Market Watch has recently identified a filing to the FCC by Microsoft which adds more fuel to the rumor mill about a potential Zune Phone. What makes this filing even more curious is the fact that Google Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Intel Corp are also listed as taking part in submitting this device to the FCC.

Many speculators have written about a possible phone from Microsoft ever since the release of the iPhone from Apple. The thought is that Microsoft might try to take the same route with their portable media player that Apple did with the iPod, making some type of mobile phone from the Zune player. The difference being the iPhone is intended for cellular networks, while the rumored Zune Phone would be intended for a type of network based VoIP connection. The filing …

Rumors have been flying again about a new Xbox 360 from Microsoft, with some added information this time.

Engadget recently reported on some of the latest rumors regarding the Xbox 360 citing information from GamersReports. Supposedly someone has some “inside info” from Microsoft in Australia about a new Xbox that will be debuting down under donning a new black look that houses a 120GB hard drive.

Along with the bigger drive, the black Xbox is also expected to have an added HDMI port, but no rumors about integration with a Zune Phone, or at least not yet. Pricing for the Xbox is expected to be around $750 in Australian money, and GamersReports also talk about a launch date as early as March as apposed to an expected later date of April in order to thwart the PS3 launch coming up this March from …

Information on the new Windows Mobile 6 has been recently unveiled, which is the much-anticipated new smartphone platform to replace Windows Mobile 5, no less.

The new Mobile 6 platform supports a number of new features, including HTML in emails, transferring files through Live Messenger, updated Mobile Office apps, a call history for contacts to help track business interactions like Outlook currently does with emails, further integration with the new Vista OS, and the .NET Compact Framework with SQL Server on board. (Having that database built in will save loads of headaches for developers of mobile applications.) The new software also has a desktop Outlook style calendar to view appointments, additional email shortcut functions, VoIP integration and a feature to make using the smartphone device work as a modem a little easier.

Windows Mobile 6, formerly named “Crossbow”, will have 3 versions: Professional (was Pocket …

An novel security hole presented itself last week with the new version of Windows Vista released by Microsoft to customers around the world.

George Ou, and online blogger, reported on Tuesday through ZD Net that he was able to access the Start Menu on Vista and could potentially run programs through voice command audio files played through the system speakers. This type of functionality could allow a hacker to run programs, delete files and any number of other harmful processes accessible through the voice command functionality of Windows Vista.

Microsoft has attempted to downplay the issue slightly, and has addressed the Speech Recognition Issue on their Security Response Center blog. “While we are taking the reports seriously and investigating them accordingly I am confident in saying that there is little if any need to worry about the effects of this issue on your …

Apple has recently updated information on its website about iTunes compatibility with Windows Vista from Microsoft, urging iTunes users to wait for an new iTunes version before upgrading to the new OS.

iTunes software is the key to syncing up music from Apple iTunes to the iPod portable media players, and although it has worked well with the current XP and 2000 operating systems from Microsoft Apple has noted some issues with the new Vista OS and has a new iTunes release on the way to address them. Apple states that iTunes 7.0.2 may work well with Vista on many PC’s, but due to some known compatibility issues iTunes users should wait until the next release of the iTunes software is out in a few weeks.

Some of the known issues Apple has noted range from serious …

Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most prolific polymaths who ever lived. A true Renaissance man, his interests allowed him to succeed as a scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, musician, and writer. Leonardo’s studies were recorded in notebooks that were maintained daily throughout his life as he made continual observations of the world around him. Leonardo’s notebooks encompass over 13,000 pages of notes and drawings.

You now have access to page through the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci thanks to a joint effort between Microsoft and the British Library. Two of da Vinci’s notebooks have been digitized for an updated version of an application called “Turning the Pages” which allows people to browse parts of the British Library’s 150 million piece collection via a web browser.

The British Library will make selections from the Codex Arundel and …

Crunchgear got a tip yesterday that a Zune Phone from Microsoft is in the works, and as far as tips go they seem to think this is a pretty solid one. According to the tip, executives from Microsoft are currently working out details of the product and its release.

The gadget site states a number of “known” details about the rumored Zune Phone and it’s launch. First, the new mobile phone would be a smart device that interfaces with the existing Zune product but will not run Windows Mobile, despite being a Microsoft product.

The Zune cell phone will have connectivity to sync up with the Xbox 360 to stream media content through a wireless connection. This sounds pretty cool, but we’re just not sure how practical that would be. Transferring movies from the Xbox to the mobile media player …

The consumer versions of Microsoft Windows Vista are finally available today around the world. Vista is available both at retail outlets and, in a first, via download. Microsoft’s tag line for Vista is The “Wow” starts now. And most consumers will be “Wowed” by the ridiculous number of different versions to choose from. Do you want Home Basic, Business, Home Premium or Ultimate? Good question. Most of the decision depends on knowing what you want to do. Unfortunately the technology experts in every family will end up answering many questions about Vista and most of them will not be happy about it. How many of them will answer, “Buy a Mac,” remains to be seen.

New Windows releases have been an event ever since Microsoft hired the Rolling Stones to perform for the Windows 95 release. …

Palm has recently announced the availability of Microsoft’s Direct Push technology with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync for the Palm Treo 680 and Treo 700p running the Palm OS.

The Palm Treo’s have been able to sync up email information through the Palm VeraMail client, but this offering allows the Palm OS on the Treo’s to take advantage of the Direct Push technology from Microsoft which allows automatic wireless updates of emails, calendar items and contacts.

“Extending Microsoft’s Direct Push Technology to the Palm OS based line of Treo smartphones gives business customers a powerful new choice for wireless email, security and manageability,” said Joe Fabris, director of wireless solutions, at Palm, Inc. “This combination delivers the benefits of business-class email without the cost of additional infrastructure required by other middleware-based solutions, ensuring a fast return on …

Customers with business accounts have had Windows Vista available to them for almost two months, and the launch to general consumers is just a few days away, scheduled for the 30th of January.

Even with the limited exposure the new OS has had, there have already been reported issues with drivers, some anti-virus software and Quickbooks to name a few. To help with this, Microsoft has created a page to help you get ready for Windows Vista, walking users through the different editions of Vista, a product guide, and upgrade information. An upgrade advisor is available, which is a tool that can be downloaded to run on your PC to help identify compatible and non-compatible device and software issues. Be sure when you run it to have any devices that you want …

Microsoft may again be a victim of its own success. Many companies in South Korea rely on ActiveX, a technology built into Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, that enables users to run arbitrary applications in their browser. However, IE7 (Internet Explorer 7) breaks some of the functionality that companies rely on to run their ActiveX plugins in user’s browsers. Because of this the South Korean government through its various ministries has advised users to be cautious about upgrading.

So why has South Korea taken a shine to the ActiveX technology that many American companies have shied away from because of its proprietary nature? The answer lies in encryption. The US maintains a very strict export policy in regards to certain technology. Back in the nineties, US …

Microsoft was announced the formal release of its ASP.NET AJAX framework. Formerly known under the code-name “Atlas”, the framework allows developers to create more sophisticated Web interfaces.

ASP.NET AJAX is a free framework and is intended to work with Microsoft’s ASP.NET 2.0 platform and Visual Studio 2005 development environment.

Ajax or Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is a popular web development technique for creating web pages that are more interactive and behave more like a traditional windowed application. The darling of Web 2.0 websites, the technology is intended to make web pages feel more responsive by limiting the need to “reload” the web page each time the user requests a change.

Microsoft will now need to convince Web developers to make the painful switch to its Ajax framework vs. sticking to one of current popular solutions like Script.aculo.us or Ajax.net.

ASP.NET AJAX is available …

Microsoft has announced that it will extend its free support period for Windows XP. The Redmond Washington software giant had originally planned to discontinue free support in January of 2009. Microsoft said the support period applied specifically to the Home edition of Windows XP.

Windows 98 and ME just ended their supported life in July of 2006. Microsoft has a history of extending the support life of products based on customer demand. Windows 98 support was supposed to end in January of 2004. Microsoft decided to extend the support period by about two years due to the popularity of the operating system.

In the industry support contracts are often a major factor for IT management deciding to upgrade software. Microsoft may use the initial support date announcement to spur adaption of its latest …

Reuters has recently reported that the Zune, Microsoft’s media player which launched in the US in November, could be launching for European customers before the end of 2007 but Microsoft is not ready to make the announcement official quite yet.

According to Jason Reindorp, Zune marketing director at Microsoft, they understand the competition they are up against with the Apple iPod, and ready to face the challenges. “You couldn’t get a more entrenched competitor,” he said at the annual music industry Midem Net conference in France. “But we feel really good about the first steps that we’ve taken.”

The Zune from Microsoft is a 30 GB digital media player that features some wireless functionality to share pictures, music, and video between devices, as well as a built in FM-tuner.

“The industry moves in this sort of Christmas …

One of the few notable moments in Bill Gates’s yawn-worthy opening keynote address was the official introduction of Windows Home Server, a version of Windows designed specifically for devices like HP’s MediaSmart Server. Added to a home network (which can include PCs and Xboxes), it will perform automatic backups, share files to every device on the network, and allow access to your stuff from any Internet-connected machine, all features previously reserved for high-end commercial networks, available in your humble abode later this year.

The HP MediaSmart Server uses Microsoft Windows Home Server as its operating system. As previously stated access to your network is easy to setup so you can get to your home files from anywhere. Want to share your photos with Grandma and Grandpa without posting them to a public web site? The MediaSmart server can do that. …