Does the sky fascinate you? Don’t you just wish you can really just reach out and unravel the mysteries hidden in its vastness? Well, now you probably can with Microsoft’s newly launched software application called WorldWide Telescope. With this software at your convenience, you don’t need to leave your home planet just to get a close look at the planets, the stars, and galaxies. Worldwide Telescope brings together 12 terabytes of pictures taken by the different devices including the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory Center. Confirmed astronomers or would-be astronomers will have a field day with the Worldwide Telescope at their convenience.

Well, well. Microsoft is really pushing their clients to use the Vista for their PCs and notebooks. Due to the company’s intention to discontinue the Windows XP Home edition, many device-makers have opted to incorporate Linux into their machines. This decrease in patronage maybe what urged Microsoft to extend selling Windows XP to the market, but this will only be for selected computers. Microsoft will now only allow Windows XP to be sold and used for ultra-low-cost-PCS. These kinds of PCs may not be compatible with OS Vista because they have small screens, low memory, and slower processors.

Microsoft is in partnership with Adobe in bringing Flash Lite into Windows Mobile. They made it public on Monday right after Microsoft licensed the Flash Lite software and the Adobe LE software. These two Adobe products are both designed for mobile use. The Flash Lite in particular is aimed toward this end while the Adobe LE software is meant for viewing Portable Document Formats or (PDF). With these software coming into Windows Mobile users will have more chance to enjoy browsing their favorite websites no matter where they may be. This will bring a browing experience that is similar to that of a PC, with its excellent video and graphics.

To gain more customers, Microsoft made some more price cuts for the Xbox 360. The latest cut is made for the units in Europe. The latest price reduction is almost 28 percent. The cut is made on the three Xbox 360 models. The basic version that comes with a 20 GB hard drive drops its price from $500 to $400. The Xbox Elite with its 120 GB drive drops from $600 to $520. And aside from the prices of the units, Microsoft also includes the Arcade pack in the price cut. The basic pack is now $307 while the Premium is $568.

Well, well, Microsoft is not beyond using money as a lure to attract more users for its products. As announced, the company will provide a $100,000 sweepstakes prize for those who will take part in the U.S. beta testing of the Web-based version of the Microsoft Office Live service. $100,000 is certainly a great incentive for lots of people to join the beta testing. But you have to be at least 18 years old in order to join the sweepstakes. You can sign up now over at Microsoft’s website. You must sign up now if you’re interested because aside from the $100,000, Microsoft will also be giving away other mouth-watering freebies like 300 units of Xbox 360, 500 Samsung Blackjack II, 200 30GB Zune media player, 400 Expedia travel vouchers amounting to $300 each and other Microsoft products. Pretty interesting huh? Better sign up now.

When I bought my laptop I opted for the Windows XP operating system because it is the one I’ve grown accustomed to. And I was also discouraged by some of the reviews I read about Microsoft’s Vista OS; like it was not user-friendly and is slow when running some selected applications. And I think even now a lot of people still prefer XP to Vista. And some who opted with Vista are quite happy with their choice, while others are disgruntled. Here’s good news to cheer disgruntled Vista users. Microsoft has released its Vista SP1 Pack to manufacturing. Don’t rejoice yet because it won’t be out until mid-March, at the latest. But by then, the whole world will already benefit from as it will be made available in five languages such as English, Spanish, German, French and Japanese.

I think it has not been that long since the IE7 came into use. But since the Web is an ever improving world we have to make way now for Microsoft’s IE8. This latest version of the browser comes with lots of changes. And the statement made by Microsoft about those changes has elicited different reactions among users and developers. What’s the feature that makes IE8 controversial? According to Microsoft it will come with 3 modes that the user can use according to his need.

Microsoft is always watching out for consumer satisfaction. In order to make clients even more satisfied with their Windows application the company is making available the Windows Feedback Program. This program could be very beneficial to users because it will enable them to link up with the Windows product team for any input and questions. And these consumer inputs will be used for the further improvement of Microsoft’s offerings. But take note that when you join, Microsoft has the right to keep track of things you do in your computer for a period of 3 months. What becomes of your privacy?

I believe the iPod now really has a tough competitor in the new Zune. Yes Microsoft recently released the new 80GB version of the Zune. Its 80Gb capacity is more than enough to hold all of your favorite songs and then some. Those who are thinking of buying an iPod but are still having second thoughts about it will get even more confused with the unleashing of the 80GB Zune. Aside from the ample storage capacity, the 80GB Zune is stylishly designed with an almost same size as the apple’s iPod Nano. The 80GB Zune is 4.3 inches high, 2.4 inches wide and 0.5 inch thick. Aside from the size, another great improvement is the navigation control that is fondly referred to as Zune Pad.

Microsoft is ever on the move to improve its mobile offerings. In order to do so they are in the path of a new acquisition. Their target this time is Musicwave, a digital music specialist that is based in France. This company enables mobile companies to provide music applications like full song downloads and ring-back tones. So with Microsoft’s move to purchase Musicwave they will be able to reach a broader range of the mobile market. It will be a big bonus that Musicwave is already a provider of Vodafone, T-Mobile, Telus, O2, Virgin Mobile and Telefonica, playing right into Microsoft’s aim to bring together Musicwave’s relationship with various music providers and their own products. Microsoft’s products that come to mind are MSN, Zune, Windows Mobile and Windows Live.

Viewing videos on the web will now be made even better with Microsoft’s newly launched Silverlight. Just last Tuesday Microsoft officially launched Silverlight rich media player 1.0 version. This new offering is said to be the fierce rival of the currently and widely used Flash media format that’s being offered by Adobe System’s Inc. Flash is the one being used in various video streaming sites for example YouTube. Silverlight has digital rights management (DRM) and makes use of Windows Media for the playback video feature. Through Silverlight media streaming, rich UI and animations can be easily viewed.

A new generation operating system from Microsoft is under construction at this very moment. It is not even that long when the Vista became available yet again Microsoft is on the go with its successor. The OS being developed is called Windows 7, but previously this was codenamed Blackcomb and Vienna. Vista was developed for like 5 years but with the Windows 7 Microsoft gave it only a three-year time-frame so by 2009 or 2010, a new OS will be released.

Those who have been looking forward to the release of the Microsoft Office for Mac will have a little longer wait because Microsoft’s Business Unit for Mac announced that the Office release will be pushed back from the second half of this year until the first quarter of 2008. This move was made in the effort to deliver a much-improved product to the market. This was also done due to some problems that were encountered when they switched to using Intel processor.

After the release of Microsoft’s new flagship operating system Vista last January 30, some of the users encountered some problems with it and some of its features did not meet with their expectations. Vista users, Microsoft heard your cry, which is why they’ve come up with a service pack. If you have already switched to Vista you will not have a long wait to get your hands on the new service pack. On July 16 the Vista SP1 will be released but only in the beta format. Vista users will be able to get the official SP1 in November when the four months beta testing is over.