Microsoft has reportedly pulled the trigger on what’s sure to be one of the largest—and most-watched—software launches to date, the release of Microsoft Windows Vista. Belying rumors of last-minute problems which may have delayed release, the company has confirmed it will release Windows Vista to corporate customers on November 30th, 2006, and the consumer on January 31st, 2007.
Microsoft will also release Office 2007 on November 30, 2006.
Windows Vista will be available in six separate versions at different price points to match the needs and capabilities of different Windows Users. Three editions are aimed at business users (Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate), two at home users (Home Basic and Home Premium), and one at markets in developing nations. Ongoing antitrust issues mean a separate edition (sans selected components) will be available for the European Union, and a separate edition is likely for the South Korean market, where Microsoft is also facing antitrust scrutiny.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
Tired of typing the same details into every form?
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.