MSN Messenger 8.1 beta released. The popular messenging client that allows text chats, video chats and PC to PC calls as well as PC to Phone calls at an inexpensive rate.

Windows Live Messenger features the following improvements:

• Video Call
• Windows Live Call with Verizon Web Calling service
• Integration with Windows Live Messenger phones
• Integration with Microsoft LifeCams
• Shared Folders
• Offline Instant Messaging
• Windows Live Contacts
• Integration with other Windows Live Services

It seems that an odd exploit has been found by a company. The exploit can disable the Windows XP firewall by using malformed DNS packets.

In this day and age, it is quote rare to see people using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) since the cost of a wired router is quite cheap. This exploit can only be done on systems running ICS.

If you have ICS turned on for some reason and are not currently using it, it is suggested that you disable the service ASAP to prevent your system from being exploited.

According to 2 Old 2 Play, the latest in the XBOX 360 update contains a special surprised unbeknownst to its users and that is DRM.

Here is a  quote from 2 Old 2 Play story:

“A couple of members have notice a new addition to their 360’s since the update this morning. Media is now tagged with a “Does not expire” message. Obviously this could only mean one thing, DRM for downloads.”

As with any DRM in the past and present, there will always be a way to get around the DRM. It seems like Microsoft has stuck in this DRM technology to improve user experience maybe by offering freebies. Only time will tell of what the DRM will do to its XBOX fanbase.

Well it seems that Microsoft is aggressively pushing its limits when it comes to selling its XBox 360 console. It will try to sell 4 million units by the end of this year’s holiday season and try to put the crunch on Sony’s upcoming PS 3 holiday sales.

Microsoft will be selling these 4 million units to its distributors and resellers and the consumer numbers will vary. Microsoft is facing a tough holiday season this year that 2 competitors will be releasing their long-awaited consoles the Sony PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii.

As with any console race it will be quite an exciting one and Microsoft is fairly confident that it will have huge sales since they already have a product and services setup while the others are still in its infancy.

News Source: BetaNews

Microsoft is currently in court over distributing infringing a copyright that AT&T uses for speech-coding technology.
According to the Associated Press that is covering this case, it could further implicate other companies when it comes to copyright infringement of technologies that are copyrighted in the United States but when asking for liability from abroad it could create even high liabilities.

A quote from a law professor stated the following:

“Almost every patent infringement lawsuit against Microsoft asks for damages for U.S. sales as well as foreign export sales,'’ Crouch said. Microsoft has acknowledged its liability for domestic sales. Microsoft lawyers claimed the ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in favor of AT&T “threatens to impose massive liability on U.S. software companies” and could prompt companies to move their research facilities out of the country.”

News Source: Toronto Star

Internet Explorer 7 is available at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/default.mspx. It has a couple of new features:

Cut through the clutter.

Simple is good. A redesigned, streamlined interface gives you more of what you need and less of what you don’t. The new look maximizes the area of the screen that displays the webpage.

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