xp

Windows XP lost more users to Windows 7 last month, but the decade-old platform continues to hold on as the most popular operating system

Looking at OS stats for February, NetApplications found that XP's share of the market dipped to 45 percent from 47 percent in January. At the same time, Windows 7 grabbed 38 percent of all users, up from 36 percent the prior month.

The latest numbers show a trend in which XP has gradually lost share over time, while Windows 7 has picked up more customers. In February 2011, XP owned more than half of the … Read more

Consumers running any edition of Windows 7 or Vista now have a few more years of support to look forward to.

Microsoft recently tacked on five additional years in the form of Extended support for all editions of both operating systems for individual users. Full support for every edition of each OS will now last for approximately 10 years from release date, pointing ahead to January 14, 2020, for Windows 7 and April 11, 2017, for Vista.

Microsoft offers both Mainstream and Extended support for its operating systems and other products. Mainstream support lasts for five years and covers all … Read more

Windows XP refuses to give up its top spot without a fight.

The decade-old OS has slowly been losing more users to Windows 7, but January marked a small resurgence in its grip on the market, according to stats out today from NetApplications.

For the month, Windows XP grabbed 47.19 percent of all OS users, inching up from 46.5 percent in December. At the same time, Windows 7 saw its market share dip to 36.4 percent from almost 37 percent the previous month.

Obviously, a fraction of a percentage point is nothing for XP to crow about, … Read more

Not sure what an application launcher does? It's basically a tool to organize shortcuts to applications, and some can even disable the appearance of your Start menu and Taskbar. 

Below are three launcher programs, each providing a different experience and list of functions but all acting as alternatives to what Windows has to offer.

The first alternative on the list is a small, open-source launcher. Some degree of customization is built into the program in the form of skins and icon packs. While only two skins are available with the installation, several more are available for download … Read more

If you ever get the feeling that the Start menu in Windows XP could be better organized, you're not alone. Start Menu XP is a simple utility that improves the menu's structure, making it easier to find what you're looking for. Although the functions of the free version are limited, the program is still an improvement over the default Start menu look.

Start Menu XP appears as an icon in the Windows system tray, but it's also readily accessible from the Start menu itself, replacing what is typically found in the All Programs menu. Start Menu … Read more

Windows XP is still the dominant OS worldwide after more than 10 years, but Windows 7 continues to narrow the gap.

XP ended last year with a 46 percent slice of the OS market, according to December data from NetApplications. Although impressive after a decade, that number proved a hefty drop in use for XP, which kicked off 2011 with a 55 percent share and has fallen each month since then.

On the upswing, Windows 7 rang out the year with almost 37 percent of the market, a solid gain from 22 percent last January and further proof of its … Read more

Perhaps a name change can give a company a new life.

Indeed, that appears to have been the case for C Spire, the wireless carrier formerly known as Cellular South. Though the company wasn't suffering under its old name, its phone lineup wasn't exactly thrilling. But since the identity switch, it has made some bold handset moves.

First C Spire picked up the iPhone 4S and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, and now it is the first U.S. carrier to offer one of Sonim's extremely durable phones--the Armor XP3400.

The iMainGo XP delivers big sound on the go for your iPad. With a clever design and relatively easy setup, the iMainGo XP is a great accessory for enjoying entertainment on vacations, picnics in the park, or even adding sound to portable business presentations.

The good

Using Portable Sound Laboratory's sx149 digital music amplifier and four 38mm titanium-coned neodymium high-output speakers pumping out 10 total channel watts, the iMainGo XP's sound is perhaps surprisingly big and vibrant. It is easy to fill any space in the house, your hotel room, or a good radius at the park.

The … Read more

Windows 8 may not launch until later next year, but many businesses are already aiming to jump to the new OS.

A full 52 percent of the 973 IT professionals polled by InformationWeek last month said they plan to upgrade to Windows 8. Among those, 5 percent said they'll deploy Windows 8 to their users as soon as it's available, while 13 percent said they'll switch within the first year, and 19 percent within the first two years.

Only 10 percent of the likely upgraders said they'll switch on an as needed basis, 24 percent said … Read more