It doesn’t sound like particularly shimmery compliment, but the best thing that I can say about Microsoft’s Metro UI is that after over a year of using it in various iterations, it still feels new. Not like never-breached-my-eyeballs-before new, but new as in the promise of something better, something from the future. But it’s here, and I’m touching it with Windows 8. And it’s going to redefine how like a bajillion people are going to use their computer over the next couple of years. More »
Posts Tagged Ui
The New Windows 8 First Touch: This Is Windows? [Video]
Boxee releases new PC version – as a farewell gift
Boxee released version 1.5 of its software for Windows, Mac and Linux users Monday – but at the same time announced that it is moving away from supporting computers for its platform. The latest version, which comes with a completely revamped UI, is up to par with the upcoming 1.5 version of the Boxee Box, safe for the availability of some of its most poplar apps. Though there will be some big exceptions: PC users won’t be able to access content from Netflix, Vudu and Pandora due to DRM restricitions.
Boxee has always had a difficult relationship with PC users – the platform originated on Mac computers, but Boxee moved towards CE devices with the release of its Boxee Box more than a year ago. The company promised back then that it would release an updated version for PCs as well, but this took longer than expected, which led to some disgruntled reactions from users.
Boxee VP of Marketing Andrew Kippen explained to me today that today’s release is a way to make good on this promise. But the accompanying blog post is also making it very clear that the company won’t be supporting this platform going forward: The new 1.5 release for PCs will only be available for download until the end of January.
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Skytex licenses ExoPC UI for Skytab S Series Windows 7 tablet
ExoPC may not have bowled folks over with its own Slate last year (or met its own promise of some all-in-one PCs this summer), but the company did produce an unquestionably unique UI, which it’s since been trying to license to others. Now it’s found what appears to be its first taker in Skytex, which has adopted the custom touch layer for its new Skytab S Series Windows 7 tablet. Like the ExoPC itself, this one packs a 9.7-inch capacitive display, although the internals get an upgrade to a dual-core Atom N550 processor, which is paired with 2GB of DDR3 RAM and an as-yet-unspecified amount of storage. ExoPC also describes this particular version of the UI as a “special edition,” although it’s not showing off too many of the changes just yet. There’s no word on a price yet either, but the tablet’s expected to ship in early October.
Continue reading Skytex licenses ExoPC UI for Skytab S Series Windows 7 tablet
Skytex licenses ExoPC UI for Skytab S Series Windows 7 tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 07:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Five sites to keep track of your fall TV favorites
The fall TV season is starting, which can only mean one thing: Utter confusion. Not only are networks constantly switching around the on-air schedule of existing shows, but Fox decided to make things even more complicated by delaying the availability of its shows online until eight days after they air on TV — except for Dish or Hulu Plus subscribers, who can watch Glee & Co. the day after, unless there is a full moon on the third Sunday of the month.
Okay, I made that last part up, but keeping track of new fall TV shows can nonetheless be a challenge. Luckily, there are plenty of sites that can help you keep on top of your TV schedule. Here are five worth checking out:
Fav.tv is the newest entrant to the online TV guide game, and it’s impressed us with a very clean UI as well as useful apps for iPhoneand Android. The site keeps track of all the shows airing on TV and lets you subscribe to shows, sending you alerts via email, SMS and iCal whenever new episodes are about to air. Fav.tv doesn’t link to any online content, so it’s better suited for folks that watch TV in real time or who want to keep on top of their DVR schedules.
TV Guide may not exactly sound hip and new, but the magazine’s website has a very helpful fall schedule grid online. Want to figure out what day The Office is going to air and which kind of shows ABC has lined up for Sunday night? Then you’re going to appreciate this feature. Users can also create a so-called Watchlist to keep track of TV show episodes on TV and online.
Yidio not only features its own TV guide, but it also links online sources for TV show episodes as soon as they become available. Some of those episodes may be hosted on free sites, and some may be rentals on Amazon.com — but Yidio offers its users a chance to earn Amazon credits through various tasks, like commenting and referring friends. The system is a bit complicated, but it may be a good choice if you’re trying to watch ad-free TV show episodes without breaking the bank. Yidio also offers Twitter, Facebook and e-mail alerts to let you know when the newest episode of your favorite show is available online.
Sidereel also offers a grid-type TV guide and links to streaming episodes around the net. Much like on Yidio, users can also track their favorite shows and get email reminders for new episodes. What sets Sidereel apart is that the site also produces a bunch of original content, including a show called This week in TV that sums up, as you guessed, what’s on TV this week.
Clicker is another good source is you are looking for specific episodes of your favorite shows online. The site doesn’t have a TV schedule grid. Instead, it surfaces shows by popularity, which guarantees that you’ll generally find what everyone’s been talking about. As a bonus, Clicker also offers apps for iOS and Android as well as a Chrome app that comes in handy if you’re one of those people who has their laptop connected to their TV.
Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
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Tivoli Audio announces PAL+ and Model 10+ clock radios, we go ears-on
If those clock radios up there look familiar, it’s because their maker, Tivoli Audio, has been spitting out pretty much the same thing for the past 11 years. Their innards, at least, have changed with the times, and here at IFA the company is showing two models — the portable PAL+ and the more stationary Model 10+ — both of which hinge on support for digital radio. They’re each compatible with DAB, DAB+ and DMB, in addition to good ‘ol FM, have dual alarms and support five station presets for each band. The main difference is that the PAL+ is weather-resistant and battery-powered, rated to last three and a half hours unplugged. At 1.85 pounds it’s still heavy enough that we’d never throw it in a carry-on, but in a world where it cost less or money were no object we might take it to the beach. You could, if you were so inclined, use the included remote to navigate the UI, though there’s also a scroll wheel up top — a neat idea, we thought, until you realize pushing that button in the center to cycle through each and every menu gets annoying fast. As for the audio quality, the speakers are powerful enough that their sound could rise above the din of the show floor, but we could still hear some tinniness coming through. The pair are available now, fetching 9 (£299) and 9 (£399), respectively, which means HD radio or no, these are, still, glorified alarm clocks.
Gallery: Tivoli Model 10+
Gallery: Tivoli Model PAL+
Gallery: Tivoli PAL+ and Model 10+ hands-on
Tivoli Audio announces PAL+ and Model 10+ clock radios, we go ears-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Droid 2 Global gets Gingerbread, customizable dock and more in latest update from Verizon
Droid 2 Global users, your moment in the Gingerbread sun has arrived. Verizon’s put up a page with download instructions for a 103MB update, taking your QWERTY slider from version 2.4.330 to 4.5.600. Updating isn’t the most taxing of activities, you just look for a system update in the About Phone menu and then give your blessing for the download to commence. VZW will also be prompting tardy users to take their OTA medicine in due course. So what’s new apart from Android 2.3? Well, the big change is that the previously static phone, contacts and apps icons at the bottom of the UI have now been turned into a user-customizable dock, with three links of your choosing sidling up next to the App Launcher. There’s also a freshened up UI look, a Download Manager App, user-definable App Groups, encryption for data both on the device and its SD card, improvements in battery life while using WiFi and Bluetooth, and the obligatory stability fixes. If all that sounds irresistible and you have the requisite phone in hand, go get it!
[Thanks, Jon]
Droid 2 Global gets Gingerbread, customizable dock and more in latest update from Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 02:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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