Tizen; Will it beat Android and iOS?
May 16th
If you think the overly debated battle between iOS and Android has been taking too much heat, well it might just fuel up even more with a new contender; Tizen!
The fresh mobile operating system, Tizen, is being co-developed by Intel and Samsung. The impressive twist that Tizen brings to the market is the fact that it not only supports programs which were coded using Samsung’s Bada SDK, yet it also supports apps that were initially meant for the Android environment (at least that’s what the Handheld Blog claims).
Heretofore, the Tizen has not impressed with their swirling three dimensional user interface elements that merely resembled a monotonous early version of Android. Yet, the Tizen Developer Conference captivated many when they showcased a rumored Galaxy S II HD LTE running the HTML5-based apps as smoothly as if they were written in native code.
A program called “Application Compatibility Layer” (ACL) will also be supported by Tizen; a program not too different from Research in Motion’s Android player for the BlackBerry PlayBook. In case you were wondering which company is behind ACL, well it is no other than Open Mobile, and might we that they are quite proud to claim that Android apps have the ability to run on a Tizen-powered device without any compatibility problems causing you agony, although it is worth noting that this claim remains to be tested.
Another differentiation, that if proven valid, will give Tizen quite the upper hand, is that with this OS developers will be allowed to code in HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript rather than Objective-C and Java ( which, despite the misleading name, is much different from JavaScript)
Samsung ( and the other companies behind Tizen) are targeting developers with shorter development cycles and inferior costs by avoiding the eccentricity of native code. Mozilla has already attempted such a plunge with its very own Boot to Gecko , yet the financial power backing that Tizen has might actually make it a concrete competitor going forth into 2013.
The Tizen also claims to boast a similar level of responsiveness whether you using it on the device itself or on a native Android smartphone or tablet.
If this in fact turns out to be true, it’s quite safe to say that the Tizen device will actually have a bright future ahead granted that more and more hardware manufacturers decide to take up its cause.
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All we need is the sun to sail across the world!
May 15th
It had occurred to Raphael Domjan, a 39 year old Swiss, in the spring of 2004 a notion that might seem obscure to some, but to him it was more of a second nature. Being quite the jack of all trades; trained electronics engineer, jet and glider pilot and avid eco defender, it seems only natural to seek new and innovative approaches to reduce our carbon footprints.
So what was this eccentric thought you ask? Well, Jules Verne’s novels have undoubtedly inspired him to go on an adventure of his own and attempt journey to travel around the world aboard a ship powered solely through solar energy.
This journey seemed quite feasible to execute, both ecologically and technologically, yet it puzzled him why no one had attempted it before.
It was not until February 2008 that his dream started to be realized owing to a meeting with Mr. Immo Ströher, a German entrepreneur in the field of renewable energy with adequate experience in the concerned matter.
What is so unique about this particular endeavor? Well, a clean and eco-friendly navigation that runs without any fossil fuel would have enormous commercial implementations. Two year of designing and assembling result in a boat that remains unrivaled: Tûranor PlanetSolar.
The PlanetSolar project consolidated an international dream team made up of physicians, engineers, shipbuilders and sailors whose contributions to the success of the first trip around the world using solar energy have been unparalleled.
A top view of the Boat
“It was one month with soldiers onboard, and a lot of stress,” he says. “We were at 5 knots with the solar energy, and we were between Yemen and Somalia. In Yemen, with the soldiers and guns we had, we could have gone to jail. And in Somalia, we could be hostages, and eat rice for one year.”
Ships that cross the stretch usually go at speeds from 15 to 20 knots, to make it as quickly as possible. So, you might infer how dangerous it might have been to go as slow as 5 knots.
The four-strong crew followed the equator as closely as possible in order to get the most sunlight. They did a pretty good job, since Domjan revealed that the solar power worked almost perfectly, allowing the boat and everything onboard to function with great precision. A gas-powered cooker was an exception though, yet the crew were never concerned it would run out of power since even on dark days, the panels generated sufficient power.
The Boat while stopping in Abu Dhabi
So what did Domjan ultimately prove with this expedition? Well, for one, that solar power is something that can actually be effectuated today even in the face of the worsening threat of climate change, and is not a work of fiction for “sometime in the near future”.
Another valid utilization, as Domjan pointed out, could be for diving boats; since you can enjoy the underwater wildlife in a much better perspective with no noise and vibration to distract.
So, just beware of the pirates and ay ay Captin!
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Yahoo: Is that the right thing to do?
May 14th
Finally the verdict seems to be in as per the whole Yahoo extravaganza; Scott Thompson, the CEO for a mere 4 month interval, ousted for apparently his white lie that has turned a very dark shade of black, Ross Levinsohn, a 48-year-old executive who oversees Yahoo’s global media and advertising services, is taking over as interim CEO.
Thomson has been exposed for lying on his CV and stating he has a degree in Computer Science, when he in fact has not. We definitely agree that lying on your resume should by no means be rewarded nor applauded, yet we believe it does not rate in the grand scheme of things. By principle, a CEO ought to be selected for his talents and abilities to lead and foresee what others cannot, and not solely for ostentatiously lurking in computer labs during college.
This may not be such a surprise though; Thompson apparently has been the recurring target of activist Third Point shareholder, Daniel Loeb, for quite some time now.
Loeb, who owns 5.8 % of Yahoo shares, in an aggressive attempt to obtain board seats, has staged quite the proxy war; running a website called Value Yahoo (which is currently down with a server error) that promotes his views as well as three other board-seeking Yahoo shareholders.
Thompson’s bio lie, which Yahoo initially labeled as an “inadvertent error”, has actually been exposed by Third Point, calling for the CEO to be fired immediately. Loeb’s original desires were to obtain four board seats; well, he ought to be happy with obtaining three and ousting Thomson.
“Yahoo is also near a deal with Third Point’s Daniel S. Loeb to end the hedge fund manager’s proxy fight,” the Times first reported .
“Under the outlines of a proposed settlement, the activist hedge fund manager and two of his director nominees, Michael J. Wolf and Harry Wilson, will be seated on the board.”
To take a step back earlier this year, in January to be more specific, is when Yahoo actually lured Thompson away from eBay’s PayPal in an attempt to end a financial funk that has carried its heavy toll on the company’s stock for years now. Even though, Yahoo remains one the Internet’s most-visited websites, the company’s financial and stock performance has been in agony when compared to rivals such as Google and Facebook. The company’s shortcomings have infuriated investors who have seen Yahoo go through four full-time CEOs in less than five years, without actually delivering on recurring promises to revive its revenue growth.
Yahoo confirmed Thompson’s departure in a press release put out Sunday afternoon.
On Monday, Thomson wrote to all Yahoo employees stating:
“I want you to know how deeply I regret how this issue has affected the company and all of you.”
Let us hope that the new board will be able to increase shareholder value, convert hundreds of millions of Yahoo users into a community and magically establish Yahoo as an actual concrete player in mobile again but most importantly we hope that the new CEO does not merely have sufficient “experience”, better yet hold the characteristics of a true successful leader, one who sets the culture, integrity and transparency to lead Yahoo in the right direction.
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Tech gift ideas for your mom
May 13th
“Hundreds if dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.”
~George Cooper
In celebration of Mothers’ day, we took it upon ourselves to give you a roundup of the best tech-related gifts that will surly brighten her day.
1. A tablet : A few years ago, a tablet may have merely meant a medicinal formulation made of a compressed powdered substance containing an active drug and excipients, i.e a pill. Yet, in this fast paced world of ours it has a different meaning, which most of us know as a kind of mobile computers, usually having a touchscreen or pen-enabled interface. Consider getting one of the many options out there ( Sony Tablet P, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, Amazon Kindle Fire and the iPad of course) and we’re pretty sure you’re mom will appreciate the much easier approach to watching videos/ playing games with the kids, manage calendars and discover new recipes. Add a beautiful bag to the purchase and you’re good to go. Here a review of the tablets by Cnet.
2. Belkin Chef Stand + Stylus: If your mom is already tech savvy and owns a tablet, this can come in handy, especially if she enjoys cooking and browsing for new recipes. The problem with this modern “recipe book” is that one might be too worried to ruin it by having it in the kitchen with all the mess and fuss. This is where Belkin Chef comes in handy; your mom can just adjust her tablet for easy viewing and navigate the page without getting messy fingerprints on the screen. The stylus is rubberized and designed to get messy and wiped clean again.
3. Fitbit Ultra activity tracker: We are all obsessed nowadays with our fitness level and daily walking/ running routines, hence the popularity of the pedometers. However, they are soon to be become obsolete with Fitbit Ultra since it takes a step further by tracking sleep patterns as well as the number of steps you climb each and every day. To make it a complete present, get the scale that goes with it; it will sync via Wi-Fi with the Fitbit Ultra.
4. The latest smartphone : Walking without a smartphone in this day and hour is like going to the beach without sun block, okay maybe not that drastic but still everyone seems to be obsessed to have their hands on the latest bit of mobile technology. We’ve conducted a comprehensive comparison chart earlier in April, which may help you choose the best one for your dear mom.
5. Clarisonic PLUS with Body Brush Head: Last but not least, our personal favorite is
The Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System; we all know how women enjoy their Spa experiences, and how rejuvenated they feel after each one. Well, treat your mom to a spa experience everyday with the oscillating brush.
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Genie Timeline 2012 is a new version of the number one continuous data protection program Timeline 2.1. It offers the first metro style user interface; enhanced performance, and added features. Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for the latest news.
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Can we get a smiling bird now?
May 10th
We’ve all been there; lying awake at night contemplating where life’s taking us, what the universe wants from us among other deep thoughts. Other times, we sob ourselves to sleep for not coming up with the simple yet oh so addictive Angry Birds game.
Yes, it has only been six months since reports have been released that the viral game has topped 500 million downloads. Developers have certainly not stopped there; releasing the Angry Birds Space version that is even more hooking that any other, with their clever manipulation of gravity. This version reached 50 million downloads in a mere 35 day interval (10 million downloads in 3 days), easily making it the fastest growing mobile game ever!
The milestones seem to just flock for the Finish developer Rovio Mobile, as he announced yesterday that the bird-flinging, pig-destroying portable strategy game franchise has been downloaded more than 1 billion times.
Hitting the big 9 zeros is definitely a momentous moment. The number includes every Angry Birds game that’s been downloaded since the series debuted in 2009, including the original, Angry Birds Seasons, Angry Birds Rio and Angry Birds Space.
In an attempt to show gratitude, Rovio has released a Thank You video that goes on a quick journey with a red bird as he slips the surly bonds of Earth and catapults into the face of the swine god.
It is estimated, according to what Rovio stated in November 2011, that Angry Birds enthusiasts play 300 million minutes of the game every day.
The game is now available on a range of platforms, including iOS and Android devices, the PlayStation 3, and Web browsers like Google Chrome.
Even though some gamers may condemn the game as being a mere pastime, Legend of Zelda and Mario creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, saluted the game last month stating:
“In particular the control scheme is excellent. When you analyze it, the controls are actually quite fuzzy in terms of the way that it works. It takes a little while to get used to the controls, I think, but once you’ve mastered them, you have a lot of precision. To make it the interface and controls work that well and intuitively… well, I think a lot of work went into getting that right.”
All this widespread success has not gotten in the head of Rovio, as he announced in January that he is not intending to follow in the footsteps of LinkedIn and Zynga in filing for an initial public offering (IPO). Peter Vesterbacka, Rovio marketing Chief clarifies that it is yet too early in the Angry Bird cycle to tackle the IPO.
As we are always wondering what would be next for this frenzy, Rovio hopefully won’t disappoint, as he is planning a feature film that will apparently examine the characters’ personal histories. Don’t get too excited though; the film won’t arrive till 2013 or 2014. He’s also developing Angry Birds-themed amusement parks in China.
If you were Rovio, you also would milk a successful franchise for all it’s worth as well, the question remains, when will the Angry Birds mania come to an end?
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InstagramCam; Snap it, filter it, Print it and share it!
May 9th
Instagram has received a lot of press coverage in the past few weeks. Whether it’s well deserved or not is quite an individual issue. The latest Instagram related post was earlier this April when Facebook acquired the app for $ 1 billion
This time ARD, an Italian based design and communication studio have quite cleverly jumped into the hype and presented a brilliant concept called Instagram Socialmatic Camera.
Antonio De Rosa, the 34 ADR Studio founder and owner, who has previously manipulated rumors and speculations of what Apple could be bringing in a future product, to gauge people’s responses, has just recently released this concept for the real-life Instagram camera. One which, might we say, presents a combination of some of the latest cutting-edge technology and design with an entirely retro feel and the results are quite distinguishable.
While merely a week ago, a hilarious “advertisement” was leaked, intended to make fun of a fictional camera called the Instagram Snap; basically a Polaroid camera with “sharing” features (passing a photo to another person by hand) and “filters” (coffee filter = spill coffee on your picture).
It almost seems ironic that a concept for such a camera actually emerges, and grabs so much attention, that leaves many (including us) drooling in agony!
While we applaud innovative design, the hardware specs must also be up to a high standard, and the Socialmatic Cam certainly does not disappoint. It comes with 16 GB of mass storage, which is more than enough for a year’s worth of snaps of landscape, pets and food, and also boasts Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for easy sharing.
Here is the full spec list of the proposed camera:
§ 16 GB mass storage
§ Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
§ 4:3 touchscreen
§ 2 main lenses, first for main capture, second for 3D filters, webcam applications and QR Code capturing
§ Optical zoom
§ Led Flash
§ Internal printer to make your Instagram photos real
§ Paper cartridge with Instagram Paper Sheets
§ Dedicated 4 colors ink tanks
§ InstaOS 1.0, which put together Facebook and Instagram App feature
You might wonder how this Cam would differ from what Android and iOS users can already enjoy. Well, it packs a quirky internal printer with the ability to bring those shots to life instantly, and the four dedicated ink tanks can print onto Instagram Paper Sheets, (yes it sounds a bit Polaroid-ish). The specialized sheets would have an adhesive strip along the back – similarly to a post-it – allowing them to be stuck wherever your heart desires, as well as a small blank space to leave your memoirs. You will be able to stick your preferred pictures on walls or in elevators or on the subway and other people who later like your photos can scan your QR code and follow your future work.
Such an independent camera which would definitely produce higher quality images than a mobile phone one, with an ability to share both online and in the real world (if priced right) would skyrocket. We’re sold, are you?
Looking for a simple, elegant backup solution?
Genie Timeline 2012 is a new version of the number one continuous data protection program Timeline 2.1. It offers the first metro style user interface; enhanced performance, and added features. Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for the latest news.
>Follow @Genie9backup
Top 8 apps for this month!
May 8th
In this fast paced world of ours, we are always wondering which new app to download next. Well, we’ve compiled the best 8 for this month and we will be posting more in the upcoming blogs as soon as they are out, so stay tuned. Here are the ones for this month:
1. Idea Generator (Get it for your android or iOS)
Are you experiencing a writer’s block? ?Need to spark up your creative streak? This just might be the app for you! We all know how beneficial brainstorming with colleagues can be, but what if you are on your own and absolutely out of ideas? The idea Generator comes to your rescue just set off the right category to start the idea flow. When you launch the application, you will be treated with three configurable drop down lists. Pick the appropriate category that suits your taste and hit the generate button to create an idea.
2. Cartoon Camera (Get it for your android or iOS)
Well, if you are one of the aristocratic “artsy” type of a person whose apps are tailor-made such as Hipstamatic, this one is not for you! Cartoon Camera targets more laid back kind of people with a sense of humor. It does quite a decent job of turning a photo into a sketch-like cartoon. The bonus perk is that it’s free.
3. Clik (Get it for your android)
Clik allows you to control any web-enabled screen from your phone. You point your web browser to ClikThis.com and then open the Clik app on your smartphone. Scan the QR code on ClikThis.com and that web browser now becomes a big screen to watch videos on (with the Clik app being your snazzy remote).
4. Jittergram (Get it for your iOS)
If you are an avid 3D lover, then this is the app for you! Jittergram turns your photos into 3D stereograms by taking two consecutive photos and instantly turning them into GIFs, without hassle. The bonus here is that you can share all of your creations on Twitter with just a couple of taps, all for free.
5. Svpply (Get it for your iOS)
If you are an undercover or upfront shopaholic, this is the app for you! Svpply, the free app, brings a curated sampling of new products to you each day, selected from more than 70,000 stores and brands across the web. You can build your own custom-made wish list, browse different items, and search for clothes, home goods, art, gadgets, and more. Find the time and go shopping!
6. Calculations Pro (Get it for your android)
If you are a bit of a nerd who enjoys travelling this is just the app for you! Calculations Pro is a 5-in-1 tool; calculator, currency converter, unit converter, mortgage calculator and a tipping calculator. Imagine how convenient this would be on a night out with friends; no more worries about splitting the bill and adding the tip to the calculation!
7. SoundWire (Get it for your android)
Throwing a party yet you cannot find the extension wire for your pc? Stuck at the office with no good music around except the over played radio stations? Well then SoundWire is for you! It so amazing that it lets you send any music (”what you hear now”) from your PC to your Android mobile devices or other PCs. SoundWire has low latency (audio delay), which means it can even be used to listen to the soundtrack of a movie or YouTube video while you watch (**Note you must adjust the buffer size in app settings for low latency).
8. SMS Flash (Get it for your android)
We all know how annoying it is when you receive an SMS right in the middle of playing your favorite game, or just when you are watching a movie or finally about to capture that long awaited picture; you have to stop it all because curiosity always kills the cat. Well, no more. With SMS Flash, you can touch through the displayed SMS and continue interaction with the screen.
Looking for a simple, elegant backup solution?
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A new way with Touché; doorknobs are watching you!
May 7th
Just when you thought you were too old for Disney, they come and reinvent the whole “smart” world!
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Disney Research in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvanian have taken it upon themselves to think outside the box and bring us a much more advanced and visionary method to implement the “touch screen” technology and make it part of our daily life.
While smart phones and tablets seem to be the cutting edge technology of today since they effectuate capacitive touch sensing, these devices in fact only use a single electrical signal; the value goes up or down depending if the finger is touching or not. Hence, making capacitive sensing merely binary; either the user is touching or they are not, as the video provided clearly explains.
Disney developers take it a step further by presenting Touché.
So, in brief how is Touché different?
1. The operating requirements are very simple; a single sensing electrode be attached to the object at one end and a computer at the other, which will examine the capacitive profile changes.
2. Multiple frequencies as opposed to binary ones. Meaning that 5 gestures are supported (as opposed to only two); no touch, one finger touch, pinch, circle and grasp.
Why should we be concerned?
This new technology is called the “Swept Frequency Capacitive Sensing (SFCS)” and it is robust; even the human body or a body of water can be a sensor not to mention the enhancements to everyday objects.
Here are some examples:
1. Smart doorknob; unlocks when grasped in a certain way.
2. Smartphone; silences itself if the user holds a finger on her/his lips.
3. Tables and chairs; sense the position of people using them.
4. Coffee machine; started with the swipe of a table.
5. Lights; turned on when feet are on the floor, and turned off where they are not.
“Signal frequency sweeps have been used for decades in wireless communication, but as far as we know, nobody previously has attempted to apply this technique to touch interaction,” said Ivan Poupyrev, senior research scientist at Disney Research, Pittsburgh.
The team will present their work at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2012) in Austin, Texas today.
Looking for a simple, elegant backup solution?
Genie Timeline 2012 is a new version of the number one continuous data protection program Timeline 2.1. It offers the first metro style user interface; enhanced performance, and added features. Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for the latest news.
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Keep it relevant, or it won’t be published!
May 6th
It seems Facebook has been swooping the headlines lately by storm for a number of different reasons; this weekend has been no exception.
Apparently on Saturday morning there was a bit of a stir going on in Blog land. Max Woolf a Carnegie Mellon student and avid TechCrunch commenter had posted about our contemporary blog scene. His comment apparently scored high points with the well-known tech startup enthusiast, Robert Scoble as he set out to state his agreement with Woolf’s convictions yet of course adding a few of his own as well.
Surprisingly, his comment did not get through, as this message appeared:
While this “censorship” has received a lot of mixed reviews, Facebook remains firm on its policies against abusive or harassing behavior, since they are eager to create an environment of safe and righteous content.
The issue of a comment being “positive” or “negative” could be quite debatable; Facebook is not only restricted to one country or continent, therefore cross-cultural misunderstanding are not out of the question. In an attempt to solve this issue though, the company resorts to a combination of software algorithms and notifications from other users to identify inappropriate behavior.
Facebook have already contacted Scoble, signifying that his comment had been marked as “Spam” due to two main reasons : first being that he and Max are not friends; Scoble is only subscribed to Max, making his comments subject to more strict scrutiny. The second reasons is due to the fact that Scoble’s comment included three “@” links, making it look even more suspicious.
Our personal views are that Facebook is a private company in the end, and it’s completely up to them to dictate the way they run their business. This is the core difference between Government censorship and Private Company censorship, if we might call it as such. If we are to compare the two; with the latter, you have the luxury of simply not using their service and moving on to another that permits more freedom or is more in agreement with your needs. However, when it comes to the former, the choice is substantial (life, death, imprisonment, war).
Hence, Facebook is a luxury and not a right. A lot of people enjoy using it and yet they seem to forget one essential actuality; they willingly signed up, on their terms, to use their free service. So, if Facebook decided they could be served ads and be a market for games and other products in return to let you have access to their site, it’s completely their choice.
It seems Facebook are trying to do a new thing every single day, and while people may not welcome these changes with arms wide open, they are forced to yield eventually. Our only hopes remain that these new policies do actually contribute to removing actual spam and not “false positives”.
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>Follow @Genie9backup
Microsoft: Destination SmartHome!
May 3rd
Take a step back and look around you; how many electronically/ wirelessly controlled devices can you see? Probably more than a dozen, starting with your beloved smartphone, laptop, smart air conditioning system, wireless router, light system and the list goes on and on. Every day, we are introduced to a new “smart” appliance that can automatically do a task for us, and now we can brace ourselves with the “smart home”.
This is not an entirely new concept; Control4 sells a system that allows users to control appliances from their cell phones and in-home touch screens. Google announced its Android@Home platform last year, which will also let users control appliances directly from their Android phones (starting with a wirelessly connected LED bulb).
Microsoft targeted this issue more than a decade ago, and it seems their fire has not been put off just yet.
A white paper about their work on a HomeOs and a HomeStore was published in 2012, which contained early concepts around a Microsoft Research-developed home-automation system. Last month, these same concepts have been translated into prototypes published in another white paper on the Microsoft Research site.
HomeOS aims to create “centralized, holistic control of devices in the home.” It goes beyond simply connecting a couple of gadgets; HomeOS provides a hub device that can interact with devices, power sources, sensors, lighting, and appliances to manage your home.
Microsoft is seeking to simplify the integration of new appliances, which to this date, are incapable of communicating successfully with each other. Their objective is to transform your home to a personal computer, which would make adding any new device to the network as easy as plugging in a USB mouse.
The HomeOS test bed, as illustrated in a new Microsoft Research whitepaper. (Credit: Microsoft)
HomeOS has been already tested in 12 homes for four to eight months at a time. Apps that will presumably be found in the HomeStore have been developed by over 5o students and Microsoft has come up with a number of applications as well. The already-developed apps include one that turns on music when lights are turned on, an app to control a light dimmer, and an app that lets you remotely control your security cameras.
Apps that increase home energy efficiency can presumably also be created by developers; one that turns on air conditioning only when the garage door is opened, or an app that opens the shades when the thermostat hits a certain temperature.
The only ambiguity remaining is whether or not HomeOS would be only associated with the Windows platform. This might constitute a problem for the non-Windows fans, and might not transform the prototype into a mainstream product.
This is not a given though, since there are other operating system research projects and incubations at Microsoft, including Singularity (PDF) and Midori, neither of which is Windows based. Yet, the new whitepaper on the technology explained that it was built using C# and the .Net Framework 4.0.
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Genie Timeline 2012 is a new version of the number one continuous data protection program Timeline 2.1. It offers the first metro style user interface; enhanced performance, and added features. Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for the latest news.
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