I am Microsoftie 4 ever (18+ years) working in Windows Services and Content team in the UK, my blog is mainly focused on the Windows family of products and trying to provide help pointers and resources for customers on our products.
I really love the panoramic themes for Windows 8 (and Windows RT) that run across dual monitors, and we have just launched a new one with 13 great new images
“Expansive and serene or dramatically bleak, these images highlight the timeless, desolate beauty of deserts from around the world. This free panoramic theme for Windows 8 and Windows RT is designed to extend across dual monitors.”
Download the other 10 images for your background at Deserts panoramic theme
“Panoramic images will automatically extend across both displays of a dual-monitor setup if both monitors have the same resolution settings. If the displays are different sizes or have different resolution settings, a different image will appear in each monitor. Panoramic themes can be used on single monitor setups, but only the center part of the image will be visible”
Download more free panoramic themes for Windows 8
Rob
Get your hands on a Microsoft Surface at the following PCWorld stores , or order online from PCWorld
Staples corner Unit 4 Staples Corner Retail Park, Geron Way, London, NW2 6LU Kensington 47-53 Kensignton High Street, Kensington, London, W8 5ED Stratford 24 The Arcade Westfield, Montfichet Road, Stratford, E20 1EH Fulham Unit A, Hurlingham Retail Park, Wandsworth Bridge Road, SW6 3DU
Learn more about the Microsoft Surface
And this quick video shows you how
Read more at Use your Windows Store account to install apps on up to five PCs including details on how to remove a PC from your account
Get more help for Apps and the Windows Store
Latest useful instalment from Rankin Films and Nokia UK…
“Alex from Rankin Film Productions explains digital white balance on your Lumia and shows you how to improve your photos under a wider range of lighting conditions.”
Fix Windows Update error 0x80070103
If you receive this error in Windows Update it is likely that you:
“…might be trying to install a driver that's already installed or a driver that might be less compatible than one you already have installed on your PC.”
One thing you can do is to hide this update so it is not offered to you again, read how at Fix Windows Update error 0x80070103
Get more help for Windows 8
So last night I was out running and as normal tracked my activity with my Garmin Forerunner 110, which has been great and reliable since i bought it back in December…
Well after the run, as usual I wanted to check the route and details of the run, so I plugged the watch into the PC via the USB cable/connector. For about 2 seconds some sort of error message showed up on the watch and then the screen went blank. No amount of fiddling with the cables seemed to make any difference, the often stated ‘hold the light button for 6* seconds’ reset trick made no difference. So after a lot of research and a feeling growing that it was toast, I stumbled upon a post that had suggested what Garmin Support suggest…
“Connect the watch to the charger (preferably the wall instead of USB)” (my highlight)
So I dug up the wall charger, which I had used only prior to do the initial charge, and hey presto the watch came back to life. My run data was still there, and all looked ok. So fingers crossed for my next run and hopefully it was a one of glitch.
If there are any runners who would like to, you can connect with me on…
* a trawl of the internet seems to suggest 6s, although other numbers such as 15s and 20s are out there, whatever even holding the light button for 60s failed to reset the watc
Read the case study - Toyota Racing Development Auto Company Develops Winning Race Strategies with Trackside Mobile Application
“Toyota Racing Development (TRD) is using Windows 8 Enterprise and the Surface tablet as the centerpiece of a new trackside strategy to win races. When drivers asked for a mobile computing platform, TRD reimagined its racing software to run as a touch-enabled application on Windows 8. During practice, drivers and crew chiefs quickly tap in racing and performance data to speed up trackside tuning and share information to develop winning race strategies.”
Learn more about Windows 8 Enterprise and how our customers are using it
Great video from the UK Education team about Windows 8 in UK Schools
“UK Education Hero video of Windows 8 transforming teaching and learning in schools”
“The Windows Phone 8 Company Portal App enables Windows Phone 8 devices which are managed by Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1 and Windows Intune to be able to view and install line of business applications targeted to the Windows Phone 8 devices by their administrators. The Windows Phone 8 Company Portal App is downloaded by the administrator and made available to the management system infrastructure to enable device enrollment for Windows Phone 8 devices. The Company Portal App is needed to manage Windows Phone 8 devices. After downloading the Windows Phone 8 Company Portal App, the administrator must code-sign the app”
Download the Windows Phone 8 Company Portal App
Back a few years I blogged about the Microsoft Server Energy Savings Calculator which you could use to estimate server energy spend and savings with Microsoft Virtualisation technologies…
Well know there is a Windows 8 app that I think does pretty much the same job - Microsoft Windows Energy Calculator App
Download the Microsoft Windows Energy Calculator App for Windows 8