Activity for November 17

Review - nVIDIA ForceWare Drivers for Windows Vista/7 (64-bit)
191.07 (Oct 29, 2009)

While the driver works fine, somewhere along the line the Nvidia Control Panel has been rendered useless for some built in video models, for instance I'm using a Nvidia 630i/7100 MGPU and the Nvidia Control Panel will no longer open.

This means I no longer have access to detailed configurations or controls like acceleration, performance vs. quality settings or color control. I've tried everything, including a fresh OS install. I've notified both the board manufacturer and Nvidia, both who claim Windows 7 certification with said driver and chipset however neither of them seem to be able to isolate or iron out the problem.

So for the record, if you're using Windows 7 64bit and the Nvidia 630i 7100 chipset, upgrade your drivers ONLY if you don't need access to your settings, as the Nvidia Control Panel no longer works for this chipset.
Review - Vuze for Windows
4.2.0.9 Beta 34 (Oct 23, 2009)

I absolutely love Vuze. I use it on my HTPC and use utorrent on my laptop.
It's a way more presentable interface for my HTPC. The search function is also way more comprehensive for 'far from pc' use vs. Utorrent.
It does use more memory than utorrent, but imho it's worth it. If you have a system with 4GB or more RAM, you won't feel a thing....gfi! you won't regret it.
Review - Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility
9.1.1.1014 (Jun 19, 2009)

Intel releases these updates for their own brand boards first in every scenario. Then they filter down the line to the generic 'all chipset' area on Intel's site.
So for those wondering where this and these types of updates come from, simple go to Intel's site and pick any of their current boards. I've used these releases before and they work, but it doesn't mean that they'll keep working - one day they may really be for intel boards only.
Review - Microsoft Bing Maps 3D
4.0 (Jun 4, 2009)

Relax people, it's just a rename for Microsoft Virtual Earth.
Review - Desktop Picture Frame
3.0 Beta 1 (Feb 5, 2009)

I always try to give constructive criticism...but oy. I'm not going to trash the program. If you want...um...digital picture frames on some corner of your monitor then power to you. I found it neither that smart, nor that friendly. Keeping an open mind, I suppose it COULD be used in conjunction with those 7" usb monitors hitting the market soon (or...you could just use a wallpaper changer, whatever floats your boat).

I'd personally recommend spending an extra $15 for a real digital frame if you're going to spend $14.95 to put one in your PC.
Comment - After the Psystar verdict: Send in the clones
3.0 Beta 1 (Nov 17, 2009 - 5:15 AM)

Owning and using our products when we buy them "however we like" stops at physical, tangible items unfortunately. Software, music, movies, any data - we don't technically 'own'; we may own the right to use them, but that's about it. Read any EULAs or TOS documents. That's just the way it is....data != hardware when it comes to what we can do with it, depending on whatever we agree to when we install or download them.

I'm not at all happy with the way Apple does things - but it's a working formula for them. They marry their software to their hardware, without that scenario they wouldn't enjoy the success they do. People would build machines and throw OSX on them. They'd get that $2400 Mac Pro for way less and Apple can't have that. I don't view any of these companies as monopolies because they're all optional. Of course, with Apple you have to buy their hardware as well. My problem with MS is their knack for charging out the wazoo for their OS - but what do you expect when you're selling your software as a product, naturally it's going to be higher.

And no, this has nothing to do with Americas negative perception. That's due to politics and our nuclear bombing - but I won't get into that.

I believe that TPM will be the next natural step for them, they actually already are rumored to have the hardware to support it, it simply takes a flip of the software switch, and it will be flipped, no doubt if ever there is a day when people buy the parts to make up hackintoshes and it causes any kind of dent in Apple's bottom line.
Comment - Microsoft damage control after marketer claims Win7 inspired by Mac
3.0 Beta 1 (Nov 12, 2009 - 10:26 AM)

“One of the things that people say an awful lot about the Apple Mac is that the OS is fantastic, that it’s very graphical and easy to use. What we’ve tried to do with Windows 7 – whether it’s traditional format or in a touch format – is create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics,” ... he said that.

“We’ve significantly improved the graphical user interface, but it’s built on that very stable core Vista technology, which is far more stable than the current Mac platform, for instance.” ... he said this also, but the other part makes the news and blog headlines.
Comment - Microsoft damage control after marketer claims Win7 inspired by Mac
3.0 Beta 1 (Nov 12, 2009 - 10:20 AM)

Ahh yes, queue fatty, internetworld7 and a new Mac commercial in 3...2...1...
Comment - Universities reject Kindle DX as a textbook replacement
3.0 Beta 1 (Nov 11, 2009 - 3:31 PM)

I'm at odds with myself in relation to see ebooks as university texts. On one hand, it would have been absolutely awesome to just carry a notebook bag to class, vs. a bookbag big enough to fit 20lbs of books AND a notebook; on the other hand ebooks I think, would somewhat upset the economy of textbooks for school. Some kids are barely able to buy all of them in the first place, and get away with buying them used online or from school - you can't do that with an ebook.
Then, you have the fact that with the ebook you're saving millions of trees; then again, billions of kids walking around with an additional device that requires a. electricity and b. radiowaves, to operate correctly.

Just can't decide if it would be a blessing or curse.

Of course, in a world that's going tech anyway, it may not matter in a few years.
Comment - Snow Leopard and Windows 7 still can't crack the netbook problem
3.0 Beta 1 (Nov 10, 2009 - 8:29 PM)

Look, I'm ALL for MS and Windows 7, but we all have to respect that Apple is running a business.

Who on earth would buy a Macbook if Apple let OSX be rampantly installed to any ole' netbook or laptop?

Let me tell you what would happen....once they saw Apple disable and re-enable support for Atom, PC makers would start building netbooks and laptops with the exact specs to allow OSX to be installed straight from the DVD. Apple is basically 'telling' people that 'we're not ok with this'.

I think the commercials are immature and 'wrong' as much as the next Windows user, but guess what? They're effective. They count on Windows 'soft/bad' spots and they take advantage of that. If MS ever made a commercial that did the same thing to OSX, Apple would threaten or maybe sue...this is just the 'monster' that Apple is. MS is another kind of 'monster', to each his own.