Tag: Tech News

Windows OneCare Live Beta Reviewed

Its been a while since I last posted. Anyways most of people know how busy I was these days. These months are very important for my career so I was paying more attention to the job at hand. And now when I got some time, I decided to write this review. I got the invitation for beta testing Windows OneCare Live a while ago but I didnt get time to mess around system settings so decided against it. But when recently my system got screwed and I installed a fresh copy of WinXP, I decided to give it a go.

Windows OneCare Live: What is it ? :

Its the new security software from Microsoft. Its currently in beta testing stage, so you if you want to try it, you need to get an invite (available easily). The speculations of Microsoft entering the antivirus arena started when Microsoft bought antivirus firm Sybari early in 2005. With Windows XP Service Pack 2, the firewall was already built in the operating system and Microsoft testing an antispyware software, most people (including yours truly) were expecting Windows OneCare Live to have an integrated system of all these. So, when Microsoft started sending out invitations to beta test it, I also applied for it. And soon enough I got the invite. Continue reading Windows OneCare Live Beta Reviewed

How to write in Hindi without any IME

This text written in Devnagri (Hindi).. You will need Unicode support in your Operating system and browser to view it. So If all you get is boxes after this text, your system is Unicode non compliant.

Chatting in Hinglish has become a normal routine for Hindi speaking people.. And with advent of Unicode support in most operating systems and browsers, it has become easy to write in Hindi easily.. The recent versions of MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger support Unicode so now you can chat in Unicode with your friends easily ..

Earlier the only way to do this was either to install an IME on both ends and then communicate or write the text in a transcripter program such as Baraha and copy paste in your IM window .. Well … No more such troubles now .. Now you can directly write in your favorite program in Hindi .. and no fonts installation required .. (Well some installation is required though 😉 .. )

हिन्दी में लिखने के लिये आपको जिस software की जरुरत है वह है HindiWriter Keyboad Map. ईसे आप इसके डेवेलपर के वेबसाईट से डाउनलोड कर सकते हें। इसको इन्स्टाल करना काफ़ी आसान है। ईस कमाल के सोफ़्टवेर को बनाया है देवेन्द्र पारख ने।

So, to use HindiWriter, you’ll need to install complex script support on your computer. On Windows XP, you can do so by going to Control Panel and opening Regional and Language options applet. On the Language tab, Enable the option of Install files for complex script and right to left languages. Click on Apply. You may need your XP Cd to complete the installation. Here is a screenshot :
Screenshot of XP Regional Options

For Windows 2000, Goto Control Panel and click on Regional Options. Click on General Tab. Enable ‘Indic’ Click on Apply. You may need your Windows 2000 cd for comleting the installation.

Now the tougher part is over. Just download HindiWriter and install it. Now to type in Hindi, just run the program and press Shift Pause. Hindi keyboard map will be activated and whatever you will type will be converted to Devnagri automatically. It’s a phonetic font so if you want to write श , you can do so by typing sh . So if you can type in Hinglish, you can type in Hindi too .. We are using it successfully with MS Word, Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messenger too .. And you can write in Hindi on Unicode compliant browsers such as Maxthon, Firefox or Opera too …

तो जनाव, इन्तेज़ार किस बात का है ? आज से हिन्दी में बात करना शुरु कर दिजिये !

[Update as on 28 May 2008] Seems like Devendra Parekh’s original website is no more. I’ve updated the download link to SoftPedia now.

Windows Live Messenger 8 Beta Reviewed

Its raining Betas everywhere .. Soon after Microsoft announced that new version of MSN Messenger will be called Windows Live Messenger, they released the program for Beta testers .. The download size is huge, double the size of previous versions but I still decided to test it. So I downloaded it and installed it.. Here’s my experience with it …
Whats New ..?

  • The interface: It clearly says “The Future of MSN Messenger” in the main window. They have redesigned the interface yet again .. I said “Wow ..!” when I first looked at it ..! Its more colorful (You can customize the colors) and its more sleek.. You can find most of the common task in the main interface without right clicking .. Just hover over a contact and most useful tasks are visible ..
    Windows Live Messenger Main Interface

Continue reading Windows Live Messenger 8 Beta Reviewed

A User’s Guide to Instant Messengers – II

To continue with my earlier post , Now I will discuss what I want to have in the Instant Messenger of my choice .. Though some proceedings made me to modify my original post. Earlier I had decided that I will point out features separately for both messengers, but now as both Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messenger will start supporting each other’s networks, I guess the ultimate messenger program they will release around June 2006 will support both program’s features . . .So I will make an ambiguous list that is relevant to most clients. 
A disclaimer: People like me usually chat on text mode. This partly due to chatting with many people at once, being a fast typist and, not wanting to appear as I am talking to my computer for that matter :D..
So, most of the features that I want are related to text conversations …
Continue reading A User’s Guide to Instant Messengers – II

Yahoo and Microsoft to Merge Instant Messengers ..!!

I just read this exciting news that Yahoo and Microsoft are announcing an interoperability deal .. Ths will enable the users to communicate with each other … Ooh .. I was going to write about it in the second part of my Instant messeging article …

Yahoo and Microsoft will now command upwards of 44 percent of the market, according to research firm Radicati Group, putting new pressure on market leader AOL, which holds around 56 percent market share with AIM and ICQ. And according to recent comScore Media Metrix numbers, MSN Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger together reach 33.5 million unique users each month, more than the 23 million running AIM.

It is not clear though that will they announce a new multiprotocol client or just connect their network .. I hope they wont go ahead and kill rivals this fashion.. When they are opening up, they should make it an open protocol like Xmpp . .. Although I see no reason to believe that they will encourage more IM service to join them .. I think this move is more in defence to Google Talk .. Anyways .. Lets see what happens ..
I hope that good features from both the client will add up and bad features will be minimized ..

The link to the story is here