Day 1 Impressions From The 2006 TechEd Conference

Microsoft's program manager for Windows Client Performance, Matt Ayres, discusses the memory partitioning scheme for ReadyDrive, the company's technology for leveraging the memory in hybrid hard disk drives.

Microsoft’s program manager for Windows Client Performance, Matt Ayres, discusses the memory partitioning scheme for ReadyDrive, the company’s technology for leveraging the memory in hybrid hard disk drives.

Sunday afternoon at the Boston Convention Center, site of TechEd 2006.

Sunday afternoon at the Boston Convention Center, site of TechEd 2006.

Microsoft senior vice president for server and tools, Bob Muglia. He would be introduced four times during the Sunday keynote, each time to big, bounding power-jogging music.

Microsoft senior vice president for server and tools, Bob Muglia. He would be introduced four times during the Sunday keynote, each time to big, bounding power-jogging music.

The many faces of actress Mary Lynn Rajskub ("Chloe O'Brien" on Fox's "24"), whom Microsoft literally hired as a "dumb blonde" to liven up and perforate what otherwise may have been a monotonous exculpation of ecosystems.

The many faces of actress Mary Lynn Rajskub ("Chloe O’Brien" on Fox’s "24"), whom Microsoft literally hired as a "dumb blonde" to liven up and perforate what otherwise may have been a monotonous exculpation of ecosystems.

This moment is exactly as awkward as it looks. Mary Lynn admits to three self-described IT admins that she now feels for their plight, and to make it up to them, they should get together for a group hug.

This moment is exactly as awkward as it looks. Mary Lynn admits to three self-described IT admins that she now feels for their plight, and to make it up to them, they should get together for a group hug.

Microsoft's corporate vice president for the Information Worker Product Management Group (try fitting that on a business card), Chris Capossela, demonstrates one of the new devices with which one can use the upcoming edition of Outlook. By means of a new

Microsoft’s corporate vice president for the Information Worker Product Management Group (try fitting that on a business card), Chris Capossela, demonstrates one of the new devices with which one can use the upcoming edition of Outlook. By means of a new

A peek at the latest beta of PowerPoint 2007. Note the ribbon along the top from which styles are chosen. As Capossela demonstrated, some company styles can be posted to PowerPoint by means of SharePoint Server, enabling common styles to show up as corp

A peek at the latest beta of PowerPoint 2007. Note the ribbon along the top from which styles are chosen. As Capossela demonstrated, some company styles can be posted to PowerPoint by means of SharePoint Server, enabling common styles to show up as corp

In the latest Vista beta, a tooltip in the corner demonstrates how a new group policy feature can lock out the unauthorized installment of a USB storage key. We learned today that this lockout might hurt ReadyBoost's functionality, but that Microsoft tea

In the latest Vista beta, a tooltip in the corner demonstrates how a new group policy feature can lock out the unauthorized installment of a USB storage key. We learned today that this lockout might hurt ReadyBoost’s functionality, but that Microsoft tea

There are now dual-core processors, Microsoft's Ray Ozzie informed the crowd, and soon there will be multi-core processors. And after that, multiple processors working in scalable mode. Very soon, we could be dealing with "oodles of processors." End qu

There are now dual-core processors, Microsoft’s Ray Ozzie informed the crowd, and soon there will be multi-core processors. And after that, multiple processors working in scalable mode. Very soon, we could be dealing with "oodles of processors." End qu

A look at the next version of Outlook 2007, and a feature that has only been added with the latest beta: Not only will the new Outlook manage RSS feeds, but it can handle IM discussions as well, preferably those served up by the new Office Live Communica

A look at the next version of Outlook 2007, and a feature that has only been added with the latest beta : Not only will the new Outlook manage RSS feeds, but it can handle IM discussions as well, preferably those served up by the new Office Live Communica