Windows 8 - Deeper Impressions

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Diary of a Dot MetroTard ...

Image allegedly of Windows Phone 8.1 shows multi-tile select, notification center ( NeoWin 2013-09-11 )

The subject of the article, multiple tile select, is irelevant. The discussion takes a tangent onto the missing notification center and hilarity ensues when Dot MetroTard comes by to advertise both his uber-fanboyism and selfish need to dictate what features others do or do not need.

Notification center still seems highly redundant. That's what Live Tiles are for.

Even his/her fellow NeoKids are scratching their heads and getting annoyed with the fanboy-in-chief ...

True, but sometimes you get notifications for apps that arent pinned. (at least i do)

What if you get notifications for an app that is not pinned or what if you have lots of apps pinned and you get a notification for an app that is at the very bottom? Surely having to scroll all the way down or having to hunt the app down is not good design.

Not everyone wants every single app that have pinned onto their homescreen. And even if they did, who wants to scroll all that way checking for tiles that have them, amongst the tiles that dont?

I am tired of people being blind fanboys. It's discussing. Stop being a slave to Microsoft

I'll give you a tip, if you ever go to his house don't drink the kool-aid.

Here's an idea, if they do release a notification center don't use it, just stick to live tiles and let people who want to use it use it. I want a place where all notifications can be found as i miss plenty on live tiles. I will still use live tiles and yes i like them but they do have shortcomings that will be solved with a notification center.

think of it like this, you don't have to use it

More insight from Dot ...

Huh? The apps I'm most concerned about are pinned to the top of my screen. The apps I don't care for aren't, and their notifications are turned off. Too many notifications, and you're suffering from information overload, plus extraneous data usage. I could guarantee that any one person here only has a *handful* of apps they truly care receiving notifications from.

Mine are the basics:

Social (People Hub/FB/Twitter)

News (Bing News)

Weather (Bing Weather/Weather Channel)

Messaging (Text Messages/Mail/Skype)

All these tiles easily fit on the first few rows of screen real estate.

Not if you do not want to pin all your apps to the start screen. Besides what is wrong with offering options to satisfy as many people as possible?

This goes on for a while until Dottie gives us some more brilliant insight ...

No, but why waste time on such a trivial feature, when the dev tems could be working on other killer features?

... and even more ...

The whole idea behind the live tiles was to eliminate the need for a notifications center. Apple/Google don't have interactive tiles, therefore have the need to display that information somewhere.

There is also no real way to implement one, since WP is already a highly gestured OS.

I guess Dottie must fancy him/herself as some kind of Playskool Microsoft Tiles aka "Modern" strategist or evangelist, and has somehow convinced himself that he knows all the actual decision making that went on behind the scenes in the Redmond Ivory Towers.

The commenters are apparently tiring of his shtick though. Even self-described MicroZealots ...

Look, I want you to understand that the world doesn't revolve around you. You have to realize that when most people is asking for a notification center, there is a genuine need. If live tiles where truly enough (which they aren't), no one would be complaining! Just because YOU don't need it, you shouldn't say that it is useless feature.

Second of all. I want to let you know that I am a HUGE Microsoft fan. I love Windows and I love Microsoft services. But even I look at things realistically and accept issues with both Microsoft products and services. I have NEVER, I mean NEVER, saw you being critical of anything by Microsoft (except maybe totally failed products like the Kin). I mean come on. I like MS, but I am NOT a slave to MS. I WILL NOT ignore things that MS lacks.

I am grateful for Microsoft, but I try to understand that REAL issues of MS products. For instance, I understand that Windows 8 is a mess (I might not mind it, but most does). I urge you to not be a slave to Microsoft.

Dot MetroTard is getting butthurt ...

I *really* don't appreciate being called a **** slave. I'm simply stating that Notification Center functionality has been included in the OS since day 1. Anything extra is simply redundant. I like Windows Phone because of the fact it's not a cluttered and overloaded OS like Android is.

Still they try to penetrate that thick noggin ...

The notification functionality in WP is EXTREMELY LACKING. If it wasn't, then why would MICROSOFT be making a notification center that DOESN'T SUCK?

Live tiles are fine if everything you like can be pinned to the top. That's a total of 8 medium-sized tiles. I need more than that. If I make things tiny then it's just a number indicator which is nowhere near the functionality of a notification center. You can't see a preview or dismiss the notification until you open the app. You can't access your notifications from anywhere in the OS. I have to return to the home screen. Then when I want to go back I'll be greeted with "Resuming..." for a while depending on the app. I can't quickly toggle settings. I can't dismiss notifications. I can't do quick actions. Live Tiles are great, but they're NOT mutually exclusive with a notification center. They're just NOT.

If you really don't like that extra functionality then here's a good idea: don't use the notification center. If they implement it as a silly tile then unpin it. If they implement it like Android and iOS (which is what they should do) then simply don't slide down from the top of your screen and you won't see it. You can continue to use lacking live tiles. Except when it is rolled out (and your phone FINALLY receives it after Microsoft certifies it, the OEM certifies it, and then your carrier holds it hostage for 2 months) you will end up using it because it's just better.

And some realize that resistance is truly futile with the MetroCommander-in-Chief ...

Ohhhh you actually believe live tiles are better than a notification center. Boy this is awkward...

Too bad Dottie. Even your fellow Microholics see you for what you are - an enabler of bad decision making and design regression.

A typical day in the NeoVerse!

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

On the Security Front ...

Google accused of wiretapping in latest lawsuit ( NeoWin 2013-09-11 )

"Even if it is commonplace for members of the general public to connect to a neighbour's unencrypted WI-FI network, members of the general public do not typically mistakenly intercept, store, and decode data transmitted by other devices on the network".

The fanboys are of course attacking Google mercilessly even though they themselves swear allegiance to Microsoft who is the first and primary partner for the government spooks.

I don't like this ruling at all from a common sense point of view. This court is in effect twisting and expanding the concept of public airwaves to equal "private" whenever they arbitrarily think so.

I recall when satellite TV became an issue because some people could decode the scrambled signals beamed on their house. Rather than side with the creative and technologically savvy public, some small fraction of who were able to descramble Sat TV, they crazily sided with the companies, in effect removing any responsibility from them to protect their own signal with better encryption or not beaming it onto non-subscribers in the first place. This later happened with cable signals as well, also piped into your house. The onus was on the non-subscribers to NOT listen in. This precedent was widened by Hollywood who convinced and entire industry to add DRM chips to every consumer electronic DVD player and convinced governments to pass laws to make it illegal to even try. That is multiple levels down the rabbit hole of fascism if you ask me because the companies are being propped up by government and have no incentive to develop better hardware. They don't have to when the government waves a magic wand to protect your product. Never mind the fact that they also literally stepped into your home to tell you what you cannot do in there. Government in the bedroom.

Now this idi0tic Court comes along and drags us into another deeper rabbit hole. This time the signals traveling through the air and landing on your house ( or Google's van ) don't even need to be scrambled to be illegal to listen to. The logical next step would be to make eavesdropping, hearing someone talking on the street, illegal next. You can't rule it out, trust me.

This is not a defense of Google BTW. It is a defense of private property actually. If you talk or transmit signals that make it into my house you can expect me to listen. That is NOT wiretapping. That Court is a bunch of dopes.

Encryption: What It Is, and How It Works for You ( Tom's Hardware 2013-09-11 )

Behind the Padlock: How Secure Web Connections Work ( Tom's Hardware 2013-09-12 )

A couple of articles with basic overviews of what Encryption and web security is. Good for beginners and even novices to get started on understanding what is now happening.

Google and others band together for greater NSA transparency ( NeoWin 2013-09-11 )

Naturally even this offends a MicroTard ...

Why is Neowin posting pro-Google garbage like this? As if joining a "White House panel" is going to do anything meaningful.

Maybe a better question would be why does NeoWin owner Stephen Parker still pander to Microsoft who damaged NeoWin badly exactly one decade ago ...

• Cnet: Microsoft speaks, Neowin site goes dark ( CNet 2003-03-04 )

... that's a better question. It is still hard to imagine how Microsoft has successfully raised such a crop of Apple-like fanboys in the past 6 or 7 years. They are even worse than the stereotype of those Apple fanatics. They exhibit knee-jerk hatred of Apple and Google and they ( for the most part ) are not even employees or stockholders. It is truly a Jonestown-like cult of koolaid drinking MicroChildren.

Report reveals NSA director Keith Alexander replicated a war room after Star Trek's Starship Enterprise ( NeoWin 2013-09-11 )

"During a tour of the facility, Alexander allegedly showed his colleagues the Information Dominance Centre, custom built by a Hollywood set designer to replicate the iconic sci-fi setting. The area reportedly came complete with chrome panels, computer stations, a huge TV monitor on the forward wall, and even doors that made a "whoosh" sound when they open and closed.

His colleagues, made up of high ranking lawmakers and important officials, were allegedly impressed by the scene and took turns sitting in the captains chair, while Alexander passionately "showed off his data tools on the big screen".

Everybody wanted to sit in the chair at least once to pretend he was Jean-Luc Picard, says a retired officer in charge of VIP visits."

One of the NSA's meeting rooms could have looked like this.

( NOTE: different image but with original NeoWin caption )

Well isn't this just the icing on the cake. The head of No Such Agency fancies himself as a starship captain. Never mind the fact that Picard, for all his fictional quirks, at least represented the highest possible integrity imaginable. This idjit here must hope some of that rubs off on his own image. Unfortunately, it does the opposite IMHO. It makes him look like a little fool that plays in a sandbox of taxpayer dollars with no oversight and no integrity because it is not a job requirement.

How absurd to imagine this little twerp sitting in a chair like that, commanding his taxpayer funded peons to bring up the personal data of a target on the screen, probably tossing in the requisite "Make It So!" just to make their hard day of spying ever more enjoyable. It's even worse to imagine those creeps like Pelosi and Boehner doing the same thing, having a hearty chuckle on the dime of the taxpayers.

It would be just great to elect some actual reformers and have them immediately after swearing in conduct a raid tour of all these facilities and let us see what we have purchased with our cash. I imagine they all have very comfy facilities with nice chairs and amenities and that is the crux of the problem. Give them wooden chairs and no creature comforts equivalent to Navy ship quartering and they would be less inclined to spend all day spending our money. Fricking disgusting!

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

More on the Security Front ...

UK Intelligence Recruiting Code-breakers with Treasure Hunt ( Tom's Hardware 2013-09-12 )

What can you say except that spying is a growth industry, even in a 5-year long recession. Hurray.

NSA Leaks 2013 - A Timeline of NSA Revelations ( Tom's Hardware 2013-09-12 )

An excellent table of contents to the early summer spy leaks. And this particular link still deserves special mention ...

• Microsoft handed the NSA access to encrypted messages ( UK Guardian 2013-07-11 )

How a Virtual Private Network Can Boost Your Security ( Tom's Hardware 2013-09-12 )

Continuing their series of security articles, this one provides an overview to VPN use. The true privacy value of a VPN remains a bit cloudy after all the related revelations but the concept of better than nothing still holds true IMHO.

How Online Services Can Help Preserve Your Anonymity ( Tom's Hardware 2013-09-12 )

Another novice level overview of WWW privacy issues. Definitely nothing new to most folks on MSFN or even Tom's Hardware but worth spreading to friends and family if only to help wake them up from their blissful stupor.

Motion tracking cameras coming to Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo laptops in 2014 ( TechSpot 2013-09-12 )

Intel has built a tiny USB motion tracking camera module that can fit inside the bezel of a laptop's screen: a considerably better solution than the expensive external cameras required previously.

Oh great, nothing could go wrong here.

EDIT: spacing grrrr!

Edited September 13, 2013 by CharlotteTheHarlot

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

News from the Competition ...

Sony Xperia Z Ultra Review ( TechSpot 2013-09-12 )

( original photo )

Pretty sharp looking Android tablet IMHO, I mean the GUI crispness and clarity. Perhaps there are a handful of non-blind non-retarded designers still around after all. No wonder Dell was hiding the Playskool interface on their tablet above.

Oh, and it's a phone too, a so-called phablet. Very handy I think.

Google Introduces Haswell Chromebooks ( Tom's Hardware 2013-09-12 )

Intel and Google Collaborate on Next Generation Chromebooks Powered by Haswell ( Maximum PC 2013-09-12 )

More Intel powered non-Windows computers. It wasn't too long ago that these were all ARM if I recall correctly. It seems Intel is getting comfortable outside the Microverse which spells trouble for Microsoft because this end of the market, Netbooks, was formerly dominated by Vista and Windows 7. Then Microsoft went and turned the world upside down. Now they are reaping the rewards - Google's Chrome OS on Intel nextgen silicon. Only Microsoft could have facilitated this one. Two thumbs up boys!

Retro phone - the "Brick" straight outta time - gives up to six months standby ( NeoWin 2013-09-12 )

"The specs are truly retro, operating on the 2G spectrum the phone has a tiny 1.8-inch TFT screen with a resolution of just 128x160p. However, the killer feature is the battery; the Brick can last up to three months on standby on a single full charge, with 28 hours of talk time. This is, admittedly, the "Power" edition of the phone, which runs on a 2000mAh battery and can also be used to charge a second mobile device via a micro-USB port. The standard edition has a 1000mAh battery, which provides "only" one month of standby and 14 hours of talk time; however, you can pick up the XXL battery for either edition which gives you up to six months of standby time.

Another less retro feature is the microSD slot that allows playback of MP3, AAC, AMR and WAV audio files.

Finally, it isn't expensive either, the Brick - which becomes available in the UK from 10 October - costs £50 (60) ($79 USD) with the Power edition costing £80 (95) ($126 USD). They will also become available globally from November via the web, coming to physical stores later."

Shucks, I was hoping to use the term RetroPhone for MetroPhone but they went and stole it.

This is a pretty good copy of 1990's SatPhones, late-1980's portables or 1960's-1970's walkie talkies. It does make you wonder though. When you make a handset that large there is a *lot* of room inside and it appears they have put it to good use with a huge battery. I've long thought that they should stop making smartphones thinner each year, and instead make the components smaller and cram more inside the same physical package ( and yes, the same goes for computer motherboards! ).

I would be perfectly happy if my phone was the thickness of a portable camera ( but with a 5" or 6" screen ) as long as that depth was put to great use. Large or multiple batteries, large storage cards, a larger retracting camera lenses. Come to think of it, a portable camera is already almost the perfect size.

Way too much Apple news to cover so here are just some quick impressions ...

Editorial: iPhone's 64-bit architecture is pure marketing fluff ( NeoWin 2013-09-11 )

The hypocrisy is uber-thick with MicroZealots and MetroTards. So Apple's next phone CPU called the A7 uses 64 bit architecture. What a wonderful illustration of the shoe on the other foot. It was only 5 or so years ago that the big push in the Windows universe was to get everyone on 64-bit hardware and software, a self-serving cynical marketing ploy if ever there was one.

But here we are, hearing all the same arguments made to debunk the earlier hype, but this time it comes from the 'Tards that previously we were arguing with. The difference of course is that Apple released the chip and now they are in full fledged role reversal. Hilarity ensues.

UPDATE: now their other mortal enemy, Samsung, has also jumped onboard! Wait until this one gets picked up at NeoWin ...

Samsung: our next-gen smartphones will have 64-bit chips, too ( TechSpot 2013-09-12 )

woohoo

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

More news from the Competition ...

Apple Stock Falls 6 Percent Following iPhone Event - New iPhones, same 4-inch display ( Maximum PC 2013-09-11 )

The article is kind of irrelevant to me, I just wanted to show some quick pictures of the products ...

... and a so-called "gold" one ...

( Original Photos: 1, 2 )

I don't know about anybody else but they are seriously reaching into Playskool territory with those pastel colors. The iOS 7 wallpaper selection makes each set of icons look worse than ever and they are seriously deluding themselves into thinking that there are any visual improvements on this interface. We'll see soon enough. And that "gold"? Well, I'll get to that.

One pretty sensible comment there ... "Since the NSA has a backdoor to your phone, it'll now have your fingerprint, even if you've never been arrested or anything." ... all recent spy revelations considered I think this is a good point. Yes, that security article a few days ago implies that Apple phones have been one product that gives the spooks some trouble. But can we really trust that information? I doubt it. So having said that, why would we voluntarily place our fingerprints into that giant international digital vacuum cleaner they are operating. It is entirely possible that they are actually waiting and hoping for millions of new iPhones to blend into the system and then later launch a wholesale collection of fingerprints. I can't really think of a reason to doubt this anymore.

Apple's iPhone gets approved for China Mobile's 700 million subscribers ( TechSpot 2013-09-11 )

At yesterday's Apple event, many expected the company to announce the first details regarding a partnership with China Mobile, the world's largest mobile provider. Reports are now saying that Apple is indeed in talks with the Chinese mobile provider regarding selling the company's devices to the carrier's 700 million untapped customers.

If that news is true, given all these "less" expensive colored iPhones they are gonna sell a huge buttload of them over there. Great news for Apple of course but not necessarily for everyone else since it means a huge percentage of the actual world population will be getting addicted to still expensive phones that only exist because of hidden subsidies in the plans. That subsidy scam has to be beaten down, not given new life. This is worse news for WP naturally, but so is everything really.

At the link is one of many photos of the new colors ( included in my graphic below ). It seems to me that Jony Ive and his crack team of AppleTards are nipping at the heels of the Microsoft MetroTard design school. They supposedly have a "gold" phone now, hmmm, that doesn't look like gold to me though. So I made them a helpful infographic ...

( Originals: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 )

iPad 5 body fully detailed in dozens of leaked high-res images ( NeoWin 2013-09-11 )

The picture at the link of the possible iPad 5 ( included in the following graphic ) just looks butt ugly to my eyes. This is all I really got to say about it ...

( Originals: 1, 2 )

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Interesting story

http://www.androidauthority.com/nokia-android-phone-newkia-264160/

Thanks, and that's a great link you found there. : If I may ...

Former Nokia CEO founds Newkia, aims to create the Nokia Android phone youve always dreamed of ( Android Authority 2013-09-05 )

Despite the fact that many consider Nokia to have gone to the dark side, and to have opted for the path of least resistance, there are still great minds contained within the once great giant. The silver lining contained within the sale of Nokias phone division to Microsoft is that a mass defection of their best talent appears likely.

We already have a team of senior former Nokia executives ready to run the business, and we are confident that we can attract the talent from those people who want to develop a competitive phone on the Android platform.

For all those among us that have dreamed of a Nokia Android phone, perk up. The marriage of Nokias legendary build quality and the best mobile operating system in the world would be a truly amazing thing, and now, its looking more likely than ever.

Newkia indeed. Sounds like really good news. :

[Formfiller]

There is a lot going on on this thread:

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1780736&page=7

The writer of the W8 bash article on Tweakguides.com (http://www.tweakguides.com/Windows81_1.html) joined the discussion, the metrotards are in full swing too.

And on Techbroil.com there is an outright war with the tards and apparently some shills. I guess the marketing department in Redmond reactivated the troops just in time for the 8.1 release. Stuff got interesting again.

Edited September 13, 2013 by Formfiller

[JorgeA]

( original photo )

Where did the Playskool Metro tiles go?

Hey look everybody, another new Windows 8 device that for some strange reason doesn't show Windows 8! I wonder why? Anyone else noticing this trend because I'm even seeing it in the weekly sales flyers in the newspaper.

My $0.02: IMO what's happening with this is that the Metro Start Screen is both obtrusive ("in your face;" "can't miss it") and uniform due to its solid colors and large screen elements (the tiles). The standard Desktop is not only more discreet, it also lends itself to greater customization and a broader range of possible "looks." For the Metro Start Screen, this means that, when the reader sees a page full of Windows 8 devices, not only does the Start Screen dominate the visuals of each individual PC image, but the computers all look the same.

Plus, as we know, the design of the Metro Start Screen is crude and garish to begin with. All told, it makes sense that vendors have started to pull away from showing it in their ads.

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

A ray of hope, maybe:

Who's who on Microsoft's new operating systems team

It's interesting that the new OS core leadership trio -- Treadwell, Fortin and Sanders -- are all former Core Operating Systems Division (COSD) folks. According to one of my sources, that's not a coincidence. Bringing the old Windows band back together might right some of the perceived wrongs instituted by the Windows management in recent years. Pitting WinDev against DevDiv and focusing on touch tablets while largely ignoring the non-touch Windows desktop experience in designing Windows 8 led to dissatisfaction among a number of Microsoft developers and users. The overarching goal for Myerson's OS division is to break down boundaries further between the different flavors of Windows.

I'm comforted by all but the last sentence in that paragraph.I guess it will depend on what exactly the "breaking down" of those "boundaries between the different flavors of Windows" ultimately means. I'd be more comforted if the last sentence had said something like, "The overarching goal for Myerson's OS division is to create flavors of Windows appropriate to each form factor, while enhancing connectivity and communication among devices."

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

Apologies if the following story was already covered:

NSA disguised itself as Google to spy, say reports

Earlier this week, Techdirt picked up on a passing mention in a Brazilian news story and a Slate article to point out that the US National Security Agency had apparently impersonated Google on at least one occasion to gather data on people.

[...]

A technique commonly used by hackers, a MITM attack involves using a fake security certificate to pose as a legitimate Web service, bypass browser security settings, and then intercept data that an unsuspecting person is sending to that service. Hackers could, for example, pose as a banking Web site and steal passwords.

--JorgeA

[dencorso]

There was yet another database rollback yesterday. Did we loose any content? This time, it seems to me no content at all was lost, but I'm giving this heads up just in case... it gets more and more difficult to reconstitute content from memory the more time gets elapsed.

[JorgeA]

At first glance, it doesn't look to me that we lost any posts in this thread. Maybe someone else will notice if something that they'd posted has gone missing.

--JorgeA

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

My $0.02: IMO what's happening with this is that the Metro Start Screen is both obtrusive ("in your face;" "can't miss it") and uniform due to its solid colors and large screen elements (the tiles). The standard Desktop is not only more discreet, it also lends itself to greater customization and a broader range of possible "looks." For the Metro Start Screen, this means that, when the reader sees a page full of Windows 8 devices, not only does the Start Screen dominate the visuals of each individual PC image, but the computers all look the same.

Plus, as we know, the design of the Metro Start Screen is crude and garish to begin with. All told, it makes sense that vendors have started to pull away from showing it in their ads.

Indeed you're right. No differentiation whatsoever. For example, here is a saved ad from Staples which shows how ridiculous that GUI is for not allowing a product to stand out ...

( original photo )

You inspired me to make another graphic ...

( Originals: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 )

EDIT: typo

Edited September 14, 2013 by CharlotteTheHarlot

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

There was yet another database rollback yesterday. Did we loose any content? This time, it seems to me no content at all was lost, but I'm giving this heads up just in case... it gets more and more difficult to reconstitute content from memory the more time gets elapsed.

Well in this thread, I have a backup until post #4016 which has my image of the 9/11 WTC.

When it came back up I can confirm that that post was still there with the same number so I can attest up to that point.

Post #4017 by user 351837 was here when it came back up as well, but if something slipped in before his and was deleted I cannot say. Near as I can tell #4017 was posted after the downtime, but it's hard to tell because of the dumb IPB practice of using "yesterday" and other relative terms rather than absolute timestamps for display. I didn't look in the HTML though, it is probably decipherable in there.

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Microsoft mocks iPhone 5s, 5c in new videos (Update) ( NeoWin 2013-09-13 )

Hooo boy, another MicroBlunder. They started by posting some new attack videos against Apple but soon pulled them because of the offensive nature, namely mocking the deceased Steve Jobs. Unbelievable! Apple lives rent-free in the minds of the MicroTards.

But how about this insane role reversal. Once again, for decades, Microsoft was seen as the stereotypical professional business while Apple was the stereotype of the hippy outsider. Now we have the NuWorld as defined by NuMicrosoft where Apple is the corporate suit and Microsoft is the undisciplined teenager. Bravo boys! This calls for a new graphic ...

( original photo )

Microsoft: Over 2 million downloads for Windows 8.1 so far ( NeoWin 2013-09-13 )

This week, during a keynote address at the Intel Developer Forum, Microsoft's marketing head Tami Reller told the crowd there had been over 2 million downloads of Windows 8.1 so far.

The transcript of the keynote speech doesn't show that Reller offered any more info on that statistic. so we don't know if the 2 million number is just for the preview version or if Microsoft is also counting the RTM bits it offered to developers this week. We have emailed Microsoft for more information.

[...]

Update: Microsoft has now told Neowin that the 2 million number mentioned by Reller includes both the Windows 8.1 preview and the number of downloads of the MSDN-TechNet RTM builds.

Whoopsie. Nice try though Tammi, with your selective telemetry. What is strange to me is that "2 million" would even be considered a significant number at this point concerning Windows. I guess that with Windows 8 their expectations have been lowered and are thrilled by any interest at all.

Microsoft preparing Surface Mini, Nokia 'Sirius' tablet pictured ( TechSpot 2013-09-13 )

So there really is to be a Surface redux. Okay then. Truly there are some Microholics that need to crash the car a second time before someone takes the car keys away. But a mini? Another severe case of Apple envy? Do they seriously think that the size is what sells those iPads? The Surface is already a mini IMHO. At 10.6 inches it is just a tad smaller than the mono and color CRTs we used all throughout the 1980's. Then we had the ever-so-slightly increased ( but still dinky ) 14 and 15 inchers in the 1990's. Thank God for the 17 inchers and larger! Using x86 software on a 10.6" screen is pretty much insane IMHO but they plan to go even smaller, maybe to 8 inch. Stupid is as stupid does.

The other part of this article comes from a a Thurrott story where he showed a possible photo of a Nokia Sirius tablet. The only thing I cared to notice was the complete lack of any Playskool Microsoft Tiles decorating the screen. Again ...

( original photo )