Microsoft has launched a new ad for Windows Phone 8, and it features none other than Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Narrated by Ballmer, the ad focuses on the platform’s personalization capabilities, and also features Bill Gates — if only as an image — who gives some Surface-related design advice to Ballmer. The phone featured in the ad is the powerful HTC Windows Phone 8X — a bit of a slap in the face of Nokia, who is Microsoft’s biggest Windows Phone partner. As far as Ballmer starring in a Microsoft video ad, the last time that happened was 1986, and the product being advertised was Windows 1.0. Check out the result here. How do you like the new ad? Share your thoughts in the comments. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/30/steve-ballmer-shows-off-his-windows-phone-in-new-ad-video/
Microsoft’s new anime ad is the latest creative response to one of the biggest marketing challenges in tech: rebranding Internet Explorer. The browser, often the butt of jokes among would-be technorati despite its overwhelming global popularity, is presented as a bulwark against all kinds of Internet bad guys. You don’t need a degree in English Lit to grasp the symbolism here as the young heroine grabs a shield with a monogrammed “I” and is transformed into a warrior. The protagonist is, in fact, Inori Aizawa, the “official mascot of the Internet Explorer,” according to her Facebook Page. Aizawa is the latest attempt to reintroduce IE to the masses, following “Child of the 90s,” one of the top viral ads of this year so far. That ad appears to have helped IE hold on to 57.8% of worldwide market share, according to The Next Web. This isn’t the first time Microsoft has presented itself as a consumer advocate. Once sued by the Department of Justice over monopolistic behavior, the company has in recent years presented itself as a less evil alternative to Google via its “Scroogled” campaign. Image: Microsoft, YouTube Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/11/06/anime-internet-explorer-ad/
If Windows 8 is a shape, it’s a rectangle. The iconography and design of the new user interface (what used to be called Metro) emphasizes right angles and shapes that line up edge to edge. Even the Surface, Microsoft’s new prize tablet, hits the rectangle hard, particularly with its kickstand and Touch Cover. The thing about rectangles is that they work well in perspective. And the Lytro camera, with its magical focus-after-the-fact abilities, does perspective in a very unique way. We had a Lytro on hand when we covered the the event and the armada of Window 8 devices on hand. The Lytro camera, of course, uses what’s called light-field photography to capture photos where you can choose which part is in focus when you’re viewing them. The company recently released new manual controls for the camera that give users more options when taking pics. Check out the Lytro photos we captured at Microsoft’s big party below, and let us know which one’s your favorite in the comments. Surfaces in a row Touch cover Using the Surface That Start screen Up close with the UI Surface tablets everywhere Windows 8 poster Windows 8 laptops Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/25/lytro-windows-8/
Spread the word: Microsoft Excel isn’t just for green eyeshade types. This stop-motion animation video from YouTube favorite MysteryGuitarMan shows the creative possibilities of what is normally characterized as a spreadsheet app. And it only took a little less than five hours to complete! Maybe MGM can work his magic on PowerPoint next. [Via YouTube Trends ] Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/08/10/music-video-microsoft-excel/
History of Windows Startup Sounds 1. Microsoft Windows 3.1 Startup Sound Back in 1992, 3.1’s startup sound was jarring and unpopular. This prompted Microsoft to create a more aurally pleasing version for its next operating system. 2. Microsoft Windows 95 Startup Sound In 1994 Microsoft asked Brian Eno to create a piece of music that was (in his words) “inspiring, universal, blah- blah, da-da-da, optimistic, futuristic, sentimental [and] emotional.” The resulting seven seconds — about twice as long as Microsoft’s initial brief requested — has made tech history as a recognizable “sonic logo.” 3. Microsoft Windows NT Startup Sound In 1996, Windows NT 4.0 revealed a fresh, futuristic sound. Legend has it that the shutdown sound played the startup sound backwards. 4. Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Sound Microsoft audio producer Ken Kato is credited with the creation of the Windows 98 sound. 5. Microsoft Windows 2000 Startup Sound Microsoft tinkled the ivories with its professional “2000” operating system. 6. Microsoft Windows ME Startup Sound The consumer-aimed “Millennium Edition” shared the same audio. 7. Microsoft Windows XP Startup Sound The startup chime (and other system sounds within XP) are based on live orchestral recordings. Composer Bill Brown worked with Emmy-award winning sound designer Tom Ozanich to create the audio. 8. Microsoft Windows Vista Startup Sound The Vista startup sound was a collaboration among progressive rock guitarist Robert Fripp, record producer, musician and composer Tucker Martine and Microsoft’s own engineer (and musician) Steve Ball. In a blog post, Microsoft described the tune as having “two parallel melodies played in an intentional ‘Win-dows Vis-ta’ rhythm,” with four chords — one for each color in the Windows flag. 9. Microsoft Windows 7 Startup Sound Finally, Windows 7’s default startup audio is the same as Vista’s. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/24/windows-startup-sounds/
