Good news for folks in the European Union who plan on upgrading to Windows 7, there will be no special temporary 'Windows 7 E edition', Microsoft confirmed this evening to CNET News:

It looks like there won't be a browserless version of Windows 7, after all.

Microsoft said late Friday that it won't ship the Windows 7 "E" version of Windows even though Europe has yet to sign off on its revised plan. The plan calls for the company to ship Windows 7 with Internet Explorer, but present a ballot screen in which users in Europe can decide whether they want Internet Explorer or another browser.

The software maker had originally proposed shipping Windows 7 in Europe without a browser at all--the so-called "E" version of the operating system. However, European regulators indicated that might not satisfy its concerns.

Read the entire article here

The good news too, pre-orders will revert to Windows 7 with Internet Explorer, but will contain a ballot with additional third party web browsers from which users can select. Pre-orders made available this summer will still be the Full Packaged Product license that customers receive. Customers in Europe will not have to do a clean install either and will be able to do an upgrade from Windows Vista SP1 or later.

This is great news for everyone and it sounds like a good compromised is being reached with other web browser developers too!

Resources

A Quick Look: Customizing your Windows 7 Installation

In addition to pricing information for Windows Anytime Upgrade, Brandon Leblanc gave a quick tutorial of how the process works. Check it out here

Back in April, I took a look at the Anytime Upgrade process and I must say I was most impressed by how quick and simple the entire process is. Here is an excerpt from that article:

The amazing thing about Anytime Upgrade is how quick and simple the process is, Microsoft estimates at least 10 minutes in comparison to Vista’s 30 minute or more process. Based on my trial, it was at least 7 minutes, some persons have even reported at least 5 mins for Anytime Upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium to Ultimate.

If you are running supported SKU’s such as Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium or even Professional, you will have the option of upgrading to a higher SKU. Microsoft has made each of the SKU’s a subset of features, so a user can do an Anytime Upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium to Professional, unlike Vista which only allowed Anytime Upgrades from certain SKU’s:

Vista Home Basic – Home Premium or Ultimate
Vista Business – Ultimate

All that has changed, if you want to move from Home Premium to Professional, you will have that option. No need to reinstall your applications or backup your personal data.

Read the entire experience here

Resources

Windows Anytime Upgrade and Family Pack Pricing details revealed
Upgrading: Starting the Move to Windows 7 Release Candidate

Related

Dell Windows 7 Option Upgrade Program
More information on Windows 7: Pricing and Availability
Windows 7 Editions – More detailed information
Official: Microsoft Confirms Windows 7 Editions

Brandon Leblanc today discusses the much anticipated information about Windows 7 upgrade details: Windows Anytime Upgrade and Family Pack Licensing. Here is what he had to say:

Most people buy a PC preinstalled with the edition of Windows that meets their unique needs. However, for some customers their needs may change over time.

With Windows Anytime Upgrade (or WAU), we make it super easy and convenient for the small number of customers who’s PC needs evolve to need a higher edition of Windows 7.

There are a couple of specific situations where we think WAU will prove useful:

A customer may purchase a netbook thinking they would use primarily it for email. Over time, they find they are using that netbook as their primary every-day PC. That person decides they want their netbook to do more. If the netbook is running Windows 7 Starter (or Windows 7 Home Basic in select markets), WAU makes it super easy to upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium. Moving to Windows 7 Home Premium will allow that customer to take advantage of features such as Aero Peek and other enhanced functionality in the Windows Taskbar in Windows 7 such as Taskbar Previews. Desktop themes are also enabled and so is Remote Media Streaming.

With the Windows 7 release, Microsoft is introducing Family Pack licensing which entitles you to install the Home Premium edition on a total of 3 PC's. This is fantastic news for multiple PC homes. As Brandon notes, having multiple PC's on your home network running Windows 7 opens up a lot of rich capabilities, such as the super easy networking through HomeGroups, Media Streaming, efficient sharing of resources and a whole lot more.

Today, most homes have more than one PC in them. When you run Windows 7 on more than one PC on a home network, you can do more with features like HomeGroup. HomeGroup allows people to connect to PCs on their network and share files, music and photos with the whole family – easily. The Windows 7 Family Pack is an easy and affordable way to get all your PCs in your household running Windows 7 through licensing to install Windows 7 Home Premium on up to 3 PCs.

Cost:

The pricing for Windows 7 Anytime upgrades will vary depending on the edition you have installed on your PC, lets take a look:

• Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Home Premium: $79.99
• Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional: $89.99
• Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Ultimate: $139.99

Brandon also notes that Anytime Upgrade under the Windows 7 line up is much cheaper, by at least 12% in the US as compared to Vista pricing. As for he family pack licensing:

• $149.99 for 3 Windows 7 Home Premium licenses, that's a saving of $200 for 3 licenses.

I think its a fantastic deal that will encourage a lot of folks to upgrade and take advantage of all of the powerful capabilities built into Windows 7 that make it fun and easy to use. The performance of Windows 7 is exceptional, I have been running the RC on a AMD Sempron 512 MBs of RAM and I am very impressed by responsive and productive that PC is to use now.

Read the entire article here to learn all the details

Resources

Networking made easy with HomeGroups in Windows 7
Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade – Unlocking more benefits with less effort
Upgrading: Starting the Move to Windows 7 Release Candidate

Related

Dell Windows 7 Option Upgrade Program
More information on Windows 7: Pricing and Availability
Windows 7 Editions – More detailed information
Official: Microsoft Confirms Windows 7 Editions

If you are a member of Microsoft's Private Windows Technical Beta Program, the Windows Team made a lot of people happy today. To show their appreciation for their hard work and feedback, testers will be receiving a complimentary copy of Windows 7 Ultimate for helping to make Windows 7 such as terrific release. Here is what Brandon Leblanc of Windows 7 Team blog had to say:

Last week, I blogged that members of the Windows Technical Beta Program would not be receiving a complimentary copy of Windows 7. Normally I hate to be wrong but in this case, I’m stoked that I am.

To show our appreciation, members of the invitation-only Windows 7 Technical Beta Program will be eligible for a free, final copy of Windows 7 Ultimate. For more information on how to take advantage of this, refer to Paul’s post in the .Beta_Program newsgroup for details.

Tell Paul that Brandon sent you - and be sure to thank him!

Learn more here

Resources

Microsoft Connect
Engineering Windows 7 Blog

The folks over at Windows Live enthusiast LiveSide web site managed to get a hold of some of the major improvements that are coming in the next update to the new Windows Live Movie Maker first introduced with this years release of Windows Live Essentials. Persons have complained about the lack in functionality and some favorites missing from its predecessor Windows Movie Maker 6. The Windows Live Movie Maker Team seem to have listened and I am seeing some lovely engineering take place:

Enhanced Live Movie Maker with more visual effects.

Notable enhancements:

• “AutoMovie” – which will automatically “add titles, credits, transitions, and effects, and fits it all together for you.
• Contextual Video and Music Tabs.
• Dozens of new animations, transitions and visual effects will also be available.
• Direct upload to YouTube instead, built-in right out-of-the-box.

New AutoMovie for creating quick movies on the fly

There is still no timeline, but the Live Movie Maker folks are said to be working on something like it. I'm interested to see how this will substitute such a reliable feature. But I am so far impressed with what I am seeing in these early screenshots. Can't wait to try it out!

Check out addition screenshots at LiveSide.net here

Related

Talking about The future of Windows Live Movie Maker
Movies on the Go with Windows Live Movie Maker BETA
Windows Live Movie Maker Beta Update
Important information regarding MSN Soapbox‏ Shutdown
Get your wishes in for the next wave of Windows Live
Windows Live Essentials the Recap

Its a spectacular moment for the technology industry, Microsoft today announced that they have completed the most critical phase of Microsoft Windows 7's development "Release to Manufacturering". Here is what Microsoft President for Windows, Steven Sinofsky had to say about this major event:

Today marks an important milestone in the Windows 7 project. The Windows 7 team is proud to share with you that a short while ago we have started to release Windows 7 to PC OEM and manufacturing partners. This means our next major milestone will be the availability of PCs loaded with Windows 7 and store shelves stocked with Windows 7 on October 22, 2009.

Steven Sinofsky and Steve Ballmer at MGX in Atlanta. Steve Ballmer holding a gold RTM disc

This is a milestone we could not have achieved without the broad participation across the PC Ecosystem we have talked so much about on this blog. Windows 7 is a product not just of Microsoft, but of a whole industry of partners of all kinds. Throughout the development of Windows 7 we’ve seen an incredible engagement from so many people that have contributed to making the Windows 7 engineering project one we, collectively, feel good about. The feedback and collaboration throughout the development of Windows 7 has been outstanding and valuable beyond measure. This work has created the kind of experience so many of you have talked about in this blog—the ability to use a broad range of PC hardware and peripherals with a great setup and out of box experience. On behalf of the Windows team and all of the successful installations and device connections, please let me extend an incredible “thank you” to all of our hardware partners who have done such excellent work....

On behalf of the Windows 7 engineering team we want to thank you very much for your contributions throughout development and your contributions yet to come to Windows 7. THANK YOU!

Next stop, October 22, 2009!

--The Windows 7 team

Read the entire post HERE

Since we have reached this amazing day that the industry has been waiting patiently for so long, lets, take a trip down memory lane:

RTM Build Number:
7600.16385

Windows 7 RTM Launch Video here

Build 6801: Windows 7 Technical Preview
Build 7000: Windows 7 Technical Beta
Build 7100: Windows 7 Release Candidate

Windows 7 Articles:

Quick Look Windows 7 in the Workplace - Remote Desktop
In Awe of Windows 7 for the very first time
My Software Library and Windows 7 - Compatibility Experiences
Troubleshooting Hero's in Windows 7
Quick look at Credential Manager in Windows 7
More information on Windows 7: Pricing and Availability
Official look at the new Windows 7 Packaging
Upgrading to...ur Migrating to Windows 7 from Windows XP
Quick Look: Windows 7 in the workplace - Joining a Domain
A Tour of Windows Explorer and Control Panel in Windows 7
A Tour of my Windows 7 Desktop
Creating a Backup of your Windows 7 Install
Using and benefiting from Virtual Windows XP
Remote Assistance in Windows 7: Lending a helping Hand is even easier
A Quick Look: Customizing your Windows 7 Installation
Improved Recovery Options in Windows 7
Windows Easy Transfer: Lessons Learned
Getting your PC ready for Windows 7 Release Candidate
Improved Windows 7 Applets – Productivity Boosters
Configuring Libraries and your Devices - Richard Hay
The Complete Guide On How To Install Windows 7 RC by AboKevin
Windows 7 Final System Requirements
Windows Easy Transfer: Starting the Move to Windows 7 Release Candidate
Upgrading: Starting the Move to Windows 7 Release Candidate
Installation: Starting the Move to Windows 7 Release Candidate
Interacting with the Windows 7 Desktop – Fun Time Savers
In depth look at the Windows 7 Taskbar and Start Menu
UPDATE: Windows Internet Explorer 8 RTM Review
Windows Explorer – What’s new in Windows 7?
Networking made easy with HomeGroups in Windows 7
Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade – Unlocking more benefits with less effort
A Look at Windows Backup and Windows Update in 7
Playing with Windows Media Player 12

I look forward to continue sharing my experiences with so many of you who have visited my blog over the past 10 months to learn about Windows 7 and the major benefits it has to offer. This was definitely one of the smoothest beta releases of Windows yet, a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS must go out to the Windows 7 Team and Windows Server 2008 R2 Team for completing this mammoth task. Its not easy to enhance a product for 1.2 billion customers world wide. Windows 7 is a testament to excellent software engineering and I definitely looking forward to upgrading all my systems to it this coming October! Stay tuned for the ActiveWin.com Windows 7 RTM Review which I am in the progress of preparing. :)

Andre

The MSN Soapbox Team confirmed today that they will be discontinuing its user generated video content service, here is what they had to say:

Attention Soapbox Users,

MSN will no longer offer Soapbox, the user generated video service within MSN Video, as of August 31, 2009. Beginning on July 29, you will no longer be able to upload videos to Soapbox. People who have uploaded videos to Soapbox will have until August 31, 2009 to download them. Please make sure you download your videos by this date if you would like to keep them. We will have a notice running in the Soapbox service to remind you to download your videos. It is our goal that you download and keep all of the videos you uploaded that are important to you. Online video is a key part of the MSN experience and we will continue to offer a rich experience on MSN Video. We will also continue to invest in delivering great customer experiences, while keeping a keen eye on our business objectives during this tough economic climate. Thank you for your support of MSN Video. More details and download instructions are available at: http://video.msn.com/shutdown.html

Thank you for using Soapbox.

The MSN Video Team

Microsoft launched MSN Soapbox in 2006. From my point of view, MSN Soapbox never caught on primarily because of the wildfire that was already set by rival YouTube, which really started the phenomenon itself and later ended being bought by Google. Other factors I believe included a more open platform that was not specifically tied to being invitation only or some form of upcoming technology (Flash vs Silverlight), it was all about the content for YouTube.

The Windows 7 Team Blog today provided further information concerning the RTM availability for Windows 7 along with Family Pack Licensing details:

I recognize this is an important question to have answered. Many of you have said you want to know exactly when you will be able to get your hands on RTM. Last Monday, I gave an update on RTM to close out some myths. In that update, I also gave a broad timeline on when different groups of people – or “audiences” – would get the final RTM code.

While I have nothing new to add regarding RTM today, I do however have more precise information to give on when you will be able to get RTM. Again, when you can get RTM depends on who you are.

As for the availability:

OEMs: ISV (Independent software vendor) and IHV (Independent hardware vendor) Partners will be able to download Windows 7 RTM from Microsoft Connect or MSDN on August 6th

ISVs and IHV partners: August 6 (downloadable via Microsoft Connect or MSDN)

Microsoft Gold certified resellers: August 16 (downloadable from the partner portal in English only); October 1 (other language)

TechNet/MSDN subscribers & Microsoft Connect: August 6 (English only); October 1 (other languages)

A special thank you to our beta testers is needed for their time and effort in helping make Windows 7 a solid release. The special pre-order offer we did offering Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional at almost 50% discount was done with our beta testers in mind. And many of you jumped at the chance to take advantage of this deal – thank you!

Beta testers will not automatically receive a free copy of Windows 7. Many beta testers are already subscribers to TechNet; those of you who fit that description will be able to download Windows 7 RTM shortly after RTM happens for free as part of your subscription.

However, if you don’t have TechNet and are waiting for GA (to either purchase Windows 7 or wait for your pre-order to arrive) you can continue to use the RC. In fact, you can continue to use it until it expires on June 1st, 2010 (expiration actually starts March 1, 2010, this is when the reboots start).

Microsoft “Action Pack” subscribers: August 23 (English only); October 1 (remaining languages)

Volume licensees with existing Software Assurance license: August 7 (downloadable from the Volume License Service Center in English);

Volume licensees without a Software Assurance license: September 1 (downloadable from the Volume License Service Center)

Consumers: General availability begins October 22. Retailers and OEMs will be offering new systems preloaded with Windows 7 and copies of Windows 7 at retail on that day.

Family Pack licensing:

I know there have been some rumors going around about a “family pack” for Windows 7. We have heard a lot of feedback from beta testers and enthusiasts over the last 3 years that we need a better solution for homes with multiple PCs. I’m happy to confirm that we will indeed be offering a family pack of Windows 7 Home Premium (in select markets) which will allow installation on up to 3 PCs. As I’ve said before, stay tuned to our blog for more information on this and any other potential offers.

This should provide a clearer view of how the Windows Team is strategically rolling out the release of this major upgrade. The family licensing confirmation is definitely great news for many homes around the world that have Windows based systems. I am hoping the pricing will be attractive enough for consumers to take advantage of it. There has been continued frenzy about when Windows 7 RTM will be finalized - I guess today's announcement will just have to satisfy those questions for now.

You can read more details about the availability at the Windows 7 Team blog here

Resources

Windows 7 Team Blog: Clarification about Windows 7 RTM and Availability

Many years ago computing was very stationary in the sense that you were often tied to your computer at work or home. Over the years, with the increase in network connectivity, users were able to embrace technologies such as Remote Access giving them the ability to access PC's and Server's remotely, anywhere, anytime. Although Remote Access became a reality there were still some problem's that persisted: ease of use and user experience. Then came along Remote Desktop software, which also faced its own level of complexity in the early days. Microsoft's early Remote Access Technologies were based on its stand alone Windows NT Terminal Server OS which was later incorporated into the Windows 2000 Server family of network operating systems as Terminal Services and later versions. With the release of Windows XP, Professional edition in particular, Microsoft built in the Remote Desktop Client.

Remote Desktop is the ability to have Remote Control. You are able to navigate your home PC for example from any Internet enabled machine. Other advantages include the ability to quickly check your email, travel and access work from your office PC. Remote Control software is not just limited to business users though, for telecommuter's, having access to an office PC at home is a major incentive, IT Professionals can use it to manage and access employee computers over a local network. Remote Desktop is also a great tool for Help Desk staff, since they are able to directly access an employee's PC by taking control of the computer and fix problems while also demonstrating to users what to do.

In this article, we are gonna take a look at setting up Remote Desktop in Windows 7 and talk about some of the new capabilities offered in this release. In version 7, the Windows Team is making Remote Desktop more multimedia aware with support for real-time multimedia applications, video playback and 3D games. With version 7, some of the rendering Task have been split between the Server and Client depending on the type of setup and environment you are using Remote Desktop in. The Windows Team most recently made some changes for the RTM release, the current Release Candidate does not reflect any of these changes:

Server-side / host-side rendered:

• WPF
• Silverlight
• Flash
• DirectX (all versions)
• Direct2D

Client-side rendered:

• Remote GDI
• Aero Glass experience
• Windows Media Player content

In the Release Candidate, this is what you will have access to:

Server-side / host-side rendered:

• WPF
• Silverlight
• Flash
• DirectX content prior to 10.1

Client-side rendered:

• Remote GDI
• DirectX 10.1/DXGI 1.1
• Direct2D
• Aero Glass experience
• Windows Media Player content

Before you start connecting to another PC Remotely, there a few things you need to configure. Lets start by enabling 'Remote Desktop' on the machine we need to connect to. Click Start > type: 'View Advanced'

Hit Enter

When the 'System Properties' dialog appears, select the 'Remote' tab, under Remote Desktop options, select: 'Allow connections from computers running any version of Remote Desktop (less secure). This guarantees that you can connect to a Windows 7 Remote Desktop session from previous versions of Remote Desktop Connection.

If you choose to select the option with Network Level Authentication, it means you are aware that the other computer is also running Windows 7. Network Level Authentication is an authentication method that completes user authentication before you establish a full Remote Desktop connection and the logon screen appears. This can help protect the remote computer from hackers and malicious software.

After setting up Remote Desktop, the next step is to connect to the Remote Machine. Click Start, Type: Remote

Hit Enter

Connection options for Remote Desktop

The Remote Desktop client is made up of various options that can determine your experience when connecting to the remote machine. If you don't see these, click the Options button in the lower left hand corner of the Remote Desktop Connection window. If you are interested in replicating an exact experience as that is available on the remote computer you can do so by enabling all the options under Experience (tab) > Performance. You should do this though depending on your connection speed, if you are connecting over a local area network, you should be fine, if its over dial up, you should uncheck all but Bitmap caching, by default, if you select your connection speed in the list box, Remote Desktop will apply the appropriate settings for you.

Making the Connection

Ready to connect to that machine? Here's how: go to the General tab, Enter the remote computer's IP address or PC name along with the user name. Note: If you don't know the machine name, check the remote PC's System Properties under 'Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings.

click Connect

Initiating the Connection

Here you are asked for your password, you can choose to connect using another account.

Remote Desktop in progress

As you can see, Remote Desktop is in progress, I have full Aero Glass experience just like what I have in Host operating system. In full-screen view, the hosted desktop automatically resizes to my local resolutions if I want; providing an experience that is identical to the host computer. Peripheral devices such as the host keyboard, mouse, commands are available along with devices such as printers, drives and serial ports. When you are done with your Remote Desktop session, simply click Start, click the Power Options button and click Disconnect. Note that when you access a Remote PC, that account will be locked while its in use. Remote Desktop Connection is a powerful feature in Windows, you have more flexibility when it comes to troubleshooting. Living in a world of Internet ubiquity (not to mention wireless Internet) and mobility, RDC gives users the freedom to work and play anywhere and anytime they want. You don't have to be tied to your PC anymore.

Problems that can prevent an unsuccessful connection:

1. Check to make sure that Remote Desktop Connection is enabled on the Remote PC you are attempting Connect to.
2. Make sure the PC is not set to sleep, you can configure this in the Power Options Control Panel item.
   
3. Ensure that Windows Firewall > Allowed Programs Remote Desktop is allowed to Communicate.
4. The edition of Windows 7 you are attempting to access does not support Remote Desktop. Remote Desktop is only available in Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate. You can however you can access any of the aforementioned editions once you have the Remote Desktop Connection client installed.

Resources

Microsoft makes a post-RC change for RDP7: no more client-rendered DirectX
Changes to Remoting Model in RDP 7

Related

Quick Look: Windows 7 in the workplace - Joining a Domain
A Quick Look at Windows Live Sync
Remote Assistance in Windows 7: Lending a helping Hand is even easier

I have been aware of Windows 7 since around February of 2007, a little bit after Windows Vista was just introduced to market. Windows 7 was previously described as a successor to Windows Longhorn that was originally code-named Windows Blackcomb back in the early 2000's. After Vista's release, nobody outside of Microsoft knew what Windows 7 code named "Windows Vienna" at the time was really all about, some thought it was going to be a Service Pack, an incremental update and a number of other things. It was pretty much left up to our imagination. Then in January of 2008, the first alleged build of what was purported to be Windows 7 leaked. There was of course pent up demand for information about this new release of Windows. A video of it showed a few minor changes such as a more shiny Taskbar and early still in development technologies such as the Action Center and Recovery utilities. I was not impressed, but I was of course interested being a Windows Enthusiast and all :)

Over the next few months, alleged Windows 7 pre-release builds continued to show up, but were not significantly inspiring or had any 'WOW' that's cool, definitely looking forward to that improvements. Recalling all the frenzy that continued to build for what Windows 7 would become, torrents of speculation continued to generate from around the blogsphere. Then in June of 2008, Microsoft Chairman, Bill Gates, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Corporate Vice President of Windows Experience group, Julie Larson Green gathered at the D6: Conference to demo an early preview of Windows 7 for the first time. The features that I saw were quite impressive such as built in support for Touch inherited from the Microsoft Surface. Although it was cool to see Julie manipulate photos with her fingers on a Tablet PC, I was not excited, since I don't even own a Tablet PC to begin with. I was hoping for more, so I continued to wait patiently. Then in October of 2008, Microsoft officially unveiled Windows 7, which became the official name for the next generation Windows OS. All seemed well and logical and it further added flames to the discussion, 'Is Windows 7 a major upgrade?', Is it another overhaul of the kernel version?

While people asked these questions, I wanted to know, what would be the fundamental and immediate benefits? How would it build on the ease of use features that first appeared in Windows Vista? What about performance? Finally, the day of PDC 2008 arrived and people were looking forward to the first official demo of Windows 7 which promised to show some of the major new benefits of the operating system. Microsoft Vice President for Windows, Steven Sinofsky opened up the keynote with a brief introduction discussing what Windows 7 was all about, along with the benefits. Then it was on to the Demo, lets take a look:

 Windows 7 PDC 2008 Demo - Copyright Microsoft Corporation

If you can't see the video, here is the direct link

I am not sure how to describe this, have you ever witnessed something for the first time in the making and you say to yourself 'This is gonna be good', along with that gut feeling of confidence? Seeing the revamped Windows 7 desktop for the first time was a combination of what am I seeing here, why does the Taskbar look so big, why are those icons on the Taskbar so big? A lot of things obviously were running through my mind. What particularly attracted me to Windows 7 was its immediate up-front elegance. I was seeing something that was well thought out, had its act together and was waiting for the world to get ready for it. As a apparently nervous Julie Larson Green started demoing the benefits and features of Windows 7 I was consuming the impressiveness of this update. Features like interactive Thumbnails with full size Previews on the Taskbar just put a wow on my face! Then I saw benefits like quicker access to available Networks in the new floating Network dialog in the Notification area, the ability to organize running program shortcuts on the Taskbar. Each demonstration was effortlessly showing what would become a powerful release. I was literally watering at the mouth as I saw Julie introduce Windows 7 to the world.

 Windows 7 PDC 2008 Demo cont'd - Copyright

If you can't see the video, here is the direct link

Windows 7 Touch and Gesture Demo by NeoWin.net's Tom Warren

If you can't see the video, here is the direct link

Julie went on to demo some of the major innovations such as Windows Touch on snazzy hardware from Hewlett Packard (HP TouchSmart). When I saw Windows 7 on such a cool form factor PC and realizing the end user benefits of being able to use Windows in new ways on affordable hardware I knew that this was going to be a major release with huge benefits for everyone. Another great video of Windows 7 and Windows Touch that was done in a delightful way was by NeoWin.net's Tom Warren from the Microsoft Reviewers Workshop. Tom effortlessly show's off how Windows Touch can be integrated into the natural input experience when using the PC. I like the end part with the thumbs up from both Tom and the people in the add. :) Apart from the features, what these videos showed most was that Microsoft listened to its number developers of Windows, its customers. It demonstrated that the Windows Team went back to fundamentals of how to make a great release, innovating and bringing more value to the people, whether you are Consumer, business user or Developer, it showed that Windows 7 is great!

Resources

Introducing Windows 7 - ActiveWin
A round up from around the web of all the Windows 7 news today

I have been using Windows 7 pretty much full time since the alpha released to attendees at the Microsoft Public Developer Conference late October 2008. Some might say wow, you used still in development software full time? How did you manage? What about bugs? What about compatibility? I managed quite well, and regardless of the bugs that come with the territory when using software still in development, Windows 7 has ran exceptionally well since its early days up to the current Release Candidate. I have done a few articles concerning compatibility so far, but I wanted to talk about my transition from Windows Vista to Windows 7 and how my existing library of software programs are functioning on the new version of Windows.

Instead of listing them out in written text, take a look for yourself at what I am running on Windows 7. It doesn't say if they work or not, but I will say 97% of the applications you see listed are fully compatible with Windows 7. The only programs so far I have been unable to get working properly with the latest update is Avanquest Mobile Phone Tools 4.6a on Windows 7 64-bit, the program is compatible with the 32-bit platform. I am sure the latest 5.x releases work just fine, but the phone I am using it with, a Motorola C350 is not currently compatible with 5.x releases. I have managed to work around the compatibility problems by using the phone which I use as a GPRS modem through Microsoft's new Windows Virtual XP Mode software, which includes a subsystem for USB devices, read about my experiences here Another program that does not seem to function properly is VMware Workstation version 6.5.1.5078, the issues I experienced with Mobile Phone Tools in the host OS (Windows 7 64-bit) is what I am actually experiencing with the guest operating system in VMWare. Then again, I might put VMWare to rest, since licensed customers of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate will get access to the free Virtual XP Mode software which does about all I need anyway. Customers who are loyal to VMWare won't have to worry though, I am 100% sure the Company will provide compatibility as soon as the product is released.

The applications I have installed on Windows 7 Release Candidate

When it comes to ensuring that customers get the best experience transitioning from Windows Vista, the Windows 7 Engineering Team has done an exceptional job with this release. Windows Vista introduced fundamental changes that did result in some hiccups. With Windows 7, which has been described many times, its about bringing your investments forward and being able to take advantage of a new set of powerful experiences and productivity benefits. So, what are you running on Windows 7? What has been your experience with Windows 7 and your applications? Care to share?

Resources

Using and benefiting from Virtual Windows XP
A Quick Look: Customizing your Windows 7 Installation
Troubleshooting Hero's in Windows 7
Upgrading: Starting the Move to Windows 7 Release Candidate

UPDATE: We have extended the RC download period till Thursday, August 20th, 2009.

Want to download the RC? The RC download program closes August 20th. After that, you won’t be able to get the download, but you can still install the RC and get a key if you need one. (To get a key, just go to the Downloads page and follow the instructions.)

Learn more here

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Original post:

Stephen L Rose of the Microsoft Springboard Series Blog informs us about the deadline to download Windows 7 Release Candidate:

Want to download the RC? . The RC download program closes August 15. After that, you won’t be able to get the download, but you can still install the RC and get a key if you need one. (To get a key, just go to the Downloads page and follow the instructions.)

Learn more here

Related:

Update: Windows 7 Beta Expiration coming, start preparing for the RC!

Windows 7 includes a wealth of features that improve your productivity at work in addition to providing fun activities for you and your family to enjoy using your PC even more. But there might be a time when a problem might occur that you need to solve on your PC, whether its hardware or software related. Windows runs on over 1.2 billion configurations world-wide. That's a lot of PC's and its a testament to how well designed and sophisticated the Windows platform is, to make it work on the variety of setups that exist around the world. The Windows Team does its extreme best to make the Windows experience trouble free, but there is always a chance that something will go wrong from time to time. Not to worry though, because Windows 7 in particular introduces a set of easy to use solutions that can help you get out of a mix or suggest a quick fix. Today, I want to take a look at some of these tools in addition to the improvements that this major release of Windows introduces.

Resident Clubhouse grandma, Technogran did a wonderful post introducing new users to one of Windows 7's new features, Action Center. I am not going to explore that since Technogran did such a great job that you should definitely read here and here

Windows Troubleshooter

Windows 7 includes a new trouble shooting utility called Windows Troubleshooting, which diagnoses and resolves common operating system, application and hardware issues by providing built-in troubleshooters for several different types of problems. Whether its power management, performance, programs, networking or printers just to name a few. Some troubleshooters that come with Windows 7 automatically run in the background on a scheduled basis. If they discover a problem they will let you know in the Action Center. Examples of such scheduled maintenance tasks include cleaning up temporary files, detecting hard disk errors, removing broken shortcuts, and ensuring the system time is correct. Lets take a look at utilizing Windows Troubleshooter. In this scenario, I am having some problems accessing a shared folder on another PC. To start the the Troubleshooter, click Start, type: Troubleshooter

Hit 'Enter'

As you can see the Troubleshooting Control Panel list a collection of available Task that Windows users can use to diagnose common problems that you might be experiencing. Windows 7 includes a collection of 20 common Troubleshooting Task. The Action Center will notify you of new and updated troubleshooters when they’re made available online, as provided by Microsoft or your computer vendor.

My specific problem as indicated by the error in the Network explorer I am having a problem 'accessing shared files and folders on other computers. Its exactly what I am looking for! Lets click it and see what its all about. As you can see below, a wizard is started, specifically designed to resolve problems related to Shared folders.

The wizard runs a quick diagnostics test then ask for some form of input if necessary, this will vary by Troubleshooter. In this case I am being asked for the Network path (location) that I need access to. Going back to Network Explorer, clicking in the Address Bar, the name reveals it is located within \\HOME-DELLX86 while the name of the folder I need access to is 'SharedDocs' so, the path I should type in the Troubleshooter wizard is '\\HOME-DELLX86\SharedDocs', lets go ahead and do that.

Troubleshooting success!

After entering the necessary information, the wizard will run a series of test, attempting to correct the problem. The wizard will then ask you to close the Troubleshooter and check if the problem is corrected. If you are interested, you can monitor a history of all your troubleshooting activities. Users must note that, Windows Troubleshooting is not or never will be a complete answer, but it compliments the array of options available to Windows users when trying to solve a problem.

Compatibility

Compatibility is always a sensitive issue when it comes to a new version of Windows. Microsoft takes it very seriously and considers it a hallmark of the Windows platform, making it easy for users to transition to a new release with little or no hiccups. With the release of Windows XP, Microsoft introduced Compatibility Mode, which let older applications run on the OS emulating supported versions of Windows with the ability to save settings so that your applications will start in the correct mode every time. Compatibility Mode worked in some cases and others it did not.

Windows Vista's compatibility story was a tough one, simply because of the fundamental changes that were made to enhance the system's security foundations. In Windows 7, the Compatibility process is handled through a number of avenues, which include the Windows Upgrade Advisor and Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) to help customers assess application compatibility. Microsoft is tackling compatibility through shims, which avoids some of the problems that programs encounter when trying to function on a new version of Windows. Windows Vista affected compatibility through new improvements to its account privileges called Standard User Mode.

Because of the limitations of Standard User, applications that were designed to run with only Administrative privileges could not function properly under Vista, there is both a good and bad here, the good being malware could not easily infiltrate a system, but at the same time, the user would not be able to use a desired application effectively. With Shims, an application is prepared to run with Administrative privileges by making the application believe it has full rights while still in Standard Mode. The Windows 7 Release Candidate provides a total of 6,999 shims for applications with more expected every patch Tuesday. Companies can create their own shims using the Windows Application Compatibility Toolkit recently updated to version 5.5, this helps with diagnosis of compatibility problems and the ability to apply the proper shims for troublesome programs. ACT also offers a shim that helps a custom application locate system files written in an unexpected directory as a result of different versions of the operating system.

One of the common ways to work around application compatibility problems in Windows 7, is to use the interactive right-click method and click the Run as administrator contextual menu option. To occasionally run an application with a full administrator access token, use the following procedure.

To perform this procedure, you must be logged on as a local administrator or provide the credentials of a member of the local Administrators group.

1. Locate the program icon or a shortcut in Windows Explorer
2. Right-click the program icon or shortcut, and then click Run as administrator.
3. When the UAC message is displayed, do one of the follow:

• If you are logged on as a standard user, or if UAC is configured to always require credentials, enter the appropriate administrative credentials, and then click OK.
• If you are logged on as an administrator and UAC is not configured to always require credentials, click Yes to start the application.

If the above does not provide a solution, you can utilize the Program Compatibility troubleshooter. If an older program does not run correctly, you can use it to simulate the behavior of earlier versions of Windows. Program Compatibility troubleshooter runs a quick diagnostic check which searches for a list of programs that you might be experiencing problems with. If you don't see the program, you can click 'Not Listed', click next and browse your hard disk for the program. If your program is listed, select it and click Next. Program Compatibility will then suggest recommended options. Personally, I prefer choosing 'compatibility settings based on problems you notice'. As I noted earlier, most application issues are often related to compatibility with the OS.

Windows will then ask you to check off any of the behaviors you are noticing when attempting to use the program. All may not apply and most often, choosing an earlier version of Windows that the program worked in can resolve the problem. For my scenario, I will select 'The program worked in earlier versions of Windows but won't install or run now'. Program Compatibility will then list versions of Windows that the program worked in. Select one and the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter will reconfigure the application to run the appropriate settings.

Preparing an incompatible application to work in Windows 7

Problem Steps Recorder

Problem Steps Recorder is used to capture application compatibility issues for evaluation by technical experts. It does this by automatically capturing the steps you take on a computer, including a text description of where you clicked and picture of the screen during each click. Once you capture these steps, you can save them to a file that can used by a support technician or an expert to resolve the problem you might be experiencing.

System Restore

Last year I did a CISCO IT Essentials course which prepared me for the CompTIA A+ exam. One of the things I discovered during my learning was how important System Restore is in the troubleshooting process for Technical Support staff. Microsoft first introduced System Restore with the release of Windows Millennium Edition in 2000. Since then the Windows Team has included it with new versions of Windows while improving the reliability of this amazing utility. With Windows 7, there are some welcome improvements I want to take a quick look at.

System Restore provides an opportunity for users to restore their PC to an earlier time in case of a problem. Windows saves snapshots of the system in its current condition. By taking a snapshot before installing a program, you can correct the problem by rolling back your computer to a point in time when it was working well. The great thing about System Restore has always been the ability restore with confidence knowing that your personal files will not be altered or destroyed during the process. System Restore affects Windows system files, programs, and registry settings. It can also make changes to scripts, batch files, and other types of executables created under any user account on your PC.

In Windows 7, System Restore is more reliable, predictable, and effective. You’ll see a list of programs that will be removed or added, providing you with more information on which restore point to choose. System restore points are also available in your backups, giving you a larger list of restore points to choose from—and likely over a longer period of time. When combined with other features such as Previous Versions which are copies of files and folders that Windows automatically saves as part of a restore point Windows users can feel secure knowing their information is always protected by the OS.

Recently I took a look at the two other important troubleshooting features in Windows 7, Recovery Options, Backup and Remote Assistance.

Windows 7 includes advanced recovery options that can guide you through the 'reinstallation of Windows' and restoration of personal files and settings. This will require that you have an available Windows 7 installation disc or Recovery Image, which will assist with the reinstallation. You will have to restore your files from a backup, programs must also be reinstalled. Most OEM's (Original Equipment Manufacturers) such as HP, Lenovo and Dell install a hard drive partition customized with additional tools such as a separate system recovery tool for restoring the computer back to its original state. Advanced Recovery also includes the option to backup files before starting this procedure. You can find the Advanced Recovery option in Control Panel > Action Center > Recovery > Advanced recovery methods. Read the entire article here

Windows 7 backup and restore features are designed to make protecting your data and system easier. The combined file and system backup wizard delivers a simplified configuration experience, and the folder selectivity functionality for file backup provides users greater control over their backup content. Managing backup is easier with the new space management user interface and integration with Action Center. Recovering your system is made easier with simplified interface and better guidance for choosing a recovery method. Read the entire article here

Remote Assistance in Windows 7 introduces a new feature called 'Easy Connect' which simplifies the process of connecting to another PC remotely with only a password, no file needed. When a connection is established between both computers, contact files are exchanged which creates a trust relationship. This further simplifies future connections that are made without the need for a password. Read the entire article here

Conclusion

Windows 7 makes troubleshooting a worry free process that emphasizes strong confidence when using your PC, protecting your precious memories and critical data. For beginner's and experts, the operating system covers a wide range of problem solving capabilities that can assist you in the event of a problem. If you ever encounter an issue, just know that Windows 7 has got your back! :)

Resources

Creating a Backup of your Windows 7 Install
Improved Recovery Options in Windows 7
Remote Assistance in Windows 7: Lending a helping Hand is even easier

Over the weekend there was a lot of hoopla (which I was a part of) about Windows 7 reaching the RTM stage of engineering. This turned out to be false (as usual it seems), after Microsoft officials made it clear that Windows 7 is still not done yet. Brandon Leblanc of the Windows 7 Team blog this evening added further clarification about Windows 7 reaching RTM along with information on availability and how you can prepare for the upgrade when it makes its way to new PC's and store shelves this October 2009.

Over the past week, there have been many rumors surrounding RTM.

We are close, but have not yet signed off on Windows 7. When we RTM you will most certainly hear it here. As we’ve said all along, we will RTM Windows 7 when it’s ready. As previously stated, we expect Windows 7 to RTM in the 2nd half of July.

Windows 7 will be available in many languages from around the world. For us to consider RTM “done”, it requires that all languages be completely finished. So there is a lot of work that needs to take place for us to finalize all languages of Windows 7. We also need to get to a point of “global readiness” with our partners. Our partners being ready for Windows 7 is extremely important to RTM. As Steven Sinofsky mentions in this blog post in May, RTM isn’t a single point in time. It’s the beginning of the next “process” for Windows 7. At RTM our partners begin their final preparations for Windows 7, including testing and building images for new PCs. RTM is essentially the final “stage” of engineering for Windows 7 before it hits the market at General Availability (GA). As Steven notes, engineering continues on Windows 7 from RTM until GA on October 22nd.

Another thing to keep in mind is that when we do a specific build internally of Windows 7 we have an extensive step-by-step validation process to ensure quality. This process takes time. Just because a single build may have “leaked” it does not signal the completion of a milestone such as RTM. As always, don’t believe everything that you read on the Internet - except this post ;-).

Read the entire post here

I can understand the anticipation for the new release. What I personally cannot get is the craziness over build numbers. As Brandon noted, I will stay tuned only to the Windows Team Blog and Microsoft's PressPass websites from now on for the latest on Windows 7's development news as it approaches RTM.

Microsoft has created a successful franchise that is Office, a suite of applications that pioneered cohesive experiences allowing end users to be productive by using a uniformed approach to working with information across a variety of familiar applications. 2007’s successful Office 2007 infused the platform with new momentum by further innovating with new ways of using Office applications more effectively through the new Office Fluent UI that exposed tools that were once hidden under drop down menus. With Office 2010, it’s about building on those benefits by exposing more applications in the Office family to Office Fluent. In addition to that Office 2010 improves the core experiences that initially made the platform so popular.

Pre-liminary Requirement:

Operating System: Windows XP SP2 or higher: Pentium 1.0 GHz, or higher RAM: 512 MBs or above HD: Varies depending on installation choices, Resolution: 1024 x 600 or higher.

Test System:

Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit Release Candidate, Intel Core 2 Quad 2.5 GHz, 2 GBs of ECC RAM, nVidia Quadro FX 1700.

Microsoft Office 2010 Upgrade Path warning

Setup

Microsoft for the first time is supporting a full 64 bit release of Office. The advantages users can expect include the ability to address more than 4 GBs of memory, more robustness and performance across the suite. It’s also a model of the future where the industry is expected to go, 64 bit is the future and Office is embracing it with full force. What I discovered though is that Microsoft Office 2010 64 bit will require a clean install, which means, there is no upgrade path from 32 bit Office. If you want to install 64 bit Office on a PC that already has a 32 bit version of Office, you will have to uninstall it then re-run setup, otherwise, choose Office 2010 32-bit. Right now, Office 2010 Technical Preview setup program looks identical to Office 2007, as the suite approaches beta 2 and the final release; I am sure distinctive branding will come into play. After selecting a custom setup option, I noticed that Groove has now been renamed SharePoint Workspace, what’s also new is the addition of SharePoint Workspace and OneNote to the Professional Plus SKU, which makes me wonder if Microsoft is eliminating the Enterprise SKU under their volume licensing programs.

Installing Office 2010

Office 2010 is big, requiring at least 2.5 GBs of disk space. This is quite amazing when I think back to when Office 95 full install used about 88 MBs of disk space. There are reasons of course for this, more features and applications have been incorporated into the Office family and suites, so it’s a given. With today’s enormous storage devices ranging in hundreds of gigabytes and terabytes, Office 2010 is more than welcome on most systems today. Office 2010 installed in less than 9 minutes. It’s something I have noticed with the Office 2007 release that the suite takes longer to install than past versions. I remember installing versions 2003, 2002 and 2000 in less than 4 minutes. I hope that’s one of the improvements the Office Team applies to this release because installing is excruciatingly long in my opinion.

Microsoft Office Word 2010 - Stunning

First Experiences

User experience is abounding in this release and you will notice it when you launch an Office 2010 application for the first time. Some of the Office 2010 application splash screens animate, but it goes by so fast you just might miss it. I see immediate performance in that area already, so kudos to the Office Team there. Word 2010, which is the first application I launched (of course it would be), you are presented with a gorgeous, graphically rich UI that implements strong use of the Aero Glass transparency effects with the Gallery Tabs area displaying faint semi-transparent background of your desktop or non-active windows. Is this important, nope, but it really looks good and I like the focus on aesthetics. Office has always carried its own pizzazz by presenting a new look with each release since Office XP. The Office Button introduced in version 2007 is now gone, thank goodness, featuring a more stylish, yet conservative tabbed appearance with a distinct colour representing each respective Office application, the File menu in 2010 is significantly enhanced. Featuring an information centre, the Office 2010 File menu is more detailed about your Office files. Immediately users can glance at topics such as Permissions, distribution methods, versioning, property information and improved life cycle management facilities. In addition to these, users can find common functions such as Save, Save As, Open, Close, recently accessed files which unfortunately were not preserved from my Office 2007 install. The New menu is greatly enhanced; a gallery of templates can be accessed much faster instead of the cumbersome Office 2007 New Template window which got in the way. Here is a tip Office Team, implement a collapsible panel for the Template Galleries.

The new Office 2010 File Menu showing Backstage Preview

Printing is also more accessible, built right into the Office File menu; you can quickly choose a Printer and different printing options along with a quick print preview (called Backstage) of your document before sending to the Printer. Sharing is also more simplified, with different Galleries detailing options for each task. The more I use Office 2010; I am saying to myself, this is not a minor update after all. The interface is well organized especially where the Office file menu is concerned, it’s too bad the application Options dialog was not incorporated into the File menu itself; this would have been a great way to reduce the mouse clicks and just naturally integrate with the Office 2010 experience.

Office Fluent or Ribbon in 2010 is more manageable, one of the first things I noticed was a chevron for minimizing the Fluent much faster instead of using the Quick Access Toolbar menu; alternatively, you can use the CTRL + F1 keyboard command. The Office 2010 UI is much flatter in appearance similar to productivity applications in Windows 7 that have embraced the ribbon. The Insert menu features a new Screenshot tool that allows you to quickly insert screen captures on the fly. This is a convenient option for technical authors who might be writing long manuals about features in a program and would like to quickly insert shots on the fly.

The Word 2010 Contextual menu adds some subtle improvements such as an improved Styles Gallery and richer Paste Special Options menu with real time preview of text before it is pasted. Word 2010 also adds a cool effect when hovering over the paste option, the context menu will automatically become transparent while you preview the different paste formatting available.

Excel 2010

Using Office Excel 2010's new Sparklines feature

I tried my hardest to look for new features in Excel 2010 apart from the improved Office Fluent UI. Most of the notable changes were subtle, with a few re-arranging of some icons and features. For example, the ‘Existing connections’ source dialog from under the ‘Data’ tab > ‘Get External Data’ gallery in Excel 2007, has been renamed ‘Slicer’, and is now located under the ‘Insert’ tab. The Charts gallery features smaller pictorial representations of the different types of charts that can be created. A new Gallery under the Insert menu has been added called ‘Sparklines. Sparklines are tiny graphs that can fit in a single cell of a spreadsheet. Apart from some additional miniaturization, there is not much else to see.

PowerPoint

Not much was found, except for additional consolidation of toolbar buttons, such as the new ‘Record Slide Show’ button for recording narration of your slideshow. Version 2010 adds the ability to record your presentation as video. You can optionally, on the fly choose to have audio narrations and laser pointer gestures played during a slide show, along with the option to display media controls when you move your mouse pointer over audio or video clips.

You can record your slide-shows as videos using Office PowerPoint 2010

The Review menu features expanded options with a new Compare and OneNote gallery. You can compare and combine another presentation with your current presentation. Along with this, are traditional reviewing tools for multiple persons working on the same presentation such as Accept, Reject and completing a review. If you have OneNote installed, PowerPoint will install an add-in that takes notes about your presentation in OneNote. Links are automatically created in OneNote that can be used to get back to the presentation, or press this button to find any notes already created in OneNote about this presentation.

Access

Access 2010 was a tough exploration, because I just could not find anything significantly new. What I did see were improvements to Table fields that feature more distinctive variegation that made it easier to read fields with lots of information. Galleries have been rearranged and consolidated, Font Gallery and Rich Text has been combined into Text Formatting and moved to the extreme right of the Home tab.

Microsoft Office Access 2010

The Create Tab features a new button under Templates gallery called ‘Application Parts’, which seems to be a combination of Table Templates buttons now consolidated into a single option. The balloon describes App Parts as providing the ability to insert or create portions of a database or an entire database application. You can create tables, forms, and reports as database parts. Save combinations and use them to form common components. You can also save an entire application. For organizations and teams that build solutions on top of Access, this sounds like a powerful solution that reduces a lot of the manual work that would be required of previous releases. Other noticeable changes include the ‘Form Wizard now displayed within the Forms gallery instead of the ‘More Forms’ pop up list. The ‘other’ gallery has added some new buttons for Visual Basic for Office applications.

External Data tabs adds some features that are new, a web service button is now available under ‘Import’ gallery. Collect Data gallery has now been consolidated into the ‘Export’ Gallery. A new gallery called ‘SharePoint Lists’ provides tighter integration with Microsoft’s SharePoint Portal software. With the release of Excel 2007, Microsoft introduced Excel Services, one of the things Access users and developers were yearning for was better integration with SharePoint too. At the last Office Developer Conference, Microsoft Chairman, Bill Gates talked about how the Office Team is working to improve Access integration on the SharePoint front:

“So the next step is to take that base of Access users and literally let them write things that connect directly up to SharePoint and so it’s server based. So it’s a logical step for Access. There’s a lot of smart people working on that, so in no sense are we leaving the Access people behind. The same way we moved Excel up to the server, now we’re moving Access up there as well. – Bill Gates

The Access Datasheet contextual tab, features some changes with expanded galleries, such as Formatting now separated from ‘Data Type & Formatting’, along with Properties, Validation and Table Logic. Some of the buttons seem to be non functional at this time. Table Design View features some new Gallery options for: Field, Record & Table Events along with a Relationships gallery.

Publisher 2010

No longer the black sheep of the family; Publisher 2010 embraces the Office Fluent user interface, along with some unique features that will make this release even easier for users in small DTP shops. The new Office 2010 File Menu is automatically presented on start-up. Featuring the programs collection of installed templates. If you want you can select a template, or click ‘Back’ to start from a new Blank Publication. Publishers traditional Task Panes have been replaced by a Thumbnail preview of pages in your publication. Personally I don’t like it and would have preferred the more productive Formatting Task Pane.

Office Publisher 2010 now embraces the Office Fluent UI and is also 64 bit capable

It’s quite interesting how all of Publisher’s numerous Drop Down menus have been consolidated into five main tabs in version 2010. These include Home, Insert, Page Design, Mailings and View. Familiar options once found in the Publisher Task Pane such as Page Options, Colour and Font Schemes along with Publication layout can all be found under Page Design within galleries, which is actually refreshing. Publisher 2010’s popular Mailing feature is identical to Word 2007, which is an example of Office 2010 going back to the fundamentals of what made Office so popular to begin with. The process of learning one application in the Office suite is carried over to the next. With Office Fluent, Publisher also adopts features such as Office Smart Gallary Shapes that will make it easier to work with.

As for that new Thumbnail Task Pane, it’s not bad, but I think it would be better if it was a Tabbed Pane while still keeping the traditional Formatting pane from previous versions of Publisher. Overall, Publisher users should be excited about this update of the application which combines the ease of use introduced by Office Fluent with Publishers hallmark simplicity when it comes to Desktop Publishing.

Outlook 2010

Outlook 2010 surprisingly takes on Office Fluent and I must say it does it well. Most of the new features in this release take advantage of Exchange Server 2010 such as the following:

A look at the new Outlook 2010 with Office Fluent showing message threads

• Built-in e-mail archive
• View Emails in Conversation thread
• Ignore Conversation, which allows users to mute an e-mail thread they are not interested in.
• MailTips - warns users before they send an e-mail if a particular recipient is out of the office and unavailable or warns users if the email is to be sent to a distribution group that is very large or includes recipients external to the company or warns if they are going to send an attachment outside their company’s firewall. MailTips will not be available on Windows Phones
• Text previews of voicemails in Outlook
• Tracks whether messages arrived with recipients

Office 2010 includes built in support for PDF publishing which was included as a part of the Office 2007 SP2 release. There are no changes to file formats except for the addition of ODF (Open Document Format) which was also included in Office 2007 SP2 and is not built in Windows 7’s WordPad word processor.

Office 2010 works great on the new Windows 7 operating system

Conclusion

Office 2010 is an improvement over version 2007, it’s not radical, but it still improves upon the fundamentals. I am glad to see more applications in the suite embrace Office Fluent UI which will further reduce the need to have an understanding of two UI paradigms when working with the suite. Of course, I have not covered everything Office 2010 such as some of those new applications that are now ‘ribbonized’ like SharePoint Workspace (formerly Groove), InfoPath, OneNote, SharePoint Designer and Project. This is an early rough preview and I need to sit down and explore the suite some more, especially the improved File menus which I find are more fun and productive to use.

Is this an upgrade every Office user should look forward to? The product is still in development, so I am not gonna call shots just yet. But for users who are still contented with Office 2003, XP or 2000, this is definitely an upgrade to look forward to. Office 2007 users who use core features of the suite and want a suite that simplifies task even more and makes working across applications smoother, this release should add even more agility to your workflow.

Another part of the Office 2010 equation is the new lineup of Web applications that will essentially take Office to the web browser making it available on any platform or computer out there. Microsoft has not provided code for us to preview just yet, but they did announce how they plan to distribute this radical change to Office. Office Web Applications will be available for free through Windows Live. It will cost customers who want a Web Applications platform hosted on their own servers. And users will also be able to buy a subscription to Web Applications through Microsoft Online Services.

Resources

Introducing Microsoft Office 2010 Technical Preview
ActiveWin.com Microsoft Office 2007 Review
ActiveWin.com Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 Review
Microsoft Office 12 Beta 1 Preview

Dwight Silverman of the Chron.com TechBlog has confirmed through Microsoft officials that Windows 7 has not been declared RTM just yet.

A Microsoft spokesman told me this afternoon that no, a final build has not been declared for Windows 7, and it has not been released to manufacturing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I woke this morning to news across the web and flooding Twitter that Windows 7, the next generation desktop client operating system from Microsoft has finally reached the end of its development cycle. Of course it cannot be confirmed until Microsoft makes it official with a press release at the Company's Press Release website. But being a Windows Enthusiast, its hard to resist, so without further waiting, here are some pictures that 'claim' to be Windows 7 RTM:

Windows 7 RTM?

Additional purported screenshots of Windows 7 RTM

Screenshots courtesy of Windows7Center

Leaks of Windows 7 over the past few months got so intense, I personally stop covering them simply because there was just no case for covering what was already covered. A message on Microsoft's Partner website confirmed that Windows 7 RTM would be available in the second half of July 2009, which means its not far away at all. As the world awaits this major upgrade, you can go ahead and check out a stroll down memory lane featuring some of the highlights of Windows 7's development:

• Microsoft Windows 7 RC Build 7100 Preview 
• Microsoft Windows 7 Beta Build 7000 Preview 
• Microsoft Windows 7 Pre-beta M3 Build 6801 Preview

Related:

Windows 7 build 7082 (Chinese)
Windows 7 build 7106 appears
Windows 7 build 7077 is out in the wild!
The Faucet continues to leak – Windows 7 build 7070 takes the stage
Preview Screenshot of Windows 7 build 7068 shows new Desktop Gadgets?
Just a note: More Windows 7 build 7057 screenies surface
Windows 7 build 7048 screenshots hit the net
New sound schemes in Windows 7 build 7048
Beauty abundant in Windows 7 build 7048 Wallpapers

via @Dovella

If you are looking into purchase a new PC from Dell, you have the opportunity of also getting a free upgrade to Windows 7 when it becomes available in October:

Customers that purchased select Dell™ systems are eligible to register and receive an upgrade to Windows® 7. Please visit the link at the bottom of the page for more detail on eligibility requirements.

To notify Dell of your interest in the upgrade, you will need to register by providing details on your system and setting up an account. When Windows® 7 is available, you will receive an e-mail requesting that you log into your account and place your order. Dell will use your email address to send status updates to keep you informed of your upgrade registration and order.

Note that a DVD drive will be required for installation of the upgrade.
Tax, shipping and handling charges may apply at the time of order placement, and if so, a credit card will be required for payment.
Now, let’s get started.

Learn more here

Richard H. over at his Windows Observer blog also has some details for Windows Vista customers about getting a free upgrade to Windows 7 if you missed out on the early pre-order program. As you might (but should) know, Microsoft ended its early pre-order program yesterday which entitled customers to a 50% discount for Windows 7 Home Premium for USD $49.99 or Windows 7 Professional for USD $99.99. This special offer was made available online via select retail partners such as Best Buy or Amazon, or the online Microsoft Store (in participating markets).

Resources

More information on Windows 7: Pricing and Availability

Saw this via @SecurityGarden on Twitter

Please be aware that beginning next month, we will start an upgrade to the Windows Update and Microsoft Update services. As a part of the service upgrade, an update to the Windows Update and Automatic Updates client code will be required. We will start this infrastructure update in late August, and it will take a couple of months to complete the rollout. Updates to the services and Windows code are required from time to time to maintain and improve service quality, reliability, and operations. The last update occurred in November of 2008.

This update will not change your current Windows Update or Automatic Updates settings. It will improve the user interface for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 computers running Windows Update, adding a more visible and detailed description of updates as well as improvements in how users are notified about service packs. This update will not change the look and feel of Automatic Updates.

Read the entire article here

Not sure, but this is most likely hinting of an implementation of Windows 7's improved Windows Update explorer interface which is more detailed and manageable. I did a preview of it back in November 2008 and I am very pleased with some of the improvements that have been added. In Windows 7, there are some slight changes, mostly visual, the main Windows Update page displays a large yellow banner with information such as the amount of available updates and the total size of updates which is new. You can immediately review and download the most important updates or select only optional updates to install from the main page. You have the option also in Change Settings to Allow standard users to install updates which is something I am glad to see.

Resources

A Look at Windows Backup and Windows Update in 7

Back in February the Windows Live Team informed us about the move from MSN Calendar to its new home, Windows Live Calendar. Here is a new update about what's happening:

It's almost moving time! As you've already heard, we've been busy getting Windows Live Calendar ready for when we move all MSN Calendar customers over to the new and improved service.

Over the coming months, we'll be moving all existing MSN Calendar customers over to Windows Live Calendar. The move will be gradual, so not everyone will see their calendars change on the same day.

If you're just trying Windows Live Calendar for the first time, you may notice that while MSN Calendar already gave you easy scheduling of appointments, reminders, and calendar sharing, Windows Live Calendar gives you even more:

• Multiple calendars that can be individually colored and shared
• An easy way to subscribe to public (iCal) online calendars
• Drag-and-drop rescheduling of events
• Holiday calendars based on your location
• A birthday calendar that pulls dates from your Windows Live contact list
• A to-do list to help keep you organized (we'll move all of your MSN Calendar's tasks and notes into your new Windows Live to-do list)

Here's what you need to know for the move:

• If you only access your MSN Calendar through the web, we'll move all your stuff for you. You won't have to do anything.
• If you use Microsoft Office Outlook to view your calendar, make sure you're using the newest version of Outlook Connector. This will allow Outlook to connect directly to your Windows Live Calendar. To find out which version of Outlook Connector you're using, open Outlook, click Outlook Connector and then select About Outlook Connector. If the version number is 12.0.6414.1000 or greater, you're good to go. If not, you'll need to download and install the latest version.
• If you've published or shared any of your MSN Calendars, you'll need to update the "Share" settings to make your calendar public or send invites to share them again in Windows Live Calendar.

That's it - we'll do the rest.

See you on Windows Live Calendar!
Windows Live Calendar Team

Related:

Reminder: Windows Live Calendar is coming soon!
Introducing Calendar Badge for your Blog and Website

Brandon Leblanc of the Windows Team Blog, gives us an update about the state of the Windows Blog and the recent additions over the past few months:

We are in an exciting time for Windows. We’re about to launch our best version of Windows yet – Windows 7. In between all the Windows 7 awesomeness, I wanted to take a moment to talk about The Windows Blog and where we are today with the site.

We’ve come a long way since 2006 when we launched as the Windows Vista Team Blog. This last fall we re-launched the site as The Windows Blog. When we re-launched, the focus of the site was to be the ultimate resource for Windows through the use of blogging – and to grow.

In the site’s design, we put an emphasis of multiple blogs existing under The Windows Blog “umbrella” that would cater to different audiences. Our original blog, Windows Vista Team Blog, became one of several blogs under that “umbrella” and we also launched the Windows 7 Team Blog which is where you will find all the latest Windows 7 news and announcements. Also in the fall, we launched the Windows Security Blog featuring blog posts focusing on Windows security from Paul Cooke. Paul blogged live from RSA earlier this year.

Read the rest here

The Windows Blog has been a great place to get the latest in news and information about the platform in its many facets. Whether its tutorials and experiences from Brandon at the Windows Experience blog, resources from  the Windows Business blog, information for developers about harnessing the benefits of Windows 7 in your applications. The Windows blog is an exceptional resource for anyone who is a Windows user.