One of the major annoucements was access to programming tools for the masses with the new Visual Express range, this means that tools such as SQL Server 2005 will be available for free download in a special express version which will allow hobbiests and people new to the industry a way in... the same applies to the visual studio tools range c++, c#, vb.net etc, for a very nominal fee you will be able to download the whole environment.
Not only are these tools being made more available , but also appear to have custom wizards etc which make them easy to access for the less experienced among us (the great unwashed !!!).
Other cool stuff was the smartphone development which looks highly impressive.
64 bit computing is a subject close to my heart and it was nice to see Intel announcing the new product range X64 at TechEd, with a really cool 3d demo rendered in real time.
Other odds and sods, included team collaboration in Visual Studio 2005 and the placement of the new version of SQL Server in 2007.... no word on what it may contain though. Probably the drop list from Yukon
)