Microsoft releases first iPhone application, Seadragon

After some rumblings this past March, Microsoft has now officially joined the iPhone development community with Seadragon Mobile, a free app that lets you "infinite zoom" gigapixel-sized images. Although Seadragon is available as a Silverlight application on the desktop, Microsoft isn't bringing Silverlight to the iPhone, so don't get your hopes up. We're itching to see if the company has any more apps in the pipeline -- we'll wish for an Office editor, but expect a Minesweeper variant.

[Thanks, Mikkel]

[Quikboy Posted Dec 14th 2008 4:33PM]

Now if only they could give the same for their own WinMo users. WinMo 7 better be over-the-top fantastic, or I'll have less of a reason to find another type of phone.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2008 5:15PM]

my iPod touch ended up getting a BSOD just seconds after i installed this app. thanks a bunch, Microsoft. =\

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2008 8:04PM]

try a reset

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2008 10:11PM]

Impossible... what? BSOD doesn't exist on the Mac OS. ???

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 15th 2008 12:24AM]

@who?

WOOSH

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2008 7:57PM]

ROFL!!!!

You guys have just replaced *literally* the magazine / book reading whilst sitting @ the toilet!

Good job!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2008 8:51PM]

I just can't trust MS when I'm using Apple product. Remember IE ask Woz!

[Arkv2 Posted Dec 14th 2008 8:54PM]

Develop office for the iPhone and I'm sold.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2008 10:06PM]

who wishes that silverlight was on the iphone? lol

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2008 9:53PM]

WOW.with the war Microsoft Vs. Apple!!!!hahaha.
and microsoft keep making apps for apple's consoles.xD
now microsoft will make the first game for zune.the iCrap!!!!!!hahahahahaha.just joking

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2008 10:18PM]

They make software for each other, actually. iTunes, Quicktime, Safari, and more are all free Windows apps (exes?) made by Apple. They coexist. Apple's real adversaries now seem to be mainly hardware oriented. That isn't to say Microsoft and Apple don't compete, they do. It's just that they are both really old companies (as far as computers are related) and have been able to look past their differences.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2008 10:02PM]

SeaDragon,,,,,The name sucks!
It is not cool at all.

[yopladas Posted Dec 15th 2008 2:17AM]

hmm,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, does 霽月瀛台 mean I suck?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2008 10:30PM]

I can't help but bust out this quote:

“To create a new standard, it takes something that’s not just a little bit different, it takes something that’s really new and really captures people’s imagination and the Macintosh, of all the machines I’ve ever seen, is the only one that meets that standard.” - Bill Gates



It's *kinda* relevant. Don't give me that look and tell me that Bill Gates isn't even CEO anymore. I wanted to bring the quote out... (sulks away)

[808bah Posted Dec 14th 2008 11:39PM]

Mind Sweeper would be TIGHT!!

[Wesscoast Posted Dec 15th 2008 12:45AM]

ladies and gentlemen, may i introduce 'your average windows user'

*bows

thank you and goodnight.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 15th 2008 1:11AM]

question;if u had a choice n could only have one ,which would u get ipod touch or zune?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 15th 2008 1:51AM]

iPod Touch with at least 120 Gb of space.... it's a no brainer!

Heck.. I could say I'll love to stay away of MS products, but sometimes it's almost impossible, like using Windows, even if you'd love to install Ubuntu on your Laptop and know that you can't because the Wi-Fi doesn't work and the printer won't print :P

But hey.. common knowledge says "Stay away of Microsoft products", I say... Will do if I had a choice (like Zune and iTouch, in which BTW i'd rather use iTunes -loaded with crap, like it is now- than using Windows Media Player -which is complete and useless crap-), but hey.. IF there's gotta be an absoulte winner in this one, let it be Rythmbox Music Player, it's free, no crap attached and it can read my iPod (and it can also sync and add /delete songs out of it without iTunes in the beauty of a quick ubuntu box with a very old cpu, but still makes its way thanks to the magic of Linux :) )

[Quikboy Posted Dec 15th 2008 3:04AM]

iPod Touch - If you're the person that wants a relatively good mobile browser on the go, and is interested in some mini applications. It's not exactly a great media playing device though, as the sound quality isn't as good as other iPods and it can cost a lot for not many GBs. The touch is more like a fancy toy, than a great media player.

Zune - If you want a great media player. I also prefer the Zune Software for managing content, compared to iTunes since it doesn't bog down my computer and can be pretty slow. Zune Pass is also an optional way of purchasing music where you can pay $14.99 a month to have ACCESS to millions of songs on the Zune Marketplace, and even keep 10 songs for good. Zune beats the other non-Touch iPods in my opinion.

I would probably pick the Zune, because since I already have a computer at home, I could always cope with surfing the 'actual' full web when I'm at home than when I'm out. A lot of the mini applications I can already find on my cell phone. Zune's a nice solid player, and that's all I need for media entertainment. That's my opinion.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 15th 2008 8:58AM]

The question is... why are there blackout spots on the photo of the moon that comes with Seadragon?!?! Cover-up by NASA?! Or just an incomplete composite image... your conspiracy theory is as good as mine! ;)