Also, locating veins made easier, Google Play Books starts skimming, playing the Internet Arcade collection, and Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever.

Windows 7 Is Dead, Long Live Windows 7

Guy in plane running Windows 7 on his MacBook air. Said it was because Macs can't get viruses... Seriously #itdoesntworkthatway

— Jason Short (@Infinitecodex) November 2, 2014

Microsoft has stopped selling Windows 7 despite its continuing popularity. Licenses for Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, and Windows 7 Ultimate will no longer be sold to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), with Oct. 31, 2014 marking the "End of sales for PCs with Windows [7] preinstalled." This is in line with the Windows lifecycle, and comes one year after Microsoft stopped selling retail copies of Windows 7.

Most manufacturers had already stopped installing Windows 7 on their machines, but this removes the option altogether. It means that people wanting to purchase a computer with Windows 7 preinstalled on it should do so as soon as possible before the remaining stock sells out.

Microsoft might be keen to move on from Windows 7, but it seems consumers are perfectly happy with the OS. The latest operating system market share figures from Net Applications show Windows 7 having grown in October 2014, adding 0.34 points to sit at 53.05 percent. Windows 8/8.1 also rose, adding 4.54 points to sit at 16.80 percent. The big loser in all this is Windows XP, which dropped a whopping 6.69 points to hit 17.18 percent overall. And about time too.

HP Unveils MB Chronowing Smartwatch

Hewlett-Packard has unveiled its first smartwatch, but the MB Chronowing bears little resemblance to the Apple Watch or Android Wear options. The MB Chronowing is a smartwatch as built with tradition and fashion in mind instead of gadget geekiness, which means it should appeal to lovers of classic wristwatches.

The MB Chronowatch is the result of a collaboration between HP and fashion designer Michael Bastian (hence the MB in the name). It features a real dial telling the time, with a black-and-white LCD screen showing notifications of texts, emails, and other incoming updates. There is no microphone, no heart-rate monitor, and no step-counter.

This lack of unnecessary functions means the battery lasts for up to seven days, but it's still not cheap. The basic model is priced at $349 with a choice of leather, rubber, or nylon straps, while a limited-edition sapphire glass crystal version will set you back $649. The MB Chronowing will be available to buy from Gilt.com from Nov. 7, 2014.

Australian Red Cross Locates Veins

http://youtu.be/OlsohMj_IVA

The Australian Red Cross is trialing vein visualization technology that could make it much easier for nurses to find a vein when they need to take blood. The technique uses a near-infrared light that detects the hemoglobin in blood to create a detailed picture of where a person's veins are located.

It's currently being tested on blood donors at two Australian healthcare providers. The aim is to reduce anxiety in donors, making them more likely to come back and donate blood in the future. The video above shows how the technology works.

Google Play Books Updated For Skimming

The new Google Play Books app makes skimming and jumping around non-fiction easier than ever. http://t.co/l3kCOgivM8 http://t.co/cwBm3gLv1s

— Google Play (@GooglePlay) October 30, 2014

Google has updated the Google Play Books eReader app to make it easier to read non-fiction books. While traditional fiction is read from start to finish, non-fiction such as textbooks and cookbooks require a more scattergun approach. Hence a number of features designed to make it easier to read non-fiction eBooks.

The updated Google Play Books app adds a 'Skim' mode allowing you to flip through a book at speed rather than from page-to-page, 'Quick Bookmarks' which would be the equivalent of folding down the corners of multiple pages, and the ability to view all of your notes on one page for easy access. Come on Amazon, Kindle needs this too.

Play Arcade Games At The Internet Archive

The Internet Archive now contains 900 arcade games that can be played for free in your Web browser. The Internet Arcade features classic titles from the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, such as Pac-Man, OutRun, and Golden Axe. There was I thinking Pong.com was the pinnacle of online arcade gaming, but the Internet Archive has just upped the ante.

Grumpy Cat's Worst Trailer Ever

http://youtu.be/PrSPuBYm-Cw

And finally, we all know the Internet loves cats, but a new Lifetime movie could prove to be the straw the breaks the camel's cat's back. The video above shows the full trailer for Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever, which is certainly 'Grumpy Cat's Worst Movie Ever', and quite possibly 'The Worst Movie Ever Made'. Wait, no, that's Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen. My mistake.

Your Views On Today’s Tech News

Are you going to miss Windows 7? Will you be buying the MB Chronowing from HP? Is the Grumpy Cat movie trailer the worst movie trailer you have ever seen?

Let us know your thoughts on the tech news of the day by posting to the comments section below. Because a healthy discussion is always welcome.

Image Credit: Imilyas via Flickr