Microsoft's new beta version of Windows XP 64-Bit Edition (XP64) provides AMD Athlon 64 and Opteron owners a familiar OS (operating system) for exploring 64-bit computing. While the beta OS is a free download, consumer applications that take advantage of a 64-bit CPU are few and far between. Therefore, if you're an average Athlon jockey, you might want to wait until the dust settles before giving this beta a tryout. If you're curious and adventurous, here's how our test drive went.

This update contains Microsoft XML (MSXML) functionality that will allow applications using MSXML to continue to function correctly after security update 832894, Security Update for Internet Explorer, has been applied.

Xbox365.com reports that Microsoft will soon ship an update to the Xbox Live online game service that adds key communications features, such as the ability to send and receive voice and text messages to foes and teammates during games. And later, the company will reportedly add a voicemail feature.

With this add-in you can permanently remove hidden data and collaboration data, such as change tracking and comments, from Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint files.

When you distribute an Office document electronically, the document might contain information that you do not want to share publicly, such as information you?ve designated as ?hidden? or information that allows you to collaborate on writing and editing the document with others.

This is a cumulative update that includes the functionality of all the previously-released updates for Internet Explorer 5.01, Internet Explorer 5.5, and Internet Explorer 6.0. Additionally, it eliminates the following three newly-discovered vulnerabilities:

The DirectX® Team is pleased to announce the release of DirectX 9.0 SDK Update (Summer 2004) - Beta 1. This is Microsoft's DirectX 9.0 Software Development Kit (SDK) Update for Summer 2004 (Beta 1) release. Primary areas of concentration for the Summer Update was for the Direct3D Extension Library (D3DX), Graphics Samples, Sample Frame work, tools, documentation and updated developer runtime support. The end-user or retail version of the runtime has not changed (version DirectX 9.0b).

NeoWin send us the following informations: An email was recieved announcing that it will be required for all MSN beta participants to upgrade to the MSN Beta 7. This update is mandatory, and after February 5th, anyone running pre Beta 7 will not be able to sign in to MSN. To check which version of MSN Beta you are running, navigate to the Help & Settings menu on top and select About MSN.

As many readers will be aware, the most recent revision of DX is 9.0b. And the upcoming implementation is likely simply to be called DirectX 9.0c, our greybeard suggests.

Microsoft revealed this week that its first Microsoft Office 2003 service release, due in late spring, will be a major release that includes new security features and major improvements to the two new Office applications, Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003 and Microsoft Office OneNote 2003. In a post-release meeting late last year, the Office team discussed some of these improvements, and although the representatives I spoke with at the time were unwilling to give specific details about the changes, a list of those improvements is slowly becoming available. Read on at WinNetMag

High-end golf gear maker PING Inc., winter sports equipment manufacturer K2 Sports, and Italy?s centuries-old inspective police force Guardia di Finanza don?t have much in common. But all three are among organizations that report cost savings, reduced risk, faster performance and other benefits since transitioning from a Microsoft Windows NT server environment to a Windows Server 2003 system.

In Microsoft Office Word 2003, when you try to print, quit Word, or save a Word document, you may receive an error message.
This problem may occur if you background save a Word document that contains an OLE object. Get more informations about the bug here

Wie Heise berichtet, hat Microsoft einen neuen Patch für Word 2003 zum Download bereitgestellt.
Danach kann beim Speichern im Hintergrund eines Dokuments mit OLE-Objekt das Programm abstürzen; der Fehler kann dabei etwa beim normalen Speichern, Drucken oder Beenden von Word auftreten. Das Update soll aber auch zahlreiche weitere, weniger bedeutende Mängel in Office 2003 beseitigen. Download
KB Artikel

Get Opportunity to Evaluate Firewall, VPN and Cache Solution's Advanced Capabilities for Protecting Against Internet Security Threats by testing the beta2 version of Microsoft ISA server 2004. Microsoft Announces Broad Availability Of Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2004 Beta 2 here. The beta1 release in december was a closed beta, while this one is made open to public.

VIRUS ALERT Win32.Mydoom.A is a worm spreading via e-mail and P2P file sharing network. The worm has been distributed as 22,528-byte, UPX-packed Win32 executable and may be included in a ZIP archive. Click Read more

This patch fixes the Windows Media Player problem: Some URL script commands do not work after you apply the Windows Media update from Knowledge Base article 828026 and upgrades Windows Media Player 9 to version 9.00.00.3093

With thanks to Mertsch and Juomaru in our forums

Click "Read More" for Microsoft Knowledge Base article link.

SAK 3.0 (Server Appliance Kit) is a tool-set for creating specialized windows servers, like a Windows powered NAS (Network Attached Storage), VON servers, Anti Virus Gateways, print servers, and Call center voice servers.

This Hotfix improves the Windows 2000 Authorization Manager Runtime?s auditing capabilities. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

Microsoft has released a new version of Baseline Security Analyzer that provides a streamlined method of identifying common security misconfigurations.

source: NTCompatible
Direct link: Microsoft

A big Thanks to Creamhackered over at Neowin.net for the heads up!

After applying the hotfix referenced in KB article 828026, some URL script commands do not fire even though they would be expected to do so. In addition to the URL script command issues, this package addresses an issue with the installer that would cause 100% CPU utilization in certain scenarios! For Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, Server 2003, XP, ME

Thanks to HardOCP FYI Microsoft has posted a 45 day trial of Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 . Virtual PC is a powerful software virtualization solution that allows you to run multiple PC-based operating systems simultaneously on one workstation, providing a safety net to maintain compatibility with legacy applications while you migrate to a new operating system. It also saves reconfiguration time, so your support, development, and training staff can work more efficiently. Get more informations and download over at Microsoft