The next chapter in the ultrabook saga: 'Haswell'

Acer's first-generation Windows 8 touch-screen ultrabook. The second generation will likely feature Haswell chips. 

Ultrabooks are currently limping along on Windows 7, but Windows 8 and "Haswell" should put some spring in their step.
While Windows 8 is obviously a hot topic, less is being said about Haswell, Intel's next chip design that will underwrite the third stage of ultrabooks.
That's because Intel hasn't been talking about Haswell, except on the QT in NDA sessions in Asia this week.
Haswell is probably the first mainstream PC-class chip from Intel designed with really thin, small PCs in mind from the get-go. It will also probably pack a mean graphics punch (i.e., bigger performance uptick than usual).
But not a whole lot more is known about the new microarchitecture.
Until Haswell arrives, the first generation of Windows 8 touch-screen ultrabooks from companies like Acer and Lenovo will use Ivy Bridge processors. But the real deal (that is, more affordable touch-screen models) won't land until 2013 with Haswell.
And note that Microsoft won't bring out its Intel-based Windows Pro tablet until the end of January (or thereabouts). Is it waiting for Haswell? Either way, Haswell would make for a solid second-generation Surface Pro tablet.

Save storage space by compressing your media files in Windows

If you're using an older device or have just swamped it with media files, compression may be a good idea. Though it has an effect on playback quality, for most users, adding to their collection is well worth it.

Streaming can only take you so far. It's nice to carry at least some of our tunes and videos with us in our mobile devices, but most of us have run into space limitations. SD cards can only hold so much, but compressing your files can help you cram more onto your device. Note that higher levels of compression almost always mean lower levels of quality, but most of us won't notice much difference.

• First, clear off extraneous files. You may have old pictures, videos, and other detritus that can be better stored on your computer or in the cloud. It's also a good idea to get rid of any apps you don't use, though the memory savings may be negligible. Still, every bit helps! 
• Compress music files using MP3 Quality Modifier. This app makes it simple to compress music files in batches. Just select the files you want, then select either "portable" or "compromise" (or the brutally honest "very low quality" if you're looking for some seriously tiny files), then let 'er rip. 
• Compress video files with Windows Movie Maker. Just import your file, then save it. Under "Movie Setting," select "Show more choices" then select an output that looks about right. Remember, a lower number means a smaller file and poorer quality, so you may need to experiment. 

That's it! You may want to try out some files at different levels of compression to see what you can tolerate.

 

Microsoft should come clean about why it's dropping the Windows 8 Metro name

Microsoft has long used the term "Metro" for its newest Windows interfaces, first for Windows Phone 7, and after that for Windows 8. Now it's dropping that name, and the explanation for it makes little sense. Microsoft should come clean about why it's dropping the name.
The Verge first reported that Microsoft has begun advising developers that it should no longer use the term Metro for apps written for the Windows Phone and Windows 8 interfaces. The Verge followed up that report with what it says is an internal Microsoft memo explaining that "discussions with an important European partner" led to the decision. The memo also said that the Windows team was "working on a replacement term" for Metro.
PC World notes that "the other company is believed to be Metro AG, the German retail giant." Apparently, a trademark disupte may be involved.
Microsoft claims, though, that Metro was never intended to be the term used for the Windows 8 and Windows Phone tiled interface, and said in a statement:

"We have used Metro style as a code name during the product development cycle across many of our product lines. As we get closer to launch and transition from industry dialog to a broad consumer dialog we will use our commercial names."

This simply isn't believable. Microsoft has been using the term for nearly a year, and has used it in countless ways and places, with no indication it's only a code name. Ed Bott points out dozens of white papers, developer communications, student contests, and even the Microsoft developer agreement amended in July that uses the term. And that's just the short list. There's far more than that. Up until now, Microsoft has used all its might to get people to use the term Metro as the description of the Windows 8 and Windows Phone main user interface.
There's certainly nothing wrong with Microsoft changing the name of its new user interface, and if that's a result of a trademark dispute, it won't be the first time a company has been forced to change a name. But there is something wrong with not coming clean about the reason for the name change, and Microsoft should tell the truth about it. Windows 8 and Windows Phone need plenty of help,  this isn't the way to get it.

Windows 7 poised to topple XP as leading OS

The current flavor of Windows came close to surpassing XP in July but will have to wait another month for the title, according to Net Applications.

(Credit: Net Applications)

Windows 7 and XP are virtually neck and neck in their battle to be the dominant OS, according to Web analytics firm Net Applications.
For the month of July, Windows 7 grabbed 42.21 percent of all network traffic recorded by Net Applications. Windows XP eked out a slightly higher share, capturing 42.86 percent. As Windows 7 has been catching up to its 11-year-old counterpart, it will certainly reach the top spot sometime this month.
The latest results show a huge difference over July 2011 when Windows 7 held just 29.6 percent of Net Applications' mobile traffic, while Windows XP had more than 52 percent.
For an operating system launched in 2001, XP has enjoyed a good run. Many businesses and consumers perfectly satisifed with the OS and turned off by Vista had stuck with XP far longer than anticipated. But more people and organizations are migrating to Windows 7, likely for a number of reasons.
Microsoft is cutting off extended support for Windows XP in less than two years, specifically April 2014. That means large companies must upgrade their installations to Windows 7. Otherwise, they face potential security risks when patches, updates, and bug fixes are no longer available for XP.
Microsoft's latest applications have also been giving the cold shoulder to XP and even Vista. Internet Explorer 9 doesn't support XP, while IE10 won't support XP or Vista. Office 2013 won't run under XP or Vista. Of course, these slights are all part of the company's strategy to force people to bump up to Windows 7.
Still, XP will be around for the foreseeable future. I notice a lot of computers running XP at doctor's offices, hospitals, and similar facilities. Such organizations rely on legacy applications and equipment that may not function under Windows 7. And even though Windows 7 offers an XP mode for compatibility, coaxing these companies to totally migrate from XP will continue to be a challenge.
Overall, Windows accounted for 92 percent of all the traffic on Net Applications' network in July. Mac OS X won a 7 percent share, up from less than 6 percent a year ago.

Microsoft to Motorola: The way to 'patent peace'

Microsoft's lawyers pen a public note to Motorola suggesting a route to peace in the ongoing patent saga
The ongoing Microsoft versus Motorola patents saga continue to roll, but now Microsoft has published its plan for "patent peace" between the two companies.
In a blog post by Microsoft general counsel Brand Smith and deputy general counsel Horacio Gutierrez, the two top lawyers said Google "mounted a public relations and lobbying campaign deflecting attention from its refusal to honor its promise to standards bodies to license standards-essential patents on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms," which led to authorities on both sides of the Atlantic in the U.S and the EU to investigate.
In order to come to an agreement, a "lasting solution of these disputes will not be reached by leaking settlement positions through the press," Microsoft's lawyers said, adding: "Patent peace will be found through good faith engagement."

Microsoft has always been, and remains open to, a settlement of our patent litigation with Motorola. As we have said before, we are seeking solely the same level of reasonable compensation for our patented intellectual property that numerous other Android distributors -- both large and small -- have already agreed to recognize in our negotiations with them. And we stand ready to pay reasonable compensation for Motorola's patented intellectual property as well.

The patent wrangles have a complicated history: earlier this year more than a dozen Android-powered Motorola devices were banned from being imported to the U.S. for sale because Motorola was found to have infringed Microsoft's ActiveSync patent, thanks to a ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).
More recently, a German court banned the sale of all Motorola devices running Android because the smartphone maker infringed a Microsoft-owned patent relating to file storage.

Meanwhile Motorola secured an injunction against Windows 7 and the Xbox in Germany over H.264 video codecs, though the sales ban will not be enforced immediately. Microsoft said it wanted to use the video compression technology, but Motorola would charge in the region of $4 billion in annual royalties -- which Microsoft said was not at the market rate.
In the new blog post, Smith and Hutierrez went on to detail the two principles to so-called "patent peace," that continues to eat up both companies' time, money and energy, namely that any agreement "must be comprehensive." The second issue relates to H.264 video codecs, one of the most popular codecs available, in which the license fees "must be based on market rates."
But the lawyers warned Google that litigation now "stands at a crossroads."

With its phones and tablets now subject to injunctions in the U.S. and Germany, Google can no longer doubt the relevance of Microsoft's patent portfolio to Motorola's products. Google can take one of two paths: it can choose either to engage in serious discussions to search for patent peace or persevere in its diversionary tactics. We hope it will choose the first course, and we stand ready to engage in good faith if it does.

Motorola was unavailable for comment outside U.S. business hours.

Newest HP ultrabook faces shipment delays

Hewlett-Packard is still trying to get its latest and greatest ultrabook out the door. The design is HP"s thinnest and lightest ultrabook to date.

HP's Envy Spectre XT: its newest high-end ultrabook was supposed to ship in early June.

Hewlett-Packard is having a tough time fulfilling orders for its newest high-end ultrabook.
That would be the Envy Spectre XT, a 13-inch, three-pound, sub-0.7-inch-thick laptop sporting a mostly metal design and Intel's newest "Ivy Bridge" processors.
The model, announced in early May, had been expected to ship as early as June 8 but orders have been backlogged.
"HP Envy SpectreXT orders are taking longer to fulfill than HP expected," an HP spokesperson told CNET. "We are contacting all customers who have placed orders to provide updated expected delivery dates."

An order for the Spectre XT placed today on HP's Web site is showing a delivery date of August 27, 2012.
The newest Spectre (XT stands for "extra thin") starts at $999. That gets you Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, an Intel Core i5-3317U processor, Intel HD Graphics 4000, 4GB DDR3 system memory, a 128GB solid-state Drive, backlit keyboard, a 13.3-inch LED- backlit Display (1366x768), a two-year warranty, and extras such as a two-year Norton Internet Security subscription, and Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 & Adobe Premiere Elements 10.

The Spectre XT was announced on the heels of the pricier and bigger 14-inch Envy Spectre. (Spectre is HP's premium laptop brand.) The latter is a novel design that packs a 14-inch screen into a 13-inch chassis and boasts a large helping of Gorilla glass on the front and back of the display and on the chassis.