Macmanmcmanaman, a member of the LockerGnome.net community asked, “Is there any reason to use Vista over a different Windows OS?” This is a good question, and the answer is very simple. No, there is no reason to use Windows Vista at this point in time.

Windows Vista was this generation’s Millenium Edition. It was bloated, slow, and half-baked. Windows 7 actually runs better on older hardware than Windows Vista does. For the first time in the history of Windows, a newer generation OS actually had lower system requirements than the one before it. This was because Microsoft had to throw out the majority of Vista’s bulk in order to fix what was clearly broken. They did this in an incredibly fast pace, releasing Windows 7 as quickly as they could. They even offered users the ability to upgrade to the beta a year before they released the final version.

Microsoft has had its failures in the past. Do I need to mention Microsoft Bob, or Windows ME?

I love Windows 7, and I have done many videos in the past demonstrating some of its amazing features. I was a huge supporter of Windows for most of my life. My entire reputation was put on the line when, after a significant amount of time spent on Vista, I decided to make the switch to OS X as my primary operating system. Viewers of the live feed watched as Vista crashed again and again, often during tapings.

Windows 7 is an excellent overall user experience. There is no reason to stay on Vista when Windows 7 is remarkably improved in every area Vista failed to deliver. Better networking, graphics, system navigation, task bar, and overall optimization are just a few reasons why Windows 7 is better than Vista.

I can not wait for the next version of Windows. The potential brought on by the decision to integrate HTML 5 and CSS 3 in to the core user experience is vast. Windows 8 may convince me to switch back if it delivers on its promises. Vista is a lost cause, and Microsoft recognizes that. It’s a major reason support for XP was extended for so long.

What do you think? Is Windows 7 better that Vista? Do you think Vista is better? Why, or why not?

Why Windows 7 is Better Than Vista

Liam, a member of the LockerGnome community posed the question on LockerGnome.net, “Do you see the Windows XP theme as ugly?” This is a very interesting question.

Windows XP was an upgrade from either Windows 2000, ME, or 98 SE. At the time Windows XP went in to beta, I was using Windows 2000 as a primary operating system. Windows 2000 worked well for me as it was remarkably stable. When I caught eye of Windows XP Beta, the Luna UI was one of the first things I noticed. At the time, I thought it might be a joke. Luna wasn’t the prettiest theme, and its problems were more than just skin deep.

To add insult to injury, Luna appeared to actually slow down certain elements of the desktop. This slowdown, perceived or otherwise, was solved by switching to Classic Mode. Classic Mode makes the UI look more like Windows 2000. To me, speed is everything. Since Classic Mode gave me the performance I wanted and didn’t look absolutely terrible, I operated under that for the majority of the time.

I found out later that the Windows XP look and feel was actually a last-minute change and not one of the foundations of the upgrade. This could be one of the reasons why the desktop seemed poorly optimized under Luna.

Another example of Windows falling short on their UI optimization came with Windows Vista. Aero was the new user interface that provided some of the shine that made Windows Vista look the way it did. If you had a capable system, Aero provided a pleasant look and feel, especially when compared to the Luna theme featured in XP.

Unfortunately, if you had a computer that failed to provide enough power to run the full Aero experience, Basic was the fallback. The Vista Basic theme stripped away the transparency and glass appearance that defined what Windows Vista looked like. Unfortunately, this didn’t appear to solve performance issues over classic mode, either.

This isn’t to say that Microsoft can’t come up with a good user interface. Aero in both Vista and Windows 7 is pleasant to look at and provides a modern desktop experience, as long as you have the hardware to support it. Windows 7 took giant steps forward towards optimizing the interface to run on more machines with less required overhead.

Why I Picked Classic Mode Over XP Luna and Vista Basic Themes

In what can be called a dramatic shift in how Windows handles its user experience, Microsoft has announced that Windows 8 will handle two different kinds of applications. The operating system is said to have the ability to run standard programs currently made for Windows 7 as well as Web apps built on HTML5 and JavaScript. The user interface itself has also been modified to be more touch-oriented.

With a swipe of your finger, you may be able to launch Windows programs and navigate through the vast majority of the new Web-based apps. To many, this could be taken as a step in the direction of a future Windows potentially being a cloud-based OS such as Chrome or webOS.

Influenced heavily by its Windows Phone 7 operating system, Windows 8 is expected to feature the same touch-optimized live tile system that will operate in much the same way as it does on smartphones. Microsoft hinted that this interface will likely replace the Start menu that has been a hallmark of the iconic operating system since Windows 95.

Microsoft has also promised that Web-powered apps built using HTML5 and JavaScript will have access to the full power of the PC, rather that being limited by running within a separate application or process.

At this point, Windows 8 is expected to run on Intel and ARM chips. This information is in addition to a promise that the new OS will not increase the system requirements to run Windows 7. This makes Windows 8 the second OS in a row that hasn’t increased the system requirements since Windows Vista, which was considered a disappointment due in part to its heavy hardware demands.

Is this a step in the right direction? Windows 8 is a dramatic leap towards a more Web-based user experience, and the dramatic changes to the Start menu and move towards a more touch-friendly environment may be a sign of things to come. Could Windows actually compete in the tablet space once more with its operating system built to work with touch from the ground up?

What to Expect in Windows 8

“Better” is a relative term. So is “best.”

It’s rare that I jump into the middle of a PC vs Mac debate (hasn’t it been settled already?!). However, this morning I watched a tweet from @Windows float by. On the other end of that link sits Microsoft’s own “PC vs. Mac” page, and it’s so full of mistruths, I (honestly) thought I was reading a piece from The Onion.

Now, I’m an odd duck – I live in both worlds. I’m a Mac AND a PC – it’s fully possible. Hell, when you buy a Mac, you become a de-facto PC (given that it can run Windows natively just like every Windows PC in the marketplace). I’m also a Microsoft MVP for Windows. I was also banned from promoting Apple products by way of their affiliate program. Just had to get all of that out of the way first.

I’m going to take the time to address each and every point that Microsoft is conveying, if only to deliver the truth to people who are really trying to figure out which is better for them. You’re free to draw your own conclusions, but (IMHO) Microsoft really did their userbase a disfavor by publishing this without first running it through the BS wringer. Well, that’s what the I’m here for, right? It’s fully possible to encourage people to buy into your platform without lying about the “competition.”

Again, a Mac can be a full-standing Windows PC. I’ve written an entire eBook on helping people switch between Windows and Mac OS X, too.

I loved Windows XP. I love Windows 7. Don’t get me started on Windows Me or Windows Vista, pl0x. Not looking for trolls or fanbois (though I’m sure they’ll come pouring in from both sides). I’ve done my best to clear the air for confused consumers, not incite religious wars.

PCs are ready for fun

Oh, god. No. You didn’t. Really? Wow. Okay. That clears it up. Thanks.

PCs are hard workers but they’re also fun to play with. You can watch, pause, rewind, and record TV like a DVR and you’ll find that many of the world’s most popular games are available only on a PC.

You can use your Mac like a TV / DVR. I do it all the time. And it’s true that “many” of the world’s most popular games are available only on a PC – but a Mac can be a PC, and the Steam library grows by the year. What exactly are they trying to prove, here?

When you buy a PC running Windows 7, you can get a Blu-ray player, TV tuner, Memory Stick reader, or 3G wireless built in. You can’t get a Mac that ships with these items.

Valid point.

Most of the world’s most popular games are available only on a PC. And Macs can’t connect to an Xbox 360. PCs are ready to play.

Someone apparently needs to hire me to teach these people that there’s a big difference between a Mac (hardware) and Mac OS X (the operating system). Their imprecision aside, there is software available to enable Mac OS X to connect to an Xbox 360. Maybe this is the part where I should tell you that I have four Xbox 360s in my home?

Many PCs running Windows 7 are designed to connect directly to TVs, so you can watch movies and see photos on the big screen. Most Macs can’t hook up to your TV unless you buy an adapter.

Huh? This doesn’t even make sense. I can share photos, videos, etc. to my smart TVs just by sharing the folder and making it discoverable on the network. As pointed out by @BWOps, DLNA compatibility makes things easier – and is readily available for free on Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux vis-a-vis TVMOBiLi.

With PCs running Windows 7, you can play the video and music stored on your home PC while you’re on the go, for free. Apple charges $99/year for its online service.

It’s true that Apple makes it insanely easier to do with their MobileMe service (and this price is subject to change), but it’s completely possible – without any additional service required – to access your files remotely. If anything, I’d argue that Windows makes it more difficult for the average user to do – but that’s a subjective assertion, not a blatant mistruth.

Oh, and some MobileMe services work on Windows, too.

The computer that’s easiest to use is typically the one you already know how to use. While some may say Macs are easy, the reality is that they can come with a learning curve. PCs running Windows 7 look and work more like the computers you’re familiar with, so you can get up and running quickly.

By that logic, no Mac OS X user would ever want to switch to Windows because it’s too unfamiliar. Allow me to quote something that @Shally tweeted the other day: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write – but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” [A. Toffler] I couldn’t have said it better myself. You’re cutting off your nose to spite your face to believe that today’s solution is going to be the answer for all of tomorrow’s problems.

When you use a PC, everyday things like your mouse and keyboard shortcuts work the way you expect.

Hang on. I’m laughing so hard right now, I’m crying.

Windows 7 was designed to make everyday tasks simpler with features that the Mac doesn’t have. For example, the new Snap feature makes it drag-and-drop easy to view two documents side by side.

Aero snap is nice, indeed. But I could have easily have written: “Mac OS X was designed to make everyday tasks simpler with features that Windows doesn’t have. For example, Exposé will show you all your open windows at a glance.” This is just tit for tat. You can cut, copy, and paste on either OS.

Sometimes the most natural way to use your computer screen is to touch it. And sometimes a real keyboard and mouse are hard to beat. If you get a PC, you don’t have to choose. PCs running Windows 7 support Touch, so you can effortlessly move between typing and touching to create documents, browse the web, read papers, and shuffle through files and folders. (Of course, you can still use a mouse, too.) Speaking of fingers, PCs with a fingerprint reader even let you log in with just a swipe of your finger.

Have you ever tried to use a Windows PC with a resistive touch screen? Let me just say this: it ain’t no iPad.

PCs are ready for work and school

Yes, because Macs aren’t? I’d argue that school IT administrators aren’t willing to switch, but… where there’s a will, there’s a way.

If you use Apple’s productivity suite, sharing files with PC users can be tricky. Your documents might not look right and your spreadsheets might not calculate correctly. Sharing goes beyond working together on a document. With Windows Live Mesh, you can access your home PC while you’re on the go, so your most important documents are always up to date and at your fingertips. Apple charges $99/year for its online service.

Google charges free, and is both Mac OS X and Windows compatible. Booyah. Maybe if Microsoft Office for Mac wasn’t so nasty, I’d give ‘em some leeway. Actually, why didn’t they take this opportunity to promote their own product? It’s like they’re telling the entire PC and Mac world that their own Microsoft Office for Mac isn’t worth the price of admission?! But “your spreadsheets might not calculate correctly.” Wow. I guess Macs suck at addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division as much as I do.

You’ll have to buy a separate hardware adapter to plug your Mac into a standard VGA projector. Most PCs with Windows 7 hook up easily.

And by “easily,” they mean “after futzing with the settings on the projector for five minutes, if you’re lucky.” Microsoft is essentially forcing you into the past. VGA? Okay. You’ll have a top of the line notebook PC and be crippled by an ancient port? Really? Okay. Apparently, Windows PCs never need adapters in Utopia.

On a Mac, out of the box, you can only encrypt your home folder. With Windows 7 Ultimate, you can encrypt your entire hard drive and even USB drives. So your files can be safer wherever you go. And, with 25 gigabytes (GB) of free online storage, you can save your stuff in your personal cloud and use it from virtually anywhere you are.

Since they’re doing the comparison, how much does Mac OS X cost versus Windows 7 Ultimate? Don’t try to give me the BS that “Windows users don’t have to pay for Service Packs.” What do you think Windows 7 was to Windows Vista, folks? Oh, and in case nobody told marketing: Windows Live Mesh is available for Mac OS X.

It’s easy to share with a PC

Empirically, it’s easier to share with a Mac.

When you’re connected to the Internet you can actually use the programs and files on another PC as if you were sitting right in front of it.

Oh, because VNC (baked into OS X) doesn’t work?

With HomeGroup, you don’t have to manually set up movie and music sharing, file sharing, and printer sharing. Instead, it’s easy to automatically and securely network with all the computers in your house when they’re running Windows 7. And, when you’re away from home, you can automatically connect to the right printer on each network you use.

Microsoft DID make data easier to share data with other Windows 7 PCs that are running HomeGroup. FWIW, Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) will be using SMBX instead of Samba to better network with Windows PCs.

Sharing high-resolution photos used to mean sending huge email attachments. With a PC and Windows Live Mail, instead of clogging your friend’s inbox, you can send one small email with up to 200 photos attached. Your friend gets a preview album of the photos, can watch a slide show online, and then download high-resolution versions of the exact ones they want.

Dude. If you ever send me 200 photos in a single email, I will drive over to your house and slap you. Seriously. I’m not joking. They’re actually encouraging this behavior? Okay, well… if it makes you feel any better? You can send a massive amount file attachments from Mac OS X, too. How about just sending a link to your Facebook page, your Flickr stream, or wherever else you want to share your photos online? Don’t gag my inbox, either way.

On a Mac, iPhoto puts all your pictures in an iPhoto-protected library. If you want to organize, edit, or share your pictures, you have to use the iPhoto software. With a PC running Windows, you can work with your photos any way you like.

Thank you for explaining why I don’t use iPhoto on the Mac. They don’t force you to do anything. Picasa is perfectly cross-platform. You don’t HAVE to use iPhoto just like you don’t HAVE to use all that crapware that comes preinstalled on “many” PCs.

Plain and simple, if you’re a PC user, you have a world of compatible software and hardware to choose from. With PCs outselling Macs 10 to 1, most computer software is developed to run on PCs.

Has anybody bothered to talk about the quality of this “world of compatible software and hardware?” I’ve been more than happy with the selection available to me as a Mac OS X user. By the nature of Microsoft’s licensing approach to the marketplace, they will absolutely outsell Macs 10-to-1 – but what about overall user satisfaction? What about service and support? What about TCO? “Most computer software is developed to run on PCs.” This is an unfounded statement.

Most iOS software is developed to run on iPhones. #rhetorical

Apple’s productivity suite file formats won’t open in Microsoft Office on PCs. This can be a real hassle for Mac users sharing work documents with PC users.

Ah, but Apple’s productivity suite will import Microsoft Office formats. At least they’re trying, Microsoft. Moreover, if you’re still sending document attachments, KNOCK IT OFF. *points to Google Docs again* *points to Microsoft Office Live*

If there’s a Mac version of a program you need, you’ll have to buy it again and re-learn how to use it on a Mac.

Hahahahahaha! *catches breath* Hahahahahaha!

You can get the PC you want, in the size and color you want, with the features you want—all for the right price. With the best selection and price, PCs win hands down.

Yes, you can get what the market gives you – but that’s not “any size and color you want.” PC doesn’t win hands down. Sorry. It doesn’t. TCO isn’t factored into this ploy. There is absolutely a wider selection of Windows products available – yes. This doesn’t take into account build quality or service, but… you can find more PC options out there, certainly. If that’s what you want (an arbitrary value versus a good consumer electronics device), the choice for you is clear.

PCs running Windows 7 often come with features that either aren’t available or don’t come preinstalled on even the highest-end Macs, including Blu-ray, eSATA, multi-format card readers, touch screens, and mobile broadband support.

The Xbox 360 doesn’t work with Blu-ray, either – does that mean it’s worthless? Do you know how many Blu-ray discs I own? Seriously. I’m asking you because I have no idea. Everything I consume these days is fully digital. Moreover, my mobile broadband support comes by way of my mobile device – and every single Windows touch screen PC I’ve tried has fallen laughably short. I’ll give ‘em eSATA, sure – but what about Thunderbolt (a far more ubiquitous IO port)?

Then again, if you want to watch Blu-ray movies on your computer (since OS X can read, write, etc. Blu-ray data)… Microsoft is correct, and Windows is a better option. Doesn’t mean that a PC is a better option, though – even though this entire debate is centered on PC vs. Mac – not Windows vs. OS X.

A Mac can be a Windows PC. A Mac can be a Windows PC. A Mac can be a Windows PC. A Mac can be a Windows PC. A Mac can be a Windows PC. A Mac can be a Windows PC. A Mac can be a Windows PC. A Mac can be a Windows PC. A Mac can be a Windows PC. A Mac can be a Windows PC. A Mac can be a Windows PC.

PCs are available in a full spectrum of colors across a wide range of price points. Macs are only available in white or silver.

I kinda like that. Plus, I tend to skin my notebook computers, anyway. This value is relative – largely irrelevant to them trying to prove that PCs are superior to Macs.

The selection of software for Macs is smaller than the selection for PCs. So if there’s a program you use on a PC, you’ll need to make sure it’s available for the Mac. And, if it is, you’ll need to learn how to use it on a Mac.

I don’t even want to qualify this argument with a response. In all the years I’ve used both Windows and Mac OS X, I’ve collected far more apps for Mac OS X – and they’re designed better, too. So many apps have similar interfaces – so once you stop treating Mac OS X like it was Windows, and Windows like it was Mac OS X… you’ll be more than happy with either one.

Did you hear that? It’s possible to be MORE THAN HAPPY WITH EITHER ONE. Or BOTH, for that matter. That’s the truth.

PC vs. Mac – The Truth

Microsoft, though best known for the Windows operating system, is no stranger to the world of hardware. Their line of peripherals are top sellers and generally well received by users, the Xbox is on top of the HD game console market, and other various hardware projects have done generally well. They have not, however, entered in to the market as a PC OEM. Here are a few reasons why I believe a Microsoft branded PC would be a good thing:

Consistency
When you consider the various points made in the ongoing Apple vs. PC debate, one of the biggest arguments against Microsoft’s platform is the broad range of hardware and occasional incompatibilities associated with the incredibly wide range of drivers and standards that go in to building hardware for the Windows platform. Because Microsoft can’t possibly account for every variable manufacturers present, a single update can have a very negative impact on the end user until the OEM can revise their drivers. It’s easy to blame Microsoft for this, but this issue is often a two-way failure.

Optimization
If Microsoft knows exactly what they have to work with in terms of specifications and power, they can build an OS around this. In the case of Apple, their operating system (OS X) is optimized for a predictable set of hardware giving them the ability to script how the software interacts with the physical machine in a more efficient way. This is why a video card with 256 MB of RAM appears to perform better than the equivalent on a Windows machine in many cases. This doesn’t mean that you can’t get better performance with more powerful hardware on a Windows PC.

Data Footprint
Currently, Windows has a reputation for being very large and cumbersome. One major reason for this is a need for backwards compatibility not only for software created for previous versions, but also older hardware. When you consider how many hundreds of brands of products Microsoft currently has to consider when designing their software, it’s amazing the operating system doesn’t take up more space that it currently does. A lot of this was improved with the transition from Windows Vista to Windows 7, which broke much of the ancient and obsolete compatibility in favor of a more streamlined user experience.

There are several very important reasons that Microsoft will likely never actually create their own line of PCs. For one, it would be a slap in the face of their OEMs which rely on Windows to run their hardware. By competing with their biggest customers, they run the risk of losing a major part of their overall income as they look for other options. We saw this with netbooks when they were first coming out. Because Windows Vista was too cumbersome to operate on the underpowered netbooks of the time, manufacturers like HP and Dell looked to lighter and thinner Linux-based operating systems to fulfill their customer’s needs. Though this effort didn’t take off and dominate the market place, it (in addition to backlash from other PC platforms) was enough to push Microsoft to continue to support XP for an extended period of time.

Why a Microsoft Branded PC Would Be a Good Thing

Good grief, people! The news officially broke less than ten minutes ago, and already the naysayers are screaming all over my Twitter stream. I counted at least fifteen “omg Microsoft will ruin it!” messages in under two minutes. I think that just may be a record. The speed with which y’all are dismissing the potential alarms me, to be honest. What happened to giving something a chance before proclaiming its imminent demise?

Over on TechCrunch, Robin Wauters reminded us that “the many tech industry pundits and analysts will look at this deal from all possible angles and then some, and still only a handful will end up being somewhat accurate when we look back in a couple of years.” In this case, “many” refers to about a kabillion people. A “handful” points to about three persons who might – sort of – get it right.

We can theorize until our fingers turn blue. We can tear this deal apart from the inside out, analyzing every possible angle. At the end of the day, we will likely all be dead wrong with our findings. We cannot predict the future any more than we can vacation on Mars. The cool thing, though, is that this deal has the potential to be pretty damned awesome. Why aren’t more of you opening your minds to that possibility? What good does focusing on the negatives do anyone?

Are you being sheep? Is your fanboy side coming out? Seriously, y’all – think for just a moment about what this could mean. Imagine a world where you can integrate Skype with your Kinect system. Take a few moments to ponder what businesses will be able to do when using Skype inside of their currently installed Windows applications. Allow your brain to realize what CAN come out of this deal instead of spreading doom and gloom from the get-go.

Skype’s current user base is six million or so registered users – which is nothing to sneeze at. The service connects people in every corner of the world every moment of every day. The growth potential is astronomical if done correctly. Can Microsoft pull it off? Only time will tell, I suppose. I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt because I can see the possibilities.

I think this deal makes sense. I predict that Microsoft may just surprise you with this one. Then again, I could be one of the masses who were proven to be wrong at some point in the future.

Will Microsoft Ruin Skype?

In the world of PC gaming, Microsoft’s Windows is currently the most popular operating system by far. An entire industry of hardware and software manufacturers has been built around the purpose of giving gamers the best experience possible. Unfortunately, this market targets Windows users which only adds to the widespread assumption that you really can’t game on a Mac. Does this mean that users have to choose between having a Mac and playing the games they love? Here are a few tips that can help you play Windows games on a Mac.

Parallels, VMware Fusion, and VirtualBox
Desktop virtualization allows you to run an operating system within an operating system. In a sense, you can run Windows within OS X with minimal problems and resource issues. As long as you have enough RAM and a modern processor, you should be able to load up a virtual machine with Windows installed without an issue. Parallels and VMware are solid commercial programs that each have a wide array of features that are intended to make the user’s experience with Windows and OS X as seamless as possible. VirtualBox, an open source alternative, gets a hard time for being sluggish, but it works well enough for many users without requiring a monetary investment. You could give it a try before deciding to purchase either Parallels or VMware fusion.

Boot Camp
Boot camp, unlike virtualization software, gives you the ability to create an entirely independent OS installation on the Mac’s drive so you can boot in to Windows directly. This also creates a true Windows machine out of your Mac, so every feature of Windows and its programs should run natively. Because the hardware included with Apple’s computers is controlled and uniform, compatibility with Windows is absolute and native, so you won’t have to search the web for drivers prior to getting your game on.

Steam for Mac
One of the advantages to buying games in services like Steam is that your purchase is universal. Instead of having to pay full price for both the Windows and OS X versions of popular titles, you can install them on both without any extra investment on your part. Game developers are starting to use this model as they create games for both platforms. While there is no question that the Mac gets left out of more than a few development cycles, this process can make a big difference for gamers making the switch.

How to Play Windows Games on a Mac

The Internet is a beautiful thing, and the advent of HTML5 has made it more so. In conjunction with faster browsers, HTML5 is giving devs the tools needed to create amazing applications and experiences on the web. The team at {Dev:unplugged} wants to encourage this type of development by providing a pretty sweet contest, including a whole lot of cash in the prize packages. “The Grand Prize winner will receive $9,000 in cash and a fully-loaded trip with a Golden Ticket to the Future of Web Apps Conference in Las Vegas on June 27th.”

There are three main rules to this contest:

• No Plugins – The submission must stick to HTML/CSS/JS on the client-side (no restrictions on the server-side).
• Browser Compatibility – The submission must work in Internet Explorer 9, Firefox 4 and the latest stable version of Chrome.
• Making the Web Native – The submission must be amazing! We will be keeping an eye out for submissions that push the envelope and blur the line between a web app and a native app.

You can enter in any of three categories: Games, Music and Innovation. Each of the categories will have a winner and runner-up with one project being chosen as the Grand Prize winner. There will also be prizes for each of these mentioned, as well as for a few people chosen to receive an Honorable Mention.

The Grand Prize is seriously sweet: You’ll receive a trip (airfare and hotel accommodations) to the Future of Web Apps Las Vegas Conference, along with a “Golden Ticket” pass. This ticket allows you access to a dinner with the speakers and more. You’ll receive $9,000.00 in cold, hard cash. And you’ll be prominently featured on the main page of the host website so that people from all over the world will be able to see how YOU pushed the limits of HTML5 on their behalf.

Each category winner will receive five thousand dollars and a mention / placement on the host website. Those who are a runner-up will receive an awesome laptop. The Gaming category runner-up will have a new Alienware M17x, and the Music runner-up will receive an HP Envy 14 Beats edition! All Innovation Award Winners will receive an ASUS Eee Slate. Those who receive Honorable Mention aren’t being left out in the cold! Each of those people will not only have bragging rights, they’ll also receive an Xbox bundled with Kinect.

Get your coding fingers ready, and submit your best effort. The deadline to enter is May 8th, 2011. A panel of expert judges will be choosing the winners.

Good luck to everyone who enters! If you decide to throw your hat into the ring, let us know so we can keep an eye on the outcome!

Enter the Dev:unplugged HTML5 Contest

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The new Bing app for the iPad is actually better than Bing in the browser. No, I’m not joking. It is absolutely beautiful, and one of THE best overall iPad apps I’ve ever used. The first time I opened it up, I was drawn in for about fifteen minutes, just exploring everything it has to offer. If I were Apple, I’d be selling the device with this as a default app. It’s honestly THAT good.

The entire touch experience is right there. You can play around with everything on the screen. Anything you could possibly want – or need – is literally at your fingertips:

• Find what’s important near you: tell Bing what you’re looking for using voice-activated search – even addresses. Find a restaurant or reserve a table. Use the Plans feature to explore nightlife options, Likes and comments on Facebook. Grab onto the social feature to see updates from Facebook and Twitter in your search results.
• Find stores, photos, movie times and reviews, iPhone apps, travel deals, airline promotions, local weather forecasts and directions.
• Use the real-time transit features to figure out if your bus will be on time or check the status of any flight.
• Add information for a business or location on the map and Bing will let you know when you’re close to it.
• Try using the Bing Vision to search using the device camera. Bring text into close view, and the app will recognize it. Select which words you want to search.
• Scan a barcode and Bing will give you product results. It can also detect product information from QR code, Microsoft Tag, UPC codes and cover art from books, CD, DVDs, and video games.
• Check into your favorite social sites without having to leave the app.
• Always find the lowest rates and hottest deals on everything from dinner to movies to travel options using Bing.

I absolutely love that I can clear all of my history in about two seconds with one tap. The same can be said about turning Safe Search off and on. The setup and customization options are fantastic in this application.

Another awesome thing is that the app will keep a history of all of the places I have searched for. I can quickly scroll through and find something I’ve already looked up without having to type it out again or scrolling through results to find the correct one.

Want to see a movie tonight? Don’t just find a local theater and show times. Watch the movie trailers right within Bing. I can also get movie ratings and reviews and links to news articles written about each flick and their various actors and actresses.

This is what an app should be – something that draws you and and makes you want to explore the world around you. It’s not only functional, it’s fun. There are a lot of news and search apps out there, but this one just get it right.

Bing for iPad

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Our friend Matthew is back this week with a video explaining how to add multiple clocks to your system tray. There are actually several different reasons people choose to do this. Perhaps you want to keep track of what time it is where family members live. If you work with a remote team, like the folks at Lockergnome do, it’s useful to know that you aren’t trying to contact someone in the middle of the night. If you game with friends in another time zone, a quick check of the system tray clocks will let you know whether you can team up for a Rift raiding party or Halo firefight.

In order to make these changes to your Windows system:

• Click on the clock down in your system tray.
• Click “Change Time and Date Settings.”
• Click the “Additional Clocks” tab.
• Click a box which says to “Show This Clock.”
• Choose the time zone you wish to display.
• Enter a display name for this particular clock.
• Click the “Apply” button to apply your changes.
• Add another clock or click the “OK” button to close the window.

When you are finished, YOUR time is the only one that will show. However, you simply single-click on that time in order to pop up your additional clocks.

The limitation is that you can only have three total clocks on your system tray, one of which has to be your normal time.

There are many different little tweaks you can make to your Windows systems in order to personalize them to best fit your needs. Windows 7 is definitely full of neat surprises. For instance, you can:

• Change the window border glass color. – Head to your Control Panel and choose Personalization. From there, click on “Window Color and Appearance.”
• Add a toolbar to the taskbar. – Right-click your taskbar and choose “Toolbars.” You can add any folder on your computer and name it whatever you wish for fast access to everything you need.
• Move the taskbar. – If you wish to move the taskbar in Windows Vista or Windows 7, simply drag it to the top or one side of your monitor and let go.
• Customize the Start Menu. – Right-click the Start button, then choose Properties. From there, you’ll click the Customize button. Choose if you wish to show things such as computer, Games, Music, Control Panel and more. You can also decide in this area if these shown items should offer a menu when you click on them.
• Change how your Power button acts. – In Vista, the Power button puts your computer into sleep mode. In Windows 7, it shuts the computer down. In order to change what the power button will do, go back to those Start menu properties from the last step. In the Start Menu tab, you can let the operating system know what you want it to do when you click the power button.

These are just a small sample of the types of things you can do to your Windows installation to make it suit your needs. What other tweaks have you made to OWN your Windows install?

How to Add Clocks to Windows System Tray

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Long-time community member and contributor Lamarr has long been a die-hard Windows fan. However, as evidenced in this video, he is beginning a switch over to the other side. Whether Apple is the Dark Side or not remains to be seen. This is something Lamarr has researched and thought about for months. He is convinced that he is making the best decision for himself and his business.

That’s what it boils down to, folks – a personal decision. I cannot tell you what to buy, nor can I condemn you for your choices. Until I am paying for your devices, I’m pretty sure I have no say at all. It’s my job as a tech reviewer to give you honest feedback about the various devices and gadgets that I have bought or which have been sent to me to review. Those videos and blog posts are simply additions to the ways in which you can learn about each product for yourself. They’re not there as a means of my telling you what is the right thing for you to buy.

What’s right for me may well not be right for you. What’s right for Lamarr may not be what’s right for you. What’s right for you… well, you get the picture. This is the beautiful thing about the tech industry: we each have our own sets of desires and needs. There are millions of product out there aimed at fulfilling whatever hole it is you have in your life or business. Yes, it can be difficult at times to narrow down the choices. In the end, though, it’s your choice to make. Bashing someone for what they CHOOSE is pretty dang stupid if you ask me.

It’s a HUGE deal to have Lamarr switching over to Mac. For fifteen years, he’s built computers for himself and others – based around Windows. He didn’t hate Macs, but he admits he used to wish that they had never been created. The closed atmosphere bothered him greatly… and there were limited software choices years ago.

Lamarr’s vision of what “closed” means has drastically changed in recent years. Back in the day, it meant simply that you were limited by choices on software and portability. Today, closed (in relation to Apple) means simply that Apple controls their hardware and other features as closely as possible. Lamarr has begun to see the light – by having this control, Apple is able to deliver solid performance every single time. This also marshals protection for the users.

I commend Lamarr for making a change that he felt was necessary to move him forward. It doesn’t matter to me that he went from Windows to OS X. What matters is that he did his homework, weighed his options and decided what the best choice was for him. Hate on him all you want, Windows fanboys – but he had the guts to try something new and realize that it fit his needs better than what he had in the past.

Good on you, Lamarr!

How to Switch from Windows to Mac

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Buying a new computer can be quite confusing. There are so many brands out there – so many choices. You have to attempt to figure out if you want a desktop or laptop. Then you need to narrow down your choices. How much do you plan to use your machine? What types of tasks will you be performing with it on a regular basis? The answers to these questions can help you figure out which computer is right for you. According to the team behind the Windows Twitter account, a lot of you simply aren’t sure what you are supposed to be looking for when purchasing a new system.