Posts by nwlad

Microsoft talks up devices, Windows 8.1 at developer shindig

Windows 8 in the Enterprise world...

I work with many enterprise customers, both commercial and local Govt.

Most have already moved from windows XP to Windows 7 but many are also starting to make use of Windows 8 on touch based devices. the reason - they can use the same mgmt. infrastructure that they have for Windows 7 for windows 8 - so simpler to manage. iPads are used extensively in some customers but they have had to tie them down using a variety of applications to ensure security that in some cases they are almost unusable or very limited in what the end user is allowed to do. They can run the same applications on W8 as W7 ( ok in the desktop) but in day to day operation, I'm not hearing many complaints and very little about the "lack of" a start button - in the real world I work in ( customers with 5k-100K end users) this isn't a big issue. The issue is , will it run my business app not where is the start button. Whether you like it or not, most companies use Microsoft Office and the fact you can run two versions of office side by side on W8 means the migration is made easier for the end user as well.

Bottom line is , the start button or lack of it isn't that big an issue for most people I have spoken with over the last year - Everyone seems to have forgotten how awful XP was when it first came out and now I still read some people saying they are going to stick with it ....

that's my two penn'orth worth anyway

The update is being released regionally and will be available in the UK from what I found out, in the next day or so at most

or go to the preview.microsoft.com website and click on download .....doh!

Setanta, ESPN couldn't make UK footie TV work. How will BT Sport?

Re: lets get this straight

yes if you are a BT broadband customer already.

Great news! for Rugby fans

As an existing BT Infinity subscriber, this is fantastic news - I get for free, premiership footie and MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY, all of next seasons Aviva Premiership Rugby games. We don't have a youview box but for £5 a month it's a bargain for us. We had Sky once upon a time but we found that the cost of the packages kept going up and up and eventually we ended up dropping packages each year until it was no longer worth keeping and I hate putting money in Murdochs pockets.. I really hope this works out as it gives us non SKY lovers a real alternative. I have rechecked Sky's packages over the last years and their recent SKy Sports app on the ipHone / IPad is interesting at £5 a month but we understand that is going up to £10 a month soon anyway. We stream movies from sites such as Blinkbox so I don't need a Movie channel like Sky movies and Sport was the one thing missing .

So for me this is a great deal.. :)

Microsoft LOVES YOU: Free Wi-Fi on the British railways for a month

Never let ignorance get in the way of a good slagging

It is apparent that many of the contributors here have never used or even researched Office 365! Although I am sure some of you have and are letting your own prejudices get in the way of simple facts. So you don't want to let Microsoft see your browsing habits but happy to let Google/. Apple/ Sky(Cloud) see them - interesting!

Office 365 provides Office in the cloud AND the ability to download a copy onto your laptop/slate PC or desktop. You can choose where to store your documents, either "in the cloud" in IL/2 accredited datacentres or on your own SkyDrive , SharePoint site, local directory etc.. Consumer O365 provides the full office suite and 5 copies of office , including Office for Mac. Commercial Office 365 also includes options to run Exchange, Lync and SharePoint as well as office ,hoisted in "the cloud" or in a hybrid manner with it connected to your on premises exchange etc. all under the same domain address if required. The ability to share documents etc. and access them via thick or thin clients or from ip[hone, Android, Windows phone , iPad etc. is available from whatever web browser you choose to use.

Will Microsoft care if you use the free Wi-Fi to download something else - NO. Will everyone do that - NO. Will some people try it and like what they see - Probably - it's called marketing .. :)

that's my comment - I just thought I'd try and put up a factual post. :)

Microsoft holds off on shooting Windows Live Messenger

Messenger use dying anyway in my own experinece

I have two children who were avid MSN messenger users until about 4 years ago when they started making much more use of Skype messaging , especially after the went to university, and Facebook chat as their means of communication to family and friends so the drop from 300 million downwards over the last three years is not at all surprising to me based on my own family experience.

Yep, Messenger was pretty good way of keeping in touch but I personally prefer Skype as I can choose to IM, Voice Call or Video chat from the same tool.

Microsoft Security Essentials loses AV-TEST certification

MSE Just works for me...

I've been using MSE since it was launched on three netbooks, two laptops and two tower systems at home and never had any issues with malware etc. this on Vista and W7 systems

As someone else commented - it is free, east to install/uninstall and not at all resource hungry unlike previous horrors that I have used in the pasts such as AVG, Norton and MacAfee....

Just use common sense and use other features available in email and browsers as well.. for example.

BT bitchslapped for misleading 'Join now' Infinity ad

Bt Infinity really is so much better!

I have had to put up with a poor 1.2mb broadband link for years , via various providers, because of the distance from the local exchange. Didn't matter who I went with, no one could provide anything better as it all went through the same exchange.

I moved to BT last year when my ISP closed and BT had planned infinity for our area. They actually delivered it 2 months earlier than expected and I have now gone from 1.2/1.5mb at best to 32.4mb link, 10mb upload.

It is truly exceptional. I have now installed powerline adaptors in the house so we can now watch Iplayer etc via our Freesat HD box on the TV plus Xbox online gaming is superfast. I can use IP telephony and video calls with complete clarity when I work from home. iplayer etc on PC is great even HD viewing - no noticeable buffering and stuttering - fantastic

Those of you lucky enough to have had 17/20/ plus mb links won't notice the differnece as much I suppose but for those of us on old slow lines it has transformed out use of the internet

for those on slow lines - it is worth the wait