This afternoon, Internet Explorer General Manager Dean Hachamovitch has announced the immediate availability of Internet Explorer 8 RC1. Internet Explorer 8 RC1 is available in 25 languages for Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server. You can download IE8 RC1 here:  http://www.microsoft.com/ie8. Here is what Dean says about IE8 today:

IE8 focused on how people really use the web. Consumers want a browser that makes the tasks they do every day faster and easier. The activities people spend their time on define real-world performance: navigating to websites, working with tabs, searching, keeping track of changing information (like traffic or an auction), and using the information from one site with another (as in getting a map). Everyone wants a trustworthy browser that keeps them in control and protects their safety. Developers want great developer tools, great interoperability, and a powerful platform that enables them to innovate. For some people, accessibility is crucial; for some organizations, policy, administration, and deployment are essential.

For more information on upgrading to RC1 – please see this post from Internet Explorer Program Manager Jane Maliouta. Jane provides an excellent and information-filled post on what you need to know to upgrade to RC1.

Internet Explorer 8 RC1 can only be installed on Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server. For more information on Internet Explorer 8 and Windows 7, please read this blog post.

MIX09 is coming up fast – kicking off in Las Vegas at the Venetian March 18th – 20th. If you register between now and Feb. 13th for MIX09 you can save up to $400 off the conference price – that means you get a full conference pass for $995! To take advantage of this offer, go to the MIX09 Registration page and choose "Register for the event using an RSVP Code" option and use the RSVP code MIX09offer to receive your discount.

Not only will folks at MIX09 get the low-down on the next major release of Silverlight – Silverlight 3 – there will be sessions on IE8 as well as Windows 7 and Multi-Touch. The current list of sessions is available here with more to be added soon.

Mike Swanson highlights the return on your investment in attending conferences like MIX09 in person in a really neat video. Mike talks about quite a bit in 4 minutes but is worth watching if you are asking yourself “why should I go to MIX09?”

If you are going to MIX09 you can MIXtify things by adding “Blog Bling” to your website. You can also download awesome MIX09 desktop backgrounds for your PC. The wallpapers look quite nice in the Windows 7 Beta!

For direct updates on MIX09 - follow MIX09 on Twitter.

Some of you have noticed some changes to the Windows Experience Index in the Windows 7 Beta and have asked us to share more details about those changes. Today, you can read about those changes and how we’ve engineered the Windows Experience Index in Windows 7 in a blog post on the Engineering Windows 7 Blog. 

There are a lot of really good comments from folks using the Windows 7 Beta all over the web –and I thought I’d take a moment to share some favorites with you. These quotes are just some of what is being said about the Windows 7 Beta:

Preston Gralla from Computerworld

This first beta of Windows 7 is a polished piece of work, with few apparent kinks to be worked out. Windows 7 is much further along at this beta stage than Windows Vista was at a similar point.

Peter Bright from ArsTechnica

All in all, Windows 7 is shaping up well. It's a far more modest release than Vista was, but it's no worse for that. The new OS introduces a compelling combination of welcome innovations and much-needed polish, and that's exactly what Microsoft needs right now. Vista's foundation was solid, and Windows 7 just makes it better.

Dwight Silverman from the Houston Chronicle

I’ve been working with the Windows 7 beta for several weeks, and I like it a lot. It feels snappier and more responsive than Windows Vista.

Andrew Garcia from eWEEK

Without a doubt, the first beta edition of the Windows 7 operation system indicates that Microsoft is on the right track to shore up many of the perceived flaws of Windows Vista… And at its heart, Windows 7’s greatly improved emphasis on workflow and organization makes the operating system much more palatable for heavy-duty users used to operating with a large number of open windows and applications.

Paul Thurrott from the Supersite for Windows

As for performance, I think Microsoft is going to surprise people. And if you're working for an enterprise that hasn't upgraded to Vista because it won't run acceptably on your existing PCs, you'll want to look again at Windows 7.

Jason Chen from Gizmodo

We mentioned the Problem Steps Recorder blackbox error reporting app back in our Win 7 Giz Explains, but it wasn't until I tried it for myself that I saw just how amazing it is.

Joe Wilcox from Microsoft Watch

I'm actually having fun using Seven, something I haven't said about a Microsoft operating system since Windows 95.

Chandran Chakkaradeep from Neowin

Windows 7 seems to be much improved than Windows Vista in lots of areas and the beta clearly shows that Microsoft has indeed taken users feedback on Vista seriously.

Mary Branscomb from the Financial Times

Microsoft has taken a disciplined approach to planning, building and delivering Windows 7 (and planning is already underway for Windows 8); this may lack the flamboyance of previous versions but if Microsoft can maintain the quality of the beta, Windows 7 could indeed be the best version of Windows yet.

Remember, if you want to try out the Windows 7 Beta for yourself head on over to Windows.com and register to download the beta.

Are you someone who relies on hotkeys (keyboard shortcuts) quite a bit? Fellow Microsoftie Brandon Paddock has published a cheat sheet of hotkeys that people might find useful with the Windows 7 Beta.

Windows 7 offers some really neat new personalization options for making your desktop yours. I wanted to share my favorite personalization option: the ability to shuffle desktop backgrounds. Windows 7 now supports selecting multiple pictures as desktop backgrounds which shuffle depending on how often you set it to shuffle.

I have a special folder called “Awesome Wallpapers” that is filled with, well, awesome wallpapers. I have my Windows 7 PCs shuffling between these photos every 10 minutes. I find it keeps my desktop “fresh”.

In the Windows 7 Beta – here’s how to enable shuffle for desktop backgrounds:

1. Right-click on your Desktop and choose Personalization.

2. Under the Personalization Control Panel, choose Desktop Background (bottom of screen).

3. Under Picture location, you can choose from the default locations for photos (including Top Rated Photos) or browse to a custom folder where you might be storing photos.

4. Choose multiple photos by checking each photo you want to appear as a background on your desktop.

5. At the bottom of the screen next to Picture position there is a drop down box and a check box for shuffling pictures on your desktop. Make sure the “Shuffle” checkbox is checked.

6. You can also customize how often pictures shuffle on your desktop via the drop down next to the “Shuffle” check box.

After selecting the backgrounds, enabling shuffle, and setting how often they shuffle – you can save your new “theme” in Windows 7 via the Personalization Control Panel (just click the back button from the Desktop Background screen).

You can see in the below screenshot I have a theme called “Brandon’s Awesome Theme”. Once you save your theme, it appears under “My Themes”.

TIP: You can also download new themes for the Windows 7 Beta by choosing “Get more themes online” under My Themes in the Personalization Control Panel.

You can download themes with new wallpapers from places around the world!

Windows 7 introduces a new way to interact with your phone, camera, printer, or portable media player from the Windows desktop. Device Stage is new visual interface that makes it easy to find the things you want to do with your devices on your Windows 7 PC. You could think of Device Stage as a multi-function version of Autoplay where it displays all the applications, services, and information related to your device. Device Stage not only works for devices connected to a Windows 7 PC via USB, but also Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as well. In many cases, software installation isn’t required for Device Stage – with any additional drivers that might be needed automatically retrieved from Windows Update.

Device Stage is customized by the device manufacturer and specific to the devices you own. During Steve Ballmer’s keynote at CES tonight, the Nikon D90 was shown via IE8 during the Windows 7 demo showcasing the “Snap To” feature. They used the Nikon D90 because it is a device that works great with Windows 7 today. Part of working great with Windows 7 is that the Nikon D90 also supports Device Stage. When a Nikon D90 is plugged in to a Windows 7 PC, you can see how Nikon customized Device Stage specifically for the D90.

As I mentioned, Device Stage displays all the applications, services and information related to your device. In the case of the Nikon D90, Device Stage presents to the user the ability to import photos and videos off the device, browse files on the device, take advantage of the service from Nikon called my Picturetown, launch Nikon’s Nikon Transfer application, and get support or order accessories for the D90. You’ll notice Device Stage also displays how much battery life is left on the Nikon D90 as well as how much storage is left too.

Because Device Stage is a way of extending the features of Windows 7 to expose device capabilities, it also supports the use of Jump Lists via the new Windows Taskbar.

When a device is plugged in that supports Device Stage, it appears on the new Windows Taskbar in Windows 7 as an icon of the actual device. To quickly access all that is offered through Device Stage for that specific device, you can right-click on the device on the taskbar to see all the Device Stage options. You’ll notice for the D90, the Jump List displays everything shown in Device Stage for the device.

Simply moving your mouse over the device on the Windows Taskbar also gives you a quick glance at battery life and storage capacity.

In the next couple days I’ll be talking about Device Stage a bit more - highlighting different experiences Device Stage provides for different device types from different device manufacturers.

In the Windows 7 Beta, you will be able to experience Device Stage for yourself! I know folks will be wondering what devices will support Device Stage for the Windows 7 Beta too - click here for that device list!

Steve Ballmer and Robbie Bach will be delivering the “pre-show” 2009 International CES keynote address tonight in Las Vegas. The keynote starts at 6:30pm PST.

For those not at CES this year, you can watch the live webcast of the keynote address: 100k | 300k | 750k.

Over on Microsoft PressPass they have set up Virtual Pressroom for CES. Here, they will be posting video and photos of product demos and key speakers from tonight’s keynote. They will also be posting related feature articles, product news, press materials and live updates from the CES show floor.

And my good friend Sarah Perez will be live blogging tonight’s keynote on Channel 10 as well. Click here for her live blog.