Windows 7
Windows 7 adoption rate for IT companies is High – survey suggests
A study carried out by Chadwick Martin Bailey (CMB) suggests that in their survey of 145 IT professionals the majority plan to standardise Windows 7 across their company, here’s how it breaks down:
· 38% plan to roll out Windows 7 on netbooks over the next 2 years
· 51% plan to regulate Windows 7 on Laptops and Desktops
· 60% plan to migrate to Windows Server 2008 R2 in the next 24 months.
It was said by an analyst at CMB that “our data shows remarkably high number of organisations planning to standardise Windows 7 OS in the near-term”. It was also shown in their survey that “those who are holding back are for the time being … staying with XP (rather than Vista)”.
The hype of Windows 7 isn’t tied to adoption in the Workplace, At Amazon UK the Pre-order sales of Windows 7 were so successful that the previous record holder (Harry Potter) was knocked into 2nd place with Windows 7 taking the top spot.
Bizex exhibition for Mansfield and Ashfield
Today we are exhibiting at the Bizex – helping your business show. There is lots of advice for businesses and business start ups. Come along to the festival Hall, Kirkby in Ashfield for some free I.T. advice for your business from Custard. Entry is free.
Windows 7 might be up and running in time for Christmas
Windows 7 will be rolling out a new Windows genertion with touch sensitive screens this Autum which will end
use of the legendary mouse.
Microsoft announced it will roll out Windows 7, which will take the place of the unpopular Windows Vista,
from October 22.
The launch is months ahead of schedule and the operating system will be ready for Christmas buyers.
Nine out of ten of the world’s computers run on Windows software.
Last year the software giant made about a third of its £60bn income from selling the operating system.
Windows Vista has been attacked for being too complicated and Microsoft bosses hope the new system will
restore public confidence in the product.
Office takes to the Web
Microsoft has hit back in style at Google by lauching its brand new Outlook online!
Office 2010 will include lightweight versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote when it ships next year.
Last week Google took aim at Windows with news of a free operating system while in June Microsoft introduced a new search engine called Bing.
Analysts have mostly given the thumbs up to Microsoft for moving some of its applications to the web, even if it might cost them dearly.
Excel spreadsheets can now run in the browser
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The Wall Street Journal has estimated that offering free online software could “put at risk as much at $4bn
(£2.46bn) in revenue”.
Microsoft’s announcement is being seen as the latest move in a tit-for-tat rivalry between two tech giants as it and Google increasingly make efforts to encroach on one another’s turf.
Windows XP is not done yet
Windows XP is still going, the 30th of June was supposed to be the day XP died.
A YEAR AGO Microsoft announced that Windows XP was deader than Elvis Presley and yet for some reason
the operating system appears to still be going strong.
Based upon user complaints, the Vole kept XP going and even found it a new market in the netbook world.
Microsoft will have to convince those XP users that Windows 7 is worth the money. Otherwise some of them
might decide to jump to some of the more friendly XP-ish flavours of Linux instead.
Apple Boss “Jobs” is back to work
After a long 6months its been reported that Cheif Executive Steve Jobs is back working at Apple.
Mr Jobs, 54, who is reported to have had a liver transplant, was expected back at his desk at the end of June.
Apple has of course refused to comment on this but have quoted him on the press release of the figures for the
first weekend sales figures for the next generation IPhone’s.
The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that Mr Jobs underwent a liver transplant over two months
ago, but Apple have still not said anything on this matter.
Analysts predicted that Mr Jobs will stay on as chief executive officer on a part-time basis with a view to
moving on to become chairman of the company.
Digital Britian!
A report out today lays out the future for the UK’s digital technology.
Every person in the UK with a fixed-line phone will pay a “small levy” of 50p per month to pay for faster net access.
The national fund created by the levy will be used to ensure most Britons get access to future net technologies.
The Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw has outlined the report today.
The report also includes a pledge to curb unlawful file sharing by giving regulator Ofcom given new powers to
identify persistent pirates.
To encourage take-up of broadband services the government has appointed online entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox as the digital champion.
Mr Bradshaw told the Commons that the government intended to upgrade all national radio stations from
analogue to digital by 2015.
The main points of the future for Britons are:-
• a three-year plan to boost digital participation
• universal access to broadband by 2012
• fund to invest in next generation broadband
• digital radio upgrade by 2015
• liberalisation of 3G spectrum
• legal and regulatory attack on digital piracy
• support for public service content partnerships
• changed role for Channel 4
• consultation on how to fund local, national and regional news
One of the biggest surprises in the report was the promise to introduce a levy on fixed telephone lines in order
to pay for broadband rollout.
It will amount to a 50p a month tax for every household in the country with a fixed phone line.
Free Music Downloads with Virgin
Virgin and Universal have signed a deal to let Virgins customers download unlimited music for a small charge on
their broadband services. They say the charge will be around the price of two CD’s per month says bosses at Virgin.
They have not put an exact figure on this yet. As part of the deal, Virgin has pledged to aggressively police usage
to stop the MP3 tracks turning up on file-sharing networks.
Virgin said it would also offer an “entry level” service to fans that do not want unlimited access. Virgin said it
would also offer an “entry level” service to fans that do not want unlimited access.
Once you have paid for the service you can save all your music and even if you cancel the services with Virgin you
will still be allowed to keep the music downloaded.
This fantastic service will be launch December 2009.
43% of Adults, disconnected from the online world
43% of Adults who choose to be diconected from the world wide web will still be disconnected even though
they could have free broadband and were given a free PC!
Currently 17 million Britons are not online currently.
Next week sees the publication of the Digital Britain report, which will lay out the government’s plans for
broadband for the next decade or so.
A key part of it will be a commitment to get a minimum of 2Mbps (megabits per second) broadband to every
home in the UK by 2012.
Ofcom have been researching this and has identified two main groups of people without access to the net – the
self-excluded and those who are staying offline for financial reasons.
Some 42% of adults said that they had no interest or need for the internet. This self-excluded group tended to
be older or retired, with 61% confessing to never having used a computer.
For 30% of those currently offline the main reasons given for that choice was financial or lack of skills.
Half-price computers and discounted monthly tariffs may not be the way forward though.
When asked what would change their minds about going online, only 9% said cheaper deals would be an incentive. Free training was identified by 11% with the majority (58%) choosing “not interested” or “don’t know”.
One in five adults those said they would sign up for some form of internet service in the next six months.
The Google Wave is Coming…
Industry leaders have given the thumbs up to the Google Wave.
The stunning Google Wave has been described as e-mail for the 21st Century, rivaling Twitter and Facebook and
to Microsoft’s collaboration software, Sharepoint. Google may have a poor track record when it comes to making a business out of any of its products bar the giant that is google search but Industry leaders are liking their
new products, we will have to watch this space to see how well it takes off.
Could Google Wave acutally match the hype? We will see very soon.