When Microsoft launched Vista in 2007, critics came down heavily on its incompatibility with third-party applications. This time around, weeks before the launch of its latest operating system, Windows 7, the software giant introduced an online service designed to let consumers know whether their PCs are capable of running the operating system (OS). The service will scan the users’ hardware, detect incompatibilities and provide recommendations.

The new OS is said to be simpler and can go well with all kind of computers, from the largest desktops to the smallest netbooks. Smaller computers are gaining ground as all that people want to do these days is to just log on to the Internet. And Windows 7 promises to do just that. It is designed with an aim to flourish in an Internet-dominated landscape and is prepared for cloud computing. Just days before the launch of Windows 7, Apple announced an all new lineup of iMacs. Google launched its own operating system some time ago and IBM has announced that it is introducing an Ubuntu-based, an operating system from Linux, desktop package in 2010. Clearly, Microsoft cannot afford to get its latest move wrong.

Sale Boomerangs

It was one of the strange outcomes of the financial crisis. When a bankrupt General Motors put its European business, Opel, on the block, many suitors jumped at the offer, including Fiat. Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel backed auto-part maker Magna International and its partners, Sberbank and GAZ, Russia’s second-largest carmaker, for they promised not to shut down Opel’s German factories. On its part, Germany pledged 4.5 billion euros in financing for the transaction. Now, the big worry for GM is that GAZ would get its hands on Opel technology and then compete with its Chevrolet brand in Russia. But all deals have a risk element, don’t they?

Media Wars

the Gloves are off in the Bloomberg versus Thomson Reuters bid for global news domination. On October 14, Bloomberg made BusinessWeek a $5 million offer the ailing magazine couldn’t refuse. So far, only the Wall Street high-fliers favoured Bloomberg. With BusinessWeek, it hopes to get even government officials, a big readership of the magazine, plugging into its terminals. Not surprisingly, the next day, Bloomberg rival Thomson Reuters serenaded Breakingviews. In a deal that is rumoured to be worth about $18 million, Thomson Reuters will be pushing Reuters News further into the world of commenting on business and financial news. Bring it on.

Blowing Hot And Cold

The ice caps are melting, the oceans are rising and the planet is getting warmer. Everybody agrees that the world is on its deathbed but there has been no agreement on sharing the responsibilities. The rich, fossil fuel-addicted countries were pitted against poorer countries that had just begun to taste carbon-based development. Thankfully, the recent summit at London seems to have narrowed down differences. Seventeen major world economies, along with 14 other countries, have agreed to provide more funds to enable developing countries to grow cleanly and adapt to climate change. According to estimates, this may add up to more than $160 billion a year.

Page-Turner

A curious battle is playing out in the US ahead of a string of high-profile book releases. Wal-Mart announced it would sell 10 such books to be published next month at $10 each, online. Amazon promptly matched the price. The Bentonville giant, aka Wal-Mart, lowered the price to $9. Amazon followed suit. Wal-Mart then crossed off another cent from its price. At $8.99 cents now, the books, some by heavy-hitters like Stephen King, had become a steal overnight. It seems the growing might of Amazon pressed the retailer into action. Amazon is no more just an online bookseller. It is now a general online retailer. But if there is a Wal-Mart on the Web, can it be anyone other than Wal-Mart?