Microsoft Releasing Free Anti-malware Tool

Microsoft in the second half of 2009 will be releasing a free anti-malware (rootkits, spyware, trojans and viruses) tool code named “Morro”. They are releasing this suite of software due to the increasing demand of PC security.

The current consumer security offering, Microsoft Live OneCare will be discontinued at the latest on June 30, 2009. The new Morro suite will use many of the same technologies found in Live OneCare. It will lack several features currently found in the Live OneCare suite (printer sharing and automated PC tune-up) in order to minimize the use of system resources.

The package will be able available for the Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems via download.

The only problem with this suite is many independent reviews have found Microsoft’s current offerings for Anti-Malware, the OneCare Anti-Virus and Windows Defender, lacking in capability and often missing infections. Let’s hope that Microsoft has improved their overall product for this release.

Source: Microsoft discontinuing OneCare, will deliver free security offering instead

OpenOffice.org 3.0, Set to Release Soon!

OpenOffice.org is a free office suite that is widely used across multiple Operating Systems. The current stable release is 2.4.1. However, OpenOffice.org is set to release version 3.0 with a bevy of new features. One of the biggest features is support with Mac OS X. OpenOffice.org will run like an Aqua application and will include functionality Mac OS X accessibility APIs. Another nifty OpenOffice.org feature is added functionality with Microsoft Office 2007 with import filters. Here is a comphrensive new features list for OpenOffice.org 3.0.

For those who want to jump right into the fray here is the download page for OpenOffice.org 3.0.

Interactive PowerPoint Presentation you say? Indeed.

How can you make the presentation created in PowerPoint more interactive? Well, if you have Windows and Office 2007, download and install pptPlex, a free Office add-on. The plug-in provides an alternate method of viewing the PowerPoint slides presentations. Instead of the traditional slide movement, pptPlex allows for a movable and zoomable canvas. It also allows for grouping of slides based on content. Here is the download link.

Check out the video here:

Zune 3

The Zune is Microsoft's answer for the IPod. They have recently updated to Version 3.

Changes and Improvements:
New Sizes: 16GB and 120GB with black color.
Automatic Identification of FM Radio Stations.
Zune Wireless Access at McDonald's.
Game Features: Upload games onto Zune.
Audiobooks features, provided by Audible and OverDrive.
And a built in Clock.

More competition for E-Learning "podcast" resources and development is a good thing because the market does not have enough differentiation in it.

More Information: Zune.net

Windows' Redemption?

Neowin.net forum

The above link revealed some interesting info on the next release of Windows (Windows Se7en). The forum contained a post from someone who allegedly had a beta release of Se7en installed on 2 machines.

I wanted to mention this since I am viewing the upcoming release as a make-or-break for me. If the new release offers the same "upgrade benefits" that Vista offered, I will be forking over the extra $$$ for a Mac. Se7en seems to be promising after reading this post, as well as some other unofficial posts and videos floating around the web (Se7en Preview video). Se7en is said to be released around first-quarter of 2010. Microsoft has some catching up to do in order to keep more customers from abandoning ship. . . and swimming to Apple.

Microsoft AutoCollage

Microsoft Research has released a new Photo Collage software, named AutoCollage. The program automatically makes collages with selected pictures.

Microsoft pulled in research from various Microsoft teams including the Cambridge Incubation group. Major features include face detection, object selection and blending technologies.

The program costs $19.95 and can be installed on up to 5 machines. A 30-day trial is available.

Links: Microsoft AutoCollage
AutoCollage Demo Video
Microsoft Research Paper

Office Live Workspace

While visiting a few technology blogs I found an interesting article about Office Live Workspace. They recently hit the one million sign up mark. Office Live Workspace is an free extension of Microsoft Office. It is designed to allow people the share their work. Around 1,000 Microsoft Office documents can be stored using this service. It also allows users who do not have Office installed on their computers to view these documents. Live Workspace allows for files to be saved in Office XP, 2003, or 2007 format.

It's interesting to see the direction of where document sharing/file sharing is going. With Wiki's, Blogs, and other software designed to share documents, Microsoft decided to get into an area like this. I think its a great idea to have a resource of this at the disposal of E-Learning users as it allows for easier collaboration.

Original Article: Over one million users sign up for Office Live Workspace
Microsoft Article: One Million Strong Collaborating Online With Microsoft Office Live Workspace Beta
Link: Office Live Workspace