Did you notice that some of your Windows applications check whether there are updates available during startup? That’s good as it simplifies the way you update your applications. How about those applications that do not notify you of these updates? Given that it takes time to update applications, do you want to simplify this process?

The AppSnap is an application which simplifies the installation of software. It automatically determine whether the latest version is available, downloads the installer and install the software seamlessly.

The application is for Windows and was written in Python and uses wxPython, PyCurl, and PyYAML.

Go ahead and install the application here — AppSnap.

Image from here — AppSnap.

I came across a software that is free, and marketed as having no string attached which also labels itself as the fastest disk imaging software.

The Macrium reflect is a free disk imaging software which has the following key features:

1. You would be able to create a disk image while Windows is running using Microsoft Volume Shadow copy Service (VSS)

2. The image can be put to network, USB, Firewire drives and DVDs

3. There is a built in scheduler

4. There are 32 bit and native 64 bit versions

5. It has industry leading compression levels and speeds

6. It has HTML log files

7. There is a built in CD/DVD packet writing engine

8. It supports packer writing to DVD DL media on Windows Vista

9. Linux based rescue CD with network access and full GUID. The size is 6.5MB

Download the application here — Macrium.

The image from here – Macrium.

My family and I came across a funny comedian this weekend that combines his comedy with song spoofs and original songs as well. Here’s one he wrote about tech support issues from a country music perspective.

Good stuff. Thought it would be a funny way to start the week for all of us tech people.

Apple Safari version 4 web browser is reported by the company to have been downloaded by 11 million times during the first three days from it’s release. According to the report, the browser was downloaded by 6 million times. Ok, my team downloaded this browser at least 5 times not because we want to use this browser, but because the client wants us to test the SharePoint site we are building for them on this browser.

Anyways, the browser first came out in public beta last February and Apple has been marketing this browser as the fastest browser in the world compared to Firefox and IE8.

Apple says that the browser is at least three times faster when loading HTML web pages against IE8 and Firefox. The company is touting their Nitro JavaScript engine that is around 8 times faster than IE 8 and 4 times faster than Firefox.

Testing our SharePoint sites across various browsers is already a pain, and another browser named Safari doesn’t put a smile on my face.

Download Safari.

Image from CNET.

An Apple executive couldn’t contain himself of taking a stab at Microsoft Windows Vista during the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference. Microsoft is moving fast to erase the Windows Vista image and replace it with the upcoming Windows 7, and the Apple executive thought this is the best time to kick the software giant while the Vista is still in the minds of people.

Despite all the positive remarks on Windows 7, the apple executive is saying that Windows 7 is still the same Windows Vista code base, and labels the operating system as just another Vista.

Bertrand Serlet who is the senior vice president of software engineering at Apple, said — "just another version of Vista. Vista has failed to catch on with mainstream consumers and businesses. Microsoft has dug quite a hole for themselves with Vista, and now they’re trying to get out of it with Windows 7."

Apple is releasing OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) in September which supports Microsoft Exchange and and other internal tweaks. What’s funny is why Apple is taking a stab at Microsoft but supporting their technologies.

Anyways, OS X might be a great operating system but they still wouldn’t get past 20% market share. Vista’s failure and sales is far more than the best effort of their operating system.

Image from Apple.

Do you want to be able to type faster? David Pogue from New York Times has listed applications that could help you become more productive through faster typing apps.

The following are these applications:

TypeIt4Me, Typinator and TextExpander for MAC.

TypeIt4Me is also available on the iPhone

AutoHotKey, ActiveWords and Texter for Windows

AutoCorrect feature for Microsoft Office applications

In-depth discussion of the typing application and features can be found here —

Typing-Expansion Software.

In an excerpt:

Of course, you can get the same effect within Microsoft Office (Mac and Windows), using its AutoCorrect feature. That arrangement has one profound advantage: the expansion happens even when you’re editing. That is, I can click just after a "w" I typed earlier; if I add a "v," it expands to "Windows Vista." With the shareware programs, by contrast, you have to type the whole thing at once, *followed* by a space or punctuation so it knows you’re finished with the abbreviation.

But Microsoft’s AutoCorrect has a big downside, too: it works only in Office. I want my expansions to be system-wide. I want it to work in my e-mail program, browser, sticky-notes app, word processor, spreadsheet, on the desktop, and so on.

News source from Typing-Expansion Software

Image from acplteens.wordpress.com.

Microsoft and Netflix has come to an agreement that Netflix would be able to stream videos to Microsoft’s Windows Media Center.

Currently, Netflix has more than 12,000 "Watch it now" movies and TV episodes. They are going to be available to Windows Vista Home Premium users or Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate edition. Windows XP users however; would not be able to take advantage of this service.

Users who can play videos streamed by Netflix from Windows Media Center would also be able to do the following as confirmed by Microsoft:

1. Search the entire Netflix library

2. Manage their DVD queues

3. Filter searches by titles that are available to watch instantly

Image from Netflix.

Ray Ozzie who is Microsoft’s chief software architect answered questions related to Microsoft’s business and technical side from financial analysts at J.P. Morgan Technology and the media.

According to the Microsoft executive, the software giant’s overall vision is the “Software + Service” business model where their software business would work together with their hosted solutions.

The most significant cloud offering from Microsoft is the Exchange Online and SharePoint Online services. Also, Microsoft is seeing itself as focusing on the screens that integrate well with the cloud – Phone, PC and TV.

I don’t think Microsoft is building the cloud for the consumers market, their strength comes from the enterprise and they would make sure that the applications they deploy to the cloud are enterprise centric that pays millions of dollars back to them instead of relying on advertisements or cheap subscription fees as most cloud companies do.

Image from Microsoft.

Netbooks are in, and now Asus is turning the standards one level up once again with their all in one Asus keyboard. This packaged keyboard comes with an Atom N270  processor, 1.6 GHz, 533MHz frontside bus, and 512KB L2 cache. The keyboard also comes with a 32GB SSD, 1GB of RAM, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI, stereo speakers, and a 5-inch 800×480 touchscreen display/trackpad combo.

From the way it looks, it seems this keyboard can load a Windows 7 operating system, although there is no confirmation on the operating system that would be bundled with it. If previous packages are going to be looked into, the Asus keyboard can either have a linux or Windows 7 operating system with it.

Image and news source from Asus Eee Keyboard PC.

When I started my computer earlier today I noticed something different along the very bottom of my monitor. It was something new in the Windows Start taskbar that I hadn’t seen before. Something had invaded my system and put something there I don’t remember asking for in the past.

There was a new button sitting right next to my "Start" button. I was familiar with the name on the button, as I’ve been generally pleased with my experiences using their products.

It appears in a recent update to my Google Toolbar, which I don’t remember approving automatic updates to my toolbars to be installed with no warning.

My first thought was "Do I really need to give Google anymore real-estate on my computer?" Particularly in my Start / Taskbar? However, I’ll give Google the benefit of the doubt here and see how I like it. Hoping I can remove it later, but I didn’t see any options for that at the time I was digging around in my toolbar settings for how the update got applied automatically.

When you click on the button you’re presented with the following options to choose from. I can see how this would be helpful.

My second thought was that with the ability to start programs and its similarity to the Windows Start button, could this be a foreshadowing of what a Google OS would start to look like?

Anyone else seen this and already using it? What do you think? I’ve got to say that I do love the Google Toolbar as it lets me access all my favorite items / bookmarks on the web, regardless of what computer I’m on.

Image Source: Snagit images from my personal computer. Earth image from www.sxc.hu.