Tag Archive: PC

Microsoft hits back, launches PC vs Mac site

Posted Aug.09, 2010 under Apple/Mac, Microsoft

Microsoft has added a new section to their Windows 7 website entitled “PC vs Mac“, which for the first time hits back at Apple’s barrage of campaigns against the company.

While many thought Microsoft would never respond to the campaigns — including the popular “Get a Mac” ads by Apple which came to an end a couple of months ago — it seems the company has finally decided (after the “I’m a PC” ads) that it’s time to take Apple on, launching an informative website first spotted by The Next Web and labelling Macs as potentially “spoiling your fun” and “take time to learn.”

Sections on the site compare Windows 7 to Mac OS X under a number of categories including “having fun”, “simplicity”, “working hard”, “sharing”, “compatibility” and “choice”, all of which are scathing in their views on Apple’s popular operating system.

Arguments against Macs include “Macs might spoil your fun”, “Macs can take time to learn”, “Macs don’t work as well at work or at school”,  ”Macs don’t like to share”, “Macs might not like your PC stuff”, and “Macs don’t let you choose”.

As you would expect, with the site being promotional material, Microsoft steers well clear of any positive aspects that Mac OS X has over Windows 7, preferring to target its weaknesses and even encouraging visitors to “find your perfect PC” at the bottom of each page. The site also displays a feed of tweets from Twitter which mention Windows 7 in a bid to show community feelings about the operating system.

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Hacker says Windows is more secure than Mac; calls Apple fans “ignorant”

Posted Apr.16, 2010 under Apple/Mac, Microsoft

Lifehacker pointed to an interesting piece over at CNet. In a Q and A interview by Elinor Mills, hacker extraordinaire, Marc Maiffret, has said what no one before him dare say–Windows is more secure than Mac OS. While Apple likes to claim a higher security standard than their rival Microsoft, Maiffret, who is now the Chief Security Architect at FireEye, begs to differ.

When asked about the current state of security in Microsoft products, Maiffret responded:

“Now when you look at Microsoft today they do more to secure their software than anyone. They’re the model for how to do it. They’re not perfect; there’s room for improvement. But they are definitely doing more than anybody else in the industry, I would say”

In a follow up question, Maiffret was asked if he feels Apple is taking security seriously. In his response, Maiffret calls out Apple and its “ignorant” community saying:

“It’s even a little scarier with them because they try to market themselves as more secure than the PC, that you don’t have to worry about viruses, etc. Anytime there’s been a hacking contest, within a few hours someone’s found a new Apple vulnerability. If they were taking it seriously, they wouldn’t claim to be more secure than Microsoft because they are very much not. And the Apple community is pretty ignorant to the risks that are out there as it relates to Apple. The reason we don’t see more attacks out there compared to Microsoft is because their market share isn’t near what Microsoft’s is”

Marc Maiffret began hacking as a teenager. He was a lad of 17 when he started eEye–a company focused on product development and vulnerability research. Since then, Maiffret has become a revered expert in the world of software security.

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Microsoft: Next version of Windows will be completely different

Posted Feb.10, 2010 under Microsoft, Windows 7, Windows 8

A Microsoft project manager has posted and then removed a blog post regarding what he feels the next version of Windows will be like.

Entitled “What’s in store for the next Windows” the blog has now been removed but a Google cached version is still available. The Windows Club, who originally spotted the blog posting, speculate that the project manager is a member of the Windows Update team. The project manager doesn’t reveal anything specific but states:

“The minimum that folks can take for granted is that the next version will be something completly different from what folks usually expect of Windows – I am simply impressed with the process that Steven has setup to listen to our customers needs and wants and get a team together than can make it happen. To actually bring together dozens and dozens of teams across Microsoft to come up with a vision for Windows.next is a process that is surreal! The themes that have been floated truly reflect what people have been looking for years and it will change the way people think about PCs and the way they use them. It is the future of PCs…”

The project manager reflects back at Windows 7′s success in the market and argues that Microsoft’s new approach to developing Windows has worked. “The plan is to use a similar approach for the next version of Windows and till things are finalized you’re not going to get a “marketing” name from us” he states.

CIO interviewed Microsoft EMEA boss of consumer and online, John Mangelaars recently and quoted him as saying:

“Apple is doing well on the PC side but Windows 7 is a blockbuster. We got it really right. For me, Windows 8 will be mind-blowing.”

Most company officials have been shy about talking Windows 8 or whatever the next version of Windows will be called. In January an ex-Microsoft employee predicted Windows 8 would be released in July 2011.

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Assassin’s Creed II PC date, price and specs revealed

Posted Jan.26, 2010 under Other Technology

After two months of the game’s availability on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Ubisoft has dated the PC version of Assassin’s Creed II for March 5 in Europe and March 16 in North America.

Like the original before, it will be labeled as a “Director’s Cut”, packaging the full game and its two DLC episodes coming to the consoles, The Battle of Flori and Bonfire of the Vanities, for $59.99. In addition to the standard edition, a “Black Edition” for the PC will also be released by the developer for $64.99, with added extras that aren’t specified.

Ubisoft has also posted the system requirements for the Renaissance-based action-adventure game.

Minimum Configuration:

  • SUPPORTED OS: Windows XP (32-64 bits) /Windows Vista®(32-64 bits)/Windows 7 (32-64 bits)
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHZ or AMD Athlon X2 64 2.4GHZ RAM: 1.5 GB Windows XP / 2 GB Windows Vista – Windows 7
  • Video Card: 256 MB DirectX 9.0–compliant card with Shader Model 3.0 or higher
  • Sound Card: DirectX 9.0 –compliant sound card DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0
  • Hard Drive Space: 8 GB
  • Peripherals Supported: Keyboard, mouse, optional controller

Recommended Configuration:

  • Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 2.6 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ or better
  • Video Card: GeForce 8800 GT or ATI Radeon HD 4700 or better
  • Sound: 5.1 sound card
  • Peripherals: Keyboard, mouse, joystick optional (Xbox 360 Controller for Windows recommended)
  • Supported Video Cards at Time of Release: ATI RADEON X1950, HD 2000/3000/4000/5000 series NVIDIA GeForce 7/8/9/100/200 series
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