Microsoft’s next major release of its Windows operating system is one step nearer to its first beta release, according to site WinRumors.
Microsoft compiled 6.2.7947.0.winmain_win8m2_escrow.110218-1608 on Friday after pushing out a number of Windows 8 builds recently. Things are moving along nicely behind closed doors, and versions of the OS will soon be allowed out to Microsoft’s trusted partners for testing. Some of the recent Windows 8 builds which were compiled in the last couple of weeks were:
6.2.7925.0.winmain_win8m2.110207-1736With Microsoft working on an ARM-compatible version of Windows, it is possible that this could be the version first to testing, with the full desktop experience coming later. With recent leaks pointing toward a version of Windows 8 being ready for future tablets in early 2012, it’s clear that there is no time to waste for the Redmond outfit, especially if they hope to take on Apple and Google in the rapidly expanding tablet market.
6.2.7926.0.winmain_win8m2.110209-1755
6.2.7927.0.winmain_win8m2.110210-1740
6.2.7928.0.winmain_win8m2.110214-1825
6.2.7929.0.winmain_win8m2.110215-1802
6.2.7930.0.winmain_win8m2.110217-1825
Little is really known about Windows 8, though a more cloud-centric OS is expected especially considering the focus on tablets and other machines with no conventional disk drive. Microsoft is keeping its cards close to its chest thus far, though it’s clear the company sees Windows 8 as a pivotal software release, heaping more pressure on an already creaking development team. Still stung from the Vista debacle, MS will be hoping Windows 8 can build on the good faith the 7th installment of the OS managed to return.
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The official Windows Phone Blog has confirmed that the first Windows Phone 7 update is going to be rolled out starting from today. But unfortunately, don’t expect this update to add new functionality such as copy and paste to your WP7 device. In fact this is just a small update for Windows Phones to prepare them for the first proper update which is due for release in March.
This isn’t the update you’ve probably been reading about or perhaps waiting for, the one with copy and paste (but that’s coming soon).In order to update your Windows Phone, you will need to connect it to your PC or Mac via USB cable, start Zune for Windows or the Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac, depending on the kind of computer you have, and then simply follow the onscreen instructions to update your phone.
… this update is a relatively small one.
What’s in this update?
This first update for Windows Phone is designed to improve the software update process itself. So while it might not sound exciting, it’s still important because it’s paving the way for all future goodie-filled updates to your phone, such as copy and paste or improved Marketplace search.
When will I get this update?
We’ll begin sending it out today. But to help ensure the process goes smoothly, it won’t be sent to everyone at once. So you might see an update message before your spouse, co-worker, or neighbor (or vice versa). This is a common industry practice. That said, we understand you’re eager to have the latest software on your phone, and our goal is to deliver it to you as quickly as possible.
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Indeed, the Wall Street Journal's behind-the-scenes look at how the Microsoft-Nokia alliance came to be, revealed how close it came to not being at all. Nokia seriously considered Android as the operating system of choice for its smartphones, and was only persuaded differently by a big check and an exceptional flexibility to make changes to the Windows Phone 7 operating system. Because, for all the attention around Nokia's selection of Windows Phone, it ultimately neither guarantees Nokia's success nor dooms it to failure in the US smartphone market. Here's what will:
If Nokia wants to change, it will have to differentiate in atoms as well as bits. |
Cloud services. Though the company may not have followed the fashionable form factor du jour as quickly as could be, Nokia has long understood the power of the cloud. However, despite an acquisition binge a few years ago, the Ovi message has not been communicated effectively, and now there is the chance that -- like Symbian -- it might fade into the shadow of Microsoft's offerings. Nokia has some strong Ovi services, and they could be a key differentiator. With Windows Phone, the company needs to feature them more and integrate them better.
Carrier relationships. There's been a little progress and a bit of hope as Verizon Wireless has switched to Nokia's home court of GSM-derived LTE, but there is still much progress that needs to be made if recent comments by Verizon CTO Tony Melone are indicative of US carrier feelings towards the Nokia-Microsoft alliance. However, Microsoft can be a boon in this regard: Windows Phone 7 launched with four devices on two carriers in the US -- more of a splash than Symbian ever made -- and Windows Phone's predecessor Windows Mobile continues to be sold by all four carriers in the United States. Contrary to what the company has indicated, Nokia's battle here is not one against Android, but fighting for attention versus the Windows Phones of Samsung and LG, both of which traditionally have strong carrier relationships, and HTC, which has been slowly building them.
Nokia has taken on an operating system backed by a company with the financial resources to stay in the fight for the long term, a powerful lineup of integrated products and services (albeit not all equally appealing) and a focus on user experience. Yes, it will have to pay for Windows Phone licenses and work to bring Windows Phone to a wider range of architectures to meet its handset portfolio needs, but Microsoft seems to have more than offset that expense.
Most of the risk in Nokia's choice was not picking the wrong operating system, but continuing not to pick one at all. Now that it has, it needs to deliver on all three fronts to improve its smartphone standing in the United States.
We told you last week about Microsoft’s press conference at Mobile World Congress where the Redmond outfit showed off its upcoming integration between Windows Phone 7 and the Xbox Kinect.
Microsoft showed off a video of a chap playing Rally Ball – a game where a Kinect player has to hit flying balls with their body. The integration with WP7 comes where a phone can be used to actually control the balls being thrown. All very exciting, if fairly pointless. If only we could do the same with our iPhones…
This is where the guys at Supertouch come in. Now thanks to some wizard-like Kinect hackery, it is now possible to play a game very similar to Rally Ball but with an iPhone and iPad being used as the accessories. It’s not quite as flash as the WP7 integration but for a 1.0 hack it’s very impressive stuff. Check out the video for the scoop.
We still question the long-term appeal of such a game and/or mobile integration, but the fact that it’s even possible could open up a world of possibilities for the future.
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Now the guys ‘n’ gals over at Nokia are getting chummy with Microsoft all eyes are on the Finnish phone giant to see what happens next.
Resembling the current Nokia N8, the concept was jointly created by new best-buds Microsoft and Nokia, with Nokia’s flair for all things multi-colored shining right on through.
As Engadget’s Vlad Savov points out though, it’s worth remembering that concept doesn’t always equal production handset, so don’t start pining for the bright pink loveliness just yet!
One thing’s for sure though – if Nokia can bring it’s hardware A-game to the table, and Microsoft can sort out the gaping holes in its operating system then the future for this particular joint venture could be rosy after all.
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Microsoft has just pushed download links for Release Candidate version of Internet Explorer 9. This new version of IE 9, according to Neowin includes:
much improved tab functionality, from the new square-ish visual elements, and moveable tab bar elements to increase customization. It also includes features that enable a user to refuse tracking from advertisers.Internet Explorer 9 generally introduces tons of new features, including the new option to pin web apps on Windows 7 taskbar, full support for HTML5 standard, graphics rendering on the GPU level via Microsoft DirectX technology, completely revamped UI and more. More details on IE 9, along with screenshots can be found here.
Download links for Internet Explorer 9 RC:
Windows 7 (x86 version)
Windows 7 (x64 version)
Windows Vista (x86 version)
Windows Vista (x64 version)
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It’s nothing new that the much-loved HTC HD2 can be hacked in order to install either Androidor Windows Phone 7, but how about dual-booting?
The clever people at XDA-Developers have sussed out a way to install both operating systems onto the one SD card, effectively giving the users the choice of which OS to run at startup, writes PocketNow.
Now before everyone runs out and starts hacking their beloved HD2, be warned. This isn’t a simple process and all manner of nastiness can occur if things don’t go according to plan. If they do though, just think how cool your friends would think you are!
Not that you aren’t cool already, obviously!
Full how-to instructions can be found at the XDA thread here. Video tutorial on how to dual-boot Android and Windows Phone 7 on HTC HD2 is embedded below.
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With the team behind Windows Phone 7 jailbreaking app ChevronWP7 meeting Microsoft earlier this week, many wondered what the future would hold for the homebrew scene. Now though, developers Rafael Rivera, Chris Walsh, and Long Zheng have broken cover to help allay everyone’s fears, writes GeekSmack.
After two full days of meetings with various members of the Windows Phone 7 team we couldn’t wait to share with everyone the results of those discussions.It’s refreshing to see a hardware manufacturer be so open when it comes to the hacking of their device. If only Apple was so keen to listen to its users!
Although a large majority of the content presented by Microsoft is covered by a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which we voluntarily agreed to, we can say we’re genuinely excited by many of the forward-looking presentations. We can only hope these features come to fruition as soon as possible.
To address our goals of homebrew support on Windows Phone 7, we discussed why we think it’s important, the groups of people it affects, its direct and indirect benefits and how to manage any risks.
With that in mind, we will work with Microsoft towards long-term solutions that support mutual goals of broadening access to the platform while protecting intellectual property and ensuring platform security.
In the meantime, a forthcoming Windows Phone 7 update will fix a bug that the ChevronWP7 unlocker tool took advantage of; the tool will cease to work thereafter.
To fill this short-term gap, we’re collaborating with Microsoft on an interim solution that will continue to support homebrew developments after the update. We will share details of this when it has been finalized.
In summary, we appreciate Microsoft’s outreach, genuine interest and involvement in this matter and we hope the community can understand we’re working towards a win-win scenario.
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A new player is about to enter the world of Windows Phone 7 jailbreaking according to news blog Winrumors.com.
“My unlock method is similar to that of ChevronWP7 in the way they both use a fake registration server, but my method is different and more reliable,” wrote the developer. “For example it automatically detects when a WP7 is plugged in and will check if this is a registered developer phone, if not it will register it once and for all, so the device will never re-lock like with ChevronWP7.”
ChevronWP7 was the original jailbreak tool that worked by making the handset believe it was a development device by making it check the application for authorization instead of Microsoft’s servers. The problem though, was that Windows Phone 7 handsets ‘phoned home’ every two weeks. When that happened, the developer license was revoked. This left people having to pay the $99 for a legitimate developer account.
The beauty of Schapman’s app is that this limitation is no longer there, making it a much better proposition for Windows Phone 7 users who just want a little more control over their hardware. Something iPhone owners know all about!
Microsoft already has plans to plug the whole ChevronWP7 uses with Microsoft’s Brandon Watson confirming that ChevronWP7 will no longer function in future. “Yes, the hole ChervonWP7 team found is closed,” claimed Watson.
With that in mind, it makes perfect sense for Schapman to hold off releasing his app until after the February OS update.
All this is good news for Windows Phone 7 users of course. More people joining the jailbreak scene clearly shows there’s life in the platform that many thought would never recover from the debacle that was version 6.5. Version 7 could just turn out to be Microsoft’s mobile savior!
Now, which handset do I get?
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#geohot if you want to build cool stuff on #wp7, send me email and the team will give you a phone – let dev creativity flourish #wp7dev
Impressed with how Microsoft dealt with the Chevron WP7 (Windows Phone 7 jailbreak/unlock) team, Geohot updated his site today with a small message that read: “perhaps a more appropriate way to deal with jailbreakers I’m going out to buy a Windows 7 phone”.
A few hours later, Brandon Watson, Director of Windows Phone 7 tweeted an open message to Geohot, that read:
I am not sure if what Brandon tweeted was in a direct response to what Geohot posted on his site, but whatever it was, unlike both Apple and Sony, this new and friendly approach taken by Microsoft with hackers looks promising for the community, and it will surely help Windows Phone 7 as a platform to grow more rapidly.
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And so, at Steve Ballmer's keynote, the company announced that the next version of Windows will support not only x86 offerings from Intel and AMD – themselves moving closer to ARM-like system-on-chips – but ARM designs from companies such as Qualcomm and NVIDIA as well. Microsoft noted that the new chip support was requested by its partners, implying that PC companies want to take advantage of the long battery life and thin form factors enabled by ARM architectures, but also bring along Windows' broad driver and software support. Microsoft clearly considers the tablet another PC, albeit one that Windows' hardware and user interface layer needs to support better. However, in striking back at Android evolution, Microsoft risks collateral damage to its own mobile OS. Can Windows Phone 7 co-exist with a ARM-based version of the real thing?
Let's look at the competition. Microsoft's support of both x86 and ARM with its "desktop" OS and support of ARM with Windows Phone 7 represents a contrast to Apple and Google -- even though, as Microsoft accurately pointed out, both have dual OS strategies. Apple reserves Mac OS for notebooks and desktops while using iOS in its tablet and smartphone, although some believe that iOS will eventually replace and not just influence Mac OS later down the road. For Google, it's open season, so to speak, as device manufacturers call the shots, but while Android has been moving to support larger devices with the Honeycomb release, Google's Chrome team has also staked out the notebook. Both operating systems support x86 and ARM, and we will no doubt see notebook-like devices with both of them.
While Apple's position is defensible (and the only one that has been successful on both fronts), Switched On has previously questioned the role of Chrome in the wake of Android's success. Is there, then, a need for the just relaunched Windows Phone 7 in a world where Windows itself runs on ARM architectures? While Microsoft refrained from any discussion of the user interface of the next version of Windows, the company made sure to remind us of its touch expertise via a revamped flat-panel version of Surface, and Windows development chief Steven Sinofsky dismissed the challenge of implementing touch user interfaces, even scaled to a variety of differently-sized screens. The next version of Windows -- and apps developed for it -- may well dynamically adapt their UI depending on the usage scenario, with a traditional desktop mode when used as a clamshell notebook, a Metro-like touch experience when used as a tablet, and a Media Center-like experience when projected onto a television screen for a 10-foot entertainment experience.Microsoft mentioned mobile devices as candidates for this revamped Windows; there's no telling at this point how small that will go. Confusing the matter a bit more, Intel CEO Paul Otellini noted on Intel's most recent earnings call that the PC chip giant will be able to ride "desktop" Windows as it slims down into the handset market. "[W]e have the ability to put our lowest-power Intel processors, running Windows 8 or the next generation of Windows, into phones." As it stands, we might see both of Microsoft's operating systems compete for the same realm.
However, there is a good reason to draw the arbitrary line between Windows and Windows Phone 7 at devices that are indeed phones. Whereas Microsoft's hardware partners may seek more openness in its tablets than what Apple provides, handset carriers want some degree of consistency and control to reduce support costs. Providing that degree of consistency and control could also help differentiate from Android. Or, much as will be the case with 10-inch notebooks running either Android or Chrome, we may well see 4.5-inch or 5-inch handhelds running Windows or Windows Phone 7 both. Perhaps some embedded version of the former will eventually cause the demise of the latter. For the time being, though, there is a place for Windows Phone 7 even as it shares ARM support with its big brother platform.
community about the product's death. The theory is that Microsoft is throwing in the towel, focusing on the Xbox 360 and intends to let the best DVR software available become stale -- or worse, eliminate it from future versions of Windows altogether. After watching the Ballmer keynote at CES last week, it was hard not to get on this train as we all watched the 360, Windows Phone 7, and Windows highlighted on stage. But then something happened when the show floor opened: Windows embedded products were highlighted in private meetings and elsewhere. There was a buzz around Media Center embedded and even a price and ship date; meanwhile, home theater PCs got no love. So after years of trying, it appears that all hopes that HTPCs will ever emerge from their niche status are gone, but the same can not be said for Windows Media Center. The demise of HTPCs is not for a lack of effort
We've had a fascination with home theater PCs since the first time we saw video running on a PC -- remember Intel MMX? There's something empowering about seeing video run on a PC, and there's been a PC connected to our TV ever since. In fact, we use an HTPC now and have enjoyed its benefits for what feels like forever. But all that being said, we wouldn't offer to set one up for a friend, and we wouldn't give our mother one, ever. The problem is that while a computer geek can make an HTPC do just about anything, a typical user has a hard enough time using a PC to surf the web. There are just too many things that can go wrong, and with the exception of some very high-end models, commercial HTPCs are non-existent. HP stopped making 'em four years ago. Dell never even bothered. Nope, no matter how hard PC manufactures and Microsoft try, HTPCs simply will never go mainstream.
Microsoft has tried as hard as anyone to make this geek dream come true, with multiple versions of Media Center and money dumped into R&D trying to entice programming providers in the US and the rest of the world to bring their programming to Windows. We'd bet that if stock holders had any idea how much money was spent compared to the return, someone would surely get fired. Right about now, there are some people screaming at their computer, complaining that Microsoft never marketed Media Center. Seriously? A company as successful as Microsoft knows a thing or two more than most about marking a product. No, the problem is there's no mainstream market for an HTPC, so realistically-speaking, another few billion dumped into marketing wouldn't have changed a thing (c.f. Kin). Consumer electronics have to be like an appliance, they just need to work. Even some top brass at Microsoft use a TiVo as a DVR instead of a HTPC because they just work. This all makes it easy to understand why Microsoft has re-purposed its software and lined up new partners for an embedded version of Windows 7 Media Center.
Why an embedded Media Center just makes sense
The one thing that every single mainstream DVR and smartphone have in common is that they are all embedded. It's a match between hardware and software that is designed to do a few specific things and do them very well. Microsoft has been making embedded software for a long time, and odds are you've used it at an ATM or stood right in front of someone who used a Windows embedded machine to ring you up at a department store. What's new is that Microsoft ported its Media Center software to the latest embedded version of Windows and is giving hardware partners the chance to build a DVR without spending all the big bucks on developing software. This means that some entrepreneurial electronics manufacturer can grab off the shelf parts, add in a little of Redmond's software and deliver a dependable DVR to mainstream America -- in theory. And a number of companies have already stepped forward with plans. We've been seeing demos at trade shows, and at CES one company even announced it'd ship a product in the 1st quarter for $499. Still a little steep for the mainstream, but far less than the thousands that off the shelf HTPCs cost today. And besides, the first products to market typical cost more.
The bad news is that embedded also means restrictions, and while some are sure to hack their way to more functionality, it won't be as easy. For those not willing to meddle and risk their investment, there'll likely be sacrifices that will have to be accepted. It is impossible to know what exactly until the products hit the market, but the inability to install your favorite codec isn't out of the realm of possibilities, and installing software to automatically skip commercials is almost certainly a no go.
There is some more good news though. Embedded devices make more than just mainstream consumers happy, they also appeal to content owners. Netflix, VUDU, Blockbuster, cable video-on-demand have all been available to embedded devices for some time. Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Verzion and DirecTV weren't showing their programming on a HTPC at CES this year, but they were showing 'em on a variety of other embedded devices. Of course, the PC is completely capable of delivering all this content and more, but media giants aren't going to spend their time and money developing software for a niche whose only measurable result would be to open up a new attack vector to circumvent DRM. So embedded doesn't just mean stability and affordability, it can also mean content.
Extenders vs set-top-boxes
Now, this is where things get interesting. Microsoft tried a few times to proxy the PC into the living room via Extenders and suffice to say the attempts all failed pretty miserably -- same goes for embedded devices, by the way. Maybe the hardware wasn't ready, who knows, but what we do know is that two Media Center PCs don't play well together with DRM'd content and if more than one Media Center in the house has a tuner, things can messy real quick. There have been a few recent changes in the content world that could really impact success here though. The first is the recent change to the CableCARD specification that allows a tuner to be shared over a network. Basically, this means that you can install six CableCARD tuners into a Media Center in the house and watch live TV on any other Media Center (set-top box or PC) in the house that's connected to the same network. That opens up some options, but there are still the DRM problem. Currently, shows recorded from cable marked as Copy Once by the provider are locked to the device they're recorded on, which frankly sucks. But connecting a few dots paints a rosier future.
InfiniTV 6 CableCARD tuner
What does Microsoft, Comcast, Timer Warner Cable, CableLabs, and just about every major movie studio have in common? They are all a member of the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem and have vowed their support to UltraViolet. We know that joining a group and actually participating are two different things, but it isn't out of the question that UltraViolet's new DRM could be added to the CableLabs spec. This would mean that "each household will be able to create an account for up to six members who can access the household's UltraViolet Movies, TV... Consumers will also be able to register up to 12 devices." This new tech won't be ready until later this year, but it does offer hope that DRM might not always be this bad, some day.
Wrap-up
It's going to take more than Reycom, Acer / Gateway, and Haier to make this thing take off, but it isn't hard to let your imagination wonder on where this all could go. It would also be hard to argue that this isn't Microsoft's strongest position in the DVR market yet, and while anything could happen, we say long live Media Center with confidence. Who knows, if things go well, all the other previous promising developments for Media Center that never were, might find their way to market too. Then again, we've been wrong before.
Steve Ballmer did not announce much about upcoming Windows Phone 7 updates at CES this year, except for demoing cut-copy-paste. However, according to Neowin.net, a key Windows Phone 7 employee has revealed some information to them on where the platform was heading. One of the features that were discussed was that Microsoft was working on a FaceTime competitor for Windows Phone 7.
The said application will probably integrate with Microsoft’s Live services, so it could be used on all Windows Phones. When someone asked why Microsoft wouldn’t use something like Skype, the employee answered by saying that FaceTime competitor would “reach beyond the hand of Skype”. Also, Neowin claims that front-facing cameras may be a requirement for Windows Phone 8 devices. Though at this point, it is not yet clear on whether this application will be a part of Windows Phone 8, or come as an update to Windows Phone 7
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So what’s hot at this year’s show?
The technology trends at CES 2010 included: 3DTV, ultra-skinny HDTVs, motion-controlled gaming (Kinect and Sony’s PlayStation Move had yet to launch), not to mention early tablet prototypes, digital cameras, camcorders and iPhone-controlled Wi-Fi helicopters.
Many of the same key themes apply to CES 2011 and what you’ll see here tends to dominate the technology year ahead. So here are our hand-picked highlights of this year’s electronic expo…
Mobile phones
CES 2011 isn’t traditionally a venue for big mobile announcements, but several tech titans chose to unveil new kit and new technologies. Before the show started, LG had revealed its Optimus 2X handset, featuring a dual-core Tegra 2 processor. The forthcoming Motorola Atrix 4G phone also boasts a 1GHz dual-core CPU.
Speed is just one mobile battleground for 2011; screen technology is another. The iPhone 4′s 3.5-inch Retina display has set an impressive benchmark and Apple’s rivals have been surprisingly slow to catch up.
That should change in 2011. The new Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc features a stunning 4.2-inch ‘Reality Display’; while the LG Optimus Black incorporates a four-inch ‘NOVA’ screen that promises unparalleled energy efficiency and brightness.
And just when we’d got used to the idea of Super AMOLED, Samsung has rolled out a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen for its new Infuse 4G phone. Nice.
WI-FI DIRECT: The LG Optimus Black features new Wi-Fi Direct technology
Tablets & Slates
Last year, the tablet PC market was embryonic – we still had our fingers crossed that the Courier prototype was real. It wasn’t. In fact, the tablet market didn’t really kick off until Apple launched the iPad in April.
Since then we’ve seen Dell, Archos and Toshiba dip their toes into tablet waters, while Samsung has turned tech heads with its 7-inch, Android-powered Galaxy Tab.
This was only the start. If tablet PC announcements at CES 2011 are anything to go by, 2011 will be the year of the tablet/slate/pad. Motorola, for example, has unveiled its smart-looking Motorola Xoom, a 10.1-incher running an early build of Android 3.0 (aka Honeycomb). Not to be outdone, LG is offering sneaky peeks at its G-Slate, which also runs the new Android OS.
Other manufacturers keen to jump into the tablet market include Asus, which has launched four Eee Pad and Eee Slate tablets at CES, and RIM, which is readying its iPad-esque PlayBook. Lenovo, meanwhile, has a 10-inch ‘LePad’ device.
EEE TABLETS: Asus has announced four Eee Pad and Eee Slate tablets
As for the iPad, we’ve seen a variety of accessories and mods. The Fling iPad Joystick, for example, attaches to the iPad using gentle suction cups; while the iCade turns your Apple gadget into a mini coin-op arcade cabinet. Thinking about buying an iPad? Don’t. The technological leaps we’ve seen at CES suggest that the iPad 2 can’t be far off…
Android 3.0
While Android mobile phones wait for the latest OS upgrade to version 2.3 (Gingerbread), Google has been showing off its tablet-friendly Gingerbread OS (Android 3.0). If you buy an Android tablet in 2011, make sure it runs this…
3D
The 3D love-in at CES shows no sign of cooling. Like it or not, want it or not, 3D technology continues to be shoehorned into new TVs. Panasonic has predicted that 3D is an ‘unstoppable force’ and that a third of all new TV purchases will be of 3D models by 2014. Its new 3D plasma TVs
look stunning.But what sort of 3D will we be watching? Sony is betting big on Active technology and its HX929 telly certainly offers impressive pictures thanks to the built-in X Reality engine and edge-lit LED.
The HX929 is just one of 27 Bravia sets launching this year. Sony also has a new BDP-S780 3D Blu-ray player and is readying a 3D consumer camcorder for a spring release.
In contrast, LG is taking a different tack and has its corporate eye on ‘passive’ 3D. Its latest Infinia range of 3D televisions are using the technology, which uses polarised glasses rather than the more expensive Active Shutter system. LG also has the world’s biggest single panel OLED TV, a stunning 31-incher.
Then there’s Toshiba, which is showing a range of glasses-free, autostereoscopic 3D TVs at CES. Don’t scoff. The technology is getting better. Sophisticated view point overlay technology means you’ll even be able to move your head while watching the 3D content.
Of course, 3D isn’t just restricted to HDTVs. Both Sony and LG have unveiled 3D-capable laptops, while LG is demoing a 4.3-inch mobile touchscreen with a 480 x 800 pixel resolution that can be used for watching 3D videos or playing 3D games sans specs, much like Nintendo’s 3DS.
Finally, how about 3D surround sound? LG’s HX996TS home cinema set-up delivers an audio experience worthy of your local multiplex. And for the ultimate 3D experience, Sony’s 3D headset
prototype drips Tron-style design and in-your-face mini OLED displays.OLED
Speaking of OLED… Every year we ask the same question: “what’s happened to OLED?” The answer? It’s still coming. To whet our appetites, Mitsubishi has been showing off a 155-inch OLED display at CES, while LG has vowed to expand its own small line of organic LED sets beyond the current 15- and 31-inch models.
Computing
If you were expecting big things from Steve Ballmer this year, like us you’ll have been disappointed.
Microsoft’s keynote speech at CES was notable for what the company didn’t announce rather than what it did. The existence of Avatar Kinect, for example, was leaked before Ballmer took to the stage. Kinect itself will be coming to the PC this year. But Microsoft haven’t said exactly when.
With one eye on the rapidly expanding tablet market, Ballmer did reveal that the upcoming version of Windows would be fully compatible with mobile ARM processors such as the Tegra 2 and Qualcomm’s Snapdragons. But seriously: how hard would it have been to do a tablet running the Windows Phone 7 OS right now?
And speaking about Windows Phone 7, Microsoft has sold over 1.5 million handsets since launch and plans to add copy/paste functionality into the next update. It’s a good start, although these numbers won’t have Apple or Google quaking in their boots.
Beyond Microsoft, Intel announced its new Sandy Bridge processor architecture in the shape of Core i5-2500K and Core i7-2600K desktop CPUs. AMD, meanwhile, tore the wraps off its new Fusion chips, which combine CPU and GPU processing on a single die. Ta-daa!
Elsewhere, Samsung’s Series 9 laptops caught our roving eye – they have a distinct and alluring MacBook Air about them. Similarly, the Razer Switchblade concept looks as if it’s been designed for playing World of Warcraft on the bus.
Everything else
As ever, CES is a melting pot of big-name products, ambitious peripherals and small-fry accessories like iPod docks, USB hubs and indestructible mobile phone cases. So you often need to look beyond the multi-million dollar displays into the carpeted back-alleys in order to unearth some of the show’s other gems.
- OCZ showcased a monstrous 4TB solid state drive (SSD)
- Nokia had a netbook running a build of the MeeGo OS, designed in cahoots with Intel
- Fulton Innovation demonstrated the magic of wireless electricity
- Nike+ and TomTom unveiled a new SportsWatch that keeps track of where you go
What did you think was the most exciting announcement at CES 2011? Let us know by telling us what you think below…
At a special press conference held at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2011) in Vegas, Microsoft today showed off Windows 8 running on ARM processors.
President of Windows and Windows Live Division, Steven Sinofsky, demonstrated an early build of Windows 8 running on both System-on-a-chip (SoC) platforms from NVIDIA, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments on ARM, and as well as x86.
From the official Windows Team Blog:
Happy New Year everyone! At CES 2011 in Las Vegas, we hosted a press conference announcing that the next version of Windows will support System on a Chip architectures from Intel, AMD, and ARM. We announced that the next version of Windows will support System on a Chip (SoC) architectures including ARM-based systems from partners NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments. On the x86 architecture, Intel and AMD continue their work on low-power SoC designs that fully support Windows, including support for x86 applications. SoC architectures will fuel significant innovation across the hardware spectrum when coupled with the depth and breadth of the Windows platform. We are making this announcement now so that our ecosystem can start working together to enable the widest possible range of devices, from tablets on up, to ship with the next version of Windows. More detail about this exciting news is available in our press release and this Q&A with Windows & Windows Live president Steven Sinofsky.
LAS VEGAS — Jan. 5, 2011 — Microsoft Corp. today announced at 2011 International CES that the next version of Windows will support System on a Chip (SoC) architectures, including ARM-based systems from partners NVIDIA Corp., Qualcomm Inc. and Texas Instruments Inc. On the x86 architecture, Intel Corporation and AMD continue their work on low-power SoC designs that fully support Windows, including support for native x86 applications. SoC architectures will fuel significant innovation across the hardware spectrum when coupled with the depth and breadth of the Windows platform.Unfortunately though, all attendees at the press conference were strictly prohibited from taking cameras inside, therefore no video demos were tapped. Also, according to Mary Jo Foley, the new user interface of Windows 8 was not shown.
At today’s announcement, Microsoft demonstrated the next version of Windows running on new SoC platforms from Intel running on x86 architecture and from NVIDIA, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments on ARM architecture. The technology demonstration included Windows client support across a range of scenarios, such as hardware-accelerated graphics and media playback, hardware-accelerated Web browsing with the latest Microsoft Internet Explorer, USB device support, printing and other features customers have come to expect from their computing experience. Microsoft Office running natively on ARM also was shown as a demonstration of the full depth and breadth of Windows platform capabilities on ARM architecture.
Windows will continue its industry-leading support across the widest possible set of devices, delivering the breadth and choice that customers demand. Intel and AMD continue to evolve and improve the x86 platforms, including new low-power systems, and advance new designs such as the recently announced 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ processor family and AMD’s Fusion accelerated processing units (APUs). NVIDIA, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments are joining Microsoft to provide ARM-based designs for the first time.
“With today’s announcement, we’re showing the flexibility and resiliency of Windows through the power of software and a commitment to world-class engineering. We continue to evolve Windows to deliver the functionality customers demand across the widest variety of hardware platforms and form factors,” said Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft.
SoC architectures consolidate the major components of a computing device onto a single package of silicon. This consolidation enables smaller, thinner devices while reducing the amount of power required for the device, increasing battery life and making possible always-on and always-connected functionality. With support of SoC in the next version of the Windows client, Microsoft is enabling industry partners to design and deliver the widest range of hardware ever.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
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Avatar Kinect uses Kinect’s camera and sensor to bring a player’s avatar to life. With Avatar Kinect, a player can invite up to seven friends to join them in one of 15 imaginative virtual environments, including a stage or a tailgate party.
In his keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2011) in Vegas, Ballmer announced Avatar Kinect for Xbox 360.
What’s so great about Avatar Kinect is that it will even recognize your face, your smile, or when you raise your eyebrows, when you are talking to friends, and so on. Available to Xbox LIVE Gold members only, Avatar Kinect will be available as part of a new Xbox Dashboard update in Spring 2011, along with Netflix and Hulu Plus with Kinect support.
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Quick quiz: In 2010, did you purchase an Apple (AAPL) iPad
or a smartphone, or sign up for Netflix? If you answered yes, congratulations -- you were part of at least one of the top tech trends of 2010.The last year was defined by a broad range of significant technology trends and events, several of which stemmed from the iPad launch. Here's our list of the top 10:
1) Launch of the iPad: The iPad jump-started the tablet market in the big way. Sure, there were early pioneers in the market, like Apple's Newton in the mid-1990s and Microsoft's (MSFT) tablet launch in 2001, but it was the iPad that drew a flood of other me-too tablets to the market, from Dell's Streak to Samsung's Galaxy Tab. As James Ragan, senior equity analyst of Crowell, Weedon & Co., puts it: "The iPad launched the whole tablet segment and proved groundbreaking."
2) E-Readers Take Off: At least partly thanks to the iPad launch, e-readers like Amazon.com's (AMZN) Kindle
and Barnes & Noble's (BKS) Nook gained far more traction in 2010. "We were so early in the S-curve of e-readers that the iPad helped increase interest," says Mark Mahaney, a Citigroup analyst. "The iPad exploded interest in e-readers, and that benefited Amazon." Jeff Bezos says the latest generation Kindle became the top-selling product in the company's history during the critical holiday selling season. Research firm Gartner predicts worldwide e-reader sales will soar 79.8% to 6.6 million units in 2010.3) Cell-Phone Firms Develop Tablets: Cell-phone manufacturers have begun morphing into computer makers with the development of their own tablets. Samsung officially launched its Galaxy Tab in September. Motorola Mobility's CEO Sanjay Jha said his company is coming out with a tablet computer in the new year, as is Research in Motion (RIMM), which is planning to release its BlackBerry PlayBook in the first quarter.
4) It's All About the Apps: Still talking about the hardware features on your cell phone? That's so 2009. The bells and whistles of cell phones today are all about the software. The trend became even more apparent when the world's largest handset maker, Nokia, pushed out its longtime CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo in favor of former Microsoft executive and software veteran Stephen Elop in September.
5) Android Beats Apple iOS: Google's (GOOG) Android mobile operating system pummeled Apple's iOS this year, demonstrating how quickly things can change in the world of smartphones. During the third quarter, Android-powered phones jumped to the No. 2 spot in worldwide smartphone sales. Android captured 25.5% of the market, up from a mere 3.5% a year ago. Apple's iOS, which ranked No. 3, saw its market share fall to 16.7% that quarter from 17.1% in the year-ago quarter. That marked the first time Apple's iOS posted a year-over-year decline.
6) Wireless Goes Everywhere: Smartphones, notebooks and tablets made "mobility" a buzzword in 2010. "It was the year you could access the Internet over the wireless infrastructure from anywhere," analyst Raglan says.
7) Internet Stocks Boom: The year saw an Internet supernova as stocks exploded with triple-digit gains, leaving investors awestruck. From Jan. 4 through Wednesday's close, movie-rental site Netflix (NFLX) had soared 237% to $180.27 a share. "Netflix captured the greatest gains during the year, as consumption of video streaming took off," analyst Mahaney says. OpenTable (OPEN) blew up with a 190% gain to $71.88 a share, and Chinese search giant Baidu (BIDU) flagged a 141.7% gain to close at $99.11 a share.
8) Google Leaves China: Google's exit from mainland China captured headlines earlier this year, after the search giant and the Chinese government butted heads over censorship issues. In the end, Google lost the battle. The search giant created a landing page for Chinese users to access information from its Hong Kong site.
9) Companies Head for the Cloud: Cloud computing demonstrated strong growth in 2010, Ragan notes. Indeed. Earlier this year, research firm Gartner forecast that worldwide cloud services would see revenues jump 16.6% to $68.3 billion by the end of 2010. And by the time 2014 rolls around, those revenues are expected to reach $148.8 billion.
10) IPO Letdown: The prospect of hot IPOs from Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn kept investors on edge for most of the year, but these companies left folks with long faces as none of them filed an S-1 IPO filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission
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What Might Make the List in 2011
If you didn't participate in any of 2010's top 10, don't worry. The next year promises to come with its own set of hot new tech trends and key events. One of the first big tech events happens Jan. 4, when Motorola (MOT) plans to split into two companies.
As for trends, Wall Street analysts expect tablet computers to take an even bigger bite of the consumer-notebook market next year. They also forecast that some of the largest advertising budgets will migrate over to Internet videos from TV. And, of course, all eyes are watching Verizon Wireless with the anticipation that the behemoth cellular network will soon finally carry Apple's iPhone .
My smartphone is half useless if it doesn’t have quality games or an absence of the gaming concept entirely and I bet same goes for many others. We have already seen how the PlayStation Phone is creating a lot of buzz recently after the much hyped Microsoft’s integration of the Xbox LIVE services with Windows Phone 7 devices. It becomes obvious that manufacturers are bent at giving us more than just a smartphone that lets you browse web, do email, etc. Gaming is an absolutely important element these days!
Focusing on the Windows Phone 7 for now, Microsoft demonstrated the gaming prowess of the Windows Phone 7 back in March and today it goes a step further. Today Windows Phone 7 received its first turn-based multiplayer Xbox LIVE game that lets you play against opponents on your personal computer. Which simply means that I can make a move on my Windows Phone 7 while my opponent can do the same via a Web interface in a browser using a PC or Mac. Sounds awesome right! If you have a Windows Phone 7 device, you can give Game Chest Chess a go by following this link here.
The Xbox Phone !
