Microsoft have unleashed the first release candidate for their new OS Windows 7.

If you haven’t already got your techy paws on it, it’s available to download from download.CHIP.eu via the Microsoft site along with a whole host of Windows 7 goodies.

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It seems as though Microsoft have had a change of heart when it come to ditching Windows XP for good.

A spokesperson for the company reportedly confirming in an email to InformationWeek that it is indeed pushing the cut-off date back six months, all the way to July 31st, 2009. According to the spokesperson, it’s being done to ensure that customers moving to Vista are “making that transition with confidence and that it is as smooth as possible,” adding that, “providing downgrade media for a few more months is part of that commitment.” Or it could just have something to do with Vista being crap and no one wanting it. Maybe? 

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With the Apple ‘Lets Rock’ event launching this evening, it’s hardly a real shock that Microsoft unvieled their new Zune players yesterday.  This was nice of them, as no doubt the interest in them would have greatly out weight that of the Apple counterpart.

Coming at us with a 120GB hard drive version along with the smaller 8GB and 16GB flash driver versions.  Overall nothing very revelutionary with the hardware, with the only shocking part being the electric blue colour!  Don’t worry those of you who are not fans of BLUE! can also get it in black.

Microsoft hope that the Zune’s best selling point will be the software and services.  Combining Wi-Fi with the built-in FM tuner, there’s now something called Buy From FM, which allows you to tag and purchase songs you hear on the radio.  Then, when you’re in a Wi-Fi hot spot, the song can be immediately downloaded to the Zune, for a fee of course. This is a rather nifty feature, though I am still suspect of people who listen to the radio on their MP3 players.

In keeping with Xbox Live, there will be a Zune Marketplace where users can buytracks using Zune Pass, a $15 monthly subscription that allows users to stream or download music to their device or PC.

The new Zune 3.0 software offers a new ‘Now Playing’ feature that throws up lots of interesting graphics and bio information on the artist, has support for audio books, a selection of pre-created ‘Channels’ covering lots of genres and, the software now learns what music you like and will chose tracks for you or suggest similar bands next time you enter the Marketplace.

Prices run from $130 (£70) for the 4GB model to $230 (£120) for the new 120 GB device.

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Microsoft’s vice president of Interactive Entertainment, Don Mattrick stateed that he believes that the Xbox 360 will out sell the current generation of PS3.

Mattrick later went on to say he was confident that the Xbox 360 would beat the PS3 in sales, but would not commit to beating Nintendo’s Wii.

In an interview with BusinessWeek he said: “I’m not at a point where I can say we’re going to beat Nintendo.” He added that the Xbox 360 “will sell more consoles this generation than Sony”.

Research tends to agree with him.  Research firm IDC claims that by the end of 2008, global sales of the three main consoles will see Nintendo Wii at 44.5 million, Xbox 360 at just 27.7 million and Sony’s PS3 at 24.2 million.

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 After it was announced in May that gamers from both the Xbox 360 world and the PC universe could pit themselves against each other in epic battles, Microsoft have announced that Games for Windows Live will be free.

This won’t just be for new games being released, though there are some fantastic ones in the wings like Dawn of War 2 and Fallout 3, but all existing Windows games that use Games for Windows – LIVE, from Gears of War to Shadowrun to Universe at War.

We can also expetct to see a new Marketplace for Games for Windows – LIVE.  This will be a place were gamers can get new content for existing games as well as access to demos, trailers, etc.

For more information, checkout Games for Windows – LIVE

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