Microsoft reviles new windows phone?

Microsoft has launched its long-awaited re-entry into the smartphone market with Windows Phone 7, an operating system that will do battle against the likes of the iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.

Speaking at a press event in New York, Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's chief executive, said Windows Phone 7 represents a fresh start to the company’s efforts in smartphones.Windows Phone 7 is Microsoft's long-awaited re-entry into the smartphone market. (Microsoft)

"I've been looking forward to this day for some time," said Ballmer, noting the new software would power "a very different kind of phone" from what customers are used to seeing.

"We want you to get in, get out and back to your life."

Microsoft has been supplying the underlying Windows Mobile operating system to smartphone makers such as Motorola and LG for years but has seen its market share slip to faster and slicker competitors.

Apple came charging into the fray in 2007 with its iPhone, while Google has shaken things up over the past year with its Android software. Both companies have prospered at the expense of Microsoft and Waterloo, Ont.-based BlackBerry maker Research In Motion.

In the United States, the key smartphone battleground, RIM is the market share leader, with 39.3 per cent, followed by Apple’s iPhone at 23.8 per cent, according to comScore. Android is third with 17 per cent, followed by Microsoft with 11.8 per cent.

Many analysts are saying Windows Phone 7 could make or break Microsoft’s fortunes, with smartphones representing a good portion of the future of computing and the internet.

'Tile' interface

The newly redesigned Windows operating system features a “tile” interface. Unlike most of its competitors, which use a horizontal grid-like system to display their applications, the new Windows phones organize their apps in “hubs” using a vertical scrolling interface.

Microsoft is also hoping that strong integration with its Xbox Live online video-game platform will help distinguish its phones from others on the market, particularly with younger users.

A spokesperson for Microsoft Canada said a number of Windows Phone 7 devices will be available through Canada’s big three wireless carriers on Nov. 8.

Telus will be selling the LG Optimus 7, which has a 3.8-inch touch screen, wireless media sharing through its Digital Living Network Alliance features, augmented reality and speech-to-text functions. The carrier will also have the HTC 7 Surround, which features Yamaha speakers.

Bell will have the LG Optimus Quantum, which is similar to the Telus phone but has a horizontal QWERTY keyboard.

Rogers will have the Samsung Focus, with a four-inch AMOLED touch screen.

In the U.S., the first Windows Phone 7 will be available through the AT&T network on Nov. 8 with a list price of $200 US. T-Mobile also plans a phone running the new software.

Canadian pricing has not been announced.

Source: CBC

Anyone goin get?

Just some interesting facts I found

1. If you are right handed, you will tend to chew your food on your right side. If you are left handed, you will tend to chew your food on your left side.

2. If you stop getting thirsty, you need to drink more water. For when a human body is dehydrated, its thirst mechanism shuts off.

3. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.

4. Your tongue is germ free only if it is pink. If it is white there is a thin film of bacteria on it.

5. The Mercedes-Benz motto is “Das Beste oder Nichts” meaning “the best or nothing”.

6. The Titanic was the first ship to use the SOS signal.

7. The pupil of the eye expands as much as 45 percent when a person looks at something pleasing.

8. The average person who stops smoking requires one hour less sleep a night.

9. Laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. Six-year-olds laugh an average of 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15 to 100 times a day.

10. The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood surging through the veins in the ear.

11. Dalmatians are born without spots.

12. Bats always turn left when exiting a cave.

13. The ‘v’ in the name of a court case does not stand for ‘versus’, but for ‘and’ (in civil proceedings) or ‘against’ (in criminal proceedings).

14. Men’s shirts have the buttons on the right, but women’s shirts have the buttons on the left.

15. The owl is the only bird to drop its upper eyelid to wink. All other birds raise their lower eyelids.

16. The reason honey is so easy to digest is that it’s already been digested by a bee.

17. Roosters cannot crow if they cannot extend their necks.

18. The color blue has a calming effect. It causes the brain to release calming hormones.

19. Every time you sneeze some of your brain cells die.

20. Your left lung is smaller than your right lung to make room for your heart.

21. The verb “cleave” is the only English word with two synonyms which are antonyms of each other: adhere and separate.

22. When you blush, the lining of your stomach also turns red.

23. When hippos are upset, their sweat turns red.

24. The first Harley Davidson motorcycle was built in 1903, and used a tomato can for a carburetor.

25. The lion that roars in the MGM logo is named Volney.

26. Google is actually the common name for a number with a million zeros.

27. Switching letters is called spoonerism. For example, saying jag of Flapan, instead of flag of Japan.

28. It cost 7 million dollars to build the Titanic and 200 million to make a film about it.

29. The attachment of the human skin to muscles is what causes dimples.

30. There are 1,792 steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

31. The sound you hear when you crack your knuckles is actually the sound of nitrogen gas bubbles bursting.

32. Human hair and fingernails continue to grow after death.

33. It takes about 20 seconds for a red blood cell to circle the whole body.

34. The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets.

35. Most soccer players run 7 miles in a game.

36. The only part of the body that has no blood supply is the cornea in the eye. It takes in oxygen directly from the air.

37. Every day 200 million couples make love, 400,000 babies are born, and 140,000 people die.

38. In most watch advertisements the time displayed on the watch is 10:10 because then the arms frame the brand of the watch (and make it look like it
is smiling).

39. Colgate faced big obstacle marketing tooth in Spanish speaking countries. Colgate translates into the command “go hang yourself.”

40. The only 2 animals that can see behind itself without turning its head are the rabbit and the parrot.

41. Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

42. The average person laughs 13 times a day.

43. Do you know the names of the three wise monkeys? They are: Mizaru(See no evil), Mikazaru(Hear no evil), and Mazaru(Speak no evil)

44. Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

45. German Shepherds bite humans more than any other breed of dog.

46. Large kangaroos cover more than 30 feet with each jump.

47. Whip makes a cracking sound because its tip moves faster than the speed of sound.

48. Two animal rights protesters were protesting at the cruelty of sending pigs to a slaughterhouse in Bonn. Suddenly the pigs, all two thousand of them, escaped through a broken fence and stampeded, trampling the two hapless protesters to death.

49. If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural cause.

50. The human heart creates enough pressure while pumping to squirt blood 30 feet!!

New favourite music video/song

New favourite music video from Weezer with the cast of Jackass, Hurley is a great album

And then just an awesome song

Games that I want.

Taken from matthewfraser.ca

"Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit

Play Career as the Good or Bad Guys

The moment this game was announced (and I saw the teaser video), I was immediately excited. It has been a long while since a good, classic Need for Speed game was released, and this seems to be it. I have been playing Need for Speed ever since the original Hot Pursuit was released, and I really loved the series. Unfortunately, ever since they started focusing on open world games, the series has deteriorated. It would seem like they are going back to their roots.

This time around EA has handed off the series to the developers of the very successful Burnout series: Criterion Games. This has me excited because I LOVE Burnout.

The coolest thing for me about this game (other than the back to roots approach) is that we get something that everyone has wanted ever since the first Hot Pursuit was released. You can now play through the whole game as either a good guy or bad guy. The cops can use some really nice cars too, like, for example the Bugatti Veyron 16.4.

I am very excited for this game, just from the little I know right now. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is set to release on November 16, 2010. More info can be found at hotpursuit.needforspeed.com.

Rock Band 3

Play a Real Guitar on Pro Mode

Music and rhythm games have always intrigued me (not that I'm actually good or anything). I started my music game experience with Guitar Hero 2, and when Rock Band was released, it replaced the Guitar Hero series for me. Rock Band 2 added a couple of new features, and polish. Now Rock Band 3 is set to potentially revolutionize the genre.

How are they doing that? They are trying to eliminate the "lame" factor of playing fake plastic instruments. A lot of real musicians resent the fake-ness of it. With the new Pro mode, you can essentially play the real thing. Not only is there software support for keyboards, chords on the guitar side, and more pads for drums, there is also hardware to go with that. You can get a real Fender (actually Squire, the cheaper brand) Stratocaster guitar, with strings, that can be hooked up to standard amps. There is also a MIDI peripheral that lets you hook up almost any keyboard, or drum set and play the games with those.

With the addition of Pro mode, you can actually learn the music in the game. Expert mode in Rock Band Pro will actually show the real chords and notes of the song.

This makes me very excited. I'm very tempted to drop the insane amount of money the Stratocaster will probably cost (hey, it's a real guitar too, and I don't have one). Rock Band 3 will hit the shelves October 26, 2010. Check out the Rock Band site for more info at rockband.com.

The Force Unleashed 2

Wield Dual Light Sabers

The original Force Unleashed may have just been a button masher, but it had an incredible story and some cool tech. It had a better story than any of the prequel movies (doesn't take much though)!

One of the new features that has been announced is the ability for Starkiller (or anyone I guess) to wield dual light sabers. Another new feature that many fans wanted is dismemberment. You can finally cut the limbs off those pesky stormtroopers. Speaking of which, it now takes less hits to kill smaller enemies (like stormtroopers). This makes sense, since light sabers can easily slice through stormtroopers, whereas in the original game it took multiple hits. I'm assuming this means they will increase the difficulty in other ways.

Force powers have gotten an upgrade too. For one, you can now use Jedi mind tricks, and tell those stormtroopers that "this is not the droid you're looking for" (okay, maybe not exactly that line, but you can trick them). Secondly, they added a feature called Force Fury that lets you go nuts with the Force temporarily. 

All of those features sound awesome, and if the story is half as good as the last games, TFU2 will be great. The Force Unleashed 2 has a hard release date of October 26, 2010. Check out more atlucasarts.com/games/theforceunleashed2.

Bonus #1: Star Wars: The Old Republic

Looks to be the funnest MMORPG I will play

Alright, technically this game is not releasing until 2011 due to push backs, but I'm so excited I have to include it here. I have never really cared for MMORPGs, but I really love Star Wars, and I loved Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Since this game is essentially Knights of the Old Republic with many online players (and of course new features) I am naturally drawn to this game.

In fact, this game could add absolutely no new features (other than those required for an MMORPG) and I would be just as excited.

One thing that I find really awesome about this game, is that every piece of dialog in the game has been voiced. That is a massive undertaking, but Bioware is apparently doing it. I'm pretty sure that is a first for any MMORPG (but then again, what would I know, I've never really played one before).

From what I've heard, the combat is good, the classes all seem really awesome, and you can even have your own ship. I can't wait. Hopefully I don't get too addicted and waste all my time playing this game.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is set to be released in Spring 2011 (if it is not pushed back any more). More info can be found at swtor.com.

Bonus #2: Portal 2

The Aperture Science Enrichment Center RuinsThis is another game that got pushed back into 2011, and another game that I am very excited for. The first Portal was a revolutionary little game made by Valve (or rather a team of students, hired by Valve). The sequel is set to be a full, standalone game this time, which hopefully takes longer than a couple hours to complete.

The humor and inventiveness shown in Portal is what makes it unique. GLaDOS is "still alive" and back for another round of torture, hundreds of years after the original game. Chell is also somehow back. The Aperture Science Enrichment Center has decayed over time, and now that GLaDOS is awake again, she starts to rebuild it. Finally we get to see what it was purposed to be in the first place (turns out it was supposed to be much more complex).

New paint-like gels have been introduced that you can spray on to surfaces to make objects do certain things like speed up, jump higher, etc. Air currents from Pneumatic Diversity Vents add a suction element also. More cool objects that can be used include Redirection Cubes, Aerial Faith Plates and Weighted Storage Balls (which do appear in part in the first Portal). All these features add a whole new level of difficulty. Add in the new 2 Player Co-op mode, and you've got one hell of a video game.

Portal 2 is set to release February 9th, 2011 (although with Valve time, you never know). Check outthinkwithportals.com for more information."