Built from the ground up, the new Windows Live Hotmail is now safer, more powerful and available virtually anywhere.
Microsoft Corp. today announced that Windows Live™ Hotmail®, the successor to MSN® Hotmail, is launching globally in 36 languages. The most significant upgrade for Hotmail since it pioneered the webmail industry in 1996, the new service has been built to be a vast improvement over the previous Hotmail offering, having incorporated input from more than 20 million beta testers. Windows Live Hotmail will deliver a safer, more powerful and productive e-mail experience than previous versions with flexible access via the Web, on a mobile phone or with an e-mail client. Microsoft also announced that later this month Windows Live Hotmail customers will be able to access their Windows Live Hotmail e-mail and contacts for free* using Microsoft® Office Outlook® 2003 or Office Outlook 2007 via the new Microsoft Office Outlook Connector beta.
As Windows Live Hotmail begins rolling out on May 7 and continues over the coming days, consumers will be able to visit http://www.hotmail.com to sign up for a new Windows Live Hotmail account. Current MSN Hotmail customers can also update their existing account to Windows Live Hotmail by logging into their account and clicking on the green Join Windows Live Hotmail button.
“We’re thrilled to deliver Windows Live Hotmail to the more than 280 million active MSN Hotmail accounts around the world,” said Steve Berkowitz, senior vice president of the Online Services Group at Microsoft. “Windows Live Hotmail represents an extremely compelling end-to-end e-mail experience that makes it easy for customers to get best-of-breed e-mail access across PCs, mobile devices and the Web. Windows Live Hotmail is a cornerstone online service for Microsoft and a critical part of our online advertising business because e-mail is a key point of influence for consumer purchases. We’re pleased to announce the launch of the service to advertisers in addition to consumers on the eve of the Microsoft Strategic Account Summit.”
Millions of pieces of customer feedback played an instrumental role in the development of the look and feel of the new Windows Live Hotmail. Key customer benefits include the following:
Access: Hotmail, Where You Want It
Today’s Windows Live Hotmail customers don’t necessarily sit behind a computer screen all day; they want flexibility for their busy lives. As a result, Microsoft has developed new technologies to meet their needs:
• Outlook Connector. Available later this month in 11 languages worldwide, the new Microsoft Office Outlook Connector beta will enable people to view and manage their Windows Live Hotmail account from Outlook for free, with full contact, e-mail and e-mail folder synchronization.
• Mobile. Using Windows Live Hotmail for mobile (http://mobile.live.com), customers can access their e-mail when they are on the go on a Web-enabled mobile phone or PDA. In the future, Windows Mobile® customers will receive a richer online and offline Windows Live Hotmail experience with Windows Live for Windows Mobile, which will ship with Windows Mobile v6.
• More to come. In the coming weeks, Microsoft will introduce an additional e-mail client option for Windows Live Hotmail with the release of Windows Live Mail beta, a free consumer e-mail client available via download that will be a successor to Outlook Express and Windows Mail on Windows Vista™.
News source: microsoft.com/Presspass
5/10/07
Longhorn becomes Windows Server 2007
Microsoft has decided that its experimental server software, which has been working under the codename Longhorn, will be shipped under the name "Windows Server 2007".
A document titled "Hosting and Consuming WCF Services"on Vole's website, which was spotted by Steven Bink, uses the name Windows Server 2007 several times for the next generation server.
According to Arnnet.com, while the name "Windows Server" was never really in dispute, the 2007 tag always was. Some punters had thought that the software would ship so late it would be called Windows Server 2008.
Vole has said that it will not release the official name until it gets around to releasing the beta 3 version of the software. We are currently on Beta two.
Update: Although Longhorn Beta 3 has in fact been released, the new name has still not been officially announced.
News source: theinquirer.net
A document titled "Hosting and Consuming WCF Services"on Vole's website, which was spotted by Steven Bink, uses the name Windows Server 2007 several times for the next generation server.
According to Arnnet.com, while the name "Windows Server" was never really in dispute, the 2007 tag always was. Some punters had thought that the software would ship so late it would be called Windows Server 2008.
Vole has said that it will not release the official name until it gets around to releasing the beta 3 version of the software. We are currently on Beta two.
Update: Although Longhorn Beta 3 has in fact been released, the new name has still not been officially announced.
News source: theinquirer.net
Hack to Run DreamScene in Vista Home Premium, Basic, Starter, Business and Enterprise
Own a non-Ultimate edition of Windows Vista, but very like the DreamScene application featured in Ultimate Extras package? With most OEM brand computers factory installed Windows Vista Home Premium or Home Basic, and corporates go for Windows Vista Enterprise edition, Microsoft will be earning a lot if everybody upgrade to Ultimate version with Windows Anytime Upgrade just for DreamScene. There’re alternative programs in VideoLAN’s VLC Player and BS.Player that can be used to set video as desktop background wallpaper, however, this is a hack to allow users in any editions of Vista to run native and original Windows DreamScene from Microsoft.
Hack to install Windows DreamScene in non-Ultimate Vista
Using DreamScene
After patching, right click on any blank space on Desktop, select “Personalize”, then click on “Desktop Background”. Under location, select “Windows DreamScene Content”, and then select a animated video you want.
News source: UnfocusedOne
Hack to install Windows DreamScene in non-Ultimate Vista
- Download the patched DreamScene dll files package NonUltimateDreamScene.zip (alternative link).
- Unpack the archive content to a folder.
- Right click on InstallDreamScene.bat and select “Run as Administrator” to install Windows DreamScene on your non-Ultimate version of Vista. Answer “Y” to continue.You can also open elevated command prompt with administrator rights and type InstallDreamScene.bat to execute the batch script.
- Restart your computer.
- Download the patched DreamScene files as above and unpack to a folder.
- Copy DreamScene.dll to %WinDir%\System32\ folder.
- Copy DreamScene.dll.mui to %WinDir%\System32\en-US\ folder.
- In Windows Explorer, navigate to %WinDir%\System32\ folder.
- Right click on themecpl.dll file, and click on Properties on right click menu.
- Select the Security tab, then click Advanced.
- Subsequenly select the Owner tab, click Edit button. Press Continue (or log in if you’re not Administrator) on any User Access Control prompt.
- Select your Vista logon user name, then click OK button. Then click OK in any dialog window that pops up, and press OK again at Advanced Security Settings window.
- On Security tab, click the Edit button. Press Continue (or log in if you’re not already an Administrator) on User Access Control prompt.
- Click Add button, and click on Advanced button. Next press Find Now button, and then select your logged on user name. Press OK when done.
- Click OK again on Select Users or Groups dialog.
- On Permissions for themecpl.dll window, highlight your user name, and check the box next to “Full Control” under “Allow” column. Hit OK when done, and confirm any message. Click OK twice to exit from ownership taking process.
- Rename the file themecpl.dll in %WinDir%\System32 to themecpl.dll.original.
- Copy the patched version of themecpl.dll to %WinDir%\System32\ folder.
- Repeat step 4 - 12 on themecpl.dll.mui file located in %WinDir%\System32\en-US\ folder.
- After taking ownership, rename the file %WinDir%\System32\en-US\themecpl.dll.mui to themecpl.dll.mui.original.
- Copy the patched version of themecpl.dll.mui to %WinDir%\System32\en-US\ folder.
- Create a new folder in %windir%\Web named “Windows DreamScene” (without quotes).This is the location to place all your videos want to set as DreamScene wallpaper, and can be easily configured via Control Panel Personalization applet.
- Lastly, import and merge DreamScene.reg to registry.
- Reboot computer.
Using DreamScene
After patching, right click on any blank space on Desktop, select “Personalize”, then click on “Desktop Background”. Under location, select “Windows DreamScene Content”, and then select a animated video you want.
News source: UnfocusedOne
'Final' iPod fix for Vista delivered
Microsoft Corporation has released what it has called the "final" fix that corrects the issue of some iPods corrupting when ejecting them using Windows Explorer or the 'Safely Remove Hardware' function in the System Tray. Within days of Vista's general availability, Apple Incorporated warned Windows iTunes users to delay upgrading to Vista. Now, however, "Apple and Windows have partnered together to ensure a great experience in using Windows Vista with iTunes and the iPod, and both companies recommend you download this update," said Nick White, a Vista program manager. The Vista iPod patch will be made available to users on May 22 via Windows Update although itis already available from Microsoft's site.
Download: Update for Windows Vista (KB936824)
News source: ComputerWorld
Download: Update for Windows Vista (KB936824)
News source: ComputerWorld
5/7/07
Microsoft: Why the Silence about IE 8.0?
Two years ago, Microsoft used the Bill Gates keynote at its MIX conference as the launch pad for Internet Explorer (IE) 7.0, which shipped last year. However, this year at MIX07, news of the next IE version, which Microsoft has confirmed is in development, was not to be had.
Instead, the software giant used the show to focus on its new cross-platform browser plug-in Silverlight, which will be rapidly enhanced over the coming months with interesting new developer features. But what's going on with IE 8.0?
During a session at the show, IE platform architect Chris Wilson implied that Microsoft was delaying the next IE version somewhat. Microsoft had previously spoken of a 12- to 18-month release cycle for IE 8.0, a dramatic improvement over the five-year wait between IE 6.0 and IE 7.0. But at MIX07, Wilson said IE 8.0 would likely ship closer to two years after IE 7.0, which launched in October 2006.
Microsoft is also being vague about what features it will incorporate into IE 8.0. The company was conspicuously silent about the product at MIX out of a desire to not upstage Silverlight, according to my sources. Previously, the company had noted that it would be working on better compatibility with Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) standards and other Web technologies in IE 8.0.
The problem is that the Web development community is still a bit touchy after IE's five years of stagnation between IE 6.0 and IE 7.0, a time during which rival browsers from Mozilla and Apple added gobs of new features and seized market share. IE 7.0, in many ways, was simply a chance for Microsoft to catch up from a functional perspective. And while IE still controls the market, Web developers often have to ensure that their sites and applications work with Mozilla Firefox as well. Now, they're asking Microsoft for a little guidance about what to expect in the next IE version so they can prepare for the future.
It's a valid question, and one that Microsoft should address as soon as possible. In fact, it seems like the type of thing that the company could have addressed at its annual Web conference.
News source: windowsitpro
Instead, the software giant used the show to focus on its new cross-platform browser plug-in Silverlight, which will be rapidly enhanced over the coming months with interesting new developer features. But what's going on with IE 8.0?
During a session at the show, IE platform architect Chris Wilson implied that Microsoft was delaying the next IE version somewhat. Microsoft had previously spoken of a 12- to 18-month release cycle for IE 8.0, a dramatic improvement over the five-year wait between IE 6.0 and IE 7.0. But at MIX07, Wilson said IE 8.0 would likely ship closer to two years after IE 7.0, which launched in October 2006.
Microsoft is also being vague about what features it will incorporate into IE 8.0. The company was conspicuously silent about the product at MIX out of a desire to not upstage Silverlight, according to my sources. Previously, the company had noted that it would be working on better compatibility with Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) standards and other Web technologies in IE 8.0.
The problem is that the Web development community is still a bit touchy after IE's five years of stagnation between IE 6.0 and IE 7.0, a time during which rival browsers from Mozilla and Apple added gobs of new features and seized market share. IE 7.0, in many ways, was simply a chance for Microsoft to catch up from a functional perspective. And while IE still controls the market, Web developers often have to ensure that their sites and applications work with Mozilla Firefox as well. Now, they're asking Microsoft for a little guidance about what to expect in the next IE version so they can prepare for the future.
It's a valid question, and one that Microsoft should address as soon as possible. In fact, it seems like the type of thing that the company could have addressed at its annual Web conference.
News source: windowsitpro
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