Making the rounds across the blogs is the fact the decade-old Microsoft Windows XP operating system saw a record decline is usage for Dec 2011. You can hem and haw all day about percentage and points and so on, but the fact is that people are dropping the XP OS in droves; these users are either upgrading to Windows 7, outright replacing their old computer with...

XP went RTM in August 2001, meaning in 8 months it will be 10 years old. Granted, XP today is significantly different compared how it was in ’01 (as in three service packs, introduction of WGA, changeover/makeover of wireless setup, etc.), but how it looks and acts hasn’t changed. My desktop runs Windows 7 and has been since the OS was in open beta....

Windows Live Essentials 2011 is only for Vista SP2 or Windows 7 and not Windows XP. Any attempt to run the installer on XP won’t work. In addition the website makes it appear as if the XP version of the software is no longer available. It is still possible however to download the XP version of the Live Essentials software, so if you have a computer with XP...

From the You Have Got To Be Kidding Me department, certain folks are thrilled that Microsoft just extended downgrade rights… …for Windows XP. We’re gonna need two facepalms for this one.Of course, these "certain folks" I’m referring to aren’t home computer users but rather businesses. It also indicates that Microsoft...

Every laptop and netbook should have an on-screen volume display, but unfortunately some don’t. The end result is that whenever you change the volume via the keyboard (usually a Fn+F8 for up and Fn+F9 for down) you have absolutely no idea what the volume level is other than by ear. Why is an OSD volume meter so important on a laptop? Because it’s...

Windows 7 introduced the incredibly useful Aero Snap function, but for those of you using Windows Vista and XP you can add this functionality with the freeware utility, AeroSnap. AeroSnap is a simple but powerful application that allows you to resize, arrange or maximize your desktop windows with just drag’n'drop. Simple drag a window to a side of your...

Let’s face it, XP is old. Really old. However in the business world, Win2000 and WinXP still have a strong foothold on the desktop. But thankfully XP is finally losing its grip. By the end of 2010 it’s speculated that 50% of business will be using Windows 7. This is largely due to the fact that more IT admins have given Win 7 the thumbs up as a...

Notes: This issue seems to be particular to XP and not Vista or 7. In addition, it is not guaranteed to work as they may be other apps interrupting your Hibernate/Stand By process – but – there’s a good chance it will work. Java, the thing we all love to hate, is in many cases a necessary evil for specific web sites and apps like the OpenOffice...

My Dell Inspiron mini 10v originally came preloaded with Windows XP Home Edition back when I bought it in August 2009. Shortly after that I ditched it for Windows 7 RC Build 7100. And it ran great. No problems or issues to speak of. However I was also very well aware that the RC expires in March 2010, which is less than three months from now. I was faced with a...

For a while now it’s been possible to map an internet FTP shortcut in Windows Explorer, with emphasis on shortcut and not drive letter. Most of you out there are very familiar with the "Map Network Drive" feature of Windows, but when mapping an FTP location as a shortcut, the steps to take are slightly different. Here’s how to do it in...

Last weekend I upgraded from Windows 7 Release Candidate to Windows 7 Home Premium. I have used many flavors of Windows over the years, and this is certainly the best to date. I personally find it quite enjoyable to be running a brand new fresh-and-modern operating system. Everything looks better, runs better and so on. And there are many features that make 7...

Windows 7 had its wide release yesterday, and there are a few of you out there who are still nervous about upgrading. In response to that, I decided to put together a list of things I don’t miss about XP. 1. XP’s taskbar   Windows XP Taskbar I have a few gripes about XP’s taskbar. First is the fact that in single-tier view (which is the...

The default Windows XP theme is called Luna. This is the rather disgusting blue taskbar, program title bars/borders and the big green Start button. It looks awful. Luna can be changed to either Olive Green (equally disgusting) or Silver (the only which looks good out of the set for Luna). Many people can’t stand Luna and switch to the “Windows...

AIM is the primary instant messenger I use. Out of all the IM services I’ve used over the years, it is the most reliable. In addition, it runs flawlessly on any operating system. Whether you’re on Windows, Mac or Linux, you can run AIM. The latest client offering on the Windows platform is AIM 7 Beta 2. Short review: It’s awesome. If you use...

Judging from the overwhelming positive response from Windows 7 users (including myself), I guess it’s no surprise that Gartner is telling clients to skip Vista entirely and just go straight to 7. What’s more is that it will happen relatively quickly as Microsoft appears to be on target for a late 2009 launch – and that’s ahead of schedule...

It’s not just a keyboard, it’s the whole computer. A keyboard with the computer built in and an 800×480 touchscreen display/trackpad on the right. I had two initial thoughts when I saw this thing on Engadget. First, there’s going to be a lot of strained necks. This is absolutely not ergo-friendly whatsoever. Cool, yes, but not...

For a while now I’ve been using the Zune Windows XP theme (download). That one is by Microsoft and a complete theme compared to Royale which is incomplete (there are "rough" spots here and there). I like the "Classic" XP theme but it’s a bit too bland. However there is an alternative called HmmXP. It is not by Microsoft and...

ZoomIt v3.01 by Sysinternals will allow you roughly the same screen-zoom capabilities that you have in a Linux desktop with 3D effects enabled (Compiz) or Mac OS X. It’s a nice small utility (only 129k before install!) and works in both XP and Vista. If you use your computer screen on a live webcast or make presentations to people often using your...

This is particularly directed at laptop users as most desktop users would have no need for the hibernation feature (or then again, maybe you do? I’m not the boss of you.) Enabling hibernation You need to first enable hibernation in order for it to work. This is done via the Power Options icon in the Control Panel. Once viewing Power Options, click the...

From TG Daily: The final shipment date remains a moving target as Microsoft granted system builders a “flexible” delivery date of Windows XP licenses to customers beyond the official phase-out deadline of January 31, 2009. PC vendors still have to purchase licenses before that date, but can now choose to take delivery of those licenses through May 30, 2009....