Microsoft is keen to get Chinese people using legitimate versions of its software
Chinese people using pirated versions of Microsoft Windows will be able to get a free upgrade to Windows 10.
Microsoft is making the upgrade available to anyone running Windows 7 or above in China to help boost adoption of its software in the nation.
By offering the software to pirates and legitimate customers, it hoped to "re-engage" with millions of Chinese Windows users, it told Reuters.
Windows 10 is set to go on general release in the summer of this year.
The upgrade from Windows 7, 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 devices will also be available globally.
"We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10," Terry Myerson, head of Microsoft's operating systems unit, told the news agency. There were "hundreds of millions" of people in China it could reach with the initiative, he said.
In the interview, Mr Myerson's expanded on comments he made during a speech at Microsoft's WinHEC technology convention held in Shenzhen, China where he first mentioned the plan to engage with pirates.
The software company has signed deals with giant Chinese PC maker Lenovo, social media firm Tencent and security firm Qihoo 360 to help with the rollout. Microsoft is also working with Chinese mobile-phone maker Xiaomi on a test version of Windows 10 that people will be able to run on their smartphone.
China has been a notorious hotspot for pirated software despite ongoing government efforts to make people use legitimate versions of popular programs.About 74% of the commercial software used in China is pirated, according to an annual study by the BSA - an industry group that tracks the use of unlicensed software.
The same study suggests global piracy rates are currently running at about 43%.
Microsoft is releasing software tools that make it easier to run popular Apple and Android apps on Windows mobile devices.
By changing a "few percent", Apple app makers should be able to run code on Windows 10 mobile devices, it said.
And many Android apps should run with no changes.
Experts said the move was an "imperfect solution" to Microsoft's problems persuading people to use Windows mobile.
Popular vote
For iOS, Microsoft has unveiled an initiative called Project Islandwood, which has led to the creation of a software interpreter that works with the development tools Apple coders typically pick.
By piping code through this interpreter and changing a few other parts, it would be possible to transfer or port iOS apps to Windows 10, Microsoft said in a presentation at its Build developer conference in Seattle.
Already developers working for game-maker King have ported the massively popular Candy Crush Saga to Windows using these tools.
A separate initiative, called Project Astoria, is aimed at Android and involves code built in to Windows itself that spots when an Android app is running and gives it the responses it expects.
Microsoft said this meant many Android apps would run with no changes on Windows mobile devices.
However, the way that Android is built means changes will have to be made to some apps.
The tactic is seen as a way for Microsoft to to boost its popularity and persuade developers to include Windows 10 in their plans.
While many apps are already available on the Windows store, some popular ones, such as Pinterest and Plants v Zombies 2, are absent.
Microsoft has also added tools that let Android apps reach some parts of Windows, such as its Cortana personal assistant, they would not otherwise be able to use.
CCS Insight analyst Geoff Blaber said: "The decision to embrace Android and iOS applications is an imperfect solution to an undesirable problem.
"Nonetheless, it's a necessary move to attract developers otherwise lost to Apple and Google."
Microsoft has refreshed its tablet line-up with a new entry-level device that runs more software, but is also more expensive than its predecessor.
The Surface 3 is powered by an Intel processor, unlike the ARM-based chip in the Surface 2.
That means it uses the Windows 8 operating system, rather than the more limited Windows RT.
Experts suggest the move could help Microsoft replicate the success of its higher-specification Surface Pro 3.
The bigger tablet, which was launched 10 months ago, features a 12in (30.5cm) screen, compared with the 10.8in display of the new Surface 3.
Shipments of Surface tablets rose from 1.8 million units in the last three months of 2013 to 2.1 million units for the same period in 2014, according to research group Canalys, with the Pro 3 accounting for the bulk of demand since it went on sale.
Microsoft's share of the tablet market has grown from 2.3% to 3.2% as a result, while Apple has seen sales of its iPad decline, although it remains the bestselling brand.
Microsoft markets the Pro 3 as "the tablet that can replace your laptop", and is using similar language for the new model.
But it will target the Surface 3 at those on tighter budgets such as students and schools, and mobile workers who may want a lighter, smaller design.
Last year's launch of the larger Surface Pro 3 helped boost sales of Microsoft's tablets
"For people that need to get stuff done, generally you need a keyboard and some people need a pen, and that's where our device plays," said Dale Perrigo, a Surface marketing manager.
"If you want a pure entertainment that's not what this device is."
The release date is 7 May.
Price shift
The basic version of the Surface 3 - featuring 64 gigabytes of storage, 2GB of RAM and an Intel Atom x7 processor - costs £419.
That is about a third lower than the £639 price tag of the cheapest Surface Pro 3, but about two-thirds more than the £259 that had been charged for the basic Surface 2, which had less storage.
Microsoft says that its touchscreen pen lets its Surface tablets be used instead of paper
The touchscreen pen and keyboard cover are not included, and add £155 to the cost.
"Because it's an Atom processor it is under-powered compared to the Pro 3, which has plenty of horsepower," commented Tim Coulling, an analyst at Canalys.
"So, it's not going to suit everyone as a notebook replacement and will be for people who only want it for lighter productivity tasks.
"But there are a lot of those people out there."
Fanless but thick
Using Windows 8 rather than Windows RT - with the offer of a free upgrade to Windows 10 when it becomes available - means the entry-level Surface gains access to more programs.
Asus's new Windows tablet is thinner but has micro USB ports rather than the more commonly used USB 3.0
The Surface 2, for example, had been unable to run the full version of Photoshop, CorelDraw, Spotify, World of Warcraft or Google Chrome.
The new model's Atom-class chip does, however, mean the Surface 3 will struggle with some processor-intensive programs - such as video editors, computer-aided design (CAD) software and graphics-intensive games - which the Pro 3 model will be more suited for.
The new tablet is fanless, but significantly thicker - at 8.7mm (0.34in) - than many of its rivals in order to incorporate a standard USB 3.0 socket.
That makes it 30% thicker than both Dell's Android-based Venue 8 7840 and Apple's iPad Air 2, and 13% deeper than the tablet part of Asus's Windows-powered Transformer Book T300 Chi.
"We optimised for a port that enables connections to the largest number of devices and peripherals possible," explained a Microsoft spokeswoman.
Apple and Google recently released computers with a smaller type of cable port that can transfer data at double the speed, called USB-C.
Google's Chromebook Pixel is one of the first computers to feature the new USB-C port
Mr Coulling said the technology could lead to slimmer Surfaces, but added that it might have been too early to adopt the technology.
"The Surface 3 would have been thinner had Microsoft included it, but then users would have had to worry about adding converters or upgrading their peripherals," he said.
"But I think it will be there in the next revision of the product."
Schools and offices
Another expert suggested the new tablets should further boost Microsoft's tablet sales, but warned they could put some of the firm's business relationships under strain.
"Right now there is a huge battle going on in the education space to ensure the next generations of users stay familiar with and loyal to Microsoft rather than solutions from Google and others," said Martin Garner from the CCS Insight consultancy.
The Surface 3 can be connected to a docking station to gain additional ports
"Microsoft is also clearly going after business users - with Office 365 bundled in, it's the sort of device companies will give to workers who are regularly on the move.
"So, the new Surface 3 is a welcome move, but it will put Microsoft into increasing competition with its partners who make Windows-powered products, such as Dell and Lenovo."
Windows 10 is going to be the last major revision of the operating system.
Jerry Nixon, a Microsoft development executive, said in a conference speech this week that Windows 10 would be the "last version" of the dominant desktop software.
His comments were echoed by Microsoft which said it would update Windows in future in an "ongoing manner".
Instead of new stand-alone versions, Windows 10 would be improved in regular instalments, the firm said.
Mr Nixon made his comments during Microsoft's Ignite conference held in Chicago this week.
In a statement, Microsoft said Mr Nixon's comments reflected a change in the way that it made its software.
"Windows will be delivered as a service bringing new innovations and updates in an ongoing manner," it said, adding that it expected there to be a "long future" for Windows.
'No Windows 11'
The company said it had yet to decide on what to call the operating system beyond Windows 10.
"There will be no Windows 11," warned Steve Kleynhans, a research vice-president at analyst firm Gartner who monitors Microsoft.
He said Microsoft had in the past deliberately avoided using the name "Windows 9" and instead chose Windows 10 as a way to signify a break with a past which involved successive stand-alone versions of the operating system.
However, he said, working in that way had created many problems for Microsoft and its customers.
"Every three years or so Microsoft would sit down and create 'the next great OS'," he said.
Microsoft has developed the HoloLens augmented reality system for use with Windows 10
"The developers would be locked away and out would pop a product based on what the world wanted three years ago."
Microsoft also had to spend a huge amount of money and marketing muscle to convince people that they needed this new version, and that it was better than anything that had come before, he explained.
Moving to a situation in which Windows is a constantly updated service will break out of this cycle, and let Microsoft tinker more with the software to test new features and see how customers like them, he added.
'Positive step'
Most of the revenue generated by Windows for Microsoft came from sales of new PCs and this was unlikely to be affected by the change, Mr Kleynhans pointed out.
"Overall this is a positive step, but it does have some risks," he said.
"Microsoft will have to work hard to keep generating updates and new features, he said, adding that questions still remained about how corporate customers would adapt to the change and how Microsoft would provide support.
"It doesn't mean that Windows is frozen and will never move forward again," Mr Kleynhans told the BBC.
"Indeed we are about to see the opposite, with the speed of Windows updates shifting into high gear."
YouTube will soon launch a paid subscription offering and could launch within the next few months, according to multiple sources. In an email sent to all YouTube partners, they note that the paid subscription service will let users watch videos without ads.
“We’re excited to build on this momentum by taking another big step in favor of choice: offering fans an ads-free version of YouTube for a monthly fee. By creating a new paid offering, we’ll generate a new source of revenue that will supplement your fast growing advertising revenue,” YouTube said in the email.
The Verge also notes that subscribers will be able to download video and watch it offline, and that creators will be able to put videos behind a paywall.
However, YouTube’s subscription program comes with massive caveats. The subscription revenue will be pooled together and 55 percent of that will go to all partners – with the individual partner share determined by how long users watch video on their channel. In addition, creators are required to participate or have their videos listed as private.
The move comes after the launch of Vessel, a new premium video subscription offering from the team behind Hulu. Vessel has managed to sign up a large number of high-profile YouTubers, who have agreed to put their content first on Vessel before putting it on all their other profiles (including YouTube) for a cut of the subscription revenue.
The full letter, which TechGeek received, can be found below:
Dear YouTube Partner,
Your fans want choices. Not only do they want to watch what they want, whenever they want, anywhere, and on any device they choose, they want YouTube features built specifically with their needs in mind. Over the past several months, we’ve taken bold new steps to bring these experiences to life. Since inviting hundreds of thousands of fans into our YouTube Music Key Beta, we’ve seen tremendous engagement. And we’ve seen an equally enthusiastic response for our new YouTube Kids app, designed to give families a simpler and safer video-viewing experience— it’s already crossed 2 million installations in less than one month.
We’re excited to build on this momentum by taking another big step in favor of choice: offering fans an ads-free version of YouTube for a monthly fee. By creating a new paid offering, we’ll generate a new source of revenue that will supplement your fast growing advertising revenue.
So what’s next?
Launching a new paid offering will require us to update your terms through your Creator Studio Dashboard—a process that should feel familiar to anyone who went through a similar process three years ago when we began distributing and monetizing your content on mobile devices. Today, mobile represents over half of all watchtime and mobile revenue is up 200% in the last year. Just as with mobile, we’re confident this latest contract update will excite your fans and generate a previously untapped, additional source of revenue for you. Please look out for our notification, review it and let us know your thoughts.
It’s an exciting year for YouTube, as we push ourselves into uncharted territories. But we continue to be guided by a desire to deliver the choices fans want and the revenue you need. By working closely with you, we know it’ll be a successful journey.
PC cleaning apps are digital snake oil. The web is full of ads for applications that want to “clean your PC” and “make it feel like new.” Don’t pull out your credit card — these apps are terrible and you don’t need them.
If you do want to “clean your PC,” you can do it for free. Windows includes built-in PC cleaning tools that can do almost all of what the average PC cleaning app will do for you.
Let’s Investigate a PC Cleaning App
So what do these apps do, anyway? To investigate, we ran MyCleanPC — don’t try this at home; we installed this bad software so you don’t have to. MyCleanPC is one of the most prominent PC cleaning apps — it even advertises itself with television commercials.
First, let’s look at its Frequently Asked Questions to see what it promises:
“The full, paid version of the MyCleanPC software will attempt to remove issues found with your PC’s registry and hard drive, including removal of junk files, unneeded registry entries, Internet browsing traces, and fragmented portions of your hard drive.”
We’re already on thin ice here — Windows can remove junk files, clear Internet browsing traces, and defragment your hard drive without installing additional software.
MyCleanPC offers a “free diagnosis,” which is little more than an attempt to scare people into thinking their computers have thousands of “issues” that can be fixed for an easy $39.99 payment.
After running a scan, you’ll see an alarming count of the number of problems on your computer. It found 26267 issues on our computer. That’s an extremely alarming number — but what exactly is an issue?
Every browser cookie and history entry counts as a single issue.
Every temporary file counts as a single issue, no matter how tiny it is.
Invalid registry entries are considered issues, although they shouldn’t actually slow down your computer.
Our registry can be compacted a bit, but this shouldn’t make a noticeable different in performance
Every fragmented file counts as a single issue. MyCleanPC is measuring fragmentation based on the number of fragmented files, leading to a scary-looking 21.33% data fragmentation statistic. For comparison, the Windows Disk Defragmenter tells us we have 2% fragmentation.
Now that they’ve scared you, this is the part where you would take out your credit card and give them $39.99 to clean your PC.
Don’t Believe the Hype
Temporary files are not slowing down your computer, and neither are browser history entries or cookies. Registry entries are generally not a problem — there’s a reason Microsoft once created a registry cleaner of their own before discontinuing it and advising people not to use registry cleaners.
Yes, your computer can be slow because its file system is fragmented. You can fix this by running the Disk Defragmenter tool included with Windows — the Disk Defragmenter runs automatically on a schedule, anyway. Most people shouldn’t have to worry about defragmenting their hard drives anymore.
How to Actually Clean Your PC
Let’s say you want to clean your PC just like a PC cleaner would. Here’s what you can do:
Run the Disk Cleanup tool included with Windows. It’s focused on freeing up space on your hard drive, but it will also delete old temporary files and other useless things. Just tap the Windows key, type Disk Cleanup, and press Enter to launch it. You can even schedule a Disk Cleanup to clean your computer automatically.
Run the Disk Defragmenter included with Windows. This isn’t necessary if you use a solid-state drive.
Don’t bother with a registry cleaner. If you must, use the free CCleaner, which has the best-tested registry cleaner out there. It will also delete temporary files for other programs — CCleaner alone does much more than these PC cleaning apps do.
A test performed in 2011 by Windows Secrets found that the Disk Cleanup tool included with Windows was just as good as paid PC cleaning apps. Note that this is true even though PC cleaning apps fix “registry errors” while the Disk Cleanup app doesn’t, which shows just how unnecessary registry cleaners are.
So yes, it’s been tested — PC cleaning apps are worthless.
Speeding Up Your Computer
The best tools for speeding up your computer are things that a PC cleanup app won’t do for you:
Uninstall software you no longer use, especially programs that run at startup and browser plug-ins.
Check for hardware problems if you continue to experience blue screens or other PC problems after reinstalling Windows.
At worst, PC cleaning apps are digital snake oil. At best, they do a few marginally useful things that you can do with tools included with Windows. Don’t believe the hype — skip the PC cleaning apps.
