An Android tablet PC from Google and a two-screen slate from Microsoft may join devices from Acer, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Lenovo to vie with Apple’s iPad.
ByAntone Gonsalves InformationWeek April 13, 2010 08:35 AM
Google and Microsoft are reportedly working on their own slate computers that would challenge Apple’s iPad.
Google chief executive Eric Schmidt told friends about the company’s new device at a recent Los Angeles party, and the company is talking to publishers about delivering books, magazines and other content to the device, The New York Times reported Sunday. The gadget would run exclusively on Google’s Android operating system.
Microsoft, on the other hand, has built a prototype of a slate. The device, called the Courier, is about the size of an average paperback and unfolds to reveal two screens, a Microsoft employee claiming to have seen the device told the Times. Users would be able to write on the screens using a stylus and would be able to drag content between the two screens.
While Microsoft engineers have talked about having the device ready for release by early 2011, no official announcement has been made on whether to sell the computer.
The following list are the Technet Plus Titles I was licensed for as of a few days ago. Just in case you were curious as to what titles were in there You can get into a year of this Microsoft program via
for a bit of a discount, vs. the normal $350, until the end of 2009. Cheers!
For the Betas, there is usually a single key issued (as a MAK, or Multiple Activation Key) that will allow up to ten installs. For Windows 7 Ultimate, for instance, you can generate up to ten individual serial numbers through your account, once you are logged in at https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/securedownloads/default.aspx
There are also a number of files that have their key embedded in your media – no need to enter them, your install .iso is “pre-pidded” . . . there is just no convenient way to grep them, etc. so they are not listed below.
The first section contains all new shortcuts in Windows 7. I have stolen this list fromTechnet. The article there is about the beta version, but I suppose not much has changed since then.
Please let me know if you spotted another new Windows 7 hotkey. Just in case you didn’t upgrade yet, you can check out thecomplete list of Windows Vista hotkeys.
Press this key
To do this
Windows logo key +Home
Clear all but the active window
Windows logo key +Space
All windows become transparent so you can see through to the desktop
Windows logo key +Up arrow
Maximize the active window
Windows logo key +Down arrow:
Minimize the active window or restore the window if it’s maximized
Windows logo key +Left/Right arrows
Dock the active window to each side of the monitor
Windows logo key +Shift+Left/Right arrows
If you’ve got dual monitors, this will move the active window to the adjacent monitor
Windows logo key +T
Shift focus to and scroll through items on the taskbar
Windows logo key +P
Adjust presentation settings for your display
Windows logo key +(+/-)
Zoom in/out
Windows logo key +Click a taskbar item
Open a new instance of that particular application
I’ve been using Windows 7 on my home PC for several weeks now, and recently installed the 64-bit release version. I must say that Microsoft has done a very good job with Windows 7. From major changes to minor changes, I can confidently say that installing Windows 7 on your XP or Vista computer will give you a strong feeling of rejuvenation. Booting is fast, apps are managed better, and the overall OS is very slick.
But before you upgrade to Windows 7, take a look into a utility called Ninite. The little tool lets you customize all your favorite apps into one monolithic installer. You then download the package, and run the install. Ninite will install all the apps you picked without fuss. Walk away. Enjoy some coffee, and when you come back, all your apps are ready to go. There’s no need to manually hunt for them again.
Ninite currently supports all the popular browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Opera, etc., and includes utility apps such as VLC, Skype, Thunderbird, Adobe PDF Reader, Flash, bit-torrent tools, RealVNC, WinRAR, PuTTY, and other common apps. You can suggest your own.
Hit up the Ninite website. Pick your apps, download the installer, copy to a USB-stick so that you’ll have it ready to go before moving to a fresh Windows 7 install. Best of all, it’s free and grabs you the latest version of the apps!
You’re free to suggest apps that should be included too. One utility that I did find missing is Daemon Tools.
The release of the Office 2010 Technical Preview represents the first time Microsoft has showed off any of its Office 2010 applications. The preview includes only the desktop applications, not the Web apps–which will get their own preview on the Live service in August. Without the Web apps or a preview of the next SharePoint server, the collaboration features in Office don’t actually work yet, but there are plenty of new and improved tools, as well as a new look.
All the Office 2010 applications have the “fluent” interface with a ribbon replacing the menus and toolbars. The look is a little different from Office 2007–the Office button, for example, moves down out of the corner and now sits in line with the tabs of the ribbon (and launches a Backstage menu of options). The look is generally cleaner and sparser. If you find the white background bland and boring, the options in the technical preview reveal that there will be two alternate looks for the final version.
You can get into a year of this Microsoft program via
