Top 2 week news:
Don't slipstream XP SP3 on Windows Vista!
This just in from Bink, seems he had a pretty interesting weekend attempting to Slipstream XP SP3.
"So I build a new Windows XP ISO with
SP3 integrated, this is a Volume License editions (VOL) which only accepts Volume License Keys (VLK). When I want to install it on a clean machine, I
noticed that setup prompts for a product key and it does not allow me to continue, which should be a new feature in XP sp3. OK so I fill in the VLK
but it does not accept it, I try another one from a customer of mine, does not work either. Angry
I found out that the problem is when you
do the XP Sp3 slipstream process on a WIndows Vista machine, the API gives a different response and screws up the PID process. This is a bug and
Microsoft knew about this in December, still the bug remained and made it all the way to RTM, nice work Microsoft.
So XP SP slipstream only
on XP or 2003 machines!!!"
News Source:
Bink Read full story.....
neowin.net -
05.05.2008XP SP3 Integrated Images on MSDN & Technet
Microsoft is pleased to make available integrated retail and volume license installs of Windows XP SP3, to MSDN and TechNet Plus subscribers.
Integrated retail and volume license installs are available in the following languages: Chinese Simplified, English, French, German, Italian,
Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. Additional languages will be made available soon.
Please see the MSDN Subscriber
Downloads or TechNet Plus Subscriber Downloads to obtain these releases. The main TechNet resource page for Windows XP SP3 is updated with this
information.
File Name: en_windows_xp_professional_with_service_pack_3_x86_cd_vl_x14-73974.iso
Date Posted (UTC): 5/2/2008
12:05:18AM
SHA-1: 66ac289ae27724c5ae17139227cbe78c01eefe40
CRC: FFFFFFFF
Source:
Microsoft TechNet Forums Read full story.....
neowin.net -
03.05.2008Windows 7 build 6574 info leaked
Windows 7 is confirmed to still be under works, and despite the fact that Microsoft has tried to hold back the details about the next version of
Windows almost to perfection, details managed to slip through the company's closed doors.
The initial Windows 7 Milestone 1 build was
dropped at the end of 2007 and in early January 2008, but only to close partners of the company. But the development of Windows 7 has moved along
since version 6.1 Build 6519.1.x86.fre.winmain.071220-1525. From build 6519.1, Microsoft went up all the way to Version 6.1 Build 6574.1, reportedly
made available in March 2008. Although the latest build has higher digits it still stands under the category of Milestone 1.
Continue this
article at the Read More link... 
Forum:
Windows 7 build 6574 Discussion 
Source and Screenshots:
SoftpediaWith this release, the company has tweaked the installation process of the operating system only
superficially, but now the License Agreement references Windows 7 instead of Windows Vista. The build still contains the same kernel as Windows Vista,
it has yet to move on to the kernel labeled 'MinWin'. The installer no longer requires the introduction of a product key until the finalization of
the installation process, and after the initial setup, and even at that, the phase can be skipped entirely. Allowing users to run the build as a
trial.
The build also features a touched-up GUI. Windows Explorer comes with two new buttons, one for Views and the other for switching
the preview panel on or off. The build brings to the table the Health Center, complete with mouse over reactions. Windows 7 M1 Build 6.1.6574.1 also
permits end users to temporarily disable the User Account Control in scenarios where the UAC requires multiple confirmations.
..
jcxp.net -
28.04.2008iReboot 1.1 Released
Back in August of 2007, NeoSmart Technologies released iReboot 1.0 - a tiny application that sits quietly and unobtrusively in the taskbar and is used
to select which OS you'd like to reboot into.
iReboot isn't by any means a major application, but it's gathered a pretty
strong following over the months, mostly by people interested in boosting productivity (or increasing laziness) to the max. But there was one flaw in
iReboot that made all the hard work we put into making it as unobtrusive and minimalistic as possible almost meaningless: if you had UAC enabled,
iReboot will not run automatically at startup, no matter what you do.
View Full
Article:
The NeoSmart Files..
winbeta.org -
27.04.2008Dell tries again with its XPS 730 high-end desktop gaming system
After one of the worst starts in the history of PCs two years ago, Dell's XPS desktop series has come crawling back, but not without scrapes and
bruises along the way. Yesterday it revealed a new 730 model it hopes can recapture Dell's glory...
betanews.com -
03.05.2008Microsoft ups Yahoo offer above $31 in bid for friendly deal
Microsoft Corp. finally dangled a higher takeover bid in front of Yahoo Inc. Friday, hoping to reach a friendly deal after weeks of saber rattling.
The Redmond, Wash.-based software maker upped its offer beyond the original value of $44.6 billion, or $31 per share, according to a
person familiar with the matter. The specifics of the new offer weren't known by this person, who didn't want to be identified because the
negotiations are still confidential.
The New York Times, citing unnamed sources, reported Microsoft boosted the offer by "by several
dollars" per share, lending weight to the assertion by many market analysts that Microsoft can afford to pay up to $35 a share. Representatives
from Microsoft and Yahoo declined to comment on the negotiations. The talks were expected to continue into the weekend.
In an intriguing
twist, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Yahoo President Susan Decker were both expected to be in Omaha, Neb. this weekend to attend Berkshire
Hathaway Inc.'s annual meeting. Both Gates and Decker are on the board of the company led by famed investor Warren Buffett. The prospect of a
sweetened offer lifted Yahoo shares 80 cents in extended trading after surging $1.86, or nearly 7 percent, to finish the regular session at
$28.67.
View:
Full Article @ Yahoo! Read full story.....
neowin.net -
03.05.2008Windows XP SP3 official release delayed, but download still available
As expected, the self-extracting .EXE version of Windows XP Service Pack 3 was made available to the general public by Microsoft this morning.
However, due to a last minute problem, the official release has been delayed...
betanews.com -
29.04.2008Intel updates graphics with multimedia capabilities
Intel's long-awaited DirectX-10 graphics update for its chipsets is available.
DirectX is a collection of application
programming interfaces (APIs) for handling multimedia tasks in Microsoft-based environments, especially those tasks related to games and video.
DirectX-10 support was mentioned by Intel as far back as 2006 when its popular 965 chipset was introduced.
The new Windows Vista
driver enables DirectX10 functionality for Intel GM965 and G35 Express chipset based platforms. The GM965 uses the X3100 Intel graphics engine, while
the G35 uses the X3500.
The update is
available here.
View Full Article:
CNET News Blogs..
winbeta.org -
03.05.2008Xbox 360 to get wireless sport-themed controllers
Qmotions, the peripheral manufacturing subsidiary of the Actiga Corp. and a maker of controllers unique to individual sports games, will soon be
releasing fully Microsoft-endorsed Xbox 360 wireless controllers...
betanews.com -
03.05.2008Windows XP SP3 now available via Windows Update
Windows XP SP3 is finally here for those that use Windows
Update, and
here is a direct link to the stand-alone version of SP3 for x86 XP systems (32 bit). Thanks
Bink! I can't confirm if the 64bit version of SP3
is available from today, can anyone confirm?
Here is an interesting
article regarding SP3 performance, ignoring the fact that Vista SP1 is still faster than XP SP2/SP3 users
will enjoy a performance boost
over SP2. When will people learn that Vista ain't all bad!
Windows® XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released
updates for the operating system. This update also includes a small number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change customers’
experience with the operating system.
This white
paper summarizes what is new in Windows XP SP3.
Download:
Stand AloneWindows XP SP3 English, 32 Bit (316 MB)
Link:
Service Pack 3 for Windows XP
via Windows Update (Size varies)
Read more for additional languages..
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
29.04.2008AMD Phenom X3 processor family performance
AMD known for its fighting underdog spirit recently relaunched the Phenom with the B3-stepping, which we looked at just recently. The B3-stepping has
not exactly breathed new life into the Phenom processors, but it has given AMD a chance to regroup and retarget its products, forcedly aiming at
cheaper and more affordable Intel processors.
The latest processor series from AMD is a little unusual as it makes use of not one, two, or
even four cores, but rather three! That’s right, the new Phenom X3 carries an unusual core configuration, and I guess the question most of you
are probably asking yourselves (as we did) is why? The most reasonable explanation is that this still allows AMD to sell Phenom X4 processors with a
defective core, minimizing their loss. Second, it gives some leverage for AMD to compete with Intel’s dual-core processors, being able to pull
the "additional core" card.
The Phenom X3 family consists of three new processors: the 8450 (2.10GHz), 8650 (2.30GHz) and 8750
(2.40GHz), all of which we are testing here today.
View:
AMD Phenom X3 processor
family performance @ TechSpot
Read
full story.....
neowin.net -
06.05.2008Do you want a Live Mesh invite? Have an invite to share? Visit www.sharemesh.com
Long Zheng: You might have heard the buzz about
Microsoft’s Live Mesh software-as-a-service platform
launched over the past week and wondered what all the fuss is about. Well you probably didn't get very far before you were stopped in the
registration process to find out it was invite-only. Apparently it’s a necessary to help them scale with demand.
View Full Article:
Long Zheng's Blog..
winbeta.org -
26.04.2008Urban Mining Grows as Gold Prices Soar
Those of you who have simply been throwing away old cell phones and electronics may have to think again: urban miners are taking full advantage of
record metal prices by scavenging through the scrap metal in old electronic products in search of such gems as iridium and gold. The materials
recovered are reused in new electronics parts and the gold and other precious metals are melted down and sold as ingots to jewelers and investors as
well as back to manufacturers who use gold in the circuit boards of mobile phones because gold conducts electricity even better than copper. "
It
can be precious or minor metals, we want to recycle whatever we can," said Tadahiko Sekigawa, president of Eco-System Recycling in Japan.
According to one study, a ton of ore from a gold mine produces just 5 grams (0.18 ounce) of gold on average, whereas a tonne of discarded
mobile phones can yield 150 grams (5.3 ounce) or more. The same volume of discarded mobile phones also contains around 100 kg (220 lb) of copper and 3
kg (6.6 lb) of silver, among other metals. "
To some it's just a mountain of garbage, but for others it's a gold mine," said Nozomu
Yamanaka, manager of the Eco-Systems recycling plant where mounds of discarded cell phones and other electronics gadgets are taken apart for their
metal value.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
27.04.2008Microsoft Calls on Global Public-Private Partnerships to Help in the Fight Against Cybercrime
Q&A: Tim Cranton, Associate General Counsel for Microsoft, discusses the role of the Internet Safety Enforcement Team as part of Microsofts larger
security strategy and calls on global public-private partnerships to help prevent online crime at the Law Enforcement Technology 2008 conference...
microsoft.com/presspass -
28.04.2008Microsoft Research New Faculty Fellowships Help Young Professors Succeed
As the 2008 fellowship award winners are announced, PressPass checks in with two past Microsoft awardees to see how the fellowships have helped them
drive breakthrough research...
microsoft.com/presspass -
01.05.2008TorrentSpy must pay $110 million to MPAA
A clear message to all torrent websites hosted on the US soil was sent all over the world today: A federal judge is hitting the shuttered TorrentSpy
service with a $111 million penalty for facilitating the infringement of thousands of copyrighted works. U.S. District Judge Florence -Marie
Cooper in Los Angeles, ruling in a case brought by the Motion Picture Association of America, said site operator Justin Bunnell and associates must
pay the maximum $30,000 for "each of the 3,699 infringements shown." The case, producing what is among the largest fines in copyright history,
was bolstered after the MPAA allegedly paid a hacker $15,000 for internal TorrentSpy e-mails and correspondence.
“This
substantial money judgment sends a strong message about the illegality of these sites,” MPAA Chairman Dan Glickman said in a statement.
TorrentSpy, a U.S.-based torrent tacking service, shuttered in March after it lost its case against the MPAA. TorrentSpy did not lose on the merits,
but defaulted after it failed to produce internal records. No U.S. case has squarely addressed the legalities of BitTorrent tracking services,
although one case is nearing a resolution. Judge Cooper ordered TorrentSpy permanently shuttered. TorrentSpy attorney Ira Rothken was not immediately
available for comment. He has appealed the default order to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
News Source:
Release Log Read full story.....
neowin.net -
08.05.200850 Windows XP & Vista Tips & Tricks
Computer Active has compiled a list of 50 tips to improve performance of both XP and Vista.
For most people using a computer means using
Windows and over the years Microsoft’s operating system has become easier to use.
However, there is always room for improvement, so
in this feature we have compiled 50 of the finest tips for Windows XP and Vista. These can help to make Windows even better, easier to use and faster.
Most don’t even require you to install any extra software, so if you want to make your copy of XP or Vista better, it’s possible to get
started immediately.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
09.05.2008Team Fortress 2 Goldrush
New Map. New Gameplay. New Medic Achievements & Milestones
Goldrush is an entirely new level featuring a new gameplay style called
Payload.
The level is split into three separate areas with capture zones inside of each major chapter. The teams are split between offense
(blu) and defense (red) similar to dustbowl.
The goal for the blu team is to push the bomb payload throught the level until it reaches the
next capture point, eventually destroying all three of the red teams major bases. Blu pushes the level by standing near it, and the cart will move
faster the more people standing near it, which is a concept familiar to anyone who plays team based multiplayer games. If no one has pushed the cart
forward after 30 seconds, the cart will begin to move backward until it is pushed forward again. This makes for some very concentrated and hectic
exchanges indeed.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
28.04.2008Madonna April 30 Performance Available for Free on MSN
Madonna’s exclusive performance at New York City’s famed Roseland Ballroom will be available live to millions of fans via an online
broadcast at
http://music.msn.com/madonna, it was confirmed today by MSN and Control
Room, which announced that the show will stream live Wednesday evening, April 30, at 10 p.m. EDT in the United States and will be available on demand
to international audiences on May 15. Along with some past hits, Madonna will be debuting several new songs including her 37th No. 1 smash single
“Four Minutes” from her upcoming CD Hard Candy, which is scheduled to be released on April 28. The Control Room-produced show will also
include never-before-seen rehearsal footage, a pre-recorded interview with Madonna and her full performance, giving fans around the globe
unprecedented access to one of the biggest music events of 2008 by simply logging on to MSN Music In Concert.
Control Room, the leading
producer and distributor of world-class entertainment content, delivers nearly 40 live music shows per year to the MSN Music In Concert series. Past
performances have included international superstars such as Rihanna, Jay-Z, Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow and many more. Coming in May, fans can watch
performances by Jack Johnson and Daughtry. The Music In Concert series
http://music.msn.com/inconcert, which is available in 42 countries and 21 languages through the international MSN network, gives
music fans worldwide the chance to see live music performances from their favorite artists.
View:
Full Details @ Microsoft PressPass Read full story.....
neowin.net -
30.04.2008Free satellite TV service begins in the UK
A free-to-view satellite television and radio service from the BBC and ITV is being launched across the UK.
Freesat is available to 98% of
homes with a satellite dish, including those who are currently unable to receive Freeview television. It broadcasts 80 digital TV and radio channels
including the main ones, and will rise to 200 by the end of 2008. Users make a one-off payment for a dish, set-top box and installation, but will not
pay a monthly subscription.
Emma Scott from Freesat told BBC Radio 5Live: "It's got 98% coverage across the UK and it's only homes
that really don't have a clear line of sight to the satellite that can't get it, or certain listed buildings.
"But unlike Freeview
you can receive Freesat across the country, which means that in those areas that at the moment can't get access to free digital television this is
the first time that you can get free digital TV."
View:
BBC News Read full story.....
neowin.net -
06.05.2008Microsoft ups Yahoo offer above $31 per share
Microsoft Corp. finally dangled a higher takeover bid in front of Yahoo Inc. Friday, hoping to reach a friendly deal after weeks of saber rattling.
The Redmond, Wash.-based software maker upped its offer beyond the original value of $44.6 billion, or $31 per share, according to a
person familiar with the matter. The specifics of the new offer weren't known by this person, who didn't want to be identified because the
negotiations are still confidential.
The New York Times,
citing unnamed sources,
reported Microsoft boosted the offer by "by several dollars" per share, lending weight to the assertion by many market analysts that Microsoft can
afford to pay up to $35 a share.
View Full Article:
Yahoo News - AP..
winbeta.org -
03.05.2008Microsoft Inspires U.S. Hispanics to Live the Vida Digital Latina
A new outreach program is working to help close the digital divide and improve technology literacy within the U.S. Latino community...
microsoft.com/presspass -
28.04.2008Microsoft drops $50 billion bid to acquire Yahoo
In a statement issued late Saturday, Microsoft announced it has withdrawn its proposal to acquire Yahoo. Speculation surrounding the status of the $50
billion deal has escalated since Microsoft CFO Chris Liddell's deadline of last weekend passed...
betanews.com -
04.05.2008Judge reverses himself, finds placing MP3s in a public folder isn't 'sharing'
An August 2007 ruling from an Arizona district court says that placing files in a folder shared over a P2P network constitutes
"dissemination." Today, the same judge, in the same trial, reversed his own reasoning...
betanews.com -
30.04.2008How Merrill Lynch Plans To Virtualize Half Its Desktops
"Once the world figures this stuff out, this is going to be a huge change to the corporate landscape," Merrill Lynch chief architect Jeff Birnbaum
predicts.
The stuff Birnbaum's talking about is "stateless" desktop virtualization, which promises cost savings from
delivering the software that PCs need over a network using one-off virtual machines spun up in the data center. That should make it much cheaper to
manage, since IT departments can change, say, a setting on the Windows operating system once, and all employees get the change as soon as they access
their virtual desktops, rather than IT having to push the change to tens of thousands of PCs.
View Full Article:
InformationWeek..
winbeta.org -
04.05.2008New Microsoft Services Leadership and Structure Streamlines IT Services and Support for Customers and Partners Worldwide
Q&A: Maria Martinez, Corporate Vice President of Worldwide Services, discusses how restructuring of the companys Services division provides increased
and enhanced IT services and support capabilities to industry partners and customers...
microsoft.com/presspass -
30.04.2008Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release to Web (RTW) Delayed!
In the last few days, we have uncovered a compatibility issue between Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS) and SP3 both Windows XP and
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1). In order to make sure customers have the best possible experience, we have decided to delay releasing Windows XP
Service Pack 3 (SP3) to the web.
To help protect customers, we plan to put filtering in place shortly to prevent Windows Update from
offering both service packs to systems running Microsoft Dynamics RMS. Once filtering is in place, we expect to release Windows XP SP3 to the web. We
are also testing a fix, and will make it available once that process is complete. Once they have installed the fix, Microsoft Dynamics RMS customers
should be able to run both service packs.
Until then, we advise Microsoft Dynamics RMS customers to not install either service pack.
Microsoft Dynamics RMS customers running Windows XP SP3 or Windows Vista SP1 should contact Microsoft Customer Support Services for additional
information.
View:
Microsoft TechNet Forums Read full story.....
neowin.net -
30.04.2008Users Fuming Over Vista Audio Driver Glitch
Several users running Windows Vista with SP1 installed who recently downloaded an audio driver for through Windows Update say the update disables
their machines' audio functionality.
The update for IDT (Formerly Sigmatel)'s high definition sound and is called "IDT High
Def Codec," according to
several
users on a Dell customer forum, who claim that installing the update results in a "Code 10" Error after rebooting, as well as the loss of audio.
View Full Article:
ChannelWeb..
winbeta.org -
03.05.2008BBC Exposes Serious Facebook Privacy Flaw
The BBC's technology programme Click has exposed a security flaw in the social networking site Facebook which could compromise privacy.
Using a simple malicious application could open up yourself and your friends (who do not need to install the application) to ID fraud. The BBC has
compiled a video to demonstrate the flaw and if you are an avid Facebook user I suggest you watch it and take note. It's not clear whether the
techniques described by the BBC are currently in use on Facebook but if one of your friends only has to add the application and this opens your
Facebook profile up this is a serious flaw.
Video:
>> Click here << View:
BBC News Article Read full story.....
neowin.net -
01.05.2008Microsoft Pro Photo Tools v1 Now Available
The Pro Photo Tools allow you to add, change, and delete common metadata properties for digital photographs. You can place photos on the Live Earth
map and then drag them to the right location.
The GPS information will be stored back into the photos. If you have a GPS device,
can load track route files from the most popular formats (NMEA, GPX, and KML) and see them on the map. Then you can place your photos on the track
route. Again, the GPS info will be stored into your file. When you have the right GPS location for your photos, you can automatically generate
location info like country, state, city and even street names. Or if you know the location where a picture was taken, you can type it in and get the
GPS location information automatically.
Download:
Microsoft
Pro Photo Tools v1..
winbeta.org -
01.05.2008AMD's $1 quad-core processors can't resolve SNAFU in Shanghai
AMD is currently preparing its presentations for the companys annual stockholder meeting next week and we hear that the company will let us know that
more than 1 million quad-core CPUs have been shipped. Not all of these processors, however, are sold for the official tray price. Some are going for
as little as $1 a pop and in this particular, even that is not enough to keep certain customers happy.
View Full Article:
TG Daily..
winbeta.org -
03.05.2008XP SP3 cripples some PCs with endless reboots
Installing Windows XP Service Pack 3 sends some PCs into an endless series of reboots, according to posts to a Microsoft support forum.
Jesper Johansson, a former program manager for security policy at Microsoft and a prominent Windows blogger, has worked with users to tentatively
identify the problem as involving only machines using processors from Advanced Micro Devices.
Messages from frustrated users began
accumulating on the XP SP3 support newsgroup Wednesday, just a day after Microsoft released the update to the general public.
"I just
installed Windows XP SP3 and after completing the processes and when the system reboots, the system cannot proceed to load the Windows," said a user
labeled as "Olin" in a message that kicked off a long thread. "It just displays the flash screen of Windows then after it reboots again.
Most users who left messages on the forum said that they were unable to boot into Windows Safe mode.
View:
ComputerWorld Read full story.....
neowin.net -
09.05.2008Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm: Onboard the Northwestern
Interview and gameplay with Captain Sig Hansen
Sig,
Edgar, and Norman Hansen, the Northwestern, Deadliest Catch. If these names and titles mean nothing to you then youre obviously living under a rock.
Deadliest Catch is the number one non-fiction show on cable TV. The Northwestern is one of the featured boats on the show and the Hansen brothers
operate her and head up the crew. Captain Sig Hansen, deck boss Edgar Hansen, and engineer Norman Hansen come from a family of fisherman, men who have
braved the untold dangers and perils of the arctic waters of the Bering Sea, untold until now.
The Discovery Channel originally ran a ten
episode pilot season of Deadliest Catch in 2005. The Northwestern was part of the inaugural season and has been a mainstay of the series ever since.
The show takes place in the Bering Sea around the Aleutian Islands and the tiny fishing town of Dutch Harbor. While fishing of various species of fish
and crab are a year round industry in Dutch Harbor, Deadliest Catch focuses primarily on the king crab and opilio crab seasons which take place during
the brutal winter months and result in the most dangerous conditions for the ships and their crews. Sadly, its not a rare occurrence to lose a crew
member or an entire vessel to these frigid and often stormy seas.
We were fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to spend some
one on one time with Sig aboard the Northwestern, and we had the opportunity to ask him some questions about the show, the soon to be released Xbox
360 & PC game, Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm, and how it all came to be. He shared with us his thoughts on a lot of topics, and wed like to share some
of the question and answers with our readers in an effort to give them a better understanding of the man and the game.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
01.05.2008TorrentSpy ordered to pay $111 million
A Los Angeles federal judge has delivered a default judgement against the BitTorrent site finding it guilty of copyright infringement and forcing it
to compensate studios...
betanews.com -
08.05.2008Effects of XP SP3 update on gaming
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Does XP SP3 boost gaming performance? Lets find out!
The tests will be carried out on the AMD Spider
platform that I have set up in the lab (Phenom 9700, Radeon 3850 graphics card, 2GB of RAM ). Ive used this system as the platform for a number of
benchmarks over the past few months (for a full spec, see this
post).
View Full Article:
ZDNet Hardware 2.0 Blog..
winbeta.org -
28.04.2008Neowin Interview: Erick Johnson Of Valve
The conclusion of our recent trip to Valve’s offices was an interview with Erick Johnson who
is listed as a Project Manager on the Valve website. We talked to him about Team Fortress 2, creating for the consoles, Steam, and a variety of other
Valve related topics.
The following is a summary of our discussion with him. Video will also be posted soon.
Why Goldrush
as the New Mode for TF2?
“The community was requesting a mode similar to Hunted from the original TF.” The train in Goldrush serves
as the VIP character. The reason for an AI based train “is it will not make mistakes or go AFK.”
The Variety of the TF2 Medic
Achievements
“Some of them are grinders (heal this number of points), some of them are interactions (heal 10 friends on friends list), some
are a “little more wacky” (save a player as they are falling to their death.)” He also added that heal points collected prior to the
update will count once the update is initiated. Initially the target was 10 million for the Chief Of Staff achievement, it is now 1 million as after
some testing on their end “that seems to be the sweet spot.”
Was TF2 influenced by any other games in regards to introducing
Items?
“Not really.” They had this idea since the original new TF, but they did “not want to disrupt the design of the game or
break it” by introducing new characters or items. Since TF2 is still in it’s infancy, it allowed them to introduce this system early on,
which again they always had plans for.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
03.05.2008Gigabyte's low-cost Atom-powered portable gets a name
The much anticipated, 8.9-inch, Intel Atom-powered ultra-low-cost PC from motherboard manufacturer Gigabyte, expected to hit the market in June, now
has a name: M912...
betanews.com -
29.04.200832bit and 64bit XP, Vista SP1, Server 2008 Benchmarked
Trebuin: After seeing enough benchmarks out there that have been mis-run or talk without proof, I have finally finished benchmarking several versions
of Windows to show the differences.
I conducted each test using an Dell XPS m1330 with the following specs:
200GB 5400RPM Hard Disk in ATA, not AHCI mode
2 Gigs RAM
Core 2 Duo T7500 @ 2.2GHz
NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS
174.94 GeForce Drivers
The test was conducted by wiping the previous partition, installing the operating system, installing
the chipset and all drivers, installing the benchmark, and rebooting prior to testing. This allowed for each operating to start on an equal playing
field.
View Full Article:
WinBeta Forums..
winbeta.org -
28.04.2008Microsoft Withdraws Offer for Yahoo
Microsoft withdrew its offer for Yahoo Inc on Saturday as negotiations fell through on price, even after the software giant raised its bid by about
$5 billion to $47.5 billion. Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said his company increased its offer to $33 per share, from the
$31 per share cash-and-stock bid that it initially made on January 31; however, Yahoo was looking for something more along the lines of $37
billion.
"
Despite our best efforts, including raising our bid by roughly $5 billion, Yahoo has not moved toward accepting our
offer. After careful consideration, we believe the economics demanded by Yahoo do not make sense for us, and it is in the best interests of Microsoft
stockholders, employees and other stakeholders to withdraw our proposal."
View:
Full
Story at Reuters Read full story.....
neowin.net -
04.05.2008PC Manufacturers Embrace 64-Bit Vista
Thanks to Neowin member, UAC for this submission.
Cybernet writes: "We knew it would come sooner or later, and from the looks of it
widespread 64-bit computing might be on the horizon. Just yesterday we
posted the results
of our poll asking whether you’re running a 64-bit operating system, and only about a quarter of you are. That could be changing as more PC
manufacturers start to push 64-bit machines.
TG Daily
noticed that
Gateway had started to ship consumer PC’s that are running a 64-bit
version of Windows Vista Home Premium. They dubbed Gateway the “first large PC vendor” to make this move, but after looking around I
noticed that others are doing the same thing.
HP is offering a 64-bit Vista option on many of
their laptops and desktops, and some are as low as $449… nearly half the price of Gateway’s cheapest 64-bit computer. A little more
digging revealed that some
ASUS notebooks are also shipping with a 64-bit version of Vista."
View:
The Full Article @ Cybernet News Read full story.....
neowin.net -
07.05.2008AMD 45nm Phenom refresh details leaked.
According to Digitimes details about AMD’s 45nm CPU codename Deneb have been leaked by motherboard makers.
Apparently AMD will
release its first 45nm chips this year. With higher frequencies than with the curerently available 65nm Agena Phenom designs.
The two
chips to become available will feature frequencies between 2.5 Ghz – 2.8 Ghz beating their current x4 9850 running at 2.5 Ghz.
Also
in the new line-up is a Phenom X3 8850 running at 2.2 Ghz. A low power Phenom X4 9350e and Phenom X3 8450e
Sources have told DigiTimes
that barring any major issues they should hit the market by the end of November.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
29.04.2008Beijing Komoxo Mobile Software Licenses Patents From Microsoft
Microsoft Corp. and Beijing Komoxo Mobile Software Inc. today announced a patent licensing agreement on text-input technologies for mobile devices.
The licensed patents allow Komoxo to integrate Microsofts statistical language modeling methods into its next-generation text-input engine for reduced
keypad and touch-screen devices, and deliver new mobile innovations to consumers around the world.
Through the agreement,
Microsofts patented technology would be used in Komoxos innovative text-input solution to improve appropriate word recommendations and selections
during texting and to enhance spell-checking features for mobile devices. For example, many mobile devices combine text and numeric input keys onto
one keypad. The technology being licensed by Komoxo will enable devices using the technology to recognize and recommend words faster and with more
accuracy based on individual user experience. This new-generation text-input solution will significantly improve the text-input consumer experience,
especially for one- hand text input in mobile scenarios on growing popular reduced keypad and touch-screen mobile devices.
View Full Article:
Microsoft PressPass..
winbeta.org -
29.04.2008MS seals its lips about police toolkit
To put a lid on bloggers' speculation about police getting "backdoors" to Windows security, Microsoft is starting to hush up on the subject. In an
e-mail to BetaNews on Friday, a spokesperson described COFEE as a "customizable framework."
Despite releasing a few more facts on
Friday about a controversial new tool for police officers, Microsoft has now vowed to stay mum on the "exact methods" used by COFEE (Computer Online
Forensic Evidence Extractor), as well as about what kinds of passwords -- OS or network, for example -- COFEE might be able to crack.
"Because COFEE is designed to be used by law enforcement officials in investigations that deal with highly sensitive evidence and information, the
exact methods by which the COFEE tool works cannot be disclosed," a Microsoft spokesperson wrote, in an e-mail to BetaNews on Friday.
News Source:
BetaNewsOn the other hand, Microsoft's expanded statement to BetaNews on Friday did add some new information to the public pool of knowledge about a tool
already distributed to 2,000 police around the globe.
For instance, the spokesperson described COFEE on Friday as a customizable
framework, "operating from a USB storage device, that law enforcement can use to leverage publicly available forensic tools and access information on
a live Windows system."
Microsoft went on to say, "Microsoft's COFEE works by being plugged into a running system where a user has
already logged on. It enables law enforcement to expedite the evidence gathering process by automating over one hundred different commands that would
otherwise have to be typed by hand. COFEE saves the results for later analysis, preserving information that could be lost if the computer had to be
shut down and transported to a lab."
In earlier accounts, COFEE had been variously explained as either a set of software tools or a
series of about 150 commands.
As previously reported, COFEE controversy started last week when some bloggers started rumors that
Microsoft was handing out "backdoor keys" to Windows security. The blogs got sparked by an article published in the Seattle Times based on an
interview with Brad Smith, Microsoft senior VP and general counsel. Last week, Smith gave a talk at a law enforcement conference in Seattle, where he
characterized COFEE as a "Swiss army knife for law enforcement officers."
In the Times article, reporter Benjamin J. Romano wrote that
COFEE can "decrypt passwords and analyze a computer's Internet activity as data stored in the computer" -- words that soon touched off tirades
among several incensed bloggers.
In an update to his article, Romano said a Microsoft spokesperson had later written to him describing
COFEE as "a compilation of publicly available forensics tools, such as password security auditing technologies."
Although an initial
statement to BetaNews contained no mention of the password tools, a second e-mail from Microsoft provided the information that COFEE does "include
password security auditing tools." Subsequently, last Thursday, BetaNews asked Microsoft to identify the kinds of passwords that might be audited or
recovered by police using COFEE -- Windows OS passwords, network passwords, or application passwords, for example.
We also asked
Microsoft whether the password security auditing tools mentioned by Microsoft are being premiered with COFEE, or whether they are tools which are
already readily available elsewhere. Although Microsoft declined to provide more answers to this inquiry specifically, the company's response did
shed a little bit more light on what COFEE is, who uses it, and how it was created.
..
jcxp.net -
06.05.2008Microsoft set to offer Pro Photo Tools for free
Microsoft likes digital photography enthusiasts as customers, and on Thursday plans to release a free new utility designed to keep them wedded to
Windows.
Pro Photo Tools is geared for photography professionals and enthusiasts, and its first notable feature is the ability to geotag
photos, or add geographic information showing where the picture was taken. Geotagging is an onerous chore with today's technology, but camera
makers are working to build it into cameras, and it can pay off down the road.
Link:
CNet Read full story.....
neowin.net -
01.05.2008Virtual Machine Snapshots with Hyper-V
Robert Larson: Snapshots are a new feature of Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V. Snapshots are a point in time version of a virtual machine..what does that
mean you ask? It means that you can be running a virtual machine, take a snapshot and at any point you can select a previous snapshot and revert back
to that point in time.
You end up with the virtual machine in the EXACT configuration that it was when you took the
snapshotand I mean exact.memory, virtual hardware, processes, state, etc. So you can have a running virtual machine, take a snapshot, change the
virtual hardware configuration, format the disk and install a different OS, it does not matter, when you apply the previous snapshot it looks exactly
like it did when you took the snapshot.
View Full Article:
TechNet Blogs..
winbeta.org -
27.04.2008Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Available
Microsoft has finally made the Windows XP Service Pack 3
Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers available from
Microsoft
Downloads. The x86 version clocks in at 316.4 MB and is intended for system administrators who are required to updated more than 1 computer, or if
you don't want to have use Windows Update the next time you clean install Windows XP.
Additionally, Microsoft also released a x86
ISO image of
Windows XP SP3 standalone update CD. Currently there is no SP3 update for Windows XP (x64) because the kernel is based on Windows Server 2003
(x64) which has a separate update time-line. For release notes, checked build versions check
here for both Vista SP1 and XP SP3.
Download:
Windows XP SP3
Network Install (x86) | 316.4 MB
Download:
Windows XP SP3 Update ISO Image (x86) | 544.9 MB (Updates XP to SP3 only)
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
07.05.2008Google Reader: Share anything. Anytime. Anywhere.
Jenna Bilotta: Have you ever wanted to share something that you were reading, but you didn't want to go through the hassle of subscribing to a whole
feed for a single interesting article? And what about sharing content from sites with no feeds? There you are, reading along, and you think to
yourself, "If only everything on the web had a 'Share' button like in Google Reader!"
As it turns out, there's all sorts of
information "out there" just waiting to be streamed, shared and otherwise consumed by you and your friends. Now you can finally show all of your
Reader friends that awesome
talking cat video you found, your favorite
grilled trout recipe, or
reviews of the best brunch place in your neighborhood -- all without a
subscription.
Here are a few new ways you can add and share interesting things in Reader...
View Full Article:
The Official Google Reader Blog..
winbeta.org -
06.05.2008Shutdown Windows With a Text Message, Thunderbird Edition
Adam Pash: We've already shown you how to
shutdown Windows via SMS with Outlook and
how to do the same
on a Mac using Mail.app, but a user on the
Hak5 forums demonstrates how to setup a similar SMS shutdown using
the venerable Thunderbird email client.
View Full Article:
Lifehacker..
winbeta.org -
03.05.2008Bluetooth gives Spies a Window into your Life
Worried about your civil liberties and privacy? Then it may come as a shock to discover that you have unwittingly been allowing your phone to signal
your every move.
Bluetooth, a wireless link built into many cellphones, makes our movements trackable by anyone equipped with a PC and an
appropriate receiver. Vassilis Kostakos at the University of Bath in the UK placed four Bluetooth receivers in the city's centre. Over four
months, his team tracked 10,000 Bluetooth phones and was able to "capture and analyse people's encounters" in pubs, streets and shops.
Bluetooth is now more of a privacy threat than the more frequently publicised RFID chips, Kostakos says. "If people are worried, they should turn
off the Bluetooth function on their mobile phones."
News Source:
NewScientistTech Read full story.....
neowin.net -
08.05.2008Competitive zeal of Ballmer key element in Yahoo chase
As Yahoo continued to resist Microsoft's $42 billion takeover offer, a key question was just how far Microsoft's excitable CEO, Steve Ballmer, was
willing to go in hopes of defeating online advertising and search leader Google.
For now, it seems Ballmer has kept his
passionate side in check in choosing to walk away from a deal over the weekend rather than raise the bid amount or launch a hostile takeover.
But some see Microsoft Corp.'s decision as simply one more step in the dance and expect Ballmer to reprise his pursuit later this year if
Yahoo Inc. is unable to turn around its business.
View Full Article:
Seattle Post-Intelligencer..
winbeta.org -
05.05.2008
