Heads up, owners of 64bit PCs that going to upgrade to WinXPx64. If you’re contemplating upgrading your machine to Windows x64, using Microsoft’s tempting “Technology Advancement Program”, which is, basically, a $12 upgrade from XP to x64, you could end up violating your PC’s warranty.

In fact, when you agree on Microsoft’s conditions to get the upgrade, you agree that your PC’s warranty will be voided. In a sense, this is nothing new: PC warranties are often voided in theory if you make any changes to your system. (A show of hands, please: How many of you have never made a single change to your computer?) And according to the eWeek story, different vendors have varying policies on whether they object to the x64 upgrade or not. But it certainly looks as if it’s worth checking in with your manufacturer before you give Microsoft your twelve bucks.

Anyway, clone 64bit PC owners like me, will not be affected, because we are the one warranting the system. :D

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After 4 months of the launch of Google Video Beta in January 2005, Yahoo on Thursday, May 5, 2005, is releasing a finalized version of its video search engine, after five months of testing.

Google introduced a program in which independent and professional video producers can upload their shows into Google Video. Now, Yahoo said that it will allow video creators to send links of their content via Really Simple Syndication (RSS) for inclusion in its database.

Google has alreadt got new liaisons with TV programmers, including the Discovery Channel and CNN, so that people can find still images and text of their shows in Google’s index. Yahoo will also announce alliances with CBS News, MTV, Reuters and others to include their video clips within its searchable database as well.

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The price of LCD monitor is predicted to rise in the second quarter of 2005, according to source.

That follows carnage for the manufacturers for the last 10 months or so, when prices for panels fell to a point where they were almost being sold at cost.

It’s the 17-inch LCD monitors that the manufacturers are pinning their hopes on, with prices showing a rise in April and expected to rise further during this and next month.

The distribution channel has been awash with monitors for nearly a year, and that’s led some PC makers to bundle smaller monitors with systems.

However, there now appears to be a shortness of supply of 17-inch screens, although whether may be a combination of throttling of supply as well as somewhat increased demand because of increased PC sales.

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Microsoft have releashed a Word document regarding the enhancements and changes they have done to their newly launched 64bit Windows XP Professional over over Windows XP Professional SP2.

The enhancements of 64bit Windows XP Professional include the following:-

• Data Execution Prevention (DEP) – 64bit enabled users should know this. It is basically an enhanced security that enforced by both hardware and software to protect against malicious code exploits.
• Files and Settings Transfer Wizard – Help previous Windows-based computer users to migrate their files to WinXP Pro x64.
• Internet Protocol security (IPsec) – Ensure private, secure communications over Internet Protocol (IP) networks.
• Outlook Express – Surprisingly in WinXP Pro x64, spell checking is not supported in Outlook Express.
• Remote Assistance – No Voice Session (VoIP), in other words, voice conversations is not supported. No escalation using e-mail in Remote Assistance too.
• Remote Desktop – Unicode keyboard input support, Client-side time-zone redirection, GDI+ rendering primitives support, FIPS encryption support, Fallback printer driver and Auto-reconnect.
• Search Companion – Well, again spell checking is not supported. :-?
• Windows Installer – This will help you in installing applications.
• Windows Media Player – Windows Media Player 10 (WMP10) is installed. Microsoft claimed that WMP10 is the most secure version of Windows Media Player and it has been updated to work with the other security enhancements contained in WinXP Pro x64. Please be aware that this WMP10, handles licenses differently than previous WMP.

Those bolded are the enhancements that interest me.
Thinking of installing it to my dust-collecting harddisk.

For more detailed information you can either download the document from here, or visit the source.

Google have been providing blogging service since quite some time ago, throught its Blogger. Google’s bitter rival, Yahoo! have its Yahoo! 360 service too.

Now, Yahoo! 360 will allow users to import photos and music from non-Yahoo applications as well. Since late March, Yahoo 360 service entered a limited beta period and is available to users invited by Yahoo to have a try on it. The service provides services like publishing blogs, sharing content, and posting pictures, and also controling who can visit the site. It currently allows users to include content from other Yahoo services such as Yahoo Photos and Yahoo Music too.

Yahoo plans to add the capability to import content, such as photos and music, from non-Yahoo applications to its new Yahoo 360 social networking and blogging service, according to an executive of the company.

“Some of the things that people very much want to do is to share content from other sources outside of Yahoo,” says Paul Brody, director of community products at Yahoo. “[Yahoo] 360 right now does a great job of allowing you to share the content you might have already on Yahoo.”

Yahoo 360 will be made widely available to the public in the next few weeks, at which time the capability to share non-Yahoo content will also be included.

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Motorola announced on 2nd May 2005 that the Ojo, its consumer oriented videoconferencing solution, would be on display at several high-end electronics retailers across the US ahead of its debut later this month. Motorola will start taking orders for the unit later this month as well.

The Ojo (pronounced oh-joe) promises full motion video and works over a broadband Internet connection. The device will also work as a cordless phone over regular telephone lines when not used for a videoconference. While the Ojo carries a hefty price tag at $799 USD, Motorola hopes that the demonstrations will spark consumer interest.

“Consumers can now experience first-hand the power of visual communications by bringing a Motorola Ojo into their connected home,” Motorola vice-president David said.

Hope so much we can have things like this in Malaysia too. :)

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