DBS News

This is where we'll announce the most recent additions to our web site. If you've visited us before and want to know what's changed, take a look here first.

Watch This Space		25.02.2010

Windows 7 news		25.02.2010

Now DBS		07.08.2010

Window 7 Latest News		15.06.2009

Warning! Not DBS		19.05.2009

What is Cloud		10.04.2009

Windows 7		27.01.2009

Changes To Our Systems		26.07.2007

Vista We Are Testing		27.02.2007

BT Openzone		15.10.2004

New Cybercafe & Shop		01.09.2004

New Epson Repair Centre		05.04.2003

New Shop		01.04.2003

Credit Card Payments		05.07.2003

Our Systems		08.07.2003

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

It’s time to upgrade from the Windows 7 Release Candidate

While most people who tested Windows 7 have now moved to the final version, some are still running the Release Candidate. If you haven’t moved yet, it’s time to replace the RC.
Starting on March 1, 2010 your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Your work will not be saved during the shutdown.
The Windows 7 RC will fully expire on June 1, 2010. Your PC running the Windows 7 RC will continue shutting down every two hours and your files won’t be saved during shutdown. In addition, your wallpaper will change to a solid black background with a persistent message on your desktop. You’ll also get periodic notifications that Windows isn’t genuine. That means your PC may no longer be able to obtain optional updates or downloads requiring genuine Windows validation.

To avoid interruption, please reinstall a prior version of Windows or move to Windows 7. In either case, you’ll need to do a custom (clean) install to replace the RC. As with any clean installation, you’ll need to back up your data then reinstall your applications and restore the data. For more details about replacing the RC, see the Knowledge Base article KB 971767. For more information, visit the Window 7 Forum.

Thanks again for helping us test Windows 7.

The Windows 7 Team

www.dbscomputers.co.uk is Now My Companies Website! And as such has everything to do with us!

15.06.2009 Microsoft Planning Low Key Windows 7 Launch In October without IE Bundled!

Stuff.co.nz have been speaking to Microsoft representatives in New Zealand and they were told that Microsoft aren’t planning a high profile campaign similar to the launch campaigns of Windows XP and Windows Vista.
When Windows 7 is launched on October 22nd, a Microsoft spokesperson said:
“We will be doing something interesting and exciting. It’s hard to say [...]

A dispute between the European Union and Microsoft was going on for a while. The European Union suggested that Microsoft should consider adding third-party web browsers to their next operating system Windows 7 in an effort to strengthen web browser competition. This felt strange to many users from the European Union as the Firefox web browser was already competing against Internet Explorer on an eye-to-eye level even without being distributed with the operating system.

News broke today that Microsoft has decided – for now – to offer Windows 7 in the European Union without Internet Explorer; Actually without web browser at all which could prove to be very difficulty for users as they have no means to acquire a web browser online. No web browser brings back memories of a time when web browsers were supplied on CDs and even floppy disks as operating systems back then were supplied without them.

“To ensure that Microsoft is in compliance with European law, Microsoft will be releasing a separate version of Windows 7 for distribution in Europe that will not include Windows Internet Explorer,” the software maker said in the memo. “Microsoft will offer IE8 separately and free of charge and will make it easy and convenient for PC manufacturers to preinstall IE 8 on Windows 7 machines in Europe if they so choose. PC manufacturers may choose to install an alternative browser instead of IE 8, and has always been the case, they may install multiple browsers if they wish.”

It has been brought to our attention that Another company has started trading with almost exactly our company name!

We have always been www.dbs-computers.co.uk we changed our name slightly in 1997 to DBS Computer Services

Our Email had changed from contact@ to support@ and has remained as support@dbs-computers.co.uk Every thing else has stayed the same ever since.

www.dbscomputers.co.uk is a new company! And as such have nothing whatsoever to do with us!

What Is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is a computing model that lets you access software, server and storage resources over the Internet, in a self-service manner. Instead of having to buy, install, maintain and manage these resources on your own computer or device, you access and use them through a Web browser. Sometimes you might need to download a small piece of client code (i.e., software you install on your PC), but we'd still categorize that as cloud computing, because, for the most part, the real horsepower is supplied from the cloud.

At this point, many of you may be asking, I still don't get why they call this "cloud" computing — why not Internet computing? The answer is that techies have long used cloud icons to represent the data centres, technologies, infrastructure and services that comprise the Internet — and the metaphor has stuck.

You can perform just about any computing task in the cloud. It's likely that you already use several cloud solutions. For example, software-as-a-service (SaaS) or on demand business applications, such as salesforce.com, Intuit QuickBooks Online or Citrix GoToMeeting are cloud applications; you access them from your Web browser, but the software, processing power and storage reside in the cloud.

Free Web services — such as Google Gmail or Microsoft Hotmail, or FaceBook and Twitter, for that matter — are also examples of cloud computing. Likewise, if you use online backup solutions, you're storing your files in the cloud. And many managed services providers supply services such as network and security monitoring over the Internet. Another example is Amazon.com, which sells access to CPU cycles and storage as a service of its cloud infrastructure.

Why Should You Care?

Most small businesses simply don't have the time, expertise or money necessary to buy, deploy and manage the computing infrastructure needed to run these solutions on their own. Cloud computing shields you from these complexities. As a user, you see only the self-service interface to the computing resources you need. And, you can expand or shrink services as your needs change.

Instead of laying out capital to buy hardware and software, you rent what you need, usually either on a subscription basis, or on a utility pay-as-you go model. Many cloud computing vendors offer free services. Some, like Google and Yahoo, monetize free offerings through ad revenues. Other vendors make money by selling optional, integrated fee-based services alongside the freebies — a model that is gaining momentum.

Microsoft chief executive officer Steve Ballmer unveiled the first widely available public beta of Windows 7, earlier today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

In the opening keynote at CES, Ballmer demonstrated Windows 7, and Windows Live, the company's internet service for home users. Ballmer said he was optimistic that the digital age would not be curbed by the economic crisis. He said, "No matter what happens with the economy, or how long this recession lasts, I believe our digital lives will only continue to get richer. There really is no turning back from the connected world and the pace of technological advance bringing people closer together."

Windows 7, the next major version of the company's desktop operating system will run on existing Vista-ready hardware. Significantly, Microsoft aims to ensure Vista applications run on Windows 7 without modification. In terms of hardware support Microsoft said Vista-ready PCs and notebook PCs should be able to run Windows 7. Additionally, Microsoft said the operating system will also be able to run on currently shipping netbook devices, which currently run either Windows XP or Linux.

All our systems are now Vista compatible and have changed a lot using 160GB SATA2 Hard Drives, PCIE express 128MB graphics cards as our normal kit for the Business systems to 512MB cards on the flagship computers.

We have also had to join the WEEE directive for our waste management and comply fully with the new directives on ROHS compliant etc...

We are currently testing vista finding generally a good improvement over XP, all though not very compatible with games and Internet providers at the moment. It will take some time for the software to catch up. Printers are starting to have new driver written for them and all the old ones seem to have been included as you would expect.

The main changes at prescent are the requirements for high powered processors, large amounts of Ram At least 2GB a Good graphics card for the Aero engine you are really talking new kit. Visually the System is very impressive!

We are waiting for the service pack one for vista which was announced five days before Vista's release some time in the next month!

As with all of our computers our laptops are fully upgradeable and come with a Two year Parts & Labour warranty. You also get all the original CD's! We are now part of the Intel Builders program and so you will be able to see these Laptops specified there soon.

We are now a BT Openzone Hotspot! This means that if you have a Centrino enabled Laptop you can access BT's new wireless Broadband Service. You can purchase usage vouchers in store from £6 for a 60 minute airtime!

From 1st September this year we have opened a new shop at the Stow Shopping Centre. We can now provide better service to our customers including internet access via our Cyber Cafe! Printing and CD Creation, downloads windows updates ETC available.

From 5th July this year we have opened credit card facilities. We can now accept most Major credit cards for payment of goods both in our new shop and from our website.

From 5th April this year we have opened a walk in EPSON repair centre in Harlow's Seedbed Business Centre, Pinnacles East. We have made a few deals with EPSON for repairs or exchange of any Printer or Scanner as long as it's within the manufactures warranty! We try to keep you up to date with the changes as they happen!

From 1st April this year we have opened a repair & Sales outlet in Harlow's Pinnacles industrial area. We have made it now possible for customers to try out our new Computers before you buy. So come along and try for yourselves. You can feel the speed of broadband internet connections. Generally use and see the quality of our standard Pentium 4 Machines. Talk to a Technician not a salesman, ( we don't have any) he will probably be the person who builds your next computer for you!

Our build to order systems have all been revamped with lots of essential improvements. These include new Options, FASTER PROCESSORS. The Latest Motherboards New options for you to choose from!

Please note that any item from our mail order pages can be added at page cost! Too our standard systems.

From 1st January this year we have uploaded our web site. We have made a few deals with Mcafee.com Antiviral software manufactures! We will try to keep you up to date with the industries changes as they happen!

An industry consortium and three US national laboratories demonstrated a prototype of a chip-making machine that it said by 2006 could make chips smaller and nearly 10 times faster than today.

Using so-called extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography to trace ultra small lines of circuitry on silicon wafers, the technology could let companies print circuits down to 0.03 microns.

The consortium of semiconductor companies includes Intel, Motorola, AMD, Micron Technology, Infineon Technologies and IBM. The three labs are Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories.

Chuck Gwyn, programme manager for the collaboration, called the EUV Limited Liability Company (LLC), said the completion of the prototype machine marks a major milestone. "Our next step is to transfer the technology to lithography equipment manufacturers to develop beta and production tools," he said.

Processors using EUV technology are expected to reach speeds of up to 10Ghz by 2006.

The machine, known as the Engineering Test Stand, will be used by LLC partners and lithography tool suppliers during the next year to refine the technology and get it ready to create prototype commercial machines that meet industry requirements for high-volume chip production. The prototype should start at 0.07-micron circuitry.

Kevin Krewell, an analyst at MicroDesign Resources, said that it looks like the right technology. "You've got all the major players supporting it. It looks real solid," he said.

It looks like Microsoft have decided to take more control of the software on your hard disk with their forthcoming XP Operating System. (Now Released).

Windows XP (formerly known as Whistler) is currently in Beta Testing and it has been revealed that the Windows Update feature known to Win 98/ME users will be a thing of the past. Microsoft seems to be moving towards more and more updates over the internet and users had previously been alerted of the availability of an upgrade when they logged on and given the option to download it.

In Windows XP all defined drivers will be on the Microsoft site and updates will become an automatic invisible feature. Windows will check the site regularly for the latest patches, updates and drivers.

While this will be convenient for many users, a great number of people will object to Microsoft taking control of their machines, changing their configuration automatically and using bandwidth to download files without alerting the user. It could also cause System Administrators headaches as every PC on a network simultaneously attempts to download a large update!

Internet Explorer 6 is a set of core technologies in Windows XP. It provides a rich online experience and a new way of browsing the Internet for users of Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT Workstation 4.0 and Windows 2000 Professional

15.06.2009 Microsoft Planning Low Key Windows 7 Launch In October without IE Bundled!

What Is Cloud Computing?

Why Should You Care?