Business

Despite attempts to make itself 'cool' again alongside tacky launch parties for the new Win7 operating system, Microsoft is looking a bit silly this morning after it announced it would cancel a joint television project with Family Guy creator Seth ... MacFarlane. Family Guy is an animated tongue-in-cheek comedy that is known for saying the things some of us think to ourselves but rarely have the courage to say. It insults just about any ethnic, racial, gender, or nationalist group on a week-by-week basis. Microsoft: Show Too Controversial That's part of the reason it's so popular, which is ... (view more)

Unless you've been sleeping in a cave this past week, you're aware that Microsoft's Windows 7 is now available . And, of course, everyone is asking the question, "is it worth the upgrade?" For those of you who frequently rely on your laptop battery, ... the answer might be yes. It's a problem PC makers have yet to completely overcome: short laptop battery lives. Even as computers get lighter, thinner, and faster, the amount of time they can survive "off the cord," so to speak, is rarely over a few hours. Win 7 Cuts Power Usage by 20% Giving that short life a boost in the arm is Windows 7, which ... (view more)

In the aftermath of the much-anticipated Windows 7 release , a large number of users are complaining that their copy of Windows 7 downloaded from Digital River will not install correctly. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Digital River is the driving ... force behind Microsoft's $29.99 Windows 7 upgrade offer to students. Digital River is no stranger to handling Microsoft transactions, as the company fulfilled a similar role when Windows Vista and Office 2007 were released. Problems Recorded Within Hours Users began experiencing problems shortly after downloading their new operating system. One ... (view more)

Windows Vista was perhaps the biggest disappointment in Microsoft's history. So, what did the Redmond-based company do to improve upon their past mistakes, and how is Windows 7 better than Windows Vista? Windows 7: Improving Upon The Past After the ... embarrassing Windows Vista debacle, Microsoft and the computer makers realized that they needed to work together to make some necessary changes. Windows 7 therefore improves upon the fundamental changes that came with Vista, making it faster, easier to use and more intuitive. (Source: cnet.com ) Close Ties with PC Developers In breaking with past ... (view more)

Some cable and telecommunications providers are trying to return to the days of usage-based pricing for Internet connections. AT ... (view more)

Microsoft is running a series of special promotions in the hopes of kick-starting sales of Windows 7. The company will offer a new deal each day in the first week of the system's release. The most high-profile promotion starting today takes place at ... Best Buy. The store is offering a package, subsidized by Microsoft, which gives users three HP computers -- a desktop, a laptop and a netbook -- plus an LCD monitor, an Internet router and free set-up advice for a total of $1,199. Three PCs for the Price of a Mac Even taking into account that the desktop being offered is a relatively low-spec ... (view more)

One of the most anticipated aspects of the forthcoming Windows 7 will be its security features . According to Andrew Storms, director of security operations of nCircle Network Security, three specific security facets are the hot items to look for ... when first experimenting with Windows 7, due to be released tomorrow. More Secure, Less Bothersome The first new security improvement can be seen in the presentation of security measures. With Vista, people were always being asked to review their decisions via an "are you sure?" window request. With Windows 7, the user controls the extent with which ... (view more)

With Microsoft's highly-anticipated Windows 7 set for release, the Redmond-based company has finally provided a Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor, a tool designed to examine a user's PC in order to determine if it's ready for the new operating system (OS). ... Microsoft's operating system launches on October 22nd, after at least a year of hype and speculation. Microsoft believes the new OS will bring back the "cool" to PCs running Windows, but early reviews remain skeptical -- some critics, including PC World blogger Jeff Bertolucci, just don't think the upgrade is worth $120 . (Source: pcworld.com ) New ... (view more)

Although prominent tech research firm Gartner recently reported that Windows 7 is "not a major architectural release," it suggests the imminent expiry of Windows XP should push most businesses to upgrade to the new operating system (OS) within the ... next two years. In an October 13th presentation discussing the impact of Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 (due for release October 22nd), research firm Gartner remarked that Windows 7 is "not a major architectural release," but instead more of an improvement "on top of Windows Vista's architectural changes." In other words, Windows 7 will not ... (view more)

Microsoft's chief software architect Ray Ozzie believes the company's upcoming operating system (OS) Windows 7 can and will make PCs just as slick and cool as their counterparts at Apple. Unfortunately, some early reviews of the OS suggest it might ... not be 'cool' enough to justify a $120 upgrade. In an interview with the New York Times late last week, Ozzie bristled at the idea that Windows 7 might change the way people think about PCs and using Microsoft operating systems -- something that in recent years, thanks to an effective Apple campaign making PC users out to be bumbling fools, has ... (view more)