Two snags to watch for when upgrading to Windows 7

Generally, I've been a big fan of Windows 7. From the beta to the release candidate to the release-to-manufacturing "official" release, upgrading has been a stable, sane experience. Except for two repeated problems, that is.

From the Devices and Printers window, you can see that double-clicking on a device does not guarantee that Device Stage supports it. Also, notice the lack of driver support for the Ericsson mobile broadband card.

(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

In some cases, driver compatibility is still an issue. It's not as big as it was with the beta, which suffered from problems that everybody was expecting. However, as you can see from the error warning at the bottom of this image, Ericsson has yet to release a stable driver for the mobile broadband card in my Lenovo T400. The longer that Windows 7 is in the wild, the fewer of these compatibility issues are expected to crop up, but it is notable that there are still some holes that need plugging on the official release day.

Frustratingly, there's not much of a solution at this point. Always run your Windows Update first, and if that doesn't find a fix you can force a driver-specific update search through the Control Panel. Going to the manufacturer's Web site and looking to see if Windows just hasn't detected an official update is the next step, followed by looking for a potentially unstable beta version if you're comfortable with that. You should also check the manufacturer's user forums in case an update was linked to there.

The much-applauded Device Stage is the source of the second snag I've repeatedly encountered. Devices are always detected, but only devices made by manufacturers that have created the requisite XML image files will receive the visually-enhanced Device Stage treatment. Devices such as iPods, iPhones, Zunes, and Windows Mobile phones that have their own manufacturer-made interface experiences won't take advantage of the easy-to-see pictures in the Device Stage, nor will they appear on your taskbar. At least, in my experience they haven't.

Microsoft used to have a list of supported devices on its Web site, but that seems to have disappeared at some point before today. I can confirm that many HP printers are supported, as well as the Sansa Fuze, Clip, Clip+, and View Personal Media Players; the Canon Pixma MP990 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-in-One Printer; the Epson Artisan 800 Wireless Photo All-in-One Printer; and the Sony Walkman E Series and S Series video/MP3 players.

If you can confirm that a specific device works in Device Stage, or if you're having problems with one, please let us know in the comments below.

If Windows 7 doesn't work, it's your fault

When, like Microsoft, you've suffered more criticism for your operating system than Tom Cruise has for his height, you have to really think deeply when you launch something new.
You could go out and continue to tell people that you're very clever. But then they'd be a little more reluctant to believe you.
You could tout Windows 7 as the brainspawn of a whole new generation of terribly clever engineers. But then consumers might have a vision of an operating system created by pot-smoking, pot-bellied youths with the body odor of mousetrapped rats.
So you reach the conclusion that you've listened to both the great washed and unwashed out there and designed a new operating system completely according to their needs.

Then you draw on a little creative license and suggest that Windows 7 was actually not Microsoft's idea at all, but that of all the suffering, frustrated, maddened folks who screamed at Vista till their neighbors called 911, shortly followed by a call to their local Apple store.

This new ad undoubtedly embraces Microsoft's newly discovered zest for emotional values. It is charming, safe, warm--visual cocoa for a bleak economic winter.

It's just that I can't help thinking that if Windows 7 does go wrong--or at least if your own copy of seizes up like a nervous "America's Got Talent" contestant--then aren't you, one of the billions of brains behind this new system, just a little complicit in its failure?

They're really clever, those new marketing people at Microsoft.

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Microsoft: Strong Windows demand helps earnings

Microsoft said strong demand for Windows and Xbox buoyed the company's financial results in the past quarter.
The software maker said Friday that it earned $3.57 billion, or 40 cents per share, on revenue of $12.92 billion for its fiscal first quarter, which ended September 30. Microsoft also deferred $1.47 billion in revenue ahead of the launch of Windows 7. Adding that back in, revenue would have been $14.39 billion and per-share earnings would have been 52 cents.
Those results topped forecasts, although sales are still down from a year ago.
"We are very pleased with our performance this quarter and particularly by the strong consumer demand for Windows," Chief Financial Officer Chris Liddell said in a statement. "We also maintained our cost discipline, which allowed us to drive strong earnings performance despite continued tough overall economic conditions."

Chris Lidell,
Microsoft CFO
(Credit: Microsoft)
On the Windows front, Microsoft saw the number of PCs shipping with Windows grow 6 percent in the quarter even though PC sales overall were anywhere from flat to up 2 percent. Microsoft cited, among other reasons, the fact that more Netbooks are using Windows compared with a year ago.
Overall demand for Windows was strong, the company said, with the software seeing its highest first-quarter unit sales ever and September being the strongest overall unit sales in the company's history.
The company sold 2.1 million Xbox consoles in the quarter, according to a PowerPoint chart posted on Microsoft's investor Web site. That's just slightly down from the 2.2 million units sold in the same quarter a year ago, but up from the 1.2 million consoles sold in the previous quarter.
In a conference call, Liddell said that the company sees the economy remaining tough during the current fiscal year, but noted some potential for improvement.
The earnings report came a day after Microsoft launched Windows 7 and followed the disappointing previous quarter when the company reported weaker-than-expected results.
The company said Friday it is continuing to cut costs. In the current fiscal year, which runs through the end of June, Microsoft said it now expects operating expenses of $26.2 billion, a drop of $300 million from its prior forecast.
Microsoft normally releases its earnings in the afternoons, but it moved the report from Thursday afternoon so it wouldn't step on the toes of the Windows 7 launch.
The company continued to lose a significant amount in its online business, with the operating loss growing to $480 million from $321 million a year ago. Revenue for its online business, which includes Bing and MSN, dropped to $490 million from $520 million a year ago. However, Microsoft said it has seen a mid-single-digit increase in U.S. search revenue.
Looking ahead, Liddell said that Microsoft sees some signs that more businesses will buy new PCs starting next year, though the upgrade cycle will probably stretch over several years.
For the current fiscal year, Microsoft said it expects Windows sales to roughly reflect the PC market, while Office unit sales will lag. It expects its server unit to slightly outpace the overall market, while entertainment unit sale should be roughly flat. For its online business, Microsoft said it expects to outperform the broader market, excluding its MSN Internet access business.
Liddell said Microsoft continues to be hopeful that its search deal with Yahoo will gain needed regulatory approvals and be completed early in calendar year 2010. Liddell said to expect $100 million to $200 million in costs related to that deal, if it closes.
Here's a chart of last quarter's segment-by-segment results, though keep in mind that the Windows numbers are affected by the amount that Microsoft deferred because of the coming launch of Windows 7.
(Credit: Microsoft)
Update at 6:45 a.m. PDT: More details added throughout.
Update at 7:55 a.m. PDT: Added details from conference call with analysts.

Apple spits at Windows 7: You can't trust Microsoft

Was Apple going to keep quiet about the launch of Microsoft's Windows 7?

Do raccoons know how to get at the leftover spaghetti in your garbage can?

So, indeed, here is an immediate retort starring Messrs. John Hodgman and Justin Long.

Apple's appeal is a very simple one. It is one that you have heard this before, often late at night, often inebriated, sometimes over the telephone.

Surely you remember the script: "Your lover let you down before? You went back to her. She was unfaithful again. And still you went back to her. Now she comes a-callin', telling you things will be different this time...and YOU'RE GOING TO BELIEVE HER? WHAT ARE YOU? NUTSOID?!!!"

However, this time, it doesn't stop there. Because Apple also specifically asks XP users whether it's terribly wise to go with Windows 7 when Mac is No. 1 for customer satisfaction. (The XP user, naturally, decides she doesn't need "pain and frustration.")

Apple has decided to create this little surge of communication, more examples of which you can watch here, designed to prick at your conscience while Microsoft tries to pick at your pocket.

Which suitor should you trust? The one who's supposedly let you down before or the cool, allegedly costly one?

In a tough economy, what may be most telling is how many people decide to bide their time and hide their money, until Windows 7 is deemed to be worthy of at least a steady relationship.

A Way to Download Music

1. Go To

Code:

http://www.esnips.com/

2. Go to the search bar and search for a song you are looking for.



3. Look at the Results and look until you have found the one you are looking for.


4. After you Click the One you have found there Should be a player playing the song. Right click on the Player click and Properties

5. A properties window should show up. Highlight the address in the box and copy it.



6. Open up a new tab and paste the link into the address bar. Click enter.
7. After hitting enter, the song should appear. Save it to disk or where ever and click ok to download the song. (Note if the File is taking along time to open. clear your cookies and cache).

8. Open up the file, Play and Enjoy.

Megaupload Hack:It really works

This will only last for a while until Megaupload changes their site so take advantage.
Just note this is not a premium account, you can only download one file at a time.


If the download link is say:

Code:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=85GT7Z2W

Just add mgr_dl.php after the .com/ so the new link becomes:

Code:

http://www.megaupload.com/mgr_dl.php?d=85GT7Z2W

No captcha, No countdown, Full speed

The best Link checker for firefox

To do this You will need GreaseMonkey addon for firefox

Code:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/748

Then Open this site

Code:

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/29222

Click on Install. It will install the script.

Whenever theres is text like rapidshare.com, it automatically checks the links. If links exist it is highlighted green,if doesn't then Red.

Very useful Script.