Microsoft is officially launching the reimagined operating system Windows 8, which functions on many new devices aside from a traditional PC such as: iPad on Metro Testbed app, Touch Screen all in one Desktops, Windows Tablet and Windows Phone. These new devices will debut the new touch screen feature that is available in a Beta Version on the iPad.
They reportedly will finish work on Windows 8 by this summer, setting the stage to release the next version of its flagship operating system sometime around October.
Until then, Microsoft’s Windows 8 Beta is now available as a free download, which means that it’s time to figure out how to install it.
Officially called the Consumer Preview, the Windows 8 Beta is actually quite simple to install. There are some requirements, though. Most Windows 7 computers should to be able to handle Windows 8.
To verify, you’ll want to have:
- 1 Ghz or faster processor
- 1 GB of RAM for 32-bit or 2 GB for the 64-bit version
- 16 GB hard drive for 32-bit, or 20 GB for 64-bit version
- Graphics card that supports Microsoft DirectX 9 or higher
A word on what our Microsoft Certified Technician’s think:
“Windows 8 is very similar to Windows 7; it’s even faster than Windows 7, with faster boot times and shut downs almost instantly. Internet Explorer 10 has a new look to it and a few cool animations when clicking on the drop down menus. The biggest difference you will notice with Windows 8 is that it lacks the traditional “START” button, which is due to Windows 8 having a very clean look to it and allowing fluent touch screen control over Windows 8. You can now stretch the task bar over both screens and have the ability to pause data transfers”.
There are also some extras that won’t work without certain specifics. As shocking as this may sound, the touch features will require a touch screen monitor or tablet. Accessing the Windows Store requires an Internet connection, obviously, but also a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 76, and to Snap apps, which lets you split the screen between two apps, you’ll need a resolution of at least 1366 x 768.
To get started, go to preview.windows.com.
For further information, you can also contact our Tech Repair Center and speak to a Microsoft Certified Professional that will get you started. Call us now @ 949-699-6619, email us @ support@orangecountycomputer.com, and visit our site at OrangeCountyComputer.com, to read about the importance of genuine software licensing, and software support.
By: Stephen Shankland
Microsoft’s real-world power consumption measurements for several browsers with a news site open.
(Credit: Microsoft)
After some real-world tests, Microsoft has concluded Internet Explorer 9 is the most energy-efficient of the major browsers on the market.
Microsoft compared its new browser with Opera 11, Firefox 4, Chrome 10, and Safari 5 on an Intel laptop, measuring how many watts the machine consumed with the browser idling, showing a news site, and running graphics-intensive Web tests.
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If your Network Security is in question, this article might motivate you to take action. Orange County Computer is here to help.
Article written by USA Today’s Brian Acohido, October 13, 2010
Be nice to the tech folks who keep your company’s computers safe.
Microsoft Tuesday issued its largest ever batch of security patches — essential fixes for a record 49 security holes. What’s more, Oracle this week published its quarterly security update pushing out patches for 81 vulnerabilities in a wide array of Oracle and Sun Microsystems software. (Oracle recently acquired Sun.)
“It’s yet another record ‘Patch Tuesday’ for Microsoft, with updates spanning across products,” said James Walter, manager of the McAfee Threat Intelligence Service. “The volume is indicative of a trend where we’re seeing among various software vendors. As the awareness of vulnerabilities increases, the number of patches get bigger as well.”
But that’s not all. Apple also recently released a security patch for a file-sharing issue in OS X, which could allow a remote hacker to take control of your Mac. Adobe last week pushed out critical patches for 23 vulnerabilities in Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat for Windows, Mac and Linux.
“There’s no rest for the weary,” says Paul Henry, cybersecurity firm Lumension’s forensics and security analyst. “Patching this many total vulnerabilities is scary indeed and, if not managed correctly, they will certainly have a massive impact on corporate productivity.”
Security experts predict workday interruptions as these patches are tested and installed. “These updates will require a restart, shutting down computer systems for a period of time,” says Henry. “In some instances, this can take up to 20 minutes.”
Many of the Microsoft patches are for older versions of Office and Internet Explorer Web browser, including critical updates for Internet Explorer 6, 7 and 8, that are “relatively easy to exploit,” says Wolfgang Kandek, CTO of patch management firm Qualys.
Some 24 vulnerabilities are patched in older versions of Office, so “users should apply both updates as quickly as possible,” says Kandek. “Even the new Word 2010 is affected by two of the vulnerabilities. This shows that achieving a bug-free record is near-impossible.”
Why is Microsoft still finding and patching so many security holes?
Much of it has to do with the software giant’s continued aggressive approach to finding holes before cybercriminals do. “Microsoft is working closer than ever with security researchers,” says Jason Miller, data and security team leader at Shavlik Technologies. “By working with researchers, Microsoft is closing the gap on the time to release fixes for vulnerabilities found. This is a key factor that a lot of people have been asking for, so we shouldn’t be too surprised that we are seeing an uptick in security bulletins.”
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