When Windows XP launches here Thursday, Microsoft's new operating system won't be all that's on display. The Marriott Marquis Hotel, the Times Square site for launch activities, will be a showroom for cutting-edge technology such as digital photography, music and video; mobile communications and wireless support; home networking and "real-time" live telephony. All told, more than 50 Microsoft partner companies will have their newest wares on display -- all built to run on, or be compatible with, Windows XP.
In October 1991, when Microsoft first shipped the Windows 3.0 operating system with Multimedia Extensions and introduced audio playback capability, many consumers were still getting used to CD players as a way of experiencing music. Few envisioned the heights digital media would scale over the next decade. Fast-forward to fall 2001, when digital-music downloads are popular, hit movies can be viewed online and today's PCs double as home video-editing machines.
The Microsoft founder spent Tuesday on the set of "Frasier" at Paramount Studios filming an episode of the prime-time TV show set to air Nov. 13, according to the show's producer.
Gates will appear in a show that commemorates the 200th episode of the NBC sitcom, which stars Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane, a neurotic psychiatrist who hosts his own Seattle-based radio show. The episode featuring Gates celebrates Frasier's 2,000th broadcast on the radio. Gates, playing himself, swings by the radio show to congratulate Frasier as a fan.
"When Frasier is doing the broadcast, (Gates) drops by to offer his congratulations," said Peter Casey, executive producer and co-creator of Frasier. "Bill comes into the booth, says what a fan he is, and things start going awry. But we don't want to give all the plot points away."
Microsoft on Tuesday announced the first details of what it will charge software developers to build applications linked to its .Net My Services Web services plan. As previously reported by CNET News.com, Microsoft expects to earn most of its profits from .Net My Services through subscriptions charged to consumers. But the company will charge fees to business partners and developers to gain access to .Net My Services customers. Bob Muglia, group vice president of Microsoft's personal services group, said the company will offer three levels of pricing to developers, largely based on service-level agreements that will specify the number of services developers can access.
Microsoft on Tuesday took a stab at bolstering the Web-based specifications needed to make Web services more secure, and more attractive to businesses. At a developer's conference in Los Angeles, Microsoft announced a preview of a new software-development architecture, called the Global XML Web Services Architecture, and previewed four new related specifications that it will submit to standards bodies after a review period. Microsoft did not specify how long the review period will be or which standards body will handle the submission. But the Extensible Markup Language (XML), upon which the new architecture is based, is a World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standard. Microsoft said the architecture adheres to a road map outlined by it and IBM this spring at a W3C workshop.
Windows XP users can download the new version of Windows Messenger a few days early this week, as Microsoft has quietly launched the new product, which features .NET Alerts compatibility and other new features. Windows Messenger 4.5, which is now available only for Windows XP users (98/Me and NT/2000 users will need to wait for an update to MSN Messenger, also due this week), provides text, audio, and voice chatting capabilities. New to this release, however, are some features that MSN Messenger users had long ago--such as .NET Alerts, and integration with other features like stock quotes through a tab-based interface. But Windows Messenger 4.5 adds a number of unique new features, including the ability to organize contacts with built-in, customizable groups and make PC-to-phone calls (this will be made available October 25).
When aircraft carriers pull into port for maintenance and repair in the near future, Newport News Shipbuilding, the United States Navy and a host of partners and subcontractors will be ready to go to work. Projects of this scale and complexity are familiar to Newport News Shipbuilding, which designs, builds and maintains some of the most sophisticated ships in the world. But now the company is adding something new to its tool kit: a mobile application for project managers developed by its information systems subsidiary, Naptheon Inc. It is based on the latest extension of Microsoft's .NET initiative and loaded onto Pocket PCs.
New Operating System for Enterprise Customers Builds on 40 Million User Base Of Windows 2000 to Deliver Unmatched Reliability, Performance, Security and Ease of Use
With the Microsoft Windows XP Professional operating system set for worldwide availability in just two days, excitement for this much-anticipated release continues to build with more than 150,000 desktops already deployed and more than 1 million more committed to be deployed at enterprises of all types and sizes. In addition, hundreds more corporations have already begun testing and evaluation of Windows XP, further underscoring the benefits of Windows XP for enterprises of all sizes, and building on the 40 million user base of Windows 2000 Professional.
Microsoft on Tuesday will disclose some long-awaited details of the business plan behind its .Net My Services Web software strategy. "We will announce pricing for (business partner) companies tomorrow," Bob Muglia, group vice president of Microsoft's personal services group, told CNET News.com on Monday. Microsoft expects to earn most of its profits from .Net My Services through subscriptions charged to consumers. At the same time, it will charge its business partners and developers a small fee to gain access to the .Net My Services user base. Muglia said fees for companies participating in the service will be "nominal."
MSN Explorer is Microsoft's all-in-one software that delivers everything you need to feel at home on the Web. E-mail, instant messaging, Web browsing, and more are integrated in a friendly program that works with your existing Internet connection, so get it today!
Visual Studio .NET RC1 Available On MSDN (Thanks to ActiveWin)
Microsoft has finally released the Release Candidate 1 of Visual Studio .NET. MSDN Universal Subscribers can download this new beta version right now. It also includes a preview of the Compact framework for PDA devices.
Official Windows XP MSN Messenger 4.5 Download Now Released
Make voice calls from your computer to a phone anywhere in the world, have video conversations, and take advantage of several ease-of-use enhancements like grouping your contact list, new task-based menus, and cool, new emoticons.
Let the .NET Messenger Service keep track of your contacts and enable your interpersonal communications with Windows Messenger. .NET Messenger Service is fun, easy and cool! And it's free.
Windows Messenger is easy to use, delivers great voice and video quality, and enables cool, new innovation with lots of other products and services you use every day. It is part of Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition.