app

A new report says Microsoft's own digital distribution center, the Windows Store, contains roughly half of the world's most popular applications. It's more bad news for Microsoft, which continues its struggle to lure mobile consumers away from the ... iOS and Android platforms. The study was conducted by Nick Landry, a product manager and Microsoft expert at New Jersey development firm Infragistics. Landry, whose company builds user interface development tools, based his "must-have" list on the top 100 iOS apps. He then went to the Google Play and Windows Store digital outlets to see how many of ... (view more)

Those people who paid more than $5,000 for a high-tech 'smart' toilet could be in for a shock. A major design flaw means it's easy for hackers to cause annoyance, irritation -- even financial loss. The Satis toilet boasts a wide range of ... computerized features, such as an automated bidet and air drier and built-in speakers that play a personalized selection of music. The toilet can even be programmed to release a soothing fragrance. Owners control these features using a special app for Android devices (though it can also be controlled through buttons on the toilet itself). The app offers ... (view more)

Microsoft is hoping to increase consumers' trust in its new Windows Store by unveiling a strict policy for uploaded apps. According to the firm, it will remove any applications that it finds may be vulnerable to hackers. Specifically, Microsoft says ... that any apps with critical security vulnerabilities will be placed on probation for 180 days (though Microsoft admits that this window could be extended in special cases). If the app's maker has not fixed the problem within that time period, Microsoft says it will remove the app from the Windows Store. (Source: windowsitpro.com ) In ... (view more)

It's estimated that up to 99 per cent of all Android smartphones are vulnerable to a new security vulnerability. The bug involves two of the main security measures used on phones running the popular Android operating system from Google. The first ... security measure affected by the bug is the security check used on all applications that run on an Android phone. Every application has a cryptographic signature, which is a code that confirms the application is genuine. The signature directly correlates to the contents of the application itself, meaning that any attempt to tamper with the contents ... (view more)

You can now access the Microsoft Office software suite on your Apple iPhone. However, Microsoft doesn't appear to have any plans to extend that support to Apple's iPad tablet computer. Starting late last week Microsoft made Office Mobile for iPhone ... available through Apple's app store. A subscription costs $100 per year and gives users access to the cloud-focused Office 365 . Excel, Word, PowerPoint Now Available to iPhone Users Using the new Office 365 app, iPhone users can create, read, and edit Word documents and Excel spreadsheets. They can also create slide presentations using PowerPoint ... (view more)

Facebook has banned an application that allowed users take a one in six chance of destroying their account. However, critics say the social networking site hasn't established any clear rules about such apps. The application has the eye-catching name ... "Social Roulette." Inspired by the deadly pistol game Russian Roulette, it involves the player spinning a virtual revolver cylinder with one of the six chambers loaded -- in this case, with a Facebook logo rather than a bullet. App Deletes Facebook Account Info The resulting death isn't physical but virtual: if the odds are not in your favor, the ... (view more)

Things just keep getting worse for Microsoft's Windows RT operating system (OS), which is designed specifically for mobile devices like tablet computers. Now, it appears Apple has no plans to construct an iTunes app for the OS. The news won't be a ... big deal for people running Windows 8-based devices, like the Surface Pro tablet. After all, they can simply download iTunes to the desktop. However, for people who own the Surface RT (or anything else running the Windows RT OS), that's impossible. They can only access applications (like iTunes) via Microsoft's own Windows Store. No iTunes in ... (view more)

Microsoft's Windows Store has hit a new plateau: 50,000 applications. It's an impressive start for the Windows Store, though there's a long way to go to match similar stores from Apple and Google. Although the 50,000 app level is impressive, ... statistics show that the number of applications being submitted by developers each day has actually declined from late last year. (Source: venturebeat.com ) Back in December 2012, shortly after the Windows 8 launch, the Windows Store received about 400 new applications each and every day. However, by February 2013 that number was closer to 150. Microsoft ... (view more)

Each day, millions of images and messages are sent through social media platforms. Now, those who have regretted transmitting personal information in this fashion will be relieved to find that a popular new app is making significant strides in ... changing the way people share private data on social networking sites. Snapchat doesn't store data -- including messages and photos -- for years on end. Instead, this information is wiped out, permanently, at a time set by the sending / posting user. It's a simple concept, but early indications reveal that Snapchat is becoming a popular alternative to ... (view more)

"Hi Infopackets, I recently bought Windows 8 and naturally want to learn more about the new applications that come with it. In particular, I'm a huge fan of social media and would love to find out more about the new People app. Who better to explain ... it all than you, who have been helping me understand the computer world for half a dozen years. Thanks! Mary B." My response: Great question, because Windows 8's new People app is one of the more exciting features included in Microsoft's newest operating system. People App: A Central Hub for Social Media Basically, the new People app is a social ... (view more)