Category Archives: ASUS Eee Slate

May 24

Meet XBox Music: Microsoft’s New Digital ...

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Microsoft just announced its newest digital music service called XBox Music. Microsoft claim it to be the ultimate all-in-one music service with over 30 million songs to its disposal.

The cloud-powered music service integrates your music experiences accross your tablet, PC, phone and TV. Microsoft label the XBox Music as "All the music you love, every way you want it."

Initially, Microsoft will offer free music streaming on Windows 8 and Windows RT tablet. Each experience is cloud-based for immediate access to your entire music catalog, making music management simple. With the cloud sync feature, your favorite playlists are no longer held captive by the individual device on which they live. Free streaming on Windows 8 and Windows RT tablet and PCs launches on October 26, 2012 in 15 markets worldwide.

For XBox Music Pass subscribers, they’ll pay $9.99 per month that’ll give them ad-free, unlimited playback of any track in the XBox Music catalog across their tablet, PC, phone and XBox 360. Subscribers can create the perfect playlists on their Windows 8 or Windows RT tablet and see it automatically appear on their XBox 360 or Windows Phone 8. The paid service will be available for Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows Phone 8 in 22 markets worldwide; it will begin rolling out tomorrow on XBox 360 in the same markets.

XBox Music launches with a global catalog on par with iTunes, offering 30 million tracks from some of the leading music labels around the world. Microsoft will continue introducing XBox Music in new regions around the world throughout the coming year. XBox Music Store will also be accessible on Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows Phone 8 in 22 markets worldwide. XBox Music will also be available on Windows 8 and Windows RT PCs tablets and on mobile phones, starting with Windows Phone 8 at launch and additional platforms later.

XBox Music service will begin a worldwide roll out starting October 16, 2012 on XBox 360. iTunes and other digital music streaming services, watch out!

 

Freelance technology writer, business news reporter, and social media blogger. Follow me: Twitter.com/DanJayReyes Facebook.com/DanReyesTchnrti

Dan Reyes’s author page — Author’s Blog

May 14

Competition Increasing and Improving in Tablet ...

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Apple is used to setting the bar and then trying to out-pace the competition when it comes to advancements in the field of mobile technology. The iPhone set the bar sky high when it was first released in 2007 and the each time a new model comes to the market the release is met with great anticipation. As the iPhone dominates the smartphone market, the iPad has dominated the tablet market.

 

While the iPhone ushered in a new generation of smartphones, building upon previous Palm and Blackberry devices in existence, the iPad created the tablet market from nothing and developed a brand new niche in the mobile industry. Early on the iPad was the only true tablet available. Numerous competitors developed competing models, but none were worthy of the attention the iPad received. The times are changing and the competition might finally be bringing some worthy competitors to the tablet market.

 

http://www.infobarrel.com/Competition_Increasing_and_Improving_in_Tablet_Market

May 11

How To Get A Free Laptop From The Government 2013

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The internet has become an essential part of life and has many conveniences. If you are on a low income then you might not be able to experience how a laptop can really help you. The government are now giving away laptops for free. Many people ask how to get free laptop from the government and if you are on a low income then you may be eligible for one.

The first step is to check that you are eligible. Generally the government criteria are for those families who don’t have internet access, have children between the ages of 7 to 14 and have an income of less than £16,000.

Are you a Low Income Family?

If you have ticked all the requirements then you should seriously consider visiting the direct government website to submit an application for a grant. Similar initiatives are available in the US too and if you think that you might be eligible it is worth a try applying for the grant.

http://www.infobarrel.com/How_To_Get_A_Free_Laptop_From_The_Government

May 03

Natural Cleaning In The Bathroom

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Biltmore Estate at Dusk - Asheville, North Carolina

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To many minds, the bathroom is the place where the greatest amount of bacteria lurk, whether or not your toilet is located in the bathroom itself or elsewhere. The bathroom often looks the tackiest, what with soap and toothpaste smears everywhere, grey soap scum on the taps and rings around the bath. And it can be all too easy to succumb to the temptation to bring in the heavy cavalry in the form of hospital-grade disinfectants and powerful degreasing agents that promise to cut through all your bathroom gunk in a manner of seconds as well as killing every single germ in sight.

However, these super-duper commercial cleaners often leave you with headaches from nasty fumes, and itchy, dry or even cracked skin from the chemicals. And the germ-killing bacteria certainly kill bacteria, but they also kill the skin cells in your hands. Thankfully, natural domestic cleaners work just as well, if not better, to get your bathroom sparkling and clean – and hygienic.

Actually, some of what gets smeared on bathroom taps and the top of vanity units is cleaning products: toothpaste and soap. All you need to do to remove this is give it a good rub with a damp flannel or cloth and it comes away easily and quickly. You can even squeeze out a little more toothpaste onto the taps and give them a good shining. The toothpaste just rinses off with a bit of water or another wipe with a damp cloth. If you clean your bathroom “little and often”, this can be all that you need to do to keep everything clean.

However, if it’s been a while since you cleaned the basin and if there’s grey scum in the bath, you’ll need a little more firepower. Have you ever noticed that many commercial cleaning products have the words “contains baking soda” emblazoned across their fronts? Well, baking soda is an extremely efficient natural cleaner that is perfect for scrubbing down bathroom surfaces. It won’t scratch either porcelain or taps, and it gets the gunge off. All you need to do is to mix a bit of baking soda – you may need about half a cup to do the bath thoroughly – with some water and apply it with a cloth. Leave it for a little, then get rubbing. It will require a little elbow grease to get all the muck off, but this is going to give you a small workout – it’s good for you. Rinse the baking soda off with fresh water.

Rinsing it off with white vinegar produces a satisfying fizz and also helps to attack any alkaline deposits.

Keep the vinegar handy for cleaning glass, whether the mirror or glass surround on a shower. The easiest way is to mix vinegar and water – a 50/50 mix – in a spray bottle and squirting this onto the glass to be cleaned. Rub well with a soft lint-free cloth, then dry off with another soft cloth. You can add some essential oil to the vinegar and water mix to add a pleasant scent to it, plus some germ-killing ability (neat vinegar will kill mould spores, so if you have discovered a nasty patch of mould in your bathroom, attack it with neat vinegar, then make sure you leave the bathroom well aired to stop the mould coming back). If you haven’t got a spray bottle, dampen a soft cloth with a vinegar/water mix and rub it directly onto the glass. Dry off with a second cloth.

The toilet is the one thing to clean in the bathroom area that gets most of us nervous. All those germs and the smell…

However, the yellow crystals and the skid marks will yield easily to a bit of scrubbing with the toilet brush plus a bit of hot soapy water. If you have one of those old duck-head bottles from some commercial toilet cleaner you bought in the past, save this and fill it with some soap gel (made by pouring boiling water onto soap scraps or grated soap). More stubborn stains within the toilet bowl can be shifted by leaving it overnight with one of the following natural house cleaners:

* a cup or two of baking soda

* denture cleaning tablets – about two will do

* a can of Coke or Pepsi

Leave whatever you’ve selected in the toilet bowl overnight and DON’T USE THE LOO while it’s in there. Flush down in the morning, and finish off with a good scrub if necessary.

If you’re worried about germs in the toilet, you can use a little alcohol (vodka, whisky, brandy, rubbing alcohol or methylated spirits) to wipe down the toilet seat and the flush button.

Don’t bother putting disinfectant inside the bowl – it will just go down the drain with the next flush. The only places you are really going to come in contact with are the seat and the flush button, so these are the ones that really need disinfectant. And you’re going to wash your hands after using the loo, aren’t you? So don’t be too fussy about killing every single little germ – you’re not going to eat in there.

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May 02

TekTrak Announces New Service to Locate Missing ...

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Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) August 03, 2011

TekTrak, a leading mobile tracking and security app service provider, today announced the launch of TekTrak for Android, a service that helps smartphone users locate lost phones and protect their personal data. Users can download the app on Android Market, register the phone on the TekTrak website, and use the service from any web or mobile browser.

“TekTrak works in real time to find missing phones and secure private data. After misplacing a phone, a user can quickly log in to the TekTrak web site, and view the phone’s exact location on a street map, lock the phone, and wipe it if necessary. A unique and beneficial feature of our app is that if the phone is off or out of battery, TekTrak can pinpoint its last known location,” said Arik Waldman, CEO of TekTrak. “Each year, 20-30% of phones are lost, and today losing your phone or tablet means losing much more than just the device. This service is a low-cost way for all phone users to protect themselves.”

The new Android service follows TekTrak’s January 2011 launch for the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad and iPad 2. Soon after launch for these iOS devices, TekTrak reached the number-one utility app spot in several countries. As of this month, the company has logged over 100 million location check-ins on its web-based service.

When installed on a phone, TekTrak can also be used to find a missing person in emergency situations. Using a unique automatic location history update feature, a concerned parent can simply log onto the TekTrak website and find the location, or recent locations, of a child or teen with a TekTrak-enabled Android.

Starting Aug. 3, TekTrak is offering Android users a free and a premium version of TekTrak. The free version, TekTrak Lite, gives users two free uses of the service, with access to all features, including location tracking, location history and a remote ring function – which can make the phone ring even if it’s in silent mode. Other key features include remote locking and unlocking of the phone, remote data wipe (either partial wipe, or a full factory restore) and “MultiLock,” which prevents unauthorized users from deleting TekTrak. The service also allows users to turn on WiFi remotely for added searchability and accuracy. Users can earn additional free uses by sharing the app with a friend.

The premium version, TekTrak Pro is available for a yearly fee of $4.99, giving subscribers unlimited use of the service.

Starting Aug. 3, TekTrak Lite will be available at market.android TekTrak Pro can be found at market.android>

“Android will account for almost half of the smartphone market by the end of 2012.* TekTrak brings a whole new level of protection to these valuable devices and their owners,” said Waldman. “Along with our iOS protection, we are bringing TekTrak to the majority of smartphone users.”

TekTrak is currently in use in 123 countries worldwide. For more information, visit tektrak

*Source: Gartner press release, April 7, 2011 (gartner>

About TekTrak    

Based in Los Angeles, CA, TekTrak is a leading mobile tracking and security app service provider. The company is devoted to giving owners of smart mobile devices the confidence they can always locate their device, and the peace of mind the information stored on these devices will not fall into the wrong hands. TekTrak does not share the users’ personal information or whereabouts. For more information, visit tektrak

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Chris Faust

Fastlane

973.226.4379

Apr 24

Microsoft Class Action Settlement in Minnesota ...

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Microsoft has settled a class action lawsuit with the state of Minnesota. Based on this settlement software purchased between May 18, 1994 and March 17, 2003 may be eligible for a voucher that will provide additional monies to the claimant upon proof of both software purchase and a qualifying hardware or software purchase after July 1, 2004. Windows or MS-DOS software is worth a $15.00 voucher while Microsoft Office and Excel is worth $23.00 Word, Works Suite, and Home Essentials 97 or 98 is only worth $9.00

The way it works:

To submit your claim visit microsoftminnesotasettlement and file a claim either as an individual or business using either a standard form or a volume license form. If you are lucky you will be filing an volume license form. Simply fill in the information related to your company and a Claims Administrator will do all the research for you. They will let you know which of your open or select license purchases qualify for the settlement voucher. Based on this you will receive the vouchers you are entitled to. If you have already purchased qualifying hardware or software after July 1, 2004 you can submit the proof of purchase with your settlement form. This will save you time as you will receive a check from Microsoft based on these purchases. Future purchases and be re-submitted for money based on the vouchers you received.

If you are filing a standard form you must supply product ID and purchase information. As with the volume license process you then receive vouchers which can be redeemed for hardware purchases made after July 1, 2004. If your claim is for five or fewer items and the value is less than $100.00 you can fill out the on-line claim form. You will need to have your product ID’s available to complete the form. All claim forms must be submitted on or before February 25, 2005

What’s a qualifying hardware or software purchase?

Qualifying hardware includes new desktop laptop or tablet computers. It also includes printers, scanners, monitors and even keyboards and pointing devices.

Qualifying software is any non-custom software which is used on qualifying hardware.

This brief article is only to serve as a quick read guide to obtaining your settlement. For all forms and detailed information please visit the official settlement site at microsoftminnesotasettlement Here you will find all necessary forms and detailed instructions on filling out the forms. Be sure to read all forms and their instructions carefully to ensure you are providing the correct information regarding your claim.

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/computers_and_internet/article_326.shtml

Apr 23

Bluestacks brings Android apps to your PC

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 In an exciting move, a firm called Bluestacks has a plan to enable Android applications to be run on x86-based tablets, netbooks, notebooks or all-in-one (AIO) computers. BlueStacks is a privately held corporation with headquarters in California’s Silicon Valley, plus global offices in India and Japan.

Another exciting bit of news is that Bluestacks claims that the

ViewSonic ViewPad 10 pro will be powered by their technology.  The ViewSonic ViewPad Pro is a Windows 7/Android device that will run both Windows and Android OS. But PC Magazine online and Computerworld are not giving very good reviews.

According to Android Central, Bluestacks has recently taken the veil off of their secret program and announced that it has “…secured $7.6M in Series A financing from Ignition Ventures, Radar Partners, Helion Ventures, Redpoint Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz to further the development of its groundbreaking technology that will allow users to seamlessly run Android and Windows applications on their x86-based devices.”

The goods will not be available for a while, since the goal is for the software to be available sometime in the third quarter of 2011. Bluestacks will not sell their software as a stand alone product, but bundled by original equipment manufacturers (OEM)  with other new products.

With a Microsoft Windows PC, the user can run what is essentially run both Windows and an Android emulator. This will allow users to carry one PC around rather than two in order to enjoy the huge Android applications market while having their Windows operating system.

PC manufacturers will be able to bring in the Android universe and to keep their customers happy with a more universal equipment, entertainment and business system. The familiarity of Windows OS and the tools and thrills of the Android applications market will come together for a much richer experience, and some serious competition with Apple, which is famous for loading up cool programs, but not so famous for keeping their products from becoming rapidly obsolete.

This will not be the first time that a dual operating system for Windows and Android will have been produced. Another device, the Acer AOD # Inch Black Android/XP Netbook has gotten good reviews for a dual operating system with Windows XP at the top OS and Android as the secondary. With a far better price in the $300′s than the ViewPad 10, which is expected to cost more than either the Motorola Xoom or Apple iPad. 

But the idea is that being able to invoke the Android Apps market on a Windows PC could be a big seller this year.

http://www.helium.com/items/2164635-bluestacks-brings-android-apps-to-your-pc

Apr 20

How Can Developers Benefit from Android 4.0 Ice ...

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Developers were reluctant to produce apps for Android 3.0 Honeycomb as it only appeared on one type of device — tablets. But with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich there is greater impetus on developers to take advantage of the tools introduced in this new combined mobile phone and tablet OS.

Barely a year goes by without the two main mobile phone platforms, Android and iOS, releasing upgrades that allow users to enjoy additional features while providing enhancements to the platforms that app developers can take advantage of.

In late 2011 we’ve had the release of iOS 5, Windows Phone 7.5 and Android 4.0, each of which enhances the previous versions of the respective platforms. These updates allow developers the chance to provide a new generation of apps that can offer a whole new dimension to the end users.

All of this might seem pretty much par for the course, but in the case of Android a whole new raft of tools has been made available mainly due to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich being a combined operating system for use on both tablets and mobile phones. Therefore this new release combines elements from Android 2.3 Gingerbread and Android 3.0 Honeycomb.

Notifications and Multitasking on Phones and Tablets

The key thing to be aware of with Ice Cream Sandwich is that the platform is for phones and tablets, rather than one or the other. By building a universal OS, the Android developers have been able to save time and avoid fragmentation across device types.

One of the advantages app developers have is in the provision of improved notifications and multitasking on Android 4.0. This will enable much slicker transition between different apps, whereas notifications can be used to interrupt running apps to switch to those providing the new information. As such, new apps that are in development will need to be designed to handle these changes.

Another advantage of Android 4.0 that might prove useful to developers is the inclusion of pre-programmed responses to emails, text messages and so on. Any application that requires access to messaging services should have access to this tool as well, and there is every chance that such responses can be used in other ways.

Connectivity and Data Usage Monitor

A couple of very useful tools for end users and developers alike are the new connectivity options. The ad hoc wireless tool Wi-Fi Direct is likely to prove extremely useful to developers, as is Beam, a near field wireless data exchange similar to that found on the Nintendo DS. There are many ways in which these tools could prove useful, from local multiplayer gaming to data sharing and much more.

Meanwhile the provision of a data usage monitor in Android 4.0 will prove useful to anyone with a restricted data usage plan, while the new calendar-based API, Calendar Intents, offers a new way to access the calendar from any app. There’s no reason why a new app shouldn’t combine both of these tools…

Acceleration and Upgrades

Sadly, it’s not all good news when it comes to Ice Cream Sandwich for developers. At present, if you don’t own a test device then certain things cannot be achieved. One of these is to take advantage of a hardware acceleration feature that has been introduced from Android 3.0 Honeycomb. Without an Android 4.0 device this cannot be tested (more on that below) effectively.

Most interestingly, however, is the news that the vast majority of current Android devices cannot be upgraded to the new operating system. Is Android cutting loose from accusations of platform fragmentation? Quite possibly, but this decision presents a massive headache for developers, who could end up supporting two versions of the same app. Moreover, it wouldn’t be effective to discard either the new version of Android (which is likely to grow) or the old versions (which are likely to stay in use for a very long time).

Hey, Where Are the Ice Cream Sandwiches?

Despite the positives, there is one additional downside to developing for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich – a lack of physical devices!

While it is all very well constructing an app or game and testing it in the SDK emulator, nothing beats the ultimate end user test of loading up the app on a genuine device and finding out what works and what doesn’t. As handsets– and with Android 4.0, screen sizes and interface methods – vary, there are plenty of good reasons to be able to use an app in the same way an end user might. Issuing buggy apps is no good for developers, for Android itself and certainly not the Market.

As things stand, the first Android 4.0 device, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, is launched first in Asia, rather than an international release. This can only result in a slow release of apps for the new platform, something that helps no one but Apple…

http://www.brighthub.com/mobile/google-android/articles/126548.aspx

Apr 19

ISM Adds NetSuite, Launches Cloud Computing ...

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"Adding a cloud practice with NetSuite supports our responsibility to customers who view us as trusted advisors. To keep that trust, we knew we had to provide them with a real choice when it comes to ERP and accounting software – traditional on-premise or in the cloud," said Stuart Blumenthal, Vice President at ISM.

NetSuite was also an obvious choice because it’s a widely-used cloud ERP application that has become a recognized industry leader. "Even in a market with competing products, NetSuite offers a complete range of functionality for financials, CRM, eCommerce, distribution, and manufacturing in one integrated suite. It even supports third-party add-on applications through the SuiteCloud Developer Network," Blumenthal said.

"By extending its portfolio with the NetSuite Cloud, ISM can effectively address the ever-increasing market demand for cloud solutions," said Craig West, Vice President of Channel Sales, NetSuite. "Having ISM join NetSuite’s partner program further extends NetSuite’s reach into new markets, allowing fast growing businesses to streamline their operations."

Blumenthal also noted that their decision to add NetSuite was influenced by the fact that the product was developed specifically for the cloud – not adapted from an on-premise software code base. But none of that would matter, he added, if the software didn’t deliver. "We think that prospective new customers are really going to take to NetSuite because they can access it anywhere, anytime. It doesn’t matter if they’re in the field or in the office, using a Mac, PC, tablet or Smartphone – they have access to their ERP and business applications when, where and how they want it."

ISM provides implementation, training, and support for leading enterprise applications and platforms including ERP, CRM, and cloud solutions. The company is also a multiple recipient of numerous national IT industry awards and a perennial top performer among the Sage Partner Channel.

Visit goism for more information about the company or the ERP solutions they provide.

About Information Systems Management (ISM)

ISM began as a small business with one vision in mind: "Simple answers to difficult questions." Their goal was to convert complex technology into tangible business value so their clients get more work accomplished using fewer resources. Keeping that same vision in mind, today ISM has grown to become one of the top Sage resellers and business technology providers in the country.

Their diverse professional staff is uniquely qualified to support all major areas of business technology including Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Accounting and operations (ERP), and Human Resource Management and Payroll (HRMS). They also implement the most widely-used business and accounting software applications on the market including Sage 300 ERP (Accpac), Sage 100 ERP (MAS 90), Sage 500 ERP (MAS 500), SageCRM, Sage CRM SalesLogix, ACT! by Sage, and Sage FAS Fixed Assets.

Go to goism to learn more about ISM.

BJ O’Reilly

Information Systems Management (ISM)

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http://news.yahoo.com/ism-adds-netsuite-launches-cloud-computing-practice-130635361.html