"It’s looking like a do-it-yourself (DIY) kind of Halloween this year, based on findings from a recent Bing-commissioned survey of Americans. According to the survey, nearly 40 percent of respondents indicated they are abandoning store-bought outfits for a DIY costume, with 43 percent of survey respondents believing that purchasing a Halloween costume you’ll wear for one night is too expensive (nearly a fourfold increase over last year’s 12 percent).

If you're running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and you're not ready to upgrade to Windows 7, you should install Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), a free update.

Windows XP SP3 includes all previously released updates and a small number of new updates. It won't significantly change the Windows XP experience.

2010 looks like another major year in technology. One clear trend is the focus on more natural ways of interacting with computers, in essence making technology more approachable to more people.

"It’s time to upgrade from the Windows 7 Release Candidate

While most people who tested Windows 7 have now moved to the final version, some are still running the Release Candidate. If you haven’t moved yet, it’s time to replace the RC.

Starting on March 1, 2010 your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Your work will not be saved during the shutdown.

The Windows 7 RC will fully expire on June 1, 2010. Your PC running the Windows 7 RC will continue shutting down every two hours and your files won’t be saved during shutdown.

Earlier this week, Office 2010 Beta was made available to MSDN and TechNet Subscribers and without wasting the time, Microsoft has done same for general public. Office 2010 public beta is available now at Microsoft Download Center.

Steve Ballmer unveils Windows 7 live from New York City on Oct. 22, 8 a.m. PDT/11:00 a.m. EDT