1. Turn off Windows Search Indexing

Windows Vista search indexing is constantly reviewing files on your system to make their contents available for quick searching. This is handy, but can severely impact system performance.

To disable constant indexing:

• Click Start then Computer
• Right Click the C: Drive
• On General Tab, Uncheck Index this drive for faster searching
• On the subsequent dialog box, Select Include subfolders and files

2. Turn off Remote Differential Compression

Remote Differential Compression measures the changes in files over a network to transfer them with minimal bandwidth rather than transferring an entire file that has previously been moved. By constantly checking for file changes, this service can hinder system performance.

To disable this service:

• Open Control Panel
• Switch to Classic View
• Select Program Features
• Choose Turn Windows features on and off
• Scroll down and uncheck Remote Differential Compression

3. Turn off Automatic Windows Defender Operation

Windows Defender real-time protection against malware continues to run despite having Automatic operation disabled.

To disable this feature:

• Open Control Panel
• Select Windows Defender
• Choose Tools from the top menu
• Select Options
• Uncheck Auto Start at the bottom of the window

4. Turn off Automatic Disk Defragmentation

Windows Vista and its always-on defragment feature isn’t really that necessary and can cause system slow down. Just remember to run a defrag manually every week or so.

To disable this:

• Click Start then Computer
• Right Click the C: Drive
• Select the Tools Tab
• Uncheck Run on a schedule

5. Add a 2GB or higher USB Flash drive to take advantage of Windows Ready Boost (Additional Memory Cache)

Ready Boost is Microsoft’s name for using a USB thumb/flash drive to provide some quick access memory the operating system can use as extra RAM. The Ready Boost system can significantly improve system performance.

To set this up:

• Insert a USB Flash Drive
• Click Start then Computer
• Right Click the USB Drive in My Computer
• Select the Ready Boost Tab
• Choose Use this device
• Select as much space as you can free up for RAM usage vs. Storage

6. Turn off Windows Hibernation

Windows hibernation background services can use a large amount of system resources. If you don’t use the Hibernate feature on a regular basis you may want to disable it to give Vista a performance boost.

To disable Hibernation:

• Select the Control Panel then Power Options
• Click Change Plan Settings
• Click on Change Advanced Power Settings
• Expand the Sleep selection
• Expand the Hibernate After selection
• Crank the selector down to zero
• Click Apply

7. Turn off System Restore

Analysis and restore point creation by Windows Vista can eat a fair amount of system resources. Disabling this service will obviously mean the system restore feature in Vista will not be available in the event of a system crash. Change this at your own risk.

To disable this service:

• Control Panel>System
• Click System Protection on the left panel
• Uncheck the main system drive
• Agree to the confirmation

8. Disable User Access Control (UAC)

This much-loathed new Vista feature attempts to protect your system from malware infection by making you manually confirm a whole host of everyday user operations. While it doesn’t directly impact performance, it can be annoying and might be more hassle than good.

To disable User Access Control:

• Click Start then Control Panel
• Select User Accounts
• Select Turn User Account Control on or off
• Uncheck User Account Control Box
• Restart as recommended

9. Disable excess Windows Services that Auto-Launch at Startup

Just like Windows XP, Vista ships with all kinds of services enabled that load at startup and may never be used by most users.

To see what loads at startup and disable the ones you likely won’t be needing (they can always be started manually later):

• Click Start then Control Panel
• Select Administrative Tools
• Choose System Configuration
• Click the Services Tab
• You can safely deselect:
  • Offline Files (unless you’re using Offline File Sync)
  • Tablet PC Input Service (unless you have a tablet PC)
  • Terminal Services
  • Windows Search (If you have already disabled indexing)
  • Fax (unless you’re using a fax modem)

10. Disable Excess Windows Features

Windows ships with other features that are listed separately in the Vista operating system from the startup services.

You can view and disable these features by:

• Clicking Start then Control Panel
• Select Program Features
• On the left panel, select Turn Windows Features on or off
• You can safely deselect:
  • Indexing Service
  • Remote Differential Compression
  • Tablet PC Optional Components
  • Windows DFS Replication Service
  • Windows Fax & Scan (unless you use a modem for faxing)
  • Windows Meeting Space (unless you use the Live Meeting Service)

Source: Top 10 Windows Vista Speed Tweaks

Nerd hunk on desk vs. Nerd hunk on desk.

Source: Bill Gates and Steve Jobs: Nerds on Desks - Gizmodo

Here are the first shots of the Zune 2 and Zune flash. The images reveal an 80GB version and a 4 and 8GB flash model.

Not sure what's going on with that interesting controller, but it looks like a real button, but is just wide enough that it may have touch-sensitive properties. These photos came from a source who cites marketing materials, likely from the retail channel, but were confirmed by a second source as well. Does that mean they're final? I don't know. If I were Microsoft, I might seed the internet with mockups as to confuse. Oh how I love counterintelligence measures. So take them with a grain of salt, confirmed as something, but still unofficial

Source: Portable Media: First Zune 2 and Zune Flash Shots - Gizmodo

They may have taken a bit longer than the company initially claimed, but S1Digital's new CableCARD-enabled Media Centers are apparently now finally shipping. That desirable option is available on the company's ProLine Quad Server and FX Editions, and its Home Series Platinum Edition, each of which boast a pair of CableCARD slots to let you watch and record two channels at the same time. It looks like you'll also be able to keep plenty of those recordings on deck, with up to 3.75 terabytes of storage on the Server Edition and 2.25 terabytes on the Platinum Edition. Otherwise, you can expect Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Quad processors depending on the model, along with optional HD DVD or Blu-ray drives, and NVIDIA PureVideo HD video processors, with Windows Vista running the show. From the looks of it, S1Digital is only selling the Home Series Media Center directly to customers, with the higher-end options reserved for dealers and custom installers.

Source: S1Digital's CableCARD-equipped Media Centers now shipping - Engadget

The Sony Ericsson gaming boss, Peter Ahnegard, said that a PlayStation-branded gaming phone would be coming by Christmas. He also added that it might not be this Christmas, which probably pissed whoever he was talking to off to no end.

Sony Ericsson, who've already branded their W-line of phones the Walkman line, the K-line of phones the Cyber-shot line, and some random Japanese line the Bravia line, can easily brand another line (G, maybe, since P is taken) the PlayStation line. It doesn't even need games other than the mobile ones that already exist for their cellphones, which run just fine on SE's higher-end hardware. [Pocket Gamer via ]

Source: Cellphones: Sony Ericsson Gaming Chief Says PlayStation Phone Coming By "Christmas" - Gizmodo

Microsoft has agreed to license its audio watermarking technology to Activated Content Corp. of Seattle. We all know watermarking's place as a part of the music industry's DRM toolbox, but Activated—already a DRM watermarking player—now wants to use Microsoft's watermarking technology to get into the advertising business. Watermarks... and ads? Yep.

According to the announcement of the deal, "Microsoft's audio watermarking technology consists of digital audio software tools that will allow Activated Content to insert and extract non-secure data into audio files that they can use to offer additional services to the audio file end users." DRM provides few "additional services" to end users, so it's clear that the two companies are either taking the concept of "spin" to new levels or else they're talking about something else entirely.  Read more..

Source: Microsoft deal may lead to free but "watermarked" music

We're almost terrified to hear what the physicists in the crowd have to say about this one, but a duo of German scientists have reportedly broken the speed of light. To do so, the two "set up an experiment in which microwave photons, energetic packets of light, appeared to travel instantaneously between two prisms forming the halves of a cube placed a meter apart." According to them, they were able to force light to overcome its own speed limit by utilizing a "strange phenomenon known as quantum tunneling." Dr. Gunter Nimtz was even quoted as saying that for the time being, it was the "only violation of special relativity that he knew of," and while it does indeed sound (way) too good to be true, we'll step aside and let the experts battle it out.

Source: German scientists claim to have broken speed of light - Engadget

Microsoft XNA Game Studio, the user-creation tool that allows you to make Xbox Live Arcade-quality games for the Xbox 360, has just been upgraded to 2.0. The most interesting improvements in the new version are the multiplayer networking APIs, which means you can actually create games like Jason Chen's Big Boob Robots that take advantage of Xbox Live's network support. Other than this, it's mostly improvements for developers that aren't that exciting for people who just want to play homebrew games

Source: Gaming: Microsoft Xbox 360 XNA Game Studio 2.0 Available, Adds Multiplayer Support - Gizmodo

It looks like Dell's undoubtedly busy webmaster has let his or her e-commerce guard slip, and if you're clever and quick enough, you should be able to bag a black 30GB Zune for the low, low price of $109 (as pictured above). According to the clever folks at Audio Junkies, if you head over to the "accessories" branch of the Dell site and follow their specific browsing instructions (which include but are not limited to adding a pink and black Zune to your cart), you should find yourself in near-possession of an alarmingly affordable Microsoft music player. The AJ crew are even kind enough to suggest using PayPal for an additional 10 percent off, just in case the price cut wasn't deep enough for you. So, if you're looking for a bargain today, you might want to quickly read the step-by-step and then motor in Dell's direction, because this won't last for long.

Source: Dell flub nets you ~$100 Zune - Engadget

The internet revolution was supposed to be about universalizing computing. So why is it that despite the fact that you can do virtually anything from anywhere through the Net, most of us are still tethered to our computer because of the need for access to basic desktop software?

Over the past few years, webware has matured to the point that almost anything you can do with desktop software, can now be done with a free webware alternative. Webware allows you to access your programs at any time from anywhere in the world, without having to bring your computer along. In this article, we highlight 100 free webware apps which will help you cut the cord from your computer and its traditional desktop software and instead take your computing completely online.

Source: No More Hard Drive! 100 Free Software Apps to Go Online-Only

How many times have you wished Notepad had tabs, Paint supported layers or Windows Explorer let you bookmark frequently-used folders? Power users need power utilities, and Windows' default system programs barely get the job done. Over time third-party developers have stepped and build superior replacements to programs like Notepad, Paint, Windows Explorer and the Command Prompt. Get the simple jobs done smarter, faster and more efficiently with some of the best Windows utility power replacements - all of which are free downloads.

Geek To Live: Power replacements for built-in Windows utilities - Lifehacker

What is Facebook and why should you use it?

Facebook is a social networking service that lets you connect with friends, co-workers, and others who share similar interests or who have common backgrounds. Many use it as a way to stay in touch after finishing school, or as a way to share their life publicly. What makes Facebook different from other social networks are its extensive privacy controls, its development platform, and its large and quickly growing user base. Facebook has been called the "thinking person's" social network. Compared to many other social networks, Facebook gets new features and improvements on a regular basis. Read More...

Source: Newbie's guide to Facebook | Webware : Cool Web apps for everyone

Use this Keyspan RF (radio frequency) remote to control your Windows Vista PC from 90 feet away, a distance the company takes great glee in exclaiming is three times the distance of infrared remotes. You just plug that USB receiver into your PC, and you're good to go, remote-controlling all those movie files you've ripped off, or even the scant few you've bought, with the greatest of ease. How would we use such a thing?

In our home theater, we like having the PC tucked away in the server closet in the next room, completely out of earshot but still close enough for its cable to reach the projector. Since this Keyspan RF remote can see through walls like some sort of electro-Superman, it will give us a computer viewing experience that's decidedly TV-like. It might be worth a try for $49

Source: Media Center Control: Keyspan RF Remote for Windows Vista Sees Through Walls - Gizmodo

Being a soldier isn't an easy job. If you aren't being shot at in hostile territory, you're doing lots of pushups and getting haircuts. At least that's what movies have lead me to believe. Well, Microsoft wants to give something back to our servicemen and women, which is why they're releasing an exclusive Halo Zune for military personnel. But wait, Microsoft is giving these to the troops for free, right? Well, not exactly.

They're giving 300 of them to a group of soldiers leaving for active duty today, with the rest of them being available for sale exclusively at "military retail stores." The Zunes will be brown with fancy Halo artwork and will come pre-loaded with artwork, trailers and music from all three Halo games. No word on whether or this military exclusive will sell to soldiers for any cheaper than the standard pricepoint of $250. [UPDATE: This will be sold to military personnel and their families for a "discounted rate," although how discounted hasn't been disclosed

Source: Totally Worth Enlisting For: Microsoft Releases Another Halo-Themed Zune, Only for Sale to Military Personnel - Gizmodo

Ok, it's ugly as sin (and pretty thick, to boot), but we have to give props to Wibrain's new B1 UMPC. Besides coming equipped with a Via C7m CPU up to 1.6GHz, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.1, a VGA camera, HSDPA, and a full QWERTY keyboard and trackpad, the thing's going to sell for a mere 600 or 700k Korean Won (about $650 - $760 US) when it's launched overseas this October.

Source: Wibrain's B1 UMPC: hideous, yet strangely appealing - Engadget

Microsoft just might have a hit on its hands with Windows Home Server when the first Home Server models debut this fall.

Is it too much to call WHS Microsoft’s iPhone? I think it’s likely the closest Microsoft will come to a product with built-in popular appeal. (I’m doubtful that “Big-Ass Table,” a k a the Microsoft Surface, has anywhere near the sleeper-hit potential of Windows Home Server.)

What would make Windows Home Server a guaranteed home run, in your book?

Source: » Could Windows Home Server be Microsoft’s iPhone? | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com