New MSN Homepage (Preview)

Microsoft has introduced a new homepage for MSN. The new look is cleaner than before and it loads seamlessly because Microsoft is using latest web technologies. A new functionality is introduced that users of Windows Live, Twitter, and Facebook can easily update these services from homepage.

You can preview new msn.com here.

Skype will be released as open source for Linux

Skype is very useful and well known software for those who want to make audio and video calls to their family & friends. It is available on PC, Mac, Linux but good news for Linux users is that soon it will be available in open source and Linux developers will be able to influence the development of the Skype.

When Linux Crunch contacted Skype, he was replied:

We appreciate our user community's enthusiasm and realize this is something they have been wanting for a while. We realize the potential of the open source community and believe that making Skype for Linux an open source application will help to speed up its development and enhance its compatibility with different versions of Linux. While it is our goal to make Skype for Linux source code available to the community in the nearest future, we are not at a point to disclose an exact release date yet.

Download 10 free Win7 Chapters

Windows 7 Chapters from Microsoft Press Books are now available for download from the following links:

From Windows 7 Inside Out:

• Chapter 2, “Installing and Configuring Windows 7”
• Chapter 11, “Backup, Restore and Recovery” (new)
• Chapter 21, “Performing Routine Maintenance”

From Windows 7 Resource Kit:

• Chapter 23, “Support Users and Remote Assistance”
• Chapter 29, “Deploying IPv6”

From Windows 7 Step by Step:

• Chapter 1, “Explore Windows 7”
• Chapter 2, “Navigate Windows and Folders”

From Introducing Windows 7 for Developers:

• Chapter 2, “Integrate with the Windows 7 Taskbar, Part 1”

From Windows 7 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant:

• Chapter 5, “Managing User Access and Security,” and Chapter 9, “Installing and Maintaining Programs” (new: a single download)

News Source: Microsoft Press

Google announces Chrome based Operating System

Google has announced that they plan to release a Chrome based OS.

Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Google plans to open-source its code later this year and offer Google powered netbooks in 2010. Company officials confirmed that Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips. Google is currently working with multiple OEMs to bring a number of netbooks to market next year bundled with the new Chrome OS.

Google Chrome OS is a new project, separate from Android. Chrome OS is being created for people "who spend most of their time on the web" according to Sundar Pichai, VP Product Management at Google.

The move is ambitious and has wide spread implications not just to consumers but to dominant market leaders Microsoft and Apple. Google has managed to dominate the search market and internet advertising space and having an operating system it controls will certainly help keep them at number one in those markets.

It's not going to be an easy future for the Google OS, Microsoft officials claim that 96% of netbooks run Windows so penetrating that market share will be tough. Google is in an advantageous position to market its Google Apps to compete with Microsoft's Office products. Could this be the equivalent of Apple's AppStore for iPhone where Google provides a controlled and secure development environment for web developers?

Google removes 'Beta' label from Gmail, other services

Google announced on its company blog that starting from today the company will remove the beta label from Gmail, Calendar, Google Docs and Google Talk.

Matthew Glotzbach, Director of Product Management, Google Enterprise noted:

We're often asked why so many Google applications seem to be perpetually in beta. For example, Gmail has worn the beta tag more than five years. We realize this situation puzzles some people, particularly those who subscribe to the traditional definition of "beta" software as not being yet ready for prime time.

Google says it has added new features to the Google Apps suite. Offline access to e-mail and calendars and better access to Google Apps for BlackBerry users are some of the improvements. Google admitted that they have come to appreciate that the beta tag just doesn't fit for large enterprises that aren't keen to run their business on software that sounds like it's still in the trial phase. Many analysts have argued that big businesses were concerned Google could keep to their SLAs and this may help win more confidence.

Although Google is removing the beta tags today, users who like the tag will be able to bring it back in Gmail by enabling the "Back to Beta" setting.