Looks like Microsoft pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat at E3; introducing Project Natal - the code name for Microsoft’s new controller-free gaming and entertainment experience from Xbox 360.
Here’s some of the major features of the (still in development) project.
• Controller-free gaming and entertainment. No controller required. with body movement detection, face and voice recognition
• Full-body play. “Project Natal” utilizes full-body tracking to capture every move, from head to toe, to give players a full-body gaming experience.
• Personalized play. “Project Natal” provides an in-game experience in which the player’s face and voice are recognized.
Instead of explaining all the dry details, here’s a video of Project Natal in action.
Microsoft’s MSN Messenger 2009 has been available for some time, and now includes an install of it’s attempt at an iLife suite it’s software bundle. As you can see below, the bundle includes Mail, Photo Gallery, ANOTHER Toolbar, Writer, and a bunch of other bloatware which some users might actually find useful…
All these options are enabled by default...
BUT WAIT!! There’s MORE! Users who are installing this latest and greatest version will be presented with the opourtunity to change their browser settings according to Microsoft’s recommendation, perhaps for the full MS Experience?
The great and complete MS Experience
Unfortunately, perhaps it was due to the new update and the rush to Live the new experience (pun intended), We keep having connection issues. Well look on the bright side, at least it’s a pretty face – Just like Vista!
The Internets are buzzing with updates from Apple and Microsoft.
Apple – Safari 4 Beta is out – Argumentatively the current fastest browser available mainstream.
Some of the reported 150 new features include Full-Page Zoom, a improved JavaScript engine (part of the webkit), pin-top sites, web page cover flow and full featured RSS reading capability.
Microsoft – Internet Explorer 8 RC1 is also out for Microsoft fans and includes features such as a Web Slices (with subscription options), improved JavaScript and Ajax processing, automatic Crash Recovery and Private browsing.
Apple – iPhone OS 3.0’s features are finally out of the bag, due to for a Summer 09 relase and will have long awaited features such as Cut, Copy & Paste, A2DP Bluetooth, P2P Connectivity over Bluetooth, Landscape Typing in all the core apps, MMS, Spotlight Search and Phishing protection.
Microsoft gets it’s feet wet with recent changes to Windows Live and a whole lot of changes in the works. Leveraging on their huge base of Messenger users, Microsoft is transforming modifying the Windows Live service by linking its ‘related’ services such as
Hotmail – The same old, same old
Photo Gallery – A Photo sharing and basic editing web application
Spaces – Personal web space ala Myspace
SkyDrive – Sharable space online (5GB free)
Events – Basic calendaring and group planning web application
Mail (any see a repetition here?) – Multiple account handling / access
Mobile – Mobile device interface for messenger, spaces and search
Forums
Online Auctions
VOIP Telephony
VPN ala Hamachi
Video Sharing / Streaming
Social Applications
Music and App Store
This would be the second time the Microsoft has rebranded the Windows Live service, this time integrating it with other web services and basing most of their offerings from what is already available out there such as Picasa, Friendster, Facebook, Gmail (and the host of Google’s services), Calendaring and online storage.
and Private browsing.
