Check out Microsoft's new portable media players and various accessories in this extensive Zune 2 photo gallery!
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| Zune 2 Photo Gallery |
Free 2007 Microsoft Office System Training for IW, MBS and ISV Partners
Microsoft have launched a new initiative to help Microsoft Certified Partners holding the Information Worker, Microsoft Business Solutions or Independent Software Vendor competencies get up to speed on the new Office platform. Microsoft is investing an incremental US$5 million to get this initiative off the ground.
For more information visit http://iwaccelerator.com.
For more information visit http://iwaccelerator.com.
Office Live Small Business Helps Small Businesses Get Started With Search Engine Marketing
Microsoft® Office Live Small Business (http://www.officelive.com), a provider of Web-based services for small businesses, is teaming up with The Search Agency Inc. (http://www.thesearchagency.com) to deliver a new range of services designed to help small businesses get up to speed on search engine marketing. The Search Agency will design keyword advertising campaigns for Microsoft Office Live Small Business customers and lead courses that teach the essentials of search engine marketing. The Search Agency is an industry leader in search engine marketing (SEM) and search engine optimization (SEO).
“As more and more small businesses get online, marketing their Web sites is crucial to business success,” said Baris Cetinok, director of project management and marketing for Office Live Small Business at Microsoft Corp. “Our goal is to make search engine marketing and optimization accessible to the small-business owner who recognizes their importance but may not be sure where to start.”
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“As more and more small businesses get online, marketing their Web sites is crucial to business success,” said Baris Cetinok, director of project management and marketing for Office Live Small Business at Microsoft Corp. “Our goal is to make search engine marketing and optimization accessible to the small-business owner who recognizes their importance but may not be sure where to start.”
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Protect Public Computers with Windows SteadyState
This article series will focus on “Windows SteadyState” – a completely free toolkit from Microsoft that helps administrators take control of shared access computers running Windows XP. This article series will include a short introduction to the possibilities we get with Windows SteadyState (WSS). We will look at the new version compared to older versions, system requirements, Windows Disk Protection (WDP).
If you have ever managed shared access computers, like computers in schools, public libraries, Internet cafes, kiosk machines, etc, you probably know how hard it is to keep the computers running in the long run, as well as keeping the security level high and up to date, without too much work and “hands-on”. What we need is a solution that protects hard disks from unauthorized changes – as some changes are required (ex. updates) and others are not (like when kids - and others - change the desktop layout, Start Menu shortcuts, system settings and worse).
Maybe you, like me, have tried hardware solutions with hard disk controllers redirecting writes to the system/boot partition to a hidden partition which is then “flushed” at every reboot. This is a very good solution; however we do face a problem when updating the computers, ex. Windows Update, Office Update, antivirus signature updates, etc. In this case the computers must be booted in “manager” or “admin” mode before we can perform any changes.
You probably also tried loading tons of local Group Policy settings to keep curious fingers off the system settings, Start Menu & Desktop options, etc, just to keep the computer usable for more than a couple of days. But still, you didn’t quite feel this was good enough for your scenario - maybe partly because of the fact that all local users were hit by those same local policy limitations, even administrators and support.
Microsoft provides a solution for administrators with the above mentioned, very common problems. The toolkit is called Windows SteadyState – there is no additional hardware required… You are just a quick download, a few clicks and a helpful ‘wizard’ away from complete system protection.
If you have ever dealt with the mentioned problems before, you probably tested the Microsoft Shared Computer Toolkit, which was pretty good, actually. Windows SteadyState is an enhanced edition of this toolkit – it’s just even easier to set up, configure and manage.
If you have ever dealt with the mentioned problems before, you probably tested the Microsoft Shared Computer Toolkit, which was pretty good, actually. Windows SteadyState is an enhanced edition of this toolkit – it’s just even easier to set up, configure and manage.
These are some of the new features added to the toolkit:
- New user console with tabbed navigation that lets you easily manage shared computers from a single console.
- Windows Disk Protection is now file-based so you can set up and install without changing your disk partitions.
- Windows Disk Protection now supports Group Policy so you can manage it in an Active Directory environment.
- More software restriction options give you greater control over which programs can be used.
- More user restriction options, including significantly greater control over Internet Explorer.
- High, medium, and low security defaults allow for quicker and easier customization.
- Easily import and export user restrictions directly from the console, without using command line tools.
- Easier setup and better documentation to help you get started.
With these great enhancements in mind, let’s just recap the most fundamental and extremely important technology we get with Windows SteadyState for Windows XP: Windows Disk Protection!
[ View ]Video: Zune's new 'click-flick' hybrid interface
Microsoft's new Zune devices, announced Tuesday night and set to be available next month, will come with a new button that can be used either by clicking or by moving a finger across the touch-sensitive surface.
Drew Peterson of Microsoft's Zune team demonstrated the interface for me at a media briefing Tuesday afternoon. Here's the video.
Drew Peterson of Microsoft's Zune team demonstrated the interface for me at a media briefing Tuesday afternoon. Here's the video.
Zune 2 Preview
Microsoft's introduction of the Zune portable media player last year was inauspicious at best. It started with a viral marketing campaign in mid-2006, aimed at reaching out to the hip, cool, and compulsive youth market that the Zune team so desperately wanted to court. Then, instead of keeping the tech press up to speed with the device and its associated software and online service, the Zune team made what I personally consider to be its biggest mistake: It briefed a handful of digital media bloggers instead. The Zune, as everyone now knows, arrived with a thud. And though the device's marketing campaign was called "welcome to the social," the silence, as they say, was deafening.
It featured a bigger screen than the iPod of the day, had a more grippable and attractive exterior, complete with a cool "double shot" dual color effect. It had wireless features in a day and age when no mainstream devices offered this functionality (read: no iPods). It also had a few disadvantages. The Zune's online service, Zune Marketplace, offered just music, and none of the TV show, movie, podcast, audio books, games, and other content iPod owners find in spades on iTunes. The PC-based software you used to manage the Zune and access Zune Marketplace was an utter disgrace, with huge performance issues. And where Apple's iPod came in a range of sizes and form factors, with Zune, you just had the one unit: A middle of the road hard drive-based model with 30 GB of storage. The Zune 30, in Zune-speak.
Depending on how you look at it, the Zune's first year was either an epic disaster or a decent first step into the market. Compared to the iPod, the Zune didn't exactly fare very well; Microsoft sold about one million Zune devices in its first 8 months of availability. But Apple sold over 32 million iPods in approximately the same time frame. Of course, Microsoft prefers to compare Zune sales to the single iPod model that it technically competes most closely with, which was a 30 GB iPod for much of that first year. And according to the marketing mavens at NPD, Zune was consistently the number two selling MP3 player in the market for hard drive-based devices that cost $250 and less. Sure, it was a distant number two--the Zune typically controlled only 10 percent of that market--but look at it this way: Just by entering the market, Microsoft was able to jump ahead of products from Creative, Samsung, iRiver, and others, and do so with its very first device.
Looking back over the past year, I fault Microsoft for two things. First, the company completely blew its chance for a big entry into the market, and there's no way to undo that now. Second, after promising to move quickly on new features (podcasting support anyone?), Microsoft instead let the Zune sit and simmer all year. Sure, we got new colors over time, augmenting the white, black, and weird brown Zune 30s that debuted back in November 2006. But the software never really improved, and thus the Zune owner's experience never really improved either. Now, a year later, I can tell you that this happened so Microsoft could focus on the announcements discussed here. But it was a tough time to be a Zune owner. Hopefully, news of what's coming this year will perk things up a bit.
New devices
First up, as you might expect, Microsoft is filling out the Zune family with two new products. Note that I said "filling out" there: The company is not replacing its existing Zune 30 product but is rather augmenting that device with three new devices and two new device form factors. "We're going to continue selling the Zune 30," Zune marketing director Jason Reindorp told me in a recent briefing. "But we're also going to update that device with new software and features."
Coming in on the ultra-portable end of the market are two flash-based devices, the Zune 4 and Zune 8, which sport 4 GB and 8 GB of storage, respectively. The Zune 4 and Zune 8 will come in black, pink, and green matte designs, as well as glossy red versions. Physically, these devices are identical.
Coming in on the ultra-portable end of the market are two flash-based devices, the Zune 4 and Zune 8, which sport 4 GB and 8 GB of storage, respectively. The Zune 4 and Zune 8 will come in black, pink, and green matte designs, as well as glossy red versions. Physically, these devices are identical.
On the high end is the Zune 80, with 80 GB of hard drive-based storage. The Zune 80 will come only in black. All new Zunes will feature a subtle new version of the double shot color effect, so that they hang together visually with the existing product. "They're meant to be part of the same family," Reindorp said. All of these devices are considerably thinner than the current Zune 30.
Zune PC Software
The Zune software, which I believe is simply called Zune, has been completely rewritten from scratch, so you can kiss that Windows Media Player-based Frankenstein from the first generation goodbye for good. Reindorp didn't mention this, but I was told previously that people responsible for the Vista version of Media Center worked on this software, and it shows in the streamlined simplicity of the interface
Zune Marketplace
The new Zune Marketplace is dramatically different from any other service out there, with full-bleed photography, biographical information, music, video, podcasts, playlists, and so on. Microsoft says it will have 3 million tracks at launch. But brace yourself for maybe the best news of all.
The company is going to launch with one million DRM-free MP3 tracks. But these aren't just MP3 songs, they're "pure MP3s," devoid of any watermarking or tracking technology. Reindorp tells me that the company "absolutely refused" to go in that direction, or settle on non-standard audio technology. So the Zune's DRM-free tracks will be pure MP3. Halleluiah.
Accessories
In another dig at Apple and its consumer-unfriendly policies, Microsoft is doing something a bit different with accessories. That is, it's not automatically obsoleting old devices or accessories just because something new is out now. "This is a minor thing, maybe," Reindorp said, "but I like that we're doing this. We went out of way to ensure that all of the new accessories work fine with the original 30 GB devices. Likewise, all of the original accessories will work with the new devices." Bravo.
As before, Microsoft will be grouping accessories into packs, such as the Car Pack, AV Pack, and Cable Pack, in order to make it really simple for consumers to get exactly what they need.
Timing
Microsoft plans to launch the new Zune devices, Zune software, Zune Social and Zune Cards, and the new Zune Marketplace in mid-November. I will have a full review of the new devices and services available by then, so please stay tuned.
Final thoughts
While I will need some hands-on time with the new Zunes before I can render an educated opinion on these devices, this much is now clear: Though Microsoft has moved achingly slow over the past year with regards to updates, existing Zune users have much to cheer about, as every single new software feature will be available to them. The new Zune lineup seems nicely fleshed out, though Microsoft is still lacking a true video device like the iPod touch. On the other hand, the Zune 4 and Zune 8 seem like better pure music devices than Apple's new iPod nano, which went wide in a weird bid to attract video viewers.
System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 - Evaluation Software
System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2007 is the new standard for Windows® backup and recovery -- delivering continuous data protection for Microsoft® application and file servers using seamlessly integrated disk and tape media. DPM enables rapid and reliable recovery through advanced technology for enterprises of all sizes.
DPM protects Windows® data by continuously capturing data changes with application-aware byte- and block-level agents, providing an easy-to-manage and robust disk/tape data protection solution, and one-click lossless application recovery. DPM enables IT administrators and end-users to easily recover data in minutes from easily accessible disk instead of locating and restoring from less reliable tapes. DPM combines the best aspects of disk and tape and reduced infrastructure requirements with Microsoft’s experience in Windows Server® technology to provide a technically advanced and comprehensive data protection solution for the most demanding Microsoft environments – from the SMB to the Enterprise. To learn more, visit http://www.microsoft.com/dpm
More Zune 2 Details Surface Ahead of Launch
Although the news won't officially hit until midnight tonight, further details of the Zune players have leaked ahead of Microsoft's secret Tuesday night event for press and bloggers. Sources have confirmed to BetaNews, as well as additional information from Zune news site Zunerama indicates that there will be two new Zune models, including a new 80GB HDD-based player, along with 4GB and 8GB flash based versions.
Every Zune will include the Wi-Fi wireless functionality that is central to the platform's allure, and would allow customers to sync and share content over the air. An FM tuner will be included as well. Also for the first time, the Zune will be nearly equal to the iPod and iTunes in terms of content capabilities, with the software allowing for the organizing of music videos, pictures, and podcasts. Still missing is television shows and movies, sources say.
However, the second generation Zune will allow for those with Windows Media Center to transfer recorded content to the device for portable viewing. The Zune Marketplace will receive a redesign as part of the launch, with 3 million tracks available. Possibly the most important announcement of all is up to a third of these tracks will also be available in MP3 format without copyright restrictions, which means they can be playable on any device including the iPod.
New Updates Available for Vista, Server 2008
Microsoft have released a few updates on the Microsoft Download Center to resolve various issues in Vista and Server 2008:
Windows Vista:
Windows Vista:
- KB941229 (x86) (x64): This update addresses issues with Media Center for Microsoft Vista.
- KB941651 (x86) (x64): This is a reliability update. Install this update to improve the reliability of Windows Media Player 11 for Windows Vista in certain scenarios.
- KB941600 (x86) (x64): This update resolves some reliability issues in the USB core components on the Windows Vista operating system.
- KB941649 (x86) (x64): This update resolves some compatibility and reliability issues in Windows Vista. By applying this update, you can achieve better reliability and hardware compatibility in various scenarios.
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