Tag Archive for: windows

Windows 8 apps hackable and crackable, just like iOS and Android

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Earlier in the week a blog post by Nokia engineer (and former Microsoft employee) Justin Angel highlighted a number of issues with applications from the Windows Store that enabled, among other things, the unauthorized conversion of trial apps into full versions, the modification of the prices of in-app purchases, and removal of embedded advertisements. Soon after publishing his post, Angel’s blog was knocked offline in a flood of traffic; at the time of writing it remains unavailable, returning 503 error messages instead of content.

The integrity of Windows Store applications is an important issue. It forms part of the value proposition to developers, of the store itself; not only does the store provide easy, reliable billing, distribution, and updating, it also provides at least some degree of protection against piracy and other kinds of exploitation. If Windows 8 can’t provide this then competing platforms (such as iOS) and competing delivery mechanisms (such as the Web) become more appealing.

Angel’s examination of the store focused on games. Games are arguably the most popular category in app stores, and they provide some of the best demonstrations of the different business models that developers are using: ad-supported, free trials, and extensive use of in-app purchasing.

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Ars Technica » Technology Lab

Low-end Lumia 620 shows Nokia’s and Windows Phone’s scaling trouble

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Today Nokia announced the Lumia 620, a range of colorful handsets running Windows Phone 8 that should have an unsubsidized cost of around $ 249. The phones will be released in the first quarter of 2013, initially in Asian and African markets and later in Europe and South America.

The specs are modest: 3.8-inch 800×480 screen, dual core 1GHz Snapdragon S4 with 512MB RAM, 5 megapixel rear camera/VGA front camera, 802.11 a/b/g/n, NFC, Bluetooth 3, GPS/GLONASS, 8GB of internal storage, a microSD slot, in a range of brightly colored interchangeable plastic cases, 11mm thick and weighing 127g.

The 620 will be available in the four process colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) and white, and to these Nokia is adding two new colors: lime green and orange. These two colors use a new process Nokia calls “Dual Shot” in which two colors are layered on top of each other, which apparently creates “depth effects” and “textures.” The lime green covers are a “dual shot” of yellow and cyan; orange, one assumes, is yellow and red.

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Ars Technica » Technology Lab

Microsoft renames former Metro apps to ‘Windows 8 Store’ then ‘Windows Store’ apps

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In August, after a trademark dispute with a German retailer, Microsoft killed off the ‘Metro’ brand naming design for apps and replaced it with “Modern,” “Modern UI-style,” “Windows 8-style,” “Windows 8 style UI,” and now officially calls it the ‘Windows 8 Store.’ At least that is the name according to Will Tschumy, who is a principal user experience advisor for Microsoft. Read more
Ms. Smith’s blog

Going to work with Windows 8 Enterprise

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The Administrator’s view of the business side of a Windows 8 start page. This is what Windows shortcut keys were made for.
Sean Gallagher

Windows 8 Enterprise is the reverse-mullet of operating systems: all party in front and business in the back. Up front, the new Start screen and touch-focused interface are more focused on users having a good time—one can not imagine many productivity applications for having access to content based on a gamertag, for example. Behind the tiles, the Desktop is where all the real work will happen.

And even at the Desktop level, Windows 8 Enterprise does not wear its business credibility on its sleeves. The exclusive features in the volume-licensed version of Windows 8 packaged specifically for business users are for the most part under the covers and barely visible. But they make it possible for users to work more securely, and take their work with them when they untether from the LAN—or, with one new feature, when they unplug their boot thumbdrive from the PC.

There are six features exclusive to Windows 8 Enterprise that aim to make it friendlier for business use:

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Ars Technica » Technology Lab