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CNET Video: What do consumers think about the Zune?

Video:What do consumers think about the Zune? What do consumers think about the Zune?


How does the public perceive Microsoft’s Zune? CNET News.com’s Erica Ogg talks to consumers at Best Buy in San Francisco about Microsoft’s newest digital audio player. (2 minutes)


And this coverage on Can Zune make Microsoft ‘cool’? CNET folks look at how the Zune stacks up technically.


Also see the special coverage on Zune at News.com.


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Article: Recovering files by reinstalling Windows, Mac virus protection

Thsi week in Patrick Marshall’s Q&A column on technology, there are two items that struck home for me:


Reinstalling Windows to recover lost files: The first was Mr. Marchall’s advice on “reinstalling Windows may help retrieve photos.” A reader asked what they should do when their “daughter’s computer wouldn’t boot and displayed a message stating that Windows System 32 was missing. All I wanted was to get her pictures off her hard drive.”


Mr. Marshall suggests reinstalling Windows. The error message you’re getting implies that important system files have been corrupted, whether by a problem with the drive or by a virus. That being the case, you’ll need to boot from your Windows disk and reinstall Windows. Assuming you’re able to reinstall, choose to install over the current version. Above all, do not choose the option to reformat the drive prior to installing.


More info on how to do this is detailed on Nick Peers’ good tutorial on reinstalling Windows, and mentioned in this PC World article.


I also agree with Marshall’s suggestion to use a reputable hard-drive data-retrieval service if the drive is damaged and you’re not able to reinstall Windows.


One more thing: back up your files regularly. If you don’t have a writable CD or DVD drive (or even if you do) a handy and ever more affordable way to back up your files is to a USB 2.0 Flash Drive. I found several brands of flash drives (which I refer to as memory fobs, sometimes getting a blank stare at the office) for less than $20 for 1 GB. I use these at home for archiving our photos and important documents, and keep a small spare flash drive in our emergency kit with copies of important family documents and information.


Note on Mac OS X anti-virus: Also of interest in this week’s column was this on Mac AV:



“I wrote that even users of Apple computers should employ anti-virus software, explaining that while there are fewer viruses reported for Apple computers, especially for those using the newest Mac OS X operating system, there are still viruses.


“I was inundated with responses from Mac users, many of whom claimed there are no viruses that target the Mac OS X. While it is interesting to find that so many users feel so passionately about their choice of operating system, it is dangerous to operate under the assumption that your computer does not need anti-virus software.


“Indeed, there is no operating system in the world that is not vulnerable to viruses.


“There were, in fact, so many e-mails that I cannot respond to them individually. Accordingly, I want to again urge readers with more questions to visit the Web site I mentioned in the article: www.securemac.com. You will find extensive coverage there of existing vulnerabilities and viruses affecting Mac OS X and other Apple operating systems.”


I have a Mac at home (actually, more than one… it’s a long story.) and I wouldn’t think to have them on the Internet or our network without AV. I received a number of mails from Mac users to my blog post on “Mac or PC Security, it doesn’t matter: be prepared” and why I noted that being prepared in this example costs me nothing. I have a choice to purchase additional security if I choose. And that’s what I have done for both my Macs (with Norton AV, but I am considering switching to Intego) and my PCs (OneCare with Etrust).


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Problems accessing the Internet with Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor? Try this

Yesterday I recommended the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor in my post “How can I find out if my PC is compatible with Windows Vista?”


A reader commented that he having difficulty using the application, getting an error msg that he “didn’t have an internet connection and it can’t contact the web service.”


So I tried it out on my remaining PC at home that is not running Windows Vista (waiting for an updated driver) and the Upgrade Advisor (aka VUA) ran fine. Then I tried it on the kid’s PC, which runs Windows XP due to the number of old games running under Windows 9x… guess what? Upgrade Advisor failed to connect to the Internet.


Well, I spoke with the Upgrade Advisor team (thanks, guys) and they gave me the following advice: if you have problems connecting to the web service during the scan, please carry out the following steps:



  1. Launch Internet Explorer

  2. Go to Tools -> Internet Options -> Connections -> LAN Settings

  3. Select option for “Proxy Server” and use address field: “itgproxy” with Port: 80

  4. Check option to “Bypass proxy server for local address”

  5. Click “OK” twice, and re-launch VUA to initiate the scan

  

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FC’s “Talk to Our Customers? Are You Crazy?”

In Fast Company, there is a good article (quick read) from the July issue, Talk to Our Customers? Are You Crazy? by Ian Wylie. The author looks at how Credit Suisse is working to “think different” about its customers.



“Stephan Kubler spends each and every working day spying on Credit Suisse customers. He’s part of a small team led by customer-experience renegade David McQuillen, a 36-year-old American who’s challenging the top executives at the blue-chip Swiss bank to get out of their Zurich offices and–gulp!–meet some customers.


…says McQuillen: “You need to go out and talk to customers to find out what they want.”


“You can do this stuff in two or three days–you don’t have to spend half a million dollars on research. Just go and observe.” 


I completely agree.


I was asked recently how much I interact with customers. I’ll argue not enough, but as I’ve noted previously, we run surveys, focus groups and lots of meetings to talk about customers. I meet with people across the company and hear what their customers — our customers — are telling them, asking from us, lamenting about and (in some cases) giving us praise. I get more out of visiting with customers in retail shops, on the road, in formal gatherings (sometimes in our Executive Briefing Center – here’s one example), via phone and email. And I share this with the people I work with across the company: some people are better at getting the word out than I am, but I work at being an advocate every day for our customers and partners…


And our execs hear the word on the street, too: this from Fortune Magazine:



“[Steve] Ballmer asked [Kevin] Johnson to work closely with [Ray] Ozzie and run organizational interference for him. Before this new platforms job, Johnson had spent 2 1/2 years running Microsoft’s sales, where he talked to customers every day. He shares Ozzie’s user-first obsession more than any other top executive, and the two bonded immediately.”


And this from Kevin Turner in the Mercury News:



“I travel around the world. It’s a global job talking to customers and partners and our people. Here I’m meeting with an all hands. I’m meeting with customers and partners and having the same spirited discussion and take it a back to our people.”

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Mac or PC Security, it doesn’t matter: be prepared

In a comment I received to a recent blog posting on being careful when it comes to viruses, I wanted to mention something when it comes to computer security: whether you have a PC or a Mac, you will have to be concerned about security and protect yourself.


If you own a computer – PC or Mac (and we have both at home) – you should run AV software, have a firewall on your internet connection and practice “safe computing.”


But we have to be careful to reach broad-based conclusions. It’s better to anticipate an attack and be prepared and protected rather than hope that you won’t be the victim of an attack. As I said in a past post, see our Security at home site for more ideas on how to protect your computer. It has info on avoiding online scams with the Microsoft Phishing Filter, anti-virus, anti-spyware, security updates, Office and Windows update tools… well worth your time. Mac users can look here on Apple’s site for more info on protecting your Mac.


As USA Today reported earlier this year…



“Windows-based PCs have felt the brunt of attacks for years because those machines command more than 95% of the worldwide market. Macs mostly have escaped the attention of hackers. Until now.


“Unless they consider themselves very savvy, Mac users should run anti-virus software just like Windows users,” says Larry Seltzer, security center editor at news site eWeek.com. “Mac users need to start developing a sense of cynicism about content that comes unsolicited, even if it appears to come from a user they know.”


Of interest is eWeek’s Larry Seltzer’s article on “What Will Apple Do When the Malware Comes?”


As our COO Kevin Turner says, (paraphrased): don’t be a victim… be a participant in your own rescue.