The Road to Know Where: The Knews

Micosoft Demonstrates BLEWS: Blog + News Visualization Tool

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 22:37:05 GMT

BLEWS uses political blogs to categorize news stories according to their reception in the conservative and liberal blogospheres. It visualizes information about which stories are linked to from conservative and liberal blogs, and it indicates the level of emotional charge in the discussion of the news story or topic at hand in both political camps.

BLEWS also offers a “see the view from the other side” functionality, enabling a reader to compare different views on the same story from different sides of the political spectrum. BLEWS achieves this goal by digesting and analyzing a real-time feed of political-blog posts provided by the Live Labs Social Media platform, adding both link analysis and text analysis of the blog posts. (Thanks TechNet)

Microsoft Proposes Acquisition of Yahoo! for $44.6 Billion

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:28:07 GMT

Microsoft Proposes Acquisition of Yahoo! for $31 Share - Transaction valued at approximately $44.6 billion in cash and stock; provides 62 percent premium to current trading price for Yahoo! shareholders; combined entity to create a more competitive company, providing superior value to shareholders, better choice and innovation for customers and partners.

--> View Microsoft's "Proposal to Acquire Yahoo!" PowerPoint Presentation

The Netscape Browser Comes to an End

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 04:35:27 GMT

From the Netscape Blog:

"We'll continue to release security patches for the current version of the browser, Netscape Navigator until February 1, 2008. After February 1, there will be no more active product support for Navigator 9, or any previous Netscape Navigator browser."

Apple Upgrades iTunes to Support Buying More Stuff from iTunes

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 04:20:30 GMT

Apple has released iTunes 7.4.1 that allows you to buy more stuff from iTunes. *sigh*

Ringtones - Turn songs from the iTunes Store into custom ringtones for your iPhone. (There's already a hack out!)

iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store - Download music from the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store on your iPod touch or iPhone.

Starbucks - Walk into Starbucks and buy what’s playing from your laptop, iPod touch, or iPhone.

Microsoft's Bill Gates #2 Richest Person in the World

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:53:14 GMT

Last April, Mexico's Carlos Slim passed Warren Buffett for the #2 position on the Forbes 500.

Today, it's reported that Carlos Slim is the #1 Richest Person in the World!

I wonder if Bill Gates could get him to partner with his foundation too?

Microsoft Research Presents Interactive Live TV on the PC That Works!

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:52:58 GMT

LIVESTATION:

Live broadcasting over the Internet - You can watch TV on a multitude of screens; TVs at home, cell phones, TV screens in public places and of course PCs at home, at the office and even on the move.

Uninterrupted interactive live TV on the PC - Watch live TV content at your desktop, at the airport, at home and in fact, anywhere you can get an Internet connection! Imagine a quality image with no buffering or stopping!

--> Register for LiveStation Here

RIM Announces New BlackBerry Software for Microsoft Windows Mobile Devices

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:01:24 GMT

Waterloo, ON - With SO many great Microsoft Windows Mobile hardware devices available, Research In Motion (RIM) announced they will begin supporting devices from third-party manufacturers!

"Key benefits of running the new BlackBerry application suite on a Windows Mobile-based device will include":

The added benefit of BlackBerry applications, such as email, phone, text messaging, browser, instant messaging and organizer with a consistent user interface and messaging experience.
BlackBerry “push” technology – messages and information updates can be delivered automatically to the Windows Mobile-based device, enabling users to be more responsive to colleagues, clients, friends and family.
Support for BlackBerry Mobile Data System (BlackBerry MDS) allowing organizations to develop their own BlackBerry applications or deploy third-party BlackBerry applications that can run on Windows Mobile-based devices as well as BlackBerry smartphones.
Support for various input methods, including QWERTY keyboards, 5-way navigation, touch screen and stylus operation so users can continue to use the unique hardware features of their Windows Mobile-based device.
Support on BlackBerry Internet Service, which provides push-based email from up to 10 supported email accounts (including most popular ISP accounts), attachment viewing and web browsing with optimized wireless efficiency.
Support on BlackBerry Enterprise Server, which tightly integrates with Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino or Novell GroupWise to provide synchronized, push-based wireless access to email and other corporate data with the industry's most advanced security features, over-the-air IT policy enforcement capabilities and optimized wireless efficiency.

Microsoft Gives MSN.COM Homepage an Updated Facelift

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:51:52 GMT

Microsoft has updated their MSN homepage with a nice clean layout. It's worth a quick look!

--> Check-out the Updated MSN.COM <--

Microsoft Unveils "Silverlight" Next Generation of Media Experiences on the Web for Macintosh and Windows

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 05:48:02 GMT

LAS VEGAS N.A.B. - Microsoft Silverlight, previously called Windows Presentation Foundation Everywhere (WPF/E), is a cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering the next generation of media experiences and rich interactive applications (RIAs) for the Web. Silverlight offers consistent experiences to both Macintosh and Windows users on a variety of browsers including Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari.

--> Check-out the Silverlight Website and Video

Microsoft Responds to Google's Proposed Acquisition of DoubleClick

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 03:35:29 GMT

Brad Smith, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Microsoft Corporation

“This proposed acquisition raises serious competition and privacy concerns in that it gives the Google DoubleClick combination unprecedented control in the delivery of online advertising, and access to a huge amount of consumer information by tracking what customers do online. We think this merger deserves close scrutiny from regulatory authorities to ensure a competitive online advertising market.”

Microsoft Responds to European Commission Action on Protocol Pricing

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 14:55:48 GMT

I normally do not repost, but this issue needs to be resolved and it doesn't look like it will be soon!

Microsoft has issued the following statement:

“Microsoft has spent three years and many millions of dollars to comply with the European Commission’s decision. We submitted a pricing proposal to the Commission last August and have been asking for feedback on it since that time. We’re disappointed that this feedback is coming six months later and in its present form, but we’re committed to working hard to address the Commission’s Statement of Objections as soon as we receive it.

“We do have a different perspective on the underlying facts and the proposed findings.

“First, we believe we have been fair in setting proposed protocol prices, and an analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that our proposed prices were at least 30 percent below the market rate for comparable technology.

“Second, other government agencies in both the United States and Europe have already found considerable innovation in Microsoft’s protocol technology. US and European patent offices have awarded Microsoft more than 36 patents for the technology in these protocols, which took millions of dollars to develop, and another 37 patents are pending, so it’s hard to see how the Commission can argue that even patented innovation must be made available for free.

“Third, the proposed findings suggest that unless our intellectual property is innovative and patentable, it has to be made available royalty free. That has never been the standard for software or other intellectual property, and it misstates the test agreed to by the Commission and Microsoft in June 2005, which has been available on Microsoft’s website since that time.

“Fourth, the findings appear to attempt to regulate the pricing of our intellectual property on a global basis and not just within the EU. We believe it’s unwise for governments to regulate pricing beyond their borders and that if other authorities all took similar views of their power, companies would be unable to comply with contradictory rulings.

“And fifth, we’ve always said we are willing to entertain any reasonable price offer from any potential licensee, and that we are willing to be flexible to meet any unique business needs of potential licensees. Currently, we’re in negotiations with a number of potential licensees.”

Information on the pricing principles agreed to by the Commission and Microsoft is at WSPP Pricing Principles, Scenarios Royalty Table, and Available Protocols.

Microsoft Announces "PlayReady" for Mobile Devices: Enabling Music, Games, Video, Ring Tones and Pictures

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 15:24:29 GMT

Microsoft's PlayReady technology enables a broad spectrum of business models such as subscription, rental, pay-per-view, preview and super-distribution, which can be applied to many digital content types and a wide range of audio and video formats. Content types supported include music, video, games, ring tones and images. Audio/video formats supported include Windows Media Audio (WMA), AAC/AAC+/HE-AAC, Windows Media Video (WMV), and H.264. Microsoft PlayReady enhancements make it easier for consumers to move their content between their devices, giving them a new level of freedom with their digital content."

Just in time for Microsoft's New Windows Mobile 6! (^_^)

Windows Mobile 6 Homesite
Windows Mobile 6 Fact Sheet

Microsoft Announces Windows (Vista) Mobile 6

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 02:39:45 GMT

Engadget has the first screenshots & even more pictures here! -- and Microsoft's John Kennedy said they can now talk about it!

So Microsoft's Zeeshan Hamid did!

New look and feel, new icons, new sound ... little things amuse me :).
It's faster!
More secure. More cryptography. You can read and compose rights-managed mails (IRM). You can also open rights managed Office documents. It's awesome.
Ready for this? You can read HTML Mail! Yup, rich emails with images, tables, formats and much more!
Comes with Windows Live (was that too much to ask). Hotmail, MSN Messenger, Spaces...it's all in here! You can chat with multiple people at the same time.
Keyboard Shortcuts in Messaging: It seems lame, but it's super useful. Press-and-hold a shortcut key and boom, the action happens.
You can also set Out of Office messages on your exchange server using the phone. I actually use it every time I am away (yes yes, I have a bad memory and forget to set my OOF message on the desktop before I leave).
Exchange e-mail search! You can search your emails stored on the server from your device.
Quickly fetch e-mail messages from the server, instead of having to do a full sync (like in Windows Mobile 5). Emails now show this useful statusbar showing what's happening. The status bar actually goes away when there's no update to show to maximize real estate.
You can finally flag e-mail messages and sync that with the server. Makes e-mail management really easy. No more marking the email as unread to remember to action on it on the desktop later. Just flag it!
The infamous IMAP namespace issue is ... drumroll ... fixed! That's right. Fixed!!!! We had so many questions about it that I had to post an apology. But it's fixed.
What else did we fix? Oh ya, multiple accounts in Messaging sync just fine. Schedule sync works! And the reply-all bug y'all complained so much about (well, at least some of you did) is also taken care of. See, we do listen!
Call history is now linked to contacts, so it gives you context. Open a contact and see when else you communicated with that contact. Missed a call? Now instead of just seeing the number you missed, open the contact and communicate however you want (other phone numbers, SMS, IM...).
The calendar app has this fancy ribbon thing that summarizes the day. It's more useful than it seems. I'll let Calendar folks talk about their stuff in a later post.
Works magically with Windows Vista.
.NET CF 2.0 and Mobile SQL Server!
Support for storage card encryption and storage card wipe.

Here's a list of features that Lokeuei think developers will care about:

Platform in ROM - saves precious memory and improve performance

NET CF v2 SP1 in ROM
SQL Server Compact Edition in ROM

New APIs

Windows Ink Services for Pen (WISP) Lite
New Sound API - Plays MP3s and more

SDK Tools

Cellular Emulator
FakeServer
FakeGPS
Hopper
CabToolSigner
Security Configuration Manager

Platform unification investments

Improve the experience for users who have to deal with a multitude of devices types and capabilities.

Steve Jobs: Thoughts on (Digital) Music

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 04:43:56 GMT

Steve Job's open letter tackles the topic of Digital Rights Management (DRM) on Apple's iTunes & iPod products. He outlines three possible solutions.

Leave the proprietary systems the way they are - "the customers are being well served"
License Apple's FairPlay DRM -- something he quickly retracts.
Remove all DRM's from all music systems. Something Apple seems to know the Music Industry would not agree too.

So I guess it's back to #1 -- closed system where Apple does not allow any third-party hardware & software developers.

Windows Vista Speech Recognition Security Breach?

Sat, 03 Feb 2007 06:16:30 GMT

Many people are exaggerating the "security" problem of Windows Vista's Vista Speech-to-Text feature.

Supposedly, a user can visit a malicious website with audio of a voice telling your computer to begin erasing files, formatting your hard disk or any number of scary sounding scenarios.

None of which is actually true – read more at Microsoft’s Security Response Center Blog!

Microsoft Announces 5 More Years of Support for Windows XP Home & Media Center Editions

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 14:22:38 GMT

PressPass: Microsoft has extended support for Windows XP Home & ws XP Media Center Editions.

The new support life cycles include a total of five years of Mainstream Support (until April 2009) and five years of Extended Support; matching the support policy provided for Windows XP Professional.

Microsoft Reaches 100 Million Internet Explorer 7 Installations

Sat, 13 Jan 2007 08:01:49 GMT

Congratulations to the Microsoft Internet Explorer Team for their 100 Millionth MSIE 7 Installation!

Click Here for MSIE 7 Resources

Microsoft Announces "Windows Home Server"

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 06:43:04 GMT

At the 2007 CES Show Microsoft demonstrated the Windows Home Server (if you watched the Bill Gate’s Keynote Address webcast the HP MediaSmart Server demonstration was blocked-out) Based upon Windows Server 2003; this file, print, and media server is “designed for home use”

Visit the Windows Home Server Website
Watch the Channel 10 Video “Windows Home Server will live in your closet, simplify your life”
Take a Peek at Windows Home Server Prototype

Watch Bill Gates' CES Key Note Address Tonigh at 6PM PST

Sun, 07 Jan 2007 08:42:00 GMT

Microsoft will have much to be proud of at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show.

This sampling of Microsoft Panels and Conferences will give you a clue! (^_^)

Battle of the Consoles in an Increasingly Online World — Chris Satchell, general manager, Game Developer Group, Microsoft

Broadband Games Expand — From the Casual to the Networked PC Universe. Chris Early, studio manager, Microsoft Casual Games Group

Entertainment as a Franchise — Aaron Greenberg, group product manager, Xbox 360

Game Power on the Inside: Chips, Optical Technology and Microprocessors — Chris Donahue, director of Business Development, Games for Windows Entertainment and Devices Division

Hollywood and the Digital Consumer — Shari Barnett, director of Media Services, Microsoft TV

Massively Multiplayer Gaming Explosion — From the PC, the Console and Mobile. Rich Wickham, director, Windows Graphics and Gaming Technologies

Next-Generation Power Gamer Platforms: More Entertainment, More Power, More Choice - Consoles, PC and Mobile — Chris Early, studio manager, Microsoft Casual Games Group

PC and Mobile Games Expand Total Entertainment Market Share — Chris Early, studio manager, Microsoft Casual Games Group

Rethinking Advertising — Terri Richardson, group marketing manager, Microsoft TV

Robotics — A Microsoft Perspective. Tandy Trower, general manager, Microsoft Robotics Group

TV and Set-Top as the Consumer Gateway to Entertainment and Information — Ed Graczyk, director of Marketing and Communications, Microsoft TV

Ultra-Mobile PCs - Can a 7-Inch Screen Survive? — Otto Berkes, general manager, Mobile Platform Division

What the Nerds Know — Jim Baldwin, product unit manager, IPTV Program, Microsoft TV

--> Watch Bill Gates' CES Key Note Address Tonight at 6PM PST <--

Seagate R&D Lab: 300TB Drive in Your Future

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 15:03:06 GMT

"Their current solution to this problem is recording data perpendicular to the plane of the media. This technology, however, is expected to peak out at about 1 terabit per square inch. In the next decade, Seagate plans to hit the market with twin technologies that could fly far beyond, ultimately offering as much as 50 terabits per square inch. On a standard 3.5-inch drive, that's equivalent to 300 terabits of information, enough to hold the uncompressed contents of the Library of Congress."

--> Go Inside Seagate's R&D Labs <--

Thanks Jane

One Apple Macintosh Bug Released Each Day for a Month

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 05:21:04 GMT

The Month of Apple Bugs website will release a new bug each day for a month - ouch!

ABOUT: "This initiative aims to serve as an effort to improve Mac OS X, uncovering and finding security flaws in different Apple software and third-party applications designed for this operating system. A positive side-effect, probably, will be a more concerned (security-wise) user-base and better practices from the management side of Apple. Also, we want to develop and provide tools and documented techniques to aid security research in this platform."

Microsoft Adds “Digg This!” to RSS Feeds

Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:12:19 GMT

Microsoft certainly seems to understand the power of “social-engineering” by adding Digg This! & del.icio.us links to their Microsoft Download RSS Feed!

--> Click Here for Microsoft Download RSS Feed <--

RE: New York Times Article on Vista Security Flaw

Wed, 27 Dec 2006 15:19:28 GMT

The New York Times ran an article on Christmas Eve stating:

"Microsoft is facing an early crisis of confidence in the quality of its Windows Vista operating system as computer security researchers and hackers have begun to find potentially serious flaws in the system that was released to corporate customers late last month."

But the reality is: "The Sky is NOT Falling!"

Microsoft DID Respond Quickly
The Proof-of-Concept Code was Tested and was flawed
Vulnerability was Rated NOT severe by FrSIRT & Secunia

So where's the New York Times' follow-up? (^_^)

Time Magazine’s Person of the Year: Me!

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:31:51 GMT

OK, not “me” – but US! (^_^)

I’m so pleased that a mainstream “Big Brother” media company like Time Warner understands the power of “little brother” – I too created my Road to Know Where blog simply to share my passion and knowledge of Microsoft technology. A year later, I now speak endlessly on how blogging has changed my own personal life and professional career.

“Who are these people? Seriously, who actually sits down after a long day at work and says, I'm not going to watch Lost tonight. I'm going to turn on my computer and make a movie starring my pet iguana? I'm going to mash up 50 Cent's vocals with Queen's instrumentals? I'm going to blog about my state of mind or the state of the nation or the steak-frites at the new bistro down the street? Who has that time and that energy and that passion?

The answer is, you do. And for seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game, TIME's Person of the Year for 2006 is you.”

--> Click Here to Read Time Magazine’s Person of the Year <--

Microsoft Launches an Updated Microsoft.Com

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 04:10:11 GMT

For the past year, I had been beta testing this new version of Microsoft.com (updated GUI, easier navigation) -- and I'm happy that it's now available to everyone! (^_^)

Microsoft Research Releases "AURA" Mobile Tagging

Tue, 12 Dec 2006 07:14:47 GMT

The AURA (Advanced User Resource Annotation) client runs on a Windows Mobile device, enabling a user to scan bar codes of objects with a camera and upload a scanned bar code to the AURA Web service.

"The AURA is designed to provide the ability to access and author annotations on objects and places using machine readable tags. In our system, a user can associate text, threaded conversations, audio, images, video or other data with specific tags. Users can also review the tags and descriptions of the objects they have encountered and annotated in a custom web portal. Users may selectively make the items they have scanned public to other AURA users resulting in a collectively authored database rating, reviewing and commenting on a wide range of objects, products and places. Physical annotations can be shared with other users and selected by users’ reputation statistics and other properties."

--> Download AURA Mobile Client Beta <--

NOTE: This is a prototype in progress.

TV's Charlie Rose Spends an Hour With Bill Gates

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 13:31:47 GMT

BILL GATES "An hour with the Charlie Rose and the Chairman of Microsoft. Topics include the company's current projects including Windows Vista, Zune, and Xbox 360, and his decision to leave the day to day operations at Microsoft to pursue the work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation."

--> Watch the Bill Gates Interview Here <--

Windows Vista: Does it Need AntiVirus Software?

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 23:48:01 GMT

The headline on Digg says "Windows Chief Says Vista Won't Need Antivirus"

DIGG: During a telephone conference with reporters yesterday, outgoing Microsoft co-president Jim Allchin told a reporter that the system's new lockdown features are so capable and thorough that he was comfortable with his own seven-year-old son using Windows Vista without antivirus software installed.

- Refering to Jim Allchin's interview with Beta News

Well of course this is yet another comment taken out of context! Jim Allchin clarifies his position on the Windows Vista blog.

JIM'S BOTTOM LINE: "I want to be clear, most users will use some form of antivirus software, and that will be appropriate for their scenarios. In fact, Windows Security Center, a great feature in Windows Vista, specifically encourages the use of antivirus software."

Bill Gates' Keynote on Windows Vista Launch

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 16:41:30 GMT

Bill Gates’ keynote speech at the Microsoft Business Innovation Event in Brussels. BillG reviews the IT developments of the past 10 years and shares his vision on how Microsoft software will be used to simplify business solutions.

--> Watch the YouTube Video Here <--

Microsoft Releases Photosynth Demo

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 20:52:22 GMT

Photosynth is a new technology from Microsoft Live Labs that takes a large collection of photos of a place or an object, analyzes them for similarities, and displays them in a reconstructed three-dimensional space.

There are four collections for you to play with, and Microsoft is working on adding more. In the future you'll be able to "photosynthesize" your own photos, but they aren't there yet."

Gary Faigin Art Studio - Artist Gary Faigin at work in his Seattle studio, surrounded by his paintings and drawings.

Piazza San Marco, Venice - A photo tour of the famous piazza including detailed views of the campanile and basilica.

Grassi Lakes - Two beautiful lakes in the Canadian Rockies shot by photographer and mountaineer Pat Morrow.

Piazza San Pietro, Rome - As impressive today as Bernini intended when he redesigned it in 1656.

Getting Started:

To select photos - Click around the screen... you can go almost anywhere and see every photo just by clicking.
Zooming - Use the wheel on your mouse, or the +/- keys, to zoom smoothly in and out of photos.
See every photo - Click thebutton to see every photo arranged by similarity. Click another photo to see them re-sort. Click the center photo to return to the 3D view.
See where the cameras were - Click thebutton to show where the photographer was; hover over the pyramids to highlight the corresponding photo.
Lost? Click the button to go back to the start, or click the images to the left of center in the filmstrip to go back one by one.

Additional Resources:

Team Blog
Provide Feedback

Phishing, Vishing, and Simply Asking

Sun, 22 Oct 2006 05:45:39 GMT

The "Hack Ur Friends Hotmail" website states they will hack your "friends" hotmail email address passwords. Of course, you shouldn't be doing this (especially to your friends!)

Step one in this process is giving them YOUR email address and password! Obvoiusly, a foolish move! But in this case, I like when bad things happen to bad people! (-_-)

Thanks Zheng!

Oracle's Critical Patch Update Contains 101 New Security Fixes

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 06:09:29 GMT

Oracle Critical Patch Update - October 2006 Some people complain about Microsoft's Patch Tuesday, even though Microsoft resolves problems between these monthly cycles. In comparison, Oracle allows their critical patches to linger for months!

"Critical Patch Updates are released on the Tuesday closest to the 15th day of January, April, July and October."

NEXT UPDATES
January 16, 2007
April 17, 2007
July 17, 2007
October 16, 2007

Apple iPods Shipped With Windows Virus

Tue, 17 Oct 2006 23:23:45 GMT

Small Number of Video iPods Shipped With Windows Virus

"We recently discovered that a small number - less than 1% - of the Video iPods available for purchase after September 12, 2006, left our contract manufacturer carrying the Windows RavMonE.exe virus. This known virus affects only Windows computers, and up to date anti-virus software which is included with most Windows computers should detect and remove it. So far we have seen less than 25 reports concerning this problem. The iPod nano, iPod shuffle and Mac OS X are not affected, and all Video iPods now shipping are virus free. As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."

Pah-lease . . . Apple is upset with WINDOWS becuase they shipped their iPods with a virus?

Microsoft Research Develops "Soap: a mouse-like pointing device that works in mid-air."

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 03:58:57 GMT

Microsoft's Patrick Baudisch has developed Soap: a mouse-like pointing device that works in mid-air.

Soap is a pointing device based on hardware found in a mouse, yet works in mid-air. Soap consists of an optical sensor device moving freely inside a hull made of fabric. As the user applies pressure from the outside, the optical sensor moves independent from the hull. The optical sensor perceives this relative motion and reports it as position input. Soap offers many of the benefits of optical mice, such as high-accuracy sensing. We have tried soap for a variety of application scenarios, including wall display interaction, Windows Media Center, slide presentation, and interactive video games.

--> View the Demonstration Video Here <--

FBI Honors Microsoft for Rapid Response to Mytob/Zotob Worm

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 00:55:50 GMT

REDMOND, Wash – On behalf of Robert S. Mueller III, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director James E. Finch today presented certificates for “Exceptional Service in the Public Interest” to nine Microsoft employees for their assistance in the swift resolution of the 2005 Mytob/Zotob computer worm investigation.

Brad Smith, Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Tim Cranton, senior director
Simona Long, investigator
Stirling McBride, senior manager of investigations
Steve Santorelli, senior manager of investigations
Val Saengphaibul, technical analyst
Scott Stein, senior attorney
Frank Swiderski, security software engineer
Rob Vucic, security software engineer

Microsoft Announces Windows Live for Mobile Devices

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 06:05:59 GMT

Building on the success of MSN Mobile -- Microsoft has updated the mobile services using Windows Live!

Windows Live for Mobile Devices brings together all the ways you talk to your friends and connect with information.

E-mail - Try it out now free! (US & UK only)

Enter your cell phone number.
Click on the text message link that we send you.

Window Live Messenger - coming soon

Can't wait? Use MSN Messenger!

Live Search Beta (Search the Web just like you would on a PC)

Get headlines, health information, math solutions, stock quotes, and other up-to-the-minute info thoughtfully formatted for your phone's little screen.

Live Local Search connects you with stuff in your own town, or wherever you're visiting. It delivers maps, directions, and more to your mobile device.

Live Spaces - See live spaces (blogs) specially formatted to fit the mobile device. (i.e. Mobile: The Road to Know Where)

Microsoft Launches "Soapbox" Video Service

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 04:14:56 GMT

MSN Launches Beta of "Soapbox" on MSN Video

“Soapbox delivers on a critical component of the MSN growth strategy of deepening audience engagement by enabling people to participate in the content experience,” said Rob Bennett, general manager of Entertainment and Video Services for MSN. “By adding a user-uploaded video service, we are rounding out our existing investments in commercially produced and original content on MSN Video.”

Advanced Technology for Exceptional Performance:

Soapbox on MSN Video utilizes powerful Web 2.0 technologies to provide a dynamic, fun and entertaining experience and offers these benefits:

Easy uploading and sharing of video creations. By providing single-step uploading, background server-side video processing and acceptance of all major digital video formats, Soapbox makes uploading videos a snap.
Finding and discovering the most entertaining videos. Viewers can search, browse through 15 categories, find related videos, subscribe to RSS feeds, and share their favorites with their friends — all without interrupting whatever video they are watching.
Participation in the Soapbox community. Soapbox users can rate, comment on and tag the videos they view, share links with their friends via e-mail, and include the embeddable Soapbox player directly on their Web site or blog.

--> Signup for Soapbox Video Beta Here <--

Final Pricing for Microsoft Office 2007 & Windows Vista

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:17:34 GMT

A few days ago Microsoft's Canadian website inadvertently released their pricing for Microsoft Office 2007 & Windows Vista. It was quickly removed.

Amazon now has begun taking pre-orders for Windows Vista's release in January.

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate DVD-Rom $399.00
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium DVD-Rom $239.00

Microsoft Office 2007 - Suggested Retail Pricing (New! Amazon Pricing)