Microsoft to kill Messenger on March 15

SkypeMicrosoft will be killing off its Windows Live Messenger chat service on March 15, transitioning its more than 100 million users to Skype.

The company announced its plans to discontinue Messenger in November, but Microsoft sent a firm timetable to its users through e-mail on Tuesday. Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) is directing customers to sign in to Skype with their Windows Live login information, noting that their contact lists will automatically show up in the Skype software…….(read the whole story)

Free way to back-up your Android device

Whoever said nothing in this world is free hasn’t spent a lot of time at Google Play, the online store with more than 600,000 apps for Android devices — many of which can be downloaded at no cost or close to it.

Now, Toronto’s Clickfree – a company best-known for its external hard drives that back-up your computer’s important files – has launched a free app called Clickfree Automatic Backup . As the name suggests, it can make a secure back-up of your Android smartphone or tablet, just in case something happens to your portable device. And no PC is required. …………(read the whole story)

The Internet now has 340 trillion trillion trillion addresses

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — One of the crucial mechanisms powering the Internet got a giant, years-in-the-making overhaul on Wednesday.

When we say “giant,” we’re not kidding. Silly-sounding huge number alert: The Internet’s address book grew from “just” 4.3 billion unique addresses to 340 undecillion (that’s 340 trillion trillion trillion). That’s a growth factor of 79 octillion (billion billion billion).

If it all goes right, you won’t notice a thing. And that’s the point. The Internet is running out of addresses, and if nothing were done, you certainly would notice. New devices simply wouldn’t be able to connect………(read the whole story)

Digital Photography Turns 35

Last Sunday marked the 35th anniversary of Kodak’s filing its first patent for a digital camera. It was on 20 May 1977 that the company submitted a patent application for an “electronic still camera,” 1.5 years after a group of employees had put together a working prototype at its Elmgrove Plant in Rochester. Research scientist Steve Sasson who, as the project leader, is credited with inventing the device, described the prototype as “a rather odd-looking collection of digital circuits that we desperately tried to convince ourselves was a portable camera.” …….. read the whole story

Burn Note: New tool to send emails that self-destruct without a trace

You think sending an online message without leaving a trail is Mission Impossible? Not when using a website that ensures your message will self-destruct.

The technology making it possible went online this week at BurnNote.com, an online messaging platform that allows users to send notes programmed to disappear after a set period of time.

And not disappear like the discarded emails purged from your “deleted items” folder that live on in a server somewhere………(read the whole story)

Previewing Windows 8

The familiar Windows desktop will be all but gone. The above is the default desktop of Windows 8, the successor of Windows 7. The design is touch-screen centric, making it more like a smart phone/tablet. Is the PC-era as we know it coming to an end? (click here for some detailed info on Windows 8 from Microsoft)

Focus Pictures After Taking Them

Lytro has officially announced its first consumer light field camera, which captures all the rays of light in a scene, opening up new possibilities such as the ability to focus a picture after it’s taken. The Lytro camera features a light field sensor and a light field engine that allows photographers to refocus pictures in-camera. Sporting an f/2 lens with 8x optical zoom, the pocket-sized Lytro camera weighs in at less than 8 ounces. Other highlights include instant start-up and zero shutter lag.

Visit their website here.