Tag Archives: Windows7

Windows 8 reaches 8 percent of web traffic, but Windows 7 grows quicker

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Windows 8 reaches 8 percent of web traffic in September, but Windows 7 grows quicker

Web traffic for a major new operating system typically grows at a consistently faster pace than its predecessor. That's not true for Windows 8, however -- NetApplications now estimates that Windows 7 outpaced its newer counterpart for the first time in September. While Windows 8 did grow to a symbolic 8 percent of web use last month, its ancestor grew slightly faster, hitting 46.4 percent. We wouldn't necessarily say that Windows 8 is in trouble based on these figures, though. The rise in Windows 7 use corresponds to a drop for Windows XP (shown after the break), which suggests that corporate customers are in the midst of upgrades; they're less likely to choose a young OS. Microsoft still faces long-term problems, but they're more likely to stem from customers' shift toward mobile devices and away from PCs.

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Net Applications

Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 7 is available now as a Release Preview

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Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 7 is available now as a Release Preview

Microsoft announced back at its Build developer conference that it was bringing Internet Explorer 11 to Windows 7, and it's already partially made good on that promise by letting developers get an early look. By now, though, the company's given the browser enough spit and polish that it's ready for public consumption: the Release Preview is now available for anybody to download. As you'd expect, Microsoft claims IE11 is the fastest desktop browser available, and that it's 30 percent quicker than the next-fastest browser (that would be Firefox, or at least that's what Microsoft says). Also, the Release Preview is apparently a bit speedier than the Developer Preview was back in June: Redmond says average SunSpider scores have dropped from 144ms to an even-better 137ms. At any rate, now that the browser's available, you're free to download it and benchmark it yourself, if that's what floats your boat.

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Source: Microsoft (1), (2)

Nuforce Icon DAC and headphone amp arrives for Android, Mac and PC for $325

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Nuforce Icon DAC and amp arrives for Android, Mac and PC, makes digital tunes sound acceptable to audiophiles

NuForce has been pumping out high end audio gear for the digitally inclined for years, and its latest effort is the Icon DAC and amp for Android, Mac and PC. It shares the same aluminum construction as the Icon iDo amp aimed at iDevice owners that was released in 2011. However, the latest Icon adds a few new features. While it still has analog RCA and digital coax output, the new model offers RCA and 3.5mm analog input as well as a USB connection for pulling in audio. Additionally, it can drive 600-ohm headphones thanks to its 8V output amp, and its DAC supports sampling rates up to 96kHz, 32 bits of resolution and direct stream digital decoding. It's available now for $325 for folks with Windows 7 or 8 PCs, Macs and Android devices running 4.1.1 or higher.

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Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 11 developer preview for Windows 7

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Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 11 developer preview for Windows 7

As promised, Internet Explorer 11 is making its way to Windows 7, slowly but surely. Almost a month after we got our first serious taste of Microsoft's latest browser, currently available on Windows 8.1 only, the developer preview version for Win 7 has hit the web. Obviously, there's a lot less Metro-flavored flash, but the most important features and improvements should still carry over. The biggest news is the improved performance and load times. Microsoft is quite proud of the enhancements it's made to Chakra, it's JavaScript engine, and claims it's significantly faster than Chrome, Firefox and Opera. As always, though, you can take these self-administered benchmarks with a grain of salt. There's also support for WebGL and advanced HTML5 video features, like those powering the next-generation Netflix player. And, seeing as how this is a developer preview, the package wouldn't be complete with out some updated tools for building sites and web apps, in the form of an overhauled F12, that borrows heavily from Visual Studio. If your'e looking for some more fine-grained details or just want to download it for yourself, hit up the source link.

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Source: MSDN

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 desktop sync app now out of beta

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Windows Phone app for desktop stable version released

A preview build of the Windows Phone 8 app for desktop has been around, but today Microsoft has released a full-fledged version and thrown in some new features to boot. In addition to bug fixes, the stable build comes with the capability to sync files from any folder in your computer (even if it's an external hard drive), sync non-iTunes podcasts and install updates within the app. Of course, it can still be used to sync media between mobile devices and Windows 7 or 8 PCs, import playlists and monitor how much storage space each type of content is eating up on your phone. You can visit the source for a download link if you own a WP8 device, but check out the sync wizard first if you're unsure what software to use to sync your files -- trust us, it's much more useful than Clippy ever was.

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Source: Windows Phone Blog

Fujitsu revamps E-series Lifebooks, gives Ivy Bridge one last hurrah

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Fujitsu revamps Eseries Lifebooks, gives Ivy Bridge one last hurrah

Intel's Haswell-based processors may be just around the corner, but the suit-and-tie crowd can't always wait to buy new PCs, can it? Fujitsu has those impatient corporate buyers covered with a refresh to its E-series Lifebooks. The 13.3-inch E733, 14-inch E743 and 15.6-inch E753 all keep on trucking with Ivy Bridge, but come in silver and red designs that are more elegant than what we saw last year. Not that they're just skin-deep upgrades, mind you. The more common configurations tout more recent 2.6GHz Core i5 processors and 500GB hybrid hard drives, while each system can scale up to 16GB of RAM and a Core i7 for extra-demanding work. When prices start at $999, the new Lifebooks may be inexpensive enough to make shoppers feel better about their timing -- at least, for a few weeks.

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Source: Fujitsu (1), (2), (3)

Fujitsu revamps E-series Lifebooks, gives Ivy Bridge one last hurrah

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Fujitsu revamps Eseries Lifebooks, gives Ivy Bridge one last hurrah

Intel's Haswell-based processors may be just around the corner, but the suit-and-tie crowd can't always wait to buy new PCs, can it? Fujitsu has those impatient corporate buyers covered with a refresh to its E-series Lifebooks. The 13.3-inch E733, 14-inch E743 and 15.6-inch E753 all keep on trucking with Ivy Bridge, but come in silver and red designs that are more elegant than what we saw last year. Not that they're just skin-deep upgrades, mind you. The more common configurations tout more recent 2.6GHz Core i5 processors and 500GB hybrid hard drives, while each system can scale up to 16GB of RAM and a Core i7 for extra-demanding work. When prices start at $999, the new Lifebooks may be inexpensive enough to make shoppers feel better about their timing -- at least, for a few weeks.

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Source: Fujitsu (1), (2), (3)

Skype adds video voicemail to Windows desktop beta

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Skype adds video voicemail preview to Windows desktop beta, Windows 8 users left hanging on the telephone

You'd think that with Skype firmly under Microsoft's control, the service would roll out new features to Windows first. Bizarrely, though, that's not the case. Skype's video voicemail feature, which previously soft launched on Android, iOS and OS X, is now coming to Windows 7 and up (a Windows 8 version should be forthcoming), hitting the company's end of April promise. The feature, still labeled a preview, works exactly as advertised, letting users record short video clips that can be sent to and viewed by any contact regardless of their OS. There's one caveat though: you'll need to install Skype 6.5 beta for Windows desktop and Flash to test it out. It's just a risk your vainglorious self will have to take for modernity.

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Source: Skype