Google Now On Tap Looks Sweet With Marshmallow
And when Android 6.0 Marshmallow arrives in force Now On Tap could prove to change smartphone interaction for some time to come. With Google Now we got a glimpse of what would become Now On Tap but it seems the difference is striking. Google Now gave the Android user a different kind of control and personalization and still allows for returning to what had been default. According to Google's Android website "Now on Tap anticipates what you need in the moment. With a simple tap, you can get cards with useful information and apps that feed your need to know". Now On Tap has far more than that and could prove to outsmart other smartphone manufacturer's options.
New Edge Browser Still Not Allowing Extensions
Microsoft's new web browser for Windows 10 is sleek and powerful with additions unlike any other browser. What is also unlike any other browser is the fact that Edge does not allow extensions or plugins. Since Edge is made the default browser in Windows 10 that leads some antivirus and other normally useful software to prompt for a change of default browser. Is Microsoft planning on an update to change this? Well it's been a few weeks since the public release of Windows 10 and there have been several updates issued but the Edge browser remains non-extensible. Symantec's Norton Antivirus is a well respected software vendor and has been used in the Windows operating systems for many years however they don't like the idea of people using a web browser which they cannot protect. Want java? Not currently happening with the Edge browser. Do you want to keep using Edge as your default? If you do, well that leaves only Microsoft to protect your web browsing but if you'd rather use Firefox or Chrome you can change it easily.
The Latest Windows 10 Build
With two weeks until the "release to public" date of July 29, 2015 Microsoft has been busy updating Windows 10. Each new build represents change and sometimes it is evident, as sometimes are bugs in the code. This new build has a name (or alpha-numeric designation) and that is TH1 Professional 10240. What's interesting about this particular name is that it's unlike the previous builds whose "names" were simply numeric. The last was 10166, before that many others such as 10162, 10130, and so on. This is the first Windows 10 build with what might be referred to as an actual name. The differences between builds were sometimes subtle and other times more obvious but what matters is that Windows 10 is a Work In Progress.
Amazon's New Encryption Protocol
Amazon aims to remain a major player in Internet circles, and this new venture into Internet security demonstrates that with certainty. Securing Internet traffic has always been a chief concern for Internet users, especially those who serve data. Whereas Internet security is clearly an ever-evolving challenge it makes clear sense to ensure that protocols used to secure information also evolve. Most people have heard of the term SSL and some maybe even know what TLS is but Amazon's new encryption protocol is known as s2n which is a very new term and a new endeavor for Amazon. So what does this all mean?
Windows 10 Will Be FREE For Most PC Users
Microsoft announced today that Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for most PC users, and it will also be free for Windows Phone 8.1 users. If you are currently running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 on your PC you will be able to upgrade later this year to Windows 10 at no cost, over the first year following release. If you are running a Windows phone using Windows phone 8.1 you will also be able to upgrade that OS to Windows 10 for free. It is important to remember that when Windows 8 was released it was offered as a "low-cost" upgrade for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 users. This free upgrade Microsoft announced today is a little different and probably for good reason, whereas Windows 8 had suffered so much criticism from the public and the industry. It was clear that Microsoft needed to make it right with its customer base and that is what they intend to do with this free upgrade to Windows 10.
This free upgrade to Windows 10 is not the only thing that was announced about Windows 10 today by Microsoft. It is quite clear that Windows 10 is intended to be almost completely cross-platform, engaging many devices and hoping to entice a new customer base beyond that which currently uses PCs, laptops, tablets, and smart phones. The different kinds of devices being used today across the world present themselves as a new market for the Windows OS and Microsoft intends to grab a market share and at the same time restore faith in their company and Windows.This could be a daunting task and I'm fairly certain that Microsoft understands that. In the next few months the current Windows 10 "insiders" who are testing the Windows 10 technical preview will get a chance to test even more functionality such as the new Cortana and perhaps something called HoloLens (can you say holograms?). The next few months will be very interesting and in fact critical to Microsoft's Windows reputation as the attempt to deliver Windows 10 commercially to the public is slated to be some time this summer.
The new Windows 10 OS is intended to be used on devices with all sizes of screens and even devices that do not use screens. Microsoft's Xbox will use Windows 10, wearables will use Windows 10, hybrids and televisions will use Windows 10. Microsoft also states that between all devices that Windows 10 can run there will be a single common development platform for developers to use. This will also be a move in the right direction for Microsoft in making it easier for those wishing to develop apps to do so and have them work on multiple devices more easily. If you would like to see all the details, the webcast for Microsoft earlier today is available for replay here.