Top 10 changes that Microsoft Windows 8.1 will bring

After several rumours hinting at the new features that Microsoft's Windows 8.1 would bring, the Redmond giant has officially announced some of them through a new blog post taking a "first look."

According to Microsoft, Windows 8.1 will not just respond to customer feedback, will add new features and functionality to improve the touch experience and the operating system's mobile computing potential.

"The Windows 8.1 update will deliver improvements and enhancements in key areas like personalization, search, the built-in apps, Windows Store experience, and cloud connectivity," the company said.

1. New Start tip

The biggest change that the update brings is the Windows Logo at the left hand corner in place of the Start screen "tip" that comes up when one hovers the mouse pointer in Windows 8. The Windows Logo is more recognisable according to Microsoft. It also gives the ability to users to choose between booting to the desktop directly. At the moment, only the Start screen shows up when one boots the PC.

2. Desktop wallpapers for Start screen

Microsoft will now allow users to turn their PCs or tablets into a photo frame when it's locked. Users can choose to show a slideshow of pictures stored locally in their devices or in the cloud via SkyDrive. It will also add the ability to take pictures from the lock screen via the device's camera directly from the lock screen. 

In addition to this, the update will bring more colours and backgrounds including animated ones for the Windows Start screen and will even allow users to set their desktop background as their Start screen background. As reported previously, the Windows 8.1 Start screen would features new tile sizes including a new large and new small size.

3. Updated Search

According to Microsoft, Windows 8.1's Search charm will offer global search results powered by Bing in "a rich, simple-to-read, aggregated view of many content sources to provide the best "answer" for the user's query." Search will also offer "Quick actions" that include actions users would like to take, for example, play songs or videos. Results from local files, apps, and settings would be accessible in the same was as they are on Windows 8.

4. App Updates

Microsoft will be updating native apps to offer new functionality. The company mentions that the Pictures app will offer the ability to edit pictures and the Music app has been completely redesigned to offer a better experience and adds that it will also be introducing new apps shortly.

5. New multitasking experience

Following the Windows 8.1 update, users will be able to snap apps in variable sizes, as reported earlier. It will allow users to run three apps simultaneously on one screen and run different Modern UI/ Metro apps on different displays if connected, while keeping the Start screen on one display. Users will also be able to snap multiple windows of the same application. 

6. Updated Store

Microsoft is also revamping the Windows Store to show more information with detailed lists of top free apps, new releases, and picks on the homepage.

7. SkyDrive improvements

Windows 8.1 will allow users to save files directly to SkyDrive and will offer an updated SkyDrive app that allows offline access to files.

8. Better PC Settings menu

Another issue that a lot of users faced with Windows 8 was that a lot of system settings were not available in the PC settings and they had to still go to the Control Panel on the desktop to access them.

Users will now be able to change their display resolution, set power options, see the make and model of their PC, change the product key, run Windows Update, and even join a domain directly from PC Settings.

9. New Internet Explorer

The Windows 8.1 update will bring a new version of the Internet Explorer browser. Internet Explorer 11 would be built for touch and would offer faster page load times in addition to several other new personalisation features.

10. Better handling of tiles

Users will be able to group and rearrange tiles more conveniently. They'll now be able to select multiple apps all at once, resize them, uninstall them, or rearrange them on the Start screen. Windows 8.1 will require users to press and hold or right click to move tiles around to prevent accidental movement of tiles. The update also brings the ability to filter apps by name, date installed, most used, or by category.

10 new features in Apple's iPhone 5s

Apple unveiled the next-generation iPhone, iPhone 5s along with the new iPhone 5c at a special event on Tuesday. The iPhone 5s is a much improvised version of the iPhone 5 with new internals, although it sports almost the same design. It offers some revolutionary features. Here's a look at 10 new features of the iPhone 5s.

1. New A7 chip with 64-bit architecture
According to Apple, the iPhone 5s is the first smartphone in the world to be powered by a chip with a 64-bit architecture. The iPhone 5s' A7 chip delivers CPU and graphics performance up to 2x faster than the A6 chip that powered the iPhone 5.The phone runs a 64-bit version of iOS 7, designed to take advantage of the A7 chip. The A7 chip supports OpenGL ES version 3.0 to deliver gaming console-level detailed graphics and complex visual effects. The iOS 7 native apps including the Camera app takes advantage of the new A7 processor.

2. Touch ID - the fingerprint scanner
The most talked about feature of the iPhone 5s, the Touch ID is a new fingerprint identity sensor integrated with the phone's Home button. Fingerprint recognition can be used for unlocking the phone and also for approving purchases from iTunes Store, the App Store, and the iBooks Store. The Touch ID feature is capable of 360-degree readability allowing users to enter fingerprints in portrait, landscape, or any other position. It even supports multiple fingerprints. The iPhone 5s Home button is made from sapphire and is scratch resistant.

3. A new M7 coprocessor for efficiency
The iPhone 5s' A7 processor is supported by its M7 coprocessor that takes care of measuring motion data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass sensors of the phone, sending them to new fitness apps without waking up the A7 processor, leading to improved battery life. It also recognises different types of motion.

4. A new iSight camera
Apple has put a new 8-megapixel camera on the iPhone 5s that has a 15 percent larger sensor, bigger pixels measuring 1.5 microns and an aperture of f/2.2 allowing more light to come in. It comes with a Continuous burst mode which is capable of shooting 10 pictures per second, and offers a real-time analysis suggesting individual shots or a sequence of photos that users might like best.

The camera comes with an accompanying True Tone Flash that feature a white LED and an amber LED which work with software algorithms to adjust flash intensity and colour temperature, with over 1000 unique combinations to light the subject.
The iPhone 5s camera comes with auto-image stabilisation to help reduce noise and motion from shaky hands or moving subjects. The camera also offers a Slo-Mo mode to shoot slow motion video at 120 frames per second at 720p. It also comes with Live video zoom for zooming in up to 3x while shooting a video, in addition to live filters.

5. A new FaceTime HD front-facing camera
The iPhone 5s sports a new 1.2-megapixel front-facing FaceTime Camera that comes with a Backside illumination sensor (BSI sensor) for capturing low-light images and support for 720p HD video recording.

6. Support for a large number of 4G LTE bands
The iPhone 5s has up to 13 LTE bands, more than any other single model of a smartphone. This will allow iPhone 5s users to access high-speed Internet in more countries around the world. The new iPhone even supports Band 40, which is the same frequency band on which Airtel's 4G service has been deployed in India.

7. Two new colour options
The iPhone 5s is based on the iPhone 5's design complete with the chamfered edges. However, Apple has scrapped the Black variant and introduced a new Space Gray colour, in addition to the widely rumoured Gold colour variant.

8. iOS 7
The new iPhone 5s will run iOS 7 that leverages its 64-bit A7 chip, the Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor, and the new iSight camera. It also sports a brand new user interface and brings new features, such as a refreshed multitasking view, AirDrop, and Control Center. It also offers new native apps and a new version of Siri.

9. Better battery life
The iPhone 5s claims to offer up to 10 hours of talk time on 3G and standby time of 250 hours. In contrast, the iPhone 5 claims to deliver 8 hours of talk time on 3G and standby time of 225 hours.

10. Free bundled apps
Apple will also offer its premium iWork and iLife apps including Pages, Keynote, Number, iLife and iMovie, free to customers who buy the new iPhone 5s.

New Apple TV could make an appearance at September 10 iPhone event

While tech enthusiasts and pundits are desperately waiting for Apple to unveil its new iPhones at an event which has been scheduled to take place on September 10, the company might throw in a surprise by unveiling a refresh of its media player, Apple TV, perhaps as the 'one more thing' announcement at the event.

It's known that Apple is testing a new version of the Apple TV operating system with developers. However, according to a new blog post by Panjiva, which calls itself a leading intelligence platform for global trade professionals, Apple has received three shipments of products marked as "Set Top Box with Communication Function" from BYD Precision Manufacture in Shenzhen, China.

The blog claims that it found the original bill of landing data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through its Panjiva Shipment Search tool. It mentions that the three shipments were received by Apple on August 11, August 18 and August 25, weighing 7,044kgs, 16,628kgs and 16,628kgs, respectively and being marked as "Set Top Box with Communication Function", "Set Top Boxes" and "Set Top Box with Communication Function," respectively.

It also adds that the most recent "set top boxes" shipment to Apple, prior to these, took place on December 5, 2012, from Hon Hai. The shipment contained Apple TV's, with the A1427 model number listed on the bill of lading.

While it could be possible that the new shipments also comprise of the current generation Apple TVs and Apple is simply shifting suppliers, the move to a new supplier could also mean that the said shipment is of a different device. No one except people inside Apple would know for sure whether the boxes are of a new iteration of Apple TV or a revamped new TV device that Apple's rumoured to launch in the future.

If it did receive new Apple TV hardware then it's likely that Apple could launch it along with the new iPhone(s). The last Apple TV refresh was in March 2012, though Apple did make some changes to the media player's internal components, as per some reports, earlier this year.

Apple TV is a media streamer that lets users play content from popular services like YouTube, Netflix and Hulu Plus, as well as some other services like Vimeo, Vevo and HBO Go. It also offers access to Apple's iTunes Store, through which users can purchase or rent movies, or buy music. One of the major highlights of the Apple TV is support for Airplay which allows users to stream content wirelessly (over Wi-Fi) from any iOS device or iTunes (Mac as well as Windows) to the Apple TV. It can also be used to wirelessly mirror the display of iOS devices as well as Macs

Apple to release iOS 7 on September 10th

Apple will release iOS 7 on September 10th, it has been confirmed.

Nuance confirmed in an email to development partners that Apple will be releasing iOS 7 to the public on September 10th. The company’s technology powers much of the Siri personal assistant service on Apple devices. "As you are probably aware, iOS 7 GA will be released on September 10th, reads the email. GA refers to general availability in development. The email was leaked by New Zealand developer Owen Williams. Read more: Apple iPhone 5s release date, features, price and rumours “The NDEV Program has pre-qualified that SpeechKit 1.4.5 works properly on iOS 7, but we encourage you to conduct your own testing to ensure that when the upgrade happens, your Nuance speech services continue to work seamlessly.” Apple has a track record of releasing its latest mobile operating system on the same day as it announces new iPhones. It is understood that Apple will be unveiling two new iPhones on September 10th. It will replace the iPhone 5 as its flagship model with the iPhone 5S. According to rumours, it will come with a number of new features, including a faster processor, biometric fingerprint scanning and a new 128GB model. Read more: Apple iOS 7: Latest news, reviews, videos and specs It is also rumoured Apple will release the phone with a new champagne gold colour option. It is also expected to announce the budget iPhone 5C on the same day. It is rumoured to come with a polycarbonate plastic back in a number of colours. According to recent comments from analysts, Apple will remove the iPhone 5 from sale and offer the iPhone 5c in its place. Apple is yet to release the Gold Master of its latest operating system. However, with just two weeks to go before it unveils its new iPhones, it can’t be too far away.