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I'll need to see if this information really does appear in the Windows 7 Home Premium EULA, and of course, Microsoft could simply remove it before RTM anyway. But the company did tell me they were considering it, so this does make sense.

Thanks to everyone who wrote in about this. Obviously, this is a big deal if true.

No announcement, but Microsoft has quietly released Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 in all languages ...

32-bit download

64-bit download

DVD ISO standalone image

Thanks very much to Emmanuel P. for the tip!

Mozilla released Firefox 3.5 today as previously expected. There's a lot of info out there:

Product overview

The Fastest Firefox Yet

Things move quickly online, and we’ve beefed up the engine that runs Firefox to make sure you can keep up: Firefox 3.5 is more than twice as fast as Firefox 3, and ten times as fast as Firefox 2.* As a result, Web applications like email, photo sites and your favorite social networks will feel snappier and more responsive.

More Ways to Keep You Safe

Keeping you safe while you surf is our top priority, which is why we’ve upgraded our anti-phishing and anti-malware technologies and have added private browsing and “forget this site” options to ensure your privacy.

Plus, our open source security process means we have experts around the globe working around the clock to keep you (and your personal information) safe.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Everybody uses the Web differently, so why should your browser be exactly like the next guy’s? Whether you’re into chatting, cooking or coding, Firefox has more than 6,000 add-ons to help you customize it to fit your exact needs.

Advancing the Web

We’ve been working hard to make sure Firefox 3.5 brings you the best of the modern web. With new features like private browsing, tear-off tabs and enhancements to the Awesome Bar, plus major performance enhancements, you’ll enjoy life on the cutting edge.

See How We Stack Up

We’ve told you about what makes Firefox great, but how do we compare against Internet Explorer? Check out our handy browser comparison chart to see for yourself.

Plus, you can watch a Firefox 3.5 video tour. Or just download it.

From Microsoft:

Today, Microsoft announced that Hotmail email account aggregation is rolling out in the US, Canada and Brazil.  This is a feature that allows consumers to receive email from other POP-enabled email accounts (including Gmail, Yahoo! Mail and AOL) directly into their Windows Live Hotmail inbox. With this new feature, Windows Live Hotmail offers a one-stop place for managing email, making it easier for more than 400 million Windows Live customers worldwide to manage their multiple accounts from a single location.

For more info, check out the Windows Live Wire blog.

For you Luddites out there...

Classic Start Menu for Windows 7

Get all the features of Windows classic Start menu back into Windows 7! Seven Classic Start returns the convenience of Windows original Start menu to Windows 7 users, making the new system easier to master for users of Windows XP and Vista.

Oh, wait. There's a catch. They're actually charging (a whopping $25) for this utility. Unreal.

My advice: Get used to the real Start Menu and utilize Start Menu Search as often as possible.

Thanks to long time reader Rafael. :)

You know you want it. :)

Daniel Escapa on the OneNote team has the info:

I am sure many of you saw Office 2010 the Movie where they are showing a short trailer promoting the upcoming Office 2010 Technical Preview.  On that site you can also sign up to be a customer who can beta test the technical preview.  When this came out I was super jazzed about this and then today I found out another way that people can get part of the technical preview! So I had to share with all of you.

There is another Microsoft Office 2010 Technical Preview program which is focused on consumers, students and home users.  If you are one of these people and would like to try out the Office 2010 Technical Preview please go [to the Microsoft Connect web site].

So the number one question I've gotten since the Windows 7 pre-order went up, by far, is ... What is this thing? 32-bit? 64-bit? Both?

That's a great question. And it's not obvious.

I don't know.

I've put in the question with Microsoft. Based on my notes, my guess is that it's actually 32-bit and that you will get a URL in the packaging if you want to download and burn the x64 version. But I need to verify that. And if that is true, my opinion is that it should be the other way around. (Then again, based on my notes, I thought the pre-order was going to be electronic. So all bets are off.)

I'll let you know as soon as I hear back. But if anyone has a link to a site explicitly describing this, I'd love to hear about it.

And Microsoft, if you're reading, seriously. You could have really spelled this out more clearly. Come on.

UPDATE: Long story short, every Windows 7 retail box (except for Home Basic) comes with both 32-bit and 64-bit install discs, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft's Windows 7 pre-order is up, and in addition to Amazon, there are a number of retailers offering Home Premium and Professional at significant discounts:

Costco

Sam's Club

Best Buy

Walmart.com

Microsoft Store - Here, you can choose between packaged and download versions, by the way

Fry's Electronics

Amazon.com

Office Depot

TigerDirect.com

Office Max

NewEgg.com

Quill

Amazon PR:

Amazon.com today announced that the Amazon.com Software Store is now offering Microsoft’s new Windows 7 operating system Home Premium Upgrade and Professional Upgrade packages for $49.99 and $99.99, which represent a savings of 50 percent and 58 percent from the suggested retail price.Amazon.com customers can pre-order Windows 7 at these prices now through July 11, while supplies last. Customers who pre-order Windows 7 from Amazon.com can take advantage of the additional convenience of receiving the product when it is released on October 22, which means they can order from their PC or mobile device and receive Windows 7 on the same day it’s released in physical stores.

"The Amazon.com Software Store is providing customers everything they need to make an informed Windows 7 purchase decision, a chance to purchase the software at a significant discount, and to be among the first to get their hands on the product when it becomes available—all without having to go to the store because orders will be delivered on release day," said Stacy Kerr, Director of the Amazon.com Software Store.

The new Amazon.com Resource Center for Windows 7 launched today, offering customers in-depth information on the new operating system. The Windows 7 Resource Center will be updated regularly with the latest commentary from independent industry experts, as well as video demonstrations of new features and customer forums.

I've gotten a ton of questions about the Windows 7 retail pricing stuff, as expected. But the number one question, by far, is an oldie but goodie:

"Can I use a Windows 7 Upgrade version to perform a clean install of the OS?"

This is becoming particularly antsy for people because they want to take advantage of the time-limited Windows 7 presale, which starts tomorrow.

So, what the heck, I asked.

The answer, I'm told, is ... Yes. You can perform a clean install of Windows 7 with the Upgrade media, as you could with Windows Vista.

The second most common questions regards "upgrading" from Windows Vista or XP (32-bit) to a 64-bit version of Windows 7. (You cannot do an in-place upgrade between 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows.)

Yes, it's possible. The key is to purchase the Windows 7 Upgrade version electronically (preferably through the presale and directly from Microsoft). If you do so, you're given the choice to download the x64 bits. So if you qualify for a Windows 7 upgrade--i.e. you own Windows XP or Vista--you can buy the Windows 7 Upgrade version of your choice, download the x64 version, burn it to disc, and do a clean install. (Per the previous question.)

Hope this helps.

This is from this morning's WinInfo, but I want to make sure everyone caught it.

Microsoft this morning announced its retail pricing plans for Windows 7. First, the good news: Contrary to rumors, the company is not raising prices. The bad news? It's not significantly lowering prices either. In fact, most versions of Windows 7 will simply cost exactly the same as their Windows Vista predecessors.

In the US, three versions of Windows 7 will be widely available at retail, Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. Pricing for the Upgrade versions of these products breaks down as follows:

Home Premium (Upgrade) - $119.99
Professional (Upgrade) - $199.99
Ultimate (Upgrade) - $219.99

Full product pricing includes:

Home Premium (Full) - $199.99
Professional (Full) - $299.99
Ultimate (Full) - $319.99

In each case, Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate is priced identically to its Windows 7-based predecessor. Windows 7 Home Premium (Upgrade) is $10, or 8 percent, cheaper than Windows Vista Home Premium (Upgrade). And Windows 7 Home Premium (Full) is $40, or 17 percent, less expensive than its predecessor. (Similar pricing is available in other markets as well.)

To help avert criticism, Microsoft and its retail partners will temporarily offer steep discounts on the Upgrade versions of Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional only. Consumers who preorder these products online between June 26, 2009 and July 11, 2009 in the US and Canada will pay just $49.99 for Windows 7 Home Premium (Upgrade) (a $70 savings) and $99.99 for Windows 7 Professional (Upgrade) (a $100 savings). The deals will be made available at Amazon, Best Buy, and Microsoft, and at other participating online retailers. Consumers in Japan, France, Germany, and the UK can also preorder Windows 7 for similarly short time frames, though the exact dates vary.

Microsoft also announced that it would allow consumers who purchase a Windows Vista-based PC between June 26, 2009 and January 31, 2009 to receive a free copy of Windows 7. Called the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program, this program is global and completely free. Microsoft hopes it will address the problems caused by Windows 7 not shipping in time for the back to school PC selling season, which is currently underway.

The company also revealed that it will offer consumers in the EU the Full versions of Windows 7 only through at least December 31, 2009 because of antitrust issues there which preclude it from bundling Internet Explorer with the OS. During this time period, EU users (excluding the UK) will be able to purchase the Full versions of Windows 7 at the Upgrade prices. Traditional Upgrade versions of Windows 7 will appear in the EU eventually, Microsoft says, at which point it will return to its usual pricing structure.

There's a lot more going on here, including a few pricing issues that have yet to be resolved. For more information, please refer to my Windows 7 Pricing article on the SuperSite for Windows.

I think this is new: I opened up Windows Media Player today in Windows 7 and saw the beta guide for the first time.

Microsoft sends word describing the wind-down of public availability of the Windows 7 release candidate:

Still on the Windows 7 Beta? You need to move to the Release Candidate (RC) and fast. Starting July 1st, the Beta will start to reboot every 2 hours and expire August 1st.

Want to download the RC? The RC download program closes August 15th. After that, you won’t be able to get the download, but you can still install the RC and get a key if you need one. (To get a key, just go to the Downloads page and follow the instructions.)

If you’re using the Windows 7 Release Candidate, we hope you like what you see. Let us know -- go to http://input.microsoft.com and tell us what you think. You’ll be able to give feedback on various aspects of the operating system.

You know, this is one of the things that's really bugged me about the Xbox 360. (This and the whole "reliability" thing.) The console's Dashboard has always been terribly slow. In fact, if you want to really frustrate yourself in the middle of massively multiplayer deathmatch action on this console, just accidentally tap the Xbox 360 Guide button (the silver and green thing in the middle of the controller) and watch, horrified, as the Xbox Guide sslllllooowwwwwlllyyyy comes up on the screen, interrupting your game, and making you wait ever longer to dismiss it. The New Xbox Experience (NXE) didn't fix this issue at all. (Contrary to this stupid comment at Gizmodo: "Did anyone else notice? When NXE launched, it was pretty quick. But it's just gotten slower...and slower." Wake up, guys. It was never quick, and was always slow.)

Anyway. They're supposedly going to fix it.

During his last podcast, Xbox spokesperson/kind guidance counselor Major Nelson revealed that a "faster" dashboard update would be coming later this year with "a lot of very cool new features."

Hopefully, they really do fix it. Because nothing makes the Xbox 360 feel slower than clicking that stupid button by mistake.

Xiant:

Xiant is dedicated to producing tools that make your time at the computer as productive as possible. Though we are launching our first products, our tech roots are second to none. Xiant Filer was created by technology innovator/Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen and engineers at Xiant, whose challenge was to ease management of overflowing Microsoft Office Outlook inboxes. Xiant has even more tools under development to help you be productive, organized, and connected with your stuff.

Xiant Filer

E-mail is a crucial productivity tool. As our dependency on e-mail grows and its volume increases, our mailboxes become increasingly difficult to manage. Quickly finding messages in a bloated inbox—from various senders and in multiple conversation threads—can prove difficult, if not impossible. And while there are many solutions out there to help manage and organize e-mail, each one typically requires an investment in time and effort that could be better spent on more important tasks.
If you use Microsoft Office Outlook as your e-mail application, the beta release of the Xiant Filer add-in can instantly help you more efficiently manage your e-mail.

So, if you need/want such a thing, here it is.

But please, dear God. Don't use this. In fact, don't use Outlook. I'm not saying Paul Allen is a bit out of touch, but releasing a utility for yesterday's email application these days is somewhat, well, out of touch. I realize a lot of people still use Outlook. But if this guy had his head in the right place, he'd be helping people remove the single-PC lock of such legacy applications. Your data should be available everywhere. Sorting it in a single place doesn't really obviate the underlying inefficiency of using such an application.