Touch systems have been long used in kiosks, ticketing systems or even amusement park game machines. These are not rocket science but somehow a year back when Apple launches iPhone, it gains popularity and also increases the interest of end users towards multi touch system/devices. Also a year ago, Microsoft showed off their Surface computing technology, which I find it pretty convincing, and if they were to put on mass production it will be dominating. So gadgets like phones are touch’ed. The next big thing would probably be implementing them operating systems. Although non of us have a clue when technology like this will be make available in our neighborhood computer stores, but we have at least have an idea that – it definitely will, and I got a feeling it’s near.

The video above, is a Windows demonstration of their version of Multi touch, powering Windows 7 platform at the back. Again, it’s yet another exciting technology we want to have in our living room and offices.

According to ComputerWorld, Microsoft Corp warns Windows users that once Service Pack 3 is installed, the option to uninstall IE7 will be grayed out in the Control Panel and apparently this is done on purpose. Here’s the reason explained by IE program manager:

If Microsoft had allowed users to revert back to the pre-SP3 version of IE6 — the one saved on users’ PCs when they upgraded to IE7, and what was used until now to back out of the newer browser — Windows would have ended up in a “mixed file state

This looks like a measurement taken to move users towards IE7? How long can you stay with Windows XP SP2 and below. According to W3School, IE6 (30.1%) is still the biggest market after Firefox (37%) with IE7(21.9%) about 10% away. The peak of IE6 days were somewhere around November 2006, where it dominates about 70% of the browser market. It has been greatly reduced over the years. Anyway if you really want to avoid all these SP3 un-downgradable to IE6 thing, why not just stick with Firefox?

via computerworld

Imagine surfing and doing what you normally would do with a computer, now on a surface of a table, without mouse or any pointer device but your fingers. Microsoft made technology we seen in Minority Report and some other futuristic movie came through. Watch the video below to get impressed. I particularly like the part where images can be quickly retrieved by just putting a digital camera on the table. Images then can be transfer to another mobile device on the surface as easy as dragging them over. Now that’s what I call high technology. More photos and impressive video after jump.

via techcrunch

When I was first introduced to Silverlight, my face look as blur as the first time I was introduced to Macromedia Flash. Two weeks ago, Microsoft launched Silverlight at the NAB Conference, and here is their direct definition for Silverlight:

Microsoft® Silverlight™ is a cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering the next generation of .NET based media experiences and rich interactive applications for the Web. Silverlight offers a flexible programming model that supports AJAX, VB, C#, Python, and Ruby, and integrates with existing Web applications. Silverlight supports fast, cost-effective delivery of high-quality video to all major browsers running on the Mac OS or Windows.

In Simple words, Silverlight to Microsoft is Adobe (formerly known as Macromedia) to Flash.

Here’s a couple of good sites to learn more about Microsoft Silverlight

• Microsoft Silverlight official website
• What is Silverlight, really? by Rafe Needleman
• Microsoft micro site for Silverlight
• Silverlight with developer ScottGu
• The Web just got richer – TechCrunch

Silverlight works like Flash. End user must have a plugin installed. I remember Mike Downey, Product Manager of Flash once said in a MX Conference I attended; Flash plugin penetrates the world of computer faster than Microsoft Windows dominate the market. Now, how will Silverlight do?

Recently I’ve been noticing more and more of my MSN contacts are putting [i'm] icons beside the nicknames. Initially I thought it was something to do with Imified but then I was so wrong, MSN [i'm] icon is actually something noble, something for a good cause.

What is [i'm] and what does it do?

[i'm] stands for “I’m making a difference”. You contribute by putting an [i'm] icon anywhere near your display name with the ”
“code of cause“. Send and receive messages and portion of advertising revenue generated from your usage will be donated for your cause. Send more, you donate more. With your “code of cause” you decide where your portion of donation goes. Isn’t this nice?

How to add [i'm]?

This will only work with MSN Messenger 8.1, download now. Here are a list of “code of cause”

• American Red Cross — ready to help, code = *red+u
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America — providing a positive place for kids, code = *bgca
• National AIDS Fund — fighting AIDS, code = *naf
• National MS Society — joining the MS movement, code = *mssoc
• ninemillion.org — helping 9 million refugee kids, code = *9mil
• Sierra Club — exploring and protecting the planet, code = *sierra
• StopGlobalWarming.org — stopping global warming, code = *help
• Susan G. Komen for the Cure — finding the cure, code = *komen
• UNICEF — helping kids survive, code = *unicef

For the time being, the donation thingy will only work for United States residents but that doen’t mean you shouldn’t be using the [i'm]. Let’s spread the love.

If you are running Windows Vista or planning to install Windows Vista OS, here’s a good list to check if your current software are Vista compatible. IExbeta gives you a clean list of what software works, what works with minor problem and what software you software you need to avoid in Vista. Also check out the Windows Vista hardware compatible listing.

Here’s a little quickie for those who still don’t know what Encarta Bot is. This is a MSN Messenger bot released by Microsoft, called the “Encarta Instant Answers“. This bot will basically answer all your questions (or at least provide you a response), whether they are constructive questions or just stupid ones. To add this blog and your MSN, simpy add this contact encarta@conversagent.com encarta@botmetro.com and break the ice with your Encarta bot.

I believe this chat bot has been here for quite some time, 1 year or more perhaps and MSN users had been using them more as an entertainment tool instead of educational tool. Questions asked were hilarious and sometimes killin’. Bloggers even post their conversations with the bot online, most were funny and here’s a conversation I find the funniest.

Read the full conversation at Cely’s blog