Microsoft VirtualEarth Map Downloader

11/15/09 - Download map images from Microsoft VirtualEarth.

Microsoft VirtualEarth Map Downloader

11/15/09 - Download map images from Microsoft VirtualEarth.

Registrar Registry Manager Lite

11/14/09 - Manage and edit Registry files.

Behold the Dell Inspiron Zino HD

Yesterday, Dell officially announced availability of the Dell Inspiron Zino HD.

The Inspiron Zino HD is a small PC that packs quite a punch in an 8” by 8” square. Hip to be square, right? Ok – enough Huey Lewis, let’s talk about what this PC comes (and can be configured) with:

• It comes with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit or Windows 7 Professional 64-bit*.
• You can customize the PC with 7 solid colors.
• You can customize the PC with 3 designs.
• The Inspiron Zino HD uses AMD’s Athlon processor (single or dual core).
• The base configuration is 3GB of RAM, but can be configured with 4, 6, and 8GB of RAM with 8GB being the max.
• Storage shouldn’t be a problem with your choice of 500GB, 640GB, 750GB, or 1TB 7200rpm SATA hard drives.
• You can choose either a DVD +/- RW drive or Blu-ray drive.
• For graphics, you can choose either an integrated ATI Radeon HD3200 or discrete ATI Radeon HD 4330 with 512MB of dedicated memory.
• It has HDMI and VGA ports.
• A 4-in-1 media card reader and integrated gigabit Ethernet are both standard.
• It has integrated 2.1 High Definition audio with the choice of going with a Sound Blaster X-Fi High Definition audio from Creative.
• For your wireless needs, you can choose either a Dell 1397 802.11 b/g wireless card or Dell 1520 802.11 b/g/n wireless card.

This little PC starts at just $229 and can be customized to support a variety of configurations depending on your needs.

Matter a fact, Dell’s Lionel Menchaca talks about a perfect use for the Inspiron Mino HD – a Windows Media Center “hub” with Windows 7. You can connect this PC up to your HDTV via HDMI and play HD Blu-ray movies. You can buy a USB TV tuner to watch and record live TV in Windows Media Center and also stream video content via Internet TV and Netflix.

For a powerful Windows Media Center setup with Windows 7, it is recommended when ordering your Inspiron Zino HD you choose the discrete graphics option (the ATI Radeon HD 4330) for the best experience. With with the storage options you get with the Inspiron Mino HD, you can literally make this PC the centralized “hub” on your network for all your digital media. And of course HomeGroup in Windows 7 makes it easier than ever to share that content with the rest of your PCs on your network too.

In the coming months I’m hoping to pick one of these up and deploy it in my home as my own Windows Media Center hub.

* Base model comes with Windows Vista Home Basic SP1 32-bit.

Photos credit: Dell. See the full set of Inspiron Zino HD photos from Dell’s official Flickr page.

Survey provides valuable insights into how you’re using Windows Home Server – and what you think about it

A few months ago, we asked members of the community to participate in a survey to gather data about usage and satisfaction with Windows Home Server. We were blown away by the number of people who responded, as well as the level of detailed feedback that we received. Your suggestions are important to us because we use your ideas to help us shape future versions of the product, as well as our strategies around marketing and sales. So thank you to everyone who took the time to respond.

We thought you might be curious to know what the survey results were, so here’s a recap of the overall findings. We plan to do this survey every year, but don’t feel like you have to wait to give us your feedback. You can join our ongoing Windows Home Server beta programs at Microsoft Connect as a way of sharing feedback and best practices with other users.

Product satisfaction is very high

We were happy to hear that satisfaction with Windows Home Server, already high in 2008, continued to improve in 2009 with nine out of ten respondents telling us they are satisfied or very satisfied.

Used for work & play

Windows Home Server also seems to be generating a lot of interest with SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) customers. A growing number of home-based businesses are using Windows Home Server in 2009. This seems to indicate that HP was onto something with its recent Data Vault announcement – the first Windows Home Server to specifically target the SOHO space. Pete Cullen, who runs Cullen IT Consultancy in the UK, also recently wrote about the value he is seeing for Windows Home Server in small businesses.

Becoming the media hub

The survey indicates that motivations for buying Windows Home Server have been shifting since last year. In the 2008 study, back-up was the top reason respondents cited for purchasing the product. This year, most of you reported that consolidating and organizing shared media and files was the primary reason for purchase. Back-up is still a close second, though, and people really love the ability to easily expand storage capacity. According to survey responses, the remote access feature was more popular in Japan than in other parts of the world.

We’ve also seen a big increase in those who have devices other than computers connected to Windows Home Server. This year, about three quarters of respondents connect other devices, such as game consoles and media players, compared to only two thirds in 2008.

More than half of respondents reported four or more hard drives connected to their Windows Home Server. The most popular place that people are keeping their Windows Home Server is in a den or office.

So again, thank you to everyone who participated in the survey. We learned a lot about how you are using the product. We will use your feedback to continue to advance the product.

If you would like to share more with us about how you are using your Windows Home Server and are willing to talk publicly about this, we want to hear from you. We are looking to learn more about what people are doing at home or in their small business. Do you have a great success story about how Windows Home Server helped your family or your business? Check out some of the stories we are looking for. Do you fit the bill on any of these? Or do you know someone who does?

· I’m using Windows Home Server as part of a virtual business team

· I used Windows Home Server to start a new business within the last two years

· Windows Home Server helps me manage my home office/small business

· Windows Home Server saved my family or business from a potential data loss disaster that would have been devastating

· Windows Home Server helped me get my teen’s music/photos/video collection under control

· I didn’t have enough storage space for my music/photos/video before Windows Home Server

· I’m an artist/photographer and I use Windows Home Server in my business

· I’m running an automated home through Windows Home Server

- I am a small business using Windows Home Server for backup and recovery as part of my Windows Small Business Server (SBS) deployment

Please contact us with your story.

- Dave Berkowitz, Senior Product Manager, Core Infrastructure Marketing, Microsoft

Windows 7 Wins Popular Science Award for Windows Touch

Today, Popular Science released their annual Best Of What’s New for 2009 which recognized this year’s top 100 innovations. Windows Touch in Windows 7 has won Popular Science’s Best of What’s New Award this year in the computing category. Very cool!

Speaking of Windows Touch – USA Today’s Ed Baig takes a closer look at Windows Touch in Windows 7 and multitouch on PCs in general. He suggests Windows 7 could spur multitouch adoption in PCs. I’ve been playing with the HP TouchSmart tx2 and have a couple of multitouch monitors on the way for my office here in Redmond. If you haven’t had a chance to experience Windows Touch on Windows 7, head to your favorite retailer and give it a spin.

Windows 7 Wins Popular Science Award for Windows Touch

Today, Popular Science released their annual Best Of What’s New for 2009 which recognized this year’s top 100 innovations. Windows Touch in Windows 7 has won Popular Science’s Best of What’s New Award this year in the computing category. Very cool!

Speaking of Windows Touch – USA Today’s Ed Baig takes a closer look at Windows Touch in Windows 7 and multitouch on PCs in general. He suggests Windows 7 could spur multitouch adoption in PCs. I’ve been playing with the HP TouchSmart tx2 and have a couple of multitouch monitors on the way for my office here in Redmond. If you haven’t had a chance to experience Windows Touch on Windows 7, head to your favorite retailer and give it a spin.

Windows 7 Wins Popular Science Award for Windows Touch

Today, Popular Science released their annual Best Of What’s New for 2009 which recognized this year’s top 100 innovations. Windows Touch in Windows 7 has won Popular Science’s Best of What’s New Award this year in the computing category. Very cool!

Speaking of Windows Touch – USA Today’s Ed Baig takes a closer look at Windows Touch in Windows 7 and multitouch on PCs in general. He suggests Windows 7 could spur multitouch adoption in PCs. I’ve been playing with the HP TouchSmart tx2 and have a couple of multitouch monitors on the way for my office here in Redmond. If you haven’t had a chance to experience Windows Touch on Windows 7, head to your favorite retailer and give it a spin.

Announcing Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 deployment webcast

Team member Kim Griffiths has this to share today:

On Wednesday, Nov. 18th, I’ll be hosting a webcast that will give you info on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 deployment planning.  The webcast will run 60 minutes and will go into the best practices and lessons learned from dealing with volume activation in a variety of environments, including networked, isolated, roaming, branch office, development, and test. 

TechNet Webcast: Plan for and Deploy Volume Activation for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Webcast Length: 60 minutes
• Date: 11/18/2009
• Time: 10:00:00 AM Pacific

Register for this TechNet webcast now.

 
I hope to “see” you there!

  - Kim 

Announcing Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 deployment webcast

Team member Kim Griffiths has this to share today:

On Wednesday, Nov. 18th, I’ll be hosting a webcast that will give you info on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 deployment planning.  The webcast will run 60 minutes and will go into the best practices and lessons learned from dealing with volume activation in a variety of environments, including networked, isolated, roaming, branch office, development, and test. 

TechNet Webcast: Plan for and Deploy Volume Activation for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Webcast Length: 60 minutes
• Date: 11/18/2009
• Time: 10:00:00 AM Pacific

Register for this TechNet webcast now.

 
I hope to “see” you there!

  - Kim 

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