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‘software’ Stories

Windows Phone Skype app tipped for late-Feb launch

Chris Davies, Feb 3rd 2012 Discuss [0]

Microsoft is dogfooding its Windows Phone Skype app, it's suggested, with employees supposedly able to download a test version of the VoIP software to their smartphones ahead of a potential MWC 2012 debut. The much-anticipated app has been brought up to speed with Windows Phone's Metro UI, insiders tell The Verge, with a dual-column contacts grid, though no integration with the platform's People hub. Read The Full Story

Skype for Windows hits version 5.8 with new features

Shane McGlaun, Feb 3rd 2012 Discuss [0]

If you use Skype a lot for business or play, Skype has announced that it has updated the Windows version of the software to 5.8. The new version has some interesting features, including a new group screen sharing feature. That screen sharing feature may be perfect for businesses that have employees scattered around the country or for geeks need to show parents how to work something on the computer. Read The Full Story

Cheap Raspberry Pi media streamer will run special XBMC software

Shane McGlaun, Feb 2nd 2012 Discuss [0]

We have talked about the tiny little Raspberry Pi media streamer several times in the past. This is a little mainboard you can buy for about $35 that hooks your TV and allows you to stream all sorts of content to the big-screen. In case you forget, the little board has an ARM processor integrated and ships with no case. It's more like a bare-bones computer than something along the lines of the Boxee Box that is a complete finished product. Read The Full Story

Avid Studio for iPad takes on iMovie

Chris Davies, Feb 2nd 2012 Discuss [0]

Apple's iMovie for iPad has some serious competition this morning, with video editing heavyweight Avid releasing Avid Studio for iPad. The new app, which comes in at under five bucks [iTunes link], brings video manipulation tools from Avid's pro range of software to the iOS slate, accessing media stored on the iPad itself or imported via Apple's Camera Connection Kit, and allowing clips to be combined using 3D animations, transitions, titles and soundtracks. Read The Full Story

Mac OS X 10.7.3 hits with bug fixes, new languages

Rue Liu, Feb 1st 2012 Discuss [0]

Apple today released its latest Mac OS X Lion update with version 10.7.3 that also includes Safari 5.1.3. The update brings several bug fixes for improved performance and compatibility. It also adds several new languages and RAW image file support for new cameras. Read The Full Story

Boxee kills computer clients to focus on Boxee Box

Shane McGlaun, Feb 1st 2012 Discuss [0]

If you are a fan of the Boxee app on your Mac or PC, you had better hold onto your copy the software and be sure to back it up. Boxee has officially killed support for its computer clients and the last version of the software for Windows, Mac, and Linux has been removed from company servers. As of yesterday, the software is no longer available for download on the Boxee website. Read The Full Story

Symantec says pcAnywhere safe again with new security patch

Rue Liu, Jan 31st 2012 Discuss [0]

Symantec has released a security patch for its pcAnywhere application, declaring it now safe to use again. The patch follows Symantec's warning last week for all users to disable the product after the company discovered that the source code had been stolen back in 2006, meaning users were at greater risk of being hacked. Read The Full Story

Windows 8 Office 15 apps to have fake Metro skin say insiders

Chris Davies, Jan 31st 2012 Discuss [0]

Windows 8 will lack a Metro UI version of Office 15, it's been suggested, with insufficient time blamed for what will amount to merely "interface tweaks" to better suit the pared-down menus. Although a Metro version of Office has been tipped for some time, the practicalities involved in rebuilding the software using WebRT in time for the OS' launch later this year mean the actual app will be a halfway house between traditional and Metro, The Verge's sources say. Read The Full Story

Final Cut Pro X upgraded: 64 angle Multicam, Thunderbolt, more

Chris Davies, Jan 31st 2012 Discuss [0]

Apple has pushed out a "significant" update to its Final Cut Pro X video editing app for OS X, adding multicam support for up to 64 angles, boosted chroma-keying, enhanced XML for better third-party integration, and Thunderbolt support for peripherals. Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 - a free update for existing owners of the $299.99 software - can automatically synchronize up to 64 video clips or photos using audio waveforms, time/date or timecode, even if the formats and frame sizes/rates are different. Then, the Angle Editor allows users to quickly jump between angles in the resultant Multicam Clip, cutting as they go. Read The Full Story

Microsoft Office 15 released for Technical Preview

Chris Burns, Jan 30th 2012 Discuss [0]

One of the most famous suites of software on earth, Microsoft's Office, has been released in its 15th iteration this morning as a Technical Preview. As JP Hough, CVP of Development for Microsoft's Office Division notes, Office 15 is the codename of the next generation of Microsoft's Office products, and this Technical Preview is the first Phase of release for a limited group of customers under non-disclosure agreements. This release does not currently have any semblance of a price or release date, and this early build will not be released to the public. Read The Full Story

Google Maps now displays emergency alerts

Sam Koutroulakis, Jan 25th 2012 Discuss [0]

Emergency alerts have now been subtly added to Google Maps, and are now live across the United States. Never again will you have to navigate from page to page looking for specific information on flood warnings, earthquakes, or even snowstorms. Maps will now show all the specifics: from the warning duration, to even how severe it may be. Read The Full Story

PSA: Disable your Symantec pcAnywhere software ASAP

Chris Burns, Jan 25th 2012 Discuss [0]

Those of you out there still using the Symantec product pcAnywhere, an application which allowed you to access your computer remotely in a relatively early version of "cloud" computing, should immediately cut it out. Symantec has issued an announcement saying that the hacking and theft of several of their security products several years ago has finally caught up with them, so to speak, and the pcAnywhere software you may still know and love has become too dangerous to use as a result of it. On the other hand, they do mention that they're working on fixes for the security holes that pcAnywhere now presents and will be passing those out to consumers sometime in the future. Read The Full Story