It seems instead of consolidation in office software we’re getting proliferation – at lower cost! Google Docs and Apple’s iWork are capable products challenging the Microsoft Office supremacy, but Microsoft isn’t standing still. Between more frequent updates and their Office365 initiative there’s lots of good news, now you can get an advanced look at the upcoming Microsoft Office for Mac!
Microsoft has today announced the launch of Office on iPad and Android tablets. Not only have they embraced a “mobile-first cloud-first” world, Microsoft has pushed tablet specific versions of their bread and butter Office apps to iPad and Android before their own Surface platform.
While things are slowly going back to a new sense of normal, and we’re back in person for a lot more work than we were a year ago, it’s safe to say that video conferencing took a giant leap forward during the pandemic. It is so convenient that even when we’re not working remotely, it’s going to be a tool for the future to bring us face to face no matter where we are in the world. Dell is ready to embrace the future with the Dell UltraSharp Webcam, the most intelligent 4K webcam in its class!
We’re hopefully going to see an end to the COVID-19 pandemic soon, but there will be some lasting changes to how we work. Even when people go back to work, it’s unlikely we’re all going to be mingling like the before days. Lenovo is all set to make this transition easier, whether it’s working from home or holding virtual meetings across the world, with a line of adorably tiny computers, webcams, a soundbar for better audio (no more “I hear feedback, is it you or me? Hello?”), and ThinkSmart Manager to make the whole thing run smoothly.
Have you been thinking about hiring an office assistant? Amazon has someone they think would be perfect for the job — their virtual voice assistant, Alexa.
I love Waterfield products and am always positively inclined toward them from the start. After using the Waterfield Syde for MacBook Pro for the past weeks, I’m happy to say that the company that makes some of my favorite bags has continued to do just that. The Syde is a fantastic bag for those who are looking to travel light.
Microsoft may be a software and services company, but when they deal in hardware they aren’t joking around. They proved it today with a jam-packed presentation, releasing a new wearable, demoing a future holographic XBox option, new Lumia phones, a new Surface Pro 4, and a surprise release of a laptop called the Surface Book!
Piracy limits the revenues a software maker can collect. It also limits the ability to update security and other essential services at the operating system level. This combination can result in all computer systems being less secure and potentially compromised. To battle this, particularly in piracy-rampant China, Microsoft is “offering free upgrades to Windows 10 to all Windows users.”
If I had to break down my online presence by companies, I’d say I’m split between Microsoft and Google. Microsoft Onedrive is my main backup, and OneNote is just awesome, while Google handles my email, calendar and contacts. My jump from Windows Phone to Android was easy, but as Clinton Fitch points out, it’s because of Microsoft and not Google.
A Little History… A while back I took the plunge and made the shift from an iPhone to a Windows phone, first with a Nokia 900 and later with a 920. It was an interesting exercise. I learned a lot, discovered some new ways of working, and learned to make some compromises. I even learned that some things I thought were “critical” to my daily functioning really weren’t so critical, after all. True, I am heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem for apps and movies, but music is pretty much DRM free these days. Books are still problematic no matter…
When I first migrated from Windows Mobile to Android, my Android phone had a lite version of Quickoffice pre-installed and as a result I became a frequent user of the software suite. Right now I have Quickoffice for Android, WebOS and iOS, to maintain a semblance of consistency across my multiple platforms, so I therefore took pause when I contemplated the news that Google acquired Quickoffice the other day. On the one hand, I had a brief bit of sorrow on seeing another independent company absorbed by a much larger entity, but at the same time considered the potential tangible…
I’m an iPad user (I write many of my posts on an iPad these days), and I have a big interest in tablets and tablet technology. Lately, I’ve been reading a bit about Windows 8 and the new “RT” version for is specifically for tablets. By the way, for those that don’t know “RT” stands for runtime. There’s a bit of a buzz around the fact that MS is going to enter an arena dominated by Apple (iOS) and Android-based apps like the Kindle Fire. There seems to be a belief that MS can (and might) make a huge mark…
Now I know what your thinking: why would I care about Windows 8? Well, even though I am a Linux guy and use it almost everywhere, I still have to use Windows on a daily basis for my job as well as supporting my wife and family as no matter what I say, I cannot get them to even try Linux. So, to get an early look at Windows 8, I downloaded the Consumer Preview and installed it both in a virtual machine using Virtual Box and on a Netbook that has a touch screen. I installed a few apps…
Last year Microsoft created the ‘GMail Man’ spoof commercial (I’ve included it at the bottom), that cast things that are completely true — that Google has programs that ‘read’ your email and target you with advertisements based on keywords found in your messages — in a completely creepy way by personalizing the scanner. The intent was obvious – show personal and especially business users that their sensitive personal data and intellectual property was anything but safe in GMail.
Way back in January Microsoft released OneNote for the iPhone, taking aim at EverNote and others. Now they have upped the ante, releasing an iPad version of the versatile note-taking app. As before, it is free – but limited to 500 notes, requiring an in-app purchase to unlock. Microsoft OneNote for iPad is a note-taking app for capturing all of your ideas and to-dos on the go, brought to you by Microsoft Office. Create searchable notes with text, pictures and bullets. Make and manage to-do lists with checkboxes. Then keep your notes in sync using free Microsoft SkyDrive® online storage…
image courtesy of BerryReporter Clinton recently wrote an opinion piece entitled, “As RIM Writes Off The Playbook, The Pressure is on Microsoft to Make a Complete Windows 8 Tablet“, in which he says: This morning the Wall Street Journal reported that RIM is taking a $485 million charge for their lackluster tablet, the Playbook. The charge comes by way of a markdown in the value of the massive inventor that RIM still has of the devices. It is a brutal and costly reminder that if you kinda-sorta-maybe-woulda-shoulda your tablet strategy, the price can be steep. Very steep. and The challenge facing Microsoft is that they are…
When I heard that Microsoft was rumored to be working on OneNote for the iPhone I was intrigued but skeptical. I was skeptical because I have found most of the stuff Microsoft has released on iOS to be garbage, and with their own phone to support I had very low expectations. But since I use Hotmail, have data on SkyDrive with several of the Office Online apps, I was interested in how it would work. And then I saw on BGR that it was available … and for FREE, so it was time to check it out! Here are the…
While in San Francisco, fellow attendees of the Netshelter Publisher’s Summit were treated to a reception hosted by Toshiba. One of the things I most liked was their display set up in the room, representative of laptop models past and present — including a few of the libretto line. I always wanted a libretto … But the fun really began when I was clandestinely pulled into a side room and given a chance to see two of their latest, including the libretto Concept PC with Dual-Touch Screen Design. Calling it a concept PC that was actually being produced, albeit in limited quantities, what I saw…
BOOX is expanding its color ePaper lineup with the Note Air5 C and the Palma 2 Pro. The Note Air5 C is a 10.3″ tablet built for reading, note-taking, and light work. The Palma 2 Pro is a 6.13″ pocketable reader with extras that make it feel more like a calm, connected companion than a basic e-reader. If you want a paper-like experience with fewer distractions than a tablet, both are worth considering.
It’s that time of year when we celebrate the most important women in our lives, whether they be our mothers by birth or our mothers by choice. We’ve rounded up a great selection of gifts for every budget so that you can find the gift that best fits your mom. Grab a cup of coffee and dive into our 2023 Mother’s Day Gift Guide; let us know your favorites!
If you’ve got a list of people you’d like to buy gifts for and are wondering where to even start, we’ve got you covered. Our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide has something for everyone and every budget. Many of these items have special holiday pricing, so be sure to click the links to check for discounts if something catches your fancy. So grab a drink, get comfortable, and have fun perusing our mega-guide!