Windows LIVE Essentials 2011 – Out of BETA – RELEASED

I have mentioned on several occasional that this package from Microsoft is a very clean and well put together piece of software (Multiple software titles).  This may not be for the true Techie, but for the common PC user this package is a fantastic add-on to Windows Vista and Windows 7.  I know what I will be doing tonight to my two systems at home!

Do more with Windows on your PC with free programs from Microsoft for photos, movies, instant messaging, email, social networking, and more. Get it all in one simple download.

Messenger – Stay in touch with the people you care about most from your PC, phone, or the web. Share photos and videos as you chat, and see the latest updates from your friends.

Photo Gallery – Get great tools for organizing, touching up, and sharing your photos and videos. Create stunning panoramas, movies, and slide shows, and publish them online.

Movie Maker – Turn your photos and videos into polished movies that are easy to share. Add special effects, transitions, sound, and captions to help tell your story in style.

Mail – Efficiently manage multiple email accounts, calendars, and your contacts—even when you’re offline. Plus, use a great tool for sharing lots of photos in email without filling up anyone’s inbox.

Also included in Windows Live Essentials – Writer, Family Safety, Windows Live Mesh, Messenger Companion, Bing Bar Outlook Connector Pack, Microsoft Silverlight.

Details list from Supersite Blog

From the Microsoft Blog – Inside Windows Live – Hit the link to learn all about this great package!

We are pleased to announce that Windows Live Essentials 2011 for Windows 7 and Windows Vista is now available for download! (Releasing in 48 languages over the next few hours, so if your language is not yet available, it will be very soon.) Windows Live Essentials 2011 was designed and built to connect your PC to the services you use every day. We’re also announcing today that Dell will be the first global PC manufacturer to ship PCs with Windows Live Essentials 2011 and Windows 7 pre-installed, just in time for your holiday purchases. Many other PC manufacturers are also planning to make Windows Live Essentials 2011 available and we’ll continue to keep you updated as they start releasing.

Download it today!

Get started and download Windows Live Essentials 2011 today. It is being released in 48 languages over the next few hours, so if you don’t see it in your language yet, you should see it very soon. If you’re running Windows Vista or Windows 7 on your PC, make sure you have the latest Windows updates installed before you install Windows Live Essentials (see the system requirements here). If your computer is still running Windows XP, you can, of course, continue to use the current Windows Live Essentials software, and then switch to Windows Live Essentials 2011 when you buy a new PC or upgrade to Windows 7.

Together with Windows 7 and the new Internet Explorer 9 beta, Windows Live Essentials completes your Windows experience and connects your PC to the services you use every day. Try it out and let us know what you think!

Some other news

Dell to Offer Windows Live Essentials 2011 on New Systems Later This Year

Windows LIVE SPACES – Going away!

Being that the K12 market is heavily Windows-based and always looking for ways to stretch dollars, I am sure many districts are or have used the BLOG forum from Microsoft – Windows LIVE SPACES.  This service will be going away over the next 6 months, but Microsoft will be taking care of you as they have signed an agreement to work with WordPress (This blog’s host). 

WordPress and Microsoft have automated the move and it’s really simple about 7 simple steps and your done.  I believe you should take this a great news…  Might have a bit of a learning curve, but since WordPress main business is the WEB and blogging you will see constant updates and additions that you wouldn’t have from Microsoft as this is not their main business.

Microsoft Announcement

WordPress Announcement

Related Articles

• How To Migrate Windows Live Spaces to WordPress (techie-buzz.com)
• Lorelle on WP: Welcome Windows Live Spaces Bloggers to WordPress.com (lorelle.wordpress.com)

K12 – Contest – WIN 100K for your School – Microsoft – OUR SCHOOLS NEEDS

***Districts have been picked***  CHECK OUT MY NEW POST – YOU STILL WANT TO VOTE IF YOU WHERE NOT ONE OF THE LUCKY 15!

What a great contest – You get your students involved and they learn at the same time.  Putting together a multi-media presentation for a great cause – Your school!   If this is done right, this can be a great life lesson for anyone that gets involved and invests time and effort to create.  

How the Our School Needs Contest Works

We want to hear from teachers and students about what their school needs most. Look around your school and think about how it would benefit from winning $100,000.

Watch: What does your school need

What to do

Students can work in groups, classes, or even school-wide to write an essay and take pictures finishing the sentence “Our School Needs: ___________.” To enter:

1. Write an essay (500 to 800 words)
2. Take pictures (3 to 5 photos)
3. Film a video (not required, but fun! Maximum of 3 minutes in length)

Who Can Enter

Any student or teacher from a K-12 school can enter. While students under 18 are encouraged to create the entry, a parent, legal guardian or a teacher must submit it.

What Could Our School Win?

Bing will award a quarter-million dollars, divided among four schools—$50,000 to three first-prize winners, and one $100,000 grand prize.