A casualty of the new system is Flickr Pro, which  has been excised, as Yahoo wished “everyone to have professional quality photo  space and sharing.” An additional terabyte of storage can be purchased by  users,  called “doubler.” Double storage sells for $500 per year, and is  ad-free.

Flickr is compatible with OS X, Windows XP SP3 and above, iOS,  and Android 4.1 and above. The free version is ad-supported, with an ad-free  version available for an additional $50 per year.

The new release brings comes with revamped Android app, similar to the iOS application launched  in  December. CEO Mayer boasts that the new app “maintains your photos’ original  quality, so every image you take, edit, share, or view on your phone or tablet  looks spectacular.”

The new Flickr is now live.

The post Yahoo Launches New Flickr – 1TB of Free Storage, New Android App appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Symantec announced the availability of Norton Zone, a secure file sharing service that allows users  to easily and safely access, sync and share photos, videos and documents.

The  new cloud file-sharing service leverages Norton’s security expertise to keep  data safe. Norton Zone provides 5 free GB of storage and users in the US can  now  purchase additional storage if they need it. Symantec never claims  ownership over any data that is uploaded to the service, and all files uploaded  to Norton Zone are encrypted.

Norton anti-malware scanning technology  automatically checks content for viruses and other threats before it is shared.

Key Features

• Access files from any device, anywhere (supports iOS, Android and Windows RT)
• Automatically scan for viruses before you share a file
• Control who can access your shared files
• Automatically sync files across devices

Norton expects to announce additional updates to the service later this year  with “new feature modules and enhancements.”

The post Symantec Debuts Norton Zone Secure Cloud Storage appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The Windows app allows for offline playback, and  incorporates a new “instant search” feature which also permits playing music  straight from search results.  The app download is free, and like other  versions  of Cloud Player provides cloud access to any music a person has bought  through  Amazon, as well as up to 250 uploaded songs.  Offline playback can  include  anything a person has in their iTunes or Windows Media Player  libraries;  alternately, the app can be used to export Amazon tracks in the  opposite  direction.

The post Amazon Launches Native Cloud Player for Windows appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The public preview, downloadable from June 26th to coincide with the Build developer conference in San Francisco, will be usable on both Windows 8 and Windows RT. A leaked build of Windows Blue showed it as having improved multitasking, deeper SkyDrive integration, updates to the side Charms, and a wider choice of Live Tile colors and sizes. The “Start” button, used in prior versions of Windows, could also make a comeback in the update.

While Microsoft has confirmed a date for the public preview, it has not clarified when exactly Windows 8.1 will become available to end users during Tami Reller talks at JP Morgan Technology, Media & Telecom Conference in Boston. A comment on the Windows blog, that it will be out “later this year,” reinforces comments made by chief marketing officer and chief financial officer Tami Reller last week. At that time, Reller confirmed the sale of 100 million Windows 8 licenses, and hinted at the sale of sub-8-inch Windows 8 and Windows RT devices in the future.

The post Microsoft Makes Windows Blue Officially Windows 8.1 – Update Will Be Free appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The app’s interface has also seen a significant overhaul, both graphically and in terms of features. It should now for instance be easier to search for specific items, and workflow has been streamlined with things like previews before publishing, the ability to change settings after encoding and quickly republish, and better batch window cleanup, including simpler navigation and more screen space for folders. Some time-saving measures include improved closed captioning support, quick addition of pre- and post-roll clips, and integration with Squeeze Server 2.0.

Encoding times are said to average twice as fast as those for Squeeze 8, mainly due to a parallel processing technique that breaks video files into chunks and divides them between multiple processors. Adaptive bitrate encoding is said to offer similar speed boosts.

Also new is an updated Premiere CS6 plugin. Squeeze 9 costs $799 for the Standard edition, or $999 for Pro. Discounted upgrades are available for owners of Squeeze 6 or later. Pro is necessary for closed captioning and adaptive bitrate support, as well as compatibility with Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD. All customers automatically get access to Sorenson 360 for review and approval functions.

The post Sorenson Squeeze 9 Sports New UI, HTML5 Optimization appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Google says that the five percent boost was implemented by being “more aggressive about using an idle connection and demoting the priority of preloaded resources so that they don’t interfere with critical assets.” Testing on the Windows Chrome Beta release saw no user-perceivable increase, but physical benchmarking did show a slight measurable gain of less than two percent. The Mac OS version of Chrome saw closer to a four percent gain, but also still imperceptible by the user.

The post Chrome Beta Released – Promises Five Percent Speed Increase appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Google

Google says that using WebKit is slowing down innovation, because “Chromium uses a different multi-process architecture than other WebKit-based browsers, and supporting multiple architectures over the years has led to increasing complexity for both the WebKit and Chromium projects.”

The solution is Blink, Chromium’s new rendering engine. It’s a fork of WebKit that will use largely the same codebase, minus a significant amount of no-longer-needed code: 7,000 files and 4.5 million lines of code. That will make the codebase slimmer — obviously — as well as more stable, more secure, and less buggy, according to Google.

WebKit emerged from the KHTML browser when Apple took KHTML code as the basis for its Safari browser in 2001, and it currently powers the vast majority of web browser share. Forking the codebase will fracture the browser rendering space between WebKit, Gecko (which powers Firefox), Trident (Microsoft’s rendering engine), and now, of course, Blink.

That’s a concern for web developers who have to build websites that render properly in all browsers, but Google says that won’t be a problem: “In the short term, Blink will bring little change for web developers,” Google engineer Adam Barth wrote.

The post Google Forks WebKit to Give Chrome Increased Performance appeared first on Takes On Tech.

“The updated app makes it simple for users to put files in Cloud Drive and to access them from any of their computers, ensuring that they always have access to the latest version of their files from home and on the road,” Amazon said in a statement.

Users of the service are awarded with 5GB of storage for free. Upgrades are available through 1TB for $500 per year, undercutting offerings from closest competitor Dropbox.

The post Amazon’s Cloud Drive Now Has File Synchronization – Insures Same File Version Across Mac OS X, Windows, Android appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Quark has announced an extension to its upgrade promotion that allows QuarkXPress version 3 through 8 users to upgrade to QuarkXPress 9.5 for $349. Customers now have until June 30 to take advantage of the $500 discount, which otherwise is only offered to QuarkXPress 8 users.

Features of v9 include a number of processes that can automatically style content based on styling rules, a cloning tool for duplication design elements, and access to App Studio for creating HTML5-based apps for the iPhone, iPad, Kindle Fire, and Android devices.

The post QuarkXPress Upgrade Promotion – Version 3 Through 8 Users Upgrade to Version 9.5 for $349 appeared first on Takes On Tech.

There are topology-based Symmetry tools that enable artists to work on posed meshes; a quad draw tool that facilitates retopology workflows; and a multi-cut tool that combines both split/cut faces and insert edge loop tools in a single operation. A new polygon reduction algorithm offers a faster and more efficient method for reducing mesh complexity by removing unneeded vertices without affecting the object’s basic shape.

Building on the Open Data platform, scene assembly tools provide a mechanism for representing production assets in Maya as discrete elements, each with complete support for multiple representations. Artists can easily swap between different representations. Edits can be applied, animated, or queried at any level in the scene assembly order, while changes can be tracked via an improved Edits system, helping facilitate collaborative workflows across production departments. A robust API enables studios to customize the toolset to create completely proprietary solutions.

Other new tools include an improved workflow, Viewport 2.0 and node editor enhancements, extended clip matching in Trax, a file path editor, URI support, joint centring and symmetry, and PySide support.

A demo is available for the application. The 3d modeller requires Windows 7 or Windows 8 Professional, Mac OS X 10.7 or 10.8, or Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.2 WS operating system running on a 64-bit Intel or AMD multi-core processor with 4 GB of RAM minimum and 2 GB of free disk space for installation. Maya 2014 is purchasable now for $3,495.

The post Autodesk Now Shipping Maya to 2014 Edition appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The official Yahoo Sports app, and it showed up in the Windows Store as part of a quick search of the storefront on a Lenovo Yoga 13 PC. The app is labeled in the store as a “Lenovo exclusive” and indeed it does not show up when searching for the same app on other Windows 8 PCs. It’s likely that Lenovo has a timed exclusive for the Yahoo Sports app and that it will appear for other Windows 8 PCs at some point in the near future.

The Sports news division of Yahoo is considered one of the best on the Internet and frequently gets major news scoops and store. The Windows 8 Yahoo Sports app offers up much of that news content, along with exclusive blogs.

While the Yahoo Sports Windows 8 app has selections for other types of sports in its menu, the app itself only shows live coverage and scores for NFL, NBA and college football games. Selecting other sports in the app menu takes you out of the app and into a web browser where you can check out the coverage on the Yahoo Sports web site.

The post Yahoo Sports Windows 8 App Is an Lenovo Exclusive appeared first on Takes On Tech.

E-on Software has released LumenRT Studio 4, an upgrade of its 3D rendering tool. The software inserts 3D models into natural environments, and exports the results as stills and videos for use in presentations. Users can add animated animals, humans, vegetation, and water, as well as skies and appropriate interior and exterior lighting.

Version 4 introduces integration with Autodesk Revit and Bentley MicroStation, and the ability to import 3D content from all sources. A new animation editor allows making custom animations within the LiveCube, and point, spot, and IES lighting are now supported, along with night skies and moonlighting. Moving vehicles have been added as an object type, and the plant library has been expanded. The software should be better capable of handling large-scale scenery, such as cityscapes.

A single license for LumenRT Studio costs $795. Discounts are available for bulk purchases, and beforehand users can try a free demo version.

The post LumenRT 4 Studio Adds Animation Editor appeared first on Takes On Tech.

MONARK attempts to replicate the sound of an analog monophonic synthesizer, simulating factors like overload and oscillator drift. BATTERY 4 is a redesign of the NI drum sampler with over 70 new kits, which are also color-coded. Some new effects are built in, such as TRANSIENT MASTER, tape saturation, and a convolution reverb.

Another addition to KOMPLETE 9 is a collection of “essential” instruments and effects, such as an updated SOLID MIX series and SESSION STRINGS. As usual, meanwhile, the bundle revolves around several core apps, such as KONTAKT 5, GUITAR RIG 5 PRO, ABSYNTH 5, REAKTOR 5, and TRAKTOR 12.

The standard KOMPLETE package costs $559, while ULTIMATE is $1,099. Upgrading from KOMPLETE 2 or later costs $149. In any case, the software comes with a digital coupon worth $25 towards any KOMPLETE or MASCHINE item at NI’s online store.

The post Native Instruments Releases KOMPLETE 9 appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The offeris being marketed with a video featuring Aubrey Plaza of Parks & Recreation, explaining to students how they could use the combination of Office 365 and Skydrive to collaborate together remotely.

The post Microsoft Announces Access to Office365 to College Students appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Lightworks is currently Windows-only, but sports features such as 2K video, multi-camera editing, and format compatibility including DPX, RED, ProRes, DNxHD, and Universal Media Files. Media can be shared relatively easily with other editing platforms such as Avid and Final Cut. A basic version is free, but access to all features requires the $60-per-year Pro edition.

The post Lightworks NLE for OS X Will Be Displayed at NAB appeared first on Takes On Tech.

MotionArtist allows users to add movement and sound to existing comics or create entirely new Motion Comics. Now some of you in the know may think, doesn’t Manga Studio already do that.  The answer really is no.  Manga Studio is aimed at animators, while MotionArtist is focused on illustrators and even beginning cartoon artists.  As Smith Micro’s VP Steve Yatson said, “It is a animation tool for non-animators.”

The program supports word balloons, thought bubbles, dialogue boxes, and all the fonts your system has to get the right lettering look for your comic.  There is 3D layering for a parallax effect, you also have control of the width and shape of a panel with the cutting tool, and there is even snap to grid creation and resizing which is a great aid to both the pro and beginner alike.

Motion can be added to comics and photo slideshows via automated object placement and camera movement. You can even set the rules for how and when something moves across a path. The ease of doing this is what sets the program apart of other tools aimed at doing motion comics.

The support for sound is just as great.  So once you find that perfect bang, pow or music, it is very simple to add and control the playback of it.

“MotionArtist is an amazing tool that is a great time-saver for comic creators and people looking to share their projects digitally,” said Brian Haberlin, co-artist and co-writer of the multimedia sci-fi adventure saga Anomaly. “With pre-loaded tools such as comic panels, word balloons and easy HTML5 export, MotionArtist provides a clean interface for users to easily insert their creative ideas and fine-tune to their desire.”

An Open Platform Which Lets You Use the Tools You Want

When your project is finished, you can export to HTML5 to display them on your own web page or save as a standard movie format to share your comics and presentations directly to Facebook or YouTube.

Since MotionArtist supports the power of HTML5, this means your comic can be viewed on smartphones and tablets that lack Flash support.  Smith Micro has been great over the years, supporting open standards and making their tools easy to use with others, like tools from Adobe.

The Dark Secret This Tool Means Business

Now if you do web banners, presentations,  even training web pages or programs – MotionArtist is for you too.  The tool lets you control graphics and photos in an easy manner but much greater power than you would have boring PowerPoint!  It let’s you share your message in new ways without the learning curve of other tools.

Price and System Requirements

MotionArtist is list for $59.99. But right now until March 21st, 2013 you can buy it for $49.99, a savings of $10

MoitonArtist runs on Mac OS X 10.6, 10.7, and 10.8 and Windows 7 and 8, and IE 9.

The post MotionArtist Leaves Beta – Start Your Motion Comic, or Even Your Biz Presentation appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Office 365 Small Business Premium offers the user 5 ProPlus licenses that they can use to install Office on their PC or Mac. It also gives you access to the web-based versions of Office products. It includes business-grade email, shared calendars, website tools and HD video-conferencing capabilities. Office 365 Small Business Premium costs $150 per user, per year, which equals roughly $12.50 per user, per month.

Office 365 Midsize Business offers the same benefits of Small Business Premium, however it also offers enterprise-quality communication services and collaborates with Exchange Online, Lync Online, and Sharepoint Online. It is user-friendly, and it includes Active Directory integration alongside a web-based administartion console and “business-hours” phone support. It makes managing your huge office a much easier task. The cost is $180 per user, per year, which is about $15 per user, per month.

Office 365 ProPlus, offers 5 licenses to install the Office software on PCs or Macs, and it also allows you to access the Microsoft Office 2013 via the web. You can access your Office 365 from any device, with all of your documents and settings stored in the cloud. It, however, lacks the business-specific capabilities the other packages offer. It’s user-friendly, giving you the tools necessary to update your apps and control various features. Office 365 ProPlus is offered at $144 per user and is meant for businesses who don’t find the other two packages appealing.

Microsoft is also keeping its original business offerings for businesses that don’t need the whole package. So for businesses that are satisfied by just using the Office web-based apps, or businesses that only need access to enterprise-grade email, those lower price options will still be available.

The post Microsoft Announces New Office 365 Plans for Businesses appeared first on Takes On Tech.

A full list of changes hasn’t been revealed, but the software does now support OpenCL, which should accelerate the app using a combination of CPU and GPU processing. Mac and Windows versions are available; the Mac app requires OS X 10.6.8 or later, 4GB of RAM, and 10GB of hard drive space. It costs $99 new, or $69 as an upgrade from Express 6; a free trial version expires after 60 days.

The post Phase One Ships Capture One Express 7 for Mac and Windows appeared first on Takes On Tech.

If you’ve been running the IE10 Release Preview, you should receive an update during the next few days. Those using IE9 will be automatically upgraded over the coming weeks. If you can’t wait, head over to windows.microsoft.com/ie and download a copy.

Why Upgrade

• Microsoft state that IE10 is 20% faster than IE9 — which is speedy browser.
• IE10 supports 60% more web standards than IE9, including CSS3 transformations, animations, gradients, web sockets, the file API, HTML5 Drag-drop, pointer events, etc*
• A HTML5 test score of 320+6 / 500 and 100 / 100 Acid3 test result.
• IE10 also improves hardware accelerated performance of SVG and HTML4 constructs
• Increased privacy controls and Do Not Track enabled by default.
• IE10’s integrated spell checking and auto-correct for common spelling mistakes

*You can read more at the IE Developer Center and the updated IE10 Guide for Developers about the full set of new Web standards supported in IE10.

The post IE10 for Windows 7 Now Globally Available appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Ironically, the patch comes on the same day that Adobe has announced a future version of Flash that will make exactly this sort of embedded attack hidden in Microsoft Office documents more difficult to achieve. Office 2010 and later already has a “Protected Mode” that prompts users to give an OK before any embedded Flash content is played, but a forthcoming Flash revision will apply the same protection to users of Office 2008 and earlier.

Users of Google Chrome for Mac and PC or Internet Explorer 10 on Windows will have their Flash install automatically updated and do not need to do anything. Users of other browsers should disable Flash until it can be updated to the latest version, which is now 11.5.502.149. A Linux update is available as well that brings its Flash version to 11.2.202.262. Readers can check on their current version of Flash by visiting Adobe’s Flash page.

The post Adobe Releases ‘Emergency’ Flash Update to Stop New Malware appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Apple recently blocked Java in OS X for a second time following concerns that Update 11 still had serious gaps. That may have caused problems for some Mac users however, since it broke any websites or apps based on the software. With the launch of Update 13, Java has resumed working in OS X.

The post Oracle Issues Java 7 Update 13 appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The app’s underlying engine has been converted to 64-bit, which should allow it to better exploit RAM and multi-core processors. Manga Studio 5 is $80 new, or $50 as an upgrade from a previous version of Studio; no trial version is available yet. The Mac software requires an Intel-based system running OS X 10.6 or later. Smith Micro recommends at least 2GB of RAM, 2GB of hard drive space, and a video card with 256MB of VRAM. Drawing tablet support includes Wacom’s FAVO, Bamboo, Intuos, and Cintiq models.

The post Manga Studio 5 Debuts with New UI, 64 Bit Engine appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The subscription model reduces the upfront cost of Office, while also guaranteeing users access the each new version in the future. Users who opt for the subscription model will also have the ability to access Office 365 on up to five PCs or Macs. It also comes with 20GB of SkyDrive storage and 60 minutes of Skype calls per month.

Standard native installations are available for use on a single PC. Office Home & Student 2013 is retailing for $140, Office Home & Business 2013 is retailing for $220, while Office Professional 2013 is available for $400. Each version comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, while the more expensive versions include enterprise apps with Outlook, Publisher and Access among them. There is no native install available for Mac users.

The post Microsoft Office 2013 Now Shipping appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Microsoft first announced the plans to merge Skype with Messenger in a Skype blog post in November. The company said it was aiming to complete the merger in the first quarter of 2013. The email was sent with the subject “Important info about your Messenger Account” and began by telling Messenger users, “It’s time to update Messenger to Skype!”

“Update to Skype and sign in using a Microsoft Account (same as your Messenger ID) and all your Messenger contacts will be at your fingertips. You’ll be able to instant message and video chat with them just like before, and also discover new ways of staying in touch with Skype on your mobile and tablet.” Skype also allows users to call landlines and mobiles; hold group video calls; and conduct video calls with Facebook friends.

Skype started testing Windows and Mac beta releases in September, which allowed users to sign into their Skype accounts using their Windows Live ID. This enabled them to send and receive instant messages and check the availability of their contacts on Messenger, Xbox, Hotmail or Outlook.com.

The post Microsoft Will Shut Down Messenger and Move Users to Skype appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Flickr users who accept the Pro offer will be able to view their entire photo library instead of the last 200 images; can upload unlimited numbers of photos; can download originally-uploaded high-resolution photos, and also upload and play unlimited HD videos to the service. The upgrade requires users to click a banner on the website or within the mobile app, and does not require any form of payment or an automatic renewal before the trial run ends on March 22. Accounts will automatically revert back to their original status, though users can opt to pay $7 per quarter or a flat $25 per year to continue their Pro membership if they wish.

The timing of the offer appears to capitalize on the recent user uprising on Instagram, caused by a change to its terms of service. Originally, Instagram changed the user agreement to make clearer that it could potentially sell users’ images stored on the site with no compensation offered to the user, a language change more than a policy change — but one that has since been reverted back to the previous phrasing.

What many Instagram users may not understand, however, is that the ability of Instagram to use photos without compensation in advertising is still there, as it has always been. The company, which is searching for a sustainable business model, has clarified that although the agreement allows them to “sub-license” photos without payment or notification, it does not plan to do so, and will more thoroughly change the language in that section to reflect this at some future date.

Other services, such as Facebook, also have given themselves the right to use uploaded content as they wish without payment, such as in ads to promote the service. Flickr, by contrast, has taken a different approach: the company facilitates an optional “Creative Commons” license for user photos to aid in non-commercial sharing without copyright issues, and also features a program run in conjunction with Getty Images, allowing users to make photos available for consideration to purchase. If selected, the users receive payment for images sold through the stock photography company.

The post Merry Flickr – Flickr Offering Free Three Months Pro Account Trial – Usage Includes Unlimited Uploads appeared first on Takes On Tech.

In addition to being more responsive when dealing with large libraries, the program also fixes a bug in which new purchases in iCloud might not appear in the users’ library even though the file is shown as being purchased. The problem with new purchases not showing up was traced to having iTunes Match turned on, and is now resolved. Another issue that was fixed was a sometimes-absent AirPlay button where it should be. No explanation for the cause of the issue was given.

The update is also said to provide the usual “stability and performance enhancements.” The update is 198MB in size and available through the Software Update mechanism, and is also available on Apple’s Support Downloads page.

The post iTunes 11.01 Brings Back the Duplicate Finder appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Following the release of a universal update adding Retina support to Photoshop CS6 and Illustrator CS6, Adobe has also lifted an embargo on software updates available only to Creative Cloud subscribers. Photoshop CS6 is getting several new features through the Cloud, including Conditional Actions, default type styles, Smart Object support for the Blur and Liquify effects, and CSS tools. Some enhancements include tweaks to streamline workflow, compatibility with larger JPEGs, and improvements to 3D and lighting effects. The updates should become universal in the non-Cloud release of Photoshop CS7.

Muse, Adobe’s software for designing websites without programming, can now generate tablet and smartphone editions of a site. The company is also implementing a Dropbox-like sync feature for the whole of the Creative Cloud, Connection, which operates through saving or dragging-and-dropping files into a desktop folder. Files can be shared with people who do or don’t have a Cloud account; support for sharing subfolders is due in a later update.

For larger organizations Adobe is upgrading the Cloud with teams, which can have an unlimited number of members, and bring other perks such as 100GB of storage per user and the ability to assign or reassign seats to new workers. An upcoming Creative Cloud Training module will provide courses and tutorials in languages like English, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, and Italian

The post Adobe Releases New Features for Photoshop, Creative Cloud appeared first on Takes On Tech.

iTunes 11 was first revealed September 12th, and scheduled to launch in October. Approaching the end of October, though, Apple suddenly announced that the software would only ship by the end of November. Version 11 is a major retooling, including a reorganized interface, performance improvements, and better iCloud media sync, among other changes.

When it goes live, the upgrade should be available directly through Software Update or as a download from apple.com/itunes. Apple has yet to offer a specific date, but has until the end of Friday unless another delay is coming.

The post iTunes 11 Could Ship Today appeared first on Takes On Tech.

SugarSync will also still continue to support all platforms, including PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, Blackberry, Symbian, and Windows Mobile, with Windows Phone coming soon. With SugarSync 2.0, the company has taken all the existing features and merged them with a completely new design.

The new SugarSync design streamlines access, sync and share files no matter the workflow. SugarSync 2.0 also introduces the new “SugarSync Drive” capability, where users can see their entire SugarSync Cloud right in their file system. Setup is simplified, with the company introducing simple drag-and-drop sharing. Users can drag the file or folder onto the contact that they want to share with. If a shared folder is not already in the cloud, SugarSync will automatically upload it and make it ready to share. SugarSync also lets users select any and all of their folders — even the desktop — and it automatically and continuously syncs everything selected.

The new SugarSync 2.0 desktop and Web apps are now available in public beta, and can be downloaded for Windows and Mac. The new SugarSync 2.0 for Android app is also available, and can be downloaded from the SugarSync 2.0 Beta page. Redesigned mobile apps for all other mobile platforms (iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Symbian) will be coming soon, but the current SugarSync mobile apps will continue to work with the SugarSync 2.0 web and desktop apps. New users get 5GB of storage for free, and can earn up to 32GB in additional storage by referring other free users, with 500MB awarded for each new free user referred.

The post SugarSync 2.0 Beta Now Available for the Mac and PC – Mobile Versions Coming Soon appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Skype will become its favored messaging service across platforms and devices. Skype runs on Windows and Mac desktops, Windows, Android, and iOS tablets, as well as Windows, Android, and iOS smartphones.

The new Skype/messenger product will offer screen sharing, mobile video calling, group calling, and video calling with Facebook friends. Skype and Windows Live Messenger users can merge their services beginning today.

The post Microsoft Will Merge Skype and Windows Live Messenger appeared first on Takes On Tech.