As I mentioned in my Update: Windows Vista Start-Up Sound post earlier today there has been a lot of ‘commotion’ about the Windows Vista Start-Up Sound when Microsoft first hinted we would not be able to disable the sound. Last night thanks to the More “Spiritual” Startup Sound In Windows Vista? article on CyberNet News, I was able to hear the ‘spiritual’ startup sound. The video is about 8 seconds, of which about 2 seconds is the start-up sound. Oddly enough this is about the same length as the current XP Start-Up sound.
Microsoft
Read More
I guess enough folks finally complained loudly enough for Microsoft to listen to them! Last month I talked about the Windows Vista start-up/boot-up sound ‘crisis’ in my entry: Windows Vista Boot-Up Sound. On Sunday (Sept 24th), comes some good news, via CyberNet News: Microsoft Lets Users Disable Vista’s Startup Sound: In the latest build, version 5728 that was just released the other day, you’ll find a new option in the Sound Control Panel. There is a checkbox that says “Play Windows Startup Sound” Never understood what the big deal was to Microsoft about the start-up sound. Though it seems Microsoft…
Melitta ME1MSB Smart Mill & Brew 10-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker Bit of a slow news day in the Mozilla world, so I was looking at Todd Bishop’s Microsoft Blog and came across this entry, Now brewing: A Microsoft-powered coffee maker. Oh this is scary, a coffee maker with Microsoft software technology! I could see it now, wake up in the morning, stumble into the kitchen and instead of your usual pot of freshly brewed coffee, the coffee maker display is flashing an error message. You frantically dig through all the drawers looking for the manual and hunt around for the troubleshooting…
In early July, OneStat.com, the Amsterdam-based Web statistics firm released statistics showing the popularity of the top 5 web browsers (IE, Firefox, Apple’s Safari, Opera and Netscape) in the USA, Canada, Australia along with several EU countries. The most popular browsers Worldwide (July 2006): 1. Microsoft IE 83.05% 2. Mozilla Firefox 12.93% 3. Apple Safari 1.84% 4. Opera 1.00% 5. Netscape 0.16% Most popular browsers in the USA (July 2006): 1. Microsoft IE 79.78% 2. Mozilla Firefox 15.82% 3. Apple Safari 3.28% 4. Opera 0.81% 5. Netscape 0.20% Full statics can be viewed in the OneStat article and include the…
While Windows Vista has been the center of major legal troubles (anti-trust violations) for Microsoft with the EU, they have some other lesser known lawsuits pending. These include: Forefront trademark suit, Forefront is the name of Microsoft’s future Corporate Security Software but Dexter & Chaney, a Seattle software company has used the name for more than 18 years for its construction-related software. Xbox Live patent suit, the multi-player technology used by Microsoft seems to similar to that of PalTalk Holdings Inc. Cryptography patent, now this unusual, a case Microsoft has won (but 9 years after the initial suit). Iowa antitrust…
To put it mildly the firewall that comes with Windows XP sucks! It is a pain in the rear to try and configure as you have to create entries for each port the programs are going to access. I have heard not so great things about Zone Alarm. Thanks to a tip from a member over at Go Firefox!, I looked into and have been using Sygate Personal Firewall. What I love about Sygate is the simple interface and configuration. If an application is trying to connect to the Internet, Sygate will popup and and inform you that this application…
Microsoft presented to the international media today its new Microsoft Entertainment Wireless Desktop 8000. This keyboard and mouse combo features Blue Tooth Wireless, built-in touch pad along with special buttons for Windows Vista (Media Center PC and other Vista gadgets). This package will be released in February (shortly after Vista is to be released) with a retail price of $250!!! The article appears on Todd Bishop’s Microsoft Blog on the Seattle Post Intelligencer and includes a detailed picture of the keyboard and mouse. Someone has already comments on his site that at this price Microsoft should throw in a free…
As Murphy’s Law goes, “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” This is especially true when you are trying to do a live product demonstration. From my friends over at CyberNet Tech News: Windows Demonstrations That Have Gone Wrong features four You Tube videos including: The infamous Windows Vista Speech ‘Wreck-ognition’ Why Windows 98 wasn’t release ‘Yet’ Bill Gates on Conan Plus a bonus video of MacWorld Bloopers One word of caution, DO NOT attempt to drink and watch these videos at the same time!!!
Another former Microsoft executive has moved on. From Todd Bishop’s Blog on the Seattle Post Intelligencer. Mozilla, the company behind Firefox, has hired a former Microsoft security strategist, Window Snyder. This news comes just days after it was announced Microsoft’s Brian Valentine, senior vice president in charge of Windows development, is leaving to join Amazon.com.
On CyberNet Tech News today is the article: Microsoft Officially Announces Vista Pricing. So here are the official US Prices: Vista Business – $299 Vista Business Upgrade – $199 Vista Enterprise – Not available to retail customers Vista Home Premium – $239 Vista Home Premium Upgrade – $159 Vista Home Basic – $199 Vista Home Basic Upgrade – $99.95 Vista Ultimate – $399 Vista Ultimate Upgrade – $259 Update Here is information from Microsoft on the Windows Vistas Editions Now $100 for the Home Basic Upgrade is not too bad. That is right along the lines of what I paid…