The DTV transition is this Friday, June 12. If you are receiving television with over-the-air analog television, you will no longer receive signal starting that day. So how do you rectify this?

By simply getting a new DTV tuner for your PC, your Windows Vista and Windows 7 Media Centers can automatically start using the new digital channels! For about $80-$120, you can upgrade your system and start receiving more channels than ever before. You can even record digital television with Media Center’s PVR functionality, without having to sign up for cable, satellite, or Uverse!

In case you didn’t know, digital over-the-air channels sport high or higher definition video and audio than you’ve seen or heard with your analog channels. You can also have multiple channels per station, so Fox may have two channels – one “main” station, and one with weather or sports or Cheers reruns all the time. These “subchannels” have a dash after the number, so if Fox was 59, then the channels for Fox would be 59-1, 59-2, 59-3 and so forth.

So how do you get started with upgrading your Media Center to support DTV?

Get a Tuner

First, find a DTV tuner. Some of these tuners will tune both cable and over-the-air DTV, so you can have the best of both worlds. This is especially true with local channels, which are often broadcast in HD during primetime – no need to spring for the more expensive HD cable package if all you watch is local channels. I’ve filled in the prices from Fry’s as of 6/11/2009:

Pinnacle HD Stick ($69.99) / HD Pro Stick ($99.99) – I’ve had good luck with the HD Pro. It also includes a great antenna with a magnetic bottom. These are both USB solutions and very easy to install. I also like the ability for this to tune “Clear QAM,” which means it can tune many HD cable channels, if available in your area.

Hauppauge WinTV HVR ($54.99). This is a PCI Express card. Hauppauge also makes excellent WinTV USB-based solutions.

EVGA TV Tuner ($29.99 after rebate) – I haven’t personally tried this tuner, but for about thirty bucks, it’s probably worth trying. Let me know your mileage. I didn’t see a lot of returned units.  There was a Plus TV product that seemed to have a lot of returns… I don’t know if that’s because of the driver software being buggy (usually the case), or some other reason.

TIP: Make sure you use the Media Center installer if the TV card you choose has a separate installer for such.

Get an Antenna

If your tuner didn’t come with an antenna, go get one. Your local Radio Shack, Fry’s, and Best Buy will have antennas, often for under $50. Just make sure the connector on your tuner is compatible with the connector that comes with the antenna.

Set up Media Center

Once you’ve installed the hardware drivers, you should be able to launch Media Center and it should detect the new tuner and walk you through a Wizard to scan for channels. I can’t cover each tuner card individually, but I can say the manuals are usually very clear on Media Center configuration.

Ok, you’re all set! A quick trip to Fry’s or Best Buy and 15 minutes of using a wizard, and you can start enjoying your television with Media Center!

WINDOWS 7: BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Windows 7 sports Internet TV access, too! So, not only will you be able to tune DTV – you’ll be able to get many streaming television channels, Netflix, and more starting this October! Sweet!

More Information

The government has really been pushing the HD transition. You’ve probably seen all those ads on TV. Well, they also have quite a great Web site for helping you find info: www.dtv.gov.

There are also many other great resources online:

• Titan TV – Over-the-air DTV, Cable, and Satellite listings, all in one place, in a TV Guide like format.
• DTV 2009 Converter Box Web Site – For a free coupon to help you save on a TV converter box for your old analog sets, visit this government Web site.
• DTV Answers – A Web site from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB).
• Windows Media Center Web Site – to learn more about WMC and all of its awesome capabilities.
• Your local TV station Web sites may have a wealth of information about the conversion and their own DTV offerings.

Want me to cover more? Send me an email or post a comment! Enjoy your DTV!

Many a developer has been salivating, shorting out keyboards whilst waiting for the Windows Mobile 6.5 developer toolkit to arrive. The new phones are due out starting this month, sporting a slick gesture-friendly interface. The Windows Mobile Marketplace, Microsoft’s answer to the iPhone App Store, is coming within the next 60 days as well, opening an entirely new revenue stream for the millions of Microsoft developers out there.

NOTE: You must have the Windows Mobile 6 SDK. The 6.5 release is actually a “Developer Resource Toolkit", which extends the 6.0 SDK to support the new features.

Ready to get started with Windows Mobile 6.5 development now? Here are the download and info links:

• Windows Mobile 6.0 SDK for Windows Mobile Professional and Classic
• Windows Mobile 6.5 DTK for Windows Mobile Professional and Classic
• Article on Creating Widgets for Windows Mobile 6.5
• Windows Mobile Developer Web Site
• Windows Mobile Marketplace Info Site
• Windows Mobile Marketplace Official Discussion Group
• Windows Mobile Team Blog
• Windows Mobile Team on Twitter

Enjoy!

Best,

-Auri

W00t! After waiting for about 11 days for it to be approved, my first iPhone/iPod app is now available!

Buzzword Baby can be found in the Entertainment category. Here’s a direct link to it in the iTunes App Store.

Here’s the description:

Want to impress your boss? How about using those big shot CEO executive buzzwords, like “didactic activity scenarios” and “cloud-based mobility infrastructure”? Maybe your company needs some wireless fifth generation hardware contingency scenarios?

Well, Buzzword Baby may get you that promotion after all.

Tap “Create Buzz” and Buzzword Baby will give you limitless buzzwords that make sense to executives and marketing personnel. You’ll be laughing – all the way to the bank! Good luck on your next promotion!

Warning: Your personal advancement opportunities may differ.

I actually used this in a client meeting and they said “yeah, I get that WYSIWYG stuff.”

The baby photo is our intern, Doug. He was pretty surprised when he saw his photo in the app. Of course I got permission before I released, and I’m hoping it makes him “famous” :)

There’s also a Windows Mobile version, of course :) Ping me if you want it.

Please let me know what you think!

Best,

-Auri

If you haven’t heard already, Windows Mobile Marketplace is coming out sometime in the next few months. Building upon the craze of an all-inclusive “App Store,” akin to what Apple has had tremendous success with the iPhone and iPod Touch, the Marketplace is going to bring such to Windows Mobile phones. It is quite possible this strategy will be extended to Zune, XBox, and other Microsoft platforms.

While you cannot submit applications at this time, you can sign up for the Marketplace today. This gets you approved for the Marketplace now, meaning you won’t have to wait [hopefully] for account approval when the Marketplace officially starts accepting application submissions.

It’s not surprising that Microsoft has taken many pages from Apple:

• $99 entry fee (same as Apple’s)
• Note this is for the first 5 apps, then $99 per app thereafter (a policy that is subject to change)
• Developers get 70% (so 70 cents of a 99 cent app)
• A developer dashboard (similar to Apple’s)
• Built-in to every Windows Mobile 6.5 phone (Apple’s iTunes App Store is built-in on every iPhone and touch-screen iPod)
• Having the built-in App Store gives way to impulse purchases, especially 99 cent applications

The Windows Mobile Marketplace will be different in many ways as well:

• More devices by many manufacturers expands the breadth of your distribution, and increases potential revenue
• Target devices with capabilities suited to your application’s needs
• Rely on Microsoft as a development company to make development and deployment easy
• Businesses tend to use Windows Mobile, opening up a great market segment to independent developers
• Use Visual Studio to write killer apps in a simple-to-understand framework - .NET
• No reason to code in Objective C (seriously)

There Are Hurdles, Of Course

Now, to be fair, Microsoft faces a few hurdles Apple doesn’t, namely:

• Multiple device types, formats, screen resolutions, processor speeds, keyboard capabilities (Apple only has one format, basically)
• Development time constraints for 12 screen resolutions
• Much less control over what’s already included on phones, and how OEM software will conflict with built-in applications

Hopefully the market will work out the two issues above. I posted a Wish List on the Windows Mobile Marketplace forum, hoping Microsoft will help us developers out when it comes to deployment. To be fair, Microsoft is selling operating system licenses, not phones. The more manufacturers, the more licenses. However, it’s a chicken and egg problem – getting developers to write applications for the devices running the operating system.

There are already tens of thousands of Windows Mobile applications out there. It is likely many of those will already be available in the app store, and they already run on the majority of Windows Mobile devices, especially those with touch screens (the ones I hope will win out in this “format war” of sorts). So, it’s good to see Microsoft can start with a vast library.

Of course, the downside to this is it’s not a new library, and developers may be turned away after seeing so much competition; especially entrenched competition with a potentially unfair lead into inclusion. Microsoft also faces the risk that of those thousands of applications that are already out there, many of them may be written for older Windows Mobile devices, and thus have compatibility issues, or very outdated interfaces. There is something to be said about iPhone apps – they look pretty – with special thanks to Apple’s UIKit extensions, which provide transitions, flips, acrobatics, shine, and panache with practically a click of a button. Let’s hope Microsoft provides the same.

Developers – Make Money!

The draw to these application stores isn’t just for consumers looking for games to show off to friends at a bar. The revenue possibilities for independent and commercial developers are huge. Impulse purchases are a gimme – 99 cents to try an app, just tap to get it. That’s easy money for the store provider, the phone company (they get a cut of that 30%), and especially the developer. Most independent developers could never afford this type of exposure, and commercial distributors are likely salivating over getting their apps in front of so many people through such an outlet. If you’ve read the stories of people making hundreds of thousands of dollars with Apple’s App Store, you can see why.

Microsoft is really the only other game in town when it comes to serious platform availability. Given that they are incredibly popular in the business arena, and business applications are super easy to write with .NET, independent developers should be flocking to their Marketplace. I hope they do – but then again I’m biased as a Windows Mobile developer who’s done WM dev since the beginning.

Can Apple Be Beat?

Apple exudes iron-fisted control over their platform in a way no other provider can, and they can get away with it, since they own both the hardware and the software. Heck, to some extent, they even control the carrier (for now). Microsoft, Google (Android), RIM (Blackberry) – they are all operating system manufacturers with multiple devices on practically every carrier.

It is likely Apple will want to extend the iPhone to other markets. This could mean different-sized screens and device capabilities. If they release a netbook or tablet-like device, they’ll probably want to use the iTunes App Store to monetize it. So, Apple may end up getting dragged into this device format and software compatibility issue as well. Time will tell.

Moving Forward

At the end of the day, though, it’s all about you. If you’re a developer, you win all the way around. For $99, you get distribution to millions of devices, no matter which store you choose. If you have .NET development skills, you can start writing applications for Windows Mobile devices today, and get them distributed easily. Release a great game, entertainment or business application for 99 cents and maybe make thousands of dollars in a single month. The tools are free, and $99 isn’t too bad, especially since you only have to pay it once, not per application. If it doesn’t do well, at least you can brag to your friends that your app is available phones all over the world :)

In the mean time, why not sign up for the Marketplace and prepare yourself for a potentially great revenue stream?

Some helpful resources:

• Official Marketplace Site
• Official Marketplace Support Forum

 

Updates to article:

• Corrected Android reference
• Updated fee information to include 5 app limit on $99

So I’ve written my new iPhone app and I need a my bank account, routing number, and bank SWIFT number to get paid by Apple. So, how to get the SWIFT number, you ask?

Go to http://www.swift.com/

Enter your bank’s BIC code, if you have it, or you can do a keyword search and find it. All done!

Note: Your bank may not actually have a SWIFT number. Mine sure didn’t. Time to go open a bank account somewhere else – gotta make some green! :)

Best,

-Auri

A bit off topic, but… I just noticed you can boldface and underline text in your Facebook chat conversations.

To boldface text, simply wrap it in asterisks, like so:

I am *boldfacing* text

To underline text, simply wrap it in underscore marks, like so:

I am _underlining_ text

You can even combine styles, like boldfaced underlining, by putting

I am *_boldface underlining_* text

The formatting does not appear to work in status updates. Oh well.

Enjoy!

Best,

-Auri

I noticed these “test updates” in Windows Update today (Patch Tuesday, which occurs on the second Tuesday of every month):

The updates are:

• KB967492 (required)
• KB970420 (required)
• KB967355 (optional)

All three updates have the same description:

This update is a test update to validate Operating System servicing. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. This update is provided to you and licensed under the Windows 7 Prerelease License Terms.

According to Microsoft’s site, these are simply used to test updating in Windows 7 and, since they’re based on the same underlying operating system, Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta. If you’re interested in the technical details, click the links for each knowledgebase article above.

After installation, it does not appear these updates affected my system.

If you had any issues, I’d like to know! Lovin’ Windows 7!

Best,

-Auri

Intel’s Atom processor is an ULV (ultra-low voltage) processor making strides in the netbook market. Often teamed with wireless networking and a mediocre to decent graphics solution from Intel, ATI or nVidia, these systems make great budget PCs. Most of the time they come with Windows XP and a gig of RAM, although Windows 7 may change that game.

Compaq offers a $249 desktop PC with a 1.6 GHz Atom processor, Windows XP, and a gig of RAM. It’s a nice looking box that likely has a very small power footprint. It even has a DC adapter (although I actually don’t know much about what that means)! I can see them bundling it with a monitor and printer for $299 soon… Nice for the budget market. I’m curious how Windows 7 will affect it, and I’m hearing good feedback that Windows 7 accomplishes Microsoft’s goal of running well on netbook-grade devices.

For those of you looking for an affordable all-in-one desktop, check out Asus’ EeeTop PC - $549, wireless, and a touchscreen. That beats Dell’s StudioOne 19” and HP’s TouchSmart on price if you’re just looking for an auxiliary PC for the kids or kitchen. It isn’t a high-powered machine – so pay the extra money if you need performance for gaming, business applications, and the like.

If you’re in the market for a budget PC, you can also save on software by checking out my post Finding Free Software For Every Task.

If you want to see these in person, they have ‘em at Fry’s. You can get more information on each product’s respective Web site - click the images below to visit each product’s page.

 

Continuing my series of Windows 7 Tips & Tricks, here are the final seven tips shared with us by Microsoft as part of the Microsoft Partner Program. Did you know you can have a slide show as your desktop background? What about the new Calculator? You can even literally shake your windows to make others get out of the way. Neat!

• Tip 1: Change the Scenery.
• Tip 2: Crunch The Numbers.
• Tip 3: Smart Printing.
• Tip 4: Shake It Up.
• Tip 5: Clean Your Desktop! And Order It Too.
• Tip 6: Right-Click Mania.
• Tip 7: Unveil Your Hidden Drives.

Change the Scenery

Windows 7 allows you to personalize your desktop background to suit your many moods with a new shuffle feature for your desktop. You can program your desktop background to shuffle through your favorite images and get a change of scenery as often as you like. To enable the shuffle feature, right-click on your Desktop and select “Personalize,” then “Desktop Background.” Choose the folder where your favorite images or photos are stored and select as many as you like. Make sure you check the “Shuffle” box, and choose how often you’d like your images to shuffle. It’s a simple way to keep your desktop looking fresh and fun.

Crunch the Numbers

The new Windows 7 calculator is a number cruncher’s dream. New functionality allows the user to not only calculate in the Standard and Scientific modes, but also in Programmer and Statistics modes. And that’s not all! Ever need conversion formulas for temperature, weight, area, or time? Finding the unit conversion option makes it a snap and takes all the work out of the user’s hands. There are even templates for gas mileage, lease estimations, and mortgage estimations.

Smart Printing

Windows 7 allows for several default printers in several locations. Your computer will choose the correct printer for where you are. No need to reset your default or remember what the printer name is; Windows 7 will figure out whether you’re at home or at work with Location Aware Printing.

Shake It Up

Remember the Etch-a-Sketch where you would shake it to make things disappear? Windows 7 uses the same shake concept to help you manage your windows. Windows 7 Aero®Shake allows you to clear the inactive windows from your desktop by “shaking” over the window you’re working. Hover your mouse over the title bar of your active window, left-click and shake from side to side, and all your inactive windows will disappear. To bring them back, repeat the procedure and shake everything back into view.

Clean Your Desktop! And Order It, Too!

You’ve always been able to auto-arrange your desktop icons by right-clicking on the desktop and choosing “Sort By.” Now Windows 7 makes it even easier. To auto-arrange the desktop icons according to your default settings, simply press and hold F5. Order is instantly accomplished.

Right-Click Mania

In Windows 7, right-clicking may just be your secret friend. There are many ways the right-click can simplify your computing experience. Here are just a few:

1. Right-click any empty spot in your desktop, and you have the control to change the screen resolution.
2. Right-click any of the icons in the Taskbar to “Unpin this program from the Taskbar.”
3. Last but not least, right-click the Taskbar Explorer icon to access your most frequently used folders.

Unveil Your Hidden Drives

Want to see the drives that aren’t currently in use when you open My Computer? To display empty drives, click Computer → Alt to see the toolbar → Tools → Folder Options → View (tab) → Uncheck “Hide empty drives in the Computer folder.” And they magically appear!

Continuing my series of Windows 7 Tips & Tricks, here are seven more shared with us by Microsoft as part of the Microsoft Partner Program. Did you know you can now pin folders? Have you heard about Bitlocker disk protection and how it applies to Windows 7? How about the Windows Troubleshooting Platform? Lots of stuff to learn…

• Tip 1: Put a “Pin Up” of the Folders You Use Most.
• Tip 2: Double-Up Your Windows.
• Tip 3: Clear, Crisp Display—It’s In Your Control.
• Tip 4: Order and Reason for Your Taskbar.
• Tip 5: Taskbar Traversing.
• Tip 6: BitLocker To Go Protection.
• Tip 7: Your Own Personal Help Desk: Windows Troubleshooting Platform.

Put a Pin Up of the Folders You Use Most

Windows® 7 allows you to “pin up” the folders you use most on your taskbar. Simply hold your mouse over the favorite folder, right click, and drag it onto the taskbar. Windows 7 automatically pins itself to the Explorer Jump List. To open the folder, right click on the Explorer icon and select the folder you want.

Double-Up Your Windows

When working within an application, sometimes you just want more of a good thing. To open another window of the same application (assuming the app can run more than one instance), simply hold Shift and click the taskbar icon. You can also middle-click your third mouse button for the same result.

Clear, Crisp Display – It’s In Your Control

Windows 7 makes it easy for you to adjust your display settings, making text and images easier to view in all the various locations where you work on your computer. Your laptop display may look fine at work but a little dark at home. Adjust the text and image settings easily with two snappy applets: ClearType Text Tuning and Display Color Calibration. Run cttune.exe and dccw.exe, or look them up in the Control Panel. (click the screen shots for a larger view)

Order and Reason for Your Taskbar

You can decide the order that your icons show up in your taskbar by simply dragging them to the order you desire. And for the first five icons, you can launch them with a simple keystroke: Any of the first five icons can be opened by pressing +1, +2, etc.

Taskbar Traversing

While we’re on the subject of taskbar shortcuts, use +T to shift your attention to the taskbar. Your machine will make its active screen your taskbar menu, and you can use the arrow keys to select the application you’re interested in. Just hit Enter to launch it. Naturally, to exit this trick, press Esc.

BitLocker To Go Protection

BitLocker® has become a saving grace when it comes to increased laptop security. Windows 7 has taken security even farther with its BitLocker To GoTM feature, which allows you to encrypt removable USB devices and external disks. To enable BitLocker or BitLocker To Go, right click the drive in Windows Explorer and select “Turn on BitLocker…” This can also be managed centrally via Group Policy, so IT administrators can require the USB drive be encrypted before files can be written to it.

Your Own Personal Help Desk: Windows Troubleshooting Platform

We’ve all experienced minor issues like Windows Aero not displaying or sound controls not functioning. Don’t get stuck in the mud just because your computer seems to be. Windows 7 can save you from having to bite the bullet and call the help desk for every problem that comes up, thanks to the new Windows Troubleshooting Platform. It’s easily accessed by typing “fix” or “Troubleshoot” (without the quotes) in the Start Menu. A list of Windows Troubleshooting Packs allows you to choose from what might be giving you trouble, and the troubleshooter will faithfully attempt to clear up the problem.

Below are a ton of Windows 7 Tips & Tricks shared with us by Microsoft as part of the Microsoft Partner Program. Did you know Windows 7 has built-in screen recording? How about control-clicking the taskbar to switch between windows? Read on and learn how you can get even more from Windows 7!

I received three of these great documents, so this is part 1 of a three part series.

• Tip 1: Shuffling Through Program Windows.
• Tip 2: Managing Your Windows.
• Tip 3: Project Your Display With Ease.
• Tip 4: Multi-Monitor Window Management.
• Tip 5: Aero Peek Your Desktop.
• Tip 6: Live Clutter-Free.
• Tip 7: Help the Help Desk Help You.

Shuffling Through Program Windows

If you’re running a number of files from the same program, such as multiple documents in Microsoft Word, Windows 7 allows you to switch through these windows with ease. Simply press down on the Ctrl key while clicking the icon from the taskbar. Each click will change the window to the next in the sequence, in the order that you opened them.

Managing Your Windows

Windows 7 simplifies document and program management by allowing you to “dock” a window or manipulate its size with one mouse maneuver or a simple keystroke. To dock your window on one half of the screen, drag it to the left or right and it will change its size to fit that half of the screen. To manipulate the vertical size of a window, drag the window to the top to maximize it, or double-click the window’s top or bottom border to maximize it vertically while keeping the same width.

You can also perform all of these functions with keystrokes: +Left Arrow and +Right Arrow dock to half the screen +Up Arrow and +Down Arrow maximize and minimize +Shift+Up Arrow and +Shift+Down Arrow maximize and restore vertical size.

Project Your Display With Ease

Plugging in a projector and projecting your display is a snap with the Windows 7 driver display utility, displayswitch.exe. Simply hit +P to display the following easy-to-navigate pop-up window:

By hitting your arrow keys (or +P) you can switch through multiple display settings, such as “clone”, “extend” or “external only.”

Multi-Monitor Window Management

Windows 7 makes using multiple monitors as convenient as it should be. When you’re working in multi-monitors, use the keyboard shortcuts +Shift+Left Arrow and +Shift+Right Arrow to toggle between monitors. The new window will keep its relative position to the top-left origin of the original.

Aero Peek Your Desktop

A lesser-known versatile tool introduced with Windows 7 is the Windows® Aero® feature, “Aero Peek”. Just click the rectangle in the lower right hand corner of the task bar for quick access to your desktop. The keyboard shortcut +Space performs the same function.

Live Clutter-Free

We live with enough clutter in our lives. Windows 7 gets rid of all the superfluous windows behind your active window. Just hit +Home to minimize all inactive windows. To restore the windows when you’d like them, just press +Home again.

Help the Help Desk Help You

Solving problems unique to a machine can be an arduous task for both the end-user and the help desk. That’s why Windows 7 introduces the Problem Steps Recorder, a screen-capture tool that allows the end-user to record the problems they’re having step-by-step. It’s as simple as hitting “record” then adding in comments as needed. A HTML-based file is converted to a .ZIP folder, which is easily passed on to the help desk. The program is accessible from the Control Panel under “Record steps to reproduce a problem” or run psr.exe from Explorer.

Microsoft has been gradually adding more and more keyboard shortcuts to Windows. They’ve really outdone themselves in Windows 7. Thank goodness for the Windows key!

Try this out once you get the release candidate:

 + Up: Maximize current window

 + Down: Restore / Minimize current window (finally!!!)

 + Left: Snap current window to left, press again to snap to right, and again to restore original position

 + Right: Snap current window to right, press again to snap to left, and again to restore original position

 + Shift + Left: Jump to left monitor

 + Shift + Right: Jump to right monitor

 + Home: Minimize / Restore all other windows

 + T: Focus the first taskbar entry

 + Space: Aero Peek at the desktop and running Gadgets

 + G: Bring gadgets to the top

 + P: External display options (mirror, extend desktop, etc)

 + X: Mobility Center (presentation mode, mute, etc.)

 + 1-9: Launch/Switch to that item in the Superbar (new name for the task bar)

 + D: Show the Desktop, press again to hide it

Here’s a preview of what to expect when you use some of these:

Using Aero Peek

Look at all those windows. But I want to see my stocks and the weather!

Oh, I’ll just press + Space and…

Nice! And I just let go of + Space and I’m back to normal.

Yes, I could have also pressed + G. But Aero Peek is cooler.

External Display Options

Press Win + P and you get the following super easy way to switch your monitor setup:

Convenient! No more fumbling around the control panel or remembering “just which function key you have to press.”

Snap to Right (Snap to Left is opposite)

Before Snap to Right:

After Snap to Right:

Pressing the key continuously will “cycle”, so if you press +Right, your window will snap to the right as expected. Press it again and it will snap to the left. Press it again and it will come back to where it originated. Yes, Windows remembers the original position, even if you change windows.

Many of these shortcuts came from this URL.

If you have any other shortcuts to share, please do!

I installed Windows 7’s “XP Mode” today, which is basically a new version of Virtual PC somewhat embedded into Windows 7. It *is* a separate download, so make sure you get it on May 5 when the general public can grab the Windows 7 RC (Release Candidate). It’s about a 487 MB download. Below are the screen shots from the experience with my notes along the way. FYI, I am running the x64 version – there is also an x86 download.

Note: I go over my experience using XP Mode later on in this article. Feel free to scroll down to “Using XP Mode” if you want to cut to the chase.

Installing XP Mode

First things first, download and install Windows Virtual PC Beta. You’ll need this to run the pre-configured Windows XP hard drive, which is, interestingly, a separate download.

Figure 1. You’ll be asked to install an update when you launch the Windows Virtual PC installer (note that .msu extension). Windows Virtual PC is apparently an “update,” not an installer. OK, whatever.

Figure 2. Agree to the EULA for the pre-release software.

Figure 3. Windows Virtual PC gets installed.

Figure 4. Aww, we have to restart. Be back in a few…

Ok, Windows Virtual PC is now installed, as you can see in the following figure.

Figure 5. Windows Virtual PC is installed. w00t!

Note: I, umm, accidentally installed the following XP Mode installer *first*, so my apologies if your experience in the Start menu is a little different at this point. No worries, though, I’m sure everything will turn out just fine. <wink>

Now it’s time to install the pre-configured hard disk. Oddly enough, it’s called “Setup for Virtual Windows XP”, although it’s really the second step of a two-step process.

Suggestion to Virtual Windows XP team: Include Windows Virtual PC with the installer, basically making this an all-in-one package. I.T. administrators don’t want more installers. We want less :) (for once!)

Figure 6. Umm – click Next to continue. Typical.

Figure 7. Choosing where to install. Typical.

Figure 8. It’s extracting the virtual hard disk (VHD) file for the virtual Windows XP instance. Expected.

(no figure). Uh-oh. UAC kicked in. That’s OK – I’d expect a new Windows 7 feature to ask my permission. UAC isn’t really annoying in Win 7 – it’s actually OK to keep it on. UAC doesn’t let you copy to your clipboard, but that’s a bit expected, considering it’s a protected environment.

Figure 9. Windows XP mode has been installed. Oddly enough, it tells me the virtual hard disk has been installed. It mentions nothing about XP Mode being installed, except for the window title.

Suggestion for XP Mode team: Add “Start XP Mode” checkbox at this screen, please.

Alright, let’s start this baby up!

Click Windows Virtual PC in the Start menu.

Figure 10. Yes, the same as a previous figure. But just for good measure, showing you what I clicked.

Figure 11. Accept the EULA.

Figure 12. You have to set your credentials. Umm, the username is, well, uhh, User. I wish I could set it to something else. I.T. admins are going to ask for a change here, possibly… since this may have repercussions on domains.

Figure 13. You’ll have to configure Automatic Updates. Shouldn’t this be on by default?

Suggestion for Virtual XP Team: Have an Express setup option to make this faster.

Figure 14. I got sooooooooooo far, and then it wouldn’t run. Well, this sucks. Virtual PC ran without hardware virtualization. Why can’t this version? Anyway, doesn’t mean it won’t run … just means I have to go change the setting in my BIOS. Angry Auri!

Figure 15. Umm, yeah. I changed the setting to enable virtualization in my BIOS. Unfortunately, Virtual Windows XP doesn’t believe me. Well, time to play with this more tomorrow… will continue in about 12 hours. Oh, before I go to bed (or drink… you choose), I want to let you know I had to go through all those config steps again. It’s annoying, but just so you know… I can see their reasons for doing it, though.

I’m going to shut down my machine, just in case I should have powered off after changing my BIOS setting.

Using Windows XP Mode

[12 hours and many zZzZs later]

Alright, I’m up. This time I took a different approach and selected Virtual Machines from the Windows Virtual PC folder and double-clicked the Windows XP virtual machine. Seems to be working! It looks like shutting down and restarting again may be what fixed my problem. It appears Windows Virtual PC is setting up Windows XP for first-time use. Good!

Figure 16. Virtual Windows XP configuring itself. I wonder if there is a way to come up with other virtual machine auto-configurations. This would be helpful for running other OS’ on top of Windows 7. Hmmm!

Note the My Virtual Machines folder. This is cool – it tells you the running state of virtual machines. Nice touch! I wonder if this will make it into Windows 7 Server … probably.

Figure 17. “My Virtual Machines” folder.

Suggestion for Windows 7 Team: Why did you add the “My” back in to all the main folder names? We have My Documents, My Videos, and so forth. They were gone in Vista. This should be an option you can disable because I’m used to the other way after having used Vista for two years! Now my keyboard shortcuts for accessing folder names don’t work anymore :-P

Ok, Windows XP has started up (see Figure 18)! Interestingly enough, there’s no antivirus software in there. I was also greeted with Windows Update letting me know there’s already an update available. Cool, let’s try that out (see Figure 19).

Figure 18. Virtual Windows XP is up!

Note: If you want to get free antivirus, go to www.avast.com and download the Home edition. It works great.

Figure 19. There’s an update available. KB898461. It does not require a restart.

This new version of Windows Virtual PC supports USB devices (see Figure 20). Cool! Now I don’t have to pay for VMWare to get that feature :)

Figure 20. USB support. Finally!

A few notes about XP mode:

• IE 6 is installed by default. Specifically, 6.0.2900.5512.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234.
• Everything’s very snappy and responsive.
• You can dock Virtual Windows XP and it will resize appropriately. Cool.
• It does not appear that all clipboard functionality works when in “full” Windows Virtual PC mode. For example, I tried Alt-Print Screen to get some dialogs into this blog post and they didn’t come through. The Start key also wasn’t caught. However, in “fusion” mode, where you launch apps from the Start menu, Clipboard appears to work fine!
• Full screen mode is accomplished by maximizing the window. + Up Arrow accomplishes the same, but does not toggle back.
• You can have programs installed in XP Mode “auto publish” to your Windows 7 programs menu (see Figure 24). That’s cool. This feature is enabled by default.
• Once an application is installed, you can launch it right from the Windows Virtual PC menu and it runs like any other app (more on that in a bit).
• The default amount of memory associated with the virtual machine is 256 MB. I.T. admins may want to expand this for resource-intensive apps, but it’s probably fine for the most part.
• You can assign COM ports to physical serial ports, text files, or named pipes. This may be helpful for legacy hardware.
• The .NET Framework is not installed by default. Make sure you install this if you have .NET apps to run (you probably do!).
• Internet access / Network access appears to work “out of the box,” with no special configuration required for a DHCP connection. I was connected via wireless and was able to get online instantly.
• The processor used for the virtual machine appears to be the same processor on your machine, instead of the generic processor used in Virtual PC. You’ll see below my Core 2 Duo T9400. This is nice, but may have an impact on multi-platform deployments where disk images are used. Feedback on your experiences here would be appreciated.

Figure 21. It’s Windows XP SP3.

Now it’s time to explore the settings (see Figure 21) and integration features (see Figure 22) of XP Mode. These are accessed from the Tools menu of the window.

Figure 22. The Virtual Windows XP virtual machine settings box.

Figure 23. The Integration Features settings.

 

Figure 24. Auto Publish mode lets XP Mode integrate installed programs into the Windows 7 programs menu. Items are placed in the Windows Virtual PC folder.

I installed antivirus and had to restart… Let’s see what happens on a boot-time scan.

Figure 25. OS startup progress bar. Note that I don’t see the text that would normally appear on the boot-time scan. I wonder if there is a way to override this to see what’s actually happening.

After restarting, I received an error message that Integration Features could not be enabled (see Figure 26). I wonder if the boot-time scan broke it, or if it was the antivirus - the only thing I installed. I clicked Retry and it restarted the operating system and that didn’t work. I clicked Continue and saw what was causing this… my boot time scan from Avast antivirus (see Figure 27).

Note to I.T. Admins: A boot-time chkdsk will probably cause this problem, too.

Note that, with integration features off, Windows Virtual PC “captures” your mouse if you click in the window. You can press the “right” Alt Key and it should release the mouse. However, for some reason, that didn’t work on my Dell. Pressing the Windows key or Alt-tabbing to another window worked, though…

While waiting for the looong scan to take place, I snooped around the help area. I found “About Virtual PC” instead of “About Windows Virtual PC.” Also, has anyone noticed Windows 7 points out that its interface is trademarked? I don’t recall that in earlier versions of Windows (see Figure 28). I wonder if Microsoft is going to be more aggressive in protecting its UI innovations.

After the scan was complete, I was brought to the Windows login screen. Normally this is bypassed. FYI, this appeared to be a workaround to login as an administrator (see Figure 29). Unfortunately, when I tried to log in, I found out the administrator account had been disabled.

I decided to shut down so I could see if Integration Mode would re-enable, and was surprised to find XP wanted to update again.

Anyway, I restarted and integration mode worked just fine.

Figure 26. Apparently something broke my integration features.

Figure 27. I.T. admins beware… integration features can’t be enabled if something runs before they’re enabled.

Figure 28. The Windows interface is trademarked, as stated in the About Virtual PC dialog.

 

Figure 29. With Integration Features off, it appears you can log in as Administrator. However, that account is actually disabled.

After the 6 updates were installed and I rebooted, I was greeted with the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) acceptance dialog (see Figure 30). Hmm.

Figure 30. Shouldn’t WGA be installed, configured, and accepted by default?

Launching XP Applications from the Windows 7 Start Menu

You do not need to run Virtual Windows XP in a window to use XP apps – that would be silly. Instead, to launch an application in XP mode, simply select the app from the Virtual Windows XP Applications program group in Windows 7, as shown in Figure 31 and the app will start right up.

Figure 31. The Virtual Windows XP Applications program group shows all the programs you have installed in XP Mode. Note that this does not include applications you have not installed yourself, such as any default software like Notepad.

Slight Gotcha: You would expect that, if the XP Mode virtual machine is running, you should be able to just run applications from your Windows 7 start menu and it should run in XP Mode. This is not the case, as shown in the dialog box I received when attempting to do just that (see Figure 32).

Figure 32. Huh? I have to close XP Mode to run XP Mode if I started it separately?

I clicked close, and the Virtual Environment was started again, but it only took a few seconds…

Figure 33. Starting up XP mode after quitting XP mode to start XP mode. <grin>

Ok, this is cool. The app DOES run like it’s integrated into Windows 7. Nice! It’s just like a regular app! Sweet! Yes, I know it’s a bit sadistic to run my XP antivirus app instead of a real app. Great way to trick people.

Note that these applications run in the XP Mode sandbox, so you may get occasional graphic glitches (see cut-off tooltip in Figure 34).

Figure 34. Running my XP Avast in Windows 7.

You cannot install software in XP mode if an XP app is running (see Figure 35). You either run the full virtual machine or XP apps. You can have multiple apps running, of course. So, make sure you do all your installations first, or you’ll just be annoyed.

Figure 35. If you try to run the virtual machine to install software, you’ll have to quit the running XP apps first.

Figure 36. Alt-Print Screen actually worked when running an XP app by itself. Cool – I thought this was broken, but it appears to only have been a problem in “full” virtual machine mode, which you likely will only use to install applications.

Switching modes isn’t a bad experience. XP Mode keeps running, and switches modes very quickly, so there really isn’t much of an annoyance factor.

For another example, I installed Notepad++. You can see it running alongside this article in Figure 37.

Figure 37. XP mode apps can peacefully co-exist with modern apps. Here, Notepad++ is running just fine next to this article. It even looks like an XP app.

Battery Life

I didn’t notice any noticeable additional drain on my battery running XP Mode. That’s good.

Moving Forward

Overall, the process took about 2 hours to fully configure. I hope there will be a more automated way of installing XP Mode and its default legacy corporate applications. Please, please, please.

XP mode appears awesome, though. The app switching aside, the fusion of XP and modern apps running side by side is nothing short of spectacular. This is partially because, for one of the few times in software, what was expected is what has been delivered. Extending the incredible Windows 7 experience, XP mode gives corporations the bridge they need to move their people to modern systems with mitigated risk.

At this point, I think it would be good to see the feedback from the XP Mode team on their approaches to XP compatibility in Windows 7. If any of them are reading this article, I’d appreciate to a link to their blog! :)

Do you have comments, feedback, suggestions? Please post a reply here!

Well, I was shopping for a Jawbone 2 and found this deal:

http://www.n1wireless.com/product.cgi?group=19490&product=31650

Enjoy!

Best,

-Auri

Ok, I received a promo email full of Lexus specials today. I like my Lexus, but I’m not buying another one anytime soon. Lucky for me, I am going to buy Sushi soon! This great article was included in the email and caught my interest… (article source here)

(reproduced without permission, please don’t sue me :))

If You Knew Sushi (Like We Know Sushi)
Getting hooked on the “Lexus” of Japanese cuisine.

When we refer to a “Japanese delicacy,” we are not referring to your Lexus; we’re talking about sushi, arguably the “Lexus” of Japanese cuisine. Recently, Lexus Magazine encouraged us to get to know sushi with an article entitled, “10 Sushi Dining Tips.” Now that you know how to eat sushi, here’s some background on what you are eating!

Like many cuisines, sushi comes from rather lowly beginnings. The practice of eating raw fish can be traced back to the 7^th century when the Japanese picked up the art of pickling fish from the Chinese. It consisted of packing fish with rice. As the fish fermented, the rice produced a lactic acid that accomplished the pickling process. They called it Nare-Sushi, the 1,300 year-old practice of the pairing of fish and rice.

While Nare-Sushi resulted in a tasty, nutritious and healthful meal, the process took too long, anywhere from two months to a year, tedious even for the ultra-patient Japanese. By the 15^th century, there was an alternative referred to today as Nama-Nare, a faster way of pickling fish using rice. Nare-Sushi and Nama-Nare are the forerunners of what we now call sushi.

Thanks to the Japanese flare for invention, sushi became an art form practiced by master preparers, many of whom added a lasting flavor to the delicacy. For example, Matsumoto Yochiichi of what is now Tokyo introduced the use of rice vinegar, an ingredient that not only further quickened the pickling process, but contributed a pleasant tartness to the dish.

The “modern” form of sushi was developed in the 1820s by Hanaya Yohei, the Tokyo sushi vendor credited with combining raw fish with traditional sushi. Instead of meal-size portions, Hanaya sold bite-size portions from a sushi stall near the Tokyo fish market. His morsels are arguable the first recorded examples of “fast food!” Hanaya prepared his sushi on the spot using the freshest fish just like the sushi chefs of today. His “sushi snack bar” was an instant hit and the inspiration for the sushi bars of today.

In Japan, sushi is the most serious of cuisines requiring years of training and study before chefs are considered qualified to serve it. A minimum of 10 years of learning and apprenticing was considered the minimum qualification for an Itamae-San (expert chef) specializing in sushi.

The advent of trans-cific airfreight in the 1970s made it possible to enjoy sushi in the United States. Americans embraced the art form and became knowledgeable sushi gourmets. Among the more popular forms of sushi are Nigiri-Sushi (hand shaped sushi), Oshi-Sushi (pressed sushi), Maki-Sushi (rolled sushi) and Chirashi-sushi (scattered sushi). The differences in various types of sushi are not so much due to form, but to the ingredients and the theatrics of their preparation.

The best sushi experience dazzles the eyes and delights the taste buds. The Itamae-San prepares sushi with the flair and precision of a master craftsman. As you observe its preparation, the sushi chef will proudly stress the freshness of his fish and shellfish. The array of bright colors, shapes and garnishes are as fascinating as the varieties of flavors and sensations.

Unfortunately, the sushi bar has taken on an air of intimidation, at least for the novice. This is why Lexus Magazine published the article, “10 Sushi Dining Tips” based on the advice of Trevor Corson, author of The Story of Sushi, a fascinating book covering every aspect of sushi.

1. Sit at the bar—this is traditional, and lets you watch the preparation, which is part of the overall experience. It also enables you to interact with your chef.
2. Order omakase (literally “I leave it up to you”)—you can expect a unique experience, but also a higher bill (it’s OK to suggest a budget).
3. Don’t mix wasabi and soy sauce for dipping—the chef should have already seasoned the sushi for you. Dipping in a little soy is OK, and if you particularly like wasabi, you can ask the chef to use more.
4. Eat nigiri (the rice rectangles topped with fish) with your fingers: it’s customary, and lets the chef pack the rice more loosely—which is correct—instead of packing it to accommodate chopsticks.
5. Turn nigiri fish-side down in your hand to help prevent it from falling apart (especially important if you choose to dip).
6. Eat ginger only between courses, as a palate cleanser.
7. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Many people stick with firm, smooth-textured fish, and thereby miss out on other interesting flavors and textures.
8. Sushi rolls are an American invention that, ironically, has made its way back to Japan. Avoid rolls that contain nontraditional (and unhealthful) ingredients like mayonnaise and sweetened sauces.
9. Avoid fish that is unsustainable or improperly farmed (see our Sustainable Sushi article for insights from sushi expert Trevor Corson).
10. It’s traditional to order miso soup at the end of the meal—it aids digestion.

So don’t be intimidated by the sushi bar. Enjoy!

Have you been worried about Windows XP app compatibility in Vista and Windows 7? Is it holding you back from an upgrade? Microsoft may have a trick up its sleeves with Windows 7’s “XP Mode”. Taking advantage of a technology called “virtualization,” which runs one operating system as a “guest” on top of another operating system (the “host”), Microsoft can launch applications and they’ll run using Windows XP, right inside of Windows 7!

A beta of Windows XP Mode should be released to developers and partners next week, and to the general public by May 5, alongside the Windows 7 Release Candidate, so you should be able to get your hands on this for a test drive soon.

A bit of history: Apple had to do this with “Classic” mode in Mac OS X. It was a kludge, but virtualization technology was in its infancy at the time. Apple’s solution could only share files and, to a limited extent, the clipboard. Classic mode didn’t support Mac OS X printers, user settings, and so forth – so it was quite a hassle to run the old Mac OS 9 apps on Mac OS X.

Microsoft, having purchased Connectix, makers of Virtual PC, and given the benefit of time, has learned a lot about virtualization, and has been steadily improving virtualization support in Windows.

So will you be able to work with your Windows XP Mode apps just like regular apps running in Windows 7? You shouldn’t have a problem. This is shown to a good extent in “Unity” mode in emulation apps on the Mac like VMWare Fusion and Parallels. This mode runs Windows apps as though they’re running on the Mac desktop, although it’s not perfect, considering the OS differences (see Figure 1 for an example). Windows XP apps should run side-by-side just fine with Windows 7 apps, and you should technically be able to switch between them with no issues.

Now, most applications today run perfectly fine in Windows Vista and Windows 7. However, this is a great solution from Microsoft to address the needs of those holding out on upgrading their XP installations due to legacy hardware and software concerns. Some solutions just plain need Windows XP. It’s good to see Microsoft doing something serious about this, rather than just telling everyone to upgrade their software. Yes, Microsoft understands that upgrading software isn’t always an option.

No details on the licensing side have been announced so far. This means we don’t yet know if you’ll need both a Windows 7 and a Windows XP license. My guess is you’ll have to enter your old Windows XP license key to “activate” Windows XP mode, and it will just run transparently, like when you use Compatibility Mode in Windows Vista (see figure 2).

I’m definitely curious about how drivers will be handled, and where they get installed, and how application installations are managed.

There’s a great article by Ina Fried over at CNet, so click here to read that article for more information.

Figure 1. VMWare Fusion’s “Unity” mode running Windows and Mac apps on the same Mac desktop.

Figure 2. Will Compatibility Mode in Windows 7 be tweaked to run Windows XP in a virtual machine? I hope it’s this easy!

In a tough economy, free is better than cheap. Luckily for us in the Windows world, there are a lot of completely free, and reliable, applications for us to choose from. Be it productivity software, painting, email, browsing, instant messaging, or many other areas, you can find what you need. CNet’s Download.com has compiled a great list of many products. They call it the “Windows Starter Kit,” but I think it’s more of a one-stop-shop for finding great applications for your PC. I have raved in the past about Download.com, especially since they promise adware-free downloads. That’s cool.

Check out the article at: http://download.cnet.com/8001/2701-19409_4-2-1.html?tag=page;page

Below are the categories they cover in the article:

• Office and Productivity (word processing, database, spreadsheet, presentation, PDF, and more)
• Email clients
• Web Browsers (although IE 8 and Firefox are my favs right now)
• Image editors and screen capture
• Music jukeboxes (I don’t personally like iTunes much anymore, preferring Zune instead, but that’s just my 2c, and CNet loves Apple)
• Video jukeboxes and playback
• File compression/decompression
• Instant messaging, Twitter clients, and the like
• Bit torrent software (although I’m against piracy, which is what most P2P software is used for, I’m listing it here because it’s in the article)
• Disk utilities (disk defragmenters, process monitors, and more)

Now, they left out a many great applications and utilities:

• Microsoft’s Zune – talk about a great music player, and the subscription plan is hard to beat.
• Trillian Lite – A good all-around instant messaging app that supports AIM, MSN, Yahoo, IRC, and other protocols.
• Microsoft’s Live Software – A complete suite of incredibly robust and free software from Microsoft. Like Apple’s iLife, but with more functionality, and greater breadth. Did you even know about half this stuff?
  • Live Photo Gallery – Manage your photos, touch them up, create panoramas, share on Facebook and Live Spaces.
  • Live Movie Maker – Create movies with an easy point-and-click interface. Then publish to disk, disc, or the Web.
  • Live Mail – Easy to use and supports all types of mail systems, including Hotmail.
  • Live Messenger – A great instant messaging application, supporting video and audio chat, customized themes, and more. Winner of the 2008 CNet Editors Choice award.
  • Live Writer – The best blogging tool out there. Hands down, this software rules.
  • Live Mesh – Effortlessly sync your files across all your systems, remote access all your computers, all with Live Mesh.
  • Live SkyDrive – Share your files with co-workers, friends, and family. 25 GB of free space. Nice.
  • Live Family Safety – Control how your kids access the Internet. Limit searches, block or allow Web sites, control chats in Live Messenger, and more.
  • There are many other Live products, too, so check it out at download.live.com.

Do you have any great free products you’d recommend? Post those recommendations in the Comments!

Best,

-Auri

Have you ever been to a meeting, only to be hit with many text message interruptions? Have you been at work and received messages, and you just *have* to respond? What about being out to dinner, and text messages come flying in?

Wouldn't it be nice if you could tell them all you're busy? Just like an instant messenger?

Well now you can. Introducting Mobliza, my free utility to save you from being rude.

Get it now: http://get.mobliza.com

Mobliza installs on any Windows Mobile 6 Professional device, like an HTC Touch Pro or AT&T Fuze. I haven't tried it with dozens of phones, but it should work fine.

Mobliza has three modes:

AWAY: Automatically create canned messages to tell contacts you're away. Simply check the Away box and you're done. Mobliza tracks all the texts that come in, and you can respond if you need to.

AUTO: Just for fun - have Mobliza carry on conversations all by itself. Just make sure you're cool with a computer doing the chatting for you. Seriously.

MOBLIZA: Basically this is the Auto mode, but between you and Mobliza instead of someone sending texts to your phone. It's more of a game. Try "tell me a joke".

I hope you get a lot of use from this app. It's saved me in a lot of meetings, when driving, and at dinner.

No longer will you have the urge to respond to every text message when you're busy doing something else!

Mobliza is Copyright (c) The Auri Group, LLC, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.

At MIX ‘09 Microsoft showed off SuperPreview, an incredible tool for Web developers looking to make sure Web sites look the same across all browsers. SuperPreview can cut development and design testing time significantly with these awesome features:

• Preview ASPX, PHP, JSP, and HTML Web pages as rendered by different browsers side-by-side
• Previews can be generated by IE6, IE7, IE8, FireFox, and even Safari!
• Highlight areas in one preview and see them highlighted in the other preview, so you can see where DIVs are having issues
• Overlay previews on mock-ups or on other previews to see alignment issues – way cool
• Save development time and client budget by giving this tool to your design and testing teams
• Much, much more, and it’s FREE

Side by Side Previews:

PHP and ASPX pages in SuperPreview: (note these images came from Microsoft’s SuperPreview Features Page)

There are obviously some limitations, especially since this is only a beta release, but this should be in your development arsenal.

Download it here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8E6AC106-525D-45D0-84DB-DCCFF3FAE677&displaylang=en

Microsoft also showed off Expression Blend 3 Preview, with a Sketch Flow feature. Simply “sketch” your site pages with simple WPF controls, and fill in the blanks. Yes, an entire site shell built quickly, with no code. How cool is that? Thanks Microsoft. (to be fair, the Sketch Flow feature was not included in the beta, bummer)

There’s a lot more to be learned, with oodles of videos to watch – just visit the MIX ‘09 site.

Best,

-Auri

Apple's really been strutting their multi-touch patent power lately. Their legal dogs are on Palm, Google, and maybe even Microsoft. Don't violate our multi-touch patent!!! But wait... didn't the movie Minority Report show practically the same gestures? Can Apple patent in 2008 something that's already been materially presented in 2002, and on the big screen to millions of viewers, no less?

I'd love to hear your comments!