If you want to see all your Windows 8 settings in one "Control Panel" style view, there is a real simple way to achieve this called the GodMode (windows 7 had a similar trick).  Simply right click anywhere on your desktop or in windows explorer, create a new folder.  Give it the following name:

All Settings .{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

Now, when you double click that "folder" you are presented with the all settings view.  You can make a shortcut to this folder and pin it to Start or to the Taskbar as desired.

Rex Game Studios is working on a new add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator X (and Prepar3D) called Rex Latitude which will help enhance your virtual piloting experience to a whole new level.  They plan on releasing the paid add-on to the general public on 11-22-12. **Now that Latitude is released, check out our first impressions article here. **

Rex Game Studios has released their updated photorealistic, hi-def weather and texture package along with flight planning ability for Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) and Lockheed Martin's Prepar3D.

Summary:

Windows 8 released to the public, Surface RT gets a price, cable companies to encrypt basic cable, iPad mini details, a planet is found in the Alpha Centauri system, VOXATC for FSX and more.

For a limited time, Microsoft is offering the Media Center add-on for Windows 8 Pro as a free option.  At least according to the information on Microsoft's website located here.

They are offering this from October 26th 2012 through January 31st 2013, limited to one key per email address.  You have to activate the product key by January 31st 2013 as well.  The regular pricing on this add-on is $9.99.  It is likely that if you use this link today, that the key won't be emailed until tomorrow.  What isn't clear at this time is that if you must activate before January 31st 2013, what happens if you rebuild and reactivate your system after this point?  I'm sure details on this will follow.

Note that if you try to do the upgrade from the Control Panel in Windows 8 they will charge you the full $9.99 fee, so be sure to use the web link above.

If you are an Enterprise user you can now get your hands on the bits for Office 2013.  MSDN and Technet now have the download links available.  Office 2013 will be available to the general public beginning in early 2013.

While aesthetically there aren't any major changes with the Facebook 5.0 iOS app there are improvements that make the app faster than before.  According to Facebook, the app was "rebuilt from the ground up," and is supposed to be twice as fast as the past version.  Overall the app features smoother and faster scrolling and photos load "instantly" thanks to changes from switching from HTML5 to iOS native programming.  I've complained about the iOS Facebook app being slow on our podcasts in the past, at least on a first impression, it appears there is less to complain about with this version at least in terms of speed.

Microsoft has made RTM versions of Visual Studio 2012, Team Foundation Server 2012 and .NET Framework 4.5 available to MSDN and TechNet Subscribers.