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Saturday, April 28, 2012

5 Reasons Microsoft SkyDrive is Better Than Google Drive

5 Reasons Microsoft SkyDrive is Better Than Google DriveAmid the excitement over Google Drive, the search giant's new Dropbox competitor, Microsoft recently improved a similar online sync and storage service, SkyDrive. Microsoft added the ability to store files online and sync across multiple devices right from your Windows or OS X desktop. That puts SkyDrive squarely in competition with Dropbox and Drive, five years after Microsoft first introduced its online storage solution in 2007.

If you're looking for a new service to sync and store files across multiple devices and the cloud, you should give SkyDrive a serious look. Not only do you get more free storage, but you'll also have an easier time managing online documents and you get free remote access to your home PC while you're on the go. Google Drive may be the current media darling, but for people just looking to get some work done here's why you should give SkyDrive a try.

Microsoft Office Formats

5 Reasons Microsoft SkyDrive is Better Than Google DriveDrive may offer deep integration with Google Docs, but Google Docs file formats do not offer deep integration with the rest of the productivity software world. If you want to edit a document in Google Docs you have to convert that file to Google's online formats. It doesn't matter if your original file was a simple text or HTML document, or the world's de facto standard, a Microsoft Office format. All of these files must be converted to Docs format before you can edit them. So when you download a native Docs file from Google Docs to your Drive folder, you are downloading a link that opens the document in your browser instead of the actual file.

[For an opposing view check out: Google Drive vs. Microsoft SkyDrive: 4 Reasons Google Wins Out]

SkyDrive and Microsoft Web Apps, on the other hand, favor Microsoft Office formats such as DOCX, XLSX, PPTX . These are formats that almost any desktop and online productivity software can open. And if you need to edit a Word document on the go, you can use Microsoft's Office Web Apps without having to worry about converting your files to an exotic file format.

More Free Storage

5 Reasons Microsoft SkyDrive is Better Than Google DriveSkyDrive offers 7GB of free storage to its users, an extra 2GB of free storage compared to Drive's initial 5GB. That's about 400 more photos you can cram into SkyDrive. Also, if you were a SkyDrive user before the recent switch to 7GB of free storage, you can reclaim your free 25GB of storage by visiting SkyDrive's Manage Storage page.

Better Mobile Support, for Now

SkyDrive is not just on Microsoft's homegrown Windows Phone platform, you can also get SkyDrive on your iPhone or iPad. That's perhaps not as extensive as Dropbox, which is available on Android, BlackBerry, and iOS, and Drive will have a larger reach once it supports both Android and iOS. But for the moment SkyDrive has the upper hand.

5 Reasons Microsoft SkyDrive is Better Than Google DriveSkyDrive mobile site (left); Google Drive mobile site (right).In my experience, I also found the SkyDrive mobile site to be better than the mobile version of Drive. SkyDrive mobile was easier to navigate and more responsive than Google's site. However, Microsoft is lacking a way to edit documents using your mobile browser for those times when you really need to change a document in a pinch.

Better Pricing, More Realistic Options

Drive has a wide variety of payment options for 25GB extra storage for $30 a year all the way up to 16TB for a whopping $9,600 per year. The reality, however, is that most people looking for extra storage are looking at 25GB for $30 per year, 100GB for $60 per year, and perhaps a few users may even feel the need to get 200GB for $120 per year.

5 Reasons Microsoft SkyDrive is Better Than Google Drive

SkyDrive's maximum is 100GB, but that's a good amount of storage for the average user, and it's $10 cheaper per year than Google at $50 compared to Drive's $60. You can also buy just 20GB for $10 per year or you can get 50GB extra for $25 per year with SkyDrive.

Remote Access

An added bonus with SkyDrive's desktop client, at least for Windows, is that it effectively gives you remote access to your PC via SkyDrive.com. So if you are on the road and need to access a file that is not in your SkyDrive folder, as long as your desktop at home is powered up, retrieving that file won't be a problem. This feature also requires two-factor authentication such as a secondary access code sent to your mobile phone or alternate e-mail address. That prevents a bad actor from accessing your PC if your Windows Live credentials are stolen.

If you haven't given SkyDrive a look recently, you should check it out, especially if you're running a Windows machine.

Daily App Review: Twitter (Android and iOS)

The official app of one of the most popular social networks in the world gets an update. We check out the rejigged Twitter for Android and iOS.

It has been perhaps the most controversial of social networks, having claimed a few ministerial casualties, and is perhaps the simplest to use. Facebook might have inspired Hollywood but when it comes to sheer impact, the 140-characteronly Twitter is in the eyes of many, the most dynamic social network in the world. In fact, there are a number of people who depend more on Twitter than on television and the Internet for getting the latest on what is happening in the world, be it reviews and analysis, live coverage of events or simply to banter with the hundreds of celebrities for whom tweeting is second nature. Which has led to the development of dozens of applications that let you access Twitter on your device. Of course, the most popular ones by far are Twitter's own official apps. And it is these that have been giving a rework earlier today.

In terms of sheer appearance, not much seems to have changed in the apps themselves. Starting them off still lands you on the Home screen which contains tweets from those you are following. At the bottom of the app are three other tabs - Connect (which let you see the tweets that mention you), Discover (which contains trends and recommendations) and Me (which contains your profile information as well as direct messages sent to you by other Twitter users). So far, this seems pretty much like service as usual.

However, scratch beneath those regular features and new things start to emerge. Hit the Discover tab and you will see not just the regular trends and stories that the app recommends you follow and read but also the activities of the people you are following - you can actually see the tweets they have favourited and retweeted, the people they have started following and those they have added to their lists - handy, if you are the type who keeps wondering who to follow next on Twitter. Then there is the Search bar on the Connect tab, which now comes with autocomplete suggestions. So if you are looking for a person you follow and cannot remember their Twitter handle (which can get rather complex - Amitabh Bachchan's Twitter handle is not @amitabhbachchan, as some might think, but @SrBachchan), the app will now automatically suggest the names of the people you might be looking for. And best of all, you now have the option to get push notifications whenever a tweet by you has been retweeted or favourited, and even when someone starts following you. And of course, the usual functions of letting you post tweets, links and pictures are all intact, as are you options to retweet, favourite and quote tweets. Also, unlike most of its competitors, we found the official Twitter app to be rock solid in terms of functionality - hardly any crashes.

All of which makes the new Twitter app a very handy one for those who not only Tweet regularly but are also looking out for new people to follow as well as keep track of those they are already following. No, there is no earth-shaking change in core functionality, and in terms of appearance, there are certainly more colourful apps out there. And we still think they need to change the names of those tabs รข€“ how on earth is someone supposed to know that direct messages sent to them will be stored under a tab labelled "Me?" - and also work on the speed of opening links and pictures within the app (it still is easier to just copy the link into a browser and hit "enter!") But if you are just getting into Twitter and want a decent app that performs well enough, we think we can now recommend the official app without any trepidation whatsoever.

Get it from: iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/in/app/twitter/id333903271?mt=8), Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.twitter.android&hl=en)

Price: Free

6 Useful Tips to Help Windows 7 Run Faster

At this moment, you’re probably satisfied with how Windows 7 runs, but you probably want to squeeze as much juice as you can out of it. Despite the improvements, the operating system still takes up resources that didn’t necessarily have to be used for normal functions. Let’s have a look at a few of those you can turn off!

1. Disable Search Indexing

One of the most resource-hungry features of Windows 7 is search indexing, which creates a dictionary for your files, allowing you to perform faster searches. The problem is that, while it’s creating that dictionary, it consumes your hard drive’s read/write speeds significantly, making it difficult to navigate through applications while indexing is taking place. That’s why Microsoft included an option to turn this off.

To effectively disable this feature, follow through this path: “Start -> Control Panel -> System and Security -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Services”. Once in that window, scroll down to “Windows Search.” Right-click the item and click “Properties.” Within the window, select “Disable” under “Startup type,” like so:

 

Click “OK” once finished. Once you reboot or stop the service manually, you won’t have to worry about your hard disk being eaten alive.

2. Disable Aero

If your computer gets kind of clunky while playing a movie or has difficulty emulating the graphics when you minimize or open a window, it’s probably time to sacrifice the pretty effects that Windows 7 Aero brings with it and just live with simple bland colors. The interface will function similarly to how Windows 7 Starter does. Removing Aero will give your computer a little more breathing room, especially if the display adapter uses some of the PC’s physical memory to perform.

Remove Aero by right-clicking your desktop, clicking “Personalize,” scrolling down the list of themes that appear, and selecting “Windows Basic.” You’re done!

3. Use MSConfig to Your Advantage!

Although we’ve discussed this before, it never hurts to reiterate that MSConfig is an important tool to help you improve your boot time. There are several services and startup applications that take up tons of resources while Windows boots. For those of you who have to bear a sluggish boot process, this is the tool to use. Here are some services you should consider disabling:

  • Application Experience
  • Diagnostic Policy Service
  • Distributed Link Tracking Client
  • Offline Files
  • Portable Device Enumerator Service
  • Protected Storage
  • Secondary Logon
  • TCP/IP NetBIOS Service
  • Windows Media Center Service Launcher

If you are aware of any other services that can be disabled without losing core system functionality, show them to us below in the comments section.

4. Disable Visual Effects

For many people, Windows works just fine without all the fancy visual hoopla that comes attached to it. Some would even consider it preferable! Visual effects are the kinds of things that make your computer hang when you minimize, maximize, open, and close a window. Windows 7 introduces a whole series of new visual effects that also can make a computer hang when hovering the cursor over an open window’s icon. If you don’t want these things to use up the visual resources on your computer, you can easily disable them.

All you have to do is follow this path: “Start -> Control Panel -> System and Security -> System -> Advanced system settings -> Advanced tab -> Settings (under “Performance”).” Once there, select “Custom.” Now, just deselect anything you think might not be important and click “OK” after you’re done.

Disabling the majority of these items will still keep most of the capabilities in Windows without requiring that you sacrifice a certain amount of RAM as a tribute. As a downside, you’ll have a blander look on your computer which might take some getting used to.

6. Get Rid of Features You Don’t Use

There’s one more way to get rid of things you don’t necessarily need in Windows: by turning Windows features off. Just go to your control panel, then go to “Programs -> Programs and Features.” Click on “Turn Windows features on or off,” found at the top left-hand corner of the “Programs and Features” window.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Oracle v. Google: The Trial and the Errors

With all the fabulous and exciting technologies to talk about here in the world of FOSS -- the shiny, brand-spankin'-new Ubuntu Linux 12.04, to name just one -- it always seems a crying shame to have to waste any breath at all discussing lawsuits.

Discuss them we must, however, because in today's litigious landscape, a few powerful software giants keep coming back for more.

The latest example? None other than Oracle v. Google, of course, and an ongoing saga that just keeps going on and on.

Now well into its second week, the trial is the focus of global scrutiny, and more than a few Linux bloggers are up in arms. After a few rounds of Peppermint Penguins down at the seedy Java Joint blogobar, Linux Girl got an earful.

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'A Hole You Throw Money Into'

"Oracle should thank Google for making Java relevant again," Google+ blogger Alessandro Ebersol told Linux Girl, for example.

"Instead, they go after the money Google rightfully earned with a lawsuit that looks like a scam: 'Oh, you are making money from Java, then start to pay us,'" Ebersol added.

"Larry Ellison likes his yachts, so he knows the boat owner's definition of a boat: 'a hole in the water that you throw money into,'" began Barbara Hudson, a blogger on Slashdot who goes by "Tom" on the site. "Oracle's purchase of Sun evokes the same image."

'Trolling for Dollars'

Oracle has little to show for the US$7.4 billion spent on that purchase, Hudson suggested.

"MySQL? Forked. OpenOffice? Forked, then given to the Apache Foundation -- the same Apache Foundation that supplied Google with the Harmony 'Java' class libraries," she pointed out. "And all those Java patents?

"Most have been tossed out after being re-examined by the patent office, and Oracle's court case against Google for 'billions of dollars' has already been whittled down to, at most, '30 to 42 million' for copyright claims -- if Oracle wins, which is unlikely," she added.

"This whole soap opera feels like a SCO re-run," Hudson concluded. "As if that wasn't bad enough, Oracle losing won't be enough to dissuade the next patent troll, because win or lose, the lawyers who push the 'trolling for dollars' game will still make money."

'The End for Oracle'?

So far, the trial has revealed little new information, Google+ blogger Linux Rants told Linux Girl.

"The lead-up was so long that most of both Google's and Oracle's cases has already been seen in the media," Linux Rants explained.

Timothy Bray's testimony, however, could have a significant impact, he added.

"It's already been heavily implied that Oracle only decided to sue Google in lieu of bringing their own product into the market, and the comments he made during the Open Sourcing of Java could very well spell the end for Oracle," Linux Rants concluded.

'The Biggest Barrier to Innovation'

"It's interesting to me that we have David Boies pushing the same arguments about the copyrightability of APIs that he did in the SCO trial," mused consultant and Slashdot blogger Gerhard Mack.

"It seems like he really wants to present this argument to the courts, but I wonder if he knows or even cares that the computer industry will be seriously damaged if he succeeds in convincing the courts of his point of view," Mack added.

On the other hand, "unless the judge takes leave of his senses and allows APIs to be copyrightable, the effects will probably be minimal," predicted Google+ blogger Kevin O'Brien.

"The real lesson here is that software patents are probably the single biggest barrier to innovation and growth in the technology industry," O'Brien concluded.

'Copyright Does Not Apply'

Indeed, "Oracle v Google shows the world how hollow IT is with software patents and non-FREE software," blogger Robert Pogson agreed.

"The bluster about $billions owed turns out to be $millions, if anything, and if Java is GPLed then the APIs are free to use," he explained. "Copyright does not apply to names and parameter lists, according to the court, so the whole API of Java should be fair use, and Google only needed a small part of it for Android/Linux."

Pogson's only concern "is that the lawyers are figuring this out as they go along and may make some bad choices resulting in years of litigation and a straight-jacket for IT," he told Linux Girl. "It's obvious to me that the judge should have ruled on summary judgment against violation of copyright on APIs for Free Software. It's a waste of time to deal with that at trial. I expect by the time all the evidence is presented, the judge will excuse the jurors and apologize for wasting their time."

In short, "why was copyright not kicked out months ago?" Pogson wondered. "Software patents are both invalid and not applicable in this case because software is not patentable, and the USPTO has rejected most of them on re-examination. Oracle has no patent on smartphones or tablets.

"This is SCOG v World all over again, and Boies is again making money over bogus claims against FLOSS," he concluded.

'The Height of Insanity'

Slashdot blogger hairyfeet took a different view.

"In the end it comes down to a simple question: Does a company have the right to control a language they invent or bought?" he explained.

"Either you believe that there should be NO controls whatsoever, the flipside of which would mean making any language licensed under GPL null and void, or they do have control, in which case they get to say what you do and don't do with the language," he explained.

"But making it it a whole 'good vs. evil' thing because one company pays some lip service is the height of insanity," hairyfeet concluded.

'Every Developer Should Be Watching'

Last but not least, Chris Travers, a Slashdot blogger who works on the LedgerSMB project, said he's glad to see the case go to trial rather than be settled out of court.

"It involves one of the primary unaddressed questions in software copyright -- namely, what are the copyright implications of using someone else's APIs," Travers explained. "I suspect that this decision will be a very technical question which will be settled on the basis of questions of copyright law doctrines, but it has tremendous implications for all software developers, particularly those who engage in open source software development."

Copyright was "never supposed to be about controlling what software can act functionally like another program or how two programs can interact," he added.

"This case gets to the heart of this issue and asks what, exactly, copyright protects in software," Travers concluded. "While this is a complicated issue with software, in part because copyright (which protects expression and not function) is a very poor fit, the case is one every software developer should be watching."

Not Much Hyperventilating Over Hacker's Hypervisor Code Theft

 

A hacker with the handle "Hardcore Charlie" has stolen source code for VMware's ESX hypervisor and posted it on the Internet. A hypervisor provides a virtualization layer between operating systems and the underlying hardware, creating a virtual machine. This lets users run multiple virtual machines on one processor. Hypervisors are key to virtualization and cloud computing. Hardcore Charlie claims he obtained the code for the VMware Kernel and the TraceViz GUI. He's promised to post more VMware source code on the Internet in May

Google Reveals Android Revenue For The First Time

The Google-Oracle spat over Android has yet not settled and the search giant is out with the Android revenue, for the first time ever. The information that was revealed in the court provides a clear insight in the revenue model of the platform. One of the sheets show that Google made much more money via Google ads on iOS platform than it did through Android. The revenue chart shows Google ad revenue across several platforms starting in July of 2009 and running until June of 2010.

Google, revenue, Android, revenue sheet

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Aims To Conquer The Enterprise Desktop Market

Canonical today launches Ubuntu 12.04 LTS for the desktop. It marks the fourth long-term support (LTS) release of the world’s favourite free operating system, with maintenance updates guaranteed for five years.

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS includes support for desktop virtualisation from Citrix and VMware, alongside Microsoft RDP 7.1. This means enterprise users now have a three-way choice for office productivity: remote delivery of desktop applications, browser-based cloud solutions like Google Docs or the native, Microsoft-compatible LibreOffice suite that comes pre-installed. For organisations faced with expensive upgrades to Windows 7, Ubuntu 12.04 LTS represents a far more cost-effective alternative.
“For large enterprise deployments with long-term planning processes, Ubuntu 12.04 LTS is our best desktop yet,” said Jane Silber, CEO of Canonical. “Thanks to our expanded hardware partnerships, we’ll make regular updates to support new PCs from certified partners like Dell, HP and Lenovo. And we’ll support even more companies that make the switch to Ubuntu on their desktops.”
New to those upgrading from the last LTS release will be Unity, Ubuntu’s unique user interface. Following many hours of user testing, it has been refined even further, to improve day-to-day productivity for novices and experts alike.
"The migration of all existing users from Ubuntu 10.04 to the Ubuntu 12.04 LTS release is something we are looking forward to rolling out and reaping the benefits of the improved ease of use and additional functionality built-in to the Unity-based desktop" - Pawel Zieba, Senior IT Innovation Consultant at Capgemini BPO.
Canonical provides optional commercial support for Ubuntu 12.04 LTS in the form of Ubuntu Advantage. The programme gives enterprise customers a choice of two levels of support, alongside access to the time-saving administration tool, Landscape, which includes audit, compliance and ongoing management features for large desktop deployments. Unlike other Linux distributions, Ubuntu customers have the choice to include their entire deployment in the support agreement, or just a subset they select.
Thanks to Canonical’s close relationships with the top OEMs, Ubuntu 12.04 LTS is already certified to run on over 20 laptops and desktops, with many more to follow in the weeks to come.
Rigorous policies have been implemented to optimise key parts of the code in the last two years. As a result, Ubuntu 12.04 LTS is more robust than ever, booting even faster than its predecessor and extending laptop battery life significantly.
Download Ubuntu 12.04 LTS today at: www.ubuntu.com/download
Take the Ubuntu 12.04 LTS tour at: www.ubuntu.com/tour
Learn what’s new in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS at: www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/whats-new
See key Ubuntu 12.04 LTS features and screenshots at: www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/features
See a list of certified machines at www.ubuntu.com/certification

Kindle Fire Has Over Half The US Market Share

There is good reason for Apple and Samsung to fear Amazon as its popularity is touching new heights. According to a recent report by ComScore, since its launch in November 2011, Amazon’s Kindle Fire has almost 54.4 per cent of all Android tablets in the US. The report stated: Given how many different models of Android tablets there are out in the market at the moment, that gives it a strong lead over the rest of the field: the whole range of Samsung Galaxy Tab tablets, added together, only accounted for 15.4 percent of the market, with the Xoom following at seven percent.
Kindle fire, Amazon, book reader, Lending library, US market, ComScore

Opera 12 Debuts In Beta Version

It's 12 now! Just like Firefox 12, Opera hits a new version. It promises a faster and smoother experience with its new update, Opera 12, though in beta form. A slight facelift has been given to the browser, incorporating better features. Opera 12 offers 64-bit compatibility for both Mac and Windows devices, a smarter tab loading experience and an array of new themes.
The update also promises faster page uploads with speed improvements. Also, you have been provided full freedom to create your own themes.
Opera 12, Opera, web browsers, beta form, 64-bit compatibility, Mac, Windows, new themes, faster page uploads, WebGL support, experimental hardware acceleration, Unite and Widgets features, Mozilla Firefox 12

Beside these features, experimental hardware acceleration and a WebGL support are in the pipeline. Also, the new version doesn't carry Unite and Widgets features for an extension-driven model.
Well, let's see what 'new' the version 12 has brought! Let's Get Started!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

SUSE Leads With Most Certified Applications Across Linux Vendors

SUSE today announced that more than 9,000 software applications are fully certified on the latest versions of SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server, with independent software vendors (ISVs) continuing to support new applications each month. Based on publicly available information, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9, 10 and 11 have the most certified software applications of any Linux distribution giving customers more options to choose for their Linux environment. In fact, a comparison of SUSE.com and RedHat.com shows that SUSE Linux Enterprise Server offers 33 percent more certified applications than the latest versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the next largest distribution.

The number of certified SUSE Linux Enterprise Server applications has grown by more than 85 percent over the past two years, to more than 9,200. As Linux has entered the mainstream, the breadth and depth of application support for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server makes it the logical choice for end users who require flexibility and versatility to deploy a variety of applications and workloads on different hardware and across virtual and cloud infrastructures.
“IBM has been a strong supporter of the Linux community and the open source development model for over 12 years,” said Jean Staten Healy, director of Worldwide Linux and Open Virtualization at IBM. “As the number one contributor of applications to SUSE's ISV catalog, we are pleased to work with SUSE to deliver a wide variety of high quality, applications to our joint customers.”
SUSE’s lead over Red Hat in certified applications extends across a broad variety of application categories and vertical industries worldwide. Since becoming its own business unit within The Attachmate Group, SUSE continues to drive the strongest Linux application ecosystem offering ISVs full access to the tools, training and support needed to build and certify any application designed for SUSE Linux Enterprise in standard, cloud or appliance configurations. Additionally, SUSE offers award-winning enterprise quality support, which includes a team of dedicated SUSE engineers who work closely with strategic ISVs to port and certify their solutions on SUSE Linux Enterprise.
“We remain committed to building a strong ISV community superior to any other Linux vendor,” said Michael Miller, vice president of global alliances and marketing, SUSE. “By listening to and meeting the needs of our partners, we're in turn able to help those who choose SUSE Linux Enterprise Server achieve greater flexibility and control over their data center.”

Apple No More Considered Secure!

Recently Apple faced a Flashback trojan attack on Mac OS X that affected around 6,00,000 Macs worldwide. Since the attack, Apple which was perceived as the most secure platform has changed its perception in the minds of people.
Apple,Microsoft,Kaspersky,Malware

Eugene Kaspersky, founder and CEO, Kaspersky Lab said, "Apple was 10 years behind Microsoft when it came to security and Flashback trojan attack was first of many attacks that could follow directed at the now popular operating system."
According to Kaspersky, Flashback asked users to install itself without showing any existing alert box that resulted it to enter the Macs. He said that there is no difference between Mac and Windows. Recently, it has been accounted that in comparison to last quarter, Apple's sale rose to 7 per cent. However, Kaspersky still feels that malware writers would still target Windows as it’s by far the most used platform.
Earlier, Apple was disgraced for taking months to release bug fixes, which became an advantage for Flashback trojan to enter the Macs. Apple certainly needs to create some changes to its development process for getting rid of the Flashback trojan.

Daily App Review: Google Drive (Android)

After all the speculation, Google Drive has finally arrived. We take a look at its Android app avatar to see whether it lives up to the hype.

We had been hearing about it for a while now - Google was planning to start a cloud storage service of its own and it would be called Google Drive and it would be good enough to for you to stop lugging pen drives around. Well, Google Drive has finally been launched and is accessible from Web browsers, computers and handset apps. As of now, it only has an app for Android, but other platforms are expected to follow suit soon. Anyway, we signed up for Google Drive (you go to http://drive.google.com and sign up and Google informs you when your service is ready to use - in our case, it took about seven hours). Once you have got your Google Drive up and running, you can go right ahead and download the app from Google Play - you can download it even before your Google Drive service gets activated but it is always better to do so once the Driveรข€™s up and running.

On starting Google Drive on your Android phone and tablet (we tried it on a Sony Xperia S an a Motorola Xoom), we would not blame you for thinking that you were in Google Docs. In fact, in a manner of speaking, you are. For Google Docs has now been absorbed into Google Drive. What you have, therefore, is 5 GB of free online storage with the Google branding, and - this is the important bit - an online office suite that is part of it. On starting the app, you see a list of items topped by My Drive, which is where the files and folders you have uploaded are stored; followed by Shared With Me, which has files shared with you by other people using Google Docs; Starred, Recent and Offline.

The real business of Google Drive on Android happens in the My Drive folder, into which you can upload virtually any kind of file that you wish to, in best cloud tradition. And in a very neat touch, the integration with Google Docs means that in many cases, you can not only view the files you have uploaded but can also edit them and if need be share them with other people. If Google Docs cannot open the file, fear not, you can specify an app on your device to open it, and if you are heading to an area where network connectivity is likely to be iffy, then just go right ahead and select the "make available offline" option which will download the file and move it to the Offline collection on your landing page. Editing options on Google Docs remain on the basic side, however. Do not expect MS Word like functionality and features here but if it is basic playing with fonts, listing and alignment you are after, there is enough here.

And of course, allied with this is the magic of cloud storage. Everything that you store on Google Drive will be accessible to you across all devices as long as you have an Internet connection. In fact, you can even just go to http://drive.google.com on your deviceรข€™s Web browser to be able to view the files you have stored there - the app is a whole lot more convenient though. There are niggles, however. We found it very strange that the app did not let us create folders and that when we tried to send a file, the app insisted on downloading it, before giving us the option to mail it or send it over Bluetooth, instead of just giving us the option to send a link to it, in best cloud tradition. We were also very surprised to see that while we could sort the list of files we had uploaded by title, and time of editing and modification, there was no option to sort them by file type, which lead to formats intermingling and a good deal of confusion. In many cases, we also found the app downloading files (PDFs and videos) instead of opening them online or streaming them. We really hope Google fixes this in the coming days.

Still, these are early days and we are sure that the app is likely to get better in times to come. If it is just storage you are looking for, there is nothing compellingly different from the likes of Dropbox, Box.net or Skydrive here, but throw in Google Docs into the equation and you have one of the more comprehensive cloud storage and producitivity apps that we have seen in a while.

Right now, Google Drive is  definitely one of those apps that power cloud users, who use the Net not just for storage but also for tweaking files and sharing, need to have on their Android devices. Yes, there's room for improvement. But even in its current avatar, it packs a very decent punch.

Get it from: Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs&hl=en)
Price: Free

Apple Violated Motorola Patent: Court Ruling

According to Thomas Pender, ITC judge, Apple violated one out of four patents of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. Motorola has won US ITC judge's ruling that bids to freeze imports of Apple Inc, including devices such as iPhone, iPad, etc.
Apple,Motorola Mobility,Patent,Android Phones

"These are long wars, and it’s one more battle in the war," said Carl Howe, an analyst with Yankee Group. "It’s about accumulating as much intellectual property as possible. It’s not good for innovation if you do that, but that seems to be where we’re heading."
Google Inc said, "Its $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility and its trove of patents may protect it against litigation by rivals to its Android operating system."
The investigation is to expected to end by 23 August as scheduled by six-member commission. President Barack Obama will decide regarding the import ban of the products.
"A court in Germany has already ruled that Apple did not infringe on this patent, so we believe we will have a very strong case on appeal," Kristin Huguet, an Apple spokeswoman, said in a telephonic interview.
On the other hand, Becki Leonard, a spokeswoman for Motorola Mobility, said in an e-mailed statement: "We are pleased that the ALJ’s initial determination finds Apple to be in violation of Motorola Mobility’s intellectual property, and look forward to the full commission’s ruling in August."
Motorola won the ITC case against Apple which was filed on 29 Octover, 2010, freezing the imports of Apple's phones. David Shaw, ITC judge said, "Microsoft was infringing four other Motorola Mobility patents, including three that read on Wi-Fi and video-decoding standards. If the commission agrees, it could block imports of Microsoft’s Xbox gaming system."
According to research strategy analytics, Apple had 29 per cent smartphone market shares in 2009 while Motorola Mobility had less than 8 per cent. In case of operating systems, the Android platform had 55 per cent market, Apple held 29 percent, while Microsoft’s Windows Phone had about 3 percent of market.

Sony Brings Android 4.0 Update To India

Lucky You! Sony has started driving out the Android 4.0 update for its Indian customers. But, it will be available for selected devices to start with. If you have one of those selected devices, you can enjoy the new lock-screen, smart dialer, face unlock feature, new task switcher and much more with the Ice Cream Sandwich update.
The devices receiving the update are neo V, arc S and Ray from the Xperia series. To upgrade your device, you will have to use the PC companion or Sony Bridge for Mac software on your computers.
Sony,Sony Mobile India, Ice Cream Sandwich, Android 4.0, new lock-screen, smart dialer, face unlock feature, new task switcher, neo V, arc S,Ray, Xperia series, PC companion, Sony Bridge, Mac software,Samsung Galaxy S II, Galaxy Note, Motorola RAZR, Xperia arc, Xperia Play, Xperia neo, Xperia mini, Xperia mini pro, Xperia pro, Xperia active, Sony Ericsson Live, Walkman

Where the country is eagerly waiting for the update, only Samsung had released Android 4.0 for Nexus S. Sony becomes the second company to be giving the update in the country. The update still has a long way to go as even popular phones like Samsung Galaxy S II, Galaxy Note and Motorola RAZR haven't received it yet.
It is said that other Xperia series phones including Xperia arc, Xperia Play, Xperia neo, Xperia mini, Xperia mini pro, Xperia pro, Xperia active and Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman may receive the update at the end of May or early June.
The flavour is in!

Ubuntu Is The Best Linux Distro: Survey

With a host of Linux distributions available in the market, one often wonders which one stands out the most. Well, a recent survey has tried to answer just that. Lifehacker conducted a popularity contest and declared the winner as Ubuntu Linux. Moreover, there is a major release due today.
Linux distro, Ubuntu, top runner, most popular linux, Arch Linux

The popularity poll started inviting people to choose the best Linux distribution last week. And the results listed the top 5 Linux distros- Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Debian, Fedora, and Arch Linux. The publication reported that Ubuntu and its variants won more than 51 per cent votes solely and second next was Linux Mint, with almost 16 per cent.
While the page hit count on DistroWatch reveals to some extent what distro is drawing the most interest at the moment but it could not be accessed as to who is using what or what is the exact preference.

Microsoft Signs Agreement With Pegatron

Microsoft with Pegatron Corp group has signed an intellectual property licence deal over the usage of Android and Chrome platforms. According to the announcement made by Microsoft, Pegatron will have to pay Microsoft royalties under the agreement that covers "e-Readers, smartphones and tablets running the Android or Chrome platforms". The Chrome here refers to the Google Chrome OS, which is the cloud based operating system. However, the company has not laid out the details clearly.
Microsoft,Pegatron,Agreement,Patents

Founded in January 2008, Pegatron deals in designing and manufacturing of computer accessories like set-top boxes, TVs, wireless systems and game consoles. Talking about the patent wars, Motorola breached the agreement with Pegatron by rolling out the agreements with almost all of the Taiwan based original design manufacturers (ODMs).
"With this agreement, Microsoft has now licensed four of the top five Taiwanese ODMs," said Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of the Intellectual Property Group at Microsoft. Also last year, he made an allegation against Microsoft that it had signed the intellectual properly licences with "more than half of the world's ODM industry for Android and Chrome devices".
According to Microsoft, the company has made on paper agreement with the manufacturers covering 70 per cent of Android devices, which are sold in US. Motorola currently demands 2.25 per cent of Microsoft's Xbox total sales as part of royalties for its patents. Microsoft's Xbox gaming features wireless LAN and H.264 video codec standards-based technologies.
According to US International Trade Commission court, Microsoft has been found violating four Motorola's patents with Xbox. This could result in a ban on the import of the Xbox devices until or unless Microsoft pays the royalties to Motorola.

Apple No More Considered Secure!

Recently Apple faced a Flashback trojan attack on Mac OS X that affected around 6,00,000 Macs worldwide. Since the attack, Apple which was perceived as the most secure platform has changed its perception in the minds of people.
Apple,Microsoft,Kaspersky,Malware

Eugene Kaspersky, founder and CEO, Kaspersky Lab said, "Apple was 10 years behind Microsoft when it came to security and Flashback trojan attack was first of many attacks that could follow directed at the now popular operating system."
According to Kaspersky, Flashback asked users to install itself without showing any existing alert box that resulted it to enter the Macs. He said that there is no difference between Mac and Windows. Recently, it has been accounted that in comparison to last quarter, Apple's sale rose to 7 per cent. However, Kaspersky still feels that malware writers would still target Windows as it’s by far the most used platform.
Earlier, Apple was disgraced for taking months to release bug fixes, which became an advantage for Flashback trojan to enter the Macs. Apple certainly needs to create some changes to its development process for getting rid of the Flashback trojan.

Canonical To Develop Multi-Screen Ubuntu With 14.04

Canonical is all set to launch Ubuntu 12.04 tomorrow. This new Ubuntu will be supported for five years, which will be a big driver for enterprise deployment, believes the company. Canonical is also eyeing the mobile space with its multi-screen strategy.

Ubuntu, Ubuntu For Android, Canonical, Canonical India, Prakash Advani, Ubuntu 12.04LTS, Ubuntu 14.04LTS, Ubuntu for mobile, Android, GNU/Linux operating system, Ubuntu Cloud

Upload Bulk Photos Faster With Flickr

Does the thought of uploading your vacation trip give you shivers, because of its sheer size and numbers? Well, your woes have been heard. Flickr has made bulk sharing and posting of photos much faster. Users can now easily grab a range of photos, drag them to the browser, arrange them into sets, add tags and descriptions, set licensing terms, tag friends in photos, and adjust advance settings all before clicking to publish photos to Flickr, that too at an enhanced speed. The site has even increased its file size restriction.

Flickr,  online photo management,Google+,Markus Spiering,Betabeat

Facebook Releases Antivirus Marketplace

The social networking giant today announced the Antivirus Marketplace. For the same, Facebook had tied up with Microsoft, McAfee, TrendMicro, Sophos and Symantec to ensure that the users get the full version antivirus software for the first six months. The companies will also add their URL blacklist databases with that of Facebook.
Antivirus marketplace, Facebook, social network, security

Talking about the free software, the AV Marketplace targets hundreds of millions of Facebook users who don’t have proper security protection on their computer. The company allows you to download licenses to full versions of antivirus software that include: Microsoft Security Essentials, McAfee Internet Security 2012, Norton AntiVirus, Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition, and Trend Micro internet security for PCs and Macs. However, the ones that are not free will expire after six months.
The marketplace can be accessed from the Facebook Security Facebook Page, or via this direct link: on.fb.me/FBAVMarketplace. This means that over 901 million monthly active users of Facebook will have extra protection. This time it is not only the Facebook’s system that is working but the collective intelligence of 5 more companies.

HTC Bringing A Facebook Phone In Second Quarter?

I heard about Facebook phone sometime back but the news soon fizzled out. Well, it is back in the scene and this time the speculation is that the phone will be made by HTC. And if industry sources quoted in the report are to be believed, it is coming as soon as the third quarter of this year.
HTC, Facebook, phone, Android

While Google is now working closely with Samsung to bring out the Nexus range, seems like HTC has decided to move on its own path. The smartphone manufacturer is reportedly working on a customised device in cooperation with Facebook. After becoming a public company, the decision to launch its own-brand smartphone is just a part of its development strategy.
According to a Digitimes report, the new Android smartphone being developed by HTC will have a platform exclusive to Facebook to enable and integrate all functions available on the social networking site, the sources indicated. HTC had previously launched two Facebook-enabled smartphones, the Salsa and Chacha.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Making personal cloud storage for Windows available anywhere, with the new SkyDrive

Downloading the preview of SkyDrive for Windows takes just a few seconds on most connections (the installer is under 5MB) and installs on most PCs in less than 10 seconds. There are just three simple setup screens and you’re finished.

Installing SkyDrive

Once it’s running, it’s out of the way in the system tray. A folder is created automatically for you in a default location or one you choose during setup, and your SkyDrive files immediately start to appear.

SkyDrive icon in System Tray

Once your SkyDrive is available on your PC, this special folder stays in sync with your SkyDrive. If you rename a file on your phone, it appears immediately in this folder on your PC. If you delete a file from SkyDrive.com, it is deleted immediately here as well. Or if you create a folder and move files from another PC, Mac, or iPad, those changes immediately sync, too.

25 photos in Windows Explorer with filepath ...SkyDrive\Pictures\We Shred

Power users can have fun with the SkyDrive folder too

In Windows Live Mesh, which some of you have come to rely on, we allowed arbitrary folders to be synchronized.  Our experience has been that this introduced too many unresolvable complexities across different PCs, with the path on one PC synchronizing to entirely different paths on other PCs and the cloud.  In order to maintain our goal of “it just works,” we designed SkyDrive to be the same everywhere, and to work well with libraries in Windows. 

If you’d like your SkyDrive folders to feel less like separate folders, you can add your SkyDrive Documents and Pictures folders to your Documents and Pictures Libraries in Windows 8 and Windows 7. 

Alternatively, you could change the target location for special folders like Documents or Pictures (or others) to folders in your SkyDrive, basically treating your SkyDrive as your primary drive (right-click the Documents folder, click Properties, and then Location). You can also customize the default root of the synchronized folder (to use a different drive, for example), and this option is available during setup of the SkyDrive app.

So, as you can see, the simple and straightforward model of having a single folder for your SkyDrive still leaves lots of creative options for personalization.

Fetching files through SkyDrive.com

As we discussed and demonstrated back in February, with SkyDrive running on a Windows PC, you can also turn that PC into your own private cloud to browse your files and stream videos from anywhere through SkyDrive.com. This feature is great if you forgot something on your home PC and need to fetch it or just copy it quickly to SkyDrive.

Screenshot of SkyDrive website showing access to 2 computers: Graeme-desktop and Graeme-laptop. All libraries, folders, and drives are shown in the selected computer that user is fetching from.

Note that, in order to access a remote PC you will have to provide a second factor of authentication beyond your account password. You’ll need to enter a code that we send to your mobile phone or alternate email address even if you’re already signed in to your SkyDrive account (if you’re already on a trusted PC, you won’t have to do this every time, and it is easy to do this one-time setup). This means that anyone wanting access to your remote PC would have to have access not only to your account, but also to either an alternate email or your phone (which they would need to physically possess).

New, more flexible approach to storage

One of the challenges in building personal cloud storage for billions of people is scaling capacity and managing costs, while also meeting the needs of both enthusiasts and mainstream users. Different cloud providers take different approaches. Many promise unlimited storage or big referral incentives to attract enthusiasts – but then have lots of strings attached, which can make the service more confusing and less accessible to mainstream users. Do I really have to read multiple pages to understand my storage limits? Why do other people’s files count against my storage limit? Why does my upload speed slow down? Why do I get gobs of free storage but have to pay to sync my desktop files?

Our model for SkyDrive is friendly and accessible to all, and just as importantly, provides a gimmick-free service that strikes the right balance of being free for the vast majority of customers, and low-priced for those who want more.

Starting today, we are now offering:

  • 7GB free for all new SkyDrive users. We chose 7GB as it provides enough space for over 99% of people to store their entire Office document library and share photos for several years, along with room for growth. To put things in perspective, 99.94% of SkyDrive customers today use 7GB or less – and 7GB is enough for over 20,000 Office documents or 7,000 photos. Since the current base of customers using SkyDrive tilts towards enthusiasts, we are confident that, as we expand the range of people using SkyDrive, this 7GB free limit will prove to be more than enough for even more people.

    94.94% of users use 7GB or less; only 0.06% use greater than 7GB.

  • Ability to upload large files – up to 2GB – and folders using SkyDrive for the Windows desktop or SkyDrive for OS X Lion.
  • Paid storage plans (+20GB, +50GB, +100GB) so that power users who need more storage can easily add more at competitive prices (US$10/year, US$25/year, US$50/year). Please note that paid-for storage requires the ability to pay by credit card (or via PayPal, in some markets) and a Windows Live ID that can be associated with that credit card or PayPal account.

We know that many of you signed up for a service that offered 25GB, and some are already using more than 7GB of storage. So, starting today, for a limited time, any registered SkyDrive user *who has uploaded files to SkyDrive* as of April 22nd can opt in to keep 25GB of free storage while still getting all of the benefits of the new service. (For users who are already using more than 4GB as of April 1, we’ve automatically opted you in to 25GB of free storage to avoid any issues.) Just sign in here or view our FAQ.

SkyDrive for Windows Phone and other devices

SkyDrive has been available since 2007 from anywhere in the world through SkyDrive.com, but it wasn’t until the initial release of Windows Phone and our dedicated Windows Phone and iPhone apps in December 2011 that people had top-notch SkyDrive experiences from modern smartphones. These apps have been installed on over 2 million phones already by people taking SkyDrive with them wherever they go.

As a Windows Phone or iPhone user, with today’s release, you can now delete, rename, and move files in your SkyDrive, and access a full set of sharing options for all files and folders. We’re also bringing SkyDrive to the iPad, with all the same capabilities you now have available through the iPhone, plus support for the new iPad retina display.

Documents folder in SkyDrive app shows subfolders and documents
Documents folder in SkyDrive app contains 2 folders and several documents

SkyDrive app shown containing 2 document folders, 4 photo folders, 3 Office docs and a PSD file.

All of these apps also have dozens of small improvements, including the ability to see your remaining storage space, landscape support, and various performance enhancements and bug fixes.

Almost 70% of Mac users also regularly use a Windows PC. Since we want every customer to be able to rely on SkyDrive to access files anywhere, it’s important for SkyDrive be wherever they are. Office for Mac 2011 already supports SkyDrive files, but starting today, you’ll also be able to manage your entire SkyDrive offline using Finder on the Mac. The integration with Finder means that any Mac app that opens from or saves to the file system will be able to take advantage of SkyDrive files as well.

A SkyDrive folder containing images on a Mac

Here’s where you go to try SkyDrive today:

If you currently use Mesh, we have a few tips for trying SkyDrive for Windows or Mac (preview) side-by-side with Mesh. We think you'll find SkyDrive to be increasingly useful over time.

Firefox 12 Available For Download

Mozilla's race is on! Firefox, one of the most popular Web browsers is all set for its new release—version 12. The official date decided for the release is 24 April but like always the final release binaries are already out on the Mozilla server. The release is available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X.

Mozilla,Firefox 12,Download,Release,24th April2012

The new release obviously comes out with numerous changes. A new feature is the ability for the download manager to automatically start downloading links that are added to it. OS users will also observe some sort of improvement in the WebGL performance. Other changes holds improvements to the CSS. The programmers and designers will also find that the page source window now has line numbers, making it easy to find code. Those using Windows’ User Access Control will find the installation of the new browser to be a tad quicker.
The next big release is on the cards! Firefox 13 is expected to release on 5 June 2012. It is currently part of Aurora channel but will move to the Beta channel once Firefox 12 is officially out tomorrow. Firefox 11 came out in the middle of last month.
Due to little drop in popularity, Firefox's main competitor Google Chrome holds the lead in the market. Meanwhile, Mozilla is concentrating on preparing Firefox for Windows 8’s Metro user interface hoping to get back some of the lost market share from Chrome.
Google has also been working on its new browser to get ready for the big release of Windows 8 in October this year.

Skype V1.0 For Windows Phone

Microsoft has finally released the official Skype app for Windows Phone on the Windows marketplace. It enables users to download the app directly from their Windows Phone device. Almost 200 million people use Skype every month across screens, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. Using the Skype app for Windows Phone, users can engage in voice calls, video calls and texting with their contacts.
Skype, Skype V1.0,Windows Phone

Skype for Windows Phones is available for use on 4G, 3G and Wi-Fi networks. It enables users to connect with family and friends any time with free voice and video calls though the data connection, which will be chargeable. It also allows to make reasonable calls to landlines and mobiles using Skype Credit.
Since the release of its initial beta app in February, the company has received an excellent response from the users, which has allowed them in the augmentation of the app. Furthermore, the company has also added different features including video calling in portrait mode and friend management capabilities including invite, accept invitations, block, and unblock contacts.
On the negative side of things, Skype for Windows Phone, the app cannot run in the background which basically means that it cannot run silently in the background so that one could receive calls.
According to Skype' official blog, this is the first of many releases to come for Windows Phone and they will continue to invest over time to enable experiences unmatched by any other app in the market.
Skype for Windows Phone is available in 18 languages and is available for free.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Stability Drives Demand for More Flexibility in Long-term Operating System Deployments

Red Hat, Inc. (NYSE: RHT), the world’s leading provider of open source solutions, today announced it has extended the production lifecycle of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and 6 from seven to 10 years in response to enterprise customer demand. Enterprise customers now have additional deployment alternatives for their Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system implementations as they plan the future of their strategic IT deployments.

“Enterprise customers require flexibility when planning strategic, long-term technology deployments,” said Jim Totton, vice president and general manager, Platform Business Unit, Red Hat.  “Many of our customers have come to realize that standardizing on Red Hat Enterprise Linux improves efficiency and helps lower costs. With a ten-year lifecycle, customers now have additional choices when planning their Red Hat Enterprise Linux deployment and overall IT strategy. We are pleased that customers are looking far into the future with Red Hat.”

For some IT environments, upgrading to a new version of an operating system requires detailed advance planning. Red Hat extended the Red Hat Enterprise Linux lifecycle so customers can remain on their current version longer. For many years, enterprises have chosen Red Hat as their strategic operating system provider because of the functionality and product stability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. This, coupled with support and the broad ecosystem of certified hardware platforms and ISV applications from Red Hat partners, makes it highly suitable for long-term deployments. With the new Red Hat Enterprise Linux lifecycle, customers will benefit from continued feature enhancements while Red Hat's ABI and API compatibility leverages their application investments.

For more information about Red Hat Enterprise Linux lifecycle, visit www.redhat.com/rhel/lifecycle.
For more information about Red Hat, visit www.redhat.com. For more news, more often, visit www.press.redhat.com.

About Red Hat, Inc.
Red Hat, the world's leading provider of open source solutions and an S&P 500 company, is headquartered in Raleigh, NC with more than 70 offices spanning the globe. Red Hat provides high-quality, affordable technology with its operating system platform, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, together with cloud, virtualization, applications, management, storage and service-oriented architecture (SOA) solutions, including Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization and JBoss Enterprise Middleware. Red Hat also offers support, training and consulting services to its customers worldwide. Learn more: http://www.redhat.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: risks related to delays or reductions in information technology spending; the effects of industry consolidation; the ability of the Company to compete effectively; uncertainty and adverse results in litigation and related settlements; the integration of acquisitions and the ability to market successfully acquired technologies and products; the inability to adequately protect Company intellectual property and the potential for infringement or breach of license claims of or relating to third party intellectual property; the ability to deliver and stimulate demand for new products and technological innovations on a timely basis; risks related to data and information security vulnerabilities; ineffective management of, and control over, the Company's growth and international operations; fluctuations in exchange rates; and changes in and a dependence on key personnel, as well as other factors contained in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (copies of which may be accessed through the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at http://www.sec.gov), including those found therein under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations". In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic and political conditions, governmental and public policy changes and the impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, including events in Japan. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of the press release.

Red Hat Training Launches New Red Hat Messaging Deployment Course

Red Hat Enterprise MRG Messaging is an open, standards-based AMQP (Advanced Messaging Queuing Protocol) platform built using high throughput, low-latency messaging middleware. It provides a critical messaging backbone for highly performant, distributed computing environments and is important for organizations engaged in distributed computing.

To help software architects, broker administrators and developers install, configure and interact with the Red Hat Enterprise MRG Messaging broker, Red Hat Training is pleased to announce the availability of its Red Hat Messaging Deployment (RHD355) course. Course topics range from an introductory overview to architecture detail discussions to more advanced subject matter, such as clustering, broker federation and security. The course places particular emphasis on using the client API to send and receive messages.

The full course outline includes the following:

• Understanding and configuring the Qpid Broker

• Understanding key exchange types and how they bind to queues

• Queue configuration

• Setting up persistence

• Reviewing prior learning of the basic development of C++, Python and JMS clients

• Clustering the broker

• Broker federation

• Security

As is the case with all Red Hat Training courses, students have the opportunity to demonstrate real-world practice through hands-on labs.

Do You Rowi? Windows Phone Twitter App a Big Hit

Microsoft employees Erik Porter and Nathan Heskew built Rowi, a Twitter app that makes full use of Windows Phone’s social media capabilities. The duo just released version 2, they’re building a Windows 8 app, and Rowi is now among some of the most popular apps in the marketplace.

 

Rowi may sound like some kind of rare New Zealand bird (which actually, it is) but it’s also a popular new Twitter app for Windows Phone created by two Microsoft employees.

Microsoft employees Nathan Heskew (left) and Erik Porter built Rowi, a popular Twitter app for Windows Phone, in their spare time.

Nathan Heskew and Erik Porter

 

Microsoft employees Nathan Heskew (left) and Erik Porter built Rowi, a popular Twitter app for Windows Phone, in their spare time.

Download: Web | Print


The moonlight creation of Erik Porter and Nathan Heskew, Rowi was developed to fully tap the social networking capabilities of the Windows Phone. Rowi lets Twitter users receive push notifications, and supports right-to-left (RTL) languages, the ability to pin Tweets to the Windows Phone start screen, and easier messaging and photo previews.

Rowi was recently mentioned by tech blogger Joshua Topolsky of The Verge, who says Rowi “is probably the best experience you can have on Windows Phone with the (Twitter) social networking service — it's a really well thought out and well made application.”

The two just released version 2.0 of the app, which has received high praise, shooting them up quickly in the marketplace. In the U.S. marketplace, Rowi is in the top 0.25 percent of paid apps and the top 0.5 percent overall while RowiLite is in the top 1 percent of free apps and the top 1 percent overall.

It’s pretty exciting for Porter and Heskew to watch Rowi’s success given that it was created in their spare time, and both have busy day jobs and families. They also both happen to be college dropouts.

“We’re both good developers, but we’re not very focused on the computer science part of it – as you can imagine, since we’re both dropouts. We’re focused on what cool things we can build,” Porter says.

Rowi lets Twitter uses receive push notifications, and supports right-to-left (RTL) languages, the ability to pin Tweets to the Windows Phone start screen, easier messaging, photo previews and more.

Rowi on a Windows Phone

April 17, 2012

Rowi lets Twitter uses receive push notifications, and supports right-to-left (RTL) languages, the ability to pin Tweets to the Windows Phone start screen, easier messaging, photo previews and more.

Download: Web


The two met while working on Microsoft’s Channel 9 team, and quickly figured out they had shared interests. They started spending weekends on a few projects, and even tinkered briefly with developing for iPhone.

“We gave it basically a week, and then realized we were going to have to spend a lot of time to figure out how that platform worked,” Porter says. “We said, ‘Let’s not do that.’ Then we saw Windows Phone, and we were like, ‘Ohhh. This is actually something we can do in our spare time.’”

Within a few days of downloading Windows Phone developer tools, the duo had the beginnings of Rowi. And with Microsoft’s employee developer program for Windows Phone, the two realized they could create and own their app in their spare time.

Because they are a team and didn’t want the app to be registered to an individual, they created a company, Hidden Pineapple – an inside joke from one of Porter’s favorite television shows, “Psych,” where there is a hidden pineapple in every episode.

So why build an app for Twitter? Porter was originally not a fan of the concept of Twitter, and dismissed it as “public texting,” continuing instead to maintain his personal blog.

Rowi’s creators wanted to find an unusual name for their Twitter app, so they named it after a rare New Zealand bird.

Rowi Logo

April 17, 2012

Rowi’s creators wanted to find an unusual name for their Twitter app, so they named it after a rare New Zealand bird.

Download: Web


“As you start using it, you realize we’re all lazy beings. I actually barely blog anymore, Twitter makes it easier to communicate,” Porter says.

Heskew says he is more of a Twitter reader than a Tweeter.

“I mainly use it to keep up on things, and more recently just to chat with folks and to coordinate things,” he says. For example, he used Twitter to navigate and communicate on a recent trip to the South by Southwest Music Conference and Festival (SXSW).

While it’s exciting to build a successful app, it requires a lot of work and balance, they say.

“We’ve actually wanted to build other apps, but this thing has sort of taken over. We both have busy day jobs – for two and a half months Nathan was unable to work on Rowi at all, and I’ll have a week here and a week there where I can’t touch it,” Porter says. “For the most part, our users have been really patient with us. We’re honest with them, and we try to stay in constant contact. We want them to feel like we’re there for them all the time. Except not all the time, because we both have families.”

People always talk about starting things, but never actually do it. Just start.

Nathan Heskew, Microsoft Employee and Co-Creator of Rowi

The beauty of having an app used around the globe is that when they communicate with Rowi users or release a feature, they get instant feedback – no matter what time it is in the U.S.

The two said their target is somewhere between the Twitter beginners and advanced users. Although there is competition popping up all the time in the Marketplace in the form of other Twitter apps, the two are continuing to expand Rowi’s capabilities and are even building a version for Windows 8 that will sync with the Windows Phone version and be awesome on a tablet, they say.

“We want to build up a brand with Rowi so then we can have that same brand on Windows 8, which given the number of Windows users in the world also has great potential,” Porter says. “That should be super cool.”

Though building, maintaining and improving Rowi has kept them busy, they both like Windows Phone and want to help the platform in any way that they can, they say. They have also enjoyed stretching their app- and business-building legs.

“The big thing is to do it,” Heskew says, of their moonlight developing. “People always talk about starting things, but never actually do it. Just start.”

Microsoft Reports Record Third-Quarter Revenue

Microsoft Corp. today announced quarterly revenue of $17.41 billion for the quarter ended Mar. 31, 2012, a 6% increase from the prior year period. Operating income was $6.37 billion, up 12% from the prior year period.

Net income and diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $5.11 billion and $0.60 per share, compared with $5.23 billion and $0.61 per share, respectively, in the prior year period. Prior year net income and diluted earnings per share included a $461 million or $0.05 per share tax benefit primarily related to a tax settlement with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

“We’re driving toward exciting launches across the entire company, while delivering strong financial results,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. “With the upcoming release of new Windows 8 PCs and tablets, the next version of Office, and a wide array of products and services for the enterprise and consumers, we will be delivering exceptional value to all our customers in the year ahead.”

The Server & Tools business posted $4.57 billion in third-quarter revenue, a 14% increase from the prior year period, driven by double-digit revenue growth in SQL Server and more than 20% growth in System Center revenue.

The Microsoft Business Division reported $5.81 billion in third-quarter revenue, a 9% increase from the prior year period, reflecting the continued strength of Office 2010 with businesses and consumers. Dynamics posted an 11% revenue increase from the prior year period, with Dynamics CRM revenue growing more than 30%.

The Windows and Windows Live Division posted revenue of $4.62 billion, a 4% increase from the prior year period. Strong Windows 7 adoption continued with enterprise desktops on Windows 7 now up to 40% worldwide.

“We saw strong demand for our business desktop and infrastructure offerings,” said Peter Klein, chief financial officer at Microsoft. “Solid revenue growth and continued cost discipline drove double-digit operating income growth.”

The Online Services Division reported revenue of $707 million, a 6% increase from the prior year period, and operating loss improvement of approximately $300 million.

The Entertainment & Devices Division posted revenue of $1.62 billion, a decrease of 16% from the prior period due to a soft gaming console market. Xbox remained the top-selling console in the U.S. for the 15th consecutive month, and the company announced new television content partners and experiences for its 40 million Xbox LIVE members.

“We continue to execute well across our businesses, and we are seeing robust demand for our enterprise products and services,” said Kevin Turner, chief operating officer at Microsoft. “Our investments and offerings in the database platform and public, private, and hybrid cloud are helping our customers transform their operations to meet today’s evolving business demands.”

Business Outlook

Microsoft is revising operating expense guidance downward and now offers a range of $28.3 billion to $28.7 billion for the full year ending June 30, 2012. Microsoft also offers preliminary fiscal year 2013 operating expense guidance of $30.3 billion to $30.9 billion, representing 6% to 8% growth from the mid-point of fiscal year 2012 guidance.

Webcast Details

Peter Klein, chief financial officer, Frank Brod, chief accounting officer, and Bill Koefoed, general manager of Investor Relations, will host a conference call and webcast at 2:30 p.m. PDT (5:30 p.m. EDT) today to discuss details of the company’s performance for the quarter and certain forward-looking information. The session may be accessed at http://www.microsoft.com/investor/. The webcast will be available for replay through the close of business on Apr. 19, 2013.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this release that are “forward-looking statements” are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors such as:

  • execution and competitive risks in transitioning to cloud-based computing;

  • challenges to Microsoft’s business model;

  • intense competition in all of Microsoft’s markets;

  • Microsoft’s continued ability to protect its intellectual property rights;

  • claims that Microsoft has infringed the intellectual property rights of others;

  • the possibility of unauthorized disclosure of significant portions of Microsoft’s source code;

  • actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in Microsoft products that could reduce revenue or lead to liability;

  • improper disclosure of personal data that could result in liability and harm to Microsoft’s reputation;

  • outages and disruptions of services provided to customers directly or through third parties if Microsoft fails to maintain an adequate operations infrastructure;

  • government litigation and regulation affecting how Microsoft designs and markets its products;

  • Microsoft’s ability to attract and retain talented employees;

  • delays in product development and related product release schedules;

  • significant business investments that may not gain customer acceptance and produce offsetting increases in revenue;

  • unfavorable changes in general economic conditions, disruption of our partner networks or sales channels, or the availability of credit that affect demand for Microsoft’s products and services or the value of our investment portfolio;

  • adverse results in legal disputes;

  • unanticipated tax liabilities;

  • quality or supply problems in Microsoft’s consumer hardware or other vertically integrated hardware and software products;

  • impairment of goodwill or amortizable intangible assets causing a charge to earnings;

  • exposure to increased economic and regulatory uncertainties from operating a global business;

  • geopolitical conditions, natural disaster, cyberattack or other catastrophic events disrupting Microsoft’s business; and

  • acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances that adversely affect the business.

For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Microsoft’s business, please refer to the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of Microsoft’s SEC filings, including, but not limited to, its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, copies of which may be obtained by contacting Microsoft’s Investor Relations department at (800) 285-7772 or at Microsoft’s Investor Relations website at http://www.microsoft.com/investor/.

All information in this release is as of Apr. 19, 2012. The company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the company’s expectations.

Microsoft Data Plants Will Tap Landfills, Sewage for Power

A depiction of one of Microsoft's server-filled IT PAC data center modules paired with a fuel cell at a water treatment plant. Microsoft is contemplating this approach for its first grid-independent Data Plant. (Image: Microsoft)

Microsoft is planning a waste-powered data center that will be built on the site of a water treatment plant or landfill, the company said Wednesday. The project will be the first step towards Microsoft’s goal of deploying “data plants” where modular data centers will be powered by renewable energy.

The initiative is part of the company’s long-term strategy to make its cloud computing infrastructure as sustainable and efficient as possible. The first data plant will be powered by biogas, according to Christian Belady, Microsoft’s General Manager of Data Center Services. Belady outlined Microsoft’s concept in a blog post Wednesday on the Global Foundation Services web site.

“Currently, our team is researching the first-ever grid independent fuel cell, data center that is fueled directly from biogas,” Belady wrote. “The experiment is small scale, so we can demonstrate and measure the benefits of it like we did with our ‘data center in a tent project’ in 2008. We are also talking with several municipalities about a public-private partnership to test a prototype.”

Harnessing Methane in Fuel Cells

That prototype will involve placing modular data centers filled with servers at a water treatment plant or landfill. “Water treatment plants are mission critical installations that produce methane (CH4), a greenhouse gas that is 20 times more potent than CO2, as the sewage from our communities are broken down in an anaerobic digestion process (decomposition without oxygen),” Belady explained. “Landfills produce methane in a similar way as our garbage slowly decomposes underground. The methane that is produced by both approaches must be flared, converting it to CO2 to minimize the impact on the environment.”

The methane output will be used in a fuel cell, which in turn will provide electricity for the servers housed in IT PACs (Pre-Assembled Components), Microsoft’s custom modular data centers, which can house up to 2,000 servers apiece. A small 200 kW prototype data center will offset over two million pounds of CO2 emissions per year, according to Microsoft, which is the equivalent of about 300 Honda Civics being taken off the road.

Data Centers That Are ‘Grid Independent’

Belady says that Microsoft and other operators of large data center networks must focus on becoming “grid independent” in the future.

“Without a bold shift in strategy, our entire industry will become more dependent on a costly, antiquated, and constricted power grid,” Belady writes in his blog post. “Independence from the power grid will allow our industry to minimize its impact and ease some of the constriction already taking place. The Data Plant is one way of giving us an ability to manage the growth of our clouds in a thoughtful manner: building in sustainability from the ground-up, so we can run sustainably every day. Our goal is to reduce the impact of our operations and products, and to be a leader in environmental responsibility.”

Microsoft's Design Drive

In 2010, Jon Bell was an interaction designer in the Seattle office of Frog Design, the company that created the beige cases for some of the iconic early Apple (AAPL) computers. Like many of his colleagues—and most of his profession—he worshiped Steve Jobs. While he’d owned a series of iPhones and MacBooks, he’d never purchased a Windows PC.

Still, in November 2010 curiosity led him to the mall to check out a Samsung phone running Microsoft’s (MSFT) brand-new Windows Phone software. It looked different from anything else on the market, a lively grid of different-sized rectangles with smooth transitions between apps. “I just had this spidey-sense that I couldn’t put into words,” says Bell. He bought the phone. Minutes later, he texted a friend at Microsoft to ask about jobs there. Bell, 33, joined in January 2011 and is now a Windows Phone design lead. His colleagues were aghast. “Unanimously, they said, ‘They’re doomed, that’s it, turn out the lights,’” he recalls.

Over the last few years, Microsoft has been working to replicate Bell’s conversion on a broader scale. From its start, the company reflected founder Bill Gates’s engineering mind-set, resulting in functional, unsexy products that Apple lampooned in its “I’m a Mac/I’m a PC” ads. Microsoft could use some pizzazz: Sales of its consumer software have struggled as buyers swoon over iPads and shun notebooks. Revenue at the Windows division has fallen short of analysts’ estimates in four of the five quarters through December 2011. In mobile, the hottest segment of the tech sector, the situation is far more dire. According to researcher Gartner (IT), not only do Apple’s iOS and Google’s (GOOG) Android operating systems have greater U.S. market share than Windows Phone, so does Samsung’s Bada—a piece of software few Americans can even name.

To win, or even just to survive, in what has become a consumer-driven industry, products need to be eye candy that force shoppers to take a second look. Microsoft has roughly doubled its design ranks to 600 employees over the past five years and lured talents like Albert Shum, who developed technology-centered products at Nike (NKE) before becoming Windows Phone design chief in 2008. The company has also rethought how it builds things. Steve Kaneko, a top Microsoft designer, says engineers and executives have ceded more authority to designers. They’re organized in small teams under the belief that democracy is the enemy of good design, and regularly switch groups to allow ideas to percolate. “It’s a huge, dramatic change compared to five years ago,” says Sarah Rotman Epps, an analyst at Forrester Research (FORR). “They’re realizing design is absolutely essential to the experience.”

Photographs by Kyle Johnson for Bloomberg Businessweek

The primary evidence of this amassing of talent is Metro, a new way for interfacing with Microsoft products, from phones to PCs. The design is influenced by the fonts of the Swiss typography movement and stylings of airport and road signs. While many software products strive to resemble digitized versions of real-world objects—think of the curling pages in Apple’s iBooks app—Metro does away with the faux realism. Users navigate the touch-based interface through colorful blocks, which display live information such as the weather and new Facebook updates and, at a touch, expand into full-screen apps. The visual reference points that have defined Microsoft software for decades are gone: There are no frames, no desktop, no drop-down menus, no X’s to close out of programs.

Microsoft has been gradually rolling out Metro on its major platforms over the past few years. It arrived on Windows phones in 2010, when it caught Bell’s eye, and took over the Xbox interface in 2011. Earlier this month it got its most public outing yet with the highly publicized debut of Nokia’s (NOK) Lumia 900 phone. In the fall, it’ll come to computer and tablet screens everywhere with the launch of Windows 8. Young Kim, an industrial design manager for Microsoft, says the company is taking cues from Metro for future hardware products as well, including the next Xbox. To Gadi Amit, principal designer at NewDealDesign, the San Francisco-based agency behind products like the Fitbit activity tracker, Metro is the best design work Microsoft’s ever done. “From a purely design standpoint, it’s really superior to Apple,” he says.

Customers Find Success With Microsoft Private Cloud

Today at the sold-out Microsoft Management Summit, Corporate Vice President Brad Anderson spoke to nearly 5,000 IT professionals about their opportunity to deliver fast, reliable services with cloud computing. His keynote speech highlighted how customers around the world are already using Microsoft System Center 2012, available today for evaluation and purchase, to create private clouds. Anderson also discussed how IT professionals can evolve their roles with cloud computing to help their businesses be more competitive.

“Cloud computing gives IT professionals an opportunity to increase their strategic value to their businesses while building new skills,” Anderson said. “Microsoft’s private cloud solutions help IT professionals become cloud innovators for their companies, managing and delivering the applications people need to be productive across private, hybrid and public clouds.”

In addition, Anderson provided a preview of how Microsoft’s private cloud will become even more powerful with Windows Server “8” and announced that the operating system will officially be named Windows Server 2012. The new “cloud-optimized OS” is due out later this year.

Management Makes the Difference for Customers

IT organizations that use System Center 2012 and Windows Server with Hyper-V for cloud computing are helping their companies move faster, save money and compete better. For example, EmpireCLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services, a luxury car service headquartered in New Jersey, has used a Microsoft private cloud to reduce datacenter costs by 50 percent amid 30 percent company growth during the past 18 months. With more than 1,000 employees, EmpireCLS relies on the Microsoft private cloud to deliver a reliable reservation system to customers in more than 700 cities around the world. Using System Center 2012, EmpireCLS also used its cloud environment to create a new business with its BeTransported software as a service offering. The application is now in use broadly within the car service industry.

Similarly, The Walsh Group, a construction firm based in Chicago, switched to a Microsoft private cloud to automate delivery of virtualized servers and applications for 5,000 employees. In addition to business efficiencies, the company has been able to reduce hardware and energy costs by 20 percent.

“With Microsoft, we are moving beyond virtualization to cloud computing, so we can automate and manage our IT environment as a whole,” said Patrick Wirtz, manager of Technology Innovation at The Walsh Group. “It’s all about giving our engineers, tradespeople and software developers the computing resources they need to build roadways, bridges and high-rises.”

In another case, Apartments.com, a national online apartment search service in Chicago, needed a more dynamic and responsive IT infrastructure to stay competitive in the market and deliver faster service to its 6 million site visitors each month. With Microsoft’s private cloud, the company realized 50 percent faster server provisioning for new services and 75 percent lower licensing costs.

More From MMS 2012

Anderson published a blog post today that further details the opportunities for IT professionals to accelerate their careers in the era of continuous services and connected devices. Tomorrow, April 18, he will again take the stage at MMS and address the “World of Connected Devices.” The keynote broadcast will start at 8:30 a.m. PDT.

More information about System Center 2012 and Microsoft private cloud is available here, including the live and on-demand keynote broadcasts, links to evaluation software, and more. The STB News Bytes blog has further details on the news discussed at the event. The conversation on Twitter can be followed at #MMS2012.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.