I know, I know, a lot of you guys have been waiting for Xbox to have a Blu-ray drive. When rumors came up saying MS will add a Blu-Ray drive to the 360, I’m sure most of you were dancing all over the place. But I’m sorry, I have to pour cold water over your heads. Microsoft has once again denied the latest rumor that it’ll launch a Blu-ray Disc drive add-on for the Xbox 360.
Yes, that’s right! An article from The Register stated that a blogger going by the name of “Major Nelson” has posted an audio interview online with Aaron Greenberg, Microsoft’s Group Product Manager for the Xbox 360. In the interview, which took place at the Tokyo Game Show this week, Greenberg said: “We have no plans to integrate Blu-ray into the Xbox experience.”
However, Greenberg went on to say: “We also believe that the future’s digital, and that’s why we’ve invested in a massive library of entertainment content.” His statements seem to confirm the statements released by Microsoft back in May in which it stated that is has “no plans to introduce a Blu-ray drive for Xbox 360” because “games are what drive consumers to purchase game consoles”.
The current economic crisis is definitely affection major companies. RIM is no exception. Their shares have dropped down to $53 which apparently caught Microsoft’s attention. Word is that if RIM’s share drop below $40, Microsoft is going to make a move. They will make a $50 bid per share and hope to acquire RIM.
Imagine RIM phones running on Windows Mobile! Imagine a Zune phone! But then again we’ve seen Microsoft blowing the Yahoo deal earlier this year so we wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t get to buy RIM after all. That’s what we hope predict to happen.
In an amazing turn of events we have come into possession of some serious information which will shock you to the core. If you’re not sitting down please do so. What you are about to find out might make you faint.
Steve Ballmer said he isn’t responsible for any problems caused by Windows Vista or the “Vista Capable” computers. He did so under oath in the trial that concerns exactly those capable computers. (more…)
Windows XP was supposed to be officially discontinued starting with January 31, 2009. According to a leaked email from a PC OEM, Microsoft has decided to postpone the XP retirement. The new rumored date is July 31, 2009. That gives us a whole six extra months to buy XP instead of Vista. After that you will probably be more likely to choose the future Windows 7 instead of Vista. That’s a nice trick Microsoft is pulling. Especially since they are working hard on promoting Vista.
I guess Psystar fans should definitely see this. While the people who installed a running copy of Mac OS X aren’t trying to sell the tuned Dell Inspiron Mini 9 to anyone, this goes to prove that Appe’s OS could run on PC’s too. Imagine what would happen if Psystar wins it’s trial with Apple! Imagine how Microsoft will go all berserk if a judge will tell manufacturers that selling PC with Mac OS X will be ok! (more…)
After announcing the Windows Cloud OS which will be reveled later this month, Steve Ballmer made another announcement which isn’t that surprising. He confirmed that the Zune will come with a Windows Mobile OS. Why didn’t Microsoft create the Zune like that from the beginning? That’s what surprises me. (more…)
Finally diverting its attention from girls and little boys, Microsoft is finally growing some balls and gearing up to release a Gears of War 2 Zune model.
Bringing testosterone and adrenaline and whatever macho there is to the Zune, the model will come preloaded with 244 pieces of “Gears of War” media, including soundtrack, concept art, behind-the-scenes video and more.
The 120GB Zune will also come in packaging that has the series protagonist pondering the meaning of life while holding a rather dangerous looking gun and scary armor. It will run you a cool $280 and will be available starting November 7.
Gears of War 2 is due out exclusively on Xbox 360 in November.
Apple shares took a 17% tumble today. Everybody else who’s anybody saw their shares dropping valuable points today. No matter what business we are talking about, its shares took a smaller or bigger plunge following the Nasdaq and Dow Jones.
The $700 billion emergency bailout failed to pass the House today creating one of the worst trading days in Wall Street ever since 9/11. The Dow Jones lost 800 points which is its personal worst ever. (more…)
Windows 7 is not ready but Microsoft is eager to show us how it looks like. For all those attending the Professional Developer Conference (PDC) in October, Microsoft will offer a pre-beta build of their next PC OS. If anyone gets a copy, tell us how your 7 is working out for you.
If you’re not going to make it to the PDC then you have a chance of getting the pre-beta version at the Hardware Engineering Conference in November.
The mobile space now has a couple of major players, what with Apple and Google entering the fray with their respective platforms. Microsoft may be losing relevance in the market, and the greatly delayed release of Windows Mobile 7 isn’t helping things either.
CNET reports that the company has informed some of its partners that it has had to delay the mobile operating system to the second half of next year. It was previously expected early next year.
The current version – WinMo 6.1 – has become so outdated that companies like HTC and Sony Ericsson are having to patch things up to release devices powered by it.
WinMo7 is said to be a dramatic improvement over the current version, featuring advanced gesture recognition, among other things.
The new “I’m a PC” campaign from Microsoft turned really funny today. It has beaten Jerry’s efforts to talk about nothing Microsoft with Bill earlier on. How are they funnier? Well it appears they were made on a Mac according to metadata within the creative copy images. A Mac with Adobe’s CS3 software suite were used to create the commercials. No PC OS or PC graphic tools were involved.
Do you think that this was just a evil rumor? Well Microsoft, in a panic attack, removed the metadata, thus confirming it’s all real. Not a smart move there Ballmer, but then again we weren’t waiting for one. Instead of denying everything and ditching the body screaming at the guy that did this in private, while paying him enough money to keep it all secret, you managed to make it all official. Were you to leave everything like that, we could have all concluded this was all a prank from some Apple fan.
But wait, the best is for last. The Crispin Porter ad agency, you know, the ones that created the Microsoft ads had the following job position:
Did you dream of harnessing telekinetic power as a child? Did you stare at your Transformers lunchbox for hours on end in a desperate attempt to invoke even the slightest fit of movement? Did you wise up, get a Mac and a lifetime subscription to Adobe, and send your lunchbox on an exploratory mission to the Martian poles or the strip club down the street? If so, do you think you could send us your portfolio?
Turned into this:
Did you dream of harnessing telekinetic power as a child? Did you stare at your Transformers lunchbox for hours on end in a desperate attempt to invoke even the slightest fit of movement? Did you wise up, get a water-cooled PC tricked out with Vista and a lifetime subscription to Adobe, and send your lunchbox on an exploratory mission to the Martian poles or the strip club down the street? If so, do you think you could send us your portfolio?
Has anyone noticed any difference? OK then Microsoft, I think you’d better tell them next time you wouldn’t want them to use Macs when talking about PCs. After all it’ rumored you’re paying 300 million for these campaign. Why not throw in a free PC?
And I have a new slogan for you guys: “I’m a PC Running in VM on a Mac”. Say it proudly out loud! This message has been written and approved on a PC.
A leaked company memo tells us that a new Xbox 360 is going to appear. It’s the Xbox-Pure. It could also be just a name change for one of the existing models but who knows really?
We can’t tell if this is an actual real Microsoft memo but a videogame called Pure is coming for Xbox 360 on September 26. Pure was chosen from three name suggestions. The other two are Granite and Lean. So are we looking at a whole new design change?
If you need Windows XP and you would do anything to get an official copy go to Dell in the UK. Windows XP is available as an OS choice. It will cost you just £44,414 or $80,242. Go ahead and get a mortgage on your house and pay Dell for XP. Or choose a different payment plan and pay just £1,510 a month. (more…)
Microsoft has released its new commercial and it’s a whole new deal. It’s fast paced, it’s mildly funny, it is short and to the point. And it has a point.
PC has an identity and it works. That seems to be the message so many people proudly deliver. Too bad that in theory that sounds great but in practice PC does fall behind the mighty Mac. Bill Gates is in it, so he wasn’t sacked yet but there’s no Jerry as far as I can tell.
Below you’ll find another video called “I Wear a Suit”. I think it was supposed to be “I Wear a Suit but it’s Vista!”.
Still Microsoft, good job on these videos. If I were Apple I would counter them just to make this winter funnier!
I was actually kind of waiting for the third clip starring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates. I didn’t like the previous two but I was still wondering how far Microsoft will go. But it looks like they are now awake more than ever and they must be listening to what people have to say. And people didn’t understand Microsoft’s message so far. (more…)
I wondered where the catch is from the minute I saw free WiFi at McDonald’s. At first it sounded awfully familiar. It’s like I’ve seen the same scenario with slightly different characters. It was AT&T instead of Microsoft to offer free WiFi in Starbucks instead of McDonald’s for iPhone instead of Zune users. But AT&T wanted to prove they can’t do a thing right from the beginning and played around with free WiFi’s switch for a couple of days.
Is Microsoft going to do the same? I mean I understand its effort to keep its 2.5% share of the MP3 players’ market happy. And with such a move they’re guaranteed to get at least a 0.01% more of that market. Imagine chewing on a burger and enjoying a vanilla shake while downloading Zune 3.0, which by the way is out, via free Mickey D’s WiFi on your newest Zune player. Doesn’t that sound like heaven? It does if you haven’t seen Super Size Me and you don’t know anything about Microsoft.
Oh, and the Zune doesn’t have a web browser right? Well you will be able to get a few more songs instead of surfing the web. Nice one Microsoft!
We’re waiting to test Windows 7 this year. At least that’s what we heard about the Windows 7 Beta 1. You know, that it’s arriving before Christmas or so while the full version will be released by Microsoft in Q4 2009.
Now it looks like Microsoft wants to release the new OS earlier than expected. According to an internal calendar from Microsoft, Windows 7 will see the light of day on June 3rd 2009. Does this mean they’re going to outlaw Vista? The same source says that Microsoft will reveal the Beta 1 on October 27th at the Professional Developer’s Conference. Who are we to believe? Is Microsoft working that hard to replace Vista? I am sure that by commercial #10 Bill and Jerry will give us the answer to that question!
I bet HP doesn’t like the new Microsoft commercials especially if they will end up promoting Vista as the perfect OS. From confirmed and unconfirmed sources it appears that HP has some of its money invested in two directions, both meant to cut Vista out of their current line and possible compete to a closer than ever Apple.
Let’s start with Vista. It sucks! That was easy! HP knows this and it is moving to Linux, or even better, it is building a replacement OS based on Linux. All that is being denied so far. The other rumor is that HP is developing a software which will modify Vista to bring out the best in it.
The chief technology officer of HP’s PC division, a Phil McKinny, is absolutely denying such nonsense. But he admits to such conversations which might have taken place below senior management levels. You know, in the dungeons of HP, where the true leaders are.
HP feels Apple breathing down their neck and knows for sure that as soon as Apple smartens to a point where it will lower PC and laptops prices, the Cupertino-based out of the box company will take a huge share of the market. Everyone would get a Mac if they were cheap enough right? Beware HP, that might actually happen in a little over a month from now.
We’ve already seen Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld in action in the first Microsoft clip from the new campaign. It was short, to the point, whatever it was, and mildly funny. You could have interpreted it in so many ways. There might have been several hints of Apple’s products and Steve Jobs but nothing was exactly clear.
And now we have the second add. It’s a longer clip, mostly boring, and not that funny. It’s like mixing a old Seinfeld show, which was about nothing with Vista. Glitches will appear. Like the last time, Gates suggests big things to follow, and like the last time there are lots of abnormalities in this video which could be attributed both to Apple or Microsoft. Or are we too paranoid to attempt such comparisons.
What did you think about these four long minutes? Any lols? Anyone? I am sure more will follow, so get ready!
Well then Ballmer where is it? I’ll take the Windows 7 Beta 1 any day now. For two reasons. First of all I would end any contact with Vista whatsoever and second, I will get another Microsoft OS to make fun of.
We’re waiting for October to see what Windows 7 is all about but the Beta 1 is rumored for a December launch. Microsoft wants to apparently offer us a Window 7 experience closer to the real thing. And the real thing is coming in late 2009.
Oh and one more thing, since it’s going to be multitouch and all, we’re all going to have to upgrade right? Is this why the Beta 1 is coming in the presents season? Come to think of it Windows 7 will unleash late in 2009. Get it? Ask your Santa for a fresh LCD with your Windows 7.
Category: 
October 10, 2008
I know, I know, a lot of you guys have been waiting for Xbox to have a Blu-ray drive. When rumors came up saying MS will add a Blu-Ray drive to the 360, I’m sure most of you were dancing all over the place. But I’m sorry, I have to pour cold water over your heads. Microsoft has once again denied the latest rumor that it’ll launch a Blu-ray Disc drive add-on for the Xbox 360.
Finally diverting its attention from girls and little boys, Microsoft is finally growing some balls and gearing up to release a 
