Microsoft has published their Experience Pack for Tablet PC, a package of add-on's for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

Some of these items have been available in single-item downloads before - The snipping tool, for example, has been available as a beta for some time, and is greatly improved in this final release. 

But some are new - namely the Media Transfer option, which requires you to run Windows Media Connect on your home PC, and then lets you stream or transfer media files (photos, videos, music, etc) to your tablet PC to be viewed/listened to there.

And it's free. Your can download it here.

From Microsoft's web site:

Overview

If you have a Tablet PC, the Experience Pack is a must. Download the Experience Pack and get six new programs that will help you be more productive and creative.

Ink Desktop
Take notes directly on your desktop for quick and easy access later. Jot down a phone number, directions, or top priorities for the day.

Snipping Tool
Use your tablet pen to select a portion of a web site, document, or other content on your screen. You can add handwritten comments and then paste it into an e-mail message or other program.

Ink Art
Paint with your tablet pen using Ink Art, which simulates an artist’s toolset. Choose from different textured canvases, paint brushes, chalks, crayons, and more.

Media Transfer
Copy or stream media files from your home computer to your Tablet PC, so that you can enjoy your favorite music, home videos, or digital photo albums wherever you go. [ed: You'll need Windows Media Connect on your home computer, instructions are here]

Ink Crossword
Solve crosswords on your Tablet PC with your tablet pen. Twelve puzzles come with the game. You can also download a free daily puzzle and purchase more puzzle packs online.

Energy Blue Theme Pack
Brighten the look of your Tablet PC desktop, Start menu, windows, and toolbars. Also get a new Windows Media Player skin that’s customized for the Tablet PC.

Microsoft's Office Online has a useful one-page conglomeration of deployment resources for SharePoint Portal Server. It's a great resource for those who need the info and appreciate the one-stop-authoritative-shop approach to organizing information. Of course, you'd think if people were looking to deploy SPS, they'd be exactly the types to appreciate that approach.

The only thing it seems they could so better would be to run it on, oh say... SharePoint Portal Server? ;)

Other good SharePoint Portal Server resources at Office Online:

• SharePoint Portal Server Technical Library
• Office Online Home Page for SharePoint Portal Server

Lots more links branch off of that last item, too. It's nice to see the Microsoft-provided content continuing to grow, as documentation in this area has historically been scattered and incomplete.

I decided today to check out WB Editor 2, a blog-posting and editing app that's available for Windows. It's darn-right cool.

Unfortunately, some of the XML-RPC functions don't want to work with dasBlog, even though that's the specific software I designated when I set up the blog account in the program interface. So, I can upload the screenshot here with the tool - I'll have to add those manually.

I have to say, I really like the user interface - it's quite well-polished and allows easy access to all sort of functionality. So, I'll be contacting the author to find out what's up with the dasBlog glitches and we'll see what can be done to help there.

At any rate, if you are a Windows user and you would like a better/different way to post to your weblog than the simple web text entry UI, you might want to check out WB Editor 2 and see what you think.

(Thumbnails added with another tool I like called BlogJet - click to view full-size images)

When Microsoft sets its sights on a market segment, look out. It'll happen, sooner or later.

I've been using a whole bunch of the latest mobile phones recently to test them and see how well they'll work for business use. The fact of the matter is, most of them pale in comparison to the Blackberry devices. Blackberries are great tools. All the others are great gadgets. At work, I need a great tool more than a great gadget.

But what I really want is the best of both worlds. Push email, real-time sync on email, calendar, and all that. Lookups live over the air from my company's active directory. MP3 player, phone, voice recorder, MP3 and poly ring-tones... and the RIM form factor works great - he typical PDA-phone running Windows Mobile is a little too goofy and unusable - especially in the keyboard area. Blackberry keyboards work great - the palmOne and PocketPC keyboards I have used - well, they just suck.

From Engadget, with reference to an article at Internet Week, word about the upcoming Windows Mobile 2005 and how Microsoft likely intends to compete with RIM's Blackberry devices - and server.

This will raise eyebrows and - if the Windows Mobile devices can be improved to be a better tool and less gadgety - it's entirely possible they could take away a lot of the market currently sufficiently served only by RIM...

Microsoft wants to kill the Blackberry dead with Windows Mobile 2005

If their recent deals to license their ActiveSync technology to Nokia, Symbian, and palmOne are any indication, Microsoft is working hard to steadily encircle the Blackberry with the next version of Windows Mobile, aka Windows Mobile 2005 aka Magneto. The plan? CRN reports that Microsoft is finally going to unveil Windows Mobile 2005 at the Mobile and Embedded Developers Conference in Las Vegas next month, and that they’re going to be taking a serious swipe at RIM by adding Blackberry-like support for push email and live content updating to Windows Mobile-powered Pocket PCs and Smartphones. The CrackBerry’s pretty damn entrenched, but Microsoft knows a thing or two about dislodging a market-dominating competitor, and so will be reviving a familiar tactic: to compete with RIM’s server product they’re going to be giving away their Exchange 2003 Server Pack 2 update, which adds support for push, for free.

What the heck is going on with MSN search? If I search for my name, I get all this random weird stuff. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

The weird thing is, if you read it closely, it's so very close to being true... Hmmm...

Web Results
1-8 of 20733 containing Greg Hughes (0.23 seconds)
Results

• Citing ridiculous work hours, Hughes's computer calls it quits

  In a case believed to be the first of its kind, Greg Hughes's work computer has gone on strike. "At first the cursor kept dodging around," an angry Hughes said. "Then it started spontaneously dropping into "hibernate" mode. It's just MALINGERING." Technical specialist Evan Chan agreed. "The poor thing sent out a hundred and forty three emails after four am this morning. It's just had it. Give the little guy a mental health day or something. Nobody could keep Hughes's hours without going crazy...

etc etc etc...

Are you a GTA game fan? Into Legos (like someone I know)?

Then this is for you.

Check out Grand Theft Auto - Lego City.

Yeah - it's a Lego-people version of the GTA Vice City trailer...