Windows

Microsoft patents means of limiting software

Microsoft on Tuesday was granted a patent for a way of limiting access to certain features of an operating system depending on whether a user has paid for those features.

The patent, titled "Restricted software and hardware usage on a computer," covers a means by which it can offer software that has features either enabled or not enabled depending on which edition a user has purchased. It's a concept already in use at the company.

Microsoft has already said it will offer all versions of Windows 7 on a single disc, with a particular product key unlocking … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 978: Blue screen of payment

Microsoft just got a patent for disabling your operating system until you pay an "agreed-on sum of money." Also we find out that the Palm Pre is going to sell out, which means Sprint can save a load on advertising. And Moblin is out for beta testing, even if you think the name is dumb.

Listen now: Download today's podcast Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | iTunes (video) | RSS (audio) | RSS (video) EPISODE 978

Palm Pre to run $549 off-contract http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/palm-pre-to-run-549-off-contract/

Sprint's CEO thinks there will be a Pre shortage, decides … Read more

Ray Ozzie on the cloud, Vista lessons, and more

Ray Ozzie is a big believer in the cloud. But he knows that large businesses don't yet share his confidence.

"Enterprises will not really trust the cloud until they get some experience with it," Ozzie said, during a speech at a J.P. Morgan investment conference in Boston on Wednesday. He said that large businesses are more likely to start by going with an online version of a familiar product like Microsoft Exchange than they are today to move a major piece of their business into the cloud. A Webcast of his speech is available on Microsoft'… Read more

Netflix coming to Windows Media Center

Microsoft has struck a deal to bring Netflix's streaming movie service to Windows Media Center, the companies said Tuesday.

Netflix's more than 12,000 "Watch it now" movies and TV episodes are only available to users of Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate. XP users won't be able to access the service.

Owners of Windows Media Center will also be able to search the entire Netflix library, manage their DVD queues, and "filter searches by titles that are available to watch instantly," Microsoft said in a statement.

Microsoft continues to try to boost … Read more

Webware 100 Editors' Choice: Evernote and Windows Live Sync (Rafe's favorites)

Sites: Evernote and Windows Live Sync Category: Editors' Choice, Rafe's favorites

These products are Webware editor's Rafe Needleman's somewhat secret productivity tools. Neither are well-known products, but both enable a person who does a lot of writing on more than one computer to stay productive.

Evernote is a note-taking application that has both downloadable software and a Web app. No matter which machine--PC, Mac, or iPhone--you use to take notes, you can see them almost immediately on any other of your machines that have the software. You can also get your notes on the Evernote Web service. … Read more

Webware 100 winner: Windows Live Hotmail

Site: Mail.live.com Category:Communication

Windows Live Hotmail is the latest iteration of Microsoft's free, Web-based e-mail service. The multipane interface lets you drag and drop messages into folders, or right-click messages for a menu of options. There's also a "Today" tab of news, both international and social, that loads when you sign in. Windows Live Hotmail even lets you choose a color theme in case you feel like customizing it to match your tastes.

Microsoft has also rolled out some useful features like instant spell-check, a built-in audio player, an RSS feed reader, and … Read more

Webware 100 winner: Windows Live SkyDrive

Site: Skydrive.live.com Category: Infrastructure & Storage

Windows Live SkyDrive is Microsoft's free Web storage service. Users get 25GB of space in the cloud where they can safely keep their files, and they can log in to access those them with their Microsoft Live ID.

One of the things that makes SkyDrive neat is the desktop integration. Windows users who are running Internet Explorer can run a special SkyDrive-specific ActiveX control that lets them drag and drop files from their desktop to upload to their Web storage. SkyDrive is also beginning to be integrated into other Windows Live … Read more

Webware 100 winner: Windows Live Messenger

Site: Messenger.live.com Category: Communication

Windows Live Messenger is Microsoft's instant-messaging service. Once called MSN Messenger, Windows Live Messenger is a chat client that also works with Yahoo's IM protocol. Users can text and video chat, as well as make calls and send SMS text messages to telephones. It also has a shared file storage system that lets users swap and store files.

Windows Live Messenger is available on several platforms including mobile phones. It's even been integrated into Microsoft's gaming console, the Xbox 360. All versions require users to sign up with Microsoft's … Read more

Intel previews Atom 'Pineview' chip, Linux OS

Updated at 1:45 p.m. PDT with additional comments about Moblin market share.

On Tuesday, Intel released information on its next-generation Atom silicon and the next version of its Linux operating system for Netbooks.

Noury Al-Khaledy, general manager of Nettop and Netbook Computing at Intel, announced a technology platform called "Pine Trail" that--at the risk of confounding readers with similar product names--uses a new Atom processor dubbed "Pineview."

Essentially, what all of this means is that Intel will move more features onto the "Pineview" Atom processor that are currently in the surrounding chipset. … Read more

Two programs that simplify Vista system tweaking

Last week, I described five ways to squeeze a little more juice out of Vista by using features built into the operating system. A simpler approach that achieves the same system-tuning effects is to use a utility that lets you make the same type of Registry edits and configuration changes without having to navigate 10 rows deep into some obscure hierarchy of "keys" with undecipherable names.

I looked at a free program from Microsoft MVP Anand Khanse called Ultimate Windows Tweaker and the $29.99 Vista Smoker Pro from WareSoft Software (as close to a palindrome as company … Read more