The Microsoft Wow Blog!: Windows

Windows 7 debuts at D6, includes Multi-touch!

Thu, 29 May 2008 13:53:37 GMT

For years Microsoft has been investing in many forms of natural input in order to simplify the way people interact with their PC's and devices. The advent of the original Windows graphical user interface forever changed the way people used their PC's. Today, advances in pen and handwriting technology in Windows Vista offers students a natural and intuitive way to capture searchable notes and diagrams in the classroom. Others are using this technology to quietly capture pen based notes during meetings. Speech recognition, something which was once considered science fiction, is enabling many Windows Vista users to see, hear, and use their computers for the very first time.

Last year, at the Wall Street Journal's D: All Things Digital conference, Bill Gates introduced a groundbreaking new computing experience called Surface. Surface harnesses touch and multi-touch capabilities to provide users with a natural way to interact directly with computing devices. Expect to see the table-like Surface devices in hotels, retail establishments, restaurants and public entertainment venues.

Touch is quickly becoming a common way of directly interacting with software and devices. Touch-enabled surfaces are popping up everywhere including laptop touch pads, cell phones, remote controls, GPS devices, and more. What becomes even more compelling is when this experience is delivered to the PC -on a wide variety of Windows notebooks, in all-in-one PC's, as well as in external monitors. In working with our broad ecosystem of hardware and software manufactures, we're excited to be showing some of the great work and investments we are working on in Windows 7.

Tonight, at this year's D:All Things Digital conference, Julie Larson-Green showed Walt Mossberg how a few of the multi-touch innovations first previewed in Surface will ultimately enhance the next version of Windows. A transcript of the demo can be found here: http://d6.allthingsd.com/20080527/gates_ballmer/.

Below is an abridged version of the demo that Julie delivered this evening. Please note, the applications you will see are for demonstration purposes only...but it's all Windows 7 underneath.

Source: WindowsVistaBlog.com

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Test Drive Windows Vista Ultimate online!

Tue, 27 May 2008 20:22:19 GMT

Ever wanted to try try out Windows Vista Ultimate before shelling out money to actually buy it?

Microsoft brings a stripped-down online version of its flagship product to enable its current and new customers to try out Windows Vista Ultimate online for free to help them make decision before actually buying it.

The service allows us to try out Vista in a remote desktop web session using Internet Explorer, with out needing to install the OS on our desktop. We can also explore all the new features in Vista like 'instant search', 'windows media center' etc. or just follow guided exercises and watch videos.

Microsoft also has a similar service to test drive Office 2007 to see how it helps us better manage documents, organize our workload, and collaborate with coworkers—not just from our desk, but from almost anywhere!

Click here to test drive Windows Vista Ultimate online and here to test drive The 2007 Microsoft Office System.

Taimur Asad (Via Startup Meme)

Windows 7 might RTM at the end of 2009

Tue, 27 May 2008 16:39:47 GMT

Typically when Microsoft ships a new OS (like Windows Vista), we immediately start talking about the next version-which begs two questions: 1) is Microsoft working on a new version of Windows, and if so, 2) why aren't you talking about it?

I thought I would spend a minute giving you an update on where we are. First, yes, we are working on a new version of Windows. As you likely know, it's called Windows 7.We are always looking for new ways to deliver great experiences for our customers. This is especially true of Windows - where we're constantly examining trends in hardware, software and services to ensure that we continue to drive the innovation that has both made Windows the world's most popular operating system and has provided a foundation on which our partners built great products and businesses. When we shipped Windows 2000, we were already working on Windows XP and we started working on Windows Vista even before we released Windows XP. So naturally, we've been thinking about the investments we made in Windows Vista and how we can build on these for the next version of Windows.

What is a little different today is when and how we are talking about the next version of Windows. So, why the change in approach? We know that when we talk about our plans for the next release of Windows, people take action. As a result, we can significantly impact our partners and our customers if we broadly share information that later changes. With Windows 7, we're trying to more carefully plan how we share information with our customers and partners. This means sharing the right level of information at the right time depending on the needs of the audience. For instance, several months ago we began privately sharing our preliminary plans for Windows 7 with software and hardware partners who build on the Windows platform. This gave them an opportunity to give us feedback and gave us the opportunity to incorporate their input into our plans. As the product becomes more complete, we will have the opportunity to share our plans more broadly. Steven Sinofsky, Windows and Windows Live Engineering SVP, talks more about this in his interview with CNET's Ina Fried, published today: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-9951638-56.html.

We know that this is a change in our approach, but we are confident that it will help us not only to build even better products, but also to be more predictable in the delivery of our products. We also know that this change has led to some confusion, so we would like to share information today that will hopefully clear up some of this.

Before we talk about what's ahead, we should take a look at where we are today with Windows Vista. From a quality perspective, both Windows Vista SP1 and the ecosystem have delivered measurable progress in the six dimensions of quality we track -- device compatibility, application compatibility, reliability, performance, battery life and security. The business results speak for themselves. As of March 31, we had sold more than 140 million Windows Vista licenses, and analyst firm forecasts indicate that Windows Vista adoption among businesses is on a similar pace as Windows XP in similar timeframes. Millions of enterprise users are already running Windows Vista, and we invite you to read their stories published in more than 100 case studies. The benefits they are experiencing range from energy conservation, lower TCO for mobile users, and greater security. Our job is not done, but we've worked hard with our ecosystem to improve the quality of Windows Vista and we're pleased with the customer response.

Another question we often get asked is whether Windows 7 is a major release. The answer is "yes" -- it's hard to describe any product that is used by millions of people and worked on by thousands of engineers as anything else. That said, the long-term architectural investments we introduced in Windows Vista and then refined for Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 will carry forward in Windows 7. Windows Vista established a very solid foundation, particularly on subsystems such as graphics, audio, and storage. Windows Server 2008 was built on that foundation and Windows 7 will be as well. Contrary to some speculation, Microsoft is not creating a new kernel for Windows 7. Rather, we are refining the kernel architecture and componentization model introduced in Windows Vista. While these changes will increase our engineering agility, they will not impact the user experience or reduce application or hardware compatibility. In fact, one of our design goals for Windows 7 is that it will run on the recommended hardware we specified for Windows Vista and that the applications and devices that work with Windows Vista will be compatible with Windows 7.

We are well into the development process of Windows 7, and we're happy to report that we're still on track to ship approximately three years after the general availability of Windows Vista. As always, we will be releasing early builds of Windows 7 prior to its general availability as a means to gain feedback, but we're not yet ready to discuss timing and specific plans for any Beta releases. In the meantime, customers can confidently continue with their Windows Vista deployment plans.

Source: Windows Vista Team Blog

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Microsoft Launches New Windows Vista Ultimate Extras

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:25:07 GMT

Despite no announcement being made on UltimatePC.com, Microsoft have released a new sound
scheme and a content pack for Windows DreamScene as part of its Windows Vista Ultimate Extras
offerings for customers who purchased the Ultimate edition of Vista.
After installing the sound pack customers get Ultimate Extras Pearl and Glass sound schemes and additional Windows DreamScene Content.

exclusive to Windows Vista Ultimate only!

Source: Neowin

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Leaked Details of Windows 7 M1 March 2008 Edition Version 6.1 Build 6574.1

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:43:43 GMT

Windows 7 is alive and kicking, and despite the fact that Microsoft has gagged the details about the next iteration of Windows almost to perfection, details managed to slip through the Redmond giant's fingers. The initial Windows 7 Milestone 1 build was dropped at the end of 2007, and in early

January 2008, only to close partners of the company. But the development of Windows 7 has moved along since version 6.1 Build 6519.1.x86.fre.winmain.071220-1525. From build 6519.1, Microsoft went up all the way to Version 6.1 Build 6574.1, reportedly made available in March 2008.
But even with the development milestone label of 6.1.6574.1, Windows 7 is still at the Milestone 1 stage as ThinkNext revealed. With this release, the Redmond company has tweaked the installation process of the operating system only superficially, but now the License Agreement references Windows 7 instead of Windows Vista. The next version of Windows still features the same kernel as Vista, the move to MinWin has yet to take place, and even the same editions, namely the Windows 7 Business, HomeBasic, HomePremium, Ultimate, HomeBasic N, Business N and Starter SKUs.
The new Windows 7 installer no longer requires the introduction of a product key until the finalization of the installation process, and after the initial setup, and even at that time, the phase can be skipped entirely, permitting users to run the operating system as a trial. Windows 7 also creates a hidden 500.0 MB partition which is not accessible via Windows Explorer, and is dedicated to management purposes.
Windows 7 M1 Build 6.1.6574.1 features a touched-up graphical user interface. Windows Explorer comes with two new buttons, one for Views and the other for switching the preview panel on or off. The March 2008 edition of Windows 7 M1 brings to the table the Health Center, complete with mouse over reactions. Windows 7 M1 Build 6.1.6574.1 also permits end users to temporarily disable the User Account Control in scenarios where the UAC requires multiple confirmations.

Sources: Softpedia & ThinkNext

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Released to Manufacturing

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:29:03 GMT

Today we are happy to announce that Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) has released to manufacturing (RTM). Windows XP SP3 bits are now working their way through our manufacturing channels to be available to OEM and Enterprise customers.

We are also in the final stages of preparing for release to the web (i.e. you!) on April 29th, via Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center. Online documentation for Windows XP SP3, such as Microsoft Knowledge Base articles and the Microsoft TechNet Windows XP TechCenter, will be updated then. For customers who use Windows XP at home, Windows XP SP3 Automatic Update distribution for users at home will begin in early summer.

Thanks to everyone here who installed the public betas – you not only gave us detailed feedback but also helped each other out with timely troubleshooting. Through the beta program we found several important issues and were able to confirm some essential fixes. We couldn’t have done this without you.

We will still be monitoring this forum during the next few weeks in case you have more feedback about the release of Windows XP SP3.

Full Story: TechNet Forums

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Evidence mounting: Windows 7 going modular, subscription

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:09:32 GMT

When Windows 7 launches sometime after the start of 2010, the desktop OS will be Microsoft's most "modular" yet. Having never really been comfortable with the idea of a single, monolithic desktop OS offering, Microsoft has offered multiple desktop OSes in the marketplace ever since the days of Windows NT 3.1, with completely different code bases until they were unified in Windows 2000. Unification isn't necessarily a good thing, however; Windows Vista is a sprawling, complex OS.

A singular yet highly modular OS could give Microsoft the best of all possible worlds: OSes that can be highly customized for deployment but developed monolithically. One modular OS to rule them all, let's say.

Mary Jo Foley is wagering that one of the big changes coming with Windows 7 is that it might be "available in pieces." That is to say, Windows 7 could be a modular OS. I'll go further. Windows 7 will be a modular OS, and we can already see the clues in Windows Vista, because it, too, is a fledgling modular OS. What we're talking about and why it matters (= software subscriptions), follows...

A modular Windows 7 is a lock

The first reason Foley gives is that Windows Server 2008 has "server roles" which can automagically determine which packages are installed and how the system in configured (more here). Foley suggests that this approach on the server side would translate well to the client, but the process of modularization has already begun on the client side.

Windows Vista was designed so that all three consumer editions—Basic, Premium, and Ultimate—can be installed off of one DVD and can be upgraded in place from one version to another. The changes can be "deep," since (for instance) Home to Premium can enable Aero Glass, and Premium to Ultimate can add BitLocker drive encryption, etc. My point is that Microsoft is already selling a "modular" OS, and the modules currently map to Windows Vista SKUs. Microsoft is also developing other modules around its Live efforts.

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft already has a patent on a "modular operating system" concept. A "core function" module, which includes the kernel, features a "license validation module" that authorizes the use of all additional modules, and uses DRM-like technology to prevent the use of unauthorized modules. Windows Vista uses part of its anti-piracy arsenal to validate and monitor changes to the OS for this reason.

So, Windows 7 will be modular, but to an unknown degree. I personally expect the modularization to focus on value-adds, as did Anytime Upgrade on Vista. It allows Microsoft to draw lines between what is and isn't "in" the OS for DoJ compliance issues. Whether it be Live Services, Windows Media Player, or even Internet Explorer, Microsoft could roll those into modules and then say, "Hey, look, that's not part of Windows, we're charging extra for that!" Foley says that she's heard from sources that Microsoft is working on a Photo + Mail + Video module that would exist apart from the OS, for instance. I've heard less specific groupings myself.

A brave, modular world (might not be so great)

Is a modular world a better one? For those of us having to manage software rollouts to scores of desktops, this would be yet another tool in the toolbox. Microsoft could create "desktop roles" like "information kiosk" that includes a stripped-down feature set, for instance.

Microsoft can also add/remove functionality module by module. New modules could be sold post-launch, keeping revenue streams strong. In fact, modules could be maintained independent of OS versions. Microsoft could create a "Live Services" module that is maintained by a dedicated team, designed to work across multiple OSes, yet provide a completely consistent experience.

A modular approach could also allow the company to make functionality available on a time-limited basis, potentially allowing users to "rent" a feature if it's needed on a one-off basis. Note that Microsoft is already testing "pay as you go" consumer subscriptions in developing countries.

The software+services side of modularization is what is surely driving this change at Microsoft. As I argued last summer, this is all a critical piece of Microsoft's software subscription dreams. In "2010, a 'Windows 7' software subscription odyssey," I noted that Microsoft has been reinventing its approach to Windows in order to facilitate the continued sales of multiple levels of the Windows "experience." Microsoft has confirmed that there will be multiple SKUs for Windows 7 and that there will be different subscription services built around the OS.

Whether or not this is a good thing is difficult to predict. Generally, we're very much in favor of package-based setup routines, much like you find with popular Linux distributions. Why run a web server when you don't need it? Why start device drivers that aren't going to be used? Why install a library on a system that doesn't need it?

But just imagine a Windows 7 install that allowed you to install only what you wanted. Don't like Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, Windows Mail, Windows Firewall, etc.,? Don't install them or their supporting code. You've got to like that, if you're a Windows user.

Does this mean that Microsoft will ask you to subscribe to the next version of Windows, as opposed to buying it? That's unlikely, unless you're in business. The next consumer release will likely be a standalone OS stocked with an array of built-in and subscription-only modules.

Source: ars technica

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows 7 Build 6519 Screenshot Gallery

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:41:42 GMT

A few weeks back, the first external build of Windows 7, the next version of Windows, fell into my hands. I installed it initially in just a virtual machine and took hundreds of shots, and that's what you're looking at here. Essentially, Windows 7 build 6519--dating back to December 2007--is just a slightly enhanced version of Windows Vista. My guess--and at this point, it's just a guess--is that things will change more significantly over time. But even in this early build, a number of interesting developments emerge. I'll have more to say about that in the days ahead. For now, enjoy this first screenshot gallery. It won't be the last.

Source: Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Ultimate Extras: What happened to GroupShot?

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:24:46 GMT

It's no secret that those futuristic demos at the Consumer Electronics Show each year don't always turn into real, live products. But when Microsoft showed a working version of the "GroupShot" photo-editing tool at CES last year, there seemed little doubt that it would be released as promised as part of the Windows Vista Ultimate Extras program.

That's not how it turned out. More than a year later, GroupShot hasn't yet been released as an Ultimate Extra. As explained in this story in today's newspaper, that's one of the ways that the Ultimate Extras initiative has fallen short of original expectations. But what happened to GroupShot, in particular? I asked Microsoft's Barry Goffe that question when I spoke with him for the story.

"The thing that we showed at CES was real, live code ... but it wasn't really up to snuff, it wasn't something that I would have felt good about shipping to millions of customers," Goffe said. The company had to make "some tough choices, and one of the choices was we're not going to ship that one right away -- it was too much work to get it out." He said the company may still decide to ship it as an Ultimate Extra in the future.

A version of GroupShot, from Microsoft Research, ~~is available for download on this site~~. [See correction below.] It takes similar photos and assembles them into a composite image that reflects the best qualities of each.

See today's story for more on the Ultimate Extras initiative.

Correction: As noted by reader "Kubla Kant" below, the program is actually no longer available for download. The download link on the GroupShot page leads to a page that says the beta period has expired, although they're "currently considering several options" to bring it back.

Source: Todd Bishop's Microsoft Blog

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows Vista SP1 released to public

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:14:29 GMT

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is an update to Windows Vista that addresses feedback from our customers. In addition to previously released updates, SP1 will contain changes focused on addressing specific reliability, performance, and compatibility issues; supporting new types of hardware; and adding support for several emerging standards. SP1 also will continue to make it easier for IT administrators to deploy and manage Windows Vista. Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Five Language Standalone version can be installed on systems with any of the following language versions: English (US), French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Traditional).
Read the overview of Windows Vista SP1, including what's new, technical details, guidelines and notable changes.
Read the Deployment Guide for Windows Vista SP1. This guide includes technical information, procedures, and recommendations for installing Windows Vista SP1 in a business or corporate environment.

DO NOT CLICK DOWNLOAD IF YOU ARE UPDATING JUST ONE COMPUTER: A smaller, more appropriate download is available on Windows Update.

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Five Language Standalone for x64-based Systems (KB936330)
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Five Language Standalone for x86-based Systems (KB936330)

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Browse Shadow Copies with ShadowExplorer

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:45:00 GMT

ShadowExplorer is a cool utility that lets you browse the shadow copies created by all versions of the Vista OS in a point-and-click GUI fashion. With ShadowExplorer, you can see the available point-in-time copies, browse through the copies that have been created, and retrieve older versions of files and folders as needed. It should be noted that ShadowExplorer is in no way a replacement for backups, but it can definitely help you find an restore older copies of file from time to time. The utility is available as a free download from here. (via ghacks)

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

New Windows Vista Ultimate Extras announced

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:00:16 GMT

Microsoft has launched a new site UltimatePC.com for Windows Vista Ultimate customers. It’ll deliver new “Ultimate Exclusives” which will work together with Ultimate Extras.

Whereas Ultimate Extras are add-ons that extend certain OS capabilities, Ultimate Exclusives provide Windows Vista Ultimate customers with unique products and services at special discounts to enhance the computing experiences and enable users to do more with their PC.

Note that Ultimate Exclusives are not going to replace Ultimate Extras.

Microsoft is still working on Ultimate Extras and they have a plan to deliver more new Ultimate Extras in coming year. Following are a few hints for what you are going to get in new Ultimate Extras from Microsoft:

A New original game
Enhancements to Movie Maker and DVD Maker
DreamScene experiences
A Few New Screen savers
New sound schemes

The Windows team is launching UltimatePC.com with three Ultimate Exclusives:

EVGA: Great deals on EVGA e-GeForce 8800 series graphics cards to enhance your gaming
Pinnacle Systems: Exciting offers on consumer video editing software and HD TV products
Stardock Systems: Promotional pricing on Stardock Multiplicity for Multi-PC control

Source: www.askvg.com

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Microsoft Reduces Price on Several Retail Stand-Alone Versions of Windows Vista

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:36:29 GMT

Since its release, Windows Vista has seen solid sales through the first year of availability, primarily through the sale of new PCs. Stand-alone retail sales, while not representing a large percentage of the business, represents an area of opportunity for additional growth the company sees based on the new editions introduced in 2007. To help reach that goal, Microsoft today announced price reductions on several consumer stand-alone editions. PressPass spoke with Brad Brooks, corporate vice president for Windows Consumer Product Marketing at Microsoft, to discuss how these price reductions will take effect and what prompted Microsoft to make this decision.

PressPass: What did you announce today?

Brooks: Today we announced a variety of price reductions for copies of Windows Vista sold on retail shelves. In developed markets, the price changes will most notably impact upgrade retail versions of the new editions we introduced in 2007 -- Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate editions. In emerging markets, we are combining full and upgrade Home Basic and Home Premium versions into full versions of these editions and instituting price changes to meet the demand we see among first-time Windows customers who want more functionality than is available in current Windows XP editions. In addition, we are also adjusting pricing on Windows Vista Ultimate in emerging markets to be comparable to price changes developed market customers will see.

These price changes will take effect globally with the retail release of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 later this year, though some markets will see reduced prices sooner as a result of promotions many of our partners already are driving, such as Amazon.com in the United States.

PressPass: What’s prompting Microsoft to make these price reductions?

Brooks: Windows Vista has been on the market for more than a year now, with more than 100 million licenses sold in its first year. While this is great progress, we see an opportunity to grow our business even more with some of the new editions we introduced with Windows Vista. Today, the vast majority of Windows licenses are sold with PCs; retail stand-alone sales, in contrast, have been primarily from customers who value being early adopters and those building their own machines. We’ve observed market behavior, however, that suggests an opportunity to expand Windows stand-alone sales to other segments of the consumer market.

Over the past year, we conducted promotions in several different markets combining various marketing tactics with lower price points on different stand-alone versions of Windows Vista. While the promotions varied region to region, one constant emerged – an increase in demand among consumers that went beyond tech enthusiasts and build-it-yourself types. The success of these promotions has inspired us to make some broader changes to our pricing structures, to reach a broader range of consumers worldwide.

PressPass: It sounds like your strategy is to have different price points in different countries and regions, depending on whether they’re developed or emerging markets. What will the changes look like when they’re in place?

Brooks: Our research, along with feedback from promotions by our retail partners, has illustrated powerfully to us the degree to which customer needs vary, not only between developed and emerging markets, but also within markets. But the desire for the best value remains the same. As such, the Windows Vista editions involved and specific price decreases will likewise vary from region to region across the globe.

PressPass: Why has Microsoft chosen to announce this reduction now?

Brooks: Our retail partners will be refreshing their Windows Vista inventory once SP1 is released to the market later this year. We’re trying to make this as easy and efficient as possible for our retail partners to update their displays once.

PressPass: What does this mean for the business and future trends you expect to see? Are people buying more stand-alone products or are they buying Windows Vista preloaded on their computers?

Brooks: As we said earlier, traditionally, the vast majority of Windows licenses are sold through PC makers. That isn’t going to change because of what we’re announcing today. That said, it’s a great opportunity for our retail partners to sell more stand-alone copies of Windows, and help grow this small but important part of our business. At the same time, it will also enable more consumers worldwide to experience the benefits of genuine Windows software.

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows Home Server ‘Vail’ to get more entertainment hooks

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:16:56 GMT

While Microsoft has shared some details (and code) for its upcoming minor update to Windows Home Server, it has said next to nothing about the next major version.

(Like the rest of the Windows client and server teams, the Home Server team is alternating between “major” and “minor” releases with its rollouts.)

I’ve tracked down (thanks to sources) a couple of new bits, however. The next major version of Windows Home Server is codenamed “Vail,” I hear.

And Vail is going to include more entertainment “capabilities.” What that means, precisely, I don’t know. Does it mean Windows Home Server will somehow become one with Windows Media Center? Again, not sure. Last year, in response to a question about Microsoft’s plans to integrate (or continue to keep separate) Windows Home Server and Windows Media Center, Todd Headrick, WHS Product Planner said:

“Time will tell – and please don’t infer that ‘time will tell’ means yes. There are a tremendous number of complex issues that need to be resolved to make this simple question become a reality.”
Continue At Source

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Microsoft Releases Windows Vista Service Pack 1, Windows Server 2008 to Manufacturing RTM !!!

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:31:33 GMT

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) was released to manufacturing today and will start being available to customers in March, starting with Microsoft Volume Licensing customers. Windows Server 2008 was also released to manufacturing today and will be available for purchase 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 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.

Where:
http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/default.aspx
http://blogs.technet.com/windowsserver
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2008/feb08/02-04WS2008.mspx

How: Windows Vista SP1 includes quality improvements that help enhance reliability, security and performance. Windows Server 2008 builds on the success and strengths of past server solutions and helps give organizations a solid foundation for their information technology (IT) infrastructure. Organizations using Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 together can see a number of improvements for IT professionals, including benefits in security and manageability, overall system performance, and streamlined planning and deployment.

As Windows Server 2008 RTMs, Customers and Partners Adopting with Help of New Tools, Training

Here's the timing for SP1 availability for current Windows Vista users:

In mid-March, we will release Windows Vista SP1 to Windows Update (in English, French, Spanish, German and Japanese) and to the download center on microsoft.com. Customers who visit Windows Update can choose to install Service Pack 1. If Windows Update determines that the system has one of the drivers we know to be problematic, then Windows Update will not offer SP1. Since we know that some customers may want to update to SP1 anyhow, the download center will allow anyone who wants to install SP1 to do so.
In mid-April, we will begin delivering Windows Vista SP1 to Windows Vista customers who have chosen to have updates downloaded automatically. That said, any system that Windows Update determines has a driver known to not update successfully will not get SP1 automatically. As updates for these drivers become available, they will be installed automatically by Windows Update, which will unblock these systems from getting Service Pack 1. The result is that more and more systems will automatically get SP1, but only when we are confident they will have a good experience.
The remaining languages will RTM in April.

Via: Bink

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows DreamScene now available on Vista SP1 RC Refresh 2

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:13:19 GMT

I just checked for updates on my PC running Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 RC Refresh 2 and got an update to install Windows DreamScene as an Ultimate Extras download. So it seems like finally Microsoft has made Windows DreamScene available to SP1 users.

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

So much for Windows 7 (Seven) .. !

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:17:26 GMT

This past week saw all sorts of news & rumors on different sites about Windows 7; from leaked screenshots/videos to leaked ISO's on torrents.. Windows 7 had it all!

While all this was going on, I randomly found this wallpaper (not official ofcoarse) of Windows 7 while surfing internet and thought of sharing it with you all. If anyone find the original author of this wallpaper then please let me know so that I could give him/her the due credit.

In mean time, enjoy this peaceful Windows 7 (Seven) wallpaper:

Wallpaper: Windows 7 (Seven)
Resolution: 1280x800 (16:9 Widescreen)
Size: 170 KB

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Vista's 'Wow' v.s. XP's 'Soar'

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 09:13:56 GMT

You be the judge!

Windows Vista Wow Ad

Windows XP Soar Ad

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Microsoft releases Windows Vista SP1 RC Refresh 2

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:06:41 GMT

MIcrosoft released Windows Vista SP1 RC Refresh 2, wonder why they don't just call it Release Candidate 3.
Microsoft said it will just be released to the 15,000 official beta testers who can download it through Windows Update.

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows Home Server Power Pack Announced

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:44:16 GMT

A new update for Windows Home Server was announced last night at CES. The update, called Power Pack 1 (formerly code named UR1) will ship in the first half of 2008 and hit servers via Windows Update. This update will include new Home Server connector software (this is the systray app that connects your computer to the Home Server), and the ability to backup your Home Server (for offsite storage for example), and several other new features.
Todd Headrick from the Home Server team invited us over to see all the new features and talk a little bit about Home Server. We'll connect with that team again while we're here and check out some of the Home Server hardware.

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Microsoft Releases Windows XP Service Pack 3 RC Refresh build 3264

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:14:17 GMT

Microsoft Connect is pleased to announce the availability of Windows XP Service Pack 3, Release Candidate Refresh. Update packages for English, German and Japanese are now available on the Windows XP SP3 Beta site on Microsoft Connect. Release notes and an updated list of fixes are also available.

EDIT: Build 3264 doesnt seem to be on connect anymore and is rather now available for public to download at Microsoft Download Center.

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows Vista SP1 RC & Windows Server 2008 RC1 is Now Available for Download!

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:20:38 GMT

Microsoft has released the setup installer code for Windows Server 2008 RC1 (Release Candidate 1) and Windows Vista SP1 RC (Release Candidate) on Wednesday, two highly anticipated update and product that scheduled to be released to RTM (live) in early 2008.
According to Windows Server WebLog, Windows Sever 2008 will be released to manufacturing (RTM) or gone gold during the “Heroes Happen Here” launch event in Los Angeles on February 27 2008, which will also jointly promote Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008.

New features in Widnows Server 2008 RC1 include enhancements to Group Policy with Group Policy Preferences, formerly known as PolicyMaker Standard Edition and Policy Share Manager, addition of Client-Side Extensions for GP (Group Policy) Preferences, and down level versions will be available as a separate download for Windows XP Service Pack 2 and above, Windows Vista RTM and above, and Windows Server 2003 SP1 and above.

Download for free Windows Server 2008 RC1 from Windows Server 2008 Release Candidate Evaluation Software web page. The build version is 6001.17051.071121-2029.

Windows Vista SP1 RC meanwhile is currently released via Microsoft Connect on Wednesday, and access to RC bits will make available to subscribers of TechNet and MDSN from Thursday. General public will have to wait till next week in order to download Vista SP1 RC via Microsoft Download Center, according to Vista Team Blog.

New features and changes to the Vista SP1 RC since the betas and the RC1 Preview included:

Reduce size of the standalone installers significantly. For example, the standalone installer packages consisting of all 36 languages (x86 and x64 chip architectures) are smaller by over 50%. The standalone installer packages consisting of just the 5 languages (again, x86 and x64) slated for initial release are more than 30% smaller in size.
The required amount of disc space for SP1 installation has also decreased significantly. Furthermore, with the RC, if more space is required to install SP1, an error message will now display exactly how much space is needed to complete the installation.
Previous SP1 versions left behind a directory of files that wasn’t needed after installation and occupied about 1GB of space; the RC includes automatic disk clean-up to remove this directory.
Installation reliability has been improved based on bug reports and error codes reported from Windows Update (thanks, Beta testers!). Testing shows that these improvements have significantly increased the proportion of successful installations of the RC.
We’ve improved the user experience of installing SP1 via Windows Update. During the Beta release, users installed without much guidance from Windows Update. The RC now contains a series of screens with detailed information on SP1.

With the more frequent release of beta and RC testing code, Microsoft is believed to be on schedule to release final Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista SP1 in the next one or two months. The standalone installer of Windows Vista SP1 RC with all languages MUI has the size of 548.53 MB for 32-bit editions, while x64 (64-bit) size is 878.52 MB.

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Home Computer. Home Network. Home Server.

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 21:10:19 GMT

In the 1960s & 70s the idea of a home computer was unheard of outside of science fiction circles. Before the late 1980s home networks were unheard of.

In 1975 Microsoft was founded with the vision of putting "A computer on every desk and in every home...". Microsoft led the charge in creating a world where a "home computer" something you expect to see in a home.

By including great support for networking technologies (particularly TCP/IP) in Windows 3x and 95 Microsoft ensured ubiquitous networking in businesses and homes. Today there are over 100 million households with a "home network" and Microsoft led the world in making this happen.

When we set about building Windows Home Server we knew we were going to be defining a new category of products and solutions for consumers. We thought long and hard about what we should call the product. As you would expect, there was no shortage of opinions. In fact some very, very senior executives at Microsoft were quite forceful in saying "whatever you do, don't call it a server".

This week we started an online advertising campaign for Windows Home Server that, in a humorous way will help explain how Windows Home Server can help families. The campaign complements a range of other communications efforts including events, webinars, online and in-store demonstrations and more.

This campaign will drive home (pun intended) the idea that just as Microsoft was the leader in making "home computer" and "home network" common household terms it is doing it again for "home server".

You can find the landing site for the campaign at www.stayathomeserver.com. Over the next few weeks we will roll out more funny video vignettes that will help families understand why they should have a home server in their household.

We've also commissioned a funny fake children's book titled "Mommy, Why is there a Server in my House?" which will help parents explain why there is a new member of the family. We are sure the book will become a best seller! Check out a teaser of the book on www.stayathomeserver.com right now.

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Vista SP1: Release Candidate test build goes to 15,000 testers

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:39:43 GMT

Microsoft has delivered yet another test build of Windows Vista Service Pack (SP) 1 to testers.

On November 14, the new build — designated the SP1 Release Candidate (RC) Preview — went to a slightly expanded group of 15,000 pre-selected testers. Microsoft made a first public beta of Vista SP1 available to 12,000 testers in September. The new build can be downloaded by invited testers from Microsoft’s private Connect test site.

Microsoft has been making builds of Vista SP1 available to progressively larger groups of testers since earlier this spring. The company has been dangling the promise of making a test build Vista SP1 available more broadly, first as a semi-public build downloadable by Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) members, and ultimately, by any interested parties. Microsoft posted a note to MSDN two weeks ago announcing availability of a Vista SP1 beta, but later pulled the note and apologized for the false alarm.

As of November 14, Microsoft officials declined to say when broader, more public SP1 builds would hit.

Microsoft is continuing to promise delivery of Vista SP1 for the first calendar quarter of 2008. SP1 will be a rollup of fixes and updates that the company has pushed out via Windows Update since releasing Vista to manufacturing last fall. SP1 also will include support for new standards and a couple of other minor new “features.”

continue at source

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Order Windows Home Server 120-Days Evaluation Kit!

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 18:25:53 GMT

Can't wait to centralize and showcase your family's memories and media? Order the Windows Home Server 120-Day Evaluation Kit today. You're just a few clicks away from a new digital life.

What will you receive?

Windows Home Server Installation DVD
Windows Home Server Connector CD
Home Computer Restore CD

Are you ready?

This software is intended for evaluation purposes only. In order to preserve your existing data, you must backup prior to installation. The setup process for server installation will erase any existing data.

To install the Windows Home Server 120-Day Evaluation Kit, you need:

Computer with 1 GHz Pentium III (or equivalent) or faster processor
512 MB of RAM or more
70 GB or larger ATA, SATA, or SCSI hard drive as the primary hard drive and any number of additional hard drives of any size
DVD drive—your home server must be capable of booting from this drive
VGA or higher-resolution monitor for software installation
Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device (needed only during initial home server software installation)
100 Mbps or faster Ethernet network interface card

To run Windows Home Server, your home network must meet the following minimum requirements:

Internet broadband router/firewall device with a 100 Mbps or faster wired Ethernet connection for your home server
Windows Home Server assumes that your home computers get their IP address from the router/firewall device on your home network
Broadband connection (fees may apply)

Notes:
A wireless connection between Windows Home Server and your network is not supported. You must have a wired Ethernet port available on your router/firewall device for your Home Server. However, home computers connected wirelessly to a wireless router/firewall device in your home can access your Home Server.

Order your 120-day trial.
Why wait? Order the Windows Home Server 120-Day Evaluation Kit now to protect, connect, and organize your photos, videos, music and more.

Links:
Order Windows Home Server 120-Day Evaluation Kit

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Download Windows Vista's Official theme song: "Wow is now!"

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:57:39 GMT

Hear the Wow!
When you experience the amazing, the incredible, the exhilarating, there is only one way to express it: "Wow".

The Windows Vista song, "Wow is now!" sung by the famous indian singer Sunidhi Chauhan exclusively for the Windows Vista, captures this very spirit of exhilaration.

Click here to listen to it now or right-click and choose "Save target as..." to save it on your system.

The Wow doesn't end here. You can carry it on your mobile phone as well. Simply SMS "WOWR" to 8888 to have the special Windows Vista ringtone sent to your mobile.

Experience the "Wow" with Windows Vista!

Links:
Microsoft's Feel the "Wow" website (Microsoft India)
Download song "Wow is now!" (Size: 4.09 MB)

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows Vista Continues to Increase Market Share

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:47:45 GMT

Microsoft Windows Vista operating system (OS) managed to substantially increase its install base in September, whereas both Windows XP and Windows 2000 saw their market share decreased. While Apple Macintosh platforms also increased their share last month, the growth for

Vista was considerably higher.

In September the share of Windows Vista-based personal computers used to browse the Internet was 7.38%, up more than one percent from August, according to data collected by Net Applications, a provider of Web tools. The shares of Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating systems decreased to 3.32% and 79.32%.

If Windows Vista continues to gain momentum in the coming months, in December considerably more than 10% of personal computers will use the new OS from the world’s largest maker of software. However, further Vista’s market share increase may be restrained by Microsoft’s decision to allow customers to downgrade Vista to XP and to order the XP till mid-2008.

The share of systems based on Mac OS increased to 6.61% in September, up considerably from August’s 6.15%, which could be a result of successful sales of new Apple Macintosh computers in August and September as well as seasonality. “Other” operating systems, namely outdated Windows versions, Linux OSes and so on, which have been losing market share for many months now, are now used in 3.39% of devices that are used for Internet browsing.

It was unclear at press time how many computer systems Net Applications tracked in August, 2007.

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Three new DreamScene sequences released!

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 07:14:07 GMT

Windows Vista Ultimate users may have noticed a nice surprise when checking for new Windows Updates, a few days back. Among the optional downloads are 3 nice DreamScene sequences, which the Ultimate Extras Team has released recently.

Credit: WinVistaClub

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows DreamScene released!

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:33:10 GMT

"In early July, I wrote about The Ultimate Team’s intention to ship the remaining promised Ultimate Extras (DreamScene and the remaining Language Packs) by the end of the summer. Unfortunately summer never really came to Seattle this year—so we missed our cue. That being said, we are pleased to announce that Windows DreamScene is now available.

As most of you already know, Windows DreamScene transforms your desktop from a static wallpaper image into a full-motion video. In conjunction with Stardock, we’re pleased to also offer a number of cool, new animated DreamScene desktops, including “Aurora”. Additionally, you can use your own videos as DreamScene desktops or visit Stardock’s Dream.WinCustomize.com website to download Stardock’s DeskScapes (an add-on to DreamScene) as well as a collection of fabulous content created by Stardock and members of the Ultimate community.

While we are excited about shipping DreamScene, the remaining 19 language packs are, unfortunately, not yet ready for release. Recently we realized that Ultimate customers who tried to install the language packs that shipped earlier this year were experiencing an unacceptably high number of failures during installation. We continue to make delivering the highest quality, most secure Extras our top priority, and we will not ship any Extra until it is absolutely ready. We know this is disappointing, and again we apologize, but we are working hard to ensure that all of the remaining language packs will be ready for release by the end of October.

On a different topic, as the broad beta for Windows Vista SP1 nears, people have noticed that the screen which welcomes customers to Windows Ultimate Extras has changed. Our intent in making this change was simply to broaden the definition in anticipation of a broader range of Ultimate Extras being available in the future—that do not necessarily map to the original, narrow definition.

While I can understand how community sites and bloggers may have read the new definition and assumed that Microsoft is not shipping any more Extras, in reality the opposite is true. In addition to the remaining Language Packs, we plan to ship a collection of additional Windows Ultimate Extras that we are confident will delight our passionate Windows Vista Ultimate customers. We will shed more light on these plans once the Language Packs are finally dislodged from our delivery pipeline!

Thanks for your patience and your continued support.

I look forward to sharing more positive news in the near future.

Barry Goffe
Director, Windows Vista Ultimate
Microsoft Corporation"

Source: windowsultimate.com

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows Vista SP1 Beta released!

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 02:25:26 GMT

Microsoft today released the Beta of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) to a private group of Beta testers via connect.microsoft.com. We'll review some of the changes made in SP1 later this week on the blog.

Microsoft also released today five reliability packages via connect.microsoft.com for testing by selected members of the community. These packages consist of numerous improvements to Windows Vista based on user feedback, and while they will also ultimately be part of SP1, they're working to make them available before the final version of SP1 is released so that your Windows Vista experience is the best we can make it. But for now, they're still undergoing testing and will come your way once they're ready for prime time.

The same goes for SP1: keep your eyes peeled and stick with us here on the blog, as we'll let you know how SP1 is progressing.

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows Server 2008 Release Candidate now available

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 02:18:25 GMT

REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 24, 2007 – Microsoft has reached another milestone with the initial Release Candidate (RC0) of the highly anticipated Windows Server 2008 operating system, now available for download. Now customers and partners can download and test-drive the latest development version of Windows Server 2008 for themselves.

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows Server 2008 test release due next week

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:34:08 GMT

Microsoft next week plans to issue its first Windows Server 2008 release candidate, a near-final version of its operating system, a senior executive at the software company said Thursday.

"We expect the release candidate next week," said Mike Neil, Microsoft's general manager of virtualization, in an appearance during a speech at the Intel Developer Forum here.

The release candidate will include a test version of software code-named Viridian and formally called Windows Server virtualization. This "hypervisor" allows multiple operating systems to run simultaneously, a useful technology in improving server efficiency and eventually leading toward more flexible data center operations.

Neil showed a server running virtual machines on Viridian, one the bare-bones "reduced-footprint" version of Windows Server 2008 and another Novell's Suse Linux Enterprise Server. The software can take advantage of the horsepower of a four-processor Xeon system, Neil said.

Microsoft hasn't had a smooth time delivering either software to the market. In May, Microsoft stripped out several significant Viridian components from the first version of the technology, and in August, it delayed Windows Server 2008's release to manufacturers from the fourth quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of 2008.

Viridian is scheduled to ship in final form within 180 days of the final version of Windows Server 2008.

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Microsoft bringing Internet TV feature to Windows Media Center

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 18:53:37 GMT

During our chat with Microsoft today, we got wind of a brand new feature coming to Windows Media Center, and it's slated to hit just as D-Link and Linksys get official with their Media Center Extenders. Reportedly, Microsoft plans on unleashing Internet TV on or around September 27th, which will enable Media Center users to watch a variety of on-demand, ad-supported content free of charge. While details were kept slim, we do know that content will fall into Sports, Entertainment, News, Top Picks, Music and Movies categories. Additionally, the videos will reportedly be "better than SD quality, but not HD," although HD programs could certainly emerge in the future. Best of all, this feature will simply be delivered as a normal software update, and while it seems that we'll have to wait until Digital Life before we know any more, feel free to peep the gallery below for a few shots of the Internet TV beta in action.

Source: engadget.com

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

Windows Home Server Rocks Berlin!

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 11:57:28 GMT

Microsoft today offered a press preview of several of the new Windows Home Server systems hitting the market later this year, and I’m delighted to say, we had a couple of friends of the site there who have provided some great photos of the new hardware.

Whilst we were expecting to see the Fujitsu-Siemens Scaleo Home Server and HP MediaSmart systems on display, along with a debut showing of Medion’s Home Server, I was surprised to see a couple of new partners show off their systems at the event.

The photos you’re about to see have come from Sebastian Kuback from winfuture.de - they have a full photo gallery, as well as videos from the event which are well worth checking out. You can brush up on your German whilst you’re there too.

Continue at source: www.wegotserved.co.uk

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)