The new Live Search 2.0

Seeking to narrow the gap with Google, Microsoft Corp unveiled a retooled Web search service that aims to deliver more relevant results and combines text, video and other information onto a single page. Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, said Windows Live search is now on an even technology footing with offerings from rival search engines after years of playing catch-up since it started developing its own Web search in 2003.

Its new presentation is in line with an industry trend to step beyond traditional text links, with unified search results that offer Web sites, news, pictures and video on one page. Rivals Google Inc and Ask.com made similar changes this year, and Yahoo Inc is moving in that direction.

"Microsoft is realistic. It doesn't think it's going to wake up tomorrow and overtake Google," said Allen Weiner, an analyst at research firm Gartner. "Right now, Microsoft wants to establish itself more firmly with its existing users."

Source:
Reuters
Link:
Windows Live Search

Startup Transforms Windows Desktop Into Panoramic Display

360desktop extends your Windows® desktop as a user generated, photo-panoramic space and delivers a personalized web, free of the browser, into a virtually unlimited desktop.

Grab all of your favorite web apps and content — web widgets, RSS feeds, AJAX start pages, or any part of any web page — and make them available any time, in an expanded photo-panoramic desktop.

You can Choose from any number of cool 360's and spin your desktop for almost unlimited desktop space, Personalize your desktop with stunning panoramas and photo-montage 360's and stick on web widgets, or any part of any web page, Import images from Flickr, MySpace, Photobucket and more, to create 360's online and embed any web content for multimedia 360mashups and Share any 360 as a 360widget on your favorite social space, such as Facebook, MySpace, Blogger, Friendster, LiveJournal, WordPress and more.

Links:
360Desktop
Apply for beta testing 360Desktop

Windows Server 2008 Release Candidate now available

Windows Server 2008 operating system, now available for download.

Now customers and partners can download and test-drive the latest development version of Windows Server 2008 for themselves.

Link : Windows Server 2008

Windows DreamScene released!

"In early July, I wrote about The Ultimate Team’s intention to ship the remaining promised Ultimate Extras (DreamScene and the remaining Language Packs) by the end of the summer. Unfortunately summer never really came to Seattle this year—so we missed our cue. That being said, we are pleased to announce that Windows DreamScene is now available"

Barry GoffeDirector, Windows Vista UltimateMicrosoft Corporation

Finaly...awaited by all ultimate users...is finaly released. Don't know wht made MS so long to release it.

Link: windowsultimate.com

PTCL applying call charges after every 15 minutes on dialup internet

PTCL has anounced to apply call charges after every 15 minutes once dialup is connected. Previously just one call was charged on every dialup connnection.

People all over Pakistan are protesting against this decision. Minimam dialup charges are now Rs 10 per hour that were previously Rs 2 per hour.

According to my opinion, this decision is made to discourage massive dialup users and diverting them to get a broadband connection (which is still nto affordable by all users)

The $100 laptop is now the $188 laptop

Leaders of the non-profit One Laptop Per Child that was spun out of Massachusetts Institute of Technology have acknowledged that the devices are now slated to cost $188 when mass production begins this fall. The last announced price was $176 and $100 was touted as a long-term goal. Spokesman George Snell blamed the latest increase on a variety of factors, including currency fluctuations and rising costs of such components as nickel and silicon. He said the project was committed to keeping the price from rising above $190. The laptops are being made by Taiwan's Quanta Computer Incorporated, the world's leading manufacturer of portable computers.

One Laptop Per Child says it has commitments for at least 3 million of its rugged "XO" computers; among the nations that have shown interest are Brazil, Libya, Thailand and Uruguay. While less than $200 for an innovative, wireless-enabled, hand-powered laptop is a relative bargain, a price nearly twice than what was promised could make it harder for OLPC to sign up international governments as customers. Those governments are expected to give the computers to children for them to keep and tinker with, which the project's founders believe will cause critical thinking and creativity to blossom.

Krazzer (a member of neowin.net forums) posted a very valid comment on this post at neowin.net that I would like to include in this post:

"Or you could go to any of these major laptop sellers and pay at most $200 more and get a computer that can actually handle todays software.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Se...&CatId=1905
http://www.usanotebook.com/computer_laptop...ale2.php?id=169http://www.laptopoutlet.com/tote80lapii3.html
http://www.laptopoutlet.com/dein70lapii31.html

Sure $200 might be a ton of money to some of these familes but why not save up another $200 and get a computer that the whole family can use, and actually has potential to teach them something that could get them a real job.And of course some people may not have electricity so the hand crank is pretty much the only option.Frankly, I think these computers are going to hurt more than they help, but time will tell.

Source : CNN and Neowin

399$ cellphone and you can't set a song as ringtone for free

Apple iPhone introduced a stupid idea (as most people say) on the launch of iPod that iPhone users have to pay $0.99 if they want to set thier favorite song as ringtone.

Crackers cracked this stupidity but Apple has released an update to iTunes that blocks users from creating free custom ringtones and then syncing them to an iPhone. Despite Apple's best efforts to thwart users, a workaround has already been found and posted to the Internet. A method of using iTunes to create ringtones for the iPhone using songs not purchased from the iTunes Store was first posted by Macrumors.com on Friday. Users confirmed after installing iTunes 7.4.1 last night that the method no longer worked.

However, an Engadget post on Saturday details a workaround for the update, again allowing the free ringtones to be synced to the iPhone

Windows Vista Business for $149 (half price) - unlimited expiry

We have two Windows Vista Business genuine product keys(Not from the imagine cup, they are with unlimited expiry).

As we don't need them any more so we have thought of selling them on 50% price off. If you want to save money on this version of Windows, then contact us

email : support@razor-studios.com

Free Genuine Windows Vista Business, Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003 for educational purposes till August 2008

I just discovered everyone registering for imagine cup 2008 is getting free genuine software from Microsoft that includes Windows Vista Business, Windows XP SP2, Windows Server 2003 and more.

The software is available for download with Geniune serial numbers. And the hilarious thing is anyone can register for imagine cup for free! So it means eveyone can get this software for free. I cant understand why Microsoft is distrubuting away like this but its true.

Officialy software is for educational purposes only (for those who are participating in imagine cup 2008) adn it will expire when the Round 1 of imagine cup ends (August 2008 expected)

When asked Michael Sean form WGA (Windows Geniune Advantage) Department about this, he said

"it was being discussed internally in the company and that they might soon put some restrictions. He also said tht those liscenses could only be used for the max of 1 yr.. they will expire after that"

Lets see how long it lasts

Link: http://www.imaginecup.com/

Apple introduces new iPod Nano, iPod Classic and iPod Touch

Steve Jobs Introduced some new ranges of Apple's iPod that are exciting

iPod nano with video support:
The iPod nano has been upgraded to add video support with 24 hours audio and 5 hours video Battery Life.
Cost:
4 GB version costs $149
8 GB version costs $199

iPod Classic:
A thicker model than nano but with more power has storage of upto 160GB and 40 hours audio and 7 hours video battery life.

Cost:
80 GB model costs $249
160GB model costs $349

iPod Touch:
It's the most exciting phone! iPod Touch looks like iPhone and has 8mm thickness with 3.5 LCD screen. Has multi touch screen interface (like iPhone) and also wi-fi. User can stream YouTube videos and browse internet through wi-fi.

It has 22 hours audio and 5 hour video battery life.

Cost:
8 GB model costs $299
16 GB model costs $399

Imagine Cup Virtual Party Tonight! 18:00 GMT at Second life

The Imagine Cup Gallery is now live in Second Life is showcasing 21 of the Software Design teams and their applications from Europe, the Middle East and Africa before they head off to Korea to compete in the Worldwide Finals. So why not come along and meet the teams, check out their presentations and videos or even hang out at the Korean bar and pavilion. Plus we’re also giving away some great Xbox 360 consoles and games!

Visit : http://imaginecup.com/Community/forums/t/3663.aspx