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Showing posts from November, 2015

New drive for Mobile First from Microsoft

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 Mobile First, Cloud First --> Repeat this mantra three times, breathe deep each time That is what Microsoft is doing by developing PowerApps. This is presently in limited preview (by invite only) being developed by a small team at Microsoft's Cloud and Enterprise Group. Microsoft believes that there is a huge bundle to be made. PowerApps service can used for creating,sharing and managing mobile business apps on iOS, Android and Windows devices. It is really apps development for dummies kind of thing. Developer need not be a coder and it is best suited and used by those who have a business need but no programming skill. This app is supposed to provide a quick fix for app creation in these days of skilled developer scarcity without having to worry about security and other details.   Basically PowerApps, Turn data into apps Mobilize your systems - Sharepoint, SQL Server, Oracle databases, SAP and Custom business Systems If you have Microsoft Office Skills yo

Develop a Side Menu App using Intel XDK - Part 1

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This post describes the following: How to create a Intel XDK project choosing a template For the template, Side Menu App, some details of the Intel XDK UI are described. The functioning of the app is shown in the Emulator for Apple iPhone6 Get Part 2 of this post here . I am using the build 2548 as shown here. This is after Intel XDK is launched. There is a little bit of instability in the app which will be described later. This is perhaps the program is on a Windows 10 computer. The instability is not related to the Intel XDK, perhaps the communication between the computer and the Intel site. XDK2548_01.PNG I create a new project and choose the Standard HTML5 template for a Side Menu app and use the Layout and User Interface shown. This app can be used on Desktops, smartphones and tablets. At first you need to start a new project and expand the Templates node in the left pane and scroll down and get to the Side Menu App. On the right you see the app displayed on a

Wi-Fi Basics on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10

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Wi-Fi Sense helps you to save on cellular data as it automatically connects you to Wi-Fi networks it finds. You can also assist in networking with password protected contacts. You can do all of the following (or none if you so desire): Automatically connecting you to crowdsourced open Wi-Fi networks it knows about. Accepting a Wi-Fi network's terms of use on your behalf and providing additional info for you to networks that require it.  Letting you exchange password-protected Wi-Fi network access with your contacts to give and get Internet access without seeing each other's Wi-Fi network passwords. As Wi-Fi sense use location service you may need to give permission. Read more here . : Here is how you turn on Wi-Fi Sense in Windows 10 (What I am showing is on a Preview copy in Nokia Icon) You can get to Wi-Fi Settings from your Start screen and you see the following displayed (I am connected to my Wi-Fi in the apartment): When you scroll down further you will see t

Buy a phone now and you are virtually getting a PC

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You get the PC-like experience by connecting your phone to a Microsoft Display Dock and connect a monitor and keyboard to it. This is possible because of the Continuum feature in Windows 10. Of course your phone functionality is not compromised and you can still attend to your calls. Microsoft Display Dock is offered free with Lumia 950XL  available at Microsoft Stores.

Setting up Kid's Corner on Windows 10 Phone

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I do not have a Windows 10 Phone, but I do have a preview running on my Nokia Icon. The images and comments are specific to the developers preview. Children are curious about phones and a child playing with a phone is an all too familiar scene. Yes, you should allow the child to use phone, but you should allow only things that you make sure kids can access. Windows 10 Mobile (aka, Windows 10 phone) provides you with the feature called Kid's corner which allows your child to play with games, apps, music and videos that you add to the kid's corner. Setting up is easy but it requires you to set up a password and /or pin. The unattended device needs the password/pin to get back. However, the child who encounters the login screen can swipe the screen from left to right to get to the Kid's corner (the child, he/she does not need passord), but can only see what you allowed them to see or play with. I do not have Windows Phone 10 or Windows 10 Mobile, but only a preview al

Windows 10 Mobile and Continuum

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Continuum with regard to Windows mobile devices is a mode of working where you can use the Windows 10 phone to connect to a larger display; connect to a keyboard etc. Windows 10 PCs like the Surface Pro and Surface Book already have this- you can detach the keyboard and use it as a tablet. For Windows 10 Desktop (Build 10240) you already have this feature by changing your settings to Tablet Mode. For mobile devices Continuum features are supported if you buy a Continuum Display Dock.  With this docking device you can extend the way you interact with phone using an external monitor; key board or mouse. You can also have scaled up office apps. This will not take away your phone capabilities. The Continuum Display Dock (rumored to cost $99) should be available soon (?). Presently Microsoft's new phones Lumia 950 and 950XL are the only ones that can use this feature however since it is supposed to connect via Miracast as well, it is just possible that Nokia Icon may be abl

Are you building Web and Mobile apps? Check out Meteor

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It appears Meteor can provide a radically simpler way to build real time mobile and web app using only JavaScript from one code base. I have not used Meteor and the content for the post came from here . This post describes some of the highlights and a screen shot from a app built using Meteor. Here are some Highlights: Universal JavaScript Same code from client to cloud; from packages to database apis; from browsers to mobile devices via Meteor's unified isobuild system Mobile and Web apps As Installable iOS and as Android app As a web app that loads on demand Reactive Rendering While being thin,  gives a thick client feel and look using Meteor's Blaze Framework with AngularJS and ReactJS Meteor's Cloud Platform Galaxy Deployment, scaling and monitoring for connected clients Provides actionable metrics to stateful connected client apps One command to update all connected browsers and apps (Hot Deploy) Coordinated version updates How is it differ

Black Berry's Android Smart Phone PRIV

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It has the QWERTY keyboard that you can slide out/in that you may not find in other smart phones. Camera appears very nice as well as the 4K video. No finger print reader but perhaps for the average user it is immaterial. Being an Android phone it can play all the zillion useful/useless apps on the market. Black Berry thinks, it seems, this version is 'Black Berry's do or die phone'. It is very pricey at $699.00. Verizon appears to be one of the carriers. Do not miss some performance details on this video. The videos are scaled versions of YouTube videos. Here are highlights noted form the verge site: Android customization is good It still has some bugs -app freezing and tap recognition Good hardware design QWERTY keyboard is good- frees up display removing the virtual Keyboard Software has good points-Especially the DTEK software, does a better Search job 18 MP camera is really good- but really slow Has very neat keyboard shortcuts -Utilit