Tag Archives: metro

Microsoft downplays Metro design name, might face a lawsuit over all that street lingo

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Microsoft Surface for Windows RT hands-on

If you've seen most of Microsoft's design language for nearly three years, there's only one word that sums it up: Metro. In spite of that urban look being the underpinning of Windows Phone, Windows 8 and even the Zune HD, Microsoft now claims to ZDNet and others that it's no longer fond of the Metro badge. Instead, it's supposedly phasing out the name as part of a "transition from industry dialog to a broad consumer dialog" while it starts shipping related products -- a funny statement for a company that's been shipping some of those products for quite awhile. Digging a little deeper, there's murmurs that the shift might not be voluntary. Both Ars Technica and The Verge hear from unverified sources that German retailer Metro AG might waving its legal guns and forcing Microsoft to quiet down over a potential (if questionable) trademark dispute. Metro AG itself won't comment other than to say that these are "market rumors," which doesn't exactly calm any frayed nerves over in Redmond. Should there be any truth to the story, we hope Microsoft chooses an equally catchy name for those tiles later on; Windows Street Sign Interface Windows 8-style UI just wouldn't have the same ring to it.

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Microsoft downplays Metro design name, might face a lawsuit over all that street lingo originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceArs Technica, The Verge, ZDNet  | Email this | Comments

MetroPCS 2012 Q2 sees profits skyrocket to $149 million despite losing nearly 200,000 subscribers

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MetroPCS announces Q1 2012 results: total revenues up, new subscriber growth shrinks

MetroPCS has announced that it pulled in $1.3 billion in the second quarter of the year, only slightly more than it managed in the first. It made a profit of $149 million, well up from the $21 million it pulled in between January and March, despite shedding around 200,000 subscribers in the process. The company's deliberately concentrated on raising cash at the expense of new subscriptions in preparation for its 4G LTE for All project, due to begin in the third quarter. It revealed that it now has 700,000 LTE subscribers, up from the 580,000 present in March and that it plans to have a full 10MHz of spectrum allocated for the super-fast mobile standard in "most major metropolitan areas" by the end of the year. As for devices that'll take advantage of the 4G goodness, MetroPCS says that we can expect to see either six or seven new LTE handsets by year's end, each which will be priced between $99 and $149.

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MetroPCS 2012 Q2 sees profits skyrocket to $149 million despite losing nearly 200,000 subscribers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 22:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechnoBuffalo  |  sourceMetroPCS, FierceWireless  | Email this | Comments

Microsoft admits Surface might ruffle OEM feathers, vindicates Acer in annual report

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Microsoft admits Surface might ruffle OEM feathers, vindicates Acer in annual report

Redmond's upcoming Surface slate is brimming with potential -- but Microsoft recognizes that building its own tablet comes with some inherent risks. In the firm's recently submitted annual report, Microsoft tells the Security and Exchange Commission that the new family of slates could loosen ties with some of its partners. "Our surface devices will compete with products made by our OEM partners," the report reads, "which may affect their commitment to our platform." This, of course, echos Acer's sentiment, which accused Microsoft of forgetting the PC builders that helped it become what it is today. Then again, maybe Acer was just preemptively upset it wouldn't get picked for Windows 8's starting line-up.

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Microsoft admits Surface might ruffle OEM feathers, vindicates Acer in annual report originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceNew York Times  | Email this | Comments

Windows 8 streamlines printing, puts old architecture on the chopping block

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Windows 8 streamlines printing, puts old architecture on the chopping block

Anyone who's ever attempted to configure a new printer from their PC knows the process can be cumbersome at best and Microsoft largely agrees. So, in anticipation of its upcoming OS refresh, Redmond's pulling back the curtain on how it managed to trim the fat from its previous printing architecture. The new system which will underlie both consumer-focused iterations of Windows 8, simply dubbed v4, slims down the 768MB of disk space previously required on Vista for a significantly lighter 184MB (an average) footprint in Windows 8 and adds greater in-box support for more commonly used, contemporary printers -- specifically for Windows RT. The team's also worked hard to keep the experience consistent, separating manufacturer UIs from drivers and paving the way for Metro-style support where necessary. The changes will reportedly ease the load on ARM-based devices and streamline the end user experience with a hassle-free, plug-and-play approach. In the words of team program lead Adrian Lannin, "it just works." Indeed, we'll be sure to find out if it does this October 26th. Hit up the source below to sift through the minutiae of these behind-the-scenes changes.

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Windows 8 streamlines printing, puts old architecture on the chopping block originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceBuilding Windows 8 blog  | Email this | Comments

Microsoft to Windows RT OEMs: ‘If your name’s not on the list, you’re not making a tablet’

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China Times is reporting that Microsoft is only letting an elite few companies build Windows RT tablets in order to focus its research and development resources. It reportedly asked three chipmakers to pick up to two OEMs to bring inside the tent, with NVIDIA grabbing ASUS and Lenovo, TI snagging Toshiba and Qualcomm selecting Samsung and HP. However, the latter company dropped out of the program to concentrate on x86 machines, so it's rumored that Dell's currently jockeying to take its place. The first wave of completed tablets will arrive on October 26th, and Redmond won't open up the market until January next year -- so expect Windows RT to be the buzz-word CES 2013.

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Microsoft to Windows RT OEMs: 'If your name's not on the list, you're not making a tablet' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 03:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Unwired View  |  sourceChina Times (Translated)  | Email this | Comments

Microsoft digs deep into Windows 8’s hardware graphics boost, says fast just isn’t slick enough

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Microsoft digs deep into Windows 8's hardware graphics boost, says fast just isn't slick enough

While Microsoft has been exploring the sensory experiences that will go into Windows 8, like sight and touch, there's only one thing that many enthusiasts care about: speed. To their delight, Redmond has just devoted one of its pre-release blog posts to showing just how much faster its hardware graphics acceleration will be in a Metro-focused universe. The goal is a hiccup-free 60Hz frame rate, and virtually everything in Windows 8 centers on that ambition. Baked-in transition effects, optimized geometry and even improved font rendering give modern computers a huge jump in performance versus Windows 7. Microsoft is just as keen to expose that power, as well: Direct3D 11.1 is now the root of all video acceleration in the pipeline, making it both easier and faster to mix 2D and 3D. All told, Windows 8 promises to get responsiveness freaks and benchmark lovers all hot and bothered. If either label describes you, the source link might satiate your lust until October 26th.

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Microsoft digs deep into Windows 8's hardware graphics boost, says fast just isn't slick enough originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 23:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceBuilding Windows 8  | Email this | Comments

Switched On: An Office outside the Metro

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Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

DNP Switched On An Office outside the Metro

The two worlds of Windows 8 -- one: a traditional desktop UI and the other: the touch-optimized Metro UI -- can, at first, seem so different that they contrast like the multiple personalities of Batman's enemy Two-Face. Yet, despite the different appearances, the forthcoming version of Microsoft's venerable operating system is not about absolutes, but optimizations.

Continue reading Switched On: An Office outside the Metro

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Switched On: An Office outside the Metro originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jul 2012 17:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OneNote MX Metro-styled app for Windows 8 now available for download

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Yesterday saw Microsoft publicly unpack Office 15. Part of the deal was the forthcoming dedicated OneNote MX Metro-styled app. While we knew it was coming, it was one of the few things we didn't manage to get much time with. It looks like we might not have to wait that long though, as it's the first of new gang to be up for grabs. It's available to download now, from the Windows Store in Windows 8 Release Preview, just set a final reminder in your current note taking app to go get it.

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OneNote MX Metro-styled app for Windows 8 now available for download originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink WMPower  |  sourceMicrosoft  | Email this | Comments

Virgin Media WiFi in London goes deeper underground, 41 stations now hooked up

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Virgin Media WiFi in London goes deeper underground, 41 stations now hooked up

While it's been in the pipes for a while, and some lucky stations got an early arrival, Virgin Media has confirmed that 41 stations in total are now lapping from the bowl of sweet, sweet free WiFi. Considering that a million tweets, Facebook updates, and emails were delivered in the first week, and over 100,000 commuters have logged on in the last four, appetite for the service is high. While use is free at the moment, and TFL travel info will remain without charge, non Virgin Media customers will have to start paying up, once the Olympic Games are over. By then the full expected 120 stations should be plugged-in and switched on. For the current list of connected stations, head past the break.

Continue reading Virgin Media WiFi in London goes deeper underground, 41 stations now hooked up

Virgin Media WiFi in London goes deeper underground, 41 stations now hooked up originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jul 2012 06:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows 8 renames Windows Explorer, File Explorer to help you find files instead

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Windows 8 renames Windows Explorer, File Explorer to help you find files instead

Come gather 'round PCs, wherever files roam, and admit Windows Explorer, simply has to go. And accept it that soon, your OS'll be Metro. If your file finding time is worth savin' -- then you better get used to File Explorer instead, for the times they are a-changin'.

Windows 8 renames Windows Explorer, File Explorer to help you find files instead originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 19:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge  |   | Email this | Comments