Archive for January, 2008
January 30, 2008 at 3:23 pm ·
Filed under Video, Releases, Live Services
The Belgian MSN team is about to launch msnvideo.be. It’s actually a local version of the Soapbox website that’s been online for a while now, and of which I’m hoping they’ll switch to Silverlight really soon. That would be sooo awesome. But let’s not get off the track. The MSN Video site will publish ‘purchased content’ like clips from National Geographic, Gossip and Hollywood crap and more pleasant things as (live) concerts and music clips. Obivously some news content will be made available as well. As much as I like the initiative, I think it’s a bit of a downer that they didn’t include the ‘embed’ link for the videos and only the ‘email this’, ‘blog it on spaces’ and ‘link to video’. There are so many more options available on Soapbox to promote a clip, which contributes to the portability and accessibility of the data. I hope they’ll add this too locally and I’m pretty sure that having a lot of the Soapbox content localized is a good thing to promote our platform. For the launch, a commercial has been released with the (translated) catch phrase: “You’ll prefer picking what you see yourself”.
Video: It's better to choose what you see
January 30, 2008 at 2:41 pm ·
Filed under PR, Releases, Live Services
The European MSN / Windows Live crew launched their blog / Live Space to communicate all their online activities, campaigns and tutorials. Most of the things you’ll see appearing there aren’t all that super new if you keep track of the US and UK releases. Very often they’re ahead of the localisation in the rest of Europe. But it’s going to be a good channel to keep posted on what’s become available regionally, which is always good to know. Tune in at LiveInEurope, and add them on Twitter too :-)
January 30, 2008 at 12:41 pm ·
Filed under MicroLife, Video, Fun
If there is one thing I can assure you, then it’s that we spend a lot of time on the phone to report, discuss global events, do budget run-throughs and what not. It’s a given throughout the entire company, and the most annoying part of it is the smooth jazz they play while you’re waiting for the leader of the call to dial in and open up the call. A few guys have recorded their attempt to meet and show you what happens behind closed doors of a meeting room. Rated ‘RF’ for ‘ridiculous’ and ‘funny’
Video: Conference Call
January 30, 2008 at 11:23 am ·
Filed under Technology, Domotics
The cool thing about Windows Media Center is that it can easily hook up with third party applications such as specific domotics software. With a very convenient interface, you can access the home automation console and control things as lighting, temperatures, and security. An example is the HAI software pack. With HAI Home Control, the Windows Media Center presents your HAI system’s features, too. You get menus for lighting control, security, temperature control, macros, the event log, and more. So you can settle in for a great movie with the lights, temperature, and security adjusted exactly as you please. Below is an example of the Media Center interface for a domotic program:
January 30, 2008 at 10:47 am ·
Filed under Technology, Fun, Domotics
Aaaaages ago, when the ‘pc on every desktop’ meme still had to be dreamed of and DOS wasn’t coded yet, a company named the Philco-Ford Corporation launched a pretty foreseeing prototype video of the technology they would see arrive in the homes of people. Philco-Ford was funny enough an aeronautical company, but the devices they’ve placed in the living room or in dad’s home office look a lot like the ones you’d see in the early Bond movies. Despite the age of the movie, things like online shopping, home surveillance, automated backups and online payments were already being discussed. The movie is estimated to be of 1967. Enjoy the flashback.
Video: Digital Life in 1967
via
January 25, 2008 at 11:29 am ·
Filed under PR, Releases
As already rumored a couple of days ago, and announced today at the Circle Of Media event here in Belgium, Microsoft will team up with Dell to deliver a joint product to support the (RED) initiative. Windows and Dell have joined (RED) to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. When you buy a Dell (PRODUCT) RED PC with Windows Vista Ultimate (PRODUCT) RED, Windows and Dell will jointly contribute $50 to $80, depending on the product, to The Global Fund. With Windows Vista Ultimate (PRODUCT) RED, these aren’t just the ultimate PCs, they’re a powerful way to improve lives. The product line is extended with a branded laptop and a printer. This adds up to the entire line of (RED) products that’s already out there.
More product pictures on Flickr
Find out more:
For more information about (RED), visit www.joinred.com
Stay up to date on (RED) happenings with our blog at http://joinred.blogspot.com
Add us as a friend at www.myspace.com/joinred
Check our (RED) photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/joinred/
Tune into our channel at http://www.youtube.com/joinred
For more information about the Global Fund, visit www.theglobalfund.org
January 21, 2008 at 3:45 pm ·
Filed under CES, Technology
I’m a lazy technologist. I use remote controls for my DVD player, for my plasma TV, for the radio. I let things go in stand-by or sleep modus because often I don’t really care to get up and push that button, even though that used to be different in the early days when the TV at my mom and dad didn’t had a remote and we had to get up to go switch the channel. But now here we are. I am the king of stand-by entertainment.
Until recently, when I got pointed to this nifty device of Belkin, and to the result its use would have on the general end result of the yearly elnergyy bill. Did you know that if you completely turn off your electronic equipment rather than leave them on standby mode, you can save as much as 20% on your energy bill? I didn’t. But apparently it’s true. And since the costs of energy in Belgium recently was announced to become more expensive… I think it’s about time to make this small investment and change a few things.
All hail the Belkin Conserve Surge Protector. The device that will help me save money and power; good for myself and nature, all in one move! The Conserve Surge Protector comes with a remote control (which I like very much) and will shut off 6 devices for you just with one click of the button.
The surge protector has 8 outlets, of which 6 can be controlled by a handy remote. Just stick the remote to any wall of your home near a door on your way out and switch it off the when you pass it - this will ensure that the devices connected to the surge protector are automatically shut down. Me likey. Me wantee.
[source: CES / DVICE]
January 21, 2008 at 2:24 pm ·
Filed under Technology, Gadgets
Your Halo3 games will never be the same anymore if you use these super hi-tech deluxe contact lens displays. It’s in fact a virtual display, beamed directly to your eyeballs, which will most certainly improve your ‘in-game’ experience.
“The lenses, developed at the University of Washington, may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but tests have already been carried out on some unfortunate rabbits like the one in the photo.” says UK mag Tech
When perfected for human use, the lenses could bring anything from immersive video gaming to multi-purpose screens that deliver data from all our electronic devices, including phones and computers. Although that sounds truly innovative, it’s best not to be driving a car or shopping at the super market whilst playing shoot’em up games. People might be looking very weird in your general direction.
Don’t expect this thing to show up soon at your local store though, because the prototype has just been tested. The current simple lenses contain circuitry and tiny red LEDs that form a rudimentary display, although the issue of delivering the power to illuminate them has not yet been solved. That’s likely to come from radio-frequency power and solar cells on the outside of the lens, says Tech. Anyways, this sure is a pretty fresh take on the virtual things, and it opens up the doors to a splendid new experience. It certainly is a welcome change for those unsexy goggles you have to put on today.
January 8, 2008 at 2:27 am ·
Filed under CES
It was a fun moment during his keynote, but indeed, Bill is getting closer to his very last day on the job as a fulltime Microsoft employee. I thought it was quite amazing to see the amount of celebrities that were featured in the clip. Shortly after the keynote, the clip has been put on various places on the web, but the guys from On10 managed to lay hands on the high quality version and they’ve put it online. Enjoy!
January 7, 2008 at 11:48 am ·
Filed under CES
To see what on10 and the Enthusiast Evangelists are doing, head over to the on10 website to see the interviews they put online.
Watch the CES keynote on the Microsoft website.
See Jeff’s Flickr feed about the event.
Or check out the CES website and browse through what’s going on.
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