Desktop phones face extinction as smartphones take over

Desktop phones face extinction as smartphones take over

One in eight businesses is already using such services with a third planning to do so within the next two years. 

The study also showed a resounding 72% of IT managers believed all business calls would eventually become free within the next ten years.
Charlie Whelpton, Director of Unified Communications at Timico, said: “It’s interesting to see that businesses are increasingly turning towards free services to carry out business calls, although it is strongly recommended that any business of considerable size fully analyses the security risk of using such platforms”. 
Archaic landline phones are a thing of the past as smartphones can offer greater cost savings, flexibility and a far wider range of services. 
Business smartphones are already being incorporated as personal extension numbers are rerouted directly to the mobile device.
Whelpton concluded: “With Gartner revealing that smartphone sales accounted for 55% of overall mobile phone sales in the third quarter of 2013, it would be foolish for businesses not to prepare for a time when desktop phones will seem archaic.”

Windows 8.1 Update 1 leaks: Boots to the Desktop by default, allows Metro apps to be minimized

Windows 8.1 Update 1 leaks: Boots to the Desktop by default, allows Metro apps to be minimized

A build of Windows 8.1 Update 1 has leaked onto various file sharing websites. The build is a couple of weeks older than the one we covered in the story below, but most of the major changes are there (booting straight to the desktop, the menu bar on Metro apps to make them more mouse-and-keyboard friendly).
The latest build of Windows 8.1 Update 1 has leaked, revealing many of the changes that Microsoft hopes will make Metro less painful for desktop users. The biggest change appears to be that Windows 8.1 Update 1 will boot straight to the Desktop interface by default, reducing Metro to its rightful role as a full-screen Start menu. This, of course, would be a complete 180 from the original release of Windows 8, which defaulted to the Metro interface and lacked an easy way to see the Desktop after logging in.
Other notable changes in the leaked build of Windows 8.1 Update 1 are the addition of a power button to the Metro interface (no longer must you swipe in from the right-hand side!), and the option to “minimize” Metro apps, strongly hinting that Metro apps will be usable on the Desktop. (One of the screenshots shows the Windows Store icon on the taskbar, too.) Apparently, if you have a Windows tablet that’s smaller than 8.5 inches, the power button won’t be present, preventing you from accidentally turning your tablet off.

 

 

It appears Microsoft might finally be tackling Windows 8′s issues with high-resolution displays, too. Windows 8 and 8.1 are rather limited in their support for high-resolution (150+ PPI) displays, offering a slider with just three UI scaling options. Update 1 will now include three new scaling options: 200%, 250%, and Custom (up to 500%). This should mean that your Lenovo, Dell, and Samsung laptops with 3200×1800 displays will now actually be usable. This change should also help if you have a 24- or 28-inch 4K display (32-inch displays are generally okay due to their lower PPI).
But let’s get back to the main point at hand: If Windows 8.1 Update 1 really does boot to the Desktop by default, we’re talking about a huge change of direction for Microsoft. Despite massive pushback from consumers over the Metro interface, Microsoft has remained steadfast. If we’re brutally honest, we actually agree that popularizing the Metro interface is vital for Microsoft’s future, and that he Desktop’s days are numbered — but forcing mouse and keyboard users to use the Metro interface was just plain stupid. It would have required almost no effort on Microsoft’s behalf to make the Desktop UI the default for non-touchscreen devices.

IBM is looking at leaving the semiconductor manufacturing industry

IBM is looking at leaving the semiconductor manufacturing industry

IBM doesn’t plan to stop manufacturing its Power-based processors — it simply wants to sell the plants to someone who would operate them, similar to how GlobalFoundries and AMD remain connected via contract despite being independent companies. On the other hand, the less-than-amazing performance of the GF-AMD partnership is proof that this kind of maneuver doesn’t always yield the dividends either company might wish for. When AMD spun GF off in 2009, the expectation and hope was for GlobalFoundries to quickly match TSMC’s 28nm ramp-up, capture a significant portion of the high-margin wins at 28nm, and then push forward to cut Intel’s two-year process lead. None of that happened.
IBM has two major foundries — a 300mm production facility (Building 323) in East Fishkill New York and an older production complex in Burlington, Vermont. The East Fishkill facility uses 300mm wafers and is building 22nm processors while the older Burlington facility may be split between 300mm and 200mm production. Reports differ on this last point.

 

Upcoming flood of new top-level domains could change how we surf the internet

Upcoming flood of new top-level domains could change how we surf the internet

A big name start-up called Donuts Inc. is finally getting a chance to test its great theory of the internet: URLs matter, and if Donuts just happens to get rich along the way, so be it. That’s the sales pitch, as the company rolls out the first seven of potentially hundreds of new top-level domains (TLDs), insisting that the new approach will change the way we use the internet. The new TLDs (sometimes called generic TLDs or gTLDs), which became available this week through dozens of domain sales companies, are: .bike, .clothing, .guru, .holdings, .plumbing, .singles, and .ventures. That .com of yours seems a little dull now, eh?

So, why do you care? Unless you’d already been planning on starting up a clothing company, you probably don’t in the short term. However, it is true that the new regulatory approach to URLs, first exploited here by Donuts, could be revolutionary — ICANN, the body in charge of administering TLDs, decided a few years ago to allow open season on address endings. If you’ve got $185,000 lying around to buy an application, and another $25,000 per year for administration fees, then you can go register just about any string of three or more letters.

2014 Hyundai Santa Fe review: Driver-friendly tech sets it apart

2014 Hyundai Santa Fe review: Driver-friendly tech sets it apart

 The yearlong rollout of the redesigned Hyundai Santa Fe SUV is now complete, including the addition of three useful tech-based driver aids. Parking sonar, blind spot detection, and xenon headlamps are available on the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe, which now comes in a two-row version called the Santa Fe Sport and a longer three-row Santa Fe.
Hyundai is adding the kinds of tech that buyers have on their wishlists. These are features that would make the company late to the game if added a year from now but that are nice to see today. And they come in addition to the existing backup camera option, which has been made standard on some trim lines and cheaper on others. That’s important on a first-class SUV that cries out for better rear vision.
The Santa Fe is one of the best midsize SUVs, more for its mainstream features and cockpit fit-and-finish than fuel economy or smothering levels of tech. Leaders in the mainstream price class offer what Hyundai just added, plus lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, city safety and pedestrian safety emergency stopping at low speeds. The best SUVs today are the Subaru Forester, our Editors’ Choice among compact SUVs and one of the 10 best tech cars of 2013; the Volvo XC60; and the Ford Escape. Now the Santa Fe is a more serious competitor among tech-savvy buyers. In a few years, it will be rare midsize vehicle that doesn’t offer blind spot detection, lane departure warning, and parking sonar. The rear camera appears likely to be mandated the Department of Transportation.

Microsoft’s new CEO is Satya Nadella – and Bill Gates is officially coming back

Microsoft’s new CEO is Satya Nadella – and Bill Gates is officially coming back

 Microsoft’s new CEO is Satya Nadella. He will replace Steve Ballmer immediately, becoming only the third ever CEO of Microsoft. As expected, Bill Gates is also stepping down as chairman and assuming the new title of Technology Advisor, which will “substantially increase” his time at the company. Nadella is a Microsoft veteran of 20 years, where he has mostly worked on enterprise-facing products (cloud, server, tools) — but as far as the industry and consumers are concerned he’s a relative nobody.
Nadella, 46, was born in India, where he played a lot of cricket. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in India, and then a master’s degrees in computer science from the University of Wisconsin and business administration from the University of Chicago. He started off at Sun Microsystems in the 1990s, and then moved to Microsoft in 1992 to help develop Windows NT. Since then, he’s worked within a number of Microsoft departments, mostly on the server and enterprise side of things. Before becoming CEO he was head of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise group.

V2V: What are vehicle-to-vehicle communications and how do they work?

V2V: What are vehicle-to-vehicle communications and how do they work?

Vehicle-to-vehicle communications moved one step closer to reality this week with the Obama administration’s plans to push the technology forward. The February 3rd announcement outlines a set of proposed rules would be announced for comment by the time this administration departs in 2017, with hopes that sometime around 2020, cars will communicate with each other and alert drivers to roadside hazards ahead. What happened this week was a plan by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to have a plan.
Simply put, the first generation of V2V systems would warn the driver but not take control of the car. Later implementations would improve to brake or steer around obstacles and eventually merge with self-driving cars. Here’s our rundown of V2V technologies and some of the implications…

What is V2V?

Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications comprises a wireless network where automobiles send messages to each other with information about what they’re doing. This data would include speed, location, direction of travel, braking, and loss of stability. Vehicle-to-vehicle technology uses dedicated short-range communications (DSRC), a standard set forth by bodies like FCC and ISO. Sometimes it’s described as being a WiFi network because one of the possible frequencies is 5.9GHz, which is used by WiFi, but it’s more accurate to say “WiFi-like.” The range is up to 300 meters or 1000 feet or about 10 seconds at highway speeds (not 3 seconds as some reports say).
V2V would be a mesh network, meaning every node (car, smart traffic signal, etc.) could send, capture and retransmit signals. Five to 10 hops on the network would gather traffic conditions a mile ahead. That’s enough time for even the most distracted driver to take his foot off the gas.
On the first cars, V2V warnings might come to the driver as an alert, perhaps a red light that flashes in the instrument panel, or an amber then red alert for escalating problems. It might indicate the direction of the threat. All that is fluid for now since V2V is still a concept with several thousand working prototypes or retrofitted test cars. Most of the prototypes have advanced to stage where the cars brake and sometimes steer around hazards. Why? It’s more exciting for a legislator or journalist to see a car that stops or swerves, not one with a flashing lamp.
Traffic signals or other stationary devices are called V2I, or vehicle to infrastructure. Often they’re just rolled into the V2V umbrella to avoid too many TLAs (three-letter acronyms). Some automakers have their own terms for V2V such as Car-to-X, which encompasses other vehicles and the infrastructure. There’s also a push for the term “internet of cars” playing off “internet of things“ as well as the broader term “connected car” which covers telematics as well and the popular-press term “talking car.” V2V seems to be the phrase that’s winning out.

Moto G comes to India with a starting price of Rs. 12,499

Moto G comes to India with a starting price of Rs. 12,499 

 

 Motorola has finally launched the Moto G in India. The 8GB variant has been priced at Rs. 12,499, while the 16GB variant has been priced at Rs. 13,999. The phone will be available from online retailer Flipkart starting Wednesday.

Motorola has also announced cases and cover for Moto G: the Moto G Back Cover is now available at Rs. 899 on Flipkart, while the Grip Cover is priced at Rs. 1,099 and the Moto G Flip Cover comes at Rs. 1,599.


The Moto G runs Android 4.3 out-of-the-box, but Android 4.4.2 update should be available over-the-air soon. The dual-SIM variant has been launched in India, with Micro-SIM card slots. The Moto G features a 4.5-inch HD 'edge-to-edge' display with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels (translating to a pixel density of 329ppi) and boasts of a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen.

Powered by a quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor coupled with an Adreno 305 GPU, the Moto G features 1GB of RAM. On the optics front, the Moto G sports a 5-megapixel rear camera along with an LED flash and also includes a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. The rear camera supports HD (720p) video recording.

LG G Flex with 6-inch curved display launched in India at Rs. 69,999

LG G Flex with 6-inch curved display launched in India at Rs. 69,999

 

 LG has finally announced the launch of its much-awaited G Flex curved display smartphone in India, at Rs. 69,999. The South Korean major has confirmed that the LG G Flex will be hitting the Indian stores starting Thursday.

In early February, LG had listed the G Flex smartphone on the company's official India site with the same price, and no availability.

Notably, the LG G Flex with a whopping price of Rs. 69,999 has become one of most costly smartphones available in the Indian market leaving behind the Apple iPhone 5s, Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and HTC One Max.

Back in December 2013, along with the launch of the LG 55EA9800 55-inch curved OLED television in India, the Korean consumer electronics giant had announced the G Flex for the country, and given a tentative February 2014 launch date.

LG launched its first curved display smartphone in October last year with much fanfare, and it was rolled out only in South Korea initially.

The Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean-based G Flex is powered by a quad-core 2.26GHz Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) processor with an Adreno 330 GPU, and 2GB of RAM. It features a 13-megapixel rear camera, and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera. The G Flex is powered by a 3,500mAh battery, weighs 177 grams, and is 7.9mm at its thinnest, while being 8.7mm at its thickest.

Nokia X budget Android phone

Nokia X budget Android phone 

The Nokia X handset, handset was previously said to sport a 5-megapixel rear camera, however the CamSpeed benchmark hints the handset will arrive with a lower 3-megapixel shooter.

Similarly, contradicting the previous rumours of running a highly customized version of Android 4.4 Kitkat OS, the Nokia X will be running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean OS, according to Sofica's Twitter post.

Also last week, a new leak via Browsermark 2 benchmark's database purportedly revealed the alleged Nokia X phone to come with model number RM-980. Unfortunately, the listing did not reveal any details about the device, but includes an image that purportedly showed Nokia X wearing Nexus 5's wallpaper and home screen icons.

Some of the other rumoured features of the Nokia X smartphone include a dual-core Snapdragon processor clocking at 1GHz, a 4-inch TFT display with a resolution of 480x854 (FWVGA) pixels, 4GB storage with microSD card, 1500mAh battery, 512MB RAM, and dual-SIM support.

Pebble v2.0 and App Store

Pebble v2.0 and App Store

Pebble has finally released version 2.0 of its smartwatch app, firmware and development framework. The tiny company, which rose to prominence following a record-setting Kickstarter campaign, has been testing its v2.0 framework for several months. The release makes it possible for developers to create more powerful and versatile watch apps. For Pebble users, the refreshed iPhone app includes a new Pebble App Store, which gives them a simple, cohesive way to discover and install new watch apps and faces. The update applies to the original Pebble as well as to the recently launched Pebble Steel.

Nokia X budget Android phone reportedly certified in Indonesia, Malaysia

Nokia X budget Android phone reportedly certified in Indonesia, Malaysia

Nokia's anticipated Android-powered handset, the Nokia X (also known as Nokia Normandy), has continued to stay in the news, and now new reports indicate the handset has been certified in Indonesia and Malaysia.
It is being reported that a Nokia device with a model number RM-980 (previously spotted in a benchmark listing) has been spotted at Malaysia's certification body, soon after it was noted that the same device had been spotted at Indonesia's certification agency.
Recently enough, the Nokia X handset was said to fall under the Nokia's Asha device line-up. Reports state an unnamed senior executive officer from Nokia India, who reportedly also confirmed that the much-rumoured dual-SIM Windows Phone device, aka Moneypenny, would be launched in the country at the same time.

 

Microsoft Names India-born Satya Nadella as CEO

 

Software giant Microsoft today named Hyberabad-born Satya Nadella as its new Chief Executive Officer, replacing Steve Ballmer.

“As Satya Nadella becomes the third CEO of Microsoft, he brings a relentless drive for innovation and a spirit of collaboration to this new role,” Microsoft said in a statement.

Nadella, 46, is taking over at a time when the world’s largest software company is expanding its focus to devices and cloud infrastructure.

“The opportunity ahead for Microsoft is vast, but, to seize it, we must move faster, push harder and continue to transform,” Nadella said in the statement.

 

Facebook launches Internet.org Initiative To Connect The Unconnected World

Facebook announced that it has partnered with Samsung, Nokia, Ericsson, MediaTek, Opera and Qualcomm to launch a project called Internet.org, to make the worldwide web available to two-thirds of the planet still not connected to the Internet with internet access via cheaper devices, better business models and better infrastructure.