Exclusive: secret video of the first Windows-based Nokia

Mysteriously got a secret recording, the first about a store's WP7. Even the present leader of the future Nokia phones.
A few hours ago, I already post some screenshots from the video szupertitkosnak for that morning in a strange land in my mailbox, and now here is the complete, unedited recording of how Stephen Elopak employees within the Nokia unveils the company's first device to Mango.


It appears first in the world we have the video running on a store-front windows, so it is conceivable that a temporary difficulty in playing. Please wait, please look back later. Until then, here's a quick summary: The Nokia's first man asked those present to get started is to take every turn recordable device, and when he talks about how developing innovative and able to re-hear the "no pictures please." But, likely made ​​for archiving files, of course, remain. Speaking on the phone itself Elopak also mentions that the Nokia N9 -to-phone is very similar, the main difference between two things on camera means the flash is a little different locations, plus Sea Ray put a device running as a dedicated shutter button. The "Windows Phone Nokia's first mobile" big round of applause of the audience sentences received by Stephen Elopak is not thankless: a fully functioning phone demo soon follow. (The phone runs Mango version novelties even in May, we reported ). Magyarul - short summary If you're HAVING trouble playing the video, please visit us later Nokia CEO Stephen Elopak asking press attendees to switch off all recording device at the Beginning, and he said "no pictures please" again, When he is pulling out the new Nokia device, Codename Sea Ray. The Device Itself is Nearly identical to the just-Announced N9 . Some difference, We can see: Different LED placement on the back (but The Same 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss lens) and the hardware for the camera button on the right. We've Already Know the FACT in May, hurt it's running Windows 7 Phone Mango , so we get multitasking, better and faster browser IE9, and Deeper third-party app support.

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Nokia Sea Ray: first smartphone based on Windows Phone

The first Nokia smartphone based on her new operating system Windows Phone was observed during a performance of Stephen Elop (Stephen Elop). President, Nokia kept it in his hands and, although not shown in detail, video and screenshots of it, where you somehow see this pattern, already scattered over the global network. Based on them, the model is very similar to Nokia N9 - just introduced a smartphone operating system MeeGo: this is too candy bar with a touchscreen and an 8-megapixel camera with dual LED flash. It is reported that the code name for the device - Sea Ray, but it is not clear under what name the novelty will be sold. While not reported, and other characteristics of the device. It is likely that they will be very similar to the functionality of the Nokia N9, however, it is possible that there will be differences. Already know that Nokia has planned its annual conference at the Nokia World 2011 October 26-27, there is expected to announce its first models based on Windows Phone, and the issue could take place later.

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Microsoft Unveils the Windows 8 key-based

Microsoft shows Thursday the next version of its Windows operating system at a Taipei press event, unveiling an entirely new interface tile that he hopes will be better adapted to the emerging world of tablet PC.

Microsoft calls it a "reimagining" of Windows that will be performed on all types of small, touch screens to the traditional big screen PC devices and be able to work with a keyboard and mouse or without.

It is intended in part to make it a competitor to Microsoft in the emerging Tablet PC market, where its Windows 7 operating system has been struggling to compete effectively against Google, Apple and other operating systems. But the new interface is intended for all types of PC.

Microsoft has shown several systems prototype stage running the software, including a tablet, laptop, and an all-in-one PC. The new interface is a significant departure from the Office Windows traditional that Microsoft relied on for decades.

The screens showed broad application icons, colour have air in a way similar to those Windows new phone OS of Microsoft 7. An icon with a finger launches the application and to take all of the screen, without the usual Windows menus, system of bars of plateau and scrolling around the edges of the screen.

"The application quickly comes to life as Windows fades and appears in the background," said Michael Angiulo, corporate vice president of Windows of planning, equipment and the ecosystem, which demonstrated the new software here.

The interface can be controlled using gestures drag on devices that have touch screens. Within an application, users can drag a finger from the right side of the screen to make the menu items to have the application appear, for example, or the left side to switch between open applications. Interfaces appears on several prototype devices seemed to operate, and Angiulo was able to quickly drag through applications and menus on the screen.

Microsoft also noted a new platform for software developers who rely on HTML 5, Javascript and CSS to create applications connected to the Web for Windows 8 and 10 of Internet Explorer.

The Windows desktop and Windows Explorer will continue to be available, Microsoft said, and the software will be compatible with all Windows 7 and peripheral applications, according to Microsoft.

Still, there are probably many developers to learn, and Microsoft announced a new Conference for developers, called Build, which will take place in Anaheim in September, where they can learn about the new operating system. "Space is limited and registration is open right now," said Angiulo.

Microsoft also said that 8 Windows - that he continued to designate Thursday as a "name of code" - will be able to run on arm-based processors in it like x 86 Intel and AMD, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments, and on the platform as it is today. Chips ARM are used in most smartphones and tablets of today.

Angiulo showed some prototype ARM devices running Windows 8 and ARM processors, said will not be limited to the tablets. "Arm allows the ultra-portable computers in all form factors," said Angiulo.

Microsoft designed Windows 8 to meet the needs of a changing landscape of computer, said Angiulo.

"Trends, we are facing have changed", he said. "Today we face trends around immersive computer Internet, ultra-portable, and of course devices touch screens." Windows 8 is a reimagining of Windows for these trends today. »

Several senior executives of the arm, Qualcomm and other chip providers joined Microsoft to its press event. He also showed the new OS a few hours earlier to the United States, the Conference of D9 the Wall Street Journal.

There was a slight shadow suspended over the event, after a Wall Street Journal report Wednesday that said Microsoft insists that its largest chip decision-maker partners each working exclusively with a PC manufacturer to quickly help first Windows tablets on the market.

Some Taiwanese PC makers have been excluded from the original program, according to the newspaper, and she cited the Acer President Jim Wong, saying that the PC industry "" is not for Microsoft, and it is not for Intel. ""

However, Microsoft showed a prototype Windows 8 Thursday of Quanta, giant Taiwanese contract manufacturer's laptop, so he is clearly working with some major Taiwanese companies on the new software.

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Nokia smartphones can provide WP7 October 26

Nokia has announced that the conference Nokia World, which this year will be held October 26-27, some action has not been announced. October 26, this promotion will be some representation of products, details of which are not called. Since the manual Nokia has repeatedly stated that the smartphone with Windows Phone 7 from Nokia should be on sale before the end of 2011, we can assume that it is scheduled for the day of their formal presentation to the public. There is no officially confirm this information directly from the fact that Nokia has been received and it is just an assumption, which is only known by the mark "to be Announced" in Section Speakers' Corners, and the usual time between the announcement of the device and actually go on sale. According to unofficial information, the first smartphone from Nokia based on the Windows Phone 7 will be the model W7 and W8, which are versions of vehicles X7 and N8 with the new processors Snapdragon and other screens. A fundamentally new model, whose design was originally created for WP7 will appear later - early 2012.

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Gigabyte S1080 Tablet is available for preorder

At the end of May this year, Gigabyte has announced plans to release a tablet-based operating system, Windows 7. The model is called Gigabyte S1080 and is designed for users who would like to use on the tablet the same programs as in the desktop computer or laptop. A distinctive feature of the device is also a port USB 3.0. The tablet is based on Intel Atom N550 processor clocked at 1.66 GHz, has a touch screen diagonal of 10.1 inches with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, 2 GB of RAM, and weighs about 0.9 kilograms. Much of the equipment specification is consistent with netbooks this year. Flatbed Gigabyte hard disk has a capacity of 320 GB built-in graphics adapter Intel GMA 3150, modules Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n and Bluetooth 3.0. As an option, can go mobile modem network 3.5G. The battery capacity of 4000 mAh provides autonomous operation within four hours. Optional can be used and a more capacious battery, which adds another three hours. Also, to the digitizer is scheduled docking station which will include an optical drive, stereo speakers and a keyboard. deliveries to the U.S. market will start from June, and the cost is $ 625. The time and date of the sale in other markets not yet known.

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Microsoft porting applications to the Windows Zune HD Phone

Microsoft is going to increase the number of applications for the operating system Windows Phone 7 by transferring a large part of programs previously created for the media player Zune HD. On this decision became known informally podcast from one of the leading business executives from Microsoft MakLoshlena Dave (Dave McLauchlan). In his opinion, the company could receive a significant increase in the number of attractive programs that were not designed for smartphones, but it can be incorporated into the mobile OS. He also noted that Microsoft can not port the application to Zune HD, which were created by third parties, but noted that they could follow suit. This is currently the company continues to pay great attention to creating and maintaining applications for the Zune HD, as believes that these players have a large audience, which needs can and should provide. Therefore, the abolition of the development of new applications for the platform Zune should not expect it will evolve in parallel WP7. In addition, Dave MakLoshlen not call or no technical details of the project, nor its timing. It is possible that in the near future followed by a formal announcement about the project application porting Zune HD on Windows Phone 7.

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How to update the "Normal" Style in Microsoft Word

Change the "normal" style in Microsoft Word is easy and can be done as little as two minutes.

Create a block of text by using the style that you want to appear as "Normal" - the default font and paragraph style that Word will use whenever you create a new document.Make sure to define not only the text and size fonts, but also the paragraph style: choose something in the block of text that you just created, click a right and then choose Paragraph.Set spacing, indentation and alignment.Then select some of the finished text, it right click and select Styles. Click Update Normal of game Selection.Finally, to make this permanent style of new documents, in the Word Ribbon click Styles change and that default series.

Also, other common problems with Windows PC can be solved with fixes for 5 minutes.

Here are several other settings for Microsoft Office that you can do in a few minutes.

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Microsoft turns to extend them Influence PC makers

As he worked in the marketing of its system of exploitation of Windows 8 touch-activated, Microsoft attempts to expand its influence on decision-makers PC to run its new software that build systems that are better able to.

"For the systems Windows 8 be the best ever, we let a new approach to the way we work with our partners in the ecosystem," Michael Angiulo, Vice President of Microsoft Windows, hardware, and ecosystem planning support, said as he demonstrated the new OS in Taipei Microsoft hardware partners on Thursday.

Microsoft wants to influence PC manufacturers on such details as the proportions that they choose displays, where the radio and the buttons are located and even the width of the bezel or rim around the edge of the screen.

"On the first day we started engineering begins with manufacturing and continues through the configuration of the final system of these systems with a much closer degree of integration of hardware-software than ever and that the integration," Angiulo said.

Shows for the first time this week, 8 Windows has a touch screen interface which is very different from previous versions of the operating system, but Microsoft said works on both PC controlled with a mouse and a keyboard.

Developers will have the opportunity to write native applications Windows using HTML 5, Javascript, and CSS, as well as the code in c that they used in the past. HTML 5 applications appear on the screen as the colourful tiles, somewhat like the interface on Microsoft Windows 7 phone software.

Angiulo showed Windows 8 running on a PC screen with a 16: 9 aspect ratio and 1366 x 768 pixels resolution. "We believe that the best way to discover 8 Windows is this kind of direction", he said managers of equipment in the audience.

Microsoft has also "ideas" on "where to put the buttons and where to put the radio antennas for maximum performance", said.

The edge of the screen becomes more important with tactile interfaces, and Microsoft has "sizes bevel recommendations," so that you can easily maintain the system without activating the user interface inadvertently and still be able to reach all the keys for things like thumb-typing, Angiulo said.

"We are working with display and touch the vendors now, and we will have more guidance and recommendations on how to build a system Windows 8 really well in the coming months," said.

Greater involvement in the design of equipment should help Microsoft to optimize systems Windows 8 appearance and usability. This is a problem that apple doesn't have to worry about, since it controls all aspects of the design and manufacture of its Macintosh, iPhone and iPad computers.

But it is not known how the PC manufacturers will respond to Microsoft's efforts to expand its influence on their products. And these efforts can extend further than the design of equipment, the report published in the Wall Street Journal Wednesday.

Citing anonymous sources, the newspaper reported that Microsoft is demanding that officials of microprocessor to each partner with a manufacturer of PC, to help integrate new Windows tablets to market quickly.

Steve Guggenheimer, Chief of Microsoft's OEM business, declined to comment on the questioned on the report ahead of the event for Windows 8 Thursday. Responsible for Texas Instruments and Qualcomm also refused to comment on.

Microsoft will also present a new product with Windows 8 activation system, called OEM Activation 3.0, said Angiulo.

"This is a digital product key technology that will simplify the configuration and the process of development for the construction of PCs," he said. "For end users, this means experience seamless of activation, and for partners it will streamline their supply chain operations where we build together PCs."

He did not provide more details. Activation keys are a way for Microsoft to ensure that people use versions of its software, legitimate, licensed in its efforts to combat piracy.

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The first Nokia devices WP7 will not in Finland or in the U.S.

At a conference in 2011 Mobile Telecompaper vice president of the European branch of Nokia, Victor Saeidzhs (Victor Saeijs) named the country where people are able to buy the first units of the company running the operating system Windows Phone 7.Notable is the fact that the list includes the six countries did not get not only the number of priority markets for the company, but even for her native Finland and the United States.Although the latter could not be mentioned by a purely European debut.In the six were: Netherlands, France, Germany, Britain, Spain and Italy.Specific date of the sale, Mr. Saeidzhs did not name, but confirmed that before the end of 2011.Particularly, they highlighted the Dutch market, which is currently the most important for Nokia in Europe, because 80% of the proceeds it is formed by smartphones.Were not included in the first wave generating substantial profits for Nokia markets of Russia and China, apparently because of the need to adapt the operating system WP7.

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MSI WindPad W110: Windows-tablet with a new chip, AMD APU Z-01

Company Micro-Star International has officially announced the tablet MSI WindPad W110, which was shown not long ago at an exhibition Computex. This model is an operating system, Windows 7 and on the basis of the new processor AMD Z-01. This 1-GHz chip belongs to a class APU, it is designed specifically for the tablet includes a dual-core x86 and integrated graphics AMD Radeon HD 6250. 10-inch tablet, it supports the wireless Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n and Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR, equipped with two 1.3-megapixel cameras (front and back) and is available in two variants with different capacity SSD drive - 32 and 64 GB. While nothing is known about release dates and price of the tablet.

Specifications MSI WindPad W110:
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium / Professional
Display: 10.1-inch touchscreen, 1280x800 pixels, IPS, with multi-touch
Processor: 1 GHz, dual core, AMD Z-01 graphics AMD Radeon HD 6250 (platform AMD Brazos)
Chipset: AM50 FCH
RAM: 4 GB, DDR3 1066 MHz
SSD: 32 / 64 GB
Memory card slot SD / SDHC (cards up to 32 GB)
Wireless communication: Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR
Network LAN 10/100
Camera: 1.3 megapixel (front and back)
Ports: USB 2.0, mini HDMI
Dimensions: 271h183h15, 5 mm
Weight: 850 grams

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Microsoft closes the service My Phone for Windows Mobile 6

Micrisoft company reported that since August this year, support and operation of My Phone service will be discontinued. This service was created for Smartphone operating system family of Windows Phone 6.x. In this case, the ability to backup stops with the August 7, 2011, and October 6, 2011 will be closed and the site http://www.microsoft.com/myphone. Microsoft has insisted that users of this service should switch to using the services of Windows Live SkyDrive Service. This is a new cloud over the proposal has the same functional and, according to representatives from Microsoft, the transition to its use does not complicate the lives of users of My Phone.

The transition, if necessary backup after 7 August will be done automatically - contacts, calendar, text and images will be transferred to the server My Phone for Windows Live SkyDrive. But the video, music, documents, tasks, and your browser automatically transfer will not be subject to. To ensure that they remain in the service Windows Live SkyDrive My Phone users will need up to 6 October 2011 alone upload them to your new service. If the user for any reason will not be able to move it needs data from one service to another, until October 5, 2012 he will be able to order a CD or DVD drive to write to him archive the data. After that date, the restoration of the saved in the My Phone information will be impossible.

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IDC: in 2015 Windows Phone takes over Symbian

Research firm IDC has published a long-term forecast of market development of mobile operating systems. Forecast covers the period from 2011 until the end of 2015. According to the agency, a leading market position in all that time will keep the operating system from Google. In this case, a very large share growth in the market for Android will not be - in the four years the proportion will grow 38.9% in 2011 to 43,8% by the end of 2015. In this case, annual growth will be slightly higher than the market in general and has made 23,7%. The greatest progress will demonstrate operating system Windows Phone 7, which according to IDC analysts takes place which now is at Symbian. C the current 3,8% occupied all mobile operating systems from Microsoft, their share will rise to 20.3%, showing an average growth in 82,3%. The market share of Symbian will fall to 0.1% from 20.6% at the end of 2011.

Retain significant market share from Apple OS, BlackBerry, although in percentage terms will be less. First - with 18,2% in 2011 to 16,9% in 2015, and the second with 14,2% to 13,4%. Other manufacturers of smart phones with other operating systems to increase its share from 4.3% to 5.5%. According to IDC's expectations for the coming year the overall market will grow by 55% compared to 2010 and will reach 472 million smartphones. And by 2015, will double the number of smartphones. It is worth noting that such long-term prognosis is very risky because it assumes that for four years, the behavior of producers will not change and none of them will not take any radical steps. An example of the fact that predictions can be strikingly different from reality can serve as a conclusion of a deal between Nokia and Microsoft, which has completely changed all market forecasts.

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Microsoft will release a tablet with a Windows 8 under its own brand

Taiwan share DigiTimes reports that Microsoft plans to make an attempt to bring to market next hardware product under its own brand. At this time we are talking about the tablet with Windows 8. At the same time as a partner will act as the company Texas Instruments, chipset and which will form the basis of the model. Direct competitor is called by tradition Apple - the company intends to compete specifically with the iPad, hoping to repeat the success of branding the Xbox and Xbox 360, while all other products goes directly under the name Microsoft has been unsuccessful in varying degrees, from not very popular Zune player to the failed sale of phones KIN.

In this case, the main strategy of development of mobile version of the operating system Windows 8 will be selling licenses for the manufacture of devices to other companies. How exactly will decide on the positioning of these products and their own "pill" - is not entirely clear. Not be ruled out that scenario, which is now promoted by Google, where branded devices receive the OS or update earlier than those issued under license by other manufacturers. With regard to partnerships with Texas Instruments, then last week the company announced a platform for TI OMAP 4470, which has a dual-core processor clocked at 1.8 GHz and is designed with an eye to support ARM-processors on Windows 8. This chipset should appear in the first half of 2012. In the second half of that year, Texas Instruments expects to present OMAP platform 5, which is created based on the processor architecture ARM Cortex-A15. C taking into account that Microsoft intends to take his tablet on the market in late 2012 or early 2013, it can be built on any of these platforms.

Official comment from Microsoft regarding the issuance of plates under its own brand has been received.

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New iOS 5 features compared to Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone

No one outside of Apple's glittering fortress knew for sure what iOS 5 would bring, but we did have hints and clues pointing to notifications, group messaging, and Twitter integration.
Apple presented 10 of the reportedly 200 additions and enhancements, including a long-awaited update to the way iOS handles obtrusive notifications, and the ability to cut out the USB cord for over-the-air system updates.
While all the new features mark happy tidings for Apple fans, many of the features have been seen before on Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone 7. Here's a look at how the major updates Apple's most proud of compare to rival mobile platforms. We've included dates and the names of Apple's new features when available. iOS 5 updates on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch this upcoming fall.
>

Apple iOS 5

Android

Windows Phone

BlackBerry OS

Grouped notifications
Notification Center
Notifications pull-down (2008)
Live tile updates (2010)
Notification icons on home screen
Group, multimedia messaging (free within ecosystem)
iMessage
Standard messaging; Third party apps (Kik, GroupMe)
Standard messaging; Third-party apps
BlackBerry Messenger 5 (2009)
Twitter sharing, integration
iOS 5, fall release
Sharing an original Android feature; status updates via apps
Coming with Mango update in fall
Twitter photo-sharing available
Over-the-air updates
iOS 5, fall release
Original feature (2008)
Original feature (2010)
BlackBerry OS 5 (2009)
Magazine, RSS subscriptions
Newsstand
Third-party apps
Third-party apps
Third-party apps
Reminders lists
iOS 5, fall release; includes geolocation
Third-party apps
Third-party apps
Third-party apps
Browser reading mode
iOS 5, fall release
Third-party apps
Third-party apps
Third-party apps
Rich text formatting
Mail app
Third-party apps
Office documents
Third-party apps
Camera shortcut on a locked phone
iOS 5, fall release
HTC Sensation has a lock screen shortcut
Hold and press shutter from sleep position (Pocket-to-picture; 2010)
Must wake up phone
Games recommendations, see achievements
Games Center
Not available
Xbox Live (Achievements; 2010); enhancements with Mango
Not available

source

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Microsoft Previews ‘Windows 8’

Touch-centric interface and application experience designed as a natural reflection of the device.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — June 2, 2011 — At 2011 Computex today, Microsoft Corp. showed hardware partners the next version of Windows, internally code-named “Windows 8,” to help the partners build devices that take advantage of the new user experience. As part of this technical preview, Mike Angiulo, corporate vice president of Windows Planning, Hardware and PC Ecosystem at Microsoft, demonstrated how “Windows 8” is optimized for newer touch-centric hardware, including tablets, while still delivering the flexibility, connectivity and power that people have come to expect from Windows today.

The technical demonstration also highlighted the new operating system’s ability to work across both x86 and ARM-based architectures, with a variety of early prototypes shown running the new operating system. Microsoft and silicon chip makers AMD, Intel Corporation, NVIDIA Corp., Qualcomm Inc. and Texas Instruments Inc. initially announced plans in January to work together on the next version of Windows.

In Taipei, Taiwan, Mike Angiulo, corporate vice president of Windows Planning, Hardware and PC Ecosystem, showed hardware partners “Windows 8” to help the partners build devices that take advantage of the new user experience. Click for print-quality version.

“Our aim with ‘Windows 8’ is to make the user experience a natural extension of the device, from the time you turn on your PC through how you interact with the applications you know and love,” Angiulo said. “This represents a fundamental shift in Windows design that we haven’t attempted since the days of Windows 95, presenting huge opportunities for our hardware partners to innovate with new PC designs.”

The new user experience also extends to how applications will run on “Windows 8,” with controls naturally fitting into the device experience. Developers also will be able to use common Web technologies, such as HTML5 and JavaScript, to create applications for the PC, further easing integration and adoption.

To aid developers in building applications for the new operating system, Microsoft formally opened registration for its new developer conference, BUILD. The conference will take place Sept. 13–16, 2011, in Anaheim, Calif. More information and online registration for BUILD is available at http://www.buildwindows.com.

Contributed by Bob Johnson's Computer Stuff

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Microsoft Highlights New ERP Public Sector Capabilities

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 provides insight and flexibility to help public sector organizations implement a modern workplace.

SAN ANTONIO — May 23, 2011 — Today at the Government Finance Officers Association Annual Conference, a premier event for government financial management education and training, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq “MSFT”) highlighted new public sector capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution.

“Public sector organizations have long experienced inflexible, legacy ERP systems, hindering their ability to support open government, compliance requirements and fiscal accountability,” said Charlie Johnson, global industry product director, public sector, Microsoft Dynamics. “Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 will support these requirements at the rapid pace government organizations need to better serve their citizens.”

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 delivers comprehensive ERP functionality combined with the specific capabilities government organizations need to operate and respond efficiently, quickly and reliably to constituent needs and legislative mandates. For example, funding for multiyear grants and projects is managed more easily with configurable budgetary controls that proactively track revenues, expenditures and personnel resources against defined budget objectives. The solution helps provide organizationwide accountability and increased citizen satisfaction, and helps address accounting requirements issued by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board and International Public Sector Accounting Standards.

“Unlike our previous JD Edwards solution, which required separate systems for our customers to manage things like procurement, budgetary control and comprehensive reporting, with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 we have the ability to reconcile all systems and departments in a single solution, allowing us to focus more on our real jobs,” said Mike Bailey, director of Finance and Information Services for the City of Redmond. “Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is the comprehensive and easy-to-use ERP solution we have been waiting for.”

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is delivered by experienced partners that specialize in providing public sector customers with additional value and support during implementation. Partners including BroadPoint Technologies, Crowe Horwath LLC, RSM McGladrey Inc., Tribridge and Tyler Technologies Inc. are currently onsite at the conference, in booth 501, showcasing their offerings for government organizations using Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is expected to be generally available in August 2011. More information about the implementation of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 by the City of Redmond is available at http://bit.ly/jErlk6. Additional details about the new solution and its capabilities for the public sector are available at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/products/ax-2012-launch.aspx

Contributed by Bob Johnson's Computer Stuff.

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Microsoft Announces Finalists for Global Student Technology Competition

More than 400 students invited to showcase their technology to solve the world’s toughest problems at Microsoft Imagine Cup 2011 Worldwide Finals in New York.

NEW YORK — May 23, 2011 — In July, more than 400 of the brightest young minds from around the world will travel to New York to showcase their innovative ideas for using technology to solve the world’s toughest problems. As the winners of regional, national and online Imagine Cup competitions, these high school and university students represent the pinnacle of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurialism from 73 countries and regions around the globe.

This year, more than 350,000 students from 183 countries registered for Microsoft Corp.’s Imagine Cup, the world’s premier student technology competition. The 124 student teams secured their places at the July 8–13 Worldwide Finals event, where they will demonstrate technological advancements in problem-solving and compete for international recognition and $215,000 (U.S.) in cash prizes in categories including Software Design, Embedded Development, Game Design, Digital Media, Windows Phone 7, IT Challenge, Interoperability Challenge, Windows 7 Touch Challenge and the Orchard Challenge. The students’ projects tackle serious humanitarian issues, often inspired by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, such as the environment, health, accessibility and education.

“Some of history’s greatest inventions were created by students. With the Microsoft Imagine Cup, students apply their innovative thinking to real-world causes in order to generate the future’s greatest inventions as well,” said S. Somasegar, senior vice president, Developer Division at Microsoft. “To see young innovators and entrepreneurs harness their creativity and talent to benefit a greater good is absolutely inspiring.”

Last year, Team GINA from the Czech Republic was among the finalist teams that competed at the Imagine Cup 2010 Worldwide Finals in Warsaw, Poland. The team developed GINA (Geographical INformation Assistant), an innovative software system for mobile equipment that provides navigation in difficult terrain, helps coordinate rescue teams, and enables the efficient exchange of geographical information. Together with the humanitarian organization Hand for Help Europe o.s. and its partners, the GINA system has been deployed in Haiti to track the progress of the cholera epidemic, and recently has been helping rescue workers in Japan monitor areas affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami that devastated the country.

“Technology has tremendous potential to solve humanitarian problems, and the Imagine Cup gave me a platform to share my ideas for making the world a better place,” said Team GINA member Zbynek Poulicek. “The Imagine Cup was also a launching pad to start my own business and have an impact in places like Haiti and Japan.”

2011 marks the first time that the Imagine Cup Worldwide Finals event, now in its ninth year, will take place in the United States. Although the primary focus of the gathering is the competition, the finalist teams will also have opportunities to attend special training sessions, meet peers from around the world, and participate in volunteer and cultural activities while in New York. The final event of the competition, the Imagine Cup World Festival and Awards Ceremony, will take place on Wednesday, July 13.

Microsoft also announced the winners of the Orchard Challenge and Windows 7 Touch Challenge, two of Imagine Cup’s online competitions. The first place teams in these challenges will represent their countries at the Imagine Cup Worldwide Finals.

Additional information about the worldwide finalist teams and projects can be found on the Imagine Cup blog. A sortable spreadsheet of the finalist teams and projects, as well as more information about the Microsoft Imagine Cup, is available at the Imagine Cup Virtual Pressroom.

Contributed by Bob Johnson's Computer Stuff

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Bing's Shopping Section Gets a Revamp from Microsoft

The next couple of weeks are going to be pretty busy for most, what with Mother's Day, summer vacation and school graduations all on the horizon. Well, because of that, Microsoft has given the shopping section of its Bing search engine a little bit of a makeover which includes the ability to link it to Facebook accounts.

With this new integration into Facebook, users can be reminded of their friend's and family's birthdays and even share their shopping lists with them according to a report by Microsoft.

Other changes include a redesigned shopping home page with a new layout that is specifically designed to give more prominent placement to top search results, popular products and even related articles with the intention of making things easier and faster to scan this information.

A revamped results page now features bigger images at the top of the screen. It also offers more filters in order to fine-tune results and even let users hover over different items in order to trigger the display of additional product information.

Even though Google is the top search engine without a doubt, Microsoft keeps on chugging along, investing heavily in Bing for years now. Officials from Microsoft maintain that there are big opportunities set to radically improve the search user experience. Microsoft also stated that if it continues innovating with Bing, it could definitely make a run at Google.

However, that doesn't mean that Google is just going to sit there and take it. The search master is constantly improving algorithms in order to make sure it retains users' loyalty and defends its core market.

To improve its chances against Google, Microsoft as well as Yahoo are both implementing a search partnership. However, last week Yahoo's CEO Carol Bartz stated that Microsoft's AdCenter search ad system isn't yielding the results the companies have expected. However, both Yahoo and Microsoft have both said that they are confident that improvements to AdCenter will boost its revenue-per-search rate to the expected levels before the year is up.

Source: PCWorld - Microsoft Revamps Bing Shopping Section

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Microsoft's Office 365 Goes Open Beta

Microsoft has finally opened the door to its cloud-based Office 365 and is now offering the service as a public beta for anybody and everybody to try out. The beta is available in 38 countries as well as 17 languages. The new beta also follows several months of limited testing with a few thousand businesses that were able to take the service out for an early test drive. After this public beta, Office 365 will officially launch later this year.

Office 365, which was unveiled last October, is Microsoft's attempt at offering businesses a cloud-based alternative to some of the company's more traditional desktop and server products. Office 365 combines Office Web Apps with hosted versions of Exchange and SharePoint as well as Microsoft's Lync product. The Lync product provides the online communication and collaboration element of Office 365.

With all of this, Office 365 is designed to offer a plethora of features including document creation, document sharing, e-mail, IM, online meetings and public Web sites. Microsoft has also included protection in the form of its enterprise ForeFront security client and is also promising a 99.9% uptime for the entire service.

Once Office 365 officially launches it will be offered as two separate plans depending on the size of your company. Small businesses with around 25 employees or less can pay $6 per person per month to receive Office Web Apps and the hosted versions of Exchange and SharePoint. Larger corporations will have to chose from one of four different plans geared toward faculty, staff and students.

In addition to Office 365 being offered as a beta, Office 365 Marketplace is in beta form as well. Office 365 Marketplace is designed to supplement Office 365 and tries to help businesses find apps and services offered by different Microsoft partners. Reports from users already experiencing the beta have noted that everything is working as Microsoft has advertised it to.

Source: CNET - Microsoft opens up Office 365 as public beta

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Microsoft Launches Campaign to Kill Internet Explorer 6 for Good

Are you one of those people out there who only uses Internet Explorer for your web browser? If so, then you may also be a part of the large group of people that still uses Internet Explorer 6. Well, if you are one of these people, you have some bad news coming your way. Microsoft has officially launched a new web site that is aimed at increasing its campaign to move internet users off of Internet Explorer 6 forever.

This new site, known as the Internet Explorer 6 Countdown, went live today and is "dedicated to watching Internet Explorer 6 usage drop to less than 1% worldwide, so more websites can choose to drop support for Internet Explorer 6, saving hours of work for web developers," according to the site.

A lot of computers, mainly in the business world, continue to use Internet Explorer 6 due to internal-facing apps that are dependent on the 10-year-old, non-standards compliant browser from Microsoft. Thankfully, the web page has links to tools for businesses just like this that are stuck with Internet Explorer 6. Gartner analysts have complained in the past that Microsoft's current tools for moving business users off of Internet Explorer 6 have been far too pricey.

Another feature of the Countdown page includes a world map that highlights countries around the world who still have the most Internet Explorer 6 installations. Right now China holds the number one spot. In addition to focusing on the developer side of the Anti-Internet Explorer 6 campaign, Microsoft officials are also emphasizing the improved security Internet Explorer 6 users can receive from switching to Internet Explorer 7 or Internet Explorer 8. Internet Explorer 9 is currently in the release candidate stage and is not mentioned on the page as a comparison point.

Source: ZDNet - Microsoft: Friends don't let friends use Internet Explorer

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