The most popular stories on BetaNews this past week: May 4 -- May 10
What's that? It's the end of the week already? How did that happen?! Things got off to a slightly slow start, but it ended up being another jam-packed seven days. Microsoft was criticized for continuing to patch Windows XP after support was supposed to have ended, but it does seem as though usage is starting to decline. Interestingly, it is Windows 7 that suffered from a higher malware infection rate according to Microsoft's Security Intelligence Report. Windows 8.x is still struggling to gain a large audience and Wayne looked at why this is the case -- maybe a smartwatch would be a smart move.
The effects of Heartbleed are still being felt, and ExtraHop Networks had some advice during a Q&A session. Symantec unveiled its security roadmap for Advanced Threat Protection, and Dropbox discovered a vulnerability that led to the company pulling access to hyperlinked files. Many big names came together to try to make passwords more exciting -- give it up for World Password Day!
Huawei Ascend P7 vs Apple iPhone 5s -- which is the better smartphone?
Less than a year after the launch of the Ascend P6, Huawei has revealed its latest flagship, the Ascend P7. The Chinese company, which is a massive force in the telecommunications sector, is desperate to make a similar impact in the smartphone arena.
Many in the industry had already written off Huawei's attempts well before the P7's launch, simply because they feel that the competition is far too strong. One of these rivals is the Apple iPhone 5s. So how do the devices measure up to each other?
Mamma Mia! Amazon and Italian bookstore chain Giunti al Punto join forces
As an American, it was quite the culture-shock when I visited Italy. Where I live, most buildings are relatively new -- strip malls and such. So when I took a trip to the Colosseum in Rome, it was mind-boggling to imagine how much history had taken place in its confines. At the same time, the people who currently live in Rome are modern -- they obsessed over smartphones like Americans!
In other words, Italy is a blend of old and new; a mix of modern and ancient. Something similar is happening with books. A paper book is old, while a Kindle is modern, but people still use both. Today, Amazon partners with Italian bookstore chain Giunti al Punto to mix digital and physical reading with a new bookstore concept.
Big data is a big opportunity, but current IT thinking needs to change
Hitachi Data Systems has just revealed the results of its "Information Innovation Index," which is a study that aimed to measure how businesses are able to tap into and make good use of big data. And the short answer is that many feel they're not making best use of the swathes of data they're sat on.
The study was conducted by Vanson Bourne across 200 Chief Information Officers and IT decision makers in the UK, and almost half (46 percent) of respondents felt that their current IT setup was hindering their ability to effectively crunch big data for valuable insights.
Microsoft's Office Mix turns PowerPoints into 'interactive online lessons'
Microsoft has released the first customer preview of Office Mix, a free PowerPoint 2013/Office 365 add-in which makes it easier to create and share your presentations.
There are new tools to record you giving your presentations, draw on slides as though they were a whiteboard, add audio or video, take screenshots or record what’s happening on the desktop, all available from the Mix tab on the PowerPoint ribbon.
Sony PlayStation 4 will defeat Xbox One, Microsoft to consciously uncouple Kinect, says IDC
Nintendo Entertainment System vs. Sega Master System. Super Nintendo vs. Sega Genesis. PlayStation 2 vs. Dreamcast. For whatever reason, people are very passionate about the video game consoles that they buy. Apparently, it matters which console "wins" each generation.
The current battle is between Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One. Let's be honest, they are both great and their prices are virtually identical when Sony's camera accessory is factored in. You really can't go wrong buying either -- the exclusive titles should be the deciding factor. However, one of them has to win and according to IDC, the PlayStation 4 will be champion.
Netflix makes price increase official, but adds some confusion
We've known for a while now that Netflix was planning a price increase, though the company hadn't specified the amount it would up the cost to customers. That changes today and, while the increase is minor, the company has thrown in a bit of confusion to keep folks on their toes.
The actual change in cost for the streaming movie and TV service is $1, upping the fee from $7.99 to $8.99 per month. However, it is not all just that simple.
Best Windows 8 apps this week
Eightieth in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best Windows 8 apps and games that were published to Windows Store. Microsoft has released updates for several core apps for Windows 8 without mentioning what actually changed on the apps' profile page or the Windows Store page listing the application.
Apps that have received updates are Bing Health & Fitness, Weather, Bing Sports, Music, Video, Bing Travel, Bing News, and Bing Finance.
Picsel Security: exchange secret messages with others, no passwords required
Steganography tools can be a quick and easy way to send a secret message to someone, typically embedding your words inside a digital photo. If anyone intercepts the message then they’ll see what looks like a normal image, and never realize that it contains some hidden content.
The catch? You’ll often need to protect that content with a password. And that makes life more complicated, as you must first find a way of exchanging the password with the recipient, and then you’ll both have to remember it.
Webrooming shifts buying habits back to bricks and mortar stores
Traditional retailing models have come under pressure from the internet, in particular the habit of 'showrooming' which involves browsing in store and buying online.
But according to point of sale specialist Merchant Warehouse there's a reverse effect called 'webrooming' which sees consumers browsing online but actually buying in bricks-and-mortar stores.
Windows XP use declines steadily but security concerns mount
It's now a month since support for Windows XP came to an end, and we've already had our first exciting little post-XP incident. When a security flaw was discovered in Internet Explorer, an out-of-band patch was released for XP users despite Microsoft's previous claims that no more such updates would be issued. A month on seems like a good time to assess the lay of the land for the operating system, and that's precisely what security firm Secunia has done.
Looking at the install base for Windows XP, Secunia found that there has been an extremely steady decline in usage from the beginning of the year. According to Secunia's numbers, XP could be found on 22 percent of US PCs between January and December of 2013, but this dropped to 18 percent in the period January to February this year. It is possible that this marked drop could be attributed to people finally coming to terms with the idea that XP was no longer being supported and deciding to move on. But things start to slide further as we move into April.
Record desktop activity as animated GIFs with Screen 2 Gif
Screen to Gif is a free portable tool which allows you to record desktop activity, edit it, then share the results.
As you’ll guess from the name, the program saves its recordings as animated GIFs, which means they’re limited to 256 colors and can’t include audio. That’s just fine for simple animations, though -- software tutorials, problem reports -- and Screen to Gif has more than enough interesting extras to justify the download.
Samsung's 'Gear Solo' smartwatch could let you make calls without a smartphone
Samsung could put a SIM card inside its next smartwatch so that customers without a Galaxy smartphone are able to step aboard the company’s burgeoning wearables bandwagon.
Not content with its current smartwatch offering, the Gear Solo will offer owners the chance to have a device that has its own SIM card slot and allows it to connect to a mobile network without the need for a smartphone connection.
Best iOS apps this week
Eighteenth in a series. New and updated releases this week include a Vine-style video sharing app with filters, an animated story creator from Adobe, new games set in the Warhammer 40k and Soulcalibur worlds, a social network for dog owners, a fitness app that promises to "lift your butt" and an endless runner that gives you the chance to watch your friends being trampled by bulls.
As always, if I miss an app that you think should definitely have been included, let me know in the comments below, or drop me an email.
Belkin announces sexy QODE Thin Type Keyboard Case for iPad Air
I've never owned an iPhone -- I went from a Treo to BlackBerry and ultimately Android. However, I do own the iPad Air, which is my second-ever Apple tablet (the other being the first-generation iPad). While Android is great, I prefer iOS for my tablet needs; this includes consumption and creation.
Yes, the iPad is mostly a consumption-focused device, but I can successfully write on it by utilizing third-party keyboards. The problem is, many of them are heavy, thick or just plain bad. Finding a high-quality and thin iPad keyboard can be tough. Well, Belkin announces a solution -- the svelte and sexy QODE Thin Type Keyboard Case for iPad Air.
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