Microsoft will push IE 8 public beta

Microsoft has surprised everyone by saying that it will shortly make a first beta of Internet Explorer 8 generally available and not just to the developers, according to a staffer at IT Week who wishes to remain anonymous.
In a mail-out to previous testers, Microsoft said it would make the pre-release code available to the "general public" but pointed out that it is "focused on the developer community". Microsoft had already stated in the past that the main advances in IE8 will focus on compliance with web standards, security and user interface options, something the web developer community feels that IE7 failed to live up to.
The company has long been the target of criticism for not following standards in its browser but, as numerous critics have noted, any effort to make IE standards compliant runs the risk of breaking existing sites written for earlier versions. Microsoft will attempt to compromise by offering developers the option to stay in or out of the web standards mode.
IE 8 is scheduled to be demonstrated for the first time in public at the MIX ‘08 conference in Las Vegas that starts on the 5 March.

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Apple Introduces New MacBook and MacBook Pro Models

Apple® today updated its popular MacBook® and MacBook Pro notebook lines with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors, larger hard drives and 2GB of memory standard in most models. In addition, MacBook Pro includes the latest NVIDIA graphics processors, now with up to 512MB of video memory, and Apple’s innovative Multi-Touch™ trackpad, first introduced in MacBook Air™. All Mac® notebooks include a built-in iSight® video camera for video conferencing on-the-go*, Apple’s MagSafe® Power Adapter that safely disconnects when under strain and built-in 802.11n wireless networking for up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g.**

The new MacBook Pro features the latest Intel Core 2 Duo technology with up to a 2.6 GHz processor with 6MB of shared L2 cache; up to 4GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory and up to a 300GB hard drive, plus NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with up to 512MB of video memory. Every MacBook Pro now includes a trackpad with Multi-Touch gesture support for pinch, rotate and swipe, making it more intuitive than ever to zoom and rotate photos in iPhoto® or Aperture™ 2 or browse web pages in Safari™; an illuminated keyboard that makes it ideal for dimly lit environments such as airplanes, studios or conference halls and a built-in ambient light sensor, which automatically adjusts the brightness of the keys as well as the brightness of the display for optimal visibility.

Source- Apple Press Release

Vista SP1 *Integrated* Images Are Available!

Windows Vista SP1 x86 (FULL) is now on the TechNet Subscriber download center. It’s the 32bit fully integrated version of the OS. I just downloaded it, burned a DVD and have the install running in a Virtual PC 2007 virtual machine. Finally!!!

My download took minutes.  Being first helps.  It flew down the fiber pipe to my house at 1.8meg per second.  I wish all my downloads were that fast.  Your mileage will vary.  I’m planning on "enhancing" my VM first thing.  I’m going to enable IIS7, then drop PHP, MySQL and Wordpress on it.  When I get it working, I am going to do a screencast on the process.  Getting ready to record how to do that with Windows Server 2008 in a few minutes.  Enjoy!

[UPDATE for 2/25/2007] I compared the size of the .ISO I downloaded from the TechNet subscriber download area to the one I pulled directly from the internal build server.  Exact match on number of bytes.  Golden goodness.  I am also very happy with it’s performance in the VM.  I’m told most of the speed is coming from Intel VT.  Rock and roll baby.

To be clear, my host environment is a Lenovo ThinkPad T61p running Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 x64.  I’m running the x64 version of Virtual PC 2007 although very little of VPC 2007 is actually x64.  I am using the VM additions from Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 (13.813).  The VM is of course the x86 version of Windows Vista Ultimate SP1.

Source: Keith Combs’ Blog

Microsoft to stop making HD DVD players for Xbox

Microsoft Corp will stop making video players based on the HD DVD standard for its Xbox 360 game system, a move that comes days after Toshiba Corp  pulled the plug on the high definition movie technology.

The move, announced on Saturday, follows recent decisions by Hollywood studios such as Time Warner Inc’s  Warner Bros and retailer Wal-Mart  to exclusively back Sony Corp’s  Blu-ray, a high-definition video technology rival to HD DVD.

Microsoft had been one of the biggest backers of HD DVD along with Intel Corp ut the tide turned against HD DVD after Warner Bros, which had supported both, defected to Blu-ray last month.

Microsoft said it does not see the decision having any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or its position in the market. It pledged to continue product and warranty support for all Xbox 360 HD DVD players that it has already sold.

Microsoft, in a statement on its GamerScoreBlog, posted by marketing executive John Porcaro, said it did not "believe this decision will have any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or our position in the marketplace."

The bundling of movie players is a key added feature in the battle for dominance in the next-generation video game console market, where players like Microsoft and Sony see their devices as hubs for delivering games, movies and Web content to living room television.

Sony’s PlayStation 3 has a Blu-ray player built in.

"HD DVD is one of the several ways we offer a high definition experience to consumers and we will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room…," Microsoft’s statement said.

Microsoft, which previously said it would consider supporting Blu-ray technology should consumers want it, did not say if it would make Blu-Ray players.

Source- Reuters

Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 Available on Connect!!

Many sites on the net are reporting that the new Internet Explorer Beta 1 is available for testing on Microsoft Connect

Here is the mail which the Internet Explorer team had send-

Greetings from the Internet Explorer Team!

We are nearing the launch of Windows Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 and we will be making it available for the general public to download and test. IE8 Beta 1 is focused on the developer community, with the goal of gaining valuable feedback to improve Internet Explorer 8 during the development process. We have identified you as a qualified beta tester and we would like to offer an opportunity to join our limited technical beta program for Windows Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1. Participation in the Technical Beta will enable you to evaluate a common release of Windows Internet Explorer 8, the ability to submit feedback, post bug reports, download software answer surveys on product quality as well as vote on top bugs filed by others from the technical beta program.

This is a very exclusive program, by invitation only. The only way to submit feedback is to enroll in the Windows Internet Explorer 8 Technical Beta program. As such, we would be happy to have your participation. To accept this invitation and to apply to become a member of this program, follow this link: http://connect.microsoft.com/InvitationUse…?ProgramID=2038

Follow the steps shown to you by that program to apply to become an active participant. You may be asked to take a survey, or submit other preliminary information. To report a problem or to ask a question, visit the Contact Us page (found at the bottom of every page). We hope to see you in the technical beta!

Best regards.

The Internet Explorer Team

So we can expect the release of the Internet Explorer 8 Beta to the public soon.

Google Health to launch today!!

Their has been news on the net that Google health is going to be released today.Even the Associated Press is now reporting that it recently learned from the Cleveland Clinic that Google Health will finally begin its pilot today.So,hope to see it in action today

Here is what the associated press reads-

The pilot project to be announced Thursday will involve 1,500 to 10,000 patients at the Cleveland Clinic who volunteered to an electronic transfer of their personal health records so they can be retrieved through Google’s new service, which won’t be open to the general public.

And this is by Tony Ruscoe, Blogoscoped

Early hints surfaced almost two years ago when I found a service called M Scrapbook (presumably short for “Medical Scrapbook”) which later changed its name to “Weaver”. Since then, we’ve seen some leaked screenshots and found more login pages. But the Associated Press is now reporting that it recently learned from the Cleveland Clinic that Google Health will finally begin its pilot today.

Windows Live SkyDrive now out of beta and capacity increased to 5GB

Microsoft has launched the final version of Windows Live SkyDrive consumer storage service on February 21.Now SkyDrive is available in 38 countries and  the storage limit has also been increased up to 5GB.

In addition to Great Britain, India, and the U.S., we’re live in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Turkey.

This release also includes bug fixes and improvements to make the site even faster and more reliable

Source- Team Blog

Logitech Unveils Official Wheel of Gran Turismo™ for PLAYSTATION®3

Today at the Game Developer’s Conference (GDC), Logitech the world’s leading developer of force feedback gaming wheels, announced the Logitech® Driving Force™ GT racing wheel, the official wheel of Gran Turismo™. Featuring powerful force feedback and an innovative 24-position real-time adjustment dial for on-the-fly control of brake bias, traction and damper settings, the Logitech Driving Force GT gives gamers the most accurate and authentic PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) racing experience.

“We’re excited to be working with Polyphony Digital again to deliver a wheel that will satisfy the needs of car enthusiasts, like me, around the world,” said Ruben Mookerjee, Logitech’s director of product marketing for gaming. “People who love the striking realism of the Gran Turismo racing series will discover that Logitech’s latest wheel will allow them to experience the cars the way they were meant to be driven. With the Logitech Driving Force GT, you’re not playing games anymore – you’re racing!”

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Driving Force GT wheel is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in May. The suggested retail price is $149.99 (U.S.).

Source- Logitech Press Release