Posts by Surur

While Microsoft griped about NSA exploit stockpiles, it stockpiled patches: Friday's WinXP fix was built in February

Munich city now planning to move ALL their Linux desktops back to Windows

https://mspoweruser.com/munich-city-now-planning-to-move-back-all-their-linux-desktops-back-to-windows/

The city’s human resources department (POR) is particularly critical of LiMux, saying that since 2006 when the POR started using LiMux and OpenOffice, later switching to LibreOffice, that “the efficiency and productivity of the POR-supported workplaces has decreased noticeably” – referencing crashes, display and printing errors.

“Even 10 years after the start of the LiMuX migration, the users and users of the POR are dissatisfied,” says the letter, claiming that, even after updates, LiMux and LibreOffice are “far behind the current technical possibilities of established standard solutions”

Breaking 350 million: What's next for Windows 10?

So the question is where the new Windows 10 growth will come from.

The answer is obviously from the sale of new PCs, to the tune of around 250 million each year, even now (65 million were sold in Q1 2016).

Regarding the reason people did not upgrade, it has nothing to do with neckbeard worries. Regular people are simply scared of an upgrade breaking something and having to learn new things. When they buy a new PC they will not have a choice.

So it's safe to say in a year's time there will be more than half a billion Windows 10 PCs with Redstone 2. There is no mystery or challenge.

Windows 10 market share jumps two per cent

Stagnating? Windows is Microsoft's 5th largest business. Maybe you have not been keeping track.

Stagnating would be having Windows 7 version 10. Every modern OS needs app sandboxing, an app store, and guaranteed updates. Yet all we have is complaints.

And yet it's all true. The iPhone was only introduced 9 years ago. Yet you want a 2016 operating system to work the same as a 2009 one? Get with the times grandpa.

"Work for Microshit by any chance??"

So I am supposed to take your opinions on Window$ $eriou$ly?

You are so stuck in the old ways of doing things, and you want to hold back Microsoft while you refuse to change.

There is more than 2 billion Android devices in use, and more than 1 billion iOS devices. 50% of web traffic is now from mobile devices. Windows 7 is 7 years old. Stop trying to hold MS back because you refuse to change. The whole world has moved on already, and Microsoft is trying to modernize Windows to keep pace.

Take your 15 year old apps and 7 year old OS and run it in a virtual machine, and get with the times.

Some people here are just crazy. Firstly Microsoft is making Windows more friendly to users by moving them to a safe ecosystem for getting their apps. Windows 10 is also safer than Windows 10 for a number of other security reasons, not the least of which is that users can not refuse to install regular patches.

If the desktop is so over why do people even care how Microsoft manages it? The fact is that Microsoft is resisting the trend to mobile devices by adding mobile features to Windows such as app sandboxes and a tightly managed experience. The newest versions of Windows will let you sync your notifications to the desktop, and let you unlock it using your fitbit, and offer the same voice search features as found on your phone (which is charging on the other table). It will offer the same Facebook and Instagram app as on your phone, except the photos will be bigger. Your apps will now install, update and uninstall seamlessly, and not leave garbage and wreckage around when they leave. These are all good things.

Again if everyone is moving to mobile in any case, why should Microsoft not add some of the experience they value there to Windows itself, like an app store?

If you hate MS and Windows then either you are happy MS is killing itself, or sad that they are doing the right thing. Either way I am sure there will just be complaints.

Now imagine if Google said they are forcing an upgrade of all Android 4.0 handsets to Marshmallow, and from now on would centrally manage updates so the whole android ecosystem would stay in lock step. Somehow I think the story would be very different.

And about that 1 billion goal? If they get to 800 million in two years are anyone going to be crying? Why obsess over that specific number just so you could say MS failed?

Cock fight? Not half. Microsoft beats down Apple in Q1

Re: We're past peak APPL

No indication except for that happening to the iPad, showing Apple is not invulnerable.

First pics of flagship Lumias for 18 months released … or maybe not

Just because its plastic does not make it mid-range. Until last year all of Samsung's flagships were plastic. Way to judge a book by its cover.

Microsoft spunks $500m to reinvent the wheel. Why?

They are obviously buying the users who refuse to use Microsoft's products. Like those millions of minecraft players. Its a land grab. Its like asking why Comcast wanted to buy TWC.

Microsoft doubles down on productivity with Wunderlist buy

Re: Same old story

Are you mad? MS did not buy these companies to bring these people to Windows. They purchased them to bring Microsoft to iOS and Android. Its a land grab, and I expect them to purchase more headline apps to make Microsoft synonymous again with productivity on all platforms.

Microsoft expands Xbox extras

Article misses the cross-platform point

This article completely misses whats exciting about the announcement - The service will use your existing second screens, be that iPads, iPod touches, Windows Phones, Android tablets, whatever.

That makes it immediately accessible to the 50% of people who use smartphones. Its not confined to the 2% who own Windows Phones.

Can Bing ride IE and WinPho to Google triumph?

Its the best time.

In fact its the best time. Why waste your money if the EU can help them?

Bizarre article

This is a rather bizarre article, given that Experian Hitlinks just found Bing powered 30% of US internet searches (Bing+Yahoo search), taking market share from Google, who was 3% down since the last month,

http://microsoft-news.com/bing-breaks-30-us-market-share-google-3-down/

The fact is that Microsoft has executed very well in the search field, through a combination of research and business dealings, and have bought their way into relevance again. Bing has deals with Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter and even Verizon. Those deals are looking increasingly smart as time goes on.

Google gets close to 50% of their revenue from the US market, where they are bleeding market share faster than even IE is losing market share. Mashables ( http://mashable.com/2011/04/11/bing-search-growth/ ) is a bit hyperbolic when they suggest Bing will overtake Google in less than 9 months, but Google must be shaking in their boots losing 1% revenue and 1 billion in market cap every month and losing their monopoly pricing position.

It seems Google has peaked, and Microsoft is on its second act.

Spanish whispers on Microsoft and Nokia

Nokia choose Microsoft, not the other way around.

People who think Nokia has been duped by Elop must think very little of the Finns on the Nokia board. I suspect much more likely that they headhunted Elop because they already wanted to go Microsoft. Doesnt that make a lot more sense?

Secondly Nokia did not want to be dependent on Google. By partnering with Microsoft they had much more influence in the relationship than they did with Google, e.g. the Ovi maps will now be the default Windows Phone 7 maps for all WP7 OEMs, including HTC and Samsung, and Nokia will get royalties from them. Google refused to make that deal.

Lastly, most people who buy Symbian smartphones buy it for the Nokia brand, not because they are convergence techies (unless anyone is making the bizarre claim that until recently techies outnumbered regular users) . Those people will appreciate an upgraded user experience with Windows Phone 7.

Memo to Microsoft, RIM, Nokia: Quit copying Apple!

Silly editorial

So all the second place holders should just quit to make it easier for editorial writers? Every company that ever overtook the old market leader was second at one point, including Microsoft to Netscape or Microsoft to Wordperfect, or Microsoft vs IIS or Microsoft versus Linux netbooks and so on and so on.

Your article is a recipe for halting progress - competition means things get better after all.

WinPho7 jailbreak kit locked down by Redmond 'dev mojo' man

Chevron WP7 does not allow piracy of (signed) marketplace apps.

A few things

1) ChevronWP7 only allowed unsinged apps to be installed. Marketplace apps remained signed, and the tool did not allow this feature to be bypassed. This means the tool by itself did not mean one could install Marketplace apps without paying. it simply allowed one to get a developer unlock without paying.

2) Microsoft's other locked-down platform, the Xbox 360, already allows homebrew, so it does not seem unlikely Microsoft would provide a supported solution for Windows phone 7.

Why Microsoft is Acorn and Symbian is the new CP/M

Too late?

Was it too late for RIM when they entered the market? Was it too late for Apple when they did? Or Android when they did? Too late for Firefox, or for Google Chrome to get any market share?

There is no such thing as too late.

Paradox

The people who wish Windows Phone 7 dead are also the same people who say Microsoft will die without a mobile platform.

If this is true, why exactly should the company, with $40 billion in the bank, not spend every cent to ensure their survival?

Windows Phone 7 will succeed, even if Microsoft has to pay $100,000 to buy every app in the iPhone app store (and they will still have change left over).

Microsoft dubs Windows Phone 7 'ad serving machine'

If you dont want ads as apps, dont install them

Overreact much? MS is talking about apps as ads, such as the Chevy Volt app which lets you drive the car on the phone as part of the promotion. If you like the app so much you pin it to your screen you may see invitations for extra content, and if you opt in for notifications they will let you know when the car becomes available.

And if you are not interested in the Chevy Volt, why did you download the app in the first place. If you dont want it anymore, just uninstall it.

Video calling impresses Brits, if it's Apple video calling

Retina display the next to be made old hat - by Apple next year

You know what's even funnier - when the next iPhone comes out with a 4 inch screen and the same resolution suddenly "retina" displays will be old hat also.

Skype first to scrap Windows Mobile

More to the story than that

2 more interesting points.

1) Skype also pulled Skype Lite from the Android Market

2) Skype for WM will still be available on carrier that they partner with.

It seems to be a transparent attempt to force US carrier to partner with them if they want to offer a VOIP service to their subscribers and thereby push data plans, e.g. Skype recently partnered with Verizon.

If you dont partner with Skype, no Windows Mobile OR Android Skype for you.

Motorola swings axe again

Moto NOT dropping Windows Mobile

You have in your article claimed Motorola will only do Windows Mobile devices, but Moto representatives have denied this - see here:

-------------------------------------------------------------

What we don't know: If Motorola will discontinue its smartphone lineup based on Microsoft's (MSFT) Windows Mobile platform, which a reader told us today. (Update: No. See below.)

Our reader suggests Motorola will instead focus entirely on phones running Google's (GOOG) Android platform, "with strong experience focus in multimedia and social messaging." Last year, Jha said Motorola would use Android for consumer-focused phones and Windows Mobile for business-focused phones. We've asked Motorola for clarification and will update if they reply.

Update: A Motorola rep says the company's three pronged strategy -- Windows Mobile, Android, and Moto's own P2K for low-end phones -- has not changed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.alleyinsider.com/2009/1/motorola-firing-4000

The article and rumour is wrong, and a correction would be appreciated.

Android and Windows Mobile 'complementary', claims HTC

Here's why HTC still loves WM

http://wmpoweruser.com/?p=1177

HTC to sell 13-15 million smartphones in 2008, doing very well

HTC, the premier Windows Mobile manufacturer, has estimated that it will sell between 13 and 15 million smartphones this year. The vast majority of these devices will be Windows Mobile smartphones, with analysts estimating only 200 000 Android devices being sold by them, less than 2% of HTC’s production.

HTC is to send only 2 million to the Asia-Pacific region, with the majority going to Western Europe and USA. This balance may change however, with Conexus Mobile Alliance, an alliance of 10 Asian telecom companies with a combined subscriber base of over 200 million users, including giants like NTT DoCoMo, being rumoured by industry sources to be planning to jointly procure smartphones from HTC. Apparently this follows positive recommendations by Taiwanese mobile phone carriers who have already taken on HTC’s devices.

The phones HTC sell in Asia are planned to be own-branded. This follows moves by HTC to shed it white-box ODM image, and this has apparently been very successful, with the HTC brand now purportedly worth more than $1 billion. HTC recently managed to score the 3rd biggest smartphone brand position in Q2 2008, and have said their sales have been unaffected by the arrival of the iPhone 3G.

WM has been good to HTC

@Stuart

"I presume the current Windows Tax is around 30GBP/50USD per copy of WM6 to the manufactuers. Anyone confirm?"

Its actually between $8 and $15, depending on configuration. Obviously more expensive that free, and maybe the second most expensive part of the phone after the screen, but not the terrible. In return they dont have to pay an exchange activesync license, wont have to license a document reader and editor, wont have to develop their own desktop syncing software and get compatibility with 18 000 applications, and also get indemnified against being sued for patent infringement for mobile OS features.

@Anonymous Coward

"This is called missing the bus, or perhaps more like getting off the bus.

They have been WM for donkeys years and have made little headway against the big boys. Here's is change to break into the mainstream and they look the other way - very smart."

HTC has gone from nothing to a $12 billion dollar company based on their Windows Mobile products with nearly $5 billion in sales this year. In Q2 08 they were the 3rd biggest smartphone brand worldwide, ahead of Sony Ericsson, Sharp, Fujitsu and even the fruit phone.

HTC outgrew the DOW and NASDAQ indices by nearly 1000 percent over the last 10 years.

http://markets.ft.com/cgi-bin/upload.dll/file.png?z0485100az23da84244354418fb17206136702d54a

http://markets.ft.com/tearsheets/performance.asp?s=tw%3A2498

Considering the speed of their growth and their performance they are actually very undervalued.

HTC's Touch Diamond is all-white

Look like the iPhone? No way!

I thought the whole point of the facetted back was that people wont say anything silly like that.

First pictures: HTC Touch HD

Massive screen

The screen is between 3.8 and 4 inches big, which is massive, especially considering its the same size ad the iPhone, which has a much smaller 3.5 inch screen.

See here for the measuring http://wmpoweruser.com/?p=941

Microsoft eyes mobile app store

Skybox, Skyline and Skymarket

Read about the rest of the project here.

http://wmpoweruser.com/?p=821

Windows Mobile 6 blamed for Xperia X1 woes

Still on track for October.

Says SE's own website.

http://www.se-store.co.uk/index.cfm?objectid=FED6335A-3005-8DAD-19B78C0E964DF956

Sony Ericsson delays Windows phone to Jan 09

Its showing up on Vodafone as coming soon...

in October too.

http://wmpoweruser.com/?p=718

Other smart phones are people too, says ex-Apple team

Where the hell do you get your figures?

Linux is behind a lot of dumb phones, but these phones are not a platform you can program to in a consistent way.

I have not seen such an Apple-loving article in a long time (On the Reg at least).

You should be ashamhed.

Palm lets slip Treo Pro piccies

You left out the main feature...

A 3.5mm headphone jack!! breakthough!!

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 release date named

I'm chosing this over the HTC Touch Pro due to

arc slider - like my HTC Kaiser/Tilt - I like the tilt feature, and the Touch Pro does not have it.

Larger screen - 3 inches better than 2.8 inches.

Higher resolution - 800x480 is better than VGA.

3.5mm headphone jack better than HTC's extUSB

Sony's software and game and music support - the device is set to come with access to a sony music and games store, while the Touch Pro does not come with any value add.

I expect the Touch Pro's keyboard to be better, but I think the features mentioned above will make up for it.

Of course, lets not even compare it to the iPhone 3G - low res screen, poor 3G, no hard keyboard, poor bluetooth stack, no cut and paste, kill switch etc etc etc etc.

MobileMe steals Live Mesh thunder

Hosted Exchange

Hosted exchange is cheap, you can often use your own domain name (like I do, no icky .mac for .me ) and it integrates perfectly with all my windows mobile phones and all my laptops, all syching to the same account. Hostway, my hosted exchange provider, also provides Outlook web access, so I can also access my PIM information that way, and of course I can initiate a remote wipe if I wanted to.

The only thing missing has been file sync, and Live Mesh should fill that role excellently.

HTC’s Diamond iPhone rival unwrapped

iPhone does not have a proper 3.5mm headphone jack either

The jack is recessed, so you either use the headphones supplied by Apple (like HTC) or you buy an unsightly adapter (like HTC).

The difference is of course that you can use A2DP on a Windows Mobile phone, but then audiophiles may not be too happy with this convenient solution.

(Paris because both Apple and HTC are stupid in this way)

US punters don't want mobile music

How's this for an idea

Sell me DRM - free music at the same price as non-cellphone stores ($0.99) and then e-mail me a copy to my registered e-mail address. Simple.

Mac is the first to fall in Pwn2Own hack contest

End of day 2- Linux and Vista still stands!

So day 2 is over and no one was able to hack the Vista and Linux installed apps, vs 2 minutes for the Macbook.

I guess apple is the only one who is insecure by default !

HTC applies for multi-keypad sliderphone patent

Exposed keyboard is useful

The reason why the screen does not cover the whole keyboard is because an exposed numeric keyboard is very useful for both rapidly dialing numbers and navigating around the OS.

This design is not qualitatively different from the HTC Vox, but presumably adds a certain gimmicky feature set to the phone, and removing that annoying offset where the screen is not centered over they keyboard when the Vox is opened.

Chinese mobile users targeted by Trojan

Is this what you called Managed News?

Its funny how all these stories about mobile viruses are coming out around the same time Apple is expected to detail their iPhone SDK, which will no doubt be incredible restrictive, all to protect the children of course.

This may sound paranoid, but how soon are we going to hear about the mobile rocket launchers and the 45 minute launch window?

Thigh-drive phone charger put through its paces

neorotransmitter?

Whats a neurotransmitter and why does it need external power? Is it time to get my tinfoil hat on?

Tumbleweeds outnumber punters, as iPhone's First Night flops

Title

No 3G

No tethering

No MMS

No A2DP or bluetooth file exchange

No GPS

No video recording

No free ringtones

Its like a phone from 2002. But just like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan its destined to be a great success, despite being braindead.

El Reg lobs iPhone at Genius Bar

The Apple iDiot tax

iPhone users pay more for a device without:

MMS

3G

ability to save files on the device to open later

ability to attach any file to e-mail

no ability to control data usage - you can not stop the downloading of pictures in safari, or the downloading of attachments in the e-mail app

no ability to poll for e-mail less than every 15 minutes.

useless yahoo push e-mail

ringtones unless you hack your device to death

wallpapers

searching contacts

etc etc etc

Its a tax on the people too stupid to use a normal smartphone.

HTC Touch Window Mobile 6 smart phone

The Touch is not a poor Iphone copy

Tony, thank you for responding. In return I would like to point out:

1) The touchflo needs a special kind of touch screen not seen on any other device yet. The device uses new hardware, which one can not just magic up in 6 months.

2) Whats the point of developing hardware which can differentiate between fingers and styluses if you do not plan to use a finger and gesture based interface? Clearly the two goes together.

3) Leaked road maps for the HTC Trinity showed a device with a similar type of screen last year. When the Trinity eventually shipped it had a normal screen. To me this strongly suggest the intention was to use the touchflo even then, but the technology was not ready yet.

http://mobile-sg.com/news/htc-trinity.jpg

4) The LG Prada has the same type of screen as the Iphone, but was shown publicly in November last year, before the Iphone unveiling. Do you believe they also copied Apple in some way, or can you acknowledge some ideas come to fruition simultaneously?

5) Lastly, the HTC Touch actually uses gestures, and was designed to be used with a thumb. Ironically the Iphone still uses buttons, only virtual ones, so in that way the Touch is more user-friendly than the Iphone.

In short, there is no basis for your belief this device is a bad copy of the Iphone, and specifically no basis for your belief HTC would make a device with a special type of screen and not release it with a new interface, were it not for the Iphone. It just does not make sense.

If you have any deeper basis for your beliefs I would like to hear them.Thank you for your time.

Apple does not invent everything

There are many valid criticisms in your article, e.g. the finger prints and the continuing need for the stylus. However do you have to compare everything to the Iphone, which is not even out yet, and you appear to idolize already?

The HTC president said they have been working on this phone for two years, and there is no reason to disbelieve him. You can simply NOT get a phone from concept to release in 6 months - its simply impossible. Your comments about HTC telling their staff to copy the Iphone is frankly offensive, and shows that you look down on this innovative Taiwanese company.

Your conviction that HTC copied its cube from Apple software frankly marks you out as an i-fanboy. Again, implying that HTC could not have come up with this simple interface on their own is offensive, and may even be racist.

You know how well this phone works, you do NOT know how well the Iphone works. This phone is here and now, and you can buy it. The Iphone will only get to UK by the end of the year. Please review the device on its own merits next time, and stop letting your Apple bias show.