Posted: Mar. 19, 2007

[The articles below were posted between Feb. 26, 2007 and Mar. 19, 2007 and appear in the April 2007 hardcopy edition of Update. One or more are available below for free to non-subscribers.]

Server Platforms

Free! SharePoint 2007 Tweaks Portals, Administration

Improvements for corporate Web portals and improved administration could convince existing customers to adopt SharePoint Server 2007, but upgrades could be difficult and existing hardware also may need to be upgraded

WSS 3.0 Enhances Collaboration, Administration

New blogs and wikis combined with better usability could encourage new deployments and upgrades to Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, but some new features warrant consideration before they are widely deployed

SharePoint Server Delivers Web Content Management

SharePoint Server 2007 succeeds Content Management Server 2002 as Microsoft's preferred Web content management solution

Host Integration Server Updated for .NET, BizTalk

Host Integration Server 2006 supports the latest Microsoft development technologies and enables organizations to use BizTalk Server and Identity Integration Server to incorporate hosts into hub-and-spoke integration architectures

SQL Server Updated for Office 2007, Vista

SQL Server 2005 SP2 improves compatibility and integration with new products such as Windows Vista, Office 2007, and SharePoint Server, among other new features

Tellme Acquired for Its Voice Platform

Tellme's hosted platform for voice-activated applications promises to help Microsoft expand its business service offerings and add or improve voice-recognition in Windows Live Search and other existing products

Windows & Mobile

Free! Digital Media Advances in Vista

High-definition video support and new packaging make Windows Vista more attractive for home entertainment, but shortcomings could still prevent consumers from using the PC as a replacement for consumer devices

Windows Server 2003 SP2 Resets Baseline

Windows Server 2003 SP2 allows enterprise customers and system vendors to establish a new support baseline, but the lack of some components may require ongoing downloads

Vista Hardware Assessment Tool Available

A free hardware assessment tool can help an organization determine which computers can upgrade to Windows Vista

Windows Mobile 6 Ushers in New Devices

New devices running Windows Mobile 6 will begin shipping in the second quarter of 2007 and should be more appealing to consumers

Free Virtual PC Update

Virtual PC 2007, now available as a free download, includes support for Windows Vista guest and host OSs

Development Tools & Programs

Visual Studio 2005 Updated for Vista

An update to Visual Studio 2005 brings compatibility with Windows Vista

Business Applications & Services

Enterprise Project Management Solution Updated

The Microsoft Enterprise Project Management solution better supports centralized and consolidated project management, but it will frequently require partner assistance to deploy and maintain

Analytics Solution Accelerator for CRM

A free solution accelerator could help kick-start development of business intelligence solutions for Dynamics CRM, but the initial release does not use the latest versions of SharePoint

Consumer Products & Services

New DRM System Targets Mobile Phones

PlayReady, a new Microsoft digital rights management (DRM) technology for mobile phones, promises greater flexibility than Windows Media DRM, but business negotiations—not technology—will determine how much flexibility end users actually get

Live Software for Smart Phones

New client software will bring Windows Live online services to mobile users

Health Search Engine Purchased

Technology from Medstory Inc. will complement Microsoft's search and health industry efforts

Sales & Support

Partner Influence on Sales Gets Recognized

Large account resellers (LARs) will identify partners who bring them volume license sales, enabling Microsoft to identify and reward partners who influence sales

Exchange 2007 Marketing Taps New Technologies

Exchange 2007 marketing will focus on new messaging features and hit some current hot buttons, such as keeping mobile workers connected, easing regulatory compliance, and reducing server management costs

CompUSA Links to Partners

CompUSA's TechPro Business Providers program will refer the retailer's small business customers to Microsoft partners for additional services or support

Licensing Advisor Updated

The Product Licensing Advisor, Microsoft's main pricing site for volume customers, gains additional features aimed at sales and promotion

Corporate News

Guard Changes for Strategic Products

Windows, SQL Server, and Exchange are among the strategic products that have new managers in the wake of Microsoft's midyear review process

Record Patent Fine and Other Legal News

A record US$1.52 billion patent-infringement fine over the popular MP3 format could have repercussions for other companies that have licensed the technology from parties other than Alcatel-Lucent