From LiveSide.net

 

"Yes I'm posting yet another screenshot, this time of the expected Windows Live Messenger final UI.

- Yes the UI looks must better, no bleaching!
- Note the new status icons, a cross between old and new.
- The two new icons at the top of the contact list refer to the new VOIP and VoiceMail features coming to Windows Live Messenger. I'll be posting more information on this shortly :-)"

 

Read the rest here

 

Cool screenshots, I am finally having confidence in this release of Messenger.

From Microsoft Technet

 

"Windows Vista Capable PCs facilitate the transition to Windows Vista by providing hardware requirements and guidelines to customers so they can make informed decisions on purchasing and deploying PCs capable of running Windows Vista before Windows Vista launches. Providing guidance on Windows Vista Capable PC hardware requirements reassures customers that their near-term PC investments will retain their value after Windows Vista is available.

Hardware requirements and recommendations for the Windows Vista Capable PCs have been selected to ensure that PC systems and components that fit these criteria will run Windows Vista and will enable the next generation of Windows applications. Enterprise Planning Guidelines are based on these hardware requirements and recommendations. By using these guidelines to procure PC system hardware, customers should be able to deploy systems that will upgrade well to Windows Vista after the launch of Windows Vista. In this way, customers can protect their PC investments today."

Read the rest here

An excellent read that provides some improved clarity on hardware support for Windows Vista. Also check out the link to a list of 'modern CPUs' that support Windows Vista. This has not been very clear to be honest, but I would say its finally begining to show.

From PC Magazine

 

"Windows Vista is running behind schedule, but that doesn't mean the Vista test process has ground to a halt.

On Friday afternoon, March 24, Microsoft will release a new test build of Vista to its TAP (Technology Adoption Partner) elite tester pool, as well as to TechBeta testers, Microsoft officials confirmed.

The company will not make the new 5342 build available to a wider audience, however.

"The code is currently going through the final stages of testing and will be published to http://connect.microsoft.com for access by TAP customers, when testing is complete," a Microsoft spokesperson said."

Read the rest here

I am running Windows Vista Ultimate Build 5342 right now. How would I best descibe it? Awesome! Its faster, more responsive and there are some cool effects, plus a new snipping tool for taking screenshots and cropping them. There are also some nice window animations and fade in-out log in animation. I posted some screenshots over at ActiveWin.com, you can check them out here

From eWeek

 

"The late arrival of Microsoft's Windows Vista isn't expected to wield a serious blow to PC shipments, a new report by IDC says.

The software giant on March 21 said it would delay the general release of Vista, its next-generation operating system for PCs, to January 2007. The OS had been scheduled for wide release this fall, although Microsoft said it would offer large businesses the code to upgrade to Vista in November.

The decision will have some impact on PC shipments, but it will be limited, as businesses aren't likely to change their plans-most will evaluate the OS for at least a year before rolling it out-following the change. Consumer PCs will feel the brunt of the blow. But even that could be smaller than originally thought, IDC said, as part of a regular update of its worldwide PC shipment forecast.

"Some consumers will certainly delay PC purchases until Vista is available, but we expect the delay to shift only moderate volume from the fourth quarter of 2006 into 2007 and will not cause a loss of sales," said Loren Loverde, director of IDC's Worldwide PC Tracker, in Framingham, Mass., in a statement. "The timing of the release will have some impact on when consumers buy, but not so much on whether or not they buy."

Read the rest here

I have to honestly say that the delay of Windows Vista until January 2007 has made a slight impact on my next PC purchase. I will probably not be purchasing a new computer until around March 2007, just at least wait it out and see what type of machines are available on the market with OS pre-loaded, I will not be only looking at Dell, but other PC manufacturers such as Gateway, HP, Toshiba and Acer, since I am in the market specifically for Tablet PC. I want a really powerful notebook, with lots RAM, good graphics, hopefully 64-bit and nice display.

In the mean time, what I will probably do is upgrade the graphics card in my present PC's to better support some of Vista's exclusive features such as Aero Glass user experience. I notice that the OS gets a bit groggy after opening up a total of 20 windows.

From ZDNET

 

"There's a software product coming that has the potential to demote spyware from a security priority to an afterthought: Windows Vista.

Spyware has become a serious security problem for users of Microsoft's operating system over the past years, giving rise to a host of third-party tools to fight the insidious software. But perhaps the best defensive program has yet to ship, some analysts believe.

Microsoft later this year plans to release Windows Vista, the long-awaited successor to Windows XP. The operating system is being designed to shut the door on spyware. It will introduce important changes at the heart of the operating system, as well as to Internet Explorer, and include Windows Defender, an anti-spyware tool."

Read the rest here

My say

I believe integrating AntiSpyware and to a certain extent Antivirus technologies into Windows is just a logical step for Microsoft to better protect users against these vulnerabilities. Windows long ago became a main target for hackers, virus writers and now Spyware and Phishing. Having fundamental security built in is not contreversial, a lot users don't have these essential utilities (AntiVirus, AntiSpyware and AntiPhishing) installed, so making it easier for the user is just the best way to prevent future criticism of the Company, distrust in the Company's software, but also plain frustration that many face when malicious code is installed on their systems. Removing malicious code is not fun, sometimes it requires drastic measures such doing a clean install.

Microsoft is making a commendable effort with the approach to Security in Windows Vista, yes, it may seem unfair to the third party developers who found a cottage industry in Windows, but its definitely unfair to the users who don't have the basic knowledge to protect their computers and data, Windows Vista provides that security advantage out of the box. There is still a role for third party Security developers to play as most users and companies will not be willing to put all their eggs in one basket (Microsoft), looking back on the Company's lack luster Security past.

But at least they are making an effort to regain most that trust lost over the past 3 years and innovate at the same time, cool features such as UAC (User Account Protection), finally removing the need for a user to have complete access to the system, Windows Defender, protection from Spyware and malicious browser objects, Internet Explorer (Protected Mode), which prevents malicious code from entering the system by sand boxing it to on the IE cache. Just some of the many changes in Security in Windows Vista and I think this give businesses and users more confidence to trust their data to Microsoft, we have been for years and look at what we have been through.

Here I present to you my second Windows Vista Tip, explaining how to change the Windows Vista user interface to the Windows Classic interface, first introduced in Windows 95. The tutorial teaches how to navigate around the Windows Vista user interface and introduces you to some the new elements such as Personalization Explorer and the change from the Display Settings to the new individual Panel based dialogs. Please note that this is still pre-liminary is likely to change by BETA 2 and even before RTM.

 

 

From News.com

 

"How does Windows Vista love thy computer? Let it count the ways.

Microsoft is building into the new operating system a tool that will rate a PC based on how well it is running and on how much it can take advantage of Vista's capabilities.

The "Windows Performance Rating," which can be seen in the latest test version of the operating system, evaluates components such as the processor, the memory, the hard drive and graphics cards to come up with an overall score.

Read the rest here

Well, both of my computers a desktop and a laptop have gotten 2 and 1 respectively. I probably would have gotten a 3 on the desktop if I had more hard disk space. I am running Windows Vista 5308 on a 10GB partition which barely enough for the latest CTP which eats hefty 8GBs of hard disk space. I suspect the size has a lot to do with the plethora of drivers the OS comes with, hopefully this will be trimmed down in subsequent builds and utilize Microsoft and Windows Update to install the latest compatible Vista drivers.

Performance rating is quite nice though, especially in 5308, in prior builds it was really rough around edges, but its working nicely now though. I definitely need to remerge some partitions and redistributes some free space so I can get a better rating.

From WinInformant

 

"According to my sources, Microsoft will soon ship an unexpected "refresh build" of Windows Vista to its technical beta testers and some corporate customers. Previously, the company had been shipping only semi-monthly Community Technical Preview (CTP) builds of Vista to testers and other audiences, including MSDN subscribers. The refresh build could be build 5340 or 5341, I'm told."

 

Read the rest here

 

Its only for TAP, but the refresh now seems like a last run around the track before they hit beta 2 just to ensure a high quality release, since the April CTP/BETA 2 release will be public. I am sure Microsoft would like to make great first impression.

From The Official Microsoft Connections Blog

 

 

Read the rest here

 

Of course the RTM will probably be here by November for OEMs to start installing on machines to be available in late September or November.

From Australian IT

 

"WHEN Microsoft launches Windows Vista on an as-yet-unnamed date towards the end of this year, it is likely that the new Office 2007 suite will touch down on the same day.

The likelihood of a double-barrelled launch was revealed by Dave Block, senior product manager on the Windows Vista marketing team during a presentation at last week's Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco.

The company has set aggressive sales targets for Vista and hopes the successor to Office 2003 will benefit from the repetition of the shared launch strategy adopted for Windows 95 and Windows XP and their companion Office editions

"Windows Vista will probably go on to 400 million PCs in the first 24 months," Block says. "That's both new system sales and upgrades from XP. When you think we're going to launch Office simultaneously there's this huge wave of upgrades and opportunities."

Read the rest here

Should be an exciting time for many in the Computer/Technology Industry and I am definitely looking forward to it. Correction though, Windows XP and Office XP were not not launched simulataneously as Office 95 and Windows 95, Office XP was launched in May of 2001, while Windows XP was launched in October of that year. Microsoft should applying the same strategy with Vista and Office 2007 for sure, but I believe the Company should give both products their breathing space so that mass confusion does not occurr with people wondering if Office and Windows have been combined to form one product. The marketing is one of the aspects of the Vista launch I am looking forward to, will there be a return of the material girl, how will the Company translate to consumers, businesses and the different sub-markets in these categories? Very interesting times ahead.  

From Microsoft PressPass

 

Microsoft released screenshots of the upcoming Technical Refresh of the Company's next generation Office productivity software, expected next week.

 

Click here to check out these new screenshots which has a familar Netscape 8 look.

From MSN-CNET

 

"SAN FRANCISCO--Aiming to re-create the excitement that accompanied the launch of Windows 95, Microsoft is gearing up for a massive campaign to launch Windows Vista.

Chairman Bill Gates has tasked the Windows marketing team with repeating its achievements with the decade-ago launch, such as convincing scores of people to line up at retail stores to purchase the operating system. The marketing budget won't be finalized until the end of Microsoft's fiscal year in June, but "regardless of that, we're still being held to that goal," said Dave Block, a senior product manager for Vista."

Read the rest here

My Say

I am not too sure, 1995 was such a different time, a majority of persons had to go out and buy it, simply because access to online stores didn't exist, millions of Windows/PC users didn't even have access to the Internet. Times have changed, and expect I persons will be acquiring Windows Vista, by purchasing a copy off CDW.com, amazon.com/software, Wal-Mart, Target, Office-Depot.

And lets not forget the major OEMs too who will be selling PC's with the software pre-loaded, persons will also be going the online route. Windows 95 brought in a new era of excitement and wonder when it came to computing. Today, persons can easily start experiencing that through a number of avenues with Windows Vista instead of going out, standing in line all day these include Subscription services that deliver the software to you, so you know that you are getting it, Public BETA Programs and I know Microsoft will be having a Public BETA 2 program for Vista when the time comes.

Of course, persons will be running the RC1 release well into 2007 until it expires with no rush to buy the full version software. So, to say Windows Vista is going to regenerate a similar buzz like Windows 95 is a bit hard to imagine in todays world unless they are going to give people incentives to do so. And who in their right mind is gonna stand in line in a cold October month just to purchase software, Windows 95 was released in the warm month of August 1995. Times have changed, I would focus on promoting Vista through new avenues such as the popular blog, TV commericials and seminars over a one year period just to create some awareness about the operating system. The whole world probably already know about Windows Vista, I am probably responsible for telling my entire community about it already.

From eWeek

 

Microsoft announced March 7 that it is has acquired application-transfer specialist Apptimum for an undisclosed sum.

Formerly Eisenworld, Apptimum, based in Sunrise, Fla., began in 1998 and is best known for PC relocation products branded with the vacation-friendly moniker "Alohabob," named after the founder's father, who lives in Hawaii.

Microsoft's plans for the acquired intellectual property and technology assets of Apptimum are focused on streamlining the application transfer process between older and newer computers, with an emphasis on Window's Vista migration.

Read the rest here

Interesting purchase, I thought originally that Microsoft was developing a migration technology in house for Vista. My reason for believing this was after seeing a demo presented at WinHEC 2004 by Microsoft Platform Group President Jim Allchin showing what had seem to be a prototype migration tool for what at the time was named Windows "codename" Longhorn.

Alohabob has been around for a while, I first heard about it on TechTV as a highly recommended solution for migrating PC settings to a new computer. Its gonna be free for Windows Vista users, so you really can't beat that. What I think would be great is migration of registry settings, if Microsoft works migrating Registry settings to Vista from say.. a Windows XP computer, it would definitely be awesome.

From Neoseeker

 

"IBM switching to Linux destops in Germany according to a Linux Forum 2006 presentation by their head of open source and Linux sales in Germany.

Interesting news from LinuxForum 2006

During a presentation on IBM's involvement with Open Source, Andreas Pleschek from IBM in Stuttgart, Germany, who heads open source and Linux technical sales across North East Europe for IBM made a very interesting statement...

"Andreas Pleschek also told that IBM has cancelled their contract with Microsoft as of October this year. That means that IBM will not use Windows Vista for their desktops. Beginning from July, IBM employees will begin using IBM Workplace on their new, Red Hat-based platform. Not all at once - some will keep using their present Windows versions for a while. But none will upgrade to Vista."

Read the rest here

Seems like IBM is still keeping malice over the beating of OS/2 by Windows 95.

From eWeek

 

From Microsoft Windows Vista

 

"Today, you can capture the best moments of your life with your digital camera. Your favorite memories—from small moments to big events—are preserved in your digital images. This has changed not only the way we take pictures, but the way we store them, too. Rather than having piles of photos and negatives stored in shoeboxes, you may have hundreds, or even thousands, of photos stored on your computer. As you store more pictures on your computer, it can become challenging to find, organize, and share them."

 

Read the rest here

 

Windows Vista includes awesome tools that I believe will strike a chord with consumer especially in areas such as digital photography. I have been using the update Media Management application in build 5308 to manage my images (Windows Photo Gallery) and I have say its superb. Tagging images, viewing elegant slide shows, exporting Windows DVD Maker, integration with Windows MovieMaker 6. Microsoft is definitely thinking through the end to end user experiences.

From News.com

 

"It looks like the world isn't clamoring for 64-bit desktops just yet.

Nearly two and a half years have passed since 64-bit processors started going into PCs. But the software to take full advantage of these chips remains scarce, and customers aren't buying much of what's out there. The 64-bit chips provide greater performance than their older 32-bit counterparts, but that's because of speed upgrades and other architectural enhancements.

Except for a few workstation users, almost no one is getting much from the 64-bitness of these computers.

"64-bit is sellable as bigger, faster, but in terms of what it does for you, there is very little at the moment," said Roger Kay, president of analyst firm Endpoint Technologies.

The dearth can be seen in a lot of ways. Microsoft released a 64-bit version of Windows for desktops last May, but has sold few copies, according to analysts. A site created by Advanced Micro Devices, the biggest proponent of 64-bit desktops, lists only six games tweaked for 64-bit computing and one partial upgrade."

Read the rest here

My Views

I have been running Windows XP Professional x64 since April of 2005, and I have to say I am very pleased with the operating system and responsiveness of my system. The benefits are not realized from 64-bit computing itself since I am running a system consist of basic desktop applications such Office, Photoshop and Nero which I use everyday, none of these applications are 64-bit native, but they run just fine.

The system was not purchased as a future proof move, thinking that it would run Windows Vista at full speed when its released, it was purchased primarily for enthusiasm and I needed a new home system and I am pleased with it. Its doing what I need and I enjoy using it everyday when I come home from work. Obtaining Windows XP Professional x64 was not difficult at all. I had my OEM copy purchased from http://www.directron.com

You can purchase the trial from the following online vendors also.
http://www.planetamd64.com/catalog
http://www.ncix.com
http://www.newegg.com
http://www.zipzoomfly.com 

Hopefully though, the next major release of Windows, Vista will bring 64-bit computing mainstream. I believe it will, since Vista will include technologies that were not available Windows XP Professional x64 such as Media Center and Tablet PC which are beginning to take off. So, I expect to see more innovation from the hardware industry with desktops and mobile PCs that can do it all. All I can say really, there is exciting stuff coming in the 2007 to 2008 period. XP Professional x64 was just a start and does have its benefits for targetted environments.

Windows XP Professional x64 is definitely not an operating system for the average Windows user who is doing basic stuff such as browsing the net or sending e-mails and writing one page documents in Word. But it is likely that by the end of this year, any PC purchased will be 64 bit enabled, which does not necessarily mean you are ready for a 64 bit OS. But it does give the user a sense of comfort knowing the capability is there ready to be taken advantage of by a largely supported 64-bit OS.

The true beneficiaries are the technical ones in the technical environments who require the massive amounts of power this platform provides. Within the next 2 to 3 years 64 bit computing supported hardware and software should be more available than it is today and users will better take advantage of it with the appropriate applications written for the consumer market, so far that is not available.

My Resources: 
PlanetAMD64
Extended64
x(perts)64
Paul Thurrott’s Windows x64 Preview
microsoft.public.windows.64bit.general
Technology Exchange Program
Windows XP Professional x64 FAQs

My Articles: 
Windows XP Professional x64, good or bad start?
Are those 64-bit questions about to be answered...by Microsoft?

From PC World

 

"As I've mentioned before, I've spent the last seven months or so engaging in the questionable-but-interesting practice of running the beta version of Windows Vista as my one and only operating system on my work desktop here at PC World. I'm now on the most recent update--build 5308, also known as the Enterprise Community Technical Preview, which Microsoft says is feature-complete. So it seemed like a good time to report in here.

First, a disclaimer: This is not a review, since Vista remains a work in progress. It's not even a comprehensive look at the state of the beta, just some random musings. Nine of them, actually:

This is the first beta that (mostly) gives you an inkling of what living in Vista might actually be like. For much of the time I've been working in Vista, I've been listening to coworkers justifiably tsk-tsking at me even trying to do so: Up until now, the beta's been sluggish, with major features either MIA or fundamentally broken. Major applications have refused to run; peripherals have failed to operate. It's been hard, in other words, to actually get stuff done."

 

From InfoWorld Web Blog

 

"Will Windows Vista have an edge in user security elevation over the Mac OS X?

Both Windows Vista and Mac's OS X strive to ensure that most users and actions are done by accounts with limited permissions and rights (Microsoft has deemed this Limited User Account or LUA). Both OSs prompt the user, even if they are administrator or root, for an additional logon and confirmation when the user (or a program running with their user context) attempts to do something that requires elevated privileges (e.g. install a program, modify the system kernel, etc.).

Mac's OS X has had this since the beginning and Microsoft's upcoming Windows Vista will be released with a similar mechanism. I've tried out both OS X and Vista, and to be honest I didn't see much difference. I was delighted to see Microsoft adopt a similar LUA strategy. While it won't stop all malware and hackers, it will decrease some of the older malware and make it tougher for new malware to succeed. Most importantly, a LUA strategy will prevent most spyware and adware from being automatically installed against the user's wishes, and that's a good thing."

Read the rest here

From news.com

 

"Windows Vista won't have a backdoor that could be used by police forces to get into encrypted files, Microsoft has stressed.

In February, a BBC News story suggested that the British government was in discussions with Microsoft over backdoor access to the operating system. A backdoor is a method of bypassing normal authentication to gain access to a computer without to the PC user knowing.

But Microsoft has now quelled the suggestion that law enforcement might get such access.

"Microsoft has not and will not put 'backdoors' into Windows," a company representative said in a statement sent via e-mail.

Read the rest here

Resources:

Exclusive: Q&A with the Windows Vista Bitlocker Team - Windows Connected