Hasta La Gadget!

This article was written on September 24, 2007 by CyberNet.

For Windows Vista Ultimate users, the extras that were promised have turned into the Ultimate Disappointment. A premium price was paid to get these “extras”, yet only four have been released so far and the promise that they made to deliver the remaining 20 language packs by the end of Summer was just broken as Fall began yesterday. In July when the Ultimate Extras team finally spoke up after being silent for all too long, they said that over the next couple of years they intended to deliver more extras to their users and they were “confident [they] will delight our passionate Windows Vista Ultimate Users.” With the inability to deliver on their first promise, will they be able to deliver extras over the next few years?

After seeing the changes that Microsoft made to the Windows Ultimate Extras information in the control panel applet for the Vista SP1 Pre-Release compared to what it currently is in Vista, it’s obvious they’re trying to down-play these extras. Currently in Vista there’s all kinds of information talking about the programs that would be available only to Ultimate users, and services that “can help you tailor your computing experience to your digital lifestyle.” In Vista SP1 Pre-Release, they simply give a brief explanation of what Ultimate extras are. See for yourself:

I think it’s safe to say that Vista Ultimate is a bust. Microsoft had great intentions but have been unable to deliver. I’m also thinking that this will be the last time that Microsoft will sell something at a premium price and promise future extras to be delivered that justify the price.

Source: I Started Something

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It may only be a footnote in the long history of Windows XP, but Microsoft has confirmed today that, as planned, the venerable OS has finally and officially transitioned from the Mainstream Support phase to the Extended Support phase. This, of course, follows a number of extensions to the Mainstream Support phase (which normally only lasts five years), although most users likely won’t notice much of a difference as XP moves into this new, more wistful period of life, as they’ll still be getting regular security updates and occasional hotfixes (depending on their support plan) all the way until April 8th, 2014 — or who knows how much longer if the demand is there.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Windows XP transitions out of Mainstream Support phase originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This weekend, my Dell laptop caught a virus that made it inoperable less than a week after a complete reformat and reinstall. So I bought a Mac laptop.

Yeah, I’ve used Windows machines for essentially my entire life, but switching turned out to be not that big a deal. Why? Because an OS isn’t that important.

What’s kept me from switching all these years isn’t because I loved Windows or hated Macs. No, it was more a combination of laziness and self-identification. That’s to say I didn’t want to switch because I didn’t want to deal with learning the ins and outs of a new OS, and also I identified myself as a “Windows guy” and didn’t want to become a “Mac guy.” Both reasons are essentially bullshit.

First, laziness. Switching from Windows to Mac or Mac to Windows or Windows to Ubuntu or whatever is easier than ever. There are differences between the operating systems to be sure, but none of them are that huge and none will have a real, fundamental effect on your experience. These days, most of what you do is online, or at least most of what I do is. When I switched, my feeds were synced online, as was my IM buddy list. Both my work and personal email accounts are online, as is my calendar. All of my files saved on my external hard drive work in, if not the exact same program, one that’s very similar on the other OS. So really, it takes about a week of adjustment and then you’re fine.

And as for identification, well, that’s a pretty dumb reason to make any kind of decision. When it comes down to it, nobody is defined by their OS. Yes, Apple ads would love for you to think of yourself as a cool hipster for owning a Mac and to think of PC users as chubby nerds, but that isn’t the case. Operating systems are just tools to get things done, and you can do whatever you want with any OS. It’s like a car: No matter what kind of car you buy, you’re still going to the same places. Driving a Hummer won’t make you a tough guy, and using Windows won’t make you a nerd.

I realized both of these things a couple of weeks ago after I bought a Dell Mini 9 with Ubuntu Linux. I was worried at first that I’d hate not using Windows, but after about an hour I realized that I was having almost the exact same experience I would be having if it had XP on it. It just didn’t matter.

So why switch? Well, having my system taken down twice in a week is not something I can afford to have happen. Macs, as of now, don’t really get viruses. And I have a large community of people who can help me out with it if I run into problems. That’s it.

So how’s switching been? Fine. It’s a nice OS with some features I like and some that I find really annoying. It’s fun to try something new, but it’s not blowing Windows out of the water or making me run to the returns counter. It’s a computer. I’d be equally happy with a new Lenovo with similar specs and Windows 7 Beta on it, I’m sure.

The whole experience of using all three major operating systems over the past couple of weeks has been pretty fun, actually. I enjoy using new software and learning these basics again, and all of it feels pretty familiar. I plan on installing Windows 7 on my new Apple laptop so I can access any Windows software I miss and can stay familiar with how that OS is progressing.

And in the end, I’ll keep doing what I always do with my laptop: Work on the internet, where what OS you’re using matters exactly jack squat.

We’ve already covered the plethora of Windows 7 versions, starting with the gimpy Starter edition and then running all the way up to Ultimate (which, we can now confirm, will not include a bag of chips). Microsoft’s grand scheme is for users to start with what they need and pay to unlock additional functionality, upgrading their way to the top rung of the the Windows 7 ladder. But, it’s now coming to light that the company will also allow downgrades — not to simpler versions of Win 7, but to earlier operating systems like Vista and even XP. Yes, OEM manufacturers can still keep shipping XP Pro by “downgrading” Windows 7 machines through the end of April, 2010, and while HP is the only one advertising this, you can be sure they won’t be alone. Interestingly these machines will still come with free Windows 7 upgrades, hopefully enticing users to give it a shot, but if they don’t like it they are allowed to go back to XP on their own. Details for user-driven downgrades are a bit light at the moment, though, so don’t be surprised if it requires a little fdisk action.

[Thanks, Simon B.]

Read — Windows 7 will allow downgrades too at CNET
Read — Microsoft allows HP to wipe Windows 7 at AppleInsider
Read — Windows 7 upgrades for downgraders at Computer World

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Microsoft hoping for Win 7 upgraders, reluctantly allowing downgraders originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This article was written on January 18, 2007 by CyberNet.

More new announcements from the Windows Vista team today!  With the launch of Windows Vista and Office 2007, consumers who live in the United States will be able to go online to purchase and download both pieces of software.  They’re clearly catering to the more tech-savvy crowd with this option, who would prefer it over going to the store to purchase it.  If you’re wanting to do this, you’ll definitely need a great Internet connection, because it will be a large download.

I’m sure there are plenty of people who don’t want to go out and buy a new computer to experience Vista, which is why this option will be a great choice.  This new download process uses a technology called Digital Locker.  Software is securely stored, along with the license keys.  When you begin your download, Digital Locker will know when a download has been interrupted so that it can automatically resume when the connection is restored.

Another update comes for the Windows Anytime Upgrade (available in US, Canada, Europe and Japan).  As we have mentioned before, all versions of Vista will either be on a CD or embedded onto your computer when you make the purchase.  At any point, you can upgrade to a better version.  Here are the upgrade costs:

• Home Basic to Home Premium — $79
• Home Basic to Ultimate — $199
• Home Premium to Ultimate — $159
• Business to Ultimate — $139

As it stands, regular retail prices are:

• Home Basic – $199
• Home Premium – $239
• Business – $299
• Ultimate – $399

There’s a nice comparison chart that has been put together to give you a visual of what each version has.  Obviously, the Ultimate edition has all of the bells and whistles which is why it’s the most expensive option.

Finally, the speculated “Family Pack” option will be available to those who have a need to purchase multiple copies.  This will make it more affordable, and potentially provide Microsoft with additional revenue.  You must purchase Windows Vista Ultimate for $399.  After that, you’ll be eligible to purchase two licenses for Vista Home Premium for $49.99 each.  This will be valid in the US and Canada only.

All of these options will make Vista more accessible to consumers; the consumers willing to pay that is. There’s no doubt that $399 may be enough to push someone over to Linux, especially because you can nearly purchase a computer nowadays for the $399 that will be charged for Vista Ultimate. And, unfortunately all of these options have restrictions on availability throughout the world. Regardless, Bill Mannion who is the director of consumer marketing for Windows says that these options are available “to give more flexibility to users.” 

Copyright © 2009 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

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• CyberNet’s Year in Review: January-February
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