PDC Announcements..

Image via CrunchBaseLots of buzz circulating about Microsoft this week as there are big announcements coming out of the Professional Developers Conference. What with Windows 7, Azure, Surface, Xbox 360, Live Open ID and Office all generating a lot of discussion across the blogosphere.

Looking to gain momentum after the lacklustre response to Windows Vista, the next Windows operating system does sound like it has potential. Why they don't launch as Windows Vista SE (Second Edition) though as technically it is still Vista but with some extra features. What's great is that if an application or device runs on Vista, it should run on Windows 7. Here are a few of the new features;

• The New Windows Taskbar
• Jump Lists
• Aero’s New Moves
• Unified Search
• Fewer Annoying Pop-ups
• HomeGroups
• Device Storage

Windows 7 also includes a new version of Windows Media Player. As well as a refreshed user interface there are new features as well. Announcing that Office 14 will be available online has delighted a lot of people, so dubbed as Office "web" a few sources have referred to it as a Google docs killer. It will be interesting to see what browsers it supports but it's definitely going to prove to be popular.

Microsoft and Netflix also announced this week that they will begin streaming high definition content straight to the Xbox. Take into account the launch of the New Xbox Experience [goes live Nov. 19 to every console owner] it's going to be another strong Christmas period for the platform. They are going to start with only 300 high def titles, but surely that will increase considerably. Personally I am looking forward to just picking up Gears of War 2, if I haven't got this by Christmas then please someone take note!

Overall the announcements are huge and are going to impact on a lot of people. Debating whether to get a Laptop/PC myself I may just hold out a few more months and partition a system to run both Vista and Windows 7 beta when it's made available. Hopefully I will be able to get involved through my Xbox contacts. Speaking of the Xbox, streaming high definition sounds great and it is looking likely as insiders have been saying recently that the Blu-Ray format is destined to become a videophile niche...

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