You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

Comments

One of the worst kept secrets rattling around Microsoft's campus is Windows Blue, the forthcoming update to Windows 8 that addresses users' bugbears about the OS. Now, Microsoft is officially rechristening the platform, and with a more staid name: Windows 8.1. Tami Reller, the CMO and CFO of Microsoft's Windows Division made the big reveal during JP Morgan's Technology, Media & Telecom Conference. The upgrade will be free and available from the home screen when it launches, while a preview version will be opened up to the public on June 26th at the beginning of Build 2013. Unfortunately, Reller wouldn't get any more specific about a formal release date, saying simply that it will be delivered "later in the calendar year." The only clarification she would offer is, "we know when the holidays are."

As anticipated, the Windows 8.1 update will come to both the full version of the OS as well as the ARM-friendly RT. While we haven't officially seen any sub-10-inch slates announced yet, it's been rumored that 8.1 would enable smaller devices. Reller's comments only backed up those expectations, when she suggested that Windows 8 is great for everything from "the smallest tablets" to desktops.

Filed under: Software, Microsoft

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When Nokia launched the Verizon-friendly Lumia 928 with some imaging improvements, it looked as if GSM users would have to wait for the company's next flagship to catch up. If those people couldn't wait for the mythical "proper" PureView Lumia, then they can grab the Lumia 925 to keep 'em going in the meantime. The company has taken the 920, put it on a diet, swapped out the polycarbonate for aluminium and tweaked the camera, while still retaining everything that made the handset our reader's choice for 2012. If you're having trouble telling the difference, however, then head past the break for our handy comparison table.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Nokia

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Sometimes, the smallest and simplest apps make the most sense. Take Nuance's new Dragon Notes for Windows 8, for example. Unlike its NaturallySpeaking cousin, it's not a universal tool: instead, it's narrowly focused on the voice dictation of memos, email, social networking updates and web searches. That limited scope leads to a very simple interface, however, and slims down the price from $100 to a far more accessible $20. Fans of minimalism can grab Dragon Notes directly from Nuance on May 15th, although they'll need to spend $10 for every language they speak beyond English.

Filed under: Software

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Source: Nuance

If you'll recall, Microsoft revealed as a footnote to its Q3 2013 earnings report that then-CFO Peter Klein would be stepping down. Today, we're learning a bit more about the transition. Starting right now (well, a few minutes ago), corporate vice president Amy Hood has been moved up to chief financial officer, and while Klein is set to remain onboard through June, Hood is grabbing the title right away. Prior to this role, Hood served as CFO for Microsoft's Business Division, and has been with the company for just over a decade. Asked if she had any immediate plans, she softly nodded and whispered: "I'm bringing Clippy back." Just kidding. But that would've been awesome.

Filed under: Microsoft

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Source: Microsoft

While many browsers sync through the cloud, few know how to cope with the local network -- what if we just want to push a file to another device nearby? Maxthon doesn't think we should have to resort to an online service or a dedicated app for the purpose, so it's rolling a LAN Transfer feature into its Cloud Browser. Starting with Android and Windows versions available today, the web client lets users shuttle files directly to others on the same network, with nothing but the browser in between. Both iOS and Mac users should join the party soon, which could turn Maxthon into a rare (and very unconventional) cross-platform file manager.

Filed under: Cellphones, Networking, Software, Mobile

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Source: Maxthon

On the fence about heading to Build? Microsoft's annual conference is scheduled from June 26th to the 28th, and developers in attendance will likely hear quite a bit more about the latest version of Windows 8. MS will also make a public preview available during the event, Julie Larson-Green shared at the Wired Business Conference in New York City today. A final version of Windows 8.1 "Blue" is expected by the end of the year, bringing cosmetic updates and other features, such as a new side-by-side app view and Internet Explorer 11. In March, we managed to dig through pre-release build 9364 -- it sounds like we'll be able to take a much closer look at the new operating system this summer, but you can click through our gallery of screenshots for an early preview, right now.

Filed under: Software, Microsoft

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Source: Microsoft

For many observers, the real story for Windows 8 was never going to be the 60 million licenses sold during the holiday rush -- it was always about the long term. The first indications of its post-launch impact are here, and show mixed results. In an interview on the company blog, Microsoft CMO/CFO Tami Reller says that it "recently" sold its 100 millionth Windows 8 license since the OS launched in October. That's a healthy figure, but sales of about 10 million units a month between its January stat update and today show adoption hasn't picked up again since the initial dropoff. The usual post-holiday lull no doubt played a part, although estimates of a much steeper drop in PC sales than usual suggest more was afoot. Microsoft doesn't see an immediate problem however, touting both brisk Windows Store adoption -- downloads of both free and paid apps surged from 100 million in January to 250 million -- and the pending arrival of more affordable convertible notebooks, touchscreen laptops and all-in-ones later this year.

Oh, and about that Windows Blue update everyone's been talking about? It's at last official. Microsoft isn't mentioning details beyond the Windows Blue codename, but it does promise that the upgrade should be available before 2013 is over. We're looking forward to that extra level of personalization already.

Filed under: Desktops, Tablets, Software, Microsoft

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Source: Blogging Windows

As if it weren't plenty apparent, the people at 6Wunderkinder are pretty good at task management. Less than a week after the company delivered Wunderlist Pro for iOS, Mac and the web, it's followed through on the promise of Android and Windows versions. For $50 per year (or $4.99 per month), Wunderlist Pro delivers advanced collaboration features like task delegation and, soon enough, file sharing. Even if you aren't too keen on paying for the Pro version, though, free users will discover an action bar in the latest update that brings the ability to sort items alphabetically, by assignee or by due date. Also from the action bar, you can email, print or invite people to shared lists. Yep, there's something for everyone, and even if you aren't yet familiar with Wunderlist, this is a prime opportunity to check out the scene.

Filed under: Software, Mobile

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Source: 6Wunderkinder

Windows 7 users have been able to sneak a peek at Skype's new Video Messaging feature since earlier in the week, but now the referenced Windows 8 version is available as well. The new tool, the service's version of video voicemail, is still "in its early release," so you may run into a bug or two. To that end, the team invites testers to reach out with feedback through a handful of channels. It's all outlined at the source link below.

Filed under: Internet, Software

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Source: Skype

Microsoft is plumbing the depths of cloud computing yet again with the development of what could be a pay-per-use desktop virtualization service called Mohoro. According to ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, Mohoro is essentially Azure's answer to Remote Desktop, but as a hosted service. Intended for "companies who want thin clients or to run legacy apps on new PCs," her source states that, "With Mohoro, you click a few buttons, deploy your apps, use Intune to push out configuration to all of your company's devices, and you're done," thus skipping the need for server infrastructure. As Foley points out, however, Azure-hosted virtual machines aren't currently set up to run Windows clients under Microsoft's licensing terms. What's more, Mohoro development is reportedly in its early days, and as such, Foley speculates that it won't be a reality until much later -- she's guessing the latter half of 2014.

Filed under: Networking, Microsoft

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Source: ZDNet

You'd think that with Skype firmly under Microsoft's control, the service would roll out new features to Windows first. Bizarrely, though, that's not the case. Skype's video voicemail feature, which previously soft launched on Android, iOS and OS X, is now coming to Windows 7 and up (a Windows 8 version should be forthcoming), hitting the company's end of April promise. The feature, still labeled a preview, works exactly as advertised, letting users record short video clips that can be sent to and viewed by any contact regardless of their OS. There's one caveat though: you'll need to install Skype 6.5 beta for Windows desktop and Flash to test it out. It's just a risk your vainglorious self will have to take for modernity.

Filed under: Desktops, Microsoft

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Source: Skype

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

Comments

While BitTorrent threw its hat into the cloud storage ring this January with an early version of its Sync app, it was hard to be truly excited when only a small circle could use it. The company isn't waiting for a completely polished version to renew our interest, however -- it's making BitTorrent Sync Alpha available to the general public, starting today. The newly accessible build brings the same unlimited Linux, Mac and Windows file syncing as before, although it adds a handful of tools to limit just who can see what. Those worried about security can now sync read-only files or offer one-time Secrets (file sharing keys) to friends that expire after a day if they're unused; it's also possible to exclude specific files or folders in larger transfers. Sync remains in a rough state, as the Alpha badge suggests, but those willing to live with the quirks no longer have to wait on the sidelines or consider alternatives.

Filed under: Storage, Internet, Software

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Source: BitTorrent Labs

Dedicated gamers are very familiar with loading chat apps like Teamspeak or Ventrilo to coordinate their multiplayer sessions, but such software usually sits in the background -- it's hard to tell who's speaking without switching apps and losing focus. Razer's new Comms open beta may just give players a chance to stay in touch without those rude interruptions. The Windows app provides the obligatory home for group voice and text chat, but its real standout is an optional on-screen game overlay that will keep the conversation going, either with a full window or a minimalist ticker that shows who's speaking. Razer's war on lag persists here, as well: Comms' servers reportedly minimize delays and hiccups in the heat of battle. Not everyone will need the beta when many games already have chat baked in. Those that want a more consistent experience, however, can give Comms a spin today.

Filed under: Gaming, Software

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Source: Razer