Winextra – Microsoft and Windows Round-up

Well there was a lot of news out today as Microsoft used their Worldwide Partners Conference today. The majority of it had to do with the company’s commitment to slate computers and Windows Phone 7 development.

Microsoft:

Microsoft’s Docs.com Improves Facebook Integration – Inside Facebook
Microsoft tweaked its Docs.com to better integrate with Facebook Pages last week, and from the looks of it, document sharing through Facebook will now be a much easier experience.
Steve Ballmer Says Microsoft Is ‘Hardcore’ About Tablet Computers – TechCrunch
No worries, guys, because Microsoft is “hardcore” about tablets. Well, “hardcore” about Windows 7-based slate computers.
My summertime Office anywhere: Office Web Apps + SkyDrive – Microsoft Office Blog
Summer took the slow road to Seattle but it’s finally here, and the last thing I want is to be trapped in an indoor office.
Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager Self-Service Portal 2.0 Release Candidate – Bink
The Virtual Machine Manager Self-Service Portal 2.0 (VMMSSP) is a fully supported, partner-extensible solution that can be used by customers to pool, allocate, and manage their compute, network and storage resources to deliver the foundation for a private cloud platform in their datacenter.
WPC: ‘We missed a generation with Windows Mobile,’ Ballmer says - Seattle PJ
Ah, Microsoft’s mobile operating system. These days, the phrase is almost an oxymoron — like “Microsoft Works.”
Microsoft PDC10 Announced–Book hotel early – Tim Heuer
So it appears we’ll be having a Professional Developer’s Conference after all this year. Today we announced the PDC10.

Windows:

Windows Intune, Beta 2 Launches – on10
Windows Intune beta #2 was just launched at the Worldwide Partner Conference, occurring now in D.C.
WPC: Microsoft announces ‘Windows Azure in a box‘ – Seattle PI
“Oh cloud!” Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer shouted this morning.
Windows XP gets yet another reprieve from Microsoft – Mary Jo Foley
On the eve of Microsoft pulling the plug on support for Windows XP Service Pack (SP) 2, company officials announced they are extending downgrade rights for Windows XP.

Windows Phone 7

Windows Phone Developer Tools Beta Released – The Windows Blog
The term “Beta” is understood to mean that things are close to being finished. Well, that’s what we mean anyway.
Windows Phone 7 developer devices shipping next week – WMPoweruser
It seems Tom Warren was slightly optimistic (or possibly his week starts on Sunday) but unfortunately Windows Phone 7 developer devices will not ship this week after all, but rather next week, according to Brandon Watson.