Should I Upgrade to Windows 7?

The first thing you need to think about is "Do I need to" "or "why do I need to" upgrade to Windows 7. Is there an advantage for me to do so considering my current usage profile?

I recently read a review comparing Windows XP with Windows 7 using a reasonably configured PC. Windows XP came ahead on some counts, Windows 7 on others (but not by a lot in either case) except in the "multimedia" area where windows 7 came further ahead. So I guess if you are heavy into multimedia, maybe. The differences except for this again posed the question "Should I upgrade to Windows 7" as the gain looks minimal.

This leaves functionality. "Is there any extra functionality in Windows 7 that I may gain advantage of" First one should consider that many new features in Windows 7 (like ISO image burning) you probably already use other programs. Paint for example has been jazzed up in Windows 7, but you probably already use much better graphics programs.

Look at it this way, in my opinion most Windows upgrades are mainly for show and to add some extra functionality to keep driving revenue into Microsoft. Microsoft gets steady revenue from new PCs already installed with their operating system. This is independent on which version of windows is installed. They keep pushing up their revenue by creating new Windows versions. They get this extra revenue by you and I upgrading. If they did not do this then this would be a revenue stream lost. I think this is where "Vista" fell down they tried to rush it out to get this revenue stream going and it fell in a heap, thus Windows 7.

Now Windows 7 didn't fall in a heap but it is considered "bloatware" That is, it has so much so called functionality and frivolity that most users would only look and use a fraction of its capability. Most operating systems are like this even Windows XP. Compare it to when VCR's came out. Most people just wanted to push a button to watch a video or push one or two to record, yet they were presented with so many options to do this that most people sort of gave up. The same thing with remote keypads. There are so many buttons that most people did not know what they did.

Getting back to "should I upgrade to Windows 7". Are you happy with Windows XP? Does it do everything you want? Well stay with it as you are not going to get any extra benefit from upgrading. Later on you may need to, as support for Windows XP will vanish (and it will eventually) and even then you may not want to upgrade.

I have been in the computer systems business over 35 years and one thing I have found is that most problems occur when new updates of existing operating systems, (patches, fixes etc) are installed. When these stop being installed the operating system became very stable. I have found this with many "Mainframe" systems I used to look after when existing system support updates were discontinued. I would see Windows XP the same. As soon as support is discontinued many new problems disappeared. Unfortunately you may eventually have to upgrade to windows 7, as programmers will start developing programs that will only work on the Windows 7 operating system.


Source: http://goo.gl/kIJcq

Speed up Windows 7 by these 3 tools

Windows 7 is the latest offering from Microsoft, but it's still prone to running slowly and with errors. This is a problem which even the most advanced computers cannot avoid, and is one which is actually very easy to fix if you have some software tools to boost the speed and reliability of your system. Here are the top 3...

#1 Antivirus, AntiSpyware & Anti-Adware - Anti-"malware" (Malicious-ware) programs are an essential part of any computer for several reasons, not least because of how they can protect your personal data. These tools are also highly effective at speeding up your PC, as the more infections it has, the slower it will run. Windows 7 is currently getting bombarded with 1,000's of new viruses and adware infections, making the need for antivirus, antispyware and anti-adware a necessity. You can get these tools from most major download sites.

#2 Junk File Cleaner - "Junk Files" are files which Windows cannot use or read. These come in two forms - files which you just download or create and are of no use... and files which are useful but are unreadable. As computers age, their buildup of junk files increases, slowing your computer down tremendously. Every computer has these files, and many unchecked PCs have gigabytes of data just blocking up your system. To remove these, you should go through your computer and delete any of the downloaded files that you no longer want by selecting them and pressing SHIFT + DELETE. You can alternatively get a junk file cleaner program, which will automatically remove all the junk files from your system.

#3 Registry Cleaner - Many people claim that these tools can do all-sorts to your PC. The fact is that registry cleaners can boost your PC's speed if it has a lot of errors inside it. These tools scan through the registry database and remove any damaged or corrupted settings that are causing problems. The registry is basically the storage facility for Windows, which keeps data including your saved passwords, latest emails and desktop wallpaper safe. Unfortunately, the registry is also prone to making your computer run much slower as your PC often saves many of the files in the wrong way. This causes them to become unreadable, which slows your PC's speed. To fix this, registry cleaners are designed to scan through the registry database and fix any of the damaged / corrupted settings that are causing a problem. This allows your system to become faster, but only if there are a considerable amount of errors on there.


Source : http://goo.gl/Rg8Xz

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor Scans Your System for Win7 Compatibility

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor scans your PC to see if it can run Windows 7, and explains any potential compatibility issues.

Using the utility is about as easy as it gets—just launch it and go through the screens to scan your computer for compatibility with the newest version of Windows. At the end you'll receive a report letting you know if your system can run Windows 7, and whether each one of your system components will be compatible as well—the upgrade wizard advises you to make sure all your devices are connected so it can fully detect any potential issues.

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor Beta is a free download, Windows only. For more, make sure you've checked out our features on what's new in the Windows 7 release candidate , how to upgarde to the RC,and how to enable xp Mode once you've upgarded.

Source:-lifehacker.com

TS2R NEWS: Windows 7 Update, New Sprint Smartphone? UberMedia Back & BOG5

Here's a new feature we call TS2R (Too Short 2 Report) - news that doesn't warrant a full article but contains information that our readers still need to know.

• Microsoft is pushing out a minor update to Windows Phone 7 that will enable the promised update with copy/paste (first week of March). It requires that you have already installed the recent update to Zune. The update requires that you connect your Windows Phone to your computer (details from Microsoft).

• Sprint tweeted that it will announce a new phone on Thursday.
• Banned Uber Media Twitter apps Twidroyd and UberSocial have been reinstated.
• U.S. Cellular has launched a buy-one-get-five free phone deal (BOG5). You can buy a Samsung Mesmerize ($99) or LG Optimus U ($29), and the freebies are LG Optmus U Android smartphones ( read review). You can also opt to buy a Samsung Messenger Touch and get five Samsung Profile phones. Smartphone buyers get a $100 Smartphone activation credit. BOG5 Details include contract, mail-in rebate, and activation required on each handset. All handsets must be activated on the same account.

Source:-wirelessandmobilenews.com

AVG Update Borks Windows 7, Here's How You Can Fix It

If you're an AVG user having trouble booting into Windows 7, you have our condolences. Perhaps it might come as a small consolation that you're not alone, and chances are you did nothing wrong. The culprit, AVG says, is that the latest virus database -- 271.1.1/3292 (432/3292) -- released earlier this week is bricking systems with a STOP code.

AVG has since pulled the update, but that doesn't do you any good if you've already installed it. In that case, AVG recommends booting into Safe Mode and running System Restore to a point in time prior to the update. Barring that, AVG says to do the following:

1. Find a working computer and create an AVG Rescue CD, if you didn't already, and use it to boot into your computer.
2. When the Rescue CD is launched, navigate to Utilities > File Manager.
3. Navigate to the mounted system drive (usually /mnt/sda1).
4. Within this drive, navigate to the /Windows/system32/drivers/ folder and rename (using the F6 key) all files starting with avg (such as avgldx86.sys, avgtdlx.sys, and any others you find) to back them up. You can do this by changing their file extension to .bak.
5. Remove the Rescue CD and reboot your PC. Your system should now boot with AVG disabled.
6. Re-install AVG.
Alternately, some AVG forum members recommend booting into Safe Mode with a command prompt and renaming/removing the AVG program folder. Doing so should allow you to boot normally, after which you can then run the repair installation of AVG.

Note that this issue only affects 64-bit versions of Windows. If you're running a 32-bit OS and can't boot up, the culprit is likely something else.

How to convert MTS files to Windows Movie Maker for Editing?

MTS to Windows Movie Maker converteris especially designed for AVCHD.MTS camcorder user who like to edit mts files with Windows Movie Maker.

Windows Movie Maker always works with avi ,wmv etc, can not accept mts files from Canon, Sony, Panasonic
, JVC etc brand camcorder directly.

MTS to WMM converter supports convert mts files to avi or wmv etc, convert m2ts, ts, trp, tp etc avchd files to avi/wmv, import mts files to Windows Movie Maker/WLMM etc for further editing on Windows xp, vista, 7.More:

MTS to Windows Movie Maker software can convert mts files to other common video formats, like mov, mp4, dv, swf, flv, 3gp, mkv, rmvb, rm, mpg, mpeg-2, hd mov, hd avi, hd wmv, hd mpg, hd mp4 etc and convert video among these common formats vice versa.


Import mts video to iPod, iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, PSP, PS3, Sony Vegas, WMP, Premiere Pro, Mobile Phone, upload mts files to Youtube, Facebook etc metacafe etc using MTS to WMM program.

Surely, clip, trim, split, merge, join, crop mts video, set output parameter, apply effect for mts files also can using MTS to Windows Movie Maker software.

Step by step Convert and import mts files to Windows Movie Maker for further editing.

Step1: Download MTS to Windows Movie Maker converter, run it

Step2: Add mts files, set output , then save

Click "Add video", add mts files , batch convert supports, click"Profile drop-down list" to set output a avi formats or wmv formats, then click"Output green arrow" to save to destination place.

Step3: Click " Start" to convert mts files to avi
Tips: Before Convert, you can edit your mts file.

Step4: Import ripe mts video to Windows Movie Maker freely.

Window 7, xp, vista Movie Maker

Windows 7 Movie Maker(Windows Live Movie Maker)Windows Live Movie Maker is the simplest and easiest to use version of Movie Makersystems that runs on windows 7 and vista,,not xp, It can handle a much broader variety of source files, has a minimal number of editing features, and more hooks into online host services such as YouTube.

Windows vista Movie Maker (Movie Maker6.0/2.6)

Windows Movie Maker 6.0 in Windows Vista includes new effects and transitions, and support for the DVR-MS file format that Windows Media Center records television in.

Windows XP Movie Maker(Movie Maker 2.1/2.5)Movie Maker Version 2.1, a minor update of 2.0, movie maker 2.5 is developed with more transitions and support for DVD burning.

MTS to Windows Movie Maker converter can import avchd, avchd lite, mts, m2ts, ts, tp, trp etc video to Windows 7, xp, vista Movie Maker freely.

Windows 7 Phone Review

The Windows 7 Phone platform has just been released, and reviews across the internet have been published as publications try to give their two penny worth. The replacement for the much maligned and now defunct Windows Mobile, it will be available in the UK with the HTC HDZ and HTC 7 Mozart, Samsung Omnia, and LG Optimus 7.

Ballmer
Understandably first on most agendas of any article covering Windows new baby (which they are rumoured to spending a recession-mocking four hundred million pounds promoting), is its interface, and reactions to it have generally been positive. The Daily Telegraph describes it thus:
Turn on any WP7 device and the home screen slides up to reveal a panel of large icons. These give access to the “hubs” around which the system is built – from “People” to “Pictures” or “Music and Video”. Scroll up and as you come to the bottom of the list the icons above are compressed slightly; it makes knowing where you are in a list intuitive. Menus throughout the phone, too, pirouette onto the screen in a way that is as smooth-looking as it is surely battery-draining.

wmpoweruser.com likes the simplicity of the interface and its intention to keep things as quick and straightforward as possible:

Sometimes, the interface can be a little dull, and perhaps not as flashy as things like the iPhone, or Android, but it puts information, rather than shininess first, and at that, it’s pretty much unparalleled.

As we all know, apps now rule the mobile universe. Windows have recognised this and created the Marketplace, where users can go to pick up apps, games and music videos. They have brought a host of third developers on board, who will be bringing additions every day. About Marketplace, neowin.net said:

Microsoft’s store is a joy to use unless you’re searching for something specific. Hitting the search button allows you to narrow down your search but the final results mix in applications, games and music so it’s often hard to find the application you require.

As Apple as iTunes, so Windows has Zune to buy and play music which you can sync with your Windows PC. Unfortunately the Guardian has compared looking for songs on it to shopping in “a 1950s Soviet supermarket: damn big, and damn empty.”

However, neowin contradicts this by saying:
Overall the Music and Video hub offers everything you’d expect. Windows Phone 7 supports a variety of formats including MP3, WMA, AAC, MPEG and H.264. DivX and MKV formats are not supported natively but we fully expect third parties to offer separate applications for these.
Emails appear to be taken care off and the Phone 7 gets general thumbs up all round, with

wmpoweruser saying:
The Email client is pretty much spot on. It supports IMAP, POP, Hotmail/Live and Exchange ActiveSync push email, as well as full HTML support, and the interface is brilliant to boot.
It’ll also easily sync with your Facebook, with neowin gushing that “if ever there was a Facebook phone then this is truly it. Facebook is at the very heart of Windows Phone 7 and it beats throughout the operating system.”

Pictures from Facebook and email are easily retrievable, where “the hub syncs down your photos and albums from Facebook and Windows Live. The Facebook integration is solid in pictures, allowing you to save photos locally and comment on friends Facebook images.”
There’s full Microsoft Office capability, with techradar saying this is where Windows Phone 7 really shines, though it does say,

Being able to jump directly to tables in Excel or sections in Word, using the contents list Mobile Office builds automatically is certainly useful but we’d really like to see the other apps work more like OneNote, enabling you to have notes on your phone that sync to the Web and to the PC version of the app as well.

In general, opinions on the 7 Phone were pretty positive. Techradar (giving it four out of five) says:
Microsoft has delivered what it set out to do: a refreshingly different, truly engaging mobile OS. The user interface delights and there are standout innovations such as linking multiple contacts.
All the reviews do lend a caveat that it isn’t yet the finished article, and that it offers little new for smartphones with Telegraph perhaps summing it up with:
Everything looks genuinely slick and stylish – but WP7 is neither cutting edge under the bonnet nor so effortless to use that it’s a plausible object of aspiration for anybody but a business person whose IT department won’t allow them a better option.