13 days to move from Windows 7 RC

February 17th, 2010 by simonster View Comments »

13 days I started getting these, as expected, a couple of days ago.  It’s a guess but lots of others are receiving them now too so I thought I’d take the opportunity to remind people about what’s going to happen:

http://simon-may.com/windows-7/windows-7-rc-has-15-days-left/

I’ve already got my RTM key ready to go, but don’t have time for a rebuild before the end of the month so you can follow here to see what happens….

-- Simon May


Boot Snooze (reboot and sleep)

February 5th, 2010 by Simon View Comments »

Download squad have found a great tool for those times when you want to get into your PC fast but you want all the freshhhness of a newly booted PC. Boot Snooze combines the goodness of hibernation and rebooting.

Essentially the tool allows you to reboot and then set the PC to go into hibernate immediately or go to sleep immediately after the reboot.  The result, a fast start up when you next come to your PC.  The best of both worlds.

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Like Hulu with no restrictions

February 5th, 2010 by simonster View Comments »

image Hulu is fantastic, unless of course you happen to not live in the US then it’s a chocolate teapot unless of course you use a VPN to make the service think you’re in the US.  The name “geotarding” has been applied.  TV Gorge have currently overcome this and have lots of shows available for free online streaming.

It’s TV hell either, the lineup includes:

  • The current series of 24 (and previous series)
  • 30 Rock
  • CSI (xyz)
  • Chuck
  • V

In fact there are lots and lots and lots of available shows, and the quality is pretty good.  The site requires flash, no shock there, an seems quite snappy.  I can’t find anything on the site that indicates that it’s not got agreements in place with content providers, but I do wonder if this will get geotarded soon.

[via Download Squad (who rock)]


Whole home audio on through phone lines

February 5th, 2010 by simonster View Comments »

home phone audio Lifehacker have a very interesting how to all about how to run whole home audio over your homes internal phone wiring.  It’s kind of a neat solution if you have this in your home already…interestingly I’ve recently stripped my home wiring out since I don’t need it, kind of which I hadn't now.

It’s a very detailed solution and as you can see from the left it’s quite simple…no really it is quite simple.

I’d be interested if anyone’s doing this or has repurposed any other home wiring for the same kind of solution.


Windows 7 RC has 15 days left (Updated)

February 1st, 2010 by Simon View Comments »

Today is the 1st of Feb and that means you have 15 more days to use the Windows 7 RC (release candidate) before you need to upgrade to the final RTM version.  A timely reminder from Technet: Windows 7 RC expiration coming soon | Media | TechNet Edge.

What does this mean for you, if you are running the RC.  Basically you need to backup and rebuild your PC running the RTM version.  There is no direct upgrade route, essentially this is the same process as if you are on XP moving to Windows 7.

[EDIT: a few people have contact me now about what's specifically going to happen, this article explains all...

But the skinny is:

Effective February 15, 2010, the expiration notification process begins:

  • Windows 7 RC users receive an expiration notification in the task bar one time per day.
  • Windows 7 RC users are presented with the Notification Wizard one time every four hours and then one time every hour.

Effective March 1, 2010, Windows 7 RC enters the next phase of expiration:

  • Expiration notifications in the task bar continue.
  • Computers that are running Windows 7 RC restart every two hours.

    Important When the computer restarts, your work will not be saved.

Effective June 1, 2010, Windows 7 RC expires:

  • Windows starts to a black desktop.
  • Windows 7 RC users are presented with a Windows Activation screen. The screen states that the Windows that you are running is not genuine.

]

So basically, it’s really annoying!

Use the Windows Easy Transfer to transfer all your stuff and make the process as pain free as you possibly can.  Just hit start and type “transfer” into the search box.  Back everything up to a USB key or hard disk and then on your shiny Windows 7 RTM install do the same, but select restore.

15 days and counting, almost 14 and a half now…

  • Computers that are running Windows 7 RC restart every two hours.
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    Sky are hot out the box with 3D TV

    January 28th, 2010 by Simon View Comments »

    Wow, I knew we were going to get a 3D offering from Sky but this is something else!  So fast…  Sky are broadcasting the first ever 3D sports match, a football (soccer for you US types) er on Sunday.

    Yep, a world first, and in the UK the first ever 3D sports on TV and it’ll be between Arsenal and Manchester United in the Premier League this Sunday.  It’ll be available to anyone with a 3D TV (so no one then) and a bunch of pubs have been given some TVs to use for the show.  There’s one in Manchester for Ian to go to.

    To support this landmark broadcast, the nine pubs – located in London, Manchester,  Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin – have been kitted out specially with some of the first ‘3D Ready’ TV sets to reach the UK and Ireland.   As 3D TVs become more widely available, Sky will roll out its 3D channel to hundreds of pubs from April, allowing football fans across the country the opportunity to experience a live Premier League match in 3D each week. 

    And also interesting to read how they do it:

    To make the 3D preview a reality, Sky Sports will produce two edits of its live coverage of Sunday’s game at the Emirates Stadium, one for its HD channel feed and another dedicated to 3D.  Eight specially engineered 3D camera rigs will house sixteen of Sky’s high definition cameras, to provide comprehensive stereoscopic coverage from all angles.  The 3D broadcast will be supported by Sky’s dedicated 3D production team and purpose built 3D outside broadcast truck, which will enable live mixing between camera positions, slow motion replays and the use of innovative 3D graphics. There will also be a dedicated commentary team to support the 3D edit.

    This is gonna be very cool stuff folks this 3D lark.  Sky’s full consumer service launches in April, best get them 3DTVs on the market folks…

    Full details in the press release

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    Sky are hot out the box with 3D TV

    January 28th, 2010 by simonster View Comments »

    Wow, I knew we were going to get a 3D offering from Sky but this is something else!  So fast…  Sky are broadcasting the first ever 3D sports match, a football (soccer for you US types) er on Sunday.

    Yep, a world first, and in the UK the first ever 3D sports on TV and it’ll be between Arsenal and Manchester United in the Premier League this Sunday.  It’ll be available to anyone with a 3D TV (so no one then) and a bunch of pubs have been given some TVs to use for the show.  There’s one in Manchester for Ian to go to.

    To support this landmark broadcast, the nine pubs – located in London, Manchester,  Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin - have been kitted out specially with some of the first ‘3D Ready’ TV sets to reach the UK and Ireland.   As 3D TVs become more widely available, Sky will roll out its 3D channel to hundreds of pubs from April, allowing football fans across the country the opportunity to experience a live Premier League match in 3D each week. 

    And also interesting to read how they do it:

    To make the 3D preview a reality, Sky Sports will produce two edits of its live coverage of Sunday’s game at the Emirates Stadium, one for its HD channel feed and another dedicated to 3D.  Eight specially engineered 3D camera rigs will house sixteen of Sky’s high definition cameras, to provide comprehensive stereoscopic coverage from all angles.  The 3D broadcast will be supported by Sky’s dedicated 3D production team and purpose built 3D outside broadcast truck, which will enable live mixing between camera positions, slow motion replays and the use of innovative 3D graphics. There will also be a dedicated commentary team to support the 3D edit.

    This is gonna be very cool stuff folks this 3D lark.  Sky’s full consumer service launches in April, best get them 3DTVs on the market folks…

    Full details in the press release


    Zune for Europe?

    January 26th, 2010 by Simon View Comments »

    Microsoft have just released an update for Zune and it appears to have some fun new items to speculate on.  First Long has found that there appears to be a phone coming.  Second Ian’s found Windows 7 Library integration.  And I might have found something…

    image  image

    Above left is my Zune folder now.  Above right is the Previous version from 24th of Jan before I applied the update.  Does this hint at a European launch, with localised language folders (yes they include UI localisation files too!)

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    Interesting way to use Aero Snap

    January 22nd, 2010 by simonster View Comments »

    Long’s spotted a great series of advertising by Microsoft in the US that’s got a digital home bent to it so I thought I’d throw it out there.  In Australia Microsoft are sponsoring part of the Open tennis coverage and (very cleverly) using the snap feature to do picture in picture switches between matches.  What a cool idea, never really thought about using it like that to say, watch the news and the Rugby at the same time, but it’s clever…

    Anyone else doing that?

    Head over to istartedsomething to watch the vid


    Interesting way to use Aero Snap!

    January 22nd, 2010 by Simon View Comments »

    Long’s spotted a great series of advertising by Microsoft in the US that’s got a digital home bent to it so I thought I’d throw it out there.  In Australia Microsoft are sponsoring part of the Open tennis coverage and (very cleverly) using the snap feature to do picture in picture switches between matches.  What a cool idea, never really thought about using it like that to say, watch the news and the Rugby at the same time, but it’s clever…

    Anyone else doing that?

    Head over to istartedsomething to watch the vid

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