Microsoft Reveals Shocking Windows Phone Usage Statistics

Windows phone has been in circulation for quite some time but it didn’t get as much popularity as the Android based smartphones. But the monthly mobile usage statistics uncovered by the Washington based research company namely Redmond points out some amazing trends and truths of widows phone. It has been widely known that Microsoft had so far concentrated on building high-end devices for the consumers which still finds itself lagging behind Android based phones due to variety of reasons. Windows phones mainly suffered from low RAM, not so friendly user interface and expensive pricing but usage statistics reveals never known brighter sides.

Higher Percentage of Apps Downloads

Microsoft had stated that about 71% of the downloaded apps were initialized from its low memory Lumia devices in the recent past. The most popular Lumia phone does so is the Nokia Lumia 520 which offers just 512 of RAM to the consumers.

Even the Redmond statistics claims that judging on the basis of the top ten popular devices which tends to download apps aggressively has a surprising seven different models of Windows phone in the kitty. Further these different models have low memory and RAM issues as well. On the basis of this remarkable fact Microsoft had decided to take constructive efforts to build apps which fulfil the requirement within this particular range of popular Windows phones.

Microsoft Soon To Bring More Apps For Lumia Devices

Microsoft has stated taking the initial steps for generating more user friendly apps for its phones. It has made some agreements with the Windows based app developers to build distinct apps in order to grab the potential apps market with authority. It has taken decision to enlarge its circle of active apps zone within the low on memory devices. In the recent times apps market has become a major revenue generators for Apple with its App Store and Google with its Play Store. Microsoft also provides its users with a Windows Phone Store which allows the users to download apps which are applicable for its OS.

Microsoft To Enhance Its Game Apps

Alongside the mobile apps Microsoft is also working towards developing more games which can run efficiently on the low memory devices. It has been that the high end devices lags behind the entry or budget level phones in terms of generating the more number of games downloads. It is logical that the Microsoft is aiming at proving better game apps for its devices to move forward its users to the high-end games as well get better sales volume with low-end games.

Microsoft Is Concerned About Popularity Not The Revenue

Contrary to the perception Microsoft is strengthening its apps zone not for the ‘aggressive revenue’ but for making its devices much more popular among the consumers and others alike. But the pricing of the in-app purchase shows a different outlook. Most of the in-app purchases includes a decent price tags of $4.99, $9.99 and $19.99 which couldn’t be justified as low price at all. However regardless of high price point it is Windows users who are going to benefit from wide range of low-end apps which could run like charm on their low ram devices.

HOV lanes switch to Express lanes on I-95 in VA

The 95 Express Lanes is now opened for public travel on 14th December and tolling is started 29th December of 2014. The project of about $940 million comprises nine new bridges, which offer accessibility to the lanes. The roads maintain traffic moving by means of dynamic tolling that regulates tolls depending on real-time traffic situations. The 95 Express Lanes structure utilizes the dynamic speed limit signals, the lane using management signals and video technology able to make out any accidents to help in handling traffic. It assists to sustain travel rates, make the travel times more obvious and considerably decrease HOV violators.
The agreements that are made in the project

The project was being financed and built under Public-Private Transportation Act of Virginia with $843 million sponsored by Fluor-Transurban, with fiscal close targeted to take place in mid of 2012. The contribution of the state is $97 million that was used in part to move on the construction activities as early as possible.

The major aspects of the contract involve Fluor-Transurban to finance and construct the facility; handle all operations, control traffic over the long-term and protection for a phase of 73 years after construction. Virginia Department of Transportation has continued to supervise all features of the facility to make certain that the HOV lanes are created, operated and sustained in reference to agreed-upon standards.

Advantages obtained due to the project

Bob McDonnell who is the Governor once declared the development of the 95 Express Lanes scheme that starts from Garrisonville Road of Stafford County to the point of Edsall Road, located in Fairfax County. This new project can generate about twenty nine miles of Express Lanes on Interstate-95. This scheme can add facility to the present HOV Lanes from Prince William Parkway to an area of Edsall Road, and develop the 2 existing HOV streets for 6 miles from the Route 234 to Prince William Parkway. The 9 mile reversible two-lane expansion of existing HOV streets from Dumfries to the road of Garrisonville in Stafford County can aid to lessen the worst traffic blockage in the area.

As a separate scheme, the plans were also being progressed to put up a direct ramp from the HOV roads on I-395 toward the Seminary Road, which can link the Mark Center place to this extended regional passage and HOV network. The ramp is limited only to transit as well as HOV use.

Sean T. Connaughton who is the Transportation Secretary said that Virginia knows that it should get the most beyond the existing transportation properties and get modern solutions to make public and freight move more efficiently. By means of HOT roads on the Beltway as well as I-95, they can build a region-wide system of managed lanes, which will allow travelers to move to some most significant employment hubs and military sites in Virginia. As per the expectation of VDOT, carpools as well as other travelers who utilize the HOV lanes can have quicker, and more consistent commuting times while HOT lanes are established.

Audi to Invest $29 Billion Through 2019 to Surpass BMW

From 2015 to the year of 2019, the well-known car manufacturer, Audi decides to expend 24 billion Euros, which is an increase of 2 billion Euros or 9 percent more than that of the former planning period. Its intention is to cross the rank of German challenger BMW. Seventy percent of the whole investment is intended for the expansion of latest models as well as equipments.

Audi tries to restrict the amount of stringent CO2 all over the world with a new generation of the special combustion engines and different efficiency technologies and new features in the parts of connectivity and also the driver’s assistance.

About the planned investment

Audi even plans to generate extra production capacities internationally in the next 5 years with a significant investment. And More than 50 % of the proposed investment will go on the German spots in Ingolstadt as well as in Neckarsulm.

Rupert Stadler who is the CEO of the Board of Management of this company, said that his industry is attempting to place the most priority on the issue of sustainable growth. For this reason, they are making large investments in the particular fields of electric car, lightweight construction etc to catch up the standard of BMW. The overall investment amount of 24 billion euro includes about 17 billion Euros of investment on the property and different tools and 7 billion Euros of costs of capitalized development.

In order to fulfill the considerable CO2 limits, the industry is giving effort not only on the new model of fuel-efficient gas and diesel engine, but even on some plug-in hybrids like the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron that became accessible in the first markets during the ending part of the year.

Different other programs for the future

The production works in Ingolstadt is now being organized for new models. A widespread rebuilding work will begin in Neckarsulm in the year 2015 with the intention of preparing the factory for the next model of the Audi A8 luxury car. The employees will also increase in regard to the investment in the major factories in Germany. During the earlier period of 12 months, this Audi has employed roughly three thousand new workers in Germany only.

Globally, the Audi Group’s workers have now increased to the record number of 80,000 workers. In Mexico as well as Brazil, this company is spending on new plants in order that it can wholly use the growth potential of the continent of America and even to become free of the exchange-rate changeability in the future.

The company started a training center to offer qualifications to fresh workers in San José Chiapa recently. In addition to this, 1,200 individuals who have already been hired, the company plans to deal with an additional 850 laborers in Mexico itself in next year. In the year 2016, the Audi Q5 will start the assembly lines.

Audi perhaps achieved the level of 1.7 million vehicles supplied in 2014. By the year 2020, the firm plans to be the most ideal brand on a sustainable basis.

Is Microsoft About to Kill Off Internet Explorer?

Credit:The Hacker News

Rumor about Microsoft making some of the big changes to their internet explorer in Windows 10 has been for a long time and it is said that they are making Internet explorer “Spartan” feel and look like Firefox and Chrome. According to some insider and market sources, the truth seems to be that Microsoft is building a completely new browser, which now has been codenamed as Spartan.

Earlier this month, Thomas Nigro, who is Microsoft Student Partner lead and developer of the modern version of VLC had already indicated about Microsoft building a new browser. According to him, he came to know about this through the talk, which was going on during the LiveTile Podcast December episode.

Spartan- The new browser: 

According to the company sources, Spartan is still expected to use the Chakra JavaScript engine and Trident-rendering engine (not WebKit) of Microsoft. According to the report released in September, Neowin's Brad Sams stated that, the new browser would not only look and feel like Firefox and Chrome, but will be able to extensions. He also reported that the company is working on two different types of trident, which supports claims made by the company about two different Trident-based browsers.

However, according the sources Spartan is a light-weight and new browser and should not be considered as Inter explorer 12. Some of the sources also revealed that Windows 10 (the desktop version) is expected to have both IE 11 and Spartan. The IE 11 is expected to be given as backward-compatibility's sake. According to the sources both desktop and mobile (phone/tablet) versions of Windows 10 will have Spartan.

The codename for the browser has been given as Spartan but at the same time, there is no information about the name expected at the debut. The name has been changed so that the developers can make the users get information about the new browser being more standards-compliant IE and different from the older version of internet explorer.

The company is planning to reveal the Spartan on 21st January, this is the time they are expected to reveal their next set of windows 10 features. However, sources also revealed that there is no surety if Spartan will be functional enough to be included in their Windows 10, January Technical Preview, and mobile preview builds. These builds are expected to be available for testing from early 2015. Therefore, we cannot expect the browser to show up in the test builds until later point of the year.

At present no one of sure of Microsoft will be ready to port out Spartan to other systems like Android, iOS and/or any other non-Windows operating systems. But some of the people of IE team stated that the company doesn’t have any plan of porting out the new IE to any other non-windows operating systems. But as Spartan is not IE and Microsoft already porting out their software and services to others, there is a slight chance to get the new browser in other operating systems as well.

Google and Microsoft Out In Support Of Sony Against The Hackers

The recent attack on Sony took the whole world by storm and no one expected such attack to happen on a corporate giant. Looks like Google and Microsoft have come out in support of Sony and will be using their online power to release "The Interview" film to their online audiences despite of getting threats from hackers. According to the blog post by Google chief legal officer David Drummond, they were hoping for anything to happen but they wanted this movie to at last see the light of the day.

He added that Sony and Google sat together for discussions on many issues and they agreed that they could not stop sit on sidelines due to some threats received and expected from people. They believe that a couple of people should not be the one to set a limit on the freedom of speech in any country.

The Online Stage

Sony started contacting Google and some of the other companies to look out for potential for "The Interview" and to make the same available for live streaming for the viewers on the internet. According to Brad Smith, Microsoft general counsel, “cyber-attack on anyone's rights is a cyber-attack on everyone's rights”. It is perfect time for all of us to come together and defend against these attacks. They stated that they have unanimously decided to stand together with Sony, as freedom of expression will always win over any cyber-terrorism. Using online stages as the platform will make Microsoft and Google a potential target for similar kind of attacks as that of Sony.

"The Interview" was available in California from late Wednesday morning and available for rent in the high-definition streaming at Google Play, Microsoft's Xbox Video service, YouTube Movies, and at see theinterview.com website (Dedicated) for a price of $5.99.

The digital copies of the film can be easily purchased for $14. According to Sony Entertainment chief executive Michael Lynton, it was important for their studio to release the movie especially after the recent assault on their employees and business by some people who are against the freedom of speech. He added that he is really grateful to Microsoft and Google for the kind of support they have given to their company. The movie, “The interview”, completely irritated North Korea by ridiculing Dictator Kim Jong-Un.

Apart from this, just a day before December 25 limited theatrical release, the madcap comedy was made available to be taken on rent in the United States of America from 1800 GMT on many platforms. The future of the film was being considered to be in total doubt post the hacking attack on the company’s corporate network and threats against moviegoers. The company was actually expected to cancel the release of the movie post the attack.

According to the reports, the United States government blamed the recent attack on North Korea as they were reported to be angry on the film's cartoonish portrayal of Kim's communist regime and also the threatened reprisals from President Barack Obama.