Windows Defender Offline is a free tool that can be useful for recovering from a dead system. Interestingly, this beta version for Win8 looks to be the same as the old Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper.

It’s too early to say for certain, but based on early testing there seem to be some issues with Win8. Microsoft seems undecided about ARM vs. Intel, desktop vs. tablet, and they’re retaining control of your device by limiting where you can buy apps and which ones you can keep after installation.

Rumors indicate Bill Gates may be planning to return to Microsoft and replacing Steve Ballmer as CEO. Many investors have been less than pleased with Ballmer recently.

Patch Tuesday is scheduled for December 13. This month you should expect 14 bulletins to patch a total of 20 vulnerabilities in Windows, Internet Explorer, Office, and Windows Media Player.

Rumors say Microsoft is planning to release a version of Office for the iPad. However. The company hasn’t even said if it plans to port Office to the new Metro user interface.

A lot of applications on your PC, not just the browser, connect to the internet. If they can’t find a connection, or the connection is unreliable, the applications will keep trying and slow down other programs.

Software with a license approved by the Open-Source Initiative (OSI) will be allowed into the Windows Store for Win8. Software licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) will not.

The Answer Desk is a dedicated website, with live technicians, where you can get support for Windows and Office. While some help is free, you may be required to pay for more complicated issues.

Win8 will include a "kill switch", letting Microsoft remotely disable or remove apps from devices. Google and Apple use a similar switch for apps on their systems.

One of our favorite developers, Sanjay Singh, visits with a great tip for sending holiday emails.

Read this OutlookPower article.