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Media Center Finally Gets Live Messenger Plug-in
2008-01-14 02:31:00
plug-in. Damien Bain-Thouverez, developer of the Media Control Plug-in (ffdshow) has added functionality in the same plug-in to act as a Windows Live Messenger frontend. This is the first attempt for a Live Messenger plug-in in Vista Media Center . Media Center 2005 had a built-in Windows Messenger plug-in, but with the release of Windows Vista this was kicked to the side as was Windows Messenger all together. Last year Microsoft announced a beta of Windows Live for TV which promised Live Spaces and Live Messenger integration, the product appears to be dead without a release. Setup instructions can be found in the User Manual, and while the integration is not complete it does work pretty well. Maybe the new load of downloads mixed with a few donations will get full functionality and bugs fixed. Source:Chris Lanier's Blog Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)
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Microsoft SQL Server 2008 ? Learning Portal
2008-01-12 22:34:00
The new SQL Server 2008 Learning Portal contains the latest trainings including eBooks and e-Learnings, Instructor-lead Trainings and Certification Exams on SQL Server 2008. Go to this site to be ready for SQL Server 2008 today! Go to the Microsoft Learning Portal for SQL Server 2008 Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows Server 2008 RC2 Unlikely - Source
2008-01-12 14:55:00
Windows Server 2008 is now close enough to being released to manufacturing that it's unlikely Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT) will issue a third release candidate for the long awaited OS, according to a source close to the company. Windows Server 2008 is currently in RTM "escrow," which means that the product team thinks the code is good to go but wants to tinker with it just a bit longer, said a source close to Microsoft, who requested anonymity. "There may very well not be an RC2," said the source. A Microsoft spokesperson declined comment, saying only that Microsoft "is making good progress on Windows Server 2008" and is on track to launch it at the Feb. 27 launch event in Los Angeles, at which SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008 will also be introduced. Microsoft last August pushed the Windows Server 2008 RTM timeframe from the end of 2007 into Q1, but many industry observers chalked this up to Microsoft's desire to synchronize the release of Server 2...
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Microsoft's Xbox could consider Blu-ray support
2008-01-09 21:22:00
Microsoft Corp's Xbox video gaming unit still fully backs Toshiba Corp's HD-DVD high-definition DVD format but could consider supporting Sony Corp's  rival Blu-ray technology should consumers want it, an executive said on Tuesday. "It should be consumer choice; and if that's the way they vote, that's something we'll have to   consider," Albert Penello, group marketing manager for Xbox hardware said when asked whether Microsoft would support a Blu-ray DVD accessory in the event that HD-DVD failed. Microsoft does not believe the surprise decision last week by Time Warner Inc unit Warner Bros, the top seller of home movies, to abandon HD-DVD format in favor of Blu-ray should affect sales of its Xbox 360 video game console, Penello said. "I fundamentally don't think ... this has a significant impact on Xbox 360 versus (Sony's) PlayStation 3," Penello told Reuters in an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. "With the PlayStation 2...
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Microsoft won't launch iPhone rival
2008-01-09 18:21:00
Microsoft will not launch a product that competes directly with Apple's iPhone, Chairman Bill Gates said in an interview with Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. "No, we won't do that. In the so-called smart phone business we will concentrate solely on software with our Windows Mobile program," Gates was quoted as saying in the interview published on Wednesday. "We have partnerships with a lot of device manufacturers from Samsung to Motorola and this variety brings us significantly more than if we would make our own mobile phone," he added. Apple's iPhone, which also plays music and lets users browse the internet, has been a big hit. Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)
More About: Microsoft , Iphone , Launch

Windows Home Server Power Pack Announced
2008-01-08 01:44:00
A new update for Windows Home Server was announced last night at CES. The update, called Power Pack 1 (formerly code named UR1) will ship in the first half of 2008 and hit servers via Windows Update. This update will include new Home Server connector software (this is the systray app that connects your computer to the Home Server), and the ability to backup your Home Server (for offsite storage for example), and several other new features.  Todd Headrick from the Home Server team invited us over to see all the new features and talk a little bit about Home Server. We'll connect with that team again while we're here and check out some of the Home Server hardware. Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)
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The funny CES 2008 keynote video: Bill Gates last day at Microsoft
2008-01-08 01:32:00
    Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)
More About: Video , Funny , Keynote , Events

Windows Mobile 7 details & screenshots leaked!
2008-01-07 00:29:00
The first phones with Windows Mobile 7 will go on sale in 2009 but already now you can learn (almost) everything about it (including hint that it will support multi-touch!): Windows Mobile 7 will use touch gestures, similar to how the iPhone does. You will be able to flick through lists, pan, swipe sideway, draw on the screen. A lot of emphasis has been put on making navigation easier and doing away with scrollbars, including a new scroll handle that allows for multiple ways of finding items extremely fast. Windows Mobile 7 will use motion gestures, something the iPhone does not. It will not use an intricate and complicated series of gyroscopes and accelerometers. Instead, it will use the camera on the phone to detect motions and create appropriate actions. You will be able to shake, twist and otherwise manipulate the phone and get things done. The phone will be able to perform actions when placed face down on a surface, and it will know when it is in your pocket or bag. To learn mo...
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Bill Gates? CES 2008 keynote
2008-01-06 05:23:00
Join Bill Gates , Microsoft Chairman, and Robbie Bach, President of the Entertainment & Devices Division, along with their surprise guests for the opening keynote of CES 2008. Since Bill Gates first keynoted CES almost 15 years ago, consumer technology has changed dramatically. Listen as Bill Gates and Robbie Bach discuss the impact of the digital decade and the future of connected experiences enabled by Microsoft?s consumer technology. Sunday, January 6th, 2008 6:30 p.m.Pacific Standard Time The webcast URLs are: 750k ?high quality? webcast stream 300k ?good quality? webcast stream 100k ?blob quality? webcast stream For Microsoft Corp., CES is about joining together with the industry to demonstrate the power of software and its endless possibilities. Microsoft technology is creating new ways for today?s active consumers to connect to each other and be entertained through innovative technology. Today, consumers can access and use information everywhere they go?via their mo...
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Windows Server 2008 is in Escrow! RTM build planned January 16th
2008-01-05 00:45:00
Windows Server 2008 has gone into the final test stages: Escrow. If all goes well it is expected the RTM build bits to be delivered on January 16th. After that all the teams working on Windows have to "sign off" the build (till Jan 23rd) The week after that there will be "media verification" whatever that may be and then the Release To Manufacturing on February 6th. We already know Windows Server 2008 build is in sync with Windows Vista Service Pack 1, so do the math. February 27th is the worldwide launch of Windows Server 2008 together with Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008 in Los Angeles. There will be launch events around that day all over the world. SQL Server 2008 has not yet RTMed yet on its launch day! WSUS 3.0 sp1 can be expected in this time frame too. Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)
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Microsoft quiet on new HD-DVD Xbox 360
2008-01-03 20:48:00
Rumours are gathering pace this week that Microsoft will use the CES show in Las Vegas next week to unveil an "Xbox Ultimate", according to gadget magazine Stuff. Rumour has it that Bill Gates will be on hand to deliver the 'important' 360 news, and a HD-DVD-enabled console could be on the cards in some form. According to Stuff's report, the Ultimate console will land in Autumn 2008, and will include built in wi-fi, high-definition audio, 1080p HDMI output, 65nm architecture, and will be near-silent when operating. A whopping 320GB hard disk is also mooted by Stuff, as is a built in HD-DVD drive. We're told this will aid the 360's march into the IPTV arena, which is also set to be a major talking point in Las Vegas. Naturally, Microsoft are refusing to comment on any of this gossip, Rumours are gathering pace this week that Microsoft will use the CES show in Las Vegas next week to unveil an "Xbox Ultimate", according to gadget magazine Stuff. Rumour has it t...
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WMWifiRouter turns Windows Mobile phones into WiFi hotspot!
2008-01-03 19:59:00
It is nothing totally new! We were reporting previously that it is possible to turn a Windows Mobile phone with WiFi into a WiFi access point (WiFi hotspot) but it required changes in registry and was a buit cumbersome. Now a free application has been developed that does the work for you and with this application you can use a Windows Mobile phone as WiFi access point - what makes a lot of sense particularly because several Windows Mobile phones offer HSDPA with 3.6 Mbit/second. While Microsoft's Internet Sharing application - built-in into Windows Mobile - is not bad it is available only through USB and Bluetooth but not WiFi so this solution is absolutely superior because it uses the most comfortable wireless Internet access - WiFi: WMWifiRouter is a tool to use your Windows Mobile 6 (possibly 5) as a WiFi <-> GPRS/UMTS/HSPA router. It'll allow you to use WiFi capable devices to connect to the internet through your phone's data connection. ... We're not in a final st...
More About: Mobile Phones , Phones

Another iPhone-like contacts manager for Windows Mobile released
2007-12-28 11:35:00
More and more applications for Windows Mobile Professional (the one for touch-screens) are being optimized for finger usage, rather than stylus usage. Actually you don't even need a phone from HTC Touch series to achieve extremely comfortable user experience... because more and more 3rd party applications provide it! Finger-Friendly Friends is one of such next-generation applications for Windows Mobile ! Features:   Blazingly fast contact lookup Features the new ground-breaking DRMWY-Touch (Doesn't Really Matter Where You Touch) keyboard. There is no need to press specific buttons on the keyboard to search for the contacts. Just touch the screen, and FFF automatically matches all contacts in the touch zone under your finger! The DRMWY-Touch keyboard is probably the world?s first glove-friendly keyboard! Send your position to your contacts using the device's GPS. The position is sent as a user-friendly Google Maps link in either SMS or e-mail (requires a built-in GPS). Fast st...
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moBlog - mobile blogging tool for Windows Mobile phones
2007-12-25 13:59:00
The thing is that in some countries mobile data tariffs are very expensive and also while moving you can loss your mobile connection from time to time, so mobile blogging may be problematic if you use server side software for posting... but with use of moBlog you can create blog posts for popular blogging services also off-line! The author of this freeware - Sampath Dassanayake - writes to us: I have just released moBlog, a free application for Windows Mobile Devices. This application will run on any Windows Mobile device from WM2003 and up. moBlog currently supports Blogger.com, Wordpress.com / Wordpress, and Windows Live Spaces. It supports creating multiple profiles (for your different blogging accounts) and multiple blogs within a single account (such as for Blogger.com). moBlog works in off-line mode and only requires a connection when you are initially setting up your blogging accounts and when you want to publish your posts. For Blogger.com blogs, moBlogger also supports sett...
More About: Mobile Phones , Phones

Read ebooks on Zune
2007-12-22 01:25:00
Recently with so much talk of Kindle, I was thinking of how to read e-books or other documents such as PDF on my Zune . Then I came across a very handy application eBook to Images from Merlin Software. After you open any ebook in this program, it converts them into portable friendly images. It supports txt, pdf, html, lit files which can be converted to images. And its a freeware. As you can see a document 'Overview of Windows XP Service Pack 3' opened in Zune friendly format which was converted from a PDF, it can be read very easily on Zune. But it only converts texts without any image. The text are crisp, sharp and clear on Zune & can be easily read. To get an exact idea of what size is obtained after conversion, I got the actual ebook 'Alice in Wonderland' from Project Gutenberg. It was text file of size 160KB. Now let us convert this e-book for reading it in Zune. Start the eBook to Images and import the e-book by pressing 'open ebook' button. And choose 'Custom...
More About: Ebooks , Read

Tafiti Search source code available for download
2007-12-20 21:26:00
The source code for www.tafiti.com is available! What is Tafiti? It is a search visualization website which brings a new user experience to researching (searching and storing results). It was originally created by Microsoft to demonstrate Silverlight and the Windows Live Search APIs. Today the Windows Live Platform team announced the release of the Tafiti Search Visualization source code to Code Plex which means any developer can download, modify, and resell the code (see MS-PL License for all the details). Tafiti has been released as a Windows Live Quick Application via CodePlex, which is a set of demos developers can download and use as reference implementations or starter kits for the Windows Live Platform. You can see Tafiti running at http://tafiti.mslivelabs.com (or see the original with the Halo3 skin) and to understand how to use it read the walkthrough or watch the video (4.5 minutes). For more information see the announcement on dev.live.com or on Angus Logan's blog. So...
More About: Download , Source , Source Code

Xbox 360 Jump in. Wallpaper
2007-12-20 16:59:00
Microsoft while announcing Xbox Fun Downloads which has Wallpaper s, emoticons and other goodies and it's the downloads for people who register for Xbox LIVE also provided Xbox Jump in. Wallpaper available for all. More details at:Xbox Fun Downloads Here is the Xbox Jump in. wallpaper for all. Download them from here:Wallpaper_JumpIn_800x600.jpg size:579 KBWallpaper_JumpIn_1024x768.jpg size:978 KB Via: meraTechPort Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)
More About: Xbox 360

Microsoft Connect 3.0 Beta
2007-12-18 22:58:00
Microsoft have released the new connect beta site for it?s elite users to test the latest software?s provided by Microsoft. The release number on the connect beta site reads as Build Microsoft.Connect 3.00.00.0125. Many improvements have been made in this new site and also the user interface has been improved to a greater extent. Check it out at http://connectbeta.microsoft.com/ Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)
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Microsoft Releases Windows XP Service Pack 3 RC Refresh build 3264
2007-12-18 18:14:00
Microsoft Connect is pleased to announce the availability of Windows XP Service Pack 3, Release Candidate Refresh . Update packages for English, German and Japanese are now available on the Windows XP SP3 Beta site on Microsoft Connect. Release notes and an updated list of fixes are also available. Source: Microsoft Connect Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)
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Photo Album: Windows Home Server
2007-12-16 12:19:00
Windows Home Server Windows Home Server installationWindows Home Server installation (1)Setting up the server for the first timeWindows Home Server bootscreenWindows Home Server LoginWindows Home Server desktopWindows Home Server ConsoleWindows Home Server Console (1)Windows Home Server Console from clientWindows Home Server Console from client (1)
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Office 2007 SP1 Installation/Slipstream Guide
2007-12-16 01:01:00
Some of you may be wondering how to do a clean install of Office 2007 using an Office 2007 RTM image along with SP1 at the same time. As you may know, Office 2007 makes use of the Updates folder in the installation media to install any new updates that it finds in the folder however the updates need to be in the .msp file format for them to be recognized. Since the Office 2007 SP1 update file is delivered in the .exe format, an extra step is required before being able to proceed:First, you should copy the contents of the Office 2007 RTM image to a temporary folder. For our example we're using C:O2007Temp. We have also copied the Office 2007 SP1 Update file (office2007sp1-kb936982-fullfile-en-us.ex e) to the D: drive. Then, using the Run command in Windows XP/Vista (WinKey+R), run the following command: D:office2007sp1-kb936982-fullfile-en-us.e xe /extract:C:O2007TempUpdates replacing D: with wherever you stored the Office 2007 SP1 update file and C:O2007Temp with wherever ...
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Microsoft Imagine Cup 2008 Encourages Students to Think Green
2007-12-15 10:43:00
Imagine a world where technology solves a country?s water shortage, provides a cleaner source of fuel or reduces the demand for energy. Imagine coming up with a concept that could help solve some of the world?s biggest environmental issues and winning big for coming up with the idea. Students interested in saving the environment while earning cash and traveling to great places can get involved by entering the Imagine Cup 2008. Microsoft Corp. has opened registration for the competition, inviting students from the United States and around the world to use their talent, imagination and know-how to address those and other sustainability issues. Now in its sixth year, the Imagine Cup challenges students around the globe to imagine a world made better by technology and created by their talent and innovation. More than 100,000 students from 100 countries competed in last year?s Imagine Cup. This year, Microsoft hopes to top that, calling on students to go green, dream big and rise to the...
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XNA Game Studio 2.0 released!
2007-12-13 22:20:00
Microsoft Corp. today marked the next step in its initiative to democratize game development and unleash the creativity of the community with the release of the XNA Game Studio 2.0, the next generation of the popular game development platform for Xbox 360 and Windows. The new version builds upon XNA Game Studio Express, released one year ago, and includes the ability to create online, cross-platform multiplayer games for Xbox 360 and Windows using Xbox LIVE and Games for Windows ? LIVE, respectively. XNA Game Studio 2 .0 adds more than 15 new features and is available for download from http://creators.xna.com. ?When building XNA Game Studio 2.0, we wanted to offer everyone the opportunity to utilize the rich gaming environment of LIVE used by AAA developers for titles such as ?Halo 3? and ?Gears of War,?? said Chris Satchell, general manager of the XNA organization at Microsoft. ?We accomplished our goal with this new toolset, and, best of all, it remains highly accessible to studen...
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Microsoft Releases Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator to Help Speed Content Productio
2007-12-13 18:08:00
Microsoft Corp. today announced the release of the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator, enabling film studios and disc authoring companies to model the behavior of HD DVD disc content, including encoded video and HDi interactivity, in a virtual environment before committing to burning a single HD DVD disc. This comprehensive tool is among the first commercially available, software-based solutions of its kind, eliminating the need for expensive hardware or time-consuming and costly trial-and-error processes for testing HD DVD titles, helping to ensure that titles ship error-free. The enhanced content and rich interactive capabilities of HD DVD increase the need for an efficient way to troubleshoot coding to maintain the highest-quality consumer experiences. The emulator uses a combination of available hardware (the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player) and specialized emulation software to ultimately enable playback of near-final assets from a network stor...
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Office 2007 SP1 ready for download today!
2007-12-12 03:35:00
Today SP1 ships. hurray. It's not up there yet but should be later today.  Also the kb articles for each patch don't seem to be live at this moment but should also appear later on today.  Looking down the list of fixes, here are some that caught my eye (read the whitepaper for the full list): Communicator won't let you IM a distribution list any more for security reasons Icons for presence have been modified so that red/green colour blind people can tell the difference between available and busy by looking at the icon rather than the text next to it That Excel bug with 65,534 getting shown as 100,001 is fixed SharePoint works on Windows Server 2008 ASP.net AJAX supported on SharePoint for web parts Outlook delays with opening large psts eliminated For a full list of improvements in SP1, download the Service Pack 1 whitepaper. Initially, SP1 will be available as a free download from Office Online. SP1 will be made available via Automatic Update in the next 3-6 months, and ...
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Microsoft Delivers Office Live Workspace Beta
2007-12-10 20:00:00
Microsoft Office Director of Consumer and Small Business Product Management Kirk Gregersen discusses the public beta of Office Live Workspace, an online extension to Office that provides new Web storage and collaboration capabilities. Microsoft today is beginning roll-out of the public beta of Office Live Workspace, a secure online workspace to which Office users can post Word, PowerPoint, Excel or PDF files directly from Office applications to work on remotely from virtually any web-connected PC and collaborate on with others. To learn more about Office Live Workspace, PressPass spoke with Kirk Gregersen, Office Director of Consumer and Small Business Product Management. PressPass: So, what are you announcing today? Gregersen: We?re announcing that the public beta of Microsoft Office Live Workspace is going live for the first set of people in the United States who pre-registered for the service at www.officelive.com. We?re also introducing community discussion forums on the Offi...
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Zune 80 on Sale!
2007-12-07 20:12:00
Amazon.com is giving the new Zune 80 a slight $9 price cut !  They ensure delivery before the gift-giving day as well as throwing in $5 worth of music!  Check it out! Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)
More About: Sale , Zune 80

Download Zune Card gadget for Windows Vista Sidebar
2007-12-06 21:59:00
One of the members at Zune Forums "litheon" has written a pretty nifty gadget that allows us to have our Zune Card s right on our Windows Vista desktops in the form of Sidebar gadgets. Just head over to this link [alternate download link] and download the Zune Card gadget for Windows Vista Sidebar. Here's how the gadget looks: Via: Zune Style | You Make it You! Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)
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Windows Vista SP1 RC & Windows Server 2008 RC1 is Now Available for Downloa
2007-12-06 16:20:00
Microsoft has released the setup installer code for Windows Server 2008 RC1 (Release Candidate 1) and Windows Vista SP1 RC (Release Candidate) on Wednesday, two highly anticipated update and product that scheduled to be released to RTM (live) in early 2008.According to Windows Server WebLog, Windows Sever 2008 will be released to manufacturing (RTM) or gone gold during the ?Heroes Happen Here? launch event in Los Angeles on February 27 2008, which will also jointly promote Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008. New features in Widnows Server 2008 RC1 include enhancements to Group Policy with Group Policy Preferences, formerly known as PolicyMaker Standard Edition and Policy Share Manager, addition of Client-Side Extensions for GP (Group Policy) Preferences, and down level versions will be available as a separate download for Windows XP Service Pack 2 and above, Windows Vista RTM and above, and Windows Server 2003 SP1 and above. Download for free Windows Server 2008 RC1 fr...

2007 Office System Service Pack 1 to Release to Web Tuesday December 11th
2007-12-05 21:02:00
Next Tuesday , December 11th 2007, the Office System team here at Microsoft expects to announce the availability for download of the 2007 Microsoft® Office System Service Pack 1 (SP1).  This is sooner than previously announced for the "release to web" when the target date was announced at the IT Forum in Europe earlier this year! The 2007 Microsoft® Office System Service Pack 1 (SP1) reflects unceasing efforts by the Microsoft Office System team to address customer concerns. Nearly all of the improvements included in the 2007 Office System SP1 are in response to direct feedback from power users at large organizations or indirect feedback from home and office users through the Dr. Watson bug-reporting system. By tapping these extensive customer-feedback channels, the Microsoft Office System team has targeted the issues that customers care about most. As a result, the 2007 Office System SP1 will deliver significant stability and performance improvements to the applications ...
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