The things we do for Wi-Fi
We use Wi-Fi almost without thinking about it, but a new survey of users in the US and Europe reveals just how big an impact it has on our daily lives and what we're willing to do to stay connected.
Network company Xirrus polled hundreds of people about their Wi-Fi habits and expectations. The results reveal the far-reaching impact Wi-Fi has on users' lives, as well as its importance to the future.
HTC brings new affordable Desire Android smartphones to US
To get more consumer attention, a smartphone vendor has to cover all major segments well. It has to have solid low-end handsets, balanced mid-rangers, and, of course, cutting-edge flagships in its lineup. HTC does the last part well in US, with One M9, but, outside of this segment, its presence is not as strong.
HTC wants to change this, announcing four new Desire Android smartphones for the US market, which it hopes will get the attention of consumers on increasingly popular prepaid plans. Desire 520, Desire 526, Desire 626s and Desire 626 borrow design elements from the One M9 flagship, but at much lower price levels.
Prevent people printing, copying, and downloading your shared Google Drive files
The likes of Google Drive make it easy to collaborate on projects, harnessing the power of the cloud to provide people with access to files. While it's handy to be able to work on files with other people, there are times when you want to ensure that the documents you share are not misused.
With this in mind, Google has now added new permission options to shared files. With the added ability to prevent the copying, downloading, and printing of files, it's now safer to share confidential documents. As Google says, it's "perfect for when the file you're sharing contains sensitive information that you don't want shared broadly or leaked".
SurfFind is a fast grep-like text search tool for Windows
The Windows Search engine is much better than it used to be, but still has plenty of room for improvement, which is why there’s an enormous number of alternative tools around.
SurfFind is a tiny open source package -- a mere 216KB download -- that searches your specified text files for keywords, quickly displaying the results. It’s a familiar idea, but the program does have some interesting extra touches which help it stand out from the crowd.
Edifier Exclaim Connect e10BT speakers [Review]
On the whole speakers tend to be quite dull-looking pieces of kit. There's no way you can level that criticism at the Exclaim Connect though, a pair of speakers which have rather unique style.
They feel nicely weighty, the upright parts are metal and the bottom ball-like segments have a smooth rubbery finish. They look like a piece of modern sculpture or something out of a 1950s science fiction comic.
In-depth analysis of Apple Pay in UK
There’s no possible way it could have happened (unless you have been living under a rock) but if you have missed the news that Apple Pay was just launched in the UK, don’t panic, we can help.
This article provides the ultimate Apple Pay analysis from industry professionals, giving you a comprehensive overview of Apple’s attempts to rule the digital payments industry.
How CRM software benefits business
Customer relationship management is on target to be a $36 billion market by 2017, overtaking enterprise resource planning as the most significant enterprise tool.
Business software selection specialist Capterra has surveyed over 500 users of CRM in the US to determine the ways they find, buy and use their software.
Indian smartphone vendor Lava Mobiles confirms it will be launching an Android One smartphone
Google has partnered with Indian smartphone vendor Lava Mobiles to work on a new Android One handset. The companies will be launching the phone in a few days, a spokesperson for Lava Mobiles confirms to BetaNews. The mobile maker hasn’t finalized the launch date yet, but notes that it will be sending out the press invites in a couple of days.
The companies have been working on version 2.0 of the Android One program, as per an earlier report on The Economic Times. The report noted that the two companies will be launching the phone at a media invite on July 14. A spokesperson of Lava Mobiles tells us that they had to postpone the event.
Google Cloud Platform gains Windows Server support
For a long time, Google Cloud Platform has been a Linux-only affair. Now that has changed. Recognizing that many of its customers work in mixed platform environments, Google has added Windows Server support into the mix.
Specifically, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012 R2 are now supported, after seven months of beta support. During the beta period, Google made a number of Windows-specific tweaks to the Compute Engine virtualization stack.
TP-Link Archer D9 AC1900 modem router review
Most home or small business users never even think about upgrading the router that was supplied by their internet service provider. But by simply sticking with the default box you may well be missing out on the extra features and performance of a more sophisticated router.
The Archer D9 from TP-Link offers a smart design and decent performance but at a price that undercuts much of the competition. So, is this a good choice or a budget manufacturer trying to punch above its weight?
MEmu is an Android 4.2.2 emulator for Windows
MEmu is a free package which allows you to run a virtual Android 4.2.2 tablet on your Windows desktop.
Setup is far more awkward than it should be, not least because the developers forgot to finish its localization from the original Chinese, but if you persevere you’ll find what looks like a good product.
System76 removes Adobe Flash from its Ubuntu Linux computers
Adobe is not having a good time right now. Its Flash product has more security holes than Swiss cheese, making it a recurring target for hackers and bad guys. The tech world owes Steve Jobs an apology for poo-pooing his choice to disallow Flash from iOS. Things have gotten so bad, that Mozilla is blocking it by default as a major security risk.
Today, however, System76 takes it to another level. The Ubuntu Linux-loving computer seller has decided to stop pre-installing Flash on its machines. The decision to pre-install Adobe's software on its computers -- as a way to make Linux more friendly -- looked wise back in 2007, but has now proven to be a disservice to its customers. Is System76 right to do this?
Windows 10 is free because... Windows Phone
Windows 10 is free; that much we know. There was initially some confusion about the length of time for which this would be the case, but one of the biggest questions surrounding the giveaway has been 'why?'. Is Microsoft aping Apple? Does the company feel that the operating system was not good enough to warrant a price tag?
The actual reason is rather interesting, and was revealed in an interview between Satya Nadella and ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley. This is not (really) a bid to compete with Apple, nor is it (particularly) meant to encourage as many people as possible to move away from Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 8.1 (although this will almost certainly be a happy side-effect). Rather it is a move to boost the profile of Windows Phone.
Giveaway: Free WinToFlash Professional Edition license to easily create a bootable Windows USB drive
Lots of PC users prefer to install Windows from a bootable USB drive, instead of a DVD. A USB drive is a better tool for the job because it is easy to carry around, the installation takes much less time, and a new version of the OS can easily be loaded on it. After its job is done, the USB drive can be quickly repurposed.
The easiest way to create a bootable USB drive is by using dedicated software, like Novicorp's WinToFlash. You can also get the same job done using a command prompt, but this is more appealing to power users and control freaks (guilty as charged). The version of WinToFlash that you really want is not free, but luckily for you, BetaNews readers, we have a Professional Edition license to share.
Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard now available -- brings Surface typing to all
Microsoft makes damn good hardware. The Xbox One and the Surface Pro 3 are works of art, beloved by many. Hell, even its peripherals, such as keyboards, mice and webcams are mostly winners.
One place where it doesn't shine, however, is the Surface Type Cover keyboard. I can get by with it when on the go, but I would certainly prefer a big beautiful mechanical variant for heavy lifting. If you do like the Type Cover, and have wanted to use it on your other devices, today is your lucky day. The Windows-maker announces the Universal Foldable Keyboard. Guess what it is? It is a universal keyboard... that is foldable. The keys and design are very reminiscent of the Surface Type Cover -- but do consumers really want that?
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