Software: Update your Non-Tech friends pc day…. 11/25/11

Microsoft via their (LINK) Windows Team Blog for Internet Explorer (http://windowsteamblog NULL.com/ie/b/ie/archive/2011/11/23/get-ready-for-update-your-parents-browser-day NULL.aspx) is calling this coming Friday 11/25 “Update your Parents Browser” day. However, in the opinion of Tech Geek and More that idea is narrow minded. Every Tech, Geek or just knowledgeable computer person has a few people (because no one has just 1) that call regularly whenever something goes wrong on a pc. You know the call, “I wasn’t doing anything and then all of a sudden………” . So Tech Geek and More is actually asking its readers to expand on the idea, and use Friday while your visiting non-tech friends and family, and update all software on the pc. Just remember, the more updated they are, the better chance you have of them NOT calling you to fix it.

Just an idea of what should be updated

- Adobe Acrobat

- Adobe Flash

- Adobe Air

- Adobe Shockwave

- Oracle Java

- Anti-virus (If they don’t have a current one install a free one)

- All Windows Updates

- All Office Updates

- All installed browsers (Not just IE)

- **Plus review for any other installed programs that you know should be updated.

If you don’t want to take to long doing this, you can visit (LINK) Ninite (http://ninite NULL.com/), where you can install the latest version for a majority of the software.

If you need ideas as to when, the (LINK) Windows Team Blog (http://windowsteamblog NULL.com/ie/b/ie/archive/2011/11/23/get-ready-for-update-your-parents-browser-day NULL.aspx) lists Top-10 Moments to Update…. (Windows Team Blog story by Scott Armstrong (http://windowsteamblog NULL.com/members/sarm34/default NULL.aspx))

Top-10 Moments To Update Your Parents’ Browser

10. When they’re manning the fire extinguisher dealing with the yearly deep-fried turkey accident.

9. When they’re telling your cousins “when I was your age” stories.

8. When they’re face down in the eggnog punch.

7. When they’re fighting over the right way to carve a turkey.

6. When your mom kicks you out of the kitchen for peeling potatoes “the wrong way.”

5. When they’re sent to the grocery store at 2PM on Thanksgiving Day for extra cranberries.

4. When they’re sitting at the Adult’s table (rally the other kids to help).

3. When they’re standing in a Black Friday line.

2. When they’re untangling Christmas lights.

And the number one time to update your parents’ browser is…

1. When they’re distracted by grilling you about when you’re going to get a real job, when you’re going to settle down, and when you’re going to give them grandchildren.

So watch for these moments and many more to help them make the upgrade to a modern web browser today. Web developers everywhere will thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving from the IE team!

Software: Windows – Optimize your computer for peak performance

People think a pc is like a TV, just there, you click on the power button and it turns on, and that all you need to do. In fact that is wrong, a computer needs to be treated more like a car than a TV. You should be doing the pc equivalent of an oil change and tune up, so that you can get the most out of your pc.

The following tips can help improve your computer’s performance. These examples are for Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. However, you’ll find that these tips work for all versions of the Windows operating system.

By the way, it is not possible for you to blow up your computer or your files with any of these procedures. These tasks use utilities provided within the Windows operating system to help you to achieve the best system performance. This article does not address tinkering with the registry files

Microsoft at home has a great article with tips on what you should be doing. “Optimize your computer for peak performance”. (LINK) http://www.microsoft.com/athome/setup/optimize.aspx?WT.rss_f=At%20Work%20RSS&WT.rss_a=Improve%20your%20computer’s%20performance&WT.rss_ev=a (http://www NULL.microsoft NULL.com/athome/setup/optimize NULL.aspx?WT NULL.rss_f=At%20Work%20RSS&WT NULL.rss_a=Improve%20your%20computer)

Alert: You need to make sure your Windows/Office software is up to date. Targeted attacks against recently addressed Microsoft Office vulnerability is now out

Last November, Microsoft released security bulletin MS10-087 (http://www NULL.microsoft NULL.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS10-087 NULL.mspx), which addresses a number of critical vulnerabilities in how Microsoft Office parses various office file formats. One of them is CVE-2010-3333 (http://cve NULL.mitre NULL.org/cgi-bin/cvename NULL.cgi?name=CVE-2010-3333), “RTF Stack Buffer Overflow Vulnerability,” which could lead to remote code execution via specially crafted RTF data. A few days before Christmas, we received a new sample (sha1: cc47a73118c51b0d32fd88d48863afb1af7b2578) that reliably exploits this vulnerability and is able to execute malicious shellcode which downloads other malware.

The notice that was posted on the Microsoft Protection Center blog ( http://blogs.technet.com/b/mmpc/archive/2010/12/29/targeted-attacks-against-recently-addressed-microsoft-office-vulnerability-cve-2010-3333-ms10-087.aspx (http://blogs NULL.technet NULL.com/b/mmpc/archive/2010/12/29/targeted-attacks-against-recently-addressed-microsoft-office-vulnerability-cve-2010-3333-ms10-087 NULL.aspx) ) concerns a flaw in the Microsoft Office program that was fixed in November. The bad guys have now found a way to exploit the flaw on computers that do NOT have the updated software. This affects you no matter which version of Office or Windows you are running.

Symantec underlined the seriousness of the flaw to CNET’s Elinor Mills in November:

“One of the most dangerous aspects of this vulnerability is that a user doesn’t have to open a malicious e-mail to be infected,” Joshua Talbot, security intelligence manager at Symantec Security Response, said at the time. “All that is required is for the content of the e-mail to appear in Outlook’s Reading Pane. If a user highlights a malicious e-mail to preview it in the Reading Pane, their machine is immediately infected. The same holds true if a user opens Outlook and a malicious e-mail is the most recently received in their in-box; that e-mail will appear in the Reading Pane by default and the computer will be infected.”

So what does this mean to you…….It means that if you receive an email, even if its obvious that the email is bad and you don’t click on it, just by it appearing in the reading pane section, will cause your computer to get infected with malware.

How do you make sure you are protected?

Windows Vista / Windows 7

If you are running Windows Vista or Windows 7 go to start –> Control Panel –> Windows Update

Once in Windows Update –> click on Check for updates –> Once the scan is complete –> system will tell you how many updates you need –> now click on Install updates.

Once you have successfully updated all Windows / Office software your Windows update should look like this.

Windows XP

In Windows XP –> Using Internet Explorer –> Visit the Microsoft Update website (LINK) http://www.update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us (http://www NULL.update NULL.microsoft NULL.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default NULL.aspx?ln=en-us)

(IMPORTANT NOTE: In XP – Microsoft has 2 websites for updates. One is called Windows Updates and one is called Microsoft Updates. You want to make sure that you are on the one that says Microsoft Updates as the Windows Updates site does NOT give you Office updates)

Once you are on the site –> Click on Custom and let it scan your pc. (Note you may be asked to run an ActiveX file if this is the 1st time you have been to the site. Just make sure you say you in this case specifically)

You may also get a message about a needed download –> if you do just click on “Download and Install Now”

Once Microsoft Update completes its scan it will show you what updates you are missing

Look under the “High Priority” updates and make sure that you have selected them all

Followed up clicking on “Review and install updates”

This will bring you to the confirmation page. Make sure you have all missing updates selected. You will see 1 final “Install Updates”. Click on it –>

Followed by “I Accept” under the agreements area –> and then watch your updates download and install.

After the updates install –> Reboot pc –> and visit site again to see if you have any remaining updates. Continue the steps until you get 0 (zero) remaining “High Priority” updates.

Once you are at 0 (Zero) now your Windows / Office software is up to date.

(FINAL NOTE: This does NOT mean you are free and clear, as always you need to take care of precautions when surfing the Internet. There are still many other ways you can have your computer compromised)

ALERT: Windows Live Messenger 2009 Users–“Active links in Messenger 2009 temporarily turned off to prevent a malicious worm”

Microsoft has announced via the Windows Team Blog (LINK) http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_live/b/windowslive/archive/2010/11/12/security-alert-active-links-in-messenger-2009-temporarily-turned-off-to-prevent-a-malicious-worm.aspx (http://windowsteamblog NULL.com/windows_live/b/windowslive/archive/2010/11/12/security-alert-active-links-in-messenger-2009-temporarily-turned-off-to-prevent-a-malicious-worm NULL.aspx) that they are now blocking Active links in Windows Live Messenger 2009. What that means is that when you are in a chat with someone, if a link appears that you will NOT be able to directly click on it to open the link. If you wish to see the link you will need to copy it from the chat window and then past it into your browser.

Keep in mind that not only in WLM chat but in all chat programs there is always a possibility of receiving “Rogue” links that were not actually sent by the person who you are talking to. If you ever receive a link via chat, you want to make sure and check with the person you are talking to, so that you can confirm if its legit or not.

Those who click on the malicious link, will download a Worm (a form of virus), which will install on your pc, and then use your pc to send itself to all your friends links. As always you should make sure you have an up to date Antivirus.

A particularly malicious worm (a self-replicating computer virus) is currently trying to spread itself through many of the world’s largest instant messaging and social networks, including Windows Live Messenger 2009. We’re very serious about protecting our customers, and are pursuing multiple avenues to help stop its progress. The worm spreads by inserting a link into an IM conversation with a person whose computer is already infected. When someone clicks the link, it opens in a browser, downloads the worm on the recipient’s computer, and then repeats this process.

Normally, when Messenger sees a web address in a conversation it is turned into a hyperlink which, when clicked, automatically opens in a web browser. This feature makes it very easy for the malicious worm to be unknowingly installed on your computer by clicking on the link and being sent to a web site containing the malicious software. We’re pursuing a number of activities to help protect you, working actively with industry experts and law enforcement to help stop this criminal activity.

Most notably, we’ve temporarily turned off active hyperlinks for web addresses sent in IM conversations using Windows Live Messenger 2009. You will still be able to copy a web address and paste it into a browser window if you know it to be safe, but by removing active hyperlinks from Messenger 2009, we’re taking a significant step towards stopping the unintentional spreading of this worm.

Because we’ve now blocked active links in Messenger 2009, starting today, some customers may also see a notification in the main Messenger window warning them that some features might not be available.

Messenger warning message (http://windowsteamblog NULL.com/cfs-file NULL.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Blogs-Components-WeblogFiles/00-00-00-53-82-metablogapi/6116 NULL.messenger_2D00_warning_5F00_3E135389 NULL.png)

Messenger 2011 is not impacted in the same way, thanks to its Link Safety feature. However, we are actively monitoring the situation and investigating different approaches to help protect customers using the latest version of Messenger, should the situation change.

As always, we encourage customers to exercise caution with links to web pages that you receive in IMs, especially if the links are to a web page that you are not familiar with, unsure of the destination of, or suspicious of. Malicious software may be installed in your computer simply by visiting a web page with harmful content.

If you think your computer may have already been infected by a malicious worm, check the , please visit the Security TechCenter on Microsoft TechNet (http://technet NULL.microsoft NULL.com/en-us/security/default NULL.aspx), and then download and use the malicious software removal tool (http://www NULL.microsoft NULL.com/security/malwareremove/default NULL.aspx). For additional help with Messenger, check out the Messenger Solution Center (http://windowslivehelp NULL.com/product NULL.aspx?productid=2).

Microsoft: Kinect titles announced – 17 titles to start.

Microsoft has now officially announced the starting line up for the upcoming Kinect hands free gaming add-on for the XBOX 360. Kinect will start with 17 titles and will have something for everyone. The following comes from the Microsoft Press Release (LINK) http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2010/oct10/10-18MSKinectUSPR.mspx (http://www NULL.microsoft NULL.com/presspass/press/2010/oct10/10-18MSKinectUSPR NULL.mspx) . These are just the 1st games for the series, but the titles for 1st generation Kinect seem interesting (My opinion on that).

With 17 Kinect-enabled titles debuting in November, Kinect for Xbox 360 offers something for gamers (and nongamers) of every stripe.

Family Game Night … With a Kinect Twist

Befriend a playful tiger cub, collect treasures from around the globe or cast a spell in the wizarding world. Whether adopting a new family pet in “Kinectimals” (Frontier Developments Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios), or embarking on a wet and wild rafting trip in “Kinect Adventures” (Good Science Studio/Microsoft Game Studios), Kinect for Xbox 360 is the one gift the whole family will enjoy this holiday season.

•

“Kinect Adventures” (Good Science Studio/Microsoft Game Studios), included with every Kinect sensor, Nov. 4. Float in outer space. Experience the thrill of roaring rapids. Tackle mountaintop obstacle courses. And dive into the deep sea to save a leaky underwater observatory — all from your living room. With “Kinect Adventures,” you are the controller as you jump, dodge and kick your way through exciting adventures set in a variety of exotic locations. “Kinect Adventures” is designed with something for everyone to enjoy and will be available with every Kinect sensor and Kinect bundle sold.

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“Kinectimals” (Frontier Developments Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios), $49.99 ERP (U.S.)/$59.99 ERP (U.S.) limited collector’s edition, Nov. 4. “Kinectimals” invites children, their parents and animal lovers of all ages to build lasting friendships with some of the world’s most exotic creatures. Just like real pets, your feline cubs will come running when they hear your voice, respond to commands such as “jump,” “roll over” and “play dead,” and purr with joy when you scratch them behind their ears. Limited collector’s editions of the “Kinectimals” game packaged with a 7” plush toy that unlocks a new animal and toy in the game will be available exclusively at Toys “R” Us and GameStop.

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“Game Party™: In Motion” (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment), $39.99 ERP (U.S.), Nov. 18. The popular party game value series comes to Kinect for Xbox 360. “Game Party: In Motion” lets players engage in true-to-life motions with 16 games appealing to people of all ability levels, ranging from sports such as Hoop Shoot and Darts to arcade and party games, including Rootbeer Tapper, Table Hockey and more.

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“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 The Videogame” (Electronic Arts/EA Bright Light), $49.99 ERP (U.S.), Nov. 16. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 The Videogame” is the most challenging yet, packed from start to finish with action and combat. Playing as Harry, you are on the run from the opening sequence, fighting for survival on a desperate and dangerous quest to locate and destroy Voldemort’s Horcruxes. And with 22 exclusive Kinect challenges, conjure the weapons of magical warfare where your motions make the magic, only on Xbox 360.

Off the Couch and Into the Gym

Kinect gives you all-new ways to swing, sweat and step up your workout with a range of exclusive dance and fitness games. From martial arts and yoga to a variety of activities in “Your Shape: Fitness Evolved” (Ubisoft) to the iconic personal trainers of “The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout” (THQ), you’ve never had a living room workout like this before.

•

“Your Shape™: Fitness Evolved” (Ubisoft), $49.99 ERP (U.S.), Nov. 4. With Kinect for Xbox 360 and “Your Shape: Fitness Evolved,” you will experience the most advanced fitness technology available, your way and on your schedule. The advanced feedback system detects when your body is out of alignment and coaches you to correct your form. Personalize your workout, challenge your friends and share your progress while achieving real results.

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“Dance Central” (MTV Games/Harmonix), $49.99 ERP (U.S.), Nov. 4. From the creators of “Rock Band” comes the next great music experience: “Dance Central,” the first controller-free, body tracking, fully immersive dance video game that helps you take your moves to the next level. Featuring more than 90 routines and 650 dance moves, every routine has authentic choreography for beginners and experts alike to master, alongside a killer soundtrack that spans today’s current pop, hip-hop and R&B artists. You won’t just learn the dance moves — you’ll own the dance floor.

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“The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout” (THQ), $49.99 ERP (U.S.), Nov. 4. Based on the hit television show, “The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout” comes to Kinect offering the ultimate workout experience. Complete your fitness program using the interactive motion control sensors providing real-time feedback. From a body analyzer and recipes to personalized tips and a video diary to track your journey, “The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout” fitness game has it all to drop the weight and change your life.

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“DanceMasters” (Konami), $49.99 ERP (U.S.), Nov. 4. The pioneer of the franchise that started the dance game craze, Konami introduces a brand new way to experience music and rhythm. The next generation in full-body dancing is finally here.

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“EA SPORTS Active 2” (EA SPORTS), $99.95 ERP (U.S.), Nov. 16. “EA SPORTS Active 2” with Total Body Tracking will combine motion tracking from Kinect and heart rate data from the included wireless heart rate monitor to provide true fitness results. Users will be able to track and share their workout data online through automatic uploading from their online connected Xbox 360 consoles to their personalized EA SPORTS Active profile.

•

“Zumba Fitness®” (Majesco), $49.99 ERP (U.S.), Nov. 18. Join the party with “Zumba Fitness,” a one-of-a-kind, dance fitness workout set to sexy, high-energy Latin and international music. Find your rhythm and let go as “Zumba” instructor fan favorites Gina Grant, Tanya Beardsley and “Zumba” creator, Beto, guide you through 30 routines that will work you into a sweat and make you forget you’re even exercising.

Co-Op or Compete? The Choice Is Yours

Step onto the field with the first generation of sports games that turn your whole body into the controller. Want to play soccer? With Kinect, you use your feet — not your thumbs! Hone your skills solo, or compete with friends at home and afar over Xbox LIVE. Beach volleyball, boxing, skiing and more — Kinect offers something for athletes of every stripe.

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“Kinect Sports” (Rare/Microsoft Game Studios), $49.99 ERP (U.S.), Nov. 4. The first full-body, controller-free sports game that lets you physically compete with friends over Xbox LIVE, “Kinect Sports” is so real, you will almost feel the wind in your hair as you fly over hurdles and the sand in your toes as you set, bump and spike your way to volleyball victory. With six full sports — Soccer, Beach Volleyball, Track & Field, Boxing, Bowling and Table Tennis — “Kinect Sports” is the only title with a Team vs. Team mode, allowing the whole family to play in a fast-paced tournament style competition.

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“MotionSports™” (Ubisoft) — $49.99 ERP(U.S.) — Nov. 4. Grab your friends and rush the living room, it is time to catapult into the wide world of “MotionSports.” Race down the slopes of a Super G slalom, score a mind-blowing penalty kick, duck-and-run your way to a game-winning touchdown, or throw punches at the champ as you test your skills in more than 40 awesome sports challenges. The “MotionSports” live in-game commentary will follow your hits and misses, as you compete to go from local hero to a global sports phenomenon.

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“DECA SPORTS FREEDOM” (Hudson Entertainment), Price TBA, Holiday 2010.Hudson Entertainment is taking sports to the next level with 10 sporting events you play using your own body in “DECA SPORTS FREEDOM.” No controller necessary — just move yourself as if you were playing the sport in real life. Spin, throw and smash your way to victory across all of the included events: tennis, boxing, archery, paintball, beach volleyball, dodge ball, kendo, mogul skiing, snowboard cross, and even figure skating.

Thrills, Spills and All-Out Action

Get your adrenaline fix with new, controller-free ways to race and rumble. Kinect removes the barrier between you and your games, delivering action and excitement like nothing you’ve experienced before.

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“Kinect Joy Ride” (Big Park/Microsoft Game Studios), $49.99 ERP(U.S.), Nov. 4. “Kinect Joy Ride,” the first controller-free racing game, will take you and your friends on the ride of your lives — no driver’s license required. “Kinect Joy Ride” combines wild kart-racing excitement with the effortless fun of full-body gaming possible only with Kinect for Xbox 360. Go solo or compete with up to eight players over Xbox LIVE to take on the world.²

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“ADRENALIN MISFITS” (Konami), $49.99 ERP(U.S.), Nov. 4.“Adrenalin Misfits” thrusts gamers into unbelievable fantasy worlds with exciting, sideways-stance boarding battles in amazing environments. It’s not just a race, it’s a battle!

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“Fighters Uncaged” (Ubisoft), $49.99 ERP(U.S.), Nov. 4. Charge head-first into the vicious world of illegal free-fighting tournaments, where you will use every muscle in your body to battle your way to the top. Forced into a secret tournament, Simon must use what he learned from his father, an ex-boxing champ, as he faces off against violent combatants who will brutally unleash a range of mixed martial arts attacks to take him down. No guns. No blades. Your body is the deadly weapon.

•

“SONIC FREE RIDERS™” (SEGA), $49.95 ERP (U.S.), Nov. 4. Sonic is speeding onto Kinect for Xbox 360 in an action-packed experience unlike any other. Become your favorite character as you jump on your board and compete in adrenaline-fueled races against tough competition. For the first time use full-motion body control to twist and turn your way through a range of stunning courses.

Amazing Entertainment, Unbelievable Value

So much more than just games, Kinect brings entertainment to life in magical new ways, offering controller-free TV, movies, music and sports and connecting family and friends from coast to coast with video chat from the comfort of the living room. With Xbox LIVE, jump right into a movie in instant-on 1080p high-definition simply by saying “Xbox, play,” or thumb through millions of songs from Zune with just a wave of your hand. You can even literally reach out and freeze the frame on that game-changing touchdown or three-pointer with ESPN on Xbox LIVE. With cutting-edge experiences for movie buffs, music lovers, sports gurus and gamers alike, Kinect and Xbox 360 bring the living room of the future home this holiday.³ For more information, visit http://www.kinectholiday.com (http://www NULL.kinectholiday NULL.com).

Follow Kinect on Facebook as we tour the world, transforming how people experience games and entertainment. More information is available at http://www.facebook.com/xbox (http://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/xbox).

**Keep in mind that retailers are already warning of possible shortages for the holiday season, so if this is a must have Holiday gift it is highly recommended you start now, by getting yourself on a reservations or waiting list for the Kinect.

TechNet Video: How Do I: Migration From Windows XP to Windows 7 (Level 200)

From Microsoft:

TechNet Video: How Do I: Migration From Windows XP to Windows 7 (Level 200) (http://www NULL.microsoftbroadcaster NULL.com/en-us/Content/Link/11813?WT NULL.z_cType=VI&WT NULL.z_cSource=WWE)

(LINK) http://www.microsoftbroadcaster.com/en-us/Content/Link/11813?WT.z_cType=VI&WT.z_cSource=WWE (http://www NULL.microsoftbroadcaster NULL.com/en-us/Content/Link/11813?WT NULL.z_cType=VI&WT NULL.z_cSource=WWE) (http://www NULL.microsoftbroadcaster NULL.com/en-us/Content/Media/11813?WT NULL.z_cType=VI&WT NULL.z_cSource=WWE)

Find out what you need to know about the process of migrating your computers from Windows XP to Windows 7.

This video discusses:

Backup considerations and options
Preparing hard drives and partitions
Capturing Windows XP data and settings with the Windows Easy Transfer Tool
Installing Windows 7
Restoring captured data and settings with the Windows Easy Transfer Tool
Confirming settings

Software: The new Windows Live Essentials Beta – Available 6/24/10

From a post earlier today on the Windows Team Blog (LINK: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_live/b/windowslive/archive/2010/06/23/announcing-the-new-windows-live-essentials-beta.aspx (http://windowsteamblog NULL.com/windows_live/b/windowslive/archive/2010/06/23/announcing-the-new-windows-live-essentials-beta NULL.aspx) ), the latest version of Windows Live Essentials will be out tomorrow, June 24th.

The following Microsoft Video shows some of the latest features to Windows Live Essentials

Windows Live Essentials – the essential software for Windows

Windows Live Essentials includes Messenger, Mail, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Writer, Sync and Family Safety. Essentials is available for free and in many cases may already be installed on your PC with Windows.

Picture of Windows Live Essentials icons (http://windowsteamblog NULL.com/cfs-file NULL.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Blogs-Components-WeblogFiles/00-00-00-53-82-metablogapi/1537 NULL.Essentials_5F00_5BD7465E NULL.png)

In the upcoming release, we focused on achieving two important goals with Essentials:

Making everyday tasks simpler and enabling new possibilities on your PC
Connecting Windows 7 to the cloud

Windows Live Essentials beta requires Windows Vista or Windows 7, and is available in English, French, Dutch, Japanese, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, or Spanish.

As previously announced (http://windowsteamblog NULL.com/windows_live/b/windowslive/archive/2010/06/02/preview-of-the-new-windows-live-essentials NULL.aspx), this release of Essentials is focused on two things: connecting Windows 7 to the cloud services you already use, and making everyday tasks simpler, so that you can do more on your PC.

Connecting Windows 7 to the cloud

We’ve designed Essentials to connect your Windows experience to the web services you already use – not just the ones from Microsoft. The new betas of Windows Live Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Mail, Writer, and Messenger (http://explore NULL.live NULL.com/windows-live-messenger-beta) connect to photo and video sharing (SkyDrive (http://skydrive NULL.com), Flickr (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/), YouTube (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/), Facebook (http://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/), SmugMug (http://www NULL.smugmug NULL.com)), social networking (Facebook (http://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/), MySpace (http://www NULL.myspace NULL.com), Linkedin (http://www NULL.linkedin NULL.com)), email (Hotmail (http://www NULL.hotmail NULL.com/), Gmail (http://www NULL.gmail NULL.com), Yahoo! Mail (http://mail NULL.yahoo NULL.com)), blogging (Spaces (http://spaces NULL.live NULL.com), WordPress (http://wordpress NULL.com), Blogger (http://www NULL.blogger NULL.com)), and document productivity (Office Web Apps (http://office NULL.live NULL.com)) services. And the new Windows Live Sync keeps your files synchronized across multiple PCs and in the cloud. You can even directly access your PC over the web with Sync’s new remote desktop feature.

Making everyday tasks simpler and enabling new possibilities

People like to get creative on their PCs as much as they like seeing what everyone else has been up to. Whether it’s Retouch, Panoramic Stitch, or Photo Fuse in Photo Gallery, Auto Movie in Movie Maker, or Photo Mail in the new Windows Live Mail, we think you’ll be excited by the new additions to Essentials that make advanced tasks, well, easy. If you haven’t yet tried PhotoFuse to merge together the best of several photos, it’s a lot of fun. (http://techcrunch NULL.com/2010/06/02/microsoft-rolls-out-impressive-enhancements-to-windows-live-essentials-suite/)

As soon as the beta goes live tomorrow (we’ll update this blog post when it does), you’ll be able to get it from here (http://explore NULL.live NULL.com/windows-live-essentials-beta). (LINK: http://explore.live.com/windows-live-essentials-beta (http://explore NULL.live NULL.com/windows-live-essentials-beta))

Software: Hidden and Additional Themes for Windows 7

One of the nice cosmetic features in Windows 7 is the great variety of themes that you can select from to change the appearance of your computer system. I had not written this post earlier because somehow I seriously though that most people were aware of all their options. However, after a recent road trip (with the W7 laptop) where I kept getting asked “where did you get those backgrounds for your computer”, I suddenly understood that their are a lot of people who just don’t know about the additional cosmetic changes you can make to your Windows 7 pc. So with that being said, here is a simple way that you can add or change the look of your Windows 7 pc.

For those who still aren’t sure here is a short video from Microsoft explaining “What is a theme” – (LINK)http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/what-is-a-theme (http://windows NULL.microsoft NULL.com/en-us/windows7/what-is-a-theme)

Microsoft has always offered what they refer to as themes for Windows, to all the user to change the appearance of their system. In Windows 7, Microsoft has a 3 different options for themes, 2 of which may not be well known. Everyone that has installed Windows 7 should be familiar with the personalization screen that you can find in Control Panel (Start Menu Button –> Control Panel)

When you click on Personalization, you get the following screen (This is the USA version, if you selected a different country during install of Windows 7 the pictures themselves may be a little different) where you can select the theme to use for your computer (Theme includes pictures –usually 5 or 6 in a group- plus color schemes and sounds). In addition, by selecting at the bottom you can select how often the background changes and if you want a specific color scheme or sound and what screen saver to go along with your theme.

Now this post could end right here but that wouldn’t cover the 2 other ways that you can add to your choices in the personalization screen.

Additional Themes Option #1 – The Hidden ones already on your pc

So lets start with the option that is already on your computer but is hidden because they are considered to be for other regions or locations. (NOTE: you will need to have hidden files and folders showing in Windows. You can change that setting in control panel –> folder options –> View tab –> put a bubble next to “Show hidden files, folders, and drives)

1) Click on Start and then in the search box type the following

- C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT and press the Enter key

- you will see the following window (below), just click on the folder called MCT

2) The window that opens will show you the additional themes for Windows 7 for other regions or locations (Depending on the version of Windows 7 your choices may be a little different than the ones shown below). In my copy of Windows I get themes additional themes from Australia, Canada, U.K, and South Africa (In addition to the US theme which is already showing).

- Once you are at the MCT folder open the theme for the country you like, and then you can either select the folder with the country name where you will see the pictures used in the theme or the theme folder itself to install the theme.

- If you select the folder with the pictures (below) you can right click on a picture you like and then select “Set as desktop background. (This will not make it into a changing theme, it will give you just that picture as your background. )

- If you choose to install the entire theme, once you have selected the Theme folder, double click on the file name.theme (in this example GB.theme). That will install the entire theme.

3) Once you have done that you can go back to your personalization folder in control panel and select the newly added themes. Once a theme is on your Personalization window, its just a matter of clicking on it to change between themes.

Additional Themes Option #2 –

Other than locating hidden Windows 7 themes in your computer, you can also download several windows 7 themes form the Microsoft Website.

Visit the Windows 7 Personalization page (LINK) http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/personalize (http://windows NULL.microsoft NULL.com/en-us/windows/downloads/personalize)

- Here you will find a large selection of themes you can add to your Windows 7 install. Its also very simple and best of all its FREE!!!!

All you need to do is scroll down the page until you find a theme that interests you, you will see a download button just under that them.

- Click on download, it will be followed by a screen that will ask you if you want to Open or Save. If you wish to save the themes for later just select save (and remember where you saved it to). If you just want to install select open and it will automatically install the theme on the computer for you. (NOTE: The theme will also become your default theme, so you will need to go back to the personalization folder to change it to something else.)

Themes take up a minimal space on a hard drive so don’t be afraid to download and try a few of these out.

And with that you have another simple way of changing the look of your Windows 7 pc. “I’m glad Windows 7 was my idea”. OK it wasn’t but I have always wanted to be in one of those commercials so that I could say that.

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