Now that Toshiba has finally ditched the HD DVD format in an official statement saying that “it will no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders” this should have impact on some businesses. However, Microsoft announced today that its Xbox 360 game console won’t suffer any material impact.

I find it hard to believe, but Microsoft enforced our thoughts saying that Xbox 360 customers would continue to be able to consume high-definition movies, television programs, and DVDs they already own on the Xbox 360 HD DVD player.

Lets see it done, now that Blu-ray is gonna become king and then we’ll talk.

via YahooNews

I remember how we switched from ball-based mouse to the optical mouse and then the laser model. Today Microsoft managed to amaze me, once again, with their latest wireless laser mouse models, 6000 (left picture) and 7000 (right picture).

Microsoft WLM 6000 is more portable and has a 2.4GHz USB receiver while WLM 7000 is less portable mainly because it uses rechargeable batteries. Both “mice” use Microsoft’s HD Lasers and the latter comes with a horizontal charging dock in case your batteries run low. Oh, did I mention the Vista friendly buttons?

Prices are $50 for WLM 6000 and $70 for WLM 7000.

via Engadget

Huge news on the market! Microsoft has made an official bid to buy the giant Yahoo. Competing with Google Inc. isn’t so funny lately. Google has acquired so many online services that Microsoft and Yahoo remained far behind. Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said the company will bid $31 per share, the total offer reaching the amazing amount of $44.6 billion.

Yahoo has received an official letter with the proposed deal, making its share price go up 54 percent in premarket trading. If the Yahoo board accepts the transaction, the shareholders could choose to receive cash or Microsoft common shares, with the total purchase consisting of 50 percent each cash and stock.

According to the letter, Ballmer made a proposal last year, but Yahoo board’s felt it was not the right time. They believed in the success “on a reformulated strategy based on certain operational initiatives, such as Project Panama, and a significant organizational realignment.” Unfortunately, nothing changed since last year and Yahoo might go for the deal. The Chief Executive Jerry Yang said this week the company will cut 1,000 jobs, or 7 percent of its work force, in an effort to cut costs.

Now that Microsoft announced they will start working on the 7th Windows operating system, dubbed Vienna, we managed to get a look on it’s going to look. This are supposed to be Windows Vienna screenshots which, to be honest, doesn’t look more than a modified Vista. I cannot guarantee you that these are real, but they could be.

Here is the video

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-crFaYLW-xk[/youtube]

via ThinkNext

I don’t know how many of us would like supervised shopping, but it’s happening. MediaCart, Microsoft Corp. and Wakefern Food Corporation announced they will introduce the digitalized shopping cart in East Coast stores. At the beginning it will be a test, then the MediaCart will enter in every shop.

The MediaCart has developed an “intelligent” shopping cart, which is able to do all the shopping for you. The customers need to introduce a list with products on a website. When they get in the store they introduce a PIN on cart’s screen and it will download automatically their shopping list. Then the cart will guide them through the store to accomplish the mission. When a product is scanned, it is also deleted from the list. The intelligent cart can also calculate the total amount you need to pay, without spending additional time at the pay desk.

This new shopping cart opens new advertising possibilities. Thus, Microsoft has entered the business. On cart’s display they can deliver personalized ads for each customer. Think about! You introduce a shopping list. When you get into the store they could suggest you what to buy. That would be a great advantage for the store and for powerful trademarks. For example you need toothpaste, you want one that is well known. The cart could suggest you to try “the new Colgate SuperWhite” or “the colored Aquafresh” even you prefer “Blend-a-med”. And that is not all. In my opinion this gadget cart will invade our privacy.

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=vFOiixWihvQ[/youtube]

Evolution, progress or is just the Big Brother?

Finally Microsoft has unveiled its new line of Zunes, which includes three new media players featuring touch-sensitive buttons for easy navigation, Wi-Fi to sync music, movies and photos wirelessly and flash memory for two of them.

Its seems the new line will gain success immediately. The top model features 80GB hard drive, a 3.2-inch screen and it is slimmer than the old 30GB model. The 80GB hard drive player is available in black and ships with a set of “premium” in-ear headphones for only $249.99. The deal is more than amazing as the old 30GB Zune retails for $200. Thus the customers will find it attractive – a new model with double memory storage for an extra $50. The other two Zunes use flash memory. The 4GB model, described as ultraportable, is priced at $149.99, while the 8GB version is $199.99.

Like the old models, Zune players feature incorporated FM radio and as I told you above, they support wireless sync to transfer files. Besides, the new generation sports a scratch-resistant glass screen and a new navigation button. The touch-sensitive control is a combination between a mouse-button and a touch pad, allowing the users to scroll down the tracks, to select songs or to change the volume. It looks much like the Click Wheel on Apple’s iPods. However, Microsoft can’t compete at this time Apple, as they have a little share of the market. For example, Microsoft has sold 1.2 million players in one year, while Apple has sold over 100 million players since 2001, when the iPod had been launched.

Microsoft has greatly expanded the social aspects of its new media players, by launching the Zune Social, a beta online music community. Zune Social aims to create a powerful online community, allowing its users to share music, to send and receive recommendations and of course to find some friends. The company also restocked and redesigned its Zune Marketplace online store. Now the catalog includes over 1 million MP3 files that are not protected by DRM (digital rights management). I think iTunes has a rival.

via Yahoo News