Microsoft

Linksys WIP330 Wireless-G IP Phone Review

June 12, 2006

Ratings Score Installation Documentation Features Usability Value Performance Overall
The Linksys WIP330 Wireless-G IP Phone is one of the coolest gadgets I've tested in awhile. Linksys sent me a WIP330 for a product review two weeks ago and I played around with it quite a bit, but just never found the time to write the review. Well, here goes, an exclusive look at the Linksys WIP330 Wireless-G IP Phone...

The Linksys WIP330 Wireless-G IP Phone enables VoIP service through a Wireless-G network connected to the Internet to make low-cost VoIP calls through your Internet Telephony Service Provider (ITSP). The handset features peer-to-peer dialing, speed dial, 3-way conferencing, call waiting, call transfer, and call forward, mute, hold and selectable ringtones.

Posted in Gadgets, Microsoft, Mobile Phones, Reviews, VoIP, Wireless

Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) nag screen

May 31, 2006

One of my blog posts discussing Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) has a ton of comments, from users apparently running allegedly "pirated" copies of Windows XP. I say "allegedly" since I myself have encountered a situation where I lost a restore CD or had a PC that didn't come with a Windows XP CD - instead the CD image was loaded on a hidden partition which I promptly deleted to recover the disk space. With no disk image or CD to reload Windows (a common occurence), I then "borrowed" someone else's Windows XP CD and product key. Do I feel guilty about doing this?

Posted in Microsoft

Windows Live Meeting 2006 coming?

May 30, 2006

Microsoft is planning to make an announcement for their Unified Communications platform on June 26th. At the Nob Hill Masonic Center in San Francisco, media will be invited to hear Microsft unveil their "strategy for placing people at the center of communications."

Microsoft executives Jeff Raikes, President, Microsoft Business Division, Anoop Gupta, Corporate Vice President, Unified Communications Group, and Gurdeep Singh Pall, Corporate Vice President, RTC Product Group will all be part of this unveiling. Does this unveiling mean that the Microsoft Live beta will no longer be "beta"? Of course I know that this announcement pertains to the convergence of business computing and business communications, so that falls more under the lap of Microsoft's Windows Live Meeting 2005.

Posted in Call Center and CRM, Microsoft, VoIP

Microsoft plans to subsidize Nigerian spam?

May 22, 2006

From a Microsoft PR rep:

Microsoft is partnering with telecommunications providers in emerging markets to offer pay-as-you-go and subscription computing to its customers. Today Microsoft announced the industry’s first pay-as-you-go personal computing offerings powered by Microsoft FlexGo technology. The initiative is targeted first at emerging markets around the world, where unpredictable income, inadequate access to consumer credit and high entry costs prevent many customers from owning a PC. Under this model, customers can get a full-featured Windows-enabled PC with low entry costs, and pay for the PC as they use it through the purchase of prepaid cards or tokens.

Posted in Microsoft

Windows Live LifeCams HD Cameras

May 12, 2006

Microsoft will soon rollout Windows Live LifeCams, their new High Definition (HD) set of webcams. This series of web cameras will feature high definition still shots on all models and high definition video on some. They will also include software called "LifeCam Dashboard."

There are two models of the LifeCams slated for release this summer, with two more to follow in Fall '06.

VX-3000
- 640x480 resolution video
- WL Messenger integration
- "Exclusive Call Button"
- One touch Spaces blogging
- HD Stills: 1.3 megapixels
- Universal mounting device
- On the fly video effects
- Pan/Zoom/Tilt capabilities
- Automatic face tracking
- Built-in microphone

Estimated cost: $49.95 USD

The VX-3000 is the low-end cam that still offers HD pictures.

VX-6000
- HD Stills: 5.0 MP
- HD Video: 1.3 MP
- Wide angle lens
- 3x Digital Zoom
- Plus all of the features of the VX-3000

Estimated cost: $99.95 USD

The VX-6000 is the high-end desktop webcam featuring 1.3MP HD Video.

Posted in Digital Cameras, Gadgets, Microsoft

Microsoft sells 500,000 Windows Mobile Phones

April 5, 2006

According to the NY Times, Microsoft has won a huge order for their Windows Mobile software - 500,000 handsets to be precise. Is this another nail in the coffin for Blackberry? Certainly seems that way. According to the NY Times article, "Microsoft expects to increase its mobile unit's sales to $1 billion in one to three years, from $337 million last year, and break the dominance of the Research In Motion BlackBerry wireless e-mail device.

Posted in Microsoft, Mobile Phones, Wireless

Microsoft Speech Server 2007 preview

April 5, 2006

Posted in Microsoft, Reviews

Dual boot Mac and Windows

April 5, 2006

Apple fans can now dual-boot into either Microsft Windows XP or the Macintosh operating system (Mac OS X). Today, Apple announced the beta release of Bootcamp, a boot-time utility that lets you create a 2nd partition to hold the Windows operating system. Then at bootup you simply hold the option key which will then give you a choice of which operating system to load into. Now that Apple is using Intel processors, there is no need to use virtual emulators which use software to emulate Windows programs.

Posted in Microsoft

Microsoft MSN lowers Internet dial-up price

March 28, 2006

AOL recently announced a price hike in their dial-up Internet service. Microsoft is responding with a new price promotion for their MSN Dial-Up Internet access service aimed at AOL users that don't want to pay AOL's high dial-up costs..

According to Microsoft's represenative, "With the current competitive landscape for dial-up Internet access and the longstanding competitive history in this market, we thought youâd want to know that Microsoft is now offering MSN Dial-Up for -- a reduction in the monthly service fee from $21.95 to $17.95 with no long term contract required and first month of service is free.Â The reduced pricing is good for the first year."

They added, "As longstanding AOL dial-up subscribers begin exploring alternatives to a monthly price increase, Microsoft believes that this new competitive offer will give consumers an incentive to switch to MSN Dial-Up for their dial-up provider."

My question is when does dial-up Internet access in the U.S. become a loss-leader?

Posted in Microsoft

Call USRobotics Tech Support using Skype

March 27, 2006

Some pretty cool news from USRobotics that lets you use Skype to directly call their Customer Support infrastructure. This saves USRobotics the cost of the toll-free number and it enables customers to get into the support queue much easier. Considering the "newness" factor of web call through, most call centers will assign a higher priority to inbound VoIP calls or IM sessions. So if you are impatient and want to skip lengthy on-hold times, using Skype could be the answer.

It will be interesting to see if/when a big boy like Microsoft offers web call through for their tech support.

Posted in Call Center and CRM, Microsoft, Mobile Phones, VoIP

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