But it looks like that one good thing has unfortunately come to an end, that of which I’m sad to see go as I was a part of it, that is that the rumors circulating earlier this week about the MSN/Windows Live Butterfly program closing have come true.

A Microsoft spokesman sent Mary Jo Foley the following response when she questioned Microsoft about the closing of the MSN/Windows Live Butterfly beta testing program.

“The Butterfly group has been involved in beta testing MSN and Windows Live products for a number of years.  Rather than continue the program as something only focused on beta testing, we’re offering the group a variety of options to engage in the broader Windows Live community, including the opportunity to join the MVP (Most Valuable Professional) program and continued and future access to beta testing opportunities.”

For those of you that don’t know, The Windows Live Butterfly awards program (formerly the MSN Butterfly program) was a program whose members were given the benefit of new Microsoft software and services to test before the beta releases went public and they were in direct contact with the program managers for MSN and Windows Live products.

Microsoft had initiated the Windows Live Butterfly program in order to recognize the contributions made by those who have excelled at beta testing, showing themselves to go above and beyond what Microsoft looked for from beta testers. Prospective butterflies were selected by the Windows Live product team and were nominated for a term of one year, after which they could be renominated.

As a Windows Live Butterfly Program Member I’m sad to see this come to an end, it’s a real shame, I’ve met and made great friends with many people through the Butterfly Group both face to face and online, and the butterfly group has helped me in lots of ways, I will miss everyone on it including of course the employees at Microsoft that talked in the newsgroups, I just hope we can all stay in contact someway!

Maybe  we could update the Windows Live Butterfly Map - http://www.butterflymap.com/ (Courtesy of John O’Brien a MVP from Soul Solutions and the co-founder of Via Windows Live)  to all current Windows Live Butterflies along with contact details!

Some memories:

• First Ever Windows Live Butterfly Meet Up in London
• Guess Who’s a Windows Live Butterfly Expert Now!

MSN/Windows Live Butterfly Plus Toy

MSN/Windows Live Butterfly Plus Toy

First Ever MSN/Windows Live Butterfly Meet Up in London

He was just weeks away from beginning a 50-date comeback tour in London, that of which I had tickets to see!

His unexpected death has devastated fans and sparked a flood of tributes from the biggest names in the music industry. It of course has also led to speculation as to what killed him.

Pop Star Legend Michael Jackson Dies at the Age of 50

Protecting personal content with SimpleSave is as easy as plugging the drive in to a USB connection, so families can feel confident that their precious memories are safe.

“With SimpleSave, once connected, backup is automatic and virtually hands-free,” said Charl Snyman, vice president, Personal Systems Group, HP Europe, Middle East and Africa. “As the worldwide leader in personal computing, our goal is to make technology simple and useful, ensuring no learning curve and no complicated choices to make.”

The new SimpleSave hard drive family consists of two products, the SimpleSave Portable, available in 320- and 500-gigabyte capacities, and the SimpleSave Desktop, available in 1- and 2-terabyte capacities. Both devices feature pre-installed backup software.  SimpleSave software automatically finds and backs up the data on the PC, and after the first backup, automatically updates the backup with file changes whenever the computer is idle.

A single SimpleSave drive can be used to back up all the PCs in the home, with data from each PC clearly identified by name on the drive to make finding and restoring a specific PC’s data a snap.

The SimpleSave hard drives are designed with heat-dissipating cases that stay cool and run quietly without a fan.  The SimpleSave Portable is powered by the PC’s USB 2.0 port and does not require an external power supply. In addition, the 2.5-inch portable model is designed with a shock-resistant case to protect the drive from the bumps and jolts of everyday usage. 

Other features include:

• Hundreds of file formats supported: Supports the most common file types for photo, music and documents including AAC, BMP, DOC, GDF, GIF, JPG, MP3, MPEG, PPT, PDF, TAX, TIFF and XLS.  
• Frequent backup update – Backs up new and changed files every time the PC is idle for five minutes.
• Plug-and-play storage – Ready to use when connected to a USB port.
• Support for large files: NTFS file system offers improved support for metadata and use of advanced data structures, improving performance, reliability and disk space.
• Two-year warranty

Pricing and Availability

SimpleSave external hard drives will be available in August. Manufacturers recommended street pricing:

• SimpleSave Portable:  320GB, £79.99 (1); 2.5-inch hard drive, 500GB, £109.99
• SimpleSave Desktop:  1TB hard drive, £104.99 (1); 2TB hard drive, £114.99

HP Fan Trips has announce the limited availability of tickets for a steam train journey in the carriages used for the Hogwarts Express in the filming of the Harry Potter movies. These tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. The cost is $145 US (approx. 79 GBP) per ticket.

On July 18, the train will depart from Paddington Court Station in London in the morning for travel to Oxford in the carriages used for the Hogwarts Express in the filming of the Harry Potter movies. (Exact departure time TBD.) Clients purchasing a train only ticket (as opposed to the HP FAN TRIP) will be given a map of filming locations that they can use for a self guided walking tour of Oxford. While in Oxford they can take in pubs, shops, and the sights of Oxford. They will be given a time to return back to the Train Station in Oxford to Board the train for the journey back to London and Paddington Court Station. Return time will be in the late afternoon (exact time TBD.)

TIMING – the Journey to Oxford will be approx 2 hours and the return will be 1 hour

Infants less than 2 years – free
2 years to 7 years – 50%
Over 7 years full price.

If you see this curious looking SUV around downtown D.C. today, don’t expect a news crew to pile out of it.

I asked the driver of this vehicle what, exactly, his ride does. He said it’s equipped with 12 cameras that take pictures in front, behind and to the sides of the truck as he drives along, collecting data for a new Microsoft-owned mapping technology that will be featured in Ford Motors’ new GPS systems.

Bing, maybe?

Via: Washington Business Journal (Thanks Justin)

Miley Cyrus first burst on the scene starring as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana in the smash hit Disney Channel series Hannah Montana.  Following the success of the show, a soundtrack CD was released in October 2006, and Cyrus’ solo music career began in earnest with the release of her debut album, Meet Miley Cyrus in June of 2007. Her second album, Breakout, was released in July of 2008, and turned the young performer into a superstar.  Both albums debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200.  2008 also saw the release of the Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert film which were huge hits across the globe.

Cyrus also earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song for “I Thought I Lost You,” from the soundtrack to the successful animated 2008 film Bolt, which also featured Cyrus’ voice in a starring role.  Hannah Montana: The Movie was released on April 10, 2009, for which Cyrus recorded the main single, “The Climb.” Cyrus was listed as one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in The World in 2008, while Forbes ranked her No.35 on “The Celebrity 100″ list.

Tickets go on sale on Friday 12th June at 9.00am and can be bought via www.theo2.co.uk or by calling 0844 856 0202.