WYNK: What You Need to Know: Microsoft

Microsoft enlists Seinfield and Gates for ad campaign: WFJ report

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:58:43 GMT

"(Reuters) - Jerry Seinfield will be one of the key celebrity pitchmen in Microsoft Corp's $300 million advertising campaign aimed at changing its image, the Wall Street Journal said on Thursday, citing people close to the situation.
Seinfield, known for his eponymous television sit-com, will appear in ads with Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and will receive about $10 million for the work, the report said.
The attempted image overhaul comes in the wake of Apple's "Mac vs. PC" ads, which feature a nerdy PC guy getting upstaged by a hip Mac counterpart.
The new ads, likely to debut on September 4, is expected to use some variation of the slogan "Windows, Not Walls", the paper said.
For its new campaign, Microsoft also considered a range of other famous personalities, including comedians Will Ferrell and Chris Rock, the paper said, citing people familiar with the matter.
Microsoft was not immediately available for comment."

This is so very exciting! Considering how Will Ferrell and Seinfield both used to be Mac fans, it will definitely be an interesting case with these commercials.

I can't imagine much with what they mean with "Windows, Not Walls", but we'll see how they tie it in with the rumored "FTP" (Free The People) theme that the marketing guys had chosen. It seems like this is just breaking, so we'll see how it develops in the next couple of hours.

- @lbert

The "Mojave Experiment:" Launch Video

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:12:40 GMT

The site is now up and running.

^ Cool loading intro...

^ Tricky, yet cool video layout page. This is the main page with links to all-things Windows Vista. Tricky meaning it's very sensitive and responsive to your cursor. It is a lot of video content, so I guess this is pretty good to showcase it; instead of having thousands of pages with sub-pages and so on.

"What do people think of Windows Vista when they don't know it's Windows Vista? We disguised Windows Vista as "Mojave," the "next Microsoft OS," so regular people who've never used Windows Vista could see what it can do--and decide for themselves. Now decide for yourself."

I personally think the videos are pretty cool, but there are far too many; I don't imagine someone watching them all like I did. I'll have the best stitched together very soon. Stay tuned. For now, I'm tired of waiting for the site and need some sleep.

- @lbert

The "Mojave Experiment:" Vista's Marketing Blitz?

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:36:03 GMT

Just caught this over at Engadget.

If whatever is launched tomorrow on this site is worthwhile or seems worth +/- $500 million, ~~then we might be seeing the beginnings of Microsoft's long-awaited marketing blitz to fix Windows Vista's tarnished image~~ (Thanks to "no name," we now know it is in fact not part of the huge marketing blitz Microsoft has in store for us). It would be very nice (and quite possible too) to see some Windows Vista ads during the 2008 Olympics, considering the strong bond NBC and Microsoft have further formed recently. But for now, all we have is this, and whatever it is, I hope it makes a splash.

However, ~~if it is the big hoopla~~, the chances for Microsoft to pick a particular brand of computer and make it so clear, for such a big marketing campaign, is quite unlikely. This is of course unless HP decided to drop in a couple of bucks or be part of this big movement. I don't know about you, but I'm quite excited to see what kind of "results" Microsoft has in store for us.

- @lbert

MSN.com: Yet another update coming soon

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:03:23 GMT

It seems like the MSN.com team can't have enough fun rolling out new UI updates to one of the Internet's most popular destinations. Here's their latest update, soon to make it to a computer near you.

The only major thing that bugs me is the weather out in the top right, it almost looks like a growth or something. Besides that, it'll take me a while to get used to the "MSN Sidebar" that they're trying to get going there and the new organization of the content, but I guess they know what they're doing. It's not officially called that, but I'm assuming they're going with the whole Vista Sidebar concept.

- @lbert

Bill Gates: Looking Back, Moving Ahead

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:24:07 GMT

Microsoft has just published a really nice video about Bill Gates' life at Microsoft and his future at the foundation. Here it is in its entirety. Enjoy.

- @lbert

Yahoo board to reject Microsoft bid

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 21:14:03 GMT

MSNBC broke the story just little over an hour ago. Really disappointing to see how Yahoo! thinks it deserves even more money than what Microsoft already amazingly offered. We'll just see what happens now. Will Google make an offer? Will Microsoft just back up? Or will Microsoft either force Yahoo's board of directors out if they convince Yahoo's stock holder or will they simply increase their offer and go more into debt, something that Microsoft has never been in for the last 33 years. Here's the story:

"SAN FRANCISCO - Yahoo Inc.'s board has concluded Microsoft Corp.'s $44.6 billion takeover bid undervalues the slumping Internet pioneer and plans to reject the unsolicited offer, a person familiar with the situation said Saturday.
The decision, first reported by The Wall Street Journal on its Web site, could trigger a showdown involving two of the world's most prominent technology companies.
If it wants Yahoo badly enough, Microsoft could try to override Yahoo's board by taking its offer — originally valued at $31 per share — directly to the shareholders. If Microsoft pursued that risky route, it will likely have to nominate its slate of directors to supplant Yahoo's current 10-member board.
Alternatively, Microsoft could sweeten its bid.

Many analysts believe Microsoft is prepared to offer as much as $35 per share for Yahoo, which still boasts one of the Internet's largest audiences and most powerful advertising vehicles despite a prolonged slump that has hammered its stock.
Yahoo's board reached the decision after exploring a wide variety of alternatives during the past week, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press. The person didn't want to be identified because the reasons for Yahoo's rebuff won't be officially spelled out until Monday morning.
Microsoft and Yahoo declined to comment Saturday." - MSNBC.com

More on Microsoft's Yahoo bid

- Albert

Bill Gates' Last Day at Microsoft

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:10:28 GMT

I feel really dumb waiting this long to post the video on my own blog, but after posting other places I seem to had forgotten about here. But, without further ado, the video you've probably already seen and loved, Bill Gates' goodbye video from CES 2008.

- Albert

Bill Gates, Robbie Bach and "Surprise Guests?"

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 23:32:10 GMT

I just read this on the Microsoft CES website,

"Join Bill Gates, Microsoft Chairman, and Robbie Bach, President of the Entertainment & Devices Division, along with their surprise guests for the opening keynote of CES 2008. Since Bill Gates first keynoted CES almost 15 years ago, consumer technology has changed dramatically. Listen as Bill Gates and Robbie Bach discuss the impact of the digital decade and the future of connected experiences enabled by Microsoft’s consumer technology."

As if the fact that it's Bill Gates' last keynote at CES , this could not be anymore exciting! For that and other reasons, I hope to be able to bring the latest video the fastest I possibly can. In the mean time, you can watch Bill Gates' keynote Live using the following feed:

Launch Windows Media Player

- Albert

Office Live Workspace - New Video

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 23:57:48 GMT

It seems like the Office Live marketing team decided to find a nice way to introduce the world to Office Live Workspace, a Google Docs competitor. My favorite thing is that nice depiction of Workspace; that floating, bluish, bubble-sh, gelly thing (what looks yellow in the snapshot). Enjoy.

New Zunes Unveiled

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 04:58:49 GMT

Two New Zune Devices Fill Out the Family

Microsoft announced three new models of Zune portable digital media players: a sleek, black Zune 80GB hard-drive model, which has a bright 3.2-inch screen and comes with premium headphones (ERP $249.99; all prices are U.S.); the ultraportable Zune 4GB (ERP $149.99); and Zune 8GB (ERP $199.99) flash models, both available in pink, green, black and glossy red. The new Zune devices feature the Zune Pad navigation button, with its touch-sensitive surface. Consumers can flick their thumbs over the pad to fly through lists of songs or albums or to fast-forward through picture slide shows or videos. For those who need to pause, advance or adjust the volume on the device without looking, they can also navigate the Zune Pad using physical cues by pressing on the four sides or the center of the button to adjust the volume or choose the next track.

Together with the original Zune 30GB, the new devices round out the player family and lets users choose the size, color or price that suits them best. Every Zune device includes built-in wireless features and an FM tuner, and they all have a bright color display that is perfect for showing off album art, pictures, videos and podcasts. All devices have been given distinctive new menus, and it is easy to customize the background screen with a personal picture. Ensuring that existing Zune owners benefit from the advances in this release, all Zune 30GB devices will be automatically updated with all the new features as well as the new device software design this fall.

New features for fall include the following:

•	Wireless sync. Zune devices will automatically sync over consumers’ home wireless networks with this helpful new feature, aimed at ensuring that Zune owners always have the latest podcasts and other content ready to go when they‘re leaving home. Syncing with the collection on their PC happens via a home wireless network and will start on its own when the device is placed in its dock or plugged in to charge. Alternatively, the sync can be started manually.
•	Extended wireless sharing.Share select full-length songs, albums, playlists, pictures and even audio podcasts from device to device. Consumers can now listen to any song received up to three times with no time restrictions, and they can now also pass along songs to other friends who have a Zune.
•	Recorded television content to go. The Zune software will now automatically import broadcast content recorded on Microsoft® Windows^® Media Center for Windows Vista^® Home Premium or Ultimate, so consumers can sync them onto their Zune media player and watch them on the bus, in their car or wherever they want when they’re out and about.

Connecting People Through Music

Launching first in beta, Zune Social, a beta online community Web site, gives people a place to share their music tastes, knowledge and experiences with others. Anyone can create a free, customizable Zune Card that automatically updates to reflect the music they are listening to on their Zune or with Zune software on their computer. The Zune Card shows most recently played tracks and highlights that person’s all-time music favorites. Other members of Zune Social can play samples of the songs a user has been playing directly from a friend’s Zune Card or link to Zune Marketplace, where they can buy or download the music. In a nod to the inherently social nature of music, Zune Social will eventually enable its members to place the Zune Card on today’s most popular social networking sites, where it will continue to update automatically and show off what its owners are listening to.

In addition to creating a friends list, members of Zune Social can send song links and messages to each other, post comments on a friend’s profile page or on their favorite artist pages. They can discover new music by seeing what their friends are listening to, receiving recommendations from others in the community or by seeing what the top fans of artists they’re interested in are listening to. Each artist page will list the Zune Cards of the people who listen to that artist the most, making it easy for other Zune Social members to browse their recent playlists and discover new content they can sample, purchase or download with a Zune Pass.

Zune Marketplace and Software: Easier Than Ever to Discover New Music

The Zune Marketplace online store has been restocked and redesigned to make it even easier for people to find what they are looking for. The Zune software has also been completely redesigned with a new look and feel and lots of helpful new features. In addition to offering more than 3 million songs, the updated version of Zune Marketplace will launch with thousands of music videos for sale and over 1,000 of the top audio and video podcasts available for free. Consumers will also be able to choose from a selection of more than 1 million digital rights management (DRM)-free MP3s, which can be played with Zune or any other digital media player. A new, streamlined and highly visual layout makes it fun and easy to browse through the store, and a new integrated search feature gives consumers one view across the music, music videos and podcasts categories. By typing in an artist’s name or genre, users will see all relevant content that is either already in their collection or available in Zune Marketplace.

To let music fans try new music, Zune Marketplace continues to offer Zune Pass, which lets consumers download as much music as they want for a flat monthly rate of $14.99. To inspire Zune Pass subscribers, Zune Marketplace genre editors offer a range of playlists and promote new albums each week. Consumers can also choose to purchase music and music videos individually using Microsoft Points.

New Accessories Work Across the Product Line

Zune will also be offering a new line of accessories to help consumers get the most from their Zune content wherever they are — at home, in the car or on the go. To make it easy and affordable for existing Zune customers, original Zune accessories will work on new Zune devices and new accessories will also work with the Zune 30GB device. In addition to a selection of accessories from partners, eight new accessory options are available from Zune this fall:

•	Zune Home AV Pack. Home Dock with three faceplates to accommodate each Zune device, wireless remote, AC adaptor and composite AV output cable (ERP $99.99)
•	Zune Dock Pack. Home Dock with three faceplates to accommodate each Zune device and AC adapter (ERP $49.99)
•	Zune Car Pack. Redesigned FM transmitter/charger and dashboard grip pad (ERP $79.99)
•	Zune Cable Pack. Sync cable, composite AV output cable and audio cable (ERP $39.99)
•	Zune Premium Headphones (ERP $39.99)
•	Zune Leather Case (ERP $49.99)
•	Zune Sync Cable (ERP $19.99)
•	Zune AC Adapter (ERP $29.99)

Silverlight 1.0 is here!

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 07:34:26 GMT

One of Microsoft's coolest products is finally here. Silverlight 1.0 has just made news on the Microsoft.com home with this almost rare complete use of the main visual area. Apparently, Microsoft is very excited about Silverlight, and it should be. Here's some of their press release:

REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 4, 2007 — Microsoft Corp. today released to the Web (RTW) Silverlight™ 1.0, a cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering richer user experiences on the Web. In addition, Microsoft will work with Novell Inc. to deliver Silverlight support for Linux, called Moonlight, and based on the project started on mono-project.com.
Silverlight significantly reduces development and deployment costs and provides enhanced Web audio and video streaming and playback using industry-leading Windows Media^® Technologies. Microsoft unveiled new Silverlight customer experiences on “Entertainment Tonight,” HSN and World Wrestling Entertainment, and also launched the Silverlight Partner Initiative, a program designed to foster collaboration among solution providers, content delivery networks, tools vendors and design agencies.
“Our expectations for compelling, immersive experiences on the Web are increasing daily,” said Ray Ozzie, Microsoft’s chief software architect. “With today’s release of Silverlight 1.0, we’re making it possible for developers and designers to deliver to individuals the kind of high-def experiences they crave by integrating data and services in rich and unique ways. Silverlight will further accelerate the growth in rich interactive applications by giving developers and designers new options for delivering great experiences that span the Web, PC, phone and other devices.
To foster greater involvement and collaboration within the interactive media industry, Microsoft is rolling out the Silverlight Partner Initiative. More than 35 companies have already signed up to support Silverlight and take advantage of a broad range of marketing and technical benefits enabling them to be more successful. The current list of Silverlight Initiative partners by category follows:
• Content delivery networks, infrastructure providers: Advection, Akamai Technologies Inc., CacheLogic, Edgecast Networks Inc., Internap Network Services Corp., iStreamPlanet Co., Level3 and Limelight Networks
• Design agencies: Avenue A|Razorfish, BLITZ, Cynergy Systems Inc., frog design inc., IdentityMine Inc., Lightmaker Group Ltd., Metaliq, Resolute Solutions Corp., REZN8, Schematic and VML Inc.
• ISVs/IHVs: Anystream Inc., DayPort Inc., Electric Rain Inc., Inlet Technologies Inc., Pinnacle Systems Inc., Rhozet, Sonic Solutions, Tarari Inc., Telestream Inc. and Winnov LP
• Solution providers, systems integrators: BUYDRM, Liquid Compass, MPS Broadband AB, Narrowstep Inc., Skinkers, Swarmcast and Twofour Digital
More

- Albert

Windows Live ID/MSN Entertainment down?

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 00:45:00 GMT

I have been trying to visit MSN TV for a few minutes now but no success. Windows Live ID tries to log me in, but instead I would get this. The same applied to MSN Movies and Music; any site related to MSN Entertainment. Microsoft is also reporting that Windows Live ID Network Status is "available," so I think this is more of an MSN Entertainment problem. Anyone else experiencing this?

UPDATE: At around 5:55 PM PST everything seemed to go back to normal. MSN Entertainment now seems accessible.

Sorry for the sound...and no, I was not scrolling or moving anything around, it was doing that by itself.

- Albert

Improve Performance, Reliability, and Compatibility of Windows Vista

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 01:40:57 GMT

Microsoft has made available two updates (938979 and 938194) that "[resolve] issues that may affect some Windows Vista-based computers", "achieve better performance and responsiveness in various scenarios", "[improve] the reliability of Windows Vista", "[resolve] some compatibility issues and reliability issues in Windows Vista" and "achieve better reliability and hardware compatibility in various scenarios."

Whoa...sounds like a lot of fixing, eh? Well, it is. So download and install if you are having problems with:

Slow Windows Vista Performance
Windows Vista freezing or crashing
Hardware compatibility
Software compatibility
Sudden closing of some applications

Although these are some pretty big fixes, we're still hoping for Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) to even further enhance the Windows Vista experience.

Note: Microsoft plans to distribute these updates in the future via Windows Update but you may download and install now if you wish.

Links:

Package fix 938979 (performance and reliability)
Package fix 938194 (compatibility and reliability)

- Albert

Microsoft Windows Live Search Ad - Self Respect

Sun, 22 Jul 2007 17:30:23 GMT

This isn't something new; it's been around for a while. But just for the sake of posting a blog post during this busy and hectic time, here's the video for those of who have never seen it or land on this blog via search queries. Enjoy.

Let's just hope the US gets some good TV marketing too; it's what Live Search needs. We can see that after a lot of the Live Search marketing across MySpace, Photobucket, and other popular sites, Live Search market share must have raised through the help of marketing and awareness of the search engine.

- Albert

Microsoft Media Room - Video

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 23:15:48 GMT

Don't have much time to explain everything about Microsoft Media Room, but that it is now the new name for Microsoft IP TV. Here's a good article: Yahoo News. For now, I just found this cool video. Enjoy.

- Albert

Using Silverlight to show-off Surface

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 06:48:42 GMT

So, on my last visit to Microsoft.com, I made a minor discovery. Using Silverlight technologies, Microsoft is using up one of their main images to highlight Surface. It's nice to see Microsoft actually making a transition from Flash to Silverlight, as it creates awareness (like this post) and leads to more people downloading the technology. Nevertheless, we can't expect anyone to simply jump into a world filled with Silverlight sites because it would pose an immediate and unfortunate backlash of "standards" advocators. Still, for those who have downloaded Silverlight, go ahead and visit Microsoft's home and enjoy the very plain use of Silverlight. If you haven't downloaded it, go ahead and do so.

Download: Silverlight

Screenshots:

Videos:

- Albert

Talking with Microsofties: The Video

Sat, 09 Jun 2007 04:47:59 GMT

WhyWillYouWorkHere.com is Microsoft's attempt at recruiting the smartest people for its workforce in preparation for the growing battle against Google and Apple. The most interesting feature of the site: a very funny video. The video includes an interview with several of Microsoft's Online Services Business division's employees. Some of the topics covered: Microsoft's philanthropic works, availability of free Fresca soda, how phenomenal Microsoft is, what they do at the division, what should new hires know, and what they wanted to be when they were a kid. It seems like Microsoft, even at their size, is still very hungry for new people. Of course, when against Google and Apple, who wouldn't want a bigger army? But still, with this, the recent updates to the Microsoft USA Careers site, and all of the new businesses Microsoft wants to go into, how is it that people are beginning to dismiss Microsoft as the most powerful IT company in the world? Maybe Donny Deutsch from CNBC is right, Google might just be the best thing that has happened to Microsoft.

- Albert

Windows Live Installation Process

Thu, 31 May 2007 00:26:02 GMT

So Microsoft has just officially made three fresh betas available: Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Messenger 8.5, and Windows Live Writer. All UI's have been refreshed especially to appeal to Vista's Aero look. I have just installed all three [I'm using Writer as I ~~speak~~ type], so I don't have much to say about features and performance. I instead have some screenshots of the much improved and consistent installation process. Now, Live services seem to actually relate and integrate to one another. Although I had an almost perfect installation experience, LiveSide has published an article for those who have experiences issues with the installation with any of the services. The only problem I had was with Windows Live Mail Desktop; after I successfully installed it, and loaded it, I would get that annoying Send and Receive error message (the one everyone hates from Outlook Express) because of some HTTP Server problem when trying to send and receive emails from both of my inboxes. The solution: remove all accounts and add them after restarting the computer and program. Mine were MSN/Hotmail accounts, so I don't know if the same applies to you. Until I post some experiences with the programs, here are some cool screenshots for your enjoyment and use.

1. Windows Live Installation - Terms of Use (Appears For All)

2. Windows Live Installation - Computer Preparation (Appears For All)

3. Windows Live Installation - Actual Installation Process (Appears For All)

4. Windows Live Installation - Completion (Appears For All)

5. Windows Live Installation - Installer Icons and Program Icons

6. Windows Live Mail - Splash Window

7. Windows Live Messenger - Sign In Window

8. Windows Live Writer - Main Window

- Albert

Technorati Tags: Windows Live

Surface - Video #1: Magic

Wed, 30 May 2007 22:48:57 GMT

Enjoy.

- Albert

Microsoft Surface

Wed, 30 May 2007 05:50:24 GMT

Microsoft PressPass has just published a press release that officially introduces and names Microsoft's "PlayTable" or "Milan" project.

Microsoft Surface Official site: http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

UPDATE: We just found some videos that are originally shown on the Microsoft website.

Pictures...

"Picture a surface that can recognize physical objects from a paintbrush to a cell phone and allows hands-on, direct control of content such as photos, music and maps. Today at the Wall Street Journal’s D: All Things Digital conference, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer will unveil Microsoft Surface™, the first in a new category of surface computing products from Microsoft that breaks down traditional barriers between people and technology. Surface turns an ordinary tabletop into a vibrant, dynamic surface that provides effortless interaction with all forms of digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects. Beginning at the end of this year, consumers will be able to interact with Surface in hotels, retail establishments, restaurants and public entertainment venues." - Microsoft PressPass

PC World also has just published their own article.

Companies planning to incorporate the technology by the end of this year include:

Stay tuned for more news as this story develops (officially).

- Albert

Xbox 360 Elite Ad

Sat, 12 May 2007 20:29:59 GMT

Microsoft.com has published on their home page a cool video using Silverlight technologies to advertise the Xbox 360 Elite. Joe Wilcox over at Microsoft Watch has published an article talking about what happens when a visitor with or without Microsoft Silverlight installed visits the site. Visit his post for more info. Enjoy the clip.

Video: Xbox 360 Elite Ad

- Albert

Microsoft Silverlight

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 05:26:33 GMT

It's here and we're hoping it will be a great competitor to Adobe's prominent Flash. Microsoft Silverlight is the final product from what used to have the codename of "Windows Presentation Foundation/Everywhere." Microsoft has just made available a video to celebrate this new brand it plans to expand and hopefully get enough partners to embrace it and use on their websites as a content distribution system. We'll get more news very soon, but for now enjoy the really cool video.

"Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering the next generation of media experiences and rich interactive applications (RIAs) for the Web."

"Today at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) conference, 2007, Microsoft Corp. unveiled Microsoft Silverlight®, a new cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering the next generation of media experiences and rich interactive applications (RIA) for the Web. Early supporters of the new platform include Akamai, Brightcove, Eyeblaster, Limelight, Major League Baseball, Navisite, Netflix, Skinkers, Sonic Solutions, SyncCast, Tarari, Telestream, Winnov, and more."

Note: Some people have been talking about some device that appears in the following video as Zune 2.0. Although I doubt it greatly, if you want to make your own judgement, it appears at around :40 seconds into the video.

- Albert

Bill Gates on an HP Ad?

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 03:27:17 GMT

I was browsing through videos at MSN Soapbox when I ran across a very interesting and exciting video. We have all seen the HP "The Computer is Personal Again" commercials on TV before, making their original and identifiable theme a great success. Well, HP has done it again with what seems to be an upcoming commercial for the HP MediaSmart Server, which runs on Windows Home Server. Plus, as if it couldn't get any better, my two favorite companies (Microsoft and HP) decided to create this video featuring the one-and-only, Bill Gates. Take a look.

PS: If you know anything about this video (like if it's an actual commercial, if it will air, its purpose) please leave a comment. I'm sure we're all dying for some information.

Video: Microsoft Home Server HP Comercial

- Albert

Fox News using Live Search?

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 01:37:15 GMT

I was wondering if anyone noticed that FoxNews.com uses Windows Live Search to search the web. This came a great surprise to me because I know MSNBC is a common competitor to Fox News, and this partnership would have been very unlikely. Yet, the recent dissolve of the Microsoft-MSNBC (TV channel, not the website) partnership, may allow Microsoft to partner with other sites. Still, MSNBC.com is co-owned by Microsoft, so, in ways it's confusing, but yet a win for Microsoft. I'm not a visitor to FoxNews.com because I'm more of an MSNBC "fan" but today I decided to check out the competition (I watch Countdown, so unless you do, you know how we feel about the Fox "Noise" channel) so I don't know if this is old news or something that just hasn't been talked about.

- Albert

Which version of Windows Vista is right for me?

Sat, 17 Mar 2007 05:53:12 GMT

Since so many people have been asking about Windows Vista and which version fits their needs, I found it appropriate to dedicate a post solely to Windows Vista and its many offerings. Well, that's exactly where I believe that Microsoft did a fantastic job: having four versions to choose from, based on your unique needs. Let's start with what versions are commercially available:

Windows Vista Ultimate (Comparable to: Windows XP Media Center with XP Professional)
Windows Vista Business (Comparable to: Windows XP Professional)
Windows Vista Home Premium (Comparable to: Windows XP with Media Center Capabilities)
Windows Vista Home Basic (Comparable to: Windows XP Home)

The ones that are bolded are the ones that are going to be the most popular at a retail level. Just to make a point clear, the "comparable versions" I gave was to give an idea of what each version of Windows Vista is most similar to, to help offer you something you may be more knowledgeable about. Also, each version of Windows Vista was built for a specific someone: you. So go ahead and read the most thorough analysis of what each Windows Vista version does and does not include.

Home Basic is at the low-end of the Vista spectrum which will most likely be offered to those low-end and lower-priced PC's which are usually purchased for people who are going to perform basic beginner's surfing of the internet, basic word processing, serve as the first child's computer, or even for grandpa and grandma. It will offer the basic necessities of computing including advanced security. It will not offer the Windows Aero Glass look, Media Center capabilities, or HD Video support. Learn more
Home Premium will be the most popular version of Windows Vista. This will be mostly because its the version that contains everything the everyday computer user needs along with Media Center and the advanced Windows Aero visual experience. It will also include advanced laptop technologies that will make more efficient with battery and processing power, Windows Photo Gallery for instant touch-ups and picture editing tools, and collaboration tools that enable notebooks to connect and share files and information. It will not include Ultimate Extras which are exclusive to Vista Ultimate or the advanced security features included in Vista Business such as backup and Remote Desktop technologies. Learn more
Business is for the small or mid-sized business. It includes advanced backup and security technologies that are now crucial for a more efficient and secure working environment. It will also offer Windows Meeting Space for collaboration capabilities, advanced networking tools and enhancements, and Windows Aero. It will not include Media Center or most of the media-oriented features only available to Home Premium and Ultimate. Learn more
Ultimate is byfar the most complete version of Windows Vista. It offers everything Vista has to offer in the Business edition with all of the advanced networking, collaboration, backup utilities, and those included in Home Premium, Media Center capabilities with HD Video support and the Windows Aero user interface. It will also include exclusive Ultimate Extras which will be programs and add-ons that will only be available to Ultimate users such as DreamScene which permits the user to set a moving animation or video as a desktop background, or a tool that enables advanced photo imaging and much more. Learn more

So that can be considered a very comprehensive look at the different versions, it should offer you a clearer picture of what each offers and what needs each can suffice. If you plan to upgrade to Windows Vista from Windows XP, you might want to tune in to an upcoming blog post that will concentrate purely on the upgrade process, the options, the "yays" and "nays", and what you should do to meet your needs.

- Albert

New Live Search?

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 03:30:28 GMT

So yesterday as I was making one of my many Live searches, I discovered something that would occur almost randomly, thus leading me to assume that it hasn't been discussed or announced, even on the community or product-watch sites. It seems like Live Search is either getting an update or currently has two search engine technologies working and one is being removed. How did I come to this conclusion? Well, before I answer that, let me go ahead and explain what I discovered. So in the search that I performed, I had "Zune" as my search term. And what I noticed was that when I would go to Page 2 of the search results I would notice a very noticeable difference in the appearance of Live Search. To better explain what I mean, I have the following screenshots. You can click on the images to look at the original size.

1.A. Top Search Results View. Observations:

Current and most popular view when searching (Assumption: Old)
Sponsored Sites visible [Good]
Live Search logo is high quality [Good]
No highlight border around the search term box when mouse cursor hovers over it [Bad]
Note the blue area at the top that spans from left to right of page [N/A]
Note the "More" tab down arrow size/shape [N/A]

1.B. Top Search Results View. Observations:

The "random" appearance when searching (Assumption: New)
Sponsored Sites is not shown [Bad for advertisers; most likely just a bug]
Live Search logo appears to be a GIF file, or because of a less quality look appears to be [Bad]
Highlight border present around the search term box when mouse cursor is hovered over [Good]
Blue area at top of page is noticeably smaller in height [Good]
The "More" tab has a minimally different shaped down arrow [N/A]

2.A. Bottom Search Results View. Observations:

Current and most popular appearance when searching (Assumption: Old)
Note size and appearance of the page number buttons with the arrows [Bad]
Note the size and color appearance of the bottom search term box [Bad]
Note links present at bottom of the page [N/A]

2.B. Bottom Search Results View. Observations:

The "random" appearance when searching (Assumption: New)
The arrow buttons for the page numbers are now bigger and include the "Prev" and "Next" words. (This is probably what I love the most) [Good]
The size and color shade of the border of the bottom search term box is more accentuated and more visible to draw attention to it. [Good]
"New" link appears at bottom ("Trademarks") [N/A]

Now I just hope that my assumptions are right because if they were right, then we know that Microsoft has improved Live Search. If I am wrong, and these kind of details were part of older versions of Live Search and they are just having a hard time getting rid of all of them (pretty unlikely), then it would be sad to not have these features as "improvements." I may have gone too into detail with this finding, but I believe that it should be made known so people begin to comment on it and Microsoft gets some input. Anybody have any answers/comments/ideas?

- Albert

MSN Wifi Hotspots

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 02:07:23 GMT

So it's finally here and from now on whenever you are walking around town and you need to find a hotspot to connect to and surf the web, MSN Wifi Hotspots will be the website you will visit for future planning. Listing over 130,251 free and paid Wifi hotspots in 98 countries, the Hotspot Locator makes it easy to locate wireless Internet access around the globe.

click thumbnail to enlarge

Additionally, you can use the "View on Map" feature to see your search results on a map powered by Microsoft's Virtual Earth. Nevertheless, this product's launch also comes with a name/brand change. The following is what LiveSide had to say about it:

"As if by magic Windows Live Hotspot Locator has become MSN Wifi Hotspots. My original thoughts on the branding switch still apply; it might be frustrating for those who want to see Windows Live become a "super-brand" like Google but there is a lot of logic behind the move to MSN. I just wish that someone from Microsoft was talking about these changes and it wasn't just left for the users to self-adapt. Nothing yet from the Wifi team blog about the switch,
Branding issues aside, the web product is pretty good..."
- Chris from LiveSide

A switch from Live to MSN seems rational in this case only because MSN has recognition as an online portal, and nothing is more portal-like than a page that gives you information from and about different sources. Also, this website doesn't really look like a service, which Windows Live seems to be oriented in, but more like a content-based resource, again, like MSN. Comments?

- Albert

LiveJournal tags: MSN Wifi Hotspot

Microsoft.com down? *Update 2

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 01:48:45 GMT

Well, it's been well over half an hour and Microsoft.com is back online. I wonder if there will ever be an explanation to what happened during the time period, but at least it was only half an hour. Yet, due to the traffic Microsoft.com receives, it would be nice to know the cause or specifics. I'm probably just exaggerating the issue, but I just found it awkward that in all of the time I have daily visited Microsoft.com, there was never a failure. I know that there are sure to be some, but normally it is explained or schedule. Well, let's just see what happens now.

Microsoft.com down? Update*

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 01:17:29 GMT

Well, it's only been minutes and it seems like the error page has changed to a white page with the following text: "MSCOM RENDERING PLACEHOLDER". I have never seen anything like that on a website before so if anybody has a clue to what's going on here, it would be greatly appreciated. From what it seems, this might just be some sort of server re-organizing, but we never know. Note: It seems like the Microsoft.com US-English (main Microsoft.com site) is the one that is experiencing this, as I tried it with the UK version, and it was working perfectly. Stay tuned for any updates.

- Albert

Microsoft.com down?

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 01:09:32 GMT

It seems like the Microsoft.com home page might be experiencing some technical difficulties or is under some quick updating because at around 5:00 PM (when I noticed) or earlier, the Microsoft.com website began to show the following. To make sure I tested visiting the site in IE 7, Firefox, and Browzar.

If anybody has any news on this or if it was a scheduled downtime, please drop a comment as this is quite surprising on Microsoft's part. Hope this is all resolved soon.

- Albert

MSN and LeBron James Announcement?

Sat, 17 Feb 2007 02:18:26 GMT

So Microsoft PressPass posts this awkward news bulletin on their website about some "announcement" that MSN and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers will make in Las Vegas on Monday, February 19, at 11:30 AM PST. Joanne Bradford, corporate vice president of Microsoft Corp. and chief media officer of MSN along with Maverick Carter, CEO of LRMR Innovative Marketing & Branding will be at the "announcement". It will take place at the John D. “Jackie” Gaughan Boys & Girls Club and light lunch with internet access will be offered at the event. Until then, we don't really have an exact idea of what this is all about, but it almost seems like it's a marketing move on Microsoft's part. MSN also seems to be on a roll here since this is the second announcement after yesterday's major announcement of some really big MSN involvement. I'm excited to finally see some MSN activities and events after the long sleep it has taken since probably it's launch, and it's both good to continue to build MSN users and most importantly maintain its current huge audience of over 400 million monthly users.

- Albert

Windows Vista Ultimate

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:00:52 GMT

I found a video on Soapbox that seems to have been posted by some Microsoft Marketing employee because according to the description, the video will be used to play on Windows Vista Ultimate demos. I'm guessing it will be playing on some screen next to a Windows Vista Ultimate computer to show-off all of the features it has to offer. Enjoy the video.

Video: Windows Vista Ultimate Kiosk

- Albert

Windows Live Hotmail?

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 23:09:06 GMT

So it has just been stated on the Windows Live Mail (Well, now "Hotmail") Blog that Windows Live Mail is officially now renamed to Windows Live Hotmail. Richard Sim, the Senior Product Manager, justifies the change due to customer response from the original change from Hotmail to Windows Live and how customers responded with negative connotations due to the already-established Hotmail brand. Throughout his relatively short blog post, he gives various reasons to defend the rather awkward and almost radical name change, but it all comes together at one of his last paragraphs:

"As we prepare to launch the final version of our new web mail service, we recognize the importance of ensuring that our 260+ million existing customers come over to the new service smoothly and without confusion. By adopting the name “Windows Live Hotmail”, we believe we’re bringing together the best of both worlds – new and old. We’re able to offer the great new technology that Windows Live has to offer while also bringing the emotional connection many existing and loyal users have with Hotmail."

Now, I haven't really found anyone who is emotionally attached to Hotmail, but I do feel that the name change is well justified with the fact that there is a huge user base that is very well aware of the brand. Suddenly changing the brand would confuse millions, and unless they continue with the service and discover that it is a huge improvement, many people might just be turned off with the sudden 360 change. Now, I'm an MSN Hotmail user, and according to Mary Jo over at ZDNet, MSN will also be renamed Windows Live Hotmail. In ways I kind of liked the differentiation and the unique feeling of being an MSN user, but a @live.com e-mail address would be pretty cool. Opinions?

- Albert

Which Vista is Right for Me?

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 06:58:16 GMT

Since so many people have been asking about Windows Vista and which version fits their needs, I found it appropriate to dedicate a post solely on Windows Vista and its many offerings. Well, that's where I believe that Microsoft did a fantastic job at offering four versions to chose from, based on your unique needs. Let's start with what versions are commercially available:

Windows Vista Ultimate (Comparable to: Windows XP Media Center 2005 with XP Professional)
Windows Vista Business (Comparable to: Windows XP Professional)
Windows Vista Home Premium (Comparable to: Windows XP with Media Center Capabilities)
Windows Vista Home Basic (Comparable to: Windows XP Home)

The ones that I bolded are the ones that are going to be the most popular at retail stores for consumers. And just to make a point clear, the comparable versions I gave was to give an idea of what version of Vista each is mostly made for, when in reality, the Vista edition being compared to the previous Windows XP is far more advanced in every single way. To further establish an idea, let's analyze the versions, starting from the bottom:

Home Basic is at the low-end of the Vista spectrum which will most likely be offered to those low-end and lower-priced PC's which are usually purchased for people who are going to perform basic beginner's surfing of the internet, basic word processing, serve as the first child's computer, or even for grandpa and grandma. It will offer the basic necessities of computing including advanced security. It will not offer the Windows Aero Glass look, Media Center capabilities, or HD Video support. Learn more
Home Premium will be the most popular version of Windows Vista. This will be mostly because its the version that contains everything the everyday computer user needs along with Media Center and the advanced Windows Aero visual experience. It will also include advanced laptop technologies that will make more efficient with battery and processing power, Windows Photo Gallery for instant touch-ups and picture editing tools, and collaboration tools that enable notebooks to connect and share files and information. It will not include Ultimate Extras which are exclusive to Vista Ultimate or the advanced security features included in Vista Business such as backup and Remote Desktop technologies. Learn more
Business is for the small or mid-sized business. It includes advanced backup and security technologies that are now crucial for a more efficient and secure working environment. It will also offer Windows Meeting Space for collaboration capabilities, advanced networking tools and enhancements, and Windows Aero. It will not include Media Center or most of the media-oriented features only available to Home Premium and Ultimate. Learn more
Ultimate is byfar the most complete version of Windows Vista. It offers everything Vista has to offer in the Business edition with all of the advanced networking, collaboration, backup utilities, and those included in Home Premium, Media Center capabilities with HD Video support and the Windows Aero user interface. It will also include exclusive Ultimate Extras which will be programs and addons that will only be available to Ultimate users such as DreamScene which permits the user to set a moving animation or video as a desktop background, or a tool that enables advanced photo imaging and much more. Learn more

So that can be considered a very comprehensive look at the different versions and it should offer you a clearer picture of what each offers and what needs each can support. If you plan to upgrade to Windows Vista from Windows XP, you might want to tune in to an upcoming blog post that will concentrate purely on the upgrade process, the options, the "yays" and "nays", and what you should do to meet your needs.

- Albert

Improve Internet Explorer 7 With Patch

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 02:44:23 GMT

Microsoft has released an update to its Windows Internet Explorer 7 without much public alert. The patch which is available on Microsoft's website (link is listed at the bottom) and will be later distributed via Windows Update to Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. The news of this patch was made public at the Internet Explorer Blog which is handled by the Microsoft IE Team. How does this patch exactly improve Internet Explorer's performance? Well, what it improves is the way that the Phishing Filter included in IE 7 works on certain websites that include various frames within the same page, thus resulting in a longer analysis of the website, which often resulted with mixed results. The patch then improves the performance of the way IE looks at each of these frames and the way it presents and decides on the evaluation. It is recommended that you download and apply the patch if you feel your IE experience has been rather sluggish.

- Albert