What’s happening in Ecosystem Microsoft this week? Hybrids will be invading CES (the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas)  in January 2014, but not the kind you may think. Analysts and press reports point to some PC vendors showcasing a new client device, PC Plus, which will run both Windows 8.1 and Android apps through software simulation. Some say that the configuration comes to augment the number of third-party apps available in the Microsoft’s app store by making the broader selection of Android apps available to Windows customers.

Meanwhile, the search for Microsoft’s new CEO will likely grind on into the new year, according to WindowsITPro. And as that process continues, the federal government has snapped up a former Microsoft exec, Kurt DelBene, to run its new and embattled Healthcare.gov site. DelBene had planned to retire from Microsoft and will be doing the Healthcare.gov job free-of-charge. He spent much of his career at Microsoft working on the Office line of products, which makes me wonder if he will bring the controversial “ribbon” to the government’s healthcare site.

A little off topic of Windows and Microsoft, U.S. President Barack Obama was also recently getting advice from some top tech execs on improving the Healthcare.gov site. But they apparently wanted to discuss something else — NSA surveillance and how it’s undermining confidence in their businesses. It’s time to curb this practice they told Obama.

Those are your top headlines, and here’s a look at some other helpful tech news from the Microsoft universe for you and/or your staff — from management tools to Sharepoint forecasts.  

SharePoint Solution Vendors: Moving to a Brave New World
An analysis of SharePoint solution vendors and the effects of Office 365, Windows Azure, and other products and services on their strategies for future growth.

Server Virtualization with Windows Server Hyper-V Course Available with Free Exam Voucher
Microsoft has just released a new, free course: Server Virtualization with Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center.

Windows BranchCache Management Pack Joins the R2 Support List
Microsoft has updated the Management Pack for Operations Manager 2012 to support the R2 wave of releases.

Administrator Accounts with Passwords that Don't Expire
Some administrators configure their accounts so that their password never expires.

Microsoft Pulls Surface Pro 2 Firmware Update
Microsoft took the unusual step of pulling its most recent firmware update for the Surface Pro 2 recently, acknowledging problems that users had attributed to the update. It will release an alternative update "after the holidays."

Set Up SQL Server 2012 as a SharePoint 2013 Database Server
Follow these steps to install a SQL Server 2012 instance that will support a SharePoint 2013 farm. Here’s a walk through the installation process for SQL Server 2012 SP1, as a precursor to later installing SharePoint 2013.

SharePoint SP1 and On-Premises vNext
SharePoint SP1 will be released in early 2014. And what about the on-premises "vNext" release of SharePoint? Here’s a look at the roadmap for SharePoint in Office 365 and on-premises.