Microsoft this summer will institute some changes to Windows XP as part of a settlement agreement meant to benefit consumers and increase competition. But some state trustbusters and Microsoft's chief rivals aren't convinced that those changes go far enough. The software maker says it plans to start testing Windows XP Service Pack 1 as early as next month, with a final release slated for late summer. The update will introduce support for Mira wireless devices and the Freestyle digital media interface.

More importantly, the update will let consumers and PC makers remove access to about a half-dozen of Microsoft's so-called middleware technologies integrated into Windows XP. The capability was mandated by Microsoft's settlement with the U.S. Justice Department and nine of 18 states that brought an antitrust suit against the software colossus. In theory, this change means programs from AOL Time Warner, RealNetworks and other companies could get prominent placement in Windows XP over similar Microsoft technologies, creating more consumer choice and increasing competition.