windows

With Windows 7 on the verge of public release, Microsoft is already in the initial planning stages for its replacement: Windows 8. 128-Bit Architecture The rumor was acknowledged by Microsoft employee Robert Morgan, who confirmed that not only did ... his employer have a name for the "new" newest operating system, but that plans have begun for proposed features as well. Among those ideas being bounced around for Win8 is a platform which is set to support a 128-bit architecture. Morgan announced, via his LinkedIn profile that he has been part of several "research and development ... (view more)

The next wave of Patch Tuesday remedies will see a total of thirteen bug patches shipped out for immediate repairs. Among the thirteen, Microsoft ranked eight of the patches marked "critical." (Source: theregister.co.uk ) The purpose of the patches ... is to reduce the number of flaws in the coming weeks. However, the latest offering is set to mend 34 vulnerabilities, making this the largest number of security holes ever recorded by Microsoft, edging out the previous Patch Tuesday record of 31 fixes this past June. Microsoft Makes Public Aware The exact details for the planned fix have ... (view more)

It looks almost certain that Microsoft will be redesigning European editions of Windows 7 and its predecessors to offer users a clearer choice of which Internet browser they'd like to use. However, the changes won't be introduced until well past the ... October 22 launch of the new operating system (OS). The European Union will soon begin official testing of a menu system designed by Microsoft. The new menu is meant to answer criticisms that the Redmond-based firm has an unfair advantage by including Internet Explorer as the only browser shipped with Windows. If approved, it could mean the ... (view more)

Computer manufacturers have been accused of excessive shipping charges for a supposedly free Windows 7 upgrade scheme. The fees mean some buyers could wind up paying as much as $17.03 for shipping: far more than the actual costs of delivering the ... upgrade. According to the free Windows 7 deal, people who buy Vista machines before the Windows 7 release date of October 22nd, 2009 will be able to get a "free" copy of Windows 7 upon its release. The aim of the scheme was to minimize the drop in computer purchases over the summer among people who'd otherwise have waited for the new system rather ... (view more)

Microsoft is taking a two-pronged approach to making sure customers know which hardware and software is compatible with Windows 7. It's launching a database of compatible products as well as running a special labeling scheme. The campaign is mostly ... aimed at making up for the Vista debacle, where many applications and devices had compatibility problems when the OS first launched in early 2007, creating a bad impression that lasted even after many of those problems were fixed. The firm will be anxious to ensure customers do not view Windows 7 in the same manner. Windows 7 Compatibility Center ... (view more)

With the release of Windows 7 mere weeks away, Microsoft and House Party are helping their chosen hosts plan their launch parties with an instructional tutorial. Oddly enough, the video is getting plenty of attention -- but for all the wrong ... reasons. Unfortunately, the "celebration concept" comes off looking much tackier than anyone could have ever anticipated. Windows 7 Party Details The idea of throwing a party where the honored guest is an operating system did seem very peculiar from the start. People in 12 countries, including the U.S., India and Mexico were able to apply for the role of ... (view more)

Just in case you pay for Microsoft's upcoming operating system (OS) Windows 7 and don't like it, the Redmond-based company is making an optional 'Windows XP Mode' available for download the same day as the new OS' launch, October 22. Microsoft ... yesterday revealed that it had released Windows XP Mode to manufacturing, and that this would make it available for download when Windows 7 hits stores in three weeks. Why Bother with XP Mode? If there's one thing Microsoft appears to have learned from the Vista debacle, it's that people hate change -- especially when change means "upgrading" to an ... (view more)

Microsoft has released free security software for Windows. But the company has confirmed it will only work with legitimate copies of the operating system. The software, once codenamed Morro , is now known as "Security Essentials." It's a replacement ... for OneCare, a previous Microsoft security product that was not free. Effective, but Falls Short of Rivals Independent tests of the finished product suggest it's a useful tool, though falls short of the protection offered by commercial rivals. One company testing it found Security Essentials detected 98.4% of malware and 90.9% of spyware ... (view more)

With Microsoft's highly-anticipated Windows 7 less than a month away from its much-publicized release, it's not all that surprising that company CEO Steve Ballmer has begun to tout the new operating system as the "best... [they] have ever built." ... What is surprising, however, are the decisions by Ford Motor Company and Continental Airlines to make the leap to Win7 almost immediately. New Standard for Operating Systems In a note released to the media early yesterday, Microsoft CEO Ballmer bragged that "Windows 7 is the best PC operating system we have ever built." In naming the reasons why, ... (view more)

If you buy a standalone copy of Windows 7 or a PC shipped with the operating system (OS) by a big-name manufacturer, it's unlikely you'll get your hands on the highly-anticipated Microsoft OS before October 22nd, 2009. But firms selling custom-built ... PCs will now be able to ship Windows 7 machines from October 13th. Jon Bach, president of Puget Systems, recently revealed that Microsoft told him in writing he has permission to ship the machines nine days before the official release. Microsoft has noted the scheme does apply to all such "system builder" manufacturers, but says the advantage ... (view more)