Microsoft SmartPhone, The Rumour Mill!

Posted by: Peter Murphy on Nov 30 2008 - 46 views

Well this one has been going around for ages, that Microsoft would eventually come up with it’s own hardware to deliver it’s Windows Mobile OS on, and somehow couple it with the Zune MP3 player to create the ultimate WinMo device. I always find myself having a little chuckle at the cynical optimism of tech writers, whether they be from large syndicated news networks, or rather less well known publications.

To set the stage, a blast from the past, that did nothing to dampen the rumours of a Microsoft WinMo phone

Albeit a rather tongue in cheek look at a Microsoft device, more of a boomerang than a sleek phone, there is still a lot of wondering and speculation as to whether Microsoft will ever release a mobile device, or Zune Phone. A post earlier in the week at CNBC.com, seems to suggest that this is actually about to happen, and soon.

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Microsoft App Store, Online.

Posted by: Peter Murphy on Nov 15 2008 - 24 views

Yes it’s finally here, Micro$oft have finally gone online in the US with their Store. I’m going to have to admit, that I assumed an online store from Microsoft, would focus on windows mobile, but we all know what happens when we assume… 

It’s definitely not a Windows Mobile application store, it is your cloud conduit to all things windows except Mobile . I would have thought that the Zune store/marketplace would have been sucked up into this vortex, as well, but the Zune is only available as entertainment hardware at the store.

The store is almost everything windows PC, except for XBox, Zune and games. Go figure?

It offers great advantages for the greener consumers out there, no packaging, you can get your software over the air, and do away with all of those great big plastic boxes that M$ still insist on putting a DVD/installation CD in. With the store you create an account and buy online, and all of your details are there, you can re-download, and recover product keys at your leisure. You can still request the hard copy of your software, M$ still offers this antiquarian service, although they are moving further into the Cloud.

M$ can’t hope to emulate iTunes with this portal, let’s face it they are late to the party, but if you are a PC, this is probably welcome news, sorry to see, as far as OS’s go, Vista is the be all and end all, my XP Eee is spitting at me as I type this

Microsoft Store

Microsoft Opens Online Store in the US | GottaBeMobile.com

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Windows 7 for Free… Well some pain included!

Posted by: Peter Murphy on Oct 09 2008 - 41 views

Everyone’s waiting for the new version of Windows to emerge, and hoping it will erase the Vista fiasco, as XP did to ME. Recently it came to light that if you attended certain conferences, you would go home with an advance copy of the operating system.

Who isn’t ready for Windows 7? That wiser, stabler, more streamlined OS with Vista’s good looks but an even prettier Start button and an alleged 15-second boot time? Heck, even Bill Gates is excited to get on to the next version. You can get your hands on a “pre-beta” version of Windows 7 by attending the Professional Developer Conference (PDC) in LA October 27 to 30, or the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC), also in LA shortly after, from November 5 to 7. Go get them, and then report back to us with some new info. [Vista Blog;]

So if you’re available, and have the connections, you can get your Windows Fix. Although what sort of fix it is I can’t say, cool or retro, I am really hoping that there’s a light at the end of this tunnel.

Whether this be an alpha or beta, it’s going to be a coup for Microsoft, but will the OS live up to the hype? With the advent of the “netbook” and a move by Apple to run one OS on all of it’s devices, will Windows 7 be the Windows Lite that has been rumoured. A Microsoft OS with a much more efficient and compact core. I suppose we’ll find out next month, but if you had the next big thing, how would you present it. I hope this is an example of how not to do it!

Will a corny video be the herald of the newest Windows OS? click the image above to go to the you tube page. Microsoft’s not really calling us all Kevin Bacon wannabe’s!

Via Gizmodo

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The I’m A PC, Monkey Dance!

Posted by: Peter Murphy on Sep 21 2008 - 15 views

The “I’m a PC” line of commercials, are a refreshing move by Microsoft, and highlight the strength of the platform. Let’s face it most people cut their computing teeth on a Micro$oft based system, and system loyalty, whether it be driven by apathy (sticking with what’s familiar, not wanting to experience a new OS learning curve, or discount years of specialisation, and therefore expertise). Then they go and spoil it with this! Click on the photo, or the link below to go to the I’m A PC page and view the Ballmer shenanigans.

http://imapc.lifewithoutwalls.com/?icid=realpc

The over the top styling’s of Ballmer don’t do a lot for me, although the Seinfeld/Gates advertisements left me cold as well.

When it comes down to the nitty gritty though, you must applaud the quality of the overall marketing package, that M$ have put together, and I will have to admit at this point that I’m a PC. I have to admit that M$ have done the best job ever of presenting their platform as cool and rugged, and the stereotype of the computer geek, proliferated in the Mac ads is far away from the images Microsoft are presenting now.

Now we are seeing a slicker, cooler and well much more rugged presentation of the PC/M$ OS. Depicting a much better metaphorical representation of what the OS can do for you ie; open a window to the  world. The Windows revolution, or more pertinently, make over, is obviously designed to overcome the years of, well, undesirable impressions, of PC users. You know get a cool haircut and a netbook and you’re up there in the mobile tech world.

With all of the info seemingly focused on highlighting M$’s huge market share, and the proliferation of netbook PC’s, that are somehow dependent on an almost superceded OS.

I’m still sporting XP, upgrading to Vista, is not an option, it doesn’t, or isn’t as user friendly, IMHO,

The fact is though, we are not seeing Windows Mobile development, in any significant way, “slowly slowly catchee monkey” seems to be the ethos there.

I thought I do a construct of an Apple/PC advertisement, but Microsoft have done it.

Have a look at the “I’m  a PC website“

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Hi. I’m a Mac. And the new MS Commercials are great.

Posted by: Brandon Steili on Sep 18 2008 - 62 views

Ok - so maybe they aren’t as good as that one - but they’re still pretty good. I like that they turned things back on Apple a bit with the “Hodgman Look-A-Like” and I definitely like that they brought a personal feel to the ads instead of just 30 seconds of “commercial about nothing”.

Anyway, here’s the videos:

Thanks to @TechCrunch for putting this out on twitter. Be sure to tell us what you think of the new videos in the comments. Do you think this is an improvement or should MS bring back the funny guys?

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The Story continues and befuddles!

Posted by: Peter Murphy on Sep 12 2008 - 39 views

 

This new Microsoft campaign, is really vague, and I suppose that is what gives it power, and draws attention to it. All of us are expecting a defining statement, where as,  we get tidbits. What is fascinating is where this will go? The tag to the latest inclusion to this Microsoft saga was about “connectivity” and the failure of Seinfeld and Gates, to really connect with the family they are billeted with, may amount to some innovative ease of personal networking, initiative.

I’m only guessing here, I really don’t get where this is going, obviously we are going to have to follow a long string of commercials, which may be the culmination of Bill’s childhood dreams to be a Hollywood star, to realise the culmination of this media campaign.

Anyone else getting a Woody Allen vibe from Bill in the already posted videos?

For me, I want the news and I want it now, and this sort of campaign leaves me nothing to work with, or look forward to, or want to have. It’s as fake and uninformative as the Knock Off pictured above.

It would be nice if  Microsoft would be straight up and tell us what they’ve got!

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