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January 28 Microsoft to launch Vista with human billboardMicrosoft to launch Vista with human billboardhttp://news.com.com/Microsoft+to+launch+Vista+with+human+billboard/2100-1016_3-6153154.html  Microsoft will kick off its Windows Vista launch activities with a human billboard in downtown New York. The Cirque du Soleil-style performance will take place at 9 a.m. Monday at the Terminal Building. "It's a billboard. It's marketing, except that it's made by people," Mike Sievert, corporate VP for Windows told CNET News.com late Wednesday. Now on News.com:Among those on hand for the marketing stunt will be around 80 families that extensively tested Vista. The performance will kick off two days of activities in New York as the software maker touts its first consumer Windows release in five years as well as the launch of Office 2007. Sievert said New York was chosen because it is a "very big, very important city" for Microsoft. The company plans to invite several hundred beta testers from the Greater New York area to a party in the Times Square area Monday evening. Microsoft, along with several of its hardware partners are hosting a lunch Monday at the posh Cipriani restaurant. New York was also the locale for the business launch of Vista and Office 2007 in November.
January 27 Microsoft gearing up for Vista service packMicrosoft gearing up for Vista service packBy Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service, 01/24/07 On the verge of the release of Windows Vista, Microsoft is accepting orders for features to go in the OS's first service pack. Microsoft is taking feedback from testers who are part of its Technology Adoption Program (TAP), which lets certain partners evaluate prerelease software, a Microsoft spokesman in London said Wednesday. Service packs typically consist of a mix of bug fixes and new features. Microsoft is set to release Vista for consumers next Tuesday, though it has been available to volume-license customers since Nov. 30. The company doesn't mention future update plans for Vista on its service pack road map. The spokesman said a release date for the first service pack was not yet available. The company, however, will continue to push out "critical" fixes for Vista through Windows Update, Microsoft's automated patch rollout system, the spokesman said With Windows XP, Microsoft released the first service pack in September 2002, 11 months after the initial release of the OS. XP's second service pack, which added a host of security features to combat increased hacking, was released in August 2004. Microsoft is planning a third service pack for XP in the first half of 2008. The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate. All contents copyright 1995-2007 Network World, Inc. http://www.networkworld.com January 26 Smaller Is Better, Say Makers of Ultraportable PCsSmaller Is Better, Say Makers of Ultraportable PCs
But will consumers agree? OQO, Samsung, Sony, and others test the waters.
By Wade Roush
If you're itching to upgrade to Windows Vista, the new Microsoft operating system to be launched Monday, January 29, chances are you'll need a new computer, given Vista's hefty hardware requirements. And when you think about spending $1,000 or more on that computer, chances are, you're picturing a desktop or a laptop--not a half-kilogram device with a screen smaller than a piece of toast.
But engineers at San Francisco-based OQO (pronounced "oh-kyoo-oh") think 2007 might be the year when U.S. computer buyers come to think of diminutive "ultramobile PCs" as practical alternatives to the personal computer's beefier desktop and laptop manifestations. Their new OQO 02, launched January 7 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, is 14 centimeters wide, 8 centimeters high, and 3 centimeters thick--small enough to toss in a purse or a large pocket. Yet it's a full Windows Vista-capable computer, with a 1.5-gigahertz processor, an 800-by-480-pixel touch screen, a slide-out keyboard, and three kinds of wireless connectivity.
"If you're a mobile professional, you need to be connected to the Web and access applications as part of your daily life--so your computer needs to be small enough and light enough that you're willing to take it with you when you leave your desk," says Bob Rosin, vice president of marketing at OQO. Laptops don't meet that standard, Rosin argues. "If your computer weighs five pounds and requires a briefcase, that's very different from something you could throw in your jacket pocket."
The company's previous product, the OQO 01, held the title of "world's smallest Windows PC" for two years and attracted business customers who needed small PCs for field inspections and similar mobile activities. But as a general personal-computing device, the OQO 01 was met with mixed reviews and sluggish sales. The new model includes many upgrades recommended by OQO 01 owners, such as a brighter screen, a better keyboard, more-powerful batteries, and a docking station with an optical disk drive, according to Rosin.
Even with such improvements, it's not clear whether U.S. mobile professionals--OQO's initial target market--will be attracted to sub-notebook-sized PCs. The OQO 02 belongs to a new generation of small Windows computers, including ultramobile PCs such as the Samsung Q1, that can run the same software as Windows desktops and laptops but are designed to be used from a sofa, conference room, or airplane seat. Miniaturized PCs have proved popular in Japan, where consumers have shown a willingness to pay extra for high-powered devices in small packages. But the gadgets are still largely untested in the United States, where they're often criticized for their slow performance, their tiny or nonexistent keyboards, and their high prices. (At $1,000 to $2,000, the devices often cost more than laptops of equivalent power.)
Some consumer-electronics watchers say OQO and other companies are beginning to overcome the basic problems that make small PCs tricky to use. For example, U.S. users don't like to type or write on touch screens, so some manufacturers are including real keyboards with improved tactile feedback, while others are simplifying onscreen interfaces so that users can get more things done with fewer gestures and clicks.
"The original version of the OQO had a lot of gotchas," says Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group of San Jose, CA, which advises companies on personal technology products. "It was incredibly small, but it was also painfully slow. The new one is a decent machine. I had Vista up and running on it pretty fast, and it performed just fine." Better performance was one of three specific goals emerging from complaints lodged by users of the OQO 01, according to Rosin and Jihye Whang, OQO's director of product management. "It needed to really feel like a notebook computer," says Rosin. "It had to be a full Windows Vista device, and it had to run applications in a really snappy way, without hesitation." The OQO 02 runs standard Windows programs from the Firefox browser to Adobe Photoshop, and it has enough processing power to run two 1,920-by-1,200-pixel external displays when plugged into its docking station.
Users also pleaded for better ways of connecting to the Internet, says Whang. The OQO 01 could connect only at Wi-Fi hot spots or via a Bluetooth connection with a networked mobile phone. The OQO 02 includes faster 802.11g Wi-Fi circuitry and can also connect to Sprint's EV-DO network, a broadband data service available in most of the same locations where Sprint operates its PCS phone network. EV-DO carries data at 400 to 700 kilobits per second--not as fast as home DSL or cable Internet connections, but much faster than previous generations of cellular data networks. "We're getting closer and closer to true broadband speeds," says Whang.
Finally, users demanded a better screen and keyboard. The five-inch-diagonal touch screen is six times brighter than its predecessor, says Whang, and it incorporates a few new tricks, such as the ability to zoom in on an area of detail and to scroll vertically or horizontally with the brush of a finger along the screen's border, eliminating the need for a mechanical thumbwheel like those on many PDAs. The 58 keys on the OQO 02's redesigned keyboard stick up higher than the OQO 01's keys, giving thumb typists more tactile feedback to confirm that they've struck a key. The keyboard is also backlit for nighttime operation.
The OQO 02's keyboard is indeed "much more usable this time," in Rob Enderle's estimation. And while the device is slightly larger and heavier than the OQO 01, carrying it is "still a hell of a lot easier than lugging a laptop around," he says.
But in the lighter-than-a-laptop category, the OQO 02 could face competition from other handheld devices, such as Sony's Vaio UX Micro PC, Nokia's N800 Internet tablet, and Motion Computing's LS800 Tablet PC, as well as an entirely new category of handhelds, the so-called Ultra-Mobile PCs, or UMPCs. Samsung, Medion, Asus, and several other manufacturers have begun to produce these book-size devices, which look like small tablet PCs and are all based on a reference design unveiled by Microsoft in 2006 under the name Origami. The devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and are operated solely via a touch screen (although at least one UMPC includes a slide-out keyboard similar to OQO's). So far, they've been marketed not as office appliances but as entertainment devices enabling users to browse the Web and access videos, music, and photos.
The first group of UMPCs shipped with a plain Windows Tablet PC operating system. But at the Consumer Electronics Show, the company introduced the Origami Experience, a new user interface for Vista-based UMPCs that does away with the traditional desktop environment in favor of a single menu that scrolls both horizontally and vertically, letting users navigate quickly to their media files without a stylus or keyboard. Reviewers are calling the Origami Experience "speedy," "intuitive," "helpful," and "sexy"--terms not often associated with Windows devices. This suggests that the UMPC may have a shot at attracting the same kinds of consumers who shell out for the indisputably sexy Apple iPod.
At OQO, Rosin and Whang say they're not worried about going up against the UMPCs. "We see the OQO 02 as a productivity tool," says Rosin. "The businessperson may want to have some personal stuff on their mobile PC, but our focus is really on the professional user, not on the teenager on the couch wanting to browse the Web with a tablet-type device."
Nor is OQO concerned about Apple's forthcoming iPhone, which is descended from the video iPod but will mimic many of the functions of a full PC, via an advanced touch-screen interface that early reviewers have greeted as potentially revolutionary. "The iPhone is probably the best thing that's ever happened to us," says Rosin. "Everyone is now thinking, ‘We need more than just voice on a cell phone,' and ‘We need more than just audio on small devices.' So there's a lot of interest in this category, and we think that's a good thing for OQO." The OQO 02 and the other small PCs hitting the market this year do have a few common weaknesses. One is battery life. It's getting longer--four hours in the case of the OQO 02 and three hours for the Samsung Q1--but it's still not long enough to keep a businessperson busy for the duration of a transcontinental flight. OQO's devices and the UMPCs "need a minimum of 8 hours of battery life to succeed," writes Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies, a technology consulting firm based in Campbell, CA.
And the screens and keyboards on the new devices, while improving, are still impractically small for some users, especially older users with less-than-perfect vision or dexterity. "My 28-year-old son can use the OQO 02 just fine," Bajarin says. "But for old guys like me with bad eyes and fat thumbs, it's really tough."
But Bajarin's biggest concern relates to manufacturers' marketing strategy rather than to mechanics. He believes consumers will start buying ultraportable PCs only when they're shown to have a compelling application--say, browsing the Web and controlling the TV, set-top box, DVR, and stereo system from the sofa. But as long as ultraportable PCs are marketed as general-purpose devices, software writers won't be inspired to write the killer app that makes the devices take off, he argues.
"With a device of this size, if you take the PC mentality and say, 'Let it be all things to all people,' it will fail," Bajarin says. "But if you say, 'It's a platform for application-specific solutions,' then you're more likely to get it right."
Enderle, however, believes PCs could find a market even without further tweaking or new software. With its faster processor and full Windows capability, OQO's device, in particular, could appeal to "folks for whom a smart phone isn't really enough and a laptop is too much," he says. "That's still a niche group--but it could be a pretty good-sized niche." Copyright Technology Review 2007. January 24 Compatibility Concerns Hinder Vista Upgrades, IT Pros SayCompatibility Concerns Hinder Vista Upgrades, IT Pros Say
January 23, 2007 By Deborah Perelman
Microsoft's new operating system may be the most eagerly anticipated release of the past 10 years, but concerns over compatibility, bugs and security are keeping many IT professionals from doing so soon, according to the survey released Jan. 23 by Cambridge, Mass.-based Bit9, a provider of desktop lockdown solutions. Only 68 percent of IT pros reported that they'd be upgrading to Vista in 2007, though very few had made immediate plans. Of those who had expressed their intention to shift to the new operating system, 58 percent said they'd be waiting six months to one year after the launch to do so, while but 10 percent planned to roll out the upgrade in the next six months. Concerns over software compatibility were expressed by 38 percent of the tech professionals, followed by hardware compatibility concerns (17 percent), a desire to wait for bugs to work themselves out (7 percent) and security concerns (6 percent). To read more about upgrading to Vista, click here. Fifty-nine percent cited improved security, 44 percent noted "a desire to use the latest and greatest technology" and 29 percent of IT professionals said enforcing compliance is among the features that would lure them to upgrade.
While improved security was considered a plus, it was also a concern for IT professionals, uncertain if they would adopt User Access Control, a highly discussed feature of Vista limiting the ability of users and software to damage the computing environment. Eighty-one percent say they were unsure they would use it, 14 percent said they intended to, and 4 percent said they would not. Of those who said they'd implement the feature, nearly 70 percent said they'd provide administrative rights to IT, making exceptions for software developers (35 percent) and non-IT executives (34 percent). Only 7 percent of those surveyed felt "completely" comfortable with Microsoft's client security. Forty-two percent preferred alternative offerings, but would evaluate Microsoft; 17 percent say they would "never" feel comfortable totally relying on Microsoft for security. Check out eWEEK.com's Careers Center for the latest news, analysis and commentary on careers for IT professionals. January 23 Microsoft To Offer 'Simpler' Antivirus Service For Windows Vista, And Discounts For TestersMicrosoft To Offer 'Simpler' Antivirus Service For Windows Vista, And Discounts For Testers (URL: http://www.crn.com/nl/security/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=196902803) By Paul McDougall, 8:00 AM EST Tue. Jan. 23, 2007 Microsoft said Monday that it will begin offering an enhanced, Windows Vista-ready version of its OneCare online security and maintenance service through major retailers when the consumer version of its new operating system goes on sale Jan. 30. Microsoft said the newest edition of Windows Live OneCare will offer a simpler user experience than the current version. The service will feature unified virus and spyware scanning, more flexible backup options, and support for Windows Vista. Current OneCare subscribers will be automatically upgraded to the new service, Microsoft said. In addition to supporting personal computers running Windows Vista, the new version of Windows Live OneCare will support PCs equipped with Windows XP Service Pack 2, Microsoft said. Microsoft will offer subscriptions to the new version of OneCare for $49.95 for up to three PCs -- the same price as the current version. Consumers who participated in the beta program for the new OneCare release will receive 60% off the annual fee if they enroll between Jan. 23 and Feb. 12, Microsoft said. Microsoft says OneCare provides "real time" antivirus protection that adapts to meet evolving threats, while automating routine maintenance tasks such as file backup and disk defragmentation. The company plans to offer the service in a number of countries beyond the U.S., including Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Copyright 2006 CMP Media LLC. January 22 Computers evolve with Vista in mind
By Michelle Kessler, USA TODAY
SAN FRANCISCO — Microsoft's (MSFT) new Vista operating system won't be widely released until Jan. 30, but it's already changed the way nearly every PC is made.
Since November, almost 100% of PCs sold by major retailers were built to basic Vista standards, says computer analyst Samir Bhavnani at researcher Current Analysis. That means that they have powerful processors, huge hard drives and other hardware features needed to run the giant program. Biggest changes: •Memory. A year ago, many PCs had 256 MB of memory, the temporary storage space that computer programs use to do calculations. Now most have at least 512 MB because Vista requires it, says PC analyst Bob O'Donnell at researcher IDC. •Graphics components. In older PCs, graphics processing errors often lead to other problems, causing PCs to freeze or crash, says Kenneth Walker, chief technologist at PC-maker Gateway. Vista tries to fix that by changing how graphics are computed. PC makers have responded with new, sophisticated graphics parts, he says. Remarkably, these improvements haven't caused a spike in PC prices. The average price of a desktop fell from $627 in the first quarter of 2006 to $551 in the fourth, Bhavnani says. Laptop prices fell from $985 to $818. RELATED ITEM: How to handle Vista But consumers should be aware that Vista isn't ideal for low-end PCs, especially laptops, Bhavnani says. Expect to pay about $600 for a desktop and $1,200 for a laptop for the best experience, he says. SMALL BUSINESS CONNECTION: Will you buy Vista? Join the blog conversation Shoppers should have lots of choices. On Jan. 30, Dell will convert its entire consumer product line to Vista, says spokesman Bob Kaufman. (Older versions of Windows will still be available to businesses, which often make such changes gradually.) Dell can do that because it sells mainly online. Retail stores should also have plenty of Vista PCs from Gateway, Hewlett-Packard and others. But some pre-Vista models will likely still be on shelves. These models are usually marked "Vista Capable." That means they have Vista-ready hardware but run the older Windows XP. Buyers can upgrade by installing new software, usually for free or at a discount. But Bhavnani warns that it can be tricky. "You really want to be pretty comfortable with a computer," he says. And most upgrade offers expire in March. More hardware changes are expected as Vista is rolled out. Look for PCs that use flash memory to boot up faster, and ones that can connect to digital cable TV systems, says O'Donnell. There's expected to be pent-up demand. U.S. PC sales fell 3.2% in the fourth quarter from a year ago as customers waited for Vista, researcher Gartner says. But don't expect packed stores. Vista has generated only modest buzz, Bhavnani says. "It's not going to be like the PlayStation 3 (video game launch)," he says.
January 21 Top 20 Tips for Keeping Windows XP FreshTop 20 Tips for Keeping Windows XP FreshVista may be on the way, but XP hasn't outlived its usefulness. These tips will help you keep the older operating system vibrant. By Scott Dunn, PC WorldMicrosoft's new Windows Vista operating system is almost here, but do you really need it? If you don't yet feel the need to invest in a new OS, or if your hardware doesn't meet Vista standards, you'll find that a regular maintenance regimen--along with an occasional checkup--will keep XP rolling along for years to come. In fact, a few simple tweaks can tip the scales in favor of keeping XP around while early-adoption pioneers work the bugs out of Vista.
These 20 tips will keep your XP system lean and mean by tuning its performance, minimizing some of its bells and whistles, and tweaking the six-year-old OS to bring it up to speed with more recent applications, such as media playback and wireless networking.
Tip 1: Get Off the Upgrade Bandwagon
If you constantly upgrade to the latest powerhouse versions of your favorite applications without also upgrading your hardware and Windows version, your system will seem older and creakier than ever. Instead of listening to the siren call of endless upgrades, stick with application versions that you know work well with your system. In the same vein, consider turning off the auto-update features that so many applications have these days (with the exception of your firewall, antivirus, and anti-spyware tools). An example is Adobe Reader, which seems to phone home faster than you can open a file; to block automatic updates in Adobe Reader 7, click Edit, Preferences, Updates and select Do not automatically check for critical updates. Why should developers decide when and how you update your apps? If you're experiencing a specific problem with a program, or if you need a particular new feature, surf over to the vendor's Web site and download the upgrade manually.
Individual products use different methods tomonitor for upgrades, so you'll have to check the documentation of each one. It also helps to have a tool like Startup Control Panel to help you remove software that runs in the background and constantly checks for updates (see Figure 1: Stop endless updates by deactivating startup applets that constantly phone home.). See December's Answer Line column, "Common PC Problems Solved: The Ultimate FAQ" for more on managing your auto-start apps.
Tip 2: Swap When You Need To
Windows designates a portion of hard-disk space as virtual memory (also called the "swapfile" or "pagefile") to supplement RAM. The OS assigns some virtual-memory space to all processes, and the virtual memory itself gets used even if some RAM is still available. Accessing a hard disk is always slower than using RAM, so if your system has oodles of memory, you may improve performance slightly by telling Windows not to use the pagefile for some of its own code until it has used up available RAM. How much memory is in an oodle? That depends on the number and types of applications you typically run on your system--but don't make this adjustment unless your PC has at least 1GB of RAM.
To make Windows use virtual memory only as a last resort, you have to edit the Windows Registry. And because anything can happen when you change your Registry, you must back it up first; see "Care and Feeding of the Windows Registry" for instructions. (Note that Microsoft recommends against eliminating your pagefile entirely.)
With your Registry backup in place, choose Start, Run, type regedit, and press <Enter>. In the tree pane on the left, navigate to and select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management. Double-click the Disable, Paging,Executive icon in the right pane. Change the '0' in the Value data box to 1, click OK, and restart your computer.
For other ways to tweak virtual memory and get more out of your hardware, see Kirk Steers's performance advice in "Eight Fast, Simple Ways to Give Your PC More Pep."
Tip 3: Go With the NTFS Flow
If you've been hanging onto your old FAT32 hard-disk format, it's high time you switched to NTFS. Besides being faster and more secure, NTFS also gives you encryption, folder and disk compression, and other superior features. About the only reason to stick with FAT or FAT32 is if you need to be able to access your disk from DOS or Windows 98 (puh-leaze!) Don't worry; you can switch to NTFS without reformatting your hard disk and restoring your apps and data from a backup. Just choose Start, Run, type cmd.exe, and press <Enter> to open a Command Prompt window. Now type convert followed by a space, the drive letter, a colon, another space, and finally /fs:ntfs. For example, enter convert c: /fs:ntfs if you want to convert your C: drive to NTFS.
Tip 4: Reset Your System Restore Priorities
System Restore has saved my bacon many times, so I reserve as much disk space as possible for its restore points. (Not everyone feels the way I do about System Restore, however, because it doesn't always work. Answer Line columnist Lincoln Spector discusses a System Restore alternative in his FAQ item "Why is My PC Acting Oddly?" To adjust the amount of disk space System Restore claims, right-click My Computer in Explorer or on the desktop and choose Properties. Click the System Restore tab and select a drive whose storage settings you want to change. Choose Settings, drag the slider to the desired level, and click OK twice. Refer to my article "Windows Hacks: Registry Remedies"; for more on tweaking your System Restore settings.
Tip 5: Relocate System Stuff
Some files--System Restore points, for example--must be stored on your Windows drive. But if you have multiple hard disks or partitions, you can free up space on your Windows drive by moving other system files elsewhere. Check out my strategies for doing so in "Five Steps to a Leaner, Cleaner Windows." Tip 6: Sacrifice Hibernation
When you use Windows' hibernation feature to start up faster, the OS puts everything in RAM in a single hidden file named 'hiberfil.sys' on your hard disk. The file is roughly the same size as your RAM--for example, 512MB for a machine with 512MB of RAM. Like System Restore points, your hibernation file must be on the same drive as Windows. If you're running out of space on your Windows drive and you don't use the hibernation feature (or don't find it terribly useful), you can save a huge chunk of disk space by turning the feature off, and thereby deleting the hiberfil.sys file: Choose Start, Run, type powercfg.cpl, and press <Enter>. Click the Hibernate tab, and uncheck Enable hibernation (see Figure 2: Don't hibernate much? Save tons of disk space by disabling this feature in the Power Options control panel.). Click OK. Tip 7: Eliminate Clutter
The easiest way to keep your disks free of clutter is by using Windows' Disk Cleanup tool to create custom cleaners. This utility lets you discard the junk you don't want while keeping your Internet cache intact for optimum browsing performance, among other options. For details, see "Superscrub Your Drive Automatically." Tip 8: Clean Deeper Unfortunately, the Disk Cleanup tool misses certain temp files. Here's a little batch file to complete the task: Open Notepad or your favorite text editor and type del /s /q C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Local Settings\Temp\*.*", replacing 'Username' with the name of the user account and adjusting the drive letter as needed. Save the file with a name like deltemp.bat (be sure to use the .bat extension) and store it with your other batch files (if you don't have other batch files, your Desktop or any other easy-to-access folder will do). Then add the file to your Startup folder (Start, All Programs, Startup) so that it deletes the files every time you log in to Windows. Tip 9: Clean Up the Backup
Be sure to check out the Disk Cleanup tool's advanced options, available on the More Options tab. For example, click More Options, and under System Restore, choose Clean up to delete all but your most recent restore point (see Figure 3: If your system is running okay, clear some disk space by having Windows delete old restore points.). Tip 10: Avoid Musical Duplicates
If after ripping CDs in the Windows Media Audio (WMA) format, you decide to go with a tool like iTunes to interface with your portable music player, be aware that importing songs into iTunes means converting them to the Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) format, resulting in duplicate music files that will hog your hard disk. To save space, stick to one music player, or at least to one format (such as MP3) that multiple players can handle. Windows Media Player 10 can rip music in MP3 format without any additional software. To select the format for ripping music from CDs to hard drives in Windows Media Player, choose Tools, Options and click the Rip Music tab. Choose your desired option from the Format drop-down list and click OK (see Figure 4: For a ripping good time that avoids creating duplicate files, choose a format that is compatible with all the players and audio tools you might use.). Tip 11: More Music-Management Magic
Many people who have learned the joys of using their PC as a jukebox soon discover that they have scads of music files downloaded from the Web or ripped from their massive CD collection. To get your PC's music collection under control, check out my article "Six Quick Tips Help Tame Oversize Files and Folders." Tip 12: Make Your System Multimedia-Friendly
On the other hand, you may be struggling to get a handle on the photos you've transferred from your digital camera. If so, check out "A Better Way to Manage Sound and Image Files" for ways to improve Windows Explorer's photo-management capabilities. (The article includes tips on previewing music and video files, too.) For more on previewing image files in a jiffy, see "Windows' Hidden Image Viewer." Tip 13: Store Pics Online
Running out of room on your hard disk? Of course you should keep your photos backed up at home and with family members, but for little or no money (depending on the service), you may also be able to store and access your photos online, where it's much easier to share them with Uncle Bert and Aunt Ernie. Major players to check out include Flickr, Yahoo Photos, and Google's Picasa Web Albums). Tip 14: Become a Wireless Wonder
If you just got a wireless router (a router that broadcasts a wireless signal) and want to set up a wireless network, you can use the wizard in Windows XP Service Pack 2 to accomplish just that: Choose Start, Programs (or All Programs), Accessories, Communications, Wireless Network Setup Wizard. But if you already have a wireless network and are just adding a laptop or other new device to receive the signal, don't bother with the wizard. You'll probably have better luck using the software and instructions that came with your wireless hardware for the installation and for subsequent additions. Tip 15: Fix Glitches
Nevertheless, Windows' built-in wireless tools can be helpful. For example, to see what wireless networks are available to you, look for the wireless-network icon in your system tray (the part of the taskbar near the clock). If you don't see the icon, choose Start, Programs (or All Programs), Accessories, Communications, Network Connections. (Alternatively, you can open this window by right-clicking My Network Places in any Explorer window and choosing Properties.) Select the icon for your wireless connection and, in the task pane on the left, click Change settings of this connection. Check the box for Show icon in notification area when connected and click OK. Once you see the icon, it's a simple matter of right-clicking it and choosing View Available Wireless Networks. If this doesn't open the Wireless Network Connection window (see Figure 5: Pick a connection, any connection in XP's Wireless Network Connection window.), the software for your network may be intercepting the command to display its own dialog box. If so, you can get to the Windows version by opening the Network Connections window (see steps above), selecting your connection, and clicking the View available wireless connections link in the task pane on the left.
If no networks are listed in the Wireless Network Connection window, or if you don't have a Wireless Networks tab in your wireless connections properties dialog box (right-click the connection icon in the Network Connections window and choose Properties to see whether you do), you may not have Windows' Wireless Zero Configuration service started. To fix that, choose Start, Run, type services.msc /s, and press <Enter>. Find Wireless Zero Configuration in the list of services and double-click it. Choose Automatic from the Startup type drop-down list, click Apply, choose the Start button, and click OK. Finally, return to the Wireless Network Connection window (if it isn't still open) and click Refresh network list in the task pane on the left.
Tip 16: Jump From Signal to Signal With the Greatest of Ease To do so, right-click your network tray icon and choose View available wireless networks as described above. If you're already connected to a network that you normally use, the word 'Connected' and a yellow star will appear to the right of its name. If you don't see any other networks that you want to use, you may need to take your laptop to the location where you'll get the other signal that you commonly use and then return to this window.
Once you see a network that you are not currently connected to--but would like to use regularly--double-click its name in the Wireless Connections dialog box to initiate a connection. Enter any passwords or network keys you need. Repeat these steps for all wireless networks that you use regularly. As you do this, the network entries will get marked as 'Automatic' in the list of available networks.
While still in the Wireless Network Connection window, click Change the order of preferred networks in the task pane on the left. Doing so will open the Wireless Network Connection Properties box. In the Preferred networks list in the middle of the dialog box, select your most frequently used network and click Move up--repeatedly, if necessary--to move it to the top of the list. Continue selecting networks and using the Move up or Move down button until the list reflects the priority order you desire (see Figure 6: Tell Windows your wireless priorities, and let it do the rest as you roam through the Wi-Fi jungle.). Click OK.
The next time you move your notebook to a new location, Windows will try to link to your preferred, or automatic, networks in the specified order until it finds a connection, without any fuss or bother on your part.
Tip 17: Boost Your Bandwidth
Wireless networks continue to run faster and faster, but that doesn't mean you're PC is connected at your network's top speed. If you'd like to give your wireless network some pep, read Glenn Fleishman's "Beating the Wireless Blues." Tip 18: Emulate Vista
Modernizing Windows may mean adding a few low- or no-cost enhancements. If your hardware can handle some degree of upgrading but you don't want to risk a whole new OS, check out these free and nearly free options to get some of the glitz that Vista offers. Tip 19: Check Directory Sizes at a Glance with Folder Size
When you view Windows Explorer in Details view, the Size column shows the space consumed by individual files but provides no information on the size of directories. Not to worry. Rather than find a different file managing tool, just download and install the free Folder Size utility, which adds this feature to Windows Explorer (see Figure 7: See the size of your folders at a glance in Windows Explorer with the free Folder Size utility. ). Once you've installed Folder Size, choose View, Choose Columns, and check the box for Folder Size. You may also want to uncheck the Size box, since this column is now superfluous. Click OK. The new Folder Size column will show the size of folders and of individual files. Calculating the size of large folders can take a while, which is probably why Microsoft never added the feature to begin with. Still, this approach is much better than having to open a Properties dialog box for each folder one at a time. Tip 20: Master Maintenance Ta-da! you've successfully re-engineered Windows XP to face the future. To keep it fresh, you need to get on a regular maintenance schedule. Fortunately, these days, you can set up your housekeeping chores to take care of themselves automatically. For detailed set-it-and-forget-it strategies, see my earlier columns "Check Your Disks for Errors, With a Single Click"--on automating disk scans--and "The Fast, Simple Way to Defragment Your Disks"--on disk defragging. January 20 Clean Up Your Files… SafelyClean Up Your Files… Safely
by Marc Saltzman for Microsoft.com
Like many mothers, Andrea Grace will sit down at her PC to check e-mail, only to find that her kids, Jason, 8, and Rachel, 10, have installed some new programs. "Between those CD-ROM games found in cereal boxes and downloaded Neopets, there are now icons all over the place," says Grace. "And of course they don't play half the games. If I ran out of space I wouldn't know how to delete them," she admits. Grace isn't alone—it's not uncommon to fill space on a hard drive with games, productivity programs, or files, such as music, digital photos, and video clips. Some technology analysts believe that we use less than 10 percent of the programs installed on our computer. So, considering you're likely to do some spring cleaning in the coming months by removing old and unwanted clutter from your closets and garage, why not tidy up your computer as well? While deleting programs is relatively easy, many novice computer users believe they can be removed by simply deleting their icon on the desktop. This does not work as it's only a shortcut to the real program, which consists of many files. And keep in mind that you can do damage to your PC's performance by deleting an entire program folder that you don't think you need from your hard drive. The following is a look at how to safely—and easily—remove old or unused programs from your Microsoft Windows XP-based computer. Much of the advice is also applicable to older versions of Windows. Decide which programs to purge Has it been a year since your child touched that action game? Chances are you still have the original CDs anyway (should you want to reinstall it in the future), so perhaps it's time to wipe it off the hard drive. Have your music tastes changed since you went through that Country & Western "stage" in 2002? You can easily delete downloaded MP3 files—or at least burn them to a CD to free up space on your PC. If you're unsure about a program that's on your hard drive, you can always do a search at your favorite search engine (e.g., MSN Search) to see what it is. For example, if you don't plan on buying a camcorder, remove any preinstalled video-editing software that may have come bundled on your PC. Ready, set, "Start" Once inside this program group, you will usually see an icon to launch the program, a ReadMe file (documentation that tells you how to use the program), and, for our purposes, an option that enables you to remove or uninstall the program. Click this and follow the onscreen wizard to safely remove the program from your PC. You may be asked to reboot your computer. Only click to do so once you've saved everything that's open at that time. Quick tip: When uninstalling a program, you may also get a message that says the program can remove a file that may be shared by another program. To be safe, keep these suggested files on your PC (they shouldn't take up much room on your hard drive, anyway). Similarly, when you uninstall a game, the program may ask if you want to keep saved game files (i.e. a bookmark of your progress). If you think that you will reinstall and play this game again, you can choose to keep these files. Sometimes the program group may be the company's name. Move your mouse over the name and it will reveal which program(s) are inside. Quick tip: Keep in mind that your PC automatically creates restore points while you're using your computer. That way, if you accidentally delete a program that you want to keep, you can revert your PC back to an earlier time. To do so, click the Start menu, then All Programs (or Program Files), then Accessories, and then System Tools. Click System Restore and the program will guide you through the steps. Take "Control" It may take a few seconds for this page to load but once it is finished, it will display a long alphabetical list of installed programs. Once you see the name of a program you no longer want on your hard drive, click it, then click the tab to the right of it, which will say Remove or Change/Remove, and follow the prompts. A progress bar will show you how long it will take to safely remove the program. When it's finished, you will see the list once again. Go through the list, but leave those programs that you are unsure of. Remember—you may use Microsoft Word all the time so do not uninstall Microsoft Office as Word is part of it. Some programs may not be familiar to you, but are required for another to run—a rule of thumb is to ignore it, especially if it doesn't take up too much space on your hard drive (you will see how many megabytes on the right-hand side of the program name). If the program is spyware or adware (such as SuperShopper Toolbar), then you may want to leave this for your spyware/adware program to sniff out and safely remove. Two good free programs are Ad-Aware and SpyBot, both of which are available at Download.com. You can also download the free new Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (Beta). Quick tip: Article written by Marc Saltzman and adapted from an original piece from Microsoft Home Magazine. January 19 Help users create complex passwords that are easy to rememberHelp users create complex passwords that are easy to rememberJanuary 19, 2006
While most end users understand the importance of using passwords to secure corporate systems and data, they don't always know how to create a strong password. That's why it's just as important to create a strong password policy in your organization. Remember: Passwords are only as good as the policy that enforces their use. By default, Windows disables the password filter in the Default Domain Group Policy Object (GPO) and in the local security policy of workstations and servers. That's one more reason why it's imperative that organizations employ a written password policy—and that they take steps to enforce it. For example, if your company's password policy only requires a minimum of six characters and doesn't require complexity (i.e., a combination of uppercase and lowercase characters, digits, and/or nonalphanumeric characters), then you've got a pretty weak policy. That means most users will use passwords that are easy to crack through either brute force or social engineering. How do you make sure your users create strong passwords that hackers can't easily guess? Your first step is to enable the password filter in the GPO or on local stand-alone workstations and servers. To find the password filter, go to Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Account Policies\Password Policy in the Group Policy MMC in the Default Domain policy. After enabling the password filter, you can start creating an effective password policy for your users. Craft a strong password policyLet's look at some best practices for effective password policies. Most organizations require users' passwords to have a minimum of eight characters. They also specify that passwords must meet at least three of the four complexity requirements—uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and nonalphanumeric characters. Organizations should also configure the password history to remember the last 24 passwords, which is the maximum setting. This virtually ensures that users won't reuse passwords. In addition, you should set the minimum and maximum age of the password to an appropriate level. I recommend setting a maximum age of 180 days and a minimum age of 90 days. This prevent users from cycling through passwords until they can return to the one they want. Put your policy in action—and enforce itIt's smart to establish a good password policy in your organization, but it's even more important to actually enforce it. A strong policy that no one has to follow doesn't add any more security than no policy at all. In addition, it's important to remember that a good password policy doesn't work if users have to write down their password because it's so complex. That only transfers the security risk instead of mitigating it. So how can you make sure users' passwords are complicated enough to deter hackers and easier enough to remember? One of my colleagues offers the following trick for creating complex passwords that meet complexity requirements while still being possible to remember. Step 1: Come up with a base word Remember: You need at least one capital letter and either a number or special character. So, using Louisville as your base word, you can substitute an ! or 1 for i and replace the s with $—e.g., Lou1$ville or L0u!$ville. Step 2: Add more characters to the base word Step 3: Store your password without worry So, even written down, this password reference would serve as a reminder of your complete password while revealing nothing to any roaming eyes. (Keep in mind that this example is a 14-character password. While that may be longer than the actual requirement, it may be easier to remember.) Final thoughtsPassword policies only work if you turn them on. Make sure you've trained your users on how to create complex passwords that they can remember without leaving a paper trail that prying eyes can easily follow. Miss a column?Check out the Security Solutions Archive, and catch up on the most recent editions of Mike Mullins' column. Worried about security issues? Who isn't? Automatically sign up for our free Security Solutions newsletter, delivered each Friday, and get hands-on advice for locking down your systems. Mike Mullins has served as an assistant network administrator and a network security administrator for the U.S. Secret Service and the Defense Information Systems Agency. He is currently the director of operations for the Southern Theater Network Operations and Security Center. { .section {font-family:Verdana;font-size:11px;padding-top:7px;padding-bottom:10px;} }
Copyright ©1995- 2006 CNET Networks, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Partners Downplay Microsoft Download Programs For Vista, Office '07Partners Downplay Microsoft Download Programs For Vista, Office '07 (URL: http://www.channelweb.com/nl/execbriefing/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=196901747) By Paula Rooney, 10:35 AM EST Thu. Jan. 18, 2007 It's no surprise to the channel that Microsoft is making Windows Vista and Office 2007 available for direct download through Windows Marketplace. The news, announced Wednesday evening, generated little initial concern from solution providers and system builders, which are preparing for general availability of those products on Jan. 30. "It doesn't surprise or concern me. I am assuming this will be retail [stock-keeping unit], which system builders rarely sell," said Steve Bohman, vice president of operations at Columbus Micro Systems, a Columbus, Ohio-based system builder. "Windows Marketplace will compete with the big-box retailers." Microsoft partners said the 2.5-Gbyte Vista code takes up to four hours to download over a high-speed Internet line and is aimed at consumers, not businesses. And relatively few users have enough horsepower or graphics capabilities on their existing PCs to support Vista or Office 2007, they said. The policy signals Microsoft's full transition to electronic software distribution (ESD) methods. Though that currently means little to partners and system builders, which provide Windows and Office to businesses via licenses or through new PC purchases, some worry this direct relationship will eventually erode partners' influence and relationships with their customers. Microsoft said most versions of Vista and Office 2007 would be available via Windows Marketplace, including the non-enterprise business versions of those products. The list includes Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007, and Microsoft Office Professional 2007. Windows Marketplace gives Microsoft a direct online relationship with customers and an opportunity to offer incentives to customers to buy and access solutions directly -- and bypass channel partners, according to some solution providers. Partners expressed outrage when Microsoft announced last year that it would allow customers, including small and midsize businesses, to easily upgrade to higher-end versions of Vista and Office by purchasing license keys online from Microsoft. The Windows Anytime program, and now Windows Marketplace, will erode the role of the channel over time, industry observers said. Microsoft executives declined to be interviewed for this article. A company spokeswoman, however, issued a statement to CRN insisting the program won't impact channel partners. And Microsoft said it will offer Vista and Office 2007 at the suggested retail price. "Our goal is not to compete with our channel partners. Rather, we are offering a service to customers who want to obtain the software directly from Microsoft. We have been offering Microsoft products direct through the Product Information Center for many years with no visible impact on the channel," the statement said. "In addition, we plan to sell at list price, while channel partners are free to set end-user pricing as they see fit." But Microsoft has placed restrictions on which partners can participate in Windows Anytime and on Wednesday announced Windows Vista discounts for customers who buy multiple copies of Vista online. For example, only select OEMs and retail partners will be able to offer Windows Anytime Upgrade as online merchants, Microsoft said. Microsoft also unveiled a promotion running from Jan. 30 through June 30 called the Windows Vista Family Discount, which will allow customers who buy Windows Vista Ultimate to license two additional copies of Windows Vista Home Premium at a reduced price of $49.99 each -- but only if they order online. Still, some partners and observers downplayed the risk to the channel because they say business customers don't typically access the OS from the channel and rely on partners for Office and higher-end application needs. "Enterprises will never do it, and not even midsized companies will relinquish control by allowing users to pull the OS off the Web," said a former CTO of a Microsoft solution provider, who declined to be named. "All you are saving really is the step of installing the OS from the CD. It doesn't help customers that much because their effort is in the special configuration of the applications, not the OS." One Microsoft analyst claimed the software reselling business is over and predicted that some partners can generate a new revenue stream from the ESD programs. "I don't think there's much of a business for Microsoft to take away here. The margins on Microsoft software aren't great, and most of the stuff available through the largest general channel, retail, is consumer-oriented. Consumers don't make much use of partner services today," said Paul DeGroot of Directions on Microsoft, a newsletter in Kirkland, Wash. "I can see potential for partners here, however. Some system builders or small computer shops could have steady business fixing failed upgrades for people who downloaded Vista without paying full attention to hardware requirements. "If you're a small partner, it could be wise to acquire solid Vista installation skills and keep some Vista-ready hardware, such as the right kind of video card and extra memory, handy," DeGroot added. One system builder agreed the Vista direct download program is a non-event because channel partners don't make money selling Microsoft software. "It's no big deal. If a customer wants to download a 2.5-plus-Gbyte file and pay retail for it, let them," said Brian Bergin, president of Terabyte Computers, Boone, N.C. Joe Toste, vice president of marketing at Equus Computer Systems, a Minneapolis system builder, said Microsoft is getting more involved in the sales process to push a bigger volume of Windows and Office attach rates. "Microsoft has slowly been building the infrastructure to deliver complete software, for example, with Microsoft Anytime Upgrade. My belief is that the support that they are getting from tier-one OEMs such as HP and Dell, smaller OEMs and system builders for Anytime Upgrade is lukewarm," Toste said. "I believe Microsoft has received poor endorsement from their partners for these types of direct-marketing programs [and that] does not sit well for Redmond. They are taking matters into their own hands. "Ironically, it doesn't affect the smaller hardware VARs as much," he added. "After all, these hardware VARs actually perform the value of installing and configuring the software. I think this hurts the New Eggs and Best Buys." Copyright 2006 CMP Media LLC New Pricing Policy for SkypeNew Pricing Policy for Skype By Ted Stevenson January 18, 2007 After last year's trial of free SkypeOut calling in North America, the Brussels-based VoIP provider (now a subsidiary of eBay) instituted a yearly subscription plan for U.S. and Canadian Skypers. For example, at a cost of $29.25 ($14.95 before January 31, 2007), U.S. members can make unlimited SkypeOut calls (calls to land-line and mobile PSTN phones) across North America at no extra charge—for 365 days. A similar plan—Talk for Britain—is in operation in the U.K. Today, the company announced some tweaks to its overall pricing policy, and the outlines of a similar plan for European members—to be known as Skype Pro. On a country-by-country basis, Skype Pro premium subscription packages will allow SkypeOut "domestic" calling (that is, within the country in question) without the per-minute charges that have been characteristic of the service up till now. (To be perfectly clear, the basic Skype policy of totally free PC-to-PC calls between Skype members remains unchanged.) Also announced today—one of the tweaks mentioned above—is a new pricing concept for Skype: the connection fee. Going forward, ordinary domestic SkypeOut calls—as well as all international Skype calls—will entail the connection fee, wherever originated. Skype Pro calls to the domestic PSTN will also be subject to the fee, while North American Unlimited Calling PSTN calls will not. Skype connection fees will vary per country. In the U.S., the fee will be $0.039. In much of Europe it will be €0.039 or the equivalent in local currency. Check here for a complete listing of connection fee rates, and other details. The Skype Pro package (for which no specific pricing was mentioned in the press announcement, but which, according to the website will be €2 per month) also includes a number of other promotional 'extras,' such as discounts on SkypeIn numbers and free Skype Voicemail. On the website linked above, you can leave your e-mail address for notification when Skype Pro is officially available. January 16 Skype 3.0: Streamlined and Enhanced for the New YearSkype 3.0: Streamlined and Enhanced for the New Year By Joseph Moran January 16, 2007 You might be forgiven if you had never heard of Skype prior to it being purchased by eBay a little more than a year ago. Skype's VoIP software has had a much higher profile since then, particularly after the company announced a promotion — which has since expired on 12/31/06 — offering unlimited free calls to "real" phones in the U.S. and Canada.
Skype's software, which is available free of charge, lets you make voice and video calls (also for free) to other Skype customers worldwide. You can also use the optional SkypeOut feature to place calls using any PSTN phone — you purchase SkypeOut credits to pay per-minute charges, which vary depending on where you're calling (but are usually measured in mere pennies per minute). Last but not least, another optional service called SkypeIn lets you obtain a real phone number for your account, making you reachable via Skype by anyone with a regular phone. (SkypeIn also comes with voice mail). Skype 3.0 Setup Skype now helpfully adds a test call to your contact list automatically. Placing the call plays an automated message and allows you to record and listen to one of your own (and also to help ensure your microphone and speakers are set at appropriate levels). You can build up your Skype contacts by searching a directory of Skype customers to add to your list or by manually adding entries (by Skype name or PSTN phone number). Whenever you call someone not on your contact list, you're given the opportunity to easily add that person to it. Making Calls Just as you can with IM software, you can change your Skype online status to reflect your desire to communicate at any given time. You can set your account to indicate you don't want to be disturbed, or if you're feeling particularly sociable you can set your status to "Skype Me," which lets other Skype customers know you're up for unsolicited communications. More on the practical side, you can set up conference calls among multiple Skype customers, and you can include SkypeOut calls in conferences as well. If you have a Webcam you can add video to your calls with other Skype customers. The video feature worked well even with a four-year-old Logitech QuickCam we had lying around. Skype call quality is usually quite good — often as good or better than what you'd expect from a mobile phone. We had no difficulty placing high-quality calls with a 6 Mbps downstream/ 384 Kbps upstream cable modem connection, and we also experienced pretty good results (albeit with occasional sound gaps or echoes) when using a much slower 768 Kbps down/ 128 Kbps up DSL link. Upstream bandwidth tends to be fairly important with Skype, particularly if you're on a call (especially a video call) while engaged in bandwidth-sapping activities like uploading files or sending e-mail attachments. When bandwidth is scarce or general network conditions are otherwise less than optimal, calls can devolve into unintelligible, herky-jerky sound bites, but for most people it shouldn't be an especially common occurrence. Additional Features in Skype 3.0
Originally available only as separate add-ons, Skype Toolbars for Internet Explorer and Firefox are now built-in to Skype 3.0. Anyone that frequently makes calls via SkypeOut in particular will find the browser toolbars useful since they automatically detect and highlight phone numbers found on Web pages, which lets you place calls to those numbers with one click (it works with Skype names as well). There are Skype toolbars available that do the same thing within Microsoft Office documents or Outlook, Outlook Express, and Mozilla Thunderbird e-mails, but they still must be downloaded separately. Also new to version 3.0 are Skype Extras, which are essentially third-party plug-ins that provide additional features or ways to communicate. Thus far, most of the Extras are either games or otherwise whimsical in nature (such as an animated avatar), but some appear to have more practical purposes. There are Extras that can record calls, speak and translate chats in real time, and one that purports to analyze voices for stress (sort of a Skype-based lie detector). Given that these Extras are developed from various independent sources, the quality and documentation of Extras can vary. Skype Extras also may or may not be Skype-certified, and we definitely had better luck using ones that had been certified. As of this writing, there are only about three dozen or so Extras available— but this number will likely grow. Indeed, if widely embraced by customers (as happened with Yahoo! Widgets) the usefulness of the Skype Extras feature is likely to improve significantly with age. If you're looking for something more than just one-on-one communication, you can click Skype's Live tab and choose from among various "Skypecasts" or live public conversations. This feature is still in beta, and at least as of this writing, we didn't find it particularly compelling. There were plenty of Skypecasts going on during the times we spent testing, and the ones we joined appeared well-attended — many had dozens of participants — but it was difficult to make anything out though a din of muffled voices. (Amusingly, we found one Skypecast that required participants to remain silent for 20 minutes as "an experiment in global consciousness".) It's also worth noting that many Skypecasts are conducted in languages other than English, which isn't surprising given that Skype is more popular in Europe than in North America. SkypeOut Pricing As for international calls, Skype has indicated that changes are also afoot for its international rates. Full details are due to be announced on Jan.18, and while Skype says its new pricing will be "disruptive," it remains to be seen whether that's good or bad for SkypeOut customers. Although Skype 3.0's new features like Extras and Skypecasting aren't earth shattering (at least not yet), it continues to be a good choice for people looking to keep in touch with friends, family, or colleagues throughout the globe. Pros: Free calls to Skype customers, plus flat-rate plan available to call any phone in the U.S. or Canada; built-in toolbar lets you easily place calls to numbers/names found in Web pages Cons: Limited quality/quantity of Skype Extras; SkypeCast sound quality wasn't very good
Adapted from PracticallyNetworked.com, part of the EarthWeb.com Network. Hands On with Skype's Joost/Venice Project
January 15 IT Salaries Will Be On the Rise in 2007
January 14 25 Predictions To Profit By In 200725 Predictions To Profit By In 2007 Solution providers forecast the new year's trends in hardware, managed services, networking, security, storage and software. (URL: http://www.crn.com/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=E1QO0KCDCMXDKQSNDLOSKH0CJUNN2JVN?articleId=196801198) By CRN Staff, 12:00 AM EST Mon. Jan. 08, 2007
NEXT: Predictions in storage and software
January 13 The PC Magazine 2007 Upgrade GuideThe PC Magazine 2007 Upgrade Guide
ARTICLE DATE: 12.20.06 As you might assume, we get a great deal of e-mail at PC Magazine. Many of these missives ask a simple question, "What should I buy to improve my system?" This flood of e-mail, combined with the spate of recent technical advances, has convinced us to put together a handy upgrade guide to help you choose the components best suited to your needs. Though we'll discuss specific products, such as 3D graphics or CPUs, the real focus here is on a set of upgrade scenarios based on three different PC usage models. The past year has seen significant changes in the PC landscape. As components have become faster and more capable, prices have decreased. Meanwhile, Windows Vista will be generally available by the end of January and is already forcing the evolution of the hardware ecosystem. Whatever your feelings about Vista—even if you plan on never touching it—it will have a substantial effect on the hardware you use in 2007 and beyond.
Determining whether you need to upgrade depends somewhat on your application scenarios. Some users may want—or need—to upgrade more often than others. We'll factor that into our discussion of the different usage models. Depending on the age of your system, you may be able to get by with replacing just a few components. Alternatively, you might be better off replacing an entire subsystem, or even the whole PC. Before we dive into all of that, let's take a look at some key technological advances that have occurred recently. The past 18 months have seen a series of rapid advances in PC technology. We are going to focus our attention on those that either reduce cost or improve performance. The March to Multicore CPUs The shift from single-core to dual-core and, soon, to quad-core CPUs has happened quickly—even by technological standards. The primary CPU manufacturers, AMD and Intel, have rapidly shifted their major product lines to dual-core processors. With Athlon 64 X2 3800+ processors at prices dipping below $160, there's no reason to avoid a dual-core processor. Even Intel's hot new Core 2 Duo CPU line has an entry-level model, the E6300, that can be found for under $180. A dual-core CPU can bring benefits even to light-duty users. Fact is, modern operating systems tend to launch dozens of lightweight tasks. While each taken alone has a minor impact on CPU resources, together they add up. It's true that the operating system schedulers in Windows XP—the software that determines task priority and allocates CPU resources accordingly—aren't as efficient with multicore as they could be. (Windows Vista will be much more aware of multicore.) But even XP's Service Pack 2 benefits from having more than one processor core. Memory: The DDR2 Inflection Point Last summer, AMD launched its series of Socket AM2 processors, which support DDR2. With AM2-supporting chipsets from ATI, nVidia, and VIA, the industry is moving away from the older DDR memory (commonly called DDR1, though that's not an official moniker). DDR2 doubles the bus frequency of DDR1 for the same clock rate and thus doubles the effective data rate. (A structural difference in the memory modules prevents you from placing either one in the other's slots.) The result has been a jump in demand for DDR2. DDR2 memory had approached price parity with DDR, but since the AM2 launch, DDR2 prices have climbed. Still, if you're in a position to move to a new processor, it makes sense to move to a DDR2 variant, since those will have a longer technological lifespan. Meanwhile, Corsair and nVidia have taken unused parts of the SPD ROM on memory modules to enable enhanced performance profiles (EPPs). It's looking as if EPP may be the preferred term for this new memory type, rather than nVidia's term, SLI ready. For overclockers, EPP memory contains all the information needed to push the memory to its limit without their continually having to experiment and reset. What's more, at the Intel Developer Forum, Intel announced support for system-level DDR3 RAM, and manufacturers are starting to sample DDR3 memory chips. But it will be the second half of 2007 before we need to worry about DDR3 in PC systems. Storage Gets Perpendicular This year, Seagate shipped desktop hard drives using perpendicular storage technology, which it used to produce the first 750GB hard drive. Hitachi, Samsung, and Western Digital have yet to ship perpendicular storage solutions on the desktop, though Western Digital did announce laptop drives using the new technology. DVD recordable drives continue to plummet in price. With some DVD±RW dual-layer units dropping below $30, there's no reason to avoid DVD burners any more. Pioneer Electronics, I-O Data Device, and others have announced PC Blu-ray burners, but both the drives and the media are still exorbitantly expensive, with drive prices near $1,000. Meanwhile, flash memory prices have also plunged, allowing users to carry around 2GB or even 4GB of portable storage for under $100. Graphics in a Holding Pattern With Windows Vista on the horizon, both ATI and nVidia have been shipping more of the same, but cheaper: Both have reduced prices while increasing performance throughout their product lines. nVidia has just launched its next-generation DirectX 10-capable GPU (see our review on page 32). ATI seems to be a bit behind here, and we'll probably not see an ATI DirectX 10 GPU until early in 2007. For most users, DirectX 10 is a nonevent. While DX10 will become very important over time, it will be at least a year or more before games using DX10 become commonplace. A high-performance DirectX 9 video card is perfectly capable of running the full Vista Aero Glass experience, plus all games that will likely ship within the next year. Certainly, we can expect those first ATI and nVidia DX10 cards to run DX9 games faster than anything currently on the market, but we also expect them to launch only in high-price models, with midrange and entry-level parts to follow in the spring. Both ATI and nVidia have been pushing their dual graphics card technologies. Currently, nVidia's SLI seems more mature, with greater gains seen in SLI versus ATI's CrossFire, as noted in Extremetech's ATI X1950 Pro review (go.extremetech.com/ati). The X1950 Pro and ATI's future GPUs now no longer require the bulky pass-through cable or special master card, which will make life easier for ATI CrossFire users in the future. Motherboards: More, More, More Motherboard manufacturers continue to add features to their products. ASUS is probably the kitchen-sink champion here, adding 802.11g Wi-Fi and transparent SATA RAID backup to its top-end boards, including the P5W DH and the P5B Deluxe. Other manufacturers are adding features, too, particularly to give overclockers easier and more efficient ways to ramp up CPUs and memory. Meanwhile, Intel's BTX form factor seems at present to have fallen from favor with the DIY set, although you still find BTX-based systems from companies like Dell and Gateway. If you don't need all the bells and whistles, consider getting a microATX motherboard. If you use one, you can build a relatively compact system that still offers more expandability than some of the tinier machines. If you don't need expandability beyond perhaps a second hard drive and external peripherals, consider a true small-form-factor system, such as the Shuttle SN27P2 for AMD's Socket AM2 CPUs. Cases and Power Supplies As processor manufacturers are delivering CPUs that generate less heat and require less power, GPU and hard drive vendors are turning out products that generate more heat. A modern, high-density 7,200-rpm hard drive gets surprisingly hot, and high-end graphics cards can run pretty hot, too. If you want to build a high-end system, you need a case with adequate airflow. By the same token, you'll want an ATX 2.2 power supply unit capable of delivering steady current loads across all rails, especially if you're running dual video cards. Several PSUs now on the market can deliver 700W or more, and there are a surprising number of units that can pump out as much as a kilowatt. For those running a system with more sedate specs, there is an increasing selection of microATX cases, such as Silverstone's SG01B. You won't need as beefy a power supply, either. Even as power supply wattages go up, they're becoming more efficient. This means better use of your electricity dollar, as more of the wall current is turned into useful DC current for the PC, thus generating less waste heat. Look for 80 PLUS power supplies, which are certified to offer at least an 80 percent efficiency rating. Before You Buy... Before you yank out your credit card and start buying hardware, perform a system assessment to make sure that your system is actually worth upgrading. Often upgrading the system you have can prove to be a headache, and it may not be worth the effort. We like to operate by the "PC Magazine Rule of Four," which goes like this: If you find yourself with a desktop that is four years old or more, or you're going to replace four or more components, it's time to get a new system. There is a similar timetable involved when you are dealing with laptops. After about a year you should look into upgrading your RAM if you are not at 1GB already. Two years in, your battery should be starting to give out, and if you need a new hard drive, it's time to replace the laptop. Recently, we received an e-mail from a reader looking to upgrade the memory on his older Pentium 4 system, which was still running on an Intel 850 chipset. That particular chipset supports only RDRAM, which current motherboards no longer use. Since the biggest RDRAM modules still available are 512MB RIMMs—and PC1066 versions cost $205 apiece—we suggested that it was time to move on. The $400 it would take this user to upgrade his RDRAM would nearly cover the combined cost of a new motherboard, CPU, and memory. Though that combination would still make for an entry-level system, it would almost certainly outperform his RDRAM-based system. Different usage models, however, necessitate different upgrade cycles. A light-duty office system may crank along for years, while a high-end gaming system may need a twice-yearly refresh. It all depends on your needs, your patience level, and your budget. The Home PC Upgrade
ARTICLE DATE: 12.20.06 When home users invest in the latest systems for gaming or media applications, their older systems are often relegated to light-duty office work and Web browsing. But Web browsing can place heavy demands on such systems: Anyone with a high school student at home recognizes the increasing sophistication of today's young PC user, particularly when it comes to Internet usage. Light-duty office work, too, can strain a system more than you'd think. As document production, often with embedded artwork and charts, increasingly taxes resources, more responsive systems are needed. The key here is the word responsive. Users of light-duty systems don't need bleeding-edge CPUs or graphics, but they are highly intolerant of poor response time. When you click a mouse, drag a document between folders, or save a file, you expect to see a result without delay. This doesn't mean that the actual task needs to be completed immediately. But if it does take some time, you should be able to get back your cursor and keyboard immediately after launching the task. We found we can make even PCs with relatively anemic CPUs feel responsive just by increasing memory. This is particularly true for systems that use integrated graphics or video cards with HyperMemory (ATI) or TurboCache (nVidia). Graphics chips integrated into the motherboard chipset use system memory for all graphics, so 512MB of system RAM often translates to 448MB of RAM actually available to the system and 64MB reserved for graphics. Similarly, TurboCache and HyperMemory use some system memory for additional frame-buffer support. Hence a light-duty office system that seemed to struggle with 512MB of RAM suddenly seems much snappier with 1GB. The next step after memory would be a CPU upgrade. For example, upgrading from a single-core to a dual-core processor can improve system responsiveness, particularly if you have lots of background tasks running. Spyware catchers, virus scanners, and desktop search can all suck in CPU cycles. Finally, a newer hard drive can help speed up apparent responsiveness. Modern hard drives deliver data by offering very high data densities and larger buffers—up to 16MB on higher-capacity drives. A higher data density means that the head can read more data even though the linear speed of the media under the hard drive is the same as before. Key Upgrades Featured Components Peripheral Upgrade The PC Gaming Upgrade
ARTICLE DATE: 12.20.06 Gamers are obsessed with getting the best gaming performance from their systems. That's not to say that all of them have deep pockets and can rush out and buy the glitziest Falcon Northwest Mach V. But it does mean that they want to be able to run their games well, within their individual budget constraints. Today, we seem to be at an interesting crossover point for PC games. Historically, you had times when games were either mostly CPU bound or mostly graphics bound. A game that consumed CPU cycles could benefit from a faster processor, while a graphics-intensive game would run smoother with a new video card. For the moment, we seem to have entered an era of uneasy balance between the GPU and the CPU. Some games are almost purely CPU bound, like Microsoft's new Flight Simulator X. Others, like the real-time strategy game Company of Heroes, require both a decent video card and a CPU that can deliver good performance. There are also a few games that are heavily graphics-bound, like Prey. In other words, today's gamer needs to consider balance. There's no point in buying a Core 2 Extreme X6800 if all you have is an ATI X1300 or an nVidia GeForce 7300. By the same token, dropping a GeForce 7950 GX2 into a Celeron- or Sempron-based system is just plain silly. So consider the idea of balance when you're upgrading. It may be better to split your $500 budget between a CPU and a graphics card, but the ratio of that split may depend on your gaming habits. As with the previous scenario, more memory tends to be better, particularly with recent game titles. A number of games out now can benefit from having more than 1GB of RAM. Most games should run well in a 1GB footprint, however. Finally, don't shortchange audio. A Creative X-Fi sound card, along with high-fidelity speakers or good headphones, can substantially intensify the immersive experience. If you can't afford a sound card, make sure your next motherboard upgrade uses one of the higher-quality HD codecs, like the Analog Devices AD1988B. You won't get full EAX 4.0 3D audio, but it's still a pretty good experience. Do get good speakers and headphones. What good is a game where stuff explodes if you can't hear it? Peripheral Upgrade Key Upgrades Featured Components The Digital Media Home System
ARTICLE DATE: 12.20.06 Many home PC users are finding that the PC they bought to surf the Web has been transformed into a digital media hub. Whether you're simply an iTunes or Windows Media Player user, or dabble in digital photography and video editing, digital media is quickly becoming the main focus of a PC that wasn't built for it. If this sounds like your PC, then the upgrades that might work best for you are capacious fast storage, lots of memory, and a fast CPU. Secondarily, a reasonably good graphics card may be useful for certain types of applications, such as rendering 3D transitions in some video-editing applications. Fortunately for most users, these upgrades, with the exception of the CPU, are some of the easiest to perform. You may find that you can easily upgrade your system in about a half hour. Digital media requires storage—and lots of it. Professional videographers look to solutions such as large, striped arrays to boost capacity and performance. Home users, too, should seriously consider data integrity and safety before performance. Losing all your digital photos from the last two years will not engender peace and tranquility in your household. What you might prefer is a single, fairly large drive for your primary drive and a pair of high-capacity drives set up as a RAID 1 redundant array, which works by replicating all data onto two different drives, even though it looks like a single volume. Store most of your "precious cargo" on the RAID 1 array. Memory is another key upgrade item, particularly for digital photography and video editing. Having 2GB of RAM or more will help minimize swapping out to the hard drive during those intensive rendering or filtering operations. You may not think that you will ever do any photo editing of this magnitude, but a few years ago you probably never thought you'd turn your trusty SLR in for a digital camera, either. Finally, a fast CPU is extremely useful when you're running those intensive filtering operations. Many video-encoding and editing apps are designed to take advantage of dual-core processors, so that's a worthy upgrade if your system can handle it. Peripheral Upgrade Key Upgrades Featured Products January 12 BBC to Develop Social Networking Web SitesBBC to Develop Social Networking Web Sites
January 11, 2007 By Reuters
LONDON (Reuters)—The British Broadcasting Corporation plans to develop its online presence by providing social networking sites based on its most popular brands such as Top Gear, a BBC spokeswoman said on Thursday. The world-renowned broadcaster is looking to tap into the popularity of such sites as MySpace, in which users contribute comments and video footage to share with other users. The spokeswoman for BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the corporation, said there was no time plan in place but that it expected to continue to develop its online service over the next year. The sites will carry more interactive sections and be targeted at consumers who are already interested in such brands as the popular motoring show and BBC Good Food. "The teen part of this (trend) might have reached capacity, but there might be other communities that we could explore given the brand and our existing online presence," the spokeswoman said. "If appropriate social networking opportunities arise, then we would look at them very seriously, because it's a growing area of business that we're not particularly in at the moment. "It seems to be the way that Web sites are developing." The phenomenon of consumers contributing to Web sites such as MySpace and YouTube or via blogs swept the media industry in 2006, prompting headlines that the traditional media was losing its sway with consumers. But a report by consultancy Deloitte this year said traditional organizations such as the BBC and newspapers were in fact ideally suited to benefit, because the trend develops consumer loyalty. The BBC has invested heavily in its Web site, which receives around 14.5 million unique users a month, a spokeswoman for BBC new media said. The BBC has an agreement with the government that its commercial businesses such as BBC Worldwide can borrow up to 350 million pounds ($680,000) for investment. January 11 Security bulletinSecurity bulletinUpdate available for vulnerabilities in versions 7.0.8 and earlier of Adobe Reader and AcrobatRelease date: January 9, 2007 Vulnerability identifier: APSB07-01 CVE number: CVE-2006-5857, CVE-2007-0045, CVE-2007-0046, CVE-2007-0048 Platform: All Platforms Affected software versionsAdobe Reader 7.0.8 and earlier versions RevisionJanuary 9, 2007 — This Security Bulletin provides a solution for the issue originally documented in Security Advisory APSA07-01 on January 4, 2007, as well as other issues. SummaryThis Security Bulletin addresses several vulnerabilities, including issues that have already been disclosed. An update is available for a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in versions 7.0.8 and earlier of Adobe Reader and Acrobat that could allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary JavaScript into a browser session. This vulnerability, previously reported in APSA07-01 on January 4, 2007, has been assigned an important severity rating. Additional vulnerabilities have been identified in versions 7.0.8 and earlier of Adobe Reader and Acrobat that could allow an attacker who successfully exploits these vulnerabilities to take control of the affected system. These vulnerabilities have been assigned a critical severity rating. A malicious file must be loaded in Adobe Reader by the end user for an attacker to exploit these vulnerabilities. It is recommended that users update to the most current version of Adobe Reader or Acrobat available. SolutionAdobe Reader on Windows Adobe strongly recommends upgrading to Adobe Reader 8, available from the following site: Users with Adobe Reader 7.0 through 7.0.8, who cannot upgrade to Reader 8, should upgrade to Reader 7.0.9. Adobe Reader 7.0.9 is available as a full installation package and not a patch. It can be installed on top of any older version of Reader 7 and user preferences will be preserved: Adobe Reader on Mac OS Adobe strongly recommends upgrading to Adobe Reader 8, available from the following site: http://www.adobe.com/go/getreader. Users with Adobe Reader 7.0 through 7.0.8, who cannot upgrade to Reader 8, should upgrade to Reader 7.0.9. The Reader 7.0.9 update requires that Adobe Reader 7.0.8 is installed on your Mac system. To determine which version of Adobe Reader is installed, choose Adobe Reader > About Adobe Reader. The version number appears in the upper left corner below the Adobe Reader logo. Adobe Acrobat on Windows or Mac OS For version 7.0-7.0.8, users should utilize the product's automatic update facility. The default installation configuration runs automatic updates on a regular schedule, and can be manually activated by choosing Help > Check For Updates Now. Alternatively, the update files can also be manually downloaded and installed from www.adobe.com/downloads. Adobe Reader on UNIX For version 7.0, users should upgrade to Adobe Reader 7.0.9 from http://www.adobe.com/go/getreader. For versions prior to 7.0, users should upgrade to 7.0.9 http://www.adobe.com/go/getreader. Adobe is working on an update to versions 6.X of Adobe Reader and Acrobat that will resolve this issue. It is expected to be available in the near future. This Security Bulletin will be updated as soon as the update is available. Server-side workarounds for website operators Adobe has provided workarounds for website operators to prevent the cross-site scripting vulnerability (CVE-2007-0045) from the server side. Please review Security Advisory APSA07-02 for more information. Severity ratingAdobe categorizes this as a critical issue and recommends affected users update any affected software. DetailsThis Security Bulletin addresses several vulnerabilities, including issues that have already been disclosed. It is recommended that users update to the most current version of Adobe Reader or Acrobat available. An update is available for a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in versions 7.0.8 and earlier of Adobe Reader and Acrobat that could allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary JavaScript into a browser session. This vulnerability, previously reported in APSA07-01 on January 4, 2007, has been assigned an important severity rating. This issue is specific to Windows and Linux operating systems. Exploitability depends on the browser and browser version being used. This vulnerability does not allow execution of binary code. This issue is remotely exploitable. Adobe has provided workarounds for website operators to prevent the cross-site scripting vulnerability from the server side. (CVE-2007-0045) Additional vulnerabilities have been identified in versions 7.0.8 and earlier of Adobe Reader and Acrobat that could allow an attacker who successfully exploits these vulnerabilities to take control of the affected system. These vulnerabilities have been assigned a critical severity rating. A malicious file must be loaded in Adobe Reader by the end user for an attacker to exploit these vulnerabilities. These issues are remotely exploitable. (CVE-2006-5857, CVE-2007-0046) These updates include changes to prevent a denial of service issue in Adobe Reader or Acrobat. (CVE-2007-0048) AcknowledgmentsAdobe would like to thank Piotr Bania for reporting the vulnerability described in CVE-2006-5857 and for working with us to help protect our customers' security. Adobe disclaimerLicense agreementBy using software of Adobe Systems Incorporated or its subsidiaries ("Adobe"); you agree to the following terms and conditions. If you do not agree with such terms and conditions; do not use the software. The terms of an end user license agreement accompanying a particular software file upon installation or download of the software shall supersede the terms presented below. The export and re-export of Adobe software products are controlled by the United States Export Administration Regulations and such software may not be exported or re-exported to Cuba; Iran; Iraq; Libya; North Korea; Sudan; or Syria or any country to which the United States embargoes goods. In addition; Adobe software may not be distributed to persons on the Table of Denial Orders; the Entity List; or the List of Specially Designated Nationals. By downloading or using an Adobe software product you are certifying that you are not a national of Cuba; Iran; Iraq; Libya; North Korea; Sudan; or Syria or any country to which the United States embargoes goods and that you are not a person on the Table of Denial Orders; the Entity List; or the List of Specially Designated Nationals. If the software is designed for use with an application software product (the "Host Application") published by Adobe; Adobe grants you a non-exclusive license to use such software with the Host Application only; provided you possess a valid license from Adobe for the Host Application. Except as set forth below; such software is licensed to you subject to the terms and conditions of the End User License Agreement from Adobe governing your use of the Host Application. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES: YOU AGREE THAT ADOBE HAS MADE NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES TO YOU REGARDING THE SOFTWARE AND THAT THE SOFTWARE IS BEING PROVIDED TO YOU "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. ADOBE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THE SOFTWARE; EXPRESS OR IMPLIED; INCLUDING; WITHOUT LIMITATION; ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE; MERCHANTABILITY; MERCHANTABLE QUALITY OR NONINFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS. Some states or jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties; so the above limitations may not apply to you. LIMIT OF LIABILITY: IN NO EVENT WILL ADOBE BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY LOSS OF USE; INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS; OR ANY DIRECT; INDIRECT; SPECIAL; INCIDENTAL; OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS) REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION WHETHER IN CONTRACT; TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE); STRICT PRODUCT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE; EVEN IF ADOBE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Some states or jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages; so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. January 10 The Digital Generation Gap: How Brands Can Capitalize on the Growing Senior Online SetThe Digital Generation Gap: How Brands Can Capitalize on the Growing Senior Online Set
My mom is 64. On those rare occasions when I send her an email, with, say, my flight information, I have to call her first to let her know to “check the computer”. Her PC sits in the far part of the house, under a plastic cover, and is connected to the Internet via a painfully slow dial-up connection. My dad is even worse. At 66, he refuses to learn to type, and he is the kind of executive who still has his assistant print out emails to read at his desk. Is this your vision of Seniors online? It’s certainly the prevailing mindset in the interactive industry. We are so focused on the youth market, and so averse to marketing to anyone over 55, you’d think we were all Army recruiters. Well let me paint a different picture. There are 11.5 million Seniors who regularly access the Internet, defined as those 65 or older. Jupiter expects that number to double by 2010. Whereas only a third of the Senior population is regularly online today, in 2010, online Seniors will represent half of the total Senior population. That makes Seniors the fastest growing segment online. That’s right, they’re growing faster than any other audience, including children and teens. With the Internet at about 70% penetration in North America, Senior consumers are some of the last people to get online. But the tide is turning. What can we learn from those Seniors who are already online? It turns out they are great potential customers: They’re educated and affluent. The divide between online Senior consumers and their offline counterparts mirrors other age groups. The have more disposable income and are more likely to have a college degree. They are also more likely to be married or living with a partner. They’re not sitting around the house. Seniors who are online are more likely to have a job, which means they are more likely to be exposed to technology at work and to have a network of younger colleagues to guide them. And all that disposable income means that they travel for leisure more than any other segment – an average of 3.0 trips a year, versus 2.2 trips for those under 65. They’re not all watching 60 Minutes. Seniors use email, send e-greetings, and share photos at nearly the same rates as the general online population. You’ll find them in representative numbers on all the major portals, and at age-appropriate sites that focus on issues like health, personal finance, and genealogy. So how are Seniors different? Simply put, they don’t have the same trust in technology that we find in younger consumers. It’s no surprise that in a recent Forrester survey, only 25% of Seniors somewhat or completely agreed that “Technology has made my life easier”. Only 18% agree that “The Internet helps me get ahead in life”. They can perceive the Web as an intimidating technology barrier, rather than as a source of knowledge or productivity. While Seniors see the value of interactive media for communications, it’s not a priority commerce channel. They lag in a number of basic e-commerce indicators, including online researching, purchasing online, and in the average amount of each online transaction. But this will change as more and more Seniors come online, and smart marketers can’t afford to ignore this market any longer. At Organic, we are creating targeted interactive experiences specifically designed to match how Seniors think about and apply technology. One brand we are currently working with is Geek Squad, a national network of computer repair consultants who wear clip-on ties and make house calls in their iconic black and orange Volkswagen Beetles. Their brand is extremely relevant to the kind of affluent online Seniors who have an affinity for new technology, but need a helping hand from someone they can trust. In designing their website, we wanted to acknowledge the differences between Seniors and younger, more tech-savvy customers. Organic engaged the client in a persona development exercise to understand Geek Squad’s customers at the level of their beliefs, emotions, and behaviors, particularly around technology. We created a persona, Charlie, who has many of the characteristics of the typical online Senior. Charlie is retired, but he emails his grandchildren regularly and knows his way around a PC. Charlie is getting tired of calling up his son when things go wrong. Knowing that the Web is full of people trying to take advantage of unsophisticated users like him, he wants to find a computer company that will prove worthy of his trust. And we want to design a website that won’t talk down to him and that takes his concerns and fears about technology seriously. To speak to Charlie, we are creating a specific pathway into Geek Squad’s products and services that speaks to computer issues in language he understands. Rather than forcing him to understand terms like “wireless networking” or “VOIP”, we start the Charlies of the world off with a problem statement like “I can’t connect to the Internet” or “I think I might have a computer virus”. Understanding how Charlie thinks about technology is the key to demonstrating what Geek Squad can do for him. Second, we know from our research that while online Seniors and the overall online population have similar click-through rates, they are more than twice as likely to call an 800 number to order products after seeing ads online. Since they prefer toll-free numbers, we made sure that every touchpoint aimed at Charlie includes references to 1-800-GeekSquad and messaging about Geek Squad’s 24/7 access to real live humans. Another example of reaching out to Seniors was a pitch we recently gave for a major cruise line. The majority of cruises are still booked through travel agents, partly because they are more complex products than simple airline ticket purchases, and partly because the core audience for cruises are 55+, and are only just beginning to demand better service through the online channel. This client was convinced that we should focus on a building a richer research experience that demonstrated the superior service qualities of their high-end brand, then create a hand-off to the travel agent. We came with a point of view that the Senior market was ready to take control of their own itinerary and book online. We proposed a streamlined trip planning guide that included elements of both a standard trip configurator and a customization tool. Knowing that many online Seniors travel together, we also created a widget that allows passengers to share the planning process with their loved ones. While I may never get my parents to install broadband at their house, I do see some hopeful signs. My father-in-law, who is about the same age but infinitely more web-savvy, has gotten into Flickr in a major way. My folks are starting to feel some peer pressure. Seniors will be the next big wave of customers to embrace the online channel. How can your brand take advantage of the growing numbers of Seniors online? January 09 Skype As Your Office Phone System?Skype As Your Office Phone System? By Gerry Blackwell January 9, 2007 After trying Skype at home for a few months, Eric Taylor decided it was good enough to use at work—and would solve a couple of pressing problems there. Taylor manages an independent branch of Allied Home Mortgage Capital Corp., a residential mortgage brokerage firm, in Warrenton, Virginia. "I was looking for a way to reduce expenses related to land line phones and also to improve telephone functions," he explains. "Mainly I wanted to make it possible for employees to take calls [to the office system] wherever they are because many of them work at least part of the time at home." The office had about six lines from Verizon. Taylor ripped out five of them—for a savings of about $200 a month. He left the main Verizon number in place and installed CallButler a software PBX from Works Out Software, Inc. that provides small businesses with a complete phone system, using Skype, for about $30. Call Butler is the brainchild of ex-Microsofter Jim Heising, Works Out Software's president and CEO. Heising formed the company two-and-a-half years ago after selling off an earlier start-up, Giant Software (anti-spyware tools) to Microsoft. Not quite ready to retire and intrigued by the possibilities of VoIP, he started the new company, initially to develop a VoIP software development kit (SDK) using Microsoft's .Net framework. After the VoIP .Net SDK launched, Heising looked around for a new project and decided to create a complete solution around the technology the firm had developed. Works Out Software launched the CallButler line, which includes versions for Skype and SIP -based VoIP services, in September 2006. The Goal "Our biggest differentiator—the thing really driving the project from the start—is ease of use," says Mike Tomazic, vice president of business development, and another ex-Microsofter. "Jim said he wanted it to be so easy that his grandfather could set it up. That has been the philosophy from day one." How does it work? First of all, customers need a SkypeIn number—a "direct-inward-dialing" number provided by Skype for about $40 a year that allows callers to reach a Skype customer's computer via the PSTN. When customers dial Taylor's Verizon number, the call automatically forwards to his SkypeIn number. From there, CallButler takes over. Callers hear an auto attendant greeting (the product lets you record your own or use text-to-speech) letting them choose a voice-menu option, dial an extension number or dial by name. When they make a selection, CallButler forwards the call — over the Internet — to an employee's Skype name. The Skype customer can be anywhere, including at home or in an airport lounge, which is exactly the functionality Taylor wanted. Tomazic says almost any small business can benefit. "But we really see the ideal customer being a small decentralized company. Certainly people who travel frequently and that make a lot of long distance calls, especially internationally, will benefit." The Skype version appears to be getting the most traction. "We do have a number of companies now that are starting to look at Skype as their primary, if not their exclusive, phone system," Tomazic says. American companies, though, are well behind small businesses in other parts of the world, he adds. "We're seeing a very high [Skype] adoption rate in countries like Singapore, Brazil and China. Businesses in those countries are adopting Skype as a standard way of communicating within and outside their companies. Their Skype name is a natural part of what people put on their business cards now." North American businesses, he says, need "a kick in the pants to be more innovative in how they use technology." Maybe, but relatively few are as adventurous as Taylor, and perhaps with good reason. Imperfect Call-Handling As for CallButler itself, it was easy enough to set up, Taylor says, but the experience hasn't been 100 percent positive. The product has "a bug or two," Taylor says, though he maintains that it's still "very good." One problem he's noted is that callers hear six or seven seconds of silence after they dial an extension. Works Out Software says this is a problem that originates with Skype and it has hopes it will be rectified. Taylor has partially solved it by warning callers in his greeting that they will experience a slight delay. Another problem, perhaps more serious for most businesses, is that if you receive a Skype call through CallButler, you can't transfer it manually to another employee, as you could with most conventional phone systems. Since most of Taylor's firm's calling is outbound, this rarely comes up, he says. If it does, his employees just tell the caller that a colleague will call them right back. It was Tomazic, however, who pointed out a more fundamental problem—at least with current versions of the product: CallButler cannot handle simultaneous calls, other than to send second and subsequent calls automatically to voice mail. This, again, is a limitation of Skype, he says, but Works Out has solved it. The solution involves launching multiple instances of the Skype client for the same account—the one associated with the SkypeIn number. "We've actually had to do some fairly creative things to make that work," he says. The new feature will appear in first quarter 2007. It's also not possible to smoothly integrate Skype with a SIP-based VoIP service using CallButler. A company couldn't have one greeting that allowed callers to route themselves either to a VoIP line or a Skype user, although they could have parallel Skype and SIP CallButler systems and transfer calls using additional SkypeIn numbers. That too is being rectified, Tomazic says. "Ultimately we'll have one environment for both SIP and Skype." He doesn't say when, though. Dialing for Databases It's still early days for CallButler. The company has "somewhere around 100" paying customers. In surveys of customers using the free trial versions, 70 percent say they are likely or very likely to purchase the product, he says. As for the quality of Skype calling being up to business standards (otherwise why bother with something like CallButler?), Tomazic maintains that, while there is some "flakiness" in Skype, it's "as good as or better than you get on a cell phone" and "the quality is continually improving." Some people would argue with both statements. Still, using Skype and CallButler as a small business phone system is at the very least an interesting proposition. Adapted from voipplanet.com. |
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Skype has ushered in the New Year with an update to the Windows version of its software (versions are also available for Mac, Linux and Pocket PC/Windows Mobile platforms), but before we delve into the new Skype 3.0, let's go over the basics of how Skype works for any one not familiar with it.
Skype's Internet TV project, formerly called The Venice Project, got its real name today: Joost. The video service is still in beta, but the Joost team says it will be more open than before, so if you've been waiting for an invitation, you can start holding your breath now (we didn't get ours until last week).
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