Microsoft Zune - Product Review

Since the launch of the Zune prior to the holiday season in 2006, the Zune has claimed the number two position for all hard drive based mp3 players behind the Apple iPod. There are several opinions on whether the Zune can continue to be a player in the digital music player market. This review will discuss the features offered by the Zune and the author's opinion on the Zune's future.

As a previous iPod user I have been extremely pleased with the Zune. Although the Zune software was a bit difficult to install, since overcoming the initial installation issues everything has worked well. The Zune offers three different color options to meet your personal taste, you can choose between brown, black, or white. The large three inch viewing screen is a great feature for watching video or viewing pictures and being able to change the orientation from horizontal to vertical comes in handy.

The 30 GB hard drive provides more than enough storage for music, video and photos. You are able to store up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures, or 100 hours of video. I highly recommend signing up for the Zune Pass music subscription for $14.99 per month which allows unlimited downloads to your Zune player. As a former user of Napster, I never found the subscription to be a valuable feature because it was only offered for products with smaller hard drives, which meant that you had to constantly delete songs in order to add new songs. That is not a problem with the large 30 GB hard drive on the Zune.

Another added feature provided by the Zune is the built in FM-tuner. Although I rarely use this feature, it is nice to have if you want to be able to listen to a local radio station instead of your stored files.

One feature of the Zune that I do not see much value in is the ability to share music with other Zune players wirelessly. Once a song is sent to another Zune, the user can only listen to the track three times within a three day period, then the song expires and is no longer playable unless it is flagged and purchased from the Zune marketplace. I recommend disabling this feature because it decreases battery life.

Overall, I would recommend the Zune to anyone looking to purchase a new mp3 player. Although, the wheel design is not really a click wheel like the famous iPod design, the product is user-friendly and easy to navigate from menu to menu. It has all of the normal features such as shuffle, repeat, and play all so you don't have to keep clicking once a song completes..

I fully expect the Zune to continue to catch up with the iPod in the hard drive based mp3 player marketplace. According to thestreet.com, Microsoft is planning a new marketing and advertising blitz for the spring and will be offering new colors and a bigger splash with their product features. With the money of Bill Gates behind such a strong product, it only makes sense that the Zune will continue to close the gap with Apple.

Gerald VanHorn writes technology and video game reviews for [http://www.gvhdeals.com] Along with product reviews, GVHDeals offers specials and discount codes for several related online stores. be sure to visit [http://www.gvhdeals.com] for the latest reviews and product specials and discounts.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/515506

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Microsoft unleashes Windows

The updated OS includes several upgrades to its suite of communication tools. Microsoft has improved the communication hub of Windows Phone. It supported Facebook and Windows Live integration before, but Mango adds support for LinkedIn and Twitter as well. You can check out your friends’ social updates while browsing through your contacts. Microsoft has developed advanced algorithms for matching Twitter and LinkedIn handles to contacts in your phone.

Microsoft is also introducing upgraded Groups features, including the ability to send instant messages to small groups, and threaded conversations for Facebook and Windows Live messaging, in addition to SMS.

Apps are getting the bulk of Microsoft’s love, though. The upgraded OS is designed to make Windows Phone’s 30,000+ apps more discoverable, useful and accessible. To that end, Microsoft has introduced a web version of Windows Marketplace so that users can browse apps from the desktop. Its improved Live Tiles will deliver richer information from apps. Not only that, but users can create multiple Live Tiles from the same app. For example, if you love Glee, you can now pin that show from Netflix (not available in Australia) to your home screen.

Windows Phone is also getting a long-needed feature: app multitasking. Now switching apps doesn’t automatically close the app you were previously using, and it’s easier to switch between them. The new OS introduces Visual Voicemail and internet sharing (“tethering”) to Windows Phone devices. Carriers will control the introduction and pricing for these two features.

Mango introduces more than 500 changes in total. Windows Phone users will receive the update over the air.

Microsoft hasn’t been selling as many Windows Phones as it’d like, but with Nokia’s Windows Phones slated to hit the market by the end of the year, it could soon see a boost.

What do you think of Windows Phone? Can Microsoft compete with Apple and Google? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Source : smh.com

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Purchase Microsoft On-Site Support

Microsoft's Rapid Onsite Support is a feature of Microsoft Premier Support. Premier clients can make use of senior Microsoft support technicians who assist their organization both remotely and on-site to solve problems and help maximize the use of Microsoft products. All support contracts are custom quoted by Microsoft, so you must contact them to negotiate a Premiere support contract for your products.

Instructions

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Worldwide Sales website in your browser (see Resources). Choose your country in the drop-down box below "Contact Information" and click "Go."

2. Click the name of your state or region from the map that appears onscreen.

3. Click the name of the closest office in your district. An address and telephone number will be listed. Dial this number and speak to a sales representative who will inquire about the Microsoft products your organization uses and the level of support needed for the amount of on-site assistance required.

Source : eHow

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How To Change a Microsoft Product Key

If you discover your version of Windows is not authentic, you may need to change the product key. It is not uncommon for individuals to purchase a pirated or illegal version of Windows on the Internet. After contacting Microsoft and purchasing a new product key, you have the option to change the product key, rather than having to reinstall Windows. Reinstalling Windows erases data from your computer and risks the loss of important information. After you change the Window's product key, Microsoft scans your computer's hard drive to ensure your version is running correctly.

1. Download the Windows Product Key Update Tool from the Microsoft website (see Resources).

2. Select "Run."

3. Enter the new product key. This key is a 25-digit key that is located on your Certificate of Authenticity sticker or an e-mail message received from Microsoft.

4. Click "Next." Microsoft will begin updating your computer by changing your Windows installation and updating your files. It also determines whether other programs have tampered with any of the files on your computer. Any information found will be sent to Microsoft via the Internet.

5. Click "Finish" to reboot your computer.

6. Activate your version of Windows when your computer restarts. Click "Yes, let's activate Windows over the Internet now" or "Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows now." Follow the on-screen instructions to activate your version.

7.Verify your copy of Windows is genuine by navigating your browser to the Microsoft website (see Resources). Click "Validate Windows" to begin the validation process.

Source: eHow

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Microsoft Support Information

When your Microsoft product fails, finding the right support can be overwhelming. Navigating Microsoft's large support structure can be as frustrating as failed software. Understanding the support system will enable you to quickly determine where to go for support.

1. Microsoft's Support Lifecycle Policy
Microsoft's Support Lifecycle Policy describes the type and length of product support available. Support is divided into three categories: mainstream, extended and online self help. Mainstream support is available for all products and includes incident support (warranty, free and paid), security updates and non-security hot fixes. Products that have new versions released annually, such as Microsoft Money, Encarta, Picture It! and Streets & Trips, have three years of mainstream support. Other products have five years of mainstream support. Extended support includes security updates and paid support, is only available for business and developer products and is available for five years following the mainstream support or two years after the second successor is released, whichever is longer. Self-help online support availability varies by product type. Refer to the self-help online support section for more information.

2. Who Provides Assisted Support?
Retail-licensed products are supported directly by Microsoft. Retail-licensed products include the CD/DVD, user guide and COA (certificate of authenticity) for the particular Microsoft product purchased. Retail-licensed products are purchased and installed by the end user. OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) are companies who contract with Microsoft to include Microsoft products in their own product. They are typically computer manufacturers (like Dell or HP) who preinstall a Windows operating system on the computers they sell. OEM-licensed products are required to be supported by the computer manufacturer/builder. To determine which type of license you have, check the product identification number (PID) of the software. An OEM license will have the letters "OEM" in the number. To learn how to find the PID, refer to the "Product Identification (PID) Locator" link in the Resources section.

3. Self-Help Online Support
According to Microsoft Support, "Self-help Online Support is available throughout a product's lifecycle and for a minimum of 12 months after the product reaches the end of its support." The self-help online support service is available for all products and to all users, regardless of license type.

source : eHow.com

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Life Cycle of Microsoft Products

The lifecycle of a Microsoft product begins with its introduction and ends with software retirement. During this period, Microsoft makes the software program available for retail sale and volume licensing, and provides support in the form of product updates, training and information, security enhancements, and patches and service packs to eliminate errors and fix program "bugs." While specific software programs may include specific lifecycle guidelines, Microsoft created a general policy you can use to understand what occurs during the product lifecycle.

Identification
Microsoft wrote their product lifecycle policy in October 2002 to cover products currently available as well as all future product releases. Lifecycle product categories include the Consumer, Hardware, and Multimedia category, the Business and Development category, and an additional category for software Microsoft updates annually such as Microsoft Money and Encarta. Basic lifecycle support depends on the category and consists of five years of product support for the Consumer category, ten years of support for the Business category and three years for the annual update category.


Considerations
Once a Microsoft product reaches the end of its lifecycle and mainstream and extended support (when applicable) ends, the product becomes an "unsupported" version. As technology advances and data security becomes an increasingly important issue, running "unsupported" software can be risky. Microsoft recommends reviewing product lifecycle documentation on a regular basis and upgrading software applications, and operating system to a new version to ensure your computer remains safe and eligible for updates and security enhancements.

Security Updates
While a long-term Microsoft goal is to release software not vulnerable to security issues, security enhancements and upgrades remain a regular occurrence over the lifecycle of a Microsoft product. When a security-related issue occurs, Microsoft deals with it in a general way by including a security fix in the next Service Pack release, or by issuing security "patches" if the issue is serious enough to warrant an immediate fix.

Product Support
Depending on the product, support consists of one or two phases that include Mainstream Support and Extended Support. Consumer and annual update products receive only Mainstream support, while Business products receive both Mainstream and Extended support, each five years in length. Mainstream support is the initial phase and includes complete product support, such as design and features enhancements, security updates, a variety of no-charge support options, and fee-based technical support. In addition, Microsoft provides access via their website to free training, articles and product information. Extended support includes fee-based technical support and security updates.

Service Pack Support
Microsoft handles issues such as errors that cause programs to crash or refuse to open, or enhancements that can help the program run more efficiently by packaging and distributing Service Packs at various intervals during the product lifecycle. Each new Service Pack builds on a previous one, so users do not have to download and install all Service Packs to address an issue covered in an early Service Pack release when purchasing a new computer or software program. Regardless, Microsoft provides support for legacy operating system Service Packs for 24 months and all other software programs for 12 months.

Source: eHow.com

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Windows 8 winning support from mobile chipset

US chipset manufacturer Qualcomm has confirmed full support for Microsoft Windows 8 PCs and smartphones based on its next generation Snapdragon family of processors. The move is of interest as it marks the arrival of an OS designed to span both the PC and mobile device form factors and Qualcomm’s foray into the same area.

Qualcomm’s head of product management, Cristiano Amon, said that the next generation of Snapdragon chips, dubbed the S4, would feature dual and quad core technology and would be available to the market during the first half of 2012.

During a keynote address at the Microsoft Build conference this week, Microsoft demonstrated an early developer preview of Windows 8-based prototype PCs powered by Snapdragon processors.

In addition, Qualcomm’s Gobi mobile internet connectivity offerings will provide Windows 8-based PCs with wireless 3G and 4G, while the company’s Atheros’ WCN3660 combo chip will deliver dual-band wifi, Bluetooth and FM radio connectivity.

But Qualcomm is facing some ARM-based rivalry in the form of Nvidia’s Tegra SoC offering. Nvidia this week launched its own Windows 8 developer program, with a nod to its next-generation, quad-core Tegra processor, code-named Project Kal-El, targeted at the tablet and notebook sector.

The processor manufacturer also announced plans to support Windows 8 on x86 systems with its GeForce, Quadro and Tesla GPUs.

Source : telecoms

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