Windows Shell/User (MSN & OneCare Too) : Products

HoMedics Announces Compatibility With Microsoft HealthVault

ericvogel — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:26:08 GMT

Commerce Township-based HoMedics Monday announced that its Thera-P Blood Pressure Monitor line is compatible with Microsoft HealthVault, a free Web-based platform designed to put consumers in control of their health data.

WWJ Newsradio 950 - HoMedics Announces Compatibility With Microsoft HealthVault

Glad to see a Michigan company making high-tech stuff!! HealthVault seems like it is really good, I just do not want my medical info that public where someone might hack into it...

TG Daily - Windows Vista successor scheduled for a H2 2009 release?

ericvogel — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:08:20 GMT

Windows Vista successor scheduled for a H2 2009 release?
Business and Law
By Wolfgang Gruener
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 12:28

Chicago (IL) - Several industry sources have confirmed to TG Daily that a very early version of Windows 7, previously code-named Blackcomb Vienna, already has been shipped to “key partners” as a “Milestone 1” (M1) code drop for validation purposes. A roadmap received by TG Daily indicates that the new operating system will be introduced in the second half of 2009.

TG Daily - Windows Vista successor scheduled for a H2 2009 release?

BetaNews | Loss of HP puts end to Wal-Mart's video download store

ericvogel — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 14:41:09 GMT

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

December 28, 2007, 12:10 PM

The retailer decided to silently walk away from its planned video download service after HP ended its participation.

BetaNews | Loss of HP puts end to Wal-Mart's video download store

Look, another video service going down and once your computer crash's or you format, your videos are lost forever. Your stuck with multi-gig files (from backup) with no key to run it.

Never again will I buy Movies off the Internet.

ericvogel — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 05:00:41 GMT

I think one I got for free and the other one was cheap. But this goes for the same if you paid full price and use AOL Videos

Dear Eric,
Thank you for being a customer of the AOL® Video store. We have an exciting update for you on our service: to continue to bring you an industry-leading purchase experience, we have partnered with Amazon.com®. Going forward, Amazon.com® will power our video download service.
What does this mean for you?

Videos you have already purchased from the AOL Video Store will stay on your computer, and continue to work on that computer as long as you want them.
If you don't already have the version for use on portable devices, please download any you need today by going here. The portable device versions won't be available for download after December 31, 2007.
If you want to transfer your video to any other computers, please do so today. You will not be able to move your video to other computers after December 31, 2007.
Through the Amazon.com® service, we are able to offer you even more titles for purchase and download, and more options, such as video rentals

We are substantially changing our service, so please note:

Going forward, to find the videos you already purchased, use these step-by-step instructions:

Go to "My Documents" and click on "My Videos"
Click on "AOL Video"
The files ending in ".wmv" are your videos. Double click on the icons to watch your video anytime. If you need help, click here.

We hope you will continue to enjoy all AOL Video has to offer.
Thank you!
The AOL Video team
Amazon and Amazon.com are registered trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. AOL is a registered trademark of AOL LLC.

Ok, my PC crashes or I buy a new one. I will lose them forever. I assure you AOL and Amazon I will NEVER buy DRM content from you again!! Once again another service treats people who LEGALLY purchase their content like crap. Of course it would be two expensive to leave a few servers up to allow authentication and de-activation and re-activation of DRM Movies? I think not. These are greedy companies. Heck, why doesn't Amazon take it over and AOL transfer their certificates and keys over. That's right, it costs time and money. It is their problem and they make it mine. Now only if there were a way I could illegally remove my DRM protection on my WMV files I LEGALLY own to keep for ever. Another idea, allow us to remove the DRM legally from our purchased files.

I just thought of something! I am gonna write a complaint letter to the Attorney general!

LiveSide - News blog : Microsoft to extend social networking with Windows Live Events

ericvogel — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 19:20:09 GMT

LiveSide - News blog : Microsoft to extend social networking with Windows Live Events

Free The LiveEarth Themepack for Windows Live! Messenger

ericvogel — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:02:00 GMT

Nice little freebie from Microsoft / Windows Live! / MSN.

The LiveEarth Themepack

BetaNews | Verizon Tapped for 'Click to Call' Integration

ericvogel — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 12:39:00 GMT

Microsoft has teamed with Verizon's business arm to provide consumers with one-click phone calls to businesses found on its Live Search listings, the telecommunications company said on Monday.

BetaNews | Verizon Tapped for 'Click to Call' Integration

I was wondering what happened to this feature. I guess it was removed sometime in the Live! Search beta.

Windows Live! Writer Beta Released (and WLM Beta & WL Mail Beta)

ericvogel — Wed, 30 May 2007 22:00:00 GMT

Windows Live! Writer Beta has been released, alon with Windows Live! Messenger Beta and Windows Live! Mail.

New Authoring Capabilities
·         Inline spell checking
·         Table editing
·         Ability to add categories
·         Page authoring for WordPress and TypePad
·         Support for excerpts and extended entries
·         Improved hyperlinking and image insertion
·         Paste Special
Integration and Compatibility
·         SharePoint 2007 support
·         New APIs enabling custom extensions by weblog providers
·         Automatic synchronization of local and online edits
·         Integration with Windows Live Gallery
·         Support for Blogger Labels Plus...
·         New look and feel
·         Available in 6 languages
·         Improved accessibility and keyboard support

Many other frequently requested enhancements!

I will not be around to gather info about the others. Maybe tomorrow something will be up. Won a pre-screening to Mr. Brooks tonight! YAH!!

BetaNews | MySpace to Acquire Photobucket

ericvogel — Tue, 08 May 2007 12:57:14 GMT

Link to BetaNews | MySpace to Acquire Photobucket

BetaNews | Dell Joins Microsoft + Novell Linux Pact

ericvogel — Tue, 08 May 2007 12:53:48 GMT

Link to BetaNews | Dell Joins Microsoft + Novell Linux Pact

Microsoft Tagspace

ericvogel — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 12:52:21 GMT

I new bookmark / Tagging service from Microsoft. (In Beta)

Link to Microsoft Tagspace

Windows OneCare Live 2.0 Beta Testing to Begin - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

ericvogel — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 18:40:00 GMT

Beta testing to start late April, and ship in Fall 2007

New Features:

Wireless connection - Help setup secure WIFI connections.
Printer Sharing Support - Help connect printers to the local network.
Management of Startup Programs - Includes speed boot time by automatically detecting rarely used programs and removed them.
Online Backup - Dedicated to photos and requires an additional fee. (Try www.xdrive.com for 2-3 gigs free space an download the desktop app to auto-backup.
Unified Monitoring - You can track the security and maintenance status from any PC on the network.
Unified Resolution - will let an administrator correct problems on other installations.
Monthly activity report - Summarize important activities and actions for all connected installs.
New automatic tune-up features.
Parental Controls - This is optional and will be available with Windows Live! Family Safety Services comes out of beta.

Link to Windows OneCare Live 2.0 Beta Testing to Begin - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

My Wish List:
64-bit support. (Very popular request)
Backup to other services like XDrive

New website to turn long URL's into short URL's. It is quick, fast, clean, little ads.

ericvogel — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 02:08:00 GMT

A fellow beta tester (Justin Haygood) wrote this and it is of high quality url2Link. http://www.url2link.com/.

Get Vista upgrade, never pay full price

ericvogel — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 16:29:41 GMT

Get Vista upgrade, never pay full price

By Brian Livingston
Many people are upset by the fact that the economical, "upgrade" version of Vista won't accept a Windows XP or Windows 2000 CD-ROM as proof of ownership. Vista Upgrade is said to install only to a hard disk that already has XP or 2000 already on it.

Source: Get Vista upgrade, never pay full price

Windows Vista Questions and Some Answers (Updated)

ericvogel — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 16:27:00 GMT

I have been helping with the lunch of Vista at a store. I have come across these questions and because these were not made clear, either hidden of fine print on the bottom of the box, I and everyone else is giving away bad advise. Once I get all of the answers, the store will be able to give good advise. Because some was assumed was the same with previous versions, and the lack of Microsoft informing the stores.

1. Does x64 version DVD come in the Vista Box?

No it does, not. You must pay a small shipping and handling fee. Interesting, have to pay more money for Windows...

2. Which version is the same as Windows XP Pro?

None! Vista Home Premium has most, but not Remote Desktop or Join a Windows Sever network (Domain). Vista Ultimate has it, but you get BitLocker too and the Extras, again your Cost is really high. The Business version allows you to do this, minus the entertainment stuff. Not many people are happy about having to get an Affordable Home Premium, or a expensive Ultimate.

3. What is required for a upgrade version?

Windows 2000 or XP only!

3.1 Can I do a Clean Install?

You need to have a previous version of WIndows installed for a clean install. Again, lots of people not happy about this. Here is a work around. At least for now.

4. Does the Family Pricing work with Ultimate Upgrade? and how much?

No it does not. You need to get the full version. Price is $50 per PC up to 2 additional PC's. (#4 I found off the web.)

Updated: 4/1/07 12:10p EST

Microsoft to offer Windows Vista online - Yahoo! News

ericvogel — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 18:37:26 GMT

Microsoft Corp. will make its new Windows Vista operating system available for sale and download online, marking a new step for the software company, which has previously sold Windows only on packaged discs or pre-loaded on computers.

Source: Microsoft to offer Windows Vista online - Yahoo! News

I think this is a smart move, since people have busy lives. I have been able to obtain corporate software electronically instead of waiting for the CD to come in for Symantec/Vertas and GFI. (Note, most retail stores do not sell corporate licensing that you can go in and buy and walk out. Also, too this brings in the mileage and time of an employee to but the product.)

BetaNews | TiVo Fast Forward Popup Ads Return

ericvogel — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 13:52:01 GMT

Customers of the DVR service TiVo began reporting over the weekend that the fast forward ads which appear during commercial breaks have reappeared. The ads appeared last in March 2005, when the company was testing new ways to generate money from the service.

Source: BetaNews | TiVo Fast Forward Popup Ads Return

Ok, so people pay for the box most times, and pay for the service, and now they want to show ads to paying customers? If any DVR did that I paid for I would cancel my service and go with Windows Media Center or another software PVR.

Dark Reading - Host security - Microsoft: Home Server Sports Serious Security - Security

ericvogel — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:58:24 GMT

JANUARY 10, 2007 | Microsoft's upcoming Windows Home Server software will include security features taken from its enterprise-grade Windows Server 2003 software, but will not work as a central distributor for patches to PCs on the home network, a Microsoft executive said Wednesday.

Source: Dark Reading - Host security - Microsoft: Home Server Sports Serious Security - Security

The one comment I have about this wonderful product, I hope to be able to beta test is, instead of being behind the router, why not have it be the firewall with a Home based ISA 2006 Firewall? Have two NIC's one for the Internet and one for the home LAN. The home LAN NIC gets plugged into a switch.

Another one I thought of is, why not have built in WSUS for Home Server, and update the AU client on the PC if WSUS is not available, go to Microsoft's servers for updates? Or connect over the net to the HS to check and install updates?

Download details: Update for Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP (KB928089)

ericvogel — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 19:02:34 GMT

Overview

This update resolves a performance issue with the Phishing Filter. When visiting certain web pages, the Phishing Filter may increase CPU usage while evaluating the page contents and the system may become slow to respond. This problem occurs on pages that contain multiple frames or when multiple frame navigations occur quickly. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

Link to Download details: Update for Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP (KB928089)

Introducing Windows Search Preview

ericvogel — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 16:46:46 GMT

Introducing Windows Search Preview

Windows Search Preview helps you find precisely the file or information you’re looking for fast, in one place and wherever it’s located.

Source: Introducing Windows Search Preview

Also, there is a link to notify you when it is available.