Techzone

Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, is expected to announce the availability of Windows 7 Beta 1 to pre-approved testers in his Consumer Electronics Show keynote address on January 7.

As reported on the technology site, techarp.com, Microsoft has issued a draft of the Windows 7 Technical Guarantee Program to their OEM partners on December 10. Also per the report, the Redmond-based software major has given its OEM partners exactly one month to provide their feedback before Microsoft finalizes the program details. Techarp has managed to obtain a copy of the draft, which tentatively refers to the program as the Windows 7 Upgrade Program.

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According to a report in ars technica, Microsoft has plans to offer POP3 access to all users of Windows Live Hotmail. As of September 2008, Windows Live Hotmail Plus — subscribers pay $19.95 a year — users have had the option of using POP3 (pop3.live.com on port 995) from any device with an e-mail application. This has certainly led to a lot of outcry from hardcore Hotmail users, who do not have access to this feature, more so because other e-mail services offer it.

But we must mention that it was not an official nod from the software giant. The report was published based on an answer to a question in windowslivehelp.com, where the answerer states that "there is a plan on releasing POP3 to free Hotmail account users. However, he went ahead to say that they do not have a "definite date on when this will happen."

Chairman B. Ramalinga Raju’s admission that Satyam Computer Services Ltd’s (India and also listed in the NASDAQ) Balance Sheet was completely fabricated got the stock crashing down by 66.5 per cent to Rs 60 from Wednesday’s high of Rs 188.70. We feel this is the start of some serious regulations being brought in by the SEBI. The Indian companies don’t regulate themselves as strictly as their western counterparts and I think Raju has done the public a favor in this regard. read more »

We’ve heard so much of the Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds. The slide-out screen looks sturdy, and it’s capable of
swiveling 30 degrees forward and any steps in between. The tablet isn’t
going to replace a Wacom anytime soon, but it’ll get the job done in a
pinch. The laptop itself is rather bulky, but you come to expect it with the amount of features packed in.

Introduction of Ilife ‘09 with updates all of the apps in iLife and iWork ‘09. There’s also the unibody Macbook Pro with a new updated battery which provides 60% more battery life. Let’s see how that tests out in the real time tests. iWork ‘09 goes online at www.iwork.com where you share your documents. Free in beta and will be charged later once the dust settles down. And iTunes goes DRM Free. That’s that… no new mac mini line, iPhone nano et al… Thanks to the rumor mongers for keeping us excited though… Continue reading for the Keynote updates

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Dear Apple Community,

For the first time in a decade, I’m getting to spend the holiday season
with my family, rather than intensely preparing for a Macworld keynote.

Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote
set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even
publishing stories of me on my deathbed.

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