Windows Archives - Page 5 of 8

Microsoft “Laptop Hunters”

Microsoft has recently cranked up its marketing machine and taken aim at Apple. After several months of observing the various “I’m a Mac” commercials Microsoft has gone on the offensive with a series of Microsoft “Laptop Hunter” commercials. In the Laptop Hunters ads Microsoft focuses on “real world” shoppers looking for computing value or “bang for the buck” in purchasing a new laptop.

The ads definitely take the current state of the economy into account. While they focus is on each “laptop hunter” fitting the computer into an approximate budget range, they also look at specific features (size, portability, processing power, memory, flexibility, graphics capabilities, battery life) that each laptop hunter finds most appealing.

Laptop Hunters Under $1000 – Lauren, “Not cool enough to be a Mac”

The first Laptop Hunter is Lauren and her ad is entitled “Not Cool Enough to Be a Mac.” Lauren is looking for a laptop under $1,000 and the stops during her shopping trip include the Mac Store.

According to Microsoft, “The Laptop Hunters are not told they are taking part in an ad campaign by Microsoft. Instead, they think they are participating in market research. Each participant sets their own budget for a laptop to meet their own unique needs. We then provide the participant with cash and sent them out to find and purchase a laptop – all in a single day. Everything is completely unscripted.”

“Once the participant finds and purchases their perfect laptop – we inform them out in the parking lot that it’s actually Microsoft and this was part of our Windows brand campaign. The participant can of course decline to be part of the ad series if they so wish.”

Laptop Hunters Under $1,500 – Giampolo, “I’m really picky”

The second “Laptop Hunter” is Giampolo who is technically knowledgeable and is looking for a laptop in the $1,500 range He states, “I’m a PC because I’m really picky.” His shopping also includes a stop at the Apple Store.

Laptop Hunters Under $1,500 — Jackson and Lisa

Lisa and Jackson are the laptop Hunters in the third commercial of the series. Jackson is eleven years old but has some ideas on what type of system he wants (“a gaming system”). Together with his mother they explore their options with a target budget of $1,500 to spend. They find their perfect laptop system, a Sony VAIO FW with Blu-ray and a big screen.

These ads have stirred up some debate in the computing world. Have a thought or an opinion? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Windows 7 Update

By MikeM

Microsoft Windows 7 continues its march towards a 2009 release. As we mentioned in an earlier post, “Windows 7 – Initial Installations and Impressions”, Microsoft has the pedal to the metal in moving Windows 7, the successor to Windows Vista, into full release later this year. Originally slated to launch in late 2009 most evidence, including beta release schedules, testing, reviews, and popular rumours, indicate that Windows 7 may arrive sooner rather than later.

Windows 7 Release Candidate Version Due in May?

There are many signs that Microsoft may deliver a Release Candidate version of Windows 7 in May. For those who may be unfamiliar with some of the common terminology of software development a Release Candidate is, barring any newly discovered significant bugs or malfunctions, the final test version of a software product before it is considered final (gold) and released to manufacturing for shipment, sales and perhaps most important, installation on new PCs.

Based on the potential delivery of a Release Candidate version in May, many believe that Windows 7 could ship as early as September or possibly October. Given the continued lukewarm, some might say hostile, reception that Vista receives, coupled with the numerous positive reviews that Windows 7 garners, many people are looking forward to the arrival of the new version of Windows. This anxious group includes computer manufacturers, resellers, developers, support organizations and perhaps more than a few Windows Vista users.

Windows 7 – Lighter, Faster, Stronger, More Friendly

In many respects Windows 7 isn’t a radical change from Vista, but is more like a very significant set of enhancements. First and foremost, Windows 7 is much faster and does not have some of the onerous hardware requirements that Vista has. Computer start up (booting), launching programs, and most other tasks run faster in Windows 7 with some tasks running significantly faster.

Windows 7 also introduces some important new navigation and ease-of-use features, along with scores of usability and performance improvements including making the Windows taskbar more customizable and useful. In another significant usability enhancement Windows 7 also cuts down on annoying warnings and nag screens that are much too common in Vista.

Predicting delivery of a software product is always a tricky thing. With a product as complex as an operating system like Windows it becomes even more difficult. After Microsoft’s stumble with Vista the importance of Windows 7 being a strong product upon release has increased significantly. The good news is that most indications point to Microsoft delivering a winner when the new operating system ships. Stay tuned…

Top 20 Easy Steps to Keeping Your Windows Computer Running Its Best

By MikeM

Here are 20 easy steps that will help people using computers running Microsoft Windows keep their system running smoothly. Some relate to maintaining a computer, others to computer security, others to online activity, and some to keeping data safe. While not the last word in computer maintenance, following these suggestions will help in keeping your computer running well on a day to day basis.

20 Easy Steps – Keep Your Computer Running Its Best

1. Security Software — Use Antivirus and Internet Firewall software. Using an Internet Security Suite is the most effective solution.

2. Expiration of Security Software – Do not let your security software get out of date or let your subscription lapse. Most security software is based on an annual subscription basis. If your subscription runs out you are not protected against new viruses, spyware, Trojans, etc.

3. Multiple Antivirus Programs — Never run more than one antivirus program, firewall program, or internet security suite. They will conflict and cause a number of problems and effect system stability.

4. Regular Virus Scans — Run a full system scan for viruses and spyware every week. Most software can be configured to do this automatically. If you are experiencing unusual pop ups or browser windows opening, or believe that activities are running on your computer even when you do not have any programs open, it might be good to run a full manual scan.

5. Windows Updates — Install updates for Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office as they become available from Microsoft.

6. Defragmenting – For optimum performance your hard disk drive should be defragmented every month or two. Not as necessary with computers running Windows Vista as this is done automatically in the background.

7. Cleaning — Desktop computer vents should be checked for dust periodically. If the vents are clogged with dust or pet hair the computer may run significantly hotter which can damage the system. Check both front and back vents. Clean with a vacuum if dusty, but turn the computer off first.

8. Recyle Bin – Empty the recylce bin on a weekly basis, if not more frequently. Deleted files are not permanently erased until the Recyle Bin is emptied.

9. Spam Filtering — Use a Spam filter for all incoming email and check periodically to make sure that the filtering is set to the correct level – not too low.

10. Attached Files in Spam — Do not open email or email attachments unless you know who they are from. Not all spam filters are perfect and some junk will get through. Never download an attached file from an email that you weren’t expecting to receive.

11. “Unsubscribe” in Spam — Never click on “Unsubscribe” on an email that you suspect to be spam or junk mail. This will just tell spammers that your email address is active and you will likely end up getting more junk mail.

12. Exe Attachments — Never click on an email attachment with an .exe file extension such as “myfile.exe”. These are program files and clicking on them will begin running a program that could be nasty.

13. Browser Toolbars — If you add a toolbar to your browser only use one. Multiple Toolbars can slow your browsing and add duplicate functionality.

14. Pop Ups — Never respond to an unwanted pop-up by clicking “OK.” If you don’t know where it came from, you don’t know where it will take you or what “OK” actually means.

15. Spam Links — Never click on a link within a suspected spam email – just delete the message immediately.

16. Pop Up Blockers — Do not download, or install Pop-Up blocker programs. Both Internet Explorer and Firefox provide this capability so additional software is unnecessary.

17. “Free” Programs – This can get a bit tricky in defining what is “safe” and not. Try to only download and install “free” programs from well-known publishers and manufacturers and trusted sites such a www.download.com and www.tucows.com.

18. Be Diligent — Keep all components (software programs, browsers, security software, Windows, hardware drivers) up to date.

19. Data Backup – Be sure to back up your data regularly & make sure you are backing up all of your important files.

20. Verify Your Backup — Check your backed up files periodically to make sure all data is actually getting backed up.

Anything Missing?

Did I miss anything? Have a tip or suggestion that you would like to share with others? Leave a comment and pass it along. Thanks.

Windows 7 – Initial Installations and Impressions

By MikeM

The public beta release of Windows 7, Microsoft’s follow up to Windows Vista, has been out for a few weeks now and I recently began testing a couple of initial installations. Microsoft has released both 32-bit and 64-bit versions for testing and evaluation with a targeted release date for the final version slated for “later this year.”

After performing uneventful fifty minute installations on two different computers it was time get some hands on experience. If a first impression is any indication Windows 7 is a very slick product. To get a better feel for Windows 7 in a real world situation I installed the 32-bit version on two older systems, an HP Compaq xw4200 Workstation and a Dell 4700C small footprint desktop system. The thinking here was that these systems would be good tests to see how feasible it would be to upgrade older computers to Windows 7 and not limit the new operating system to new computers where it would come pre-installed.

Windows 7 – Some Background On Installation

The HP computer used for testing is equipped with a 3.0 GHz Pentium 4 CPU, 2 GB of RAM, an ATI FireGL V3100 graphics adapter with 128MB of RAM and an 80 GB SATA hard disk drive. The Dell 4700C is equipped with a 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 CPU, 1 GB of RAM, basic Intel 910 GL graphics chip set and an 80 GB hard disk drive.

The beta release of Windows 7 is comparable to the Ultimate version of Vista in that it has all the various operating system components that would be included in the Home Premium and Business versions plus a few other bells and whistles. The installations went smoothly with a few additional Windows updates and some updated hardware drivers to download and install to complete the process.

Initial Impressions

Although this is still a beta test version, Windows 7 seems very stable. The thing that impressed me the most is how well it performed on these older computers, especially a computer with only 1 GB of RAM. I have not been a big fan of Windows Vista and have seen firsthand how slowly Vista can perform with only 1 GB of RAM. This was not the case with Windows 7.

Initial testing of Windows 7 indicates that Microsoft has taken the criticism of Vista to heart and substantially improved the operating system’s performance. The overall interface also seems cleaner and less cluttered. A number of new utilities have been added and the infamous User Account Control (UAC) mechanism has been modified so that it can be less intrusive without being totally disabled. There is now a 4-position UAC slider control to adjust its settings rather than simply turning it off as many people did with Windows Vista.

A strong complaint I had with Vista is that Microsoft had taken some basic functions that were very easy to access within Windows XP and hidden them or buried them under layers of menus. Much of this has been cleared up in Windows 7 and a number of steps have been taken to make the whole environment easier to use, administer, and maintain.

From a nuts-and-bolts perspective the new Resource Monitor included in Windows 7 is outstanding. With tabs for Overview, CPU, Memory, Disk and Network, this utility is a major leap over the version in Vista. XP has no tool that is comparable to the Resource Monitor.

Looking Ahead for Windows 7

This is just a limited first take on Windows 7 and it has been very positive so far. I’ll have more insights after digging into Microsoft’s new operating system more over the next several weeks. Hopefully, by the time Windows 7 officially ships Microsoft and the numerous hardware manufacturers will also have been able to resolve the various frustrating hardware driver issues that still continue to show up periodically with Vista.

The Windows 7 beta also includes the beta version of Internet Explorer 8. Initial impressions of IE 8 are also quite positive and there will also be more about that in a future post.

Other Takes On the Upcoming Windows 7

For a more in-depth analysis of running Windows 7 on limited hardware resources check out Ed Bott’s excellent piece in his ZD Net blog: “How well does Windows 7 handle 512MB?”

Walt Mossberg’s article in the Wall Street Journal, “Even in Test Form, Windows 7 Leaves Vista in the Dust” also provides some helpful insights on Microsoft’s big step to move beyond Vista.

Be sure to see our later posts on Windows 7 including: Microsoft Windows 7 Release Insights and Windows 7 – Eight Reasons Why You Will Want It. Lots of current Win7 info.

5 Steps for Speeding Up Windows Vista

By MikeM

There has been much discussion about the performance of Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system since its release two years ago. While the perception of a computer’s “speed” or performance can be quite subjective, the consensus has been that Windows Vista performs slower than Windows XP. The good news is that there are steps for speeding up Windows Vista computers. Here are five steps that you can take to help boost Vista’s performance:

1. Turn Off the Windows Sidebar and Associated Gadgets

On many computers the Sidebar will use significant system resources. The number and type of gadgets in use may also impact the system resource demands. You can start by turning off the Sidebar and judge its effect on your computer’s performance. Results will vary between different computers.

The Sidebar can be turned off from the Sidebar icon in the system tray or by right-clicking on the Sidebar area of the Desktop. The Sidebar can be turned back on by opening it from within the All Programs menu via the Vista Start button.

2. The More RAM (system memory) the Better

Vista will run on a computer with only 1 GB of RAM but it’s generally a pretty slow experience. Vista performs much better with 2 GBs of RAM. Having more than 2 GBs of RAM is better, often yielding noticeable performance benefits. Opt for 4 GBs of RAM if possible.

An important reason Vista likes having more than 2GB of RAM is what Microsoft calls “SuperFetch.” This technology uses excess memory to help speed up hard disk access by keeping frequently used data cached in memory. Since memory access is almost always faster than hard disk access the more RAM your computer has, the more of your most commonly used data and programs will be stored in the faster SuperFetch area. Overall computer performance improves.

3. Install Vista Service Pack 1 and All Current Updates.

If you haven’t installed Vista Service Pack 1 you should do so — soon. Service Pack 1 improved Vista in a wide number of areas including system performance and stability. Also download and install any other critical updates that are recommended by Microsoft.

4. Turn Off User Account Control (UAC)

While turning off the UAC does not physically speed up how Vista works it can make Vista more efficient. Without the frequent UAC boxes popping up and interrupting your workflow or train of thought using Vista may actually feel faster and easier to use. You can turn off UAC by deactivating User Account Control in the User Accounts Control Panel. See my earlier post on “How to Disable Vista’s User Account Control” for more details.

5. Keep All Hardware Drivers Current.

Periodically Microsoft will include updates for “drivers” — compact control programs that handle communications between a hardware devices and Windows. Device drivers can have a significant impact on the performance and stability of hardware components such as video or graphics adapters, sound cards, network adapters, and printers. This can impact overall system performance. The availability of updated drivers will show up in Windows Updates as “Recommended” or “Optional.” Install new drivers as they become available.