Microsoft owns the Xbox console lineup, right? And the company also owns the most widely-used desktop computing platform, Windows, as well. It would naturally make sense for the Redmond giant to have a dedicated app for promoting its Xbox console by simple math. Hence, the company has done just that, by releasing a news and countdown app for Xbox One for Windows 8.
Windows 8 may still be considerably bereft when it comes to popular apps, but in a fortnight that has seen a working Instagram app arrive on the mobile version of Microsoft's fledgling platform, Foursquare for Windows 8 has just made its long-awaited appearance over at the Windows Store. First unveiled at Microsoft's BUILD dev conference back in June, the turnaround has been fairly swift, and now fans of the social check-in service can collect their badges, make and view recommendations, and strive for mayorship using the new app.
Data security is one of the key aspects of today’s computing systems, be it smartphones, tablets, laptops and netbooks, or even desktops. We use several kinds of software to prevent any external party from accessing our data, including anti-malware solutions like anti-viruses, anti-spyware, rootkit removal utilities, firewalls and whatnot. More security-conscious users would opt for solutions like a VPN for connecting to the internet, while still more advanced (and maybe paranoid) would go for something as sophisticated as TOR. You can never be too careful when it comes to protecting sensitive information, or even your personal identification, for that matter.
Screenstagram 2.0 is now available, enables you to set instagram based screensaver on Mac or your Windows PC. Download it from here.
Nokia Music opens the door to what is actually a pretty gratifying music listening experience, and with the app having found a good home on Windows Phone smartphones, a version has just been released for both Windows 8 and Windows RT. As part of Nokia's continued coalition with Microsoft, the Finnish company is also working hard to raise once more its own profile, and although there is plenty of competition in the streaming music game, Nokia Music fans - including this one - will be pleased to see accessibility stretched to other Windows devices and machines.
Firefox has been one browser that has improved a lot over time, and while Internet Explorer continues to receive the negative feedback from users across the globe, Mozilla’s offering has actually grown into a worthy contender against almost any internet browser, most notably Google Chrome. Mozilla’s focus towards bringing the best of the best to its users continues, and with the release of Firefox 20, they’ve brought some much needed (and appreciated) enhancements to their already popular browser. The new Firefox 20 has not only been released for desktop systems – including Windows, OS X and Linux – but also for Android, albeit with a slightly different change log. Let’s take a look at what’s new and improved just past the fold.
Windows might be the most popular operating system for desktop computers and notebooks out there, but there are certain areas where Apple’s OS X leaves the Redmond offering biting the dust. While the list is rather large (system stability, quality of applications, notification center and the device ecosystem, just to name a few), top of the list is the aesthetics of the operating system itself. Every element of the OS, be it buttons, navigation/scroll bars or any other area, is beautifully crafted and gives a pleasing environment to work with. It may be just my personal opinion and preference, but even if you look at just how OS X takes a snapshot, you’ll see what I mean.
Animated wallpapers are something many people enjoy as a backdrop to their desktop experience, and Stardock has long since facilitated this preference with its popular DeskScapes app for Windows. With Microsoft having dropped Windows 8 at the tail end of last year, it has taken a while for Stardock to come through with an update to render DeskScapes compatible with the new operating system, but recently, said update arrived in the form of DeskScapes 8.
Ever wanted to run a full screen Windows 8 app in a window? Well, now you can with complete ease. Windows 8 had long been controversial, ever singe it was first shown off last year. As soon as everyone realized that Windows was changing at the core, there has been a steady stream of detractors itching to see it fail. One of the biggest big bears for those that just don't like the new Windows 8 way of doing things is the full-screen application style that mimics that of a mobile device.
Microsoft today made Internet Explorer available to Windows 7 users, which means Microsoft's 2nd newest operating system now has browser parity with the newest, Windows 8.
