Have a wonderful safe Thanksgiving with family and friends, and don’t eat too much turkey!
]]>I have great news.
Microsoft has released a beta preview version of Office 2010 which is due out next year. This means that you can download the beta version of Office 2010 Professional for FREE. That’s right. A free office suite from Microsoft. The full suite is all there: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access, OneNote, InfoPath, and SharePoint Workspace.
Now before you rush off to download it, there are a few things you may want to note:
1. This office suite is a beta version. This means that it is not final so it could crash often or some features may have problems. The point of beta releases are so that Microsoft can get feedback from the general public about their upcoming software, so if you download it, at least send occasional feedback to let Microsoft know how you like the 2010 version.
2. You will need a Windows Live account to download the software. You can get one HERE.
3. I recently installed the software and I was impressed with the setup procedure. It took about 10-15 minutes to setup, so if it seems like it’s stuck, just give it some time.
4. Follow the steps closely when downloading the software. A page will come up with a product key on it. That product key is very important so that you can activate your beta version. Make sure you print the page or save the page so that you don’t forget your product key. Once you’ve installed the beta, follow the instructions on the product key page to activate your software.
5. Be sure that when working with the software, you save your work often as the beta version of anything is more likely to crash more often. Autorecovery files usually save automatically, but are usually not the complete work so be sure to save often.
One last thing before I present you with the link to download it. I am not sure right now how long this beta version will work. Sometimes when beta or release candidate versions of software are released, the product keys are only valid for a short time. If I discover that the product keys will expire I will be sure to update you on this blog.
I am also not sure how long this download will be available so if you want to give it a try, be sure to act now.
With all that said, I now present you with the link to start the download process for the FREE beta version of Microsoft Office.
http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/en/default.aspx
Read up about the beta on that site and when you are ready to download, click the link in the top right to begin the process. Happy beta testing!
]]>1. NCIS: Los Angeles: Tuesdays, 9:00 p.m., CBS
CBS has done a great thing. The already great show NCIS, which airs on Tuesdays at 8, aired two episodes in the previous season in which the remote NCIS agency in Los Angeles was involved. This was the introduction to, in my opinion, one of the greatest shows ever to air on CBS. NCIS: Los Angeles, starring Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J, is a great breakout show that features lots of action, a great cast, and a great style of humor. The show follows the affairs of the Naval Criminal Investigative Services Division in Los Angeles, which include investigations of criminal acts that involve the Navy. The show is very up tempo and features lots of action along with witty dialog. I recommend watching the show if you like crime dramas since NCIS: Los Angeles is definitely one of the best on television right now.NCIS: Los Angeles airs on CBS Tuesdays at 9 p.m.
2. White Collar: Fridays, 10 p.m., USA
Possibly one of the best new shows on television right now, White Collar is a great new drama following FBI cases in the
white collar The story picks up when an FBI agent is tracking down a forgery expert and enlists the help of a criminal, who is serving jailtime for a forgery conviction. Played by actor Matt Bomer, this criminal is one of the most witty characters on television, who can con anyone out of anything in order to help solve cases. With lots of humor and great cases, White Collar presents a fun show to watch that anyone can enjoy. White Collar airs on the USA Network on Fridays at 10 p.m.
3. The Mentalist: Thursdays, 10 p.m. CBS
For anyone who enjoys crime dramas with a witty twist, the Mentalist is a great show for you to watch. Actor Simon Baker portrays Patrick Jane, a witty consultant to the California Bureau of Investigation who despite turning tempers and causing turmoil usually ends up providing the resolution to most of the cases. The Mentalist airs on CBS Thursdays at 10 p.m.
4. Fringe: Thursdays, 9 p.m. FOX
For anyone who enjoys science fiction like me, Fringe is a great show for you. The show follows the “fringe” crime division of the FBI based out of Boston. The show features a great cast, most notably Walter Bishop, a scientist who has been released from a mental institution in order to provide assistance to the fringe division. The show is very “out there” and for anyone who is not a fan of strange science fiction, Fringe will not interest you. However before watching the show, I would advise that you catch up on the first season before watching since you will be totally lost if you try to start watching it now. Fringe airs on FOX Thursdays at 9 p.m.
These are my favorite shows to watch on TV right now but several other notable shows that I deem worth watching are
Lie to Me: Mondays, 9 p.m. FOX
CSI: Miami: Mondays, 10 p.m., CBS
CSI: NY: Wednesdays, 10 p.m., CBS
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Thursdays, 9 p.m., CBS
NCIS, Tuesdays, 8 p.m. CBS
]]>Another issue that has developed is that my games were played so much at school that my site is now blocked on the school server. I mean this is kind of bittersweet for me since I know now that I don’t get near as much traffic on the site, but yet to know that my site was that popular at school makes me happy. Anyhow, I hope that all of the readers/game players will continue to access my site despite not being able to at school.
Be sure to recommend the games on this site to everyone and don’t forget to suggest games.
And as always, have fun and enjoy the content of this site.
]]>I have discovered a really nifty addon for Firefox that could possibly be better than Stop Hammertime! or Personas- a Firefox addon that actually adds a dislike button to facebook.
Now before you go getting excited like I did when I read the headline on CNET.com, I regret to inform you that Facebook has not actually added a dislike button, and that this addon just makes it look like there is a dislike button, and only you or others who have the addon can see if you or someone else dislikes a status, link, or other post.
However, for those of us who hold out on Facebook to stop making ridiculous changes such as the news feed update, this addon is at least a “sick pill” for the dislike button. And hey, at least if you wanna dislike something you can get satisfaction through this addon.
So if you are like me and have wanted facebook to add a dislike button for a long time, I strongly suggest adding this addon to firefox. If you aren’t using Firefox, well shame on you. Go download it now I can guarantee it will be a much better browsing experience than IE or Safari can offer.
]]>In other news, Microsoft released Windows 7 last Thursday and I finally received my copy of the Home Premium version after preordering it back in August. I am looking forward to using the new OS and I can highly recommend it to anyone who is currently using Vista. Windows 7 will be a breath of fresh air for Vista users.
Also, many people have asked how I maintain and go about creating and updating this blog. Soon, I will be writing a post about the mechanics of this site, which is based on Wordpress, so that if you are interested, you can have a blog of your own.
Remember, have fun and if anything goes wrong, or you have suggestions, feel free to contact me at suggestions@ethansmithweb.com or by commenting on any post on this blog. Have fun and don’t forget to spread the word about this site!
]]>Secondly, if you check the main portal page of Ethan Smith Web at http://ethansmithweb.com, you will find that it has been slightly updated to provide for the new games page. I will work to update that main page as I add more content on this site.
I have also added a flash clock in the top right corner of the site for your convenience.
New content is on the way as I am just getting started with this blog so check back in frequently for updates and be sure to comment and subscribe! Feel free to make suggestions for site content and games you would like to see on this site. You can email your requests directly to me at suggestions@ethansmithweb.com.
As always have fun and enjoy your time here at the All-New SmithWeb Blog!
]]>The first ad is just a low blow. Apple decides to show their audience that Microsoft has broken its promises too many times before when it comes to operating systems. Take a look:
Wait a minute… I thought this was a product war, not a contest to see which company’s integrity is the best… Seriously Apple.. you go after Microsoft’s integrity rather than the product itself? I would say that they are scraping the bottom of the barrel this time but I’ll save those thoughts for the last paragraph of this article.
Alright so the first ad took a shot at Microsoft’s broken promises… Now we look at the second ad:
Ok this one has me puzzled even more than the first. As a PC user, I see so many problems with this ad.
1. Cost- Alright if I’m an average XP user that does nothing more that use my computer for basic functions and I see this ad, I’m thinking alright well everybody else seems into this Mac thing, maybe this cool looking dude on the commercial is right. So I go and start researching these Macs. I find out that the cheapest iMac is- wait what?- $1199???!? That’s a lot for a new computer. I know I’ve seen PC’s at Wal Mart for a lot less money than that. Well since money is tight right now, I think I’ll wait on this Mac thing.
Now I look into this Windows 7 thing. Wow Microsoft seems to be stepping it up here and wow they say I can upgrade my XP for only $199- still a chunk of change but if Microsoft’s claims are good (and assuming I don’t believe the first new Mac ad), it may be worth a try.
Now at this point which seems more logical for the everyday user? Spend $200 on an upgrade to a much better OS (opinion here since I have been using it for a while), or $1200 for a brand new computer? I think you can see why an upgrade seems logical here.
2. Functionality- Now the next problem for an XP user is that most all XP users have only ever used XP. This means they would have to learn how to use Macs. (Now I know they aren’t too hard to learn how to use, but still there are some major differences and any average computer user will have to take some time to learn Mac OS X)
3. XP’s status as the Norm- Most XP users may not even decide to upgrade. They know Microsoft’s claims with Vista failed, so they figure why should I upgrade to anything? The fact of the matter is that XP works. Microsoft did a great job with it. In fact, I am using it right now. If I’m an average user, I think I would stick with XP before I would buy a Mac or even upgrade like Microsoft is trying to get me to do.
So as you can see, I think Apple has advertised toward the wrong audience with this commercial. Most of us are unlikely to upgrade to Windows 7 just because we know XP works. Therefore; Apple should have attacked Vista since many people are using it and would be glad to get it off their backs and start all over. XP users should be the firmest standing PC users since they know that what they have works.
So my final thoughts on the matter?
If you’re reading this and you’ve never read anything by me before, you should know that I have spent a long time as a firm biased PC user, however due to recent circumstances, I now own and use a Mac daily. Having used a Mac, I know they have some great qualities that PCs and Microsoft cannot touch, however I would still not go out and buy another one simply because of the price. So my opinion in this article is driven by what I believe to be bad marketing, not necessarily by my hatred for all things Apple.
Secondly, Apple has shown me something with these two ads. Obviously by attacking Microsoft’s integrity and promoting the easy to use OS X, Apple did not target Windows 7 directly in these ads. Sure they implied it was going to be just as buggy as Vista, but they never came out and said Mac OS X is so much better than Windows 7. This either means that the marketing manager decided to go in another direction than the ads that came out targeting Vista, or that Mac can’t really say anything bad about Windows 7 at this point because so far Microsoft has kept its promises. Only time will tell if Apple decides to go another direction and attack Windows 7, but for now, Windows 7 is a great alternative for XP and Vista users and from my use of it already, I can highly recommend it for anyone.
]]>Since everyone loves wasting his day away playing flash games, I have compiled a list of great flash games that you can play right here on this site! Just go to the top of the page and click the Games link, or you can visit the games page by clicking this link: http://blog.ethansmithweb.com/games.
The games page is still under construction so be patient while the list of available games grows.
Please be sure to report any bugs in any of the games such as games not loading, or games not showing up at all. I am hosting these games myself so I am experimenting with the bandwidth so if too many are accessed, I may have to find another way to do this but for now enjoy the games and be sure to comment if they aren’t working!
As always have fun and be sure to share the SmithWeb Blog with all of your friends!
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