Microsoft Releases SQL Server 2008

Microsoft has released SQL Server 2008 database to manufacturing, including with the release a new Web edition of the product aimed at its hosting partners, the company said Wednesday.

SQL Server 2008, which has been in beta testing for some time, is now available on the Microsoft Developer Network and Technet. An evaluation download will be available on the company's Web site on Thursday.
The product is available in seven editions, each designed for the needs of different customer segments. More information about the editions is available on the SQL Server 2008 Web site.

One of the editions that is new with the 2008 release is SQL Server 2008 Web. SQL Server 2008 Web is designed for hosting companies, providing the tools necessary to support low-cost, large-scale, highly available Web applications or hosting environments, according to Microsoft.

On a conference call Wednesday, company executives explained how feedback from customers spurred them to release a major upgrade to the database a mere three years after its previous release, SQL Server 2005.

They also felt the need to provide 10 reasons to justify upgrading to SQL Server 2008 when some companies have just begun to adopt the 2005 version of the product.

Customers might wonder "why would I upgrade?" only three years after the release, said Dan Jones, a SQL Server group program manager. He then went on to outline reasons -- including a new performance analysis tool and a resource governor that eases management of concurrent uploads -- for customers to adopt the new database.

In a press release, Microsoft cited several large enterprise customers who are testing SQL Server 2008, including Xerox, Siemens, Clear Channel Communications and Fidelity Investments.

Microsoft is trying to close the feature gap between its SQL Server product and Oracle's 11g database, and entice enterprise customers to use its software over Oracle's with a lower price point.

The company also is pushing SQL Server as much more than a database. The product is becoming the central data repository for Microsoft's data-management and business intelligence strategy. The company has made several recent acquisitions to achieve this end, including that of data-quality vendor Zoomix and data warehouse-appliance vendor DATAllegro.



source:pcworld.com


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Lenovo Looks for Strong Finish at Beijing Olympics

More than any other official sponsor at the Beijing Olympics, Lenovo may have the most to gain -- and the most to lose -- as a Chinese company trying to reach a worldwide market.

Still the strongest name in computing in China, despite threats from foreign makers like Dell and Hewlett-Packard, the company, which has headquarters both in Beijing and North Carolina, has struggled to break into the top three in the U.S. after buying IBM's PC division in 2004. Currently it ranks fourth, trailing Taiwan rival Acer which was boosted in part by its acquisition of Gateway last year.For Lenovo, the Beijing Olympics is also a finale of sorts. It is the company's last as a worldwide partner for the Olympics, and as such, it needs maximum bang for its marketing buck this time around. Part of that will come through solid performance as one of the Beijing games' biggest suppliers of computing hardware.

Training for Beijing began in the run-up to the Winter Olympics in 2006. "We prepped for two years for [the 2006 Winter Olympics in] Torino, and Beijing is four times the size of Torino," said Wu Min, the company's director of technical support for its Olympic business unit.

As it is for all of the Olympic IT suppliers, preparing for the games is a marathon, not a sprint. Lenovo will supply 30,000 devices and have undergone a two-year testing cycle before the opening ceremonies on Friday. The Olympics has another requirement not so immutable in other IT projects. "No second chance. There is no second chance, so we need to be ready and have back-ups in place," Wu said.

Lenovo equipment in use includes 12,000 ThinkCentre M55e desktop computers -- chosen for their lower power consumption, in line with Beijing's "Green Olympics" theme -- with 10,000 17-inch TFT screens and 2,000 15-inch touchscreen displays; 2,000 LJ7800N and LJ3500 printers; 800 ThinkPad T60 and Zhaoyang 680 notebooks; 700 SureServer T350, R630 and R520 servers, all of which are Intel-based; and 5,000 various showcase models for use by Olympic partners sponsors, and for marketing. Lenovo's hardware was chosen early in the process, when the company first began working with BOCOG in 2004. While not necessarily top of the line, the hardware is well-known to the team and therefore easier to maintain.

These Olympics have a particular set of demands. For example, although Beijing is relatively dry, even during the summer, events are being held in numerous locations, including humid locations such as Qingdao and Hong Kong, and therefore, machines had to be ready to handle a variety of conditions, Wu said.

Also, because thousands of broadcasters will use their terminals to connect to the Commentator Information System (CIS) in order to provide live commentary to their audiences, BOCOG insisted on quiet machines that would not exceed 30 decibels.

On staff during the Olympics will be about 600 Lenovo engineers, selected out of 12,000 potential candidates through an exam system that made serving in the Olympics business unit an honor. Following tests for engineering knowledge, technical skill and English-language ability, candidates came to Beijing for four weeks of training. Those serving at venues around Beijing and at venues in other cities, such as football (soccer) stadiums in Shanghai or sailing venues in Qingdao, received a further three days of orientation and training upon arrival. Team leaders come from Beijing headquarters, Wu said, and staff in venue cities were mostly chosen from local staff whenever possible.

Aside from providing helpdesk support for its own products, Lenovo engineers would also be available at the press centers to assist journalists and other accredited Olympic visitors with non-Lenovo computers, including rescue and recovery services and anti-virus help. This is a first for an Olympic technical partner, Wu said.

The biggest challenge Lenovo has faced so far has not been technical, but linguistic. "The major challenge is the language," said Wang Lei, director of technology for the Olympic business unit. Although Lenovo conducted advanced English classes for its engineers, and required that each pass a proficiency test prior to joining the company's Olympic team, some members still have trouble with "accented" English and "fast, excited speech," especially as many at the games are using English as a second-language themselves.

Wu said that despite the Olympics' unique requirements, the experience has taught him and his company three things that will apply to future ventures. First is, "how to support complicated and huge projects," having dealt with the games' scale and long testing cycle. Second has been how to adapt products and design to the user's needs. "Initially, in Torino, some of those products were selling only in China. Now they are selling worldwide. The user experience is entirely different. It helps us address different requirements of international vendors and their expectations for customer satisfaction. It taught us how to meet those requirements."

Finally, it taught Lenovo how to handle ad hoc organizations. "Now we know how to address this, in terms of negotiation, prioritization, and bringing together different levels of experience," Wu said.

Wu will be based out of the Technical Operations Center in the Digital Headquarters (DHQ), at the northwest corner of Beijing's Olympic Park. He has a simple measure for success on the night of August 8 and throughout the 16 days of competition. "If I'm lucky, I'll be watching the games. That means everything is working well," Wu said.



source:pcworld.com



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Yahoo Tops Google in Quality of Searches, Study Says

While Google dominates the search query business, results generated by Yahoo result in more user clicks, according to a study released this week.
Heather Havenstein, Computerworld

While Google Inc. dominates the search query business, results generated by Yahoo Inc.'s search engine result in more user clicks than the market leader, according to a study released this week by Compete Inc.

The survey found that 67 percent of the 7.5 billion monthly searches done by the U.S. online population in August were done using Google, only 65 percent of those prompted a user to click on a result, according to Compete, which monitors and measures Internet traffic.

Yahoo logged 20 percent of all searches in August, 75 percent of which led to referrals. Yahoo posted the best referral result among search engine vendors, the survey found. The survey ranked Microsoft Corp.'s MSN Live engine third, with 9 percent of the search market. About 59 percent of MSN Live queries generate referrals, the study found.

"Lower search fulfillment numbers mean that on a percentage basis, fewer search queries in that engine resulted in the searcher clicking on a result link," said Jeremy Crane, Compete's director of search and online media in a blog post. "So from this perspective, one might consider Yahoo more effective at getting consumers the results they want."

However, he noted that the "devil is in the details" when using referrals to measure search quality.

For example, Matt Cutts, head of Google's Webspam team, said on Compete's blog that sometimes searchers get answers from the snippets that appear on the results page. Cutts noted that for a query about the number of ounces in a shot glass, Google's results don't require users to click on a link.

"On Yahoo, you don't get any OneBox answer, and the snippets are unclear," Cutts wrote. "You need to click on a result or two to find the answer."

Crane agreed, blogging that "the devil is in the details, and the story is much more complicated than that, but it's always interesting to look at something from a new angle. People using search engines to find the information they are looking for as opposed to using the engine as a navigation tools definitely complicate this rather simple cut of the data I did here."

However, he added, from an online marketing standpoint, "getting people to your site is a critical measure of search engine effectiveness. In this world, the most important thing to look at is actual conversion on the site."


source:techshout.com

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Windows XP to be available for sale till June 2008 says Microsoft

Microsoft will be extending the shelf life and sales of its Windows XP operating system from January 2008 until June 2008.

Microsoft was scheduled to stop selling the six-year old operating system on January 30, 2008 in a move to leave space for the company’s latest operating system Windows Vista.

According to Microsoft, the demand from customers for Windows XP was too great that they had to listen to the consumer and continue to offer Windows XP.

Microsoft hopes that this will provide computer manufacturers as well as businesses some more time to switch over to Windows Vista in the near future.

Microsoft’s Mike Nash openly admitted, “Maybe we were a little ambitious to think that we would need to make Windows XP available for only a year after the release of Windows Vista.”

Nash also added that most of the other operating systems that Microsoft had produced were available for around two years after a new version had been shipped.

This Windows XP date change applies to retailers and other manufacturers who sell Microsoft products.

Independent firms that use Windows XP when installing it and maintaining computers and networks for businesses can continue to offer this operating system as an option only until 30th January 2009.


source:techshout.com

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Microsoft Mobile Memory Mouse 8000 unveiled; includes Built-In Flash Memory

Microsoft has introduced the Mobile Memory Mouse 8000 for notebooks. The company claims that this new member in its range of mice, is the first of its kind in the market being a “rechargeable (notebook) mouse with 1GB of flash memory built right into the transceiver”.


The Mobile Memory Mouse’s transceiver makes use of a 2.4GHz Wireless Technology and Bluetooth too. It has a dual purpose, as it can be used as a USB pen too.


According to Microsoft’s website, the significant features of the Mobile Memory Mouse 8000 are:

*Transceiver with 1 GB Flash Memory - The transceiver is also a fully functional flash drive, so you can store and transfer files and free up USB ports.

*2.4 GHz Wireless Technology - The 2.4 GHz wireless USB mini-transceiver connects wirelessly right out of the box with virtually no interference, and up to 30 feet of wireless range.

*USB Rechargeable with Magnetic Connectors - Simply snap in the magnetic connectors to charge while working, using the included USB transceiver.

*High Definition Laser Technology - Microsoft High Definition Laser Mouse products are more precise, more responsive, and deliver smoother tracking.

*Battery Life Indicator - You won’t get caught with a dead battery—the Battery Status LED Indicator glows red when the battery is running low.

*Magnifier - Point and click to enlarge and edit detail using the Magnifier. (The Magnifier is not compatible with Direct3D® API in full screen mode, media players, OpenGL, and Layered Windows. If you are using Mac OS X, the Magnifier enlarges text and images on the entire screen.)

*4-Way Scrolling - Scroll four ways for greater efficiency and comfort with Tilt Wheel Technology.

*5-Button Mouse - Get quick access to the media, programs, and files you use most often with customizable buttons.

*Flip 3D- Easily flip through all open windows with Flip 3D.

*Instant Viewer - Too many open items on your desktop? Click the scroll wheel button to instantly display your open windows, then point and click to select.

*Right Handed Design - Mouse design is optmized for right handed users.

*Scroll Wheel - Save time and effort with the scroll wheel—navigate documents and Web pages without using the on-screen scroll bar.

*On/Off Button - Turn your 3-in-1 device off to extend battery life even longer.

*Bluetooth Mode Switch - A switch on the bottom of the mouse enables Bluetooth notebook users to connect directly to their PC without using the included transceiver.

*Carrying Case - Protect your mouse while you’re on the go.

*Designed for Notebook PCs - Compact and comfortable, our handy notebook and laptop products are designed for convenience and mobility.


Well, the features are surely attractive, but what happens to left-handed people. That surely seems to be a limitation.


Anyways, the Microsoft Mobile Memory Mouse 8000 is priced at $99.95 USD. The product is already up for pre-sale at Amazon and should be in your hands by anytime in October.



SOURCE:techshout.com
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Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 and Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 7000

Microsoft is surely on a role as the company not only introduced the MobileMemory Mouse 8000, but also two other wireless notebook mice. They are the Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 and the Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 7000.

The Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 and the Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 7000 both have a very sleek and compact design. Thus, they could be useful for people who are always on-the-go.Both these newly introduced wireless notebook mice have been designed to offer a more productive computing experience and also to reduce touchpad fatigue.

The Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 has been designed to work seamlessly with Bluetooth-ready computers. It could be particularly useful for laptop users, as it boasts features that people have long desired- a mouse that just works with no transceiver or extensive setup process required.

The Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 features High Definition Laser technology, offering smoother tracking, more responsiveness and better precision.

Other salient features of the Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 include:
*Bluetooth convenience: This mouse has 2.4 GHz Bluetooth technology without a transceiver for quick and easy wireless connectivity
*Modern design features: It offers more than a sleek design. Plus, this mouse is ambidextrous allowing users to use which hand they are comfortable with.
*Smart power features: The Mouse has a battery life indicator, an ON/OFF button and three-plus months of battery life

The second mouse introduced by Microsoft is the Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 7000, whose shape is based on Microsoft’s No.1 best-selling mouse namely the Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000.

Listed below are the salient features of the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 7000:
*Advanced notebook mouse technology: This mouse houses top-of-the-line technology with 2.4GHz wireless for a confident connection and virtually no interference
Offers a great benefit in crowded wireless environments.
*High Definition Laser Technology for smoother, more precise, and more responsive tracking.
*Smart software connection: One click of the wheel provides instant access to the Windows Vista Flip 3D feature, letting users flip through open windows and quickly switch between applications for added productivity.
*Innovative power features: The snap-in transceiver on the bottom of the mouse is more than just smart storage, as it also turns the mouse off when snapped in.
*The mouse also features a battery life indicator and provides up to six months of use with one battery.
*Comfortable design: Soft-grip sides and an ergonomic, ambidextrous design put comfort in the palm of users’ hands.
*Magnifier tool and Back button: Users can perform popular commands with just a single touch.


The Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 will be available in October 2007, while the Microsoft Wireless Notebook laser Mouse 7000 will be widely available in September 2007. Both these mice will carry a price tag of $49.95 each.


source:techshout.com

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