Yet another Microsoft white space device fails FCC testing

Although several other companies have submitted white space devices to the FCC -- we know Philips has one in, and Google's making a lot of noise about new and improved reference designs -- it looks like Microsoft's run of bad luck with the tech continues, with yet another white space transceiver unexpectedly failing during FCC tests last week. There's no word on if the latest unit failed for the same power-related reasons as the previous test devices, but Microsoft's doing a little damage control and saying that the FCC hasn't found any interference with TV signals so far, and that it's easier to pull the plug now and let other, non-MS devices finish out testing. Yeah, we'd say so -- at this point Redmond's bungled attempts to get this stuff working are becoming sort of embarrassing. Google to the rescue?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 30th 2008 1:41PM]

Seriously, has Microsoft ever made anything that didn't fail at some point (especially hardware?) Their mice are OK I guess.

[DBG Posted Mar 30th 2008 1:55PM]

Well hardware obviously isn't their "bag" (sorry, too many Austin Powers movies on the tele recently). I have found their server software since Windows 2000 to be stable. With that said I was able to convince my boss to switch over to Redhat Enterprise Edition instead of upgrade to Windows 2008 for the few backend servers we keep critical data on. It will involve a few more days of work, but I have a feeling that it will save me on repair/repair calls. Plus there is a huge savings in having access to a Redhat Engineer compared to a Microsoft one. Although apperently Solaris is where the big money is at according to a dutch friend =).

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 30th 2008 3:38PM]

Yeah I thought their mice were OK too.... until I got a bluetooth laser mouse 8000.

It's terrible even under Windows, and on Leopard it's unusable. Has problems synching without its dongle (Isn't bluetooth supposed to do away with these?!) and the software is rubbish. The cursor motion is really unbalanced too.

Traded it in for a Logitech, works perfectly :)

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 30th 2008 8:19PM]

Has anyone ever made anything that didn't fail at "some point". Some point is pretty broad...

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 30th 2008 2:06PM]

My question is... do consumers really need another computer?? I mean gadget hounds such as myself who like to be on the bleeding edge already own plenty of toys. Most of you already have a P.C according to statistics. Capable and able pc's that will do most of consumer's tasks with the exception of power users and gamers are now relatively cheap. I think they are still trying to milk the personal computer platform for every last consumer dollar. You have a P.C and a notebook now they want to shove one in your microwave,fridge,living room whitespace table, printer,car, cable box, etc.... Not only that but if you look closely processors are getting slower for these devices with the coming small and cool chips in exchange for performance. There's "UMPC's" or oh wait "MID's" or "tablet PC's" or whatever next thing they come out with and give it a new slogan and tell you somehow you need it in your life when a well powered phone and a notebook will do just fine. I will tell you I am the first itching to buy the latest shiny device but I wonder how long will it be before I realize I really do not need all that extra shit. One day I am hoping the cellphone which i am banking as the ultimate convergance device will do everything and cook your food too lol. All they have to do is attach a mini projector and add an infrared keyboard, wimax,gps, 2 gigs of ram and a 2 ghz processor and lets hope to god hey actually supply drivers for the ati chips.lol oh and throw on a linux based OS for good measure with a nice UI (android?). I think nokia is headed the right direction with their mobile ngage platform. I can dream but I bet the U.S major carriers are gonna fuck everything up and thats why i love google pushing for innovation and open devices so we may have that future one day.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 30th 2008 3:10PM]

Paragraphs. They're all the rage, man.

[Generic Posted Mar 31st 2008 5:19AM]

@The Lord Dragon

funny, I thought I was the only one to not read every word of the paragraph above

[retro77 Posted Mar 30th 2008 3:12PM]

It would be amazing if they tested the product before sending it the FCC.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 30th 2008 4:29PM]

I agree. I assume they don't just go in to the FCC with it not working and pray for a miracle (no Vista comments please, my Vista actually does work just fine, no NVIDIA drivers).

[aubreyq Posted Mar 30th 2008 4:53PM]

"Developers, developers, developers, developers!"

[Decoy Posted Mar 30th 2008 7:41PM]

"I'm melting!"

[beefysam128 Posted Mar 30th 2008 9:18PM]

Cut some slack for Microsoft. What did they ever do to hurt us? Well, besides forcing us to look at CEO Steve Balmer spaze out ever time Engadget posts a Microoft related post.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 30th 2008 9:31PM]

I smell a rat.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 30th 2008 10:28PM]

Where do you want to fail today?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 31st 2008 12:29AM]

"White Space is right over here, and we can use it."

or

"ungngnhngnghnngnghgnghgnghgnghghgngnghgnghgnghghng"

[DJAnakin Posted Mar 31st 2008 2:11AM]

Biased much? It's not JUST an MS thing. Try listing all the players next time Engadget. You'd never unfairly report something like this if it were Apple. God this site has gone downhill.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 31st 2008 2:29AM]

Two other companies with devices in for testing are named before the first instance of the word "Microsoft" in this post. What more would you have us do?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 31st 2008 1:26PM]

@nilay: Uhhhh... your a lawyer right? So you cannot be that dense. You must be playing one of those lawyerly-like word games. I don't know what it is called in the "shark tank", but in logic it's called "selective editing".

Here, try this, it should help:

Search for "Steve Ballmer" and view the accompnaying photos you guys post.

Then try "Steve Jobs".

[MNeko Posted Mar 31st 2008 2:29AM]

Scariest jazz hands ever.

Also, you don't have to wait to take an unflattering picture of Steve "17" Ballmer. They're right there waiting for you the moment you take off the lens cap. The man is a total nutburger!

[newdna Posted Mar 31st 2008 7:50AM]

I will never not love that pic.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 31st 2008 11:56AM]

Microsoft's "good enough" engineering philosophy seems to be the proverbial chickens come home to roost.

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 7th 2008 4:06PM]

I'm doing my graduate thesis on Software Defined Radio / Cognitive Radio technology, and let me tell you, with currently available hardware, it's a pretty tall order. I'm using GNU Radio on Ubuntu Linux with a USRP, but honestly, the stuff is not faster or more stable on Linux than it is on Windows. If you want to know more about Microsoft's white space project, and their Cognitive Radio system, take a look at the following link. It has a crapload of information:

http://research.microsoft.com/netres/projects/KNOWS/

The people that they have working on this seem to be quit intelligent (brilliant, actually), and I will no doubt be referencing their work in my own thesis.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 31st 2008 12:22PM]

I find the criticisms of Microsoft in regards to this project quite bizarre (like the one above) considering that they were attempting to do what NOBODY has yet done. If this challenge is so easy, where are all the players?

(FWIW, I get the feeling that the FCC hates this idea and has some very legitimate concerns as well and has set up very stringent tests that will take a huge amount of effort to pass.)

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 31st 2008 4:11PM]

I never see apple employee's looking insane, I normally see them looking stoned. ;-)