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Windows 8 is on the way!

27 Replies Christopher Roberts

I have recently upgraded to Windows 7, which is why I kind of wasn’t that pleased when Microsoft announced (early last week) that it was getting set to launch its next operating system, Windows 8, some time next year – probably around April.


At the Build developers’ conference in California, Microsoft unveiled the new operating system, (no doubt still in early beta stages) and gave us a sneak peak at to what is in store in the next version of Windows.

They stated that the core foundation of Windows 8 was Windows 7, but better! To quote Steven Sinofsky exactly, he said:

…everything that was great about windows 7, well we took that and we made it even better in Windowws 8!

Despite saying this, this version of Windows OS looks like it has had a dramatic overall.

Windows is currently under more pressure than ever before in its long, domineering history. In the past the cheap, affordable and compatible OS, always used to be Microsoft’s Windows. Now however Apple are putting increasing pressure on Windows, along with Google’s new attempt to bring down the giant of Windows in the form of Chrome OS.

Hence why Windows 8 seems to be dramatically different to all previous versions of Windows.

So what is going to be different? Well for starters, for the first time ever, a Windows OS will be compatible with low power ARM-designed processors.

Also, from the glimpses and comments that Microsoft have currently given us/made, it looks like Microsoft are attempting to make Windows a more ‘family friendly’ operating system, in that it’s more of a media based OS. This is probably done to try and steer away from the classical view of Windows in that it is an operating system designed primarily for spreadsheets, documents and other work/business related tasks.

Windows 8 Start Screen

A glimpse at the probably new start screen design for Windows 8

In addition to this, Windows 8 will support touchscreen devices, possible Microsoft’s way of saying “get ready for Windows Tablet guys!” who knows.

Microsoft knows that it has to pull something pretty special out of the bag this time, or it could seriously loose its foot in the computing market, not only due to the increased competition, but also because users are slowly moving away from desktops and laptops, and towards smart phones and tablets.

That’s pretty much all the information I have at the moment, however no doubt we will have loads of updates on Technology Bloggers for you, as soon as we find out more about this new OS 🙂

What do you think and hope for with Windows 8? Do you speculate that it will be another Vista – i.e. slow and laggy, incompatible, riddle with bugs, and hated by many tech gurus, or will it be like Vista to 7, a breath of fresh air?

Android’s Ice Cream Sandwich

8 Replies Christopher Roberts

Google has revealed a fair amount about the new version of Android, known as Ice Cream Sandwich. The Sandwich moniker is used since Google see the new OS as “one OS everywhere”, or a single version of Android running across all their phones and tablets. Will this unifying system be as tasty as it sounds?

In terms of release date, it looks as though some Android devices shipped before Christmas will run this OS, with some sources suggesting it could arrive as early as October. The new version is rumoured to be known as Android 2.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, which is a little mystifying since it brings together Android 2.3 and Android 3.0 Honeycomb. Wouldn’t Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich make more logical sense?


Google Android's LogoThe Ice Cream interface will bring together all the fancy features from 3.0 Honeycomb, which was designed purely for tablets and larger screen devices. This includes an updated app launcher, holographic user interface, interactive new home-screen widgets and a multi-tasking panel. Leaked shots give a positive impression of the homepage look and feel, which has a great feeling of depth and Minority Report-style futurism. This ties in with Google’s statement that the new OS is their “most ambitious release to date”.

But the Ice Cream Sandwich is about more than the UI, and will bring all the previously tablet-only Android 3.1 features to mobile phones. In real terms, this suggests compatible Android tablets and smart phones will be able to act as hubs and inputs for connecting mice, keyboards and game controllers.

There is also a 3D “headtracking” feature utilising the front-mounted camera. This determines who is speaking and focuses on them during a video call. This detection technology is apparently a key feature in the OS, and it will be interesting to see how developers can further enhance this novelty.

Google intends to make the Ice Cream OS fully open source in an attempt to make things more consistent between devices. When it becomes fully established it will doubtless prove an exciting time for Android affiliates and early adopters. In terms of reputation, Android provides the leading mobile phones; find out more on these models on the Phones4U website.

Are We Reaching Satellite Saturation Point?

19 Replies Jonny Hankins

Satellites surrounding the earthWe all like our satellite navigation systems and mobile phones, Google maps and BBC World when we find ourselves in hotel rooms, but a report just published by the US National Research Council claims that we are on the brink of clogging up space to the point of no return.

A couple of years ago 2 satellites collided destroying both of them, one had already been decommissioned but the other was a communication carrier that was still in use. Also recently, astronauts had to get in to the emergency escape capsule on the International Space Station as debris passed close by.

There are about 22000 big pieces of debris floating round the Earth and many more smaller but potentially equally damaging pieces, and the problem is the lack of international agreement upon the use of near space. Almost everything from Sputnik onward is still floating about up there. The Chinese military destroyed one of their disused military satellites in an experiment in 2007 but that just created thousands more potentially dangerous pieces. More of a political action than a potential solution.

Now maybe we can live with the odd collision now and again, but a related and really serious problem and the underlying cause, is our reliance on this technology. Scientists talk about potential damage from solar flares and the likes, that might even knock the entire system out for an undefined period of time. This would have catastrophic effects on the world, no Satellite navigation means no aeroplanes, ships navigating by the stars, emergency services having to rush out and buy maps of the city, UPS and their competitors losing their way, and even worse than all this Sainsbury’s not being able to deliver Mrs French’s vegetables on time.

Easy to take lightly but really quite a serious problem.

Dependence is a difficult thing to overcome, but scientists are experimenting with bringing old satellites back to Earth. A sort of Kite is being trialled that once attached to its objective slows it down so that it enters the atmosphere and burns up, but this must be seen against a backdrop of more satellites being launched every month. They are both commercially and militarily extremely important.

Who has the right to govern space though? Competition rules and it is big business.

For a more detailed incite have a look at these postings on the Bassetti Foundation website.