Microsoft’s Newmail to replace Hotmail

A few leaked images of a new interface seem to confirm that Microsoft is working on a massive overhaul of its Hotmail e-mail service. Dubbed “Newmail,” the new e-mail system integrates aspects of the tile-based UI found in Windows 8 and Windows Phone. According to liveside.net, Newmail will also feature increased integration of social networking services.

The leaked images show a minimalist interface said to be scalable from desktop to phone to tablet. The interface includes an icon-based header navigation option, which allows users to navigate to calendar, SkyDrive, inbox, and contacts sections.

The overhaul is said to include an option for users to port over their contacts and previous e-mails to a new email address. The Newmail address will reportedly continue to fetch emails from the old Hotmail address, as well.

Newmail is said to feature a great deal of social integration, as well. Users are said to be able to connect their Newmail accounts to their Facebook and Twitter accounts. It also appears that Newmail will allow users to sync contact information across these services and to chat with contacts from within Newmail.

For some time now, Microsoft has been making alterations to improve the standing of Hotmail, which has been overshadowed by Gmail.The company rolled out updates to the service last year, bringing Hotmail to Android and adjusting the user interface on the web version. There has been no word on the release schedule for the latest update.

Source: http://www.electronista.com/articles/12/06/11/metro.ui.social.features.at.forefront.of.redesign/

Street View says “aloha” from Hawaii

Before joining Google, I lived in Hawaii for several years. Now, one look at a photo of palm trees swaying in front of an impossibly blue-green ocean transports me back to the islands—relaxing on the beach and listening to the sound of waves crashing on the shore. If one photo can do that for you, how would you feel if you had access to millions of them?

The Kohala coast on the Big Island of HawaiiOur newly expanded Street View coverage of six of Hawaii’s islands enables you to take a virtual vacation to paradise. Explore panoramic imagery of local beach parks, tropical rainforests, volcanic lava fields, oceanfront resorts and more. Can you feel the ocean breeze yet? Now let’s do some digital island-hopping…

Oahu

We begin our island adventure on Oahu, home to the capital city of Honolulu and a number of popular destinations. This island has something for everyone, from the top surfing locations of Waikiki Beach and Waimea Bay, to the USS Arizona Memorial Museum and Iolani Palace for history buffs, to the home of the NFL Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Fans of the TV shows “Lost” and “Hawaii Five-0” or movies like “Jurassic Park” will love looking around for filming locations at Kualoa Ranch.

Kualoa Ranch on the island of OahuMaui

Hopping over to Maui, we can sunbathe at oceanfront resorts in Ka’anapali, hit the links on challenging golf courses in Kapalua and learn the hula at the famous Old Lahaina Luau. One of my favorite memories of Maui is driving along the scenic “Road to Hana” with my friends, an experience I can now relive with Street View.

The “Road to Hana” on the island of MauiBig Island

We now fly over to the island of Hawaii, also known as the Big Island, where we visit one of the most active volcanoes in the world at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We check out the scene in the funky seaside town of Kailua-Kona, explore tropical gardens in Hilo, and climb above the clouds on Mauna Kea. We end our Big Island sojourn with a little oceanside relaxation at the luxurious resorts in Waikaloa, Kamuela or Hualalai.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big IslandMolokai

Over on Molokai, people enjoy the quiet life. With no buildings taller than a coconut tree and not a traffic light to be seen, miles of untouched shorelines and excellent outdoor activities will help you leave the modern world behind.

The untouched coastlines of MolokaiKauai

Now let’s jump to the incomparable Kauai, with its jaw-dropping landscapes around every turn. Whether you’re staying in Poipu or Hanalei, be sure to visit Waimea Canyon, which Mark Twain called the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”. You might also enjoy a leisurely stroll along the coast at Lydgate State Park.

Waimea Canyon on the island of KauaiLanai

Our virtual tour of Hawaii comes to an end on the romantic, tiny island of Lanai, the “pineapple island.” This island has so many memories for me, from the day I proposed to my wife (a few hundred feet from here) to the morning we spent swimming with dolphins in Hulopoe Bay. I can’t wait to go back again!

An upcountry retreat on the romantic island of Lanai.We hope this little taste of Hawaii will inspire you to use Street View the next time you’re planning a vacation—whether you’re taking a trip around the block, across the world or just down memory lane. Check out a more complete list of Street View’s off-the-road locations in Hawaii here or visit our Scenic Hawaii collection in the Street View gallery.

Street View car at Kualoa Ranch on the windward coast of Oahu.
Aloha!

Posted by Evan Rapoport, Product Manager, Street View

Source: http://googleblog.blogspot.in/2012/06/street-view-says-aloha-from-hawaii.html

Top 5 Methods to Earn Money Online

With the explosion of internet traffic, many new ways of making money online are being utilized. Knowing which methods to use can allow you to earn a steady income just by working from your computer. As with most things, there are methods that work better than most and will allow you to see the success you want online.

Ever fallen for a scam online? Many marketers online want you to believe that you need their product to make money online, but the reality is that many methods of earning money from the internet are free!

You won’t fall for these scams when beginning to try to generate an income if you use the following methods:

Selling things on eBay or Craigslist – Have any old junk that you want to get rid of? Collectibles just sitting on the shelf collecting dust? There are millions of people who go on these sites daily to buy a variety of items. Selling anything that you don’t want is easily done there and it is one of the simplest ways to make money online.

Taking Surveys – Ever had an opinion about a product that you wished you could tell the producer? Many companies pay survey websites to have members review their products and pass on this payment to people just like you!

Blogging – If you have a subject that you enjoy and are able to regularly produce content about, than blogging might just be for you. It allows you to create a following of people who are interested in your content. You can then monetize your blog, and start earning money.

Affiliate marketing – Since nearly everyone spends time online looking at various products, businesses are trying to capitalize on this vast market. One thing that helps them succeed, is having people around the world advertise their products for them. Many of these networks are free to join and if you can get people to buy the products through you, then the companies will pay you!

Article writing – Many business websites are new to the internet and looking to build up traffic to their site. Article marketing is one of the most effective ways to pull in mass amounts of traffic, but it can be tedious and time-consuming. Nearly all of them look to outsource this work to regular people who spend time on the internet. If you are able to consistently produce these articles then you can make money off of them.

This list shows some of the top free ways to make money online but there are thousands more opportunities arising with the growth of the internet.

Google launches custom themes in Gmail

If you are bored of the old Gmail themes; here’s good news for you – Google now lets its users customise themes (background images) in Gmail. This means you can now personalise the look of your mail client with your favourite photos.

Google on Tuesday announced it will be rolling out the new custom themes feature in Gmail over the next couple of days. Google had announced releasing a similar option for Gmail users last year before rolling out redesign of the service. Gmail presently offers a set of colourful backgrounds, after the themes section was added in 2008.

With the latest update, Gmail users will be able to select backgrounds from their Google+ photos, upload photos from the desktop or even paste any image URL. Google will also be offering a searchable featured photos section, giving users more options.

“Whether you want to bask on a tropical island or simply reminisce about last year’s holiday with the family, your Gmail can now be customized to your mood,” the Gmail team wrote in a blog post Tuesday. “Find your perfect image and make your Gmail your own with custom themes.”

After adding the personalised background, users will get option of two themes – light and dark – for the remaining interface. There’s no word whether Google Apps user will also be able to personalise backgrounds.

Google has of late attempted to deepen integration between Gmail and Google. Users can now see Google+ notifications of comments, views and “+1” posts within the mail service. Gmail has received a number of updates this year. Google in May released an automatic message translation feature, which allows users to communicate with others, speaking different language.

Source : http://www.thinkdigit.com/Internet/Google-launches-custom-themes-in-Gmail_9890.html

Microsoft attempts market freeze with Surface

Microsoft disregarded one key part of Apple’s show-and-tell script — make the hardware available to the press on that day or before, and for customers soon thereafter.

Microsoft gave a fairly good imitation of Apple in debuting its Surface tablets. The event, held at an artsy Los Angeles studio space, was shrouded in mystery, and Microsoft executives were properly dressed down for the occasion.

The famously leaky company was mostly able to surprise the assembled press with the multicolored array of Surface tablets and ultrabooks. But Microsoft disregarded one key element that is part of Apple’s show-and-tell script — make the hardware real, available to the press on that day or before, and for customers soon thereafter.

Eric Franklin was at the event and got to touch the Surface keyboard and screen, but for only a few brief moments. In the video above (and here), Eric gives his play-by-play of being taken into a room with several other journalists to examine the Surface, and his early assessment as to whether Microsoft has engineered a product that will be competitive with the iPad and Android devices.

Microsoft has created Surface buzz, but there are many more questions than answers as to exactly how Surface will stack up against the competition. The Surface looks like an interesting, and potentially compelling, product for the Window RT and Windows 8 software platforms, but given the hands-off posture, it’s currently more like a concept than a reality.

Clearly, Microsoft’s intent was to make a bold statement and freeze the market. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer basically said, “Don’t bother buying iPads or Android tablets or ultrabooks, wait for our cool and snazzy Surfaces that will become available later this year (allegedly August) when Windows 8 launches.”

Of course, unlike Apple, Microsoft isn’t risking a sales fall-off for tablets and ultrabooks by pre-announcing the Surface. Manufacturers who build Windows-based ultrabooks can’t be too pleased with the Surface pre-announcement. On the other hand, Microsoft has to be pleased that it has aroused more interest in Windows despite stepping on partner toes and showing off a product not quite ready for prime time.

Source :http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57456982-94/microsoft-attempts-market-freeze-with-surface-preview/?tag=mncol;topStories