Thurrott Daily: January 12

Another day, another batch of tidbits from around the web.

1/12/2016 1:29:15 PM

Woody Leonard explains how to really get rid of Windows 10 nagware on Windows 7/8 PCs

I’m curious that Microsoft is risking damaging all the good news around Windows 10 by pushing to hard to get those on Windows 7 or 8 to upgrade. But if you’re burned by this behavior, Woody Leonard has you covered. And this one is a must-read.

If you’re running Windows 7 or 8.1 on a computer that isn’t attached to a domain, you’re no doubt familiar with the “Get Windows 10” ads that try to convince you — sometimes subtly, sometimes forcefully — to install Windows 10. Microsoft’s intrusive campaign has drawn much well-deserved ire among Windows customers. I think it represents a new low in Microsoft marketing — right down there in the Scroogled end of the gene pool.

Last October, Windows honcho Terry Myerson promised: “You can specify that you no longer want to receive notifications of the Windows 10 upgrade through the Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 settings pages.”

I haven’t seen anything in any Win 7 or 8.1 settings pages that allow you to just say no to the Windows 10 upgrade process. If you’ve seen something, please hit me in the comments.

If you want to keep Microsoft from nagging you about Windows 10, you can change a couple of Registry values and hope that history doesn’t repeat itself. Or you can hit it with a full barrage. Neither comes with a guarantee that Microsoft will play fair as it pushes the Win10 juggernaut. But I know which one I’ll choose.

Microsoft exec says that iPad Pro will always be a “companion device”

Let’s just say he doesn’t speak for the company, because that is a seriously misguided opinion. But here’s the story, from Trusted Reviews, which interviewed Microsoft communications manager Dan Laycock.

“Microsoft really wants you to only carry one device for tablet and PC use,” explains Laycock, speaking to us at the Consumer Electronics Show 2016 in Las Vegas. “Whereas the iPad Pro is always going to be a companion device.”

He adds: “The strategies are very different.”

“We don’t see it as a one-to-one comparison, because this is a full PC, you’re running full apps,” Laycock adds.

“Homefront” video game is finally getting a sequel

I played through–and reviewed—Homefront for Xbox 360 almost five years ago, and really enjoyed the single player campaign, which depicted an alternate reality where a combined Korea somehow invades, defeats, and occupies the United States. The story took place in the Western United States—from Colorado to the Golden Gate Bridge outside of San Francisco–and was nicely done. Now, finally, a sequel is one the way.

This is Philadelphia

Welcome to the real Philadelphia, 2029.

You’ve seen the Resistance wage open guerrilla warfare in the war-ravaged outskirts of the Red Zone, while the KPA and American collaborators hide and control the city from the fortified Green Zone. But this, this is Yellow Zone.

You can register for the Xbox One Closed Beta here. It starts in February.

Homefront: The Revolution will ship on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Windows PCs and Linux on May 17, 2016. I’m actually pretty pumped for this.

Elon Musk says Apple Car is “an open secret”

In an interview with the BBC, Tesla’s Elon Musk says that Apple is indeed making its own car.

Tesla’s owner, Elon Musk, has said it is an “open secret” that Apple is making a rival electric car.

Apple has not formally announced it is working on a vehicle, although it did recently register several automobile-related internet domains, including apple.car and apple.auto.

Mr Musk said it was “obvious” that the company would try to make a compelling car of its own.

“It’s pretty hard to hide something if you hire over a thousand engineers to do it,” he said.

But he did not see the iPhone-maker as a threat. “It will expand the industry,” he said.

I see Apple as a threat. Unlike Tesla, that company knows how to make money.