Fix for Vista Automatic Updates to Ship Via Automatic Updates
A curious problem cropped up last month: Windows Vista users reported that the program that manages their Windows services (SVCHOST) would crash after having downloaded and installed a batch of updates.
Microsoft recently issued a manual fix for this problem, though users who don't want to have to learn the equivalent of heart surgery should soon be able to download a patch for the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)...assuming it works.
NBC-News Corp Venture Gets a Name
The unnamed-until-now joint venture between News Corp and NBC Universal now has a name: Hulu. But can the two media giants really challenge Google and the online video dominance of YouTube?
Like so many before it, Hulu's name means absolutely nothing. However, the two companies wanted something short and simple to identify the product, so it settled with the unusual name.
Microsoft: XP SP3 an 'Update Roll-up'
Although Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is the big news of the day, Microsoft is concurrently preparing the third service pack for Windows XP. But SP3 won't introduce much of anything new for XP users, and will simply serve as a roll-up of already released fixes, Microsoft says.
Essentially, SP3 will provide a new baseline for the aging operating system, which was released to the public six years ago. As XP nears its end-of-life, Microsoft can ensure customers are up-to-date by telling them to upgrade to SP3, as opposed to SP2 with 85 or more additional patches. The first beta release of XP SP3 will reach testers mid-September, with final availability scheduled for the first half of 2008.
iTunes UK to Sell 28 TV Programs
After almost two years, Apple is finally expanding its video presence outside of the US by launching a store in Britain.
28 different programs will be available from several providers including ABC Studios, Disney Channel, MTV, Nickelodeon and Paramount Comedy. However, much of the programming is US-centric shows, with smattering of UK programming.
Vista Fix Packs Now on Windows Update
Following their public availability on Microsoft's Download Center, two hotfix packs for Windows Vista that improve performance and reliability are now available as optional downloads via Windows Update. They will not, however, be delivered automatically to Vista users.
Some of the changes offered by the updates include better file copy performance, faster boot times, improved compatibility with newer graphics cards, and better performance in games with advanced visuals. Those who do not want to install the fix packs manually can wait for Vista SP1, which is slated for public release early next year.
Microsoft: WGA Outage 'Not an Outage'
Microsoft said Tuesday that the glitch that caused Windows Genuine Advantage servers to fail this past weekend was due to human error. According to a post on the WGA blog, pre-production code was released on a production server, causing a domino effect of failures. About 12,000 Windows users were affected. The company said that it did not consider it an outage, since when the servers are down, the system is designed to default to "genuine."
"The production servers had not yet been upgraded with a recent change to enable stronger encryption/decryption of product keys during the activation and validation processes," Microsoft said. "The result of this is that the production servers declined activation and validation requests that should have passed."
Chicago Decides Against Citywide Wi-Fi
In a sure sign that the fervor behind municipal Wi-Fi is cooling rapidly, the city of Chicago announced Tuesday that it was canceling its plans to blanket the city with wireless Internet.
The city says it failed to reach an agreement with either AT&T or EarthLink, the two companies vying for the contract. Chicago first announced that it was considering citywide Wi-Fi early last year.
A List of What's New in Vista SP1
Now that Microsoft has set a release date for both the beta and final versions of Windows Vista Service Pack 1, the company is also offering a detailed look at what's being fixed and changed. One thing customers will not see is major changes to User Account Control, although Microsoft says it will reduce some pop-ups.
Perhaps the most notable change will not be for customers, but rather Microsoft partners. The company is including an API that third-party developers can tap into in order to work with kernel patch protection on x64 editions of Vista. This patch protection has proven to be a problem to antivirus and other security vendors.
Nokia Launches Music, Gaming Services
Nokia has launched Ovi -- Finnish for "the door" -- in hopes of cashing in on the increasingly lucrative Internet services market.
Ovi will debut in English in the fourth quarter of this year, with more services and languages available throughout the first half of 2008. In addition to Nokia's own offerings, Ovi also acts as a gateway to existing social networks and content.
Vista SP1 to Bring Fixes, Not Features; Due in Early 2008
In response to media coverage and pressure from partners, Microsoft finally opened up about Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Wednesday, detailing what customers should expect of the update, and setting a final release date of Q1 2008.
The gist is this: Vista SP1 will not bring major changes to the operating system, but instead deliver improvements related to reliability, security and performance. Customers will not see any major new features, and in turn, Microsoft says they should not wait for SP1 to begin deploying Vista.
Microsoft Delays Windows Server 2008, Needs 'More Time to Bake'
In the clearest sign to date that not all is well in the state of Redmond, Microsoft cheerfully announced this morning that the release date for Windows Server 2008 is being pushed back to Q1 2008.
Citing the delay as a part of an "open and honest dialogue about the development process of a product of this magnitude," a spokesperson for the Windows Server development team posted on its company blog this morning, just after 11:00 am Eastern time, that WS2K8 will likely be one of the features of a rollout event that was already scheduled for February 27, originally slated to feature Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008.
New iPods Expected September 5
Apple sent out invitations to a special event it is holding on September 5, which indicate the company is preparing to launch new iPods in time for the holiday season. It is largely expected the iPods will incorporate a touch-sensitive screen and "Cover Flow" user interface found on the iPhone.
Rumors of new iPods have been circling for months, and the timing is right for a new generation of the ubiquitous portable media player. Apple is holding the event at San Francisco's Moscone Center, which indicates it will be a large gathering, further fueling speculation that a major product announcement is in the works.
Windows Vista SP1 Will Uninstall Group Policy Management
Probably in response to a few users' bewilderment over the seemingly unrestricted accessibility of what had actually been one of Windows Vista's most requested new security tools, Group Policy Management Console, Microsoft announced today that the act of installing Vista Service Pack 1 will simply delete the tool altogether.
"Administrators requested features in Group Policy that simplify policy management," reads a white paper released by Microsoft this afternoon. "To do this, the service pack will uninstall the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) and GPEdit.msc will edit local Group Policy by default."
FSF: Microsoft is Bound by GPLv3 Terms If It Distributes GPLv3 Code
Last month, Microsoft's legal department proclaimed it doesn't consider itself bound to the terms of version 3 of the General Public License, with respect to certificates it distributed for software, services, and support from Novell. Today, the Free Software Foundation responded by saying if Microsoft distributes software covered by GPLv3, then it's bound by the terms of that license.
"Microsoft cannot by any act of anticipatory repudiation divest itself of its obligation to respect others' copyrights, reads today's FSF statement. "If Microsoft distributes our works licensed under GPLv3, or pays others to distribute them on its behalf, it is bound to do so under the terms of that license. It may not do so under any other terms; it cannot declare itself exempt from the requirements of GPLv3."
New Creative Player Does iTunes Tracks
Has Creative capitulated to Apple and iTunes? If its new player is any indication, that answer may be yes.
Creative's newest Zen player is the first from the company to support AAC music and iTunes Plus tracks from the iTunes Music Store, the company said. In addition, it includes a 2.5-inch color screen and support for SD memory cards to add additional memory.
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