Tag Archives: Microsoft
Microsoft’s Vision of the Future
Watch how future technology will help people make better use of their time, focus their attention, and strengthen relationships while getting things done at work, home, and on the go. (Release: 2011)
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Funnies: Microsoft’s Vision of the Future
…Thanks to Microsoft’s vision of the future, we won’t just be saving trees, we’ll be living in them!
Microsoft demonstrates Windows 8 with HTML5 apps
Microsoft has provided a look at how it plans to bring Windows to more mobile devices in the future, leveraging ARM processors and using HTML5 as the basis of a new app platform.
As demonstrated at the D9 conference, Windows 8 will deliver a touch-centric new interface for apps built using HTML5 and JavaScript that runs on top of the existing, conventional Windows platform.
The company showed off a new Start screen patterned after the tiled home page of Windows Phone 7. The company says the new tiled interface
“replaces the Windows Start menu with a customizable, scalable full-screen view of apps.”
REDMOND, Wash. – June 1, 2011 – Today, at the D9 Conference, we demonstrated the next generation of Windows, internally code-named “Windows 8,” for the first time. Windows 8 is a reimagining of Windows, from the chip to the interface. A Windows 8-based PC is really a new kind of device, one that scales from touch-only small screens through to large screens, with or without a keyboard and mouse.
The demo showed some of the ways we’ve reimagined the interface for a new generation of touch-centric hardware. Fast, fluid and dynamic, the experience has been transformed while keeping the power, flexibility and connectivity of Windows intact.
Here are a few aspects of the new interface we showed today:
• Fast launching of apps from a tile-based Start screen, which replaces the Windows Start menu with a customizable, scalable full-screen view of apps. • Live tiles with notifications, showing always up-to-date information from your apps. • Fluid, natural switching between running apps. • Convenient ability to snap and resize an app to the side of the screen, so you can really multitask using the capabilities of Windows. • Web-connected and Web-powered apps built using HTML5 and JavaScript that have access to the full power of the PC. • Fully touch-optimized browsing, with all the power of hardware-accelerated Internet Explorer 10. We also showed effortless movement between existing Windows programs and new Windows 8 apps. The full capabilities of Windows continue to be available to you, including the Windows Explorer and Desktop, as does compatibility with all Windows 7 logo PCs, software and peripherals.
via AppleInsider
VOTD: AR Drone + Kinect
Parrot AR Drone controlled with body movements using the Kinect. Developed by Tom Zickel (with the support of the Zickel family). Demonstrated at Kinnernet 2011
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Zickel-Engineering/208726312487328
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/2119327
Soundtrack: Joe Satriani – Just Like Lightnin’
POTD: Dancing with Invisible Light by @yerdua
A series of interactions with Kinect’s infrared structured light
With these images I was exploring the unique photographic possibilities presented by using a Microsoft Kinect as a light source. The Kinect – an inexpensive videogame peripheral – projects a pattern of infrared dots known as “structured light”. Invisible to the eye, this pattern can be captured using an infrared camera. The Kinect uses the deformation of this dot pattern to derive 3D information about its subjects (an ability which has already spawned an explosion of incredible digital art).
As a photographer I am most interested in the nature and quality of light: how light behaves in the physical world, and how it interacts with and affects the subjects that it illuminates. For this shoot my models and I were essentially working blind, with the results visible only after each image was captured. Together, we explored the unique physicality of structured light, finding our way in the darkness by touch and intuition. Dancing with invisible light.
This series would not have been possible without the help of these amazing people:
Aaron Muszalski and I worked together on the concept, and he took care of the logistics and planning for the shoot.
Mike Estee is a long time collaborator in many mediums. He lent his technical expertise and photographic equipment to the shoot. He also modeled for me, assisted with lighting and wrote an excellent blog post about the shoot.
Ian Baker assisted with lighting arrangement and modeled.
Models:
QTRNevermore
C. King
KC
Mike Estee
Ian Baker
Helyx
Star St. Germain Annetta Black
Josh St. John
Nicole Aptekar lent me her Kinect.
For more information, see:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structured_light
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinect
www.openkinect.org/
Windows 7 Asus Eee Slate fail!
Fail why? Here some points;
A. It seems in the ads it can only be used landscape, which is probably due to hardware and not Windows 7.
B. It’s expensive, at $1,099, the iPad 2 is $499.
C. It’s heavy, 1.145KG, also I can’t find the battery life quoted any where, which probably means it’s not good.
D. It’s running full Windows 7, which means the web will not load for tablet style touch interfaces. Facebook can be fiddly on touch screens and no touch screen apps.
With its perfect blend of technology and art– the Asus Eee Slate with Windows 7 can help artists do it all.
SOTD: Internet Explorer 6 Countdown
SOTD: National Rail Enquiries for IE9
At National Rail Enquiries, we’re constantly pushing the boundaries when developing the UK’s number one travel website.
When Microsoft approached us to partner in the launch of Internet Explorer 9 which went live this week, we thought it was an opportunity for us to push our boundaries even further.
Live departures and arrivals
The site utilises the same great information you can get from our normal website, but in a super new format enabled by HTML5.
Windows 7 users can also drag and drop a website to their Taskbar (called “pinning”), so we’ve now effectively brought live departures and arrivals information direct to your Desktops. From then it’s just a single-click on our logo from your taskbar to find out if there are any changes to your journey.
How do I get it?
You can download the latest version of Internet Explorer from Microsoft here. Once you’ve installed it, you can start using our Live Boards at http://ie9.nationalrail.co.uk.
What about Mac users?
Not wanting to neglect our non-Windows customers, we’ve also launched a Live Departures widget for those who have Mac OS X Leopard or greater. The widget uses the same information to bring you Live Departure information direct to your desktop. You can find out more about it and download the widget from here.
Apple’s iPod killed Microsoft’s Zune
Microsoft has nixed any future iterations of its Zune music and video player, according to a Bloomberg report, adding another name on the list of devices killed by Apple’s iPod hardware and entertainment ecosystem.
Microsoft has yet to make the death of its Zune official, but unofficial it’s believed the decision is based on poor demand for its players since the Zune line was introduced almost five years ago.
In the music and video player market, Apple’s iPod is still king. NPD’s figures put its domination at around 77 percent of the market last year. In comparison, Microsoft’s players weren’t even in the top five devices on the market, despite a price drop in early 2010.
Zune’s inevitable hardware demise won’t be sudden though. According to Bloomberg’s sources, Microsoft will continue to sell existing versions of Zune, probably until remaining stock is exhausted.
via Macworld UK.
SOTD: Mike Tompkins Video Mixer
Mike Tompkins Video Mixer.
Interact with Mike Tompkins video! Best viewed in the New Internet Explorer 9!
