Vista News

Windows 7 beta is now available on Microsoft Connect, MSDN, and on TechNet. At the same time, Microsoft has given Windows Server 2008 R2 beta to its MSDN and TechNet subscribers as well. I'm not currently in the Windows Server 2008 R2 beta program on Microsoft Connect, but if you are, post in the comments below if the beta is available for download there as well. As with any Microsoft client operating system release, piracy got the upper hand: the 32-bit version of Windows 7 beta (build 7000) arrived almost two weeks ago, and the 64-bit version arrived a couple of hours before the keynote. There is a flip side, however. Users discovered a serious MP3 corruption problem in the leaked build, and Microsoft promised it was working on a...

Earlier this week, Microsoft warned that there was a serious MP3 corruption issue in the Windows 7 beta (build 7000), which has been making the rounds on piracy networks. The company promised a fix, and it has now arrived. Regardless of where you got the beta from, I strongly recommend that you download and install this patch: 32-bit and 64-bit. The accompanying KB article 961367 has not yet been posted as of publishing time. Nevertheless, the Microsoft Download Center describes the fix as follows: Install this update to resolve live and recorded TV issues in Windows Media Center, recorded TV playback issues in Windows Media Player, and MP3 file corruption issues in Windows. After you install this item, you may have to restart your...

Almost two weeks after Windows 7 build 7000 32-bit was leaked, the 64-bit version (7000.0.081212-1400_client_en-us_Ultimate-GB1CULXFRE_EN_DVD.ISO) has hit torrent sites. The first 7xxx build marks the entrance of Windows 7 into beta phase (6xxx builds were pre-beta builds) and so when the 32-bit version leaked, it was pirated by tens of thousands of users. Build 7000 was compiled on December 12, 2008, at 2:00PM, and many believe this is the build that Microsoft will be giving its testers. A public beta is also expected to be announced at the CES 2009 preshow tonight, though it's not clear when the actual download will be available (but it should arrive before or on Friday). Full Story: Windows 7 build 7000 64-bit version hits torrent...

Beyond pushing Chrome on google.com and planning to roll it out with OEMs, Google has found a new way to tell users about its browser. This time, the search giant is targeting IE users who use Gmail. With a simple "Get faster Gmail" message (which only appears in IE, and not in Safari, Firefox, or Chrome), Google is luring users of its e-mail service to a support page which explains that IE is slow at running Gmail: Browsers are getting faster and better at running web applications like Google Mail that use browser technology to its limits. In order to get the best experience possible and make Google Mail run an average of twice as fast, we suggest that you upgrade your browser to one of the fastest Google Mail supported browsers that...

via ASUS R50a UMPC reviewed: underpowered for Vista? - SlashGear

"As early as December 10, 2008, even before the Windows 7 Beta 1 Build 6.1.7000.0.081212-1400 was reportedly signed-off internally, Microsoft approached OEM partners in an attempt to gather feedback for a Windows 7 Upgrade Program. The giant manufacturer is planning a remake of the Windows Vista Express Upgrade Program, but this time with Windows 7, according to MyDrivers. The project does not have an official name, the Redmond company referring to the initiative as the Windows 7 Upgrade Program. However, just as Vista Express involved offering consumers a reason to buy Windows XP preloaded computers with the promise of reduced costs for the jump to Windows Vista, so the new program is designed to offer cheaper Windows 7...

User Account Control We promised that this blog would provide a view of Engineering Windows 7 and that means that we would cover the full range of topics—from performance to user interface, technical and non-technical topics, and of course easy topics and controversial topics. This post is about User Account Control. Our author is Ben Fathi, vice president for core OS development. UAC is a feature that crosses many aspects of the Windows architecture—security, accounts, user interface, design, and so on—we had several other members of the team contribute to the post. We continue to value the discussion that the posts seem to inspire—we are betting (not literally of course) that this post will bring out comments from even...

Microsoft has launched a new web site just for Windows Vista users: answers.microsoft.com. Microsoft Answers, currently in beta (the site is often down and under maintenance), is a support forum in the Q&A format. There are three ways of using the service: Use the search bar at the top of the page to find existing answers to your question. Browse specific category pages under Find Answers. Ask the community how they fixed a problem or how they did something. Full Story: Microsoft Answers beta website launched

Found this and tough it would be helpful.:D SOURCE: Unlock The Supersecret Administrator Account For Vista - RLSlog Forums

We've already touched upon the improvements coming in Windows Media Player 12 that were demonstrated at PDC 2008. Regardless of whether you like and use WMP or not, you'll be happy to note that in terms of better format support, the Windows 7 Developer Guide supports the information that we were shown for WMP12: In Windows 7, Media Foundation provides extensive format support that includes codecs for H.264 video, MJPEG, and MP3; new sources for MP4, 3GP, MPEG2-TS, and AVI; and new file sinks for MP4, 3GP, and MP3. In addition, a new DirectShow wrapper source provides a bridge between DirectShow and Media Foundation. With it, a Media Foundation application can play older media formats that lack native Media Foundation support. Full...

PDC attendees got the Windows 7 pre-beta build and, while MDC attendees appear to be the only group that will receive a physical copy of Windows 7 Beta 1, other Microsoft enthusiast groups will have access to Beta 1 via download. Testers are already being promised Beta 1 (download-only) in English, German, Japanese, and Arabic, with access starting sometime in early 2009. When I covered the fact that Microsoft sent out invites to potential testers, I gave January 5 as a possible date for the download. I don't entirely trust this source, but that same date seems to have shown up in other reports. Full Story: Windows 7 Beta 1 download on January 5, 2009?

While everyone was expecting a public RC of the Wave 3 applications last week, a beta refresh made it out this week over at download.live.com. Windows Live Essentials, which refers to the suite of Windows Live client applications (as opposed to web services), consists of a long list of software: Messenger, Mail, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Writer, Toolbar, Family Safety, and Office Outlook Connector (which is mysteriously missing in this release). This release includes two new additions, Office Live Add-in (which allows you to open and save documents directly to your online workspace) as well as Silverlight. Full Story: Windows Live Essentials (including Messenger) beta refresh

IE 7 users: stop looking at porn now! Written by Adam O'Donnell @ 10:39 pm 12/15/2008 Source: IE 7 users: stop looking at porn now! | Zero Day | ZDNet.com Microsoft has reported sightings of exploitation of the recent vulnerability in IE7 on various porn sites. This isn’t really bad news, since no one looks at such improper things on the Internet, right? According to an article posted late saturday night on Microsoft’s Threat Research Blog, approximately .2% of all worldwide users have been exposed to exploits against the data processing vulnerability, and the exploit is now appearing on pornography sites. If Microsoft’s numbers are correct, that means millions of systems may have been freshly compromised over the past few...

Surprise! Internet Users Dislike Broadband Cap Written by Kevin Parrish - 2:20 AM - October 2, 2008 It’s no secret that internet service providers are considering Broadband caps to cut down costs. However many U.S. consumers dislike the idea and will gladly change carriers if their current BSP implements the restrictions. ZoomIn Zeugma Systems’ recent survey conducted for the International Data Corporation (source), 81 percent of the 787 U.S. customers polled proclaimed their dislike for a Bandwidth cap and the additional charges for internet use beyond the limit. However, 83 percent had no idea what a gigabyte was or just how much bandwidth they actually consume. 51 percent of those polled added that they would actually switch...

PDC attendees got the Windows 7 pre-beta build, and MDC attendees will be getting Windows 7 Beta 1, but what about other Microsoft enthusiasts? Well, Redmond is planning a public beta in early 2009, but beta testers will likely get their hands on a Beta 1 before the public beta (rumor has it that January 5 is the day). This week, Microsoft has started sending out invitations to potential testers who would like to join the "Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 beta program" (I've included an excerpt of the e-mail sent out to testers at the bottom). After explaining that only those willing to file bug reports and participate should accept the invitation, the e-mail notes that the microsoft.beta.win7.lobby was opened up early...

Microsoft has updated the Windows Live Wave 3 Suite :eek: The newer builds of Windows Live Mail, Live Messenger, Live Writer, Live Photo Gallery, Live Movie Maker, Live Toolbar and Family Saftey betas can be downloaded from: Essentials beta - Windows Live Live Messenger and Live Mail have been updated quite extensively :cool: If your already using the Messenger beta versions I urge everyone to update to the newly released builds as they are 10x better than the first Live 3 release :D Steven

Pioneer Shows 400GB Blu-ray Disc, Promises 1TB Disc by 2013 Written by Andy Salisbury 12/02/08 at 02:25:46 PM While the news of the 400GB Pioneer disc isn’t necessarily new, the fact that it’s made it to production is. Just today at the IT Month fair in Taiwan, Pioneer announced that their 400GB Blu-ray disc would be hitting mass production sometime in 2010. The disc’s ability to pack so much storage is all thanks to a breakthrough in the material used to create reflective layers. According to Pioneer High Fidelity Taiwan, this also allows the pick-up head of the disc to match that of current Blu-ray technology, allowing the discs to be played using current drives. Pioneer’s plan to release the disc to the public in 2010 is...

Microsoft have released the IE8 Partner Release Candidate 1 Build to the IE8 Tech Beta Participants. This build represents a preview of our progress and is best used to verify issues fixed since releasing Beta 2. While we believe it to be of adequate quality for you to use, is not as extensively tested as a milestone build, so it is not meant for the general public but only for testing purposes. Instructions to download the IE8 RC1 Build: 1) Microsoft Connect Participants can click here: Downloads 2) Click on "IE8 Partner Build" for your version of Windows. 3) Read the Install Guidelines 4) Click on "Download" at the bottom of the page.

Eight Patches Next Week Microsoft Corp. will deliver eight security updates next week, six of them marked "critical," to plug holes in Windows, Internet Explorer, Office and other products. Full Info ... Microsoft slates 8 bug updates for year's final Patch Tuesday

Engineering Samples Everyone loves Intel ES (Engineering Sample) processors, don't they? They used to be very limited units used within Intel and sent to select (lucky) reviewers. For years, everyone has been chasing for these processors since they used to have their multipliers unlocked. Now, that's an overclocker's wet dream come true! However, that distinction has blurred with the Intel Core 2 processor. Not only are Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Quad engineering samples far more plentiful, they are easily purchased by all and sundry. Unlike the "traditional" engineering samples we all love though, their multipliers are not unlocked. This cuts down a little on their appeal. Only Core 2 Extreme engineering samples have unlocked...