Microsoft announced today (July 31, 2006) that on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 it will begin charging a $1.50 download fee for the beta version of Office 2007. "In just the past two months since its launch, more than 3 million people have downloaded the 2007 Microsoft Office system beta 2," the company said in a statement sent via e-mail. "Given how dramatically the beta 2 downloads have exceeded our goals, we have made the business decision to implement a cost-recovery measure for downloading the beta." They also announced that Microsoft Australia will no longer offer the download at all.Some have speculated that Microsoft might also be using the "fee" to test a new online software distribution/payment system. Until now, Microsoft has only delivered it's products via CD/DVDs.
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A few grams of James Doohan's ashes will be launched 70 miles into space this fall from a south New Mexico rocket site by Houston-based Space Services, Inc. Doohan, who played Chief Engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott on original "Star Trek" TV series, died at his home in Redmond, Washington last July and had told relatives he wanted his ashes blased into outer space.
Space Services spokeswoman Susan Schonfeld said, "So far on that flight we have 100 customers. But if I gave you a good guess, I'd expect it will be well over 100. Everybody wants to be on the same rocket as James Doohan. He was so beloved." I guess you could say people were dying to go along.
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Today (July 11, 2006), Mozilla Foundation released the first publically available beta version of Firefox 2, the next version of its widely popular web browser. According to reports, the beta version comes with a built-in antiphishing tool, improved search box capabilities, and an integrated spell checker.
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Microsoft has tried to keep tight wraps on information about its new "iPod killer" digital media player but reports have finally begun to surface. According to information leaked by several music companies, Microsoft isn't just developing one product, but a whole line of Xbox-branded products aimed at dethroning the iPod. Code named "Argon" (in honor of the huge mythological warship used by Greek hero Jason) it includes a handheld media player (which will allow music and data to be transferred to the device via build in wireless network technology), software media player and online media service, similar to Apple's popular iTunes.
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