Technology & Pop Culture

Windows 7 Surfaces On TechNet! Download Ahoy!

Posted by Bradley under BREAKING, Technology

Windows 7 RTM has shown up on Microsoft TechNet.

Go get it if you have a TechNet subscription!

http://technet.microsoft.com/

Tags: Download, Microsoft, RTM, TechNet, Windows 7

Windows 7 RTM Available On TechNet At 10 AM PST

Posted by Bradley under Technology, et al.

According to a chat I just had with a Microsoft TechNet Online Concierge the Windows 7 RTM download will be available at 10 AM PST or shortly thereafter.

Windows 7 RTM will be availble in the morning (PST time) of Aug 6th.

And

It is around 10 AM (PST time)

There you have it.

Now get to downloading.

Tags: August 6, Download, RTM, TechNet, Windows 7

OFFICIAL: Windows 7 Will Cost You $49 Or $99 (Well Not Really)

Posted by Bradley under Technology

Windows 7 is coming October 22, 2009 and is a significant step in the evolution of Windows as an operating system.

Sadly, it will cost you $119.99, $199.99 or $219.99 for Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate upgrades respectively.

But if you are a fanatical geek (or a smart consumer) you can score a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional for $49 or $99.  That’s half off!

But there’s a catch.

You have until July 11 or “until supplies run out” to pre-order your copy from Microsoft at the link below.  After that the price goes up to the regular, retail pricing.

It is worth noting that Best Buy and a handful of other retail stores will be participating in this offer if you like to rock your software brick and mortar style.

To put it in Microsoft’s words, “Sit back and smile. You scored.”

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/buy/offers/pre-order.aspx

Tags: July 11, Microsoft, Pre-Order, Pricing, Windows 7

Windows 7 On Sale October 22

Posted by Bradley under Technology

That is all.

Tags: Microsoft, October 22, Windows 7

Download Windows 7 Release Candidate Now, It’s Free Until June 1, 2010

Posted by Bradley under BREAKING, Technology

Microsoft has posted the download link for Windows 7 Release Candidate.

The next generation operating system is free until June 1, 2010 after which time the Release Candidate will expire and you have to buy Windows 7 for real.

Free is good.

Keep in mind this is Release Candidate software says Microsoft:

This is pre-release software, so please read the following to get an idea of the risks and key things you need to know before you try the RC.

Vista may you die a miserable death. (And you Windows XP holdouts too.)

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx

Tags: Download, Microsoft, RC, Windows 7, Windows 7 Release Candidate

Get Ready For Windows 7 By Using Large Quick Launch Icons

Posted by Bradley under Personal, Technology

Microsoft’s next version of Windows is due sometime after September of this year and fundamentally changes the way you think about the task bar.  (That’s the thing at the bottom of your screen that shows the programs and windows you have open.)

In Windows 7 each program gets a large icon that represents a program whether it’s running or not.

As you can see in the screen shot above Microsoft has eliminated the text that is traditionally seen to the right of a program’s icon in Windows XP and Vista in favor of large icons.  Similar to the dock on a Mac.

You can somewhat mimic this behavior on Windows XP and Vista by following these steps:

1. Unlock your Task Bar by right clicking and choosing “Lock the Taskbar”
2. Make sure the Quick Launch toolbar is enabled by right clicking the Task Bar and choosing Toolbars, Quick Launch
3. Right click in the blank space before, after or in between a Quick Launch icon and choose View, Large Icons — somewhat janky, try it a few times and it’ll work

Now your Task Bar and Quick Launch icons should look similar to mine.

Granted I am using Vista and I have moved my Task Bar above the newly enlarged Quick Launch icons.

By following this technique you can make the transition to Windows 7’s large icon style Task Bar much easier and make your icons prettier in the process.

For more on Windows 7 check out Gizmodo’s “How to Use Windows 7’s New Interface“.

Tags: Interface, Large Icons, Task Bar, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP