Zune.net now streams entire Zune music catalog in the browser (even on Macs!)

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Internet, Microsoft, Music, Software

One of the main gripes we’ve had with Microsoft as it pertains to the Zune platform is that they have stubbornly decided to keep it to a PC-only experience, leaving those of us who live in OS X out in the cold. Well, starting today, that changes. Kind of.

You see, the Zune Marketplace is now a part of Zune.net. Aside from having the largest audio and video podcast streaming directory, Zune now allows you to log in and listen to music from the Marketplace in any browser that supports Silverlight 3. Technically, Microsoft says that this experience is officially supported in Internet Explorer and Firefox, but we will have to give it a shot in Safari. Anyhow, the caveat here is that you can log in as a Zune Pass subscriber and stream music. This doesn’t solve the problem that those on a Mac have where they can’t sync their Zune hardware or download music. Still, though, it’s a step in the right direction, and a nice bonus for Zune Pass subscribers to be able to access and stream music, including Smart DJ playlists, on the fly. This basically turns any computer running IE or Firefox into a terminal for you to log in and crank those Zune tunes, and we like it.

For those wondering, any activities you do with Zune.net stream will also be reflected in your Zune account and Zune Card. How cool is that?

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Microsoft SIlverlight 3 now available, takes aim at Flash, HD streaming

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: HDTV, Internet, Microsoft, Software, Video Games

Microsoft Silverlight 3 is live, and you can go ahead and update your browsers now over at Microsoft’s Silverlight page. Silverlight 3.0.40624.0 weighs in at 4.7MB, and works with Internet Explorer, Firefox 2 and 3, and Safari 3 and 4. Here’s a look at some of the major new features:

• Media: GPU hardware acceleration, new codec support (H.264, AAC, MPEG-4), raw bitstream Audio/Video API, and improved logging for media analytics
• Graphics: GPU Acceleration and hardware compositing, perspective 3D, bitmap and pixel API, pixel shader effects, and Deep Zoom improvements
• Application development: Deep linking, navigation and SEO, improved text quality, multi-touch support, 60+ controls available, and library caching support
• Data-binding improvements, validation error templates, server data push improvements, binary XML networking support, and multi-tier REST data support

Also, remember that Xbox 360 Instant-on 1080p stuff? That’s all powered by Silverlight 3 as well (yes, Silverlight is coming to your Xbox 360 dashboard.) It’s a solid upgrade, and the installation is pretty much immediate if you are on any sort of respectable broadband connection. Definitely worth a look, and you can bet that Microsoft will be pushing hard for a few big Silverlight exclusives, like they did with the Beijing Olympics.

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Zune HD revealed

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, HDTV, Microsoft, Portable Audio / Video, Video Games

Microsoft has finally unveiled the Zune HD. The touch-screen Zune is set to take on the iPod touch this fall, when it debuts. The Zune HD will feature an OLED screen, HD radio receiver, and a version of Internet Explorer specifically formatted for the Zune screen, and is based on Windows CE. The Zune HD will also play HD content on televisions using a dock.

Plans for the future involve the Zune ecosystem coming to the Xbox 360 for purchasing movies and television shows, as well as Zune showing up on other devices. Microsoft specifically declined to go into the gaming capabilities of the Zune HD, since E3 is happening next week. We should expect to hear about any portable Zune gaming news at their Xbox Media Briefing.  Expect the Zune HD to replace the current line of flash Zunes, while the hard drive-based Zune players will remain. “This device is created to go head to head with the iPod Touch,” Chris Stephenson, general manager of global marketing for Microsoft Zune, said in a telephone interview.

We can’t wait to get our hands on this one.

Read More | CNET

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Feedback About IE8

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Internet, Microsoft

There is already lots of feedback on Microsoft comments pages after the launch of IE8, with some it negative, from disappearing images, printing on Web sites and searching issues. One user complained about dragging Facebook applications and photos while others complained about the install. On a positive note, one user said it “felt like Firefox, but hey, it’s functional.” We also found that IE8’s release really hasn’t affected Firefox as their users are eagerly awaiting 3.0.

Read More | Gadgetell

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Internet Explorer 8 now available

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Internet, Microsoft, Software

We ask that you try and contain your excitement on this one. You ready? Microsoft has just released the final version of Internet Explorer 8, the company’s home-grown web browser. According to Microsoft, IE8 is “one of the fastest browsers on the market today.” Of course, that really can’t mean much, as there are really only a handful. Being “one of” the fastest doesn’t sound like too confident a statement. A few things you can expect out of IE8 are Web Slices, Accelerators, and Instant Search.

IE8 has been in beta for over a year, so let’s hope this final release is as good as it should be, at least as it pertains to security, and, you know, displaying websites correctly.

Read More | Internet Explorer 8

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Microsoft MS08-078 Security Patch

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Internet, Microsoft

Internet Explorer users should take special note. Microsoft has released the MS08-078 patch to fix a security problem. The company claims that the vulnerability comes through JavaScript code on malicious sites, when victims are redirected to them through hacked ones. Malware is then downloaded onto the user’s computer. IE 5.01, 6, 7 and Beta 2 seem to be affected. This means that about 1 in 500 may be at risk. If you think you may be one of them and haven’t updated your browser lately, head over to Microsoft to find out more.

Read More | Information Week

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IE 3 and 4 Blocked by Paypal

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Internet, Microsoft

We got rather spooked after reading PayPal and Unsafe in the same headline. Having used the service for several years, we always wonder if it is really secure. The company says that those who use Internet Explorer 3 and 4 are the ones at risk because they don’t have enough security features to prevent phishing. If you use one of these you will be warned on the site and expect to be possibly blocked if you try to get in anyway.

The newest version supports EV SSL certificates. The comments were made in a paper written by the site’s Security Officer Michael Barrett and Risk Management Director Dan Levy. Our best advice? Head on over to IE and update to 7.0 or switch to Firefox.

Read More | BBC

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Apple’s Safari Browser to be Released for Windows

Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Internet, Microsoft, PC / Laptop, Software

The fascinating relationship/rivalry between Microsoft and Apple was ratcheted up a notch this week. At Apple’s annual World Wide Developers Conference, CEO Steve Jobs announced their Apple-exclusive web browser, Safari, will be released for Windows XP and Vista—and will be up to twice as fast as Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, and 1.6 times faster than Firefox 2. The move is seen as part of Jobs’ business strategy to broaden Apple’s presence in the browser market, of which they only have 5 percent, compared to Microsoft’s whopping 80 percent. Curious? A test version of the browser is available at Apple’s web site. This writer will give Safari a test run with Windows Vista and report back soon…

Read More | New York Times

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Internet Explorer 7 Release Candidate Available

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Internet, Microsoft, Software

For anyone not currently running a build of Windows Vista, the new Internet Explorer 7 RC1 has been released for your personal enjoyment. This version automatically uninstalls any previous versions of Internet Explorer, so you don’t have to, including older IE7 betas. Even better, it will detect add-ons that might be incompatible or have stability issues, allowing you to get an update if available. With the Release Candidate being made available, we can expect no more major changes to IE7 until after it ships. Vista users can expect an update to Internet Explorer 7+ when the Vista RC drops. Internet Explorer 7 RC1 is compatible with Windows XP SP2, Windows XP x64, and Windows Server 2003 SP1.

Read More | Internet Explorer via IEBlog

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