I saw over on Engadget that the Windows 8 Developer Preview will be available for download tonight, at 8PM PST. There’s no activation and it’ll be available for 32bit and 64bit x86 processors. Of course, don’t go installing this on a computer you rely on – It’s a developer preview and bound to have unknown or unexpected problems. Good luck downloading, and let us know what you think of Microsoft’s newest in the comments!

Update: Download site is now online

[Via Engadget, Microsoft Download Site ]

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Microsoft, Windows8

Windows 8 Developer Preview Available at 8PM PST originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 13, 2011 at 3:56 pm.

See this man? His name is Stephen Elop, CEO of Nokia. He has a problem– A big problem. As of now, Nokia has lost its dominance in smartphones world wide to Android. Symbian is a throwback OS and it looks like it. Nokia has no presence in the U.S., where the hottest Mobile OS lives. He wants to change that.

Elop wrote a memo to the company called the Burning Platform.

“Over the past few months, I’ve shared with you what I’ve heard from our shareholders, operators, developers, suppliers and from you. Today, I’m going to share what I’ve learned and what I have come to believe.

I have learned that we are standing on a burning platform.”

He basically rips Nokia a new one and is now teaming with Microsoft to bring WP7 to Nokia.

Symbian is good but it’s known to be difficult to develop for. Windows Phone 7 has only been out for a couple of months and it already has more apps available than Symbian! Crazy!

No Android for Nokia

“There are no heroics in being the 20th Android phone at Best Buy,” said Dan Hays, director at consultancy PRTM. “Going ahead with Windows Phone 7 could actually serve as a differentiator for Nokia in the marketplace. No other major mobile phone developer has really stepped forward to embrace Windows Phone 7 in a big way.” -CNN

MeeGO

MeeGo isn’t going away, its just not going anywhere either. It will remain an open-source “project”. Who knows when we will see a MeeGO phone hit the market.

Micro-Kia

I think it is a great move for Microsoft and Nokia–two companies getting their butts kicked in the mobile arena– to come together.

I can’t wait to see what this will look like. Excited?

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Microsoft, Nokia, Symbian OS Related

Nokia’s Fight Part 2 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 11, 2011 at 11:18 am.

When I first saw that Microsoft was putting in a retail store three doors down from one of my local Apple Stores, I was betting it was going to be a ghost town within the first week/month. I was skeptical Microsoft and its partners had anywhere near the draw Apple does. But this monolithic store opened last Thursday to quite a fanfare.

Microsoft, in its attempt to create a frenzy on its store’s opening weekend, put on Miley Cyrus and Dave Matthews concerts to entice the hordes to flock. According to the media, Bellevue Square was the place to be this past weekend.

The Gadgeteer Kid and I went to Bellevue Square just as it opened this Sunday morning to beat the weekend/pre-Holiday crowds, get a few things, visit the Apple, MS and Lego stores, and get out before the insanity started. To my surprise, this is what the Microsoft store looked like ten minutes after the Mall opened…..crazy!!! The store might have opened before the rest of the Mall did (I should have asked), not sure.

But either way, the place was packed and full of energy. Folks were buzzing around checking everything out and many people were walking out with something in their hands (purchases).

Microsoft’s new store is very Apple like. There is no mistake their designers took many cues from the Apple Store. I do have to say, I like the added elbow room. Most of the time Apple Stores are packed to the brim and their limited square footage usually makes me feel a bit claustrophobic. But the Bellevue Microsoft Store is huge, nearly three times the space as its neighbor three doors down.

Microsoft stocked the place with the very best they have to offer. From large touch sensitive tables to Win7 smartphones to every kind of PC/laptop/netbook they could get a hold of. They even had a relatively large Kindle display as well.

For added real-time fun, there is a decently sized video game playing area setup; emulating the average family room.

As we were finishing up at Bellevue Square and were heading to our car, we went by the Microsoft Store one more time. The place was so packed, employees had already started limiting entrance and a line had formed to get in.

Bottom line is that I was a bit too harsh in my original commentary about Microsoft creating brick and mortar retail spaces. If the first week is any indicator, it looks like the Store will do alright. Being in Microsoft’s home town and very near an Apple store will most likely help their popularity, as well. The GK and I are definitely diehard Apple guys, but we too, will regularly kill time in the Microsoft Store while waiting for family members to get done shopping .

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Microsoft

Alright Microsoft, I guess I was wrong…. originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 23, 2010 at 8:32 am.

Good bye, sayonara, far well, adiós, nice knowing ya Kin.  The tween/teen generation for which the Kin was targeted has spoken and they did not embrace the Kin as Microsoft had hoped.  The socially included phone is being rolled off due to lack luster sales, which may be due to the fact that it was never a smart phone. The Kin did not support apps and was specially designed for social networking applications including Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.  Ultimately, even the half off price cut did not save the device from its demise.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Microsoft, Other PDA related, Social Networking

The KIN is Fin…ished originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 2, 2010 at 7:45 am.

Microsoft recently announced the launch of two devices from their new “Kin” line (aptly titled Kin One and Kin Two) with a hearty emphasis on social networking/sharing.

Both phones are touch-screen/slider models and contain cameras (Kin One – 5 megapixel / Kin Two – 8 megapixel).  Microsoft also touts the Kin as the first in-phone implementation of the Zune service, and users can stream music over the air, on the go.

According to Microsoft’s Robbie Bach, these phones are geared towards the “Lifecasters.”  If you aren’t sure what a Lifecaster is, it’s  your Facebook/MySpace friends that need to remind you of vital information such as, “I just woke up!” or “It’s sunny today!”

Both models will be available through Verizon in May.  Pricing is not yet available.

[Courtesy of CNET]

Filed in categories: News, Wireless

Tagged: Microsoft, Mobile Phone, Social Networking

Can Microsoft’s “Kin” Win? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 12, 2010 at 7:34 pm.

Like a lot of us, I travel for work fairly often, lugging my rotator-cuff rending Lenovo T60p (with extended life battery) and its builders-grade power brick through airports and hotels.  Because of this, I am rather fanatical about accessories that can help me save time, weight and space, both on my daily grind commute and on more adventurous voyages.  But, you may ask, does the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 meet these goals?  Does the length of the product name correlate with the number of useful features?  Let’s find out.

Below is an image of the items in the package.  Shown are the mouse itself (included batteries have already been installed), Bluetooth “transceiver,” installation CDROM, quick-start booklet, product guide and a Windows Vista compatibility warning card (yikes!).

package contents

Size and Form Factor

After opening the package, I did a quick size comparison between the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 and my average-sized, no frills Dell mouse, as show in the images below:

comparison with standard Dell mouse

comparison with standard Dell mouse

I have owned and used notebook mice before, and most were smaller than this one, so its size isn’t particularly small.  However, the number of features that have been packed into this fairly small envelope are quite impressive.  Ergonomically shaped, with a comfortable form factor and rubberized side grips, it is also right- or left-hand capable for those ambidextrous among us (you know who you are).  Regarding the image below, for perspective my hands are average- to a bit small-sized adult male human hands.

mouse in action

Features

First and foremost, yes, it’s a mouse, with fairly typical mouse controls.  It has the standard right and left buttons but also has programmable side buttons that aren’t always found on a notebook mouse.  It also has a scroll wheel, which has a nice, smooth feel.  Also, the mouse is wireless of course, using Bluetooth, and includes a USB transceiver.  However, if you have a computer with on-board Bluetooth capability, you don’t need the transceiver if you want to access the basic mouse features.  I was able to get the mouse set up with my laptop’s Bluetooth in a matter of a few minutes.  Easy peasy.

Now, let’s look at some of the more non-standard features.  Here’s a shot of both the top and the bottom of the mouse:

top and bottom views

On-off switch?  Check.  Laser pointer?  Why, yes!  A handy feature for those of us who must do the dreaded “dog and pony show”  (AKA presentations) while on the road.  Continuing on this theme are a set of overlapping features that set this mouse apart for me.  On the top of the mouse is a button that switches between mouse mode and presenter mode.  And that’s where the fun begins.  Hit this button and flip the mouse over.  Viola!  You’re in presenter mode, which has controls that can be used to drive PowerPoint slideshows including separate buttons for ‘next slide’ and ‘previous slide’ as well as ‘blank screen.’  There are also media controls for ‘volume up’ and ‘volume down’ and the ‘blank screen’ key doubles as media ‘play/pause.’  Oh, and in presenter mode, the topside mouse controls double as ‘digital ink’ controls for annotating slides.  Slick.

Installation

To access the presenter and media controls, you will need to use the CDROM to install specific software, which walked me through the installation with relative ease.  Below are a few screencaps to illustrate.

software installation

software installation

software installation

I found that once I had completed the setup with the transceiver,  I was able to disconnect it from the computer, then re-”pair” the mouse using ‘My Bluetooth Places’ and I was then able to use all of the mouse features, including the presenter and media controls without the transceiver.  Way cool!

Batteries

The mouse requires two AAA batteries which are included and can be accessed via a small pushbutton-released panel on the rear, as shown in the image below.  Battery life seems decent, but you probably need to switch the mouse off in order to best optimize the life.  My only critique here is that it might have been nice to be able to use rechargeable batteries and a USB cable to recharge it.

battery installation

Case

So far, I am quite happy with the mouse itself.  The case is another story, however.  While I appreciate that the case design was intended to both protect the mouse (and transceiver) while being jostled about your bag on whirlwind excursions, I found the case to be rather…well, clunky.  However, size-wise, I suppose it really isn’t much larger than a normal, full-sized mouse.

case

mouse in case

mouse in case

Conclusion

Overall, a very nice product.  Who knew Microsoft could do such a good job with hardware?  A bit on the pricey side, but for all of the features that are crammed into this little gem, I think the price is reasonably justified.   Incidentally, this mouse doesn’t have to be used only with laptops; one of my co-workers uses it for his full-time desktop mouse.

Features list (items from the official website shown in italics, the rest I added to show the full list of features):

1. Presentation Controls
2. Media Remote
3. On/Off Switch
4. 2.4 GHz Bluetooth with First Connect Technology
5. High Definition Laser Technology
6. Laser Pointer
7. Standard Left and Right Mouse Buttons
8. Side Mouse Buttons
9. Mouse/Presenter Mode Switch
10. Protective Case with Wrist Strap

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Laptop, Microsoft, Mouse, notebook, USB

Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 5, 2009 at 6:12 pm.

Like a lot of people, if I have room for it while working on my laptop, I’d rather use a mouse than the trackpad. Most mobile mice seem to be created approximately equal, but recently Microsoft introduced something new to the field with their BlueTrack technology which claims to work more smoothly on more surfaces than the typical red or infrared laser systems of other mice. Microsoft is using BlueTrack in various products, but it seems to be an especially appropriate fit for a mobile mouse such as the Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000.

Overview

The Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000 is a compact mouse with a tiny USB receiver, intended for use with laptops and netbooks. It has five buttons: the usual three on top and one on each side. The wheel is smooth instead of having the “clicks” that many other mice have; I personally like this a lot since I have gotten used to a smooth wheel from using a Logitech MX at home, although I wish it had the same momentum as the Logitech style wheel. The wheel also tilts, as is common in most newer mice.

Like most mobile mice, this one has a USB receiver. It is a “nano” receiver, meaning that it is barely bigger than the USB plug itself, sticking out only about 1/4 inch from the port so that you can leave it plugged in while your laptop is stowed in a case. If you don’t want to do that, the receiver also stores neatly in a compartment on the bottom of the mouse.

Although the top of the mouse is smooth, the sides have a more “grippy” surface as well as an inward curve toward the front, making it easy to hold with your thumb and fingers. It’s very light, and fairly fast – not quite as sensitive and twitchy as I like a desktop mouse to be, but perfect for laptop-sized displays.

Included in the package with the mouse are an AA battery (the mouse uses just the one, and it is supposed to last up to 10 months) and Microsoft’s Intellipoint drivers which allow for advanced button assignments on Windows and the Mac. As with most mice the software isn’t actually required to work with any modern operating system; although I didn’t install the Intellipoint driver on my Mac, I could assign the extra buttons to Expose’ and Spaces functions through the system preferences as usual.

BlueTrack

The most interesting thing about this mouse is its BlueTrack optical system, which is claimed to work on nearly any surface except for clear glass or mirrors. In order to test this, I tried the mouse on nearly every semi-flat surface I could find in the house, and was pleased to find out that Microsoft isn’t kidding about how well BlueTrack works. Here’s a sampling:

• Papers and books
• Several kinds of wood (tabletops, 2×4, particle board)
• A marble countertop
• Vinyl flooring
• Carpet
• Furniture upholstery
• Bed sheets
• Leather
• Clothing
• Shower tile (dry)
• My own skin (use your other hand as a mouse pad…)
• The black, polished back of my guitar
• The trunk lid of my car

Even semi-reflective surfaces like my car and guitar were not a problem, so I feel safe in saying that this mouse will probably work on any surface you’re likely to find next to your laptop or netbook, including your own body if necessary.

Conclusion

All in all, I like this mouse, and its tiny receiver is now installed semi-permanently in my HP Mini. It’s light and sensitive, and the smooth wheel and extra buttons are very nice. I admit that I don’t really need the ability for it to track on almost any surface, but it’s nice to know that I could use it that way if I had to. I can only think of two ways in which I would improve it: adding momentum to the wheel like the Logitech MX/VX mice have, and supplying a protective pouch. Overall, Microsoft continues their tradition of making good peripherals with this one.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Laptop, Microsoft, Mouse, Netbook, USB

Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000 Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 9, 2009 at 9:30 pm.

Microsoft has launched the new iteration of its search engine, oddly named “Bing” a little earlier than was rumored. I haven’t had a chance to put it through the paces, but, it does seem to pop results up very fast. Of course, that could be because no one is using it yet. :O But if you’re curious, have a look at Bing for yourself.

Filed in categories: Uncategorized

Tagged: Bing, Microsoft, Spotlight Gadgets

Live is Now Bing, or, Bing is Now Live… originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 1, 2009 at 8:15 am.

Microsoft has officially announced the Zune HD. You can check out a few details on the new Touchscreen, HD Radio, HD Video Out, WiFi, and Web Browser features here. I’m not going to copy and paste the press release here, but you can certainly check out the talking points for yourself. We had an interesting conversation about this topic a few weeks ago, if you want to see who hit the nail on the head with the predictions.

While the hardware definitely looks interesting, the big news here might be that they are again leaving open the possibility of a Zune Phone by allowing this new platform to migrate “across the ecosystem”. Let the “I’m a PC” vs. “MacFanBoy” flame wars begin!

Filed in categories: Uncategorized

Tagged: Microsoft, Spotlight Gadgets, Zune

The Zune HD Cometh originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 27, 2009 at 7:35 am.

Microsoft continues their penetration into the PC Gaming hardware fray with their newest release, the Sidewinder X8 mouse. Wireless peripherals in PC gaming have long been a no-no, promising lag and instant death. Will this wireless mouse change that notion?

I recently reviewed the Microsoft Sidewinder Gaming Mouse, which is the wired sister to this X8 model. I was very impressed with its features, feel, and performance, and I was more than anxious to get my sweaty gaming paws all over what Microsoft is touting as the best tracking wireless mouse made. Needless to say I was ecstatic when Julie scored a review model for me to try out. Let’s get to the specs!

Features

Hardware Specifications

Package Contents

Test Machine

Setup

The first thing you have to do is install the included rechargeable battery into the mouse. This is done by removing the bottom cover and sliding the battery in at an angle. Once in, the mouse came to life with at least a little bit of juice to get things going. There are three sets of feet included to configure the grip the mouse has or doesn’t have based on the surface you will utilize. These feet are stored in the round charging station and accessory holder. These are easily switched out per the provided instructions.

As in my previous Sidewinder review, this mouse utilizes the Intellipoint software that integrates nicely with the built in windows mouse configuration control panel. I like this implementation because it doesn’t add a 3rd party utility that can get a little buggy come game time. Simply throw the CD in and let Windows do its thing, then plug in the USB charging station, and turn the mouse on. Within Intellipoint you can of course configure your mouse buttons for different operations and set the DPI, which on this mouse, is a configurable super wide scale from 250 to 4000. Needless to say, you should play with a combination of DPI settings and in-game sensitivity settings to get just the right feel.

I hate to keep referring back to my original Sidewinder review, as this mouse is a somewhat different beast, but I have to say I’m just a tad disappointed in the physical feel of this mouse, especially considering how much I love the original. It’s not that it’s bad compared to other mice, it’s just not as plush as it’s sibling. It is a tad heavy, which I prefer, but that’s without the added extra weights included in the original Sidewinder. The surfaces of this mouse are pretty much what you see on the shelves at Best Buy. It’s plastic. The original Sidewinder has a nice soft rubbery textured surface that I find I am missing somewhat. They covered the charging station in this surface, why not the mouse?

Microsoft BlueTrack Technology

The BlueTrack technology implemented in this device is something I had not heard a lot about, but after doing a little research, I’ve got to say I’m very impressed with the development. Briefly, a blurb from the BlueTrack Website explains:

This new tracking technology—available only from Microsoft—lets you use a mouse anywhere and work with confidence on more surfaces than ever before. BlueTrack combines the power of optical with the precision of laser, allowing you to mouse on virtually any surface—from a granite counter top to an airport bench to your living-room carpet.

I could go into great depth here, because it’s actually very interesting, but instead, how about watching a couple of brief videos? The first video is a quick intro into the features of BlueTrack, the second video is by the inventor of the technology, and gives a nice solid background on the development of it.

I did try this mouse on a variety of surfaces in my home, granite counter tops, hardwood floors, the wooden desk surface, the dining table, the wall, and even the carpet. The mouse worked great on all of them, even on the carpet, which I find somewhat odd and pretty amazing all at the same time.

Performance

This is where this mouse shines. The performance is great. By far and away it is the best wireless mouse I’ve ever had my hands on. The biggest compliment I can give it is that it performs just as accurately and acutely as its wired sibling. Its precision is surgical, and its speed can be set to borderline insane. Like its wired sibling, you can swing this mouse around for a shot so fast it will make you dizzy, but you can pull up and zero in a kill just as quickly.

Shift on the Fly DPI, implemented by the three buttons on top of the mouse, make it easy to switch from precise pixel level control to head spinning whirling in an instant.

The two side buttons are situated at inverting angles which is actually more comfortable and intuitive, I find, than on the original Sidewinder. The buttons don’t protrude from the body as much, but the different angles let you know immediately where you are and make for fast switching and clicking between them.

The scroll wheel, while not as wide as the original, does do the tilt, which adds a nice dimension to gaming. I set mine to leaning in Team Fortress 2, and found I immediately liked that feature. The detents are pronounced, and the machined surface of the metal wheel gives some nice traction.

The implementation of the LCD Screen, Precision Booster, Macro recording features, and Quick Turn found in the (OK I KNOW I KEEP REFERRING TO IT) review of the original, really give it some sweet extras.

I was never able to measure the touted 30 hours of straight use, my gut can no longer handle Red Bull and Twinkies as sustenance, but I never had a problem after 6 straight hours of use, and noticed no degradation in performance during that time. But when it’s game over, one of my favorite features kicks in.

The magnetic cord which couples on the underside of the mouse to charge it, almost seems to reach out and find its home in the docking bay of the mouse automatically. Microsoft did an excellent job of making this mouse easy to charge and easy to disconnect from charging. And as a bonus, if you forget to charge after a few sessions and the mouse goes dead, simply unwind some more of the cord, leave the mouse plugged up, and keep on going.

Conclusion: Game-O-licious

Dont’ try it, buy it. While I miss the posh and sophisticated surface on the original Sidewinder and its metal buttons and extra wide scroll wheel, the wireless freedom and performance of this mouse more than make up for it. I notice absolutely zero lag or tracking degradation vs. a wired performance mouse.

It performs so well in fact, that I’m not sure this BlueTrack hocus-pocus doesn’t let this wireless mouse perform better than the wired Sidewinder, the spec says it does, and it seems to ring true. It is deadly accurate. The addition of tilt wheel also adds a nice dimension I’ve not used in-game before. The huge feature set and configuration variables make it very customizable.

Would I go out and spend the money to upgrade from the original? That is one tough call. I love the original, but the wireless freedom of the X8 is so very nice. What I do know is that my new X8 is upstairs, calling me to undock it from it’s charging cord, set it free, hop online, and seriously own some newbs with a very serious piece of hardware.

Happy Fragging!

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Gaming Gear

Tagged: Gaming, Microsoft, Mouse

Microsoft Sidewinder X8 Wireless Gaming Mouse Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 22, 2009 at 9:55 am.