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Thursday, November 8, 2012

5 ways to think like a cloud architect

8:23:00 AM valgeo

Is enterprise architecture ready for the cloud? Is the cloud ready for EA? Cloud represents a different way of thinking. But we've been here before.

In a new post, Chris Bruzzi and Nick Hamm, both with Appirio, a cloud services provider, share their experiences in cloud application development. They point to the five changes in mindset that needs to take place as application development and deployment evolves to the cloud world.

For architects and developers who have been working within the service-oriented architecture realm, most of these best practices will look terribly familiar. But Bruzzi and Hamm point out that SOA in the past was more constrained, since it typically stopped at the enterprise walls. Now, as more and more of IT gets hooked up into the cloud, it's time to really promote "service-oriented" thinking:

  1. Architect solutions in a componentized way: "Step back and think about the business requirements and then architect a solution of loosely coupled components that address the overall requirements. This takes a bit more work upfront but pays huge dividends later." 
  2. Value application programming interfaces (APIs) over language: A decade ago, IT organizations were either "Java" or ".NET" shops. The cloud abstracts the focus from applications tightly bound to languages and platforms to service delivery, Bruzzi and Hamm say. "As a cloud architect, that means you too have to shift your focus from the technology or language to architecting services and the APIs used to access them."
  3. Drive reuse wherever possible: Components within a cloud design may be already functional and available either within an organization's own library, or from external cloud providers -- such as Salesfroce.com or Amazon Web Services.
  4. Extend your team with crowdsourcing: Look to development communities -- such as CloudSpokes or 99Designs -- for new components. "The benefit of this approach is that you can get a lot of your application built quickly and in parallel since you’re not constrained by your own team’s capacity. You may also be surprised by creative solutions that you wouldn’t have thought of."
  5. Measure your applications: "With cloud solutions, there’s a lot of data available about your application’s configurations, code, quality and more," Bruzzi and Hamm point out. "Some cloud providers collect these benchmarks but not all do, so you may have to do some legwork!"

Source : zdnet

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Skype Becomes Default Messenger Service for Microsoft

3:04:00 PM Unknown



The new version of Skype allows you to chat with your messenger friends and gives access to your Microsoft account. 

Wednesday, November 07, 2012:  On Tuesday, Microsoft announced that its Messenger online chat service will now be replaced by Skype. Skype and Messenger are coming along, that's what has been shared by Skype on its website. Users can update their Skype and share instant messages or call their messenger friends. 

The transformation started when Microsoft acquired Skype and soon an upgraded version, Skype 6.0 software was launched. This version allowed the users to not only chat to their Skype friends but also gave them access to their Microsoft accounts.

“We want to focus our efforts on making things simpler for our users while continuously improving the overall experience,” said Skype to TOI. And China will be the first country to get off the radar in first quarter of 2013.

Skype allows you to send instant free messages, voice calls and video calls from Skype to Skype contact and you can also connect to your Facebook friends using the software.

“Skype said that their goal remains to deliver the best communications experience for everyone, everywhere. It wants to focus its efforts on making things simpler for users while continuously improving the overall experience,” reported Pocket-lint.

Skype on Facebook was initiated earlier this year and allows the user to have conversations, and a camera icon that can be clicked for video chat with your friends.

Skype is a common applications on smartphones these days and users can make low cost phone calls using it. Microsoft bought Skype for $8.5 billion last year to widen its presence across the web which is dominated by Google or Facebook as of now.  

Source: news.efytimes.com

iPad 5 could replace iPad 4 next year, hints analyst

10:41:00 AM valgeo

iPad 3 mockup large

The iPad 4’s stay at the cutting-edge of tablet tech might be as short as five months, an industry analyst forecasts, as Apple becomes embroiled in a slate specs-war with its Android rivals.

At the iPad mini press call earlier this week, Apple surprised tech-watchers by also unveiling a fourth-generation version of its top-end tablet – a mere eight months after the current third-generation iPad hit store shelves.

However, anyone eyeing the iPad 4 when it officially goes on sale next month may want to consider that the latest model might itself be superannuated in a few months time.

That’s because, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Ci Kuo at least, the rising tide of rival tablets will put pressure on Cupertino to continue sweetening the appeal of its top-of-the-range slates, with the result that refresh cycles will get much more regular.

That suggests we could get an iPad 5 as soon as early next year - most likely in February, which has until now been marked by a new iPad every year since the first model dropped back in 2009.

In a note to investors, Kuo stated: "Though the iPad mini is expected to be successful, we think launching the lighter, thinner 9.7-inch iPad as quickly as possible matters more for Apple strategically.”

Any new device is however likely to be an iterative update of the iPad 4, which is itself a relatively minor update from the current-gen model.

The slate retains its predecessor’s appearance, and only major changes are the addition of 4G connectivity, twice the processing power via an A6X processor and the same Lightning dock connector as the iPhone 5.

Source : uswitch

Samsung Galaxy Note 2, S3 first for 4.2 Jelly Bean

9:32:00 AM Unknown



















The Android 4.2 update may not be going live until November 13 officially, but already there is excitement brewing amongst Android owners, who are eager to find out when their respective handsets will be getting the elusive update.

So far, the only handset that will definitely be getting the update this month is the Nexus 4, which will ship with the new software on November 13, along with the Nexus 10 tablet which will also come with the latest version of Android.

For everyone else, the Android update waiting game begins once again, with Android 4.2 now becoming the main topic of interest after the initial Jelly Bean 4.1.1 buzz. We have told you earlier this week that Nexus 7 owners will have to wait longer for their update, and now we have some early hints for those of you with a Samsung Galaxy S3 or Galaxy Note 2.




The guys over at SamMobile have gained some new intel from their usually reliable sources, and they have told the site that Samsung has committed to providing their Android 4.2 updates for the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, during Q1 of 2013. Obviously, there is no official word from Samsung themselves yet, but it is pretty logical to assume that these two handsets will be first out of the hat, given their popularity and date of release.

We think that a January-April timeline for Android 4.2 on the Galaxy S3 would be a fairly pleasing outcome as well, especially when you think how long it has taken for the manufacturer to push out Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean to carrier versions of the device – some still do not have the update, to remind you.

If Samsung are going to base their update schedule on product release dates, then we could be seeing the Galaxy Note 2 with Android 4.2 first, followed by the Galaxy S3 afterwards in 2013. Is the Samsung Galaxy S2 an outside contender for Android 4.2 as well, or will users have to rely on a custom ROM instead from the XDA developer forums?

If you are currently enjoying Jelly Bean 4.1.1 on your Note 2 or Galaxy S3, let us know what kind of priority you are giving to the Android 4.2 update. Is it really necessary for you, or do you not mind when it comes out, considering that it isn’t really a major update?

Share this story below. 
Source: product-reviews.net

President Obama’s election victory tweet becomes most retweeted ever

8:51:00 AM Unknown




It’s U.S. election night and, as you’d expect given these digital times, a large portion of the discussion and debate around Barack Obama and Mitt Romney’s race for the White House happened on the Web and, indeed, via social media. In what is testament to Obama’s reach around the Interwebz, a tweet from the newly reelected President has just become the most retweeted message on Twitter ever.

Here it is and, as Buzzfeed notes, it shattered the existing record (held by Justin Bieber) within just 22 minutes of being posted.
The tweet hit 226,249 retweets around midnight EST and as of 12:23 AM (EST) — the current time of writing — that figure has reached an incredible 342,660.

Twitter removed the limit from its retweet counter — which used to top out at ’50+’ — earlier this year; it would be quite something if the tweet could reach 1 million retweets.

Although, of course, this number counts Twitter’s inbuilt retweet function only, and not the likely thousands of ‘manual’ retweets,as below. For the record, they are my personal choice since they allow for comment and analysis in addition to the original message.
President Obama currently has more than 22.4 million followers.

Headline image via Scott Olson / Getty Images
Source: thenextweb.com

How Google wants to own the iPhone and how Apple is trying to stop it

8:23:00 AM valgeo

With Android now on 75 percent of all smartphones sold, and Apple and Samsung battling in and out of court for the top vendor position, the smartphone wars usually come down to units sold. Apple vs. Samsung. Android vs. iOS. Less of a focus has been Google’s steady invasion of iOS, providing users with an alternative universe to most of the core features of Apple’s mobile operating system. The importance of Google’s ecosystem of iOS apps has never been more apparent than following the recent controversy over the removal of YouTube and Google Maps as default features of iOS. Apple realized the necessity of controlling key experiences on iOS, such as Maps, but it is running into a backlash from users in the process. It is not just facing competition from Android vendors; it is also now engaged in a struggle to keep Google from creating its own layer on top of iOS.

Google’s iOS apps are not just driving iPhone and iPad users to use Google services instead of Apple’s; they are increasingly an important aspect of the iOS experience for a large amount of users. Sixty-one percent of iOS users in our own polls said they were hesitant to even update to iOS 6 because of Apple’s new Maps app, many of which are still waiting for a standalone Google Maps app that Apple has yet to approve. Some say the Maps fiasco coupled with Siri might have even led to the departure of long-time iOS chief Scott Forstall, which many think could result in a new direction for iOS. What this means for Google’s presence on iOS going forward remains to be seen, but Apple does not appear to be ignoring the control Google’s apps have over its users.

Google has quickly been updating its arsenal of iOS apps—a selection that now provides the majority of Android’s flagship features in a little over a handful of increasingly integrated iOS apps. That…on top of the ability to open links from most of Google’s apps within the Chrome iOS app, Google is doing everything it can to keep iOS users inside its ecosystem even when not on its hardware. It’s an angle Apple doesn’t have, and for Google it’s working.

Apple’s App Store guidelines make it pretty clear it can reject any apps with features that too closely resemble default functionality of iOS. With that said, Google makes it easy to have an almost full-blown Google OS using what are essentially the Google or Android versions of core iOS apps. Gmail and Sparrow for mail, Google voice search for Siri, Drive for cloud, Chrome instead of Safari, Google Books, Google Play Music, Google Voice, Latitude, and hopefully soon, Google Maps for iOS. That’s not including the handful of Google apps that also replace popular third-party iOS apps like YouTube, Currents, Google+, and Google Shopper.

The question is how loyal are iOS users to Google services? Could you live without Google apps on your iPhone? How many iPhone users could be swayed into buying an Android device if iOS completely lacked any presence from Google or a downgraded Google experience compared to Android? That question could be an important one in the months and years to come if Apple continues to limit Google from providing alternatives to core iOS features on its platforms.

Recent reports indicate insiders at Google are not too optimistic about getting an Maps app approved anytime soon, which could be a sign of things to come for future releases and updates to existing Google apps. Google has also run into delays with Apple for recent updates to Google Voice Search and the recently acquired Sparrow app. Releasing a slick Google Maps iOS app that brings back the old stock iOS Maps experience and then some could, for many users, be the final nail in the coffin for Apple’s new Maps app. That’s a big problem for Apple, and it could be the reason we don’t see the app approved before Apple vastly improves its own Maps experience.

Maps isn’t the only experience that Apple needs to worry about. Yesterday, we saw Siri go up against Google’s updated Google Search iOS app that now includes the Google Now-like voice recognition previously only available on Android devices. Apple approved that feature for now, but what happens when future Google app updates are met with the same tension Google is reportedly experiencing with getting its iOS Maps app approved?

Google has good reason to keep up its presence on iOS devices apart from simply getting iPhone and iPad users to use Google services. As of last year, it was still pulling in two-thirds of its mobile search traffic from iOS users. That could obviously change quickly if Apple ever decides to drop Google as the default search engine. Apple decided to drop the “Google” text from within the search bar on Safari in iOS 6 and change it to simply “Search”. It’s a subtle change, and Google is still the default search engine, but search could very well be Apple’s next victim in fighting Google on its own territory.

How tied to Google services are you? Would you continue using iPhone over Android if iOS completely lacked Google services?

Source : 9to5mac

Why you might not want to buy a hard drive from Amazon

8:19:00 AM valgeo

I am a huge fan of Amazon Prime. The ability to order almost anything, and have it arrive within a day or so, without having to pay a shipping fee is hugely freeing.

Now, my first choice when buying something, is to check Amazon. Well, except for hard drives. You'll see why in a moment.

This weekend, I realized the media tank was running low on space and it was time to add some more drives. A quick check on Amazon yielded 2TB 7200RPM drives for about $89. The drives were well-rated by customers and from a fine manufacturer. So I bought two.

The drives arrived today. Apparently, the concept of padding eludes the Amazon pickers and packers. Please note how they were shipped:

2012-11-06-amazon1

Look closely. The drives are loose in the cartons because the drive bumpers weren't secured to the drives and were left to bang around. Note how the drive reminds us that it's fragile and should be handled with care.

2012-11-06-amazon2

As all of you know, drives that are dropped without padding aren't drives anymore -- they're data management liabilities. These drives were shipped, tossed, dropped, and more, just as part of the normal shipping process. They're not safe for data storage.

Obviously, I'm returning them. I'll probably turn to Newegg and hope they've taught their warehouse people how to pack drives with care.

But here's the thing. I'm sending these drives back to Amazon in the same packing they came in. My guess is that the warehouse folks will immediately reshelve and reship these things -- probably still without any padding.

So, someone out there is likely to get a drive that's been shipped, multiple times, without any padding. Sadly, that's why you might not want to buy hard drives from Amazon, Prime or not.

Source : zdnet

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

iOS 6.0.1 update causes numerous problems

8:54:00 PM Unknown







We’ve been hands-on with the iPhone 5 since launch and also the iOS 6.0.1 update, which has plagued some users with problems in a number of forms. Our time with both the hardware and iOS 6.0.1 update has been free of issues, but this is not the case for a growing number of our readers. We reported the new software went live right at the start of this month, and while Apple hasn’t commented on any of the problems being experienced with iOS 6.0.1, our readers are certainly making some noise.

Apple’s iOS 6.0.1 update causes numerous problems – the list is growing and it’s fair to say that some of these issues are for select users, and certain problems are being complained about more than others, which shows a pattern that could affect thousands of iPhone and iPad users.

Problems experienced since the iOS 6.0.1 update, and before for some people, include the iPhone 4S battery draining really fast, issues connecting to Wi-Fi networks that were easy to connect to before iOS 6, and also a number of people are claiming that cellular networks are harder to connect to after this latest software update.

The battery life problems with iOS 6.0.1 and the iPhone 4S are likely to affect a lot of users, and considering we’ve heard about this before the previous update it could be an ongoing problem needing a fix. The Wi-Fi problems are also known to be an ongoing issue that Apple has attempted to fix, but it seems things are still bad for certain people and in some cases a lot worse since the iOS 6.0.1 update.



It is fair to say the majority of people don’t experience call problems, our calls have been perfect on the iPhone 5 running iOS 6.0.1, but this doesn’t mean users are not having major call quantity issues. We’ve heard from PR readers stating, “I keep getting a bad connection when calling people“, and “the calls include static and garbled voices“. Our advice to these people would be to try and install iOS 6 from fresh, so reset everything after backing up and if this doesn’t fix it then contact Apple as it could be a hardware issue.

What problems are you finding after the iOS 6.0.1 update? You can read about new features being needed with iOS 6.1 in this article, although we’d love to hear from our readers about their problems needing a fix with iOS 6.0.2.

Seasoned iPhone owners might remember the battery life problems found on the 4S model shortly after it released, and Apple later confirmed these issues and it took a few software updates before the majority of people experienced a lot better battery life. We were one of the initial group of users with battery problems, and after two updates all had been fixed, but it is worth pointing out that millions of iPhone 4S owners had no battery problems, so there is a good chance the current iOS 6.0.1 problems are not experienced by the majority of people. We can confirm on our iPhone 5, and two 4S models in the office, there are no problems after installing the iOS 6.0.1 update. How about you?

Share this story below.
Source: product-reviews.net

Halo 4 release date arrives with review scores

1:52:00 PM Unknown




Today is the big Halo 4 launch day that Xbox 360 gamers have been waiting for, and one that PC gamers hoped would reveal the next incarnation appearing on their platform, which of course never happened. We published details about Halo 4 midnight launch parties yesterday, but now the release date has arrived it has done so with a number of reviews that reveal scores most fans expected.

You don’t need to look far for photos and video of the Halo 4 midnight launch, which reveals lines from around the world and unboxing’s from every corner of the globe. We’ve included a few midnight launch videos below this article, although feel free to hit the comments with your experience if you attended any of these launch parties. The videos we tracked down include the Halo 4 launch at London’s South Bank, a few from the US, an unboxing, and also a live stream of Halo 4 taken on the launch night that runs for over 3 hours.



Halo 4 review scores – there are a number of reviews delivering maximum marks for Halo 4, which is based on just how good different factors of the game are and also partly because of the love some gamers have for this franchise. If you want to read some very positive Halo 4 reviews, then you can see maximum scores given by Gaming Age, NZ Gamer, and Game Revolution in their reviews. These articles give you some good insight into Halo 4 and each review looks at gameplay, graphics, sound, and how much value the reviewer finds in the game.

IGN delivered a less then perfect review for Halo 4, and while they quickly point out that Master Chief has a lot to live up to in the new game, they also point out that Forward Unto Dawn is both familiar and unfamiliar. The reviewer found Halo 4 to have balanced multiplayer, great pace, unbeatable sound, and great presentation, but also point out that it is not perfect. See their full Halo 4 review here.

One of the most negative Halo 4 reviews we’ve found comes to us thanks to EGM, and they scored the game 7/10. The reviewer explained points were lost thanks to the “representation” being the same that gamers have known for years, and they found this really bad. Take a look at their full review here to see exactly why they rated the game much lower than most reviews.



What are your first impressions of Halo 4, and do you agree with the review scores shown above? If you haven’t purchased Halo 4 yet and are wondering about the install size, then take a look at our earlier article.

Share this story below. 
Source: product-reviews.net

From Cup Cake To Jelly Bean: Android Now 5 Years Old!

1:20:00 PM Unknown



On 5 November 2007, Android came into existence and nearly an year later, on 22 October 2008, the first Android smartphone, HTC Dream was showcased.  

Tuesday, November 06, 2012:  Happy Birthday Android! The Linux based operating system for smartphones and tablets have turned five years old. On 5 November 2007, the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of technology companies including Google and handset manufacturers like HTC and Samsung along with operators such as Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile, and chip makers like Qualcomm and Texas Instruments, introduced its aim to develop an open standards for mobile devices and with this aim in sight, Android came into existence as its first product. Android was exclusively made for mobile devices based on the Linux Kernel 2.6.  

Nearly an year later, on 22 October 2008, the first Android smartphone, HTC Dream was showcased. The Dream ran on Android 1.6 aka Donut was based on a Qualcomm MSM7201A chipsetclocked at 528 MHz along with Adreno 130 GPU, 192 MB RAM and 256 MB ROM. Android evolved a lot in these five years and have become the most successful smartphone and tablet operating system till date.

A recent survey reveals that Android operating system is found on three out of every four smartphones shipped during the third quarter of 2012. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, total Android smartphone shipments worldwide reached 136.0 million units, accounting for 75 per cent of the 181.1 million smartphones shipped in the this quarter with 91.5 per cent year-over-year growth, nearly double the overall market growth rate of 46.4 per cent.

Android, Inc. was founded in October 2003 by Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears and Chris White Rubin wanted to create “smarter mobile devices that are more aware of its owner's location and preferences” and Android totally focused on this. Later, Android Inc ran out of cash and Google acquired it on 17 August 17 2005 and made its wholly owned subsidiary of the search giant.

Source: news.efytimes.com