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iPhone 5, Windows 8 and Microsoft Office 2013

posted Oct 17, 2012, 4:55 AM by Daryl du Plessis


By the time you read this article there would have been a number of notable new products launched in Australia. The much anticipated iPhone 5 is the first off the blocks. The main changes from the iPhone 4S are:

-          A larger screen at 4 inches, up from 3.5 inches;

-          A new connector for charging and plugging into accessories (there will be an adapter to fit the original connectors). I suspect this feature is going to annoy many people that have a range of docks and accessories that use the original connector;

-          Improved camera resolution back and front; and

-          Faster processor speed.

-          Faster wireless mobile connectivity with 4G. This will be dependent on the service provider and should be checked before purchasing. 4G is currently being rolled out by the major mobile networks.

iOS6 has also been released, this is an update to the iPhone operating system and can be loaded on previous models of iPhones as well as on iPhone 5. It contains many improvements on the previous operating systems. As per usual the full range of features are available on iPhone 5 and features then become limited the older the model of phone. In my experience it is probably best not to load the latest iOS on your iPhone, if it is more than 2 models behind, as the hardware has difficulty coping with the extra processing required. It shouldn’t be a problem with a recent model iPhone.

 

Windows 8 Metro Interface
In the Microsoft space, the latest desktop operating system will be released, namely Windows 8. This will feature a new interface called Metro (see image).  I suspect this is going to be as annoying as the change from Office 2003 to Office 2007 when the Ribbon menu was introduced and completely confused everyone. The reason Microsoft have changed the interface is because this style will be common across the Windows 8 tablets and Windows 8 Phones. So in the long run it will be easier to use if you are a Microsoft convert. The main changes are a tighter integration with Microsoft’s cloud product such as live.com, Skydrive and the upcoming Office 2013 release. There will also be upgrade options if you are purchasing a new PC before Windows 8 comes out, but I would recommend waiting for the PCs to start shipping with Windows 8 if you are keen on using the latest version of Windows.


The Microsoft Office 2013 release will tie in with the release of Windows 8, as it will allow for common access to office documents across the Windows phone and tablet devices. There will be a significant improvement to the way Office uses the cloud for storage and collaboration. Another significant change is the feature called Office on Demand. This will allow for office to be streamed to any compatible computer and removed once you have finished using it. You will be able to access up to 5 instances (installations) of Office with your subscription. The benefit of this technology is that you can access Office and your documents, with your custom settings, from any internet connected Windows 7 or Windows 8 PC. Once you are done with that PC you can easily remove that instance of Office. Microsoft is going head to head with Google Docs and I suspect Microsoft will have a more feature rich product than Google. It will be interesting to see how Google lifts their game in response. If you would like more information, follow the links below.


 

Links

http://www.apple.com/au/iphone

http://www.apple.com/au/iphone/ios

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/release-preview

http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/en

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