Yesterday we posted some images that are allegedly screenshots of an early build of Windows 7, the successor to Windows Vista. A number of skeptical readers pointed out in the comments that the screenshots look an awful lot like Vista. And the fact that the build number appears to be version 6.1 build 6519.1.071220-1525 doesn't help.

But now the guy who posted those screenshots is back. And this time he has video evidence on his side, which would be much harder to fake. Not impossible, but harder.

Worried that Microsoft might ask YouTube to remove the video, the folks at the AeroXP forums went and uploaded the video to a few file sharing sites. So if the video above stops playing, check out the AeroXP links.

[via istartedsomething]

Evidence is mounting that Microsoft has really given a select group of testers/partners an early look at the next version of the Windows Operating System. The other day a member of the Neowin forum posted a brief review of Windows 7 before deleting his comments. And now a Chinese web site has posted what could be real live pictures of Windows 7.

Overall, these shots of Windows 7 (or an artist's fictional rendition thereof) show an operating system that looks a lot like Windows Vista. That's not particularly surprising, since Windows 7 won't be launched for at least another two years. Odds are most of the changes would be under the hood at this point.

The images do show a few difference. For example, you can display hidden items in the system tray through a new pop up window. The Control Panel features some rearranged menus, and the display properties dialog for changing screen resolutions looks pretty awesome. Check out the screenshots after the jump.

[via WinBeta]

Last week we started to hear a rumor that Windows 7, the successor to Vista could be on schedule for a 2009 release. And it's also rumored that early builds of Windows 7 are making the rounds to early testers and developers. So it should come as no surprise that someone claiming to have access to Windows 7 surfaced this weekend and posted his initial thoughts on the web.

A member of the Neowin forums says that he installed Windows 7 this weekend and was less than impressed (which wouldn't be surprising for such an early build). But that member has not presented any screenshots and has since deleted his post, so we're going to take anything he says with a grain of salt. Of course, it's possible that his post was legit but that he was contacted by a team of lawyers.

In a nutshell, he said that installation was difficult and the driver support was lacking. The GUI, he says looks a lot like Vista, but Gadgets are integrated into Explorer, rather than hosted in a separate sidebar. In other words, you can add, or hide gadgets by right clicking on the desktop. There are also reportedly some changes in the start menu and search box.

The most interesting bit is that Windows 7 aims to streamline the integration between the operating system and Microsoft's online services. For example, you should be able to sync your Internet Explorer settings with your Windows Live account so you can use them on any PC. This is and other online features are on a list of goals though, and aren't currently integrated into Windows 7. If in fact, Windows 7 is even out there right now.

OK, time to put your salt shakers down. What we do know is that Microsoft is already working on the next version of Windows. We also know that Microsoft has been playing up its Windows Live online services. It's not much of a stretch to imagine that Windows 7 will bridge the gap between desktop and online software. But whether the Neowin report is a leak or a pretty decent guess of what Windows 7 will look like, it's too early to say.

[via istartedsomething]

Google Blogoscoped has published a summary of an apparently-leaked internal Google memo that outlines the Big G's secret plans to breed evil radioactive mutant rats, er, take over the world, er, make a ton of money this year. To summarize the summary, this year Google planned to:

• Improve infrastructure and make engineers more productive with uber-search tools
• Build 10MW of green power toward its goal of becoming carbon-neutral
• Become the best in search (duh), which includes building the world's top AI lab, eliminating spam, and launching products with UIs that "that people love"
• Sell lots of ads, with a goal of $1 billion in new business this year
• Expand communities and content, in particular video
• Push Google Pack deployment
• "Increase the scale of innovation"
• Test a "radically improved" Google News prototype in Q4

There's lots more in Google Blogscoped's report, so if you're a Googleholic like us I don't recommend missing it.

According to Think Secret, Apple has fired at least five employees of its retails stores for illegally downloading copies of the upcoming Mac OS 10.5 Leopard. Pre-release copies of the OS were distributed by Apple to WWDC attendees two weeks ago and have since made their way online, and "dozens" of Apple retail employees now face termination after being overheard discussing their "acquisition" of the software. "All of us know that we violated our NDA and ethics policy. Therefore, because we had the character to tell the truth and to face the consequences of our actions, we were terminated," said one of the fired employees told Think Secret on condition of anonymity. "My only question is, if we all lied and denied it would we still be working at Apple today? Even more so, is that the kind of person that Apple wants working for them?"

[Via Engadget]

A recent build of Internet Explorer 7 labeled Beta 2 preview (build 5299) has been leaked to the web. Originally posted on Windows news site JCXP but removed at Microsoft's no doubt stern request, the leaked build is still available at other sites such as CyberNet, as well as BitTorrent networks. JCXP still has a more than a dozen screenshots, so if you're curious but not curious enough to download it, head over there to take a look.

[Via Digg]