In Search of the Perfect Windows 10 Hardware

In Search of the Perfect Windows 10 Hardware

I'm well into the user testing of the next generation of Microsoft's operating system and things are really looking up. Windows 10 is becoming a blend of the many things we liked about Windows 7, and the things that most folks don't know about that are great about Windows 8. The product is like a breath of fresh air, or for those truly annoyed with Windows 8, like the feeling you get when you stop hitting your head against the wall.

Ironically, it's likely that the folks who hate Windows 8 will likely love Windows 10 the most. But Windows 10 begs the question, what is the ideal hardware for a product that spans smartphones, tablets, PCs and the Hololens? You could argue it's Hololens, but that product is still in its infancy and won't mature for at least 3 to 5 years, and by then we'll be on a future iteration of Windows better designed for it.
Let's talk about what the perfect Windows 10 hardware might be -- and I'll close with my product of the week: a unique service that could help a loved one living far from home feel more loved, called Geek Fuel.

Picking the Perfect Product

Looking back at all of the versions of Windows, the quintessential Windows 95 PC was a tower form factor desktop PC, in anything but off-white, with a 15 inch monitor. This carried through till Windows 2000, when we seemed to go back to an off-white desktop form factor (at the time, the focus was on missing the Y2K disaster that didn't happen).

Windows XP truly embraced the concept of the Windows Tablet, which didn't turn out to be that successful. Windows Vista didn't seem to have a hardware focus, which was part of its problem (it effectively was the new hardware you didn't buy), Windows 7 was the Ultra Book (similar to a MacBook Air), and Windows 8 danced badly between hybrid and convertible products.
But Windows 10 is a very different beast. Yes, it fixes the bad design of Windows 8 and should be vastly better for those buying hybrid or convertible products, but it also scales from smartphones up to the Hololens, which makes this product more about breadth than any single form factor.I could take the easy way out, like Time Magazine did a few years ago when they made everyone person of the year, by suggesting that Windows 10 ideal platform is everything -- but I thought that move by Time was a cop out and I'd feel the same about this decision.

Modular PC

Now, the ideal product for a platform with scaling that goes from handheld devices to full-on tower gaming machines would be the old Modular PC concept that IBM came out with in the late 90s. This concept has been bouncing around for the last decade -- and I was even involved as a board member of a now disbanded company that was trying to bring the concept to market.
The concept was: you start with a small common module that would contain the operating system and your unique personality and apps, and then plug this module into a different carrier, which would morph it into what you'd want to do. Plug it into a cellphone and you'd have a smartphone, plug it into a tablet and your stuff would be in a table, same for a laptop, desktop, or unique custom configuration.
Pretty cool, huh? Only problem is that the only firm currently working that model is Google with their Project Ara and I'm pretty sure they won't be running Windows 10.

Cloud PC

Now you could fall back and say, wait a minute, with ever more capable cloud services like Microsoft's Azure, Office 365 and OneDrive, you wouldn't need a modular PC, you'd need a thin client platform that lived off the cloud. Then you'd simply log into the services you need and your personality would almost magically appear on your smartphone, tablet or PC. Processors, flash memory, and displays are priced at a small fraction of what they used to be -- one of my favorite hybrid PCs of last year cost under US$200 -- so you likely could add a Nokia smartphone and still be at a fraction of the cost of what a modular solution would cost you.
Only problem is that the only volume thin client effort currently in the market is Google's Chromebook -- and while I think it'd be funny if it were identified as the ideal Windows 10 platform -- I doubt either Microsoft or Google would be amused. In addition, they don't allow the platform to drift down into smartphones, so the solution would be incomplete anyway. (Anyone else noticing how Google is increasingly looking like a worse version of Microsoft in the 1990s?)

Intel Compute Stick

At CES, Intel launched a little known product called the Compute Stick. It ships with Windows for just under $150 (I found it on Amazon last week for $124). Currently, this is a Windows 8.1 device, but it could even be more ideal for Windows 10, because 10 works better with a keyboard and mouse. It is small, it is portable, and it should turn any monitor (touch or non-touch) into an all-in-one PC -- and if someone made a portable HDMI monitor with touch (turns out a company called GeChic does for $400) you could turn this into a tablet and add a small Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, and monitor or HDMI TV...and you have a desktop PC.
In fact, if you have an HDMI interface in your car (the new stereo in my Jag has one) you even have a car computer.
The only problem is that Intel and Microsoft are on the outs on phones and Intel's phone runs Android, while Nokia, Microsoft's phone division, is ARM not x86, so you can't scale the solution out of phones and tablets.
Intel could build one using x86 Windows, but they'd have to write apps that would do the phone features because those don't really exist in Windows, or wrap the phone around Skype and connect it to a data service plan, which could be interesting, but that device doesn't exist yet. We're moving to VoIP (Voice Over IP) calling anyway -- and this could be an interesting alternative -- but it likely wouldn't work without Microsoft's blessing.

Wrapping Up: The Ideal Windows 10 Device Doesn't Exist

I think the ideal Windows 10 device is closest to the Intel Skype phone I described above, but it clearly doesn't exist yet and can't unless Microsoft and Intel can come together again like they once did and create a different future. Until then, we can get close to this ideal with either an Intel Compute Stick or Nokia Phone, and a portable monitor or HDMI TV and accessories.
This suggests the ideal Windows 10 hardware may not show up until Windows 10.1 -- or that there is a surprise coming from Microsoft and Intel we don't know about yet. I'm hoping for the latter. The parts are all there.
Let's see if these two firms, both with new CEOs, can create a bit of magic.

Product of the Week: Geek Fuel

For those of you who know me, you'll recall that the biggest personal mistake I think I ever made was not to go on an interview with the firm that would become Microsoft, and instead went to work for my family. I made this decision largely because at the time I was afraid of moving away from where I'd lived my entire life -- and given that most live and die within a small area -- I know I'm not alone in that fear (I've since gotten over it).
The big problem with moving is feeling disconnected, unloved and forgotten. I ran into an interesting service that could help with this calledGeek Fuel. It kind of reminds me of those adopt-a-child services that tell you that for a few bucks a month you can feed a child in Africa, except this is for the person that is away from home.

For just under $14 a month, a box of random goodies goes out to the geek of your choice reminding them that you care. Nothing overwhelming, more like cards, geeky toys, junk food, and t-shirts. Now, it's clear that the word Geek applies here because I doubt this would appeal to someone on a sports or music scholarship, but for someone in any form of engineering or computer science this could be just the thing to perk them up when they are feeling down.
Since I am a geek, and proud of it, Geek Fuel touched my heart and the service is my product of the week

Google Gives Glass a Good Polish

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By Katherine Noyes
08/26/14 2:32 PM PT

An update to the software that runs Glass gives users of Google's wearable computing device more control over their interactions with contacts.

The latest version of the software -- also known as version XE20.1 -- adds the flexibility to choose how to reach out to a contact after selecting the person from the contacts list.
"Now, when you tap on one of your contacts, you can swipe between Hangouts, email or SMS -- whichever strikes your fancy at that moment," explained Joel Kalmanowicz, a Glass product manager.
Users' entire phone address books are now available on Glass as well, he added, with a selection of 20 contacts accessible by voice and the rest by swipe.
The new app is already available for Android users; iOS users will see it arrive "in the next week or so," Kalmanowicz said.
In separate news, meanwhile, Google recently received a patent that suggests a new, less-conspicuous look might be in the works for Glass.

'How Extensible Is That?'

The Glass software update offers "more choices for people who have contacts they want to reach," Jeffrey Orr, senior practice director for mobile devices at ABI Research, told TechNewsWorld.

However, "the first thought that came to mind was, how extensible is that?" he said. "You might have hundreds or even thousands of contacts that are part of your database, and now they're getting pulled into Glass. I'm interested in how that works."
Twenty of a user's most recent and starred contacts are accessible by voice, Google said, but "in a world where people are so socially connected, is 20 the right number?" Orr wondered. "How well does this align with the users, and if they're going after business users first and foremost, is this type of update really going to be that meaningful?"
Products such as Glass are going to appeal to a range of business audiences, he pointed out, particularly in job classifications where individuals can benefit from workflow, efficiencies and productivity gains by not having to look away from their task, as well as jobs where safety and compliance are critical.

'A Natural Evolution'

As for the future-focused design changes apparently in the works, "this seems like a natural evolution of the Google Glass product, going from a very purpose-built form factor to one that is a little bit more everyday," Orr said. "I could see those types of frames working towards the subscription-type solution that many wear."
There is not only a fashion component to the selection of eyewear, he pointed out, but also a safety component in industrial applications.
In any case, neither of the Google Glass developments to emerge this week indicates that we're at a point where the general consumer market is going to find a use case, Orr opined.
"At some point, we think there's going to be an opportunity for broader consumer appeal, but today most will continue to observe from a distance," he explained. "Most will say, 'cool tech' and move on."
In the meantime, however, "we're continuing to see all these different barriers being chipped away," he added.

'A Necessary Redesign'

As the market moves toward different wearable form factors, it will need new user interface paradigms, Tuong Nguyen, a principal research analyst with Gartner, told TechNewsWorld.
Toward that end, the new Glass software update is "a great and needed and possibly expected move," Nguyen said. "This is part of a necessary redesign of the user interface for this next generation of wearable computing devices."
Other vendors already have been working on similar design refinements to the eyewear-computing concept, but "that's not to steal any of Google's thunder," he added. "This will raise awareness to the benefit of the market as a whole."

Gadget Ogling: A Touchless Thermometer, Flashing Audio, and a Mesmerizing Mattress Cover

I keep going back and forth on the Internet of Things movement. On one hand, the idea of connecting practically everything in my home to a smartphone-controlled network is overwhelmingly exciting. On the other, there are many things I like doing the old-fashioned way. Still, if there's one single item that's done more than any other to sway me to IoT, it's the wondrous Luna smart mattress cover.

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By Kris Holt
01/31/15 5:00 AM PT

Welcome to Gadget Dreams and Nightmares, the column that sorts the wheat from the chaff in new gadget announcements.

We're in the post-CES doldrums as far as shiny new toy reveals go, but there's plenty ahead in our crowdfunding-heavy lineup, including a thermometer smartphone accessory, flashing headphones, the world's cleverest mattress cover, and a Bluetooth headset/voice recorder.
As always, the ratings should be taken with a pinch of salt -- they only relate to how much I want to use each product. These are not reviews.

Feeling the Heat

JoyWing's Wishbone is a fancier thermometer than what you or I will have seen on any trip to the doctor. It's a smartphone attachment that gives temperature readouts within a couple of seconds without even having to touch the person or material it's examining, thanks to an infrared sensor.

It's inexpensive, at US$26-35 for those pledging to the crowdfunding drive, and I like the capacity to track the temperature changes of an object over a period of time. That feature could come in especially handy for fussy new parents who want to keep close tabs on their infant's health.
That said, I'd be more inclined to use it to check if my toast was still warm without having to touch it.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Cool to the Touches

Light Beats

The team behind the Glow earphones wants to make listening to music more of an audio-visual feast by lighting up the device cable. It can pulsate in time with the rhythm of the music you're listening to, and with an Android focus, it can operate one's phone and Google Now from the remote.

It's an intriguing spin to try to make a splash in a crowded market, but I would find it too flashy to wear in the street, especially at night. I'd be more inclined to tuck the cable inside my coat, which quite possibly would give me the luminescence of a glow stick. Maybe the makers were onto something with that name.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Solo Raves

Smarter Sleep

I've gone back and forth many times on my feelings toward the Internet of Things, or IoT, movement. On one hand, the idea of connecting everything in my home with a power supply to a smartphone-controlled network is overwhelmingly exciting. On the other, there are many things I like doing the old-fashioned way. I'm not sure I'd trust a robot to make my morning eggs, for one.
Still, if there's one single item that's done more than any other to sway me to the former line of thinking, it's the wondrous Luna smart mattress cover. It has hit the nail on the IoT head.

It just works, in that it learns your sleep routine and what temperature you and your partner prefer your sides of the bed to be at, and adjusts both accordingly even before you get to bed.

What's more, when you do settle down, it can latch your front door's smart lock, lower the temperature elsewhere in your home, and dim the lights, thanks to integrations with a variety of smart home products. It does the reverse in the morning when it's time to wake up, and it can start warming your coffee so it's ready by the time you shuffle into the kitchen.
It's caught on quickly with the masses, since it hit its US$100,000 crowdfunding goal within six hours, and I admit I've fallen for it. Not merely because I love sleep, but because it appears to work so seamlessly within the fabric of one's home setup.
It's a shame it's not bed bug-repellent, but hey -- nothing in this life is perfect, gang.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Toasty Toes

Ears Going Blue

To narrow our focus for a minute, working in the media industry means you're likely to conduct many phone interviews and need to transcribe them. That means having a way to record calls.
The Bluewire Bluetooth headset does just that, recording up to 1,000 hours worth of chatting.
I'm sure it'd come in useful for people in all manner of sectors (or while in the car), and it's nice to see a function for recording Skype conversations along with NFC data transfers to smartphones. There's also a burglar alarm feature, which is odd and unexpected, though hardly worth an entry into the con column.

That said, I've always found Bluetooth headsets like this silly looking, and I have an instinctive, immediate revulsion to anyone I see wearing one. Using this is probably not worth the risk to my street cred. I'll stick with my Skype recorder tool.

$35 Raspberry Pi 2 Faster, Runs Windows 10

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The Pi Foundation on Monday announced that it has released the latest version of its "entry-level PC." The Raspberry Pi 2 is now available for US$35, the same price as the previous Model B+.

This build-it-yourself computer features an 800MHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 CPU, which will offer six times the performance of the previous system. It also includes double the memory with 1GB LPDDR2 SDRAM.
The Raspberry Pi 2 will be fully compatible with the Pi 1, and because it utilizes the ARMv7 processor, it can run a full range of ARM GNU/Linux software including Snappy Ubuntu Core and, notably, Microsoft's Windows 10.
The Pi 2 is available now from retail partners including element14 and RS Components.

ARM's Reach

Anyone who builds a PC around the Raspberry Pi 2 will have immediate access to open source Ubuntu. Additionally, the Pi Foundation announced that for the past six months they've been working closely with Microsoft to bring the forthcoming Windows 10 to Raspberry Pi 2.
The Pi 2 compatible version of Windows 10 will be available free of charge to those makers who purchased the system, the Foundation added. However, there could still be some limitations on what the Windows version might offer.
"This is an ARM based device which means that if it ran Windows it would only run the ARM version of the product which didn't run x86 apps," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.
"That version you historically couldn't buy, it was only sold to OEMs, but now for something like this they likely could get it for free, or near free, so the product could ship with it and Microsoft might like this because Raspberry Pi tends to be sold to hobbyists and developers -- both of which Microsoft would like to engage on multiple platforms," Enderle told TechNewsWorld.
Exactly what users can do with Windows 10 on this entry-level system isn't entirely clear at this point.
"The impact of Windows 10 is hard to determine," noted Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.
"At one level, it's very significant, especially if you factor in associated Microsoft's security and Visual Studio development tools, and possible integration with Azure services," King told TechNewsWorld. "But at another level, supporting Raspberry offers Microsoft a way to breathe life into Windows RT which more or less flat lined due to the failure of the company's Surface RT products and Microsoft OEM partners abandoning the platform."

Entry Level Market

The Raspberry Pi 2 could further answer the question "how low can you go?" But as a low end/entry level computing device it could have competition from other devices -- especially since as a "computer" it still lacks necessary components such as a display, mouse and keyboard.
"Market ready products that would fall into this class are the sub-$100 tablets and low cost over the air products that have been hitting the market; basically they are a very low cost core with a display and packaging, Raspberry Pi just strips the case and the display out because developers and hobbyists would often like more display flexibility," explained Enderle.
"The over the air boxes, a lot of the home automation products, and anything that needs computing power-industrial equipment -- can use this as part of the development cycle to prototype software and rough out the product," Enderle noted. "If this didn't exist these firms would incur additional cost building and testing something like this, Raspberry Pi is a far cheaper alternative for folks that would otherwise have to build this from parts."
It is still a device that continues to appeal to hobbyists and the burgeoning maker crowd, but there is a limit to where that can take a product such as the Pi 2.
"There's always been an element of 'if you build it, they will come' but the same could be said of the Altair 8800 and other 1070s home computer kits, and look where that ended," King added.
"The Raspberry folks see the new platform being aimed at the 'maker pro' community, which is to say advanced hobbyists and product developers who see the value of the additional memory and performance packed into the Raspberry 2," King stressed. "Possible commercial uses reside mainly in Internet of Things (IoT) applications but that's a pretty broad area."

Infected Android Apps From Google Play Affect Millions

Google's app scanning process may have missed the malware because "they rely mostly on static code analysis and the app in question may have used a 'time bomb' method -- waiting a period of time before downloading and executing the malware," said Patrick Murray, vice president of products at Zimperium.

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By Richard Adhikari

Millions of Android users have been hit by malware posing as games on Google Play, according to Avast security researcher Flip Chytry.

The malware harbors fake ads that pop up when users unlock their devices, to warn them about nonexistent infections, or that their devices are out of date or have porn.
Victims are then asked to take action. If they agree, they are redirected to poisoned Web pages that contain dubious app stores, or apps that try to send premium SMS messages -- which are expensive -- without their knowledge, or apps that collect scads of personal information on the sly.
Sometimes users were directed to legitimate companies' websites, or to security apps on Google Play, but even if they install these security apps, the unwanted ads keep on popping up.
"Some of the malware lies quiet for up to 30 days before activating," Chytry said.
Google spokesperson Elizabeth Markman did not confirm how many devices had been hit.
"Our techniques for protecting Google Play users continue to improve, and are reflected in the low numbers of users who install potential malware from the Google Play Store," Markman stated.

About the Apps Breaking Bad

The Durak card game app was the most widely downloaded of the malicious apps, Chytry said, adding that Google Play's statistics showed it had been installed between 5 million and 10 million times.
All the apps mentioned by Avast had been suspended, Markman told TechNewsWorld.
The Durak app had been removed from Google Play when TechNewsWorld checked at 8:43 a.m. PT today, but was available when checked at 12:06 p.m. PT.

Google Protection

"We scan apps as they are uploaded to Google Play, running each app to detect and remove malware, spyware and Trojans from Google Play," Markman told TechNewsWorld.
That scanning is done by Bouncer, a service Google implemented in 2012.
Google can then disable developer apps and accounts if they violate its terms and content policies.
"Our goal is to provide people with an extra layer of protection while still maintaining Android's openness and developers' workflow," Markman remarked.

What Went Wrong?

Google's app scanning process may have missed the malware because "they rely mostly on static code analysis and the app in question may have used a 'time bomb' method -- waiting a period of time before downloading and executing the malware," Patrick Murray, vice president of products at Zimperium, told TechNewsWorld.
This is a core vulnerability when it comes to apps, Murray pointed out, because all mobile apps must communicate frequently with a server to complete updates, receive instructions and perform other tasks.
Additionally, Google's scanning services are not adequate because scanning "is only as good as the signature database it has from the service provider," Andrew Blaich, lead security analyst at Bluebox Labs, said. "It takes several different malware scanning programs to catch all known malware on a device since they all scan for different things."
Google's policy of openness is the problem because the resulting business model and architecture "make Android very difficult for them to secure," Murray said.

Anatomy of a Takedown

In April 2014, Google enhanced its "Verify" apps to continually check devices to make sure all apps are behaving in a safe manner even after they're installed.
However, this service "only works after an app is identified as bad," Blaich told TechNewsWorld.
Google's "Bouncer" service "works more along the lines of risk management," Blaich remarked. "If enough red flags show up, then an app becomes a candidate for takedown."

Protecting The Enterprise

Malware downloaded onto BYOD devices "can easily compromise the enterprise network by stealing corporate credentials or simply bringing the compromised device back onto the network," Zimperium's Murray warned.
Businesses "need to think about expanding their BYOD initiatives to go beyond simple management of devices, and employ solutions on the device that prevent these types of cyberattacks," Murray suggested. For example, they could monitor devices continuously so malware "is caught whenever it is delivered, even if it tries to lie and wait for a period of time before detonation." 

Gadget Ogling: A Microsoft Marvel, an Eensy Keyboard and an Ingenious Desk

By Kris Holt

Welcome to Gadget Ogling, the column that looks at new gadget announcements -- beyond the outright bananas Windows 10 gizmos Microsoft is cooking up -- and offers insightful first impression opinions of them.

Ahead, for your perusal, are looks at Microsoft's holographic headset and giant next-level Surface, a pocket-sized keyboard, and a smart desk.
As always, don't take the rating scores to heart. They only relate to how interested I am in trying out each -- these are not reviews.

Holographic Headset

Microsoft had a major surprise up its sleeve for those awaiting details about the Windows 10 launch this week. It gave us our first glimpse at its holographic headset, HoloLens.
Billed as a new way to interact with technology and the world around us at once, it overlays holograms onto what wearers see in front of them. They might, for instance, play a version of Minecraft that's constructed across a kitchen table and chairs, or have a Skype conversation with a screen seemingly hovering in front of them as they stroll across the floor. It is blisteringly impressive.
HoloLens seems at once fantastical and feasible in the current landscape. That someone can look at what I'm seeing from an ocean away through a tablet, doodle on the screen, and then let me see it as a hologram is enormously exciting.
It's a shame it looks like a motorcycle visor, since that will limit how many people will use it outside of their homes and offices, but at least it's far less obnoxious than Google Glass (sidebar: farewell, Glass, we hardly knew ye). This also seems a long way off from hitting the market, so a lot will likely change between now and its release, which could make it much better or painfully worse.
I'll be especially eager to try it out once Xbox One starts using the technology in games. But to let me explore the surface of Mars from the comfort of my couch and watch Netflix on a giant virtual screen hovering inches from my eyes? I'm all in, Microsoft.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Holographic Elvises

Giant Surface

Alongside HoloLens and Windows 10, Microsoft debuted its enormous Surface Hub, which aims to make meetings and conference calls better. It's essentially an interactive, Windows-powered whiteboard.

It'd be neat to sketch on the screen while walking through a PowerPoint presentation with colleagues, and screen sharing with remote conference call attendees seems to work well.
It would be more than a little obtuse to have one of these at home, though I'd quite like having this monstrosity on my wall just for a spell. It would sure beat leaving notes for myself on my blackboard. And it plays Netflix, right?
Rating: 3 out of 5 Wide Eyes

A Keyboard for Your Pocket

One thing we can certainly use more of is ideas on how to rethink the keyboard for an increasingly mobile society. Not many people want to lug around bulky laptops when they just want to head to a coffee shop to deal with a long string of emails. Tablets are usually their preferred option, but typing on a screen for a long time is awful, and many tablet keyboards aren't much better.

So here's the TextBlade from WayTools. It's about the size of a stick of gum and expands to a odd-looking keyboard. It's intended for touch typers (a skill I have never picked up, admittedly) and has multitouch keys.
It looks far more comfortable than spending an extended period typing away on a screen. While it looks like there'll be a bit of a learning curve, these seem far more likely to take off than those silly lasers that project keyboards onto a desk.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Spelling Errrs

Desk With Brains

A smart desk is something no one really needs, but by golly is it intriguing.
Having a touchscreen console in the Stir Kinetic Desk M1 alone grabs my attention, if only because I want to see what kind of havoc I could cause by playing with it while a colleague is working away.

A mode that automatically shifts the desk up and down during the day to get you moving a bit more is called "Whisperbreath," which sounds deceivingly innocent, like something George R. R. Martin would call a ferocious beast in his next Game of Thrones tome.
Yet it's something I might actually use -- I like the idea of having a standing desk at a base level, and counting calories burned while standing, through the desk's Fitbit integration, could show its tangible benefits.
Let's face it, though, a desk that raises and lowers itself with the use of motors instead of manual adjustments inherently contradicts the notion of making you a bit fitter during the workday

Microsoft's Windows Reboot Could Be Legendary

I was one of the launch analysts for Windows 95, and the launch of that product is widely held -- including by Bill Gates -- as the company's pinnacle. No launch before or since ever came close to that launch, and I remain amazed that no one, including Apple or Microsoft, has ever really attempted to duplicate that effort.

Windows 10 has the potential to be even greater than Windows 95 -- but potential alone won't a legendary product make. It'll come down to execution, not just on the product, but on the launch itself.
I'll close with my product of the week: the Microsoft HoloLens, which has the potential to take us one bigRemembering Windows 95
The Windows 95 launch cuts very close to the heart for me, because Bill Gates and Windows 95 made me as an analyst. Windows 95 is how I got to know Don Clark over at The Wall Street Journal, and that wasn't a good thing, initially -- it almost cost my job.
That was when IBM told me I would be unemployable, and Sun, SGI and Novell all lined up with only one thing on their plate -- to get me fired. That was the year Bill Gates personally stepped in twice -- once to save my job, and the second time my reputation. The Windows 95 launch year is one I'll never forget.
The ramp to the launch was amazing. At one point, I was doing near-daily TV interviews on the product, aznd the excitement approaching the launch day was bigger than I'd ever seen. I was in one really stupid video where they asked if the product would change my sex life, and I'm exceptionally grateful that Bill Gates himself killed it.
The launch itself was magical -- the clouds in the sky even matched those on the box. With tents spread out across the Microsoft campus, it felt more like a revival meeting than a product launch. (I should point out that Steve Jobs regularly created the same feel but never at this massive scale).
On my return flight, a woman in front of me on the plane stairs forced me to step sideways, causing me to sprain my ankle so badly I couldn't walk. That became a harbinger for the support disaster that likely kept Microsoft from making the same mistake again. You see, after the launch, virtually everyone who could make a decision went on vacation, and to keep the support lines short, the woman who headed support gave those holding the busy signal. Millions went from ecstatic to pissed off overnight, but that wasn't the fault of the product or launch team (except maybe the vacation part).
However, Windows 95 was the last time I saw Microsoft bring out a product as a company, not a division, with marketing dialed in from the beginning. The company was customer-focused back then, and the user's needs were a primary driver. And Brad Chase and Brad Silverberg were running the show under the legendary Bill Gates. It was an amazing time. Who knew it would go downhill from there?

Windows 10

During my visit with Microsoft last week, I was reminded of Windows 95 in that there was a huge focus on explaining several crucial things: that marketing was again being built into the front of the process rather than being an afterthought; that the user was again front and center for the requirements; and that people were again asking the question "why," as in "why are we doing this?" -- as opposed to just focusing on creative ways to explain "what we are doing."
You see, in companies filled with engineers, products tend to become science projects more than things for real people. Folks do things because they can -- because they want to see what will happen or simply because they want to showcase they have the authority, regardless of how foolish they are. So increasingly, you get products that suck. During the 2000s, that was the case at Microsoft. (We can the same about most of the products Google built rather than bought during that decade.)
Satya Nadella's Microsoft is a very different company, though. People are working together again, engineers aren't playing the "who can be the biggest wrong assh*le" game anymore, and the product looks amazing as a result.
The user interface is an improvement over Windows 7, not just different. It moves between tablet and PC mode when the user moves, not based on whether Office is in use or not, and it understands that users do stupid things and has their back. For instance, if you get a new PC with McAfee and let the subscription expire, rather than allowing you to be unprotected, Windows Defender will automatically step in and cover your butt.
Xbox (which I've long believed was one of the stupidest things Microsoft ever did, because it took gaming off its premier Windows offering and put it on a product initially sold at a massive loss) now is part of Windows. Instead of competing, it enhances the experience.
Windows 10 gets rid of the competing mail clients. It gives you a browser choice that makes sense -- legacy for old stuff, and advanced for folks who like stuff cool and new -- rather than the choice in Windows 8 that never made sense. It comes with good core productivity capability, so it works out of the box and Office looks like it belongs on the product.
It is vastly easier than any prior Windows product to upgrade too, and it will be even easier to upgrade going forward. Oh, and finally, for those on Windows 7 or newer platforms, it's free.
Even the OEMs are excited about this offering -- and too often at this point, they are just hoping the new version of Windows won't hurt sales so much that it costs them their job.

Wrapping Up: Windows 10 Is Windows 95's Brother by Another Mother

In short, in terms of potential, Windows 10 goes well beyond Windows 95's capabilities. Granted, everything is relative and we have higher expectations now -- but even taking that into account, Windows 10 feels well above Windows 95 in terms of capability. The excitement hasn't hit yet, though. At this time during the Windows 95 rollout, there was much more.
Things move faster now than they did two decades ago -- exactly two decades ago -- so there is still time, but Microsoft has to step up. Windows 10 is good enough for people to line up for. Within six months, we'll see if Microsoft can step up with a launch program that is worthy of this product's potential.

Product of the Week: Microsoft HoloLens

With the Microsoft HoloLens, I really don't think Microsoft knows what it has created. This is potentially even more disruptive than the Apple II was in its day -- but as with the Apple II, folks are looking at the small picture, not the big one.
Not that the small picture isn't interesting. The ability to place and eventually 3D-print things by blending the real and he virtual into an advanced augmented reality experience is pretty amazing. However, it pales against the potential this has to completely change how we use a computer.
Today, whether we are using a smartphone, tablet or PC, we have little human/machine integration. We use a keyboard or mouse, and we have to look at a display, which gets in the way of doing anything else we otherwise might be doing. The use of the computer disrupts life -- it doesn't integrate with it. The Hololens is the next major step in human/machine integration.

Microsoft HoloLens

You interface with it largely with speech and gestures -- no keyboard. The display moves where you look, and your eyes move the cursor. Because it is on your head and always in view, you can use it seamlessly to augment what you are doing by getting directions, having it tell you information you need when you need it, and showing you things all without having to change whatever else you may be doing.
It eventually will be able to enhance your vision and your memory, allow you to instantly see what others see from their perspective and them from yours, and it will be able to provide real-time advice on anything -- from how to cook or fix something to what to say to a new date (including recalling her name, something I once forgot out of nervousness).
It'll show you worlds that are limited only by imagination and help you build those worlds, and it will protect you and those around you by calling help or allowing others with the device to help you with the power of the Web or a remote specialist, always available to assist.
In short, the Microsoft HoloLens has the power to change computing as we know it, and to change us in unique, powerful and amazingly beneficial new ways. It could be the product of the century, but for now, the Microsoft Hololens is my product of the week

Walk Like a Man

Walk Like a Man: The DARPA Robotics Challenge

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By Richard Adhikari
01/26/15 9:00 AM PT

The humanoid Atlas robot made by Google company Boston Dynamics has gotten an overhaul to be stronger, lighter and more independent, and to be able to function for one hour of mixed-mission operations.

Designed by the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), it stands six feet two inches tall.
Its weight was trimmed from 330 to 254 pounds through replacing everything but the lower legs and feet and using lighter materials -- despite including an onboard 3.7 kWh Li-Ion battery pack and a variable-pressure pump.
The battery pack drives the pump for more efficient operation. Now, the robot not only can walk, stand, use tools and make other movements for a whole hour, but also do so unaided -- it no longer is attached to cables for support.

Atlas Does More Than Shrug

Atlas's shoulders and arms have been repositioned to give it more workspace in front and let it see its hands in motion for additional sensor feedback. It has new electrically actuated lower arms for greater strength and dexterity and improved force sensing. It also has more play in the wrist that lets it turn a door handle by rotating the wrist rather than moving its entire arm.
The robot has three on-board perception computers for perception and task planning, and a wireless router in the head; resized actuators in the hip, knee and back; and a wireless emergency stop for safety.

The DARPA Challenge

Atlas will be one of the robots entered into the DARPA Robotics Challenge, which will hold finals June 5-6 in Pomona, California.
The challenge aims at developing robots for use in disaster response, and participants will face conditions simulating a real disaster, such as degraded communications.
"It isn't unusual to lose more lives after a disaster because of some problem with the rescue than were at risk in the first place," said Rob Enderle, principal at the Enderle Group.
"This is on top of the long-term costs of ailments like cancer recovery workers can suffer from," he told TechNewsWorld.
Robots aren't subject to the same ills, and "you can put off repairing them if they get damaged."

Variety Is the Spice of Robotics

Robots' designs vary depending on their functions and how their designers want to achieve them. For example, NASA's entry into the DARPA challenge is Robosimian, a headless robot based on -- what else -- simian design.
Some box store chains, such as Lowe's, are using robots to serve customers, and researchers in Japan are working on robots to take care of the elderly and ailing.
However, researchers focus on certain specific areas as a rule. Among the most common fields of robot research, according to Dan Kara, practice director for robotics at ABI Research, are the following: intuitive, multimodal human-robot interaction; dexterous grasping and fine manipulation; safe robot behavior; and adaptation and skill acquisition.
Others are sensor technology and sensing systems, perception and sensor integration, and actuators and actuation.
The DARPA Challenge is among the attempts to augment primary research into robotics and other technologies that "begin with primary research either funded by government entities or initiatives, or by their commercial equivalents, and conducted in public or private research laboratories," Kara told TechNewsWorld, adding that this model has "proven very effective for generations."

Think Like a Worm

Much has been made of getting robots to think like humans.
"Attempts to recreate the workings of the human brain in silicon are ongoing, but they have a long way to go," Kara remarked. These include neuromorphic chips like IBM's TrueNorth and Qualcomm's Zeroth processors, and neurocomputational hardware technologies.
The open source OpenWorm project aims to create robots that would be able to think like a nematode -- basically a roundworm -- and seek to simulate "a very primitive brain" rather than a human one, Kara said.
"You don't really need a human-like intelligence, and I doubt you'd want one," Enderle pointed out. "You need something that can quickly identify obstacles, develop a path through them, and then execute a series of generally tightly defined tasks. Human emotions likely would get in the way."
If the paths of the Atlas researchers and the OpenWorm project intersect, Enderle surmised, "you'd get something closer to the mechanical alien in the movie Edge of Tomorrow than a Cylon."

Fingerprint Theft Just a Shutter Click Away

Biometrics should not be used alone for identity authentication, said Neohapsis' Catherine Pearce. "Each time you use a password, it becomes a little less secret and a little less secure. Fingerprints now also become less secure over time, but we can't change them. This is why most biometric systems are multiple factor ... because at least you can change a password if it becomes compromised."

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By John P. Mello Jr.

Ever since smartphone makers started incorporating fingerprint scanners as a means of unlocking mobile phones, the Chaos Computer Club has attacked the technology with vigor.

Not long after Apple added Touch ID to its iPhones, the German hackers demonstrated how to lift prints from a surface and create a flexible pad containing the print that could be used to break into a phone.
Now the CCC hacker known as "Starbug" has used digital photography to perform the same trick without lifting any prints at all. At a recent cybersecurity conference, Starbug demonstrated how he created the thumb print of German Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen from several news photos.
"After this talk, politicians will presumably wear gloves when talking in public," Starbug said.
The process takes some effort. After finding some high-resolution photos, the fingerprint needs to be outlined on tracing paper, copied onto a plastic board, covered with graphite, then coated with wood glue to create the pad containing the print. The materials to perform the operation can be assembled for about US$200.

'Holy Cow' Moment

While Starbug may have created something that looks like the defense minister's fingerprint, one expert questioned other claims made by the hacker.
"If he can take that fingerprint to a scanner at the Ministry of Defense and make that scanner think he's the minister of defense, then he has done something, but I don't believe he's done that," said Chace Hatcher, CEO of Diamond Fortress.
"The Chaos Computer Club is suffering from what it accuses the biometric industry of suffering from: hyperbole," he told TechNewsWorld.
"The Chaos Computer Club is pointing out weaknesses in the system, and that's a necessary and admirable thing, but this isn't the 'Holy Cow' moment Starbug purports it to be," Hatcher said. "The idea that public officials are going to start wearing gloves because of this is ludicrous."

Fingerprints From Selfies?

Given the number of selfies posted to the Internet every day, should we start worrying about hackers lifting our fingerprints from those images?
"Most ordinary photographs are not high-resolution enough to detect all the necessary ridges in a fingerprint," said Harry Sverdlove, CTO of Bit9 + Carbon Black.
Even if a high-resolution photo were posted to a social media site, it's unlikely it could be used for capturing fingerprints.
"When posted online on social media sites, images are typically compressed or reduced in quality," Sverdlove told TechNewsWorld.
Social media is better used to make educated guesses about a person's security questions than for capturing their fingerprints, he observed.
"Biometrics is a nice additional layer to other security measures like passwords and smart cards, but it has its limitations," added Sverdlove. "Not only can things like fingerprint and facial recognition sensors be fooled, but unlike other forms of security, biometrics cannot be easily changed. A person cannot easily change his or her fingerprint."

Notching Up Creepy

Biometrics should not be used alone to authenticate a person's identity, said Catherine Pearce, a security consultant with Neohapsis.
"This is especially true if it is also the means of identification," she told TechNewsWorld.
"Each time you use a password, it becomes a little less secret and a little less secure," said Pearce. "Fingerprints now also become less secure over time, but we can't change them. This is why most biometric systems are multiple factor, such as a password and a fingerprint, because at least you can change a password if it becomes compromised."
Lifting fingerprints from a surface and using them to defeat scanners is creepy, but Starbug has taken that creepiness to another level, in Pearce's view.
"The fact that this attack is able to be done with no direct contact makes it scarier," she said.
"Previously, the concern has been for things we touch," Pearce noted, "but now it's anyone within enough distance to photograph us that can become a threat

Microsoft's 'Spartan' Browser Will Bulge With Features

Along with a new version of its Windows operating system, Microsoft is expected to announce a new browser next week, and rumors about the shape it will take have been bouncing around. The general tone of the speculation is excitement, though -- whatever its form may be, it will be good. "The general sense is that ... it's time for a radical reinvention," said Frost & Sullivan's Avni Rambhia.

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By Richard Adhikari

Rumors about Microsoft's new browser, code-named "Spartan," have been heating up: It will be an app; no, it will not. It will replace Internet Explorer -- no, it will not.

It will use Microsoft's Trident rendering engine and the Chakra JavaScript engine developed for IE 9. Probably.
Spartan will be a new browser that will look and work more like lightweight browsers such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
No, it won't.
"We are talking about IE 12," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at theEnderle Group. "'Spartan' is just the code name."
Microsoft traditionally comes up with a new version of IE in line with a new release of the Windows OS, but "this will be the first time they try this across all consumer Windows devices," Enderle told TechNewsWorld.

Loads of Spartan Scuttlebutt

Spartan reportedly will include Microsoft's Cortana personal digital assistant technology.
It apparently will offer digital inking support that will let Windows 10 users annotate Web pages using a stylus, send the notes and annotations to others, and store those pages in OneDrive where they can be accessed by any browser.
Spartan reportedly will let users group tabs any way they like. It may let users open multiple sites in a group of tabs together, so they won't have to switch between tabs.
Spartan reportedly will replace the "Modern" UI, aka "Metro," which was part of Windows 8.
The new browser will run across PCs, tablets and phones.
Developers "should like the consistency," Enderle told TechNewsWorld.
Microsoft has solicited user comments and opinions, which in itself is notable.
"This is so very different from Windows 8 and Vista, when it seemed like Microsoft was almost hiding from user comments and opinions," Enderle said.
Spartan reportedly will include a reading mode that will let users see just the text of an article, and will have a borderless window that lets content stretch to the screen's edges.

The Need for Change

"The general sense is that IE was built for a PC-centric era, for enterprise productivity-type uses, and it's time for a radical reinvention," said Avni Rambhia, digital media industry principal at Frost & Sullivan.
The usage pattern for browsers is changing -- from accessing audio, video and pages on the Internet to serving as vehicles for advertisements, she told TechNewsWorld.
"The rise in HTML 5 use is changing the modalities of how videos are delivered," Rambhia explained. "It makes sense that Microsoft wants to rebuild the browser from the ground up."
At the very least, she speculated, Spartan would be optimized for Office 360, on which Microsoft "has a huge bet."

When Spartan Might Debut

Spartan's unveiling could take place on Jan. 21, along with Microsoft's announcement of Windows 10.
"That's my expectation," Enderle said. "It's based on a consensus of rumors, so I think we can rely on that date."
In any event, Microsoft likely will release a beta of Spartan by the end of March at the latest, Frost's Rambhia speculated. The actual launch date "would probably be before the back-to-school season."
Microsoft is expending "a great deal of effort" in ensuring Spartan is backward-compatible with its predecessors, Enderle said. "Reading between the lines, it feels like they're using some of their visualization technology to make this happen, and I'm expecting backward-compatibility to be better than in prior versions."
Meanwhile, IE's share of the browser market in the United States rose from 31 percent in mid-November to 40 percent in December, while Google Chrome's share fell from 35 percent to 30 percent during the same period, StatCounter reported.
It's hard to explain why, given that PC sales are weak, but if this is a trend, it might portend well for IE's future

Gadget Ogling: A New Galaxy, Awesome Audio, and One Ring That Doesn't Rule

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By Kris Holt
01/17/15 7:55 AM PT

Welcome to Gadget Dreams and Nightmares, the column that takes freshly announced gadgets out for a hypothetical test run, rendering judgement long before they hit the shelves.

In the offing this week: Samsung's latest mid-range smartphone, a gesture-based ring, shiny headphones and much more.

As always, these are first-impression opinions and not reviews. The ratings are merely an indicator of my desire to use each item.

Another Interplanetary Phone

Samsung has another mid-range smartphone in theGalaxy A7 (pictured above). Sure, it's slimmer, faster, stronger and all the rest -- but that's just it.
There's a voice-activated selfie tool, which I suppose is great if you're into selfies and not asking someone nicely to take a photo of you instead like a normal person.
It's probably too much to ask for Samsung and Apple, the two biggest players in the smartphone market, to truly innovate on killer features like stellar battery life or a second e-ink screen.
The A7 looks like a pedestrian update to an important line, and I'm inclined to casually stroll away and wait for something truly impressive.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Par for the Courses

Put Your Fingers in the Air

Fujitsu has offered details of the most ridiculous item we'll likely see this year, and it's mid-January.
Its smart ring offers motion control and a sensor that turns letters you write in the air into text -- you know, when you can't type letters on a phone's keyboard or dictate into an app, because your hand is so encumbered by this monstrosity.

Goodness gracious. If Fujitsu wanted to make something similar but actually useful, it should have created a decoder ring.
Rating: 0 out of 5 Broken Fingers

A Remote for the Home

One of my big concerns about having a fully connected home is the disparity between platforms and the inability to control everything from a central hub. There are some attempting to fix that, including Neeo.
Its crowdfunded remote control lords over not only home

entertainment

, but all manner of devices scattered throughout the home. It's a pretty little thing, and the individual user profiles, including parental controls, are a nice touch.

I like the idea of sitting back on my couch and using a single remote to control the TV, lights, thermostat, toaster, electric blanket, laundry machine, Roomba and the kitchen sink. If it works as well as promised, Neeo is onto a winner.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Remotes to Rule Them All

Beauty In Sound

Bang and Olufsen has long offered beautiful gadgets, and the BeoSound Moment and BeoPlay H8 are no exceptions. The tablet-esque music controller and wireless headphones look remarkable.
The Moment, in particular, stands out, thanks to its gorgeous wooden touch-sensitive surface.

I like this a ton, especially for its connectivity to music-streaming services, its ability to learn my tastes, and the color wheel that plays music depending on my mood. Utterly beautiful.

The headphones lag slightly behind on my need-to-get-right-now list, though they still look great in their own right. I'm sure they sound great, and I could use a set of quality noise-cancelling headphones for my commute.

Thanks to these, I'm drafting my letter to Father Christmas 10 months early.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Never Have to Listen to AM Radio Agains

Fashionable Charging

The Leoht Tech Handbag is essentially useless to me, but it's a wickedly useful-looking accessory, and one that I'm sure many will find appealing.
It's a handbag with a built-in battery for charging devices on the go, and there are lights on the inside to help wearers illuminate their search for whatever item they need.

The bag is naturally pretty heavy, given the extra hardware, and the secret compartment tucked at the bottom doesn't seem to serve much of a practical purpose.
Still, consolidating items (say, a handbag and portable charger) is a good thing, especially when one might carry them around all day.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Not for Me, but Will Buy for My Girlfriends

Counting Likes

FlapIt also is an item I wouldn't use personally, though I suspect I'd quite enjoy seeing its nifty analog ticker in storefronts of small businesses to tell me how popular they are on Twitter and

Facebook

 and other social networks.If nothing else, these could help me identify prime target clients for a potential side career as a social media consultant. Or chuckle to myself in the middle of the street at a company's pathetic Twitter follower count.

Microsoft Just Handed Us Our Holographic Future

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By Richard Adhikari

Microsoft on Wednesday announced Windows Holographic, a feature in Windows 10 that will let users create their own holograms and print them out on 3D printers.

Every Windows 10 device has holographic APIs enabled, Microsoft's Alex Kipman said. Windows 10 holograms are Windows Universal Apps.

Users need the Microsoft HoloLens headset, which Kipman described as "the first fully untethered computer."
It has advanced sensors to capture information, high-definition holographic lenses, and spatial sound so users can hear holograms behind them.

Holographic Processing Unit

The HoloLens has a built-in high-end CPU and a high-end graphics processing unit, but "to handle all the processing required, we had to go beyond the traditional CPU and GPU so we invented a third processor -- a holographic processing unit," Kipman said.
The HPU understands users' gestures and voices "while processing terabytes of information from all its sensors in real time," he noted.
HoloLens "enables holographic computing immediately with ... no external cameras, no wires, no phones required, and no connection to a PC needed," Kipman remarked.
Microsoft also created Holo Studio, which lets users create their own holograms, print them out on 3D printers, and share them with others within minutes.
The headset was reportedly developed under the codename "Project Baraboo."
Kipman apparently has been working on it for about five years.
He invited developers from "Oculus, Magic Leap, [Google] Glass and everyone else" to create holographic apps for Windows 10.

The HoloLens eclipsed everything else at Microsoft's Windows 10 event, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.
HoloLens "is a brand new computer type and interface," he told TechNewsWorld. "Some might call this the next big step towards the singularity."
The HoloLens "embodies a new wearable computer type that is controlled via voice and gestures and create the impression that reality has been altered around us," Enderle continued, adding that it "has a brand new processor designed specifically for holographic work, and it is fully contained so it is also mobile. I don't think even the Microsoft folks are fully aware of what they have potentially created here."
The HoloLens was developed in conjunction with JPL labs, Enderle said.
"This is truly a game changer," he enthused. "When you can alter what people see in real-time, and allow them to interact with and render in 3D their creations, you fundamentally change the way we compute."
The version demoed by Microsoft is "version 1," Enderle said. "If you project ahead 10 years, this could actually replace how we currently use computers