The Surface Pro finally has a price, and it’s about what I was expecting. $899 for a 64 GB version, and $999 for the 128 GB version. Not too bad at all. I’m looking forward to grabbing one of these. I’ll definitely splurge for the 128 GB version. The pricing is for the stand alone tablet, with the touch or type cover sold separately.

On the inside, Surface with Windows 8 Pro will come with Intel’s next generation Core i5 processor. This chip will give Surface with Windows 8 Pro a graphics boost for its 10.6” 16:9 ClearType display that runs at a 1920×1080 full HD resolution. Surface with Windows 8 Pro also includes a full-size USB 3.0 port. Its Mini DisplayPort can drive an external display up to 2560X1440 resolution. And, as I mentioned above, Surface with Windows 8 Pro will support Pen input. This is an amazing feature for all you note-takers or document editors out there, especially since it has expanded capacitive and digitizing technology we’re calling Palm Block that will prevent your handwriting from getting interrupted if you accidently place your palm on the screen as you write. This feature is pretty cool, and allows for a great inking experience alongside a great touch experience when needed.

You see this guy all over every forum, every post that mentions Internet Explorer. The IE Troll. Microsoft has finally acknowledged this guy and admits that it is getting better after having some down time.

I did not see this coming at all. Steven Sinofsky has left Microsoft. He was the head of the Windows team during development of Windows 8 and the Surface. His departure from the company is not related to the mentioned products, but rather a personality clash with other employees.

I wish Steven well in his future endeavors. His replacements are Julie Larson-Green and Tami Reller. I can’t wait to see what these two can come up with. The both sound like very intelligent and capable women.

Microsoft Corp. today announced that Windows and Windows Live President Steven Sinofsky will be leaving the company and that Julie Larson-Green will be promoted to lead all Windows software and hardware engineering. Tami Reller retains her roles as chief financial officer and chief marketing officer and will assume responsibility for the business of Windows. Both executives will report directly to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

Stardock, the company behind Start8, which brings back the Start menu to Windows 8, has released a beta for Decor8. Decor8 is an application that can customize your start screen with tile placement and backgrounds.

Personally, I really like the Start screen and don’t mind the loss of the start menu. But, my gripe was that it just wasn’t customizable. Now, it is. I’m definitely going to test out the beta on this one!

Choose from more background images to personalize your start screen.

• Add your own photos and images
• Select multiple images to create a custom slideshow
• Randomize background images in timed intervals for a fresh look
• Fade background images against the start screen color for a subtle effect

The acquisition of Skype a while back by Microsoft is finally giving back. On the Windows Blog, it was announced that Windows Live Messenger is being retired in favor of Skype for instant messaging. You are still able to log in using your Microsoft log in credentials, as well. They are planning on retiring it throughout various regions within the next few months, leaving mainland China on Messenger.

Recently, we added the ability to sign in to Skype using a Microsoft account, the same account you use for Messenger, Hotmail, Outlook.com, and more, bringing your contacts to Skype automatically. This makes Skype fantastic for connecting with that network of people you know and love.

Windows 8 is being launched in the Japanese market with what else? Anime! Also some people say this is a strictly Japanese craze, I’m sure there would be a decent market in USA for it. I’m looking at importing a copy of the Japan version just to have as a collectors item. $200 USD is a lot of cheese, though. Used market may not be too bad in a few months!

Despite confusion over alleged magic touch screen-imbuing capabilities, Windows 8 seems to be doing well in Japan as well— so well, in fact, that limited-quantity DSP editions of the operating system, which feature two unofficial Windows 8-themed “moe” mascots, are already beginning to sell out, proving once again that the Japanese will buy anything with a cute anime girl on it (not that there was a lack evidence).

If you are the type that likes to nitpick the little things and don’t like the “techie language” as part of your Windows OS install, this article might be great for you. The author from C|Net (which is supposedly a techie site) has some issues installing Windows 8 on his 3 year old machine. I am not sure what he was expecting from an OS install, but 44 minutes to install isn’t really that bad. My experiences on newer and older hardware has shown this to not be the norm, but it still isn’t bad.

Some muddy, techie language on the installation screen for picking an upgrade that keeps my files and apps vs a custom installation: "If you want to make changes to partitions and drives, start the computer using the installation disc." What installation disk? I’m installing off a USB drive. Fortunately, I don’t need to change partitions.

Really? Complaining about the word DISC?! Should it have gone a bit more techie with it’s language and said “installation media source”, or should it have dumbed it down to the “place wheres you has the Winda’s 8 programs, Honey Boo Boo”?

I just can’t take the article seriously. A techie website and an author that has installed many operating systems over the years comes up with these trivial little things. At least you can rest assured that if the only problem you have with Windows 8 installation is that you have to click Next a few times (THE HORROR!) and have to read through the technical instructions (DISC?! WHAT’S THAT HE’S REFERRING TO?! I GIVE UP!), then your experience should be pretty darn good!

For comparison, my install on a newer i7 2600K PC clocked in at around 12 minutes to do a clean install from a USB source (also, sometimes referred to as a USB disc, USB drive, Flash disc, flash drive, thumb drive – added that for the original authors benefit). On a Core2Duo at 2.66 GHz, I did have a bit slower of an install at ~20-25 minutes but still very positive of an experience.

Feel free to check out the original article and let me know your thoughts? Do you have troubles navigating and understanding what it being said or asked for with the Windows installation? Is it really that horrible of an install experience? Should they dumb it down even more to accommodate the users with zero technical ability or experience (why they wouldn’t take it to someone that knows more is beyond me). My thoughts: author should have went to the Geek Squad.

Live Tiles in Windows 8, the Windows Phone 7 & 8 devices and Xbox Dashboard are under attack by a firm claiming to have patents on the live tile feature. While some of it does sound similar, a lot of it has been done before. Something to keep an eye on. Patent trolls are at it again. Why they didn’t start this battle when live tiles were introduced and waited until the huge product was finally released? More cash to be had via a settlement. Microsoft won’t just throw away the live tiles and modern UI after it’s been released.

Live Tiles are a feature of Microsoft’s redesigned operating system officially launched this month. They reside on the phone’s start screen and can contain real-time information. Users can "pin" Live Tiles of people (their tweets, photos, etc.), song, Web sites, photos, e-mail, notifications, Facebook and other items to the screen.

Some call it the “Post-PC” era. I don’t know why, as my desktop is still here and getting better every upgrade. Aside from that, the computer is actually becoming more personal these days. ZDNet has said that Microsoft has pulled off it’s biggest reinvention ever with the release of Windows 8, Surface and Windows Phone 8. The golden Trifecta of Microsoft products. Do you think they pulled it off, or is this just a magic trick slight of hand to look like they did?

Personally, I think they have done well. The Surface has been accepted as a very promising and well made product (Windows RT vs. Pro is a different argument). Windows 8 has it’s naysayers, but all in all it’s a very good product that can benefit from some extra refinements (supposedly incoming). Windows Phone 8 is a large improvement over WP7 in nearly every way. They’ve taken customer feedback and integrated into the new mobile OS. I think I may end up buying one when they are released on Verizon next week.

The existence of Surface (and the Windows RT and Windows 8 devices on the way) will at least give those buyers an option for a Windows tablet that hasn’t existed until now — in which case, it’s done its job. And as I’ve pointed out elsewhere, hardware is a key way of owning the relationship with the consumer, so being in the hardware business with the Surface (and most likely Microsoft-built phones in future) is now essential.

Steve Ballmer, the CEO of Microsoft, has announced that Windows 8 has sold four million upgrade copies with more being bought daily. This is an excellent start to Windows 8 success, and one I hope continues. There seems to be a lot of hate (H8, as some call it) about Windows 8 and the new Modern UI Start Screen among enthusiasts and IT professionals. Personally, I have a love/hate relationship. There are quirks that I can’t stand. I didn’t care for it much at first. Now, I love the Start Screen and it takes a while to adjust to the standard Windows 7 interface.

If you haven’t tried it, there are some great deals out there so you can upgrade for $40, or if you recently bought a new PC you can get it for as little as $15.

Ballmer, speaking at a meeting for software developers at Microsoft’s headquarters near Seattle, said hundreds of millions of Windows systems would be sold over the next year, and the company was seeing strong interest from business users.