Emily bought a very “high quality” pirated copy of Windows from an Amazon seller and didn’t realize that anything was amiss for an entire year.
windows
By 9.23.08
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Warner Brothers forgot to include the advertised iPod-compatible digital file on its Blu-ray copy of “Speed Racer.” It’s now offering an online trade, where owners of the disc can exchange their PlaysForSure authorization code for an iTunes store redemption code. (When filling out the form, for “Support Request Type” select “Authorization Code and Licenses”.) [warnerbros] (Thanks to Sabler!)
Microsoft Wants You To Know That They're Proud To Be "A PC"
By 9.18.08
The next phase of Microsoft’s new advertising campaign launches today, and the company is taking some shots at Apple’s ubiquitous “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” tv spots. The New York Times says that the new campaign will feature interesting, exciting people (like the dude in the shark cage above) embracing their “PCness.”
Dell Doesn't Care Where You Live, Keeps Delivering Packages To The Wrong Address
By 9.7.08
Elizabeth went out and bought a Mac after Dell twice sent Windows XP replacement CDs to her old address. After each failed delivery attempt, Elizabeth called Dell, which repeatedly promised that they’d get it right next time. One CSR even claimed that he personally called DHL to change the shipping address. (He didn’t.)
By 7.24.08
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Want to get rid of all that crapware junking up your new PC? Try PC Decrapifier or Revo Uninstaller. Both are free. [New York Times]
House Stuck On The Market? Try Cleaning The Windows
By 7.20.08
No amount of interior decorating wizardry will help sell your house if the windows are dirty. “When you’re marketing a house, clean windows are like clean teeth: they’re the first thing people see on the outside and the first thing they see through on the inside,” according to broker Phyllis Jane Young. So how do you make your windows sparkle? You need two things: sudsy water and a squeegee. That’s it!
By 6.24.08
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You will need:
- An Xbox 360
- Windows Vista with Vista Media Center (it’s included by default in Vista Home Premium and Ultimate)
- A Netflix subscription
- The freeware vmcNetflix plug-in
Microsoft And The $1,632 Copy Of Vista
By 5.24.08
Microsoft charged Bill $1,632 for a single Windows Vista Ultimate upgrade license. Each time Bill, an IT Manager, tried to his enter his payment details through Windows Live Marketplace he was told that Microsoft could not be contacted, and to “please try again later.” What Microsoft really meant was, “Ha! Got your money! How ’bout some more?!”
Security Sticker Defeats Product Key In Showdown Of Annoying Security Devices
By 3.18.08
See, I try to be a good guy and purchase a retail copy of Windows XP to use on my Macbook. But the stupid security sticker is covering up the last five digits of the product key, and trying to remove the security sticker tears the label. I give up.
Boy, that sucks.
Even Microsoft Execs Hated On "Vista Capable" Labeling
By 2.11.08
Microsoft’s “Vista Capable” program was so misleading that even Microsoft executives complained about it according to emails revealed last week in court. The emails were read aloud at a hearing to determine class-action status for a related lawsuit against the company. One corporate vice president wrote, “”I PERSONALLY got burnt. … Are we seeing this from a lot of customers? … I now have a $2,100 e-mail machine.” The co-president of another division wrote, “We really botched this. … You guys have to do a better job with our customers.”
AT&T: We Only Support Windows And Internet Explorer, No Safari
By 1.16.08
Reader Jen was having a hard time using AT&T’s website. She says, “It was very slow, I was asked to log in several times, the fonts unreadably small in places (and not just fine print, either).”
Who Should And Shouldn't Buy A Mac
By 11.19.07
Walter Mossberg wrote a guide for buying a Mac and we like the parts that say who should and who shouldn’t get one. Mac vs PC debates are highly personal, often end in bloodshed, and usually make no sense, so it’s nice to see a rational discussion of each system’s attributes. In the end, it really matters what kind of user you are, and what your price point is…
Die Hard DVD Will Ship With Ripped Movie File Included
By 10.18.07
20th Century Fox has announced that the special-edition DVD for “Live Free or Die Hard” will include a “DRM-free” computer file of the movie, playable through Windows’ PlaysForSure software. We suppose you can call this DRM-free, but it obviously doesn’t mean it’s not restricted. To access the file, you will have to insert the disc into your computer, then enter an authorization code that’s included in the DVD case. Once it’s copied over, you can play it on your PC or portable media players that use the PlaysForSure software.
Dell Reintroduces Windows XP
By 4.21.07
After hearing from over 10,000 users wary of Windows Vista, Dell has decided to once again sell computers loaded with Windows XP. Most computer makers stopped offering XP after Vista’s launch, even though many users, especially small businesses, are wary of the newfangled operating system. Dell did not consider these concerns reasonable at first.
But on Dell’s IdeaStorm Web site, where visitors can post suggestions for the company and vote on the ones they think are important, a plea titled “Don’t eliminate XP just yet” racked up more than 10,700 votes.
The consumer outcry has restored XP as an option to four Inspiron laptop models and two Dimension desktop models. Dell will only make Windows XP available to U.S. customers. Sorry foreigners, you are stuck with Vista. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER
Microsoft Tells You To Call Dell For Windows Customer Service, Hangs Up
By 4.4.07
Recently we posted a Dell tech support chat in which the Dell rep cut the call short by blaming windows for a (probable) hardware issue, claiming a Windows Vista Upgrade was “third party software.” Oddly, it seems that Microsoft likes to pull the same trick on Dell owners.
Reasons NOT To Upgrade to Vista
By 1.29.07
The other day we linked an article that listed 15 reasons to switch to Vista. The article was from PC World. Now they have one called: “Wait! Don’t Buy Microsoft Windows Vista!” Here are some of their reasons:
