Last month, Microsoft announced Windows 11, the evolution of and replacement for the six-years-old Windows 10. The new version will be released later this year (some reports speculate it might be in October) as a free upgrade to Windows 10. Panos Panay, Microsoft's Chief Product Officer and the executive in charge of Windows, posted a narrative of features to expect in the new OS. He speaks of "simplifying the design and user experience," noting: It’s modern, fresh, clean and beautiful. … [Read more...] about Will Windows 11 be the most beautiful Windows yet?
Experimenting
Welcome to the Gutenberg Editor
A new version of WordPress is expected to land during the next few weeks - perhaps even as soon as December 6 - if development plans proceed smoothly. I've been a WordPress user since version 1.5 over a decade ago, and I'm excited about 5 mostly because of Gutenberg, the brand new post and page editor that aims ultimately to replace the traditional classic editor that's been part of WordPress since its beginnings. This new version 5.0 release of the popular content management … [Read more...] about Welcome to the Gutenberg Editor
Mastodon, the hot new social network like Twitter, kind of
A new social network started up six months ago and began picking up speed last week as it echoes the early days of Twitter. It's called Mastodon and was born out of frustration with changes being made on Twitter, according to an interview with founder Eugen Rochko in The Verge. Last year, after Twitter began moving away from a purely chronological feed, Rochko began building the back end for what would become Mastodon. Instead of building a unified service, Rochko envisioned something more like … [Read more...] about Mastodon, the hot new social network like Twitter, kind of
Small is the new big with the Raspberry Pi Zero
Do you remember the days when computer magazines came with cover disks? And then with CDs that progressed to DVDs? All with must-have utilities and often free programs that were part and parcel of the PC enthusiast experience from the 80s through to the early 00s. That fell by the wayside with the advent of the modern internet and growing broadband connectivity along with worries about malware and viruses and greater knowledge and sophistication in using computers. Among many other … [Read more...] about Small is the new big with the Raspberry Pi Zero
Windows 10 is just around the corner
In just a few days, on July 29, Microsoft will begin the public rollout of Windows 10 in 190 countries. If you want to upgrade your desktop or laptop computer, it's a free upgrade in specific circumstances. Lifehacker has a simple flowchart that makes it quite easy to see if you qualify. The only difference to this chart is that Windows 8 won't get you the free upgrade but Windows 8.1 will. According to Microsoft: The only requirements are that a) your device is compatible, and b) you’re … [Read more...] about Windows 10 is just around the corner
Windows 10 shows the scale of Microsoft’s ambition
On July 29 - in just over two weeks' time - Microsoft will begin the formal roll-out of Windows 10, the new edition of the Windows operating system for PCs and tablets (and Windows phones). It's been the subject of a comprehensive beta-testing programme by around five million people since the programme was launched at the end of September 2014. I've been part of this programme as a Windows Insider since last October, running the incremental builds of 'Windows 10 Insider Preview' as they … [Read more...] about Windows 10 shows the scale of Microsoft’s ambition
Plenty to like in Project Spartan
Will Microsoft's Internet Explorer see the sunset later this year? It's certainly not my browser of choice. Indeed, I don't use it at all, preferring Google Chrome on the desktop and mobile and, lately, experimenting with Vivaldi, an impressive new browser that's based on Google Chromium code. Since it first appeared in 1995, Internet Explorer has come with the Windows operating system. Unless you manually install an alternative, that's what you end up with. In Europe until recently, … [Read more...] about Plenty to like in Project Spartan
Samsung Gear 2 Neo smartwatch – some initial impressions
Last month, I bought a Samsung Gear 2 Neo smartwatch. It's been on my wrist every day over the past few weeks, replacing my usual traditional watch that tells the time and shows me the date. Of course, a digital smartwatch can do a lot more than just that, one of the reasons why people buy them. You want to check your heartbeat? Count how many steps you take walking, or running or hiking? Track your sleeping time? The Gear 2 Neo does all of that and more. I'd argue, though, that dedicated … [Read more...] about Samsung Gear 2 Neo smartwatch – some initial impressions