New
Microsoft Keyboard
Microsoft’s new Sculpt Comfort Keyboard
offers Windows 8-specific keys, including hotkeys for Search, Share, Device,
and Settings functions. The Sculpt Comfort Keyboard also features an ergonomic
design with a split spacebar that should help typing efficiency via the
optional backspace functionality. (The split spacebar layout eliminates the
need for you to pause and reach with your pinky to the backspace key.) Microsoft
includes a removable palm rest to improve comfort, and the dome-shaped arc will
help keep your hands in a neutral wrist position. The keyboard’s wireless
configuration helps to reduce the number of wires on your desk.
Microsoft’s
Sculpt Comfort Keyboard offers hotkeys for Windows 8 features
New
Windows 8 Phones
HTC has released two Windows 8 smartphones:
the Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S. Key features on the phones include
Beats Audio for a studio-quality sound with deep bass, as well as an 88-degree
wide angle front-facing lens to let you capture large group portraits. The
Windows Phone 8X offers a 4.3-inch screen and features a 1.5GHz dual core
processor. The rear camera can shoot video at full 1080p quality and take 8MP
stills. HTC’s Windows Phone 8S, meanwhile, drops down to a 1GHz dual-core
processor and a 5MP rear camera.
HTC’s
Windows Phone 8X and 8S are available in a variety of colors
Office
2013 availability
Microsoft announced that it will release
Office 2013 sometime in the first quarter of 2013. Even better, customers who
purchase Office 2010 from a local retailer will be able to download Office 2013
for free when it’s officially released. Those with an Office 365 Enterprise
subscription should have access to Office 2013 when Microsoft releases the next
update. If you’d like to test out Office 2013 before investing in the new
suite, you can try the Office Customer.
Office
2013 will be available in the first quarter of 2013, or sooner if you’re an
Office 365 subscriber
Windows
Server For Small Businesses
Windows Server 2012 Essentials is a server
platform that’s designed for small businesses and home offices. With Server
2012 Essentials, you’ll be able to protect your business data, while still
allowing remote access to you and your employees. Microsoft has designed Server
2012 Essentials to let you choose which applications and services you want to
run from a local server or in the cloud. The Remote Web Access feature also
lets you use “My Server” apps on Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 devices. You’ll
be able to choose between running your email client on a local server, with a
hosted provider, or in the cloud with Office 365. Windows Azure Online Backup
is provided to complement on-site backups.
Server
2012 Essentials makes it easy to set up a local server and integrate it with
cloud services
Windows tips
Beyond
basic Math
Did you know that the Calculator
application built into Windows 7 can perform complex conversions? The
application can Celsius to Fahrenheit, kilometers to miles, meters to feet,
grams to ounces, and joules to BTUs, among many others. To access the complex
conversions, click the View menu and select Unit Conversion. There’s also a
Worksheets option that allows you to calculate mortgage length, fuel economy,
and vehicle lease time.
The
Problem Steps Recorder
Looking to help a tech support person
figure out what going wrong with your PC? Windows 7 Problem Steps Recorder
feature lets you capture a screenshot and list a text description of where you
clicked, so that a professional repair person can see exactly what’s happening
when the error occurs. To run the utility, click Start, type PSR in the Search
field, and click PSR. Select Start Record and perform the actions that cause
the problem. When the issue occurs, click Stop Record and save the file.
