Interesting facts and prices for Windows 8 Tablets ... Windows 8 Pro on a 10" Tablet running on an Intel Atom processor at 1.86 GHz. It uses existing Windows applications and drivers making it easier to connect to printers and cameras. This should set a challenging new benchmark in the Tablet space! Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 to start at $629: Lenovo's highly anticipated ThinkPad Tablet 2 with Windows 8 will be priced from $629, the company said.
Missing Start button on Windows 8 ... This could be Stardock's lucky day (or year or decade)! Shame that Microsoft did not make the Start button configurable. They could come to regret that decision! $5 buys a Start button, Start screen bypass for Windows 8: Stardock yesterday started selling the $5 Start8, a tool that restores a Start button to the desktop of Windows 8.
Some interesting user preferences emerging ... Over half of surveyed Windows 8 users prefer Windows 7: Well, this can't be good news for Microsoft, as a recent survey of Windows 8 users found that just over half of them still prefer Windows 7. The survey comes from Forumswindows8.com, an independent help and support site for the new operating system. After polling 50,000 active Windows 8 users, 53 percent of respondents said that Windows 7 is still their favorite Windows OS while only 25 percent said that they preferred Windows 8. When asked about individual Windows 8 features, fast boot up and shut down times came out on top with 56 percent saying it was their favourite feature. Easy installation came in a close second with 50 percent citing it as their favourite feature, while Internet Explorer was a distant third with 35 percent of respondents.
First, the bad news...
The much-touted Windows 8 UI (formerly called the Metro UI) came in further down the list of favorite features, garnering praise from only 22 percent of those surveyed. The charms bar, another Windows 8 staple, only resonated with 13 percent of users, and received the lowest ranking for favorite Windows 8 feature just above "other." According to the survey, the number one weakness to be improved in Windows 8 is the price, with 35 percent of respondents saying it is their biggest concern with the OS. Users will be able to upgrade to Windows 8 for only $39.99, or $69.99 at retail, for the first few months. However, in February after the promotional period ends the price jumps up to $199.99, which is where the price concerns may stem from. After price, the major Windows 8 concerns were system requirements and software compatibility, which were respectively listed as the top concern for 26 percent and 25 percent of respondents.
Now, some good news...
It isn't all bad news for Windows 8 though, as the people surveyed said they like the idea of using the operating system on tablets. And, 35 percent said that the Microsoft Surface tablet was their first choice, compared to 33 percent saying Android and 26 percent wanting an iPad. Windows Phone 8 also beat out the iPhone with 29 percent saying they would prefer Microsoft's mobile OS compared to 22 percent favoring Apple's smartphone. Both were well behind Android though, with 42 percent saying they prefer it over either Windows Phone 8 or an iPhone. Windows 8 will be Microsoft's biggest shift for its operating system yet when it launches on Oct. 26. Although according to Intel, the OS may not be completely ready in time for launch, with final optimizations and improvements to get patched in after the fact.
Short of emails? Set up some Google Alerts! ... If you like to track what is happening in a given topic, set up a Google Alert to news, blogs etc and get a report every day. Stay informed with Google Alerts: Andy Wolber explains how to use Google Alerts as a contemporary digital version of the old-fashioned clipping service.
Simple explanation of Windows 8 software upgrade ... I think Windows XP upgrade would really be done by a "clean start" installation most likely on new hardware. The upgrade price is attractive as long as the clean start installation process can recognise it as an upgrade even though not on the original platform. Follow the right Windows 8 upgrade path: Upgrading to Windows 8 may not be as simple as you think, this infographic will help.
More Microsoft confusion in the pipeline ... The $99 per annum options seems expensive even if you can load it on 5 devices! I am assuming that the 3 Licence Pack of Office Home & Student will no longer be available. Free Google Docs looks increasingly attractive for the light user. Microsoft's Office 365 Home Premium to cost $99.99 annually per subscription: Microsoft has announced the consumer and small-business prices for the new Office suite, which will be sold both via traditional single-device, perpetual licenses and via a new annual, multi-device cloud subscription.
Boost your Wi-Fi signal for $69 ... A simple way to extend coverage to upstairs or a distant corner of the house. Netgear home Wi-Fi booster keeps your mobile devices connected: We’re connecting from every corner of our homes on smartphones and tablets and Netgear’s new Wi-Fi Booster for Mobile can strengthen your wireless coverage. The WN1000RP has an unobtrusive wall plug design and is simple to set up and link to your existing router to boost the signal into the area of the home or office where it is located. It’s as easy as pressing the WPS (wireless protection Set-up) button on your browser and the WPS button on the WN1000RP to make the connection.
So what are Rootkits and how to get rid of them ... Have tried the BitDefender's Rescue Disk but without success so far. Although it loads and the menu comes up, it crashes once you try running a scan. The GMER utility does work but takes a long time. The test system came up clean (thank goodness!) By Jon Thompson from PC Plus Issue 324
How to discover rootkits
Once upon a time, viruses were about chaos, destruction and loss of data, but that was before criminal gangs realised that computers could be used to extort and defraud, and could even be used as cyber weapons. For the past decade or so, online crime has continued to evolve faster than the industry that has sprung up to protect us from it. Malware of all kinds is becoming stealthier as the rewards become more lucrative, and today even the most basic botnet client can cover itself in a shroud of invisibility. So how do you detect such an infection and give your network a clean bill of health? This requires deep scanning - far deeper than your normal antivirus software can provide.
A worthwhile read if you are planning to upgrade ... If you have a Windows 7 PC then the upgrade process should be fairly straightforward. Personally, I would not be attempting it until Windows 8 has settled down, maybe early 2013! Upgrading to Windows 8: what you need to know (FAQ): Making sense of the the Windows 8 upgrade process.
We’re connecting from every corner of our homes on smartphones and tablets and Netgear’s new Wi-Fi Booster for Mobile can strengthen your wireless coverage. 