Microsoft kills SkyDrive, launches OneDrive

Offers try-me incentives, including 100GB for a year to the first 100K customers who access renamed storage service

Three weeks after announcing OneDrive as the new label for SkyDrive, Microsoft today activated the renamed storage service, and offered some new incentives that give customers more space.

Current users need do nothing, said Microsoft; their data has been moved for them.

Microsoft announced the new name on Jan. 27, six months after striking a deal with British Sky Broadcasting Group (BSkyB), the massive television and broadband Internet service provider owned in part by Rupert Murdoch. BSkyB had taken the American firm to trademark court over SkyDrive's moniker.

Today, Microsoft tried making lemonade out of the lemon that was the SkyDrive-naming imbroglio. "When we announced the new name OneDrive, we noted how it is much more aligned with our vision for the future," contended Chris Jones, the executive who leads the Windows Services group, on a Wednesday blog. "Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to get all of your favorite stuff in one place -- one place that is accessible via all of the devices you use every day, at home and at work."

Jones' language echoed the company's new "One Microsoft" strategy and corporate reorganization, and its drumbeat that its services are unique because they serve a family of devices "at home, at work and on the go," as former CEO Steve Ballmer explained last year.

OneDrive retains the 7GB of free storage space of SkyDrive, but Microsoft also kicked off incentives today, including another free 3GB for trying out the new photo back-up feature and up to 5GB for referring friends and family to the service (up to 10, in 500MB increments).

The first 100,000 customers who access their OneDrive account will receive an additional 100GB of free space for a year.

In comparison, Apple provides only 5GB of free storage space for its iCloud online syncing and storage service, Google offers 15GB free with Google Drive, and the popular Dropbox file synchronization service hands just 2GB to customers free of charge. Microsoft also added monthly payment options -- for example, a steep $4.49 per month for an additional 50GB, compared to $25 annually -- for extra storage space.The Redmond, Wash. company launched renamed apps for Apple's iOS, Google's Android and Microsoft's own Windows Phone today. As of early Wednesday, it had not replaced SkyDrive for OS X -- available from Apple's Mac App Store -- with a renamed OneDrive application.

It has also renamed SkyDrive Pro, the corporate-grade online storage service tied to Office 365, as OneDrive for Business. Microsoft said it would reveal more about OneDrive for Business at the SharePoint Conference slated to run March 3-6 in Las Vegas.

Microsoft's newest Office, whether the perpetually-licensed, stand-alone versions called Office 2013, or those installed locally as part of an Office 365 subscription, defaults to the cloud service for saving files. The name in those applications has not yet been changed, however; Microsoft observer Mary Jo Foley today said that those changes will take place the next time Redmond does a major update.

 

Nokia Android Phone’s Pricing ‘Revealed’

With less than two weeks for Mobile World Congress (MWC) to start in Barcelona, Nokia's Android phone is once again in the news. This time, the pricing of the upcoming smartphone - rumoured to be named Nokia X - has been leaked online.

Vietnamese online retailer Techrum.vn has listed Nokia X on its website at a price of 2.2 mill to 2.5 mill VND (approximately $110). This is the first time that the pricing of the device has been revealed, while its specifications were leaked online over three months ago.

This pricing lines up with earlier rumours that Nokia X will be a budget offering and will be positioned between Asha 503 and Lumia 525 in the company's portfolio.

Nokia's Android smartphone is said to have a Windows Phone-like interface and will not have access to Google Play Store. Instead, Nokia is said to have added its own app store - featuring popular apps like Skype, Facebook etc - in the device.

According to earlier reports, Nokia X will have a 4-inch screen with 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 processor, 512MB RAM, 5MP camera, Bluetooth 4.0, Android 4.4 (KitKat) operating system and 4GB internal storage. It is said to be a dual-sim smartphone and come in six colour options.

The Finnish manufacturer has scheduled an event for February 24 - the first day of MWC 2014 - where it is expected to take the covers off not only Nokia X, but also Lumia 630, Lumia 635 and Lumia 930. It is also expected that a new Asha smart feature phone will be showcased at the event.

Apple's Fitness-Tracking Ambitions Go Beyond the iWatch

Lately, all the talk has been about the fitness-tracking, health-monitoring smartwatch that Apple is assumedly building. But a patent granted to Apple today shows the company wants to get into fitness tracking not just on your wrist, but in your ear, with sensor-laden earbuds to measure your athletic performance.

The patent, first filed in 2008, proposes using skin-contacting sensors in earbuds or earphones to monitor body temperature, heart rate, and perspiration, though the patent doesn't outline the mechanics of how such sensors would work. It also suggests accelerometers, both for activity tracking and for a possible hands-free gesture control, where you could change tracks or adjust volume with a specific head motion.

The patent also makes passing mention of "psychological" sensors. The official filing doesn't expand on what this would mean or how it could be used, but AppleInsider speculates the system could analyze biometric input to get an impression of the user's mental state. Finally, headphones that know to queue up Adele when you need a good cry.

Standard patent skepticism most definitely applies here: Apple filing a patent is not any sort of guarantee that the company will actually make the proposed ear monitors. But the idea is pretty fascinating-putting biosensors into the headphones so many of us wear while exercising makes a ton of sense.

Apple's been on a health tech hiring spree, and it's obvious the company wants in on the fitness tracking game. Looks like that ambition goes beyond wrist-worn devices.

Wondered Why Your Mouse Cursor Is Slanted Instead of Straight ?

Over on Stack Exchange, computer software developer Bart Gijssens revealed the following explanation of the slanted cursor's origins in response to this question on its design.

The mouse, and therefore the mouse cursor, was invented by Douglas Englebart, and was initially an arrow pointing up.

When the XEROX PARC machine was built, the cursor changed into a tilted arrow. It was found that, given the low resolution of the screens in those days, drawing a straight line and a line in the 45 degrees angle was easier to do and more recognizable than the straight cursor.

As you can see below, the original, straight cursor was indeed much more difficult to pick out amongst the blocks of basic text.

And as Gijssens points out in a later edit, after Englebart created the left-leaning cursor, Steve Jobs borrowed it for his software followed by Bill Gates who borrowed it after him. At this point, we've just become so accustomed to our leaning (and still highly functional!) arrow that anything else would seem too bizarre. Besides, why mess with perfection?

Top 5 Cloud Storage apps for Windows 8

Cloud storage is a fast-moving arena, with advancements including the ability to store files and folders in the cloud along with metadata on your PC replicating the actual file. The file isn't there and isn't taking up space, but you can see relevant attributes.

Other cloud techniques include the ability to sync files only as you need them.

Note: Google's Drive, a solid PC performer with 15 GB of free space, doesn't provide a Windows 8 app,  so it's excluded from this list.

About the Platform: Windows apps can be found in the Windows 8 Store. Click or touch the Start page  Store tile and search by placing your mouse pointer or finger in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Then choose the Search charm's icon.

No. 1: SkyDrive

The SkyDrive app has an average rating of 3.7 stars out of a possible 5 with 795 ratings in the Windows 8 Store.

Bing Smart Search and native Microsoft Windows integration are the killer features in this Microsoft  cloud storage add-on app offering. A basic version is included in the operating system natively, and this add-on is available in the Store. Bing Smart Search is a new feature in the free Windows 8.1 update that lets you see and search for both local and cloud files at the same time by just starting to type on the Start page. No browser or Windows Explorer window is required.

No. 2: All My Storage

All My Storage has an average rating of 3 stars out of a possible 5 with 155 ratings in the Windows 8 Store.
Here's an aggregator app that lets you merge your cloud and local files. It handles multiple SkyDrive accounts plus Box and the classic Dropbox, and it allows you to move files around among the disparate cloud systems.
A paid version integrates other cloud services like SugarSync and Google Drive.

No. 3: Box

Box has an average rating of 3.6 stars out of a possible 5 with 1,228 ratings in the Windows 8 Store.Ten gigs of storage and a Windows 8 app beats Microsoft's SkyDrive with its 7 GB and places Box in the lead when it comes to free cloud space along with app. Promotions available with certain hardware purchases can increase free storage limits further.Box file management is slightly less sophisticated than SkyDrive, which is why it's in one of our runners' up positions -- it doesn't use the equivalent metadata-style indexing.

No. 4: Dropbox

Dropbox has an average rating of 2.9 stars out of a possible 5 with 2,738 ratings in the Windows 8 Store. Dropbox is the granddaddy of cloud file storage, and although it offers just a puny 2 GB of initial free storage, it is a widely used cloud product for sharing files.

Awkward, slow file scrolling in this app adds to a dull experience.
It's a runner-up, but there's a good chance you'll use it someday to share print-ready files or large media with colleagues or buddies, so get used to it.

No. 5: File Brick

File Brick has an average rating of 3.9 stars out of a possible 5 with 174 ratings in the Windows 8 Store.

We've written about File Brick before and love its gorgeous, elegant simplicity and logical file classifications. If you're used to creaky file management with Windows Explorer windows, do your eyes a favor and demo File Brick.

Then delete it, because unfortunately we're beginning to see some unpleasant blackmail-like feature unlocks -- where you can share a File Brick app comment to your Facebook wall to unlock certain cloud services.

Making 2014 a Worthwhile ride

A new year is a new beginning, starting of a new journey that will last 365 days, new resolutions, new challenges and new promises. No journey is ever going to be smooth, it’s going to be bumpy and rocky with alot of hardships but its for you to decide how to make the best of it.

Not everybody can find the good in bad or the best in the worst, yet to make life easier one needs to understand the art of positivity. 2013 is coming to an end, a new year is coming your way and no one except you can decide how you want to make the most out of it.

In spite of everything what’s important to keep in mind while entering a new year is that whatever you have learned in the previous year, make sure you carry it to the new year because these are the lessons that will help you to make the new year worth living. Working on your mistakes and not repeating them, learning to be happy should be the motto for the New Year.

If you keep repeating your mistakes there would be nothing new to learn and so the New Year will be like any other year. So why waste another year? Why not experience new things in a new way?

All this will only help us to grow as a person and shape our personality once and for all.

Make fruitful goals for yourselves and figure out a way of achieving them. If you stay stern there is nothing in the world that will stop you from achieving what you wish to. Welcome the New Year in a beautiful way preferably with your family as throughout the year no matter what they are the ones who’ll be there with you and help you with everything.

They are the ones who will always be the most important people. Also if you want to welcome the year in a truly valuable manner make sure you donate something to the poor and the needy. That is what I am definitely looking forward to do because there is nothing that can give you more pleasure than doing good for someone else. Talk to them and try to understand what they feel , give them some moments of happiness that they have never really seen.

Get your hand on these tips guys and girls as they will definitely bring a change in this new year that you’re going to start in a few days . So say it loud 2014 is worth all the good things!!

Miracles & Cheer for a Happy New Year

Wishing you all a very happy new year!

May this new year bring all the opportunities your way to discover the joys of life and may your resolutions for the days ahead stay strong and committed turning all you efforts into great achievements and all your aspirations into reality.

Once again my genuine wishes for a promising, inspiring, and fulfilling days of the year to all my dear friends, my readers! May all the happiness galore in your lives forever and after! And may the threads of our rapport through this blog last forevermore!