Neowin®

Microsoft released a beta version of Windows 7 SP1 on Tuesday. In an email to technical beta testers, the Windows Customer Connection Team confirmed the release of the Service Pack in English, German, Japanese, French and...

Microsoft is currently inviting testers to an Internet Explorer 9 technical feedback program. The program is open to those who were top bug filers for the Internet Explorer 8 beta. Several testers began receiving emails over...

Last week Microsoft had a change of heart and decided to go back on what they had previously said by offering testers on the Windows 7 technical beta program a free copy of Windows 7...

In a surprise turn around, Microsoft announced today that Windows 7 technical testers will be receiving a free copy of Windows 7 Ultimate. In recent weeks Microsoft has faced angry reactions from bloggers and beta...

Ars Technica reports that Microsoft has sent out the RC-Escrow build of SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 to testers. An email has been sent to SP2 testers regarding this release. The RC-Escrow...

Update: Microsoft is now sending the workaround message for this bug if you check for solutions to problem reports. Thanks to Saarineames for pointing it out. Mary Jo reports...

A trusted source has indicated that Microsoft has released Windows 7 Home Premium beta to a select group of 1000 users to get a firsthand look at the next major release of Windows. The Home...

Today, Microsoft released its first wave of invitations for the Windows 7 beta test. The invitations were only sent to a small, select group of 'technical beta' testers. In the email sent to invited testers,...

Microsoft has released an early beta build of Vista SP2 to testers according to those familiar with the beta program. In a posting to The Hotfix forums, members have claimed that Microsoft have released a...

Just over a week ago, a frustrated beta tester submitted logs from the Windows Live Messenger 9 beta, the logs exposed issues relating to bugs that won't be fixed, and features that were voted up...

Forum user -Alex- gave us a heads up in Neowin Back Page News that Microsoft is requesting beta testers via a somewhat vague e-mail. The e-mail requests that participants fill out a survey, which they...

Mary Jo Foley, an online journalist often given the title of “The Microsoft Watcher”, is reporting that the software giant has released a new refresh build of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 RC (build 17128...

Microsoft made available on December 3 for download the near-final Release Candidate (RC) of Windows XP Service Pack (SP) 3. The RC is available to all Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) and TechNet subscribers. This isn't...

Microsoft has delivered yet another test build of Windows Vista Service Pack (SP) 1 to testers. On November 14, the new build — designated the SP1 Release Candiate (RC) Preview — went to a slightly...

Microsoft Corp. has begun reminding millions of testers of Windows Vista's beta and release candidate (RC) previews that their trial runs end on June 1. Cori Hartje, director of Microsoft's antipiracy efforts, became the first...

For those running the RC1 of Vista -- the most broadly distributed of the Vista test versions -- the TV features of Media Center stopped working on December 31. Microsoft blamed the issue on the...

To everyone that took part in the Windows Vista beta test (as far as I know, about 20,000), only those that submitted at least 1 bug report will be offered a complimentary copy of Windows...

Thanks pipdo for this update, a few hours ago a new build appeared on connect. Build 5536 which is tagged 'pre-RC1'. At the moment, only the x86 version is available in English, German & Japanese....

A select amount of testers have been invited to take part in an update to Windows Mobile 5.0 for smartphones. The program dubbed "Mobile 10.7 Beta" or Pocket MSN was made available late yesterday on...

Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, the upcoming Source Engine based entry in the Might and Magic franchise is now calling upon the legions of crazed fans worldwide to partake in the beta test for...

Security software vendor Symantec is seeking beta testers for its 2007 line of products, including Norton AntiVirus, Internet Security and Norton Save & Restore. The company also has a number of new products in the...

Microsoft has issued 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista build 5381.1, which is a preview of the Beta 2 version of Vista the company intends to ship later this month to millions of users...

Microsoft have announced that an interim build of Windows Vista (5365) will be made available to testers on monday. Still pre-beta 2 we can expect to see some further changes in the UI as well...

We just can't thank you enough for participating in the Microsoft® Windows Live™ OneCare™ beta program. Your feedback helped us identify and add two very important OneCare service features: antispyware and backup to external hard...

The November Community Technology Preview (CTP) release of Windows Vista has made its way into the hands of some, but seemingly not many, testers. The build number is 5259. What's new? Windows Antispyware is now...

The Beta for the new hotmail, aptly titled mail, has been released to a select few testers. Those who have been selected will be given the option to test the service when they next login...

The latest build of Microsoft's upcoming Windows Vista operating system has been released to testers on Microsoft Connect today. The 5231 build was leaked earlier this month (5231.winmain.050912.2020), although this build is slightly newer (5231.winmain_idx03.051004-2120)....

Microsoft has posted both x86 and 64 bit Editions of the build that was handed out to attendees of the Professional Developers Conference to Microsoft Connect, the beta site for Windows Vista. According...

Stardock has released the beta of a new free program called StyleVista to the Windows Vista beta group. StyleVista is a program that allows Windows Vista users to change the color and opacity of...

Microsoft seems to be on a roll with invites as of recently. After recently dishing out a beta build MSN Messenger 7.5, as reported on Neowin earlier, Microsoft has been sending out invites to select...

Thanks DJ Prem for submitting this to us. Microsoft has emailed testers who participated in the beta program to test Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP/Server x64 beta software packages, a thank...

Thanks scyphe for this submission. As a thanks to all Beta Testers who participated in the betas of Windows 2003 SP1 and Windows XP Pro x64 Edition Microsoft have offered testers their own...