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Computer Pros to Wait for Windows 7, Survey Says
Microsoft has faced concern and criticism for its Windows Vista operating system from day one. Despite the company's best advertising efforts, many customers plan to wait for Windows 7 before upgrading their machines, says a recent survey.
Systems management firm KACE commissioned a survey of 1,142 IT professionals to gauge opinion about switching to the forthcoming Windows 7. Of those, 84-percent said they plan to wait at least a year before upgrading to Windows 7, despite the software's favorable reviews from early beta-testers. Some disturbing news for Vista: 83-percent said they plan to skip Vista in order to wait for the new operating system, and more than 50-percent are considering leaving Windows altogether. This is more than twice the number from a similar poll two years ago, with a majority of potential ship jumpers leaning towards Apple's Mac OSX as a replacement.
Still, we're seeing signs that Microsoft may be bouncing back in the public eye, a change spurred in no small part by their new series of 'Laptop Hunters' ads, which highlight the value of Microsoft-equipped computers in these tough economic times. We reported last month that PC sales jumped 22-percent in February when compared to the same month last year, while Apple sales dropped 16-percent. [From: CNN Money]
Audio/Video, Switched Video, CES 2009
Switched Visits the House of the Future at CES
During our trip to the desert, we took some time off from the convention floor to head over to the NextGen Home Experience. This super-green, 5,200 square-foot "smart" home boasts some smooth accoutrements, including a powerful home-automation system and a Microsoft Vista-based, centralized entertainment center and media server.
But there's nothing really new about a media server for your home, even one as slick as this Aspen Media version. No, what really caught our eye was the handsome leather floor tiles made from recycled BMW car leather. We're told they're as easily maintained as any floor surface, and will develop their own patina as time goes on. In a house filled with seen-it-before concepts like televisions disguised as mirrors, wireless remotes in every room and solar panels on the roof, we kept finding ourselves marveling at those dang tiles.
Check out the video after the break.
Microsoft Vista Ultimate Gets the (PRODUCT) RED Treatment
It's not like (PRODUCT) RED versions of Windows Vista haven't been shipping on associated systems for months now, but for those who'd prefer to keep the rig they have and just get a colorful / charitable upgrade to Microsoft's latest OS, this is for you. Listed on the official (PRODUCT) RED website and up for pre-order now at Amazon, the special edition of Windows Vista Ultimate is slated to ship on December 15th. There's not too many extras here to make you splurge for a second copy (a few new wallpapers and a big warm, fuzzy feeling are definitely nice, though), but those looking to get a new OS and support the push to end AIDS in Africa can buy in now for $219.95 ($64.95 for students).[Via iStartedSomething, thanks Long Z.]
Read - (PRODUCT) RED website
Read - Pre-order at Amazon
Read - Pre-order for students
New Security Flaw Found in Windows Vista
The core of the system is called the kernel, and there's a flaw in Vista's, which could be exploited by software that you download and run on your machine. It could allow that malicious software to install a so-called "rootkit," secretly running in privileged mode, where it can do anything it likes. This is the sort of shady software that made headlines when Sony illicitly installed it on users' machines back in 2005.
Right now, the risk of this flaw being exploited is low, so Microsoft is going to wait for its next regularly scheduled update to fix it. But, as always, watch where you click and what you download. [From: CNET News]
What's New in Windows 7?
CinemaNow Comes to Windows Vista Media Center
CinemaNow's selection does leave something to be desired, however. Recent smashes like 'Juno' and 'There Will be Blood' are yours for the taking, but its catalog of older classics and independent films is sorely lacking. Even Akira Kurosawa's classic 'Seven Samurai' and the Scorcese masterpiece 'Raging Bull' are nowhere to be found. [Sourece: Download Squad]
Microsoft Finally Releases New Vista Ultimate Extras, Still "Ultimate" in Name Only
Microsoft Extends XP's Life Again -- For Low Cost PCs Only
If you're thinking this sounds too good to be true, you're right. There is a catch. Windows XP will only be available and approved for so-called Ultra Low Cost PCs (ULCPC), such as the Eee or Classmate. Microsoft is giving manufacturers the option of using XP Home or Vista Home Basic on its ULCPC devices. But even in its most stripped down form, Vista is often more than these machines can handle and makes them operate more slowly.
This seems more or less like an admission that Vista has been a disappointment for Microsoft. The OS was geared at high powered desktops with dedicated graphics cards. Unfortunately for Mr. Gates and crew, the computer industry took an unexpected turn towards smaller and cheaper computers. Small form factor desktops, home theater PCs, and ultra-portable laptops are the hot markets right now, places where low power components are necessary to keep components cool, quiet, and lasting hours on a single battery charge.
We don't doubt Microsoft did its best, but Vista was not long for this world.
From Cnet
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Major Windows Vista Update Available Today
The update is called Service Pack One, or just "SP1" in Windows talk. A service pack is the traditional term for a giant batch of updates all rolled into one massive download. On its site, Amazon lists the SP1 version available for pre-order, and now lists the non-SP1 editions as "old version." The site now indicates that the SP1 editions will be shipping tomorrow, but if you happened to have just purchased one of those "old version" editions of Vista, don't worry: The update download is free from Microsoft. Still, you might want to burn that download to a CD or something, otherwise you're going to have to pull it from the company's site again and again every time you have to re-install. At 434 megabytes for the full download, it's not something you're going to want to do twice.
If you're a Vista user and are ready to take the plunge, you can head on over to Microsoft's site to start your downloading.
From Engadget
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Microsoft Drops Windows Vista Prices
Vista Ultimate, which pretty much includes all Vista features (including Aero and Windows Media Center) will drop from $399 to $319 for the full version and $220 for the upgrade, from $299. The Home Premium upgrade will drop to $129 from $159. The price cut will apply globally, but prices will vary from region to region.
The price cut only applies to retail boxed version of the product however, so it'll only benefit those who are upgrading old computers, many of which, as Engadget points out, aren't even fast enough to run Vista properly. Will this help push Vista out the door any faster? Probably not, but it's still nice to see Microsoft scale back some of its absurd prices.
From CNET and Engadget.
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Class Action Lawsuit Against Microsoft for Windows Vista Marketing
Things continue to look worse for Microsoft's Windows Vista. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman certified a class-action lawsuit claiming that Microsoft's marketing practices during the holiday season of 2006 misled consumers and artificially increased computer prices. 
The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports that many found that their new computers labeled with "Windows Vista Capable" stickers could only run the stripped-down, Home Basic version of the software. Because Home Basic lacks many of the features Microsoft advertised as "Vista" --Aero, Media Center PC, and window-switching--the lawsuit argues that the computers were deceptively labeled. In response, Microsoft says that Home Basic includes all the essential features of Windows Vista.
From AP
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Windows Vista Update Disables Anti-Virus Programs
Microsoft released an admittedly incomplete list of applications that will either not work properly or not work at all with SP1:
- BitDefender AV
- Fujitsu Shock Sensor
- Jiangmin KV Antivirus 10
- Jiangmin KV Antivirus 2008
- Trend Micro Internet Security
- Zone Alarm Security Suite
- Iron Speed Designer
- Xheo Licensing
- Free Allegiance
- NYT Reader
- Rising Personal Firewall
- Novell ZCM Agent
From Beta News
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Vista 'Most Disapointing Tech of 2007'
We love December, it's the most wonderful time of the year: list time! PC World has released their 15 Most Disappointing Tech Products of 2007, and topping that list is Vista. Why? Five years in the making and the best Microsoft could come up with is a very shiny, slightly annoying, absurdly overpriced software package that is missing some of the most exciting features that were promised by Microsoft when the project was still called Longhorn.
To be fair, every semi-hyped gadget and technology trend made the list. Social Networks, the Zune, Leopard, the iPhone, and Office 2007 were all in there. But, we certainly agree that Vista deserves to be at the top of this heap 'o' crap.
From PC World
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Next Version of Windows Detailed
Millions of PC users haven't even made the switch to Windows Vista yet, but that's not stopping Microsoft engineers from getting to work on the next version. For now, It's simply called Windows 7, as it will be the seventh iteration of the venerable (and frequently reviled) computer operating system (OS). Microsoft employee Eric Traut recently gave a presentation at the University of Illinois regarding various Windows-related topics, among them the next release of the operating system. He didn't get into too many details, primarily focusing on the OS's new kernel called MinWin. A kernel is the term for the core of the operating system -- the basic functionality required for things like operating disk drives and accessing RAM. MinWin is an effort to strip out all the unnecessary functionality introduced into the operating system over the decades with the hopes of making it clean and fast.
When can we expect Windows 7 to be boxed and available for install? Likely not for quite some time. Work on Vista (initially called "Longhorn") started way back in 2001 and wasn't released until January of 2007. Vista was delayed much longer than anticipated, but even so, it doesn't look like you'll have to upgrade past Vista for at least another five years. In the meantime, if you'd like to watch Eric's full presentation, it's hosted here.
From Slashdot
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