win

European authorities who earlier cracked down on Microsoft's browser behavior are now are keeping an eye on its upcoming Windows RT operating system -- but they aren't saying yet whether they have any objections.

Mozilla last week criticized Microsoft's choice to deny browsers other than Internet Explorer privileges necessary to make what it sees as a competitive browser on Windows RT, the new version of the operating system for ARM processors. Specifically, IE gets access to deeper Win32 interfaces, but Firefox, other browsers, and any other third-party software only get access to the new and more limited WinRT interface. … Read more

It's a good thing legal action is Mozilla's "last resort" for resolving its disagreement with Microsoft over bringing Firefox to the upcoming Windows RT, because it's likely a difficult antitrust case to make.

That's because Windows RT, the version of the operating system geared for devices using ARM processors, is a different beast than conventional Windows running on traditional x86 processors. Microsoft's present rules would hobble non-IE browsers on Windows RT, but the company's market power is with Windows on x86 chips.

ARM chips dominate today's smartphone and tablet devices running … Read more

Technically, Microsoft hasn't banned non-IE browsers in Windows RT, the forthcoming Windows 8 version for machines with ARM processors. But as Mozilla sees it, Microsoft may as well have.

Why? Because Microsoft permits only its own software to use a restricted set of Windows interfaces. This means Firefox and other browsers don't get access to the same application programming interfaces (APIs), which in turn means they don't get the same abilities and will effectively be crippled, said Mozilla spokesman and longtime participant Asa Dotzler.

"Without these APIs, it is not possible to build a modern Web … Read more

Want to see how Windows 8 looks and feels on a tablet? Now you can tap into the experience on your iPad via an app called Win8 Metro Testbed.

Designed by the folks at Splashtop, the new app lets iPad users drive the current Windows 8 beta in all its touch-screen glory by remotely controlling the OS from a desktop. All of the Windows 8 tablet features and gestures are fully accessible on the iPad.

The app will set you back $24.99 in the App Store. And that's a special introductory price; it will normally cost $49.99. … Read more

Windows 8 promises to bring many cool and different features to your desktop. Some developers can't wait and are previewing some of those features. BlueZap's Win Lock Pro is a free screen-locking and Windows log-in application that takes its visual cues from the Windows 8 log-in and screen lock system. It's frequently updated; the version we tested (version 8) enhances security by disabling the Alt, Tab, and Win keys when Win Lock Pro is in use.

Win Lock Pro's Welcome screen walked us through the process of creating and confirming a password. Once Win Lock was … Read more

Power users will love GrepWin, a free search-and-replace tool that enables regular expression searches from context menus in Explorer. It essentially adds a sophisticated interface to the grep command-line search tool developed for Unix and used in Linux, MacOS, and other operating systems, including Windows. It can replace whole strings of text in compatible files and documents, such as text files. Regular expressions (regex) enable incredibly specific searches, such as words with a specific number of letters or sequence of vowels, or "cats" when preceded by "house" or "wild." With special characters, groupings, and … Read more

If you are a Windows user, or come from a Windows background, odds are you have heard of and used WinZip.

With the launch of WinZip for the iPhone and iPad, iOS users will now have an easy method for opening ZIP files on their iOS device. Whether those files come from the Web, or were sent as an e-mail attachment.

Once you have downloaded and installed WinZip on your iPhone or iPad, you may notice there is nothing to the app. Upon opening it, you are presented with a miniature tutorial and nothing else. Even after trying to read … Read more

There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of to-do-list management apps in the iTunes App Store, but which one should you choose?

I found a couple of new task management apps recently that add something extra to the category. But using them made me realize that an old favorite of mine still stood up to the test of time and remains a great choice for lists and tasks.

It's no secret that many people like to use lists to get through daily projects, but when you have a task manager on your iPhone, you get handy additions like alerts, notifications, and editable tasks when your goals change. Whether you're just making a grocery list or planning a big business project, a good task management app can focus your efforts and keep you on point for success.… Read more

Microsoft began distancing itself from browser plug-ins last year starting with Internet Explorer on Windows 8's Metro interface, but it spoke more definitively today: plug-ins are bad for the Web.

"Metro-style IE runs plug-in free to improve battery life as well as security, reliability, and privacy for consumers," said John Hrvatin, Internet Explorer program manager lead, in a blog post. "A plug-in free Web benefits consumers and developers and we all take part in the transition."

The upcoming IE10 browser doesn't just run in Metro, Microsoft's next-generation, touch-centric interface geared for tablets and … Read more