Microsoft provides further details on "Blue," the Windows 8 (or 8.1, if one wants to be specific) update promising a number of changes to the tablet-centric OS-- including, perhaps, a return of the Start button.

Such hints come from the Wired Business Conference, where Windows chief Julie Larson-Green admits Microsoft is "thinking about" replacing the tiny Start-style UI element lurking in the lower left of the Windows 8 desktop with a traditional button.

"There has been meaningful discussion," Larson-Green says. "The button might be helpful to have on the screen for some people... We're principled in the direction we're heading, but we're not going to be stubborn."

At least some people have been clamoring for a Windows 8 Start button-- by January 2013 1.5 million customers downloaded Pokki, a free Windows 8 start menu replacement app, while Windows Classic Shell downloads spiked following the Windows 8 launch.

Windows' lack of native Blu-ray playback support might make life difficult for your media-consuming customers-- but now iDeer updates its Blu-ray player software (v1.2.6) with Windows 8 support.

According to the company the software is the first compatible with the latest Windows version, and comes complete with authorisation from the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA).

The iDeer Blu-ray player also supports other formats (including CD, MOV, AVI, FLV, WMV, MP4, MPEG, AAC and AC3) and is available Continue reading...

Next year comes the end of the longest-lived Microsoft OS yet, Windows XP-- Microsoft will only support Windows XP users until 8 April 2014.

Customers and partners will no longer receive XP and Office 2003 security updates or be able to leverage on Microsoft tech support after the date.

In other words, Microsoft wants everyone to migrate to Windows 7 (if not 8) sooner rather than later.

However Windows XP remains popular-- according to Net Applications XP is the 2nd biggest desktop OS around with 38.73% market share, even 10 years after initial release.

Finally B2B gets a payments platform that matches the internet age.

No one loves a bank except bankers and bank robbers. And sometimes not even the bankers.

The founder of Traxpay worked for Deutsche Bank for more than 10 years. There, in the Payments Department, in the middle of the profitable B2B payments section, one could make a good bank career churning out bank profits-- if one could suffer the typical complaints and frustrations of customers.

The banks, not just Deutsche Bank for sure, but all banks today give a horribly antiquated service, a service that basically ignores the needs of quickened supply chains. A service that's slow by modern internet-enabled business standards... and yet expensive by any standard.

Think about how long it still takes bank transfers. Our own bank, for example, still charges 24 euro if you would like a 24-hour guaranteed transfer. Another one of our banks takes three days to clear an incoming transfer. All this aggravation and cost still prevails in the age of internet, the era of simultaneous communication.

We are lulled into expecting this low level of service because banks are incumbent in a business designed long before internet. Yet all of our businesses are tied to banks from birth by an invisible umbilical cord.

Microsoft believes Windows 8 sales are already going stronger than those those of Windows 7-- the company reveals Windows 8 licenses already total 40 million since the end October 2012 launch.

These are the first Windows 8 sales figures since CEO Steve Ballmer said Microsoft sold 4m Windows 8 upgrades in 4 days. For history's sake, Microsoft sold 60m Windows 7 licenses in the first 2 months following launch back in 2009.

One has to keep in mind the reality of the above figures-- Microsoft refers to license numbers, not how many Windows 8 copies belong to customers. Meaning a (possibly large) percentage of those 40m Windows 8 copies went to OEMs and PC makers.

Microsoft also fails to provide Surface with Windows RT talbet sales figures.

Customers afraid of leaving fingerprints all over their new Windows 8 laptops? Elliptic Labs might just have a future solution with the Windows 8 Gesture Suite, a touch-free gesture-based control system for the touchable OS.

The system might sound similar to the Kinect and its ilk, but Elliptic claims its solution is even better-- it uses ultrasound, with multiple microphones taking the place of cameras.

Ultrasound has a wider field of view, requires no lights, uses less power and is more responsive Continue reading...

Confused with the differences between the various consumer flavours of New Windows? Don't worry, you are not alone. According to The Verge, even Microsoft employees find the various differences between 8, 8 Pro and RT somewhat baffling!

Complicating matters further are all the Windows 8 devices hitting the market-- not only the Surface (and its various variants), but also all the laptops, tablets and hybrids various vendors have on offer. With the imminent Windows 8 launch, we believe it is time you learn exactly what makes each version tick... and which your customers should buy come October 26.

First off, it is important to note how Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro and Windows RT look very similar to each other. All carry the same touch-friendly tile-based Start Screen UI, as well as an optional desktop mode. However, while 8 and 8 Pro only vary slightly from each other (similar to the differences between Windows 7 Home/Home Premium/Professional Editions) Windows RT is a completely different beast.

Microsoft has been calling its distinctive tile-based user interface "Metro" since its first appearances on Windows Phone. But not any more-- since no other than Metro AG owns the "Metro" name.

According to anonymous sources speaking to Ars Technica, the German retailer is threatening Microsoft with legal action, causing the Microsoft Legal and Corporate Affairs team to send out a memo (also leaked to The Verge) banning use of the "Metro" name.

As we all know, Metro is huge, and a quick check Continue reading...