Oct 22
Oct 22
Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates sat down and talked for the first time about Microsoft’s upcoming launch of its Surface tablet and Windows 8. Gates talks about the future of Windows with touch and tablet experiences, which are new for the company, but he also mentioned that the shift towards tablets is a big step for Microsoft.
Gates sat down with Microsoft’s own Steve Clayton, and while the former CEO hasn’t been in charge of Microsoft for several years now, he’s still well aware of what’s going on with company and had a lot to say about Microsoft’s upcoming products. Gates spent most of the five-minute interview talking up and praising Windows 8 and the new Surface tablet, but he had some insights as to what the future holds for Microsoft.
Gates said that users simply “want to consume their mail, reading, [and] video anywhere, and they want it to be awfully simple.” Touch capabilities make that happen simply and easily, but Gates also mentioned that “you want to incorporate touch without giving up the mouse and keyboard capability that is just so natural in most settings.” Because of this, Gates says that Microsoft “is blending all the different forms of input” to make devices easier to use for everyone.
Gates continued by saying that users will be “amazed” at the amount of effort that Microsoft is putting into its upcoming products, and that it’s sort of a turning point for the company as far as innovation and the importance of its new product line. Gates simply says that “this is the big time” for Microsoft.
[via Next at Microsoft]
Bill Gates discusses future of Microsoft with Surface and Windows 8 is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Oct 22
Being the founder of Microsoft certainly has its advantages, as well as its downsides. Case in point: the video interview Microsoft released this morning, starring none other than Bill Gates himself talking about the world of Windows 8. On the positive side, Gates reveals he’s already got his own soon-to-be-released Microsoft Surface RT — he calls it “an unbelievably great product,” unsurprisingly — with a black keyboard. On the less than positive side, despite being out of the CEO seat at the company, Gates still has to do interviews like the one found after the break. You’d think he could just get Ballmer to put on his old Crazy Eddie’s impersonation! We’ve dropped that notorious video after the break as well, for comparison sake.
Continue reading Bill Gates already has a Surface and you don’t (video)
Filed under: Desktops, Tablets, Software, Microsoft
Bill Gates already has a Surface and you don’t (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Oct 2012 10:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Microsoft | Email this | Comments
Oct 22
Jurassic Park’s Velociraptor built from ground up in new behind-the-scenes video
Posted in: Today's ChiliJurassic Park was a movie that captivated audiences when it launched back in 1993 (has it really been that long?). Today, we’re getting a behind-the-scenes look at the construction of the Velociraptor suits for the movie in a new video that comes courtesy of the Stan Winston School of Character Arts. In it, Stan Winston Studio supervisor John Rosengrant takes us through the process of not only building the raptor suit, but performing in one too.
True, most of the dinosaurs we see in Jurassic Park were computer-generated, but for some shots, Spielberg and his production team needed either animatronics or people in dinosaur suits. The scene in the kitchen where Lex and Tim are being hunted by two Velociraptors was apparently one of those scenes, and Rosengrant was actually in a Velociraptor suit during that shot. The folks at Geek Tyrant were surprised to find that out, and we have to say that we’re right there with them – up until now, we simply thought those raptors were entirely computer-generated.
In watching this video, it becomes apparent just how much work Stan Winston and the folks at Stan Winston Studio put into Jurassic Park, despite the fact that one of the biggest draws of the movie was its use of computer-generated dinosaurs. Stan Winston did his job well though, as evidenced in the fact that we’re only today finding out that there were actually men in raptor suits during some of those scenes. It’s really a fascinating look behind-the-scenes, and we have to recommend that any fan of Jurassic Park check it out below.
Pretty cool, huh? It won’t be long before Jurassic Park is back in theaters, ready to captivate a new generation, as a 3D re-release of the movie is scheduled to release in April of next year. We’re not sure how we feel about that, but dinosaurs in any form are always better than no dinosaurs at all. What do you think of this video? Are you impressed with the work the folks at Stan Winston Studio put into Jurassic Park?
Jurassic Park’s Velociraptor built from ground up in new behind-the-scenes video is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Oct 22
I want this: a thimble that turns everything it touches into a touch-sensitive screen, so you can use quick gestures to make things happen. Imagine going around the world, moving your finger like a magic wand, making things happen. You know, like Minority Report wave-in-the-air thimbles, but touch-based. More »
Oct 22
The Original Jurassic Park Velociraptor Costume Makes Your Halloween Get-Up Look Plain Sad
Posted in: Today's Chili
Despite hitting theaters almost 20 years ago, Jurassic Park and its ground-breaking special effects still holds up. And if you’ve yet to find the perfect Halloween outfit for next week, check out this behind-the-scenes look at the velociraptor costumes Stan Winston Studios created for the film. More »
Oct 22
Starting next year, Samsung will be pulling out of its relationship with Apple where the company provided LCD panels for various Apple products. An anonymous “senior Samsung source” cited that less profit due to Apple’s new supply pricing strategy was the main cause, but we’re also suspecting that the past couple years of heated patent wars has probably also played a role in the decision.
Cutting Apple out of the company’s client list won’t have too much of a negative impact on sales. Samsung is expected to be getting more orders in from other companies like Amazon, which could make up for the loss of business with Apple, who was Samsung’s top customer according to NPD DisplaySearch. However, Apple started to cut back its LCD orders with Samsung last month, and was said to be going to LG and Sharp for their business.
In the recent past, Apple was already cutting back its business with Samsung on more than just LCD panels. Apple started to develop their own processors, as well as getting RAM and NAND chips from other manufacturers. Essentially, Samsung was already seing a decline in their relationship with Apple, and ending their LCD panel business with the company simply just puts the final nail in the coffin.
One of the only concerns for Apple during this transition, is if the company can find all-new reliable sources for LCD panels by the time Samsung cuts them off. We’re sure it’s definitely possible, but hopefully Apple will be able to start a new relationship with other manufacturers that will last, but it seems Apple has been preparing for the inevitable separation of its business with Samsung for a while, so we’re not too worried.
[via Korean Times]
Samsung ending LCD display relationship with Apple is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Oct 22
When we first heard of a rumored Samsung Galaxy Premier handset that might be a Nexus device, we had our doubts, especially when we saw TouchWiz adorning the alleged leaked image from Mobile Geeks. Now, GLBenchmark is also giving the idea of a new model more credence, as it briefly showed a possible GT-I9260 model packing a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display, dual 1.5GHz processor and 8-megapixel camera. The page has since been pulled, but a screen cap of the benchmark (after the break) shows PowerVR SGX 544 graphics on the device along with middle-of-the-road scores, though all that would be on a pre-production handset without final software, if it’s accurate. Whether such a device would come along at a Google event or one of Samsung’s shindigs remains to be seen, but its very existence should be taken with a boulder-sized chunk of salt.
Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Premier rumor gathers steam with leaked GLBenchmark results
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Premier rumor gathers steam with leaked GLBenchmark results originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Oct 2012 10:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Oct 22
I’ve loved LEGO bricks since I was a little kid. I’ve never had the time or patience to build some of the more complex and gigantic creations that some of you guys have, but I’m still a huge fan. Now adult LEGO fans have an opportunity to play with their bricks without feeling out of place.
The guys at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago are hosting their first ever No-Kids-Allowed night, just for adult fans of LEGO. The event is only open to guests aged 18 or older, and will include an opportunity to learn at an advanced model-builder workshop, as well as to participate in Halloween speed-build and creative challenges to win cool LEGO prizes.
Participants are also encouraged to bring their own models to show off at the event, and to dress up for the costume contest. I can only imagine how many Minifig costumes are going to turn out for the party.
The $19 registration fee will also grant unlimited access to LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago (and its over 3 million bricks) for the night.
The event takes place at the Streets of Woodfield, 601 N. Martingale Road in Schamburg, IL, from 6:30 to 9:30pm on Monday, October 29, 2012. Register in advance at www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com, and annual pass holders get in for free. So leave the kids at home, and play with some LEGO like a grown-up.
Oct 22
It might sound terribly morbid, but part of the fascination of watching a human perform a dangerous tightrope walk is the risk that they could potentially fall. So when you’ve got a robot risking its life, the stunt is considerably less exciting. More »
Who's in charge here?
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.