[The articles below were posted between Aug. 25, 2008 and Sep. 22, 2008 and appear in the October 2008 hardcopy edition of Update.]

Windows & Mobile

Licensing Windows Server

OS server licenses come in several editions, and the precise licensing model and rights granted vary by edition—especially related to hardware virtualization

Product Support Updated in Virtual Machines

Support for Microsoft server applications running in virtual machines is tied to specific software versions with specific service packs and within the product's support life cycle

IE8 Beta 2 Adds Privacy, Deployment Features

New features in IE8 will enhance users' privacy and give administrators more control over how the browser is deployed and configured

Application Virtualization Updated

Improvements to application virtualization should allow more organizations to centrally manage and deploy applications for their users and avoid application compatibility problems

Business Applications & Services

CRM Online Service Updated

An update to Microsoft CRM Online adds tools for creating and tracking Internet marketing campaigns, such as advertising on Internet search engines

Mapping Clients Updated for 2009

MapPoint 2009 and Streets and Trips 2009 include updated maps and a new interface, but Microsoft continues to deemphasize the products in favor of its online mapping platform

Enterprise Content Management Standard

A proposed standard interface for enterprise content management products could help organizations tie together systems from separate vendors and create applications for tasks such as legal discovery

Systems Management and Security

Desktop Pack Improves Group Policy

Advanced Group Policy Management, part of the Desktop Optimization Pack, will get support for Server 2008 and Vista, but will not work with earlier versions of Windows

Forefront Client Security SP1 Ships

Forefront Client Security SP1 adds support for Windows Server 2008, virtual machines running on Hyper-V, and Vista Home editions, but not 64-bit servers

Application Platform

BI Performance, Tools Improved for SQL Server 2008

SQL Server 2008 speeds the execution of sparsely populated Analysis Services and of Integration Services packages running on multiprocessor machines

SQL Server Updated for Developers

SQL Server 2008 delivers new query language features and data types for applications that process maps and other geometric data, as well as new capabilities for data warehousing and content management

ADO.NET Data Services Feeds Data to Web

Easier database access for browser client applications is one goal of ADO.NET Data Services, a data access technology released with Visual Studio 2008 SP1 and the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1

BizTalk Server to Skirt 'Oslo'

A new roadmap for BizTalk Server calls for continued improvements to the product without major breaks in backward compatibility

Web Edition for SQL Server 2008

Released with SQL Server 2008 in Aug. 2008, a low-cost Web Edition of Microsoft's database management product targets hosters and organizations' public-facing Web sites

Consumer and Small Business

Zune Adds Wireless Downloads

The third iteration of Zune adds many features that most Apple iPods lack, including wireless access to songs from Wi-Fi hotspots

E-Commerce Acquisition to Bolster Search

The acquisition of Ciao will help European users find information about products using Microsoft's Live Search

Photosynth Blends Photos into 3D Landscapes

An interesting and technically difficult technology, Photosynth could draw users to Microsoft's Web sites and may have eventual commercial applications

Sales, Marketing, and Services

Windows Campaign Focuses on Hardware, Retail

Responding to Apple's growth in personal computers, Microsoft is launching a multiyear marketing campaign for Windows, including more guidance for OEMs and an increased retail presence

Server OS Rules Limit Virtualization Options

New rules affecting the mobility of virtual machines within a data center could have an impact on how data centers are designed

New Focus on Proactive Support

Premier Ultimate support provides unlimited incident support for customers who commit to more proactive services and in-depth training on Microsoft products

Corporate and Legal

Game Changes in Microsoft Organization

Changes to the Microsoft corporate organization that occurred at the corporate vice-presidential level and above since May 2008