Windows Server 2012 R2 RTM Released To TechNet and MSDN

Alongside today’s release of Windows 8.1 RTM to TechNet and MSDN, the Redmond company has also dropped Windows Server 2012 R2 RTM to those subbed to one of the big two development networks.

Like Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2 RTM wasn’t going to be released to either MSDN or TechNet until October 18th, the due date for the public release. However, due to a lot of pressure from developers, Microsoft has changed its mind, instead allowing users to get at the RTM before it gets its general, end-user release.

Having listened to the complaints on the Windows blogs, Microsoft’s Steven Guggenheimer noted of the software maker’s decision to go back on the initial plan:

We heard from you that our decision to not initially release Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2 RTM bits was a big challenge for our developer partners. . . As we refine our delivery schedules for a more rapid release cadence, we are working on the best way to support early releases to the various audiences within our ecosystem.

The RTM was only announced in late August, and it was thought that Microsoft did not want to release to developers early. To be honest, while I can see why the developers have complained, Microsoft has to try its level best to keep the balance and streamline the release as much as possible.

TechNet and MSDN subscribers can download RTM versions of Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials, Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Server and Windows Server 2012 R2 Foundation.

Getting these RTMs out early enables devs to test apps and ensure ecosystem stability, so while the impromptu release may present Guggenheimer and Microsoft with a bit of a headache right now, it should be beneficial in the long term.

The general release date for all of these products will be October 18th, just as with Windows 8.1, and we’ll keep you updated on any changes or noteworthy revelations between now and then, so stay tuned to our coverage here at Redmond Pie!

Humor: Here’s Who Will Buy The Gold iPhone 5S [VIDEO]

The iPhone 5S is expected to pack a plethora of interesting features, but in a real change from tradition, it looks as though Apple has decided to introduce a gold, or champagne color configuration. Naturally, not everybody has been impressed by this decision, and the stereotypes thrown up by prospective owners of a gold smartphone are almost perfectly encompassed by a new mock ad, released after the iPhone 5S announcement parody. The short clip involves, for lack of a more apt phrase, a douchebag, who proceeds to strut around town wielding his shiny new gold iPhone. Check it out after the break!

It remains to be seen what the reception will be to the gold iPhone 5S, but even before its release or even announcement, plenty of folks are tripping over each other to slate it.

Although personally, I probably wouldn’t want to go out and buy any smartphone in gold, I know that many folks would, and so I think additional choice, provided the black and white models remain alongside and are not replaced, can only really be a good thing from a consumer point of view.

There are many good parody videos made, particularly around the time of announcements, and this is arguably the best we’ve seen so far regarding the forthcoming Apple iPhone unveiling.

The gold iPhone 5S should arrive alongside a polycarbonate, low-cost iPhone 5C, both of which are due to be announced tomorrow. Rumor has also suggested that MacBooks, or specifically the Pro with Retina display model, could also be in line for an Intel Haswell upgrade, but regardless, we shall be reporting on all of the important details here at Redmond Pie as and when they happen, so stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, check out the video below for a couple of cheap laughs at the expense of thegold/champagne iPhone 5S owner. Do you think this is the kind of buyer Apple is looking to target with the new color configuration? Or, even, is the gold model a more desirable choice than the rather bland current offerings available with the iPhone 5?

Do share your thoughts via the usual mediums below, it’s always a treat to hear from you guys!

Thanks, Andy for sending this in!

Windows 8.1 RTM Download Now Officially Available From MSDN And TechNet

MSDN and TechNet users can now officially download Windows 8.1 RTM bits. It’s fair to say that, as far as new Windows releases go, Windows 8 wasn’t the most well-received. With plenty of criticism from users bemused as to the extent of the changes, Microsoft has somewhat gone back to the drawing board, keeping some of the new implementations while also offering a little more familiarity to proceedings.

The dramatic return of the traditional Start button is perhaps the most talked-about feature of the lot, and although it’s something relatively small in the grand scheme of Microsoft’s operating system, many users felt as though the proverbial rug had been pulled from beneath them when the long-time feature was rather unceremoniously removed.

We heard not so long ago that Windows 8.1 had officially gotten RTM, but now, it’s actually been released to those tethered to the big two developer networks. Initially, the Redmond insisted TechNet and MSDN subscribers would not be seeing the release prior to the official October 18th launch – a decision that caused a major outcry.

Caving in to pressure, and not for the first time, Microsoft has back-tracked to keep the developers happy. To be fair, that initial plan to hold the RTM back until later would probably be to the detriment of the OS in general – a point repeated continually by upset developers.

On top of releasing the RTM, Microsoft has also said that changes will still be made to Windows 8.1 at this stage, and although the time constraints mean there won’t be anything too severe happening, the late push to apply the finishing touches was attributable to the initial decision to skip the early release to MSDN and TechNet.

The official Windows 8.1 release date for general public is set for October 18th, boasting a bunch of new and exciting features. It will be a completely free upgrade for those already rocking a Windows 8-enabled machine or device, and is the second installment in a continued switch to the annual release cycle.

How To Toggle iPhone’s Display On / Off Using Wave Gesture

When it comes to gimmicky new features, all of the major smartphone vendors are at it in one way or the other, and with every new Galaxy S release from Samsung, the company has tried to impress the world with a plethora of perks. Air Gestures is one such feature, but if you’re an iPhone user with no inclination to make the jump to an Android, you probably haven’t interacted with this interesting implementation on any kind of level. Luckily, the jailbreak scene enables the rules to be broken from time to time, and if you’ve ever wanted to enjoy an element of control over device by throwing the odd wave here and there, a new tweak by the name of WaveOff has you covered. Details after the jump!

While WaveOff is not quite as feature-rich as the likes of Air Gestures, it does allow you to turn your device’s display on and off by simply waving across the proximity sensor located atop the display. Since the tweak doesn’t offer any interaction thereafter without actually touching the display, it’s rather pointless, but it is a well made, rather cool tweak.

The main point of being able to use a device without touching it is, at least by Samsung’s suggestion, the fact that you can, for example, open apps and check messages without having to touch the display. This is ideal for those with grubby fingers who don’t want to risk blemishing their treasured gadget, but unfortunately, WaveOff‘s limited offering means that once you’ve turned your display on, you’ll have to touch the display anyway.

Still, WaveOff is a paid package costing 99 cents, which is a reasonable price for a pretty good tweak. We’ve given it a try ourselves, and can confirm that it does indeed work as advertised, so if you want to get involved, you can grab it from Cydia. It’s up right now on the BigBoss repository, which is a default of your Sources list provided you haven’t opted to manually delete it. 

Grab it right now, give it a whirl, and be sure to leave your thoughts and comments via the usual mediums below.

Opera’s New ‘Coast’ Browser For iPad Offers A Clutter-Free And Clean UI [Download]

Although most browsers initially plied their trade on desktop, today’s mobile-centric world sees the likes of Chrome and Firefox used extensively by smartphone and tablet owners. While Google and Mozilla’s efforts are among the most popular, there are plenty of other decent browsers out there, and with Opera being another fairly big name in this field, the company has just released a new offering for Apple’s iPad by the name of ‘Coast.’

One mistake some developers make is to simply augment an iPhone app for use with iPad, rather than upscale it proportionally. The smartphone and the tablet are two very different types of device, and seeing as many of us hold and use them differently, there’s perhaps nothing more cumbersome than trying to use a tablet app that feels as if it was built for a smartphone.

Luckily, Opera has taken its time to ensure Coast is optimized for comfortable use on the larger-displaying device. It’s very much a gesture-based experience, allowing you to flit through pages and 

content with relative ease, and is actually rather smooth to use.

When it comes to browser switching, folks are often as partisan as they are with consoles, or brands of smartphone. Having said that, you’ll never know if Coast suits your needs better than your current setup unless you download and give it a try.

The gesture-based experience bears vague resemblance to Flipbook, arguably the best example of how an app’s interface should look and feel, and although we’re not quite ready to ditch Chrome just yet here at Redmond Pie, we’re definitely keeping Coast on standby for those times when Google’s browser doesn’t want to play ball.

The app is, as most browsers tend to be, free of charge, and can be downloaded right now from the App Store link we’ve provided below. It’s simple, clean and minimalistic, so if you’re looking for a hassle-free Web-surfing experience, you should definitely give it a try.

If you’re not a big fan of Opera, then be sure to check out Chrome for iOS instead, which offers great cross-platform syncing across devices.

(Download: Coast for iPad on the App Store)

How To Alter The Pitch Of Your Voice During A Live Call On iPhone

The Cydia Store is a cauldron of weird and wonderful tweaks, apps and themes all designed to make the iOS experience just that little bit more enjoyable. While plenty profess to enhance the software’s rather lackluster functionality, others are simply there to make iOS a bit more fun to use, and VoiceChanger, a new tweak that allows you to alter your own voice when in-call, perhaps falls under this category. With a lot of well-known character voices to choose from, you can fool your friends into thinking they are conversing with a Smurf, Dark Lord, or even Rumpelstiltskin, and if that isn’t your idea of a good joke, then, well.. you don’t have a sense of humor!

The App Store features plenty of apps allowing you to change the sound of your voice into just about whatever you like, but where VoiceChanger is interesting is in the fact that it offers the ability to process audio as you speak. This means you can be in-call and talking to one of your friends or family members, and the app will relay whatever you say in one of a number of different voices.

Those looking to enjoy the tweak will need to be rocking an iPhone 4/4s/5, since it doesn’t work with the iPhone 3GS or older, and it also requires iOS 5 or higher in order to work its voice-morphing magic.

At $2.99, it’s quite pricey for a tweak that is only to be used for fun (we wouldn’t recommend calling anybody important and offering them your best Smurf impression), but nevertheless, is still a lot of fun.

We tried it out for ourselves here at Redmond Pie, and it actually works a lot better than we’d initially thought. With more voices to be added by the developer in the future, it has the potential to be even better, so if you want to get involved, it’s available to purchase right now from the BigBoss repository.

If you’re a fan of prank calls, and more so if you know somebody who isn’t, we’d highly recommend giving this tweak a try, and if you happen to do so, be sure to leave your thoughts and comments below!

PS Vita TV Is A Powerful Companion For PS4 And Vita, First Real Competitor To Apple TV [VIDEO]

OK, it’s been a pretty big day for Sony already, what with the announcement of the newly announced PS Vita 2013, but the Japanese firm isn’t done there. Also announced today, the PS Vita TV is much more than it may first seem, and it’s going to cost around $100 to buy, too.

As the name suggests, the new box ties in with Sony’s PS Vita console. In fact, when we say that what we actually mean to say is it kind of replaces it. See, if you’ve ever wanted to play a Vita game on your TV, then this is the box for you. Featuring slots for both Vita games and memory cards, the Vita TV takes previously handheld games and displays them on a TV screen, with controls taken care of by a Dual Shock controller. Interesting, no?

It’s not just games, either. Sony’s new diminutive box hooks into its own music and video services, putting it squarely in competition with the Apple TV, too. Twitter and Hulu are also supported, and we can only assume it’s a matter of time before Netflix is in attendance – it’s on everything else, after all!

But wait, there’s more!

As if being able to play Vita games on the big screen using a proper controller wasn’t enough, Sony says that its new Vita TV will also be able to remote play games that run on its unreleased PlayStation 4 console. That means, folks, that a PS4 and a Vita TV give you multi-room gaming without the need to buy multiple consoles. Things just got interesting, right?

The PS Vita TV takes up next to no room, either, thanks to its 60mm x 100mm footprint. It even looks the part, so you won’t mind having it out on display alongside the rest of your A/V equipment.

The complete set of specs of the PS Vita TV are as follows:

Sony says that the PS Vita TV will go on sale in Japan on November 14th for 9,954 yen – which equates to about $100 in the US – but has not yet confirmed when it will see the light of day in other territories. Another model which will cost around $150 will come bundled with a Dual Shock controller, this is something which you might want to get instead if you’re a diehard gamer. So long as it’s released before or alongside the PS4, we don’t know if we really care. What we do know though is that one of these will be getting added to our PS4 orders ASAP!