Join the "Centro" beta program
“Centro†is built on Windows Server 2008 and provides an integrated server and management system for midsize businesses. The CTP includes many new Windows Server 2008 Beta 3 based components, as well as updates to the server applications that shipped in “Centro†Beta 1 (updated versions of System Center Essentials 2007, Exchange Server 2007 and ISA, as well as new updates to setup, Active Directory domain join functionality and a host of other improvements).
Please take a moment to read through the hardware requirements below. If you meet these requirements, go to http://connect.microsoft.com, click on Invitations, sign in with your Windows Live ID (Passport ID) and enter the following invite ID; Extr-GHBC-JCJM.
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Folders and Photo Gallery announced - more to come this summer
Windows Live Folders and Windows Live Photo Gallery are set to begin limited managed betas, according to an announcement by Microsoft today. Windows Live Folders, which we showed you when it briefly popped up back in May, is the first attempt at a “storage in the cloud” service for Windows Live. The beta will provide 500mb of online storage at no charge, with a 50mb individual file size cap. I talked to Chris Jones, Corporate Vice President, Windows Live Experience Program Management, who showed me around Folders and Photo Gallery, and while he expects Folders to be used for document storage, and not music, photo, or video storage, he expects Microsoft to be “very competitive” in the storage space they provide.
(click to enlarge)
Windows Live Photo Gallery is a new product, an “upgrade” from the Windows Photo Gallery that comes with Vista, and which will be available as a free download for Windows XP SP2 as well. Windows Live Photo Gallery will provide enhancements, such as a stitching tool, and will make posting photos to Spaces, or Soapbox for videos, far easier than it is today.
Windows Live Photo Gallery will be available in a managed beta in 9 worldwide markets (US, in English and Spanish), China, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Japan, and Spain) with more to come. Chris Jones made it clear that it’s very important to reach a global market with these services, so expect to see more countries added quickly.
In addition, Jones says to expect more from Windows Live in the summer months and into the fall. We should see a Windows Live Suite this summer, to be able to easily install multiple Windows Live “software plus services” products at once.
source-liveside
@Live.com e-mail Addresses Information
Looks like we finally have heard some news on when @live.com e-mail addresses will be released. Jacky Mok, another Product Manager for Windows Live in Toronto, has posted some information saying when they will be released, he says will be available “in the fall”, along with “a rich family of products” around the same time.
According to the blog entry on livechronicles.spaces.live.com, there will be no migration of address names from current hotmail addresses, so if you have blank@hotmail.com, there’s no guarantee you will get blank@live.cam. It’s still on a first come, first served basis like every other e-mail services. Apparently country code addresses will only be available in countries outside the US, so that a Canadian will be able to get an @live.ca address, but not an @live.com one.
source: MicroTechXP
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Leaked Details!
Not only is Windows XP Service Pack 3 alive and kicking, but Microsoft also managed to leak details about what the refresh will contain. The Redmond Company’s policy when it comes down to future releases of the Windows platform is to gag all details. Windows
XP SP3 is old news for Microsoft. And with the general availability of Windows Vista it was pushed to the background. But in all fairness, Microsoft never confirmed the cancellation of the third service pack for Windows XP. The company only scrapped it out of sight and under the rug with repeated delays.
The availability date for the first beta of Windows Vista SP1 was revealed by a U.S. Justice Department legal filling. Microsoft plans to deliver Vista SP1 beta by the end of 2007, but the date is of course nothing more than an estimation. By comparison, SP3 for Windows XP is cu rrently planned for the first half of 2008. But Microsoft initially planned to deliver the third service pack for Windows XP in 2006, only to postpone the release to 2007 and then again to 2008.
Windows XP SP3, despite its collection of delays, will make it to the market, and Microsoft plans in integrate changes to Internet Explorer and to Windows Media Player into the refresh. “Microsoft has agreed to make changes to Windows XP, two Middleware Products, and Windows Live Messenger. The Windows Live Messenger changes have been delivered in the Windows Live Messenger 8.5 beta and will be included in the public release. Changes for Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player will be made available to users in August 2007 and Microsoft is discussing with the TC the delivery mechanism for those changes. The Windows XP changes will be incorporated into Service Pack 3 for Windows XP,” revealed the U.S. Justice department in its filing.
Source: Softpedia
Windows Live-Project Shutter
A photo is more than just a second captured in frame. It speaks more than a thousand words. It tells of a thousand stories.
Now, you have the chance to tell your stories and share them with the world! Capture the unique moments that best depict the verve of your home city and submit original works to the 3 categories below:
Photographers who display originality and artistic flair will not only be honoured in our Gallery showcase but stand to win awesome prizes! For inspiration, check out the works from our guest photographers in the Gallery now.
Submission ends 29 June 2007 so hurry!
That’s not all. Join the Project Shutter Community to connect with fellow shutterbugs and participate in a rich host of activities now!
Here is the link-http://www.projectshutter.com/
Microsoft Office Outlook Connector
With Outlook Connector Beta, you can use Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2007 to access and manage your Windows Live Hotmail or Office Live Mail accounts, including e-mail messages and contacts for free! Calendar, tasks and notes can also be accessed and managed in Outlook for accounts with a paid subscription.
Note: A older, non-Beta version of the Microsoft Office Outlook Connector is also available.
Outlook Connector Beta enables you to use your Live Hotmail accounts within Outlook:
* Read and send your Office Live Mail/Windows Live Hotmail e-mail messages.
* Manage your Live Mail Contacts.
* Use advanced options for blocking junk e-mail messages.
* Manage multiple e-mail accounts in one place.
With a paid subscription, Outlook Connector Beta enables these additional features:
* Manage, share, and synchronize your Windows Live Calendar in Outlook.
* Access your Tasks and Notes.
Yahoo! Messenger 8.1.0.401
Yahoo! Messenger is a popular instant messaging client and protocol provided by Yahoo!. Yahoo! Messenger is provided free of charge and can be downloaded and used with a generic “Yahoo! ID” which also allows access to other Yahoo! services, such as Yahoo! Mail, where users can be automatically notified when they receive new email. Yahoo! offers PC to PC telephone, file transfers, webcam hosting, text messaging service, and chat rooms in various categories. In addition to instant messaging features similar to those offered by ICQ, it also offers (on Microsoft Windows) many unique features such as: IMVironments (customizing the look of Instant Message windows), address-book integration and Custom Status Messages. It was also the first major IM client to feature BUZZing and music-status. Another recently added feature is customized avatars.
Features
* Yahoo! Voice - Yahoo! Voice is a Voice over IP PC-PC, PC-Phone and Phone-to-PC service provided by Yahoo! via its Yahoo! Messenger instant messaging application.
* Voicemail and file sharing - Yahoo! added voicemail and file sending capabilities to their client. File-sharing of sizes up to 1GB was added.
* Plug-ins - As of 8.0, Yahoo! Messenger has added the ability for users to create plug-ins (via the use of the freely available Yahoo! Messenger Plug-in SDK), which are then hosted and showcased on the Yahoo! Plug-in gallery.
* Interoperability with Windows Live Messenger - This allows, for Yahoo! and Windows Live Messenger users to chat to each other without the need to create an account on the other service, provided both contacts use the latest versions of the clients. For now, it’s impossible to talk using the voice service among both messengers.
Download: Yahoo! Messenger 8.1.0.401
View: Yahoo! Messenger Home Page
Windows Live Spaces Photo Contest
Microsoft has started up a promotional contest for its Windows Live Spaces blogging service. The contest focuses on amateur photography: “Just post pix to your Windows Liveâ„¢ Spaces, enter them in the contest, then get your friends to vote daily for your chance to win prizes!†In case you missed it, there are three steps (four if you don’t have a WLS account):
* Create a Space: Create your very own site and blog in minutes with Windows Liveâ„¢ Spaces. Then post your photos and enter the Get Real photo contest!
* Post Your Pics: Show off your best real-life moments. REAL friends. REAL stories. REAL connections. You submit up to 15 of your best photos daily for a chance to win REAL COOL prizes! Learn more below.
* Vote for Favorites: It’s time to see which dog will have his (or her) day. Did you beg your friends to “pick me”? The best in show each day wins a prize and is then entered to win the Get Real Grand Prize, a Toshiba 42″ Hi-Def LCD TV along with a Canon PowerShot G7 digital camera. Daily vote limit: 1 vote per person and 5 votes per IP
* Win Prizes: It wouldn’t be a real contest without real cool prizes, now would it? Check’em out!
View: Prizes
News source: Get Real! Photo Contest
