News Microsoft Windows Update : The Operating Systemels Evolution Of Microsoft Windows Through Out The Years

Microsoft Windows has seen ten major versions since its first release in 1985. Over 30 years, Windows evolved to look very different while retaining a degree of familiarity.
The evolution of Windows is both a reflection on computing power of that generation and the dominant input devices, be it a mouse and keyboard earlier and a touchscreen now.

Here’s a brief look at the history of Windows:

Windows 1

The original. This is where it all began. The original Windows 1 was released in November 1985 and was Microsoft's first attempt at a graphical user interface.

Windows 1 ran on top of the then dominant operating system, Microsoft's DOS, which relied on command-line input. Windows 1 was one of the first software to heavily rely on mouse control before the mouse was a common input device.

Windows 2

Arriving two years after the release of its predecessor in December 1987, Windows 2 introduced features like the ability to minimise or maximise windows and allowing different windows to overlap each other. Windows 2 introduced the control panel, where system settings and configuration options resided. It also introduced the world to Microsoft Word and Excel.

Windows 3

Windows 3 launched in 1990 and was the first version of the OS to see widespread success and be considered a challenger to Apple’s Macintosh and the Commodore Amiga graphical user interfaces, coming pre-installed on computers from PC-compatible manufacturers.

It introduced the ability to run MS-DOS programmes in windows, which brought multitasking to legacy programmes, and supported 256 colours, bringing a more modern, colourful look to the interface.

It also introduced the world to one the most iconic timesink ever created, Solitaire.

Windows 95

Windows 95 launched in August 1995 and brought with it the start button and start menu.

Its big push was “plug and play” – connect a peripheral and the operating system finds the appropriate drivers for it and makes it work. That did not pan out as expected and led to millions of “plug and pray” jokes.

Internet Explorer too made its debut on Windows 95.

Windows 98

Released in June 1998, Windows 98 built on Windows 95 and came with Internet Explorer 4, Outlook Express, Microsoft Chat and eventually Windows Media Player.

It introduced the back and forward navigation buttons and the address bar in Windows Explorer, among other things.

USB support was much improved in Windows 98 and led to its widespread adoption, including USB hubs and USB mice.

Windows ME

Released in September 2000, Windows Millennium Edition (ME) was the last Windows to be based on MS-DOS, and the last in the Windows 9x line.

Considered the worst version of Windows ever, ME was the consumer-aimed operating system twinned with Windows 2000 that aimed at the enterprise market. It introduced some important concepts to consumers, including more automated system recovery tools.

IE 5.5, Windows Media Player 7 and Windows Movie Maker all made their appearance for the first time. Auto-complete also appeared in Windows Explorer, but the operating system was notorious for being buggy, failing to install properly and being generally poor.

Windows 2000

The enterprise twin of ME, Windows 2000 was released in February 2000 and was based on Microsoft’s business-oriented system Windows NT that later became the basis for the much more successful Windows XP.

Windows 2000 was the first time that Microsoft offered automatic updates and it was the first Windows to support hibernation.

Windows XP

Released in October 2001, Windows XP was a product of a Microsoft at the peak of its powers.

The start menu and task bar got a visual overhaul, bringing the familiar green start button, blue task bar and vista wallpaper, along with various shadow and other visual effects.

Windows XP was the longest running Microsoft operating system, seeing three major updates and support up until April 2014 – 13 years after its original release. Windows XP was still used on an estimated 430 million PCs when it was discontinued.

But its huge popularity turned out to be a boon for hackers and criminals, who mercilessly exploited its flaws, especially in Internet Explorer.

Windows Vista

Windows XP was replaced by Windows Vista in January 2007. Vista updated the look and feel of Windows with focus on transparent elements and search and security. Its development was long and troubled, with ambitious elements abandoned in the final release.

It was buggy and burdened the user with hundreds of requests for app permissions under “User Account Control” – the outcome of XP’s security problems. It also ran slowly on older computers despite them being deemed as “Vista Ready”.

Windows Media Player 11 and IE 7 debuted, along with Windows Defender, an anti-spyware programme. Vista included speech recognition, Windows DVD Maker and Photo Gallery, and was the first Windows to be distributed on DVD.

Windows 7

Windows 7 was released in October 2009 following the lukewarm response to the buggy Windows Vista. It was intended to fix all the problems and criticism faced by Vista, with slight tweaks to its appearance and a concentration on user-friendly features and less “dialogue box overload”.

It was faster, more stable and easier to use, becoming the operating system most users and businesses would upgrade to from Windows XP, forgoing Vista entirely.

Windows 8

Released in October 2012, Windows 8 was Microsoft’s most radical overhaul of the Windows interface. In an effort to bring Windows into the post-PC world dominated by touchscreen smartphones and tablets, Microsoft ditched the start button and start menu for a more touch-friendly start screen.

The new tiled interface saw programme icons and live tiles, which displayed information normally associated with “widgets”, replaced the lists of programmes and icons. A desktop was still included, which resembled Windows 7.

The radical overhaul led to a fallout with loyal Windows users. Microsoft's attempted to walk a fine line between touchscreen support and the traditional mouse and keyboard and somewhat failed on both fronts.

Windows 10

Released on July 29, 2015, Windows 10 is a sharp U-turn from its predecessor, bringing back the start menu and more balance to traditional desktop computer users.

It was released as a free upgrade to all users with legitimate copies of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.

A major feature called Continuum introduced the ability to switch between a keyboard and mouse mode and a tablet mode, for those computers like the Surface Pro 3 with a detachable keyboard.

In an effort to recapture the web browser market it ceded to Google Chrome, Windows 10 comes with a new browser called Edge, which allows users to annotate web pages, save them to read later, or select "read mode" to strip out adverts and sidebars.

Windows 10 comes with Microsoft's virtual personal assistant, Cortana, which pops up with notifications and suggestions, and learns the user's preferences over time. Cortana responds to voice commands similar to Apple's Siri and has been touted as one of the core features of Windows 10.

Posted by Unknown Sunday, August 02, 2015

News Social Network Update : Facebook Messenger No Longer Requires Facebook Account In Select Countries

As part of its continued effort to take over all of your communication needs, Facebook today tweaked Messenger to allow you to sign up without a Facebook account.

Facebook announced today that in the US, Canada, Peru, and Venezuela, you no longer need a Facebook account to sign up for Facebook Messenger. Instead, you can start using Messenger with just your name, phone number, and a photo.

Of course, Facebook would prefer you to sign up for a Facebook account, and it says that doing so will give you Messenger features like sync your messages across phones, tablets, and the web. It’s smart for Facebook to allow folks to sign up for Messenger without a Facebook account, though, because some people simply don’t want a Facebook account. And while some people won’t want a Facebook Messenger account either, others may appreciate being able to keep up with their friends on Facebook Messenger without needing a full-on Facebook account.

Do you use Facebook Messenger?

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, June 24, 2015

News SmartPhones Update : Microsoft Brings Windows 10 Mobile Preview To Lumia 930 And HTC One

Microsoft has released a new preview of Windows 10 for phones featuring for the first time access to the app store, universal Office apps and support for a new range of smartphones.

When Microsoft finally releases its new operating system that has been designed to work on phones and tablets, it will be called Windows 10 Mobile, but for now, as part of its Windows Insider program, the company is continuing to refer to the previews as Windows 10 for phones.

The latest update to be released by Microsoft is Build 10080 and it brings with it the biggest update to the system we have seen so far over Windows Phone 8.1.

As described by Microsoft Gabe Aul in an extensive blog post, the latest preview of Windows 10 for phones "brings many improvements but also because it adds support for a few important phones that Insiders have been asking us about".

One of the biggest additions is access to a beta version of the Windows Store for phones, which mirrors the Windows Store available in preview builds of the desktop version of Windows 10 – though app selection and the markets where the Store are available on phones are currently limited.

Carrier billing

Microsoft has also yet to roll out one of the most interesting Windows 10 features, which is carrier billing, allowing users to buy apps and in-app content without the need for a credit card, with the cost being added to the user's mobile phone bill – a feature which is extremely important in many of the developing markets Microsoft is targeting.

Aside from the new store, Build 10080 brings Universal Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote), for the first time as well as the new Xbox app, new Music and Video apps and an updated Camera app for Windows 10.

Microsoft has expanded the range of compatible phones to include the Lumia 930, the recently released Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL and the first non-Lumia device to get the Windows 10 previews – the HTC One (M8) for Windows.

Initially Microsoft limited the preview to just a handful of Lumia devices but it has gradually increased the number of compatible phones since it began previews in February.
Windows 10 Mobile release date

Microsoft has this week revealed that Windows 10 will be available in seven different versions or Editions, with two focused at smartphones and small tablets – Windows 10 Mobile and Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise – with the latter aimed at winning a slice of the business market.

Aul also reiterated something which was first mentioned at the company's developer conference last month regarding the release date of Windows 10 on phones:

    Because we're treating Windows more like a service, this allows us to release Windows 10 on different devices and customers at different times. For phones, Windows 10 will arrive later this year – both on new devices and also upgrades for existing Windows Phone 8.1 devices. Even though Windows 10 will be arriving for phones later than it does for PCs, the underlying OS code is still the same.

There are however a number of bugs in the preview, with the most significant being one which means that MMS messages may not get through to your phone if you are out of coverage at the time the message is sent.

If you are feeling brave however, and you do want to download the Windows 10 for phones preview, here's how to go about it:

     How to install Windows 10 Previews for Phones

• First, sign up for the Windows Insider Program, if you haven't already
• Download the Windows Insider app from the Windows Phone Store
• Once it finishes downloading, open the app on your phone and follow the instructions to install Technical Preview
• Builds will come to you automatically as they are ready, after being validated by engineers at Microsoft and used on their own phones
• Use the built-in Windows Feedback app to report problems and suggestions
• Updates will continue all the way up to the final build that goes out to all customers
• You can roll your phone back to the previous OS at any time

Posted by Unknown Monday, May 18, 2015

News Handset Release Update : LG's New Windows Phone, The Lancet, Only Costs $120 Off-Contract

 Summary:Yes, you get what you pay for. Still, the Lancet includes HD Voice calling while Windows Phone runs capably on lesser hardware.

 I almost did a double-take when I saw the price of the new LG Lancet Windows Phone. The handset is specific to Verizon and costs either $5 a month on the carrier's Edge plan or $120 in full, without a contract.

Surely, this is a bare-bones phone, right? Almost, but not exactly.

No, the LG Lancet won't compare with flagship devices costing hundreds more. But it's no slouch either because as I found it with a $40 Lumia 520, Windows Phone runs fairly well on limited hardware.

 The Lancet is the first Windows Phone that supports Verizon's Advanced Calling 1.0; a fancy marketing term for HD Voice calling. It runs Windows 8.1 so it also includes Cortana, Microsoft's personal assistant software and everything else Microsoft has packed inside its mobile operating system.

The phone has a 4.5-inch display with a minimally acceptable 854 x 480 resolution, so don't expect immersive HD video playback. Inside is a 1.2 GHz quad-core chip and 8 GB of storage with half of that available to for use. The Lancet does have a microSD card slot, so you can add an addition 128 GB of storage capacity.

LG chose an 8 megapixel image sensor for the rear camera while a VGA front-facing camera should be enough for basic video chats. Expect 18.5 hours of run-time on the 2100 mAh battery, says LG.

Again, there are far better Windows Phones on the market. None of them have HD Voice on Verizon's network though; at least not yet.

Actually, Verizon customers don't really have many Windows Phone choices to begin with. A quick check of the carrier's online storefront shows three, including the new LG Lancet. Both of the other options are old devices with full retail pricing of $499.99 and $599.99. And the Lumia Icon, one of the better Windows Phones for Verizon, is no longer offered.

For $120 off-contract, the Lancet might be worth a look if you use Verizon's network and don't mind a relatively low resolution display and meager but capable chip to power the phone. It's no flagship Lumia of course. For that you'll have to wait. And you'll likely have to pay far more to get it.

Posted by Unknown Saturday, May 16, 2015

News Microsoft Gadget Update : Hands On With Microsoft's DC-21 Portable Charger

 A few months ago, Microsoft announced the DC-21, a portable power unit that is capable of charging your USB devices. The charger comes in three different colors and costs $49.99 from the Microsoft store.

The device comes in white (above), orange and green and the box also comes with a matching mini USB cable for charging. To charge the device you use the micro-USB connector and connect it to a power source but it should be noted that the device does not come with an outlet connector. To charge up your phone or any other device, you use the full size USB port on the bottom of the DC-21.

On the top of of the device are four LED dots that tell you the current charge of the battery. By pressing down on the single button on top, the lights turn on to let you know the charge-level of the DC-21.

The capacity for the power pack is 6000 mAh which is generally enough to charge your phone a couple of times or to power up a larger device, once.

The device is made of plastic, to no surprise, but does have a quality feel to it. This likely comes from the heft of the device as the batteries make it weigh 145g (about 5 ounces). If this portable charger sounds like something you want to buy, you can grab it from the Microsoft store here.

Gallery: dc-21:

Posted by Unknown Thursday, March 05, 2015