Microsoft to Release Vista Fixes in 2008

Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday it will release a major package of updates and fixes for the Windows Vista operating system in the first half of 2008.

The company said a ''beta'' test version of Service Pack 1 will be released ''in a few weeks to a moderate sized audience.'' The SP1 beta includes updates Microsoft has already made to the operating system it started selling to consumers at the end of January.

The service pack fixes some common problems that cause computers to crash or freeze, Microsoft said, including compatibility problems with some newer graphics cards, external monitors and printer drivers. Microsoft said it also fixed some problems users had with putting their PCs to sleep and waking them up again.

The company said SP1 is also expected to improve battery performance, increase the speed of copying files and help Internet Explorer run faster on Vista.

The Redmond, Wash.-based software maker said SP1 also brings several security improvements.

Microsoft said it expects to release Service Pack 3 for Windows XP, Vista's predecessor, in the first half of 2008 as well, but in a statement added that it ''should not significantly change the Windows XP experience.''

In the past, some of Microsoft's business clients used the release of a service pack as a sign that a new operating system was stable enough to install. Analysts have said Vista seems more reliable out of the box than past versions of Windows, and that businesses need not wait for the service pack.

Halo 3 Goes Gold

Bungie’s much awaited Halo 3 has finally gone gold and is well on track for its September 25th release date.

The wait is almost over. Halo 3, the final chapter in the groundbreaking Halo trilogy and the most anticipated game release of 2007, has been released to manufacturing. Three years in the making by renowned developer Bungie Studios, Halo 3 is now finished and will begin its journey to store shelves around the world in less than four weeks. Halo 3, which has already set new records as the fastest preordered game in history, has exceeded one million presales in North America alone. The title is set to shatter day-one entertainment sales records when it is released worldwide beginning Tuesday, Sept. 25.