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http://windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Wi...ows_7/

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NEW YORK - Oct. 22, 2009 - Today Microsoft Corp. announced the worldwide availability of its new Windows 7 operating system. Windows 7 delivers on a simple premise: make it easier for people to do the things they want on a PC. The new operating system offers a streamlined user interface and significant new features that make everyday tasks easier and allow people to get the most out of computers of all styles and sizes.

“With Windows 7, there’s never been a better time to be a PC,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “Together with our partners, we’re bringing more choice, flexibility and value to the market than ever before. With Windows 7, you’re sure to find a PC that fits your life.”

Building Windows 7 has been a collaborative process from the beginning, with Microsoft’s engineers and designers working with customers and partners to build an operating system that delivers on the vision of the PC, simplified. In a speech in New York, Ballmer thanked the millions of volunteers who helped improve the product by testing early versions.

“A project with the global customer reach of Windows can only be done as a team,” said Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft, speaking at a launch event in Tokyo. “We are grateful for the valuable contributions from customers, partners and developers around the world that helped make Windows 7 such a collaborative project.”

On Sale Worldwide Today

The global availability of Windows 7 is joined by an unprecedented array of new PCs and software programs. With more PC options available for customers today at a wide range of price points starting under $300, customers can choose the PC that fits their personality, style and needs, from netbooks, ultrathin notebooks and highly interactive multitouch laptops to all-in-one desktops and high-end, water-cooled gaming machines.

A newly launched section of Windows.com called PC Scout will guide users through selecting and purchasing the right PC. Customers can purchase PCs with Windows 7 or software upgrades online or in-store from technology retailers or at the new Microsoft Store, launching today in its first retail location in Scottsdale, Ariz., and expanded online. Retailers and technology partners are also featuring a series of limited-time offers for customers looking for great deals on Windows 7-based PCs, devices and software. Information on these offers can be found at http://www.windows.com.

To show how Windows 7 simplifies the PC, today Microsoft is launching the next wave of its global “I’m a PC” campaign. The global enthusiasm of Windows users is also contributing to the way many people around the world will experience Windows 7 for the first time. Tens of thousands of customers have volunteered to host launch parties or meet-ups beginning today, showing off Windows 7 to friends and family members.

Simplifying the PC

Over the past 18 months, feedback from more than a billion opt-in customer sessions and 8 million beta testers validated Microsoft’s research on how to simplify everyday tasks. Here are a few of the many ways users will experience a more simplified PC with Windows 7:

Simplifies Everyday Tasks

• Taskbar. The go-to spot for launching programs and switching windows, the taskbar has been completely redesigned to help users work smarter, cut clutter, and get more done, with features such as thumbnail previews of Web pages, documents — even running video.

• HomeGroup. Users can easily share their files and printers with other PCs running Windows 7 in their home.

• Windows 7 Device Stage. This shows the status of all connected devices such as cameras and mobile phones, and makes it easier to synchronize and manage them.

• Photos and videos. Windows Live Photo Gallery and Windows Live Movie Maker (available via download) offer customers great, free options to edit photos and videos and easily share them with loved ones.

• Snap. Users can drag an open window to the screen’s border to automatically re-size it. Snap two different windows to the left and right borders for a perfect comparison.

• Shake. Users can click on a window pane and shake the mouse to minimize all other open windows, then shake the pane again to restore the windows to their original sizes.

• Internet Explorer 8. Microsoft’s fastest, easiest and safest browser ever offers smart new features such as Instant Search, Accelerators and Web Slices to help users get more out of the Web.

Works the Way Users Want

• Faster on, faster off. Every Windows 7 user will benefit from the focus on underlying performance, faster startup, resuming and shut down time, and enhanced power management.

• Mobile made easier. All of a user’s mobile computing settings are in one place with the Windows Mobility Center.

• Protecting the PC. Safeguarding the data on a PC is easier with advanced backup capabilities and the free Microsoft Security Essentials download to help protect users against viruses, spyware and other malicious software.

Makes New Things Possible

• Windows Touch. Users can interact with the PC with a touch-screen monitor, using their fingers and multitouch gestures.

• PlayTo. Users can stream their digital music, videos and photos to other PCs or devices such as an Xbox 360 console connected to the TV.

• Internet TV. New content providers and an improved interface make it even easier to watch TV on the PC.

• Rich gaming and graphics. Windows 7 includes performance enhancements that take power gaming and entertainment to a new level, with 64-bit support and DirectX 11 graphics.

• Location-aware printing. Documents are sent to the right printer whether it’s at home or at the office. And with Offline Files users can work offline and automatically synchronize between a PC and documents on their office network.

LOS ANGELES — Oct. 5, 2009 — At Adobe MAX, Adobe’s worldwide developer conference, Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced further advancements to the Adobe® Flash® Platform. Adobe unveiled Flash Player 10.1, enabling rich Web content, video and applications to reach more users across a broader set of devices than ever before. In addition, Adobe announced new HTTP streaming technology for video delivered on the Flash Platform, demonstrated upcoming features of Adobe® AIR® 2 software, released a second beta of Adobe® Flash® Builder and Flash® Catalyst software, and made available new Adobe Flash Platform Services for collaboration.

“We’re excited to be launching such a broad spectrum of advancements to the Flash Platform at Adobe MAX 2009,” said Kevin Lynch, chief technology officer at Adobe. “By delivering rapid innovation across tools, runtimes, services and servers, we are enabling the large and vibrant ecosystem of designers and developers to drive the Web forward with rich content and applications.”

Runtimes Deliver Consistency Across Desktops and Devices; Inside and Outside the Browser
Adobe unveiled Flash Player 10.1 today, which provides a consistent runtime across desktops and mobile devices and is supported by close to 50 participants in the Open Screen Project. Flash Player 10.1 support is expected to be available for a series of mobile platforms including Google Android, Blackberry, Symbian, Palm webOS and Windows Mobile. (See separate press release)

Adobe AIR 1.0, the Flash Platform runtime for delivering Web applications outside the browser, has significantly expanded its penetration with over 200 million installs since its release last year. Adobe AIR 2, previewed today at MAX 2009 and available in beta later this year, will allow for entirely new applications in the desktop context, providing developers with more features to take advantage of desktop operating systems, such as enhanced support for mass storage devices, peer to peer networking and UDP networking.

Tools Provide End-to-End Workflow for Design and Development Productivity 
Using Adobe Flash Builder and Flash Catalyst, developers and designers can now work together more productively to create rich, engaging experiences. Adobe Flash Builder, based on the open source Flex® framework, was released today on Adobe Labs as a second beta, complete with a powerful set of new features to enable rapid, rich Internet application (RIA) development. The second beta refines many of the new Flash Builder code editing and testing features, simplifies connectivity to Java services and improves the ability to work with the new “Spark” Flex framework components, enabling a more productive workflow between designers and developers and complete customization of RIAs. In addition, Flash Builder is integrated with the new LiveCycle® Enterprise Suite 2 (see separate press release) to allow developers to more easily create enterprise RIAs and connect with enterprise systems. For more information on Adobe Flash Builder and to download the second beta, please go towww.adobe.com/go/flashbuilder4.

Also released today as a second beta, is Adobe Flash Catalyst, a new professional interaction design tool that easily integrates with the development workflow and enables designers to rapidly create expressive interfaces and interactive content without writing code. New features include the ability to easily add video to projects with custom playback controls, add sound effects for additional user feedback, incorporate easing controls that provide smoother motion and the ability to export projects that run outside of the browser using Adobe AIR in addition to SWF output. For more information on Adobe Flash Catalyst and to download beta two, please go towww.adobe.com/go/flashcatalyst.

The Adobe Flash Platform is tightly integrated with the Adobe Creative Suite® 4 product family, the industry-leading design and development software for virtually every creative workflow.

Servers for Seamless Streaming of Online Video Content 
Adobe has also unveiled plans to add new protocol support for media delivery with HTTP streaming on the Flash Platform, including integration of content protection powered by Flash Access 2.0 software. Code-named Zeri, the HTTP technologies will be an open format based on industry standards and will provide content publishers, distributors and partners the tools they need to utilize HTTP infrastructures for high-quality media delivery in Flash Player 10.1 and AIR 2 both on desktops and devices. Customers today use Flash Media Server 3.5 software for interactive media experiences, high network efficiency, smart caching technology and real time communication and will now have the flexibility to use HTTP streaming. Zeri will support all available media codecs supported today and will continue to support high quality live and recorded media with adaptive bit-rate and network DVR support to the Flash player. With Project Zeri and Flash Media Server 3.5, the Flash Platform delivers the next generation of high quality media experiences at scale.

Services to Enable Real-Time Collaboration 
Recently introduced, Adobe Flash Platform Services are online, hosted services that allow developers to add innovative capabilities to Web applications with a predictable, cost efficient deployment model. Developers, advertisers and publishers are now using Adobe Flash Platform Services to make applications sharable, social and collaborative.

Today, Adobe added a new collaboration service to Flash Platform Services. Adobe® LiveCycle® Collaboration Service (formerly Adobe Flash Collaboration Service) provides developers and enterprises with the solution they need to easily build real-time, multi-user collaboration into existing or new rich Internet applications to drive revenue, and increase customer acquisition and retention. Powered by the Flash Platform and part of LiveCycle Enterprise Suite 2, the hosted service can be used to enable in-context collaborative experiences without being concerned about global deployment, maintenance and scalability.

About Adobe Flash Platform
The Adobe Flash Platform is the leading Web design and development platform for creating expressive applications, content, and video that run consistently across operating systems and devices and reach over 98 percent of Internet-enabled desktops. Flash Player 10 was installed on more than 93 percent of computers in just the first ten months since its release. According to comScore Media Metrix, approximately 75 percent of online videos viewed worldwide are delivered using Adobe Flash technology, making it the No. 1 format for video on the Web. Major broadcasters and media companies including Disney.com, MLB.com and DIRECTV rely on the Adobe Flash Platform for delivering video on the Web and the platform powers social network sites such as YouTube and MySpace. For more information about the Adobe Flash Platform visit www.adobe.com/flashplatform.