WhatsApp Voice App?

At last, a potential competitor to Microsoft's Skype ...
Shame WhatsApp has been bought out by Facebook but still, a competitor to Skype will be really good.

WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum unveils plan for free voice service, after Australian student inspired him to build app | News.com.au:

Nokia Forks Android

Nokia has '2 bob' each of many ways ....
This is really hedging your bets! I wonder if consumers will really be able to position Nokia's product offerings or just be totally confused!

Nokia Forks Android In Mobile Services Push — $122 Nokia X Will Also Be Lumia “Feeder” | TechCrunch:

Nokia X: Android or Windows?

Something to really to get your head around ...

A complex article, only because it is difficult to see where Nokia is going, remembering that Nokia is about to become a Microsoft subsidiary! Another article to follow that may make it clearer or worse - no apologies!

This is Nokia X: Android and Windows Phone collide | The Verge:

Which Chromebook to buy?

A useful assembly of Chromebooks reviews ...
Chromebook sales seem to be picking up. I am still not sure how Google's Chrome OS will win out versus Google's Android OS. Both are now the responsibility of the same person within Google.

Which Chromebook should i buy? Acer, HP, Samsung, and Toshiba reviews - Good Gear Guide by PC World Australia:

Robot dominance by 2029?

Now 2029 is not really that far off ....
We can only hope that politicians, the legal system and bureaucracy will prevent this from ever happening!

Robots will be able to outsmart us by 2029: Google guru | Northern Star:

Moore's Law - 50 years old

Amazing that Moore's Law has held for 50 years ...
From 2,300 transistors at 10 microns (10,000 nanometers) to the now billions of transistors crammed at 22 nanometers! A nanometer is 1/1000,000,000 of a meter or 10 Angstroms!

Moore's Law: how long will it last? | News | TechRadar:

The Chromebook effect

Great to see that Microsoft is dropping its OS prices ...
I think Microsoft has had it all its own way for too long! Now they are going to find out what Operating System competition is all about.

The Chromebook effect: Microsoft said to cut Windows licenses by 70 per cent | News | TechRadar:

Gmail unsubscribe link

Great initiative from Google's Gmail ...
Doesn't appear to be universal yet but certainly many promotional emails now clearly have an 'unsubscribe' link at the top.

Google rolling out one-click unsubscribe to Gmail users - Internet Applications & Software:

SanDisk Dual USB Drive

Second USB manufacturer offers micro connection ...
Looks like a really neat device! Standard USB on one end and micro USB on the other end. PC and Android tablet / smart phone now catered for.

SanDisk Dual USB Drive works with mobiles devices and computers:

Telstra drops data charges

Welcome excess mobile data price drop from Telstra ...
Telcos must be really feeling the pinch with lower roaming charges and now lower excess data charges. Competition is great for the consumer!

Telstra reduces excess data charges - Telstra - Computerworld:

Google ships Chrome 33

Google makes Chrome even more secure ...
It is good to see that Google is making it even more difficult for extension to install themselves. Microsoft should follow suit on this one!

Update: Google ships Chrome 33, patches 28 bugs - Computerworld:

Nokia Treasure Tags

Great idea from Nokia - who said they were dead? ...
I like the quote "There will also be third-party applications for Android and iOS devices available, the company said." We shall wait and see!

Nokia Treasure Tag helps find lost items - Computerworld:

Chromebook 'end of life'?

Not a great selling point for Chromebooks ...
So it would seem that Chromebook hardware has only a 4 year support life at best! This is not going to great news to consumers. Business writes hardware off in 3 years but I reckon consumers would like to see their hardware last 6 years - I guess it just means that they will not be getting software updates for the last two years! 

Will your Chromebook reach its 'end of life' date next year? - Software - News - HEXUS.net:

Google serious on wearables

Wearables are going to be really big in 2014 ...
At the time of writing this had just been released and was being analysed and discussed by the IT journalists. They are excited by the prospect of this developer's SDK (software development kit) that will allow standard interfaces and interworking with the Android operating system.

Google is finally getting serious about wearables | The Verge:

Google Drive slashes prices

Big drop in Google Drive storage costs ...
These are significant drops! 100GB for ~$2.00 a month makes it almost cheaper than buying external hard drives and all the fuss of connecting/disconnecting and finding somewhere safe to store them.


Google Drive slashes storage prices, costs way less than Dropbox | Ars Technica:

Windows 8.1 Update 1 ??

Leaked contents of Windows 8.1 Update 1 due on 8/4/14 ....
There is good news and some not so good news here! Definitely some improvements but maybe some more confusion as well. We need to see the final delivery!

Windows 8.1 Update 1: what's in Microsoft's latest Windows update | News | TechRadar:

Windows 7 - Oct 31, 2014

End of availability for classic Windows 7 OS ...
This is an important date for all those consumers currently running Windows XP and who do not want to move to Windows 8. PCs can still be built with Windows 7 until 31st October 2014 and you can run on this until at least 2020 and then jump to Windows 9 or 10!

Microsoft sets Oct. 31 as stop date for Windows 7 consumer PC sales - Computerworld:

Smartphone battery drain

Culprits of smartphone battery drain ...
Always useful to have hints as to what might be draining your smartphone's battery prematurely.

The apps that are draining your smartphone's battery:

Windows 8.1 Update 1 more

Good discussion of Windows 8.1 Update 1 ...
Assuming all this is factual, it does look a bit of a mess. Some really good aspects but also some inconsistencies that are going to confuse.

Windows 8.1 Update 1: More interface concessions that still won’t make people happy | Ars Technica:

Windows on Android phone?

Microsoft is obviously considering all possibilities ...
The tablet and smart phone operating system is getting very confusing! Apart from Apple iOS we have Google with Android plus Google Services on top, Amazon has Android plus their own services in Kindle and now we have Nokia and Microsoft coming up with maybe different versions of Android++! 

Why is Microsoft trying to smuggle Windows into your Android phone? | News | TechRadar:

Ballmer backed Nokia buy

Interesting background to Microsoft purchase of Nokia ...
Very interesting that neither Gates nor the new CEO Nadella were in support of Microsoft's purchase of Nokia.

Hard Nok life: Ballmer backing Nokia buy led to his downfall | News | TechRadar:

Windows 8.1 Update 1 ??

Windows 8.1 Update previews are starting to circulate ...
We are starting to see previews of the Windows 8.1 Update 1 due out in April 2014.

Microsoft finalizes Windows 8.1 Update 1, improved desktop features available next month | The Verge:

"OK Google" - Search

Supposedly available, I have still to get it to work ...
I know that you have to be on the "google.com" website and not the "google.com.au" website but I still cannot get it to recognise my "OK Google". Maybe it is my accent!

Look, Chrome, no hands: Google rolls out hands-free desktop search - boeing, Yahoo, Google, software - Computerworld:

Acer Chromebook C720

One of the popular Chromebooks at the moment ...
An excellent review article on this popular Chromebook.

Review: Acer Chromebook C720 (C720-29552G01aii):

MS Office 2003 End-of-Life

Not as well publicised as the demise of Windows XP ...
Probably not a huge security risk but Office 2003 will cease to get security patches after 8th April 2014 - same situation as for Windows XP.

Windows XP isn't the only software getting the knife in 8 weeks - Computerworld:

Android apps on Windows?

If you can't beat them, join them ...
I doubt that it will ever happen but it does show that Microsoft is considering every alternative!

Android apps on Windows? Microsoft might let it happen | News | TechRadar:

Sony sells PC business

Another PC maker leaves this competitive market ...
IBM sold to Lenovo, HP considered getting out but stayed and now Sony has sold out.

Why Sony couldn't make PCs work any more | News | TechRadar: