Windows 8 Beta

Windows 8 Beta is the pre-release version of the upcoming Microsoft Windows 8. Even before the launch of Windows 7, Microsoft started working for the next Windows version. Windows 7 has been considered as the Microsoft’s best Windows version so far. Moreover, Windows 7 captures the biggest market share in comparison to other Microsoft Windows version.

Microsoft, which people also say is the Software Giant as what they had bestowed to the tech world no other competing software maker has given. Thus, after seeing the success of Windows 7 at the peak Microsoft took a challenge itself to develop a Windows version which goes beyond imagination.

The challenge came in form of reimagining Windows which took the face of Windows 8 and before it gets released for the end users, Windows 8 beta will be released for testing purpose to find bugs and to check the functions whether they are properly working or not.

Windows 8 Beta Expected Release Date

Microsoft will be launching Windows 8 Beta before it launches the Windows 8 Release Candidate (RC). Windows 8 Beta is expected to arrive early January in 2012. Windows 8 beta will be made available to the general public for testing purpose to find out whether the functions are working appropriately or not.

Note, Windows 8 Beta is not the actual version as it might embed certain faults or bugs and thus to find those bugs and faults only this version is released.

Windows 8 Beta Download

Once Windows 8 beta gets released, it will be made available for download to the general public. If you are looking forward for Windows 8 Beta Download, then you are firstly required to register. We will update you with the registration links once they will be made available.

Windows 8 Beta Hardware Requirements

It is very much expected that Windows 8 Beta would be carrying almost the same hardware requirements that Windows 7 requires. We are here discussing the minimum hardware requirements.

Thus, expected minimum hardware requirements would be:

• 2 GHz or faster 64 bit (x64) processor.
• 1 Gigabyte (GB) or 2 GB RAM.
• 32 GB of available free hard disk space.
• DirectX 11 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver.

Windows 8 Beta SKU’s

Microsoft launched Windows 7 with multiple SKU’s like Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 7 Ultimate, and Windows 7 Home Premium.

Though Microsoft has not yet announced officially what SKU’s edition will be made for Windows 8,Steven Sinofsky says, “In the coming months, many folks will be testing pre-release builds of Windows 8. As everyone knows, two things are always the case early on. First, the software is not done and things will change—features will be added and removed. Second, the different editions or SKUs are not developed or announced until late in the development process.”

Thus, we can expect that Microsoft, if multiple SKU’s will be released, they will be named as Windows 8 Ultimate, and Windows 8 Professional, seeing Windows 7 SKU’s editions.

Windows 8 is a concept which goes beyond imagination, kudos to the complete Windows 8 building team for taking up the challenge and bringing an evolution in the computing world. Windows 8 beta is going to give the early taste of Windows 8, and its concept which is intended for both Tablets and PC’s.

On my quest to find the most useful things for Facebook I came across these 10 Facebook tips, tricks and add-ons, that might come in handy for the daily Facebook user.

Facebook Colour Changer for Firefox users

A user-script for the Firefox Add-on Greasemonkey that allows you to Change your Facebook Color Scheme from the default blue to any you choose using a color selector.
Facebook Colour Changer Script Download page

FFixer for Firefox users

A user-script for users with or without Greasemonkey that enables several enhancements such as bigger profile pictures, make viewing of photo albums easier, adds links to download videos, showing people’s ages and signs, Google Calendar integration, bookmarks, keyboard shortcuts and more.
FFixer Script Download page

KeepTube for Firefox users
A user-script that allows you to download YouTube Videos(HD 1080p & 720p), DailyMotion, Facebook, Vimeo and many more.
KeepTube Download page

Share on Facebook IE Accelerator
Quickly share webpages, links or on Facebook using the Right-Click menu in IE Accelerator Addon.
Download Add-On from the IE Gallery

Facebook Taskbar Pinning with IE
If you’re a fan of pinning your favorite sites to the taskbar, Facebook is supported as well.
When you right-click the pinned icon in the taskbar you have options for News, Messages, Events, Friends, Facebook Home and Start Facebook in InPrivate Browsing.
More information on pinning a site to Taskbar available from the Internet Explorer Gallery page

For Fun
Just bored and wanting to have a little fun? Or maybe you’re a Pirates of the Caribbean Fan – then scroll to the bottom of your Facebook page in the Footer of the page where it displays your language, click it and you will be displayed with the language selector. Look for English on the Left and click it. Want to be a Pirate select English (Pirate) or if you just want to have some fun select English (Up-Side Down).

Facebook Comments
Add Facebook Comment Box to your Website\Blog
Visit the Facebook Developers Page to customize how your Comment Box will appear and get the code to use.

Facebook Keyboard Shortcuts

*Chrome and Opera do not require hitting the Enter Key
*Hitting Alt +/or? will automatically set to the Search Box. if you hit Enter it will bring you to the Search Page.
*Alt + M does not work in IE.

Chat Emoticons

Import your Facebook Contacts to Gmail, Yahoo and Live Hotmail

• Hotmail

Log into Hotmail and on the top right toolbar click Options. Select More options
Under the heading Customize your Contacts, select Importing Contacts
Click the Facebook Icon and then select the options you want available
Click Connect with Facebook.

I have not used this but I am told it will send requests to each of your friends on Facebook.

• Gmail

You can use your Hotmail or Email account or any other that can connect to Facebook and create a CSV file that you can use  to import contacts to Gmail but there is a quick way to generate this file.
Friends to Gmail will allow you to connect to Facebook and will generate a page with all your contacts. Just copy the text to Notepad and save as nameyouwant.csv.
Log into Gmail and click Contacts, click More Actions in the toolbar and click Import. Select your CSV file you can now import your Facebook friends to Gmail.

• Yahoo

Log into your Yahoo Mail and on the left where the Contacts heading is listed click Add
Click the Facebook Icon with the heading, Import email addresses from your Facebook friends to Yahoo! Contacts.
Click the Facebook Icon and next you will be presented with a verification page, click Okay.
If you are logged into Facebook it will automatically retrieve your Facebook friends and add them to your Yahoo contacts.

These are just a few of the thousands of Add-on’s and Tricks available across the web for Facebook. If you know of any more such, please do share in the Comments.

Security tips for Facebook is something you may also want to have a look at!

uRexSoft iPhone Pack for Windows computer

If you are an iPhone user, then this giveaway is for you! uRexSoft the developers of the iPhone Pack, have offered us 10 licenses, to be given away for free, to the users of The Windows Club.

The iPhone Pack consists of uRex iPhone DVD Ripper and uRex iPhone Video converter, which will enable you to rip DVD and convert HD and SD videos to iPhone and iPad, on your Windows computer.

uRex iPhone DVD Ripper is mainly a iPhone 4S DVD Ripper that gives fast and stable ripping for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G.

uRex iPhone Video Converter offers a high video conversion speed, high output video quality converting MKV, M2TS, AVI and other videos to iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 and iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS.

The bundle together normally costs $49.90 but 10 licenses will be given away for free to our readers, who use an iPhone.

To win a license, simply share the following on any social site of your choice.

Giveaway: 10 licenses of @uRexSoft iPhone Pack for Windows computer @TheWindowsClub http://bit.ly/uBLs1J

The lucky 10 will be selected randomly after 7 days and the licenses sent to them, by me. When you leave your comment, make sure that I will have access to your mail ID.

The winners can download the software from the following links and then use the license to register the programs.

Download links: uRex iPhone Video Converter | uRex iPhone DVD Ripper.

Do note that one license is to be used on one Windows computer only. Users who want to move the program to another computer need to uninstall the program first.