Unlike XP’s SP2, this service pack offers mainly under-the-hood changes

Source: ComputerWorld
Written by Preston Gralla

October 01, 2007  (Computerworld) — Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1), just delivered to a group of approximately 12,000 beta testers, offers no dramatic interface changes, nor does it add new features to the operating system. Instead SP1 focuses on improving performance, reliability and application compatibility, and it extends support to emerging hardware such as the exFAT file system that will be used by flash memory storage and consumer devices. However, SP1 does change the way Windows search works, allowing third-party programs such as Google Desktop Search to integrate more easily into the operating system. (See Computerworld review.)

Source: ZDNet
Written by Dawn Kawamoto

A European court dealt a severe blow to Microsoft’s competitive ambitions in Europe Monday by siding with regulators in an antitrust case against the company.

In its ruling, the Luxembourg-based Court of First Instance upheld European Commission claims that Microsoft abused its dominant position in the operating system market. Microsoft’s allies and competitors have been closely following the case since the Commission imposed antitrust sanctions against the company in early 2004.

Source: APC
Written by Angus Kidman

Computer makers have been told they’ll no longer be able to get Windows XP OEM by the end of this year, despite consumer resistance to Vista and its compatibility problems.

By early 2008, Microsoft’s contracts with computer makers will require companies to only sell Vista-loaded machines. “The OEM version of XP Professional goes next January,” said Frank Luburic, senior ThinkPad product manager for Lenovo. “At that point, they’ll have no choice.”

Despite Microsoft’s relentless promotion of Vista, manufacturers are still seeing plenty of demand from customers for systems preloaded with XP, especially in the finicky SOHO market.

Read entire article

Source: InformationWeek
Written By Paul McDougall

Users of Adobe Systems’ digital publishing products, including Photoshop, InDesign, and Dreamweaver, will have to shell out for new versions of the software if they want to run them without glitches on Microsoft’s new Windows Vista operating system, Adobe says.

You need at least 1GB of RAM, and you’ll go even faster with a dual-core processor, PC World’s lab testing shows.

Source: PC World
Written by Eric Dahl

With Microsoft’s Windows Vista finally released to manufacturers and on the verge of making its way to retail, we can at last get down to the business of examining precisely how well the new OS performs. In our first tests, we discovered that while Vista’s hardware requirements may be steep, it should run just fine–even with the Aero bells and whistles active–on machines that meet Microsoft’s Premium Ready specifications (1GB of RAM, and a DirectX 9-capable graphics board with at least 128MB of dedicated memory).

At a New York event, Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer launches Vista, Office 2007 to businesses.

Source: PC World
Written by Elizabeth Montalbano, IDG News Service

After five years and numerous delays, customers can now get their hands on the final version of the Windows Vista operating system.

Source: BetaNews
Written by Ed Oswald and Nate Mook

“It’s time!” And with that simple blog post, Windows head Jim Allchin has heralded the arrival of Windows Vista. Microsoft said Wednesday that it has released the next-generation operating system to manufacturing, capping a more than five-year development effort.

The company leaves room for delay if the new OS isn’t ready

Source: COMPUTERWORLD
Written by Elizabeth Montalbano

July 27, 2006 — REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft Corp. continues to give itself room to further delay the release of Windows Vista.

At its annual financial analyst meeting today, Kevin Johnson, co-president of Microsoft’s Platforms & Services Division, said that while Vista development remains on track for now, the company won’t ship the new operating system until it believes the product is ready.

Source: CNET
Written by Ina Fried

Parallels, a start-up whose software enables Macs to run Microsoft Windows and the Mac OS at the same time, says it is ready with a final version of its product.

Source: CNET
Written by Joris Evers

SEATTLE–If it is up to Microsoft, the omnipresent JPEG image format will be replaced by Windows Media Photo.

Mac fans sign up for Boot Camp

Source: CNET
Written by Daniel Terdiman

That could explain the Macintosh community’s surprisingly upbeat reaction to Apple Computer’s announcement of software enabling the running of Windows on Macs.

Apple Introduces Boot Camp
Public Beta Software Enables Intel-based Macs
to Run Windows XP

Press Release: CUPERTINO, California—April 5, 2006—Apple® today introduced Boot Camp, public beta software that enables Intel-based Macs to run Windows XP. Available as a download beginning today, Boot Camp allows users with a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac®, and once installation is complete, users can restart their computer to run either Mac OS® X or Windows XP.

Source: CNET
Written by Martin LaMonica

Microsoft will step up its assault on Adobe Systems’ customer base with the release early next year of its Expression line of design and development software.

Delay could prompt holiday shoppers to check out Apple’s wares–and it might force PC vendors to offer incentives to keep customers from straying.

Source: PC World
Written by Yardena Arar

Microsoft’s decision to delay the consumer versions of Windows Vista until early 2007 could encourage some holiday computer buyers to get Macs instead, industry analysts say.

Business customers will still get the OS late this year

Source: ComputerWorld
Written by Elizabeth Montalbano

MARCH 21, 2006 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - The broad availability of Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Vista client operating system has been pushed back to next year, Jim Allchin, co-president of the company’s platform and services division, announced today.

Soucre: Macworld
Written by Jason Snell

Yesterday (March 16, 2006) was a milestone day for the Mac. A pair of enterprising hackers got Windows XP to boot on an Intel-based Mac, and won almost $14,000 for their troubles.

Source: CNET
Written by Ina Fried

SAN FRANCISCO–Hoping your Intel Mac will easily run Windows Vista?

Don’t bet on it, one Apple Computer engineer said Thursday.

Source: CNET
Written by Michael Kanellos

It looks like the world isn’t clamoring for 64-bit desktops just yet.

Nearly two and a half years have passed since 64-bit processors started going into PCs. But the software to take full advantage of these chips remains scarce, and customers aren’t buying much of what’s out there. The 64-bit chips provide greater performance than their older 32-bit counterparts, but that’s because of speed upgrades and other architectural enhancements.

Source: FoxNews
Written by Jason Cross

There’s a lot of confusion about Windows Vista these days. Many online discussion forums have a great number of users who express no desire to upgrade to Vista.

Source: BetaNews
Written by Nate Mook

In the two years since it began as a senior project, Paint.NET has surged in popularity around the world and its developers continue the open source work from their new jobs at Microsoft. BetaNews sat down with project lead Rick Brewster to gain insight into Paint.NET, which he calls “Photoshop for everyone.”

Source: ZDNet
Written by Munir Kotadia

The Kama Sutra worm, designed to begin deleting files on infected computers this morning, has caused virtually no damage, according to antivirus firms.

Source: ZDNetWritten by Martin LaMonica

Microsoft on Tuesday released early versions of a new line of tools meant to lure illustrators and designers closer to Redmond’s world.

Press Release: The Microsoft RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer provides the ability to view, organize, and print photos captured in RAW image formats from supported Canon and Nikon digital cameras.

AMD comes out ahead in our first lab tests of mainstream dual-core systems. Plus: Hands-on with the new 64-bit Celeron and Sempron chips.

Source: PC World
Written By Kirk Steers

Have you been lusting after a dual-core processor but are unwilling to pay the premium price? Your wait may be over. New dual-core CPUs from AMD and Intel are showing up in desktop systems priced around $1500, within the budget of mainstream computer users. Our first tests of such systems indicate that dual-core chips provide good value.

Source: eWeek
Written By John Rizzo

When Windows Vista ships in late 2006, Windows will mimic many features of Apple’s Tiger and go beyond it.