windows

After months of speculation, we finally know how much Microsoft's soon-to-be-released Surface tablet will cost: $499 and up. The device goes on sale October 26, the same day Microsoft launches its new operating system (OS), Windows 8. Last week ... industry insider Sameer Singh grabbed media attention by suggesting that Microsoft's entry-level version of the Surface running a slimmed-down edition of Windows 8 known as Windows RT would retail for $399 and up. Surface's Storage, Screen Size Compares Favorably with iPad It appears Singh's prediction was somewhat close to the actual price. Microsoft ... (view more)

According to a new report from Microsoft, Windows 7 and Windows XP users are now facing more malware threats than ever before. Meanwhile, the number of malware programs designed to infect Vista machines is decreasing. Microsoft released these ... findings in its semi-annual Security Intelligence Report, which provides a review of security threats and infections faced by users of Microsoft products during the first half of 2012. Threats to Windows 7, XP On the Increase In the report, Microsoft says the average number of Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) machines infected by malware rose by 23 per ... (view more)

If you happened to visit the Home Shopping Network website (HSN.com) this past weekend, you might have noticed some rather rare items for sale: Windows 8 PCs. For a few days, HSN.com offered five Windows 8 PCs. That's three weeks before Windows 8's ... official launch on October 26, 2012. According to reports, Microsoft and manufacturer Acer then asked the retailer to remove those PCs from the site. Windows 8 Laptops, All-in-One PCs Available via HSN.com The listed PCs are built by Acer and its division, Gateway. All five of the machines are loaded with the 64-bit edition of Windows 8 (and not ... (view more)

Windows Live Family Safety 16.4.3505 Keeping your kids safe online can be worrisome and complicated. Now, Windows Live Family Safety is available to help make it easier for you. Family Safety provides a website and a free program that you install on ... whatever computers your kids use. Once it's operating, this free software enables you to give your kids a measure of independence but still keep tabs on their computer-based activities. http://microsoft.com Windows Live Mesh 16.4.3505 With Windows Live Mesh and the Devices website, you can keep up-to-date copies of documents, photos, and other ... (view more)

Last week Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said he finds Windows 8 "very exciting" and suggested that packaging the new operating system (OS) with innovative hardware devices (like tablet computers) would greatly increase consumer interest. Now, ... another Microsoft co-founder has offered a different review of Windows 8. Paul Allen believes Windows 8 is "bold and innovative," but also finds some parts of the OS "puzzling." In a blog post written earlier this week, Allen wrote he believes Windows 8 is a "snappier and more responsive" operating system than its predecessors, and that its tile- ... (view more)

The official launch of the Windows 8 operating system (OS) is just a few weeks away. However, given early adoption numbers for the OS, Microsoft may be in for a major disappointment. According to industry research firm Net Applications, in September ... 2012 only 0.33 per cent of computers running Windows (or about one Windows computer in 300) were using Windows 8. Initially, this may not appear to be a significant statistic. After all, Windows 8 won't be released to the wider public until October 26. Windows 8 Early Adoption Rate Hardly Impressive However, it is currently available in Release to ... (view more)

Microsoft is hoping that consumers are excited enough about Windows 8 to turn their backs on Windows 7, which has received critical acclaim in the three years it has been on the market. That may be a tough act to follow. However, the company's ... founder thinks Windows 8's October 26, 2012 launch is a big deal. In a recent interview with The Associated Press (AP), Bill Gates said he considers Windows 8 "a very exciting new product" and "a very big deal for Microsoft." Gates "Very Pleased" with Windows 8 Gates also gave the new operating system (OS) his stamp of approval, telling AP ... (view more)

With Apple preparing to release an iPad Mini and Google capturing critical acclaim for its $199 Nexus 7 device, the current focus of prominent tablet makers appears to be on the lucrative sub-$500 segment of the market. However, popular hardware ... firm Lenovo is heading in a different direction. Its new ThinkPad Tablet 2, running Microsoft's upcoming operating system (OS), Windows 8, takes a significantly higher-priced approach. Lenovo is well-known for its durable, high-performance ThinkPad laptops marketed to business types. It plans to release its high-end ThinkPad Tablet 2 on October 26, ... (view more)

Microsoft has unveiled its new Sculpt Comfort Keyboard and Sculpt Mobile Keyboard, both of which feature unique ergonomically curved designs. Both keyboards also improve on previous models in several ways, and are designed specifically to be ... compatible with the software giant's new Windows 8 operating system (OS), due out in late October, 2012. Good News: "Pinky Reach" Prevented The Sculpt Comfort Keyboard is an improvement on Microsoft's old Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000. The company has added a number of Windows 8 hotkeys to the design, and has made the space bar wider and split ... (view more)

Note from Dennis: At the end of the review, we're offering 20% discount for Infopackets readers. I get asked all the time "Why is my PC slow?" The answer, of course, is usually complex and may depend on a number of factors. But, for the most part, ... the culprit is due to repeated installation and removal of software programs to a system over a period of time. For example: a once pristine PC (brand new, untouched) from the factory can perform flawlessly. The same PC after a few months of use will start to lag. And, after a year or two, that same PC will surely suffer major performance ... (view more)