No doubt that Microsoft has been hard at work trying to improve Windows 8 activation technology to prevent pirates from getting the operating system for free. Sadly, the software didn’t go through all the possible scenarios and they didn’t notice that a simple workaround can allow anyone to convert a pirated copy of Windows 8 to a full activated legitimate license — all free of charge!

This is the story, earlier attempts to bypass Microsoft’s activation technology involved the use of third-party Key Management Services (KMS) servers that would let the activation for up to 180 days, which means that a re-activation was necessary every six months. This simplified the use of Windows 8 for free temporarily, however now it is a bit easier.

As you know Windows Media Center is not included anymore with any version of the Windows 8. This is a piece of software that you need to purchase separately, but Microsoft trying to make good for those users that has been using MCE for a long time, started giving away a Media Center upgrade to Windows 8 Pro users, promotion that ends in January 31st, 2013. Now pirates figured out that they can use this product key to permanently activate a copy of Windows 8 that was previously temporarily activated through the KMS technique. All of this means that a downloaded pirate copy of Windows 8 and temporarily activated can be fully unlocked thanks to a flaw upgrading to the Windows Media Center. Many sites, like The Verge, have already reported that the method works and Microsoft has yet to comment in this workaround or when a fix for this flaw will be released.

Source The Verge

Although the Mail app for Windows 8 was designed to be simple to use, the new Microsoft application model has moved to a chromeless design, where apps are center focus and settings are hidden away from the end-user.

This means that many features for new users will remain hidden until they do a search online and learn how perform certain task like, for example, the task of sending a message to a local printer or just save an email as XPS file format — the equivalent to PDF file format, but it is a Microsoft owned technology –.

If this is your case follow these simple steps to print your emails:

How to print emails as XPS using Mail

  1. Open the Mail app.
  2. Use the Windows key + C keyboard shortcut to bring charms, and click/tap Devices .
  3. Select the printer. Adjust the printer’s settings or if you need to access the advanced printer configuration, simply click More settings . When you are done configuring the settings, click back arrow button and then hit Print .

If you need to print a message as file, simply use the Microsoft XPS Document Writer option and save the email to your desktop as an XPS file.

Even though this was a pretty simple task, you can do the same even quicker by simply using the Windows key + P keyboard shortcut, selecting the printer and clicking Print .