Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Microsoft Extends Windows Embedded Software-Plus-Services Platform With Windows Embedded Server

 

Windows Embedded Web site

SAN JOSE, Calif. — March 30, 2009 — Tuesday, during an industry address at the Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) Silicon Valley 2009, Microsoft Corp. will demonstrate the expansion of the Windows Embedded software-plus-services platform through the addition of Windows Embedded Server to the comprehensive Microsoft portfolio of embedded platforms and technologies.

With Windows Embedded Server, the Windows Embedded software-plus-services platform provides an end-to-end technology infrastructure for simplified security, interoperability and intelligent device management in the enterprise. This comprehensive platform will enable new revenue channels for Windows Embedded partners and OEMs, and address the need for real-time operations, high availability and system interconnectivity between individual processes and enterprise controls.

“The evolution of the Windows Embedded software-plus-services platform with the addition of Windows Embedded Server reflects the realization of Microsoft’s continued commitment to drive innovation and leadership in the embedded market by fostering the next generation of smart, connected, service-oriented devices and device services,” said Kevin Dallas, general manager of the Windows Embedded business unit at Microsoft. “The combination of software plus services from Windows Embedded will establish new revenue channels for embedded OEMs and partners by utilizing Windows Embedded Server and the complete Microsoft portfolio of embedded platforms and technologies in scenarios such as device maintenance and support services.”

Windows Embedded Server enables OEMs to design, build and deploy dedicated, durable server appliances that have smaller footprints, robust networking and support for large storage, aiding in the rapid setup and remote management capabilities of embedded devices. Based on the Microsoft Windows Server core operating system, Windows Embedded Server utilizes security, reliability and availability features to enable embedded device solutions to help improve customer satisfaction and service, increase hardware utilization and reduce the need for software updates.

Through the Windows Embedded software-plus-services platform, OEMs and Windows Embedded partners will also have the ability to establish new revenue channels through preventive maintenance, remote servicing and other advanced service offerings by seamlessly integrating Windows Embedded-based devices into existing Microsoft enterprise infrastructures. Today OEMs can work with enterprise organizations to use System Center Configuration Manager for remote maintenance and System Center Operations Manager for monitoring, helping deliver preventive maintenance that will help reduce the need for emergency calls and help avoid expenses associated with sending technicians for every support incident.

For additional information on Windows Embedded Server and the Windows Embedded portfolio of embedded platforms and technologies, developers can visit http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Check you computer for Insecure Programs

Download - Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI)

98 out of 100 PCs have 1 or more insecure programs installed! Download the free Secunia PSI and check your PC for insecure programs exposing you to security threats!
VULNERABLE ?
Did you know that many of the hacker attacks and security threats today exploit software vulnerabilities and code flaws?
UPDATED ?
Keeping your PC and especially your 3rd party programs updated requires you to search the Internet for updates and patches on a regular basis - for all the programs installed on your PC.
WHATS ON YOUR PC ?
The typical user has 30-60 programs installed - do you know which programs you have installed? Do you know which programs expose you to security threats?
SECURE ?
Is your PC secure? Do you have all the latest security updates and patches?
PROTECT YOURSELF !
Security patches are usually free and available for download from the program vendors. Let the Secunia PSI pinpoint exactly which patches you need to secure your PC.
The Secunia PSI is a free security tool designed with the sole purpose of helping you secure your computer against vulnerabilities in programs.

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Current version:
1.0.0.4 [ Changelog ]

Latest release:
24th Mar. 2009

File size:
543,824 bytes

Languages available:
English, Spanish, German, and Danish

Friday, March 27, 2009

April 1st Confickr Worm Threat

** Critical Notice **

April 1st Confickr Worm Threat

Next Wednesday – April Fools' Day – millions of computers that have already been infected by the Confickr worm, also known as "bots", will be used to receive orders from controlling machines and possibly leveraged in malicious activity. Once these orders are received, the infected computers may be used to send out malware, e–mail scams/spam, viruses, or may even be used to steal information from the affected host. The computer must already be infected by the Confickr worm in order for it to be used in this potential threat that is to occur on April 1st.

If you are unsure if your Windows machine is infected by the Confickr worm, please use an anti–virus to scan your machine. Anti–virus signatures to detect Confickr worm activity are available.

** Please note, Windows machines that are patched with the MS08–067 update are not affected by this threat. This patch was released October 2008**

The Confickr worm (aka DownAdUp/DownUp/Kido) spreads itself primarily via a buffer overflow vulnerability in the Server Service on Windows based computers. The worm uses a specially crafted RPC request to execute its coding on the target computer. Once the worm is executed on the system, it disables a number of system services such as Windows Automatic Updates, Windows Security Center, Windows Defender, Windows Error Reporting, or possibly other anti–malware/virus protection programs. The worm also receives orders from a main server that can tell the worm to download more malware, steal information, or spread to other systems. Some of the system services/processes to which Confickr worm is known to attach are svchost.exe, explorer.exe, and services.exe.

** If you do not have the MS08–067 patch installed, it can be downloaded from Microsoft via the link below or by using Windows Update. If your Windows machine is infected by the Confickr worm you can download the Microsoft Removal tool below the Security Bulletin link. **

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS08–067.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

It is important to note that propagation methods for this worm have been detectable on the network since October 2008, when the patch was released. Other potentially undetectable propagation methods include any writable media plugged into an infected system such as a USB drive.

Are you In High School and want to learn…

Do you know a high school or college kid who loves technology? Is your son or daughter interested in becoming the next super-developer in your family? Microsoft wants to help.

Through Microsoft DreamSpark, high school and college students around the world* can download Microsoft Developer tools and also get discounts on learning and certification products. Notify your child’s high school administrators and once they sign up with the program, students will be able to start getting hands-on with the latest tools from Microsoft. Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition? Got it. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Developer? Got that too. Windows Server 2008? Of course! Go to the website and take a look – there are currently 16 products listed for download.

While you’re there, click on the Get Training link. You’ll see free eBooks, Learning Snacks and exam discounts. As part of the DreamSpark initiative, Microsoft Learning will be distributing up to 150,000 MCTS exam vouchers good until June 30, 2009. Students must redeem the voucher and schedule their exam online at the Prometric website by June 30, 2009, so don’t hesitate. Contact your local high school or college administrators today – I did.

*(except China, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Vietnam)

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Good Windows 7 Info

image

As a member of the Step Program of one of my goals is to share information about Windows 7, and Server 2008 r2. Here a Link that you can use to have a quick 30 min. overview of Windows 7.

This quick bite includes the Following subjects

  • Benefits of Windows 7
  • Improved Accessibility
  • Enhance Security
  • Improved Operational Efficiency
  • Managing Images Using Deployment Image Servicing and Management

The Site Requires Silverlight to be installed to view the quick 30 min. overview of Windows 7 click here.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

How to Use BitLocker To Go on Windows 7

dd490967_bitlockertogo_jpg(en-us)

Windows 7 BitLocker has been enhanced to provide a better experience for end users. Without having to navigate the Control Panel or configure any difficult settings, users can easily protect USB removable storage devices.

The option is available by simply right-clicking on a drive in Windows Explorer to enable BitLocker protection. With BitLocker To Go, you can encrypt removable storage devices, such USB flash drives. All you need to do is right-click on the drive you want to protect, select the “Turn on BitLocker” menu option, and follow the basic wizard.

Using BitLocker To Go devices on Windows XP and Vista

Microsoft provides a BitLocker Reader application on the encrypted device, allowing users to access the stored files. There is one huge limitation to BitLocker Reader, however: It is read-only. So after you've provided the password to unlock the drive, you can view files and copy them to your PC hard drive. But you cannot save files back to the device.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Windows Photo Gallery keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with Windows Photo Gallery.

Press this key
To do this

CTRL+F

Open the Fix pane

CTRL+P

Print the selected picture

ENTER

View the selected picture at a larger size

CTRL+I

Open or close the Details pane

CTRL+PERIOD (.)

Rotate the picture clockwise

CTRL+COMMA (,)

Rotate the picture counter-clockwise

F2

Rename the selected item

CTRL+E

Search for an item

ALT+LEFT ARROW

Go back

ALT+RIGHT ARROW

Go forward

PLUS SIGN (+)

Zoom in or resize the picture thumbnail

MINUS SIGN (-)

Zoom out or resize the picture thumbnail

CTRL+Mouse scroll wheel

Change the size of the picture thumbnail

CTRL+B

Best fit

LEFT ARROW

Select the previous item

DOWN ARROW

Select the next item or row

UP ARROW

Previous item (Easel) or previous row (Thumbnail)

PAGE UP

Previous screen

PAGE DOWN

Next screen

HOME

Select the first item

END

Select the last item

DELETE

Move the selected item to the Recycle Bin

SHIFT+DELETE

Permanently delete the selected item

LEFT ARROW

Collapse node

RIGHT ARROW

Expand node

Keyboard shortcuts for working with videos

J

Move back one frame

K

Pause the playback

L

Move forward one frame

I

Set the start trim point

O

Set the end trim point

M

Split a clip

HOME

Stop and rewind all the way back to the start trim point

ALT+RIGHT ARROW

Advance to the next frame

ALT+LEFT ARROW

Go back to the previous frame

CTRL+K

Stop and rewind playback

CTRL+P

Play from the current location

HOME

Move the start trim point

END

Move to the end trim point

PAGE UP

Seek to nearest split point before the current location

PAGE DOWN

Seek to nearest split point after the current location

Explorer Keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with Windows Explorer windows or folders.

Press this key
To do this

CTRL+N

Open a new window

END

Display the bottom of the active window

HOME

Display the top of the active window

F11

Maximize or minimize the active window

NUM LOCK+ASTERISK (*) on numeric keypad

Display all subfolders under the selected folder

NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN (+) on numeric keypad

Display the contents of the selected folder

NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN (-) on numeric keypad

Collapse the selected folder

LEFT ARROW

Collapse the current selection (if it is expanded), or select the parent folder

ALT+LEFT ARROW

View the previous folder

RIGHT ARROW

Display the current selection (if it is collapsed), or select the first subfolder

ALT+RIGHT ARROW

View the next folder

CTRL+Mouse scroll wheel

Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons

ALT+D

Select the Address bar

Keyboard short cuts for Windows 7

Windows 7 Shorcut

Friday, March 20, 2009

Get on the BUS - an eleven-day odyssey across America aboard the Career Express bus beginning May 1st in Tampa, Florida and ending May 11th at TechEd 2009 in Los Angeles, California!

Over the last few months, Microsoft has introduced Career Assist, Elevate America, and Thrive—great opportunities and resources, each designed to help you get a job, keep a job, or accelerate you toward your next job.

Our Learning Solutions Partners in the U.S. joined us in holding hundreds of events during Microsoft Skills Week to help raise awareness of our certifications, and of the people who hold them (that’d be you guys).

Here on Born to Learn, we amped up our publishing, bringing you more information and more opportunities; more insights and more answers, all as it happened (and sometimes before!)

In other words: we been busy.

You’d think we’d be ready to take a break, right?

Heck no: We’re fired up! Ready to go!

…go on the road, that is:

Today, we’re announcing Get on the Bus! – an eleven-day odyssey across America aboard the Career Express bus beginning May 1st in Tampa, Florida and ending May 11th at TechEd 2009 in Los Angeles, California!

If you’re along our route, stay tuned for information about MCP and MCT meet-ups, special offers, giveaways and opportunities. If you’re not on our route, follow our trip here as we visit and profile MCPs and MCTs, CPLS partners and IT Academies, authors and user groups, and more—live blogging all the way on the new Born to Learn (more on that next week).

Who would be crazy dedicated enough to live on a bus for eleven days? (and I’m not exaggerating that much: the Career Express is a rock band-style touring bus, complete with bunks, a kitchenette, and workspace… all of which I suspect will come in handy).

That’d be us: your Microsoft Learning Community team and Born to Learn bloggers, and we’re excited to have the opportunity to come to your town!

And because we’re so committed to helping you advance your career; because we’re not about to let a tough economy get in the way of a great opportunity; and because we just love spending time with you guys:

We want to take you with us!

We’re reserving six seats on the Career Express for MCPs and MCTs (U.S. residents only)—you can join us in one of six cities, and we’ll take you to TechEd! You’ll enjoy our scintillatingly geeky conversation on the bus; represent the MCP and MCT communities as we meet lots of Microsoft customers, partners, and community members; be a featured blogger on the new Born to Learn; see America at ground level; and, of course, enjoy our premier technical education (and IMHO professional networking) event of the year: TechEd 2009 – without having to buy a $2,000 show pass!

With such a cool opportunity on the line, though, we need to make sure that only outstanding community representatives join us. How are we going to do that?

We’re going to ask you to decide who comes with us!

How’s that going to work?

Stay tuned… all will be revealed here over the next week, with the full Official Rules and registration site available on Monday, March 23rd.

Want to watch the itinerary develop and see who else will be attending in your town? Join our Facebook event page!

And considering that we’re putting this all together in real time, and there are bound to be frequent updates and limited-time opportunities leading up to and during our tour… follow us on Twitter (@MSLearning) to stay up-to-date.

If you’re in the Tampa, Atlanta, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Columbus, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Albuquerque, Phoenix, or Las Vegas metro areas—we’re coming to a town near you. And when we do:

Get on the Bus!

Change your web site to meet IE 8 Compatibly

CHECKING COMPATIBILITY
• For those who outsource website management, please contact your developer to determine if
your website is Internet Explorer 8 compatible. And for more general information, please check here.

• For those who manage your own website, reference the Resource links below and/or the
following steps:
1. Download Internet Explorer 8 here.
2. Navigate to your website in the Internet Explorer 8 browser.
3. If pages look as they should, you’re done! If pages look different from how they did in Internet Explorer 7 or
don't work the same way, follow one of the following options:

• Preferred: Revise site content to support the standards-compliant default view for web
pages in Internet Explorer 8
Internet Explorer 8 supports the HTML 4.01 Specification more closely than any previous version and
supports some features of the HTML 5 Specification. This release of Internet Explorer also offers
full support for CSS 2.1 and supports some popular features of CSS 3.0. For more information, please see
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc817575.aspx.

Or you can

•Tell Internet Explorer 8 to display your site in Internet Explorer 7 mode
1) On a per-site basis, add the HTTP header: X-UA-Compatible: IE=EmulateIE7
2) On a per-page basis, add a special HTML tag to each document, right after the <title> tag (and before
any other tags following <title>):
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=EmulateIE7" />

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Internet Explorer is 8 released

 

This Is It: Windows Internet Explorer 8 Released to Web

 

Build applications, revenue, brand, and customer trust.

 

Build applications, revenue, brand, and customer trust.

In this fast-tracked world, you need a flexible, fast, and secure browser. One with developer tools to help you build applications quickly and deploy them reliably. Designed to work seamlessly with other browsers. Develop once, render always—that’s the Internet Explorer 8 mantra, and it means that you can save time and money writing applications for Web-wide deployment.
With the special features of Internet Explorer 8, like Web Slices and Accelerators, you can extend your presence and brand, and create more services opportunities for your businesses. And it can help you build trust in your business. Because almost everyone using the Internet is at least a little bit worried. About viruses and worms. About spying. About identity theft. That’s why unique features like InPrivate browsing and SmartScreen filter can help you convince your customers that they’re in good hands with your Microsoft-based browser solutions. Stability features like automatic crash recovery build credibility, too.

bullet

Get a complete features overview with this video series.

bullet

Find valuable information and links to key resources in the Internet Explorer 8 FAQ.

bullet

Learn more about Microsoft’s commitment to interoperability.

bullet

Ensure the compatibility of customer sites with the simple metatag option.

bullet

Personalize your browser offerings with the add-ons available in the Internet Explorer 8 Gallery—and get the logos you need, too.

bullet

No-charge support is now available in Online Technical Communities.


Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Army database may have been breached

An Army database that contains personal information about nearly 1,600 soldiers may have been penetrated by unauthorized users, Army officials have announced.
Soldiers who registered with, or participated in, the Army-sponsored Operation Tribute to Freedom program during the past five years may be affected by the security breach, Army officials said March 10. The service is notifying those soldiers about the issue through e-mail messages and letters.
The information that may have been breached includes the service members' names, e-mail messages, phone numbers, home addresses, awards received, ranks, gender, ethnicity, and dates the soldiers deployed and returned from their deployment, Army officials said.
Only information that was provided at the time of registration was potentially compromised, officials said. The Criminal Investigation Command is investigating how the password-protected, secure Web-based information was penetrated.
Operation Tribute to Freedom lets soldiers share their stories with the public. The program’s speakers service helps event coordinators find the soldiers for events and the service members speak about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.

as reported by

Doug Beizer is a staff writer for Federal Computer Week

STEP Member

What is STEP ?
STEP = Springboard Series Technical Experts Panel
I am one of 70 people world wide chosen as the original members of the program. Our volunteer job is to inform you with talks and presentations on  who deals closely with Windows 7 and Server 2008 r2. Last weekend i did a talk in Florida for the FACUG with over 140 user where we went over new features about Windows 7.

Stay turned as i post my schedule  for upcoming events I be talking at, We also be working on build events, where you can come and get help loading Windows 7 on you computer.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Zombies and botnets: Help keep your computer under your control

Here a great article from a friend on this important topic.

Online criminals can use a virus to take control of large numbers of computers at a time, and turn them into "zombies" that can work together as a powerful "botnet" to perform malicious tasks.

Botnets, which can include as many as 100,000 individual "zombie" computers, can distribute spam e-mail, spread viruses, attack other computers and servers, and commit other kinds of crime and fraud.

Botnets are highly valued by online criminals, and have become a serious problem on the Internet.

How to tell if your computer has been infected

A virus that makes your computer into a zombie might cause your computer to slow down, display mysterious messages, or work in an unexpected manner.

These viruses usually do not disable your computer, because zombie computers must be plugged in and connected to the Internet in order for the botnet to work.

You can get a free virus scan with the Windows Live OneCare safety scanner. If you want continuous protection, you should use antivirus software such as Windows Live OneCare, which is free for 90 days.

Read other ways to tell if a virus has infected your computer.

What to do if your computer is infected

If your computer shows symptoms of virus infection, first make sure that the software on your computer is up to date. Then run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool. The Malicious Software Removal Tool checks computers running Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003 for infections by specific, prevalent malicious software and helps remove any infection found.

Read detailed information about how to help remove a virus.

5 ways to help keep your computer from becoming a zombie

1.

Never open an attachment in an e-mail, instant , or mobile message unless you know exactly what the attachment is, even if it's from someone that you know. Attachments can contain e-mail viruses.

2.

Use an Internet firewall.

  Note: Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) has a firewall already built-in and active.

3.

Stay up to date. Visit Microsoft Update and turn on Automatic Updates.

Note: If you've installed the 2007 Microsoft Office System, Microsoft Office 2003 or Microsoft Office XP, Automatic Updates will also update your Office programs. If you have an earlier version of Microsoft Office, use Microsoft Office Update.

4.

Subscribe to industry standard antivirus software and antispyware software, and keep them current. Microsoft offers Windows Live OneCare, which is free for 90 days and Windows Defender. Windows Defender comes with Windows Vista. If you use Windows XP SP2, you can download Windows Defender for no charge.

5.

Use licensed software products. Botnets are often comprised mostly of computers that run illegally copied versions of operating system and productivity software. Unlicensed software can be more susceptible to viruses, and can even come with viruses already installed without your knowledge.

 

to see the orginal posted article go here

 

Well done Rob

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Bitlocker to Go – or securing external devices in Windows

 

Windows Vista was the first to introduce BitLocker, full-disk encryption. With server 2008 and Vista Service pack1, we were given the to encrypt other non-boot fixed drives in addition to the boot partition.   In Windows 7 (both the client and Server versions), you now the ability to protect removable storage devices, such as USB-based hard drives, flash devices, and other Microsoft is call this feature "BitLocker To Go".

BitLocker to GO is only available in the Enterprise and Ultimate versions of Windows 7, to create the protected storage. Once this is added to a storage device, that device can be used normally with any version of Windows XP , Vista, and Windows 7. So now you can protect external hard drive and flash drives.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

I be speaking at Tech-ed This year about NAP

 

Server 2008 and Vista working better together but until then here is some information for you

 

Implementing Network Access Protection in Windows Server 2008

This Snack describes the benefits of implementing Network Access Protection (NAP) in Windows Server 2008. It describes how to configure network and health policies for various types of clients. It identifies the options for configuring Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) enforcement for NAP and demonstrates the steps for testing a NAP implementation with DHCP enforcement.

Learning snack about Virtualization

 

Microsoft Virtualization

The Microsoft Virtualization solution consists of four virtualization technologies: server, application, presentation, and desktop. Together, these technologies provide you with a complete desktop-to-datacenter virtualization solution that can help you create a dynamic IT infrastructure. This free Learning Snack highlights various features and benefits of the four virtualization technologies. It also takes a closer look at server virtualization and how it is implemented and managed in the Windows Server 2008 operating system

 

Intro to Windows Server 2008 Virtualization

This Snack explains the new virtualization features in Windows Server 2008 and lists the system requirements. It also demonstrates the steps necessary to install Windows Server virtualization.

 

Green IT and Virtualization

Organizations are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental and business benefits of adopting a Green IT environment. This Learning Snack highlights how virtualization facilitates a Green IT environment. It describes the Hyper-V server role and the System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) tool, which help create and support a virtualized infrastructure in Windows Server 2008.

Learning Snacks for Vista

Here a a few bite size modules on technology that are easy to watch and learn about.

Windows Vista Essentials

This Snack describes some of the innovative new features in Windows Vista, including a sidebar that provides information at a glance. It showcases the Windows Aero technology and demonstrates the improved file organization techniques. In addition, this Snack walks you through the various ways you can search for information on your computer or on the Internet.

Deploying Windows Vista

Microsoft provides a range of tools and utilities that can help organizations successfully deploy Windows Vista. This Learning Snack describes how to deploy Windows Vista across a network and demonstrates how to create Windows Vista installation images and deploy them on desktops on a network. It also provides guidelines and best practices for deploying Windows Vista in an organization.

Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack

The Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) is a suite of products that can help organizations implement the Core Infrastructure Optimization (Core IO) model. This Learning Snack explains how the MDOP facilitates Infrastructure Optimization (IO). It also demonstrates procedures for recovering lost files and managing Group Policy objects (GPOs) by using products in the MDOP suite.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

CAREER ASSIST for getting certified by Microsoft

THE FORECAST IS TOUGH. BUT THERE IS A WAY TO WEATHER THE STORM.

In a tough economic climate, how do you get a new job? How do you become indispensible in your current one?

CAREER ASSIST gives you the opportunity to get trained for certification at an unprecedented discount rate.

Here's how it works: You'll get a free retake of a failed exam PLUS an entire E-Learning Collection, the online training service created by Microsoft professionals, for just $35. At a value of $270-$350, that's up to 90% off the regular price.

There's never been a more critical time than now to show employers you have all the right professional credentials. Get Microsoft Certified now.

MSN Games Launches “Hexic” and “Chess” on Facebook and MySpace

Microsoft Corp.’s MSN Games, one of the leading online casual games portals, today announced the launch of two game applications on social networking sites Facebook and MySpace. MSN Games delivered classic puzzle game “Hexic” to both communities for the first time along with “Chess,” a fresh take on another classic. Both games were developed by Microsoft’s Carbonated Games studio, and the applications were developed by Plexipixel.

“We’re excited to bring two of our most popular games to the Facebook and MySpace communities,” said Megan Hodel, marketing manager for MSN Games at Microsoft. “These networks reach more than 200 million people around the world, and the MSN Games applications will make it easier and more fun for Facebook and MySpace users to play some of their favorite casual games.”

Both of the MSN Games applications reward users via collectible merit badges for playing and achieving skills, and feature leaderboards, news feeds from MSN Games, and the ability to share the applications with friends. The applications feature full Facebook integration, including notifications when badges have been awarded and games completed. MSN Games has also launched a dedicated page on Facebook, where casual game fans can download the game applications to their personal page, view videos, and post pictures and messages.

“Chess” features asynchronous multiplayer functionality, so that users can play their turn whenever they have time to log on and make their move. The application also allows users to track their long-term progress against friends using the ELO rating system.

More information is available at http://msngames.com/apps.

Monday, March 2, 2009

The Imagine Cup

Attention Students! Help Change the World and Win a Trip to Egypt!

Imagine Cup is the worlds Premium Technology Student Competition focused on solving real world issues. Submit your project idea by April 1st for the Imagine Cup Digital Arts Categories.

Why participate?

To beef up your resume and get potential exposure to agencies . To make a difference by actually changing the world . You'll be the potential winner of up to $8,000 for your team and a trip to Egypt for the WW Finals

http://imaginecup.com/Default.aspx