Fancy yourself an early adopter, but don't want to shell out the money to buy one of the many new Windows 8
systems offered by Microsoft and other manufacturers? What about those
who bought a new PC recently, and find themselves stuck with Windows 7?
Well, you're in luck, because Microsoft, in an effort to boost Windows 8
adoption, is offering to upgrade eligible systems on the cheap. For
$14.99—15 bucks!—anyone who purchased a qualified Windows 7 laptop after
June 2 of this year can purchase a download of Windows 8 Pro. And for
those who don't meet those requirements, the full operating system can
still be purchased for $39.99 (via download) or $69.99 (on disc).
But not all laptops will be able to make the jump to Windows 8.
According to Microsoft, the minimum hardware requirements for running
Windows 8 include a processor with a clock speed of 1GHz or more; at
least 2GB of RAM for 64-bit systems (or 1GB for 32-bit), 20GB of hard
drive space (16GB for 32-bit), and DirectX 9-capable graphics. Most—but
not all—PCs running Windows 7 will meet these requirements, but it
should be noted that if you purchased Windows 7 Starter Edition, you'll
be paying full price.
You should also know that many features integral to getting the full
Windows 8 experience require further hardware capabilities. The
touch-based navigation that Windows 8 is built around requires a touch
screen, though touch-enabled peripherals can make up some of the
difference. Purchasing and downloading apps for the Windows Store—which
Microsoft expects will be your primary source of apps and
software—requires an active Internet connection. And while the operating
system will work at resolutions as low as 1,024-by-768, you'll need to
bump that up to at least 1366-by-768 in order to use apps side-by-side.
Beyond the basic hardware requirements, you'll also need device drivers
to get all of your hardware playing nicely with the new operating
system. While most manufacturers are offering driver support for PCs
sold over the last year, the cutoff date varies, so check the details
for your specific brand below. And if you don't see your brand below,
check back over the next few weeks, as we will be updating this story as
more information becomes available.
Acer
Acer offers driver support for Windows 7 laptops purchased between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013, as well as offering an upgrade assistant to guide you through the specifics of the upgrade process for dozens of Acer systems.
Apple
Apple is offering no support for Windows 8 at this time.
Asus
Asus offers a free Windows 8 upgrade
for qualified systems sold between October 1 through December 31 of this
year. It should be noted, however, that the upgrade is only free after a
mail-in rebate, and only a handful of systems are eligible.
Dell/Alienware
Dell (and subsidiary Alienware) is supporting upgrades
for qualified Windows 7 systems purchased between June 2, 2012 and
January 31, 2013. Offers must be redeemed prior to February 28, 2013.
eMachines
Like Dell, eMachines is supporting upgrades
for eligible Windows 7 PCs purchased between June 2, 2012 and January
31, 2013. Offers must be redeemed prior to February 28, 2013.
Fujitsu
Fujitsu is supporting upgrades for eligible Windows 7 PCs purchased
between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013. A list of eligible systems
can be found on the offer page.
Gateway
Gateway is supporting upgrades
for eligible Windows 7 PCs purchased between June 2, 2012 and January
31, 2013. Offers must be redeemed prior to February 28, 2013. Gateway
also offers a support tool for determining whether or not a system is
supported—a handful of otherwise eligible systems fail to qualify for
support due to hardware incompatibility.
Hewlett-Packard (HP)
HP is providing upgrade instructions and drivers
for all Windows 7 systems sold after 1st October 2011, as well as
providing a detailed upgrade guide to help you through the process. For a
limited number of eligible Windows 7 systems, HP is also offering a $15 refund to cover the cost of upgrade. Refund information can be found here:
Lenovo
Lenovo is supporting upgrades to several laptops,
including ThinkPad and Lenovo B, E, K, M and V series as well as
IdeaPad models. The promotional upgrade offer only extends to models
purchased between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013.
Panasonic
Panasonic is supporting upgrades for ToughBook computers, with detailed download information listed by model number.
Samsung
Samsung is providing upgrade instructions and drivers for several
Windows 7 systems, along with a step by step installation guide.
Eligible models are listed on the upgrade page.
Sony
Sony is supporting upgrades for eligible Windows 7 PCs purchased between
June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013. A list of eligible systems can be
found on the offer page.
Toshiba
Toshiba is supporting upgrades for a wide range of Windows 7 PCs
, with an upgrade assistant for installing Windows 8 on systems
purchased after June 1, 2012. Toshiba is also supporting upgrades for
systems purchased between January 1, 2011 and June 1, 2012, with manual
step-by-step instructions.
Vizio
Vizio is supporting upgrades for all Windows 7 Vizio PCs, with both drive updates and a detailed installation guide.
Microsoft
Having trouble finding your manufacturer's upgrade and support page? Microsoft has collected links to the pages of numerous manufacturers.
Referrence: http://www.pcmag.com
10/29/2012
10/19/2012
Turn Your iPhone into a Robot With Romo
Despite what retro sci-fi films show us, robots
aren’t always large, clunky machines with clamps for hands. Enter Romo,
a pint-sized personal bot that combines the brain power of a smartphone
and the wheels of a radio-controlled car.
10/17/2012
9 Free Retro Video Games You Can Play on iPhone
Pacific Wings
Back in the day, this game was called ’1941′, where you play a fighter pilot who manoeuvre your plane around enemy fire and shoot their planes down. Nothing has changed in this one; its gameplay and game design look pretty much the same.You control the plane by moving your finger around the screen collecting powerups that make you shoot more bullets or increase your rate of fire. [Free]
Breakout: Boost
The gameplay is based off Atari’s original ‘Breakout’, released in the mid-70s. The iPhone version has improved graphics and colors, and more walls to break. You control the ‘paddle’ by moving your finger left and right.This would be a little more interesting than the original game Pong as you have an objective of breaking the bricks, as well as different levels to complete. [Free]
Frogger Free
Someone looking for a challenge, you’re sure to remember playing Frogger; a game where you need a lot of patience, a fast reaction time to dodge cars and perfect timing to reach the other side safely. You control the frog by swiping up, down, left, right on the screen. Some rounds can be easier than others, but rest assured, patience and skill will get you across safely. [Free]
Missile Command – Atari’s Greatest Hits
Missile Command is familiar to many people. To get this game you have to download ‘Atari’s Greatest Hits’ and you’ll be able to play Missile Command for free. Although there are many other classic arcade games to play, they require in app purchase. You use a joystick to control the on-screen cursor with one thumb, and have 3 buttons to shoot down incoming missiles. [Free]
Bubble Shooter – Totally Addictive
Another simple game that will bring back memories. Let’s pop some bubbles! On the iPhone version, you swipe left and right to aim the arrow and swipe up to shoot. Shoot the colored bubbles in clumps of three or more to clear them off the screen. Any bubbles below the point of contact will fall and you win by clearing all the bubbles. The game is over if a bubble reaches the bottom of your screen. [Free]
Tanks! Free
The gameplay and graphics of this game is based on Atari’s ‘Battlezone’ released in 1980, with an added twist. Instead of 3 tank lives, you get a health bar. You control the tank with two joysticks which control the tank’s tracks. It is an interesting and fun way to control the tank. You can also pick up power-ups and health points. [Free]
iCopter Free
A simple game where you pilot a helicopter. Place your finger down on the screen to make the helicopter fly up; releasing your finger makes the helicopter descend towards the floor. The idea is to dodge oncoming obstacles and not fly too high or too low as hitting the roof or floor means the game is over. A tip is to not hold your finger down for too long but rather tap the screen to steady the helicopter. [Free]
Snake ’97
The iconic game of Nokia phones everywhere. Now available on the iPhone too! best of all, ‘Snake’ on the iPhone comes complete with the looks of the old phone minus the touch of the rubber keypads. This game is simple and fast paced, and it’ll give you a rush of adrenalin or leave you frustrated. Either way, you’re bound to keep playing to make the longest snake. [Free]
Ping Pong
This game takes you all the way back to the 70′s. Swipe your fingers up and down to control the paddle, and do not let the ball cross past your the edge of your side of the screen. Some use the walls as bouncing the ball off the walls makes it hard to return it. However, you’re playing against an A.I., so bouncing the ball off the wall might work for your enemy rather than against. [Free]
Create iPhone Alerts Of (Almost) Anything With HeroButton
Apple might have created Siri as a personal assistant, but there are
certain limitations to what Siri can do. Besides the iOS users who have
Siri, those who do not, can try this app that gives you instant
notification alerts based on your interests.
HeroButton is a free iPhone app that acts as a personal assistant to alert you based on keywords determined by you.
It can retrieve information of music artists’ song releases, dates of
movie releases, and even the prices of stocks, hotels or property.
HeroButton also features user voice recognition and speech playback.
Now, let’s take a look at the main features that make HeroButton a unique app.
Now, let’s take a look at the main features that make HeroButton a unique app.
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