If you’re one of those in dire need of a new computer yet holding out in hopes of timing your purchase with the release of Windows 8, then this good news is for you. Microsoft is offering potential customers of Windows 7 PCs a more budget-friendly way to upgrade. If you buy a Windows 7 PC starting next month, you can opt to shell out a few extra bucks to safeguard your new PC against the Metro revolution.

Yes, for about $15.00 your Windows 7 PC will be upgraded to Windows 8 Pro when the operating system becomes available in the market. And this is not limited to buyers of PCs with Windows 7 Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate editions installed but even those who will buy PCs running on Home Basic editions as well. This marketing strategy is hardly new to the company as it has been used time and again to stave of massive sales drop on an operating system at the end of its time.

The verdict is still out whether many will succumb to this tactic but some are of the opinion that this deal is a good one from the company. With the actual release date of the upcoming OS still unannounced, the uncertainty of how long the wait will be affects the number of potential buyers.

Microsoft has not, however, revealed the exact reason why the promotion offers to instantly upgrade to Windows 8 Pro instead of the most basic Windows 8 package like what they did when Windows 7 was about to be released.

Microsoft’s Windows 8 upgrade promo for Windows 7 PC buyers will cost just $14.99 and for those who can’t wait to get their hands on this sweet deal, the promo will start on June 2nd and is said to last until January of 2013.

These Windows 8 tablets to come out will be utilizing Intel’s Clover Trail Atom chip. As a background, the Clover Trail is considered to be the first dual-core Atom chip developed from Intel’s very own 32-nanometer (refers to the distance between transistors on the chip) process technology. The Clover Trail will be present in of all Intel-based tablets for initial release. Intel shared that there are more than 20 Windows 8 tablets running on Clover Trail.

It is expected that most of these tablets (about 50 percent) that are to come out are hybrids or so-called convertibles. This means that it doubles as a laptop. Intel has even showed off one of these during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the device was called Nikiski. There are also reports saying that designs would be unconventional or will deviate from the norm.

Just recently, Intel made some news for its push in the smartphone market. This push can be connected to the Clover Trail’s single core version which is responsible for powering phones from Lava (an India-based company) and Lenovo. Actually, the Intel chip responsible for this is its Atom Chip codenamed Medfield. Word is that Intel’s Medfield will be involved in powering upcoming phones from companies such as Orange and Motorola.

One of the advantages seen in an Intel-based tablet is that it would run the standard version of Windows 8 and not Windows RT (alternate version for ARM-based devices). It is a known fact that most smartphones and tablets available today run on chips having the ARM architecture.

Release of the Windows 8 tablets is slated by November or during the fall. This is timely considering at this time; Windows will be officially releasing its new OS. The Clover Trail devices are said to complement other Windows 8 laptops which run on Intel’s new Ivy Bridge processors.

Thanks to the growing rate of downloadable content found in the internet, the two companies find it important to incorporate a quality sound technology to ensure maximum audio enjoyment especially for consumers who purchase and download media content recorded with Dolby Digital Plus. Whether it’s downloaded content or streamed media, as long as it was recorded with Dolby Digital Plus, consumers will be able to enjoy high quality audio on their Windows 8 devices.

Ramzi Haidamus, Executive Vice President of Dolby’s Sales and Marketing department, said in a statement that their goal is to “deliver the best possible entertainment experience, wherever content is delivered through broadcast, broadband, or wireless networks.” He also stated that all of the home videos recorded previously and even those to be made in the future that is recorded with Dolby Digital Plus audio will “work great on Windows 8 right out of the box.”

Dolby’s Surround Sound experience will be incorporated with Windows Media Center and not the Media Player. Windows Media Center will be an add-on for Windows 8, instead of being incorporated immediately into the OS like in Windows 7 Premium and Pro.

To get it, you’ll need to have Windows 8 installed in your PC, then go to Add Features to Windows 8 found in the Control Panel, then purchase the Windows 8 Pro Pack upgrade which includes the Media Center. For Windows 8 Pro users, follow the instructions above but instead of the Windows 8 Pro Pack, you’ll need to purchase the Windows 8 Media Center Pack upgrade.

While no official statement has been released by Microsoft regarding when Windows 8 will hit the market, many anticipate its release by the latter part of the year. This coincides with Dolby’s expectations that the OS will ship at the start of their 2013 fiscal year which is in October 2012.

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Billed as a business tablet, it can accept a digital pen or multi-touch input, an outdoor viewing feature, and can have an enterprise-level docking compatibility. An x86 device, the Slate 8 could be one of the first x86-based PCs released by HP as planned by company.

The Slate 8 will have the full-flat version of Windows 8, Microsoft’s next-generation OS. This feature separates it from other Windows 8 tablets which are rumored to use the Windows RT version built with ARM-based architecture. The HP Slate 8 will be fully equipped to run any kind of software much like its desktop machine counterpart. This means it will also include virtualization, domain connectivity, encryption, and PC management.

Having an Intel-based low-power Clover Trail Atom processor, the HP Slate 8 tablet is also bundled with a trusted platform module (TPM) and a support for Computrace service designed to prevent theft through a computer tracking system.

No luck yet on the details about the tablet’s release date and price. There is a speculation that the tablet will hit the market at least before the year ends right after Microsoft launches Windows 8 around October. Till then, let’s keep our fingers crossed that HP can bring us an enterprise-level tablet minus the business-level market price.

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While the app allows the KillerKeys database to be accessible on one’s computer and supports over 100 applications and more than 15,000 shortcuts, it also makes a track pad available together with an application launcher, gesture controls, zoom and volume controls and a multimedia widget that comes with a jog wheel. Don’t remember a specific keyboard shortcut for a particular application? No need to fret as KillerKeys is capable of displaying all apt shortcuts through a unified interface regardless of the application you want to use. From video and graphics to engineering and finance, your keyboard shortcuts are sure to be supported by KillerKeys.

The Bella KillerKeys app can be expected to be made available next month for $9.95 through the Apple app store. Four various editions are available, namely Home & Student, Business, Print & Design and Video & FX, which come with a price tag of between $9.95 to $49.95. Good news for those purchasing the all-inclusive Master Collection as it allows you to procure 30% savings as compared to buying them separately, with a cost of $89.95. Meanwhile, a KillerKeys Mac edition is expected to be introduced before the second quarter of 2012 ends.

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Windows 8 is the official product name for the upcoming x86/64 edition of Windows. It is said to be the ideal OS for most consumers/users. It comes with an updated Windows Explorer, Task Manager and an enhanced multi-monitor support. It also has the ability to switch languages when on the fly.

Windows 8 Pro was developed in order to aid technology enthusiasts, business people as well as technical professionals. It offers a broader Windows 8 technologies and this means that apart from the normal features, users get to have other features including encryption, virtualization, PC management and domain connectivity. The Windows Media Center comes as an economical “media pack” add-on to this edition. The Pro is specifically for the business environment.

Lastly, Windows 8 RT is considered to be the newest addition. It is dubbed as Windows on ARM or WOA. The RT will only be available (as pre-installed) on PCs and tablets that are powered by the ARM processor and basically aids in having a thin and lightweight form plus boasting an reliable battery life. Moreover, RT has touch-optimized desktop versions of the new Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. As to the apps, RT will focus on cloud-enabled, touch-enabled and web connected apps.

If you want, you can download the recent Consumer Preview and experience Windows 8 OS for the first time.

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The quad-core S4 will also make use of a 28-nanometer process that is expected to enhance performance and improve battery life. This may indicate that there will be fewer differences between chips for computers and chips for mobile devices in the future. With the use of ARM-based cores, Qualcomm’s system-on-a-chip design can also accommodate a modem along with a 3D-capable graphics core. Prototype Windows 8PCs integrated with Snapdragon chips from the company has already been sent to developers.

While Qualcomm has included basic features similar to those of other manufacturers, they have also aimed to have their chips distinguished through the development of software that are compatible with exclusive multimedia as well as cellular connectivity features on Snapdragon. Qualcomm has been said to be competing with Intel and other manufacturers of ARM-based chips, such as Nvidia and Texas Instruments, which have been reported to be creating chips well designed for tablets running on Windows 8.

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Previously, when a user needs to reinstall Windows you need to have an installation disc before you can proceed with the process. But, the period when you need a day in order to finish reconfiguring your OS as well as your applications is now over because of the efficiency that the latest Windows version will provide.

Microsoft will be offering a simple and convenient way of reinstalling Windows 8 to your desktop, notebook, laptop, or tablet. Actually, this option is already available for Mac OS X. You won’t need an installer disc because you just need to click the reinstall button at Windows 8’s general settings. Also, the refresh process is faster and enables you to reformat your OS without deleting your files or some of your applications. The process is easy because the restore function is created directly into the device’s operating system.

In depth information about this process will be explained by MS Windows’s chief, Steve Sinofsky, this time of the year.

Of course, this is something that’s entirely purposed and needed. What Nivio brings to the table is a HTML5 Microsoft powered operating system that can be used across all iOS, Android and even Mac platforms. In addition to this, Nivio will also bring in cloud based storage with a Windows 7 like operating system similar to that of the Windows 2008 R2 Server design that handles up to 10GB of syncing processes on all devices. See something you like? This practically means that users will be able to use Microsoft Office and all its perks on their Smartphone or tablet complete with license under the company’s SPLA or Service Provide License Agreement.

Nivio’s Windows UI does not come free to put things in perspective but it does not mean that it’s expensive either. Users will only pay a meager $5 for 10 hours’ of use per month while its unlimited package rolls at $15 a month. Considering the perks plus a cloud based storage protocol it drags along, it’s certainly something that is not heavy on the budget. After the transaction, users will able to use and install programs including Skype from the built in app store with paid contents moving over sometime in the future.

Things only get better since the program will only need 256kbps for it to work well. For that speck, file transfer and Internet usage is possible which, by the way is faster than most 3G connections. Aside from this, complete access to your very own cloud desktop, folders and MS Office via your Smartphone as well. Typical impediments like multi touch access and pinch to zoom are also present and proved to be very useful. Sachin Dev Duggal, Nivio’s “chief wizard” stated that they are looking to make the reverse into a reality, proving that Nivio is far from wrapping things up.

As a company, Nivio targets small entrepreneurs, developers and students that basically use Smartphones and tablets coupled with Office on a daily basis. A discounted price of $2 for 10 hours will come as added bonus for stable Windows, Office and cloud usage.

Odd as it is, Apple actually coined retina display to refer to its high-resolution screen technology. It is primarily responsible for smoothing edges of pixels to provide higher quality image than previously available on mobile devices. Retina display makes it impossible to distinguish individual pixels on a screen.

In designing Windows 8, Microsoft considered three (3) factors and these are screen size, resolution and pixel density. Microsoft has opted to set the minimum screen resolution in Windows 8 to be 1024×768 pixels for three reasons: it’s large enough to support rich and beautiful layouts for the Metro Style apps, web developers typically design websites to be 1024×768 (minimum) and market data points that 1.2 percent of Windows 7 users use a screen resolution less than 1024×768.

Windows 8 indeed caters to the high pixel density screen lovers. In terms of pixel density (number of pixels in a physical area) or what is commonly referred as dots per inch (DPI), Windows 8 will be utilizing three (3) scale percentages – 100% when there’s no scaling applied, 140% for HD tablets and 180% for quad-XGA slates.

Lastly, Windows 8 has also included support for scalable vector graphics (SVG) or XAML.