Companies and people who want their offices to resemble something out of a not-too-crazy science fiction movie are in luck; last week, Microsoft made the Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7 Touch Pack available to everyone who can utilize it.
I just got an Apple iPod Touch, which is super cool, but I have no idea how to get it to work with my Dell PC. I’m running Windows Vista and use Windows Media Player 10 (WMP10) for the music on my computer, but WMP doesn’t seem to see my iPod. How do I proceed and get it to work??
Dave’s Answer:
There’s good news and bad news. What do you want to hear first?
We all know that Windows controls (at least) 90 percent of the PC market, and that’s not likely to change anytime soon. Internet Explorer is steadily losing users, however, and if you’re one of the folks who have switched to Firefox or Chrome, it may interest you to know that there’s a possibility Internet Explorer 8 won’t be inseparable from Windows 7.
A recent test version of Windows 7 (build 7048) is similar to many others insofar as it gives users the opportunity to turn features on and off. Chris Holmes and Bryant Zadegan noticed that this build lists IE8 among the many other options, though, and they got a screenshot as proof.
Check out this great list of Microsoft Windows 7 Beta Secrets by Tim Sneath. Here’s a few of them, so be sure to check out the full list here for the full 30 Windows 7 Secrets!
Friday was the day that Microsoft makes the first public beta version of Windows 7 universally available to anyone who wants it, via download from Microsoft’s website.
Windows 7 is the next version of the Windows operating system, successor to Windows Vista, due for release later in 2009.
A post yesterday on the Windows Team blog has detailed information on downloading and installing the beta. However, as I write these words, there must be huge interest in the beta as attempts to access that post during the past several hours only produces a ‘server too busy’ message.
I’m playing around with Windows Live Writer, here’s their blog where you can download it from.
They released a new version last week and it’s a very nice way to edit your blog (it’s an offline editor that lets you write and edit your blog without using a browser). Hooked up to my blog very quickly. Presents me with a much nicer user interface than WordPress.com has. Doesn’t rely on the browser, so I can open and close the browser as much as I want (since I’m playing with an early version of Firefox that crashes a lot on my system that’s a huge advantage). I’ll have to get Maryam using this for her blog, since it’s a lot nicer. Of course it always takes me about a year to convince her to do anything. If you read her blog (I’m her husband) you’d know why.
Better physical security might have helped here.
ITWire, Dark Visitor and Windows7center are all reporting the new Windows 7 Build 6956 has made it into bittorrent over the last couple of days. An attendee at WinHEC China is apparently the source of the software as well. While this is great for Microsoft, as it causes much news and blogging, it also allows people to get their hands on the software to write articles about it. Windows7center has screen shots (Chinese) of the software in action as well in case you are doubting this happened. (more…)
The “Vista capable” lawsuit may or may not be going well for Microsoft from a legal standpoint, but evidence against the software giant isn’t doing it any favors in the public’s eye. Emails show that some Microsoft execs and employees were extremely worried about loosening the Vista capable requirements.
It’s been pretty well proven that Microsoft decided to call the Intel 915 chipset “Vista capable” after an initial pronouncement the other way. This was one of several factors that led to some machines not being able to run premium versions of the operating system, and the one around which most of the new commotion revolves.
According to Gregg Keizer, Mark Croft, the director of Windows marketing, contributed to the company’s debate by writing, “If we give on these then the Logo does not ‘mean’ anything. I think that pulling out WDDM is a bad decision for customers.”
Jim Allchin, who led the Vista development team, also said following the reversal, “I am beyond being upset here. This was totally mismanaged by Intel and Microsoft. What a mess. Now we have an upset partner, Microsoft destroyed credibility, as well as my own credibility shot.”
This stuff might be enough to inspire other companies to toss their most sensitive computers off tall buildings. Meanwhile, it’s almost sure to have an effect on how Windows 7 is marketed, and may influence the sales of Windows operating systems for some time into the future.
Windows 7, if it truly lives up to its hype, faster, sleeker, ect as shown off at PDC this week could end up being one of those must have upgrades for everyone who owns and hates their vista computer. Microsoft needs a win here, not so much to make money, they do that well, but to reverse an increasingly negative image of who they are and what they do. Microsoft is seen as a lumbering Hippo happy in its pond, when many just want to see things that work as advertised. (more…)
This article should probably start with the acknowledgement that ZDNet’s readers don’t represent the average person; a poll of them isn’t the best measure of America (or the world). Still, 48 percent of respondents in a ZDNet poll can see themselves running XP six years from now.
From Microsoft’s perspective, this is disastrous. Hardware failures and changes of heart may keep the stat from coming true, but regardless, the company’s obviously behind in public opinion. It’s as if people would let every aspect of their online and computer-related lives be slow and behind the times just to avoid Vista.
Also, the date of 2014 goes beyond when Windows 7 is due to be released. I’m just trying to make my six-year-old computer (which runs XP) last through that launch; about 2,090 ZDNet respondents seem ready to let it pass, too.
At that rate, it’s hard to believe they’re not considering Macs or Linux as eventual alternatives. People don’t collect operating systems like classic cars, and sticking with XP shouldn’t be taken as a sign of love for Windows or Microsoft.
Hopefully the ZDNet poll will get enough attention within Microsoft that the company will dedicate more time and money to addressing certain issues and winning back a following.
