Although Microsoft's latest Windows 8 operating system initially had everybody talking and was generating some serious excitement during the beta stages, the current hype surrounding the new OS seems to have calmed off a little as we approach the official release date. Public opinion on the OS seems mixed, but it will be extremely interesting to see what the adoption rates are like when it is eventually made available to the masses.
For quite some time, the race of the mobile operating systems has only included Android and iOS, as fans of both the OSes vehemently give their opinions on why their preferred choice is better than the competition. Personally speaking, I own devices that run both Android and iOS and can pick a long list of pros and cons with both. I personally prefer iOS, but that doesn't mean I don't love Android and recognize the benefits that it brings in an industry where we need diversity. Those two platforms still remain dominant, but it looks like Microsoft is ready to give a big push to Windows Phone and I'm secretly hoping that it gets the attention and success it rightly deserves.
Windows Phone 8 was announced by Microsoft some time ago, and the recent special event gave us even further insight into the features on offer with the exciting, metro-laden user-interface. In order to retain interest in and anticipation for Windows Phone 8, the Redmond company held several features back since its original announcement, and at today's keynote with Nokia, it has been revealed the upgraded ecosystem will indeed include a screenshot feature.
If you are growing tired of deciding whether or not to wait for the next-generation iPhone or grab one of the latest and greatest Android powered devices, then it might be the right time to extend your mindset and cast your net a little further afield. Microsoft has been attempting for quite some time to nurture and grow interest in their Windows Phone platform, and partnering with Nokia during the Mango stages indicated their intention to eventually make a mass assault on the smartphone market.
Server administrators rejoice; Microsoft has just, as promised, launched the new Windows Server 2012. The Redmond company initially confirmed at TechEd in New Zealand that the RTM build of the said OS would be released to developers on 4th, and the software maker certainly hasn't disappointed, as the new Windows Server 2012 RTM bits are available as of today for both MSDN and TechNet subscribers.
Microsoft may be set to shake up the Windows Phone market by entering its own horse into a race that has thus far stalled, with a Surface Phone potentially on the horizon. Should rumors and a supposed benchmark result is to be believed, that is.
If you've been sitting back looking at Windows XP or the Windows Vista boot screen on your PC when it is loading and trying to convince yourself that upgrading to Windows 8 would be the most reasonable thing to do, then the fact that Microsoft's new operating system comes bundled with a little bit of the Xbox experience may just do the trick and convince you. Microsoft have some pretty fantastic products and services, with Windows, the Xbox gaming console and their Windows Phone platform, they have a pretty solid product line up.
Although the tech world is salivating in anticipation of what Nokia may or may not be cooking up for Windows Phone 8 in terms of new Lumia devices, Samsung has already snuck in with one of the first by announcing its introductory Windows Phone 8 device, the ATIV S.
The holiday shopping season is always a time of year that those involved in the gaming industry look forward to. The season of giving generally notches up a rather large spike in the sales of gaming consoles, new titles and accessories as family and friends look for that gift to give the person who already has everything. It's always the same for people who I am close to, if they can't think of a gift to get me then they generally fall back onto a new PlayStation 3 game or the latest Xbox 360 release.
Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system is not too far from releasing, and whilst we all mull over the Metro user-interface and quicker boot-up times, there are some very unsettling findings with regards to the privacy of its users.
