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Software RSS FeedsWhat? You think Windows 8 Leap Day is coincidence? - Good marketing is all about subtly and communicating a complex message simply. But in the era of tech events, particularly Apple's during the second Steve Jobs era, their announcement is something of an artform. Microsoft's Windows 8 Consumer Preview event announcement is rich in subtly and foreshadowing, simply by a date. February 29. Leap Day comes once but every four years. It's a special day that seems to have been specially chosen: Microsoft will hold the Windows 8 event in Barcelona, Spain, during Mobile World Congress (Feb. 27 to March 1). Not on Day One or Two, which customarily are… [Continue Reading]...Feed Source: feeds.betanews.com Windows 8 Consumer Preview can be yours February 29 - Beta testers, get ready: Windows 8 is coming on Leap Day. The first public beta release that is, which keeps it on track for an October release. My colleague Joe Wilcox details the timeline in this post on Windows 8, which hints at Microsoft's announced date -- calling it "six or more weeks later" than the early January release of Windows 7's public beta. I'd say he was pretty close. Microsoft is celebrating the release of the Customer Preview with an event in Barcelona, Spain on February 29, which is being held there to coincide with Mobile World Congress, also… [Continue Reading]... Google releases Chrome 17 -- get it now! - Chrome 17 entered the "stable" channel today, 33 days after going beta. Not coincidentally, the stable build follows Chrome for Android by one day. You'll want the one to get the full sync benefits of the other. Google promises security improvements with the new release and something else: Faster page loading, as you type and in some cases barely before you start typing the address. Chrome essentially pre-renders websites, extending the search page pre-rendering already available. The feature is disturbing in practice -- a little too prescient, like mind reading, when it works. On the security side, Google has long… [Continue Reading]... Chrome for Android: It's not the 'right' browser yet - Yesterday, Google pulled the trigger and finally launched Chrome for Android in beta. It is undoubtedly one of the most significant app releases ever for the Android platform, but like other platforms, the browser market is a strange beast and BetaNews readers, of all people, should be acutely familiar with that fact. If you do not own an Android device capable of running the Chrome Beta, you probably looked around at the reviews and got a general feeling for the new software and why it's "the platform's best new browser," or the native browser killer with an improved interface and… [Continue Reading]... Would you pay $10,000 for pizza and a bride? - I don't know what's stranger, Pizza Hut's Valentine's Day marketing gimmick or one of our editors finding it on Facebook. BetaNews FileForum managing editor Eddie Elmore consistently drops interesting links into group chat. The link to the Pizza Hut promo churned up so much discussion among the staff, I had to post. If you're willing to pay Pizza Hut $10,000 and another 10 bucks for a Dinner Box, the restauranteur will help you propose marriage. Besides the food, you get a ruby ring, limo service, flowers (hey, it's Valentine's Day), photographer, videographer and your own fireworks show. My question: What… [Continue Reading]... Do you store files in the cloud? Try BoxCryptor 1.2 - Acomba UG has released BoxCryptor 1.2, its free and paid-for encryption tool for those using certain cloud-based backup services. BoxCryptor is designed for those who wish to encrypt their data locally prior to uploading it to services like Dropbox where the encryption is handled remotely, thereby adding an extra layer of privacy and security to the user?s files. Version 1.2 adds support for unlimited encrypted folders to those using the paid-for, unlimited version ($39.99 personal, $99.99 business), plus adds a new Advanced mode for more experienced users alongside a new wizard for creating and opening encrypted folders for beginners. Multiple folder support was… [Continue Reading]... Hacker taunts Symantec, releases pcAnywhere source code, promises others - Source code for Symantec's pcAnywhere software is now out in the wild, following failed negotiations between a hacker and the company. Emails published to Pastebin on Monday indicate that the hacker demanded $50,000 from the company to prevent the source code's release, a conversation Symantec confirms is legitimate. The company says it did not handle the negotiations, which were done in conjunction with law enforcement. "YamaTough", the hacker behind the extortion attempt, tells Reuters in his own defense that even if the money was paid, he still intended to release the source code to Symantec's remote desktop software. Symantec disclosed… [Continue Reading]... Is your graphics card wonky? GPU Caps Viewer can help - The average graphics card is now a seriously complicated piece of kit, a host of complex subsystems and technologies working together to deliver the visuals you expect. When everything?s running smoothly then that?s just fine, as you don?t have to pay attention to any of this, but if your system?s misbehaving then GPU Caps Viewer may be able to help you find out why. The program provides all the core details about your hardware, for instance: its GPU model, Shader cores, BIOS version, TDP, memory size and type. You?re able to monitor its current temperature, fan speed, clock rates, voltage and GPU load,… [Continue Reading]... Save big on security software in February - February is a great month if you?re looking to bolster the security of your computer as we have an amazing selection of offers available on AVG products in the Downloadcrew Software Store. Whether you are looking to protect a single computer, or several, we have deals on the most appropriate software for you so you can save money whatever your needs. For complete, all-round security, look no further than AVG Internet Security 2012 Complete Bundle, which includes an incredible five AVG products -- (AVG Internet Security 2012, AVG PC Tuneup 2012, AVG LiveKive (complete with 25GB of storage), AVG Family Safety 2012 and… [Continue Reading]... You can lose money selling iPhone, just ask Sprint - Be careful what you wish for, because you might get it -- as the old adage goes. Sprint wanted iPhone and got it, and paid dearly during the first quarter of sales. This morning, before the opening bell, the nation's third-largest carrier announced holiday quarter results and another big operating loss. There, iPhone heavily contributed. The carrier reported a $1.3 billion loss, or 43 cents per diluted share, on revenue of $8.7 billion. Profit margins plummeted to 9.5 percent from 16 percent a year earlier, and iPhone largely accounted for the decline. Sprint loses would actually have been more, but… [Continue Reading]... OneNote for Android is here -- get it now or live with regret - For years, OneNote seemed like a promise without purpose. Microsoft developed a fresh, flexible application capable of pulling together content from many sources and in a way that made creative sense. Sure the Office family member imitated note-taking software already available for the Mac, but with surprising approachability for Microsoft-developed Windows software. But who really used OneNote? Then during the Office 2007 release cycle, Microsoft swapped out Outlook for OneNote in the low-cost consumer edition and millions of users discovered the promise. But not the purpose. Microsoft would later imbue that quality quite unexpectedly by connecting OneNote to SkyDrive. Sync… [Continue Reading]... Has the 'App Economy' landed you a job? - A new study from CEO network TechNet suggests that the surge in smartphone and device app development has created 466,000 jobs since 2007, welcome news for those looking for positives in an otherwise tough economy. But has it landed you a job? The study, conducted by former chief economist for BusinessWeek Dr. Michael Mandel took into account not only the "pure" app development firms like Zynga, but also companies where apps have become a necessary secondary business such as Electronic Arts or Amazon, and even those providing infrastructure and platform support for the App Economy including Google, Apple, and Facebook.… [Continue Reading]... What's behind Google's Charles Dickens doodle? - One of England's most celebrated authors was born 200 years ago today. Google is commemorating Charles Dickens with a little (Oliver) Twist. There's a doodle, as would be expected, but behind it links to free ebooks from the search and information giant's own bookstore. Eh, what's up with that? Is it favoritism? That's a question I've heard often asked recently about Google, as the amount of cross-product, cross-service integration increases. The practice jumped quite dramatically after Larry Page returned as Google CEO in April 2011, and it's not abating. Favoritism should be a concern, given that impartiality -- and with… [Continue Reading]... Google Chrome for Android launches in beta - Big news came from Google on Tuesday as the company released the very first beta version of its Chrome web browser for Android. Like the mobile versions of Opera and Firefox for Android, browser tabs and favorites from the user's desktop version are synced to the mobile browser, providing a unified experience across platforms. The beta version is currently only available on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Australia, Japan, Korea, Argentina, and Brazil, so if you don't have ICS at your disposal right now or you're in a country not listed,… [Continue Reading]... All you need is a good idea and a little Kickstarter - As a software developer I can appreciate how important it is to have good ideas. The challenge is making them reality. Also it is not enough just to be taught a skill, one needs to be able to put it to work doing something valuable to others. Some of the best ideas come from people who aren't just trying to make a buck, but who love what they are doing and see the real value in it. Sadly many a good idea never makes it beyond the drawing board. But some people don't give up so easily and with a… [Continue Reading]... Microsoft and 24/7 Inc. team up to build a better automated customer service platform - Yesterday, with the announcement of Microsoft's Dynamics CRM Mobile, I touched on the big developments taking place in mobile sales, marketing, and support. The ever-increasing power of smartphones is shifting the way businesses and customers interact in nearly all forms of commerce (B2C, C2C, B2B, and so forth) because both ends rely on their mobile devices as the primary method of communication. An important component in this customer relationship model is automated communications, and Microsoft on Tuesday announced it has formed a long-term equity partnership with 24/7 Inc. that focuses on that aspect. Microsoft and 24/7 Inc. have joined up… [Continue Reading]... Waterfox 10 -- 64-bit browsing for your Windows PC - When it comes to operating systems, 64-bit is becoming increasingly popular. The ability to access additional, and ever-more-important, memory is a big draw, as is the added security and stability. But despite a general move to 64-bits for OSes, there is still relatively little 64-bit software that has been written to take advantage of them -- well, Windows. This is also true in the browser arena, but it is something that is being addressed by Waterfox 10, a 64-bit version of Firefox. While it is true that there are already 64-bit versions of Firefox available, this is only the case in… [Continue Reading]... Mobile Mouse: Control your PC with smartphone or tablet - The advent of big-screen HD TVs has made it easier than ever to watch video on your computer through your television. The only downside is physically hooking up your computer to your TV, followed by having to get up from your comfortable seat to take control. Why go to all that hassle when you can configure your mobile or tablet to act as a wireless remote control, mouse and keyboard with the help of a tool called Mobile Mouse? Mobile Mouse comes in two parts: Mobile Mouse Server for your PC or Mac, and then the mobile app for iPhone/iPod touch, iPad or Android. Start by… [Continue Reading]... Amid its fastest growth ever, Amazon slashes prices on S3 cloud storage - Amazon on Tuesday reduced the price of its Simple Storage Service (S3) cloud-based storage platform by between 12 and 13.5 percent for U.S. customers. With the reduction, the retailer-turned-cloud-services-provider is attempting to draw the attention of businesses utilizing on-premises storage solutions with a more affordable and scalable cloud platform. As a bonus, current customers also get a nice reduction in their monthly bill. It applies to both private enterprise and users of AWS GovCloud. In the first weeks of 2012, Amazon unveiled a new solution in beta called AWS Storage Gateway, which connects on-premises software applications with cloud storage for… [Continue Reading]... Ad-Aware 10 definitely needs to be on your shortlist - Lavasoft has today released Ad-Aware 10, the latest incarnation of its flagship anti-malware package. The program will be available in three versions -- Ad-Aware Free Antivirus+, Ad-Aware Personal Security ($12 per year) and Ad-Aware Pro Security ($36 per year) -- but, unusually, it?s the free release this time around that sees the most significant change. Many technologies previously reserved for the commercial editions only are now available in the free build, for instance. So real-time process protection will detect and block malware before it can launch; Registry protection looks out for potentially risky Registry changes, and real-time network protection blocks connections… [Continue Reading]... Copyright © 2012, TopLooker.com. 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