Newsletter 2012.08

With the news that Adobe removed Flash Player for Android from Google Play this week, the sun has set on Mobile Flash. What next for the technology? An in-depth report by METHOD IT.

A recent report by Gartner suggests that cloud computing is being over-hyped, reduced to a buzzword bandied about by vendors who don’t even offer genuine cloud solutions. This is creating confusion among consumers and obscuring the benefits of embracing the technology.
However, there is proof that mainstream adoption of cloud computing is close once the dust has settled – the report states that 50% of businesses are already using some form of Software as a Service (SaaS).
Gartner also notes that Platform as a service (PaaS), a model where customers develop software in the cloud, is set for several years of major growth with all the IT giants vying for number one position.

With the October release of Windows 8 fast approaching we’re seeing more news, gossip and divided opinions every day. Here’s a roundup of the most interesting articles from recent weeks.

• How will Windows 8 fare in an office environment?
  Top 10 reasons for and against Windows 8 succeeding in the enterprise
• First glimpses of a major third-party app as Skype for Windows 8 screenshots are leaked. Love it or hate it.
• A short but informative video covering some of the major changes to daily use of the OS –
  Five ways Windows 8 overhauls the PC
• Microsoft have reportedly been threatened with legal action over the ‘Metro’ name by German retailer Metro AG and are now looking for a new moniker for their brightly colored tile interface, settling on the less than catchy ‘Windows 8-style UI’ for now. Developers were informed to stop using the word ‘Metro’ in their Windows 8 software.
• Many IT commentators have been pondering the risks Microsoft are taking with this reworking of Windows and the implications it has for the company –
  Why Windows 8 is Microsoft’s Biggest Risk Ever
  Can Microsoft Fail?
  While others have been less than complimentary –
  Windows 8 belongs on older PCs like a fish needs a bicycle
• Microsoft taking a 30% cut from software sold in their new Windows 8 app store isn’t going down too well either, particularly with the big guns in the gaming industry. Could this signal a migration of desktop PC gamers to Linux distros like Ubuntu?
  Valve boss Gabe Newell calls Windows 8 a ‘catastrophe’
• In preparation for the arrival of Windows 8 and the Surface tablet, Microsoft unveiled their first new logo in 25 years, reflecting the simpler shapes and colours of the interface-formerly-known-as-Metro, as well as opening a new style of retail store in Boston.

Are you as guilty as us of fiddling with your smartphone during meals? As an incentive for customers to concentrate more on their surroundings, food, and conversation, a Los Angeles restaurant is offering a 5% discount to those who check their smartphones in at the door.

How about a little brain food served up by some of the world’s finest minds? TED have just published a list of their top 20 most popular talks since they began. There goes your day! Perfect for watching on the move in the free TED app for iPhone/iPad and Android.

‘This is Now’ has to be one of the best website ideas we’ve seen this month. The site uses location-tagged Instagram pictures to create a live feed of what people are up to in Tokyo and eleven other world cities. Fascinating to watch and let it run for a while. Be sure to check out some of the other locations using ‘What is this?’ in the top-left corner.