Smarter Geek

Microsoft has now released the final version of Microsoft Security Essentials to the public for everyone to download and install. This is Microsoft first venture in giving away free anti-virus software since DOS 6.2. Back then Microsoft removed it from DOES 6.22 because virus’s were being written specify to target the in-build AV software. This time the product is quick, non-obtrusive and easy to install. Hopefully we will see a lot of smaller OEM’s pre-loading MSE on computer’s but it is unlikely to be shipped on the larger OEM’s as they get paid by the AV companies to pre-load there trial version’s of their products.

You can get Microsoft Security Essentials from http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

Virus, Spyware & Malware Protection | Microsoft Security Essentials

I just noticed that iTunes 9 (9.0.1) does not work with Aero Peak which is one of the cool new features in Windows 7 that allows you to easily see your desktop without having to minimise all your windows.

This is a screenshot of my computer with iTunes, Internet Explorer and Calculator running.

And here is the same shot now in Aero Peak mode… where did iTunes go????

This is quite surprising as iTunes 9 has actually been written to take advantage of some Windows 7 features such as Jump Lists and Mini Control’s.

iTunes Jump list

iTunes Mini Controls

Recently I blogged that I thought that Microsoft was getting its MOJO back due to all the new products that are coming soon… Well in the past 2 months since that blog things are even looking better for Microsoft so I thought I would do revised version with all the new information.

• Microsoft Courier – OMFG!!!  this is going to be the iPhone/iTablet killer device from Microsoft.
• Windows Mobile 6.5 – Yes i can hear you laugh but this is single biggest change to the Windows Mobile UI since 2000. It is certainly going to address some of the shortfall of the current WinMo 6.1 OS.
• Windows Mobile 7 – This is going to be awesome. Microsoft are laser focused on getting this right. I have no doubt that this device is going to be awesome.
• Windows Azure – The quiet achiever. By the end of the year Microsoft will have commercial availability of the Azure platform. One of the offering that is going to be really amazing is the ability to move your corporate email into the cloud for storage by Microsoft.
• Windows 7 – This still goes without saying that Windows 7 is going to be huge. All the manufacturers are chapping at the bit for this release.
• Windows Server 2008 R2 with Hyper-V – Hyper-V (v1) has got 24% of the market share and that is without Live Migration. Hyper-V R2 is going to blast VMWare out of the water.
• Hyper-V R2 – But wait didn’t i just mention this… No this is the FREE version of the virtualisation software that Microsoft releases. But more interestingly is that the Hyper-V R2 is pretty much as fully functional as the Windows version.
• Windows Server 2008 R2 – Just like Windows Server 2008 but even better
• Xbox 360 – Clearly it is the best high powered gaming console on the market now even cheaper with it costing on $299au
• Bing – Now with 10% US market share this is a massive gain for Microsoft.
• ZuneHD – Has been release to very good reviews in the US. Now it just need to be released world wide.
• Exchange 2010 – Will make corporate emails systems much faster and more reliable and now you can do Gmail to Exchange Cloud migrations with just one line of code.
• Office 2010 Web – Run Office 2010 on almost any type of web browser on almost any OS.
• Project Natal – Is going to be the must have device of 2010
• Microsoft Security Essentials – Finally Microsoft will have a free anti-virus system. This product is not only fast it has been rated as the number 2 AV product on the market
• The other really interesting thing is that Microsoft’s perception in the market is now certainly changing when being compared to Apple with all the iPhone/Google Voice rejection issues and people finally realising that OSX is not as secure as Windows with a slew of security updates coming out every month.

Did you notice the in the photos of the new Microsoft Tablet device called the “Courier” that the corners of the device look like they are cut at 45 degrees. This is very reminiscent from all the books seen the TV series BattleStar Galactica and the new series about to be show called Caprica which is coming out January next year. Maybe Microsoft are trying to suggest that in technologically advanced societies that everything will need to have cut corners.

Looks like Microsoft is getting close to releasing a two page 7inch notepad and got the jump on Apple by releasing photos and a video. If Microsoft can put this device together for release in the first half of next year then they will truly have an impressive product. AWSOME!!

Source: Courier: First Details of Microsoft’s Secret Tablet – Microsoft courier tablet – Gizmodo