Microsoft gives a behind the scenes look at Office for iPad development
Microsoft has talked a big game on becoming a devices and services company, but it was not until Office for iPad launched two months ago that the software giant's change of tune yielded something concrete for consumers, and its own customers, on rival platforms. It is the most important productivity suite to arrive on iPads in 2014 and, perhaps, the most important one since Apple's slate launched in 2010.
Microsoft has been praised for designing Office for iPad with touchscreen use in mind, making Excel, PowerPoint and Word powerful and easy to use on the small iPad displays, even without a keyboard as most Office users are accustomed to. It is clear this is not a quick porting job, and that the development process involved much more work. The Office team has a new blog post which reveals how Office for iPad was created.
New gateway offers secure communication for the Internet of things
The growth of the Internet of things is set to place much greater demands on the web as a whole with thousands of extra devices needing to connect.
Not least of the challenges is ensuring that everything stays secure. IoT pioneer KAAZING has used the HTML5 Developer Conference in San Francisco to launch its new secure gateway.
Moto 360 smartwatch set to retail at $249
Motorola has accidentally let slip the price of its Moto 360, and it's pretty much in line with what we were expecting.
Phone Arena spotted that the asking price of the smartwatch was spilled when the company posted about a competition it was running to allow folks the chance to win the Moto 360, and in the T&Cs blurb, the device was mentioned as having a retail value of $249 (£148).
Developers WLTM beta testers for ongoing relationship, GSOH, no strings
It's a tough life being an early adopter. Having to seek out all the latest developments to make sure that you’re first in line with the beta versions.
For those who really must be at the bleeding edge, test management specialist Centercode is launching Betabound, a sort of online dating service to bring together companies and early adopters.
Take a peek into the world of Microsoft with Snaps
Microsoft has created a new website to showcase the best photography from around the world… of Microsoft. It’s an arty look into life in and around the tech giant’s Redmond, Wash. Campus, and highlights just some of the people who work there.
Shots include employees playing cricket, having lunch, and a photo of Satya Nadella on his first day as Microsoft CEO.
Using your smartphone behind the wheel is more dangerous than driving drunk
Police in the UK are expressing increased concern about motorists using social media at the wheel. According to the head of roads policing, drivers using mobile phones to take photos, update their profile and make video-calls are becoming more and more of an issue.
In 2012, UK roads provided the site for more than 6,000 deaths or serious injuries for people between the ages of 16 and 24. This same age group was recently surveyed by RAC, where around 10 percent of drivers admitted to using sites such as Twitter or Facebook whilst driving.
Zoom North America announces the H5 Handy Recorder
Whether conducting an interview, enjoying the music of a live band or listening to a college lecture, having a recorder handy is a huge plus. Sure, you can try and transcribe on the fly, but that is not ideal. For one, it causes the user to not pay attention. In other words, rather than sitting back and taking it all in, the person must furiously write -- an exercise in frustration. Also, a journalist may want a recorded copy of an interview, so that the interviewee cannot deny quotes later.
Finding the right hardware for recording audio can be tricky. Sure, you can use your smartphone or buy a chintzy recorder and maybe it will meet your needs. However, if the quality of the audio is important to you, it makes sense to invest in a high-quality device. Today, such a device has been announced by Zoom North America, called the H5.
ASUS unveils 'Strix' brand and devices -- R9 280, GTX 780 and Pro Gaming Headset
When it comes to computer building, Asus is one of the top brands; I am speaking from experience here. Building systems is one of my favorite hobbies and when selecting a motherboard or graphics card, Asus is always one of the brands at the top of my list. Of course, with great quality sometimes comes a high cost, but while Asus hardware sometimes costs more, I respect the adage of "you get what you pay for". I am willing to pay more for reliable, well-built components, whether it is Asus or other manufacturers.
Today however, Asus turns the volume up to 11 with a new gaming brand called Strix. What does "Strix" mean? The company says "taken from the ancient Roman and Greek word for owl, Strix means the keenest hearing and sharpest eyesight. Strix means feeling your environment so that you detect and react to the slightest movement. Strix means survival on the very edge of instinct. Strix is in your blood, as it is in ours". Deep stuff, bro. What does it mean to me? Kick-ass gaming hardware! Check this stuff out.
Facebook listens to feedback and tightens up privacy settings -- a bit
Privacy. It's something that we're all concerned about, particularly online. Facebook is one of many companies that comes in for scrutiny and criticism for the way it handles user privacy, and there have long been complaints about the fact that statuses and uploaded photos are made publicly accessible by default. Today that changes. After years of pestering, Facebook has listened to its user base and changed the default visibility setting to "Friends only". At least this is the case for brand new users.
Anyone signing up for a new Facebook account -- can there be many people left who do not yet have one? -- will be able to avoid accidentally sharing private photos with the world. "Going forward, when new people join Facebook, the default audience of their first post will be set to Friends. Previously, for most people, it was set to Public," says Facebook in a blog post. The first time a post is made, users will be asked whether it should be made public or limited to a smaller audience. If no selection is made, it will default to Friends.
BMW Motorrad partners with Netbiscuits to overhaul its mobile strategy
BMW Motorrad, the motorcycle division of the famous German company, is partnering with Netbiscuits to elevate its customers' web experience to the next level.
Netbiscuits is a cloud platform that allows companies greater insight into which of their customers are interacting with their site using mobile devices, thus driving increased performance conversion and customer engagement across the board. BMW Motorrad's decision to partner with Netbiscuits is emblematic of a growing preoccupation with mobile markets and high-quality targeted content.
CCleaner tweaks browser cleaning, promises better OS detection
It’s that time of the month when Piriform issues another update to its popular Windows cleaning utility. This time, CCleaner 4.14 focuses on browsers -- and Mozilla browsers in particular -- with its latest release.
Version 4.14, also available in portable form, also improves Unicode support for its Startup tool amid a rash of other improvements.
Baba Booey! Howard Stern comes to your living room with SiriusXM for Roku
As a Long Islander, there are things that I'm almost required to like, such as eating bagels and going to the beach. However, there is something else many of us are expected to enjoy -- Howard Stern. While not everyone likes his humor or radio show, I have been a fan for as long as I can remember. I even bought a Sirius radio when he made the switch from FM to satellite.
Sadly, while I listen religiously in the car every day, I don't listen in my home. It is not convenient to tie up my phone or computer -- it can be a battery drainer. Luckily, that is changing. Today, Roku announces that Howard Stern and the rest of the SiriusXM lineup is coming to the streaming box.
Israeli firefighters use Google Maps to help save homes and lives
There are many important jobs in the world, such as nurses, police officers and doctors to name a few. However, firefighters are near and dear to me, as I endured losing my home to a fire. The flames and smoke are very scary, ruining everything in their path. Anything left was destroyed by the water from the hoses, but, I survived. The brave firefighters worked hard to save me and my home and are true heroes.
All firefighters are heroes, regardless of what part of the world they protect. Israel’s Fire and Rescue Commission saves many lives and homes every year, and they have a tool in their arsenal that is helping them to fight fires. No, it is not a new hose or truck, it is Google Maps.
BBC Sport comes to UK Roku customers
The tiny Roku box has become a staple in many living rooms, bringing all sorts of entertainment goodness with it. The company continues to add new content, or channels as Roku refers to them. The latest is geared towards UK customers.
Roku is announcing that BBC Sport is landing on the set-top box, adding a load of new content, including Formula 1 racing, cycling, cricket, tennis, golf and others. Customers can also zone in on region specific content for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
How APIs are changing the face of enterprise computing
The humble API has been around for a long time, enabling applications to exchange data. But in the world of mobile computing and BYOD the role of the API is under greater scrutiny.
This is one of the things that's been under discussion at the recent Gartner Application Architecture, Development and Integration Summit. At the end of last year there were some 10,000 publicly listed APIs, and now it's reckoned that around 24 percent of web applications and 15 percent of mobile applications use them. But what benefits are they bringing to the enterprise?
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