Operating system
Windows Blue update may include a traditional desktop option
A new rumor suggests that an upcoming update for Windows 8 will allow users to bypass the controversial tile-based Start menu, creating a more traditional Windows experience. The rumors come from sources close to The Verge, as well as leaked code for the Windows “Blue” update. Read More
StormFly puts an operating system on your wrist
As I know only too well from personal experience, factors such as damaging or space-hogging downloads, personalized desktops, tweaked settings or all manner of accumulated digital detritus can have serious effects on the performance of shared computers. Super Talent offered some welcome relief to PC users in 2010 with its Express RAM Cache thumb drives, allowing users to carry their own virtual desktop, personal files and favorite programs from computer to computer. Now Computing out of Barcelona, Spain, has taken the next logical step by throwing a full operating system on a wrist-worn flash drive. StormFly bypasses the resident PC or Mac operating system completely, so it doesn't leave a trace of user activity, and includes enough space for personal files and user settings. Read More
With Android and iOS dominating the smartphone wars, several platforms are campaigning to be the mythical third option. Windows Phone and Blackberry 10 may have higher profiles, but several open-source platforms are also vying for your attention. One of the more intriguing options is a new mobile facelift for the most popular Linux distribution, Ubuntu. Read More
Earlier today, Microsoft held an event in New York to officially launch its new Windows 8 operating system. Just ahead of the 12.01 AM launch time for the new OS, the presentation focused on the improvements made in Windows 8 for a wide range of systems, as well as the paradigm-shifting nature of the release and the importance of the Windows Store for apps. Read More
While it has taken longer than some anticipated, cloud computing is finally coming of age and whether you have a business, creative or gaming focus, there’s a cloud-based option for just about any application you can think of. Researchers in China are now aiming to go one step further and take the operating system (OS) to the cloud with TransOS, a cross-platform, cloud-based OS. Read More
Today Apple unleashed OS X Mountain Lion, the latest iteration of the Mac computer operating system. Those who own a Mac which meets the required minimum specifications can head over to the Mac App Store and upgrade for just US$19.99. With improved iCloud integration, enhanced security and the inclusion of some iOS apps like Notes and Reminders, Mountain Lion sees OS X move further toward the so-called “iOS-ification” which Apple first introduced in Lion. The result is a much less disjointed user experience and a stronger operating system overall. Read More
Appearing in Toronto at Microsoft's annual Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC), senior Windows chief Tami Reller let slip some details regarding the availability of Windows 8: PC manufacturers are set to receive the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) version of Windows 8 in late-August, while consumers will be able to upgrade in late-October. The Redmond-based company also recently revealed that the cost of upgrading to Windows 8 Pro will be just US$39.99. Read More
Windows 8 represents a big change for Microsoft’s industry leading OS. It breaks from tradition by doing away with the long serving Start button and replacing it with a tile-based and touch-friendly Metro UI. While this move has widely polarized opinion, especially in the enterprise sector, it does represent a major trend across the industry, with mobile-tablet operating systems becoming more and more closely related to their laptop and desktop counterparts. This trend is personified by Microsoft’s in-house tablet, the Surface Pro. Read More
Mozilla has announced that its Firefox OS mobile operating system will be appearing on handsets in Brazil from early 2013, available through Telefónica’s commercial brand, Vivo. Firefox OS is based on Mozilla's existing Boot to Gecko technology and each app for the platform is to be constructed in HTML5, the markup language increasingly used for structuring online content such as media and web apps. Read More
The recently-released XP Mod is an Android Launcher, or home screen replacement, that recreates the look and feel of Windows XP. Perhaps its most impressive feature is the functional Windows Explorer clone, which makes finding files stored on your phone a similar experience to browsing files on a PC, making the app more than mere novelty. Currently in beta, XP Mod is missing a few key features that will likely keep it from being an everyday application, but this could change with future updates. Read More
