TechnoBB – Page 24

Asus announced ZenWatch 2 Smartwatch with curved Gorilla

Asus recently unveiled the latest version of its ZenWatch smartwatch line, not surprisingly named the ZenWatch 2. It features many improvements over the original model and hopes to compete with the Apple Watch. Unlike the original ZenWatch that only came in one size, the ZenWatch 2 will accommodate wrists of varying size and be made available in both 37mm and 41mm versions with bands that are 18mm and 22mm. The bands will come in several different materials from plastic, to leather, to metal depending on your preference.

The ZenWatch 2 has a 1.6 inch AMOLED screen with curved Gorilla Glass and will run the current version of Android Wear. Because it will run Android Wear, it will have access to numerous apps specifically written for the wearable platform. Asus also plans to run a customized interface on the ZenWatch 2, the Zen UI, which will supplement the Android Wear interface. Like the Apple Watch, there are plans for the ZenWatch 2 to be able to remotely view your smartphone’s camera and take photos using only the watch. Of course the ZenWatch 2 will also be able to fully interact with your smartphone to receive notifications and send messages.

The ZenWatch 2 will also feature a side button much like the Digital Crown on the Apple Watch. It isn’t currently known exactly how this will work because the smartwatch hasn’t been made fully available yet, though it will likely be similar in function to the one on the Apple Watch. Unlike the Apple Watch, there is no additional side button, only the similar Digital Crown apparatus.

Also keeping in line with the latest smartwatches, the ZenWatch 2 will have internal motion and activity sensors for health and fitness applications. These will run in tandem with various activity apps so you can track your work, progress, and exercise history. Asus has stated that their Wellness app will allow users to conveniently visualize all of their health and fitness data in one place.

To make sure the ZenWatch 2 is always fully charged, Asus has also implemented a new magnetic charger that snaps into the back of the smartwatch. Asus claims that it’s a dramatic improvement over the original charger and should make keeping the watch powered less of a chore.

It’s easy to mock the ZenWatch 2 for taking elements from the Apple Watch but competition is good and why not use a feature if it’s a useful one?

What If You Can’t See the Windows 10 Upgrade App?

For some users, a previous Windows update installed a small app that can check your device compatibility as well as reserve your free upgrade to Windows 10. This app should appear as a Windows icon in the system tray when it is running. Not all users report seeing this app however, and Microsoft may not have enabled it for some users or you might be missing the required update. Follow these steps to check if you have the update and if you do, how to run the app so you can reserve your free upgrade.

1. Click the Windows button, go to Control Panel.

2. Click System and Security, then click Windows Update.

3. Check to see if you have automatic updates enabled. If not, enable them.

4. Click View Update History.

5. Look for an update entry called ‘KB3035583‘. This is the update to run the Windows 10 upgrade app. If it doesn’t appear, check for updates so that it can be downloaded and installed.

6. If the update is there but you don’t see the icon yet, try restarting your device.

You may also have the update already applied but the Windows 10 upgrade app is still invisible. When it is running, the app is called GWX.exe. You can run it directly by going to the C:\Windows\System32\GWX folder. Inside is GWX.exe which you can run. Once GWX.exe is running, the system tray icon should appear and you can continue with the Windows 10 upgrade program to reserve your copy.

Of course you could also just wait a little while for the icon to appear but if you just have to get it reserved as quickly as possible, checking the above might not hurt. It’s always nice to be sure that you’re all set for the upgrade when it drops. So, if the icon hasn’t appeared for you yet, don’t fret and think Microsoft doesn’t like you anymore. It’s probably just that the upgrade program has only begun in the past few days and is still rolling out to users.

How to Reserve Your Free Upgrade to Windows 10 & Check Device Compatibility

Windows 10 is set to be released on July 29th, which is less than two months away. Microsoft has said that for a limited time, all Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 users will receive a free upgrade to Windows 10 if they choose to. It’s a nice gesture and a great way to entice many users to start using the latest version of Windows. If you just can’t wait to get Windows 10 at the first possible moment, you can now reserve your upgrade if your device is compatible with it. Once Windows 10 is released, it will automatically be downloaded and applied to your device provided you’ve registered for the free upgrade. You can’t get it much quicker than that.

Previously Microsoft pushed out an update that enables a new Windows icon in the system tray that leads you to the free upgrade program. These notifications are just starting to show up so yours might not have appeared yet, but should be visible in the near future. Before you submit to the upgrade program, you might want to check if your device is fully compatible. Follow these steps to do so.

1. Click the new Windows notification icon in the system tray.

2. Click the menu icon on the top right, then click ‘Check your PC‘.

The upgrade app will run a check on your device to make sure all components are compatible with Windows 10 so the upgrade will go smoothly. If a component is not compatible, it will show which device will not work with Windows 10. Even if a device isn’t compatible right now, it is likely that Microsoft will continue to work on updates for compatibility with as many devices as possible.

If everything is compatible and you want to continue reserving your upgrade, simply click through and follow the directions through the new Windows notification screen. You’ll need to enter an e-mail address for confirmation and then you’re all set. You can also directly choose the ‘Reserve Now‘ option in the menu. If for some reason you wish to cancel your reservation, go back to the menu and click ‘Cancel Reservation‘.

What If You Can’t See the Windows 10 Upgrade App?

Windows 10 is coming soon, so make sure to check your device and reserve your free upgrade.

-> Force Upgrade to Windows 10

Windows 10 Release Date and Pricing Rumors

Windows fans that have been looking out for the next version, you’re in luck. Recently, listings were spotted for online retailers that indicated Windows 10 would be available to order and ship at the end of August. After these rumors spread, Microsoft officially announced that Windows 10 would be released on July 29th for the downloadable version. It’s not yet known if that coincides with the physical release though it’s likely that the physical version will be released a little bit later than the digital one.

Along with this information, online retailers revealed the price for a Windows 10 Home edition and the Windows 10 Premium edition. Windows 10 Home will apparently run $109 while Windows 10 Premium will retail for $149. This is keeping in line with prices for current versions of Windows 8.1 so no surprises there.

If you’re not aware, Windows 10 will be offered as a free upgrade for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users within the first year. This is great for people who might want to upgrade from Windows 7 or who weren’t completely satisfied with the troubled Windows 8. As long as you claim the upgrade within a year of Windows 10 being launched, you’ll receive it for free as well as all future updates. It’s a generous and clever move on the part of Microsoft since Apple has begun giving away OS updates as well and mobile continues to grow.

The wait for the next version of Windows is almost over. In less than two months, we can all try out the latest and greatest from Microsoft. It’s designed to be cleaner and lighter than ever to run on both mobile and desktop devices. It should be interesting to see how Microsoft ties everything together and if Windows 10 is truly the upgrade everyone has been waiting for. They decided to skip the number 9 entirely, so here’s hoping that it was worth the wait.

Disable Automatic Web Search In Windows 10

When Windows 10 ships in just two months, it will come with a major change to how search is handled. Now, anytime you type anything into the search bar, Windows 10 will use Bing to search for results both locally and on the web. While some people might welcome this, others would see it as a hassle or privacy concern. This feature is sure to annoy many users who don’t want their search data constantly sent to Bing servers. Luckily there is a way to disable Bing from automatically running a web search with every search. Windows 10 may not be out yet, but why not be ready to disable it on day one?

1. Open Control Panel.

2. Search for Group Policy.

3. Select Edit Group Policy. This will open the Local Group Policy Editor.

4. Under Computer Configuration, select Administrative Templates.

5. Next select Windows Components.

6. Then select Search.

7. Find entries called ‘Do not allow web search‘ and ‘Don’t search the web or display web results in Search‘

8. Right click each entry, select Edit, then select Enable in the policy editing window, click Apply and close the window.

This should disable the automatic web search and your searches should now only run locally on your computer. Now Bing won’t automatically run a search every time you try to look for a file or something else stored on the computer locally. This is a cumbersome and obscure process that a lot of people would have trouble finding because it’s buried in Control Panel. It would be much simpler to have an option to quickly disable web search and it’s likely people will demand that this be implemented.

For those waiting to upgrade from Windows 7 and Windows 8, this is one annoyance that might prevent them from doing so. Hopefully this will be fixed in time for the official release or you can simply use this process to stop automatic web searches.

iOS 9 Features, Rumors, Public Beta

With WWDC 2015 set to begin in just over a week, it’s expected that Apple will be making some major announcements regarding development on iOS 9. iOS 9 is set to be a major update to iOS and will introduce a number of significant changes for all Apple devices. Of course much of this is still speculation but it will very likely be confirmed at WWDC.

On the iOS 9 front, Apple is reportedly pushing hard to increase overall system stability, reduce app memory footprint and size, as well as make Apple devices even harder to jailbreak. This is pretty unfortunate news for jailbreak fans, though I’m sure clever people will eventually find a way around these latest security measures. iOS 9 will also see some upgrades and more emphasis on Siri as a digital assistant. The iPad will be receiving the ability to multitask with apps running side by side on a single screen. Like the Apple Watch, new devices and iOS 9 will have Force Touch support integrated.

It also seems Apple will be trying to make waves in the music industry once again. It is reported that they will be relaunching Beats Music under a new name and try to become a major player in the music streaming segment. It could be an interesting development in terms of how Apple users consume music if the streaming service takes off.

The iOS 9 beta will be released following WWDC 2015 and developers can begin using and testing it with their new apps. Apple is also heavily rumored to be releasing a public beta of iOS 9 before the official release. So even non-developers can take iOS 9 for a test drive to help Apple gather usability data and fix bugs.

The official release of iOS 9 is set to coincide with the expected release of the next iPhone model in September. That’s when everything will finally be launched into the waiting arms of rabid Apple fans, hooray!