Vista News

Redmond is offering 74 Microsoft Certification exams at a discount of between 15 to 25 percent until December 31, 2009. Full Story: Get 15 to 25 percent off Microsoft Certification exams - Ars Technica

Fashion Week is in full swing in New York City this week, and today, we’re excited to announce five designer themes created just for Windows phones. The themes, which include custom palettes and wallpapers, were designed by some of today’s hottest designers: Diane von Furstenberg, Vera Wang, Isaac Mizrahi, Rock & Republic and Ron Arad. We feel these designer themes are great examples of how Windows phones are moving into the consumer space and our Windows phone offerings on October 6 will continue this expansion of the brand. Smartphones are just as much a fashion statement as the clothes you wear and are quickly becoming a must-have accessory. The designer themes are just one more way that Windows phones help folks customize...

By Emil Protalinski. Read further - Zune HD promo videos posted early, 3D gaming is a go - Ars Technica

See Source: Turn Vista into Windows 7 for free | CNET TV - CNET

By Eric Bangeman . Read article. Week in Microsoft: trolling other OSes for fun and profit! - Ars Technica

By Emil Protalinski. Read more. Microsoft: Windows 7 upgrade can take nearly a day - Ars Technica

Published by Windows Installer Team Link. Windows Installer Team Blog : Developing for Windows 7

By Mary Jo Foley. Link - Microsoft: Windows Mobile 7 not on the PDC docket | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com

Posted by Mary Jo Foley http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=3923

The Windows XP ImageResizer tool has been rewritten to work on Windows Vista and Windows 7, in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Full Story: http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/09/imageresizer-powertoy-rewritten-to-work-on-vista-windows-7.ars

Previously announced, Windows Home Server category grows with the announcement of the Lenovo IdeaCentre D400, we are pleased to confirm that Lenovo is now taking orders in the United States. Lenovo, a leading Chinese PC manufacturer recently followed up their launch in their home market by bringing the IdeaCentre D Series Home Server models to the United States. This series consists of the IdeaCentre D400 AU and IdeaCentre D400 BU. For $499.99, the AU version ships with 1GB RAM and will come with a 1TB hard drive. At $599.99, the BU version also has 1GB RAM and ships with 2TB of storage space. The Lenovo model has 4 hard drive bays to accommodate storage expansion. Reminder: Windows Home Server software has a technology called Drive...

Microsoft has confirmed that it currently has no plans to bring the Zune HD outside of the US. Full story: http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/09/its-official-no-plans-to-sell-zune-hd-outside-the-us.ars

Check out our new Windows 7 ad! I thought it was far too cute to pass up sharing with everyone. ssOq02DTTMU More...

Further Reading - Microsoft releases beta of new Windows compatibility tool | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com

Link - Windows 7 Security Bug Emerges at Worst Time for Microsoft

What appears to be the first Windows 7 commercial has made its way online. It features a little girl by the name of Kylie, who some will remember from a previous Microsoft advertising campaign. Full Story: The first Windows 7 commercial airs - Ars Technica

By Emil Protalinski The Zune as we know it is gone; long live the Zune HD: 2-4-6-8, what will Microsoft eviscerate? The Zune lineup of 4, 8, 16, 80, and 120GB models. All of the current generation Zunes will be discontinued once the Zune HD drops on September 15. All that will be left are two Zune HD models priced at $220 and $290. Read more - Week in Microsoft: Get a Zune while you still can - Ars Technica

Today I am pleased to announce some new technologies to help developers and IT professionals make the transition to Windows 7. For developers, we are announcing the public beta for the Platform Update for Windows Vista. The Platform Update for Windows Vista is a set of runtime libraries that makes it easy for developers to target both Windows 7 and Windows Vista. The Platform Update for Windows Vista includes: Windows Ribbon and Animation Manager Library: contains the Windows Ribbon API, a command framework that enables developers to quickly and easily create rich ribbon experiences in their applications, and the Windows Animation Manager API, an animation framework for managing the scheduling and execution of user interface...

By Emil Protalinski. Link - Cowboys Stadium: Windows did not shut down succesfully - Ars Technica

By Emil Protalinski. Further Reading - $90 Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000 set for October - Ars Technica