Live Search Launches “Big Ticket” promotion

The Live Search team has just launched a new search promotion to encourage people to use Live Search. Dubbed “Big Ticket Search,” this promo is a contest that will run from October 31st through December 31st. Every time you perform a search at bigticketsearch.com, you have a chance to win prizes every hour, 24 hours a day. The prizes that will be given away include 2 new Mitsubishi Lancers, Raptors VIP package, Home Entertainment Systems, Laptops, $10,000 cash, Ticketmaster Gift Cards, Zunes, Xboxes, Raptors Season Tickets and Raptors Memorabilia.

After you enter in a search query in the box provided, you’ll be taken to a search results page where you’ll be informed as to whether your search was a winner or not. With the holiday season right around the corner, it’s a great time to try this out because - who knows? – you might just win some cash to go shopping with!

Source- Channel 10 Blog

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Windows Vista £10,000 Business Challenge

Would you like to win a business makeover worth around £10,000? Of course you would - all you have to do is submit your business challenge in no more than 50 words. Challenges should be related to IT, not to the economy, competitors or difficulty finding the ‘right’ people for example. You have until 19 December to submit your entry, after which a panel of judges will select five businesses who they feel stand to benefit the most from Microsoft software. Each of these five businesses will be given a Windows Vista laptop - which will be theirs to keep - which they must use to address their challenge.

The overall winner will be the business judged to have deployed their laptop most effectively. They will win up to 10 Windows Vista laptops (number dependent on the size of the business) as well as the help of a Small Business Specialist to overcome their IT challenges, worth over £10,000. The competition closes December 19 2008 and the five preliminary winners will be announced on 5 January 2009, with the overall winner announced on 2 February 2009. 

Enter the Windows Vista small business challenge.

Source- Technet Blog

Gmail launches voice and video chat

Google today launched Gmail voice and video chat, making it simple for people around the world to chat in high-quality video for free right within Gmail. All you need is a webcam and a small web browser plugin, and you can start video chatting with your friends, family, and coworkers on Gmail and Google Apps. Gmail voice and video chat lets you start a video chat without switching to another application or signing up for another account. And if you don’t have a webcam, you can simply chat by voice. We’ve made it easy enough that your mom — or your employees — will actually use it.

The launch comes as video communication grows in popularity; many of the latest lines of laptops, for example, come with built-in webcams. Businesses stretched across continents and timezones want more face-to-face collaboration among their employees, but in this economic climate, they’re looking for ways to cut travel and IT expenses. Having a meeting with a colleague over video allows communications to continue in person without the expense of traveling there. Whether it’s a coworker demoing a new product, or a first-time grandmother saying hello to her new grandson, sometimes there’s no substitute for speaking to and seeing someone. Google is offering browser-based voice and video chat as a natural extension to webmail and instant messaging, allowing people to choose how they want to communicate at each moment — by email, instant message, voice, or video.

Source- Google Press Release

New Features In Windows 7

The wait is up! Today at PDC, we finally got to see a demo of the next OS from Microsoft: Windows 7. One of the biggest improvements in Windows 7 is the new taskbar, but there have also been other improvements like better networking features and a less noisy UAC. If you’re just looking for Windows 7 screenshots, then click here. For more details on the features themselves, keep reading.

The Windows 7 UI:

• The new taskbar: the quick launch area is gone. Now there’s just the taskbar. Application icons can be “docked” in this taskbar. You can drag-and-drop application icons to this area for one-click access but running apps will appear here as well.

• “Jump Lists” is a new feature that groups related tasks surrounding an application. In the taskbar, a right-click (or finger swipe if using touch) to display this list. Here, you’ll find common tasks, recently opened files, favorites, or whatever else may be relevant to that particular app.

• Jump lists are found in the Start Menu, too.

• “Snap to docking”: You know how you have to manually resize windows when you want to compare two windows side-by-side? No more. This new feature will automatically resize the windows for you as you drag them to the sides of your screen.
• You can maximize a window by dragging the title bar to the top of the screen, too.
• Your Windows Sidebar Gadgets can now be placed anywhere, not just on the sidebar – you can do this now, but the sidebar takes up real estate when it’s running. Now there are just Desktop Gadgets…no more sidebar

• “Peeking” at windows is a new feature that lets you quickly glance at a different window that the one you’re in but not actually interact with it. When you “peek” at a window you can turn the other windows to glass to make it easier to see the window you’re viewing.

• You can peek at the desktop, too.

Networking:

• Wi-Fi Networking Improvements: When wi-fi is available, the wireless icon lights up in the system tray. Click it to display a pop-up list of wireless networks then click the one you want to connect to. If you have to enter a passphrase, you’ll be prompted to do so, otherwise, you’re connected immediately.

• When connected to a network, you’ll have access to the “Homegroup” directory interface. From here, you have access  to all devices in your home including PCs, laptops, mobile phones, digital photo frames, printers, etc.  Sharing features for the home network have also been simplified. 
• When you bring a work laptop home, it automatically connects to your home network even though it’s configured to connect to a domain. It also protects your work files even though you’re on your home network.
• Windows 7 switches your default printer depending on where you are – work or home, etc.
• “Libraries” are a new feature that group similar items across the various drives of your PC (HDD, external HDD, USB flash drives) as well as across your network. It integrates the Windows Search functionality to make finding files across your network easier, too.

Media & Themes:

• The new lightweight version of Windows MediaPlayer lets you play media from any device in your “Homegroup”.  You can play audio, pictures, or videos across the network. 

• Media Center gets some interface tweaks including a new visual style for the newly customizable main menu.
• Themes, themes: You can customize your desktop background and see a live preview when doing so before making the change. 

System Stuff:

• UAC is less annoying! UAC was created with the “best of intentions” they said during the demo, but it was a little too intrusive. Now there’s a new slider control that lets you adjust how much the UAC pop-up is allowed to bug you. You can also adjust warning levels specifically to disable warnings for things like changing Windows settings while still getting warned with 3rd party programs try to make unauthorized changes. Adjusting the UAC settings no longer requires a reboot, either.
• The new “Action Center” lets you control the messages delivered through things like Windows Firewall, Windows Updates, etc.
• Touch support: On touch-enabled devices, you can interact with the OS via touch, gestures, flicks, etc. Windows 7 supports multi-touch. There’s also around 25% more space between items in the context menus to allow easier control when touching.
• System Tray: In Windows 7, you have complete control over your system tray. You can remove, change, and even move around the different applications that reside there.
• DirectX is extended to 2D, animation and “fine-looking” text.
• Windows 7 has a reduced memory footprint and they’ve reduced the disk I/O reads “substantially.” In the demo, a 1 Ghz/1 GB RAM netbook had 500 MB RAM available after boot.
• Better power management in Windows 7 means longer battery life for notebooks and netbooks.
• Overall, the system is faster. The taskbar responds almost instantaneously. The boot time is also faster.
• You can use BitLocker to encrypt a USB memory stick.
• Remote Desktop supports multiple monitors. Easier access to VPNs
• You can both create and boot natively from a Windows 7 VHD.

Misc:

• A new presentation feature for PowerPoint addicts – Windows Key + P lets you connect to a projector easily.

• Yes, Paint got a ribbon.

Source- Channel 10 Blog

Office 2008 12.1.3 and Office 2004 11.5.2 available now

This is probably going to get lost in all of the discussion of the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros, but just in case you feel like taking a break from all of that, Update Tuesday has delivered new updates to Office 2008 and Office 2004.

Office 2008 12.1.3 has suite-wide improvements in performance, stability, and security. It’s also got some fixes that I’m sure will make some folks happy. In Word, we’ve made some improvements to our EndNote support. In PowerPoint, opening a file no longer changes the saved time timestamp. In Excel, we tracked down issues that caused "not enough memory" errors when saving. And in Entourage, we fixed a problem that would result in events being duplicated when viewed in Outlook or OWA. For full details, our knowledge base article for the update. To update to 12.1.3, you need to already have 12.1.2 installed.

Office 2004 11.5.2 has suite-wide improvements in reliability and security, as well as a couple of tweaks for Excel. The knowledge base article for the update has the full details. To install 11.5.2, you need to already have 11.5.1 installed.

As a bonus update, we also updated our standalone Office Open XML converters to make security improvements. The knowledge base article for the update has more details. To install this update, you need version 1 of the converter installed.

If you can drag yourself away from drooling over the new laptops (so sez the woman reconsidering whether she wants a MacBook Air), you can go forth and update.

Source- MSDN Blog

SyncToy v2.0 available for download

SyncToy 2.0 for Windows is available as a free download from the Microsoft Download Center. The easy to use, customizable application helps you copy, move, rename, and delete files between folders and computers.
There are files from all kinds of sources that we want to store and manage. Files are created by our digital cameras, e-mail, cell phones, portable media players, camcorders, PDAs, and laptops. Increasingly, computer users are using different folders, drives, and even different computers (such as a laptop and a desktop) to store, manage, retrieve and view files. Yet managing hundreds or thousands of files is still largely a manual operation. In some cases it is necessary to regularly get copies of files from another location to add to primary location; in other cases there is a need to keep two storage locations exactly in sync. Some users manage files manually, dragging and dropping from one place to another and keeping track of whether the locations are synchronized in their heads. Other users may use two or more applications to provide this functionality.
Now there is an easier way. SyncToy, a free PowerToy for Microsoft Windows, is an easy to use, highly customizable program that helps users to do the heavy lifting involved with the copying, moving, and synchronization of different directories. Most common operations can be performed with just a few clicks of the mouse, and additional customization is available without additional complexity. SyncToy can manage multiple sets of folders at the same time; it can combine files from two folders in one case, and mimic renames and deletes in another case. Unlike other applications, SyncToy actually keeps track of renames to files and will make sure those changes get carried over to the synchronized folder.

Download here

Visit NBCOlympics.com on MSN and Watch the Summer Games You Want, When You Want

NBCOlympics.com on MSN is the exclusive U.S. online destination for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. A number of Microsoft Corp. teams have worked together to create a rich and immersive experience for Olympic fans that enables them to watch the summer games they want, when they want. MSN, Silverlight, Windows Media Center, Zune and Xbox all provide unique options that let viewers experience the Olympics in a way they never have before.

What: Check out NBCOlympics.com on MSN and watch more than 3,500 hours of live and on-demand video that will let you experience the Games like never before. Now, you can conveniently watch the games you want, when you want whether you are at home, at work or on the go.

•MSN. NBCOlympics.com on MSN is the best destination to catch all the action with a 24×7 Olympics module on the MSN home page, complete with the latest news, live medal counts, statistics and videos that will make catching up on your favorite event or athlete quick and easy. Now, sports fans can keep the adrenaline pumping with non-stop action, news and videos on MSN.

•Silverlight. Silverlight 2 enables NBC to provide online viewers with Olympics content in a rich, interactive viewing experience that includes some of the highest-quality video on the Web today. Users can view up to four events at the same time with picture-in-picture controls, and customize the player to capture their favorite events. In addition, dynamic overlays will provide expert commentary, and users also will be able to access statistics, play-by-play captioning, and athlete profiles through Silverlight as they watch their favorite event.

•Windows Media Center. Olympic enthusiasts can take NBC’s coverage of Olympic events wherever they go with “NBC Olympics on the Go,” powered by Wavexpress’ TVTonic Internet video, a free service that allows sports fans to download NBC Olympics video of their favorite sports to their laptops in up-to-high-definition quality. Fans who are looking for the highlights from Beijing will be able to download these videos through “NBC Direct.”

•Xbox. During the Olympics, users will have access to a daily wrap-up of the day’s events from NBC Sports. Wrap-up content will be priced at $1.99 under the NBC Network, with a complete Olympic wrap-up available at the end of the Games.

•Zune. On Aug. 8, Zune Marketplace will kick off a series of daily 2008 Olympic Games videos from NBC Sports, giving viewers special on-the-go access to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. For approximately 99 cents–$1.99 per episode (with post-Games content TBD), footage will include memorable highlights from the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, “best of” compilations, “best match” replays and a post-Games wrap-up feature. Users will be able to download each episode onto their Zune device for viewing whenever and wherever they go.

•Live Search. Live Search will provide an xRank of Olympic athletes showing which athletes are being searched for the most on Live Search, who is on the rise and who is declining in search popularity. It will also provide detailed “instant answers” on Olympics-specific search queries performed at Live.com or via Web search on NBCOlympics.com on MSN. Queries to try include an athlete’s name or “Olympic medals,” or medals for <country> and/or <sport> e.g., “Medals for USA” or “USA medals for swimming.”

Source- Microsoft Press Release

Microsoft VP confirms Windows 7 ship date: January 2010, In a letter sent to enterprise and business customers

In a letter sent to enterprise and business customers, Microsoft says it is responding to users’ request for a more regular, predictable Windows release schedule.
Microsoft will ship Windows 7 sometime in or near Jan. 2010, according to a letter company senior vice president Bill Veghte sent to Microsoft customers Tuesday.
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The letter, sent to enterprise and business customers, will eventually be publicly posted on Microsoft’s Web site.
In the letter sent to "Windows Customers" and titled "An Update on the Windows Roadmap," Veghte said "our plan is to deliver Windows 7 approximately three years after the January 2007 general availability launch date of Windows Vista."
Veghte wrote, "You have told us you want a more regular, predictable Windows release schedule" and he said that was the impetus for setting the 2010 ship date.
Vista has been slowly gaining steam, but is still drawing fire from critics who say it has not lived up to promises.
Veghte went further in addressing customer concerns over application compatibility, which had been a problem shortly after Vista’s release.
"You’ve also let us know you don’t want to face the kinds of incompatibility challenges with the next version of Windows you might have experienced early with Windows Vista. As a result, our approach with Windows 7 is to build off the same core architecture as Windows Vista so the investments you and our partners have made in Windows Vista will continue to pay off with Windows 7. Our goal is to ensure the migration process from Windows Vista to Windows 7 is straightforward."
Veghte’s discussion of Windows 7 was part of an effort to clarify the June 30 XP deadline that will see the operating system removed from retail shelves and OEM hardware, and to tout the virtues of Windows Vista. Veghte also thanked customers for their loyalty and support.
Source: Infoworld.com