Order Now!
Windows 7 for XP ProfessionalsUpdating Support Skills from XP to Windows 7by Bink.nu's Raymond Comvalius
There are 92 guest(s) online.
There are 0 member(s) online.
Full Story At Source http://encarta.msn.com/guide_page_FAQ/FAQ.html
We see that there many be a lot of free applications to choose from, such as one from CNBC business news, Fusion Voicemail plus, a Weather program, and so on. Of course, this is just an early glimpse of what will be available. The interface looks clean and easy to use, but we really want to see what happens once you drill into any of the program screens and actually purchase/install the program. We also hope that the prices for apps don't stay as high as we're accustomed to now. For example, Spb Traveler 2.0 is shown at its usual price of around $30. It remains to be seen whether the Marketplace will force developers to lower their prices
Continue At Source (screenshots)
We've always had a 'best together' experience with Outlook, but our core email functionality & many other pieces of Exchange have of course always been open to other clients using standard protocols. In Exchange 2007 we introduced Exchange Web Services (EWS) and in the next version of Exchange (codenamed Exchange 14) we've continued to invest in making EWS even easier to use, with a managed client API, and you can use standard development tools to use EWS to access and manage the email, calendar, contacts & other content in mailboxes.
Continue At Source
Furthering its vision to connect the PC, Web and phone, Microsoft Corp. today announced strong industry support for Windows Mobile 6.5 and Windows Marketplace for Mobile as well as new applications for Windows® phones.
Joining a long list of mobile developers, EA Mobile and MySpace announced plans to deliver Windows® phone applications through Windows Marketplace for Mobile. In his keynote address at International CTIA WIRELESS 2009, Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft, will introduce an alliance with two prominent design houses through which fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi will demonstrate ways people can customize their Windows® phone to fit their personal style.
“We know it’s the experiences that mobile phones can offer to people that really matter,” Bach said. “The continued support from the world’s top mobile operators, manufacturers and developers means you can choose the Windows® phone, applications and experiences that are right for you. We’re excited about what we can offer on Windows® phones combined with our new mobile services.”....................Continue At Source
"Hello everyone and welcome to the first post of the updated Windows 7 for Developers blog. My name is Yochay Kiriaty and I am a Technical Evangelist on the Developer and Platform Evangelism Team, mainly focusing on the developer story for Windows 7. As Technical Evangelist, I get to work a lot with the product group as well as with our partners - that is, you developers. This enables me to become very familiar with the product, its engineering and APIs, and at the same time gain an understanding of the needs of the Windows 7 application developer community.
This blog will focus mainly on the developer aspects of Windows 7 and provide valuable content for developers. We want to make this blog a “one stop shop” on the road to getting yourself familiar with what Windows 7 has to offer for developers and how you can “Light-Up” your application by using Windows 7 features.
With your help, this blog should evolve to become a sort of Windows 7 developer content index. Down the road, if you want to write some code using one of Windows 7 new features and APIs, we hope that you will be able to find some reference to that topic in this blog. If you don’t find it, please feel free to comment and we’ll pick up that subject as quickly as possible. In case you have content you want to share, ping us so we can write a post and reference your............................Continue At Source
On October 31, 2009, MSN® Encarta® Web sites worldwide will be discontinued, with the exception of Encarta Japan, which will be discontinued on December 31, 2009. Additionally, Microsoft will cease to sell Microsoft Student and Encarta Premium software products worldwide by June 2009. We understand that Encarta users may have questions regarding this announcement so we have prepared this list of questions and answers below. Please keep reading if you would like more information about these changes to Encarta.
Why are these Encarta Web sites and software products being discontinued? Encarta has been a popular product around the world for many years. However, the category of traditional encyclopedias and reference material has changed. People today seek and consume information in considerably different ways than in years past. As part of Microsoft’s goal to deliver the most effective and engaging resources for today’s consumer, it has made the decision to exit the Encarta business.
Microsoft's vision is that everyone around the world needs to have access to quality education, and we believe that we can use what we’ve learned and assets we’ve accrued with offerings like Encarta to develop future technology solutions. In doing so, we feel strongly that we are making the right investments that will help make our vision a reality.
When are these Encarta Web sites and software products being discontinued? MSN Encarta worldwide (except Japan) will be discontinued on October 31, 2009. MSN Encarta Japan will be discontinued on December 31, 2009. After these specified dates, the Web sites will no longer be available. Microsoft Student and Encarta Premium software products are also being discontinued. Microsoft will stop making them available for sale by June 2009
http://encarta.msn.com/guide_page_FAQ/FAQ.html
Paul Thurrott:
….these tables will help you pick which Windows 7 product edition makes the most sense for you, based on your needs and wants
This is a preliminary list.
Continue at source
A search of Microsoft's career database turns up 466 open jobs in Redmond. Most are software developer roles, but there are also open spots for product managers, program managers, marketing managers, and user experience designers. Windows Mobile and gaming-related positions seem to dominate the list, along with Live services and non-product specific jobs.
Microsoft has cut thousands of employees this year. But like many corporations, Microsoft hasn't combined its layoffs with a hiring freeze, despite rumors sparked by a leaked memo last fall. The company's worldwide headcount is still above 80,000. In 2007, Microsoft grew its staff by 11,200. In that context, a few hundred open slots in Redmond alone isn't very surprising.
Full Story: http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/03/30/microsoft-hiring-hundreds-despite-layoffs
The cases have been settled through a patent agreement under which TomTom will pay Microsoft for coverage under the eight car navigation and file management systems patents in the Microsoft case. Also as part of the agreement, Microsoft receives coverage under the four patents included in the TomTom countersuit. The agreement, which has a five-year term, does not require any payment by Microsoft to TomTom. It covers both past and future U.S. sales of the relevant products. The specific financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The agreement includes patent coverage for Microsoft’s three file management systems patents provided in a manner that is fully compliant with TomTom’s obligations under the General Public License Version 2 (GPLv2). TomTom will remove from its products the functionality related to two file management system patents (the “FAT LFN patents”), which enables efficient naming, organizing, storing and accessing of file data. TomTom will remove this functionality within two years, and the agreement provides for coverage directly to TomTom’s end customers under these patents during that time.
Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of Intellectual Property and Licensing, Microsoft Corporation, stated:
“We are pleased TomTom has chosen to resolve the litigation amicably by entering into a patent agreement. Our car navigation patents, which are at the heart of the enhanced auto experience enjoyed by millions of drivers today, have been licensed to many companies, including leaders in the car navigation sector. The file management system patents, which increase file management system efficiency and functionality, have also been licensed by many companies, including those that produce mixed source products.
We were able to work with TomTom to develop a patent agreement that addresses their needs and ours in a pragmatic way. When addressing IP infringement issues, there are two possible paths: securing patent coverage or not using the technology at issue. Through this agreement, TomTom is choosing a combination of both paths to meet the unique needs of its business, and we are glad to help them do so.”
Peter Spours, Director of IP Strategy and Transactions at TomTom N.V., stated:
“This agreement puts an end to the litigation between our two companies. It is drafted in a way that ensures TomTom’s full compliance with its obligations under the GPLv2, and thus reaffirms our commitment to the open source community.”
Steve Ballmer, the chief executive of Microsoft, will be named media person of the year at the Cannes International Advertising festival in June.
Ballmer, who took control of the direction of the world's largest software company following founder Bill Gates's retirement last summer, follows in the footsteps of previous recipients such as Sir Anthony O'Reilly, the former chief executive of Independent News & Media; Lachlan Murdoch; Viacom's chairman and chief executive, Sumner Redstone; and the Italian prime minister and media magnate Silvio Berlusconi.
"This is a time of sweeping innovation and transformation in advertising and publishing and there are incredible opportunities to use technology to deliver more value to both advertisers and consumers," said Ballmer.
He will be presented with the award at this year's festival, for which Guardian News & Media is the official UK representative, on 24 June during the press, design and Cyber Lions awards for advertising.
Ballmer, who spearheaded Microsoft's ultimately unsuccessful $47.5bn (£33.2bn) bid to take over Yahoo last year, will also be making a presentation at Cannes during the Microsoft Advertising seminar.
Philip Thomas, the chief executive of the festival, said that Ballmer had a "passionate and dynamic personality" – perhaps best summed up by his remarkable "monkey dance" in 2006 expressing his love of Microsoft – and had "touched the lives of millions and changed the face of worldwide communication".
In January, Ballmer, who joined Microsoft in 1980 when the company had just 24 employees and became chief executive in 2000, made the decision to cut 5,000 jobs to cope with the sharp downturn in technology spending during the recession.
Microsoft has been a sponsor of the Cannes International Advertising festival since 2002. The sponsorship deal expires following the festival in 2010.
Source: Guardian
A japanese Microsoft blogger has posted screenshots of gadgets and desktop that are part of build 7068 compiled March 21st
source: http://blogs.msdn.com/shintak/archive/2009/03/27/9513364.aspx
Thanks Jim for the tip!
http://technet.microsoft.com/ru-ru/evalcenter/dd353205(en-us).aspx?ITPID=caregm
Published: May 2009
Download instructions
Welcome to Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) testing. We’re on our way to Windows 7, and the RC is a great opportunity for IT professionals like you to take Windows 7 and begin testing it in your real environment. You get to see what’s coming, and we get to see if our changes and fixes from the Beta testing are working correctly. We want to encourage you to install and actively test the RC code. This will help us ensure Windows 7 is the best possible release, and help you get ready for Windows 7 deployment.
Here’s what you need to know:
This is pre-release software, so please read the following to get an idea of the risks and key things you need to know before you try the RC.
Here’s what you need to have:
Get the download
The 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 RC are available in five languages: English, German, Japanese, French, and Spanish. (Note: The RC version will not be available in Hindi or Arabic.) Just choose the version that fits the system you'll be using, pick your language, and click go to register for and download the RC.
Downloading the Windows 7 RC could take a few hours. The exact time will depend on your provider, bandwidth, and traffic. The good news is that once you start the download, you won't have to answer any more questions – you can walk away while it finishes. If your download gets interrupted, it will restart where it left off. See this FAQ for details.
Existing TechNet Plus subscribers, download the Windows 7 RC software here. Not a subscriber yet? Learn more about TechNet Plus.
Select the Windows 7 RC version you want to download
Choose between the 32-bit and 64-bit versions, based on the version of Windows you are currently running and your machine’s hardware configuration. Each version is available in five languages: English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.
Download the 32-bit (x86) version:
Select Your LanguageEnglishFrenchGermanJapaneseSpanish
Download the 64-bit (x64) version:
Thanks to Neowin.net for the link
Source: SDTimes 33359
We’ve come a long way in engineering Windows 7 since we first provided an engineering preview of Windows 7 and the work we are doing to support the touch interface paradigm back at the D: All Things Digital conference. We chose to kick-off the discussion about engineering Windows 7 with touch scenarios because we know this is a long-lead effort that requires work across the full ecosystem to fully realize the benefit. For Windows 7, touch support is engineered by building on our advances in input technology we began with the TabletPC work on Windows XP. Touch in Windows 7 requires improvements in hardware, driver software, core Windows user experience, and of course application support. By having this support in an open platform, consumers and developers will benefit from a wide variety of choices in hardware, software, and different PC form factors. Quite a few folks have been a little skeptical of touch, often commenting about having fingerprints on their monitor or something along those lines. We think touch will become broadly available as the hardware evolves and while it might be the primary input for some form factors (such as a wall mounted display in a hospital, kiosk, or point of sale) it will also prove to richly augment many scenarios such as reading on a convertible laptop or a “kitchen PC”. One of my favorite experiences recently was watching folks at a computer retailer experience one of the currently available all-in-one touch desktops and then moving to another all-in-one and continuing to interact with the screen—except the PC was not interacting back. The notion that you can touch a screen seems to be becoming second nature rather quickly. This post is our first dedicated blog on the subject. This is a joint effort by several people from the touch team, mostly Reed Townsend, Dave Matthews, and Ian LeGrow. -Steven
Windows Touch is designed to enhance how you interact with a PC. For those of us that have been living and breathing touch for the last two years we’re excited to be able to deliver the capability to people using Windows 7. In this blog we’re going to talk about what we’ve done to make Windows touchable. We approached this from a number of different directions: key improvements to the core Windows UI, optimizing for touch in key experiences, working with hardware partners to provide robust and reliable touch PCs, and providing a multitouch platform for applications.
With Windows 7 we have enriched the Windows experience with touch, making touch a first-class way to interact with your PC alongside the mouse and keyboard. We focused on common activities and refined them thoughtfully with touch in mind. You will have the freedom of direct interaction, like being able to reach out and slowly scroll a web page then flick quickly to move through it. With new touch optimized applications from creative software developers you will be able to immerse yourself as you explore you photos, browse the globe, or go after bad guys in your favorite games.
While providing this touchable experience, we made sure you are getting the full Windows 7 experience and not a sub-set just for touch. We’ve been asked if we are creating a new Touch UI, or “Touch Shell” for Windows – something like Media Center that completely replaces the UI of Windows with a version that is optimized for touch. As you can see from the beta, we are focused on bringing touch through the Windows experience and delivering optimized touch interface where appropriate. A touch shell for launching only touch-specific applications would not meet customers’ needs – there would be too much switching between “touch” mode and Windows applications. Instead, we focused our efforts on augmenting the overall experience so that Windows works great with touch.
Full Story At Source