58329699
submission
JDG1980 writes:
Microsoft's announcements at today's Build conference indicates that the change of leadership just might be having some effects on the company's flagship product. It looks like Windows 9 will bring back the Start Menu that so many users missed in Windows 8. It won't be exactly the same as the Windows 7 menu (there's a live tile section off to the right), but it will be a lot closer, and won't hog the whole screen.
Another common complaint about Windows 8 is that the full-screen paradigm for Metro apps – while it may work OK with a tablet or phone – doesn't fit well on a multi-tasking desktop with a large screen. To fix this, Microsoft will allow Metro apps to run within a window on Windows 9 – similar to what can currently be done with Stardock's ModernMix.
57387583
submission
JDG1980 writes:
Krita, an open-source graphics editor, has been around since 2005, but no stable version existed for Windows users — until today. With the release of Krita 2.8, full and stable support for Windows users is finally a reality, thanks to input from KO GmbH and Intel. Krita brings some things to the table that GIMP does not: 16 bit per channel color support, adjustment layers, and a name that won't set off red flags at HR, just to list a few. You can download the Windows version here. Might be worth looking into, if you're tired of the lack of progress on GIMP and don't want to pay monthly "cloud" fees to Adobe.
55384635
submission
JDG1980 writes:
Google just announced that they will be purchasing Nest, a company best known for their "smart" thermostats and smoke detectors, for $3.2 billion in cash. What will this mean for Nest devices going forward – greater integration with Android, perhaps?
53518659
submission
JDG1980 writes:
OCZ, a manufacturer of solid-state drives, has filed for bankruptcy. This move was forced by Hercules Technology Growth Capital, which had lent $30 million to OCZ under terms that were later breached. The most likely outcome of this bankruptcy is that OCZ's assets (including the Indilinx controller IP) will be purchased by Toshiba. If this deal falls through, the company will be liquidated. No word yet on what a Toshiba purchase would mean in terms of warranty support for OCZ's notoriously unreliable drives.
46246243
submission
JDG1980 writes:
According to CNET and various other sources, CS6 will be the last version of Adobe's Creative Suite that will be sold in the traditional manner. All future versions will be available by subscription only, through Adobe's so-called "Creative Cloud" service. This means that before too long, anyone who wants an up-to-date version of Photoshop won't be able to buy it – they will have to pay $50 per month (minimum subscription term: one year). Can Adobe complete the switch to subscription-only, or will the backlash be too great? Will this finally spur the creation of a real competitor to Photoshop?
