Microsoft definitely wants to take more Android and iPhone users to their side.
The last thing was a website that allows a user to experiment Windows Phone 7 interface using a browser.
This demonstration was developed using HTML and Javascript and although it’s not fully functional you can have a flavor of how Windows Phone 7 tastes.
Take a tour on Windows Phone interface here:
Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Interface Experience
Since Microsoft Windows Vista, adding and removing features from the system was clearly redesigned and got a lot of good things.
One of them it’s the ability to add or remove from command line in a simple way using the pkmgr command.
Because Windows 7 has a lot of features it’s important to have a list of everything you can use.
So, here’s a complete list of the features and how they can be used with the pkgmr command.
Example for install Telnet Client:
pkgmgr /iu:"TelnetClient"
And we’re just on the Developer Preview phase…
After Microsoft’s Build Conference 2011, one of the various things that everyone was talking about was the new Secure Boot to be implemented with Windows 8 + UEFI.
A lot of people, and I believe, because of obvious reasons started to talk about a Microsoft returning to the good old days where on the the main objectives was to ‘erase’ competitors from they’re way.
In a very basic explanation/definition, Secure Boot doesn’t allow anyone from erasing critical files from the boot screen.
It also defines a set of rules that the operating system must achieve before it’s accepted in the boot sequences.
In a very general way, this makes the operating system more secure because theoretically there’s no way for a virus or rootkit to active during boot (hosted by the MBR) deactivating antivirus and other security features before even the launch of the O.S. itself.
Well..that said…Peter Kleissner, an Austrian ‘enthusiast’, twitted that he found a way to avoid this security. He created a 14KB tool called Stoned Lite and he states that the tool doesn’t directly attack both Secure Boot or UEFI.
He also promised to show more of this tool at MalCon conference at the end of the month.
Time saving shortcuts for Windows
I must admit that I’m a little bit fan of everything that could help me increase my work speed so this kind of tips are great for me.
Also, knowing how to create shortcuts to access Windows features can help system administrators to access to some options that are not available through GUI for a standard user.
I would like to refer that this article was based on tips from the website TechRadar.com
So with no more delays, here they are:
Applets and Applications
shell:AddNewProgramsFolder
Open the Control Panel "Install a program from the network" applet
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Administrative Tools
Displays shortcuts to the applets in your Control Panel\Administrative Tools folder (if any)
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder
Open the Control Panel "Uninstall or change a program" applet
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Common Administrative Tools
Displays shortcuts to the Public applets in your Control Panel\Administrative Tools folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:ConnectionsFolder
Open the list of Network Connections
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:ControlPanelFolder
Displays Control Panel
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Default Gadgets
Open the default Sidebar Gadgets folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Gadgets
Open the user folder of downloaded Sidebar Gadgets
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Immersive Application Shortcuts
Displays shortcuts to the apps on your Metro screen (not regular shortcuts, but still interesting to explore)
Applies to: 8
shell:ProgramFiles
Open the Program Files folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:ProgramFilesX86
Displays 32-bit programs stored on 64-bit Windows, or the \Program Files folder on 32-bit Windows
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:ProgramFilesCommon
Open the Program Files\Common Files folder
Applies to: : : Vista, 7, 8
shell:ProgramFilesCommonX86
Open the Common Files for 32-bit programs stored on 64-bit Windows, or the Program Files\Common Files folder on 32-bit Windows
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:SearchHomeFolder
Open the Windows Search tool
Applies to: : : Vista, 7, 8
Internet Explorer
shell:Cache
Open the Temporary Internet Files folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Cookies
Open the Internet Explorer Cookies folder
Applies to: : : XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Favorites
Open the Internet Explorer Favorites folder
Applies to: : : XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:InternetFolder
Launches Internet Explorer
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
Multimedia
shell:My Music
Open the user Music folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:CommonMusic
Open the Public Music folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:SampleMusic
Open the Sample Music folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:My Pictures
Open the user Pictures folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:CommonPictures
Open the Public Pictures folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:SamplePictures
Open the Sample Pictures folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:SamplePlaylists
Open the Sample Playlists folder
Applies to: Vista
shell:Original Images
Open the folder containing the original versions of images tweaked by Windows Photo Gallery, if installed
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:PhotoAlbums
Open the user Pictures\Slide Shows folder (if present)
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Podcasts
Open the user Podcasts folder (if Zune is installed)
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:My Video
Open the user Videos folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:CommonVideo
Open the Public Video folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:SampleVideos
Open the Sample Videos folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
System Folders
shell:AppUpdatesFolder
Displays installed Windows Updates
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Common AppData
Open the Public Application Data folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Common Desktop
Open the Public Desktop
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Common Documents
Open the Public Documents folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:CommonDownloads
Open the Public Downloads folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Common Programs
Open the Public Start Menu Programs folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:CommonRingtones
Open the Public ringtones folder. This should contain some sample files - take a look.
Applies to: 7, 8
shell:Common Start Menu
Open the Public Start Menu folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Common Startup
Open the Public Startup folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Common Templates
Open the Public Templates folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Fonts
Open the Fonts folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Games
Open the Games folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:HomeGroupFolder
Open the HomeGroup folder
Applies to: 7, 8
shell:HomeGroupCurrentUserFolder
Open the HomeGroup folder for the currently logged-on user (will disappear immediately if you don't have a homegroup)
Applies to: 8
shell:MyComputerFolder
Open the Computer folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:OEM Links
Displays links provided by your PC manufacturer (if any)
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7
shell:NetworkPlacesFolder
Open the Network Places folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:PrintersFolder
Open the Printers folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Public
Open the Users\Public folder for quick access to public Music, Downloads, Pictures and more
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:PublicGameTasks
Open the Public Game Explorer folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:ResourceDir
Open the Windows Resources folder (themes are stored here)
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:RecycleBinFolder
Open the Recycle Bin
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:System
Open the Windows System folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Systemx86
Open the Windows System folder for 32-bit files on 64-bit Windows, or \Windows\System32 on 32-bit Windows
Applies to: Vista, 8
shell:UserProfiles
Open the folder holding all user profiles
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Windows
Open the Windows installation folder (usually \Windows)
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:AppData
Open the user Application Data folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:CD Burning
Open the folder where files are stored before being burned to disc
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Contacts
Open the user Windows Contacts folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:CredentialManager
Open the user Credentials folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Cryptokeys
Open the user encryption keys folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:CSCFolder
Open the Client Side Cache Offline Files folder, if supported
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7
shell:Desktop
Open the user desktop folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Downloads
Open the user downloads folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:DpAPIKeys
Opens the users AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:GameTasks
Open the user Game Explorer folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:History
Open the user History folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:ImplicitAppShortcuts
Open the hidden ImplicitAppShortcuts folder
Applies to: 7, 8
shell:Links
Open the user Links folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Local AppData
Open the user Application Data folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:NetHood
Open the user Network Places folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Personal
Open the user Documents folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Playlists
Open the user \Music\Playlists folder
Applies to: Vista, 7
shell:PrintHood
Open the user printer shortcuts folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Profile
Open the user profile folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Programs
Open the user Start Menu Programs folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Quick Launch
Open the Quick Launch folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Recent
Open the user's Recent Documents folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Ringtones
Display the user's Ringtones folder
Applies to: 7, 8
shell:SavedGames
Open the Saved Games folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:Searches
Open the saved searches folder
Applies to: Vista, 7, 8
shell:SendTo
Open the user Send To folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Start Menu
Open the user Start Menu folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:Startup
Open the user Startup folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7, 8
shell:SystemCertificates
Open the user certificates folder
Applies to: Vista, 7
shell:Templates
Open the user Templates folder
Applies to: XP, Vista, 7
shell:User Pinned
Access shortcuts pinned to the Start menu or Taskbar
Applies to: 7
shell:UserTiles
Displays your user tiles (the images you can use for your account)
Applies to: 8
shell:PublicUserTiles
Open the Public user tiles folder
Applies to: 8
shell:Roaming Tiles
Displays further user tiles
Applies to: 8
Portuguese software everywhere!
Landka it’s a Portuguese company dedicated to development of mobile applications for iPhone and iPad.
They’re getting very well know for a new application called ‘Back in Time’.
This application it’s like an interactive encyclopedia that shows the defining moments in the History of the human race, life and universe.
It’s getting a lot of attention of everyone (it was frontpage of iPad Appstore) because of it’s great quality. No only the quality of it information but also because of it’s original and excellent interface.
To know more about Landka:
Landka Homepage
The ‘worldwide war’ continues…
Ok, this is just getting ridiculous…
The USA patents regulator has accepted the registration of the patent 8,046,721 from Apple which stands for the ‘unlock gesture’.
This patent text description it’s ambiguous enough to get some of the other major smartphone and tablets manufacturer scared.
”A method of unlocking a hand-held electronic device, the device including a touch-sensitive display, the method comprising: detecting a contact with the touch-sensitive display at a first predefined location corresponding to an unlock image; continuously moving the unlock image on the touch-sensitive display in accordance with movement of the contact while continuous contact with the touch screen is maintained, wherein the unlock image is a graphical, interactive user-interface object with which a user interacts in order to unlock the device; and unlocking the hand-held electronic device if the moving the unlock image on the touch-sensitive display results in movement of the unlock image from the first predefined location to a predefined unlock region on the touch-sensitive display.”
So…reading the text I just fill like every actual system today that doesn’t use pins or passwords to unlock are just at risk of getting some court letter to explain themselves.
I truly believe that this patents war it’s going really to far and in my point of view, it’s not Apples, Samsung, Google, Microsoft, etc. fault.
The true guilty are the ones that accept this kind of patent registration…
Windows 8 on certified Windows XP machines?
With a lot of information spread over the internet about Windows 8, one of the big things that was obviously also hyped by Microsoft it’s the performance gains.
After a lot of videos and sessions on Microsoft Build 2011 Event showing the fast boot, the way the new OS manages memory and other hardware resources, Marcin Pav, known for some achievements like running Windows 95 on an N95 mobile phone, has released a video showing Windows 8 running on 128MB of RAM.
This is another proof, showing that Microsoft it’s not kidding or joking when states that they want that Windows 8 to be fairly running on pre Windows 7 machines!
There also reports of Softpedia website stating that it made Windows 8 run on 64MB of RAM but of course, it was far from being usable.
Another proof of a visionary man.
After Steve Jobs death in the past month, a lot of speculation around who really was Steve Jobs hit the Internet in al it’s glory.
The most intense discussions were about what Steve Jobs was indeed. A real visionary that could understand and shape the future of technologies the way he saw things or simply an excellent “implementer “ of other peoples ideas with a of money to use?
Although I’m not a particular Apple fan, proofs of the fantastic visionary and a person that just, somehow understood where technology should evolve and the most important, what people wanted for technology even before people knew!
This video from 1997(!) shows just how remarkable was Steve Jobs. He talks about a thing that in that time was just unknown to a common user and it’s nowadays, 2011(!) known as iCloud.
This just makes me think about what visions of the future he still left for Apple to design!
Simple ideas, great features!
Google it’s a company that it’s known for creating nice web applications that just make users life easy.
Things like Google Earth, Google Translate, GMail and a lot more makes Google one innovative company always looking for something that users need.
A new feature available on Google search engine itself, just shows how they are really looking forward to make users more and more happy with searching.
MyIP it’s a new feature that allows users to know they’re public IP Address right on they’re browser.
Like the image above, on Google main page, you just need to query for ‘my ip’ or ‘what is my ip’ and the first line on your search result will be your public ip address.
So, just a simple idea make obviously life easier to everyone.
And now for something completely better!
After a rage against governments and big enterprises in the world, it seems the hacking group known as ‘Anonymous’ are putting their knowledge and technical skills for the good of all world population.
They’ve started and operation codenamed ‘Operation Darknet’.
The objectives are clear and simple. Destroy/dismantle all the possible webservers hosting child pornography.
the first ‘victim’ was Freedom Hosting where ‘Anonymous’ stated to dismantle more then 40 websites that hosted child pornography.
In my opinion, Anonymous group is know really using their knowledge and resources in something that really worst and will get a lot of support in the world to eradicate this kind of web content.
On they’re YouTube channel, Anonymous promises to get rid of more of this sites on a near future.
The wearable multitouch!
Well, definitely the year of 2010 and 2011 will be marked up in history for the time where touch/gestures interface got prime time everywhere.
Microsoft, Apple and Google, are obviously the big companies on the spotlight to show new interaction technologies.
Also it’s important to remember that Microsoft has already showed in the year 2007 that interfaces were on of it’s big research projects with Microsoft’s Surface.
Then in the next years we have assisted to the “miniaturization” of the technology, some good advances with better, resistant displays and some good approaches where touch and sensors were very well interconnected.
Showing that touch interfaces are still a very important subject to Microsoft, they’ve showed a new thing in a partnership with the Carnegie Mellon University.
It’s called OmniTouch and promises to deliver reach interfaces everywhere. From the palm of an hand to the wall in your home.
It’s really a step further to have wearable interfaces, everywhere, anytime.
Take a look to the video:
For more information about OmniTouch visit Chris Harrison website:
Chris Harrison – OmniTouch
Like the movies…
Like in the 1995 movie “Hackers”, in a time where the hacking scene was on an hype, it was released this month by the Hungarian police, a video showing the detention of various members of an hackers/movie pirates group called CINEDUB.
No hype for this one!
It was released today through Windows Update, Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3.
With now major features added this update includes:
Like usual, Service Pack 3 for Microsoft Office 2007 is cumulative, so you don’t have to install Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2 in order to install this one and everything deployed with SP1 and SP2 are also in SP3.
Here are the links:
Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3 – Download
Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3 - KB Information
When freedom is confused with fundamentalism…
Like usual, I’m getting back to old news I haven’t read…
Usually I don’t post nothing about it, unless I get really interested or, like in this case, I get “stunned”.
At 6th October 2011 in a very unpleasant comment after Steve Jobs death, Richard Stallman stated that:
”Nobody deserves to have to die (…). But we all deserve the end of Jobs' malign influence (…)”
Well, I had to read this twice because really couldn’t believe that the, so called open source guru, wrote something like this.
For you to get the all picture here’s the complete text from the official Stallman website:
"Steve Jobs, the pioneer of the computer as a jail made cool, designed to sever fools from their freedom, has died.
As Chicago Mayor Harold Washington said of the corrupt former Mayor Daley, "I'm not glad he's dead, but I'm glad he's gone."
Nobody deserves to have to die - not Jobs, not Mr. Bill, not even people guilty of bigger evils than theirs. But we all deserve the end of Jobs' malign influence on people's computing.
Unfortunately, that influence continues despite his absence. We can only hope his successors, as they attempt to carry on his legacy, will be less effective."
Many years will pass and I sincerely believe I will never understand Stallman and open source “fanatics”.
If what they defend it’s free choice, why to attack examples like Steve Jobs?
People could buy any tablet with Android, rootkit it and do what they want. But…and here’s the bull's-eye word…they’ve choose an Apple iPad or an iPhone, etc.
Who knows me personally knows that I’m not the biggest fun of Apple products but I don’t need to attack Apple, just need to choose other solution.
When people like Stallman criticizes a person for malign influence, well…what’s worst?
To give, consumers the opportunity to choose to buy an Apple product or who criticizes who sell it?
The hype for new Nokia with Windows inside!
After last week unofficial leaked images of Nokia N800 surfaced the Internet, and some people found out a teaser trailer about it.
Nokia N800, previously know as Sea Ray, it’s one of the newest and first Nokia line-up Windows Phone machines and it’s very similar to Nokia N9.
The past/future technology it’s coming soon and strong!
Well, UEFI or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface has been here for quite some time.
It was called the new future of BIOS or Basic Input/Output System, by the way, and few people gave it a lot of importance besides the good looking boot experience we could have.
After 13th September (well, a few day before on Channel9) everyone started to talk a little bit more about UEFI.
The 8 seconds boot performed by a machine with an SSD, UEFI and Windows 8, turned everything more interesting.
With UEFI, the boot experience is fast, safe and beautiful, leading to higher customer satisfaction. This is in fact true, for the sake of all studies that indicated that a normal user, usually believes that he has a good or a “bad” machine, based on the boot time.
At Microsoft’s Build Conference 2011, there was a session just to show the virtues of UEFI and Windows 8.
Take a look:
Microsoft Build 2011 - Delivering a secure and fast boot experience with UEFI
Coming soon near you!
USB 3.0 it’s around us for a while but after seeing Microsoft’s Build demos, It’s kind of obvious that the actual RTM versions of Windows don’t take all the smoke out of the technology.
There’s just an hype about this that Microsoft dedicated a session to explain how Windows 8 takes advantage of this.
It’s quite impressive to see all the demos where USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 get tested side-by-side and we see that the performance gains are just incredible.
Also, I think it’s important to be advice that the speed we see on the demos are greatly enhanced by the SSD used on them.
To view the Microsoft’s Build Conference Video:
Microsoft Build 2011 - Understanding USB 3.0 in Windows 8
Real good news!
.: Improved graphics remoting
.: Metro Style user interface
.: Support for new range of networks (WAN; Mobile Devices; etc.)
A lot of good news for everyone like me that relies a lot on Remote Desktop access.
This new version that will be shipped with Windows 8 shows that Microsoft’s Remote Desktop team group it’s listening to what users need and want.
RemoteFX
What before was a piece of technology it’s now the name that Microsoft calls for the full fidelity remote experience in Windows Server 8
From the presentation, Microsoft seems to be really compromised with RemoteFX, that now works in WANs and it’s more adaptive to network conditions.
Also USB Redirection get a new boost with the new RemoteFX technology.
But…the great news about the new Remote Desktop it’s that now it can be used with a physical GPU or a virtual/software GPU! Remember that this was a biiig problem for a lot of people with older servers.
Metro Style Remote Desktop App
The primary objective of this app was to create a nice way to remote desktop using the touch UI, so this app it’s what you’ll probably use on your tablet if you need to connect to a remote machine.
This app it’s all touch friendly, also allows you to use the multi-touch interface remotely independently of the destination machine.
To view the Microsoft’s Build Conference Video:
Microsoft Build 2011 - Remote desktop experience in Windows 8
Windows 8 on an Apple
Thanks to Parallels Desktop 7 software, it’s now possible to run Windows 8 on an Apple MAC computer without rebooting.
This is still an experimental functionality but makes possible to MAC users to see how Windows 8 could run on their machines.
Parallels Desktop 7 costs 80 dollars and users can have a trial period of 14 days.
To know more about Parallels Desktop:
Parallels
A huge percentage of users assess their machine performance by the time they take to boot.
Here’s a nice tool that was presented in Build Conference 2011.
The idea here it’s, specially for OEMs, to get their machine image as fast as they can.
This presentation takes a closer look to the new Hybrid Boot applied on the new Windows 8.
Microsoft Build 2011 - Introduction to Boot Performance Assessment
Substituting xperf and xboot
The Windows Performance Recorder it’s just a new tool to use instead of xperf and xboot.
WPR makes it possible to capture and analyze different aspects of a system and in different scenarios. Also makes it very easy because can be used using a GUI.
Take a look at this small video:
Microsoft Build 2011 - Windows Performance Recorder
Best of the best.
After last month’s most important conference yet to Microsoft this year, and because I couldn’t go to BuildWindows conference, I’ve download some of the video sessions that happened there.
I the next couple of days I’ll be posting some of them and the most relevant in my opinion.
So stay tunned for my Build Conference Best Of.
A friend for all times.
CNet website released an interview with Steve Wozniak about his very good friend Steve Wozniak.
http://cnettv.cnet.com/steve-wozniak-remembers-steve-jobs/9742-1_53-50112727.html
So long…incredible visionary!
It’s with a great sadness that I’ve just turned my TV on to see a truly notice that I was not expected.
Despite the long illness, Steve Jobs was one of the persons that I just couldn’t away from this world.
Even yesterday I’ve posted an article about him and Bill Gates, for me some of the most important persons of the last century.
I can’t stop thinking that he died just 1 day after the first Apple event where he wasn’t the great host.
Former Apple’s CEO and founder and he’s 21, the great tech visionary that oversaw the launch of Macintosh, iPhone, iPad, founded also Pixar, has fought cancer for years.
For his family and friends I just want to give my sincere condolences.
Ahead on it’s time?
Although Apple made the real hype, I believe we need to give credits to someone that on November 7, 2002 in New York City showed of a new way to interact with very based Windows XP O.S.
Using a pen/stylus for input instead of a traditional keyboard and mouse was shakeup to the market at that time.
Also at that time, the man which this article is about made a statement: “This is big. Don’t doubt me!”.
Well…at this time we can surely say that he was right, but the implementation was really wrong.
With an operating system or an UI that clearly wasn’t adequate to input with a pen, the hardware high prices and a lot of other factors made Windows Tablet PC only a market niche worldwide but with Microsoft still believing on other forms to interact with technology. Microsoft Surface it’s one good example, and obviously later with Microsoft Kinect.
With the introduction of Windows 7, a new breathe seemed to be on the horizon with hardware vendors, like HP, creating products designed specially for Windows 7 using touch input.
Again, an user interface that didn’t suit users made everything stand still.
But…Bill Gates was right, definitely looking back, he was completely right!
Then…another Technological Midas made it’s point, showed that Apple was looking to market with eyes wide open and took the crown.
Although Apple’s offers a lot more, if we look to what most users talk about iPad, it’s about the fantastic UI. Here’s where Microsoft failed (also the technology advanced), the user interface that Apple picked up just great and made tablets/slates market, one of the largest in the technology world.
Nowadays Microsoft seams that it learned it’s lesson, reinvented itself and next year Windows 8 will show up everywhere looking to show that there is nothing wrong with admitting their mistakes.
With a real UI designed essentially to tablets, an O.S. that now runs on ARM processors, an huge market share, a very well acceptance of Windows 7 and of course, the big Microsoft’s marketing machine, makes predictable that Windows 8 could have a very nice future.
At the end…not wanting to get credits off Steve ‘God’ Jobs, I believe that Apple really done a fantastic job with a a very nice idea (in a big part a Bill ‘God’ Gates idea) from Microsoft and created a brand new way to interact with the world and made the market grow again.
Let’s see if Microsoft still gets the chance to prove that it still has a word to say on it.
Last words for Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Two personalities that collided for a long time but along the years had defined a lot in the world has we know it.
Although they’re both away from Microsoft and Apple, their legacy is undoubtedly priceless and their vision of the future will still be with us for a long long time.
An expected announcement.
Well, rather then a notice, this is more a confirmation.
On an official announcement reproduced by CNET website Microsoft informs that it will maintain all Zune services and all warranties will be preserved for already bought and future buys, because sells will continue until the end of stock.
With this announcement Microsoft seems to maintain the idea to keep Zune has a multimedia service sub-brand to be used on Windows Phone 7, Xbox 360 and probably….Windows 8.
Just a curiosity.
Although there is no need to use a product key on Windows 8 Developer Preview, like it happens on Windows 7 setup, the product key for the operating system it’s not asked during install but you can always add it at any time.
Some users noticed that when the reinstall (or reset) their Windows 8 Developer Preview, they got asked about the Product Key, and although there’s a ‘skip’ button, some people were curious about this.
So curious that Microsoft decided to unveil this on their own forums, just to satisfy the community.
So here they are:
Windows 8 Server Developer Preview – 4Y8N3-H7MMW-C76VJ-YD3XV-MBDKV
Windows 8 Developer Preview – 6RH4V-HNTWC-JQKG8-RFR3R-36498
Like noticed by Microsoft itself, this product key only work on Windows 8 Developer Preview versions.
Everyone more efficient!
At the present time, I believe there are 2 kinds of users, in terms of keyboard usage.
We have the 1st group of people that primarily uses the mouse the most of the task and uses the keyboard simply to write…And we have the 2nd group of people that uses a lot of mouse but has a natural need to do their work more quickly, to get the things done in a blink of the eyes.
Well…with Windows 8 and using the new Metro UI I believe that will be more and more people getting to the 2nd group.
Although or maybe…because, this interface breathes slates and smartphones, it’s nature makes the use on PCs more likely to use keyboard shortcuts to get things faster.
So, thinking on this, here’s a nice table with a lot of shortcuts to use, some old and some new:
Global Windows 8 Shortcuts
| WIN + Q | Opens search |
| WIN + Z | Applications options |
| WIN + Spacebar | Changes language / keyboard layout |
| WIN + Y | Shows desktop |
| WIN + W | Search system parameters |
| WIN + F | Search files |
| WIN + I | Opens settings |
| WIN + K | Opens connection settings |
| WIN + O | Disables display rotation |
| WIN + C | Opens start menu |
| WIN + V | Switch between notifications |
| WIN + Shift + V | Switch between notifications (inverse) |
| WIN + Enter | Activates narrator |
| WIN + PageUp | Moves tiles left |
| WIN + PageDown | Moves tiles right |
| WIN + Shift | Moves display separator left |
| WIN + . | Moves display separator right |
Windows Explorer Shortcuts
| A | To open the “special features” |
| C e O | copy selected file(s) |
| C e P | Copy the system path to a file or selected folder |
| C e F | Copy a folder |
| D | Delete selected folder(s) or file(s) |
| E | Edit selected file(s) |
| H | Show file version history |
| M | Move file(s) |
| N | New folder |
| P and S | Insert tag |
| P and R | Show file properties |
| P and E | Open with… |
| S and A | Select all |
| S and N | Deselect |
| S and I | Invert selection |
| R | Rename select file(s) |
| T | Cut |
| V | Paste |
| W | Create new document from available templates |
For geeks, puritans and nostalgic
Well, we just need to face it.
The “good” old Windows UI it’s gone. For a lot of aspects but this in particular I need to bowing to Microsoft.
Cutting way one interface that was the essence of and operating system (it’s called Windows for the good sake!) it’s something that very very few enterprises can do in the world.
Just a company with a lot of resources, intellectual and financial, can risk something like this in times that a mistake can make billions on damage.
That said, if you just don’t like it, you’re a 120% geek, puritan or nostalgic, the good news is that Microsoft also thinks in you and not just the new ‘slates guys’.
If you really really want to get you good' ‘n old look and feel of Windows 7 please, follow this steps:
1. Open registry editor (Start –> Run –> regedit.exe –> OK)
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
3. Now create a DWORD called RPEnabled and set it’s value to 0
4. Close everything, restart your machine and voilá a Windows 8 with a Windows 7 UI
If you change your mind and want to give Metro UI a new chance, follow the previous steps again and change the RPEnabled value to 1.
It seems 8 it’s really the magic number
While there is not an official announcement that Windows 8 will really be called Windows 8 when it hits the RTM version (but everyone suspect it will…) it seems that the number 8 will be intrinsically related to the new Microsoft operating system.
A lot of users evaluate their machine performance by the quickness to boot up so, after some studies Microsoft concluded that 57% of PC/Desktop users and 45% of notebook users, normally turn their equipment completely off instead of take them into an hibernation state.
The most frequently reason to do this, it’s because users want 0% power loss when their note using their machine.
With this in mind, Microsoft decided to take a little work on Windows 8 boot time and really made an amazing job. The final magic number it’s 8 seconds which is really impressive.
It’s important that we should take in consideration some factors like the used technology (UEFI; SSD; etc) but after testing 20 PC’s it’s proved that Windows 8 really improves boot time if you compare it with Windows 7 on the same machine.
There’s also a video showing of this fast boot experience:
To know more about what’s Microsoft doing with boot time, visit this website:
Building Windows 8 – Delivering Fast Boot Times in Windows 8
The battle should now become more notorious
Now that Microsoft starts to show off it’s more recent operating system, and because it should be cross-platform, which means it will run on PCs, slates/tables, phones, etc. and also, one of the biggest news, on ARM architectures.
So…it was time to see Windows 8 and iOS side-by-side.
The WinRumors website tested both, of course not their performance but to a functionality level.
Take a look:
The first step for freedom…
It was launched last week the last “must have” service from Google.
Google Wallet it’s service based on Near Field Communication (NFC) that allows users to make theirs payments using their smartphone.
If the store its equipped with this technology the person just need to pass it’s smartphone near a dispositive and a PIN number will be asked to allow the charge and pay the bill.
For now, and as expected, this service it’s only available for who has bought a Sprint Nexus S 4G smartphone, and from them just a very reduced number of users were selected to use the service.
Also, for now it’s only available for Citi MasterCard owners.
There are obviously a tremendous number of security issues and problems that Google must, and I believe will, be very observant.
This technology should be rolled out in a very slow way but can be a very very nice to have in a very near future although there are not yet any kind of dates for expanding.
First Windows Phone major update takeoff
This update has more then 500 new functionalities and was yesterday officially launched.
According to Gizmodo website, Microsoft has not yet reveled the first smartphones to receive the new release but it will keep their owners up-to-date through a website that will tell them how it’s their update.
When their model appears on the website Windows Phone users just need to connect the smartphone and sync with Zune software and follow the installation wizard.
More news should be available soon.
Bugs detectors created by Portuguese university
Portuguese investigators from a Portuguese university (Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologias da Universidade de Coimbra (FCTUC)) have created a new software that detects bugs and security holes on the various phases of a software development.
The software, called Code V, was already tested on 40 of the most popular open source applications.
Dognaedis (the start-up created) states that already detected up to 28 bugs on that applications and will make them public when a fix for that bugs get created.
A public demo should be available soon.
Take a look on the start-up website:
DOGNAEDIS
When MSI installations make you angry!
The above image was to me one of the most frustrating messages when creating unattended/silent installations.
”Encapsulating” an installation on an InstallShield unique file (ex.:Samsung New PC Studio 1.5) should be “a crime”. It can sometimes give so much headaches the we just want to get ride of the software or do something radical like that installations where you take snapshots…
Well, after a lot of work, usually there are 2 or 3 ways to get to the full installation unpacked, and for the sake of this article, finally get to our MSI file.
So, the most common ways are cleaning the %temp% directory, run the setup file and get the unpacked files form the %temp% folder. Some lucky times the setup file itself has an extract option.
After all the hard work, and when you think you just need to get your MSI files and launch the installation using the common msiexec switches (ex.: /passive) you get stopped by the above image…saying the you cannot run the *.msi file directly and you need to install from the setup.exe file.
I can’t tell you how much frustrating that is.
So, because I don’t what you to have a nervous attack here are the 2 ways that I think covers over 95% of the times to get the job done.
#1 – Use with a transforms (*.mst) file
I’ve found out the a lot of times we just need to launch the MSI with a transforms file (ex.: yoursoftware.msi TRANSFORMS=yoursoftware.mst) and you get your goal.
#2 – ISSETUPDRIVEN
This one was reeeeally helpful.
Launch you msi like this: yoursoftware.msi ISSETUPDRIVEN=1 and the message disappears. Obviously your msi file need to support that property but it usually does.
Well, I hope this helps a lot of people that like me sometimes gets stucked with this kind of “traps”!
Please come in…
After a couple of months in “invite-only mode”, Google decided to open the doors of it’s social network to everyone.
I admit that because of the historical services launching policy from Google, that G+ would be lot more time in beta, but it seems that they are pretty confortable with what they have right now. That, and obviously, they need to try to catch they’re rival Facebook as soon as possible.
Also, it seems that there’s a possibility that Hangouts functionality will be available on Android smartphones really really soon and in a near future also for Apple’s iOS (iPhones and iPads).
So, if you didn’t received an invite earlier while in beta version and want to try the final version, take a look: Google+
A new never ending story…
It seems that 2011 will definitely be marked in the technology history has the year of the patents fight.
Apple vs. Samsung; Apple vs. HTC; Everyone vs. Google and Google vs. Everyone.
In it’s strategy to defend it’s smartphone/table operating system at all cost, Google continues to buy intellectual property from everyone interested in selling it.
This time the seller was IBM. The “Big Blue” sold 1.023 patents to Google. This patents goes from methods to fill integrated circuits holes to file management systems.´
The Engadget website notices that Google will provide the use of the new acquired patents to its various partners so they can be protected against new lawsuits.
It’s alive….!
Since yesterday…ready, live, hyped enough!
Microsoft launched a site to download the Microsoft Windows 8 Developer Preview, a pre-beta version of Windows 8 for developers.
Like Microsoft stated, this version ships with prerelease software that may change without notice.
There’s to types of download both with x86 and x64 versions, one it’s a “vanilla” install and other called developers tool which includes:
.: 64-bit Windows Developer Preview
.: Windows SDK for Metro Style Apps
.: Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Express for Windows Developer Preview
.: Microsoft Expression Blend 5 Developer Preview
.: 28 Metro style apps including the BUILD conference app
The system requirements at least for this build, but probably the final ones…are, like Microsoft said, the “same” that were for Windows 7:
. :1GHz or faster x86 or x64 processor
.: 1GB RAM (x86) or 2GB RAM (x64)
.: 16GB available hard disk space (x86) or 20GB (x64)
.: DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
.: Taking advantage of touch input requires a screen that supports multi-touch
It’s expected that the downloads run slower for the next days but…give it a try:
Microsoft Windows 8 Developer Preview Download
Bigger,Colorful, Better
Yes, the image seen above it’s the new and redesigned Windows Task Manager that will ship on the also new and redesign Windows 8.
With Microsoft stating that 35% of Windows users normally use task manager on a weekly basis, the Advanced Windows Task Manager it’s a nice addition to the new or redesign features of the next Redmond’s operating system.
This new Task Manager comes with some additional tabs, new options and a new UI.
The processes tab will include the Windows 8’s tablet applications, but, if the user is using the Windows 8 desktop experience and not the “tablet experience”, which includes the Metro Style appearance, this tablet applications will be “frozen” on their current state, using very very little resources.
The performance tab also has a new look, with no more green and black graphics of memory and CPU usage.
There’s now individual colorful graphics for CPU, memory, disk usage, Bluetooth, WWAN and wireless devices usage.
For tablet/slates users there’s also a new feature on Task Manager that’s called App History. This tab consists on a detailed history of used applications, amount of time it has run and, for example, how much bandwidth the app has used.
And for everyone that thinks this is just to much more information in Task Manager that you’ll ever need, Microsoft also thought on that guy and available a “compact version”.
All eyes on California!
Today (and for the next 2 or 3 days) the technological world were almost all looking right to what was happening at Anaheim, California.
Finally Microsoft’s most waited event of this year, BUILD Conference, has started and the much anticipated first look to a almost finished and more stable Windows 8 version was showed off.
First things first, just to remind what we already know about this new OS.
.: Compatibility with ARM processors
.: A completely redesigned interface inspired on Metro (err..optional by the way…)
.: The same core to be used on PCs, tablets/slates, smartphones, etc.
.: Windows Store (the Microsoft App Store)
.: More “cloud integrated” services
.: More languages supported
.: Internet Explorer 10
So…what was told on the conference?
One expected but now official insurance from Steven Sinofsky: Every computer that today runs Windows 7 will also run Windows 8.
Internet Explorer 10:
Also news about Internet Explorer 10 that was designed for total support to a full touch-driven browsing, maintains the “in-private” browsing and the hardware acceleration.
Windows Live/Cloud:
The new Windows 8 will have a better integration with Microsoft cloud services like being able to more easily access to SkyDrive functionalities or the unification of contacts and calendars.
ARM:
Microsoft really wants to get access to the enormous market of ARM processors, so like told before this is one of the major flagship of the new OS. Maybe one important note was that Windows 8 running on ARM will only allow application that run with Metro interface.
Slates/Tablets/Whatever:
All Windows 8 approved equipment’s must have only one button on the front and the button will be used only to get to the home screen.
Windows Store:
It will be Microsoft’s App Store and the big emphasis here, it’s to create application thinking on Metro interface.
Another information about Windows Store makes reference that it will not be available to all countries at the same time. So, when you buy your Windows 8 copy you may not have immediate access to Windows Store.
Other Stuff:
Reboot and Refresh are a new concept. The reboot it’s almost has the actual reboot but it works…faster. The reset it’s like a refresh to the system (maybe a big “taskkill” ) the resolves almost every problem happening at that moment.
The Keynote!
To view the keynote, just follow the link to the official website:
Build Windows Conference - Keynote
Well there’s for sure a lot to come and I’ll be posting information so…stay tuned!
