Hasta La Gadget!

Apple has been pushing out updates to Mountain Lion slowly but steadily, and now that the Gold Master version of the update has been seeded, a retail release is just around the corner. 9to5Mac believes that Apple may be planning to release the final version of Mountain Lion to the public on July 25th, pointing to information that shows the company is planning an “overnight” for retail stores on the 24th.

The website also points out how the date would coincide with Apple’s Q3 ‘12 earnings report. Last year, Apple held its Q3 ‘11 results on July 19th and announced the July 20th release date of OS X Lion during the call. Apple’s Q3 ‘12 results are due on July 24th, which may point towards a July 25th launch when paired with the “overnight” information.

So what does an “overnight” entail at an Apple store? The staff will essentially be installing Mountain Lion on all the Macs found in stores. When you think about how many Macs there are in Apple stores, you can imagine how long the process takes. 9to5Mac notes, however, that some retail stores haven’t heard about an “overnight”. Still, Apple has indicated that Mountain Lion will launch “in July”, so there’s not long to go.

Mountain Lion launch expected on July 25th is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Speaking during Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference keynote in Toronto, Corporate VP and CFO Tami Reller announced that the software giant will release Windows 8 to manufacturers next month. She also confirmed the previous October ship target — that being the timeframe that consumers can expect to pick up a Windows 8-equipped machine, or presumably upgrade from a previous version of the OS. There’s not much to report beyond that — manufacturers will see Windows 8 next month, while the rest of us will need to hang tight until the fall.

Microsoft confirms Windows 8 will reach RTM stage in August, consumers in October originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 10:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This time around, Microsoft is not about to get messy with the massive amount of version of their IT-aimed Windows Server software they’ve had in the past. Where back in 2008, Window Server had twelve, count them, twelve versions of Server 2008 R2, this version focusing on just four different groups which its editions will be ideal for. These versions include Datacenter, Standard, Essentials, and Foundation, and will be spattered across businesses across the IT landscape before the year is done and over with – will you be jumping aboard?

This set of versions starts with Foundation, that being an economical general purpose server aimed bit of software with pricing only revealed to manufacturers of the devices it’ll be pushed to. Next you’ve got an Essentials version of Windows Server, this edition made for small business environments and costing $425. Pricing on each of these editions, mind you, represents Open No Level (NL) ERP.

The Standard edition of Windows Server 2012 is aimed at low density or non-virtualized environments and is one of two editions to be made for Processor + CAL licensing models, here priced at $882 USD. The other of these two editions is the Datacenter edition which is aimed at highly virtualized private and hybrid cloud environments. The Datacenter edition has unlimited virtual instances and will cost you $4,809.

You can also try the software out before you drop hundreds or thousands of dollars for your business right over at the Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate site right this second!

Check out the timeline below to dive deep into more Windows Server action and let us know if your business will be upgrading this year!

Windows Server 2012 set for just four iterations is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This week Microsoft has been kind enough to share the details included with their Windows 8 update for those users out there who already have one of several Windows software products installed on their devices right now. If a user is running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7, they’ll be able to upgrade their software with a simple download that’ll only cost them $39.99 USD. This upgrade will be available at the same time the full cost software release is dropped.

The official release date for all Windows 8 builds has not yet been revealed, but we’ve essentially got all the details on every single other aspect of the release since Windows 8 was formally introduced earlier this year at Microsoft’s Consumer Preview at Mobile World Congress 2012. A download of this software upgrade will include a special Upgrade Assistant which will also let the user know what changes or boosts need to be implemented ton their computer before the software can be installed successfully.

Each different operating system upgrade will have different abilities in this upgrade, with Windows XP getting the shortest end of the stick, only being able to bring along with them their personal files. Windows Vista users will be able to push their settings as well as personal files over to the new system. Windows 7 Consumer Edition will be able to bring settings, personal files, and applications as well.

Users will be able to head to a Microsoft store (or any of many participating retailers) and get their hands on an install DVD if they’d rather have a solid piece of tech, this disk costing $69.99 from the store as well. You’ll have to head to the Microsoft Store (online or to a physical Microsoft Store if you wish) to grab this limited time offer – prices go up for pre-ordering (or eventually ordering once it’s out) the operating system after January 31st, 2013.

Windows 8 upgrade prices dropped by Microsoft is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Windows 8 may be on the horizon with a fall 2012 release, but Microsoft’s current OS, Win 7, just became the world’s most prolific PC operating system, passing the 50-percent threshold last month. According to StatCounter, Windows 7, which overtook XP around the time of its golden anniversary last fall, has made its way onto 50.2 percent of the world’s computers, compared to 29.9 percent for Microsoft’s eXPerience during the same period. Launched in 2001, XP remains in the runner-up position, but shows a steady decline along with Vista, which never had much of a share to begin with. Oddly enough, iOS also appears as a modest portion of StatCounter’s chart, which we presume represents iPads, which in this case fall within the same category (the company tracks mobile operating systems separately, where Android has ticked slightly ahead). If you own a PC running Windows 7, you can rest assured knowing that you’re in good company. And we imagine that an even greater number of those current XP users will depart come 2014, when Microsoft has pledged to discontinue support of the aging millennial. Hit up our source link below for all of StatCounter’s charts.

StatCounter: Windows 7 now powering most PCs, passed 50-percent threshold in June originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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