Apple just released a new TV ad on the new iPad device they intend to sell starting June 3 . The iPad was intended for a release late this month but Apple delayed it for a week due to apparent software and supply problems. The release will be for the US, the rest of the world will get it later in June by legal means, but again, I’m sure I’ll have the possibility to get an iPad after 10 days of it’s “US release” ,  what I don’t have is the sum of 500 euros for it, but that’s subject of change.

Steve Jobs also stated in a mail that no native tethering between the Wifi iPad and the iPhone will be possible, there will be other ways, but not supported by Apple, and I find it logic to go this way, If tethering with the iPhone was possible, what point would it have to buy the Wifi+3G, more expensive iPad models.

Realtek has some slow download servers for the audio drivers, so because I need them, and I know a lot of people need them, it’s a pain to wait 40-50 minutes for a download, here are the links for the drivers uploaded on my private space online. Enjoy.

High Definition Audio Codecs :

Vista/Windows 7 x86/x64 High Definition Audio Codecs R2.43

Windows 2000/XP/2003 x86/x64 Hgh Definition Audio Codecs R2.43

AC97 Codecs :

Vista/Windows 7 x86/x64 AC97 Audio Codecs 6305

Windows 98/Me/2000/XP/2003 x86/x64 Audio Codecs A4.06

• Adds support for Next Generation ION.
• Adds support for GeForce GT 320, GeForce GT 330, and GeForce GT 340.
• Upgrades PhysX System Software to version 9.10.0129.
• Upgrades HD Audio driver to version 1.0.9.1 (for supported GPUs).
• Increases performance in several PC games from v196.21 WHQL. The following are examples of measured improvements. Results will vary depending on your GPU and system configuration:

• • Up to 13% performance increase in Crysis: Warhead with a single GPU
  • Up to 30% performance increase in Crysis: Warhead with SLI technology
  • Up to 13% performance increase in H.A.W.X with single GPU
  • Up to 15% performance increase in H.A.W.X with SLI technology
  • Up to 30% performance increase in Left 4 Dead with single GPU
  • Up to 28% performance increase in Left 4 Dead with SLI technology

• Adds SLI and multi-GPU support for top new gaming titles including Assassin Creed II, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Command and Conquer 4: Tiberium Twilight, Grand Theft Auto IV: Episodes from Liberty City, Mass Effect 2, Napoleon: Total War, and Zombie Driver.
• Enhanced SLI support for World of Warcraft and Unigine.
• Adds Ambient Occlusion support for Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood, Need for Speed: Shift, Resident Evil 5, RUSE, and Street Fighter IV.
• Adds override anti-aliasing support for Mass Effect 2.
• Includes numerous bug fixes. Refer to the release notes on the documentation tab for information about the key bug fixes in this release.

Download x86

Download x64

Microsoft just announced via @microsoft twitter account that the latest version of Windows, Windows 7 is a success (but that’s well known by now, related to the Vista problems and downgrading users in the first year) and that they sold 90 million copies to date.

Merit well earned, the public reception was great for Windows 7 and will continue to do so in my opinion.

A new version of the popular internet browser Opera has been finalized and released. Opera states that the new browser is “The fastest browser on Earth” even if synthetic tests show Google’s Chrome to be faster at rendering web pages, but hey, we live in a real work not a synthetic one.

The new version, 10.50 has a new minimal look with integration for Windows 7, the borders had been redesigned to use the aero glass interface and all the menu buttons are now grouped into a single red opera button that opens a drop-down menu of the other settings and functions. The classic features, turbo-mode, opera unite, bookmarks sync, are still there but improved and cleaned.

You can download the new Opera 10.50 now for free from the Opera Website (Windows only for the moment)

As Microsoft announced, they just released the update that makes Windows 7 harder to activate without genuine licence.This update closes all the used ways to bypass the legal activation on Windows 7, again, not supporting piracy here but I’m sure this update will be “in force” for 1-3 weeks at best. People always find ways around things like this. The update is said to check for 70 known activation exploits by checking the local PC.

The update is called (like any other generic update) “Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB971033).” for 64-bit systems and probably x86-based Systems if you own a 32-bit os flavor.

The description of the update reads : “This update to Windows Activation Technologies detects activation exploits and tampering to key Windows system files. These exploits try to bypass regular Windows activation and are sometimes included with counterfeit copies of Windows.”

One of the world’s most used IM software is the client from Microsoft, Windows Live Messenger, known as MSN messenger too. The idea of instant message is to have a simple, secure, and clean user interface at both ends, but still support for collaboration and entertainment.
The next version of WLM is the Live Messenger 2010, or version 15. The Windows Live suite comes in packs called “Waves”, this new version of the messenger will be included in Windows Live Wave 4.
All nice and cool, until I just saw some captures of the renewed interface of this software. In my opinion, it’s not what I call easy to use and clean, the interface looks bloated and with too many options exposed to the user.
It’s not clean and easy at all, here are the captures, I’m curious about your opinion regarding this software.

Since Google introduced it’s new twitter-like platform of sharing ideas and links and soon enough a new marketing opportunity, some users started to worry about the privacy of this Buzz thing.
Well for all those who are worried, Google has a new option to disable the whole Buzz, delete posts, delete personal profile and all the people you were following via Google Buzz.
I personally find Buzz kind of useless, i mean if Google wanted so bad a twitter like platform, they could have bought Twitter, and yes…if someone had the money and capability to develop the service in the future, it’s Google.
The Buzz “Kills switch” is located in the Gmail settings panel, the last tab of it.

Microsoft has be fighting for two years to recover the mobile market lost to the iPhone and the app store. It started with the iPod some years ago when Microsoft’s Zune remained in the dark, no one wanted a Zune, people were going to Apple’s alternatives.
Is it possible for the new phone that Microsoft is working on to bring a change in the mobile market ? I don’t think so. It will be a Zune Phone.
I’ve watched this subject for the last days regarding the user interface of the phone, it’s just a Zune with call capability and a very very bad iPhone virtual keyboard ripoff.
Not long ago people were bashing Apple for not including Flash in they’re iPad and iPhone … well it seams that they are not alone, Adobe confirmed no Flash support in Windows Mobile 7.
I forgot to mention that even the keyboard effects are iPhone like, and the one big center button that you press for the home screen…kind of funny in a way or another so see that from Microsoft.

Here is the video for this product, I’m not even a little impressed, but hey….I’m still glad to see Microsoft moving in this direction.

One of the world’s most controversial browser is Opera, the browser that all blamed for the request they made to Microsoft last year to pull Internet Explorer from the default Windows 7 installation; sure this was madness and never approved in the end.
The latest Opera 10.50 Alpha is kind of impressive as speed and features and I must admit the minimalistic default looks always attracted me in computer software.
Now to get back on the subject, Opera just announced that they are working on the iPhone version of the worlds most used browser on Nokia phones (Opera Mini). What does this mean ? This means another Apple-Opera-User fight for the intended use of the device and so on. I am curious about this ever coming to the iPhone that easy, I mean Apple knows how to make users stay with Safari, just like they knew how to reject the Google Voice app from the app store not long ago last year because it “mimics something the phone does already”.
Maybe opera stands a chance but I just can’t imagine Apple allowing users to use another browser then Safari. I sure hope all the best and I want to see this Opera Mini for iPhone out.