Windows

How to print from a Metro app in Windows 8

Printing from a Windows 8 Metro app may throw you for a curve at first. But the process works fine once you get used to it.

For the Windows 8 Release Preview, Microsoft tweaked the way you print content, at least for Metro apps. Instead of choosing a print command from within the app itself, you print using the Charms bar. Selecting the Device charm provides access to your printer, among other devices. From there you can configure the various settings for your print job.

Here's how to print from a Metro app in Windows 8:

Power up your … Read more

Windows 7 hot on XP's tail as top operating system

Microsoft's Windows 7 is about to beat XP as the world's leading operating system, at least according to new data from Net Applications.

For the month of June, Windows 7 scored a market share of 41.6 percent versus XP with 43.6 percent, the narrowest gap between the two since Windows 7 debuted in 2009.

Windows 7 has almost consistently chewed off a greater market share each month, hitting 14 percent in June 2010 and 28.7 percent in June 2011. At same time, XP has tried to hang on to its dominant lead but has seen … Read more

Why Microsoft murdered the Start button in Windows 8

Do you use the Start button in Windows? If not, then you're supposedly the reason Microsoft got rid of it in Windows 8.

Chaitanya Sareen, principal program manager at Microsoft, told U.K. computer publication PC Pro that data indicated a decrease in the use of the Start button. Citing "telemetry" obtained by the Microsoft Customer Experience Improvement Program, Sareen said the company found more users relying on the Windows taskbar for pinning and accessing their favorite software instead of going through the Start menu.

As a result of the reportedly dramatic drop in Start menu usage, … Read more

New mobile-focused Windows could last 20-30 years -- Gartner

Microsoft's new programming model WinRT -- showcased by the new Windows 8 -- is designed to keep Microsoft relevant in the increasingly mobile world, analysts from research firm Gartner said in a statement today.

"Windows 8 is the start of Microsoft's effort to respond to market demands and competitors, as it provides a common interface and programming API (application programing interface) set from phones to servers," Michael Silver, vice president and analyst at Gartner, said in a press release.

Gartner's analysts, who recently released a report on the changes to Windows, said enterprises will take … Read more

How to automatically back up your personal files in Windows 8

Windows 8 offers several features designed to secure your files, but one of the most useful ones is File History.

The new File History feature can back up all your documents, browser favorites, desktop icons, and other personal files. Once set, File History runs automatically at specific times, though you can always trigger it manually.

You can also set the backup destination to a USB or network drive so your files are recoverable even if your hard drive crashes or gets corrupted. If one of your personal files gets lost or damaged, you can simply restore its most recent copy … Read more

As Microsoft retools, Ballmer has chance to rewrite his CEO legacy

A year ago, the influential hedge fund manager David Einhorn was calling for Steve Ballmer's head.

It was time to give someone else a chance, Einhorn, the president of Greenlight Capital, told an investor conference. "His [Ballmer's] continued presence is the biggest overhang on Microsoft's stock."

Microsoft had long been milking its installed base and enterprise business for profits -- Windows still accounts for more than 90 percent of the desktop market -- while rivals swept into tech's hot growth areas. The stock was going nowhere, at the time trading just above $24 per … Read more

How the Mac finally won me away from Windows

Windows 3.0, Windows 95, Windows 98, XP, Vista, Windows 7. Once I left DOS, I went Windows and kept with it, never feeling a need to jump to the Mac. I'd even enjoy some lighthearted mocking of my Mac friends about which OS was better. But a one-two combo last week of getting a new MacBook Pro Retina and trying Windows 8 is finally knocking me off Windows as my primary computing platform and over to the Mac.

Before I write any further, I'm not trying to ignite any Windows vs. Mac fanboy debates. Whatever works for you works for you, … Read more

How to bypass the Windows 8 log-in screen

Windows 8 runs a tight ship by throwing up a lock screen and a log-in screen before you can dive in. But you can easily bypass those screens so you don't have to type your password every time. Here's how:

From the Start screen, type netplwiz. The command for netplwiz, aka the User Accounts Control Panel, appears in the search results in the left pane. Click that command. In the User Accounts Control Panel, select the account you wish to use to log in automatically. Click off the check-box above the account that says "Users must enter … Read more

That rumored 'Microsoft tablet' - what if it's not a Windows tablet?

The guesses on Microsoft's June 18 announcement are continuing to fly fast and furiously (if not fluidly).

The latest round is centering on Microsoft's big announcement being some kind of a Microsoft-manufactured tablet. If these rumors are true, I'm wondering whether the coming device might be more of a rival to the Amazon Kindle Fire than the iPad.

I don't have any brand-new rumors or tips to contribute on this topic. But I will revisit some of what we know about Microsoft's tablet and slate strategies.

Microsoft brass have continued to hint over the past … Read more