When we first mentioned Microsoft’s new keyboard idea, it was mentioned that there would be a contest, and students all over the place would be competing to create the coolest applications for the device. Well, the contest is over and the winners have been announced. So if you were thinking of entering, too bad. You’ll have to wait for the multi-touch mouse contest.
So they had three categories: most useful, best implementation, and most creative. Remember, these are just demos made by students, so forgive their lack of polish. The demos, I mean, not the students.
You probably know by now that at least some of us here at pretty high on the Zune HD—look at the lengths I went to get it up and running!—but I recognize that not every Mac owner is going to jump through hoops just to be able to use the device. But maybe, just maybe, Microsoft is finally ready to do what so many people have asked it to do: make a Mac version of the Zune software, thereby enabling all the Mac owners out there to use the portable media player a little more easily.
It was only two weeks ago that the Windows 7 Launch Party video cut a burning swath across the internet, leaving only scorched sensibilities and a feeling that you’d lost something fundamental never to be regained. We lied to ourselves then that it couldn’t be more than a blip on the radar, a PR pitch gone awry and furtively uploaded, unfit for human consumption as it was — a tainted morsel of the promotional meat grinder. And to be honest, I was ready to let it lie. But it wasn’t just a morsel. Little did we know, the Windows 7 launch sausage factory would be squeezing gristle into our inboxes regularly — and now they’ve gone and sent us party favors. Read More
Welcome to CrunchGear’s seedy electronic shop in the touristy area of town. Today we have a special deal for one lucky commenter: a new 16GB black Zune HD. Read on to figure out how to win.
UPDATE – Congrats to Aaron for winning the Zune. He’s currently running with an RCA Lyrica. I don’t even think RCA is in business anymore.
While the multi-touch mice took up most of my visit to the dark corridors of Microsoft Labs, I did get to see some other fun stuff. They’ve got a rapid prototyping workshop, an anechoic chamber, and of course that pressure-sensitive keyboard I posted a while back.
Check out what goes on behind closed doors inside.
The other day, I went on a short tour of some of Microsoft’s Labs, where they do everything from rapid prototypes of new products to acoustic testing in anechoic chambers. Most of my time was spent in the Applied Sciences group’s labs, where they are working on some seriously interesting devices.
And they’re not just into mice; in fact, the lab’s specialty seemed to be anything to do with optics and/or input. This lab worked on Project Natal, and also on the pressure-sensitive keyboard I wrote about a while back.
They were kind enough to show me all these crazy multi-touch mice, and, when I was too inept to demo even one of them solo, offered to go through them with me on video.
I was on a panel a few weeks ago with Rob Enderle a few weeks back and he was asked by an international journalist what he expected in terms of financial news in the next few months. He made a very interesting point that, being an Apple fanboy, I ignored at the time. He said that Windows 7 would drive a whole new wave of hardware buying and inflate (in a good way) IT spending.
A few calls later and I found that a number of IT guys I know are genuinely excited about installing Windows 7 in their shops, guys for whom Vista didn’t even register. We’re about see an IT renaissance, and it will be driven by Microsoft. Read More
The trickle of news about Microsoft’s Courier device continues, and this time there’s a bit more of a realistic walkthrough. The device is being shown to be much more of a next-generation notepad than all-purpose tablet, and that’s probably for the best; Microsoft overreaching with a device like this could result in a real crash and burn. I suppose the best way to picture the Courier is just as a web-connected organizer — you know, one of those leather-bound ones that business people used to have, and which the Courier seems clearly designed after.
Of course, with an internet connection and full-color touchscreen, much more is enabled and the device becomes much more complicated. Microsoft’s (and Pioneer’s) task has been to pare that down to a product, and it really looks like they’ve done it right.
I’ve just hooked up the LifeCam Cinema to my desktop, and thought an SD comparison was in order. In a stroke of genius, I attached the LifeCam to the top of my Mac so it and my iSight were pretty much aligned — though not so much that it’s seamless. I did a little video so you can compare color, fidelity, and all that.
What happens when your Windows 7 party gets a little crazy? People start talking about things like “boot sectors,” “man-on-man DIMM insertion,” and “[beep].”
Now for the rest of that interview. The video was just a teaser. I spoke with Ballmer for another 50 minutes on the record, doing a deeper dive into five key areas of Microsoft’s product strategy: Big Opportunities, Operating Systems/Browsers, Mobile, Search and Developers.
This post is about big opportunities at Microsoft beyond their dual cash cows of Windows and Office. Microsoft generates around $20 billion a year in pre-tax profit, and spends nearly $10 billion on research and development. When Microsoft thinks about increasing (or sustaining) those profits, they have to think big. And they have to think long term.
Ballmer says he thinks about new business opportunities in three buckets: expanding current businesses (short run), building things from scratch (long run), and big aquisitions (short cuts).
Come back with me to 2001. A young man got up on stage one afternoon in November to announce something new and amazing: an operating system dedicated to tablet computing. That young man was Microsoft’s Bill Gates and that operating system was Windows XP Tablet PC edition. Chances are that is the first and last time you saw a working tablet computer. The thinking was this: if you can streamline appellations – data entry applications being the target here – you could sell smaller, more expensive computers to medical and business clients. It didn’t work and Windows Tablet PC has been little more than a clever solution to a nonexistent problem.
I posted some pictures of Sony’s and Ubisoft’s booth at this year’s Tokyo Game Show yesterday, but booth-wise, Square Enix, Microsoft (Xbox 360) and Capcom made quite a strong showing, too. Here’s some proof.
When the FCC took apart the Zune HD, we noted that the test unit had “For our princess” written on the inside of the shell. Nobody knew what to make of it at the time, but now that it’s in the production units it’s clear that it wasn’t a one-time thing. As it turns out, it’s a memorial for a Zune team member who passed away during the device’s development. That was really nice, Microsoft. Just one more reason to love this thing.
Where did this rumor that Microsoft wanted to buy EA start? You know what, it doesn’t matter where it started, because it’s not true. No, Microsoft has no plans to buy EA, so don’t sweat the technique ($1 if you get that reference).
Either Microsoft’s sense of humor has gotten almost British in its sophistication and dryness, or this is the worst promotional video I’ve ever seen in my life. Yes, worse than their Songsmith video. I’m beginning to think Microsoft’s marketing department really is a thousand monkeys with a thousand high definition cameras. Or are we being punk’d?
This is seriously too surreal to comment on. But don’t let that stop you. Read More
Microsoft is close to opening retail stores in several major cities across the planet, but in Paris they’re doing something special in anticipation of the real shops and the imminent launch of the Windows 7 operating system. Microsoft France has surprised inhabitants and visitors of the French capital with the public preparation of a genuine coffee shop / cafe situated in the heart of the city (47 Boulevard Sebastopol).
The Windows Cafe, which will only be open to the public for a couple of weeks starting October 22nd, will boast a number of Microsoft products that visitors can play around with (Xbox, mobile devices and more) but they will not be able to purchase anything there besides snacks and drinks.
Like it or not, Windows Mobile is a predominant mobile OS. It rules the roost, along with Symbian, and although Android will shortly beat its butt – I’d expect it to reach parity in about 2012 – we’re still going to have to live with up to 30 million WinMo 6.5 devices by the end of the year.
Well, that’s it, I guess. The CrunchPad and Apple Tablet had a good run (in their mysterious ways), but Microsoft has come out of left field to deliver what appears to be the coolest tablet-like computer we’ve ever seen. Those lucky ducks over at Gizmodo appear to have a pretty solid exclusive on it, though, but I’m burning through my little black book of Microsoft guys to get more info.
Man, things are hotting up in the Microsoft vs. Apple feud. The latest news is that, yeah, not only is Microsoft planning on, well, ripping off Apple’s retail store model wholesale, but it also plans to hire Apple store employees. Microsoft has offered Apple store managers “significant raises,” and offered to cover any and all moving expenses. For the record, I’d be willing to work in the Microsoft retail store on Neptune if the company offered to pay my moving expenses!
When we first mentioned Microsoft’s new keyboard idea, it was mentioned that there would be a contest, and students all over the place would be competing to create the coolest applications for the device. Well, the contest is over and the winners have been announced. So if you were thinking of entering, too bad. You’ll have to wait for the multi-touch mouse contest.
