Microsoft’s Windows 10 Event – At a Glance by @Tiwaash #Microsoft #Windows10
Finally the much awaited event went live today where Microsoft showcased all about Windows 10 and some new technology which there are introducing the world to. Windows 10 is the most advanced OS made by Microsoft, which will work on various devices of various sizes. Continue reading to know what happened at the event today.
Windows 10 Overview
After the event went live, Terry Myerson announced on stage that, for the first year after Windows 10 launches, any device running Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows Phone 8.1 will be able to upgrade to the latest version of MIcrosoft’s OS — for free. Which we consider is good thing as far as users are concerned.
Taking feedback from 1.7 million insiders from the Microsoft Insider Program, Windows 10 can easily be called as the most advanced OS from the company which offers seamless multitasking with special attention on the user security and privacy and comes with loads of features. The key features are listed below
- Now Cortana is made available on PCs & laptops with advanced capabilities and “Hey Cortana” activates the personal assistant.
- Improved design and interface.
- New universal apps for PC such as Outlook, Calendar etc. now are more functional and go well with the whole interface.
- Project Spartan is here to replace Internet Explorer. Spartan is fast responsive and feature rich, providing you with the option to create notes right on the browser, there is reading mode on board and many more.
- Gaming is getting a massive push in Windows 10. A new Xbox app enables Game DVR for sharing clips of most PC games with your friends — and they’re sent across Xbox Live, so Xbox One owners can watch as well.
Cortana for Windows 10
On the desktop of Windows 10, Cortana takes the form of a search box located right beside the Start button. The box will allow you to search the web and your local computer, with results popping up above it. Cortana can be used to perform simple searches, but as on Windows Phone, it can also be used to surface much richer information, like flight statuses. Cortana can also be used to send and dictate emails, control music, and launch apps. Notifications will also pop up here.
Windows 10 for Phones
Joe Belfiore today demonstrated the new experience tailored specifically for phones and tablets with screens of 8 inches and smaller. The most immediate change is a shift of the background image to sit behind the UI tiles, making for a much tidier and more attractive interface. The settings menu has also been cleaned up dramatically, with Belfiore noting it’s a universal app that will function identically whether on the desktop or mobile version. The first build of Windows 10 for phones will be made available to members of the Windows Insider Program in February.
Office for Windows 10 Phone & Tablet
Microsoft demoed Office for Windows 10 today, giving a first look at how it will look on phones and small tablets. It’s a huge improvement over what Word, Powerpoint, and Excel currently look like on WindowsPhone. The new apps look a lot more like their desktop counterparts, just streamlined to make more sense for a small, touchscreen device.
Windows 10 for Xbox One
Microsoft’s gaming chief Phil Spencer just announced that Windows 10 is coming to Xbox One. “For developers that want to bring their application over the TV screen this is going to make it very easy for them to do so.” Microsoft announced a the new Xbox App for Windows 10 and Xbox One Streaming to Windows 10 devices.
New Device: 84-inch Surface Hub tailored for Windows 10
Microsoft unveiled a whole new category of device designed to showcase Windows 10. It’s called the Surface Hub. Surface Hub features an 84-inch 4K display with support for multi-touch and pen input. A 55-inch option will also be available. The massive screen also includes dual cameras, microphones, and a wide array of “advanced sensors,” Microsoft says.
New way of Computing: Windows Holographic with HoloLens Headset
Microsoft also revealed its next great innovation: Windows Holographic. It’s an augmented reality experience that employs a headset, much like all the VR goggles. Microsoft’s solution adds holograms to the world around you. The HoloLens headset is described as “the most advanced holographic computer the world has ever seen.” It’s a self-contained computer, including a CPU, a GPU, and a dedicated holographic processor. The dark visor up front contains a see-through display, there’s spatial sound so you can “hear” holograms behind you, and HoloLens also integrates a set of motion and environmental sensors.
Stay tuned for more tech buzz.
Twitter for Windows Phone gets an update AT LAST. by @jimboireland #Twitter #WindowsPhone
Well its been how many months now since twitter last seen an update on Windows Phone yes it was way back then when Android and iOS reaped updates quite regular especially Twitter for Android.
Todays news will be welcome for many users of the app but i fear third party apps have took over the official with apps like Tweetium and Twabbit for example,Windows Phone users have given up along time ago on the official app so can it claw back any of its old friends,well lets see what is new..
Much awaited was to add photos via DM and to have the ability to upload more than one photo at a time and this is now possible which will help current users of the app.We also have people hub integration also you can now ask Cortana (where available) to send tweet when in the app..You can now also share websites from IE to the app from your device,Apart from that there is no cosmetic changes either so it still looks a bit on the outdated side there and notifications are still an issue and sharing is also missing although you can via IE.
Source Thanks for the tip Milorad.
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Is this the future for computers ? Check out Mouse-Box by @jimboireland #MouseBox #PC
Lets face it things are getting smaller and of course things are also getting bigger it depends on the technology,example been phones are now phablets they have reached already sizes we once never thought,ever since the first Galaxy Note was launched we all snubbed it and laughed but look at how that has changed in the last two years alone..
Our PC or Laptop is also another example of how things have become smaller,thinner or lighter and in some cases larger,change is of course good but everyone cant be pleased.Mouse-Box might have the answer for some with their new invention which is not on sale yet nor seeking crowdfunding as yet,but they have crammed a PC into a Mouse..
Mouse-Box has crammed quite alot into what looks like our standard mouse which we are all so familiar with.
It has a Micro HDMI port,2 UBS 3.0 ports,Wi-Fi,1.4GHz Quad-core ARM Cortex CPU, 128GB of flash storage and also cloud storage plus an accelerometer and gyroscope..So all you need after that is a screen and a keyboard and away you go,this seems like a pretty cool idea but can it take off ?
Browse the news from the entire Internet in one app with #FeedViewer #WindowsPhone by @jimboireland
There is many news apps out there today on any platform and plenty of new aggregators examples on Windows Phone would be Magnify and Flipboard which are kind of similar but nice apps all the same and new apps are always welcome on Windows Phone
This is a new app made by Václav Dajbych who sent it in for us to test out and it seems nice and i like the layout too,you can select from already loaded news sources and then you can add more yourself using the add sources option.
The app is quite new so i found one bug initially on testing it out such as not been able to add some RSS feeds giving an error but other than that its quite a nice app and looks well,you can also view the content off line once read,the app initially shows you the main story and some text then you can view the entire article with one tap then you can mark the article as read when finished,to move from one article to another you simply swipe to the left.
As you can see its mostly BBC thats pre-installed on the app but you can add more sources if required,you can pick from News,Sports,Tech,Business etc and you will have an option with your active feeds which of course can be removed if you wish,there is also a nice live tile too for your homescreen.
What do you think ? Sound off below in the comments..
DOWNLOAD FEED VIEWER.
Microsoft to discontinue Nokia Mail and Nokia Chat on 9th March, 2015 by @Tiwaash #Microsoft #NokiaMail
Microsoft sent out mails to Nokia Mail users informing that she Nokia Mail and Nokia Chat services powered by Yahoo from March 9, 2015 onwards.
“Beginning 9 March, 2015, you will no longer be able to sign in, access your existing emails, or send and receive new messages using your Nokia Mail or Nokia Chat address. If you want to save your existing emails, you must copy your existing Nokia Mail to another email service or to your computer before 9 March, 2015″ read the mail from Microsoft.
Microsoft also detailed about the withdrawal of support from all the services for which the users use Nokia Mail id.
“If you use your Nokia Mail or Nokia Chat address to sign in to Yahoo services such as Flickr, you will no longer be able to do so after March 9, 2015 and all your data and content will be deleted. If you’re a Flickr user, follow this link to move your photos to a new Flickr account, to prevent losing your photos:https://help.yahoo.com/kb/flickr/SLN7315.html?impressions=true
If you have been using Nokia Mail as your contact email for other apps or services, we advise you to update your profile on these services to use an alternative email address. We recommend that you let your friends and family know about your new email address as well”.
So considering this as an early warning signal from Microsoft it is better to follow the instructions given here & save your important mails & chats.
Stay tuned for more tech buzz.
#Picguesso A Picture guessing game that transforms your personal snaps by @jimboireland #IrishApps
There is plenty of photo games and apps now available for our devices today which include many ways of having fun with them by editing or so on today we have came across a new app which was made in Ireland by Damien Kierans and Gerald Gallagher the app is called Picguesso
We took some time out to talk to Damien today to talk about himself and the app and what’s ahead..
I am a designer engineer and I thought of the idea roughly a year ago and started jotting down some designs. When I was happy with the designs I had drafted and the functionality of the app I approached a colleague of mine who has experience with programming and together we started building Picguesso. We were working on the development of Picguesso in our spare time but due to our busy work schedule we decided to get some extra help on the back end of the app to try and get Picguesso launched sooner rather than later. We’re currently drafting up idea’s for a single player offline version called iguesso which is synced to your Picguesso accounted enabling players to climb the leaderboard. We are hoping to have iguesso ready in the coming months
What is Picguesso
Picguesso is a social gaming app that allows users to send and receive blurred images along with a hint and answer. The answer and image is revealed when the image is guessed correctly all while trying to beat the clock and your friend’s top score.
You will first need to sign in after its downloaded,at present the app is available free on Android and iOS we will put links at end of post.
Once logged in you can either pick from the gallery of images already preloaded,take a photo or choose from your gallery.
Once you have chosen the image you wish to share you can then pick from your friends list or you can opt to use your Facebook followers you can also pick a random player or challenge selected players,You can also give hints too.then the game begins from there..
When the game begins you will have an image similar to this on the phones screen..
Not only can you play this game in Ireland you can play this game basically anywhere in the world with already people using it in the USA, Canada, SE Asia, Australia and the U.K. Also Damien has told us that they hope to look at a Windows Phone version later in the year which is promising especially for Windows Phone users.
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We would like to thank Damien for talking to us today and filling us in on this exciting new app which i can see doing well and we wish the team at Picguesso all the best of luck with their future prospects which looks exciting and stay tuned for more updates later on…
Microsoft Band gets Guided Workouts support in its first major update by @Tiwaash #Fitness #MicrosoftBand #Wearable
Microsoft has updated its Band fitness tracker in its first major update. Microsoft started rolling out additional features to the Band such as guided workout and more.
The Band fitness tracker is getting 12 Guided Workouts that Microsoft has sourced from various partners, like Gold’s Gym and Men’s Fitness magazine. Users will have to load the workouts from the Microsoft Health app to the wearable gadget. Earlier in January, Microsoft pushed a general software update to the Microsoft Band and to the Health app, which primarily addressed performance and fixed a few bugs.
The Microsoft Band uses a series of timers and wrist buzzes to guide the user through the workouts. Some of the workouts use common exercise equipment like kettlebells, dumbbells, plyometric boxes, and jumprope.
To know about Microsoft Band and it’s feature click here.
Stay tuned for more tech buzz.
Linx 7 Tablet review. A budget tablet worth the money. by @jimboireland #Linx7 #Windows #Review
Ok so we are all pretty use to seeing plenty of Android tablets on the market and to be honest most of them if not all that fall under the €109 mark are piles of trash,the specs look good and that is as far as it goes,i have tried many budget tablets running one or another kind of version of Android but below that price is only going to be a headache.
Now we are beginning to see some new Windows tablets coming onto the market and thankfully they are not running on RT which is kind of annoying and basically has no real place in the market now.
So lets look at the outside then we will check out what’s inside and how it performs.
Build quality is quite good its solid and does not feel cheap even though its completely housed in a plastic it has some kind of premium feel to it so we are happy there with this.
The top of the device is i must say somewhat pleasing to look at all the action seems to be in one place so its no fumbling around looking for buttons etc.
On the top we have our camera,home key,headphone socket,USB port,SD card slot and HDMI and down to the right we have our power on/off key and volume toggles.I like how all is place together and it does not look cluttered either.
Specifications.
Windows 8.1 OS,1GB RAM,7 INCH IPS TFT LCD DISPLAY,2 MP FRONT CAMERA,2MP REAR CAMERA,HDMI OUTPUT,43 GB INTERNAL STORAGE,MICRO SD SUPPORT,3,500 MAH BATTERY,BLUETOOTH,WIFI.
Unboxing of the linx 7 and walkaround
Ok lets begin with the camera its a 2MP camera and to be honest its poor,it will not be taking any wonderful photos at all,i am by no means any camera expert but the sample below was the best i could get and trying different exposure settings but then again a tablet is not for taking photos and when i see people in the public doing so i can only just laugh but hey people do it but with this tablet no,do not attempt it.
There is no point at all in going into video,i did not bother to be honest with the results from trying to use the camera,another downfall is that you can’t share images once captured which is probably just as well in this case.however the camera is there should you perhaps come across something urgent and do not have a phone at hand.
MUSIC
For music we use Mix Radio,its not pre installed but you can get it in the app store and it works a treat,no lag,no problems at all we have to say,the speaker is the problem though,placed at the bottom it does from time to time sound a bit tinny,the tablet could of had one on top too to be honest but again its a budget tablet so dont expect top end performance,also you can add your own speaker to it too via the headphone socket to enhance the sound,Mix Radio is free to download from the store and unlocking the features is £4.99 per month,preloading Mix Radio on every Windows Tablet sub 9 inch would be a fantastic idea in my opinion as its a superb service to have..
Gaming
Well i was impressed with how it handled games,i am not a huge gamer no more but from time to time i like to check out what’s out there and see how they run same as i do with my Lumia devices,the tablet did not let down here which was good to see.For example we tried FIFA 15 and it worked a treat it did not lag at any stage..
Apps
Having such good performance with gaming we expected no issues with apps,this was true all our apps worked fine from social media,Netflix,Office and One Note for example,Browsing the web was also fine using IE,All the preinstalled apps worked like clockwork plus what we have downloaded app wise to our personal taste i was happy with this overall..
Maps.
We are a fan of HERE maps which is also not preinstalled on the device HERE maps is also free to use and download and the benefit of HERE maps is you can use them offline which is a great bonus and proves and much better overall than Google Maps.HERE worked flawlessly we are delighted to say..
Under the hood.
Intel Atom QUAD CORE, Processor Speed IS 1.83 ghz
Windows 8.1 OS.
16/GB 32GB storage we used the 32GB version in our review this is expandable via SD to 64GB
1GB RAM ,this is not so great but it performed well to be fair with what we threw at it.
Front and rear camera is just 2MP which was its biggest letdown for me..Video res 720p @ 30FPS.
Video files supported H.264, WMV, MP4, AVI, ASF , and Audio files AAC, WMA, MP3, PCM, M4A, WAV, ASF.
Display – Was quite fine to be fair and sporting IPS (1280 X 800) TFT LCD it does the job.
Battery – 3,500 mAh it will see you a good 3 to 4HRS use if you are heavy on it.
Good points to keep in mind.
HDMI output,this is not something you see on most tablets today even on Android.
One Year of Microsoft Office 365 FREE this is quite handy to have…
Overall my opinion is this is a great tablet for the price which is around €99 you can’t really go wrong,the only big issue with it is its camera and video capabilities ,having said that you don’t buy tablets to take photos but some do,IF you are one of these people stay away from it apart from that it excels many Android tablets in the same price bracket in many ways,again an issue would be apps especially local apps this is another area to consider should you be requiring apps but for the majority the apps are there be it third party or not..Its also a fingerprint magnet too.
Any questions on the Linx 7 Feel free to ask below or we can also assist on Twitter @jimboireland.