Windows 9 Build 6.4.9830 Ready

Work on Windows 9 continues these days, as we’re getting insanely close to the public launch of the very first beta of what could be another major revamp of our beloved operating system.

It appears that Microsoft has recently completed development of another Windows 9 build, as version number 6.4.9830 has been spotted online, most likely as the company was test-driving its features.

WINDOWS 9

No specifics are available at this point, but we already know that a public beta is expected to be released later this month for anyone willing to give it a try and help Microsoft improve the final product.

“Why are these builds numbers so important?” you might ask. The reason is as simple as it could be: with Microsoft fueling the secrecy surrounding Windows 9 on pretty much every single day when it refuses to disclose details about the upcoming operating system, there’s no doubt that people are trying to keep an eye on everything related to this project.

This new build is living proof that development of the new Windows 9 advances and a public beta is quickly coming, with people close to the matter indicating that Microsoft is preparing an event on September 30 to present plans for the new operating system.

Since Microsoft completes development of new Windows 9 builds on a regular basis and the company has already submitted new testing versions to partners, it’s only natural to expect leaks to reach the web in the coming days, but as far we can tell, such a thing is very unlikely to happen.

Microsoft has implemented new security measures to make sure that Windows 9 leaks are impossible, but in case partner builds indeed reach the web, it should be very easy for the company to determine the original owner.

Needless to say, Microsoft does not want any Windows 9 leaks to be released online before the public unveiling, and since Alex Kibkalo’s arrest, the amount of information on new Windows projects has been reduced dramatically. 

And still, we do know that Windows 9 will be released in stable form in April 2015, with Microsoft planning to introduce new features to the testing build using a new internal update mechanism that would not require fresh installations.

The feature lineup is expected to include options such as a Start menu, a desktop version of Cortana, options to run Metro apps on the desktop, Internet Explorer 12, a revised Modern UI, and many other improvements.

More information will be disclosed later this month by Microsoft itself, while download links for the public beta should be disclosed either in late September or in early October

Windows 9 unveiling set for September 30

Microsoft's Windows 9, the successor to the widely panned Windows 8, could be shown off at the end of next month, according to a new report.

Microsoft is planning to hold a special press event on September 30 to show off Windows 9, The Verge is reporting, citing people who claim to have knowledge of the company's plans. The date is currently "tentative," according to the report.

It's not yet clear whether Windows 9 will actually be known as Windows 9. The operating system is currently code-named Windows Threshold, though it's highly likely that Microsoft will keep its numbering scheme with the next platform.

Last week, CNET sister site ZDNet reported that Microsoft is planning to launch a "technology preview" of Threshold at the end of September or early October. The report from Mary Jo Foley indicated that users would be able to try out the operating system, but would need to have software updates automatically downloaded to the platform each month.

Whenever Threshold makes an appearance, it's expected to come with a wide range of improvements, including a "mini" Smart Menu, separate windows for Metro-style applications running on the desktop, and support for virtual desktops.

According to The Verge's sources, Microsoft will be showcasing some of those improvements and new features at the event on September 30. The operating system should launch as a beta preview soon thereafter.

In a statement to CNET, Microsoft was succinct in its response to the news, saying only that it has "nothing to share" at this point.
Via~CNET

Windows 9 Preview Could Be Free for Everyone

Microsoft is planning to launch a technical preview of Windows 9 sometime next month in early October in order to provide users with an early glimpse at the next version of the operating system.

Now, in an update to the original story, Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley adds, again via unofficial sources, that the Windows 9 technical preview will be “public and available to all those interested,” which means that Redmond won’t offer the download only to developers and testers.

What’s more interesting, however, is that this could also be an indication that Windows 9 preview could be offered free of charge to everyone, even though it’s not yet clear whether Microsoft wishes to include any trial period or not.

Based on the information we have at this point, it appears that this isn’t the case, as Microsoft reportedly wants to keep the original testing build running on all computers and deliver frequent updates as it advances with development work.

The company thus wants to avoid releasing new builds for download every once in a while and ship new features and optimizations via Windows Update, just like it’s the case with existing Windows versions already available to customers.

Of course, take everything with a pinch of salt, but if this information is real, expect Microsoft to break the news on Windows 9 anytime soon

Microsoft Office for Windows 8 Delayed, Could Launch with Windows 9 – Report

We already know that Microsoft is working on a touch-optimized version of Office that would be specifically aimed at the Modern environment included in Windows 8, but there are still no details as to when this new build of the productivity suite could reach the market.

The software giant has already teased the new version with several occasions, including at BUILD 2014 in San Francisco when it presented the touch-optimized PowerPoint in action, and hinted that the public launch could take place as soon as this year.

But according to Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley, Office Touch is very likely to be delayed as the company is now working to bring the Android SKU to the market before the one aimed at Windows 8.

The reason is pretty much the same as for Office for iPad. Asked why the company intends to launch the iPad version before the Windows 8 one, Microsoft's new CEO Satya Nadella explained at the Code Conference last month that it's all because of the market share.

There are millions of iPad users out there, so the company needs to expand its productivity suite in such a way that it would be capable of reaching a wider audience. Both the iPad and Android are part of this project, while Windows 8 clearly comes in third place.

“The intent here is to make sure our services are available on all devices. There are going to be Windows devices and there are going to be other devices and we have to make sure our services run on all of them,” Satya explained at the Code Conference.

“That said, iPad has the most share. We are definitely going to have touch-first Office on Windows, and it is coming.”

As for the release date of the touch-based Office for Windows, nothing is sure so far, but the same report hints that Microsoft might launch it in spring 2015. Unsurprisingly, the same timing is believed to be prepared for Windows 9 as well, Microsoft's next full Windows operating system which could see daylight in April 2015.

In other words, Microsoft might launch Windows 9 and Office Touch at the same time, a plan that would actually make sense given the fact that people close to the matter suggested that Microsoft was planning to remove the desktop in a future Windows 9 SKU. As a result, Office Touch would give users the chance to create and edit documents on their tablets even without a desktop.

Windows 8.2 Is Coming: Build Number 6.3.9740.0 Spotted Online

- The next version of Windows 8.1 will bring back the Start menu

We already know that Microsoft is planning to release a second Windows 8.1 update sometime this year, so it's no surprise that the first signs of a new Windows are now starting to show up online. A new report coming from Twitter user AngelWZR via Neowinreveals that Windows build number 6.3.9740.0 has recently been compiled and Microsoft decided to take it for a spin online, thus trying to see if everything works as it should. Of course, there are absolutely no details available right now, but according to some previous rumors, the future Windows update could bring some pretty major changes to the modern platform. At this point, it's not yet clear whether Microsoft is planning to call the upcoming update Windows 8.2 or use a different designation, but the company has already confirmed at the BUILD 2014 developer conference in San Francisco this April that a Start menu and options to run Metro apps in dedicated windows are very likely to be part of the feature lineup. The Start menu comeback is not seen as a way to fix Windows 8, but rather as a method to improve its usability on the desktop computer, Microsoft said, as it wants all users out there to make the most of the modern operating system no matter what device they currently own. The Start menu will only be available on PCs where such a feature would actually make sense, while tablets, such as its own Surface RT and Surface 2, which mostly use the Modern UI, will stick to the existing configuration without a menu. Options to run Metro apps in separate windows would basically mix the Modern UI and the desktop and thus make Windows Store apps a bit more useful even if you're not going to the Start screen too often. The first step has already been made in Windows 8.1 Update when the company introduced dedicated tools to pin Metro apps to the taskbar and thus allow users to launch them without accessing the Start screen. The same OS update also brought a title bar and close and minimize buttons for Metro apps, giving users more control over the programs they launch without the need for a touch capable device. Windows build number 6.3.9740.0 is very likely to be spotted online in the coming weeks as well and given the fact that it's way too early to discuss a preview build of Windows 9, it's safe to assume that this is indeed the OS update coming in mid-2014. SOURCE:- SOFTPEDIA

Samsung Smart Camera WB350F

+POINT The Samsung Smart Camera WB350F is like having a bunch of smartphone camera apps built into the interface of a point-and-shoot camera that has a 21x zoom lens and optical image stabilization. The camera's wireless features make it easy to shoot and share your photos to Android or iOS devices or straight to Web sites.

-POINT  There's no improvement in photo or video quality or shooting performance from the previous version, which was just good. While its wireless options are still plentiful, its remote viewfinder function lags behind competitors'.

The Bottom Line The Samsung Smart Camera WB350F is a good package if you want to add an affordable long-zoom point-and-shoot to supplement your smartphone photography.

SPECIFIACTION

The Samsung Smart Camera WB350F is a good reason why you shouldn't shop by specs alone.

When it was announced at CES 2014, it seemed the WB350F was a redesign of 2013's WB800F camera, a higher-end compact megazoom that featured a similar 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor and a 21x, f2.8-5.9, 23-483mm lens. The WB350F is actually, as the model name might suggest, an update to the lower-end 18x zoom WB250F. Or to be more succinct: this camera, despite what its specs might imply, is not as good as the WB800F and really offers little improvement over the WB250F beyond having a longer zoom lens.

      
Basically, you'll want to consider this camera for its features more than for its photo quality. The photos aren't bad, especially if your priority is to share them online. If you need a camera that can take photos for prints larger than 8x10 in all lighting conditions or for something like birding, where you'll want to enlarge and crop in to examine fine details, this likely won't be enough camera for you. The camera's strengths are in its novel shooting options and Wi-Fi capabilities (though even those are starting to slip behind the competition).

The camera's video quality is good enough for posting online or viewing at small sizes on a computer screen, and having a zoom lens with optical image stabilization gives it an edge over a smartphone. However, depending on which smartphone you have, there's a good chance you'll get better video from it than the WB350F.

Like its pictures, the video isn't particularly good in low light. There is some judder when panning the camera, and you'll see some ghosting with fast-moving subjects (which aren't uncommon for the category). The zoom lens does work while recording, but you will hear it moving and focusing. (There's a Sound Alive feature that will dampen this sound, though it will muffle the rest of the audio, as well.) The camera is relatively fast to refocus and adjust to exposure changes.

SCREEN SHO

SHUTTER SPEED

If you like to control shutter speed and aperture, shutter speeds can be set from 16 seconds to 1/2,000 second. Available apertures at the wide end are f2.8, f3.2, f3.5, f4.0, f4.5, f5.0, f5.6, f6.3, f7.1, and f8.0; in telephoto you have just f5.9, f6.9, f7.5, and f8.5.

Being a Smart Camera, the WB350F's wireless features are a key part of the package here. If you connect the camera directly to a Wi-Fi network, you can send pictures and video by e-mail; upload to Evernote, Facebook, Picasa, YouTube, and Dropbox; and share content to DLNA-enabled devices as well as sync to a personal Samung Link cloud storage account, which you can also access from other devices.

If the camera is connected to a wireless network with a Windows PC on it, you can set up Samsung's i-Launcher software and do wireless auto-backups to your computer (though you're probably better off connecting via USB). If you connect to the same network as the camera with a smartphone or tablet, you can use the camera as a baby monitor, which is fine if you're on vacation or just in a pinch, but the performance isn't good enough for regular use.

What you'll probably use most, though, are the camera's Remote Viewfinder, AutoShare, and MobileLink features. MobileLink lets you transfer files from a smartphone or send files from the camera to one or more smartphones. AutoShare gives you the option to automatically send photos to a smartphone as you shoot them with the camera. The Remote Viewfinder turns your smartphone or tablet into a viewfinder, and you can also move the camera's zoom lens as well as hit the shutter release. However, that's about all you can do with this feature, and you're limited to capturing 12- or 2-megapixel images. Other camera manufacturers allow you to capture at full resolution, start and stop video, and use shooting modes other than auto.

Establishing a Wi-Fi connection with Android and iOS devices is pretty straightforward: Start the feature that you want to use on the camera, use your device's Wi-Fi settings to connect to the camera, and launch the Samsung Smart Camera app on your device. But, for Android devices with NFC, the procedure is even easier -- you just have to tap the two together, and they'll start the connection.

Conclusion
The Samsung Smart Camera WB350F is a good package if you want to add an affordable long-zoom point-and-shoot to supplement your smartphone photography. Just don't look too closely at the photos