Hot Topics
April 27, 2010
Students From the University of California, Davis Win Microsoft’s U.S. Imagine Cup
Over the past three days, students from across the U.S. came together in Washington, D.C., to celebrate their creativity and passion for solving the world’s toughest problems using technology. These students were part of the eighth annual U.S. Imagine Cup, the world’s premier student technology competition sponsored by Microsoft.
Team Mobilife from the University of California, Davis, took home the grand prize in the software design category. The team’s project helps field doctors use mobile technology for early detection of some vascular diseases among children in developing regions. Although these disorders are normally easy to diagnose in modern hospitals, the lack of tools readily available to doctors who work in places like sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Asia and Oceania make new solutions necessary.
Read complete article on Microsoft News Center.
April 21, 2010
Microsoft Kicks Off Worldwide Launch of SQL Server 2008 R2
Microsoft announced the release to manufacturing of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2, the industry’s most complete information platform for managing, accessing and delivering information. SQL Server 2008 R2 will be available to customers in early May through Microsoft’s distribution and partner channels.
More than 2,000 global ISVs have indicated their plans to build solutions based on SQL Server 2008 R2. This includes mission-critical applications for a variety of industries, including Temenos in banking, PTC in manufacturing, RedPrairie in retail and Convergys in telecommunications. This release will also be supported by the widely distributed and agile solutions from SAP, Kronos and Epicor Software Corp.
Read complete article on Microsoft News Center and take an online digital tour.
April 21, 2010
Microsoft Study Shows SMB Technology Spending on the Rebound
Microsoft has released its second annual Microsoft SMB/Partner Insight Report, a study on small and midsize businesses (SMBs) and their technology priorities in the current economy. The study shows that although SMBs remain concerned about the business climate, most will increase technology spending in 2010, highlighting the role of IT as a strategic business tool in this crucial sector of the global economy. SMBs will invest in IT that directly benefits their bottom line — either by reducing operating costs, improving employee productivity, or acquiring and retaining customers.
In the study, based on a survey of Microsoft Small Business Specialist partners, 63 percent of respondents predicted their SMB customers will spend more on IT in 2010, up from just 25 percent in 2009, with overall SMB IT spending anticipated to rise by an average of 16 percent over 2009 levels. Results from more than 500 partners in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Brazil and India indicate that SMBs view virtualization, IT consolidation, software as a service, customer relationship management (CRM), and support of remote workers as their most important technology investments.
Read complete article and download study at Microsoft News Center. Is your spending starting to rebound? Let us know by commenting.
April 19, 2010
Office 2010 Reaches RTM
Office 2010, SharePoint 2010, Visio 2010, and Project 2010 have reached the release-to-manufacturing (RTM) milestone. Volume License customers with active Software Assurance (SA) on these products will be one of the first to receive the 2010 set of products. They will be able to download the products in English via the Volume Licensing Service Center starting April 27. Customers without SA will be able to purchase the new products through Volume Licensing from Microsoft partners starting May 1.
Earlier this year Microsoft announced that they will officially launch Office 2010 to business customers on May 12 with Stephen Elop, President of Microsoft’s Business Division, delivering a keynote as part of the virtual launch. The virtual launch site site will showcase product demos, customer and partner testimonials, and interviews with product managers and executives.
Office 2010 will first become available in retail stores in June in the US, and customers can pre-order these retail versions of Office 2010 today to receive Office when it becomes available.
April 16, 2010
Silverlight 4 Now Available
Silverlight is a powerful development platform for creating engaging, interactive user experiences for Web, desktop, and mobile applications when online or offline. Silverlight is a free plug-in, powered by the .NET framework and compatible with multiple browsers, devices and operating systems, bringing a new level of interactivity wherever the Web works. For information on the new features in Silverlight, and how it compares to previous versions, be sure to visit the overview and feature matrix page.
April 12, 2010
KIN, a New Windows Phone, Ushers in the Next Generation of the Social Phone
Microsoft has announced KIN, a new Windows® Phone designed specifically for people who are actively navigating their social lives. Brought to life through partnerships with Verizon Wireless, Vodafone and Sharp Corporation, KIN is designed to be the ultimate social experience that blends the phone, online services and the PC with breakthrough new experiences called the Loop, Spot and Studio. KIN will be exclusively available from Verizon Wireless in the U.S. beginning in May and from Vodafone this autumn in Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Read complete article and watch video introduction on Microsoft News Center.
April 12, 2010
Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 and Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Available
Kicking off a global launch consisting of more than 150 developer-focused events, Microsoft announced the general availability of Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4. They also announced that Silverlight 4 will release to Web (RTW) later in the week. Together, these technologies simplify the entire development process, enabling developers to target new platforms and build high-quality applications. Developers will be able to download Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 in conjunction with the Microsoft Visual Studio Conference & Expo launch event in Las Vegas.
“We’re excited to celebrate the launch of Visual Studio 2010 with developers around the world today,” said Bob Muglia, president of the Server and Tools Business at Microsoft. “Customer and partner feedback was instrumental in shaping this release. The functionality of Visual Studio 2010, .NET Framework 4 and Silverlight 4 creates a powerful and unique combination, opening up new opportunities for developers to build applications that take advantage of new and existing devices, as well as emerging platforms like cloud services.”
Read complete article and get the latest launch coverage at Microsoft News Center.
