Microsoft’s internet explorer browser is close to a beta of the version 9. Sometime in september more exactly.

The new version will support modern standards like HTML5, better java, better usability, better interface and more.

A new icon and UI is also on the menu with Internet Explorer 9. Here is a screen capture of the new browser Microsoft is going to release next month as beta.

Home Server is an edition of Windows Server that is targeted at home users, designed to allow end users’ to run a server with little to no knowledge. Windows Home Server “Vail” has been available for some time now, but the beta that’s now available is an updated version of the original beta release. No word on new features just yet, but the Vail itself boasts Windows 7 compatibility, a new dashboard and addon framework, homegroup support and new server health utilities.

“Aurora” is an edition based on Windows Home Server but designed with the cloud in mind, and allows the use of cloud-hosted exchange services, as well as SharePoint 2010 services. Aurora is designed for organizations with 25 users or less, fit between the “Home Server” and “Small Business server products” and are only basic domain controllers. Ars Technica adds that the cloud “doesn’t do so well [at] file serving or backup provisioning” and Aurora includes extra features to help with this, using the power that is found in Windows Home Server for the “flexible, replicated storage” capabilities.

As you all know by now, Apple released a new product, aimed to the desktop users who want to bring multitouch capability into the applications they use. The device is in all respect a giant laptop touchpad, priced at $69, it fits perfectly on a desk next to the Apple keyboard, the same design and proportions.

Using the Apple Magic Trackpad, you can now click, swipe, scroll, rotate and any other multitouch gesture familiar from the macbook /pro laptops.

The device is wireless (bluetooth) and uses two AA batteries, the only other requirement is the latest version of OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.4

Here is a capture of the settings panel, as you can see, it is possible to use, one, two, three and four fingers for gestures.

The first Firefox 4 beta is now available for download and test on Mac, Windows and Linux. Get it HERE

Firefox 4 promises to bring a change in user interface, that is actually nice in day to day use, at least much more nicer then the standard Firefox look we are all used to from the last couple of years.

Other things new to Firefox 4 are updates to the java engine, updates to the way the browser handles HTML5, security, bug fixes and much more related to plugin integration.

The way plugins like Adobe Flash work now is a more Safari-like approach, if the plugin crashes, it won’t take down the browser with it, a simple refresh of the page will restart the experience again.

From my personal use until this point, the browser is more snappier and more intuitive, thanks to the new interface.

Keep in mind that this is the first beta version,and there are bugs and inconsistencies on some websites. Also the add-ons will not work as expected, some will work, but not all of them.

The word right now about Windows 8 is that it will be made made with the idea of instant on, or at least much much quicker startup then the way we are used to computers now.

This is no news, considering the research bios companies do on right now, and the improvements made on SSD drives and hybrid storage devices.

Also support for new communication ways between devices, like native support for USB 3, Bluetooth 3 will be implemented.

No news on the UI part of the system yet, but from Microsoft’s past, there will be some changes, just enough to improve the usability and keep the function.

Probably the first test builds out in public will be around the end of this year or early next year.

The newest version of the known iPhone, iPhone 4 had not even been out for the public, but the early buyers already report problems with the thing, one of them is the classic screen yellowing problem, that hunted the 3G and 3GS models too.

Another more common problems the what appears to be signal loss when holding the device in the hand, touching the left side and the bottom of the phone.

Apple explained that the signal bars dropping problem is not related to the actual signal and it’s more to the way the bars are presented that is problematic, not the actual ability to make or receive a call/transfer data via 3G.

EDIT : It appears that the issue is not only with the iPhone 4, it’s with iOS 4, 3G users experience the same problem with bars dropping when the phone is held in hand.

Here are some videos of the issue :

A new video of a demo just appeared on youtube, regarding some tests of HTML5 integration in the next version of Microsoft’s own browser, Internet Explorer 9.

IE8 right now is the last thing you want to use on the net, and probably the last browser that appeared recently and does not support new technologies.

The next version of IE, will also bring hardware acceleration, and that is a pretty nice thing, the damn thing is even faster then chrome in some instances (at least until Google integrates hardware acceleration in Chrome too).

Here is the video of some tests, and i must admit that things are going smooth with this next Internet Explorer. Also you can download and try it yourself from Microsoft’s IE Test Drive site.

After lots of alpha releases, and then beta, and 5 RC’s , flash 10.1 is finally out and ready. The most important thing about this update is the hardware acceleration on the Windows platform, there is a version that will bring that on OSX too, but only for a limited number of video cards and configurations.

The acceleration is really an improvement for people with older computers, in my case, a full 1080 video on YouTube got me like 20% CPU usage and now with flash 10.1, i get under 6% usage. But as this is not much for my case, people with Pentium and single core configurations will feel the much more fluid video experience and flash animations overall.

The update is available on the adobe website, or click here

As you all realized, i took some time for my own and a pause from writing here, but i’m back (and hopefully i wanna dedicate more time to this blog)

In a short timeline for this month, we had this year’s WWDC on june 7, the new iPhone 4 was presented, it looks the same as the leaked ones a month back. Next we have june 21 when the newly renamed iPhone OS, now called iOS version 4.0 will be released as a free update for the 3G, 3GS and will be shipped as default on the iPhone 4 on june 24.

This new iPhone is based on the A4 chip , has a frontal VGA camera and an enhanced 5MP back camera, with flash.

The screen is a very high density one, Apple refers to it as the “Retina Display”, in comparison with the 3G and 3GS, the screen is 960-by-640 resolution 326 ppi, witch is pretty amazing for a mobile device.

The front camera will be used in a new software feature called “FaceTime”, this is a video chat type of call that uses wireless right now for the data traffic.

So as i stated above, the device should be on sale around 24′th june in the US, in Romania it will be available probably around september, just like all the other generations did.

As a general impression about this new toy… hell yeah !   …I can’t wait to get my hands on one !

First thing first, the next new thing will be iOS 4 on june 21, multitasking and enhanced location tweaks, background audio, camera enhancements, home screen wallpapers, cleaner icons and effects, updated safari, folders, better mail and much more.

The multitasking feature won’t be available on the 3G model due to hardware incapability.

The next iPhone screen has been confirmed to be at running at a resolution of 960×640, according to SuperPhone.cz (via Engadget). The site claims to have obtained a next generation iPhone screen (parts have been floating around) and magnified it under a microscope.

From this procedure, they were able to count the RGB elements of the screen and found it to be exactly twice the density in both horizontal and vertical directions compared to the current iPhone. This would quadruple the total number of pixels and increase the resolution from the current 480×320 to 960×640. This would increase the pixel density to a whopping 320dpi — higher than any other device on the market.