A new app featuring quotes from the late great Steve Jobs has appeared online. However, it looks as though the Apple isn't up to the high standards set by the Apple App store.
Quoth Steve as it is aptly named, provides daily quotes from former Apple CEO Steve Jobs which can be saved, shared via social networks, or synched to different devices. That app which has been relegated to Web app only status was rejected entry into the Apple App store because "Apple doesn't accept apps related to Jobs".
Speaking to Recode in an interview
published Monday, app creator John Gill claims that he attempted to have his app
approved by Apple, only to be told by the company that it won't accept
any apps focused solely on its co-founder. Apple asked that he add
quotes from other popular figures in addition to Jobs, but Gill told
Recode that he didn't feel it was in the spirit of the app.
Apple’s suggestion went against the entire premise on which this app
was built. So Gill decided not to take their suggestions to modify the app to be in compliance with App Store rules. Instead, Quoth Steve Jobs, now exists as a web app
that only provides quotes from the Apple legend.
For those of you that are interested you can get the app and your daily fill of Quoth Steve quotes here.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Goodbye Popcorn Time We Hardly Knew You [Update]
**[Update 3/17] As promised Popcorn Time has returned, click here for more info!**
For a fleeting moment Popcorn Time stole the limelight as a free open source project that allowed users to stream many of today's most popular movies. After a whirling four short days of beta testing that saw Popcorn Time become and overnight hit the service was shuttered do to pressure and 'talks' it didn't want to engage in with Hollywood.
“Popcorn Time is shutting down today. Not because we ran out of energy, commitment, focus or allies. But because we need to move on with our lives. Our experiment has put us at the doors of endless debates about piracy and copyright, legal threats and the shady machinery that makes us feel in danger for doing what we love. And that’s not a battle we want a place in.” reads the website.
There was no question that Popcorn Time was popular. The service was downloaded in almost every single country and made a major splash with social media and headlines from many major news sources. With all that success it was inevitable that the legality of the service was going to come into question and that the service and it's operators were going to run afoul of organizations like the MPAA and its counterparts in other countries.
Will Popcorn Time Rise Again?
While the back-end of the original service might be done for now, and the link to download the installer is gone, the overnight success the service and the open source nature of the project suggest that it may not be dead forever. We are already seeing talks of other developers taking up the project.YTS (formerly YIFY-Torrents), which was used in conjunction with other services to supply the streamed movies has told TorrentFreak.com that they will be picking up where the Popcorn Time team has left off.
“The YTS team will now be picking up the Popcorn Time project and continuing on like previously. We are in a better position copyright wise as for us, because it’s build on our API, it’s as if we have built another interface to our website. We are no worse off managing the project than we would be just supplying the movies,” the dev explains.
“It’s our vision at YTS that we see through projects like these and that just because they create a little stir in the public, it doesn’t mean they are shut down. That stir is exactly what the public needs and it’s already evident that people are becoming more aware of copyright-related issues.”
The project files are now hosted on Github and are open to all former developers who will be given contributor access upon request. TorrentFreak has said the Popcorn Time installer will be made available shortly, however it is unclear if this will be a new program running a different back-end or if it will be the exact same installer and service as previously used**.
** It should be noted that the previous installers and App will not work, you will need to install the newest version of Popcorn Time!!**
Friday, March 14, 2014
Google Drops Google Drive Pricing 100GB Now Just $1.99 Per Month
Cloud storage has taken a few years to take hold. At first perceptions over security issues raised many concerns, the connections were slow and the prices high. However over the past few years things have changed considerably with sites and services like DropBox, iCloud and Google Drive gaining major popularity. Most of these services offer several free options with considerably lower price points for those needing more storage.
Earlier this week Google dropped prices to an unprecedented level. They have lowered the price of all of their major monthly storage plans. For just $1.99/mo you can get 100GB (previously $4.99). For those of you looking for much more storage just $9.99/mo will get you 1TB (previously $49.99), and if that doesn't seem to be enough for $99.99 you'll get a whopping 10TB.
Like before, storage continues to work across Drive, Gmail and Google+ Photos. And, of course, the 15GB plan remains free.
You can sign up for one of these new Google Drive plans at www.google.com/settings/storage. If you already pay for storage, Google has said you’ll automatically move to a better plan at no additional cost. You can visit the storage purchase page to make a change or review your account, and see the Help Center for more information on these simpler storage options.
These new prices certainly make Google Drive a more appealing option for those looking for cloud based storage question remains however; will these new prices be low enough to attract more users to cloud storage in the first place? Our bet is that Google Drive’s free 15GB plan is more than enough for the average user and most of us Geeks our there are already using other alternatives.
What do you think? Sound off and share your comments below.
Earlier this week Google dropped prices to an unprecedented level. They have lowered the price of all of their major monthly storage plans. For just $1.99/mo you can get 100GB (previously $4.99). For those of you looking for much more storage just $9.99/mo will get you 1TB (previously $49.99), and if that doesn't seem to be enough for $99.99 you'll get a whopping 10TB.
Like before, storage continues to work across Drive, Gmail and Google+ Photos. And, of course, the 15GB plan remains free.
You can sign up for one of these new Google Drive plans at www.google.com/settings/storage. If you already pay for storage, Google has said you’ll automatically move to a better plan at no additional cost. You can visit the storage purchase page to make a change or review your account, and see the Help Center for more information on these simpler storage options.
These new prices certainly make Google Drive a more appealing option for those looking for cloud based storage question remains however; will these new prices be low enough to attract more users to cloud storage in the first place? Our bet is that Google Drive’s free 15GB plan is more than enough for the average user and most of us Geeks our there are already using other alternatives.
What do you think? Sound off and share your comments below.
Friday, March 07, 2014
Got Milk? If You Are a Galaxy Device Owner Samsung Hopes You Soon Will!!
Samsung Milk, no its not something you'd find in your new Samsung refrigerator, it just happens to be the name of Samsung's new totally free (even ad-free for now) streaming radio service that was announced earlier today.
Samsung's Milk Music, works a lot like most other online streaming services such as Google Play Music’s All Access, Pandora, Spotify, and Rdio, which employ similar models. Milk Music lets you choose from 200 genre based stations and over 13million songs all ad-free. And here’s a critical caveat: Although Milk Music’s Google Play page says that it’s free without advertisements, this is apparently only for a limited time (notice the asterisk attached to the very first sentence in the Play store app description). We are assuming this might change once it gets a chance to catch on!
The app utilizes a “radio dial” interface that you can easily rotate with just your thumb to get to the genre you’re looking for. The dial displays up to nine genre-based stations, which you can customize to your liking. If you prefer to setup your own stations a quick tap of the menu button brings up several options including 'My Stations' allowing you to create your own personal station based on your favorite songs and albums. Here you can also customize the dial to your liking; sift through your list of favorite songs; and checkout your listening history.
Milk Music is available now exclusively for Galaxy consumers to download on Google Play on the Galaxy S 4, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note 3, and Galaxy Note II across all carrier and retail channels as well as the Galaxy S 5 in April. For more information about Milk, visit www.samsungmilk.com.
“Milk Music introduces a fresh approach to music that reflects our innovation leadership and our focus on creating best-in-class consumer experiences,” said Gregory Lee, president and CEO of Samsung Telecommunications America and Samsung Electronics North America Headquarters. “We’re offering consumers amazing, rich music experiences built around what matters most to them and their lifestyle.”
Samsung's Milk Music, works a lot like most other online streaming services such as Google Play Music’s All Access, Pandora, Spotify, and Rdio, which employ similar models. Milk Music lets you choose from 200 genre based stations and over 13million songs all ad-free. And here’s a critical caveat: Although Milk Music’s Google Play page says that it’s free without advertisements, this is apparently only for a limited time (notice the asterisk attached to the very first sentence in the Play store app description). We are assuming this might change once it gets a chance to catch on!
The app utilizes a “radio dial” interface that you can easily rotate with just your thumb to get to the genre you’re looking for. The dial displays up to nine genre-based stations, which you can customize to your liking. If you prefer to setup your own stations a quick tap of the menu button brings up several options including 'My Stations' allowing you to create your own personal station based on your favorite songs and albums. Here you can also customize the dial to your liking; sift through your list of favorite songs; and checkout your listening history.
Milk Music is available now exclusively for Galaxy consumers to download on Google Play on the Galaxy S 4, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note 3, and Galaxy Note II across all carrier and retail channels as well as the Galaxy S 5 in April. For more information about Milk, visit www.samsungmilk.com.
Geeks Will Soon Have Fewer B&M Options As RadioShack & Staples Announce Closures
Weak sales and fierce competition continue to take a toll on brick and mortar locations, leaving tech geeks fewer and fewer in-store buying options. Earlier this week two more retailers announced they'll be shuttering several location across the U.S., leaving us with even fewer options.
Long time geek favorite RadioShack, has announced it is closing 1,100 stores across the U.S. These 1,100 stores represent about a fifth of its total, with about 4,000 stores remaining once the closings are complete. Following suite Staples announced that it would close hundreds of members of its own chain. According to CNN, Staples plans to close 225 stores in North America by mid-2015, which equates to about 12 percent of its North American stores total.
Both companies reported that lower than expected sales and earnings during their last quarter, a period that included the holiday shopping season, and increased competition from online retailers like Amazon, and Newegg, as well as fiercer competition from other brick-and-mortars, such as Office Depot are the two major contributing factors to the closures.
Long time geek favorite RadioShack, has announced it is closing 1,100 stores across the U.S. These 1,100 stores represent about a fifth of its total, with about 4,000 stores remaining once the closings are complete. Following suite Staples announced that it would close hundreds of members of its own chain. According to CNN, Staples plans to close 225 stores in North America by mid-2015, which equates to about 12 percent of its North American stores total.
Both companies reported that lower than expected sales and earnings during their last quarter, a period that included the holiday shopping season, and increased competition from online retailers like Amazon, and Newegg, as well as fiercer competition from other brick-and-mortars, such as Office Depot are the two major contributing factors to the closures.
Tuesday, March 04, 2014
Samsung Shows Off The Galaxy S5, Gear 2, and Gear Fit In Official Introduction Videos
For you smartphone Geeks out there, Samsung has posted a little bit of Geek Pr0n today with two new videos featuring the company's recently announced flagship device and its two new wearables. The first video seen below shows off some of the newest features packed into the all new Galaxy S5, including a look at the device specs, new camera features which include auto focus and selective focus, as well as some of the other new features like the download booster and ultra battery saving mode.
In the second video we get an overview of the Gear 2 and Gear Fit. The video includes a look at the newly update design with an interchangeable strap, the addition of the hear rate monitor and a look at the new UI on the Gear 2. We also get our first detailed look at the all new Gear Fit, including the screen and some of the available applications.
In the second video we get an overview of the Gear 2 and Gear Fit. The video includes a look at the newly update design with an interchangeable strap, the addition of the hear rate monitor and a look at the new UI on the Gear 2. We also get our first detailed look at the all new Gear Fit, including the screen and some of the available applications.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Cellphone Unlocking May Soon Be Legal Again
Did you know that as of Jan 26, 2013, it was "illegal" to unlock your phone? Today however, the tides have changed and the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act by a vote of 295-114. The new bill would make it entirely legal for any consumer to 'unlock' any device (no longer on subsidies we suppose) and take said device to any carrier of their choosing.
For those unfamiliar, service providers like AT&T and Verizon typically lock their devices so they can only be used with their service. If unlocked, phones can be taken over to other carriers. This is hugely important for promoting healthy competition and empowering consumer choice, not to mention being very useful for travel.
A provision of the DMCA and federal copyright laws has always made it illegal to circumvent phone locking software and unlock phones to use on a different carrier without the original carriers permission. Until last year that provision was granted exemption by the Librarian of Congress who is allowed to grant exceptions, and did until his October 2012 decision to allow the DMCA to regulate cell phone locking.
Fast forward to Jan 26th, when the exceptions expired, and the software used to lock phones quickly lost its exemption and once again became covered under the same digital copyright laws as most other software. Meaning users could no longer bypass those locks or software, or create any software that could be used at unauthorized attempts at unlocking phones.
Under current law, those unlocking their phones without permission could face legal ramifications, including jail. The notion of undoing that law has had wide support from both Republicans and Democrats as well as many consumer groups since the bill's introduction in the House in 2013.
If passed within the Senate, and signed into law, the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act would repeal the Library of Congress (LOC) rulemaking determination and reestablish the previous exemption to those provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) prohibiting such circumvention and permitting the use of computer programs, in the form of firmware or software, to unlock phones.
This would be great news for consumers looking for choice in their wireless plans. Major carriers, including Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc, Sprint Corp, T-Mobile US and U.S. Cellular, in December made a voluntary pledge to make it easier for consumers to unlock their cellphones. However, there have still been several hurdles to for consumer to clear and the process has been anything but painless.
For those unfamiliar, service providers like AT&T and Verizon typically lock their devices so they can only be used with their service. If unlocked, phones can be taken over to other carriers. This is hugely important for promoting healthy competition and empowering consumer choice, not to mention being very useful for travel.
A provision of the DMCA and federal copyright laws has always made it illegal to circumvent phone locking software and unlock phones to use on a different carrier without the original carriers permission. Until last year that provision was granted exemption by the Librarian of Congress who is allowed to grant exceptions, and did until his October 2012 decision to allow the DMCA to regulate cell phone locking.
Fast forward to Jan 26th, when the exceptions expired, and the software used to lock phones quickly lost its exemption and once again became covered under the same digital copyright laws as most other software. Meaning users could no longer bypass those locks or software, or create any software that could be used at unauthorized attempts at unlocking phones.
Under current law, those unlocking their phones without permission could face legal ramifications, including jail. The notion of undoing that law has had wide support from both Republicans and Democrats as well as many consumer groups since the bill's introduction in the House in 2013.
If passed within the Senate, and signed into law, the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act would repeal the Library of Congress (LOC) rulemaking determination and reestablish the previous exemption to those provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) prohibiting such circumvention and permitting the use of computer programs, in the form of firmware or software, to unlock phones.
This would be great news for consumers looking for choice in their wireless plans. Major carriers, including Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc, Sprint Corp, T-Mobile US and U.S. Cellular, in December made a voluntary pledge to make it easier for consumers to unlock their cellphones. However, there have still been several hurdles to for consumer to clear and the process has been anything but painless.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Would You Buy A $25 Firefox OS Based Smartphone?
We've know for awhile now that Mozilla has been working on a Firefox OS based smartphone and now it looks like we have a bit more detail as to what those phones might look like and how much they might cost.
Mozilla, the company all geeks should know as the parent to the Firefox web browser, has teamed with mobile SoC maker Spreadtrum to come up with a prototype for a smartphone that costs just $25. The key to the prototype is an ultra-cheap processor from Spreadtrum, the SC6821 SoC. The chip’s predecessor, the SC8620, sells for about $1.40 in mass quantities. Meaning even if the new chip cost a bit more, a $25 device running Firefox OS would be well within reach.
For $25, Spreadtrum says you’ll be able to get a humble 3.5″ HVGA display, rear-facing camera, integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and FM radio support. Full specs aren’t being discussed yet, and that’s because they’ll be left up to the individual OEMs that actually build handsets using Firefox OS and the Spreadtrum SC6821 chip. Spreadtrum is providing the necessary internals, and Mozilla’s worked with them to ensure full hardware support within Firefox OS.
While Mozilla and Spreadtrum have said the initial goal is to bring their low cost entry level Firefox OS phones to emerging markets in developing countries they have not ruled out the option of offering them to US based carriers. So they question begs, would you be interested in the low cost phones or would you hold out for something with a bit more substance?
Personally I prefer higher end devices, which we are also starting to see with various new operating systems. For instance, Mozilla has also announced several new Higher Performance Firefox OS devices which include the ZTE Open C and Open II, Alcatel ONETOUCH Fire C, Fire E, Fire S and Fire 7 tablet, all using Snapdragon processors from Qualcomm Technologies Inc. We've also seen reports that we should expect an influx of Ubuntu based smartphones in 2014.
Mozilla, the company all geeks should know as the parent to the Firefox web browser, has teamed with mobile SoC maker Spreadtrum to come up with a prototype for a smartphone that costs just $25. The key to the prototype is an ultra-cheap processor from Spreadtrum, the SC6821 SoC. The chip’s predecessor, the SC8620, sells for about $1.40 in mass quantities. Meaning even if the new chip cost a bit more, a $25 device running Firefox OS would be well within reach.
For $25, Spreadtrum says you’ll be able to get a humble 3.5″ HVGA display, rear-facing camera, integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and FM radio support. Full specs aren’t being discussed yet, and that’s because they’ll be left up to the individual OEMs that actually build handsets using Firefox OS and the Spreadtrum SC6821 chip. Spreadtrum is providing the necessary internals, and Mozilla’s worked with them to ensure full hardware support within Firefox OS.
While Mozilla and Spreadtrum have said the initial goal is to bring their low cost entry level Firefox OS phones to emerging markets in developing countries they have not ruled out the option of offering them to US based carriers. So they question begs, would you be interested in the low cost phones or would you hold out for something with a bit more substance?
Personally I prefer higher end devices, which we are also starting to see with various new operating systems. For instance, Mozilla has also announced several new Higher Performance Firefox OS devices which include the ZTE Open C and Open II, Alcatel ONETOUCH Fire C, Fire E, Fire S and Fire 7 tablet, all using Snapdragon processors from Qualcomm Technologies Inc. We've also seen reports that we should expect an influx of Ubuntu based smartphones in 2014.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
InfoGraphic: The Internet of Things Explained
Every geek knows what "The Internet of Things" means right? Well if like some you aren't entirely sure then this new infographic will help make sense of the often confusing term.
For those not into infographics here is our brief explanation: The term “the internet of things” is an all encompassing reference to the plethora of devices which can communicate and share data with each other. Devices like smart watches, health monitors, and even household items like internet connected refrigerators, blenders, smoke detectors and security systems. All with sensors and intelligence built into those physical objects. These devices will talk to and monitor each other, regardless of distance or power consumption.
According to Gartner there will be nearly 26 billion devices on the Internet of Things by 2020. According to ABI Research more than 30 billion devices will be wirelessly connected to the Internet of Things (Internet of Everything) by 2020. Cisco created a dynamic "connections counter" to track the estimated number of connected things from July 2013 until July 2020 (methodology included).
Check out the infographic below for a visual explanation of the internet of things, and how it works.
For those not into infographics here is our brief explanation: The term “the internet of things” is an all encompassing reference to the plethora of devices which can communicate and share data with each other. Devices like smart watches, health monitors, and even household items like internet connected refrigerators, blenders, smoke detectors and security systems. All with sensors and intelligence built into those physical objects. These devices will talk to and monitor each other, regardless of distance or power consumption.
According to Gartner there will be nearly 26 billion devices on the Internet of Things by 2020. According to ABI Research more than 30 billion devices will be wirelessly connected to the Internet of Things (Internet of Everything) by 2020. Cisco created a dynamic "connections counter" to track the estimated number of connected things from July 2013 until July 2020 (methodology included).
Check out the infographic below for a visual explanation of the internet of things, and how it works.
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Tuesday, February 18, 2014
As Galaxy S5 Launch Date Nears Samsung Talks KitKat 4.4
If rumors are true, and we highly expect them to be, then Samsung's newest flagship device the Galaxy S5 will launch next week at the Samsung 2014 Unpacked Event. Ahead of that launch date we've seen plenty of rumors surrounding the newest addition to the Galaxy family. Many of which revolve around the devices hardware. One major rumor though involves the potential of a new TouchWiz UI and perhaps even a major change in operating systems.
It was long suggested that the Galaxy S5 would be running Android KitKat 4.4. However, at least a few sites have suggested that might not be the case. The rumor mill has suggested we might see a GS5 running Samsung's Tizen OS. While we'll have to wait to see if those rumors hold true we do now know that Samsung will be updating all most all of their current devices to Android KitKat 4.4.
Samsung verified that most of its Galaxy devices will soon be upgraded to the newest offering by Google. According to the posting, beginning today several U.S. gadgets will start seeing the roll out. Some carrier such as Sprint have already started rolling out the update to GS4 owners. With US Cellular rumored to be releasing theirs tomorrow.
Scheduled to receive the update include select carrier variants of the Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note II, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy S4 Zoom, Galaxy S III, Galaxy S III Mini, Galaxy Mega, Galaxy Light, Galaxy Note 8.0, Galaxy Tab 2, Galaxy Note 10.1, and Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition.
The upgrade provides a number of innovative, easy-to-use features that enhance the user experience, including a more intuitive user interface, enhanced messaging capabilities and updated applications:
As with all of Samsung's updates availability will vary by carrier and product. Which means even though the updates are said to be beginning today some devices and some carrier might not see them for awhile as Samsung has said the roll will be ongoing and continuing throughout the coming months.
It was long suggested that the Galaxy S5 would be running Android KitKat 4.4. However, at least a few sites have suggested that might not be the case. The rumor mill has suggested we might see a GS5 running Samsung's Tizen OS. While we'll have to wait to see if those rumors hold true we do now know that Samsung will be updating all most all of their current devices to Android KitKat 4.4.
Samsung verified that most of its Galaxy devices will soon be upgraded to the newest offering by Google. According to the posting, beginning today several U.S. gadgets will start seeing the roll out. Some carrier such as Sprint have already started rolling out the update to GS4 owners. With US Cellular rumored to be releasing theirs tomorrow.
Scheduled to receive the update include select carrier variants of the Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note II, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy S4 Zoom, Galaxy S III, Galaxy S III Mini, Galaxy Mega, Galaxy Light, Galaxy Note 8.0, Galaxy Tab 2, Galaxy Note 10.1, and Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition.
The upgrade provides a number of innovative, easy-to-use features that enhance the user experience, including a more intuitive user interface, enhanced messaging capabilities and updated applications:
- Location Menu: An integrated location menu enables users to easily activate GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile networks, while simultaneously checking the battery usage of apps running location service capabilities.
- Enhanced Messaging: Enables users to choose between Messages or Hangouts as their preferred default messaging application, and select from a larger assortment of updated Emoji icons.
- Upgraded Google Mobile Service (GMS) apps: Users can automatically back up photos and video and can open, view, rename and share Google Docs and files.
As with all of Samsung's updates availability will vary by carrier and product. Which means even though the updates are said to be beginning today some devices and some carrier might not see them for awhile as Samsung has said the roll will be ongoing and continuing throughout the coming months.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Microsoft Asks OEMs To End Windows 7 PC Sales Oct 31st
Microsoft has set a deadline for OEM PC manufacture's such as Dell, HP and others to stop the sale of Windows 7 equipped home PCs as of Oct. 31st. End of sales refers to the date when a particular version of Windows is no longer shipped to retailers or Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
On the Windows Lifecycle site where it posts such policies, Microsoft now notes that Oct. 31, 2014, is the end-of-sales date for new PCs equipped with Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium or Ultimate.The setting of such deadlines is nothing new to Microsoft, and users wanting to get their hands on per-manufactured machines will still have the option of business machines equipped with Windows 7 Professional.
Microsoft's practice, first defined in 2010, is to stop selling an older operating system in retail one year after the launch of its successor, and halt delivery of the previous Windows edition to OEMs two years after a new version launches. The move is an intentional one, with Microsoft hoping to spur sales of its newest operating systems as well as keeping consumers updated to the latest versions.
Often citing high consumer demand, some OEMs, notably Hewlett-Packard, have made headlines for marketing PCs with previous version of Windows Pre-loaded. Most notable in the case of Windows Vista and Windows XP. Poor feedback and low consumer demand for Vista prompted many OEM's to release PCs with downgrade options to XP.
Microsoft's Windows 8 originally showed impressive numbers, hitting 100 million licenses sold as of last May. However, since then sales have slumped and the new OS continues to lag behind its predecessor.
Tami Reller, Microsoft's executive vice president of marketing, announced that Microsoft has sold 200 million Windows 8 licenses in about 15 months. That's way ahead of Windows Vista, which only hit 180 million licenses after 18 months, but well behind Windows 7, which only took a year to reach 240 million licenses sold.
With Windows 7 still holding a dominate market share one would have to question why Microsoft would be pushing so strongly to stop the sales of the popular OS. Perhaps they are looking to avoid the fiasco of Windows Vista and Windows XP?
On the Windows Lifecycle site where it posts such policies, Microsoft now notes that Oct. 31, 2014, is the end-of-sales date for new PCs equipped with Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium or Ultimate.The setting of such deadlines is nothing new to Microsoft, and users wanting to get their hands on per-manufactured machines will still have the option of business machines equipped with Windows 7 Professional.
Microsoft's practice, first defined in 2010, is to stop selling an older operating system in retail one year after the launch of its successor, and halt delivery of the previous Windows edition to OEMs two years after a new version launches. The move is an intentional one, with Microsoft hoping to spur sales of its newest operating systems as well as keeping consumers updated to the latest versions.
Often citing high consumer demand, some OEMs, notably Hewlett-Packard, have made headlines for marketing PCs with previous version of Windows Pre-loaded. Most notable in the case of Windows Vista and Windows XP. Poor feedback and low consumer demand for Vista prompted many OEM's to release PCs with downgrade options to XP.
Microsoft's Windows 8 originally showed impressive numbers, hitting 100 million licenses sold as of last May. However, since then sales have slumped and the new OS continues to lag behind its predecessor.
Tami Reller, Microsoft's executive vice president of marketing, announced that Microsoft has sold 200 million Windows 8 licenses in about 15 months. That's way ahead of Windows Vista, which only hit 180 million licenses after 18 months, but well behind Windows 7, which only took a year to reach 240 million licenses sold.
With Windows 7 still holding a dominate market share one would have to question why Microsoft would be pushing so strongly to stop the sales of the popular OS. Perhaps they are looking to avoid the fiasco of Windows Vista and Windows XP?
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Adobe Offers 45 Min Video For Photoshop Beginners
For those that are new to Photoshop the experience can quickly become overwhelming. Even with its much more friendly design and more intuitive tools Photoshop is still an immensely powerful program with a fairly steep learning curve. The sheer volume of features alone makes picking up even the basics in the application a daunting task for many users.
While most user might choose to jump right in, others will opt for searching the web for Photoshop tutorials or how to guides. However, even these can be confusing, enter Adobe's Terry White. Terry has put together an excellent 45 minute video showing you how to accomplish "10 Things Beginners Want to Know How To Do".
The video runs through a gamut of useful tools, like spot correction, layers and adjustment layers, cropping, fixing exposure and white balance, content aware fill, and more. So if that sounds like something you'd like to learn, carve yourself out a block of time, and get yourself an education.
Now for those of you who are advanced Photoshop geeks, obviously, this video isn't aimed at you, and even an intermediate user might find some of the content a bit redundant. But someone just starting out will probably find the videos Terry has created are invaluable—and the rest of us might just pick up a new method or two along the way, too.
If you like this video Terry has several more Adobe Creative Cloud Videos available on Adobe Creative Cloud TV or for more videos from other Adobe Evangelists and Experts checkout Adobe TV.
While most user might choose to jump right in, others will opt for searching the web for Photoshop tutorials or how to guides. However, even these can be confusing, enter Adobe's Terry White. Terry has put together an excellent 45 minute video showing you how to accomplish "10 Things Beginners Want to Know How To Do".
The video runs through a gamut of useful tools, like spot correction, layers and adjustment layers, cropping, fixing exposure and white balance, content aware fill, and more. So if that sounds like something you'd like to learn, carve yourself out a block of time, and get yourself an education.
Now for those of you who are advanced Photoshop geeks, obviously, this video isn't aimed at you, and even an intermediate user might find some of the content a bit redundant. But someone just starting out will probably find the videos Terry has created are invaluable—and the rest of us might just pick up a new method or two along the way, too.
If you like this video Terry has several more Adobe Creative Cloud Videos available on Adobe Creative Cloud TV or for more videos from other Adobe Evangelists and Experts checkout Adobe TV.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Apple Sheds Light On Law Enforcement Data Collections
Government inquiry reports are nothing new, after all Google, Verizon, AT&T and others have published 'transparency reports' for awhile now. Today however, marks one of the few times ever that we have seen Apple disclose their NSA and law enforcement data numbers.
The report, which can be viewed here as a PDF file, comes on the heels of several tech companies reaching a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice over disclosing national security information requests. A deal which will enable more tech firms to report more detail about security requests.
According to the report Apple responded to fewer than 250 national security requests and roughly 927 law enforcement request nationally from the period between January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2013 disclosing data for 747 accounts, Apple objected to 102 requests and disclosed no data in 254 requests, for a total disclosure rate of 81 percent.
Apple said the numbers reported are "the actual number of requests for information related to law enforcement investigations and all of the national security orders received under FISA and NSLs guidelines."
This data represents every U.S. national security order for data about Apple's customers regardless of geography. The report also reiterates previous statements the company has made that unlike some other tech companies during the time from they did not receive any orders for bulk data.
Apple believes the number of accounts affected in comparison to the sheer volume of accounts the registered with the company is "infinitesimal". Yes I'd say so! So much so that I'd be skeptical of how accurate these numbers are and call into question the results. In comparison to the numbers we generally see these seem minute.
One reason may be is that perhaps the government agencies are circumventing the need for a direct order and obtaining the data needed in other ways. According to a new report from The New York Times and corroborated by other news agencies, the NSA can obtain data from iOS and Android apps as it travels over the Internet, in real time.
The report, which can be viewed here as a PDF file, comes on the heels of several tech companies reaching a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice over disclosing national security information requests. A deal which will enable more tech firms to report more detail about security requests.
According to the report Apple responded to fewer than 250 national security requests and roughly 927 law enforcement request nationally from the period between January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2013 disclosing data for 747 accounts, Apple objected to 102 requests and disclosed no data in 254 requests, for a total disclosure rate of 81 percent.
Apple said the numbers reported are "the actual number of requests for information related to law enforcement investigations and all of the national security orders received under FISA and NSLs guidelines."
This data represents every U.S. national security order for data about Apple's customers regardless of geography. The report also reiterates previous statements the company has made that unlike some other tech companies during the time from they did not receive any orders for bulk data.
Apple believes the number of accounts affected in comparison to the sheer volume of accounts the registered with the company is "infinitesimal". Yes I'd say so! So much so that I'd be skeptical of how accurate these numbers are and call into question the results. In comparison to the numbers we generally see these seem minute.
One reason may be is that perhaps the government agencies are circumventing the need for a direct order and obtaining the data needed in other ways. According to a new report from The New York Times and corroborated by other news agencies, the NSA can obtain data from iOS and Android apps as it travels over the Internet, in real time.
FBI Warns Retailers of The Likelihood of More Credit Card Attacks
Following reports of targeted attacks on retailers and the theft of personal information from customers, the FBI has released a statement warning retailers of the potential for future attacks, as well as the increased trend in malware affecting POS (Point of Sale) machines such as cash registers and credit card swiping devices.
According to Reuters, which initially obtained the report, there have been about 20 hacking cases in the past year that involved the same kind of malicious software similar to that used against Target stores over the past holiday shopping season. This high number of reported attacks not only has the FBI on alert and leads them to believe that "POS malware crime will continue to grow over the near term, despite law enforcement and security firms' actions to mitigate it".
In their 3 page report they also made note of the availability of malware on "underground forums" as well as the large potential for profits to be made from POS attacks, as warnings to the retailers in an attempt to get them to tighten up security. The report was dated January 17 and entitled "Recent Cyber Intrusion Events Directed Toward Retail Firms." A spokeswoman for the FBI confirmed the agency had issued the report as part of efforts to share information about threats with the private sector.
The vice president of the National Retail Federation, the world's largest retail trade association, stated that "Retailers have been and remain vigilant in their efforts to provide the highest level of security for their data systems in order to protect against malicious and criminal acts. As the criminal investigation continues and more information becomes available, you can be sure that the retail industry will be responsive and engaged to ensure this particular cyber-attack does not happen again."
Only time will tell, however, exactly how proactive these retailers will be in protecting their customers' personal information. One thing is clear: retailers need to move quickly to get better tools in their networks that can analyze traffic patterns on the fly and identify any unusual activity, said another expert in retail security, who has audited POS systems to find vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.
According to Reuters, which initially obtained the report, there have been about 20 hacking cases in the past year that involved the same kind of malicious software similar to that used against Target stores over the past holiday shopping season. This high number of reported attacks not only has the FBI on alert and leads them to believe that "POS malware crime will continue to grow over the near term, despite law enforcement and security firms' actions to mitigate it".
In their 3 page report they also made note of the availability of malware on "underground forums" as well as the large potential for profits to be made from POS attacks, as warnings to the retailers in an attempt to get them to tighten up security. The report was dated January 17 and entitled "Recent Cyber Intrusion Events Directed Toward Retail Firms." A spokeswoman for the FBI confirmed the agency had issued the report as part of efforts to share information about threats with the private sector.
The vice president of the National Retail Federation, the world's largest retail trade association, stated that "Retailers have been and remain vigilant in their efforts to provide the highest level of security for their data systems in order to protect against malicious and criminal acts. As the criminal investigation continues and more information becomes available, you can be sure that the retail industry will be responsive and engaged to ensure this particular cyber-attack does not happen again."
Only time will tell, however, exactly how proactive these retailers will be in protecting their customers' personal information. One thing is clear: retailers need to move quickly to get better tools in their networks that can analyze traffic patterns on the fly and identify any unusual activity, said another expert in retail security, who has audited POS systems to find vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Your Banking App May Be Putting Your Money At Risk
With several recent high profile data breaches making big headlines more and more consumers are questioning the security of not only the retailers they use but the websites they shop and apps the use on their mobile device. We often fall victim to a false sense of security believing that official apps are more secure than they really are. Security is undoubtedly very important in every app, of course, but if there is one group
of mobile apps that we tend to believe should be secure more secure than any
others we use it would probably mobile banking apps.
Earlier this month security researcher Ariel Sanchez of IOActive published a rather shocking report that indicates that 90% of mobile banking apps from top banks around the world may have serious security vulnerabilities that could potentially compromise sensitive user data. Ariel Sanchez took a close hard look at mobile banking apps for the iPhone and iPad from 40 of the 60 top banks in the world and discovered serious security flaws in almost all of them. Here is a small sampling of his discoveries:
“Home banking apps that have been adapted for mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablets, have created a significant security challenge for worldwide financial firms,” Sanchez stated in his conclusion. “As this research shows, financial industries should increase the security standards they use for their mobile home banking solutions.”
Earlier this month security researcher Ariel Sanchez of IOActive published a rather shocking report that indicates that 90% of mobile banking apps from top banks around the world may have serious security vulnerabilities that could potentially compromise sensitive user data. Ariel Sanchez took a close hard look at mobile banking apps for the iPhone and iPad from 40 of the 60 top banks in the world and discovered serious security flaws in almost all of them. Here is a small sampling of his discoveries:
- “A few apps (less than 20%) did not have Position Independent Executable (PIE) and Stack Smashing Protection enabled. This could help to mitigate the risk of memory corruption attacks.”
- “40% of the audited apps did not validate the authenticity of SSL certificates presented. This makes them susceptible to Man in The Middle (MiTM) attacks.”
- “50% of the apps are vulnerable to JavaScript injections via insecure UIWebView implementations. In some cases, the native iOS functionality was exposed, allowing actions such as sending SMS or emails from the victim’s device.”
- “90% [of the apps] contained several non-SSL links throughout the application. This allows an attacker to intercept the traffic and inject arbitrary JavaScript/HTML code in an attempt to create a fake login prompt or similar scam.”
“Home banking apps that have been adapted for mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablets, have created a significant security challenge for worldwide financial firms,” Sanchez stated in his conclusion. “As this research shows, financial industries should increase the security standards they use for their mobile home banking solutions.”
Tuesday, January 07, 2014
Intel To Dish Out $1.3 Million To Inventors Who 'Make It Wearable'
Intel is making a major leap into the 'wearable computing' market and they are looking for developers to help them make it happen. In his CES keynote address, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich issued a challenge to the smartest and most creative minds to participate in the Intel "Make It Wearable" challenge (PDF).
Intel will award $1.3 million in cash awards to winners and will connect contenders with industry luminaries to help realize their ideas. Winners will create wearable devices that will help computing evolve to become ever more personal and connected. The inventors are encouraged to consider areas of importance for the proliferation of wearable devices and ubiquitous computing, such as meaningful usages, aesthetics, battery life, security and privacy.
Guidelines for submissions are as follows:
Intel will award $1.3 million in cash awards to winners and will connect contenders with industry luminaries to help realize their ideas. Winners will create wearable devices that will help computing evolve to become ever more personal and connected. The inventors are encouraged to consider areas of importance for the proliferation of wearable devices and ubiquitous computing, such as meaningful usages, aesthetics, battery life, security and privacy.
Guidelines for submissions are as follows:
- The challenge will begin in summer 2014 and is open to individuals in selected countries to submit ideas via a website (makeit.intel.com) for new wearable products.
- Winners will be announced by January 2015
- The grand prize winner will receive US$500,000. The second and third place winners will receive $200,000 and S$100,000, respectively.
- The ten finalists will receive $50,000 to help get their ideas off the ground Each will be provided with more than 70 hours of intensive mentoring over two months
- The product must be based on Intel technology and be a sensor or computing device that is attached, embedded or worn on the body.
- Categories include fashion, wellness, social, education, environment, security and healthcare.
- Judges and mentors will be luminaries in various fields related to wearables such as technology, entrepreneurship and design.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Holiday Gift Guide: Fellowes Powershred 73Ci Review
Still looking for those end of the year gifts, or perhaps a little extra something to start the New Year with some safety and security. Earlier this month we introduced our readers to the new Fellowes Powershred 73Ci. Here are our thoughts and opinions after putting the cross cut shredder through its paces.
Here are some of the features:
The first thing you'll notice after grabbing and opening the box is that this shredder is a monster. Thanks to its heavy-duty motor it carries a little more weight than you'd really expect. Don't let that stop you though, it comes equipped with wheeled waste bin that allows you to easily maneuver the machine around the office and makes waste collecting a snap. Inside the box are the shredder, waste bin, machine oil for the gears, four metal swivel casters (which will need to be attached), recyclable bags, and an instruction manual with basic usage details.
The setup is pretty straight forward. Start by attaching the casters, which fit snugly onto the bottom of the bin, and snap in so there’s no need tool. Of course, you can also leave the wheels off, but as mentioned this thing is rather heavy so the casters make it easier to maneuver.
Once the casters and bin are in place, hoist the beefy top onto the bin and that is it, you are now ready to shred. Just flip the power switch on the back and plug the unit into any AC outlet. The front touch panel comes alive as blue LEDs show off the power button, forward and reverse keys. To start shredding, all you have to do is just insert some paper straight in and let go. This thing is rather powerful and can chew through stacks of paper in no time.
In our testing we tested the claims that it could shred up to twelve sheets of paper, we even tossed a few DVDs and Credit Cards at it. The motor seems to have a couple stages, when shredding a light load is seems to run slow and quiet and then a second stage kicks in when shredding heavier loads. Running a DVD through doesn't seem to slow it down at all. Though we did noticed a bit of a slow when processing several sheets of fairly dense paper, but it never jammed up.
The Powershred 73Ci is equipped with SafeSense Technology, which stops shredding when hands touch the paper opening. However, the intake area has a sloped recession and is rather deep, so it seems really unlikely that the feature would ever be put to the test, even by a child.
Keeping personal information safe these days is a must! We see reports almost daily about how prevalent ID Theft is. For anyone looking to step up their protect, either at home or at the office Powershred 73Ci is a powerful option. I personally like the fact that I can shred optical disks and Credit Cards with a breeze. I know in my own life I've all to often forgot how much personal information or pictures a DVD might contain. So adding that extra level of protection is a necessity for me these days.
The 73Ci is available at office superstores and their online counterparts for a suggested retail price of $199.99. For more information on keeping your personal identification secure this holiday season be sure to follow @FellowesInc and hashtag #IDSafetySeason
This post was created in partnership with Fellowes. All opinions are my own.
Here are some of the features:
- 100% Jam Proof System that eliminates paper jams and powers through tough jobs
- Proprietary Energy Savings System which maximizes shredder energy savings 100% of the time – both in use and out of use
- Capacitive touch screen controls
- Heavy-duty Cross-Cut blades that destroy a single sheet of paper into 397 particles, making it nearly impossible to piece back together yet tough enough to cut through credit cards, paper clips, staples, and CD/DVDs
The first thing you'll notice after grabbing and opening the box is that this shredder is a monster. Thanks to its heavy-duty motor it carries a little more weight than you'd really expect. Don't let that stop you though, it comes equipped with wheeled waste bin that allows you to easily maneuver the machine around the office and makes waste collecting a snap. Inside the box are the shredder, waste bin, machine oil for the gears, four metal swivel casters (which will need to be attached), recyclable bags, and an instruction manual with basic usage details.
The setup is pretty straight forward. Start by attaching the casters, which fit snugly onto the bottom of the bin, and snap in so there’s no need tool. Of course, you can also leave the wheels off, but as mentioned this thing is rather heavy so the casters make it easier to maneuver.
Once the casters and bin are in place, hoist the beefy top onto the bin and that is it, you are now ready to shred. Just flip the power switch on the back and plug the unit into any AC outlet. The front touch panel comes alive as blue LEDs show off the power button, forward and reverse keys. To start shredding, all you have to do is just insert some paper straight in and let go. This thing is rather powerful and can chew through stacks of paper in no time.
In our testing we tested the claims that it could shred up to twelve sheets of paper, we even tossed a few DVDs and Credit Cards at it. The motor seems to have a couple stages, when shredding a light load is seems to run slow and quiet and then a second stage kicks in when shredding heavier loads. Running a DVD through doesn't seem to slow it down at all. Though we did noticed a bit of a slow when processing several sheets of fairly dense paper, but it never jammed up.
The Powershred 73Ci is equipped with SafeSense Technology, which stops shredding when hands touch the paper opening. However, the intake area has a sloped recession and is rather deep, so it seems really unlikely that the feature would ever be put to the test, even by a child.
My final thoughts and opinion
Keeping personal information safe these days is a must! We see reports almost daily about how prevalent ID Theft is. For anyone looking to step up their protect, either at home or at the office Powershred 73Ci is a powerful option. I personally like the fact that I can shred optical disks and Credit Cards with a breeze. I know in my own life I've all to often forgot how much personal information or pictures a DVD might contain. So adding that extra level of protection is a necessity for me these days.
The 73Ci is available at office superstores and their online counterparts for a suggested retail price of $199.99. For more information on keeping your personal identification secure this holiday season be sure to follow @FellowesInc and hashtag #IDSafetySeason
This post was created in partnership with Fellowes. All opinions are my own.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Microsoft Offering 12 Months of Premium Skype Features For Free
The Skype Collaboration Project, was launched as an online destination that focuses on the intersection between technology and creative industries. The projects goal is to shine a spotlight on creative talent, including celebrated British fashion designer Victoria Beckham. With The Skype Collaboration Project, Skype wants to inspire emerging creative talent in four ways:
- Using technology to bring innovative ideas and products to life
- Channeling passion and entrepreneurial spirit into success
- Shaping inspiration into reality through the power of collaboration
- Exhibiting the incredible craft from artisans around the globe
- As part of the project, The Skype Conversation Series, will offer students, fashion fans and creatives exclusive access to the innovators, experts and fashion insiders at the heart of industry.
Google Zeitgeist 2013 Report
As the year draws to an end, Google this week has revealed its top 10 global trending searches of 2013. Sprinkled amongst the top searches are two rather surprising terms (when compared to the rest of the searches). Apple's iPhone 5S, which made it to the number 3 spot and Samsung's Galaxy S4 which made it to number 8.
Technology aside, the rest of Google's top 10 global trending searches for 2013 has both sad and bright parts. The first two places belong to people who have passed away recently: Nelson Mandela, former South African president, Nobel Peace Prize winner and social activist, and Paul Walker, the actor who gained international fame thanks to his role in the Fast and the Furious series.
The 13th annual Google Zeitgeist lists, which were released on Tuesday, are meant to provide a “sign of the times” as a barometer of global interests on the Internet’s largest search engine.
Here are some of the top results:
2. Boston Marathon Bombing
3. Nelson Mandela
4. Cory Monteith
5. iPhone 5s
6. Government Shutdown
7. James Gandolfini
8. Harlem Shake
9. Royal Baby
10. Adrian Peterson
2. Cory Monteith
3. Nelson Mandela
4. Aaron Hernandez
5. Adrian Peterson
6. Miley Cyrus
7. James Gandolfini
8. Paula Deen
9. Mindy McCready
10. Trayvon Martin
2. Government Shutdown
3. VMAs
4. Moore, Oklahoma Tornado
5. Royal Baby
6. Zimmerman Trial
7. Typhoon Haiyan
8. New Pope
9. Syria Conflict
10. Mayweather vs. Canelo
2. Game of Thrones
3. Orange Is the New Black
4. Scandal
. House of Cards
6. Downton Abbey
7. Suits
8. NCIS
9. Dexter
10. New Girl
2. Duck Dynasty
3. Big Bang Theory
4. Good Morning America
5. South Park
6. True Blood
7. Big Brother 15
8. New Girl
9. Castle
10. Attack on Titan
For more on this years list checkout the Official Google Blog.
Technology aside, the rest of Google's top 10 global trending searches for 2013 has both sad and bright parts. The first two places belong to people who have passed away recently: Nelson Mandela, former South African president, Nobel Peace Prize winner and social activist, and Paul Walker, the actor who gained international fame thanks to his role in the Fast and the Furious series.
The 13th annual Google Zeitgeist lists, which were released on Tuesday, are meant to provide a “sign of the times” as a barometer of global interests on the Internet’s largest search engine.
Here are some of the top results:
Top Trending Searches 2013
1. Paul Walker2. Boston Marathon Bombing
3. Nelson Mandela
4. Cory Monteith
5. iPhone 5s
6. Government Shutdown
7. James Gandolfini
8. Harlem Shake
9. Royal Baby
10. Adrian Peterson
Trending People 2013
1. Paul Walker2. Cory Monteith
3. Nelson Mandela
4. Aaron Hernandez
5. Adrian Peterson
6. Miley Cyrus
7. James Gandolfini
8. Paula Deen
9. Mindy McCready
10. Trayvon Martin
U.S. Trending Events 2013
1. Boston Marathon2. Government Shutdown
3. VMAs
4. Moore, Oklahoma Tornado
5. Royal Baby
6. Zimmerman Trial
7. Typhoon Haiyan
8. New Pope
9. Syria Conflict
10. Mayweather vs. Canelo
Trending TV Shows 2013
1. Breaking Bad2. Game of Thrones
3. Orange Is the New Black
4. Scandal
. House of Cards
6. Downton Abbey
7. Suits
8. NCIS
9. Dexter
10. New Girl
Most-Searched TV Shows 2013
1. Breaking Bad2. Duck Dynasty
3. Big Bang Theory
4. Good Morning America
5. South Park
6. True Blood
7. Big Brother 15
8. New Girl
9. Castle
10. Attack on Titan
For more on this years list checkout the Official Google Blog.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
SteamOS Beta Now Available For Download
Valve’s new SteamOS software is now available to download for consumers and manufacturers, but Valve has issued the warnign that this new operating system is an early beta release only suitable for those that are very experienced with Linux and are comfortable with testing true beta software. Valve has flicked the switch on the availability of SteamOS for the benefit of the 300 beta testers who are receiving their units this weekend.
Initially designed to allow users to run PC based Steam games on their television sets the new SteamOS also features a basic Linux based desktop mode that can run regular Linux applications. The hardware requirements for this 1.0 release are a 64-bit Intel/AMD CPU, 4GB or more of memory, 500GB+ hard disk space, UEFI boot support, at least one USB port for installation and Nvidia-based graphics.
The software is not meant to be instlled on a main PC, and for now is not meant to be used in a dual boot situation as the current installation procedure will erase everything currently on your machine. The installer weighs in at a hefty 960MB and you can get at it through the links in the Steam Database announcement. If you are brave enough to test it out I'd suggestion reading the ArsTechnica walkthrough on installing the OS to your system.
The Linux-based SteamOS was unveiled to the world back in September, with Valve promising an operating system for the TV and the living room. Steam Machines packaged together with the fully finished SteamOS are due to go on sale at some point during 2014. For more details checkout the Official SteamOS Site and Official SteamOS FAQ
Initially designed to allow users to run PC based Steam games on their television sets the new SteamOS also features a basic Linux based desktop mode that can run regular Linux applications. The hardware requirements for this 1.0 release are a 64-bit Intel/AMD CPU, 4GB or more of memory, 500GB+ hard disk space, UEFI boot support, at least one USB port for installation and Nvidia-based graphics.
The software is not meant to be instlled on a main PC, and for now is not meant to be used in a dual boot situation as the current installation procedure will erase everything currently on your machine. The installer weighs in at a hefty 960MB and you can get at it through the links in the Steam Database announcement. If you are brave enough to test it out I'd suggestion reading the ArsTechnica walkthrough on installing the OS to your system.
The Linux-based SteamOS was unveiled to the world back in September, with Valve promising an operating system for the TV and the living room. Steam Machines packaged together with the fully finished SteamOS are due to go on sale at some point during 2014. For more details checkout the Official SteamOS Site and Official SteamOS FAQ
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