Join live at 9:00 AM Pacific Time on Thursday, September 30, 2010 for a virtual, interactive roundtable discussion on migration strategies, standards, and support for organizations moving from Internet Explorer 6 to Internet Explorer 8.

As organizations deploy Windows 7, many still depend on web applications that were designed for Internet Explorer 6. Will they still work, and what can you do when they don’t? Join a panel of IT Professionals, Microsoft specialists and technical experts to discuss best practices to simplify and accelerate the migration to Internet Explorer 8. Topics will include an explanation of the causes of and solutions for application compatibility issues (including policy, code, and virtualization solutions), an introduction to tools, and a review of best practices.

Ask your questions live during the event with our online tool – or submit your questions in advance to vrtable@microsoft.com. 

Missed a previous Springboard Series Virtual Roundtable? Watch them on demand.

Originally Authored for The Windows Club

Past few weeks have been a typical bloggers delight. Dissecting iPad’s sales and usage scenarios, exploring alternate tablet operating systems, and quoting mythical folks from Microsoft and hardware manufacturers like HP and Asus. Oh yes, the weekly shift from announcing Asus’s ‘final’ decision to use Android. No, Windows. No, Android. You get the drift.

In this post, I’ll keep it simple. And definite. Let’s see which Windows 7 tablets are in the shelves already, the devices which have been announced, and a couple of rumored ones (Okay, yes. I’ll have my share of that overdrive too). The rumored devices have been showed as prototypes, and even shared with the gadget bloggers for reviews. However, these have been early stage reviews, and the final product may or may not be close to anything that has been showed or shared. A ‘Coming Soon’ device has definite specifications, with only the wait for the retail launch.

RETAIL: Archos 9 PC Tablet

Archos has been in a way pioneer in tablet devices in unique form factor. Priced at $399, the Archos 9 PC Tablet is a Windows 7 Starter Edition tablet device with an 8.9-inch LED-backlit resistive touchscreen display. The device is powered by a 1.2 Ghz Intel Atom Z515 processor with a 1 GB installed RAM. The specifications are pretty basic with a 60 GB HDD, 1.3 MP webcam, built-in stereo speakers. A port-replicator allows Ethernet port, two additional USB ports, VGA video output microphone input, and an additional audio output.

The Archos 9 features a two-position leg-stand to optimize its use. The upper position is best for viewing videos on the go, surfing the web, or reading while the lower position is ideal when you need to type more. Although at 800 grams, the device is a good handheld, the 5 hours of battery life via removable Lithium Polymer battery is a bummer, specially since netbooks available at the same price point are getting more powerful with extended battery life..

COMING SOON TO RETAIL: ExoPC Slate

The ExoPC Slate is a powerful Windows tablet device with a multi-touch interface with a touch-friendly ExoPC UI Layer over the Windows 7 Home Premium Edition under the hood and weighing a little under a kilogram. A 11.6 capacitive dual-touch, pressure sensitive screen gives a great 1366 x 768 pixels resolution. Under the shiny display, the specs are at premium with Intel Atom Pineview-M N450 processor and 2 GB installed RAM. Interestingly, ExoPC has opted for SSD for storage, and therefore would be limited to 32GB or 64GB.

Again, ExoPC Slate keeps up with basic features – A 1.3 MP webcam, two USB ports, and in-built speakers and microphone – but also adds a mini-HDMI port, SD/SDHC card reader, and accelerometer. The battery life matches Archos 9 with a max 5 hours.

Expected launch: September 2010

COMING SOON: MSI WindPad 100

MSI showed WindPad 100 at Computex, and although there have been little details after it (except few design photos, there sure is a tablet in coming.  The prototype device featured a 1.66GHz Atom Z530 CPU, 32GB SSD, and 2GB installed RAM. MSI would also put a Wind Touch UI overlay over Windows to make it more touch-friendly. The bonus ofcourse is an HDMI port. There haven’t been any details on the display technology/resolution and the battery life though.

RUMOR: Asus Eee Pad EP121

This one I put in the rumored category. Asus disclosed to the press in January 2010 that Eee Pad is coming and at Computex, Asus showed prototypes of the 12-inch EP121 (and the 10 inch EP101) which sports Intel’s Core 2 Duo CULV processors, Windows 7, and a claimed 10-hour battery life. However, since then the details have been hazy, and uncertain. There have been rumors of Eee Pad running on Android operating system and even Windows Embedded Compact 7. The expected price range has been assumed to be a $399 to $499.

RUMOR: Pegatron Slate

Pegatron Corp. is the manufacturing arm of Asus. Pegatron Slate is similar to ExoPC in discussed features, although it includes WDI – a wireless display technology that streams 720p video to any similarly equipped TV. With a 11.6-inch touchscreen and an Intel Atom CPU, it runs runs Windows 7 Home Premium edition.

Microsoft’s new beta offering, Windows Intune, helps small and mid-sized businesses manage and secure PCs through Microsoft’s cloud services and Windows 7. Windows Intune delivers cloud-based management and security capabilities that can be administered through a single Web-based console, enabling your end users and your IT staff to work from virtually anywhere-all that’s required is an Internet connection.

• Check out the Windows Intune site here: http://bit.ly/asOJxz

Top 10 benefits of Windows Intune

Help manage and secure your PCs from virtually anywhere.

The Windows Intune cloud service helps keep your employees productive in the office or on the road—all that’s required is an Internet connection. Through a simple Web-based console, your IT staff can provide remote assistance, centrally manage updates, and proactively help protect PCs from malware threats, so your employees can stay focused on the business.

Get the best Windows experience.

Standardizing your PC environment provides a better experience for your workforce and an easier environment for you to manage. You can upgrade to Windows 7 Enterprise or run a prior release—it’s your choice. With its intuitive interface and advanced search capabilities, plus BitLocker® drive encryption to better protect confidential data, Windows 7 Enterprise gives your employees the best Windows experience available. As long as your subscription remains active, you’ll also get upgrade rights to the latest operating system, so you won’t need to worry about buying upgrade licenses when the time comes.

Achieve big-tech results with a small-tech investment.

Designed to fit businesses without a large IT infrastructure, Windows Intune is an all-in-one solution that includes PC management, malware protection, and Windows upgrades rolled into one easy purchase. With minimal overhead, simple billing, and no formal training required, it’s easy to get started and maintain.

Stop malware threats before they stop you.

Windows Intune gives you powerful, centralized protection to help keep your PCs safe from the latest security threats. Built on the Microsoft® Malware Protection Engine and using the same trusted technologies as Microsoft Forefront® Endpoint Protection and Microsoft Security Essentials, you get real-time protection with reporting and alerts to help safeguard PCs against dynamic forms of malicious software, including spyware, viruses, and root kits.

Keep your PCs up-to-date.

Centrally manage the deployment of Microsoft updates and service packs to all managed PCs. Through the Web-based console, you can select which updates you want to deploy across your PCs to help keep them running smoothly.

Identify issues before they impact business.

Windows Intune makes it simpler for you to proactively monitor your PCs, sending alerts to help you identify potential problems before they negatively impact your employees and your business. With Windows Intune, you can set up security and update alerts that notify you when you’ve got a threat or if a critical update was unsuccessful—so you can fix it before your PCs become vulnerable.

Easily track your assets and manage licenses.

Effective inventory management is key to optimizing existing investments. With Windows Intune, you can easily view and track your organization’s hardware and software inventory, so you can efficiently manage your assets, licenses, and compliance.

Turn to advanced tools for tougher issues.

Complementing the cloud service, Windows Intune also includes advanced on-site tools that help you troubleshoot problems, manage Group Policy, and deploy virtualized applications and operating systems—to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your PC.

Diagnose and repair even unbootable PCs.

Using the Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT), available to download for Windows Intune customers, administrators can recover data from PCs that have become unusable. It helps you rapidly diagnose probable causes of issues and quickly repair unbootable or locked-out systems.

A cloud you can count on.

Microsoft is a leader in IT infrastructure solutions with the Microsoft System Center family of products, and we used that experience in developing Windows Intune. Windows Intune takes advantage of the Windows Update infrastructure, one of the world’s largest cloud services, which delivers updates every month to hundreds of millions of PCs. And with a financially backed 99.9 percent uptime service level agreement and support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, you can have more confidence the service will be there when you need it.

Discover your cyber world personality, and expect to learn more than you expect.

http://www.microsoft.com/hk/windows7/quiz/

Brought to you by Microsoft Hong Kong