Just when you thought Windows 7 couldn’t get any better, this week geeks unlocked a hidden feature in the operating system called ‘GodMode’. The tweak lets you configure a number of settings and access system tools in Windows 7 from one, central place. Think of it as the Control Panel on steroids.

It’s also really easy to activate. All you have to do is:

1. Create a new folder somewhere (right-click -> ‘Create folder’).
2. Name the folder “GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}” and hit enter.
3. You’re done. The folder icon will change to look like the picture in this post. Click it to open up your new, super Control Panel.

GodMode is awesome. I find the standard Control Panel somewhat counter-intuitive. Fortunately Microsoft really did think of everything with Windows 7. And thanks to my cousin Alessio Camera who gave me the heads-up =)

Oh, and apparently this will work with up to date versions of Windows Vista too…

Microsoft has arguably the best offering available in modern console gaming with the combination of the Xbox 360 platform and accompanying Xbox Live service. However, the global rollout strategy for Xbox Live is far behind that of its primary competition; the Playstation Network (PSN). The main reason Microsoft Xbox Live is one giant fail is that it is blocked off to most of the world, and is too restrictive even where it is available. (more…)

Microsoft’s Fall Dashboard update to the Xbox 360 added DivX and Xvid codec support for media playback on the console, reestablishing the 360 as the leader of the next-generation console pack in terms of features and making the Xbox 360 a compelling media centre device. Not only is the 360 a rocking gaming platform with superior online features, but is also a media powerhouse capable of playing just about any music, photography or video file you throw at it.

This functionality is made even radder by the fact that the 360 supports external storage devices or can be used as a media extender for any computer running Windows Media Center. You can even share media stored on a Mac in iTunes using connector software called Connect 360.

Of all the options available storing media on an external hard drive seems most logical to me, but this is easier said than done given the Xbox 360’s limited support for filesystems.
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This website looks a bit dodgy under Internet Explorer 7. God knows why – I’m trying to figure it out at the moment, but I don’t have much time available. I had it working and looking perfect in IE 6, Firefox and, my new favourite browser, Safari. But alas, with the release of Vista and IE 7, Microsoft have hurled a spanner into the works.
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