vista

With Windows Vista being available for several weeks now, some casual PC users are still hesitant to trade in their Windows XP (or in some cases, Windows '98) operating systems. The reason for failing to make the switch for many consumers is the ... cost of purchasing the new operating system and its believed proneness to bugs and hacking. Microsoft has addressed the latter concern by providing a revamped spyware package known as Microsoft OneCare. The company hopes that consumers will be more inclined to make the transition if they feel that the company is providing outlets for the safety of ... (view more)

We have all seen them: the Apple Mac versus Microsoft Windows PC. Some times they're funny, and sometimes they're scary -- but they always leave the lingering question in the back of our minds as to which is truly better. I must admit, I do not own ... a Mac. I do own a number of Windows and UNIX/Linux based PCs, though. And of the systems I own, many of them are from spare parts. They all run reliable and efficiently, and are updated regularly. With that being said, I stumbled upon a blog the other day that stated Bill Gates had voiced distaste for one of the newest of the aforementioned ... (view more)

The Microsoft Windows Vista hoopla has been fairly cool and collected in many circles, including the realm of home consumers. And yet, many aren't yet convinced the new operating system has anything they absolutely must install on their computers. ... The perception is that Vista lacks enough killer apps to win over PC owners like Windows 95, although industry predictions appear very confident this will change. In fact, Wall Street has been so aggressive in forecasting Vista's growth that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer recently pleaded that they scale back on the super sales prophecies. The problem ... (view more)

Just when you thought the cost of upgrading to Microsoft's new operating system, Vista, was expensive enough, the company announces it has raised the support fees for both XP and the new version of Office. The charge allotted for requesting help ... with either XP or Vista has been raised to $59, up a good chunk of change from the pre-Vista age of just $39. For now, there are fewer complainers. That's because those who have recently invested in Windows Vista are charged nothing for support calls during the first 90 days of ownership. However, after that period ends, all bets are off. (Source: ... (view more)

It hasn't been more than two weeks since Vista shipped, but already Microsoft is talking about its successor. Ben Fathi, corporate vice president of development with Microsoft's Windows Core Operating System Division, revealed that the next OS might ... ship in 2009. "You can think roughly two, two-and-a-half years is a reasonable time frame that our partners can depend on and can work with," Fathi said at a conference in San Francisco. "That's a good timeframe for refresh." (Source: hardocp.com ) Although Vista was shipped about two and a half years after Service Pack 2 for Windows XP was ... (view more)

Apple has some bad news if you've been planning on listening to your iTunes on Vista: it may not work. Apple issued an advisory on last Friday explaining that iTunes 7.0.2, when launched on Vista, has been giving users trouble. There have been ... problems with purchased music tracks playing, synching issues, and -- worse of all -- incidences where the iPod corrupts. (Source: betanews.com ) iPods have corrupted when users try to eject the device from a desktop port using the "Safely Remove Hardware" feature on Vista. To safely remove the device, it must be undocked using the "Eject iPod" control ... (view more)

While many stores braced themselves for the anticipated long lines that were to inevitably accompany the release of Windows Vista, retailers were shocked and somewhat disappointed to find that only a select few arrived early to purchase the latest ... Microsoft products. In fact, the lineups weren't even comparable to the swarms of consumers that rushed to retail stores looking to purchase the newly released PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii video game consoles. (Source: usatoday.com ) It is estimated that the average number of consumers that actually arrived early for Vista was roughly a dozen ... (view more)

When Newsweek's Steven Levy sat down with Bill Gates to discuss the Vista debut, it wasn't long before Apple's television ads were brought up. The ads depict a cool, young "Mac" guy and a not-so-cool "PC" middle-ager, played by author John Hodgman. ... A recent ad showed Hodgman having to undergo surgery to update to Vista. Gates' reaction? Well, he wasn't too impressed. (Source: dailytech.com ) "I don't think the over 90 percent of the [population] who use Windows PCs think of themselves as dullards, or the kind of klutzes that somebody is trying to say they are," Gates says. (Source: msnbc.com ... (view more)

Technology writer Joe Hutsko did what many devoted Mac fans would deem unthinkable: he switched from Mac to Windows at the launch of Vista, and gave the new operating system a shot at earning his loyalties. (Source: osnews.com ) His final decision? ... Well... you're just going to have to read on. ;-) One thing that Hutsko doesn't hesitate to note is Vista's sleek first impression. The start up screen, desktop, icons, and menus all reflect a new sharpness. Even the new font, Segoe UI, impressed Hutsko. The new Aero features are also a nice surprise to the former Mac user. The Flip 3D feature, ... (view more)

Vista's been out and it's all the buzz. Some critics are claiming it just doesn't pack enough must-have applications to make it worth the costly upgrade, while others find the vastly improved Aero graphics and security to be a necessity for any home ... or office. Regardless, most people would probably take Vista if it were just a bit cheaper. How's $8 sound? That's the price set by Iranian hackers, who have reportedly cracked Microsoft's new operating system. Word of the crack comes from Iranian watchdog Taliya News, who believe the illegal act was performed so people of that country could ... (view more)