Windows vs. Chrome OS, so it begins, or at least it’s about to. At the end of the past week, Google started sending out invitations to a Chrome team
event on December 7th, 2010, in San Francisco.
The promise from the Mountain View-based search giant is that some exciting news about Chrome will be made public. No other details were offered, but the general consensus among various third-party sources seems to be that the event is related to Chrome OS.
Google’s open source Linux-based operating system has been cooking for some time now, and the company now seems closer than ever to place a foothold in Windows territory.
Speculation indicates that Google might ready a Beta preview of Chrome OS which would ship on a netbook offered to developers.However, this is not the actual general availability deadline of Chrome OS, which was postponed to 2011, with Google refusing to detail the reasons of the delay. Chrome OS was initially planned for availability by the end of 2010.
And Windows is about to get a new rival. Windows 7 at least, since, despite still being present on the market, Windows XP and Windows Vista are largely irrelevant in terms of new sales.
Just a few years ago, Google was launching the Chrome browser, and now the company is extremely close to the 10% mark of the market.
Granted the OS market is not as crowded as the browser one, and Windows is in a far more dominant position than Internet Explorer was when Google’s browser shipped, but if the success of Chrome is any indication, Microsoft needs to brace for impact.
Chrome OS comes with a new approach to the classic operating system model. There’s very little local storage, and there are no application programming interfaces (APIs) to support applications running locally.
Instead, Chrome OS is built for the Cloud, and is browser-centric, with the Chrome browser at the core. The user data, settings, content, applications sit in Google’s servers rather than being stored locally.
Meanwhile, Windows 7 still has the same Cloud connections as its predecessors, largely related to the Windows Live Essentials suite.
Microsoft does have the chance to push Windows 8 into the Cloud, linking it with Windows Azure, but there’s no telling whether the Redmond company will actually do it, or wait for the next version of Windows, after Windows 7’s successor.
Meanwhile, Google is extremely close to have the operating system rendered all but useless, and shift the focus entirely to the web.
Estimates indicate that Chrome OS will be available on netbooks in early 2011, but a release date has yet to be disclosed.
What’s interesting is that Chrome OS was created in a time when netbooks were extremely hot, which is no longer the case.
Consumers seem to prefer tablets / slates to netbooks more and more, especially for media consumption scenarios, and in this regard, Chrome OS might just have betted on a losing horse, at least in the long run.
And the operating system cannot simply be transitioned to tablets, since it’s not sufficiently touch-centric, but tailored to machines with keyboards instead.
Windows 7 dominates the netbook market for the time being, although it will take a while before slates sporting the OS will gain traction, and not until 2011 at the latest, even according to Microsoft estimates.
As far as netbooks are concerned, the Redmond company has won the OS war with Linux, and it did it with XP, before Windows 7 was launched.
Now Chrome OS comes to challenge Windows’ dominance, the shadow of Linux is still in the background, and it’s time for Microsoft to take on a new rival.
event on December 7th, 2010, in San Francisco.The promise from the Mountain View-based search giant is that some exciting news about Chrome will be made public. No other details were offered, but the general consensus among various third-party sources seems to be that the event is related to Chrome OS.
Google’s open source Linux-based operating system has been cooking for some time now, and the company now seems closer than ever to place a foothold in Windows territory.
Speculation indicates that Google might ready a Beta preview of Chrome OS which would ship on a netbook offered to developers.However, this is not the actual general availability deadline of Chrome OS, which was postponed to 2011, with Google refusing to detail the reasons of the delay. Chrome OS was initially planned for availability by the end of 2010.
And Windows is about to get a new rival. Windows 7 at least, since, despite still being present on the market, Windows XP and Windows Vista are largely irrelevant in terms of new sales.
Just a few years ago, Google was launching the Chrome browser, and now the company is extremely close to the 10% mark of the market.
Granted the OS market is not as crowded as the browser one, and Windows is in a far more dominant position than Internet Explorer was when Google’s browser shipped, but if the success of Chrome is any indication, Microsoft needs to brace for impact.
Chrome OS comes with a new approach to the classic operating system model. There’s very little local storage, and there are no application programming interfaces (APIs) to support applications running locally.
Instead, Chrome OS is built for the Cloud, and is browser-centric, with the Chrome browser at the core. The user data, settings, content, applications sit in Google’s servers rather than being stored locally.
Meanwhile, Windows 7 still has the same Cloud connections as its predecessors, largely related to the Windows Live Essentials suite.
Microsoft does have the chance to push Windows 8 into the Cloud, linking it with Windows Azure, but there’s no telling whether the Redmond company will actually do it, or wait for the next version of Windows, after Windows 7’s successor.
Meanwhile, Google is extremely close to have the operating system rendered all but useless, and shift the focus entirely to the web.
Estimates indicate that Chrome OS will be available on netbooks in early 2011, but a release date has yet to be disclosed.
What’s interesting is that Chrome OS was created in a time when netbooks were extremely hot, which is no longer the case.
Consumers seem to prefer tablets / slates to netbooks more and more, especially for media consumption scenarios, and in this regard, Chrome OS might just have betted on a losing horse, at least in the long run.
And the operating system cannot simply be transitioned to tablets, since it’s not sufficiently touch-centric, but tailored to machines with keyboards instead.
Windows 7 dominates the netbook market for the time being, although it will take a while before slates sporting the OS will gain traction, and not until 2011 at the latest, even according to Microsoft estimates.
As far as netbooks are concerned, the Redmond company has won the OS war with Linux, and it did it with XP, before Windows 7 was launched.
Now Chrome OS comes to challenge Windows’ dominance, the shadow of Linux is still in the background, and it’s time for Microsoft to take on a new rival.
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ATI videocard owners take note - AMD has released new Catalyst drivers, v8.12, for both Windows XP and Vista. The new Catalyst release brings with it performance improvements in several DX9 and DX10 games, including up to a 25 percent boost in Crysis (DX10) for both Single and Crossfire mode. More recent releases, such as Left 4 Dead and Fallout 3, also receive a claimed performance boost by up to 10 percent and 15 percent respectively.Many bug fixes accompany 8.12, such as improved HD video playback no longer causing Vista to stop responding, better support for connectingan All-in-Wonder card to a Yamaha receiver via an HDMI cable, and several more.
The new drivers also unlock the ATI Stream compute acceleration capabilities built into Radeon HD 3870, HD 3870 X2, and all HD 4000 series graphics cards. Similar to Nvidia's CUDA technology, ATI Stream is a set of advanced hardware and software technologies that enable AMD GPUs to work with the CPU and accelerate applications other than just graphics. To show off the technology, AMD has made available its free ATI Video Converter utility.
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It appears that Intel's Mobile Internet Device (MID) platform, codenamed Menlow, is going to make its way into yet another new product, which will be released by Averatec's Trigem. Coming as a 4.8-inch touchscreen portable computing device, the Lluon Mobbit has been designed to provide its users with an easy to use Internet-capable portablesystem. One of the aspects that separate the Mobbit from all the other MIDs out there is the use of a Windows XP operating system over a Linux OS, used for most MIDs.
Trigem's MID is going to be built on an Intel Atom Z520 processor, running at a core speed of 1.3GHz. It will combine 1GB of RAM memory with a choice of 30GB HDD or 16GB SSD to deliver decent performance level and storage. Additional features include built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and WiBro, a 2MPweb camera, DMB-T TV tuner and the US15W chipset known for supporting hardware video decoding.
This MID’s small 4.8-inch screen is able to render 1024 by 600 pixel images, very pleasant for using the Internet. The device itself measures 166 x 88 x 21mm and is expected to weigh 375g, basically providing almost everything required for a fast and on-the-go Internet connection, in a small and light weight form factor. Given its support for a hard disk drive, the Lluon Mobbit could easily be used as a portable media player.
It is expected to become available for the low price of $411 sometime in January 2009. Given the aforementioned specifications and price tag, the device has a real market potential as it will be listed at a price tag close to that of most high end PMPs, but coming to deliver the performance and specifications of a small PC.
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Microsoft has released key details of the next generation of software that it hopes will run the world's computers. The software giant, whose dominance is increasingly under threat, said Windows 7 will replace the disappointing Windows Vista in January 2010.
Microsoft said the new operating system will be designed to function like a tighter version of Vista, which launched in 2006 but was widely derided as a system hog that slowed down computers with features that most users never used.
Speaking to participants at a Microsoft developers' conference in Los Angeles, Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president of Windows, said Microsoft was learning its lessons from Vista, and making sure that Windows 7 would be fully compatible with all relevant devices and applications on launch.
Among the innovations unveiled by Microsoft was a touchscreen capability that will allow users to select folders and control programs without using a mouse.Windows 7 will also feature faster bootup times, an updated task bar that includes previews of open windows, a new desktop look, and a set of features optimised for laptops. It would also make it easier to coordinate and access files over networks, and to automatically configure settings for different networks.
The new software will ditch some prominent features included in Vista, including Calendar, Windows Mail, Movie Maker, Contacts and Photo Gallery, which will now be available for free download from the Microsoft website.
Microsoft operating systems still power some 90 percent of the world's personal computers, though Vista has only racked up an 18 percent share since its launch.
Microsoft has been hit by the growing success of Apple's Mac computers and by the long-term switch of many computing functions to mobile phones and the internet.
Google has been threatening Microsoft's Office Suite, with online word processors, spreadsheets and presentation programs.
Microsoft Tuesday said it would launch free online versions of Office that would be supported by advertising. Many analysts fear that offering an online version could cannibalize Microsoft's most profitable line of products.
But Rob Helm, a senior analyst at research firm Directions on Microsoft, said that both Windows 7 and Office Online should work out well for the company.
"Both are good improvements," he said. "Windows 7 will help Microsoft overcome the weakness of Vista, while Web-based Office is a direct response to Google. Many businesses will like it because they have lots of users who don't use many of the Office features."
Microsoft said the new operating system will be designed to function like a tighter version of Vista, which launched in 2006 but was widely derided as a system hog that slowed down computers with features that most users never used.
Speaking to participants at a Microsoft developers' conference in Los Angeles, Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president of Windows, said Microsoft was learning its lessons from Vista, and making sure that Windows 7 would be fully compatible with all relevant devices and applications on launch.
Among the innovations unveiled by Microsoft was a touchscreen capability that will allow users to select folders and control programs without using a mouse.Windows 7 will also feature faster bootup times, an updated task bar that includes previews of open windows, a new desktop look, and a set of features optimised for laptops. It would also make it easier to coordinate and access files over networks, and to automatically configure settings for different networks.
The new software will ditch some prominent features included in Vista, including Calendar, Windows Mail, Movie Maker, Contacts and Photo Gallery, which will now be available for free download from the Microsoft website.
Microsoft operating systems still power some 90 percent of the world's personal computers, though Vista has only racked up an 18 percent share since its launch.
Microsoft has been hit by the growing success of Apple's Mac computers and by the long-term switch of many computing functions to mobile phones and the internet.
Google has been threatening Microsoft's Office Suite, with online word processors, spreadsheets and presentation programs.
Microsoft Tuesday said it would launch free online versions of Office that would be supported by advertising. Many analysts fear that offering an online version could cannibalize Microsoft's most profitable line of products.
But Rob Helm, a senior analyst at research firm Directions on Microsoft, said that both Windows 7 and Office Online should work out well for the company.
"Both are good improvements," he said. "Windows 7 will help Microsoft overcome the weakness of Vista, while Web-based Office is a direct response to Google. Many businesses will like it because they have lots of users who don't use many of the Office features."
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Microsoft is working on the next service pack updates for Office and Windows Vista.Service Pack 2 (SP2) for the 2007 Microsoft Office system is expected to be released in between February and April of 2009, according to a Microsoft's blog posting on Wednesday.
Several months ago, Microsoft announced that the SP2 would add support for Open Document Format (ODF), XML Paper Specification (XPS), and Portable Document Format (PDF). In addition to those file format additions, some other highlights that you?ll find in SP2 include:
For Office Desktop Programs:
-Improved Outlook Calendaring Reliability
-Improved Outlook Performance
-Enabling Object Model support for Charts in PowerPoint and Word
-Improved cryptographic functionality by supporting all cryptographic algorithms offered by the operating system
-Improved functionality in Excel?s charting mechanism
Ability to ungroup SmartArt graphics (and as a result, the ability to add animations to them in PowerPoint)
Ability for Visio to export UML models to an XML file compliant with the XMI standard
Tool that enables the uninstall of Office client Service Packs.For Servers:
-Performance and manageability improvements to variations in Enterprise Content Management (ECM) including STSADM commands for repairing links between source and target pages
- Improvements around processing status approvals from Office Project Web Access into Office Project Professional 2007
- Improvements to read-only content databases and index rebuild timer jobs in Windows SharePoint Services 3.0
Regarding the Windows Vista SP2, the Windows team is offering far less detail. Microsoft confirms that there is a Service Pack 2 for Vista, but that's about it.
"Microsoft is working on a second service pack for Windows Vista (Windows Vista SP2) and Windows Server 2008," Microsoft said in a statement. "Service packs are part of the traditional software lifecycle--they're something we create for all Microsoft products as part of our commitment to continuous improvement. And, as is standard, Microsoft is continuously having conversations with key stakeholders, prior to broadly distributing test builds. We will share more details in the coming months."
In an interview last week, Microsoft VP Brad Brooks said that the company had not, at that point, started outside beta testing of SP2.
However, Microsoft posted a support document earlier this month that suggested a beta version exists.
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While it isn't hitting GeForce owners with da bomb Nvidia is making a bang with the first GeForce 180 series (codename Big Bang II) official beta drivers. Named GeForce 180.42, the drivers are bundled with the PhysX v8.10.13 software, are dated October 17 and have support for the GeForce 8 (only 8800s), 9 and GTX 200 series cards as well as for the GeForce 9300 and 9400 IGPs. This driver is recommended for the "best experience" on Ubisoft's Far Cry 2 and it enables Nvidia SLI technology on SLI-certified Intel X58-based motherboards with theGeForce GTX 280, GeForce GTX 260, GeForce 9800 GX2, GeForce 9800 GTX+ and GeForce 9800 GTX.
To get the super fresh GeForce 180.42 betas just visit the house of 2ManyDownloads:
- GeForce 180.42 beta (Windows XP 32bit)
- GeForce 180.42 beta (Windows XP 64bit)
- GeForce 180.42 beta (Windows Vista 32bit)
- GeForce 180.42 beta (Windows Vista 64bit)
To get the super fresh GeForce 180.42 betas just visit the house of 2ManyDownloads:
- GeForce 180.42 beta (Windows XP 32bit)
- GeForce 180.42 beta (Windows XP 64bit)
- GeForce 180.42 beta (Windows Vista 32bit)
- GeForce 180.42 beta (Windows Vista 64bit)
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The evolution of the Windows client, involving both Windows Vista (now with Service Pack 1) and Windows 7, appears to be closer than Microsoft is ready to acknowledge officially. Of course, Windows XP, even with Service Pack 3, is the past, with the exception of customers abandoning Windows Vista by exercising their downgrade rights. Windows Vista, even with SP1, is a present that makes the future seem to not get here fast enough. And Vista SP2 along with Windows 7 and Windows Cloud (Strata) are the future. But at the same time, both Vista SP2 and Windows 7 are nothing more than the evolution of Vista, to a lesser, and respectively a larger degree.Come the end of October 2008, and the start of November, Microsoft will deliver a rather consistent taste of where it is heading with Windows, not only Windows 7, but also Windows 7 Server and Windows Strata (the label continues to be unconfirmed by the company). Events such as the Professional Developer Conference 2008, Windows Hardware Conference 2008 and TechEd EMEA will be focused on Windows 7 and Windows Cloud, although less on Windows Vista.
While at TechEd Brasil, at the start of this week, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer indicated that the company planned to unveil a range of new products by July 2009. Microsoft's CEO mentioned that, by the end of June 2009, the software giant would offer "client operating system releases." Microsoft is, of course, already cooking Windows Vista SP2 and Windows 7.Ballmer stated that "Microsoft technologies: Windows, Windows Server, .NET, Visual Studio, Silverlight, SharePoint, Office (...) over the course of the 12 month period that ends June of next year, [are] just a subset of all of the exciting new innovations Microsoft will bring to market: client operating system releases, information management tools, security, gaming products and systems. The range of new technologies in some senses is growing and growing quickly." (emphasis added)
Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2)
Microsoft released Windows Vista RTM at the end of January 2007, not counting the business launch of the operating system in November 2006. Vista SP1 was released to manufacturing on February 4, 2008 concomitantly with Windows Server 2008, but was only made available for download starting March 18. Now the Redmond company has already moved onward to Service Pack 2.
In fact Vista SP2 invites to the Beta program have already started to be sent out, according to Neowin. It is not Windows Vista SP2 that Microsoft is cooking, but also Windows Server 2008 SP2, Beta invites for which have also been sent out. Microsoft has yet to confirm anything officially, but the first Beta bits for Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 are reportedly going to testers in just four weeks.
Still, while Service Pack 1 was the catalyst that took Vista RTM out of coma, making the operating system worthy of a long forgotten and discarded Wow label, SP2 is bound to be nothing more than a standard service pack release. At best, SP2 will take Vista forward just as much as SP1.
The equation is rather simple for Microsoft. The company will end up with a repeat of the Windows XP SP2 – Windows Vista scenario in which both operating systems are available at the same time on the market, although this situation would involve Vista SP2 and Windows 7 RTM. The last thing that Microsoft needs is to evolve Vista with SP2 sufficiently enough that it will be capable to rival Windows 7. In this context, the answer is rather simple. The Redmond giant needs to keep Vista at a relative stand-still even with SP2, and focus all innovation on Windows 7.
Windows 7, or Windows 6.1, or Windows Vista R2, or Windows Vista but "a lot better"
The seventh major version of Windows, but only according to Microsoft's math, comes with no differentiation between the codename and the brand. However, Windows 7 will, for the sake of perpetuating the existing level of Vista software compatibility, be in fact Windows 6.1. At the same time, according to Ballmer, Windows 7 will be Vista, but “a lot better.” This makes Windows 7 an excellent candidate for the Windows Vista R2 label, just as Windows 7 Server is in fact Windows Server 2008 R2. Still, the early feedback on the Windows 7 moniker indicates that the management of the Windows 7 project made the right choice.
"There you have it, Windows 7 now has a name. It’s called – Windows 7,” revealed Steve Clayton, Microsoft's UK Partner Group CTO. “To be honest I was quite surprised but also pretty pleased. The naming decision as Mike Nash says is about simplicity. It’ll certainly save us from all having to unlearn the name we’ve all had for it to date. I expect this naming decision will be debated to death on all the usual sites, but me, I’m just happy we settled on a name. Now let’s get to the PDC and get the bits!"
"Win7 to officially be called . . . Win7" said Robert Hensing, Microsoft security software engineer. "I actually for once - LOVE that we are keeping the name of the OS simple and leaving it at Win7. I will admit – I was somewhat disappointed when XP's name was announced internally (internally it was known as Whistler) and I was downright horrified when we decided to call Longhorn "Vista" (my friends call it "Veesta"). Longhorn sounds cool . . . manly . . . Vista is pretty much the exact opposite in my mind . . . it sounds serene and 'pretty'."
"Steve Ballmer was at Gartner's Symposium/ITxpo conference today, talking about a number of issues. The big question was about Vista deployments and what should companies do. He answered by saying that the adoption rate for Vista, is two times that of where XP was after the same period," stated Neil Hutson, Microsoft evangelist. "Then in Jedi style, Neil MacDonald from Gartner said that 61% of respondents are thinking of skipping Vista. To that, Ballmer said that Microsoft would be ready for that outcome, but if he was the audience, he would not wait. I think that this is a good call. Vista SP1 is really stable and the big question is whether companies are going to wait for the first SP of Windows 7 before they deploy? That will leave them with a lot of very outdated machines and OS software that will take them a lot longer to replace."
Windows Cloud – To Strata or not to Strata?
At PDC2008 Microsoft plans to unveil the first Beta of Windows Cloud, which could be labeled Windows Strata, although the company has yet to confirm this aspect. Windows Strata goes beyond the Windows client and server operating systems, and is a new platform tailored to the Redmond giant's Software plus Services business model.
"We have our Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles in a couple of weeks, we're going to roll out new technologies and a new platform for this software plus services world. The new platform has a lot of work to do. First, it requires a new platform in the cloud. In the Microsoft kind of way of thinking every new major trend requires a new version of our operating system. So, we did Windows, then we did Windows Server, then we did Windows CE and Mobile. And you'll see us bring Windows technologies in a new form to the cloud," Ballmer explained.
Microsoft is essentially looking to keep up with the changes associated with the development paradigm. But what the company is doing is transition the Windows style of development to the cloud and make it available in the browser. Silverlight, .NET, Windows Presentation Foundation and Visual Studio will all contribute to enabling developers to built web-based solutions running on Microsoft's new Internet platform. In this regard, the software giant is working to ensure that services will "be available as a system construct in Windows Server, in Windows desktop and in Windows in the cloud," Ballmer stated, adding that "with this evolution to a new world of distributed computing, we Microsoft will introduce a new cloud platform, some new cloud services around Web 2.0, some advances to our development tools and development runtimes, as well as tools and technologies that really support new business models."
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Microsoft has confirmed that the successor to the Vista operating system - what we call Windows 7 now - will officially be called, well, Windows 7.
In a post on the Windows Vista Team Blog, Corporate Vice President, Windows Product Management, Mike Nash, says that the idea behind naming the OS simply Windows 7 was simplicity itself.
He goes on to say that they'd tried everything from version numbers like Windows 3.11, dates like Windows 98, or 'aspirational monikers' like Windows XP and Vista.Redoing all of that didn't quite make sense to them so keeping it simple seemed like the best option.
A pre-beta developer only release will be handed out at PDC and WinHEC.
In a post on the Windows Vista Team Blog, Corporate Vice President, Windows Product Management, Mike Nash, says that the idea behind naming the OS simply Windows 7 was simplicity itself.
He goes on to say that they'd tried everything from version numbers like Windows 3.11, dates like Windows 98, or 'aspirational monikers' like Windows XP and Vista.Redoing all of that didn't quite make sense to them so keeping it simple seemed like the best option.
A pre-beta developer only release will be handed out at PDC and WinHEC.
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South Korean manufacturer LG announces its latest entrant in the netbook segment dubbed Xnote Mini. The company had previously released the LG X110 netbook.The device weighs 1.19-kilogram and is claimed to be the lightest 10-inch netbook.
The Xnote Mini is powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor. It includes 160GB HDD, 1 GB RAM, Wi-Fi, 3G, USB ports, an SD card reader, VGA port, Ethernet jack and an integrated 1.3-megapixel camera.
Besides, the LG Xnote Mini features stereo audio connections and easy-to-operate keyboard with enlarged Shift key.LG is said to have developed the Xnote Mini by keeping its female audience into the mind. The netbook comes in white, black and pink color options.
It runs on Windows XP operating system.
Although, the exact pricing and availability details are not known, the LG Xnote Mini netbook will expected to cost around $600 (approx. Rs. 27,888).
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Acer America, the third largest vendor in the global PC market (source: Gartner data, 2Q 2008), today announced it has lowered the price of the popular Aspire one ultra-lightweight mobile Internet device in the U.S. retail channel. In a move that will provide affordability and value just in time for back-to-school, the Aspire one featuring Windows XP Home® will now retail for $349.Compact and smart, the Aspire one provides continuous access to the Internet in an easy-to-use, stylish and ultra-mobile platform. Light enough to tote in a backpack at just 2.17 pounds, the Aspire one is designed to be an affordable, entry-level, “first PC” solution for students, as well as a secondary computing device for on-the-go tech savvy enthusiasts and professionals.
The Aspire one is ideal for everyday tasks such as Web browsing, checking email, listening to music, instant messaging, viewing photos, VOIP calls and streaming video. Equipped with Intel® Atom™ processor, Windows XP® Home, 1GB of RAM memory installed, 120 GB internal hard drive, and a three-cell battery, the Aspire one AOA150-1570 is now priced at $349. The Aspire one AOA110-1722 with Linpus™ Linux Lite is now priced at $329. “The Aspire one is a breakthrough product that meets the connectivity needs of both students and mobile professionals,” said Kristin Markworth, senior manager of notebook product marketing for Acer America. “By increasing the value of our mobile Internet device lineup, Acer is opening the Aspire one experience to a whole new base of users.”
Also introduced for business and education customers, the Aspire one AOA150-1447 offers a professional solution for those who require added performance. Featuring a six-cell battery, 160GB internal hard drive and Windows XP Home, the Aspire one is perfect for on-the-go business travellers and environments which require long-lasting battery power. The Aspire one AOA150-1447 is now available via Acer authorized resellers with prices beginning at $399.
Pricing and Availability
The Acer Aspire one netbook is available now via Acer’s authorized resellers and at major retailers nationwide. All models come with a one-year limited warranty.
About Acer America
Since its founding in 1976, Acer has constantly pursued the goal of breaking the barriers between people and technology. Focused on marketing its brand-name IT products around the globe, Acer ranks as the world’s No. 3 vendor for total PCs and No. 2 for notebooks, with the fastest growth among the top-five players. A profitable and sustainable Channel Business Model is instrumental to Acer’s continued growth, while the successful mergers of Gateway and Packard Bell complete the company’s global footprint by strengthening its presence in the U.S., and enhancing its strong position in Europe. Acer Inc. employs 5,000 people worldwide. Estimated revenue for 2007 is US $14.07 billion. For more information, please visit www.acer.com/us.
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Many times it gets irritating that you insert a CD-Rom inside your comp and it autoruns. Here are 2 easy solutions for the same.
Step 1: To stop CD-Rom from autorun feature, press hold SHIFT key till the CD is being read after being inserted. If you want to permanently disable this feature try the trick below.Step 2: You can enable/disable the CD-ROM autorun function by changing this registry setting, this will stop applications from auto launching when you insert a CD-ROM disc into your drive.
* Open your registry and find the key below ( Start >> Run >> type 'regedit' >> Hit Enter ).
Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Services \ CDRom]
Value Name: Autorun
* Change to value of 'Autorun', or create a new DWORD value if it doesn't already exist, and set the data to equal '0' for Autorun disabled.
* Restart your computer for the changes to take affect.
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To disable unneeded startup services for a safer, faster XP, use the "Services" Admin Tool (Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services). If you are a single user of a non-networked machine, you can disable the following items, with no ill effect.
Alerter
Clipbook
Computer Browser
Fast User Switching
Human Interface Access Devices
Indexing Service (Slows the hard drive down)
Messenger
Net Logon (unnecessary unless networked on a Domain)
Netmeeting Remote Desktop Sharing (disabled for extra security)
Remote Desktop Help Session Manager (disabled for extra security)
Remote Procedure Call Locator
Remote Registry (disabled for extra security)
Routing & Remote Access (disabled for extra security)
Server
SSDP Discovery Service (this is for the utterly pointless "Universal P'n'P", & leaves TCP Port 5000 wide open)
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
Telnet (disabled for extra security)
Universal Plug and Play Device Host
Upload Manager
Windows Time
Wireless Zero Configuration (for wireless networks)
Workstation
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As laptop users and other LCD owners are quickly realizing, Microsoft's ClearType technology in Windows XP really makes a big difference for readability. But the this feature is enabled on a per-user basis in Windows XP, so you can't see the effect on the Welcome screen; it only appears after you logon.
But you can fix that. Fireup the Registry Editor and look for the following keys:
(default user) HKEY_USERS \ .Default \ Control Panel \ Desktop \ FontSmoothing (String Value)
HKEY_USERS \ .Default \ Control Panel \ Desktop \ FontSmoothingType (Hexadecimal DWORD Value)
Make sure both of these values are set to 2 and you'll have ClearType enabled on the Welcome screen and on each new user by default.
For more details and latest tips subscribe in the email.
Note : This site will not be responsible for any damage( if occured)to your computer while applying this tip.Do it at your own risk.
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Dell will continue to install Windows XP on new PCs after Microsoft's June 30 retirement date by taking advantage of a little-known clause in the downgrade rights that come with Vista Ultimate and Vista Business."Dell has the ability to exercise 'Windows Vista downgrade rights' on your behalf in the factory if ... you'd prefer to have Windows XP Professional preinstalled on your PCs," Dell said on its Web site.
According to Dell, it will factory install XP after June 18 when customers choose a "Vista Ultimate Bonus" or "Vista Business Bonus" option as they configure PCs. Dell will then install Windows XP on the machine, and include backup media for that OS as well as the installation disc for Windows Vista.
Although corporations that acquire Windows through volume license agreements, or who have signed up for Software Assurance, can downgrade any Windows software at any time, Microsoft has limited others' downgrade rights: only owners of a Vista Ultimate or Vista Business license may downgrade to XP, and then only to XP Professional, Professional x64 or XP Tablet PC.
Microsoft originally put the responsibility on users' shoulders for obtaining the installation media to replace Vista with XP, but last year it began allowing OEMs to include XP discs with new PCs or offer them as an after-sale option.A Microsoft spokeswoman confirmed late Friday that Dell was within its rights to factory-install XP on machines sold with a Vista Ultimate or Vista Business license.
"It's standard practice for original equipment manufacturers, retailers and system builders to continue offering the previous version of Windows for a certain period of time after a new version is released," she said in an e-mail. "Dell is exercising their right to offer Windows XP as an option. Microsoft will no longer offer the media for this process after January of 2009, but an OEM can provide [XP] as long as they have stock on hand."
Dell did not specify which systems it would sell with XP pre-installed after June 18, or how long it would tender the downgrade offer. Microsoft's statement that OEMs can install XP "as long as they have stock on hand" could be interpreted to mean that it will allow Dell and others to continue the practice after the Jan. 31, 2009 retirement date for system builders.
Microsoft has set several deadlines for Windows XP. June 30 is the last possible sales date for large computer makers -- obviously excluding the downgrade route -- and at retail; on Jan. 31, 2009, Microsoft will bar system builders, which are usually smaller shops and individuals, from adding Windows XP to machines they assemble.
Earlier this month Microsoft extended XP's availability until June 2010 for what it has dubbed "ultra-low cost PCs," light and inexpensive sub-notebooks such as the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) XO and the Asustek Eee PC.
The Round Rock, Tex.-based computer maker is not the only OEM that has said it will provide customers with the older operating system after Microsoft's deadline. Lenovo, the Chinese company known for the ThinkPad line of laptops, will sell XP media for downgrading through Jan. 31, 2009, according to its Web site.
"Lenovo customers that have Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate 'qualified systems' may purchase a Windows XP Recovery CD until January 31, 2009," the notice read.
Although Microsoft today again said that it will stop providing Windows XP to OEM partners and at retail after June 30, CEO Steve Ballmer seemed to leave the door ajar.
Read d rest...
Microsoft Corp.'s operating systems run most personal computers around the globe and are a cash cow for the world's largest software maker. But you'd never confuse a Windows user with the passionate fans of Mac OS X or even the free Linux operating system.
Unless it's someone running Windows XP, a version Microsoft wants to retire. Fans of the six-year-old operating system set to be pulled off store shelves in June have papered the Internet with blog posts, cartoons and petitions recently. They trumpet its superiority to Windows Vista, Microsoft's latest PC operating system, whose consumer launch last January was greeted with lukewarm reviews.
No matter how hard Microsoft works to persuade people to embrace Vista, some just can't be wowed. They complain about Vista's hefty hardware requirements, its less-than-peppy performance, occasional incompatibility with other programs and devices and frequent, irritating security pop-up windows.For them, the impending disappearance of XP computers from retailers, and the phased withdrawal of technical support in coming years, is causing a minor panic.
Take, for instance, Galen Gruman. A longtime technology journalist, Gruman is more accustomed to writing about trends than starting them.
But after talking to Windows users for months, he realized his distaste for Vista and strong attachment to XP were widespread.
"It sort of hit us that, wait a minute, XP will be gone as of June 30. What are we going to do?" he said. "If no one does something, it's going to be gone."
So Gruman started a Save XP Web petition, gathering since January more than 100,000 signatures and thousands of comments, mostly from die-hard XP users who want Microsoft to keep selling it until the next version of Windows is released, currently targeted for 2010.
On the petition site's comments section, some users proclaimed they will downgrade from Vista to XP — an option available in the past to businesses, but now open for the first time to consumers who buy Vista Ultimate or Business editions — if they need to buy a new computer after XP goes off the market.
Others used the comments section to rail against the very idea that Microsoft has the power to enforce the phase-out from a stable, decent product to one that many consider worse, while profiting from the move. Many threatened to leave Windows for Apple or Linux machines.
Microsoft already extended the XP deadline once, but it shows no signs it will do so again. The company has declined to meet with Gruman to consider the petition. Microsoft is aware of the petition, it said in a statement to The Associated Press, and "will continue to be guided by feedback we hear from partners and customers about what makes sense based on their needs."
Gruman said he'd keep pressing for a meeting.
"They really believe if they just close their eyes, people will have no choice," he said.
In fact, most people who get a new computer will end up with Vista. In 2008, 94 percent of new Windows machines for consumers worldwide will run Vista, forecasts industry research group IDC. For businesses, about 75 percent of new PCs will have Vista. (That figure takes into account companies that choose to downgrade to XP.)
Although Microsoft may not budge on selling new copies of XP, it may have to extend support for it.
Al Gillen, an IDC analyst, estimated that at the end of 2008 nearly 60 percent of consumer PCs and almost 70 percent of business PCs worldwide will still run XP. Microsoft plans to end full support — including warranty claims and free help with problems — in April 2009. The company will continue providing a more limited level of service until April 2014.
Gillen said efforts like Gruman's grass-roots petition may not influence the software maker, but business customers' demands should carry more clout.
"You really can't make 69 percent of your installed base unhappy with you," he said.
Some companies — such as Wells Manufacturing Co. in Woodstock, Ill. — are crossing their fingers that he's right. The company, which melts scrap steel and casts iron bars, has 200 PCs that run Windows 2000 or XP. (Windows 2000 is no longer sold on PCs. Mainstream support has ended, but limited support is available through the middle of 2010.)
Wells usually replaces 50 of its PCs every 18 months. In the most recent round of purchases, Chief Information Officer Lou Peterhans said, the company stuck with XP because several of its applications don't run well on Vista.
"There is no strong reason to go to Vista, other than eventually losing support for XP," he said. Peterhans added that the company isn't planning to bring in Vista computers for 18 months to two years. If Microsoft keeps to its current timetable, its next operating system, code-named Windows 7, will be on the market by then.
Unless it's someone running Windows XP, a version Microsoft wants to retire. Fans of the six-year-old operating system set to be pulled off store shelves in June have papered the Internet with blog posts, cartoons and petitions recently. They trumpet its superiority to Windows Vista, Microsoft's latest PC operating system, whose consumer launch last January was greeted with lukewarm reviews.No matter how hard Microsoft works to persuade people to embrace Vista, some just can't be wowed. They complain about Vista's hefty hardware requirements, its less-than-peppy performance, occasional incompatibility with other programs and devices and frequent, irritating security pop-up windows.For them, the impending disappearance of XP computers from retailers, and the phased withdrawal of technical support in coming years, is causing a minor panic.
Take, for instance, Galen Gruman. A longtime technology journalist, Gruman is more accustomed to writing about trends than starting them.
But after talking to Windows users for months, he realized his distaste for Vista and strong attachment to XP were widespread.
"It sort of hit us that, wait a minute, XP will be gone as of June 30. What are we going to do?" he said. "If no one does something, it's going to be gone."
So Gruman started a Save XP Web petition, gathering since January more than 100,000 signatures and thousands of comments, mostly from die-hard XP users who want Microsoft to keep selling it until the next version of Windows is released, currently targeted for 2010.
On the petition site's comments section, some users proclaimed they will downgrade from Vista to XP — an option available in the past to businesses, but now open for the first time to consumers who buy Vista Ultimate or Business editions — if they need to buy a new computer after XP goes off the market.
Others used the comments section to rail against the very idea that Microsoft has the power to enforce the phase-out from a stable, decent product to one that many consider worse, while profiting from the move. Many threatened to leave Windows for Apple or Linux machines.
Microsoft already extended the XP deadline once, but it shows no signs it will do so again. The company has declined to meet with Gruman to consider the petition. Microsoft is aware of the petition, it said in a statement to The Associated Press, and "will continue to be guided by feedback we hear from partners and customers about what makes sense based on their needs."
Gruman said he'd keep pressing for a meeting.
"They really believe if they just close their eyes, people will have no choice," he said.
In fact, most people who get a new computer will end up with Vista. In 2008, 94 percent of new Windows machines for consumers worldwide will run Vista, forecasts industry research group IDC. For businesses, about 75 percent of new PCs will have Vista. (That figure takes into account companies that choose to downgrade to XP.)
Although Microsoft may not budge on selling new copies of XP, it may have to extend support for it.
Al Gillen, an IDC analyst, estimated that at the end of 2008 nearly 60 percent of consumer PCs and almost 70 percent of business PCs worldwide will still run XP. Microsoft plans to end full support — including warranty claims and free help with problems — in April 2009. The company will continue providing a more limited level of service until April 2014.
Gillen said efforts like Gruman's grass-roots petition may not influence the software maker, but business customers' demands should carry more clout.
"You really can't make 69 percent of your installed base unhappy with you," he said.
Some companies — such as Wells Manufacturing Co. in Woodstock, Ill. — are crossing their fingers that he's right. The company, which melts scrap steel and casts iron bars, has 200 PCs that run Windows 2000 or XP. (Windows 2000 is no longer sold on PCs. Mainstream support has ended, but limited support is available through the middle of 2010.)
Wells usually replaces 50 of its PCs every 18 months. In the most recent round of purchases, Chief Information Officer Lou Peterhans said, the company stuck with XP because several of its applications don't run well on Vista.
"There is no strong reason to go to Vista, other than eventually losing support for XP," he said. Peterhans added that the company isn't planning to bring in Vista computers for 18 months to two years. If Microsoft keeps to its current timetable, its next operating system, code-named Windows 7, will be on the market by then.
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Microsoft and HCL have together announced a set of initiatives which includes the roll out of a low-priced ultra portable Windows OS enabled laptop, under the MiLeap brand of HCL Leaptops.
Operating on Windows XP Home edition, the new MiLeap H Series laptop weighs just 0.98kg and sports a 7-inch TFT colour screen display; this screen can be rotated and folded to be converted into a writing pad. User can write on the screen with the stylus and convert it to text.Powered by ultra-low voltage consuming Intel Processor and Intel 945 GU Express chipset, the laptop comes equipped with a 1.3 mega pixel webcam, touch screen panel, and 1GB DDR2 RAM. In addition, the laptop also includes a built-in touchpad with two click buttons for left and right click operations, scroll, directional pads, dedicated softkeys for launching the media player and built-in speakers. The connectivity options include Wi-Fi and integrated LAN.
Touted to be the lowest priced Windows XP powered laptop in the market, it costs Rs 16,990.
The launch of this new Windows OS enabled low-priced laptop comes just a week after Microsoft announced the worldwide extension of the availability of Windows XP Home for ULCPCs until June 30, 2010.After the launch of Windows Vista, the software giant had said that it will stop selling Windows XP completely by January 2009, while the sellers will stop bundling the same with machines June onwards.
Apart from the launch of the laptop, duo has also plans for the creation of a joint Centre of Excellence (CoE) with over 500 software professionals to create, design, and deploy Microsoft technologies based solution frameworks across various industry verticals.
Operating on Windows XP Home edition, the new MiLeap H Series laptop weighs just 0.98kg and sports a 7-inch TFT colour screen display; this screen can be rotated and folded to be converted into a writing pad. User can write on the screen with the stylus and convert it to text.Powered by ultra-low voltage consuming Intel Processor and Intel 945 GU Express chipset, the laptop comes equipped with a 1.3 mega pixel webcam, touch screen panel, and 1GB DDR2 RAM. In addition, the laptop also includes a built-in touchpad with two click buttons for left and right click operations, scroll, directional pads, dedicated softkeys for launching the media player and built-in speakers. The connectivity options include Wi-Fi and integrated LAN.
Touted to be the lowest priced Windows XP powered laptop in the market, it costs Rs 16,990.
The launch of this new Windows OS enabled low-priced laptop comes just a week after Microsoft announced the worldwide extension of the availability of Windows XP Home for ULCPCs until June 30, 2010.After the launch of Windows Vista, the software giant had said that it will stop selling Windows XP completely by January 2009, while the sellers will stop bundling the same with machines June onwards.
Apart from the launch of the laptop, duo has also plans for the creation of a joint Centre of Excellence (CoE) with over 500 software professionals to create, design, and deploy Microsoft technologies based solution frameworks across various industry verticals.
Read d rest...
Recently i am having my uTorrent very slow.So i have to apply a tweak to it.Here is it.
First go to Options>Preferences>Network
Under ‘Port used for incomming connections’, enter any port number. It is best to use a port number above 10000. I use 45682.
Randomize port each time utorrent starts: UNCHECKED. I leave this unchecked because I have a router. If you do not have a router or a firewall, and want extra security,check this option.
Enable UPnP port mapping (Windows Xp or later only): UNCHECKED. I leave this unchecked because I have experienced it slowing down speeds. It is not needed if you manually port forward.
Add utorrent to Windows Firewall exceptions (Windows XP SP2 or later only): UNCHECKED (do this only if you have windows firewall disabled)
Global Maximum upload rate (kb/s): [0: unlimited]: 22 (for 256k connection)Protocol Encryption: ENABLED. I would recommend everyone to enable this. This can help increase speeds with many ISPs.
Allow incoming Legacy Connections: CHECKED
Options>Preferences>Torrents
Global Maximum Number of Connections: 130 (for 256k connection)This number should not be set too low or the number of connections made to your torrents will be limited. Setting it too high may cause too much bandwidth to be used and can cause slowdowns.
Maximum Number of connected peers per torrent: 70 (for 256k connection)If you see that the peers connected to a specific torrent are exactly this number, or very close, increase this number to improve speeds.
Number of upload slots per torrent: 3 (for 256k connection)This depends on how much you want to upload to other users. Do not set too low or it may affect download speeds.
Use additional upload slots if upload speed <90%: title="Click to Enlarge" href="http://www.johntp.com/wp-content/uploads/torrents.jpg">
Options>Preferences>Advanced
net.max_halfopen: 50
If you use Windows XP SP2, patch tcpip.sys with LvlLord’s Event ID 4226 Patcher to get better performance.
DO NOT CHANGE THIS OPTION unless you have Windows XP SP2 and have patched tcpip.sys.
You can also patch tcpip.sys with xp-Antispy
If you have a firewall, Open up the options/preferences/settings for the firewall - usually your firewall will have an icon to click in the taskbar
Look for the keywords “allow list” or “programs”
Add the application you want to give access to the internet
Make sure to save your settings when you are done
If you have a router
Go to start>run>type cmd, press enter>type ipconfig, press enter
Remember both your ip address and your default gateway
Type in your default gateway into your default browser, a password prompt may come up. The default username and password are admin for my router
Under ‘Applications’ fill out one line for each p2p client you use
You need to use your ip address, the correct port range and set either tcp or udp
You can find and change the ports in the actual p2p client’s settings, just make sure they are the same in the router
Most p2p apps need both tcp and udp checked, if you are not sure check your p2p client’s FAQ
Save your settings
Check PortForward.com to forward ports for uTorrent.
Some of the settings I mentioned above are relative to my bandwidth.
How to calculate optimal settings for your connection
In order to apply the following tips you need to know your maximum upload and download speeds. You can test your bandwidth over here.
Maximum upload speed
If you use your Maximum upload speed, there won’t be not enough space left for the files you are downloading. So you have to cap your upload speed.
This is how I calculate my optimal upload speed…
upload speed * 80%
Maximum download speed
Setting your maximum download speed to unlimited will hurt your connection. So use this to calculate your optimal setting.
download speed * 90%
Maximum connected peers per torrent
upload speed * 1.3
Maximum upload slots
1 + (upload speed / 6)
Disable Windows Firewall
Windows Firewall hates P2P and so disable it and get yourself a decent firewall like Zone Alarm.
Note: Some of the settings mentioned below are optimized for 256k connection. If you want to calculate the optimal settings for your connection, check at the end of this tutorial. But I suggest you to read the entire tutorial for guidance on other settings.
First go to Options>Preferences>Network
Under ‘Port used for incomming connections’, enter any port number. It is best to use a port number above 10000. I use 45682.
Randomize port each time utorrent starts: UNCHECKED. I leave this unchecked because I have a router. If you do not have a router or a firewall, and want extra security,check this option.
Enable UPnP port mapping (Windows Xp or later only): UNCHECKED. I leave this unchecked because I have experienced it slowing down speeds. It is not needed if you manually port forward.
Add utorrent to Windows Firewall exceptions (Windows XP SP2 or later only): UNCHECKED (do this only if you have windows firewall disabled)
Global Maximum upload rate (kb/s): [0: unlimited]: 22 (for 256k connection)Protocol Encryption: ENABLED. I would recommend everyone to enable this. This can help increase speeds with many ISPs.
Allow incoming Legacy Connections: CHECKED
Options>Preferences>Torrents
Global Maximum Number of Connections: 130 (for 256k connection)This number should not be set too low or the number of connections made to your torrents will be limited. Setting it too high may cause too much bandwidth to be used and can cause slowdowns.
Maximum Number of connected peers per torrent: 70 (for 256k connection)If you see that the peers connected to a specific torrent are exactly this number, or very close, increase this number to improve speeds.
Number of upload slots per torrent: 3 (for 256k connection)This depends on how much you want to upload to other users. Do not set too low or it may affect download speeds.
Use additional upload slots if upload speed <90%: title="Click to Enlarge" href="http://www.johntp.com/wp-content/uploads/torrents.jpg">
Options>Preferences>Advanced
net.max_halfopen: 50
If you use Windows XP SP2, patch tcpip.sys with LvlLord’s Event ID 4226 Patcher to get better performance.
DO NOT CHANGE THIS OPTION unless you have Windows XP SP2 and have patched tcpip.sys.
You can also patch tcpip.sys with xp-Antispy
If you have a firewall, Open up the options/preferences/settings for the firewall - usually your firewall will have an icon to click in the taskbar
Look for the keywords “allow list” or “programs”
Add the application you want to give access to the internet
Make sure to save your settings when you are done
If you have a router
Go to start>run>type cmd, press enter>type ipconfig, press enter
Remember both your ip address and your default gateway
Type in your default gateway into your default browser, a password prompt may come up. The default username and password are admin for my router
Under ‘Applications’ fill out one line for each p2p client you use
You need to use your ip address, the correct port range and set either tcp or udp
You can find and change the ports in the actual p2p client’s settings, just make sure they are the same in the router
Most p2p apps need both tcp and udp checked, if you are not sure check your p2p client’s FAQ
Save your settings
Check PortForward.com to forward ports for uTorrent.
Some of the settings I mentioned above are relative to my bandwidth.
How to calculate optimal settings for your connection
In order to apply the following tips you need to know your maximum upload and download speeds. You can test your bandwidth over here.
Maximum upload speed
If you use your Maximum upload speed, there won’t be not enough space left for the files you are downloading. So you have to cap your upload speed.
This is how I calculate my optimal upload speed…
upload speed * 80%
Maximum download speed
Setting your maximum download speed to unlimited will hurt your connection. So use this to calculate your optimal setting.
download speed * 90%
Maximum connected peers per torrent
upload speed * 1.3
Maximum upload slots
1 + (upload speed / 6)
Disable Windows Firewall
Windows Firewall hates P2P and so disable it and get yourself a decent firewall like Zone Alarm.
Note: Some of the settings mentioned below are optimized for 256k connection. If you want to calculate the optimal settings for your connection, check at the end of this tutorial. But I suggest you to read the entire tutorial for guidance on other settings.
Read d rest...
This air travel safe multi-tool includes a USB flash memory drive! You get the classic tools and world-famous construction that Victorinox & Swiss Army are known for, with a USB flash drive that can be detached for travel convenience. One of the coolest things about this gadget is that the LED mini light is perfect for finding that hidden USB port on the back of your computer. Use the light, plug it in, and go! Includes USB flash drive, red LED mini light, retractable ballpoint pen & keyring
Product Features
* USB 2.0/1.1, port-powered, detachable flash drive
* 39" USB extension cable
* Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP; Linux 2.4x+; Mac OS 8.6+
* Downloadable Secure-LOCK software prevents unauthorized access
* USB Flash drive swings out and can be removed
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Yet another assignment! For another couple of weeks! High Career profiles come at a cost of being away from your loved ones. Whether it be a span of days or weeks or months you will only miss them. The falling snow or the blooming bud makes you miss them more.Of course your laptop’s webcam lets you share live talks with your loved ones. But if you want to show them the view outside your stay, say the beautiful lake or the falling snow, you just can’t do it effectively. Why? Because the laptop’s webcam is usually embedded on the top of the screen and you have to tilt or carry the laptop to show what you want to. Won’t it be desirable to have a separate cam that is flexible and easy to carry? Brando has it. The USB flexible web cam is very much convenient for the frequent travellers. It comes with a flexible neck that can be bent into any direction, without moving the laptop an inch. Isn’t that an awesome idea?It will fit well in your laptop case and is easy to carry. So now you want to check out the features? Here it goes:
* 100% plug and play
* Doesn’t require any drivers to be installed
* Compatible with Windows XP or Vista
* The lens can be rotated for adjusting the focus
* Compatible with ICQ, MSN, Skype and other chat and VOIP applications.
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BEANCOUNTERS working for Gartner and Burton Group have issued an open warning to Microsoft to keep Windows XP available at least until 2009.Currently, the Vole plans to switch off the life support on XP in June even though the patient is not dead and is probably getting better.
Burton Group service director Richard Jones told Infoworld that in any operating system transition, you need to have the original and new products running side by side for a couple of years.This gives punters a chance to do a decent migration. The Vole, however, initially told punters that they would have 11 months to fiddle and tweak before extending the deadline by another six months. This 17 months is still far too short a time, Jones said.
Gartner's Michael Silver said it would be wise for XP to be available until the end of 2008 because of the two-year rule.
Jones added that the Vole had been a little too aggressive because it took too long to release Vista and this deprived it of cash. However, it was making users pay for its mistake, he said.
Ovum analyst Dwight Davis added that it would not surprise him if Microsoft backed away from its June 30 cut-off date for XP if a sizable number of XP customers continue to complain.
There was a chance that Microsoft would see customers abandoning Windows rather than being forced to move to Vista.
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