[The articles below were posted between Dec. 3, 2007 and Dec. 17, 2007 and appear in the January 2008 hardcopy edition of Update.]

Windows & Mobile

Windows Management Tools Improved

Updated management tools, delivered in Windows Server 2008 and an add-on for Vista SP1, will help set up servers in secure configurations and provide better control over clients using Group Policy

XP Popularity Prompts Longer Availability

Consumer adoption of Vista is steady, but business customers prefer Windows XP for now, which is forcing Microsoft to amend an aggressive timeline to take XP off the market

Windows HPC 2008 Goes Beta

Windows HPC Server 2008 will make it easier for customers to manage Windows-based computing clusters, but catching Linux will be difficult

Vista Loses Reduced Functionality

Reduced Functionality Mode goes away with the first Windows Vista service pack, but activation and validation will continue for all versions of Windows

Business Applications & Services

Office 2007 Line Gets SP1

First service packs have shipped for the 2007 versions of the Office suite and its components, as well as Groove Server, the Project clients and server, the SharePoint products, and Visio

Server Bundle for Midsize Businesses Detailed

Although licensing and pricing details remain unknown, Microsoft is providing initial technical information about its midmarket Windows Essential Business Server

Systems Management and Security

Data Protection Manager Tackles Databases, Tape

The latest version of Microsoft's Data Protection Manager backup software supports tape backup and backup of Exchange Server, SQL Server, and Windows SharePoint Services databases

Deployment Solution Accelerator Updated

A new version of Microsoft's tools for deploying Vista and Office 2007, now called the Microsoft Deployment Solution Accelerator, has been released

Application Platform

Parallel Extensions to .NET Previewed

The Parallel Extensions to the .NET Framework 3.5 are the first step in a broader effort to make it easier for developers to create programs that exploit the parallelism provided by multicore processors

Simulation Platform Gets Real

ESP provides developers with the simulation engine, tools, and most of the data used by Flight Simulator X and could lower the cost and broaden the use of simulation applications

Consumer and Small Business

Putting the 'Windows' in Windows Live

A new marketing campaign for Windows Vista gives equal billing to Windows Live, promoting online capabilities offered through downloadable Windows Live desktop clients

OneCare Improves Backup, Tuning

A new version of Windows Live OneCare increases its focus on keeping Windows home computers healthy, in addition to offering malicious software protection

Office Accounting Package Updated

Improved data import and budgeting support close gaps in Office Accounting, Microsoft's entry-level accounting package, but the release also comes with a price increase

Mobile Content-Sharing Site Acquired

Microsoft has acquired WebFives, which lets users post content from their mobile phones to a public Web site

Sales, Marketing, and Services

Scorecards Focus on Common Goals

Scorecards are used extensively by Microsoft's Sales, Marketing, and Services Group to set common goals and monitor progress

Campus and School Agreements Amended

Academic subscription licensing has been updated to give institutions more flexibility

Prepaid Office, Mobile Broadband Prize

Prepaid versions of Office are available in larger markets, and Microsoft launches a competition for mobile broadband portable computers

Partner Labs Tighten Relationships

Partner laboratories near Microsoft's campus strengthen their visibility with the company and ensure that they can deliver advanced solutions on demand, to capitalize on the best partner opportunities