Microsoft News Tracker

I’ve already said Microsoft Surface: Bah, humbug! but The Sarcastic Gamer voices some objections more graphically:

You might also care to check out the Ring of Fire song which makes light of Xbox 360 repair problems. In case you think it is all Microsoft bashing, see the “tribute” to the Sony Ps3 - How to Kill Your Brand.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer got his turn on the D5 conference hot seat today, but his performance mostly seems to have been soporific:

In a genial interview with the Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg Wednesday morning, Ballmer presented a picture of a plodding, predictable, unexciting company. He couldn’t quite say when Microsoft will make some progress against Google (GOOG) in its weak share in Internet search. He couldn’t say why exactly the new Vista operating system was overly complex when it was released. He didn’t particularly enlighten the audience on just why Microsoft is paying $6 billion to buy online ad agency aQuantive (AQNT). By the way, Ballmer won’t mention Google’s name, referring to it merely as “the market leader;”

Nice touch. (more…)

I hate to play Ebenezer Scrooge as Santa Bill Gates opens Microsoft’s sack of lab goodies and comes up with something to announce for the Wall Street Journal’s D5 Conference, but the announcement of Microsoft Surface today is just rife with causes for “Bah, humbug!”

Not every Microsoft announcement at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show made the Bill Gates keynote.

From the Microsoft Hardware group (i.e. the part of Entertainment & Devices that makes money but gets no buzz):

Microsoft Hardware’s Innovative Industry Firsts Earn Top CES Honors

This week at the 2007 International CES in Las Vegas, Microsoft Corp. will showcase its award-winning peripherals, the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000 and the Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000, both named CES Innovations 2007 Design and Engineering Awards Honorees on the basis of their innovative designs and advancements in peripheral engineering…

Microsoft’s Upgraded Fingerprint Reader Makes Windows Vista Features More Convenient

…Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of the Microsoft Fingerprint Reader with software updates from DigitalPersona Inc., for Windows Vista compatibility, offering users the convenience of replacing their passwords with their fingerprint…

Microsoft and Razer Launch Cutting-Edge Gaming Keyboard

HD DVD related:

Microsoft Technology Brings HD DVD to the Mainstream

Microsoft Corp. showcased the growing momentum behind HD DVD through its contribution of core technologies. Microsoft helped deliver the highest-quality video with the VC-1 codec, advanced interactivity with HDi™, and a streamlined and affordable platform for player manufacturers through the use of Microsoft Windows CE 6.0.

Microsoft and Broadcom Deliver Combined Hardware and Software Platform for More Cost-Efficient HD DVD Players

Microsoft Corp. and Broadcom Corp. announced a joint effort to support a hardware and software reference design for more cost-efficient HD DVD playback. The new platform uses Microsoft Windows CE 6.0 and Broadcom’s BCM7440 system-on-chip solution, allowing consumer electronics manufacturers, original design manufacturers and systems integrators to more easily and affordably deliver HD DVD playback. Several of the more innovative, high volume electronics companies that plan to use this new hardware and software platform to speed the production of HD DVD players include Lite-On IT Corp. and Zhenjiang Jiangkui Group Co. Ltd./ED Digital.

MSN Direct:

MSN Direct Goes High Def with Clear Channel

Microsoft Corp. and Clear Channel Radio today announced at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that they have executed a collaborative agreement to build a nationwide data delivery service using HD Radio technology, providing personalized and localized content to a variety of HD Radio receivers. This initiative will be branded MSN Direct HD, an extension of Microsoft’s existing MSN Direct service, which currently transmits a variety of information including traffic, weather, movie times, sports, and stocks to Smart Watches, weather stations, Global Positioning System navigation devices and small home appliances.

Microsoft SPOT Initiative Accelerates With Addition of MSN Direct to Navigation Devices

Microsoft Corp.’s Smart Personal Objects Technology (SPOT) Group announced the availability of MSN Direct navigation services and announced that Garmin International Inc. will be the first to offer the new MSN Direct service to Global Positioning System (GPS) devices. Customers will be able to receive dynamic local information, including weather condition and traffic updates, movies listings, and gas prices.

Microsoft SPOT also announced plans to work with future versions of Microsoft Streets & Trips and Pharos Science & Applications Inc. to offer MSN Direct Navigation Services to their devices. In addition, Microsoft SPOT is working with Centrality Communications Inc. to integrate MSN Direct with its GPS reference designs…

Some Microsoft news items from this week that did not find a post of their own:

(via Brier Dudley) Microsoft awards Vista and Office 2007 launch PR to Edelman. Speaking of which, the Canadian launch event is reportedly on Nov. 23.

Speaking of Vista, the amazingly titled “Why Windows Vista should be flawless” offers this teaser:

Also, keep your eyes peeled for some big software announcements to coincide with Windows Vista’s release. Microsoft said several developers are working on products to make the most of Vista’s advances, and we were told that Microsoft bigwig Jim Allchin, co-president of its platforms and services division, described one as “the best Windows application ever”.

I just hope it isn’t the goofy NY Times newspaper reader.

Microsoft has announced that their RoundTable teleconferencing gadgetry has made it out of Microsoft Research and will be available as product by mid-2007.

In a follow-up to last week’s miscellany, Microsoft says they’ll avoid being sued by not indexing whining Belgian newspapers anymore. In other legal news, Microsoft and the State of Wisconsin have agreed on a out-of-court settlement of their antitrust case. More vouchers.

The Windows Live Mail beta “M8″ version is now generally available to testers after a gradual start earlier in the month.

Here’s a market I never thought of:

Versaly Entertainment said it’s signed a deal with Microsoft Corp. to convert content from Microsoft Game Studios into mobile-phone ring tones and wallpapers.

Someone please pour some water on the cat fight about who is responsible for the Windows virus showing up on iPods fresh from the Apple factory. If it’s Apple’s product, it’s Apple’s problem. End of story.

Italy adopts Microsoft anti-child-porn technology