Windows Weekly 95

Windows Weekly Episode 95

"Windows Mobile 6.5"Hosts: Leo Laporte and Paul Thurrott Recorded: February 20, 2009 Published: February 21, 2009 Transcript Previous episode – Next episode

Contents 1 Topics 2 Tip of the Week 3 Software Pick of the Week 4 Notable Quotes 5 Significant Products 6 Sponsors 6.1 Audible 6.1.1 Picks 6.2 Other Sponsor 7 Production Information

Topics

Microsoft takes on the iPhone ... sort of

1. Windows Mobile 6.5
2. Windows Marketplace for Mobile
3. My Phone service

• These are clearly attempts by Microsoft to copy the iPhone playbook
• WinMo 6.5 is particularly weak
• Marketplace and My Phone are good (but obvious) ideas; too little too late?
• It's still hard to get excited about Windows Mobile

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) Release Candidate (RC) is out

• Near-final version of SP2 for Vista (and Server 2008)
• Follows beta from last October
• No major new features: Mostly bug fixes and related updates
• A few new additions: Faster searching with Windows Search 4.0, Blu-Ray data recording functionality, Bluetooth 2.1 Feature Pack, Wi-Fi configuration tool changes, improved Wi-Fi performance on PC wakeup, etc. Nothing serious.

And speaking of Windows Vista...

• Vista Capable case won't be given class action status
• US District Court judge ruled that the case can go ahead, but that the existing six plaintiffs are on their own. Microsoft: "We're pleased that the court granted our motion to decertify the class, leaving only the claims of six individuals. We look forward to presenting our case to the jury, should the plaintiffs elect to pursue their individual claims."
• Complaint: Large number of XP PCs with a "Vista Capable" sticker can only run Windows Vista Home Basic. Microsoft used separate "Vista Premium Ready" sticker for higher-end PCs. Was this deceptive?

Web site incompatibilities in IE 8 RC

• IE 8 is careening to a March final release (probably at the MIX09 show)
• So why are so many Web sites still incompatible?
• IE 8's Compatibility List now lists over 2400 Web sites that are known not to work with default IE 8 rendering mode
• Includes some big players: Google.com, Yahoo.com, Microsoft.com (!!!), MSN.com, Apple.com Adobe.com, Wordpress.com, Facebook.com, Download.com, etc.
• How can you ship a browser like this?

Microsoft kills Equipt

• Was a yearly subscription with Office + Windows Live OneCare for 3 PCs
• OneCare was killed last year
• Equipt owners will get Office Home and Student 2007 for free, makes sense

Tip of the Week

Get the Windows Vista Resource Kit for free: http://tinyurl.com/freerk (*expired*)

Software Pick of the Week

• Blu - A Twitter client for Windows Vista/7
• I still prefer Twhirl, but Blu uses Aero glass/WPF to nice effect
• Check out thirteen23's other products while you're on the site
• http://www.thirteen23.com/experiences/desktop/blu/

Notable Quotes

Significant Products

• Link URL and optional brief description

Sponsors

Audible

• Audible URL

Picks

Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Volume I by By Stephen King (Unabridged) Narrated by Stephen King, Tim Curry, Rob Lowe, Whoopi Goldberg Ad Times: 0:32-0:42 and 50:53-57:58

Other Sponsor

• GoToMeeting 0:43-0:55 and 18:20-20:27

Production Information

• Recorded Date: February 20, 2009
• Release Date: February 20, 2009
• Duration: 1:07:21
• Log line:
• Edited by: Dane
• Notes: