Microsoft launches Bing News, Bing Finance, Bing Weather and Bing Sports apps for Windows Phone 8

Microsoft has released apps for News, Finance, Weather, and Sports on Windows Phone 8. 

The apps can be downloaded free of charge through the Windows Phone Store. Microsoft has detailed the apps in a blog post.

The Bing News app features headlines and videos of breaking news and is customisable, allowing users to track specific story categories, topics, or news sources. It also allows users to rearrange headline clusters to keep news that's relevant to them at the top.

Microsoft has partnered with editorial and news agencies including Associated Press, Reuters, Gizmodo, and The Guardian, among others, in addition to other local and regional sources. In India, the app features NDTV, India Today, IBN Live and Reuters for local news. The app also supports Live Tiles and users can also pin a favourite news source or a personal topic to their Start screen for quick access.

The Bing Sports app offers recent scores, top sports headlines, videos, photos, schedules, standings, statistics and other content across most major sports, including soccer, football, baseball, cricket, racing, tennis, hockey, and basketball.

The Bing Weather app offers up-to-date current conditions including temperature, precipitation and wind.The app also dynamically updates the live tile based upon the user's current location. They can also save other locations to get the weather.

The app offers weather with dynamic maps for cities or regions in a number of categories including satellite, temperature, precipitation, cloud cover and radar. Users can also check daily weather conditions, historical data and view charts for temperature and precipitation through the app.

The Bing Finance app offers financial news, market info, currency conversions, stock updates for the US and customisable interactive charts. Users can set up a watchlist to track their stocks and pin individual stocks to their phone's Start screen for live tile updates. Users can also track performance of a stock, browse news about the company, stock statistics and an overview of the company. The financial info is provided through tie-ups with Bloomberg, CNBC, and Fox Business.

Microsoft had also launched similar apps on Windows 8 in October 2012.

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Microsoft talks up the companion web in IE marketing exercise

CONSUMER TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES are remarkably adept at saying a lot that ultimately means nothing. One firm describes its products as "magical", and today we see a phone being dubbed "snazzy" by a mobile network.

Calling something magical or snazzy is one thing, but in its latest video Microsoft creates an odd image of someone or something giving birth to billions of mobile devices.

"The birthrate of mobile devices is five times the birthrate of humans", it says, causing us to wonder whether it has played the tablet and smartphone market so badly that it grows its hardware in test tubes.

"For every human that enters the world, five mobile devices are made. And that's just mobile."

Putting aside the fact that we knew this was about mobile, and it had mentioned mobile a couple of times already, we appreciate the clarification.

But what of the other devices in ours lives, Microsoft? How are they coming together to dominate people in what you are calling the Companion Web?

The companion web, we aren't capitalising the term again, is the internet that we carry with us, for example on our phones and tablets. Oh, and it's also Internet Explorer.

The companion web, says the video, opens up a doorway that we thought was already open, to things like games, books, sports, music and TV.

"This is more than second screen," says the somewhat strained video. "It's more than any number of companion devices. This is a revolution for the web, and it all starts with you."

Actually, it sounds like it started a few years ago, but we can't be sure. We're told what Bryan Saftler, senior product manager for Internet Explorer thinks. "We're going to keep spending time in front of our many screens, and the Companion Web emphasizes our ability to engage with the media we're consuming. This is just the beginning," he said in a blog post.

"The Companion Web represents an incredible evolution of the web to work with the way we use our devices. Stay tuned over the coming months for more exciting news about Companion Web experiences

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Microsoft says Windows 8.1 RTM will be available in late August

SOFTWARE DEVELOPER Microsoft has said OEMs and system builders will have access to the final version of Windows 8.1 in late August.

Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system has met with frosty reception from users, with its tiled user interface being something of a Marmite feature, while the lack of Start button has further alienated users. The firm's answer is Windows 8.1 and at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference Windows CMO and CFO Tami Reller said system builders and OEMs will get the release to manufacturing (RTM) version at the end of August.

However Microsoft poured cold water on thoughts of a speedy release, saying that a late August launch will allow firms to get new systems ready in time for the holiday season, which typically starts in early November. Given that Microsoft is unlikely to anger system builders and OEMs by releasing retail copies of Windows 8.1 months before "new" systems are on the shelves, it is a fair bet that Windows 8.1 won't be available until sometime in November.

Microsoft also tried to dispel the notion that Windows 8 simply wasn't selling, with Reller announcing that the firm had sold 100 million licenses. Of course what Microsoft didn't say is how many of those 100 million were sold to OEMs that simply preload it onto machines that will then be reloaded with Windows 7. Instead Reller said that "new customer activation continues at a consistent pace", but what that pace is, is anyone's guess.

Microsoft has said that Windows 8.1 is a refinement to Windows 8, but perhaps the most important announcement the firm made was that it will include a Start button, albeit one that brings up the Windows 8 tiled interface. The firm has also released a Windows 8.1 Preview for those aching to get a Start button and boot directly into desktop mode

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Install USB 3.0 and other USB devices

USB (universal serial bus) devices are among the easiest devices to connect to your PC. You can connect a wide variety of devices, such as keyboards, printers, and external drives. Some devices might use USB 3.0, a connection type that can run up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0 by using a new technology called SuperSpeed. You can recognize the cables and ports to connect your USB devices by one of these symbols.

USB 2.0 symbol

USB 3.0 symbol

If you're installing a USB 3.0 device, you might have a blue cable for it. You might also see blue tabs in the connectors at the ends of the cables and in the ports on your PC or USB hub. All USB 3.0 cables and ports will have the USB 3.0 symbol on them regardless of their color.

USB connector with an internal blue tab

USB 3.0 symbol on the connector at the end of a cable

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Connect a USB device

If instructions came with your USB device, use that info to install your device. Otherwise, use these general instructions.

To install a USB device

1. If your device has a power cord, plug it in.
2. Connect the device to your PC using the separate cable or cord attached to the device.
   Make sure to use a USB 3.0 port for USB 3.0 devices. Otherwise, you can use the most convenient port available.
3. Turn on your device, and wait while Windows finds and installs the proper driver.
4. After installation is done, check the info that came with your device to see if you need to install additional software.

Notes

• If an older USB device doesn't work properly when plugged into a USB 3.0 port, try connecting the device to a USB 2.0 port instead.
• If Windows doesn’t recognize your device or can’t find a driver, see What if a device isn't installed properly?

Disconnect a USB device

You can just unplug most USB devices, such as a keyboard or mouse. However, before you unplug storage devices, such as USB flash drive, make sure that you’ve saved your files to the drive before removing it. You might also want to eject the drive to make sure all activity on the drive is finished.

To eject a drive

1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
   (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)
2. Tap or click Devices.
3. Tap or click the device you want to eject, tap or click the Remove icon , and then tap or click Remove.

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How to restore, refresh, or reset your PC by window 7 ,8

If you're having problems with your PC, you can try to restore, refresh, or reset it. Restoring your PC is a way to undo recent system changes you've made. Refreshing your PC reinstalls Windows and keeps your personal files, settings, and the apps that came with your PC and apps that you installed from Windows Store. Resetting your PC reinstalls Windows but deletes your files, settings, and apps—except for the apps that came with your PC.

If you need to restore your personal files, see How to use File History. If you used Backup and Restore in a previous version of Windows, you can use Windows 7 File Recovery to restore those backups. If you need to restart your PC, see How do I restart (reboot) my PC?

Restore your PC to an earlier point in time

If you think an app or driver that you recently installed caused problems with your PC, you can restore it back to an earlier point in time, called a restore point. System Restore doesn’t change your personal files, but it might remove recently installed apps and drivers.

Note

• System Restore isn't available for Windows RT.
• Windows automatically creates a restore point when you install new Windows updates if the last restore point is older than 7 days. You can also create a restore point at any time.

To restore your PC using System Restore

1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.
   (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then clickSearch.) Enter Recovery in the search box, tap or click Settings, and then tap or click Recovery.
2. Tap or click Open System Restore, and follow the prompts.

Refresh your PC without affecting your files

If your PC isn't performing as well as it once did, and you don't know why, you can refresh your PC without deleting any of your personal files or changing your settings.

Note

• You might be prompted to insert discs or recovery media that came with your PC. Check the info that came with your PC to see if your PC manufacturer provided these discs or media. In some cases, you might have created them when you first set up your PC.

Warning

• The apps that came with your PC or you installed from Windows Store will be reinstalled, but any apps you installed from other websites and DVDs will be removed. Windows puts a list of the removed apps on your desktop after refreshing your PC.

To refresh your PC

1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
   (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)
2. Under PC settings, tap or click General.
3. Under Refresh your PC without affecting your files, tap or click Get started.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen.

Remove everything and reinstall Windows

If you want to recycle your PC, give it away, or start over with it, you can reset it completely.

Note

• You might be prompted to insert discs or recovery media that came with your PC. Check the info that came with your PC to see if your PC manufacturer provided these discs or media. In some cases, you might have created them when you first set up your PC.

Warning

• All of your personal files will be deleted and your settings will be reset. Any apps the came with your PC will be reinstalled, but all other apps will be removed.

To reset your PC

1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
   (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)
2. Under PC settings, tap or click General.
3. Under Remove everything and reinstall Windows , tap or click Get started.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen.
   Note

   • You'll be prompted to choose whether you want to erase data quickly or thoroughly. If you choose to erase data quickly, some data might be recoverable using special software. If you choose to erase data thoroughly, this will take longer but it makes recovering data far less likely.

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Zip and unzip files by window 7,8

You can zip (compress) a file so that it takes up less space. This makes it easier to email or move the file. You can also zip multiple files into a single compressed folder. This makes it easier to share a group of files. To open a file that has been zipped, you need to unzip (extract) it first.

To zip (compress) a file or folder

1. Open File Explorer by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search), enteringFile Explorer in the search box, tapping or clicking Apps, and then tapping or clicking File Explorer.
2. Select the file or folder, tap or click the Share tab, and then tap or click Zip.
   A new compressed folder gets created in the same location with the same name as the file. You can rename the compressed folder like you can any other folder. Just select the folder, tap or click the Home tab, and then tap or clickRename.

Notes

• Warning: If you add encrypted files to a compressed folder, they won't be encrypted after they’re extracted.
• If you've already created a compressed folder and want to add new files or folders to it, you can drag them to the compressed folder.
• Some types of files, like JPEG images, are already highly compressed, so there's no need to compress them further.
• If you’d like to have password protection or adjustable compression features for compressed folders, you can search online for file compression apps. Just be careful when you install file compression apps from the Internet because they might change your settings so that files don't open in the apps you want them to.
• To compress files or folders from the Command Prompt window, you can use the compact command. For info about using this command, type compact /help at a command prompt.

To unzip (extract) files or folders from a compressed folder

1. Open File Explorer by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search), enteringFile Explorer in the search box, tapping or clicking Apps, and then tapping or clicking File Explorer.
2. To extract individual files or folders, open the compressed folder and then drag the files or folders you want to extract to a new location.
   -or-
   To extract everything in the compressed folder, tap or click the Compressed Folder Tools tab, and then tap or clickExtract all.

Note

• If you’re trying to extract everything in a compressed folder and don’t see the Extract all command, select the compressed folder, tap or click the Home tab, and tap or click Properties. On the General tab, next to Opens with, make sure it says File Explorer. If it doesn't, tap or click Change and select File Explorer. If you still don’t see theExtract all command, the .zip file association in the registry might be damaged. Search the Windows support forumfor info about applying a registry fix.

Extracting all files from a compressed folder

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Unlock or unblock your mobile broadband device by window 7,8

Here's what to do if your mobile broadband device is locked or blocked.

To unlock a mobile broadband device

If your mobile broadband device has a PIN, the device will be automatically locked when you turn off your PC, enter hibernation, or remove the data card from your PC. The next time you start your PC, resume from hibernation, or insert the data card, the status of the device will appear as Device locked. Follow these steps to unlock it:

1. View a list of available networks by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Settings (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Settings), and then tapping or clicking the network icon ( or ).
2. Tap or click the name of the mobile broadband connection, and then tap or click Connect.
3. Enter the PIN, and then tap or click OK.

To unblock a mobile broadband device

When a mobile broadband device is blocked, you can't unlock it with the PIN. The status of the device will appear as Blocked. To unblock the device, you must enter an unblock key (sometimes called a PUK) that you get from your mobile broadband provider. You'll also need to create a new PIN during the unblocking process. Follow these steps to unblock your device:

1. View a list of available networks by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Settings (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Settings), and then tapping or clicking the network icon ( or ).
2. Press and hold or right-click the mobile broadband network, tap or click View connection properties, and then tap or click the Security tab.
3. Tap or click Unblock device.
4. Enter the unblock key, enter and verify a new PIN, and then tap or click Unblock device.

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see window capture screen short

• To take a screen shot and save it as a file
  • Press the Windows logo key +PrtScn.
    – or –
    If you're using a tablet, press the Windows logo button + the volume down button.
    The screen will dim for a moment when the screen is copied and saved as a file in the Screenshots folder (which is in your Pictures library).
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  by raj patel

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Quick Tip: Take fast screenshots with Windows 7, 8 shortcut

Takeaway: Capturing and saving a screenshot in Windows 8 can be as simple as a basic keyboard shortcut.

 I have to create screenshot images just about every day. Before Windows 7 that generally required a several step process: one step to copy the screenshot to the clipboard, one step to paste it into Paint or similar application, and one last step to save it to a hard drive.

When Windows 7 came along there was the Snipping Tool, which did not really reduce the number of steps, it just sort of rearranged them slightly: Start the Snipping Tool, pick what you wanted an image of, snip it, and then save it to a hard drive.

The Snipping Tool

While Microsoft Windows 8 still has the Snipping Tool, it also has a new keyboard shortcut for capturing screenshots. If you click the keyboard combination of the Windows Key + Print Screen, Windows 8 will capture the current screenshot and save it automatically in the Pictures Library. If you are on a tablet the combination is the Windows Key + Volume Down.

A gratuitous photo of my cat captured with the Windows Key + Print Screen keyboard combination

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Microsoft woos developers with Windows 8.1

Microsoft on Wednesday courted application makers with a "re-blended" version of the overhauled Windows 8 operating system released late last year.

Windows 8.1 incorporated feedback from users and developers, and came with the promise that the US software giant was speeding up its release cycle to adapt to the dizzying pace of innovation in consumer technology.

"We pushed boldly in Windows 8 and got lots of feedback," Microsoft chief executive Steven Ballmer said while kicking off the company's BUILD developers conference in San Francisco.

"Users said 'Why don't you go refine the blend?," he said. "We will show you a refined blend of our desktop experience and our modern experience."

Cheers burst from the audience when Ballmer assured them that changes in Windows 8.1 included a return of the "Start" button icon on screens that provided shortcuts to commands and applications.

Microsoft made a preview version of Windows 8.1 available for developers online at preview.windows.com and said this was just the beginning of a shift to "rapid release" cycles for software.

"Rapid release cadences are absolutely essential to what we are doing," Ballmer said.

"It is about the transformation that we are going through as a company to move at an absolutely rapid release cycle; our transformation from a software company to a company building software-powered devices and services."

Windows 8.1 (Review) remains true to the vision of an operating system tuned for touch-screen controls and multi-gadget lifestyles increasingly revolving around tablets and smartphones, according to Microsoft.

"When we rolled out Windows we talked about touch, touch, touch," Ballmer said, noting that when people went to stores there was a dearth of Windows-powered touch computers.

He said there would be a "proliferation" of small Windows tablets released in the coming months.

Microsoft used the keynote presentation before BUILD's six thousand attendees to showcase Windows-powered devices ranging from Nokia Lumia smartphones to Lenovo and Acer devices as well as Microsoft's own Surface Pro tablet.

"You will see an outpouring of new devices that are notebook computers in every respect yet have touch fully integrated and usable," Ballmer said.

Microsoft also announced that it was opening its Bing Internet search engine to developers so they can harness its capabilities to power features inside applications.

Microsoft is keen to tap into the creative talent of software developers behind hip, helpful, or fun 'apps' that can dictate the success of failure of smartphones, tablets and other Internet-linked consumer gadgets.

New-generation Apple software for iPhones, iPads, iPods, and Macintosh computers was showcased at a Worldwide Developers Conference here earlier this month, just weeks after a Google event starring Android and Chrome.

Ballmer said that the number of apps in the Windows Store will top 100,000 this month, while downloads have climbed into the hundreds of millions.

"The number of apps we see coming into the store is phenomenal," Ballmer said.

Microsoft is under pressure to adapt to a huge shift in how people engage with computers, according to Forrester analyst Charles Golvin.

Smartphones and tablets have vanquished the days when people devoted the bulk of computer time to Windows-powered desktop or laptop machines.

"Any talk of the personal computer being dead is overblown and ridiculous," Golvin said.

"What matters is being everywhere. PCs still matter; tablets matter, and smartphones matter most if you look at the amount of time people are spending in front of screens."

The overhauled Windows 8 operating system released in November was designed to power the array Internet-linked devices, but some people balked at having to adapt to the new "metro" tile-style user interface.

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Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 Preview released

Along with the Windows 8.1 Preview, Microsoft has also introduced Internet Explorer 11 (IE 11) Preview that, according to Microsoft, offers better touch performance, faster page load times and a continuous browsing experience across users' Windows devices.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 Preview is part of the Windows 8.1 Preview release and is optimised for touch-screen devices as it uses the graphics processor of the device to process gestures such as panning, zooming, and swiping. It decodes images through the graphics processor while the CPU is used for processing dynamic page content of a webpage. The browser supports swipe gestures for going forward and back, complete with page prediction and pre-rendering for better visual feedback.

The browser now allows users to open up to 100 tabs at a given time. Microsoft says that it's using a technology to allow independent tab suspension for efficient use of memory and battery, and faster switching. It will manage content within tabs depending on the usage to achieve this. The browser supports Windows 8.1's side by side mode allowing users to browse two websites on different instances of the browser on one screen. One can also now run non-legacy Modern apps side by side in snap mode with IE 11.

With Internet Explorer 11, users can also opt to always see tabs and address bar. These UI elements were hidden in the previous version till the user right-clicked or pull down a menu using gestures.
 
One of the major features of the new browser is support for syncing tabs or windows across multiple devices. Users can sign-in with their SkyDrive user credentials on one device, and resume browsing on another. This feature is already offered by Apple's Safari browser via iCloud and Google's Chrome browser through Google account sync.

The browser also allows users to put their Favourites in different folders with custom tile pictures. Live site tiles can also be build, so users can pin a website as a tile on their Start screen that can dynamically pull data and offer updated content.

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