Those running the Windows 8.1 Preview have already gotten a taste of Internet Explorer 11, but today Microsoft extended the privilege to Windows 7 users. The Developer Preview of Redmond’s next major browser update brings significantly improved rendering, up to 50 percent faster JavaScript performance than its primary competitor, Google Chrome, better standards support, and new WebGL support. As noted by Microsoft journalist Paul Thurrott, the company didn’t bring all of the browser’s features from Windows 8.1 to Windows 7,…
How to Enable Boot to Desktop in Windows 8.1
Windows 8 represented a radical shift for Microsoft. The controversial operating system was arguably the most significant change in the Windows’ user interface since the introduction of Windows 95 nearly 18 years ago. Microsoft claims that the new “Modern UI” (f.k.a “Metro”) lays the groundwork for the future of touch-based computing, but those still working with desktop and non-touch-enabled laptops often prefer the traditional Desktop interface. The Desktop has been available since the launch of Windows 8 last fall, but…
Microsoft Ending TechNet Program, Shuts Down August 31
Microsoft’s march towards universal subscription software has taken another victim. TechNet, the company’s software portal for IT professionals, will stop accepting new memberships on August 31, 2013 and will shut down completely on September 30, 2014, according to an email sent to subscribers Monday. TechNet was launched in 1998 and gave IT professionals access to virtually all of Microsoft’s desktop software. For a yearly fee that, over the years, ranged between $200 and $500, members could download current and past…
The Best New Features in Windows 8.1
Now that we have the Windows 8.1 Preview running on our test system, it’s time to identify the best consumer-facing changes and new features in Microsoft’s first major update to its controversial operating system. A reminder that, while we don’t anticipate that anything we discuss here will be changed, this is still beta software that is subject to modification before its final release. The Start Button Rumors persisted for months that the Start Button would make its return to Windows…
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Windows 8.1 Preview Now Available From Windows Store
As promised, Microsoft has made the Windows 8.1 Preview available for download. MSDN and TechNet subscribers can download a full installer image from their respective membership sites, while everyone else can get the preview from the Windows Store. To install the Windows 8.1 Preview, first head to Microsoft’s download page and choose “Get the Update.” This will configure your PC to see the update in the Windows Store. After installing this preliminary update, reboot and you’ll see the full update…
How to Find Your MAC Address in Windows & OS X
After moving the TekRevue office and replacing some equipment this week, we needed to reconfigure our network and our DHCP reservations. There are a few ways to do this, but we wanted to use each computer’s MAC address to create the reservation (note that MAC stands for Media Access Control, a unique identifier for each network interface, and is unrelated to Apple Macintosh computers). Here’s how to quickly find your MAC address in Windows and OS X. Windows There are…
How to Integrate Dropbox into Office 2013
With Office 2013, Microsoft added the ability to save documents directly to the cloud via built-in links to the company’s SkyDrive and SharePoint platforms. While SkyDrive in particular is a great free service, users of other cloud platforms, such as Dropbox, are left out by default. Dropbox can still be accessed with Office 2013 by manually navigating to the user’s folder via a “Save to Computer” action, but thanks to the Dropbox community, however, there is a workaround that will…
Office to Be Included with “Small Screen” x86 Windows 8 Tablets
A major selling point of tablets running ARM-based Windows RT was that Office, Microsoft’s flagship productivity software, was included for free. The company oddly chose not to extend the same offer to x86-based Windows 8 tablets, including its own Surface Pro. Those devices could still run Office, of course, but users had to purchase the software in addition to the cost of the hardware. At Computex last night, however, Microsoft Windows chief Tami Reller announced a change in policy… at…
Microsoft’s Office 365 Home Premium Hits 1 Million Subscribers
Microsoft announced Wednesday that its consumer-targeted Office 365 Home Premium subscription service has reached a user base of 1 million just 3.5 months after its launch. Microsoft lauded the number as proof that its grand vision of subscription-based software is taking hold. Although first launched in June 2011, Office 365 was initially targeted to business customers who sought a way to license up-to-date versions of Office alongside syncing and Exchange capabilities. Late last year, the company announced its plans to…
How to Create Custom Start Screen Tiles in Windows 8
The new “Modern UI” in Windows 8, formerly known as “Metro,” is certainly controversial. Some love the flat tile-focused interface while others pine for the days of the traditional desktop Start Menu. If you find yourself in either camp, however, you’re still likely unhappy with the way that the Windows 8 Start Screen handles non-Modern UI apps. While Modern UI apps have attractive tiles that fill up their entire tile placeholder, desktop apps are portrayed as an unattractive mesh of…