windows 8

Microsoft won't bring DirectX 11.1 to Windows 7

Windows 8 will have sole custody of DirectX 11.1, according to a Microsoft engineer.

Responding to a question on an MSDN forum, Daniel Moth, a Microsoft program manager, broke the news that "at this point there is no plan for DirectX 11.1 to be made available on Windows 7."

That same holds true for versions prior to Windows 7, leaving the new DirectX version exclusive to Windows 8, Windows RT, and Windows Server 2012.

DirectX is a collection of programming interfaces from Microsoft that enable 3D animation and other multimedia effects used mostly in games. Developers … Read more

Skype preview for Windows Phone 8 now in-store

Microsoft's Skype for Windows Phone 8, an app tweaked for use with the new operating system, is now available to download as a preview.

The popular VoIP program, which facilitates video and messaging across the Internet for free, has now been spotted in the Windows Phone store. You cannot search for it in the usual method, but as reported by WP Central, the link is now available for those considering a shift to a Windows 8 mobile device.

The free 8MB download is a preview release, and as Microsoft says, "experiences are not final." Some popular features, … Read more

How to watch DVDs in Windows 8

If you like watching DVDs on your PC, you'll be disappointed to know that Windows 8 can't play DVD videos out of the box, so to speak. That doesn't mean you have to go out and spend a lot of money to get DVD video playback. In fact, there are quite a few programs available that are free. Here are a few popular options for watching DVDs on your Windows 8 PC:

Windows Media Center It's the omission of Windows Media Center that removed Windows 8's ability to natively play DVD video. If you like … Read more

My non-touch Windows 8 world

Unlike most of my colleagues, my recent Windows 8 experiences have been distinctly nontouch. As it turns out, the only two laptops I've reviewed with Microsoft's new operating system preinstalled both lacked touch screens: the Sony Vaio E17 and the Toshiba Satellite U845W. Both are what you'd consider "classic" laptops -- although the U845W has a unique, extra-wide screen.

Based on these early experiences with two "Windows 8-optimized" laptops, I'm not a fan of the nontouch Windows 8 world.… Read more

Windows 8, RT to get first critical security patches next Tuesday

Windows 8 and Windows RT will receive their first security fixes when next week's Patch Tuesday rolls around from Microsoft.

The patches are designed to prevent "remote code execution," which means they'll plug holes in the OS that could let someone remotely run malicious code on a PC.

Beyond securing Windows 8, the fixes cover just about every other version of Windows, including XP, Vista, and Windows 7 as well as Server 2003, 2008, and 2012.

The rollout includes six security patches, four of which are considered critical, one important, and one moderate. Most of the … Read more

Yahoo tests new Windows 8-like home page

Yahoo may be drawing some inspiration from Microsoft in its latest home page redesign.

The Internet search and media company is testing out a new version of its home page that uses larger tiles similar to Microsoft's Windows 8, according to AllThingsD.

The redesign seems better suited for touch-screen devices, a smart move with the increasing proliferation of tablets and other touch-friendly "hybrid" devices coming from the launch of Windows 8, alongside iPads and smartphones with increasingly larger displays.

The approach uses large photos stacked at the top of the page, similar to both Windows 8's … Read more

Lenovo sees 7-inch tablets vying with phones, not PCs

Lenovo expects the growing market for 7-inch tablets to compete with large-screen smartphones, not PCs.

During the company's second-quarter earnings conference call Thursday, Lenovo Chief Executive Yang Yuanqing said he had just read a report on Apple's iPad Mini and was encouraged about the trend in the tablet market.

"The market accepts the 7-inch [tablet] better than the 10-inch. That's a very strong signal, the tablet will not replace the traditional PC," he said during the conference call.

Yuanqing continued. "Probably, the tablet will compete with the large-screen smartphone rather than the PC," … Read more

Microsoft brings Windows 8 tiles to crazy life

You know that Microsoft is all about the noise now, don't you? Oh, and the color.

So here is a delightful stunt the company pulled in Oslo, Norway, in order to, well, blow the side of a building off with the sheer excitement of the new operating system.

I am grateful to PSFK for alerting me to this very alive tile experience.

It consisted of hiring a famous Norwegian band, Datarock, building a fake wall, and then placing a live tile in the street.… Read more

AT&T drafts behind Microsoft's Windows 8 media blitz

AT&T hopes the third time's the charm when it comes to Windows Phone.

While the company isn't putting all of its marketing muscle behind its lineup of Windows Phone 8 devices, it expects to benefit from the massive promotional push of Windows 8 from Microsoft. The telecommunications provider believes the proliferation of Windows 8 computers and tablets in the market will drive previously unseen demand for the smartphones.

"We are coordinating together to make sure we have an effective launch," said Ralph de la Vega, head of AT&T's mobile arm, in … Read more