This week at Microsoft: Windows 8, 20 foot screens, and bad tattoos

It?s time for our weekly Microsoft round-up, and that means we are going to stick our heads into days past to find the best, and the wackiest, stories from the last 7 days.

For this week?s question, sound off in the comments if you have downloaded or tried the release version of Internet Explorer 9. If so, what do you like the least? And as always, be sure and follow TNWmicrosoft on Twitter for both fun and profit.

Now, let?s get into the news:

Windows 8 Starts To Leak

We had a variety of Windows 8 leaks this week, tantalizing us with tiny tidbits of information that were often, and we hate to say it, a touch dull. None of the big, new elements that we have been eagerly awaiting have cracked above the surface.

We do, however, have more screenshots than ever of backup tools, and of new UI file information. Sure, it?s not much, but the floodgates have been opened it seems, as news flowing from the Windows 8 font seems to be picking up speed.

Even more, there are rumors just beginning to percolate that we might see a first full build of Windows 8 loose in the near future, as some are being distributed to select testers. Cross your fingers.

Is 234 Inches Enough?

Microsoft loves to show off, usually in an attempt to woo and wow customers, but sometimes they seem to do it just for the heck of it. This is one of those times.

Microsoft has put together a 234? touchscreen that it is using at conferences, almost casually, but to great effect. Yes, we have a video of it. Enjoy:

Hotmail Upgrades

Hotmail and Internet Explorer 9 are becoming better and better friends, with Microsoft this week releasing new integration between the two. If you  pin Hotmail to the taskbar on Windows 7, IE9 will constantly update your unread mail count.

We like this because it shows cohesion between different Microsoft units, something that company does not always strongly foster. If you were curious, it looks like this:

And if you were wanted to know, new news from Microsoft has pegged IE9?s adoption rate at five times what IE8 saw. Yes, the browser is better, but is it good enough? We?ll have the numbers to know that in just a few weeks.

Do Not Get A Microsoft Tattoo

This is in fact a public service announcement: do not get a Microsoft tattoo. Why? Because they always look terrible. Want some proof? Here you go:

We have been trying to take a lighter approach with these weekly posts because we know that by the time Friday rolls around, taking it easy is required. If you need all the hard news straight from the wire, be sure and scroll through the archives.

Oh, and don?t forget, follow us on Twitter.

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Source: http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2011/04/01/this-week-at-microsoft-windows-8-20-foot-screens-and-bad-tattoos/

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Microsoft: IE9 adoption "about five times higher" than that of IE8

Microsoft has announced that so far, the adoption rate of Internet Explorer 9 is about five times higher then what the company saw for Internet Explorer 8 in the same time frame. Over 90 percent of IE9 downloads (through March 27) came from non-IE9 RC and non-Beta users, and over a quarter came from Chrome and Firefox users.

This is a really important statistic for Microsoft. Given that its update strategy is very slow, it's great to see that the software giant has managed to build up hype for IE9. Although IE's market share is steadily declining every month, it is still the most popular browser, and IE8 is still the most popular browser version. As such, if Microsoft can make sure that IE9 adoption outpaces IE8, everyone on the Web will benefit.

Unfortunately, this will be very difficult to achieve given that IE9 is not available for Windows XP, which is still by far the most popular operating system version. IE9 may be being adopted rather quickly now, but that's just because users of newer operating systems are generally more tech-savvy and willing to try a new browser version.

As Microsoft has already said before, almost all of IE9's downloads so far have been user-initiated. Internet Explorer 9 was released on March 15, 2011. Two weeks later, on March 29, 2011, Microsoft started to push IE9 out via Windows Update, but only for existing IE9 Beta and IE9 RC users. The real test will come when the company flips the Windows Update switch for all users in late June.

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Source: http://www.techspot.com/news/43095-microsoft-ie9-adoption-about-five-times-higher-than-that-of-ie8.html

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On Internet Privacy

I?m starting to get frustrated by the way in which the debate about internet privacy is currently being waged. There appears to be a constant media buzz about how we?re all at terrible risk from hawkish advertisers who are just waiting to swoop in, steal our browsing history and then make millions from it.

I hope I?m not alone in my disdain for this alarmist and arguably ignorant view of how the Internet works.

I should be clear of course; I?m not against internet privacy. Neither am I advocating any kind of Big Brother-esque government monitoring of internet traffic. My beef lies with the panicky reactions we?ve seen from the media, governments, the EU and many internet users in regards to internet privacy.

Barely a month goes by without a story about how Facebook is planning to sell customer details to advertisers. This then sparks inevitable outrage from users who feel they?ve been wronged in some way before Facebook backs down again, forced to go back to the drawing board and work out how it can actually make money from its social media machine.

The Facebook example is a particularly good case study, actually. I find it constantly amazing that people will be splashing around drunken photos of themselves on it one week, and then the next week will denounce Facebook for telling an advertiser they?ve listed fashion in their interests. Granted they?ve made the choice to put up the pictures but haven?t had a say in whether Facebook has shared their details or not, but is the value of what Facebook is sharing really so great to them?

On Internet Privacy on privacy in facebook


It gets even more paradoxical when you point out that Facebook can?t share information it doesn?t have; users have to make the choice to upload personal information such as their interests, location and relationship status. I know that this information is then only available to friends, but I find it?s those with a friends list numbering in the high hundreds or even thousands that often complain the loudest when they feel their privacy has been violated. How much privacy did you think you had exactly while you were broadcasting every status update, photo and even your location to every person you?ve ever met?

The fact that Facebook has always been and will always be free also seems to be forgotten, lost in the backlash at Facebook?s audacity at actually trying to make some money while keeping its service free.

The majority of the fuss centres on the cookies that get downloaded to consumers' PCs that can track their movements and report back on what they've been viewing. Advertisers can then use this information to better target adverts at that particular PC, hopefully improving their effectiveness and their relevance to the user.

This sounds like a win-win situation to me, but for those who don?t like the sound of it then privacy controls have existed in web browsers for years. There are even privacy-specific browsers out there, free to download for whoever wants them. These options have been consistently ignored by consumers, though, who only seem to take net privacy seriously when it?s accompanied by a scare mongering headline.

On Internet Privacy on privacy in facebook


It's also ironic that internet privacy will often make news headlines right next to articles about the latest celebrity relationship gossip, or paparazzi snaps of the royals. We love to pry into other people?s lives but don?t like it so much when the boot is on the other foot and it?s our own details being shared.

A part of the problem is down to the fact that companies are still trying to work out how best to make money from the Internet, especially in the current economic climate. This is forcing companies to investigate other revenue streams beyond the traditional advertising model; a strategy that's going to lead to a number of conflicts as companies attempt to find where the line of acceptability lies.

Unfortunately for us, though, public opinion needs to change too. The opinion that the Internet is free seems commonplace, but behind most news stories, articles or online services is someone who needs to earn a wage. The first moves have been made in changing this perception - the recent move by The Times of charging for online content is the obvious example - but it'll be a long hard road to get people to pay for what has been free for so long.

How successful the approach adopted by The Times has been will only become known with time, but changes are definitely afoot on the big old World Wide Web. Regardless of what shape these changes take, it?ll be an interesting place to watch for the next ten years. Let us know your thoughts in the forums.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bit-tech/blog/~3/O2o_rP3NV58/

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Wanderfly, a travel destination site, picks its top spots for the holiday

Wanderfly, a travel inspiration startup based in New York City, is essentially the digital version of spinning a globe and throwing out your finger to pick your next destination. The site acts like a Pandora of a travel, analyzing a destination?s DNA and mapping it to what user?s want. For the holiday, they?ve teamed up with Whim Quarterly, including brilliant writers from The Daily Show, Letterman and The Onion to ?unearth? 20 ?off the grid? destinations around the world that are rarely seen by tourists.

Here are a some of our favorites:

To see a complete list of Wanderfly?s April Fool?s Joke, click here. Interested in learning more about Wanderfly? See our earlier article on Wanderfly?s major partnerships with Jetsetter, Hotels.com and Quintessentially.

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Source: http://thenextweb.com/apps/2011/04/01/wanderfly-picks-its-top-3-destinations-like-charlie-sheens-brain/

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Chrysler Experiments with Hydraulic Hybrid Minivans

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Chrysler Group have partnered to test a hydraulic hybrid system for minivans that could be cheaper than conventional hybrid systems and could save more gasoline. EPA and Chrysler are each spending $2 million (for a total of $4 million) on the project, and they expect to begin road testing next year.

Conventional hybrids save gas in part by using energy from braking to charge a battery. A hydraulic hybrid captures energy by using a hydraulic pump instead of conventional friction brakes to slow the vehicle. The pump forces fluid into a tank, compressing air that can then be used to help propel the vehicle.

Hydraulic systems are bulky and loud, which has limited their use to large vehicles such as garbage trucks. But they're attractive because pumps and air storage tanks are cheap compared to batteries. Also, hydraulic hybrids have the potential for larger fuel economy improvements than battery hybrids because hydraulic systems can store energy very quickly, allowing them to capture more energy from braking.  While conventional battery hybrid systems for minivans might improve fuel economy by 25 percent compared to gas-powered cars, hydraulic systems could improve fuel economy by 30 percent to 35 percent under most conditions, says David Haugen, manager of the technology development group at EPA's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory. In city driving, the improvement could be as much as 60 percent. Chris Cowland, Chrysler's director responsible for advanced powertrains, says the 60 percent improvement is "way more significant than any other technology that we know of today."

To make the system work in minivans, engineers will need to find ways to incorporate bulky air storage tanks?which take up more space than the car's gas tank?without eating into cargo or passenger space, and without compromising safety. "Since we are working with an existing vehicle structure, we will have to modify some areas and reinforce others to maintain the strength of the current vehicle," Cowland says. They'll also need to minimize noise, likely by using some of the techniques automakers have used to muffle the sound of hydraulic steering systems.

Manufacturers are continuing to roll out hydraulic hybrid garbage trucks. Parker Hannifin, of Cleveland, Ohio, has partnered with Autocar, of Hagerstown, Indiana, to bring 11 hybrid refuse trucks to South Florida. Eaton, of Cleveland, Ohio, has more than 70 trucks in municipal fleet operations. Eaton says that although fuel economy varies by duty cycle, route, terrain, and driver, the hybrid hydraulic system in a refuse truck can save more than 1,000 gallons of fuel per year on average, reduce emissions by up to 20 percent, and, by reducing the use of friction brakes, extend brake life by up to 300 percent.

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Source: http://feeds.technologyreview.com/click.phdo?i=946600f49cbb0fa16d73ef29fd596969

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Nokia publishes Symbian source code

Nokia has made the latest version of the Symbian platform's source code available to its development partners. The Finnish company has been working hard to convert most Symbian Foundation materials into the new framework and has uploaded almost all of the source code to collab.symbian.nokia.com. The few remaining source files, tools, and documents will be uploaded over the next few weeks.

On that website, you will find Symbian source code, platform development tools, documents, and other support materials. The Symbian platform source is a snapshot of Nokia's most recent master code base. As already disclosed, Nokia will no longer refer to official releases as Symbian^3 or Symbian^4, but will deliver continuous evolution of the platform to partners and customers. Software builds will not be delivered, but build tools and an SDK through Forum Nokia will be made available.

In November 2010, Nokia announced that it would take back full control of the Symbian operating system. Between then and now, code was transferred from the Symbian Foundation so that it can be replaced by an open and direct model from Nokia.

Nokia may be switching to Windows Phone but it still plans to ship at least 150 million Symbian smartphones as well as software updates for the platform. After all, there are still 200 million Symbian owners in the world.

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Source: http://www.techspot.com/news/43090-nokia-publishes-symbian-source-code.html

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Chrysler Experiments with Hydraulic Hybrid Minivans

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Chrysler Group have partnered to test a hydraulic hybrid system for minivans that could be cheaper than conventional hybrid systems and could save more gasoline. EPA and Chrysler are each spending $2 million (for a total of $4 million) on the project, and they expect to begin road testing next year.

Conventional hybrids save gas in part by using energy from braking to charge a battery. A hydraulic hybrid captures energy by using a hydraulic pump instead of conventional friction brakes to slow the vehicle. The pump forces fluid into a tank, compressing air that can then be used to help propel the vehicle.

Hydraulic systems are bulky and loud, which has limited their use to large vehicles such as garbage trucks. But they're attractive because pumps and air storage tanks are cheap compared to batteries. Also, hydraulic hybrids have the potential for larger fuel economy improvements than battery hybrids because hydraulic systems can store energy very quickly, allowing them to capture more energy from braking.  While conventional battery hybrid systems for minivans might improve fuel economy by 25 percent compared to gas-powered cars, hydraulic systems could improve fuel economy by 30 percent to 35 percent under most conditions, says David Haugen, manager of the technology development group at EPA's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory. In city driving, the improvement could be as much as 60 percent. Chris Cowland, Chrysler's director responsible for advanced powertrains, says the 60 percent improvement is "way more significant than any other technology that we know of today."

To make the system work in minivans, engineers will need to find ways to incorporate bulky air storage tanks?which take up more space than the car's gas tank?without eating into cargo or passenger space, and without compromising safety. "Since we are working with an existing vehicle structure, we will have to modify some areas and reinforce others to maintain the strength of the current vehicle," Cowland says. They'll also need to minimize noise, likely by using some of the techniques automakers have used to muffle the sound of hydraulic steering systems.

Manufacturers are continuing to roll out hydraulic hybrid garbage trucks. Parker Hannifin, of Cleveland, Ohio, has partnered with Autocar, of Hagerstown, Indiana, to bring 11 hybrid refuse trucks to South Florida. Eaton, of Cleveland, Ohio, has more than 70 trucks in municipal fleet operations. Eaton says that although fuel economy varies by duty cycle, route, terrain, and driver, the hybrid hydraulic system in a refuse truck can save more than 1,000 gallons of fuel per year on average, reduce emissions by up to 20 percent, and, by reducing the use of friction brakes, extend brake life by up to 300 percent.

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Source: http://feeds.technologyreview.com/click.phdo?i=946600f49cbb0fa16d73ef29fd596969

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Acer CEO resigns amid disagreements with company board

Acer CEO Gianfranco Lanci resigned today following strong disagreements with the company's board about Acer's ongoing strategy. "On the company's future development, Lanci held different views from a majority of the board members and could not reach a consensus following several months' of dialogue," said the company's press release.

"[Both sides] placed different levels of importance on scale, growth, customer value creation, brand position enhancement, and on resource allocation and methods of implementation." Analysts believe that much of the tension derived from Acer's weak presence in the booming tablet sector, which largely remains dominated by Apple's iPad.


"The management change shows that Acer is taking responsibility in what has happened recently, but whether it is positive to the company in the long run will depend on who takes over as the CEO and the measures he is going to take," said Bevan Yeh of Prudential Financial Securities Investment Trust. "Acer does not have an edge in the tablet market."

Chairman J.T. Wang will step in as CEO until a permanent replacement is found. In a statement, Wang said PCs would remain the core of Acer's business, but the company is stepping into and cautiously investing in the new mobile device market. Reading between the lines, we assume the "new" part is referring to tablet and smartphones.

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Source: http://www.techspot.com/news/43076-acer-ceo-resigns-amid-disagreements-with-company-board.html

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Hollywood wants to offer $30 movie rentals next month

Would you pay $30 to rent a movie? Hollywood hopes that you will.

Late next month, a service called Home Premiere will allow consumers to view films on-demand two months after they exit theaters. This is before they're out on DVD, which is typically three months after leaving theatres (Netflix gets them even later). For the privilege of seeing such films earlier from the comfort of their own homes, viewers will be charged a mere $30 for a two-day or three-day rental, according to Variety (we checked, and the story was not published on April 1st).

Hollywood thinks that families will jump on the opportunity. Apparently, they will calculate the costs of paying for movie tickets for everyone in the household, possibly the need for hiring a babysitter, and the savings of not purchasing food and other concessions.

Warner Bros., Sony, Universal, and 20th Century Fox want to offer the service through DirectTV (20 million customers) and some Comcast markets (in certain cities for an undisclosed period of time). The Digital Entertainment Group, which helped Hollywood launch and brand Blu-ray, will assist in building the Home Premiere brand. The companies will initially offer films such as "Just Go With It," "Cedar Rapids," "The Adjustment Bureau," "Paul" and "Hall Pass."

Apparently, the idea is to offer flicks that have disappeared from theaters and have a large appeal among adults who didn't rush out to see it on the big screen. Studios believe those folks will pay a hefty sum to watch the movie at home. We're sure most would agree that $29.99 for a VOD rental is outrageous, but it's cheaper than paying theater admittance for a large family. Despite that poor value, theater operators seem concerned about the service as it could encourage some people to stay home.

We seriously doubt the project will be successful. On the bright side, hopefully this will move us closer to a future with shorter a window between theatrical and video-on-demand release.

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Source: http://www.techspot.com/news/43085-hollywood-wants-to-offer-30-movie-rentals-next-month.html

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Samsung caught selling new computers with a keylogger

If you own a computer manufactured by Samsung, you should run a scan with your preferred antivirus software immediately. According to a two-part report published by Network World, researcher Mohamed Hassan discovered that the company's 15.6-inch R525 and R540 notebooks ship with a commercial keylogger.

Called StarLogger, the software launches with Windows and runs in the background, making it tricky to detect without some form of antimalware program. StarLogger can record every keystroke made on the system and it's also capable of taking screenshots. That data is emailed to an address specified by the installer (i.e. Samsung).

After initially denying the claims, Samsung admitted to installing StarLogger on new computers to gather customer usage data -- without consent, mind you. It's unclear exactly what data StarLogger is collecting, but a Samsung supervisor said it's used to "monitor the performance of the machine and to find out how it is being used."


Besides that tidbit, the company has been incredibly quiet about the matter. Network World contacted three Samsung public relations offers for a comment, but none of them replied after a week. Likewise, other publications have sought a response from Samsung, but the company appears to be ignoring emails and phone calls.

In 2005, Sony BMG Music Entertainment sold music CDs with a copy protection scheme that installed rootkit software on computers. Customers were furious when they found out and quickly filed a class-action suit forcing Sony to recall 4.7 million CDs and pay $575 million in damages -- undoubtedly more than it gained by using the DRM.

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Source: http://www.techspot.com/news/43063-samsung-caught-selling-new-computers-with-a-keylogger.html

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