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Microsoft ‘Bing’ on the search world

In a very crowded market Google has taken over every day life. Everywhere you go you hear the phrase ‘just Google it’ . It may not have all the answers but it is pretty dam good.

Microsoft has played second fiddle to Google for too long in the search engine arena and, they also tried to use their bullish tactics to buy Yahoo! and failed miserably. Therefore, Microsoft has more or less abandoned its previous ‘Live search’ efforts in order to concentrate development on its new search engine, Bing. Microsoft, you can’t buy your way to the top anymore.

As far as the actual search engine goes, we have been using it since its UK launch in early June and so far it looks quite promising. Microsoft hasn’t reinvented the wheel, it’s fast and it’s easy on the eye, the related search section is clear and simple. The image search has cut out the need to cycle through pages and the video search gives you a mini previews from within the search window when you hover over it with the mouse.

Hitwise early results indicate Bing is doing well, and after just 73 hours of going live in the UK, Bing climbed to 11 per cent of UK internet visits. This 11 percent is 3 times more than Ask and Yahoo’s combined internet visits. Microsoft will find it challenging to maintain the 11 per cent..

So who’s going to win the search engine wars? ‘just Google it’ or ‘just Bing it

Other recent launch: ‘Wolfram Alpha ’, computational knowledge engine that draws on multiple sources to answer user queries directly.

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TomTom develops turn-by-turn navigation app and car kit for the iPhone

Ever since the iPhone 3G came out one app that should have been released is turn-by-turn navigation. With the power of Google maps, Google directions and 3G technology the iPhone was the ideal platform for turn-by-turn navigation.

Well, better late than never. TomTom, the market leader in satellite navigation have developed the first navigation software in combination with a specially designed car kit for the iPhone. This was demonstrated on stage at Mondays WWDC keynote speech by TomTom’s co-founder and CTO, Peter-Frans Pauwels.

The product is to be launched later on this summer after the release of Apple’s OS 3.0. The TomTom navigation app for the iPhone is based on TomTom’s award-winning turn-by-turn navigation software and will be available via the Apple iTunes App Store. The TomTom car kit for iPhone will probably be available from O2 shops and Apple stores in advance of the apps launch.

The specially developed car kit ensures secure docking, enhanced GPS performance, clear voice instructions, hands-free calling and in-car charging.

Product page

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10. Jun, 2009
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17 June: Release date for the New iPhone OS 3.0 Software

The new iPhone OS version 3.0 software arrives on 17 June. Get it and your iPhone will have over 100 new features.
Like:

  • Cut. Copy. Paste
    text, numbers and email addresses between applications
  • Search
    Find contacts, apps, phone numbers, email addresses and more. Anywhere on your iPhone.
  • Landscape
    Read and write texts, emails and picture messaging holding your iPhone sideways.
  • Longer battery life

And for existing iPhone 3G customers, available from 19 June:

  • Picture Messaging (MMS)
    Send photos, contacts, sound files and location with MMS messages.
  • Internet tethering
    Get your PC or Mac online using your iPhone 3G as a modem, (This is not free by the way).

source: o2.co.uk

Also read the facts and rumours posted earlier.

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08. Jun, 2009
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October 22, Public release of Windows 7

Three years ago, Microsoft, the producers of the world’s most popular operating systems had a disastrous launch of Vista. Now, Microsoft will be hoping it can avoid the negative press on launching Windows 7, on October 22nd.

Unlike Vista, where many users expressed frustration that the operating system required new hardware, peripherals and software. Windows 7 has been designed to be compatible with Vista and Vista compatibility hardware and programmes. Customers buying a new PC or Laptop with Microsoft Vista will be offered upgrades to Windows 7.

The system requirements to run Windows 7 will be comparable to the system requirements of Vista, which in theory means that if your PC or Laptop is capable of running Vista it will also run Windows 7, so no upgrade required.

Beta testers of Windows 7 have reported that it is faster than Vista. and a major improvement on usability. Lets hope its not as complicated as Vista when it comes down to security measures.

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iPhone version 3.0 Facts and Rumours

The long awaited iPhone software OS overhaul is nearing completion with suggestions that it could be available after the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco later on this month. The new version software fills some of the basic holes in the iPhone functionality also adding some significant features for developers. The ability to plug into Google Maps and the option to sell content through apps will have a significatent impact.

Here are some facts on the new software upgrade and hardware rumours:

  1. Free upgrade on the iPhone 3G, £10 on the iPod Touch
  2. Picture messaging and SMS forwarding
    • Expected as standard on Mobile Phones since 2002, come on Apple you should have known better!!!
  3. Youtube upgrade
    • This will allow you to enter your subscription, rate videos and much more
  4. Copy and Paste
    • A 21st Centuary essential, copy, cut and paste how can a business run without this option!!!
  5. Upgraded QWERTY keyboard
    • Hopefully resolving current issues on responsiveness
  6. Spotlight
    • Search your iPhone of all its content. Also new search features to be added to Mail, ipod and notes.
  7. 32GB version
    • Not impossible with the price of memory feeling the crunch!!!
  8. iPhone Nano
    • If this is true, I want one. Well, I found copies in Hong Kong when on my hols in 2008 also, found fully functional bluetooth mobile phone watch compatible in the UK.

Let us have your feedback on the iPhone v3 software upgrade…

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Gadgets will account for 45% of UK households electricity bills by 2020

Research from the Energy Saving Trust indicates Plasma TVs, high-end PCs and mobile phones currently account for 25% of a UK household’s electricity consumption rising to 45% by 2020, as we continue to purchase more power-hungry gadgets. Per household, this means an increase in energy use from 1,000kWh per year at present, to 1,700kWh in 2020.

At today’s prices that’s an increase of £97 per household per year on electricity bills. The rise in electricity use by entertainment and information technology is the reverse of trends in the rest of the house. In the kitchen, for example, manufacturers have been very successful at improving the efficiency of fridges, dishwashers and washing machines.

Compare energy prices today and SAVE

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Want To Make A Quick Profit?

This isn’t a gadget but its an easy way to make some money without having to do much.

I went shopping over the bank holiday weekend where I saw a Motorola E1120 on Pay and Go for only £9.99 at an Orange store. I thought that was too good to be true and so using my iPhone checked the price on a Mobile Phone recycling site.

To my astonishment they were offering £15 for the handset. That’s £5 or a whopping 50% profit without doing much at all. Just followed their simple steps and within a few days you get the cheque.

Give it a go, next time you go shopping lookout for these deals and check what you could get by using a mobile phone recycling site.

Check Now: fonebank.com

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Gadget Jargon Still Confuses Many

This article on the BBC claims many people do not understand tech jargon and it is becoming a stumbling block for techy products becoming more widely accepted…

Read full Article on the BBC

Here is the list of the top 10 most widely mis-understood tech jargon:

  1. Dongle
  2. Cookie
  3. WAP
  4. Phone jack
  5. (Nokia) Navi Key
  6. Time shifting
  7. Digital TV
  8. Ethernet
  9. PC Suite
  10. Desktop

I’d say i’m quite up to date with my tech/geek jargon with my love for gadgets. I’d say accents are more of a stumbling block for me especially when its mixed with slang. Bring back the Queen’s English ;)

What’s your least favourite piece of jargon and why?


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27. Apr, 2009
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