WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT UPGRADING TO WINDOW 8

Windows 8 is Microsoft's latest operating system. It features touchscreen capabilities and a drastically different interface, and runs on tablets as well as PCs. It can be controlled entirely by touch (on compatible devices), with a mouse and keyboard, or by any combination of your preferred input options.

The operating system is a daring effort by Microsoft to stay relevant as PCs are being overtaken by mobile devices. Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating systems are dominating the tablet and smartphone market, and Microsoft is attempting something big, different and risky to catch up.

This is Microsoft's first operating system since the well-received Windows 7 was released three years ago. It is a complete reimagining of the desktop computer interface, but it is built on the same base as Windows 7, so all your old applications should continue to work just fine. (Except on devices running Windows RT. More on that later.)

What's different in this operating system?

The biggest change in Windows 8 is a system-wide shift in attitude. Apple products have the reputation for being fun and creative, Windows PCs for being dull but hardworking. One brand screams "Angry Birds," the other Excel spreadsheets. Microsoft wants Windows to be hip and enjoyable to use, so it has come up with its own tablet-style interface and tried to make it work on tablets as well as PCs.

At its best, the result adds some much needed life to an all-work-and-no-play operating system. At its worst, Windows 8 feels like two creatures hastily thrown together, One interface feels better with a touchscreen and gestures, the other with a keyboard and mouse or touchpad.

The familiar desktop view has been pushed to the background to make room for a colorful, touchable, swipeable Start Screen, which acts as your home base. When you start the computer, you'll be greeted with a jazzy array of square and rectangle tiles representing applications, arranged into groups. The tiles can show live information such as your latest e-mail, breaking news, photos, the weather or calendar reminders.

This side of Windows 8 runs apps developed for and sold in the Windows Store. But you can also click on a traditional Windows application and it will open it in the desktop view.

Windows 8 review: A big, beautiful, slightly shaky step forward

Back on the old desktop view, the most visible change is that the Start button is gone. All your old applications look and feel the same in this retro world, though tapping on buttons designed for a mouse can be tricky.

If you get confused, and you will in the beginning, one swipe from the right side of the Start Screen brings up a search tool to help you track down files or applications.

Some Windows users will scoff at the attempts to liven up the old system as pandering to more casual computer users, or as somehow making the system less capable of serious work. But there are also many subtle, under-the-hood changes, including performance improvements. Most notably, the startup time is greatly improved over Windows 7. There also is a new feature called Storage Spaces that makes it easy to manage your various storage and backup options.

Who should update to Windows 8?

The first version of a new operating system is bound to have bugs and issues. Individual Windows users, especially those with just one machine who depend on it for work or school, should not rush right out for that upgrade. Wait until a more stable version comes along that irons out early problems.

If you have an non-touchscreen computer, the switch may not be worth it unless you need the under-the-hood improvements. The operating system works on regular computers that don't have touchscreens, but they miss the best parts of the experience. The Start Screen and new tiled interface aren't nearly as satisfying when you can only click on them with a mouse (a touchpad is slightly better).

If you are a diehard Windows fan, or just a tech-savvy computer user familiar with the perils of being an early adopter, you'll just need to make sure your current computer meets the system requirements.

If you want to buy a new computer, there are already a large number of touchscreen options pre-loaded with Windows 8 from major manufacturers, including Samsung, Sony, Dell and Toshiba. There are ultrabooks, tablets, hybrids and desktops at all prices. There is plenty of hardware available at launch, but the Windows Store software selection is still a bit sparse.

Corporate users are usually slower to upgrade their workforces to a new operating system, and without a compelling reason to switch to Windows 8, that will likely be the case this time as well. A recent report from technology research firm Gartner predicts 90% of enterprises will wait to upgrade to Windows 8 until 2015. Companies that depend heavily on mobile devices might be the exception.

Which version of Windows should I get?

There are four versions of the new Windows operating system: Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, and Windows RT and Windows 8 Enterprise. While that may seem like a lot, it's actually fewer versions than Windows has offered for its operating systems in the past.

Luckily, the decision of which to buy is pretty much made for you.

If you are an individual upgrading an existing computer, your only option at the moment is Windows 8 Pro. The basic consumer version of Windows 8 will not be available for standalone purchase until February 2, 2013.

For now, Windows RT and the basic version of Windows 8 are only available pre-installed on new computers. The differences between Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro are minor. The big decision you'll have to make when buying a new system is if you want a Windows 8 or Windows RT device.

Windows RT is a different version created for devices with ARM processers. These processers, typically found in phones and tablets, use less power, which means longer battery life. At the moment, Windows RT is only available pre-installed on Microsoft's new Surface tablet and a handful of other devices.

 In Windows 8, the iPad has its first real challenger

Windows RT and Windows 8 look the same, but there's one key difference: Windows RT will not run your old Windows applications, only applications available through the Windows Store. That means no downloading any third-party apps from the Internet. The Windows Store has 5,000 apps in stock, but that number should grow over time. This closed approach is similar to the iPad and iPhone, which can only run applications sold through Apple's App Store.

Finally, are you a large company planning on buying a large number of licenses? If yes, check out Windows 8 Enterprise.

Is Windows 8 difficult to learn?

Windows 8 presents a completely new approach to using a Windows computer, and as with anything radically new, it takes some getting used to. Do not upgrade unless you can spare some time to familiarize yourself with the layout and settings. The new look borrows heavily from the iOS and Android mobile operating systems, but isn't nearly as intuitive.

Before you get scared off, know that it's not that hard to figure out the new system. It just takes a bit of effort and time, like learning any new program would. Microsoft took a big leap and created something new. Getting acclimatized is just a natural part of the process.

Some stores selling the Windows 8 products are offering classes. Staples, for example, will have free personalized training on the new system, as well as help moving old data over to a new computer.

How much does it cost?

Microsoft is dropping the $200 price of Windows 8 Pro for its big debut. Existing WIndows 7, WIndows Vista and WIndows XP (with SP3) users can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $40 online. If you'd prefer a physical copy shipped to you in a nice box, the price goes up to $70. The deal is good through the end of January.

Source:CNN

UGANDA YAPANIA KUDHIBITI MITANDAO JAMII

Moja ya sehemu iliyofanikiwa kufanya mapinduzi makubwa ya teknolojia ya sayansi ni teknolojia ya habari na mawasiliano.

Katika mapinduzi hayo ya teknolojia ya mawasiliano kumeibuka mitandao mingi ya kijamii ikiwamo Yahoo,Gmail,Twitter,Facebook,Youtube,blogs na mingine mingi ya aina hiyo.

Kama ilivyo kwa mapinduzi mengine yanayotokea huwa na faida na hasara.Kwa hapa Afrika mitandao hiyo imeonekana kuwa mwiba kwa serikali nyingi ambako katika miaka ya hivi karibuni imekuwa ikitumiwa kuhamasisha wananchi na kufanya maandamano ambayo husababisha kung'oa tawala mbalimbali ikiwemo Libya,Misri na Tunisia.

Hivi karibuni nchini Uganda wamejikuta wakikumbwa na hasara za mitandao hiyo baada ya kutumia na kiongozi wa upinzani,Kiiza Besigye kuhamasisha maandamano ya kuing'oa serikali.

Kwa Uganda ilishindikana kutokana na wananchi wengi wa nchi hiyo kushindwa kupata ujumbe huo kutokana na wengi wao kutokuwa na mitandao au wengi wao kutokuwa na fedha za kutosha za kuingia katika 'internet cafe' .

Kutokana na tukio hilo Polisi nchini Uganda wametangaza nia yao ya kudhibiti matumizi zaidi ya mitandao jamii kutokana na hofu ya kusambaa kwa habari zinazozua tishio kwa usalama wa nchi

Hayo anayasema Ofisa Mkuu wa Polisi wa Uganda Jenerali Kale Kayihura kwenye mkutano wa wakuu wa polisi kutoka kanda ya Afrika Mashariki

Taarifa hii ya polisi inakuwa wakati wafuasi wa upinzani wakiwa wametumia mitandao ya kijamii kuwasiliana.

Kayihura katika hotuba yake kwa wakuu wa polisi kutoka Afrika Mashariki pamoja na wajumbe toka Tanzania,Sudan,Sudan Kusini,Somalia,Sychelles,Burundi,Kenya,Rwanda,Ethiopia,Eritrea na Djibuti alisema mitandao ya kijamii ni mizuri lakini inaweza kuwa mbaya kwa jamii kwa sababu inatuma ujumbe haraka.

Mwaka 2009 watu 21 walifariki katika ghasia mjini Kayunga,Uganda kufuatia taarifa kuhusu ziara tata ya mfalme mmoja wa kitamaduni.

Inaelezwa kuwa hivi karibuni vijana nchini Uganda wameanza kutumia mitandao hiyo kujadili mambo ya siasa,wakifananisha matumizi ya mitandao hiyo kuleta mageuzi kama inavyofanyika katika nchi za kiarabu ambapo mtandao wa facebook ulitumika kuhamasisha watu na kuwaleta pamoja kwa sababu za kisiasa.

Chanzo:Gazeti la Tanzania Daima

TCRA YASEMA INAZINGATIA VIWANGO VYA SIMU TANZANIA

Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Mamlaka ya Mawasiliano Tanzania (TCRA),Profesa John Nkoma,amesema Tanzania inazingatia viwango vya simu vinavyoingizwa Tanzania tofauti na jamii inavyofikiria.

Mkurugenzi huyo amesema hayo alipokuwa akikabidhi leseni mbili za kutoa huduma ya mawasiliano kwa kampuni ya Telesi hivi karibuni jinini Dar es salaam ambapo alieleza kuwa simu zote zinazoingizwa nchini zinafanyiwa uchunguzi ili kuhakikisha zina viwango vinavyotakiwa.

Nkoma amesema Tanzania haiwezi kuwa dampo la soko kwa simu zisizo na ubora kwa kuwa harakati zinazofanywa na nchi za Kenya na Uganda za kuzuia simu zisizo na ubora zilianza kutekelezwa nchini nchini.

Alisema iwapo wataamua kuhakikisha simu zinazoingizwa ziwe ni zile zenye ubora wa juu zaidi,hatua hiyo itawafanya baadhi ya watanzania kushindwa kumiliki simu kutokana na simu hizo kuuzwa kwa bei kuanzia shilingi 500,000 za kitanzania.

GOOGLE'S RESEARCH ON TABLETS USERS

Google just published a new research paper that delves into the details of how tablet owners use their devices. Using diaries, in-home interviews and contextual inquiry observations, the company’s researchers observed how 33 U.S. tablet users interacted with their devices. Some of the results are pretty straightforward (tablets are primarily used for personal purposes and to play games and check email), while others were a bit more surprising. Just as many participants used their tablets in their beds as on their couches, for example, and a surprisingly large number of tablet owners use their iPads and Nexus 7s while cooking.

The one area that is probably the most interesting in this paper is Google’s look at what the study participants did while they where using their tablets. Watching TV, unsurprisingly, came in first with over 60% of the participants doing so, followed by eating and drinking (about 40%) and – somewhat surprisingly – cooking (27%). The participants told Google that they were using their tablets to enhance their TV experience “by extending that activity, through for example, looking up related information about the program that they were watching.” Looking at its diary study, though, the researchers also found that many of the participants just used TV as background noise while checking their email and doing other things completely unrelated to watching TV.
Source:techcrunch.com

TANZANIA : FAKE MOBILE PHONES TO BE BLOCKED SOON!!

Tanzania will join her neighbour Kenya in getting rid of counterfeit telephone handsets in the country by switching them off.

Speaking to “Sunday News’ the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) Acting Corporate Communication Manager Mr Semu Mwakyanjala said the regulatory authority is first planning to educate the public on the need to buy genuine mobile phones. “It is a long term plan to switch off counterfeit mobile phones in operation, for now we are only focusing on educating the public into buying genuine mobile phones,” Mr Mwakyanjala noted. He said the move will eventually be taken by all the other East African Member states, including Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi.
 
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) was recently quoted as to saying that counterfeit gadgets will be switched off at the end of November this year. A survey conducted by New Vision in Uganda showed that mobile phone dealers in Uganda are feeling the pinch as customers no longer want to purchase the ‘Made in China’ phones believing most of Chinese phones are fake.
 

Mr Mwakyanjala said the aim of blocking the counterfeit mobile phones is to boost security, noting that for the exercise to work, the regulatory authority depends on cooperation of all stakeholders in the communication industry. 

Explaining the software used for blocking counterfeit phones,
Mr Issac Mruma from TCRA Consumer Affairs department said the Central Equipment Identification Registrar (CEIR) is employed to identify fake mobile phones and then block them. Mr Mruma said the country is in the process of acquiring the software, however it will only be implemented after the public is aware of the advantages of genuine mobile phones.

Although Mr Mwakyanjala said the initiative to switch off fake mobile phones was agreed on in a meeting of the East African Communication Organization (EACO). The Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) was also quoted saying that it will soon announce the date for switching off the fake mobile phones.

RURA said it is working on the methodology to disconnect fake phones off their network and they will work with telecommunication companies to execute the exercise. RURA noted that it will use the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number through network service providers to differentiate between fake and genuine handsets.

In Tanzania early this month the deputy minister for Communication Science and Technology Mr January Makamba was quoted in a local daily saying that the country is working out plans on how to deal with fake handsets in light of Kenya’s move to switch them off. Mr Makamba said the fear is that those fake phones from Kenya will flood the Tanzania market, promising to convene a meeting with TCRA to deliberate on the issue.

Reliable sources that declined to be named had noted that Telecom service providers are reluctant for government to institute the move to switch off all fake mobile phones, for fear of losing customers.

However, recently Vodacom Tanzania Managing Director Mr Rene Meza was quoted saying that the move is commendable since it is aimed at protecting consumers’ rights and heavy investments made by multination companies. TCRA is participating in the Financial Service and Investment exhibition week at Mnazi Mmoja grounds, where it is giving presentations to small and medium entrepreneurs on financial issue.

Source:wotepamoja.com