Apple's earnings fall despite rising iPhone sales

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple's quarterly earnings are still sagging even as sales of its iPhones are rising, a vexing phenomenon feeding investor worries about whether stiffer competition in the mobile device market will continue to undercut the company's prosperity.

The fiscal fourth-quarter results announced Monday closed the books on a sobering year that saw Apple's market value plunge by about 25 per cent, or about $160 billion. Apple Inc. remains the world's most valuable company, despite the downturn.

The company's earnings have been shrinking along with its share of the smartphone and tablet computer market that Apple reshaped with the 2007 release of the first iPhone and the 2010 introduction of the iPad. Apple hasn't come up with another breakthrough product in a new category since then, raising questions about the company's ability to innovate following the death of co-founder and chief visionary Steve Jobs two years ago.

Apple's earnings have now fallen from the previous year in three consecutive quarters after a decade of steady growth.

The Cupertino, California, earned $7.5 billion, or $8.26 per share, during the three months ending September 28. That compared to income of $8.2 billion, or $8.67 per share, last year.

The latest quarterly earnings topped the average estimate of $7.92 per share among analysts polled by FactSet.

Revenue rose 4 per cent to $37.5 billion _ about $600 million above analyst predictions.

Investors were evidently hoping for a better showing and, perhaps, a more optimistic forecast for the current quarter, which covers the crucial holiday shopping season. Management predicted Apple's revenue will range from $55 billion to $58 billion in the quarter ending in late December. Analysts had projected revenue of $55.6 billion. Apple also indicated that its profit margins would be in the same range as the past quarter.

Apple's stock dipped by $2.16 cents to $527.72 in extended trading after the numbers came out.

Activist investor Carl Icahn, who holds a 0.5 percent stake in Apple, is pressuring the company to spend $150 billion buying back its own stock in an effort to boost the price. His idea would more than double the $60 billion that Apple's board has budgeted for buying back stock during the next three years.

Apple apparently doesn't have any immediate plans to placate Icahn. CEO Tim Cook told analysts on a Monday conference call that the board won't announce any potential changes to its current programme for buying back stock until early next year.

The latest quarter included early sales of the latest iPhones released last month.

The models consist of a 5S, a high-end version featuring a faster chip and a fingerprint reader, and the 5C, a slightly cheaper version that comes in a variety of brightly colored plastic cases. Apple didn't specify how many of each of the new models sold during the final week of the quarter.

The company sold 33.8 million iPhones in the past quarter, a 26 per cent increase from the same time last year. But the prices for those iPhones averaged $577, a 7 percent decrease from an average price of $618 a year ago.

Apple's iPad sales edged slightly upward, with 14.1 million of the devices sold versus 14 million a year ago. The average price for an iPad slipped 14 per cent to $439, a shift reflecting the growing popularity of a smaller version featuring an 8-inch display screen.

An update to the iPad Mini with a higher definition display screen and a higher price is scheduled to go on sale at a still-to-be determined date next month. At the same time, Apple is cutting the price of the original iPad Mini by $30 to $299. A thinner and lighter version of the full-sized iPad, called Air, will go on sale Friday.
Credits:www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Gmail, Yahoo may be banned in government offices by year-end

NEW DELHI: Wary of cybersnooping, the government could ban e-mail services such asGmail and Yahoo for official communications by December this year in a move to safeguard its critical and sensitive data. 

The government is expected to route all its official communication through the official website NIC's email service. 

The Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DEITY) is drafting a policy on e-mail usage for government offices and departments and the policy is almost ready. The department is now taking views from other ministries on it. 

"E-mail policy of the government of India, as this policy will be called, is almost ready and we are taking views from other ministries on this. Our effort will be to operationalise it by mid or end-December," DEITY Secretary J Satyanarayana told reporters on the sidelines of a CII summit. 

According to official sources, the policy seeks to protect the large amount of critical government data. 

It also aims to make it mandatory for government offices to communicate only on the nic.in platform rather than commercial email services like Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail etc. 

The policy is expected to cover about 5-6 lakh Central and State government employees for using the email service provided by National Informatics Centre (NIC). 

On investments required for the policy, Satyanarayana said: "We immediately require about Rs 4-5 crore to ramp up the NIC infrastructure. But, the total investment needed for the full operationability of the e-mail policy could be around Rs 50-100 crore." 

This will also include integrating the e-mails with cloud so that official data can be saved on a cloud platform, which can then be easily shared with the concerned government ministries and departments, he added. 

The development comes close on heels of concerns being raised by a section in the government, especially intelligence agencies, over use of email services, provided by foreign firms (mostly US-based), which have their servers located in overseas locations, making it difficult to track if sensitive government data is being snooped upon. 

The move also assumes significance in light of the fallout of the Snowden saga, which contended the US intelligence agencies used a secret data-mining programme to monitor worldwide internet data to spy on various countries, including India. 

Former technical contractor for National Security Agency and Central Intelligence AgencyEdward Snowden had leaked what was allegedly details of a top-secret American mass surveillance programme, which led to countries analysing the safety of their official internet-supported communication networks.
Credits:-www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

PC first aid kit on a pen drive that can help you a lot

Just like every home has a First Aid Kit formedical emergencies, it pays to have something similar for your PC. All you need is a pen drive that's loaded with essential, troubleshooting software. The tools listed in this piece are free, and run straight out of a USB stick, so you don't even need to install them. And yes, it also means you can carry this 'First Aid Kit' along whenever you want to help friends with their computer problems... 

ClamWin
The portable version of ClamWin antivirus can be used to scan your PC for viruses. This is extremely useful because malware can sometimes disable the antivirus software installed on your PC. With ClamWin on your flash drive, you will be able to identify and remove infections.

To keep your PC spic-andspan, you will also need to routinely scan it for spyware and adware. These are pesky programs that get installed along with free software, or if you might have clicked on an unknown web link in an e-mail. To take care of these malicious programs, also keep SpyBot - Search & Destroy on the flash drive. Just make sure you have the updated versions of ClamWin and SpyBot on your USB stick at all times.

CCleaner
If your PC seems sluggish while performing basic tasks like opening a document, or during web browsing sessions, it's probably because of the temporary files created by the software you use. To purge your system of this junk, try CCleaner. Extract the contents of CCleaner's '.zip' file to a folder of the same name on your pen drive. Now, launch the software by double-clicking the '.exe' file and start spring cleaning your machine.

Recuva
Recuva comes with a simple, wizard-driven interface that makes it easy to retrieve files that you might have permanently deleted from your PC. A 'deep scan' lists deleted files in a friendly searchable format, along with the option to preview them if they are images. That said, there is no guarantee that you will always be able to retrieve deleted data. Also, if the files you're trying to recover are extremely critical, it is best to handover this job to professional companies that do this for a fee.

Revo Uninstaller
Uninstalled software sometimes leave residue in the form of files and Registry entries. These are not easy to find and end up hogging precious space. Revo Uninstaller saves you the trouble of manually clearing these files by thoroughly uninstalling a program. It can also be used to remove those stubborn toolbars that refuse to go away. An alternative to Revo Uninstaller is PC Decrapifier - a portable tool that does just as its name suggests.

AutoRuns for Windows
If your PC takes time to boot to the desktop, then it is probably because of the number of programs that are configured to launch during the Windows start-up process. With AutoRuns, you can cut down on these programs. It analyses your machine and shows you the services and programs that are scheduled to run during the boot process. Carefully deselect the ones that are not required at launch and you will improve start-up times. You can also use WinPatrolToGo to the same effect.

How to prep your USB flash drive
*To create your PC First Aid Kit you will need a pen drive with at least 2GB capacity. If possible, invest in one that supports USB 3.0 - this will guarantee faster read-write speeds on newer PCs that support the standard.

*Format your drive: Double-click My Computer and right-click the external drive icon that appears under Devices with Removable Storage.

*Click on Format and select FAT32 from the drop-down list as the file system of choice.

*Check the Quick Format box and click Start to initiate the process.

*Your USB flash drive is now ready to be filled with portable apps. It is recommended that you regularly replace the software on the flash drive with latest revisions. For example, an up-to-date antivirus will be more capable of detecting new threats.
Credits:-www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Telcos training executives to deal with abusive calls & e-mails

Almost every other morning Amit Prasad starts his work day at the receiving end of a volley of abuse. "Why have you activated hello tunes without my consent," an irate caller takes off.

"You cheat, return my money, connect me to your senior you ****." It's mostly at that point — when the swear words begin — that the 22-year-old call centre executive who works for a telecom company in Gurgaon hangs up. Prasad is no stranger to the customer care business. He's worked in two similar roles in 2012. The reason for quitting both is that he couldn't cope with abusive calls.

"This is my third job in less than a year," says Prasad. And it's the worst of the three — the latest obnoxious call is the seventh in a span of a couple of hours. "I can't quit. I have to take it," he adds, requesting not to be clicked for this story by ET Magazine.

Abusive customers ostensibly dissatisfied with service or furious because their complaints are not being attended to are not alien in the telecom service providing sector.

However, industry officials point out there has been a dramatic increase in the number of such calls over the past nine months or so. "Yes, there has been a jump in abusive calls by customers," says Amanjit Kaur, head, CRM shared services, MTS India. MTS is the brand of Sistema Shyam Teleservices.

Indians were among most abusive customers in the world in 2012. While 12% resorted to profanities on the phone, 64% lost their temper with customer service.

A majority of their grievances relate to issues on value-added services (VAS), points out Kaur. At times, customers indulge in profanity in regional languages, she adds. MTS has 10 million subscribers across the nine circles that it operates in, most of whom are prepaid customers. In addition, it has 1.5 lakh high-end data subscribers. While the 10 million voice customers generate 65% of the company's revenue, the 1.5 lakh data customers bring in the rest. Vodafone India, the country's second-largest mobile operator, too has seen an increase in such calls.

"We have seen a trend of an increase in abusive behaviour on the part of customers calling in to the call centres," says a Vodafone spokesperson in an emailed response, adding that "abusivecallers are a negligible part of our calls as we get millions of calls every day." Airtel declined to participate in the story. Another top mobile service provider is also facing flak from aggressive callers. "They [consumers] want a quick-fix solution to all their problems," the spokesperson says, requesting anonymity. "And abusing they think is the solution." The anger is not just confined to phone calls. It trickles down to abusive mails, nasty Facebook posts and vulgar tweets.

Why customers are angry
From allegations of cheating by activating VAS without consent to poor quality of service, including frequent call drops and bad coverage, to inflated bills, the grievances of consumers are far too many. Take the case of Manish Kandwal. The 27-year-old marketing manager's horror story started when he first requested for deactivation of 3G services. "In spite of repeated requests, they [telco] kept on sending me bills, which included 3G charges, for three months," says Kandwal, who works at Shree Balaji Alumnicast in Gurgaon.

"It's only after non-resolution of my problem that I got infuriated," he adds. Kandwal's anger may be justified. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) recently directed operators to take double confirmation from consumers before activating VAS and deactivate requests in four hours. "Activation of VAS by service providers has been the cause of many customer complaints and is a major concern for Trai as well," the regulator said in a press release in July.

Trai has been addressing, from time to time, consumer complaints relating to activation of VAS without the explicit consent of the consumer, the release added. Early this year, an audit by Trai through independent agencies found that over two crore subscribers had complained in the past 15 months that VAS had been activated without their consent.

Across India, over 100.20 million subscribers had opted for Mobile Number Portability (MNP) till August 31, 2013 — a figure that clearly shows a high level of dissatisfaction among consumers. "MNP in India has been driven by demand, almost exclusively, from postpaid subscribers," says Jagan Ramaswami, director (consulting), strategy and technical insights, Frost & Sullivan. This is usually the urban, upwardly mobile subscriber base which values factors such as connectivity, billing clarity and customer service, he adds. "The number of MNP requests is an indicator of a sense of dissatisfaction of a demanding customer."

Irritation levels soar as calls drop
However, VAS is not the only issue. Frequent call drops too bug consumers. The reasons for call drops can range from inadequate coverage and quality of signal to network congestion and network failures. But there are customers who feel this is a deliberate attempt by telcos to jack up call numbers. Dilip Hirani, a 28-year-old who works as assistant manager (imports) at a freight shipping company, is one such disgruntled customer.

"Can't they find other ways of making money," he fumes, adding he is hardly able to complete his conversation without the call dropping. Trai has benchmarked the call drop rate at 2%, which most service providers had been meeting till December 2012. Service providers insist that they are meeting the benchmark.

"Idea is well within the defined limits of Trai's quality of standards across all parameters," says an Idea spokesperson. But call drops is not the only irritant that gets Hirani's goat. He also doesn't like being put on hold for ever when he calls in. "Now that is so bugging. Why can't they resolve the problem quickly," he asks, adding he has had countless abusive call sessions with customer care executives on this count.

While consumers think they have valid reasons to be disgusted with the service of telecom providers, the telcos put the blame squarely on the consumers. "These [instances of discontent] could be a customer's perception of wrong activation or charging," says the Vodafone spokesperson. Consumers also get angry in other scenarios such as network and payment-related issues, the spokesperson adds.

It's the slowdown, too
Experts on human behaviour point out that the fuse of customers may have got even shorter at a time when the economy is not exactly galloping. Factors like high inflation and interest rates, increasing job pressures and uncertainty and salary hikes that are not keeping pace with rising prices are eating into the share of the consumer's wallet reserved for such spending. And disputes on this front can inevitably result in blowouts.

"Our society is becoming unhappy and dissatisfied," says Dr Ekta Soni, a clinical psychologist at Apollo Hospitals. While salary hikes are not happening, expenses have skyrocketed. "Every penny pinches, especially when you feel that you have not got full value for your money. It gets manifested in displacement reaction, where you try to vent out you anger on somebody else, especially somebody who can't retaliate," she adds.

"This is an era of immediate gratification and nobody has time or patience to wait." The abusive Indian customer is a realilty. Indians were among the most abusive customers in the world, revealed a Global Customer Service Barometer report by American Express last year. While 12% resorted to profanities on the phone, 64% lost their temper with customer service, compared to the global average of 48%, the report said. "Since you can't scream at your boss or shout at your wife, you find an easy target in customer care executives," says Soni.

"Who likes to be a punching bag," shrugs Yakshi Arora Dang, a customer care executive with Tech Mahindra in Noida, on the outskirts of Delhi. "Callers should understand that they are talking to humans and not machines," says the 20-yearold who has been working on the Vodafone account. "There are no quick fixes. We need time to sort out issues," she adds. Consumers may have perpetuated a crisis, but telecom companies are helping by training their staff on how to handle abusive callers.

Handling abuse
MTS has devised a special module on dealing with abusive customers. It lays emphasis on empathising with the consumers rather than sympathising. "We invest a lot of time, money and effort in training our service teams in soft skills," says MTS' Kaur. But if the empathy isn't enough, the executives are empowered to disconnect the call by using appropriate call closing verbiage, she adds. For Vodafone, which has over 155 million subscribers, there is a standardised procedure to handle abusive customers.

"All call centre executives have been skilled extensively on customer-handling; the skills include listening, empathy, telephone etiquette and objection handling," says the spokesperson. This skilling, he adds, has a special focus on irate customer handling. Idea Cellular too has increased its focus on training and is investing intensively in it. "Idea's strong focus on customer service has resulted in the company being the top gainer of MNP," says the company spokesperson. The telecom operator had the highest net gain of 7.62 million customers — 6% of its total subscriber base — as on August 31.

However, training alone is not going to help the executives. One has to develop the art of listening, feel experts. Mona Agarwal, assistant manager (training) at Tech Mahindra, says a good listener can often pacify an irate caller. "Don't lose patience, that's the most important thing," says the 39-year-old, who heads a team of nine trainers and has been training the Vodafone caller team. "You need to understand what the customer is going through. And then listen him/her out," adds Agarwal. Does she have a piece of advice for consumers? "Please understand that customer care executives too are human beings like you." But then the consumer is king, too, right?
Credits:-www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Market for expensive smartphones shrinking: Report

NEW DELHI: Even as the mobile phone marketis expected to expand by over 5% to about 1.91 billion units by 2014, the opportunity for smartphones in the premium category is now fading, global research firm Gartner has said. 

The firm expects mobile phone shipments to touch 1.81 billion units this year against to 1.74 billion units in 2012. 

"The mobile phone market will continue to experience steady growth, but the opportunity for high average selling price (ASP) smartphones is now ending," Gartner said, while giving its global outlook for the PC, tablet and mobile phone shipments. 

The firm added that growth is expected to come from mid- tier smartphones in mature markets and low-end Android smartphones in emerging markets, like India. 

Worldwide combined shipments of devices (PCs, tablets and mobile phones) are projected to reach 2.32 billion units in 2013, a 4.5% increase from 2012, it said. 

"The market is being driven by a shift to lower-priced devices in nearly all device categories," Gartner said. 

Android will remain the leading device operating system (OS), as it is on pace to account for 38% of shipments in 2013, it said. 

Windows OS is projected to decline 4.3% in 2013 as a result of the decline in traditional PC sales, but will return to growth in 2014 with device OS shipments increasing 9.7%, it added. 

Similarly, another global research firm IDC also said that mobile phone shipments will increase aided by sub-$200 smartphones. 

Worldwide smartphone shipments are forecast to grow 40% year-over-year to more than 1 billion units in 2013. 

"High smartphone growth is the result of a variety of factors, including steep device subsidies from carriers, especially in mature economic markets, as well as a growing array of sub-$200 smartphones," it added. 

Total smartphone shipments are forecast to reach 1.7 billion units in 2017, IDC said. 

Overall mobile phone market is growing faster than previously forecast thanks to a stronger-than-expected first half of the year driven by strong gains in emerging markets like India and the sub-$200 smartphone segment. 

"IDC previously projected 5.8% growth for the year. Vendors are now forecast to ship more than 1.8 billion mobile phones this year, growing to over 2.3 billion mobile phones in 2017," the research firm said.
Credits:-www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Samsung to launch Galaxy Golden phone in India: Report

Samsung seems to be planning another big launch in the country for the coming festive season. According to a report on AndroidOS.in website, the company is all set to launch its flip phone Galaxy Golden in India.

As per the news report, "The company has already imported around 1650 units of the phone in the country, which will soon reach the retail stores." An official announcement is expected sometime next week.

Launched in South Korea in August this year, Galaxy Golden has a clamshell design and sports two 3.7" Super AMOLED displays with WVGA resolution. The phone with dual touchscreens also has a alphanumeric keypad.

Galaxy Golden is powered by a dual-core 1.7 GHz processor. On camera front, there's an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 1.9MP front camera. The phone runs on Android 4.2 operating system and packs 1820mAh battery.

Though there is no official word on the Galaxy Golden's pricing in India, reports suggest that the phone is likely to be priced above Rs 45,000. 
Earlier this month, Samsung fan website SamMobile too reported that the company will soon launch a flip-phone in a few Asian countries, including India.

Samsung Galaxy Golden was launched in South Korea in August this year.

Samsung recently added another flip phone in its portfolio: Galaxy W789. Samsung Galaxy W789 has two 3.3-inch TFT touchscreens with 480x320p resolution. It is powered by Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) operating system and runs on 1.2GHz quad-core processor. It has a 1,500mAh battery and comes with a 5MP camera. The phone was launched in China earlier this year.
Credits:-www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Micromax to launch 4G devices by December-end: Co-founder Rahul Sharma

Home bred handset maker MicromaxInformatics is ready for its next phase of growth. To start with, the company is planning to launch smartphones in Russia by the year end, as it starts on an aggressive road map of international expansion, having roped in Hollywood star Hugh Jackman as its brand ambassador, says co-founder Rahul Sharma. 

In an interview with ET, Sharma says the company is also planning to launch 4-G enabled handsets by December 2014 and a Windows phone next year. Excerpts: 

Do you think Nokia's sale to Microsoft has had any impact on players like yourself? Are you planning to make Windows smartphones sometime in the future?
It has been good for us because they have chosen to stick to the Windows operating system. Had they chosen Android, it would have been a threat for us. But now we're certain that they will not look at Android, which means lesser competition for us. We are working on a Windows phone and you might see something from us around mid of next year. 

Globally, and in India, LTE that allows ultra high-speed internet is catching up fast. However, the ecosystem around devices has not developed at all. We see some handset makers looking at LTE devices, but what are your plans?
We want to establish ourselves on LTE and offer products that are LTE ready by December, so that consumers would not need to change their handsets whenever voice over LTE becomes available, be it six months or eight months later. 

What are your thoughts about manufacturing handsets in India? What challenges do you face for indigenous production?
We've already put up a big factory in Rudrapur from where we're manufacturing and assembling tablets and televisions. I want to take mobile phones out there. We've created space for this purpose, so that we're the first ones to start manufacturing when the conditions are right. 

Our internal target is to double sales (production) to around 50 million by next year since we're going global. Within 12- 18 months you should see some action from our side (in local manufacturing). But at the moment, I have to import everything right from chipset, fab, memory to screen. The government should give benefits that encourage companies like us that have massive scale now. 

Where does Micromax plan to go next after establishing itself in India? Have you thought of tapping the developed markets which are more open to unlocked phone makers than before?
After worldwide adoption of Android, our aspiration is to become a global player. We've tested waters in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal, where we are in the top 3 players by overall sales. India has not seen a global player from hardware, that's our ambition. 

We're launching in Russia by December, where more than 1 million smartphones are being sold a month. Success in Russia will open doors to Eastern Europe, countries like Romania. We're also exploring Pakistan, which is similar to India and automobile makers have tasted success there. 

The end goal is to finish in the US and do something around the Superbowl, maybe next year. Markets in these geographies are changing with unlocked phones becoming more popular. In the UK for instance, the share between locked and unlocked phones is 50:50 now. 

What kind of growth are you expecting by the end of the fiscal? Are you thinking of an IPO now? What about acquiring a local player?
Last year, we closed our sales at Rs 3,168 crore. Within six months of this fiscal, we've crossed this number and we're on the way to double this by the end of the financial year. Right now, the situation is quite uncertain for an IPO. It makes sense for us to acquire a player in software, not in hardware.
Credits:-www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Google’s Nexus 5, Android 4.4 KitKat launch delayed

NEW DELHI: Google's launch of the Nexus 5smartphone and Android 4.4 KitKat mobile operating system has been delayed by a month. 

It is expected that Google will now make the announcement in November, instead of October 28 as planned earlier, according to a report by Phones Review website. 

Earlier, there had been media reports and also hints from KitKat's Twitter account that both the products would be launched on October 28. 

Google had recently 'leaked' the pricing details of the Nexus 5 on its Play Store which had also strengthened the rumours of an October release. 

It is being speculated the delay could have been caused due to LG's curved smartphone G Flex, which reportedly runs on the latest Android OS. The delay in the G Flex's release could have affected the new Android's release timings as well. However, there is no official word from Google or LG on the issue. 

The LG made Nexus 5 smartphone, codenamed Hammerhead, would reportedly have a 2.3GHz Quad-core processor complemented by an Adreno 330 graphics processor. Its 5-inch display will have 1920x1080p resolution, with on-screen resolution being 1794x1080p. It is expected to have a 13 MP rear camera and 2GB RAM. 

Reports about the Android KitKat have said it would have a totally new design and user interface. Apart from having its own printing options, the new OS would also have a new wireless NFC payment system within its Settings. It would also have the option to save images as PDF files on the device. 

Some reports have stated that Google Now will have the 'always-on' functionality of Moto X in Android 4.4 and could accept commands in several languages, not just English. Android 4.4 might also introduce SMS function to Google Hangouts app. Android 4.4 KitKat will come with pre-loaded apps like Google Drive and Google Keep. 

There is also speculation that Google will also unveil Nexus 10 tablet alongside the Nexus 5 and Android KitKat. This tablet is rumoured to be manufactured by Asus this year, instead of Samsungwhich had made last year's model, and could have a full HD screen.
Credits:www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Microsoft Windows 8.1: Pluses and minuses

NEW YORK: I doubt I was alone in rolling my eyes when I first used Windows 8 a year ago. I found its touch controls and gestures awkward, and I was troubled by how little its primary, tile-based interface could do on its own.

For many basic tasks, I had to return to the system's traditional desktop mode, the one that resembles older versions of Windows. It felt as though I was working on two different computers at once.

Since then, I've warmed up to many of those touch controls and gestures, such that I've even tried to use them absentmindedly out of habit on my touch-less MacBook laptop. And the free Windows 8.1update released addresses many of my remaining gripes.

Windows is still far from perfect. It continues to come across as a work in progress. But Windows 8.1 shows Microsoft is listening. People who already have Windows 8 will find digital life more pleasant with the update.

What was so bad about Windows 8's tile mode previously?

I could open only 10 webpages at a time in Internet Explorer and pages would automatically close once I had hit the limit, without any prompts or choice of which one. With Windows 8.1, there's no limit.

The browser in Windows 8 didn't let me view more than one webpage at once. Sure, I could open 10 tabs, but I could see only one at a time. I couldn't leave a news site or Facebook open on one side of Window's new split screen for multitasking while I checked Gmail on another. With Windows 8.1, I can open a "new window" rather than a "new tab" using a right click to have a second page visible.

That limitation also applied to Window 8's Mail app. With Windows 8.1, I can now have two messages open at once. And if I click on an attachment, it opens to the side rather than replace what I'm reading. The Mail app's layout adjusts to fit into the remaining space.

I could access some computer settings from the tile-based interface, but Windows 8 sent me to the desktop for many others, including changing the display screen's resolution and controlling how quickly energy-saving measures kicked in. Now I can adjust that and more from the tile-based interface in Windows 8.1, though I still can't check the specific percentage of battery life I have left without going to the desktop.

Beyond fixes, Windows 8.1 offers these improvements:

*Universal search. With one search command, I can access files stored on my computer along with web content on the internet. Type in "Shakira," for instance, and I'm invited to hear her songs through Xbox Music or watch her videos on YouTube. I also get links to her biography, official website and Wikipedia entry. Type in "Toronto" and a map, suggested attractions and the current weather there will pop up. In both cases, I am also shown documents on my computer with those words in the text.

*New features. I can diagnose my medical condition by tapping on a body part on the screen and checking off symptoms. I can also keep track of my workouts, recipes and shopping lists. Another feature lets me save content from webpages and apps to read later offline.

*Customization. I can rearrange tiles and rename groups of apps more easily. With one swipe up from the home screen, I can see all my apps and arrange them by name, category, installation date or frequency of use.

*Old habits. I can set the computer to always boot up in the desktop mode, allowing me to minimize my interaction with the tile-based interface. That said, this seems like cheating, an admission that the tile mode isn't working, when Microsoft is banking its future on it.

That gets me to the things Windows 8.1 doesn't fix:

*It still feels like two separate computers at times. Each mode has its own Internet Explorer browser. Pages I have open in one won't automatically appear in the other. Many programs, including Microsoft's Office, work only in desktop. I can customize the background images so both modes match, but that's cosmetic.

*Although Windows 8.1 lets me adjust how much screen space each visible app takes, that slider only moves left to right. So with three or four apps open, all of the apps are vertical. That's awkward for video and word processing. And while Windows 8.1 doubles to four the number of apps I can have side by side, it was unlimited before Windows 8.

*There's no easy way to open apps without going to the full-page start screen. Before Windows 8, there was a Start button on the lower left corner to do that. The Start button has been restored in Windows 8.1, but its functionality has not. So if I have video playing, it stops as I switch from app to app or do one of those universal searches.

*The touch controls can still be confounding. Windows 8.1 comes with new gesture controls, such as the ability to accept word suggestions as you type by swiping and tapping the spacebar. Too often, I simply add unneeded spaces instead.

Microsoft's tile and touch approach will take time to get used to, even with Windows 8.1. That approach works fine on phones and tablets, but not necessarily on desktops and laptops.

I know change is inevitable. I eventually embraced Apple's Mac OS X, introduced in 2001, after more than a decade of growing up on what became known as Classic. But it took me until 2006 to fully switch. It's been only a year with the new Windows. I'm not ready to cede my Windows 7and Mac computers quite yet.

If you're buying a new Windows computer or already have Windows 8, your choices are limited. In that case, you might as well accept Windows 8.1, which is far better than Windows 8.

(The author is technology writer for AP)
Credits:-www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com