Windows 7

Tablets
August 16, 2011
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ViewSonic announces 1.5GHz dual-OS ViewPad 10pro tablet

By on August 16, 2011 at 7:01 AM.

ViewSonic announces 1.5GHz dual-OS ViewPad 10pro tablet

ViewSonic on Monday unveiled the new ViewPad 10pro tablet, a dual-OS offering that packs both Windows and Android into a slim 10.1-inch slate. The ViewPad 10pro is one of the first consumer tablets powered by Intel’s 1.5GHz Atom Z670 processor, which minimizes power consumption and allows the 10pro to run for up to 8 hours on a single charge. “We listened to our customers. We made the ViewPad 10pro dual OS interface as quick and intuitive as possible, while partnering with industry CPU leader Intel to deliver the latest in design and innovation across all fronts,” said ViewSonic VP of business development Michael Holstein in a statement. The ViewPad 10pro will be available with Windows 7 Professional, Android 2.3 and a 32GB SSD for $699 or with Windows 7 Home Premium, Android 2.3 and a 16GB SSD for $599 when it launches later this month. ViewSonic’s full press release follows below. More →

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Tablets
July 20, 2011
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Lenovo outs three 10.1-inch tablets, first Honeycomb tablet with Netflix

By on July 20, 2011 at 7:53 AM.

Lenovo outs three 10.1-inch tablets, first Honeycomb tablet with Netflix

Lenovo announced three new tablets with 10.1-inch displays on Wednesday morning, including the IdeaPad Tablet K1, the ThinkPad Tablet, and the IdeaPad Tablet P1. The Android3.1 (Honeycomb) powered IdeaPad Tablet K1 will be targeted at the everyday consumer and is equipped with a 1280 x 800 resolution screen, HDMI-out, a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity. It’s also the first Netflix certified Honeycomb tablet. The 32GB IdeaPad Tablet P1 will be available on July 20th for $499.99, and the company confirmed that a 3G model will also launch in the U.S. at a later date. Lenovo will market its ThinkPad Tablet to business users. It’s equipped with a Gorilla Glass display, features a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, runs Android 3.1 (Honeycomb), has a full-size SD card slot and a USB port, and can be bought with an optional digitizer pen. The 16GB and 32GB ThinkPad Tablets will be available on August 2nd for $479 and $589, respectively. Finally, the IdeaPad Tablet P1 runs Windows 7 and is powered by a 1.5GHz Intel processor. It will be available in the fourth quarter of this year. Read on for the full press release. More →

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Software
July 12, 2011
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Windows operating system share slides in June while OS X, iOS continue to climb

By on July 12, 2011 at 2:30 PM.

Windows operating system share slides in June while OS X, iOS continue to climb

Microsoft announced on Monday that it has sold 400 million Windows 7 licenses to date, but that hasn’t stopped the tech giant’s share of the global operating system market from sliding. According to market watcher Net Applications’ data for June 2011, Microsoft’s global operating system market share slid to 88.29% as it continued on its slow but steady decline. The second most popular OS in the world was Apple’s OS X, which was up a nominal amount to 5.37% of the global OS market, followed by iOS with 2.63%, Java ME with 1.12% and Linux with 0.95%. Though Android devices continue to sell rapidly, Net Applications placed the OS in the No. 6 spot in June with 0.72% of the global market. Since January of this year, Apple’s OS X and iOS market shares have risen steadily while Windows continues to slide. According to Net Applications’ revised data, Windows’ OS share dropped below 90% in January of this year for the first time since it climbed above the threshold. It had been reported earlier that the OS slid under 90% last November, but Net Applications has since updated its figures to show that Windows held a 90.81% share in November 2010 and a 90.29% share in December. Two charts showcasing Net Applications’ June data follow below. More →

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Business
July 12, 2011
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Microsoft Windows 7 license sales reach 400 million

By on July 12, 2011 at 8:01 AM.

Microsoft Windows 7 license sales reach 400 million

During his Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference keynote on Monday, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced that the company has now sold 400 million Windows 7 licenses to date. Microsoft’s current operating system was first launched in October 2009, and it was welcomed with open arms as customers were eager to dump Vista following its troubled introduction. Despite an impressive 20 months for Windows 7, it is still far from being the world’s most used operating system. Windows XP’s share was near double Windows 7′s in June, though Microsoft did confirm on Monday that it would stop supporting the operating system 1,000 days from now. According to Net Applications, Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system was used on 27.13% of the world’s personal computing devices as of June 2011. Windows XP still ranked No. 1 with 51.13% and Vista occupied the No. 3 spot with 9.52%.

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Business
June 23, 2011
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Microsoft vs. Apple infographic details rivalry from inception to global domination [updated]

By on June 23, 2011 at 10:35 AM.

Microsoft vs. Apple infographic details rivalry from inception to global domination [updated]

In the world of computing, no two companies have more history than Microsoft and Apple. In fact, the companys’ history is 10,124 pixels tall. From modest beginnings to IPOs, and later to global domination, Microsoft and Apple are largely responsible for computers as we know them today. Microsoft concentrated on software early and now owns the lion’s share of the global PC market, and more recently, Apple looked to mobile computing to revitalize its business and its market cap. Of course from an investor’s perspective, the stock chart at the bottom says it all, but as is remarkably evident in looking over the meandering paths these two tech titans have taken, no one knows what the future might hold. The full, extremely large infographic can be found after the break.

This infographic has been updated by its creator and the updated version is now found below. More →

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Software
June 16, 2011
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Microsoft issues Kinect for Windows SDK beta

By on June 16, 2011 at 2:40 PM.

Microsoft issues Kinect for Windows SDK beta

Windows developers around the world had cause for excitement Thursday afternoon as Microsoft finally released a beta version of its Kinect for Windows software development kit. As the name might imply, this new SDK will allow developers to build Windows software that makes use of Microsoft’s popular motion-based controller as a peripheral. The SDK obviously opens the door for Kinect-controlled Windows PC games, but we’re sure Windows developers will find plenty of creative ways to make use of the great technology. Developers can download the SDK beta immediately via the read link below. More →

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Software
June 1, 2011
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Windows 7 can be tablet-friendly after all [video]

By on June 1, 2011 at 7:11 AM.

Windows 7 can be tablet-friendly after all [video]

Microsoft doesn’t have plans to release its upcoming tablet-friendly Windows 8 operating system until some time next year, but that doesn’t mean Windows fans have to wait for an optimized tablet experience. Windows tablet fan Justin Campana found a series of apps and tweaks that can be combined with a few custom scripts to make the Windows 7 touch experience much more appealing. On his blog, Campana lays out a great guide that gives users all the tools they need to transform their contrived Windows 7 slates into gorgeous touch-optimized tablets. He uses a variety of software such as ObjectDock, Fences and Rainmeter along with a bunch of tweaks to make Windows 7 look like it was born for tablets. Best of all, Campana happily shares his methods with the world. Hit the break for a video of ASUS’ 12-inch Eee Slate EP121 Windows 7 tablet with touch optimizations applied, and follow the read link for a simple guide that will show you how to perform the mods yourself. More →

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Computers
May 25, 2011
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Microsoft says Ballmer’s Windows 8 in 2012 comment was a ‘misstatement’

By on May 25, 2011 at 5:17 PM.

Microsoft says Ballmer’s Windows 8 in 2012 comment was a ‘misstatement’

During a press event in Japan recently, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said that Windows 8 would would launch sometime next year. His firm says otherwise. “It appears there was a misstatement,” a Microsoft spokesperson recently said in a statement. “We are eagerly awaiting the next generation of Windows 7 hardware that will be available in the coming fiscal year. To date, we have yet to formally announce any timing or naming for the next version of Windows.” Despite Microsoft’s statement, we could still hear more about Windows 8 much sooner — even if it doesn’t actually launch in the coming fiscal year. “As we progress through the year, you ought to expect to hear a lot about Windows 8,” Ballmer said in his speech. “Windows 8 slates, tablets, PCs, a variety of different form factors.’ According to ZDNet, we could see an early build of the operating system as soon as the D9 conference, which begins on June 31st. More →

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Computers
May 19, 2011
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Microsoft helps students avoid studying with free Xbox 360 back-to-school offer

By on May 19, 2011 at 9:52 AM.

Microsoft helps students avoid studying with free Xbox 360 back-to-school offer

Microsoft on Thursday revealed its back-to-school offer for 2011, which is likely to drop students’ jaws and raise parents’ eyebrows at the same time. This year, students with a valid student ID who purchase a Windows 7 computer for $699 or more will receive a free Xbox 360 4GB video game console. “A hot new Windows 7-based PC with a free Xbox 360 is the ultimate productivity, social and entertainment package for students,” said Kathleen Hall, general manager of Windows Marketing at Microsoft, in a statement. “In one shot, with this great offer, Microsoft is giving students everything they need for a successful new school year.” We’re not sure how much the Xbox offer will help students with their school work, but it will definitely help them blow off some steam and avoid burning out while still managing to save them some money. The deal becomes available to students starting this Sunday, May 22nd. Hit the break for Microsoft’s full press release.

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mobile
May 6, 2011
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Meet ‘The Nest’: Cross-platform, multi-app Twitter sync done right

By on May 6, 2011 at 1:00 PM.

Meet ‘The Nest’: Cross-platform, multi-app Twitter sync done right

When it comes to Twitter, we’re just as addicted as every other poor soul who got sucked in. We’re constantly connected on our phones and computers, always checking our timelines, and we crouch in a corner and cry every time the fail whale rears its ugly head. As addictive as the service is though, Twitter is often asleep at the wheel when it comes to features. Luckily, that’s where third-party developers come into play and when it comes to Twitter apps, there are now thousands of choices across every platform imaginable. Even once you’ve found your Twitter apps of choice, however, one of the most annoying things about being addicted to Twitter is constantly seeing the same tweets as you move back and forth between your phone, PC tablet and other devices. What’s more, when you make changes to your mobile client — say, adding a new list column — you have to make the same changes all over again in your other clients. But what if there was a better way? More →

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mobile
April 28, 2011
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Nokia CEO: Our tablet will take a "uniquely Nokia prospective"

By on April 28, 2011 at 8:19 PM.

Nokia CEO: Our tablet will take a "uniquely Nokia prospective"

In a recent interview with Finnish news outlet YLE, Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop discussed the company’s strategy for approaching the already crowded tablet market. “There are now over 200 different tablets on the marketplace, only one of them is doing really well,” Elop said. “And, my challenge to the team is I don’t want to be the 201st tablet on the market that you can’t tell from all of the others. We have to take a uniquely Nokia prospective.” Elop added that Nokia could work with Microsoft and take advantage of its software for a Windows-based tablet, but also said that the firm could “do things with some of the other software assets that we have.” Early reports have suggested that Nokia may exclude Microsoft from its tablet plans altogether, and that it may still launch a MeeGo powered device. More →

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Computers
April 28, 2011
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Sony 'Freestyle Hybrid PC' and 'Ultimate Mobile PC' VAIO products teased

By on April 28, 2011 at 1:20 AM.

Sony 'Freestyle Hybrid PC' and 'Ultimate Mobile PC' VAIO products teased

On Tuesday, Sony took the wraps off of two new Android tablets, the S1 and the S2, but two other devices — the “Freestyle Hybrid PC” and the “Ultimate Mobile PC” — were also teased by Sony execs during its IT Mobile Meeting in Tokyo. Sony’s keeping the specs for both devices close to the vest for now, but the Freestyle Hybrid PC offers a tablet form factor with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard that doubles as a stand. Sony’s Ultimate Mobile PC appears to be a new thin and light laptop with HDMI-out, but its screen size and other specs remain unknown. We wouldn’t be surprised to see both of these devices break cover in time for the back to school season. More →

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Tablets
April 12, 2011
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Lenovo planning 23-inch tablet for 2011 launch

By on April 12, 2011 at 10:36 PM.

Lenovo planning 23-inch tablet for 2011 launch

While most manufacturers are trying to find the sweet spot for tablets in the 7-inch to 10-inch range, Lenovo’s thinking bigger. The firm’s senior marketing specialist, Wiliam Cai, said that his company is working on a new 23-inch tablet designed for the home — with a focus similar to that of an all-in-one desktop — that could land later this year. “We think that there is potential for a 23-inch tablet,” Cai told TechRadar. “We’d have to take care of battery life and we are working to get the weight down.” Cai said such a device could be moved around the house, and possibly be used as a TV or with a full keyboard. That sounds more like a connected TV than a tablet to us, but we’re excited to see where Lenovo takes this idea. It’s unclear what sort of operating system Lenovo has in mind, but we’re guessing it’ll probably run Windows 7. More →

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