windowsconnect

Wireless hard disk

2006-07-26T06:11:00.000+05:30

wi-Drive is a wireless hard disk device. Traditionally, hard disk is WIRE connected to computing device such as PC or Notebook. With wi-DRIVE the need for such physical connection is eliminated as the IEEE 802.11b/g wireless technology is now used as the medium of connectivity. With wi-DRIVE user is free from the hassle and crumble some need of connecting cables and able to enjoy storage capacity that is no longer limited by physically connected storage devices. By converging both wireless and storage technology together, wi-DRIVE further enhances the experience of data mobility by providing user with seamless access to their data storage. In addition, through the wireless network, wi-DRIVE enables data storage to be seamlessly shared among users or computational devices.

More Information

MySpace Users Get MyMalware

2006-07-26T06:10:00.000+05:30

MySpace users who expressed an interest in patio furniture got more than they bargained for if they clicked on an ad for DeckOutYourDeck.com earlier this month. Michael La Pilla, an analyst for VeriSign iDefense, was searching MySpace on July 16 when he discovered that a patio furniture ad prompted a file called exp.wmf. If installed, up to five adware programs could have landed on the users' computers. La Pilla contacted MySpace but the company's defense team had already taken the ad down and was working to find its source.Any user that was browsing with Internet Explorer and had not installed the latest Microsoft patches was vulnerable to this attack. In January, Microsoft released a patch that prevents WMF (Windows Metafile) files, so users that had installed the patch were safe. Browsers using Firefox version 1.5 or later are also protected from WMF files.

PC Magazine

Exchange Server 2007 Is a Different Animal

2006-07-26T06:09:00.000+05:30

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 is a far cry from Exchange Server 2003, based on eWEEK Labs' tests of the first public beta of the new messaging platform. Administrators thinking of moving to Exchange Server 2007 should take a hard look at this beta to understand the impact of the platform's many new features. Exchange 2007 Beta 2 became widely available on July 24 and is expected to ship in its final form at the end of 2006 or the beginning of 2007. There's no huge rush to evaluate the beta, but don't wait too long—our tests show that getting a full sense of the capabilities and requirements will take time and training. This release of Exchange Server includes a number of architectural changes. The product will be available for production deployment using only the 64-bit version of the software, so 64-bit capable servers are a must. (A 32-bit version of Exchange Server 2007 Beta 2 is available for companies that want to test the software without tying up a 64-bit system.)

eWeek

Microsoft Windows XP SP2b Available in Japan

2006-07-26T06:08:00.000+05:30

Windows XP SP2b seems to have appeared in Japan. It is somehow strange because at the shops, there are boxes which are labelled SP2b but Microsoft has not make any official announcement of a SP2b.There is no special marking for the CDROM except the box that holds it (see picture). Windows XP Professional SP2b retails for 19210 Yen and Home Edition SP2b retails for 12780 Yen.

Neowin

Making Sense of Internet Security

2006-07-26T06:06:00.000+05:30

Techtree spoke to Surendra Singh, Head - South East Asia and India, Websense, to get a lowdown on exactly where we stand in terms of the Internet, the risks associated with it, the level of awareness, and ways to protect ourselves against these risks.
http://www.techtree.com/techtree/jsp/article.jsp?article_id=74810&cat_id=663

Hacking Hotmail trough XSS

2006-07-05T09:28:00.000+05:30

That microsoft's code is not always secure, is very clear again with this XSS exploit. This is not the first XSS exploit that has been found, others have been found. If you are viewing this document offline, the newest version can be found here. I am Adriaan Graas, a student who is interested in internet security and web development. I am currently 16 years old, though that would not make the exploit less effective.
http://adriaangraas.feetback.nl/browse.php?vf=/security/exploits/hotmail/how-to.php

Worm poses as Windows Genuine Advantage

2006-07-05T09:22:00.000+05:30

IT security experts have warned of a worm that purports to be Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) anti-piracy tool.WGA has recently been branded as 'spyware' in that it collects unnecessary hardware and software data from users' PCs.The Cuebot-K worm spreads via AOL Instant Messenger, registering itself as a new system driver service called 'wgavn'. It carries the display name 'Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Notification', and runs automatically during system startup.Users who view the list of services are told that removing or stopping the service will result in 'system instability'.Once in place the worm disables the Windows firewall, and opens a backdoor to infected computers which allows hackers to gain remote access, spy on users, and potentially launch distributed denial-of-service attacks."People may think they have been sent the file from one of their AOL IM buddies, but in fact the program has no friendly intentions," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos. View: Full Article @ VNU.net

[neowin]

Microsoft To Discontinue Support For Windows 98, ME

2006-07-05T09:21:00.000+05:30

Microsoft will no longer update and support older versions of its dominant Windows Operating System.
According to estimates, over 70 million PC users, or 13 percent of those running Windows, will no longer receive security updates for Windows 98 and Windows Millennium Edition (ME).
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7004116144

Microsoft's mixed scorecard

2006-06-16T10:13:00.001+05:30

Microsoft turns 31 this year, and it's showing signs of age.
The Redmond, Wash.-based company remains the largest software company in the world and one of the two or three most influential in the technology market. Still, with success has come size, and the giant has not moved as rapidly into search or music as smaller competitors.
"Microsoft is doing of good job of executing on an incredibly wide variety of opportunities, but it is not like it once was when the whole world was a green field opportunity," said Nathan Myhrvold, CEO of Intellectual Ventures and former chief scientist at Microsoft. "There is a huge tendency to think Google can do no wrong and Microsoft is a dowdy has-been, but neither is correct."
Here's a laundry list of Microsoft's strengths and weaknesses:
Search and online services: Microsoft is the clear bronze medal winner here. Google has established itself as the search leader while Yahoo has aggressively tried to build a loyal following through acquiring sites like Flickr. Microsoft has improved its own search results, but changes imposed on MSN and Hotmail have yet to reel in the younger competitors.
"They're up against some formidable competition and changes in the marketplace as a result of software as a service, open source and Web 2.0," said David Smith, an analyst at Gartner. "Microsoft products and strategies today--as manifested by their existing products--are not well aligned with those movements. They're moving in that direction but they are nowhere near it yet."
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-6084554.html

Microsoft's mixed scorecard

2006-06-16T10:13:00.000+05:30

Windows XP SP4 in the works!

2006-06-16T10:10:00.000+05:30

Even though Windows XP Service Pack 3 has a long way to go before being released to the public, word is out that Microsoft has Service Pack 4 in the works. SP3, set to be released in mid-2007, will be a massive update for XP, and many people have said it may be the last for the OS because of Vista. But rumor has it that because of the massive delays with Windows Vista, Microsoft may be forced to release one final hotfix pack to keep corporate IT customers happy due to the predicted delay in switching to Vista for many companies.A Chinese version of PC Magazine spilled some small tidbits about SP4 last year that went unnoticed, stating that it's on Microsoft's release timeline. A quick search of the internet can find scattered referrals to the package as well. We've heard that there will be no new features with SP4, but most likely there will be many fixes for both IE7 and WMP11 as the products mature. Although no known fixes have been designated to SP4 just yet, TheHotfix.net will be the first to bring them to you when they begin arriving, most likely early next year.

The Hotfix

Gates To Stop Working Full-Time At Microsoft

2006-06-16T10:03:00.000+05:30

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates Thursday said he plans to stop working full time at Microsoft in July 2008 in order to spend more time on his global health and education work at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates will continue to serve as chairman and an adviser on key development projects even after he stops working full time. Effective immediately, however, he is giving up his chief software architect title to Chief Technical Officer Ray Ozzie. Microsoft said Ozzie will begin working side by side with Gates on all technical architecture and product oversight responsibilities. In addition, Chief Technical Officer Craig Mundie will immedately take the new title of chief research and strategy officer and work closely with Gates to take over Microsoft research and incubation efforts.

CRN

Review: MTV, Microsoft Team Up on URGE

2006-06-15T07:09:00.000+05:30

It's hard to tell where MTV Networks Inc.'s new URGE online music service starts and where Microsoft Corp.'s new Windows Media Player 11 software ends, and that's no accident.
The two companies worked together to make MTV's foray into online music a seamless extension of Windows Media Player, blurring the lines between the music you own and the music you rent.

In this photo released by MTV Networks, a photo of a computer screen shows the Windows Media Player and MTV Networks Inc.'s new URGE online music service web page. The two companies worked together to make MTV's foray into online music a seamless extension of Windows Media Player, blurring the lines between the music you own and the music you rent.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/14/AR2006061401882.html

Microsoft establishes Customer Interoperability Council

2006-06-15T07:03:00.000+05:30

Microsoft has often come under fire for failing to work together closely with products from other vendors. Part of this is due to the company's overwhelming success in the desktop market with Windows and Office, but the attitude also stems from the company's location and culture. Wandering around the enormous Microsoft campus in Redmond, WA, it is at times difficult to even remember that there is a world outside the company. (The rumors that the trees on the edge of the campus are marked with yellow paint are completely untrue, however.)

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060614-7057.html

Attack code comes on heels of Microsoft patches

2006-06-15T07:00:00.000+05:30

Just a day after Microsoft released patches for vulnerabilities in some of its software, code designed to take advantage of those weaknesses appeared on the Internet.

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6084000.html

Microsoft Gives Top 10 Reasons To Upgrade To Longhorn

2006-06-15T06:57:00.000+05:30

The next-generation Windows server, code-named Longhorn, is more than a year away from shipping. But at Tech Ed 2006, that didn't stop Microsoft from citing the top 10 reasons customers should upgrade.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=189401316&subSection=Breaking+News

Microsoft Unveils New Certification Programs

2006-06-14T09:26:00.000+05:30

Microsoft's new certification program, Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA), which has been in beta testing for over a year, went live Tuesday. MCA is a system of certification based on seven competencies as displayed to a four-member peer review board.
Microsoft says it has striven for an objective, vender-agnostic system that measures the candidate's ability against an ideal, rather than against the performance of others. Skills are assessed in areas of: technical depth, technical breadth, communication, organizational dynamics, leadership, strategy, and tactics.
http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_Unveils_New_Certification_Programs/1150230393

8 Critical Flaws Patched by Microsoft

2006-06-14T09:23:00.000+05:30

Microsoft has released its super-sized Patch Tuesday, heavy on "critical" patches, with eight rated as such. Four other patches rounded out the list of updates, with three patches rated "important" and one rated "moderate."
Of the eight most serious fixes, two affect Internet Explorer, one for JScript within Internet Explorer, one in Windows Media Player, two in Windows, one in Word, and another in PowerPoint.

http://www.betanews.com/article/8_Critical_Flaws_Patched_by_Microsoft/1150229802

Exit Interview with Scoble

2006-06-14T09:17:00.000+05:30

"It's no secret that Windows technology evangelist Robert Scoble (of Scobelizer blogging fame) is leaving Microsoft for a startup, but Microsoft Watch's Mary Jo Foley has the first exit interview with Scoble. Topics range from what Microsoft could have done to keep him spreading the word and building out MS's Channel 9 community site, where he sees MS going and more. From the article: 'There were times when I knew I was taking risks. I didn't know what would happen when I told Steve Ballmer that his leadership on the gay rights bill wasn't good.'"

http://developers.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/06/13/2238238&from=rss

Microsoft Eats Its Own Dogfood, Literally

2006-06-14T09:14:00.000+05:30

Whether you're at TechEd in person or in spirit, you can check out the Virtual TechEd site for videoblogs with all kinds of folks connected with Microsoft's show. This is our favorite, we have to say: Server and tools senior product manager Mario Juarez literally eats some dog food, in honor of Microsoft's dogfooding processes. And yours truly chats with Juarez (after his dogfood indigestion) about the journalist's role in covering technology and how it's changing. Check out the video of Microsoft Watcher Mary Jo Foley in the TechEd press room here.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1976361,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Windows Vista Beta 2 Available for Public Download

2006-06-08T06:58:00.000+05:30

Step right up and download Microsoft's latest and greatest.
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2759

Microsoft Axes Another Vista Feature

2006-06-08T06:56:00.000+05:30

Goodbye PC-to-PC synchronization. We hardly knew you. Citing quality concerns, Microsoft has axed the PC synchronization feature from Vista, as of Beta 2. The news of Microsoft's decision comes on the eve of the company opening up Beta 2 to a wider pool of testers. So far, no word about Microsoft intending to delay further its Vista release-to-manufacturing/launch schedule, however.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1973630,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Google.com Now Blocked in China

2006-06-08T06:54:00.000+05:30

Google did agree to censor material in China.
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2750

Microsoft Announces Rev 2 of BizTalk Server 2006

2006-06-07T18:44:00.000+05:30

Microsoft has long talked about its RFID strategy but has had little in the way of actual products. That's about to change with a small point release of BizTalk Server 2006 that will be available to users the first half of 2007. At the U Connect 2006 Conference for supply chain management in Nashville from June 6 to 8, Microsoft announced June 6 BizTalk Server 2006 R2—a relatively speedy release given BizTalk upgrades usually come around once every two years and BizTalk 2006 was released in March. The R2 version's biggest upgrade: RFID capabilities that include a new set of services for developing and managing RFID software. "The RFID technology that Microsoft has said it's building—this is the first time we're announcing it from the product perspective," said Burley Kawasaki, group product manager for BizTalk Server, in Redmond, Wash.

eWeek

Vista beta sucks up battery juice

2006-06-07T18:42:00.000+05:30

Windows Vista delivers some pretty snazzy new graphics, but all that "wow" can be a real drain. With the new version of Windows, Microsoft has created an operating system that offers advances in many areas, but laptop battery life is not one of them. Going by internal tests at one hardware maker, which declined to be named, there is noticeably lower battery life when Vista runs in its "average power" mode. Microsoft has said that the current versions of the update deliver less battery life than Windows XP, but the company has also said it hopes to close the gap in the coming months. One of Vista's most visible changes is its Aero interface, which offers spiffier graphics when people navigate through the operating system. Its advanced Aero Glass effects include translucent windows and animated transitions, as well as the ability to move between windows and documents by selecting from miniature versions of those items.

ZDNet Australia

The Mysteries of Windows Vista User Accounts

2006-06-07T18:39:00.000+05:30

We've got a question for home users of Windows XP: How many of you use Windows XP limited accounts? Raise your hands. Not surprisingly, the answer turns out to be "not many." Windows XP limited accounts were too, well, limited. Many applications simply didn't work properly under limited accounts, because application writers didn't follow the rules. The net result is that the vast majority of Windows XP users are system administrators. Running with administrator privileges is a root cause of many of XP's well-documented security woes. Even if applications worked properly in XP limited accounts, other inconveniences would crop up. You can't install certain applications or drivers, for example. If you need to do something that requires admin capability, you have to log out of your account and re-log in to an account with administrator privileges. Windows Vista will enhance the scope of limited accounts, which will be called "standard user accounts." Let's take a closer look at how standard user accounts work, and why you'll want to use them.

ExtremeTech

Lenovo deletes Linux

2006-06-05T06:10:00.000+05:30

CHINESE hardware manufacturer Lenovo, is reversing IBM's general move to Linux and is reverting back to Microsoft.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=32164

Apple flees India

2006-06-05T06:05:00.000+05:30

ONLY TWO months after setting up shop in India, entertainment gear maker Apple has shut down its operations.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=32163

Microsoft to Drop PDF Support in Office

2006-06-05T06:01:00.000+05:30

Amid threats of a lawsuit from Adobe, Microsoft acknowledged Friday that it would remove support for saving files in PDF from Office 2007, as well as dropping its own rival format XPS from the productivity suite and Windows Vista.
http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_to_Drop_PDF_Support_in_Office/1149284222

Microsoft preps IE 7 Beta 3 for August

2006-06-03T17:15:00.000+05:30

After years of letting Internet Explorer 6 languish with no new development, prompting criticism from both outside and inside the company, Microsoft promised that they would shift their priorities and deliver a steady stream of updates to their venerable browser. The company released IE 7 Beta 1 to the public in January. While some applauded the new features, others were perplexed by the bizarre user interface arrangement—specifically, the menu bar being sandwiched between the address bar and the tab bar. Some felt that the browser was still playing catch-up to competitors such as Firefox.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060602-6978.html

Microsoft and Adobe: Deal or No Deal?

2006-06-03T17:08:00.000+05:30

he plot thickens in the Microsoft-Adobe brouhaha. It all started with a letter from Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Chizen was none too happy with Microsoft's decision to embed Microsoft's XML Paper Specification (XPS) PDF competitor and a PDF-export plug-in into Windows Vista and Office 2007, we hear. Microsoft decided to exorcise the "Save to PDF" capability from Office, plus offer Adobe some Vista bundling deals to compensate. For now, it's no deal; Adobe is threatening to take its concerns to antitrust regulators. But Adobe hasn't totally closed the door on a bundling arrangement, Microsoft's lawyers say.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1971116,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

That's Right, Microsoft's Got Mac Hardware

2006-06-03T17:03:00.000+05:30

The company Mac fanatics love to hate is expanding its non-Windows product lineup. Microsoft today announced it plans to release its first Mac-specific keyboard and mouse. The Wireless Desktop for Mac is due out this summer for a suggested price of $99.95. WDM is the first Mac-specific desktop product from Microsoft and the first keyboard from the company not to include the Windows Start button. The keyboard layout is consistent with keyboards designed for the Macintosh and is compatible with Apple's latest Intel-based Macs as well as older PowerPC models. Microsoft is also touting the keyboard's "futuristic" silver finish, ergonomic design and comfort of the wireless mouse. "Microsoft's entry doesn't shock me, I'm sure they look at it as an extension of their business," Matt Sargent, analyst with Current Analysis, told internetnews.com. "That segment of the Mac market tends to be very lucrative. Mac users spend more than Windows PC users on these kind of peripherals."

InternetNews

Symantec challenge to OneCare faces delay

2006-06-03T16:58:00.000+05:30

Symantec's next-generation security software is officially named Norton 360 and faces a delay from the original September due date. Word of the delay comes as Microsoft is starting to ship its Windows Live OneCare security product and a day after McAfee announced its Falcon project for new, integrated consumer security software, slated for delivery this summer. Symantec unveiled plans for its new software, then code-named Genesis, in February. The product is to rival Microsoft's OneCare and Windows Vista security technology, and will integrate components of Symantec's current security, PC optimisation and backup products, the security company has said.

ZDNet News

Now Create Robots with Microsoft

2006-05-31T08:56:00.000+05:30

Following the launch of the Windows Live Messenger Beta, Microsoft has announced the start of its new contest, "Invasion of Robots Contest". Through this contest, Microsoft is challenging developers worldwide to create conversational robots or BOTs for MSN Messenger and Windows Live Messenger.

http://www.techtree.com/techtree/jsp/article.jsp?article_id=73503&cat_id=580

Microsoft's Ultimate Office 2007

2006-05-31T08:53:00.000+05:30

Microsoft has announced that Office 2007 Ultimate Edition will now be added to its list of Office 2007 packages. The new edition will include all the applications of Office 2007. According to Microsoft, the Ultimate Edition is created on the basis of customer feedback, and is targeted at users who do not want to choose specific components from Office. These are typically people working from home, who need access to the full line-up of Microsoft Office 2007 applications, so that they can create, find, manage, and share information across boundaries with the help of familiar tools in Office.

http://www.techtree.com/techtree/jsp/article.jsp?article_id=73535&cat_id=580

NIIT, Sun Expand Student Horizons

2006-05-31T08:48:00.000+05:30

Sun Microsystems India and NIIT have launched an initiative to expand the technology horizons of the country's large student population, by introducing specialized education and training programs around Sun technologies. It is intended that students emerging from these programs will add to the existing Java and Solaris developer communities in the country.

http://www.techtree.com/techtree/jsp/article.jsp?article_id=73544&cat_id=547

New Security Technology Debuts in Vista Beta 2

2006-05-31T08:46:00.000+05:30

Guess when Microsoft said earlier test builds of Windows Vista were feature-complete, they were just kidding. In Beta 2, which Microsoft began distributing last week, Microsoft quietly added a new security technology to the Vista core. That technology, known as Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), which is used by some open-source vendors, is designed to make it more difficult for malicious hackers to automate attacks against an operating system.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1969562,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Microsoft Adds More Watchwords to Its Vista Feature List

2006-05-24T05:44:00.000+05:30

In the three-hour-long, back-to-back series of keynotes kicking off the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) on Tuesday morning (UGH!!!), Microsoft execs highlighted in passing a few Vista features that they haven't really talked up much until now. Among these are Transient MultiMon, designed to help mobile users better manage their display connectivity, as well as network projection, a feature designed to detect a nearby projector and connect to it via a wired or wireless network. Microsoft execs also are mentioning "Hot Start," which we're assuming, will be the faster on/off capability that will be built into Vista.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1966422,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Longhorn Server Shows Inside-Out Improvement to Windows

2006-05-24T05:17:00.000+05:30

eWEEK Labs tested Longhorn Server Builds 5381 and 5384—our first look at the server operating system—and we were impressed by the way that Microsoft's forthcoming refresh has progressed, inside and out. Superficially, Longhorn Server expands on the ease-of-configuration strengths of Windows Server 2003. Under the hood, Longhorn Server sports a new TCP/IP stack along with performance and functionality improvements in most of the product's core server roles. Longhorn Server is slated to ship some time after the release of Vista, the client half of Microsoft's upcoming Windows refresh. However, we expect that many organizations will end up upgrading to Longhorn Server before making a move to Vista. Windows server upgrades will involve touching fewer machines and will stand to deliver more value per upgraded box than will the client upgrades.

eWeek

2007 Microsoft Office system Beta 2 Download

2006-05-24T05:13:00.000+05:30

Preview the 2007 Microsoft Office system and gain first-hand experience with the new look and feel, features, and functionality of the 2007 Microsoft Office release. 2007 Microsoft Office system Beta 2 is a public preview release designed to help you evaluate the Microsoft Office system. The beta is not final and should not be used for business-critical work.Test the full release of 2007 Microsoft Office system Beta 2 today. Register and choose whether you want to download the software or order it by mail. Coming soon you'll be able to test the new user interface and features in 2007 Microsoft Office system Beta 2 by taking an online test drive.

Download: 2007 Microsoft Office system Beta 2

Windows Vista Beta 2: It's Make or Break Time

2006-05-22T05:45:00.000+05:30

The next test build of Windows Vista – known as the Consumer CTP and/or Vista Beta 2 – is expected shortly. Many are expecting it could hit this week, timed with the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, which kicks off on Tuesday in Seattle. Whenever it actually does go live, the new build will have a lot riding on it. Testers say Microsoft needs to show some serious progress on Vista if it is to keep to its 2006 release-to-manufacturing (RTM) target.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1965432,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Vista's Make Or Break Moment

2006-05-22T05:38:00.000+05:30

It's the hour of reckoning for Windows Vista.
After five years of course changes, false starts and a host of beta and Community Technology Preview (CTP) builds, Microsoft is set to deliver a broad-scale build of Vista to two million testers. Microsoft is likely to drop the build – known by multiple names, including the consumer Vista CTP and Vista Beta 2 – as early as this week at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in Seattle, according to company watchers. (Around the same time, Microsoft also is likely to release Office 2007 Beta 2, the next major milestone of Microsoft's next-generation desktop suite, as well as Beta 2 of Longhorn Server.)

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1965429,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Windows Vista Feature Focus: Windows Flip and Flip 3D

2006-05-22T05:22:00.000+05:30

In a previous Windows Vista Feature Showcase, I detailed a new Vista feature called Live Taskbar Thumbnails that helps users organize the many windows and applications they might have open at any one time. Live Taskbar Thumbnails is a Taskbar feature, but what it primarily does is provide a more discoverable way to switch between running tasks. However, Windows has used a less discoverable task switching method, enabled by holding down the ALT key and repeatedly hitting TAB (commonly referred to as ALT + TAB) since the early days of Windows. Surprisingly, this functionality has actually been updated significantly in Windows Vista as well.In the earliest Windows versions, ALT + TAB was referred to internally at Microsoft as "cool switch". In Windows 3.x, ALT + TAB was usable, but it was sometimes confusing because it wasn't always clear which open window would appear next. In Windows 95, Microsoft improved this functionality to display the icon of each open window as you tabbed through the list of running tasks. This made it easier to find the correct window, even if you had several open windows.
winsupersite.com
Windows Vista Feature Focus: Live Taskbar Thumbnails

Yahoo Messenger worm turns on IE

2006-05-22T05:20:00.000+05:30

Researchers have identified an "insidious" threat affecting Yahoo Messenger. A self-propagating worm, named yhoo32.explr, installs a piece of software called 'Safety Browser' and then hijacks the Internet Explorer homepage, leading users to a site that puts spyware on their PCs. Because Safety Browser uses the IE icon to identify itself, users can easily mistake it for the legitimate Internet Explorer. This is the first recorded incidence of malware installing its own web browser on a PC without the user's permission, according to security firm FaceTime.The self-propagating worm spreads the infection to all contacts in Yahoo! Messenger by sending a website link that loads a command file onto the user's PC and installs Safety Browser. "This is one of oddest and more insidious pieces of malware we have encountered in years," said Tyler Wells, senior director of research at FaceTime Security Labs
vnunet.com

Windows Vista: A pre-beta 2 status report

2006-05-21T06:00:00.000+05:30

A Vista of the Leopard
Let me start this article by saying that I think Windows Vista is the most important version of Microsoft Windows since 1995. If Windows 95 had been a disaster for Microsoft, we might all be running some flavor of IBM's OS/2 today. Most people take for granted that if you run a PC, you run Microsoft Windows. But as Windows XP nears its 5th birthday, such assumptions start to be called into question.
http://www.wincustomize.com/articles.aspx?aid=117896&c=1

Warning!Don't use your Apple laptop on your lap

2006-05-21T05:50:00.000+05:30

Have you ever browsed through an Apple MacBook Pro User's guide? Many of you MBP owners probably never did because the excitement of turning on your system is too overwhelming and somehow, later on, the manual ends up getting misplaced.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1965065,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532

Microsoft page supports Firefox but not IE

2006-05-21T05:48:00.000+05:30

TODAY'S HARMLESS but humourous fun comes from Vole central.
Pop on over to this Microsoft Support forum thread and you'll find that it works perfectly in Firefox and Mozilla but fails to work properly in Internet Explorer.
A volish HTML coder will doubtless be the target of many jokes on Monday morning. And you can bet it will be fixed soon.
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31838

US State Dept pulls Lenovo PCs

2006-05-20T06:36:00.000+05:30

The US State Department has yanked computers made by China's Lenovo from networks that provide access to information vital to national security, it has emerged. The move follows fears the kit could be used by China to spy on the US.
The department ordered 16,000 PCs from Lenovo earlier this year. Some 900 of these machines were due to be connected to secure networks, Republican Congressman Frank Wolf revealed this week.

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/19/us_govt_pulls_lenovo_pcs/

Microsoft dismisses Open Sauce as 'inferior'

2006-05-20T06:33:00.000+05:30

HOPES THAT that proprietary software outfit Microsoft might see the error of its ways and embrace the Open Sourcers were cruelly dashed this week.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31834

What's on Tap for WinHEC?

2006-05-20T06:31:00.000+05:30

Microsoft's annual Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) kicks off next week. What's in store? We hear we're in for updates on the Big Three Microsoft products: Windows Vista, Windows Office 2007, and Longhorn Server. And, as usual, we're expecting to see system vendors showing off any and every kind of form factor running Microsoft's integrated Windows-Office platform. Check back here throughout the week for WinHEC updates live from the Washington State Convention Center.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1965133,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Best Buy to Microsoft-Certify 900 Employees

2006-05-20T06:29:00.000+05:30

Best Buy seems to be Microsoft's partner of choice in the SOHO/SMB space, as of late. This week, the consumer electronics retailer announced it had certified 300 of its employees as Microsoft Certified Professionals in the small-business arena. Best Buy's goal is to Microsoft-certify 900 of its employees by year-end.
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1964974,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Blogging from Word 2007

2006-05-13T12:08:00.000+05:30

Word is a great tool for writing stuff, right? Blogging is all about communicating with words (and pictures, too). So, why not use Word to write your blog posts?
Stop, don't jump to the end of this post to push the comment button yet. I'm not an idiot. I'm not endorsing you commit HTML suicide. If you've ever written a post in Word 2003 or before and then copied and pasted the text into your web browser you know what I'm talking about. Sure you can do it, but you have to run one of those HTML clean up tools so that your posts don't look mangled. Even then the HTML is not tight and clean, right?
Well no more. We've been working late into the nights and very late into our development schedule for Word 2007 and we have a special goody for all you bloggers in Beta 2 of Office 2007. That's right blog post authoring from Word. This is a very late breaking feature and is definitely beta software. That said, I hope that everyone is pleasantly surprised with where we are going with this feature.

http://blogs.msdn.com/joe_friend/archive/2006/05/12/595963.aspx

Yahoo rebuffs Microsoft offer

2006-05-13T12:05:00.000+05:30

Terry Semel, chairman and chief executive of Yahoo, said on Wednesday he had turned down an offer from Microsoft to buy a stake in Yahoo’s search business and that discussions about Bill Gates' software group acquiring the company had not taken place. The comments to media executives reflect the discussions internet companies are having about alliances as they jostle for position in the lucrative search business dominated by Google.Mr Semel said he had talked to Microsoft about continuing their partnership under which Microsoft’s MSN online arm has used Yahoo for search advertising. MSN has decided to end this and plans a rival advertising service to Google and Yahoo.

Financial Times

Alienware announces release of first SLI and RAID capable notebook

2006-05-13T12:04:00.000+05:30

SLI on notebooks. In the never ending pursuit to make portable machines just as powerful as desktop machines, it was bound to happen sooner or later, and now it has been done. Alienware is the first laptop retailer to offer a Go 7900 SLI notebook, which is an nForce-4 & Turion 64 based beast. On top of having two 256MB GeForce Go's built in, it has a 17” display (for the pricier model), and even the possibility of dual-hard disks and RAID on a laptop. It seems almost unreal to have a laptop capable of that, but truthfully it has been discussed and nearly demanded for a long time now. I was not expecting to see both SLI and RAID on a laptop straight out of the chute, but here it is.

TechSpot

Windows Vista Beta 2 Shapes Up for May 23 Release at WinHEC

2006-05-13T12:02:00.000+05:30

Microsoft plans to release Beta 2 on DVD to attendees of the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) on May 23 along with Office 2007 Beta 2. Meanwhile, users who wish to obtain a DVD version of Windows Vista Beta 2 via the public Microsoft Web site will have to wait until May 27. Microsoft expects this version to eventually be delivered to millions of people.

WindowsITPro

Windows XP Home -- No Need To Worry With Core Duo

2006-05-13T12:01:00.000+05:30

Core Duo users don't need to worry about using their systems with Windows XP Home Edition. DailyTech recently reported that Dell is again cutting prices on its Core Duo laptops with Windows XP Home or Windows XP MCE. However, several of our readers raised the doubts that Core Duo will work and correctly be identified by Windows XP Home.What was confusing about the reports is that Microsoft’s documentation indicates that Windows XP Home should recognize and use both cores with Service Pack 2, but not otherwise. DailyTech tested the Intel Core Duo issues being reported with a Dell XPS Core Duo laptop. Our tests indicate that Windows XP Home doesn’t have a problem using the second core and were unable to reproduce the issue, as demonstrated in the screen capture to the right.

DailyTech

Microsoft 'Bronx Project' Services Set To Go Live Soon

2006-05-11T11:06:00.000+05:30

Microsoft has trotted out a few Windows Live services that are aimed expressly at cell-phone and PDA users. Now it seems the company is planning to make similar moves on the Office Live side of the house. "Project Bronx" is the code name for forthcoming Office Live services that will be designed for mobile users on the go. We're expecting to see a first beta as soon as later this month.
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1959599,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Google Desktop 4: now with Gadgets

2006-05-11T10:56:00.000+05:30

Since its initial release in October 2004, Google Desktop has become increasingly popular with the masses. That popularity, along with a desire to monetize the application, apparently has resulted in a large team of programmers at Google working on improvements to the application. The result? Google Desktop 4, just three short months after the debut of version 3 (of a very-extended beta).

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060510-6803.html

Windows Media Player 11 Public Preview Due Out Next Week?

2006-05-11T10:53:00.000+05:30

Over on the Hotfix.Net site are some new features and due dates for Windows Media Player 11, the next version of Microsoft's audio/video player that will be available for XP and be baked into Windows Vista. Allegedly, Microsoft is ready to release a "public preview" beta of WMP11 for XP on May 17. The final code is slated to arrive by the end of June for XP and for Vista in early 2007.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1960482,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Symantec: Our security savvy will beat Microsoft

2006-05-09T11:08:00.000+05:30

Symantec will fight off Microsoft's security software challenge by being better at coming up with new ideas, the company's CEO said Monday.
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6069941.html

Microsoft preps new version of the other Windows

2006-05-09T11:06:00.000+05:30

While Microsoft has been beset by delays in its new operating system for personal computers, developers quietly have been working on a new version of another Windows, this one found in everything from sewing machines to sophisticated cellphones.
A beta version of the revamped Windows CE is due to be introduced to software developers at a conference Tuesday in Las Vegas. The update also will provide the basis for Windows Mobile, which is built for sophisticated cellphones but which even the company concedes can be clunky.
Users can expect to see products based on both systems in 2007, Microsoft says.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-05-09-microsoft-mobile-windows_x.htm?POE=TECISVA

Vista will cause security confusion

2006-05-09T11:02:00.000+05:30

ANALYSTS AT the Yankee Group reckon Microsoft Vista will deliver a bewildering blow to the market for Windows security software.
End users may find the security measures that will be shoe-horned into the 'operating system' "disruptive", while independent software vendors will suffer short-term pain, the analysts' latest report warns.
Vista, they say, will have little to no effect on the size of the corporate anti-virus segment, but competitors will have their market shares dented following the introduction of Microsoft’s own anti-virus offerings.
In the report, entitled "Microsoft’s Vista Won’t Stop the Windows Security Aftermarket," the Yankees say the aftermarkets for anti-spyware and desktop firewalls will experience the most dramatic decline.
Deployment of Vista will also slightly decrease the need for third-party products for disk encryption, device control and certain host intrusion prevention software (HIPS), they reckon.
Vista will only bring spectacular improvements to the overall level of security for users, if Microsoft succeeds in making customers and ISVs comfortable with the new security system, Andrew Jaquith, Yankee Group's Security programme manager warned.
"Windows security issues will continue to be a permanent fact of life for Microsoft, which means that third parties will always have a rich and robust aftermarket available to them to serve," he reckons.
The analysts expect many customers to defer major upgrades to Vista because of the expense of upgrading and because Microsoft will market security as a "feature" that users must pay for to obtain. The take-up is therefore likley to be slower than Microsoft is predicting, they reckon. µ
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31548

Vista Won't Support 1394b at Launch

2006-05-08T06:22:00.000+05:30

The EETimes reports that Microsoft Windows Vista will not support IEEE-1394b, also known as Firewire-B, at launch. The EETimes claims a Microsoft representative attending a recent 1394b trade meeting announced that Vista wouldn’t support the standard at launch but would include support in a later service pack. A time frame for a Vista service pack is unknown, but judging from previous service pack releases it could take up to six months to a year to materialize.
1394b is the backwards compatible successor to 1394a and will feature a theoretical maximum speed of 3.2Gbit/s to or from a single device. 1394 is a popular standard for external hard-drives and is featured on most new digital camcorders. The standard was announced in 2001, but still has not made its way into the mainstream.
Windows Vista has been plagued with dropped features and delays and may be facing another 3 month delay according to some analysts. This is yet another blow for the software giant as both Mac OS X and Linux support 1394b already. A new build of Vista, 5381, was just released to MSDN testers this weekend.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2178

Microsoft Office to get a dose of OpenDocument

2006-05-08T06:21:00.000+05:30

A group of software developers have created a program to make Microsoft Office work with files in the OpenDocument format, a move that would bridge currently incompatible desktop applications. Gary Edwards, an engineer involved in the open-source OpenOffice.org project and founder of the OpenDocument Foundation, on Thursday discussed the software plug-in on the Web site Groklaw. The new program, which has been under development for about year and finished initial testing last week, is designed to let Microsoft Office manipulate OpenDocument format (ODF) files, Edwards said. "The ODF Plugin installs on the file menu as a natural and transparent part of the 'open,' 'save,' and 'save as' sequences. As far as end users and other application add-ons are concerned, ODF Plugin renders ODF documents as if (they) were native to MS Office," according to Edwards.

ZDNet News

IE7 Beta 2 now available in multiple languages

2006-05-08T06:19:00.000+05:30

After endless nights and countless slices of pizza, the IE team is proud to announce the availability of Arabic, Finnish, and German versions of IE7 Beta 2 in addition to the English versions we released a week and a half ago. We are also on track to deliver Japanese versions of IE7 Beta 2 on Monday, May 8th, at 9:00PM PST. Please remember to uninstall any previous IE7 builds before installing this new release: Control Panel, Add / Remove Programs, Show Updates, scroll to the bottom. Check it out and let us know what you think! You can download IE7 beta 2 from the following locations:Arabic http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie...tadownload.mspxFinnish http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie...tadownload.mspxGerman http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie...tadownload.mspxIn addition, all language versions including English, can be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie...s/default.mspx.

News source: IEBlog

Microsoft: Users May Have To Prove Legal Windows Use

2006-05-06T12:19:00.000+05:30

Microsoft is piloting an opt-in notification service for its Windows Genuine Advantage online verification program in the U.S., which may make it mandatory for users to get Automatic Update or Windows Update Rights.

http://www.informationweek.com/windows/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=187200796

Microsoft Buys Google Web Analytics Competitor

2006-05-06T11:21:00.000+05:30

While we still have yet to see an press acknowledgement, Microsoft has acquired Web analytics vendor DeepMetrix. DeepMetrix's technology goes head-to-head with Google Analytics, the Urchin technology that Google acquired in March 2005.
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1958181,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

ATI Radeon X1800 GTO vs Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT

2006-05-06T11:15:00.000+05:30

GPU face-off Every new generation of high-end graphics cards heralds a speed bump for the mid-range products. In the past, I've been disappointed with many of the mid-range cards - there's just not enough peformance there to justify the £150-200 price point. It's about time we get some decent performance out of the not-stupidly-expensive line-ups and this time round both the red and the green teams have come up with the goods...

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/05/h2h_ati_x1800_gto_vs_nvidia_7600gt/

Amazon dumps Google for Microsoft search

2006-05-03T12:29:00.000+05:30

BOOK FIRM Amazon has dumped Google from it search page and replaced it with a Microsoft offering.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31407

Samsung's 'Origami' PC Makes Debut

2006-05-03T12:22:00.000+05:30

Samsung on Monday announced the U.S. availability of the Q1, the company's first device to fall under the Ultra Mobile PC platform. The unit would retail for $1,099 USD, just above Microsoft's target of $599 to $999 for the "Origami" line of devices. UMPCs largely resemble a small Tablet PC with 7-inch touch screen, and run a full version of Windows XP with special software.

http://www.betanews.com/article/Samsungs_Origami_PC_Makes_Debut/1146596786

Another Vista Delay in the Cards?

2006-05-03T12:20:00.000+05:30

Gartner Group is postulating that Microsoft Vista will now be a Q2 2007 deliverable, instead of a January one. Microsoft is denying the report, saying there is no new slippage in its Vista delivery targets. Whether there is or isn't another push-back, inquiring minds want to know whether a Vista delay of another quarter or two would matter to any of Microsoft's many constituencies.
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1956667,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

China shuts down pron sites

2006-05-01T13:40:00.000+05:30

THE CHINESE> government has saved the glorious people's republic from a tremendous 'negative influence' on its society, by shutting down six porn sites.
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31373

Microsoft Tests Virtualization Update

2006-05-01T13:36:00.000+05:30

For those who want to improve the performance of non-Windows guest operating systems (Linux, anyone?) on Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2, Service Pack (SP) 1 is the solution. SP1 also will add support for Intel's and AMD's respective virtualization technologies. Late last week, Microsoft made available to testers the first beta release of its Virtual Server service pack. The final version of Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP 1 is slated for Q1 2007.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1955684,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

African Nations Latest to Get XP Starter Editions

2006-05-01T13:23:00.000+05:30

At latest count, there are 83 versions of Windows XP Starter Edition – the stripped-down, cut-rate version of Windows Microsoft is targeting at emerging-market customers – available around the globe. Last week, Microsoft announced the new grand total, as well as new versions, for Namibia and Nigeria, among other customized African Starter Edition releases. In March, Microsoft launched Windows XP Starter Edition for the Vietnamese market.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1955686,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Major Firefox 2.0 Feature Dropped

2006-04-29T17:22:00.000+05:30

While Microsoft has become a favorite target of critics who say the company has dramatically scaled back expectations for Windows Vista, Mozilla's Firefox Web browser is about to join that crowd.
Mozilla has decided to strip out a major new feature from Firefox 2.0 in order to ensure that the update meets a Q3 2006 release target, a post in the browser's developer forum indicated earlier this week. "Places," a complete rewrite of the browser's bookmarking system, will no longer be included in the release.

http://www.betanews.com/article/Major_Firefox_20_Feature_Dropped/1146253430

NY Times, Microsoft Build Vista App

2006-04-29T17:21:00.000+05:30

The New York Times has joined up with Microsoft to build a new standalone application for reading the newspaper's content on a PC. The tool, called Times Reader, was unveiled Friday in prototype form and takes advantage of the Windows Presentation Foundation that will ship in Vista.

http://www.betanews.com/article/NY_Times_Microsoft_Build_Vista_App/1146261596

AdCenter to Take Center Stage at MSN Summit

2006-04-29T17:17:00.000+05:30

Microsoft is expected to show off its new advertising platform, expected in June, at next week's powwow, as well as share more Live Services tidbits.
While Jay-Z is on the agenda for Microsoft's seventh annual MSN Strategic Account Summit next week, the real star of the conference will be MSN's adCenter.
MSN adCenter is Microsoft's platform for creating and delivering online advertising. The adCenter product has been in beta test for months and is widely expected to be launched in the U.S. in June. And adCenter also is a key part of Microsoft's services push in fiscal 2007, company officials told analysts on the Microsoft Q3 FY 2006 earnings call on April 27.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1955309,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Windows Live Shopping Site now LIVE

2006-04-29T17:15:00.000+05:30

Today we launch the brand new Windows Live Shopping site! What is it? It is the beta launch of Microsoft’s Web 2.0 shopping experience, featuring one of the world’s largest product catalogs, user-created content and an easier-to-use interface built on 100% AJAX technology. It uses a unified shopping engine to search or browse almost 40 million products from 7,000 stores ranging from many of the country’s leading retailers to eBay. Results are displayed in an order that is not affected by advertising; merchants cannot pay to have their items show up closer to the top. Users will be able to drag-and-drop items to a shopping list and share lists with friends; see user reviews of products and sellers; and read and create public shopping guides on any subject.
http://blogs.msdn.com/msnshoppinginsider/archive/2006/04/28/586092.aspx

Microsoft: Bitlocker key to safe disk disposal

2006-04-28T06:40:00.000+05:30

Microsoft claims that businesses planning to use Vista together with its Bitlocker hard drive encryption technology will have an easy and safe way to dispose of their hard disks. The software giant said on Tuesday that Vista will be so secure that businesses will no longer need to worry about data being compromised when hard disks are sent for disposal, in line with upcoming "green" legislation designed to reduce waste. "With Vista and Bitlocker, businesses will be able to throw hard disks away and be sure (they are) secure," Nick McGrath, head of platform strategy for Microsoft UK, said at Infosecurity 2006. However, McGrath rejected suggestions that Bitlocker would have backdoors in its encryption that will allow police forces to decrypt information stored on suspect systems. "The technology itself is 100 percent secure--we will not be producing any backdoors," said McGrath. "There are no backdoors in Bitlocker technology."

http://www.hackinthebox.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=19981

IE7 Beta 2 Receives Mixed Reviews

2006-04-28T06:38:00.000+05:30

With promises of security, stability and tabbed browsing, Web users have been eagerly anticipating Internet Explorer 7. Microsoft released Beta 2 this week with great fanfare and a new Web site, but does IE7 deliver a next-generation browsing experience?

http://www.betanews.com/article/IE7_Beta_2_Receives_Mixed_Reviews/1146170325

Windows Live: What's the Big Picture?

2006-04-28T06:36:00.000+05:30

From Microsoft Watch: A new service here, a new feature there. Is there any rhyme or reason to Microsoft's seemingly scattered Windows Live strategy (other than to match Google and other competitors, announcement for announcement)? Surprisingly, there does seem to be a grand plan. Check out our Q&A with Blake Irving, the head of the Windows Live Platform group, for more on Microsoft's evolving thinking about its Live strategy.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1954853,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Vista will safeguard HD disposal, says Microsoft

2006-04-27T06:22:00.000+05:30

Microsoft claims businesses planning to use Vista together with its Bitlocker hard drive encryption technology will have an easy and safe way to dispose of their hard disks. The software giant said on Tuesday Vista will be so secure businesses will no longer need to worry about data being compromised when sending hard disks to be disposed of, in line with upcoming 'green' legislation designed to reduce waste.Nick McGrath, head of platform strategy for Microsoft UK at Infosecurity 2006, said: "With Vista and Bitlocker, businesses will be able to throw hard disks away and be sure [they are] secure."However, McGrath rejected suggestions Bitlocker would have backdoors in its encryption that will allow police forces to decrypt information stored on suspect systems. He said: "The technology itself is 100 per cent secure - we will not be producing any backdoors. There are no backdoors in Bitlocker technology."
silicon.com

SAP and Microsoft to launch data integration package

2006-04-27T06:17:00.000+05:30

SAP and Microsoft are to release their joint Mendocino data integration package this Friday. The launch follows the release of Mendocino version 1.0 to 50 users and partners at the end of last year. Graham Conlon, SAP’s programme manager for Mendocino in the EMEA region, confirmed, “On 28 April the product will be available to the public.”Mendocino integrates SAP back-office business applications with Microsoft’s Office products, allowing users to access business data from SAP applications through a more familiar interface. The aim is to help users access and manipulate budgeting, human resources and billing information stored in corporate SAP databases more easily. Mendocino will also include analytics presenting data in easy-to-use formats via Office. News source: ComputerWeekly

World's most 'e-ready' countries

2006-04-27T06:12:00.000+05:30

IBM and the intelligence unit of British magazine The Economist released on Tuesday their annual "e-readiness rankings" of 68 countries. Here is the first half of the list, topped by Denmark, which scored 9 out of a possible 10 points, followed closely by the United States and Switzerland. According to the study, Denmark takes good advantage of the Internet, both in connecting citizens securely over broadband and wireless networks and in using its near-ubiquitous hookups for Internet banking and government services such as tax returns. News source: CNet News

Mobile Version of Office Communicator 2005 Ready for Download

2006-04-25T18:15:00.000+05:30

Microsoft said it would deliver in April, and it did. Microsoft's enterprise instant-messaging client for mobile devices, Office Communicator Mobile, is ready for download. There are four different versions of the product: Two for Pocket PCs (one for Windows Mobile 2003 SE and one for Windows Mobile 5.0 devices) and two for Smartphones.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1952819,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Microsoft Bringing 'Genuine Advantage' Authentication to Office

2006-04-25T18:11:00.000+05:30

In its increasingly aggressive drive to stamp out piracy, Microsoft is bringing Office into the WGA fold, and adding a new notifications service to WGA itself.
Windows Genuine Advantage has worked so well that Microsoft is planning to introduce a version of the anti-piracy authentication program targeted at its Office suite.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1953200,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Update: Microsoft developing next mobile OS

2006-04-25T18:09:00.000+05:30

Microsoft, which has been carving a larger slice of the mobile device OS market, is developing a new product, code-named "Crossbow," which will incorporate features such as instant messaging, a Microsoft executive confirmed Monday. Crossbow will have strong links with Office 2007 and Exchange 12, Microsoft's pending new office application suite and e-mail server, said Pieter Knook, senior vice president for the mobile devices and telecoms sector. Crossbow would be the successor to Windows Mobile 5.0, released in May 2005. Crossbow will take aim at the Symbian and BlackBerry operating systems. The OS will contain a new mobile version of Office Communicator, an Office 2007 enterprise communications application, that includes instant messaging on public and private networks, Knook said. "As the Office [2007] PC versions of those applications improve, we're tracking that on the Windows Mobile side," Knook said.

InfoWorld

Internet Explorer 7: New Public Beta

2006-04-25T18:07:00.000+05:30

We're one step closer to a final Internet Explorer 7 with Microsoft's Monday night twin release of a new, more polished Internet Explorer 7 beta and an accompanying add-ons Web site. This release feels a fair bit more usable than the previous public beta in January. To be fair, that release was a preview release meant for "developers and IT pros." Whereas this one is ready for "technology enthusiasts" (read: early adopters) using Windows XP Service pack 2, XP 64-bit, or Server 2003 Service Pack 1, according to Redmond. The new add-ons site at http://www.ieaddons.com was scheduled to go live at the same time as the new beta release. However, the IE 7 "Find More Add-ons" menu option still takes you to a different site. The interface is much the same as in the previous release: Depending on your tastes and browsing habits, you'll find it either streamlined or squished. Tabs and a customizable search box sit together up top with the Back, Favorites, and other buttons on only two (default) toolbars. Download: Internet Explorer 7 Beta 2

PC World

New Vista Build 5365: There It Is

2006-04-23T23:24:00.000+05:30

From the "Ask and you shall receive" (or maybe the "Better late than never") department: We asked on Friday where that expected new Vista build was. LonghornBlogs.com said on Saturday that it had arrived. "Vista Beta 2 and this interim build showcases several enhancements we can expect to see coming in Beta 2," according to the LonghornBloggers.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1952622,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Analysis: Microsoft enters health IT arena

2006-04-23T23:15:00.000+05:30

Microsoft has become the latest big player to enter the healthcare IT ring -- an arena typically populated with mid-size players -- with an array of products designed to transform the way insurers, providers do business.
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/health/article_1157605.php/Analysis_Microsoft_enters_health_IT_arena

Microsoft Hires Away IAC Executive

2006-04-23T23:12:00.000+05:30

Microsoft is hoping the executive who turned around the Ask search engine can aid its own Internet efforts.
The Redmond, Wash. software giant said late Friday it had hired Steve Berkowitz, Ask's CEO, to head its online business group, which includes the MSN.com Web site and the Windows Live set of Web services.
http://www.thestreet.com/_googlen/tech/internet/10280896.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEN&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA

WSJ: eBay Talking with Microsoft, Yahoo

2006-04-23T22:57:00.000+05:30

eBay reportedly is talking to both Microsoft and Yahoo on ways that either company could collaborate with the auction site to fend off Google. The search giant has long been an ally of eBay, however Google's recent moves are making the company nervous.Google recently introduced Google Base, a service that eBay sees as direct competitor to its own listings. Also, the search engine has been developing an online payment system that sounds similar in concept to eBay's PayPal. Additionally, Google has hired away several engineers and staff from eBay.

BetaNews

Windows Live Mail with 2GB storage launch expected in June

2006-04-23T22:54:00.000+05:30

Windows Live Mail is expected to launch in June and will offer a 2GB storage. The webbased email service has a Outllook look and feel. The email can also be read offline using the Desktop Live Mail client, this client will also be able to access IMAP and POP account. The service will be free but ad based.It will also be possible to get you Live Mail in to Outlook but that will cost 19 Euro a year. It is expected that together with the launch of Windows Live Mail, also the new messenger client Windows Live Messenger (8.0) will be released.

Bink.nu

Just what is the point of Dual-Layer DVD+RW?

2006-04-20T05:16:00.000+05:30

THERE'S A scene in one of the Austin Power's movies where Will Ferrell, playing an Arab, is bombed etc. but refuses to die. Just when you think he’s gone, there’s this little, tiny disembodied voice saying "Hello, hello, I’m in an incredible amount of pain" – or something like that...

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31111

Live Drive: Microsoft's Gdrive Killer?

2006-04-20T05:12:00.000+05:30

Microsoft is working on a new virtual-storage service, code-named Live Drive. From early accounts, it sounds an awful lot like Gdrive, the still-as-yet-publicly-unannounced storage service from Google. We're still not sure whether Microsoft will position Live Drive as a consumer and enterprise offering both. And we don't know exactly when the beta will hit. But it's in the wings.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1951237,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535

Vista Gets New App Compatibility Tool

2006-04-19T19:49:00.000+05:30

With any major new Windows release such as Vista, application compatibility becomes a critical concern for businesses and individuals considering an upgrade. No matter how much Microsoft promotes the new version, users aren't going to make the switch unless their applications continue to function seamlessly.In turn, Microsoft has long offered an Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT), which checks what programs are installed on a system and detects any potential conflicts. The Redmond company is preparing version 5 of the software to be ready by the time Windows Vista ships later this year, and has included a number of new features.

BetaNews

Microsoft Readies 'Carmine' Virtual Server Manager

2006-04-19T19:48:00.000+05:30

Microsoft is preparing a Virtual Server Manager code-named Carmine that will enable users to add, move and manage virtual machines on its virtualization platform. The product, currently called Microsoft Virtual Server Manager, will allow broad support for administration via "Monad," Microsoft's next-generation scripting platform for Window Longhorn Server and Exchange 12, according to Microsoft's Web site. Other sources in the partner community familar with Carmine said it willl contain some of the basic features of VMware's management capabilities in VirtualCenter, but it won’t be as sophisticated. "Today, the problem with Microsoft Virtual Server is the missing management tool for it overall. Carmine is the code name for that management tool," said one source familar with Microsoft's plans. "Microsoft has to play catch up to VMWare's management console."

CRN

Microsoft pushes sender-id mail

2006-04-19T19:31:00.000+05:30

MICROSOFT unveils its MSN Postmaster Services spam portal at the E-mail Authentication Summit in Chicago today.
And with it comes a mighty push towards Microsoft's Sender ID technology as a weapon in the fight against spam.
The technology requires domain owners to publish so-called Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records, a list of IP addresses used to send email.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31112

New Windows Vista Build Ready to Drop

2006-04-18T07:08:00.000+05:30

From Microsoft Watch: Microsoft is slated to make available to a selected group of testers a new build of Windows Vista this week.This isn't the mega-Community-Technology-Preview (CTP) release that originally was expected in April.Build 5365 is a much more modest interim build that will include a number of interface tweaks, performance tuning and other sundry enhancements. Microsoft says it is still on track for the consumer CTP to hit in the second quarter. Microsoft watchers are expected that build to hit next month.

Microsoft Watch

Microsoft Offers Registry Fix to Patch IE, Office

2006-04-18T07:07:00.000+05:30

Microsoft this weekend released a support document outlining lockup and unresponsive software problems that an April 11 security fix causes, but the only workaround involves editing Windows' registry, a chore usually left to advanced users. Initial reports Friday of crashes and lockups caused by the MS06-015 security bulletin ranged from lockups of third-party software to Internet Explorer going dead.

TechWeb