HelpWithWindows Newsletter

01. Next Windows Live Suite (Wave3) Beta's Available

by Arie Slob

Hello Windows users,

Last Wednesday, the Windows Live team officially shipped the first public Beta releases of the much anticipated "Wave 3" set of "Live" applications.

The announcement was made by Chris Jones, Corporate Vice President, Windows Live Experience Program Management in a blog posting on Windows Live Spaces. Chris wrote that "This wave includes significant updates to our software applications for your Windows PC, and the latest version of the Windows Live suite of PC applications includes Messenger, Mail, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Writer, Toolbar, and Family Safety. You'll find new features across the products and most notably, Windows Live Messenger has been almost entirely redesigned."

The first wave of Live applications included Hotmail, Messenger, and Spaces, and were released in 2006. The second wave tied the PC to the Web, and included Photo Gallery, Live Mail, Windows Live Writer, Events, SkyDrive, Calendar, and Family Safety. In this wave Microsoft also introduced Windows Live experiences for mobile phones including downloads for Windows Mobile devices and browser-based services for web-enabled mobile devices. The second wave was completed in 2007.

"Microsoft encourages interested Windows Live customers and the tech-savvy community to test the new features and functionality," Microsoft said in a statement. "It is recommended that consumers wait until the products are final before downloading."

In addition to updating the desktop programs, Microsoft is also expected to make updates to its online services--things like Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Spaces.

If you want to download the Wave3 Beta's, you can do so from the Windows Live Downloads site.

No release date has been set for the release of final versions of the software.

Your Comments.

02. Microsoft Unveils 2008 Hardware Lineup

Last week Microsoft unveiled its 2008 hardware lineup, with innovative new mouse technology stealing the show. Microsoft also unveiled new keyboards, Web cameras, and an online video service aimed at users of those cameras.

It is the mouse however that steals the show. Microsoft's new proprietary tracking technology (BlueTrack Technology) combines the width and power of optical technology with the precision of laser tracking to allow consumers to mouse on virtually any surface - from a granite kitchen countertop to the living room carpet.

BlueTrack Technology will debut in two new top-of-the-line mice, Microsoft Explorer Mouse and Microsoft Explorer Mini Mouse, available this holiday season at authorized resellers.

Microsoft also unveiled a revolutionary crescent-moon-shaped mouse designed to be just as fashionable as it is functional - the Arc Mouse. With its unique foldable design, the Arc mouse reduces by almost half for portability when it is snapped shut, but provides complete comfort when opened to its full size.

Visit the Microsoft Hardware Web site for more details.

03. Special Offer - Windows Tweaking Toolbox Vista

A popular tool for Windows XP for many years, this utility is now available for Windows Vista users. Tweaking Toolbox Vista lets you change hundreds of Windows Vista settings, improving appearance, performance, security and functionality.

Tweaking Toolbox Vista is the ultimate tweaking utility. And unlike any other it features Export/Import functionality that lets you configure multiple machines quickly and effortlessly! Another unique feature of Tweaking Toolbox Vista is its ability to access and configure multiple (Windows) user accounts on the same computer.

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To take advantage of this special offer use this special purchase link.

NOTE: You get the same 25% discount on your purchase of a family pack license good for installation on 5 computers in your household.

04. Recent Support BBS Postings

Poll: Now that SP1 has been available 6 months, what are your Vista plans?

Vista Business Edition games - Windows Vista
Do I need SP 3? - Windows XP
ZoneAlarm users warned off latest upgrade - General Security
Surfing the net via Bluetooth teathered phone - Networking
Advice on what type of Router to buy - Hardware

05. Recommended Book: Windows Vista Inside Out

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06. Microsoft Office Outlook Connector 12.1 Beta 2

With Microsoft Office Outlook Connector, you can use Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 or Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 to access and manage your Microsoft Windows Live Hotmail or Microsoft Office Live Mail accounts, including e-mail messages, contacts and calendars for free!

07. Latest Microsoft & Windows News from around the Internet

Latest Microsoft & Windows News from around the Internet

08. Microsoft posts 21 more versions of IE8

Microsoft released 21 additional versions of its Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) Beta 2, including editions in Czech, Italian, Norwegian, Russian, Spanish and other languages.

Download IE8

09. 10. 10 reasons to stick with Vista and forget Linux

Windows Vista is in the news again, thanks to the incomprehensible start to the new campaign featuring Gates and Seinfeld, but also because of the growing threat to Windows Vista posed by different flavours of Linux, XP and Mac OS X. But none of those things stop Vista from being Microsoft's best OS yet.

iTWire colleague David M Williams has written an article entitled "5 reasons to upgrade from Windows Vista to Linux". Let's go through all those reasons, put them in their place, and come up with 5 more to stick with Vista and forget about Linux.

Read ITWire Article