The first Patch Tuesday for 2011 has proved a quiet affair with just two bulletins from Microsoft, only one of which is rated critical.

Microsoft is looking forward to increased IT spending in the SMB market predicted by a survey of its SMB partners, driven in part by the adoption of Windows 7 and Office 2010.

    As of today, business customers can purchase Office 2010 including the usual office apps as well as Visio and Project. Consumers will need to wait a few more weeks. So, will the upgrade be worthwhile? Is there something really new? Or are Microsoft putting lipstick on a pig?

If you’re a University or TAFE student in Australia, and want to win what could well be the ultimate Windows 7 prize ever, with the chance to ‘win’ 7 months of free rent in your choice of share house for you and your friends, with Dell laptops pre-loaded with Win 7 and Office, HTC HD2 mobiles and Xbox 360 games consoles – read on to find out more!

Microsoft has announced the U.S. retail pricing for its Office 2010 suite of productivity applications, which will be offered in four versions and two pricing levels.

Microsoft has revealed plans to allow PC vendors to ship a free, advertising-supported edition of Office 2010. There will also be a mechanism for trialling Office 2010 alongside earlier versions.

Office 2010, scheduled for release in the first half of next year, will be the glue that brings millennial generation workers and baby boomers together thanks to its ability to run on three platforms – PCs, phones and browsers, according to software giant Microsoft.  

Microsoft’s TechEd 2009 has kicked off with delegates bristling with more technology than usual thanks to the HP mini-notebook preloaded with Windows 7 and Office 2010 that was offered to all full-fee paying attendees.

Analyst firm Ovum describes Microsoft's results as "dismal" but suggests the worst might be over for the software giant.