Hasta La Gadget!

When will Microsoft bring Windows 8 to market? 2012’s looking like a safe bet — not only was it slated for that date in an allegedly leaked product roadmap, but Microsoft Netherlands hints that the OS is just two years away. Buried at the bottom of a press release celebrating the first birthday of Windows 7, you’ll find the above Dutch phrase, which Google Translate returns as “Furthermore, Microsoft is of course the next version of Windows. But it will take about two years before “Windows 8″ on the market.” There are certainly plenty of reasons why Microsoft’s riskiest product bet might not hit its target date, but the machine translation seems clear. Here’s hoping the OS will ship with some suitably futuristic hardware.

Windows 8 about two years away, according to Microsoft Netherlands originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Oct 2010 19:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This article was written on February 09, 2007 by CyberNet.

Free for All Friday

There are several different things that you can do to keep your computer safe from viruses, hackers, and other privacy issues.  One of the most essential forms of protection is an Anti-Virus, however you don’t have to stop there. Any extra layer of protection that you can add makes you computer that much safer. One of those extra layers that you can add is called BufferZone, a product of Trustware.

BufferZone is another solution to Internet Security and works by creating a virtual environment for you to run some of the most vulnerable applications like web browsers, P2P, and Instant Message programs.  A virtual environment means that your Internet downloads work in quarantine (like a compartment), never impacting your computer.  Think of it as a computer within a computer.

They offer three different versions; one that’s free (which I’ll be reviewing), BufferZone Pro which is offered for a 30-day trial or for $29.95, and an Enterprise edition. The free version will probably be suitable for any typical Internet user and does all of the important, essential functions like keeping your PC safe from viruses, adware, and the like.

Any program that is running the virtual BufferZone can never attack your PC.  If there’s hidden code within files like an Office document, or a screen saver file, you’re completely protected. If you’re one of those that downloads a lot from the Internet, this could save you a lot of hassle.

Downloading the free version is simple.  It’s an 8.7 MB download, and the installation process is real quick. After you’ve installed the program, you’ll have to re-start your computer.  Following installation, BufferZone creates a virtual environment to run applications. When your computer re-starts, you’ll be taken through a quick tutorial which guides you through the process (pictured below- click to enlarge).

To indicate to the user that something is running in BufferZone, it will have a red border around it (pictured below).  For example, if you download a program, it will place the file in the “virtual” directory specified by BufferZone.  When you double click to open the download, you’ll see a red border around the program or file icon.  This tells you the download is running in Buffer Zone.While it may appear that your hard disk was modified with the new download, it wasn’t.  New programs will not modify anything on your hard disk or on your system.  They are all simulated in virtual mode.

Now, you may be wondering what you’d do if you didn’t want to open a program within the BufferZone.  They’ve made it very easy to do. All you have to do to release something out of BufferZone and onto your computer is right click, and select “Release from BufferZone.”

Another important feature is the capability to uninstall programs from within the BufferZone.  On the BufferZone Management Screen that can be accessed via the system tray icon, you can completely empty the BufferZone which will clean the BufferZone registry, and virtual files.

There are a few limitations that you might come across with the free version.  First of all, if you’re using the virtual environment to run a web browser, you are limited to a single protection. You can choose from:

• Internet Explorer
• Firefox
• Maxthon
• Opera
• Avant
• Download-Accelerator

You’ll also notice that access to the “policy” and “firewall” sections are only available to users of the Pro version.

In order to use buffer zone, you’ll need to have Windows XP installed with Service Pack 2 or later.  You’ll also need Pentium 3 or higher, 300 MHz, 20 MB of hard drive space, and 128 MB of RAM.  This was tested on Windows XP, so Vista compatibility is unknown.

The best indicator that a program is running in the BufferZone is the red border around the application’s icon, and window.  Another sure indicator is the .virtual extension you’ll find after every file that relates to the program that you downloaded and installed. You’ll always know whether or not a program is running within BufferZone.

Overall I was really impressed with BufferZone, especially because it’s simple and easy for just about anybody to understand.  You can never have too many layers of protection in place to keep the contents of your computer safe. More details, and the downloads of BufferZone from Trustware can be found here.

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Ah, ha! There it is! Way back in March, we had a sit-down with folks from Seven45 Studios about their plans for Power Gig: Rise of the SixString (for PS3 and Xbox 360), focusing mainly on how they intended to rival the Rock Band and Guitar Hero franchises from a peripheral standpoint. The six string guitar accessory that ships with the game bundle today is already leaps and bounds better than what RB3 is packin’, but an instrument we were keenly interested in at GDC was also one we couldn’t photograph at the time. The company made clear that it was looking at releasing a real-deal, bona fide guitar in the future — a full-size First Act axe that could be used with the game or with a legitimate amplifier. Now, that limited edition piece is on sale for both of the aforesaid consoles, boasting a single cutaway basswood body, humbucking pickup, and a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard. Each one is available for $249.99, but there’s no telling how many will be produced. We’d also prefer to see these in larger music shops in order to give consumers an idea of the fit, finish, feel and sound, but those into taking chances can get one headed their way as we speak.

Continue reading Power Gig’s full-size, handmade guitar / controller now on sale for $250

Power Gig’s full-size, handmade guitar / controller now on sale for $250 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 23 Oct 2010 15:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even though we’ve seen a torrent of Windows Phone 7 devices, we couldn’t leave you hanging on a review of the Samsung Focus. In the last few days, a flurry of new Microsoft-powered devices have hit the market, boasting slight differences, but all looking and acting largely the same. We’ve taken a deep dive on the operating system itself, the Omnia 7, Optimus 7, Mozart, HD7, and Surround (phew!) — now it’s time to focus on the, er… Focus. The device itself has a lot in common with its European brother, the Omnia 7, boasting the same 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 8GB of internal storage, 1GHz CPU, and 5 megapixel camera. The device will soon go on sale in America for $199.99 on AT&T’s network — in fact, it’s the only Windows Phone 7 device you’ll be able to buy on the network when they go public on November 8th. But is it really worth your hard earned cash when there are so many other options in the market? Read on for the full Engadget review to find out!

Update: Just a note, the HD7 will also be available (for T-Mobile) on November 8th and we’ve updated the above information to reflect that.

Update 2: We had the numbers wrong on the RAM / ROM. It’s 512MB and 1GB, respectively.

This review is primarily of the Samsung Focus hardware. Check out our full review of Windows Phone 7 for our thoughts on the OS.

Continue reading Samsung Focus review

Samsung Focus review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attention all humans and empathetic robots: The Engadget Show is back in a big way tomorrow, October 23rd at 6:30pm! To get things started, Josh and the gang will be taking a first-hand look at a plethora of Windows Phone 7 devices with Microsoft’s Aaron Woodman, then we’ll be demoing Google TV, and Engadget’s own Darren Murph will be joining Josh, Nilay, and Paul on stage, Guinness world record in hand. What’s more, we’re hosting our first ever Halloween costume contest! There will be giveaways at the show for the best costumes (as voted on by you, the audience), so get to work on your winning masterpiece now! We’ll also have the usual random giveaways, but why leave it to chance when you could win stuff with a little creativity and a black turtleneck? There will also be music from Kris Keyser and visuals from noteNdo and plenty of other giveaways at the live show only, so make the trek and join us at The Times Center in person. We have a new ticketing policy, so if you’re coming to the live show, be sure to read about it below. If you’re geographically incapable of joining us in New York City, just tune into the stream right here on Engadget.

The Engadget Show is sponsored by Sprint, and will take place at the Times Center, part of The New York Times Building in the heart of New York City at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues (see map after the break). Tickets are — as always — free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served… so get there early! Here’s the updated info on our new ticketing policy that you need to know:

• There is no admission fee — tickets are completely free
• The event is all ages
• Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 2:00PM on Saturday, October 23rd, doors will open for seating at 5:45PM, and the show begins at 6:30PM
• We now have assigned seating, so the first people to get their tickets — and the Sprint text-to-win winners (see below) — will get priority seating. This also means that once you get a ticket, your seat is guaranteed — you won’t have to get back in line to get a good seat.
• We still had plenty of tickets left over at the last taping, so just because it’s 5:00pm and you finally finished Halo: Reach doesn’t mean you won’t get a seat at the show — so get your butt up to the Times Center!
• Ticketing will continue until all tickets are given away
• You cannot collect tickets for friends or family — anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket
• Seating capacity in the Times Center is about 340, and once we’re full, we’re full
• The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City (map after the break)
• The show length is around an hour

If you’re a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we’ll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.

Subscribe to the Show:

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
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Continue reading The Engadget Show returns, tomorrow! With Windows Phone 7, Aaron Woodman, Google TV devices, and our first Halloween costume contest!

The Engadget Show returns, tomorrow! With Windows Phone 7, Aaron Woodman, Google TV devices, and our first Halloween costume contest! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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