Archive for February, 2008
Windows Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3: Official Release Dates !
According to the French website, PC Inpact the exact release date of Windows Vista SP1 is set at the night of 18 to 19 February, the date from which this version will be available for download and the release of Windows XP SP3 is now set at the night of 23 to 24 March 2008.
Here are the actual images from the product change request forms:
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Google Apps for Business Get Security Enhancement
Google announced a series of security products today that are based on technology from their acquisition of Postini (Postini, Inc. is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Google Inc.)
The security suite is part of "Google Apps" which now offers Message Filtering, Message Security and Message Discovery services to business, schools and non-profit organizations. Prices range from $3 per user per year to $25 per user per year.
The new packages are part of the Google Apps platform and are available immediately at www.google.com/a/security, direct from Google, and through channel partners, and can be deployed within hours. The Google Apps suite also includes Gmail™ email services, Google Docs™ for documents, spreadsheets and presentations, Google Calendar™ shared calendaring, Google Talk™ instant messaging, and the Start Page feature for creating a customizable home page. Policy management and 90-day message discovery services are also available at no additional charge to Google Apps Premier Edition users.
Link: More Info
News source: Google
Opera unleashes innovative technology in latest mobile Web browser — Opera Mobile 9.5
Opera Software, the only company that puts the Web on any device, today announced the commercial release of Opera Mobile 9.5 — the latest version of its award-winning Web browser for sophisticated feature phones and smartphones. Participants at the Mobile World Congress 2008 will be the first to experience the improved functionality of Opera Mobile 9.5.
As well as faster rendering version 9.5 provides the following new capabilities:
• Intuitive user interface
• Tabbed browsing
• Improved text wrap
• Page overview, zooming and panning
• Landscape mode
• Save Web page for future offline access
• Call phone number from Web page
• Send link as SMS/MMS
• Send image as SMS/MMS
• Small Screen Rendering™
• Password manager
• Web address input auto-completion
• History and bookmarks
• Copy text
• Opera Widgets
You can get more details in the press release HERE
Apple’s 16GB iPhone & iPod touch finally released
After much rumours on the net about the 16 GB Apple iphone now it has been officially released!!!
Apple® today added new models of the iPhone™ and iPod® touch which have double the memory, doubling the amount of music, photos and videos that customers can carry with them wherever they go. The revolutionary iPhone now comes in a new 16GB model for $499, joining the 8GB model for $399. iPod touch now comes in a 32GB model for $499, joining the 16GB model for $399 and the 8GB model for $299.
Both iPhone and iPod touch feature Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch™ user interface and pioneering software that allows users to find and enjoy all their music, videos, photos and more with just a touch of their finger. All iPhone and iPod touch models include the latest software enhancements announced last month including the ability to automatically find your location using the new Maps application*; create Web Clips for your favorite websites; customize your home screen and watch movies from the new iTunes® Movie Rentals. Both iPhone and iPod touch feature the world’s most advanced mobile web browser in the world with Safari™ and great mobile applications including Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather and Notes.
Microsoft plans new Windows Live, Live search releases
Microsoft is planning a new release this spring of its Live search product, code-named Rome.
That tidbit was mentioned Friday as part of the software giant’s employee Webcast to discuss the Yahoo bid. Microsoft filed a transcript of the employee meeting on Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This is just the first of many product tidbits one can expect as part of the regulatory filings being made in conjunction with the offer.
Unfortunately, Microsoft didn’t share much on what can be expected with Rome. Microsoft updated its search product last September, although the company has continued to remain a distant third to Google and Yahoo in the search market.
Microsoft said it is also planning its next update for Windows Live. The company began the second generation of the Internet services suite last July.
"We are now in vision phase for Windows Live wave 3, working to get that out later this year," division President Kevin Johnson told employees during the Webcast.
Source- : C|Net News
Windows Server 2008 & Windows Vista SP1 RTM
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is being released to manufacturing on Monday 4 Feb and will start being available to customers in March, starting with Microsoft Volume Licensing customers.
Windows Server 2008 is also being released to manufacturing on the same date and will be available to new customers on March 1. Microsoft Volume Licensing customers with active Microsoft Software Assurance coverage or an Enterprise Agreement will be able to download the new Server software toward the end of February as part of the joint Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008 Heroes Happen Here launch event
According to Microsoft, Windows Vista has hundreds of new features, the most significant of which include an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed Windows Aero, improved searching features, new multimedia creation tools such as Windows DVD Maker, and completely redesigned networking, audio, print, and display sub-systems.Wndows Vista also aims to increase the level of communication between machines on a home network using peer-to-peer technology, making it easier to share files, password settings, and digital media between computers and devices. For developers, Vista introduces version 3.0 of the .NET Framework, which aims to make it significantly easier for developers to write high-quality applications than with the traditional Windows API. The Windows Communication Foundation feature which supports web services is aimed at improving networking and application integration for business and corporate users.
source- Windows Vista Blog
Yahoo may join Google instead of Microsoft
A source familiar with Yahoo Incorporated’s strategy suggested that the company may consider a business alliance with Google Incorporated, as an alternative to Microsoft’s $44.6 billion takeover proposal. Yahoo management is considering revisiting talks it held with Google several months ago on an alliance as an alternative to Microsoft’s bid, that source said. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google’s chief executive Eric Schmidt called Yahoo’s chief executive Jerry Yang to offer his company’s help in any effort to thwart Microsoft’s bid. Details of what conclusions the two men came to have yet to surface.
At $31 a share, Yahoo believes the bid undervalues the company, two sources said. In other words, it is quite possible that Yahoo’s efforts to find an alternative bidder could simply be a measure to pressure Microsoft to boost its bid. At the end of the day though, there is still no information of an alternative bid being placed, be it from Google, News Corporation or yet another company. I’ll try to stay on top of things as more information becomes available.
News source: Reuters
Windows Vista SP1 coming tomorrow??
If you have been waiting for Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista, well, you can now mark your calender. We just received word that Microsoft has scheduled Windows Vista Service Pack 1 for release to manufacturer (RTM) on Monday, February 4, 2008. That’s just 1 day away! The OEMs will also receive Windows Vista Service Pack 1 during that week.
Microsoft will be deploying Service Pack 1 in two "waves". Wave 0, which is the one released on February 4, will only include five languages - English, French, Spanish, German and Japanese. The second wave, Wave 1, is scheduled for release 1-2 weeks later, and will cover all 36 basic languages, including Chinese.
Microsoft claims Windows Vista SP1 will provide key improvements on the security, performance and reliability of Windows Vista by providing :
* All previously released updates since RTM
* Performance and reliability improvements in core scenarios such as file copy, network browsing, and improved response time to resume from sleep.
* Support for new types of hardware, and several emerging standards.
* There are improvements to the administration experience. One of the most important changes we’re making is that BitLocker now supports encrypting for multiple volumes.
Of course, Service Pack 1 will also disable two common methods of hacking Windows Vista, namely the OEM BIOS exploit and the Grace Timer exploit.
Source : TechArp
