Google has made available the full SDK for the Android 3.0 mobile platform, featuring a UI redesigned for tablets and more connectivity options.
Also being released are updates to SDK tools and ADT (Android Development Tools) for Eclipse (10,0.0). "We are pleased to announce that the full SDK for Android 3.0 is now available to developers. The APIs are final and you can now develop apps targeting this new platform and publish them to Android Market," said Xavier Ducrohet, Android SDK tech lead, in a blog post on Tuesday afternoon.
[ Google late last week released a revamped SDK for its Native Client browser technology. Meanwhile, Android tablets are gaining traction with developers. ]
Otherwise known as "Honeycomb," Android 3.0 is specifically designed for larger devices, particularly tablets. A virtual and "holographic" UI design is featured, as well as refined multitasking. Multitasking in Android 3.0 enables users to access a Recent Apps list in the Systems Bar to see tasks that are in process and jump to a different application context.
Connectivity options in Android 3.0 include support for Media Picture Transfer Protocol to sync media files with a USB-connected camera or desktop computer without requiring a USB mass-storage device. Bluetooth tethering is also supported.
Android 3.0 features a redesigned "soft" keyboard intended for fast text entry. Keys are reshaped and repositioned for improved targeting. New keys have been added, including a Tab key to provide richer, more efficient text input, Google said. An updated set of standard applications, meanwhile, features programs designed for larger-screen devices.
For developers, Android 3.0 offers a new UI framework for tablet applications, high-performance 2D and 3D graphics, multicore processor architecture support, and rich multimedia and connectivity capabilities such as HTTP live streaming. Enterprise capabilities for developers include backing for device administration policies, such as those covering encrypted storage and password expiration and history.
With the ADT Plugin, UI improvements are featured, such as a new palette with categories and rendering previews and more accurate rendering of layouts to reflect how a layout will look on devices. Zoom improvements, including fit to view, are available as well. Developers also get tools for using the Renderscript graphics engine.
Source: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9210822/Google_releases_full_Android_3.0_SDK?taxonomyId=11
Minggu, 17 April 2011
Windows 8 rumour mill heats up as Microsoft eyes tablet market
The Windows 8 rumor mill is heating up, with talk that Microsoft has begun shipping to hardware makers an early build of the OS with a "ribbon" interface, enhanced support for tablets and a backup feature similar to the "Time Machine" available in Apple's Mac OS X.
Microsoft said "We are not commenting on future versions of Windows." But at the recent Consumer Electronics Show the company revealed that the next version of Windows will support ARM processors used in smartphones and tablets, and hinted it will be released in late 2011 or 2012.
The WinRumors site kicked off a new round of speculation by reporting that Microsoft has begun distributing early copies of Windows 8 to HP and other OEM partners.
Now there are reports that Microsoft is bringing its Office "ribbon" interface to Windows 8, which will supposedly make Windows more "tablet-ready."
Windows 8, according to other reports, will also get a "History Vault" feature similar to Apple's Time Machine, which gives users a simple way to back up and restore their computer's applications, data and settings. Also being talked about is a system reset feature that will make it easier to reset a computer to its original factory settings.
We don't actually know for sure that the next version of Windows will be called "Windows 8." In job postings, Microsoft is calling it "Windows.next."
At CES, Microsoft did not show off the user interface of its next version of Windows. But since Windows Phone 7 is not being ported to tablets, the company's biggest priority will likely be overhauling the interface to be easier to use on touch screens. Microsoft is far behind Apple and Google's Android in the emerging tablet market.
Although Microsoft hasn't revealed much about Windows 8 publicly, job postings have suggested that Microsoft is working on a cloud-based backup and deep integrations with Microsoft's online services.
Windows 8 planning documents shared with hardware partners last year also indicate that Windows 8 will use facial recognition to log users in; boot up much faster than Windows 7; allow user settings to move with a user from one device to another; and provide an app store.
Source: http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/technology/windows-8-rumor-mill-heats-up-as-microsoft-eyes-tablet-market
Microsoft said "We are not commenting on future versions of Windows." But at the recent Consumer Electronics Show the company revealed that the next version of Windows will support ARM processors used in smartphones and tablets, and hinted it will be released in late 2011 or 2012.
The WinRumors site kicked off a new round of speculation by reporting that Microsoft has begun distributing early copies of Windows 8 to HP and other OEM partners.
Now there are reports that Microsoft is bringing its Office "ribbon" interface to Windows 8, which will supposedly make Windows more "tablet-ready."
Windows 8, according to other reports, will also get a "History Vault" feature similar to Apple's Time Machine, which gives users a simple way to back up and restore their computer's applications, data and settings. Also being talked about is a system reset feature that will make it easier to reset a computer to its original factory settings.
We don't actually know for sure that the next version of Windows will be called "Windows 8." In job postings, Microsoft is calling it "Windows.next."
At CES, Microsoft did not show off the user interface of its next version of Windows. But since Windows Phone 7 is not being ported to tablets, the company's biggest priority will likely be overhauling the interface to be easier to use on touch screens. Microsoft is far behind Apple and Google's Android in the emerging tablet market.
Although Microsoft hasn't revealed much about Windows 8 publicly, job postings have suggested that Microsoft is working on a cloud-based backup and deep integrations with Microsoft's online services.
Windows 8 planning documents shared with hardware partners last year also indicate that Windows 8 will use facial recognition to log users in; boot up much faster than Windows 7; allow user settings to move with a user from one device to another; and provide an app store.
Source: http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/technology/windows-8-rumor-mill-heats-up-as-microsoft-eyes-tablet-market
Microsoft stands by decision to ban IE9 from XP
Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) again lost ground to Apple's Safari and Google's Chrome last month, even as the company launched its newest browser, Web metrics data showed today.
But Microsoft stands behind its decision to limit IE9 to users running Windows Vista and Windows 7.
"It was a very deliberate decision," said Ryan Gavin, senior director of IE, talking about the move to exclude XP users from IE9. "You simply can't build on something that is 10 years ago."
Gavin said that Microsoft "has no second thoughts" about its decision.
According to California-based Net Applications, one of several companies that regularly publishes browser usage data, IE lost nine-tenths of a percentage point of share in March, falling to 55.9%, another record low.
IE9, which debuted more than two weeks ago, accounted for 1% of all browsers, a five-tenths of a point jump over February.
But older editions of IE dropped by more than what IE9 gained.
IE6, the browser Microsoft wants to kill, fell by four-tenths of a point to 11%, while IE7 slipped by two-tenths of a percentage point to 7.9%. And IE8, until last month Microsoft's current browser, dropped half a point to end March at 34.4%.
IE8's slip was the first for that browser since Net Applications began tracking it three years ago, a full year before it shipped in final form in March 2009.
Some rivals, meanwhile, continued to gain share at Microsoft's expense.
Google's Chrome grew its share by six-tenths of a point to account for 11.6% of all browsers used worldwide last month, a record. And Apple's Safari posted a gain of three-tenths of a point to end the month at 6.6%.
Even Mozilla's Firefox, which has lost share eight out of the last 12 months, managed a slight increase of one-tenth of a point, the first increase since December 2010, to account for 21.8% of all browsers.
The March 22 launch of Firefox 4 contributed to Mozilla's small turn-around. Net Applications' statistics show that Firefox 4 boosted its share to 1.7% last month, a 1.1-point increase over February.
Microsoft and Mozilla have each touted the number of downloads of their newest browsers, but the latter has clearly won that battle, claiming 7.1 million downloads on Firefox 4's first day of availability and a record 8.75 million the following day.
Gavin has argued that IE9's numbers should be calculated solely by its use on Vista and Windows 7, and its success or failure judged accordingly.
Net Applications put IE9's share of browsers running on Windows 7 at 3.6%, more than three times the overall average, a fact that Gavin stressed during an interview today. "That's about five times the rate of adoption in a comparable period for IE8," Gavin said.
But Net Applications' data also shows that the newest IE9 rivals -- Chrome 10 and Firefox 4 -- have significant chunks of the Windows 7 browser market. Chrome 10, which Google began pushing to current Chrome users via the browser's silent update mechanism almost a month ago, accounted for 10.2% of Windows 7 browsers in March. Firefox 4, on the other hand, lagged behind IE9 with a 2.8% share on Windows 7.
Ignore the numbers for now, Gavin said earlier this week when he blasted early comparisons as "premature at best, and misleading at worst" because of the differences in the upgrade mechanisms of IE, Chrome and Firefox.
Microsoft plans to add IE9 to Windows Update sometime this month -- today he declined to set a date -- from where it will be offered to Vista and Windows 7 users. Mozilla has yet to offer Firefox 4 to customers running older versions of its browser, but will do that soon, a spokeswoman said Thursday.
The roll-out of IE9 via Windows Update and its Automatics Updates option will wrap up by the end of June, Gavin said today.
While the numbers may not provide an unambiguous case for the success of any of the newest browsers, one thing is clear: Microsoft has bet on IE9 and won't back away from that bet.
"We could have continued down the path we were on," said Gavin, again defending the decision to drop XP from the list of operating systems able to run IE9. "We could have added more features to IE, change the UI, blah, blah, blah. We could have made it work across XP, but that's not what's going to push the Web forward.
"We might have been more cautious [by creating a version of IE9 for XP] but you don't get quantum breakthroughs that way," Gavin said.
Microsoft's taking a risk with this strategy, said Al Hilwa, an analyst with IDC who covers browsers for the research firm. (IDC is owned by IDG, the parent company of Computerworld.)
"[XP] users will have to begin to use other browsers to handle [HTML5 content], and that is a risk because they may elect to stay on the other browser and never come back," said Hilwa in an e-mail reply to questions. "It is basic business that when you open such an opportunity for competitors, it is much harder to win them back. This is particularly true in the kind of fast moving disruptive market we are in and the high quality of the competitive browsers."
Gavin was confident that Microsoft could woo back Windows XP users when they eventually upgraded to Windows 7 or its successor.
"This is a temporal problem," said Gavin, referring to the time it will take XP to disappear. "Either we build a better experience or we don't. Pushing the Web forward, that's the best way to keep users."
Hilwa said that Microsoft made a tough decision to leave Windows XP behind, and that it will take time before anyone, including Microsoft, knows whether that bet paid off.
"I understand the agony on this," said Hilwa. "Microsoft made a complex cost-benefit analysis for supporting XP, and placed their bet. We will have to see how it plays out."
Net Applications calculates browser usage share with data obtained from the 160 million unique visitors who browse the 40,000 Web sites the company monitors for its clients. Its March browser statistics can be found on the Net Applications site.
Source: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9215430/Microsoft_stands_by_decision_to_ban_IE9_from_XP?taxonomyId=211&pageNumber=1
But Microsoft stands behind its decision to limit IE9 to users running Windows Vista and Windows 7.
"It was a very deliberate decision," said Ryan Gavin, senior director of IE, talking about the move to exclude XP users from IE9. "You simply can't build on something that is 10 years ago."
Gavin said that Microsoft "has no second thoughts" about its decision.
According to California-based Net Applications, one of several companies that regularly publishes browser usage data, IE lost nine-tenths of a percentage point of share in March, falling to 55.9%, another record low.
IE9, which debuted more than two weeks ago, accounted for 1% of all browsers, a five-tenths of a point jump over February.
But older editions of IE dropped by more than what IE9 gained.
IE6, the browser Microsoft wants to kill, fell by four-tenths of a point to 11%, while IE7 slipped by two-tenths of a percentage point to 7.9%. And IE8, until last month Microsoft's current browser, dropped half a point to end March at 34.4%.
IE8's slip was the first for that browser since Net Applications began tracking it three years ago, a full year before it shipped in final form in March 2009.
Some rivals, meanwhile, continued to gain share at Microsoft's expense.
Google's Chrome grew its share by six-tenths of a point to account for 11.6% of all browsers used worldwide last month, a record. And Apple's Safari posted a gain of three-tenths of a point to end the month at 6.6%.
Even Mozilla's Firefox, which has lost share eight out of the last 12 months, managed a slight increase of one-tenth of a point, the first increase since December 2010, to account for 21.8% of all browsers.
The March 22 launch of Firefox 4 contributed to Mozilla's small turn-around. Net Applications' statistics show that Firefox 4 boosted its share to 1.7% last month, a 1.1-point increase over February.
Microsoft and Mozilla have each touted the number of downloads of their newest browsers, but the latter has clearly won that battle, claiming 7.1 million downloads on Firefox 4's first day of availability and a record 8.75 million the following day.
Gavin has argued that IE9's numbers should be calculated solely by its use on Vista and Windows 7, and its success or failure judged accordingly.
Net Applications put IE9's share of browsers running on Windows 7 at 3.6%, more than three times the overall average, a fact that Gavin stressed during an interview today. "That's about five times the rate of adoption in a comparable period for IE8," Gavin said.
But Net Applications' data also shows that the newest IE9 rivals -- Chrome 10 and Firefox 4 -- have significant chunks of the Windows 7 browser market. Chrome 10, which Google began pushing to current Chrome users via the browser's silent update mechanism almost a month ago, accounted for 10.2% of Windows 7 browsers in March. Firefox 4, on the other hand, lagged behind IE9 with a 2.8% share on Windows 7.
Ignore the numbers for now, Gavin said earlier this week when he blasted early comparisons as "premature at best, and misleading at worst" because of the differences in the upgrade mechanisms of IE, Chrome and Firefox.
Microsoft plans to add IE9 to Windows Update sometime this month -- today he declined to set a date -- from where it will be offered to Vista and Windows 7 users. Mozilla has yet to offer Firefox 4 to customers running older versions of its browser, but will do that soon, a spokeswoman said Thursday.
The roll-out of IE9 via Windows Update and its Automatics Updates option will wrap up by the end of June, Gavin said today.
While the numbers may not provide an unambiguous case for the success of any of the newest browsers, one thing is clear: Microsoft has bet on IE9 and won't back away from that bet.
"We could have continued down the path we were on," said Gavin, again defending the decision to drop XP from the list of operating systems able to run IE9. "We could have added more features to IE, change the UI, blah, blah, blah. We could have made it work across XP, but that's not what's going to push the Web forward.
"We might have been more cautious [by creating a version of IE9 for XP] but you don't get quantum breakthroughs that way," Gavin said.
Microsoft's taking a risk with this strategy, said Al Hilwa, an analyst with IDC who covers browsers for the research firm. (IDC is owned by IDG, the parent company of Computerworld.)
"[XP] users will have to begin to use other browsers to handle [HTML5 content], and that is a risk because they may elect to stay on the other browser and never come back," said Hilwa in an e-mail reply to questions. "It is basic business that when you open such an opportunity for competitors, it is much harder to win them back. This is particularly true in the kind of fast moving disruptive market we are in and the high quality of the competitive browsers."
Gavin was confident that Microsoft could woo back Windows XP users when they eventually upgraded to Windows 7 or its successor.
"This is a temporal problem," said Gavin, referring to the time it will take XP to disappear. "Either we build a better experience or we don't. Pushing the Web forward, that's the best way to keep users."
Hilwa said that Microsoft made a tough decision to leave Windows XP behind, and that it will take time before anyone, including Microsoft, knows whether that bet paid off.
"I understand the agony on this," said Hilwa. "Microsoft made a complex cost-benefit analysis for supporting XP, and placed their bet. We will have to see how it plays out."
Net Applications calculates browser usage share with data obtained from the 160 million unique visitors who browse the 40,000 Web sites the company monitors for its clients. Its March browser statistics can be found on the Net Applications site.
Source: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9215430/Microsoft_stands_by_decision_to_ban_IE9_from_XP?taxonomyId=211&pageNumber=1
Purpose Driven Life
Purpose Driven Life is designed to help you fulfill your God-given purpose. The book was written by Rick Warren, founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, one of America's largest. In this best-selling book, Rick Warren shows you how to obtain purpose in a unique way. Often, self-help books suggest that you can discover purpose in life by looking within yourself. Not so in Purpose Driven Life! Warren's thesis is that you must begin with God, who created you for a purpose. It is only when you understand that you were made by God and for God that you can unlock your purpose on this earth.
Purpose Driven Life is divided into 40 days of reading in six easy-to-read sections. In the first section, Warren answers the fundamental question every human has, "What on earth am I here for?" He does this by talking about our origin with God and the fact that our life is not an accident. Warren writes that although life is temporary, we can have an eternal impact as we discover our true purpose. In the second section, Rick Warren unveils the first purpose of humans: we were planned for God's pleasure. In this section, he writes about discovering true worship and friendship with God.
In the third section, the second purpose of human life is unveiled: we were formed for God's family. Warren expounds that we are to experience life together in the church. In the next section, Warren unveils the third purpose of human life: we were created to become like Christ. We are transformed by trouble and truth as we grow through temptation. In section five, purpose four is revealed: we were shaped for serving God. If we accept this assignment, we will think like servants and discover God's equipping power to assist us in fulfilling the Purpose Driven Life of service. In the final section, the fifth purpose is covered: we were made for a mission. Warren writes about living a missionary life every day.
In summary, Purpose Driven Life is a must read! It is an easy read, but contains powerful advice. It is great for small discussion study groups. In addition, it provides excellent sermon material. If you still want more information, there are many reviews online. To assist you in reading this book, you can purchase a Purpose Drive Life Study Guide.
Two Frogs: The Power of Words
A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead.
The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.
The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.
There is power in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day. On the contrary, a destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say — especially to yourself.
The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.
The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.
There is power in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day. On the contrary, a destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say — especially to yourself.
Eagles in a Storm
Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks?
The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.
The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.
When the storms of life come upon us – and all of us will experience them – we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God’s power to lift us above them.
God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm.
Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.
Source: http://www.inspirationalstories.com/eagles-in-a-storm/
The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.
The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.
When the storms of life come upon us – and all of us will experience them – we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God’s power to lift us above them.
God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm.
Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.
Source: http://www.inspirationalstories.com/eagles-in-a-storm/
Graduation Day’s Gift
A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.
Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, “With all your money you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house, leaving behind the holy book.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should visit him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care things. When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart.
He began to search his father’s important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words: PAID IN FULL.
How many times do we miss our blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?
Source: http://www.inspirationalstories.com/graduation-days-gift/
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.
Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, “With all your money you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house, leaving behind the holy book.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should visit him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care things. When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart.
He began to search his father’s important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words: PAID IN FULL.
How many times do we miss our blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?
Source: http://www.inspirationalstories.com/graduation-days-gift/
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