So, before I begin, let me preface this post with a little backstory: During CES, Microsoft hosted a competition called 'Smoked by Windows Phone'. Basically, the premise of it was that you would be issued a task on your smartphone, and evangelist Ben Rudolph of Microsoft would then wield a Windows Phone and try to perform that task quicker. If you lose, you would have to admit that you were 'Smoked by Windows Phone'. And, if you do beat the Windows Phone to performing the task, you'd win $1,000.
Through his incredible vision and drive, Steve Jobs forged together what is today the most valuable company in the world, and, along the way, he revolutionized many industries and facets of how we live. And, for his many accomplishments, his name is often synonymous with the words "entrepreneur" and "visionary". So, it should come as no surprise that he was rightfully named the #1 entrepreneur of our time in a list put together by Fortune.
The official iOS App Store from Apple changed the way consumers think about and purchase software in a similar fashion to how the launch of the iTunes music store revolutionized the online music industry. The App Store was born in 2008 and has grown at a rapid rate over the last few years as millions of users tap into it on a daily basis to download and install apps spanning across multiple genres. Only recently Apple announced that the App Store had served up over 25 billion downloads since its inception, bringing proof if anyone needed it of the phenomenal success of the store.
We’ve been covering all sorts of serious apps lately. Apps that create engaging new experiences (e.g. Paper Camera), solve a problem (e.g. Screen Filter) etc. Today, we wanted to cover something a little more light-hearted.
One of the more significant additions to Windows 8 (on the latest Consumer Preview build) - which is critical for the platform to succeed in the tablet space - is the Windows Store, essentially an app store where you can purchase applications for Windows, particularly Metro-style ones. Thus, in terms of functionality, it's pretty much like a combination of the iOS and Mac App Stores. But, in usability and design, it does have its differences.
Mobile devices like the recently launched 3rd generation iPad which has a 9.7” display whose resolution - 2048x1536 - is higher than any commercial LCD HDTV in the market today. Then, we have phones like the Galaxy Nexus which has a 720p Super AMOLED HD display that is sharper, has a wider color palette, and even wider viewing angles than the TVs/monitors that we have at home. These displays are simply amazing in every way.
iH8sn0w, the well known iOS developer and researcher who is responsible for the production of Sn0wbreeze, iFaith, iReb and f0recast has been hard at work again trying to resolve an issue that has been tainting the experience of owners of the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. The said two Apple devices are powered by the A5 processor, and as any jailbreak fan will know, it hasn't previously been possible to perform firmware downgrades on those two units. When Apple releases a new version of iOS, they promptly stop signing the older firmware, meaning that any official restores result in the user installing the latest official iOS version onto their device.
We love a good magic show here at Redmond Pie, and if anyone can somehow manage to incorporate some technology into a magic act then we're particularly interested. Magic and technology, a match made in heaven. We have been treated to just that a few times since the iPad arrived, but this might just be the best we've encountered yet.
Download managers are one of the most popular software on desktop computers. Their working consists of two-parts: to efficiently manage all downloads from the internet and to ensure that the files get downloaded at the fastest speeds possible. These managers use “download acceleration” technology to speed up downloads in which the file you’re downloading is split up into many parts and then all parts are downloaded simultaneously. This is done to circumvent connection limitations related to bandwidth given per connection.
With the Windows 8 Consumer Preview having released amid rave reviews on last month's leap year day, the rumor mill is already touting the Release Candidate to make an appearance as early as late May.
