Being sick has its advantages – ones I never knew about! I have had some sort of crazy virus for several days now. I admit to spending one entire day sleeping it off as best I could. I stayed out of my office for the most part, and knocked myself out with the medicines the doctor gave me. Since that day, I’ve spent as much time as possible doing nothing other than sitting in my office. Since that happens to be where I work… I’ve actually accomplished quite a lot! I haven’t felt like going anywhere really, or “doing” anything much.

I’ve managed to catch up on some reading I felt I was behind on. I have come up with some ideas for upcoming projects. And, I’ve even managed to croak out some geeky new videos for the YouTube channel. I’m ahead of myself on those, which is kind of cool. Usually, the things I record are uploaded immediately the next day. Now I have a bit of a “buffer”, in case there’s a day I am too busy with other things to record.

As backwards as it seems, being sick has made me more productive. What helps boost your “get things done” levels? Also – what do you spend the most time doing when you’re sick? Do you curl up in front of the tv, or read a book? Do you spend all of your time sleeping? Or, are you like me and plant yourself in front of the computer monitors?

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• If you’re in the market for a new PC, why not consider buying one directly from Microsoft?

Don’t forget to check out all of the hot new apps we have for you in our downloads center. Today you’ll find several things for Windows, as well as mobile devices!

• The Best of Cryogenic Studios
• Cryogenic Studios
• Cryogenic Studio, Vol. 2
• Austin Powers – International Man of Mystery (New Line Platinum Series)
• Sleeper
• Batman & Mr. Freeze – SubZero (Keepcase)
• True Genius: The Life and Science of John Bardeen
• Cryogenic Heat Transfer (Series in Chemical and Mechanical Engineering)
• Life in the Frozen State

• Will Your Next PC be a Mac?
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• PC or Mac for Education?
• Sharing Files Between Mac OS X and Windows XP
• Macbook Pro – Parallels vs VMWare Fusion
• Parallels Review
• Apple’s Mac OS X Snow Leopard Review
• Snow Leopard Thoughts
• A Few Moments with Bill Pytlovany

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and Christmas is but a few weeks away? I was aghast yesterday when I walked into a store that was playing Christmas carols… until I realized what the date was. Holy crap where did the year go? I haven’t even started to think about holiday shopping yet, never mind actually DOING any shopping.

After I had my little panic attack, I sat down to check out what was going on around out community. Low and behold… people are talking about the upcoming festivities. They’re figuring out what to cook with their turkeys, and what the hottest new gifts are for this year. Geez I’m way behind, aren’t I?

I was happy as hell to see that the holidays aren’t the only thing that people are chattering about. Thankfully, I found many interesting and informative blogs and threads on a huge variety of topics to keep me busy… and to get my mind back OFF of the holiday season. I’m just not ready quite yet!

• AT&T responds to Verizon with EDGE coverage.
• Balloon Boy’s parents will face sentencing next month for their hoax.
• The MPAA joins the IRS as an entity that is above the law.
• What are your thoughts about halogen ovens?
• How can we spread holiday cheer during war time?
• Do you practice proper textiquette?
• Lightning does strike twice – Microsoft admits to two mistakes in one year.
• CompUSA and Circuit City are being resurrected from the dead.
• The Banshee music player is gaining new features.
• What happens when you have a solution – but no problem to solve?
• How much do you pay for cellular service every month?

Every day we bring you the newest and hottest software deals that we can find. Make sure you check back every day so that you don’t miss a single deal!

• Jacques Pepin’s Thanksgiving Celebration
• Ham for the Holidays
• The Williams-Sonoma Collection: Thanksgiving
• Betty Crocker Complete Thanksgiving Cookbook
• Kristen Suzanne’s EASY Raw Vegan Holidays: Delicious & Easy Raw Food Recipes for Parties & Fun at Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Holiday Season

• What’s on Your Holiday Toy Wish List for Gifts?
• I Know What You Did Last Summer
• The Perfect Gift
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• The Best Christmas Present?
• Merry Christmas, and to All a Good Night
• Most Popular Gift Ideas on Amazon
• Receiving the Gift of Giving
• How to Geek Out Your Holiday
• What Geeks Want for Christmas

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I recently asked all of you to submit your screencasts to me for review. The best of the best will be chosen to be featured here, in my various channels and outlets. This provides content of a different perspective for our community, and gives you new exposure for your work! Jack has submitted another excellent screencast, this time showing us a nice comparison between different versions of Microsoft Office.

Jack wanted to show us some of the differences between Office 2007 and Office 2010. One of the biggest changes is that Office 2010 now fully supports 64-bit operating systems. Also, Web Applications (allowing you to co-author documents across the web in real-time) have finally been implemented in the newest release, as well. Office 2010 also includes a redesigned Office button, as well as a nice backstage experience.

Differences in Word include the search function. In Office 2010, it shows up in a navigation pane, instead of a small window. Also in Office 2010, you have a paste preview, letting you see what you’re going to paste BEFORE you actually paste it. There are also enhanced picture editing tools. There are new options for working with text, including changing plain text into Word Art, or using shapes and styles.

The differences in Excel include graphs in single cells, instead of only within sheets like in Office 2007. Formatting tools have also been ehanced and upgraded.

There are also many interesting and excellent differences found within Outlook, Publisher and other Office applications. Thanks, Jack, for this sneak peak at what we can expect when we grab Office 2010 for ourselves!

• Microsoft Office 2010 LiveLessons (Video Training) [VHS]
• DeLorme Earthmate GPS LT-40 2010
• Office Suite 2010
• Pro SharePoint 2010 Solution Development: Combining .NET, SharePoint, and Office
• Office and SharePoint 2010 User’s Guide: Integrating SharePoint with Excel, Outlook, Access and Word
• Picture Yourself Learning Microsoft Office 2010

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During a recent live call, Charles nearly knocked me out of my chair when he proclaimed that he LOVES Windows Vista. I was honestly shocked, especially since the calls were supposed to be about Windows 7. Charles stated emphatically that he never had issues with Vista, and that it actually just worked for him. He fully admits that he may be the only person in his entire town – or state! – who feels this way. We did, of course, end up discussing his views on Windows 7, and about Microsoft in general.

I feel that Windows Vista was, of course, one of the worst things to happen to Microsoft. Also, of course, the iPhone was bad for Microsoft, as well. The iPhone has been probably the most sought-after gadget in recent years, which only enhances Microsoft’s lackluster products. Even people at Microsoft have admitted that Vista wasnt’ fully baked, so how was the public supposed to like it?

Charles actually liked the fact that there were five different versions of Vista. He didn’t want to pay for features he wasn’t interested in. However, I don’t feel that languages should have been part of any type of upgrade, such as in the Ultimate edition. It should be built right in to the operating system as a core component!! Having so many different versions of one operating system creates confusion amongst the public, at least in my opinion. People who don’t know better automatically assume that they need the best they can afford, whether they truly need those additional features or not. That’s just not always the case. Often, they end up having paid for things that they never end up using.

What are your thoughts? Do you feel Microsoft is consumer-friendly, and that there should be many different versions of each Windows release? Or are you thinking what I’m thinking…

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• Switching to Microsoft Windows 7: The Painless Way to Upgrade from Windows XP or Vista
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Recently I threw down the gauntlet, asking all of you to submit your best screencasts. I plan to highlight the best of the best here in my channel, and help promote yours. Jack has sent a few in to us now, and they’re fantastic. This one gives you a quick (but excellent!) overview of Microsoft Office 2010.

Jack started off by letting us know that Office 2010 is only available at this time for developers and technical reviewers. Included features include support for 64-bit, enhanced Office button that leads to a back room of sorts, and web applications for Word and Excel.

The enhanced UI includes a minimizer to give you more work space. This hides the toolbar until you click the button again. The new Office button leads you to a backstage experience where you can edit, save, print or share your documents.

New features in Word 2010 include an improved search function. It opens in a new pane that won’t cover up your document. Other new features include a paste preview, which is very nice. Others include improved picture editing capabilities and more text effects.

Some things new in Publisher 2010 now have pages show up in the side window pane, instead of at the bottom. Powerpoint features include new animations and a video editing capability. Excel doesn’t have too many new features, but it does have a few nice improvements.

Outlook 2010 has a new conversation view, that allows you to group conversations, and even clean them up… allowing you to focus on the most important feature.

Jack did a great job with his screencast. Don’t worry if yours wasn’t chosen to be featured today, though. We’ve received a lot of excellent submissions. We’re still going through them all, and plan to upload one per day (when videos are normally uploaded).

Remember, you need to upload your screencast video to Geeks, and then send me an email with a link to your video, a short description, and of course – tell me where we can find you on YouTube (or wherever you want to be found online).

Keep those submissions coming!

• Writing Guidelines for Screencasts

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I came across an interesting question on Lockergnome earlier this morning: What will the Internet look like in ten years?. The author states:

… the idea of adverse changes, in my mind, is anything that would change the complete freedom that we have to do just about anything. Certainly crime should not be allowed, but anything that is not criminal should be fully allowed.

That’s an interesting thought. Sure, I agree that crime shouldn’t be allowed on the Internet. However, how the heck are we ever going to stop it? Thousands upon thousands of people fight hard every day to try and curb the growth of crime online. Sadly, for every criminal they take down, more are waiting in the wings to step up.

The author states at the end of the article:

The internet policy is something almost as important as health care, and no matter where you stand on health care, you can see that much twisting of the truth is coming from all parties. How much like that will the fight over the progress of the internet be?

Chilling to think about, for sure. It’s also likely very true. Everyone wants to control the Internet. How ugly do you think that fight for control will get? What direction do you see the Web going in over the next ten years? I’m interested in hearing your thoughts.

This wasn’t the only great article I read today. If you have something you want to share that I haven’t already highlighted here, please pass it along. I’m always looking for something interesting, funny or thought-provoking to read.

• Microsoft definitely won’t have problems selling Windows 7.
• What’s the most creative Halloween costume you’ve ever seen?
• A baseball bat manufacturer has lost a major lawsuit.
• Can you believe how much our small Geeks community has grown?
• Have fun with your avatars and turn them into something ghoulish.
• What company do you recommend for website hosting?
• Microsoft definitely doesn’t need to be “saved”.
• Some people feel that the upgrade rules for Windows 7 are confusing.
• Beware of fake Conficker alerts.
• Is Ubuntu the defacto Windows 7 alternative?

In our downloads center, you’ll find tons of great software and applications for anything and everything you could possibly imagine. Keep your eye on what’s new, what’s hot, what’s on sale, and what may be completely free.

• DELL Studio 15 Notebook, Laptop PC – Midnight Blue, Glossy widescreen 15.4 inch display , Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 2.4GHz, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 , 6 GB DDR2, 500 GB SATA HD, 6X Slot Load Bluray DVD/RW Combo Drive (BD Read Only) , Wireless-G Card , Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam, Microsoft Works, Windows Vista Home Premium, Dell Warranty
• DELL Studio 15 Notebook, Laptop PC – Jet Black, Glossy widescreen 15.4 inch display , Intel Core 2 Duo T5750 2.00GHz, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 , 4 GB DDR2, 500 GB SATA HD, CD / DVD Burner, Wireless-G Card , Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam, Microsoft Works, Windows Vista Home Premium, Dell Warranty
• Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 subscription Package (80014H) Category: Antivirus Software
• WINDOWS 7 ULT 32 Bit OEM 30PK
• The Ultimate Guide to Windows 7
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 Quick Reference Card – Handy Durable Tri-Fold MS IE 7 Web Browser Tip & Tricks Guide. 6 Total Pages. Stores Easily. Ultimate Reference for Shortcuts, Tips & Cheats for Internet Explorer 7 Browser (Software Quick Reference Cards)
• Final Fantasy XI: Ultimate Collection
• Ultimate Yahtzee (Jewel Case)
• Ultima Online 7th Anniversary Edition
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
• Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit OEM 1pk

• Who Loves Windows Vista?
• Happy Halloween!
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• Windows 7 Security
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• Save $100 on Windows 7 Professional Upgrade
• Giddyup Geek Let’s Go!

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I opened the phone lines a few nights ago, asking the community to call in to talk about Windows 7. We had some excellent discussions. This particular call was from Ray, asking me about whether he should upgrade his Windows 7 RC 1 to the full/final release now… or wait a bit. We also talked about differences in the different versions available of Windows 7, and what may work best for his needs.

As I mentioned, Ray is using RC 1 still on his computer. He says he isn’t having any issues or problems with it. He was wondering if he “should” go ahead and buy the full version now, or if it was ok to wait until the RC ran out. I told him that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Seriously, if his version isn’t causing any problems, wait to buy the full version until there’s a coupon or sale going on. Save yourself some money!

We also talked a bit about the various versions. He had heard from someone that with Windows 7, the Home Professional version is actually better to use than the Ultimate version. I do know that the big difference between Professional and Ultimate is additional language packs, and BitLocker. Kat and I discussed BitLocker a bit in a previous video. If those are things you need, then it would be worth it to get Ultimate.

Personally, I don’t think those things are value adds. I think they should just be part of the operating system, no matter which version you buy. But who am I to make the rules?

• Transcend StoreJet 25 Mobile Anti-Shock 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive TS500GSJ25M
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• Switching to Microsoft Windows 7: The Painless Way to Upgrade from Windows XP or Vista
• Windows 7: is it right for you? Carefully assess your needs, application compatibility and the upgrade process.(Product/service evaluation): An article from: Journal of Accountancy
• Adobe Illustrator Upgrade Version 7.0, 2CD-ROM (Tour & Training and Application) For Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade
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• Save $100 on Windows 7 Professional Upgrade
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With the advent of Windows 7 going public, I opened the phone lines up. People called in to talk about anything and everything related to Windows 7. Danny Minick is a long-time member of our community, and now apparently has a new job working at his local Best Buy. During this particular call, I asked him what the buzz is around the store.

Danny says that at work the other night, several people were bashing Linux openly. There was a link given to Microsoft, some employee learning site. Apparently, there were slides and everything on there, openly dissing Linux and slagging it. I wondered why no one spoke up, with Microsoft’s claim that IE won’t run on Linux. It’s not true… and I hope all of you know that.

Danny uses OS X primarily, so I wasn’t sure if he used Windows 7. He says that he is, indeed, running Windows 7 under VMWare Fusion on his Macbook.

I reminded Danny that he can pick up my Windows 7 eBook, and any of the others that I’ve done, as well. I also reminded him (and all of you!) to keep an eye on my Coupons page for discounts on the new version of VMWare Fusion when it hits the stores.

More Best Buy Coupons:

• Best Buy - 50% Off Init Universal Screen Protectors, only $4.99 - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - Select Sony HDTVs on Sale - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - 5% - 20% Off Select Digital Cameras + Free Shipping - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - 5% - 25% Off Select Digital Camcorders + Free Shipping - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - No Interest on Major Appliances $799 and Up if Paid in Full Within 24 Months - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 1/2/10
• Best Buy - 20% - 35% Off Select Shavers - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - $9.99 - $24.99 Blu-ray Action Movie Sale - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - $4.99 DVD Sale - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 12/12/09
• Best Buy - $45 Off Insignia 7-inch Widescreen LCD Digital Photo Frame, only $74.99 - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - $46 Off The Incredible Hulk for Xbox 360, only $13.99 - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - $60 Off Logitech G9 Laser Gaming Mouse, only $39.99 - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - $30 Off TouchCharge Wireless Battery Charging Kit of Wii, only $29.99 - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - Select iPods on Sale - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - See this Weeks Laptop Offers - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - Netbooks As Low As $249.99 - Posted on 11/15/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - Deal of the Day - Posted on 11/8/09 and Expires on 12/25/09
• Best Buy - $4.99 DVD Sale - Posted on 9/27/09 and Expires on 11/21/09
• Best Buy - Get Hoyle Casino for only $1.99 - Posted on 6/10/09 and Expires on 12/31/15
• Best Buy - Hoyle Card Games for only $1.99 - Posted on 6/10/09 and Expires on 12/31/15
• Best Buy - 5% - 15% Off Select TVs - Posted on 3/30/09 and Expires on 12/31/15
• Best Buy - Weekly Video Game Offers - Posted on 2/1/09 and Expires on 12/31/15
• Best Buy - Weekly Movie Offers - Posted on 2/1/09 and Expires on 12/31/15
• Best Buy - Weekly Home & Appliance Offers - Posted on 2/1/09 and Expires on 12/31/15
• Best Buy - Special Offers on iPod Players, MP3 Players and Accessories - Posted on 2/1/09 and Expires on 12/31/15
• Best Buy - Weekly Music Offers - Posted on 2/1/09 and Expires on 12/31/15
• Best Buy - Weekly Specials on Digital Cameras - Posted on 2/1/09 and Expires on 12/31/15
• Best Buy - Nintendo Wiis at Best Buy - Posted on 10/7/08 and Expires on 12/31/15

Find Coupons for over 1100 Stores

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I took several live calls the other night, talking to people about Windows 7. Mitchell was one of the callers. He absolutely loves Windows 7. He’s been a Windows user for many years, and never did like Vista. He started using Windows 7 with the very first build, and is now using the RTM via his TechNet subscription.

Although he never upgrade his own machines to Vista, he did use it on other computers. He hated it from the get-go, and refused to upgrade until something better was released. That something is obviously Windows 7 as far as he’s concerned.

In Mitchell’s mind – and my own – upgrading from XP to Windows 7 is an excellent idea. Mitchell feels that the upgrade is best because of the Windows Explorer. He’s very happy with that. He felt it was too confusing in Vista. With Windows 7, it’s easier to navigate and find what you’re looking for.

If you haven’t upgraded to Windows 7 yet, what are you waiting for? Remember, if you’re needing some tips and help, you can check out my Windows 7 eBook, available for only $7.00!

• Transcend StoreJet 25 Mobile Anti-Shock 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive TS500GSJ25M
• PNY GeForce 9500 GT 1024MB PCI-Express 2.0 VGA + DVI Graphics Card VCG951024GXEB
• Viliv Promotion Pack X70EX PRE 3GP 7-Inch Net -Tablet PC (Intel Atom 1.33GHZ, 1GB Ram, 32GB SSD, Windows XP, 3G), 5.5 Hour Battery Life, Matte Black, Accessory Upgrade Worth $135 Includes Extra Standard Battery, Leather Case and Car Kit
• Switching to Microsoft Windows 7: The Painless Way to Upgrade from Windows XP or Vista
• Windows 7: is it right for you? Carefully assess your needs, application compatibility and the upgrade process.(Product/service evaluation): An article from: Journal of Accountancy
• Adobe Illustrator Upgrade Version 7.0, 2CD-ROM (Tour & Training and Application) For Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Family Pack (3-User)

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• Who Loves Windows Vista?
• Best Buy and Windows 7
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• What Would You Like to See in Windows 7?
• The Vista Bashing Bandwagon
• What Does Windows 7 Bring to the Table?
• Windows 7 – How Soon Should You Upgrade?
• Save $100 on Windows 7 Professional Upgrade
• Do You Think Windows Will Last?
• Top Five Tips for Installing Windows XP

The World is buzzing with talk of the release of Windows 7 at long last. Heck, even I spent my evening talking to the community about their thoughts on the new OS, including a nice long convo about the security of 7 with my assistant, Kat. Everywhere you look online, people are talking about Windows 7. It’s all over Twitter. It’s on blogs. It’s on both Lockergnome and Geeks. It’s even in the news. So, what are people saying?

It’s an awesome thing to see that much of the response is very, very positive. After the disaster that was Windows Vista, Microsoft has rebounded very, very well. I am enjoying using Win 7 myself, so much so that I have already written and published an eBook full of tips and tricks. I am using it on my Mac via Parallels, and even upgraded my HP TouchSmart to Windows 7 tonight, as well! I’m happy to report that Kat was right… the drivers are all updated on HPs website to make the Touch features work in Win 7!

So… let’s have it. What are your thoughts on Windows 7? Do you have it yet? If so, what do you think so far? If you don’t have it yet… are you planning to upgrade anytime soon? Why – or why not?

Windows 7 isn’t the only thing our community has been discussing lately, of course. On any given day, you’ll find blogs and discussions on any number of topics, ranging from health to politics to religion to computers and technology… and all the way to education, likes and dislikes and anything even remotely Geeky! If you aren’t contributing to either site yet, we’d love to have you. Even if you don’t feel you have anything to say, why not take some time to read what others are up to? You just may be surprised at the fact you can learn something new, or even gain a different perspective than you otherwise would have about something important.

• How can you tweak Windows 7 to your liking?
• Are you an Anime fan?
• Is IBM ready to make Ubuntu your default desktop?
• What are your thoughts on Google Wave?
• Trillian is waiting for Apple to catch up.
• RedHat has outdone Microsoft’s stock price.
• Do you need tips on making your own web site?
• Can you summarize your day in just three words?
• With the advent of the eBook, more people are actually making the time to read.
• The OneShot Video Editor is blowing away people who are trying it.
• To safeguard your privacy when using Firefox, enable “private browsing”.
• Pre-orders for Windows 7 in the UK has beaten out even that of Harry Potter.
• Do you know how to be professional?

As always, be sure to check out what Apps are on sale and hot off the presses in our downloads center! The team is finding some excellent deals for you every day.

• Transcend StoreJet 25 Mobile Anti-Shock 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive TS500GSJ25M
• PNY GeForce 9500 GT 1024MB PCI-Express 2.0 VGA + DVI Graphics Card VCG951024GXEB
• Viliv Promotion Pack X70EX PRE 3GP 7-Inch Net -Tablet PC (Intel Atom 1.33GHZ, 1GB Ram, 32GB SSD, Windows XP, 3G), 5.5 Hour Battery Life, Matte Black, Accessory Upgrade Worth $135 Includes Extra Standard Battery, Leather Case and Car Kit
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Family Pack (3-User)
• Switching to Microsoft Windows 7: The Painless Way to Upgrade from Windows XP or Vista
• Windows 7: is it right for you? Carefully assess your needs, application compatibility and the upgrade process.(Product/service evaluation): An article from: Journal of Accountancy
• Adobe Illustrator Upgrade Version 7.0, 2CD-ROM (Tour & Training and Application) For Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0

• Heaven on Earth – Geek Style
• Giddyup Geek Let’s Go!
• What’s Your Favorite Commercial?
• You Need a Thick Skin to Participate Online
• This One Time, at Band Camp
• Weed Through the Spam to Get to the Good Stuff
• What the World Needs Now…
• Live Calls Make the World Go ‘Round
• Could Twitter Take Over Mainstream Media?
• Windows 7: Are You Ready for It?

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I took several live calls earlier tonight to talk to people in the community about Windows 7. I wanted to get their honest reactions – find out what they love and hate. One of the calls was with my assistant, Kat. She’s been a Microsoft MVP in the area of Windows Security for over four years now, and has been considered an Expert in the malware removal community for about seven years. We talked a bit about the security side of Windows 7, and her take on the new operating system in general.

Kat and her fiancee, Mike, have been using Windows 7 for quite awhile. Being an MVP, she gets to help beta test versions sooner than many “normal” users would get to. From the very start, she’s been excited and happy about this new version of Windows. Kat feels it’s much more secure out of the box, even without added protection software. However, she reminds us all that even expert users need to use security programs, such as an anti-virus and firewall. Many of the old security bugs found in earlier versions of Windows have been addressed, and Microsoft is much closer to making a completely secure operating system than they ever have been.

A few of the chatters in our live channel asked her about Microsoft Security Essentials. Kat praised it highly. It has good detection rates, is light on resources, and just plain works. She’s still hesitant to say it’s the “best” there is, and I’d have to agree with that. However, it IS very good, and something she recommends to people.

We talked a little about different features and functions found within Windows 7. I have to ask… what’s YOUR favorite features, and why? What do you love about Win 7? Is there even anything you don’t love? I sure haven’t found any on my end.

• Transcend StoreJet 25 Mobile Anti-Shock 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive TS500GSJ25M
• PNY GeForce 9500 GT 1024MB PCI-Express 2.0 VGA + DVI Graphics Card VCG951024GXEB
• Viliv Promotion Pack X70EX PRE 3GP 7-Inch Net -Tablet PC (Intel Atom 1.33GHZ, 1GB Ram, 32GB SSD, Windows XP, 3G), 5.5 Hour Battery Life, Matte Black, Accessory Upgrade Worth $135 Includes Extra Standard Battery, Leather Case and Car Kit
• Switching to Microsoft Windows 7: The Painless Way to Upgrade from Windows XP or Vista
• Windows 7: is it right for you? Carefully assess your needs, application compatibility and the upgrade process.(Product/service evaluation): An article from: Journal of Accountancy
• Adobe Illustrator Upgrade Version 7.0, 2CD-ROM (Tour & Training and Application) For Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Family Pack (3-User)

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• Firewall and Computer Security
• Who Loves Windows Vista?
• What Will the Internet Look Like in Ten Years?
• Windows 7 – How Soon Should You Upgrade?
• Best Buy and Windows 7
• Windows 7 Thoughts
• Windows 7 – Thumbs Up or Down?
• Windows 7 eBook
• Save $100 on Windows 7 Professional Upgrade
• Giddyup Geek Let’s Go!

My new Windows 7 eBook is available for $7 now (and includes the following information).

Buy My Windows 7 eBook Now!

1. System Requirements For Windows 7
2. Windows 7 Editions
3. Configure User Access Control In Windows 7
4. Burn ISO Image In Windows 7
5. Minimize Programs To The System Tray/Notification Area In Windows 7
6. Pin A Folder To Windows Explorer Jump List In Windows 7
7. Change The Number Of Items On The Windows 7 Jump List
8. Reorder Taskbar Icons In Windows 7
9. Bring The Quick Launch Toolbar Back In Windows 7
10. Quickly Launch A Program As Administrator In Windows 7
11. Quickly Open A Second Instance Of An Application In Windows 7
12. Hide Or Reveal Empty Drives In Windows 7
13. Record Your Problem In Windows 7
14. AppLocker In Windows 7
15. Create Your Own Desktop Slideshow In Windows 7
16. Create Sticky Notes In Windows 7
17. Change The Appearance Of Sticky Notes In Windows 7
18. Decrease The Windows 7 Taskbar
19. Group Taskbar Buttons In Windows 7
20. Handy New Shortcuts In Windows 7
21. Configure System Restore In Windows 7
22. Add Additional Clock To The Task Bar In Windows 7
23. Change The Size Of The Start Menu Icons In Windows 7
24. Require CTRL + ALT + DEL For Logons In Windows 7
25. Configure Windows 7 For Automatic Logon
26. Show Hidden Files And Folders In Windows 7
27. Install New Fonts In Windows 7
28. Do Not Highlight Newly Installed Programs In Windows 7
29. Disable User Account Control In Windows 7
30. Assign A Password To A User Account In Windows 7
31. Disable Thumbnail Previews In Windows 7
32. Create A System Restore Point In Windows 7
33. Change Your User Account Picture In Windows 7
34. Delete All But the Most Recent Restore Point In Windows 7
35. Configure Mouse For Left-Handed User In Windows 7
36. Encrypt Offline Files In Windows 7
37. Turn On Bitlocker Without TPM In Windows 7
38. Create User Account In Windows 7
39. Rename The Guest Account In Windows 7
40. Disable System Protection In Windows 7
41. Customize The Appearance Of The Mouse Pointer In Windows 7
42. Delete A User Account In Windows 7
43. Enable/Disable The Administrator Account In Windows 7
44. Is Your Computer Ready For Windows 7?
45. Create A Group In Windows 7
46. Change The Disk Defragmenter Schedule In Windows 7
47. Rename Your User Account In Windows 7
48. Remove Icons From Notification Area In Windows 7
49. Compress A Folder In Windows 7
50. Windows 7 Action Center
51. Undo A System Restore Operation In Windows 7
52. Set The Time Zone From The Command Prompt In Windows 7
53. Make Windows Transparent With Aero Peek In Windows 7
54. Turn Off Smart Window Arrangement In Windows 7
55. Open A Folder In A New Window In Windows 7
56. Secure Data On USB Drives In Windows 7
57. Clear Recent Search Entries In Windows 7
58. Quickly Launch Programs In Windows 7
59. Disable Security Alerts In Windows 7
60. Aero Shake In Windows 7
61. Quickly Browse Tasks In Windows 7 With The Keyboard
62. Windows 7’s Windows Easy Transfer
63. Backup And Restore In Windows 7 Part I
64. Backup And Restore In Windows 7 Part II
65. Windows 7’s System Restore
66. Schedule Disk Cleanup In Windows 7
67. Windows 7’s Accessibility Features Part I
68. Windows 7’s Accessibility Features Part II
69. Windows 7’s Accessibility Features Part III
70. Windows 7’s Accessibility Features Part IV
71. Windows 7’s Accessibility Features Part V
72. Schedule Disk Defragmenter In Windows 7
73. Schedule Disk Cleanup To Run In Windows 7

Buy My Windows 7 eBook Now!

• Windows 7 – How Soon Should You Upgrade?
• Best Buy and Windows 7
• Save $100 on Windows 7 Professional Upgrade
• Will Windows 7 be Worth the Wait?
• Ignore the Windows Apologists
• Robert and Robert: Duh!
• Windows Vista: Lipstick on a Pig
• How to Have a Chris Pirillo Live Gadget on your Windows Desktop
• Who Loves Windows Vista?
• What Does Windows 7 Bring to the Table?

With all the talk of the new Miscrosoft commercials in Europe and the Pre wanting to co-exist with the iPhone, I can’t help but thinking about commercials in general. What’s your favorite technology-related commercial on television? You do remember what TV is, right? Do you love that annoying (yet catchy) Comcast song? Or are you more inclined to watch the Dell laptop commercials over and over? Let’s hear your thoughts!

• The Microsoft ad department isn’t very popular in Europe right now.
• What were your thoughts on Chris Brogan’s Gnomedex presentation?
• Is Microsoft supporting head transplants?
• Scams happen to smart people who do stupid things.
• Lazyfeed is a go!
• The Pre wants to be in iPhone commercials – what?!
• Can Yahoo outsmart Microsoft?
• Do we really want AppCenter on Ubuntu?

• Weed Through the Spam to Get to the Good Stuff
• Walk Loud and Carry a Soft Stick
• I Get By With a Little Help from my Friends
• Geeks can Dance!
• The Go-To Guy
• The Winds of Change
• The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth
• Are You a Victim of Wanderlust?
• Travel Back in Time
• Getting Out is a Good Thing

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Microsoft doesn’t bring the Bing Pong tables just anywhere, you know. We were so very lucky to have a great partner in the Bing family this year for Gnomedex. Not only did they sponsor the Will Code for Green contest, they also brought the Bing Pong room to the conference!

The tables, the paddles and the balls all glow under black lights. How freaking cool is that? It was a lot of fun, and a great way to relax and unwind during the day. Attendees could pop in there for a game any time they wanted, and many people did!

Bing Pong was definitely a huge success!

• Modern Table Tennis 101
• Lion Practice Table Tennis Balls
• Markwort Deluxe Table Tennis Replacement Post Set
• Markwort Economy Table Tennis Set
• Butterfly Table Tennis Logo T-Shirt
• Butterfly North American Logo T-Shirt
• Butterfly Victory 4-Player Table Tennis Set
• Butterfly Bucket of 3-Star 40mm Table Tennis Balls (72 Count)
• Butterfly TR21 Personal Rollaway Table Tennis Table (Green)
• Butterfly ITTF Approved 3-Star 40mm Table Tennis Balls (6-Pack)
• Butterfly 8270 Naifu Table Tennis Racket
• Butterfly Carlos Chiu Table Tennis Racket

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• Will Code for Green: Make Money!
• What Drives Your Productivity?
• Are You Ready for the Holidays?
• Microsoft Office 2010 Comparison Screencast
• Who Loves Windows Vista?
• Microsoft Office 2010 Screencast
• What Will the Internet Look Like in Ten Years?
• Windows 7 – How Soon Should You Upgrade?
• Best Buy and Windows 7
• Windows 7 Thoughts

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I keep trying to tell Pixie that she can’t help someone remotely without installing some type of software that will allow her to do so cross-platform. GoToAssist will do this easily for her. I wanted to demonstrate the software for her, and for all of you. I decided to help Danny Minick with some questions he had about MSConfig. When’s the last time you used MSConfig to toggle any settings? What did you change and why?

MSConfig is a system configuration tool that allows you to troubleshoot and make changes to your system. I wouldn’t recommend going in here unless you know what it is you’re doing. You can change your boot method, and even manually choose what is allowed to start when the computer boots. You have to be very, very careful. Never disable something from there if you don’t know what it is for sure. It’s safe to remove things like QuickTime from auto-startup. However, many of the things listed there are necessary services for Windows.

The way that Windows handles programs when it starts is that it loads everything at the same time. This is where you run into issues, and slower startups. It makes more sense to me to have it open programs one by one by one. But alas – that’s not the way it’s done!

It doesn’t matter how fast your computer is. You can still get bogged down on your system start, simply because you’re trying to let too many things start at the beginning. There wasn’t anything wrong with Danny’s computer – he just wanted my opinion of what he could safely remove using MSConfig.

Using GoToAssist, there is no end to what I could have done to help Danny if he did have a problem. It would have allowed me to remotely control his computer and be able to diagnose and fix whatever was wrong. As a user at home, you can help your friends and family with it. As a business owner, you can save yourself both time and money by doing jobs right from your office, instead of on site!

• Enteractive Computer Diagnostics & Safety Bundle
• Nurse’s Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests (Software for download)
• Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference, 8th Ed. powered by Skyscape
• The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics, 2nd Ed. (PDA/Win CE)
• The Princeton Review Gre Computer Diagnostic: New Version 2.0/Microsoft Windows/IBM Disk

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• Tech Support With My Dad
• Windows Defender Problem
• Computer Tech Support with Citrix GoToAssist (Beta)
• What Drives Your Productivity?
• Are You Ready for the Holidays?
• Microsoft Office 2010 Comparison Screencast
• Who Loves Windows Vista?
• Microsoft Office 2010 Screencast
• What Will the Internet Look Like in Ten Years?
• Windows 7 – How Soon Should You Upgrade?