Microsoft brings RAW image support to Windows 7 & Vista

After years of having to use third-party solutions to manage their RAW image sets, DSLR users with Windows PCs are getting a break as Microsoft has released a Camera Codec Pack that adds RAW file support to Windows 7 and Windows Vista.

After installing the codec pack the mentioned OSes will allow RAW files to be viewable in Windows Explorer, while Windows Live Photo Gallery will be able view RAW images and will enable users to edit copies of those pictures (the copy is converted to JPEG or JPEG-XR).
"This new update unlocks the power of every photo on your computer so that your PC is capable of organizing, viewing and editing your digital memories, whether they were shot with a camera phone, point-and-shoot camera, or a higher end DSLR," said Brad Weed, Group Program Manager, Windows Live.
The Microsoft Camera Codec Pack 16.0.0652.0621 is available here in both 32bit and 64bit flavors.

Google adds new features to Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Maps

In the midst of all its redesigning, rebranding, and design unification, Google has gone ahead and made some feature changes to its other properties, such as Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Maps for Android. Check them out below:

Gmail

Over at Gmail, Google added the inbox style option, allowing users to quickly switch between style presets in a tab-like format, or a dropdown menu. There are five different style presets, to be used depending on personal taste, usage scenarios, etc. Google listed the five inbox style presets in a blog entitled “New! Pick your favourite inbox style,” and over the next several weeks, it is expected to unveil other inbox styles as well.

• Classic - This is the default inbox style most people are used to. In the Classic inbox, messages are ordered chronologically, with your most recent email at the top.
• Priority Inbox - Important and unread messages appear at the top of your inbox, then starred messages, then everything else. Each section can be customized further, so you can create your own inbox style.
• Important first - This style puts important mail at the top of the page (both read and unread messages). Everything else is in its own section at the bottom of your inbox. You may have noticed that we turned on importance arrows for everyone a few weeks ago; this inbox style separates messages with these arrows from those without.
• Unread first - Simple: unread mail at the top; everything else at the bottom.
• Starred first - Starred messages at the top; everything else at the bottom.

To use the feature, users will have to turn on the Inbox Style feature, and then, will have tabs of the styles on top until they settle on one for more than a week, at which point, the styles will be available via dropdown menu.

Google Docs

Google Docs has seen two new major changes, better document sharing on the go with the improved Google Docs for mobile, and new features for Google Docs videos. The new Google Docs for mobile allows tablets and mobile devices to easily sort and share one or more of their Google documents, either as a link, or as an attachment.

With the new Google Docs videos features, Google now allows users to insert videos from their Google Docs lists to their Google Sites, or embed them on the web, and also caption them.

Google Maps

Google recently introduced many new features for its Google Maps for Android application (bringing it up to version 5.7). In the meanwhile, it also added the “Download map area” feature to Labs in Google Maps. Google also wants to take the opportunity to point users to the Labs section, where many new features are available for them to try, such as Measure, and Scale bar.

While the ‘Download map area’ option goes a little against Google’s whole always connected philosophy, it is mighty useful for those times you won’t have access to a data connection. The feature allows users to download a section (10-mile radius) of any map when they have internet access, so that they can use that as an offline, passive guide for when they don’t. So while there is no real navigation element, Google hopes the level of detail, as well as the streets and landmarks depicted will help nonetheless.

Fake Google+ invitations being circulated

I know there are a rather large number of readers out there interested in getting access to Google+, the new social networking service from Google that has started a craze for invites across the web, and is currently operating at limited capacity. A warning that there are fake and potentially dangerous invites being circulated is therefore much in order – so, however enticing that Google+ invite email from a friend or stranger looks, it just might lead to some undesired consequences.

This of course, is a measure of just how popular the service already is, or perhaps, just how hip our cyber predators have become. For now, Sophos and Emimsoft reports are pointing to a very authentic looking email (see image below) with all the right looking address data and layout, seeming exactly as if a friend added you to one of their Google+ circles, and you are being notified of it. The “Learn more about Google+” link unfortunately points you to a pharmacy site. Other types of emails are bound to pop up soon enough.

Keep a couple of things in mind before clicking on an invite mail – ask yourself if you've ever registered with Google+ to keep yourself posted, if not, ask yourself if you know the person sending you this mail; and if you do open the mail, ask yourself if you are sure the link the invite is pointing you to is an authentic Google one.

Unforunately, even if you answered yes to all these questions, the link might still be malicious, and so, the only real hope is to be truly wary. Or in this case, hope that Google goes out of 'limited capacity' mode soon, and gets the invite craze over with. Unprofessional layout and spelling mistakes are clear indications of a forgery. Real emails from the search machine giant are usually personalized and the links always clearly point to Google domains."

My First Post

Well this is my First Post in blogging. And today I would b saying about the upcoming Buzz in Social Networking, Google Plus. Google announced that it will no longer allow users to have private Google profiles after July 31st.

Read the whole article below.
http://thenextweb.com/google/2011/07/05/as-of-july-31st-all-google-profiles-will-be-public/