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TECHcast: Verdict out on the new Windows 7

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Today let’s take a look at a few new trends and products.

* There is a great debate ongoing about the next version of Windows, called Windows 7. While it is not expected to be released for at least a year, Microsoft has allowed some downloads of an early version of the software. As you can imagine, it is still very primitive.

Most reviews I’ve read are positive, saying that it’s faster and leaner than Vista. We’ll have to wait and see if Microsoft can convert the doubters and release a really good OS this time. Vista has been a public-relations disaster for the company, so they need to get the next one right.

* Unified communications is a generic term that implies a connection among e-mail, instant messaging and telephone calls. Many companies realize this is a powerful sales tool, and they are working to put together a simple system to accomplish this.

One attempt seems to be Google’s recent announcement that they plan to add support for voice and video chat to their popular e-mail service, G-mail. Many users would like to easily switch among several options to send messages or reach friends, so this is welcome news to many.

Another new offering that looked very attractive at first is VoxOx, another attempt at an all-in-one solution. I looked forward to trying out this service for you, but I couldn’t get it to work properly on any of three computers, which was very disappointing since it looks so promising. I tried to find a support contact on their Web site, but had no luck there either as they list no phone number or e-mail address. However, bear in mind that this service is brand new and may very well eventually be a winner. Hopefully they will improve their support system as they improve their product.

* The economic mess continues to claim new victims. Circuit City has declared bankruptcy and even Best Buy has lowered its revenue projections, noting that we are in “the most difficult climate we have ever seen.” We are in for a period of adjustment, and the tech sector, like all others, will have to adapt and find a way to do well in these changing times.

n It’s not uncommon to hear that a laptop battery or computer-based system or phone has been recalled, but now that tech is everywhere, even cars are not immune from software and hardware problems. Zdnet recently reported that Cadillac has recalled almost 13,000 cars that have a software bug affecting their air bag sensor. This sort of thing will certainly become more common as computers become embedded in almost everything. The Y2K episode illustrated just how problematic this can be, especially in the area of embedded systems.

* A company called PhoneTopp has announced a service that will enable users of so-called smart phones to participate in Web conferences. A smart phone is usually a device that can connect to the Web and offers advanced features beyond basic phone service.

They plan to allow users to fast forward or rewind to past sections of sessions and even to archive the total conference online for later use. It’s uncertain how useful this would be, but I think they’ll do well if they keep it simple and fast.

* Finally, Pure Digital is releasing its newest mini camcorder for $230 called the Flip Mino HD. This company pioneered the small YouTube-ready camcorder market. The Mino claims to shoot high-definition video, but keep in mind that the HD label is tossed about pretty loosely these days. I hope to get my hands on one soon for a review.

E-mail Donnie Jenkins at donniejenkins@yahoo.com.

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