"The only thing Microsoft should be worried about right now is how bad their publicity engine is. I mean, they're just letting Google walk all over them. They need to bring out their big guns and call BS on Chrome as an OS. Or, at least, force any rapid, fanatical anti-MS person to exclusively use browser-based apps for a week. "
-- David Geller

Our top 10 favorite headlines about Google Chrome OS

Mass High Tech

Microsoft's New OS

VIEW ALL

Bill Gates Watch

VIEW ALL

WINDOWS

Speculation: Windows 7 Beta at CES

By Todd Bishop on December 2, 2008 at 6:47 PM PST

Comments (0) | Permalink

Steve Ballmer | Windows 7 | Windows Vista | MSFT

There's new evidence tonight that Microsoft is aiming to have the beta version of Windows 7 ready in time to show off for the Consumer Electronics Show in early January -- giving further credence to the theory that Microsoft is aiming to release the new operating system in time for the 2009 holiday season.

On the AeroXperience blog, Bryant Zadegan says he has confirmed that the beta is expected to be available to attendees of the MSDN Developers Conference in January. And over on Neowin, Tom Warren offers some additional evidence and concludes that the Consumer Electronics Show in would be the logical place for a grand unveiling. Ed Bott at ZDNet agrees.

"Any public release would come only after that first demo, which makes the January 13 date a nearly perfect fit for public availability," Bott writes.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is scheduled to give the pre-CES keynote on Jan. 7, taking Bill Gates' traditional slot.

On another front, Microsoft continues to tweak Windows 7's predecessor. Windows executive Mike Nash today announced plans for a wider release of the Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta starting later this week. A final version of Vista SP2 should be released sometime in the first half of next year, according to Nash's post.

Todd Bishop's Biography

Todd Bishop is co-founder and managing editor of TechFlash. He has covered Microsoft and the technology industry for more than five years, most recently as a daily newspaper reporter and blogger based in Seattle. READ FULL BIOGRAPHY

206-876-5466

Recent Sponsor Posts

Gnomedex: Tickets Available Now for Puget Sound's Premier Tech Conference Aug. 20-22

Join tech enthusiasts from across the country for the leading tech conference in the Puget Sound area, Gnomedex. It's the technology conference of inspiration and influence, hosted by Seattle-based blogger and digital enthusiast Chris Pirillo. Gnomedex is geared toward anyone with an interest in technology, and openness for sharing ideas and learning from others.

MORE INFORMATION

SynapticMash: A Microsoft BizSpark startup using technology to increase student achievement

How do successful startups like SynapticMash survive in today’s economy? Innovation gives them a leg-up; as does help from programs like Microsoft BizSpark. BizSpark is a program for software startups that provides development tools and technologies to build applications and server licenses to host them.