Microsoft Windows 10

Microsoft officially announces Windows 10 for phones, tablets, PCs, and more

For whatever reason, Microsoft decided to skip the number 9 entirely and name Windows 10 as the successor to Windows 8.1. The new OS version will unsurprisingly come with the features that have been rumored for the next Windows iteration over the past few months.

On the PC side, Windows 10 seems to be all about convincing those who are still sticking with Windows 7 to finally upgrade.

So the Start Menu is back, though with a distinct ‘Metro’ vibe. It has tiles and icons that are a blend of classic and new universal apps. Tiles can be resized. The new Search feature in the Start Menu pulls results from the Web as well as local content.

Users of Windows with mice and keyboards are finally taken seriously again, with the dual-environment feel of Windows 8 now totally gone (or so Microsoft claims). ‘Modern’ apps can run in windowed mode. Hence, Snap View (launched in Windows 7) now works with both types of apps, and it’s even been expanded to allow for a maximum of four apps to be on the screen at the same time.

The company has added something it calls “task view”, which is akin to Expose in OS X, aiming to make multitasking easier (this is pictured in the image below). The oft-leaked multiple desktops feature is indeed in too. And to appease the geeks, the Command Prompt has finally received paste support.

For users of Windows 10 on touchscreen devices, the Charms bar is still there, alive and well. This despite some past rumors to the contrary. When you swipe from the left, you’re presented with the task view.

If you buy a convertible laptop / tablet that has a touchscreen but can also be used with a keyboard and touchpad or mouse, Microsoft has you covered too, with something it calls Continuum. This switches the UI based on touch or keyboard input.

Tomorrow a Technical Preview build will be released for laptops and desktops, while the one for servers will come at some yet-undefined point in the future. The Preview will be available through the new Windows Insider Program. More details about this are available in the video below.

The final build of Windows 10 will be out “later” in 2015, possibly around the middle of the year. Microsoft will talk more about the consumer-facing features inside Windows 10 at its Build conference in April. That’s when we’ll find out more about the new “universal apps”, for example. The “general intent” is to make Windows 10 “available as an update for the vast majority of devices”.

Windows 10 will be the next version of Windows Phone too, though it’s still unclear exactly when it will hit phones. Microsoft officials have said they’re developing it (and Windows 10 for ARM-based tablets) at the same time as the version for desktops, trying to “blend the experience” across devices that have screens ranging from 4 inches to 80 inches. A unified application store for every device running Windows 10 has been promised.

While the platform will scale to accommodate different hardware, this time it looks like Microsoft has finally learned not to try and use the exact same UI on touch-based devices as on those that come with a mouse and keyboard. So there will be a “single design approach”, but adapted for each class of device.

Samsung releases infographic

Samsung releases infographic highlighting new Galaxy Note Edge features

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge made some waves at this year’s IFA as the first device to feature a proprietary rounded edge screen on the side of the device used for shortcuts, notifications, and more.

For those still in the dark on everything that Samsung’s Edge Screen is capable of, the Korean company has released a handy infographic highlighting all of its nifty features.

For more on the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, check out our detailed hands-on from IFA 2014.

The life of Orkut

The life of Orkut gets neatly summarized in an infographic

These days it seems like there’s an infographic for everything, and now that Google’s finally said its last farewell to Orkut – there’s one for that too.

Orkut was Google’s first social network, before Buzz, and before Google+. It’s been officially pronounced dead just hours ago, so it’s probably the best time to take a look back at what Orkut was.

That must have been the exact thought that occurred to the folks from a video production and marketing company based in Ireland, because they have helpfully provided the infographic you can see below. It goes through Orkut’s birth, why it was called that, where most of its users came from, and there’s also a year-by-year timeline outlining the most important events in Orkut’s existence. Here’s an interesting one: did you know that Orkut was actually launched before Facebook?

Alas, Orkut is gone now. All you’ll see if you go to its website is a notice that it’s been shut down, according to plans revealed by Google back in June. RIP

History of Dead Rose

A Tribute to an Extraordinary Person-The Quirks of Arfa

here When Arfa was 9, newspapers and television anchors talked ceaselessly about how becoming the youngest Microsoft professional had made her the “Wonder kid” of our nation. They portrayed her as this scholarly and somewhat highly intellectualised figure. The image of a child who liked nothing more than to glue her eyes to a computer screen, and saw what no one else could perceive behind the monitor’s glass. Most of us have in fact seen the famous photograph of her in Redmond Washington, standing alongside the Microsoft headquarters. She seemed as if she was always meant to be there, a God-gifted computer genius. But today I don’t want to talk about her intelligence and abilities. Instead, I want to focus on the things that increased my praise and admiration for her more than any of her academic achievements ever could.

Recalling one of her very first experiences with computer, Arfa once said “When you push a button, something magically appears on the box.” As much as I would like to portray this simple quote as something remarkably astute, I must point out that it isn’t so. These are simply the words of a child who merely chose not to give up on her imagination – something every child is born with. This reminds me of something Einstein once said:

 
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” Arfa not only imagined what no one else did, but she also made her imagination come true.

All children have dreams about one day doing something extraordinary but as we grow up, what we call the realities of life,  slowly start setting in and at some unknown point in our lives, we become afraid to dream big. That’s one thing Arfa never did. She always knew, if you don’t dream big then what’s the point in dreaming. At 9, Arfa said, she would like to go to Harvard University or MIT, and then either go to work for Microsoft, in its developer division, or become a satellite engineer.

At 16, her dreams still hadn’t changed. In fact, they had become even more ambitious.

Among the things that aren't generally known about Arfa are the facts that she was amazingly humble, energetic, driven to help others, unafraid to ask questions and that she could fly a plane. Yes, a plane. I have lost count of the number of small kids I have met who say that they want to grow up to be pilots but Arfa didn’t wait till she grew up. Oh and did you know she liked Ghazals and even sang them! She was taken from us too soon, and perhaps the youth has felt the pain more so than anyone else.

More than her intelligence, I believe that these little things are what made Arfa the extraordinary person that she was and I am sure she would want to be remembered for all of them. May you rest in peace Arfa Karim, and may Allah bless you and your family. You were a good friend and a great inspiration. Your spirit and memory will live on in our hearts for as long as we live. The youth lost one of its best today, but you have inspired so many that we will all try to not let you down.

Zong Load Karao Tax Wapas Pao Scheme

All Zong customers who belong to the lands of FATA, Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) of KPK and Baluchistan can have a relaxing relief from giving taxes as Zong introduces Load Load Karao Tax Wapas Pao scheme for all Zong users in the mentioned areas.

Details:

-       All Zong customers in the mentioned areas will be eligible to avail tax relief after the verification procedure through their individual CNIC.

-       Furthermore, if the Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) of Zong user is registered against CNIC belongs to tax free areas, then Advance income tax will be refunded next day to them.

-       After the verification procedure, a Miniload or Scratch Card will be given to Zong users within their territories.

-       If the advance income tax is relieved, then more balance will be received by the customers to use for making calls, sms and internet data usage.

Procedure Of Tax Relief:

- Formula : Load amount/114*14.
- Example of Rs. 100 Recharge: 100/114*14= Rs. 12.28.

- In this way, on the recharge of Rs. 100, Zong customer will be refunded Rs. 12.28.

Duration Of Campaign:

-       Zong tax relief campaign is permanent for all areas of FATA, Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) of KPK and Baluchistan.

Tax Exempted Areas:

Areas of FATA, Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) of KPK and Baluchistan where Zong tax relief campaign is applicable, are tabled below:

FATA Areas	CNIC Prefix
BAJAUR AGENCY	211
KHYBER AGENCY	212
KURRAM AGENCY	213
MOHMAND AGENCY	214
N WAZIRISTAN AGENCY	215
ORAKZAI AGENCY	216
S WAZIRISTAN AGENCY	217
T.A.ADJ.LAKKI MARWAT	221
T A ADJ BANNU	222
T A ADJ D.I.KHAN	223
T A ADJ KOHAT	224
T A ADJ PESHAWAR	225
T A ADJ TANK	226
PATA (Provincially Administered Tribal Areas) of KPK
DIR	150
CHITRAL	152
LOWER DIR	153
BUNER	151
SHANGLA	155
MALAKAND P AREA	154
SWAT	156
UPPER DIR	157
Kalam	156
Tribal areas in Kohistan district	134
Tribal areas adjoining Mansehra district and	135
The former state of AMB
PATA (Provincially Administered Tribal Areas) of Baluchistan
Zhob district	565
Killa Saifullah district	562
Sherani district	565
Loralai district (Excluding Duki    Tehsil)	563
Sanjavi Tahsil of Ziarat district	554
Barkhan district	552
Musakhel district	564
Dera Bugti district	551
Kohlu district	552
Chagai district	541
Kutmundai sub tehsil of Sibi district	553

First day of Autumn: 

Google Doodle marks

the beginning of the 

new season

The moving animation shows a man walking through a wooded area where the leaves on the trees change colour as he passes by

Google has marked the first day of Autumn with an eye catching new Doodle.

The moving animation shows a man walking through a wooded area where the leaves on the trees change colour as he passes by.

When the black and white character jumps for a final time, the leaves fall off the trees, illustrating what happens at the end of Autumn as winter takes hold.

The first day of autumn, also known as the autumn equinox, is where day and night are of equal lengths. 

This takes place when the axis of the Earth tilts neither away nor towards the Sun.

In the southern hemisphere, meanwhile, the date marks the beginning of Spring.

The very first Goodle Doodle appeared in 1998 and featured a reference to the Burning Man festival that Google founders Larry and Sergey were attending.

They are now a regular feature on the search engine's homepage and illustrate a range of special events, occasions and anniversaries.

Google scans of man's emails lead to child porn swoop

Google scans of man's emails lead to child porn swoop


The internet giant told a child protection agency that John Skillern had sent sick pictures using a Gmail account

Internet giant: Google

A man has been arrested on suspicion of sharing child porn after Google found illegal images in his emails.

The internet giant told a child protection agency that US subscriber John Skillern, 41, had sent sick pictures using a Gmail account.

Police in Houston, Texas, arrested the convicted child molester and allegedly found child porn on two devices.

Det David Nettles said: “I can’t see that photo, but Google can.”

Google scans its 400 million Gmail accounts so it can provide pop-up ads.

It is thought to be the first time the firm has admitted giving police private email data leading to an arrest.

Google said it had technology to search for “known images of child sex abuse”.

Greggs Google gaffe: Bakery offers search giant free doughnuts if they fix offensive logo

Greggs Google gaffe: Bakery offers search giant free doughnuts if they fix offensive logo

Oops! The Greggs search page today

If you did a Google search for Greggs this afternoon, you might have got get a little surprise.

At first glance the information all looked pretty standard: A map to your nearest branch, their official website at the top, and the latest news about the bargain bakery chain.

But look a little closer, and it gets a little less appetising.

Google

Sweary: The snobby logo that shows up when you search for Greggs

It seems something went wrong in the database Google uses to create the information panels on the right hand side of the search page.

Where the iconic blue, white and orange Greggs logo should be, there was a similar but different logo - and it had an altogether swearier slogan than "Gotta get to Greggs."

It read: "Greggs: Providing s**t to scum for over 70 years"

The information that makes up the right hand column is drawn from a variety of sources - including a website called Uncyclopedia - into a huge database Google calls the Knowledge Graph.

Uncyclopedia is a comedy Wikipedia parody, and refers to itself as "the content free encyclopedia." The Uncyclopedia entry for Greggs includes the sweary, snobby logo.

Meanwhile the company's response was remarkably good humoured.

Google even got involved in the fun. After Greggs shot them a Twitter message offering them free donuts to resolve the nasty icon, Google replied saying they'd fix the problem in double quick time - in return for some pastry covered goodies.

When the offensive logo was eventually pulled from the results at about 3.50pm, Greggs suggested the search giant might want to make them tomorrow's Google doodle to make up for it.

Google's new airborne drone in flight as it delivers a package to a farmer in the Outback

Watch Google's new airborne drone in flight as it delivers a package to a farmer in the Outback

video shows a Google airborne delivery drone in action as it drops off a package to a farmer in the Australian Outback.

The internet giant has revealed it is developing drones capable of delivering goods, from medicines to groceries, independently.

Google's 'Project Wing' is a direct competitor to Amazon's own delivery drones strategy.

However, Google admits it will take years to create a service with vehicles flying multiple deliveries each day day.

An early version of the drone, which Google showcased in a video on its website, has a 1.5 meter-(yard-)wide wingspan and is capable of flying pre-programmed routes.

"These planes have much more in common with the Google self-driving car than the remote-controlled airplanes people fly in parks on weekends," Google said on its website.

The drone Google showed in the video was equipped with rotors to allow for vertical takeoff and landing, as well as a fixed wing for plane-like flying.

The drone flew about 40 meters above the tree line, Google said, and dropped a package of chocolate bars to a farmer in Queensland.

Google spokesman Ray Gobberg said it was too soon to discuss specific business plans for the delivery drones, but the company said on its website that self-flying vehicles could offer a cheaper, faster and less wasteful way to move goods.

Google rival Amazon announced plans last year to use aerial delivery drones for a service called "Prime Air."

"Local delivery of products is the next battlefront," said Sameet Sinha, an analyst with B. Riley & Co. "Google has had its eyes on e-commerce, basically trying to get around Amazon."

Google has partnered with local retailers in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York for its Shopping Express service, which allows consumers to order goods online and have them delivered to their doorstep on the same day.

While Google has been quietly developing its aerial drone project since late 2011, the company will now focus on teaching the vehicles to safely navigate around each other, to reduce the noise they make and to refine the delivery capability so that a package can be delivered to a spot the size of a doorstep.

Google Street View car captures motorcyclist crashing into vehicle before speeding off

• Google Street View car captures motorcyclist crashing into vehicle before speeding off
  Camera car on busy Brazilian road records young driver's collision and getaway for the world to see
  
  

If you're using the internet to take a digital walk through Blumenau in Brazil, you might get a shock - because a Google Street View car has captured a dramatic crash.

The car, fitted with a special camera, was cruising along a busy road in the city earlier this year when a motorcyclist crashed right in front of it.

Naturally, it captured the carnage frame-by-fame.

In the snaps, the man, in shorts and a T-shirt, over takes the online mapping car.

As he approaches the car in front he tries to squeeze past it, but clips the vehicle and falls off.

The bike ends up in the path of a Volkswagen Polo, but luckily the motorcyclist avoids being hit by passing traffic.

He is then seen turning to run back to the bike, with the Polo swerving around as the Google car edges closer and a passerby looks on from the pavement.

Uninjured, the red-faced youngster gets back on his bike and speeds off in the bus lane.

Google warns Gmail users to change passwords after hackers post millions of account details online

Google warns Gmail users to change passwords after hackers post millions of account details online

This time, it is the turn of Google to suffer at the hands of hackers, but experts say it is time we all took internet security more seriously

Advice: Users have been told to change their Gmail passwords

Gmail users are being advised to change their passwords after the Google site was hacked and account details exposed online.

Hackers revealed nearly 5 million account details and passwords on a site called Bitcoin Security – a popular Russian website devoted to cryptocurrency.

But Google claims that most of the information exposed was of no use whatsoever and that only a small number of people are affected.

In a statement, Google said: "We found that less than 2% of the username and password combinations might have worked, and our automated hi-jacking systems  would have blocked many of those login attempts.

"We’ve protected the affected accounts and have required those users to reset their passwords.

"It’s important to note that in this case and in others, the leaked usernames and passwords were not the result of a breach of Google systems.

"Often, these credentials are obtained through a combination of other sources."

Whoever leaked the details claimed the account holders are English, Russian, and Spanish. They claimed 60% of the accounts were active, a figure Google clearly disputes.

The passwords not only give access to Gmail, but other Google services such as Drive and the mobile payment system Google Wallet.

It comes a little over a week since celebrities, including actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Lea Michele had intimate pictures stolen from iCloud accounts and posted online.

Getty

Victim: Jennifer Lawrence and over 100 other celebrities were caught up in the hacking scandal

Svetlana Anurova, a Google representative confirmed the company was aware of the security breach and is advising users to change passwords.

They also advise people to set up a two-step verification, a security measure where users are required to provide a passcode sent to their mobile devices before any changes can be made to their account.

A Google spokesman told website The Next Web: "The security of our users’ information is a top priority for us.

"We have no evidence that our systems have been compromised, but whenever we become aware that accounts may have been, we take steps to help those users secure their accounts."

Leaked: Jennifer Lawrence, Lea Michele, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Kate Upton had nude pics stolen

The culprit has not been found although he or she could be from Russia or Eastern Europe where there have been a number of recent high-profile security lapses.

Many of the recent hacking cases - such as the one where professional website LinkedIn was compromised - appear harmless and most people don't think they are at risk.

But security experts take such breaches seriously because every ounce of information a hacker finds about you on one visit makes it easier for them to find out more on a second visit.

For example, just knowing who you regularly send emails to means they could send a spam email from that person back to you, and you will open it.

The 6 weird things you asked Google about Scottish Independence

The 6 weird things you asked Google about Scottish Independence


As everyone pores over the Scottish Independence polls, we looked at another indicator of popular opinion - Google searches. The results were weird.

We wanted to see what you all thought about the different sides of the debate for the Independence Referendum, with two days until the vote. So we looked at what you had all been searching for on Google and found some surprising results.

Google search is a great tool for the pointless and stupid questions and phrases that people are too embarrassed to ask out loud. However, we thought it would be fun to uncover the nation's burning questions and secret thoughts about the Scottish referendum using search data from Google.

From idiotic to interesting, here's what we found.

Alex Salmond's wife vs Alistair Darling's eyebrows         

 

They are the figureheads of the two warring campaigns, for and against independence. But it's not just their political arguments people want to find online. Though the terms you most searched for were 'contact', 'debate', and 'twitter', you also wanted to know about Alex Salmond's wife and his diet. Alistair Darling's eyebrows was one of the most-searched terms about him, as was "young". Probably because he used to be hot.

Scotland and Wales are both not countries...or are they?

 

This doesn't show Google users at their brightest. The most searched terms for Scotland and Wales include 'not a country' and 'not a real country'. However, another popular term was 'a country', and bizarrely 'not england'. It seems that everyone is confused. However, the Mirror can reveal that Scotland and Wales are both countries in their own right, the same as England is. In fact, if you accuse Wales of not being a country, you will spark Daily Mail outrage, as the BBC's Hazel Irvine found out this July after she referred to Wales as a principality.

Scottish people and English people don't have much in common- except for being British

Ow. None of the stereotypes turned up by Google searches are particularly flattering. Google users wanted to know if Scottish people are racist, stupid, tough and ugly. The English don't have it much better, people who searched for them were trying to find out if they were reserved, boring, cold, weird and rude.

However, except for a surprising amount of people thinking the English are German, we overlapped in that the public think English people are Celts, and Scottish people are British. So we are different, but we are similar in what matters- we both have shoddy public images and are apparently from the same place.

People prefer haggis to scones- but don't know where either of the foodstuffs comes from

Perhaps this is the source of the cultural identity crisis- no one knows where our national foods are actually from. Those enquiring more deeply into the foodstuffs wanted to know if haggis (the Scottish delicacy made from sheep stomachs stuffed with oats) is 'delicious', and whether scones are too dry. We're glad we've had this opportunity to get to the heart of the debate and cast asunder common misconceptions.

The Scottish are worried about independence, and the English about football...and going to war

 

Guys. Really? 'Will England win the world cup 2014'? Yeah, we had less chance of that than Scotland do of becoming the 51st State of America. People also wanted to know if we will 'go to war', hopefully this won't be with Scotland if the vote doesn't go David Cameron's way on Friday. Scottish results were mainly about whether they will go independent, which we expected.

Edinburgh and London are both having identity crises

 

No one knows where either Edinburgh or London are, apparently. People suspect that both historic cities are 'dumps' and a surprisingly large number of people are trying to work out if each capital is "funny". The questions about whether "London is Jericho" and whether "Edinburgh is Jerusalem" or "a mad god's dream" leave us unsurprised that people have chosen to type this questions into Google rather than ask these strange questions out loud.

We don't know what that means for the Scottish referendum either.

We used hint.fm's seer tool for these images - a widget that pulls in information from Google Suggest which is based on the most commonly searched-for terms.

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