Vupen security researchers finger Windows 8 holes

Vupen, a security company in the business of selling zero-day vulnerabilities, said it has found a way to bypass security mechanisms on Windows 8 and execute code via a Web page.

Vupen Chief Executive Chaouki Bekrar said in an email Friday that the company's researchers had found "multiple vulnerabilities" in Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10, the latest version of Microsoft's operating system and Web browser. (See also PCWorld'sreview of Windows 8).

"We have researched and discovered multiple vulnerabilities in Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10 that we have combined together to achieve a full remote code execution via a Web page which bypasses the new exploit-mitigation technologies included in Win8," he said.

Microsoft declined comment on Bekrar's email, saying that it had not received any details of the flaws. "We continue to encourage researchers to participate in Microsoft's Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure program to help ensure our customers' protection," Dave Forstrom, director of Microsoft Trustworthy Computing, said in a statement.

Wolfgang Kandek, chief technology officer of Qualys, said the fact that Vupen had to chain vulnerabilities was an indication of how well Microsoft has bolstered security in Windows 8. To exploit such a collection of bugs would take considerable skill.

Nevertheless, the fact that it was done reminds the industry that Windows is unlikely to ever be bulletproof. "We've not reached the point where the product is perfect, but that's probably not reachable anyway," Kandek said.

Bekrar first announced the feat Tuesday on Twitter. In the email to CSO Online, the chief executive gave Windows 8 self-serving praise, since the more difficult software is to crack, the more Vupen can charge customers.

"This new Microsoft operating system is definitely the most secure version of Windows so far," he said.

The exploit-mitigation technologies Vupen claimed to bypass were HiASLR (high-entropy Address Space Layout Randomization), AntiROP (anti-Return Oriented Programming), DEP (data execution prevention) and the IE 10 Protected Mode sandbox.

Experts have cited ASLR as a particularly useful anti-hacking mechanism because it involves scrambling system memory to make an application's location more difficult to find.

Because of the security features in Microsoft's latest OS, Bekrar did not expect cybercriminals to find vulnerabilities on their own for a while.

"We do not expect to see, in the short term, attackers creating an exploit for Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10 as the cost would be too high," he said.

Vupen and competitors Endgame Systems and Netragard sell the vulnerabilities they discover or buy from third-party researchers to government agencies and large corporations. The bug hunters are in a gray area of the market because they don't pass along the knowledge to the software makers, which could release patches.

Unlike many of its rivals, Vupen publicly promotes its services. The company claims to vet its customers and won't sell vulnerabilities to cybercriminals. In 2011, consulting firm Frost & Sullivan named Vupen Entrepreneurial Company of the Year.

Source: pcworld.com

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The Windows 8 ecosystem: 5 best and 5 worst features

Windows 8 hasn’t just arrived—it has arrived in full force, with an armada of ancillary products. Microsoft’s deployment of the new Windows platform across desktops, laptops, tablets, hybrids, and smartphones constitutes a major push to make Windows 8 your defining computing experience regardless of your hardware persuasion. Depending on your point of view, this can be a good thing or a very, very bad thing.

Or maybe it’s both.

Let’s take a walk through some of the triumphs and failings of Microsoft’s sprawling Windows 8 ecosystem. Like it or not, this is the environment that all new-PC users (and many PC upgraders) will be working with for the next few years.

The good

The great unification

Although Windows 8 stumbles in its attempts to push a touch-centric operating system onto desktops and laptops lacking finger-friendly screens, I’m nonetheless impressed by Microsoft’s execution in delivering a unified experience across all of its major consumer platforms. Windows 8 on x86-based tablets is the same Windows 8 that you can find on laptops and desktops, and this provides a tight degree of unification that’s missing from Apple’s product lineup, which is split between Mac OS and iOS.

You can access SkyDrive across pretty much all
your new Windows devices.

The linchpin is the new Microsoft Account sign-in (formerly Live ID). Through a single username and password, your Microsoft Account taps into the cloud and establishes common preferences among all the Windows-based hardware and services you may use (though regional barriers are still a problem; more about that below). So kudos to Microsoft for acknowledging that our computers, tablets, smartphones, and game consoles should be connected, sharing a common, user-specific experience.

From SkyDrive to SmartGlass to the ability to synchronize settings across environments quickly and easily, the new Windows 8 platform provides the essential core connections for all your software and gear.

Forcing a touchy issue

Since touch is the cornerstone of Windows 8—regardless of whether you actually have a touch-responsive display on your chosen device—Microsoft is pushing third-party developers to take the next big step in app creation. Simply put: Touch cannot be ignored. This mandate is an issue for people without touch-enabled hardware. And it’s bad news for people who have tried touch control but hate it. Yet Microsoft's new “the touch way or the highway” philosophy shows vision and innovation, and affirms the public’s overwhelming support for touch gestures on computing hardware.

Adopting a touch-centric approach will help move Microsoft
forward into the modern computing era.

Sure, some developers will never jump on the touch bandwagon, either because they don’t have an interest in advancing their users' experience, or because their software can’t benefit from touch in any way (after all, some utilities are so simple, one-dimensional, or keyboard-dependent that an investment in touch development wouldn’t make sense). Nonetheless, you can expect to see many more apps that tightly and creatively leverage touch support. These are the apps that will carry Microsoft forward.

And these are the apps that will ensure a consistent, high-quality user experience, regardless of which hardware you use to tap into the new Windows regime.

Leading by (hardware) example

Microsoft isn’t just reinventing its Windows platform. It’s also doubling down on a hardware strategy designed to lead by example, showing tablet manufacturers that tablet-laptophybrids are the future of PC computing.

Surface RT forces hardware partners to innovate
and advance the basic computing form factor.

Yes, I know: Pairing touch-based tablets with keyboards isn’t a new idea. Other parties have done it before, with Asus being the most effective. But Microsoft’s elegant execution of Surface RT, with its keyboard-cover accessories, sets a high bar for what a Windows 8 tablet-laptop hybrid should be. What’s more, because Surface RT is Microsoft’s first foray into computer manufacturing, the company will now compete with its hardware partners, and this might lower prices and encourage the creation of better, more interesting, more innovative computers across the entire Windows 8 ecosystem.

In essence: Consumers get more choice, and better products to pick from. Microsoft, meanwhile, achieves faster market-share gains for Windows 8. The new Surface tablet isn’t just the premier hardware component in the new Windows ecosystem—it’s actually a catalyst for greater ecosystem success.

Fearing giants promotes innovation

Now that Microsoft has committed to the brave new world of touch—and smartphones and tablets—it has to deliver the goods. It’s now competing directly with the iPad and iPhone. It’s now competing with scads of Android devices. This isn’t necessarily an enviable position given Microsoft’s uphill climb, but it will definitely drive innovation, and that bodes well for the Windows ecosystem as a whole.

In short, Microsoft has to get very creative, very quickly. Ultimately this challenge will benefit consumers the most. Microsoft will have to drive new features throughout its platform, especially new ways for all of the hardware components to interact with one another. And this is an opportunity that neither Apple nor Google really gets to explore, since Apple splits its ecosystem between Mac OS and iOS, and Google doesn’t even have a computer OS.

Apps such as Xbox SmartGlass, and services such as the SkyDrive cloud platform and Xbox Music streaming, are great starts. But what else can Microsoft do to persuade users to abandon their existing devices and ecosystems, and leap head-first into Windows 8? More important, how fast can Microsoft pull that off? These are scary questions for Microsoft, but I think standing in place doing nothing is an even scarier option.

Joining the app-store masses

Apple had one first. Then Google got one. Now, finally, Microsoft has one too: a software store. It’s not for your Windows Phone 8 device, but for Windows itself. And the new Windows Store is the only place you can download “Windows 8 apps,” the Start screen-centric programs previously known as Metro apps.

The new Windows Store ensures a reliable
user experience for PC neophytes

Although the move has frustrated developers who create software that Microsoft doesn’t want—either a result of a particular app falling short of Microsoft’s guidelines, or the fact that Microsoft isn’t opening the Windows Store to the full purchase of desktop applications—it’s nonetheless a powerful driver in making Microsoft’s ecosystem more accessible, more convenient, and more secure for users.

The Windows Store is a great step forward; but in order to recognize its benefits, you can’t look at it through the eyes of a power user. Envision, instead, the typical technological neophyte who wants access to online shopping, streaming movies, financial information, games, rudimentary media editing, and all the other simple services that computers make possible. Throughout their computing lives, these novices have been tempted numerous times: A Web ad has asked them to install something they shouldn’t. Or they’ve installed software upon the recommendation of a friend, but that software isn’t compatible with their system. Or, even sadder, these newbies might not even know how to find and download new programs for their PCs.

The Windows Store gives such users a simple and secure entry point for downloading apps that have passed stringent certification from Microsoft itself. Sure, an app might ultimately stink, but at least users now have strong assurance that the software won’t muck up their systems. To wit: Apple’s App Store went more than five years before succumbing to its first piece of malware, and the company quickly expunged the app so that no new user could download it ever again.

The Bad

Friendly compromises that were never made

To construct a user experience that works fairly seamlessly across desktops, tablets, and smartphones, Microsoft had to make some compromises, and these trade-offs are affecting desktop users the most. Although it’s relatively easy to operate a touchscreen-oriented interface on a device with an actual touchscreen, it’s not so easy to translate touch gestures to the world of mice and keyboards. Power users aren’t happy with Microsoft’s new Windows 8 mouse gestures, so you can only imagine how well they’ll be received by the enterprise market, and by all of our grandparents.

In some cases Microsoft didn’t even have to make compromises, but still opted to restrict the user’s ability to navigate Windows in a familiar, friendly way. The company had ample opportunity to give users choice and freedom in its construction of Windows 8, but decided not to.

Want a Start menu? We won’t show it by default, but you can enable it if you really need to. Don’t like the Start screen? That’s totally cool. We’ll make it so that you can still access it, but we won’t force you to deal with it up front each time you start the OS. Don’t need a lock screen since you’re on a desktop computer instead of a tablet? Great. We won’t force you to “reveal” your password prompt. Or at least, we won’t bury the option that lets you eliminate this.

That’s how Microsoft’s internal dialogue could have sounded. But in the real world, Microsoft chose differently. In creating a common ecosystem for Windows 8, Microsoft has shifted portions of its new user interface into places where they don’t need to be.

Common interface, uncommon apps

The scariest part of the Windows 8 ecosystem is the fact that Microsoft has put a good chunk of the potential success of its OS—across PCs, tablets, and smartphones—in the hands of third-party developers. Even though it’s premature to declare Windows 8 a complete dud in terms of available apps, we have to be concerned about the critical dearth of apps that one would otherwise expect to find on a major new platform. Windows 8 has no official Facebook app, no official Twitter app, and no Instagram. And those are just three of the most obvious omissions.

Windows Phone 8 devices bear a similar interface
to Windows 8, but they can't run Windows 8 apps.

The app situation could very well change in a few months, so I won’t quibble about specifics. After all, Microsoft execs have stated that they hope to have 100,000 apps in the Windows Store within 90 days of the Windows 8 launch.

What’s worse for Microsoft is the way that it has decided to treat the Windows Stores on smartphones, tablets, and desktops, walling them off in separate silos instead of unifying all of the environments. How cool would it be to buy a copy of Microsoft Office, and receive a version geared for your Windows 8 smartphone and for your Windows 8 desktop or tablet? Or, for that matter, wouldn’t it be nice to purchase rights to run your favorite Windows 8 smartphone game on your tablet?

But, no, that’s not happening.

A Windows 8 tablet or hybrid is the functional equivalent of a laptop, which shares the same Windows Store as your desktop PC (unless you’re running a Windows RT-based tablet; I'll get into that below). In contrast, a Windows Phone device—whose interface inspired Windows 8 and exhibits many of the same behaviors and features of Windows 8—taps into a completely different software store. Phone apps share a common code with tablet and PC apps, but they can’t directly transfer over to your tablets and PCs.

The sins of Windows RT

If you thought the Windows 8 ecosystem was confusing enough in terms of app support, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

Windows 8 RT has entered the fray, too. If the Windows 8 ecosystem of desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones were a great land mass, then Windows 8 RT would be an island off the coast. It’s under the mother country's protection, and it likely enjoys much of the same climate and vegetation, but it’s still separated enough to be its own little, self-contained world.

The desktop in Windows RT is little more than
a home base for Microsoft Word
and file management

Microsoft representatives have had trouble explaining the differences between Windows 8 and Windows RT in the months leading up to Windows 8’s big launch. And if they can’t get it right, how is an average consumer supposed to understand that Windows RT is a stripped-down OS version that won’t run desktop applications, save the ones that come preinstalled? In a nutshell, the Windows RT desktop runs a junior edition of Microsoft Office and a motley crew of legacy utilities. That’s it, along with providing the basic file-management functions of any Windows desktop OS.

Microsoft might gain some depth-of-ecosystem advantages by opening Windows 8 to inexpensive (and energy-efficient) ARM processors; in fact, the move to support ARM extends the reach of the new Windows platform. But Windows RT also has the potential to create serious confusion for people expecting to jump between all Windows 8 devices without issues.

It’s commercial time

Never before has Microsoft been so unapologetic about tying its commercial interests so closely with the raw mechanics of its OS ecosystem. Although you’re free to set up your own default applications in Windows 8, or to install other apps to manage the multimedia as you see fit, there’s no question that Microsoft would prefer that you use its branded, tiled apps to watch or listen to content. And, oh, while you’re there, perhaps you might like to rent or purchase a movie or two from one of the tiles advertised on your screen.

The Games app mostly feels like a storefront for,
well, games, including those designed for the Xbox 360.

It’s bad, folks. The Music app isn’t so much a media player as a storefront for Xbox Music. The Games app isn’t so much a portal for installed games as a platform for buying Windows 8 games—and even Xbox 360 games. And the same conceit holds true for the Video app. These are sales tools, not user-focused programs, and the sales pitch persists throughout the Windows ecosystem.

Android—and even iTunes, to a lesser extent—separates commercialization from content to such a degree that it’s there if you want it, and you know how to reach it, but it isn't in your face, atop a lackluster multimedia player (or games browser). But in the new Windows ecosystem, no matter what you’ve paid for your device or for your subscription content, advertising is now a part of the norm. That’s not fun.

Region migration?

Although this issue won’t affect the mainstay of Microsoft’s Windows 8 user base, one of the problems Microsoft has now created in unifying its ecosystem under a common account—the Microsoft Account—is that transferring your account between regions is about two degrees short of impossible. In other words, if you’ve done a lot with your old Live ID in Europe, for instance, and are about to move to the States, you’re in for a bit of a shock: Your new Microsoft Account will remain tied to the country where you created it.

Unfortunately, at the moment you can't just open a drop-down menu in some options panel and change over from, say, England to the United States. Without the ability to make such a switch, users lose the capability to pay for the very services Microsoft offers—apps, Xbox Live points, and the like—in addition to losing access to any region-locked apps, games, services, or subscriptions they’ve already ponied up for.

What would have been an annoying issue in previous years is even worse now that Microsoft is tying a number of Windows 8’s more compelling features to a user’s online account. Microsoft’s standard solution—create a new Microsoft Account—just doesn’t cut it anymore, not when the goal is to have a single sign-on for the entirety of the Windows 8 ecosystem.

The real solution is twofold. First, Microsoft should give its users the opportunity to switch their billing country without hassle. And second, those people who already took Microsoft up on its advice to create multiple accounts need the ability to merge multiple accounts into one.

Source: pcworld.com

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Microsoft releases Windows Phone 8 SDK

One day after the launch of its next generation mobile operating system, Windows Phone 8, Microsoft has released the SDK (software development kit) that will allow programmers to write applications for the new platform.

Microsoft released the software for the kick off of its developer focused Build conference, being held this week in Redmond, Washington.

In Tuesday’s keynote address at Build, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer admitted that, thus far, Windows Phone has not sold in significant numbers. He said he expects this to change with the recent releases of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8.

“I think most folks in the room know that Windows phone is a small volume player,” he told the audience of developers. “But we have the most differentiated approach to the market. We have absolutely killer hardware and there will be hundreds of millions of Windows users who will want a Windows phone,” he said.

“With the launch of Windows Phone 8, the phone enters in full fruition as a first class member of the Windows family,” Ballmer said. Nokia, Samsung and HTC are all in the process of releasing Windows Phone 8 handsets.

Windows Phone SDK 8.0 provides a stand-alone IDE (integrated development environment), using the Visual Studio Express 2012 edition, for developers to build windows Phone 8 applications. It also provides an add-in to the Visual Studio 2012 Professional, Premium or Ultimate editions.

The SDK also includes a number of different emulators for testing a program against a specific smartphone. Other testing and profiling tools have been provided as well.

Microsoft received a fair amount of criticism for not releasing the SDK sooner, so that developers could have built more applications prior to the official launch of Windows Phone 8. The new OS offers many unique features — such as live tiles, selective sharing and near-field payment communications — that developers will need to become acquainted with in order to make their apps as appealing as possible.

Microsoft did release a preview version of the SDK to select users in September.

In conjunction with the Build conference, Nokia has also launched two programs to help programmers get up to speed on the new platform. One, called the Nokia Ad Exchange, provides an easy way for developers to build advertising into their applications. The second, called the Nokia Premium Developer Program, provides a set of controls and support for developers.

Source: pcworld.com

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10 Windows 8 apps you should download first

Windows 8 is all about the apps, so it's important to find the best ones for your unique needs. Unfortunately, you need to sift through a lot of crap apps in the process, especially if you're not using a Windows 8 tablet; desktop and laptop PC users don’t need to worry about the lion’s share of Windows 8 apps, because they're usually single-purpose tools designed to replicate the functionality of a full PC on a mobile device. Since you have access to a full Windows desktop you don’t need just another way to look at photos or surf the Web—you need a way to do those things better.

With that in mind, we’ve taken the liberty of sharing some of our favorite Windows 8 apps in order to help you get up to speed as quickly as possible so that you can take advantage of all that Windows 8 can offer. Microsoft does a pretty decent job of covering your basic computing needs with apps like Messaging, Mail, SkyDrive and Skype, but there are a few excellent third-party apps you should download post-haste.

Problem is, the Windows Store is still in its infancy and thus lacks a lot of free apps for well-known services such as Twitter and Facebook; but even though Microsoft’s digital distribution platform can’t yet match the variety or breadth of apps available in the Apple and Google ecosystems, it still has more than enough Windows 8 apps to make your head spin. We sifted through dozens and dozens of the most popular Windows 8 apps available at launch, then tested a few dozen more and compiled this list of our favorites. While these apps may not satisfy all your computing needs (we just couldn't find a great Twitter management app, for example) they should help you get the most from your Windows 8 PC.

Netflix

The Netflix app for Windows 8 is free to download and easy to use, with an attractive tile-based interface that's intuitive to navigate on a touchscreen. Streaming movies through the app also seems smoother than streaming them through your browser, which is reason enough to launch Netflix right from your Start screen.

IM+

Everyone needs a good instant messaging client, and although the Windows 8 Messaging app is functional enough, as of publication it supports only the Windows Messenger and Facebook Chat services. That may change in the future, but if you want to chat with all your friends right now across disparate networks (including AIM, Facebook, GChat, ICQ, and Jabber) Shape's IM+ app has you covered. It’s free, it supports a wide variety of chat networks, and it lets you enable push notifications so that you can stay on top of your social life no matter what app you’re using.

TuneIn Radio

Over 14,000 radio stations exist in the United States, and TuneIn Radio will let you listen to almost all of them, plus a bunch more from across the world, for free. While you could always stream your favorite radio station from your browser, TuneIn does a fantastic job of presenting a huge assortment of AM/FM radio streams and podcasts in one slick app that’s simple to navigate. The sound quality is great, playback rarely stutters, and the TuneIn live tile displays information on what’s currently playing. You can choose from over 70,000 talk shows, sports broadcasts, news programs, local radio broadcasts, and podcasts.

eBay

The eBay app is beautiful, free and easy to use, but most importantly it takes advantage of the Windows 8 Start screen in ways that make it more useful to savvy shoppers than the standard eBay website. You can use the app to quickly and efficiently sort through your tracked auctions and saved eBay searches, and you can pin the Daily Deals tracker to your Start screen to stay abreast of savings opportunities at a glance.

Microsoft Minesweeper

Windows 8 is the only version of Windows in recent memory that doesn't come with Minesweeper preinstalled, but you can download it for free if you’re feeling nostalgic. At its core the classic guessing gameplay of Minesweeper is the same as it ever was, but Microsoft has updated the Windows 8 version with a fresh coat of paint and some new features, including an Adventure mode with traps and treasure, online leaderboards, and the ability to log in with your Xbox Live account and see when your friends are online or earn Minesweeper Achievements.

Clock

Jujuba Software's app does what it says on the tin, placing a live tile on your Start screen that shows the time. You might be wondering why you'd need an app to do such a simple thing; surprisingly, in Windows 8, Microsoft actually failed to include an option for users to see what time it is without pulling up the Charms bar to display the system clock. The Clock app is a free, simple alternative for anyone who wants the convenience of being able to check the time at a glance without pulling up a menu, and you can also use it to set a timer, run a stopwatch, or set alarms for yourself.

SmartGlass

Microsoft's SmartGlass functions as a second screen for your Xbox 360, keeping track of what you’re watching or playing and offering complementary information such as Achievement charts and additional video content. You can also use your PC as a remote control for your Xbox 360, launching videos or games on your HDTV from within SmartGlass. In addition, the app allows you to track real-time stats while watching sports, queue up songs in a dance game, or check your in-game GPS while racing against your friends in a motocross title. SmartGlass has been available in the Store for some time now, but Microsoft is updating the app with a bevy of new features to accompany the Windows 8 launch.

StumbleUpon

Whether you’re an avid Stumbler or a first-time user, consider adding the StumbleUpon app to your new Start screen. StumbleUpon is a fantastic way to discover new and interesting things online, and the Windows 8 app makes it even easier to stumble upon your next favorite video or article by updating the live tile with websites tailored to match your tastes. Installing the Windows 8 StumbleUpon app will also allow you to share websites, audio, and video with StumbleUpon via the Share Charm. It's a great tool for injecting a little serendipity into your online existence, and it's completely free to use.

HowStuffWorks

The HowStuffWorks Windows 8 app basically bundles all the excellent articles, videos and podcasts from the HowStuffWorks website into a package and plops it down on your Start screen with a live tile that updates you whenever there's something new to check out. The app itself has a few peccadilloes (the tiles look cramped together and the podcasts don't keep playing when you switch to another app) that suggest it was rushed out to hit the Windows 8 launch date, but HowStuffWorks is still a fantastic free app that deserves a permanent spot on your Start screen.

MovieGuide

Zühlke Engineering's MovieGuide app, a handy tool for movie nuts, combines the film trivia of IMDb, the variety of trailers on YouTube, and the list-making feature of Flixster into a single app. Some of the information on films and actors (especially the more obscure ones) is sourced from Wikipedia and can be a little anemic, but the beautiful design and easy discovery paths more than make up for that. Seasoned cinemagoers can probably skip this app, but it's perfect for budding film buffs.

Source: pcworld.com

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How to master Storage Spaces in Windows 8

Windows 8 includes a ton of great new features that are easy to overlook amidst the sturm und drang over the Start screen. Meet Storage Spaces, a new Windows utility that allows you to connect multiple data storage devices (internal and external) that rely on different interfaces (SATA hard drives, USB flash drives, and Serial Attached WSCSI drives, for example) to your PC and treat them as a single giant storehouse dubbed your “storage pool.”

You can divide that pool into spaces with names like ‘My Movie Space’ or ‘Jane’s Spreadsheets’ that function exactly like traditional formatted Windows directories. In fact, it isn’t entirely accurate to describe your motley crew of heterogeneous hard drives as a pool; the spaces in Storage Spaces are actually formatted with a unique file system that renders all incorporated hard drives inaccessible to Windows proper.

Use Storage Spaces to transform your external drives into a redundant virtual
storage drive that you can expand as needed.

That’s because the spaces in Windows 8 Storage Spaces are designed to mirror the data stored in them to other drives in the pool, so you can safeguard your data against the threat of drive failure without having to pay for and maintain dedicated RAID drives. Though the Storage Spaces arrangement isn’t foolproof, it greatly increases the likelihood that—if one or more drives in your pool fail—a copy of your data will remain available (or be reconstructable) from one or more of the other drives in the pool. Storage Spaces gives you a handy way to manage large pools of data, especially ones that will gradually expand over time (such as family photo albums or movie collections).

Building your first pool

To create a new pool, first make sure that all of the storage devices you want to include are connected to your PC; then open your Windows 8 Control Panel by pressing your Windows key, typing control panel, and pressing Enter. Select the Storage Spaces option from the Control Panel, and select Create a new pool and storage space.

Windows 8 will display a list of drives attached to your PC that are compatible with Storage Spaces. Select the drives that you want to use in your new pool, but be aware that Windows 8 will format them, meaning that you’ll permanently lose any data already stored on them. Before creating a pool, click the View files option next to each drive that you wish to use, to check its contents. If you don’t see one or more of your drives listed, confirm that they’re properly connected to your PC and that they’re compatible with Windows 8. Once you’ve selected all of the drives that you want to format into your new pool, press theCreate pool button at the bottom of the menu.

Give your space a memorable name, and then choose a resili­ency type
defining how your data gets copied.

Now you need to name the first storage space in your pool, assign it a drive letter and a maximum capacity, and pick your desired level of data resiliency. Name it something memorable, and don’t worry too much about the drive letter or maximum capacity; you can change those later if necessary. Do pay attention to the resiliency setting, which entails selecting how Windows 8 renders your data redundant across multiple drives in the pool. You can create pools that are resilient against one or multiple drives failing at once, though higher levels of resiliency require more drives in the pool; check the descriptions of each resiliency option for more details. Once you’re happy with your choices, click the Create storage space button at the bottom of the menu, and Windows 8 will format your new storage space.

After it formats the new space, Windows 8 will list the storage
pool and spaces in the Storage Spaces menu.

If all goes well, you should be redirected to the Storage Spaces menu in the Windows 8 Control Panel, where your new storage pool and the spaces it contains should be listed. You can return to this menu any time you want to make changes to your storage pool (to change names or add drives, for example), though you won’t be able to change the resiliency setting without reformatting the drives and creating a new pool. All storage spaces will show up as hard disk drives in Windows Explorer, so feel free to store files there as you would on any external hard drive.

Source: pcworld.com

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10 essential ingredients of a killer Windows 8 business PC

Windows 8 is here. In form and functionality, the new flagship operating system is the most dramatic makeover of Windows since its inception. Windows 8 was developed from the ground up with a touch-enabled interface that works best when tapped and swiped. Under the hood, the same old Windows is still present, but the Modern UI and the Windows Store shift the focus to mobile.

A survey conducted by the tech support services provider iYogi found that one-third of small businesses are considering switching to Windows 8. iYogi also learned that 38 percent of the respondents currently using iPads for business are exploring Windows 8 tablet options.

The launch of Windows 8 will bring an avalanche of new hardware, too. A number of diverse models have already become available, including traditional desktops and laptops, all-in-one touchscreen PCs, Ultrabooks (with and without touchscreens), tablets, and hybrid tablet/ultraportable products. For some small businesses, the options can be confusing and overwhelming.

Is it time to invest in new PC hardware for your company? Regardless of whether you wish to move to Windows 8 right now, it makes sense to begin purchasing hardware that's at least Windows 8 compatible.

Look for the following features and capabilities in any new hardware you buy for your business, so that you can get the most out of Windows 8 when the time comes to install the OS on legacy machines.

1. Touch support

Sony's Windows 8-powered VAIO all-in-one.

Microsoft built Windows 8 with touch in mind. The Modern UI (formerly known as “Metro”) is a colorful collection of tiles and apps designed to be tapped and swiped. You can interact with Windows 8 using a traditional keyboard and mouse, but that isn't ideal. Any new hardware you buy should support ten-point multitouch gesture control if you want to use Windows 8 to its fullest potential.

That said, some people find using touchscreens on notebooks and desktop displays to be awkward and unnatural. If you fall in this camp, a laptop with a touchpad, or a touchpad peripheral combined with a desktop or laptop, will allow you to interact with Windows 8 as intended.

2. Horsepower

Hardware specs are always a prime consideration when you're buying a new computer. The number of processor cores, the speed of the processor, the amount of RAM, and whether the machine carries a discrete graphics processor all play important roles in the overall performance of a PC.

The system requirements for Windows 8 are modest,
but you may need a workhorse like Intel's Core i7
chip for heavy processing tasks such as video and photo editing.

Here's some good news for the performance-deprived: According to Microsoft, the Windows 8 hardware requirements are exceptionally meager. You can get by with a 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and a graphics card compatible with DirectX 9. So you can run Windows 8 smoothly onexisting Windows 7 hardware, or put together a snappy Windows 8 system on a shoestring budget.

For most average users, pretty much any PC that meets Microsoft’s Windows Hardware Certification requirements (and bears a "certified for Windows 8" logo) will suffice. But if you will use your business PC for more processor- or memory-intensive tasks, such as video editing or 3D modeling, don’t skimp on horsepower—choose a system with a more powerful processor, such as a quad-core Intel Core i7.

3. Storage

Although the on-board storage capacity of your Windows 8 machine might become less important if you routinely keep data on SkyDrive, storage needs still vary widely from business to business. It all boils down to how you plan to use your hardware on a day-to-day basis.

Most users will probably be fine with the standard-issue 500GB hard drive that comes in most baseline Windows 8 desktop PCs. However, if your workflow involves content-creation tasks such as video production and photo editing, that 500GB might fill up quickly with massive files. If you need to store data locally to present and share files with customers, your PC should have a drive capable of accommodating that—or you’ll require an additional drive.

This consideration is extremely important, given SkyDrive's native limitations: Free storage for new users tops out at 7GB (though you can always purchase more capacity), and file-size limits could affect how you use the service. Microsoft limits you to a 300MB maximum file size for drag-and-drop browser uploads, and to a 2GB maximum file size when you use the SkyDrive desktop app.

4. Battery

Dell's Latitude 10 tablet includes an easy-access
compartment for battery swapping.

So much of Windows 8 focuses on mobility, so the battery life of the devices you purchase will be key. As a rule, users who travel or work remotely should be able to work through the day on a single charge, or close to it.

Vendors often overstate battery life, claiming 9 hours or more. With real-world use—connecting to the Internet, surfing the Web, checking email, and getting stuff done—most leading Ultrabooks are good for about 6 to 7 hours.

Intel says laptops and tablets running its new Clover Trail processors for Windows 8 will get up to 10 hours of battery life. ARM-based tablets running Windows RT are said to offer about the same. Bottom line: Pay close attention to PCWorld's battery-rundown tests if battery life is a paramount concern for your Windows 8 business PC. Also be on the lookout for devices with user-replaceable batteries, such as the Dell Latitude 10.

5. Portability 

A difference of a pound or two doesn’t sound like much on a spec sheet, but that extra weight makes a big difference to your back after you've lugged a laptop around all day. If you plan to transport your Windows 8 PC from work to home and back again, or if you frequently work at 35,000 feet, the size and weight really matter.

Microsoft's Surface RT is the most portable
Windows 8 device--but not necessarily the one
you want.

There's a trade-off as well, though. An 11-inch Ultrabook is lighter and more travel-friendly than a 17-inch laptop, but the 11-incher has a substantially smaller display, and probably less local storage capacity, not to mention fewer ports and a lack of peripherals such as optical drives. You need to choose the most portable PC that still provides the features and capabilities you need.

Ultrabooks range in weight from about 2.5 pounds to more than 4 pounds. Most fall somewhere in the middle, at around 3 pounds. Of course, if you want a truly lightweight mobile computing device, you can use a Windows 8 tablet. The Surface RT weighs a feathery 1.5 pounds and is a serviceable machine for Microsoft Office, but it doesn't have the screen size and flexibility for serious content-creation work.

6. Connections

Windows 8 tablets
have common port and
slot types, such as for
a MicroSD memory card.

Do you use devices that connect via FireWire? Do you need an SD memory card slot to transfer images from your camera to your PC? Does your monitor connect through a standard VGA cable or via HDMI? Do you have USB 3.0 peripherals? The available ports vary from one device to the next, so you need to consider all of the devices you might want to connect to the PC, and then choose hardware with the ports that meet your needs.

Windows 8 tablet models, such as Microsoft's Surface RT, generally have more standard ports and connectivity options than Android tablets do, and certainly more than the iPad does. The Surface RT boasts a standard USB port, a Micro HDMI port, and a MicroSD slot. Pay attention, though, to details such as USB 2.0 versus USB 3.0. While USB 2.0 has a maximum data transfer rate of 480 mbps, USB 3.0 is more than 10 times faster, with maximum data throughput of 5 gbps.

7. Networking

Before buying any hardware, consider how you wish to connect to your network or the Internet. For wired connections, you might need a gigabit ethernet adapter; for wireless networks, you may want 802.11n or even 802.11ac capabilities.

Lenovo's ThinkPad 2
offers 3G or 4G wireless
service.

Part of the unique appeal of Windows 8 lies in Ultrabooks and tablets that are designed to be used from virtually anywhere. Mobile professionals may need to be able to access information while they're out and about, in which case 3G or 4G broadband access will come in handy. Tablets and Ultrabooks that offer 3G or 4G connectivity as an option, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad 2, do exist, but they are much less common than Wi-Fi-only devices. Of course, mobile hotspots and USB dongles are available to connect Windows 8 devices, so it’s not imperative that a wireless radio be built in.

8. Durability

When you’re carrying around a mobile PC for mission-critical business tasks, you need it to survive a bump or two. You don’t necessarily need a tank (like something from the Panasonic Toughbook line), but you should consider the conditions you'll use your PC in, and avoid choosing hardware that’s prone to cracking or breaking.

Some analysts wonder
how durable the
Surface tablet's
kickstand will be.

Microsoft went out of its way to engineer the Surface RT tablet for durability, and company representatives like to drop them on the ground to prove that point every chance they get. That said, we don't think the Surface RT's kickstand, however durable it may seem, will survive much abuse. Like all moving parts, it's susceptible to a certain degree of failure.

Aside from the physical device itself, another factor to consider is the durability of the storage in your Windows 8 machine. Traditional hard drives can be irrevocably damaged from a sudden fall, while the flash memory in tablets, or the solid-state drive storage commonly found in Ultrabooks, is much more resilient.

9. Security

Dell's Latitude 10
features a removable
user authentification card.

Security is a big issue for business PCs—especially portable ones. Your hardware should be equipped with UEFI to take advantage of Windows 8 Secure Boot, as well as a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) chip for effective use of the BitLocker drive encryption in Windows 8.

You also might want a fingerprint scanner or some other biometric feature built in to the PC for stronger, two-factor authentication. This arrangement can prevent unauthorized access and protect sensitive data on the PC.

Dell's new Latitude 10 Windows 8 tablet goes one step further by incorporating a slot for a removable security card. The tablet will display your (potentially sensitive) business data only after reading your personal user card.

10. Flexibility

One thing that’s new to the world of Windows 8 is the concept of the hybrid. Since Windows 8 is engineered for touch, a slew of Windows 8 tablet models are on the horizon. Many of them, however, combine the benefits of a tablet and an ultraportable, giving users the flexibility to use Windows 8 more effectively in assorted scenarios.

I asked Onuora Amobi, editor of Windows8Update, for his opinion on these unique Windows 8 hardware options. “I think that hybrid PCs and hybrid Ultrabooks will do very well,” Amobi says. “Being able to sit down with a PC keyboard in your office, and then being able to detach the screen (as a tablet) and take that to a meeting, will be very tough for Apple to respond to.”

Source: pcworld.com

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