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Windows Vista / Server 2008 SP2 Beta out now to MSDN and TechNet subscribers
Windows Vista SP2 may not be hitting manufacturers 'til next April, but the beta is already scootin' about to MSDN and TechNet subscribers. Yep, as of this very moment in time, the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 Beta is in the wild, and Microsoft is planning to making it publicly available via TechNet this Thursday. Check all the juicy details in the links below.Read - AnnouncementRead - More details / download schedule
More "Vista Capable" emails unsealed, revealing sassy civil war
Remember when Microsoft was hit with a lawsuit over its "Vista Capable" stickers? How about when the judge unsealed emails revealing that after a long battle to promote Vista's graphics-intensive Aero UI, it capitulated and lowered the requirements for the sticker so Intel could keep on selling its graphically-challenged (i.e., WDDM noncompliant) 915 chipset? Yeah, that was awesome. Connoisseurs of corporate drama should appreciate the latest development -- the judge has made public a second batch of emails revealing that MS execs were at odds about that decision. Senior VP Will Poole apparently made the call to appease Intel, but co-President of Platform & Services Jim Allchin (along with many others who had been fighting for the other side for months) was "beyond being upset," saying "this was totally mismanaged by Intel and Microsoft. What a mess." The mess he was referring to: an unhappy partner in HP, which had spent millions to meet the old standards... and presciently, the lawsuit we're watching now. Alright, maybe not so awesome for everyone.
Microsoft signals some improvements in Windows Vista SP2, still not moist and chewy
It hasn't been too awfully long since Windows Vista SP1 hit the intertubes for real, but the Vista team is already talking up SP2. Granted, we all know Redmond is focused on moving beyond all of this Vista hoopla and forging ahead with Windows 7, but there's apparently still some work to do on the outfit's current OS. Unfortunately, the latest update isn't exactly enthralling, as we're given no set time frame for launch and we're not shown any forthcoming changes that really get our juices flowing. For instance, Vista SP2 will add Windows Search 4.0 for faster and improved relevancy in searches, the Bluetooth 2.1 Feature Pack, ability to natively record data on Blu-ray media and Windows Connect Now (WCN) to simplify WiFi configuration. Wait, did you just yawn? You did. We saw it.
Gateway MC7803u hands-on
If you're looking for something with a little style and refinement in the PC world, you have a few options -- and Gateway has added another with its latest laptop, the MC7803u. The handsome 16-incher isn't just looks; it packs a 2GHz Core 2 Duo T5800 CPU, a 16:9 (1366 x 768) glass display, 4GB of RAM, 320GB hard drive, an ATI Mobility Radeon 3650 with 512MB of memory, 802.11a/b/g/n, gigabit ethernet, an HDMI port, 4 USB jacks, and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. Besides housing other niceties like a 5-in-1 card reader and ExpressCard 54 slot, the system also sports illuminated multimedia controls down either side, a backlit keyboard, synthetic leather palm rests, and comes in either high-gloss black or burgundy. After playing around with it for a bit, we can honestly say we're fans, though just like some other glass displays we've seen recently, that glare is a bit annoying. The device goes on sale November 1st, and will retail for $999.99. Not too steep a price to pay for the respect and envy of your peers, is it?%Gallery-34848%
Switched On: The Mo' hardware Experiment
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment. What do people think of Windows Vista when they learn more about some of its features? To find out, we located three people who had been living in a cave around the time of the massive advertising campaign at Vista's launch and started out by asking them what they thought of Windows Vista.Subject 1: "My niece was looking up something for her nutritional science class and went to this Web site called apple.com. There were a lot of videos there that said Vista was bad."Subject 2: "I've heard that Windows Vista gives you scabies."Subject 3: "Four of my friends on the American Online forwarded me an email that said Bill Gates would give me $10 million if I would tell my friends to buy Windows Vista and he didn't. It must stink."Then we told them about some of the great hardware that Windows Vista supports.
HP said to be considering making its own OS to counter Vista
HP unsurprisingly isn't ready to touch this one in any sort of official way just yet, but BusinessWeek is reporting that at least some folks at the company are "exploring the possibility of building a mass-market operating system," which would be positioned as an alternative to Vista. That OS, as you might have guessed, would be based on Linux, although BusinessWeek's sources say it "would be simpler and easier for mainstream users." By all indications, however, this so-called "skunk works team" within HP doesn't seem to have moved much beyond the brainstorming stage, and HP is sticking strictly to its official line that it is more interested in "innovating on top of Vista," with HP chief technology officer Phil McKinney even going so far as to say that the idea that it's funding a huge R&D team to go off and create an operating system "makes no sense."[Via Electronista]
InfoWorld finds 35 percent of enterprise-class users downgrade to XP
Hold your horses, vaquero. Let's not blow this all out of proportion here. While it's no secret that a certain amount of Vista purchasers are utilizing that "downgrade to XP" option to its fullest extent, a small (and let us emphasize "small") collection of data suggests that some 35% of "mainly enterprise-class users" have opted for XP over Vista on their newly-purchased rig. By scouring data from the 3,000 or so members feeding information to the InfoWorld Windows Sentinel tool, the site found that just over 1 in 3 users had defected to Microsoft's previous OS. Granted, the tool cannot take into account Linux users or even the "Hackintosh crowd," though as Randall Kennedy puts it, 35% is "still a huge percentage, and way out of proportion for even the dramatically unpopular Windows Vista." Update: The author of our source here has seen been released from InfoWorld due to breach of trust. InfoWorld maintains that Randall C. Kennedy's "insight and analysis [is believed] to be accurate and reliable."
Vista gets crammed onto a PS3. It's as bad as you think.
We can't in good conscience recommend trying this one at home for sake of your own sanity, but one enterprising PS3 enthusiast has thankfully gone the extra mile and installed Windows Vista on the console so you don't have to. As you might have guessed, however, it's not a pretty sight, with the OS running under emulation and requiring nearly 25 minutes to fully boot up. You can also add an extra five minutes and thirty seconds on top of that to load the start menu, and about twelve minutes to load up that most demanding of applications: Notepad. Head on past the break to see it for yourself, and hit up the link below for the installation instructions... if you dare.[Thanks, Death_Coil]
Mojave Experiment goes live, doesn't fail to annoy
Alright, as much as we prefer blind conjecture, we've seen it for ourselves now and Microsoft's "Mojave Experiment" is pretty much everything we expected it to be. To Microsoft's credit, they've managed to get the nicest collection of statements ever made about Windows Vista condensed into cute little candid sound bytes from that really honest person next door. It's just too bad they had to use base trickery to do it. Oh, and in case you're into trumped up numbers: average rating of Windows Vista was 4.5, average rating of Mojave was 8.5. What are you trying to say, Microsoft? That people heard really bad things from their friends and co-workers, but a slick 10 minute sales presentation showed them the light?Update: We're hearing you guys loud and clear in comments. We'll admit, we hate senseless Microsoft / Vista bashing just as much as the next guy, and that's not what this is about. The problem here is Microsoft basically filmed itself an infomercial (or "pulled a Pizza Hut," as pointed out in comments) and is passing it off as some interesting experiment into FUD. If these users had been sent home for a week or so with a Vista machine -- or better yet, a copy of Vista to install themselves -- that'd be a whole different story, but they weren't. There was no scientific method in play, no control experiment, nothing. They were shown a 10 minute demo. That's it.Read - The "Mojave Experiment"Read - Windows Vista Team Blog
Microsoft's Mojave Experiment "promotes" Vista -- Ashton Kutcher-style
You may have heard that Microsoft is "like, totally serious, guys" about patching up Vista's good name, and, well, so far they're off to a rocky start. After pushing up a few lackluster web ads, they've decided to trick users en masse to prove a point. They've termed the Punk'ing the "Mojave Experiment," which placed 120 regular computer users of all different OS persuasions in front of a Vista box, except they were told they were getting to look at the next Microsoft OS, codenamed "Mojave." Results of the test will be unveiled tomorrow in what are sure to be glowing customer reports. Scientific validity of this test aside, we're not exactly sure testimonials from a blind taste test are going to turn the tide of Vista ill-will, but now we're starting to sound like Demi Moore our parents. [Via Techdirt]
Samsung intros two new Q1 Ultra UMPCs: one with Vista Business, one with HSDPA
The next-generation Q1 Ultra may be due next year, but Sammy's trying to squeeze every bit of life it can out of the current iteration with two new flavors. Announced today, the Q1U-CMXP boasts an integrated HSDPA 3G cellular modem, while the Q1UP-V is a Q1 Ultra Premium featuring Vista Business. As for the former, it includes just about every connectivity option you could wish for: 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, Ethernet and a WWAN modem that connects to the AT&T Broadband Connect network; outside of the one new feature, however, the specifications are the same as the standard Q1 Ultra XP model that was launched in May of 2007. Both newcomers (if you can call 'em that) are available as we speak for $1,499 and $1,449 in order of mention.
How would you change Microsoft if you were Bill Gates?
Being that it is Bill's special day and all, we figured we'd give you a shot at stepping into his shoes and shaping Microsoft into something even more dominant that the juggernaut it is. Just imagine taking a seat in the biggest corner office Redmond has to offer, getting your Outlook set up, fiddling through a mess of old floppy discs and finally conjuring up a business plan. How in the world would you tweak / overhaul / etc. Microsoft if you were suddenly dubbed the big kahuna? We know this one's wide (and we mean gaping wide) open, so feel free to write a book down there.
Dell keeps promise, invokes fees for "downgrading" to Windows XP
Oh no, Dell isn't forgetting to do its duty to Microsoft. Just as promised, it has now bumped up the prices for folks wanting to stick with Windows XP Professional. As of now, the only way to get XP pre-installed is by selecting an option that also throws Vista in the box, and if you're specifically after Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP MCE, you're thoroughly out of luck. On eligible machines, it looks as if getting XP Pro along with Vista Business will cost you $99 more than Vista Home alone, while having Vista Ultimate ride shotgun adds another $50. Or you can look at it like Dell's tossing in XP for free with those upper-level Vista packs -- whatever floats your boat. Let us know if you notice any different pricing arrangements.[Via ComputerWorld]
iPhone theme sullies Vista's good name
For those with identity crises, great senses of humor, or serious cases of Vista Fever, Spec-Works' VistaPerfection theme for the iPhone brings all the splendors of Windows Vista -- well, the important visual aspects, anyway -- to your pocket in a way that we can safely say Microsoft never intended. If the wow hadn't already started, ladies and gentlemen, it certainly has now.[Via IntoMobile]
NBC admits "inadvertent" broadcast flag use, still doesn't explain why it actually worked
Just an update on the broadcast flag controversy: NBC has copped to an "inadvertent mistake" in flagging the broadcast of American Gladiators as content prohibited from recording, while Microsoft stated it is only following the FCC's rules, and "fully adheres to flags used by broadcasters". This conveniently ignores the fact that there is no legal requirement for Windows Vista Media Center to recognize the broadcast flag and disable recording, but it does. Errant metadata can and does happen, but for such a "feature" to be buried within one's software unknowingly is troubling. Expect to hear more from the EFF and others questioning why Media Center unnecessarily turns parts of itself off at a broadcaster's command, and rightly so. What's most disturbing, and likely to go sadly without protest is that someone out there is actually watching, and trying to record for later, American Gladiators. The more you know indeed.[Via Techdirt]
Workaround enables DVD Library streaming on Media Center Extenders
Check it Media Center Extender owners -- a fancy new workaround is reportedly enabling users to stream DVDs via their DVD Library, which isn't enabled by default on any MCE. For starters, Vista SP1 is required for everything to work correctly, and once you've confirmed that you're running said OS, you can hit up the read link for a how-to guide explaining the steps to creating symbolic links; essentially, the hack tricks the device into playing .VOB files. It's noted that symbolic links shouldn't be created on Windows Home Server shares, but if you do as you're told, everything should turn out peachy. Just don't come barking up our tree if it doesn't, alright?[Thanks, Ryan]
Vista Media Center update for HP's MediaSmart HDTVs now available
Owners of HP's older MediaSmart HDTVs, your sometime is now as Chris Lanier reports the company's posted the long-awaited Vista Media Center Extender update. The SL4278N and SL4778N model TVs should prompt for the update automatically if they're connected to the internet, and afterwards connect to your fully patched Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition machine and access your Media Center library (DivX, Xvid, h.264, MPEG-2 and WMV of course), live TV, recorded TV or other features directly through the TV. Check out HP's support page for a full walkthrough on the process and keep your Windows Media Center remote close by.[Via Chris Lanier, HP press release]
Windows 7 to arrive next year, says Bill Gates
You know, we should have paid a little closer attention to Microsoft's decision yesterday to extend Windows XP sales to "June 2010 or one year after the general availability of Windows 7" -- if the company was really planning on shipping Windows 7 in 2010, that first date doesn't make a lot of sense unless the plan is to ship Windows 7 much, much earlier. And hey -- what's Bill Gates doing telling investors this afternoon that Windows 7 will come "in the next year" and that he's "super-enthused" about it? As far as we know, the official Windows 7 timeline hasn't changed, so Bill might just talking about beta versions, but something's clearly up Windows-wise in Redmond -- perhaps Vista's wow is not long for this now.[Thanks, Jon]
NVIDIA drivers responsible for nearly 30% of Vista crashes in 2007
That huge bundle of damning emails and documents Microsoft produced as part of the Vista-capable lawsuit is full of fascinating information about how the company developed, planned, and launched Vista, but the latest juicy nugget to come out if it suggests that a lot of problems faced by the troubled operating system are actually NVIDIA's fault -- nearly 30% of logged Vista crashes were due to NVIDIA driver problems, according to Microsoft data included in the bundle. That's some 479,326 hung systems, if you're keeping score at home, and it's in first place by a large margin -- Microsoft clocks in at number two at 17.9 percent, and ATI is fourth with 9.3 percent. Now, the chart doesn't contain a ton of additional information that would help put it in context -- a specific time period in 2007 would be nice, as would and driver and OS versions -- but we've been hearing about NVIDIA issues with Vista from the start, and this seems to confirm it. So that's pressure by Intel to support incompatible chipsets, outrage by Dell and Wal-Mart that the Vista Capable program was confusing customers, Microsoft executives saying they had been "personally burnt" by Vista, and now what looks like a huge NVIDIA driver problem -- who knows what else is going to come out of this lawsuit? At this point we're half expecting a photo of Gates signing a Save XP petition.
MacBook Air reviewed... as a Windows machine
There are a lot of reasons to pick another laptop over the MacBook Air -- especially if you're into little things like "useful ports" -- but the comparison to non-Apple hardware isn't even relevant unless you're willing to switch to OS X, right? Well, the crew over at Xbit Labs decided to even the slate and evaluate the MBA solely as a Windows machine, wiping the drive clean of Leopard and installing Vista Ultimate. Although actually getting Vista on the Air was a bit troublesome due to the lack of a built-in optical drive and the Vista installer's refusal to wipe out the OS X partition, once installed the OS performed fine, with Apple-provided drivers activating the media and brightness keys and even the multi-touch trackpad. The only major issues were over-aggressive activation of CPU power-management, which resulted in dramatic slowdowns during some tasks, and the fact that the case got fairly warm during use -- both issues MBA owners using OS X have reported. Overall, while the MBA was a solid if unspectacular Windows machine, the lack of support and nagging issues with running a pure Windows MBA mean you're probably better off going with laptop designed for Vista -- hmm, we can think of one that might spark your interest.
