Ribbon Hero Makes it Easier to Learn How to Use Office 2007 and 2010

There is Guitar Hero, there is Band Hero and now there is… Ribbon Hero? Yes you did read that correctly. You can now become your very own Office Hero.

The Ribbon UI debuted in Office 2007 and had mixed reactions. That is understandable considering that people have been using the old menu strip for over 20 years. The ribbon was designed to make it easier to find features throughout Office but the problem was that you had to lean how to use your favorite programs all over again. Because people were having a really hard time learning how the ribbon works Microsoft decided to make learning Office somewhat “fun” by turning learning the it into a game.

The game installs quickly and works very nicely. In Ribbon Hero you can collect points by completing challenges, or just doing everyday tasks. The game also has Facebook integration so you and your friends can get in  some sort of lame battle to see who can use Office better.

If you want to play ribbon hero, you can check it out here.

Technorati Tags: Office 2007,Office 2010,Games,Ribbon Hero

Videos and Photos of Microsoft’s Courier Tablet Leak

Since  September, when the first details about Microsoft tablet/  e-book reader were leaked, there has not been much more news about the Courier. That has changed. Engadget has received details about Microsoft’s tablet/e-book reader from a “extremely trusted source”.

Here is the breakdown. The Courier will basically be a extremely portable digital journal. It will be about the size of a 5x7 photo in a closed state, and will weigh less then a pound. You can get an idea about how small the device is from the photo below. The Courier is built on Nvidia’s Terga 2 processor and will run on Windows CE 6, which is the same OS that the Zune HD, Pink, and Windows Mobile 7 Series run on.

The interface looks like it will be pen based and will primarily be used for writing and drawing. The interface also appears to support handwriting and drawing recognition. The Courier also looks like it will be Microsoft’s e-book and tablet platform.

Check out a photo gallery and two videos of the Courier below.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft,Tablet,e-book,Courier,Leak,Breaking News,Rumours

86% of Windows PC’s Maxing Out on Memory

Citing data from Devil Mountain Software’s community-based XPnet, Craig Barth, the company’s chief technology officer, said that new metrics reveal an unsettling trend. On average, 86% of PC’s running Windows 7 are using 90-95% of their ram, as a  result there is bottlenecks and decreased performance as systems are forced to turn to disk-based virtual memory to handle tasks.

While Vista was known for using a lot of RAM while it was idle, Windows 7 hasn’t been plagued with the same issues. However according to the pool of  XPnet computers, the number of  Windows 7 PCs using 90-95% of RAM is double that of the number of XP computers that run at memory “saturation” point. XPnet have more than 23,000 PCs in their pool and a recent snapshot shows that only a mere 40% of XP machines were using high amounts of RAM.

The vast majority of Windows 7 machines over the last several months are very heavily-memory saturated,” “From a performance standpoint, that has an immediate impact on the machine.”

said Barth today. What is also more worrying is that Windows 7 PCs generally have more RAM than XP Machines. The average Windows 7 Machine sports 3.3GB while Windows XP machines have approx 1.7GB on average.

“Windows 7 machines have almost twice as much memory to work with, but the numbers show just how much larger and more complex Windows 7 is than XP.”

However, there is another side to this data collected by XPnet.

Barth acknowledged that XPnet’s data couldn’t determine whether the memory usage was by the operating system itself, or an increased number ofapplications, but said that Devil Mountain would start working on finding which is the dominant factor in increased memory use.

It may just be that the Windows 7 machines running at the time were using more RAM because of the number of applications they were running etc…. Also if your machine has 1GB or 20GB of ram, I think you will find that there is a good chunk of it being used. No it’s not because the Operating System is a resource hog, it’s just being sensible.

You see RAM is “Random Access Memory” which means it’s used for “Random” tasks. Your computer doesn’t know that you are about to open up your browser or that you want to open up a photo editing program. So instead it stores information in the RAM which can be quickly accessed once you call for that program. Allowing your PC to load up a application quicker than it would straight from a hard drive.

So basically just because your system happens to be using a lot of RAM doesn’t mean it your PC is a resource hog, it’s just being sensible, any unused RAM is just going to waste. It’s when your RAM is maxed out that you get system bottlenecks and crashes, which has never happened to me to date on my laptop. I’m running Windows 7 64 bit with 4GB ram, and I do plenty of multitasking. Right now I have a browser with 10 tabs open, iTunes, Messanger, Microsoft Word and a Photo Editing program and my RAM is just at 50%.

I rarely notice any slowdown with my system since upgrading to Windows 7, and I when my system is idle I generally use about 35% of my RAM. Only on rare occasions like when playing Call Of Duty do I see it spike up to about 75-80%.

So to wrap it up, I wouldn’t be worried in the slightest if your PC is using anything up to 70% of your RAM, Windows will automatically reallocate RAM to where it’s need as you approach 100% and it’s only on systems with very low amounts of RAM that you will get system crashesand freezing if it fails to do this.

I would take this data from XPnet with a pinch of salt, unless I hear different from you guys. What is your current RAM usage at and how much available memory do you have installed? What is it at Idle and do you ever max it out?

Let us know in the comments

Rumor: ATI to Provide Graphics For Next Xbox

A source at Fudzilla suggests that Microsoft was so impressed with the graphics that ATI provided for the Xbox, that they will continue to use their graphics chips in their next console. Chances are this chip will have 28-nanometer technology.

Most Sidekick Data Recovered by Microsoft

It looks like all of your precious Sidekick data was not lost after all. On the T-Mobile sidekick forums a Microsoft employee confirmed that "most, if not all, customer data" will be returned as soon as possible. You can expect your most important data such as your contact’s contact list to be returned first.

The data loss was caused by a system failure which deleted all data including the backup data.

You can read the full letter below:

Dear T-Mobile Sidekick customers,
On behalf of Microsoft, I want to apologize for the recent problems with the Sidekick service and give you an update on the steps we have taken to resolve these problems.

We are pleased to report that we have recovered most, if not all, customer data for those Sidekick customers whose data was affected by the recent outage. We plan to begin restoring users' personal data as soon as possible, starting with personal contacts, after we have validated the data and our restoration plan. We will then continue to work around the clock to restore data to all affected users, including calendar, notes, tasks, photographs and high scores, as quickly as possible.

We now believe that data loss affected a minority of Sidekick users. If your Sidekick account was among those affected, please continue to log into these forums for the latest updates about when data restoration will begin, and any steps you may need to take. We will work with T-Mobile to post the next update on data restoration timing no later than Saturday.

We have determined that the outage was caused by a system failure that created data loss in the core database and the back-up. We rebuilt the system component by component, recovering data along the way. This careful process has taken a significant amount of time, but was necessary to preserve the integrity of the data.

We will continue working closely with T-Mobile to restore user data as quickly as possible. We are eager to deliver the level of reliable service that our incredibly loyal customers have become accustomed to, and we are taking immediate steps to help ensure this does not happen again. Specifically, we have made changes to improve the overall stability of the Sidekick Service and initiated a more resilient backup process to ensure that the integrity of our database backups is maintained.

Once again, we apologize for this situation and the inconvenience that it has created. Please know that we are working all-out to resolve this situation and restore the reliability of the service.

Sincerely,
Roz Ho
Corporate Vice President
Premium Mobile Experiences, Microsoft Corporation

Windows 7 Arrives at Stores

No, its not a dream. Windows 7’s launch is a little over 3 weeks away. The launch is so close that the Windows 7 retail packaging is arriving at a retail stores. It’s now time to say goodbye to Visa (or XP) because more happy is coming October 22nd.

Pamphlet Discloses That HD Movies are Coming to the Zune Marketplace

BostonPocketPC has uploaded a photo claiming that the above image is a pamphlet given to viewers at a Best Buy Zune HD demonstration. If this is true,this confirms that Microsoft will be selling HD movies on the Zune marketplace. Microsoft has already sold TV shows, music video, and video podcasts on the Zune marketplace so it was only a matter of time.

Amazon Confirms Zune HD Pricing

Yesterday, a Bust Buy employee leaked the Zune HD pricing and it looks like he was not fibbing. Amazon’s pre order page is confirming the price as 220 (16GB) and $290 (32GB).

Flash Zune’s Disappear From the Microsoft Store

 

It looks like all of the hype over the Zune HD has killed the Flash Zune’s. The official Microsoft Zune Store no longer lists any flash players at all, leaving the only the Zune 80 and Zune 120 available for purchase. Amazon and other retailers still have the flash Zune’s in stock, so hurry if you want one because they may not be around for long.

First Photo of Microsoft Store Construction

The first photo of a Microsoft Retail Store under construction basically confirms the the leaked store planes. These photos come to us from Microsoft’s official twitter account. The first stores will open in Arizona and Mission Viejo, California this fall.

Bing Gains Market Share in July

The web analyst firm, StatCounter, released its analyst today, and it shows Microsoft’s Bing gaining slightly in market share.

Last week, Microsoft and Yahoo reached a deal to redirect all Yahoo Search traffic to Bing, which essentially means that Yahoo’s and Bing’s market share are combined. Combined, Bing/Yahoo increased market share 1.09%, up from 19.27% in July. Google’s market share shrunk slightly in July from 78.48% to 77.45%.

StatCounter’s number are based on an analysis of 1 billion search engine referring clicks.

Windows 7 RTM Installation Screenshots

Ready to manufacturers (RTM) is the final stage in Windows 7 development. PC manufacturers are given the final code for installation on new computers, DVDs are pressed, boxed and packaged up, and stores can begin to prepare to offer machines with the new OS installed. In other words, Windows 7 is completed.

Below I’ve embedded a slideshow showing the installation process of Windows 7. Its basically the same as Windows 7 Beta’s installation, except for the slightly quicker installation.

Microsoft Retail Store Plans Leaked

Ever since Microsoft announced they would be opening a chain of Microsoft stores we’ve been wondering how bad the stores are going to be. Well, according to a PowerPoint presentation which was leaked to Gizmodo, its not too bad. In fact it makes the Apple store seem boring.

The presentation is by Lippicott, a "design and brand strategy" consultant firm with extensive retail experience that it appears Microsoft has hired to help develop the store's concept, principles, and design. The presentation seems legitimate; and if its fake I congratulate the creator.

Microsoft will be taking the best things from the Apple store the Sony store and other retail outlets and bringing them all together in the Microsoft store. The main focuses are going to be Windows 7, Xbox, PCTV (Windows Media Center) Surface and Windows Mobile.

Here are some highlights of the slideshow:

•There's going to be a Digital Media Wall--a massive screen--that wraps around the entire store, which you can see in some of the slides
• Lots of Surface demos
• Stage areas for Windows 7, Windows Media Center (PCTV), Windows Mobile and netbooks
• Their take on the Genius Bar is the Answers Bar (or Guru Bar, depending on which slide you look at, showing it's slightly up in the air, though we prefer Answers Bar since its sounds like slightly less of a Genius Bar ripoff)
• They're already planning out huge demos and events around Project Natal and their secret mobile project Pink
• A fancy Microsoft shopping bag
• You can pay to have your birthday party at the Microsoft Store.

You can check out the slides below:

Apple Demands Microsoft Stops Laptop Hunter Ads

Microsoft's Chief Operating Office, Kevin Turner told audience members during his Worldwide Partner Conference keynote told his employees about how Apple's lawyers wanted Microsoft to take down their Laptop Hunter ads. Here's the story he told.

And so we've been running these PC value ads. Just giving people saying, hey, what are you looking to spend? "Oh, I'm looking to spend less than $1,000." Well we'll give you $1,000. Go in and look and see what you can buy. And they come out and they just show them. Those are completely unscripted commercials.

And you know why I know they're working? Because two weeks ago we got a call from the Apple legal department saying, hey -- this is a true story -- saying, "Hey, you need to stop running those ads, we lowered our prices." They took like $100 off or something. It was the greatest single phone call in the history that I've ever taken in business. (Applause.)

I did cartwheels down the hallway. At first I said, "Is this a joke? Who are you?" Not understanding what an opportunity. And so we're just going to keep running them and running them and running them.

The whole keynote is available on Microsoft Presspass.

The most recent Laptop features Matt and Olivia, who were looking for a $700 laptop that they can use to share photos. It needs to have a large screen and great battery life, and of course they find their dream machine:

Xbox Live update rolling out, includes Games on Demand support, Netflix Movie Parties, game ratings

Microsoft just announced the details of the next Xbox Live dashboard update, which should start rolling out in waves later this summer. Highlight features include support for Games on Demand (coming in August), a slew of Netflix updates including the ability to browse the library and manage your queue, the long-awaited Movie Party system that allows Gold members to share a flick in a virtual theater, and a ton of other little tweaks like user ratings, avatar enhancements, friends list sorting, and a streamlined Party invite system. Yeah, we think we'll take it.

Bill Gates Expresses His Thoughts About Chrome OS

 

Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, has already expressed his negative thoughts towards Google’s Chrome OS and now Bill Gates has taken a shot at the upcoming operating system. In an interview with CNET Gates described Chrome OS as just another Linux distribution.

"there's many, many forms of Linux operating systems out there and packaged in different ways and booted in different ways," adding that, "in some ways I am surprised people are acting like there's something new. I mean, you've got Android running on Netbooks. It's got a browser in it."

Gates went on to take another shot at Google by saying that “the more vague they are, the more interesting it is," before getting a little philosophical by asking: "What's a browser? What's not a browser?" His answer? "In large part, it's more an abuse of terminology than a real change."

Microsoft Opening Retail Stores Beside Apple Stores

Microsoft has acknowledged that Apples retail stores is a huge threat to Microsoft's business. Microsoft COO Kevin Turner announced that this fall, Microsoft will launch a chain of retail stores, which will be located right next door Apple stores.

And stay tuned, because we're going to have some retail stores opened up that are opened up right next door to Apple stores this fall. Stay tuned, just stay tuned. – Microsoft COO Kevin Turner

 

There are no details about the actual strategy except that it will start happening this fall. I can't wait. I love this kind of war.

Microsoft Confirms Windows 7 Upgrade Rules

As October 22 quickly approaches, Microsoft is releasing starting to release more details about Windows 7. The latest tidbit about Windows 7 is about upgrades. A company spokesman confirmed that users of the Windows 7 Release Candidate will not have to "reinstall an older version of Windows before using a Windows 7 upgrade disk.” Unfortunately, people who choose to do this will  have all of their files put into the folder “windows.old” when they upgrade. Interestingly, if you need to do a clean install of Windows 7 using your upgrade disk, you'll need to install and activate Windows Vista.

New Office 2010 Technical Build Leaked

Microsoft Office 2010 Build 14.0.4302.1000 has just leaked onto the internet, so it looks like there's more happening today than just build 7600 of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Office 2010 will be available both in 32 Bit and 64 Bit versions.

In January the first screenshots of an alpha build of Office 2010 leaked onto the internet. In May a Technical Preview of Office 2010 in 32-Bit and 64-Bit was leaked.

This build of Office 2010 includes Access 2010, Excel 2010, InfoPath 2010, OneNote 2010, Outlook 2010, PowerPoint 2010, Project 2010, Publisher 2010, SharePoint Designer 2010, SharePoint Workspace 2010, Visio 2010, and Word 2010.

Below are the latest screenshots:

“Mondo”  is "Microsoft Office Limestone Test Application". Its not a new name for Office 2010.

 

InfoPath Editor 2010 has been renamed to InfoPath Filer 2010. There are also Microsoft Office 2010 Developer Resources (why Visio 2007 and not Visio 2010?), which were not in the previous leaked build.

Above is the previously leaked build and below is the latest. The big difference is that the Office logo has been replaced with File F. The difference in title bar is due to the Operating System.

When actually clicking on the menu, the biggest change is the fact that you have access to all the other tabs, a small but positive improvement. In the New submenu, it's obvious that some icons have been updated (like Blank Document, Recent Templates, and Sample Templates).

I recommend agenst using leaked builds of Office 2010, your better off waiting until the Official Beta comes out next summer.

New Windows Head Chosen to Make Sure Windows 7 Launch is Successful

Microsoft has chosen Steven Sinofsky as the new head of Windows division, making him responsible for Windows Live, Windows OS, and Internet Explorer. Steve previously was responsible for developing Windows 7 and his success with delivering Windows 7 on time has led to the promotion. Not only is Windows 7 ready for launch, it is full of new and useful features.

Sinofsky has an excellent record of delivering huge products before product deadlines. The next step is to insure that Windows 7’s launch wont be an embarrassment, like Windows Vista’s. Windows 7 will be launched on October 22, just in time for the holiday season.