XP’s Nagware to Get an Upgrade [Oxymoron?]

By Jimmy Rogers
Contributing Writer, [GAS]

Mary-Jo Foley has posted an interesting bit of news about Microsoft’s most popular OS.  Nope, not Vista, silly, Windows XP.  It seems that Microsoft is planning a roll-out of a new version of Windows Genuine Advantage for XP.  If the update thinks you’ve got a pirated version of XP, The background will become all black with a transparent “non-genuine” warning over it (similar to the one below).

According to Microsoft, this update will allow them to track stolen software keys more easily but will not include any “counter-measures” like the unpopular “kill switch” that initially shipped with Windows Vista (and was later replaced in SP1).  Also, this update will only affect XP Professional, as it is the most popular version for pirates.  I assume this is because most people savvy enough to pirate Windows would rather jump off a cliff than use XP Home Edition.

While Microsoft claims that Windows XP users actually want this new nagware added to their OS, I find it a little hard to believe. The wording of their user survey must indeed be very misleading for users to accept installing this on their machine.  I’ll bet it asks if users would value “being notified if [they] are a victim of software piracy.”  In reality, people who pirate Windows are unlikely to install Windows Genuine Advantage on their computer in the first place.

[Image via ZDNet]



Microsoft Promises ‘Backwards Incompatibility’ On Internet Explorer 8.0

By Shéa Bennett
Contributing Writer, [GAS]

Microsoft, which released a feature-complete beta of Internet Explorer 8.0 on its website yesterday, has revealed that two of the main design goals of the product were backwards compatibility and total compliance with web standards.

“The core web rendering engine in IE8 is compliant with web standards, but we have also tried to maintain compatibility with sites written specifically for older versions of IE,” says Ryan Servatius, senior product manager at Microsoft’s Internet Explorer division.

The new browser will come with a ‘compatibility button’, which users can click if they stumble across a site that was designed for older versions of the software. Once pressed, the page will reload in ‘compatibility mode’.

Sounds fair enough, but this quote from David Mitchell, senior vice-president for research at Microsoft, must be, I assume, a mistake, because otherwise it’s quite surreal.

“Sites that are specifically written for IE will not display properly. Many people probably will not ever use the compatibility button that Microsoft has built into IE8, which means some sites will not work and the user will get a message saying the site needs Internet Explorer.”

So let’s get this straight – the new version of IE will not support some sites that were written specifically for Internet Explorer, and that the software will then display an error page and tell users to download Internet Explorer?

That’s going to go down like a riot with the boys at Mozilla.

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“Misleading” iPhone Advert Banned In The UK

By Shéa Bennett
Contributing Writer, [GAS]

I’m not an iPhone owner, but I’ve used one before and I’m fully aware that, no matter how well it renders most web pages, Apple do slightly exaggerate its browser capabilities in their advertisements, specifically when it comes to speed and functionality.

Well, it’s finally caught up with them. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the UK’s advertising watchdog, has banned the following iPhone commercial for giving “a misleading impression of the internet capabilities of the iPhone.”

The ASA had specific problems with the advert’s claim that, “You never know which part of the internet you’ll need … which is why all the parts of the internet are on the iPhone.”

What’s interesting about this piece is it took only two complaints from concerned geeks to get the advert investigated. Two! I thought this stuff usually needed hundreds of angry punters before anyone even paid attention. Both complaints pointed out that the iPhone does not support Flash or Java, both of which are an integral feature in many web sites.

The ASA has ordered that the advert, as is, must not be broadcasted in the UK again. However, it continues to be aired in other countries, including the USA.

What do you think? Is Apple pulling a fast one, or is this taking nitpicking to the nth degree?



Next Big Thing in computing: scented laptops

By Sterling “Chip” Camden
Contributing Writer, [GAS]

In an attempt to make the PC even more personal, ASUS has introduced a new line of notebook computers, the F6 series, that feature colorful case artwork combined with matching fragrances.   The computer apparently actively emits the scent while powered up, since ASUS states that “the lifespan of fragrance depends on actual usage”.

You can choose from four different visual/olfactory combinations:

Floral Blossom
“In glorious pink, this design evokes the imagery of a summer party, leaving the somber feel of conventional laptop designs far behind with its cheerful, floral motif and a floral scent – the most attractive laptop for ladies!”

Translation:  just when you thought you’d be able to survive the overpowering perfume of the lady beside you on the plane, she hits you with another salvo from her computer.

Musky Black
“Boasting a glossy black surface emblazoned with a colorful motif inspired by extreme sports and graffiti art, this model emanates power, daring, and energy with its playfulness and musky scent.”

 
Musky scent?  I want a computer I can use — I don’t want it to smell like it wants to use me.

Morning Dew
“Realized in a pastel green hue, this graphic motif is inspired by the love and respect for nature. Return to the embrace of Mother Nature for a crisp and refreshing awakening of the senses whenever you work on your notebook.”

If you really want to get back to nature, shut the notebook and go take a walk outside.

Aqua Ocean
“The freedom afforded by a boundless expanse of sky and the energy of breaking waves are captured perfectly on the cover of this notebook. The matching invigorating aquatic scent will keep your days energized!”

I hope it isn’t low tide.

I don’t want my computer to be an air freshener.  I don’t want to rub it on my body, blow my nose in it, or mate with it.  And I don’t want someone else imposing their preferred fragrance on my space.  In my opinion, this idea stinks.

How does it smell to you?

[via Futurismic]

The Heavy Metal Monk

If you think you’ve seen everything, wait until you put your eyes on this.

Believe it or not, 62 years old Brother Cesare Bonizzi is a Capuchin monk who took a liking to heavy metal music 15 years ago when he went to a Metallica concert. Apparently, he sings not to convert the head-banging masses to Catholicism but to teach them about what life really is.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go bang my head on the wall a few times, just to make sure I’m not turning crazy, or something…

Monk evangelizes Heavy Metal [BBC] [Via Neatorama]

Totally Free Burner – A CD/DVD Burning Solution for Scrooges

With the ever falling prices of USB storage devices, people have really started to abandon CDs and DVDs as a mean to carry their files around. But even though USB keys have become a preferable alternative to the shiny, reflective discs, old fashioned media can still be used to send information via snailmail or to create cheap, storable backups.

If you are looking for a totally free, simple, and effective Windows CD / DVD burning software, then you absolutely have to try Totally Free Burner. Since Totally Free Burner is a freeware, you probably expect that the software will be somehow limited feature-wise, but no, absolutely not. Totally Free Burner features a simple, minimalistic interface that will cover ALL your CD / DVD burning needs.

FEATURES

  • Supports all current hardware interfaces (IDE/SCSI/USB/1394/SATA)
  • Burn Multi-Session or Disc-at-Once mode to ALL supported media formats
  • Supports UDF/ISO9660/Joliet Bridged file systems (any combination)
  • Supports UNICODE for multi-byte languages
  • On-the-fly burning for all image types (no staging to hard drive first)
  • Create Bootable data discs or images
  • Auto-verification of data images
  • Automatic selection of burn modes for Disc-at-Once operations (no special device knowledge required)

Totally Free Burner

Uwe Boll’s Postal 11-minute Preview

Ok, before I say anything, try to watch the full 11 minutes of this thing, and we’ll talk after.

Big screen adaptation of video games are usually awful, and up to now, Uwe Boll has always taken “awful” to the next level. Can anyone think of a movie of his that was actually just “decent”? Hmmm, let me think, “In the Name of the King”? Nope. “Alone in the Dark”? Neither…that one was even worse I think.

Now the question is, will “Postal” be another of Mr. Boll’s miserable failures, or will it be at least a bit entertaining. I have to admit that the preview made me laugh a time or two, but to get a good impression of the movie, I’m afraid I’ll have to watch the whole thing eventually.

For those who wish to see it as well, “Postal” was released on DVD and Blu-Ray today. Up to now, 10 people who have pre-screened it reviewed it on Amazon.com, and half have given it a 5-star rating. Just this fact makes me think that these guys must have been paid to write this…but who knows? Maybe not…

So, after watching the preview, what’s your first opinion on the movie? Let us know in the comments section below.

The Great Race [WoW Style]

By Jimmy Rogers
Contributing Writer, [GAS]

So you think your level 70 paladin is pretty boss?  Well just think about how much time you spend in World of Warcraft simply running around.  These guys set up a simulation that requires one to actually run in order to keep their character going.  Check it out:

The awesome guys in this video added a treadmill to their normal joystick and keyboard set-up.  Never before have a bike tire and a mouse pad been used to propel a Night Elf.

Personally I was not the least bit surprised by the results.  While most things in video games try to replicate real life (which makes them more immersive), the running and flying systems are really just there to move the game along.  In the middle ages, people were typically born and then died within a fifty mile area.  Clearly that won’t cut it for WoW, a game where you sometimes have to travel to other worlds.

[Via Gizmodo]

[GAS] Cartoon of the day (August 27, 2008)

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I fired you over 3 weeks ago!

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The Ultimate Drinking Game for Geeks: Wizard’s Staff

Ok, first, posting this in the morning might not be the best idea, but hey, this is a geek game isn’t it? The objective of Wizard’s Staff is to attain the highest level possible and be the last standing participant in the room. Please note that while we think the game is “funny” in itself, we do not advise anyone to partake into such activities. If you do, please make sure to give your car keys to someone sober before starting. We all know that wizards can have -illusions- of grandeur, and your newly leveled sorcerer could suddenly -feel- the urge to cast a flying spell on his car’s +5 engine of speed. You’ve been warned.

[Via SloshSpot]