Microsoft has released details of a study it commissioned that found that total cost of ownership for Windows Vista on mobile PCs is $605 (£305) less annually than Windows XP.

According to research conducted by Wipro and GCR Custom Research, total cost of ownership for Windows XP is $4,407 (£2,205) annually, while Vista’s cost is $3,802 (£1,905). regole pokerpoker gamepoker 5 drawgioco poker online gratisseven card stud in lineavideo poker on linepoker per pcpoker on line in italianogame on line poker888 pokergioco video poker gratismebeliregolamento pokergiocare onlinestreap poker7 card stud onlinedraw poker,draw poker gold,poker 5 card drawtexas holdem calculatorcome giocare a pokerlive poker 3d,poker live,download live pokerguida poker onlineomaha poker onlinepoker downloadfree omaha pokerbet and win pokerpoker no on linescarica gioco pokervc pokergioca a poker on linegiochi streep pokertexas holdem milano3c texas holdem pokergiochi seven card studgiochi online pokercarte giocogioco poker scaricare gratisinternet pokerwww pokerprobabilità pokerholdem poker italiaimparare a giocare a pokerpoker su internet gratispoker online osxforum poker on linegiochi poker gratis da scaricareworld tour pokerholdem poker on linegioco poker gratuitopoker tournament 2007компютриgioco poker online gratis,poker game online gratis,poker online gratisseven card stud inlinea The $4,407 figure was derived from costs of hardware, software, IT labour, and user costs. Mobile PCs were the focus because these units will outship desktop systems by 2010, said Hiroshi Sakakibara, product manager for Windows Product Management at Microsoft.

It can happen anywhere, at any time. You’re doing your job, minding your own business, and it suddenly dawns on you: you’re the company’s webmaster.

There was a time when the title referred to someone who built the corporate website and managed its content, but today those are largely two different things. Many firms have decided it’s cheaper and easier to hire an outside firm to do the site building and hosting, while internal staff deal with the information that’s put up on the Web.

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Accidental Webmasters Rejoice - Help is Out There by Shane Schick

As reported today by the IDG News Service, Microsoft has released two new updates
for Windows Vista.

However, a Microsoft spokesperson I reached stopped short of saying that these
two updates will be part of the upcoming Service Pack 1, or SP1, for Vista.
In fact, in her e-mail, the spokesperson would only say that Vista SP1 is due
out in beta test form later this year – but not whether these two updates
will be part of that release.

Either way, if you’re a Vista user you’ll want to get both of them. These are
not security patches as we so often see, but are instead fixes for other types
of annoying bugs – some of which users have been bemoaning in online forums
since Vista first shipped.

First up is a compatibility update that looks like it’s mostly directed towards
fixing problems with various graphics drivers. For instance, it fixes a litany
of issues such as the screen ceasing to function when you upgrade the video
driver, or the screen going blank when you turn off an external display like
a projector connected to the computer, or video quality deteriorating when playing
some graphics-intensive video games.

It also fixes a few other aggravating bugs, including the printer spooler (software
that sends stuff you want to print to your printer in the background while you
do something else) ceasing to function, and the Windows Calendar closing unexpectedly
in certain circumstances.

Microsoft has also released a performance update for Vista. This is to fix
sluggishness in several areas but also to patch a few data corruption problems.
For example, when Vista is copying a large file, it may seem to take forever
for the "estimated time remaining" to be calculated. Or, when resuming
from hibernation, the logon screen may take a long time to appear.

Worse, for those of you who are seriously involved in digital photography,
you may experience data loss when editing RAW files created using Canon EOS
1D digital SLR cameras.

There are both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit versions of both updates available.

You can get these updates manually today from the links above (along with more
info). The Microsoft spokesperson said that they will also be available via
Windows Update "in the near future," but she wouldn’t say when.

Microsoft tracker and blogger Mary Jo Foley ventured a guess that will most
likely be next Tuesday which, since it’s the second Tuesday of the month, is
Microsoft’s "Patch Tuesday." I agree that’s the most logical deduction.

Title: Compatibility, Performance Updates for Windows Vista
Author: Stuart Johnston
Date: 7 Aug 2007
Source: PC World

Microsoft Corp. has slashed the price on its Windows Vista operating system in
China by more than half, in a bid to curtail piracy, The Wall Street Journal reported
on Monday.

Beginning Aug. 1, Microsoft cut the retail price for its Vista Home Basic
package to 499 yuan (66 dollars) from 1,521 yuan, and its Vista Home Premium
package to 899 yuan from 1,802 yuan, the report quoted the company as saying.

The price cut is the latest tactic by the Redmond, Wash., software company
in its efforts to spread legitimate products in the China market, said the report.

"Pre-installed Windows Vista is already getting popular in China,"
Microsoft spokesman Jim Lin was quoted as saying. "This program gives customers
who bought a computer before the Vista launch an opportunity to upgrade."

Title: Microsoft cuts Vista’s price in China to curtail piracy
Author: An Lu
Date: 07 Aug 2007
Source: China View

Vendors are continuing to sell and support Windows XP, as some users struggle with Vista incompatibilities with existing software and hardware.

BOSTON - David Daoud ran into trouble when he started using Vista, the new version of Windows that Microsoft Corp.( MSFT) and PC makers have spent millions of dollars advertising since it came out six months ago.

He said it short-circuited key software programs he counts on: Quicken for balancing his checkbook, Lotus Notes e-mail and a networking program that connects his home to the office. His Sony camcorder also doesn’t communicate with the PC properly.

“Basically they don’t work,” said Daoud, a computer industry analyst with market research firm IDC.

Such problems are part of the normal growing pains that come with every major upgrade to the Windows operating system.

To ease those pains, some consumers are seeking out machines equipped with the more compatible Windows XP. That’s prompted some PC makers and retailers to give the older operating system more room in their product lines.

Hewlett-Packard( HP) Co. and Dell Inc.( Dell) recently started selling XP machines on their Web sites. Lenovo Group Ltd. and Toshiba Corp. also offer similarly equipped machines.

Microsoft has done its best to get Vista off to a strong start, making it compatible with more than 2 million different types of hardware.

The effort seems to be paying off. The company late on Thursday reported quarterly revenue of $13.4 billion, up 13 percent from last year, citing help from strong Vista sales.

Microsoft says most people using Vista are pleased with it and that nearly all software and hardware is compatible.

Still, some companies have been slow to respond to Microsoft’s call for upgrades. Consumers have taken note.

Craig Rabe, owner of the Computer Cafe, an independent computer store in Arlington, Massachusetts, says he received so many complaints about Vista after it was launched in February that he stopped selling machines loaded with the software.

“People came back and said, ‘Please, will you take this off and replace it with XP,” he said.

ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE?

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is advising incoming freshmen to buy PCs loaded with Windows XP.

“XP is still fully functional. It’s what people are familiar with,” said Jon Hunt, who made the decision for MIT. But he expects MIT will soon start supporting Vista.

Among retailers, CompUSA says it has the widest selection of XP machines, something it plans to tout during the busy back-to-school sales season.

Circuit City Stores Inc. offers nine XP models on its Web site. Best Buy Co. does not carry XP machines.

The Windows User Group says Vista is an “awesome” system and all of its employees use it. But the company, which provides technical advice on Windows and runs online communities, cautions that the switch can be uncomfortable.

“My father-in-law, my niece, my accountant — they all have computers running XP now. If they put Vista on top, not everything is going to work,” said vice president Joel Diamond.

Microsoft says it has put a lot of effort into working with other companies to solve any problems.

“There are some products that don’t work with it,” said Windows group product manager Justin Jed. “But … the data shows louder than the anecdotes that people are having a great experience with Windows Vista.”

He says 72 percent of users have a “favorable” view of Vista, 8 percent “unfavorable,” with the rest neutral.

What’s more, about 96 percent of all printers, keyboards, mice, scanners and other devices in use are compatible with Vista, as are about 2,000 software programs, including 49 of the current 50 best-selling retail titles, he says.

But while Adobe recently introduced a version of Photoshop professional that works with Vista, customers with the previous edition have to pay $199 for an upgrade.

Norton SystemWorks, a $70 security program, has yet to be made Vista compatible though the company says it is in the works. TiVo software for linking to PCs is also incompatible.

Microsoft declined to comment on specific problems.

“We are going after the ones that impact the most customers,” Jed said. “Obviously you cannot be all things to all people.”

Title: Many Users Cling To Windows XP In The Face Of Vista Problems
Author: Jim Finkle
Date: 20 Jul 2007
Source: Information Week

Worldwide shipments of personal computers rose strongly in the second quarter due to growing demand in Asia and unexpected strength in the U.S., two research companies reported Wednesday.

IDC estimated that 58.8 million PCs were shipped in the April-to-June period, up 12.5 percent from the same quarter last year. Gartner Inc., which uses a somewhat different methodology, counted 61.1 million units, for a growth rate of 11.7 percent.

Eastern Asia, excluding Japan, was the strongest market, with sales up more than 20 percent. In laptops, growth was about 50 percent, according to IDC.

Global shipments picked up in the first quarter, with IDC putting growth at 10.9 percent after nearly a year of growth in the single-digit range.

In the U.S., second-quarter shipments rose 7.2 percent according to IDC and 5.9 percent according to Gartner, helped by aggressive competition and demand for laptops. Desktop shipments continued to decline.

The introduction over the winter of Windows Vista, Microsoft Corp.’s latest operating system, had minimal effect on demand, Gartner said.

Hewlett Packard Co. kept its position as the world’s largest maker of PCs and extended its lead over Dell Inc., which was the largest until late last year. IDC put HP’s worldwide market share at 19.3 percent, while Gartner had it at 18.2 percent, while the firms put Dell at 15 percent to 16.1 percent, respectively.

Dell remained the largest maker of PCs for the U.S. market, with a 28.4-29.9 percent market share, but the number of units sold declined 11 percent, while HP’s rose 26 percent.

Gateway Inc. was in third place in the U.S., but saw a 7 percent decline in shipments.

The next three largest were Acer, Toshiba and Apple Inc., all with market shares around 5 percent, though the research firms differed on the exact order.

“Dell had difficulties in its consumer business. Dell made its first major retail shipments to Wal-Mart stores, however volumes were not significant enough to influence its growth performance in the quarter,” Gartner analyst Mikako Kitagawa wrote.

Title: Global Personal Computers shipments rise 12 percent in Q2
Author: The China Post
Date: 20 Jul 2007
Source: The China Post

It would have been tough for Microsoft to repeat the record hiring of its 2006 fiscal year, and the company acknowledged Thursday that, in fact, it didn’t.

But the 10 percent headcount growth in Microsoft’s recently completed fiscal year was still more than the company was experiencing a few years ago. And state officials had already been assuming a slowdown from last year’s torrid pace for purposes of economic forecasts.

The trend could also be good for Microsoft’s financial situation in the long run. The news came on the same day that Google cited expenses from larger-than-expected hiring as one reason for missing Wall Street’s profit expectations.

Microsoft’s 2006 growth spurt added a net total of more than 10,000 employees worldwide, or 16 percent. Traditionally, Microsoft’s employment growth has been a key driver of the Seattle region’s economy.

But it wouldn’t have been reasonable to expect Microsoft to maintain last year’s pace of hiring, said Chang Mook Sohn, the state’s chief economist.

“It was high,” he said. “We know the growth will continue, but not at the same pace.”

The 10 percent headcount growth for fiscal 2007, disclosed Thursday in the company’s fiscal year-end financial documents, would put Microsoft’s worldwide employment around 78,000 as of June 30, from about 71,500 a year before. However, Microsoft hasn’t yet reported the official global number or the hiring rate in the Seattle area.

As of Feb. 23, the company employed 76,500 worldwide, including 35,000 in Washington state, primarily in Redmond.

The news of Microsoft’s slower hiring may be welcome news among existing employees. Space is so scarce in offices and garages in Redmond that the company now offers free valet parking to employees. Microsoft is in the midst of a massive expansion program, but the first buildings are still under construction.

Employment costs can cut significantly into a company’s bottom line, and Chris Liddell, Microsoft’s chief financial officer, made it clear Thursday that he felt it was important to get the hiring under control.

“From my point of view, the good trend that we’re seeing is a slowing of the headcount growth,” Liddell told analysts during a conference call Thursday. “So I’m certainly keen to see … lower rates of headcount growth than we have seen in the last couple of years.”

Liddell told the analysts that he still considered the 10 percent growth rate relatively high, but that he’s more comfortable with that rate than he was with the levels the company was seeing six to 12 months ago. He said the “moderated levels” of headcount growth are also assumed in the company’s financial projections for the new fiscal year.

Employment growth varies by division. For example, headcount dropped 1 percent in the PC Windows division last quarter, following Windows Vista’s release. Meanwhile, headcount rose 12 percent in the Online Services Business, where Microsoft is still beefing up for its competition with Google and Yahoo.

Title: Hiring levels still high, but slowing at Microsoft
Author: Todd Bishop
Date: 19 Jul 2007
Source: Seattle PI

Microsoft asked us to inform you on the current state of Windows Vista SP1 beta:

“There will be a Windows Vista service pack and our current expectation is that a beta will be made available sometime this year. Service packs are part of the traditional software lifecycle — they’re something we do for all Microsoft products as part of our commitment to continuous improvement, and providing early test builds is a standard practice that helps us incorporate customer feedback and improve the overall quality of the product. 

Service packs are just one example of the work we do to constantly improve the Windows experience.  We also deliver improvements to Windows via Windows Update, which is an excellent channel for providing our customers with the most significant updates as they happen.  And, since Windows Vista launched, we have continued working with partners to improve overall device coverage and application compatibility. There are now more than 2.1 million supported devices and more than 2,000 logoed applications for Windows Vista. We think customers will have a great experience using Windows Vista today.”

So the only release that’s occurring is a limited Beta to a very small, very select group of advance customers. A public version of the Beta is not being released this week, nor next, nor in July, nor anytime in the immediate future.

Title: No Public Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Beta anytime soon
Author: Bink
Date: 19 Jul 2007
Source: Bink.nu

Prize-packed Windows Vista photography contest encourages creativity

Future, the special-interest media company, has teamed up with Microsoft and the online photo service, Snapfish to promote a new photography contest, Summer Snaps.

The cross-portfolio competition is being launched across a print run of 300,000 colour supplements, inserted into September issues (on sale August) of Classic Rock, Fast Car, MBUK and Future’s licensed Microsoft titles, Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine and Windows Vista: The Official Magazine. The competition will be promoted extensively in house adverts throughout Future’s portfolio of magazines and websites this summer.

Summer Snaps 2007 is inspired by the photo tools in Windows Vista, Microsoft’s next-generation PC operating system, which make it easy to organise, fix and share your digital photos. The competition encourages readers of Future’s magazines and websites to share their favourite pictures as they enjoy their hobby this summer. The competition has five categories; motoring, cycling, gaming, music and general– which includes family and holidays.

Anyone can enter Summer Snaps and all photographs of all quality can be entered, from mobile phone snaps through to professional standard pictures from high-end digital cameras. Entrants need to upload their pictures to Snapfish via the specially-created www.summersnaps.com .

Users can vote for their favourite images on the site. Each week, the best pictures will win one of 25 weekly prizes, from companies including Crucial, Electronic Arts, Microsoft and many more. Weekly prizes are awarded each Monday until 10th September. The competition closes on Monday 24th September when the winners of the‘grand prize’ will be announced.

Jon Hicks, Editor of Future’s Microsoft Projects and Organiser of Summer Snaps said:

“Windows Vista makes it easy for anybody to get great photos, so we wanted to do a competition that absolutely anybody can enter. Summer Snaps is all about having fun with your camera this summer, taking photographs to capture your memories, and share them with the world. With low cost digital cameras and camera phones everywhere, absolutely everyone can start capturing their lives.

“The competition enables readers of Future’s motoring, sports and games magazines to find out more about Windows Vista, and how it makes digital photography simple. The weather might not be perfect this summer, but we’ve got some fantastic prizes up for grabs.”

For more information visit www.summersnaps.com now!

Ends

About Future

Future plc is an international special-interest media group with offices in the UK, US and France. Founded in 1985 with one magazine, today it creates over 180 special-interest publications, websites and events, with strong portfolios in the technology, games, music, automotive and sports sectors. Over 130 international editions of Future’s magazines are published under licence by publishing partners in 30 other countries around the world. Future employs around 1,450 people worldwide. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange (symbol FUTR).

Title: Future and Microsoft team up for Summer Snaps competition
Author: Will Guyatt
Date: 19 Jul 2007
Source: MCV

After a bewildering series of high-profile rumors about the supposed imminent release of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) appeared on various Windows news and rumors sites and blogs in the past few weeks, Microsoft took the unprecedented step this week of denying all of them. Reports suggested that Microsoft’s previous timetable for Vista SP1, which would see a public beta by the end of 2007, were wrong; instead, we were told, Microsoft would ship SP1 in final form by the end of 2007 and would ship a beta in July. Then, reports of a so-called Vista SP1 WDK (Windows Driver Kit) download on the Microsoft Connect site triggered another round of wishful thinking and heady news reports.

All of this is, as it turns out, completely untrue. “There will be a Windows Vista service pack and our current expectation is that a beta will be made available sometime this year,” a Microsoft spokesperson said, as first reported on Bink.nu. “Service packs are part of the traditional software lifecycle–they’re something we do for all Microsoft products as part of our commitment to continuous improvement, and providing early test builds is a standard practice that helps us incorporate customer feedback and improve the overall quality of the product.”

Here’s what’s really happening. Microsoft’s previously-stated schedule for Vista SP1–a public beta in late 2007 with the final release next year–is still on track, and the company has never altered its schedule since announcing that plan. The company will, however, issue an early pre-release version of Vista SP1 to a limited group of external testers, as it always does, sooner than that. This will not constitute the start of the technical beta for Vista SP1, or mark a public beta release at all.

As for that Vista SP1 WDK, well, that was just a typo. What Microsoft actually posted was a WDK for Windows Server 2008, the upcoming successor to Windows Server 2003 R2.

I’ll be sure to report on Windows Vista SP1 when there’s actually something to report.

Title: Microsoft Shoots Down Vista SP1 Rumors
Author: Paul Thurrott
Date: 19 Jul 2007
Source: Windows IT Pro