Microsoft Launches Own Social Network, So.cl

Software giant Microsoft, quietly launched their own social networking site named So.cl, this weekend. So.cl (pronounced ‘social’) is designed to “to give students the ability to network with their peers to share information.” It was not made to compete with Facebook.

So.cl can be accessed through your Facebook or Windows Live accounts. It showcases a “bookmarklet” feature that allows users to add a “Share on So.cl” button and share interesting websites to fellow users. Users also have the option to share, tag and comment on other people’s post. They can also “riff” “a new way to interact and improvise with content.”, according to Microsoft. You can also create “video parties”, an option to search and assemble videos that can be shared to other users.

This new social networking site was initially made available to information and design schools at the University of Washington, Syracuse Universitym and New York University.

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Dropbox Adds Automatic Photo Uploads for Windows and Mac

Dropbox has just rolled out its second update for the week, a new feature that allows automated upload of photos of video files from its PC or Mac client.

This new feature simplifies the process of transferring media files from any camera, phone or SD card to your Dropbox and retains full-quality the original size to a private “Camera Uploads” folder.

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Nokia Unveils Its First Windows Phone For China

Nokia has unveiled its first CDMA Windows Phone. The Nokia 800C, which is a ‘variant’ of the Lumia 800 phone, shares the same design and specification as the Lumia 800 but is said to be ‘especially tailored for people in China’.

Nokia enlisted China Telecom as its exclusive launch partner and announced the news during a ceremony held at the Yongdingmen Gate in Beijing.

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Skype App Launches Beta Version for Windows Phone

Microsoft has released a beta version of its free voice and video calling app for Windows Phone.

The Skype for Windows Phone Beta allows Windows phone users to ‘make free audio and video calls’ to their Skype contacts using 3G, 4G or WiFi connections

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Windows 8 to Drop the Start Button

Windows 8 ‘Consumer Preview’ has revealed a major change to its UI with the disappearance of the ‘Start Button’. The Start Button which was first introduced with Windows 95, is one of the operating system’s most frequently used buttons.

Previous builds have revealed that the button has been flattened to match its new Metro styling but according to some newly leaked images of the ‘Consumer Preview of Windows 8, it seems that Windows is making a bold move of not including it in its upcoming version of its OS.

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Skype for Windows Gets Full HD Video Calling

Skype has released an updated version for the Windows client. Skype version 5.8 for windows, which was released on Thursday, includes a bunch of new and improved features.

Some of the cool new features are Full HD Video-Calling, a new feature which allows you to make video calls in HD quality, a Group Screen Sharing which can be used to share an entire screen or a single application window and Video-Calling to Facebook contacts which can be used to make calls, even if your friends are not on Skype. It also has a new ‘push to talk’ feature that allows the use of hotkeys to trigger the microphone, a feature that most gamers will find useful when playing multiplayer games.

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Microsoft Celebrates IE6 Usage Demise

Isn’t it unusual for a company to celebrate loss of market share? However, if it is for a product that is 10 years old, and new versions of it are available free of charge then why not?

According to the latest update, IE6 went down 1% more in the US. It was a good indicator for Microsoft which has been putting added efforts to encourage users to try newer products like the IE9. The company even launched a website called The Internet Explorer 6 Countdown which aims to remove the use of IE6.

IE6 is very vulnerable to online threats and viruses and does not have tabs or combined search and address bar. The loading time of web pages in this browser is also very slow.

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Brand Finance: Apple is the World’s Second Most Valuable Company

Based from the study of Brand Finance, Apple now becomes the world’s second most valuable brand, with over $39.3 billion or 33% more than what it has attained during the first half of the year.

The company looks at its cash flow and overall financial metrics to determine the value of the company’s trademarks and properties. The brand that got the top position is Google, which has an IP that’s worth $48.3 billion — and indeed more after the search engine giant acquired another bag of patents from IBM.

According to the research, this would be the first time that the world’s top four most valuable companies are all tech brands. Microsoft moved to the third place with $39 billion, although the as-of-yet launching of Windows 8 might change that number. Big Blue, on the other hand, got the fourth position. Other big companies have also managed to make their way on the top 10 list: Walmart, GE, AT&T, Coca-Cola, and banks such as Wells Fargo and Bank of America.

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Windows 8: An Integral Part to Intel’s Strategy

As reported by PC World, Intel will be showcasing how well will Windows 8 runs on its new Atom processors at the Intel Developer Forum and Microsoft’s BUILD conference. As the champion of Ultabooks, Intel relies heavily on Windows 8 and how well-received it will be on tablets. That said, it will mean a good thing for the chip manufacturer giant if the new OS can grab significant market share.

However, ARM – who already have a major presence in the tablet market – is also counting on Microsoft’s Windows 8 to lead them to the PC market. In fact, the Big Red already announced that their platform will be able to run off ARM chips. Hence, both Intel and ARM have to concede some share in their original strongholds while gaining new ground in the market.

Are you excited to see what Microsoft will be bringing to the table with its Windows 8? Share your insights by leaving a comment.

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Infographic: Reasons Why Students and Parents Choose STEM Careers

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the next several years, more than one million jobs will open up that require specialized technology skills. However, there won’t be enough numbers of qualified college graduates to fill them.

Harris Interactive conducted two surveys on behalf of Microsoft to understand the shortage of students that take science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)-related fields. One survey focused on parents with K-12 students while the other one surveyed college students pursuing STEM degrees.

The answer seems to vary by gender. Some female STEM students say it was to make a difference that took the 49% of the respondents, and 61% of male students said that games or toys in their childhoods sparked their interest. For 68% of the female respondents, they say that a teacher or class got them interested in science, math, engineering or technology.

For more information regarding the said surveys, check out the infographic after the cut.

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