MICROSOFT SUPPORT FOR WINDOWS XP ENDS IN 1000 DAYS

It may not sound like a lot of time, but 1,000 days is still the better part of three years. Even so, Microsoft is putting a hard time limit on how much longer they plan to support Windows XP, and even though they’re already counting the days, each new milestone is another opportunity to tell people to stop using Windows XP.

Microsoft said that Monday was the 1,000th day in the countdown to the end for Windows XP, and that afterward they don’t plan on offering any type of support for their once-flagship operating system. Microsoft still thinks there are entirely too many people using Windows XP, and they’re making a point of telling them all to upgrade to Windows 7.

If Microsoft keeps to its word, and the countdown clock runs out without any extensions, Windows XP will go end-of-life in early 2014, after which users who are still running the OS will not receive any further security updates and patches from Microsoft.

WINDOWS 7 SERVICE PACK 1 NOW AVAILABLE

Microsoft has finally released Windows 7 Service Pack 1 to the masses. It is currently listed as an Important update, but is not checked in Windows Update. The service pack is a whopping 1.95GB and contains a number of improvements and optimizations.

The most notable additions are:

• A bug fix for HDMI audio devices that stopped working after restarting the computer
• Corrected behavior when printing mixed-orientation XPS documents
• Changed behavior of the "Restore previous folders at logon" functionality so that all folders are restored to their previous position, rather than in cascading order based on the most recently active folders.

The service pack also contains all the previously released updates and security patches.

INTEL WANTED MICROSOFT TO CREATE A TABLET OS INSTEAD OF WP7

Word out of CES is that Intel execs revealed their true feelings about Windows 7 on tablets at an event last night. Apparently, they lobbied for Microsoft to make a more tablet-friendly OS. Microsoft said no.

In addition to pushing for a new tablet os from the Redmond, Wa company, he also expressed sentiments that Microsoft is taking too long to release a tablet optimized version of Windows. According to Cnet, here's what Tom Kilroy, Senior Vice President of Marketing, had to say:

Hey, we tried to get [Microsoft] to do a tablet OS (operating system) for a long time. Us, and others like Dell," said Tom Kilroy, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Sales and Marketing Group, speaking to CNET at an Intel function last night.

Looks like we're not the only ones who think full-blown Win 7 on a tablet is a bad idea. [CNet]

RUMOR: MICROSOFT TO SHOW OFF WINDOWS 8 TABLET AT CES

According to the New York Times, Microsoft intends to headline this year’s CES with yet another showcase of slate PCs… all of which will debut during Steve Ballmer’s CES keynote.

There will be at least two tablets. One is a Samsung tablet which is described as “similar in size and shape to the Apple iPad, although it is not as thin. It also includes a unique and slick keyboard that slides out from below for easy typing.” This sounds like the Gloria.

As for the Dell, nothing is known, short of Windows 7. My guess is it’s a variation of their Streak line of tablets.

Either way, yes, tablets can run Windows 7, but even that might be up in the air… according to the NYT, it’s possible Ballmer will debut these tablets running not Windows 7, but Windows 8. [Geek]

KINECT HACK ALLOWS WEB BROWSER AND WINDOWS 7 CONTROL BY GESTURES

The hacks for Microsoft's Xbox 360 Kinect just keep getting better. MIT's Media Lab Fluid Interfaces Group has hacked the Kinect to allow users to control web browsers and Windows 7 using only gestures.

The MIT group used DepthJS, a system that makes Javascript talk to Microsoft's Kinect in order to navigate web pages, among other things. It's not that making wild, arm-waving gestures is the best way to navigate a web site, it's just a demonstration that you can and advances the technology. Hopefully the group, or other hackers, can take this advance and evolving it into a multitouch remote control plugin for our home theater PCs. [Engadget]

10 HIDDEN WINDOWS 7 FEATURES

Microsoft's Windows 7 OS has been out for awhile now and PC Magazine has a slideshow of 10 hidden features.  From God Mode to wiping free space, the tips will help anyone from beginner to expert with Windows 7. [PC Mag]

HP SLATE RUNNING WINDOWS 7 CAUGHT ON VIDEO

YouTuber x313xkillax has a video showing off the HP Slate tablet computer running Windows 7.  The HP Slate is very similiar to what was seen in April with some minor changes.  The touchscreen seems responsive, however it is very obvious in the video Windows 7 is not designed for touch operation. [Engadget]

50 WAYS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF WINDOWS 7

PC Magazine has a great set of 50 tips for getting the most out of our Windows 7 OS computer.  These tips and tricks will help boost the speed, make it more secure, improve its looks, customize it and much more.  Some of the tips are obvious and others aren't.