[The articles below were posted between Jun. 27, 2005 and Jul. 18, 2005 and appear in the August 2005 hardcopy edition of Update.]

Windows & Mobile

Windows Mobile 5.0 Points the Way to Device Convergence

Windows Mobile 5.0 is a major upgrade and will provide numerous features and benefits for users, device manufacturers, application developers, and mobile operators, but most existing devices can't be upgraded

IE7 and Longhorn to Get RSS Support

Future versions of Internet Explorer and Windows will support RSS, an XML format for syndicating news and other Web content, but details won't be available until a Sept. 2005 developer's conference

Windows Server 2003 R2 Targets Branch Offices

To encourage organizations to deploy or upgrade to Windows Server 2003, Microsoft is making it easier to support file and print servers in branch offices

A Closer Look at Windows Media DRM

Since its introduction in 1999, Microsoft has gradually improved the capabilities of Windows Media DRM for content owners, while making it less obtrusive to end users

July 2005 Security Updates

The July 2005 release of three critical patches includes the first case of a Security Advisory becoming a Security Bulletin

Tool Blocks Server Auto Update

Acknowledging that some organizations are not ready to install the first service pack for Windows Server 2003, Microsoft released a tool to block its automatic installation

Sybari Acquisition Final

The incorporation of Sybari as a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary sheds little light on future integration of Sybari's multiple scan engine technology into the Windows Server System

Update Rollup for Windows 2000 SP4

Two days before Windows 2000 entered the Extended support phase of its lifecycle, Microsoft released a large bundle of fixes for the OS as an update rollup

Updated Server Performance Advisor

The Windows Server 2003 Server Performance Advisor has been updated to help administrators tune server performance for a variety of server roles

Server Platforms

Improved Mobile E-Mail on the Horizon

Upcoming free enhancements to Exchange 2003 and Windows Mobile 5.0 will provide better e-mail push capabilities, making the Microsoft solution competitive with RIM

Axapta, SharePoint Get Report Packs

Two new report packs give developers a starting point for creating SQL Server Reporting Services reports from data in SharePoint Portal Server and Axapta 3.0

SQL Server Acquires Migration Tool

A new SQL Server utility will automate much of the process of migrating Oracle databases to SQL Server, but developers will probably need to rewrite some database code

Business Applications & Services

Plans Solidify for CRM Product

Expected in early 2006, Microsoft CRM 3.0 adds marketing and service management, and an edition for smaller companies; however, it integrates out of the box only with Great Plains

Consumer Products & Services

Consumer Software, Keyboards Updated

The first new consumer software from Microsoft in several years, Student 2006 helps secondary school students complete their homework but requires a recent version of Office to be fully functional

MSN, Vodafone Sign IM Deal

A deal with Vodafone marks a new tactic for MSN in the mobile space: charging MSN Messenger users directly for communicating with mobile phone customers

Hotmail Pushing Sender ID

As the next step in implementing its Sender ID antispam technology, Microsoft has modified Hotmail so users will now see a warning on all messages from unregistered domains

Localized Search Revamped

Users can now search for businesses or residential listings on MSN Search and receive maps, satellite photos, and aerial photos

Sales & Support

CSS Leads New Customer Relations Effort

Microsoft's Customer Service and Support (CSS) division is being reshaped to provide a broad range of customer relationship services, including presales support and telesales

Certified Architect Program Launched

A new certification for IT and software architects gives Microsoft a greater presence among IT decision-makers

Executives Clarify Managed Services Strategy

A controversial services engagement doesn't signal a major expansion of Microsoft consulting services but is a laboratory for services that can be offered through partners, according to Microsoft executives

Partner Conference Sticks to Basics

The 2005 Worldwide Partner Conference was light on major announcements. 'Stick with Microsoft,' in the face of product delays and competitive threats, was the message the company delivered to partners

New Financing Options Offered

Microsoft Financing (formerly Microsoft Capital) has broadened its lending reach to include all Microsoft products, not just Microsoft Business Solutions products

Corporate News

Organizational Changes in Sales, Windows

Jean-Philippe Courtois takes on an expanded role as the president of international sales and operations; Chris Jones replaces Joe Peterson as head of the Windows client core platform

Partial Antitrust Settlement Reached with IBM

IBM gets US$850 million in cash and software for antitrust violations revealed in the DoJ-Microsoft case, but retains the right to sue Microsoft over harm to its server software

Partner Indemnification Extended

System builders and ISVs that ship or incorporate Microsoft software will get legal assistance from the company to fight intellectual property lawsuits that involve Microsoft technologies