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Category Archive: Technology
I was on the verge of ordering an Android phone many months ago when the rumour broke that Microsoft was going to launch Windows Phone 7 with Xbox Live support by the end of 2010. It was that point that I put any upgrade plans on hold and after watching the embedded video I’m really glad I waited.
The platform promises achievements on the go with up to 200 GamerScore per title just like on Xbox Live Arcade. You’ll also be able to view your friends list (along with their online status), achievements unlocked and even amend your Avatar.
Check out the official Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 page for a list of upcoming launch titles. Or if you’re keen to read more, why not head on over to the excellent Engadget review of Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7.
Do you wish to disable the tab preview in Windows 7 when mousing over the Internet Explorer 8 icon on the taskbar when you have more than one tab open? Well there is a setting to change that which seems obvious in hindsight.
Open IE8 and click on Tools, then Internet Optioons. On the first screen there should be a Tabs section – click on Settings. In here simply untick the box next to “Show previews for individual tabs in the taskbar” and then restart IE8. Now you won’t be shown a list of all the open tabs but instead the last active one just like it does in Vista.
So Apple have ALREADY released an ad trying to make fun of Windows 7. Seriously, Apple, you need to get over this strange insecurity you and your users have about anything defined as “Not Apple”.
I’m really enjoying the differences in Windows 7 so far and I’m sure I’ll come across a couple things that I will definitely not like but that’s what change is all about. When I first started using Vista I didn’t really think there were sufficient enhancements to justify an upgrade – that is to say until I tried to use XP at work and noticed all the small extras which I took for granted in Vista were missing. I’m sure the same will probably ring true for Windows 7 – I already can’t do without the Zune controls straight off the taskbar!
I know I have a pretty obvious preference for Microsoft, but I’m not a blind follower – just check out this terrible Launch Party ad campaign Microsoft thought was a good idea.
Enter Microsoft’s Zune HD! I ordered one for delivery next week and shall be saved from the hell that is iTunes on Windows (I don’t doubt it runs smoothly on a Mac but on PC it’s an overbloated pile of shit). I bought an iPod years ago because it was all that was available to me at the time with the storage I was after and have never enjoyed using it from day one.
So what does the Zune HD offer that has made this such a sweet piece of hardware?
- Touchscreen
- Built-in web browser/wi-fi
- HD Video (720p streamable to HDTV via dock)
- Built-in radio
- Apps
- Zune software is clean and fast
- Zune Marketplace
- Zune Social
- Zune Pass
- XNA support
So I thought I’d touch on some of the key feaures highlighted above. The Zune Marketplace is like iTunes Store where you can purchase MP3s, videos, and applications but what Microsoft have added some features that take it way beyond iTunes.
First is Zune Social. You create a username (or use your Xbox Live user account if you have one) and it then scrobbles your tracks just like Last.FM but isntead to Zune Social. There is a program for Windows called Zuse which allows you to scrobble tracks to Last.FM if you’re worried about losing that ability. Taking a page out of Xbox Live, they have added Badges to your Social account which act almost like Achievements that you unlock as you play more and more songs.
Next up we have Zune Pass. For a paltry $15/month you get the ability to stream any music found in the Zune Marketplace using the built-in wifi – it’s like having Spotify on the go. But wait! That’s not all! You also get to download 10 MP3′s to keep each month. This is a feature which I feel extends the 32Gb flash storage found on the device in a way that works beautifully in this ever-connected world we now live in.
The Zune Software is just a dream to run. Unlike iTunes it has a very clean design and doesn’t feel bulky and tacked together with duct tape. It can be downloaded and run without owning a Zune and I’ve been doing just that for some time now.
Something I have been delving into on the Xbox is XNA. XNA is an excellent game development framework designed to allow anyone to develop a game for PC, Xbox360 or Zune. The great thing about XNA development for Xbox360 is that once submitted for approval your game could end up for sale on Xbox Live’s Indie Games section. This seems to be the case for Zune too as Microsoft unveils the App Marketplace within the Zune software. The addition of XNA supporting Zune was the ultimate cherry on top for me.
Microsoft are offering Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional at a very enticing half-price offer when pre-ordering from selected dealers between 15 July 2009 and 9 August 2009. In Europe these are being offered as “E” versions due to anti-trust laws prohibiting Microsoft from unfair competition. The key difference is that these versions do not come with Internet Explorer 8 pre-installed, instead you have to install your browser after installation.
To find out more, check out Microsoft’s Windows 7 pre-order page.
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