With Windows 8 just days away now, a bunch of apps have been confirmed - and subsequently begun - releasing for Microsoft's latest operating system. Earlier, we notified you of Skype for Windows 8's key new features, and to add to that, popular streaming content app Hulu Plus has now specially-adapted for the upcoming OS. More details after the jump!
Microsoft caused quite a stir last year when it announced the purchase of Skype for an eye-watering sum total of $8.5 billion. Some touted the sale price as grossly overvaluing of the company - one owned by eBay of course - but when one considers AOL paid 800 million bucks for Bebo, anything looks like a steal in comparison.
It may not be the most feature-packed update that has ever been released, but Mozilla has kept in line with their relatively recent tradition of pushing out prompt updates to their software by making the final build of Firefox 16 web browser available for download. Once upon a time, we found ourselves having to wait an extremely long time before any new browser update was pushed out, especially major revisions like this, but the new rapid revision approach is definitely beneficial to those who user the software.
Mozilla has released a preview copy of their Firefox Metro browser for Microsoft's new desktop operating system. The future of Firefox has been announced via the official Mozilla blog, with the release of the browser that is intended for users and the Mozilla community to put through its paces to see if it lives up to expectations. The preview release of Firefox has been built from the ground up to offer a classic browsing mode as well as having a Metro-based look and feel to it.
Microsoft has put a great deal of development blood and sweat into creating the Metro interface of Windows 8, and whilst many have taken something of a shining to the new look of the title, others have been less than impressed with some of the features being removed (or added) over previous releases of Windows.
With Windows 8, Microsoft aims to introduce new idea of what the desktop, laptop and tablet computer should look like. There are some pretty major changes both under the hood and up front for millions of existing Windows users around the globe.
With the release of Windows 8 and its brand spanking new Metro interface, Microsoft will all-but get rid of the Start Menu off for good. At least, that's the plan.
If you own an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch device, you'll be more than aware that storage space can often be at a premium. Apple makes up to $100 per size upgrade on the iDevice range, which means many opt for the model with the least space in order to save those precious few dollars. While many manage just fine with 8 or 16GB of real-estate for music, videos, ringtones and whatnot, it often becomes a bit of a squeeze, and quite a few end up having to delete files just to get by.
Part of the Windows Essentials Pack, Windows Photo Gallery and Windows Movie Maker are two of the most popular pieces of software for basic photo and video editing (respectively). They improved significantly over the past few years, and now Microsoft has introduced major new features to both. Check them out after the jump.
One of the things about Windows which a great deal of users have come to love is also one of the things which a lot of people have taken the opportunity to have a dig at the Redmond company for. There's no doubt that Windows has been the most popular desktop operating system over the years, with millions of people across the world loving the fact that Microsoft has introduced new versions of the OS while rigidly sticking to a tried, tested and familiar visual user-experience. By that I mean it doesn't matter if you pick up Windows 98, XP, Millennium, Vista or 7, you automatically know from experience where things are and can get up and running right away.
