What exactly is the difference between a technical article and a backgrounder? This is how MSDN distinguishes between these two types of articles.
These articles focus on code and low-level features. They provide sample code and how-to procedures, and are written to help you approach and solve problems efficiently. Technical articles often are built around sample applications, and provide practical implementations of a product's features.
These articles give you the big picture. Backgrounders, sometimes called white papers, are often general and high-level. Though they may include discussions of code and programming, they tend to be descriptive of features and usually are not how-to articles. Backgrounders often present an overview of Microsoft strategy, which should help you make decisions about which technology to use.