Microsoft Announces Real-time Analytics For Apache Hadoop In Azure HDInsight

At Strata + Hadoop World in New York, Microsoft announced the expansion of their Azure data services. They annoucned the support of real-time analytics for Apache Hadoop in Azure HDInsight and new machine learning capabilities in the Azure Marketplace. Also, Hortonworks announced how they are integrating with Microsoft Azure with the latest release of the Hortonworks Data Platform.

More... http://microsoft-news.com/microsoft-announces-real-time-analytics-for-apache-hadoop-in-azure-hdinsight/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+msftnws+%28Microsoft+News%29 

First look at Windows 10 and what is expected more?

First look at Windows 10 and highlights -
Terry Myerson - Executive Vice President for Microsoft's Operating Systems Group announced Windows 10 release and here are few excerpts -

1 Huge stress on enterprise and differentiation of personal and enterprise data. This will helps enterprise admins to simplify their job and be worried only about enterprise data.

2 New OS will allow enterprises to have its own marketplace and store fronts that will allow them to host their own applications, distribute and control.

3 Multi-tasking tool that should boost productivity in Windows 10 is Snap Assist, which lets you "snap" up to four apps at once to get suggestions for other open apps that may help you with a given task

4. Virtual desktops

5. Multi views in One - optimized for all devices - keyboard for one and touch for other

6. Start is back... yes, we heard that!

7. Key is Microsoft is now talking to have Windows 10 has the CORE OS across devices - not just PC's and laptops but phones, tables and may be consoles!

8. Though Microsoft has not revealed their business model and pricing yet but seems it will be a free upgrade for users/enterprises that own Windows 8/8.1. There may be sub $99 version of Windows 10 that would be provisioned on windows phone devices. Joe Belfiore - Corporate Vice President, Operating Systems Group at Microsoft. He is responsible for the design and software product definition of forthcoming generations of Windows Phones and to bring new OS Windows 10 across phone and devices.

9. Release date will be likely after Developer's build conference in April 2015, hence there is huge opportunity for developers to get their hands on the OS and play/test the new Windows 10.

10. Microsoft has release Windows Insider program which will likely read your feedback and incorporate as part of their flight feature program in development of Windows OS.
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Technical preview bits are available here for free and immediate Windows Test by developers. This barebones version will eventually become Windows 10 and will be available to the public for download at preview.windows.com.

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What would be good to have in Windows 10 operating system?

1 With Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, recent split of ebay and PayPal, and entry of Alibaba in US markets what's the strategy for Microsoft Payments? What's the roadmap in consumer space, especially, for Windows phone devices ...?

2 Plans to build and distribute more enterprise apps that would bring productivity and assist enterprises on the lines of IBM and Apple deal? Growth of marketplace apps will be key to Microsoft's success and adoption of its devices.

3 Security - still grey area, please avoid UAC popups as we had in Windows Vista.

4 Internet of Things (IoT) - Great to hear that Windows 10 will be also on IOT or so called embedded devices and connected car, but double click details missing. Whats the product roadmap on wearables?  Agree, Microsoft should not be in the race of catch up... but to stop being reactive... its imperative that there is a clear vision and roadmap for next 3 years in devices and services space which will help partners and developer community significantly.

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Side bar - Did you miss Windows 9 news or seems like we fast forwarded our life :) Nope, its just that Microsoft thought 10 is luckier than 9 and they decided to skip :)

These are all early findings. Will report back with more on Windows 10 in coming months, beginning with the availability of the early build preview.

Cheers - DJ

Phone that charges by itself when in stanby…WIP?

Interesting ways by which a phone can charge by itself...Like it, when we will see this out in market is a matter of time I guess :)

Nokia's self phone charging prototype in works?...

• New talked about prototype - self charging system from Nokia that is able to power itself on nothing more than ambient radiowaves – the weak TV, radio and mobile phone signals that permanently surround us. The power harvested is small but it is almost enough to power a mobile in standby mode indefinitely without ever needing to plug it into the mains, according to Markku Rouvala, one of the researchers who developed the device at the Nokia Research Centre in Cambridge, UK.
• Nokia's device is somewhat less ambitious and is made possible thanks to a wide-band antenna and two very simple circuits. The antenna and the receiver circuit are designed to pick up a wide range of frequencies — from 500 megahertz to 10 gigahertz — and convert the electromagnetic waves into an electrical current, while the second circuit is designed to feed this current to the battery to recharge it.
• The trick here is to ensure that these circuits use less power than is being received, said Rouvala. So far they have been able to harvest up to 5 milliwatts. Their short-term goal is to get in excess of 20 milliwatts, enough power to keep a phone in standby mode indefinitely without having to recharge it. But this would not be enough to actually use the phone to make or receive a call, he says. So ultimately the hope is to be able to get as much as 50 milliwatts which would be sufficient to slowly recharge the battery.

More... http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jun/10/nokia-mobile-phone

Power through Solar cells under the screen -
Solar cells can fit just underneath the screen so that it take the source light and convert it into energy that can be consumed to charge the phone....
 

Charge your phone through your heat of the body -

Phones that can use an integrated thermogenerator that converts heat into energy. That means it could get a slight charge while sitting in your pocket against your leg and an even bigger charge when you have a temperature! :)

Dont believe, ALL three above can be "the" single alternate source for self charging phones, but why not all three? Could be a game changer next!

Cheers - DJ