Have I ever mentioned how proud I am of my son? He’s a great kid and is having a great year in 1st grade. Today his school is raising funds for Juvenile Diabetes and was featured in an article in the Indianapolis Star newspaper.
I think Ethan raised over $50 himself. What a great kid!
Source: Kids raising money for diabetes
From what it looks like, it’s not just Halo 3, but a whole new strategy series.
Microsoft Game Studios announced Halo Wars, an all-new real-time strategy game based on the legendary Halo® universe and built exclusively for Xbox 360™ by Ensemble Studios, creators of the Age of Empires series.
Find out more for yourself here.
As an FYI, I’m having a great time today trying to figure out how to successfully get our new SBS 2003 machine setup. If you didn’t catch the tone in the plain fonts on your screen, there’s tons of sarcasm marinating around my words right now.
Syntagma Media has the scoop on Mary Jo Foley changing some blogging locations. She’ll be leaving Ziff Davis Media and will now be blogging for ZDNet specifically.
Mary Jo is probably most known for her work on Microsoft Watch from Mary Jo Foley.
Mary Jo talks about her move personally here, Greetings, Microsoft Watchers!
Have you ever really wanted to find out which service was better than the other? Now may be your chance to get close to someone saying “Let’s get ready to rumble!” and wrapping it up with someone getting their arm pulled into the air. iTnews.com.au, a news site out of Australia gives the blow-by-blow on which small-business software application suite will be best for your business. You know, so it will be easier to mind your own business.
Which one is best for your organization? I put them through their paces side by side. Overall, as you’ll see, Google’s service beats Microsoft’s because of its superior email, and because it offers a calendar, something that Microsoft does not. But if your primary focus is on website building, you’ll instead want to use Microsoft’s service.
The article covers the following areas in comparison:
Check it out! I know I’ve been underwhelmed with Office Live, at least their free services, which is what this article focuses on. I’m also a big fan of Google e-mail, but haven’t been real impressed with Google Calendar functionality. In the end, I think it always comes down to individual business needs and comfort level with the applications your choosing.
Source: Review: Microsoft Office Live basics Vs. Google Apps for your domain
Part of me feels like I should apologize for not offering more involvement to the Apple community in relation to the next Office suite from Microsoft. It’s not much that I’ve done to help, but Microsoft will be releasing an updated version of Office 2007 for the Mac platform in 2007 as well.
Both the Windows and the Apple version will use the XML file format, which should assist tremendously with sharing files between platforms.
Oddly though, what suprises me the most is that the fresh-in-the-spotlight “ribbon” interface will be glaringly missing from the Mac version. There’s been alot of discussion about whether or not an upgrade to 2007 is really worth doing on the Windows platform if the only new thing is the “ribbon”. Although, I don’t think saying the ribbon being the “only new thing” to be a slight improvement.
“We will be doing a user interface refresh, but it will not be exactly like you see in Office 2007,” said Starman. “It just would not make sense.”
There you have it, Office 2007 will be released on the Mac around late summer or early fall of 2007.
I wonder if the Mac version will have the ability to save PDF standard since Adobe chooses to share with Apple and not Microsoft.
Those are three adjectives to describe the latest keyboard and mouse duo to be released by Microsoft’s Hardware developers.
The Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000 and the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 combine futuristic industrial design and productivity-enhancing features. Both desktops take advantage of the upcoming Windows Vista operating system to allow users to easily accomplish everyday tasks.
The Windows Start Button offers one-touch access to the Windows Start Menu, with search functionality built in for searching the Internet or the PC. The new Gadget Button reveals or hides the Microsoft Gadgets mini applications, while the the Media Center Start Button allows users to instantly access media, including movies and music.
That’s a sharp looking keyboard and being customized just for Vista looks like an even better reason to upgrade to some new hardware on my chunk of metal and wood I call a desk. Oh yeah, and there’s still that wireless, rechargeable and backlit thing too.
Source: Microsoft Hardware Introduces Rechargeable Wireless and Backlit Desktop
Not willing to be outdone by the Wii or the Playstation 3, Microsoft will be released an HD-DVD drive as an accessory to their Xbox 360.
The attachment will cost 19,800 yen in Japan, bringing the combined cost of the basic Xbox 360 and the HD-DVD player to 49,600 yen — compared to 59,800 for the basic PlayStation 3 in Japan. The higher-end Xbox plus the HD-DVD player will cost 57,700 yen. Sony has left it up to retailers to set the price for its higher-end PlayStation 3.
Yep, that’s right…yen. Which can only mean it’s going to be released in Japan first. Wonder how long it will take to get state side.
Source: Mainichi Daily News with Microsoft ups Xbox defenses vs. PlayStation and Nintendo with HD-DVD add-on
Microsoft has announced their new collection of games that will be released for use on the Xbox 360 game system. The information has come from the Tokyo Game Show. Here’s a list of the games that are currently available or will be on the shelves soon.
Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Forza Motorsport 2, Atsumare! Pinata, Riot Act, Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis, Gears of War, A Ressha De Ikou HX, Diario Rebirth Moon Legend, Need for Speed Carbon, Dead Rising, Lost Planet Extreme Condition, Winning Eleven Series, Operation Darkness, Project Sylpheed, X-Men the Official Game, Prey, Tomb Raider: Legend, Full Auto, Phantasy Star Universe: Illuminous no Yabou, Sonic the Hedgehog, Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, Moto GP ’06, WWE 2007 Smackdown vs Raw, The Outfit, Earth Self Defense Force 3, Fusion Frenzy 2, Culdecept Saga, Trusty Bell: Chopan no Yume, Gundam Operation Troy, Idol Master, Super Robot Taisen XO, and Tenchu Senran.
The official show starts tomorrow so more details will be available after those attending the show get their hands on some of the playable demos and begin sharing their experience.
It will be interesting to see how Sonic the Hedgehog looks on the 360.
Source: TGS 2006: Microsoft’s Game List – Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey to both make playable debut
If you weren’t already aware, there’s a new version of iTunes available. It’s version 7 and it’s no longer the iTunes Music Store, instead it’s just the iTunes Store. The reason? Because now they’re really pushing movie downloads, of which they passed 125,000 the first day I believe.
Another item you may want to take note of is that iTunes is offering 1,000,000 free downloads to promote ABC star line-up of shows: LOST, Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy.
The Season Finale’s of all three shows are available to download for free, along with the fan guide type downloads of:
I’m wondering if iTunes and ABC are being generous or if this is just a test. I’m leaning towards test strongly. Here’s my thought, if they could get 1,000,000 downloads in a really short amount of time for free. How much are 2,000,000 eyeballs attached to about 5,000,000 pounds of grey matter worth?
ABC seemed to do really well with their own website offering of TV shows being available the night after their premiere on the network. What if they started offering their showcase shows available on iTunes the day after for free to a very interested, engaged and targeted audience? I think that would be worth some advertising dollars don’t you?
As an FYI, there’s at least only 999,994 downloads left, I downloaded all 6 episodes right now. Also, is it just me, or does the new iTunes look very Vista like?
After perusing through my RSS reader and skimming through the LifeHacker posts, I found an interesting article about a website that will take your phone number and try to come up with a word or words that it could spell.
Nowadays I find it feeling like final Jeopardy when someone asks me for my phone number or someone else’s. “Speed Dial #2″ doesn’t work on everyone’s phone if you know what I mean.
Regretfully, my number actually doesn’t spell anything. So if you’re creative enough to figure it out, you can call me and give me your own thoughts.
I’m usually not much of an activist about things like this, but this is just ridiculous. Rosie O’Donnell has stated that Christians are no different from Muslims in our pursuit of our religious beliefs. I didn’t even mind it too much when Rosie came out of the closet, even though I disagree with her lifestyle. But comments like this just irritate me to no end.
O’Donnell on ABC: ‘Radical Christians’ no different than murderous radical Muslims
Neither O’Donnell nor ABC has apologized
ABC’s Rosie O’Donnell told a nationwide audience this week that “radical Christians” are the same as radical Muslims who piloted hijacked jetliners into New York’s Twin Towers, who chop off the heads of individuals and who bomb innocent children in suicide attacks. O’Donnell made her comments as host of ABC’s “The View.”
“Radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like America where we have separation of church and state,” O’Donnell said. She had been saying that America was attacked “not by a nation.” She continued: “And as a result of the attack and the killing of 3,000 innocent people, we invaded two countries and killed innocent people.”
Even her liberal co-hosts were shocked by her comments.
Co-host Joy Behar protested that Christians are not trying to impose mass murder on America. “This group (radical Muslims) is threatening to kill us.” Replied O’Donnell: “No, but we are bombing innocent people in other countries. True or false?”O’Donnell was saying there is no difference between the radical Muslims who kill in the name of Allah and Bible-believing Christians who follow the teachings of Jesus.
Neither O’Donnell nor ABC apologized for the comments. Had she made similar comments about minorities or homosexuals, there would have been an apology, and she would have probably been fired.
The message from ABC is that bashing Christians is acceptable, even comparing them with murderers who kill in the name of Allah.
Take Action
Tell ABC that O’Donnell’s comments deserve an apology and a reprimand.
Do with it what you will, but I at least wanted you to know it occurred and let you make your own decision if it needs to be addressed.
