Microsoft Unveils Windows Phone 8

You can use zones for script control. AdBlock and XSS protection is built in.

 

Interesting, thanks for the tip. I'm playing around with zones right now and it's not too bad. A little bit more inconvenient than NoScript (more clicks involved in white-listing) but not bad. I'll play around with it and maybe I'll end up on IE10 after all.

 

I was not certain, but did not want others to make a wrong assumption by assuming an additional security option suggests better security.

I think we are on the same page now. Thanks.

It's like Windows Firewall - perfectly capable, but basic firewall, and perhaps not the one for enthusiasts who (still) want absolute personal control over everything that's coming and going. And I say "still" for I was that way for a long time with XP - especially since I never migrated to Vista - I did not truly believe unless I saw it for myself.

But times have changed, and so has Microsoft and Windows. Windows 7 is not XP. XP was designed (by user demand!) to support legacy hardware from the previous 20 years, with security almost an afterthought. Windows 7 was designed with security first, and legacy support way second. This is one reason, for the first time in maybe forever, no Microsoft product made it into Kaspersky's IT Threat Evolution Analysis: Q3 2012 top ten products with vulnerabilities, saying,

Pointing out again, we just don't need layers and layers of overlapping security any more. We need good security, and we need to keep Windows and our security programs updated. That's it - other than good user discipline.

 

I wonder whether the Windows Phone 8
will drastically alter the
Mobile Operating System Market Share

 

Only time will tell. I note Betamax was the better (in terms of video and audio quality) video tape format, but VCR still won.

 

I think Microsoft is poised to make some big gains in the smartphone and tablet markets over the next few years.

Although they've caught a lot of flak for synergizing the interface between their desktop, phone, and tablet operating systems, it's a brilliant move in my opinion. Not only does it present a consistent interface to users, it also modernizes the tablet and smartphone. Until now, smartphone operating systems were basically desktops on a mobile device. Grids of static icons that open applications just like on the desktop. But Windows Phone is more dynamic with live tiles and a UI that makes full use of touch screen capabilities.

Combined with the excellent price point and quality of Windows phones, it seems like Microsoft is gearing up to capture a significant portion of the smartphone market share. I don't think they'll beat iOS just yet, since Apple has a legion of devoted followers, but Windows phones make iOS look dated.

I think Microsoft is beating Apple at their own game. I had an iPhone 3GS before switching to a Lumia 900 and the difference was stark, in both responsiveness and usefulness.

 

Microsoft has no choice. PC sales have declined over the last couple years and that trend is likely to accelerate as more and more users migrate to hand-held devices for their computing needs.

 

Hand held devices are getting more common obviously, but I wonder how much PC sales are down just due to lack of need for an upgrade. My 3 1/2 year old laptop has run Vista, 7, and now 8, all without any problems. No good reason to spend money on a new one. However, if my desktop or laptop failed I would replace them.

BTW, I picked up a Lumia 920 yesterday. Excellent phone. Android won't be seeing me again and Apple never will.

 

No doubt those figures factor in, but that has always happened. Look at how many XP users there still are - folks who refuse to update simply because their hardware is still working. As I noted before, I have shelves in my basement of obsolete, but still working hardware.

The fact of the matter is, many people use their computers for email, banking, and surfing the Internet. But now you can do that on your smart phone or small tablet - or even your TV.

I know for me, I gotta have a full size keyboard and mouse. And I am not giving up my two big widescreen monitors either. But if all the computing horsepower that is currently sitting in a 40lb box next to my desk could fit in my phone that I just dock to my keyboard, mouse and monitors (perhaps through my phone's charging cradle), I might consider getting rid of my PC. That day is not far off.

 

Very temping on a personal level. Professionally I expect to be using PCs for some time to come. I did somewhat get the phone with the intent of spending less time in front of a PC. It's not working out well so far.

 

Not yet. But as bandwidth and speed increase, and as apps are ported to the tiny screen that are actually usable on a tiny screen, it will.

And actually the apps themselves do not need to be ported to the tiny screen as more and more, they will "run" in the "cloud" and only the UI and personal data will be held on the local device. And as long as my apps and data remains secure, is only accessible to those I give access to, and is ALWAYS available EVERY SINGLE TIME, and ANY TIME I want to access it, AND I can still have my full size monitors and I/O devices (keyboard/mouse), I will be okay with that.

Though as a hardware technician who builds custom PCs for extra $$$, that may force me into my 3rd retirement. Oh well.