Windows 8.1 Overhaul Coming Soon - "Start" Return?

MICROSOFT LISTENS - THE START BUTTON IS DUE TO RETURN, & MORE WITH 8.1

The masses spoke out, and Microsoft listened! The new version of Windows 8.1 coming this year will give back what everyone misses the most, the Start button. Not only that, we'll be getting even more significant updates.

Right when everyone thought that that Windows 8 would spell the demise of the legendary dominant operating system, the proposed changes may put them back solidly in control. Microsoft’s Jensen Harris and Antoine Leblond presented an update in San Francisco on May 29th that has everyone excited at the BUILD developer’s conference.

We'll have to wait until the end of the year for this monumental rollout, but it will be worth the wait. I've held off on updating my desktop and laptop, but I'll be ready to get on board once Windows 8.1 is officially released.

So to all my fellow geek friends who have told me how much they despise Windows 8 for being such a tremendous left turn off the beaten path of their familiar operating system, there's hope! Let's take a brief look at some of the changes that are significant.

PROPOSED CHANGES AND ADDITIONS COMING WITH WINDOWS 8.1

• The "Start" button will return, allowing Windows to come back to its most familiar basic functionality.
• The customizable lock screen will have a single full-screen image,  becoming what they call “the world’s best cloud-powered photo frame.”
• The start screen will have 2 new sizes allowed, bringing the total to 4 sizes.
• The Start layout will allow installed apps to roam between Windows 8 devices connected to the same Microsoft account (very nice).
• The Metro-style PC Settings section will be expanded to include all the Windows settings that were formerly part of the desktop Control Panel.
• You will get a completely new "Windows Store" design.
• You won't get the huge list of search scopes when you click the Search charm which will rid you of the need to go through all of them one at a time. It will have one search box and a unified results list that has all of your apps, files, settings, and content from the web and Wikipedia apps.
• You'll get a new touch keyboard with improved autosuggest, new gestures, and much easier functionality for putting in your own numbers & symbols without changing the keyboard layout.
• The touch keyboard has an improved autosuggest capability and supports new gestures, making it easier to insert numbers and symbols without having to change the keyboard layout.
• There will be no more manual updating for Windows Store apps. It will be done in the background as normal maintenance.
• Updates for Windows Store apps will be applied automatically as part of Windows 8.1’s background maintenance process. That’s a significant shift from Windows 8, which requires manual updates to the new apps.
• You get new snap "behaviors" for Metro-style apps. You can arrange up to 4 Windows 8 apps side by side, with variable widths. No more being stuck with 320-pixel snap widths. This will be a big help for the new Win8 tablets coming out this summer.
• There will be a pile of new apps coming, and the existing ones will get updated. The XBOX Music app that everyone hates will get an overhaul, and more tools for the Photo app.
• Synchronization between Skydrive and Windows 8.1 is coming, so you'll be able to sync between all of your cloud aps and folders.
• You'll be able to bypass the start screen and go straight to your good ole desktop. Plus, you'll be able to sync the backgrounds between the Start screen and desktop so they look the same.
• File Explorer will get a significant overhaul.

So there you have it! I think this should have happened from the jump, but it's better late than never. In the meantime, I'm sticking with Windows 7 and putting off turning my life upside down. In the words of Sweet Brown, "ain't nobody got time foh dat!"

Hats off to you, Microsoft. You're using your heads now. Change is good, and it's inevitable. But we're gonna need you to just slow it down a bit and work with us change-resistant people. Mkay??? Greeeaaat.

Carlton Flowers
Worry-Free Windows Watchman

Samsung Galalxy S4 Review - The First Day

24 HOURS WITH THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 OUT OF THE BOX

Okay folks, it hasn't really even been 24 hours yet, but this is my day-1 report of the Samsung Galalxy S IV smartphone from AT&T Wireless. This is not a test. I repeat... this is not a test!

Actually, this is my personal permanent property that I'll persistently play with. My upgrade happened last week, and I put all the chips in on the Galaxy S4 by ordering it through Amazon Wireless online for $168. The phone showed up on my doorstep yesterday.

Unpacking the phone was a blast. The packaging was very stylish, to the level of something Apple would provide. I took the opportunity of video recording the ocasion for my enjoyment and your entertainment. Stay tuned, I'll have the video edited and uploaded to Youtube in a few days.

I had to make a quick run to the local AT&T store to get a new micro SIM card for the device, which was no problem because there was no charge. Apparently the phone was supposed to have a SIM card shipped with it, but it arrived without.

Signing in to my Google account, I was able to set up all of my favorite apps and connect my contacts that are backed up through Gmail. No pain at all, quite convenient and easy. I took out the SD memory card from my Galaxy S2 and replaced it into the S4 and I was off to the races.

One thing I can say after playing with the phone late into the night and during part of the day today is that there are so many features packed into this device there won't be any way I'll be able to discover all of the capabilities in a short period of time. All I can do is figure out how to handle some of the most puplar features.

The look and feel of the phone is what took me most by surprise. With all of the tech bloggers out there dogging this phone to no end saying that it is super lightweight, cheap, and "plasticy", I didn't expect what I actually got.

This phone is lightweight compared to an iPhone or an HTC device. But it does not feel like a flimsy peice of plastic. There is a metal band surrounding the phone now, and it adds a higher quality "build feel". It woudn't have made me a difference, but it was a nice surprise.

The other surprise was the size of the smartphone. The Galaxy S4 really isn't that much bigger than my old Galaxy S2. I thought it was going to be closer to the size of the Galaxy Note 2, but not at all. They've maximized the size of the screen by pushing it to the extreme limits of the bezel. I would not have thought a 5" display smartphone would fit as snugly in my hand as the S4.

Going back to my Galaxy S2, it now feels more like "toy" in my hand with its slightly smaller size, boxier shape, and lighter weight. They've definitely refined this device over two generations, and have come up with quite an elegant design with the S4.

I have a lot to report, so I'll cut this one short and just summarize it this way: I love this phone, and it had me at "hello"!

Carlton Flowers
The Quan of Smartphone Review

GET YOUR GALAXY S4 NOW AT AMAZON WIRELESS!

Grab your Samsung Galaxy S IV right now at Amazon Wireless for the best pricing possible on all major carriers when you sign a valid 2-year agreement! Click the link to jump to Amazon and join the Samsung revolution!

Best Apps - "Maxthon" Browser for Android

MAXTHON BROWSER FOR ANDROID DOES MUCH MORE THAN MOST

The app that gets the most use from my smartphone on a day-to-day basis would have to be the Maxthon "cloud browser" for Android. It's chock-full of surprises.

It's a tabbed browser that I found in my search for alternatives that would support text reflow, which is something I consider fundamental for mobile browsers. Maxthon has text reflow capability, which makes intensive reading on your smartphone a breeze.

But there are several other surprises that came with this browser that I didn't even know about until using it for several days. One of them is the ability to pull up a shortcut page of all your favorite apps and functions from your home Android screen. You can perform most of the regular tasks that you use right from the app.

Add to that some nice things like "Super Gesture" which allows gesture movements to close tabs, move from one to the other, and restore. You can even create your own custom gestures that will save to your device.

And check out some of these cloud services that they have listed on the Maxthon website:

• Cloud Push: supports sending text, images, websites/links and tabs to Mac, Android and Windows operating systems.
• Cloud Share: Supports sharing text, images, websites/links and files with friends.
• Cloud Download: supports downloading files in various formats and uploading them to 'My Cloud' for backup on any device.
• Cloud Tabs: Lets you pick up where you left off by automatically syncing your tabs to Windows, iOS, or Mac devices.
• Sync Bookmarks/Favorites: Sync Favorites across Windows, Mac and iOS devices.

That's a lot for this awesome little browser! It gets a "two-thumbs-up" for being the best alternative browser I have downloaded to date. Get it in the Google Play store and run it on your mobile device or tablet. You won't be disappointed!

Carlton Flowers
App-tastic Gadgeteer

MORE MAXTHON SCREEN SHOTS

(Click the thumbnails to jump to the Google Play Store to download Maxthon Browswer!)

Best Apps - "Google Keep" Is King Of "To Do" Types

BEST APP SERIES - GOOGLE KEEP IS A HIDDEN GEM

Howdy folks! This is the first of my "Best Apps" series where I will showcase some of my favorite apps that help me stay productive, solve problems, or just plain have fun.

Today, we'll talk about something I just discovered a week ago called "Google Keep".

I'm always game for an app that serves as a To Do list type of organizing tool. But none of them can come close to Google Keep.

You can do so many things with this app, and I love the way the interface works. This happens to be my favorite of all organizer apps just because of the way it looks and works.

Instead of a plain to-do checkbox list, you can add elements to this app just like placing sticky notes on the fridge. The elements can be whatever you want: to-do lists, pictures, audio memos, quick notes, and more.

A bonus advantage to this app that I totally love is the ability to pull up your Google Keep account on any computer or device that has an internet connection when you use your Gmail account. That means you are never far away from your notes!

Check out Google Keep on Android and iOS, and the desktop version using any operating system and an internet connection. It rocks! For Android, click the pic to jump to Google Play Store and download the app.

Do you have a favorite app that you'd like me to check out? Tell me all about it in the Disqus comments section. If it is interesting enough, I might even try it out myself!

Stay tuned for more "Best Apps". I have a lot of good ones to share!

Carlton Flowers
App Extremist

HTC One vs HTC One X - The Surprising Winner IMO

ONE OR ONE X? MY PICK FOR HTC'S BEST WILL SURPRISE YOU!

It's about time that someone wrote about the glaring differences between the recently released flagship HTC One and the previously released HTC One X.

I don't quite understand why HTC would develop two devices so similar yet so different. One is CLEARLY the superior overall device, in my opinion.

One of these smartphones I fell in love with immediately. The other one rubbed me the wrong way the minute I took it out of the box.

So which of these two HTC juggernauts is the one that captured my heart? I don't think you would guess right if I didn't tell you...

It was the One X!

As far as technical specificcations, the phones are not very far apart. Of course the HTC One has a bit more under the hood than the One X, because it is the newer phone. But not by much. The only spec that the One soars over the One X with would be screen resolution. But everything else is a close match.

That said, the reason that I love the One X is the form factor. This is a smooth, sleek, thin phone that feels incredible in the palm of your hands. It was most wonderfully crafted, with no hard edges and a screen that flows into the rounded sides like a work of art. It is also fairly light in weight compared to older HTC smartphones.

But the HTC One is a monstrously heavy device with some rather annoying design elements. First of all, it has sharp edges that do not feel comfortable in the hand. Plus it has a rounded back. Try to touch type on this thing while it's sitting on a flat surface, and you will be playing a game of see-saw with the device. Very annoying.

The most frustrating thing about the HTC One for me was the way they designed the power button and the volume buttons to be flush with the edge of the device. You have to visually search for the buttons to activate them. There's no raised dot, or any portrusion that allowsyou to "feel" your way to properly depressing the buttons. Humongous annoyance.

I have no earthly idea what HTC was thinking when they finalized the form factor of the One. I also don't understand what it is with the people who are giving this device rave reviews for its design aesthetics. I guess it's all preference.

But one thing is solidly clear to me... the One X is a fantastic phone that I would gladly purchase with slightly lower specifications over the HTC One, all due to the form factor and design materials.

What is your opinion of these two devices? Do you agree with me on my opinion about the HTC One X? Or do you believe the HTC One is the clear winner with its new design? Sound off in the Disqus comments section!

Carlton Flowers
King of Gadget Demagoguery

GET YOUR HANDS ON THE HTC ONE & HTC ONE X AT THE LOWEST PRICES!

Check out the Amazon Wireless store where you can get the HTC One and HTC One X as low as $79.99 with a 2-year contract! Click the link or pictures below to jump to Amazon.com and get your hands on your favorite HTC smartphone today!

HTC One VX 4G Android smartphone AT&T from $0.01 with 2-year contract or $499.99 without contract!

HTC One Glacial Silver Android smartphone AT&T from $129.99 with 2-year contract or $649.99 without contract!

HTC One X White Android smartphone AT&T - click the image to check on current pricing from Amazon Wireless!