Even though people still cling to using older versions of Windows like XP and even, in some cases, Windows 2000 or are just getting used to the idea of Windows 7, Microsoft is moving forward with the next version of its desktop OS known as Windows 8. To help get you used to the idea of a new version of Windows, the company has this week unveiled Windows 8 Release Preview.

This version of Windows 8 is a “near-final” version for users to download and try before the OS is sent to Microsoft’s manufacturing partners. The Preview includes Internet Explorer 10, support for Adobe Flash and new Windows 8 apps for connecting to Hotmail, SkyDrive and Messenger.

“Since our first preview release last September, millions of people now use the pre-release product on a daily basis and millions more have been taking it through its paces, totaling hundreds of millions of hours of testing,” the company said on its official blog. “We genuinely appreciate the effort that so many have put into pre-release testing, and of course, we appreciate the feedback too. Direct feedback and feedback through usage contributed to hundreds of visible changes in the product and tens of thousands of under-the-hood changes.”

Nice to hear Microsoft is responding to user requests and addressing their issues. The real question, though, is if those responses and the rest of the work that went into Windows 8 actually pay off in a usable and stable new OS. I guess we’ll find out soon enough as the OS is officially released in October.

Much like you can pretty much count on things like death and taxes, you can also count on new versions of Microsoft’s Windows OS to come along. You can also count on their being some confusion regarding the different versions of the OS and what the can or can’t do.

Fortunately, it seems Microsoft has learned a lesson from the release of Windows Vista and Windows 7 and has simplified things a bit for their upcoming new OS: Windows 8. This week the company announced there will be three editions of its next-generation Windows 8 operating system: Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro and Windows RT.

Microsoft made the announcement on its blog and further promised “all editions of Windows 8 offer a no-compromise experience.” Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro will support PCs and tablets powered by x86 processors, while Windows RT works with ARM-powered devices. Windows 8 is aimed at the average consumer, while Windows 8 Pro is designed for tech enthusiasts, business people and tech professionals. The RT edition is intended for lighter-duty devices.

Going for the Pro edition of Windows 8 gets you premium features such as encryption, virtualization, PC management and domain connectivity. “If you are an enthusiast or you want to use your PC in a business environment, you will want Windows 8 Pro.”

Windows RT (the OS formerly known as Windows on ARM) will only be available pre-installed on PCs and tablets powered by ARM processors. It will include touch-optimized desktop versions of the new Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.

Microsoft is set to finish Windows 8 this Summer with PCs and tablets powered by the new platform following in October. Windows 8 looks pretty good, and we’ve payed with it a bit, so we’re very interested in seeing the final version when its released.

Are you someone who spends a lot of time on the Internet? Do you surf websites, send email, post your exploits on Facebook or argue with your friends on Twitter? If so, all that fun is apparently going to grind to a halt this Saturday.

How can this be? Well, if it does happen, you can thank notorious hacker group Anonymous. They plan to shut down the Internet in protest on March 31.

Here’s why: “To protest SOPA, Wallstreet, our irresponsible leaders and the beloved bankers who are starving the world for their own selfish needs out of sheer sadistic fun, on March 31, anonymous will shut the Internet down. Remember, this is a protest, we are not trying to ‘kill’ the Internet we are only temporarily shutting it down where it hurts the most.”

The plan, known as “Operation Global Blackout 2012” (catchy name that) looks to hit the Internet where it lives, at the main DNS servers that make the entire thing possible. By shutting down the DNS servers with what amounts to a denial of service attack (look it up), it will effectively make websites unreachable and spawn a sea of 404 errors or worse.

But can they do it? According to Cyber Security “experts” they can’t. Well, at least this one guy seems pretty certain.

Whatever happens on Saturday, if you end up having a problem reaching your favorite website maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Take it as a sign that perhaps you should spend some time with friends, family or even dare I say it, outside in the fresh air.

It’s just one day. It won’t kill you.

In addition to movies, TV and comics, we also like tech and gadgets here at The Flickcast. We also like to help support cool projects when we find them.

And really, what could be cooler than a $25.00 Linux-powered computer about the size of a credit card you can order right now? Well, probably quite a few things but stil, that doesn’t mean it’s not cool too. What am I talking about?

Well, a bunch of enterprising folks got together and formed the Raspberry Pie Foundation with the goal of making a computer that could be sold for $25.00. They succeeded but, unfortunately, have run into a bit of a “manufacturing hiccup” on their way to shipping the devices.

According to the company, the computers were accidentally equipped with non-magnetic ethernet jacks, which would result in a lack of network connectivity. However, according to the company, it is “a very minor problem to fix, and the factory is nearly done working on replacing them on the first set of boards.”

With iPhone 4 pre-order frenzy in full effect at Apple and AT&T stores (and even taking AT&T’s order network down)another new item has quietly had a refresh. Today, Apple released a new version of its compact Mac the Mac Mini with a host of improvements and enhancements.

The new Mac Mini is made out of a solid chunk of aluminum and comes in two flavors:

Regular:
2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2 GB RAM
320 GB hard drive
$699

Server:
2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4 GB RAM
Dual 500 GB hard drive
$999

Both models have been updated with NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, the same integrated GPU in the MacBook and MacBook Pro. They also sport a new HDMI port (finally) and the “Server” Mac Mini allows you the option to not have an optical drive in favor of an additional hard drive.

Apple has also made the Mini a bit easier to upgrade, at least in terms of adding more RAM. Instead of a completed procedure involving several kinds of tools and a trip to Home Depot, the new mac Mini has simple twist off panel on the bottom to allow for RAM upgrades. No word yet on if this makes it easier to upgrade the hard drive but since the new Mac Mini is available today, word on that should be coming shortly.

Macs are great, except for when you want to play video games on them. Instead, OSX users rejoice whenever new and exciting titles are announced for the platform, and today is no exception. Kotaku has officially confirmed that along with the Steam software, Left 4 Dead 2, Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike, Portal, and the Half-Life series are coming to Mac.

“As we transition from entertainment as a product to entertainment as a service, customers and developers need open, high-quality Internet clients,” said Gabe Newell, President of Valve. “The Mac is a great platform for entertainment services.”

This announcement has been rumored for awhile, as Mac-specific graphics were discovered in the beta files for the new Steam service last month. Valve dropped some serious hints later, with the release of some images of Valve games integrated with some familiar Mac themes.

Even more exciting is the new feature Steam Play, which will allow anyone who purchases a game on Steam for PC to download and play it for Mac, and vice versa, with no extra charge. Valve also hopes to release titles for Mac on the same day as the PC versions. The first simultaneous release for PC and Mac on Steam will be Portal 2, which was announced earlier this month.