OS

HTC One Sans Sense Software is Reportedly in Development

Paul Lilly — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:14:40 +0000

This is the One for stock Android lovers.

Handset makers and wireless carriers love to load up Google's Android platform with custom overlays, user interface tweaks, and third-party programs that don't ship natively with the open source operating system. That's great for them, but most power users would prefer a clean version of Android to work with, which is why the third-party ROM community is popular. Well, following in the footsteps of Samsung and it's custom S4 that was announced at Google I/O, HTC is reportedly kicking around the idea of offering a Google Edition of its One smartphone.

News of the custom HTC One comes from Russell Holly over at Geek.com. Citing un-named sources, Holly says the Google Edition device would be offered in the U.S. first, though it's unclear if it would be carried in the Play Store like the Galaxy S4 will be.

Other details are equally light and vague, though Holly claims an official announcement could come within the next two weeks, with a release likely planned for sometime this summer.

Assuming prices are roughly the same, which would you rather own, a clean version of the HTC One or Samsung Galaxy S4?

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Psst Microsoft, Windows 8 Users are Barely Touching Metro Apps

Paul Lilly — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:48:16 +0000

Study reveals surprising stats about Windows 8 app usage.

When Microsoft "re-imagined" its Windows platform with a heavy focus on touch computing, its Metro interface was deemed a critical component to the user experience. Ideally, Windows 8 users would find themselves relying less and less on the traditional desktop and start taking advantage of the tiled UI, downloading apps from the Windows Store in the process. However, a new study by Soluto reveals that Windows 8 users rarely touch apps on their Windows 8-based desktops and tablet PCs.

Soluto analyzed 10,848 Windows 8 machines and examined more than 313,000 Metro app launches across 9,634 unique Metro apps. The result? On average, a Windows 8 user will launch a Metro app 1.52 times per day.

Predictably desktop users are the least active Metro app users with an average of 1.41 launches per day. Just as predictable, tablet users launch the most Metro apps at an average clip of 2.71 per day, besting touch laptop users (2.22 apps) and regular laptop users (1.51 apps).

"To put this number into context, we looked at the percent of people who launch a Metro app less than once a day (i.e. less than 7 Metro app launches per week). We found that among desktop and laptop users, 60 percent of users launch a Metro app less than once a day," Soluto said. "This number significantly improves with tablets, but still 44 percent of Windows 8 tablet users launch a Metro app less than once a day."

Interestingly, the most engaging app appears to be Yahoo Mail, which is loaded an average of 26.91 times per week by those who use it. Below that, several versions of solitaire rank in the top 10, which might be indicative of the Windows Store needing a bigger and better stockpile of apps.

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HP Taps Android for SlateBook x2 and Windows 8 for Split x2 Hybrids

Paul Lilly — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:45:34 +0000

Why play favorites?

Microsoft is trying to make a play in mobile with its touch-tastic Windows 8 platform, while Android remains the popular choice among those who don't want an iPad. Rather than choose which one to roll with, Hewlett-Packard (HP) went and launched a pair of detachable PCs built around both platforms, essentially passing the buck onto you, Joe and Jane Consumer, as to which platform to invest in.

Starting with Android, HP's new SlateBook x2 is a surprise entry with plenty of promise. It boasts a 10.1-inch Full HD 1080p (1920x1200) touchscreen IPS display and is powered by Nvidia's quad-core Tegra 4 SoC (System-on-Chip) clocked at 1.8GHz, making it the the first Android detachable device with Tegra 4 inside, HP claims. It also has 2GB of RAM, 64GB of built-in storage, DTS sound, 720p front-facing camera, 1080p rear-facing camera, a USB 2.0 port, SD card slot, HDMI output, combo audio jack, built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

Over on the Windows side of the fence, HP introduced the Split x2 with a 13.3-inch HD (1366x768) IPS display. It's powered by 3rd Generation Intel Core i3 and i5 processor options and 2GB of RAM. Other specs include a 128GB mSATA SSD + 500GB HDD storage setup, Beats Audio, 1080p front-facing camera, 8MP rear-facing camera, microSD card reader, combo audio jack, one each USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports, HDMI output, SD card slot, 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and Windows 8.

"Customers want to access and share content anywhere, anytime, on any internet connected device—and they expect those connections to be seamless," said Ron Coughlin, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer PCs, HP. "The HP SlateBook x2 and the HP Split x2 are next-generation devices and the latest examples of our continued commitment to evolving the computing experience by providing the flexibility necessary for customers to be productive at home, at the office or on the go."

The HP SlateBook x2 and Split x2 are expected to be available in August starting at $480 and $800, respectively. Both also come with a full-size keyboard with clickpad.

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Microsoft Pops Its Top on Comparing Windows 8 to a Can of Soda

Paul Lilly — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:56:54 +0000

Can of soda comparison is just hyperbole, Microsoft says.

Richard Carlson advises against sweating the small stuff, and if you're Microsoft, that means not getting your knickers in a knot over sensationalistic journalism, especially when it comes to Windows 8. That's not to say Windows 8 isn't without its fair share of legitimate criticisms and concerns, but is it fair to compare the touch-friendly operating system to Coca-Cola's failed New Coke formula from yesteryear?

Frank X. Shaw, Corporate Vice President of Corporate Communications at Microsoft, had a thing or three to say about the recent comparison.

"In this world where everyone is a publisher, there is a trend to the extreme – where those who want to stand out opt for sensationalism and hyperbole over nuanced analysis," Shaw stated in a blog post. "In this world where page views are currency, heat is often more valued than light. Stark black-and-white caricatures are sometimes more valued than shades-of-gray reality."

Shaw was responding to comments in a recent Financial Times report, in which the author quoted an analyst comparing Windows 8 to New Coke, the difference being that Coca-Cola did a better job of listening to its customers and quickly reversed course.

Seeking sanity in what Shaw likely sees as an insane comparison, he reiterated that's Microsoft's sold 100 million copies of Windows 8 to date. He called that a "good thing," noting that it's also a good thing to listen to consumer feedback and act on it. But to compare Windows 8 to New Coke? He was having none of that.

"Windows 8 is a good product, and it’s getting better every day," Shaw added. "Unlike a can of soda, a computer operating system offers different experiences to different customers to meet different needs, while still moving the entire industry toward an exciting future of touch, mobility, and seamless, cross-device experiences."

Anyone else suddenly thirsty for a carbonated beverage?

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Windows 8 Sales Reach 100 Million Licenses, Should Microsoft Reverse Course?

Paul Lilly — Tue, 07 May 2013 17:52:15 +0000

Steve Ballmer and company have some big decisions to make.

It was bit odd that Microsoft chose not to disclose in its most recent financial report exactly how many Windows 8 licenses it sold, though we now know the number is north of 100 million. Tami Reller, Microsoft's Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Financial Officer, revealed the figure in a Q&A session that was posted on Microsoft's Windows blog, adding that the figure takes into account Windows 8 licenses that ship on new tablet and traditional PCs, as well as upgrades to the touch-friendly OS.

"This is up from the 60 million license number we provided in January. We’ve also seen the number of certified devices for Windows 8 and Window RT grow to 2,400 devices, and we’re seeing more and more touch devices in the mix," Reller said. "As we talked about in our last Q&A, Windows 8 is a big, ambitious change. While we realize that change takes time, we feel good about the progress since launch, including what we’ve been able to accomplish with the ecosystem and customer reaction to the new PCs and tablets that are available now or will soon come to market."

Reller also touched on Windows Blue, the codename for an update that will be available later this year. She said that Blue represents an opportunity for Microsoft to respond to customer feedback, though stopped short of saying the coveted Start button would make a triumphant return.

Regardless of what Microsoft decides to do with the Start button, you have to wonder if the company would be better served by admitting failure and going in a different direction before it's perhaps too late. Reller, who apparently has been getting around the interview circuit, spoke with the Financial Times and admitted that Windows 8's "learning curve is definitely real." More than that, at least one analyst likened the current state of Windows to that of Coca-Cola's New Coke nearly three decades ago.

"This is like New Coke, going on for seven months -- only Coke listened better," Richard Doherty, an analyst at Envisioneering, told FT.

It only took Coke three months to drop its new formula after consumers reacted negatively, and one could argue that Microsoft should do the same with Windows. Just as Coke tried to reinvent the flavor of its soda, Microsoft drastically changed the flavor of Windows to suit the trend towards tablets and mobile, but iOS and Android slates still rule the day.

What's your opinion on all this? Should Microsoft admit failure and reverse course, or ride it out knowing that consumers sometimes reactive negatively to change in the beginning?

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Intel Atom-based Android Notebooks to Cost $200

Paul Lilly — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:21:11 +0000

Android will attack the low cost notebook market.

Intel CEO Paul Otellini recently said that touchscreen PCs could start selling for as little as $200 sometime in the next few months, though it's tough to imagine a Windows 8-based machine carrying such a low price tag. That's because they probably won't. Instead of Windows 8, most of these affordable PCs will be laptop machines built around Google's open source Android platform.

That information comes straight from Dadi Perlmutter, Intel executive vice president and chief product officer, who told CNET that the $200 Android laptops will run mobile Atom hardware inside. The question is, will Microsoft try to compete with Android in the $200 space?

"We have a good technology that enables a very cost-effective price point," Perlmutter told CNET, adding that whether or not Windows 8 PCs will go that low ultimately "depends on how Microsoft prices Windows 8." Perlmutter's hunch is that they'll be slightly higher.

As to the Android notebooks, details are nearly non-existent at this point, though it's likely they'll take advantage of the convertible form factor so they can be used as either a laptop or tablet, as user needs dictate.

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Ubuntu 13.04 (Raring Ringtail) Now Available to Download

Paul Lilly — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:06:39 +0000

The newest version of Ubuntu promises dramatic graphical performance enhancements.

Canonical's pretty good about keeping its Ubuntu Linux distro up to date with frequent releases, the latest of which is Ubuntu 13.04, otherwise known as Raring Ringtail. Now available to download to desktops and servers, version 13.04 is being billed as the "fastest and most visually polished" build to date. Canonical said it particularly focused its attention on fine tuning performance on lightweight systems as it gets ready to launch Ubuntu to a range of mobile devices.

The benefit for all users is that Canonical's focus on lightweight systems means faster response times in casual use and a reduced memory footprint anyone can appreciate, regardless of system specs.

"This release also illustrates Ubuntu’s ongoing commitment to quality and dependability. Our kaizen approach to development as well as community engagement result in a high quality alternative for people worldwide," said Jane Silber, CEO at Canonical. "This release, our 17th on a regular cadence, meets the needs of enterprises, organizations, governments and communities looking for a secure and intuitive computing experience."

Developers who want to test out MIR, which is Canonical's next generation display server, can optionally do so. MIR is what will make it possible to offer a streamlined Ubuntu experience across different devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, and PCs.

Not sure if you want to commit to downloading and installing Ubuntu 13.04? Feel free to give it a test drive in your browser.

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Majority of Android Users Still Stuck on Gingerbread or Older Builds

Paul Lilly — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:31:47 +0000

Android 2.3.x (Gingerbread) is still the most popular version of Android in terms of market share.

Still waiting on your device maker and wireless carrier to dish up Jelly Bean to replace Ice Cream Sandwich on your mobile phone? Hey, it could be worse. You could be stuck on Android 2.3.x (Gingerbread) where 44.1 percent of all Android users reside, or on an even older build (Froyo, Elcair, or Donut), which collectively account another 9.6 percent of the Android camp. Add them together you have nearly 54 percent of the Android userbase rocking a dated version of their OS.

That's based on the most recent developer data from Google and includes Android devices that have accessed Google Play within a 14-day period. Yes, it ignores Android device owners who download their apps from other sources (such as Amazon's app store), but it's also the most accurate data we have to go on.

There hasn't been much movement in the past month. Android 4.1 and 4.2 (Jelly Bean) account for 16.5 percent of all Android devices, while Android 4.0.x (Ice Cream Sandwich) has found its way onto 28.6 percent Android handsets and tablets. Neither of those figures are unchanged from a month ago, underscoring how slow device makers and wireless carriers are to react to newer Android builds.

In about a month and a half, we'll likely see the launch of Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, which is expected to debut during the Google I/O conference in May.

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Windows 8's Market Share is Coming at the Expense of Windows Vista/XP

Paul Lilly — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:06:06 +0000

Windows 7 users don't seem to be in a rush to upgrade to Windows 8.

Another month is in the books, and that means we have another opportunity to examine Windows 8's impact on the market. According to Net Market Share, Windows 8's share of the desktop market has slowly crawled to 3.17 percent, up half a percentage point from February and up from a 2.26 percent share in January. What's interesting here is that Windows 7's penetration doesn't seem any worse for wear since Windows 8 debuted five months ago.

Windows 8 launched to the general public on October 26, 2012. By the end of the month, here's how the landscape looked:

Windows XP: 40.66 percent
Windows Vista: 5.8 percent
Windows 7: 44.69 percent
Windows 8: 0.41 percent

Here's how things look now:

Windows XP: 38.73 percent
Windows Vista: 4.99 percent
Windows 7: 44.73 percent
Windows 8: 3.17 percent

Breaking down the numbers, Windows 8's share of the desktop market has increased 2.76 percent since the end of October. Windows 7, meanwhile, has barely budged, albeit managed to post a slight gain, while Windows XP and Windows Vista have collectively given up 2.74 percent.

Though it's a small sample size (it's only been five months, after all), there's reason for Microsoft to be optimistic. Windows 8 is gaining, and even though it's happening slowly, Windows XP and Vista users who upgrade are showing a willingness to skip over Windows 7.

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Google Isn't Planning to Merge Android and Chrome

Paul Lilly — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:30:56 +0000

Google's Eric Schmidt talked about keeping the search giant's two popular OSes separate from each other.

When Google announced that Android boss Andy Rubin was stepping aside and handing the reins over to Sundar Pichai, senior vice president for Chrome and Apps, it was only natural to wonder if, going forward, Android and Chrome would end up merging. Maybe someday they will, but for the time being, Google is adamant that both with remain independent operating systems serving two different markets.

That tidbit comes direct from Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, according to a Reuters report. However, Schmidt did concede that Android and Chrome could see some overlap, which is to be expected even if Pichai didn't take over as head of Android, considering that both platforms serve mobile markets.

Schmidt's stance contradicts comments he made two years ago at Mobile World Congress.

"We’re working overtime to get those technologies merged in the right way,” Schmidt said at the time, according to TechCrunch. "I learned a long time ago, don’t force technology to merge when it’s not ready, wait for the technology to mature to the point when it can be merged."

What does it all mean? That's a good question. Whichever direction Google takes Android and Chrome, Schmidt can point to past comments and say, "Told you so."

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Microsoft Force Feeds Service Pack 1 to Windows 7 Users

Paul Lilly — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:07:19 +0000

SP1 for Windows 7 delivers critical security updates and improves performance.

For those of you rocking Windows 7 -- likely the majority reading this -- Microsoft wants you running Service Pack 1 (SP1), so beginning today it will roll out automatically on Windows Update, the software giant announced in a blog post. You can avoid SP1 by disabling automatic updates, but unless you have a very specific reason to do so, you might as well upgrade, if you haven't already. SP1 contains several security patches, bug fixes, and performance tweaks to keep Windows 7 operating at peak form.

One thing to keep in, however, is how much storage space you have on your system, especially if you're running a small capacity solid state drive (SSD).

"To ensure Service Pack 1 is installed without issue, customers should check for sufficient free disk space and that AC power is present on a laptop," Microsoft advises. "If additional space needs to be created, we recommend using the Disk Cleanup tool to delete some files so that the service pack will install. If the service pack installation is interrupted, it will reattempt to install automatically after the next restart."

SP1 delivered via Windows Update requires 750MB of free disk space on a x86-based system running 32-bit copy of Windows 7, and just over a gigabyte (1,050MB) for 64-bit. If downloading SP1 from Microsoft's website or installing with a DVD, 4,100MB (32-bit) or 7,400MB (64-bit) is required.

Why the sudden push? Microsoft is planning to end support for Windows 7 without SP1 next month. With SP1 installed, Microsoft will support the OS through January 2020.

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Google Chrome Boss Sundar Pichai Replaces Andy Rubin as Head of Android

Paul Lilly — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:28:03 +0000

What will become of Android following a surprise management change?

Andy Rubin, one of the founding fathers of Android, approached Google about the open source mobile operating system back in 2004. Now he's stepping aside as head of the OS he helped to create, handing the reins over to Sundar Pichai, senior vice president for Chrome and Apps, Google CEO Larry Page announced in a blog post today. Rubin is off to start a new chapter at Google, while Pichai will likely focus on making Android easier to use.

Android isn't particularly difficult to get the swing of anyway, so suggests its share of the mobile market, which is now well ahead of Apple's iOS platform. Even still, Google points out Sundar has a knack for "creating products that are technically excellent yet easy to use," and now he'll use that talent to double down on Android as the ecosystem moves forward.

"We’re getting closer to a world where technology takes care of the hard work—discovery, organization, communication—so that you can get on with what makes you happiest… living and loving. It’s an exciting time to be at Google," Page stated in a blog post.

What's also exciting is the potential for Android under Sundar's leadership. Given his obvious ties to Google's Chrome OS, it's entirely possible he'll work to intertwine the two so that Android apps will run on Chromebooks. Whatever the case may be, he has big shoes to fill.

Android is the most popular mobile OS in the world. It has the backing of more than 60 manufacturers, and over 750 million Android devices have been activated to date. In terms of app downloads from Google play, that number stands at 25 billion.

"Pretty extraordinary progress for a decade’s work," Page added.

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Microsoft to Offer Price Cuts for Windows 8 PCs

Paul Lilly — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 17:11:29 +0000

Price cuts for touchscreen laptops running Windows 8 will reportedly be as high as 20 percent.

If you were planning to rush out and purchase a Windows 8 PC this weekend, you may want to hold off for a bit, or least hang onto your receipt in case the model you're interested in receives a discount after the fact. Price cuts for Windows 8 PCs are en route, though depending on which report you read, Microsoft has already started doling out the savings. Let's have a look.

According to DigiTimes, touchscreen notebooks running Windows 8 will drop in price by at least 10 percent due to licensing fee discounts by Microsoft. Some entry-level and mainstream models could see price reductions as high as 20 percent or more. DigiTimes' sources say the sweetspot for touchscreen notebooks will end up in the $500 range, or about the cost of a premium tablet.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that some of the discounts are already in effect, though it didn't go on to mention specific models or retailers. When pressed for details about the rumored discounts, a Microsoft spokesman offered up a rather canned response.

"As we've said before, Windows 8 was built to scale across all sizes of PCs and tablets -- large and small. We continue to work with partners to ensure that Windows is available across a diverse range of devices," a Microsoft spokesman told WSJ.

It was reported in January that Microsoft was at odds with PC makers for failing to fully prepare themselves for the launch of Windows 8, leading to lackluster sales and a softening of the PC market in general.

In related news, Best Buy is currently offering $100 off any Windows 8 touchscreen PC, a promotion that began February 24 and runs until March 9.

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Best Windows 8 Apps

Justin Kerr & Tim Ferrill — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:10:58 +0000

Our top 30 favorite Windows 8 apps as of March 2013

When Windows 8 launched we posted our 18 of the best windows 8 apps we could find from the new Windows Store. Four months later we found the situation hasn’t been improving as quickly as we'd like, but at least a handful of new apps are worthy of your attention. The goal of this feature going forward is to let us take on the burden sifting through all the crapware, and finding the precious few apps that are actually worth installing. It’s a thankless job, but somebody has to do it.

Our list of the best windows 8 apps has been updated with an additional 12 new picks, and we intend to keep this article updated going forward. See our slide show gallery below and lay down a bookmark to keep an eye on the ever evolving Windows 8 app scene.

Linux Users Come Out of the Woodwork in Latest Steam Hardware Survey

Paul Lilly — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:47:00 +0000

The number of Linux users on Steam more than doubled last month.

Fearing Microsoft will build a walled garden around Windows 8, Valve co-founder Gabe Newell begain focusing Steam development on Linux, and that effort is starting to show up in the real world. To wit, the latest Steam Hardare Survey reveals that Linux usage on Steam has more than doubled in February, jumping from 0.8 percent a month prior to 2.02 percent currently.

That's a tiny fraction of the overall userbase dominated by Microsoft's Windows platform, but it underscores the growth potential in the open source community. What's more, it serves as confirmation that Newell's strategy is a solid one, even if his disdain for Windows 8 is over the top.

The vast majority of Steam users are running Windows 7, with 69.31 percent using either the 64-bit or 32-bit version of Microsoft's previous generation operating system (OS). That's followed by Windows 8 at 9.63 percent, while Windows XP still maintains a presence with a 9.33 percent share of the userbase.

Do you use Steam? If so, which OS do you play Steam games on?

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