Kurt Shintaku's Blog: Event

EVENT: "Return from Microsoft Management Summit 2006"

Wed, 24 May 2006 21:47:09 GMT

The Microsoft Management Summit 2006 was held in San Diego on April 25-28, 2006. To those of you that made it, what a great event it was! And for those of you that were unable to join us, we are excited to announce that we are holding two special sessions: “Return from MMS” at Microsoft’s Offices in Orange County (seminar) and Los Angeles (lecture and hands-on lab). These sessions will present how Microsoft and partner solutions, along with the many exciting announcements at MMS, will enable you to proactively manage your IT environment. The solutions explored during the event will include the management of services running on Microsoft and non-Microsoft platforms, as well as best practices in managing the Windows IT environment.

Chris Tillier, Management Specialist for Southern California, Microsoft, will be conducting these sessions. Chris will explore the latest Windows management solutions, review best practices and demonstrate latest technologies.

Agenda:

SMS 2003
MOM 2005, and a quick peek at MOM 2007
System Center products, including: Data Protection Manager, Capacity Planner, Reporting Manager
Management Best Practice Solutions based on MOF/ITIL Process
Windows Server Update Services
Windows Server 2003 R2 Management Technologies
WS-Management
WMI
MONAD (Microsoft Command Shell)
…. And much more!

Tuesday, July 11, 2006
8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Hands-on Lab and Lecture
Microsoft Corporation - Los Angeles, CA
Microsoft Corporation
333 South Grand Avenue Suite 3300, Los Angeles, CA 90071
213.806.7300
Event ID: 1032300374
REGISTER: http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/eventdetail.aspx?culture=en-US&eventid=1032300374&x=10&y=2

Wednesday, July 12, 2006
8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Lecture Seminar
Microsoft Corporation - Irvine, CA
3 Park Plaza, Suite 1800, Irvine, California 92614
949.263.3000
Event ID: 1032300375
REGISTER: http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/eventdetail.aspx?culture=en-US&eventid=1032300375&x=13&y=8

Please RSVP for this “invitation only” event, call 1.877.MSEVENT (877.673.8366) or visit http://msevents.microsoft.com/ and search on Event Code listed above.

EVENT: "E3" - the announcements so far...

Wed, 10 May 2006 20:54:51 GMT

Since 1up seems to have done a pretty thorough job, I've just cut and paste what I've seen on their site and listed out the current announcements that way:

Microsoft responds to the Sony Conference
http://e3.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3150550

Microsoft Conference at Grumman's Chinese Theatre
http://e3.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3150588

Halo 3 for XBox360 shown
http://e3.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3150596

Splinter Cell Double Agent for Xbox360 shown
http://e3.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3150603

Forza Motorsport 2 announced for XBox360
http://e3.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3150624

Fable 2 announced for XBox360
http://e3.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3150623

Gears of War for XBox360 documentary coming
http://e3.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3150606

Developer Afterthoughts on Ghost Recon Advanced Warrior
http://e3.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3150462

BOOK ON XBOX360: "Microsoft Could Have Had Grand Theft Auto Exclusively"
http://e3.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3150474

First Wave of E3 XboxLive Content coming
http://e3.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3150477

Xbox 360 HD-DVD Drive using USB

http://e3.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3150486

EVENT: "E3"... Halo 3 announced with Teaser Trailer

Wed, 10 May 2006 18:41:03 GMT

Halo 3 Teaser from E3:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/b/3/5b3d8532-65bc-4bf6-b5ea-6ba0f2084d74/h3_E32006_announce_large_uncropped.wmv
(Real men don't use Macromedia video and don't install Quicktime. Ever.)

----------------------

Halo 3 Announced
[excerpt taken from http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=Halo3Announcement]

...everything you're seeing here is being rendered in real-time on the Xbox 360, using the current version of our Halo 3 game engine. The HDR lighting, self-shadowing, GPU-run particle system and many other effects should make it intact (and more) to our final game.

We demonstrated the real-time nature of the demo after the press conference (thanks to our friends at Pioneer with awesome audio-video assistance) to a small group of reporters, so we'll wait and see what their judgment on the presentation was, but you should feel free to make your own.

The trailer was built to have minimum impact on the development process, and while it required long hours and hard work from many, many Bungie staffers, it utilizes real-game assets, fiction and locations from parts of the "real" game.

In fact, it's the stuff it doesn't contain that gives it a strange kind of context. You can see how detailed the Chief is, but that detail applies to our other, unseen, unrevealed characters, vehicles, environment and so on. There's no AI visible in the demo, no multiplayer, and the entire thing has been left deliberately subdued both to give scale to the artifact and because this is our announcement. The real stuff will come later.

Of course the trailer itself is a teaser - with no multiplayer, a single Earth-based locale, none of our sweet new AI or gameplay technologies. No physics to speak of, no new features other than a sneak peek at the graphics and audio engines…but the other stuff is there, and we'll reveal more as time goes on.

CJ Cowan, Bungie's director of cinematics discussed one of the most startling moments in the piece, the return of Cortana, "Given the variety of character and story arcs at the end of Halo 2, we wanted to boil down our announcement to a few key threads. Cortana and the Chief being a galaxy apart is a situation we haven't seen before, and is something that is a powerful component to Halo 3. We are using her transmissions in the demo to give the viewer a few subtle clues to her situation and state of mind, without revealing any specifics we want to save for the game itself."

The Cortana reveal is the first evidence that this trailer might be for Halo 3, but the game's main protagonist is the item that seals that deal. CJ explains, "It is the Chief, back on a devastated and Covenant controlled Earth, standing over the excavation of a structure buried in the crust of our own planet that is the meat of our demo."

"The questions raised by these images, and the feeling that our assumptions about the Halo universe are being challenged this late in the story is what I am personally most excited about leaving with our fans. That's the type of thing that builds anticipation even more for the payoff to this trilogy we are preparing."

CJ's long nights are far from over. Cinematics are going to be as vital a part of Halo 3 as they were in Halo 2 and Halo: Combat Evolved. As before, they will use the game engine to keep the player feeling like a part of the action.

Graphically, the game follows closely in the tradition of Halo 2, although obviously upgraded to take advantage of the Xbox 360's more prodigious visual abilities. As art director Marcus Lehto explains, "It was intended to be an understated announce of Halo 3 - the tone is that of mystery and suspense – the calm before the storm. I wanted to make sure that we re-introduced the Chief, show that Earth is thoroughly conquered, with Covenant everywhere, and that there is a glorious, ancient artifact buried under the Earth’s crust which will provide H3 with the epic journey which we all want."

Asked about the battered state of the Chief's armor, Marcus ventured, "The Chief is shown as warrior who has seen horrific battle – and it shows. The Earth is dry, barren, ravaged by the Covenant."

Grim stuff, but then things were grim at the end of Halo 2 when we left the Chief and the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance. A cliffhanger about which we received over twenty emails... cough.

Marty O'Donnell's music will no doubt be heard over and over again. We can relate. The Studio has been thundering with the brass and bass of the trailer music for weeks.

Marty hired a 60 piece orchestra and a 24 piece choir to record the trailer music. "I want the viewer to have a feeling of anticipation and wonder for the first fifty seconds or so, up until Master Chief is revealed and they realize that it’s Cortana trying to tell them something," he says.

Marty's music was designed from the ground up to lull the listener into a sense of doubt, then wonder. "I want them to feel pride and longing the moment Master Chief walks out of the smoke," says Marty. "I want them to get excited and perhaps even froth at the mouth when they see the Covenant Capital ship and then the incredible buried artifact. I want them to be left with that, 'I can hardly wait to play this game' feeling by the end with a slight, 'I wonder what she meant by that' aftertaste."

As to the unmistakable new trumpety note, Marty is perfectly blunt. "The first time the world sees this trailer is at a live Microsoft press event in the Chinese Theater in LA. It is the first time we announce officially that Bungie is making Halo 3. My thought is that since it is an announcement event that is full of pomp and gravity, music will contain a fanfare and be somewhat over the top. I want there to be no doubt in anyone’s mind when it is the right moment to applaud and scream. I hope they do, anyway."

EVENT: Biztalk Server 2006 - Business Orchestration & Web Services Integration "First Look"

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 19:20:05 GMT

Learn how BizTalk Server 2006 seamlessly integrates all your critical business processes.

On behalf of your Microsoft® team and eBI Solutions, we invite you to attend a First Look Clinic for Microsoft BizTalk® Server 2006.

You know the challenges of connecting diverse systems, and of creating and automating complex processes. In today's highly competitive global community, requirements for a faster time to market and better business insight place you in a position to demand more from integrated solutions. BizTalk Server 2006 can help you with these business process integration challenges and give you a competitive advantage.

Whether you're an IT professional or a developer, First Look Clinics give you practical how-to information about the enhanced features of BizTalk Server 2006, including:

Messaging and orchestration
Message activity tracking
Web services integration
Business Activity Monitoring

First Look Clinics let you learn to use the enhanced features and functionality of BizTalk Server 2006 for yourself.

We have a First Look Clinic scheduled in Los Angeles on May 9, 2006, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm for IT Professionals and 1:00 pm to 4pm for Developers at Microsoft Irvine. eBI Solutions will be presenting at the clinic.

To sign up for the clinic, go to www.biztalkclinic.com.

Hope to see you there!

EVENT: AMD/Microsoft Tech Tour - City of Industry, CA June 15th, 2006

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 09:24:59 GMT

There's a helluva deal for AMD Motherboards and Microsoft Small Business Server available at this gig.

http://www.amdmicrosofttechtour.com/

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Learn first-hand about exciting and innovative offerings from AMD and Microsoft, co-sponsors for this year's Tech Tour. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to network with other professionals. Explore the potential of AMD64 technology and preview Microsoft's Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office system. We know this will have a tremendous impact on your business.

Discover the latest insight on:

The value of 32 and 64-bit Vista, presented by AMD and Microsoft
Preview Microsoft Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office system
The AMD64 technology outlook for Servers, Desktops and Mobile
AMD and Microsoft's True Server Solutions with Windows Server System
AMD Validated Servers from partners

Find out how AMD and Microsoft plan to help you meet customer demands in the coming year through market opportunities for:

Small and medium businesses
Mainstream and everyday computing users
Prosumers, power users, digital content creators and Gamers
Learn about AMD's System Builder Solution Provider program and Microsoft's Partner Program

EVENT: Microsoft/Palm/Verizon Wireless Treo 700w First Look - April 18th, 2006 1:00 PM

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 21:16:26 GMT

Direct Push Technology is Here!

Microsoft Exchange® 2003 and the Palm® Treo™ 700w Smartphone - Delivering Wireless Email and More Over the Verizon Wireless Network

Looking for a straightforward cost effective way to enable keep staff productive while they are away from their desks?

See a demonstration of how Microsoft Exchange 2003, combined with the Palm Treo 700w smartphone with Direct Push Technology, delivers wireless email without the need for third party middleware and extra server hardware.

The Palm Treo 700w smartphone is one of the first Windows Mobile 5 phones to take advantage of MSFP, the Messaging and Security Feature Pack, to deliver a flexible, robust platform for deploying security enhanced, manageable mobile solutions that IT managers need, which include:

Wireless Access to the GAL (Global Address List)
IT enforcement of device-level passwords
IT wireless remote wipe for lost or stolen devices

This all-in-one smartphone combines voice and email communications with broadband-like wireless capability, and the familiarity of Microsoft Windows on an Intel® processor in a right-sized device.

Easily managed within an organization's Microsoft Exchange environment, the Treo 700w smartphone keeps costs down by utilizing existing investments in software, infrastructure, and training. It works directly with Microsoft Exchange Server 20031 to enable wireless email, calendar, contact and task synchronization.

The Treo 700w smartphone is the smartphone IT departments can depend on to better balance corporate requirements with user demands for Palm’s world-class usability.

Audience: Business decision makers and IT professionals in larger organizations with Microsoft Exchange 2003 SP2 installed.

IT Professionals - Learn about the direct connection architecture and the cost savings in middleware, hardware, and personnel.
Business Decision Makers - See the way Palm has added its famous usability and how that can be inserted into the ROI model.

http://microsoft.crgevents.com/Treo700wFirstLook

1:00 p.m. Registration, Arrival
1:30 p.m. Smartphone/wireless email market overview
1:50 p.m. Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Update
2:10 p.m. Introduction to the Treo
2:30 p.m. Treo Demo

LOCATION:

Los Angeles, CA
Microsoft Office - MPR1 conference room
333 So. Grand Avenue
33rd floor, Ste 3300
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 806-7300

EVENT: Sign up for Bill Gates' webcast at the Office System Developer's Conference Keynote

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 19:43:07 GMT

Microsoft® Office System Developers Conference Keynote

Bill Gates and Kurt DelBene

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=63190

Start Time: Tuesday, March 21, 2006 9:00 AM (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)

End Time: Tuesday, March 21, 2006 11:00 AM (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)

The 2007 Microsoft Office system is a breakthrough solution platform that includes clients, servers, services, and tools. Built on XML and a set of new extensibility technologies, it gives you the solution building blocks you need to meet today's business demands more quickly than building from scratch.

Hear Microsoft Chairman of the Board and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates and Corporate Vice President, Office Server Group of Microsoft Office System, Kurt DelBene outline the 2007 Office system vision.

EVENT: Using Rights Management Services (RMS) to Protect Data and Intellectual Property

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 18:26:35 GMT

Microsoft Southern California and Liquid Machines Invite You To:
Using Rights Management Services (RMS) to Protect Data and Intellectual Property
9:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m., April 11, 12, 13, 2006
San Diego, Los Angeles, Irvine, California

Join us for breakfast to learn about how Microsoft Windows Rights Management Services (RMS) and Liquid Machines can help your firm establish strong controls on regulated and confidential information such as client
data, contracts, design and productin information, personnel information, or other sensitive material.

Liquid Machines extends the Windows RMS platform to provide support for applications beyond Office 2003, including Adobe Acrobat, and automatically protects emails and attachments based on corporate-defined
policies.

This presentation will show how Liquid Machines and Windows RMS can help to solve your organization?s information control and regulatory compliance challenges:

Intellectual Property Protection - Control access to and usage of sensitive data such as product and marketing plans, financial data, customer data, or personnel information
Secure Collaboration Zones - Establish virtual walls between contract analysts, clients, accounting and billing staff, and internal personnel
Corporate Governance & Sarbanes-Oxley - Establish enterprise-defined information usage policies that ensure employees, officers, and directors maintain the confidentiality of information, and protect data from access and modification by unauthorized users to ensure segregation of duties

Time Agenda

8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Registration and Breakfast
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Introduction by Microsoft
Using Rights Management Services (RMS) to Protect Data and Intellectual Property
Presented by Liquid Machines
Presentation and live demonstration showcasing Microsoft Rights Management Services, Liquid Machines solutions, and integration with the Microsoft Office platform.
11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Q&A and Conclusion

Please register for one of the sessions below:

Tuesday, April 11, 2006
9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Microsoft Corporation, Irvine, CA
3 Park Plaza, Suite 1800
Irvine, California 92614
949.263.3000
To register:
http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/eventdetail.aspx?culture=en-US&eventid=1032292790&x=13&y=7

Event ID: 1032292790

Wednesday, April 12, 2006
9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m
Microsoft Corporation
Los Angeles, CA
333 South Grand Ave. Suite 3300
Los Angeles, CA 90071
213-806-7300
To register:
http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/eventdetail.aspx?culture=en-US&eventid=1032292788&x=15&y=8

Event ID: 1032292788

Thursday, April 13, 2006
9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Microsoft Corporation
San Diego, CA
9225 Towne Center Drive, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92121
858-909-3800
To register:
http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/eventdetail.aspx?culture=en-US&eventid=1032292789&x=4&y=5

Event ID: 1032292789

Or, visit http://www.microsoft.com/usa/events, and search on the Event ID's above.

EVENT: Microsoft SharePoint Conference 2006

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 16:57:53 GMT

Microsoft SharePoint Conference 2006 - A three-day global conference specifically for Architects and senior IT Professionals. Microsoft experts from the product development and management teams will brief attendees on the innovations in the latest release of SharePoint Products and Technologies: Microsoft Office “12” SharePoint servers and Windows SharePoint Services (version 3). Technical Breakout sessions covering subjects such as architecture, deployment, migration, management and scalability will lay the foundations for attendees to build powerful, enterprise-ready solutions with these latest technologies. Bill Gates will deliver the opening keynote.

Dates & Location: May 15-17, 2006 – Meydenbauer Center - Bellevue, WA

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Overview. Microsoft SharePoint Conference 2006. This three-day global conference specifically for Architects and senior IT Professionals is the best opportunity for you to meet and network with Microsoft Office System product teams, fellow IT professionals & architects, and other customers and partners from around the globe. Get an in-depth view of the innovations in the latest release of SharePoint Products and Technologies: Microsoft Office “12” SharePoint servers and Windows SharePoint Services (version 3). Technical Breakout sessions covering subjects such as architecture, deployment, migration, management and scalability will lay the foundations for attendees to build powerful, enterprise-ready solutions with these latest technologies.

Content. Multiple tracks focused on specific solution technologies including Collaboration, Enterprise Search and Portals, Business Intelligence, and Enterprise Content Management, will be offered in addition to hands-on-labs, Ask-the-Experts, a Partner Solutions Showcase and other great ways to learn about and get hands on experience with SharePoint Products and Technologies. The complete session agenda will be available when the Web site goes live in March.

Nominations for Attendee Registration by March 7. This is an “attendee nomination event.” In order for customers and partners to attend, they must be nominated by a Microsoft Employee. The nomination site for the event is live and accessible to Microsoft Employees - please read the Official Rules on the site if you have any questions. Please note that all fields in the form are required and will be reviewed by the SharePoint Marketing Team for approval.

How to register for this event

The Microsoft SharePoint Conference 2006 is an invitation-only event. If you are interested in attending, please contact the person who forwarded this email to you or your Microsoft field representative and ask them to submit your nomination.

Nominations will be approved in February and invitations to register will be sent via email in March when the event Web site is open. There is a limit of 10 individual attendees per company. Approved nominations are turned into "invitations to register" on a first come, first served basis.

Registration Fee

$495.00 USD per attendee (includes access to all sessions, including keynotes, hands-on labs, attendee materials, breakfast and lunch May 15th – 17th, a welcome reception, admission to the attendee party, access to hotel/Conference Center shuttles, access to the giveaways table and chances to win prizes). All other expenses, such as air and hotel expenses, are the responsibility of the attendee.

EVENT: Financial Services Developer Conference 2006

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 16:45:32 GMT

Please join us for the annual Microsoft Financial Services Developer Conference. Now in its 4th year, it is the leading event for developers and architects in the financial services industry. This annual event offers developers the opportunity to gain insight into Microsoft's latest and upcoming technologies for the banking, insurance and capital markets industries. After attending this event you will walk away with best practices from industry peers, the latest tools and technologies from Microsoft, as well as information on security and the future roadmap for development technologies. In addition, the conference will offer an excellent opportunity for networking with your peers in financial services.

Building on the successful launch of the experience Financial Services vision, we will explore the practical implementation of industry leading solutions and give you tools and resources to help you apply it throughout your organization. We will feature distinguished speakers from the industry including our partner group and our Financial Services team. In addition, you will experience our customers presenting the value that they have realized through using .NET and the Windows Platform. We will also have showcase presentations from distinguished product managers from our corporate headquarters. Our sessions will be resplendent with demos, current case studies, and future visions of our next generation of Microsoft tools.

This year's event will be held at the prestigious 4 star Millennium Broadway Hotel, with the keynote delivered in the historic Hudson Theatre, the second oldest theatre in New York where stars such as Barbra Streisand and Louis Armstrong made their debuts, and the Tonight Show was first broadcast. It promises to be an event you will not want to miss!

Date: April 24-25, Millennium Broadway Hotel, New York , NY

SESSIONS

Day 1 planned sessions include the keynote address, the latest on Microsoft in Banking, Capital Markets and Insurance, Building Smart Clients Solutions, Using Visual Studio Team Systems (VSTS), Developing Microsoft Office Solutions with Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO), .NET Security Framework, and Developing Cross Channel Applications with solutions like the Customer Care Framework (CCF).

Day 2 planned sessions include Windows Vista, Using SQL Reporting and Analysis Services, Prescriptive Architecture Guidance for Financial Services, Service Orientation and WSE, Platform Interoperability, Windows Communications Foundation (WCF), Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), Threat Modeling, and other vertically focused sessions.

Visit our partner showcase daily featuring leading solutions, software, and resources for the Financial Services industry and get a chance to win one of several great prizes including an XBOX 360!

*Please note that the agenda is subject to change.

ACCOMMODATIONS

For your convenience, a block of rooms has been reserved at the host hotel, the Millennium Broadway Hotel. When making your reservations, please reference the Microsoft Financial Services Developer Conference to receive the reduced rate of $259. All reservations must be made no later than April 1, 2006 to receive the discounted rate.

To register for this event, please click here or call 1-877-673-8368 and quote Event ID# 1032287389. Or go to: http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032287389&Culture=en-US

As always, conference attendance is FREE. Breakfast and lunch for both days is provided as well as a welcome reception on the first night of the event. You are responsible for all other travel and hotel expenses.

Be sure to register by April 17th, 2006 as space is limited and fills up quickly!

http://www.financialdevelopers.com

EVENT: Mobile & Embedded DevCon 2006 is coming!

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 02:18:00 GMT

Interested in Mobility & Development of Applications on Mobile Platforms?

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Launched in 2005 through the merging of Mobile DevCon and Embedded DevCon, MEDC is a core Microsoft investment in the embedded/mobile device arena—and all the people who make the technology soar. Our mission is simple: Celebrate the technology and the technologist. Participants are exposed to an unparalleled and inspiring combination of software, devices, support, and networking opportunities tailored to fit their individual preferences.

http://www.medc2006.com/default.aspx

EVENT: TechEd 2006 Registration Begins!

Sat, 04 Feb 2006 02:19:55 GMT

TechEd 2006 Registration begins NOW!

http://www.microsoft.com/events/teched2006/default.mspx

Couple things to keep in mind:

1) DISCOUNT: You have until April 14th to register and get the early bird offer of $200 off.

2) KEYNOTES: Chief Technology Officer Ray Ozzie will be keynoting along side Corporate VP of Office Server, Kurt DelBene. (Yes, you read that correctly: "Office Server". And if you haven't heard about it yet, you better ask me sometime! <grin>)

3) SELLING OUT: This event always sells out by MAY. No joke. It will sell out by May of this year so be sure to register in advance... no, I will NOT be able to get you in after it's sells out.

EVENT: Power Up with TechNet Events

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 11:27:37 GMT

TechNet Events are free, live sessions that serve up valuable technical content with lots of time for discussion. You’ll see hands-on solutions and new innovations that will ease even your toughest IT headaches. Get ready to recharge with the best tips, tools and resources in the business.

Visit www.technetevents.com to sign up.

EVENT: Launch of Microsoft Dynamics:CRM 3.0

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 11:16:43 GMT

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 has arrived and we’re coming to a city near you!

Please join Microsoft at a very special event introducing a CRM application that works the way you do – just-released Microsoft CRM 3.0! Be among the first to see how the fastest growing CRM application has just been taken to a whole new level. We will preview the only CRM application that offers a native Outlook experience familiar to everyone. Microsoft CRM 3.0 provides companies with the capabilities to overcome some of the biggest CRM obsticles: lengthy and costly failed implementations and poor user adoption. Come and see the seamless integration with other Microsoft products you already have like Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. Plus, get a look at how you can utilize Microsoft CRM 3.0 in conjunction with our award-winning ERP applications. Customers and CRM experts who have previewed Microsoft CRM 3.0 state "this killer application works the way a CRM application is supposed to work”. A leading CRM industry analyst recently previewed Microsoft CRM 3.0 and was quoted as saying, “why would anyone buy anything else?”

Please join us in person for this very informative event and see for yourself what all the buzz is about. Come meet our Microsoft executive team, fellow customers and our certified partners to answer your questions. We’re changing the way the world looks at CRM – with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0!

Location: Los Angeles Downtown Marriott

Date/Time: 2/14/2006 8:30AM-1:00PM

EVENT: Windows Server 2003 R2 Launch coming!

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 11:09:59 GMT

Join us for the launch of Microsoft® Windows Server™ 2003 R2. We would like to introduce you to the new server maintenance tools and the other benefits of a secure server including:

- Streamlined identity and access management

- Increased interoperability and UNIX support

- Enhanced storage management

- Valued security features you expect from Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 to include:

Role based security that will save time for IT Professionals
Updates to protect against past and future threats
Update management process that increases productivity

And if you have branch offices, you can see even more advantages for your wide area network:

More efficient file compression, replication, and data transfer between headquarters and branches
Simpler hardware management through a set of vendor- and Operating System-neutral tools
Less on-site server administration

Make plans to join us and see firsthand the server solution that can help your business run more efficiently at a lower total cost of ownership.

February 22, 2006 -
Hyatt Regency Newport Beach
REGISTER: http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/eventdetail.aspx?culture=en-US&eventid=1032288187

February 23, 2006 -
Marriott Los Angeles Downtown
REGISTER: http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/eventdetail.aspx?culture=en-US&eventid=1032288143

EVENT: Rights Management Services for Professional Services Webcast

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 11:08:10 GMT

Join us on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time for a live demonstration of how Microsoft Windows Rights Management Services (RMS) and Liquid Machines can help your firm establish strong controls on regulated and confidential information such as client data, contracts, personnel information, or other sensitive material.

This presentation will show how Liquid Machines and Windows RMS can help to solve your firm’s information control and regulatory compliance challenges:

* Intellectual Property Protection – Control access to and usage of sensitive data such as client information, contracts, and project information

* Secure Collaboration Zones – Establish “virtual walls” between contract analysts, clients, accounting and billing staff, and internal personnel

* Corporate Governance & Sarbanes-Oxley – Establish enterprise-defined information usage policies that ensure employees, officers, and directors maintain the confidentiality of information, and protect data from access and modification by unauthorized users to ensure segregation of duties

(This is a webcast and thus, is virtual and location-independent)

COMMENTARY: "Waiting in line for the second major shipment of XBox360s"

Mon, 19 Dec 2005 17:49:57 GMT

First of all, let me repeat one more time that MICROSOFT EMPLOYEES DO NOT GET XBOX360's. We have to wait in line just like everyone else if we want one. Why? "Customers first" is the mantra. Nor do we get them at a discount. If you've done even the smallest amount of research, you should know that we sell the hardware at a loss, using the razors for razor blades model.

That being said, last Saturday, I waited in line with some 150 people at the West Los Angeles Best Buy for what the Internet posted as, "64 available consoles".

...and it was singularly the most awful night I've ever experienced.

I'm not even going to go into the individuals that "reeked of body odor" or the mothers who "wouldn't shut up about how awful their ex-husbands were" or the fat woman (you know who you are) who wouldn't stop screaming about how her kid was sick and it was unfair to make her stand in line with everyone else, blah blah blah. I'm just talking about the weather. It was really cold, wet, and windy - very unusual for Los Angeles. And for the first time in a overnight sit, I was very underprepared.

I'm a veteran of these sort of "sits" where you wait for things like Central Ticket Office "UCLA vs Duke" Basketball tickets, or KROQ Weenie Roast tickets at Ticketmaster, or the Original XBox at Circuit City, or the Furbies at ToysRUS or seats at the Mann Village for "Star Wars the Phantom Menace"... I've done it all. But this was just horrific. I had 4 layers on, including a windproof jacket, a thick sweatshirt, another sweatshirt with a hoodie, a skimask, an umbrella for the rain, and a towel to sit on. Not enough.

My teeth were chattering most of the night. When the rain hit, the couple next to me just put their blankets over their head and prayed it would stop. The guys with tents just zipped up and hunkered down. I finally broke ranks, bribed someone to hold my spot, (having an extra copy of Jade Empire amongst video game nuts is a good thing) and relocated my car to an illegal parking spot where I could just hop in next to my place in line, turn on the engine, and crank up the heat to stay warm.

To all of you that didn't get one and waited in line, I'm truly sorry you missed out however YOU ALL KNEW FROM 9:00PM THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU WEREN'T GETTING ONE - the Best Buy management team there told you so, so you wasted your own time on your own and have no one else to blame. Everyone that was there from 9:00PM and onward got one... I should know... I was the LAST PERSON to get an XBox that morning. I still can't understand why y'all stuck around.

I waited for the FIRST launch of the XBox360 and it was very ambiguous as to who would get XBoxes. After waiting in line all night, then watching easily 20 unfairly people cut in line in front of us, I ended up being #100 and there were only 92 to hand out. I think everyone in the line that didn't get one had a case to be upset that night... however, during this sit, it was 100% clear who would and who wouldn't get one and for those of you who are complaining about it, you did it to yourselves.

EVENT: Microsoft MIX 06... the new Web Conference

Sun, 18 Dec 2005 08:12:40 GMT

Microsoft is hosting a pretty major conference in Las Vegas focusing on web technologies. The goal is to get people's feedback around our strategies while educating people about our "Live" services, Internet Explorer 7.0, Windows Vista, "Atlas" - our new AJAX framework, and other elements of our future Internet strategies for consumers and businesses alike.

http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_to_Host_New_Web_Conference/1134753526

Here's the conference web page:

http://www.mix06.com/

LAUNCH: SQL Server 2005, Visual Studio 2005, Biztalk Server 2006

Thu, 20 Oct 2005 20:09:05 GMT

Join us in Anaheim, December 6, 2005. Admission is free.
http://www.microsoft.com/events/2005launchevents/default.mspx

Microsoft® Visual Studio 2005® and SQL Server™ 2005 are out of beta and ready to go. Now the people behind them are joining the Microsoft BizTalk Server® 2006 development team for a 90-city, 50 country tour.

Join us at the Anaheim Convention Center, December 6, 2005 for:

Solution Specific Seminars
Q&A's with Development Teams
Community Lounges
Complimentary copies of SQL Server 2005 & Visual Studio 2005 for all attendees

See these enterprise-class tools in action.
SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2005 are deeply integrated to help you deliver mission-critical, process-driven applications to your organization. You can develop and deploy these applications more efficiently, and keep them in production at predictable performance levels.

Don't just learn about the new software. Walk away with it.
Come to a Launch Tour 2005 event, and you'll receive a copy of SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2005 as a token of our appreciation.

EVENT: Microsoft Real Time Communications & Collaboration Event - Oct 12

Wed, 21 Sep 2005 02:00:54 GMT

Interested in Microsoft Real Time Communications & Collaboration?

When you attend this event you’ll learn more about the advantages of real-time collaboration solutions. Microsoft Office Communicator 2005, Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005, and Microsoft Office Live Meeting seamlessly connect people and information--in real time--using Web/data conferencing, Enterprise Instant Messaging, audio/video collaboration, telephony, and integrated presence.

Join Microsoft and Microsoft’s partners for an interactive breakfast session where you will learn how Microsoft Office real-time collaboration solutions can help you to:

Find people faster, share ideas and information, and work together across time zones and geographical boundaries.
Build stronger connections with customers, partners, and suppliers--regardless of location.
Maintain a more secure, compliant, and unified communications infrastructure that integrates with Microsoft Office and other IT investments.
Reduce high communication and travel costs and associated downtime.

Event agenda:

8:30 a.m.: Registration and Breakfast
9:00 a.m.: Microsoft Real-Time Collaboration Solutions: Capabilities, Technologies, and Making It Real, presented by J.B. Blevins or Chandler Bootchk, Microsoft Corp.
10:30 a.m.: Real-Time Collaboration Solution Deployment Examples, presented by Microsoft partner(s)

Date & Time:
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Location:
MCI Telecommunications
Los Angeles, CA
700 Flower Street, Suite 1600
Los Angeles, CA 90017

To register:
http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/eventdetail.aspx?culture=en-US&eventid=1032282535&x=3&y=9

Event ID: 1032282535

EVENT: Microsoft Project Conference 2006!

Mon, 19 Sep 2005 22:04:58 GMT

Get Registered for the Microsoft Office Project Conferences 2006

Microsoft is pleased to announce registration is now open for the Microsoft Office Project Conference 2006! With early bird special discounts on registration until September 30, 2005 you have little reason to wait. To learn more and to get started with registration, please visit www.msprojectconference.com.

Seattle, WA - January 17-19

What You can Expect

Information on the next release of Project - Get the deep details on what’s next for Project, including how to deploy, configure, customize and more.
Technical and Business Oriented Tracks - Multiple targeted tracks including sessions on Deployment and Configuration, Developer, Organizational Assessment and Planning, Project Management and much more.
Best Practice Sharing - A wide variety of best practice discussions and deeply informative sessions led by Microsoft professionals and industry leaders.
Outstanding Speakers - Keynote presentations from Microsoft executives
Networking opportunities - A large pavilion of leading solution providers exhibitors and over 1200 attendees at the US show and more than 400 in Europe.

Project Conference 2006 US
www.msprojectconference.com.
January 17-19, 2006 Seattle, WA
The biggest and best show yet! Three days dedicated to Project and EPM with eight tracks and over 60 sessions. Plus a special keynote message from Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO.

EVENT: SQL Server 2005 Roadshow - Sept 8th!

Mon, 29 Aug 2005 22:37:35 GMT

SQL Server 2005 Roadshow is coming to LA on Thursday, September 8th!

This pre-launch Roadshow is hosted by SQL Server Magazine, PASS & Microsoft and offers a full day of technical training that will deliver practical, hands-on information about upgrading to SQL Server 2005. The keynote presentation will be delivered by Francois Ajenstat, Group Product Manager, SQL Marketing, with partner pavilion and breakout sessions to follow: administration, development, and business intelligence and Ask the Experts panel to close.

This is a fee based event; $99 per attendee.

Date: September 8, 2005
Location: Los Angeles Marriott Downtown
Target Audience: Developers, IT Pros, Architects, and TDMs
Registration: http://www.windowsitpro.com/roadshows/sqlserverusa/index.cfm?code=ms0713

PDC 2005 Industry Strategy Day - Financial Services

Mon, 22 Aug 2005 22:27:49 GMT

Invitation: PDC 2005 Industry Strategy Day - Financial Services

Please join us for the PDC 2005 Industry Strategy Day on Monday, September 12th (the day before PDC 2005 officially starts).

This event will focus on application development and architecture topics specific to the Financial Services Industry. The goal is to provide insight on addressing the challenges facing the industry with Microsoft’s current and future wave of technologies, and to foster community collaboration among members of the financial services community. The event will be delivered by Microsoft and customers driving innovation in the Finance industry.

Lunch and registration start at 11:00am, and sessions run from 12:00pm to 6:00pm.

This event is FREE to registered attendees of PDC. Please see the below details for registration instructions.

Date and Time:

Monday, September 12, 2005
11:00am – 12:00pm Registration and Lunch
12:00pm – 6:00pm Industry sessions

Location:
Los Angeles Convention Center

Registration:

You can register for this event during the PDC registration process. Please contact me for a special RSVP code beforehand. Simply connect to http://msdn.microsoft.com/events/pdc, and follow the instructions to start registration, and enter the RSVP code. If you have already registered, please send an email to me with your registration confirmation number.

PDC Industry Strategy Day Agenda:

(Session descriptions are at the end of this invitation)

Start
End
Session

11:00 AM
12:00 PM
Lunch/Registration

12:00 PM
1:00 PM
General Session– Business & Technical Trends in Financial Industry

1:00 PM
1:15 PM
Break

1:15 PM
2:45 PM
Enabling Software Infrastructure in Financial Services – Entity Aggregation, Service Orientation, Workflow

2:45 PM
3:00 PM
Break

3:00 PM
4:30 PM
Building the Integrated Environment – Creating a reusable framework for consuming infrastructure and data

4:30 PM
4:45 PM
Break

4:45 PM
6:00 PM
User Experiences for Financial Services –SmartClients today and in the future

Transportation:

For your convenience, complimentary shuttle service will be available daily between PDC05 Conference Hotels and the Los Angeles Convention Center. The shuttle schedule will be provided at the hotel's front desk.

Space is limited. Please register early if you would like to attend.

Event Session Details:

General Session – Business & Technical Trends in Financial Industry

Key industry leaders will share their views on some of the challenges facing financial services and the architectural approaches for addressing them in their strategic IT initiatives.

Session 1: Enabling Software Infrastructure

This session will cover the architecture and enabling Microsoft Technologies in addressing the industry’s biggest challenges (Data Aggregation, Channel Integration, Automation, Compliance, etc.) and delivering a common reusable software infrastructure.

Session 2: Building the Integrated Environment

How do you build an integrated environment and leverage existing infrastructure, standards, messaging and data while enabling new capabilities like collaboration, automation and live communications? In this session, you will learn how to leverage your existing and future investments to build a reusable infrastructure for driving new scenarios in Banking & Trading.

Session 3: User Experiences for Financial Services

This session will highlight the efficiencies gained by using Smart Client technologies and new frameworks to improve the Financial Services Associate’s experience and productivity. You can learn how the Composite Application Block and Customer Care Framework along with Office, Windows Forms and Avalon will allow for very rich and productive applications to be delivered to Call Centers, Trading Floors, Insurance Agents and others providing differentiating value in the industry.

EVENT: Professional Developers Conference 2005

Wed, 20 Jul 2005 18:49:52 GMT

The Microsoft Professional Developers Conference
Sept 13-16, 2005 at the Los Angeles Convention Center is coming to SoCal!

The Future of the Microsoft Platform is Developer Powered

Designed by developers, for developers, PDC05 is the place to learn about exciting new software that's in development at Microsoft, including the developer capabilities of Windows® "Longhorn" and the next version of the Microsoft Office System. It's also the place to meet with other passionate developers to explore the future of the Microsoft platform, get ideas and build relationships. Whether you're building applications for yourself, your company, or the entire Internet, PDC05 has something for you. It features six tracks filled with learning sessions ranging from 100 to 400 level technical depth.

GO HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.microsoft.com/pdc

WEBCAST: Microsoft Architecture Webcasts

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 21:40:27 GMT

Check this out. Microsoft Architecture Webcasts.

Learn about:
- Service-oriented Architecture
- Creating a Shared Technology Vision
- Building reusable frameworks
- Achieving integration, aggregation, and interoperability

All attendees of the webcasts get a free MSPRESS Patterns and Practices book on the topic of their choice.

This requires registration so check it out now!
REGISTER: https://www.architecturewebcasts.com/

EVENT: Microsoft Collaboration & communication technologies seminar 6/27/2005

Fri, 10 Jun 2005 17:03:56 GMT

Deliver true collaboration to your organization across geographies and time zones. You can do it today.

Pervasive technology makes it possible to communicate with virtually anyone in real time from just about any location. But true collaboration means working with all the right people at the same time, even when those resources are away from the office; it also means working easily with partners, suppliers, or customers across networks. Organizations have been demanding this ability for quite some time, and now you can deliver it.

We’ve teamed with experts in broadband, wireless, voice-over-IP, and video-conferencing to give you a taste of what these solutions can do for your organization. We invite you to join us for “Breaking Down Collaboration Barriers,” a dynamic half-day event where we’ll review the advantages of delivering multiparty voice, video, and data conferencing across the Internet using on-premises server technology.

When & Where
Date: June 28, 2005
Breakfast: 8:30 A.M.
Presentation: 9:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.
Location: The Westin Century Plaza 2025 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067
www.westincenturyplaza.com

Leveraging the Microsoft® Live Communications Server 2005 platform and industry leading partner solutions from Radvision, Jasomi, and Verizon, you can enhance your productivity, lower communication costs, and collaborate internally and with your customers, suppliers, and partners.

Come join us to learn more.

P.S. We thought this event would be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive communications of this nature, please let us know.

Go to www.microsoft.com/usa/events and search for event ID 1032275707.
Or, respond by telephone or e-mail to Yesenia Alvarez at (310) 449-7422 or v-yealva@microsoft.com.

E3 Briefing and XBox Live Webcast - Monday, May 16, 7:00 PM PDT

Wed, 11 May 2005 16:49:15 GMT

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is one of the largest trade shows in the world, and the premier trade event for the electronic games industry. On Monday night, J Allard, Peter Moore, and Robbie Bach will present details of the new console, announce some important partnerships, demo games and services, and offer up a few surprises. You can be part of it by watching it live! Xbox.com is hosting a live webcast of the Microsoft E3 Briefing. You can also watch it on demand, starting Tuesday.

DATE/TIME: Monday, May 16, 7:00 PM PDT
http://www.xbox.com

EVENT: Extending SMS2003 hands-on workshop

Mon, 02 May 2005 21:23:39 GMT

Hands-On Workshop for Extending SMS2003
May 23-25th, 2005
Santa Monica, CA

You are invited to attend a FREE 3-day seminar designed to deliver practical, hands-on information about Microsoft’s Systems Management Server (SMS). Attendees will learn how to manage the ongoing operations of an SMS infrastructure. This workshop will be led by some of Microsoft's top SMS Alliance partners: Macrovision, PS’SOFT, Vintela and 1e covering the following topics:

Creating packages with Admin Studio SMS Edition
Managing Mac and UNIX clients
Lifecycle management (Asset Management)
Technologies and techniques for improved systems management

These Partners will also share best practices, methodologies and tools that will assist in the planning and execution of a Microsoft SMS 2003 solution.

Audience:
This course is intended for SMS Administrators and Systems Integrators who are responsible for configuring and managing one or more SMS sites and all supporting systems. This technical hands-on workshop is limited to 25 attendees.

Date: May 23-25, 2005

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Location:

Microsoft Corporation

2700 Colorado Ave., Suite 300

Santa Monica, CA 90404

(Lunch and parking will be provided)

Registration:

Please RSVP for this “invitation-only” event, Click Here to RSVP. Call 1.877.MSEVENT (877.673.8366) or visit http://msevents.microsoft.com/ and search on Event Code: 1032274849.

EVENT: TechNet Briefing – SQL Server 2005 & Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1

Mon, 02 May 2005 20:11:11 GMT

Check this out:
There's a Technet Briefing on SQL Server 2005 & Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1.

---------------------------------

TechNet Briefing –
SQL Server 2005 &
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1

Thursday, May 12, 2005 8:30 AM - Thursday, May 12, 2005 12:00 PM (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
Welcome Time: 8:00 AM
Language: English-American

AMC Promenade 16

21801 Oxnard Street
Woodland Hills California 91367
United States

General Event Information
Products: SQL Server and Windows.

Recommended Audience: IT Professional.

NEW! Get a first look at the next version of Microsoft’s SQL Server product. From security enhancements to service availability and replication of data, this TechNet Briefing is a must see for IT Professionals managing company data. In addition to the SQL topic, a technical overview of Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Microsoft’s Windows Server 2003 will provide an opportunity for you to see and hear about new performance, reliability and security enhancements.
Upon conclusion of the TechNet Briefing, each audience member gets an attendee kit with valuable resources as a thank you for attending and participating gift. In addition to the technical information delivered by the Microsoft presenter, attendees often meet and exchange ideas and solutions before the sessions begin, during breaks, and post event. This is an excellent networking event for IT Professionals. We look forward to seeing you.

Target Audience: IT Professional Generalist and Infrastructure

EVENT: Portfolio Management & IT Governance

Tue, 26 Apr 2005 00:11:06 GMT

EVENT: Portfolio Management and IT Governance
Aligning people, processes and technology with business strategy

Governance and portfolio management: You realize these concepts are quickly becoming requirements for corporate survival; but getting your organization to understand and adopt these processes can be difficult, to say the least.

Myths

"Only more resources will solve our resource issues."
"Governance is for executives."
"No software can support our processes."

It can be difficult to cut through the misconceptions. That's why Microsoft and ProSight would like you to join an executive breakfast discussion at Microsoft's Santa Monica office on Wednesday, June 8th. Hear how organizations are transforming their business through an enterprise program management strategy that takes advantage of portfolio management processes and tools.

Learn to dispel the myths
Register today: http://www.prosight.com/microsoft/roadshow/la.asp

How You Will Benefit:

Learn how Portfolio Management is transforming the way Organizations/ IT Departments/ Project Management Offices strategically manage resources
Leverage your investment in MS Project and EPM to incorporate best practices in portfolio management
Quick and easy tips & solutions that will start you on the path to strategic governance
Understand how to improve IT effectiveness by optimizing your investments within resource constraints
Who Should Attend:

This executive briefing is designed as an open forum for IT Executives, PMO Directors, IT Strategy and Planning Managers. It is intended for leaders who want to improve strategic alignment of IT investments to optimize business value.

Presented by: ProSight, Inc. - experts in enterprise portfolio management software
Santa Monica, CA,
Wednesday, June 8
9:00am - 12:00pm

Microsoft Corporation
2700 Colorado Ave, Third Floor
Santa Monica, CA 90404
(310) 449-7300

EVENT: Return to MMS2005 (the "makeup" event if you missed it)

Tue, 19 Apr 2005 00:20:01 GMT

The Microsoft Management Summit 2005 was held in Las Vegas on April 18-22, 2005 and we understand that many of your schedules would not permit you to attend. Based upon your feedback, we are holding a special session “Return from MMS” on May 10, 2005, at the Microsoft Orange County office. This session will cover how Microsoft solutions can help you manage your environment while minimizing administrative overhead. Additional topics that will be covered include the latest news on Monitoring Solutions, Software Distributions, Patch Management, Asset Management, OS deployment, HW provisioning and more.

Chris Tillier, Management Specialist for Southern California, Microsoft, will be conducting this session. Chris will explore the latest windows management solutions, review best practices and demonstrate latest technologies. You will also hear from Microsoft Partners who have important and valuable complimentary solutions.

Agenda:

Dynamic Systems Initiative
MOM 2005
SMS 2003
System Center
System Definitions Model
Update Services
Capacity Planning

DATE: May 10, 2005, Thursday
TIME: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
LOCATION:
Microsoft Corporation, Irvine, CA - 3 Park Plaza, Suite 1800, Irvine, CA 92614, 949.263.3000
REGISTRATION:
Please RSVP for this “invitation-only” event, Click HERE to RSVP. Call 1.877.MSEVENT (877.673.8368) or visit http://msevents.microsoft.com/ and search on the Event Code 1032273750.

EVENT: The Business Value of Innovative Speech Technology

Tue, 19 Apr 2005 00:18:04 GMT

EVENT: The Business Value of Innovative Speech Technology

Location: The Peninsula, Beverly Hills - Board Room
9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills California 90212
Tuesday, May 17, 2005 9:00-11:00 AM
-------------------------------------------------

Discover what Microsoft Speech Server can do for your business today.
The growth of e-business over the past several years has led to an explosion in the number of interactions a company has with its customers. A company must plan for interactions not only through a contact center but through multiple touch points including the web, cell phones, Pocket PCs, and e-mail. Join us for a unique event where you’ll discover how speech technology can provide significant business value.
http://www.microsoft.com/speech

“I believe that Microsoft Speech Technologies are ready today to deliver significant business value for enterprise customers.”
– Bill Gates, Chairman and Chief Software Architect, Microsoft Corporation

EVENT: Going to MMS2005? Wanna party?

Thu, 14 Apr 2005 01:55:17 GMT

The myITForum party details are here, for those of you who are going to the Microsoft Management Summit 2005 this next week.

http://myitforum.techtarget.com/blog/rtrent/archive/2005/04/12/4760.aspx

EVENT: "Microsoft plans sales force reorganization"

Thu, 14 Apr 2005 01:54:12 GMT

FYI: "Microsoft plans sales force reorganization"

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+plans+sales+force+reorganization/2100-1014_3-5668295.html?tag=html.alert

EVENT: Get Ready for SQL Server 2005 Roadshow

Thu, 14 Apr 2005 01:53:39 GMT

Get Ready for SQL Server 2005 Roadshow
Get the facts about migrating to SQL Server(TM) 2005. Learn how to implement a migration to SQL Server 2005 and how to use the new capabilities in SQL Server 2005 to improve your database computing environment.

SQL Server experts from Scalability Experts, DevelopMentor, and Hitachi Consulting will present practical, real-world information in three tracks—administration, development, and business intelligence. Ask the Experts session to follow with a PASS user group cocktail party where you can network and learn about local PASS resources.

Anaheim, CA– Tuesday, April 26, 2005
The Hyatt Orange County
11999 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Tel: 714.750.1234
http://orangecounty.hyatt.com

Parking – Self Parking $6.00/Valet Parking $12.00

Register now for only $99 and receive a one-year PASS membership and one-year SQL Server Magazine subscription at http://www.windowsitpro.com/roadshows/sqlserverusa/index.cfm?code=sponsorhtml

Who Should Attend:
· Database administrators
· Application developers/programmers
· Database developers
· Business intelligence/data warehousing architects
· Database designers/modelers
· IT directors/managers responsible for database migration projects and software upgrades

Register now at http://www.windowsitpro.com/roadshows/sqlserverusa/index.cfm?code=sponsorhtml to start planning your migration to SQL Server 2005.

EVENT: SQL Server 2005 Roadshows -- Coming to a City Near You

Fri, 25 Feb 2005 23:59:24 GMT

Coming Anaheim, April 26!

Get the facts about migrating to SQL Server™ 2005 in one information-packed day in a city near you! SQL Server experts from Scalability Experts, DevelopMentor, and Hitachi Consulting will present practical, real-world information in three tracks--administration, development, and business intelligence. You can find answers to specific questions in the Ask the Experts session. You'll come away from the Get Ready for SQL Server 2005 Roadshow with a clear understanding of how to implement a best-practices migration to SQL Server 2005 and how to use SQL Server 2005's new capabilities to improve your database computing environment.

The cost for each Roadshow is ONLY US $99 and includes a full-day filled with highly technical content from some of the best in the industry, a 1-year PASS membership, a 1-year subscription to SQL Server Magazine, meals throughout the day, an attendee bag, a free "Get Ready for SQL Server 2005 Roadshows" T-shirt and much, a $100 off coupon to the 2005 PASS Community Summit and much more!

For full details or to register, visit: http://www.windowsitpro.com/roadshows/sqlserverusa2/