Monthly Main Meeting Highlights
Welcome to our April 2012 Main Meeting.
Tonight Alex gave us a round- up on Windows 8 and a good look at Apple TV.
Before the break we had our usual Q & A and Robert gave a critique
on the HTC Sensation he won last Month.
Alex is renowned for his gadgets and tonight he brought along his own magic wand.
The Kymera Magic Wand, from the Wand Company is a programmable remote control for your TV Video and Audio equipment.
We then had a look at some new iPhone applications. We started with EVI
the voice application alternative to SIRI, Apple’s own voice recognition
software.
Unlike SIRI you can also type questions to EVI
Here
are some details
Another new app was Perfect OCR
which uses the tablet’s camera to scan an image and create either a PDF
or OCR, the document for word processing.
Perfect
OCR details
After the break Alex set up Apple TV and we had a looked at Windows 8.
The Apple TV is a similar device to the WD TV Live we had a demonstrated
in October 2011.
See
report.
The opening interface was very similar to other media devices,
with a tiled menu for set up and links to all the main options
Alex also introduced us to Splash Top, a remote desktop viewer which
brings the desktop to your tablet or laptop.
Using Splash Top Alex was able to control the image on his nearby laptop, via his iPad. The laptop was sitting beside the microphone desk and projecting to the main screen.
Splash Top is configurable with a range of screen resolutions to suit your needs.
With Splash Top in hand, Alex discussed the consumer release of Windows
8. As we have seen from prior demonstrations of Windows 8 it is very much
a touch-centred program with all your applications or programs available
from the main screen. Alex stated that Microsoft was not abandoning the
keyboard and mouse, but integrating them into the new world of touch screens
and small applications.
Windows 8's new Metro styling can be over-ridden and a typical Windows screen is available behind the Metro front end.
It’s available simply by hovering over the same place the green start
button is now.
Along with the standard Windows screen, by holding the mouse over the
right hand side of the Metro screen we get a series of charms, which are
mouse click able. This eliminates the need for touch in those old desktops
that don’t have touch screens. These charms control the administration
features of the Windows system.
Such as the your PC and account settings.
The old style menu options are still be available.
Windows 8 is slated for release about October this year.
You can
download the Consumer edition here.
The Raffle
Tonight Alex brought along the latest Netcom power line adaptor.
This is a great idea for a simple home networking system. It comes with
two adaptors, which pug into the power circuit. One is linked to your
router or modem and the other to a computer in any part of the house which
is on the same circuit. This gives you a complete network without wires.
Here
is a link for more details
Tonight’s lucky winner is
Frank Talas
With the lucky door prize going to
Bob Backstrom.
