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Netflix stealth launches HD streaming to PC and Mac
It appears HD Netflix Watch Instantly streams aren't just for living room set-top boxes anymore now that Netflix is streaming more than half of its 720p-encoded titles to Macs and PCs (through the Silverlight web player, no word on the Media Center add-on.) According to Hacking Netflix, you can tell which ones are ready to go by checking the mouseover box for the (HD Available) tag as seen above. Our experience matches several other reports that not everyone is seeing the tag on all the same titles, so until it's rolled out fully, YMMV. It's not the new release flicks or surround sound add-ons that many are waiting for, but it could slide PQ up another notch for HTPC owners and everyone who just has to watch Killer Klowns from Outer Space at work -- but you'd never do that. [Thanks, @DaveZatz]
Microsoft's 'Menlo' working towards a mobile future without Windows CE?
Since Courier's now a mystery unearthed -- and subsequently sent six feet under -- it looks like we need new secret Microsoft projects to pique our curiosity. Enter the ever-connected Mary Jo Foley with some investigative notes into "Menlo," which seems to be a future replacement of Windows CE "with Windows NT inside of mobile devices." The associated graphics platform would be "Experiment 19" (not quite as interesting a codename, we agree). Presumably heading up Menlo is Galen Hunt, a researcher from the Singular project, joined by other Microsoft brains Ruben Olinsky and (at least at some point) Kerry Hammil. It's always surprising how much info we can glean from LinkedIn, but we digress: Hunt's associated profile says Menlo "[combines] OS, UX, and applications research to explore the future of computing when mobiles becomes users primary PCs." Some bigger picture conjecture seems to center around Menlo having a Silverlight-based UI and boasting improved compatibility between itself and Windows desktop apps. Lots of food for thought, and if you're interested in what might come out of Redmond many, many years down the line, head on past the read link for all the juicy tech gossip.
WoW on iPad via streaming
World of Warcraft on the iPad? Apparently, thanks to an interesting service called Gaikai. Gaikai, currently in beta, is a new technology that will let you play any game online in your browser. Here's how it works -- Gaikai hosts the games on their servers and worries about the hardware and software updates, then they stream the games to you through your browser. They call this technology "Streaming Worlds." What does this mean for the average WoW player? Well, when you have a computer that otherwise looks seemingly impossible to play WoW on such as the iPad, you can use Gaikai to stream the game via Java, Flash or Silverlight to your computer, resulting in the screenshot shown above. While the screenshot is amazing, there are doubts to its credibility since iPad's browser doesn't support Flash. Unfortunately no video of the game in action was provided. However, the concept surrounding Gaikai, and the implications for browser-based games that are graphically intensive like World of Warcraft are fascinating.
Microsoft weighs in: 'the future of the web is HTML5'
Where Steve Jobs leads, Microsoft follows -- how's that for shaking up the hornet's nest? It's said in jest, of course, but we've just come across a post from the General Manager for Internet Explorer, Dean Hachamovitch, and the perspective expressed by him on the subject of web content delivery broadly agrees with the essay penned by Jobs yesterday on the very same subject. Echoing the Apple CEO's words, Hachamovitch describes HTML5 as "the future of the web," praising it for allowing content to be played without the need for plug-ins and with native hardware acceleration (in both Windows 7 and Mac OS X). He goes on to identify H.264 as the best video codec for the job -- so much so that it'll be the only one supported in IE9's HTML5 implementation -- before turning to the dreaded subject of Flash. This is where it gets good, because he literally repeats one of Jobs' six pillars of Flash hate: "reliability, security, and performance" are not as good as Microsoft would like them. Where Hachamovitch diverges from Apple's messiah, however, is in describing Flash as an important part of "a good consumer experience on today's web," primarily because it's difficult for the typical consumer to access Flash-free content. Still, it's got to be depressing for Adobe's crew when the best thing either of the two biggest players in tech has to say about your wares is that they're ubiquitous. Wonder how Shantanu Narayen is gonna try and spin this one. P.S. : it's notable that in multiple paragraphs of discussing "the future," Microsoft's IE general fails to once mention the fabled Silverlight, itself a rich media browser plug-in. Given Silverlight's featured role in the Windows Phone 7 infrastructure and other things like Netflix, we doubt it's on the outs, but there are sure to be some sour faces greeting Hachamovitch this morning. [Thanks, KnifeX4]
Netflix Watch Instantly adds closed captioning support for the PC, Mac
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/tech_news/Netflix_Watch_Instantly_adds_closed_captioning_support'; We'd like to welcome the hard of hearing to the internet delivered video party, now that Netflix has begun offering optional closed captioning on a limited number of Watch Instantly titles. Currently only available through the Silverlight player on Mac or PC, Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt promises it's in the works for other platforms and should arrive there around fall along with the long-awaited support for 5.1 surround sound. Of course we're also still waiting for HD streaming on the PC but we know this is a big deal for specific communities and situations. For now, you can test out the feature on seasons 1-4 of Lost, part of about 100 titles so far with others being filled in "over time." Now excuse us, we need to watch some old episodes with CC switched on and make sure our Lostpedia entries are correct before the finale.
Skyfire boss on possible iPhone port: 'stay tuned for news'
So Opera Mini for iPhone has proved to be kind of a big deal, and that HTML-laden beacon of hope is putting a twinkle in some other developers' eyes. Take Skyfire, for instance. CEO Jeff Glueck posted this week a congratulations to the Opera team for its inclusion in the iTunes app store -- a surprise to many, us included. He also explained that "this will certainly accelerate our strategy on iDevices," and seeing as its only product is a mobile browser with Flash and Silverlight, Jeff certainly has our attention here. That said, we're not exactly getting our hopes up, especially since the App Store's rules have always forbidden any app from running a code interpreter and we don't see how SkyFire can bypass that aspect of Flash and Silverlight entirely, even though it uses a server-side rendering model similar to Opera Mini's. We'll see what happens.
Microsoft, Broadcom and Intel to bring Silverlight to set-tops
Set-top boxes are great because they usually just work, but the downside to this reliability is that adding functionality isn't a download away --- like on a PC. So if Microsoft wants to get Silverlight content on to set-tops it needs to work with the people who make the chips, and there's no one better than Broadcom and Intel. In fact Broadcom powers more TVs, Blu-ray players and DVRs than anyone, but that doesn't mean Intel isn't trying to move in on that market. Of course you'll never know if your set-top includes the Intel BCM7420 or Intel CE4100 series chips, but you will surely appreciate the additional internet delivered HD video (like the Olympics or Netflix Watch instantly).
Sling working on player for iPad, Windows Phone 7 Series
Looks like Zatz got the goods from the folks at Sling, who have a few interesting tidbits currently in the development pipe. Zatz not Funny is reporting that Sling's Mobile Product Marketing Manager, Dave Eyler, has told him that the company is "actively moving towards H.264" and Silverlight support, as well as delivering streaming with resolutions beyond the current 320x240. Though there are no firm details or timelines yet, this means we should definitely be expecting SlingPlayer Mobile versions for the iPad and Windows Phone 7 Series. While Sling says it won't have anything ready for the iPad's launch, we've got our fingers crossed that we'll see it soon.
Silverlight beta comes to S60 5th Edition
Microsoft naturally spent the overwhelming majority of its breath chatting up Windows Phone 7 Series at MIX10 earlier this week, but buried beneath the fanfare was a little morsel for a distinctly different platform. That's right, Symbian fans, you've now got a Silverlight runtime (for a few devices, anyway) some two years after Nokia announced that it'd be coming. Support right now is limited to S60 5th Edition -- that is, touch-enabled Symbian devices -- with both in-browser and standalone Silverlight apps available for the taking. It's just a beta right now, so don't have too much faith in the stability or feature-completeness of this thing -- but it's a start.
Windows Phone 7 Series T-shirt cannon gets detailed, redefines 'mobile warfare'
Microsoft's MIX 10 Windows Phone app demos were highlighted by a robotic t-shirt cannon entirely controlled by a WP7S app, and the code monkeys behind the project are now back with a full breakdown of how things were achieved -- the bot was built on a standard battle-bot chassis, which was then modded with the cannons and an HP Envy laptop for control purposes. Just to drill in the point about how familiar development for the new mobile OS will be, the MS guys point out that outsider assistance on the project was recruited under the pretext that what was being built were "out of the browser" Silverlight apps for the desktop. Very crafty. We've got video of the cannon in action waiting after the break, along with an image of the Phone controls.
Microsoft tells its Windows Phone 7 Series developer story, tools available today
At its dev-focused MIX10 event kicking off today, Microsoft's closing the loop on some of the Windows Phone 7 Series third-party development details it started sharing in the days leading up to GDC last week -- and as you might expect, Silverlight and XNA are the stars of the show. XNA will naturally be the core, critical element of Redmond's gaming story while Silverlight is serving as a catch-all for the "rich internet applications" that make up much of your other mobile activities for those rare moments when you're not... you know, blowing up aliens or navigating a race course littered with your opponents' destroyed vehicles. To that end, Microsoft is kicking things off on the right foot by offering a free package of developer tools to would-be WP7S coders that includes both Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone and the Silverlight-focused Expression Blend for Windows Phone, pretty much everything you need to start building apps in preparation for the platform's anticipated launch toward the latter part of the year. The beta dev tools are available today. Developers are going to be treated to a host of must-have services out of the gate, including accelerometer support, location-based APIs using Microsoft's own Location Service, a newly-announced Microsoft Notification Service for pushing notifications regardless of whether an app is running (sound familiar?), hardware-accelerated video with integrated DRM and support for Microsoft's Smooth Streaming tech, multitouch, and camera / microphone access. On a related note, Microsoft has shared some important details on the revised Windows Phone Marketplace (notice the subtle name change) for WP7S-based devices today. The revenue split remains unchanged -- 70 percent goes to the publisher, 30 percent to Microsoft -- but the developer portal for managing submissions has been "streamlined" and some of the incremental costs associated with it have been killed off; what's more, students enrolled in the DreamSpark submission will have their registration fees waived altogether. The Marketplace has evolved from an app store to a content "destination," housing apps, casual and premium Xbox Live games, music, and customized carrier stuff in one spot. We'll be wandering MIX10 throughout the day, so stay tuned as we get more of the story.
Interview: Microsoft on integrating Xbox Live into Windows Phone 7 Series
Windows Phone 7 isn't just Microsoft's attempt to compete against Apple's iPhone. It's also the introduction of the first portable Xbox platform. During GDC today, we talked to Xbox Live GM Ron Pessner and XNA Game Studio manager Michael Klucher about how games integrate into the mobile platform and what gamers and developers can expect in the future. For the purpose of this interview, Pessner and Klucher merged into one entity (they spoke over each other a lot!) to answer our questions: Microsoft plans to separate games that do and don't support Xbox Live functionality on Windows Phone. Are there any concerns that this will turn off indie developers? Pessner and Klucher: The short answer is "no." The way that we built the Phone and Marketplace experience makes it very easy to search for what you're looking for. With XNA Game Studio 4.0, you can use the same set of tools to build an Xbox Live game or non-Xbox Live game on the platform. The benefit that developers get for working with Game Studio is everything we just described. We also are very interested in seeing concept submissions from the indie community, and we're out talking to a lot of independent developers. Fortunately, we're working with a lot of these folks in context of the console today, and many of the console titles that have come to us through the Indie Channel or Xbox Live Arcade, we think will also make fantastic mobile titles. So we're reaching back out to these developers and accepting submissions for ideas as a way to help make those Xbox Live titles. It's up to the developer in terms of what they want to do on the platform, but we're really excited with the response we've seen so far.
Windows Phone 7 Series demo video reveals new apps, screens
Microsoft may be saving most of its Windows Phone 7 Series news for MIX the week after next (at least that's what we've heard whispers about), but it looks like it's still dishing out a few more details beforehand, as evidenced by a short demonstration Microsoft's Charlie Kindel gave to CNET. Nothing major like a confirmation of HD2 support, but we do get a glimpse of a few apps we haven't seen before (including a flashlight, level, and weather app -- all supposedly "trivial" to build thanks to XNA and Silverlight), and a look at some new screens for various applications we have seen, including a better look at the Xbox Live hub. Head on past the break to check out the video for yourself.
Microsoft talks Windows Phone 7 Series development ahead of GDC: Silverlight, XNA, and no backward compatibility
Microsoft is keen on unveiling the meat of its developer story around Windows Phone 7 Series at MIX10 in less than two weeks, but with GDC coming up next week, they're figuring that now is a good time to start dropping hints -- they'll want to be capturing the collective imagination of the gaming industry, after all, what with that Xbox Live integration they've got going on. To that end, Charlie Kindel of WinPho's developer experience team has outed a few key items at a reception in San Francisco this evening. The major points are that Silverlight, XNA, and .NET will figure prominently into the developer story -- not a surprise considering that Microsoft is heavily invested in both, gaming is central to the Windows Phone 7 Series story, XNA is a big deal on Zune HD already, and this all lines up with what we'd heard in the past. In fact, Kindel boldly proclaims that "If you are Silverlight or XNA developer today you're gonna be really happy." On the flipside, it's a bit ironic considering that Silverlight spends much of its existence going head-to-head with Flash, and all indications are that we won't see Flash support on 7 at initial availability (though it's sounding like a lock post-launch). One final note at today's event is that Microsoft has now officially confirmed for the first time that 7 represents a clean break from Windows Mobile as we know it today; existing apps won't be compatible. Though that's likely to be a pain for existing owners with specialized apps who are looking to stay in the Microsoft ecosystem, Windows Phone 7 Series itself is a very different beast than the operating system it replaces -- it feels different, seeks a different demographic, and symbolically represents a very important clean-slate departure for a company that had lost its way in the mobile space. The bright side for the 6.5 faithful, we suppose, is that Kindel closes by saying that they "will continue to work with our partners to deliver new devices based on Windows Mobile 6.5 and will support those products for many years to come" -- a message Microsoft has been echoing recently. We expect to hear much, much more on this at MIX -- and we might hear a few more tidbits at GDC as well -- but in the meantime, there's a developer Q&A going down on Twitter around 9:00PM ET (check the #wp7dev tag) where we could get some details. Stay tuned.
Windows Phone 7 development policies and guidelines leaked?
We expect to learn a lot more about Microsoft's plan to entice developers to Windows Phone 7 at the MIX 2010 developers conference. Until then (March 15-17), aspiring WP7 devs have to rely upon rumor and innuendo to feed their curiosity. So here you go: three purportedly official Microsoft docs from January that provide a glimpse into Microsoft's Windows Phone OS 7.0 Application Platform. First up, the docs claim that WPOS 7.0 is built around Silverlight, XNA (like the Zune HD), and the .NET Compact Framework -- a mostly clean break from WinMo's past as far as developers are concerned. Native apps are restricted to OEMs and mobile operators in order to extend the experience and functionality specific to a phone or network. Even then, they'll be limited to a set of managed APIs that Microsoft will audit during the app submission and provisioning process. Sound familiar? As you'd expect, the OS supports preemptive multitasking -- not that Microsoft will necessarily allow its devs (OEMs, mobile operators, and independent software vendors) to send their apps to the background. The primary development tools include Microsoft's Visual Studio 2010 and Express Blend used in combination with a Windows Phone emulator. Check the docs in the gallery for the full read and be sure to hit up XDA-Developers if you want to commiserate with your like-minded peers.%Gallery-85906%
1080p, 5.1 surround sound coming to Netflix Watch Instantly in 2010? Update: No, yes (and closed captioning)
Netflix Watch Instantly fans could be due for a big upgrade, as CNET has heard the company will roll out 1080p and 5.1 surround sound later this year. No word on timing or any other details, but this could mean its moving to version 3 of Microsoft's Silverlight streaming platform with its additional tweaks for adaptive streaming and hardware graphics acceleration. Also unknown is how much bandwidth would be necessary, but considering Microsoft already uses very similar technology for its 1080p Instant On videos on Zune Marketplace through the Xbox 360 while only requiring 3 Mbps and VUDU HDX 1080p videos only state a minimum of 4500 Kbps, a massive jump in available bandwidth might not be necessary if you already get clear 720p video. The last big hurdle? How much content will be available that way, Gizmodo points out only about 6 percent of current offerings stream in HD we'll be watching carefully if the pace picks up going forward. Update: Netflix pinged CNET to let them know that 1080p was mistakenly included on a roadmap of 2010 features, however if you can get over missing all those extra pixels, surround sound and closed captioning are definitely booked for an appearance later this year.
Windows Mobile 7 rumors coalesce around Q4 launch, MWC announcement
While DigiTimes isn't our go-to source for all things Microsoft, the Taiwanese tattler does have its finger on the pulse of the Taiwanese / Chinese manufacturing juggernaut. As such, we expect it to be privy to information related to HTC, Acer, and ASUS handsets. So lean in close when it cites "sources familiar to Microsoft's roadmap" in claiming a September 2010 release of Windows Mobile 7 to its handset partners -- the same month pegged by that LG leak last week. That should translate into consumer availability by the end of Q4, or Q1 2011 at the latest. As it's stated, WinMo7 will bring an improved interface, browsing, and multimedia experience with integrated support for Zune, Xbox Live, and Silverlight; nothing we haven't heard before (and long wished for). DigiTimes claims that only English and "common European languages" will be available initially with Asian localization coming in 2011. Oh, and it'll be announced at Mobile World Congress. One thing's clear: the rapid convergence of the rumor mill around dates and feature sets has us very excited about Microsoft's chances at resurrecting its smartphone soul in time for the holidays. As such, we'll be at Mobile World Congress in force to bring you the full story starting February 15th. It's going to be good.
Microsoft giving Bing Maps a 3D overhaul, tacking on apps for good measure
Google's not the only one in the game when it comes to wild mapping tech, and while Microsoft's excellent collection of bird's eye photos has never gotten it quite the attention of Google's Street View, the hope is that lasers and its much-lauded Photosynth tool can do the trick. Microsoft has done up a Street View-style canvassing of 56 US cities with cars that not only snap photos but include range-finding lasers to map out the architecture in 3D. The Silverlight-based viewer for this view (dubbed Streetside) is similar in interface to Google Maps, a tad slower, and rather visually impressive. In addition, Microsoft is leaning on its Photosynth technology to collect navigable panoramas of scenery and even building interiors. Finally, Microsoft has tacked on "apps" of sorts, little overlays that include traffic cameras, restaurants, a Twitter API and so forth. All of this coupled with an improved version of the bird's eye view is quite a visual treat, but the Silverlight requirement and non-Google-ness of it all might keep away the Bing-averse among us. But really, with all this tit-for-tat going on between Microsoft and Google, we have to wonder what sort of stone age we'd be stuck in if we didn't have these two behemoths going at each other like this. The "Beta" is live now at the source link. [Thanks, Aimee]
LinkedIn profiles reveal Windows Mobile 7 clues, folks with really great people skills
Much to Ballmer's chagrin, Windows Mobile 7 is still a rather nebulous thing, but it's getting a wee bit clearer thanks to some bits and bytes extracted from the LinkedIn profiles of current and former Microsofties and Motorolites, the latter group indicating the company that brought you the Droid is also rather committed to Microsoft's theoretical new hotness. Various experience line-items reveal that the OS will support Silverlight (natch), will have a new navigation app, and will include much better game support along with some sort of Zune integration -- finally. Now, any guesses on how many people will lose their jobs for being so open about what those positions entail?
The Guild goes to battle in episode 11 of season 3
Apparently MSN video has now been rebranded as Bing, and that hasn't stopped The Guild from posting their latest video, but it does mean that you'll have to install Microsoft's Silverlight to watch it there. If not, you can hit up Xbox Live to watch it in HD if you happen to have one of those, or jump after the break below to watch it embedded here on the site. This week, the Guild goes to battle, with nothing less than their very existence on the line. And all of this season's other storylines move towards their finale as well, from Clara's relationship to Tink's rebellion. Good stuff. And speaking of good stuff, Jeff "Vork" Lewis finally got his own account on Twitter the other day, and we all benefit: he used the account to give permission to share these classic pictures of Vork as a kid. No offense to Jeff, but man, the dude was born to play the part of a guildleader. Stay tuned for next week's final episode of the season! Like The Guild? We do, too! We chatted with all of the folks at BlizzCon, including Felicia Day, Sandeep Parikh, and Jeff Lewis and Michele Boyd. We also saw their panel, and the guys were nice enough to stop by our meetup as well. Stay tuned here every Tuesday for a brand new episode of season 3!
