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Microsoft emancipates Digital Cable Tuners with second Media Center update today

by Richard Lawler posted Nov 6th 2009 at 10:19PM

Scant hours after the SDV tuning, DRM-relaxing firmware update for Vista and Windows 7 Digital Cable Tuner users became available, Missing Remote let us know Microsoft has come through on the other half of its CEDIA promise by pushing the Digital Cable Advisor to Media Center Extras galleries everywhere. This half should enable all Windows 7 PCs to work with the CableCard tuners, sans-OEM requirement or inconvenient hacking. Sure we could ask for more from Windows 7 Media Center, but for now Netflix and these two (in less than 100 days) will have to do.

Read - MCE: Digital Cable Advisor Tool Available Now!
Read - ATI DCT Firmware update pops up on Windows Update, DRM-free MCE recordings are a go

Boxee shows off its new look at Beta Unveiling jam December 7

by Richard Lawler posted Nov 6th 2009 at 4:16PM

We won't cancel our trips to Vegas just yet, but Boxee is planning on giving users an early peek at its new beta release -- with all new UI, queue, navigation and search features -- December 7 at the Music hall of Williamsburg. Beta Unveiling visitors will be the first to get their hands on the new version and see new applications being launched by partners, leading to early access beta testers giving it a four week shakedown run before the planned wide release January 7 at CES. Any ideas what form Boxee might take in this next step on its road to commercial viability?

NPD: Windows 7 sales 234% higher than Vista's first few days

by Paul Miller posted Nov 5th 2009 at 5:34PM

Looks like Windows 7 is off to a much stronger start than Windows Vista, with the NPD Group claiming the first few days of sales saw a 234% increase over Vista's start. Part of that can be attributed to special deals and low-cost pre-sales -- total revenue was only 82% higher -- but it's hard to deny people are stoked for Windows 7. Interestingly, the PC hardware growth was actually stronger for Vista than 7 (48% year over year compared to 68% year over year), but there are enough variables at play there to make sure Microsoft won't lose sleep over it. In fact, 7's biggest threat seems to be Microsoft's other products, since Windows 7 PC sales were up against 20% of PC sales being comprised of Vista and XP computers, compared to the 6% of non-Vista PCs sold during that launch.

[Via Windows 7 Team Blog]

Unfinished Windows 7 feature exploited for virtual WiFi hotspots

by Donald Melanson posted Nov 2nd 2009 at 2:19AM

It wasn't all that long ago that Microsoft was talking up the Virtual WiFi feature developed by Microsoft Research and set for inclusion in Windows 7, but something got lost along the road to release day, and the functionality never officially made it into the OS. As you might expect with anything as big and complicated as an operating system though, some of that code did make it into the final release, and there was apparently enough of it for the folks at Nomadio to exploit into a full fledged feature. That's now become Connectify, a free application from the company that effectively turns any Windows 7 computer into a virtual WiFi hotspot -- letting you, for instance, wirelessly tether a number of devices to your laptop at location where only an Ethernet jack is available, or even tether a number of laptops together at a coffee shop that chargers for WiFi. Intrigued? Hit up the link below to grab the beta.

[Via PC World]

iPhone and Windows 7 don't play nice, Intel P55 chipset to blame

by Vladislav Savov posted Oct 31st 2009 at 5:20PM

The iPhone is one of the most wildly popular phones the world has ever seen, while Windows 7 is well on its way to becoming the globe's most ubiquitous OS. So compatibility between the two would be kinda sorta important, right? Tell that to Intel's quality control team who seem to have somehow missed an issue between Apple's app carrier deluxe and the P55 Express chipset's USB controller. Consistent (and persistent) syncing issues have been reported on Apple's support forums, wherein iTunes on Windows 7 machines recognizes the iPhone, but spits out an "error 0xE8000065" message whenever the user attempts to sync. While some have found limited success with using PCI-based USB cards (and bypassing the chipset), this is clearly a major issue and something Apple would expect to be fixed before shipping its Core i5 / i7 iMacs, which are likely to sport the chipset. Hit the read link for the original thread of sorrow and regret, and do chime in with your own experience in the comments.

[Via The Register]

Windows 7 receives 7,000 domino salute (video)

by Vladislav Savov posted Oct 28th 2009 at 8:21AM

If 7,000 dominoes fall in a forest of cheering Microsoft employees, do they make enough noise for us to care? We don't usually tell Microsoft how to run its promotions, but a domino installation that takes a full three minutes to topple is pretty much an open invitation for "slow boot-up" jokes, and a climactic finale that revolves around a hot air balloon version of your logo crashing against a glass ceiling might also create the wrong impression. Ah well, these guys are engineers and not choreographers, after all -- you can see the fruit of their labor after the break.

[Thanks, Colin]

Continue reading Windows 7 receives 7,000 domino salute (video)

Microsoft ditches Family Guy special... for being Family Guy

by Ross Miller posted Oct 26th 2009 at 6:46PM

Face? Meet palm. Microsoft's decided to pull out of its co-sponsoring of "Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show" after execs attending the taping came to the sudden conclusion that Family Guy-caliber jokes were to be told, tackling such topics as "deaf people, the Holocaust, feminine hygiene and incest." We're not sure how 10 years and over 120 episodes of offensive precedence bypassed Redmond's radars, but man, that's gotta be some strong personal bubble. A Microsoft representative said of the taping, "it became clear that the content was not a fit with the Windows brand." The show will still air November 8th, pre-recorded Microsoft references in tow, but with a new as-of-yet unnamed sponsor. All we have of the now-doomed partnership is this brief video from the Windows "741" student site -- it's after the break.

[Via The Raw Feed]

Continue reading Microsoft ditches Family Guy special... for being Family Guy

Intel's SSD Toolbox, firmware update promise boost in performance

by Darren Murph posted Oct 26th 2009 at 4:06PM

We won't say that we love products leaving the oven before they're completely done, but we do adore gratis firmware updates that better a product even after you've purchased it. That being said, we're actually stoked that Intel has decided to out its second major firmware update for the second-gen 34nm X25-M SSD, and unlike the first, this one has the potential to put smiles on lots and lots (as opposed to a few) faces. The newfangled SSD Toolbox includes an SSD Optimizer for the aforementioned device, which promises to help users "more effectively monitor and manage the SSD's health." It also offers a performance boost to sequential write speeds by delivering up to 100MB/sec on the 160GB model, which represents a rather substantial 40 percent uptick over the existing firmware. The best news of all? Intel's doing more than just blowing hot air, as the benchmarking gurus over at Hot Hardware found out. Hit the read link for their eye-opening analysis.

Update: Down for more benchmarks, including ones focused on TRIM testing? Good!

Entelligence: Seven on 7

by Michael Gartenberg posted Oct 24th 2009 at 7:00PM

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

This was a big week for Microsoft, as Steve Ballmer took the stage in New York and formally introduced Windows 7 to the world. It was almost a little anti-climactic: the OS has been finished and shipped to OEMs for months, while developers and pretty much any enthusiast who wanted a copy has one by now. Still, this is the week that Microsoft takes the message and OS to the mass market and the PC holiday sales system formally kicks off. I've held back from writing about the OS for the most part, but here's seven things about Windows 7 -- three features that I think are over-hyped and four things that make 7 something worth purchasing, either as an upgrade or as part of a new PC.

Continue reading Entelligence: Seven on 7

The Engadget Show - 002: Steve Ballmer, Droid, Nook, and new Macs

by Joshua Topolsky posted Oct 23rd 2009 at 4:47PM

Do we really need to tell you what this is all about? Steve Ballmer. Windows 7 launch day. Pure magic. Sit back and enjoy a spirited conversation with the CEO of Microsoft -- then stick around to watch Josh, Paul, and Nilay get into it over the week's news!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel
Special guest: Steve Ballmer
Produced by: Chad Mumm
Directed by: Michael Slavens
Music by: Bit Shifter
Visuals by: Paris and outpt
Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec

Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 002 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 002 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted)

Subscribe to the Show:

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
[Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V).
[RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.

Clearwire and Sprint slinging WiMAX to NC, HI and TX in November / December

by Darren Murph posted Oct 23rd 2009 at 4:27PM

We knew Clearwire would be snaking its 4G services to select markets in North Carolina, Hawaii and Texas before the year's end, but it's always reassuring to hear a corporation come right out and affirm that those leaked dates are still solid. What's interesting about the latest announcement is that both Clearwire and Sprint will be offering 4G in these same cities under their own brands, even though the signals and towers used will be the same. Starting next month, WiMAX will officially land in Greensboro and Raleigh, North Carolina (Charlotte is already lit up, despite these companies' claims) and Austin; Dallas/Fort Worth; San Antonio, Texas. In December, the companies will get things fired up in Honolulu and Maui, two areas where we're certain techs from Sprint / Clearwire are more than eager to go "test things out." So, now that this has all panned out, how's about another leak sheet for 2010 rollouts?

Windows 7 student upgrade installer not working for many

by Nilay Patel posted Oct 23rd 2009 at 2:37PM

The Windows 7 launch seems to have gone off mostly roses and sunbeams, but we're hearing today that quite a few people have had issues installing the downloadable $29 student upgrade edition on 32-bit Vista -- apparently the file doesn't unpack to an ISO, but instead to an executable and two bundles that don't function properly, and eventually the process errors out with a 64-bit app trying to launch on 32-bit systems. It's possible to create an ISO using some hackery, but the install process seems to be 50/50 after that -- we've heard of both success and further crashes. For it's part, Microsoft says it's looking into things, so hopefully a newly repackaged download will be forthcoming -- every party has its ups and downs, right?

Update: Our friends at DownloadSquad have a handy guide to making the ISO, in case you're interested -- and they say the installer does work in the end.

Update 2: We just got a tip that Microsoft is offering refunds to users who are having issues. [Thanks, Christopher]

[Thanks, Tom]

Read - Original thread
Read - Microsoft response

Apple welcomes Windows 7 the only way it knows how, with a new commercial (video, updated)

by Ross Miller posted Oct 22nd 2009 at 8:51PM

Can't argue with a wig like that, right? Video after the break.

Update: Two more added. Are these still fun?

Continue reading Apple welcomes Windows 7 the only way it knows how, with a new commercial (video, updated)

Microsoft's Windows Cafe opens its doors in Paris

by Donald Melanson posted Oct 22nd 2009 at 1:16PM

Japan may be home to the Windows 7 Whopper, and the US has the less edible contents of the very first Microsoft Store, but it looks like Paris may be the real place to be for out and about Windows fans, as it can now claim the only Windows Cafe in the world as its own alongside all those other little tourist attractions you might be interested in. Better still, it looks like the cafe serves up at least as many types of drinks as Windows editions, and there's some WiFi available for those looking for a place to loiter around. Hit up the link below for a peek inside courtesy of Le Journal du Geek.

[Thanks, Anh]

Windows 7 launch day hardware spectacular

by Ross Miller posted Oct 22nd 2009 at 1:01PM

Were you able to successfully hold off buying a new computer until Windows 7 launched? Really? That's great, because starting today there's been a torrential downpour of brand new hardware unleashed alongside Microsoft's flagship OS revision. Need a quick refresher on what's now out there? We're glad you came to us; do sit down and enjoy yourself, just after the break.

Continue reading Windows 7 launch day hardware spectacular