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March 22 Vienna Transformation Pack v. 1.2 DOWNLOAD LINK AND INFOCLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE
Vienna Transformation Pack v. 1.2 DOWNLOAD LINK AND INFO
Vienna (now Windows 7) won't look like this.
BUT PLAY AROUND WITH IT AND USE YOUR OWN WALLPAPER
HAVE FUN
Vienna Transformation Pack v. 1.2
WinMatrix > Microsoft Windows > XP VISTA Customization Vienna Transformation Pack v1.2 - very beautifully OS transformer!
It transform Your Windows XP\Vista to New Windows Vienna. (official release at 2009 - 2010) License: FREE
Size: 18,2 MB OS: Windows XP/vista NEW INFORMATION
ITS OK WITH XP XP SP1 XP SP2 XP SP3
BUT WITH 32BIT VISTA .. just change the compability mode to xp sp2 and run as administrator
HERES THE DOWNLOAD LINK CLICK HERE
Add your valuable comments
NEWS 21ST MARCH 2008 Microsoft To Release XP SP3 Next Week Monday 24th March 2008CLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE
LATEST NEWS FOR 24TH MARCH 2008 MICROSOFT WILL ROLL OUT SP3
Now that Windows Vista service pack 1 has been released, all eyes have shifted to Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT)'s plans for Windows XP service pack 3, the final package of updates for the trusty OS.
And, according to at least one source, Microsoft will roll out XP SP3 next Monday 24th March 2008
As of Wednesday afternoon Pacific time, the BitTorrent search engine Mininova listed a 568.73 MB Windows XP Professional SP3 5503 file available for download. The file, which had 112 seeds and 417 leeches, had been downloaded 2083 times since it was posted Tuesday, according to the listing. According to the file description notes, Microsoft will release the final version of XP SP3 on March 24, but the 5503 test build passes all Windows Genuine Advantage checks and is able to download Windows updates that previous XP SP3 builds weren't able to, which suggests that it could, in fact, be the final RTM build. When Microsoft released Vista SP1 in February, the final RTM code was identical to the Vista SP1 Release Candidate (RC) 1 Refresh 2 test build that was released to a group of 15,000 testers two weeks earlier. A Microsoft spokesperson, perhaps weary from the months-long barrage of Vista SP1 related inquiries, said the final version of XP SP3 is still on target to be released the first half of calendar year 2008, and the XP SP3 5503 build was a minor interim build released to address one specific issue for a subset of private beta testers. "This build was not intended for public release, and anyone who has that build and is not part of the private beta is working with bits that Microsoft can't verify the integrity -- it's possible the bits may have been modified with malware or other bad code that Microsoft hasn't tested," the spokesperson said in an email. XP SP3 was originally slated for release in 2006, but Microsoft has delayed it on numerous occasions since launching XP SP2 in August 2004. In February, Microsoft released XP SP3 Release Candidate 2 through its Download Center to users running PCs with XP SP2 installed. MORE INFO
Now that Windows Vista service pack 1 has been released, all eyes have shifted to Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT)'s plans for Windows XP service pack 3, the final package of updates for the trusty OS. And, according to at least one source, Microsoft will roll out XP SP3 next Monday.
As of Wednesday afternoon Pacific time, the BitTorrent search engine Mininova listed a 568.73 MB Windows XP Professional SP3 5503 file available for download. The file, which had 112 seeds and 417 leeches, had been downloaded 2083 times since it was posted Tuesday, according to the listing. According to the file description notes, Microsoft will release the final version of XP SP3 on March 24, but the 5503 test build passes all Windows Genuine Advantage checks and is able to download Windows updates that previous XP SP3 builds weren't able to, which suggests that it could, in fact, be the final RTM build. When Microsoft released Vista SP1 in February, the final RTM code was identical to the Vista SP1 Release Candidate (RC) 1 Refresh 2 test build that was released to a group of 15,000 testers two weeks earlier. A Microsoft spokesperson, perhaps weary from the months-long barrage of Vista SP1 related inquiries, said the final version of XP SP3 is still on target to be released the first half of calendar year 2008, and the XP SP3 5503 build was a minor interim build released to address one specific issue for a subset of private beta testers. "This build was not intended for public release, and anyone who has that build and is not part of the private beta is working with bits that Microsoft can't verify the integrity -- it's possible the bits may have been modified with malware or other bad code that Microsoft hasn't tested," the spokesperson said in an email. XP SP3 was originally slated for release in 2006, but Microsoft has delayed it on numerous occasions since launching XP SP2 in August 2004. In February, Microsoft released XP SP3 Release Candidate 2 through its Download Center to users running PCs with XP SP2 installed. official Microsoft product change request forms for Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3. Windows Vista SP1: Here are the actual images from the product change request
Vista SP1, XP SP3, Windows 7 Are Old News – Non-Windows Singularity OS Is a HitCLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE
Vista SP1, XP SP3, Windows 7 Are Old News – Non-Windows Singularity OS Is a Hit
Singularity does not offer a sneak peek into the future of Windows 7, Windows 8 or any future editions of the Windows
Microsoft is by no means all about the Windows operating system. In fact, Windows Vista Service Pack 1, Windows XP Service Pack 3, as well as the next iteration of the Windows platform, Windows 7, are old news by now.
There is a new star emerging from Redmond, and it is a non-Windows operating system: Singularity. At this point in time, Microsoft has made available the Singularity Research Development Kit (RDK) version 1.1for download via CodePlex. Still, the new operating system is not a Microsoft open source project, but one aimed at academic non-commercial use. Singularity version 1.1 went live on CodePlex at the beginning of March 2008, and since then it has made its way to the top of the most popular projects on Microsoft's open source project hosting website. In fact, Singularity is featured in the number 1 spot under the CodePlex's Projects With Most Downloads section. "While looking around CodePlex for something else, I was interested to see that Singularity was the top downloaded project," said Lynn Langit, a Developer Evangelist for the MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) team. But make no mistake about it. Singularity does not offer a sneak peek into the future of Windows 7, Windows 8 or any future editions of the Windows platform. The Singularity project is an entirely new operating system built from scratch starting in 2003. The project comes with a new programming language and even new software verification tools. Singularity was authored almost entirely in the Sing# programming language, which is an extension of C#. "We started the Singularity project over three years ago to explore how advances in languages, tools, and operating systems might produce more dependable software systems. Our goal remains to develop techniques and technologies that result in significant improvements in dependability. As a common laboratory for experimentation, we created the Singularity OS. Central to the OS are three fundamental architectural decisions that have significantly improved the ability to verify the expected behavior of software systems: software isolated processes (SIPs), contract-based channels, and manifest-based programs (MBPs)," revealed Singularity's creators Galen C. Hunt and James R. Larus from Microsoft Research. Why Windows 7 might go to pieces NEWS 21ST MARCH 2008CLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE
Why Windows 7 might go to pieces NEWS 21ST MARCH 2008
There are a growing number of clues that Windows 7 — the next version of Windows about which Microsoft continues to remain mum — could be available in pieces.
By “pieces,” I mean a couple of different things: 1. Delivered in a role-based fashion, a la Windows Server. Windows Server 2008 allows users to select which bits they want to install or ignore, based on a handful of predetermined “roles.” Windows Server Core is the minimum configuration. Given that Windows client and server are built from the same code base, doesn’t it make sense that the next version of client also will move to more of a roles-like system? Microsoft already allows OEMs to pick and choose among components using the OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK). So why not allow customers to do the same? A user-selectable, role-based Windows client could help Microsoft’s marketing folks from having to make the kinds of SKU choices that got Microsoft in legal hot water with Windows Vista. It wouldn’t be Microsoft deciding what constitutes “Windows-7-capable.” Instead, users would choose how much (or little) of Windows 7 they want on their systems. 2. Divided into complementary Software+Services elements. Again, Microsoft has been foreshadowing, to an extent, what it is planning here. With Windows Vista, Microsoft showed that it could update components of Vista (example: the Windows Photo Gallery) via a Windows Live service (Windows Live Photo Gallery). One of my sources close to Microsoft recently told me that “major parts are being removed from Windows 7 (mail, photo, video)” but still will be available as user-selectable services. This plan, if it comes to pass, ought to help lessen the Windows attack surface that has been the target of various Microsoft competitors and antitrust regulators who’ve been critical of Microsoft bundling everything but the kitchen sink into Windows. To be clear: Microsoft hasn’t confirmed any of these theories. And doubters may claim that the first, early test build of Windows 7 that made it into certain testers’ hands seemingly didn’t provide indications that turning Windows 7 into a bunch of disparate parts is Microsoft’s game plan. (Too bad the Technical Committee affiliated with the U.S. Department of Justice isn’t talking; the TC recently took delivery of an early Windows 7 build in order to give it a first sweep for potential areas of legal concern….) WINDOWS 7 - VIENNA CONCEPTS PHOTO SLIDESHOW & WINDOWS 7 M2 VIDEO MARCH 2008CLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE
WINDOWS 7 - VIENNA CONCEPTS PHOTO SLIDESHOW & WINDOWS 7 M2 VIDEO MARCH 2008
TO SEE MORE
NEWS 20TH MARCH ISNew Kernel for Vista SP1, New Kernel for Windows 7Microsoft is simply spoiling its users when it comes down to the evolution of the core of the Windows client.
IF YOU ENTERED ONE OF MY BLOGS CLICK HERE TO GO TO MAIN HOME PAGE www.davidlower.spaces.live.com TO SEE MORE
March 18 Windows XP SP3 Build 5503 Windows XP Service Pack 3 is yet to reach the end of its evolution, even if RTM is reportedly just around the corner. 18TH MARCH 2008 LATEST NEWSCLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE
Windows XP SP3 Build 5503 Windows XP Service Pack 3 is yet to reach the end of its evolution, even if RTM is reportedly just around the corner. 18TH MARCH 2008 LATEST NEWS
Windows XP Service Pack 3 is yet to reach the end of its evolution, even if RTM is reportedly just around the corner.
The last official step Microsoft took with the third and final service pack for XP was to deliver the public versions of Release Candidate 2 in English, German and Japanese on March 6, 2008. So far, the Redmond company has only admitted to taking XP SP3 as far as RC2 Build 3311. But at the same time, XP SP3 Build 5503 is now available for download via torrent trackers and warez websites. However, Microsoft failed to confirm in any way that it offered a new development milestone for XP SP3.
Release Candidate 2 for XP SP3 was initially dropped in the same week when Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 were released to manufacturing at the start of February. XP SP3 RC2 shipped to some 15,000 testers as a private release, before Microsoft opened up the beta at the end of the past month to the general public. Now, XP SP3 RC2 is available for download both via Windows Update and as a standalone download straight from the Microsoft Download Center. Last week, Jane Maliouta, the program manager for IE8 Deployment and Management, gave a clue pointing out that XP SP3 RC2 was the same, or very close to XP SP3 RTM. At the same time, Maliouta made a reference to Windows XP SP3 (RC2 candidate - Build 3311 or higher), without mentioning the build designed to succeed 3311. The latest version of XP SP3, available exclusively as a leaked variant, and with no confirmation whatsoever that it is an official development milestone from Microsoft, is labeled 5.1 (2600 build 2600.xpsp.080306-1604:Service Pack 3) or 5.1.2600.080306-1604, v.5503. Because there is no build number displayed by either System Properties or by About Windows, XP SP3 Build 5503 has been advertised as the RTM version of XP SP3. As far as the English version is concerned, the adjacent information is size 315.48 MB; MD5: 0f88c125ee4ab608e2744ef3d18a686e; SHA1: e1621b38e71a98df4bf4cc928a68dd144d34ec02 and CRC-32: e516340c. But the jump from build 3311 all the way to 5503 means that this leaked release has to be taken with a grain of salt, because it might not be what it claims, and instead provide just a fake variant of an earlier testing build of XP SP3. At the same time, Microsoft appears to no longer be offering XP SP3 via Connect. This could mean that the Redmond company is in fact preparing to deliver the gold bits of XP SP3. Latest indications point to March 18, 2008, for the date when Windows SP1 will be dropped via the Microsoft Download CenterCLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE
Latest indications point to March 18, 2008, for the date when Windows SP1 will be dropped via the Microsoft Download Center
Get Ready for Vista SP1 RTM Action Pack
Concomitantly with the general availability of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 RTM, Microsoft will also start offering the new Action Pack complete with the SP1 gold bits. The Action Pack has evolved since the initial offering came out, associated with the RTM build of Vista, in order to allow company partners to perform full installations (bare metal deployments) of the service pack.
Despite the fact that Microsoft has still to confirm the consumer release of Vista SP1, the latest indications point to March 18, 2008, for the date when SP1 will be dropped via the Microsoft Download Center, Windows Update and Microsoft Update.
"Mid-March 2008 delivery of Microsoft Windows Vista Business with SP1 in a special Action Pack shipment to partners worldwide. To make it easier for you to deploy the final release of Windows Vista SP1 for internal use, all subscribers will receive full code. [Microsoft will offer] one licence for Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1 (full code) for internal use, so you can discuss this product's benefits and features with customers who need a single PC to fulfil their work, travel and entertainment needs. This software will be delivered in the regular Action Pack quarterly update (April 2008) for current subscribers and for new Action Pack subscribers starting in April 2008," explained David Overton, ISV Partner Account Manager at Microsoft. The Redmond company's partners will be able to install the Vista SP1 bits via the new Action Pack on machines in their organizations that come with a full licence for Windows XP Professional acquired through the OEM or retail channels. SP1 can also be deployed on computers that have Vista RTM, or feature an active Microsoft Action Pack subscription.
"You will receive full code, but the licence is an upgrade to Windows Vista with SP1. This means that you must have licenced a qualified full desktop PC operating system on the device before you are eligible to install the full version of Windows Vista Small Business with SP1 on that same device. This software is for your organisation's internal installation only and may not be installed on any other computer outside your organisation on either a permanent or a temporary basis," Overton added. TODAYS TOP NEWS 17th march 2008 Retail Vista SP1 and final XP SP3 expected this weekCLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE
TODAYS TOP NEWS 17th march 2008 Retail Vista SP1 and final XP SP3 expected this week
Microsoft is poised to release Windows Vista Service Pack (SP1) to the retail channel this week. And the final release-to-manufacturing (RTM) of Windows XP SP3 is not far behind, according to testing sources.
Amazon.com has published to its site Vista SP1 availability dates of Wednesday March 19. (Thanks to Computerworld for spotting Amazon’s SP1 availability notice.)
Microsoft officials have been saying for the past few weeks to expect Microsoft to release Vista SP1 through retail channels and via Windows Update in mid-March. Even though Microsoft released Vista SP1 to manufacturing in early February — and (after user protest) delivered the final SP1 bits to its TechNet and Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) subscribers a couple of weeks after that — company officials said they were holding back on making the service pack more broadly available due to driver-installation problems.
(In late February, Microsoft inadvertently made a build of Vista SP1 available via Windows Update, and pulled it shortly afterward.)
Meanwhile, Microsoft has removed XP SP3 from its private Connect test site, according to testers who requested anonymity, in preparation for the delivery of the final XP SP3 bits.
Over the weekend of March 15, another new test build of XP SP3 leaked out. The latest XP SP3 build, No. 5503, was available on torrent sites over the weekend, testers said.
Said one tester: “A new build of SP3 is floating on the net, build 5503. The last build, the public RC2 was Build 3311 (which Microsoft released in mid-February) so it’s quite a jump between the two.”
The aforementioned tester said that the XP SP3 5503 build didn’t seem to include any noticeable new features or functionality. Other testers wondered whether the new SP3 build was real or fake.
Microsoft officials have said to expect XP SP3 to ship by mid-2008. Web site PCInpact earlier this year said Microsoft planned to ship the final version of XP SP3 the week of March 23, a date Microsoft would neither confirm nor deny when I asked.
Anyone else have more to share on XP SP3 availability?
NEWS 17TH MARCH 2008 Vista SP1 to hit Windows Update Tuesday, reports sayCLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE
NEWS 17TH MARCH 2008 Vista SP1 to hit Windows Update Tuesday, reports say
Microsoft will release Windows Vista Service Pack 1 next week to a wider audience, according to information posted on Amazon.com and reports from a Web site that correctly called SP1's ship date last month.
Amazon currently lists Vista SP1 retail copies as available next Wednesday, March 19, while TechARP.com, the Malaysian Web site that nailed the update's release to manufacturing (RTM) date several days early, said users would be able to download SP1 starting Tuesday, March 18.
Vista SP1 shipped to duplication and OEMs Feb. 4, but since then it has only been available to previous beta testers, volume licensing customers and subscribers to IT subscription services. In fact, subscribers to TechNet and Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) only got access to SP1 after raising a ruckus, with some threatening to cancel their subscriptions and others saying they would postpone Vista deployment.
Most Vista users, however, have been unable to obtain the service pack. That was a conscious decision on the part of Microsoft, which said that the delay was caused by a small number of hardware device drivers that won't properly reinstall during the SP1 upgrade. Microsoft said it needed extra time to identify the drivers and set up blocking mechanisms that will prevent users whose PCs have those drivers from receiving SP1.
Microsoft has never identified the balky drivers or the responsible hardware manufacturers.
Retail buyers of the new version of Vista face no such driver problem, Microsoft has said. According to Amazon.com, customers after packaged retail copies of SP1 can get them beginning Tuesday, March 19.
The online retailer's listings also reflect the new prices Microsoft set for Vista after it cut prices by up to 48% late last month. Price cuts in the U.S., however, were significantly smaller: 15-20%. Windows Vista Home Premium Upgrade, for example, lists on Amazon for $129.95, the price Microsoft pinned on it Feb. 28, and down from the earlier $159.95; Amazon, however, is selling that upgrade for $94.99.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Web site that called Vista SP1's RTM has reported that current Vista users will be able to download and install SP1 starting Tuesday, March 18. TechARP.com named Tuesday as the first possible start date for what it dubbed "End-User Manual Update."
Since early February, Microsoft has said that Vista users would receive SP1 in "mid-March" by either selecting the optional update in Windows Update or downloading a standalone installer from Microsoft's Download Center site. Only in April would it start pushing SP1 to all Vista users who have Windows Update's Automatic Updates set to automatically retrieve and install important fixes. (TechARP has named April 18 as that date.) A TIPFOR WINDOWS VISTA SP1 HOW TO MAKE GO FASTER IN 10 SECCLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE
Here's a tip, when you first install vista,
turn off the indexer service. your performance will jump 25% at least!
I have a degree in computer science and have customer built pcs for 1000's of clients. i have had hundreds, with old and new hardware beg me to roll them back to xp pro after using vista...vista is simply slower...applications crash, drivers are impossible to find, programs that ran fine on xp won't run on vista..this new os is not backwards compatible with the previos one, its just backwards! due to the above mentioned reasons...i agree, too many services running allocates too many cpu threads memory allocation is s t r e a c h e d." i agree with you computer tutor. normally got a crash application/software if install others software even it compatible with vista. missing "driver auto searching sometime". yarks.. it's just look better if using a vista fresh with full update only. what the hell if we can't install others software. otherwise, jz crash you software. NEWS 17TH MARCH 2008 Gates Predicts Big Technological LeapsCLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) Chairman
Bill Gates said Thursday he expects
the next decade to bring even greater
technological leaps than the past 10
years.
In a speech to the Northern Virginia Technology Council, Gates
speculated that some of the most
important advances will come in the
ways people interact with computers:
speech-recognition technology,
tablets that will recognize
handwriting and touch-screen
surfaces that will integrate a wide
variety of information.
"I don't see anything that will stop
the rapid advance," Gates said,
noting that technological change
driven by academia and corporate
researchers continued even after the
Internet stock bubble burst in 2000.
Gates also said the coming years
will bring rapid changes in media as
television increasingly becomes a
targeted medium, where viewers can
select niche content for news, sports
and entertainment.
"TV will be based on the Internet; it
will be an utterly different thing," he
said.
Gates' speech came after he testified
to Congress on Wednesday
advocating greater investment in
math and science education and
more relaxed immigration rules that
would allow foreigners who obtain
college degrees in the United States
to work here after graduation.
Current policy, he said, forces many
bright, capable students to return to
their native countries after the U.S.
has invested in their education.
Gates said Thursday he was
optimistic that policy makers would
make the right decisions about
investing in technology and human
capital, though he acknowledged that
such investments don't pay off
immediately.
"Historically the United States has
done a fantastic job of making the
right investments," he said. "I think
other countries, having seen that, are
starting to duplicate those
elements." March 13 Windows 7 Eyed For Antitrust Violations NEWS 13TH MARCH 2008 FROM www.davidlower.spaces.live.comCLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE www.davidlower.spaces.live.com
Windows 7 Eyed For Antitrust Violations The so-called Technical Committee recently received a build of Windows 7 from Microsoft and is checking it for any features that might violate the federal antitrust agreement. The court-mandated committee overseeing Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT)'s compliance with a federal antitrust settlement has commenced reviews on the company's next major operating system to ensure it meets the settlement's terms. The so-called Technical Committee recently received a build of Windows 7 from Microsoft and is checking it for any features that might violate the agreement. Presumably, most heavily under scrutiny is whether the OS causes host computers to favor Microsoft applications over third-party software -- a practice the federal government cited in its original complaint against the company. The Technical Committee's work was revealed in the most recent status report on Microsoft's compliance with the 2002 antitrust settlement, under which the company agreed to make its products interoperable with those made by rivals. The report was filed last week in federal court for the District of Columbia. Microsoft to date has said little about Windows 7, which had been in development under the code name Blackcomb. It's generally believed that the OS will ship in the 2010 timeframe. That's one year after the federal government's oversight of Microsoft is now slated to expire. As a result, the Technical Committee is trying to get its hands on as much Windows 7 code as it can as soon as possible. "The TC has begun to review Windows 7 itself. Microsoft recently supplied the TC with a build of Windows 7, and is discussing TC testing going forward," the report stated. "The TC will conduct middleware-related tests on future builds of Windows 7," the report added. The report also revealed that some tweaks to Windows Vista in the new Service Pack 1 update include more than just fixes that Microsoft thought were a good idea. In addition to patches that help make the operating system more secure and stable, Vista SP1 also changes the OS to bring it into compliance with the antitrust settlement. For instance, Vista SP1 fixes two so-called browser overrides -- instances in which the software ignores user default preferences for Web browsing. For example, SP1 eliminates overrides that occur when users launch a Web browser from within Outlook Express or the Windows Help Viewer. The report noted that the Technical Committee is meeting with independent software vendors "to ensure that middleware ISVs achieve 'Vista Readiness.'" Microsoft Confirms Windows 7 for 2010 – No Word on Windows 7 M2 Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 7 is right on track for release in 2010. Concomitantly with the leaked details associated with Windows 7 Milestone 1 dropped by the Redmond company to select partners in January 2008, a potential timetable for the availability of the successor of Windows Vista was also made public. According to the leaked information on the next iteration of the Windows platform, having just reached M1, the final version of Windows 7 was to be wrapped up the end of 2009. Officially, the Redmond company has only been saying that Windows 7 development would take an estimated three-year timeframe. However, Microsoft always failed to specify the moment when the three-year timeframe started. The debut of Windows 7 development was indeed connected with the release of Windows Vista, but this aspect only contributed to the confusion because the latest Windows client was launched to businesses in November 2006 and to the general public in January 2007. So in this context, the finalization of Windows 7 could just as easily be aimed for the end of 2009, as well as 2010. Well, this is no longer the case. Microsoft explained that it would deliver Windows 7 three years after the consumers launch of Vista. "We are currently in the planning stages for Windows 7 and development is scoped to three years from Windows Vista Consumer GA. The specific release date will be determined once the company meets its quality bar for release," a Microsoft spokesperson revealed to Softpedia via email. Windows Vista Consumer GA means nothing more than the general availability of the operating system. In this regard, Microsoft has merely reconfirmed what it has in fact said since mid 2007, that Windows 7 is planned for 2010. Recently, the Redmond company has delivered a build of Windows 7 for review to the U.S. antitrust regulators. This was made public via the "Joint status report on Microsoft's compliance with the final judgments." I contacted Microsoft and asked whether the new version of Windows 7 was still M1 or if the company has reached Milestone 2 (M2). The leaked timetable for Windows 7 had M1 set to expire in March, and M2 to be delivered in March/April. Outside of the confirmation quoted above, Microsoft did not comment on Windows 7 M1, M2 or the potential antitrust issues that would be generated by the connecting of Windows 7 with Windows Live Wave 3. Microsoft wants to freeze the Vista incapable lawsuit The lawsuit, filed almost a year ago, claims that Microsoft misled punters in late 2006 by letting PC makers stick "Vista Capable" labels on lower power machines sold with Windows XP that were later found capable of running only the Home Basic version of Windows Vista rather than the full version that includes most of Vista's new features including the Aero eye-candy graphical interface. It claims that PC buyers paid more for those machines than they would have parted with had they known that they wouldn't be able to support Windows Vista when that was released a few months later in early 2007. Never mind that those PC consumers who bought "Vista Capable" machines are likely better off sticking with Windows XP instead of "upgrading" to Vista, seeing as how Vista has turned out to be even more of a pig on qualudes than all prior versions of Windows. The Vole probably won't be arguing that, but even if it did, that wouldn't let it off the hook for having misled customers who expected that "Vista Capable" actually meant "Vista Ready" when they coughed up the readies. US District Judge Marsha Pechman granted the lawsuit class action status two weeks ago. Microsoft filed a petition to appeal that ruling with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday, a day after it filed a motion before Judge Pechman to stay the lawsuit pending its appeal. If the case is stayed, that would put off any further discovery by the plaintiffs until the appeal is decided, which could take up to three months or more. The delay would postpone additional revelations of potentially embarrassing emails and other documents by Microsoft and PC manufacturers, hardware suppliers such as Intel, and wholesalers and retailers. Release of internal company emails last month disclosed that high level Microsoft executives anticipated the problems caused by the "Vista Capable" labels on PCs sold with Windows XP. Microsoft's OEM partners warned the company that the labels would confuse consumers, and even Microsoft's own executives got burned by buying PCs incapable of running the full version of Windows Vista. In its motion to stay, Microsoft wrote: "Continued proceedings here would cost Microsoft a substantial sum of money for discovery and divert key personnel from full-time tasks...; would intrude on sensitive pricing decisions and strategies by OEMs, wholesalers, and retailers; and would jeopardize Microsoft's goodwill with class members -- all with respect to claims that might not proceed on a class basis at all." Microsoft argued that, if its appeal is successful, any time and money it spends on additional discovery will have been wasted and any further negative publicity will have been raised unnecessarily. It also claimed that continuing discovery while its appeal is pending might needlessly impair certain business partner relationships. DAVIDUUK SAYS ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Windows Live FolderShare Beta Refresh for PC-to-PC Sync
FolderShare Team is shipping a Beta Refresh of both the Windows Live FolderShare website and client that offers some great improvements to the Windows Live FolderShare service at http://www.foldershare.com/. Those improvements include: * Improved usability with the Windows Live FolderShare website - UI aligns with other Windows Live services. * Updated Windows Live FolderShare Client. * Back-end improvements. * Full Windows Vista support with updated Windows Live FolderShare Client. If you are already a Windows Live FolderShare Beta user - it is recommended you upgrade to today's new beta client. Your account information, folders, device, and settings should migrate over just fine. Users who don't upgrade to the new Windows Live FolderShare client Beta should expect to be asked to upgrade in the near future. Windows XP Service Pack 3, Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows 7 are by all means not on the market yet, with some closer than others to becoming available to the general public And yet the three operating systems are already in the same boat together. The same cannot be said about Vista gold and XP SP3 that are currently splitting Windows' install base among them, enjoying together the lion's share of the operating system market. Still, the three platforms are connected by more than just the Windows umbrella brand. As a matter of fact, all three products have been tested for antitrust flavors. Vista SP1 was released to manufacturing on February 4, 2008, and subsequently shipped for the production of DVDs to OEM partners, to the 15,000 testers of the Beta program, to Volume License customers, and to MSDN and TechNet Plus subscribers. At the same time, XP SP3 is still in development, having hit the Release Candidate stage following the RTM of Vista SP1. As far as Vista's successor is concerned, in January, Microsoft shipped an early build to its key partners, and some information on Windows 7 Milestone 1 did manage to find its way to the public. And yet XP SP3, Vista SP1 and Windows 7 have been reviewed by antitrust regulators. The next iteration of Windows as well as the two service packs were test driven ahead of release for compliance with the 2002 U.S. antitrust settlement by the Technical Committee. "Plaintiff States and the TC continue to monitor developments regarding Windows XP and Windows Vista to assure compliance with the Final Judgments. This includes ongoing testing by the TC of the final versions of Windows Vista, Vista Service Pack ('SP') 1, XP SP 3, Windows Media Player 11, and Internet Explorer 7, to discover any remaining middleware-related issues," reveals an excerpt of the last joint-status report published for the Microsoft-Department of Justice case. "As noted in the prior status report, as the scheduled expiration of the relevant portions of the Final Judgment approached, the TC identified a number of remaining middleware-related bugs and requested that Microsoft address these issues. Microsoft has corrected most of these issues, and the TC has tested the fixes. Microsoft has included these corrections in XP SP 3 or Vista SP 1, as appropriate. A remaining bug in the 'Open With' feature will be corrected in 'Windows 7,' the announced successor to Windows Vista. The TC and Microsoft continue to discuss another middleware issue, which the TC has sought to have Microsoft include in Windows 7," it is added in the report. March 10 Nokia plans to include Microsoft's Silverlight on its S60 software LATEST NEWS 10TH MARCH 2008 UK TIMECLICK BELOW TO GO TO MAIN HOMEPAGE
Nokia plans to include Microsoft's Silverlight on its S60 software platform for smartphones running the Symbian OS
Beginning later this year. Microsoft's cross-platform multimedia plug-in will eventually also be on Nokia's Series 40 devices and Internet Web tablets as well as devices running the Windows Mobile and Linux operating systems. /no The deal with Microsoft will provide smartphone developers with more opportunities to create media-rich, interactive applications that run on multiple mobile platforms in a consistent and reliable way, Nokia executives said. "By working with Microsoft, we are creating terrific opportunities and additional choices for the development community, S60 licensees and the industry as a whole," said Nokia Senior Vice President Lee Williams. "Nokia aims to support market-leading and content-rich Internet application environments and to embrace and encourage open innovation." Reaching a Huge Market According to the Symbian consortium, in which Nokia holds a commanding 47.9 percent share, more than 77.3 million Symbian-based smartphones were shipped worldwide last year -- a 50 percent rise from 2006. The consortium noted that 188 million Symbian-enabled smartphones have shipped since its formation in 1998. Research firm Canalys pegs Symbian's share of the global smartphone market at 53 percent. So working with Nokia will give Microsoft an opportunity to reach a huge number of mobile users, including the customers of all S60 licensees, said Microsoft Senior Vice President S. Somasegar. "This is a significant step in gaining broad acceptance for Silverlight and ensuring it is platform-agnostic," Somasegar said. "This is critical since we want to make sure developers and designers don't have to constantly re-create the wheel and build different versions of applications and services for multiple operating systems, browsers and platforms." Bridging Technical Barriers According to Ray Ozzie, Microsoft's chief software architect, the AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) techniques that developers have long used to create interactive Web-based applications have limitations. "Certainly there are better languages than JavaScript to use for many of the sophisticated apps that developers want to build," Ozzie said at the time of Silverlight's unveiling last year. What Silverlight does is bridge technical barriers that previously made it difficult for Web developers and designers to collaborate, Ozzie said. "Silverlight changes the game by giving developers a new choice for developing incredibly sophisticated, rich Internet applications in the language of their choice," Ozzie said. "It's a first-class .NET runtime environment, allowing you to leverage existing skills and tools across the continuum of server and service, browser, mobile device, XMA, even on the game console." Microsoft intends to demonstrate Silverlight running on Nokia's S60 software platform in Las Vegas during the opening keynote address of the software giant's MIX08 conference on March 5. Microsoft is also poised to issue the first public beta of Silverlight 2 -- a major update that focuses on enabling rich Internet applications through the use of Microsoft's homegrown .NET Framework for application development. "Silverlight 2 includes a cross-platform, cross-browser version of the .NET Framework, and enables a rich .NET development platform that runs in the browser," said Microsoft software developer Scott Guthrie. Moreover, developers will be able to "write Silverlight applications using any .NET language."
Levi's phone
It has no low-rise waist or flared pant leg, but a new Levi's phone from Fly Mobile offers users 3.5 hours talk time plus all the usual browser-camera-media player extras. /no The Eastern European cell phone operator unveiled the phone Monday. The 4-ounce unit comes in black, has the Levi-Strauss logo etched on its metallic back side, and comes with a suggested retail price of $520. Unfortunately, it's only available for Fly's customers in Russia. The 1.76-inch screen has resolution of 220 by 176 pixels; a 2-megapixel camera shoots still or motion images in 1,600-1,200 resolution in both MPEG4 and 3GP (H.263) formats, the operator said. The Levi's phone has 64 MB of embedded memory that can be enlarged via the MicroSD slot under the back panel of the device. A USB port simplifies data transfer and storage. The media player supports all the major formats: MID, IMY, WAV, AMR, AAC, and MP3. The player can also record and play video, or be used as an FM radio. A 300-name phone directory allows users to associate a melody and photo with each name, using an embedded image editor. The Levi's phone does not come with a built-in e-mail client, but is equipped with WAP 2.0 or GPRS class 8 for Internet access. The handset also doubles as a GPRS modem. In addition, the unit has a Bluetooth 1.2 A2DP interface. The phone works on GSM 900 networks, as well as DCS 1800/1900. The phone also features miniature steel bolts around its perimeter, front, and back -- an homage of sorts to the copper rivets used on the pockets of the original Levi's denim jeans. While that may tempt some users to slip the phone into their back pocket, Fly suggests using the soft velvet case that ships with the phone.
Malicious-code attacks are being aimed at mobile devices
Malicious-code attacks are being aimed at mobile devices, security researchers say. The malware, which comes hidden inside legitimate applications, can compromise information on the device and even target the user for extortion. /no One recent attack was a Trojan called WinCE/InfoJack that was aimed at Windows Mobile PocketPCs. Dave Marcus, security research and communications manager of McAfee Avert Labs, told us that WinCE/InfoJack was bundled with legitimate installation files such as Google Maps, games and stock-trading applications, and then distributed across a variety of Web sites. "That's a technique we've seen utilized in the PC malware for quite some time," Marcus said, but is still new in attacks on mobile platforms. The Trojan sends out information about the device (such as its serial number and operating system) to the owner of a now-offline Web site in China. It's a particularly dangerous attack because it shuts off other forms of security. Devices require authorization to allow programs to be installed, Marcus said. "This malware shut down that functionality, which could then allow the malware to update itself or allow other people to put malware on the phone." Modular Malware Another malware attack noted by McAfee researchers is aimed at Symbian Series 60 phones, available from manufacturers including Nokia, Panasonic, and Samsung. Also based in China, the SymbOS/Kiazha attack was designed to extort money from an infected user by disabling the phone until a payment of roughly $7 is made via QQ, a popular instant-messaging network in China that features "coins" that function as an in-network currency. The SymbOS/Kiazha malware is included in a "toolkit" of malicious software known as MultDropper. Modular suites of attack tools are common for malicious code aimed against PCs, and Marcus said that it's the trend in mobile attacks now as well. "It doesn't surprise us as security researchers that the success of PC malware is replicated on the mobile platform. There are different considerations on mobile platform, but I think you're going to see people model their attacks on the mobile platform after the success of the PC platform," he said. Professionally Written The MultDropper that included the Symbian attack tool was written by someone who tested it extensively before unleashing it. Marcus noted that some of its components seemed at first to run in opposition. For example, infected phones would send a text message to open a new QQ account into which the extortion money could be paid, while another function would delete sent and received text messages. Marcus said that whoever created the attack made sure the different components were working in harmony to make the extortion happen without leaving a trail. "When you looked at how the stages worked in conjunction with each other, he was using it to cover his tracks," Marcus said. These attacks are indicative of a trend of attacks distributed to local niche markets, Marcus said. "While this attack was targeted only to Chinese speakers, it speaks to the fact that if you're a world traveler, you have to educate yourself about the local threats and nuances to technology, because with these kinds of trends developing, you're going to be exposed to things in china that you wouldn't be exposed to in Japan, Brazil or the United States," he told us.
Microsoft Corp giving away a sliver of that ; $100,000, plus prizes ; to entice people to try a new, free program
Microsoft Corp. raked in tens of billions of dollars selling software last year. /no Now, it's giving away a sliver of that ; $100,000, plus prizes ; to entice people to try a new, free program. Office Live Workspace, a Web hub for document sharing, was first announced as a limited test late last year. Starting this week, anyone can sign up to store word processing documents, spreadsheets and other files in a Live Workspace of his or her own. Users can share access to the files with friends, who can use a Web browser to read them and make comments. Microsoft has added a few bells and whistles since the early test was announced but didn't budge on critics' key sticking point: Users can't actually create or edit Office documents using the service. To do that, people still need to buy Office. Microsoft is betting computer users are so attached to the sophisticated features in Office that they'll continue to shell out for desktop software rather than defect to a free alternative. Google Inc.'s Google Docs, for example, offers Web-based word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software for free ; along with the kind of sharing features Office Live Workspace offers. So far, the software maker's productivity-suite dominance has seemed unshakable. So why a sweepstakes, with the $100,000 grand prize and more than 30,000 other goodies, including hundreds of Zune digital media players and Xbox 360 video game systems? It's just "a fun means to celebrate the beta launch," said a Microsoft spokesperson in an e-mail.
defenses against steep drops in memory chip prices
Chip-maker Intel Corp.'s CEO, Paul Otellini, vowed Wednesday to shore up the company's defenses against steep drops in memory chip prices that forced it to lower its profit forecast for the current quarter. /no Price erosion for NAND flash memory has been much steeper in the first quarter than Intel expected, Otellini said. Otellini, speaking at an investor conference at the company's Santa Clara headquarters, said the company plans to move aggressively this year into new markets to better insulate itself against plunging prices for a type of memory called NAND flash. One new market for NAND flash memory is solid-state computer drives, which store data on memory chips instead of spinning disks. Despite the memory-market woes, Otellini says Intel's core computing business is firing on all cylinders. Otellini said Intel is making rapid progress in shipping chips based on a new chip-making process. The company is also re-evaluating how quickly it wants to increase its investment in NAND flash, Otellini said. Intel started making NAND flash in 2006 under a joint venture with Micron Technology Inc. "This business will not be a drag on Intel Corporation," Otellini said. "We're going to fix it, or we're going to make sure it's profitable, one way or another." Intel's primary business is making microprocessing chips, the brains of personal computers. But its memory chips are widely used in portable electronics like digital cameras and MP3 players. Prices for computer memory have been under intense pressure because of oversupply and fierce competition. Intel had forecast a 27 percent price drop for NAND flash in the first quarter, but prices have fallen 53 percent, leading Intel to revise its profit forecast this week. "Pricing has moved very rapidly, much more so than we thought," Otellini said. Intel now expects a gross profit margin of 54 percent of revenues, plus or minus a percentage point, in the first quarter, which ends in March. That's down from its previous forecast of 56 percent, plus or minus a couple percentage points. Gross margin is an important measure of profitability. It shows how much money a company made on each dollar of revenue, once manufacturing costs are stripped out. Intel has sold 4 million processors built on equipment that shrinks the average width of their circuitry to 45 nanometers, or 45 billionths of a meter. The smaller a chip's circuitry, the more transistors can be squeezed onto it and the better it can perform. Intel began selling these new, more efficient chips in November, jumping to a big lead over its smaller rival in the microprocessor market, Sunnyvale-based Advanced Micro Devices Inc. But AMD announced this week that it's on track with its own 45-nanometer technology and plans to ship similar chips to manufacturers this year. AMD this week also announced a new chipset ; a type of chip that sends data from the microprocessor to the rest of the computer ; that promises to improve the ability of personal computers to play high-definition videos and play graphics-intensive games without expensive add-on cards. The chipset is part of AMD's push to challenge Intel on the graphics capabilities of its chips, an area where AMD has made an expensive bet in the form of its $5.6 billion acquisition of graphics chip maker ATI Technologies Inc. Shares of Intel gained 20 cents to $20.20 during regular-session trading Wednesday. They fell a penny in after-hours trading.
researchers have developed a device that could allow people to feel textures and shapes of 3-D designs created on computers
Carnegie Mellon University researchers have developed a device that could allow people to feel textures and shapes of 3-D designs created on computers -- without awkward mechanical gear. /no The university announced Tuesday that it could soon be possible to feel objects created on computers through a touch-based, or haptic, interface, without using gloves, similar equipment, or force feedback. One lightweight moving part floats on magnetic fields and simulates various sensations people experience when they touch real objects. "We believe this device provides the most realistic sense of touch of any haptic interface in the world today," Ralph Hollis, a research professor in Carnegie Mellon's robotics institute, said in a news announcement. Users move a control handle while optical sensors measure the position and orientation of the bowl-shaped device in relation to objects displayed on the computer. Electrical coils inside the device receive signals and interact with magnets, causing the unit to levitate. Hollis developed the device, which uses only one moving part and responds quickly to movement. He has started a company to build more of the devices. His research group created an early model in 1997 but they only recently improved its performance and lowered the cost. They also built 10 copies, which will allow distribution of six devices to university researchers and Magnetic Levitation Haptic Consortium members at Harvard, Stanford, Purdue, and Cornell, as well as universities in Utah and British Columbia. One of the researchers, Hong Tan, studies perception of fine textures, which requires highly detailed simulation. The associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Purdue University said Hollis' device exceeds the capability of most similar devices sold commercially. Rob Conway, project manager in Carnegie Mellon's center for technology transfer, said that magnetic levitation eliminates the need for mechanical devices, thereby doing away with friction, backlash, jump, sticking, and similar problems created by other simulation tools. He said it allows users to feel "only the artificial environment in complete accuracy down to the micro scale." Haptic interfaces could advance several fields, including engineering design, medical and dental training, product assembly, entertainment, and robotics. Since robotics have already improved artificial prosthetics and limbs, the combination could one day truly be remarkable. Hollis' device has a limited range of motion compared to other haptic interfaces, but Carnegie Mellon researchers believe that can be overcome with scaling, indexing, and other methods. A $300,000 National Science Foundation grant supported recent development. Hollis and his colleagues will demonstrate the device at the IEEE 16th Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environments and Teleoperator Systems, in Reno, Nev. on March 13 and 14.
Later this month, Google plans to begin weighing Web page load time
Later this month, Google plans to begin weighing Web page load time as a factor in assigning search keyword Quality Scores, which influence ad placement on Google and Google Network pages and search keyword bid prices. /no This means that ads leading to landing pages that take a long time to load will perform worse than ads linked to svelte pages. Google said it is making this change to improve the user experience. "Interstitial pages, multiple redirects, excessively slow servers, and other things that can increase load times only keep users from getting what they want: information about your business," a Google AdWords team member named Vivian explained in a blog post Thursday. "Second, users are more likely to abandon landing pages that load slowly, which can hurt your conversion rate." Excessively large Web pages, or Web pages served by slow servers, will also cost more to advertise. Keywords associated with ads on slow-loading pages will require a higher minimum bid than they would if associated with a page that loads quickly. A Google spokesperson said in an e-mail that Quality Scores are relevant only for advertisers and do not influence organic search placement. AdWords regularly re-evaluates Web page Quality Scores, so Web publishers should take steps to make sure their pages aren't too large. Options to consider include using fewer redirects and smaller images, giving up interstitial pages, and reducing the use of iFrames, which bring in content from elsewhere. This change may also make clicking on online ads more secure because it will deter deceptive Web page construction, which often relies on redirection and iFrames to connect searchers with malicious content.
Google Inc has complied with a request by the Pentagon to remove some online images from its street-level map service
Google Inc has complied with a request by the Pentagon to remove some online images from its street-level map service because they pose a security threat to U.S. military bases, military and company officials said on Thursday. /no Gen. Gene Renuart, head of the military command responsible for homeland defense, said the Pentagon had talked to Google about the risks and expected the company to cooperate in removing selected images from its Street View service. "We have been contacted by the military," Google spokesman Larry Yu said. "In those instances where they (the U.S military) have expressed concerns about the imagery, we have accommodated their requests." The Defense Department, which is still studying how many images are available, has also banned Google teams from taking video images on bases. "We've got to get a sense of what is there and see how we can mitigate it," Renuart said. But because many images were taken from public streets, the military may not have a legal right to request that videos be pulled. Street View, a feature of Google Maps, offers ground-level, 360-degree views of streets in 30 U.S. cities. Web users are able to drive down a street, in a virtual sense, using their mouse to adjust views of roadside scenery. The feature has become a popular service for drivers seeking to plan a trip to an unfamiliar neighborhoods. But from the outset, Street View has been a magnet of controversy over potential privacy invasion of people captured in the images. In one instance, a man was pictured exiting a San Francisco strip club. In another case, a woman was shown sunbathing. Complaints have even included a woman asking that a picture of her cat be taken down, a request Google denied. The images that worry the Pentagon include views of bases, including security at the entrances to those installations. "It actually shows where all the guards are. It shows how the barriers go up and down. It shows how to get in and out of buildings," said Renuart, commander of U.S. Northern Command. "I think that poses a real security risk for our military installations," he told reporters at the Pentagon. The Google spokesman said his company's policy was to photograph only those images visible from public roads. "It is against Google's policy for a driver to seek access to a military base," Yu said. Street View has yet to be introduced outside the United States. Web-based Google Maps and a related computer-based service called Google Earth have drawn criticism from a variety of countries for providing images of sensitive locations, such as military bases or potential targets of terror attacks. The services rely on civilian versions of satellite maps that it licenses from commercial mapping services.
Microsoft said that it will make the current Web standard for rendering
Microsoft said that it will make the current Web standard for rendering browser content the default in Internet Explorer 8. As the Web has evolved, there have been different levels of support for Web standards and new forms of Web-site behavior. Unless a Web site provides specific instructions, a browser uses a default mode. /no Three Modes IE8 will have three rendering modes. One supports the current implementation of Web standards, the second supports the implementation that existed as of IE7's release in 2006, and the third supports rendering modes back to the first days of the Web. Microsoft said the current implementation is more forward-looking and preferred by Web designers, while the others maintain compatibility with Web sites designed for previous versions of Internet Explorer. Microsoft chief software architect Ray Ozzie said the original plan was to make the IE7 standard the default for IE8, but the company finally decided to opt for current Web standards. "This is obviously a complex issue," he said. On one side, he added, there are "literally billions of Web pages designed to render on previous browser versions." On the other hand, Ozzie said, it's beneficial to Web designers "if all vendors give priority to interoperability around commonly accepted standards as they evolve." He added that Microsoft will work with content publishers to encourage them to update their Web sites during the IE8 beta period. Ignoring Standards Can be Expensive Last month, the software giant issued a set of Interoperability Principles for data portability, support for industry standards, and other areas to open up its products. Ozzie said the IE8 decision is part of Microsoft's commitment to those principles. But there's another factor. Brad Smith, Microsoft's general counsel, noted that, while there aren't any legal requirements about which rendering mode must be the default, the company feels its decision "clearly removes this question as a potential legal and regulatory issue." That issue can be expensive. Last week, the European Commission fined Microsoft $1.35 billion for not abiding by a previous antitrust settlement. Brad Shimmin, an analyst with industry research firm Current Analysis, said the IE8 decision is a sign that the days of the Web browser as the key user interface are coming to an end. Web standards have to support legacy systems, he said, and that means cutting-edge innovation will happen elsewhere. He cited Adobe's Flex, AIR and Flash technologies, as well as Microsoft's Silverlight, as the leading candidates for innovation. Even so, he expects the browser to remain the standard platform for sending data from the server to the client.
The investments Microsoft is making in Internet Explorer 8 will enable developers and designers to deliver a range of seamless, connected experiences
Microsoft previewed its next-generation Web browser this week during the MIX08 conference in Las Vegas. The investments Microsoft is making in Internet Explorer 8 "will enable developers and designers to deliver a range of seamless, connected experiences across the continuum of Web applications, rich clients, mobile and other devices," said Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie. /no What IE8 will give Web-page designers is the built-in tools they need to reduce the challenges and complexity of delivering Internet content, said Dean Hachamovitch, the IE team general manager. "What developers want to do is deliver amazing experiences, but what developers end up doing is spending too much of their scarce time getting things to work," Hachamovitch said. "The Web gets better when developers can spend more time innovating, and it is with that outcome in mind that we started work on IE8." Embracing Standards Microsoft's newly launched IE8 beta download is squarely aimed at developers, who are expected to provide the software giant with crucial feedback. "The key here is that we are only partway done now and there's a lot more to come." Hachamovitch said. One IE8 goal is to enable developers to quickly build Web sites for multiple browsers, Hachamovitch said. "Today, differences between browsers simply waste too much developer time," he noted. Microsoft is also moving to embrace standards to further the goal of achieving Internet interoperability, Hachamovitch noted. "Long-term we believe this is the right thing for the Web," he said. IE8 features improved support for standards such as XML and cascading style sheet (CSS) designs for the Web. Moreover, the browser incorporates tools for quickly debugging HTML, CSS and JavaScript in a visual development environment, Hachamovitch said. Online Crowd Pleasers Hachamovitch also unveiled two IE8 innovations, called Activities and Webslices, that promise to enhance the Web-surfing experiences of browser users. "Activities are about how developers can integrate their Web sites into the rest of the Web," Hachamovitch said, "and Webslices enable developers to reach beyond their pages and deliver directly to their users the content that they care about the most." Activities are contextual services that enable a Web page's visitors to "look up" relevant information hosted at other Internet sites without leaving the Web page under view. Users will also be able to "send" content from a page at eBay's site, for example, to another application. In general, developers won't find it challenging or difficult to make this work, Hachamovitch said. "There's a standard description of how an Activity works and eBay just had to fill in the parts that are unique to their site," he said. By contrast, WebSlices are snippets of individual Web sites to which anyone may elect to subscribe and automatically receive update notifications when the content changes. These snippets are displayed on the browser's main toolbar no matter what Web page a user may be visiting. From a development perspective, all that is required is a simple markup, with "no add-ins, no code, no complexity, and no need to create an RSS feed," Hachamovitch said. And to protect Web surfers from phishers operating deceptive Web sites, IE8 now incorporates a Safety Filter that analyzes the full string of any URL. The top-level domain name is then displayed in the browser's address bar, enabling users to quickly confirm that the site they are visiting is actually the one they want.
Microsoft introduced Internet Explorer 8.0
Microsoft introduced Internet Explorer 8.0 today at its Mix conference for Web developers. The company detailed the browser's new features and offered the first beta of the browser to the public. /no Internet Explorer 8.0 is a shift from previous versions in that it focuses heavily on complying with Web standards. "The Web gets better when developers can spend less time working through interoperability issues and more time developing," Internet Explorer general manager Dean Hachamovitch said in a keynote address. "Today, differences between browsers simply waste too much developer time." A standards-compliant browser will allow developers to create Web apps and sites with less worry about how the sites act from browser to browser. But it could also break some Web sites that had been specifically designed to work with past versions of Internet Explorer. However, IE8 will include the capability to render pages as IE7 would have done, thereby providing a work around for pages IE8 may have broken. Microsoft is adding new standards support such as support for CCS 2.1 and HTML 5. Support for HTML 5 will allow developers to create Web sites that are aware of whether a user is connected to the Internet or not and save content until the user reconnects. It also brings the ability for developers to create Ajax apps that react to the back button instead of going back to the previous page. "The point is that for the end user, the experience is smooth and works the way they expect," Hachamovitch said. IE8 includes a number of new features not found in IE7 and other previous versions, including Activities, WebSlices, and automatic crash recovery. It also has an improved phishing filter and a made-over favorites bar. Activities is a way to access other Web services from within a Web page. Whereas users often have to copy and paste information from one Web page to another, Activities will let them right-click on Web site content to map, define, send, share, or blog information from within the Web page itself. "Today, I end up copying and selecting a tab and pasting and that's just a pain," Hachamovitch said. With Activities, users could search for an item on eBay or share it on Facebook. Customized activity scripts can be written in XML. WebSlices is a way for users and developers to essentially create custom content from dynamic content on a Web site. For example, a site might have weather information along with a bunch of other content, but users might want to have access to only the weather information whenever they want it without having to see the other content. WebSlices lets users subscribe to just that slice of the Web site, much like a customized RSS feed, by wrapping a few lines of code around the code for that portion of the Web site. The WebSlice, which might also be Facebook status updates or tracking an eBay item, will be available as a drop down window in the favorites bar. IE8 also includes a made-over favorites bar that acts as a place to keep links to users' top favorites within view at all times, much like a similar capability in Firefox. Microsoft is also adding automatic crash recovery, a feature that Firefox has, but extends it by recovering even single browser tabs that have experienced problems. The phishing filter in IE8 is also improved.
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