Windows 8 Developer Preview: What I Don’t Like
UPDATE: I found this link to some tweaking software for the Developer Preview which fixes a few of these problems. You can add shutdown, restart and sleep buttons to the start menu now and also completely remove the Metro Start screen. Here is a link to the download
By now we've all had a chance to play around with the Windows 8 Developer Preview. Now, I know this isn't the final version but there are several things which Microsoft has done which annoy me to no end.
Firstly, there is the placement of the shutdown button. One of the most known commands on every single computer is usually kept in the most conspicuous place possible. What puzzles me to no end is why Microsoft chose to put it in the Settings menu. It makes no sense and to most people who think logically, it is the last place they would look. Clicking on the username gives the user the option to log off but not to shutdown. Obviously tablet users will not be bothered by this since most will just put their tablet to sleep but since this is meant to be a full blown desktop OS, many users will want to shutdown at the end of the day. It seems like a bit of an oversight to me.
The new Metro interface seems pretty cool when you first try it out but it's only when the fun is over and you need to do actual work that you realize how useless it is for productivity. First, it is not very clear what applications are currently running in the background. If you have 2 apps open you can easily switch between them by dragging from the left side of the screen but when there is more than this, it just becomes annoying. You have no idea what you are doing and having to keep returning to the Start screen to open new apps and search just adds an extra click to every process. A feature similar to Expose (but not a copy) on Mac OS X would be awesome for this purpose so I could have a birds-eye view of everything which is happening.
Windows 8 Developer Preview Pictures
So the new developer build of Windows looks pretty cool. It is pretty similar to what you've been reading in the news lately. There are a few bugs for example, after leaving it on for a while, the screen goes black and the computer freezes. It also sometimes randomly crashes while in any app so it isn't something you want to use permanently. Overall, its a pretty good idea but needs a few improvements. There are a few preinstalled apps which I still have to look at and I'll make another post with more information on that stuff. For now, enjoy the slideshow!
UPDATE: Another small flaw is how difficult it is to access the shutdown button. It is hidden away in the most difficult to find spot. It probably should be located somewhere on the home screen
UPDATE: Here is the download link if you want to install it yourself. I used virtualbox to install it but beware that it will probably run a lot slower than what it should
How Secure Is Your Computer?
As most people do, I used to believe that in order to secure your computer you just put a password for Windows and then it is impossible to access. This all changed when a friend of mine came to me because they had forgotten their password. They wanted me to try and reset the password. I honestly had no idea what to do but I said I would give it a go. A quick google search later, I found several pages detailing how to reset a 'forgotten' password. After about 10 minutes I found simple to use program. All it needed was a USB stick and the computer where you had forgotten your password. It took me about 10 minutes to erase the password and get into the locked computer. I could access everything no problem and I am a complete amateur when it comes to hacking.
Now, obviously, if someone stole my laptop they would be able to do the exact same thing. Its like setting a PIN code and telling everyone what it is, it's useless! So if your operating system password doesn't do anything to secure your computer, what do you do?
Well, if your files are top secret and need to be secure, encryption is the answer. There are many programs to encrypt all of your files but one of the easiest to find and use is Windows Bitlocker. It comes built in to all computers which have Windows Vista or 7 Ultimate edition. Bitlocker uses either a recovery key and password or a TPM chip inside your computer. By setting a password, you need to type it in every time you start the computer and if you forget it, there is a recovery key which you save to a USB stick so you can recover the data of your hard drive. If you lose the recovery key, your data will be forever lost. A TPM chip is built in to your computer and it basically stores the encryption keys. When your computer starts up, everything on your hard drive is decrypted and so you can access it.
A TPM chip is useful because if an attacker removes your hard drive and installs it in another computer, the hard drive will remain encrypted and will be useless. IThe chip comes built in to many business laptops as these people are the ones with the most sensitive files.
So, if you think your computer is secure because you have set a password, think again. Try other methods such as encryption to keep prying eyes away from your files.
Review: Microsoft Security Essentials
Pros:
-Free
-Effective virus protection
-Small file size
-Easy to understand interface
Cons:
-Lacks high end features such as email scanning and anti spam
-Full scan takes a long time to complete
Recently Microsoft launched their new security suite to combat the many viruses which plague PCs and give Mac people a point to argue about. But this isn't just another competitor in a huge market; this product is free and is built to put virus protection in almost every Windows computer due to its simple interface and low file size.
Review: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
After a week of testing Microsoft's latest operating system out, here is a full review on how it is.
Pros
- Redesigned Taskbar
- Gesture Controls
- Faster than Vista
- Smaller Footprint
Cons
- Similar Appearance to Vista (Not really a bad thing but I like change)
- Some features are a bit gimmicky
- Pricey for Australians (unless you buy the OEM version)
Overview
I don’t have to remind everyone of the epic failure Vista was but Microsoft has now released their latest operating system, Windows 7. It has promised to be everything Vista was not. Judging by first impressions, I was very impressed. Installation was incredibly fast and easy (I performed a clean install) and surprisingly Windows found the drivers for ALL my devices automatically. My wireless card drivers were even there. I didn’t need to touch any of the CDs I got with the devices or manually go to websites to download 64-bit drivers. So far Windows 7 was living up to its claims.
Apple Releases new iMacs
Apple has launched a new line of Mac a day before Microsoft is set to release Windows 7. Apple's new iMacs have the latest Core i7 and i5 processors and a new "Magic Mouse". They also feature larger screen sizes (21.5 inches and 27 inches). The screens also have a Full HD (1920x1080) resolution as well as a 16:9 aspect ratio.
Apple's new mouse features multi touch technology allowing you to control everything using gestures such as pinching to zoom. This is similar to the trackpad found on Apple's laptops. The new iMac also has more USB ports and an SD card slot. The new Mac is also wall mountable showing how Apple is designing their computers more and more for the living rooms.
7 Reasons Why Macs are Better than PCs
Judging by the overwhwelming response I got from all these people in my last post. I thought I would even the argument out a little. Here are 7 Reasons why a Mac is better than a PC.
1. Almost No Viruses
The majority of Mac users don't even have an anti virus. This is because there are very few viruses out there for Macs. This is due to the fact that there are more PCs in the world so people only want to make viruses which can spread quicker. This makes a PC the medium of choice. This is great news for Mac users who don't need an additional anti virus which means there is no additional program to slow their computer down and eat up RAM. There is a built in security to stop viruses if they do come. This is of course free as opposed to Microsoft's Live One Care.
2. Heaps of Software Built In
Macs come with so much useful software built in to them. These are mainly part of the iLife suite which includes things like iMovie, iPhoto and Garageband. These pieces of software are so much better than their PC alternatives as they are easy to use and not to mention free. For designers, the software they need is much cheaper than any comparable software on PCs and it is the same, if not more powerful. Take for example Final Cut Studio which is cheaper than Adobe's Premiere. This makes a Mac almost ready to go as soon as you buy it.
6 in 10 companies plan to skip Windows 7
Six in 10 companies in a survey plan to skip the purchase of Microsoft Corp's Windows 7 computer operating system, many of them to pinch pennies and others over concern about compatibility with their existing applications.
Windows 7 will be released October 22, but has already garnered good reviews, in contrast to its disappointing current version, Windows Vista.
Many of the more than 1,000 companies that responded to a survey by ScriptLogic Corp say they have economized by cutting back on software updates and lack the resources to deploy Microsoft's latest offering.
[ad#Adsense]
Microsoft Releases Windows 7 Pricing
Microsoft has released more details about its long awaited OS, Windows 7. The original release date is October 22 where Windows will be released in the 14 most common languages. More languages will be released on October 31. It will first be launched in Australia and New Zealand and follow the sun around the world basically.
The pricing is less than Vista thankfully and the full Ultimate version will cost AU$469 instead of the AU$799 for Vista Ultimate. But you can also buy the OEM version of Windows 7 which will be alot cheaper. This is fro people who build their own computer however. The pricing on OEMs hasn't been released but judging from Vista OEM pricing it will be huge.
Vista Ultimate cost AU$799 while the OEM version could be had for AU$280. This is a huge drop in price. Upgrade versions of Vista were more expensive than the OEM. Full Pricing is as follows:
Windows 7 Home Premium: AU$299 (Full) AU$199 (Upgrade)
Windows 7 Professional: AU$449 (Full) AU$399 (Upgrade)
Windows 7 Ultimate: AU$469 (Full) AU$429 (Upgrade)
As you can see the difference between the full version and upgrade version becomes quite small when you look at the Ultimate version. Also the price difference between Professional and Ultimate is very small. I am sure most people would pay the extra $20 to get the Ultimate version.
[ad#Adsense]
User
Log In
Recent Posts
- What Is The Best Value Computer You Can Buy?: Part 4
- Upcoming technology in computers : CPU
- Windows 8 Developer Preview: What I Don’t Like
- Windows Developer Preview Apps
- Windows 8 Developer Preview Pictures
Recent Comments
- khanbm on Windows Developer Preview Apps
- squishyram on Windows Developer Preview Apps
- Lyn Zukof on Review: Google Chrome 9
- Woodrow Estremera on Review: Google Chrome 9
- Speedy454 on Does the New PSP (NGP) Pose Any Threat to the iPod Touch?
Tags
Archives
- December 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- February 2010
- December 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
Blogroll
- Computers Directory
- Development Blog
- Documentation
- Fix Rss Feed
- My Website Homepage
- Plugins
- Suggest Ideas
- Support Forum
- Themes
- WordPress Planet
