Microsoft announced that as of Monday they have sold 400 million Windows 7 licenses worldwide since its release in October 2009.

While that is great news for the company, they also discussed their Windows 8 OS during a Worldwide Partner Conference, but only briefly, as more will be revealed later on in the year.

Why all the fanfare over Windows 7? Besides the growth, the company also wants people to ditch XP for 7, because Microsoft announced that customers now have 1,000 days until the company stops supporting Windows XP.

According to Erwin Visser, senior director for the Windows Commercial Product Marketing team “Windows XP served us well, but in the ten years since it launched, the world has changed. It’s time to retire Windows XP and move to Windows 7 to take advantage of the last decade of innovation in areas such as security, performance and more natural, intuitive interface.”

How will this work, since the two OS are not really compatible with each other? Microsoft lauded the cloud-based service Intune can help users manage and secure their computers from any location.

“Windows Intune has proven to be the comprehensive solution [partners and customers] need, giving them cloud services for PC management and security and upgrade rights to Windows 7 Enterprise (and future versions of Windows) from a single, simple subscription,” said Visser.

It sounds like Microsoft is trying to help the demise of XP by providing tools to help people make the transfer.

Many XP users stuck with the venerable operating system after downgrading from the failed Windows Vista a few years ago.

CAMBRIDGE — Thursday’s release of Microsoft’s new Windows 7 operating system saw the company open the doors to its New England Research & Development Center to hundreds of college students for a first look at the successor to the widely-panned Vista.

The event, held at Microsoft’s Cambridge office on Memorial Drive, featured product giveaways, a live DJ and activities such as Halo matches and Rock Band to keep those in the tenth floor lounge entertained between demonstrations of the new operating system. Attendees waiting in line to receive their free copy of the operating system noshed on Windows 7-themed cupcakes as George Matthews, a Microsoft software development engineer, showed off Windows 7′s slick new features via projector at the far end of the lounge. In keeping with the spirit of a student event in Boston, Matthews’ presentation even included an Easter egg of sorts that he claimed proves Microsoft Office’s chief icon designer is a Red Sox fan.

CAMBRIDGE — Windows 7 is here. The launch party for Boston was in Cambridge on Thursday, and students even got free copies of the operating system. There will be Blast photos from that event later.

We talked to Marty Cassidy, the general manager of the northeast district for Microsoft, about what makes Windows 7 tick. Here’s what we got:

BLAST: For people that downgraded or stayed with Windows XP, what will be the biggest differences between XP and 7 for users?

MICROSOFT: For current XP users, there are several reasons to upgrade to Windows 7, including enhancements to security, networking and search.

• Security: while Microsoft prides itself on software security measures, the security levels have increased from XP to Vista to Windows 7 making it the most secure operating system on the market today.
• Networking: previously networking all devices took a few extra steps that were challenging for some: now with Windows 7, connecting to a network can be done with a simple click of the mouse.
• Search: with the ability to search across various networks, Windows 7 takes the search for files to the next step. Search functions can also utilize Internet Explorer 8 to provide assistance to those users looking for computer help.

BLAST: What about Windows gaming on 7?

MICROSOFT: Games Explorer is the center for gaming on Windows 7, providing information about games, such as game play statistics, ratings and requirements. In addition, you can find new games or more information about online providers right from Games Explorer. Also, with the Game Update feature within Games Explorer, you can request to be notified whenever there are updates for your games. Parental Controls features also allow specification for which PC games your children can play.

If you’re a gamer, you know how graphics, sound and interaction capabilities are becoming richer. You probably also know that the hardware limitations of 32-bit PCs can limit the gaming experience. As more people opt for 64-bit PCs, new games will be able to take advantage of more robust and powerful processing. Because Windows 7 fully supports 64-bit PCs, you’ll be ready when they arrive.

As part of the newest DirectX Graphics Technology Platform, Direct3D 11 helps game developers create high performance games with richer, more realistic graphics. With a DirectX 11 compatible graphics card, you’ll be playing games with higher frame rates, more organic, realistic looking characters, smarter artificial intelligence, and more natural-looking effects. A large subset of the Direct3D 11 feature set is also available on existing DirectX 10-compatible graphics cards.

All games built to perform on Windows XP will remain available on XP mode.

BLAST: What are the top differences between Windows Vista and Windows 7?

MICROSOFT: Windows 7 builds upon innovative features from Windows Vista and feedback from our customers. The greatest difference users will notice with Windows 7 is that it works the way people want with less time needed for boot-up sequences and shut down. Some of the top differences include:

• Better and faster performance: start-up times and boot-up sequences have been decreased as users interact with a faster and more efficient operating system
• Increased integration beyond the operating system: Windows 7 has upgraded the pop-up message when connecting a device, as more drivers will be supported and more device-specific options including links to manufacturer’s website which will allow you to see additional related software that supports the device
• Improved taskbar: Windows 7 will improve on the many advancements of Windows Vista by allowing for personalization of icons to display on the taskbar
• Less storage requirement: storage requirement for the operating system has been nearly reduced by half
• Multi-touch capability: users can interact directly with the PC through finger keystrokes
• Enhanced media center: features include Internet TV with greater telecasting capabilities

BLAST: What are the brand new features in 7?

MICROSOFT: Microsoft continues to further innovation and produce technologies that people want to use and that will help manage their busy home and business lives. Many of the latest features in Windows 7 are designed to decrease search times while increasing access across multiple devices. Some of the highlights include:

• Desktop: introducing improved taskbar previews, bigger icons and creative ways to personalize
• HomeGroup: takes the headache out of home networking, so it’s easier to share files and printers
• Jump lists: speedy access to your favorite pictures, songs, websites, and documents
• Snap: a quick (and fun) new way to resize and compare windows on your desktop
• Windows Live Essentials: must-have software for your PC — free. Get Mail, Photo Gallery, and other favorites
• Windows Search: at last, searching your PC is as simple as searching
• Performance improvements: it’s designed to sleep and resume quicker, be less memory hungry, and spot USB devices faster
• Full 64-bit support: Windows 7 makes the most of powerful 64-bit PCs, the new desktop standard
• Power management: new power-saving features are designed to help laptops run longer on battery
• Easier wireless networking: Windows 7 gets you online in fewer clicks
• Windows Media Center: watch, record, and pause live TV (additional hardware required)
• Windows Touch: pair Windows 7 with a touch-sensitive PC and you won’t always need a keyboard or mouse

BLAST: What new programs/apps are there in Windows 7?

MICROSOFT: Those top applications that worked on previous operating systems will continue to operate on Windows 7 as new apps are being continuously developed. Many of the latest programs are designed to connect multiple units, creating greater collaboration amongst devices.

• PC interaction – Windows Touch and improved handwriting recognition provide new and more direct ways of interacting with your PC
• Navigation: the customizable taskbar presents previews in a larger, clearer format. You can get to documents, applications and tasks faster with jump lists
• Home collaboration: creating a home group has easier set-up, easier file and media sharing across multiple PCs, along with one step printer sharing, simple security control
• HomeGroup: connecting multiple devices and sharing music, photos, documents and more
• Direct Access: this feature enables IT managers to provide mobile users with reliable and security-enhanced access to corporate network resources when they are on the Internet, without having to initiate a VPN connection. It also allows servicing and updating of remote PCs, even when they are on the road. This helps ensure that all mobile PCs are always up to date, and Windows Powershell means IT pros can automate many standard tasks to help reduce helpdesk costs, minimize user disruption and ease PC management. Direct Access is delivered by Windows 7 with Windows Server 2008 R2
• BranchCache: delivered jointly by Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, this feature enables IT pros to decrease the time branch office users spend waiting to download files from remote servers by caching the previously accessed content locally in a branch’s network
• Libraries: helps you find files faster. Gives users a single view of content across multiple sources

The Windows 7 upgrade edition costs $119 for the Home Premium version and $219 for the Ultimate edition. We highly recommend it.

Google’s march toward world domination”"we mean, organizing the world’s information, took a huge step forward today as they announced their intentions to release an open-source Google operating system in late 2009 and provide it on netbooks in 2010. Such a Google OS would be very lightweight, and dedicate much its processing power towards web-based applications in Google Chrome, hence Google naming the operating system “Google Chrome OS.”

While it’s unexpected that such an announcement would come today, it actually makes sense in the grand scheme of things. When one looks at all the web applications Google offers”"Gmail, calendar, Google Docs, a desktop search”"organizing these programs into a tightly integrated package at a good price seems very logical. When one considering that Google’s price for just about everything is “free” it seems like an even better deal. It’s worth nothing that such a concept isn’t strictly original. In the recent past, Wal-mart sold a $199 computer that came with a Ubuntu distribution, gOS, which featured web applications heavily.

Google already has one operating system, but Android is a mobile platform, and Google says in its blog post that Chrome OS is a “is a new project, separate from Android.” Most applications written for Chrome OS would reside in the Chrome browser, making it exceptionally cross-platform. (This is, of course, assuming Chrome ever makes it to OS X. Our fingers are crossed.) Google also promises the OS will be lightweight so it can boot and get you to the web quickly where you can do your business.

Why should you care? Because now Google is going after Microsoft, Apple, and everyone else at the throat. No longer are Microsoft’s cash cows safe; with Google Docs rapidly becoming a viable web alternative to Office, Google Chrome OS could now start to threaten the Windows user base as well. Clearly the take over isn’t going to occur overnight. Depending on who’s counting, Google Chrome users make up about 2% of the browser share, while Firefox is at about 20% and IE remains king at around 60%.

But Android, which currently runs on only one phone offered by T-Mobile, has still managed to attract a huge number of application developers and amassed a sizable app library. Between Google’s solid web applications, these dedicated developers, the general drive to offload computing to the “cloud,” and Google’s bottomless pockets, this very well could develop into more than just a twinkle in Google’s eye.

While we would love to get our hands on an OS X version of Chrome alone, we’re even more excited by the prospect of running an entire Google OS on our computer. We’ll keep an eye out to the future for you.

Optical drives in laptops are battery hungry and noisy gadgets that are growing less and less useful in the day and age of cheap flash memory. In fact, for everyday computing, many manufacturers have decided to just forgo them; this is especially true in the burgeoning netbook arena.

Still, there are a few situations that an optical drive is quite necessary for, and installing something like a new operating system is probably one of them. While the number of times which we’ve used the optical drive on our MacBook is less than we can count on two hands, upgrading from Tiger to Leopard was certainly one of them.

Netbooks, in case you’ve been sleeping under a log for last couple years, are tiny, ultra-portable, and underpowered notebook computers. Because there’s only so much room for all the components their tiny batteries are tiny, hence they can sustain only so much and optical drives are usually left out to compensate.

With impending operating system updates on the horizon for both Windows and OS X users, Microsoft might for once be a leader in working around this problem. Striving to make Windows 7 a viable operating system for new netbooks, CNET is reporting that Microsoft is considering delivering Windows 7 on flash drives to allow optical drive-less users to easily install or update their operating systems.

Another thing to consider is that since Vista proved too bloated and resource intensive to run on netbooks, most users opt to run XP. Upgrading XP to Windows 7 will require a clean install with a data backup; delivery on a flashdrive with room to spare could neatly solve this problem.

Windows has made no such official announcement about delivery, but it will be interesting to keep an eye out for innovation, especially when it comes from Redmond.

Are those “Get a Mac” ads that always talk about how your PC is always infested with horrible viruses and spyware annoying you yet? Well, they’re certainly annoying Microsoft.

Ever since XP Service Pack 2, the company has always strongly suggested that users should install anti-virus software, displaying one of those nagging yellow bubbles in the taskbar. Before, the only tool Microsoft offered was its Windows Defender software, a free download which protects users from spyware related assaults. Now, largely in response to the never ending onslaught of new security threats, Microsoft is getting ready to release its first full blown anti-malware software, Microsoft Security Essentials.

Originally codenamed Morro, the software will offer a full range of virus and malware removal as well as real time protection. While Windows Defender offered spyware protection, this addition of protection from viruses will make this a solid, complete solution, especially considering it will be available free.

Of course, to avoid even more anti-trust issues, the software can’t be bundled directly with Windows, so exactly how Microsoft intends to “strongly suggest” that users download the software, free it may be, is yet to be seen. Also of note is that installation of the software will require users to use the Genuine Advantage program.

Leaked yesterday, the program itself is very lightweight and has very low system requirements”"all good things for a program you’ll have to keep running 24/7. ‚ As we said, this new offering will be a free downloadable addition to all Windows versions, XP through 7, when it’s released this fall. Before then though, Microsoft is opening the product (link not yet live) to 75,000 beta testers on June 23, if you want to test putting your security in Microsoft’s control.

There are many methods and products for ensuring data encryption, but unfortunately many can run you hundreds of dollars along with countless hours of time in the process.

I’ve always felt that some of the best software is free — take Mozilla Firefox for example.‚  SafeHouse Explorer is another great free product and in my use, I’ve found it to be a comprehensive data encryption solution for most Windows users.

One thing that I’ve noticed and enjoy about SafeHouse Explorer is its very clean look and simplicity of use. The application is designed to have the same appearance as the Windows Explorer and some of the most frequent tasks such as the “open volume” button are well placed and labeled, making the overall interface very functional, yet simple.

SafeHouse Explorer works to protect and encrypt your files by first letting your choose the size of its database or volume file. Then you create a password. I recommend that you choose a strong password (use the password strength indicator to help you), considering this will be your “master password” to all your files that are stored in that one volume. Once this is complete, you can simply drag and drop files into the window, and the program will then index and encrypt the files upon exiting the program.

One feature worth noting is the secure move-ability. This feature enables you easily move files to the SafeHouse application, and once imported, it destroys the files in the original location where they were dragged from.

Recovering your files is simple as well, and there are a variety of ways to regain access to your encrypted files. Users can create desktop shortcuts, double click on the volume file or simply launch the application and use the “open volume” button and navigate to the database or volume file. From there, users must enter their password- in which they assigned previously when they created the volume. SafeHouse Explorer then displays all of their files and the user can make changes. It then automatically creates a network drive when it recognizes you are logged into a particular volume. Once you close SafeHouse Explorer it deletes the network drive from Windows. This option makes it incredibly easy for users to easily gain access to their files using the familiar genuine Windows Explorer without having to use SafeHouse Explorer to access files. When volume is open in the application, users can make modifications directly to the file in SafeHouse Explorer. Many other clients require you to re-import files to make changes.

The company also offers a pro version of SafeHouse that offers additional functionality, but the free version is more than enough for most Windows users just looking to safeguard and encrypt files. There’s no Mac version, however.

You can download SafeHouse Explorer for free at: http://www.safehouseencryption.com/

The Highly anticipated Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two will officially launch in North America on Wednesday, October 29 2008. Priced at $14.95 for Linux, Mac and Windows via Greenhouse and 1,200 Microsoft Points, Penny Arcade Adventures 2 will continue the off-the wall humorous,‚ tongue‚ in cheek story of Gabe and Tycho made famous by the original episode and of course, the hugely popular web-comic.

“This game is all about the strange and insane world of New Arcadia and the Penny Arcade-style humor to be found in it,” said Hothead CEO Vlad Ceraldi. “With the cool gameplay additions we’ve made, including longer gameplay, completion tracking and difficulty settings; extra Lovecraftian overtones in the world and music; and the perfect time of the year, everything just came together.”

Players who may have missed the first episode can start a new quest, with a completely new character, while returning gamers will be able to use the data from Episode 1. Expected to being gamers anywhere from 6-10 hours of gameplay, Penny Arcade Adventures 2 also features new difficulty settings, bringing bigger, badder enemies to do battle with.

Along with dropping word on the game’s release, developer Hot Head Games released the game’s full list of achievements for the Xbox 360. The game’s 11 achievement, along with one secret achievement are as follows:

- Millionaire – Collect one million dollars in cash (15)

- Moving On Up – Collect the Wealth key (15)

- Arsonist – Burn down the Riverbrook Apartments (15)

- Endgame – Collect a ticket for the World’s Fair (15)

- Can’t Nobody Hold You Down – Defeat the Game’s final Boss (15)

- Steel Cannibal – Spend robot parts to upgrade all weapons (20)

- Lab Assistant -‚ Complete Dr. Stripe’s and Dr. Whimple’s missions‚ (15)

- ‚ Reluctant Hero -‚ At the beginning of the episode, refuse to join Gabe and Tycho 5 times (5)

- The Strength to Rule:‚ Kill enough enemies to earn the XP needed for all party members to reach Level 30 (20)

- POWER SURRRGE! -‚ Block enemy attacks and get one party member’s hit counter up to 40 (25)

- Pack Rat Strikes Back -‚ Only use items to win a fight. No attacks or counter attacks allowed (25)