Microsoft has activated the kill annoy-the-crap-out-of-you switch on Windows 7 Beta and urged us to install the RC, upgrade coupon plans have been announced, pre-orders are being taken, the Family Pack license has surfaced, and things appear to be on track for the RTM to release just ten days from now.

As mentioned a two weeks ago - and now been confirmed by an 'inside source' close to our chum Paul at Geeksmack - the final build is slated for July 10th and code sign-off will follow on the 13th.

General availability won't come until October, officially. However, since the RTM ISO downloads will be available to Technet and MSDN subscribers soon, they'll probably be available on every torrent tracker in the known universe within hours of the first successful download.

Or sooner, if the crew at Wzor.net is feeling generous.

Panda's recently-introduced Cloud Antivirus generated a lot of buzz when it hit blogs like ours. It's certainly a good, free program for protecting your system from various nasties. It's just too bad that the installer craps out if you try and launch it on a Windows 7 system.

Well, there's a way around this, and it's not too complicated.

First, download Cloud AV and extract the contents of the .exe file. Any decent archiver should be able to do that for you. Since I use 7-zip (a free download), I just right click on CloudAntivirus.exe and choose 7-zip -> extract to -> "CloudAntivirus\".

Next, you need to utilize compatibility mode. Navigate into the newly-created CloudAntivirus folder and right-click on Setup.exe. Choose properties, and then click on the Compatibility tab. Check the box marked "Run this program..." and set the drop-down menu to Vista (I used SP2, but the other options worked, too). Click ok.

Now you're ready to run the installer. Click through the prompts until it completes, and voila! Panda Cloud Antivirus on Windows 7. Scanning worked flawlessly on my test system, and the realtime protection appears to be just fine as well.

While it works, Cloud AV obviously isn't fully Windows 7 friendly. If you're unsure, stick with another antivirus option until support is added!

In the few days since Firefox 3.5 was officially unleashed on the public, it's been downloaded well over 7 million times according to Mozilla's real-time download tracker. That's nowhere near the estimated 8 million downloads achieved in the first 24 hours after Firefox 3.0 launched, but it's still pretty good.

It's also probably worth pointing out that anyone who was running Firefox 3.5 RC3 on launch day probably isn't included in these numbers since RC3 is basically the same as the final release, which means if you had that version installed you didn't download any updates.

Now that there's a new version of Firefox, there's also a new version of Firefox Portable, which lets you run the browser from a USB flash drive. If you were running an older version of Firefox Portable you should be able to upgrade automatically from within the browser. But if you want to give Firefox 3.5 a try without installing it to your computer, the portable version is an excellent alternative.

And while Mozilla thinks Firefox 3.5 is stable enough to take remove the "beta" and "release candidate" labels, some Linux distributions might be slower to add the browser to their repositories. But that doesn't mean you can't install the browser manually. Kabatology has posted instructions for installing Firefox 3.5 in Ubuntu by typing a single line of code into a terminal window.

[via Lifehacker]

Got three computers at home? There is reason to believe that Microsoft will let you license Windows 7 on all of them for a very competitive price.

In recent leaked RTM branch builds of WIndows 7 Home Premium, there's been an interesting language chance in the license agreement under "Installation Use and Rights":

b. Family Pack. If you are a "Qualified Family Pack User", you may install one copy of the software marked as "Family Pack" on three computers in your household for use by people who reside there. Those computers are the "licensed computers" and are subject to these license terms. If you do not know whether you are a Qualified Family Pack User, visit go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=141399 or contact the Microsoft affiliate serving your country.

No, the link doesn't work yet, but this seems to indicate that Microsoft is going to offer a multi-license pack of Windows 7 Home Premium. Other builds (Ultimate, Pro, etc.) don't contain the Family Pack wording.

It makes sense for several reasons. First, Microsoft offered a similar deal for Vista upgrades when it was released - a two pack for $49.99. Second, they use this strategy to push Office 2007 with the Home and Student edition. Third, Apple does it with Leopard and at one hell of a price: $199 for up to five Macs under the same roof.
CNet's Ed Bott predicts Microsoft will undercut Apple slightly and we'll see the Family Pack priced at $189.99, though it will likely cover three machines as the Office license does.

[via Kristan Kenney]

Just a few weeks after launching VirtualBox 3.0 beta, Sun has removed the beta label from the next version of the open source, cross-platform virtualization application. VirtualBox 3.0 includes a number of updates, including:

• Support for OpenGL 2.0 for Windows, Linux, and Solaris guests
• Ability to use Direct3D 8/9 applications on Windows guests
• Support for Linux kernel 2.6.31
• Up to 32 virtual CPUs

VirtualBox 3.0 also includes a number of bug fixes and improvements, and overall improved 3D graphics support. You can find more details in the changelog. Virtualbox is available as a download for Windows, OS X, Linux, or Solaris hosts.

Years ago when I was first using Napster on a then blazing-fast dual-channel ISDN connection, WinAmp was my media player of choice. It's come a long way since the early days, and gone from being used by those in the know to the go-to player of more than 84 million people worldwide.

When I finally updated from my trusty old RCA Lyra to an iPod Touch, I quickly downloaded WinAmp again and let it go to work on my library. Autotagging, organizing, and syncing was a breeze.

Tonight, version 5.5.6 arrives and brings with it beefed up discovery and social features thanks to the Orgler plugin. Orgler has been available separately since May, but it's now included as part of the main WinAmp download.

Similar to Last.fm scrobbling, the plugin keeps tabs on your listening and allows WinAmp to provide discovery features. Tracks you play are automatically added to your AOL Music profile page (here's mine - keep in mind I only activated the Orgler this morning). Streaming tracks aren't currently supported, though that will likely appear in future releases. Don't feel like sharing? It's not required, so just change your options in the Orgler preferences.

So you downloaded the first beta version of Windows 7 when it was released to the public in January. You installed it on a separate partition on your Windows XP, Vista, Linux, or OS X box played around with it for a little while and then forgot about it. You never got around to installing the Windows 7 release candidate that came later.

Well, let me tell you what will happen the next time you boot up Windows 7 Beta. You'll be able to use your computer for about 2 hours and then it will restart. Microsoft built a little time bomb into the beta to remind users to upgrade or remove the operating system. Subtle, not so much. Effective? Yes. Annoying? Definitely.

If you want to keep using a free version of Windows 7, it's time to upgrade to Windows 7 RC. But there's a time bomb on the release candidate as well. Starting on march 1st, 2010 it will begin restarting every two hours as well, and come June 1st, 2010 it'll just stop working. But since Microsoft will begin shipping the full version of Windows 7 on October 22nd of this year, you should have plenty of opportunity to upgrade by then.

In the meantime, Microsoft is essentially letting you run (and test) Windows 7 for a year and a half for free. Just remember to download Windows 7 RC by August 15th.

The developers at Skype must be working overtime this week. Yesterday saw the launch of Skype 3.0 for Windows Phones. Today Skype pushed out version 4.1 for Windows and Skype 1.1 for iPhone and iPod Touch.

Skype 4.1 for Windows includes support for screen sharing, birthday reminders, and improved audio and video quality. The latest version also fixes a few bugs found in Skype 4.1 beta, so if you're running the beta you'll probably want to update.

Skype 1.1 for the iPhone and iPod Touch now lets you listen to your voicemail on your mobile phone and send SMS. The update also adds support for additional languages.

3RVX is a utility that lets you control your computer's volume using global hotkeys including keyboard or mouse shortcuts. If you don't have a keyboard with volume controls on it, this can come in handy and save you the valuable fraction of a second it takes to click on the over the Windows volume icon and adjust the volume the old fashioned way.

As an added bonus, 3RVX also has a rather attractive volume indicator that shows up when you adjust the volume. The default view looks a lot like the OS X volume indicator. But you can choose from a number of skins or create your own. You can also change the global hotkeys, choose whether to show a system tray icon, and tweak a number of other settings. You can check out some of the settings in the image after the break.

3RVX is available as a free download. The developer's page is a bit sparce, but just look around until you find the installer for the most recent version. You can also check ou the documentation for more information.

[via Freeware Genius]

Nexus is a free application launcher for Windows that works a lot like the OS X dock. It's hardly the only dock-style program launcher for Windows, but Nexus is one of the most attractive and flexible options I've seen. The free utility comes with a handful of themes and offers live previews of your CPU and RAM usage and your local weather forecast.

There are a ton of advanced settings, many of which have to do with the program's animations and other visual elements. Adding programs to the dock is as simple as dragging and dropping them. You can remove shortcuts by dragging them to the trash bin.

The makers of Nexus also offer a commercial application called WinStep Xtreme which bundles Nexus with a desktop replacement called WorkShelf and a start menu organizer called Winstep Start Menu. If you shell out the $24.95 for WinStep Xtreme you also get a few extra features for the Nexus dock, including multi-level docks.

[via Life Rocks 2.0]

When you insert a USB flash drive or removable storage like a CD or SD card into a Linux computer, you'll often see a shortcut pop up on your desktop. When you do the same thing in Windows, you probably see an often-annoying pop up menu asking what you'd like to do with your removable media.

Desktop Media is a small Windows app that brings up a Linux-like desktop shortcut whenever you insert removable media. The application can automatically detect CDs, DVDs, RAM disks, or removable flash drives or other storage. When you remove the drive, the shortcut disappears.

Desktop Media is available as a free download for Windos XP or Vista.

[via Freeware Genius]

Love Aero Glass and the Windows 7 taskbar? Then clearly you're the type of person who also enjoys the much improved Vista-style start menu. Right?

Right?

Maybe not. Someone's betting that some users hate the updated menu system enough that they'll be willing to pay for an application that mimics the Classic start menu.

Oh yes, it's yours, my friend. As long as you have enough rubies.

Or $25, whichever.

What the hell, people. There may be other little annoyances in Windows 7 that we'd prefer had never changed from the XP days, but the start menu? It's so much easier to just tap the Win key and start typing what I want to launch than browsing through an immense list of folders. I can't recall the last time I actually clicked through the start menu to find a program.

The fact that this program exists doesn't surprise me. After all, charging money for access to outdated features is a time-tested way for IT companies to rake in a little extra cash.

[via Supersite]

When pricing information for Windows 7 upgrades first appeared, it sounded like more good news for consumers. The leaked Best Buy memo offered a price of $49.99, and Windows 7 fanatics everywhere cheered. That, coupled with the free upgrade coupons OEMs were offering to consumers sure made it look like Microsoft was going to be extremely aggressive with pricing.

Fast forward, and now we know that the rock-bottom price is for pre-orders only and retail copies will set you back $119.99 for Home Premium and $199.99 for Professional. That's only $10 less than Vista upgrades ran initially, and hardly what I'd call aggressive.

Further disappointing news is that Microsoft has now instructed OEMs to cap free upgrades on volume purchase at 25 units. While that's plenty of room for smaller businesses, it's a sharp two-finger salute to medium and large business.

Four small businesses can get 100 free upgrades, but your large enterprise has to pay for the extra 75?

Ouch.

That's not really the kind of announcement that will make IT administrators jump at the chance to get new metal running Windows 7.

[via Daily Tech]