Microsoft Can Change The Way People Watch TV; Hopefully With Microsoft TV

It looks like every other technology giant is jumping on the internet tv platform. Initially there was Apple with the Apple TV, which has recently been updated. Then we have Google TV, which already struggling as it is, due to banning of provision of content from major providers and now, a brief Reuters report gives an inkling that Microsoft is all set to provide on demand video content through the Xbox, as the company is currently in talks with HBO and Showtime to broadcast and sell content through the Xbox.

Xbox, primarily is a gaming console, and a good one that is, considering the fact that Xbox has gained immense popularity with the niche gaming market. So using this very platform to provide quality on demand entertainment to users who already own this console, seems a very good move; however it should be kept in mind that Microsoft already offers ESPN through Xbox Live right now.

Interestingly enough, these consoles have brought latest technologies to the homes of millions of people who purchased them, seeing how The PlayStation 2 brought the DVD player and the PS3 the first ever Blu-Ray player to people worldwide, while not denying the fact that these devices some of the first to stream Netflix. So the idea of watching on demand versions of original shows and exclusive movies might be appealing to some, whereas it would be wrong to assume that people will start shifting to such platforms completely.

However, this platform is indeed gaining popularity with consumers and advertisers alike, and for Microsoft this move just might prove to be a beneficial one. Providing content via the Xbox will massively benefit both HBO and Microsoft, as the former will get a phenomenal amount of user base for their programming and Microsoft will emerge as the company that changed the way people watch tv altogether. We hope these reports don’t turn out to be mere rumors.

Via TechCrunch

Hack The Kinect Without Fear, Microsoft Is “Excited”

Well well, what do we have here? Does Microsoft encourage people to hack its products? well it seems so! Microsoft’s Kinect peripheral for the Xbox 360 has been well in the news since it was launched on November 4. Microsoft claim that they have deliberately left open a provision for people wanting to hack the Kinect, contradicting their earlier statement that it would “work closely with law enforcement” to make sure that the Kinect is not tampered with.

The history of people trying to hack into the Kinect goes quite a way back, where Google engineer Matt Cutts had put up a bounty for anyone who could write simple hacks for the Kinect, similarly the open source community has also put up a bounty for producing an open source driver for the Kinect. In respect to this, Microsoft has said that it does not condone the modification of its products.

At first it was obvious that Microsoft was not at all pleased with the notion that people were trying to break into its shiny new product, but suddenly we saw a shift on November 19th when director of incubation for Xbox, Alex Kipman said:

Kinect was not actually hacked. Hacking would mean that someone got to our algorithms that sit inside of the Xbox and was able to actually use them. Which hasn’t happened. Or, it means that you put a device between the sensor and the Xbox for means of cheating, which also has not happened. That’s what we call hacking, and that’s what we put a ton of work and effort in to make sure doesn’t actually occur. What has happened is someone wrote a open source driver for PCs, which essentially opens the USB connection, which we didn’t protect by design, and reads the inputs from the sensor.

It has also been mentioned that there would be no legal action against people who will be involved in such sort of activities, rather the notion is here is that Microsoft is actually intrigued as to what people can come up with and write for its new peripheral, the Kinect.

via Mashable

Xbox Kinect Gestures Can Now Be Used To Control Last.fm

The Xbox LIVE is all in the news these days, from the much awaited Xbox Kinect to the newly rolled out dashboard update, this news just doesn’t stop. Now, Last.fm has announced that its Xbox service will now be functional with the all new Kinect motion controller.

The president of CBS Music Group, David Goodman said:

Working with Microsoft to develop and launch the updated Last.fm app which is optimized for Kinect navigation, provides users with an innovative, and engaging music discovery and personalized radio experience powered by Last.fm’s recommendations on a next generation entertainment gaming platform

Using the Kinect motion controller system, listeners who use the Last.fm service on the Xbox will be able to control their music via both voice and motion. To queue a station, the user can hover their hand over the respective Last.fm title. Voice commands such as “Xbox, play,” and “Xbox, stop,” can also be used to control the audio.

How the Last.fm with Kinect functions at large gatherings where there is too much voice commotion, still remains a tough question to answer. We’ll just have to see how it turns out to be. The Xbox Kinect Bundles hit the stores from today onwards, as of November 4, 2010.

Via Mashable