The programming environment runs on the Xbox, allowing rapid design iteration using only a game controller for input. The language is simple and entirely icon-based.

Programs are composed of pages, which are broken down into rules, which are further divided into conditions and actions. Conditions are evaluated simultaneously.

Key Features of Kodu

• High-level language incorporates real-world primitives: collision, color, vision
• Uses Xbox 360 Game Controller for input — no keyboard required
• Runs on XBox 360 and PC
• Interactive terrain editor
• Bridge and path builder
• Terrain editor - create worlds of arbitrary shape and size
• 20 different characters with different abilities

Kodu provides an end-to-end creative environment for designing, building, and playing your own new games.

Download Kodu

Polish site CentrumXP has revealed the official box art for Office 2010. Microsoft had also made available the public beta version of Office 2010 which you can Download for free.

Microsoft Office 2010 Box Art

Downlaod Office 2010 Beta

You have to re-configure Windows Live Writer whenever you re-install it or install it on a new computer. Windows Live Writer Backup is a freeware utility that will simply done the above task for you. It allows you to backup and restore your blogs settings, blog templates, plugins, drafts, recent posts etc. in Windows Live Writer.

Windows Live Writer Backup (WLM) is very easy-to-use freeware utility. Just select the option you want to backup and hit Backup button.

Download WLM Backup

In this Post I will guide you step-by-step with screenshots How to configure Windows Live Writer for your Self Hosted WordPress Blog/WordPress.com Blog.

How to configure Windows Live Writer For your WordPress Blog

First Goto WordPress Dashboard and Under Settings>Writing Enable XML-RPC publishing option.

Download Windows Live Writer from here and install it

Open Windows Live Writer.

A wizard will open to guide you through the configuration.

As we are configuring Windows Live Writer for WordPress Blog so Select Another weblog service and click Next

Now in this step enter your blog URL, username and password and click Next

Now Windows Live Writer will start analyzing your blog homepage and contents

Now select your blog service provider from the list.If you are hosting your blog at WordPress.com then select WordPress.com from the list and if you have Self-Hosted WordPress blog than select  WordPress (if your wordpress version is below 2.2) or WordPress 2.2+ (if your wordpress version is above 2.2).

Now enter Remote posting URL for your blog.Just add /xmlrpc.php to your blog URL.

Now Windows Live Writer will start Detecting your weblog editing style, Blog categories etc.

Now Windows Live Writer will ask you to make a temporary post on your blog in order to detect your blog theme.Click Yes for the accurate preview of your post in Windows Live Writer.The temporary post will be removed automatically after a while.

Now Enter your blog nick name and Click Finish.

You’re Done…:)

Now you can write posts offline and can publish them directly from your desktop whenever you are online.

These themes can be download free of cost from official Windows 7 page.

Go to Windows 7 Gallery Page

Amazon have launched a pre-launch product page and a pre-order page for the Zune HD, offering users the opportunity to sign up for Microsoft’s upcoming PMP.

Microsoft officially described the Zune HD in May 2009 as a multitouch device with a 16:9 OLED screen,Web browser, HD radio support,and full support for 720p video.

It will be released on 8th of September 2009.

Images Credit: Gizmodo

Recently Microsoft had also made the “Latest Final Edition” of Build 7600 of Windows 7 for Technet and MSDN subscribers.Microsoft plans to make this CTP available to the general public on August 12.

The R2 release is supposed to improve IT efficiency by reducing the time and cost of developing and managing applications.It enables organizations to scale with confidence by providing high levels of reliability, security and scalability for business critical applications.

Microsoft names three new features in this CTP:

* Application and Multi-server Management
* SMP scale up with support for up to 256 logical processors
* Report Builder 3.0 with support for geospatial visualization

This CTP provides the first opportunity to explore some of the features of SQL Server 2008 R2 and see how it all comes together to enhance performance and scalability, enable self-service BI and improve IT and developer efficiency.

There are six downloads available to both subscribers groups:

* SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Evaluation August CTP (x86) - (English)
* SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Evaluation August CTP (x64) - (English)
* SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Evaluation August CTP (ia64) - (English)
* SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition August CTP (x86 and x64 WoW) - (English)
* SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition August CTP (x64) - (English)
* SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition August CTP (x86) - (English)

The final version is expected to released in the first half of 2010.

Product keys for Windows 7 RTM will be different than the product keys used for Windows 7 Beta and the release candidate.

For customers Windows 7 is on its way to manufacturers, and will be available on October 22. If you pre-ordered Windows 7, it should be delivered sometime around the October 22nd. You can pre-order Windows 7 today through many online retailers like the Microsoft Store & Amazon.

Download Windows 7 from MSDN
Download Windows 7 from TechNet Plus

Via

How to add a watermark to a printed word document using Microsoft Word application:

1. Click on Format Menu -> Background  and then click on Printed watermark.
2. To insert a picture as a watermark, click ‘Picture watermark’, 
3. click ‘Select Picture’.
4. Select the picture you want, and then click ‘Insert’.You can also select the size of the picture
5. To view the watermark as it will appear on the printed page, click go to View > Print Layout.

Images Credit: WorldStar