operating systems

Google dishing up 'Key Lime Pie' for Android?

It looks like Google is making plans to expand its Android menu.

The Web giant has chosen the codename "Key Lime Pie" to follow the "Jelly Bean" version of its operating system, a source tells The Verge. However, there was no indication of when the new OS will appear or what its version number will be.

The Key Lime Pie codename would follow Google's tradition of naming its operating systems alphabetically after food. Previous versions have included Honeycomb (version 3.0) and Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0).

Although Ice Cream Sandwich is only now beginning … Read more

How to, uh, turn Windows 8 off

Shutting off Windows used to be a simple matter of clicking the Start button and choosing the "Shut down" option. But the Windows 8 beta has no Start button. So how do you shut it down?

Microsoft has concocted a series of maneuvers and keyboard shortcuts to shut down the new OS. Though slower and clumsier than going through the Start button, the new steps at least let you fully turn Windows 8 off.

The most basic way to shut down Windows 8 is through the Charms bar.

In the Metro interface, hover your mouse over the Zoom … Read more

XP loses ground to Windows 7 but still top OS

Windows XP lost more users to Windows 7 last month, but the decade-old platform continues to hold on as the most popular operating system

Looking at OS stats for February, NetApplications found that XP's share of the market dipped to 45 percent from 47 percent in January. At the same time, Windows 7 grabbed 38 percent of all users, up from 36 percent the prior month.

The latest numbers show a trend in which XP has gradually lost share over time, while Windows 7 has picked up more customers. In February 2011, XP owned more than half of the … Read more

Reporters' Roundtable: Mountain Lion and OS X's evolution

It's time for what's becoming the annual look at the Mac operating system, OS X. A week ago, Apple announced its latest update, Mountain Lion, and the announcement reveals how the operating system battle is evolving.

Two key trends: Smartphones are influencing desktop/laptop OS designs. And the cloud is becoming integral to the OS.

We're going to talk about Mountain Lion today and the future of the computer OS with two great experts:

Josh Lowensohn, the Apple reporter for CNET News Brian X Chen, a tech reporter for the New York Times, and author of " Always On: How the iPhone Unlocked the Anything-Anytime-Anywhere Future--and Locked Us In" )

Subscribe to the Roundtable: iTunes: MP3 | 320x180 | 640x360 Podcast RSS: MP3 | 320x180 | 640x360

… Read more

The 404 995: Where the damage is done (podcast)

Leaked from 404 Podcast 995:

Apple Mac OS X 'Mountain Lion' takes more bites out of iOS. Get started with iMessage for OS X. Low Latency No. 10: Good artists copy, great artists steal. Apple PR maintains a blacklist of journalists that it refuses to talk to. Bathroom break video : Live television texting-while-walking fail.

… Read more

Microsoft Bing page tips off new Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Microsoft has already cooked up a special Bing page tempting users to check out its upcoming Windows 8 "Consumer Preview."

The first clue is the video of a betta fish swimming from one edge of the screen to the other. Thought of as Microsoft's mascot for beta versions of new operating systems, that particular fish swam its way onto the desktop of the beta for Windows 7 in 2009.

But other more obvious clues are the hot spots and links scattered across the screen that refer specifically to Windows 8 Consumer Preview. Since the page is still … Read more

Windows XP still hanging on as dominant OS

Windows XP refuses to give up its top spot without a fight.

The decade-old OS has slowly been losing more users to Windows 7, but January marked a small resurgence in its grip on the market, according to stats out today from NetApplications.

For the month, Windows XP grabbed 47.19 percent of all OS users, inching up from 46.5 percent in December. At the same time, Windows 7 saw its market share dip to 36.4 percent from almost 37 percent the previous month.

Obviously, a fraction of a percentage point is nothing for XP to crow about, … Read more

Nokia went and bought itself another mobile OS

Apparently, Nokia isn't content with just two mobile operating systems.

The Finnish handset giant scooped up Smarterphone, a small Norwegian company that has an operating system designed for more basic cell phones, known in the industry as feature phones. The acquisition was disclosed by Smarterphone's Nordic investor parent, Ferd Capital.

A Nokia representative confirmed the acquisition but declined to comment further on what it means for the company.

This operating system would sit alongside Microsoft's Windows Phone platform, which is meant for high-end smartphones, and Nokia's own Symbian platform, which is now intended for lower-end devices … Read more

Samsung still dominates mobile phone market, but Apple is gaining

Samsung is still the biggest maker of mobile phones, but Apple is gaining ground, according to data released today by market researcher ComScore.

Samsung accounted for 25.6 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers for the three months ending November 11, a slight increase of 0.3 percent over the previous three months. While Apple came in fourth with 11.2 percent, its 1.4 percent increase was the greatest market share increase for the previous three months.

Samsung and Apple were the only mobile phone makers in the top 5 to boost their share of the market during that … Read more