Tag Archives: Microsoft

Microsoft Stops Support for Windows XP and Office 2003

Posted on by
2

Microsoft finally announced the stop of mainstream support for Windows XP and Office 2003. From April 14, 2009 onwards, they will stop supporting these two products officially and will not release any upgrade pack.

The list contails all versions of Windows XP and Office 2003. Like,

  • Windows XP Home
  • Windows XP Professional (Both 32bit and 64bit)
  • Windows XP Media Center Edition
  • Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
  • Office 2003 (Both Home and Student)
  • Office 2003 Professional

They have set the End of Sales date on June 30, 2010. So, the products released in between will contain the latest updates and all. Currently we have Service Pack 3 for both of the products.

The last Service Pack for Office 2003, SP3 was released in September 2007. The Outlook 2003 Junk Email Filter will continue to receive updates with new junk email definitions through the end of the extended support phase.

The mainstream support phase for Microsoft products usually runs for 5 years after the release of the product. As per the Microsoft Support Lifecycle, mainstream support delivers free fixes for security patches and other bug fixes to everyone. Extended support delivers security updates to all users, but nonsecurity hot fixes are to be provided only to companies that have signed support contracts (purchase of Extended Hotfix Support Agreement and per-fix fees) with Microsoft. Self-help online support will continue to be available for a minimum of 12 months after the product reaches the end of its support lifecycle.

Extended support for both Windows XP and Office 2003 ends on April 8, 2014.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Microsoft Sidewinder X6

Posted on by
1

One might assume that there are only one or two big names that are making great gaming keyboards and Microsoft doesn’t want to be left behind. After reviving the Sidewinder brand, they have released the all new X6 keyboard.

The X6 is really a huge keyboard, and it has plenty of keys as well, up to 30 programmable keys. The quality could be better, but the design is not shabby. The first things you notice other than the dials is the red back light. The first dial is there to allow you to change the brightness of the lights, and the other one is for the volume control.

The keyboard has a matte plastic finish, except for the areas around the keys. The keys themselves don’t go deep into the keyboard, but aren’t too shallow like a laptop keyboard either. One of the unique features is the detachable numerical pad which can be attached either on right or left of the keyboard with the help of a magnetic strip on the side.

Microsoft Sidewinder X6

Microsoft Sidewinder X6

Using the keyboard is very confusing in the beginning, and it takes a while if you are upgrading from a standard keyboard. Once you do get used to it, however, it becomes a great stable keyboard to use. There are six macro keys on one side of the keyboard with a toggle to use three different settings for those keys. The numerical pad keys are also part of the macro keys.

There are a few other things missing in the X6. The right Windows key is missing and the size of some of the keys like the right [Shift] key are longer than usual. The drivers will let you customize it farther.

Overall, this is a very good keyboard for gaming use. Although $99, may seem like a lot of money for a keyboard, with the number of features it has, it’s definitely worth it. Besides, this is far from the most expensive keyboard around.

Popularity: 29% [?]

Microsoft Arc

Posted on by
Reply

The unusually designed object you see here is one of the latest pointing device from microsoft, and it’s called the Arc. The Arc looks something like the Logitech MX Air, but is in fact just another mouse with a different design.

The Arc is a wireless mouse that comes with a tiny little bluetooth dongle which also attachs itself neatly to the back and controls the device upto 30 feet range. The mouse can fold, very much like the foldable phones we see everyday. This both turns off the mouse and also useful for carrying it around.

Microsoft Arc

Microsoft Arc

With it folded, the Arc can easily fit into any shirt or pant pocket. Its also very good looking, with its dark color and the transparent glossy finish.

There are no issues with using it despite the unusual shape. It has more or less the same comfort levels as any other mouse. Performance doesn’t suffer either. There is no lag whatsoever. It makes a good desktop mouse, but the same can’t be said as a gaming mouse. the mouse feet aren’t very large and don’t seem to help the mouse slide around as easily as the other mice we’ve tested.
The scroll wheel is OK, and apart from the standard three button setup, a fourth button is available on the left side that can be customize through the IntelliPoint drivers.

The mouse runs on two AA batteries, but is still pretty lightweight. The folding mechanism is sturdy and doesn’t look like it will give way anytime soon. The mouse is symmetrical, so left handed users will have no cause for complaint. A small pouch is also supplied, to help you carry the mouse.

The price for the Arc is around $85 and laptop mouse can be bought for well under this price tag. If you want something light and compact, with a stylish design, this is a good buy.

Popularity: 11% [?]