Best Windows 8 apps this week

Thirteenth in a series. Microsoft released the company's fiscal second-quarter results on January 24 and to the surprise of many the company's Windows division did well despite PC shipments being down during the same period.

Windows Store has recovered from last week's low number of new store apps. This week, 928 new apps were listed in the operating system's US store, an increase of more than 31 percent over last week. Free apps, on the other hand, only increased by 136 this week while paid apps made a huge jump to 5,801 from 5,011 the week before.

A large part of the paid apps this week are desktop apps that developers can add to the store which, technically, are not Windows apps but desktop programs -- meaning the "real" increase of store apps is lower than that. Since there is no option to display only desktop apps, it is hard to tell how these programs are inflating the number of apps available in store.

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CNN

This week's big launch is the official CNN app for Windows 8 and RT. The news app displays the day's top story on the front followed by a listing of latest stories and the various news sections that you may know from the site if you visit it occasionally or regularly.

Reports include photos and textual contents but also recorded videos from CNN that you can play (again) using the application. A right-click opens a contextual menu that you can use to access various sections of the site including your access history. Here you get a list of articles, videos and galleries that you accessed recently.

The CNN app lacks search capabilities at the time of writing.

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World TV (free limited, paid $1.99)

World TV offers pre-recorded TV clips to users of the application. Only a handful of TV channels are free to access including CNN and BBC Entertainment while the majority of channels including ESPN, Fox Sports or NBA TV are only available to users who purchased the application for $1.99

A clip starts to play right after you open the application. You can switch clips using the thumbnail bar at the bottom of the screen and switch to full screen mode to view contents in HD quality without distracting interface elements.

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Storm

Storm is a weather application for Windows 8 that uses your location, if you allow it to, to display current weather conditions and forecasts for that location.

Additional locations can be added to the favorites to have weather reports displayed for them automatically when the application is open.

A click on a location opens a detailed weather forecast that not only displays temperatures for four periods of the day -- morning, afternoon, evening and night -- but also lists wind strength and direction, precipitation and a two week forecast.

Last but not least it is also making available maps, radar, US warnings, precipitation and temperature.
 

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Charming Reddit

The other way to search Reddit. Charming Reddit concentrates only on pictures which is great if you are regularly browsing Reddit for the latest photo kick. Instead of having to do so on site, you can simply open the app and check out various picture categories of Reddit right here.

The app displays the pictures in a photo Stream that not only displays thumbnail images of each pic, if available, but also the up and down votes, the comments it received and the description that was added to it by the original thread starter.

A pull-down menu at the top enables you to display top scoring, new or controversial pictures posted this hour, day, week or all time. Basically, if you love Reddit's photo section this app is for you.

Hint: the wallpaper category offers some great wallpapers for your desktop.

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Simple Note

If you use notes as reminders of work or other activities / events then you may find Simple Note quite useful. As the name implies, it is one of the simpler note taking applications available for Windows 8. All you can do is create new notes, by entering a title and description and that's about it.

While this may not be enough for users who need to add images, documents, links or other information to notes, it should do it if you like your notes plain and simple. The program iterates through all notes on the start screen so that you have them always in reach when needed without having to open the application first.

A couple of things would be helpful though, including setting expiration dates or reminders.
 

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World Clock

The app displays the date and time of various locations. It ships with a selection of cities, including Beijing, London, New York and Tokyo by default, which you can add custom cities to if necessary.

The application furthermore displays information about the time zone, as well as sunrise and sunset for the selected location. The more services options that you see on the screenshot above lead to the Time and Date website where you can configure those.

The developers plan to add information such as weather information, embedded city maps or nearby airports and cities in future updates.

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Snap FX

Paint does not really cut it when it comes to image editing on Windows 8. Desktop users can install free programs like Paint.Net or GIMP to improve the capabilities, but RT users are more or less stuck with Paint or whatever the store has to offer to them.

Snap FX is a program that makes many basic image editing tasks a breeze. You can use ot to change various parameters like the image's brightness, sharpness or saturation, crop the image, rotate or flip it, or apply one of several Instagram-like filters to it to change its look and feel completely.

What's missing? Options to resize the image to a particular size for one, or the ability to add text to it.

Edited images can be exported to Facebook or the local picture gallery.

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Duck Duck Go

DuckDuckGo.com is my search engine of choice and the launch of its Windows 8 app needs to be celebrated. Why I prefer the search engine over Google or Bing? Because it protects your privacy, does not put you in a filter bubble and makes available so called !bangs that you can use to redirect searches to other search engines.

If a search for Windows 8 apps does not return the expected results on DuckDuckGo, you can add !g to the query to load Google's search results right away or !ghacks to search on my site. These !bangs exist for lots of sites, Wikipedia, Flickr, popular search engines, tech blogs and more.

The app makes available many of the features of the search engine, but !bangs and the majority of "goodies" are unfortunately not yet supported. Still, if you are looking for a different search engine that offers great results, I suggest you give it a try.

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Open Map

This app brings the OpenMap project to Windows 8. While not the official app, it makes available the majority of features that Open Map supports. You can browse any location on a map and use the mouse to browse and zoom in or out of it.

A right-click opens a basic menu with options to set locations and get directions. The app lacks a couple of features right now including the ability to enter the name of a location to be taken there directly.

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Cloud Manga Reader

If you can't get enough Manga Cloud Manga Reader for Windows 8 is another application that helps you get your daily Manga fix.

It makes available a catalog of Manga comics sorted by series including Naruto, Bleach, Vagabond or Dragon Ball to name a few. A click on a series opens the chapter list in full screen. From here it is just the matter of selecting a chapter to read to load the Manga right in the interface. As far as I can tell, all Manga offered here are translated to English.

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Tech salaries jump 5.3%, bonuses flat

Tech and engineering pros reported the largest salary jump in more than a decade, according to career site Dice

Average salaries for tech pros climbed 5.3% to $85,619 last year, up from $81,327 in 2011. It's the largest salary jump in more than a decade, according to career site Dice, which specializes in jobs for tech and engineering professionals.

Entry level talent (two years or less experience) waited three years to see an increase in average annual pay -- and the market made up for the stagnancy with an 8% year-over-year increase to $46,315. At the other end of the spectrum, average salaries for tech professionals with at least 15 years of experience topped six-figures for the first time, growing 4% to $103,012.

 

2013 JOB WATCH: Top 11 metro areas for tech jobs

"Employers are recognizing and adjusting to the reality of a tight market," said Scot Melland, CEO of Dice Holdings, in a statement. "The fact is you either pay to recruit or pay to retain and these days, at least for technology teams, companies are doing both."

Tech bonuses were slightly more frequent -- 33% of respondents got one in 2012 compared to 32% in 2011 -- but slightly less lucrative at an average of $8,636 (down from $8,769). [Related story: "Outlook for IT bonus pay murky"]
tech salaries

"In the early stages of the recovery, companies were staying flexible by using performance pay to reward their top performers," Melland said. "Now, companies are writing the checks that will stick. With a 3.8% tech unemployment rate, no one wants to lose talent."

By location, Pittsburgh tech pros saw the largest salary increase, up 18% year/year to $76,207. Six other cities also reported double-digit growth in salaries -- which is the most ever registered by the Dice Salary Survey.

San Diego (+13% to $97,328)
St. Louis (+13% to $81,245)
Phoenix (+12% to $83,607)
Cleveland (+11% to $75,773
Orlando (+10% to $81,583)
Milwaukee (+10% to $81,670)

Silicon Valley remains the only market where tech professionals average six-figure salaries ($101,278).

Across the U.S., big data skills are in demand, as evidenced by $100,000+ salaries for tech pros who use Hadoop, NoSQL and MongoDB. By comparison, average salaries associated with cloud and virtualization are just under $90,000 and mobile salaries are closer to $80,000, Dice reports.

"We've heard it's a fad, heard it's hyped and heard it's fleeting, yet it's clear that data professionals are in demand and well paid," said Alice Hill, managing director of Dice.com. "Tech professionals who analyze large data streams and strategically impact the overall business goals of a firm have an opportunity to write their own ticket. The message to employers? If you have a talented data team, hold on tight or learn the consequences of a lift-out."

Looking ahead to the current year, 64% of tech professionals are confident they could find a favorable new job in 2013.

Dice surveyed 15,049 employed tech professionals between Sept. 24 and Nov. 16, 2012, for its annual Salary Survey.

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Cisco aims for bigger services business, more software revenue

Cisco told analysts the growth of Internet connections could help make it the leading IT companyCisco Systems plans to expand its services business over the next several years, seeing a more important role for itself in a world of connected machines and devices.

The company will build up its managed services and consulting services, focusing on specific vertical industries, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer Padmasree Warrior said in an interview, summarizing the company's messages from its annual financial analyst conference Friday.

Cisco currently gets about 20 percent of its revenue from services, but it plans to increase that proportion to 25 percent or more over the next few years, Warrior said. However, the company will continue to work with services partners, such as Accenture and specialized firms in specific industries, rather than launching a broad, overarching services business like that of IBM, she said.

"We're going to be very selective. We leverage our intellectual property to create value for our partners in services," Warrior said.

Eyeing what it calls the "mobile cloud era," Cisco says it can become the number-one company in IT as enterprises deal with new kinds of applications and start buying IT as a service rather than a capital investment. The growth in Internet Protocol connections, where Cisco is the biggest player, also gives the company a chance to play a more important role, she said.

Those connections include machine-to-machine networks that can link components such as sensors around a city. Cisco is already starting to develop this "Internet of everything" in large building projects such as the construction of the brand-new city of Songdo, South Korea. The company says newly built cities also may better serve residents through technologies such as videoconferencing for health care and education, another major business for Cisco.

The emergence of cloud computing, which may eventually allow enterprises to plug into IT resources as they would into a power grid, is a big opportunity for Cisco, said Pund-IT analyst Charles King. Utility-scale computing will favor big vendors that can build large-scale infrastructure, and Cisco has proved itself in that regard in both networking and computing, with its Unified Computing System servers, King said.

In time, Cisco could be at least a serious contender to become the number-one IT company, King said.

"I think they could take a swing at it," King said. "How successful they'll be ... is an open question."

Cisco's services business began with its traditional technical services, such as its Smart Analytics software, which provides network information to customers and channel partners to help them make their operations more efficient, Warrior said. It also includes what Cisco calls Advanced Services, where it helps customers carry out big changes such as data-center consolidation.

The company plans to expand its business in managed services, in which it deploys and manages infrastructure for customers, and in consulting services, which involves analyzing business problems and helping customers transform their businesses. Cisco has combined formerly separate divisions that did consulting before and after a sale, Warrior said. It will focus its consulting efforts on vertical markets such as energy and the development of highly networked "smart cities." The consulting work will be done with partners, Warrior said.

"The idea is that we would always have expertise, and that expertise is understanding our technology, understanding more broadly what the customer requirements are, and where we don't have a solution, working on that part of the solution with a partner," Warrior said.

In addition, Cisco is looking at new ways of generating revenue from its software, which is what 80 percent of the company's engineers work on, she said. Cisco makes embedded software in its network equipment, infrastructure software such as security APIs (application programming interfaces), and services software such as WebEx.

The company plans to use enterprise license agreements, perpetual license agreements and software-as-a-service models to monetize its software in the future. Chambers recently has said the company hopes to double its annual software revenue, currently $6 billion, over the next three to five years.

Overall, Cisco told analysts it expects its revenue to grow by 5 percent to 7 percent annually over the long term.

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Meraki buy more than cloud Wi-Fi to Cisco

Could be Cisco's basis for broader cloud networking offers

Even though Meraki made a name for itself in cloud-based WLANs, Cisco's long-term goals for its new acquisition go beyond just Wi-Fi.

Cisco acquired Meraki on Sunday for $1.2 billion. Meraki is a privately held company that specializes in cloud-based management of wireless LAN, security appliances, and mobile devices for midmarket companies.

HOT MARKET: Top Tech M&A deals in 2012

But analysts see Meraki's infrastructure playing a much broader role at Cisco over time. Indeed, Meraki becomes Cisco's new Cloud Networking Group.

"Meraki is to become the new 'Cloud Networking Group,' which would imply more than just Wi-Fi," says Mike Spanbauer of Current Analysis.

Mark Fabbi of Gartner agrees.

"It's pretty clear Cisco bought Meraki because of their ability to manage cloud infrastructure and Meraki has proven that the model works and is robust," Fabbi says. "I would expect that it will become the platform for Cisco to offer different delivery and management models to a much broader product and customer set."

Cisco Senior Vice President Rob Soderbery said Meraki will appeal to midsize companies that have the same IT needs as larger organizations, but without the resources to integrate complex IT systems. Meraki's infrastructure is already used by thousands of customers to manage hundreds of thousands of devices, he said.

Zeus Kerravala sees Meraki playing a key role in Cisco's Cisco ONE programmable networking strategy and its onePK API set.

"It's more cloud management than Wi-Fi," says Zeus Kerravala of ZK Research. "It's software control pushed into the cloud. It's a front-end to onePK on the back-end. Cloud networking is actually the long term value."

Jon Oltsik of Enterprise Strategy Group sees Meraki as a delivery model for some Cisco technologies that currently require on premise hardware.

"I see Meraki as the managed networking part of the cloud strategy," he says. "Think of Cisco technologies like TrustSec, ISE, QoS, WLAN, etc. Cisco makes these things work with its own hardware and software to offer solutions with central policies, reporting, etc. The problem is that not everyone wants to buy or operate this stuff. I can manage network policy in the cloud or on-premise and it's likely that Cisco will integrate the two for a common solution."

Fabbi says that even though Meraki will be anchoring the new Cloud Networking Group, it won't be Cisco's only cloud offering. They already have cloud-based WebEx conferencing, unified communications and IronPort security services.

But Meraki could very well become Cisco's biggest cloud offering, he says.

"They wouldn't have spent over $1 billion for some WLAN bits and pieces," Fabbi says.

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Wearable computers: The next generation

Wearable computers: The next generation
Computing devices you can wear are still in their infancy, but a host of clever new designs are in the works. Get a peek at the brave new world of wearable computers, from sensor-laden surgical gloves to workout clothes that monitor your moves.
Think your tablet or smartphone is the utmost in personal computing? Soon you could be wearing your digital electronics -- from shoes that can guide you to your destination to electronic tattoos that monitor physiological conditions.

While there are several wearable computing devices already available, they're just the tip of the technological iceberg. Dozens of new designs are popping up that take these ideas to a new level. There's no saying if or when the devices that follow will be developed into commercial products, but all are working prototypes that show what's possible -- and some you can make yourself today. Think of this as a virtual fashion show for the near future.

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Four (or more) eyes: Lumus OE-31 and Google Project Glass

There's a lot of action going on in augmented reality headsets these days, such as the Lumus OE-31 prototype (far left). Its chunky black frames house dual 640-x-360-pixel see-through displays with superimposed videos, email, directions and more. There could be a commercial version for around $500 next year.

But Google's Project Glass (near left) gets the most attention, particularly after models wore prototypes at New York's Fashion Week in September. Details are scant, but the sleek aluminum wraparound frames trade lenses for a tiny color display near the right eye. The screen overlays a digital image on top of the wearer's field of view or pops a menu out on the side. Google hopes to release the glasses next year at $1,500.

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Computing on a Wimm: Wimm One

What if you wore your computer like jewelry? Wimm Labs has put together an open-source microsystem that just might become part of your apparel.

Based on heavily modified Android software, the 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.5-in. device weighs just 0.77 oz. and can be clipped to a bag strap, put on a shirt collar or worn like a pendant. The tiny system, called the Wimm One, offers 32GB of storage space, has a 1.4-in. multitouch screen and supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Wimm hopes developers will extend both the hardware and software to create new devices and simple apps that run on them. Currently available apps focus on simple, personal tasks like getting Twitter updates and tracking how many calories you burned working out.

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On the right path: No Place Like Home GPS shoes

As soon as you see these shoes, you'll want a pair. Designed by artist Dominic Wilcox and custom-made by Stamp Shoes, this digitally aware footwear houses a GPS chip, a pair of microcontrollers and an antenna. The left shoe points you in the right direction with a compass-like circle of LEDs on its toe, while the right shoe's row of LEDs indicates progress to your destination.

Before setting out, you'll need to figure out your route on a computer, transfer it to the shoe with a USB cable and then click the heels together to start the journey. Saying "There's no place like home" is optional. These bespoke shoes cost £1,100 (about $1,750); we can only hope for a mass-produced version someday.

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Wave your hands in the air: Sixth Sense

Developed at the MIT Media Lab, Pranav Mistry's Sixth Sense system can augment our five natural senses with a digital one. Worn around the neck like a very large pendant, Sixth Sense includes a tiny projector and mirror that can shine an image onto just about any surface, as well as a camera that reads your hand gestures.

You'll have to wear color-coded finger bands so that the camera can make out what you want, but this nano-computer is perfect for interacting with a projected map, flicking through projected photos or dialing a phone number on a projected keypad (see video). While you can't buy Sixth Sense yet, Mistry says that you can build one for about $350 in parts.

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A touch screen anywhere: Wearable Multitouch Projector

You run the risk of looking like the Borg from Star Trek, but wearing Hrvoje Benko's shoulder-mounted Wearable Multitouch Projector lets you make your own touch interface on any surface. Created at Microsoft's corporate research lab, Benko's machinery uses the company's motion-sensing Kinect hardware and a micro-projector to create a virtual zone of interactivity.

You control the projected images using familiar gestures such as tapping, pinching and zooming to do anything from making a phone call to getting directions from mapping software. The good news is that Benko thinks the ungainly rig can be miniaturized to something that's smaller, lighter and less reminiscent of an alien invader.

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Good sports: Workout clothes with BioModule sensor

Today, sensors that measure a person's physiological conditions are typically adhered to the skin or strapped to the body in a setup like Zephyr Technology's BioHarness. But soon they'll be incorporated into athletes' workout wear. Zephyr's BioModule circular chest sensor weighs less than an ounce and snaps into a compression shirt like Under Armour's E39 (coming in 2013), which was demonstrated at last year's NFL Scouting Combine.

The 1-in. disk measures heart and breathing rates as well as skin temperature, while an accelerometer monitors the player's movements and speed. It transmits its data as far as 1,000 feet to a PC running Zephyr's Windows-based OmniSense software, which can track up to 50 athletes simultaneously.

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Extra sensory perception: Sensor-laden fingertip tubes

We spend a lot of time touching keyboards, mice and screens, but John Rogers of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign wants to bring the interface directly to the finger. That's the idea behind his prototype finger tube (PDF). Micro-thin sensors on the surface detect things like acidity, and layers of gold circuitry melded into its thin silicone material process the data.

When it finds what it's looking for, the circuit transmits a small electrical signal that feels like a tingle to the wearer's skin. Rogers is working on integrating the finger-tingler into surgical gloves that, with the help of an MRI or X-ray image, could guide a surgeon to a hidden tumor or injury.

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Tattoo you: Epidermal electronics

Temporary tattoos may be all the rage, but Todd Coleman of the University of California at San Diego has created functional tattoos. Called epidermal electronics, these ultra-thin electronic patches bend and stretch with the skin while sensing a patient's skin temperature, brain waves or heartbeat patterns and transmitting the data wirelessly to a hospital computer. A grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is allowing Coleman to complete a fetal monitor patch that sits on a pregnant mother's belly and monitors the baby's heart rate, oxygen level and other vital stats.

Nokia could take this idea in another direction with its recent patent filing for an e-tattoo that would silently alert you to an incoming call or text with a vibration.

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Light up my life: Flora kit

Digital DIYers take note: Adafruit's Flora kit computer can open new horizons for innovators. Only 1.75 in. across and weighing less than 0.2 oz., the circular circuit board has a 16MHz Atmel ATmega32U4 processor and 2.5KB of memory. Currently in beta, Flora uses open-source code that is loaded via a USB connector; it works with Macs, Windows PCs and Linux systems.

Flora can control hundreds of LEDs sewn into clothing for a fashion-forward look. With GPS, an accelerometer and a digital compass, it can react to where you are and what you're doing. To make an impact at a party, for instance, program Flora to light up your shirt when you enter the room. (More ideas in the included tutorials and projects.)

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Second sight: The Tacit Project glove

A serial inventor, Steve Hoefer is working on helping the blind see with sound. His Tacit Project is a fingerless neoprene glove that uses sonar and haptics to help the wearer avoid physical obstacles. It can sense objects up to 10 feet away with an array of transceivers that measure the time gap between sending out ultrasonic pulses and receiving their reflection.

The 3 oz. glove translates the data into a virtual map of what lies ahead, applying gentle pressure on the wrist to alert the wearer that something's ahead. You can't buy it, but you can build one yourself for roughly $90 in parts.

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How Can Eye Surgery Help Me Live Life Without Glasses?

Eye surgery is a safe and effective way to treat your eyes. When a refractive error has been corrected or an eye problem fixed, eye sight can return to being clear and bright. Your glasses or contacts can be thrown away for good!

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If you wear glasses then you may be pleased to know that there is surgery available that can ensure you are rid of them for good. In fact there are a range of surgeries and treatments that can ensure you never again need to rely on glasses or contact lenses to see clearly.

Refractive lens exchange (RLE) has helped thousands of people across the UK throw their glasses away. Think of it as an advanced form of cataract surgery which is one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the world. RLE involves removing the existing lens of the eye and replacing it with an artificial one, this is how it is like cataract surgery. However RLE involves the replacement lens being a prescription lens. It is an ideal treatment for people over 50 who want to have their youthful vision return. The remarkable thing about this type of treatment is that it can correct two problems in one. Not only does it instantly remove cataracts from the eye, but it can also correct refractive problems such as long or shortsightedness. Cataracts are the clouding of the natural lens of the eye. If the lens is replaced with an artificial one the cataract disappears. Furthermore it can never return because the artificial lens cannot harden or go cloudy with age. The artificial lens can be specially created for the individual so that as well as removing the cataract it can also correct a refractive problem.


Another eye surgery that is available is laser vision correction or laser eye surgery as it is also known. There are in fact two types of laser eye surgery, LASIK and LASEK. Laser vision correction is very efficient at reshaping the cornea so refractive errors can be dealt with. Lasik surgery is the more common of the two surgeries. During the surgery a flap is made and the surface of the cornea is peeled back. Lasers then reshape the cornea before the flap gets put back into place. This surgery is ideal for myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism in particular.

Lasek surgery is less common because the healing period is slightly longer. It is used for less serious conditions of the eye or minor refractive problems. It is also the more suitable option for people with thin corneas. Instead of a flap being made the cornea surface is simply loosened and then folded back. Lasers are then used to make the necessary alterations to the shape of the cornea.

The results after all of these surgeries are incredibly impressive. Almost instant results can be seen with sight continuing to improve for up to 6 weeks. People who have worn glasses all their lives are amazed at the improvement to their sight. It truly is life changing for people who have had to rely on glasses for so long. Surgery is available for many problems and conditions of the eye. If you would like to know more about eye surgery then your first step is to talk to your local eye hospital. An alternative to laser eye surgery however is Clarivu refractive lens exchange which is provided by one of the UKs leading private eye hospitals. Clarivu provides a permanent alternative to laser eye surgery which is particularly suitable for the over 50s.


All the eye surgeries mentioned above are extremely safe. The eye heals on its own and very quickly. There may be eye drops needed for a while following the surgery and a follow up appointment will also be necessary with the surgeon to check on the healing process. Otherwise however life can get back to normal just a few days following treatment. Those who undergo refractive lens exchange can be back at work just two days later. Aside from resting the eyes following surgery and avoiding smoky or dusty environments, there is little else needed to aid the healing process.

If you are keen to live without glasses then either refractive surgery or laser eye surgery could help. Contact your local eye doctor to discuss eye lens surgery and find out more about an intraocular lens implant.

Eyeglass Frame Materials

Different eyeglass frame materials greatly expand your options for a new look. While shopping for new eyeglasses or sunglasses, ask your optician for advice about variety in colors, durability, lightness, favorite brands, hypoallergenic materials, uniqueness and price.

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In fact, finding eyeglasses with the qualities that are most important to you could be as simple as choosing the right frame material, because each type has its own unique strengths.
Plastic

If you want the colors of the rainbow, then zyl (zylonite, or cellulose acetate) is your material. Zyl is a very cost-effective and creative option for eyewear and is extremely lightweight. Particularly popular right now are laminated zyl frames that have layered colors. Look for light colors on the interior sides, which can make your eyewear "disappear" from your visual field when you wear them. An all-black frame, on the other hand, is visible at all times on both interior and exterior sides.

Some manufacturers also use cellulose acetate propionate, a nylon-based plastic that is hypoallergenic. It's lightweight and has more transparency and gloss than other plastics. If your main criterion for a frame is lightness, then definitely consider propionate frames.

Eyeglasses made of nylon first were introduced in the late 1940s. Because of brittleness and other problems, eyeglass manufacturers switched to blended nylon (polyamides, co-polyamides and gliamides). Today's blended nylon frames are both strong and lightweight.

Nylon is also a premier material for sports and performance frames, typically made of gliamides, grilamid or trogamid materials that are very resistant to hot and cold and are more flexible, yet also stiff. Nylon also is easily molded into today's popular wraparound styles, as well as other shapes that are difficult to produce.

It may sound odd, but plastic made of castor oil (actually, castor seed oil) is now used in some eyewear. Traditionally used as a laxative, a soap ingredient and a machinery lubricant, castor oil is also making its way into plastic auto parts, along with other non-petroleum-based plastics. Reasons for castor oil plastic development include the high price of petroleum and the ease of growing castor bean plants in places where other profitable plants don't thrive.

Plastic frames do have some drawbacks. They are easier to break than metal frames, they will burn (but are not easily ignited), and aging and exposure to sunlight decrease their strength slightly. Color can fade over time, but not as much with modern materials.

Metal

Monel — a mixture of any of a broad range of metals — is the most widely used material in the manufacture of eyeglass frames. Its malleability and corrosion resistance are pluses.
Still, it is not 100 percent corrosion-resistant: for some people, monel can react with their skin chemistry. But this is preventable if the right kind of plating, such as palladium or other nickel-free options, is used.

Many frame manufacturers offer titanium and beta-titanium styles these days; titanium is a silver-gray metal that's lightweight, durable, strong and corrosion-resistant. It has been used for everything from the Gemini and Apollo space capsules to medical implants such as heart valves.

Titanium eyewear can be produced in a variety of colors for a clean, modern look with a hint of color. And they're hypoallergenic.

Some titanium farmes are made from an alloy that is a combination of titanium and other metals, such as nickel or copper. In general, titanium alloy frames cost less than 100 percent titanium frames.

Beryllium, a steel-gray metal, is a lower-cost alternative to titanium eyewear. It resists corrosion and tarnish, making it an excellent choice for wearers who have high skin acidity or spend a good amount of time in or around salt water.

Beryllium is also lightweight, very strong, very flexible (making it easy for an optician to adjust your glasses) and available in a wide range of colors.