REX Game Studios released REX Latitude on 11-22-12 as promised.  In this article I'll go over the prerequisites, the install and usage and thoughts on the new add-on for the venerable Microsoft Flight Simulator X and Prepar3D.  Check out our video at the end of the article for a brief overview of the Latitude interface as well.  Latitude is a great way to log your flight characteristics and learn from those results and compare yourself to other pilots in an "online Career" if you choose to upload your stats.

For a limited time, Microsoft is offering the Media Center add-on for Windows 8 Pro as a free option.  At least according to the information on Microsoft's website located here.

They are offering this from October 26th 2012 through January 31st 2013, limited to one key per email address.  You have to activate the product key by January 31st 2013 as well.  The regular pricing on this add-on is $9.99.  It is likely that if you use this link today, that the key won't be emailed until tomorrow.  What isn't clear at this time is that if you must activate before January 31st 2013, what happens if you rebuild and reactivate your system after this point?  I'm sure details on this will follow.

Note that if you try to do the upgrade from the Control Panel in Windows 8 they will charge you the full $9.99 fee, so be sure to use the web link above.

If you are an Enterprise user you can now get your hands on the bits for Office 2013.  MSDN and Technet now have the download links available.  Office 2013 will be available to the general public beginning in early 2013.

Adding to the list of recent Microsoft RTM's, they have announced that Office 2013 is at RTM, which also includes SharePoint 2013, Exchange 2013, Project 2013, Lync 2013, Visio 2013 and the Office 365 service.

In the past Microsoft has only offered either a full retail license, retail upgrade and OEM license.  If you build your own PC as it stands today, you are expected to buy a full retail copy of Windows because the fine print states that individual use of the OEM is prohibited.  The OEM has always been the cheaper of the bunch, however.  Now with Windows 8 this all changes.

So you have installed the new SkyDrive client for Windows 7 or Windows 8 and realize that Mesh is no longer supported.  SkyDrive asks you to pick a single folder to sync contents from device to device or onto the SkyDrive website.  Essentially you are forced to copy any files and folders you want synced into the SkyDrive sync folder.  There is a way around this and in this article I will show you how to use a Junction Point to trick the SkyDrive sync tool into synching other folders outside of the sync one.

Rumors according to ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley are that Microsoft is already working on updates to Windows 8, code-named "Blue" due out sometime next year, possibly in the summer.

Tech-Stew Podcast #20: The Hate for 8, Recorded on August 2nd, 2012

Summary: 

Windows 8 hits RTM, we will tell you when it will be on MSDN, more backlash from developers on Windows 8, Microsoft announces outlook.com, the FCC tells Verizon to allow Android hotspots, Antarctic forests and more