Category: Computers, Science & Technology

They are losing market share, so they are dropping prices. Heh, heh.

Microsoft is cutting Windows prices to compete with Android and Chrome OS

Engadget – By: Jon Fingus – “At present, it’s tricky to make Windows PCs that cost as little as basic Android tablets and Chromebooks. While Microsoft charges vendors $50 to use Windows, Google often gives its software away. The crew in Redmond may have found a way to narrow the price gap, though. Bloomberg claims that Microsoft is cutting Windows 8.1’s license fee to $15 for any device that sells for less than $250, letting builders offer very cheap Windows PCs without destroying their profits. The developer isn’t commenting on the reported discount, but this would be a familiar strategy; Microsoft slashed Windows XP’s pricing to wipe out Linux netbooks a few years ago. There’s no guarantee that the company will repeat its earlier success if the lower Windows 8.1 prices take effect. However, it may feel compelled to act when PC shipments are still declining and mobile OS tablets are on the rise — the status quo clearly isn’t working.”

You can now block pesky folks on LinkedIn. Sounds good. Why did it take so long?

LinkedIn gives users ‘member blocking’

IDG News Service – By Zach Miners – LinkedIn users who’d rather not receive job inquiries or other messages, or allow access to their profiles from certain other members, can now block them.

‘Member blocking,’ was recently released by the professional social networking site after receiving requests from users. The feature adds an additional layer to privacy controls by allowing users to block profiles, direct interactions and network activity from other members with whom they do not wish to interact.

‘We built this feature not only because it was a feature our members requested, but because we also knew it was the right thing to do,’ said Paul Rockwell, who heads trust and safety at the site, in announcing the tool.

The tool is available in a dropdown menu on the profile page, by clicking on ‘block or report.’ If a user chooses block, then the two members won’t be able to access each other’s profiles or send messages to each other. If the two are already connected, then they won’t be connected anymore if one person blocks the other.

People can view and manage their list of blocked members within a block list in their privacy and settings page.

In addition to blocking, LinkedIn also provides more granular controls to let people customize which elements of their profiles are discoverable by search engines, and who can see updates to their profile, among other settings.

With the tools, LinkedIn aims to cut down on abuse of its site and give its members a new method to prevent themselves from being spammed.

That’s if users know who they should block. LinkedIn already gives members the option to view others’ profiles anonymously. If someone enables this option, then only anonymous details about them show up, like their job title or school, when others check to see who visited their profile.

LinkedIn said that at this time, people can’t block anonymous viewers of their profile.”

I may actually go for this one! Well, OK, maybe not, but it sounds cool! (I don’t trust the Stock Market… just sayin’.)

Roku Said to Be Weighing Initial Public Offering in U.S. in 2014

Bloomberg – By: Jon Erlichman and Leslie Picker – “Roku Inc., the maker of set-top boxes that connect TVs to the Internet, is weighing an initial public offering in the U.S. this year, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

A decision to move ahead hasn’t been made, and the Saratoga, California-based company hasn’t selected a lead banker, said the people, who requested anonymity because the discussions are private. Roku recently spoke with banks about the possibility of doing an IPO, one person said.

Tricia Mifsud, a Roku spokeswoman, declined to comment, saying the company is closely held and doesn’t discuss future financing plans as a matter of policy.

Roku may position itself as a pure-play company selling an Internet TV device, in contrast to Apple Inc. (AAPL), which sells the Apple TV box and other electronics products, one person said. Roku also competes with game consoles and some TV makers providing Web access on sets. All are vying for the growing audience for online services such as Netflix Inc. (NFLX), including people who don’t want traditional pay TV.

The Roku player takes Internet videos, such as from Netflix and Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN), and streams them to TV sets. Researcher Parks Associates said last year that 37 percent of households with a streaming media system use Roku as their primary device, compared with 24 percent for Apple TV. Roku also licenses its technology to television manufacturers.

Anthony Wood, Roku’s founder and chief executive offficer, was hired by Netflix in 2007 to help the movie-rental company transition to an online service from mail order. Netflix planned to release its own box until CEO Reed Hastings decided to stay out of the hardware business. Wood created a separate company that Netflix backed with $6 million.

In May 2013, Roku received $60 million in new funding from Hearst Corp. and an unidentified institutional investor. They joined News Corp., British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc (BSY) and others backers who previously financed the company.

Wood said in an interview at the time that the company had sufficient cash and that going public was ‘not a priority for us right now.'”

Microsoft has never been all that bright. However for a long time they been very arrogant. This is clearly demonstrated by what’s going on right now with Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 8.x. Windows XP, as of right now, has about 30% of the market of all PCs that connect to the Internet.

That is an enviable position for any company to be in. However, as much money as Microsoft makes from Windows, and from having that big a market share, they continually shoot themselves in the foot.

Windows 7 was a good, high quality, version of Windows. In fact, I still use it at work! Then, Microsoft came out with Windows 8. There’s a lot of things I like about Windows 8. It is very stable, it is graphically, very fast due to combining DirectX technology directly into the operating system, however, it has a terrible, ugly, user interface.

None of Microsoft’s customers are embracing the interface. Well, there are a few suckers… er, I mean customers, that are supporting the interface. But I’m convinced that they mainly support it because they want to look “cool” and act like they’ve moved on into the future (and the rest of us haven’t.) But let’s be honest, this interface is pretty much useless unless you have a touchscreen!

Most businesses do not have computers that have touchscreens yet. And, they’re not likely to anytime soon! So, in the meantime, what are you supposed to do? Well, you and I know that we can download the open source Classicshell.net and fix the problem with Windows 8, and 8.1. However, if you’d be surprised how many people don’t know that Classicshell.net exists!

Plus, most businesses don’t want to use an Open Source utility just to fix the graphical user interface of an operating system that they paid a lot of money for when they purchase their PCs. I mean, think about it! You buy brand-new PCs without a touchscreen and you end up having to download a free utility developed by Open Source developers just to be able to effectively use your new computer! How completely stupid is that? How completely stupid is Microsoft? The answer, of course, is extremely stupid! And now because they no longer support Windows XP, or at least they won’t as of April of this year, they’re now alienating 30% of the Windows marketplace that have not yet upgraded! Smooth move, Microsoft!

And now, there are alternatives that most non-tech savvy users can actually learn to use very easily. The major example being Google Chrome on the Google Chromebook. And, Microsoft is watching aghast as the market share of chromebooks is increasing steadily while their market share is dropping precipitously. It doesn’t take a lightning fast mind to figure this out! But Microsoft has never been known for having a lightning fast mind!

So, what appears to be happening is that the market is realigning. Chromebooks are growing in popularity. People will be forced off Windows XP. Microsoft will die a slow and agonizing death. And of course, that suits me.

And now, in a burst of brilliance, Microsoft has decided to extend the length of time that businesses can buy Windows 7 because businesses don’t want to move to Windows 8, since the interface stinks.

Now, on the face of it, this may seem like a good move. After all, it slows the bleeding of their market to a certain extent. But, if they weren’t arrogantly insisting upon forcing everyone to an interface that nobody wants, then, perhaps, they could simply take the good things about Windows 8… add back in the interface that everybody actually wants to use to begin with, and have a winner in the operating system arena! That’s what would make the most sense. And that’s why I’m not holding my breath.

Sounds interesting? And, it will make it easier to switch to Chrome for businesses. VMware is providing DaaS sessions so that businesses can ease off Windows.

VMWare teams with Google to offer Windows for Chrome OS

Geekwire – By: Blair Hanley Frank – “Google wants to help businesses replace their old Windows XP machines with shiny new Chromebooks … that run Windows.

The company announced today that it’s partnering with VMWare to bring Windows to Chrome OS with VMWare’s Horizon Desktop as a Service program. The partnership will allow businesses to set users up with a virtual Windows desktop that they can access from a Chromebook to use Windows-only apps without having to buy a Windows PC. Google is hoping that will cause businesses to start heavily considering its cheaper portables.

‘Google Chromebooks can save businesses about $5,000 per computer when compared to traditional PCs,’ Amit Singh, the President of Google Enterprise, said in a press release. ‘Chromebooks are designed for the way people use computers today and are a secure, easy and cost-effective solution to help organizations embrace a new way of doing business. Through our partnership with VMware, businesses can now capitalize on these advantages with access to legacy applications, data and desktops they need to keep employees productive.’

The news is a potential problem for Microsoft, which is counting on its enterprise business to keep the company moving. Windows 8 hasn’t been the major hit with customers that the company has been hoping for, while Google’s platform has seen a surge in popularity, making up 21 percent of commercial channel notebook sales last year, according to NPD.

While Microsoft has taken aim at Chrome OS with a number of critical advertisements, Google is forging ahead. Computer manufacturers have turned to making Chromebooks as a way to try and bolster flagging PC sales, while consumers made them some of Amazon’s best-selling products during the holidays.

One of the major drawbacks to Chrome OS in a business setting has been an inability to run Windows-only programs. While setting up a virtual desktop system has its own challenges, it means that Chrome has cleared a hurdle to enterprise adoption.”

Windows 8 has not been that popular. In fact, a lot of folks buy new PCs with Windows 8 on them, and downgrade them to Windows 7.

Microsoft: More than 200 million Windows 8 licenses sold

ZDNet – Mary Jo Foley – “It’s been a while since Microsoft execs shared an official count of licenses of Windows 8 sold. Last time we got a tally was in May 2013, when the Softies said the company had sold more than 100 million licenses.

On February 13, however, Microsoft’s Executive Vice President of Marketing Tami Reller, casually dropped an updated figure of 200 million Windows 8 licenses sold. Reller made that remark during an appearance at the Goldman Sachs Technology & Internet Conference. (I listened to a live Webcast.)

Microsoft’s silence since last May about Windows 8’s sales rate has been taken by many as proof that the company isn’t selling Windows 8 as quickly as it had hoped and expected.

Windows 8 and Windows RT went on sale on October 26, 2012. Microsoft officials said they sold more than 40 million copies of Windows 8 the first month it was commercially available. On January 8, 2013, Microsoft officials said the company had sold 60 million licenses of Windows 8 to date.

On May 6, 2013, Microsoft officials said the company surpassed the 100 million Windows 8 licenses sold milestone. At that time, the Softies said that 100 million figure was on par with the number of Windows 7 licenses the company sold in its first six months on the market.

Windows 7 hit the 240 million licenses sold in its first 12 months. Windows 8 is now just past 200 million after about 15-plus months on the market.

Microsoft’s ‘licenses sold’ numbers are ‘sell in’ numbers. That means these figures include sales of licenses to OEMs, as well as Windows 8 upgrades. They don’t include copies of Windows 8 sold via volume-licensing agreements. The ‘licenses sold’ numbers may or may not also include Windows RT license numbers. (Microsoft officials have declined to say.)

During her 30 minutes of remarks and answers to questions at the conference, Reller didn’t mention the imminent arrival of Windows 8.1 Update 1 by name. She did remark on the ‘more rapid cadence’ on which the Windows team has been delivering, while adding there are ‘more things coming just around the corner.’

Reller said that the Windows team is making advances on making the footprint of Windows smaller for smaller-sized devices. A smaller footprint is one of the features expected in Windows 8.1 Update 1. Last I’ve heard from my sources, Microsoft is expecting to push out Windows 8.1 Update 1 to Windows 8 users on both ARM- and Intel-based systems via Windows Update in early April 2014.

Update: A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed Reller’s 200 million Windows 8 licenses sold figure with the following statement:

‘Windows 8 has surpassed 200 million licenses sold, and we continue to see momentum. This number includes Windows licenses that ship on a new tablet or PC, as well as upgrades to Windows 8. The figure does not include volume license sales to enterprise. Windows is a central part of life for more than 1.5 billion people around the world, and we are looking forward to the future.'”

Google has a need for speed.

You go, Google! I LOVE fast Internet!

Google working on 10 gigabit Internet speeds

USA Today – Alistair Barr – SAN FRANCISCO – “Google is working on technology that will provide data transfer speeds over the Internet that are many times faster than its current Google Fiber service in Kansas City, an executive at the online search giant said on Wednesday.

Google Fiber offers data transfer speeds of 1 gigabit per second currently. But the company is already working on speeds of 10 gigabits per second, Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette said during the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet conference.

Pichette called this the next generation of the Internet and said it was part of Google’s broader, long-term obsession with speed.

Faster speeds will increase the use of software as a service because users will be able to trust that critical applications that are data intensive will run smoothly over the Internet, he explained.

‘That’s where the world is going. It’s going to happen,’ Pichette said. It may happen over a decade, but ‘why wouldn’t we make it available in three years? That’s what we’re working on. There’s no need to wait,’ he added.

Google is not the only one working on this. Last year, researchers in the U.K. announced that they achieved data transmission speeds of 10 gigabits per second using ‘li-fi’ a wireless Internet connectivity technology that uses light.

Pichette has experience in this area. From early 2001 until July 2008, he was an executive at Bell Canada, which offers a fast, fiber optic Internet service to homes in that country.

Google Fiber is currently available in Kansas City, but Google has said it is bringing the service to Austin, Texas and Pichette told analysts last year that the project is not a hobby for the company.

On Wednesday he was asked whether Google Fiber will be coming to more cities. ‘Stay tuned,’ Pichette answered.”

It will be tomorrow evening, guys, for the show. I ran into video camera problems. Working through them.

Flappy Bird, we barely knew ye!

Goodbye, Flappy Bird?

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – “Some surprising news from ‘Flappy Bird’ creator Dong Nguyen.

Nguyen says he plans to pull the game from Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store. (Via YouTube / iAndyC83)

And soon. On Saturday, Dong Nguyen tweeted ‘I am sorry ‘Flappy Bird’ users, 22 hours from now, I will take ‘Flappy Bird’ down. I cannot take this anymore.’ That tweet has already racked up over 50,000 retweets.

So what’s the ‘this’ Nguyen is referring to? Owen Good of Kotaku says it’s likely the popularity of the game. ‘Earlier this week, Nguyen pleaded over Twitter for everyone to ‘please give me peace,’ saying the notoriety over creating the game is ‘something I never want.”

To give you an idea of that notoriety, a report by The Verge on Wednesday said the app, which displays mobile advertisements during gameplay, brings in a whopping $50,000 a day.

And the Los Angeles Times reports the game has been downloaded more than 10 million times – and that’s just on Android devices.

Hours before his announcement, Nguyen seemed to be a little bothered by the popularity. He tweeted: ‘I can call ‘Flappy Bird’ is a success of mine. But it also ruins my simple life. So now I hate it.’

If you’ve yet to download Flappy Bird, now’s the time to grab it. Though it won’t receive updates after being pulled, the game will still function.

Nguyen sent out a few more tweets following his original announcement – he says he will still create games, and doesn’t plan to sell Flappy Bird.”

Google dooms all other video conferencing systems!

Lord of the Meetings: With Chromebox for Meetings, Google has just shot dead video conferencing hardware rivals

Tech Times – “Video conferencing hardware has always been expensive but now Google looks to disrupt the industry by launching Chromebox for Meetings officially in the United States, Thursday, for only $999. It will soon be rolled out in the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, France, New Zealand, and Spain, as well. The move doesn’t augur well for Google’s rivals in the video conferencing hardware business.

Chromebox for Meetings aims to disrupt the video conferencing scene for enterprise clients. Essentially, it is a complete video conferencing kit that can be set up within minutes out of the box. It includes an ASUS Chromebox that has an Intel i7 under the hood, a Logitech high-definition camera, a remote control that doubles as a QWERTY keyboard, and a microphone-speaker combo unit with adjustable volume.

The new device is the marriage of Google+ Hangouts and Google Apps that will allow companies to have HD video conferences. Businesses can host video meetings with as many as 15 attendees. Participants can essentially join using any gadget – smartphones, tablets, or laptops. For people without a Chromebox, a Gmail account is what they will only need. The system also makes use of Google Calendar to show meeting schedules on the display.

‘The best meetings are face-to-face-we can brainstorm openly, collaborate closely and make faster decisions. But these days, we often connect with each other from far-flung locations, coordinating time zones and dialing into conference calls from our phones. Meetings need to catch up with the way we work-they need to be face-to-face, easier to join, and available from anywhere and any device,’ wrote vice president for product management at Google Caesar Sengupta.

Businesses using other kinds of conferencing systems can still connect to Chromebox meetings by using a tool from Vidyo, which has been collaborating with Google to help Hangouts connect with IP PBX systems and H.323/SIP from companies such as Polycom, Tandberg, and Cisco. Those who prefer to join over the phone can use UberConference.

In order to avoid awkward scenarios that happen during voice conferences, the cloud service mutes people joining the meeting to avoid disruption of ongoing discussion. The video also intuitively switch to whoever is talking, mimicking how people focus on the speaker during face-to-face meetings. The streams will also be ecnrypted.

‘Any company can upgrade their meeting rooms with a new Chromebox, built on the Chrome principles of speed, simplicity and security,’ Sengupta added.

The $999 initial cash out includes the Chromebox and peripherals, plus support for the first year. Customers who might require technical support after the first year need to shell out $250 per year. Before the end of the month, Google will also release HP and Dell versions of the Chromebox for Meetings.

Google said that companies such as Yelp, Premier Foods, Gilt, Costco, and Eventbrite have been doing test run of Chromebox for Meetings in the past few months.

Businesses interested in purchasing Chromebox for Meetings can get it through CDW while resellers can contact Synnex.

With Google entering the business video conferencing scene and stamping its name on Chromebox, it might have just earned the title ‘Lord of the Meetings,’ squashing other brands in its path.”