Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Seems as though the folks over there at Microsoft have really been busy as of late. Their Office Labs recently released the the Speed Launch Program , and now Microsoft ‘s Live Labs just released their Photosynth program for consumers.

What was once just a “oh isn’t that so pretty” tech demo, the program is now something that just about anyone can actually go on and use now. While before, the process took weeks of stitching photos together on specially configured server arrays; it is now able to be done by taking groups of photos that you’ve taken with your digital camera or even your mobile phone, and the program then stitches them into a faux 3D environment converted right onto your computer. 

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Long annoyed with Apple’s barbs and those “Get a Mac” ads, Microsoft has called in the help of comedian Jerry Seinfield for their latest ad campaign. Along with retired Bill Gates, Seinfield will be helping to promote their new “Windows not walls” tagline.

Their newest ad campaign is running them $300 million, which makes it one of their biggest ever; and $10 million of that is going straight to “key celebrity pitchman” Jerry Seinfield for his assistance. Not a shabby paycheck there Jerry, especially since you usually displayed Macs in your apartment on your show. 

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Apparently in their spare time, Microsoft employees still work on techie projects. These projects are called “Community prototypes.” The first such prototype, from Office Labs, is called Speed Launch. This program allows users to download the program and utilize it to work as a quick-start activation program.

It works with any file, website or program.  Users simply drag what they want to add to the program to the Speed Launch “Bull’s Eye” to create a shortcut, and name it. Then, whenever they want to access a shortcut, simply press Windows-C and type the shortcut name...and voila!  There you go.  You are also able to use the program to open multiple items with the same name. Simply give the items the same name in the “naming stage” of the process, and when prompted to replace or merge the files, select merge.  That way, when you select that file name from the bull’s eye, any files given that name will open for you.

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Remaining somewhat elusive thus far, Jon DeVaan and Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft engineering managers of the new Engineering Windows 7 (E7) are writing a blog to “open a line of two-way communication between the Windows 7 engineering team and Windows developers.” They are offering little bits and pieces of what we might expect in Windows 7, but to be expected; they aren’t willing to jump out on a limb and divulge to much information on the chance that what they advertise doesn’t come to fruition. (Something we’ve seen happen in the past from Microsoft). 

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There was a lot of talk about who would take the biggest blow in the smartphone world with the intro of the iPhone.  A Changewave study shows this chart.  What’s interesting isn’t the data the graph is making obvious, it is the totals. 

If you add up the % of the smartphone market, you’ll find the total market segment being served by Palm, Rim and Apple throughout this period isn’t changing.  It is staying relatively flat at about 2/3rds of all smartphones.  So this would suggest, the merry trio are not bringing new folks into the smartphone market, rather just cutting up the pie differently.

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If you are headed to the beach, pick up Microsoft’s 10-K filing with the SEC for some light reading.  It’s filled with characters you know and love and their almost comic book struggle to restore peace in the galaxy bring profitability to Microsoft.  If you follow the report carefully, you’ll learn Microsoft is, in fact, a software company.  And what software company doesn’t want to get their applications on the hottest mobile computing device going?

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I am not a skins guy; I am ok with the bland silver bars and such, but this is pretty cool.  Showing XP still has some life left, Hyperdesk was just announced from the Skins Factory and aims to skin your Windows XP machine.  The graphics look pretty sweet and they’ve even liscensed some themes from Disney.  Prices range from free to $19.95.

The free one, a Sony Ericsson version is a 70MB download.  The company says one click can turn the skin on an off and uses Microsoft’s own skin engine to get things moving.

I downloaded the free one and found it to be OK.  There doesn’t seem to be any lag time, though the skin colors the task bars above applications as well and seems a bit much to me, but it proves the concept that these folks know what they are doing.  This product is from the design team responsible for Alienwares skins.  From the release:

By utilizing Microsoft’s own skinning engine, Hyperdesk presents the user with a “native” way to theme Windows XP. Because the magic of Hyperdesk occurs entirely in memory, the user’s system files are never touched or replaced. And just as it takes a single click to make the magic happen, so will a single click revert the user’s desktop back to the Windows XP default environment.

A Vista version is said to be coming soon.

Try it out at: [Hyperdesk]

“You thought the sleeping giant was still sleeping?” Microsoft’s VP of Windows Vista consumer marketing recently said. “Well, we’ve woken up, and it’s time to take our message forward.” And apparently the company is putting their money ...LOTS of money… where their mouth is. They have begun an ad campaign in the continuing market struggle with Apple that could feasibly end up running them an incredible $300 million investment. Their campaign claims we just need to learn the facts about Vista.

I’ve heard the tales from both sides of the fence. How Vista is horrible, horrible, horrible. Then again, how Vista is wonderful, oh so beautiful, secure, and simply the best OS ever made. The truth can probably be found somewhere in the middle of the two. The main battle that Microsoft obviously needs to overcome is, why do I want Vista when I’m perfectly content with XP?  And that is the question they are not having much luck answering to most users’ satisfaction.  No matter how beautiful they claim Vista to be.

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In the smartphone OS wars (and here I use the term “smartphone” to refer to a phone that is comfortable to get email and internet on only), we are seeing long standing users jumping to upstart Apple; but that is not the news.  The news here is longtime Microsoft Mobile loyalists are taking a good look at where they are and just how green the lawn is over the fence.

Take straight-shooting Gears from Coolsmartphone.com.  His site is a mecca for many hooked on Windows Mobile (WM) for news, tips and tricks.  In a post on Sunday, Gears reflects where Windows is and his take on where things are headed.  Things are not looking so hot to Gears: “ I’m more worried than I was 6 months ago.”

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At long last, Palm announces their “most business-friendly” phone yet.  The 800w is destined for Sprint and packs Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1.  It is packed with goodies, like EV-DO rev A, WiFi and GPS.  Hoohah!

Palm and Sprint suggest it surfs the web and downloads emails at broadband speeds.  It features an innovative one button on WiFi and a 320x320 display.  While not on the thin side at 0.73” (iPhone 3G is 0.48” for reference), the phone does look nice, better than Palm phones have in years, IMO.

Battery life checks in at 4.5 hours talk and 200 standby.  2.0 mp camera also does video, bluetooth and up to 8GB microSD cards are supported.  A fine business phone.

It does look like Palm spent some time making tweaks in the GUI to make it easy.  Things like accessing Navigation from the Today screen as well as dialing from the Today screen shows they are learning.

Available today at $249.99 after rebates, discounts, voodoo and you may or may not have to sacrifice a chicken.

Read [Palm] Product page [Palm]