Bill Gates & Master Chief Vs. Steve Jobs & Justin Long

References galore...check out the ending for the Street Fighter movie.

POTD: Blackout at Microsoft's CES Presentation

This was the scene at the start of Microsoft's presentation at CES. After a 5 minute blackout, all the computers restarted in recovery mode. As if that wasn't a downer, Steve Ballmer didn't show off the touchscreen notebook, aka the courier. Instead he showed off a HP touchscreen running Windows 7. Meh. [Gizmodo]

The Dating Game from 1983 With Steve Jobs and Bill Gates

In 1983, Apple hosted a dating game where Bill Gates, a young, more nerdier Bill Gates, is a contestant and Steve Jobs is the host.

Hey Jerry, How's Microsoft Paying You?

Here's Jerry Seinfeld. Still using a Mac. After doing Microsoft commercials. Still a Mac User. This is a screen shot from the last "Curb Your Enthusiasm" episode. I guess this explains why he never used a Mac in any of those stupid commercials Microsoft made with him and Bill Gates...

If you don't remember the ads... here's one...


I guess Windows 7 was moist and chewey, but...still a Mac user. PLATINUM!!!

Microsoft Bing Visual Search

Microsoft introduced a new way search on it's Bing search engine. The Visual Search displays results on a photo gallery arranged as a grid instead of the standard text links.

Microsoft Using Little Big Planet Music

As usual, because Microsoft has no creativity, they just steal from their competitors. Above is a ad for Microsoft's XBox 360. It uses the theme music for Little Big Planet, a Playstation 3 ONLY game.

Given that the song isn't exclusive to the game, Microsoft did nothing legally wrong by using the Brit band The Go! Team's music. But it's pretty ridiculous that they can't find or use their own exclusive games' music. [Kotaku]

Don't Call It A Comeback: Zune HD

Reports of the Zune's death have been greatly exaggerated.

Those slick-looking babies you see there above are a couple of versions of the soon-forthcoming Microsoft Zune HD. Yes, the new Zune received a glowing (albeit, partial) review from CNET, and I have to say, it does sound pretty impressive.

Among the highlights:

- The Zune HD supports 720p video content, which you'll be able to purchase directly though the Zune Marketplace software... The only hitch to this arrangement is that the Zune's screen doesn't natively support 720p playback, so content does get scaled down to 480x272. Videos still look outstanding, though, and if they told me it was native 720p I would have believed them. You can get 720p natively out of the Zune HD, but you'll need to dock it into the optional HDMI Zune dock and run it to your TV.

- The music playback screen has also been given a lot of work. Without the benefit of a navigation pad or playback buttons, users will need to tap the middle of the screen once to access a large four-direction onscreen cross for play, skip, reverse, volume. Controls for favorites, shuffle and repeat are found conveniently near the bottom of the screen, instead of buried in sub-menus.

- Speaking of Wi-Fi, the Zune's new Web browser smokes. Not since first using the iPhone have I been this impressed with a mobile web browser. There's no branding on the browser, but I was told it was cooked up by Microsoft's Internet Explorer team (makes sense). Page load was snappy, and pinching and reorienting pages work just like the iPhone and iPod Touch. You also get a fast on-screen keyboard with a nice little magnifier effect with each keystroke. The only bad news on the browser is that there's no support for Flash audio and video content. So Pandora and YouTube are out, but I was able to get onto Facebook and Twitter.

Don't worry AAshish, I'm not jumping off the Apple ship just yet (or ever). After all, the review was written by a self-described "pretty big fan" of the Zune, even from its crappy infant days. But if credit is due, then credit will be given. We'll see when the Zune HD is released this fall.

[CNET via Gizmodo]

Another Dopey Family Goes PC in Another Laptop Hunters Ad

Microsoft has come out with another Laptop Hunters Ad. This time featuring a family of 3. They are looking for a cheap laptop ($700) and once again *yawwn* Apple doesn't quite cut the budget. So they opt for a PC.

This family though, seems to have very little knowledge about computers. All they really want is something to organize pictures. The pretty much narrows down their choices to every laptop in the world. They seem relatively ignorant to what they are really getting in a PC vs a Mac. Hey, that's just like most PC owners!

Oh, and last time I checked a baby doesn't like something he cries. Take a hint (from the baby), get a Mac.

POTD: THIS MUST BE A F'IN JOKE!

Dear Microsoft,

Your Internet Explorer sucks! It's bloated and sucks up people's ram without giving them much of anything. Take a hint. Stop[ trying to compete against other browsers that are more open and useful to users. But most of all, stop lying to us in these BS charts.

Thank you,

Everyone who has ever used Firefox or Chrome.

Microsoft's Project Natal

At E3 today, Microsoft unveiled the new Project Natal. It basically eliminates (or tries to) the need for the controller. Hence, you are your character and the character moves just as you move. Check out the video click for it in action. The video looks amazing. But we'll have to wait to see how it works in real life to determine if it really is that great.

I like the fact that you can use your own stuff in the video game, but if you can use your own stuff, why not just go skateboarding instead of skateboarding in a video game? Also, I see a lot of furniture being broken with this thing. Not just TVs like with the Wii controller.

I also liked the Chuck Norris trick question.

The project was named Natal for a city in Brazil where the lead developer is from.

"Alex Kipman, who incubated the project and is from Brazil, chose Natal, a city along the northeastern coast of Brazil, as a tribute to his country. In addition, he knew that Natal also means "to be born" in Latin. Given the new audiences "Project Natal" will bring to Xbox 360, this felt right." [Kotaku]

Zune HD in Action

Zune HD Video Hands On from Gizmodo on Vimeo.

Gizmodo has posted this video of the new Zune HD, due out this fall, in action. The new player will feature a huge OLED touchscreen featuring playback of 720p video files and HD radio. [Gizmodo]

Microsoft Laptop Hunters Ad Shows Just How Stupid Some Law Students (or Actors) Are

Obviously this girl isn't going to Cardozo...First off that laptop that is "$2000" is a full 2 inches bigger than that 13" Dell she ends up with. Second, Yes, you can get a MacBook for under 1700. Heck, you can get almost any MacBook for under 1700! Third, why would you spend less money on a laptop, when "Microsoft" is paying you 1700 for whichever laptop you want! Obviously this girl isn't a law student and that's not really her mother. They are probably both actors...and not even decent ones at that. At least we can give Lauren some credit for that.

Latest Laptop Hunter is "Sheila" (Probably an Actress)

Shieila is a movie maker, apparently, and she needs a laptop for her next great film. Apparently, she can't live with the 2 gigs of ram that come with the MacBook Pro and thus chooses a Mac. At one point she even asks to be downgraded in screen size. How many film makers do you know that make movies on their laptops?

Laptop Hunters Parody

Dear Microsoft, We Get it, Actors "Like" PCs

I think it's safe to assume that this "mom and son" duo are nothing more than actors. Second, way to pretend like you understand why people buy Macs, because they are "popular"and "cool." Yea, just forget about the fact that you practically won't get a virus. That your computer is made from aluminum instead of cheapo plastic. That you don't have to deal with the nightmare known as Windows Vista! The only nod I give to Microsoft is Blu-Ray. But then again, who needs Blu-ray when you can stream in HD!

Giampaulo isn't Falling for the Apple Brand Name

Meet Giampaulo, he's the second (actor?) person in Microsoft's Laptop Hunters ads. "G" as the announcer calls him, wants a powerful laptop for under $1,500. He takes a look at the MacBook, and even calls it "sexy," but he doesn't want to pay for a brand name. He settles on a HP HDX that features a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo, NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphics, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB drive -- raw numbers that would cost you $2,499 from Apple, although you'd be getting a vastly better display.

So far both ads have featured HP laptops. I thought this was a commercial for Microsoft! Maybe they figured they could help their sales by teaming up. HP + Microsoft vs. Apple. [Engadget]

Lauren the Liar

Looks like someone *cough Lauren cough* didn't even look at the MacBooks, let alone walk into the store! Score one for the bloggers and Apple.

Apple only sells one 17" notebook with a high quality, full resolution screen. No PC maker ships anything comparable to the MacBook Pro for under $1000. As the ad points out however, there are plenty of low quality, low resolution 17" screens available from PC makers trying to dangle low prices in front of consumers in the overcrowded, low differentiation market for low end, generic PCs that ship with Windows Vista.

Why would Microsoft's production company waste its time following Lauren around the Apple Store with a camera, when they knew full well that the PC definition they'd cooked up wasn't one of the three simple notebook family members Apple offers? And why would Lauren, a member of the Screen Actor's Guild, waste her time acting out a role that she wasn't even making union wages on?

[AppleInsider]

FOUND: Lauren. She's an Actress

Gizmodo was able to find "Lauren," the girl from the Microsoft Ad for a laptop under $1000.


Lauren is an actress as it turns out. Her real name is Lauren De Long. She signed up for a Market Research project that also included the national commecial.

Reading through De Long's resume, you find that her "special skills" include Cheerleading, Ear Prompter, Hula Hoop, and Stage Combat. So wait, she's an actress AND a cheerleader AND a stage combatant, but she's STILL not cool enough to use a Mac? No way. We just don't buy it.

We were unable to reach Lauren De Long, but we did leave her a message mentioning one of our readers' offers to give her a free 17-inch Apple PowerBook. When site TechFlash called, apparently De Long said she had signed an NDA restricting her from speaking about her experiences with the HP laptop.



[Gizmodo]

Do You Know Lauren?

You may know Lauren from this PC ad.



You probably don't know Mitch. But here's what he's offering.

Subject: I AM UP FOR THE CHALLENGE!

To whom it may concern,

I recently watched the new PC ad on television the other night about "Lauren" purchasing a laptop for under $1000.00. It was a great advertisement targeting everyday PC users. My only concern is that I feel the computer "Lauren" chose will not provide an overall positive experience. I am asking for your assistance to help me locate "Lauren". I am willing to give her my 17" Mac laptop "FOR FREE" so she can decide which laptop is superior without putting a price tag on it.

I do believe everyone on this planet is "cool enough to be a Mac person".

Sincerely,
Mitch Gewirtz

Gizmodo contacted Mitch and asked him if he was serious:

Absolutely! I am serious!

I believe my 17" G4 powerbook is still more advanced than any PC out there today. It is a very healthy laptop that has given me a wonderful experience the last couple of years. I truly believe if "Lauren" had a chance to use this laptop she would change her mind.

Can you help me locate her?

So, if you know Lauren, contact the folks over at Gizmodo!

Let's hope Lauren is a real person (and that doesn't work for Microsoft or HP) and takes on this challenge. Not to mention, this guy is giving up his powerbook, anyone willing to give Lauren a chance at using a MacBook for free?

If I was Lauren, I'd probably sell that that Volkswagen Beetle and use that money to get a used Honda and a MacBook. The MSRP for a Black '09 Beetle with black leather interior, is just below $26k. So, lets say it's an '08, and you got a great deal and paid $20k. You could sell that car and get a used Honda Accord or Civic and buy a new MacBook. That Beetle sucks anyway.

Internet Explorer 8 Now Available

Yea, no one REALLY cares, but Internet Explorer 8 is now available for download. My recommendation: Get Firefox or Google Chrome or Safari 4 Beta.