| From the Editor
Thanks for a Great DDC! On to WinHEC in Los Angeles!
The WHDC and Windows engineering teams want to thank all who attended DDC this year in Redmond. We hope you found the Windows 7 sessions and other technical information useful and were able to spend one-on-one time with Microsoft program managers and engineers.
And now it's on to Los Angeles and WinHEC 2008! With less than three weeks until the conference doors open, our entire issue this time is devoted to WinHEC. We hope you have registered, but if not, there is still time. Hope to see you there.
- The WHDC Web Team.
WinHEC News
Get the Windows 7 Pre-Beta Build at WinHEC 2008
WinHEC 2008 is right around the corner and we want to make sure you know that this is the Windows 7 conference not to miss. WinHEC 2008 is all about deep technical content on Windows 7. With more than 140 technical sessions, panels, and chalk-talks, WinHEC will provide ample opportunity to connect in person and in depth with Windows engineers. WinHEC is designed to provide deep explorations of future engineering and business directions for PC and device hardware. Who will be there? We are making sure we have the right speakers to have meaningful conversations. The people who build and develop for Windows are working hard to make sure the talks are on target. They designed the code. They built the code. They tested the code. Having our core engineering team at the conference gives us an opportunity to have valuable discussions with you. WinHEC is the only chance for you to engage with the team at this level - there is not another WinHEC planned before Windows 7 is released. What are we going to talk about? In short, you'll see deep technical sessions on Windows 7 so you can make sure your customers have great experiences that help grow your business. Session descriptions are now up on the WinHEC Web site so you can start planning your conference schedule today. Here are a few of the things that we are excited about:  New Technologies: Hardware keeps getting faster, smaller and more efficient. Windows 7 helps you take advantage of the new capabilities. If you're working on solid-state drives, Multi-touch screens, wireless USB, or other emerging technologies, you'll want to know how Windows 7 can support these efforts. Fundamentals: The Windows 7 fundamentals team will provide tips and techniques for building reliable, high-performance machines and devices. For example, the team will share practical tips to optimize your system for a longer battery life based on real solutions that we've seen work in the field. We'll also demonstrate the new features in Windows 7 around power management and how to take advantage of them. Enterprise computing: Join us to talk about trends in the enterprise computing space and how Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 can make your products more competitive. We've just posted the session description for a talk on virtualization and some new technology advances that will reduce WAN link usage and increase download speeds to branch offices. As companies become more geographically dispersed, optimizing these scenarios is critical to successfully competing in the enterprise. Of course, that is just a small sample of the 140+ talks at WinHEC this year. And some sessions will never show up on the site because we'll be unveiling new capabilities that we can talk about only at WinHEC. Speaker videos give you a sneak preview of what Windows engineers and program managers will be talking about at WinHEC. Windows 7 pre-beta. After attending these sessions, we think you will want to see Windows 7 yourself. So, we decided to give attendees a pre-beta build of Windows 7 to use and help you plan how you're going to build on this new platform. This build is only being given out at WinHEC and PDC.Register today!
Session Descriptions Now Available to Help You Plan
As mentioned above, we have a solid set of presentations designed to generate a good deal of discussion in the hardware community. Noteworthy topics include DirectX 11 graphics and 3D rendering, parallel programming and multi-core processors, green power management, Multi-touch, sensor and location platforms, wireless USB, Netbooks, flash storage, and biometrics. This year WinHEC tracks are aligned with five major themes associated with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008: Mobile Computing: This track focuses on the growing importance of the PC in mobile life and work styles with specific attention given to Multi-touch technology, location and sensor platforms, power efficiency and mobile wireless connectivity. Connected PCs and Devices: Windows 7 is being engineered as an amazing platform for device connectivity, to reflect the emergence and explosive growth of new devices coming to market almost daily. Come hear about Windows 7 support for USB, Bluetooth, printers, phones, and imaging devices. High Fidelity Graphics and Media: Windows 7 brings numerous improved technologies to the table, including DirectX 11 and support for new TV tuners and other hardware. Core Platform and Fundamentals: This track covers architectural, hardware, and driver issues related to the core Windows platform shared by client and server computers, including discussions on driver development and the Windows logo program. Enterprise Computing: Come hear about how Microsoft and Microsoft's industry partners are addressing important industry trends such as multi-core processing, virtualization, and power efficiency. We also have two virtual tracks with sessions that cross all five themes. Global concerns surrounding climate change are raising awareness and demand for more power-efficient computing platforms and so we are highlighting at WinHEC a virtual track for Green Computing. Also of interest will be extensive coverage of the Windows Logo Program for latest updates and requirements as well as application to specific technologies highlighted at this conference. Descriptions for most talks are now published on the WinHEC Web site. With more than 140 hours of technical sessions, chalk-talks and panel discussions, start planning your schedule now by using the "Add to Calendar" link with any session.
WinHEC Attendee Party at Boulevard3 -- Hosted by Windows 7
The Microsoft Windows 7 team is hosting a special event for all WinHEC attendees on Thursday, November 6, at Boulevard3, the former site of the Hollywood Athletic Club. For three decades, the Hollywood Athletic Club was revered as the "playground of the stars." An exclusive retreat for the famous, founders Cecil B. DeMille, Charlie Chaplin, and Rudolph Valentino entertained such members as Errol Flynn and Tyrone Powers in its heyday. Join us for a night of casino games: blackjack, craps, and a Texas hold 'em tournament! Turn your winning chips in for raffle prizes--the more chips you have the more chances you have to win! While there will be lots of fun for everyone, the Texas hold 'em tournament has a limited capacity of 200. Look for news on how to sign up on the WinHEC Web site.
Welcome Reception on November 4 -- MSNBC Election Night Coverage
Join the WinHEC sponsors, exhibitors, your peers, and Microsoft staff and speakers for a special WinHEC welcome reception that includes election night coverage of the US presidential election by MSNBC. Enjoy great food and drinks while you check out the products, services, and technologies that will advance the Windows hardware platform, and the election results that will determine the next US President. This is a great opportunity to network and make important connections with your peers.
Be One of 500 to Take Home a 160 GB Hard Drive
Your feedback is important! For every session evaluation form that you submit on CommNet, you will be entered into a raffle to win one of 150 Maxtor® BlackArmorT 160 GB External Hard Drives. Fifty drives will be given away daily! The more evaluations you complete, the better your chances to win! Before you leave on Friday, submit your overall conference evaluation on CommNet and be entered to win one of 350 Maxtor® BlackArmorT 160 GB external hard drives. Special thanks to Seagate for providing these hard drives.
News for Windows Hardware and Driver Developers
WinHEC 2008 Sponsor, Industry, and Microsoft Conference Papers
Whether or not you are able to attend WinHEC this year, you might want to take a look at the conference white papers and other resources being published on WHDC in support of the WinHEC 2008 sessions. Due to the new Windows 7 features and functionality covered, most of these papers will not be published until WinHEC begins on November 5. So, check out the few papers that are published today but come back during or after WinHEC to see all the new Windows 7 technical content.
| 
