| Windows 7 Is Here!
News for Windows Hardware and Driver Developers
Windows 7 Compatibility Center and Windows Logo With the release of the Windows Logo Kit (WLK) 1.4 in May 2009, partners began submitting and earning the "Compatible with Windows 7" logo. Since then, Microsoft has received submissions from more than 600 different hardware partners worldwide, resulting in thousands of hardware devices and systems ready for Windows 7 General Availability (GA) on October 22, 2009. Now that Windows 7 is available, there is increased interest for compatibility information on old and new products alike, so now is the time to ensure that all your products are listed in the newly launched Windows 7 Compatibility Center ( http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/windows-7). - For logo products, ensure that you enter an announcement date and complete the Marketing Name information in WinQual for submissions that you want listed ( https://winqual.microsoft.com/Help/how_to_add_marketing_names.htm). - For products that you do not plan to logo, send feedback or submit new products using the online product submission form ( https://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/windows-7/en-us/partner/submission.aspx). Using this submission form, you can also send us any changes or updates that you want to make to existing product listings. If your company has not yet done so, now is the time to earn the "Compatible with Windows 7" logo for your products and promote compatibility with Windows 7. After you earn the logo, you can: - Display the logo on your product packaging and on your Web site. By displaying the logo, you capitalize on the power of the Microsoft brand, communicate your commitment to compatibility and reliability, and help customers to make informed and confident purchase decisions. - Get listed with the logo prominently displayed in the Windows 7 Compatibility Center. - Have the logo displayed by CNET Content Solution's retail partners ( http://www.cnetcontentsolutions.com/news/2009_10_22.aspx). - Visit the Windows Logo Program home page ( http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/winlogo/default.mspx) to find out more about the "Compatible with Windows 7" Logo program. Register! Windows 7 Hardware Ecosystem Event, December 1-3, 2009 This October, we launched Windows 7 to the world. Are your devices compatible with Windows 7? Make plans to join the Windows team December 1-3, 2009, in Redmond to learn how you can enable your devices to take full advantage of the Windows 7 operating system. Over the course of two-and-a-half days, you will have the opportunity to talk directly with Windows device experts and hear them present a variety of topics, including: - Windows 7 Device Experience features - Windows 7 Logo Program and Windows Logo Kit (WLK) - Updates to the submission process on the Windows Quality Online Services (Winqual) Web site - Where you can find our latest documentation and tools - How you can partner with us at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas This is a free event with a limited number of seats. We'll have more details soon, including session summaries and times. Until then: - Click here to register. (Live ID required.) - Contact DXPSUPP@microsoft.com with questions. Mark your calendars today!
What's New in Blogs for Hardware and Driver Developers
New Things Happening with the WDK
Use the Windows Driver Kit Be sure to use the Windows Driver Kit (WDK) 7.0.0 to develop and test your Windows drivers. The WDK contains the latest release of files, tools, and documents used to develop drivers for Windows. This release applies for Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003. Updates to WDK 7.0.0 include the following: - Debugging Tools for Windows - Latest header files - 1,400 new API reference topics - 826 new Driver Design Guide topics - 1,100 documentation bugs and work items completed Get the WDK: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/DevTools/WDK/WDKpkg.mspx. Get the WDK documents only: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa972908.aspx. For more details about WDK 7.0.0, see the online version of the WDK Release Notes ( http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/wdk/RelNotesW7.mspx).
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