Linux Devs Take Win 8 Secure Boot Complaint to EC

Microsoft is once again being challenged in Europe over alleged anti-competitive practices.

A group representing Linux developers in Spain has filed a complaint with the European Commission charging that Microsoft's desktop operating system, Windows 8, supports technology that makes it difficult for users to place other operating systems on their computers.

The complaint comes less than three weeks after the EC fined Microsoft US$730 million for breaking an agreement it had made with regulators over offering European users a choice of web browsers.

The offending technology, called UEFI Secure Boot, acts as an "obstruction mechanism" to installing other operating systems on a computer because it requires a digital certificate from Microsoft to boot a system in a non-Windows OS, Reuters reported Tuesday.

How to Run Android Apps on Your Windows or Mac Machine

Have you got some favorite smartphone apps? Not convinced by Microsoft's new Windows app selection? Itching to see some Android action on your MacBook Pro? Don't worry, just install an Android emulator on your Windows or Mac machine and run all of the Android apps that you've grown to love.

A version is even available for Windows 8 Surface tablets. Load up to 750,000 Android apps, including games, SMS text messaging, and media apps.

The free product that lets you do this is BlueStacks App Player, and it claims more than 5 million downloads.

Installation and Use

Step 1: Browse to the BlueStacks Web page on a desktop computer or laptop and click on the download button for your operating system. Choose between XP, Vista and Windows 7; Windows 8; or Mac.

Follow the usual steps for installing software, opening the .exe file. Follow the prompts to allow installation and then accept the terms of the license agreement by clicking on the Welcome to BlueStacks' Continue button.

Apple Has Designs on a Curvy, All-Screen iPhone

Curves, flexibility and an all-glass case may be in the design cards for a future iPhone.

Apple was awarded a patent Thursday from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a consumer electronic product with a flexible display and transparent housing.

Apple Patent Drawing for
a Wraparound Screen

(click to enlarge)

Street View Captures Sky-High Mountain Views

Google Street View has unveiled shots from some of the world's highest mountains.

In addition to Argentina's Mount Aconcagua, Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro and Russia's Mount Elbrus, Google has now also captured photos from Everest Base Camp in Nepal.

Because Street View's camera-equipped vehicles were unable to make the trek, a tripod and digital camera were used.

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake reportedly struck near Everest while Google was taking its images.

Report: Regulators Investigating Microsoft "Kickbacks" In China

Microsoft is being investigated for its relationship with business partners who allegedly used bribes to score software contracts.

A former Microsoft rep in China reportedly made the allegations, which are now being examined by the U.S. Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission.

Regulators are also looking at Microsoft's relationships with certain resellers and consultants in Romania and Italy.

Google Keep May Not Be a Keeper

Google on Wednesday launched Google Keep, a mobile application designed to let users store notes and checklists in a way that could compete with popular productivity app Evernote.

Google Keep

Keep allows users to tap out a note or checklist, or record a voice memo that it will transcribe and store. Notes can then be synced to other Android devices or shared to services such as Google+, Gmail or Twitter.

In addition to note-taking, Google Keep users can take and store photos in the app, then use Android's camera editing features like photo filters and cropping. Users can pin the photos to checklists or notes, or share the photos via social networks such as Facebook or Instagram.

Google Keep's mosaic interface is simple, but allows users to customize the color of their notes and add photos. They can also choose the view they'd like -- single or multi-column -- and can drag-and-drop to customize note arrangements.
Those aesthetics - simple, colorful, user-friendly - were likely a key priority when developing Google Keep, said Michael Facemire, senior analyst for application development and delivery at Forrester Research.

"It used to be that functionality drove applications and desktop services, but with mobile that changed significantly," he told TechNewsWorld. "Now design is key and just as important, if not more important, than functionality. If you look at Google's recent app history, they're really making a strong push to have great mobile experiences as well as functionality."

Google Keep is only available for Android versions 4.0 and above via Google Play. The service is also accessible online, and the company said that soon users will be able to access, edit and create new notes from Google Drive.

Google did not respond to our request to comment for this story.

Keeping Notes on Rivals

It's too early to know whether Google Keep will be able to compete in a market that's crowded with more established apps such as Evernote, said Facemire, especially considering there are features Google hasn't included yet in the app.

Google+ App Updates Focus on Photos, Tweak Text

Google has made another bid in its attempt at social media relevancy with the launch of iOS and Android updates for Google+.

The revamped apps have improvements in four areas -- photos, posts, profiles and communities.

"Everybody wants to share whatever they're doing whenever they're doing it, and mobile is the place to be," Andrew Eisner, director of community and content at Retrevo, told TechNewsWorld. "If anything, this is one area where Facebook is struggling, and Google might have an opportunity here to pass it."

Google is "locked in a feature war with Facebook" but currently, Google+ "is still the upstart challenger," said Carl Howe, a research vice president at the Yankee Group.

Google did not respond to our request to comment for this story. 

The Revamped Google+ Apps

Google introduced some of the photo enhancements from the recently acquired Snapseed to its iPhone app. Users can perform basic edits, select filters and adjust saturation, contrast and other features; they can also single-tap at any time to compare the edited photo with the original.

Google is offering a collection of apps for professional photographers through the website of Snapseed's publisher, Nik.

Mozilla Lures Devs to Firefox OS With Shiny New Toys

The Mozilla Foundation on Tuesday announced that smartphones running its Firefox OS will be available to developers in February.

The preview phones are being produced in collaboration withGeeksphone andTelefonica.

The idea is to entice devs to create apps for the Firefox OS.

"These devices have not been designed for consumers," Mozilla spokesperson Diane Zuniga told LinuxInsider. They run pre-release development versions of Firefox OS.

"Today's announcement does not represent a commercial launch for Firefox OS," Zuniga emphasized. That is expected to take place later this year.