Tag Archives: WindowsVista

Microsoft advises nuking Windows Gadgets after security hole discovery, we mourn our stock widgets

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Windows 7 with Gadgets

Whether you see Windows Vista and Windows 7 Gadgets as handy tools or a blight upon a pristine desktop, you might want to shut them off for safety's sake. Mickey Shkatov and Toby Kohlenberg have found that the desktop widgets' web-based code have flaws that would allow malicious Gadgets, or even hijacked legitimate Gadgets, to compromise a PC without having to go through the usual avenues of attack. Microsoft's short-term answer to the vulnerability is a drastic one, though: a stopgap patch disables Gadgets entirely, leaving just a barren desktop in its wake. There's no word on a Gadget-friendly solution arriving before Kohlenberg and Shkatov present at the Black Hat Conference on July 26th, but we suspect Microsoft's ultimate answer is to move everyone to Windows 8, where Gadgets aren't even an option. We understand the importance of preventing breaches, of course -- we're just disappointed that we'll have to forgo miniature stock tickers and weather forecasts a little sooner than expected.

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Microsoft advises nuking Windows Gadgets after security hole discovery, we mourn our stock widgets originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 14:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Computerworld  |  sourceMicrosoft, Black Hat Conference  | Email this | Comments

StatCounter: Windows 7 now powering most PCs, passed 50-percent threshold in June

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StatCounter Windows 7 now powering most PCs, passed 50percent threshold in June

Windows 8 may be on the horizon with a fall 2012 release, but Microsoft's current OS, Win 7, just became the world's most prolific PC operating system, passing the 50-percent threshold last month. According to StatCounter, Windows 7, which overtook XP around the time of its golden anniversary last fall, has made its way onto 50.2 percent of the world's computers, compared to 29.9 percent for Microsoft's eXPerience during the same period. Launched in 2001, XP remains in the runner-up position, but shows a steady decline along with Vista, which never had much of a share to begin with. Oddly enough, iOS also appears as a modest portion of StatCounter's chart, which we presume represents iPads, which in this case fall within the same category (the company tracks mobile operating systems separately, where Android has ticked slightly ahead). If you own a PC running Windows 7, you can rest assured knowing that you're in good company. And we imagine that an even greater number of those current XP users will depart come 2014, when Microsoft has pledged to discontinue support of the aging millennial. Hit up our source link below for all of StatCounter's charts.

StatCounter: Windows 7 now powering most PCs, passed 50-percent threshold in June originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink CNET  |  sourceStatCounter  | Email this | Comments

Microsoft reportedly plans Windows 8 upgrades all the way from XP, wants us to just let go of the past

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Windows 8 Release Preview hands-on

Microsoft has been promising a cheap-and-cheerful upgrade path to Windows 8 for those who buy new PCs. But what about that five-year-old PC in the basement? If the historically well-connected Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet is right, the upgrade path will go further back -- much further. Although upgraders will still want Windows 7 if they need to carry over absolutely everything, tipsters claim that settings can transfer from releases as old as Windows Vista SP1. Those with truly ancient PCs (we're looking at you, corporate customers) can even bring over personal files from an OS as dated as Windows XP SP3. Like we saw last time around, some of the 7-to-8 upgrade rules are a bit Byzantine -- 7 Professional users can't step down to the non-Pro Windows 8 release, for example, and it's equally verboten to change language editions or move from 32- to 64-bit code without a full-scale reinstallation. The extra-long olive branch will be slightly unusual for Microsoft if it's confirmed, but then the company is also trying to move along a user base that in some cases has clung to XP for more than a decade. Redmond is no doubt eager to get rid of our dependency issues.

Microsoft reportedly plans Windows 8 upgrades all the way from XP, wants us to just let go of the past originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 15:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceZDNet  | Email this | Comments

Windows updated with better checking for bad digital certs after Flame malware incident

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Having already pushed one patch to servers as part of its response to the recently discovered Flame trojan, Microsoft is making another adjustment on Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 machines. A new update going out lets revoked certificates be published and recognized much faster, which would protect against a vulnerability exploited by Flame to fake its way in as a legitimate update. Informationweek has more information on the old OCSP method used to set revocation status, and also points out another vulnerability in XML Core Services the folks in Redmond is warning people of this week and has already released a "fix it" solution for. Hit the source link to get all the details and grab the update, IT types may want to update their firewalls with the new URLs being put into use for the lists.

Windows updated with better checking for bad digital certs after Flame malware incident originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 23:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Informationweek  |  sourceMicrosoft  | Email this | Comments

DICE to require 64-bit OS for some 2013 games, that Windows ME box in the den isn’t cutting it

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DICE to require 64-bit OS for some 2013 games, that Windows ME box in the den isn't cutting it

We're entering a world of mainstream 64-bit computing -- whether we like it or not. Just weeks after Adobe started requiring 64-bit Macs for CS6, DICE's Rendering Architect Johan Andersson has warned that some of his company's 2013 games using the Frostbite engine will need the extra bits as a matter of course. In other words, it won't matter if you have a quad Core i7 gaming PC of death should the software be inadequate; if you're still running a 32-bit copy of Windows 7 come the new year, you won't be playing. The developer points to memory as the main culprit, as going 64-bit guarantees full access to 4GB or more of RAM as well as better virtual addressing. Andersson sees it as a prime opportunity to upgrade to Windows 8, although 64-bit Vista and 7 (and presumably OS X, if and when Mac versions exist) will be dandy. Just be prepared to upgrade that Windows XP PC a lot sooner than Microsoft's 2014 support cutoff if you're planning to run the next Battlefield or Mirror's Edge.

DICE to require 64-bit OS for some 2013 games, that Windows ME box in the den isn't cutting it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 14:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Eurogamer  |  sourceJohan Andersson (Twitter)  | Email this | Comments

Microsoft talks DVD, Media Center support in Windows 8 and why most won’t miss it

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If you have to issue an explanation to follow up an explanation, then it's pretty safe to say the first one wasn't clear enough, and it's under those circumstances that Microsoft's Steven Sinofsky and the Windows 8 team are returning to the subject of Media Center and DVD movie support. After addressing both a few days ago, the internet backlash was (predictably) quick to finding out that Media Center would be available only as an upgrade to the Pro version of the OS, and that without it Windows wouldn't natively play DVDs. What many may not know however, and the new FAQ points out, is that this is not an entirely new thing -- Windows XP did not have support outside of specialized editions or add-ons, several versions of Vista did not play DVDs and on Windows 7 the Basic and Starter editions lacked the add-on. Of course, for most users this doesn't matter in the least since brand new PCs tend to ship with third party software to play DVDs (or Blu-ray movies where applicable, which no version of Windows has or will natively support). Answering the question we had of what this means for users upgrading their own computers, they'll either need to see if they have existing third party software to play DVDs that is compatible with Windows 8, or acquire Media Center post-upgrade.

Continue reading Microsoft talks DVD, Media Center support in Windows 8 and why most won't miss it

Microsoft talks DVD, Media Center support in Windows 8 and why most won't miss it originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 May 2012 10:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceBuilding Windows 8 Blog  | Email this | Comments

Third betas of Adobe Flash 11.3, AIR 3.3 give peeks at low-lag audio and deeper iOS support

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Adobe Flash Platform

Adobe's famous desktop browser plugin may be looking forward to a 2013 overhaul, but that doesn't mean it isn't out to improve itself in the here and now. Flash Player's 11.3 beta, for instance, rolls in low latency audio support through NetStream, designed specifically to cut back audio lag in cloud gaming. The beta also introduces support for complete keyboard control when in full-screen mode, background Flash updating on Macs, and a Protected Mode for Firefox that keeps rogue Flash files from compromising Windows PCs using Vista or later.

The AIR 3.3 beta, on the other hand, smooths the runtime's iOS experience, allowing compiled apps to run in the background more like their natively-compiled siblings. It's also friendlier to developers, with new USB debugging and simulator support that now doesn't require a physical device. Android 4.0 users aren't entirely left out, getting stylus support for AIR apps on their platform. Adobe hasn't said when the finished versions of Flash 11.3 and AIR 3.3 will reach its servers, but if you're willing to live life on the bleeding edge, you can find the download links below.

Third betas of Adobe Flash 11.3, AIR 3.3 give peeks at low-lag audio and deeper iOS support originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 May 2012 08:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceFlash 11.3 beta, AIR 3.3 beta  | Email this | Comments

Windows Vista support isn’t an eternal flame, but from tomorrow it’s ‘extended’

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Windows Vista support isn't an eternal flame, but from tomorrow it's 'extended'Remember how we told you that Windows Vista was getting extended support? Well here's a little PSA: that new phase begins tomorrow, and it's slightly different to what Redmond calls 'mainstream' support. You'll still get security updates until April 2017, but according to Microsoft's general support policy you'll lose certain other benefits. Key among those are warranty claims and no-charge incident support. So, after the party is the after-party -- at least until you're ready for an upgrade party.

Windows Vista support isn't an eternal flame, but from tomorrow it's 'extended' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceMicrosoft (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments