I got a nice e-mail from the folks at EverNote, celebrating their 5th Anniversary. They thanked me for being with them from almost the beginning. To prove it, the showed me my member number…46,668…sounds high but when they have over 65 million registered users, that means I am one of their very early users…actually in the top 99.9%. Wow, I didn’t realize I have been with them that long. I am still a very active user of their excellent service and use it almost every day. And while they thank me, I thank them for their great program.
On to Microsoft. Yesterday I watched their BUILD Conference keynote address. And while the first portion of the program was on Windows 8.1 and was interesting, the majority of the address was for developers and I found it somewhat boring. But that is OK, I realize it is developers conference so they really needed to appeal to the 6,000 developers who showed up to help build apps for the Windows 8 infrastructure.
I was looking forward to learning about some of the new innovations in Bing, but about the time of that presentation, the feed from Microsoft crapped out, telling me my video would begin shortly. What? I had been watching it for the last 1.5 hours! It took a while for the video to come back, but by then I had missed so much I gave up. Good job Microsoft!
Putting all that aside, my preliminary opinion of Windows 8.1 is good. They have made a lot of much-needed improvements. I was impressed that they kept emphasizing that the desktop is here to stay, which is a 180 degree turnaround from previous pronouncements. But I withhold final judgment till I see the final version sometime later this summer.
I am impressed with the improvements in the XBox music program…much more intuitive now. The camera app is better, but still not great; their deep SkyDrive innovation is wonderful, and their Bing search improvements look good (even though I had to read about it later). Our first three stories will help you understand some of the new innovations.
If you would like to get a good look at all the major innovations in Windows 8.1, jump over to Paul Thurrott’s excellent Web site. He has done several hands-on articles about all the major innovations. Well worth it.
I think Microsoft is on the right track, but they will just not let go of the Metro interface. Windows 8 was built under the auspices of an egomaniac who would not listen to any criticisms or advise. He is gone now and folks with common sense are taking over. So I think it will be better in the long run, but I still see little use for the Metro-style applications for the PC.
I spent $5 on Start8 app that makes my computer work exactly the way I want it. I am still of the opinion that if Microsoft would have left the Start Button and Start Menu in place, people would have accepted Windows 8 and their sales wouldn’t be so miserable. That’s what happens when you let an egomaniac run the show. I know Steve Jobs over at Apple was also an egomaniac in many ways, but he was smarter than the Microsoft guy and at least listened and often adopted good advice.
Will Windows 8 succeed in bringing people back to Microsoft and the desktop? Yes and no. History shows us that once a program gets a bad reputation right out of the gate, it never recovers. But Windows does have a unique position…they are nearly the only game in town for most people. So when you go to buy a new PC or laptop like I just did, you will get Windows 8…and you will learn how to get around the crap you don’t want and put together a system that works well.
As usual, there is more here than just Windows info. There is a new Firefox in town, and DuckDuckGo is really doing well, thanks to the NSA. And we have some wonderful free replacements for Google Reader. So let’s go! -JRC
Windows 8.1 fixes problems, adds new features, but touch screen is still the focus
It's important to note that if you were hoping for a return to a Windows 7 layout, you're going to be disappointed; Microsoft is sticking to its guns on the Modern UI, and you'll still be using it as your main launching point. With that said, Microsoft has added a few features that make it a bit more palatable to keyboard-and-mouse Windows desktop users."
What does Windows 8.1 offer to desktop die-hards?
Many parts of the Windows 8 user interface have been given some love in Windows 8.1. Some of these changes focus on the Metro side of the fence. But that doesn't mean that Microsoft forgot about desktop users-Windows 8.1 includes a number of small tweaks that should make them more comfortable.
With Windows 8.1, can Microsoft get its mojo back?
Microsoft has something to prove with Windows 8.1 and some very important questions to answer. Can the company turn around a slow PC market, convince consumers it's cool, and pry businesses away from Windows 7?
Suffer not: 10 Windows Start menus for Windows 8.1
Although Windows 8's Start menu is still MIA in Windows 'Blue,' a smorgasbord of replacements can fill the void. Some are free, some are paid, but all will get back to the environment you are used to.
Firefox 22 Launches With New Features
The big new feature in Firefox 22 is full support for the WebRTC, which allows browser-to-browser Web applications like videochat and VoIP. It also allows computer-to-computer file-sharing , which a new free service called Sharefest already utilizes to let users distributes files from one to many.
Why Tablets Keep Eating Away at PC Share
The touchscreen and the thinness overall of tablets provides enough power to do word processing and it gives a different approach to games and other applications. The tablet market is eating right into the $300 to $600 laptop market because you get more usability with a tablet.
NSA fears spark traffic surge on DuckDuckGo search engine
The site, which promises not to send users' searches to other sites or store any personal information, generated just under 3.1m direct queries on Monday (17 June), compared to its daily average of 1.8m direct queries in the month of May.
Android invades the desktop
Computer makers are suddenly obsessed with putting a smartphone operating system on PCs. Here’s why it may not be such a crazy idea.
Top Free Picks: RSS Readers
If you're looking for a replacement for Google Reader, you've come to the right collection of free desktop software.
The One Google Reader Feature Nobody’s Figured Out How To Replace
As the demise of Google Reader gets closer, users are finding that most of the new RSS feed readers lack a seemingly simple feature: search. Is it technically feasible for anyone to fill Google’s shoes?
DIY services for creating simple websites
There are many good reasons to build a website yourself, including avoiding the substantial costs of hiring designers and developers. Here are two services that make the process of creating a custom site relatively quick and easy; and if your needs are modest, they’re free."
Five Fun Photography Techniques
Tired of getting the same old images out of your camera? Give these different techniques a try and see if they invigorate your creativity.
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