Microsoft Inaccurately Depicts Windows Tablet as Larger than iPad in New Comparison

To go along with two previously released anti-iPad Windows 8 tablet ads, Microsoft has released a side-by-side comparison of the iPad and various Windows 8 tablets, such as the ASUS VivoTab Smart, the same tablet that was used in the aforementioned ad. 

In the comparison, Microsoft points out the many reasons why the VivoTab is superior, noting its thinner size and lighter weight. Microsoft also includes a diagram of the 9.7-inch iPad next to a 10.1-inch widescreen tablet that looks visibly larger. That image is not to scale, however, as Elliot Temple of Curi.us (via Daring Fireball) details in a blog post. 

Microsoft has drawn a 10.1 inch tablet 36% larger than a 9.7 inch tablet (140x78 pixels vs 102x79). This is so far off you can visually see it's wrong. 

The iPad has a screen area of 45.16 square inches, which I double checked with a calculator. The ASUS VivoTab Smart has a screen area of 43.56 square inches. That's right, the ASUS screen is smaller than the iPad's. 

The iPad screen is 7.76 by 5.82 inches. The ASUS screen is 8.8 by 4.95 inches. ASUS is larger in one direction but smaller in the other direction, and has 3.55% less area than the iPad, not 36% more as Microsoft depicts.

At the end of the comparison, Microsoft clearly states that the ASUS VivoTab Smart has a "bigger touchscreen" than the iPad:

The ASUS VivoTab Smart is lighter than the iPad, has a bigger touchscreen and more ports, works with more printers, lets you see two apps at once, and runs Microsoft Office and other desktop programs.

As noted by Temple, while the ASUS VivoTab Smart has a

Apple Removes Download Options From Quicktime Trailers Website

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sent a letter to BioSense Technologies over its iPhone uChek urinalysis system, asking why its medical app hasn't been cleared by the agency. The app is one of the first that turns the iPhone into a medical device, designed to read urinalysis test strips that are normally examined by users and compared to a color-coded chart. 

With the uChek system, patients can take a picture of the strip with the iPhone's camera and then receive an automated readout of parameters like glucose, urobilinogen, pH, ketone and more. The app also stores results which then can be analyzed over time. 


Though medical device makers have adopted the iPhone for some measurements like blood glucose monitoring for diabetics, large scale use of smartphones and tablets as a replacement for existing medical devices has yet to take off -- likely due in large part to government regulation of medical devices. 

From Bloomberg: 

Biosense Technologies Private Ltd.’s uChek system isn’t cleared by the Food and Drug Administration and the agency said it wants to know why not, in a first-of-its-kind letter to a maker of a mobile-device application. The app relies on users, such as diabetics checking their glucose, to dip test strips in urine and use the smartphone’s camera to allow the system to processes and generate automated results. 

UChek works with test strips made by Siemens AG (SIE) and Bayer AG (BAYN), which are only approved for visual reading and require new clearance for automated analysis, the FDA said in the letter. The agency has said it wants stricter rules for apps that directly diagnose or treat conditions, proposing in 2011 to apply similar quality standards as for heart stents, ultrasound machines and other medical devices.

The uChek kit can be purchased in the US and India for $40, while the uCheck iPhone app is a free download [Direct Link] from the App Store -- though the app can also manually read urine strips from other companies.

XBOX ONE

Designed to deliver a whole new generation of entertainment, Xbox One puts you at the centre of all your games, TV, movies, music, sports and Skype.

With Xbox One, games push the boundaries of reality, and TV obeys your commands. Say “Xbox On” to launch your personalised Xbox One Home screen, watch your favourite TV programmes or share your latest game results with your friends, all using voice commands. And no more switching inputs to watch TV or play a game; with an eight-core, x86 processor and over 5 billion transistors, with Xbox One you can instantly navigate from a game to your entertainment with no performance loss.

Some of the breakthrough Xbox One features include:

• TV on Xbox One. Navigate and watch live TV from your cable, telco or satellite set-top box through your Xbox One.
• Voice Command. Turn on your entertainment system by saying “Xbox On,” and a custom-tailored Home dashboard welcomes you with your favourite games, TV and entertainment.
• Snap. Do two things at once on your screen. Use Snap to jump into a multiplayer battle while watching your favourite movie, or talk with friends on Skype while watching live TV.
• Skype made for Xbox One. Talk with friends on your TV in HD, or hold group Skype calls on your TV.
• Trending. See which entertainment is popular with your friends, and discover what is trending within the Xbox community.
• OneGuide. Find your favourite entertainment easily, searching by network, name or time, all with the sound of your voice and presented in a tailored programme guide.

The all-new generation of Xbox Live is more powerful, more personal and more intelligent. It makes everything more convenient and accessible, from allowing games to be installed in segments so that gameplay can start quickly, to updates downloading in the background. Save and store your personalised profile, games and entertainment in the cloud to access them anytime, from any Xbox One console. In addition, existing Xbox Live Gold Membership for Xbox 360 will seamlessly carry over to Xbox One. Xbox Live takes you deeper into the games you love with all-new features.

• Smart Match. A new Smart Match matchmaking system virtually eliminates waiting in lobbies by estimating wait times and finding people you want to play with.
• Game DVR. A dedicated Game DVR captures and accesses your gameplay, all saved to the cloud, so you can share your best gaming moments with your friends.
• Living Games. Dynamic, living worlds evolve and improve the more you play, and advanced artificial intelligence can learn to play like you, so friends can play against your shadow.
• Expanded achievements. A new and expanded achievements system captures video of your epic moments and rewards you in new ways, and your Gamerscore carries over from Xbox 360.
• Xbox SmartGlass. Xbox SmartGlass is part of the Xbox One platform, so it can render content directly onto your device. Now more devices can connect at one time for multiplayer and shared entertainment.

• The console: Shaped in the 16:9 aspect ratio with a horizontal orientation optimised for its high-speed Blu-ray disc player. It is moulded in a rich liquid black colour and includes a distinctive beveled edge.
• The Kinect sensor: Completely redesigned, the 1080p Kinect is more precise, more responsive and more intuitive. It has dramatically expanded its field of view and fidelity and works in nearly any lighting condition, recognises precise motion control from a slight wrist rotation, and distinguishes your voice even in a noisy room.
• The controller: Refreshed with more than 40 technical and design innovations including updated directional pad, thumb stick and ergonomic fit. Plus precision and control have been dramatically increased with all new vibrating impulse triggers. The Xbox One Wireless Controller is designed to work in concert with the new Kinect.

Development

Please note: Features and requirements of Xbox One are under development and may change prior to release. Available features and content may vary by country. Broadband Internet (ISP fees apply) and advanced TV hardware required. Games and media content sold separately. Xbox LIVE Gold Membership, paid subscription and other requirements apply for some Xbox LIVE features.

Current availability of features:

• Live TV with Kinect navigation, Live TV with One Guide, Trending, and NFL on Xbox are not yet currently available in the UK.
• Kinect voice functionality only available in supported locales and languages.
• At launch, Live TV will require a supported receiver device with HDMI output (sold separately).
• Cloud storage subject to geographical content restrictions.
• Some Xbox Live content and features available on Xbox 360, including avatar content and some apps, are not available with Xbox Live on Xbox One.
• Xbox SmartGlass is available in supported games.

Apple today rolled out some updates to its online store, not only posting new features advertising Father's Day gift purchases but also introducing a new, cleaner look for the store. While the main page of the online store had previously consisted of a main center column with product promotions flanked by sidebars with additional links, the new look brings an all-feature design focusing more on product images. 


Previously, the left sidebar had offered quick access to accessory categories for Apple's various product lines, as well as links to the company's refurbished and clearance stores. Shoppers looking for accessories must now drill down through the product categories along the top "shop" navigation bar to reach the various accessories, while links to the refurbished and clearance stores are listed at the bottom of the page. 

A similar situation exists for the former right sidebar, which offered links to Apple's other stores such as for education and business, as well as store services including gift cards, financing, and returns. All of these links are now only directly accessible through the store site map links at the bottom of the page. 

The change removes some redundancy on Apple's main store page, as many links had appeared both in the main body of the page and lower down in the site map section, and by removing the sidebar links Apple has been able to bring much greater prominence to product images. 


Apple has made additional image-centric changes further down in the site, with the main pages for each of the company's product lines now allowing for larger images and less text, while accessory pages have seen even more dramatic changes away from simple lists and toward more featured images. 

Update: As noted by Macerkopf.de [Google translation], Apple has also added the ability for users in the German online store to pay for their purchases via PayPal.108 comments