Ten days after the major release of Backup4all 4.8 we are making a small update, build 278. You can download it here: Backup4all 4.8.278. Even though today it’s Friday the 13th, we’re confident enough to release the new build as … Continue reading →

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SAN DIEGO — July 1 2 , 2012 — Today at San Diego Comic-Con International, the world’s largest pop culture convention, 343 Industries and Microsoft Corp. unveiled the official trailer for “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn,” the landmark live-action digital series based on the best-selling Xbox franchise. The series will be initially distributed worldwide by Machinima, debuting on its new channel, Machinima Prime, as well as on Halo Waypoint, on Oct. 5, 2012. “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” will unfold through a series of five episodes, setting the stage for the worldwide launch of “Halo 4” on Nov. 6. The official “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” trailer is now available on Machinima Prime (http://www.youtube.com/MachinimaPrime) and on Halo Waypoint (http://halo.xbox.com/ForwardUntoDawn). Machinima will also be releasing exclusive content, backstory and character pieces leading up to the launch of this highly anticipated series.

“Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” tells an exciting story of heroism and sacrifice on a scale never before seen in the “Halo” universe, taking fans back to the beginning of the human and Covenant war and leading into the events of “Halo 4.” Set against the backdrop of a United Nations Space Command (UNSC) military academy, a group of highborn cadets are training to be the next generation of soldiers in the UNSC’s ongoing war with insurrectionists in the outer colonial planets. Among these cadets, Thomas Lasky struggles with his doubts about this war, and with the burden of expectations he may not be able to carry. As Lasky comes to terms with his potential as a military leader, the terrifying alien alliance known as the Covenant arrives and turns his world upside down. Inspired by the Master Chief, he must decide what it means to be a hero. “Halo” fans who experience Lasky’s thrilling origin story in “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” will be rewarded with special insights into the story of “Halo 4” and the “Halo Infinity Multiplayer” experience.

Directed by Stewart Hendler (“H+,” “Sorority Row”) and written by Todd Helbing and Aaron Helbing (“Smallville,” “Spartacus”), “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” features a diverse cast of established and up-and-coming Hollywood talent, including Tom Green (“Dance Academy”) as Thomas Lasky, Anna Popplewell (“The Chronicles of Narnia”) as Chyler Silva, Daniel Cudmore (“X2,” “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “The Twilight Saga”) as the Master Chief, Ayelet Zurer (“Angels & Demons,” “Munich”) as Mehaffey, Mike Dopud (“Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol”) as General Black, Enisha Brewster (“Footloose”) as April Orenski, Masam Holden (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Elizabethtown”) as Michael “Sully” Sullivan, Osric Chau (“2012”) as JJ Chen, Iain Belcher (“Supernatural”) as Vickers, and Kat De Lieva as Dimah.

“Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” is backed by a top-tier production team led by executive producers Lydia Antonini and Josh Feldman, former Warner Bros. and Playtone executives, respectively. Continuing its involvement with the “Halo” franchise, Legacy Effects (“The Hunger Games,” “The Avengers,” “Avatar”) is creating specialized costumes and armor, and visual effects are being designed by an award-winning team led by John Sullivan (“The Pacific”). Production services are provided by Herzog & Co.

An extended, 90-minute Special Edition featuring additional footage and bonus content will be available Nov. 6 in the “Halo 4” Limited Edition and on on-demand video services.

• “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” Special Edition. Available as part of the “Halo 4” Limited Edition game bundle for $99.99* (U.S.), the “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” Special Edition is an extended 90-minute version of the live-action digital series that will bring the “Halo” universe to life as you’ve never seen it.

“Halo 4” Limited Edition also includes the following bonus content:

• In-fiction content expanding the characters and stories of “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn”

• Special Featurette: “Bringing Gaming into Reality”

• Making of “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn”

About “Halo 4”

Launching worldwide on Nov. 6, 2012, “Halo 4” marks the beginning of a new saga in the blockbuster franchise that has shaped entertainment history and defined a generation of gamers. Developed by 343 Industries exclusively for Xbox 360, “Halo 4” ushers in the return of mankind’s greatest hero, the Master Chief, in a newly envisioned, epic sci-fi adventure.

As one of the biggest video game franchises in history, the “Halo” series has sold more than 42 million games worldwide to date, generating nearly $3 billion in total franchise sales and inspiring multiple New York Times best-selling novels, live-action features, comic books, action figures, apparel and more.

About 343 Industries

343 Industries is the publisher and developer of the blockbuster “Halo” series of videogames and, as part of Microsoft Studios, oversees the “Halo” franchise, including novels, comics, licensed collectibles, apparel and more. 343 Industries is home to world-class developers working on the “Halo” “Reclaimer Saga,” which commences with the arrival of “Halo 4” on Nov. 6, 2012, exclusively on Xbox 360.

About Xbox

Xbox is Microsoft’s premier entertainment service for the TV, phone, PC and tablet. It’s home to the best and broadest games, as well as one of the world’s largest libraries of music, movies, TV and sports. With Kinect, Xbox 360 transformed gaming and entertainment in the living room with a whole new way to play games and find entertainment — no controller required. More information about Xbox can be found online at http://www.xbox.com.

About Machinima

Machinima is the dominant video entertainment network for serious gamers around the world. The number one entertainment channel on YouTube, Machinima serves over 1.7 billion video views a month, and reaches over 183 million gamers monthly. Machinima’s global content network features official publisher content, gameplay videos and original content, including over 20 original weekly shows, all aimed at the coveted 18 – 34 year old male demographic. Machinima is fast-becoming a global phenomenon with an ability to capture a cultural sensibility and awareness among a next generation of entertainment consumers and marketers alike. The company is backed by MK Capital and Redpoint Ventures, and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

* Estimated retail price. Actual retailer prices may vary.

Press only:

For new “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” assets, visit: http://press.xbox360.com/products/p227/halo-4-forward-unto-dawn

The official trailer is available on Machinima Prime and on Halo Waypoint at

http://www.youtube.com/MachinimaPrime

http://halo.xbox.com/ForwardUntoDawn .

Note to editors : For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — July 12, 2012 — With the goal of strengthening its technology investment to transform healthcare, benefits and other services for America’s veterans, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has renewed its commitment to Microsoft Corp., entering into a five-year Enterprise Agreement, which will provide the flexibility to best suit users’ needs and help optimize the department’s technology spend.

The comprehensive agreement gives the VA access to all Microsoft’s current and emerging technologies, including Windows 7, Windows Server 2012, Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Microsoft SharePoint 2010, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft System Center 2012, Bing Maps, the full suite of Microsoft Visual Studio developer tools, and numerous other products and services, spanning from the desktop to the datacenter and including mobile devices.

“After considerable deliberation and working very closely with Microsoft, we are pleased to have constructed a unique and cost-effective Enterprise License Agreement for a full array of Microsoft products and services,” said Charles De Sanno, executive director of Enterprise Systems Engineering for the Department of Veterans Affairs. “This agreement allows VA to continue its longstanding, strategic relationship with Microsoft as a key technology partner while providing value and flexibility for our rapidly changing needs in this new era of datacenter, cloud and mobility.”

The VA is one of the largest healthcare organizations in the world and has one of the largest technology systems in the United States with approximately 6,300 IT employees, 175 datacenters, approximately 400,000 desktop computers and more than 100,000 mobile devices. To help meet the agency’s goal of providing the best possible service to veterans, the VA focuses on technology priorities, including empowering a mobile workforce and aligning rich datasets across the enterprise to help improve healthcare information and patient outcomes.

As a cabinet-level agency second only in size to the Department of Defense, the VA is looking for ways to cut costs and enhance productivity while continuing to improve service to veterans. All of this is accomplished, or aided, by the use of advancing technology. With an increasingly mobile workforce, the VA will use Microsoft technologies to manage multiple devices connecting to the VA’s networks and cloud-based platforms.

The department will benefit from Microsoft Office and Microsoft SharePoint to drive improved productivity and better collaboration both internally and externally. Currently, the VA is one of the largest users of Microsoft Office Communications Server and is in the process of upgrading to Microsoft Lync. On the desktop, the agency is aggressively migrating to Windows 7 and Office 2010 and will have access to future versions of Windows for its desktop environment. The VA is a participant in the Windows 8 early adopter program and, according to De Sanno, “the VA is excited about the potential that the Windows 8 platform brings to the mobility.”

The agency will also continue its groundbreaking corporate data warehouse initiative using SQL Server database technology, consolidating the large majority of its analytical data on one platform. The initiative has empowered the VA officials, from data analysts to individual healthcare providers and business managers, with enterprise-scale reporting and collaboration tools, a new data security framework, and a state-of-the-art scientific computing environment.

“Microsoft is thrilled to continue our strategic partnership with the VA and our contributions to the essential mission of the Department,” said Greg Myers, vice president for Microsoft Federal. “The VA continues to focus and improve on its most important mission — that of providing the most efficient and effective services for our veterans. We share this mission with the VA and are honored to be supporting our veterans with the many key technical and educational initiatives that Microsoft is able to impact. From our work on the mobile platform to big data and collaboration initiatives to helping improve claims processing through the Veterans Relationship Management program, we are doubling down on our commitment to our veterans.”

Microsoft continues its initiatives to assist veterans to successfully enter or re-enter the U.S. workforce. For example, the company has extended its Elevate America veterans initiative in a number of ways, including establishment of a voucher initiative for Veterans, as well as joining the president’s broad initiative to help veterans returning to work and the first and second ladies’ Joining Forces initiative.

More information on Microsoft in Government is available at http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-us/pages/default.aspx.

More information about how organizations are turning to Microsoft technology is available in the Microsoft Customer Spotlight newsroom.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

TORONTO — July 1 1 , 2012 — At the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) 2012 in Toronto today, Microsoft Corp. honored the strongest-performing Microsoft Dynamics partners for demonstrating significant customer impact by developing and delivering innovation solutions that help customers drive their businesses forward.

“This is the time of year when we get together to recognize and celebrate the achievements of the top Microsoft Dynamics partners and support services,” said Doug Kennedy, vice president, Microsoft Dynamics Partners and Support Services. “As a partner-centric business, the success of Microsoft Dynamics is directly dependent upon the expertise, commitment and performance of our partners. The quality and depth of our channel is envied in the marketplace; therefore, the annual Microsoft Dynamics award winners are clearly an elite set of partners — the best of the best. On behalf of Microsoft, I thank our award winners and congratulate them for their achievements this past year and for their dedication and support of Microsoft Dynamics applications.”

At WPC 2012, 10 Microsoft Dynamics partners were recognized with the Microsoft WPC 2012 Awards. More than 294 partners worldwide submitted nominations for their solutions, and award winners and finalists were selected from this group based on their innovative use of Microsoft Dynamics to deliver strategic and valuable solutions that meet diverse customer needs. The Microsoft WPC 2012 award recipients are as follows:

• Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner of the Year: PowerObjects

• Microsoft Dynamics Cloud Business Excellence: Zero2Ten Inc.

• Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace Solution Excellence: ClickDimensions

• Microsoft Dynamics ERP Partner of the Year: INFORMA Software Consulting GmbH

• Microsoft Dynamics Manufacturing Partner of the Year: Edgewater Fullscope Inc.

• Microsoft Dynamics Distribution Partner of the Year: Blue Horseshoe

• Microsoft Dynamics Retail Partner of the Year: Ignify Inc.

• Microsoft Dynamics Professional Services Partner of the Year: Systems Advisors Group

• Microsoft Dynamics Financial Services Partner of the Year: Traviata

• Microsoft Dynamics Public Sector Partner of the Year: Rock Solid Technologies Inc.

Out of thousands of partners, Microsoft also honored 13 resellers with the 2012 Microsoft Dynamics Regional Reseller of the Year award, and nine independent software vendors (ISVs) were awarded the 2012 Microsoft Dynamics Regional ISV of the Year award. In addition, select top performers were honored from the Microsoft Dynamics channel, including Tribridge Holdings, LLC, named the Microsoft Dynamics Outstanding Reseller of the Year, and AXtension bv, named the Microsoft Dynamics Outstanding ISV of the Year. Several key criteria were considered when selecting Microsoft Dynamics Certified Partners for this special recognition, including outstanding sales performance, thorough technological expertise on Microsoft Dynamics products and services, a consistently high level of customer satisfaction, and feedback from Microsoft team members. The performance-based Microsoft Dynamics Regional Partner of the Year award recipients are as follows:

Reseller Awards

• Microsoft Dynamics Outstanding Reseller of the Year: Tribridge Holdings, LLC

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for Asia Pacific: eSavvy Pty Ltd.

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for Canada: BDO Canada LLP

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for Central and Eastern Europe: Korus Consulting

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for China: ACT Solutions Limited

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for France: Logica France

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for Germany: Raber+ Märcker GmbH

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for India: Godrej Infotech Limited

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for Japan: Accenture Japan

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for Latin America: C-Metrix Business Solutions

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for Middle East and Africa: Columbus (Middle East)

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for United Kingdom: eBECS Ltd.

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for United States: mcaConnect, LLC

• Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year for Western Europe: Qurius Spain S.A

ISV Awards

• Microsoft Dynamics Outstanding ISV of the Year: AXtension bv

• Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year for Asia Pacific: Flintfox International Ltd.

• Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year for Canada: Diamond Software Inc.

• Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year for Central and Eastern Europe: Elva Baltic

• Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year for France: Prodware

• Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year for Germany: INFOMA Software Consulting GmbH

• Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year for Middle East and Africa: VeriPark

• Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year for United Kingdom: Anglia Business Solutions Ltd.

• Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year for United States: TDCI Inc.

• Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year for Western Europe: Ferranti Computer Systems

During the recognition ceremony, a select group of Microsoft Dynamics partners were named to the Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle and the Microsoft Dynamics President’s Club. The Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle represents an elite group of the most strategic Microsoft Dynamics partners from around the globe, with sales achievements that rank them in the highest echelon of the Microsoft Dynamics global network of partners. These partners are recognized for their exceptional overall company performance in delivering valuable solutions to Microsoft Dynamics customers. Microsoft Dynamics President’s Club honors high-performing Microsoft Dynamics partners with a commitment to customers reflected in their business success and growth.

A list of the Microsoft WPC 2012 and Regional Partner award winners and finalists can be found online at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/partnernetwork/docs/DynamicsPartnerAwards.pdf.

A list of the 2012 Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle award winners can be found online at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/partnernetwork/docs/DynamicsInnerCircle.pdf.

A list of the 2012 Microsoft Dynamics President’s Club award winners can be found online at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/partnernetwork/docs/DynamicsPresidentsClub.pdf.

About Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference

Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference provides Microsoft’s partner community with access to key marketing and business strategies, leadership, and information regarding specific customer solutions designed to help partners succeed in the marketplace. Along with informative learning opportunities covering sales, marketing, services and technology, the Worldwide Partner Conference is an ideal setting for partners to garner valuable knowledge from their peers and from Microsoft. More information can be found at http://www.digitalwpc.com and on the Partner Network.

About Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics solutions empower your people to be more productive and your systems to last longer and scale as your business grows, while enabling you to derive the insights necessary to respond quickly in an ever-changing world of business.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

• efficiently move windows and maximize windows across the desktop
• manage more applications with the Smart Taskbar
• control application positioning with UltraMon Shortcuts
• multi-monitor support for desktop wallpapers and screen savers
• mirror your main monitor to secondary monitors for a presentation