Everything You Need to Know About Today’s Windows 8 News

Windows 8 news is gushing forth from Microsoft's BUILD conference up in Seattle, as the company exposes the inner workings of the latest iteration of their operating system. Here's a look at all the latest Windows 8 news we're seeing today.

(Microsoft is showing off Windows 8 on a prototype tablet, so most of the emphasis is on the more touch-friendly features of the OS.)

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Metro

For Microsoft, Metro is the future. Metro is the design scheme that the Redmond megalith dreamed up for Windows Phone 7, and now it's coming to Windows 8 not just as a skin or a launch screen, but as an entire philosophy. We've seen glimpses of this UI in the past, but we weren't quite sure just how deep it would run into Windows 8.

The way Microsoft is talking, Metro style apps may not be at the core of Windows 8 just quite yet, but it seems like it's what they want for the future of their platform in terms of design. Metro is not a separate skin or layer running on top of Windows 8. Everything is handled as natively as anything else in Windows.

According to Mary Jo Foley at ZD Net, the old tools, standards and philosophies for app development are taking a back seat to this new, more immersive style of Metro apps. It's all tiles, full-screen apps, simplicity. It all makes Windows look so modern. Awesome.

Charms

In the Metro UI, the new Start Menu will be the Charms element on the right side of the screen. From there you'll be able to search, tweak settings, manage apps, share links/text/info/pics etc. This is akin to the overlay that pops up when you hit the menu key on Android devices.

Split Screen Apps

Despite the fact that the Metro UI moves away from the windowed design of yore, that doesn't mean you have to be locked into one app at any given time. The Metro UI will allow two apps to share screen space so that you can multitask without sacrificing the flattened design of Windows 8. Conceptually, it's a lot like the Twitter app for iPad, (in that app you can view your timeline while having a browser window with a link you clicked open right next to it). It's quick and efficient.

Resolution Matters

All Windows 8 devices must have a minimum resolution of at least 1024x768 pixels. Any device running on minimum requirements will only run the Metro UI, with apps one at a time. If the screen resolution is 1366x768, it will support the splitscreen apps. If the screen is a full 16:10 and at least 1366 pixels wide, you

Metro vs Pro

Windows is definitely drawing a line between Metro and Pro, defining the limits of Metro (for now, at least). While the Metro is intended for entertainment purposes and consumption of content (tablets, hello!), the Pro UI (which is much more standard looking) is for creation and work purposes. The way Microsoft is talking, they envision you using a desktop during when you're in the office (or working at least). When you're just casually screwing around on the internet, you'll use a tablet device.

NFC Power

Windows 8 will support NFC technologies, meaning that devices can either transmit or receive information. In terms of possibilities, think something along the lines of what Palm/HP showed off with the Pre 3 and the TouchPad. Tap your phone against your tablet and it could take the webpage/app/song/video that's on your device and load it on your phone.

Refresh and Reset

Viruses and malware happen. Microsoft isn't necessarily promising that Windows 8 will be virus free, but they're making it easier to wipe out corrupted system software without wiping out your apps and settings. They call this feature Refresh. There's also a quick one step feature to wipe your device and restore it to factory settings. This is Reset.

Available Tonight

You'll be able to download the Developer Preview of Windows 7 tonight. However, it won't be supported by Microsoft in any manner.

Via: http://gizmodo.com/5839790/everything-you-need-to-know-about-todays-windows-8-news-updating

IBM's Watson to Tackle Healthcare Next

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- IBM's Watson computer thrilled "Jeopardy" audiences in February by vanquishing two human champs in a three-day match. It's an impressive resume, and now Watson has landed a plum job.

IBM is partnering with WellPoint, a large health insurance plan provider with around 34 million subscribers, to bring Watson technology to the health care sector, the companies said Monday.

It will be the first commercial application of Watson, which is a computing system that aims to "understand" language as humans naturally speak it. IBM (IBM,Fortune 500) has been working on Watson for more than six years.

The goal is for Watson to help medical professionals diagnose and sort out treatment options for complicated health issues. Think of the system as an electronic Dr. House.

"Imagine having the ability to take in all the information around a patient's medical care -- symptoms, findings, patient interviews and diagnostic studies," Dr. Sam Nussbaum, WellPoint's (WLP, Fortune 500) chief medical officer, said in a prepared statement.

"Then, imagine using Watson analytic capabilities to consider all of the prior cases, the state-of-the-art clinical knowledge in the medical literature and clinical best practices to help a physician advance a diagnosis and guide a course of treatment," he added.

WellPoint plans to begin deploying Watson technology in small clinical pilot tests in early 2012.

Speed and natural language: Watson can sift through 200 million pages of data and provide a response in less than three seconds. But perhaps even more impressive than Watson's speed is its ability to process natural language, the way that humans speak it.

That's no easy feat for a computer. Human language is full of subtleties, irony and words with multiple meanings.

Take the "Jeopardy" example. Watson studies the questions by considering many factors, ranging from straightforward keyword matching to more complex challenges like homonyms (the bark of a tree is not the same as a dog's bark) and paraphrasing ("Big Blue" is the same thing as "IBM").

Watson is able to do this quickly thanks to software that runs on 10 refrigerator-sized racks of IBM Power7 systems. The machine is a grandkid to Deep Blue, the chess-playing IBM supercomputer that trounced world champion Garry Kasparov in 1997.

IBM said early on that health care is a field where it anticipated commercialization opportunities for Watson. Other markets IBM is eying include online self-service help desks, tourist information centers and customer hotlines.

Watson's "Jeopardy" face-off against champs Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter, which first aired February 14-16, will be re-broadcast starting on Monday.

Via: http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/12/technology/ibm_watson_health_care/index.htm?hpt=te_bn9

Flash Flooding prompts road closures in Pa.; watch in effect for region

MEDIA – The National Weather Service in Mount Holly issued a flood watch for much of the Philadelphia area, including Delaware County, Wednesday morning.

Additionally, a flood warning was issued for communities along the Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford, expected to affect parts of Delaware County.

The flood watch is scheduled to continue through Thursday afternoon. Between noon Tuesday and Wednesday, the area experienced four to five inches of rain.

A significant amount of rain is expected over the next few days, as bands of storms moving up from Maryland are expected to pour on the area.

“It depends whether we get thunderstorms,” said the meteorologist-on-duty at the NWS in Mount Holly, N.J. Wednesday. “We’re expecting, over the next 24 to 48 hours, possibly one or two inches of rain.”

With the ground already saturated by August’s deluge, most of the rain will run off into small streams and possibly cause them to flood.

PennDOT spokesman Gene Blaum said that there were no road closures or blockages in Delaware County Wednesday afternoon, but that there were “8 to 10 roads closed in other parts of the region.”

“At this point and time, we don’t have any closed in Delaware County, but it’s obviously a major concern as we go through (Wednesday),” he said.

Brandywine and Darby Creeks were problem areas he mentioned that PennDOT was keeping an eye on.

Ed Truitt, the Director of Delaware County Emergency Services, wasn’t concerned about either creek flooding, saying that residential areas are not close to either site. Still, he’s keeping tabs on both areas.

“I’ve notified the people that need to be notified,” he said. “They know when to be proactive and when not to. They’re not rookies out there. If they have to pull the trigger (on an emergency situation), they’ll pull it.”

Blaum also said that crews were being readied “for this latest round of rain.” Crews have been kept busy since Hurricane Irene moved through the area.

“It matters where the creeks and rivers crest,” he said. “When water does overtake the roadways, we’re mobilizing crews to get barriers (on them).”

Truitt that any action would cost money, which is short now.

“Local municipalities just frankly don’t have (funds) this time of year,” said Truitt. He cited the operations during Hurricane Irene and actions during last winter’s snowstorms as the reason why many towns are hurting for cash for this situation.

Truitt emphasized that the flood watch is just a speculative measure.

“I deal with what is, not what they say is going to happen four days from now,” he said.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Flash flooding from the aftermath of Tropical Storm Lee has caused the closure of dozens of highways and secondary roads in central Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation was urging motorists Wednesday not to travel if possible because of the widespread closings.

In the meantime, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch for much of the region.

Here is their official release:

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF NORTHERN DELAWARE...NORTHEAST MARYLAND...NEW

JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN

NORTHERN DELAWARE...NEW CASTLE. IN NORTHEAST MARYLAND...CECIL.

IN NEW JERSEY...CAMDEN...GLOUCESTER...HUNTERDON...MERCER...

MIDDLESEX...MORRIS...NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON...SALEM...

SOMERSET...SUSSEX...WARREN AND WESTERN MONMOUTH. IN

PENNSYLVANIA...BERKS...BUCKS...CARBON...CHESTER...DELAWARE...

LEHIGH...MONROE...MONTGOMERY...NORTHAMPTON AND PHILADELPHIA.

* THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON

* HEAVY SHOWERS TODAY WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE

CONCENTRATED MAINLY FROM EASTERN MARYLAND NORTHWARD THROUGH

EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA INTO NORTHWESTERN NEW JERSEY INTO WEDNESDAY

EVENING. THESE SHOWERS MAY TEND TO BE ORGANIZED IN BANDS FROM

SOUTH TO NORTH. IF THESE BANDS MOVE OVER THE SAME PLACES...

FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS IN ADDITION TO FLOOD WARNINGS MAY BECOME

NECESSARY.

* BANDS OF HEAVIER RAIN ARE ALSO LIKELY TO DEVELOP AND MOVE OVER

THE NORTHERN PART OF THE WATCH AREA LATER TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY

MORNING.

* FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THURSDAY AFTERNOON ADDITIONAL

RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1.5 TO 4.0 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH

AREA WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE WATCH

AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE FLOODING

BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR SUBSEQUENT FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE

RENEWED FLOOD WARNINGS OR UPGRADES TO HIGHER CATEGORY RISKS. IF

YOU LIVE IN A LOCATION THAT IS PRONE TO FLOODING... BE PREPARED

TO TAKE ACTION AND MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

DON'T WALK OR PLAY ALONG STREAM BANKS WHICH ARE EXCEEDINGLY

SLIPPERY.

The closures affect portions of most of the interstate highways and a much larger number of secondary state roads throughout the region.

As PennDOT spokesman Steve Chizmar put it — quote — "It's bad out there."

Via: http://delcotimes.com/articles/2011/09/08/news/doc4e67dc2d01ab2031349838.txt?viewmode=fullstory