Microsoft has disclosed that a Zune-branded phone is part of its future plans to expand in the digital music market according to Chris Stephenson, general manager of global marketing. In direct competition with Apple and it's long-rumored 'iPhone', Microsoft is seeming not to be keeping any secrets - "A Zune phone is definitely part of the future of this brand" says Stephenson, but if the Zune itself is anything to go by, it is likely that the phone will be able to wirelessly share music selections with other users via WiFi or Bluetooth, and that users will also probably be able to purchase music to download directly from the phone.

If this news is anything to go by, Microsoft is sure trying to beat Apple to the punch with an all-in-one, digital-music-playing phone. This disclosure is even more upfront, considering the Zune has yet to be released into the market, and is due in stores this coming US holiday season.

The Zune Phone at this time, has no further details or timeline given when to expect it.

Sony is set to release a wireless, handheld device mostly aimed at younger people who use instant messaging, named Mylo (which stands for 'My Life Online'). The pocket-sized gadget features a slide-up 2.4-inch screen with a QWERTY keyboard underneath, VOIP capabilities via Skype, web access (to browse the internet and send emails), media playback capabilities (including music, photos and videos), 1GB flash, and a memory slot. This device will only be available in the United States. The instant messaging feature will use Yahoo Messenger and Google Talk.

Mylo will be available in black or white, does not require computer setup or a monthly service contract, hence it cannot be used for mobile telephone calls. "The mylo personal communicator puts the fun parts of a computer in the palm of your hand", explains director of product marketing and personal communication devices at Sony Electronics. "It's ideal for people who want to stay connected to their online friends and family, but not be weighed down by a PC or buffeted by charges for IM and texting on cell phones."

Mylo will be available in September 2006 and will retail for US$350.

Microsoft have released a further glimpse inside their office productivity suite by releasing the final UI of the icons for the upcoming release of the software. The new office will contain all your favourites including Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Publisher, OneNote, InfoPath, Visio and more.

These new icons are similar to those used in Office 2003, but with some rounded corners and an image in the middle. All the symbols are there for familiarity like the key (for Access) the 'W' (for Word) etc. According to Microsoft: "The fresh, new product icons are a reflection of the meticulous attention to detail used in this release as they visually complement the ribbon and the branding style while still helping users locate an Office program."

Packard Bell and Skype today introduced the 'Easynote Skype Edition' notebook featuring a one-touch Skype calling button, a built-in webcam and of course a preload of the Skype software.

The featured Skype calling button is located next to the built-in webcam and on the upper bevel of the 14-inch widescreen display, thereby making it as easy to use as a traditional phone with the added benefits of video calling, instant messaging and group calling. By pressing the button the user can answer incoming calls or open the application to make a call.

Aymar de-Lencquesaing, CEO of Packard Bell stated 'Our vision is to make products that are easier to use through innovation and design, we share this vision with Skype and our EasyNote Skype Edition is a major milestone in our partnership. We are thrilled to announce this future bestseller today, together with Skype'

EasyNote Skype Edition will be limited to Europe at this time and will be available in August from €899 (roughly $1200 USD).

Nokia and Siemens have finalised a deal estimated to be signed, sealed and delivered by January 1, 2007 to merge their communications service provider businesses.

In a press release sent out today, the new company dubbed Nokia Siemens Networks, is a 50-50 joint venture that will cover both fixed line and mobile networks. Destined to generate and cost-save in both products and services, NSN will have one of the world's best R&D teams in order to develop and invest in the next generation with a global base of customers and a deep presence in developed and emerging markets.

Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, Nokia CEO and future chairman of NSN stated "We believe the partnership with Siemens is the most effective way to build the scale and broad product portfolio necessary to compete globally and create value for shareholders... This joint venture is an important step to strengthen our position in the market sustainably and to enable us to offer the best state of the art converged technologies and services to our customers. This combination creates a leading industry player with immediate strength, excellent potential for growth and well-positioned to improve future profitability".

Well, recently we announced that Sony's VAIO AR Premium Notebook would be released this week, and there is already a review up on it over at BusinessWeek. The results in short? 3/5 stars, and more specifically:

• The Good - Gorgeous video. Blu-Ray Burner. Huge hard drive.
• The Bad - High price. Feeble battery.
• The Bottom Line - Great for those willing to pay through the nose
  

The AR Premium is the first notebook featuring the much hailed Blu-Ray DVD player and a Blu-Ray-capable burner allowing you to play the HD content and enjoy movies in full1080p HD resolution. Blu-Ray discs are able to hold up to 50gb of data, and the reviewer stated on a copy of Hitch that "the video looked great, with lots of detail within the shot. The movie has several overhead shots of New York City that looked almost cinematic, even on the 17-inch notebook screen".

The AR Premium Notebook also comes standard with an 17-inch WUXGA widescreen display, Intel Core Duo 2ghz processor, 1GB memory, Nvidia GeForce 7600GT, 200gb HDD, internal TV tuner, and a HDMI connector and included cable.

In conclusion, is it worth the steep US$3,500? The reviewer said "it is a fine computer. But there are lots of fine computers on the market in the same size range, though none with the Blu-Ray capability". So if you really, really, really, really want to jump in quickly and grab the first Blu-Ray drive (and can afford it), then that's great. If you can't, then it is recommended that you hold out that little longer until the high price drops a little...

Microsoft have officially announced the new file format for Office 2007, the next version of their popular office productivity suite. The most notable change to the end user, is the file names. No longer based around 3 characters (such as .doc, .xls) they are now 4 letters long.

This naming change, in part, reflects the new xml technology being used by the files. The suite will allow backwards compatibility with older versions of Office and will also support saving documents as a PDF.

Some example of the new file formats include:
Word Document: .docx
Word Template: .dotx
Excel Workbook: .xlsx
Excel Template: .xltx
Powerpoint Presentation: .pptx
Powerpoint Template: .potx

Office 2007 is still being trialed in beta, and will be available in stores early 2007.

All the rumours flying around about the purchase of ALIENWARE by Dell, have now been confirmed from the PC hardware manufacturer. The transaction should be finalised in approx. 30 - 45 days.

ALIENWARE will operate separately from Dell, and allow it to take advantage of Dell's incredibly efficient supply chain.