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Latest Windows 8.1 beta silently updates Windows Store apps

Latest Windows 8.1 beta silently updates Windows Store apps
  • Posted May 6, 2013, 1:45 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Microsoft, Mobile Computing
  • Users of Microsoft's latest Windows 8.1 beta (build 9385) have reported that Windows Store apps now silently update themselves without need for user intervention. If you value up-to-dateness but couldn't care less about developer release notes, then this upcoming change…

iOS 7: "dramatic" e-mail and calendar revamp causes delay

iOS 7: "dramatic" e-mail and calendar revamp causes delay
  • Posted May 1, 2013, 2:00 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Mobile Computing, Apple
  • Rumors earlier this month suggested Apple's iOS 7 may be running behind schedule. Sources in contact with Bloomberg indicate this delay stems from a impending overhaul of iOS' user interface and "dramatic" changes to Apple's e-mail and calendar apps. These…

Windows Phone 8 mainstream support to end July 8, 2014

Windows Phone 8 mainstream support to end July 8, 2014
  • Posted March 18, 2013, 5:30 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Mobile Computing, Microsoft
  • It appears mainstream support for Windows Phone 8 is slated to end on July 8, 2014. Prior to recently updating its support website, lifecycle information for WP8 hadn't been officially published by Microsoft. However, this date confirms previous suggestions of…

Windows 8 / Office bundle costs OEMs $30 after Microsoft slashes prices

Windows 8 / Office bundle costs OEMs $30 after Microsoft slashes prices
  • Posted March 6, 2013, 1:30 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Microsoft, Industry News
  • Deep price cuts for Windows 8 are being given to Microsoft's OEM partners who manufacturer touchscreen-enabled computers and devices, or at least that is according to anonymous sources trusted by the Wall Street Journal. The report indicates that a $120…

Windows Phone 8 successor to arrive this holiday season

Windows Phone 8 successor to arrive this holiday season
  • Posted March 4, 2013, 5:00 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Microsoft, Mobile Computing
  • The successor to Windows Phone 8 may reach consumers as soon as this holiday season, according to a recent Microsoft job posting. Until then, at least two much needed updates named "GDR2" and "GDR3" are expected to hit smartphones running…

Meet Google OS: Chrome OS when it was based on Firefox

Meet Google OS: Chrome OS when it was based on Firefox
  • Posted February 14, 2013, 1:30 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Industry News, Software
  • Former Google engineer and web-based OS pioneer Jeff Nelson recently blogged about the possible origins of Chrome OS and recounts a number of fascinating historical anecdotes. Perhaps his most surprising detail though, is before there was Chrome OS -- or even Chrome,…

Apple releases iOS 6.1.1 to resolve iPhone 4S cellular issues

Apple releases iOS 6.1.1 to resolve iPhone 4S cellular issues
  • Posted February 12, 2013, 11:15 AM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Mobile Computing, Apple
  • Apple released yesterday a supplemental update to iOS 6.1 which claims to resolve potential cellular issues for iPhone 4S owners. iOS 6.1.1 comes with only a single bullet point in its release notes:  "This update fixes an issue that could…

Some iPhones refuse to ring due to New Year's DND bug

Some iPhones refuse to ring due to New Year
  • Posted January 2, 2013, 3:30 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Apple, Mobile Computing With Video
  • A number of iPhone users may be questioning their popularity this year thanks to a New Year's-induced bug in iOS 6. As the year-o-meter rolled over into 2013, some iPhones simply refused -- and may yet still refuse (update: a…

iOS 6 upgrades soar 29% following debut of Google Maps app

iOS 6 upgrades soar 29% following debut of Google Maps app
  • Posted December 19, 2012, 12:00 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Mobile Computing, Apple
  • According to data furnished by MoPub and mulled over by TechCrunch, the number of iPhone users running iOS 6 jumped by 29 percent between December 11 and December 15. MoPub tracks over one billion ad impressions daily across many carriers and apps.

New Windows chief explains why Microsoft redesigned Windows

New Windows chief explains why Microsoft redesigned Windows
  • Posted December 14, 2012, 4:00 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Microsoft, Software
  • Taking over after Sinofsky's departure, Julie Larson-Green now heads Microsoft's Windows product development team. In an interview with MIT Technology Review, Larson-Green discusses some of the changes made to Windows and why with the company's latest operating system. …

Next Windows may be free, yearly upgrades, possible 2013 launch

Next Windows may be free, yearly upgrades, possible 2013 launch
  • Posted November 28, 2012, 5:30 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Microsoft, Mobile Computing
  • Tired of using the same operating system for years? Microsoft certainly hopes so. The Redmond-based software maker is hoping "Windows Blue" will change how consumers perceive Windows by introducing frequent, periodic upgrades (e.g. annual releases), akin to Apple's aggressive Mac…

Paul Thurott: Windows 8 sales "well below" Microsoft's projections

Paul Thurott: Windows 8 sales "well below" Microsoft
  • Posted November 19, 2012, 3:00 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Microsoft, Mobile Computing
  • Despite Microsoft's excitement at selling four million Windows 8 upgrades in four days, well-known industry blogger Paul Thurott says sales of the OS are "well below" Microsoft's internal projections. Get your salt shakers ready, but Thurott cites ones of his…

Windows 8, IE10 suffer multiple critical zero-day vulnerabilities

Windows 8, IE10 suffer multiple critical zero-day vulnerabilities
  • Posted November 5, 2012, 7:00 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Microsoft, IT Security
  • Researchers at Vupen, a private security firm based in France, claim to have found multiple, critical vulnerabilities in Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10. The team's exploits allow hackers to remotely execute code, allowing crafty individuals to potentially gain control…

Windows 8 contacts Microsoft every time software is installed

Windows 8 contacts Microsoft every time software is installed
  • Posted August 24, 2012, 5:00 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Microsoft, Software
  • Observant software hacker Nadim Kobeissi stumbled upon an interesting observation today while running a network packet analyzer under Windows 8. It appears, by default, Microsoft's latest operating system is sending information to Redmond servers each time a user installs an…

Firmware update enables Power Nap for Macbook Air, Retina MBP

Firmware update enables Power Nap for Macbook Air, Retina MBP
  • Posted July 26, 2012, 2:30 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Apple, Software
  • To the dismay of some users, Power Nap -- Apple's whimsically named, sleep-like power state which quietly polls for updates -- was curiously absent from Mountain Lion's official release yesterday. Today though, the company rolled out an SMC update which adds…

Mountain Lion available now, free upgrade codes not working for some

Mountain Lion available now, free upgrade codes not working for some
  • Posted July 25, 2012, 1:30 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Apple, Software
  • It's here -- Mac OS X 10.8 has officially launched. Many Mac owners will be able to snap up the Mountain Lion upgrade from the Mac App Store for a cool $19.99 -- that's actually $10 less than last year's…

Windows 8 Preview users can upgrade to final version for $39.99

Windows 8 Preview users can upgrade to final version for $39.99
  • Posted July 6, 2012, 6:00 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Microsoft, Software
  • Earlier this week, we mentioned that Microsoft would be coughing up Windows 8 upgrades for the bargain price of $39.99. That's a fine deal, but it looks like Windows 8 Release Preview testers will get the same offer. That's right…

Mountain Lion update reveals automatic Mac App Store downloads

Mountain Lion update reveals automatic Mac App Store downloads
  • Posted May 22, 2012, 5:30 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Apple, Software
  • Mac OS X 10.8, otherwise known as Mountain Lion, isn't ready for prime time just yey. However, as often is the case, developers have been enjoying preview builds for some time now. As it turns out though, the latest update…

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