EU Expresses Concern Over Vista
The seemingly never-ending saga between Microsoft and the European Union took another turn on Wednesday as the EU Commission's antitrust division warned the software company not to return to its old ways with Windows Vista. The body is concerned about Vista's built-in Internet search functions and new document features.
While the Commission has not yet opened up an investigation into Windows Vista, it has asked Microsoft to respond to its concerns. If the EU finds evidence of anti-competitive behavior, a new case against the Redmond company could be made.
100Mbit Bluetooth Coming in 2008
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) on Tuesday paved the way for the next-generation of Bluetooth, which will be capable of transferring data over 100 times faster than current devices. The wireless technology will be used for the streaming of audio and video in the home.
The WiMedia Alliance's multiband orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MB-OFDM) version of ultra-wideband (UWB) was chosen for the new Bluetooth standard. Tech industry heavyweights such as Intel, Microsoft, Sony and Nokia are among those supporting the effort.
Third Party Offers Patch for IE Hole
While Microsoft debates whether to release a critical update for Internet Explorer before the next Patch Tuesday on April 11, security firm eEye Digital Security has released its own patch. The flaw, discovered last week, puts IE users at risk of code execution simply by visiting a malicious Web site.
A problem exists in how IE interprets the "createTextRange()" method used for radio button controls in HTML forms. From there, the flaw can be exploited to allow program flow to be redirected to the heap. When this occurs, the attacker can then exploit the vulnerability to execute code on an affected computer.
BizTalk Server 2006 Goes Gold
At the Convergence 2006 in Dallas Monday, Microsoft announced it has released to manufacturing BizTalk Server 2006, which serves as a management tool that links business processes and applications. The release includes adapters for popular applications such as SAP, Siebel, Peoplesoft, Oracle, and JD Edwards.
New features in BizTalk Server 2006 include advanced management and deployment capabilities, real-time alerting functionality, and a new business activity monitoring (BAM) portal. The release integrates with Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005, which both debuted in November.
Microsoft Opens Public IE Bug Database
Taking a page from Mozilla's playbook, Microsoft on Friday launched the Internet Explorer Feedback Web site, a public database that enables users to submit bugs and make suggestions for the ubiquitous browser. The system will be used for IE7 and all future releases.
Built atop the Connect platform Microsoft uses for beta testing, Internet Explorer Feedback will track issues discovered in IE7 much like the open source Bugzilla software used with Firefox. A Passport account is required, but a forthcoming update to the site will enable anyone to view existing bugs without logging in.
Exploit Surfaces for Unpatched IE Flaw
Microsoft acknowledged Friday that an exploit has surfaced in the wild to take advantage of a recently uncovered security vulnerability in Internet Explorer. The flaw puts IE users at risk of code execution simply by visiting a malicious Web site, and affects fully patched Windows XP SP2 systems.
A problem exists in how IE interprets the "createTextRange()" method used for radio button controls in HTML forms. From there, the flaw can be exploited to allow program flow to be redirected to the heap. When this occurs, the attacker can then exploit the vulnerability to execute code on an affected computer.
Microsoft Releases Updated Vista Build
Microsoft over the weekend made available an updated build of Windows Vista, but only to a limited subset of testers in its Technology Adoption Partner (TAP) program. The interim release, numbered 5342, includes minor fixes and user interface tweaks, and is labeled an EDW build.
EDW, or External Developer Workstation, builds are made available more frequently than Community Technology Previews and have not gone through the same level of quality control. Typically such releases are designed to provide partners with changes they have requested during the beta process. The next public Vista release, the "Consumer CTP," is expected in late April or May.
Microsoft Shakes Up Windows Division
Mere days after announcing a delay in the release of Windows Vista, Microsoft has massively reorganized its Platforms & Services Division (PSD), which will now be made up of eight groups. The idea, the company says, is to better align its Windows and MSN efforts with its new "Live strategy."
As part of the shakeup, Microsoft Office head Steven Sinofsky will now lead the Redmond company's Windows and Windows Live efforts, taking over development of future Windows releases. That effort was previously headed by Jim Allchin, who will be retiring next year.
Toshiba to Push Back HD DVD Players
Following news that Warner Home Video has delayed the release of its initial batch of HD DVD movie titles by three weeks, Toshiba said Thursday it will hold off on launching the first HD DVD players until next month. The company initially targeted a March debut of the high-definition DVD format.
Blaming the delay on technical issues, Warner said its HD DVD discs would not appear until April 18, rather than March 28 as previously announced. Also, its list of launch titles has been scaled back as well to three: "Million Dollar Baby," "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Last Samurai."
Microsoft Kicks Off MIX 06 with 'Atlas'
Microsoft's MIX 06 conference in Las Vegas got underway Monday morning with Bill Gates using the opening keynote to highlight his company's renewed investment in the Web through development of new technologies and programs. At center stage was "Atlas," a new tool that simplifies the creation of AJAX-enabled sites using ASP 2.0.
The first public build of Atlas was delivered at PDC 2005 last year, and Microsoft made available a March CTP of Atlas on Monday. The latest release includes a "go-live license," which means developers can take into production their Atlas based applications and solutions.
Windows Live Goes Shopping
Microsoft is preparing to unwrap its latest Windows Live service: Shopping. The beta is set to launch in the coming weeks and will become one of the MSN Marketplace offerings alongside Windows Live Expo and MSN Shopping. The Live Shopping platform will cater to individual sellers as well as retailers.
The Redmond company is currently looking to fill Windows Live Shopping job openings in Seattle, San Francisco, Beijing and India. "The social shopping space is exploding with innovation and new user scenarios. Online/offline integration in the shopping space is a rapidly evolving area with dramatic potential to make people's lives easier," Microsoft says.
AOL Explorer Gets Widgets, Themes
AOL is continuing development of its alternative Internet Explorer based Web browser, tacking on a number of new features for version 1.5. The new release, currently in beta testing, will be the first major update since AOL Explorer debuted last July.
Atop the list of improvements is a Desktop Widgets feature that enables users to "tear off" a Side Panel and place it on the Windows desktop. The panel can then be used independently of AOL Explorer. Opera Software is adding widgets to the new 9.0 release of its browser as well.
Microsoft to Update IE7 for MIX Confab
With Beta 2 still a couple months away, Microsoft plans to issue an updated preview build of Internet Explorer 7 at next week's MIX 06 conference in Las Vegas. The interim release will be what Microsoft calls "layout complete," which means developers won't have to worry about future changes breaking their sites.
An IE7 Beta 2 Preview was made available at the end of January with a number of improvements including tabbed browsing and increased security. While Microsoft considered the build to be largely complete feature wise, developers said it required "additional fit and finish work."
Report: AOL to Relaunch Netscape.com
After resurrecting the Netscape browser with the aid of Firefox, AOL is now looking to breathe life back into its aging Netscape.com portal, which has largely been left to stagnate. According to reports, Netscape.com will become a user-driven news site, much like the popular Digg.com.
Weblogs, Inc. founder-turned AOL executive Jason Calacanis has been tapped for the job of heading up the new site, according to PaidContent.org. Calacanis himself says, "There are no details to share right now," but sources say the current Netscape.com team has been let go. AOL VP and former Netscape President Jim Bankoff, who was largely responsible for the Weblogs acquisition, will oversee the changes.
Hackers Install Windows XP on Intel Mac
While Windows XP won't natively boot on Apple's new Intel based Macs due to lack of EFI support and Microsoft has no plans to change that in Vista, one hacker has found a way around the limitation and snagged a $13,854 prize in the process. But the approach requires heavy editing of an XP install disc.
Colin Nederkoorn launched a contest to encourage the technically savvy to get Windows XP installed on an Intel iMac, Mac mini or MacBook Pro. Donations were collected from a number of companies and individuals, with the sum going to the first person that discovered a reproducible method for booting Windows on a Mac.
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