Chrome OS is now installable using VMware (VMfusion for Mac) or Virtualbox for Windows/Mac/*nix flavors. My current setup is Windows Vista Home Premium and I’ll be running VirtualBox 3.0.12 for Windows hosts x86/amd64. There are two installation copies available at the moment one made available at Gdgt and the other one available on Torrents.

I downloaded both, worked with the install image available at Gdgt with no luck then tried the one from the Torrents which worked like a charm! Click here to download the copy available at Gdgt and here to download the copy from torrent.

Before you read too much into the whole Chrome OS thing, you should know that at this opint its nothing more than a browser, a Chrome browser. Even eventually it will remain just a browser but one that will be capable of doing a lot within a browser.

Alright, with that out of the way let’s jump right into installing the Chrome OS on Windows Vista VirtualBox. (Click here to download VirtualBox)

Step 1: Click on the “New” icon after running Virtualbox once it is installed [Screen1]

Step 2: Click “Next” on the “New Virtual Machine Wizard” [Screen2]

Step 3: Name the Virutal Machine and select the appropriate Operating System and Version from the dropdown [Screen3]

Step 4: Select the amount of memory you’d like to allocate to the Virtual Machine. Not less than 512MB’s and not more than 25% of the Memory available on the machine [Screen4]

Step 5: Select “Boot Hard Disk” checkbox and select “Use existing Hard-Disk” and click on the directory icon next to the drop down menu [Screen5]

Step 6: Click on the “Add” button on “Virtual Media Manager” window and brows and select the downloaded and unzipped Chrome OS file. [Screen6]

Step 7: Click on “Select” on the “Virtual Media Manager” [Screen7]

Step 8: Hit “Next” on the “Virtual Hard Drive” window [Screen8]

Step 9: Check the configuration and hit “Finish” to complete the setup [Screen9]

Step 10: Hit “Start” to launch the newly installed Chrome OS [Screen10]

You will see the login screen next. Use a Google account to login to the operating system and browse away using the new Google Chrome OS!

Following are few of the screenshots from the OS. As mentioned earlier, the new OS at this point it is nothign more than a browser and all you can do is browse websites once logged in.

Gauging OS performance based on the current setup is not recommended as its installed on a minimum hardware configuration.

Google just announced that the Chrome OS is ready to be kicked out in the open for the developer community to get involved.

Yes, just for the developers for now. The final release will be available same time next year. This release invites the developers to join the open-source community and build the Chrome OS. The project currently includes the latest code base, designs and user interface experiments.

It’s obviously too early to predict what the Chrome OS will look like but be sure that it will be one of the fastest OS you’ve ever used! So how are they doing that?

Google Chrome OS is laser targeted at users who heavily work on the internet so the most important thing for them is a browser. This gives them the flexibility to look at the existing technologies and get rid of the process and technologies that are not required and improve the ones that are required.

For example – Google claims that the OS can come back from sleep in almost 1 second! NOW that’s crazy!

I wrote an article about a DOS based Browser which make Operating Systems like Windows less meaningful. The article suggests creating a technology which is ONLY capable of running a browser and within that browser lies your Operating System.

This article was published almost two years ago – So just like the Windows 7 users I can proudly say Chrome OS WAS MY IDEA! – Read the article here.

Click here to register and get regular updates about Chrome OS while you wait for it to see the light of day.

Watch the following videos to see some early impressions of Chrome OS!

This Video discusses and shows how Google Chrome OS will make things faster and possible

Want to see how quickly Google Chrome OS boots? Check this video out!

An overview of the Chrome OS

This video explains how the opensource process for Chrome OS works and talks a little bit about the underlying technologies of Chrome OS

I am yet to see if this version is buggy but improved performance is one of the first things that you will notice the moment any of the office applications is launched.

This beta version comes with some obvious UI tweeks. The technical preview was color packed where as the beta version goes back the old Microsoft way of keeping it simple.

Couple of notable changes between office 2010 technical preview and Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010…

• Color theme is changed to a more subtle Grey or Silver as Microsoft calls it.
• The “Back” button is changed to “File” which looks better and merges will with the rest of the items on the menu.
  
  
• Formatting and colors on the Backstage have been changed
• Microsoft has also added additional themes and transitions in the beta version of PowerPoint
  
• Menu items on Backstage have been reshuffled
  
• A “Number” of recent documents can be added to the sidebar in Backstage
  
• Themes option is back in Office Professional Plus 2010 Beta. I love the black theme
• New option called “Start Inking” used to highlight or write while reviewing documents
• New “Language Preferences” added to the Review tab
• New share on “SkyDrive” option is added to the menu on the Backstage
• Few Icons have been fixed in Beta version
  
• Office application icons get a makeover for a new and stylish look
• Outlook goes more social with the “Social Connector”. The new feature helps users bring their communications history, business and social networking feeds right into Outlook to keep on top of everything thats happening around them in office or friends.

So, that was the list of new and modified set of features in the latest version of Office beta.

Office 2010 for Windows Mobile is also made available today. It can be downloaded from Windows Market Place for Windows 6.5 Mobiles.

This was just the changelog of the Office Professional Plus 2010 Beta. Stay tuned for Office Professional Plus 2010 review.

Google, Yahoo, Bing, Granny in the neighbours house who does not know how to configure her Wi-Fi router are all offering free access to internet but sometimes free comes with a higher cost when paid otherwise. It’s important to know how to surf such open hot-spots safely without losing or exposing your identity online.

Following is the list of softwares and techniques one can use to protect your computer against such pitfalls.

First things first:

• Unshare all the files and folders that are configured to share the content on your home or office network. If you don’t remember the list of files and folders that are shared over the network you can do one of two things,
  • Type  \\<Your Computer Name> to see all the shared files on your computer and remove sharing from all the files and folders
  • Go to Network and Sharing Center in the Control Panel and turn off “Folder Sharing” from under “Sharing and Discovery” section

• Install a personal firewall on the computer to know if anyone is trying to gain unauthorized access to the information on your computer.
  • ZoneAlaram (free) [link]
  • Pc Tools Freewall Plus (free) [link]
  • Ashampoo FireWall Free 1.2 (free) [link]
• Install VPN for secure browsing. VPN encrypts every bit of information that is sent and received from your computer making it a hack-proof method of browsing on open hotspots.
  • Open VPN [link]

Besides the suggestions mentioned above it is also important to make sure you have an updated anti-virus running on your computer and the computer is scanned at least once in 15 days.

I use Kaspersky on my computer and I am pretty happy with it. I’d recommend the same to all our readers. [link]

Hope this helps in securing your information over unsecured Wi-Fi and Hotspots.

The company is about to release a public beta of an Ad-Supported version of office 2010 which will be made available for free once it is out of beta.

This could be a HUGE setback for companies like Google who are trying to attract users by making their versions of office applications free.

I’ve always believed Microsoft has an upper-hand even when it comes to online office because of its existing user base. If the company plays it right then its online version of office will see more users than Google Docs has. (IMHO)

That remains to be seen! For now you can click on the following link and register to be one of the lucky beta testers of Office Starter Edition.

• Microsoft Survey

You’ll have to answer the following questions once you click on the link above to complete the survey and register as a beta tester.

• What operating system is running on your home PC?
• What type of Internet connection do you have at your home residence?
• Select the type of computer that you use most frequently at home. Please do not include personal computers that are primarily used for work and/or issued by an employer.
• Below are a list programs that can be used for personal productivity tasks. Answer “yes” if you’ve used the application in the past six months for a personal productivity task such as writing a letter, managing home finances, or editing your resume; otherwise answer “no”.
• Which version of Office do you use?

I’ve already registered, hope you guys will do too. Here is the link again.

We’ve seen all sorts of applications for adult iPhone users. Thanks to Tickle Tap Apps, now we are starting to see apps for preschoolers.

Tickle Tap Apps is owned by zinc Roe, an award-winning studio in creating websites and games for kids and youth.

Given the expertise at zinc Roe, Tickle Tap Apps was a logical extension to attract new userbase.

The company has released 10 applications so far. Each of these applications are designed for enhanced learning through tested and proven methods for children’s education.

There are applications like Sort Slider which test and enhance a child’s ability to match similar shapes or Count Candy which teaches counting and numbers or Sound Shaker which lets children create and play with chimes, drums, etc..

The application are priced up to $1.99 each but are well worth the money as children learn a great deal from such application without even knowing they are learning stuff. But of course I don’t know many people who would just hand over their iPhones to the kids for a round of Count Candy

Watch the following video to know more about Tickle Tap Apps or click here (iTunes link)to see all Tickle Tap Applications on iTunes.

Currently there are two utilities (there is a third one too but it involves quite a bit of manual work) which will help you deactivate WGA or remove WGA from Windows 7. One is called Remove WAT and the second one is called Chew WGA.

And from what I see on the forums, developers of both the patches i.e Remove WAT and Chew WGA are coming together to help each other with the issues their respective patches might be facing.

Hazar, creator of Remove WAT claims that this patch is a lot different from the previous WGA Patches for Win XP or Win Vista in a way that new OS updates or service packs will not change the installed WGA patch on Windows 7.

There is also a video on Youtube which shows how to use Remove WAT to remove Windows Genuine Advantage from Windows 7 completely. We expect this video to be removed from Youtube soon as it is against Youtube policies.

Click on the following link for more information about Remove WAT (http://hazarforums.49.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=61)

On the other hand Chew WGA is finding it tough to host its software files because of the pressure on the hosting service. For now you can read more about Chew WGA here. (http://forums.mydigitallife.info/showthread.php?t=9708)

We do not recommend or encourage deactivating WGA on Windows 7 or removing WGA from Windows 7 in anyway. This post is published for informational purposes only.

We recommend buying a genuine copy of Windows operating system if you want to continue to use it beyond the trial period. Click here to buy Windows 7.

Popular Science released the annual Best Of What’s New 2009. The awards honor the 100 best innovations for the year in several technology related categories.

Here is the list of the winning innovations in their respective categories.

1. Canon EOS 5D Mark II – Gadgets – [link]
2. 2010 Mercedes s400 BlueHybrid – Auto Tech [link]
3. 3M/Littmann Electronic Stethoscope – Health [link]
4. Microsoft Project Natal – Home Entertainment [link]
5. NASA Kepler Space Telescope – Aviation & Space [link]
6. Steward Advanced Materials – Green Tech [link]
7. Wolfram Research WolframAlpha – Computing [link] ( For some reason Brandon claims Windows 7 is the winner of this category)
8. X-Flex Blast Protection System – Security [link]
9. Sea-Doo GTX Limited iS 255 – Recreation [link]
10. Bosch Full Force Technology – Home Tech [link]

Following videos show few of the winners in action..

3M/Littmann Electronic Stethoscope

Microsoft Project Natal:

Canon 5D Mark II

2010 Mercedes s400 BlueHybrid

Adding contact information to a mobile phone has become one of the most boring things ever. Fortunately Shape services have figured out a way to make this activity less monotonous and more techie.

So here is what it does, simply take a picture of a business card using the mobile camera or select an existing picture of a business card and the application scans the card in matrix style and automatically saves all the information in the address book.

I tried this application with a couple of cards and I am impressed with what it does.  It’s easy to use, simple, straight forward and does what it says.

The application has already made it to the “New and Noteworthy” list and stands right on top of the Business Apps list.

So here is what you do…

Download and Install the application from iTunes. Application sells for $5.99.

Fire up the application once it is installed

Once the application is up and running, select if you want to click a picture of the card or select an existing picture.

Click a picture of the business card

Once you click the picture let the application process and read the information on the card

Once it scans the card and processes the information, it automatically feeds all the information in the appropriate fields in address book.

As you can see in the image below it does a pretty good job of capturing the information.

The application is definitely worth a try. Click here to download it (iTune Link).