Microsoft just put out a series of new ads, showing all the neat things you can do with a Windows-powered tablet. Like install a full desktop version of Photoshop, use spreadsheets from MS Office, and otherwise generally do the usual things you’d do on a laptop or desktop. All very good points, mind you, since you don’t have to pick up anything from an app store (according to the artist in the first video above), and you don’t have to stumble through a new interface since, you know, it’s freaking Windows. [Three more videos after the break]
Gamers today have a lot of brand choices to pick from when they’re shopping for a quality gaming mouse, keyboard or controller, but it looks like the options just became shorter. VR-Zone just reported that Microsoft has decided to discontinue their SideWinder gaming line. This won’t be the first time they’ve decided to drop it, but this could be the last. Microsoft first dropped the gaming brand back in 2003, then re-launched again in 2007 with a few – but awesome, nonetheless – products like the X6 keyboard and X8 mouse.
Excuse the title for a bit. Technically, they formed a “strategic partnership,” but we happen to be Survivor fans excited about the new season premiere next week. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop didn’t really approach Steve Ballmer proposing to form “an alliance” (at least we don’t think that’s how it happened). Anyway, that’s pretty much the latest on Nokia: they’re now in cahoots with Microsoft, which basically brings Microsoft’s Windows Phone software and features to Nokia devices in the near future.
Microsoft unveiled a new mouse at CES that takes a cue from Apple’s touch-sensitive, gesture-supporting Magic Mouse. The Touch Mouse features a smooth surface marked by a touch-sensitive area over the buttons that supports two- and three-finger gestures for navigating the Windows interface. It’s a little bit different from Apple’s Magic Mouse though; this mouse uses thumb swipes to move forward and back across pages (the Magic Mouse uses three fingers for that), and recognizes different finger sizes for that. (more…)
As expected, Microsoft’s unique Arc Touch mouse that can be “curved for comfort and flattened to pack” is now available at their retail stores. No surprises there, since Microsoft did say that it’s due out this month. The real surprise here is that it’s reportedly being offered to retail for $60—a good $10 (or $9.95 if you don’t appreciate the easy round-off) cheaper than the pre-order price they posted back in September. Anyway, there you have it: Microsoft’s nifty touch-sensitive porta-mouse, cheaper than expected, just in time for the holidays.
