SuperWasp

Productivity tips, reviews, tools, software and gadgets.

Dell releases Vostro Notebooks & Desktops

No mention yet on the Dell websites, but here are the details I know so far. All Vostro models carry Intel Dual Core processors. Here's the line-up:

Dell Vostro 200 (desktop)

• Intel Pentium Dual Core E2140


• Windows Vista Business


• 1024MB DDR2 667Mhz memory


• 250GB SATA HD


• Dell 19" Flat Panel (SE197FP)


• DVD+/-RW Dual Layer


• 1 Year Collect & Return support

399€ excl. tax & transport

Dell Vostro 1400 (notebook)

• Intel Centrino Duo T7100


• Windows Vista Business


• 1024MB 667Mhz DDR2 memory


• HD 120Gb


• 14.1" LCD


• 128MB nVidia GeForce 8400M GS


• DVD+/-RW


• Intel Pro Wireless 3945 a/b/g


• 1 Year NBD support

799€ without tax/transport

Dell Vostro 1500 (notebook)

• Intel Core 2 Duo T5470


• Windows Vista Home Basic


• 1024MB 667Mhz DDR2 memory


• HD 120Gb


• 15" LCD


• 128MB nVidia GeForce 8400M GS


• DVD+/-RW


• Intel Pro Wireless 3945 a/b/g


• 1 Year NBD support

599€ without tax/transport

Dell Vostro 1700 (notebook)

• Intel Centrino Duo T7100


• Windows Vista Business


• 2048MB 667Mhz DDR2 memory


• HD 160Gb SATA


• 17" LCD


• 128MB nVidia GeForce 8400M GS


• DVD+/-RW


• Intel Pro Wireless 3945 a/b/g


• 1 Year NBD support

879€ without tax/transport

Labels: Dell, desktop, notebook, Vostro

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  Posted by oVan on Friday, July 06, 2007 | PermaLink | 0 comments

Fix: Vista desktop stops updating

Microsoft is very productive lately, they have released a fix for these symptoms:
After a Windows Vista-based computer has been running for an extended period of time, the desktop screen may stop updating correctly. For example, you may experience any of the following symptoms:

• Parts of the screen may go black.


• Parts of the screen may become transparent.


• The toolbar may disappear.


• The toolbar may appear at the top of the screen instead of at the bottom of the screen.

It is described in detail in KB 932406: The Windows desktop may stop updating correctly after a Windows Vista-based computer has been running for an extended period of time.

Download here: 32 bit or 64 bit

Labels: desktop, fix, KB, Microsoft, patch, problem, update, WDM, Windows, Windows Vista

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  Posted by oVan on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 | PermaLink | 0 comments

Vista Virtual Desktop Manager

As an independent web developer, I never have enough screen real estate. Even with Vista's Flip-3D task switcher, I'm lost in the multitude of open windows. It's not that I don't close my windows fast enough, in fact I use Ctrl-W, Ctrl-F4 and Alt-F4 all the time and have launch shortcuts for about every application, but at times you just have too many windows.

These are some apps that I use on a very regularly basis: Outlook, many windows of Internet Explorer (each with a bunch of open tabs), same story for Firefox, Paint Shop Pro, Lightroom, Topstyle, OneNote, Mobile Device Center, Visual Studio, Outlook Express, Skype, MSN Messenger, UltraEdit, CSE Html Validator. That sure gives an overwhelming Flip 3D view!

So what can you do about the desktop clutter? I'm going to install Vista Virtual Desktop Manager. This way I can group together apps based on the activity (a desktop for development, one for graphics, one for email and rss, ...)



Even though there are plenty of virtual desktop managers out there, and I've tested a lot of them in the past, this one has a compelling advantage: native support for Windows Vista. By making use of the DWM based Aero interface, it gives you full screen thumbnail based preview.

Here's a list of features taken from the website:

• Full screen desktop/window manager/preview with full drag and drop managing


• Desktop switch indicator


• An infinite number of desktops


• Watch the windows move in real time as you drag them around in the window manager


• Multiple monitor support


• Window menus


• Tray icons for each desktop


• Configurable colors, fade speeds, hotkeys, etc.


• And much more!

VVDM is currently a beta version 0.41, and can be freely downloaded:
http://www.codeplex.com/vdm

Did you play with it already? Let us know your experience!

Labels: desktop, flip 3D, manager, productivity, Virtual, Vista, Windows Vista

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  Posted by oVan on Tuesday, June 05, 2007 | PermaLink | 0 comments

IntelliPoint: To scroll or not to scroll?

Whomever at Microsoft Hardware decided to remove the universal scrolling functionality from the IntelliPoint software, should be removed from the team immediately. If that is the same person who decided that not every key should be configurable in the IntelliType Pro software, he/she should be expelled to Siberia instantly!

I have a Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 8000 (also part of the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000), in front of me. In many ways, it's an excellent mouse:

• very ergonomic for an ambidextrous model
• it's rechargeable and rechargeable AA battery is included
• quite attractive in silver, dark gray and matte black color scheme
• excellent optical performance with adjustable precision
• no noticeable Bluetooth lag (not recommended for gaming though)

But it also has some serious flaws:

• the left and right side buttons are difficult to reach
• although the wheel button turns without notches it doesn't roll smoothly
• no extra buttons (zoom, search, ...)
• But most importantly, it must use the latest IntelliPoint software and therefore it's useless!

For starters, the default configuration for this mouse is to have the scroll wheel click (when you push the wheel) launch the Instant Viewer. What on earth do we need that for? I thought Windows Vista had the great Flip-3D feature? I think I can hear them say "Nah sorry, you can't use that with your expensive mouse. You really need to use our full screen 2D viewer to see what windows are open."

Secondly, the Universal Scrolling feature has disappeared from the list of other activities you can bind to the wheel button. Put simply, you cannot scroll a window anymore without clicking the wheel button first (that's what they call AutoScroll, although I fail to discover the Auto in that functionality).

My excellent Wacom Intuos3 comes with a nice 5 button mouse that is ball free and optics free, and it scrolls immediately in any window. It's wheel rolls with soft notches, making it a very nice experience.

Additionally, my magnificent Logitech VX Revolution notebook mouse comes with an incredible free wheeling scroll wheel. It takes a little time to get used to it, but the productivity gains when skimming through hundreds of spam mails in Outlook 2007 is unbelievable. The best thing about this mouse is that it doesn't need the bloated Logitech software to work as expected, including scrolling a window without clicking. It has a search button, zoom lever, and back/forward buttons: these all work as expected in Vista. To anyone at Microsoft, please take note of this!

Finally, the magnifier functionality of IntelliPoint is very nice in theory. In reality however, it causes your Windows Vista Aero scheme to temporarily switch back to the Vista Basic interface and then immediately switch back to Aero. WTF! So it can work in Aero-mode but somehow they can't load the Magnifier DLL without switching. Uch!

Ps: I'll save my rant about IntelliPoint Pro 6.1 for a future post. There's only so much you can take :-)

Labels: 7000, 8000, Aero, AutoScroll, desktop, entertainment, IntelliPoint, IntelliType Pro, Intuos 3, keyboard, Logitech, Microsoft, mouse, Revolution, Universal Scroll, VX, Wacom, Windows Vista, wireless

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  Posted by oVan on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 | PermaLink | 2 comments