Windows Phone 8 is Your Kid’s Playmate

Smartphones come with several superb features that are enough to captivate us, the users. Here we ‘users’ fall into the category of ‘adults’. Quite often, I have wondered why no smartphone maker has considered kids while launching their handset models. After all, they form the real ‘family’. (Probably smartphones are only meant for adults per se). Anyways, now I am happy.  Finally, Microsoft has heard my plea by introducing Kids Corner in Windows Phone 8, a special zone dedicated to, yes, the kids. And in my view, Kids Corner is a real blessing for anyone who has a little devil at home eagerly waiting for him to reach back. Here's how you set up the Kid's Corner in your phone.

Generally kids use a phone to keep themselves entertained. But most among us are hesitant to hand over anything pricey  let alone a smartphone, as we fear they may do naughty things with it. For instance, they may erase an important file in your phone that can lead to non-repairable damages, both personally and officially. Or sometimes they may send a message to your boss putting you in an embarrassing state. Now with Kids Corner in your Windows Phone 8, it is time to throw away all such fears.  Kids Corner is the app specially meant for your tiny ones where he can keep himself busy with games, music, and movies. It divides your phone into two - one for you and the other for your child. And don’t worry; your part is secure with a PIN. Here's how you do it.

Opening Kid's Corner on Windows Phone 8 is simple. You need to just swipe the finger from right to left. Now once you hand over the smartphone to your child, his access is restricted to only the apps available in Kids Corner. He can catch up with his favorite games, songs, or movies on the device, letting you continue with your job. Clicking quality snaps will help him bud his photographic skills; but only with your permission. You control what he does in Kids Corner by including only the apps you feel he needs.

It is a fact that not everyone wants Kid's Corner on their handset. So obviously Microsoft has disabled it by default on Windows Phone 8. And enabling the feature as you need is not a tough task at all. You can customize the tile as per the preference of your naughty little heart.  Adding more charm, your kid can change the wallpaper, theme color as well as the name that appears on the lock screen as he wishes. Now you got why Kids Corner is a perfect buddy for your child.

What I found interesting in Kids Corner is the unavailability of Internet Explorer Mobile. Making a call or creating a message is also impossible here. This restricts handset misuse to a large extent. In case you feel like closing the Kids Corner app, just press the device power button, and it is done. It is as simple as that. Unfortunately you can create just one Kids Corner locale on Windows Phone 8. It means if you have multiple kids, the Kids Corner needs to be shared among them.

So the next time when you are on a journey, and your kid asks something similar to what is screened on the photo on the right, keep your tiny cub in good company with your Windows Phone 8. He will find himself lost in Kids Corner without troubling you a bit. Yes, trouble can arise at the time when you urgently need your phone, your little devil refuses to hand it back to you.  

Is Kids Corner just restricted for your little ones? Of course not! This app can be beneficial if a friend wants to play the new game you've downloaded on your phone. Just tweak the settings of Kids Corner accordingly and relax while the chap unwinds himself.

Check out the video underneath to decipher why exactly you need a phone with Kids Corner in it. As far as our recommendation goes; well, buy Windows Phone now. It's definitely worth the money.

Image by: Mattshomes

Windows 8: Security a Step Ahead

Last few weeks of so had been really exciting. Windows 8, the newest operating system from Microsoft debuted along with its mobile cousin, the Windows Phone 8. It was really a pleasure to bring to you its latest features. But amidst the hoopla surrounding the event, we forgot to cover up one really critical aspect of Windows 8, its security quotient.

No, we don’t mean to take anything away from the efforts of the engineers of Microsoft, but it’s a known fact that hackers and virus makers have always had real affinity to the Windows operating system. The software whale never kept blinds eye to this fact though. In fact each coming version of Windows had featured improved security and the efforts though slowly, were showing results. For instance, Windows 7 is indeed really secure; no wonder it’s still selling like hot cake in the market. And now it’s time for Windows 8, the most secure Windows-based OS till date.  So how far the Redmond-based company has gone in its attempt to ensure protection of data in Windows 8? As always, here are some of my findings.

First up is the enhanced avatar of Windows Defender. If your remember Windows 7 has a malware buster in the form of free-to-use Microsoft Security Essentials and a spyware in the form of Windows Defender. This very Defender is now a full-fledged security application in Windows 8.  It comes bundled at no extra cost. So the moment you upgrade to Windows 8, your PC is protected. So does that mean permanent vacation for antivirus vendors? Well, according to Microsoft it surely is the case. However other software vendors are obviously not a party to it.

Regardless of the antimalware application you use, Windows 8 loads it first up in the boot process through Early Launch Anti-Malware (ELAM).

Next is Secure Boot, which is meant to protect PCs from low-level exploits, rootkits, and bootloaders. It is a security process shared between Windows 8 and Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). Secure Boot does a simple thing; it requires all applications booting in the machine to have a valid digital certificate every time they load. 

Efficacy of such security features will be gauged in some time but the concept of having ELAM and Secure Boot work in tandem to impart fool-proof security is, as per security pundits, fundamentally sound.

Other notable security features in Windows 8 include a Smart Screen. Any file you intend to download via the Internet will first be screened through this Smart Screen before it gets a piece of your machine’s hard drive. With the inclusion of Picture passwords, even the passwords have also become trendy in Windows 8. Have a favorite pic of you and your family as the password, pin up three gestures and viola, you are all set. Finally, the AppContainer ensures that an app stays confined to a particular place and do not mingle with other apps. The AppContainer also filters apps and check if any dangerous infections exist in them before they get installed in your PC.

As you can comprehend by now, the software developers at Microsoft have truly done their bit to have the arsenal at place, so to speak. Only time will tell as to how effective will this arsenal be. We will surely keep an eye and will keep you posted.

Image by: Comedy_Nose 

Windows 8 Pro: It’s Professional This Time

As promised earlier, Windows 8 Pro will arrive in January 2013. Microsoft is pretty confident this time, thanks to the initial positive response its reimagined OS has got this time around. Though the gap between both Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro is just few months, Microsoft has done adequate changes in Windows 8 Pro to make it new, fresh, and more advanced than Windows 8. As the name ‘Pro’ suggests, Microsoft is targeting professionals this time. And what makes more alluring is that you can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro at just $40. Unbelievable; isn't it? Yes, you are right in your assumption. My focus here today is Windows 8 Pro. 

No prize for guessing that Windows 8 Pro has more advanced features than Windows 8. Otherwise why would they launch a new product? Let us begin our journey through Windows 8 Pro from Media Center. As the name suggests, it is an entertainment hub for users. A professional like you may require moving a lot. Those dull moments at airport lounge or hotel lobbies are things of past. With Media Center, you can listen to your latest favorite hits or catch up with television programs on travel. Wait, but this Media Center thingy was there is Windows Vista and 7 as well, so what’s new? Agreed, being a paid product in Windows 8 it’s free in its Pro version, at least for the time being though.

Next up is the BitLocker and BitLocker To Go features.  As someone who is required to travel quiet frequently, there are chances of your laptop getting misplaced or stolen. In case the laptop with sensitive information falls into the hands of any stranger, he can access to it and can take away all data inside. To safeguard the data in your stolen gadget, Microsoft had introduced BitLocker technology in Windows Vista Business edition. This feature was later extended in Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate editions and was called BitLocker To Go to protect data on portable storage devices such as USB thumb drives.  Now both BitLocker and BitLocker To Go features are available in Windows 8 Pro offering full-disk encryption. Only admin can turn the feature on and off, leaving no scope for a stranger to gain access into the data.  Oh! I can see you gasping in relief now.   Anyways, this doesn’t mean that you can forget your laptop next time while in train. 

Adding more charm, Windows 8 Pro has got Domain Join and Group Policy. On primary sight, these features may seem irrelevant to you. But for IT admins using Windows 8 Pro, Domain Join is essential as it lets them to access Active Directory where they can set PC management and security policies through the Group Policy feature. Active Directory is beneficial for IT professionals as it permits them to verify passwords and specify if the users are system administrators or normal users. It doesn’t seem to be too technical for you to grasp; or was it?  

This is Client Hyper-V feature.  You can use this attribute in the latest OS from Microsoft to create virtual machines. Yes, I know what you are going to say now. I agree that Hyper-V technology was present in previous versions as well. But here is a difference. Previously Hyper-V technology was available only in Windows Server editions. This time you can find it in the client version of Windows 8 Pro as well.

It is now time to lead your attention to Remote Desktop feature. Yes again, the remote desktop feature was available in prior Windows versions since Windows 7. But here, in Windows 8 Pro, it becomes more advanced. To explain further, in previous Windows version, while it was possible to get your PC accessed via a remote desktop feature, here in Windows 8 Pro, you are able to access the other person’s PC as well. This feature lets you access your office computer even while on a vacation hundreds of miles away.  What proof should I provide more to convince you that Windows 8 Pro is a professional-targeted OS. Cool!

So how do you find Windows 8 Pro? Aren't the attributes tempting enough to make you think about upgrading your existing Windows-based OS to Windows 8 Pro. If yes, then this is the right time to do that. Microsoft has lucrative offers in store for you. You just need to shell out $39.99. Yes, you heard it right buddy. However here is a small issue. You can upgrade only if the existing OS is Windows 7, or Windows Vista or Windows XP SP3. This irresistible offer is valid till January 31, 2013. So go for it now and here's how you can do it. And just in case you've recently purchased a new Windows 7-based PC, you can upgrade to Windows 8 at just $14.99. You need to provide the Windows 7 key however. 

Though there is no idea about what the prices will be after the prescribed date, it is expected to go up to $199.99. So tell me when you are planning to grab your copy?

Get the hands-on review for Windows 8 Pro in the video underneath:

Know about BitLocker in Windows 8 in the video here:

Image by: Fatich

Windows 8: Now Socializing is More Easy

What is life without friends? Oh God! It is really unimaginable. But unfortunately in this turbulent world of ours it is difficult to stay in touch with near and dear ones. However with Windows 8, at least connecting to buddies is a lot easier. In comes various apps to make our days more vibrant, iridescent, and joyous, and to upkeep relations.

First up are the Mail and Calendar apps that I am sure will allure you the most. Let me begin with the Mail app here. You may have several e-mail accounts; say with Google, Yahoo!, Rediff or your office mail. Now, instead of accessing these accounts separately, how about accessing them from one central location? That’s what this mail apps does; it gives you centralized access to all your email accounts. You can even reply back to mails and they will go via your original account only. Doesn't it make your mail presence lot simpler?  

So, how to work with this app? Well, for that you need a Microsoft account. Now what’s that? Well, most of you already have one especially if you are a regular user of Hotmail, Xbox Live or Messenger. The same e-mail address and password you use to access any of these accounts can be used as your Microsoft account. It’s as simple as that. However, if you don’t have such account yet, you can sign up like a breeze here. 

Now coming to Calendar app, it is a joint for all your schedules. Are you one of the kinds who like to have that special assistant to remind you of special dates such as your marriage anniversary, a holiday, or an important official meeting? Is yes, then the Calendar app is the right choice for you, as with this you can keep a track of all dates and times that matter you the most. You can also color the app tile as per your choice to make it easy to detect. And one more thing, personal dates will not overlap with professional meetings.

So what more can we do with Windows 8. Sending and checking e-mails, or arranging personal events is fine, but we cannot title the post something like ‘now socializing is more easy and blah blah just because it has certain apps that can yield central access. There is much more that Windows 8 has in store for us; a convenient way to share photos for instance. In comes the Share Charm, an integrated space to share photos, update statuses, email photos, and what not. Moreover it comes with anywhere access; that is you can post a snap of your recent vacation in both Facebook and Flickr without actually halting your work. 

Along with snaps, you can even share links of different websites via separate social networking sites without actually signing into multiple accounts. It’s hard to believe; right?  Just try with the link to the page you are currently reading. At least my blog will reach your friends. Cool! That was just a joke buddy.

Another area in Windows 8 where you will find ample scope to socialize with your pals is the People app. Specifically designed to target the young generation you will find wide range of options here to share your feelings and snaps with the chums of your choice. It even lets you to filter the friends in the contact list, making it easy to search for them.

Let us now come to Skype, the platform that lets you to talk with anyone in the world for free. Windows 8 is an ideal platform for you to make a call on Skype. If it is already there in your computer, you can directly use it. Otherwise you can download Skype for free from the Windows Store. Same is the case with Internet Messenger. You can chat with your friends via IM on Windows 8 without even logging into it. 

Windows 8 is an ideal choice for everyone who longs to be in company of their dear ones. It has several attributes that makes your social life vibrant. So do not lament next time that you got no time to spare for your buddies. Go; grab your copy of Windows 8 right now or wait for its pro version till January next year. 

Images by: Microsoft Sweden; Lanchan Hardy

People Hub: The Buddy Joint in Windows Phone

Being in touch with near and dear ones can make life more cool and soothe. Keeping pace with advancements in technology, since last few years or so folks worldwide (especially the youth) have really utilized the power of the Internet to economically and effectively reach out to the ones that matter the most to them. They message, chat, share snaps, upload videos, play online games and engage in all fun and frolic on the move with their mobile smartphones, tablets and the likes. Well aware of the pulse of the young breed, Microsoft first introduced People Hub in Windows Phone 7.5, and now kind of relaunched it in a new avatar in Windows Phone 8. As a matter of fact Microsoft has taken extra care to ensure that any user of Windows Phone 8 should fell in love with its People Hub. So what makes People Hub so special? Let’s take a trip through this enthralling Windows Phone 8 app.

More than an address book, so to speak, Windows Phone 8 is a joint where you meet friends, communicate with them, or share photographs clicked on joyous moments. It’s really fun and handy. The together panel has two features – Groups and Rooms. The Group feature lets you add up people and categorize them as you wish. So browsing the names to contact them is made easier here. Oh C’mon! Don’t say that this feature was available in previous version of Windows Phone as well. Alright; then let’s dive into Rooms, an improved version of Groups.

Just like a real life room, the one in Windows Phone 8 allows families and friends communicate and share without letting the rest of the world know about it. Some noteworthy aspects of a Room are:

• You are the Room creator: Remember, as you create a Room, the right to invite and delete a member lies with you. Every post in the Room will be viewed by all members. And in case you want to limit the audience, a better way is SMS, or e-mail.
• Share photos, videos, locations and calendar: In a Room, you are free to share photos, videos, locations, and calendar with every member. As every member can view a posted photo, it is better to avoid those snaps that need to be kept hidden.
• Send messages to keep in loop: You can send message to all your friends to keep everyone in loop. A birthday party invitation or if you are going on a trip, for instance.
• Create as many Rooms as you want: You are free to create as many Rooms as you need. The calendars of the Rooms won’t get mixed up and can be edited and shared by members. Shared calendars are useful for family get together, outings, and parties.
• Change the Room background:You can give the room a fresh appearance by changing the background quite frequently. Every member can see the Room and can comment on its look.

What is more interesting about People Hub in Windows Phone 8 is the facility to filter your contact list. The Hub may have your personal friends, colleagues from work place, or people you have met through different social networking sites. By filtering them, it becomes easy for you to view the contacts that you communicate to frequently. And in case you don’t use a name or feel like blocking one, People Hub lets you do that as well.

People Hub also gives you the facility to hide updates from one or more of your social networking sites. This is helpful when too much of messages, tweets, or posts annoy you. Now you know why I like this feature the most. And in case you have special affinity with a person or a group and need to keep a track on updates and messages that person or group posts come to People Hub. All you need to do is to pin a contact or a group to the Start.

Are you someone who loves to be in company of your buddies, but gets less time for that? Well don't worry as People Hub no doubt is meant for you. So own a Windows Phone 8 device to make your life more vibrant, chirpy, and joyous.

Watch the video underneath to have a hands-on experience with People Hub.

From Windows Phone 7.5 to 8: The Distance in Between

What made Windows Phone 7.5 catchy during its debut was the Tile feature. In Mango, the users were able to pin anything on the home screen so that they could easily access it whenever required. And what if the same feature gets a facelift? Microsoft has done the same. It has taken the Tile feature to the next level in Windows Phone 8.  Here you can resize the tiles into different categories as small, medium and large, depending upon their importance. Speaking about the browser, Steve Ballmer’s team has upgraded IE9 in Windows 7.5 to IE10 in Phone 8. As a result, the webpages can be searched at a faster rate. Apart from that it also helps in better utilization of resources.

A big drawback of the Skype feature in Windows Phone 7.5 was that it required separate app for video calling. This problem is almost solved in Windows Phone 8. Here, you can use Skype to make calls over 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi. It other words you can make any kind of call; all you need is an Internet connection. Another noticeable change is in People Hub. Room feature is the addition here that allows you to access and edit shared data. All you have to do is to accept the invitation to join the room. And once you’ve done so you can access and share all stored information in the room whether it’s from the calendar, the to-do-list or the photo album.

Are you bothered when your kid fiddles with your phone? If yes, then give him restricted access with Kids Corner. A new kid on the block, so to speak, as it was missing in Mango, it permits your kid to access only those features you want him to play with. And to make your kid comfortable in Kids Corner, put all apps and games he loves to use there.

Another appealing feature added in Windows Phone 8 is Wallet App that lets you make payments over smartphone.
 

After rushing through the added advanced attributes in Windows Phone 8, you may long to migrate to the same from the existing Mango device. But the bad news is that it is not possible as a number of Windows 8 applications require upgraded hardware. However here is something that can cheer you up. Microsoft is bringing out Windows Phone 7.8, an update you can comfortably migrate to. Though there is no word from Microsoft on the exact launch date, it is expected to reach your hands by early 2013. So be prepared to go for the update, its surely worth it.

Images by:  thomcochrane; bobfamiliar; Nicola since 1972

Windows Phone 8: Is it Really More Popular than Phone 7?

It seems that Microsoft is affronted with continuous gossips on the sales figures of its products. What made me say so is the latest report on Steve Ballmer’s claim that the sale of Windows Phone 8 is four times higher than the sale of Windows Phone 7 last year. Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, had declared just days ago that the company had sold more than 40 million Windows 8 OS licenses.  This time Ballmer gave no exact figures, but just a vague, plain and flat statement. My point here is why Microsoft is hesitant to release the exact number when they could do the same with Windows 8 OS.

Microsoft launched Windows Phone 8 in the second half of October 2012. Though initially it was expected to give an explosive response now that more than a month has passed by several experts are of the opinion that sales are not as hot as anticipated. Probably Microsoft wanted to clear the mess surrounding the sales estimates. However Ballmer’s address at the shareholder’s meeting lack hard number, adding fuel to the gossips. Anyways Shanghai Securities News reports that Nokia alone has given orders for 2.5 million Lumia 920 handsets in the past 20 days which is almost close to 2.76 million Windows Phone handsets sold in the fourth quarter of 2011. It is expected that Nokia will sell more Lumia 920 handsets in this quarter than all Windows Phone OEMs sold in the year 2011. Amidst all speculations related to uncertainties in sales figures of Windows Phone 8, I am providing an insight to its features that will help you to know the device in a better way. 

Apart from providing a tile experience, Windows Phone 8 is also a collection of Hubs. The Wallet App lets you make payments via mobile phone. For someone who is passionate about photography, Windows Phone 8 is a valuable gift. You can even read messages from Facebook, WhatsApp, or a mail even when the phone is in locked form.  Speaking about the IE 10 browser in Windows Phone 8, it loads even the most complex pages quickly. Xbox SmartGlass makes your entertaining moments superb. The Kid’s Corner app lets you provide restricted access of the smartphone to your kid. Though the handset carries several mind blowing attributes, it also has its own share of glitches, which Microsoft has already assured to take care of. In fact an OTA update will be soon underway to fix at least the random reboot issue.

I am aware that several of my readers own a Windows Phone 7.5; and they may wish to upgrade it to Windows Phone 8. Unfortunately, it is not possible. Hey, don’t get despaired. Here is good news for you. Microsoft is launching Windows Phone 7.8 very soon. Most probably it will reach you by early 2013. The company is targeting specially you, 7.5 users. So please wait for that. 

The video underneath is an end user's perspective on Windows Phone 8. Before actually showering his views on this new OS, he fiddled with it for almost a week.

Image by: Dell's Official Flikr Page

Analyzed in Detail Earlier; Now Just a Runover

In my previous post, I mentioned the last week of October 2012 as quite eventful for Microsoft. After years of R&D, the company took the tech world by storm with the release of three delightful products—Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and Surface. Now almost a month has passed by after their arrival. So far so good for the software whale. And obviously users too seem to be reasonably happy. Here my attempt is to make a gist of all information that we have provided in our previous posts on these three offsprings of Microsoft.

Launched on October 26, 2012, Windows 8 is an astutely designed touchscreen-friendly operating system. Though it may seem a bit confusing for the first time to use, this OS has really impressive features. What I feel as the plus point of Windows 8 is the security aspect. There is UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) to ensure that only recognized applications are run, keeping the PC secured. Even the Windows Defender in this OS is a comprehensive malware removal tool, which is much more advanced than in its previous avatar. In simple words, you no more need additional security software to safeguard your PC. Sounds great, right? The list of exciting attractions does not end here. You can check e-mails, messages, photos, upcoming events and much more, without unlocking the Windows 8 OS. To make things more fabulous, there is also provision to share photos with your friends over social networking sites. In an attempt to make the OS more bewitching, Microsoft has made changes to the Task Manager as well.

Now let us pass on our focus to Microsoft Surface tablet that was brought out on the same date as of Windows 8. Though Surface was initially expected to be a strong contender to Apple iPad and Google Nexus, it failed to receive the response as anticipated. Though Surface is more appealing and has better storage memory and screen size to Nexus, it seems to have lost a bit as the screen resolution and the camera feature are much behind both Apple iPad and Nexus. Though, the price of the three are very much on par, in my view, challenging Apple is a far cry for Surface at least for the for the time being. 

Windows Phone 8, the second generation mobile phone operating system from Microsoft, comes with designed looks to allure users. Apart from the appearance, the Phone OS also has several attributes that can make you may fall in love with it. There are Hubs (People Hub, Games Hub, Photos Hub, Music and Video Hub are few among them) to keep you engaged while relaxing after a long day. Microsoft has taken care to add improved version of Bing Maps in Phone 8. Although, certain performance issues galore in the initial run, yet Microsoft has taken a note of it and will soon come up with an update to fix all such hiccups, so to speak.

Very recently Microsoft has also introduced Play To feature that, with its enchanting features, opens wide opportunities for app developers to create apps for Microsoft products. Speaking from the user’s side, it provides him a wide range of apps to opt from the Windows Store. It is worth mentioning here that since last month and a half the number of apps in Windows Store has gone up from 5000 to 120,000 and Play To will surely act as a catalyst to take the number much much higher. 

All in all it’s a good beginning for the reimagined operating system from Microsoft and its mobile phone version. However, Surface needs to resurface in an enriched state to capture the market. Let’s wait till January for the time being.

Images by: curiouslee; Nicola since 1972; comedy_nose; Microsoft Sweden; skuds

Windows Phone 8: Will Microsoft Give Google and Apple Tough Days Ahead?

The last half of October 2012 was quite eventful for Microsoft. Within days Windows 8, Surface tablet, and Windows Phone 8 came to life. Well, not sure if Steve Ballmer and team were really looking out for additional pull by bringing out three pro genies almost at the same time. Whatever it may be, Microsoft has reasons to smile. I am not here to delve more into Windows 8 as many experts have already analyzed it previously. Let us leave out as well Surface tablet as we have already done a sneak peek into it. The focus here is on Windows Phone 8, the latest phone OS from the company. 

To begin with, let me make it clear that Windows Phone 8 is a tile-based experience. If you are not fond of tiles, then Windows Phone 8 is not your cup of tea. For those who are still puzzled as to what the ‘tile’ is all about – they are squares on the home screen that hold several apps inside. I loved this feature as it saves my time in scrolling down to search for each app. Wait. Did I say that you can pick the color of your choice for each tile along with its size? Well, Microsoft gives you the facility to do that as well.

Now if you ask me as to which among the tiles in Windows Phone 8 is my favorite, my vote will be for FlightAware. As the name suggests, it lets you provide flight details including sudden cancellation. Now you know why a frequent traveller like me finds this app captivating. Speaking about frequent travels, how can I miss photo tile where I can add and share latest snaps clicked at various tourist destinations?

Microsoft has made Windows Phone 8 look really amazing and enchanting. Some may cry that the looks are just an extension of Windows Phone 7, but I opt to differ with them. And comparing with the new Android and iOS versions, Windows Phone 8 looks really genuine and fabulous.

Another interesting aspect about Windows Phone 8 is Hubs. People Hub, Games Hub, Photos Hub, and Music & Video Hub are places where content, apps, and social networking all comes together. Whereas with the Music & Video hub you can watch You Tube and Vevo content along with viewing your own videos, the People Hub is all about contacting your friends and dear ones via Phone 8. This includes Skype, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Group messaging and sharing photos on SkyDrive are other facilities that you avail on People hub.  Another feature that is worth mentioning here is the new Wallet app that lets you opt to pay via mobile phone. I feel Microsoft is here inspired by Google Wallet app.

   

If photography is your passion, then Windows Phone 8 is certainly meant for you. The camera feature in Phone 8 lets you experiment with snapping, and reduces the need for separate editing tools. And once you’ve clicked the shot, you can upload it and share it among friends via Photos Hub. Apart from sharing your snaps, Photo Hub also lets you view photo galleries of your friends. Another interesting attribute of Windows 8 Phone is that you can read a new message on Facebook or WhatsApp, or a mail even in locked form. Oh I forgot one more thing. There is a Kids Corner as well where you can provide restricted access of the smartphone for your child. 

What about the browser? Very nearly the IE 10 of Windows 8, it loads even the most complex of pages correctly and quickly. Speaking about search, the Bing search tool is more integrated to the OS and Bing Maps are considerably improved than in the previous version. And when it comes to entertainment, Xbox SmartGlass is a welcome addition and Zune is the thing of the 

When it comes to the most elementary features of Windows Phone 8, to begin with, you can bring together your contacts on all services you use. For instance your Skype contacts show up in the People Hub, along with contacts from various social media platforms. The touchscreen keypad is convenient to use even for a Generation Y'er like me and in my word, the word flow autocorrect feature is simply amazing. And since typing has become more suitable, various Office apps (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and the likes.) become more useful. Finally, if you are bored of typing, you can also switch to voice recognition and dictate.

As per initial reviews, all is well with Windows 8 except a few aspects mentioned here. So, to conclude that Windows Phone 8 is perfect is well, wrong. One major problem with Windows Phone 8 is continuous rebooting. Recently someone told me that his OS gets rebooted some 8-9 times a day. That’s really awful! Though personally I have not faced the issue of continuous rebooting, my problem is about battery leakage. Another common problem is the sinking of e-mails. There are couple of other issues; but limited to Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC Windows Phone 8X handsets. They include random lockups, hard resets and freezing up of OS as well. 

Barring these glitches, I personally feel Windows 8 Phone is as good as Android or iOS (if not better). Anyways Microsoft is already investigating the problems, and soon plans to release an OTA update to fix the issues.

 

Image by: Okalkavan

Bring Delight to Your Viewership Experience With Play To

Just a few days back I reported that Microsoft Surface tablet has several drawbacks in comparison with Apple iPad and Google Nexus. One of them being, although you cannot call it Surface-specific here, is comparatively lesser number of apps that one can download via the Windows Store. However the Redmond-magnate is taking rapid strides to reduce the gap, so to speak, with the likes of Android Market and Apple Store. The recently outlined Play To feature for instance, which I would highlight here, is one such effort to encourage app developers worldwide.

So what exactly is this so called Play To feature. Well, as the name suggests, with Play To you can play music and videos by streaming them on Xbox and other supported devices on your home network. That’s fine; but what is so special about Play To here; it’s just sharing of media after all! The answer to this query is the enhanced experience that Play To brings to the realm of home-bound connectivity. With this feature at your disposal sharing will be as simple as a flip. All you have to do is to install the app with Play To feature integrated in your Windows 8-based PC and let it do the talking with your networked devices.

So how this entire thing works? Once you deploy this Play To centric app, it detects and automatically installs all Play To certified devices in precisely 30 seconds (devices can be added manually as well). And once it’s done, all you have to do is to swipe your favorite video or photo to play it on the big screen TV or, for that matter, play your favorite music on your living room speakers. It’s that simple. Play To forms place in all media focused apps from Microsoft; even Internet Explorer 10 has Play To. So you can stream videos and music directly from web pages as well.

There are various aspects of Play To that are meant for enhanced viewership experience. From selecting photos to e-mail while a slideshow is being played on your TV, to pre-buffering the next item in the playlist, and accessing the devices from anywhere in the app, Play To comes with various features that would literally make you say – Wow!

And when it comes to Play To certified devices, a number of world renowned consumer electronics companies are working on Play To certification spanning multiple device categories including televisions, set top boxes, speakers, and audio receivers. In my view, within next few months all new multimedia devices will come with Play To certification. Keep visiting our Windows 8 Blog for more updates. 

Image by:  Scott Ableman

Surface Tablet Loses Out to iPad and Nexus; Early Days Though

Microsoft enjoys a big clout in the software market. The Redmond-based tech-mogul expected this goodwill to play in its favor while launching Surface tablet. A potential contender to Apple iPad and Google Nexus—this was Microsoft’s claim about Surface when it was first made available for pre-orders almost a month back. But in the initial run-in it seems that the much hyped tablet from the world’s largest software maker may just lag behind its competitors. For those who disagree with my statement here, what I put forward are certain factors where Surface can go off the beam.

I think it is fair to begin with the positive aspects of Surface tablet. At least I won’t sound too harsh, calculated and biased towards Bill Gates and Co. The Surface tablet scores over its main rival Google Nexus over certain features. For instance, Surface is more appealing than Nexus. Even when we talk about storage memory, and screen size, Surface gains more points. But it loses the game when the same features are compared with that of the iPad where Surface falls flat.

Learning from past experiences is the virtue of wisdom. But it seems that Microsoft hasn’t gained much after the fiasco of Windows Vista. Microsoft still takes buyers for granted and expects them to gulp anything that is provided. The software tycoon believed that the massive hype created over Surface tablet will drive in more sales. However, at least in the initial going, it didn’t happen. Assuming the users to come for Surface, when gizmos with more advanced features are available in the market, was according to me a grave error. Microsoft should have done real homework before taking on Apple iPad and Google Nexus; for they are experienced players on the turf. 

An ardent Surface fan can claim that a 16GB Surface is available at a lesser price tag than the iPad, but both are equally priced when the comparison shifts to 32GB and 64GB versions. So Surface isn’t the clear winner here.  Moreover, even the screen-resolution of Surface is much lower than the other two.

Talking about the camera feature, iPad has a 5 MP camera whereas Surface has a 1.5 MP one, which is not that much captivating. Even the Windows  Store has lesser number of apps to select and download from. However, with time it might catch up with Android and Apple Store and probably Play To can help here.

So here are my final words. In spite of receiving massive attention Surface has so far failed to script its success story. The very fact that initial sales figures, as per company sources, are modest to say the least adds teeth to my statement here. But Steve Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft is optimistic that demand for Surface will grow up with the release of a more advanced Surface Pro in the first quarter of the next year.

Although Microsoft will have to rework on several aspects so as to compete with iPad and Nexus, I hope the company will do everything possible to emerge as the most sought after tablet maker in the market. 

Image by: methodshop

Windows 8: Microsoft Wins the First Round; Second Seems Easier

I am not sure if a fortnight is time enough to analyze the changes. Especially when it is about a product and the impact it created on the market. Here the name that I refer is Windows 8, the latest entrant from the lineage of Microsoft. Two weeks have passed by after the vivacious debut of the operating system.  As the initial brouhaha is now done with, let us now see what’s in with Windows 8.

First up is the flexibility to deploy apps in Windows 8 that, according to Microsoft, has really caught the eye of companies from various spheres across the world. As per a statement from company sources, several global brands including Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution, Johnson & Johnson Services Inc., Rooms To Go Inc., Bank of America Corp., PCL Constructors Inc. etc. have started deploying Windows 8 apps to meet their business needs. Remember how this very flexibility made Apple iPad an instant hit. Similarly, Microsoft is quite optimistic that its business apps will change the way businesses interact with their customers.

It is strange that even being so well advanced and finely packed with sophisticated features that can keep the users go raptured, Windows 8 is criticized from certain corners. A big accusation is that Windows 8 works fine only on touchscreen, and with a mouse and a keyboard, the OS fails to score any points. However I rather put a question mark to such claims as my experience with Windows 8 is really enchanting. As its user for the past two weeks, I can vow that the OS functions flawlessly even with a mouse and a keypad (by the way I own a Dell desktop). And above all, the OS is far more secure than its predecessors.

Any talk on Windows 8 is incomplete without mentioning Windows Phone 8. Launched just eight days back, the second generation Windows Phone mobile operating system has already succeeded in grabbing the hearts of tech geeks, thanks to the enticing features bundled in it. Speaking about Windows Phone 8, there is no doubt that this gadget is a perfect gift for its highly sophisticated look and functions. The pre-launch doubts on its capability to take on Apple iOS 6.0 and Android 4.1 has now vanished. Some may argue that apps in Windows Phone 8 are inferior to iOS 6.0 and Android 4.1. Personally I prefer to disagree with this. The Mango successor carries numerous features that can keep a normal tech savvy chap engaged. For example; look at the recently introduced Slacker Radio app that lets you create and share your own custom music stations. Experiencing music is now no more the same. And who can forget Kids Corner, a unique feature designed to keep your kids engaged without misusing it. And of course, Microsoft has promised to roll out more apps so as to make the mobile operating system perform better.

The memory storage in Windows Phone 8 is expandable, whereas you can’t do this on iOS 6. I feel Microsoft scores better here. When we speak about high resolution displays, the phone OS is no inferior. Even when it comes to playing music and movies on mobile phones, my choice will be Windows Phone 8, for its classy features.  To add further, Windows Phone 8 has hardware specifications including multi-core processors and near field communications (NFC). Now you can make payments with your smartphone and can connect the phone with other NFC-enabled devices without any difficulty.

There was a bit of confusion among the users in the beginning on how to use the Windows 8 copy. This was because the company went for slight different appearance. Though many eyebrows were raised on this neo-look, users found the features friendlier and advanced than the prior versions. If the claims of Microsoft are to be believed, the new version of Windows reached four million people in just three days; an unbelievable record. No wonder Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was so animated at the Redmond-BUILD where he revealed the sales figures. From the words of wisdom that Ballmer uttered during the BUILD, the new Windows Store will make it easier for the developers to market their apps. So the next in line is the comment by developers.

The whopping support that Windows 8 has garnered from around world has compelled the company to push its target to 400 million. Yes, the company now wants to sell out 400 million OS copies by the end of the year. If things go as planned by Microsoft, hitting the target is no big deal at all.

Images by:  mmcmaxi; Dell's Official Flikr Page

Microsoft Hopes Magic with Windows 8

Eventually Windows 8 came to life on October 25th. Microsoft introduced its latest version of operating system amidst much jubilation putting an end to a yearlong anxious wait. The stupendous OS has started reaching the hands of eagerly waiting Windows-lovers a day after its launch. Microsoft hopes Windows 8 to be its most efficient and capable ammo in its fiery battle to upkeep and somewhat give new lease of life to the software giant’s computer market.

The world’s largest software maker has given a face-lift to the latest version of Windows OS. The appealing appearance of Windows 8 is definitely to allure tech savvy chaps around the globe. However, Microsoft is well aware that looks alone cannot take the game to its side. To warrant that the so must go on, the conglomerate has introduced many outstanding features in Windows 8 than in its previous versions. How about rushing through a few of them that I think will help in the sales of Windows 8.

To begin with, eying high demand of touch-centric devices among young users across the world, Microsoft has made Windows 8 touch-enabled. Though Windows is quite popular among business customers, it is not the same case with college goers and trendy youths. Apple is their first choice for its unconventional features. Now Microsoft wants to cut into it though in my view it seems tough at least for now. 

Hope you remember, you had to unlock Windows 7 last time to check out the city temperature or latest headlines. But that is not the case anymore on Windows 8. A user can gather every information without even unlocking the OS. This becomes beneficial when you talk about accessing calendar, photos, e-mails, up-coming events and thumbnail images. Personally speaking, this feature sounds interesting, but does unlocking the OS to check these info kill that much time?  If not, I don’t think this will work out much in favor of Microsoft.

But yes Windows 8 can cut short your time to search files, apps, and specific settings. All you need to do is to type the required file name in the specified column and Windows 8 will search that particular file for you within seconds. Apart from this innovative feature, another aspect that deserves applause in Windows 8 is the Refresh and Reset option that lets you refresh or reset your computer instantly that too without much hassle.

In my view the most interesting aspect about Windows 8 is that it lets you share everything including your posts with everyone over social networking sites or with other apps. This feature is sure to get positive response from the youth worldwide. Another exciting aspect of Windows 8 is that it allows pinning of specific websites and particular sections from apps on the Start screen. For instance, if you like specific sections of the Travel app, you can easily pin them; at least a frequent traveler like me would surely do that.

However, not all features are limited to the Start screen. Microsoft has also taken care to keep the Task Manager really sophisticated. The list of programs and processes now has separate headers—apps, background processes, and Windows processes. Not only this, you can also gauge the exact CPU usage by each app or process and moreover search more about it online by simply right-clicking on it.

On the security front, it is worth admitting here that Windows 8 is not invulnerable but is for sure much more secure than Windows 7. Being the first to utilize UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), Windows 8 ensures that you only run applications with recognized, valid security certificates, thus preventing rootkits and other malware to load during boot up.

Secondly, Windows Defender gets a more powerful avatar. It is now a comprehensive malware removal tool unlike its previous version that could only clean off spyware. Wonder what will happen to all the security software makers?

Windows 8 do have several advanced features. There is no denial of that. But are these features really beneficial to a normal user? Can Windows 8 lead the game for Microsoft? Will the Redmond-based software tycoon succeed in curbing its rivals including Apple? Only time has all the answers.

Images: Dell's Official Flickr Page; Microsoft Sweden