Windows 7 SP1 beta scheduled for July

Microsoft has kicked off its TechEd 2010 North America conference with the announcement that a Windows 7 SP1 beta will be released in July.

The service pack, which will also cater to Windows Server 2008 R2, will prepare users for cloud computing, according to Microsoft.

Also included will be Remote FX, which provides a 3D graphical experience for remote users, and Dynamic Memory, which enables increased control over memory use without sacrificing performance, the company claimed.

"Our job, simply put, is to deliver what customers need to take advantage of cloud computing on their own terms," said Bob Muglia, president of Microsoft's Server and Tools division.

"Microsoft's strategy is to deliver software, services and tools that enable customers to realise the benefits of a cloud-based model with the reliability and security of on-premises software."

The company is also expected to make several announcements concerning the Windows Azure platform.

Microsoft also unveiled Windows Server AppFabric, which simplifies the development and management of composite applications by providing improved speed, elastic scale and high availability through distributed caching capabilities and new tools, the firm said.

Customers with licences for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 (Standard and Enterprise editions) can download Windows Server AppFabric for free.

Finally, Bing Maps has a new SDK, allowing developers to create applications built on top of Bing Maps and hosted on Bing.com.