Friday, October 4, 2013

Software : Microsoft gives Windows 8.1 Mail app an Outlook-style makeover

Software : Microsoft gives Windows 8.1 Mail app an Outlook-style makeover

Microsoft gives Windows 8.1 Mail app an Outlook-style makeover

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Microsoft gives Windows 8.1 Mail app an Outlook-style makeover

Microsoft has revealed its revamped Mail app for Windows 8.1 that brings closer integration with its cloud-based Outlook.com email service.

If you're a Hotmail user who had little choice but to switch to Outlook.com last year (that's everyone, then), you'll already be familiar with the new app's blue, grey and white colour scheme.

It's also brought a host of touch-friendly improvements aimed at simplifying the experience on smartphones and tablets, including selecting multiple messages by tapping on checkpoints, dragging and dropping emails into folders and a new "power pane" that displays most recently emailed contacts in a left-hand sidebar.

As Google recently did with Gmail, Microsoft has introduced an email filtering feature that separates mail from real people to offers, social media updates, promotions and other communications that clog up your inbox.

Business Mail

Microsoft says it's also upped the experience for business users with new multi-account features that let you toggle between personal and work email accounts.

Additionally, integration with Outlook.com means the app will now automatically sync calendars and contacts with Windows 8.1 devices through Exchange ActiveSync.

IT departments also get greater control through support for authenticated proxies and special certificates, Microsoft says, and employees can now set up automatic replies.

Google Play Music reportedly spinning an iOS app this month

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Google Play Music reportedly spinning an iOS app this month

Google Play Music subscribers waiting for a native iOS app should expect no tricks, just ear-pleasing treats by the end of October.

The company's All Access Music service is said to be launching a much-needed official iOS app later this month, unnamed sources have informed Engadget.

In fact, Google employees are said to be testing out a beta version of the Google Music iOS app right now. It reportedly still has a few kinks to work out before its impending release date.

The native iOS app for Google's all-you-can-eat music service was previously teased to be a few weeks out by Android head Sundar Pichai at the end of May, but it has since been delayed for several months.

iOS joins Android, computers

Google first launched All Play Music in May at the Google IO conference, but the platform has been limited to computers and Android devices.

This meant that iPhone 5S and iPad 4 users, for example, have been locked out of the experience entirely.

They're greeted with Google's old-fashioned al la carte music store instead of the millions of streaming songs provided by All Access Music.

The Google Play Music iOS app should open up the unlimited listening benefit to the subscription service and provide easier navigation of the site than the full-width store layout that's currently in place.

Facebook Home opens doors to Flickr, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram

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Facebook Home opens doors to Flickr, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram

Remember Facebook Home? It's the Android overlay that puts the social network front and center, but today it was feeling hospitable and decided to let others walk through its front door.

One of Facebook Home's selling points is that users can swipe through the lock screen to see photos from their Facebook news feeds, and starting today posts and pics from Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr and Flickr can be viewed there as well.

"Today you can view more of the content you care about on your lock screen," Facebook Engineering Manager Tom Alison wrote on Facebook's brief announcement message.

"When you wake up your phone, swipe through photos and posts from Flickr, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram, in addition to Facebook," he continued.

The feature will begin testing within the Facebook for Android beta program before heading out for all.

Caring is sharing

According to Facebook, users need only connect their accounts for the other networks with Home to begin seeing items from those services on their lock screens.

Users can change what content appears on the lock screen in the settings menu.

"Connecting apps to Home is just one more way to see the content that you care most about the moment you wake up your phone," Facebook Product Designer Francis Luu said in a video explaining the new features.

The long road ahead

This addition to Facebook Home was promised last month, when Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg revealed that Instagram and other services would soon be added to the Home lock screen.

Zuckerberg also admitted that users have not been quick to embrace Facebook Home, but he believes that will change "over time."

That sentiment has been repeated by others at Facebook, including Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, who said last May that Facebook Home's journey to success "will be a long road."

  • Want more out of Android than Facebook and Pinterest photos? Read TechRadar's review of the new Nexus 7 to find out what a real Android tablet is made of.
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