After the Micromax Funbook which the company launched earlier this year, a new tablet is on its way with a much larger display. Micromax has updated its website and revealed that the company is all prepared to launch a new 10.1-inch Funbook tablet sometime next month. This device will be called the Micromax Funbook Pro.
The Funbook Pro will sport a 10.1-inch display with 1024x600 pixels resolution and will be powered by a 1.2GHz single-core processor along with a dual Mali 400 graphics processor. The device will also sport a front facing VGA quality camera, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage memory and expandable memory up to 32GB using a microSD card.
The device will also include Wi-Fi connectivity and may lack the ability to connect to cellular data. This Micromax tablet will come pre-loaded with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Compared the previous version the new Funbook Pro seems to have improved RAM and a larger display. The pricing for the device is not confirmed yet, but when available we will update you on the same.
The ninth major version of OS X adds more than 200 new features
The ninth major version of OS X adds more than 200 new features. A few major additions stand out from the crowd, but there are many more small tweaks tucked in for good measure.
Just like its predecessor, OS X Mountain Lion draws much inspiration fromiOS, the operating system that powers the iPhone and the iPad.
The only place to get it is the Mac App Store. Unlike OS X 10.7 Lion, Apple won't be selling this version on a pricey USB flash drive, so you'll need access to a fairly good internet connection to download the installer.
Getting it is a cinch. Open the Mac App Store and you're sure to see Mountain Lion listed prominently on the front page, just a couple of clicks away from purchase. It installs right over the top of your current version. It's wise to make a complete backup of your system before you go ahead with the upgrade. If you do that with Time Machine, it's easy to roll back to your previous operating system if something goes wrong.
You can upgrade straight to Mountain Lion from Lion or Snow Leopard. If you're still running Snow Leopard, make sure it's updated to 10.6.8. You don't have to upgrade to Lion first; save some money and skip it entirely.
Some Macs that shipped with Leopard (10.5) are able to run Lion, too. You'll need at least 2GB of RAM installed, but the ride will be smoother with 4GB. Most Macs provide easy access to their memory sockets, so you can upgrade much less expensively by purchasing third-party RAM and fitting it yourself, instead of paying Apple to do it.
To get from Leopard to Mountain Lion, you'll first have to install Snow Leopard, because it's the earliest version of OS X with access to the Mac App Store. Snow Leopard is still available on DVD from the Apple Online Store for £26/$29.
The maximum cost of upgrading your OS is £40, but check that any applications you depend upon have no known issues with Mountain Lion. OS X no longer includes Rosetta, the technology that enabled PowerPC apps to run on Intel Macs. If you're upgrading from Leopard or Snow Leopard, you'll need to ensure that your applications have been rewritten to support Intel processors.
Mountain Lion abandons support for some old models, some of which aren't really very old at all. Apple lists compatible models by the time and year they were introduced.
It's easy to confirm your Mac's age in Lion. Click the Apple icon in the menu bar, choose About This Mac, then press More Info. The next window lists your model's era.
Older versions of OS X don't reveal the age of hardware so easily. Open System Profiler, copy your Mac's serial number from the Hardware Overview to the clipboard, then paste it into this form to find it out.
Set aside any consternation at the continued adaptation of features from iOS. The best thing that Mountain Lion borrows from its leaner, mobile sibling is undoubtedly Notification Center. When you're swamped with meeting alerts and emails all day long, it's a convenient way to filter out some noise, while remaining in touch with people who matter.
We liked
Sometimes the simple ideas are the ones that take you by surprise. That's certainly our view of the Share button, which is an efficient way of getting things done without dragging things from the Finder. It's a particularly good point if you use a trackpad.
Apple's insistence on a minimal file system in iCloud is fine if you only author the occasional document, but the simplicity soon becomes awkward when you have to deal with many of them. In stark contrast to the Share button, it makes a long-winded job of doing things with different types of document. Apple's determination to avoid a complex folder hierarchy would be laudable if search options worked better (folder names are excluded), and if there was a quicker way to gather related files of any type into a project.
We're also disappointed that icons in the Finder's sidebar are steadfastly monochromatic. Without a lack of colour as a guide, it inevitably slows you down. And iMessage needs improving to better handle file incompatibility when sending from a Mac to iOS device.
Verdict
If there's one feature that makes it worth upgrading, it's Notification Center. At £13.99, Mountain Lion is a real bargain for that alone. The true cost might be higher if you have to upgrade from Leopard, or upgrade any of your applications to make them compatible.
The rearrangement of Notes and Reminders into their own apps is very welcome if you also use an iOS device. And the swathe of other minor tweaks around the system are positive as a whole.
Apple needs to rethink iCloud document libraries before we're willing to start putting work online. Using iCloud to store documents is entirely optional, and it can be supplanted with alternatives such as Google Drive and Dropbox, which offer a more flexible file system.
Unless you put the maximum RAM in your Mac when you bought it, chances are you can add more, which is what we're going to help you do.
Remember, new memory is an affordable way to get your Mac running faster. Depending on what Mac you've got, you may need to take out the existing RAM to put more in, so bear this in mind when you're buying. If your MacBook Pro already has two 1GB chips (one in each slot) and you want to upgrade to 4GB, you can't simply buy an additional 2GB. Check System Profiler for what you've got now.
The best place to get memory from is Crucial, which has a simple guide to ensure you buy the right RAM for your Mac.
To prevent static charge damaging your equipment, ground yourself before you begin by touching something metal. Unplug all power sources before you open things up. Get an anti-static wristband from an electronics shop for peace of mind.
When handling RAM, hold it by the edges and don't touch the gold connectors. And remember that components may be hot if the Mac's been running recently!
How to upgrade the RAM in your MacBook (late 2009 model and later)
1. Open up your MacBook
Undo the eight screws on the underside of your MacBook and lift off the back case – gently pull free the clips at either end. Two RAM chips are in the middle on the right-hand side one above the other; remove one or both.
2. Take the chips out
Find the clips at either end of the existing RAM stick and press these outwards with your thumbs. The chip will pop up so that you can grip it at either end. Gently slide the chip away in the direction it's pointing.
3. Pop in the new memory
Line up the connectors of the new RAM with the RAM slot – it'll only fit one way round. Gently push it in at the angle you removed the old one. Press the upper end down to clip it into place. Then put the case back on and reboot!
How to put more RAM in a MacBook Pro (2009 model and later)
1. Open your MacBook Pro
With the screwdriver, take out the screws from the back plate – they're not all the same length, so note where each came from. The two RAM slots are located fairly centrally, one above the other.
2. Out with the old…
At either end of the existing RAM, press the clips outwards with your thumbs. It should pop up at a slight angle. Grip it at either end and slide it out in the direction it's pointing. If it doesn't come away, check the clips are undone.
3. …In with the new
Get your new RAM and line the gold connectors up with the slot. Press it in at the same angle the old sticks came out at, then push the upper edge down to clip it in place. When you're done, screw the case back on.
How to max out a Mac mini (Mid 2010 model and later)
1. Open up your Mac mini
Lay your Mac mini upside down and twist the circular black disc anti-clockwise a short distance. When the white dot on the disc aligns with the outlined circle on the casing, lift the disc off and lay it somewhere to the side.
2. Remove what's there
At either end of the existing RAM, you'll see little clips. Use your thumbs to press these outwards and gently pull the stick out. Align your new memory's gold connectors and notch with the slot – it'll only fit in one way round.
3. Clip in your new memory
Slide it into the slot at the same angle you removed the old chips, and when it's seated, you'll be able to press the top edge downwards to clip it in. Repeat for the second slot if necessary. Pop the black disc back on.
How to add memory to your iMac (any aluminium model)
1. Operate on your iMac
Lay a towel on your table, then lay the machine on its front with the bottom facing towards you. Lift up the stand to get at the panel on the bottom that covers the RAM slots. Undo the screw and take the panel off.
2. Pull out the RAM
On the chips you're going to replace, untuck the tongue and pull it towards you, being careful not to slide your Mac off the table. Take the old RAM and lay it to one side, then unwrap your new memory, ready to put in.
3. Insert the new chips
RAM will only go in one way round – the gold connectors go in first, with the notch closer to the right-hand end of the chip. Press the memory into the slots and tuck the tongues back in. Then screw back the cover plate. Done!
How to boost your Mac Pro (Early 2009 model and later)
1. Get inside your Mac Pro
Hold the side of the Mac Pro case and lift the latch on the back. The side will flip down; then lift it away. Now find the two latches on the horizontal bar towards the bottom. Push the outer ends slightly.
2. Remove processor tray
With the latches' inner ends loosened, pull them out to release the tray carrying the memory. Slide it out and lay it on a towel on a desk. There may be four or eight slots. Check the manual for the order in which to fill them.
3. Pop in the RAM
Press apart the clips at either end of the empty slots. Align the RAM with an empty slot, with the notch at the correct end. Press it down so the clips snap into place. Then slide the tray back, push the latches in and replace the panel.
Windows 8, IE 10, Office 2013: make or break for Microsoft
Microsoft finally plays its hand... and hopes for ace
The launches of Windows 8, Office 2013 and Internet Explorer 10 represent a watershed moment for Microsoft. And it's a moment that will either make or break the software giant.
Windows 8 is the cornerstone of a bold but neccessary revamp from Microsoft.
With the announcement of Office 2013 and the upgraded Office 365, Microsoft has finally shown its complete hand. Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, IE 10, Xbox with Kinect, and Office 2013 is the family of products Microsoft wants you to use throughout your computing life. The Windows Store is where it wants you to spend your money.
Roll back just a few years and Microsoft was in the creative doldrums. Windows Vista, Office 2007, IE 6, Windows Mobile... The world's largest software company had a pile of cash with which to play and, in most cases, a huge chunk of market share, but not even the most poker-faced MS staffer could honestly claim that Microsoft had the best products in a world in which Apple and Google were constantly innovating. In fact, with the exception of Xbox its portfolio was tired, and its products barely fit for purpose. Microsoft was attempting to bluff.
Kudos to Microsoft for recognising and acting on this. We know that it did because those self-same Microsoft employees will now candidly admit it (in private, at least). More importantly, look at the products it is announcing and launching: radically new to an extent that we are witnessing the equivalent of Apple upgrading from OS 9 to OS X, and Google launching Android. At the same time. Microsoft believes that it is holding aces.
It takes serious strategic thinking, creativity, and forceful management to draw such a line in the sand, keep your products ticking over, and aim for a date in the future at which all major product lines will be radically overhauled. It takes a bit of bottle, too, to stay in the game and wait until you have the right cards to play. The creative turnaround attempted by Microsoft flies in the face of its popular image as a character free, faceless conglomorate living off past glories.
Windows 8: a new start?
How well it can deliver on this promise remains to be seen. And there are, of course, victims. Recent purchasers of Windows Phone 7 devices such as the Nokia Lumia 900 can be forgiven for feeling underwhelmed by Windows Phone 8, as they simply won't get it.
People intent on purchasing one laptops and PCs right now should be aware that although the upgrade from Windows 7 to 8 will be inexpensive, the new OS won't feel like an upgrade. For traditional PCs and laptops, Windows 8 offers only a new way of interacting with the Start menu (now known as 'Charms'), the Metro interface, and access to the Windows Store. If you have existing software you want to use, you'll find that you spend little time in Metro, and touch controls have few uses on devices that don't have touch interfaces.
Nonetheless, Microsoft is playing a bold and neccessary game, and at least Windows 8 is perfectly usable on any Windows 7 system. I sense a confidence and coherence in Microsoft that hasn't been there since Vista launched.
With Xbox, Windows Phone 8 and the x86 and Arm flavours of Windows 8, plus the Surface, Bing, IE and Office, Microsoft has a coherent lineup of exciting products that - crucially - all play together nicely.
Given that around a billion people use a Windows device, if Microsoft can deliver on this promise the Windows Store becomes an unprecedented commercial opportunity. This in turn opens up the possibility of Windows becoming the platform of choice in literally billions of households and businesses.
Windows 8 is cheap for the same reason the Google Nexus 7 is cheap (and presumably the Surface will be). It's why phone handsets are subsidised. The aim of the game is to get people using the platform and, ultimately, buying their apps and media through the Windows Store. And then buying further Windows 8 devices on which to use the same apps.
With the portfolio of Windows products Microsoft has taken the time to create and launch, it has a chance of staying relevant for another generation of PC users. It's played its cards now, and its going to be fun seeing whether it holds aces or jokers.
