[The articles below were posted between Nov. 21, 2005 and Dec. 19, 2005 and appear in the January 2006 hardcopy edition of Update.]

Windows & Mobile

Server Products Going 64-Bit

Customers will find an increasing number of servers available in 64-bit versions, and Microsoft will begin to drop 32-bit versions as early as 2007

Windows Server 2003 R2 Released

Windows Server 2003 R2, an interim server release, addresses identity management, storage management, and branch office needs; customers looking for simplifications in these areas should evaluate the release

WinFS: A First Look

A first beta enables developers to evaluate the planned WinFS service for Windows, which enables storage, organization, and retrieval of both data records and conventional files in a unified database

Peer-to-Peer Networking Expanded for Vista

Peer-to-peer networking in Vista will be part of the Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), but it must compete with numerous other Microsoft technologies and products

Eolas Ruling to Cause IE Changes

To avoid further infringing upon a patent covering interactive Web pages, Microsoft will change Internet Explorer, but these changes will be less disruptive than originally threatened

Desktop Search Comes to Enterprise

Windows Desktop Search is a version of MSN Desktop Search with support for enterprise deployment, but its place in Microsoft's overall enterprise search strategy is uncertain

Digital Cable Coming to Media Center

Some Windows Vista PCs with Media Center will be able to receive digital cable signals, but many details, such as copy protection restrictions, are still unknown

Dec. 2005 Security Updates

Dec. 2005's 'Patch Tuesday' included patches for vulnerabilities in Windows and Internet Explorer and tools to address problems caused by Sony's copy-protection scheme

Server Platforms

Changes to Server Virtualization Roadmap

Virtual Server will get one more stand-alone release in 2006, then virtualization technology will become a core feature of Windows

SQL Server 2005 Toes Trustworthy Line

SQL Server 2005 adheres to the principle of 'secure by default' and introduces features to help administrators manage the security of database servers and the data housed in those servers

Capacity Planner 2006 Ships

A new modeling and simulation tool for Exchange and Operations Manager systems is available to TechNet subscribers

Development Tools & Programs

Graphics Framework to Go Multiplatform

The Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) will come in variations for different scenarios, offering different capabilities and supporting different platforms, but developers must choose among overlapping technologies

Business Applications & Services

Outlook 12 Adds Internet Hooks

Outlook 12 will have some interesting new features, particularly support for RSS and iCalendar data sources, that are independent of the type of mail server used

Faster Diagrams in Office 12

A feature code-named IGX will enable Office 12 users to quickly insert business diagrams in documents

Portfolio Management Line Acquired

The portfolio-management software business of UMT has been acquired to support Microsoft's Project line

Monitoring Steers Office Suite

Service Quality Monitoring (SQM), an optional monitoring feature introduced in Office 2003, is influencing design of the next version of the Office suite

Office XML Submitted to Ecma

Microsoft will submit the default Office 12 format, Office Open XML, to the Ecma standards body, hoping to make its document formats more acceptable to governments

Burgum to Relinquish MBS Top Spot

Doug Burgum will vacate the top spot in Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS); however, the change is not likely to trigger any immediate technical or strategic shifts in the division

New Versions of Great Plains, CRM

Released Dec. 2005, Great Plains 9.0 debuts a role-based user interface and expands Web services support; in addition, a new version of MSCRM adds support for marketing and service management

Small Business Accounting, Retail Linked

A free download links Microsoft's Small Business Accounting with its two retail point-of-sale offerings

Consumer Products & Services

Xbox 360 Launches

Retailers and gamers were frustrated by inventory shortages as the Xbox 360 launched, but history suggests this will not hurt demand

Windows Live Adds Classifieds, Local Search

'Fremont' is an online classified advertising service with some unique features; Windows Live Local includes aerial images and user annotations

MCI PC-to-Phone Service for Windows Live

Microsoft has partnered with MCI to provide Windows Live Messenger users with PC-to-phone calling capabilities

Pinnacle Bundle Offered

The latest version of Digital Image Suite bundles video-editing software from Pinnacle; Works Suite and Streets and Trips have also been updated

Sales & Support

Licensing Advisor Provides Volume Pricing

A Product Licensing Advisor Web site helps volume licensing customers get estimated retail prices for Microsoft products

Pre-Owned Licenses for Sale

A British firm is legally reselling previously owned volume software, taking advantage of transfer of ownership provisions in Microsoft's Open License program

Partner Portal, Points Modified

The partner portal has been redesigned and the points system for determining partner status has been simplified

Corporate News

South Korea Orders Windows Changes

The Korean Fair Trade Commission has ruled that Microsoft illegally bundled digital media playback and instant messaging into the Windows client, and digital media streaming functions into Windows Server