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Wednesday, October 03, 20078 Reasons Windows Users Don't SwitchSteven Leigh at AppleMatters makes up a nice, logical list that should be at the forefront of the mind of anyone concerned about whether Apple will continue gaining market share at Microsoft's expense. My feeling, frankly, is that the Mac has to plateau at some point, unless some of these issues are addressed:Experienced Mac users may not have the perspective that it takes to see what makes Windows users stay with Microsoft, and let’s face it, some Mac users (not you or me, of course) are just downright zealots.Well. Actually, the truth remains: Macs are more expensive than PCs, they still are. Yes, Macs are often comparably priced to similar PCs. The problem is that PCs come in many, many more price points, and unlike with Apple, PC users are used to choosing exactly what they want and getting it. This is a key differentiator that Mac fans often overlook. If you want to spend $1500-2000 on a PC, the iMac is competitive. But if you want to spend $500, there's a decent PC out there for you. The same is not true on the Mac side. It just isn't. 5. LiesYep. This one and number 6, Windows Bashing, are essentially the same thing. I remember watching the 20 or 30 minute Vista-bashing session at the WWDC conference and wondering why Steve Jobs is so insecure that he has to berate the opposition. Can you imagine shopping for a car and having the salesman only talk about what’s wrong with the competition’s cars?Brilliantly put. 8. Mac UsersThis is, quite possibly, the biggest problem facing the Mac community. You may not realize how serious this is. But consider this: Mac fanatics are like Detroit car lobbyists. They've spent decades doing nothing but propping up the Mothership, all for what they think is a good cause, but all they've really done is harmed the thing they love so much. People understand quality, and that's why so many are swayed by Apple's products. People also understand bullying, and that's why so many ignore Apple's products. The good news? We're already at the point with the iPod family that the vast majority of users are not Apple sycophants but rather normal consumers. And they're not concerned with the same issues that plague the fanatics. On the Mac, it's finally getting there too: As Apple gains market share each quarter, the percentage of crazies goes down just a bit. Pretty soon, they're the minority. They're still a loud minority. But they're a minority. Don't let the crazy people ruin the Mac, or the iPod, or the iPhone, and shout down the people who are honest enough to point out problems where they exist. That's just silly, and while Apple's fanatics might have been desirable or even necessary during the rebuilding years, now they're just dead weight. Good riddance, I say. Labels: Apple, iPhone, iPod, Mac, PC, Vista [ Posted at 10:03 PM | Permalink ]
Monday, September 24, 2007My new Windows blogToday, I finally started blogging about Windows-related topics. You can find my new SuperSite blog, naturally, on the SuperSite for Windows. It's still in "beta" in the sense that the design needs to be updated to address the UI work I've been doing on the wider site, but I'll be writing there daily going forward. Expect the same irreverent look at Microsoft and the Windows community that I've done here with the world outside the software giant. [ Posted at 6:47 PM | Permalink ]
Thursday, September 13, 2007Vista App Alert: Mozilla Posts Places Mock-UpLooks like Mozilla has caught Vista fever. In a recent Firefox 3.0 status update, the company posted the following mock-up of Firefox's long-awaited Places feature, which will be used as a unified bookmarks and history manager: You can find the full mock-up, with a lot more info, here. It looks an awful lot like Vista's built-in applications (a style that is described as "really freaking cool" in the mock-up). I hope this is exactly what the whole Firefox 3.0 UI looks like. I can't wait. One question: Why not organize RSS feeds in there too? Labels: Firefox, Mozilla, Vista [ Posted at 11:24 AM | Permalink ]
Thursday, August 30, 2007Windows Vista Service Pack 1 RevealedIt's just a service pack, but it sure has garnered a lot of attention. Me, in SuperSite for Windows:With Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1), now due in the first quarter of 2008, Microsoft is deemphasizing the role that service packs play in the ongoing updating and maintenance of its operating systems. That is, Vista SP1 will be a traditional service pack, collecting previously-issued updates into a single installation, and including few new end user features. It will, however, improve the Vista experience in a number of ways and include new device drivers and other improvements.Related: Finally, Microsoft Reveals Vista SP1 and XP SP3 Schedules Labels: Vista [ Posted at 9:33 AM | Permalink ]
Wednesday, August 15, 2007Ed Bott puts the hurt on Peter GutmannEd Bott is tough. But he does things like this time and I just want to hug the guy. OK, I'd never actually get that close to Ed Bott. But seriously, this is good stuff:Is it bad reporting, bad research, or something worse?It goes on from there. Read it. Get the truth. And understand that this Peter Gutmann character is just an attention fiend and nothing more. Time to move on, people. Labels: Digital media, Vista [ Posted at 4:11 AM | Permalink ]
Thursday, August 09, 2007Apple Boot Camp 1.4 BetaApple ships a new version of Boot Camp:What's new in this version:[ Posted at 3:29 AM | Permalink ]
Tuesday, July 24, 2007Vista use grows as Mac OS X stays flat?Computerworld is all over the map on this one:Microsoft's OS should pass Apple's next monthHuh? Vista surpassed Mac OS X about five months ago from what I can tell. PC makers sold almost 60 million PCs in the second quarter alone. Let's assume that 80 percent of them come with Vista. That means that almost 50 million Vista users came on board in just that quarter. That's more than double the actual number of Mac OS X users. Windows Vista's share of online users has increased every month this year, while rival Mac OS X -- to which Vista has often been compared -- has shown little, if any, growth, a metrics company reports.I'm not a big fan of using Web metrics to establish usage share, but whatever. I don't think that anyone would claim that: 1) Vista hasn't already surpassed OS X usage. 2) Mac OS X usage is not growing. These two points of fact sort of render the Web metrics argument to be as useless as I always believed, no? According to Net Applications, in June Windows Vista accounted for 4.52% of all systems that browsed the Web, up from January's 0.18%. Vista has grown its usage share each month since its release to consumers Jan. 30, hitting 0.93% in February, 2.04% in March, 3.02% in April and 3.74% in May. Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, meanwhile, accounted for 6.22% in January and hit its high point of 6.46% in May, but it slipped back to 6% in June.Or by the end of last February, when the real usage shift actually happened. According to Net Applications' data, the computer maker is not making new Mac converts ... Net Applications' 6% share for Mac OS X jibes with recent IDC sales estimates, which put Apple's portion at 5.6% of all personal computer sales in the U.S.So are the Net Applications numbers only from the US? Because even with 30 percent YOY growth in CYQ2 2007, the Mac has about 2.88 percent market share worldwide. This article doesn't introduce the term "U.S." until the discussion about Mac market share. In short, this story is an absolute mess and cannot be trusted. Here's my summary, which runs contrary to just about everything you'll read in this waste of time: 1) Real world Vista usage surpassed Mac OS X usage sometime in February 2007, March at the latest. 2) Real world Mac OS X usage is continuing to grow, as evidenced by Apple's quarterly market share gains worldwide and in the US. (And you silly Mac fanatics thought that my focus on market share was malevolent.) 3) Web analytics cannot accurately measure OS usage, sorry. It's unclear whether these guys can do anything except give rough numbers for Web browsers. And even that's inaccurate given all the browser ID spoofing. 4) You can't mix market data even though I see it happen all the time. If Net Applications is measuring some subset of the Web world, either within the US or not, you cannot draw conclusions about a particular OS's market share in the US. Obviously. Thanks Paolo. Labels: Apple, Mac, market share, PC, Vista [ Posted at 8:38 AM | Permalink ]
Thursday, July 19, 2007How to make Windows XP last for the next seven yearsOr, put another way, how to absolutely hate yourself seven years from now. Can you imagine running Windows Me today? How about the initial shipping version of OS X? Yugh:If you've got Windows XP, worry not -- you can keep it running on your hardware for years to come. As with an old car, though, if you plan to keep XP around for a while, you're going to have to spend some time maintaining it. Think of us as your virtual mechanics. We'll give you tips, tweaks and tricks so that you'll be able to keep XP running smoothly, at top performance, for smooth operation and long life.I have to be honest. I disagree with this advice. Sure, you could run XP for the next few years. But even mainstream PC users will want to migrate to Vista during this time. Labels: Vista [ Posted at 1:36 PM | Permalink ]
Thursday, June 28, 2007Vista isn’t Me2, it’s Win95 + 12 yearsIf I had a Windows blog, I would have highlighted this there, but I don't. Regardless, this Ed Bott missive is right-on and a good read, especially if you're one of those guys that desperately wants to believe that Vista is a failure:In certain circles, it’s become fashionable of late to refer to Windows Vista as Windows Me2. It’s the second-worst insult you can hurl at a Microsoft program (the worst is to compare it to Microsoft Bob, neatly summarized as “7th place in PC World Magazine’s list of the 25 worst products of all time and [named] worst product of the decade by CNET.com” in 2005.).[ Posted at 2:21 PM | Permalink ]
Wednesday, June 13, 2007Microsoft kills its Digital Image Suite productsThis is a shame, given that I actually use DIS 2006 every day:Microsoft has discontinued its line of Digital Image Suite products*. Many of the digital imaging features and tools that have been enjoyed for years now can be found in new Microsoft titles and services including Windows Vista™. For more information Click HereHey Apple, how about porting iLife to Windows? Seriously. And for the record, the Photo Gallery stuff in Vista is a small subset of what was in DIS 2006. I wonder if the next Windows version will have more. Labels: Digital media, Vista [ Posted at 10:34 AM | Permalink ]
Cupertino, Start Your Copiers!It's always amusing when people finally catch on. No offense to Mr. Wilcox, but I've been saying this for quite some time:In October 2003, I blogged about how much Windows Vista—then code-named Longhorn—looked like Mac OS X Panther. Apple CEO Steve Jobs' recent Leopard demo was a déjà vu experience, since the new Mac OS looks so much like Windows Vista.Does any of this sound familiar? It should. I wrote something just like this back in August 2006: Sometimes I wonder how Apple CEO Steve Jobs can sleep at night. He appears to spend half his waking hours ridiculing Microsoft's admittedly behind-schedule operating system, Windows Vista, for copying Mac OS X features. But this week at Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), he announced ten new features for Leopard, the next version of OS X, most of which will seem more than vaguely familiar to Windows users. I'm not dim: Microsoft does copy Apple on a fairly regular basis. But seriously, Steve. Apple's just as bad.The sad thing here, of course, is that's more true now than it was after the last WWDC. Because now we know the full feature set of Leopard. Now we know there are no secret features. And now we know that OS X is as mature an OS as is Windows and, in the end, there's really just not much you can do beyond the evolutionary stuff. Ultimately, that's why the mobile device stuff is so exciting, at least on the Apple side: It's a place where Apple can continue to make big advances. I suspect that's part of the reason Microsoft gets into new markets like video games, phones, and music players as well. [ Posted at 9:34 AM | Permalink ]
Thursday, May 24, 2007I'm a PC. I'm a MacMe, in SuperSite for Windows:A year or two ago, the notion of replacing a PC with one of Apple's stylish Mac computers was fraught with risk, uncertainty, and incompatibilities. Today, the computing landscape is not so black and white. Thanks to Apple's conversion to the same Intel-based computing platform used by mainstream Windows-based PCs and a host of software tools that make it easier than ever to interoperate between the Mac OS X and Windows worlds, buying a Mac is easier--and smarter--than ever. Sure, there are some hurdles to overcome. But for many people, choosing between a Mac and a PC doesn't have to be an either-or proposition anymore.In truth, I was just excited to have a promo graphic with John Hodgman in it. ;) [ Posted at 9:40 AM | Permalink ]
Tuesday, May 22, 2007Five crucial things the Linux community doesn’t understand about the average computer userAdrian Kingsley-Hughes of ZD Blogs raises some interesting points:On the whole, most people would rather spend the money on Windows (or Mac) than take the time to experiment with Linux.This is absolutely true in my experience, and the one thing that most Linux (and Mac) users don't understand. I'm glad this was his first point: There is this collection of nauseating wanna-be pundits online who insist that Windows is a piece of crap, but that hasn't been the case for years. Maybe longer. I recall being an Amiga guy in the early 1990's and despising Microsoft. But once I saw the Windows 95/4.0 beta I realized things were changing and that using Windows, finally, could be a choice and not a requirement. I will say this loud and clear to all Windows bashers: Using Windows isn't horrible. In fact, many of us make a conscious decision to use the best OS on earth, with its unassailable software library and compatibility with services, software, and hardware. And yes, it's a choice. 2 - Too many distrosAbsolutely. In fact, there's a version of Linux for every Linux user, if I'm not mistaken. This is the dark side of open source: Too much choice. It sounds silly, but choosing a Linux distro is like choosing a bottle of salad dressing: There are 127 varieties in the average US supermarket, but most people just go with the one they know. 3 - People want certainty that hardware and software will workSee my points above about compatibility. This issue dogs Apple as well, though obviously there are solutions there for technical users. 4 - As far as most people are concerned, the command line has gone the way of the dinosaurObviously, he means "consumers" or "individuals" which are most people, and by extension, "most people who use computers." What's interesting is that the command line is actually making a comeback at Microsoft, though those efforts will be seen solely by system administrators: Windows Server 2008 includes two command line environments (one of which is the object-oriented, .NET-based Power Shell), major new command line tools (like servermanagercmd.exe), and, going forward, all Microsoft management tools will be built for Power Shell first: GUI-based tools will be built off of the command line stuff. That's UNIX, folks (and, by extension, Linux). Interesting. 5 - Linux is still too geekyYep. Ultimately, however, I'd argue that Linux is "too limited," at least on the desktop, and that's why it's flailing with consumers. I'll take this a step further. While Linux will always have a role in the server market, even that role will be diminished over time as Windows Server gets better and better. In fact, I'm curious how the Linux community will do anything but lose share to Windows Server going forward, duplicating the situation we see on the desktop. It seems inevitable to me, given how much Windows Server is improving. [ Posted at 9:21 AM | Permalink ]
Sunday, May 20, 2007Answering rhetorical questions and having fun with a week in the Mac blogosphereI love the blogosphere. You know, in the same sense that I love the guy who cut me off this morning on I-95 because he thought the breakdown lane was his own special "Get to Dunkin' Donuts Free" card. Anyway. I've often wanted to do something like this, and I hope it doesn't come off too snarky, as it's meant to be fun.Is DRM's Clock Ticking? Yes. No. Maybe. Shoot. I should have gone for one with an obvious answer first. Intel's roadmap puts Apple in the driver's seat If by "driver's seat" you mean "ain't gonna have any high-end Santa Rosa features, like Robson caching, high-speed 800 MHz bus, and faster Core 2 Duo processors that the newest PCs have." You know, like the Lenovo ThinkPad T61 I'm using to make this post. Sounds more like you're in the back seat. Or the trunk. Creating a Media Center Mac By installing Windows Vista and Media Center on a Mac. Oh wait, I already did that one. One year as an indie Mac developer: What I've learned Let me guess: "Don't make anything too good. Apple will just steal it." Enterprise backup options for the Mac looking up In which Computerworld continues its vain attempt to show that Macs are viable in the enterprise. Apple Recycles Macs, PCs Free In the US only, Remy. For a limited time only. Did Steve Jobs unveil Apple's iPhone too early? Yes. OMG, did you just drive traffic to... gasp... MacDailyNews? Yes. The Coming Mac Renaissance The Year of Desktop Linux. An apology??? I want something more from Engadget who set blogging back years for credibility and cost shareholders 4 billion! Sorry, but you're contributing to the blogger culture that makes what Engadget did not just acceptable but, in fact, just common practice. Move along people, nothing to see here. I Think Therefore I Won't iPhone (for now) I think you're the smartest guy on the Web for this brief, shining moment. Enjoy that. How can I say Google overpaid for YouTube? Pretty easily, as it turns out. Vista 40 Million Windows Vista License Sales in Context There are 25 million Mac OS X users worldwide. OS X has been on the market for 6 years. That's context too, isn't it? Apple iPhone gets FCC approval Gentlemen, start overcharging consumers. Or... This thing works with Outlook, right? Apple, Amazon may hold future of DRM-free music Or... they may not. Future is cloudy. Try again later. Apple preps first builds of Mac OS X 10.4.10 for testing Silly rabbit thought 10.5 would come after 10.4.9. iTunes is Great for Buying, Not for Organizing Actually, the reverse is true. If you're into 128 Kbps throwaway files, go nuts. Apple most trusted US brand George Tenet describes it as a "slam dunk"! How to Play Windows Media Files Click the "Play" button. Will Amazon Filch a Slice of Apple's Pie or Simply Bake Its Own I'm going to take a stand here. It will certainly be one or the other. OK, I could do this all day. Must. stop. Labels: Apple, Humor, Mac, Microsoft, Vista [ Posted at 10:48 AM | Permalink ]
Creating a Media Center Mac? Not QuiteReally, he's "creating a Media Center PC":I’ve been toying with a media PC for a while now but, however hard manufacturers try, pretty much none of them is likely to pass the wife approval factor (WAF).Why not indeed? You've created a Windows Media Center PC, something that's been around for many years. But props to Mark for recognizing the superiority of Media Center. As noted perhaps a bit too frequently, my family has been using Media Center as their sole TV interface for, oh, over five years now. Good stuff. Labels: Digital media, Mac, Vista [ Posted at 10:44 AM | Permalink ]
Tuesday, May 15, 2007Microsoft’s Vista fails to stop Apple Mac OS popularity?Vista.Blorge:Microsoft has on a number of occasions reported that Vista sales are strong, higher than expected, and that Vista is doing much better than XP did when it was launched. What it never talks about is how Vista is affecting the Apple Mac OS market. There certainly seems to be evidence that the Macintosh is only getting more popular, despite the launch of Vista.Uh-huh. Today, at the WinHEC 2007 trade show, Microsoft announced that, as of last week, there is an installed based of 40 million Windows Vista users. Microsoft Bill Gates, in his keynote address at the show, even implicitly mentioned how well Vista is doing compared to the Mac. As I noted today in WinInfo (which I have to quote here as the talk transcript isn't yet up), Gates said that "within its first five weeks of availability, there were already more Vista users worldwide than there are for any non-Microsoft operating system. The message is clear if not explicitly stated: The Mac may get all the positive press, but Vista surpassed the entire Mac user base in just over a month." Yeah, I get it. The Mac is fine. But don't pretend that Vista hasn't had an effect on the world and, yes, on the Mac. The blog post referenced above is just silly: There are real numbers that support Vista's success, and then there's anecdotal info ("the percentage of online Macs running Apple’s operating system has climbed from the long-flat 3 per cent to 5.6 per cent") that, um, doesn't really prove much at all. You can decide which is more relevant, of course. [ Posted at 5:21 PM | Permalink ]
Wednesday, May 09, 2007Microsoft fixes iPod bug on VistaSo you could look at this two ways, I guess. Either Microsoft is doing the right thing and working with a partner/"coop-etitor" and doing the right thing for customers. Or you could be ignorant and find a way to complain about Microsoft regardless of the good they're doing here. I choose the former: This is the right thing to do, and it should be applauded by users:Today we're publishing at the Microsoft Download Center a recommended final compatibility update for users of Windows Vista and the Apple iPod; this same update will be automatically available via Windows Update on Tuesday 22 May. The release is for users worldwide and works with the latest version of Apple iTunes to correct an issue that caused some iPods to become corrupted when ejecting them using Windows Explorer or the "Safely Remove Hardware" function in the System Tray.Of course, this is Microsoft. So instead of calling this something simple like "the iPod Vista fix," it's called The Safely Remove Hardware feature and the Windows Explorer "Eject" command do not work correctly with an Apple iPod that is connected to a Windows Vista-based computer. Sigh. Labels: iPod, Microsoft, Vista [ Posted at 11:51 AM | Permalink ]
Monday, May 07, 2007Switching BackThis has been forwarded around the Mac Web already, but it's still interesting:I have been using Mac OS X as my primary OS for almost a year now, but last night I switched back [to Windows] ... I can’t believe I didn’t switch back sooner, the main difference is that the interface is much much smoother and neater and despite popular belief performance is actually fantastic. I was used to waiting on Mac OS X while my standards apps would open up - Quicksilver, Firefox, Skype, etc. but Vista goes almost straight into the desktop and most apps boot very quickly.The only thing that's really surprising is that this surprised anyone. Windows Vista is a great OS. But like Mac OS X and previous Windows versions, Vista too gets bogged down over time. I suspect what he's seeing here is the difference between a year-old copy of OS X that's been loaded up with apps and a pristine new install of Vista. As for the functional stuff he's just discovering and describing, I mean, duh. I and many others have been writing about that for years. Sadly, a Mac isn't an ideal Windows machine, especially the portable ones. The keyboard differences are hard to overcome, especially. But if you want both OS X and Windows, it's obviously the only way to go. Anyway. My guess is that this happens more often than some would like to admit. [ Posted at 4:17 PM | Permalink ]
Monday, April 30, 200710 Reinvigorating Facts About Microsoft's ProfitsI discussed Microsoft's utterly amazing quarterly results in both WinInfo Short Takes last Friday and on the latest episode of the Windows Weekly podcast, but this little blurb does a nice job of putting it in perspective:I have written extensively about Microsoft's problems. But last week, I got a stunning reminder about the company's power. It takes Microsoft only 10 hours of business to exceed Red Hat's entire quarterly profit. Skeptical? Check out the math, and nine other facts about Microsoft's most recent earnings report.You know, just in case you weren't getting the difference. It's funny to me that some companies get undeservedly positive press and high stock prices while Microsoft, a cash cow, just lumbers along. It's really kind of insane. For a dead company, Microsoft's profits certainly look lively.If I can paraphrase "Cartman," "That's what I always say." Labels: Apple, Microsoft, Vista [ Posted at 8:43 AM | Permalink ]
Tuesday, April 10, 2007Apple Boot Camp 1.2 Beta ReviewMe, in SuperSite for Windows:Despite some small issues, Boot Camp 1.2 Beta is an excellent solution for running Windows and OS X on the same machine. Apple has done an exemplary job of improving this useful software over the past year, and now that it supports Vista as well, I have no compunction in recommending it whole-heartedly. If you've been eyeing one of those beautiful Macintoshes over at the Apple Store but don't want to give up all the useful Windows software you use, you now have one less reason not to give it a shot. With Boot Camp 1.2 Beta, today's Macs provide the best of both worlds: You get Mac OS X, with its high-quality iLife suite of digital media solutions, and Windows, with its unsurpassed gaming and application libraries, all in one box. That's the kind of switch I could easily rally around.Rating: Five out of five stars. Good stuff. [ Posted at 5:43 PM | Permalink ]
Thursday, April 05, 2007Tonight: Windows Weekly LiveThis evening at 7:00 pm EST, Leo Laporte and I will be hosting a live version of our Windows Weekly podcast using something called TalkShoe. I've done this before, but the idea is that we're able to present a radio-style show where listeners can "call in" with their PCs, ask questions, berate us, whatever. Should be interesting, and assuming it is, we'll try to do this regularly. Anyway, I thought Nexus readers might like to listen in and, possibly, give us a call.To join in, link to this URL starting at 6:45 pm EST. Thanks! --Paul Labels: Humor, Personal, Vista [ Posted at 2:48 PM | Permalink ]
Tuesday, April 03, 2007Microsoft sued over Windows Vista marketingTodd Bishop in the Seattle PI:A lawsuit alleges that Microsoft Corp. engaged in deceptive practices by letting PC makers promote computers as "Windows Vista Capable" even if they couldn't run the new operating system's "signature" features.From the moment I revealed how Microsoft planned to spam users with an unprecedented number of Windows Vista product versions, I decried this plan as too complex, both for users and the companies that would have to support them. Mac users rightfully point to Apple's single Mac OS X SKU for client machines as an example of how to keep things simple and consumer-friendly, and while I agree that some product differentiation is OK, Microsoft is out of control. Obviously. [ Posted at 2:50 PM | Permalink ]
Friday, March 30, 2007Gartner questions Vista power saving hypeWhile I noted that it was essentially an ad for Vista, I linked to a Microsoft article about power management because I think it's a smart think for all PC users--Mac, Windows, whatever--to think about. Anyway, Gartner has apparently called Microsoft's bluff in a more obvious way:Expensive Windows Vista upgrades designed to achieve 'green' benefits are likely to be a waste of money, Gartner has warned. Labels: Vista [ Posted at 9:56 AM | Permalink ]
Wednesday, March 28, 2007Boot Camp 1.2 betaApple:Boot Camp 1.2 beta contains several updates and is intended for all new and previous Boot Camp beta users.Needless to say, I didn't think we'd see Vista support in Boot Camp until Leopard shipped. Good stuff! [ Posted at 8:19 PM | Permalink ]
Monday, March 26, 2007Windows Vista: 20 Million in One MonthSo much for that silliness about Windows Vista being off to a slow start. Microsoft announces:More than 20 million Windows Vista licenses were sold in the opening month of general availability for the new operating system, as new tools and programs ease the transition for consumers.Related: Microsoft Announces Record Vista Sales (WinInfo): Previous to Microsoft's announcements, various news stories had erroneously claimed that Vista sales were lagging behind those of XP. What's really happening is that most customers have opted to purchase new PCs with Vista preinstalled rather than upgrade their existing customers. This situation has benefitted the entire PC industry, of course. Dell says its customers have "overwhelmingly" chosen premium Vista versions over lower-end versions, purchasing, in turn, more expensive PCs and components.[ Posted at 1:17 PM | Permalink ]
Wednesday, March 21, 2007Why PCs Should Get More SleepOK, it's basically an ad for Windows Vista, but if you care at all about the environment (and yeah, I do, despite my opinion on the causes of global warming), or at least your own electric bill, this is an interesting read:A single incandescent 100-watt light bulb left on around the clock for a year costs more than US$80 to power. Generating that power releases about 1,350 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.Anyone who uses a Mac knows that Apple nailed Sleep, oh, about four years ago. Whatever: Regardless of which OS you're using, this is something to look into. For Vista users: Windows Vista Energy Conservation [ Posted at 10:15 AM | Permalink ]
Sunday, March 18, 2007iTunes and Windows VistaApple updates its Vista advisory for iTunes 7.1.1:Apple has released a new version of iTunes that addresses a number of compatibility issues with Windows Vista. iTunes 7.1.1 is recommended for use with most editions of Windows Vista, however, Apple is actively working with Microsoft to resolve a few remaining known issues. This document will be updated as more information becomes available.From what I can tell, iTunes 7.1.1. didn't actually fix any of the Vista compatibility issues that were remaining when iTunes 7.1 shipped. As Apple noted, iTunes 7.1.1. fixes "a stability issue and minor compatibility problems" only. [ Posted at 1:36 PM | Permalink ]
Wednesday, March 14, 2007Halo 2, Windows Version of Xbox Live to Debut in MayMe, in WinInfo and giddy at the possibilities here:On Wednesday, Microsoft announced its rollout plans for the Windows version of the Xbox Live service, which will be named Games for Windows Live. Concurrently with the launch of the new service on May 8, 2007, Microsoft will also ship the long-awaited Windows Vista version of "Halo 2," the best-selling Xbox game title. Labels: Video games, Vista, Xbox 360 [ Posted at 2:35 PM | Permalink ]
Thursday, March 08, 2007Go beyond Vista. It's time to get a MacApple's online store has started an interesting, and wise, defense against Windows Vista:Why upgrade to Vista when you can upgrade past it? Instead of installation nightmares and other hassles, you'll get a gorgeous Mac with the latest Intel chips, bundled software that you'll actually use, and an operating system that's still years ahead.Obviously, with Leopard still many months away, Apple apparently decided to focus on the Mac generally rather than Mac OS X specifically, but it's a good start. There are absolutely things that Apple just gets right, and I like to see the company highlight its strengths rather than mindlessly tear down real or imagined problems with its competition. [ Posted at 1:01 PM | Permalink ]
Wednesday, March 07, 2007Apple CFO: Vista No ThreatCRN:Apple's CFO says he doesn't view Microsoft's rival Vista operating system as a threat to the forthcoming Leopard version of the Mac OS.Interesting. I suppose for Vista to be considered a threat, it would have to cause Microsoft to gain OS market share at Apple's expense (i.e. Apple's market share would have to fall). There are indications that the Mac's market share is rising, so his comments actually make some sense. However, I'd argue that Vista is quite obviously a threat to Apple because it further closes the gap between Windows and OS X in the eyes of the world (and, in reality, Vista exceeds OS X in many areas). And one might make the argument that Vista is good enough to cause some Mac users to switch back to Windows. Parallels helps to counteract that effect. Finally, no one actually knows "what" Leopard is all about at this time. And when Apple finally does reveal its secretive new OS, we can start comparing anew. Like most people reading this, I'm eager to see what happens. [ Posted at 10:47 AM | Permalink ]
Tuesday, March 06, 2007MacDrive 7 is outSo Mediafour has released MacDrive 7, which offers Vista compatibility and the ability to analyze and fix Mac disks:Since its introduction in 1996, MacDrive has become the standard for sharing files between Mac OS and Windows. MacDrive makes it possible for Windows users to access all types of Mac disks, including external USB and FireWire drives. MacDrive can also partition and format Mac disks, burn Mac CDs and DVDs, and even works with Boot Camp to provide access to Mac OS X system drives.[ Posted at 10:55 AM | Permalink ]
iTunes and Windows VistaSome good news from Apple:Apple has released a new version of iTunes that addresses a number of compatibility issues with Windows Vista. iTunes 7.1 is recommended for use with most editions of Windows Vista, however, Apple is actively working with Microsoft to resolve a few remaining known issues.It's not perfect yet, I guess. Apple points out a few remaining issues, and says its working with Microsoft to resolve them. [ Posted at 10:10 AM | Permalink ]
Amazon Unbox 1.5So, Amazon has shipped a new version of its Unbox TV/movie download service. The first version was so horrible I demanded my money back and erased the thing from my PC. It's unlikely I'll ever be brave enough to try it again, but here's what's new:- 20% faster downloads - Improved reliability and performance - 50% faster application load time - Reduced PC memory usage - Full support for Windows Vista and Vista Media Center Edition - Improved portable device support - Download portable video files only when you want to! - New user controls and settings - Video brightness control - Contrast control - Video library organizational and sorting - Optional tooltips - Multiple file delete Hmm. There's no such thing as Vista Media Center Edition. I see Amazon is up to its usual high standards. Labels: Digital media, iTunes, Vista [ Posted at 9:40 AM | Permalink ]
Monday, March 05, 2007Speaking the truth about VistaAnd out of a sea of fear and ignorance comes a Vista overview from someone in the Mac community not afraid to say, hey, Vista isn't all that horrible. Glenn Fleishman in TidBITS:I just bought a new laptop with Windows Vista preinstalled, and, hey, I kinda like it.I do have some quibbles with his overview, however. - Upgrading from XP is not "a sucker's bet." Sure, there are always some issues with upgrading, but Vista handles this far better than previous Windows versions and includes a wonderful Upgrade Advisor that lets you know in advance how it's going to go. - He says that User Account Control asked about granting approval for programs more than he'd like. "It's weird that I can't easily say, hey, I trust this action for this particular program," he writes. Except that when malware gets on your system and does something you don't like with that application you trust so much, it would be even weirder. Trust in security goes far deeper than the application level. - He seems to agree that Vista is basically XP with "fancier dressing" and glosses over low-level changes. These are the types of things Apple regularly promotes as it releases minor OS X update after minor OS X update and then sells them as major upgrades. I'm not attacking him: For all I know, he calls Apple out on this with each OS X release, too. I'm guessing that's not the case, however. Anyway, overall, a fair overview from the Mac crowd. Anything is possible, I guess. Heck, maybe we'll even find a Windows guy that likes Mac OS X. Labels: Vista [ Posted at 2:34 PM | Permalink ]
Sunday, March 04, 2007Exposé for Windows ... Sort ofA lot of Mac users have incorrectly called Windows Vista's Flip3D feature a rip-off of Mac OS X's Exposé. Sadly, it's nothing of the kind: Flip3D is just a glorified task-switcher, a next-gen replacement for ALT-TAB. However, it turns out that Microsoft does make something a lot more like Exposé. It's called Instant Viewer, and it's a feature of the latest versions of IntelliPoint, Microsoft's mouse software. Here's a shot: By default, this is what happens when the press the middle mouse button/scroll wheel. I guess it's still a glorified task switcher like Flip3D, but it does look at lot more like Exposé than does Flip3D. Labels: Vista [ Posted at 9:02 PM | Permalink ]
Sunday, February 25, 2007iTunes: What I Want Changed For VistaDeep Thoughts:Where to begin? Even Apple admits that iTunes needs some changes for Vista, but they only admitted to wanting to fix the issues with iTunes Store purchases. Despite saying it would be ready a few weeks after the announcement, there is no fix in sight. Now that Im using Windows Vista final (havent you heard?), I want to compile a list of everything I think needs to be added or changed so iTunes is a better Vista application.A nice, common-sense list. I'd add: - How about an official Sidebar gadget similar to Apple's Dashboard widget? (Yes, I know there are third party ones available.) - How about integrating iTunes into Vista's built-in media sharing functionality so that iTunes libraries will show up in the Network shell location on other PCs on your home network (and thus be usable from any compliant media player and not just iTunes)? - And for crying out loud, Apple: Open up iTunes to Media Center. I'd love to play back iTunes-purchased TV shows and movies from within Media Center, using a remote control. Pretty please? [ Posted at 11:51 AM | Permalink ]
Saturday, February 24, 2007Wallpapers that weren't included in Windows VistaHamad Darwish:This set contains my work from the Microsoft Photoshoot I did late 2005 - early 2006.Neat! You can download hi-res versions on his Web site. Labels: Vista [ Posted at 8:03 PM | Permalink ]
Wednesday, February 14, 2007Vista vs. Leopard in perspectiveWith the understanding that Microsoft conservatively estimates that over 100 million people will be using Vista by the end of 2007, and over 200 million by the end of 2008, let's see what analysts are saying about OS X Leopard:Apple's launch of Mac OS X Leopard next quarter is expected to help Mac market share rebound, following the negative impact of the Windows Vista launch. Analyst firm Piper Jaffray estimates that the sequel to Mac OS X Tiger will see sales of 2.6 million copies during the June quarter, adding $130 million to the company's revenues.So ... Apple will sell in one year what Microsoft sells ... in its first month. Sure, that's great, I guess. But Vista will just keep selling. And selling. And selling. And after the initial Leopard upgrade boom ends quickly, Apple is pretty much back to its million Macs a quarter. Not exactly the recipe for a comeback. Note: I originally linked to this article as an example of the Mac community's fixation on Vista, but that appears to have been in error. But I'd still like to raise the question: Why is the Mac community so fixated on Vista lately? Is it just because Vista is out now, or is there a feeling that Microsoft finally got it right this time? [ Posted at 1:28 PM | Permalink ]
Tuesday, February 13, 2007SmartFlipMany have (falsely) accused the "Flip3D" feature in Windows Vista of being a rip-off of Mac OS X's Exposé. It's not: Flip3D is simply a 3D version of the ALT+TAB task switcher shortcut that's been in Windows for decades. (Put another way: Where Exposé offers additional functionality related to locating individual windows in running applications, Flip3D only provides access to each application.) As you might expect, however, various people are looking to replace Flip3D with something more Exposé-like. Here's what looks like an excellent example:Neat! I'll try to test this soon to see how well it works, but the developer tells me that a stable version will be out in about two weeks. [ Posted at 8:00 AM | Permalink ]
Friday, February 02, 2007iTunes and Windows VistaApple:iTunes 7.0.2 may work with Windows Vista on many typical PCs. Apple recommends, however, that customers wait to upgrade Windows until after the next release of iTunes which will be available in the next few weeks. This document will be updated as more information becomes available.Way to be ready for Windows Vista, guys. Microsoft's only been telegraphing the Vista delivery since March 2006. Geesh. Labels: Apple, iPod, iTunes, Vista [ Posted at 4:35 PM | Permalink ]
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