Vista SP2 beta promises Blu-ray burning

Posted on 27 Oct 2008 at 15:12

Microsoft will begin user testing of the second service pack update for Windows Vista this week.

Vista SP2 Beta will be sent to members of Microsoft’s Technology Adoption Program this week, with the final release date to be determined on the basis of feedback from those users.

The beta contains previously released fixes that addressed reliability, performance and compatibility issues, while adding support for new types of hardware and for several emerging standards. This includes the ability to record data on to Blu-Ray media without additional software, but it remains to be seen whether this will work on Macs running Boot Camp or virtualisation software such as Parallels or VMware Fusion. Neither is capable of supporting Blu-ray playback in Vista, since key hardware drivers are not provided on Macs.

SP2 also improves searching, file sychronisation and Wi-Fi configuration.

The SP2 beta release coincides with the unveiling of Windows 7 this week. The successor to Vista is expected to be released in 2010 and will include a rewritten kernel designed to fix the performance issues that have hampered Vista adoption. Other promised features will familiar to Mac and iPhone/iPod touch users, including a new sychronisation engine closely tied to Microsoft’s Mesh cloud computing venture and touch screen technology.

Author: Simon Aughton

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