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Microsoft Regional Directors can be found at
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Microsoft Corp. and SanDisk® Corp. today announced they have signed an agreement to deliver a next-generation software and hardware solution to place application programs and personal customization on USB flash drives and flash memory cards, expanding on and replacing SanDisk’s existing U3™ Smart Technology.
Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will develop a new software experience and SanDisk will develop new hardware capabilities, including the addition of TrustedFlash™ security technology. SanDisk will incorporate the combined software and hardware solution on removable flash memory cards and Cruzer® USB flash drives. The new offering is expected to be commercially available starting in the second half of 2008.
Effective immediately, Microsoft will engage in discussions with third-party hardware vendors interested in licensing the new software offering. A new entity will be created to license compatible hardware designs, TrustedFlash and other intellectual property from both Microsoft and SanDisk, with revenues to be shared by the two companies.
“SanDisk and U3 forged the category of smart USB devices, elevating simple flash storage to a whole new level of customer benefit,” said Will Poole, corporate vice president of the Market Expansion Group at Microsoft. “We are excited to work with SanDisk on this next-generation experience, which will allow hardware manufacturers to better differentiate their products and provide an even richer software and services experience for customers.”
“The U3 platform was established with the vision of giving customers a consistent and portable computing experience. The existing 20,000 U3 software developers that joined us show the potential for smart flash memory devices,” said Yoram Cedar, executive vice president of the Mobile Business Unit and Corporate Engineering at SanDisk. “We expect this relationship with Microsoft will raise the overall experience for consumers given Microsoft’s unique software expertise, and grow the momentum given the large community of third-party companies capable of utilizing Microsoft’s technologies.”
I have not had any problems with Vista and my iPod, but appearantly some people have. Therefore, Microsoft released an update: "The Safely Remove Hardware feature and the Windows Explorer "Eject" command do not work correctly with an Apple iPod that is connected to a Windows Vista-based computer" (that's a mouthful 
)
You can download it here: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=936824
Finally, I have some time to start blogging again! Since I got a new Laser Wireless Desktop 6000 v2.0 from Microsoft, blogging should go faster than on my old keyboard, which was a cheap-ass Logitech-thing!
The installation was very very simple: insert CD, select your keyboard and mouse in the setup, and done. After that, tapping once on the connect key on both the keyboard and the mouse was enough to make everything work! And how...
The mouse is very fluent. Scrolling with the wheel is very accurate and makes no clicking noise. The mouse itself is also very accurate with 1000dpi. This should make it very good to play games too (but since I'm not a gamer, I can't test that!).
The keyboard itself is a little wonder on its own. Very ergonomic too, with a soft pad to rest your wrists on. It has many multimedia keys (volume, next, previous...). Also included are some very handy keys to reply to a mail, make your gadgets visible (in vista).
Overall, this desktop will certainly boost my productivity! Thanks santa
First, sorry for the 4 days with no updates... I've been very busy lately :)
To start again, let's open with 2 new interesting hardware upgrades.
Up first, a webcam from Microsoft... A webcam might be an insult for this device, however...
Look at the specs:
High Definition 2.0 Megapixel Video*
Get crystal clear video with High Definition Video. (1600 × 1190 pixels)
High Definition 7.6 Megapixel Still Photos
High Definition still photos show you in the best light. (3200 × 2380 pixels, interpolated)
Built-in Microphone
The built-in microphone automatically picks up your voice with remarkable clarity.
Wide-angle Lens
The 71 degree wide angle lens ensures no one gets left out of the picture.
3X Digital Zoom
The zoom delivers realistic, up-close-and-personal video, so you can see the contours of every smile.
More here.
Up next, Logitech updated the DiNovo keyboard... Looks very impressive, with the backlighting and all...
More here.
For those of you who don't know terms like "Raid", "Cluster", here's a picture explaining it all... with water bottles .
If we can believe the rumor spread today, in the future, we will be able to play Nintendo-classics on the iPod.
The source of the rumor could not be validated. However, some facts do speak in favor for the rumor itself...
In February 2005, Apple had a job opening for an "embedded game developer". And recently, Apple applied for a new patent. This patent application had some sketches included with it, showing an iPod with a telephone-like interface and another one with some cross. It's not unthinkable that the latter one could be used to play games...
On the other hand, Nintendo is known not to license their games to third parties. It's impossible to find Mario on some cell phone.... However, in Apple, Nintendo could perhaps see a more reliable partner!
Vista’s installation process is dramatically different to any previous version of Windows: rather than being an ‘installer’, the install DVD is actually a preinstalled copy of Windows that simply gets decompressed onto your PC.
So how does it adjust to your hardware? How do you slipstream updates and drivers into it? Can you also ‘preinstall’ your favourite apps into your Vista DVD?
And most importantly, can you build a custom Vista install DVD that doesn’t install all the ‘free AOL trial’ crap that typically comes bundled in with Windows?
This article has all the anwers! A very interesting read!
A journalist of the Seattle Times is claiming that Microsoft is working on an iPod killer. The article can be found here.
I also found a "concept" picture of what the player is going to look like. Note that it is not sure if this picture is real!!
Finally, a new post on Snowball.be... I have been very busy in the last 2 weeks, and there are some very "secret" things going on at the moment, on which I'll be posting more later on... But enough about me
Back to Microsoft news!!
The Big M is, according to rumors, which seem confirmed by Samsung, making a monitor, specially crafted for use with Windows Vista! This monitor should make you get the best experience using Vista. It's supposed to be a 22" widescreen (vista is designed for best use with widescreen). No word on the resolution, though, however, I guess this will be quite high, maybe 1920 x 1280?
MS has not confirmed the rumors, but Samsung, which will actually make the monitor, has. No pics on this either... pity.
UPDATE: MS is also to release a very nice keyboard, with backlighting! More can be seen on this here.