Microsoft Releases Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Microsoft has released their Windows 8 Consumer Preview – It’s Windows reimagined and reinvented from a solid core of Windows 7 speed and reliability. It’s an all-new touch interface. It’s a new Windows for new devices.

Available in:

• Chinese (Simplified)
• English
• French
• German
• Japanese

 

BLAH BLAH BLAH: “Windows 8 Consumer Preview is prerelease software that may be substantially modified before it’s commercially released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here. Some product features and functionality may require additional hardware or software. If you decide to go back to your previous operating system, you’ll need to reinstall it from the recovery or installation media that came with your PC.”

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Microsoft Releases Calendar Checking Tool for Outlook

Calendar Checking Tool for Outlook is a command-line program that checks Outlook Calendars for problems. To use this tool, the Outlook calendar must reside on a Microsoft Exchange Server. The tool does not work with IMAP, with POP3, or with other non-Exchange mail servers.

The tool opens an Outlook profile, opens the Outlook Calendar, and then checks several things such as permissions, free/busy publishing, and auto booking. Then, the tool checks each item in the calendar folder for problems that can cause items to seem to be missing or that might otherwise cause problems in the Calendar.

 

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Microsoft Research Releases Excel 2010 Cloud Data Analytics Add-on

Excel Cloud Data Analytics is a Microsoft Excel add-in that enables users to execute a variety of data-centric tasks on Windows Azure through a custom Ribbon in Excel. This add-in can be used to connect to data stored in the Windows Azure cloud and can be extended to connect to a variety of other data sources. It also provides a general framework in which the user can create data-analytics methods and run them in Windows Azure. The current code base supports the execution in Windows Azure via built-in access to Daytona, an iterative MapReduce runtime for Windows Azure. Using Excel Cloud Data Analytics, users can upload data to Windows Azure, select and run registered data-analysis algorithms in the cloud through Windows Azure, monitor the execution of the data analysis, and retrieve results for display or further processing.

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BestBuy’s Shameful Sales Pressure on Seniors

While I wish my 80 year old Father-in-Law would ask me for technical assistance, he’s proudly independent and still prefers doing things himself.

He was tired of his old (analog) TV, and wanted to purchase a 40″ HDTV – should be no problem, and inexpensive for a senior with a fixed budget.

It’s been years since he bought a TV, and brands like RCA, Zenith & Phillips are long gone. But he knew he wanted a name brand, so he went to BestBuy to shop

So what did BestBuy recommend, and ultimately coerce him into purchasing?

$329.99 – 40” Dynex HDTV at 60Hz (Who’s Dynex?)
$19.99 – TV Screen Cleaning Kit
$39.99 – Fancy PowerStrip
$24.99 – Network Cable
$49.99 – Delivery (How heavy is this thing?)
$249.97 – Total Assurance Insurance
=========================================
$714.92 – Insane Grand Total for an average 40” HDTV

Really BestBuy? You should be ashamed … we cancelled the order for him, and will pick-out a nice TV anywhere except for BestBuy!

Microsoft Updates Kinect SDK for Windows 7 & Windows 8

Kinect for Windows SDK v1.0 Beta 2 includes APIs, sample code, and drivers. Developers can create rich experiences by using Kinect sensor technology on computers running Windows 7 or Windows 8 Developer Preview.

Additional Resources:

• Kinect for Windows
• Coding4Fun’s Kinect Projects
• CodePlex Kinect Projects

Rose Parade Float from Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect

Microsoft had a float representing their Xbox Kinect on this morning’s 2012 New Year’s Rose Parade!

Facebook Releases Messenger for Windows 7

Facebook has released their Messenger for Windows 7 – a new, trial application that lets you use Facebook without being on http://www.facebook.com. While you surf the web or use other applications on your computer, you can:

• Chat and message with your friends on Facebook
• See the latest updates from your friends in ticker
• Get quick notifications about what’s going on

Direct Download –> Facebook Messenger for Windows 7

Microsoft CodePlex Releases a Windows 7 Metro Application "Instant Beautiful Browsing"

Instant Beautiful Browsing “is a work-space that includes applications like notepad, multi-view browser, links to other applications, using the incredibly beautiful metro interface.”

Microsoft Releases Lambda-Omega Equations Simulator Tool

Microsoft’s Research Labs has released their “Lambda-Omega Equations Simulator Tool” tool to assist readers of in understanding the numerical dynamics illustrated in the paper “Explaining spatiotemporal dynamics in lambda-omega reaction-diffusion equations using absolute stability spectra of wavetrains” and to encourage readers to experiment with changes to boundary conditions and parameter values.

I have NO clue what the heck all that cool sounding stuff means – but I’m betting that Microsoft’s “Lambda-Omega Equations Simulator Tool” is one of the best “Lambda-Omega Equations Simulator Tools” around! 🙂

Microsoft Releases Excel Web App on SkyDrive

Microsoft Excel Web App on SkyDrive allows developers to quickly create rich and interactive data mashups.

• Step 1: Sign up  Before you can embed your Excel workbook on a host web page, you will need to upload it a folder on SkyDrive and then set permissions on the workbook. Sign up for a free SkyDrive account and begin storing your files on your own SkyDrive storage space in just minutes.
• Step 2: Embed the workbook Once you have your workbook uploaded to a SkyDrive folder and have set permissions, you can use the SkyDrive Embed dialog box to get the HTML and JavaScript code that will embed the workbook on your host web page.
• Step 3: Mash it up Use the Excel Services JavaScript library to make rich data mashups using data from your embedded workbook. Walk through a step-by-step example that shows how to create a mashup using Bing Maps and an embedded workbook.

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