DEVELOPERS SHOULD NOW HAVE THE INCENTIVE TO MAKE APPS FOR WINDOWS MOBILE

Windows Mobile smartphones are great.  The operating system is beautiful, sleek and super-optimized.  No one would call it a "lagdroid."  Indeed, even if you are running windows mobile on a phone with just 512 MB of RAM, you'd be surprised that you'd still be able to run Asphalt 8!

The problem however has always been the "App Gap".  The Windows store just doesn't have the same number of titles and none of the kinds of apps that

Microsoft just killed it at their October 6, 2015 product launch.  

Windows 10 Devices Announcement

They released the new Surface Pro 4, 2 Flagship Lumia Smartphones, the 950 and the 950 XL together with the new Surface Pro 4 and the Surface Book.  Needless to say, everyone who watched that keynote was stunned by just how advanced and beautiful the hardware seemed (and expensive!!!).

Lumia 950XL

Lumia 950

The hardware were also LIQUID COOLED.  

Lets put that into perspective.

Car with air-cooled engine / car with liquid cooled engine

It's a no contest!

But you know what else is so interesting about these devices?  They all run the same operating system, just different editions.  This means that they can all run the same kinds of apps.

Microsoft calls these the Universal Windows Apps (UWA).  The idea behind this is

Multitasking actually works on Continuum!!!

I can be productive like a boss wherever I am now

These devices that Microsoft is coming out with won't be the only devices to run Windows 10.  What we saw on October 6th were high end devices, but Windows 10 devices run the gamut from the very cheap to liquid-cooled beasts.  They are also popular on the enterprise.

New Surface Lineup

The Dynamic Fulcrum hinge on the Surface Book

Fact of the matter is, with Apple just having unveiled the iPad Pro, there is still a dearth of apps that can properly make use of its new features such as stylus and raw graphics and processing power.  When you look at it, the surface has the app advantage with apps like Staffpad and Drawboard PDF.  At the very least, in terms of productivity apps, Windows tablets and the iPad are at parity.  The question is, which platform is going to catch the imagination of app developers?  My bet is with Microsoft, already there are more than 110 million people running Windows 10, Windows tablet use is picking up as well as Windows store downloads and with the new UWA platform, an app developer can gain access to all those devices from the smartphone to the tablet, Xbox to the Hololens and the PC--its the new frontier!

And that is what makes phones running the upcoming Windows 10 Mobile so promising.  It draws its strength from the desktop and with apps that can scale depending on the screen you run and with the same power of the desktop.  

For the enterprise, a Windows device would remain a more compelling purchase, that with their increased biometric security (all Windows 10 devices can theoretically support Windows Hello), enterprise support for Microsoft and the ability to sideload custom apps to any Windows device (this is a rumored feature), so a company can develop an app they can use for their specific business in house.  It also helps that the tools for making UWAs are now readily available as well as instructional materials.

Also in development is the bridge program that allows developers to port Android, iOS, web apps and Win32 programs to UWA:  Projects Astoria, Islandwood, Westminster and Centennial.

Whats more, with UWAs, developers will find that they are big fish in small ponds.  In contrast to Android and iOS, its increasingly difficult to make a profitable app.  Not on Windows, make a good app, you should do well.  Take this guy:

I think developers like myself care more about the number of users not the number of other apps. That being said, when the number of competing apps is low it does make it easier to pick up more users. I think it's interesting that nobody points out that for a small app developer to come to iOS or Android stores it's incredibly difficult to get noticed in the sea of apps already out there, without something really unique or very high quality / different features it's unlikely to get more than a few downloads. I created an Android app a few years back to help me log my working hours, there were a few other apps doing a similar thing, my app was the simplest to use and looked fairly modern at the time, after 4 years in the store it got 60 downloads and 3 purchases to remove adds. So my net profit was like -$20 after paying $25 to publish it. True I didn't dedicate much time to it and only updated it a few times but when there's so many millions of users you would normally expect at least 100s of downloads and a small profit right? And that's exactly where the thinking goes wrong. The same app on Windows Phone 8, in less time has gotten 2000+- downloads and about 40 purchases to get rid of ads. When its something like Facebook it's clear there are more users on iOS and Android because everyone will get the Facebook app regardless of what OS they are on so for companies like Facebook that's where the money is. For small developers I think the money is in Windows, the problem is small developers don't have the resources to create perfect apps which is why Windows has so many low quality apps and not enough high quality ones.

Look for it here:  Microsoft says 669,000 phone, tablet and desktop apps are in the Windows store

Need any more convincing?  Windows has the number, the hardware and the appeal.  Developers, its your move.

PRODUCT PLACEMENT IN TERMINATOR: GENISYS

Is Skynet the future? Is Silicon Valley going to be the end of humanity as we know it? It’s quite possible.

Skynet has gone through a number of iterations. The original Skynet “origin” story involved the Terminator’s chip and hand in Terminator (1984) getting used as the basis of a computer that was used to control nuclear missiles. That computer eventually became “self-aware” and tried to destroy humanity.

The Skynet origin story in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) was also program used to control nukes.

Generally, in the first three iterations of the franchise, it appears that Skynet was powered by mac. I found an OLD meme on 9gag that proves this.

The latest film in the franchise, Terminator: Genisys, has a different take on the Skynet origin. The film paints Skynet as “Genisys”, a very popular app or OS [update?] that is set to upload itself into billions of computing devices - computers, tablets and smartphones. And people are eagerly and, like a herd of bleating sheep, are eagerly awaiting its arrival.

Feel like you're being herded onto Windows 10? Well, you should

What does that remind you of?

Personally, it reminds me of the big bad wolf of Redmond.

We are all eagerly awaiting the release of Microsoft’s latest OS, Windows 10. Its being pushed as a FREE UPDATE for most consumers [i.e. non-enterprise] running PC and tablet versions of Windows 7 and 8.1  as well as Windows Phone 8.1. Among the features being pushed is a universal app environment for everything from PCs, Tablets, Hololenses, Gaming Consoles, Smartphones and the “Internet of Things”.

source: Windows Blog

Another ominous feature is Cortana, a personal assistant program and possibly the beginning of AI becoming self-aware.

It just makes Microsoft’s product placement in Genisys all the more ominous - Almost everyone there is rockin’ a Nokia/Microsoft Lumia

It even fits the in-movie declaration of Genisys being in a billion devices after its release which roughly parallels the intent of Microsoft to bring Windows 10 to a billion devices.

So, which tech company do you think will one day create Artificial Intelligence smart enough to destroy us?

BROUHAHA OVER FREE RIGHTS TO WINDOWS 10

This is a defense of the giant, Microsoft (MS) over the misunderstanding and subsequent misunderstanding surrounding a supposed backdoor to a free licensed copy of Windows 10, the latest, and somewhat groundbreaking, operating system (OS) coming from the Redmond company.

Windows 10 picks up after the widely panned Windows 8 and brings the OS across different platforms like the PCs, Tablets, Smartphone, the XboX, and even a Holo Lens. All versions will run “Universal Apps” which should work across all platforms. Windows 10 is generally shaping up to be a hit for Microsoft, key to this is the insider program where volunteer beta testers give useful feedback to Microsoft in order to perfect the OS before its July 29 release.

source: Windows Blog

Microsoft announced in an earlier version of its blog:

Windows Insiders running the Windows 10 Insider Preview (Home and Pro editions) with their registered MSA connected to their PC will receive the final release build of Windows 10 starting on 29 July ...

As long as you are running an Insider Preview build and connected with the MSA you used to register, you will receive the Windows 10 final release build and remain activated.

Once you have successfully installed this build and activated, you will also be able to clean install on that PC from final media if you want to start over fresh.

This led some amateur hackers to claim that theoretically, one will be able to obtain an unlimited number of copies of the new OS by simply signing up to the insider program, downloading a beta copy of Windows 10 and, when the new OS rolls out on July 29, 2015, their copy of the beta version will become a licensed copy of the OS. Theoretically, you can create an infinite number of these “legitimized versions” running on what were once pirated versions, builds and virtual desktops! One didn’t even need to install it over a licensed version of Windows 7 or 8.1 as would be required of regular users.

It seems the hack was first published on the Verge here.

When this hack was publicized, the hacking community was rejoicing. Never before had MS allowed one to download copies of their OS and for FREE at that!

So you can imagine the rage that Microsoft generated when it [secretly] amended its blog post with the following changes:

Source: zdnet.com

Needless to say, Microsoft was literally forced to clarify the confusion of who gets a free version of Windows 10. The final word on the matter was discussed by Microsoft’s Gabe Aul in an interview with the Verge:

The nuance here is that Microsoft will keep fresh copies of Windows 10 activated for testers only if they keep opting-in to future preview updates. So if you’ve clean installed a Windows 10 preview build and upgrade to the final then you don’t have to worry about activation as long as you keep receiving pre-release updates. "Since we’re continuing the Windows Insider Program you’ll be able to continue receiving builds and those builds will continue to be activated under the terms of the Windows Insider Program,"...

You could read Microsoft’s blog post clarifying this whole thing here.

Why did this create such a brouhaha? Was the furor justified? It seems that the community was simply used to getting stuff for free. Paying for software is no longer the norm. We have Cupertino and Incheon to blame for this. Cupertino was the company that pioneered the Over the Air (OTA)

Read: Apple Just Ended the Era of Paid Operating Systems

The fact of the matter is, Microsoft is a software company, its focus isn’t on making the machines that run the software itself - unlike Apple which both makes hardware and software, or unlike google which gives away free software and makes money off advertisers - completely different business model! And at the heart of this matter is that Microsoft has the right to make money off the licensing of its software and to prevent those running unlicensed versions of its software from getting away with things.

In no way is Microsoft the “bad guy” in this brouhaha, rather, it is the victim of those people seeking to take advantage of free software.

These people, thinking they’ve found a loophole published their theories and simply got disappointed when Microsoft “clarified itself” in order to avoid the very disappointment these people are feeling now. In now way will an ordinary/regular user of the software be affected by this at all.

Of course, there are those within the Windows 10 Insider program who were hurt stating that they should have been entitled to a free version of Windows 10 as well, compensation. Sorry to say guys, but what you went through was completely voluntary, thus Microsoft isn’t obligated to give you any compensation.

We can understand the frustration this caused, though, we’ve become spoiled with “free” OS upgrades thanks to the Open Source Android Operating System and the Hardware-Subsidized iOS, but paid operating systems, especially those that come with support contracts for personal users and enterprises is still a legitimate business model.

Remember when you had to buy this baby off the shelf?

source: guidebookgallery.com

With that, we should just go ahead and enjoy the free upgrade this July 29.