Paragon Partition Manager 2013 Free debuts new interface, adds Windows 8 support
Paragon Software has released a major new version of its free partitioning tool for Windows with the launch of Paragon Partition Manager 2013 Free. The new build introduces full support for Windows 8, a new user-friendly ribbon-based interface and removes the requirement for free registration.
The 2013 build also adds two new features -- including non-destructive partition conversion from NTFS -- but remains a cut-down version of the company’s more fully functional Paragon Hard Disk Manager 12.
Keep tabs of your charges with Battery Performance for Windows Phone 8
When it comes to battery life, you can call me a glass half-empty kind of person. I like to know precisely how long my smartphone can run on a single charge and, at any given time, the number of hours that I can use it before finally laying it atop of the wireless charger. For this reason, and I am sure that I am not alone in saying this, I wholeheartedly dislike basic battery icons, as they provide no exact piece of information.
Some Android iterations offer various indicators (on the status bar and on the lockscreen, aside from an in-depth consumption break-down), but Windows Phone 8 only provides basic information, tucked away in the settings menu. As a Nokia Lumia 920 user I am forced to resort to third-party apps, just to see the battery percentage, with one of the best offerings currently available being Battery Performance.
Mobile ads find their way to Google Maps for iOS and Android
Ads are prevalent and all but unavoidable online these days, and in a bid to keep software free and fund development, in-app advertisements are increasingly common.
The latest kid to the party is Google Maps for iOS and Android. Perform a search for a restaurant, coffee shop, or other establishment, and you may well find that the bottom of your mobile is adorned with an ad for a related business.
Nokia adds call and SMS blocking to part of its Lumia Windows Phone 8 lineup
Even with all the technological advancement in smartphone operating systems, minor features like call blocking are still absent on some modern-day devices. My Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone offers no such functionality, which would definitely come in handy when pranksters are calling in the middle of the night.
The reason for this oversight, in the case of the Lumia 920, is that Microsoft has not baked in a call-blocking feature in Windows Phone 8. But, thankfully, Finnish maker Nokia took matters into its own hands and just released an update for its exclusive extras+info app, which brings the basic yet important functionality, alongside SMS blocking, to part of its Windows Phone 8 lineup.
Microsoft’s new tablet ads -- comparing apples with lemons
This week Microsoft rolled out two new video adverts -- one pitting Surface RT against the iPad, and the other putting the Acer Iconia W3 next to the iPad mini. The adverts follow the same format as previously with a side by side look at the features on offer.
Of course the comparisons aren’t fair. Microsoft picks areas where its tablet/operating system is strongest, and avoids the areas where it’s weakest -- apps and popularity, for example. It’s a lot like comparing apples with oranges (or, yes, lemons in the case of poorly selling Windows devices) and then pointing out that it’s easy to peel an orange, but you need to buy a separate peeler to accomplish the same task on an apple.
Harnessing the cloud can free SMEs to grow
Technology is being underused by growing smaller companies according to communications and cloud specialist Qubic. The company says that hosted technology can help businesses grow by freeing them from the need to invest in hardware infrastructures.
Chris Papa, Managing Director of Qubic says, "With small and medium-sized businesses having been particularly badly hit by the economic downturn, they are the ones most in need of extra support to enable them to prosper. A hosted solution can help encourage start ups and SMEs in general to grow as it means that businesses can use technology on a 'pay-as-you-use' basis as opposed to tying up cash in a server with a telephone system which costs a fortune".
Did Edward Snowden cause the shutdown of secure email service Lavabit?
Privacy has been a red hot topic for the past couple of months -- ever since the whole PRISM story hit the news, or shall I say slammed into the news. Nobody likely denies the government the right to attempt to keep citizens safe. In fact, we expect this from it. However the revelations made many uncomfortable thanks to the extremes that were being taken, and resulted in the conversation over whether Edward Snowden was a hero or enemy of the state.
Since the news broke, speculation about the form of communication used between Snowden and writer Glenn Greenwald of The Guardian has been running around the internet, but today those rumors came to an end when Greenwald tweeted this: "Amazing: Lavabit -- the email service used by Snowden -- shuts down rather than comply with US orders".
Twitter tracks your tweets so advertisers can monitor sale performance
Twitter teams up with Datalogix (DLX) in a new program that enables brands to track the impact that their tweets have on sales. Referred to as "offline sales impact", the program can be used to see just what effect promoted and regular, "organic" tweets have on the number of units shifted from shop shelves.
The precise process involved is not revealed, but the program sees Datalogix send Twitter a list of hashed email addresses which is then compared to a list of email addresses associated with Twitter accounts.
Ofcom wants to make broadband switching quicker and easier in the UK
Switching broadband providers should be easy -- the emphasis is very heavily on the word "should" here -- but in practice this is often not the case. There may be issues getting hold of the necessary authorization code, or the dreaded period of downtime as one ISP takes over from another. All this could be set to change, for the UK at least, if Ofcom's proposed new measures have the desired effect.
To help make the transition as smooth and seamless as possible, Ofcom is eliminating one potential bottleneck. Now customers looking to switch need do nothing more than contact the ISP they would like to move to. There's no need to get in touch with the current ISP who may drag their heels, the new provider can now take care of the entire process on behalf of the customer.
Bing apps for Windows Phone 8 -- Microsoft delivers the goods
Windows 8 users already enjoy the Bing app suite on their laptops, desktops and tablets. Since these apps are very mobile and touch-focused, it has been disappointing and rather curious that they were absent from Microsoft's own Windows Phone 8 platform. But, now, it finally arrives.
The suite is comprised of four Bing apps -- Sports, Finance, Weather and News. The apps closely mirror their desktop counterparts; including live tiles. The live tiles are nothing short of gorgeous and improve the value of the home screen immensely. By pinning the apps to the "Start" page, the user is presented with ongoing information. Tapping on the live tile delivers personalized information. I must say that the suite is, well... sweet.
At Bat 13 Major League Baseball app debuts for Windows Phone 8
Baseball season may be entering the final stretch, but there are still many games left to be played and Windows Phone 8 customers can keep up with all of the action going on in the run up to playoff time. Regardless of how your team is faring, you can still follow the action from your mobile handset.
At Bat 13 today debuted in the Windows Phone store, bringing features such as live scoreboards, standings, schedules, and pinning your favorite team to Start for quick access to the team's page. In addition, you can watch the free MLB.TV Game of the Day or pick up an MLB.TV Premium subscription (learn more) to see every out-of-market game, hear radio broadcasts, and access the 2013 season's archives on-demand.
MixBit for iPhone enters crowded social video market, claims interesting niche
YouTube founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen have launched MixBit for iPhone 1.0.3 through their company AVOS Systems. The app -- also coming to Android next month -- is aimed firmly at the social networking market, providing users with a convenient tool for constructing hour-long videos from 16-second clips that can subsequently be published on the parent Mixbit.com site or shared via popular social networks.
Mixbit.com is described as "a community of creators", according to its website, highlighting the public nature of videos uploaded to it. All shared videos become public domain, allowing other users to easily embed all or parts of those videos into their own work.
More gloom for PC makers as European sales slump by 20 percent
As my colleague Wayne Williams reported earlier today the PC market is continuing to shrink at the hands of tablets. Further confirmation of this, just in case you needed any, comes from a Gartner survey showing that the PC market in western Europe slumped by 20 percent in the second quarter of 2013.
All PC segments in Western Europe declined over the quarter. Mobile and desktop shipments dropped 23.9 percent and 12.2 percent respectively. PC shipments in the professional market declined by 13.5 percent, while the consumer PC market decreased 25.8 percent in the same period. This equates to a 19.8 percent drop overall
Xbox One gets an early unboxing
Microsoft's next-generation console...ahh...living room entertainment hub will not ship until this November, but still promises to light up the holiday shopping season. The company already showed it off and announced games, plus my colleague Derrick Wlodarz recently laid out very good reasons why he expects this war to be won by Xbox, as opposed to Sony and its PS4, which is expected around the same time.
Now potential customers can get one more sneak peak at what to expect. In a new video from Xbox Live chief Larry Hryb, better known as MajorNelson, the new console is unboxed -- something many a person likely hopes to be doing themselves this holiday season.
Google Play store flooded with scam apps
The Google Play store is being bombarded with apps designed to scam unsuspecting users, according to consumer advice platform Scambook.
The scammers aren't even bothering to write malicious code, instead relying on simple human error to install their fraudulent apps. One app in particular has no purpose other than to launch a link to an adult video website. When the user is then asked to register, an email form is generated linking to another service on another website. Users are then asked to pay a $3,200.00 yearly fee within days of receipt.
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