Month: June 2009

So here’s the low-down on pricing for Windows 7. The estimated retail prices for upgrade packaged retail product of Windows 7 in the U.S. are:

• Windows 7 Home Premium (Upgrade): $119.99
• Windows 7 Professional (Upgrade): $199.99
• Windows 7 Ultimate (Upgrade): $219.99

And the estimated retail prices for full packaged retail product of Windows 7 in the U.S. are:

• Windows 7 Home Premium (Full): $199.99
• Windows 7 Professional (Full): $299.99
• Windows 7 Ultimate (Full): $319.99

This means that Windows 7 Home Premium full retail product is $40.00 less than Windows Vista Home Premium today.

• What about if i buy a new computer now

But, you don’t have to wait until Windows 7 ships to get a new Windows PC. In fact, we know many people need that new PC sooner – for back to school specifically. And we have the answer for people who need a new PC now but still want to get Windows 7 and that’s the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program, which kicks off tomorrow, June 26th! Anyone who buys a PC from a participating OEM or retailer with Windows Vista Home Premium, Business or Ultimate on it will all receive an upgrade to the corresponding version of Windows 7 at little or no cost to customers. The Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program will be available until January 31st, 2010 – and is global! For more information on taking advantage of the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program, visit www.windows.com/upgradeoffer.

• Also  !!!

Finally, as a way of saying thank you to our loyal Windows customers, Microsoft is excited to introduce a special time limited offer! We will offer people in select markets the opportunity to pre-order Windows 7 at a more than 50% discount. In the US, this will mean you can pre-order Windows 7 Home Premium for USD $49.99 or Windows 7 Professional for USD $99.99. You can take advantage of this special offer online via select retail partners such as Best Buy or Amazon, or the online Microsoft Store (in participating markets).

 

See the full article  at http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/default.aspx

“Still on the Windows 7 Beta,? You need to move to the RC and fast. Starting July 1^st, the Beta will start to reboot every 2 hrs and expire Aug 1^st.

Want to download the RC? . The RC download program closes August 15th. After that, you won’t be able to get the download, but you can still install the RC and get a key if you need one. (To get a key, just go to the Downloads page and follow the instructions.)

If you’re using the Windows 7 Release Candidate, we hope you like what you see. Let us know — go to http://input.microsoft.com and tell us what you think. You’ll be able to give feedback on various aspects of the operating system.”

 

to learn more go to http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/springboard/default.aspx

 

What is Microsoft Security Essentials

You’re too busy to spend a lot of time worrying about protecting your PC. With Microsoft Security Essentials Beta, you get high-quality protection against viruses and spyware, including Trojans, worms and other malicious software. And best of all, there are no costs or annoying subscriptions to keep track of.

Security Essentials is easy to install and easy to use. Updates and upgrades are automatic, so there’s no need to worry about having the latest protection. It’s easy to tell if you’re protected – when the Security Essentials icon is green, your status is good. It’s as simple as that.

When you’re busy using your PC, you don’t want to be bothered by needless alerts. Security Essentials runs quietly in the background, only alerting you if there’s something you need to do. And it doesn’t use a lot of system resources, so it won’t get in the way of your work or fun.

This beta is available only to customers in the United States, Israel (English only), People’s Republic of China (Simplified Chinese only) and Brazil (Brazilian Portuguese only).

System requirements for Microsoft Security Essentials Beta

• Operating System: Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3); Windows Vista; Windows 7 (Beta or Release Candidate)
• For Windows XP, a Personal Computer with a:
  • CPU with clock speed of 500 MHz or higher
  • Memory: 256 MB RAM or higher
• For Windows Vista and Windows 7, a Personal Computer with a:
  • CPU with clock speed of 1.0 GHz or higher
  • Memory: 1 GB RAM or higher
• VGA (Display): 800 x 600 or higher
• Storage: 140 MB of available hard-disk space
• An Internet connection is required for installation and to download the latest virus and spyware definitions for Microsoft Microsoft Security Essentials.
• Internet Browser:
  • Windows Internet Explorer 6.0 or later
  • Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or later

To learn more go to http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

Customer Service Hall of Shame

No. 1 AOL

No. 2 Comcast

No. 3 Sprint

No. 4 Capital One

No. 5 Time Warner Cable

No. 6 HSBC

No. 7 Qwest

No. 8 Abercrombie & Fitch

No. 9 Bank of America

No. 10 Citigroup

Doing Things Right

On the flip side of the coin, discount retailers and supermarkets continued to satisfy the public with their customer service as six retailers were recognized in the Hall of Fame. Grocers, in particular, stood out — with Trader Joe’s, Publix, Whole Foods and Costco all being ranked among the nation’s best companies for customer service.

Customer Service Hall of Fame

No. 1 USAA

No. 2 Trader Joe’s

No. 3 Netflix

No. 4 Amazon

No. 5 Nordstrom

No. 6 Publix

No. 7 Whole Foods

No. 8 Apple Computer

No. 9 Costco

No. 10 Southwest Airlines

to see the full article go here

 

Clinic 6339: Database Fundamentals in Microsoft SQL Server 2008

Introduction

In this 1 hour clinic students are introduces to the fundamental concepts of database, how Microsoft SQL Server 2008 fits into the enterprise and be introduced to the applications used in Microsoft SQL Server 2008.
Topics covered in the courses within the course Include:

• Introduction to fundamental database concepts.
• Describe SQL Server 2008 in the enterprise.
• Introduction to applications used to manage SQL Server.

This clinic provides useful pre requisite know for Microsoft E-Learning collections 2778BE, 6369AE  and 6370AE.

 

To take this course click here.

Technorati Tags: microsoft,learning,e-learning

Clinic 10164: Essential SQL Server 2008 for Developers

Introduction

The entirety of the offering is 12 hours but it is designed to be modular, allowing the user to skip to the tracks which are most relevant to them. this clinic will help you understand how to build enterprise-class applications which deeply exploit the rich data types, programming models and new development paradigms in SQL Server 2008.
This clinic covers the following topics.

• TSQL Improvements and Data Types
• Beyond Relational
• SQLCLR: .NET Code In SQL Server
• Service Broker and Messaging
• SQL Server and Visual Studio
• Client Programmability
• ADO.NET Entity Framework
• HTTP Programming and SQL Server
• Occasionally Connected Systems

To take this course click here.

Technorati Tags: microsoft,learning,e-learning

Clinic 6901: Exchange Server 2010 in an Enterprise

Introduction

This one-hour clinic describes Exchange Server 2010 features that are useful in an enterprise. It covers features such mailbox server configurations, unified messaging, and high availability.
This clinic covers the following topics:

• Features of a Mailbox server
• How Unified Messaging works in 2010
• Mailbox Availability in Exchange Server 2010                                    
• Data Protection in Exchange Server 2010

Users completing this collection should have three or more years of experience working with previous versions of Exchange Server, including the implementation of Exchange Server 2007. They should be familiar with Active Directory, Exchange messaging, and SharePoint and fundamentals of Microsoft Office 2003, Microsoft Office 2007, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008. It is beneficial if they have experience with a Windows or command-line scripting language.

To take this course click here.

Technorati Tags: microsoft,learning,e-learning

Clinic 10088: What’s New in Windows 7 for Information Workers

Introduction

This two-hour clinic provides you with an overview of key enhancements in Windows 7, which help information workers to improve their productivity as well as work in a more secure environment.
This clinic covers the following topics.

• Be More Productive with Windows 7
• Be More Secure with Windows 7
• Get Connected Faster and Easier with Windows 7

Information workers completing this clinic should have experience working with previous versions of Windows.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Describe some of the new features and enhancements in Windows 7 that can help users be more productive in their work.
• Describe some of the security enhancements in Windows 7 that can help users protect their computers and data.
• Describe some of the new features and enhancements in Windows 7 that can help users work with devices and other computers on the network.

To take this course click here.

Clinic 10125: What’s New in Windows 7 for Consumers

Introduction

This one-hour clinic provides you with an overview of key enhancements in Windows 7 that help you work more efficiently and easily with your computers. It describes the new features and tools that you can use to organize, find, protect, and share your information. It also describes how these features and tools help you work with your devices and enhance your online experience. 
This clinic covers the following topics.

• Desktop and Taskbar Enhancements
• Sharing, Search, and Security
• New Tools and Experiences

Consumers completing this clinic should have experience working with previous versions of Windows.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Describe the new features in Windows 7 that make your computer easier and more enjoyable to use.
• Describe the new features in Windows 7 that help you organize and find your information, protect it, and share it with others.
• Describe the new features in Windows 7 that help you work with devices, keep your computer running smoothly, and do new things online.

to take this course click here.

Clinic 10077: What’s New in Windows 7 for IT Professionals

Introduction

This two-hour clinic provides you with an overview of the new and enhanced deployment, security, manageability, and performance features in Windows 7. It describes how these features meet the day-to-day needs of IT professionals.
This clinic covers the following topics.

• Overview of Deployment Enhancements
• Overview of Security Enhancements
• Overview of Manageability and Performance Enhancements

IT professionals completing this clinic should have basic familiarity with deploying, managing, and maintaining Windows Vista or the Windows XP operating system.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Describe the new and updated deployment features and tools for Windows 7.
• Describe new and enhanced security features in Windows 7.
• Describe the improvements in performance and manageability in Windows 7.

To take this course click here.