Microsoft throws the Windows 10 touch UI baby out with the bathwater
With major changes in the Windows touch interface in version 10, it’s worth looking at how Microsoft’s approach to on-screen input has evolved since the release of Windows 8. For example, whereas previous versions essentially forced a touch-first UI onto users, Windows 10 features a more adaptable UI that changes based on the user’s input method. Whether or not this constitutes an improvement for most users will depend on which platform they are migrating from.
If a user is switching to Windows 10 from a mouse-and-keyboard centric UI, like Windows 7, chances are they’ll find Windows 10 to be more familiar and welcoming than Windows 8 or 8.1. This is mostly because of the former’s inclusion of a (heavily modified and "evolved") Start Menu, for which many Windows 7 users have shown a particular affinity. However, if a user is approaching Windows 10 from a touch-centric environment -- for example, Windows 8.x running on first generation tablet PC, like an ASUS VivoTab or Dell Venue 8 Pro -- they’ll no doubt find the new UI model a bit jarring and, in many cases, counterproductive.
Microsoft Excel: 7 top tricks that you should know [Infographic]
Microsoft Excel has been around for 30 years, it’s one of the most popular programs in the world and it’s likely that most of us at some point or other have used spreadsheets at work.
Recent reports show that, 78 percent of middle-skill jobs require digital literacy and 67 percent of office roles require expertise in Microsoft Excel. So sharpening up your Excel skills really can help improve pay and job prospects.
8 early warning signs of problems in your data governance plan
Unfortunately, at any given time, almost every company has data issues, ranging from the minor to the severe. In almost all cases these issues tend to go neglected until problems arise. The fallout can range from unforced errors, such as inaccurate sales forecasts resulting from data redundancies, to public relations disasters caused by data breaches.
The key is having an effective data governance plan in place so that data issues are addressed before such crises arise. Here are eight common signs that there may be trouble on your data horizon.
How to find out if GCHQ and the NSA spied on you, and how to complain
Privacy International has created a platform through which individuals and organizations can file complaints with GCHQ about surveillance of phone calls and internet usage. The charity has long concerned itself with government surveillance, particularly the sharing of data between the NSA and GCHQ.
The legality of mass surveillance has been questioned by many, and it has already been determined that human rights organization Amnesty International was illegally spied on. Edward Snowden's NSA revelations have led to a huge increase in awareness of privacy issues, and now Privacy International is making it easier to find out if you were spied on, and to lodge an official complaint.
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are already a hit, Apple expects to sell more than 10 million on launch weekend
The iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus have received an overwhelming response from buyers. The Cupertino-based company on Monday said that it is on pace to beat last year's iPhone first-weekend record of selling more than 10 million iPhone models.
"Customer response to iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus has been extremely positive and preorders this weekend were very strong around the world", the company told CNBC in a statement. "We are on pace to beat last year's 10 million unit first-weekend record when the new iPhones go on sale September 25".
Google to provide free Wi-Fi hotspots at Indian train stations
Google has teamed up with RailTel Corporation of India to bring free Wi-Fi hotspots to more than 400 train stations. The state-run company already has a fiber network in place across the country, and the new venture -- which goes under the name of Project Nilgiri -- is set to roll out over the next four months.
TelecomTalk reports that hotspots will enable travellers to get online with a high-speed connection free of charge for half an hour, and then speeds will be reduced. SMS verification will be used to provide web users with the necessary passwords, and screenshots of the portal that will be used to get online have also leaked.
Will you buy an Apple iPhone 6s? [Poll]
Over the weekend my colleague Brian Fagioli revealed he'd pre-ordered his first iPhone, and detailed the reasons for making the switch from Android. He opted for the 128 GB super-sized 6s Plus model.
I also pre-ordered the new Apple phone over the weekend. My reasons for doing so aren’t exactly worthy of a special post -- I have an iPhone 5s and it’s time to upgrade. As much as I like my wife’s HTC One M9, and most of Samsung’s flagship phones, I love the iPhone, and its apps, and the 6s offers enough new functionality -- 3D Touch in particular -- to make upgrading a no brainer. I also opted for the 128 GB size, but I went with the pocket-friendly iPhone 6s. No plus size for me, thanks.
Maximizing IT budgets to achieve better business outcomes
According to global analyst firm Gartner, global spending on IT products and services is forecast to hit $3.5 trillion in 2015. Spending on IT is an initiative undertaken not just by CIOs, but by CMOs and other line of business managers that need solutions to drive growth. More and more, technology has become linked to business outcomes, and this has inadvertently led to the uptick in IT purchasing.
It has never been more important for IT professionals to gain control of budgets and think of new ways to help their organizations make more informed decisions, especially when it comes to allocating budget resources. Here are four tips on how IT professionals can maximize their budgets to achieve business ends:
Moto X Play review
Motorola’s Moto range for 2015 includes two variants on the standard Moto X. The Moto X Style is focussed on how it looks, and this phone the Moto X Play is aimed at providing a good entertainment experience.
To that end it has a large 5.5-inch 1080p screen, a standard version of Android and a 3,630 mAh battery that promises plenty of use between charges. There’s a 1.7 GHz octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage (a 32GB version is available too), plus 21 MP rear and 5 MP front cameras. Naturally it’s 4G and has dual-band Wi-Fi.
Get reading with these three free ePub viewers
EPub is a popular format for eBooks, but PC viewing support is still a little patchy, and the files can be hard to open.
Fortunately there are plenty of free ePub readers around which make it easier to build and browse your own eBook library.
Apple gives you the middle finger
Apple in its operating system update to iOS 9.1 in autumn, is set to give users not only a better user interface. It is also set to add new emojis, which will include the "hotly-anticipated" middle-finger image.
The Unicode Consortium, the industry body which sets the standard cross-platform options, has approved a new batch of emojis in June 2015. Some of these designs, as well as previous approved lists, can be used in the iOS 9.1 update, which has just been made available in beta.
Leaked Windows 10 build 10537 includes new context menus, icons, and more
After the official release of Windows 10, the stream of Insider builds has slowed to a trickle. It is a few weeks since build 10532 was released to preview testers, and it seems that a follow up could be just around the corner. There's no official word from Microsoft yet, but build 10537 has now leaked online.
Renowned leaker Wzor posted screenshots of the newer build -- specifically 10537.th2_release.150829-0745_CLIENTPRO-CORE_OEMRET -- to Twitter, with the promise of ISOs to follow. Of course it didn’t take long for the build to make its way online, and it shows that Microsoft has listened to feedback about context menus in the previous build. There are also a couple of other visual changes to enjoy.
New solution improves access control for hybrid clouds
The growth of cloud and hybrid environments brings challenges for security professionals when it comes to control, monitoring, and management of access to critical systems by privileged users and third-party vendors.
A new solution from secure access specialist Bomgar allows companies to quickly enable controlled system access and defend against cyber attacks without requiring complex process changes.
Apple's new iPhone 6s has 2 GB of RAM, iPad Pro gets 4 GB
Apple does not like to dive much into the technical side of things when it talks about how its new products perform. So, when it unveiled the new iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus last week, Apple focused on how its processor stacks up against the previous generation instead of detailing its clock speed, number of cores, manufacturing process or even how much RAM is inside. The new iPad Pro was no exception.
Those things are important, of course, but they do not mean much to the average consumer, who likely has no idea what RAM actually is or whether a 1.3 GHz dual-core processor is actually faster than a 2.3 GHz quad-core solution. But they can more easily understand that, for instance, 50 percent faster in some area is actually better. However, us enthusiasts, still want to know what's inside. Ahead of a teardown, we now know how much RAM the new A9 chip packs.
The state of Android security [Q&A]
In recent times Android has come under increasing threat from malware which has led to more people looking to install security software on their phones and tablets.
Mobile security specialist 360 Security recently announced that it had gained 11 places on the Android download charts in August, indicating a renewed interest in protecting devices.
Recent Headlines
Most Commented Stories
BetaNews, your source for breaking tech news, reviews, and in-depth reporting since 1998.
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.