Microsoft Corp. is set to reveal today further details of the newest version of its popular operating system, Windows XP – formerly known by its code name “Whistler.”
Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman and chief software architect, and Jim Allchin, group vice-president of the platforms product group, will be present at a news conference at the Experience Music Project (EMP) in Seattle, Microsoft said in a statement.
Earlier in the month, Microsoft announced the names for the latest version of both Windows XP and Office XP, dubbed “Office 10.” The initials, which stand for “experience,” are designed to be a part of Microsoft’s signature .Net architecture to build Internet applications.
Office XP should get a public release by the end of the second quarter and Windows XP is expected to make its market debut in the second half of the year.
Specifically, Windows XP will offer voice, video and application sharing over the Internet, as well as wireless access, while Office XP will integrate communication tools such as Hotmail, the company’s Web-based e-mail service, Microsoft said. Furthermore, Office XP will include a set of Web-based “Send for Review” tools, for online document editing and review as well as a Web-based multi-user workspace called SharePoint Team Services, the company said.
Both Windows XP and Office XP are currently in beta testing, Microsoft said.
Microsoft in Redmond, Wash., can be reached at http://www.microsoft.com/.