The home PC offerings for new WIndows 8 machines look awesome. They are sleek looking, and for those who insist on pointing to and indeed touching their monitors .... these are touch enabled.
Windows 8 Product Line
November 1, 2012
Windows Server 2012 Products Available Today
Microsoft is really working on integration of all devices into a new server and cloud ecosystem. Heavy stuff!
"Microsoft's MDOP 2012, Windows Server 2012 Essentials available for download"
"On November 1, Microsoft made generally available both its Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2012 tool bundle and its Windows Server 2012 Essentials small-business server.
MDOP 2012 is a bundle of six virtualization and management products aimed at business customers who have Software Assurance licensing contracts or Windows Intune subscriptions. Microsoft officials say they've sold 44 million licenses of MDOP to date.
New to this version of MDOP is User Experience Virtualization (UE-V). UE-V allows users switch up their devices but retain their settings without needing to reconfigure their applications or desktop settings each time they login to Windows 7 or Windows 8."
Good ZDNET overview
"Microsoft's MDOP 2012, Windows Server 2012 Essentials available for download"
"On November 1, Microsoft made generally available both its Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2012 tool bundle and its Windows Server 2012 Essentials small-business server.
MDOP 2012 is a bundle of six virtualization and management products aimed at business customers who have Software Assurance licensing contracts or Windows Intune subscriptions. Microsoft officials say they've sold 44 million licenses of MDOP to date.
New to this version of MDOP is User Experience Virtualization (UE-V). UE-V allows users switch up their devices but retain their settings without needing to reconfigure their applications or desktop settings each time they login to Windows 7 or Windows 8."
Good ZDNET overview
October 26, 2012
Windows 8 has arrived!
Windows 8 arrived today, and there's lots of hype about the latest operating system from Microsoft. The interface has changed dramatically, using tabs instead of the typical GUI view of WIndows XP or Windows 7.
But one of the coolest uses of Windows 8 I'm reading about so far is the dual screen on certain notebooks or tablets! I am not referring to 2 monitors. This is actually using BOTH sides of the screen!
Check it out!
Read about it!
But one of the coolest uses of Windows 8 I'm reading about so far is the dual screen on certain notebooks or tablets! I am not referring to 2 monitors. This is actually using BOTH sides of the screen!
Check it out!
Read about it!
September 22, 2012
Magellan GPS Software Update
I just took a long road trip, from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and back again. I love my Magellan RoadMate 1440 GPS. However, there were at least 2 occasions when the maps and directions were incorrect. I am guessing that is due to all the changes with roads and freeways and all those highway funds flowing from Washington DC!
What to do? What if the CD that came with the product is lost? What if there was no CD? Use the USB connector that came with the GPS to connect to your Windows Vista or later system - ignore any of the plug and play type prompts so you can do it right by going through the software.
Download the Magellan software, it is called Content Manager. Try this page:
http://www.magellangps.com/Content-Manager-Software-for-Windows
You install the software, register (yes, another registration), plug in your Magellan and voila: you are interconnected between PC (or laptop, or Mac) and GPS.
The software is very simple, but it works well. There is a big link to "Check for Updates". That is exactly what is needed. It turns out that there are many software and road map updates! I had software version 1.12 on my GPS, and the latest update is version 2.22! I also had a 1.5 GIGABYTE road map upgrade available! Note this is an upgrade, not an update. So I am proceeding slowly on this one ...
I have only installed the software so far. I will try to check back later about the mammoth maps upgrade!
Oh, and there is no charge for these updates. Happy GPS -ing!
What to do? What if the CD that came with the product is lost? What if there was no CD? Use the USB connector that came with the GPS to connect to your Windows Vista or later system - ignore any of the plug and play type prompts so you can do it right by going through the software.
Download the Magellan software, it is called Content Manager. Try this page:
http://www.magellangps.com/Content-Manager-Software-for-Windows
You install the software, register (yes, another registration), plug in your Magellan and voila: you are interconnected between PC (or laptop, or Mac) and GPS.
The software is very simple, but it works well. There is a big link to "Check for Updates". That is exactly what is needed. It turns out that there are many software and road map updates! I had software version 1.12 on my GPS, and the latest update is version 2.22! I also had a 1.5 GIGABYTE road map upgrade available! Note this is an upgrade, not an update. So I am proceeding slowly on this one ...
I have only installed the software so far. I will try to check back later about the mammoth maps upgrade!
Oh, and there is no charge for these updates. Happy GPS -ing!
January 2, 2012
Microsoft Security Essentials
I have been trying the MS Security Essentials for some time now. I am not sure how astute it is in finding computer viruses (as apposed to the competition, i.e. Norton, McAfee, Sophos), but so far, so good. I am very conservative in my searches and general web browsing, so maybe I am not the best tester. However, the interface for the free Microsoft anti virus software is very nice and simple to use, so if you are on a tight budget, it may be worth a look.
Microsoft Security Essentials
"The anti-annoying, anti-expensive, anti-virus program"
~~~
Microsoft Security Essentials
"The anti-annoying, anti-expensive, anti-virus program"
~~~
May 17, 2011
Beware the Search Results
What is going on with all the innocent search results ending in horror? Internet users continue to put their trust in Google, Yahoo, or Bing search results for all types of information, and instead are being led astray to spyware sites located in far away lands, like China, Russia, or Romania (where there are no rules againts spammers and phishers). These web sites infect systems and then engage in a pop up window party letting you know you are infected. For the low, low, low cost of $___ .... well, let's just say - enter your credit card and the problem will go away! Sure it will. Seriously, if you are thinking of giving these bastards your credit card, before having your head examined, take your system o best Buy or similar, at least keep your 'business' local.
Interestingly, you get hundreds of results from Google search on this very topic! Indeed, it is widespread.
Be careful where you visit on the web. be conservative: stck mainly (if not entirely) to web sites you are familiar with, and never give yourself administrator privileges on a Windows PC or laptop!
~~~
Interestingly, you get hundreds of results from Google search on this very topic! Indeed, it is widespread.
Be careful where you visit on the web. be conservative: stck mainly (if not entirely) to web sites you are familiar with, and never give yourself administrator privileges on a Windows PC or laptop!
~~~
January 30, 2011
XP, Vista, Windows 7 Tool to Improve Performance
A "do it for you" type tool, "SPAMfighter, to improve Vista performance may be worth looking into. While it is not free, it is getting very solid reviews.
Read about Vista Performance Improvements.
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Read about Vista Performance Improvements.
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Windows 7 Sales Surging
Windows 7 continues to impress and perform, certainly in Sales numbers.
"While I have seen end users embrace the operating system without hesitation, I’ve also witnessed enterprise customers jumping on the Windows bandwagon, especially those that dodged Windows Vista.
It’s my best guess that strong sales on both the consumer and enterprise fronts have contributed to the strong market success of Windows 7.
“As of today, over 20% of Internet-connected PCs worldwide are running Windows 7 according to Net Applications,” LeBlanc added."
Read about Windows 7 Sales
"While I have seen end users embrace the operating system without hesitation, I’ve also witnessed enterprise customers jumping on the Windows bandwagon, especially those that dodged Windows Vista.
It’s my best guess that strong sales on both the consumer and enterprise fronts have contributed to the strong market success of Windows 7.
“As of today, over 20% of Internet-connected PCs worldwide are running Windows 7 according to Net Applications,” LeBlanc added."
Read about Windows 7 Sales
November 16, 2010
Windows Vista and Monitors
And you thought a monitor was just a piece of hardware you plug into a VGA, DVI, or HDMI port on your computer...
"The rates of performance improvements for GPUs have exceeded Moore's law by a wide margin. Experts say GPUs have been improving at a "Moore's Law Cubed" rate, which roughly translates to a doubling of graphics processing power every year. To date, this massive graphics processing power has predominantly been used for video games, multimedia-rich suites, like video editing, special effects applications, and for high-end technical applications like computer-aided design. As a result, even though virtually every modern PC includes one, the power of the GPU is rarely used in day-to-day activities, resulting in GPUs not being a top priority in the PC design process.
Windows Vista harnesses the power of the GPU for more than just gaming. For starters, Windows Vista relies on the GPU to give all customers a better overall day-to-day desktop experience. The Windows video playback infrastructure relies on WDDM to deliver high-definition (HD) video playback and to take video playback to a level on par with the latest consumer electronics devices. In addition, there are a number of other key applications that now utilize the GPU, such as the new Windows Photo Gallery. This wider utilization of the GPU, concurrently by the operating system and multiple applications, is enabled by WDDM."
From an MSDN article on the Vista Display Driver Model
"The rates of performance improvements for GPUs have exceeded Moore's law by a wide margin. Experts say GPUs have been improving at a "Moore's Law Cubed" rate, which roughly translates to a doubling of graphics processing power every year. To date, this massive graphics processing power has predominantly been used for video games, multimedia-rich suites, like video editing, special effects applications, and for high-end technical applications like computer-aided design. As a result, even though virtually every modern PC includes one, the power of the GPU is rarely used in day-to-day activities, resulting in GPUs not being a top priority in the PC design process.
Windows Vista harnesses the power of the GPU for more than just gaming. For starters, Windows Vista relies on the GPU to give all customers a better overall day-to-day desktop experience. The Windows video playback infrastructure relies on WDDM to deliver high-definition (HD) video playback and to take video playback to a level on par with the latest consumer electronics devices. In addition, there are a number of other key applications that now utilize the GPU, such as the new Windows Photo Gallery. This wider utilization of the GPU, concurrently by the operating system and multiple applications, is enabled by WDDM."
From an MSDN article on the Vista Display Driver Model
Vista Service Pack 2
Windows Vista Service Pack 2 is a good, and free, investment to make, because it ..."supports new kinds of hardware and emerging hardware standards, and includes all updates delivered since SP1"
Get it here!
Get it here!
August 28, 2010
Windows 7 Tops Windows Vista in Net Usage
Windows 7 is now slighly ahead of its predecessor, Windows Vista, in overall internet usage. Windows XP is still tops, however. Apple products continue to garner around 5% of the total.
"In less than a year on the market, Windows 7 is now being used more than predecessor Windows Vista, according to market researcher Netmarketshare.
For July, Windows 7 was used on 14.46 percent of devices accessing the Internet, compared with Windows Vista's 14.34 percent, marking the first time the newer version surpassed its predecessor. Microsoft has said that 175 million copies of Windows 7 have been purchased since the product was released last fall."
Windows 7 Usage
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"In less than a year on the market, Windows 7 is now being used more than predecessor Windows Vista, according to market researcher Netmarketshare.
For July, Windows 7 was used on 14.46 percent of devices accessing the Internet, compared with Windows Vista's 14.34 percent, marking the first time the newer version surpassed its predecessor. Microsoft has said that 175 million copies of Windows 7 have been purchased since the product was released last fall."
Windows 7 Usage
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Picassa Facebook Uploader
Alright, pictures from within Picasa can be uploaded to Facebook. The default Picassa install does not offer this capability, so a third party add on is needed.
Facebook Uploader is here.
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Facebook Uploader is here.
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