1. New Google Groups now available to everyone
With Google Groups, you can manage a mailing list, coordinate with your social club, and find experts who share your interests. Over the last year we have been working on improving the experience and adding new features while keeping our old version running.
Today we’re retiring the old version and excited to be bringing the new Google Groups to everyone. If you haven’t tried Groups in a while you’ll notice improved options for managing your groups and long time users may be surprised by all the features we have added along the way.
One of the recently improved features is the ability to create an inbox that allows you to collaboratively share, distribute and track responsibilities with others. Imagine you and a few friends are organizing an event for your school and want a single email address to coordinate with vendors, parents, and volunteers. Members of the group can work together to manage email, assign items to each other, and mark items resolved. This can be a great feature for teams seeking a really simple way to get things done without sharing passwords or losing track.
Additionally, there are several new moderation tools to make managing your forum easier and faster. For example, you can now use canned responses in forums and use streamlined options to make moderating forum posts easier. And if you are on the go, you can browse and moderate your groups with our mobile website.
You can learn more about the new Google Groups in the help center.
2. RSS Rises From Google Reader's Ashes
Procrastinators may have been surprised Monday when they tried to catch up on their news feeds by using their old dependable Google Reader only to find out it was gone. That's right -- Google has shut down its RSS aggregator for good. While it's too late for those who failed to jump ship before the July 1 cutoff date to save their data, they can still go through the laborious task of reconstructing their news feeds from scratch in a Reader alternative. There are a few features you may want to consider before you choose an alternative.
3. Google May Crash Game Console Party
Hard on the heels of the arrival of the Ouya video game console earlier this week, Google may be looking to get into the action. In fact, the company is currently working on an Android-powered console of its own, according to a Friday report. Apple, meanwhile, is reportedly working on something similar as well. "The game industry better hope people grow a third arm or there are too many screens to deal with," suggested Lewis Ward, research manager for gaming at IDC.
4. Can new Firefox OS smartphones conquer low-end market?
On Monday, Mozilla announced that the first Firefox OS smartphones will arrive "soon". The initial devices that run the new operating system, the Alcatel One Touch Fire and ZTE Open, are set to be released by mobile operators Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica in a number of regional markets.
"The launch of Firefox OS marks an incredibly exciting time for the Web. Firefox OS powers the first smartphones built entirely on Web technologies and will stimulate an inspiring new wave of innovation for the Web", says Mozilla COO Jay Sullivan. "We are proud to deliver an experience for first time smartphone users that will delight them and really put the power of the Web in people's hands".
Telefonica already revealed on Twitter that, starting tomorrow, its subscribers will be able to purchase the new ZTE-branded Open in Spain. The smartphone will be available for EUR69, which includes a "EUR30 balance for prepay customers".
The price of the Open is actually lower than what Geeksphone asks for Keon and Peak, the two Firefox OS developer devices. The former runs for EUR91 while the latter goes for EUR149. For the money, prospective buyers can get either a low-end (Keon) or mid-range (Peak) handset, when compared to current Android and Windows Phone rivals on the market today. Considering the Open's price, it's unlikely that the device will sport upscale hardware.
According to IDC's John Jackson, the new operating system has a chance to establish itself as a viable competitor. "Operators, OEMs, and developers are growing ever more interested in the emergence of a truly viable alternative mobile platform that offers them new economic opportunities independent of today's incumbents", says Jackson. "Such a platform will have to meet challenging requirements in terms of robustness, scale, and openness. Mozilla and its partners are now moving definitively into the first wave of Firefox OS distribution".
As a new player, Firefox OS has to gain considerable developer traction in order to strive in the fierce smartphone market. This is a trouble spot which is still emblematic for more mature operating systems like BlackBerry and Windows Phone, which have yet to rise to Android and iOS levels of app store numbers and quality. The latter trait is crucial in gaining a dedicated and steady user base.
"One of our recent surveys found Firefox OS to be more compelling to developers over Tizen, Blackberry and Kindle Fire, despite no commercial products being available yet", says Jackson. "It is clear that influential members of the operator, OEM, and developer communities at both global and hyper-local levels see the potential of Mozilla’s Firefox OS to be that next platform".
But, as BlackBerry World and Windows Phone Store indicate, it's not really about attracting developers but more about getting the key ones onboard. The two platforms still haven't received the stamp of approval from the likes of Dropbox, Google, Instagram or Vine (just to name a few popular developers and app offerings), which makes me believe that there's more to "developers, developers, developers" than meets the eye in the case of Firefox OS.
Then there's the issue of actually making a splash on the smartphone market. From what information surfaced so far, Firefox OS targets the low-end which is currently dominated by Android devices. Windows Phone also competes in the same part of the market with newer devices like the Nokia Lumia 520 and Lumia 620. The former is available for less than $150 in the US (as the Lumia 521) and around EUR160 in Europe, while the latter is considerably more expensive.
The real question here is whether prospective smartphone buyers can afford/want to pay more than what Firefox OS devices run for in order to get an Android or Windows Phone handset. The answer lies in the value proposition. Mozilla's platform doesn't offer any at the moment, other than an attractive price. But, if the answer is positive (and buyers are willing to overlook glaring app shortcomings) then Firefox OS may actually have a real chance in stirring things up at the bottom-end of the smartphone price-range.
5. Want to know what’s new in Windows 8.1? Microsoft releases a 52 page guide
On 26 June, Microsoft rolled out the highly anticipated Windows 8.1 Preview, making it firstly available through the Windows Store, and then as ISOs a day later. The Windows refresh has a lot of new features, besides the new Start button, and to help sell the product Microsoft has created a PDF guide.
Called "Windows 8.1 Preview Product Guide", the PDF starts with an overview before going through the features on offer.
Although the pages are numbered from one to 52, the guide is presented in double page spreads, so there’s actually only 27 pages to read through. In those pages Microsoft touches on the new features, rather than expressly showing what they are and do -- this is essentially a sales brochure not a how-to guide -- but if you’ve missed some of the changes, the booklet will point them out.
The PDF showcases the enhanced searching experience, improved personalization, better SkyDrive integration, and Internet Explorer 11. It also pushes the work angle, with sections devoted to collaborating with Office 365 and SkyDrive. There’s a section headed "Windows devices and services for business" which looks at managing personal devices, and the enterprise grade security offered by the OS.
Coming off the back of Build there’s even a section on "Building Windows Store apps".
It’s an interesting read, although if you already know a bit about what’s new in Windows 8.1 you may not learn an awful lot from it. You can download the guide here.
6. Take a stroll through the Google graveyard
In a couple of days, Google will pull the plug on Reader, its still much beloved RSS feed reading service, leaving dedicated users seeking refuge in the arms of Feedly, AOL Reader, Digg Reader, and numerous other alternatives.
There’s sadly no chance of a last minute reprieve. When Google decides to kill a service, it kills it. The company’s history is littered with such casualties -- great and not-so great ideas that for one reason or another just didn’t connect with a large enough audience or achieve the level that Google had hoped for.
To commemorate some of the many products and services that the web giant has killed off over the years WordStream has put together what has to be one of my all-time favorite infographics.
The Gooooooogle Graveyard -- A Resting Place for Great Ideas, covers the likes of Reader, iGoogle, Google Talk, Google Health, Knol, Buzz, Notebook, Labs, Dodgeball, Lively, and Google Answers. In total WordStream covers 20 services, some you’ll remember fondly and will no doubt have used, while others might have you scratching your head and wondering why you don’t recall them.
The graphic provides a little piece of information on each service, a screen-shot, and of course a gravestone marking the month and year (or just the year) when that little piece of Google history shuffled off this digital coil.
How many of these featured products have you used? Any you still mourn for?
7. Review: The Hisense Sero 7 Pro is a Nexus 7 clone for $50 less
A few weeks ago we reviewed Hisense’s Sero 7 Lite, a new budget Android tablet that isn’t very good until you consider that it costs $99. The tablet that Hisense really wants you to see, though, is the $149 Sero 7 Pro. This tablet runs a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 SoC, has a 1280×800 7-inch screen, 1GB of RAM, and runs Android 4.2. If these specs sound familiar to you, it’s probably because they’re identical to those of the Nexus 7 tablet that Google and Asus will sell you for $199.
Using the Sero 7 Pro is very similar to using the Nexus 7 with Android 4.2 installed, so for this review we’ll be focusing on a side-by-side comparison with the tablet that Google has been selling for about a year now. If you’re buying a 7-inch Android tablet today, should you stick with the Nexus or save yourself the $50$
With Google Groups, you can manage a mailing list, coordinate with your social club, and find experts who share your interests. Over the last year we have been working on improving the experience and adding new features while keeping our old version running.
Today we’re retiring the old version and excited to be bringing the new Google Groups to everyone. If you haven’t tried Groups in a while you’ll notice improved options for managing your groups and long time users may be surprised by all the features we have added along the way.
One of the recently improved features is the ability to create an inbox that allows you to collaboratively share, distribute and track responsibilities with others. Imagine you and a few friends are organizing an event for your school and want a single email address to coordinate with vendors, parents, and volunteers. Members of the group can work together to manage email, assign items to each other, and mark items resolved. This can be a great feature for teams seeking a really simple way to get things done without sharing passwords or losing track.
Additionally, there are several new moderation tools to make managing your forum easier and faster. For example, you can now use canned responses in forums and use streamlined options to make moderating forum posts easier. And if you are on the go, you can browse and moderate your groups with our mobile website.
You can learn more about the new Google Groups in the help center.
2. RSS Rises From Google Reader's Ashes
Procrastinators may have been surprised Monday when they tried to catch up on their news feeds by using their old dependable Google Reader only to find out it was gone. That's right -- Google has shut down its RSS aggregator for good. While it's too late for those who failed to jump ship before the July 1 cutoff date to save their data, they can still go through the laborious task of reconstructing their news feeds from scratch in a Reader alternative. There are a few features you may want to consider before you choose an alternative.
3. Google May Crash Game Console Party
Hard on the heels of the arrival of the Ouya video game console earlier this week, Google may be looking to get into the action. In fact, the company is currently working on an Android-powered console of its own, according to a Friday report. Apple, meanwhile, is reportedly working on something similar as well. "The game industry better hope people grow a third arm or there are too many screens to deal with," suggested Lewis Ward, research manager for gaming at IDC.
4. Can new Firefox OS smartphones conquer low-end market?
On Monday, Mozilla announced that the first Firefox OS smartphones will arrive "soon". The initial devices that run the new operating system, the Alcatel One Touch Fire and ZTE Open, are set to be released by mobile operators Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica in a number of regional markets.
"The launch of Firefox OS marks an incredibly exciting time for the Web. Firefox OS powers the first smartphones built entirely on Web technologies and will stimulate an inspiring new wave of innovation for the Web", says Mozilla COO Jay Sullivan. "We are proud to deliver an experience for first time smartphone users that will delight them and really put the power of the Web in people's hands".
Telefonica already revealed on Twitter that, starting tomorrow, its subscribers will be able to purchase the new ZTE-branded Open in Spain. The smartphone will be available for EUR69, which includes a "EUR30 balance for prepay customers".
The price of the Open is actually lower than what Geeksphone asks for Keon and Peak, the two Firefox OS developer devices. The former runs for EUR91 while the latter goes for EUR149. For the money, prospective buyers can get either a low-end (Keon) or mid-range (Peak) handset, when compared to current Android and Windows Phone rivals on the market today. Considering the Open's price, it's unlikely that the device will sport upscale hardware.
According to IDC's John Jackson, the new operating system has a chance to establish itself as a viable competitor. "Operators, OEMs, and developers are growing ever more interested in the emergence of a truly viable alternative mobile platform that offers them new economic opportunities independent of today's incumbents", says Jackson. "Such a platform will have to meet challenging requirements in terms of robustness, scale, and openness. Mozilla and its partners are now moving definitively into the first wave of Firefox OS distribution".
As a new player, Firefox OS has to gain considerable developer traction in order to strive in the fierce smartphone market. This is a trouble spot which is still emblematic for more mature operating systems like BlackBerry and Windows Phone, which have yet to rise to Android and iOS levels of app store numbers and quality. The latter trait is crucial in gaining a dedicated and steady user base.
"One of our recent surveys found Firefox OS to be more compelling to developers over Tizen, Blackberry and Kindle Fire, despite no commercial products being available yet", says Jackson. "It is clear that influential members of the operator, OEM, and developer communities at both global and hyper-local levels see the potential of Mozilla’s Firefox OS to be that next platform".
But, as BlackBerry World and Windows Phone Store indicate, it's not really about attracting developers but more about getting the key ones onboard. The two platforms still haven't received the stamp of approval from the likes of Dropbox, Google, Instagram or Vine (just to name a few popular developers and app offerings), which makes me believe that there's more to "developers, developers, developers" than meets the eye in the case of Firefox OS.
Then there's the issue of actually making a splash on the smartphone market. From what information surfaced so far, Firefox OS targets the low-end which is currently dominated by Android devices. Windows Phone also competes in the same part of the market with newer devices like the Nokia Lumia 520 and Lumia 620. The former is available for less than $150 in the US (as the Lumia 521) and around EUR160 in Europe, while the latter is considerably more expensive.
The real question here is whether prospective smartphone buyers can afford/want to pay more than what Firefox OS devices run for in order to get an Android or Windows Phone handset. The answer lies in the value proposition. Mozilla's platform doesn't offer any at the moment, other than an attractive price. But, if the answer is positive (and buyers are willing to overlook glaring app shortcomings) then Firefox OS may actually have a real chance in stirring things up at the bottom-end of the smartphone price-range.
5. Want to know what’s new in Windows 8.1? Microsoft releases a 52 page guide
On 26 June, Microsoft rolled out the highly anticipated Windows 8.1 Preview, making it firstly available through the Windows Store, and then as ISOs a day later. The Windows refresh has a lot of new features, besides the new Start button, and to help sell the product Microsoft has created a PDF guide.
Called "Windows 8.1 Preview Product Guide", the PDF starts with an overview before going through the features on offer.
Although the pages are numbered from one to 52, the guide is presented in double page spreads, so there’s actually only 27 pages to read through. In those pages Microsoft touches on the new features, rather than expressly showing what they are and do -- this is essentially a sales brochure not a how-to guide -- but if you’ve missed some of the changes, the booklet will point them out.
The PDF showcases the enhanced searching experience, improved personalization, better SkyDrive integration, and Internet Explorer 11. It also pushes the work angle, with sections devoted to collaborating with Office 365 and SkyDrive. There’s a section headed "Windows devices and services for business" which looks at managing personal devices, and the enterprise grade security offered by the OS.
Coming off the back of Build there’s even a section on "Building Windows Store apps".
It’s an interesting read, although if you already know a bit about what’s new in Windows 8.1 you may not learn an awful lot from it. You can download the guide here.
6. Take a stroll through the Google graveyard
In a couple of days, Google will pull the plug on Reader, its still much beloved RSS feed reading service, leaving dedicated users seeking refuge in the arms of Feedly, AOL Reader, Digg Reader, and numerous other alternatives.
There’s sadly no chance of a last minute reprieve. When Google decides to kill a service, it kills it. The company’s history is littered with such casualties -- great and not-so great ideas that for one reason or another just didn’t connect with a large enough audience or achieve the level that Google had hoped for.
To commemorate some of the many products and services that the web giant has killed off over the years WordStream has put together what has to be one of my all-time favorite infographics.
The Gooooooogle Graveyard -- A Resting Place for Great Ideas, covers the likes of Reader, iGoogle, Google Talk, Google Health, Knol, Buzz, Notebook, Labs, Dodgeball, Lively, and Google Answers. In total WordStream covers 20 services, some you’ll remember fondly and will no doubt have used, while others might have you scratching your head and wondering why you don’t recall them.
The graphic provides a little piece of information on each service, a screen-shot, and of course a gravestone marking the month and year (or just the year) when that little piece of Google history shuffled off this digital coil.
How many of these featured products have you used? Any you still mourn for?
7. Review: The Hisense Sero 7 Pro is a Nexus 7 clone for $50 less
A few weeks ago we reviewed Hisense’s Sero 7 Lite, a new budget Android tablet that isn’t very good until you consider that it costs $99. The tablet that Hisense really wants you to see, though, is the $149 Sero 7 Pro. This tablet runs a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 SoC, has a 1280×800 7-inch screen, 1GB of RAM, and runs Android 4.2. If these specs sound familiar to you, it’s probably because they’re identical to those of the Nexus 7 tablet that Google and Asus will sell you for $199.
Using the Sero 7 Pro is very similar to using the Nexus 7 with Android 4.2 installed, so for this review we’ll be focusing on a side-by-side comparison with the tablet that Google has been selling for about a year now. If you’re buying a 7-inch Android tablet today, should you stick with the Nexus or save yourself the $50$
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