I've had a month to play with the Microsoft Surface with Windows RT tablet. Microsoft faces a serious challenge to compete against devices like the Apple iPad, Google Nexus 10, Kindle Fire HD 8.9, and other full-size tablets. But, Microsoft deserves some kudos for engineering a very solid, capable device to show off the Windows RT platform.
The glorious chaos we call the Holiday Shopping Season will soon be upon us. Holiday shopping also means a spike in online scams, fraud, and malware, so you need to be aware of the risks and threats, and exercise some common sense to avoid a cyber-Grinch incident.
According to a new report from Bit9 - a security vendor with a focus on defending against advanced persistent threats (APT) - there is a one in four chance that downloading an Android app from the official Google Play market could put you at risk. Bit9 analysed 400,000 or so apps in Google Play, and found over 100,000 it considers to be on the shady side.
Windows 8 is here. In form and functionality, the new flagship operating system is the most dramatic makeover of Windows since its inception. Windows 8 was developed from the ground up with a touch-enabled interface that works best when tapped and swiped. Under the hood, the same old Windows is still present, but the Modern UI and the Windows Store shift the focus to mobile.
Windows 8 is officially here. Microsoft held an event in New York yesterday to launch the new OS, and spent a lot of time talking about cool features and introducing a plethora of hardware options available with Windows 8. One thing Microsoft didn’t talk about much, though, is security—and the new features in Windows 8 that will keep your PC and data safe.
Microsoft is ready to make a bold shift with the launch of Windows 8. Windows 8 is a dramatic departure from its predecessors, and Microsoft seems to be putting a lot on the line. Windows 7 is phenomenal, and people inherently resist change, so Windows 8 is a risky proposition. Frankly, though, it’s a risk Microsoft has to take.
It's real. Finally.
With the official launch of Windows 8 on the imminent horizon, PC manufacturers have announced a diverse array of new hardware. The problem with all of the desktop options is that they lack the one peripheral device they need to work effectively with Windows 8: a touchpad.
Apple will host an event on October 26 ostensibly to announce a smaller iPad model. The Apple iPad Mini as it's been dubbed by the rumour mill, is expected to be a 7 or 8-inch sibling of the iPad, designed to compete with smaller tablet rivals.
It's not the pricing I had hoped for. But, at the same time the price options for the Surface RT tablet are not ridiculous. The pricing of the Surface RT tablet is competitive--not high enough to be dead on arrival, and not low enough to be a slam dunk.
Evolution is a harsh reality of technology. There is constantly a "next best thing" on the horizon, and brand new gadgets often seem obsolete by the time you get them out of the box. There are some concepts and technologies, though, which have outlived their usefulness years ago, and should probably be extinct but refuse to die.
Microsoft unveiled Office 2013 and the new Office 365 a couple months ago and launched a public beta to give everyone an opportunity to test it out. There were still two big question marks, though: "When will it be available?" and "How much will it cost?" Now we know the answer to one of those burning questions.
It's a huge year for Microsoft. The venerable tech giant is essentially reinventing itself from the ground up for 2012. A new server OS, new desktop OS, new Microsoft Office suite, new mobile platform, and new tablet hardware are all being launched virtually simultaneously. To say Microsoft has a lot riding on the success of the new products is an understatement.
Apple unveiled a variety of new products and features at its media event yesterday. While a veritable rainbow of iPod Touch options, or re-engineered headphones might be exciting news for some, they're irrelevant to businesses or business users.
The tablet market finally seems to have moved beyond a one-horse, Apple iPad monopoly. Google's Nexus 7 has made a splash in the tablet market, and Amazon's unveiling of the new Kindle Fire lineup will shake things up a bit as well.
