Summary: News: Microsoft expands retail distribution for Surface RT tablets Microsoft revealed today that it is expanding the retail availability for its Surface RT tablets. Surface RT will be made available at additional retailers from mid-December and Microsfot is also transitioning some holiday stores into permanent retail outlets. http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/11/3756004/microsoft-surface-rt-retail-stores-expansion Twitter takes on Instagram with filters Twitter unveiled its much talked-about photo filters today, giving users of its iOS and Android apps a way to edit their pictures and share them directly from their smartphones. The move, which comes just days after Facebook-owned Instagram blocked its photos from being displayed properly inside the Twitter timeline, sets up a new rivalry between two social networks eager to capture as many of their users' photos as possible. The new features are available in updated versions of the iOS and Android apps. The big changes, taken from Twitter's blog post on the subject: Filters. Apply one of eight filters, ranging from black & white to vintage, to add a new look and feel to your photos. Take a bird's-eye view. See how each filter would affect your photo in a single grid view, or swipe through looks to compare your options. Frame the action. Crop and pinch to zoom in order to focus attention. Auto-enhance. Make your photos pop with balanced light and colors by tapping the wand. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57558346-93/twitter-takes-on-instagram-with-new-photo-filters/ Yahoo Mail Gets Major Overhaul With Emphasis on Fewer Distractions It's been a long time coming, but Yahoo Mail is finally get a much-needed redesign to its email platform. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer announced in a blog post on Tuesday that the company has rolled out major improvements to Yahoo Mail, with an emphasis on getting through messages faster than ever. "You’ve told us loud and clear that you want fewer distractions when it comes to email," Mayer said. "You want to quickly login, communicate, and get on with your day. And we've listened. Starting today, the new Yahoo Mail is fast, easy and available anywhere you go. These improvements will be available on all major platforms: Web, Windows 8, iPhone/iPod touch and Android." Mayer said most mail users will start to see the latest web version of Yahoo Mail in the next few days. The news doesn't come as a complete surprise. Not only has Hotmail rolled out a new look this year, many suspected Mayer -- who spent years at Google -- sought to improve the Yahoo Mail experience since joining in July. http://mashable.com/2012/12/11/yahoo-mail-redesign ************ Geek This Week: Aaron: Checked out the new MySpace. Uber to the rescue last night. Gozer: ************* The Geek’s Choice: ************** Featured Segment: The Brydge Review Today we review the Brydge iPad keyboard. www.thebrydge.com ************** Feedback & Items of Note: ************** Sponsors: Check us out on Stitcher! Visit http://www.stitcher.com/geekcast and sign up. Not only can you catch the podcast through the app, but if you use the code ‘geekcast’ within the app and you’ll be entered to win $100! Hover.com: Domain names made simple! Experience minimal cross-sell, ‘no wait’ phone support where your call is answered on the first ring, and a simple interface. See how easy and hassle-free registering your next domain can be. Just visit http://www.hover.com/geekcast and see for yourself. Audible: Try Audible Now and Get 1 Free Audio Book Download with a 14 Day Trial. Choose from over 85,000 Titles. Continue your membership and receive 1 audio book credit a month for only $14.95 per month! Just visit <a href="http://www.audiblepodcast.com/TheGeekcast">AudiblePodcast.com/TheGeekcast</a>
