Month: December 2011

So, we should know more next week about how Microsoft’s AppStore will work. Not exactly holding my breath!

Microsoft to reveal details on its Windows 8 app store next week

“Slated to take place in San Francisco, the two-hour Windows Store preview event should provide the latest details about the Windows Store to the invited developers and members of the press.

Microsoft has been mum about the Windows Store lately, but it did reveal some facts at its Build conference in mid-September.

Trying to outdo Apple’s Mac App store, the Windows Store will let users download free trial copies of Metro-style apps to check out for a limited time. So developers won’t have to cook up both paid and “lite” versions of their applications. Beyond that, both free and paid apps would be available. Microsoft will also run security checks and other tests to certify each app.

Traditional Windows desktop and Metro-style apps would both be accessible through the Windows Store, according to Mary Jo Foley of CNET sister site ZDNet. However, Windows desktop apps will not be directly downloadable but instead would be offered through a link to the third-party developer. Microsoft’s demo at Build showed a link to download Quicken, as one example. Metro-style apps would be available only through the Windows Store.

Developers will also be able to promote their Windows 8 Metro apps via their own Web site, according to WinRumors. From the developer’s site, users could click on a download button that will bring them to the Windows Store where they can grab the application directly.”

My favorite Web Browser (Google Chrome) just passed up Mozilla’s Firefox (my former favorite browser) in stats on the InterWebs! Hooray!

Chrome overtakes Firefox in the web browser race

“BEANCOUNTERS at Statcounter have revealed that Google’s Chrome web browser has leap-frogged Mozilla’s Firefox in global market share.

The latest figures from the firm show that Chrome has taken a slightly higher percentage of market share to take second place behind Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Globally, Chrome now has 25.69 per cent usage compared to Firefox at 25.23 per cent, according to Statcounter.
Aodhan Cullen, CEO of Statcounter said, ‘We can look forward to a fascinating battle between Microsoft and Google as the pace of growth of Chrome suggests that it will become a real rival to Internet Explorer globally.’

‘Our stats measure actual browser usage, not downloads, so while Chrome has been highly effective in ensuring downloads our stats show that people are actually using it to access the web also.'”

A new look for YouTube, and new features… looks to me like YouTube is getting better and better!

YouTube Unveils New Look

“The Internet’s most popular video site–and the second most popular site, period, according to owner Google–has finally gotten an image overhaul. YouTube unveiled its new look, which features gray navigation bars, on Thursday.

YouTube announced the renovation on its blog: ‘So, today we’re introducing a new homepage, Channel design and a fresh coat of digital paint.’

The new design makes YouTube’s website much easier to navigate–not that that’s really saying much. YouTube’s old site design was basically videos in a grid on a plain, white background–there wasn’t a lot of order. While users could navigate by clicking light gray buttons at the top of the page to see recent activity, subscriptions, and recommendations, the homepage was mostly an overwhelming jumble of images and text.

Now, YouTube has a dark gray sidebar on the left side of the page, where users can see their subscribed channels. Clicking on a link on the left side of the page (there’s also ‘Trending’ and ‘Popular Channels’ links, in addition to users’ subscribed channels) changes the content in the center column, where videos appear in a list rather than a grid. There’s also a right-hand sidebar with ‘Recommended’ videos.”

Cross posted from the Hand Held Hack:

I, officially, want a Kindle Fire! I am opening to save up some pennies during the Christmas season and order one! So, looks like a lot of other folks are as well!

3-4M Amazon Kindle’s Shipped, 5M Expected by 2012

“We knew that the Amazon Kindle was a popular tablet but just how popular is slowly becoming clear. Water cooler talk in Taipei points to Amazon shipping between 3-4M Kindle Fire’s and they are continuing to increase orders for the popular Android tablet. Suppliers expect that shipments will ram up to around 5 million units by the end of December or early January.

Wintek, who is a major supplier of touch panels for Kindle Fire, has recently raised its internal forecast of shipments to Amazon. Industry sources have estimated that Wintek will ship about 3-3.5 million touch panels for Kindle Fire before January.

Unlike the ASUS Transformer Prime who can’t keep up with initial demand, the Kindle Fire is taking care of their potential customers. Then again the Prime is a high end device and creating scarcity will only make the geeks want it more.”