Microsoft: Yeah, It's Really That Easy

Earlier we showed you a young girl's review of the Surface RT. Microsoft Portugal has released an advertisement showcasing just how simple Windows 8 really is.

The Windows 8 Apps You Have to Have

Now that Windows 8 and Windows RT have been out for about a month and a half, the Windows Store has started to get its fair share of nifty apps. I’ve included a few of my favourites down below. Which third-party apps do you find most useful and what apps are you still waiting for?

YouTube+
The YouTube+ app is truly fantastic. With all the key features of the core website in a clean and easy-to-use interface, the YouTube+ app is available in an ad-supported unlimited trial, or, alternatively, for $2.99 from the Windows Store. Playlist mode and a download feature (which I find particularly handy as a sort-of “offline” mode) are among my favourite features.

Nextgen Reader
I’ve been seeking a truly excellent Google Reader-compatible RSS feed reader since Windows 8 Developer Preview. I’ve gotten used to gReader on Android and truly loved its utility, but on my Windows devices I ultimately found myself sticking with a Chrome extension called Google Reader Notifier. I’d tried News Bento and several other RSS readers, but was ultimately unsatisfied. Nextgen Reader, on the other hand, has been nothing but a joy to use. It loads quickly and displays feed information well. There is an unlimited, ad-free trial, but you can also support the developer by purchasing the app for $2.99 on the Windows Store.

TuneIn
Though Pandora is popular and quite useful, I’ve recently found myself enjoying the large selection of music stations made available through TuneIn. In particular, Cinemix has been a now near-constant addition to my everyday music listening.


PuzzleTouch
Though the main interface for the app is ad-infested, the main app works impressively well. PuzzleTouch is exactly what it sounds like: a puzzle app. You can use built-in puzzles or craft your own by using images stored on your computer.

Google
Google is a nifty app for searching--and for quick links to all the various Google services.

Stuff I’m still waiting for:

Google Drive
While there is a handy link to the web version of Google Drive in the Google app, the friendliness and cleanliness of a dedicated app is something I currently am hopeful for.

Google+
I love Google+, and the Google+ app for Android is simply fantastic. Something similar for Windows 8 and RT would be a welcome addition.

VLC
VLC for Windows 8 (and Windows Phone 8) is currently in development and is even seeking funds via Kickstarter to give the project a boost. VLC is my primary media player for DVDs, and I’d love to see this in all its Modern UI glory.

Microsoft Surface: Reviewed By a Kid

When choosing technology for the classroom, ease of use and utility by children is one of the most important factors to take into account. Watch the video to see one little girl share her experiences with Microsoft's newest tablet, the Surface RT

Via: The Verge Forums

Armando Ferreira: Microsoft Surface RT vs. Google Nexus 10 (Update)

YouTuber Armando Ferreira has begun a new video series detailing the pros and cons of the newest tablets from both Microsoft and Google. Update: Parts 2-5 have now been embedded after the break.

Microsoft Gets Shaken-Up, Too - Head of Windows Departs

It seems that Apple is not the only company this past week to be subject to some pretty big shake-up. Steven Sinofsky, head of Windows and the man responsible for the launch of the very successful Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating systems left Microsoft Yesterday. Julie Larson-Green, formerly in charge of UI Design for Windows, Internet Explorer, and Office will take his place. Click the source link below for the full article.

Source: The Verge

Patently Absurd: Microsoft Sued for Live Tiles

Microsoft is now being sued for its Live Tiles technology used in its Zune, Surface, Windows Phone, and Windows 8 offerings by a company called SurfCast. It is odd that this suit is coming up only now, however, as several of the allegedly infringing technologies have been in the market for several years.

The Patent in question is US Patent #6,724,403, described as follows: "A computerized method of presenting information from a variety of sources on a display device. Specifically the present invention describes a graphical user interface for organizing the simultaneous display of information from a multitude of information sources. In particular, the present invention comprises a graphical user interface which organizes content from a variety of information sources into a grid of tiles, each of which can refresh its content independently of the others. The grid functionality manages the refresh rates of the multiple information sources. The present invention is intended to operate in a platform independent manner."

Nilay Patel of The Verge questions whether this patent actually covers the allegedly infringing devices, but patent laws and filings are now so vague and so unable to keep-up with the pace of technology that only time will tell whether Microsoft will pay dearly for their advances in the computing industry.

What do you think about this lawsuit? Is Microsoft infringing? Is SurfCast just a patent troll? Leave your thoughts in the comments section down below.

Source: The Verge

Our Next, Best Hope for the Classroom? The Surface RT

The Surface RT, Microsoft's latest endeavour in the realm of tablets runs a variant of Windows 8 designed specifically for ARM processors. While this leaves behind many of the legacy applications designed for Windows, the tablet comes with several key pluses for the classroom. Click past the break for the full article.