Windows 7 Release Candidate, Windows 8, Windows Live Wave 3, Oracle buys Sun Microsystems, and more.

• Windows 7 Release Candidate 1 is scheduled for release on May 5th.
• Julie Larson-Green, head of Windows user experience, confirms that Microsoft is looking ahead to the future of Windows, maybe Windows 8.
• Windows Live Wave 3 integrates messaging, social networking, contacts, and more.
• Oracle buys Sun Microsystems, could have a large effect on the fields of cloud computing and database software.

Software Picks of the Week: Real Player, allows you to download FLV flash files from Youtube and other video sites in HD, and Ubuntu: Jaunty Jackalope a new release of the free Linux Distribution from Canonical.

Audible picks of the week: Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories, Unabridged, By Ian Fleming, Narrated by Simon Vance. For a free credit toward the audiobook of your choice, visit Audible.com/windows.

Software tip of the week: If you purchase 4,000 Xbox live points on the Amazon Store before May 1st you will receive an additional $10.00 credit.

Check out Paul's blog at the SuperSite for Windows for more information.

Thanks to CacheFly for the bandwidth for this show. The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Derek K. Miller.

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte