Not that you use Microsoft Messenger, but it you do...

It was rumored that Microsoft planned on retiring its Windows Live Messenger service in favor of Skype, and rather than keep users guessing, the Redmond software maker has now confirmed that's indeed the case. Skype's Tony Bates made the official announcement in a blog post, adding that Messenger users can port their contacts over to Skype by updating to the latest version of the VoIP software.

"Our goal remains to deliver the best communications experience for everyone, everywhere. We want to focus our efforts on making things simpler for our users while continuously improving the overall experience.," Bates explained. "We will retire Messenger in all countries worldwide in the first quarter of 2013 (with the exception of mainland China where Messenger will continue to be available)."

Messenger users interested in switching to Skype need to install Skype 6.0 and sign in using their Microsoft account in order to port their contacts over. No other steps are needed; it all happens automatically. Alternately, Messenger users can opt not to merge their accounts and start fresh.

There is a reason why there is no 16GB Microsoft Surface Tablet

Microsoft has confirmed what many had suspected, that it didn't offer a 16GB Surface RT tablet because there would have been virtually no room for customer content on the device.

According to a FAQ published Monday, a 32GB Surface has approximately 16GB of storage space available after accounting for the Windows RT operating device, numerous built-in "Windows Store" (formerly "Metro") apps, OS recovery tools, and the bundled Office RT.

The operating system, apps and Office RT consume 8GB, while the Windows recovery tools occupy another 5GB. In other words, about 45% of the storage in an entry-level Surface RT has already been spoken for before the tablet is unboxed.

A 64GB Surface RT provides about 46GB of available storage space, or 78% of the total.

Although Microsoft spelled out the two storage options when it introduced the Surface last June, it did not reveal how much would be available to the customer or say why it wasn't offering a 16GB model, presumably at a lower price. Many assumed that Windows' size simply precluded a 16GB device.

It wasn't until the day of the Surface RT launch event, where prices were disclosed that someone from Microsoft first talked about how much storage space would be available to the user.

Service Pack 2 for Windows 7?...Not likely

Windows 8 is here, and of course Microsoft wants you and everyone you know to upgrade to its newest operating system. Heck, Microsoft's even taken some of the sting out of upgrading by putting in place several promotions, such as offering Media Center as a free download to Windows 8 Pro users until January 31, 2013. But hey, if you're of the opinion that Microsoft will have to pry the Start menu from your cold, dead installation of Windows 7, then more power to you. Just be aware that you aren't likely to see a second Service Pack, so for all intents and purposes, what you currently see with Windows 7 is what you get.

That's not a bad thing -- Windows 7 is still a great OS -- it's just something to keep in mind. Citing sources close to Microsoft's sustained engineering team, The Register reports that there are no plans to release a Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows 7, a decision that breaks precedent with the typical update cycle for Windows.

Microsoft took three years to release SP2 for Windows XP, and now that we're in November, just over three years has passed since Microsoft launched Windows 7 to the general public. SP1 came out in February 2011.

What's the big deal? Not much, for home consumers anyway, but  without another service pack, it does let you know that you will be switching to Windows 8 a lot sooner than later.

13% of homes in North America infected... thought it would be more

Some 13 percent of home networks in North America are infected with malware, half of them with "serious" threats, according to a report released Wednesday by a cyber-security company.

However, that number is a one-percent decrease from the quarter that ended in June, according to Kindsight Security Labs, of Mountain View, California, in its third-quarter malware report [PDF].

Based on information gathered from service providers, Kindsight reported that 6.5 percent of the home network infections were high-level threats that could turn a home computer into a spam-spewing zombie on a botnet or compromise a computer owner's bank account.

Some 2.2 million home networks worldwide are infected with malware controlled by the ZeroAccess botnet, the report estimated. In North America, one in every 125 home networks are infected with malicious software.

Spam, add-click malware, banking Trojans, theft of identity information, and fake security software are big money makers for cybercriminals, the report noted.

The cyber-security vendor also reported that it saw a 165% increase in the number of Android malware samples during the period. Nevertheless, despite the growth in spyware apps and malware, there have been no major malware outbreaks, the report said.

"Aggressive Adware," some of it bordering on spyware, continues to be a problem in the Android market, according to Kindsight. It estimates that three percent of all mobile devices host some form of that software.

While security software aimed at removing aggressive adware from mobile devices has been introduced into the market, the report explained, it remains to be seen how effective it will be in mitigating the problem.

Similar efforts were made in the past to address spyware problems in the Windows world, but the Android environment is a horse of a different color. "One key difference between these ad-funded Android apps and the traditional Window’s variety is that the Android variety is being distributed from the Google Play App Store, which lends them considerable legitimacy," the report said.

Free Wifi for Sandy victims, courtesy of Comcast

Comcast will offer use of its Wi-Fi network free of charge to those hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy, the cable and Internet provider said on Wednesday. The network, which is typically free for unlimited use by those with an Xfinity Internet account, is now open to the public through November 7.

Hotspots in Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. are part of the offer. A list of these hotspots can be found using Xfinity’s Wi-Fi coverage map available from the Comcast website.

Comcast’s hotspots can be found both indoors and outdoors in parks, public places, public transportation, and shopping malls. The cable provider operates some 50,000 of these hotspots across the country, mostly across the Northeast and in California.

To use the free Wi-Fi, look for the “xfinitywifi” network at a participating hotspot. On the page that pops up after connecting, look for the link that says “Not a Comcast Subscriber?” toward the bottom of the page. Click it, then select “Complementary Trial Session.” Comcast will allow you to renew your connection every two hours.

Obviously, the availability of these hotspots is dependent on both power and cable service being available at that location. In the hardest hit areas, that may be a bit tough: Current estimates put some 7 million people without power, and as much a a quarter of residents in the ten states affected by Sandy without broadband service.

Another caveat is that Comcast’s offer of free Wi-Fi only extends to hotspots operated by Comcast directly. Those operated by partners such as Cablevision and Time Warner Cable are not part of the promotion. That includes some of the hardest hit areas—including New York City, Long Island and Connecticut.

Neither company had announced similar plans for free Wi-Fi to those affected by Sandy as of Wednesday afternoon.

A nice quick windows 8 visual tour

Thanks to the great website, ArsTechica, a quick windows 8 tour....