RyanS

It's just about time for Microsoft to launch its expected Windows 8 upgrade program.
For the past several years, in order to keep PC sales from falling off a cliff in the months shortly before Microsoft and partners are poised to roll out new models running a new version of Windows, Microsoft has offered an upgrade program. Via these programs, customers who buy PCs running the current version of Windows (in this case, Windows 7) get "coupons" allowing them to get a free version of the next OS release (Windows once it is generally available.

Here are some of the particulars of the coming Windows 8 program, according to my contacts. (The upgrade offer image above is from materials Microsoft is said to be providing to some of its OEM and retail partners about the coming program, according to my sources.)
Microsoft will make the so-called "Windows 8 Offer" available to consumers buying a Windows 7 PC running Home Basic or higher, allowing them to obtain Windows 8 Pro once Windows 8 is available. The Windows 8 Pro SKU is for tech enthusiasts and business/technical professionals, and includes encryption, virtualization, PC management and domain connectivity, as well as support for a separately priced Media Pack for Windows Media Center.
Seemingly because the offer is for the more feature-rich Pro SKU, rather than the entry-level Windows 8 (consumer) one, the offer won't be "free." There will be some fee attached to the coupon, but there's no word on what that's going to be (so far). The upgrade offer will start on or around June 2, 2012 -- right around the time Microsoft delivers the Release Preview (Release Candidate) of Windows 8 -- and last through January, 2013. By kicking off the upgrade program in early summer, Microsoft is hoping to capitalize on the back-to-school market, even though Windows 8 may not actually be available (and isn't expected by most Microsoft watchers to be) by the time students start school.
I asked Microsoft about the pending Windows 8 Offer, and company representatives declined to comment.

If you're one of the millions who purchased an iPod between September 12, 2006, and March 31, 2009, you might be in for a surprising email from RealNetworks.
The company, which developed Real Player and the service Harmony, has officially enlisted iPod owners in a class-action lawsuit against Apple -- though you do have the right to recuse yourself.
Why RealNetworks? Back in 2004, the company created the music service Harmony, a digital rights management (DRM) translation service. It allowed users to play songs downloaded from the RealPlayer music store on Apple's iPod.
But as any iPod user knows, songs must be loaded onto iTunes to be played on Apple's devices. That's because Apple created an iPod firmware update not too long after the announcement of Harmony, which blocked it and other music services from uploading songs to the iPod.
Several iPod users filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, accusing the company of unfairly blocking competition. Now -- eight years later -- it's gaining steam.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California gave the lawsuit class-action status in November 2011. The website ipodlawsuit.com, which details the entire case, explains:
"The lawsuit claims that Apple violated federal and state laws by issuing software updates in 2006 for its iPod that prevented iPods from playing songs not purchases on iTunes. The lawsuit claims that the software updates caused iPod prices to be higher than they otherwise would have been."
If you own any of these devices — first through fourth generation Nanos, second and third generation Touches, first through third generation Shuffles, a fifth generation classic iPod or the special edition U2 iPod — you're automatically included in the lawsuit. (Official notices began going out this week.) But you give up any right to sue Apple individually over the same concerns.
Alternatively, you could also request exclusion from the case. However, if Apple does end up losing, you don't get to share in any kind of "recovery" that may be rewarded.
So far, there's no money involved — no actual settlement or reward has been determined.