While Microsoft has announced the release date for the long-awaited Windows 7, Microsoft has decided that it will release the RTM (release to manufacturers) version on July 13, 2009 – the same day as the WPC09 (Worldwide Partner Conference), to be held in New Orleans, according to Geeksmack.

The RTM version is the final version, meaning that this version is set to be the smoothest and mostly bug-free than the Release Candidate and the Beta versions. Partner connections like TechNet and MSDN are set to get their hands on the RTM version shortly after.

And what about you, those who don’t have access to those partner connections? Someone might put up a torrent of it so you can download it.

Windows 7 is set to reverse the trend after the disastrous Windows Vista and its PR, and many of the beta testers are happy with the new changes, including performance improvements and new features. While there will be at least six versions of the product, only Home Premium, Professional (which is like Business, just renamed) and Ultimate versions will be out to the public – but Ultimate will be the harder one to find in retail markets.

After a year of Firefox 3 being released; the Mozilla Corporation has launched a major update to the second-largest and open-source browser, Firefox 3.5. The new version is said to be the “best performing browser” and has added several improvements to the browser, and new features to go along with it.

Now, TECHGEEK.com.au looks at what is inside this major release.

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After years and years of speculating, Windows 7 (previously known as Blackcomb and then Vienna) has been given a release date. The operating system that is to be the successor of Windows Vista will not be coming out next year, as previously mentioned before, but its in the second half of this year.

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In the world of technology lately, there has been a lot of change and innovation going on with the machines many of us use in our -day-today lives. The PC, for a long time, has dominated market share and seen as a God-send for businesses. Over the years, the price and efficiency of computers have opposed each as the price drops and processing power increases. Apple however, are seen as a 'cool', 'hip' company that currently has a strong, loyal fan and developer base. Marvels that amazed the world, thanks to Mac OS X and the iPod range, didn't come without an expensive price tag. Microsoft, now in a fray to repair its damaged reputation after the disastrous Vista release, have dumped their Seinfeld ads and put on hold their "I'm A PC" campaign for the moment to make way for their new "Laptop Hunters" Campaign.

Currently, there are three ads, with a possible fouth on the way. The first one  Laptop Hunters - Lauren Gets A HP Pavilion tells teh story of a woman named Lauren who has a strict, $1000 budget. If she finds the right laptop she is looking for, shee keeps it. Upon entering the Apple Store, she whines that she is not 'cool enough' to be a 'Mac' person. She states that for $1000 there is only a 13" screen available and she would have to double her budget to get a stylish Unibody MacBook.

The second one - Laptop Hunters $1500 Lisa and Jackson get a Sony VAIO - features an 11-year-old boy wanting to get a new laptop with Lisa. He looks at the Apple machines and they both agree that they look good, but are out of their price range. Jackson ends up buying a Sony VAIO and states that he is a PC.

This new campaign by Microsoft is conveniently timed with current economic conditions and is solely attacking the price of Apple's MacBook line. Apple is known for having more expensive hardware and software but for those who buy it and learn to use it properly, say that the cost of purchase is definitely outweighed by the experience and overall use of the machine/software.

The European Commission has granted Mozilla, the owners of the second-most popular browser in the world, the right to join its case against Microsoft after the Commission charged Microsoft over distorting the market for web browsers after bundling Internet Explorer with its Windows operating system.

If the charges go all the way, Microsoft could be paying a huge fine – like it did for a previous case with Windows Media Player, another crucial part of the Windows operating system – and could see a change on how it currently distributes the most popular internet browser in the world.

This effectively means that Microsoft has to allow other internet browsers from Apple, Opera (which started the complaint) and Mozilla to put in their browsers in the operating system. However, there seems to be a contradiction – on both Mozilla’s and the Commission’s side.

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If you want to try out the beta for Microsoft’s successor to Windows Vista, Windows 7 – you are out of luck. As of 12am Los Angeles Time, or 7PM in Melbourne, you are not able to download the beta. However, if you still are downloading it, you have until February 12 at 9AM, or 4AM Friday,  Los Angeles Time to finish it.

However, if you are an MSDN or TechNet Subscriber, you can still download the beta after this date. Also, if you have an ISO of it already and just need to get another product key, you can still do that at Microsoft’s website.

Internet Explorer continues its drop in the browser war, but still is retains the number one placing, with 67.55 percent of the total market share, according to Net Applications – down from December’s 68.15%, and it looks likes a continuing trend.

Firefox, Safari and Chrome continues to grow, while Opera lost 0.01 percent. Firefox was up 21.53 percent, from December’s 21.34 percent; while Safari grew from 7.93 percent to 8.29 percent. Google’s Chrome, though not having a Mac and Linux version, has a 1.12 percent market share, up from 1.04 percent.

According to CNET, Internet Explorer lost nine percent of its market share in the last two years, with a drop of seven percent since February last year. But it still hopes that Internet Explorer 8, which Microsoft released a release candidate version, would regain some of the lost market share from Firefox, Chrome and Safari.

Microsoft has said that it will move the date when Windows 7 will no longer be available to the general public to February 10th, after previously saying that it will end the availability to the beta on January 24th - which was an extension from its previous plan to limit it to a number of people.

"Because enthusiasm continues to be so high for the Windows 7 Beta and we don’t want anyone to miss out we will keep the Beta downloads open through February 10th," Brandon LeBlanc wrote in a blog posting on The Windows Blog.

However, people who have started the download before the 10th of February and have not finished the download will still be able to continue until February 12th, when it will no longer be available. MSDN and TechNet subscribers are exempt from the date, and will still be able to download bits of it during the beta phase.

Product keys will still be available after the downloads, meaning that if you didn't get your product key, you can still get one so you don't miss out the excitement of the beta.