If you’re still rockin’ a computer with everyone’s favorite OS, Windows Vista, and only have up to Service Pack 1 installed, Microsoft has a message for you: Upgrade or…upgrade. That is, upgrade to at least Service Pack 2 or just move on to Windows 7 entirely. While we’d highly suggest the latter, taking a mere bump in service packs is understandable.
The official date for the transition is July 12, 2011. After said date, users will no longer have access to security updates or patches from Microsoft.
While it may seem rather quick given Vista’s young age, the OS — which seems universally hated now that Windows 7 has matured — Windows 7 has proven the exact opposite. We have to ask: Who’s running Vista still?
- September 16, 2010 7:48 am
Good news for Steam users powered by ATI/AMD graphics cards: You can now get your Catalyst driver updates through Steam itself. That’s right. No more having to navigate to AMD’s website to download stuff. Of course, doing so in the first place isn’t exactly rocket science nor is it difficult. Still, having drivers downloads consolidated to a portal that you already visit several times per week is pretty handy you have to admit. Anyone given it a shot yet — likes/dislikes?
- November 13, 2009 6:10 am
Being a used game retailer has it’s advantages. Gamers love new stuff. Because of that one way to fund their new lusts is by selling off their old. Awesome concept and business model until you consider more and more people are downloading games — that which you can’t return. GameStop, looking to keep from fading out of existence has announced via the BMO Capital Management Digital Entertainment conference that in earl 2010, the company will try it’s hand this whole digital marketplace. This test won’t allow full-on game downloads mind you. So if you were hoping to score a deal (as is usual with used game purchases) you’re out of luck for now. Aside from no full game downloads, you can take comfort in knowing their venture isn’t for naught. Game add-ons and/or game updates will be the first leg of Game Stops digital testing.
According to GameStop, the service will blend in with the PSN and Xbox Live Services. However, because full games aren’t going to be available, critics are already dissatisfied with the idea. I can see their frustration and share the same feelings for the most part. If you’re going to go digital, go all the way. Don’t do this I’m kinda in, kinda out type of approach. It’s a valiant effort by a company so entrenched in physical media but an absolute failure when all things digital are concerned. GameStop’s Chief Operating Officer, Paul Raine, stated at the the same conference that “there isn’t a huge market for full game downloads yet”, and that they fill at this time, the update/add-on route is the way to go. Really? I’m pretty sure those with speedier internet connections would much rather download their games and not have to go to the store to pick them up.
But that’s just me.Since it obviously isnt 2010 yet, I’m hoping that those in charge will re-think their decision and shake the right hands that need shaking to get full game downloads into the program. Otherwise it’s just a waste of time. But that’s just my opinion. There could be some huge market for game-add ons and updates that somehow isn’t being answered by the uber popular Xbox Live service or PSN. What do you think? Optimistic or pessimistic?
Erictric > Reuters
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- October 20, 2009 11:37 am
Where to start. I guess we’ll lead of with the smallest and work our way up.
First on the line, the new Magic Mouse brings multi-touch/gesture to the mouse world. Operation is as one would expect, 2 finger swipes and pinches do all sorts of panning, zooming, and moving actions on your screen. The Mighty Mouse isn’t so mighty anymore (was it ever?)
The bargain basement Macbook, once $999, is still….$999. What happened to “newer” and “cheaper” products? To be fair, the new Macbook receives some respectable upgrades such as a Core 2 Duo bumped up to 2.26GHz, 2GB of RAM (upgradable to 8GB), an NVIDIA 9400M GPU, and a 250GB hard drive. Oh, Blue-ray hopefuls are out of luck, this one is packin’ the old school Super Drive. Wrapping it up, the plastic Macbook now includes that love it or hate it integrated battery. I’m sure some of the sting will be taken away when you realize you get true 7-hour battery life complete with outlet freedom. A pretty sweet deal for $999 don’t you think?
Ah finally, we make our way to the iMac. While a Mac Pro is arguably the top of Apple’s lineup, to be quite honest, a spec’d out iMac is plenty for me. Not to mention, that new 16:9 27-inch model packs a visual wallop at 2,560 x 1,440! If 27″ is too big, the smaller 20″ 16:9 21.5″ model should do the trick. I loved the size of the 24″ and can only expect the 27″ to be even more pleasing. Especially now that it’s a wider ratio. Oh yeah. This is sweet. The cherry on top though will require a tad bit more waiting. What’s this cherry I speak of? The top end 27″ iMac starts at $1,999 and will ship in November with a 2.06GHz 2.66GHz Core i5 Quad-core processor tag teaming your senses with either a Radeon HD 4850 512MB graphics too boot. (Good-bye Nvidia) Movin’ up even further, $200 more will bump you up to a Core i7 Quad-Core running at 2.8GHz. Speed…lovely speed. However, If all you’re looking for is the bigger screen, the 27″ comes in base config starting at $1,699 with a 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo and Radeon HD 4670 GPU.
Rounding up the bottom end, the 21.5″ begins at the same $1,199 for a 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB spinner. Another aspect worth highlighting is the Multi-Display port. Your iMac can go it alone or buddy up with another display for dual screen action or become the display for your laptop/second computer. Simply awesome!
So the updates aren’t that big of a deal, though that Core i5 and i7 are looking mighty nice don’t you think? My money, heart, and all over being are fixated on the 27″ behemoth.
Engadget, Gizmodo
- September 28, 2009 8:10 pm
Hot hot hot! Palm has official released the webOS 1.2 update this late afternoon to the hoard of inpatient Pre owners. Unfortunately, feature hounds will find mostly bug fixes in this update. However, honorable mentions include paid app downloads (not live yet) as well as music downloads over the air. Also, the claim that iTunes sync was coming back in 1.2 was a fallacy folks. It isn’t here. Live to see another day I guess. Since the update has been out for a few hours, we gotta ask: How’s the update going for you? Any bugs popping up? Surprises?
BGR
- September 15, 2009 12:05 pm
In what should be a joyous occasion for me is turning out to be bittersweet if not downright painful. Stumbling upon this post by BlackBerry cool highlights one very large problem — RIM has completely lost site of where they should be going. First off, the three upcoming devices that are set to fall in the very near future, the Essex (basically a 9630 Tour with WiFi and a trackpad), 9100 (refreshed pearl type device), and 8530 (CDMA version of the 8520 already available) are nothing more than the same tired OS wrapped in various plastic shrouds. Now don’t get me wrong, BlackBerry has for the moment a very dominating position on mobile email still as well as messaging. However, the iPhone OS and Android not to mention several others are quickly nipping at RIM’s heels. The real danger lays ahead with the revelation that RIM is planning 16 new devices for 2010. Ok so they’ve got a mountain of new hardware coming down the pipeline, but what about software…
While the interwebs and myself included hopped on the fear wagon just a few short days ago when hearing of the bleak outlook for future G1 updates, I felt a piece of me died inside. Ok…not really. But it was disturbing and saddening none the less. Many assumed that the dev community would pull through for us and bring future updates to our beloved first gen devices. If you were an assuming foe, pat yourself on the back. According to those who are now seasoned Android veterans, compression techniques and a few other coding tricks will allow G1 users to continue receiving updates for at least a few more iterations. Of course, the official statements from the Android team within Google is that the G1 is perfectly fine and will still receive updates. Anyone feel slightly better about their 1st gen purchase?
Source: MobileCrunch
