Microsoft

For those of you looking to save a few dollars this holiday season, be sure to find your gifts using Live Search.  Microsoft's Live Search Cashback is a program that pays Web users rebates for buying products from participating Microsoft vendor partners. 

That includes a lot of popular retailers like eBay, Barnes & Noble, Overstock, Sears, AT&T, FTD, Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Kmart, and Saks Fifth Avenue.  When you buy items through those websites after using Live Search to locate them, Microsoft will send you PayPal funds or a rebate check in the mail.  There is a limit of $200 per rebate, 12 transactions, and/or up to $2,500 of savings each calendar year.

Today Microsoft said Live Search Cashback program has been an overwhelming success since its launch in May.  Microsoft has seen a 30 percent jump in the number of products listed on the Web site, which is now drawing 4.5 million unique users and 68 million search queries per month.

With the release of Windows 7 not coming any time soon, have you ever stopped to wonder if it is actually version 7.  Well sure, why wouldn't it be?  According to Mike Nash on the Vista blog, its easy to see how they came up with that name...

1. Windows 1
2. Windows 2
3. Windows 3
4. Windows 95
5. Windows 2000
6. Windows Vista
7. Windows 7 (or 6.1 as its actually numbered internally on software at Microsoft)
   

That would make all of these major releases, simply minor updates.

   3.1 Windows NT

   4.1 Windows 98

   4.3 Windows Millennium

   5.1 Windows XP

Oh, I get it now.  Windows NT wasn't a major change in code, you haven't released a worthwhile operating system since Windows 2000, and you've tried to convince people these were all amazing and necessary releases worth paying for.  Now do you understand why the world hates you?  Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer, "Windows 7 is Windows Vista, just a lot better"  So you're saying is that its more of a fancy Windows 6.1?  Windows 7, bleh, this better be good.

If Microsoft's excited about one thing right now, its the upcoming premiere of Surface, one of its largest and most intensive R&D investment.  The first official unboxing of a Microsoft Surface table has come from our friends from downunder.  Although this technology will make its debut in 275 lb. coffeetable form, look for other implentations such as Sphere.  Soon your restraunt dining experiences will never ever be the same again.