Microsoft Finally Releases New Vista Ultimate Extras, Still "Ultimate" in Name Only
Posts with tag vista
Microsoft Extends XP's Life Again -- For Low Cost PCs Only
by Terrence O'Brien, posted Apr 7th 2008 at 9:17AM
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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Microsoft Caves to Consumer Pressure, Extends Windows XP's Lifespan
Just few short days after we asked you if it was time to 'downgrade' from the Windows Vista operating system back to Windows XP, Microsoft has announced that it will extend XP's run for those of us uninterested in the seemingly guaranteed headaches Vista has to offer. In response to a variety of problems reported by customers and lackluster Vista PC sales cited by manufacturers, Microsoft will continue to sell XP five months past its original end-of-life date, now through to the end of June 2008.Microsoft is also extending sales of Windows XP Starter Edition, a very stripped-down version of the operating system built for very low-end PCs in developing countries. Starter Edition's stay of execution has been extended until the end of January 2010, which is a wise move for Microsoft since few people in the emerging markets it is targeting can afford the high hardware requirements that Vista demands.
Microsoft's current forecast expects that XP will account for about 22 percent of Windows sales in the current year to June with Vista comprising the remainder, a surprisingly high percent for an OS that is supposed to be being phased out.
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The Gateway One -- Is This The Sexiest Computer Ever?
Long associated with no-frills design and affordability, computer manufacturer Gateway seems to be changing its tune in a big way with the unveiling today of its new Gateway One PC.
Compared to the surprisingly sleek M-series laptops that came out a few weeks ago, the One, with its slanted, all-in-one, flat-panel design, is even more of a departure for Gateway.
Sure, it may look like a black iMac, but it's got some extra twists that make it impressively innovative. For one thing, it's got a one-cord design, which means just one cable goes from the back of the monitor to a power adapter box, which is where Gateway cleverly located all the typical computer cable outputs. In other words, it's perfect for uncluttered desks or even a table, since it basically looks like a flat-panel TV.
It also has a cool "hidden" flat-panel SoundVu NXT speaker, which uses elements of the screen and the bezel to create a sound robust enough to rival external speakers (which would ruin the sleek looks of this all-in-one PC, anyway).
The Windows-Vista-enabled PC starts at $1,299 at the Gateway Web site and Best Buy and comes in three configurations:
The $1,299.99 configuration includes an Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 dual-core processor; Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100; 320GB SATA II hard drive(2) and a 1.3 megapixel Web cam.
The $1,799.99 configuration includes an Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 dual-core processor; ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2600 XT graphics; 500GB SATA II hard drive(2) and a 1.3 megapixel Web cam and an analog/digital TV tuner.
The Gateway One model available direct from Gateway includes an Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 dual-core processor; ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2600 XT graphics; 400GB Serial ATA II hard drive(2); and a 1.3 megapixel Web cam for $1,499.99.
Hot, hot, hot! What do you think? Is this thing sleek enough to replace your iMac?
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Is it Time to Downgrade from Windows Vista?
Nine months after the much delayed, and much ballyhooed launch of Windows Vista, things are not looking good for Microsoft's new operating system. Since its release, users have lodged a litany of complaints against Bill Gates's new baby, including poor device and application compatibility, high hardware requirements, and frequent crashes. In order to sell new computers, which more often than not come with Vista pre-installed, PC manufacturers and retailers are now offering to downgrade customers back to Windows XP. The U.K. electronics retailer Dabs.com now offers to install XP onto new Sony VAIO computers instead of Vista, with the option to switch back to Vista in the future. As we reported last April, Dell has also begun offering XP as an option over Vista, and even Microsoft itself recently made it easier for partner PC-makers to roll machines back to Windows XP.
But, there's more bad news for the ailing operating system. DSG Internation, the company behind several large consumer electronics outlets in Europe (Dixon's, Curry's, and PC World among others) has been forced to severely discount Vista machines after lackluster sales. To add insult to injury, many mainstream manufacturers are now offering or preparing to offer the Linux operating system as an alternative to any flavor of Windows.
Microsoft's Service Pack 1 for Vista is now available in limited beta tests. This first system update is critical for Vista since, traditionally, most businesses wait for the the release of the first service pack before migrating to a new version of Windows. If user complaints are not addressed in this update, many consumers may choose to skip Vista altogether. Considering the fact that Microsoft just ended support for Windows 98 last May, it's possible people will remain with XP until something better comes along.
From Slashdot
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Oddball Easter Eggs on Vista DVDs
These Easter eggs are a series of minuscule photos that are invisible to the naked eye. Upon closer inspection, they're revealed to be works of art. There are also a few photos of people, who we're guessing are the parties responsible for the gag. On the official Windows Vista Blog -- yes, such a thing exists -- Microsoft claims the photos are an anti-piracy measure designed to make the discs harder to forge. We think it's more like Microsoft is only now learning of the photos and is playing the "We knew they were there the whole time" game.
Easter eggs in technology go back a long way, but were popularized by the Atari game, 'Adventure.' At the time of its 1978 release, game programmers weren't often given credit for their games -- especially at Atari -- so Warren Robinett hid his name in a room that was all but impossible to find, even if you were looking for it. Since then, Easter eggs have become commonplace.
Microsoft has a long history with Easter eggs, itself. For example, in Office 95, the inspirational tips of the day included such gems as, "You can hurt yourself if you run with scissors," and "You should never look directly at the sun." In Office 97, there's a hidden flight simulator game in Excel and a hidden pinball game in Word (see photo). Internet Explorer 4's developer credits contained the following:"Disclaimer: No fluffy warm creatures were maimed, dismembered, tortured, deplumed, discarded, deflowered, dropped, twisted, wrungOut, extended, respliced, broken, humiliated, irradiated, browbeaten, pickled, deluded, duped, detained, mishandled, desiccated, bronzed, belittled, coddled, expelled, deported, imbibed, elected, marginalized, placated, misrepresented, overworked, underpaid, underappreciated, prepackaged, overly petted, genetically altered or cloned during the making of this product, except of course for Bunny and Bear."
For more fun Easter egg hunting, check out the following resources:
- Wikipedia - Easter Egg (Virtual)
- Easter Eggs in Design Software
- Skype's Fun Easter Eggs
- Gamespot - The Greatest Easter Eggs in Gaming
From Engadget
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MS Plugs Windows Security Holes
Four critical fixes were released yesterday by Microsoft to address a series of serious security shortcomings in Windows XP, Internet Explorer and even its new hotness, Windows Vista. The software updates fix holes that could allow a malicious user to take control of your computer just by having you view one of their Web pages. The updates are freely available through Microsoft's Windows Update and we'd definitely advise you install them ASAP -- that is unless you like other people poking around your private data. Oh, and for those who would hate on Microsoft for these constant updates, please note that Apple isn't doing much better with the Windows release of its Safari browser.
From USA Today
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Help for Moving Into a New Vista PC
Simply connect the cable between your old Windows machine and new Vista computer. The Smartlink uses Vista's built-in Easy Transfer feature to copy data and/or settings between the two. That's it.
Now if only getting your old peripherals to work with Vista was this easy.
From Uber Gizmo
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Switched Splurge: High-End Vista PC
by Tom Samiljan, posted Apr 11th 2007 at 7:17PM
What is HD-quality music, you may ask? In this case, it's tunes sold by HD media store MusicGiants in Windows Media Lossless (WMA) format, which is about as close as you can get to the original digital recording and way better than anything you'd buy on iTunes (no more disappearing instruments and other audio nuances that get lost in a typical CD-to-MP3 conversion).
In addition to HD-audio and all the usual Windows Vista Media Center features, Niveus's Media Centers will play 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound audio, the highest-resolution HD video (1080p), upscale regular DVDs to HD-quality, play HD-DVDs, record up to four TV shows simultaneously, and take CableCARDs (which means you can get rid of your unsightly cable-box). These features and functions are all rarities in PCs, but the Niveus is also one of the first Windows Vista Ultimate Media Center systems to include Intel Viiv technology and Core 2 Duo processors, which help render such audio-and-video-phile output (not to mention help you compute).
One other big difference: Unlike standard Windows Vista PCs, the Niveus models automatically go right into user-friendly Windows Media Center after startup, so they're perfect for the PC-averse (despite all our mumbo-jumbo above). Just make sure you get an expert, or even a custom-installer, to set one up for you (not hard since these are available mostly at high-end, custom-install audiophile specialists like Harvey Electronics).
Now for the painful part: These babies start at $3,199, for the Rainier, but the high-end Denali (pictured) and Pro Series models start at $7,199.
