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Microsoft confirms Windows 8.1 (a.k.a "Blue") will be totally free

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It's official: The Windows Blue update will be dubbed Windows 8.1, it'll
 be available for Windows 8 and Windows RT devices alike, and it will 
cost you the low, low price of zip, nada, zilch.
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Interestingly, the free Windows 8.1 update will be available through the Windows Store, not the usual Windows Update method.
<br />

"Windows 8.1 ... continues the journey we first began with Windows 8 last fall," the confirmatory <a href="http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/05/14/windows-keeps-getting-better.aspx">Windows Blog post</a>
 commented this morning. "Windows 8.1 will help us to deliver the next 
generation of PCs and tablets with our OEM partners and to deliver the 
experiences customers—both consumers and businesses alike—need and will 
just expect moving forward."
<br />

What's that mean? <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2031946/deep-inside-windows-blue-10-coolest-features-in-microsofts-leaked-os.html">Early leaks of Windows 8.1</a> gave us some tantalizing glimpses into the future, while we have some <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2035460/windows-blue-wish-list-15-must-see-improvements.html">strong suggestions</a> and logical guesses (<a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2038093/windows-chiefs-comments-hint-at-a-desktop-resurgence-in-windows-blue.html">hello again, desktop</a>!) of our own.
<br />

<figure class="right medium"><img alt="" border="0" height="249" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/50-50-splitscreen-100037385-medium.png" width="400" /><figcaption>A new half-screen Snap feature was just one of many helpful tweaks in leaked versions of Windows Blue.</figcaption></figure>

Windows 8.1 gives Microsoft an unprecedented (for Windows) and crucial opportunity to <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2032861/why-rapid-fire-updates-are-the-key-to-microsofts-success.html"> quickly correct some of the most glaring missteps </a>
 present in its new-look operating system. Comments from company 
representatives seem to suggest that Microsoft is truly paying attention
 to customer feedback and metrics as it develops Windows 8.1—here's 
hoping Microsoft doesn't fumble the opportunity. The <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2033756/struggling-pc-makers-and-windows-8-push-pc-market-into-free-fall.html">very fates of the PC</a> and <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2037086/the-surface-shines-while-windows-tablets-wobble.html">Microsoft's mobile ambitions alike</a> may be hinging on this critical course recalculation.
<br />

Will Microsoft get it right? The Windows Blue leaks suggest the company 
is on the right track, but we'll know for sure before long.
<br />

Speaking at the JP Morgan Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, 
Windows co-honcho Tami Reller nailed down a concrete ship date for the 
developer preview. Prepare to start feeling Blue in just over a month, 
on June 26.
<br />

Split-screen Snap and a returned Start button, here we (hopefully) come. Just don't expect the price of future Windows upgrades to be so generous.
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Microsoft confirms Windows 8.1 (a.k.a "Blue") will be totally free

It's official: The Windows Blue update will be dubbed Windows 8.1, it'll be available for Windows 8 and Windows RT devices al...

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Toshiba Kirabook review: The first Ultrabook with a higher-than-HD touchscreen

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<span class="product-list-price"><a href="http://www.pcworld.com/product/1253057/kirabook-i7-touchscreen.html">Toshiba Kirabook i7 Touchscreen</a> ($1,999.99<span class="product-list-price-qualifier">)</span></span><span class="articleBody sharing-tools-top" itemprop="articleBody description text"> </span></div>
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Toshiba's luxurious Kirabook is the first Windows laptop to feature a 
display rivaling Apple’s Retina technology. The Kirabook is also thinner
 and much lighter than Apple’s MacBook Pro, <i>and</i> it’s outfitted 
with a touchscreen. But although I wish I could report that Toshiba has 
crafted a masterpiece that fully justifies its $2000 price tag, this 
machine suffers from a couple of significant flaws.
<br />

With a native resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels, the Kirabook’s 
13.3-inch display delivers a pixel density of 221 pixels per inch—just 
shy of the 227 ppi that Apple packs into the 13-inch MacBook Pro’s 
2560-by-1600-pixel display. If you think Apple’s computers are 
overpriced, consider the fact that a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a 3.0GHz 
Intel Core i7-3540M processor sells for $100 less than the Kirabook, 
which runs on a 2.0GHz Intel Core i7-3537U CPU. Apple, however, doesn't 
currently offer any full-blown computers with touchscreens (the iPad 
doesn't count).
<br />

<figure class=" large"><a class="zoom" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/kirabook_lid2_1160-100037581-orig.png"><img alt="" border="0" height="304" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/kirabook_lid2_1160-100037581-large.png" width="400" /></a><figcaption>Like many touchscreens we've seen, the Kirabook's is highly reflective.</figcaption></figure>

Clock speeds aren’t everything, of course. The processor that Toshiba 
picked boasts a TDP (thermal design power) of just 17 watts, versus the 
35-watt TDP of the chip that Apple uses. (<i>Thermal design power</i> 
refers to the maximum amount of power that a computer’s cooling system 
must dissipate. A lower TDP is desirable for a mobile computer, because 
it improves battery life. In our test, the Kirabook’s battery lasted an 
impressive 5 hours, 14 minutes.) The Kirabook’s other key components 
include 8GB of DDR3-1600 memory and a 256GB solid-state drive. I’ll get 
into the Kirabook’s performance in depth later.
<br />

<aside class="pullquote"><q>Toshiba is rightfully proud of the rigidity of the Kirabook's magnesium-alloy chassis, but…</q></aside>

Photos, movies, and documents look gorgeous on the Kirabook’s display. 
But when I compared the Kirabook to a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina 
display (Apple doesn’t offer its high-res display on its thinner, 
lighter MacBook Air line), I found that Apple’s product delivered far 
better contrast. Both machines rely on the Intel HD 4000 GPU core 
integrated into the CPU, so I don’t know whether the Kirabook’s problem 
is due to Toshiba’s choice of Corning Concore glass (which is 
specifically formulated for touchscreens) or due to the 
fingerprint-resistant coating on the glass. Whatever the reason, it was 
no contest: The Retina display produced much deeper blacks.
<br />

<figure class=" large"><a class="zoom" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/kirabook_profile_1160-100037553-orig.png"><img alt="" border="0" height="148" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/kirabook_profile_1160-100037553-large.png" width="400" /></a><figcaption>The
 Kirabook (top) weighs 2.97 pounds and measures 0.7 inch thick. The 
13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display (bottom) weighs 3.57 pounds and 
measures 0.75 inch thick.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>
Why no super high-res on the big screen?</h2>
Toshiba’s touchscreen is very responsive, and since it supports ten touch points it accepts all <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2013022/master-windows-8-gesture-commands.html">Windows 8 gestures</a>.
 But Toshiba made a serious mistake by outfitting the Kirabook with only
 an HDMI video output. If you connect the notebook to a big-screen 
monitor, the maximum resolution you’ll get is 1920 by 1080 pixels. Had 
the laptop’s designers specified DisplayPort, the Kirabook would have 
been able to drive a 27-inch display at its native resolution. I get it:
 HDMI is the most common digital video input on modern TVs and video 
projectors. But DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapters are dirt cheap and easy to 
carry. Limiting the Kirabook to HDMI-out cripples the system for desktop
 use.
<br />

Toshiba is rightfully proud of the rigidity of the Kirabook's 
magnesium-alloy chassis, but the lid housing its display flexes enough 
to do the limbo. It feels alarmingly fragile. The other half, which 
encloses the keyboard and motherboard, feels remarkably strong 
considering how thin it is. The machine weighs only 2.97 pounds, and it 
measures just 0.7 inch thick when closed. The Kirabook is one of the 
prettiest laptops I’ve seen, with nary a hard edge to be felt. Unsightly
 features such as cooling vents and speaker grilles stay hidden while 
this Ultrabook is in use.
<br />

<figure class=" large"><a class="zoom" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/kirabook_vents_1160-100037556-orig.png"><img alt="" border="0" height="243" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/kirabook_vents_1160-100037556-large.png" width="400" /></a><figcaption>Toshiba's
 engineers should be proud of their ability to render the Kirabook so 
quiet with vents that are all but invisible when the machine is running.</figcaption></figure>

The Kirabook’s backlit keyboard offers very good tactile feedback, and 
its monolithic touchpad—which also supports Windows 8 gestures—tracks 
smoothly and accurately. The left and right mouse buttons are integrated
 into the touchpad itself, helping to keep the overall design clean and 
elegant.
<br />

In addition to HDMI-out, the Kirabook has three USB 3.0 ports, a media 
card reader, and a combo microphone/headphone jack. It lacks a hardwired
 ethernet port, however. Exacerbating that problem is Toshiba’s decision
 to use Intel’s Centrino Wireless-N 2230 Wi-Fi adapter, which is limited
 to networks operating on the crowded 2.4GHz frequency band. Come on, 
Toshiba, this is supposed to be a <i>luxury</i> offering!
<br />

As you’ve probably guessed, the machine has no optical drive. The 
Harman/Kardon audio system, though, sounds much better than I expected, 
generating relatively full-range sound and a wide stereo field from the 
speakers’ left and right locations on the bottom of the unit.
<br />

<figure class=" large"><a class="zoom" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/kirabook_speakers_1160-100037554-orig.png"><img alt="" border="0" height="121" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/kirabook_speakers_1160-100037554-large.png" width="400" /></a><figcaption>The tiny Harman/Kardon speakers sound much better than I expected.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>
Benchmark performance</h2>
The Kirabook achieved a Notebook WorldBench 8.1 score of 284, versus the
 100-point score of our reference notebook, Asus’s VivoBook S550CA. Much
 of that performance delta can be attributed to the Kirabook’s SSD (the 
VivoBook has just a 24GB SSD acting as a cache for a 500GB mechanical 
hard drive). The Kirabook also delivered better performance in most of 
the other tests that make up the WorldBench suite, but those differences
 weren’t nearly as dramatic as the storage-performance results. And you 
shouldn’t expect to play hard-core games on either system, but that’s 
clearly not the audience Toshiba is going after with this product.
<br />

The audience Toshiba <i>is</i> pursuing with the Kirabook is the 
well-to-do professional who is willing to pay extra for services such as
 dedicated, United States-based telephone tech support. Toshiba goes so 
far as to guarantee Kirabook buyers that such calls will be answered 
within 45 seconds. If that’s inconvenient, you can schedule a date and 
time when a tech-support person will call you, instead. And should you 
need to send your unit in for repairs during its two-year warranty 
period, Toshiba will pay for overnight shipping.
<br />

<figure class=" large"><a class="zoom" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/kirabook_ports_1160-100037548-orig.png"><img alt="" border="0" height="132" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/kirabook_ports_1160-100037548-large.png" width="400" /></a><figcaption>Toshiba should have outfitted the Kirabook with a gigabit ethernet port.</figcaption></figure>

The Kirabook is the most beautiful Ultrabook to pass through the PCWorld
 Labs, but its inability to drive a large external monitor at native 
resolution, a lid that flexes like a contortionist, a Wi-Fi adapter 
restricted to 2.4GHz networks, and a display that doesn’t deliver as 
much contrast as the Retina display Toshiba wants consumers to compare 
it to make this machine’s sky-high price tag hard to swallow.
<br />

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Toshiba Kirabook review: The first Ultrabook with a higher-than-HD touchscreen

Toshiba Kirabook i7 Touchscreen ($1,999.99 ) 4 in Share 0 Toshiba's luxurious Kirabook is the first Wi...

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Mobile security reality check: What you really need for protecting your phone

To hear the headlines scream it, mobile security is already a lost 
cause. Android is the king of mobile malware! Umpteen gazillion rogue 
apps found! THE HACKERS ARE SNOOPING YOUR SNAPCHATS AND SEXTING YOUR 
GRANDMA!
<br />

It's enough to make you want to wrap your phone in tinfoil and cower in a corner somewhere—but don't believe the hype.
<br />

The sky isn't falling, and your phone isn't sending illicit photos to 
your grandmother. While you may want to slap a security app on your 
phone, it probably isn't for the reason you think. And those rogue apps?
 If you aren't an idiot, the odds of your installing a malicious mobile 
app are almost infinitesimally small.
<br />

Welcome to your mobile security reality check.
<br />

<h2>
Much ado about (very slightly more than) nothing</h2>
Here's the thing about all those ominous-sounding reports: Most of them 
originate from the very antivirus companies looking to sell you security
 solutions—so they're not exactly impartial.
<br />

Fortunately, I managed to track down honest, straightforward experts from three noted security firms: <a href="https://www.lookout.com/" target="_blank">Lookout</a>, which offers a popular security app for Android devices; <a href="http://www.mcafee.com/us/" target="_blank">McAfee</a>, which needs no introduction; and <a href="http://www.av-test.org/en/home/" target="_blank">AV-Test</a>, a highly respected independent institute that specializes in technology security.
<br />

All sang the same tune when it came to malicious mobile threats.
<br />

<figure class="right medium"><a class="zoom" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/droid-cleaner-100037658-orig.png"><img alt="" border="0" height="276" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/droid-cleaner-100037658-medium.png" width="400" /></a><figcaption>Malicious apps like Droid Cleaner are a rare (and quickly scoured) sight in Google Play.</figcaption></figure>

"If you follow simple precautions such as sticking to the Google Play 
Store, not downloading things from suspicious sites, and not clicking on
 suspicious links in emails you weren't expecting, then you're pretty 
safe," says Marc Rogers, the principal security analyst at Lookout. 
"Google has a very effective app vetting process in place."
<br />

Fear not, iOS lovers: Apple's approval process is even more stringent.
<br />

Andreas Marx, the CEO of AV-Test, agrees with Rogers. "The mobile 
malware situation for US and European users is not yet problematic; the 
majority of malware is spreading in China and Russia only.
<br />

"Google Play is not entirely safe to use," Marx continues, "but it's 
well maintained and even when malicious Apps are able to 'enter' the 
market—criminals are working hard on this—the apps are getting removed 
quickly. Google can also remotely wipe malicious apps from your phone if
 they see a very big risk."
<br />

<h2>
But…</h2>
Sweet! So you can leave your phone AV-free and carry on with life blissfully stress-free, right? Not quite.<br />
<br />
<span itemprop="articleBody description text"></span><br />
<span itemprop="articleBody description text"><img alt="" border="0" height="388" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/mobile_security-100026089-gallery-100037659-large.jpg" width="580" /></span><span itemprop="articleBody description text"></span><br />
<br />
All three organizations reported that they've been seeing an increase in
 targeted malware that skirt the precautions Google, Apple, and other 
platform protectors have installed—think malicious websites, third-party
 app stores offering free versions of popular paid apps, and phishing 
emails containing poisoned links or apps.
<br />

While the threat to the average person is still small, the bad guys are definitely getting smarter. Lookout recently identified <a href="https://blog.lookout.com/blog/2013/04/19/the-bearer-of-badnews-malware-google-play/" target="_blank">the BadNews malware family</a>,
 which disguised itself as an everyday ad network to sneak 32 apps into 
Google Play, and then began acting maliciously only after those apps had
 been downloaded between 2 million and 9 million times. The damage was 
limited mostly to Russian users, however.
<br />

Built-in app store security doesn't protect against trickery like that. 
Now for some not-so-delicious irony: Android typically gets hammered as 
being the more vulnerable operating system, compared with iOS, but Marx 
says iOS is actually more vulnerable to phishing attacks since Apple's 
App Store has few viable antimalware apps.
<br />

What's more, the contents of our mobile devices all but ensure that those unfriendly efforts will continue.
<br />

"Think about it: Your phone is, for all intents and purposes, a 
computer," says Luis Blando, vice president of mobile product 
development at McAfee. "It has every single bit of corporate data that 
your company wants to protect. Much more worrisome, it has your 
calendar, your Amazon account, God knows what else. As a target, phones 
are absolutely irresistible [to hackers]."
<br />

Slightly hyberbolic? Maybe. But it's also very true, and that has led AV-Test to revise its recommendations for mobile security.
<br />

"The situation is changing," says Marx. "More and more attacks are 
targeting mobile users in the US, so it's getting more risky. Therefore,
 we recommend using security software on your Android. Last year, we 
said 'It's an optional component, but it will get more essential in the 
future.' Now we argue: Use it."
<br />

Don't misunderstand: If you're smart and careful, the threat of 
infection is still fairly small. But with more and more bad guys trying 
to sneak their way onto your phone <em>outside</em> of the app stores, running Android unprotected is a risk.
<br />

Even if you don’t have much cash, you can keep your phone fairly secure 
using one of the freebie Android security apps that are out there, 
including offerings from Lookout, AVG, Avast, and others. However, 
sticking to no-cost solutions usually leaves you out in the cold when it
 comes to security features that are arguably the most handy-dandy.
<br />

<h2>
The real reason you want a security app</h2>
Even if you barely surf the Web and rock impeccable security habits, it's still recommended that you pick up a security app.
<br />

Mobile security, you see, isn't all about malware.
<br />

<figure class=" large"><img alt="" border="0" height="482" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/avg_2up-100026086-large-100037662-large.jpg" width="580" /><figcaption>Mobile security apps are more important for their non-malware-related tools.</figcaption></figure>

"One of the biggest mobile security risks is actually losing your 
phone," Blando says. "When you lose your phone, it's not only the cost 
of the device, but also the cost and hassle of losing its data."
<br />

That's especially so when your phone is stolen. People's entire <em>lives</em> are stored on their handset, open to anyone that picks it up. <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/report-most-people-dont-rush-lock-devices-passwords-295899" target="_blank">Study</a> after <a href="http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/New-Study-Finds-Few-People-Use-Password-Locks-On-Smartphones-193525181.html" target="_blank">study</a> shows that few people lock their phones, and losing mobile devices is an all-too-common occurrence.
<br />

In the past year, the "Find My Phone" feature in Lookout's mobile app 
was used more than 9 million times, or roughly every 3.5 seconds. Half 
of all robberies in San Francisco and 42 percent of all robberies in 
Washington, D.C. are related to smartphone theft, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/02/technology/cellphone-thefts-grow-but-the-industry-looks-the-other-way.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank"> the <em>New York Times</em> recently reported</a>.
<br />

<figure class="right medium"><a class="zoom" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/apple-find-phone-100037663-orig.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="337" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/05/apple-find-phone-100037663-medium.jpg" width="400" /></a><figcaption>Apple offers free phone-finding and data protection services.</figcaption></figure>

Apple's iPhones have robust features against phone loss that <a href="http://www.macworld.com/article/1158588/howto_fmi.html" target="_self">can be set up with minimal hassle</a>,
 including remote locking, wiping, and phone-finding capabilities. 
Android's antitheft options aren't quite as beefy, prompting experts to 
recommend picking up a third-party security solution.
<br />

"The question 'What can you realistically expect from a mobile security 
suite?' is easy to answer," says Marx. "To help you when your phone is 
stolen or lost, to either help find it and/or destroy the data on it."
<br />

While free security solutions sometimes work a few anti-theft tools into
 the mix—witness Lookout’s Find My Phone—virtually all security 
providers tuck the most helpful backup, location-finding, and remote 
control options into their paid-for offerings.
<br />

In other words, while careful users can usually get by with a free 
security program on their PCs, cheaping out on your mobile Android 
security means you won’t have access to the features that you’d really, <em>really</em> need if you ever lost your phone.
<br />

<h2>
The no-nonsense recommendation</h2>
So that’s where we stand today. What does it mean in terms of actual product recommendations?
<br />

If you’re walking around with an iPhone in your pocket, there’s no 
pressing need to buy a mobile security solution. Not because iOS is 
inherently safer than Android—if you’re even the slightest bit cautious,
 all mobile operating systems are highly secure—but because Apple 
already offers phone-finding and back-up features, and because none of 
the scant security options available in the app store can really protect
 against the increasing risk of phishing attacks and other “back 
door”–type malware.
<br />

The situation’s a bit different on Android. You’re going to want a free 
security app at the very least, and we recommend paying extra for a 
premium security app to gain access to those crucial remote security 
features. (Again: If you need ever them, you’ll really, <em>really</em> need them.)
<br />

Which app should you buy? Our <a href="http://www.techhive.com/article/2028763/keep-your-android-device-safe-with-these-mobile-security-apps.html" target="_self">mobile security app roundup</a> can help answer that question, as can <a href="http://www.av-test.org/en/home/" target="_blank">AV-Test</a>’s superb (and independent) Android testing results.
<br />

But save your money if you’re using a BlackBerry phone. <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2074826/Snobby-Robbers-want-iPhones-leave-BlackBerries-behind.html" target="_blank"> Robbers don’t want your device anyway</a>.
<br />

<h2>
Parting words of wisdom</h2>
“But wait!” you cry. “What about metrics! You didn’t delve into the hard stats! I read this report…”
<br />

Hopefully, this reality check made sense <em>sans</em> all the numerical
 gobbly-gook. But regardless of whether or not you’re a stat freak, 
consider these parting words of wisdom from Lookout’s Rogers, and keep 
them in mind the next time you read a hysterically screaming report 
about mobile security.
<br />

"A lot of people have latched onto the idea that there's a large variety
 of Android malware that's out there, kind of implying that there's been
 some kind of huge explosion—but that's not really the case," he says. 
"…Don't get hung up on the numbers."
<br />

And when you do see numbers, give 'em a thorough eyeing. "Android threat
 doubles in the past year!" sounds scary, but if that means there are 
now 10 malicious apps where there were once five, it's not worth 
worrying about. <span style="line-height: 1.45em;">A good rule of thumb 
from the Lookout team: If you see percentages in an Android malware 
report, ignore it completely unless hard numbers back up the sensational
 headline.</span>
<br />

Knowing, as they say, is half the battle. Now that we're done with this 
mobile security reality check, here's hoping you know better than to 
believe the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt" target="_blank">FUD</a>.
<br />
<br />
</div>

Mobile security reality check: What you really need for protecting your phone

To hear the headlines scream it, mobile security is already a lost cause. Android is the king of mobile malware! Umpteen gazillion rogue...

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Firefox 21 Launches With Social API Support For msnNOW, Mixi And Cliqz, Android App Gets New Fonts, HTML5 Improvements

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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mozilla today <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2013/05/14/stay-social-with-firefox/" target="_blank">launched</a> the <a href="http://www.mozilla.org/firefox/21.0/releasenotes/" target="_blank">latest version</a>
 of its Firefox browser for Mac, Windows and Linux, and the highlight of
 Firefox 21 is additional support for Mozilla’s Social API. This API 
allows social providers to integrate directly with Firefox and the 
organization it <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2012/12/03/firefox-gets-social-w-facebook/" target="_blank">launched</a> in cooperation with Facebook at the end of last year. Today, it is adding <a href="http://cliqz.com/" target="_blank">Cliqz</a>, Mixi and msnNOW to the mix.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The new Social API integrations, Mozilla says, “help you stay 
connected to your social networks, no matter where you go on the Web.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Once <a href="https://now.msn.com/now-for-firefox" target="_blank">installed</a>, users can access these integrations from buttons in the browser toolbar. <a href="http://mozsocial.cliqz.com/" target="_blank">Cliqz users</a>,
 for example, will be able to see content recommendations right in the 
new social sidebar in Firefox, share links across their social networks 
and preview Twitter commentary, all without actually going to Cliqz. The
 integration with Japan’s Mixi and Microsoft’s msnNOW works in the same 
way.<br />
 <a href="http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/msn-screen-shot.png" target="_blank"><img alt="MSN-Screen-shot" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-816580" height="395" src="http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/msn-screen-shot.png?w=1024&h=633" width="640" /></a><br />
The Social API, Mozilla writes, “has endless potential for 
integrating social networks, e-mail, finance, music, cloud 
possibilities, services, to-do lists, sports, news and other 
applications into your Firefox experience.” Now that it has landed in 
the Firefox stable, chances are we will see a number of additional 
integrations in the near future.<br />

Also new in this version is preliminary support for the new <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/futurereleases/2013/05/14/firefox-heal-thyself/" target="_blank">Firefox Health Report</a>.<br />

Similar to what Microsoft is doing with Internet Explorer, Firefox 
will now also provide users with suggestions for how to improve the 
application’s startup time.<br />

<h2>
Firefox For Android</h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.mozilla.firefox&referrer=utm_source%3DMozilla%26utm_medium%3DWebBlog%26utm_campaign%3Dblogpost-mobile-downloadlink-20121811" target="_blank">Android version of Firefox</a> was also bumped up to version 21 today and with it, the team has integrated support for two new open source fonts, <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/ux/2013/03/improved-type-on-firefox-for-android/" target="_blank">Charis and Open Sans</a>.
 The fonts will replace the three Android default fonts to enable “a 
more visually appealing and clear reading experience on the Web.” The 
difference is “subtle, but beautiful,” Mozilla says.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Additional features are the ability to save 
media files through a long tap and access to your recent browsing 
history through the back and forward buttons.</div>
This new version for Android also includes some HTML5 improvements 
and the browser now scores 421 out of the 500 possible points on <a href="http://html5test.com/" target="_blank">HTML5test.com</a> (plus 14 bonus points).<br />
<a href="http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/msn-screen-shot.png" target="_blank"></a></div>
</div>
</div>

Firefox 21 Launches With Social API Support For msnNOW, Mixi And Cliqz, Android App Gets New Fonts, HTML5 Improvements

Mozilla today launched the latest version of its Firefox browser for Mac, Windows and Linux, and the highlight of Firefox 21 is addi...

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Sony launches Xperia ZR smartphone

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Sony’s Xperia ZR adds a slightly smaller model to the impressive Xperia range. </h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
 <img alt="Sony's new Xperia ZR is waterproof to a depth of 1.5m for up to half an hour" height="387" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02561/zr_2561591b.jpg" width="620" /></h4>
<div class="firstPar" style="text-align: left;">
<h4>
With the Xperia Z garnering impressive reviews, the ZR offers a similar style 
  but a slightly smaller screen and resolution, at 4.6 inches compared to the 
  Z’s 5”, and 1280 x 720 compared to 1920 x 1080.
</h4>
</div>
<div class="secondPar" style="text-align: left;">
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
The ZR does however offer a 13MP camera which allows full HD 1080p video 
  underwater. 
</h4>
</div>
<div class="thirdPar" style="text-align: left;">
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Sony warns that its dustproof and waterproof specifications are limited to 
  1.5m for half an hour, however. It advises consumers “The phone is not 
  designed to float or work submerged underwater outside the IP55 or IP58 
  classification range that may lead to your warranty will being void.”.
</h4>
</div>
<div class="fourthPar" style="text-align: left;">
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Sony also includes 8GB of storage and a microSD card slot for expandability, 
  and 4G LTE and 3G HSPA+ connectivity.
</h4>
</div>
<div class="fifthPar" style="text-align: left;">
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm quad-core CPU, the ZR will be out by the end of 
  June. Pricing will be confirmed nearer the time.
</h4>
</div>
</div>

Sony launches Xperia ZR smartphone

Sony’s Xperia ZR adds a slightly smaller model to the impressive Xperia range. With the Xperia Z garnering impressive reviews, the...

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Windows 8.1 Will Be A Free Update For Windows 8 and Windows RT Users, Public Preview To Launch June 26

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<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="media-container media-loading" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
Windows Blue will be called Windows 8.1 and will be launched as a public preview on 26 of June 2013, Microsoft revealed today.
 While the company remains mum about what exactly we can expect from 
Windows 8.1 (boot to desktop? the return of the Start menu?), Microsoft 
says that Windows 8.1 “will help [it] to deliver the next generation of 
PCs and tablets with our OEM partners and to deliver the experiences 
customers— both consumers and businesses alike —need and will just 
expect moving forward.” The update will be available for Windows 8 and 
the ARM-based Windows RT.<br />
June 26 marks the start of Microsoft’s Build developer conference in 
San Francisco, so the date is obviously not all that much of a surprise,
 given that Microsoft will want to get its developer ecosystem to start 
working with Windows 8.1 as soon as possible. The update, Microsoft 
says, will be delivered through the Windows Store.<br />
Microsoft, the company’s CFO Tami Reller said at the <a href="http://www.shareholder.com/visitors/event/build2/MediaPresentation.cfm?MediaID=59135&MediaUserID=0&player=1" target="_blank">JP Morgan Technology, Media & Telecom Conference in Boston</a> today, wants to continually update Windows to create “a richer experience” for its customers.<br />
Today’s announcement comes after a few days of build-up, including 
pieces by Microsoft’s corporate VP of communications Frank X. Shaw about
 how Windows 8 has been doing <a href="http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2013/05/10/staying-centered.aspx" target="_blank">far better</a>
 than the pundits make it seem. This also caps off months of speculation
 around when we would see the first preview of Windows, though the first
 day of Build always seemed like a reasonable date.</div>
<br />
<div class="media-container media-loading" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="media-container media-loading" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
</div>

Windows 8.1 Will Be A Free Update For Windows 8 and Windows RT Users, Public Preview To Launch June 26

Windows Blue will be called Windows 8.1 and will be launched as a public preview on 26 of June 2013, Microsoft revealed today. Whi...

+ Read more »

BlackBerry extends BBM messaging service to Apple and Android

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Today at BlackBerry Live, CEO Thorsten Heins announced BBM will soon 
be available on Android and iOS. The messaging app will launch globally 
this summer. <span style="font-weight: normal;">iPhone and Android users will gain access to mobile giant BlackBerry's popular 
  messaging service BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) for the first time this summer, 
  the company has announced. </span>This is a huge move for BlackBerry as it brings BB10′s 
strongest feature to literally hundreds of millions of potential users.<br />
<br />
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</div>
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<br />
“It is a state of confidence,” Heins explained. “The BB10 platform is
 so strong and the response has been so good that the time is right for 
BBM to become an independent mobile messaging platform.”<br />

The app will be free on both Android and iOS. Much like other 
messaging apps, it will be a standalone application. iOS 6 or Ice Cream 
Sandwich will be required.<br />

Initially, only messaging and group features will be available. But 
Heins promised that the rest of BBM will eventually make its way to the 
Android and iOS versions including screen sharing, BBM voice and the 
just-announced <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/14/blackberry-announces-bbm-channels/" target="_blank">BBM channels</a>.<br />

We are making the BBM platform more powerful than ever”, Heins 
proudly stated. And with this very uncharacteristic move from 
BlackBerry, it’s hard to argue against his statement.<br />

It’s clear BlackBerry is finally waking up. They are no longer the 
big dog in the mobile war. If they are to survive, the company needs to 
forge new relationships and learn to work well with the two reigning 
platforms. This move to put BBM on Android and iOS is a big step 
forward. BlackBerry might actually have a chance.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<img alt="" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02549/Blackberry_Q10_han_2549265b.jpg" /><br />

<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">More than 51 million BlackBerry
users communicate daily via BBM, one of the earliest mobile chat tools to give
users a free and private means of staying in touch over the internet. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Andrew Bocking, an Executive Vice
President at BlackBerry said in a blog post: "For BlackBerry, messaging
and collaboration are inseparable from the mobile experience, and the time is
definitely right for BBM to become a multi-platform mobile service. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"BBM has always been one of
the most engaging services for BlackBerry customers, enabling them to easily
connect while maintaining a valued level of personal privacy. We’re excited to
offer iOS and Android users the possibility to join the BBM community." </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">BBM will compete with other free
messaging services already available to smartphone users running the iOS and
Android operating systems, including WhatsApp and Viber. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The necessity of a personal PIN to
use BBM, supplied with BlackBerry's phones and shared only with contacts with
whom users wish to communicate, is one of BlackBerry smartphones' most
attractive aspects. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
</div>

BlackBerry extends BBM messaging service to Apple and Android

Today at BlackBerry Live, CEO Thorsten Heins announced BBM will soon be available on Android and iOS. The messaging app will launch global...

+ Read more »

Samsung may have accidentally leaked the Galaxy Note 8.0

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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBhUf0bRccMQZW5xDKbYTJfd6qJlK4UxtXQQJj4bWx1w9UbYU4ZdTlozAuhgwv9R8pOcEsKK62fhkdmfH6bg8e5oDkIRJAs9udfY26rwf32m-Zp5YSYJd8PPv1nX2hLiyWJDY4pAQ3_w/s1600/galaxy-note-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBhUf0bRccMQZW5xDKbYTJfd6qJlK4UxtXQQJj4bWx1w9UbYU4ZdTlozAuhgwv9R8pOcEsKK62fhkdmfH6bg8e5oDkIRJAs9udfY26rwf32m-Zp5YSYJd8PPv1nX2hLiyWJDY4pAQ3_w/s640/galaxy-note-8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="yshortcuts cs4-ndcor" id="lw_1360880415_2">Samsung</span>’s big reveal at <span class="yshortcuts cs4-ndcor" id="lw_1360880415_0">Mobile World Congress</span> later this month might not be much of a surprise at all at this point. <em>SammyHub</em> on Thursday spotted what appears to be a leaked <span class="yshortcuts cs4-ndcor" id="lw_1360880415_3">picture</span> of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.0 that’s on track to be launched at <span class="yshortcuts cs4-ndcor" id="lw_1360880415_1">MWC</span> in Barcelona. The leaked picture looks a lot like other
 leaked pictures we’ve seen of the Note 8.0, which looks a lot like a 
larger version of Samsung’s hit Galaxy S III smartphone. <span class="yshortcuts cs4-ndcor" id="lw_1360880415_4">Samsung</span>’s latest tablet, an attempt by the company to counter the success Apple (AAPL)
 has had with its iPad mini, will likely come with an 8-inch display 
with a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, a 1.6GHz quad-core processor and a 
5-megapixel rear camera.</span></h2>
</div>

Samsung may have accidentally leaked the Galaxy Note 8.0

Samsung ’s big reveal at Mobile World Congress later this month might not be much of a surprise at all at this point. SammyHub on Thur...

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Finally invented: A computer incapable of crashing

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<br />

<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">London scientists have created a machine that can repair its
own damaged code</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Good news for folks who regularly find themselves mashing
control+alt+delete until their fingernails hurt: Researchers at the University
College London have invented a new "systemic" computer that
automatically repairs corrupted data whenever it appears. In non-geek speak,
all that means is that this gilded, Platonic ideal of desktop PCs never, ever
crashes. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How does such a miracle machine even work? Its creators,
naturally, turned to Mother Nature — more specifically, the random modeling
that allows swarms of bees to scatter in unison around a honey-hungry bear or
that allows atoms to bounce around until they find their proper place.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Today's computers work steadily through a list of instructions:
One is fetched from the memory and executed, then the result of the computation
is stashed in memory," <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">explains Paul
Marks at <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">New Scientist</span></span>.
Crashes happen when a computer mangles these kinds of linear instructions and
the code doesn't quite know what to do next. Hence, the dreaded error message.
The new computer works a bit differently, dividing instructions into little
digital slots called "systems." Here, an <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">explanation</span>:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Each system has a memory containing context-sensitive data
that means it can only interact with other, similar systems. Rather than using
a program counter, the systems are executed at times chosen by a pseudorandom
number generator, designed to mimic nature's randomness. The systems carry out
their instructions simultaneously, with no one system taking precedence over
the others. [<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">New Scientist</span></span>]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That means whenever a chunk of data
hits a wall, these randomly-generated paths simply reroute these instructions
through various systems (all containing the same message) to help it accomplish
its original goal without shutting down. Kind of<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">, </span>but <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">not exactly</span> like
how the human brain is capable of rewiring <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">its neural
pathways</span> around obstructions. The creators of the device are
optimistic, and think this intelligent, self-repairing tech could one day help
damaged drones reprogram themselves on the fly, enable bioengineers to create
more realistic models of the human brain, and trigger sentience in emerging
mainframes like SkyNet. (One of these isn't for real.) The team plans on
presenting their findings at a conference in Singapore this April.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
</div>

Finally invented: A computer incapable of crashing

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Apple's former retail chief ends lands at U.K. chain

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Apple's former retail chief John Browett is back on his feet after
reportedly being fired from the company last October.</div>
Apple's unceremoniously departed retail chief John Browett has a new gig. <br />

The former executive, who Apple said no longer worked for the company as of
last October, has landed at U.K.-based retail chain Monsoon Accessorize. <br />

In his new role as the chief executive, Browett will oversee more than 1,000
stores, The Financial Times reports
(<i>subscription required</i>). That's more than twice the size of Apple's
retail empire, which is currently at 400 stores.<br />
<br />

In a statement Monsoon Accessorize founder Peter Simon said the company went
through "an extensive search" to find a new CEO, leading up to the
choice of Browett. <br />

"John has the skills and experience needed to take Monsoon Accessorize
to the next level," Simon said. <br />

Apple originally hired Browett to replace Ron Johnson, who left to become
CEO of JC Penney. Before Apple, Browett ran U.K.-based electronics retailer
Dixons. <br />

Apple is still on the hunt for a new retail chief to replace Browett, though
the company has not let on to progress on that effort. In an
interview earlier this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook described Apple's stores as
wildly important to its overall strategy.<br />
<br />

"I'm not even sure 'store' is the right word anymore," Cook said
in an interview at a Goldman Sachs event earlier this week. "They've taken
on a role much broader than that. They are the face of Apple for almost all of
our customers." <br />

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Apple's former retail chief ends lands at U.K. chain

Apple's former retail chief John Browett is back on his feet after reportedly being fired from the company last October. Apple'...

+ Read more »