Microsoft to air Longhorn GUI details

Microsoft is expected to disclose more details on Longhorn, its planned upgrade to Windows, next month, reports CNet.

The vendor`s choice of venue is reportedly its Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles. Information about Longhorn`s underlying graphics and user interface technology, code-named Avalon, are expected to emerge there, as well as details on Yukon, the company`s database update, and a new Web services development framework called Indigo.

Networking vendor 3Com has introduced its first WAN router line, made by Chinese vendor Huawei Technologies. The move, states Computerworld, highlights 3Com`s increasing reliance on business partners in Southeast Asia for development and manufacturing.

The roll-out of the Router 5000 series for mid-size users and branch offices of larger companies follows 3Com`s announcement earlier this month that it plans to outsource all manufacturing of its enterprise networking products. It will reportedly lay off about 1 000 of its 3 100 workers as a result of this decision and has said it will shift development of low-end volume products to a new facility in Taiwan.

Reuters and Microsoft are expected to announce a deal today that will use new instant-messaging (IM) management technology from IMLogic to connect the Reuters IM and MSN Messenger IM services securely, reports eWeek.

Microsoft`s Media Centre edition of Windows XP turns a PC into a device that can play music or movies, record TV shows and show photos, all while being controlled remotely. The vendor will today unveil an updated version of the software as well as some new services, accompanied by a broader array of devices that use the operating system (OS), reports CNet.

Dell and Sony are expected to announce their first Media Centre models, with HP and Gateway among those announcing new editions. With the software upgrade, code-named Harmony, Microsoft has tried to address some of the criticism from early customers and improve the stability of the OS. In addition, the software, which had been confined to North America and Korea, is expanding into Europe and further into Asia.

IT professionals focused on networked data storage are being courted on two fronts, reports CNet.

On the one hand, a group dubbed the Association of Storage Networking Professionals plans to launch today. It aims to offer development opportunities and balance the influence of companies hawking storage networking gear.

Added to this, the Information Storage Industry Centre is introducing the StorageNetworking.org Initiative. It is a non-profit movement that aims to spur local and regional user groups.