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New Windows Logo

We have said that Windows 8 is a complete reimagination of the Windows operating system. Nothing has been left unexplored, including the Windows logo, to evaluate how it held up to modern PC sensibilities. The Windows logo is a strong and widely recognized mark but when we stepped back and analyzed it, we realized an evolution of our logo would better reflect our Metro style design principles and we also felt there was an opportunity to reconnect with some of the powerful characteristics of previous incarnations.

It’s a window… not a flag

Microsoft and Windows are all about putting technology in people's hands to empower them to find their own perspectives. And that is what the new logo was meant to be. We did less of a re-design and more to return it to its original meaning and bringing Windows back to its roots – reimagining the Windows logo as just that – a window.

Let’s look back at a few of the versions along the way.

Full Story At Source

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SQL Server History video and Register for SQL 2012 Launch event

The history of SQL Server dates back to 1989 when the product came about as a result of a partnership between Microsoft, Sybase, and Ashton-Tate. SQL Server has evolved tremendously over the years and now Microsoft is getting ready to bring SQL Server 2012 to market, beginning with the SQL Server 2012 Virtual Launch Event happening on March 7, 2012 at 8am PST.

Be sure to register today at www.sqlserverlaunch.com to learn about the new capabilities of SQL Server 2012 at your own pace, on your own schedule. This event brings together a who’s who of industry experts and executives to tell the SQL Server 2012 story in this unique online launch event

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HPC Pack 2008 R2 Service Pack 3

This service pack updates the HPC Pack 2008 R2 products listed in the 'System Requirements' section. It provides improved reliability as well as an enhanced feature set including:

• The Windows Azure bursting scenarios has reduced the number of ports you have to open in your firewall, using port 443 for most communication
• The ability to install the HPC Pack software on a server not dedicated to your cluster (e.g. a team file server) for use in a manner similar to the existing Workstation Node functionality

• HPC2008R2SP3-Update-x64 : Download this .zip file to obtain the updater for use on your head nodes, compute nodes, broker nodes, and x64-based clients and workstation nodes. It also contains the Web Components (REST and Web Portal), Azure VM, and KSP ('soft card') installers necessary to use those features.
• HPC2008R2SP3-Update-x86 : This .zip file contains the updated for use on 32-bit clients and workstation nodes. It also contains the KSP ('soft card') installer for 32-bit clients.
• SP3 Media Integration Package : For customers who will be doing multiple new cluster installations (setting up brand new head nodes, not just updating existing clusters) you can use this package to update your original ('RTM') installation media to have SP3 integrated from the beginning. (Instead of installing from your RTM DVD, then applying SP1, then applying SP2, then applying SP3.) Please refer to the instructions on the HPC team blog for more information.

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Vonage Mobile, the only calling app you’ll ever need

PAID ADVERTISEMENT. Can you imagine a future where your smartphone comes with unlimited data, but without a calling plan? Living in this brave new world doesn't mean you have to abandon voice communication. The new Vonage Mobile app for iPhone and Android brings this new reality closer with free worldwide talk and text to all other users of the app. Whether your phone is connected over 4G, 3G, or Wi-Fi, your entire address book is only a tap away. Just remember that calls still use a portion of your data plan.

Vonage Mobile certainly isn't the first smartphone app to provide free calling and text messaging from mobile phones, so what make this different? Unlike Skype for iPhone and Android, which maintains a separate address book, Vonage Mobile integrates your existing address book - which means free app-to-app calls and text messages are available without needing to reconnect with people who already provided contact information. And the Vonage Mobile multi-invite function lets you invite anyone (or everyone) from your contact list with one simple text. Skype requires you to search for users and invite each person one at a time.

Vonage Mobile doesn't limit calls to people with the app, or even to people who have a smartphone. You can call direct from Vonage Mobile to virtually any phone number on the planet. You can dial internationally without needing to activate special services with your mobile carrier. And most importantly, you can do this with the address book on your phone and your existing mobile number.

There is a cost associated with calling phones directly, but according to Vonage, the app offers international calling with per-minute rates that average 70 percent less than major mobile carriers and 30 percent less than Skype. This savings estimate is based on per-minute rates to the top 50 countries called. Billing is also more convenient, with payment integrated directly into your iTunes or Android Market account, instead of maintaining billing in a separate login.

Vonage combines exceptional call quality with an integrated phone experience to offer a more complete calling solution. Unlike other free voice apps, which often echo badly or sound like you're talking on tin can, when calling app-to-app Vonage delivers what they call 'high-def' voice quality, which is much better than a standard cell phone call.

To see a demo of the app, go check out the "Magic of Vonage Mobile" video on YouTube at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaRcnY1xZxM

For those of you playing along at home, here is a quick feature recap:

• Free domestic and international calls and texts to anyone with the Vonage Mobile app.
• When calling a landline or phone directly, you get international calling with per-minute rates averaging 70% less than major mobile carriers and 30% less than Skype.
• In-app credit purchases are tied directly to your iTunes or Android Market account.
• Inviting multiple people right from your address book via SMS or email is easy.
• Vonage Mobile automatically identifies contacts who already have the app.
• Your mobile number double as your caller ID (so your friends won’t be surprised by an unfamiliar app-assigned number)
• Works on Wi-Fi and 3G/4G worldwide.

If better call quality to any of your existing contacts isn't enough to make you try out Vonage Mobile, there's just one more thing you should know. Vonage is currently offering free calls from virtually anywhere in the world to the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico. There are a few circumstances where free calling may not work, like business calls, premium and special service numbers, and satellite phones, but for the most part, free really means free. You also need to stay under 3000 minutes per month, but who talks that much anyway?

Download Vonage Mobile now and check it out on your iPhone or Android phone. Invite your family and friends so you have someone to text or call, then let us know what you think.

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Microsoft Outlook Configuration Analyzer Tool

The Outlook Configuration Analyzer Tool (OCAT ) provides a quick and easy method to analyze your Microsoft Office Outlook profile for common configurations that may cause problems in Outlook. This can be very useful for busy Help Desk personnel when end-users call for help with Outlook or when you want to identify possible issues with Outlook proactively.

The Outlook Configuration Analyzer Tool provides a detailed report of your current Outlook profile. This report includes many parameters about your profile, and it highlights any known problems that are found in your profile. For any problems that are listed in the report, you are provided a link to a Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) article that describes a possible fix for the problem. If you are a Help Desk professional, you can also export the report to a file. Then, the report can be viewed in the Outlook Configuration Analyzer Tool on another client computer where the tool is installed.

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Update Rollup 1 for Exchange 2010 Service Pack 2

Download the Exchange2010-KB2645995-EN-x64 package now.

Fixes:

• 2465015 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2465015/ ) You cannot view or download an image on a Windows Mobile-based device that is synchronized with an Exchange Server 2010 mailbox
• 2492066 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2492066/ ) An automatic reply message is still sent after you clear the "Allow automatic replies" check box for a remote domain on an Exchange Server 2010 server
• 2492082 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2492082/ ) An Outlook 2003 user cannot view the free/busy information of a resource mailbox in a mixed Exchange Server 2010 and Exchange Server 2007 environment
• 2543850 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2543850/ ) A GAL related client-only message rule does not take effect in Outlook in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2545231 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2545231/ ) Users in a source forest cannot view the free/busy information of mailboxes in a target forest in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2549255 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2549255/ ) A meeting item displays incorrectly as multiple all-day events when you synchronize a mobile device on an Exchange Server 2010 mailbox
• 2549286 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2549286/ ) Inline contents disposition is removed when you send a "Content-Disposition: inline" email message in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2556113 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2556113/ ) It takes a long time for a user to download an OAB in an Exchange Server 2010 organization
• 2557323 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2557323/ ) Problems when viewing an Exchange Server 2003 user’s free/busy information in a mixed Exchange Server 2003 and Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2563245 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2563245/ ) A user who has a linked mailbox cannot use a new profile to access another linked mailbox in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2579051 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2579051/ ) You cannot move certain mailboxes from an Exchange Server 2003 server to an Exchange Server 2010 server
• 2579982 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2579982/ ) You cannot view the message delivery report of a signed email message by using Outlook or OWA in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2585649 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2585649/ ) The StartDagServerMaintenance.ps1 script fails in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2588121 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2588121/ ) You cannot manage a mail-enabled public folder in a mixed Exchange Server 2003 and Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2589982 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2589982/ ) The cmdlet extension agent cannot process multiple objects in a pipeline in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2591572 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2591572/ ) "Junk e-mail validation error" error message when you manage the junk email rule for a user’s mailbox in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2593011 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2593011/ ) Warning 2074 and Error 2153 are logged on DAG member servers in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2598985 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2598985/ ) You cannot move a mailbox from a remote legacy Exchange forest to an Exchange Server 2010 forest
• 2599434 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2599434/ ) A Public Folder Calendar folder is missing in the Public Folder Favorites list of an Exchange Server 2010 mailbox
• 2599663 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2599663/ ) The Exchange RPC Client Access service crashes when you send an email message in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2600034 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2600034/ ) A user can still open an IRM-protected email message after you remove the user from the associated AD RMS rights policy template in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2600289 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2600289/ ) A user in an exclusive scope cannot manage his mailbox in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2600943 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2600943/ ) EMC takes a long time to return results when you manage full access permissions in an Exchange Server 2010 organization that has many users
• 2601483 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2601483/ ) "Can’t open this item" error message when you use Outlook 2003 in online mode in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2604039 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2604039/ ) The MSExchangeMailboxAssistants.exe process crashes frequently after you move mailboxes that contain IRM-protect email messages to an Exchange Server 2010 SP1 mailbox server
• 2604713 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2604713/ ) ECP crashes when a RBAC role assignee tries to manage another user’s mailbox by using ECP in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2614698 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2614698/ ) A display name that contains DBCS characters is corrupted in the "Sent Items" folder in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2616124 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2616124/ ) Empty message body when replying to a saved message file in an Exchange Server 2010 SP1 environment
• 2616230 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2616230/ ) IMAP4 clients cannot log on to Exchange Server 2003 servers when the Exchange Server 2010 Client Access server is used to handle proxy requests
• 2616361 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2616361/ ) Multi-Mailbox Search fails if the MemberOfGroup property is used for the management scope in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2616365 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2616365/ ) Event ID 4999 when the Store.exe process crashes on an Exchange Server 2010 mailbox server
• 2619237 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2619237/ ) Event ID 4999 when the Exchange Mailbox Assistants service crashes in Exchange 2010
• 2620361 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2620361/ ) An encrypted or digitally-signed message cannot be printed when S/MIME control is installed in OWA in an Exchange Server 2010 SP1 environment
• 2620441 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2620441/ ) Stop-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup or Start-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup cmdlet fails when run together with the DomainController parameter in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2621266 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2621266/ ) An Exchange Server 2010 database store grows unexpectedly large
• 2621403 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2621403/ ) "None" recipient status in Outlook when a recipient responds to a meeting request in a short period of time in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2628154 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2628154/ ) "The action couldn’t be completed. Please try again." error message when you use OWA to perform an AQS search that contains "Sent" or "Received" in an Exchange Server 2010 SP1 environment
• 2628622 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2628622/ ) The Microsoft Exchange Information Store service crashes in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2628693 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2628693/ ) Multi-Mailbox Search fails if you specify multiple users in the "Message To or From Specific E-Mail Addresses" option in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2629713 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2629713/ ) Incorrect number of items for each keyword when you search for multiple keywords in mailboxes in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2629777 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2629777/ ) The Microsoft Exchange Replication service crashes on Exchange Server 2010 DAG members
• 2630708 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2630708/ ) A UM auto attendant times out and generates an invalid extension number error message in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2630967 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2630967/ ) A journal report is not sent to a journaling mailbox when you use journaling rules on distribution groups in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2632206 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2632206/ ) Message items rescanned in the background in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2633044 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2633044/ ) The Number of Items in Retry Table counter displays an incorrect value that causes SCOM alerts in an Exchange Server 2010 SP1 organization
• 2639150 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2639150/ ) The MSExchangeSyncAppPool application pool crashes in a mixed Exchange Server 2003 and Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2640218 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2640218/ ) The hierarchy of a new public folder database does not replicate on an Exchange Server 2010 SP1 server
• 2641077 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2641077/ ) The hierarchy of a new public folder database does not replicate on an Exchange Server 2010 SP1 server
• 2642189 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2642189/ ) The RPC Client Access service may crash when you import a .pst file by using the New-MailboxImportRequest cmdlet in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2643950 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2643950/ ) A seed operation might not succeed when the source mailbox database has many log files in a Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 DAG
• 2644047 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2644047/ ) Active Directory schema attributes are cleared after you disable a user’s mailbox in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2644264 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2644264/ ) Disabling or removing a mailbox fails in an Exchange Server 2010 environment that has Office Communications Server 2007, Office Communications Server 2007 R2 or Lync Server 2010 deployed
• 2648682 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2648682/ ) An email message body is garbled when you save or send the email message in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2649727 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2649727/ ) Client Access servers cannot serve other Mailbox servers when a Mailbox server encounters a problem in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2649734 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2649734/ ) Mailbox replication latency may occur when users perform a Multi-Mailbox Search function against a DAG in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2649735 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2649735/ ) Warning of undefined recipient type of a user after the linked mailbox is moved from an Exchange Server 2007 forest to an Exchange Server 2010 forest
• 2652849 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2652849/ ) The MailboxCountQuota policy is not enforced correctly in an Exchange Server 2010 hosting mode
• 2665115 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2665115/ ) Event ID 4999 is logged on an Exchange Server 2010 Client Access server (CAS)

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Exchange Client Network Bandwidth Calculator Beta

This new calculator is based on all new prediction data and is designed to work with both Exchange on-premises and Office 365 deployments.

The brief was concise and simple for this calculator; we wanted to be able to predict the client network bandwidth requirements for a specific set of users. The calculator needed to deal with Outlook, OWA and Mobile Devices, both on-premises and for Office 365 scenarios.

The following clients are included in this Beta; further clients will be added over time.

• Outlook 2010
• Outlook 2007
• Outlook 2003
• OWA 2010
• OWA 2007
• Windows Mobile
• Windows Phone

How does it work?

The calculator is based on new prediction algorithms derived after analysing the behaviour of each client individually. This approach allows a bandwidth model to be created for each client scenario which is very scalable and flexible.

Input data is based on existing user profile metrics, such as messages sent and received per user per day and average message size. Once these parameters are provided the calculator is able to predict how much bandwidth each client will require to perform adequately.

The predictions provided represent the requirements during the busiest two hours of the working day.

Announcing the Exchange Client Network Bandwidth Calculator Beta

• Download Calculator
• Download Guide

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System Center 2012 Release Candidate Orchestrator Integration Packs

Following the release of System Center 2012 Release Candidate, Microsoft is pleased to announce the availability of the Release Candidate of the Orchestrator Integration Packs for the following System Center 2012 components:

• System Center 2012 Virtual Machine Manager
• System Center 2012 Operations Manager
• System Center 2012 Data Protection Manager
• System Center 2012 Service Manager

In addition, Release Candidate Orchestrator Integration Packs are also available for the following legacy System Center products:

• System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2
• System Center Service Manager 2010
• System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2
• System Center Data Protection Manager 2010
• System Center Configuration Manager 2007

All of the above listed Integration Packs allow customers and partners to gain better automation and integration across their datacenter and private cloud environments by standardizing IT process and systems activities to drive greater consistency and improve operational ROI.

The Release Candidate Integration Pack download is available here.

System Requirements:

Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2008 R2

System Center 2012 Component Support: System Center 2012 RC Orchestrator must be installed prior to installing the System Center 2012 RC Integration Packs.

Recommended Configuration for System Center 2012 RC Orchestrator:

• RAM – minimum 1GB recommended 2GB
• Disk space minimum 200MB
• CPU Dual Core or better
• SQL Server 2008 R2
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• NET 4.0 if you are installing Web features

Installation Instructions:

System Center 2012 RC Orchestrator Integration Packs

• Double click on System_Center_2012_Orchestrator_Integration_Packs_RC.EXE
• Follow the on screen prompts to extract the Integration Packs

After you extract the Integration Pack files, you must register them with the System Center 2012 RC Orchestrator management server and then deploy it to Runbook Servers and Runbook Designers. Get instructions on how to install Integration Packs here.

Related Resources:

• Integration Pack Installation Instructions
• System Center 2012
• Integration Pack Guide

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Windows 8 Consumer Preview On February 29th

On February 29, Microsoft will finally release the Consumer Preview, a partly-finished beta, to the entire world. It's announcing the preview at an event at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The venue is interesting, since MWC is all about (duh) mobile devices. Earlier this month, a video leaked explaining how the next version of Windows Phone will interact with Windows 8, and share a lot of common technology as well. Expect to see some of that interaction at the show.

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OneNote available for Android

Today, we’re excited that the Office team is making OneNote for Android available in 57 markets worldwide with easy access to your notes on SkyDrive. The app also offers key OneNote features like checklists, image capture, table editing and support for hyperlinks. Please note that not all Android devices are created equal. You currently need to have a device running Android 2.3 or higher and with access to Android Market to use OneNote for Android.

If you have an Android device, we also encourage you to try other apps from partners built using SkyDrive APIs. For example with Browser for SkyDrive or Cloud Explorer for SkyDrive, you can view, access and upload documents or photos on your Android phone. Portfolio for SkyDrive lets you organize and upload photos from your Android phone in batches to SkyDrive. If you want to add SkyDrive support to your app, site or device, please visit our developer center.

Full Story At Source

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Microsoft Flight Launches February 29, 2012

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Windows Phone Marketplace expands to 5 new countries

Good news—the Windows Phone Marketplace for apps and games is opening for business today in five new spots—Argentina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru and the Philippines.

If you live in one of these countries, tapping on the Marketplace tile will soon (it might a few hours for all the lights to come on) put loads of great apps and games at your fingertips. One important caveat: Your phone will need to have Windows Phone 7.5 installed to access the new stores. (Look here for update instructions.)

If you’re a developer and want to make sure your app lands in one of these new stores, make sure to check out Todd Brix’s post today on the Developer Blog.

Continue At Source

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Kinect for Windows SDK v1.0

The Kinect for Windows SDK enables developers to create applications that support gesture and voice recognition, using Kinect sensor technology on computers running Windows 7, Windows 8 developer preview (desktop apps only), and Windows Embedded-based devices.

The Kinect for Windows SDK includes the following:

• Drivers for using Kinect sensor devices on a computer running Windows 7 or Windows 8 developer preview (desktop apps only)
• Application programming interfaces (APIs) and device interfaces, along with technical documentation
• Source code samples

Download At Source

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Lync 2010 Bandwidth Calculator

A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that calculates WAN bandwidth requirements for a Lync Server deployment based on administrator-specified user profiles and network information.

With the Lync Server 2010 Bandwidth Calculator, you can enter information about your users and the Lync Server features that you want to deploy, and the calculator will determine bandwidth requirements for the WAN that connects sites in your deployment.

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System Center Cloud Services Management Pack RC Now Available

The Cloud Services Management Pack is now available for download. It contains:

1) Model extensions for the SCSM CMDB to store additional types of data which are useful for managing a private cloud.

2) Views so that the cloud-related data can be easily viewed in the Configuration Items workspace in the SCSM console.

3) Service request templates for common scenarios related to private cloud management such as provisioning/deprovisioning VMs, allocating capacity pools, creating new projects, and so on.

4) Request offerings based on the service request templates that can be published to the Service Catalog on the self-service portal.

5) Automated workflows in SCSM to automatically fulfill some of the requests.

6) Runbooks for Orchestrator to automatically fulfill other types of requests which need to be executed on other System Center components such as Virtual Machine Manager

Go here to download:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=231143

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