Windows 8 builds show new welcome screen, Ribbon UI in Explorer
Microsoft's ribbon interface was considered a pretty drastic change when it debuted as part of Office 2007 five years ago. Its inclusion helped to bring more of the program's features into the forefront however, many of which users apparently didn't even know existed.
This same concept is about to make it into the Windows 8 Explorer interface, according to pre-beta builds seen by Windows bloggers Paul Thurrott and Rafael Rivera. The ribbon appears set to become a Windows UI staple if Microsoft decides to move forward.
Make your DesktopOK
You can back up just about every aspect of your computing life, but what about the positioning and layout of your desktop icons? If you have everything neatly laid out exactly the way you want, it can be frustrating finding that the layout has changed. This typically occurs when temporarily lowering the desktop resolution (such as when entering Safe mode).
If this behaviour irks you, or you want to be able to switch between different layouts (perhaps you share your computer with a friend who has a nasty habit of moving desktops around the screen), then the answer to your problem lies with a handy little freeware tool called DesktopOK.
AT&T makes you pay even more for iPhone
The rumors are true. AT&T has raised iPhone prices by 50 bucks for people who don't yet qualify for subsidized pricing. It's foreshadowing. Just wait until AT&T gets its grubby, greedy hands on T-Mobile subscribers. Can you say "price hikes" post merger?
OK, so the news really is much worse. The price increases apply to other smartphones, too. But I specifically checked on iPhone using my AT&T Wireless account manager this morning. Sure enough, the 32GB iPhone 4 is now $549, up from $499, for example. There's also $150-more pricing when opting for one-year contracts on some smartphones.
Google puts $900M bid on Canada's 'national treasure' Nortel patents
Bankrupt Canadian telecommunications company Nortel Networks Corp. has selected Google as the stalking horse bidder in the auction for the company's vast and highly valuable patent portfolio.
Nortel first went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2009 and has been selling off its assets since that time. In 2009, the company sold off its Enterprise Solutions Business and shares of Nortel Government Solutions and DiamondWare to Avaya for $900 million; and its CDMA and LTE Access businesses went to Ericsson for $1.13 billion.
There's a new sheriff at Google
Today Google cofounder Larry Page officially resumes the role of chief executive, a position he abdicated to Eric Schmidt 10 years ago. The elder technologist will remain as chairman, in part as Google's ambassador and as grandaddy to Page and other cofounder Sergey Brin. The question: What next for Google?
It's a question I've been asking during the transition phase, which started with the January 20th announcement. Something certainly is different at Google. Two recent Android pullbacks are evidence of that, and I can't help but wonder how much they reflect Page's influence, because of timing.
Can Android be stopped?
It's the question I'm asking after reviewing ComScore's most recent mobile market share data. One in three American smartphone users have Android -- that was at the end of February. It's April now, so the numbers are surely higher, based on the three-month trend. Holy Moly.
Two months ago, ComScore disclosed data for the three months ending in December. For that period, Android market share rose 7.3 points; 7 points during the more recent three-month period. Since the end of September, then, Android market share rose from 21.4 percent to 33 percent. To be clear: This is actual subscriber share, meaning the install base of U.S. cellular users, not units shipped over three months.
ACDSeePro4: Pro photo-editing and premium pricing
ACDSee Systems has released ACDSee Pro 4, a comprehensive graphics package that can help you import, manage, view, fix, edit and share your digital photos.
New features this time around include improved metadata handling. A separate metadata panel makes it easy to edit IPTC metadata for individual images, or an entire batch, and you can even save frequently used metadata as presets, then apply them to a group of images in a single operation.
Simplify Windows searches with Listray 3
There comes a time when we all forget where we have stored a particular files, or need to track down a series of files that have a particular name. Windows' own search tool is useful to a certain extent, but it can also be somewhat slow and limited. This is where the free Listary can help, making it possible to perform searches in Explorer windows as well as Open and Save dialogs.
As the program is always running in the background, there is not need to remember to launch it -- it is always there for whenever you might need it. The tool can be called up using a keyboard shortcut and you can then start typing your search terms. Real-time results and autocomplete mean that it often takes little more than a few letters to find what you are looking for.
Countless thousands exposed in attack on e-mail marketing company
On Friday, email marketing and solutions company Epsilon announced its system had been hacked on March 30, and the email addresses and customer names of "a subset of Epsilon clients" were exposed. The company handles the permission-based email marketing campaigns of more than 2,500 major corporations and the list of companies involved in the breach continued to grow over the weekend.
TiVo, for example, sent a message to its subscribers on Sunday warning that the first names and email addresses of customers who opted into email updates have been exposed.
Take control of Firefox 4
The long overdue release of Firefox 4 has prompted a mixed reaction from users. It's undoubtedly quicker than previous versions, and it consumes less system resources too. The streamlined user interface isn't to everyone's tastes however, while there are still functions missing that might prove to be deal-breakers for those weighing up the pros and cons of upgrading or switching from another web browser.
In this roundup we dig out a selection of extensions that can speed up Firefox 4 further, help you regain absent options, customize the browser to your tastes or to add in features found in other browsers that are missing here. So whether you're enamoured or enraged by the latest Firefox browser, there's bound to be something to charm or calm you in this collection.
WinOptimizer 8 improves performance and live tuning
Everyone wants to keep their computer running as smoothly as possible, where possible avoiding the need to upgrade hardware. Over the years, Ashampoo has built up a reputation of producing easy to use software that makes it possible to do just this, and WinOptimizer 8 has just been released, taking system optimization to the next level.
A redesigned interface incredibly make it easy to access the suite's various modules, which are broken up into system maintenance, improving performance, customizing Windows, system analysis file tools and general utilities. Spread across each of these sections are hundreds of options that can be used to not only greatly speed up your computer -- using tools such as the drive cleaner and registry optimizer -- but also to perform other tasks such as securely deleting files.
EASEUS Partition Master Home 8 now more at home on Windows 7
EASEUS Partition Master 8.0.1 has been released by Chinese software house EASEUS. The eighth major release of this popular partition tool boasts three notable new features, two of which are available in the freeware Home edition, while the third, an updated WinPE bootable disc option, is restricted to Professional and Server users only.
EASEUS Partition Master was one of the first freeware non-destructive partitioning tools to be released on the Windows platform, and allows users to partition their hard drives quickly and easily through a series of wizards, which allows them to create, delete, resize and move partitions.
Microsoft should make Google the April Fool
Google has given Microsoft a great competitive opening, and it's one the software giant shouldn't let go. Opportunities like this just don't come `round often enough, or so rightly timed.
Twice in about a week, Google has cracked down on Android licensing. From one perspective, the search and information giant is asserting needed leadership. From another, Google is closing the door on so-called openness of its software. Either way, Microsoft has a hook to grab developers and encourage further OEM adoption of Windows Phone 7.
Massive SQL injection attack may affect over a million sites
Security researchers are watching a mass SQL injection attack that is quickly spreading throughout the web, possibly already compromising over one million URLs by Friday afternoon. The attack injects a line of code into compromised sites than will trigger malicious pop-up ads.
Those affected may see a popup appear that informs them that there is malware on their computer and urges them to use a web-based antivirus program called "Windows Stability Center." However, first the victim is asked to pay for the scan, which obviously would do nothing more than install malware on the users computer.
Technology's most blatant design copycats
Imitation, as the old saying goes, is the highest form of flattery. But when it comes to technology, imitation is sometimes more of a sad replacement for innovation. Today, it seems every tech imitator gets labeled a "killer" of the product it's imitating...be it an "iPhone Killer" a "Twitter Killer," or a "Google Killer," we hear it all the time.
Here's a look at some of technology's most blatant design knock-offs that are not likely to ever be honored with the title of "killers."
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