Apple tops Best Global Brands report again

Interbrand has released Best Global Rankings for the year 2014 and as many of you must have predicted, the tech-giants owned it.
Apple has been ranked one, again, with a value of 118.863 USD with Google not so far on rank 2 with a value of 107.439 USD.

Interbrand’s 2014 Best Global Brands
2014 RANK			2013 RANK					BRAND			SECTOR			2014 BRAND VALUE (USD $billion)			% CHANGE IN BRAND VALUE
1			1					Apple			Technology			118.863			21%
2			2					Google			Technology			107.439			15%
3			3					Coca-Cola			Beverages			81.563			3%
4			4					IBM			Business Services			72.244			-8%
5			5					Microsoft			Technology			61.154			3%
6			6					GE			Diversified			45.480			-3%
7			8					Samsung			Technology			45.462			15%
8			10					Toyota			Automotive			42.392			20%
9			7					McDonald’s			Restaurants			42.254			1%
10			11					Mercedes-Benz			Automotive			34.338			8%
11			12					BMW			Automotive			34.214			7%
12			9					Intel			Technology			34.153			-8%
13			14					Disney			Media			32.223			14%
14			13					Cisco			Technology			30.936			6%
15			19					Amazon			Retail			29.478			25%
16			18					Oracle			Technology			25.980			8%
17			15					HP			Technology			23.758			-8%
18			16					Gillette			FMCG			22.845			-9%
19			17					Louis Vuitton			Luxury			22.552			-9%
20			20					Honda			Automotive			21.673			17%

Find the full list here. You'll find Facebook on Rank 29.
Read the full article by Interbrand itself here.

Source: Bussiness Wire

Microsoft's Office: One Of The Coolest Work Places

One of the biggest perks of working at Microsoft is the vibrant working environment. You're bound to fall in love with their office. See for yourself.

Images' Sources: Microsoft's Facebook Page

Windows 10 Demo Video

Well, Windows 10 preview is now available for download but if you want to take a look before trying it out, check it out below in a video walkthrough by Gizmodo highlighting it's main features.

Windows 10 Preview Is Now Available For Download

Image Courtesy: litabi.com

Windows 10 with the much desired start button is now finally here. We have a lot of hopes with this one and it certainly does look promising.
Take a look at it's features in this article or rather just download the preview here, and decide for yourself.
Do let us know your take.

Trailer Of "Java-4-Ever": A Romcom For All Java Lovers

For the love of platform independence...

Five Reasons To Try The Messaging App Hike

Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

It's been a while since I've started using hike, an instant messaging app developed by BSB (Bharti SoftBank Innovation Pvt. Ltd.) and I must say, that in my experience I like it the most for a few additional features that it offers. Let's see.

We can message all our contacts for free

Hike offers free messaging not just for those who have hike installed, but everyone in your contact list. However, you get only 20 free SMS when you join and you need to keep chatting on hike to increase that number.

Hike Themes

You can set distinct chat themes for all your hike contacts, from a list of predefined themes, which is two-way i.e. it will be commonly visible to both.

Hike Daily Quotes

Hike sends a quote each day, which you are free to block but I don't think that you'd want to because they are all pretty awesome. It's like having an extra quotes app for your daily motivation.

Hike Stickers

Hike offers really awesome stickers, which makes the chats interesting and some times also a polite way to end a dull or awkward conversation.

It retrieves the SIM contacts as well

This one might be trivial but I'd still like to mention. 
When I inserted my SIM into my new smartphone, I skipped the step of importing my contacts from the SIM. I got a little confused as to why they weren't showing any of my contacts on WhatsApp, which I realized shortly but I was impressed that hike didn't need that. It showed all my contacts even before importing.

Besides, if you are an Indian, you must give this app a try; not because it's an Indian app but because it focuses on Indians. There are really cool stickers and themes accordingly. Moreover, they keep updating the stock with new festivals and events.