows from the likes of Amazon, Hulu and Netflix, purchase similar content from iTunes and even stream select channels live to mobile devices.

But it’s not enough. Technology is simply outpacing the traditional broadcast model. Could the Xbox One be the catalyst for change that we have all been hoping for?

People want to be able to watch content when they want, where they want, and from any device they want. Like sports and the latest episode of your favorite sitcom - not some television show that aired more than a week ago. Many consumers wouldn’t have a problem paying for the convenience.

Other tech giants are well aware of this trend, and one in particular, Apple has been long rumored to be taking on television. Reports of Apple courting broadcast executives are well-documented. True enough, a television set that could perform such tasks was something Apple co-founder Steve Jobs said he had finally cracked just before his death.

The Xbox 360 wasn’t designed to be a media powerhouse but it managed to perform those tasks exceedingly well late in its life. Just over a year ago it was noted that the console was used more for watching TV shows, movies and listening to music than playing video games online. With those kind of usage statistics it’s no surprise that Microsoft would build the One from the ground-up to be a media device first. Just imagine what the One and the PlayStation 4 could really do with live streaming television.

There’s little doubt that the Xbox One will be a commercial success just like the Xbox 360 and the original Xbox before it. The media-minded system will appeal to people that aren’t necessarily diehard console gamers – a category of consumer that is much more lucrative than the limited scope of hardcore gamers. We simply hope that Microsoft's new media device and others like it can bring about more rapid change with regards to the television industry.

Leave your reviews about XBOX revolution in comments.

Publicizing Your Website - "Tips" and "Tricks"

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Sun, 26 May 2013 20:36:00 +0530

Some folks mistakenly think that as soon as they publish their Web site, the world will beat a path to their cyber- door. Unfortunately, getting web surfers to visit your site isn't quite that easy! registering your Website with a bunch of search engines makes it easier for people actively hunting for your site to find you on the Web.But to attract visitors on your site who already do not know who you are and what your site is all about,you must do more than just submit your site to search engines : you must publicize your site.

Understanding Search Services

Registering your site with search services such as Yahoo! and Google,is the first step for any successful site publicity campaign.To make the most of your search service listing,however you need to make sure that you code your HTML properly - before you submit your site.

Over the last few years, the number of websites has mushroomed to titanic proportions, and search services have reacted by merging with one another and by tweaking the way they examine site submissions.The result? These days,submitting to site services has become both art and science - especially for those hoping to win a coveted high ranking.

Despite all these changes, the following are still three most important things you can do to help search services classify your site properly,in order of importance :

1. Specify a descriptive page title :

Search services first examine the title of your Web page.(By title i mean the text you place between beginning and ending HTML <TITLE> tags, and which appears in the browser window's title bar when your page is loaded.)

2. Include appropriate page content :

After the title, search services look at the text that appears on your webpage.

3. Add meaningful HTML meta tags :

Finally search services scan special HTML tags,called meta tags, to decide how to classify your site.

Although submitting your site to many search services is still free,more and more search services are beginning to charge a fee for listing your Website.

Going Beyond Search Services

Getting your site listed with search services is great first step in any site publicity plan. If you really want to pull in visitors though, you will have to do more.Two of the best ways to publicize your site are :

1. Getting other people to link to your site from theirs.

Research the web and come up with sites that are similar in content to yours.
Send a note to each site requesting a link.

2. Advertising your site.

Add your domain name to your e-mail signature.
Participate in newsgroups,lists and chats.

Using Site Statistics

If you are serious about reaching readers with a Website, you need to know what are site statistics and how to use them.

Site statistic software sits on the same web server your Website files sit on.

Every time a reader loads or interacts with your Webpage,statistic software logs the interaction.

The kinds of statistics typically logged include :

How many hits each page of your site gets, and when.
Which site referred the visitor to your site.
How many times surfers tried to view your site, but couldn't (and why).
What country your site visitors are from.
Which make and model of browser surfers are using to view your site.

Accessing Site Statistics :

Site statistic software must be installed on a Web-server; it doesn't work if its installed on your computer. The company that hosts your Web site controls which statistics package you have access to and how you access it.

Google Goggles - Virtual Search Application

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Sat, 25 May 2013 20:54:00 +0530

Goggles Logo

Until now the only option for web search was typing or speaking but now you can search by taking a picture.
For all those who do not know yet, Google Goggles is a virtual search application for Android and iOS.
So when and where are we going to use this application ?
Well there must be times when seeing a landmark you should have wondered if you know what this landmark is or knowing details about an artwork by just seeing it is not at all easy until and unless you are an art-lover.Searching them by typing random words is not just a good option.

Now with Google Goggles all you need to do is just open the app,fill as much of the screen as possible with the object and take a picture.

Landmark

Here is what you get.You just captured the landmark in Google Goggles and it do the rest for you.It even shows all the related information links about the landmark.

Artwork

Here Google Goggles figured out not just the title of this artistic piece but also its history and all other related links too.

Wine Bottles

Oh see what we got here. Google goggles identifies the wine bottles too.

Books

Here you got exact book match without typing or saying a word.

Logos

Google Goggles identifies almost all logos and tells its brand or company name. Well it can also help you for cheating in a logo quiz.

Business Card

Another good use of this app is on a business card. You can easily save the contact number or copy the whole information.

Translating Text

When traveling places where you do not know the language,Google Goggles can translate text for you.

Bar-code Scanner

Surprisingly Google Goggles works amazing as a bar-code scanner too.As you can see in the picture above.

Though Google Goggles is a really cool and helpful app but virtual search technology is still in its early stage.
As for now it only searches things like landmarks,logos,books,contact, bar-codes.

But for now it can not search food,plants,animals,cars.

If this technology advances it will be able to do more cool things like filling answers of Sudoku,solving puzzles,suggesting move in chess game or taking picture of leaf and identify the plant.

Microsoft Xbox One - One Size that Fits All Your Entertainment

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Sat, 25 May 2013 17:15:00 +0530

It's been a long time since Microsoft released a new gaming console, but it isn't surprising that a new console was needed to match the needs of gamers and to bring a perfect rival to Sony's PlayStation and Nitendo's Wii consoles

"Microsoft unveiled the new console, called Xbox One. Featuring an all in one entertainment system that completely fills up anyone's living room desires"

Microsoft has unveiled the new Xbox, and it's called Xbox One. It's Microsoft's first new console in more than seven years. Yes, we've had many expectations for this console, especially since Sony and Nintendo have already taken their first steps in the next-gen landscape. Here's what you need to know that was announced at Microsoft's event in Redmond, Washington.

The Xbox One

The original Xbox debuted in the fall of 2005, which feels like a million years ago.. even if it's only seven and a half. It's high time for a new console, even if some tech pundits are questioning the value of gaming hardware platforms in the current age.

Design

The Xbox One is large, sleek, and black, and looks like a piece of AV equipment. The controller and Kinect unit are redesigned, too: the Kinect and Xbox One, in particular, sport sharp-angled, glossy-black boxy looks. As a set, the Xbox One really does feel like some elaborate piece of home theater gear...and considering its mission to knit entertainment together into a modern all-in-one package, that's clearly intentional. It also looks awfully big, compared with current-gen consoles and how they've slimmed down.

The name "Xbox One" suggests a reboot, a fresh start. Maybe from this day forward, Microsoft's connected living-room PC strategies will spring from the Xbox One. Or, it'll just a be a very good gaming console.

Home entertainment
Microsoft promises that this is a better-connected way of linking TV, games, and entertainment in one unit -- something the Xbox 360 already does, but will do more via commands like "Xbox, on." As was said during the initial presser, you're "going to have a relationship with your TV." The elevator pitch: take on a living room that has become "too complex," and make a system that knits games, TV, and entertainment.

So, how will that happen?

There are universal gestures such as grab-and-pan and swipe up; watching live TV will involve maximizing and minimizing the screen in a top corner. Live TV will be part of the Xbox One experience, via HDMI-in. Yes, cable TV looks like part of the package.

But we haven't seen, other than some picture-in-picture overlays, how exactly TV is piped in and more deeply interacted with...and who the partners are. Comcast was mentioned, but what other companies will contribute to letting the Xbox One hook in and become a true TV accessory? That was the challenge that daunted Google TV and the Wii U. Right now, it doesn't look like the Xbox One replaces your cable box or your DVR, even though it's large enough to be both.

The Xbox One does knit together new voice commands to do some PC-like stuff: you can order movie tickets, for instance, engage in Skype, or pull up fantasy sports stats while watching a game. The conversational, Siri-meets-Google Now-like voice commands hopefully will have clear menu representation on the console, as otherwise it could get confusing.

"It's an all-in-one entertainment console" is a pitch we've heard before, dating back to the PlayStation 3 and before that -- really, going back all the way to the 3DO. It hasn't always worked, but the Xbox One is better positioned because the Xbox 360's already pretty successful at being an excellent streaming-video device.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Specs

Under the hood, details so far include an eight-core processor and graphics made by AMD, 8GB of RAM, Blu-ray, USB 3.0, HDMI in/out, and a 500GB hard drive. Besides all of this, Microsoft is promising a new operating system fusing Xbox and Windows.

Xbox One architecture has "three operating systems in one": Xbox, a kernel of Windows (perhaps like Windows RT), and a multitasking interface. The idea seems to be that this console will be a multitasker at heart. Check out a head-to-head comparison with the PlayStation 4 specs known so far, however, and you can see that the distance between Sony and Microsoft, in terms of hardware, will be shorter than ever.

The Xbox One's Kinect.

A new Kinect comes with the Xbox One, complete with improved accuracy. It has a 1080p camera, Skype connectivity, and understanding of rotational movement in a structure like a skeleton. Microsoft even claims the new Kinect can read your heartbeat. It can also recognize your controller, not just your hands -- suggesting uses that sound a little like the ones for PlayStation Move's wand.

The Xbox One controller

New controller

The Xbox controller's gotten a revamp with an integrated battery, improved ergonomics, a better D-pad, and improved response triggers. It looks similar but has gotten a bunch of gamer-oriented tweaks.

SmartGlass

The tablet-based SmartGlass experience will center on Xbox One, and will work as before with a variety of phones and tablets. Baked-in Wi-Fi Direct on the Xbox One will allow Bluetooth-like direct communication between external devices, which could come in handy for other future peripherals, too. Second screens will be a major method of interacting with the Xbox One, but details were scarce at the Xbox event -- how will it be better than, and more profound than, SmartGlass as it currently exists?

Xbox Live

Built on the existing service and usernames, the new Xbox Live promises 300,000 servers for Xbox One, a whopping number. Matchmaking services will work while you're doing other tasks like watching movies or Web browsing, and bigger, more quickly connecting matches are promised, too. Microsoft has discussed some cloud services on the Xbox One that seem promising: user-based cloud game saves, uploaded game recording, and even the potential for cloud-processing-enhanced games. How that will play out isn't clear.

Games

Microsoft plans eight new franchises for the Xbox One in the first year, a hopeful sign for a platform that's become too sequel-dependent. Of course, Forza 5 was shown off, but a new game called Quantum Break from the developers of Alan Wake looks like the sort of game we're more used to seeing from PlayStation, with a big-studio design and cinematic feel. But there is some bad news: like the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One isn't backward-compatible with Xbox 360 games.

TV on Xbox

"Xbox is going to be the next water cooler." That was said during the event to suggest the Xbox One's role as a social-TV platform. To that end, it sounds like Microsoft is developing TV shows and original programming for the Xbox One, making a greater leap into Netflix-like original programming. Steven Spielberg announced a new TV series based on Halo, and the NFL demonstrated some level of interaction with fantasy stats and Skyping with NFL broadcasts.

Availability

The Xbox One will be available "later this year," so that means 2013 after all. Price and a specific date will have to wait...after all, E3 is just weeks away. In short, there are still several things about the Xbox One we don't know...and would like to.

Early Availability notification signups:

Microsoft is also accepting early notification signups for the availability of Xbox One.

Now its time to know what you all think. You can leave a review over the poll (till its open) and also give us review over the new Xbox One in comments

Will Xbox One match the Entertainment needs of its audience?

Love Windows Live Messenger? Here's how you can bring it back

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:05:00 +0530

Microsoft recently killed off Windows Live Messenger in favor of Skype, leaving many of us without years' worth of chat logs or the familiarity that MSN brings. Skype, while good, doesn't have the same stability as MSN and adds a lot of unwanted clutter. Microsoft have blocked MSN from working for many users, but some new software from a Microsoft MVP allows you to bring back Messenger in a few simple steps.

Messenger Reviver 2 is a free piece of software that installs, repairs and modifies Windows Live Messenger '08, '09, '11 and '12 to allow them to sign in, despite Microsoft's block. Currently, when you access Messenger you're prompted to "install the newer version in order to continue," but Reviver installs a patch that allows WLM to continue to be used.

To bypass this message, download Messenger Reviver 2. The programme makes changes to your computer, so grant it the relevant levels of access. (A zipped version of the program is also available to bypass security software blocking). The software runs on Windows XP through to Windows 8 and .NET framework version 2.0 or higher, though .NET 3.5 or 4 is recommended.

Once downloaded, a window will pop-up that looks like this:

Click "Start" and the program will automatically modify Messenger and restart it. If Windows Live Essentials is not installed, Reviver will offer the option to install the software. If Essentials is installed, but Skype has removed it, Reviver offers the ability to re-install it:

If you no longer have Windows Live Messenger on your system don't worry, we've got you covered.

Download: Windows Live Messenger 2012 (offline installer)
View: More information can be found here

The Google has gone 1K times Better, Switching from Strings to Things

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Wed, 9 Jan 2013 14:13:00 +0530

The Google Search of the future is here. Now. Today. The long-talked-about semantic web — Google prefers “Knowledge Graph” — is rolling out across all Google Search tools, and our most fundamental online task may never be the same again.

Starting today, a vast portion of Google Search results will work with you to intuit what you really meant by that search entry. Type in an ambiguous query like “Kings” (which could mean royalty, a sports team or a now-cancelled TV show), and a new window will appear on the right side of your result literally asking you which entity you meant. Click on one of those options and your results will be filtered for that search entity.

To understand the gravity of this change, you need to know about the fundamental changes going on behind the scenes at Google Search. As we outlined in our report earlier this year, Google is switching from simple keyword recognition to the identification of entities, nodes and relationships. In this world, “New York” is not simply the combination of two keywords that can be recognized. It’s understood by Google as a state in the U.S. surrounded by other states, the Atlantic Ocean and with a whole bunch of other, relevant attributes.

As Ben Gomes, Google Fellow, put it, Google is essentially switching “from strings to things.”

To build this world of things, Google is tapping a variety of knowledge databases, including Freebase, which it bought in 2010, Wikipedia, Google Local, Google Maps and Google Shopping. Currently, Google’s Knowledge Graph has over 500 million people, places and things and those things have at least 3.5 billion attributes.

That’s a lot of things. According to Google, search users will see these new knowledge graph results at least as often as they see Google Maps in results. In fact, this update will have a greater initial impact than the updates that brought Google Images, videos, news and books, combined. It’s big and it’s probably going to be everywhere.

Summaries of Good Stuff

In addition to the window which will help users find the right “thing,” Google will also surface summaries for things, which, again, will try to be somewhat comprehensive by tapping into the various databases of knowledge. A search for Frank Lloyd Wright, for instance, will return a brief summary, photos of Wright, images of his famous projects and perhaps, most interestingly, related “things.” People who search for Wright are also looking for other notable architects. It’s a feature that may remind users of Amazon’s penchant for delivering “people who liked this book also bought or searched for this one” results.

Gomes said that the search results are tailored to deliver information that best relates to the initial search result. So the details delivered about a female astronaut will likely outline her space travel record, because that’s what people who search for her are, according to Google, most interested in.

How the Knowledge Graph Works.

Since this is a knowledge graph (“Web” might be a better word), the results are designed to help you dig more deeply into related topics. Google showed us how someone might start by searching for a local amusement park, find an interesting rollercoaster as one of the “things” that relates to the park and end up digging in on details about that coaster and other similar rides. It’s a “skeleton of knowledge that allows you to explore information on the web,” said Gomes.
There is the potential, Gomes added, of serendipitous discovery. The more you dig into things, the more things you learn about.

Of course, not every “thing” is the right thing. Wikipedia is, for example, a community-sourced encyclopedia that is known for both its breadth and depth of information and the occasional whoppers of misinformation it stores. Google’s Knowledge Graph includes an error reporting system. When users find misinformation, Google will share it with the source and the knowledge graph will get just a little bit smarter

For now, though, the Knowledge Graph is not getting any smarter about you. If you search for an ambiguous topic and then guide Google Search to the more defined set of results, the same query later will not go directly to that filtered information — at least not yet. “We don’t have anything to announce for personalization,” said Gomes.

The Competition

Google’s chief search competitor, Microsoft Bing, also has millions of entities, but it’s not aiming for the purely semantic model of search results. Instead, Bing execs told Mashable that it’s focusing, in part, on much smaller set of segments that its users typically search on (i.e.: restaurants, hotels, movies) and trying to surface relevant information regarding those segments. A search result for hotels, for example, might include reservation tools. And while Google search now blends in Google+ results, Bing’s latest instantiation has moved social information to the right side of its search results page

It’s unclear for now how the Google Knowledge Graph, which pushes aside keyword results in favor of relationships and artificial intelligence, impacts all the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) many web sites have done to push their search rank ever higher. Also unknown is how, if at all, Google’s sea change will impact Google+. Gomes revealed that some Google+ changes were coming “independent of this” update and that Google will be talking about them separately.

Eventually, Google’s search will get smarter and will stop asking for your help to understand your query and start answering complex questions like “What is the coldest lake in the world in July?” It doesn’t matter why you want to know that, just that, someday, the right answer will be a click away on Google Search.

Google’s Knowledge Graph will roll out across the U.S. (and on all Google platforms: desktop, mobile, tablet) in the coming days. Eventually, it will go global. Give it a try and let us know what you think of the brand new Google Search in the comments.

Hackers using Skype to attack Windows PCs

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 15:14:00 +0530

Free internet-calling service Skype is being used by hackers to distribute a 'worm' that infects users Windows PCs.

On clicking an instant message saying "lol is this your new profile pic?" users are unwittingly downloading a file containing a Trojan horse malware file.

This opens a backdoor allowing hackers to hijack infected PCs and recruit them into a "botnet army".

Users can be locked out of their machines and held to ransom, the BBC reports.

According to the report, Skype said in a statement that they 'are aware of this malicious activity and are working quickly to mitigate its impact.'

"We strongly recommend upgrading to the newest Skype version and applying updated security features on your computer," the firm said in a statement.

"Additionally, following links - even when from your contacts - that look strange or are unexpected is not advisable," it added.

Google Street View Is Now Available on the Google Maps Webapp

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Thu, 4 Oct 2012 23:31:00 +0530

Google has added the Street View feature to its Google Maps webapp, giving the already robust mapping system a nice on the ground viewpoint for wherever you're going.
To access Street View, type in the address you're looking for into Google Maps on your mobile browser, and click the person icon in the bottom right corner. You'll drop down into the traditional Street View and you can swipe to look around. If you've been missing the Street View feature on iOS 6, this is nice to have around to get a better idea of where you're going, and it makes the Google Maps webapp that much more useful.

Google Maps

Intel-powered ultrabooks a major flop: Research

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Thu, 4 Oct 2012 22:50:00 +0530

Ultrabooks -- those sleek, lightweight laptop computers that were supposed to fire up PC sales -- are not catching on with consumers, a new survey shows.

The research firm IHS iSuppli on Monday slashed its forecast in half for the ultrabooks, saying high prices and ineffective marketing have culminated in a failure to lure buyers away from other hot-selling mobile gadgets.

The survey showed 10.3 million ultrabooks will ship worldwide in 2012, down from the previous forecast issued earlier this year of 22 million units. More than half of the shipments for the year are expected in the fourth quarter.

For next year, iSuppli cut its forecast to 44 million from a prior estimate of 61 million.

"So far, the PC industry has failed to create the kind of buzz and excitement among consumers that is required to propel ultrabooks into the mainstream," IHS analyst Craig Stice said.

"This is especially a problem amid all the hype surrounding media tablets and smartphones. When combined with other factors, including prohibitively high pricing, this means that ultrabook sales will not meet expectations in 2012."

The latest report said that to fire up sales, prices need to come down from the $1,000 range to around $600.

It said if ultrabooks using the new Windows 8 operating system come close to the $600-$700 range next year, while adding in an new features such as touchscreen, a good chance exists for strong sales in 2013. Otherwise, consumers may opt for other devices.

"With the economy languishing, ultrabook sellers may have trouble finding buyers at the current pricing, especially with fierce competition from new mobile computing gadgets such as the iPhone 5, Kindle Fire HD and forthcoming Microsoft Surface" tablet, Stice said.

IHS said that despite the challenges, ultrabook sales will rise to 95 million by 2016.

The ultrabook is a term for a lightweight notebook computer coined by Intel. But ISH said Intel's "stringent" definitions are prompting some manufacturers to shun the term and call the PCs, "ultrathins," instead.

Source: The Times Of India

Apple CEO Tim Cook Apologizes for Apple Maps, Suggests You Download Bing

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 09:05:00 +0530

Its a kinder, gentler Apple under Tim Cook, an Apple which is in fact able to apologize to their users for messing up big time.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has apologized for “falling short of their commitment” to “deliver the best experience possible to our customers” but promised things will get better, and in the mean time recommended users use alternate applications, mentioning specifically Bing Maps and Nokia web maps, amongst others.

Bing Maps is considered by many to be even better on iOS than Windows Phone, and has already been recommended by many as a free alternate to the mess that Apple Maps has been.

Now he only needs apologize for scuff-gate and purple-haze gate not to mention just for stretching out the iPhone 4S.

Here's the Full Letter:

To our customers,
At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.
We launched Maps initially with the first version of iOS. As time progressed, we wanted to provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps. In order to do this, we had to create a new version of Maps from the ground up.
There are already more than 100 million iOS devices using the new Apple Maps, with more and more joining us every day. In just over a week, iOS users with the new Maps have already searched for nearly half a billion locations. The more our customers use our Maps the better it will get and we greatly appreciate all of the feedback we have received from you.
While we're improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.
Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world. We know that you expect that from us, and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard.
Tim Cook
Apple's CEO

You may get call from Facebook if profile identity is suspect

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:42:00 +0530

Social networking giant Facebook is making a "huge effort" to weed out fake profiles to prevent misuse of such identities, a senior company official has said.

"Absolutely, there is a huge effort," Facebook India business manager Pavan Varma told PTI when asked about the company's action on this front.

If Facebook doubts the ownership of an account, it will ask the user to identify himself/herself, he said.
The doubt about the authenticity of the account will arise if an account has a generic name instead of a proper name, uses images of celebrities/ cartoon characters as display pictures, or does not have "enough friends", Varma said.

"It could even be that Facebook comes back to you saying, `could you help us identify yourself if you don't have enough friends, because we don't want fake identities," he said.

"We are worried about the experience we deliver....It's not about protecting our brand identity so much," he said.

Recently there were reports of fake accounts being created by computer programs, which are used for inflating the number of "likes" on Facebook page for a brand.

Facebook had recently said it would be taking out fake "likes" generated by spammers, malware and black marketers.

Varma said advertisers must also shed the obsession with numbers. "How does an advertiser today treat a Facebook page? It is treated as a place where they just come with a number of people who are there. But that is a wrong way of doing it," he said, stressing that the conversations around the brand should assume importance rather than the numbers.

Mere "likes" on the page do not help a brand, he said. Companies generally pay Facebook for a dedicated page on its platform that helps them connect with the target audience.

IDBI Bank claims it has over five lakh fans on Facebook, Varma said, who was speaking to PTI on the sidelines of a banking summit.

He added that Facebook, as a medium, is completely secure and cited the case of ICICI Bank, which now offers basic services over the Facebook page by integrating its net banking platform with the social networking site.

Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820: Wireless charging, PureView camera and more

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Wed, 5 Sep 2012 23:27:00 +0530

Microsoft and Nokia held a joint press event in New York City on Wednesday. During the event, the two companies announced their latest and greatest Windows Phone 8 devices.

"This is Lumia. And it's time to switch," declared Nokia's executive vice president Jo Harlow as she held up a Lumia 920, the latest Windows Phone 8 flagship device.

As rumored, the device offers built-in wireless charging to help keep what Harlow describes as the "largest battery ever installed on a Nokia phone" running all day long.

The Lumia 920 also brings a PureView camera system, meaning that you should get crisper, clearer images than ever. The technology within the Lumia 920's camera supposedly responds to the tiniest changes in the environment in order to take the best images possible, without triggering the flash.

The new device's 4.5-inch curved glass display should show off those photos quite well, as the Lumia 920 has enhancements which respond to glare from sunlight and other environmental factors. It's a "display that you could even see in the desert," says Harlow.

Additionally, Harlow emphasized that the Lumia 920 will include Nokia's best navigation tools. "This is the real thing," she says, describing the device's offline map feature, explaining that it is not the typical offline caching seen in some competing apps. An additional app called "City Lens" will allow you to point the smartphone's camera at any nearby landmark or business to view an overlay which includes information about the location. (Yes, augmented reality is leaking into more and more apps.)

This is a phone that you'll want to use constantly, according to Harlow. Microsoft corporate vice president Joe Belfiore took about 15 minutes to demonstrate some of the scenarios in which you might indeed reach for the Lumia 920. It was a basic walk-through of the Windows Phone 8 ecosystem and Belfiore earned a few awkward chuckles as he demonstrated how easily he could add Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer to the Windows Phone 8 start screen, which is dedicated to "the humans you want to keep in touch with."

Nokia senior vice president Kevin Shields took to the stage after Belfiore, to describe how the device "feels so good in your hand that it begs to be picked up." He emphasized the quality and durability of the Luma 920's design. It'll look good, "even throughout the abuse of everyday life."

If the Lumia 920 is a bit too much for you, there's its little brother, the new Lumia 820. The device has most of the Lumia 920's features, but a slightly smaller 4.3-inch display and no built-in wireless charging. It does have some exchangeable back covers though, which can indeed enable wireless charging.

Since no Windows Phone 8 event would be complete without Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, the executive did indeed step on stage to wrap things up and reiterate the advancements the mobile operating system has made.

Zune Desktop features changed once again, App Marketplace not in sight

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Wed, 5 Sep 2012 22:44:00 +0530

If you've launched your Zune Desktop lately, you've probably seen the pop-up message alerting you that features have changed. When you re-launch Zune you will find that there is no longer a Zune HD marketplace listing.
The only options available under the Zune Desktop Marketplace listing are Picks, Music, Videos and Podcasts. The option to view Apps, both Zune and the resurgent Windows Phone 7 apps, have vanished. We know that Microsoft is in the process of renovating the Zune services over to Xbox Music and this change could be part of that process.

While the Zune Desktop is still used for music, video play and syncing with your Windows Phone, Microsoft shifted the app marketplace for Windows Phone to the web Marketplace back in May. Citing that more used the web option more, Microsoft shut down the Zune avenue.
For those of you who want the desktop Marketplace back, you can re-enable with a registry editor and 30 seconds of your time:

Open registry editor, go to HCU\Software\Microsoft\Zune
Create a key with the name "FeaturesOverride"
Inside this key create a DWORD value with the name "Apps" Set "1" to created value
Close registry editor, start Zune and if it works

Not sure what the next feature change will be with the Zune Desktop. Maybe change the change the "Marketplace" listing to "Xbox Music"?

Samsung unveils ATIV S, world's first Windows Phone 8 device

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 23:03:00 +0530

If you've been wondering what the first dual-core Windows Phone would look like, this is it. Today, the Korean electronics giant took the wraps off the Samsung ATIV S, the world's first smartphone running Windows Phone 8.
The ATIV S (ATIV is "VITA" spelled backward) features a slim design, a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display, and a 1.5GHz dual-core processor. There's also compatibility for HSPA+42.

In addition, the ATIV S packs in a rear-facing 8-megapixel camera with autofocus and an LED flash, and a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera.
Taking full advantage of new software capabilities announced for Windows Phone 8 in June, there's a microSD card and support for NFC (think file-sharing and, soon, payment).
Samsung has also added a very large 2,300mAh battery that should promise longer life, and 1GB of RAM. It'll come in 16GB and 32GB storage versions, and will feature a host of Samsung apps, like the Music Hub and the Media Hub for the U.S. market.
Though Samsung hasn't yet shared its release plans for the U.S., the HSPA+ support and lack of LTE connectivity points toward a T-Mobile release first.

Stay tuned for more details of the Samsung ATIV S Windows phone, including hands-on impressions.

Dropbox Adds Two-Step Verification for Enhanced Security, And You Should Turn It On Now

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 21:45:00 +0530

Most security-minded computer users know about Google's two-step verification process, but other popular webapps like Facebook and Amazon have also added this great way of reducing your chances of being hacked. Today, Dropbox joins the two-step verification party.

To enable Dropbox two-step authentication you'll need to allow Dropbox to send you a text message with a code or use a mobile authenticator app if you don't want Dropbox to have your phone number. Either way works fine and enables the "something you have" plus "something you know" steps to help keep you safe.

To get started go to your account settings page on Dropbox, click on the Security tab, and scroll down to the bottom of the page and enable two-step verification. Or just click this link.

Welcome, The New Microsoft

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 20:25:00 +0530

Microsoft has revealed it is changing its logo for the first time in 25 years.

The new logo now features four coloured squares and a more simplified font without the italics or joined up "O" and "S".

"It's been 25 years since we updated the Microsoft logo. Now is the perfect time for a change. Learn more at http://aka.ms/logo," says Microsoft with the accompanying video.

On the company's official blog Microsoft goes into more detail:

"It’s been 25 years since we’ve updated the Microsoft logo and now is the perfect time for a change. This is an incredibly exciting year for Microsoft as we prepare to release new versions of nearly all of our products. From Windows 8 to Windows Phone 8 to Xbox services to the next version of Office, you will see a common look and feel across these products providing a familiar and seamless experience on PCs, phones, tablets and TVs. This wave of new releases is not only a reimagining of our most popular products, but also represents a new era for Microsoft, so our logo should evolve to visually accentuate this new beginning."

For typographers and corporate brand dudes keen to know more, the logo has two components.

"The logotype and the symbol. For the logotype, we are using the Segoe font which is the same font we use in our products as well as our marketing communications. The symbol is important in a world of digital motion. The symbol’s squares of color are intended to express the company’s diverse portfolio of products."

Oh and video below shows the new logos of the products from Microsoft.

Microsoft SkyDrive Redesigned, More Features Added

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:21:00 +0530

Great news for SkyDrive users: Microsoft has revamped SkyDrive with a more modern Metro-style design (alright, "Windows 8"-like design), added a bunch of new features, and finally announced an Android dedicated app is on the way.
The new interface brings a tile-based layout to your files and folders, complete with support for dragging-and-dropping multiple files. (Don't worry, you can still access the normal details view.) A new contextual toolbar should make working with folders and docs quicker, and finding your files should be easier too with the new instant search. One handy feature is the customized sorting settings—so you can save your preference for arranging files by date created, modified, or saved on a folder-by-folder basis.

An official SkyDrive app for Android phones is finally coming—"in just a few weeks," according to the SkyDrive blog post. As with the Windows Phone and iOS apps, the Android SkyDrive app will give you access to your SkyDrive files on the go.

Desktop SkyDrive apps are also faster and more efficient now, especially when it comes to bulk photo uploading and syncing recent changed files. Perhaps the best news buried in the announcement is that Microsoft is working on a "choosing what to sync" option. This means you'll (most likely) be able to selectively sync certain folders or files, rather than maxing out your entire SkyDrive storage space. This is still a "stay tuned" feature, though.

A new modern SkyDrive.com, updated apps, and Outlook.com at 10 million users | SkyDrive Windows Blog

Microsoft’s “Metro” UI Is Now Just “Windows 8”

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:07:00 +0530

Microsoft is ditching the "Metro" name for its live tiles UI in Windows 8 and Windows Phone. And it was a bit of a mystery what it was going to be called. Answer's in: Just plain ol' "Windows 8."

It feels a bit like a missed opportunity for Microsoft to brand its whole ecosystem—especially in a way that isn't wholly confusing. "The Windows 8 interface on Xbox" is more complicated than just Metro on Xbox. Or whatever else Microsoft wanted to call it that isn't just "Windows." In fairness, that's what Microsoft had been doing with Metro, before the name fell into litigation, but it's just strange to go completely away from that strategy and fold everything under the Windows 8 umbrella.

Samsung to unveil new Galaxy Note in late August

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Mon, 6 Aug 2012 18:13:00 +0530

(Reuters) - Samsung Electronics(005930.KS) is set to take the wraps off a sequel to its popular Galaxy Note smartphone at an event on August 29, about two weeks before the possible debut of Apple's(AAPL.O) new iPhone.

The two arch rivals are bracing for a full-blown battle with the expected rollouts of the two key models coming as they lock horns in a high-stakes patent trial in the United States.

"We plan to unveil the next Galaxy Note at the Samsung Mobile Unpacked event in Berlin on August 29," a Samsung spokesman said on Friday, without elaborating. The event will take place two days before the opening of Europe's biggest consumer electronics trade fair IFA.

South Korean media reports speculate the new Galaxy Note may feature an unbreakable, 5.5-inch display - slightly larger than the current one - as well as a faster processor and a much better camera.
Samsung, once a laggard in the smartphone market, overtook Apple last year to become the world's largest smartphone maker. The South Korean firm is looking to defend its supremacy by refreshing its line-up ahead of the launch of the fifth version of Apple's iPhone, widely expected to be released in October.

Samsung launched its flagship Galaxy S III in May, while Apple is planning a major product launch on Sept 12, stoking speculation the company may announce the sale of its redesigned iPhone.
Samsung is estimated to have increased smartphone shipments to 50.5 million in the April to June quarter of this year, nearly double the 26 million iPhones sold.

Apple shipments in the June quarter tumbled 26 percent on the previous quarter as the European economy sagged and consumers held off on buying ahead of the release of the iPhone 5.

The two tech titans also started a trial in a U.S. court this week in a patent battle triggered by Apple's lawsuit last year claiming that Samsung slavishly copied Apple's smartphones and tablets. Samsung has countersued.

Outlook vs. Gmail: A Feature-by-Feature Comparison

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Sun, 5 Aug 2012 23:11:00 +0530

[Updated]
Microsoft announced its Outlook webmail service this week, and it's a suprisingly robust new webmail client. But can it hold a torch to the current king of webmail, Gmail? To give you a better idea of how they stack up, here's a feature-by-feature comparison of Outlook vs. Gmail.

Feature-by-feature, the two services are remarkably similar. Here's a quick rundown:

Now for the more detailed breakdown.

Interface

Let's start with the first thing you're going to notice when you log into Outlook for the first time: the interface. Most of us are familiar with how Gmail looks and feels. Outlook's not entirely different, but it is a little simpler.

Outlook's Clean, Email-Centric Interface
Outlook is all about email. That's it. When you pop into Outlook, you're shown your email account and nothing else. You still get ads on the sidebar, but overall, it's a far less cluttered interface than Gmail (and it's way less cluttered than Hotmail) because Outlook isn't seeking to integrate with a bunch of other services. Ads are a little less creepy because they're not based on keywords in your inbox.

Gmail's Google-centric Interface
We all know Gmail's interface pretty well at this point. You get personalized ads on the main inbox page on the top, and a sidebar with ads inside your messages. You also have the chat window on the side and the Google bar on the top. It's not complicated by any means, but the Google bar is certainly a bit of a distraction.

Storage Space and Attachments

Email storage space isn't as big of a deal as it once was, but if you're sending a lot of large files back and forth, a hefty amount of storage is helpful.

Outlook Has Nearly Unlimited Storage and a 100MB Limit on Attachments
You get a "virtually unlimited" amount of storage in Outlook. This means your storage capacity grows with your inbox, and you won't be throttled unless you appear to be a spammer. You can also attach a file of up to 100MB to any email. If you link your email to Skydrive you can attach files up to 300MB.

For incoming attachments, Outlook retains the Hotmail-style Active View. YouTube videos open inside the email, a group of photos becomes a slideshow, and you can open any Office document directly in your browser.

Gmail Comes with 10GB of Storage and a 25MB Limit on Attachments
Gmail's limits on storage and attachment size are a lot smaller than Outlook's. Out of the gates, most Gmail users get 10GB of free storage, and attachments are limited to just 25MB in size.

Like Outlook, Gmail opens up YouTube videos directly inline with the email. Gmail also handles Office documents in a similar way, and opens them in browser with the option to edit in Google Docs. Images in Gmail are handled with a pretty typical list view and don't offer the slick sideshow that Outlook has.

Email Organization

For power-users, the most important part of a good webmail client is automatic email filing and organization. Gmail locked this down a while ago, but Outlook brings some new ideas to the table.

Outlook's Quick View Folders and Sweep Features
Outlook doesn't have the robust filtering and labeling system that Gmail does, but it has a few tricks up its sleeve. One is the Quick View folders. These folders are automatically filled with certain types of emails (flagged, photos, office, shopping, etc). For instance, from the sidebar you can instantly search through the last few messages with photo attachments, or messages about Groupon deals. The Sweep feature from Hotmail also carries over to Outlook. Sweeping works a lot like Gmail's labels where emails from certain people or places automatically get filed away in a folder of your choosing.

Gmail's Filters, Labels, and Priority Messages
Using Gmail's labels is an easy way to keep track which emails are important and where they are. Better still, it's simple to set up an automatic filter that combs your incoming mail and distributes messages directly into those labels. If you're still overwhelmed, the priority inbox is a lifesaver for designating which emails really matter.

Junk Mail Control

Everyone hates spam, and no webmail client is worth using if it doesn't have extensive spam filtering. Of course, it's not just spam, it's also the junk you've signed up for that matters (newsletters, mailing lists, coupons, and whatever else).

Outlook's Spam Control and Clever Batch Filtering
Only time will tell how good Outlook's spam control is, but one of Outlook's coolest features is how it handles newsletter-type messages. Outlook automatically labels these messages and adds an unsubscribe button to them—even if the email doesn't include one its own. It's super handy for filtering out those emails you don't mind getting, but don't want alerts constantly.

Gmail's Spam Control and Filter Settings
Gmail has a pretty great spam filter and chances are you won't have too much trouble with spam. However, it doesn't have the same out-of-the-box batch filtering system for that clutter email you get. Still, it's super easy to set up your own filter for things like newsletters. Just create a new filter with words like, "opt-out, unsubscribe, privacy policy, or manage your account" and all your newsletters and coupons will filter off into their own section.

POP/IMAP Support

If you use a third-party email client on your desktop or mobile device, POP or IMAP support is crucial for keeping everything in order. Support for either also matters when you want to look at email without an active internet connection.

Outlook Doesn't Support IMAP, but Does Have ActiveSync and POP
Here's one of Outlook's major bummers: it doesn't support IMAP or POP. This means using certain third party email services (like Apple's default desktop Mail app) won't work. You can still follow the guide for using Hotmail with POP and that should work with Outlook. Instead, Outlook uses ActiveSync. Subsequently, you can only use email apps that support ActiveSync.

Gmail Has Full Support for Both IMAP and POP
Gmail supports both IMAP and POP and you can switch your settings on the fly very simply. This means you can synchronize between multiple email clients very easily. It also means you can access your archived email even when you're offline.

Search Capabilities

If you receive hundreds of emails a day, then a solid search capability is key with any webmail client. You don't want to spend more than a few minutes hunting down a lost email.

Outlook Has Simple, but Effective Search
Outlook's search capability is pretty straight-forward. You can search by a simple keyword, or pop into the advanced search and narrow it down by email address, subject, folders, and dates. It's nothing too complex, but it works well enough.

Gmail's Comprehensive Advanced Search Strings
Gmail's search strings are pretty advanced. The nice part about Gmail's search is that you don't have to worry about a bunch of input boxes. Instead, you can just type commands like, label, list, or filename, directly into the search box. It's fast and effective for quickly searching through email.

Social Integration

Email is already inherently social, but if you're looking to connect your various social accounts into your email, it's increasingly easy to do.

Outlook's Social Integration with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn & Skype (Coming Soon)
Outlook directly integrates with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. When you log in with any of those services, you'll see status updates, link mailbox accounts, and more. From the sidebar you can retweet people on Twitter, comment on Facebook status updates, and more. If you don't like the feature, it's easy enough not to enable. Check out the Video Below:

Gmail's Integrates with Google Plus Since Gmail is owned by Google, its social integration starts and stops with Google Plus. The two are tied together in a lot ways, including contact listings, email filtering, and more. Provided your friends are using Google Plus, you can even instantly create email groups to send mass messages to. Which One's Best for You? Outlook is the newcomer, but it's a no-brainer for anyone currently using Hotmail. It's also a good go-to for anyone who wants a webmail client that only does email. Its simplicity is its greatest strength. That said, Google's integration with all of Google's services is nice, and it's advanced features and customization options are more appealing to the power user.

There Is No Escape: All Facebook users will soon be forced to switch to Timeline

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Fri, 3 Aug 2012 14:05:00 +0530

If you consider yourself one of the lucky people who haven't been forced to switch to Timeline yet, know that your luck may soon run out. Facebook will force all of its 955 million accounts to use the new, more visual profile layout this fall in order to give everyone a consistent experience throughout the site.

Timeline was introduced in January of this year, catching some people by surprise. Facebook has been periodically forcing more and more users to make the switch since then; the rollout will merely be accelerated so that the transition will be complete in the next few months. Its recently announced revamped Photos interface is also part of the site-wide change, so expect to get the feature soon.

You'll know you're getting Timeline once Facebook shows you a prompt upon login, telling you when your new profile is going live. Make sure you edit your profile first before it goes public if you don't want friends and co-workers coming across old party pictures you forgot you had on your account.

Windows 8 Released To Manufacturing

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Wed, 1 Aug 2012 22:44:00 +0530

Right on schedule, Windows 8 has been Released To Manufacturing. What this means is that Microsoft has completed the product development and the testing of Windows 8 operating system, and has started handing over its final code to its OEM partners, so that can start preparing their devices, which they can introduce at its General Availability on 26th October 2012.

Windows 8 has RTM’d

While we have reached our RTM milestone, no software project is ever really “done.” We will continue to monitor and act on your real world experiences with Windows 8—we’ve used the preview process to test out our servicing and we have every intent of doing a great job on this next important phase of the product. Hardware partners will continue to provide new devices and improve support for existing devices. PC makers no doubt have quite a bit in store for all of us as they begin to show off PCs specifically designed for Windows 8, said Steven Sinofsky.

Developers and IT professionals will be able to download the final version of Windows 8 via their MSDN or TechNet subscriptions.

Customers with existing Microsoft Software Assurance for Windows, Microsoft Partner Network members, Microsoft Action Pack Providers and Volume License customers without Software Assurance will have access to Windows 8 on dates between August 16th and September 1st.

The Windows Blog has confirmed that users will be able to get Windows 8 starting on October 26th either by upgrading for $39.99 or when they purchase a new Windows 8 device, either a new PC or a new device.

If you buy an eligible Windows 7 PC today, you will be able to purchase an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $14.99 (U.S.) through the Windows Upgrade Offer,

In a blog post this morning, Windows chief Steven Sinofsky cites unprecedented levels of testing for Windows 8.

He writes, “The previews of Windows 8 (Developer, Consumer, Release) have been the most widely and deeply used test releases of any product we have ever done. Over 16 million PCs actively participated in these programs, including approximately 7 million on the Release Preview that started 8 weeks ago. The depth and breadth of testing validate the readiness of Windows 8 for the market.”

Via Microsoft, here’s a timeline of next steps:

August 15th: Developers will be able to download the final version of Windows 8 via your MSDN subscriptions.
August 15th: IT professionals testing Windows 8 in organizations will be able to access the final version of Windows 8 through your TechNet subscriptions.
August 16th: Customers with existing Microsoft Software Assurance for Windows will be able to download Windows 8 Enterprise edition through the Volume License Service Center (VLSC), allowing you to test, pilot and begin adopting Windows 8 Enterprise within your organization.
August 16th: Microsoft Partner Network members will have access to Windows 8.
August 20th: Microsoft Action Pack Providers (MAPS) receive access to Windows 8.
September 1st: Volume License customers without Software Assurance will be able to purchase Windows 8 through Microsoft Volume License Resellers.
October 26: Windows 8 will be available to consumers either by upgrading or on a new PC. Eligible Windows 7 PCs purchased now qualify for an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $14.99 (U.S.) through the Windows Upgrade Offer.

The YouTube Feather Beta to Trim the Fat from YouTube Pages

noreply@blogger.com (Saurabh Sharma) — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 00:13:00 +0530

The YouTube "Feather" beta is designed to give YouTube viewers the fastest viewing experience possible, at the expense of on-page features like expanding share boxes, collapsible comments, and a long list of related videos on the side of the page. The layout isn't drastically different, but if your problem with YouTube is that your videos buffer all the time and fail to load, the Feather beta may be worth a look.
We were hoping that YouTube comments would go away along with the rest of the page bloat, but we weren't so lucky. Instead of being collapsible, the first few comments are now fixed text on the page, and you can't upvote or downvote them. Aside from that, the page layout has been simplified, and the only buttons you have under a video now are the thumbs up/thumbs down/flag buttons. The "related videos" section on the right side of the page is pared down to five videos only, and most of the other interactive elements on the page, like pop-out menus and frames that slide open when you click on them, are gone.

YouTube tends to change its general layout so often that many of us don't notice the changes, but if the current iteration is too busy for you, or it takes too long to load a video, give the Feather beta a try at the link below. You can opt out of it at any time (you'll see a box below the related videos asking if you want out), and YouTube says that the Feather view may not work for all videos and is a work in progress. Give it a whirl and let us know what you think in the discussions below.