Microsoft Office for iOS and Android arriving early next year

Back in May we reported the sighting of what looked like Microsoft Office running on an iPad. Back then Microsoft denied working on such an application but turns out that wasn’t true at all.

According to The Verge, Microsoft has been working on a version of Office for iOS as well as Android and plans to release early next year. The iOS version will be released around late February or early March and the Android version will arrive in May.

The version of Office for iOS and Android will be a read-only free app that will allow users to view Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents on their mobile devices. Should they wish to edit them, they will need to purchase an Office 365 subscription. Organizations could also distribute codes for Office 365 for their employees. Unlike the full version of Office found on Windows and Windows RT devices, the iOS and Android version would only allow basic editing, for obvious reasons.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

HTC One X+ stops by the office, flexes its quad-core muscle for our camera

Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you the HTC One X+. HTC’s latest Android flagship has blessed our office with its presence and we are about to examine it in excruciating detail in our upcoming review.

Before that, however, let’s get a bit more cozy with the One X+ and get to know it a bit better. Simply put, it’s One X on steroids, as it features the same Nvidia Tegra 3 chip, but with the CPU overclocked to 1.7GHz.

The display hasn’t changed and is still the 4.7″ Super IPS LCD2 we’ve come to know and love from the One X, sitting comfortably under a protective layer of Gorilla Glass 2.

At a quick glance you will have a hard time telling the One X+ apart from its predecessor, as it has the same dimensions, only weights 5 grams more at 135 grams. There are some giveaways though, like the red capacitive touch buttons at the front and the red rim around the camera at the back.

In the software department, the One X+ is rocking Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box, while its sibling has to rely on updates to get it. HTC has also pimped the device with its latest Sense UI v4+ launcher.

It’s now time for our traditional hands-on time video of the One X+. Check it out below.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Signature looks: the HTC Windows Phone 8X pays us a visit

The HTC Windows Phone 8X has hit our office and we are rushing to bring you a short hands-on of the smarphone, complete with some live photos and a hands-on video.

It’s HTC’s flagship Windows Phone device and comes with the latest version of the Microsoft mobile platform, WP8, a Beats Audio amplifier inside, two wide-angle cameras on board, a gorgeous screen and a dual-core Krait processor.

Things are running as smooth as butter on the software side, which is in keeping with Windows Phone’s reputation since day one.

Windows Phone 8 brings an array of new features and the Windows Phone 8X takes full advantage of them all.

There’s improved SkyDrive integration, resizeable live tiles, new Xbox Live features like Music, DivX/XviD video support and others.

The design of the HTC Windows Phone 8X is very comfortable for one handed operation. The smartphone has tapered edges and looks pretty slim at first, but you quickly realize that thickness builds up towards the center of the device.

However we’re not big fans of the bezels around the screen, especially above and below it. The Windows Phone 8X is virtually the same size as a One X, despite offering a far smaller 4.3″ display (vs 4.7″).

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

The Apple iPhone 5 is finally here, we get the review under way

The latest Apple iPhone is in our office and it’s ready to try and impress us. It’s thinner, much lighter, and faster in every aspect and although similar in shape, it feels completely different than the iPhone 4S.

The Apple iPhone 5 is powered by the new A6 chipset, which makes even the snappy iPhone 4S feel rather sluggish in comparison.

The new iPhone is very sleek, with the superb aluminum finish feeling great to the touch. The device doesn’t feel much bigger than the iPhone 4S in hand, which is partly due to the lighter and thinner form factor. The display looks bigger, but the change isn’t too drastic so all iOS users should be right at home.

The iPhone 5 compared to the 4S • Retail box

The new A6 chip inside the iPhone 5 makes opening applications very snappy – everything from loading pages in the browser, to games and even built-in apps like Calendar, Clock, Notes, etc.

Here’s our unboxing and user interface video of the iPhone 5, which also features a side-by-side comparison of the two latest iOS smartphones.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

What happens when you give people an iPhone 4S and tell them it’s an iPhone 5?

After a day of iPhone 5 announcements, it might be difficult to remember that the product doesn't actually ship until September 21.

Seconds ago, my colleague Dana walked into our office and said he tried to talk to the people sharing his elevator up to our floor about the new iPhone 5. To his surprise, neither one of the two people knew what he was talking about, and hadn’t even realized Apple announced a new product.

In our tech-obsessed professions, it can be hard to remember that not everyone (especially not in our industry) keep up with the ever-changing world of consumer technology. Of course, Jimmy Kimmel had a different take on the matter. The late-night talk show host decided to take it to the streets of Hollywood and showed random people the iPhone 4S and told them they were previewing the iPhone 5. This resulted in a ton of people truly believing the phone was new and different, even though some of the previewers owned an iPhone 4/4S themselves.

 

Some of the comments include a change in weight, thinness, and processing speed. One guy was even holding his own iPhone 4 in the other hand and still commented that the weight was different, while another says he owns an iPhone 4S and likes the “new one” better.

We’re not sure what Jimmy Kimmel actually thinks of the iPhone 5, but maybe this is his way of saying what we’ve all mentioned yesterday… been there, done that, nothing remarkably new. But of course, we’ll be the judge of that when we actually get the authentic iPhone 5 in our hands to see if what this lightweight, skinny body, A6 processor really means. If you see anyone in the street telling you to preview an iPhone 5, just remember: the official Apple product ships September 21. Anything before that is a jerk trying to hoax you!

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

This summer’s box office was the lowest in 19 years

Despite blockbusters like The Avengers and The Dark Knight Returns, summer 2012 saw the lowest box office returns since 1993.

Now that we’ve officially moved into September, it seems a perfect time to look back at the summer we’ve all just survived. While the oppressive heat and worryingly numerous armed rampages will go down in history as the most notable events of the season, Hollywood suits will likely remember the summer for its horrendously low box office take.

Appropriately, The Hollywood Reporter reports:

According to preliminary estimates, 533.5 million tickets were sold this summer, down 4 percent from last year and the worst turnout since 1993. The lowest attendance before now came in summer 2010, when there were 534.4 tickets sold.

Total summer revenues also slipped. Initial estimates show the domestic box office generating $4.278 in billion in sales, down roughly 3 percent from last summer’s record $4.4 billion.

While final numbers have yet to be released (THR claims they’ll appear later this week), the above is more than enough to worry the studios, or at least make the executives at each firm reconsider how they market and promote films in our globally connected, modern world. Ice Age: Continental Drift is offered up as an example by THR, which claims that the film, which has only pulled in a relatively modest $156.1 million here in America, has been able to generate $672 million in foreign markets. While these other countries have been important to Hollywood’s bottom line for years, it seems increasingly likely that as other nations catch up to America’s ravenous pop culture appetite, that they will become the key focus for the PR teams of Hollywood’s studios. Given the amount of cash generated globally by the most recent Ice Age movie, would it be all that surprising to see Fox’s marketing machine shift its focus from American audiences to, say, those in China? Or Russia? Or any of the other nations that are more populous and equally in love with CGI cartoons as the USA?

“But wait, what about those massive blockbusters comic book movies that hit theaters this summer?” you wonder. “Didn’t The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises each pull in over a billion dollars?” Yes, they did. The Avengers managed to earn a little less than $1.5 billion globally, and The Dark Knight Rises has drawn a bit over a billion. That’s great news for Disney and Warner Bros. respectively, but only serves to illustrate how depressingly unprofitable this summer has been for Tinsel Town. If we were to remove the roughly $2.5 billion these two films collectively generated, the summer’s box office returns would be a mere $1.778 billion, a massive 60 percent decline from 2011′s summer box office revenues. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to say that these two comic book movies propped up the industry this summer, so if we had to bet we’d likely assume that we’re going to be knee deep in superhero movies for the foreseeable future.

The other major effect this will likely have on Hollywood studios concerns the Motion Picture Association of America’s ongoing quest to eradicate movie piracy. Expect the studios to point to these figures as evidence that Internet piracy is killing Hollywood. Sure, the studios will continue to offer multi-million dollar bonuses to their executives, but it’s your fault, common Internet user, that Harvey Weinstein won’t be able to afford that island in Barbados he’s had his eye on. Are you happy now? Harvey’s going to have to settle for a stupid Hawaiian island, like some kind of destitute Oracle executive. We hope you can somehow live with the guilt.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Fan designs home office to look like a mini Apple store

Perhaps only missing an employee wearing a blue shirt, an Apple fan spent three months on an Apple store transformation in his home office.

Described in a post on an Apple fan’s personal blog, the product designer David Wu redesigned his personal study by using design elements that would be found in a typical Apple retail location. The most eye-catching element within the home office is the black pillar that stretches from floor to ceiling and incorporates the glowing, white Apple logo. In addition, Wu installed a LCD panel into the pillar that displays a high definition feed from one of his Apple TVs. The LCD display usually runs through family photos in the screensaver and Wu occasionally uses the Apple TV to play music when he’s working. In order to recreate the Fetzer Maple Wood tables in an Apple store, Wu had a replica designed for the office in addition to adding working drawers. On the desk, Wu has positioned his iMac, Apple TV and printer in addition to a cute iClock.

To the right of the pillar, Wu displays the boxes from all the Apple products that he’s purchased over the years such as iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs and an AirPort Express. Above the shelving, Wu mounted a 24-inch Samsung LED television to watch 24-hour news channels. Above the television, Wu has framed a couple pictures of his family.

Along the walls, Wu mounted glass panels on all sides in order to reflect light and create the illusion of a larger room. Wu didn’t place the glass at eye level above his desk, but did line the lower portion of the wall with a red-tinted glass to provide a bit of color.  On the ceiling, Wu hung a light panel from four cables to copy the design of the Apple store.

Earlier this year, Wu attempted to launch a Kickstarter project for a new method to taking self-portraits with the iPhone and was called the eyeClick. The eyeClick was a case that wrapped around the iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S and allowed the user to take pictures with a remote control. The user could also attach a HD lens on the case to use the high definition camera on the back of the iPhone while still looking at the video feed on the iPhone screen. Unfortunately, Wu was only able to raise two thirds of the required investment before the end of the Kickstarter campaign.

[Photo credit: David Wu]

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

5 Free Computer Security Tools Your Office Must Have

Computers and the Internet have made our lives easier, particularly at the office, but constantly-changing technology means problems can happen. Spyware, viruses, malware, and hackers, many of which want to access your personal or company information, can all wreak havoc at your office. Fortunately, software that can help protect your privacy and security does exist. Read on to learn more about 5 free computer security tools your office must have.

1. Free Antivirus Software
Viruses, Trojans, worms, and other malware can cause huge problems on office computers. Plenty of free software that detects and blocks these dangers, as well as free tools that can help remove malware after your computer has already been infected, is available. For example:

• McAfee Stinger Virus Removal detects and removes specific viruses. It should be used along with a full anti-virus protection program.

• ScripTrap traps scripts when they try to run on your computer.

• Symantec Security Response offers tools to automatically search for and remove viruses.

2. Free Email Spam Blocking
Unsolicited email can drive you crazy, clog up your in box, and accidentally cause you to download files that you shouldn’t! Consider free spam blocking programs such as K9, Mailwasher Free, or Spamihilator to help block—or at least control—your spam.

3. Free Encryption Tools
Secure information sometimes winds up in the wrong hands. Encryption software and tools help encrypt your important files and private email messages. This helps ensure that only the proper recipients can view it with a key that will decrypt the information. Consider the following free encryption software:

• PGP Freefare offers versions for both Windows and Mac computers

• Kryptelite is perfect when security needs are not very high

4. Free Pop-Up Blocking
Have you ever visited a website only to be bombarded with annoying pop-up ads? Free software and utilities that can block pop-up advertising definitely come in handy at the office. Google Toolbar, Yahoo Toolbar, and Pop-Up Stopper Free by Panicware are all easy-to-use yet powerful at blocking pop-ups.

5. Free Spyware / Adware Removal
The computers in your office could be contaminated with spyware and adware that can slow down computer performance and possibly even steal your passwords. Free spyware and adware detection and removal tools can help locate, identify, and remove pesky hijackers like bugs, tracking cookies, and malicious spy programs from your office computer. A few to consider include:

• SpywareBlaster, which proactively protects computers to block spyware and adware from installing in the first place

• SpyBot-S&D, which can detect and remove multiple types of spyware from computers

Chances are high that you would never leave your purse or wallet lying on a restaurant table while you stepped away for a moment, nor would you leave the front door to your home unlocked when you went to work. Why would you ever let your computer be vulnerable to similarly dangerous problems?  Utilizing free computer security tools at your office can help protect both confidential personal and proprietary company information—and save you a lot of potential headaches.

Guest Post by David Ching who is a marketing strategist for EQA Office Furniture, a retailer of office cubicles, conference tables, workstations, desks, office chairs and more. Get a free office cubicle or other office furniture quote.

Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com

Tough and touch – the Sony Xperia acro S comes by for a visit

The Sony Xperia acro S stopped by our office and brought along its powerful 12 MP snapper and HD Mobile BRAVIA display in an attempt to impress us.

If you were thought that the Xperia acro S is just another smartphone, you thought wrong. It’s an IP57 certified device, meaning it’s dust resistant and can survive when submerged in up to a meter of water for as long as 30 minutes.

The Xperia Acro S is rather thick for a top dog at 11.9 mm, but makes up for it by bringing some extra element resistance and good handling. It also packs a 4.3″ display of 720 x 1280 resolution, which adds up to the impressive 342 ppi density. It also features the Mobile BRAVIA engine for enhanced colors and superior contrast.

Sony has blessed the Xperia Acro S with some serious image capturing prowess. Featuring 12 MP camera, capable of 1080p video recording on the back, the Sony Xperia acro S is certainly going to end up on many cameraphone lovers’ shortlists.

The Sony Xperia Acro S

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Microsoft changes its logo for only the third time in its history, old one lasted 25 years

Microsoft is pushing hard to unify all its products. Metro – um, sorry, Modern UI/Windows 8 UI – is permeating everything from the smartphone OS, desktop OS, Office, Xbox and now even the company’s logo.

The old logo is probably quite familiar to anyone who has used a computer in the last 25 years. No, that’s not an exaggeration, it’s how long the old logo had been in use.

The new logo is similar to that of Windows 8, except it retains the colors and isn’t tilted. The font used in the logo is Segoe – the same font used in Windows 8, Windows Phone, Outlook.com and other Microsoft-made UIs.

Check out this video to see the various new logos of Microsoft products:

Also, Microsoft.com has been redesigned to use the Metro aesthetic (yes, that’s what I’m calling it) and three of Microsoft’s retail store have been updated too (Boston, Seattle’s University Village and Bellevue, Wash.).

How long do you think this new logo will last – another 25 years or until Windows 9 does away with the whole Metro thing?

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Clumsy computer users rejoice! The washable keyboard is here

Perhaps beverages spilling onto keyboards happens all the time in the Logitech office, eventually inspiring one of the company's boffins, staggered by all of the butter-fingered blundering, to come up with a new accessory – the washable keyboard.

Up until now, spilling a soda or coffee onto a keyboard usually meant one thing and one thing only: a trip to the computer store. But not any more.

Logitech’s latest addition to the computer accessory market means the next time you give your keyboard a soaking, all is not lost. You see, the  company has just unveiled the K310 Washable Keyboard. That’s right, you can run it under the tap, or even submerge it in water. Dirty, damaged keyboards may finally be a thing of the past.

The K310 Washable Keyboard incorporates laser-printed, UV-coated character keys, meaning you’ll have no worries about the letters disappearing after numerous washes.

The keyboard even has drainage holes, helping it to dry in good time so you can return to your computer with your next drink, all ready to spill.

For the perfect wash, Logitech recommends you use a mild soap and soft cloth. It can, if you’re struggling with a really stubborn stain, go into warm water up to 30cm (11 inches) deep. The website warns against putting it in the dishwasher, which means a washing machine is definitely out of the question.

Logitech’s forever-clean keyboard – perfect for mucky eaters and messy drinkers – will be available in the US from the end of this month for $40, before going global in October.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Movie director Tony Scott jumps to death from California bridge

Movie director Tony Scott died Sunday after jumping from a bridge in Los Angeles. A suicide note has reportedly been found at his office.

Tony Scott, director of hits such as Top Gun, Days of Thunder and Crimson Tide, has died after jumping from a bridge in Los Angeles.

According to Lt Joe Bale of the LA coroner’s office, 68-year-old Scott was seen by several witnesses parking his car on the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro around lunchtime Sunday shortly before jumping into the water. His body was recovered around three hours later.

Early reports suggested a suicide note had been found inside his car, but it now appears the note was instead discovered in his office.

The British-born director, brother of Ridley Scott, had been working in Hollywood since the early 1980s after beginning his career directing commercials. His filmography includes blockbusters such as Beverly Hills Cop II, True Romance, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 and, most recently, Unstoppable. At the time of his death, he was as busy as ever, prepping Top Gun II as well as a number of other movies and TV productions.

Speaking to BBC radio shortly after Sunday’s news broke, Steven Gaydos, executive editor of entertainment magazine Variety, said he felt “extremely shocked” by Scott’s death, calling him “one of the most popular, successful, stylish, creative filmmakers in Hollywood over the last 30 years.”

[Image: Featureflash / Shutterstock]

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

The Google Nexus 7 enters our office, gets ready to rally the Android troops

Google’s Nexus 7 is a milestone in Android’s development, so we were all over it when it came to our office. The Nexus line gives a general heading for Android gadgets and Jelly Bean that debuted on this tab is quite interesting indeed. Unlike some previous Nexus gadgets, the Nexus 7 will probably gain a lot of traction with consumers making it even more important.

The Nexus 7 packs a Tegra 3 chipset, a 7″ LCD screen with WXGA resolution and a highly competitive price. We can’t understate the importance of the price – it matches the Amazon Kindle Fire, which fairly quickly grabbed 5% of the tablet market share on its own (that’s big for an Android) and it doesn’t even run a proper version of Android.

The Nexus 7, however, comes from Google itself along with the latest OS (and a promise for timely updates in the future). We’ve already looked at what Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is all about, so let’s take a closer look at the hardware instead.

The Nexus 7 was made by ASUS and it has done a pretty good job of it. We like the metal edge running around the tablet and especially the back. It’s plastic with a dotted pattern, really pleasant to touch and good at hiding fingerprints.

At 340g, the tablet is lighter than most other tablets in the class. Its size (198.5 x 120 x 10.5 mm) is about average, though, with Samsung tabs being thinner, while the Kindle Fire is a bit thicker.

The contrast of the screen isn’t stellar, but the 216ppi pixel density ensures sharp images. Colors are decent, but we would have preferred them to be slightly more saturated. Indoor viewing angles are good, but, as is often the case with tablets, the display turns into a mirror when taken outside and the sun shines directly on it.

We’ll do our usual battery of tests for the review, but for now check out this video for a quick guided tour of the Nexus 7.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com