Microsoft to launch 8-inch Surface RT in June with $249 price tag

Information courtesy of PCR Online

Microsoft it set to announce its 2nd-gen Surface RT tablet in June, according to supply chain sources.

The sources told publication DigiTimes that the estimated price for the 8-inch Surface RT will be between $249-299.

Taiwan-based makers told the site that the 8-inch tablet will use touch panels supplied by Samsung and Nvidia-developed processors.

The sources also claim there is an additional Microsoft tablet on the way that will be 10.’something’-inches in size, which will probably be smaller than the 10.6-inch model. This particular version is expected as early as the third quarter of 2013.

Earlier rumours suggested that Microsoft would actually release a 7-inch Surface tablet this year to compete with the likes of the iPad Mini and the Nexus 7.

Windows Blue officially named 8.1, free update for OS

Information courtesy of PCR Online 

Free update for Windows 8 coming later in the year, possibly to smaller tablets

The first major update for Windows 8 is coming later in the year under the banner of Windows 8.1.

Previously known by less obvious codename Windows Blue, the free update will do much the same thing as the old service packs through which Microsoft issued major changes to prior operating systems.

The news, reported by Engadget, was broken to attendees of today’s JP Morgan’s Technology Media & Telecom Conference by Microsoft’s Windows Division CMO and CFO Tami Reller.

“It will deliver the latest new innovations across an increasingly broad array of form factors of all sizes, display, battery life and performance, while creating new opportunities for our ecosystem,”,” she said, as recorded by Pocket Lint.

“It will provide more options for businesses, and give consumers more options for work and play.”

Reller hinted strongly that the update would bring Windows 8 to seven and nine-inch tablets, saying that the operating system was great for everything from “the smallest tablets” to desktops.

In addition, the update seeks to resolve some of the issues consumers and developers have had with the new operating system.

This is rumored to include a solution to Windows 8′s lack of a “start” button.

“The Windows Blue update is also an opportunity for us to respond to the customer feedback that we’ve been closely listening to since the launch of Windows 8 and Windows RT,” said Reller.

“From a company-wide perspective, Windows Blue is part of a broader effort to advance our devices and services for Microsoft.”

Reller didn’t go in to specifics about a release date, but reminded attendees that “we know when the holdays are.”

A preview version will be opened to the public at the begining of Build 2013 on June 26th.

Windows 8 recently hit a sales milestone of 100 million licenses, and over 250 million apps downloaded via the Windows Store.

Sister site Develop has the full story.

Start taking secure payments with judo

A fast application process. 
Get the Silver starter pack and benefit from:
No monthly fee. No hidden costs.
Only pay when you make a sale.
2.9% + 29p per successful transaction
Initial transaction limits:
£200/transaction; £1000 month.
All this for a low initial set up fee of £50
Note: if you have a promotional code you will be able to claim your discount in the payment screen

Card Payments made simple
Paying with judo is fast, easy and hassle free. No more messing about with cash and cards.
Your customer can pay using their mobile following these simple steps:
1. Phone the UK Phone Number
2. Enter your judo ID and payment amount
3. Enter card details
It’s that simple!

Hassle free card acceptance
Once you’ve registered, customers pay you from their own mobiles, you receive an immediate SMS confirmation, and the transaction shows up immediately in your judo account. It’s that simple!
No set up. No terminals or extra hardware required
Works with any mobile
Real time payment confirmation

Key benefits
Instant account setup
Your customers can start taking card payments within your app immediately with the touch of a button.
No special kit required
Consumers paying your customers only need a mobile phone (any mobile phone) or web access to make card payments. No terminals or dongles.

Low, simple pricing
Standard integrations have no monthly or hidden fees. Your customer only pays when they make a successful sale. Rates vary based on the size of your customer base and the type of businesses you serve.

Shift the compliance burden
Judo takes care of all PCI compliance and reporting so you can focus on providing your core services.

Secure
Judo uses state of the art encryption and fraud prevention to ensure the safety of your card transactions.
Highly customizable
Tailored solutions available for your businesses’ specific needs.

How does it work?
The judo Payments Platform API supports marketplace and platform type use-cases. Whether you want to simply enable your customers to collect payments or even take a percentage and/or flat fee out of every transaction you facilitate, judo can help.
Each customer who is collecting payments from consumers will have their own judo payments account with it’s own separate transaction history and account balance. Sign up process is fully integrated allowing setup with a touch of a button. All payments will go directly to your customer so you don’t have to worry about the legal or compliance hassles around holding or disbursing funds yourself.

To learn more and see how our solution can help you build a better product for your customers please complete the form below.

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South East Business Show 2013

We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at this year’s

South East Business Show on Friday May 17th.

We will be sharing a stand with Goddards Accountancy Services 

The Exhibition is at The Millenium Conference Centre, Copthorne Hotel, Effingham Park, Gatwick, RH10 3EU,   10:00 am to 3:00 pm

More information on the Exhibition can be found on their website

Guildford Means Business 2013

We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at this year’s

Guildford Means Business Exhibition on Wednesday May 15th.

We will be sharing a stand with Goddards Accountancy Services 

The Exhibition is at G Live, London Road, Guildford, GU1 2AA -  9:30 am to 4:30 pm

More information on the Exhibition can be found on their website

Hello

Just wanted to say how wonderful it is to have Geoff in our corner, I really need help sometimes and Geoff is just a call away, great service – thank you Geoff.

Kind regards

Kim

AVG Cloudcare – Why Complicate?

We are pleased to announce a new partnership with AVG

At the moment many of our customers are either running AVG Free or AVG Paid and this new product is only available through distributors like us.

The new product is AVG Cloudcare and is a paid service.

This is an automated product that once installed is kept up to date automatically unlike the previous versions that have to be reinstalled every year.

If you choose to change to AVG Cloudcare when installing for the first time your existing product will be updated automatically by the software.  This will also replace competitive antivirus products.

If you have the paid version or competitors paid versions the a screenshot of your expiry date will enable us to add that period to your billing contract.

The prices are very competitive as follows

AVG Cloud Platform FREE

AVG AntiVirus Cloud £1.60 Per Month,  £15.50 for 12 Months or £27.50 for 24 Months
AVG AntiVirus Retail                               £36.00 for 12 Months or £45.00 for 24 Months
AVG AntiVirus Business                          £35.00 for 12 Months or £52.50 for 24 Months

Add ons

AVG Domain AntiSpam Additional £1.00 Per Month (only available monthly)

AVG Content Filtering £1.25 per Month, £12.00 for 12 Months or £22.00 for 24 Months

AVG FREE version users enjoy significantly less features than AVG Cloudcare

For users of the paid version you will get the peace of mind that your protection is always up to date.

Included in the Cloudcare package is a Remote access module enabling us to help you in an emergency where coming out may not be possible.

Click here for AVGCC General Factsheet

We feel that this is a great product and hope that you will consider changing over to it.

Please wait for the following response after you press Send Your message was sent successfully. Thanks.

AVG Cloudcare Information Request Form

The Blindley Heath Country Show 2013

Come along to the Blindley Heath Country Show

Sunday 5th and Monday 6th May 2013 10am – 5pm

Horley & District Chamber of Commerce – Trusted Local Business Members will be exhibiting at the show on Sunday and Monday.

As a Member I will be taking up one of the exhibition spaces on Monday the 6th so come along to The Trusted Local Business Tent and view some Boy’s / Girl’s Toys

I look forward to seeing you.

Please click on the picture below for more information on the Show

Horley Business Expo 2013

Horley Local Business Group

Friday, April 26, 2013 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Holiday Inn Gatwick

We Exhibited at the Expo.

Hundreds Came along and visited us and all the other great stands and attended the many seminars

A very successful day with well over 500 visitors

We are a small business and were having a problem with the internet ‘dropping out‘ on a regular basis and we called Geoff from ituk.biz

He arrived on time on the allotted day and corrected the fault without any fuss or issues. He also just gave the computer system a general check over and made sure all the updated were in place.

We would have no problem in recommending ituk.biz for solving your computer issues.

Paul Cottingham