The press has been full of Apple iPad madnesss recently, despite the concerns that many have about its lack of support for Adobe Flash/No Inbuilt Camera/Lack of USB and FireWire etc…

However a really strong IT story is currently brewing in the background, and this time its Microsoft that is the story.

During the keynote presentation at TechEd Middle East in Dubai last week, Microsoft’s Eric Rudder (Senior Vice President, Technical Strategy) played the same Indiana Jones type game on a Windows PC, a Windows Phone 7 phone, and an XBOX 360.

Microsoft is finally using the knowledge they have in computing and video games, to give them an edge in the mobile industry!

…I can see many XBOX 360 users wanting to take their gaming experience with them on the move (the session is maintained when you move from device to device).

I appreaciate Apple is trying something similar, though with a much more basic implementation, with the iPhone/iPad combination.

BUT Microsoft is onto something much bigger here!

I look foward to seeing more information being released at CTIA and MIX this month.

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

Now in its fifth year, the MIX 2010 conference is a gathering of designers and developers who are building the world’s most innovative web sites.

This year attendees have the opportunity to learn about the future of Windows Mobile, Silverlight, Internet Explorer, Expression, and other web technologies from Microsoft…

Including more announcements and demos of Windows 7 Phone.

The conference sessions are:

# Changing our Game – an Introduction to Windows 7 Phone Series!
# Building Windows Phone Games
# Building a High Performance 3D Game for Windows Phone
# Designing and Developing for the Rich Mobile Web
# Overview of the Windows Phone 7 Series Application Platform
# Windows Phone UI and Design Language
# An Introduction to Developing Applications for Microsoft Silverlight
# Building Windows Phone Applications with Silverlight – Part 1
# Building Windows Phone Applications with Silverlight – Part 2
# Windows Phone Application Platform Architecture
# Development and Debugging Tools for Building XNA Games for Windows Phone
# Distributing and Monetizing Windows Phone Applications and Games
# Silverlight Performance on Windows Phone
# Unit Testing Silverlight and Windows Phone 7 Applications

Just wish I was there myself this year!

You might like to see this recent Windows 7 Phone demo from the TechEd conference in the Middle East that shows some great multi-tasking:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

News seems to be filitering out that anyone wanting to use the new Windows Mobile 7 Series phones, when released later this year, will probably not be able to upgrade an exisiting phone.

According to an article on APCMag.com, Microsoft’s General Manager of Mobile Communications Business in the Asia-Pacific region, Natasha Kwan said that devices running the latest Windows Mobile 6.5 will receive significant upgrades (6.5.3) but they won’t be able to upgrade to the Windows Mobile 7 OS.

A lot of 6.5 applications have been built from the old paradigm of the stylus. Those legacy apps will be a lot more compatible on 6.5.3 because we have magnifier technology which lets you use your finger for navigating!

Microsoft is slated to reveal more about Windows Phone 7 at the MIX developer conference, which is happening from March 15 to March 17.

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

If you are running a PC/laptop with Windows Vista installed and it has NO services packs (also known as Windows Vista RTM or SP0), please use Windows Update to install the latest service pack available ASAP.

For security and stability reasons you SHOULD be on Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2), please note you’ll need to install Service Pack 1 first.

I also recommend checking out Windows 7 as an upgrade.

On April 13th, 2010, Windows Vista RTM (SP0) will reach the end of support.

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

A reminder that on July 13th, 2010, all versions of Windows XP SP2 will reach the end of support…

I recommend those of you still on Windows XP SP2 to install the latest service pack available via the Microsoft Update website – Windows XP Service Pack 3 – or look at moving to Windows 7.

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

Prior to the launch of Windows 7, Microsoft had teamed up with the Fox media network to air a special Family Guy episode to help create more buzz on Windows 7.

Not long after announcing the deal Microsoft pulled support for the episode because of:

“riffs on deaf people, the Holocaust, feminine hygiene and incest”.

..so it was a suprise to see some clips form the show appear on the official Windows Team YouTube channel:

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

Microsoft Bing Maps Technical Evangelist, Chris Pendleton, interviews Windows Phone Program Manager, Ian Todd on the new Windows Phone 7 Series and it’s usage of Bing Maps at 2010 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Kind Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

Microsoft and Yahoo! announced today that they have received clearance for their search agreement, without restrictions, from both the U.S. Department of Justice and the European Commission, and will now turn their attention to beginning the process of implementing the deal.

Implementation of the deal is expected to begin in the coming days and will involve transitioning Yahoo!’s algorithmic and paid search platforms to Microsoft, with Yahoo! becoming the exclusive relationship sales force for both companies’ premium search advertisers globally. Once the transition is completed, the companies’ unified search marketplace will deliver improved innovation for consumers, better volume and efficiency for advertisers and better monetization opportunities for web publishers through a platform that contains a larger pool of search queries.

“This breakthrough search alliance means Yahoo! can focus even more on our own innovative search experience,” said Yahoo! Chief Executive Officer Carol Bartz. “Yahoo! gets to do what we do best: combine our science and technology with compelling content to build personally relevant online experiences for our users and customers.”

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer concurred with Bartz’s assessment. “Although we are just at the beginning of this process, we have reached an exciting milestone,” Ballmer said. “I believe that together, Microsoft and Yahoo! will promote more choice, better value and greater innovation to our customers as well as to advertisers and publishers.”

Consumer Search Experience

Under terms of the agreement, which was announced in late July 2009, Microsoft will provide Yahoo! with the same search result listings available through Bing, and Yahoo! will innovate around those listings by integrating rich Yahoo! content, enhanced listings with conveniently organized information about key topics, and tools to tailor the experience for Yahoo! users.

Yahoo! will focus on providing a compelling and innovative search experience that allows people to find and explore the things, people and sites that matter most to them. While Microsoft will provide the underlying platform, both companies will continue to create different, compelling and evolving experiences, competing for audience, engagement and clicks.

Transition Timeline

Yahoo! and Microsoft will work with advertisers, publishers and developers on a customized plan designed to make the transition as efficient and seamless as possible. Both companies will begin working closely with most partners well in advance of their planned transition to the Microsoft platform and will communicate important information to partners about the transition periodically via phone, e-mail, webinars and a newly-created Web site at www.searchalliance.com.

The companies will begin the transition of algorithmic search and have set a goal of completing that effort in at least the United States by the end of 2010. The companies also hope to make significant progress transitioning U.S. advertisers and publishers prior to the 2010 holiday season, but may wait until 2011 if they determine that the transition will be more effective after the holiday season. All global customers and partners are expected to be transitioned by early 2012.

Customer Relationships

Once the transition is in place, Yahoo! and Microsoft will each represent and provide customer support to different advertiser segments. Yahoo!’s sales team will exclusively represent and support high volume advertisers, SEO and SEM agencies, and resellers and their clients. Microsoft will represent and support self-service advertisers.

Regulatory Summary

Although the transaction previously was cleared by regulators in Australia, Brazil and Canada, the terms of the agreement required clearance by U.S. and European regulators before it could commence. Meanwhile, Microsoft and Yahoo! continue to work with regulators in Korea, Taiwan, and Japan to ensure that they have all relevant information necessary to evaluate the transaction before the deal commences in those specific jurisdictions.

From Feb. 16 to 19, as the Winter Olympics showcase the world’s best athletes in Vancouver, B.C., approximately 1,300 of the top leaders from the world’s technical community will spend four days at the Microsoft Corp. headquarters in Redmond, Wash. Participating in Microsoft’s 2010 MVP Global Summit are Microsoft’s Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs), an exceptional group of technical community experts committed to helping others get the most out of their technology investments and to representing the “voice of the community” to Microsoft.

During the four-day summit, worldwide MVPs, who are all non-Microsoft employees, will share critical feedback with Microsoft about its products and services. The summit also provides MVPs with the opportunity to interact face to face with product groups and sharpen their technical skills through more than 700 sessions offered as part of the ongoing connection that the MVP Award Program offers throughout the year. Stephen Elop, president of the Microsoft Business Division, will headline the summit and discuss the important relationship Microsoft has with MVPs and how the company uses their feedback to create a better experience for all technology users.

“Summit brings together some of the top leaders within global technical communities,” said Toby Richards, general manager, Community and Online Support for Microsoft. “I always look forward to this week and am extremely excited to engage with technology’s best and brightest and discuss what’s on their minds.”

With the recent launch of Windows 7, this has been a significant year for Microsoft and for MVPs. Even before Windows 7 had hit the shelves for consumers, many MVPs published books and online guides for users to more easily navigate the new tools, tricks and benefits of the new operating system. Furthermore, there are now 247 MVP blogs devoted to Windows 7, and the number is growing.

“The tremendous feedback and real-time peer-to-peer support provided by MVPs make a positive difference to thousands of technology users every day,” Richards said. “I eagerly anticipate the feedback that MVPs will share for some of Microsoft’s future big bets during the 2010 MVP Global Summit.”

About the Microsoft MVP Award Program

Microsoft began the MVP Award Program as a way to recognize community leaders in the general public who devote their time and technical expertise to helping others in various online technical forums. Over time, the program has evolved; today, awards are annually given to members of technical communities worldwide for their outstanding contributions to communities, which also include their own Web sites, user groups, blogs, wikis, social media and more.

More than 100 million people participate in technical communities, and this year Microsoft awarded more than 4,000 MVPs worldwide on a quarterly basis. Outstanding technical-community members can be nominated by their peers in the community, Microsoft employees or other MVPs. Microsoft’s MVP Award Program is in its 17th year, with MVPs today representing 96 countries, speaking 37 different languages and spanning 94 Microsoft technology areas.

More information about the MVP Award Program and the 2010 MVPs can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/mvp and at http://blogs.msdn.com/mvpawardprogram. More information on Microsoft technical communities can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/communities.

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

Hear what partners are saying about Windows Phone 7 Series…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Kind Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

Today at the Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona, Microsoft launched its flagship Mobile Phone software to the world’s press.

In the following 2 videos you can get a better look at the new Windows 7 Series Phone and why its is going to be popular with consumers and business users alike!

Video #1 – Reuters interview with Microsoft’s Chief Executive, Steve Ballmer.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video #2 – Official Windows Phone 7 Series Features Video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Kind Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

What gamers request most is better control in-game, and today Microsoft Hardware launches the SideWinder X4 Keyboard, a keyboard designed to give gamers more control over their gaming experience with the industry’s most advanced anti-ghosting technology. Developed by the Applied Sciences Group, this new technology ensures gamers’ most complex key combinations will be recognized by the computer to keep the game in action. The new keyboard also offers other advanced gaming features such as macro recording, mode and profile switching, and adjustable backlighting.

I Ain’t Afraid of No Ghost

The Applied Sciences Group, an interdisciplinary research and development team that works across the Microsoft Entertainment & Devices Division doing applied research for Microsoft Hardware, Microsoft Surface and Xbox 360, developed the anti-ghosting technology with gamers in mind. The advanced technology takes anti-ghosting to the next level by allowing gamers to press up to 26 keys at once. Because each key is scanned independently by the keyboard hardware, each key press is correctly detected regardless of how many other keys are being pressed at the same time. The SideWinder X4 Keyboard excels where other keyboards fail, letting users execute key combinations and taking full advantage of their skill and speed.

“We’re always looking for new and novel ways to enhance people’s interactions with their PCs,” said Steven Bathiche, research manager of the Applied Sciences Group at Microsoft. “We know that ghosting can be a problem for gamers, so we wanted to develop a way to eliminate this issue and improve the overall gaming experience, and we’ve succeeded with the new anti-ghosting technology in the SideWinder X4 Keyboard.”

Precise Gaming Keyboard With Advanced Features

The SideWinder X4 Keyboard also offers more of the features gamers need to stay at the top of their game. Macro recording lets them string together multiple moves into one press of a button, and the new automatic macro repetition feature lets them repeat the macro over and over as needed with one key. Mode and profile switching also provides easy ways to customize the keyboard for different games and users while adjustable backlighting lets gamers select the lighting level that meets their needs.

Pricing and Availability

The SideWinder X4 Keyboard will be available in March 2010 for the estimated retail price of $59.95 (U.S)1 and will be available for pre-sale on Amazon.com later this week. The SideWinder X4 Keyboard is backed by a worldwide three-year limited hardware warranty, and more information about this and other Microsoft Hardware products can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

Microsoft CFO Peter Klein on the keys to driving up profits and his outlook for online services and business.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Microsoft has announced record revenue of $19.02 billion for the second quarter ended Dec. 31, 2009, a 14% increase from the same period of the prior year. Operating income, net income and diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $8.51 billion, $6.66 billion and $0.74 per share, which represented increases of 43%, 60% and 57%, respectively, when compared with the prior year period.

These financial results include the recognition of $1.71 billion of deferred revenue, an impact of $0.14 of diluted earnings per share, relating to the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program and pre-sales of Windows 7 to OEMs and retailers before general availability. Adjusting for the deferred revenue recognition, second-quarter revenue totaled $17.31 billion, and diluted earnings per share totaled $0.60 per share.

“Exceptional demand for Windows 7 led to the positive top-line growth for the company,” said Peter Klein, chief financial officer at Microsoft. “Our continuing commitment to managing costs allowed us to drive earnings performance ahead of the revenue growth.”

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 launched globally on October 22 as anticipated. Through the second quarter, Microsoft has sold over 60 million Windows 7 licenses making it the fastest selling operating system in history.

“This is a record quarter for Windows units,” said Kevin Turner, chief operating officer at Microsoft. “We are thrilled by the consumer reception to Windows 7 and by business enthusiasm to adopt Windows 7.”

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

Windows 7 is a great operating system! Add to that the free Microsoft software that is called “Windows Live” and you have an amazing range of tools at your finger tips.

BUT there are also many FREE 3rd party applications that can be used on Windows 7.

Here are 3 of my favourite:

#1 – The GIMP - www.gimp.org

GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed program for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring.

It has many capabilities. It can be used as a simple paint program, an expert quality photo retouching program, an online batch processing system, a mass production image renderer, an image format converter, etc.

GIMP is expandable and extensible. It is designed to be augmented with plug-ins and extensions to do just about anything. The advanced scripting interface allows everything from the simplest task to the most complex image manipulation procedures to be easily scripted.

#2 – CamStudio – http://camstudio.org

CamStudio is able to record all screen and audio activity on your computer and create industry-standard AVI video files and using its built-in SWF Producer can turn those AVIs into lean, mean, bandwidth-friendly Streaming Flash videos (SWFs).

CamStudio can also add high-quality, anti-aliased (no jagged edges) screen captions to your recordings in seconds and with the unique Video Annotation feature you can even personalise your videos by including a webcam movie of yourself “picture-in-picture” over your desktop.

Great for creating training videos!

#3 – FeedReader – www.feedreader.com

Feedreader is the most robust, highly-functional personal aggregation solution on the market today. It dynamically reads, collects, and organizes syndicated Web content, and seamlessly delivers it directly to user desktops. With Feedreader, you have instant, convenient access to the up-to-the-minute news you need, without information overload.

Feedreader automatically downloads updates from your favorite Web sites. So, it eliminates the need for you to constantly monitor multiple Web pages, while allowing you to immediately identify and retrieve new articles – no matter how long you’ve been away from your desk.

Happy downloading

Kind Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

Windows 7 has become my default operating system for both work and home – I still use XP SP3 and Vista SP2 for my business.

Below are my favourite 5 Windows 7 features:

#1 – ISO Burner in Windows 7

The ability to burn ISO images natively within Windows is new to Windows 7. This has proved to be a great feature for me as I often download ISO files from MSDN/Technet, and having the ability to create a disc directly in Windows 7 is fantastic.

More information at: www.win7articles.com/burn-iso-images-in-windows-7.html

#2 – Windows 7 DVD Maker

Windows 7 DVD Maker enables you to create professional-looking video DVDs of your home movies and photos that can be viewed on your DVD players, regardless of geographical region codes.

(Windows 7 Home Premium and above editions)

More information at: www.win7articles.com/windows-7-dvd-maker.html

#3 – Windows 7 Action Center

The Windows 7 Action Center consolidates message traffic from key Windows maintenance and security features, including Windows Defender and User Account Control. If Windows requires your attention, the Action Center icon appears in the taskbar.

This means NO MORE annoying balloons appearing in the bottom right hand side of the screen!

More information at: www.win7articles.com/windows-7-action-center.html

#4 – Windows 7 Resource Monitor

The resource monitor in Windows 7 is one of a few handy tools for monitoring your systems performance. In the case of this tool it does this in real time.

It can both collect and display real time information about the: CPU, Disk, Network and Memory.

It now provides a greater level of information and monitoring, in addition to the change in layout – for instance the graphs are now on the right hand side of the window.

More information at: www.win7articles.com/windows-7-resource-monitor.html

#5 – Windows 7 Performance

Not so much of a “feature” you can physically see on your PC, BUT the fact that Windows 7 has been optimised to start and run to much faster than Windows Vista/XP, Windows 7 is just so much more responsive!

You might find this article and interesting read: Upgrading a 5 Year Old Laptop to Windows 7

Well there mine, have you got a favourite?

…let me know below!

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

Got my email on the 1st January 2010 informing me that I am a Microsoft MVP again for the 7th year in a row!

“We are pleased to present you with the 2010 Microsoft MVP Award! This award is given to exceptional technical community leaders who actively share their high quality, real world expertise with others. We appreciate your outstanding contributions in Windows Desktop technical communities during the past year.”

However,  my award “box” arrived this morning containing my 2010 certificate, badges etc.

See below images (click for larger image):

You can read more about me and the Microsoft MVP award here:

www.marcliron.com/microsoft-mvp.html

Kind Regards

Marc liron – Microsoft MVP

The home office is changing; it’s no longer one room but is constantly evolving as people use their laptop computers all over the house. To fit this trend, Microsoft Corp. announces a redesign of the keyboard as we know it — the Arc Keyboard. Small enough to move easily around the home and so attractive it fits seamlessly with chic home accessories, this product looks at home wherever it’s used.

Microsoft’s best-selling Arc Mouse shares its design language with the Arc Keyboard for a beautifully curved profile, clean lines, light weight and portable shape. The Arc Keyboard is all about the home, and Microsoft Hardware’s industrial design team drew its inspiration from modern home accessories such as flatware, lighting fixtures and vases. The result is a keyboard that looks and feels like it belongs with other objects in the home; it is as much a part of the décor as the chandelier in the dining room and the vase in the kitchen.

“The design tenets that we looked to for the Arc Keyboard were simplicity and crisp softness, creating an aesthetic for this product that is casual and sophisticated at the same time,” said Monique Chatterjee, industrial designer for Microsoft Hardware. “We drew our design inspiration directly from the places where we envision this product will be used so it perfectly blends with existing home accessories.”

The Arc Keyboard looks and feels like it belongs with other objects in the home; it is as much a part of the décor as the chandelier in the dining room and the vase in the kitchen.

Weighing in at less than a pound, the Arc Keyboard is easy to move from room to room throughout the house, and its domed keyset comfortably rests on the lap so people can kick back on the couch or type away on the kitchen counter. It includes a snap-in Nano transceiver that is so small it can remain plugged in to the computer at all times, or can be magnetically snapped in the bottom of the keyboard for storage. With its unique, compact design, the Arc Keyboard becomes a functional and stylish part of any living space.

More information about this and other Microsoft Hardware products can be found at www.microsoft.com/hardware

Regards

Marc Liron
Microsoft MVP

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If you have multiple PCs with increasingly large amounts of digital photography, music, video, and documents, then protecting, organizing, and connecting this digital media can be a challenging task. Help with managing your digital dilemmas has arrived and it is called: Windows Home Server.

Windows Home Server, is a home server operating system from Microsoft. Announced on 7 January 2007, at the Consumer Electronics Show by Bill Gates, Windows Home Server is intended to be a solution for homes with multiple connected PCs to offer file sharing, automated backups, and remote access. It is based on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2.

That said many small business owners working from home have found it to be a very valuable system for their businesses!

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Windows Home Server features include:

# Centralized Backup – Allows backup of up to 10 PCs, using Single Instance Store technology to avoid multiple copies of the same file, even if that file exists on multiple PCs.
# Health Monitoring – Can centrally track the health of all PCs on the network, including antivirus and firewall status.
# File Sharing – Offers network shares for computers to store the files remotely, acting as a network-attached storage device. Separate categories are provided for common file types like Documents, Music, Pictures and Videos. The files are indexed for fast searching.# Printer Sharing – Allows a centralized print server to handle print jobs for all users.
# Shadow Copy – Takes advantage of Volume Shadow Copy Services to take point in time snapshots that allow older versions of files to be recovered. However, after introduction Microsoft has recommended not enabling shadow copies on HomeServer for unspecified reasons, and had not fixed the problem by September 2008.
# Headless Operation – No monitor or keyboard is required to manage the device. Remote administration is performed by using the Windows Home Server Console client software provided in the bundle. Also supports Remote Desktop connections to the server while connected to the same LAN.
# Remote Access Gateway – Allows remote access to any connected PC on the network over the Internet.
# Media Streaming – Can stream media to an Xbox 360 or other devices supporting Windows Media Connect.
# Selective Data redundancy – Guards against a single drive failure by duplicating selected data across multiple drives.
# Expandable Storage – Provides a unified single and easily expandable storage space, removing the need for drive letters.
# Extensibility through Add-Ins – Add-Ins allow third-party developers to extend the features and functionality of the server. Add-Ins can be developed using the Windows Home Server SDK, to provide additional services to the client computers or work with the data already on the server. Add-Ins can also be ASP.NET applications, hosted in IIS 6 running on WHS.
# Server Backup – Backs up files which are stored within shared folders on the server to an external hard drive.

Power Pack 1 for Windows Home Server was released 20 July 2008, Power Pack 2 was released 24 March 2009, and Power Pack 3 was released 24 November 2009.

Release of Windows Home Server V2 is reported to be sometime in 2010, although no firm release date has been reported.

Windows Home Server V2 will be built on the Windows Server 2008 R2 code base[1] (its predecessor having been built on Windows Server 2003) and will only support 64 bit hardware. Windows Home Server V2 will come in two editions, Standard and Premium. Microsoft has not commented on the feature differences between the two editions.

To read more about Windows Home Server go here:

www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/default.mspx

Regards

Marc Liron
Microsoft MVP
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In response to widespread interest from consumer device-makers around the world, Microsoft Corp. is announcing a flexible licensing program for its Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT) technology. The latest generation of Microsoft’s file system, exFAT delivers a significant leap forward in terms of the size of files that can be stored on a broad range of consumer electronic devices, and the speed with which they can be accessed. The exFAT technology is already being adopted by partners in the industry, and these manufacturers are using the licensing program to deliver a richer and more seamlessly integrated media experience for their customers.

“There has been an explosion in the use of rich audio and video files,” said David Kaefer, general manager of Intellectual Property Licensing at Microsoft. “exFAT is an ideal file system that delivers fast and reliable use of audio and video files. It is an important technology in Windows 7, and now that we are licensing this technology broadly to the industry, we want to encourage and support partners to build products that also contain this technology.”

# exFAT is the modern version of its predecessor, the FAT system, and greatly expands the size of files that flash memory devices can handle. The exFAT file system not only facilitates large files for use of audiovisual media, it enables seamless data portability and an easy interchange between desktop PCs and consumer electronic devices. In specific terms, the exFAT file system does the following:

# Enables future growth in media capacities, increasing support from 32 GB up to 256 TB

# Handles more than 4,000 RAW images, 100 high-definition (HD) movies, or 60 hours of HD recording in a single directory

# Speeds up file saves of Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC) cards to achieve their full 300MBps speed using modern storage allocation techniques

# Supports interoperability with future desktop operating systems

Provides an extensible format, including OEM-definable parameters to customize the file system for specific device characteristics

“Consumers want a richer media storage experience, and we chose the exFAT file system for our SDXC memory card specification because of its incredible potential,” said James Taylor, president of the SD Association. “The exFAT file system supports large volumes, large files and better contiguous on-disk layout, which supports the SD Association’s plans for the SDXC specification to provide consumers with quicker transfer speeds, support for very large files and seamless portability among devices. We look forward to incorporating the technology into our products.”

Microsoft’s Commitment to IP Collaboration

Microsoft offers flexible intellectual property (IP) licensing programs that give companies access to many of the foundational technologies in its own products, allowing those companies to build devices, applications and services that work seamlessly with each other. Microsoft has entered into exFAT licensing agreements with several leading companies including Sony, Canon and Sanyo. In addition, SanDisk Corp., as a member of the SD Association and the Memory Stick standard, has endorsed the adoption of the exFAT file system for use in the new extra capacity storage media.

More information about Microsoft’s exFAT licensing programs is available at

http://www.microsoft.com/iplicensing

Regards

Marc Liron
Microsoft MVP

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Windows Live Hotmail is a gigantic service in all dimensions. Here are some of the highlights:

# Is a worldwide service, delivering localized versions of Hotmail to 59 regional markets, in 36 languages.

# They host well over 1.3 billion inboxes (some users have multiple inboxes)

# Over 350 million people are actively using Hotmail on a monthly basis (source: comScore, August 2009).

# They handle over 3 billion messages a day and filter out over 1 billion spam messages – mail that you never see in your inbox.

# They are growing storage at over 2 petabytes a month (a petabyte is ~1 million gigabytes or ~1000 terabytes).

# They currently have over 155 petabytes of storage deployed (70% of storage is taken up with attachments, typically photos).

# They are the largest SQL Server 2008 deployment in the world (they monitor and manage many thousands of SQL servers).

# All in all they keep four copies of your data on multiple drives and servers to minimize the chance of data loss due to a hardware failure.

# Thousands of servers monitor service health, transactions (for example, sending an e-mail) and system performance for customers all over the world.

# They have a round-the-clock response center team that watches over our global monitoring systems and takes action immediately when there is problem. We have an escalation process that can engage our engineering staff within a few minutes when needed.

This should begin to give you a sense of the size and scope of the engineering that goes into delivering and maintaining the Hotmail service.

Regards

Marc Liron
Microsoft MVP

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CSC have announced this week that it has signed an agreement with the UK’s Royal Mail Group to provide cloud computing information technology (IT) services. The new agreement expands the company’s current contract signed with Royal Mail Group in 2003 to maintain its desktop computers and manage and develop its servers, mainframes and IT processes.

The new contract is an industry first, with CSC being the first Microsoft partner to lead and win a cloud computing services agreement of this scale. Under terms of the contract, CSC will provide Royal Mail Group’s 30,000 employees with access to new IT services using Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS), part of Microsoft Online Services. CSC will also provide first line helpdesk support.

CSC’s cloud services are designed to help businesses easily and securely adopt cloud computing solutions, allowing them to reduce the costs of managing and maintaining business systems while giving them access to the latest Microsoft Online Services including Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Office Communications Online and Microsoft Office Live Meeting.

Royal Mail Group’s Head of Technology Service Delivery, Carol Olney, said: “This deal forms part of Royal Mail’s drive to invest in new technology to improve efficiency and customer service.”

“The Microsoft suite will give people across Royal Mail Group the tools they need to do their jobs more effectively, enabling our business units to collaborate with each other, partners and other external organisations more freely, easily and securely while securing cost savings.”

“We are pleased to expand our relationship with Royal Mail Group and deliver the benefits of cloud services,” said Kevin Brown, vice president and chief operating officer of CSC in the UK. “Working collaboratively with Microsoft, we look forward to helping Royal Mail Group lower operational costs and providing more flexibility in the management of its IT systems.”

“Public and private sector organizations, such as Royal Mail Group, are moving their critical applications to Microsoft Online Services in increasing numbers,” said Ron Markezich, corporate vice president at Microsoft. “Partners like CSC are important in helping our customers take full advantage of the enterprise-grade capabilities and flexibility Microsoft’s cloud applications deliver.”

Read more about CSC here: http://www.csc.com/about_us/ds/29505-company_profile

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As you may have already heard, Google is experimenting with some new search options.

Below I have grabbed a few screenshots for you to view the possible changes that we may see soon.

(These changes are just testing at the moment and are not available for the general public as yet.)

Here is the first screenshot showing a search for the term London

(Click for larger image)

You will see the new search option menu on the left. No more having to click the “Show Options” link at the top of the results page anymore!

Here it s just on it own:

Does it look familiar? Yep, very BING like:

(Click for larger image)

…and the main search page has a make over, here is the new bolder looking search box:

The Google 10 pack results show a wider map and the left had search options “adapting” to the search term:

(Click for larger image)

…ALL very interesting stuff.

Leave your thoughts below in the comments area!

Kind Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

“How to Make Money with Digital Photography” A review…

Seller: Dan Feildman

Summary:

The Internet has made it possible for even hobby photographers to make money with their digital photographs. This special report explains some basic information the digital photographer must know in order to profit online.

Free Product Details:

“How to Make Money with Digital Photography” is a free 20-page special report from TurnYourPhotosIntoCash.com

Format: Digital report (PDF)

Thoughts on the Product:

“How to Make Money with Digital Photos” is a quick overview of how to sell digital photos online through stock photo sites. The free report explains how stock photo sites work and how easily a digital photographer can make a living through them.

There’s enough in this report to get started with making money with digital photos, such as:

- how stock photo sites work and how to make money through them (page 7)

- the creative process of making money with digital photos (page 8 )

- which four subjects are always in high demand online (page 11 )

- editing tips to take your photos from good to great (page 13)

- how to make more money by selling more photos (page 15)

However, the report only shows the tip of the iceberg. The  opportunities for monetizing digital photography online are vast, and this report leaves the reader wanting to know more. The author provides the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge through an extensive course on marketing digital photos online.

Where to Learn More: 

TurnYourPhotosIntoCash.com

Related Reading:

Article “Six-Figure Photography” from USA Today

Photo Security: How To Protect Your Photos Against Theft

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

With most holiday shoppers looking to save money, Microsoft and eBay will present online Daily Deals through a new Windows Internet Explorer 8 Web Slice that will showcase popular products selling at deep discounts. Customers will receive continuing updates and detailed information about these Daily Deals for eBay, all within the Favorites Bar in Internet Explorer 8.

“With almost 200 million live listings, the eBay Marketplace is second to none when it comes to holiday gift options,” said Rob Chesney, vice president of buyer and seller experience, eBay. “This season we are making it even easier for Internet Explorer 8 users to find amazing products at deep discounts with the eBay Daily Deals Web Slice.”

With online shopping expected to increase this season, Internet security is a key concern for consumers. In direct response to customers’ needs, Microsoft developed Internet Explorer 8 with built-in security protection. A study by NSS Labs shows that Internet Explorer is the leading modern browser in malware and phishing protection.

“Our customers tell us they want a browser that puts them in control of their security and privacy, and those are key ingredients to a positive online experience,” said Amy Barzdukas, general manager of Internet Explorer and Consumer Safety, Microsoft. “The eBay Daily Deals Web Slice is just one more great reason to upgrade to and use Internet Explorer 8 for all your online holiday shopping.”

The holidays are a fun time to surprise friends and family with gifts from the heart. The InPrivate Browsing feature in Internet Explorer 8 allows consumers to shop online without leaving information behind for others to find on shared computers. InPrivate Browsing allows the user to control whether or not Internet Explorer 8 saves the browsing history, cookies, temporary Internet files and other data.

For enhanced holiday shopping online, eBay and Microsoft offer customers the opportunity to find the best Daily Deals through the innovative use of Internet Explorer 8 Web Slice. Internet Explorer 8 delivers the features that Internet users want, making the browser faster and easier, while increasing security and privacy — for online holiday shopping and beyond. eBay will also launch a “12 Days of Deals” promotion along with an exclusive Mystery Deal featured each day of the Daily Deal from Nov. 27 through Dec. 8.

More information on Internet Explorer 8 and the eBay Daily Deals Web Slice can be found at

http://ie8.ebay.com

Regards

Marc Liron
Microsoft MVP

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Office Web Apps are the online, lightweight versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. With Office Web Apps people can access, share and work on Office documents from virtually anywhere with an Internet connection — making it easy to bring ideas to life at home, school or work.

Office Web Apps are a key part of Microsofts’ vision for Office 2010.

Personally, I’m excited about the co-authoring capabilities in the Excel Web App, which allow people to work together in a spreadsheet, and access and display a PowerPoint slideshow — even if Office isn’t installed on the PC.

The publish capability is another innovation, allowing Office documents to be embedded in blogs, social networking sites, and other Web sites. - Michael Schultz, director of marketing, Microsoft Office Services at Microsoft.

Screenshot of the in browser Excel Web App:

[+] Click Here for larger image

How do Office Web Apps work with Office 2010?

Schultz: The Office 2010 release is designed to deliver a great productivity experience across the PC, mobile phone and browser. More than 500 million customers are familiar with Microsoft Office at work, home and school. Office Web Apps work with Microsoft Office, so there’s no need to learn another program or service.

The great integration with Office gives people the ability to quickly and easily save and open documents from the Web, directly from Microsoft Office 2010. Seamless integration with Windows Live lets people access, edit and share with friends, family and co-workers anywhere.

Why are you offering Office Web Apps through Windows Live? What does this mean for Windows Live customers?

Schultz: More than 500 million people around the world use Windows Live, giving our customers a powerful hub to organize their lives. With Windows Live, people can store and share information such as photos, contacts, calendars and documents, all in one place on Windows Live SkyDrive. With the addition of Office Web Apps, people will soon be able to go to Windows Live to create, edit, share and collaborate on Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, OneNote digital notebooks and Excel spreadsheets — online, with high fidelity.

In addition to Windows Live, businesses will be able to get Office Web Apps through volume license agreements and via subscription offering through Microsoft Online Services.

Why are Office Web Apps essential for people on the go today?

Schultz: The latest statistics tell us two-thirds of the worldwide population is online at least once a month, and in the United States, 89 percent of the top 100 companies offer telecommuting. That means people are on the move and need to stay productive with access to their information, no matter where they are. Office Web Apps empower people to access information and edit and share documents in a familiar environment from practically anywhere, on virtually any device.

Why are Microsoft Office Web Apps unique?

Schultz: Half a billion people use Microsoft Office every day, so the world is incredibly familiar and comfortable with Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote. With Office Web Apps, there’s no need to learn anything new; these are the online extensions of the well-known desktop applications that customers can use where they want, when they want. The application interfaces will look instantly familiar, and documents maintain their fidelity, whether working in the cloud or in desktop applications.

Consumers want choice and the ability to work across different devices, browsers and platforms during the day. The seamless integration between Office Web Apps and Microsoft Office (versions 2003 and later) lets people quickly and easily save documents to the Web directly from Office desktop applications. In addition, we’re making the Office Web Apps accessible across PCs and Macs, and available using Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari.

Beyond the consumer marketplace, businesses want enhanced functionality that reflects the way they do business. There’s a need for security, business compliance and reduced costs. With Office Web Apps, we don’t force customers to choose a certain type of implementation. We give customers the option to select the solution they need to meet specific business needs — whether in the cloud, on-premises or a combination of the two. The Office Web Apps have been designed to give businesses choice, flexibility and control.

When will the full feature set be broadly available?

Schultz: The full feature set for Office Web Apps will be available in the first half of 2010, and offered in three ways. First, Windows Live customers will have access to Office Web Apps on Windows Live SkyDrive. Second, Office Web Apps will be available to Office 2010 volume licensing business customers, hosted with Microsoft SharePoint Server on-premises. Today, these include more than 90 million Microsoft Office annuity customers. Third, businesses will also have access to Office Web Apps through Microsoft Online Services.

To sign up for the beta version of Office Web Apps, visit http://www.microsoft.com/Office2010.

Windows 7 is breaking exisiting sales records. Here are a few recent online articles discussing the Windows 7 adoption growth:

Microsoft Boosted as Windows 7 Sales Outpace Vista

Early sales of Windows 7 suggest that shoppers are switching to Microsoft’s new operating system in their droves, shrugging off the cloud cast by its predecessor, Windows Vista.

Windows 7 Sales Boosted by Pre-orders, Smashes Vista

After outselling Harry Potter in pre-orders, Windows 7 creams Vista too.

Huge pre-order sales of  Windows 7 have seen Microsoft’s new operating system out-do its disastrous predecessor Windows Vista by a whopping 243 per cent.

Windows 7 Early Adoption Rate Outpaces Vista’s

Windows 7 has broken the 4% market share barrier in less than three weeks, a mark that took Windows Vista five months to reach, a Web metrics company said today.

According to Net Applications, Windows 7 has crossed the 4% line in the California company’s daily tracking of operating system usage. By comparison, Vista was under 1% a month after its late-January 2007 release to retail, and didn’t exceed 4% until June of that year.

Windows 7 Usage Outpaces Vista, Closes In on Mac

There’s a new sign Windows 7 is off to a strong start: Web surfers have started moving to the operating system much more quickly than they did its troubled predecessor, Windows Vista.

A new research report says Windows 7 on Saturday surpassed 4% of all devices visiting Web sites that day, a little over two weeks after the commercial launch of the product. It took Windows Vista, in contrast, about seven months to pass 4% after it was introduced to businesses in November 2006, according to the report from Net Applications, a firm that tracks online usage.

Microsoft Windows 7 Smashes Sales Records

Research firm NPD Group said Microsoft users were switching from Windows XP and Windows Vista to Windows 7 in significant numbers. Sales of Windows 7 in the days following its Oct 22 release were 234 per cent higher than those posted by Vista when it was launched in January 2007.

Windows 7 Versus Apple: The Great Computer Software Battle

There’s no escaping it: Windows Vista was a disaster. Launched in 2007, Microsoft’s follow-up to the massively successful Windows XP software, which powers the vast majority of the world’s computers, met with lukewarm reviews and terrible customer satisfaction ratings.

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

The UK now has its own version of Microsoft’s search offering BING.

“This is a serious, long-term commitment from Microsoft to put a differentiated search product in to the market place,” said Ashley Highfield, managing director of Microsoft’s consumer and online divisions in the UK. “We have not just used the US version of Bing. We’ve had a UK team focusing on what will work particularly well over here”.

However, UK users will have to wait a bit longer for Twitter feeds and computational results delivered by Wolfram Alpha to appear in UK based search results.

My own use of the UK version of BING has been good (I live in the UK) and I find the local search results in particular to be on a par with Google UK results.

As long as we do get the additional features that US users currently receive, I think the only way is up for BING UK.

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

Looking for a cheap way to add a dvd decoder to Windows Vista?  ….that way you can enjoy your favourite movies on your PC.

A common way to achive this is using a “plugin” that will turn Windows Media Player into a fully fledged DVD player.

You can read more about a dvd decoder vista here:

http://www.instantvista.com/dvd-decoder-vista.html

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

Finding a speedy solution for the Vista c00d1199 error in Windows Media Player. Read more here on the Vista c00d1199 error…

http://www.instantvista.com/vista-c00d1199-error.html

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

If you are running Windows XP (OR Windows Vista), you can enhance your DVD playback experience on your PC by using a DVD Decoder pack.

You can then turn Windows Media Player into a full-featured DVD player when combined with a popular DVD decoder pack from Corel (XP) or CyberLink (Vista).

More on the correct:  DVD Decoder here: http://www.updatexp.com/dvd-decoder-media-player-windows.html

Kind Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP