John Lister

Hewlett-Packard (HP) is selling two Windows 8 laptops that are both priced at $199 . It's seen by some analysts as a way to counter the low-cost Google Chromebook range . The two models are the HP Stream 11 and Stream 13 , which model numbers are ... respective of their screen sizes. The Stream 11 has a permanent price of $199; the Stream 13 is normally $229 but will have $30 off for a limited period as part of the Black Friday sales season. To sweeten the deal, devices purchased directly from Microsoft will also receive a year's subscription to Office 365 Personal (the online edition of ... (view more)

Microsoft has begun public testing of a new presentation application that could one day replace its incredibly popular and widely used MS PowerPoint. The main focus of the tool, named Sway, is to remove the barriers between presentations on ... different computing devices, such as smartphones and PCs. The idea of Sway is that it shouldn't matter what type of content you want to build into a presentation, or what device you want to show it on. That's a major contrast to MS PowerPoint, where it can be difficult to bring together multiple file formats or to create presentations that look the ... (view more)

Microsoft has launched a new tool for MS Outlook designed to make it easier to deal with email overload. It will be available for business users at first, but could later be rolled out for home users. The feature will be available as part of Office ... 365 for business: that's the online edition of the Office suite, which is automatically updated when Microsoft adds new features or makes changes. The name of the feature comes from the problem Microsoft is trying to tackle: Clutter. That's meant to describe the category of emails that are from legitimate senders, but which you don't ... (view more)

Windows 8.1 users will soon have the opportunity to test a potentially revolutionary feature: live speech translation in Skype. Skype is a software program that allows users to make phone calls or video chat with other Skype users around the world, ... using the Internet. Skype is one of the most popular applications of its kind, with over 300 million users world-wide using the service. (Source: skype.com ) Skype Live Speech Translation - On the Fly The live speech translation feature has been in the works from some time, stemming back to 2011 when Microsoft bought out Skype for $8.5 billion . It ... (view more)

Microsoft has unveiled additional features for Windows 10, as well as making previously-announced features available for testing. Most of the changes are aimed at mobile computer users, but there will be a few extra improvements for desktop users . ... Windows 10 Testing being done in Batches Microsoft is taking a very deliberate approach with its public testing program for the new Windows 10 operating system. Rather than throw out a semi-completed version of Windows 10 for testing and deal with all the feedback at once, Microsoft is slowly adding new features to the test edition of the operating ... (view more)

Rumors suggest that Microsoft is primed to launch its own smartwatch in the next few weeks. Details are still hazy, but it seems it may connect with multiple devices , and not only Windows Phones. Smartwatches have been one of the big tech stories ... of 2014, becoming a serious mainstream product after years of hype. Apple is launching its own smartwatch running a modified version of the iPhone software, while firms such as Samsung have produced Android-based watches. Check Emails at the Flick of a Wrist Although smartwatches run a mobile operating system, they usually rely on a connection to a ... (view more)

Microsoft's decision to ditch Windows licensing fees for small-screen devices has led to a raft of ultra-cheap Windows-enabled gadgets. Approximately 50 new manufacturers have taken advantage of the offering, with some Windows devices sold in the ... far East now costing less than a copy of Windows itself. The move came earlier this year and is thought to be a response to the huge success of Google's Android operating system. Android is particularly popular with manufacturers because it's free to install onto their devices. That said, as tablet computers and smartphone prices have ... (view more)

Reports that Windows 10 Technical Preview contain spyware-like features have been dismissed as overblown. However, the issue should raise awareness of some of the limitations of using preview software. Several news outlets have made startling claims ... about Windows 10 Technical Preview, suggesting it collects confidential data; some have gone as far to suggest that the operating system contains a keylogger . That's a nasty feature found in some malicious software that tracks what you type on your keyboard, looking for sensitive information such as passwords or financial account details, ... (view more)

Microsoft has revealed that the next edition of its flagship operating system will be known as Windows 10, rather than Windows 9. The new operating system represents a further blurring of the lines between full-size PCs and portable devices such as ... smartphones and tablets. The choice of new name is largely a marketing tactic. Microsoft wants to get across the idea that the system will be a major relaunch over the much-maligned Windows 8, rather than a small set of minor revisions. Two Major Differences in Windows 10 There will be two main differences in approach with Windows 10. The first is ... (view more)

A new project aims to use cellphones to give pregnant women in developing countries a lifeline. It's designed to tackle a problem of a reported 300,000 women each year dying during pregnancy or childbirth. The Zero Mothers Die project aims to use ... the cellphones in two ways. The first is as a way to send text and voice messages during the pregnancy, giving health information and tips. That's something that could be vital for women who don't have access to regular medical attention or the ability to read health advice online. The second part of the plan is that the phones will come ... (view more)