New Book Review: The Missing Manual

By DustinPosted on

We have posted a new review on a book today, this time going through the Windows 7: The Missing Manual. Check it out! We are also giving the book away to one lucky winner in this thread in our forums! Sign up for the forums (very easy) and post a reply to be in it to win it!

Microsoft has had a poor track record when it comes to documentation coming with their operating systems. Last I remember, Windows 3.11 had a decent manual included, but starting with Windows 95, they got smaller and smaller until they are non-existant with Vista and windows 7. They expect users to know what they are doing, or buy a book to show them the way. For a lot of users, this isn’t much of a problem. But, for others, it is a necessity.

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Ballmers Last Chance

By DustinPosted on

BetaNews says Steve Ballmer has one last chance to save his job from the guillotine.There is a lot of negativity around Microsoft lately, and it hasn’t been the stability of it’s operating system in question these days. Windows Mobile has lost it’s umph, if it ever had any. I’ve been a fan, but that’s when it’s only competition was from PalmOS. Now that the iPhone and Android have hit the market, and hit it hard, there is little reason to go with mini-Winny (or Windows Lite, if you prefer). If Windows Phone 7 is all it promises to be, there may be some light at the end of the tunnel, if it isn’t too little, too late. Office 2010 may be awesome, but sales aren’t. In fact, they claim that Office has reached its peak in customer appeal. Steve better bring his A game to the investors and pull a rabbit out of his magic hat. Microsoft needs something other than Windows 7 to bring it back to life.

July 29, 2010 may be remembered as the most important day in Steve Ballmer’s career at Microsoft. Tomorrow, the company hosts its annual Financial Analyst Meeting, or FAM. How much Ballmer and his core leadership team spend concretely talking about the future, rather than the past, will foreshadow how long the chief executive can remain the big boss. Nearly as important: Which executives will make presentations.

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Microsoft Shows Off Slide View

By DustinPosted on

Most people have played with Google Maps Street View, or heard about it in the news with it’s privacy issues. Now, Microsoft is visiting the same area, this time with Street Slide View. Similar to Google Street View, but a lot more fluid and allows more freedom. Personally, I see Google coming back with a comeback punch very soon. As least Google isn’t the only one in town anymore with it’s very accurate maps and imagery.

With Street Slide, the researchers took the best aspects of the

Microsoft Wants Free Testers

By DustinPosted on

Mozilla has a bounty of $3000 for finding bugs in their Mozilla Firefox 4.0 beta, and Microsoft with it’s nearly endless R&D budget is offering: infamy in a knowledge base article and patch! No cash reward, though. While I wouldn’t do it for the fame or cash, an extra few thousand in the ol’ bank account wouldn’t hurt!

Now if you are just dead-set on being paid for finding a bug in a Microsoft product, there is one possibility that the company holds out for you. Microsoft’s Jerry Bryant says, “While we do not provide a monetary reward on a per-bug basis, like any other industry, we do recognize and honor talent. We’ve had several influential folks from the researcher community join our security teams as Microsoft employees.” So perhaps the free work that you give to Microsoft is just your ticket to a job in Redmond. Then again, perhaps not.

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New Virus Scam

By DustinPosted on

There is a new scam going on right now, this time involving real people making phone calls that trick you into installing their virus software, and even paying them to “fix” your computer. Beware!

The scam always starts the same way: the phone rings at someone’s home, and the caller

Windows 7: One Year Later

By DustinPosted on

It’s hard to believe that one year ago today, Microsoft finished Windows 7, sending it to RTM state (Release To Manufacture). It was released to the public on October 22nd, however. But, how has 7 fared though its first year? Microsoft has posted some good gains though it’s fourth quarter earning statement, released today. 175 Million licenses in one year? That’s pretty darn great! Those with MSFT stock saw a healthy jump today, up almost 3% to 25.84.

Product momentum continued during the quarter with the successful launch of Office 2010 and strong performance from existing products including Windows 7, which has sold more than 175 million licenses to date, Windows Server, Xbox, and Bing, which achieved its 13th consecutive month of share gain.

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Live Sync Replacing Live Mesh

By DustinPosted on

Microsoft Live Mesh is being phased out to become Live Sync. If you decide to update to the newer version, you can only have one installed on a machine at a time. for those that have files online through Mesh, they will be available for 6 months after they officially switch over.

Q: What is happening with Live Mesh?

A: Customers wanted to know why we had two services – Windows Live Sync and Live Mesh beta – with similar features. Responding to feedback, we built the next version of Windows Live Sync on Mesh technology – combining the two into one simple, easy-to-use product that brings you the best of both.

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