Windows 7
Fake Steve Jobs on the Windows 7 launch
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by Matt Burns on October 22, 2009

fake-steve-jobsToday’s the first day of the rest of Microsoft’s life. Windows 7 is officially available. Nearly everyone loves the OS expect for one notable person: Fake Steve Jobs. Here’s part of what he has to say about the new OS.

Do you feel it in the air? That heaviness and oppression? The smell of sulfur? Yes, dear readers, the Beast of Redmond is unleashing yet another tangled mess of hell-spawned code into the world. We know it is evil. You know it. I know it. But millions do not. Millions, in fact, will race out to obtain this evil, and will pay for the privilege of making their horrible lives just a tiny bit more horrible. I weep for those people. I pray for their souls. I just woke up from a terrible dream, one in which I’m hanging from a cross and Bill Gates is on the cross next to me. I tell him I know why he’s here, but why am I? He says, Because you copied all my good ideas. That’s when I woke up — screaming.

by Doug Aamoth on October 22, 2009

If you have a Costco membership and three computers that you want to upgrade to Windows 7, then you can get a giant wooden palette of operating systems for $135 – this same three-pack is priced elsewhere at $150 while a single version of the upgrade runs $120.

The Windows 7 Burger King Whopper is gross
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by Matt Burns on October 22, 2009

bk_posterLook at that monster burger. It’s five inches tall and of course is made with seven beef patties in honor of Windows 7. What’s the message here? Eat this burger to feel as slow and bloated as Windows? I don’t get it. I also hope that none of our Japanese readers actually buys the ¥777 ($8.50) burger. But if someone out there does, send us a pic. I would love to see how disguising the burger looks in real life. [via Electronista]

by John Biggs on October 21, 2009

It’s nigh on a few hours before the Windows 7 launch and things are heating up in the big city. Folks are lining up at the Windows store, children are quieter and more attentive in school, and the troubles of the world – global warming, terrorists, the economy – are on hold. We are waiting for a miracle and when it comes it will rhyme with ‘dindows’ and end with ‘7′

How happy are you about Windows 7? Like how totally happy?

A poll, if you will, after the jump.

by Jimin Brelsford on October 21, 2009

A pair of new additions have been announced for Lenovo’s ThinkPad line. So all of those business people who shunned Windows Vista and held onto XP can finally take the plunge to a new OS. These new notebooks are optimized to run Windows 7 along with a host of other little goodies.

by Matt Burns on October 21, 2009

Windows 7 has been a long time coming. In some ways it’s what Windows Vista was suppose to be back in 2006. It’s fast, super stable, but also clean and sleek. I love it and switch from OS X because of Windows 7. It has restored my faith in Microsoft and it feels good to be back on a Windows system after a five year hiatus. I don’t think I’m alone either.

Reviews and previews of Windows 7 have been posted ever since the first public beta in January of 2009. Everyone seems to love it. I haven’t seen or heard of any major bugs or flaws in the operating system. Microsoft nailed this one and should be proud.

Tomorrow, October 22, is the official launch date of Windows 7. Preorders are already shipping out from online retailers and I wouldn’t be surprised if the retail boxes are already on the shelves in some brick and mortar stores. In fact, TG Daily is reporting that Windows 7 has dethroned Harry Potter as Amazon’s most successful preorder item of all time. It’s clear that people want Windows 7.

by Matt Burns on October 15, 2009

If you’re a Windows 7 Launch Party host like me, you’ve probably gone through a wave of emotion. First you were probably stoked that you were chosen, you then probably had fun with everyone else over the awful launch party videos and hand-outs, and then last week, you probably got the sweet party kit that contains a special version of Windows 7 Ultimate. But are you now dreading the damn party next week? I am. So I wanna know, are you actually planning on having the party? If so, give me some and others some tips and/or words of encouragement in the comments below.

by Nicholas Deleon on October 15, 2009

Fellow nerds will know that Final Fantasy VII had a special “mode,” I guess, called “All Lucky 7s” that triggered when your HP was at 7777. I bring this up to segue into this story, that Microsoft is giving away 777 copies of Windows 7 to the lucky residents of Zevenhuizen, in Groningen, in The Netherlands. “Zevenhuizen,” of course, translates to “seven houses.”

by Doug Aamoth on October 14, 2009

Lest you think Microsoft isn’t serious about Windows 7, get this: on November 8th the company will be sponsoring a big commercial-free Family Guy special on Fox.

According to AdAge.com, “The Microsoft-sponsored variety show, whose working title is ‘Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show,’ is a mix of live-action ‘Family Guy’ musical performances, animated shorts and celebrity guest appearances, and is part of an all-Seth MacFarlane night on Fox.”

Unboxing the Windows 7 Launch Party kit
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by Matt Burns on October 9, 2009

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My Windows 7 Launch Party kit is finally here! As you may recall, I was selected to host one of these Windows 7 Launch Parties. I’m so lucky.

Oh, man, look at all this stuff. Streamers, balloons, party bags, playing cards, a puzzle, and a poster!!! Microsoft sure knows how to throw a party. Add some jello shots and a beer bong, and this party should be crazy. Oh, and the fact that I now have a full, legal copy of Windows 7 Ultimate 32- and 64-bit makes me smile too. Read More

by Doug Aamoth on October 7, 2009

Ah, late October – a time when a young man’s fancy turns to love, the autumn gingerly steps aside to make way for winter, and, this year, the beginning of at least a year’s worth of non-stop free tech support you’ll have to provide to any of your friends and family that decide to buy a new computer with Windows 7 on it.

The biggest question: How do I get all my dumb photos, tax returns, and Miley Cyrus MP3s onto my new computer? Your new answer: Buy this $40 cable and leave me alone.

The Windows 7 launch party video was not an isolated incident! They have party favors!
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by Devin Coldewey on October 6, 2009

favors
It was only two weeks ago that the Windows 7 Launch Party video cut a burning swath across the internet, leaving only scorched sensibilities and a feeling that you’d lost something fundamental never to be regained. We lied to ourselves then that it couldn’t be more than a blip on the radar, a PR pitch gone awry and furtively uploaded, unfit for human consumption as it was — a tainted morsel of the promotional meat grinder. And to be honest, I was ready to let it lie. But it wasn’t just a morsel. Little did we know, the Windows 7 launch sausage factory would be squeezing gristle into our inboxes regularly — and now they’ve gone and sent us party favors.
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How Microsoft will lift us out of the IT-spending dumps
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by John Biggs on October 3, 2009

I was on a panel a few weeks ago with Rob Enderle a few weeks back and he was asked by an international journalist what he expected in terms of financial news in the next few months. He made a very interesting point that, being an Apple fanboy, I ignored at the time. He said that Windows 7 would drive a whole new wave of hardware buying and inflate (in a good way) IT spending.

I filed this tidbit away next to my thoughts of maybe one day buying a Zune, but then I cracked open the HP Envy 13 and thought back on my own recent experience with Windows 7— and what he’s saying makes sense.

A few calls later and I found that a number of IT guys I know are genuinely excited about installing Windows 7 in their shops, guys for whom Vista didn’t even register. We’re about see an IT renaissance, and it will be driven by Microsoft.
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by Doug Aamoth on September 29, 2009

Fancy yourself a system builder, do you? As long as you’re willing to do a clean install of Windows 7, you can grab a full OEM version for cheaper than the same retail upgrade version. Newegg has rolled out its selection of Windows 7 OEM packages (there are preorder discounts available until October 20th), so let’s take a look at what’s available.

by John Biggs on September 28, 2009

What happens when your Windows 7 party gets a little crazy? People start talking about things like “boot sectors,” “man-on-man DIMM insertion,” and “[beep].”

via BBG

by Doug Aamoth on September 28, 2009

Good then. Netbook manufacturers will be able to preload any version of Windows 7 onto their machines – not just Windows 7 Starter Edition. And while we found out in May that the arbitrary three-application limit had been removed from Windows 7 Starter (thereby making it virtually indistinguishable from Windows 7 Home Basic), the lack of other features like not being able to change your desktop wallpaper or use some of the cooler Aero stuff felt more than a bit underwhelming.

I was selected to host a Windows 7 Launch Party!
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by Matt Burns on September 24, 2009

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Guys, I’m really excited. I’m stoked that Microsoft choose me, ME, to host a Windows 7 Launch Party. That’s right, lame ol’ Burns is going to host a Windows 7 party. I just got my confirmation email saying I was a finalist and to head over to HouseParty.com ASAP. Once I filled out all the steps to create a party webpage and invite my guests, I got the email above confirming I’m the coolest person on Earth. Now all I have to do is wait for my pack of party supplies to arrive, which includes a signature edition of Windows 7 Ultimate thankyouverymuch, and watch those fabulous party instructional videos for pointers.

by Doug Aamoth on September 24, 2009

Gather ‘round, don’t be shy. Let’s all take a look at Windows 7 booting up in about ten seconds. How is this possible? Well, turn Aero off, strip out all the bloatware, and make sure you’re using an ultra fast solid state drive. That, and trim the BIOS start time down to a little over one second.

by Doug Aamoth on September 12, 2009

If you’re thinking of upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 later this fall, set aside some time – especially if you’ve got a lower-end machine with a bunch of applications already installed and a hard drive full of files. One of Microsoft’s own engineers clocked in a 1220-minute upgrade time on just such a machine.

Windows 7 to bring more happy says latest ad
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by Matt Burns on September 10, 2009


Could Windows 7 really get better? The latest ad says more happy is coming. Gosh, I’m already very happy with the OS but now a little curious if that’s just a nonsense PR statement or really a true statement. I guess we’ll find out. Your thoughts?

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