Microsoft Corp. on Friday introduced a new pilot program to encourage refurbishers to install legitimate copies of Windows XP on used PCs.

The new Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) program offers a discount off the retail price of Windows XP, along with deployment tools to help refurbishers reinstall Windows and all of the relevant drivers on renewed PCs in as little as 15 minutes, said Hani Shakeel, a senior product manager on the Genuine Windows product marketing team.

When MAR is fully expanded, it will also help stem what Microsoft acknowledges as widespread flouting of Microsoft’s XP licensing rules by price-pressured refurbishers.

“There’s a range of behavior. Definitely, what you’re describing is happening,” Shakeel said.

(Full article ‘New Windows refurbisher program fights piracy, Linux’)

While the news that Microsoft is developing a version of Windows for the so-called “$100 laptop” has caused some consternation, the head of the One Laptop per Child project has said the scheme could not promote openness if it blocked Windows.

Microsoft corporate vice president Will Poole told Reuters last week that the software giant is working on a stripped-down version of Windows XP to run on the ruggedised laptops destined for schoolchildren in developing countries. According to Poole, the OS could be ready in a “few months”.

The educational XO laptop has been built using free and open-source software В— part of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project’s drive to allow XO’s young users to modify the laptop’s software as they see fit.

The OLPC’s philosophy of openness is behind its decision to allow Microsoft software on the machines, according to chairman Nicholas Negroponte.

“It would be hard for OLPC to say it was ‘open’ and then be closed to Microsoft. Op

(Full article ‘Negroponte: Windows key to OLPC philosophy’)

Tbilisi, Georgia – A surprised would-be ATM patron in the former Soviet Union came to one of those newer ATM machines.  They offer a more graphical experience, pretty images and efficient operations…normally.  However, this particular machine would do no such thing.  The screen was not running the ATM program and was, instead, warning the user that Windows XP was not yet activated.  Apparently the ATM only had five days remaining in which to activate its Windows XP operating system.  It read, "Would you like to activate Windows now?" and had locked up the system with that modal Yes/No prompt.

The patron was able to snap a couple pictures of it.  They can be viewed here.

Fujitsu Computer Systems Corp. today announced a 1.56-lb. miniconvertible computer that will sell with a price tag of $999 when it goes on sale in September.

The LifeBook U810 is the first of its size to combine tablet touch-screen convertibility from a clamshell with ultramobile PC size, said Paul Moore, direct of mobile product marketing at Fujitsu in Sunnyvale, Calif.

It enters an ultramobile PC market that includes the OQO Inc. Model 2 and the FlipStart by Vulcan Portals Inc., Moore said.

The U810 has a QWERTY keyboard that works when the clamshell design is opened, but also allows touch-screen The Fujitsu LifeBook U810″ width=”250″ height=”210″ border=”0″ style=”margin-bottom:5px;”>
The Fujitsu LifeBook U810input from a finger or pen.

(Full article ‘Fujitsu announces ultramobile PC tablet’)

Despite of widespread criticism, Microsoft Windows Vista operating system (OS) is continuing to gain popularity, according to estimates. In fact, Vista not only eats the dinner of Windows XP, but also manages to bite Mac OS share.

According to Net Applications, a provider of web tools, the share of Microsoft Windows Vista OS among computers used to browse the Internet was 4.52%, up a little less than a point from the previous month. The market share of Windows XP was 81.94%, Windows 2000 held 4% share, MacOS (PowerPC-based) was used in 3.52% of the cases, whereas modern MacOS (Intel-based) had 2.48% market share. Other operating systems, such as Linux, captured 3.54% of the market.

It is interesting to note that all the OSes, but Windows Vista and Linux, lost some share in June to the two competitors.

(Full article ‘Microsoft Windows Vista’s Market Share Increases’)