Charlotte Networks

Charlotte Networks - Windows 10 vs. Windows 8.1 vs. Windows 7 Performance

Windows 10 vs. Windows 8.1 vs. Windows 7 Performance By Steven Walton
8.10.2015

Three years ago we were benchmarking Microsoft’s then latest operating system, Windows 8. At the time we were keen to make sure Windows 8 performed as well as Windows 7, which was a huge upgrade from 2006’s Windows Vista.
In the end, we determined that Windows 8 was on par with 7 and at times a fraction faster, leading us to this conclusion in our performance review:
“Looking beyond benchmarks, Windows 8 appears more polished than Windows 7, even if you plan to live on the desktop and aren’t too fond of the Start screen, general usage is smoother and appears to be faster on Windows 8, which I found most noticeable on our somewhat underpowered Athlon II X4 system. If anything, it’s a great start. Now the Metro/Modern style will have to prove itself as a cross-platform OS that marries desktop, laptop and tablet PCs.”
It’s obvious now that the ‘Metro’ Start screen was an epic failure and in my opinion it was the only real issue with Windows 8, as I thoroughly enjoyed using the operating system with Classic Shellinstalled.
Fortunately, Microsoft learned from its mistakes and addressed some of Windows 8’s shortcomings in Windows 10, which we believe is the best version yet, if only for its improved looks and functionality across devices and form factors.
Read more at: http://www.techspot.com/review/1042-windows-10-vs-windows-8-vs-windows-7

Charlotte Networks - Add A Face to those Names in Your Contact List

Add A Face to those Names in Your Contact List by Miguel Leiva-Gomez



Since the advent of email, the contact list has become an icon of social connections across the internet. Nothing seems to better symbolize who we know than looking through that long list of names. The problem most of us experience is that our contact lists can get pretty long over time. Some email services automatically add someone as a contact every time you interact with that person. Having so many people on that list can eventually transform what was once a useful aid into a nightmarish labyrinth of tangled-up names and email addresses. There has to be some way to put it all in order, right?

What if you could attach a face to each contact’s name? Unless you are one of the unlucky few with prosopagnosia, faces are more easily recognizable to you than names. Because of this, putting a picture of a person’s face next to their name is monumentally helpful in sorting out who is who, especially in a messy and winding contact list!

Let’s look at some products that do this eloquently:

Rapportive - If you use Gmail, you may notice that it only pulls up contact pictures from Google Plus. Not all of your contacts use that social network, but you’ll find many of them on LinkedIn and Facebook. Rapportive is a Google Chrome extension that links up your Gmail interface with Facebook. The only obvious problem with this is the fact that this doesn’t work if you access email from mobile devices. Most people prefer to use an app for this activity and forego the entire process of using a browser. For this reason, Rapportive is more useful for desktop environments.
Rainmaker - A solution for those who wish to see contacts’ faces on mobile devices, Rainmaker offers a variety of contact sync features. Aside from Facebook, you can also pull contacts from LinkedIn and Twitter. Like Rapportive, it’s a service offered exclusively for Google users, particularly those using Gmail or Google Apps. To get real-time sync capabilities (rather than daily), you must pay $9 a month. Supported mobile platforms include Android, iOS, and BlackBerry.
Plaxo - Although it’s an old service (offered since 2005), Plaxo still has a lot going for it. Its “Personal Assistant” plan at $6.67 a month pulls up information and photos from Facebook, LinkedIn, the White Pages, and other places. This platform works with virtually any email client and continuously finds new information – including work addresses and phone numbers – as it comes along. Plaxo also supports an unrivaled amount of mobile devices, including Android, iOS, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone.

Before your contact list spirals out of control, you need to adopt the right kind of technology. Keeping your list organized will give you one less thing to worry about – another step in reducing the struggles of running your business.


by Miguel Leiva-Gomez



Read More: http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2013/09/3-services-that-help-add-a-face-to-the-name-on-your-contact-list.html/

Charlotte Networks - Renewable energy soars for first time in three years.

Renewable energy soars for first time in three years. Solar power is expected to reach price parity with coal-generated electricity by 2016



By Lucas Mearian Computerworld | Jan 9, 2015 11:10 AM PT




Corporations and venture capitalists loved renewable energy last year, and will continue to embrace it this year.


That's the picture that unfolded from several new reports. According to Bloomberg Energy Finance, new funding for wind, solar, biofuels and other low-carbon energy technologies grew 16% to $310 billion last year. It was the first growth since 2011, erasing the impact of lower solar-panel prices and falling subsides in the U.S. and Europe that hurt the industry in previous years.

A new report from consultancy Mercom Capital Group showed that $26.5 billion was invested globally in renewable energy last year, a 175% year-over-year increase.




Read More: http://www.computerworld.com/article/2866946/investment-in-renewable-energy-soars-for-first-time-in-three-years.html