3Com's Mobile Beta Test Services is looking for beta testers to evaluate two 802.11b-based wireless PC cards, and new V.92 modem software for the 3Com mobile combo card platform. Applications for a retractable antenna wireless test will be accepted until Wednesday, January 9. Alternatively, registration for a fixed antenna PC card test will remain open until January 21. The deadline for applying to test the modem upgrade is Friday, January 11.

The V.92/V.44 modem upgrade is open to applicants who have a 3C3FEM656 C, 3CXFEM656 C, CXSH654B or 3C3SH654B Ethernet+Modem PC card. A Windows based laptop running Windows 95, NT 4.0 SP6, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000 SP2, or Windows XP Pro is required. Testers must also have access to a full line of communication software for modem communication, remote access and FAX abilities, and have lines capable of connection V.90 prior to beginning the test.

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UPDATED Beginning Monday evening at 11 p.m. PST, Blizzard Entertainment will begin accepting beta test applications for its much anticipated new real-time strategy game, WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos. The signup period will last until 11 p.m. PST on Friday, January 11. Out of the pool of applicants 5,000 testers will be selected at random to participate in the beta, which will be playable via Battle.net.

The oft-delayed third installment in the hugely popular WarCraft series will feature a custom 3D engine and multiplayer support for up to 12 players per game. Beta testers will have the opportunity to play each of the four races: Orcs, Humans, Undead and Night Elves.

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As the clock here on the East begins its final countdown to Christmas Day, we at BetaNews would like to extend our deepest thanks for your support over this past year and wish all of you safe and happy holidays whatever your religious or ethnic affiliation.

We have gone through immense change in the last twelve months, and without your help who knows where we would be today. We have much in store for BetaNews in the near future, including the oft-delayed new site, and will do our best to continue serving up the latest software and industry news. While we are on an abbreviated schedule for the holidays, be sure to check for new betas or send a quick greeting to the staff.

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The beta cycle for the Windows XP edition of Novell's Client software has drawn to a close. Novell claims that its latest release represents the fastest, most reliable and best tested client for Windows, with in excess of 26,000 workstations tested. The release allows Windows XP users to utilize Novell Directory Services provided by servers running Novell software.

According to Novell, "The 32-bit Novell Client product brings the full power, ease of use, manageability, and security of NDS to Windows XP workstations. Novell Client for Windows XP fully supports NetWare and NDS services and utilities on a Windows XP workstation, including integrated messaging, multiprotocol support, management, security, and file and print services."

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Microsoft on Thursday issued a stern security warning, advising all users of Windows 9x, Me and XP to apply a patch for the Universal Plug and Play service if active. Two vulnerabilities have been discovered by eEye Digital Security in the service, which allows computers to discover and use network-based devices. Most dangerous to client machines running Windows XP, a buffer overrun vulnerability makes it possible for an attacker to gain complete control over an affected system.

According to Microsoft, "There is an unchecked buffer in one of the components that handle NOTIFY directives – messages that advertise the availability of UPnP-capable devices on the network. By sending a specially malformed NOTIFY directive, it would be possible for an attacker to cause code to run in the context of the UPnP service, which runs with System privileges on Windows XP. (On Windows 98 and Windows ME, all code executes as part of the operating system)."

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Bytemasters has begun accepting applications from beta testers interested in debugging Contact Master 2, Workgroups Edition, a new customer relationship management (CRM) software solution for small to mid-sized businesses. Participants in the beta test will receive a complimentary 50-seat final version of Contact Master 2, valued at $39,750.

Currently used by AT&T, Phillips Petroleum, Eli Lilly and others, Contact Master allows workgroups of users to store, organize and share information. Contact Master 2 features a self healing database, two years of free upgrades, a free 90-day trial, and support for a virtually unlimited number of organizations, contacts, documents, tasks, notes, and more.

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Despite numerous delays and a name change, pressplay has opened the doors to its online music service originally announced in May, 2000. A joint venture between Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group, pressplay will offer music from its own catalog, as well as EMI and many independents via subscriptions starting at $9.95 USD. pressplay will also feature the ability to burn a limited number of downloaded songs onto CD, upping the ante with RealNetworks-backed competitor MusicNet.

pressplay subscriptions will be initially offered through MSN Music, Yahoo! Music, and Roxio - makers of Easy CD Creator. Songs will be distributed in Windows Media format and play only using Microsoft's Windows Media Player, due to digital rights management restrictions. Although subscribers may burn a limited number of tracks to CD, downloaded songs may not be transferred to a portable device. pressplay is placing its bets on streaming, offering less downloads but more streams than MusicNet.

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Microsoft is offering an early look at its next generation project management software, Project 2002. Project 2002 is slated to ship in two flavors: Standard and Professional. A Project Server extension will be available for integration with the upcoming Windows .NET Server, along with separate Project Server Client Access Licenses for accessing information via the Web. Beta 3 of Project 2002 Standard edition is available now, which includes resources to plan deployments of the new software upon its release.

According to Chris Capossela, general manager of Microsoft Project, "We've added an array of enterprise functionality to Microsoft Project 2002 that will appeal to all our users -- everyone from the traditional project manager, to team members working on specific tasks across projects, to executive stakeholders who need a birds-eye view of the status and costs of all the projects in their organization. Also with Microsoft Project 2002, we're introducing a family of products, including a new version of the world's leading desktop project manager (Microsoft Project 2002 Standard), as well as a powerful new server product called Microsoft Project Server 2002."

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Microsoft on Tuesday issued a second application compatibility update for Windows XP, and announced upcoming support for USB 2.0. The 1.5MB compatibility package, currently available for download via Windows Update, increases support for over 40 older software applications. Notable inclusions on the list are Easy CD Creator 4.02, Norton AntiVirus 2001, Corel Draw, and RealPlayer 7.0. The software giant is also finalizing support for USB 2.0, and expects to provide an update by early 2002.

USB 2.0 increases the available bandwidth for high-speed devices from 12Mbps to 480Mbps, making the technology ideal for video cameras and storage devices.

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One week after RealNetworks announced the release of RealOne, Microsoft has fired its latest shot to dominate digital media on the Web and beyond. Microsoft's next generation Windows Media Platform, code-named Corona, takes aim at Real by offering a slew of enhanced capabilities. Technology dubbed Fast Stream is positioned to offer an "instant on" streaming experience capable of pushing Dolby 5.1 sound to the desktops of listeners. Another announcement set for Tuesday is news of the adoption of Windows Media by leading DVD manufacturers, deeply embedded into their players.

Just as RealNetworks controlled the spotlight at Streaming Media West earlier this year, Microsoft expects to steal the show on Tuesday when it unveils Corona at Streaming Media East, previewing two new Windows Media codecs that will enter beta testing early next year. Windows Media Audio Professional will be the first codec to deliver 5.1 channel audio with full resolution 24bit/96kHz sampling via the Web. Microsoft also claims its new Windows Media Video codec improves efficiency by 20 percent and provides HDTV-like quality video at half the file size of a DVD.

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Tannhauser Gate has begun accepting applications for an open beta test of its upcoming Mimesis multiplayer online role-playing game. Although the closed beta will end on December 12, those who apply before that time will automatically be accepted into the open stage of testing. "We are confident that this will allow us to avoid the over-early-game-release - something very common in the gaming market nowadays...Open beta tests will let us bring in a few last improvements and test the upgraded hardware of the game servers," the company wrote on its Web site.

Mimesis Online is a first person game set in a three-dimensional world, which makes use of the latest graphic cards, and DirectX and OpenGL libraries. There is a subscription fee to play online, however the installer may be downloaded freely and each player may take part in a short trial period before paying.

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Numerous Windows fan sites are reporting that Microsoft has deemed Golden the first service pack for Office XP. SP1 will be the first major update to Office XP since the suite launched last May, and contain numerous bug fixes and security updates. Product activation changes have also been made to prevent a user from having to reactivate unnecessarily.

Office customers will be able to download the update beginning December 13 from Microsoft's Tools on the Web site. Additionally, a version of Service Pack 1 for administrators wishing to deploy the update network-wide will be made available with Microsoft's Office Resource Kits.

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Seemingly in disagreement with Nintendo's claims of one week ago, Microsoft issued a release late Tuesday citing data from The NPD Group that Xbox, not GameCube, had the best-selling console launch ever. Moreover, Microsoft states that "Halo" for Xbox is outselling "Luigi's Mansion," which Nintendo had crowned the most popular launch title to date. According to NPD, gamers are purchasing 2.4 games per Xbox sold, as opposed to 1.9 with each GameCube.

"Xbox sold out as soon as we launched, and we're selling systems as fast as we can produce them. More than 100,000 units a week are being delivered to retailers," said Microsoft's Chief Xbox Officer Robbie Bach. Similarly, Nintendo has planned for weekly shipments of 125,000 additional GameCubes through the holidays. Both companies expect to ship close to 1.5 million units by the end of the year.

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As expected, RealNetworks on Tuesday launched a completely revamped GoldPass subscription service, merging its RealPlayer and RealJukebox software into a single package appropriately titled RealOne. Included in the new platform is RealOne Music, the first service to offer music subscriptions though MusicNet. A beta release of RealOne Player is now available, two months after an initial public preview was issued.

As first reported by BetaNews, an alpha release of RealOne, code-named "Viper," made an appearance last September. RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser revealed details behind the new service shortly thereafter, promoting development of content by third parties. The company's efforts seem to have paid off, with RealOne memberships offering access to premium content from ABCNEWS.com, The Wall street Journal, CNN, E!, FoxSports, and others.

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