Apple has always been a cool and young guy playing the role of a trendsetter. However, we recently witnessed that Microsoft has been beating Apple at its own game. Apple iPad, the newest member in the Apple family, was met with shoulder shrugs and blank stares. On the other hand, Microsoft’s Windows 7 has brought back that acclaim to the company which was once thought to be unhip fart plagued with number of diseases.

Just have a look at those 15 of “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” commercials:

See how Mac is portrayed – young, cool, fashionable and efficient. While on the other hand, PC is portrayed as an elderly man plagued with number of diseases. This commercial does give a historical document of the way people viewed Apple and the Microsoft in the recent past. However, things are not the same anymore. After recent product releases by the two companies – Apple and the Microsoft, it is seen that the companies have undergone role reversal and Microsoft has got back its role of that trendsetter, fashionable, young guy which it used to be a few years ago.

The latest releases from apple – Snow Leopard, Apple iPad and iPhone 3GS did not see that dumbfounding fanfare which Apple products are destined to meet. They were, on the other hand, met with a ‘Meh!’ acclaim. Consumers believe that Apple is a trendsetter and they hold the company to the highest standards and this belief is working against the company at the moment.

Failure of apple’s products has set Microsoft on the rolls. While apple is struggling with the company’s brand image, Microsoft rolled out some publicly popular products like Project Natal, Windows 7, Windows Phone 7 and Microsoft Courier. These products have brought back that acclamation to the company which it suffered due to commercials and content like “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” commercial. As a matter of fact, Microsoft is being viewed as a ‘comeback’ kid and people love to see that happen.

It is not that the scores are leveled. Apple is still on the lead. But it is certain that if Apple products will lack creativity (which was found missing in recent years), Microsoft will gain an opportunity to bring their products to light and outdo Apple. Microsoft has already started taking lead and Apple seems to have only two choices – to either trump Microsoft at future launches or start lowering the prices of their highly priced products they market for the sake of creativity and productivity.

In case all avenues to activate Windows 7 online has failed, activation by phone is the last resort. Generally when online activation of Windows 7, against Microsoft’s activation server, fails; the phone activation is called into action. However, you can also activate Windows 7 directly by phone. Here is how you can activate your Windows 7 by using phone directly.

Activating Windows 7 using phone:

1. Click on Start button and enter – “slui.exe 4” in the start search box.
2. From the window that opens, select the country or region from the “click the nearest location” drop-down menu.
3. Click the next button
4. Call one of the phone number listed and select the Microsoft product group for which the activation is to be done.
5. Speak or enter (using the phone’s keypad) your installation ID.
6. The bot will read a 48 digits long confirmation ID. Note down this confirmation ID.
7. Enter this confirmation ID in the Activation Wizard.
8. Your Windows 7 will be activated

This method of phone activation can be used for Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Microsoft Outlook is widely used. The default exporting option in the Microsoft Outlook does not allow exporting all the data that one requires. CodeTwo Outlook Export is a free utility which allows you to export data from MS OutLook in CSV text files.

Besides letting you export the default CodeTwo Outlook Export from the Microsoft Outlook, it further allows you to export non-standard user-defined fields. Data can be exported from folders of all types – contacts, e-mail, post, tasks, journals, notes, calendar, etc.

Download CodeTwo Outlook Export

The largely awaited fee antivirus and antimalware solution from Microsoft, Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), which was codenamed Morro, is finally released into limited public beta testing. Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is thought to replace Windows Live OneCare and supersede Windows Defender. It is the perfect solution for people who cannot or do not want to pay for security solution.
The limited public beta of Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is opened till the Microsoft reaches a download cap of 75,000 for the application or until the final product is available. So if you are interested in Microsoft’s this new and free antivirus program, you should grab a copy now.

The Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) beta is available to people residing only in some countries. These countries are – the United States, Israel (English only), People’s Republic of China (Simplified Chinese only) and Brazil (Brazilian Portuguese only). So if you try to download it from outside of these countries, you will be given error messages telling that you cannot download the file.

Official Download Link for Microsoft Security Essentials -

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

For those who are not located in the United States, Israel (English only), People’s Republic of China (Simplified Chinese only) and Brazil (Brazilian Portuguese only); can also download the Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) antivirus from the leaked links.

Leaked Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) Antivirus Download Links -

32-bit (x86) Windows Vista and Windows 7: mssefullinstall-x86fre-en-us-vista.exe

64-bit (x64) Windows Vista and Windows 7: mssefullinstall-amd64fre-en-us-vista.exe

Windows XP: mssefullinstall-x86fre-en-us-xp.exe

Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is free but you will need to pass Windows Genuine Advantage validation before you can use it. For those using the pirated copies of Windows, can try the WGA crack to escape validation.

Microsoft has released Windows 7 RC Training Kit for Developers. The aim behind this release is to feed all Windows developers with relevant and valuable information to make their apps compatible with Windows 7. This Windows 7 RC Training Kit will comprise of 10 presentations and 8 Hands-On-labs (HOLs), covering almost all Windows 7 compatibility issues and light-up features.

The Windows 7 RC Training Kit will give a clear idea and experience of all the new light-up features available in Windows 7. These light-up features include Taskbar, Libraries, Multi-Touch, Sensors and Location, Graphics, Ribbon, Trigger Start Services, Instrumentation and Event Tracing for Windows (ETW). Besides the light-up features, Windows 7 RC Training Kit will also provide a brief application compatibility overview of Windows 7.

Developers who would love to get the first hand information on Windows 7 light-up features and application compatibility guidelines can download Windows 7 RC Training Kit and Windows® API Code Pack for Microsoft® .NET Framework.

Microsoft seems to be preparing to unveil its free antivirus software called Morro (after Brazil’s Morro de Sao Paolo beach). With this free antivirus software, Microsoft plans to pitch into direct competition with McAfee and Symantec which generate billions of dollars of revenue every year.

‘World’s biggest software maker, Microsoft is testing an early version of Morro with its own employees and a beta version will soon be made public via Microsoft website‘, said a Microsoft Spokesman declining a specific date for beta release of the product.

While people are eagerly waiting to see Microsoft’s free antivirus software, investors are too monitoring the service closely. The great possibility of Morro hurting sales of products from Symantec and McAfee, which generate billion of dollars of revenue every year, is a great concern for the investors.

Though the investors will have their own games with the release of this new software by the software industry giant, Microsoft claims to offer basic features for fighting a wide range of viruses. So all we can do is wait and let Microsoft make a public beta of the product.

Microsoft TechNet Plus is a paid service which allows IT professionals to access premium resources for evaluating Microsoft technologies, plans and their deployments. However, the main benefit of Microsoft TechNet Plus subscription is that you get to download full version software with no time limit or feature limit and you can even apply for free genuine and legit product keys.

Microsoft TechNet Plus subscription generally costs $349 a year or $249 for renewal of subscription every year. Microsoft is going to launch a new web based service which allows IT professionals a web-based support. For gathering feedback for this new service, Microsoft is conducting a survey where each participant is getting one-year subscription to the TechNet Plus Direct worth GBP £237 or USD $349 for free. Survey takers also can win one of eleven Zune 4, one of six xBox Arcades, or one of five Flip Video Mino HD Camcorders in regular raffles throughout the course of the pilot program.

The survey is opened to all US and UK residents and you can click the link below to take part into the survey: (http://surveys.rddfs.com/IntWeb.dll/online/WEB4/090668/&urlimport=1&questlist=T;T2;G;&T=1&T2=2&G=1)

However, the registration URL has been abused by many as the loophole for anybody and everybody to grab a valid 1-year subscription of TechNet Plus Direct (named as TechNet Plus Consumer Service Professional Pilot Full when sign up, but it’s still a full online subscription).

Click the following URL(s) to directly access the Microsoft TechNet free subscription page by skipping survey:

US: https://om2.one.microsoft.com/offer/technet_na.aspx

UK: https://om2.one.microsoft.com/offer/technet_emea.aspx

Once there, click on the ‘Buy’ button and you will be given a Subscriber Benefit Access Number (BAN) which can be used to activate your Microsoft TechNet Plus subscription. Once you have completed the registration, you will be able to get ‘subscribers download’ which includes Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, SQL Server 2008, Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft Office 2010 and more.

PS – The trick to skip research activity and subscribe TechNet plus directly is illegal and the subscription may be revoked and made inactive anytime.

You may not know of SharePoint Designer but in simple words, SharePoint Designer can be said as a replacement or (even better) a successor of Microsoft Office FrontPage, a component of Microsoft suite from 1997 to 2003. SharePoint Designer is a WYSIWYG HTML editor and general web design program which is a product of Microsoft office 2007 but is not included in the package.

Since SharePoint Designer was not included in the Microsoft suite 2007, it did not become that popular as is Microsoft FrontPage. Now Microsoft is thinking of replacing FrontPage by offering its SharePoint Designer 2007 for free to users. SharePoint Designer 2007 has built-in power tools to deliver compelling and attractive SharePoint sites. This software also helps to quickly build a workflow-enabled application. Besides these, there are some awesome reporting tools on the SharePoint platform. And best of all, all these tools are fitted in an IT-managed environment.

You can download SharePoint Designer 2007 from Microsoft.com by clicking here.

I have already written about updated version of Windows Genuine Advantage Notification and Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool and have also promised to inform you of the new patch crack that has been released to escape this updated version of Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool. Before letting you know this patch crack of escaping WGA validation, you must know and realize that piracy is a crime.

For those who are using pirated copy of Windows XP Professional and who do not have any respect for originals, here is the piece of news you were waiting for. You can download and apply the WGA crack patch which will make your system as if it was legally purchased software when validation is performed and you will be able to download any updates from Microsoft Download Center.

There are two WGA crack patches available -

1. Supremo Phantom version of WGA crack which is a standalone executable application (download Supremo Phantom WGA crack v1.9.40.0)

2. Deep Space 9 version of WGA crack which uses batch script to apply the patch. (download Deep Space 9 WGA crack v1.9.40.0)

Once you have applied WGA crack patch, you will be able to download any updates from Microsoft updates, Windows updates and Microsoft Download Center. You won’t get any notification nag and annoying messages.

WGA applies to Windows XP and Windows Vista. Although WGA does not apply to Windows 2003, Windows 2000 and Windows 9x family, some downloads and updates may require these validations.

Note – Supremo Phantom version of WGA crack and Deep Space 9 version of WGA crack has been tested with ZoneAlarm to find that they do not contain any virus/trojan.

Alternative Download Links

Due to few complaints and heavy volume of downloads, alternative download links for both the cracks have been added below. These files are hosted at despositfiles.com and are available internationally:

1. Mirror Download for DeepSpace 9 WGA crack
2. Mirror Download of Supremo Phantom WGA crack

A translator widget added to your blog or website can make your website or blog internationally more accessible. The visitors coming from foreign countries can be wooed by showing them your webpages in their native language. There are many translating tool available online such as Google Translator, Altavista Babel Fish, Promt Online Translator, etc. These translators are really good but the basic and most annoying aspect of these translating tools are that they take their users away from your webpage to other page for translation. However, now this practical defect can be tackled by use of the Microsoft Translator Webpage Widget.

The Microsoft Translator Webpage Widget allows you to bring real-time, in-place translations to your web site. Users can see your pages in their own language, without having to go to a separate translation web site, and share your page with friends in multiple languages. This new translator widget from Microsoft allows website owners to add a pull-down menu to translate their website into other languages.

If you are a web-developer or a blogger who needs a real time, in place translations of their webpages, can get the new Microsoft Translator Webpage Widget by clicking here.

At present, you must have an invite code to use the widget on your website. This website code can be obtained by registering for an invite. You can click here to get an invite code.