Contrary to rumors, Microsoft’s highly anticipated Windows 7 Starter edition will not have a three application limit. This means that users can have more than three applications running at the same time. This is good news for netbook owners and potential users who would want Windows 7 for their new operatin system. Microsoft Windows 7 is being positioned as the next Windows operating system for netbooks following a re-surgence of Windows XP.

Here an announcement taken from the Windows 7 Team Blog:

“There of course will also be Windows 7 Starter edition, but based on the feedback we’ve received from partners and customers asking us to enable a richer small notebook PC experience with Windows 7 Starter, we’ve decided to make some changes compared to previous Starter editions. For the first time, we will be making Windows 7 Starter available worldwide on small notebook PCs. We are also going to enable Windows 7 Starter customers the ability to run as many applications simultaneously as they would like, instead of being constricted to the 3 application limit that the previous Starter editions included.”

But don’t expect the Microsoft Windows 7 to be too eye candy and ultra-powerful compared to its Windows Vista counterparts. Windows 7 Starter will not have the Vista Aero graphical user interface but will have the Microsoft Windows Basic theme similar to Microsoft Windows XP. Also missing are features such as DVD playback, multi-monitor support and personalization tools such as changing the desktop wallpaper, colors and sound themes.

According to Michael Cherry (analyst with Directions on Microsoft), “They’re really doing everything they can to remove any barrier to the OS, and by removing these barriers, they really are working to make as smooth a transition as possible into Windows 7.”

The new Microsoft Windows 7 is expected to be released in time for the 2009 holiday season.

SOURCES: ELECTRONISTA, ARSTECHNICA, COMPUTERWORLD

There has been rumors that Palm’s latest phone gadget called the Palm Pre can actually synchronize with iTunes. The treatment will be the same. The Palm Pre will be recognized a any iPod or iPhone gadget by iTune. Thus, linking the Palm Pre to iTunes and enabling it to receive music and videos. Unfortunately, should you have DRM-clasped music files, you cannot transfer these to the Palm Pre.

Should this be the case, we can expect some lawyers throwing lawsuits at Palm Pre for violating their sole use of their intellectual property. This could be a treat against their iPods and iPhones because users can just purchase the music via iTunes and transfer them to their Palm Pres.

Let us just wait and see if this is true. But there is no denying the buzz the Palm Pre is creating especially with their WebOS operating system that is reported to be very stable.

SOURCES: Engadget

Still hot on Lenovo news, Lenovo’s newest notebook could well be the first to have a NVIDIA Ion chipset. With NVIDIA’s ION graphics platform, users will enjoy brilliant 1080p high definition video with smooth playback. According to Rene Haas (General manager – Notebook GPUs, NVIDIA), “With enhanced graphics, the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 netbook is perfect for watching movies, playing popular games like Spore, flipping through vacation pictures or enhancing family videos.”

The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is a 12-inch netbook with a 100-percent full-size keyboard, an apparent 1080p video playback (which is especially great for HD) and weighting at 3lbs. Other specifications include the following: WXGA (1,280 x 800) resolution LED-backlit panel, Intel’s 1.6GHz Atom CPU (the one big “ugh”), 1GB of DDR2 memory, 160/250/320GB HDD options, an optional 6-cell battery, Ethernet jack, WiFi, Bluetooth, three USB 2.0 sockets, an ExpressCard slot, a 4-in-1 card reader and VGA / HDMI outputs.

According to Dion Weisler (Vice president, Business Operations, Idea Product Group of Lenovo), “We’ve heard from consumers loud and clear about the need for affordable and extremely portable computing devices, and we’ve responded by introducing our third netbook with a completely new form factor, making mini-computing more usable and redefining value in today’s market. We are pioneering new territory in the developing netbook arena by being the first vendor to give customers high quality video and entertainment capabilities in a netbook with optional NVIDIA ION graphics.”

The  Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is shipped with Windows XP and will be available by June at a $449 value.

SOURCES: ENGADGET, CNET

Memorial Day is also somehow a “Lenovo Day” as Chinese PC maker Lenovo rolls out the IdeaPad U350. The Lenovo IdealPad U350 is a ultra-thin notebook that has a 16:9 aspect ratio, 13.3 inch LED, HD 1366 X 768 which is just perfect for watching movies and viewing websites. The HDMI connector allows you to fully enjoy watching movies or other multimedia in high definition.

With about 1-inch in thickness, the Lenovo IdeaPad has a Core 2 Solo, Pentium ULV or Celeron processors with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 500GB of storage. This ultra-thin notebook has a battery life of 10 hours with 8 cell battery pack and 5 hours with 4 cell battery pack. Connect wirelessly via Intel WiFi Link 5100 wireless b/g and Bluetooth. Standard specifications are Ethernet connections, 1.3 megapixel camera, Multi-card reader, Dolby Sound room via the 1.5 dual speakers and come with Windows Vista Home Basic or Home Premium.

A cool feature is the Ambient Light Sensor technology (taken from the IdeaCentre desktop line) which dajusts the screen’s brightness when in different lighting conditions for the best screen quality. Another is the VeriFace facial recognition technology which provides security via making your face as the password.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U350 will be priced between $700-$800.

SOURCES: ENGADGET, GIZMODO, CNET

The MSI Wind U115 Hybrid boasts of being the first netbook computer to operate both SSD and HDD hard drives simultaneously. This brings a world of benefits such as shock absorbency, better energy consumption and speed. This units has Intel’s latest Poulsbo chipset with a 160GB hard-disk drive plus a 8GB solid-state drive. The 16GB SSD + 120GB HDD options are on the way. The Z series Atom processor promotes power efficiency for those long hours of computing.

With the newer Intel mainboard chipset, the MSI Wind U115 Hybrid can decode of H.264, MPEG-2 and VC-1 videos. Talk about bringing you videos on the go. The MSI Wind U115 Hybrid has a 10-inch (1024 x 600) matte display with a 1.3MP webcam and internal microphone. Battery life is a whopping 13 hours on a 6-cell pack and 25 hours on a 9-cell pack.

The MSI Wind U115 Hybrid is on sale for about $675-$750. It does sound quite pricey. But remember the benefits you will get especially the 13 hour battery life and the 720p video playback. The MSI Wind U115 Hybrid seems to be worth every penny.

SOURCES: ENGADGET, ELECTRONISTA, NETBOOKCHOICE, MSI HOMEPAGE

In the immediate future, Asus will launch the Eee PC 1005HA. The newest Netbook from Asus sports a 160GB Hard drive (with 10GB complimentary online Eee Storage), a 10.1-inch LED-backlit display (1,024 x 600 resolution), 1GB of DDR2 RAM, VGA output, three USB 2.0 sockets, a 0.3 or 1.3 megapixel webcam,  Ethernet, 02.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, a multicard reader and audio in / out. The Asus Eee PC 1005HA comes in two models which differ in processing power: model 1005HA-M with Intel Atom N270 or the model 1005-HA-H that comes with the Intel Atom N280. Both units come with Windows XP Home.

However, one of the intriguing parts of the Asus Eee PC 1005HA is the rumored removable battery that lasts for an astonishing 10.5 hours. Should this be true, the unit’s weight will slightly be heavier. However, this should be a small sacrifice to carry for a longer battery life. It remains to be seen.

The ASUS Eee PC 1005HA-M will go on sale for $405 while the Asus Eee PC 1005HA-H at $473.

Asus is aggressively sending out new models and campaigning heavily due to other companies such as HP and Acer that are jogging for position in the netbook industry.

SOURCES: SLASHGEAR, ENGADGET, FUDZILLA, NETBOOKCHOICE, ITPROPORTAL

When you type mogulus.com in your browser, don’t be surprised that you will be transported to livestream.com because that was Mogulus. It was recently announced that Mogulus is now known as Livestream.com to prepare for the expected boom in live-video streaming on the web.

Livestream CEO and co-founder Max Haot says, “While we didn’t invent live streaming, we’re removing the barriers — making live video production and streaming easy and affordable for anybody to use and experience.” Furthermore, he said “It’s easy to see that live video streaming is well positioned to become a key force moving us toward richer, more immersive content experiences and communication.”

The Livestream service is available in two variants: A Free version and a Paid version. The Free version comes with advertising-supported services while the Pro version ($350/month) provides users with professional advance tools to produce their video streams such as multiple screen formats (4:3, 16:9, 2.39:1 and custom), advertising removal and/or control, white labeling, ad-network monetization, analytics, HD streaming, increased storage and professional terms & support.

Livestream also boasted being host to more than 1,000 producers and media companies ranging from C-Span, the World Economic Forum and USA Today.

Livestream enables you to stream live using its simple Podcaster tool. With one click of the “Broadcast” button, you are basically ON AIR!  Because it is completely browser based, there is no downloading of any software. Thankfull, Livestream still carries the old accounts of Mogulus so there is no need to re-register.

“We realized early on that live streaming is more than just talking heads and a web cam,” said Haot. “Users are demanding higher production value along with more powerful, yet easy-to-use tools — enabling them to deliver a studio-like experience that offers something more to the viewer than what they can see on broadcast TV. That’s where Livestream is headed.”

According to Domain Name Wire, it is believed that Mogulus bought the Livestream.com domain name for $100,000.

Founded in 2007, Mogulus (as in Mogul-us or “Media Mogul in all of us”) is based in New York and has $12.7 million in funding from angel investors and Gannett Co. Its primary competitors are Justin.tv and Ustream.

Sources:
PR NEWSWIRE, TECHCRUNCH, MULTICHANNEL, STREAMINGMEDIA

First of all is the option to bundle your services. Most companies who offer broadband also offer home phone service or cable TV. A lot of companies ask you to sign a contract in order to get this bundle which usually only gets you about 10-15% off your total package of services. Try calling back a few times and ask what they can do for you, after all you’re the one paying them money and especially if you’re a long-time customer with the company. Don’t forget to write down who you were talking to and what deal they could give you!

Second see what other offers the company currently has. Will they offer you free long-distance if you sign up, will they give you a bigger download limit for signing up or bundling your services. Will they give you a free modem or free installation (watch out for the hidden costs!). Do they have a registration fee that they can waive for you, and so on.

Don’t forget it’s all about you, the customer! They want your business and your money so don’t feel afraid to play a little hard ball. Worst case you end up paying what they offered you in the first place!

It seems that a 13-year-old girl was really concerned by her mother being obssessed by World of Warcraft. I’m not going to discuss the game as I don’t play it, I prefer car simulation games and soccer games, especially the ones that are played on a real field. Here’s the excerpt:

“I know it sounds ridiculous but my mother has started playing the computer game WoW, World of Warcraft,” wrote the 13-year-old.

“This summer she has been sitting up all day and all night and she forgets what’s important to me. And when she’s not at the computer she’s like a lost soul. She just looks straight ahead and says nothing. I’m not doing so well.”

Other problems are dads watching porn on the internet and both parents stuck on internet chatrooms.

This is the place where probably most of them meet! Here’s an excerpt:

“It seems that my dad is ‘unfaithful’,” wrote one 15-year-old boy.

“I read his MSN conversation log. I was just curious. And then I saw that he was talking to, like, young girls. And the disgusting part is that he’s 53!

“And they talk about sex and how they’re going to meet and everything. It makes me want to puke. It really makes me feel bad.

“I don’t know if I should tell mum because I’m worried they’ll get a divorce. Please, what should I do?”

This was all written in a report published in Sweden from Children’s Rights in Society.

Picture WoW News

Source: The Local via Slashdot

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This problem isn’t solved yet, but what Minggl does is gather all the requests and notifications in one simple program, which is actually an add-on for your internet browser. Minggl works with Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, Digg. According to Minggle, new sites will be added weekly, although the company was founded in 2005, and if new sites were actually added weekly, many more social networks would be available.

Minggle is available for download here.

Source: B.E.T.A. Daily

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