Paid To Search, Peek At Windows 7 & Revisiting Vista

Tech Expert Segment for 30 May 2008

Focusing on Microsoft for my weekly radio segment on KXL, we took a look at Microsoft's new Live Search Cashback program, took a peek at early features of the next version of Windows, and a second look at Windows XP woes.

Live Search Cashback
The program is pretty simple. Use Microsoft's Live Search to find products you're looking to buy from hundres of merchants and get a rebate. Now of course, there are screens and screens of terms and conditions but as a marketing promotion to entice users into giving Live Search a try... it's about as rudimentary as you get.

Sites such as ebates.com have similar offers, fueled by a vendor's affiliate program. Microsoft's offering takes this to the next level. Hit $5.00 and you can request a kickback from your purchases. Score!

Learn more about Live Search Cashback by visiting the website or read the comprehensive FAQs.

Windows 7: Early Peek
If I could put the word early in 4-foot letters on your screen for added emphasis, I would... this should not, by any means, be taken as a thorough look at the next version of Microsoft's flagship operating system -- rather a peek at what's going on at the Redmond, Washington headquarters. With that caveat...

The transitioning Bill Gates and his successor Steve Ballmer demonstrated a multitouch feature of the new Windows 7 operating system. Similar to the iPhone's touch interface and the Microsoft Surface (among others), it sports pinching, twisting and touching the screen. If this dream comes true, soon all computers will have touchscreens. (I can hear users everywhere saying... does this mean I need yet ANOTHER computer upgrade?) Don't worry -- it's not due out until late 2009 (and then if history repeats itself, likely delayed).

Check out a video of Windows 7 multitouch preview in a previous post on this blog.

Windows Vista: User complaints
Also on today's show we chatted about user feedback to XP. In chatting with users it seems some are starting to give the plagued operating system a second chance. What has your reaction to Windows Vista been? Did you load and rollback? Ready to give it a second try? Drop me a line.

Listen to this report, originally broadcast on KXL-AM Friday May 30: kxl_techexpert-microsoftcashback&news_20080530.mp3 (MP3)