[The articles below were posted between Aug. 28, 2006 and Sep. 18, 2006 and appear in the October 2006 hardcopy edition of Update.]

Development Tools & Programs

InfoPath 2007 Focuses on Developers

Improved ties to SharePoint and better integration with Visual Studio could give InfoPath 2007 new relevance for corporate developers, but it remains one of many options for creating forms-based applications

'Agile Innovation' to Speed Development

The need to ship traditional software products and deliver new online services in a timely manner is driving a change in how Microsoft develops its products

Windows & Mobile

HD DVD on Vista Requires Extra Software

Vista users will need third-party software to play content on prerecorded HD DVD discs, just as is the case with Windows XP and regular DVDs

Sept. 2006 Security Updates

Sept. 2006's 'Patch Tuesday' included one critical, one important, and one moderate severity patch, as well as updates to two patches from last month's release

Server Platforms

Commerce Server 2007 Ships

Commerce Server 2007 gets faster business user tools and improved BizTalk integration, but some existing Commerce Server sites will need to be rewritten to run on the new release

Management Model Roadmap

A multivendor systems management technology called the Service Modeling Language (SML) could play a central role in Microsoft's efforts to improve configuration and monitoring of its products

Business Applications & Services

Office Accounting 2007 Beta

A beta version of Office Accounting 2007 will help small companies sell items on eBay and improves integration with Business Contact Manager, but it does not integrate with Dynamics CRM

Consumer Products & Services

Zune Portable Media Player Unveiled

The first Zune device will be a fairly straightforward portable music player with some unique features, such as the ability to transfer material between devices wirelessly

Online Deals with Facebook, ISPs

An advertising syndication deal with Facebook could boost Microsoft's online revenue, while extensions of deals with Qwest and Verizon will guide traffic to Windows Live

Developer Kit and Camera Back Xbox

To maintain interest in the Xbox 360 and Windows games through the 2006 holiday season, Microsoft will release an inexpensive game development kit for hobbyists and several new peripherals, including a video camera

Sales & Support

Customer Campaigns Replace GTMs

Customer Campaigns will replace Go-To-Market campaigns in the 2007 fiscal year, and they could significantly alter how Microsoft engages customers and partners, as well as the design of products themselves

Software Asset Management Makes Waves

Pushing software asset management engagements on customers who may not be compliant with Microsoft licensing rules has had mixed results

Microsoft Financing Extended

Microsoft Financing has reduced minimum loan sizes, moved into new markets, and is offering a promotion that could aid sales of Windows Vista and Office 2007

Corporate News

Office Veterans to Lead Windows

Organization changes at the vice-presidential level and above since June 2006

Buyback Plan Falls Short

A plan to buy back up to 808 million shares worth up to US$20 billion through a reverse Dutch auction has netted less than 155 million shares; Microsoft might buy the rest later on the open market

Board Member Retiring

Ann McLaughlin Korologos, a member of Microsoft's board of directors since Jan. 2000, will not seek reelection at the company's Nov. 2006 shareholders' meeting