Category: Brands and Companies

All Brands and Company Names

Google To Pay $17 Million For Unauthorized Web Tracking in Safari

Google has agreed to pay $17 million to settle an investigation of unauthorized tracking software on Safari Web browsers. New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the agreement on Google’s “unauthorized placement of cookies on computers using Apple Safari Web browsers during 2011 and 2012.”

The settlement includes 37 states and the federal District of Columbia. New York will receive $899,580, Schneiderman said. “Consumers should be able to know whether there are other eyes surfing the web with them. By tracking millions of people without their knowledge, Google violated not only their privacy, but also their trust,” Schneiderman said. “We must give consumers the reassurance that they can browse the Internet safely and securely. My office will continue to protect New Yorkers from any attempts to deliberately expose their personal data.”

A Google spokesperson confirmed the agreement and said in a statement: “We work hard to get privacy right at Google and have taken steps to remove the ad cookies, which collected no personal information, from Apple’s browsers. We’re pleased to have worked with the state attorneys general to reach this agreement.”

[wsj]

November 19, 2013
Microsoft Office Remote Lets You Control Excel, Word and PowerPoint From A Windows Phone

Microsoft has unveiled a new application which will help users to control some of the Microsoft Office products. Now, with the help of Microsoft’s Office Remote, users can control Word, Excel and PowerPoint presentations from any Windows 8 device.

The Office Remote application is a joint effort between Microsoft Research and the Office team, “We want to make sure that we continue to create tools that deliver the best possible experiences to presenters and audiences.” “The world is constantly evolving, though, and presentations need to evolve with it.” says Darren Edge of Microsoft Research.

The application is now available and works with all versions of Office 2013 except for Office 2013 RT. You will need a Bluetooth enabled computer to start with, as it will be the medium to connect these devices together. Moreover, users will also need to install a software in the computer, “add-in” to start using a Windows 8 phone as a remote.

For more information feel free to check out the source and watch the video here to know how it works.

[via]

November 19, 2013
Google’s Eric Schmidt Announces Search Result Ban On Child Abuse

Eric Schmidt, Google’s executive chairman announced how his company is taking a big step to block child pornography from appearing in search results.

Eric says that he has broke down the measures in various categories, of which one is cleaning up and will clean out more than 100,000 search results. And will generate a warning that will appear on more than 13000 results that are on the same topic. The Google chairman said he hired a 200-strong team to work out a solution over the last three months and that their work has already fixed up to 100,000 potential queries.

Eric Schmidt says “There’s no quick technical fix when it comes to detecting child sexual abuse imagery.” Instead, Google will use humans to review the images to discern the difference between “genuine abuse” and “innocent pictures of kids at bathtime.”

For now, Google’s newest improvements are limited to few countries including the UK and US, although Google says it will roll out its adjusted search globally over the next six months, covering 158 more languages.

[DailyMail]

November 18, 2013
Apple Buys Kinect Co-Creator: PrimeSense

Apple has just acquired Kinect Co-Creator PrimeSense for a whopping sum of US $ 345 Million, according to Israeli news source Calcalist.

If the news is true, this could mean that Apple’s future devices may have motion sensing technologies. Alternatively it could mean that Apple could make displays with this technology built in. Maybe Apple’s rumored iTV will have this tech inbuilt to interact with the hardware. According to reports, the last time Apple tried to acquire PrimeSense, the deal was scrapped due to legal woes. However this time around the company was eager to acquire the ex-kinect maker to improve on the Apple TV.

[VIA]

November 18, 2013
Microsoft’s 3D Builder App Released For Windows 8.1

Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 was announced with 3D printer support into the OS and today the company is releasing a tool that will allow everyone to create objects of their own.

Microsoft has announced a new 3D Builder app, which includes a catalog of pre-designed templates that will help everyone to start printing right away.

“I get excited about 3D printing. Really excited. Like Tom Cruise on Oprah’s couch excited. So, I couldn’t be more thrilled that we are releasing a 3D printing app for Windows 8.1,” Microsoft consumer PR Kristina Libby.

“We’re entering an exciting new era in which everyone will be able to create and print three dimensional objects. Just imagine being able to print a spare part for a household appliance, or creating your own jewelry line of custom 3D-printed earrings.”

[Source,Download app]

November 16, 2013
Steve Ballmer on His Exit From Microsoft: “New Leadership Might Reshape The Company At a Faster Pace”

Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer announced in August that he will retire from his post within 12 months of time span. A press release from the company declared that the executive has declared to retire, but was that true ?

Steve Ballmer’s announcement to retire from his post in Microsoft was a surprise to most of us and left some of us with a question, whether or not it was a voluntary retirement for him. Steve earlier, shared a letter with his staff saying that he will exit within 12 months of time span, you can check out the letter below:

[toggles]
[toggle title=”Steve’s Letter to his Staff “]Moving forward I am writing to let you know that I will retire as CEO of Microsoft within the next 12 months, after a successor is chosen. There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time. My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our transformation to a devices and services company focused on empowering customers in the activities they value most. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction. You can read the press release on Microsoft News Center.

This is a time of important transformation for Microsoft. Our new Senior Leadership team is amazing. The strategy we have generated is first class. Our new organization, which is centered on functions and engineering areas, is right for the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Microsoft is an amazing place. I love this company. I love the way we helped invent and popularize computing and the PC. I love the bigness and boldness of our bets. I love our people and their talent and our willingness to accept and embrace their range of capabilities, including their quirks. I love the way we embrace and work with other companies to change the world and succeed together. I love the breadth and diversity of our customers, from consumer to enterprise, across industries, countries, and people of all backgrounds and age groups.

I am proud of what we have achieved. We have grown from $7.5 million to nearly $78 billion since I joined Microsoft, and we have grown from employing just over 30 people to almost 100,000. I feel good about playing a role in that success and having committed 100 percent emotionally all the way. We have more than 1 billion users and earn a great profit for our shareholders. We have delivered more profit and cash return to shareholders than virtually any other company in history.

I am excited by our mission of empowering the world and believe in our future success. I cherish my Microsoft ownership, and look forward to continuing as one of Microsoft’s largest owners.

This is an emotional and difficult thing for me to do. I take this step in the best interests of the company I love; it is the thing outside of my family and closest friends that matters to me most.

Microsoft has all its best days ahead. Know you are part of the best team in the industry and have the right technology assets. We cannot and will not miss a beat in these transitions. I am focused and driving hard and know I can count on all of you to do the same. Let’s do ourselves proud.

Steve[/toggle]
[/toggles]

However, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal Steve confirms his reason for exit from the company, Ballmer explains that the company board of directors has been pushing him to speed up Microsoft’s transformation into a devices and services company ever since January. By May, he decided that his own way of thinking was slowing down the transition; he was the pattern that had to break. New leadership might reshape the company at a faster pace, Steve says.

His decision is undoubtedly towards the growth of the company, but this will depend on who takes his place with time. What do you think ?

[wsj]

November 16, 2013
One Click Login For Facebook Coming To Windows Phone 8

Android and iOS users have been using their Facebook account for single click logging in to apps from a long time now, and soon Windows 8 and Windows Phone users will be able to do the same as well.

This feature on Windows Phone 8 is still in the early stages, Microsoft has announced that Foursquare, Adobe and iHeart Radio are the first to get in on this action. Just like the Facebook Login on other platforms, by using this it will be easier to share content from within the app, and to connect account information without the need to input anything again and again.

[via,via]

November 15, 2013
iOS 7.0.4 Update Brings Bug Fixes and Improvements

Apple has released iOS 7.0.4 update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch which is now available for download as an OTA update as well as via iTunes.

According to the company iOS 7.0.4 brings bug fixes and improvements, including a fix for FaceTime call issue which used to fail for some users. The update also include a security features which fixes a issue where app and in-app purchases could have been completed with incomplete authorization.

Users with iPhone 4 or later, iPod touch 5th generation or later and iPad 2 or later running iOS 5 or later, the iOS 7.0.4 should be available as an OTA update. If you did not get the update automatically you can try to check it manually by checking the Software Update part of your iPhone/iPod/iPad.

[Apple]

November 15, 2013
Apple iPad Mini with Retina Display On Sale Now

Apple has now put the new iPad Mini with Retina display on sale on its Online US store, with shipping dates for US customers from November 20-22. Pricing is set as announced starting $399 for a 16GB Wi-Fi model, all the way till US $ 829 for 128 GB LTE cellular variant.

Apple was vocal about supply constraints at the time of launch, as Tim Cook mentioned that Apple was unsure if it will be able to meet the demand of the iPad Mini with Retina display at launch.

If you are planning to get this mini powerful tablet in your hands now may be the right time.

[Apple Store]

November 12, 2013
Google Chrome now Shows Which Tab is Playing that Unwanted Music

Unwanted music from websites is that one possible thing that annoys almost everyone. But when you have multiple tabs open, finding the culprit is almost impossible. Google Chrome’s new 32 beta update fixes that by adding a small speaker icon on the tab that’s playing the music.

It also lets you know which tabs are using your webcam, or streaming to your TV over Chromecast. Additionally, the Safe Browsing features now automatically blocks malware files, instead of advising you to merely proceed with caution.

Interested ? We have linked the download page below, check it out!

[google]

November 12, 2013
Google Will Ban Windows Chrome Extensions Which Don’t Belong to Web Store

Google will block third-party browser extensions that aren’t hosted in the Chrome Web Store, in order to battle malware.

“We’re announcing a stronger measure to protect Windows users: starting in January on the Windows stable and beta channels, we’ll require all extensions to be hosted in the Chrome Web Store”, states Erik Kay, Engineering Director at Google.

Usually, Chrome will ask for permission before installing extensions on a user’s browser. But scammers have figured out how to silently install extensions without a user knowing.

These extensions can “override browser settings and alter the user experience in undesired ways, such as replacing the New Tab Page without approval,” Google said in a blog post. “In fact, this is a leading cause of complaints from our Windows users.”

Google recommends that developers who have extensions hosted outside the Chrome Web Store migrate them “as soon as possible.” If developers don’t make the change, their users will not be able to install their extensions nor will they be able to keep using extensions that have already been installed.

“Protecting our users is a key priority, and we believe this change will help those whose browser has been compromised by unwanted extensions.”

The news comes shortly after Google said it will add automatic malware blocking to Chrome and the option to reset browser settings.

November 8, 2013
Internet Explorer 11 Now Officially Available on Windows 7

Internet Explorer 11 was already available on Windows 7 as a Release Preview, however, today the latest version of internet explorer is official is available for download.

Starting today, you can download the final make of internet explorer 11 which brings some security and performance improvements, along with some features like Pre-fetch and Pre-render for faster load times. It seems Microsoft wants to improve its web browser which is generally ignored by masses. Overall, the browser seems to have improved with this update and works faster than any previous version of of explorer, only if you have used one lately. You might want to update your internet explorer, click the source to download the latest version.

[Microsoft]

November 8, 2013
Google Brings Hangouts With SMS and Updated Keyboard To Play Store

Google has always added some great application to its Play Store making the user experience great, with the launch of the latest Android aka Kitkat the company has now launched the much awaited application.

The new Hangouts app with integrated SMS that was promised by Google last week is now available on the Play Store. In addition to the SMS and MMS integration, it also adds support for animated GIFs, device status and the ability to share your location in your conversations. The application for the stock Android keyboard has received an update to version 2.0 will only be available to users with the new OS installed on their device. So this will not be of great use to everyone right now, but might come in handy once your device updates to the latest OS.

November 8, 2013
Microsoft’s Office 365 Updates Aimed To Help Compete With Google

Today, Microsoft revealed a number of updates on Office 365 related products, including some new options to share Office 365 Home Premium with others.

The latest Office Web App updates will go live shortly for anyone who signs in at Office.com with a free Microsoft account or a paid Office 365 account. These are significant improvements, enhancing collaborative capabilities and making the free online versions credible alternatives to the paid Office 2013 and Office 365 products.

As ZDNet reports, he most visible improvements in the new Office Web Apps allow anyone to create documents in the three online programs—Word, Excel, and PowerPoint—and share them with anyone else for real-time collaboration. Effective with this release, online users of the Word Web App can stop hovering over the Save button. It’s gone, as that app now joins its Office-mates in the capability to automatically save changes to files while multiple users work on them simultaneously. Any changes your co-workers make show up in the document virtually instantaneously.

Word also adds the ability to find and replace text in a document, a capability that is sorely missed in the previous Office Web Apps release.

Other features for Excel that have been introduced include the ability to load workbooks that contain Sheet Protection, reorder sheets, drag and drop cells, and rename your workbook.

Business users of Office 365 will now see a new integration of the company’s Yammer division. Starting now, all business Office 365 plans come with Yammer Enterprise, and current customers can now get Yammer Enterprise licenses. Also, Office 365 business users won’t have to purchase individual new licenses for external users within their external company networks.

November 7, 2013
Google Celebrates 125th Birthday Of CV Raman With Today’s Doodle

CV Raman’s 125th birthday has been honored by Google, as the today’s Google Doodle showcases his portrait in the form of Google letters.

Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman was an Indian physicist whose work was influential in the growth of science. He was the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930 for the discovery that when light traverses a transparent material, some of the deflected light changes in wavelength. This phenomenon is now called Raman scattering and is the result of the Raman effect.

Definition of Raman effect on Encyclopedia Britinnica: When a beam of light traverses a dust-free, transparent sample of a chemical compound, a small fraction of the light emerges in directions other than that of the incident beam. Most of this scattered light is of unchanged wavelength. A small part, however, has wavelengths different from that of the incident light; its presence is a result of the Raman effect. Google continues to please everyone with its Doodles.

November 7, 2013