Intel will deploy Windows 7 on employee's computers

According to The Register, Intel plans to deploy Windows 7 on its employee's computers. When asked at a Technology Summit with reporters and analysts in San Francisco whether the company would wait until service pack 1 to deploy Windows 7, Intel's EVP and chief sales and marketing officer Sean Maloney said, "This time I think we'll go faster."

This is good news for Microsoft since Intel and many other companies skipped Vista. The company's top salesman also sympathized with those who passed on Vista. "There was an excuse not to deploy Vista, because - rightly or wrongly - people said 'wait for service pack X' or 'we don't like the compatibility issues."

But this time, thins may be different. Maloney said, "There are really good reasons for the business client in terms of security, power management - lots of good reasons why you'd go for it."

Maloney also referred to Windows XP Mode saying, "It looks really robust. You've got compatibility mode, which takes away a bunch of those arguments, so I think it's all positive." However, in order to run Windows 7's XP Mode, its CPU must support Hardware Virtualization, and unfortunately, many Intel multicore chips don't support this.

Regardless, Maloney wants companies to upgrade their PCs to run Windows 7. "Now the question is," he said, "can we get the argument to the CFOs and the CEOs that it makes more sense to spend a little bit on capital to reduce your operating costs?" He seems quite clear on the answer to that question, "We think it makes overwhelming sense if you have a three-year-old PC to replace the thing, for security violations, virus, power consumption, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera - and Windows 7 is just one big positive."

source: www.neowin.net

Windows 7 testers to get free copy

In a surprise turn around, Microsoft announced today that Windows 7 technical testers will be receiving a free copy of Windows 7 Ultimate.

In recent weeks Microsoft has faced angry reactions from bloggers and beta testers when they originally announced the testers 'thanks' was the discounted pre-order offer. Blogger Paul Thurrot claimed: "the painful thing here, for beta testers, is that they've been screwed" which demonstrated the reaction to the previous announcements.

In a blog posting at Microsoft's Windows Team Blog, Brandon LeBlanc confirmed: "to show our appreciation, members of the invitation-only Windows 7 Technical Beta Program will be eligible for a free, final copy of Windows 7 Ultimate." All current members of the English technical and international mini-beta programs are eligible for a full non-upgrade copy of Windows 7 Ultimate Edition. Testers can get access to their copy in one of two ways:

• Download a copy and product key via Microsoft connect, English downloads will be available August 6th and other languages will follow as they become available.
• Boxed retail copies are available in a limited amount and are being offered on a first come, first served basis. These copies will not be ready until October 22nd or later.

ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley recently highlighted the testing process and how the focus has been taken away from Microsoft's beta testers. Testers are no longer held in such high esteem it seems as Microsoft only supplied the same 2 public beta builds this time around. However, it's good to see Microsoft making a u-turn and admitting they were wrong to not provide a thank you to beta testers. Hopefully with Windows 8 Microsoft will focus on beta testers once again.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Windows 7 Ultimate cracked and activated with OEM master key

Windows 7 has yet to even be released officially to the general public, and already the dodgy folk on the Internet have fully cracked and activated the Ultimate version, with help from a leaked Lenovo OEM DVD .ISO file.

The news comes from various Chinese forums who state that you can already pass Windows Genuine Advantage validation offline, OEM style.

The leaked .ISO was originally posted on a Chinese forum, which was then downloaded in order for people to get hold of the boot.wim, and in turn retrieving the OEM-SLP key, plus the OEM activation certificate. Microsoft uses the same digitally signed OEM certificate, which has an .xrm-ms extension, as that in Windows Vista. Another point to note is that the key is a master one, which can be used to activate other OEM branded installations, like ones from Dell, HP or indeed Lenovo.

This is quite concerning; as mentioned, Windows 7 has yet to even be released, and it can be fully activated. This demonstrates the risk such a huge company as Microsoft takes when distributing a product as significant as an operating system, but this was essentially inevitable, regardless. It's interesting that a product can be pirated and activated before it's properly released to customers.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Apple tablet computers may be built as soon as September

AppleInsider reports that Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. will be assembling tablet computers for Apple that may appear for sale as early as September.

The report, which was published by the Taipei, Taiwan Apple Daily paper and later carried by Dow Jones, cited unnamed sources in reporting that Wintek Corp. would supply flat panel displays for the device and that its battery would be built by Dynapack International Technology Corp.

According to sources known to AppleInsider, Apple's expected new tablet device will be equipped with a 10-inch display and integrated 3G wireless service. AppleInsider's sources believe the device is not anticipated to arrive before early 2010.
That suggests that the report made by the Taipei, Taiwan Apple Daily in regards to Hon Hai may actually reflect the upcoming third generation iPod touch, which could easily be described as a "tablet computer" and is expected to be announced in September when Apple typically announces new revisions the iPod touch.

However, the paper specifically cites the device in its report as having a 10-inch screen along with 3G wireless service and describes it as being an "enlarged iPod", and not just a refresh of the existing iPod touch. The report indicates the model will hit the market in September or October in order to hit the Christmas holiday season, but notes that reports in the "foreign media" are not expecting it to arrive until the first quarter of next year.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Yahoo Sells Search Business to Microsoft

Will provide the advertising for both companies

It's official, the two Internet giants have come to an agreement. After years of talks Microsoft and Yahoo managed to reach an understanding under which Bing will become the sole search provider for Yahoo. Most of the details previously speculated have been confirmed and the deal will most likely shape the Internet for the coming years. Yahoo has been trying to get out of the search business for a while now and new CEO Carol Bartz made it one of her priorities so it's no surprise she is pleased with the development.

“This agreement comes with boatloads of value for Yahoo!, our users, and the industry, and I believe it establishes the foundation for a new era of Internet innovation and development,” Bartz said. “Users will continue to experience search as a vital part of their Yahoo! experiences and will enjoy increased innovation thanks to the scale and resources this deal provides. Advertisers will also benefit from scale and enjoy greater ease of use and efficiencies working with a single platform and sales team for premium advertisers. Finally, this deal will help us increase our investments in priority areas in winning audience properties, display advertising capabilities and mobile experiences.”

Most of the details were already known but there is some new information as well. The deal is set for a 10-year period and during this time Microsoft will get access to all of Yahoo's web search technologies. Bing will become the exclusive search engine for Yahoo but it looks like the Sunnyvale, Calif. Internet giant will be able to brand its searches even though the underlying technology will come from Microsoft.

Yahoo on the other hand will handle all of the advertising sales for both companies, including the ads on Bing, but the ads will be served using Microsoft's AdCenter platform and will be priced by the platform’s automated auction system. Display advertising will be handled separately by the two companies and is not part of this deal.

As expected, there will be no upfront payment for Yahoo and the two companies will share the revenue from the advertising sales on Yahoo properties and affiliated sites with Microsoft ceding 88 percent of the advertising revenue for the first five years. Yahoo expects to get about $500 million in operating income yearly when the deal is in full effect.

 

source: www.softpedia.com

Windows 7 RTM Original ISO Leaked and Available for Download

Just days after Windows 7 was released to manufacturing and Microsoft started handing out the gold bits of the operating system to original equipment manufacturers, the original ISO images of Build 7600.16385 were leaked in the wild and are now available for download. Too-eager-testers had had the chance to grab the gold release of Windows 7 RTM Build 7600.16385 even before the platform was RTM'd on July 22nd, 2009. Fact is that Microsoft compiled the gold build of Windows 7 as early as July 13th 2009, and only made the official announcement on July 22nd.

The full build string of the gold release of Windows 7 is 7600.16385.090713-1255. The following numbers: 090713 indicate that the code was wrapped up on July 13th, 2009. On July 13th Microsoft both confirmed and denied that Windows 7 had been released to manufacturing. At that time the company noted that it hadn't signed off the successor of Windows Vista.

At the end of the past week, both the 32-bit and the 64-bit of 7600.16385.090713-1255 were leaked and started being served by various third-party sources, from torrent trackers to warez websites, a move that is obviously illegal.  One critical aspect that needs to be underlined is that Windows 7 RTM 7600.16385.090713-1255 can no longer be activated with the Beta or Release Candidate product keys from Microsoft.

In addition, there is no way to actually activate the operating system without an OEM, MSDN, TechNet, ISV, IHV or Volume License key as of yet. Users who decide to jump the gun and start using Windows 7 RTM will only be able to prolong the trial period for 120 days, and buy a legitimate license starting with October 22nd. Otherwise, the option to stick with Windows 7 RC is best. Build 7100 of Windows 7 can be used until March 2010 for free with no hassles attached.

Here are the SHA1 and MD5 checksum hashes for 32-bit (x86)Windows 7 RTM: SHA1: BC10F09B86DCBAF35B31B0E6FBA7D006ACAAD28D; MD5: 923C055E481BD02553B65840B928BF54, CRC: 953EFBCC. 64-bit (x64) Windows 7 RTM: SHA1: 029DCCEDD7691206010F84CE58343405A4DA92C9, MD5: F176B1CAAEBF45BDAD95B3D7885CCBDC, CRC: 77BE890E.

 

source: www.softpedia.com

Firefox 4.0 GUI Redesign for Windows 7

It has already been confirmed that Mozilla is cooking a redesign of the graphical user interface for the next iterations of its open-source browser. Mockups have already been made public for Firefox 3.7 running on top of the Windows operating system. However, Mozilla has now taken it to the next level and unveiled plans for the GUI overhaul of Firefox 4.0. Of course, just as it was the case for Firefox 3.7, the Firefox 4.0 Windows Theme Mockups are nothing more than drafts at this point in time. “These are not final! They are only for brainstorming/exploration,” reads a message accompanying the new designs.

You will be able to get a taste of what Firefox 4.0 might end up looking like via the images included at the bottom of this article. Obviously, the new graphical user interface of Firefox 4.0 is tailored to Windows 7. While with Firefox 3.7 Mozilla was also exploring an overhaul for Windows XP, version 4.0 of the open-source browser is focused on Windows 7.

Mozilla plans to “possibly add a Bookmarks widget as an upfront replacement for the Bookmarks menu/Bookmarks toolbar (option to turn those on would remain).” But also to even change the position of the tabs in relation to the address bar. In this respect, Mozilla is planning an approach to the Firefox 4.0 UI similar to that of Google for Chrome.

“The more contentious Tabs-on-Top concept. Positives: Save Vertical Space; Efficiency/Remove Visual Complexity - Right now the tabs have to be connected to something. So we are adding an extra visual element for them to connect to; Shorter Mouse Distance to Page Controls,” Mozilla noted.

But at the same time, it also enumerated the negative aspects: “Breaks Consistency/Familiarity - Moving things confuses existing users; Title is MIA - With the space removed from the titlebar you only get the truncated version in the tab; Longer Mouse Distance to Tabs - Takes longer to mouse to a tab; Lost Space - Sandwiched in between the application icon and the window widgets you lose some space.”

Mozilla has already debuted work on the successor of Firefox 3.5. Firefox 3.6, codenamed Namoroka is planned for availability later this year. Mozilla revealed an initial, also draft, product roadmap for Firefox, noting that Firefox 3.7 could drop in the first half of 2010. There has been little reference to releases of the open-source browser past version 3.7, certainly no deadline was made public as to when to expect Firefox 4.0.

Mozilla is also planning a Combo Stop/Refresh/Go Button “Attached at the end of the location bar. Turns green when you start typing. Blends with the location bar when at rest. Turns blue on hover. Turns red when a page is loading. The proposed iconography is mostly colorless. Adding color to these temporary action driven buttons will make it more obvious something is going on.”

source: www.softpedia.com

European Vista and XP to get browser ballot screen too

Microsoft has confirmed that it will be distributing a ballot screen software update to users, in Europe, of Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Last week Neowin reported that Microsoft has proposed the idea of a ballot screen to the EU. European consumers who buy a new Windows PC with Internet Explorer set as their default browser would be shown a ‘ballot screen' from which they could, if they wished, easily install competing browsers from the Web. If this proposal is ultimately accepted, Microsoft will ship Windows in Europe with the full functionality available in the rest of the world.

Mary Jo Foley noticed that hidden in the fine print of the proposal details, Microsoft confirms this will be available for XP and Vista via a Windows Update.

"Microsoft will distribute a Ballot Screen software update to users within the EEA of Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows Client PC Operating Systems, by means of Windows Update as described hereafter: A software update enabling the Ballot Screen to be displayed will be made available to all current and future users of Windows XP and Windows Vista who receive updates from Windows Update. For Windows XP and Windows Vista users the Ballot Screen update will first be made available between 3 and 6 months after the adoption of the Commission's decision."

Microsoft is proposing that the ballot screen includes 10 or fewer of "the most widely-used web browsers that run on Windows with a usage share of equal to or more than 0.5% in the EEA (European Economic Area)." The browser choice will be presented with a display of icons and "basic identifying information" on the Web browsers.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Report a problem FT confirms Apple 'iTablet' rumour

The Financial Times is reporting that Apple is "racing to offer a portable, full-featured, tablet-sized computer in time for the Christmas shopping season".

The revelation confirms rumours that surfaced earlier this year and earlier this month were confirmed by insiders as Apple targeting an October release. The FT believes the device could be launched as early as September.

It's expected the device will connect to the internet, like the iPod Touch, and possibly run the same software to connect to Apple's AppStore. The screen is rumoured to be 10" and the device is expected to cost $800. Apple has reportedly pitched the device to entertainment executives and according to one that spoke to the FT "It's going to be fabulous for watching movies."

The FT also claims that book publishers have been in talks with Apple about supplying their content on the devices to rival Amazon's Kindle ebook reader.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Windows 7 RTM Build 7600.16385 First Wave Already Shipping to OEMs

Microsoft announced the release to manufacturing of Windows 7 Build 7600.16385 three months ahead of the General Availability deadline, on July 22nd, 2009. But the Redmond company is in no way wasting any time getting the next iteration of the Windows client “out there.” In fact, the first wave of Windows 7 RTM releases is already shipping. Original equipment manufacturers are the first to get their hands on the gold build of Windows 7. OEMs will work to pre-install Windows 7 on new computers that will be made available to customers come GA on October 22nd, 2009, approximately a year after Microsoft provided the first Milestone 3 bits at PDC08.

Brandon LeBlanc, Windows communications manager on the Windows Client Communications Team, indicated one day before the official RTM that OEMs were scheduled to start “receiving Windows 7 RTM software images beginning approximately 2 days after we officially RTM.” There is little preparation that needs to go intro distributing the OEM images of Windows 7, and this is why original equipment manufacturers are first in line to get the gold bits of Windows Vista's successor. It's now two days after RTM.

But as Microsoft announced the official RTM, Steven Sinofsky, president, Windows Division, revealed that the company had already started serving OEM partners the final development milestone of Windows 7. “[July 22nd] marks an important milestone in the Windows 7 project. The Windows 7 team is proud to share with you that a short while ago we have started to release Windows 7 to PC OEM and manufacturing partners. This means our next major milestone will be the availability of PCs loaded with Windows 7 and store shelves stocked with Windows 7 on October 22, 2009. This is a milestone we could not have achieved without the broad participation across the PC Ecosystem we have talked so much about,” Sinofsky noted.

Next in line to get Windows 7 RTM Build 7600.16385 are ISVs (Independent software vendors) IHVs (Independent hardware vendors), MSDN and TechNet subscribers. The second wave of Windows 7 RTM releases will be made available in under two weeks, on August 6, 2009.

 

source: www.softpedia.com

Microsoft releases Q4 results, profits down 29%

According to a press release, Microsoft has released its fourth quarter results ending June 30, 2009. Microsoft announced a revenue of $13.10 billion. That's down 17% from last year. Net profit for the period was $3.1bn (£1.9bn), down by 29% from the same period a year earlier.

"Our business continued to be negatively impacted by weakness in the global PC and server markets," said Chris Liddell, chief financial officer at Microsoft. "In light of that environment, it was an excellent achievement to deliver over $750 million of operational savings compared to the prior year quarter."

In a conference call, Chris Liddell said, "We don't expect conditions to improve much, but we don't expect them to worsen either".

Client revenue was the main headline according to ZDNet. Here's an explanation from Microsoft:

Client revenue decreased primarily as a result of PC market weakness, especially PCs sold to businesses, and a 13 percentage point decline in the OEM premium mix to 59%. Revenue growth from Windows operating systems was also impacted by a $276 million deferral for the Windows 7 Upgrade Option program. OEM revenue decreased $1.1 billion or 31%, while OEM license units decreased 10%. Based on our estimates, total worldwide PC shipments from all sources declined approximately 5% to 7%, driven by decreased demand in emerging and developed markets.

This comes as no surprise since research from Gartner predicted that worldwide PC sales would drop 6% from last year's levels despite Windows 7, which was just recently finalized, and has shown strong pre-order sales.

In terms of it's business outlook, Microsoft is providing operating expense guidance of $26.6 billion to $26.9 billion, for the full year ending June 30, 2010.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Ubuntu 9.10 Alpha 3 Comes with Ubuntu One and Linux Kernel 2.6.31

A few minutes ago, the Ubuntu developers unleashed the third alpha version of the upcoming Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) operating system, which is scheduled for release in late October this year. As usual, we've downloaded a copy of it in order to keep you up to date with the latest changes in the Ubuntu 9.10 development.

What's new in Ubuntu 9.10 Alpha 3? It has been about six weeks since the last alpha release, therefore the developers had some time to introduce new technologies and features to this version. Ubuntu 9.10 Alpha 3 has a new development version of the GNOME desktop environment, 2.27.4, which brings cool new features.

 

source: www.softpedia.com

Windows 7 Build 7600.16385 Is RTM

Microsoft has officially confirmed speculation indicating that Windows 7 Build 7600.16385 was the final development milestone of the next iteration of the Windows client. July 22nd, 2009 is the date when the Redmond company announced that it had released Windows 7 to manufacturing. At the start of this week I was telling you that 6.1.7600.16385 was the RTM Build of Windows 7, and Larry Osterman, Microsoft Principal SDE, provided confirmation of this aspect. Microsoft will offer the successor of Windows Vista to the public on October 22nd. However, the finalized milestone of the operating system will be served to various customer segments long before the public general availability date, starting with this month, when Microsoft will offer the platform to OEMs.

“RTM officially happens only after sign-off occurs. What happens is a build gets designated as a RTM contender after going through significant testing and meeting our quality bar for RTM. Then, it goes through all the validation checks required for RTM including having all languages of that build completed. If all the validation checks have passed – sign-off for RTM can occur. [On July 22nd] after all the validation checks were met, we signed off and declared build 7600 as RTM,” revealed Brandon LeBlanc, Windows communications manager on the Windows Client Communications Team.

Although Microsoft revealed that Build 7600.16385 RTM'd on July 22nd, the fact of the matter is that reports in the wild already pointed out that the development milestone was the gold release of Windows 7. Furthermore, both the 32-bit and the 64-bit flavors of Windows 7 Build 7600.16385 have already been leaked and made available for download from various third-party sources, all of them illegal, including torrent trackers and warez websites.

“Not only is RTM an important milestone for us – it’s also an important milestone for our partners. Today’s release is the result of hard work and collaboration with our partners in the industry to make Windows 7 a success. We delivered Windows 7 with a predictable feature set on a predictable timetable that allowed OEMs to focus on value and differentiation for their customers,” LeBlanc added.

 

source: www.softpedia.com

Microsoft announces Windows 7 RTM, MGX details

Microsoft officially confirmed today that it has finished Windows 7 and released the final build to manufacturing (RTM).
Steve Ballmer, Chief Executive Officer at Microsoft, confirmed that Microsoft has finalised Windows 7 during his speech at an employee conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Microsoft Global Exchange (MGX) is an internal Microsoft conference for Microsoft's global sales teams and evangelists. Employees have been posting updates to Twitter today.

Kevin Turner, Microsoft's Chief Operating Officer, donned the stage earlier at MGX claiming "in business, adversity is inevitable, but misery is a choice" during his keynote. It was also announced that Jim Cirone (east region evangelist) won the Microsoft Chairman award for his thought leadership on Silverlight. The award is handed out annually for innovations that have furthered the state of "engineering excellence" at Microsoft.

Microsoft also announced the investment of $9.5 billion in research and development for FY09. This is the most for any technology company and the Redmond software giant will not decrease its investment in FY10. The closest comparable company is IBM with $3 billion less.

Before Ballmer confirmed Windows 7 RTM, Bob Muglia proudly claimed that "developers are at the heart of Microsoft" after demonstrations of virtualisation in Windows Server 2008. Microsoft employees were also treated to SharePoint 2010 demos and Office 2010 running across PC, phone and browser. Later on in the day Bing was the focus with Yusuf Mehdi, Senior Vice President, Online Audience Business Group taking the stage with demonstrations of Bing's travel updates. Robbie Bach later took to the stage and demonstrated the Zune HD and Windows integration. New Windows Phone branding and UI was also demonstrated.

RTM (Released to manufacturing) marks the end of the Windows 7 alpha and beta phase and the product will now be officially supported by Microsoft's support channels and servicing. RTM does not mark the end of Windows 7 development though. Engineers will have booked their summer vacations but new builds will still be compiled ready for any hotfixes and heading towards the initial SP1 release.

Microsoft announced yesterday that the Windows 7 RTM build will be in OEM's hands "2 days after RTM" meaning OEM partners may have the build as early as Friday. MSDN and TechNet customers will receive the build on August 6.

7600.16385.090713-1255 is confirmed as the official RTM build, according to Steven Sinofsky "today after all the validation checks were met, we signed off and declared build 7600.16385 as RTM."

 

source: www.neowin.net

Update on Win 7 RTM availability, MSDN and TechNet August 6

Microsoft has just sent word that MSDN and TechNet customers will be able to get hold of Windows 7 RTM on August 6.

Windows 7 RTM will initially be available in English on August 6th and remaining languages by October 1st for both MSDN and TechNet customers.

Microsoft has released a time-line for RTM availability, English will be first followed by other languages:

• ISV/IHV - ISV (Independent software vendor) and IHV (Independent hardware vendor) Partners will be able to download Windows 7 RTM from Microsoft Connect or MSDN on August 6th.
• Partner Program Gold/Certified Members - August 16th. By October 1st, the remaining languages will become available to download.
• Action Pack Subscribers - August 23rd. By October 1st, the remaining languages will become available to download.
• OEMs - Approximately 2 days after Microsoft officially RTM
• Volume License with Software Assurance - August 7th via the Volume License Service Center (VLSC). The rest of the languages for Windows 7 RTM should be available within a couple of weeks after that.
• Volume License without Software Assurance - September 1 (downloadable from the Volume License Service Center)
• MSDN/TechNet - August 6th and remaining languages by October 1st.
• Everyone else - October 22nd, general availability date.

Microsoft also confirmed there is no special deal or "thank you" for Windows 7 testers. The special pre-order pricing was "done with our beta testers in mind" according to Brandon LeBlanc.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Firefox 3.6 in the Fall of 2009, Firefox 3.7 in Spring 2010

With Firefox 3.5 out of the way, Mozilla is focusing on the evolution of its open-source browser. In the Weekly Status Meeting on July 20, 2009, two successors of Firefox 3.5 are mentioned, namely versions 3.6 and 3.7. Both releases have been referenced on Mozilla's proposed product roadmap, with emphasis on proposed. In this context users must understand that nothing is by any means set in stone. However, the product roadmap does indicate that Mozilla plans to release Firefox 3.6 in the fall of this year while Firefox 3.7 will follow it in the spring of 2010.

Mozilla already revealed that codename Namoroka would be the successor of Firefox 3.5. Namoroka is also currently referred to as Firefox 3.6, but the moniker might prove to be just temporary. Users can of course recall that Firefox 3.5 started off as Firefox 3.1 codename Shiretoko. Mozilla currently plans to “release Firefox 3.6 mid-to-late fall, potentially as minor update.” As a minor refresh, Firefox 3.6 would make perfect sense. At the same time, these are nothing else but initial plans. When it debuted into development, Firefox 3.1 was also designed as a minor update planned for availability by the end of 2008. Instead it evolved into a major update, and Firefox 3.5 was released in June 2009, over a year after the introduction of Firefox 3.0.

According to current plans, Firefox 3.6 will be based on Gecko 1.9.2, with the rendering engine version 1.9.2 branch scheduled to be created on August 1st, 2009. By November 1st, Mozilla is looking to have already built the Mozilla-1.9.3 branch. For next year, current plans read: “maybe a Firefox 3.7 for late spring 2010.” “Maybe” of course adds a lot of uncertainty on top of what already is a far from definitive product roadmap.

Mozilla has already made public one aspect of its vision for Firefox 3.7, namely a redesign of the graphical user interface to better tailor the open-source browser for the Windows platform. In this regard, Firefox 3.7 will embrace operating systems such as Windows 7 in terms of look and feel, all the bells and whistles of Windows Aero, and in regard to the natural user interface.

 

source: www.softpedia.com

Apple profits rise 15% on sales of 2.6M Macs, 5.2M iPhones

Apple said Tuesday that third-quarter profits rose nearly 15 percent to $1.23 billion, or $1.35 per diluted share, on record non-holiday quarter sales of $8.34 billion for the three-month period ended June 27, 2009.

These results compare to revenue of $7.46 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.07 billion, or $1.19 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 36.3 percent, up from 34.8 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 44 percent of the quarter's revenue.

Apple sold 2.6 million Macs during the quarter, representing a four percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter and the best ever June quarter in its history for personal computer sales. The company also sold 10.2 million iPods during the quarter, representing a seven percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter. Quarterly iPhones sold were 5.2 million, representing 626 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter.

"We're making our most innovative products ever and our customers are responding," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We're thrilled to have sold over 5.2 million iPhones during the quarter and users have downloaded more than 1.5 billion applications from our App Store in its first year."

In accordance with the subscription accounting treatment required by GAAP, Apple recognizes revenue and cost of goods sold for iPhone and Apple TV over their estimated economic lives. Adjusting GAAP sales and product costs to eliminate the impact of subscription accounting, the corresponding non-GAAP measures for the quarter were $9.74 billion of "Adjusted Sales" and $1.94 billion of "Adjusted Net Income."

"We're extremely pleased to report record non-holiday quarter revenue and earnings and quarterly cash flow from operations of $2.3 billion," said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's CFO. "Looking ahead to the fourth fiscal quarter of 2009, we expect revenue in the range of about $8.7 billion to $8.9 billion and we expect diluted earnings per share in the range of about $1.18 to $1.23."

source: www.appleinsider.com

Firefox 3.7 GUI Redesign for Windows 7, Vista and XP

Mozilla plans to redesign the graphical user interface of future versions of its open source browser for the Windows operating system. In fact, the initial themes for the Windows theme revamping have already been published, are available via Mozilla Wiki, and are included at the bottom of this article. According to Mozilla, the GUI overhaul is planned for Firefox version 3.7. At this point in time, users can download Firefox 3.5, which has been made available at the end of June, 2009. No telling yet just where Firefox 3.7 fits into Mozilla's plans moving forward. The mockups involve the GUI on the various releases of the Windows client, including Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP.

Still, it must be emphasized that the initial windows theme mockups for Firefox 3.7 are nothing more than drafts, and that, in this regard, the concepts could differ from the final revamp of the open source browser. “These are not final! they are only for brainstorming/exploration!” a message on the website reads.

Here are the main aspects of the Firefox 3.7 GUI redesign: “1.Embracing Glass: Toolbar and Tabs using Glass. Buttons translucent and slightly glossy to meld with the toolbar. Raised 3D lookachieve tactile ‘feel.’ 2.Tools/Bookmark Bar: Connecting the Tools button to the side of the Window to emphasize the fact that it is used for customizing and changing the UI. Adding a button next to that to toggle the Bookmarks Bar which is turned off by default. 3.Page Button: Connect the Page button to the left side of the tab area. Directly connected to the Page.”

Mozilla has already debuted work on the successor of Firefox 3.5, namely codename Namoroka, also referred to as Firefox 3.6 (although the version number is likely to change). Even with Namoroka, Mozilla plans a consistent level of integration with the Windows operating systems, especially with Windows 7, and the associated eye candy, Windows Aero Glass, Windows Aero Peek.

 

source: www.softpedia.com

Microsoft confirms Windows 7 Family Pack rumors

Microsoft confirmed the existence of a Windows 7 family pack today in a company blog post.

Rumours of a Family Pack deal were originally reported by Neowin earlier this month. The Windows 7 family pack will offer a licence for people to install Windows Home Premium on up to 3 PCs.

Brandon LeBlanc confirmed "I know there have been some rumors going around about a "family pack" for Windows 7. We have heard a lot of feedback from beta testers and enthusiasts over the last 3 years that we need a better solution for homes with multiple PCs. I'm happy to confirm that we will indeed be offering a family pack of Windows 7 Home Premium (in select markets) which will allow installation on up to 3 PCs. As I've said before, stay tuned to our blog for more information on this and any other potential offers."

Prices leaked out earlier this month, pricing the product at $136.95. It's not yet clear if the price leaks were accurate but it seems Microsoft will be sharing this information soon.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Microsoft releases 20,000 lines of code to Linux community

While Microsoft has yet to officially release Windows 7 to manufacturing, it managed to contribute to the evolution of the rival Linux OS. The Linux kernel has grown with the addition of 20,000 lines of code from Microsoft. Somewhere between pigs flying and hell freezing over, the Redmond company is joining over 100 corporations around the world that are contributing pieces of code directly to the code of the Linux open-source operating system. On July 20, 2009, Microsoft made available no less than 20,000 lines of device driver code to the Linux community. Essentially, the software giant released three device drivers that were designed to be included into the Linux tree, submitting the code to the Linux kernel community.

“This is a significant milestone because it’s the first time we’ve released code directly to the Linux community. Additionally significant is that we are releasing the code under the GPLv2 license, which is the Linux community’s preferred license,” revealed Tom Hanrahan, director of Microsoft’s Open Source Technology Center.

Of course that the device drivers set up to be integrated in the Linux core ultimately benefit Microsoft customers. The Redmond company indicated that the drivers could be accessed by the Linux community and customers, and would boost the performance of the Linux platform in scenarios in which the open-source operating system was virtualized on top of Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V or Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V.

“Our initial goal in developing the code was to enable Linux to run as a virtual machine on top of Hyper-V, Microsoft’s hypervisor and implementation of virtualization,” Hanrahan added. “The Linux device drivers we are releasing are designed so Linux can run in enlightened mode, giving it the same optimized synthetic devices as a Windows virtual machine running on top of Hyper-V. Without this driver code, Linux can run on top of Windows, but without the same high performance levels.”

Hanrahan pointed out that the move from Microsoft came as a direct consequence of feedback from customers with heterogeneous environments looking to standardize on a single virtualization technology. With virtualization capable of cutting the deployment and management costs of an IT infrastructure, cutting hardware investments first of all, the Linux device drivers can contribute to server consolidation.

“Customers have told us that they would like to standardize on one virtualization platform, and the Linux device drivers will help customers who are running Linux to consolidate their Linux and Windows servers on a single virtualization platform, thereby reducing the complexity of their infrastructure. Consequently, they’ll have more choices in how to develop and deploy solutions, while still managing their entire data center from a single management console,” Hanrahan explained.

 

source: www.softpedia.com

Recent Windows Mobile 6.5 ROM shows finger friendly approach

While the world patiently awaits the release of the first Windows Mobile 6.5 device, it seems like the devs behind the software are warming to the fact that folks love those touchscreens. While existing versions of WinMo -- not to mention early builds of WinMo 6.5 --have focused on switching between screens via clickable tabs, a new ROM pictured over at PPCGeeks shows a subtle but significant change. If you'll notice, the screen on the right would prefer that you swipe left or right to get from 'Version' to 'Copyrights' or 'Device ID,' which should absolutely delight fans of the OS who also prefer touchscreen-based phones.

 

source: www.engadget.com www.1800pocketpc.com

Power Pack 3 for Home Server announced, inc Win 7 support

Microsoft has announced Power Pack 3 (beta) for Windows Home Server today which adds important Windows 7 support to the list of features.

• Full Image-based Backups of Windows 7 PCs. After the Windows Home Server Connector is installed on your Windows 7 PCs, Action Center should no longer display that your files are not being backed up.
• Windows 7 Libraries Support. Music, Photos and Videos shared folders from your Windows Home Server will be added to Windows 7 Libraries. Content saved to these shared folders will be able to be quickly accessed through your Windows 7 Libraries. And any application, like Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center, will be able to access content saved on your Windows Home Server through Libraries as well.
• Windows Search 4 is now included. With Windows Search 4, PP3 offers improved query search times, indexing times and reliability. Easy search through a Library in Windows 7 with files stored in multiple locations.
• Windows Media Center Enhancements. Archive old recorded TV shows onto your Windows Home Server in a variety of formats. Use Console Quick View to see statistics about your Windows Home Server through Windows Media Center.

The Windows Home Server team have not confirmed a general availability for the final bits but it's expected they will be made available shortly before the Windows 7 release on October 22.

If you are interested in testing the Power Pack 3 beta then you can sign up at Microsoft's connect site. More information on Power Pack 3 is available at the Windows Home Server team blog.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Windows 7 Build 7600.16385 Leaked and Available for Download

Microsoft is inching closer to RTM; however, it is not there yet. Earlier this week, following the leak of Windows 7 Build 7600, the Redmond-based company officially commented the speculation that had been building up on a possible RTM of Windows 7 on July 13, revealing that it hadn't signed off the next iteration of the Windows client just yet. Build 6.1.7600.16384.win7_rtm.090710-1945 was already up for grabs in the wild at that time, but now there is yet another development milestone of the platform that has made it out of Redmond. Windows 7 Build 7600.16385 has been confirmed as leaked and available for download.

Sources “as usual” include illegal torrent trackers and warez websites. Both the 32-bit and the 64-bit flavors of Windows 7 Build 7600.16385 can be downloaded. The full build string of the latest leak is 6.1.7600.16385.win7_rtm.090713-1255, according to Wzor, revealing that the release was compiled on July 13, 2009. No word yet from Microsoft on what is the official build of the RTM version of Windows 7. On July 13, the software giant only noted that Windows 7 would be released to manufacturing late this month.

The x86 version of Windows 7 Build 7600.16385 is accompanied by the following information: SHA1: 326327CC2FF9F05379F5058C41BE6BC5E004BAA7. The x64 release of Windows 7 Build 7600.16385 comes with SHA1: 5395DC4B38F7BDB1E005FF414DEEDFDB16DBF610. Microsoft has warned users repeatedly not to download Windows 7 development milestones from untrusted sources, explaining that, in some cases, the bits have been confirmed as infected with malicious code.

“As always, beware of what you download. There are many bogus copies of Windows 7 floating around the Internet. More often than not, they contain a rather nice malware payload. And don’t believe everything you read on the Internet. When Windows 7 hits RTM, it will be announced here. Until that happens, any builds you are likely to see on the web are either not the final bits or are laced with malicious code,” revealed Brandon LeBlanc, Windows Communications Manager on the Windows Client Communications Team.

 

source: www.softpedia.com

Microsoft confirms and then denies Windows 7 RTM

Microsoft blogger Brandon LeBlanc has provided an official update on the Windows 7 release to manufacturing (RTM).

In a blog posting to the Windows Team blog, LeBlanc admits "there have been many rumors surrounding RTM" over the past week and notes "we are close, but have not yet signed off on Windows 7. When we RTM you will most certainly hear it here. As we've said all along, we will RTM Windows 7 when it's ready. As previously stated, we expect Windows 7 to RTM in the 2nd half of July."

Earlier this month Neowin confirmed Windows 7 would RTM on July 13. This was the date internally that Microsoft were aiming for and even yesterday the company put out a Press Release confirming Windows 7 had hit RTM. Quoting Microsoft Senior Vice President, Windows Business, Bill Veghte as saying "this morning we will release Windows 7 to manufacturing, and we write that next chapter" the statement is incorrect. Veghte didn't actually state this in his keynote but claimed it would RTM "this month." Clearly the press release is incorrect and is likely a draft that Microsoft had prepared and not correctly altered. However, this shows the company was committed to a July 13 RTM.

LeBlanc also confirmed that Microsoft has an extensive step-by-step validation process to ensure a quality release of Windows 7. According to LeBlanc "this process takes time. Just because a single build may have "leaked" it does not signal the completion of a milestone such as RTM". In recent days build 7600 has leaked with the build tag 7.7600.16384.090710-1945. The 16384 part is significant as it's the "minor part" which indicates it is a build Microsoft may be ready to release. If a minor change is made the build becomes 16385, 16386 etc.

Microsoft also provided some timings around when people will be able to get the final code:

• MSDN & TechNet Subscribers: Subscribers will be able to download the final version of Windows 7 a few weeks after RTM is announced.
• Volume License (VL) Customers: Windows 7 will be available to Volume License customers on September 1st.
• Consumers, Enthusiasts, & Beta Testers (Everyone else): The retail version of Windows 7 will be available in stores October 22nd. If you pre-ordered Windows 7, it should be delivered sometime around the October 22nd timeframe (depends on the retailer).
• On New PCs: OEMs are expected to start shipping new PCs with Windows 7 pre-installed on them around October 22nd.

The wait continues for an official announcement, CEO Steve Ballmer begins his Worldwide Partner Conference keynote today and if 7 is ready to RTM then it's the most likely time the company will announce the milestone.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Microsoft releases Silverlight 3.0

Today Microsoft launched its latest effort to "Light up the web", Silverlight 3 which is now available for download.

Silverlight has come a long way since its version 1.0 launched in 2007. It has even attracted big players like Netflix who use it as their primary video player. 3.0 brings a host of improvements such as "Smooth Streaming" and "out of browser experiences". Web developers will also appreciate the built in support for GPU acceleration.

Silverlight 3 introduces more than 50 new features, including 3D support, GPU acceleration, H.264 video support and out-of-the-browser capabilities to Silverlight.. The out-of-browser support will enable developers to build applications that work like Adobe's AIR plugin. Dramatic video performance and quality improvements are also included.

One of my personal favorite features of 3.0 is the inclusion of Microsoft's Smooth Streaming, the development of which was spearheaded by the Zune team. First shown at this year's E3, Smooth streaming allows you to watch 720P+ video instantly… with no buffering. You can see sample of how it works at the official site http://www.iis.net/media/experiencesmoothstreaming .Silverlight & Smooth Streaming was most recently used during Michael Jackson's memorial service at the Staples Center live in Los Angeles. The quality and scaling was amazing, it could take the Live stream from sub-YouTube quality to 720P+ in a matter of seconds .

Only time will tell if Silverlight can make market share progress against Flash, but if 3.0 is any indication of future releases of Silverlight. Flash may want to start keeping an eye in its rearview mirror.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Google Chrome OS Drops in 2010

It turns out that all those rumors of an operating system from Google to go against Windows have managed to come true. Having released the Google Chrome browser just nine months ago, it was a natural step in the evolution of the Mountain View-based company to dig and bury itself deeper on the desktop, going beyond producing a competitor for Internet Explorer, to providing a self-sufficient standalone equivalent to the IE and Windows bundle. And ultimately to offer a platform designed to rival Windows. For this, Google has turned to the all-time anti-Windows favorite platform, Linux. At the same time, the search giant's focus with the new OS will be its Chrome browser. The result? Google Chrome Operating System (Google Chrome OS), planned for availability in 2010.

But while it is increasing its foothold into what is traditionally Microsoft territory, anchoring itself deeper on the desktop, Google argues that it is doing it in order to open up the Cloud to end users. Slapping traditional operating systems, Google revealed that the platforms in existence were all initially adepts of a web-less environment, and the result of desktop-centric designs. This is why the Mountain View company is taking a shot at re-thinking what operating systems are. The Google Chrome Operating System is in this regard what Google referred to as the natural extension of Google Chrome.
Sundar Pichai, VP, Product Management, and Linus Upson, engineering director, explained that Google Chrome OS was catalyzed by feedback from customers. “We hear a lot from our users and their message is clear — computers need to get better. People want to get to their email instantly, without wasting time waiting for their computers to boot and browsers to start up. They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them. They want their data to be accessible to them wherever they are and not have to worry about losing their computer or forgetting to back up files,” Pichai and Upson stated.

The promise with Google Chrome OS is that the focus will be on delivering a platform that will integrate seamlessly with hardware and software, requiring minimal user intervention when it comes down to the setting up and updating processes. Users “don't want to spend hours configuring their computers to work with every new piece of hardware, or have to worry about constant software updates. And any time our users have a better computing experience, Google benefits as well by having happier users who are more likely to spend time on the Internet,” Pichai and Upson revealed.

Introducing the Google Chrome OS

Users should not expect a mammoth Windows-level operating system from Google. Instead, Chrome OS will be a lightweight operating system that, just as the Chrome browser, is an open-source project. The company revealed that it was already negotiating with original equipment manufacturers to have Chrome OS pre-installed on netbooks in the second half of 2010. In this regard, Google promised that, by the end of 2009, it would provide access to the source code of Chrome OS, and that it would approach the open-source community to debut work on the project.

By tailoring Chrome to netbooks, Google is going against Microsoft. The Redmond company currently dominates the netbook market. At the start of June 2009, data provided by NPD revealed that 98% of all the “small notebook PCs” (netbooks) sold via retail channels in the US were pre-installed with Windows (with Windows XP being the favorite OS). But unlike the open-source community, Google has the necessary financial resources and connections to steal territory away from Microsoft.

“Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work,” Pichai and Upson added.

Google Chrome OS will be tailored to work with both x86 processors but also ARM CPUs. The Mountain View search giant explained the software architecture of the new platform as “Google Chrome running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel.” In this regard, Google already benefits from a mature and fully evolved platform development ecosystem. The company explained that applications wouldn't be developed for the Google Chrome OS but for the Internet. Chrome OS will do nothing more than run the Chrome browser, which in its turn will run Cloud applications.

“All web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be written using your favorite web technologies. And of course, these apps will run not only on Google Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux thereby giving developers the largest user base of any platform,” Pichai and Upson promised.

 

source: www.softpedia.com

Firefox to get added stability with multi-process browsing

Multi-process browsing is quite handy; it is already enabled in Google's Chrome browser and Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8, and it means that each page runs in a separate process which leads to added security and stability, because if one page goes bad, it doesn't affect the others. This new feature is now coming to Firefox users in the future, through a project Mozilla is calling Electrolysis, according to Ars Technica.

A prototype has already been assembled featuring said project, and a list of Mozilla's benefits can be found below, taken from this blog post:

• Increased stability: if a plugin or webpage tries to use all the processor, memory, or even crashes, a process can isolate that bad behavior from the rest of the browser.
• Performance: By splitting work up among multiple processes, the browser can make use of multiple processor cores available on modern desktop computers and the next generation of mobile processors. The user interface can also be more responsive because it doesn't need to block on long-running web page activities.
• Security: If the operating system can run a process with lower privileges, the browser can isolate web pages from the rest of the computer, making it harder for attackers to infect a computer.

Mozilla had explored the possibilities of this in the past, tossing ideas around the developer community, but apparently it didn't go anywhere until Microsoft and Google implemented it into their respective browsers. However, it won't be an easy task at all to get Firefox working this way. Here's the current plan on what to do to tackle it, taken again from the previously linked blog post:

• Sprint as fast as possible to get basic code working, running simple testcase plugins and content tabs in a separate process.
• Fix the brokenness introduced in step one: shared networking, document navigation and link targeting, context menus and other UI functions, focus, drag and drop, and probably many other aspects of the code will need modifications. Many of these tasks can be performed in parallel by multiple people.
• Profile for performance, and fix extension compatibility to the extent possible.
• Ship!

A screencast has been posted by Firefox developer Chris Jones, which you can download here in the .ogg format. It shows the functioning prototype of the browser, and demonstrates that when a page crashes, only the content disappears and the user interface remains just swell. He said, "Notice that only the 'content' disappears when the page crashes; the user interface itself keeps running as if nothing happened. This is a big step forward. With Firefox protected from buggy pages and plugins, more fun is possible. This video shows me pressing a 'Recover' button that relaunches the page that just crashed. There are many more possibilities for recovering from these errors, and I'm excited to see what our user interface folks cook up."

Please note that the team is currently working on Windows and Linux versions of this new feature initially, as apparently they are more comfortable in those environments, and a Mac version will come later once they work around difficulties. Be sure to keep an eye on this, Firefox users, because it will certainly improve your browsing experience.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Google removes 'Beta' label from Gmail, other services

Google announced on its company blog that starting from today the company will remove the beta label from Gmail, Calendar, Google Docs and Google Talk.

Matthew Glotzbach, Director of Product Management, Google Enterprise noted "We're often asked why so many Google applications seem to be perpetually in beta. For example, Gmail has worn the beta tag more than five years. We realize this situation puzzles some people, particularly those who subscribe to the traditional definition of "beta" software as not being yet ready for prime time."

Google says it has added new features to the Google Apps suite. Offline access to e-mail and calendars and better access to Google Apps for BlackBerry users are some of the improvements. Google admitted that they have "come to appreciate that the beta tag just doesn't fit for large enterprises that aren't keen to run their business on software that sounds like it's still in the trial phase". Many analysts have argued that big businesses were concerned Google could keep to their SLAs and this may help win more confidence.

Although Google is removing the beta tags today, users who like the tag will be able to bring it back in Gmail by enabling the "Back to Beta" setting.

 

source: www.neowin.net

iPhone 3GS gets jailbroken and unlocked

Purplera1n, unrelated to the Dev Team, has announced a solution to jailbreak the iPhone 3GS for both Windows and Intel Mac computers. The jailbreak allows users to download Cydia on their iPhone to install unofficial applications on their device.

The jailbreaking solution provided by purplera1n still does not allow Winterboard to be used as of yet. The method installs an application called Freeze onto the device; this installs and unpacks Cydia.

Users who install Cydia onto their device can then proceed to install UltraSn0w which was recently released to unlock the iPhone 3G, now unlocks the iPhone 3GS. Users can freely use any service provider using a SIM card on their iPhone without being locked to selected service providers.

Users who have installed the iPhone 3.1 SDK will not be able to unlock their device due to the update in the baseband. The updated baseband in the 3.1 SDK prevents the exploit to unlock your iPhone from working. Users who updated previously may not be able to unlock their iPhone, according to The Dev Team Blog.

Warning: Users who jailbreak or unlock their iPhone may void the warranty and are cautioned to use this software at their own risk; purplera1n RC2 may still be buggy on Windows machines.

 

source: www.neowin.net

IE's market share falls below 60%, Firefox surpasses 30%

With Firefox 3.5 being recently released, and hitting five million downloads in 24 hours, Firefox appears to be gaining more market share, and Internet Explorer's market share is slipping according to Favbrowser, and a graph by statcounter shown below.

Internet Explorer fell from 62.09% to 59.49%, while Firefox rose from 28.75% to 30.33%. But Firefox isn't the only browser that's gaining market share. Opera, recently released the beta version of version 10 of its browser, rose from 3.23% to 3.36%, Safari, recently released version 4 of its browser and hitting 11 million downloads in three days, rose from 2.65% to 2.93%, and Chrome rose from 2.42% to 2.82%.

source: www.neowin.net

Confirmed: Windows 7 set to RTM on July 13th

Earlier today the guys over at GeekSmack.net "confirmed" that Windows 7 was set to RTM(release to manufacturing) on July 13, which also coincides with Wzor's unconfirmed rumor last month. A few minutes ago sources close to the company, who wish to remain anonymous, have confirmed to Neowin that Windows 7 is indeed set to RTM on July 13.

After a year of furious beta testing and continuous leaks every other week, Microsoft is finally ready to give Windows 7 the green light to hit the market. Currently the Windows 7 team is working on polishing off the RTM build so that no show-stopper bugs are present in Windows 7. The date, July 13, also coincides with the kickoff of the Worldwide Partner Conference that is taking place in New Orleans.

 

source: www.neowin.net

iPhone 3G S Badly Overheats

Over the past two weeks, it has been revealed that Apple’s iPhone 3G S suffers from overheating issues. Perhaps not all handsets are faulty, but, certainly, the issue exists with some devices, several reports have confirmed. White iPhone 3G S models, for example, get so hot that the plastic case on the back turns pink, or brown.

Countless anonymous posters have filled Apple Discussions and other Apple-focused forums with complaints of iPhone 3G S handsets overheating, most of whom have isolated the cause in running resource-hungry applications, web browsing over 3G or using GPS. It is a common fact (and one that Apple undoubtedly admits) that all iPhone models tend to warm up a bit when the handsets’ features are heavily used. However, simply running an application, or browsing the web should not spell problems for a million-unit selling device.

And it’s not just forum posters that have been reporting these issues, Wired’s Gadget Lab reveals. The site posts a quote from Melissa J. Perenson writing over at PC World, who, apparently, has a faulty device as well. The quote follows below.
“And at some point, I became aware the handset had become very hot. Very, very hot — not just on the back, but the entire length of the front face, too. I was using a game, and then later the Web browser for reading the news about Michael Jackson, all over a Wi-Fi connection while plugged in. And in those circumstances, well…toasty doesn’t even describe how surprisingly hot it got. It was too hot to even put the phone against my face. No discoloration to report, though; I have the black handset, and didn’t see any effects.”

Apple is yet to respond to these allegations, and is likely to remain silent on the matter until the issue becomes more widespread. It is known that, sometimes, next-generation devices (not just Apple’s) experience issues upon their debut. Should Apple acknowledge this problem, replacements may be in order.

 

source: www.softpedia.com

Is this what's in the next iPhone update?

The iPhone Blog is reporting what's purported to be in the next, and hopefully imminent iPhone update to version 3.1. As we've reported, developers were seeded with the beta Tuesday.
Here's the list:

• Voice Control now works over Bluetooth
• Updated AT&T profile to 4.2 (MMS is now enabled)
• Improvements to OpenGL and Quartz.
• iPhone vibrates when moving icons
• Non-destructive video editing means trimming a clip no longer saves over the original video but gives you the option to "Save as copy..."
• APIs to allow third party apps to access videos and edit them.
• Updated modem firmware to 5.08.01

If true, it will put smiles on a lot of iPhone owners' faces. The omission of Bluetooth voice control seemed downright silly. Losing your original video after an edit seemed pretty counter-intuitive as well. It also appears MMS will appear in the update, but that only matters if AT&T turns it on.

No firm dates for the update of course, but if the above is accurate it will be a good one.

 

source: www.tuaw.com

Windows 7 build 7264 leaks

Two weeks after reporting that Windows 7 build 7260 leaked, we now have another leak. This time, it's build 7264, which carries the build string of 6.1.7264.0.win7_rtm.090622-1900 meaning that it was complied last week.

Wzor is stating that the latest build is 6.1.7265.0.win7_rtm.090624-1905. We're still waiting for the final RTM, which is rumored to be signed off on July 13th.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Firefox 3.5 benchmarked, not as fast as Chrome

The results are in from benchmarks of Firefox 3.5, performed by ZDNet.

The benchmarks test all the main browsers from Google Chrome 2.0.172.33, Safari 4, Firefox 3.5, Firefox 3.0.5, Opera 10 Alpha and Internet Explorer 8. Each browser was put through three tests including SunSpider javascript benchmark, V8 Benchmark Suite and finally the ACID 3 test.

Firefox 3.5 was built for speed and performance, compared to previous versions of Firefox. Firefox 3.5 performed better than Firefox 3.0.5 and Internet Explorer 8 in all three categories.

From the graphs, it is clear to see that Google Chrome performed the best overall, followed shortly by Safari 4 and then Firefox 3.5. Firefox 3.5 scored a 93 on the ACID 3 test, falling shortly behind Google Chrome, Safari and Opera 10 alpha, all scoring a perfect 100.

 

source: www.neowin.net

Mozilla Firefox 3.5 released

What's new in 3.5?
According to Mozilla's release notes:

• Improved tools for controlling your private data, including a Private Browsing Mode.
• Better performance and stability with the new TraceMonkey javascript engine.
• The ability to provide Location Aware Browsing using web standards for geolocation.
• Support for native JSON, and web worker threads.
• Improvements to the Gecko layout engine, including speculative parsing for faster content rendering.
• Support for new web technologies such as: HTML5, 'video' and 'audio' elements, downloadable fonts and other new CSS properties, javascript query selectors, HTML5 offline data storage for applications, and SVG transforms.

Download: Firefox 3.5