I don’t think even the staunchest of Windows supporters can argue on behalf of Vista. Quite possibly one of the worst software releases in the history of software releases, Windows Vista is a case of “so close, but no cigar” From its annoying prompt “do you wish to allow this change” to its lack of cross-compatibility issues, it’s not one of Microsoft’s finest hours. So, as a PC user, I’m waiting keenly on seeing how Windows 7 performs, especially as a happy user of XP.

Yet there seems to be a distinct lack of news about Windows 7, and its role compared to Vista and the soon-to-be-extinct XP. When will it ship? What will the new features be? Will it try to compete with Apple and run Mac software, much like Apple’s OSX allows Windows programs to run on a Mac?

This lack of a solid release date only strengthens the beliefs of many XP users that Microsoft realizes that it’s erred with Vista - so much so that there is talk of extending the close date for XP. Especially when Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer admits that Vista has been problematic, and that with XP still offering a large audience for Microsoft, the company would listen to concerns about XP.

One thing’s for sure - the end of June promises to be a key point in Microsoft’s success, as well as how the company is viewed as a viable source of the best technology for users. I’ll be watching this closely… 

Incorporating some of the best features from Google’s other services, including Google Maps amongst others, Google Earth 4.3 allows users to get down and dirty on the ground level. Thanks to their new photo compression techniques and a cool new addition called 3D Buildings, you can now zoom straight to the street you live on and take an on-the-wire flyby of your home, from sidewalk to rooftop. And because the compression is in a higher resolution than the old Google Earth maps, buildings and landscapes remain clear throughout. Using this new feature you can even attempt your own Spiderman fantasy and travel seamlessly from building to building, using the Look joystick feature. This allows you to have a starting point and look in any direction and then travel in it - simply plot your map.

Yet that’s not all. There are a host of other features that make Google Earth 4.3 such a fun and useful addition to your web-browsing activities.  One of the cooler new features is the ability to switch between Earth and Sky modes. Trust me when I say that the first time you try this you’ll be awestruck, as your computer screen’s display changes from the standard map of Earth to a multi-galaxy map that wouldn’t look out of place on the Xbox360 game Mass Effect. Once you’re in Sky mode, you can explore the entire universe, thanks to the Hubble telescope and NASA. This is something I don’t think I’ll ever tire of!

There’s also a funky Day and Night mode, so you can see what some of your favourite cities or places are like at a certain time, even if you’re on the other side of the world in a completely different time zone. Just these new features alone make Google Earth 4.3 worth taking the time to check out. Add in mouse and keyboard scrolling compatibility, as well as availability for both Mac and PC, and the only question is why are you still here? Go check it out now!

With technology advancing at a rate that not even the designers of the latest gear and gadgets can keep up with, it’s harder than ever to cover everything related to technology. So I won’t even try…

Instead, I’d like to think that I’ll be bringing you the kind of stuff you want to hear about, as opposed to the kind of stuff that you’re told you want to hear about…

This will include the latest games, gadgets, electronics equipment and much, much more! If there’s something you want to hear about, let me know and I’ll do my  best to feature it for you. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy your visit here, and please bookmark me or subscribe using my RSS feed, to keep up with all the latest news as it happens.

Thanks for stopping by.

 Danny.