Microsoft Reimagines Windows, Presents Windows 8 Developer Preview

LOS ANGELES — Sept. 13, 2011 — Today at its developer-focused BUILD conference, Microsoft Corp. showcased a detailed preview of the next major release of Windows, code-named “Windows 8.” The company also detailed new tools for developers to help write applications for more than 1 billion people around the world who use Windows every day.

“We reimagined Windows,” said Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft, in his keynote address to the thousands of developers in attendance. “From the chipset to the user experience, Windows 8 brings a new range of capabilities without compromise.”

The iPad Alternatives

Not convinced that Apple's iPad is the tablet for you?By November 2010, we were finally introduced to the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the Korean company's answer for a 7-inch tablet powered by Google Android 2.2. Right after that, the 5-inch Dell Streak, which was launched much earlier in the United States, also joined the party, preloaded with the same Android 2.2 OS. The equation is finally complete when Viewsonic launched their tablets, one of which is the Viewsonic ViewPad 7. Here's a concise list of features you can expect from each tablet.

Samsung Galaxy Tab

Powered by a Cortex A8 1GHz processor and Google Android 2.2, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is the company's first tablet device that brings a wide variety of multimedia content via its 7-inch TFT-LCD screen at 1024 x 600 resolution to the masses.
Features

• OS: Google Android 2.2
• Processor: Cortex A8 1GHz
• Display: 7-inch TFT capacitive touch screen / 600 x 1024 pixels
• Memory: 512MB RAM
• Storage: 16GB internal storage / microSD expandability with SDHC support
• Battery: 4000mAh
• Dimensions: 190.1 x 120.5 x 12mm
• Weight: 380g

 Dell Streak

The new Dell Streak is touted to have the best features of both a phone and tablet with its in-between, sweet spot 5-inch display. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz processor runs the show with the Streak's Google Android 2.2 and a bevy of Dell customized widgets.
Features

• OS: Google Android 2.2
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon QSD 8250 1GHz
• Display: 5-inch TFT capacitive touch screen / 480 x 800 pixels
• Memory: 512MB RAM
• Storage: 2GB internal storage / microSD expandability with SDHC support
• Battery: 1530mAh
• Dimensions: 152.9 x 79.1 x 10 mm
• Weight: 220g

 Viewsonic ViewPad 7

Designed to meet the work, lifestyle and entertainment needs of today's sophisticated consumers, the ViewPad 7 integrates unique and innovative functions and consolidate a multitude of individual electronic devices into one. Users can surf the Internet, take and share photos, play games, listen to music, and connect with friends via the ViewPad tablet.
Features

• OS: Google Android 2.2
• Processor: Qualcomm MSM7227 600MHz
• Display: 7-inch TFT capacitive touch screen / 480 x 800 pixels
• Memory: 512MB RAM
• Storage: microSD expandability with SDHC support
• Battery: 3240mAh
• Dimensions: 179.4 x 110 x 11.5mm
• Weight: 380g

 Or, if none of these alternatives match your taste, there's always one last tablet to look out for. It is iPad from Apple.But fair warning - that tablet should be getting an update very soon, so you might want to hold out and see how the tablet scene develops in the next few months.

-karthik,delhi

Samsung Galaxy Tab

Berlin, Germany, September 2nd, 2010 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in mobile technology, today announced the launch of the Samsung GALAXY Tab (Model: GT-P1000). Powered by Android Operating System 2.2, the Samsung GALAXY Tab is the first of the company’s tablet devices, representing a new category of mobile products for Samsung.
The Samsung GALAXY Tab brings together all of Samsung's leading innovations to provide users with more capabilities while on the move. Consumers are able to experience PC-like web-browsing and enjoy all forms of multimedia content on the perfectly sized 7-inch display, wherever they go. Moreover, users can continuously communicate via e-mail, voice and video call, SMS/MMS or social network with the optimized user interface.
As a new category of device, the Samsung GALAXY Tab brings a wealth of mobile experiences. Its striking 7” TFT-LCD display delivers exciting mobile experience for watching films, viewing pictures, e-reading or sharing documents. In design, its light (380g) build provides perfect portability, with its svelte dimensions making it easy to grip and use. Supporting the latest Adobe Flash Player 10.1, the Samsung GALAXY Tab fully supports swift, seamless viewing of every single page of the web.
The 'Readers Hub', Samsung's unique e-reading application, provides easy access to a vast digital library - from classical literature to the latest bestsellers and reference materials. At the same time, Samsung unveils 'Media Hub', a gateway to a world of films and videos, and 'Music Hub', an application giving access to a wide range of music tunes.
With 3G HSPA connectivity, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth® 3.0, the Samsung GALAXY Tab enhances users’ mobile communication on a whole new level. Video conferencing and push email on the large 7-inch display make communication more smooth and efficient. For voice telephony, the Samsung GALAXY Tab turns out to be a perfect speakerphone on the desk, or a mobile phone on the move via Bluetooth® headset.
Powered by a Cortex A8 1.0GHz application processor, the Samsung GALAXY Tab is designed to deliver high performance whenever and wherever you are. At the same time, HD video contents are supported by a wide range of multimedia formats (DivX, XviD, MPEG4, H.263, H.264 and more), which maximizes the joy of entertainment.
While the front-facing camera allows face-to-face video telephony over 3G, the rear-facing camera captures still images and video that you can edit, upload and share, all without any hassle. As online content explodes, the Samsung GALAXY Tab is the best portable solution for every lifestyle that needs a constant connection.

Microsoft Unveils Windows Phone 7 Series

It's time to shed our old ways and remember this: we are now looking at not Windows Mobile 7, but what shall be known as Windows Phone 7 Series.

Unlike its earlier iterations, Windows Phone 7 Series will be holding a tighter reign, looking to unify the user experience across a variety of devices. Every 7 Series device will be upgradeable with improvements and features delivered with subsequent 7 Series releases.
To give you a better idea of what to expect, here's a list of features found on Windows Phone 7 Series.

• Dedicated hardware button for Bing search
• Integration to Xbox LIVE games
• Dynamic live tiles showing real-time content updates
• User interface similar to Zune
• Specific pages within Windows Phone known as hub - Peope, Pictures, Games, Music + Video, Marketplace, Office.

-  karthik, delhi

Google Chrome Tablet - Are you Ready ???

      

And the one tablet that has raked up considerable interest among consumers as well as competitors is the Google’s Chrome powered tablet device that, if rumors are to be believed, will get to see the light of day on the 26th of November. The rumors also point out the tablet will be built by HTC with Verizon being the official partner. Verizon is the largest wireless service provider in the United States and it plans to subsidize the new tablet to ensure it gets to have a significant price advantage against the iPad. Of course this would entail being tied to a Verizon data plan for the wireless service.

Also, if the rumors surrounding the tablet turns out to be true, we might have a tablet that with a NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor at its core coupled to a 2Gb RAM. On board storage should be around 32GB SSD though the tablet is likely to have provision to expand that even further. A 1280 x 720 pixel multi-touch display will be making up the front of the tablet that is touted to have features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a built in 3G modem, GPS and an integrated Webcam. Of course the final product will have a lot more, though these should act as the initial pointer.

LED or LCD displays ????

LED-backlit LCD TVs differ from conventional CCFL-backlit LCD TVs in the following:

• They can produce an image with greater dynamic contrast compared with CCFL-backlit LCD TVs. 
• With Edge-LED lighting they can be extremely slim. Current models on the market can be approximately one inch thick. 
• They can offer a wider color gamut, especially when RGB-LED backlighting is used. 
• Lesser environmental pollution on disposal. 
• Higher cost due to current market product placement. 
• Generally have a lower power consumption in the realm of 20-30%. 

              LED-backlit LCD TVs are considered a more sustainable choice, with a longer life and better energy efficiency than plasmas and conventional LCD TVs.  Unlike CCFL backlights, LEDs also use no mercury in their manufacture. However, other elements such as gallium and arsenic are used in the manufacture of the LED emitters themselves, meaning there is some debate over whether they are a significantly better long term solution to the problem of TV disposal.
                Because LEDs are able to be switched on and off more quickly than CCFL displays and can offer a higher light output, it is theoretically possible to offer very high contrast ratios. They can produce deep blacks (LEDs off) and a high brightness (LEDs on), however care should be taken with measurements made from pure black and pure white outputs, as technologies like Edge-LED lighting do not allow these outputs to be reproduced simultaneously on-screen.

32-bit and 64-bit Windows !!!! What is this man ?

What is the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows?

The terms 32-bit and 64-bit refer to the way a computer's processor (also called a CPU), handles information. The 64-bit version of Windows handles large amounts of random access memory (RAM) more effectively than a 32-bit system.

How can I tell if my computer is running a 32-bit or a 64-bit version of Windows?

To find out if your computer is running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows in Windows 7 or Windows Vista, do the following:

1. 
   
   Open System by clicking the Start button , right-clicking Computer, and then clicking Properties.
2. 
   
   Under System, you can view the system type.

If your computer is running Windows XP, do the following:

1. 
   
   Click Start.
2. 
   
   Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
   • 
     
     If you don't see "x64 Edition" listed, then you're running the 32-bit version of Windows XP.
   • 
     
     If "x64 Edition" is listed under System, you're running the 64-bit version of Windows XP.

Which version of Windows 7 should I install: the 32-bit version or the 64-bit version?

To install a 64-bit version of Windows 7, you need a CPU that's capable of running a 64-bit version of Windows. The benefits of using a 64-bit operating system are most apparent when you have a large amount of random access memory (RAM) installed on your computer, typically 4 GB of RAM or more. In such cases, because a 64-bit operating system can handle large amounts of memory more efficiently than a 32-bit operating system, a 64-bit system can be more responsive when running several programs at the same time and switching between them frequently. For more information, see Installing and reinstalling Windows 7‍.

-karthik,delhi