Microsoft to Release Windows 8 Developer Preview Today

According to the official "Building Windows 8" blog, Microsoft will be releasing a developer preview of Windows 8 "later tonight". The OS preview will be available in both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) builds, bundled with dev tools and a demo application suite. Upgrading from Windows 7 unfortunately isn't supported, so you'll have to do a clean install. The blog stresses that this is only a developer preview, rather than a beta release.

You probably want to try out the preview release—and you can. Starting later tonight you can download the Windows 8 Developer Preview. This includes a 64-bit (x64) build with development tools to build apps, and a 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) build without development tools. The releases also include a suite of sample applications (please note these are merely illustrations of potential apps, not apps that we intend to ship with Windows 8). The ISOs are linked to from http://dev.windows.com.

[Building Windows 8]

"App Store" for Windows 8 Confirmed by Microsoft

A recent post on Microsoft's "Building Windows 8" blog by Steven Sinofsky stated that Microsoft had assigned teams of developers to work on specific areas of the future OS. What caught our eye, thought, was that one of those focus areas was an App Store which is supposedly going to be complete in time for the launch of Windows 8.

[MSDN]

Microsoft on why Windows Phone 7's keyboard is great

Microsoft hit at least one aspect of Windows Phone 7 out of the park: the virtual keyboard. The virtual keyboard is one aspect that Apple has held since the release of the original iPhone, and Google has struggled to compete with. Even RIM, renown for their phenomenal BlackBerry keyboard, can’t build a virtual keyboard that is up to snuff. Then comes Windows Phone 7, and suddenly Apple has a competitor.

It’s no accident, as Microsoft points out in this month’s issue of R&D Magazine. The Windows Phone 7 product group and Microsoft Research team combined their talent, and implemented the principles of machine learning. It’s an interesting combination of mathematics and linguistics that helps to develop such an accurate text prediction service. Language has a pattern, and programming Windows Phone 7 to take advantage of that also helps to provide accurate predictions, sometimes even before you start typing the next word.

It’s an interesting look not only into the development of soft keyboards such as these, but also into the whole Microsoft bureaucratic scheme. Two totally different and almost unrelated departments had to come together to make the best possible product; if that hadn’t happened, there’s no telling how the keyboard would be.

via [R&D]

Apple Makes Giant Multi-Touch Trackpad

Apple has just released a multitouch trackpad for desktop computers, and it has full multitouch support for quickly navigating through windows. If you’ve always wanted the Macbook’s glorious multitouch trackpad on your desktop, then this is the accessory for you.

The largest Multi-Touch trackpad ever.

Magic Trackpad is just like the trackpad on the MacBook Pro — but bigger. It’s made with the same advanced touch-friendly and wear-resistant glass surface. But with nearly 80 percent more area, it’s the largest Multi-Touch trackpad made by Apple. So there’s even more room for you to scroll, swipe, pinch, and rotate to your fingers’ content. And since the entire surface is a button that clicks, you can use it in place of a mouse.

I absolutely love my Macbook’s trackpad, and would drop $69 for one of these in an instant if I had a desktop. It’s available now for Macs running the lastest version of Snow Leopard. There is no word on Windows support yet.

[Apple]

Disable Driver Signing in Windows 7

If you want to turn off device driver signing in Windows 7 completely, do the following.

Hit the Win+R keys together to open the run dialog. Type gpedit.msc to open the local groups policy editor.

Expand ‘Administrative Templates’ (it’s under ‘User Configuration’). Expand ‘System’. Click ‘Driver Installation’.

In the right panel, double click on ‘Code Signing for Device Drivers’.

Choose ‘Enabled’ in the window that appears. In the underlying options, choose ‘Ignore’. This disables drivers signing in Windows 7, and now you can install unsigned drivers in Windows 7.

Click Apply, OK. Restart your computer to install unsigned drivers.

Content-Aware Fill Sneak Peek

Microsoft's Hyper-V Server 2008 for free?

Microsoft is giving away its Hyper-V Server 2008 for free. Below is the full article from SD Times.

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I generally stay away from Windows reporting, as the vageries of Microsoft's licensing and distribution poilices are beyond me. I am the free software guy, here at SD Times. So it delighted me to find that there is, in fact, a free version of Windows out there. Can you believe it? It's actually included with the Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2. The package includes the core of Windows Server 2008, presumably packaged up by AIK. Not only that, but the license included with this package is quite different from other Windows packages.

First of all, this version of Windows checks its validity certification once in the first week. Then never again. And it has a 100 year grace period, so you really don't have to ever stop using it. According to the license included with the software, you can actually redistribute this ISO, as well! Can you imagine? A free Windows you can redistribute? Clause 5 of the XP EULA is gone, too, so you can presumably embed this OS, or even use it as a server for commercial purposes without owing Microsoft a penny.

Now, there are obviously Windows-things missing from this image, but the license says you can do anything you need after install, as long as it's only about managing systems. That's a wide berth for use, though: even Notepad can be used for management. Of course, you can't modify the disc image before redistribution. Or at all, really.

As the open source guy, it seems a bit silly that this is news, but evidently, this is all unheard of in Windows land.

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Article: http://www.sdtimes.com/blog/post/2010/03/22/Have-some-free-Windows.aspx

Windows 7 Tip

Yesterday I was searching for the Run button on the start menu (I use Windows 7) but it wasn't there. Confused, I searched for it under the programs menu and I found it; but I still wondered if I could have it back on my Start menu.

I did some exploring on my start menu's properties and I found the option where you can put the Run button back on the start bar. I will show you how in the next few steps:

1- Right click the start button

2- Click "Properties"

3- On the "Start Menu" tab click the "Customize" button

4- A list will pop up on the screen

5- Towards the bottom of the list there will be a checkbox to put the Run command onto your start menu. Check the box

Note: This guide applies to Windows 7, I do not know how well this works with other Windows OSes.

HP Slate Device Unveiled

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer debuted the HP Slate tablet computer during the CES 2010 keynote address last night, and while it was only a teaser, there were a few details and pictures available.

During what might have been the highlight of last night’s speech (apparently not everyone was impressed), Ballmer hinted that we’ll be seeing a prototype some time later this year. (Seriously, there haven’t been enough definite release dates at CES this year.)

In what could have been a great debut (and steal Apple’s thunder before they ever come out with that darn tablet of their own), there weren’t many concrete details beyond that.

But what did the world learn about the HP Slate? It will run on Windows 7, runs Amazon Kindle for PC, and the color touchscreen is in between 10 and 12 inches. It also apparently plays Frogger.

It’s surprising that this nifty little utility for Windows PCs (sorry, Mac users) has avoided our attention for so long, but not anymore. In case we weren’t the last ones that hadn’t heard about this, iPhone Folders by Bozhenov Artem is a great way to access the files on your iPod touch and iPhone from Windows. Because it hooks in as a Windows Explorer extension, there is no software to run once it’s installed: it just works. The iPhone or iPod touch just shows up like any other hard-drive, and the extension even includes support for displaying application icons for .app folders in thumbnail mode. It’s very slick, almost as if it was functionality that Apple forgot to ship.

[Reader Article] Cool Use For an Old Flash Drive

Co Cool Use For Old Flash Drives

Don't throw your old USB flash drive away. Instead, you can use an old flash drive to prevent your laptop from being stolen. Here is how.

1. Install free software on your laptop. www.lalarm.com/LaptopAlarm. (free for personal use)
2. Fasten a neck strap to your old USB flash drive.
3. Fasten the other end of the strap to a table.
4. Plug in the USB flash drive into a USB port of a laptop.
5. Lock the laptop by pressing the Windows logo key and L key together.

When a thief removes the laptop from the table, the USB flash drive will be disconnected from the laptop and then a loud siren sound will be emitted. (See photos: www.lalarm.com/arm2) In addition to sounding an alarm, the software sends an alert to your mobile phone. This tip is also useful if you worry about identity theft. The free software destroys data in case of laptop theft.

This was a reader submitted article by James Lee

iTunes Security Flaw

Apple has shipped iTunes 9.0.1to fix a critical security hole that puts Mac and Windows users at risk of computer takeover attacks.

The vulnerability could be used by hackers to launch code execution attacks via booby-trapped “.pls” files, Apple warned in an advisory.

• Impact: Opening a maliciously crafted .pls file may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution
• Description: A buffer overflow exists in the handling of .pls files. Opening a maliciously crafted .pls file may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. This update addresses the issue through improved bounds checking.

The update is available for Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later, Mac OS X Server v10.4.11 or later, Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.

Get Windows 7 Free

Get Windows 7 Ultimate for free... by throwing a party

Dying to throw a party where everyone goes home alone? Microsoft's got you covered. Redmond's looking for Windows 7 fans to throw launch parties from October 22-29, and if you're chosen, you'll get a free "Signature Edition" of Windows 7 Ultimate, free party favors, and a chance to win a PC valued at $750. Sure, you'll have to suck up your pride and invite your friends to a party with a theme like "setting up with ease" or "family friendly fun," but if you're willing to throw a party where everyone is apparently supposed to sit around a laptop and then go out and buy something, well, we're guessing you don't have too much pride to begin with.

Info: http://houseparty.com/windows7

Windows 7 Beta

Microsoft has released Windows 7 beta to the public!
Download: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-download.aspx