Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) Update Coming in a Week or Two

Well, not much of a surprise ‘coz we already knew it’s coming this month; but yeah, Microsoft makes it even clearer this time the Mango update to Windows Phone will start rolling in a week or two.

With the anticipated release of Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) update, Microsoft reminds every Windows Phone user to refrain from installing unofficial or leaked copies of the software. This is to make sure you get the best of Mango and experience the features as designed.



If you got a Windows Phone handset and eager to install Mango, you will need to download the latest version of the Zune software or the Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac. You can grab it from here and here.



And while Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) is already on its way to existing Windows Phone devices as scheduled, am still more excited really with the fresh devices we’re about to see from phone makers like Samsung, LG, and Nokia – which I’m pretty sure will ship with Mango already on it. Of course CTB will let you know, so just stay tuned for updates!

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Windows 8 Metro Style Apps Video Walkthrough

One of the many features brought to Windows 8 is the new Metro style UI inspired through Microsoft’s latest mobile OS, the Windows Phone 7.

The Metro style UI brings among the important information right on the Start screen in Windows with the help of live tiles. Basically, it’s just an addition on top of the improved and more popular Windows desktop in Windows 8, but could be a great option for users who prefer Touch functions; although the Metro still works fine using keyboard, mouse, or other input devices. And to put it into perspective giving you how Metro style apps look like in the new UI and how it exactly works, Microsoft posted a demo video showing off several communication connected apps in Windows 8 which include Photos with integration to Facebook and Flickr, Mail, People, Calendar, and Messaging. Go check it out after the break.

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Download Windows 8 [Official ISO Links]

Microsoft has already posted the official download links of the Developer Preview builds of Windows 8 for those who want to take the current flavors of the OS.

The Windows 8 Developer Preview is actually a pre-Beta version of the OS, showing off its features, pre-release software, and the entire build at its current stage. We’ve already seen several features of Windows 8 while being demoed at Microsoft’s Build Conference in California, and as some of you may already knew -- system hardware won’t be a problem if you got one running Windows Vista or Windows 7. Windows 8 will seamlessly run on these earlier builds of Windows! Although the Developer Preview of Windows 8 is technically designed for developers, it doesn’t mean you can’t get it unless you’re a coder. The preview is actually available in 3 different packages – the 64-bit version with various developer tools, another 64-bit version with just an OS, and a 32-bit version of just an OS – so basically Microsoft is offering us an option. Great!



Anyway, as I’ve said earlier, you can still install Windows 8 on system that powers Windows Vista and Windows 7; and as a refresher, here are those minimum hardware that should be running in your computer:

• 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor


• 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)


• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)


• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

And since Windows 8 is optimized with Touch functionalities, of course you’ll need a screen that supports multi-touch.



You should note however, that since this is still just a Preview version of Windows 8, it doesn’t guarantee 100% stability so you have to use it at your own risk. Nevertheless, if you want to give it a try, just head to this download page.



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Windows 8 Features Preview, What We Know So Far…

We had our first sneak peek of Windows 8 back in June, and this time however, we’ll check out more what Microsoft are introducing on the next version of its OS.

As we learned before, Windows 7 and Vista systems can still run Windows 8. The OS received a huge overhaul in the entire UI so it will be optimized for low-powered devices particularly the tablets. Here’s a demo of Windows 8 running on an unofficial Samsung slate, courtesy of AllThingsD.



At Microsoft’s BUILD developer conference in Anaheim, California this week, the Redmond-based company highlighted a variety of new features of Windows 8, some of which are listed below:

Touch-First User Interface

• Metro style. Windows 8 introduces a new Metro style interface built for touch, which shows information important to you, embodies simplicity and gives you control. The Metro style UI is equally at home with a mouse and keyboard as well.

• Touch-first browsing, not just browsing on a touch device. Providing a fast and fluid touch-browsing experience, Internet Explorer 10 puts sites at the center on new Windows 8 devices.



More Ways to Engage With Powerful, Connected Apps

• Powered by apps. Metro style apps built for Windows 8 are the focal point of your experience, filling your entire screen so there are no distractions.

• Apps can work together. Apps communicate with each other in Windows 8. For example, you can easily select and email photos from different places, such as Facebook, Flickr or on your hard drive.

• Your experience syncs across your devices. Live roams all the content from the cloud services you use most - photos, email, calendar and contacts - keeping them up-to-date on your devices. With SkyDrive, you can access your files, photos and documents from virtually anywhere with any browser or with Metro style apps in Windows 8.



Enhanced Fundamentals

• The best of Windows 7, only better. Windows 8 is built on the rock-solid foundation of Windows 7, delivering improvements in performance, security, privacy and system reliability. Windows 8 reduces the memory footprint needed - even on the lowest-end hardware - leaving more room for your apps.

• Preserving power-user favorites and making them better. For those who push the limits of their PC, Windows 8 features an enhanced Task Manager and Windows Explorer and new, flexible options for multimonitor setups.



New Developer Opportunities

• Windows Store. The Windows Store will allow developers to sell their apps anywhere Windows is sold worldwide, whether they're creating new games or familiar productivity tools.

• Build using more languages. Windows 8 lets you leverage your existing skills and code assets to create great experiences using the programming language you prefer.

• Rich hardware integration leads to richer experiences - particularly for games. DirectX 11 gaming power underlies Windows 8, allowing the easy creation of full-screen games with smooth, flicker-free action.



New Generation of Hardware

• One Windows - many shapes and sizes. Support for ARM-based chipsets, x86 (as well as x32 and x64) devices, touch and sensors means Windows 8 works beautifully across a spectrum of devices, from 10-inch tablets and laptops to all-in-ones with 27-inch high-definition screens.

• Always connected. With Windows 8, new ultrathin PCs and tablets turn on instantly, run all day on a single charge and stay connected to the Internet so your PC is ready when you are. Next-generation system on a chip (SoC) support will also enable greatly extended standby and low-power states.

• Tap the full power of your PC. Windows 8 runs on PCs and is compatible with the devices and programs you use today on Windows 7, without compromise, to deliver the performance you expect of a PC.

I missed the keynote speech earlier today. Good thing though Lifehacker trimmed down the entire keynote video to cover among the important highlights of Windows 8. Check it out after the break! [via]

Update: Download Windows 8 Developer Preview



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Microsoft Apps Coming to Symbian This Q4

I think you got to believe that despite switching to Windows Phone for its future high-end handsets, Nokia won’t abandon Symbian fans out there that have been using the platform for years.

In fact, as a proof for its plans to push more updates in the future and continue providing software support until at least 2016, Nokia will bring Microsoft Apps to Symbian. These Microsoft Apps would be delivered as a software update to Symbian Belle handsets sometime in Q4 of this year. And if you’re wondering what apps you can expect on this update, these are actually free business productivity tools, majority of which were not included in Nokia’s business-centric smartphones like the Nokia E6 (which we are giving away!), including:

• Microsoft Lync 2010 Mobile – for cost efficient IM, presence, audio and web meetings on-the-go.


• Microsoft PowerPoint Broadcast – quick broadcast of presentations directly from PC to mobile.


• Microsoft OneNote – rich note taking with images. Syncs with Microsoft SkyDrive.


• Microsoft Document Connection – single view to documents stored on mobile, including email attachments as well as documents on Microsoft SharePoint 2010 sites.

And early next year, Nokia says it will release another update to Microsoft Apps for Symbian Belle, particularly Microsoft OneNote sync with SharePoint; and the Finnish phone maker will also make Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint as native apps in the Symbian platform, the first time in history that these MS Office applications run outside MS Windows.



I, myself, wanted to get my hands on my first Symbian Belle device and am honestly pretty much excited about this. How about you?

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Good News! Windows 8 Will Run on Windows 7 and Vista Systems!

Microsoft is expected to release its next operating system Windows 8, by next year.

We already knew Windows 8 is optimized for tablets, but skeptical if it would require new hardware for current Windows 7 users. Well, we finally got the answer. Windows 8 will still run on Windows 7 systems! That means you don’t need to upgrade any hardware of your Windows 7 systems to install Windows 8. This is according to Tami Reller, corporate VP of Microsoft’s Windows division, while speaking at the 2011 Worldwide Partner Conference in Los Angeles.

In both of our Windows 8 previews, we talked about continuing with the important trend that we started with Windows 7, keeping system requirements either flat or reducing them over time. Windows 8 will be able to run on a wide range of machines because it will have the same requirements or lower.

A refresher to Windows 7 basic system requirements, you’ll need:

• 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor


• 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)


• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)


• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

And since Windows 7 also runs in computers with Vista previously installed, logically, those computers will also rock Windows 8. Just in case you’re wondering how Microsoft engineered Windows 8 to practically work on Windows Vista and Windows 7 systems, here’s what Reller said:

We’ve also built intelligence into Windows 8 so that it can adapt to the user experience based on the hardware of the user. So, whether you’re upgrading an existing PC, or buying a new one, Windows will adapt to make the most of that hardware.

Cool! Now it would make sense not shelling out extra bucks for better hardware; but of course – you need to spend on OS upgrade.J[via]



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Microsoft Outs Office 365, a Cloud-based Office Suite to Compete Google Docs

Microsoft released today its cloud-based Office suite called Office 365.

MS Office 365 brings the cloud versions of Microsoft’s latest Office desktop suites together with the company’s communications and collaboration products like Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SharePoint, and Microsoft Lync. Available as a subscription-based service, Office 365 delivers the power of cloud productivity to businesses of all sizes. Professionals and small businesses can purchase a plan from $6 per user per month with package including Office Web Apps and MS Exchange. Midsize businesses and enterprises have the option to select plans from $10 to $27 per user per month, with corresponding set of features in the suite. Microsoft also offers Office 365 plan for education.



MS Office 365 is now available globally with support for 21 languages in 40 countries.



The service is no doubt will compete with Google Docs services, though Google Docs is much cheaper at $5 per user per month or just $50 for an annual plan. Microsoft Press Release after the break.



Click to Read Press Release

Microsoft Launches Office 365 Globally



World-class collaboration tools are now available for businesses large and small.



NEW YORK — June 28, 2011 — Today, at media events around the world, Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of Microsoft Office 365, the company’s newest cloud service. Office 365 is now available in 40 markets, and it brings together Microsoft Office, Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Exchange Online and Microsoft Lync Online in an always-up-to-date cloud service, at a predictable monthly subscription.



The service was introduced in beta last year with enthusiastic response and, in a few months, more than 200,000 organizations signed up and began testing it. Businesses using Office 365 are already reporting impressive results and reducing IT costs by up to an estimated 50 percent while boosting productivity.



Today, more than 20 service providers around the globe also shared plans to bring Office 365 to their customers this year. Bell Canada, Intuit Inc., NTT Communications Corp., Telefonica S.A., Telstra Corp. and Vodafone Group Plc, among others, will package and sell Office 365 with their own services for small and midsize businesses.



“Great collaboration is critical to business growth, and because it’s so important, we believe the best collaboration technology should be available to everyone,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “With a few clicks, Office 365 levels the playing field, giving small and midsize businesses powerful collaboration tools that have given big businesses an edge for years.”



A Game Changer for Businesses of All Sizes



Office 365 is available in a wide range of service plans designed to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, ranging from the largest to the smallest.



With Office 365, people can stay on the “same page” using instant messaging and virtual meetings with people who are just down the hall or across the world. They can work on files and documents at the same time and share ideas as easily as they can share calendars. Office 365 gives people new ways to work together with ease, on virtually any device.



Microsoft Office applications are at the heart of Office 365. Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Outlook and other Office applications connect to Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint and Lync to deliver a world-class solution for communication and collaboration.



“When I saw Office 365, I knew this was the way businesses would work in the future,” said Elia Wallen, owner of fast-growing temporary housing provider Travelers Haven. “With Office 365, I’m going to save $100,000 a year and cut 30 hours of work a day across my 35 employees, but most importantly, my team is going to be able to work together better — no matter where they are.”

More stories from businesses that have tried Office 365 are available athttp://www.microsoft.com/casestudies.



Office 365 Partners



Microsoft is building a massive partner ecosystem around Office 365, including systems integrators, software vendors, resellers and other partners. Today, that ecosystem is expanding as the company partners in new ways with market-leading service providers. These companies will package Office 365 with their own services — from Web hosting and broadband to finance solutions and mobile services — and bring those new offerings to millions of small and midsize businesses globally.



“Our partners represent some of the best-known, most-trusted brands in their local markets,” said Kurt DelBene, president, Microsoft Office Division. “Our customers will be able to rest easy knowing their cloud services are backed by Microsoft and some of the greatest service providers in the world.”



A list of Office 365 service provider partners is available here.



About Office 365



Office 365 offers a range of service plans for a predictable monthly price from $2 to $27 per user per month. With Office 365 for small businesses, customers can be up and running with Office Web Apps, Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Lync Online and an external website in minutes, for $6 (U.S.) per user, per month. These tools put enterprise-grade email, shared documents, instant messaging, video and Web conferencing, portals, and more at everyone’s fingertips.



Office 365 for enterprises has an array of choices, from simple email to comprehensive suites to meet the needs of midsize and large businesses, as well as government organizations. Customers can now get Microsoft Office Professional Plus on a pay-as-you-go basis with cloud-based versions of the industry’s leading business communications and collaboration services. Each of these plans comes with the advanced IT controls, innovative security technologies, 24/7 IT support and reliability customers expect from Microsoft.



Availability



Office 365 for small businesses and Office 365 for enterprises are available now. Businesses can try Office 365 for free for 30 days by signing up at http://www.office365.com or from their local Microsoft partner. Follow Office 365 on Twitter (@Office365), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/office365) and the Office 365 blog at http://community.office365.com for the latest information.

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Windows Logo in Apple Store? Oh, That Would Be Hilarious!

Vandalism is a ruthless destruction of what seems to be a great art.

It turns out the two guys in Germany hate to see the Apple logo on its own store; instead, they put something we’re all familiar with – Microsoft Windows.

Steve Jobs won't be happy seeing this...

Yeah, that’s true. Microsoft’s Windows logo, painted in wood perhaps, has been screwed in one of the sides of a soon-to-open two-storey Apple Store in Hamburg, Germany. Though it’s really a peculiar thing to see a Redmond additive to the Cupertino’s sweet Apple, it’s even extremely funny to see the guys mistakenly arranged the colors of the original Windows logo. Aren’t the blue and green colors needs to be switched? Oh, that makes me think those two pranksters aren’t really fan of Windows. Hit the video below and see if they even qualify to work in constructions.  J [via]

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First Sneak Peek of Windows 8 User Interface

Forget about the future concept of Windows 8 we’ve seen before.

Start Menu of Windows 8

Because Microsoft’s next operating system has been demoed earlier today, and for the very first time – you are going to see how the new interface looks like. Microsoft showed few aspects of Windows 8 UI and among those interesting to note include:

• Fast launching of apps from a tile-based Start screen, which replaces the Windows Start menu with a customizable, scalable full-screen view of apps.


• Live tiles with notifications, showing always up-to-date information from your apps.


• Fluid, natural switching between running apps.


• Convenient ability to snap and resize an app to the side of the screen, so you can really multitask using the capabilities of Windows.


• Web-connected and Web-powered apps built using HTML5 and JavaScript that have access to the full power of the PC.


• Fully touch-optimized browsing, with all the power of hardware-accelerated Internet Explorer 10.

Check the video below.



Thinking that Windows 8 is definitely optimized for tablets, the Redmond-based company undoubtedly scored once again in OS competition, at least for the enticing look of its forthcoming OS even in the unofficial build. Though it’s too early to tell, we really have more to see in Microsoft’s future developments of the software before saying it would really be the best Windows OS ever. What ‘ya think? [via]

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Microsoft Buys VoIP Service Provider Skype

Rumors about Skype acquisition either by Facebook or Google have been swirling around since the past couple of days.

It turns out the acquisition is true, but it doesn’t involved the first two companies providing internet-based product and services. It’s actually Microsoft Corp. who will close the deal of acquiring the VoIP service provider Skype Communications.

Microsoft Corp. will acquire Skype Communications for US $8.5 billion in which the VoIP company will become a new business division within Microsoft. Part of the acquisition includes all the company’s technologies, the Skype software, legal responsibilities, and etc.



The acquisition of Skype is expected to boost Microsoft’s current internet-based communications platforms including Lync, Outlook, Messenger, Hotmail, as well in its online multiplayer gaming service Xbox Live. Microsoft will also bring Skype to Kinect, Windows Phone handsets, and other Windows devices, while being committed to continue investing and supporting Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms. [via]

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Nokia Handsets to Run Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 OS

Every hint of partnership possibilities between Nokia and Microsoft just started from a previously leaked memo three days ago in which the current CEO of the Finnish mobile maker, Stephen Elop - a former Microsoft executive went on suggesting that his company is “standing on a burning platform” and that they have to decide a radical “change of behavior”.

The metaphorical memo was an indication of a possibility that somehow Nokia would either use Google’s Android OS or Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 platform.

With a steady decline of its Symbian platform that Android even surpassed its sales in the last quarter of previous year, Nokia has to rethink its strategy in the competition. The Meego project could probably redefine Nokia’s position in the Smartphone market, but with the swift development of its rivals’ mobile ecosystem – it could just leave them further and further behind.



Citing the final words of the said memo, Nokia’s CEO said:

We are working on a path forward -- a path to rebuild our market leadership. When we share the new strategy on February 11, it will be a huge effort to transform our company. But, I believe that together, we can face the challenges ahead of us. Together, we can choose to define our future.

And now is the day to learn that “new strategy” of Nokia. The Finnish mobile maker, together with Microsoft, announced its plans for a broader strategic partnership that will combine both its strengths to build a new global mobile ecosystem. It couldn’t be a big surprise that Nokia selected Microsoft over Google. The two companies actually reached an agreement back in 2009 regarding the development of a mobile version of MS Office suite to work on Nokia phones.



Though both companies still have to finalize the partnership, here are among those interesting information we got what Nokia and Microsoft will be working ahead:



• Nokia will adopt Windows Phone as its primary smartphone strategy, innovating on top of the platform in areas such as imaging, where Nokia is a market leader.

• Nokia will help drive and define the future of Windows Phone. Nokia will contribute its expertise on hardware design, language support, and help bring Windows Phone to a larger range of price points, market segments and geographies.

• Nokia and Microsoft will closely collaborate on development, joint marketing initiatives and a shared development roadmap to align on the future evolution of mobile products.

• Bing will power Nokia’s search services across Nokia devices and services, giving customers access to Bing’s next generation search capabilities. Microsoft adCenter will provide search advertising services on Nokia’s line of devices and services.

• Nokia Maps will be a core part of Microsoft’s mapping services. For example, Maps would be integrated with Microsoft’s Bing search engine and adCenter advertising platform to form a unique local search and advertising experience.

• Nokia’s extensive operator billing agreements will make it easier for consumers to purchase Nokia Windows Phone services in countries where credit-card use is low.

• Microsoft development tools will be used to create applications to run on Nokia Windows Phones, allowing developers to easily leverage the ecosystem’s global reach.

• Microsoft will continue to invest in the development of Windows Phone and cloud services so customers can do more with their phone, across their work and personal lives.

• Nokia’s content and application store will be integrated with Microsoft Marketplace for a more compelling consumer experience.



Here's a video featuring Nokia CEO Stephen Elop and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer while they announced the partnership at a press conference during the Nokia Strategy and Financial Briefing today.







Now, we don’t know yet what could be Nokia’s plan for the on-going MeeGo project or if they will even let Symbian slowly head towards extinction. Surely, we’ll know. Stay tuned!

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Download Internet Explorer 9 Release Candidate (RC)

Microsoft has already pushed the beta iteration of its popular web browser to the next stage of development.

Internet Explorer 9 release candidate or IE9 RC is now available for download for Windows Vista and Windows 7 users. IE9 RC supports both 32 and 64-bit versions of the Windows platform.

By downloading and using Internet Explorer 9, you would be able to experience new features like Pinning of sites, Jump Lists, Tear-off tabs and Windows Aero-snap, and among others optimized seamlessly with Windows 7.

You can download IE9 RC from the links below, but before you do that – make sure to check some of its features and hardware requirements listed from the beta release. Don’t forget to let us know your personal experience of the new IE version in the comment section below.



Download Links:



Windows 7 (x86 version)

Windows 7 (x64 version)

Windows Vista (x86 version)

Windows Vista (x64 version)

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