Windows Embedded Comes To Automobiles

By DustinPosted on

Microsoft, not being content in just being on your desk, your phone, and your laptop, has moved into the embedded department in your car. I thought they have a version of Windows running in certain Ford vehicles already? Ford SYNC? I believe this goes a step further. More details to follow!

Microsoft announced today that Windows Embedded Automotive technologies are powering the touch-screen Information Hub for the 2011 Nissan LEAF electric car. The hub gives LEAF drivers and passengers a navigation system and electricity charging station locator. It also shares power consumption monitoring information with drivers, and enables easy in-car climate monitoring – all on top of a smooth, quiet electric ride. Be sure to check out a video of the car in action.

Ray Ozzie Leaving Microsoft

By DustinPosted on

Ray Ozzie has announced he is leaving Microsoft. Ozzie is Microsoft’s current Chief Software Architect after replacing Bill Gates. This is a surprise to many, as Ozzie has been a big part of Microsoft since the beginning. I’m wondering who will take his place?

“Ray contributed significantly to the early success of Windows,” Ballmer noted in his memo to Microsoft employees. “Since being at Microsoft, both through inspiration and impact he’s been instrumental in our transition toward a software world now centered on services.”

Kinect Launch List – 17 Titles

By DustinPosted on

Going back to the days of old, with Sega and Nintendo (and NEC for you Turbografx lovers!) announcing “launch” titles. Microsoft has a list of 17 titles for their launch of the Kinect. However, like Sega and Nintendo, only a few are available the day of the launch. The rest come a couple weeks later. No big deal for some, but a bit misleading if you want a launch game on the official launch day! Some great titles, and I’m sure I’m going to have to pick one up for my wife: Zumba!

The seventeen-game lineup also includes three dancing games (Dance Central, Zumba Fitness, and DanceMasters), four exercise games (Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout, EA Sports Active 2.0, and the aforementioned Zumba Fitness), and two ‘boarding games (Adrenalin Misfits and Sonic Free Riders). See the full list after the break.

Windows Phone 7 Devices: Expandable Memory

By DustinPosted on

NeoWin has done some digging and found some pages on HTC’s store that list memory expansions, in the form of MicroSD cards, for the Windows Phone 7 platform. Although it may just be one device, it does seem to lend credibility to the fact that some devices will have expandable memory. This is extremely good news, not for those with iPhone that doesn’t have any slots, but for those of us with Android powered phones that love the extra memory. They will keep us updated, and I would love to know the outcome.

Up until now, most of the reports have said “no”, which to users of any other smart phone (excluding the iPhone) seems a little odd. Many of the devices announce so far have been announce with only 8GB of memory, with a few having 16GB options. Compare that to the iPhone 4, which comes in 16GB and 32GB variants (with rumours that a 64GB version might come), or an Android device with expandable memory, and you’re left wondering why Windows Phone 7 devices are stuck at 8GB.

Welcome Screen Displayed For 30 Seconds When Using Solid Color Background

By DustinPosted on

Many people have had issues where their Welcome screen has been displayed for 30 seconds, delaying the desktop, when using a solid color background. Microsoft has released a fix for this issue, which should get rid of this problem.

Consider the following scenario:

  • You have a computer that is running windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2.
  • You set a solid color as the desktop background.
  • The Desktop Window Manager Session Manager service is running.
  • You log on to the computer locally.

In this scenario, the Welcome screen is displayed for 30 seconds during the logon process.

Download fix: Hotfix 977346

There are also a couple workarounds.

First, use a picture as a desktop background, even a simple one will work such as a solid color.

The second workaround requires a registry edit.

1. Click Start, type regedit and press enter to enter the Registry Editor.

2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystem

3. Double click the DelayedDesktopSwitchTimeout entry.

4. In the Value Data box, type 5.

5. Click OK, and exit the Registry Editor.

That’s all there is to it.

TGDaily Spews Anti-Microsoft Drivel

By DustinPosted on

TGDaily, known as a tech site with some good articles and commentary, has a new staff writer that has been going off on Microsoft using false information, as well as a very biased opinion. The first article wasn’t too bad, full of mis-information and very biased towards Apple. Their last article was basically sending insults to anyone who commented regarding their factual discrepancies, or expressed their opinion on the article. Very bad journalism, in my opinion. Microsoft isn’t perfect, and I can name 10 things that I don’t like about it. However, everything I can name I can put facts behind it, rather than calling my opinion a fact. We’ll see how this plays out. For a good laugh, check it out. Is this guy for real?!

But we are also shocked at the sudden reappearance of the Microsoft fanboi, whom the industry has long classified as a dying, if not extinct species.

Still, you have to give the Redmond worshippers credit.

Obviously, it isn’t easy defending a mercenary corporation whose primary claim to fame is a malware ridden, sub-par OS known as Windows.

UPDATE: TGDaily validated the posts, and endorses them. They do offer anyone to offer a counter point. However, it’s going to be extremely difficult to counter with the Author in question. I will be writing a piece today to counter his “thoughts”, and I will be sure to backup all of my facts with actual data.

Why is Google So Upset With Microsoft

By DustinPosted on

I’ve always found it poor form to put down the competition (even with Microsoft) without telling the consumer what you can do for them. Google has been dissing Microsoft, their phone, their OS, but with little to back it up. How can they put down the phone OS when Microsoft has been putting out phone OS’s with Windows Mobile before Google even had  an Android thought? I’m thinking that Windows Phone 7 is a much bigger competitor than both Apple and Google first imagined.

Clearly Micorosoft is a hugely profitable company with a great many products and product areas that directly bring revenue into the company.  Apple is the same with a great many product areas from servers to MP3 players that again bring in revenue.  They may not have as many product lines as Microsoft or the same market share but they’re doing extremely well.

Nintendo Entertainment System: 25 Years Old

By DustinPosted on

How many still have their old Nintendo Entertainment System? I know I do. Years of memories from this system, and I can still say I enjoy playing some of the games to this day (although, using an emulator). Tomorrow, October 18th, marks the 25th birthday of the United States release of the immortal NES. What memories do you have of this awesome system (other than seeing it and then buying a Sega Master System?).

On October 18, 1985, Nintendo of America officially debuted the U.S. version of its first-ever home videogame console, the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was an overhauled version of the company’s Family Computer, which had parlayed its rocky launch in Japan into a nationwide phenomenon in short order. The arrival of the NES was a stealthy attempt to defibrillate an American home gaming market that had lain dormant for nearly two years. In time, the success of the NES made Nintendo a powerhouse and confirmed that gaming was a legitimate medium rather than a passing fad.

Competitors Say MS Security Essentials is Not Enough

By DustinPosted on

Microsoft’s main competitors, notably ESET, Symantec and Avast, have claimed that Microsoft’s Security Essentials is not enough protection for small businesses. Microsoft recently changed their EULA to allow small businesses with under 10 PC’s to run MSE for free. I have used to extensively, and the protection is better than a lot of others, including paid anti-virus software. Not to mention it uses less resources.

That said, Symantec thinks Microsoft’s approach is poor. “While we applaud any vendor that heightens small business awareness around the need for computer security, it’s clear that today’s threats have moved beyond the capabilities of the product Microsoft is offering,” Symantec told Ars. “The perception that freeware vendors have created is that free, basic security is enough to protect customers from today’s online threats. The reality is that the number and sophistication of Web-based viruses and malicious code continues to rise, resulting in small businesses needing more than just a signature-based antivirus product to fully protect their critical information.”