Windows 7 - News, Features, and Slideshows

News

• In Pictures: What’s new in Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 7

  Here’s what’s noteworthy in the upcoming version of Microsoft’s browser.

• Santos migrates to Windows 7 before XP support ends

  The ending of Windows XP support in April 2014 combined with slow log in times led Australian oil and gas producer Santos (ASX: STO) to start its Windows 7 migration.

• Windows XP: The final countdown

  Microsoft Australia has warned enterprise customers that they only have one year left of Windows XP support and security updates.

• Report: EU will announce Microsoft antitrust fine Wednesday

  The European Commission is expected to announce an antitrust fine on Microsoft on Wednesday.

• Australian enterprises “indifferent” to Windows 8: IDC

  Local CIOs and IT managers have chosen to largely ignore Windows 8 operating system upgrades in favour of Windows 7, according to IDC Australia and New Zealand market analyst Amy Cheah.

• In Pictures: 9 things enterprise IT will like about Windows 8

  Microsoft has simplified its versioning system, which was much too complex. Instead of up to nine different options with Windows 7, Windows 8 comes in Home, Professional and Enterprise.

• Tech stories of 2011: Jobs, Android and Anonymous rank in top 10

  In 2011, the increasingly mobile and socially networked world of technology became more intertwined than ever with politics and the law. Patent wars shaped competition in tablets and smartphones, hacktivists attacked a widening array of political and corporate targets, repressive regimes unplugged citizens from the Internet, and the U.S. government moved to block the giant merger of AT&T and T-Mobile USA. With the passing of Steve Jobs, the world lost a technology icon who redefined the computer, entertainment and consumer electronics industries. These are the IDG News Service's picks for the top 10 technology stories of the year:

• Microsoft to Windows XP: Please die, already

  Microsoft is eager for Windows XP, its 10-year-old operating system, to fade into computing history. The sooner the better, in fact. But for that to happen, the Redmond company needs millions of XP users to drop creaky, old XP and migrate (hopefully) to Windows 7, or even to Windows 8, which won't arrive until next year.

• Microsoft posts record quarter but says tablets have “cannibalized” netbooks

  Despite weak consumer demand for PCs, <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/topics/ipv6.html">Microsoft</a> posted record first quarter revenue of $17.37 billion for the period that ended Sept. 30. This beat analysts' reported expectations of $17.2 billion. Revenue increased 7% percent over the year-ago period. Microsoft credited the increase to enterprise demand for Office, server and development tools.

• Windows XP to Windows 8: Don't go there

  A majority of enterprises have migrated to Windows 7 or are planning to do so. But for Windows XP holdouts ready to side-step Windows 7 for the upcoming Windows 8 OS, you are risking a gap in support, stresses research firm Gartner in a new "first take" analysis of Windows 8 migration in the enterprise.

• Six big Windows 8 features for small business

  With Microsoft's big BUILD conference right around the corner on September 12, people are buzzing about the Windows 8 news that's sure to come, and for the last couple of weeks, Microsoft has been parceling out information. So far, the features we’ve seen look colorful, fast, flashy, and flexible—but how much of a difference will they make for small business users?

• Gartner: 94% of new PCs will ship with Windows 7 in 2011

  The Apple Mac is steadily grabbing market share, but Windows-based systems continue to dominate the worldwide personal computer market, according to a new Gartner study.

• Internet Explorer gains among Windows 7 users, despite Microsoft's overall losses

  Microsoft's long and steady decline in browser market share continued in July, but there is one bright spot for Redmond: Among Windows 7 PC owners, Internet Explorer is gaining, albeit only slightly.

• The iPad: Epic success for users

  You read last week's Backspin (you did, didn't you?) so you'll know it included a riposte from my old friend and verbal sparring partner, Winn Schwartau, to my April column "Curse you, users."

• Microsoft unveils touch-oriented Windows 8

  Microsoft showed Thursday the next version of its Windows OS at a press event in Taipei, unveiling a completely new tile-based interface that it hopes will be better suited for the emerging world of tablet PCs.