Microsoft have release their upgrade path for purchasers of Office 2007 products – purchase qualifying Office 2007 product between 5 March 2010 and 30 September 2010 and you can download the upgrade for FREE once it is released on the Microsoft site – register below for the upgrade :
The next major upgrade to Windows is nearly here – Windows 7. It will come in 3 flavours (Premium, Pro and Ultimate) and improves on many of Vistas issues as well as adding new enhancements in. The final release version is now out and we have installed it into our production machines – read the full review of it HERE.
Suffice to say – its time for XP to be upgraded everywhere – the Windows users have been waiting for is finally here ! We will be moving to Windows 7 as our standard system OS shortly for our Hand Crafted PCs and notebooks.
The current wireless standards of 11Mb (B), 54Mb (G) and 108Mb (SuperG/TurboG) now have a new IEEE ratified standard of 270Mb (N). Draft and Pre N have been around for years now but the IEEE have finally stamped the full WiFI N. Expect 802.11n deviced to become the standard now, and upgrades to be available to all Wifi Pre/Draft N devices via firmware or software/drivers updates within the next few months.
As is normally the case most routers will handle the new standard as well as the pre and draft versions – so you wont be loosing out if you dont update straight away.
Microsoft have just release the new service pack for Vista – SP2. Download today from:
Microsoft SP2 Site – note you will need Service Pack 1 installed on the PC PRIOR to installing SP. It includes all the updates since SP1, and enhances Wifi, Bluetooth and Blu Ray support.
We recently had a request to be able to export all emails (eg all your emails in the inbox) into an excel format that could then be used later. Outlook will allow you to export some of the fields – but NOT the date related ones. Here’s a free ad in that does – allows you to export any of the fields from the email list you like – CodeTwo Outlook Export.
Due to the power that plasma screens put out (and the frequency) – they interfere with Infra Red headphones and make them unusable. How to overcome this? Well if you use a PC for playing your movies and TV (eg a media centre)- you can get a bluetooth headset that supports audio play, and then the interference is history! Check out our catalog for the Plantronics 590 model with up to 10m range and lightweight (and if you need a bluetooth adaptor that support audio streaming get it here)
Just a quick note on something we came across recently and are now using - ConvertXtoDVD from VSO Software. This simple program allows you to convert heaps of formats (AVI, Mpeg, Mpeg4, MP4, AVI, WMV, DV, Divx, Mk) straight to DVD – and automatically creates the title and chapters for you. You can even combine multiple files together in order on the DVD. Its worth buying – no more watching your favourite downloaded TV shows on your computer screen…
XP, which has now been superceded by Vista and Vista SP1, has been show to still have MS Support with the release of their lastest service pack – SP3. This is a rollup of the previous 2 service packs and all the updates since SP2 to get the machine running as fast and secure as possible. Unlike XP SP2 many years ago and Vista SP1, both of which received heaps of press since they were needed, SP3 has just come out through windows updates and the Microsoft website – and there you go. Obviously MS is putting their time and money into Vista – not unreasonable since XP is now a 7 year old system.
Download either via Windows Update on your PC or the internet, or from the Microsoft Web site as a complete download (315MB).
After more than a year in the market, Vista Service Pack 1 has now been released. It includes all the patches and security updates up till now, as well as some changes to help network and speed functionality of the o/s.
There are 2 ways to get it – either using the Update Windows function in the control panel, of via downloading the full update from the Microsoft Website
Note Microsoft are giving FREE support for Vista Sp1 until March 2009 – check HERE for information (click on Contact a Support Professional on the right, then choose VIsta SP1 at the bottom of the list).
Just as an add on to the MCE post – to make sure we were able to playback everything a few bits of software were installed -
Divx (most downloaded videos use this)
K-Lite Mega Codec Pack (has all the codecs to play movie and song files eg. XVid)
DVD Region Free (so the Media Centre will play ALL DVDs not just the local region ones)
