Cheat sheet: Microsoft's CES keynote news in a nutshell

LAS VEGAS -- If you've been anticipating Microsoft's Consumer Electronics keynote as if it were the "Lost" season premiere, consider this your spoiler alert. Stop reading now and go watch the drama unfold in all its glory on the webcast.

For the other 99 percent of you, read on for a rundown of the major news items expected to be announced tonight, as outlined for us by Microsoft in an advance briefing.

WINDOWS 7: Yep, we knew it was coming. Microsoft is releasing the long-awaited Windows 7 Beta immediately to the hard-core techies and software developers who belong to MSDN other technical networks. The rest of us will be able to download it starting later this week. This preliminary version of the next operating system is a key development milestone, but Microsoft still isn't committing to a definitive release date.

VERIZON DEAL: This one leaked, too, thanks to Verizon's gabby CEO. Microsoft and the big wireless carrier agreed to a five-year dwal in which Verizon Wireless will offer Microsoft's Live Search software and links to the company's Web search and advertising services on all Verizon phones in the U.S., starting sometime in the first half of this year.

DELL SEARCH DEAL: Whaddya know, we knew this was coming, too. The Redmond company has struck a deal with PC giant Dell to pre-install Windows Live services and, most notably, Windows Live Search features on consumer and small-business computers around the world. The deal starts next month. It's a notable development in the company's efforts to become a credible Google rival.

FACEBOOK ON WINDOWS LIVE: Microsoft has struck a deal with Facebook to let people see friends' updates and other information from the popular social networking service on their Windows Live home pages. Facebook had been conspicuously absent when Microsoft rolled out the revamped Windows Live late last year -- which was notable, to say the least, because Microsoft has a minority stake in the company.

NETFLIX APP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE: Microsoft is demonstrating a new Windows Mobile application that will let people manage and update their Netflix queues on Windows Mobile devices. The app ties into the existing Netflix-Xbox Live partnership. For the record, the companies are still not letting Xbox 360 users choose from the Netflix on-demand library directly from their consoles, which was one of the items on our pre-CES wish list.

HALO GAMES: Expanding on the blockbuster video-game franchise, the company is announcing that the "Halo Wars" real-time strategy game will be available at retail outlets March 3, following an Xbox Live demo version that will be released Feb. 5. The company is also releasing the "Halo 3" follow-up "Halo 3: ODST" -- previously known as "Halo 3 Recon" -- later this year.

KODU: Previously a Microsoft Research project known as "Boku," this is a visual video-game programming tool designed to make the basics of software development accessible to children and the general public. The company is announcing that it will be released in March on Xbox Live.

Unless the company has surprises up its sleeve, those are the highlights as we understand them. Certainly not Microsoft's most dramatic CES ever, to say the least. What do you think? Let everyone else know in the comments below.