Microsoft Forefront codename “Stirling” is an integrated security suite that delivers comprehensive protection across endpoint, servers and the edge that is easier to manage and control.

By delivering simplified management and providing critical visibility into threats, vulnerabilities, and configuration risks, Forefront codename “Stirling” helps you protect your business with greater confidence and efficiency.

“Stirling” suite includes:

• A central management server and dashboard
• The next generation of Forefront Client Security
• The next generation of Forefront Security for Exchange Server
• Forefront Online Security for Exchange
• The next generation of Forefront Security for SharePoint
• Forefront Threat Management Gateway (Next generation of ISA)

Microsoft just released the first Beta version of Exchange Server 2010, formerly code-named Exchange Server “14″.

Microsoft Small Basic is a project that’s aimed at bringing “fun” back to programming. By providing a small and easy to learn programming language in a friendly and inviting development environment, Small Basic makes programming a breeze. Ideal for kids and adults alike, Small Basic helps beginners take the first step into the wonderful world of programming.

• Small Basic derives its inspiration from the original BASIC programming language, and is based on the Microsoft .Net platform. It is really small with just 15 keywords and uses minimal concepts to keep the barrier to entry as low as possible.
• The Small Basic development environment is simple, yet provides powerful modern environment features like Intellisense™ and instant context sensitive help.
• Small Basic allows third-party libraries to be plugged in with ease, making it possible for the community to extend the experience in fun and interesting ways.

SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 (SP1) is now available. You can use these packages to upgrade any SQL Server 2008 edition.

The release notes can be viewed here: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=147331

Microsoft project code named Velocity provides a highly scalable in-memory application cache for all kinds of data. By using cache, you can significantly improve application performance by avoiding unnecessary calls to the data source. Distributed cache enables your application to match increasing demand with increasing throughput by using a cache cluster that automatically manages the complexities of load balancing. When you use Velocity, you can retrieve data by using keys or other identifiers, named tags. Velocity supports optimistic and pessimistic concurrency models, high availability, and a variety of cache configurations. Velocity includes an ASP.NET session provider object that enables you to store ASP.NET session objects in the distributed cache without having to write to databases, which increases the performance and scalability of ASP.NET applications.

For community technology preview 3 (CTP3), Microsoft project code named Velocity offers several enhancements and a new API. The enhancements include a cache notifications feature, performance improvements, security enhancements, and new cluster management options. There are also updates to the installation program. Perhaps the most material change for the Velocity administrator is that your options for editing the cluster configuration settings have been decoupled from your options for storing the cluster configuration settings. For more information, see the What’s New for CTP3 topic in the product documentation.

Microsoft released the final version of the Internet Explorer 8 today.

Internet Explorer 8 is the latest version of the familiar web browser you are most comfortable using, helping you get everything you want from the web faster, easier, more privately and securely than ever before.

• Faster Internet Explorer 8 is more responsive with new pages and tabs, opening up fast and reliably. You can now get to the information you care about most, in fewer steps; one click access to your webmail, favorite news sites or other online services.
• Easier Reduce the steps to accomplish many common tasks, and automate your access to real time information updates. You can keep track of your favorite sports team, news, weather with a single click.
• More Private Helps protect your privacy and confidential information where ever you go on the web.
• More Secure Helps protect and stop malicious software from reaching your PC, and makes it easier to detect when a website is an imposter.

With Expression Blend 3 Preview, you can create Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) applications for the desktop and Microsoft Silverlight 3 applications for the web.

Expression Blend 3 Preview is a step on a long journey towards tools that are meant to empower designers to participate in the process of software creation in deep, meaningful, and creative ways.

Using Expression Blend 3 Preview, you, the designers, can make computers easier and more fun to use, and can delight customers with great applications and great content.

As this is a CTP release, you should not install this release on your primary development computer. Also, be aware that the features that ultimately ship with the final release of v1.5 may be different than the features included in this CTP.

The features included in this CTP are:

• Row count
• Feed customization (aka “web-friendly feeds”)
• Data binding for WPF and Silverlight 2
• Enhanced blob support
• Server-driven paging
• A new “Data Service Provider” interface for custom providers
• Various bug fixes to V1.0 features

Install Notes:
This release is separate from the Project Codename “Astoria Offline” Alpha Preview released earlier this month. Installing this CTP on the same system as the Offline release will cause a conflict and is not supported. You should not install them together.

It is possible to use this CTP with the Windows 7 Beta; however, design time support integrated with Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 SP1 or Microsoft Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition will not be available on Windows 7 Beta. Using DataSvcUtil.exe for client-side code generation will also not be available on Windows 7 Beta. You will receive a warning if you use the setup on a system with Windows 7 Beta installed indicating a file is locked but the setup will not fail.

The MVC framework is fully extensible at all points, allowing developers to create sophisticated structures that meet their needs, including for example Dependency Injection (DI) techniques, new view rendering engines or specialized controllers.

As the ASP.NET MVC framework is built on ASP.NET 3.5, developers can take advantage of many existing ASP.NET 3.5 features, such as localization, authorization, Profile etc.

The download contains a “Using Astoria Offline” document that gives a step-by-step walkthrough to create an offline-enabled application. The walkthrough provides an exploration of the infrastructure and how it can be used to build applications. Additionally, a complete example of an offline-enabled application is included in the download.

This release is built on top of the ADO.NET Data Services v1.0 release and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1. This is an early “preview” release, as such, it is not supported and should only be used for prototyping and investigating. As this is a preview release, it is strongly recommended that this release be installed in a test-only environment; a virtual machine is recommended. Please read the included README for more information on support and limitations of this download.

Note: This release is separate from the ADO.NET Data Services v1.5 CTP1 release that will be available soon. Installing this offline preview release on the same system as the v1.5 CTP1 is not supported and it is strongly recommended that you do not install the two releases on the same system.

You can use Microsoft HealthVault Connection Center to upload data to HealthVault from health and fitness devices (such as blood pressure monitors, pedometers, glucometers and many others) and the HealthVault Gadget for Windows Sidebar. HealthVault Connection Center connects your device, your computer and your HealthVault record to manage the upload process for you.

HealthVault Connection Center Beta 2 provides quick and easy upload of device data to HealthVault and helps you use the data with Web sites and applications that work with HealthVault. This most current release includes:

• A simpler, more engaging user interface
• Guided setup to find and install compatible devices
• Ability to select multiple records for upload (for multi-user devices)
• Ability to set upload preferences for each device you use
• Improved support to prevent upload of duplicate data
• First-time uploads will be much faster, and all uploads will take up significantly less space in a HealthVault record.
• You can report any failures in the installation program back to Microsoft, with error codes and detailed logs. This improvement helps us solve any problems you might encounter and improve the product for all users.
• You will be less likely to experience unexpected messages in Connection Center if you install or connect a new device when you already have other installed devices.

The MVC framework is fully extensible at all points, allowing developers to create sophisticated structures that meet their needs, including for example Dependency Injection (DI) techniques, new view rendering engines or specialized controllers.

As the ASP.NET MVC framework is built on ASP.NET 3.5, developers can take advantage of many existing ASP.NET 3.5 features, such as localization, authorization, Profile etc.

The Final Release of the ASP.NET MVC has been released. View this post for more information.

Model-driven development is often used to indicate a development process that revolves around building applications by using models of applications and data as specifications. Using a model-driven approach means a development process and platform that enables:

• Using abstraction to view structure at the important level of detail and hiding complexity until it is needed.
• Using models – or logical data types and relationships – as the core to the development experience.
• Implementing the model-aware components such that they follow the requirements of the modeled application or business process.
• Associating models and model instances at various development stages so that model-driven development can move back and forth in the development lifecycle and maintain those relationships.
• Automation of particular application environments and artifacts so that users can more easily make use of them in the preceding ways.

The preceding points describe a development approach in which the real feature is more robust support of efficient and manageable complex application development. It is this feature that the “Oslo” modeling platform aims at: The goal of code name “Oslo” is to reduce the gap between the intention of the developer and the software components that get developed, deployed, and executed inside of the complex, widely-distributed, database-driven applications. Modeling the application means moving more of the definition of an application into the world of data, where the platform (and you) can more easily make queries as to the developer’s original intent. Microsoft technologies have been moving in this direction for over a decade now; for example, things like COM type libraries, .NET metadata attributes, and XAML have all moved increasingly toward “writing things down” directly as data and away from encoding them into a lower-level form, such as x86 or .NET intermediate language (IL) instructions. The “Oslo” modeling platform continues this progression. In short, the “Oslo” modeling platform:

• Makes it easier for people to write things down in ways that make sense for the problem domain they are working in – a common term for this is modeling.
• Makes the things that people wrote down accessible to platform components during program execution.

The “Oslo” modeling platform makes this possible by providing:

• A visual design tool (Microsoft code name “Quadrant”) that enables people to:
  • Design business processes with well-understood, flowchart-like graphics.
  • Design applications and components that comply with the requirements of those processes
  • Flip from one view back and forth to observe the effect any changes either place have on the overall validity of the application or business process.
• A modeling language (Microsoft code name “M”) that makes it natural to extend system-provided models (such as Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) or Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) models) or create your own models for use on the “Oslo” modeling platform.

  “M”:

  The Microsoft code name “M” language is a declarative language for working with data and building domain models. “M” lets users write down how they want to structure and query their data using a textual syntax that is convenient to both author and reader. “M” does not mandate how data is stored or accessed, nor does it mandate a specific implementation technology. Rather, “M” is designed to allow users to write down what they want from their data without having to specify how those requirements are met by a specific technology or platform.

• A SQL Server database (the code name “Oslo” repository) that stores models as SQL Server schema objects and model instance data as rows in the tables that implement the schema. This data is available to “Quadrant” and any other tool or data-driven application that can make use of it (and that has the appropriate permissions to do so). Whether models or model instance data is created visually, using “M”, or using any SQL data access API (for example, ADO.NET, EDM, OLE-DB, and so on) creating models and storing them in the “Oslo” repository enables future applications to examine and manipulate not only data structures used by applications but – because applications are modeled – the applications themselves, as they run. If a data-driven application has enough detailed model information, applications can run without recourse to static compilation.

  “Oslo” Repository:

  The code name “Oslo” repository provides a robust, enterprise-hardened storage location for the data models. It takes advantage of the best features of SQL Server 2008 to deliver on critical areas such as scalability, security, and performance.

Whether you create or modify model data visually, textually, or using a SQL data access technology, all of the modeling information is available in a relational database (the code name “Oslo” repository) at runtime. Some platform components are part of the System-Provided Models, which enable you to write a service or an application by populating that database with the definition of that service or application. In addition, because that data is captured in the “Oslo” repository, it is available to all kinds of tools that specialize in structured data, whether these tools are design tools like “Quadrant” or third-party tools that can sift, search, and filter the information to make available information that is very difficult to understand using current tools.

This CTP has been refreshed on the 27th February. It changes three DLLs to resolve crashing problems with three-pane modes in Intellipad.

Microsoft Producer 2007 for Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 makes it easy to capture and synchronize audio, video, slides and images – creating engaging rich media presentations. Capture, synchronize, and publish audio, video, slides, and images to create rich media presentations viewable in a browser.

This beta release of Producer is intended primarily for customers who have used Producer 2003 and have requested that Microsoft provide an updated version that is compatible with PowerPoint 2007, PowerPoint 2003, Internet Explorer 7, and Windows Vista.

After the beta of Producer 2007 ended, Microsoft will review feedback received from customers who participated in the beta and determine whether any bug fixes need to be made to Producer. A final version of Producer 2007 will be made available for download on the Office Download Center.

System requirements

• PC with at least 305 MB hard disk space to install Producer 2007.
• Additional hard disk storage is required for any audio or video content you capture using Producer 2007.
• Windows Vista or Windows XP (SP2) operating system
• Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 or PowerPoint 2003
• Internet Explorer 7.0

Microsoft made a Community Technology Preview (CTP) of the SQL Server 2008 SP1 available to the testers yesterday. There is not much to say about it, expect that it has been made available for general testing purposes only, so not deploy the CTP software in a production environment.

The final release of the Service Pack 1 is expected to be in early April 2009.

The final version of the Service Pack 1 for SQL Server 2008 has been released on the 7th April 2009. Please read this post for more information and download links.

What Is Microsoft Recite?

Microsoft Recite is a search technology for your voice that runs on Windows Mobile (version 6.0 or higher) devices. With Microsoft Recite, you can use your voice to easily store, search and retrieve the things you want to remember, where and when you need them.

How Does It Work?

Microsoft Recite’s voice search makes it easy to retrieve your stored thoughts and notes by using voice pattern matching. It analyzes the patterns in your speech and finds matches between two recordings – the notes you stored on your phone, and the search you do using your voice. With Recite you can store thousands of spoken notes, and then later retrieve the notes you want based on a match with your search term(s). This is different from speech recognition, which has to accurately convert spoken words to application-readable input.

To install Microsoft Recite, you can either use the installer below, or browse to http://recite.microsoft.com/download with your Windows Mobile device.

Benefits
Through the online provider, the Sign-in Assistant helps a Windows 7 application running on one computer identify and communicate with other computers that are associated with the same Windows Live ID. Just by linking your Windows Live ID to the user account on each Windows 7 computer you own, you enable those computers to identify each other and work together more easily than has been possible in the past. Applications can take advantage of this capability to support scenarios as in the following example:

On his homegroup, Bob wants to share certain documents with his wife but not with his kids. Simply by specifying his wife’s Windows Live ID user name, Bob can give his wife exclusive permission to access documents on his computer.

Forefront TMG Beta 2 can help you:

• Protect users from Web browsing threats (Secure Web Gateway)
• Control network Access at the edge (Firewall)
• Protect users from e-mail threats (E-mail Protection)
• Protect desktops and servers from intrusion attempts (Network Inspection System, Security Assessment Sharing)
• Enable users to remotely access corporate resources (VPN, Secure Web Publishing)
• Simplify management and deployment
• Integrate with the Forefront Security Suite (codename Stirling) to provide a unified security solution for protecting all of the assets in your organization

Note: Connecting Forefront TMG to a Stirling Server is supported only with the public Beta 2 of Forefront Codenamed Stirling

Microsoft Response Point 1.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2) introduces new-and-improved features that expand your voice service choices, empower the administrator to better manage the system, and enhance the phone system experience for everyday users and callers.

In Service Pack 2, Response Point adds “digital service” to the list of flexible voice service options to help balance the voice and data communication demands of your growing small business. Digital service is transmitted through an enterprise-grade hard-wire connection. “T1″ (in the U.S.), “E1″ (in Europe),”PRI,” or “ISDN” service providers will run a special cable into your office building, similar to the cabling installed by a telco. Digital service lines normally have up to 24 rotating channels that can deliver voice and data packets to phone system components. Using Response Point Administrator, you can configure the digital gateway device required for this voice service. Some digital service providers may offer fractional digital service, which means you purchase only a portion of the circuit that may have only 8 available channels instead of 24.

Response Point Administrator gives you more control over how you manage the system. In this service pack, you can schedule the Automated Receptionist to handle calls after-hours, on holidays, and during business closures; enable access to a virtual private network (VPN), giving employees in remote locations secured access to the resources on the local area network (LAN); configure hybrid gateway devices that have both FXO and FXS ports, or that can be used for either analog or digital service; reduce speech misrecognition, often caused by background noise and variable service requirements, when you change the channel that detects the DTMF touch tones on your phones.

Response Point Assistant improves the overall experience for everyday users and callers. In this service pack, you can control how you receive 2-way intercom calls and 1-way pages, and play a call-forwarding announcement (or not) for people when they contact you.

Additional SP2 features include automatic parked-call return, which ensures that no callers are left waiting in park longer than 3 minutes; support for VoIP gateway devices that can help improve service quality; and customizable URLs in call notification windows.

The Service Pack 2 for Response Point 1.0 has been updated on the 25th February.

The MVC framework is fully extensible at all points, allowing developers to create sophisticated structures that meet their needs, including for example Dependency Injection (DI) techniques, new view rendering engines or specialized controllers.

As the ASP.NET MVC framework is built on ASP.NET 3.5, developers can take advantage of many existing ASP.NET 3.5 features, such as localization, authorization, Profile etc.

A couple of issues have been reported with the RC. This is the refreshed version (01/30/2009).

The Release Candidate 2 of the ASP.NET MVC has been released. View this post for more information.

Microsoft released the official Internet Explorer 8 Release Candidate two days ago.

Internet Explorer 8 is the latest version of the familiar web browser you are most comfortable using, helping you get everything you want from the web faster, easier, more privately and securely than ever before.

• Faster Internet Explorer 8 is more responsive with new pages and tabs, opening up fast and reliably. You can now get to the information you care about most, in fewer steps; one click access to your webmail, favorite news sites or other online services.
• Easier Reduce the steps to accomplish many common tasks, and automate your access to real time information updates. You can keep track of your favorite sports team, news, weather with a single click.
• More Private Helps protect your privacy and confidential information where ever you go on the web.
• More Secure Helps protect and stop malicious software from reaching your PC, and makes it easier to detect when a website is an imposter.

The final version of the Internet Explorer 8 has been released on the 19th March 2009. Please read this post for more information and download links.

Entourage 2008 used Exchange Web Services functionality to support Free/Busy, Out of Office Assistant, delegation, and Autodiscover service. In the Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta, Exchange Web Services provides folder and item synchronization, notes, tasks, and categories synchronization with the Exchange Server and for several calendaring improvements.

What’s new?

Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta makes significant strides with several updates. These include notes, tasks, and categories synchronization, logging, and calendar improvements. The following paragraphs discuss the new and improved features that are added when you install this latest version of Entourage.

Notes, Tasks, and Categories synchronize with Microsoft Exchange Server
Users can synchronize their notes, tasks, and categories with the Exchange Server. For example, a user can add tasks in Entourage. This task list is synchronized with the Exchange Server, which lets the user view those tasks from any of the Exchange Server clients: Entourage, Microsoft Office Outlook, Outlook Web Access Premium. Also, categories are synchronized with Exchange Server and are compatible with Microsoft Office Outlook 2007.

Autodiscovery
The Autodiscover service was introduced in Entourage 2008 for Mac SP1 to configure a user’s Exchange account settings automatically. In Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta, the Autodiscover service keeps user account settings up-to-date after the account setup.

• It runs in the background every time that you start Entourage.
• It also runs at a server-defined interval, typically every hour, to make sure that the Exchange Server settings are always kept up-to-date. For example, when a user’s Microsoft Exchange Server information changes, Entourage 2008 reconfigures the user’s profile automatically.
• The service also runs if a network failure occurs while Entourage is connecting to the Exchange Server. If Entourage connects to the Exchange Server with updated settings from the Autodiscover service, those settings are stored and used for future connections.

Enable Logging (troubleshooting) preference
You can enable logging for diagnostic purposes by selecting the Enable Logging (troubleshooting) preference. Microsoft Customer Support Services uses the diagnostic information to identify issues, such as Exchange synchronization, calendar, LDAP, and Autodiscover service issues.

Support for attachments in Exchange calendar events
Users can add attachments to the calendar meetings. If users send an invite with attachments, the meeting in the invite’s calendar shows the attachment.

Important:

• Your Entourage client must be connecting to an Exchange Server 2007 Server with Service Pack 1 with Update Rollup 4 or later installed for this beta to work.
• The Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta will not connect to Exchange Server versions prior to 2007 with Service Pack 1 with Update Rollup 4. Previous versions such as Exchange Server 5.5, 2000, and 2003) do not have the Exchange Web Services feature that enables the Entourage for Exchange Web Services to connect.
• If you are not currently connecting to an Exchange Server 2007 server with Service Pack 1 with Update Rollup 4 or later installed or are unsure of what version of Exchange Server you are connecting to, please do not continue with this beta until you have confirmed that you meet this minimum requirement.
• The Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta will need to be installed on top of an exsting licensed Office 2008 for Mac install.

Microsoft Commerce Server 2009 – Release Candidate, formerly known as Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave”, is the final pre-release of the next version of Commerce Server.

Commerce Server 2009 delivers the ability to increase your business reach by making it possible to sell via multiple channels using an out-of-the-box shopping site, SharePoint Commerce Services, and the Multi-Channel Commerce Foundation. The new out-of-the-box shopping site leverages SharePoint Commerce Services, which provides a gallery of ASP.NET 3.5 Web Parts, a comprehensive e-commerce shopping feature-set, and technology integration between Commerce Server and SharePoint technologies. The Multi-Channel Commerce Foundation provides a new unified, extensible run-time programming model for Commerce Server, including new run-time e-commerce capabilities.

This Release Candidate is the last pre-release before final release of the product. While this version contains a limited “use in production” license, it is a time-bombed release and you will need to acquire the product through your Volume Licensing, MSDN or ISV channels in the near future. This pre-release requires an installed version of Microsoft Commerce Server 2007 Enterprise or Standard Edition. This release is not compatible with Commerce Server 2007 Developer Edition.

You must uninstall all previous Commerce Server CTP versions. Leveraging a clean system that has never had a previous version of a Commerce Server CTP installed upon it is strongly recommended.

The Commerce Server 2009 product documentation will automatically be installed as part of setup and will replace the existing Commerce Server 2007 documentation set. Once installed, you can review the documentation by going to Start> All Programs> Microsoft Commerce Server 2009> Documentation> Commerce Server Documentation.

Microsoft Commerce Server 2009 on Connect

MED-V is a desktop virtualization product planned to become part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) MED-V is based on Microsoft’s acquisition of Kidaro, a company that made desktop virtualization tools, and aims to resolve a number of problems with application compatibility on newer OSs. One such problem is applications that run on Windows XP or Windows 2000 but aren’t compatible with Windows 7 and Windows Vista. A large amount of testing and application “shimming” (a process that lies to an application to make it run on an OS it shouldn’t) is required to make sure legacy applications will run on Vista. The effort needed can be a major obstacle to adopting newer OSs and it’s quite possible that a given application simply can’t run on Windows 7 or Vista.

You have two choices today for applications that can’t run on a new desktop OS. You can run the application on a terminal server (assuming the application can run on a terminal server) and have users remote to the terminal server to run the application. Your other option is to use a client virtualization solution, such as Virtual PC, to run a legacy OS image, such as Windows XP, that can then host the legacy application. The virtual approach means the user has their normal desktop and another desktop that represents the Virtual PC image of XP. This is confusing for most users, with two Start buttons, two sets of menus, two file systems, two desktops, and so on.

MED-V builds on the Virtual PC approach by using Virtual PC 2007 as a client-side virtualization platform to host an XP or Win2K image that runs the legacy applications. The MED-V application then seamlessly integrates the application running on the legacy OS with the user’s main desktop. MED-V integrates Start menu options, notification tray icons, clipboard sharing and file system interoperability between the VM and the local OS. The architecture is shown here.

The user doesn’t know that a virtual machine (VM) is running on the desktop, nor that the application they are using isn’t running on their local OS. As shown here, MED-V handles the transplanting of the application window from the VM to the user’s local desktop. Essentially the only hint to the user that the application is running in a different environment is that the application will use the theme of the XP or Win2K VM instead of the Windows Aero theme that may be used on the local desktop.

MED-V handles not only the integration of legacy applications and the local OS but also provides the mechanism to store and distribute VM images, provides image updating, and implements policies about what data can be transferred between the VM and the local desktop and the length of time the virtual image can be used.

MED-V integrates with Internet Explorer and can be configured to automatically redirect certain URLs entered on the local PC to a legacy IE version running in the VM. This redirection solves problems with websites that aren’t compatible with the latest Internet Explorer browser.

You will also be able to use MED-V as a delivery mechanism for virtual images and give users two complete desktops. In this scenario, they would essentially run a Virtual PC window on their desktops and not take advantage of MED-V’s seamless application integration.

MED-V is currently only planned to be supported on Vista and XP 32-bit platforms and will be available as part of MDOP in the first half of 2009.

MED-V may change the way companies adopt new OSs, because instead of performing all the application testing and validation under the new OS before adopting it, a company can upgrade to the new OS and run applications that aren’t supported or tested in the MED-V environment. The company can then migrate applications to Vista over time. At least, that’s what Microsoft would like.

In the future, you’ll see MED-V transform away from making legacy applications run on newer OSs, because Microsoft is stressing better compatibility between OSs. MED-V will become a tool that helps deploy complete virtual desktops to address scenarios such as giving corporate images to non-corporate machines and enabling better business continuity through easy virtualization deployment, uses that will help productivity of contract, offsite, and work-at-home users.

Microsoft Commerce Server 2009 – December 2008 CTP, formerly known as Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave”, is the first feature complete pre-release of the next version of Commerce Server.

Commerce Server 2009 delivers the ability to increase your business reach by making it possible to sell via multiple channels using an out-of-the-box shopping site, SharePoint Commerce Services, and the Multi-Channel Commerce Foundation. The new out-of-the-box shopping site leverages SharePoint Commerce Services, which provides a gallery of ASP.NET 3.5 Web Parts, a comprehensive e-commerce shopping feature-set, and technology integration between Commerce Server and SharePoint technologies. The Multi-Channel Commerce Foundation provides a new unified, extensible run-time programming model for Commerce Server, including new run-time e-commerce capabilities.

The December CTP adds the following capabilities over previous Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave” releases:

• Update package from Commerce Server 2007, allowing for seamless in-place upgrade of existing deployments.
• Complete out-of-the-box e-commerce shopping site in SharePoint with new search functionality, new shopping features, and what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) content management and design experiences. This helps to facilitate rapid assembly and maintenance of e-commerce Web sites by business users and creative professionals.

Important: Install this pre-release version of Commerce Server 2009 into a non-production environment, preferably on a clean machine, to learn more about the run-time Multi-Channel Commerce Foundation and the SharePoint Commerce Services. This release is for evaluation purposes only and is not intended to be used in a production environment.

You must uninstall all previous Commerce Server CTP versions. Leveraging a clean system that has never had a previous version of a Commerce Server CTP installed upon it is strongly recommended.

Microsoft Commerce Server 2009 on Connect

A newer version of the Commerce Server 2009 has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

Microsoft updated the December Partner Build (RC1) of the Internet Explorer 8. This build contains the fix to MSRC MS08-078. Please read the IEBlog for more information. All Internet Explorer users should read the article above to ensure that they are safe.

Just as with the IE8 December Partner Build, this build represents a preview of Microsofts progress and is best used to verify issues fixed since releasing Beta 2. While the IE Team believes it to be of adequate quality for you to use, is not as extensively tested as a milestone build, so it is not meant for the general public but only for testing purposes.

The buildtag of this version is 8.00.6001.18344 (longhorn_ie8_rc1(wmbla).081211-1138).

The Official Release Candidate 1 of the Internet Explorer 8 has been released on the 26th January 2009. Please read this post for more information and download links.

Microsoft CAT.NET is a binary code analysis tool that helps identify common variants of certain prevailing vulnerabilities that can give rise to common attack vectors such as Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), SQL Injection and XPath Injection.

CAT.NET is a snap-in to the Visual Studio IDE that helps you identify security flaws within a managed code (C#, Visual Basic .NET, J#) application you are developing. It does so by scanning the binary and/or assembly of the application, and tracing the data flow among its statements, methods, and assemblies. This includes indirect data types such as property assignments and instance tainting operations. The engine works by reading the target assembly and all reference assemblies used in the application – module-by-module – and then analyzing all of the methods contained within each. It finally displays the issues its finds in a list that you can use to jump directly to the places in your application’s source code where those issues were found.

The following rules are currently supported by this version of the tool:

• Cross Site Scripting
• SQL Injection
• Process Command Injection
• File Canonicalization
• Exception Information
• LDAP Injection
• XPATH Injection
• Redirection to User Controlled Site

The next milestone of the Internet Explorer 8 (RC1, “December Partner Build”) has been released to the Technical beta testers. This build represents a preview of Microsofts progress and is best used to verify issues fixed since releasing Beta 2. While Microsoft believes it to be of adequate quality for you to use, is not as extensively tested as a milestone build, so it is not meant for the general public but only for testing purposes.

The Release Candidate 1 of the Internet Explorer 8 has been updated on the 17th December. Please read this post for more information and download links.

The first technology preview of Microsoft Response Point SP2 has been released to early adopters lately. Microsoft Response Point (RP) is an advanced software-based telephone system developed by Microsoft. Response Point, a PBX system targeting small businesses with less than 50 employees, was launched in March 2007, with systems available on the market in the fourth quarter of that year. Response Point is VoIP-based, and uses SIP as its’ signaling and call setup protocol. Response Point supports voicemail and multi-party calling in addition to two party VoIP calls. It features innovative voice recognition technology to manage calls and voice mail. Voicemail messages can, optionally, be sent to e-mail where they can be retrieved and archived. Response Point voice dialing can works with the Response Point phone directory which is currently limited to 1100 contacts per user. Contacts may be imported from the Windows Address Book or Microsoft Outlook. Response Point automatically detects gateways and phones connected to the network.

The Response Point homepage can be found on http://www.microsoft.com/responsepoint/default.aspx.

Some of the new features are:

• After hours
• B2BUA (from 8×8)
• Conference Room phone (from ClearOne)
• FXS Gateway (from Quintum)
• In-band DTMF improvements
• Intercom
• Incoming Call Toast Customization
• T1 Gateway (from Quintum and Sangoma)
• VPN/WAN support

The RP Service Pack 2 release is expected to be in the Feb 2009 timeframe or before.

The first Beta version of Microsofts new BizTalk Server has been released today.

Microsoft BizTalk Server, often referred to as simply “BizTalk”, is a business process management (BPM) server. Through the use of “adapters” which are tailored to communicate with different software systems used in a large enterprise, it enables companies to automate and integrate business processes. Offered by Microsoft, it provides the following functions: Business Process Automation, Business Process Modeling, Business-to-business Communication, Enterprise Application Integration and Message broker.

In a common scenario, BizTalk enables companies to integrate and manage business processes by exchanging business documents such as purchase orders and invoices between disparate applications, within or across organizational boundaries.

Development for BizTalk Server is done through Visual Studio .NET.

Features

• The use of adapters to simplify integration to Line of Business Applications (eg. Siebel, SAP, IFS Applications, JD Edwards, Oracle), Databases (Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, DB2) and other Technologies (Tibco, J2EE, etc)
• An engine for modelling Business Rules in a pseudo-English format. This is a forward chaining rule engine.
• Business Activity Monitoring (BAM), which allows a dashboard, graphical view on how the modelled Business Processes are doing.
• A unified Administration Dashboard for monitoring deployments of solutions, etc on BizTalk servers in your environment.
• Built-in EDI(Electronic Data Interchange) functionality supporting X12,HIPAA and EDIFACT.
• Accelerators which offer support for standards like RosettaNet, HL7, SWIFT, etc.
• Ability to do graphical modelling of business processes in visual studio, graphically mapping (with the assistance of functoids) between different message formats, and building pipelines to decrypt, verify, parse messages as they enter the system via adapters.
• Users can automate business management processes via Orchestrations.
• BizTalk integrates with other Microsoft products like Office, InfoPath and SharePoint to allow interaction with a user participating in a workflow process.
• Extensive support for Webservices (consuming and exposing)
• RFID support

The BizTalk Server runtime is built on a publish/subscribe architecture, sometimes called “content-based publish/subscribe”. Messages are published into the system, and then received by one or more active subscribers.

BizTalk uses adapters for communications with different protocols, and specific software products such as SharePoint. Some of the adapters that were included in Server 2006 product included the Base EDI (Covast), File, HTTP, FTP, SMTP, POP3, SOAP, SQL, MSMQT, Web Services Enhancements (WSE) 2.0, and the Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) adapters. Some are available through third parties.

The BizTalk Server 2009 Beta is available for download on Microsoft Connect.
https://connect.microsoft.com/site/sitehome.aspx?SiteID=218

Microsoft Commerce Server code name “Mojave” delivers the ability to increase your business reach by selling through multiple channels through a new default out-of-the-box shopping site based on ASP.NET 2.0 Web Parts deployed in SharePoint and other SharePoint commerce services, and a compelling new multi-channel commerce foundation, with a new unified run-time calling model, new extensibility points, and new built-in features.

Specifically Commerce Server code name “Mojave” adds:

• New multi-channel commerce foundation, superseding the existing Commerce Server programming model, to rapidly build extensible e-commerce applications for the Web and beyond by using Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1+.
• SharePoint commerce services, including 29 out-of-the-box e-commerce Web parts plus integration between Commerce Server code name “Mojave” and SharePoint offering a new Default out-of-the-box site with new search functionality, new shopping features, and what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) content management and design experiences to facilitate rapid assembly and maintenance of e-commerce Web sites by business users and creative professionals.

The following lists what’s new for this CTP release:

• Renamed classes in contracts and message builders. Most core classes in Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave” have been prefixed with the term Commerce (for example, Query becomes CommerceQuery, Relationship becomes CommerceRelationship, and so on). This also affects message handlers in the ChannelConfiguration.config file (for example, QueryOperation_Category becomes CommerceQueryOperation_Category).
• Renamed Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave” pipeline components. The term “pipeline” has been replaced with “operation sequence”. This affects the naming of several components within the provider assembly (for example, PipelineComponent becomes OperationSequenceComponent).
• Method for returning object created/updated in an operation has changed. Related create and update operations no longer contain an Options member. This has been replaced with CommerceCreate.Options.ReturnModelQueries and CommerceUpdate.Options.ReturnModelQueries. This lets you populate the relationships of the item returned by a create or update operation in the same way you would by executing a query operation. The CommerceQueryRelatedItem operations are added to ReturnModelQueries, and then processed as if a query were being executed when building the response for a create or update operation.
• A new option was added to the Basket query operation to allow skipping execution of the Commerce Server 2007 basket pipelines.
• Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave” multi-channel commerce foundation has been updated with removal of type.
• Inclusion of the core elements of the Default site.
• Compiled Commerce Server 2007 code name “Mojave” Help File (CHM) Documentation has been updated.

To install this CTP, you need to have Microsoft Commerce Server 2007 with Service Pack 2 installed. Detailed setup instructions can be found in the ReadMe file. You must UNINSTALL all previous Commerce Server CTP versions before you install this November 2008 CTP. Leveraging a clean system that has never had a previous version of Commerce Server CTP installed upon it is strongly recommended.

Microsoft Commerce Server “Mojave” on Connect

A newer version of the Commerce Server 2009 has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

Enhanced application performance and availability across heterogeneous platforms

• Delivers monitoring across Windows, Linux and Unix servers-all through a single console.
• Extends end to end monitoring of distributed applications to any workload running on Windows, Unix and Linux platforms.
• Maximize availability of virtual workloads with integration with System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008.

Improved management of applications in the data center

• Delivers on the scale requirements of URL monitoring of your business.
• Meet agreed service levels with enhanced reporting showing application performance and availability.
• More efficient problem identification and action to resolve issues.

Increased speed of access to information and functionality to drive management

• Faster load times for views and results.
• Improved and simplified management pack authoring experience

The Operations Manager 2007 R2 Beta integrates the functionality delivered within the Cross Platform Extensions Beta. New betas of the Interoperability Connectors will be available shortly.

The Operations Manager 2007 R2 Beta 1 is available for download through Microsoft Connect.
https://connect.microsoft.com/Downloads/Downloads.aspx?SiteID=446

The .NET Micro Framework works best for devices that are low-cost, resource-constrained, single- or limited-function, and often connected. Examples of potential products and applications in this marketplace, some of which are already available or under development, include:

The .NET Micro Framework enables faster development of more capable embedded systems that are smart, securely connected, and easier to manage. By supporting modern development tools and paradigms, .NET Micro Framework allows embedded project managers to improve productivity by bringing innovative products to market faster and at lower cost.

Through its fully integrated Visual Studio experience, the .NET Micro Framework brings a reliable and productive development system to the world of embedded development. Complex applications can be developed faster by leveraging the powerful emulation and debugging capabilities. The familiar development environment allows .NET desktop programmers to work easily on embedded projects.

Microsoft .NET Micro Framework Homepage

The Introducing Geneva whitepaper by David Chappell provides an in depth look at all of the components of the “Geneva” platform. A biref data sheet providing an overview of the Geneva platform including system requiremnts is also available.

“Geneva” Framework
Previously called “Zermatt”, the Geneva Framework helps developers build claims aware .NET applications that externalize user authentication from the application, plus custom security token services (STS).

“Geneva” Server
Geneva Server, an STS for IT that issues and transforms claims and other tokens, manages user access, and enables easy federation.

Windows CardSpace “Geneva”
Windows CardSpace Geneva for helping users navigate access decisions.

About Microsoft Services Connector
Microsoft Services Connector is a server component that enables you to quickly and easily connect groups of users in your organization to Microsoft services and to services built on the Microsoft services infrastructure. With the connector, your users can seamlessly access Microsoft services by using the Active Directory® credentials that you control.

As a Community Technology Preview (CTP), this early release includes software and documentation that is in a preliminary state and is not intended for use in a production context.

Contents of the CTP Release
This release includes the following:

• Microsoft Services Connector CTP software package (MSCInstaller.exe)
• Microsoft Services Connector Administrator’s Guide (MSCAdminGuide.doc)
• Release notes (MSCRelNotes.rtf)

Microsoft Services Connector on Connect

This package contains a ZIP of the Mojave October CTP unit tests. While the Visual Studio project will not open, please feel free to use this source as guidance on how to invoke the Mojave API.

A newer version of the Commerce Server 2009 has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

Mojave October CTP Sample Sitelet

ASP.NET-Based Mojave Sample Sitelet Notes
This sample sitelet demonstrates a simple example of how to write code using Commerce Server “Mojave”. The sample will be updated with additional functionality. Please check back for new drops of this sample.

Installing the ASP.NET-Based Sample Sitelet
You unpack the Sample Site Sitelet using Commerce Server Site Packager.
Use the following procedure to install the ASP.NET-based Sample Sitelet on one computer using the Quick mode in Site Packager.
Unpacking the ASP.NET-based Sample Sitelet using the Custom unpack option and creating independent databases for each of the site resources is not recommended.

To unpack the ASP.NET-Based Sample Sitelet

1. In Windows Explorer, navigate to the directory you download the package.
2. Click the SampleSite.pup icon.
3. In the Unpack screen, select Quick Unpack, and then click Next.
4. In the Quick Unpack screen, ensure that the SQL Server computer name is correct, enter the SQL Server login name and password, and then click Next.
5. In the Commerce Server Site Packager window recommending Windows Authentication, click OK.
6. In the Profiling System screen, accept the defaults, and then click Next.
7. In the second Profiling System screen, accept the defaults, and then click OK.
8. After the unpacking is complete, a dialog box appears with the message “Unpacking is complete!”. Click Finish.
9. In Internet Explorer, in the Address box, type HTTP: //<computer name>/SampleSite to open the sitelet.
10. In Visual Studio 2008, open the web site, HTTP: //<computer name>/SampleSite
11. Press F5 to build the web site.

A newer version of the Commerce Server 2009 has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

Since this is the very first public CTP, the release is not yet feature complete. This CTP is intended to provide you with a preview of the new commerce foundation API. Early next week, Microsoft will be posting a new download that contains a “hello world” sample and additional instructions for using this CTP.

The release also contains the latest SharePoint web parts available for preview, however it does not include the default SharePoint site that hosts the web parts. To use the web parts, you will need to manually configure the web parts in a SharePoint site.

What features are included in this CTP?

• “Mojave” API
• Updated with removal of type
• “Mojave” Catalog System Web Parts
• “Mojave” Orders System Web Parts
• “Mojave” Marketing System Web Parts
• “Mojave” Profiles System Web Parts
• Compiled “Mojave” Help File (CHM) Documentation

To install this CTP, you need to have Microsoft Commerce Server 2007 with Service Pack 2 installed. Detailed setup instructions can be found in the ReadMe file.

Microsoft Commerce Server “Mojave” on Connect

A newer version of the Commerce Server 2009 has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

• Support for Visual Studio 2008 SP1
• Support for Visual C# 2008 Express Edition
• File system (including emulator support)
• Significant DPWS improvements
• WiFi support (pending hardware availability)
• Performance optimizations
• New sample code and improved documentation
• Lots of Bugfixes

The .NET Micro Framework is a .NET platform for extremely resource-constrained devices. It includes a small version of the .NET CLR and supports development in C# and debugging (in an emulator or on hardware), both using Microsoft Visual Studio. It also features a subset of the .NET base class libraries (about 70 classes with about 420 methods), a GUI framework loosely based on Windows Presentation Foundation, and additional libraries specific to embedded applications.

The .NET Micro Framework aims to make embedded development easier, faster, and less expensive by giving embedded developers access to the modern technologies and tools used by desktop application developers. Additionally, it allows desktop .NET developers to use their skills in the embedded world, enlarging the pool of qualified embedded developers.

Changes in version 3.0:

• Visual Studio 2008 now supported: .NET Micro Framework V3.0 now runs under Visual Studio 2008. Additionally, .NET Micro Framework V2.5 projects can also be built using VS 2008 and the .NET Micro Framework V3.0.
• DPWS CodeGen tools: The .NET Micro Framework v3.0 now includes a tool, MFSvcUtil.Exe that can be used to generate .NET Micro Framework DPWS client proxies and DPWS Service stubs from WSDL files.
• USB Device support: In addition to allowing debugging over USB, hardware running the .NET Micro Framework 3.0 can now act as USB devices using the Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.UsbClient namespace.
• Stylus/Touch Panel support: Using touchscreen-enabled hardware, or the new touchscreen emulator, you can create code that reacts when UI elements are pressed, captures “ink” for signatures or jotted notes, or handles gestures for UI navigation. You can access this functionality through Microsoft.SPOT.Touch, Microsoft.SPOT.Ink, and new extensions to the Microsoft.SPOT.Presentation namespaces.
• Secure Sockets support: The .NET Micro Framework v3.0 now supports Secure Sockets Layer (*SSL) networking for secure communications.

A newer version of the .NET Micro Framework SDK has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

This beta release of Producer is intended primarily for customers who have used Producer 2003 and have requested that Microsoft provide an updated version that is compatible with PowerPoint 2007, PowerPoint 2003, Internet Explorer 7, and Windows Vista.

After the beta of Producer 2007 ended, Microsoft will review feedback received from customers who participated in the beta and determine whether any bug fixes need to be made to Producer. A final version of Producer 2007 will be made available for download on the Office Download Center sometime during Fall/Winter 2008.

System requirements

• PC with at least 305 MB hard disk space to install Producer 2007.
• Additional hard disk storage is required for any audio or video content you capture using Producer 2007.
• Windows Vista or Windows XP (SP2) operating system
• Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 or PowerPoint 2003
• Internet Explorer 7.0

A newer version of Microsoft Producer 2007 has been released. Please read this post for more information and download links.

If you are a participant of the Beta Program on Microsoft Connect you can download them there. Microsoft will ship the media only to those who ask them within the next two weeks.

Additional, Microsoft released a new version of the EBS Preparation and Planning Wizards which can be downloaded here.

RC1 Loc Participation Survey: http://connect.microsoft.com/centro/Survey/Survey.aspx?SurveyID=6941

Microsoft Response Point is phone system software designed for small businesses with 1 to 50 employees. The intuitive management programs, voice-activated user interface, and rich feature set make Response Point easy to configure, manage, and use. D-Link, Syspine, and Aastra offer complete systems that are bundled in affordable starter packages.

Microsoft Response Point 1.0 Service Pack 1 (SP1) introduces new-and-improved features that expand your voice service options, empower the administrator to better manage the system, and enhance the phone system experience for everyday users and callers.

In Service Pack 1, Response Point is equipped with a VoIP gateway that allows you to set up cost-saving VoIP service, offered through Internet Telephony Service Providers (ITSPs). With VoIP service, you can configure direct-dial numbers so that your business can have multiple phone numbers, without the hassle and cost of setting up new analog phone lines. Configure VoIP service, analog service, or a combination of both voice services – in SP1, the choice is now yours.

Response Point Administrator gives you more control over how you manage the system. In this service pack, you can monitor and analyze call activity; upgrade phones and phone line adapters when the hardware manufacturer releases the latest firmware; customize answers to questions that callers frequently ask the Automated Receptionist; restrict access on phones in common areas; and play music for callers waiting in park.

Response Point Assistant improves the overall experience for everyday users and callers. In this service pack, you can click-to-call contacts with just two mouse-clicks; specify the most cost-effective voice service for your contacts; and view in-call and parked-call status, so that you can see whether other users are on or off the phone, and whether any parked calls are waiting to be retrieved.

In addition, Microsoft also released a CTP of Service Pack 3 (SP3) for Windows XP Embedded. This is a rollup of hot fixes and security updates Microsoft has released since the RTM of Service Pack 2. SP3 also includes select out-of-band features and enhancements. SP3 provides a new baseline for customers deploying Windows XP Embedded.

Sign up for the Windows Embedded CTP here: https://connect.microsoft.com/windowsembedded

Visual Studio 2008 SP1 delivers:

• Improved WPF designers
• SQL Server 2008 support
• ADO.NET Entity Designer
• Visual Basic and Visual C++ components and tools (including an MFC-based Office 2007 style ‘Ribbon’)
• Visual Studio Team System Team Foundation Server (TFS) addresses customer feedback on version control usability and performance, email integration with work item tracking and full support for hosting on SQL Server 2008
• Richer JavaScript support, enhanced AJAX and data tools, and Web site deployment improvements

The complete release notes can be seen here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/products/cc533447.aspx

Cross Platform Extensions Beta extends the monitoring and management capabilities of Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 to non-Microsoft platforms, including HP-UX®, Sun Solaris™, Red Hat® Enterprise Linux®, and SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server environments.

The package includes:

• Setup Documentation and Whitepapers
• Operations Manager installer files
• Unix Agent installer files

New in this beta:

• Operations Manager x64 support
• Gateway role support
• IBM AIX 5.3

What is “Zermatt”?
The Microsoft Code Name “Zermatt” is a framework targeted for .Net developers to help them to build claims-aware applications to address today’s application security requirements using a simplified model that is open and extensible and can improve security. Developers can build externalized authentication capabilities for their applications and build custom “identity providers”, often referred to as Security Token Services (STS). Zermatt can be used in any web application or web service that uses the .NET Framework version 3.5.

Major Features

• Building claims-aware applications: The framework makes it easier to build identity aware applications. In addition to providing a new claims model, it provides applications with a rich set of API’s to reason about the identity of a caller using claims. The framework also provides developers with a consistent programming experience whether they choose to build their applications in ASP.NET or in WCF environments.
• Building Security Token Services (STS): The framework makes it substantially easier for building a custom security token service (STS) that supports the WS-Trust protocol. These STS’s are also referred to as an Active STS. In addition, the framework also provides support for building STS’s that support WS-Federation to enable web browser clients. These STS’s are also referred to as a Passive STS.
• Creating Information Cards
• ASP.NET Controls: ASP.NET controls simplify development of ASP.NET pages for building claims-aware Web applications, as well as Passive STS’s.

As an application developer, by building claims-aware web applications and services, you’ll spend less time worrying about where to find identity attributes for users and have more time to focus on building a great application that solves real business problems. By relying on claims, you’ll be able to personalize your applications more effectively, and implement important security features such as authorization and auditing, without baking one particular authentication method into your application, or writing queries against a corporate directory. By centralizing identity management in this fashion, the IT pros can build the most efficient possible queries against their directories and give your application the identity details that it needs about users. And becoming claims-aware means you’ll be in much better shape when you’re asked to implement single sign on and perhaps even identity federation. Zermatt is a framework for building claims-aware web applications and services, and even issuing authorities, should you need to roll your own. Or better yet, buy a pre-built authority like the upcoming version of ADFS. Claims-based identity is the wave of the future. Get on board with Zermatt today!

A newer version of the Zermatt/Geneva SDK has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

• File Server Migration Wizard which copy shared folders, files, and their security settings from a source file server to a target file server.
• DFS consolidation root wizard which maintain the original Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path of files after they are migrated to a new server.

This release of Microsoft File Server Migration Toolkit adds support for migrating and consolidating servers running Windows Server 2008. No new features have been added in this release.

Whats new?

• Active Storage Platform: Enables the Windows platform to restrict access to portable devices (such as a USB Flash Device) via a certificate or password authentication based on the IEEE 1667 standard specification.
• Image Mastering API update for Blu-Ray media: This feature enables the Windows platform to do master style optical burning on Blu-Ray media.
• Smart Card Driver: This provides support for new form factors, such as ICCD/CCID.

You can join the beta on Microsoft Connect via this link:
https://connect.microsoft.com/site/sitehome.aspx?SiteID=434

The .NET Micro Framework aims to make embedded development easier, faster, and less expensive by giving embedded developers access to the modern technologies and tools used by desktop application developers. Additionally, it allows desktop .NET developers to use their skills in the embedded world, enlarging the pool of qualified embedded developers.

Changes in version 3.0:

• Visual Studio 2008 now supported: .NET Micro Framework V3.0 now runs under Visual Studio 2008. Additionally, .NET Micro Framework V2.5 projects can also be built using VS 2008 and the .NET Micro Framework V3.0.
• DPWS CodeGen tools: The .NET Micro Framework v3.0 now includes a tool, MFSvcUtil.Exe that can be used to generate .NET Micro Framework DPWS client proxies and DPWS Service stubs from WSDL files.
• USB Device support: In addition to allowing debugging over USB, hardware running the .NET Micro Framework 3.0 can now act as USB devices using the Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.UsbClient namespace.
• Stylus/Touch Panel support: Using touchscreen-enabled hardware, or the new touchscreen emulator, you can create code that reacts when UI elements are pressed, captures “ink” for signatures or jotted notes, or handles gestures for UI navigation. You can access this functionality through Microsoft.SPOT.Touch, Microsoft.SPOT.Ink, and new extensions to the Microsoft.SPOT.Presentation namespaces.
• Secure Sockets support: The .NET Micro Framework v3.0 now supports Secure Sockets Layer (*SSL) networking for secure communications.

A newer version of the .NET Micro Framework SDK has been released. Read this post for more information and download links.

Here are the planned features for the Service Pack 1:

• Hierarchical Keywords: Remove child node when removing parent, improve relationship between hierarchical keywords and flat list keywords, Improve parent/child drag behaviors.
• Geo-tagging/Virtual Earth: Add drag and drop capabilities within the Virtual Earth window, display keywords when dragging image onto VE window, Make the GPS annotation fields user editable, Sniff GPS locations from URL, handle more lat and long coordinate formats, add lat and long tags to HTML galleries.
• Raw Image support: The Windows version now has a preference that allows the user to choose if Windows Imaging Component (WIC) is used for raw image. You may find changing this option improves the color or speeds up the display.
• Info Panel: Template event date not being saved correctly, author details not being displayed correctly, NEF import not displaying annotated date.
• Catalog Editing: Improve user messages when unable to complete request, support long paths and long file names when resetting paths, do not revert to 8.3 filename when media is offline, do not create unexpected duplicates, allow user to configure default open location, show full path in catalog finder.
• Import: Add support for large files in HTML galleries (16000×8000 image), improve rendering performance of NEF files, display EXIF data for ARW files, increase media import limit from the Windows Explorer right-click menu, read color profiles on import, fix issues related to import from camera disk.
• Light Table: Fix multi-item drawing issue, change behavior of delete button, fix position of magnifier pointer, resolve keyboard shortcut issues, improve user experience when switching between full screen and windowed mode.
• In application help: More than 50 updates to help contents.

I hope this release is useful for you, but remember this is a pre-release version, it can damage your catalog files or cause any other issues. Do not use it in a production environment. As soon as there is a new version out, I will make it available here.