Microsoft and the Future - The Way it Should be

I already thought Windows Live Translator was a heck better than Google Translator, but this seals the deal even more.

Two new features: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AsCA0kVWbZ.8iqKv0RolGXps7hR.;_ylv=3?qid=20080511133036AA6tT6l

• Live Translations - This is an option to pay someone to translate text for you into the language you want. You get the bonus of having a probably more accurate and natural translation, than a machine-made one. It will cost you though - it starts off at $2.99. I typed in 25 words, and that prices goes to $5.74. So you pay them, and depending on the language (translations to Spanish and French take only 12 minutes, and others are up to 24 hours), you'll get them sometime via e-mail. There's a lot of languages that it supports. Live Translation HAS NO RELATION to Windows Live Translator, other than the fact their name is similar. Two separate companies.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
• Encarta Dictionaries - If a word doesn't look right to you, you could also utilize the Encarta dictionaries for direct word translations. It supports: English, Spanish, German, and Italian. The only translations are to English, and from English. Like you can't do Italian to German. Or Spanish to Italian. Only English conversions. I've used the Spanish dictionary for a long time, and it's pretty ok.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Helvecio Ribeiro has the official scoop.

It's been awhile, but now I'm going to tell you my opinions on the MSN Toolbar. To cut it short, USE MSN Toolbar if you're an avid fan of MSN content and want the latest info. instantly from your browser. DON'T USE the MSN Toolbar if you really don't have a thing for MSN content.

So here's some good points that I could think about the new MSN Toolbar:

• Very fast and responsive - Like when I press one of the buttons, a small box with some articles headlines comes out in just a second. I don't find it at all slow, and it's pretty interactive enough.
• Live search box - It's hard to not find a toolbar with a search box included these days, and Live search isn't so bad.
• Nice look and design - The look is overall pleasant. I like the way the boxes that pop out are designed with several tabbed categories and a search box that pertains to the content the box is from.
• It's free - like most other toolbars
• Utilizes Silverlight - Though they could probably do more, this is an interesting use of Silverlight right on a browser

What I don't like :

• Search button to big - They could conserve space if they made it into Live's magnifying glass icon
• Top portion of beveled bar too shiny - I find that the top portion of the beveled bar is just too shiny. They could tone it down a little, or make it just slightly darker again at the very top
• Live searching opens up a new tab/window - If you use the Live search on the toolbar, it opens up a whole other tab/window. Kind of annoying and you don't have an option to fix this
• No customizable buttons - You can't make your own buttons like you can on the Windows Live Toolbar. Nor choose any.
• No customizable search - Again, unlike the Live Toolbar, you really can't customize what search engine you can use.
• No options panel - There's a nice help button   but that's not enough where you can't change the settings
• It's just MSN content - More or less, it's just MSN headlines in a nice shiny box and toolbar. But it's still MSN when you go to the site. Most people, including myself, find that the way most MSN sites are designed, is that they're just plain paltry. Until MSN can design much better looking sites, chock full of great content and features, then it's not a great pull.
• IE-only - Microsoft's "openness" doesn't show through this toolbar as well as the Live one when working with other browsers beyond IE

Overall, I don't suggest you download the toolbar. It's not worth it. I installed it about a month or 2 ago, hid it in the browser, and just opened it again today. You just really have to be an avid MSN fan to appreciate this. I'm hoping Microsoft will update their Live Toolbar with some new and better goodies (though it's nice and fine now) and make it compatible with other sites.

That's what I have to say. Here are some screenshots:

For now, you can download it from this site : http://beta.toolbar.msn.com/Default.aspx?loc=en-us

So the Zune 2.5 update came around of Monday, 5/5/08. This update contains many of the features that users have been asking for (that got removed in the new software), and now we finally have it.

So what's new? Well there's:

• gapless playback
• improved syncing controls (syncing groups)
• metadata editing
• auto playlists
• better Zune Pass - more marketing (ad), and instant playback of songs (not just 30 sec. preview) of a friend's Zune Card song
• TV shows - Episodes from NBC, MTV, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Sci Fi Channel, VH1, Ultimate Fighting, Comedy Central, Anime, [Adult Swim] - only a few series from each network. Anime has the most with 11 different TV series. Hopefully more will get added. About $2.00 each (
• Browse by genre (music an video) or by series (video)
• Flagging for purchase - If you receive a song from another Zune user, you can flag this song if you wish to purchase from Zune Marketplace, and you'll be asked to confirm this when the Zune syncs. If you have a Zune Pass, you can just add it to your collection in one click.
• Live Messenger integration - The "Show what I'm listening to" status for Windows Live Messenger now works with Zune as well. Something that a few Zune users have been wanting. (though I still prefer playing on WMP 11).
• Zune Card for Facebook and MySpace - It's much easier to get a card working for Facebook, MySpace, and even Live Spaces. Or any site with an HTML widget/sandbox.
• Build a reputation within the Zune Social - With this release, you can earn achievement badges in Zune Social that are displayed on your Zune Card. Similar to Xbox LIVE, these are graphical icons on your Zune Card that represent milestones like being the top listener of an artist, passing a specific number of total plays, helping other users in the Zune forums and more.
• New "My Social" Page - The page shows what your social is like, from what you're doing to what your friends are doing. Lists show up as well as you can hover over albums of friends' cards to take a quick look.
• Album reviews and fan comments - You can write an album or artist review directly on the artist’s page.
• Built-in friends - New members joining Zune Social now get out-of-the-box Friends to help them get started. These are music editors from the Zune team will now automatically be part of your initial friends list when you join the Social.
• Finding friends - It’s become easier to find people in the Social Zune Social members have new options to add information like name, location and biography, to their profile page. This makes it easier for others to find someone and add them as a friend in the Social or to identify someone asking to be added to your list.
• Multi-device syncing - Now that many of us have multiple Zune players in the household, this version lets you sync more than once Zune at a time. Also new in this release, you can drag-and-drop content to a Zune player that is not yet connected - and that content will sync the next time the player is connected to the PC.

Great new update, huh? What else do you think the Zune could use?

Here are some good sites that I thought you should read if you're interested:

Zunerama - http://www.zunerama.com/zune-software-2-5-overview.php

WinSupersite - http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/zune25.asp

I HAVE A ZUNE - http://www.ihaveazune.com/?p=1212

I HAVE A ZUNE (badges) - http://www.ihaveazune.com/?p=1226

Gizmodo - http://gizmodo.com/387446/zune-25-update-brings-tv-shows-more-social-networking-improved-software-features

Engadget - http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/06/zune-2-5-update-brings-tv-downloads-zune-card-sharing/

Also, in other Zune news :

Zune's are coming to Canada on June 13th. - http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=942f31a9-4a99-4155-a9da-18413a22d7d1&k=95737

Zune by now has sold 2 million units - http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/05/09/microsoft-surpasses-2-million-zunes-sold-apple-sells-2-65-million-ipods-month

The popular i'm Making a Difference initiative that Microsoft launched a year ago, is still going on, and also now supports Hotmail.

The same 10 organizations to choose from are still there. You can use the same one as you did for Live Messenger, or you can pick a different one for Hotmail. It works out great either ways. So every time you send an e-mail to someone, a bit of the ad revenues that Microsoft receives goes directly to the organization you picked. It's so easy (something you probably do often enough) and it really helps out somebody.

Here's how to do it :

1. Go to http://mail.live.com/ and sign in.

2. Check out Options and go to More Options

3. Go to the Customize your Mail section and select i'm making a difference

4. Pick the organization you would love to support

Select Save. That's it.

So just send e-mails, and you're helping your cause. An extra bonus is that instead of the usual ad that gets attached to the bottom of your message when you use the web version (if you use Live Mail client, no ads at all!), you instead get a little tag that shows how you're helping out by using Live Hotmail. Really neat.

And people claim that Microsoft is just another one of those greedy corporations. :^)

Also of note, the i'm site launched a new featured called the Community Corkboard. The Community Corkboard "is an open forum for discussion and dialog. Post your thoughts and opinions about the topics that matter most to you, and check back often to keep the dialog going." I personally find it rather cool and creative. This an the whole i'M initiative is really different from the usual boring Microsoft, and I encourage MS to do neat things like this. Here's a screenshot:

You just hover around the edge of the visible Corkboard to get around the board and view other notes. To launch a note, you click the top part of it. You can also make your own character avatar (called Muggins on the site). Live Messenger could use this built-in.

The whole site is pretty educational and fun to work with. I really suggest you go for it.

Microsoft has released a small tool for photographers that offers rich metadata editing, and a geotagging function. It's called Pro Photo Tools 1.0.

Features include :

• address to latitude/longitude conversion
• latitude/longitude to address conversion
• loading track routes stored by GPS devices
• placing images on track routes based on time stamps, with a visual adjustment tool
• integration with Virtual Earth for
  -- text based location searches
  -- interactive placement of photographs
  -- visualization of track routes
  -- 2D and 3D map browsing
• RAW image support
• edit numerous metadata fields

Though you have to wonder why Microsoft can't simply just include this within Vista/Live Photo Gallery. It would be much nicer if Microsoft could just make a nice all-in-one photo editor solution, instead of bits and bits of photo tools. I'm hoping that a combo of Live Photo Gallery, Pro Photo Tools, Photosynth, HD View, Group Shot, and all of Microsoft's other work in digital photo technology can all come into one.