Windows 7 Launches TODAY
October 22, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Its finally here!
Windows 7 has launched TODAY.
There were Windows 7 Launches and Press events around the world yesterday – I was privileged to attend the one in London!
You can discover more about Windows 7 here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/default.aspx
and
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/what-is-windows-7.aspx
Here is Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer talking about Windows 7 on launch day:
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Regards
Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP
Windows Newsletter #210
October 2, 2009 by admin · 1 Comment
Welcome to edition #210 of my fortnightly Windows Newsletter !
I hope you get something out of the articles and please do leave a comment below with any suggestions for the next Windows newsletter I am publishing on the 30th October. (A little later than normal!)
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Microsoft XP Mode RTM
Microsoft has released Windows XP Mode to manufacturing on October 1, company officials said, and it will be generally available on Microsoft.com on October 22, the launch day for Windows 7.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=4133
Microsoft’s NEW Data Centre in Dublin
This photo gallery offers a look inside the new Dublin facility, offering a closer look at the design innovations driving its efficiency, including a “free cooling” system that uses outside air to cool the data center, and a server pod design that employs hot aisle containment to support warmer operating temperatures inside the server space.
http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/inside-microsofts-dublin-mega-data-center
Watch TV on the Internet
With Satellite Direct, you get unlimited 24/7 access to over 3,500 channels. That’s thousands more than cable TV, including dozens of hard to find international channels. and NO SUBSCRIPTION!
http://www.updatexp.com/watch-tv-on-the-internet.html
Sheraton Tries Windows 7 Touch Technology Out on Customers
One of the earliest adopters of Windows 7 touch-screen machines is Sheraton Hotels, which three weeks ago installed HP TouchSmart computers running Windows 7 in its Link@Sheraton workstations. These recreational spaces are in most Sheraton lobbies and contain comfortable chairs, tables and computers.
http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=CE466C09-1A64-6A71-CE870B4D4AAF906E
Microsoft SongSmith
Microsoft SongSmith is a musical accompaniment application for Windows, launched in early 2009. Read more here and watch Microsoft’s excruciatingly yet hilarious video for the software!!!:
http://blog.marcliron.com/microsoft/microsoft-songsmith
Windows 7 DVD Maker
Microsoft have updated the DVD maker in Windows 7. For most users they will not need to purchase additional software as the DVD maker will meet their needs to create DVDs for playback on PCs or stand alone DVD players. Read more here:
http://www.win7articles.com/windows-7-dvd-maker.html
Adobe Reader Security Updates
Adobe have released 29 security patches for their Acrobat reader and Adobe Acrobat products. As these are critical it is important you have the latest versions installed. Read more here:
http://blog.marcliron.com/security-issues/adobe-reader-october-security-update
Microsoft Outlook Connector
Outlook Connector provides a free solution for managing your Windows Live Hotmail e-mail and contacts from within Outlook. With the new release of the Outlook Connector, you can connect your Windows Live Hotmail account in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2003 free of charge. Read more here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/outlook/HA102225181033.aspx
Update a driver for Hardware that isn’t Working Properly
If you have a hardware device that isn’t functioning properly, or you’re installing a program or game that states it requires newer drivers than you currently have installed, you should check Windows Update for updated drivers. You might also want to set Windows Update to check automatically for recommended driver updates.. Read more here:
Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor 2.0
Download and run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to see if your PC is ready for Windows 7. It scans your hardware, devices, and installed programs for known compatibility issues, gives you guidance on how to resolve potential issues found, and recommends what to do before you upgrade. Read more here:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=161223
Office Live
Online file sharing gives you the ability to: Access and share files from anywhere, Simplify online collaboration, Store up to 5GB online, Work with programs you know—Word, Excel, PowerPoint.. Read more here:
See you on the 30th October 2009 for the next newsletter.
Enjoy!
Kind Regards
Marc Liron
Microsoft MVP – Windows Desktop Experience
2004/2005/2006/2007/2008/2009
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Windows Newsletter #209
September 18, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Welcome to edition #209 of my fortnightly Windows Newsletter !
In this edition I am mainly dealing with the topic of Windows 7 since it is due for release next month and folks have so many questions about it.
I hope you get something out of the articles and please do leave a comment below with any suggestions for the next Windows newsletter I am publishing on the 2nd October.
Subscribers Questions:
BEFORE we dive into the following articles I have been asked what solution I use to backup Microsoft Outlook on my PC. The company I have trusted for the last 4 years is called A.J.Systems, a little known software company BUT they produce some great applications!
They have backup solutions for Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail and Windows LIVE Mail!
OutBack Plus 7 - advanced data backup and restore for Microsoft Outlook – works with Outlook (98, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2007) as well as the Microsoft Business Contact Manager.
- Download the TRIAL version: HERE!
Express Assist 9 - is the original backup, restore and synchronization tool for Outlook Express. It extends the utility to support Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail in addition to Outlook Express.
- Download the TRIAL version: HERE!
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Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor
The Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor is a free utility available for download from Microsoft.
Once the utility is installed it will automatically check the suitability of your current PC’s hardware and software and see if they are compatible with Windows 7.
http://www.win7articles.com/windows-7-upgrade-advisor.html
Windows 7 Available
From the 6th August both MSDN & TechNet Subscribers will be able to download Windows 7 English. On October 1st, the remaining languages will be released.
Windows 7 Student Offer
Students in the US can pre-order their copy of Windows 7 in the US starting today and students in the UK can pre-order their copy beginning on September 30th (pre-ordered copies will be available for download beginning October 22nd). Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Korea and Mexico can participate in this offer on October 22nd.
Windows 7 Calculates Your Mortgage
Windows 7 calculator includes a few more features than scientific and programmer modes. It has a series of conversion tools too. Want to convert temperatures from Fahrenheit to Celsius? It can do that….
http://blogs.msdn.com/stevecla01/archive/2009/09/14/windows-7-calculates-your-mortgage.aspx
The Excel IF Value
One of the MOST POWERFUL features of Excel is the use of IF functions.
Understanding this use of the IF Value will take you beyond what the majority of most users of Excel will ever achieve.
http://www.updatexp.com/excel-if-value.html
Improvements in current Hotmail features rolling out soon
The Hotmail team has started rolling out updates to improve your Hotmail experience. Most of these are improvements to current features and are meant to make your current Hotmail experience more efficient.
http://windowslivewire.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!2F7EB29B42641D59!41458.entry
BING Visual Search
A study conducted by Microsoft Research shows that consumers can process results with images 20% faster than text only results. So it’s clear that images play a big part in helping consumer’s with a variety of search activities.
Introducing BING Visual Search BETA (US Only)
COREL Digital Studio 2010
COREL has introduced its all-new photo and video product “Digital Studio 2010″. Aimed at the home user it take s aunique approach to creating videos and photo albums – NO tech knowledge needed!
http://www.updatexp.com/corel-digital-studio-2010.html
See you on the 2nd October 2009 for the next newsletter.
Enjoy!
Kind Regards
Marc Liron
Microsoft MVP – Windows Desktop Experience
2004/2005/2006/2007/2008/2009
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Windows Newsletter #208
September 4, 2009 by admin · 4 Comments
Welcome to edition #208 of my fortnightly Windows Newsletter !
In this edition I am mainly dealing with the topic of Windows Security.
I hope you get something out of the articles and please do leave a comment below with any suggestions for the next Windows newsletter I am publishing on the 18th September.
Corel Digital Studio 2010 - NEW!
BEFORE we dive into the following articles have you heard the BIG news from leading digital media software company COREL?
They have just released a brand new product called Corel Digital Studio 2010 that incorporates ALL the features you need for working with Photos, Home Movies and even stunning DVD playback – and it is even Windows 7 compatible!
Learn More about Corel Digital Studio 2010 – Click here.
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Creating Strong Passwords
You just can not escape passwords if you use a computer today. Yet many choose easy to remember passwords like names and birthdays etc.
However these are easy to guess by others or for automated software used by thieves! Read this article on how to create stronger passwords to protect yourself with.
www.updatexp.com/creating-strong-passwords.html
Online Data Storage
We all have computers full of important documents and memories such as digital photos. But are you making backups in case of a hard drive failure or some other disaster?
If you are and they are kept at the same location you could be heading for trouble. Or perhaps you have them stored on CD or DVD, but what if they get scratched? In this article we look at storing your files online.
http://www.updatexp.com/online-data-storage.html
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
Microsoft has a tool freely available to scan your PC for the most common malicious infections that can cause harm to your Windows PC. Read more here:
www.updatexp.com/windows-malicious-software-removal-tool.html
The Microsoft Malware Protection Center (MMPC)
The MMPC is the authoritative industry voice on malware research and response on the Windows platform. Headed by veteran virus hunter Vinny Gullotto, the MMPC has one of the most experienced senior malware research teams in the industry.
www.microsoft.com/security/portal/
PC Tools Internet Security Price Reduction
I have received an email from the popular software company PC Tools that as of September 1st 2009, they have reduced the price of their 3 computer license of PC Tools Internet Security to $49.95USD
The Cyclic Redundancy Error
This error may appear on your screen after inserting a CD or DVD into a drive. Find out more about this error and how to resolve it.
www.updatexp.com/cyclic-redundancy-error.html
Hard Drive Data Recovery
A guest article on the topic of hard drive data recovery by data recovery expert Greg Duffield.
www.updatexp.com/hard-drive-data-recovery.html
FREE utility called SID Resolver
A free utility that allows you to cut and paste a Windows SID and instantly discover the user account etc that it is associated with.
www.updatexp.com/display-security-identifier.html
A Quick Guide To Online Security Terms
A list of popular online security terms explained!
www.updatexp.com/online-security-terms.html
The Advanced Fee Fraud
The advance fee fraud is widespread and costs its victims millions each year in lost savings etc, in this article we look at the scam!
www.updatexp.com/advance-fee-fraud.html
See you on the 18th September 2009 for the next newsletter.
Enjoy!
Kind Regards
Marc Liron
Microsoft MVP – Windows Desktop Experience
2004/2005/2006/2007/2008/2009
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Windows Newsletter #207
August 21, 2009 by admin · 16 Comments
Welcome to the latest edition of my free Windows Newsletter.
I hope you find it helpful and please do leave feedback at the end of this page in the “comments” section!
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The Windows XP Task Manager Utility
Task Manager provides information about programs and processes running on your computer. It also displays the most commonly used performance measures for processes.
You can use Task Manager to monitor key indicators of your computer’s performance. You can see the status of the programs that are running and end programs that have stopped responding. You can also assess the activity of running processes using as many as fifteen parameters, and see graphs and data on CPU and memory usage.
www.updatexp.com/windows-xp-task-manager.html
The Windows XP DirectX Diagnostic Tool
The DirectX Diagnostic Tool is designed to help you troubleshoot DirectX-related issues.
It is also handy for finding out what graphics card you have installed and other general system information such as type and speed of the processor.
www.updatexp.com/directx-diagnostic-tool.html
Windows XP chkdsk Tool
This tool creates and displays a status report for a disk based on the file system. Chkdsk also lists and corrects errors on the disk. Used without parameters, chkdsk displays the status of the disk in the current drive.
It is a tool that all users should run occasionally to check the “high level” file integrity of their hard drives.
www.updatexp.com/windows-xp-chkdsk.html
The DVD Decoder Plugin For Windows Media Player
Need to play DVDs on your computer?
You can do it cheaply by purchasing a small plug-in that can turn Windows Media Player into a DVD player!
www.updatexp.com/dvd-decoder-media-player-windows.html
Defrag Podcast: Windows 7 MultiTouch
In this episode the guys from DEFRAG look at multitouch in Windows 7.
What are all the multitouch gestures? Will there be more? What is Microsoft’s thinking behind multitouch? How/when will I see multitouch on my desktop?
They answer all these questions and more.
http://blog.marcliron.com/windows-7/multitouch
Windows Updates For August 2009
Microsoft released a series of security updates for Windows and Office on August 11th 2009.
The following is a summary of these security updates.
http://blog.marcliron.com/security-issues/windows-updates-for-august-2009
XP Mode vs. Med-V
Strictly one for the “techies” reading this newsletter.
With the release of the XP Mode Release Candidate, there has been a lot of talk and confusion around when XP Mode is a ideal solution and when you should look at Med-V as a solution.
http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/springboard/archive/2009/08/08/xp-mode-vs-med-v.aspx
Panda Internet Security 2010
Panda Internet Security 2010 is a complete security suite that lets you use the Internet with complete peace of mind. It protects you from:
Viruses / Spyware / Rootkits / Hackers / Online fraud / Identity theft and all other Internet threats!
http://blog.marcliron.com/tech-reviews/panda-internet-security-2010
SpinRite
Is your hard drive starting to play up? Then STOP and read this.
Famous tech and security guru Steve Gibson has a utility that may save you getting into the data loss territory!
Use SpinRite to check for and repair any obvious read-trouble on the drive and perform low level tests like data pattern testing, defect scrubbing, data relocation and unreadable sector repair and recovery.
There is nothing else like this on the market today.
Microsoft IE 8 Shines in Web Browser Security Test
Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8 rated tops among five browsers tested by NSS Labs for effectiveness in protecting against malware and phishing attacks — though NSS Labs acknowledges Microsoft paid for the tests.
http://threatpost.com/blogs/microsoft-ie-8-shines-web-browser-security-test-114
Microsoft Promising Office 2010 ‘Sandbox’ Security
Last week, Microsoft revealed more details about a new security feature in Office 2010, dubbed “Protected View,” that is designed to shut down the popular hacker tactic of feeding users rigged Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.
www.computerworld.com/s/article/9136831/Microsoft_struts_Office_2010_sandbox_security
10 Cool Features to Look Forward to in Office 2010
With the release of the Office 2010 Technical Preview, details are finally starting to roll in. Deb Shinder highlights some of the features she thinks might make the new version worth the upgrade.
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=900
Windows Live Movie Maker – Now Live!
Microsoft has taken the wraps of Windows Live Movie Maker, “the one-minute way to turn photos and videos into great-looking movies that are easy to share — for free”.
http://windowslive.com/desktop/moviemaker
You can read a review here:
http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/wlmm.asp
You can watch a “demo video” here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94lYVLPBXpg
Listen to a Podcast: Windows Live Movie Maker:
http://marcusatmicrosoft.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!503D1D86EBB2B53C!3674.entry
Using Voice Recognition in Windows Vista
A useful tool within Windows Vista that most folks don’t know is there.
http://www.instantvista.com/windows-vista-voice-recognition-tutorial.html
Windows Help and How-to Centres
See what’s possible with Windows Vista:
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/windows/en-US/ideacenter.mspx
See what’s possible with Windows XP:
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/windows/en-US/usingwindowsxp.mspx
Windows XP Support Ends in 2009 and 2014
2 important dates for ALL users of Windows XP
http://blog.marcliron.com/windows-xp/windows-xp-support-ends-in-2009-and-2014
Who Do I Host My Tech Websites With?
I get asked this all the time, especially when folks realise that I gave up my full time job as an IT manager due to the revenue these websites generate me each month!
www.marcliron.com/my-sitebuildit-story.html
Microsoft Retail Stores are Hiring
Yes its true, Microsoft are opening retail stores in the US. Some even next door to existing Apple stores!
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/08/microsoft-retail-stores-are-hiring.ars
Coupons and Discounts
For residents of the United States of America I have discounts and coupons from major hard ware and software vendors. Check back often as they change weekly:
# Software Discounts and Sony Computers
http://blog.marcliron.com/coupons
# Hewlett Packard (HP) Laptop, PC and Printer Discounts
http://blog.marcliron.com/hp-coupons
# Trial Software Downloads – Try before you buy
http://blog.marcliron.com/trial-software
Parting Words
There was some confusion over my offer to give the first 25 customers to purchase my current Windows Resource DVD, a FREE copy of my upcoming “What’s In Windows 7 Video/Handout package“. Everyone who has made a purchase WILL get a copy, and I am also extending the offer until the 31st August 2009 as many folks are on summer vacations at the moment.
The DVD page: www.marclironpublishing.com/dvd.html
See you on the 4th September 2009 for the next newsletter.
Enjoy!
Kind Regards
Marc Liron
Microsoft MVP – Windows Desktop Experience
2004/2005/2006/2007/2008/2009
Newsletter Relaunch
August 17, 2009 by admin · 20 Comments
Friday 21st August 2009 marks the re-launch of my popular FREE Windows newsletter service!
The revamped newsletter will be published FORTNIGHTLY on a Friday…
UNTIL then:
Windows 7 – What’s Inside?
I am currently producing a short series of videos and handouts that will be highlighting the key parts of Windows 7 that home users will want to know about – before Microsoft release the new operating system on the 22nd October 2009.
I will be releasing the videos and handouts mid-September 2009 at a cost of $29.99
HOWEVER, I am making this special offer:
The next 25 purchases of my 2009 Windows Resource DVD will come with the “Windows 7 videos and handouts” totally FREE! (I will email you the special download link when they are ready in September.)
Hurry – this is a limited offer!
The DVD page: http://www.marclironpublishing.com/dvd.html
A New Blog!
I have been working on a new Blog that focuses on news related to Microsoft and its Windows operating systems. I am also working in partnership with HP by offering discounts and coupons on new PC’s and laptops so make sure you check out the Blog soon!
Visit here: http://blog.marcliron.com
Enjoy!
Kind Regards
Marc Liron
Microsoft MVP – Windows Desktop Experience
2004/2005/2006/2007/2008/2009
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A Windows Newsletter by popular Microsoft MVP - Marc Liron, covering all things Microsoft Windows!
In the last 20+ years Rich Pryor has been a programmer, LAN manager, MIS Director, Chief Information Officer, and an independent IT consultant.
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