Unit sales 2012 - (Chart - Aquilium Group)
By Stephen Pate, Aquilium Group – At the new iPad announcement, Apple CEO Tim Cook called this the “Post-PC era.”
In terms of real market size, Apple’s claim of the demise of the PC doesn’t hold up. Continue reading
Intel 520 Series SSD
SSD drives have been getting faster and less expensive. Intel leads the performance race with its new SATA III 520 Series SSD drives.
SSD drives can boot Windows 7 and now Windows 8 in less than 20 seconds. Continue reading
Update – 2 PM AT - We were able to download Windows 8 Consumer Preview with no problems. It installed within an hour. The interface is smoother than the Developer Preview. It is easy to navigate. We don’t have a touch monitor yet. The one sent to us doesn’t have functioning touch screen. More later.
The official download site is Microsoft Windows 8 Consumer Preview
We recommend the download only from Microsoft approved sites. Please note this is not a production version if Windows 8 and may cause your computer to function erratically.
Windows 8 soft keyboard user interface (illustration Microsoft)
By Stephen Pate – Aquilium Group - While some will focus on the touch interface, there are substantial improvements in Windows 8 that addresses energy costs, organizational security and productivity both within the corporate network and through mobile access. Continue reading
If you’re into the latest Microsoft operating system, these last few hours are tense.
What will be new with Windows 8?
Let’s look at some of the main things we already know.
Skype for Windows Phone beta
Skype, acquired last year by Microsoft, has released the beta of its Windows Phone version and it looks like Windows 8 which will ship in beta on Wednesday.
The beta allows free video and voice calls over 3G, 4G or WiFi networks. Apple’s Face Time video calling only works between Apple phones of WiFi.
Download the Consumer Preview of Windows 8
Windows Phone users can download the beta from the Windows Phone application site.
Continue reading
Only Microsoft Office and Windows Live mail can combine all your mail accounts into one client and even one data file.
Download the Consumer Preview of Windows 8
Windows Live as a Microsoft brand will disappear when Windows 8 ships. Windows 8 Mail is a better product that integrates more smoothly with the operating system. Windows 8 will bring many new features for users that make it an upgrade to own.
Continue reading
California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris signs accord with major IT companies (photo Government of California)
Aquilium Group – Within hours of President Obama’s announcement of the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights, the State Attorney General of California, Kamala D. Harris, announced an accord to protect consumers’ privacy. (Related: Internet Privacy Gets White House Attention)
Signing on the accord negotiated with the Federal Department of Justice were Microsoft, Google, Apple, Amazon, RIM and HP. The agreement also includes major mobile service providers and is global in scope.
“Attorney General Harris forged the agreement with six companies whose platforms comprise the majority of the mobile apps market: Amazon, Apple, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Research In Motion,” said the press release from Harris’ office. “These platforms have agreed to privacy principles designed to bring the industry in line with a California law requiring mobile apps that collect personal information to have a privacy policy. The majority of mobile apps sold today do not contain a privacy policy.” Continue reading
President Barack Obama (White House photo)
Aquilium Group – The White House will announce today new sweeping regulations and seek Congressional approval of statutory authorities over the online privacy of consumers.
A paper was issued today signaling the President’s intentions entitled Consumer Data Privacy in a Networked World: A Framework for Protecting Privacy and Promoting Innovation in a Global Digital Economy. Continue reading
Everything is The Cloud these days and Microsoft will up the ante in being your Cloud provider with free Windows 8 SkyDrive integration.
Download the Consumer Preview of Windows 8
The desktop, MS Office and Windows 8 Metro apps will allow you to automatically store your important files, photos and videos on your computer and in The Cloud. Any file you want will be available on our Windows Phone, laptop, desktop and wherever you go.
Continue reading
Blackberry Playbook (image RIM)
Last May, the media was calling Apple’s iPad the unbeatable market leader. In less than a year Apple has lost major market share to Android and RIM.
RIM quietly gained 15% of the tablet market in Canada by dropping the entry-level price to $199 and aggressively selling through its own channel. Top corporate and government accounts could purchase Blackberry Playbooks at Christmas for as little as $99. Continue reading