Posted by Geetesh Bajaj on August 24, 2007 08:33 PM
Microsoft has been working on a new interface that uses finger-tip movements on both the surface of a device, and the back-surface of the same device. This technology being worked on with Mitsubishi is called LucidTouch. This YouTube video explains more.
Microsoft's Live Labs is working with the BBC to create 3D representations of popular UK landmarks using their under development Photosynth 3D technology. Check it out -- this can be hours of fun!
Posted by Geetesh Bajaj on February 09, 2007 07:18 PM
iPods could be damaged by Microsoft's new computer operating system, the company behind the popular digital music players has warned. Apple, the long-standing rival of Bill Gates's Microsoft, is urging users not to upgrade their PCs to the Vista system until it comes up with a compatible version of the software that runs iPods. More on the Telegraph UK site...
PC Advisor adds that none of Apple's Windows applications are yet compatible with Microsoft's Windows Vista OS (operating system), according to an Apple technical support document. News that iTunes for Windows isn't yet ready for Microsoft's new OS emerged earlier this week, with Apple warning PC users to hold off on a Vista upgrade pending the release of updates.
Posted by Geetesh Bajaj on February 08, 2007 08:57 PM
If you visited Apple's website in the last few months, you must have seen the prominently placed movies that show how the Mac fares against the PC -- of course, they want to say that the Mac is better. Microsoft hasn't provided a rejoinder by creating their own Mac vs. PC movie ads, but someone else did, and posted them on YouTube!
Posted by Geetesh Bajaj on February 07, 2007 07:22 PM
ZDNet reports that Microsoft plans on Monday to officially announce Windows Mobile 6, formerly code-named Crossbow, at the 3GSM trade show in Barcelona. The first devices using the software aren't expected until spring, however, with the bulk of products using the new operating system likely to come in the second half of the year.
PC World adds that for business users who want Microsoft Office on their cell phones, Windows Mobile 6, the upcoming version of Redmond's mobile operating system to be unveiled next week, will be a must-have upgrade. Mobile 6 comes with mobile versions of Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
And Engadget did clarify that no carrier or manufacturer announcements have been made at this point regarding availability or upgrades -- all eyes are on next Monday for that.
Google Spreadsheets did create a flutter when it was announced -- and I still had not tried it out. So when it started spreading its wings and there was this news report of Panorama Software integrating its business intelligence software with Google's spreadsheet move, I knew I should take a look.
I actually quite like what I see on the site -- as long as you are a Google member with a GMail account, it's super simple to sign in and start creating your spreadsheets. You can import your Excel spreadsheets, and save them too in Excel format. And the interface is great -- actually, it's more like a simplified version of the Excel 2007 interface -- you can't miss the fact that Google Spreadsheets has just one menu option (like the Office Button in Excel 2007), and everything else is accessible in tabs (again like the Excel 2007 ribbons). So is that where Google is trying to land its flight?
Microsoft announced the Ultimate Keyboard that has niceties like mood lighting, rechargeable power, and wireless connectivity to the computer. Check it out here...
Elsewhere, Art. Lebedev Studio from Russia has created the Optimus keyboard -- just look at this stunner.
An Origami PC, also known as the Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC), is a PC that runs the real version of Windows, like Windows XP, or Windows Vista. It's larger than a PDA, but smaller than the smallest laptops. The screen on most of these PCs will be around 7 inches.
So is everyone excited about these devices? Yes and no -- there are many who will sing songs of praise but there's no dearth of skeptics as well. Everyone does agree though that there is so much more evolution down the road for these Origami PCs.
As CNET news says -- Bill Gates' vision of an ultramobile PC seemed like a winner: a device with all-day battery life, yet small enough to fit in a pocket and much cheaper than a laptop. But as devices begin to come out a year later, reality still trails Microsoft's ambitions. The first generation of devices, being announced Thursday and already featured on Microsoft's site, are bigger, pricier and more power hungry than the software maker had hoped.
Echoing in the same voice, Vnunet reported how the companies behind Microsoft's Origami ultra-mobile PC project were unable to demonstrate it successfully at a recent news conference in Seoul.
PC Magazine was not too much more enthusiastic in their review of Samsung's Q1, one of the first UMPCs released, but it did look at the good aspects as well -- at first glance, the Q1 looks like a pumped-up Sony PSP. Even the scroll button resembles the joystick on the PSP. The big difference, of course, is that the Q1 is a fully functional PC loaded with the Windows XP (Tablet Edition) operating system.
Microsoft announced that it is teaming up with Creative Commons to integrate a copyright licensing tool in their Office suite. So what is Creative Commons? Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that offers flexible copyright licenses for creative works -- you can see Flash movie tutorials on their site that explain this better.
Redmongmag.com reports that the copyright licensing tool, which is free, will let Word, Excel and PowerPoint users choose among a selection of copyright licenses to address particular documents from within the Office applications, according to a joint statement by Microsoft and Creative Commons.
ZDNet was a little more euphoric when they gave kudos to Microsoft for making it possible for users of their Office suite (now numbering 400 million) to easily apply a Creative Commons license to the work they author using the applications in that productivity suite. ZDNet also adds that there is no word on whether this capability will be built into 2007 Microsoft Office system.
If these were the bouquets, then there are brickbats too. Tectonic says that Microsoft downplayed the links between Creative Commons and open source in its announcement, and everyone suddenly seems to be on friendly terms.
Microsoft quietly stepped into the robotics arena with the launch of its new Robotics Studio. Microsoft claims that Robotics Studio offers end-to-end robotics development environment customer technical preview for hobbyist, academic, and commercial developers.
Betanews adds that one of Microsoft's first partners in the field is Lego, whose Mindstorms NXT products will be able to take advantage of the new platform. With Robotics Studio, Lego robots would be able to perform more advanced functions.
The Inquirer quotes Microsoft sources -- according to the site, General manager of the Microsoft Robotics Group, Tandy Trower says that Microsoft wants to have its products in place by the time the market takes off in three to five years time.
ABC News found rivals to be quite skeptical of Microsoft's robotic ambitions -- according to the site, just hours after Microsoft announced the beta rollout of its DirectX, Aegia-based Microsoft Robotics Studio (MRS), Evolution Robotics president and chief technical officer Paolo Pirjanian called the concept of building a software robotics standard, without heeding demands and costs of hardware, "a nice academic exercise." Although Pirjanian did not mention Microsoft by name, the implication was clear to the 750 or so attendees.
Adobe has decided to distribute the Google toolbar with a few of its products starting with its Flash player. That could be a setback for Yahoo!, since until now, the Yahoo! toolbar was being distributed along with the Flash player. Adobe does not mention if this ends their relation with Yahoo!
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According to the Washington Post, Adobe said it had begun distributing Google search software to new users of Adobe's Shockwave multimedia playback software, which plays interactive programs such as games, entertainment, business presentations, and advertisements in a Web browser.
eWeek adds that Google's deal with Adobe will help Google continue to spread its products to consumers and compete with Microsoft, which is planning to embed its new search tool in its Vista operating system, which should ship early next year.
And QCK.com reports that Google's share prices rose over 3.9 per cent to $402.50 at close on Nasdaq yesterday, in light of the company's new deal with software distributors Adobe.
Microsoft's legendary co-founded says he would retire from everyday work in 2008 to concentrate more on his work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation -- he would not leave the company entirely, but will focus more on the Foundation.
First there were voices that said that the Yahoo! and eBay team-up would hurt Google the most. Then there were rumors that the talks broke down and that eBay was talking to Microsoft. And then there was the news that Yahoo! and eBay will indeed work together.
Whatever might have happened is unclear, but Adobe's insistence and threat of a court case has resulted in Microsoft quietly deciding to ship the upcoming Office 2007 product without PDF export options.
That's very strange since these products include PDF export:
Corel WordPerfect Suite
OpenOffice
Mac OS X (PDF export built-in at system level)
Apple Keynote
CorelDRAW
Quark XPress
and many, many more...
So what's different with Microsoft Office including PDF export?
