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Last week, Microsoft took the beta tag off their free Windows Live SkyDrive online storage service and raised the storage limit to 5GB. SkyDrive is now available to users in 38 countries. As I have observed previously, online storage services are hardly novel. If you would like even more free online storage, you can get 25 GB right now at MediaMax. Still, I suppose SkyDrive rounds out the Windows Live “user experience” and is miles ahead of Yahoo’s Briefcase which only offers 25 MB.
After Toshiba surrendered the high definition DVD war to Blu-ray last week, the remaining supporters of HD DVD have been announcing their revised plans. Yesterday Microsoft’s were revealed on their Gamerscore blog:
As a result of recent decisions made by Toshiba, Hollywood studios, and retailers, Microsoft plans to withdraw from HD DVD. Xbox will no longer manufacture new HD DVD players for the Xbox 360, but we will continue to provide standard product and warranty support for all Xbox 360 HD DVD Players in the market. As we stated earlier, we do not believe this decision will have any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or our position in the marketplace. HD DVD is one of the several ways we offer a high definition experience to consumers and we will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room, along with playback of the DVD movies they already own.
Frankly, the statement is a trifle odd since it seems to promise some sort of ongoing HD DVD compatibility and there is no mention of Blu-ray support. LG Electronics says it will continue to provide dual format players for a while, and I suppose Microsoft could well do the same, but HD DVD drives are soon going to be rather scarce.
One other thing that is odd is that back in 2005 Microsoft was one of the leaders of the HD DVD cause with a public fulmination by Bill Gates among others, but the last ditch battles seem to have been fought by Toshiba alone while Microsoft was publicly AWOL.
Yesterday Microsoft unveiled what they termed as “a set of broad-reaching changes to its technology and business practices to increase the openness of its products and drive greater interoperability“. Specifically:
One of the novelties with Vista was supposed to be the Windows Anytime Upgrade which involved providing all consumers with a single DVD containing multiple versions of Vista and allowing them to upgrade their system to a pricier version by purchasing an electronic key online. Apparently the program hasn’t worked too well and Microsoft is discontinuing Windows Anytime Upgrades on Feb. 20:
Microsoft has now decided to stop distributing product keys online, it said on Thursday. Starting Feb. 20, customers who want to upgrade will have to buy a Windows Anytime Upgrade kit from a local retailer, or via postal mail from Microsoft. The kit will include a Vista DVD and a product key for the version they are upgrading to.
Microsoft said it was making the change based on feedback from users. The new system means customers won’t have to worry if they lost their original Vista DVD and now want to upgrade.
However, it also means that people will now have to visit their local retailer or contact Microsoft via post (an option not available in Japan).
I’m sure there’s a problem with consumers having trouble locating their Vista DVDs, but I also wonder how much demand there is for version upgrades in the first place.
