Outlook is poor for those still on Windows Mail, Calendar, People apps by end of year

Microsoft is preparing to kill off the old Windows Mail, Calendar, and People apps by the end of this month and shift users to the Outlook for Windows app.

In November, Microsoft confirmed there would be no reprieve for the apps. It will be possible to export local emails, calendar events, and contacts that users have stored in Mail, Calendar, and People into the new Outlook up until December 31, 2024. After that, however, the ability to send or receive mail will be revoked.

"The new Outlook for Windows is for everyone. Now everyone with Windows gets the best of Outlook built into Windows for free," Microsoft said. AI is also on hand "to help you write impactful, clearer, mistake-free messages."

While it will continue to support "Classic" Outlook, Microsoft wants users to migrate to the new app. One user complained: "I don't need a bloated mail client. Mail and Calendar apps just work. If I need a more fully featured email client, I will just use the Office 365. But the 'new' Outlook is garbage."

Just you haven't had the misfortune to try the Outlook (new) app - don't. It is like the old Windows Live Mail program on steroids. Probably even worse though as it tries to take over from the proper full fat Outlook - but isn't compatible with PSTs! Microsoft seems to be making all their decisions as bad decisions: Copilot, Recall, Win11, new Outlook - all horrible...

www.theregister.com

Windows 11 market share falls despite Microsoft ad blitz

Despite Microsoft's push to get customers onto Windows 11, growth in the market share of the software giant's latest operating system has stalled, while Windows 10 has made modest gains, according to fresh figures from Statcounter.

This is not the news Microsoft wanted to hear. After half a year of growth, the line for Windows 11 global desktop market share has taken a slight downturn, according to the website usage monitor, going from 35.6 percent in October to 34.9 percent in November. Windows 10, on the other hand, managed to grow its share of that market by just under a percentage point to 61.8 percent.

The drop was more pronounced in Microsoft's home market of the United States. Americans are now less than keen on the IT titan's flagship operating system, at least if you judge by the figures, resulting in a fall in the US of more than 3 percent in market share, while Windows 10 grew by a similar amount.

The figures are not official – Microsoft does not release market share numbers unless it has a milestone it wants to boast about – but Statcounter calculates its statistics from logging netizens generating more than five billion page views across 1.5 million global sites, making it a reliable-ish indicator of market trends.

www.theregister.com

Revamped Motorcycle Live show at Birmingham’s NEC welcomes almost 90,000 visitors in 2024

Thousands of bikers descended on Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) for this year’s rejuvenated Motorcycle Live show – now featuring more stages, additional stunt shows, and an evening of live musical entertainment.

Kicking off on Saturday, November 16, the show concluded on Sunday, November 24 – welcoming in 43 motorcycle manufacturers including established players like Ducati, BMW, and Suzuki, as well as smaller concerns such as CCM, Paton, and Ohvale.  

“Because there’s so much new stuff in there, you don’t really know what to expect as an organiser, but I’m pleased to say the changes have been properly embraced by the visitors,” Managing Director, Finlay McAllan said.

MikeyG & I drove up to Brum on Weds 20th Nov, back on Friday 22nd. We stayed at one of my favourite places: The White Lion Inn, Hampton in Arden. Thursday Mike was volunteering for Mental Health Motorbike @ MCL - so I went to the National Motorcycle Museum. Friday - we both went to MCL. We go up most years - usually a great trip, lots of interesting things to see & opportunities to part with hard earned... They've revamped the show for 2024 - did a good job of it too. Better grub & drinks, live music. The stands (manufacturers & retailers) were good. I was particularly keen on Honda's GB350s & CB1000 SP Hornet. Mike was very taken with the Honda rolling road demo of their Dual Clutch gearbox in the NT1100. We had a blast on the electric bike test ride zone - I rode the Kawasaki Ninja EV - which was a great bike! All in a very enjoyable few days away c/w excellent curry & a few swift arves :0). Cold / snowy trip & could have done without the cold that's been troubling me for the last few weeks - but "ho hum"! Photos HERE - enjoy! :0).

www.motorcyclenews.com

KTM takes drastic measures to cut losses - as financial woes worsen

It was just a couple of years ago that Pierer Mobility - owned KTM celebrated 12 straight years of record growth. Now, the company is in a dire crisis that requires a halt in production and the sacking of more than 300 employees. How did it get here?

Overproduction and quality issues are two of the main reasons for KTM’s state of affairs. In an emergency announcement released this past week, Pierer Mobility AG disclosed that KTM AG's liquidity strategy for the 2025 fiscal year will require additional funding to the tune of a "nine-figure sum in dollars." That's in the hundreds of millions for those not wanting to count zeroes.

To cut inventory, a production halt is planned in Mattighofen in Austria. This will result in around 300 layoffs. KTM states that investor talks are in progress and that it remains to be seen if these "measures are sufficient." The KTM AG group accounts for more than 95% of Pierer Mobility AG’s revenue.

For a while now KTM has been announcing layoffs and job relocations to China. The managers at Mattighofen have previously downplayed the situation, claiming that Europe's biggest motorcycle manufacturer could handle its current financial crisis on its own. However, that crisis has worsened.

It all started towards the end of last year when KTM AG decided to shift production of its “mid-range models” and certain R&D from Austria to China (CF Moto) and India (Bajaj Auto) – all of which resulted in job losses for some 300 employees in Austria. At that point, the board of directors cited discouraging economic conditions in Europe, slowing economic growth, increasing inflation, and higher interest rates as the reasons behind the moves.

Wanna know what the real problem is here? We all like new shiny things, but I've been horrified by all the unnecessary tech and huge price tags attached to bikes these days. We need a dose of realism in motorcycling! If several of the big manufacturers (HD, BMW, Ducati - I'm looking at you) don't get that message & soon - some folks will get tempted to go to the dark side & buy into those dreadful Chinese bikes. As it is, in the UK, we've seen several major motorcycle dealerships go bust - in just the last few months. We need to encourage youngsters in - not just pander to older geezers with lots of available dosh! Have a look at this excellent video "The Affordability Crisis in Motorcycling" by Yammie Noob - it says it all...

www.newatlas.com

The Chosen: Last Supper Teaser (Season 5)

Watch this amazing trailer on YouTube. 

The table is set. The people of Israel welcome Jesus as king while his disciples anticipate his crowning. But—instead of confronting Rome—he turns the tables on his own religious festival. Their power threatened, the country’s religious and political leaders will go to any length to ensure this Passover meal is Jesus’ last.

www.thechosen.tv

Government consultation denies UK-wide bus lane access for bikers despite overwhelming support

The UK’s Labour Government have rejected a motion to allow bikers to use all bus lanes by default, releasing a statement claiming they have: “no policy to encourage greater use of motorcycles.”

The online consultation document ran from March 17 to July 16, 2024, and sought peoples’ views on allowing bikers to use bus lanes by default across the UK. At present, it is at the discretion of each local authority as to whether or not bikers can use the lanes.

“The safety benefits of allowing motorcycles into bus lanes are not clear at this time,” the consultation conclusion read. “Where data is available, the evidence varies. The response rate to this consultation, from local authorities and stakeholder organisations, was low and did not provide a robust evidence base on which to amend the current policy.”

www.motorcyclenews.com

Today's Reading: On worship - by C.S. Lewis

He demands our worship, our obedience, our prostration. Do we suppose that they can do Him any good, or fear, like the chorus in Milton, that human irreverence can bring about “His glory’s diminution”? 

A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word “darkness” on the walls of his cell. 

But God wills our good, and our good is to love Him (with that responsive love proper to creatures) and to love Him we must know Him: and if we know Him, we shall in fact fall on our faces. If we do not, that only shows that what we are trying to love is not yet God—though it may be the nearest approximation to God which our thought and fantasy can attain.

By C.S. Lewis

From The Problem of Pain