Windows 8 will have an improved pre-boot menu screen, to avoid constant reboots and stop the user from repeatedly tapping F8 or another key to interrupt the process before Windows loads. An MSDN blog post by Microsoft's Windows engineering team explains in detail how the system will work if the BIOS is needed due to a problem, and how to get to the same screen when there isn't an issue.
Microsoft has blogged about the history of Windows user interface changes in preparation for the expected Windows 8 release later this year. The post explains how Windows has morphed from the original release in 1985 through to present day, and the jump from "Aero" UI elements in Windows Vista and 7 to "Metro" in Windows 8.
AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega suggests the Windows Phone platform may see a significant boost from Microsoft's Windows 8 OS when it arrives on the market. Speaking at the JP Morgan technology conference, the executive noted that he was "very upbeat about what they are bringing to the market."
Apple has issued an updated version of QuickTime 7, now at version 7.7.2, for Windows systems in order to address a number of security flaws. The vulnerabilities listed either do not exist on the Mac version of QuickTime 7, or are already addressed in Lion. Most but not all of the flaws were discovered by researchers working in conjunction with HP's "Zero Day Initiative" and are duly credited. A total of 17 flaws are addressed in the update.
A new version of the subscription streaming music service Rdio has launched, bringing with it a native Mac OS X application for the first time. Previous versions were web-based. The new version is available on browsers, and applications Windows, the iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 7. All versions allow listening to over 15 million tracks on the Rdio service.
Following Apple's introduction of Thunderbolt on commercial systems with the Macbook Pro 2011 line in February of 2011, it was expected that Thunderbolt would soon be supported on Windows. The first motherboards with integrated Thunderbolt are starting to see the light of day just now, more than a year after the initial introduction of the technology. Anandtech recently had the opportunity to test the first draft motherboard from manufacturer MSI featuring Thunderbolt -- the MSI Z77A-GD80.
Samsung has mentioned on the company's blog that its Omnia M will be released in Europe soon. The handset, which was announced just days after the US-bound Focus 2, will feature a four-inch Super AMOLED display with a glare-reduction coating, along with Samsung-specific apps and 25GB of SkyDrive cloud storage.
A "critical" security issue that can cause the Flash plug-in to crash and allow a malicious program potential access to the system is addressed in the latest Adobe security update for both the Flash player standalone program for CS users and web browser plug-in for Macs, Windows and Android systems. Users are strongly advised to upgrade to version 11.2.202.235 on Macs and Windows, and v11.1.111.8 on Android (version 11.1.115.9 for Android 4.0).
Microsoft at its Management Summit in Las Vegas on Tuesday introduced the latest version of its system management environment, System Center 2012. Microsoft Corporate VP Brad Anderson said the new software would let system administrators launch a private cloud infrastructure in about 30 seconds. It will offer two console views: one for the infrastructure management side, or service providers, and another for app management, or for service customers.
SSD maker Fusion-io has introduced its ioFX PCIe-based solid-state drive for workstations that contains 420GB of storage. Meant for HD video editing in the movie industry for special effects work, the card uses a less costly internal design than other Fusion-io cards. There are four flash channels, or a quad-die package, so there is half of the write I/O per second performance of the previous products.
Microsoft has begun sending out a roadmap that shows some details about its future software products such as Office 15, Internet Explorer 10, and Windows Phone to some of its partners. One of them, CEO of Meetroo Maarten Visser, shared part of it over Twitter, revealing said details. Dated December 22, 2011, the images weren't password-protected. Considering the date, the Windows roadmap doesn't mention anything past the Developer Preview and certainly not the Consumer Preview that launched on February 29.
Parallels is currently running a special promotion for its Parallels Desktop 7 software for the Mac. The virtualization software will be offered at the discounted price of $60 until March 31, providing customers with a total savings of 25 percent. Parallels Desktop 7 allows users to run Windows applications within a virtual environment on a Mac, and a recent update added experimental support for the Windows 8 Consumer Preview and OS X Mountain Lion Developer Preview. In addition, anyone who shares the deal with friends on Twitter will instantly be entered into an iPad 2 giveaway.
Microsoft has shed light on the touchscreen gesture technology that will be implemented in Windows 8, including the hardware requirements that will be necessary for a consistent experience across multiple devices. The company notes that Windows 8 will run on the hardware currently on the market, however upcoming touchscreen PCs built specifically for Windows 8 will be required to integrate five-finger digitizers.
Apple has posted a new version of Safari, v5.1.5. The update is a minor one, simply resolving a glitch that "could affect website usability" when running in 32-bit mode. Separate Windows, Lion, and Snow Leopard downloads are available.
Logitech has just unveiled its BCC950 ConferenceCam, meant for meetings. It's the first device to combine a 1080p webcam with a full-duplex speakerphone. The camera connects over USB and an included remote control or control pad lets users pan, tilt, and zoom the camera to focus on anyone or anything in the room.
Mog has posted a new app for Windows desktop owners. With it, subscribers can listen to music from the music service's catalog of over 14 million songs on their windows PC as well as their mobile device or Mac. The app features a native audio decoder for improved audio playback quality.
Supersite for Windows blogger Paul Thurrott has posted new screenshots and descriptions of new features found in Microsoft's Outlook 15, rumored to be debuting in late 2012. While other details slipped earlier this month, the new images show a definite Metro influence on the design, along with new features including one or two "inspired" by similar Mac features. More social and Hotmail integration, inline replies and a weather tool are among the changes.
Microsoft has detailed the upcoming Internet Explorer 10 browsing experience that will be brought to Windows 8 devices. The company suggests the browser has been completely reworked, bringing improvements to the underlying browsing engine while adding a number of interface tweaks to match Windows 8's Metro-style layout.
Clear has just introduced its latest USB modem, the Stick Atlas. It comes billed as the first that doesn't require any software to be installed, and gives users access to Clear's WiMAX network more quickly as a result The modem is compatible with Macs and Windows PCs, but also Linux, Chrome OS, and Android devices with a free USB port.
Just in time for the CanSecWest security conference, Google has announced it has handed out $47,500 in rewards to users who identified bugs in its Chrome browser. There were 14 bugs fixed, with three users getting $10,000 each for their contributions. The vulnerabilities were addressed in a March 4 update to the browser, though the release was suspended due to a small issue.
An earlier report of Windows Messenger Live Wave 5 getting web-based video chat has been confirmed thanks to a slip on Microsoft's MSDN blog. While the screenshot in question seems to have since been replaced, Liveside shared the original, which shows a testing version of SkyDrive. It contains a video icon beside the user's name (in this case Program Manager for SkyDrive apps Mike Torres), which matches up with a similar icon leaked back in August.
Microsoft has extended its support window for its legacy Windows operating systems. In the past, the software giant provided five years of support for the consumer releases of the OS, while the business versions got extended coverage for a total of ten years. Microsoft has now quietly extended support of the retail versions of Windows Vista and 7 to ten years as well.
Paradigma Software is debuting a new line-up of Valentina data management and database products for Mac, Windows and Linux. The flagship product is now Valentina Studio Pro 5, which adds Postgre support and incorporates the formerly separate Valentina Studio Admin. In addition, the product supports ENUM types, journaling and more.
MakeMusic has introduced a free sheet music creation app for Mac and Windows, Finale NotePad. Based on the company's flagship Finale software, NotePad lets users produce notes, lyrics, and markings for compositions, the main limitation being an eight-instrument cap. It also handles functions like clefs, key signatures, and instrument transpositions.
VideoLAN says it is working on a major v2.0 update of VLC, the group's free, open-source media player software. The project is described as a complete rewrite, one which will add major features to different platforms. The Mac version, for instance, will gain Blu-ray playback, a native fullscreen mode in Lion, and an overhauled interface, closer in appearance to iTunes. Media formats, for instance, are situated in a left-hand column.
Windows 8 on ARM may retain the same desktop as the standard OS, despite a number of early rumors that suggested otherwise. In a blog post on Microsoft's Windows 8 development site, several of Microsoft's lead program managers make references to both desktop and Metro-style apps for system-on-a-chip (SoC) hardware.
Skype has released an update to its desktop software for Windows machines. Version 5.8 adds a number of new features, including 1080p video calling and support for Facebook audio and video calling. Users can also take advantage of group screen share, presenting an entire screen view or a single application window with up to 10 contacts.
Apple has begun seeding a beta Safari 5.1.4 release to developers. Mac and Windows distributions are available, although if not on Snow Leopard the Mac version requires OS X 10.7.3. The Lion and Snow Leopard disk images measure about 44MB and 47MB, respectively, while the Windows ZIP file is 109MB.
CoSoSys has updated their portable data security solution EasyLock to version 2.0, bringing with it cross-platform support for Mac, Windows and openSUSE and Ubuntu flavors of Linux. The program uses 256-bit AES encryption (CBC-mode) to turn any mobile drive into a secure data vault. Version 2 also sports a re-written user interface focusing on ease of use. The program can run off the USB or portable drive itself, requiring no installation or admin password.
A company called Kopin has shown off its wearable, Motorola-branded computer, the Golden-i. It connects to the cloud using 4G and has many possible uses, from law enforcement, to medicine (such as surgery) to mechanical work at home. It sports Kopin's uniquely dense one-inch display, which equates to a traditional 15-inch monitor due to its proximity to the wearer's eye, and the display appears to be 18 inches away.
In two separate conferences in Las Vegas yesterday, Microsoft executives predicted that PC shipments industrywide for the fourth quarter of 2011 will be lower than expected. Tami Reller, chief financial officer and chief marketing officer of Microsoft's Windows and Windows Live Division, said that estimates of overall PC shipments were about one percent lower than expected. Reller made the remarks at a Nomura Holdings Inc. event yesterday. Bill Koefoed, Microsoft's general manager of investor relations, made similar remarks at a JPMorgan Chase & Co. conference. Koefoed said the actual number may be even lower.
Intel has previewed the capabilities of Windows 8-based ultrabooks, some of which take advantage of touchscreen technology and voice recognition. The chip maker suggests more than 75 ultrabook designs will arrive on the market this year, as the company's third-generation Core-series processors become available this spring.
Microsoft has detailed a Windows 8 feature that will allow users to 'refresh' the operating system or reset their computer to original factory settings. The reset option will wipe all personal data, apps and settings before reinstalling Windows, while the refresh capability will keep personal data, apps and settings while reinstalling the operating system.
Today in the MacNN forums vinodkalpaka has a question about using Mac mini with Lion Server with computers running Windows, read more and join in here. Yesterday one Fresh-Faced Recruit started a thread looking for advice on a printer problem in the thread titled "USB to Centronics adapter not working??" click here to join in.
Mozilla has posted the final version of Firefox 9 for Windows, Mac and Linux machines, following five weeks of testing in the beta channel. As expected, the release brings type-inference support that is said to significantly improve JavaScript load time for complex pages, along with expanded support for HTML5 and CSS standards.
Microsoft's Windows operating system has experienced a slight surge in usage share from October to November, according to recent numbers published by data analytics company Chitika. The 1.4-percent gain negates Windows' slight slide in share between August and September, while pushing down competing desktop platforms and mobile operating systems.
As expected, Microsoft has released a major update to its Silverlight plug-in for Windows and Mac computers. Version 5 brings several new features, including hardware decoding for H.264 media and improved 3D graphics performance, however the release is believed to be the final major update for the application framework.
Microsoft is reportedly planning to equip its Windows Store marketplace with a security feature that will enable the company to remotely disable Windows 8 applications. The remote management capabilities were quietly revealed this week through documentation detailing the Windows Store terms of use, which includes a clause notifying users that some content may be disabled if it poses a security risk.
Twitter has released two new versions of TweetDeck, its more powerful Twitter client software. The title is now available in native Mac and Windows editions. Previously the software was dependent on Adobe AIR, which runs apps based on common web frameworks. For the native apps Macs must be running OS X 10.6 or later, while Windows PCs require only Windows XP.
Asus is reportedly attempting to downplay the significance of its lack of participation in the Windows on ARM (WOA) development project, following reports pointing out that the company had not been chosen as one of the initial partners, according to a DigiTimes report. As part of the computer maker's shipment goal disclosures, the company claimed to have the strongest research-and-development capabilities of any notebook vendor.
Wikileaks has a web page called the Spy Files that shows off a number of Internet surveillance products meant for government agencies. The confidential brochures and slide presentations are made for law enforcement and authoritarian regimes and can be used to spy on the public and track political dissidents. In all, Wikileaks has 287 files for products from 160 companies and promises to reveal even more in the future.
Apple has posted minor updates to two different programs, its Mac-based slideshow program Keynote and its Windows-based iCloud Control Panel for iCloud subscribers who are on PCs. The Keynote update improves the handling of large slideshows in Mac OS X Lion, while the iCloud Control Panel update does not specifically mention what has changed from the initial 1.0 release, which came out when iCloud debuted in mid-October.
Apple has released Safari 5.1.2, a bugfix release that contains several improvements, including addressing issues that can cause some webpages to flash white and other issues that would cause hangs and memory leaks. The new version improves stability and allows PDFs to be displayed within web content. The update is available for Lion (10.7.2), Snow Leopard (10.6.8) and Windows XP SP2 or later.
An email scam is exploiting Black Friday shoppers interested in picking up iTunes gift cards, says German site Eleven Security. The message uses the subject line "iTunes Gift Certificate," and has has an attached file listed as "Gift_Certificate_iT9581.zip". A simple body of text promises that the attachment contains a "certificate code" which can be redeemed for $50 in credit toward "video, music, games" at the iTunes Store.
Microsoft is reportedly preparing to begin beta testing the next major revision to its Office productivity software. The release, which is referred to by the name Office 15, is said to be redesigned with a focus on touch- or pen-based input. As confirmed earlier in the year, the suite also features the company's Metro interface design to mesh with Windows 8.
For Black Friday many online retailers have begun offering special deals a few days early. At id America chose from a wide selection of iPhone 4 and 4S accessories and from 11/23/11 through 12/1/11 save up to 20% off your purchase when you enter coupon code 'BLKFRI20OFF' at checkout. Until Sunday 11/27/11 save 40% on Mariner Software's document management app called Paperless, which is available for Mac or Windows now for only $29.95, down from $49.95.
Days after the completion of the last Humble Bundle offer, developer Jeffrey Rosen has launched a new promotion, dubbed the Humble Introversion Bundle. As with previous offers, buyers set their own price for the bundle, which this time includes four games from Introversion (with an option to get two more games). All games work natively on all major platforms (Mac, Windows, Linux) and are DRM-free. The money raised is split according to the buyers' wishes.
Gaming peripherals maker Mad Catz has introduced its Cyborg MMO7 gaming mouse for PCs and Macs. Made for its namesake massively multiplayer online games, the mouse shares many design elements and tech specs with the existing Cyborg RAT Albino. It gives users access to 78 unique commands thanks to its thirteen action buttons and six programmable modes.
Sony is now offering developers a chance to sign up for consideration on joining its closed beta PlayStation Suite SDK. With it, they will have the ability to develop games for the upcoming PS Vita and Android devices that aren't Sony-branded. The SDK uses the C# programming language and will run on a C# virtual machine.
Microsoft has confirmed a vulnerability in the Windows kernel that was being used in the Duqu exploit. If used, an attacker could install apps, change data, or create new accounts with full user rights. Microsoft is working on a full fix, and in the meantime, is offering a workaround for download (free, Fix it tool).
