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Microsoft and Tmsuk To Unite in Robotics Bliss

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Design, Microsoft, Science,

Microsoft has teamed up with former factory automation and now robotics company Tmsuk to develop what they feel will be cutting edge technology. As of now, there are many different systems being used and the company would like it if they were more standardized and used one, preferably their Robotics Studio.

Professor Atsuo Takanishi at Waseda University mentioned that it remained to be seen if Microsoft can make their dream a reality. “But I don’t think it is very difficult to modify the existing technologies developed with other operating system—such as Linux—into a Microsoft version.”

We like the idea that companies are getting together and don’t really care who is in charge as long as they just keep those bots coming, hopefully at a price everyone can handle.

Gallery: Microsoft and Tmsuk To Unite in Robotics Bliss

Game Companies Plant Advertising

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Home Entertainment, Internet, Microsoft, Video Games,

Need For Speed:Carbon Screenshot Product placement is no longer restricted to movies and TV sitcoms. Pay attention as you zoom past the Pontiac billboard next time you play “Need for Speed: Carbon.” As new cars become available, the image changes. The devices are also featured in “Project Gotham Racing 3” and “Forza Motorsport 2.” Microsoft’s Massive Unit is in charge of updating in-game advertising and claims that the average age of a gamer is now 33. Amazingly, they also find that studies of the players show that 69% said they were more likely to consider purchasing a car they had seen in a game. We hope this trend doesn’t get so distracting that your gaming runs you right into one of those virtual billboards.

Gallery: Game Companies Plant Advertising

Microsoft Increases Hotmail Storage

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Internet, Microsoft,

Hotmail Microsoft has decided to more than double its Hotmail service capacity and will now store up to 5 GB of e-mail messages and images. They are undoubtedly hoping that this move will take them from the number 2 spot and unseat their rival Yahoo. The company also says that its performance will speed up, it will combine duplicate contacts in its address book, there will be a new “report phishing button,” and an option to log in straight to your inbox from the home page.

“We know this is going to be a big hit with a lot of you out there in blog land,” said Ellie Powers-Boyle, a program manager for Windows Live Hotmail.

It certainly is a big hit with those of us who like our Hotmail and have stuck with it despite the mini-storage for all these years.

Gallery: Microsoft Increases Hotmail Storage

Microsoft Drops Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Cost, Releases RE 5 Trailer

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Home Entertainment, Microsoft, Movies, Video Games,

It’s official. At the Comic-Con International 2007, Microsoft announced it is lowering its Xbox 360 HD DVD to ERP $179.99 in the United States and will include five free DVDs for anyone who purchases one between August 1 and September 30. Also in Xbox news comes the word of Capcom’s Resident Evil 5 trailer being released and looking hideously fun, don’t you think? RE has certainly come a long way since we played the first one back in the late 90’s. The target date of its debut is set for 2009.

Gallery: Microsoft Drops Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Cost, Releases RE 5 Trailer

Microsoft Sells Over 1 Million Zunes

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Microsoft, Portable Audio / Video,

Zune Microsoft is happily touting the fact that they have finally pushed over one million Zune units through to retail. The announcement was part of their latest earnings call, highlighted by the fact that Microsoft earned over $50 billion in annual revenue. A great sales figure on paper, but remember, this just means that retailers purchased a total of 1.2 million Zunes - it does not mean that all those Zune units have been purchased by consumers. This explains why joining “The Social” is about as difficult as finding a Wii.

Gallery: Microsoft Sells Over 1 Million Zunes

Microsoft Announces Xbox 360 Elite Japan Launch

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Microsoft, Video Games,

Xbox Elite Although it is already available here, Microsoft has announced that it will launch its Xbox 360 Elite this October in Japan. Featuring a 120GB hard drive which is six times bigger than the regular 360 and twice Sony’s Playstation 3 drive, the announcement is no doubt due to the competition, since The Xbox ranks third in sales of the Big Three in Japan. According to one report, Nintendo has sold about 1.78 million Wiis, Sony over 500,000 Playstation 3s, while Microsoft has only managed to sell about 123,000 of their Xboxes in Japan. The Elite will sell for 47,000 yen (~$380.00.)

Gallery: Microsoft Announces Xbox 360 Elite Japan Launch

Video: Unboxing Belkin TunePower for Zune

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Microsoft, Portable Audio / Video, Videos,

We recently posted a video of us opening up a Belkin TunePower for Zune over on Unboxing that we figured you guys might be interested in. The TunePower for Zune extends the battery life of the device by 6-12 hours, depending on what sort of activity you are doing, and also has a kickstand for your video viewing pleasure. Check out the video for the full scoop.

This video is a part of the Unboxing Live series. If you would like to be automatically notified of new episodes, you can subscribe to us in iTunes, or manually using our RSS feed.

Gallery: Video: Unboxing Belkin TunePower for Zune

Last Chance to Win Parallels 3.0

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Announcements, Apple, Microsoft, PC / Laptop, Software,

Parallels 3.0 Contest Last chance guys - our Parallels 3.0 giveaway ends tonight. You have until midnight to enter to win a free copy of the hottest virtualization software package for Mac OS X. The details on how to win are here, so if you own a Mac and want to run Windows programs in the slickest fashion possible, jump on it.

Read More | Parallels 3.0 Giveaway Contest

Gallery: Last Chance to Win Parallels 3.0

Apple’s Safari Browser to be Released for Windows

Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Internet, Microsoft, PC / Laptop, Software,

The fascinating relationship/rivalry between Microsoft and Apple was ratcheted up a notch this week. At Apple’s annual World Wide Developers Conference, CEO Steve Jobs announced their Apple-exclusive web browser, Safari, will be released for Windows XP and Vista—and will be up to twice as fast as Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, and 1.6 times faster than Firefox 2. The move is seen as part of Jobs’ business strategy to broaden Apple’s presence in the browser market, of which they only have 5 percent, compared to Microsoft’s whopping 80 percent. Curious? A test version of the browser is available at Apple’s web site. This writer will give Safari a test run with Windows Vista and report back soon…

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