Microsoft

Confused about which flavor of Windows Vista is right for you? What about all those upgrade options and Vista add-ons? Hopefully, this brief guide will help you wade through the confusion. Windows Vista: A Brief Introduction If you haven't already ... heard the buzz, Microsoft will release Windows Vista, it's newest (long awaited) operating system (OS) on January 30, 2007 to consumers. In a nutshell, Windows Vista boasts a polished graphics display, improved security features, and a slew of extras that make day-to-day life easier. Depending on which version you purchase, Windows Vista retails ... (view more)

With the anticipated launch of Vista's home version nearing, Microsoft is making a valiant effort to bring as many people into the fold as humanly possible. They're doing so via a limited time offer that will give consumers who purchase the ... operating system's "Ultimate Edition" the ability to install it on an extra PC. Such a notion was previously thought unlikely from Microsoft, who plan on demanding an additional $50 for each PC license afterwards. (Source: pro-networks.org ) Microsoft is launching the opportunity at what it calls "super-engaged customers", the type who may be involved in ... (view more)

There are no "must-have" features in Vista. It's a "high-risk strategy" to get it early. Installing the operating system within the next twelve months brings about a set of "technical, financial and organizational challenges." That harsh critique of ... Vista comes from an unlikely source: an agency of the UK government. The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) "strongly recommends" schools to stay away from Vista for at least a full year. "There is not a case for schools to deploy it unless it is mission-critical stable," Becta technical consultant Tom McMullan stated ... (view more)

According to VAR Business Magazine (VAR), Microsoft recently commissioned an independent research firm to determine the impact of their upcoming (January 30) general release of Vista on the computer industry. The answer? $72 Billion! That's the ... conservative US Dollar amount Microsoft Vista is going to cost the consumers when they upgrade their systems. However, the figure is likely to be much higher. VAR suggested that $18 in hardware, software, and services would be spent for every $1 Microsoft makes from Vista alone. Every PC component and system manufacturer wants their piece of the ' ... (view more)

Microsoft recently revealed details of the Vista Ultimate Extras add-on package. Although there has been talk about Ultimate Extras for months, Microsoft has remained relatively tight-lipped about the specifics. But on January 7th, at the Consumer ... Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Microsoft officials finally detailed the final lineup for the Ultimate Extras package. (Source: zdnet.com ) First up is a Vista enhanced version of the Texas Hold 'Em poker game. (Source: zdnet.com ) Also in the package are multi-user interface language (MUIL) packs. These packs allow users fluent in different ... (view more)

It wasn't so long ago that we reported on a Vista crack , which gave hackers access to the new operating system (OS) without ever paying a dime. Now, it appears that crack has been improved, and it means more headaches for Microsoft as the home ... release of Vista nears in only a month's time. The original crack surrounded setting up a Key Management Server, and then exposing a weakness in Microsoft supported Voice Activation 2.0. By doing this, hackers could gain free access to Vista for 180 days before the activation ran out. That's six months, and although not an eternity, it's certainly ... (view more)

Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced last Wednesday that the two companies will be joining in a $300 million, three year partnership. The aim of the "People-Ready Business" duo is to attract more large business customers. (Source: ... reuters.com ) With HP making the most personal computers and Microsoft holding the title of the world's largest software maker, the partnership offers mutual potential to each party. In a statement released last Wednesday, Microsoft called HP "the most comprehensive partner we have," a great accomplishment since the software giant has over 640,000 partners ... (view more)

That's gotta hurt! As if being portrayed as a rigid dork in Mac commercials isn't enough, Microsoft took another blow when an email sent in January 2004 was made public at an antitrust trial. The email, which was sent from Windows Development Chief ... James Allchin to CEO Steve Ballmer and co-founder Bill Gates, said "I would buy a Mac if I didn't work for Microsoft." Ouch! (Source: macnn.com ) Allchin published an entry on a Microsoft blog on Monday which stated that he only said he wanted a Mac "for effect." His intention was to convey the severity of Microsoft's problems and push for change. ... (view more)

Windows Vista certainly isn't cheap. By most accounts, those users who already own Windows XP will have to pay at least $200 to upgrade their systems to the new OS. That's one less big gift under the tree this Christmas, and reason enough to grumble ... as you approach the cashier with Vista in your hands. Sadly enough, that might not be your only expense. Now it appears as though Microsoft's new operating system will require a substantially powerful graphics card, which might mean yet another necessary update for users interested in the software. If you want to run Windows Vista at its peak ... (view more)

With the world going digital, new online products and services are constantly being introduced. Earlier this month, Microsoft expanded their online offerings by launching a beta version of "Live Search Books." With the consortium of blogs and ... message boards on the Internet, sometimes legitimate information is not so easy to find online. A Microsoft spokesperson said that Live Search Books is helping users sort through information by making trusted sources -- that is, published books -- available online: "Live Search Books is advancing the way people search online by digitizing and indexing ... (view more)