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Filed under: OS Updates

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft, Ask DLS, Beta

Ask DLS: Vista SP2 Beta released: Does the public care?

While most people probably don't care what Microsoft does to patch or improve Windows Vista any more, Service Pack 2 is now available to Technet and MSDN subscribers and is slated for public release on December 4th.

Could SP2 actually take care of some of the irritations that have plagued other Vista users? Perhaps more importantly, does anyone really care? Vista has been taking such a beating in the media that it seems as though no one will. Prevailing sentiment seems to be that Vista should be ignored and left to die while development on Windows 7 continues.

While enhancements like Windows Search 4.0, native Blu-Ray media burning, improved wireless, and Bluetooth 2.1 support are great, I've yet to see any perception-altering features mentioned.

Personally, I've never hated Vista, and I've been able to work through or disable any of the annoyances I've encoutered (like UAC). I recently installed Ultimate x64 and I've been enjoying quite a bit. Photoshop CS4 runs like a dream, and Eset recently released a beta of my favorite internet security suite.

My Vista install is running just fine right now, but if SP2 can tweak my system's performance or squeeze a few more minutes of battery life out of my laptop, then I'm all for it.

What are your thoughts? Do you think Vista SP2 will do anything to really improve the OS, or does it stink of a last-ditch effort to "salvage" the experiment?

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux, Web services, web 2.0

gOS Cloud - From zero to web browser in just a few seconds

gOS
gOS is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu that's designed to make it easy to interface with web-based applications like Gmail, YouTube, and Meebo. It uses the slightly OS X-like Enlightenment desktop environment, and the developers have been pushing it as a good operating system for low powered netbooks, thanks to its integration with web applications.

The latest version of gOS goes a few steps further, by emphasizing the web browser above all else. gOS Cloud is a stripped down Linux distro that can load in just a few seconds. And instead of loading a typical desktop, the first window it opens is a web browser (which looks suspiciously like Google Chrome in the press shots).

You also get a dock-style program launcher for starting desktop applications. And the operating system is designed for dual boot systems that also run Windows XP. Good OS, the company behind the Linux distro are working with netbook makers Gigabyte to build an ultraportable laptop that will come preloaded with gOS Cloud and Windows XP in early 2009.

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft, Lists

3 alternative ways to get Windows updates

Not everyone wants to let Windows handle downloading and installing updates. If you prefer the DIY approach, here are three ways to keep your system up to date without Windows helping out.

1. Windiz Updates provides an experience that's as similar to the original as its name. The twist is that this service won't work in Internet Explorer - you'll need Firefox and the Windiz addon. It doesn't collect any personal information, and IE doesn't even need to be installed on your system to use it.

It's an intelligent system and won't download old updates that have been superceded by newer ones. Windiz also won't install updates that have potential security issues. New updates with It can even provide updates for Microsoft's golden oldies like 95 and NT.

Read more →

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux, Canonical

Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope Alpha is now available

Jaunty Jackalope Alpha
Ubuntu 8.10 Inteprid Ibex is still warm, but the folks at Canonical are already hard at work on the next generation of the popular Linux distribution. The first Alpha version of Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope was released today.

As a first Alpha, this release is not recommended for users in search of a stable desktop environment. And there's really not much benefit to downloading it unless you plan to help test and develop Ubuntu 9.04. For the most part Jaunty Jackalope looks a lot like Ubuntu 8.10. The desktop theme and other graphics haven't been altered at all, and for the most part, the operating system comes with the same set of applications as Intrepid Ibex.

So what's different? The developers have been busy re-merging of changes from Debian, the Linux distribution that Ubuntu is based on. Canonical is also working on porting the operating system to run on machines with ARM processors which could lead to Ubuntu showing up on more Mobile Internet Devices and netbooks next year.

There's currently no LiveCD version of Jaunty Jackalope, so if you do decide to download the Alpha, you'll have to grab the alternate or server installation CDs. The full version of Ubuntu 9.04 is scheduled for release on April 23, 2009.

Filed under: OS Updates, Apple, iPhone

iPhone 2.2 firmware is out, with Street View and podcasts

iPhone and iPod Touch users can upgrade their software to version 2.2 today. The update, which weighs in at around 250 megs, adds some highly-anticipated features. The two biggest for me are Street View in the Maps app and the ability to download podcasts from the iTunes Store. There are some smaller tweaks that you might appreciate, as well: that bug that sometimes kept messages from downloading in Mail is fixed, and you can click the home button when you're on any page of the home screen to go back to the first page.

Street View on the iPhone is every bit as cool as it sounds. It looks good in landscape and is really smooth to control. I suspect it won't be long before we start seeing photos of people holding up iPhone street view pictures of the place they're standing. Less flashy, but just as useful, walking and transit directions are available in maps now, as well. If you're an iPod Touch user, you're unfortunately out of luck on Street View for now, so far it's iPhone only.

Downloading podcasts was at the top of my wishlist for the iPhone (although I know a lot of you have lists of your own). It's always frustrating to finish an episode of a good podcast while you're out walking or on a train, and then wait until you get home to hear the next one. Not a problem anymore, thanks to the latest iPhone update. All in all, 2.2 offers some excellent new features. The only thing I have to complain about is the new Safari layout, which feels cramped with the address bar and the search bar smooshed in next to one another.

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft, Beta

5 very basic things Windows 7 still isn't any good at


While I'm generally pleased with Windows 7 so far, I've found myself shaking my head every now and then. In some instances it's obvious that Microsoft has been paying attention. Other times, not so much.

I've noticed five issues so far that, though minor, leave me wondering if Microsoft is going to be able to pull off a really great OS by its projected mid-2009 release.

.ZIP Files
Windows 7 still takes forever to extract files from a zip archive, which leaves me dumbfounded. An 18.4mb zip containing only two files took me almost 23 seconds to extract using the right-click context menu's extract all option. Using 7zip's context menu extraction, the same operation took less than three seconds.

Zip files have been supported natively since Windows XP. Seven years later, there's still no improvement. Third party applications are so much better at handling .zip files it makes me wonder why Microsoft bothered adding support in the first place.

Read more →

Filed under: OS Updates, Features, Windows, Microsoft, Beta, Lists

10 genuinely kick-ass features to get excited about in Windows 7

After reading yet another rundown of what's so great about Windows 7, I noticed an annoying trend. Things like "no sidebar!" and "wallpaper slideshows!" appear to be among the most noteworthy achievements to some reviewers. I decided our loyal DS readers deserved to read a list of features that really do kick ass.

Enough mucking about: here are ten Windows 7 features that are genuinely worth getting excited about.

10. Easier and better wireless networking. Windows 7 takes a little from XP and a little from Vista, and rolls it all into a neat little package. Connection switching only requires two clicks and it can be done right from the system tray icon. Windows 7 also detects three more access points near my home than XP and Vista, and the connections to my work and home routers resume instantly when my laptop wakes.


9. Device stage. Right now, Windows treats multifunction devices like separate entities.This really doesn't make much sense: is your all-in-one three separate pieces of hardware? No? WIth device stage, you'll see only a single device in the control panel which you can then explore to access its multiple capabilities. To see it in action, check out Engadget's video from WinHEC.

Device Stage will improve integration with cell phones, PDAs, personal media players, cameras, and more - and it's a sign that Microsoft is more concerned about simplicity and ease of use than they were with Vista.

Read more →

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft

Windows 7 scheduled for a mid-2009 release

Windows 7
Microsoft has all but confirmed that the company is hoping to ship Windows 7 in time for next year's holiday season. In the past Microsoft has said the next generation Windows operating system would be available about three years after Windows Vista's January 2007 release. But CNET reports that a Microsoft official is confirming that things appear to be ahead of schedule.

The news came out of a presentation at WinHEC. And it's not a huge surprise. After all, an early build of Windows 7 is already in the hands of developers and a ton of folks who know how to use BitTorrent. The early build is still rough around the edges and lacks some of the features Microsoft hopes to ship in the final version. But initial reports indicate that it's more responsive than Windows Vista and has a number of improvements affecting startup, battery life, and general usability.

At least one computer maker has already said that it plans to release a laptop running Windows 7 as early as mid-2009. At the time, that sounded like optimisitc talk. Now it's starting to look a bit more realistic.

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft

Microsoft promises faster boot, longer battery life from Windows 7

Windows 7
Sure, Windows 7 will have a less annoying User Account Control system, a nifty new taskbar, and the ability to burn ISO files. But what have you done for laptop users late, Microsoft? As it turns out, quite a bit.

Windows 7 has been designed to start up and shut down more quickly than Windows Vista, which comes in handy if you happen to be doing some light work on your PC while waiting at an airport and you need to slam your notebook shut and run for the gate once you realize you missed the final boarding call.

Microsoft is accomplishing the quicker boot speed by reducing the number of services that launch at startup and loading drivers in parallel instead of sequentially. Windows 7 also includes improved window management that will let you load more windows without running out of memory.

And there are also a bunch of improvements to power management that will result in an 11% or better battery boost. These include better management of wireless radios (like WiFi and Bluetooth), and some tweaks that will let the CPU run slower or spend more time idling.

Windows Vista already has a number of features that help you get more life out of a laptop battery than you'd get with Windows XP, including advanced power management settings that let you fine tune your screen brightness, CPU speed and other settings. It looks like Windows 7 takes things a few steps further.

You can watch three videos demonstrating Windows 7's speedier boot time, improved window management, and reduced battery draw at Engadget.

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft, Beta

Windows 7's Superbar in action - is it made for multitouch?


As Adam reported earlier, the Superbar has been unlocked in Windows 7. Apart from adding even more visual pop to the improved Desktop Window Manager, it adds some long-absent functionality.

Apart from better visual task tips with smooth transition effects, it's fixed another minor annoyance. At last you can click and drag taskbar buttons to re-order them. I've always been a little irritated by the fact that I couldn't do that in previous Windows versions, and was glad to see the change.

Grouped application windows will preview as pictured: hover the button, and the thumbnails expand into view. Hover a thumbnail and the red x appears, allowing you to close (duh) the program.

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Filed under: OS Updates, Linux

Install Mythbuntu 8.10 from Windows with Wubi

Mythbuntu 8.10
Now that Ubuntu 8.10 is available (as well as its official cousins, Kubuntu 8.10 and Xubuntu 8.10), all of the unofficial community-run projects based on Ubuntu are updating their code. And that includes Mythbuntu, an operating system designed to turn your PC into a media center by fusing the open source MythTV software with Ubuntu.

Mythbuntu 8.10 incorporates many of the updates that you'll find in a stock version of Ubuntu. It uses the Xfce 4 desktop environment, but if you use your Mythbuntu system primarily as an operating system you'll rarely see the desktop.

One of the coolest features in Mythbuntu 8.10 is support for Wubi. What Wubi does is let you install Mythbuntu (or Ubuntu) from within Windows as if it were just another Windows program. Once installed, you can reboot your system and just select the Mythbuntu option at boot. This makes it easy for anyone who's ever wanted to try Mythbuntu or MythTV to take it for a spin without repartitioning your hard drive. If you don't like it, you can just uninstall Mythbuntu from the Windows add/remove programs utility.

[via eHomeUpgrade]

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft, Beta

That took long enough: Windows 7 can burn ISO files


It obviously hasn't been a priority for Microsoft in the past, but it looks like another one of Windows' minor shortcomings has finally been addressed.

Yes, at long last your Microsoft OS will know what to do with an ISO file. While I'm sure none of us are going to forsake our favorite burning applications when and if we do switch to Windows 7, it's nice to see simple, useful features like this being implemented.

The process is so simple, even novice users will be able to burn an image with no trouble. Double-click an ISO, and Windows 7 opens a minimalistic dialog: choose a burner, select whether or not to verify your burn, and burn/cancel.

It works nicely, and it's definitely the kind of simple, functional addition that is making my test drive of Windows 7 an enjoyable one. Look for more Windows 7 updates as we get more time to play work with it!

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft

What's not in Windows 7? Windows Movie Maker, Windows Mail, etc

Windows Live installer
There's been a lot of talk over the last few days about new features that will be included in Windows 7. There will be a new taskbar, improved window behavior, and less annoying User Account Control prompts. But there are a few things that won't be included in Windows 7 that had been part of past versions of the operating system.

Microsoft will stop bundling Windows Movie Maker, Windows Mail, and Windows Photo Gallery with the operating system. Those applications will still be available as free downloads, but you won't have them out of the box. Instead they'll be part of the new Windows Live suite of desktop applications which we first looked at in October.

To be honest, it would probably make more sense to keep bundling these applications with Windows. After all, when you install OS X, or most Linux distributions you get a mail application and some sort of photo management software. But Apple and Linux distributors haven't faced the same kind of anti-trust pressures that Microsoft has in the past. While Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player will still be bundled with Windows 7, it's likely that the company is avoiding a whole batch of lawsuits by offering free downloads of other software.

via ZDNet

Filed under: OS Updates, Features, Windows, Microsoft, Beta

Windows 7 hands on - Impressive at every turn


With the Microsoft PDC recently wrapping up, excitement has been building for Windows 7. I wonder, will it be able to live up to the hype? There's only one way to find out: install it and see for myself. This is by no means a complete analysis of the OS, rather my observations from the first few days of experimenting with it.

The Aero interface has been refined, and it's leaner and meaner than before. Visual effects look superb and are silky smooth, even on less powerful hardware like a Celeron M520 laptop with Intel integrated graphics. Even with all the Aero Glass effects enabled, battery life didn't take a substantial hit (I noticed anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes less on a 5.5 hour battery).

Need to move a full screen window? Just click the title bar and start dragging - no need to click restore first, it will automatically resize. The reverse works as well: drag a window to the top edge of your screen, and Windows will maximize it.

Keeping with the visual theme, display settings have returned to the desktop right-click context menu. The personalize option remains, but I was relieved to see that I once again had a quick access to the resolution adjustment.

Read more →

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows Mobile, Microsoft

Windows Mobile 6.5 coming next year?

Windows Mobile 7?Something odd is going on in the world of Windows Mobile development. Last I'd heard Microsoft was working on a new product called Windows Mobile 7 that would be due out in the second half of 2009. But Motorola's CEO of mobile devices Sanjay Jha mentioned something interesting during an earnings call today. He said phones based on Windows Mobile 6.5 will be available during the second half of 2009. He also mentioned that Motorola would have an Android-based phone by next year's holiday season, but that's another story.

So what's this Windows Mobile 6.5? Is it an incremental upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.1? Or is it just another name for Windows Mobile 7? Based on leaked screenshots, we know that Microsoft is certainly working on something new in the mobile space. But it's not clear whether Jha's comments mean that Windows Mobile 7 has been pushed back, or if Microsoft will release the next OS on schedule, but call it Windows Mobile 6.5 instead, which would seem to imply that it will be an incremental upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.1, not a revolutionary new mobile OS.

[via CoolSmartPhone]

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

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