Author: Ben Hall

The CES keynote has held early this morning, just watched the very interesting keynote and this is just a quick round up of the announcements.

1. Vista demo of shadowcopy, Office, Live Search + Virtual Earth 3D (using a xbox 360 controller which was very cool) and Media Centre.
2. Vista Ultimate Extras was announced, Microsoft research software Groupshot was demo’ed, which combines the good features from two bad photos.
3. Also on Vista Ultimate Extras where DreamScene, full motion desktops which looked just great!! Allows a full motion image to be as your background, but also pauses the video to save battery life when its not required. More information over on Channel 10 http://on10.net/Blogs/larry/windows-vista-ultimate-extras/
4. New hardware has been designed for user’s appeal. Images of new hardware, looks good.
5. Windows Home Server which I discussed just the other day.  This is real.  Coming 2nd half of the year.  “Features: automated backup, connectivity to all PCs, Zune, Xbox, and remote connectivity, if you’re somewhere else, can come in and get files in secure way. No complexity. If you want to grow capacity, just plug new storage in, lots of expandability, software automatically detects it. Can get terabytes of data on this device.” More information over on Channel 10 http://on10.net/Blogs/jesse/windows-home-server-will-live-in-your-closet-simplify-your-life/
6. IPTV running on a xbox 360!! Available by the end of the year. Going to be good.
7. Windows/PC based games are going to integrate into Live (xbox live) and allow cross platform players to play against each other – excellent for Halo 3 and GTA 4 then they are released on both platforms.  I think this is required for online gaming.
8. Discussion regarding Ford Sync and Car integration.
9. Bill then shows the bus stop, kitchen and bedroom of the future, totally connected experience.

It was a very good keynote, looks of exciting announcements for the year.  Its going to be good….

I can go get a cup of tea now.

Microsoft have launched a new site Windows Vista Business Test Drive to allow users to use the latest operating system without having to install it on a machine.  Its ready to go.  If your not sure what your doing, then it has videos and sceneries to help you.

http://www.windowsvistatestdrive.com/

This is great if you need to demo the application without powerful enough hardware as well, all you need is a Internet connection.  Don’t expected any aero effect as its done over Terminal Services.

Really impressed with the look of Microsoft’s new desktop combo keyboard / mouse combo.

http://microsoftatces.com/archive/2007/01/03/wireless-desktop-system-wins-2007-international-ces-innovations-design-and-engineering-award.aspx

I think I’ll get one of these at some point, the current combo I have is really good.  Had it a few years, but it doesn’t feel like it and still feels great.   Highly recommend them. Much better than others I have tried…

Just been playing around with the Accordion control from the toolkit and I was trying to change the selected panel via JavaScript.  After a bit of looking around on the ASP.net forums and the VS debugger I managed to do it, so I thought I would share the code with you here.

My server control looks like this:

<ajaxToolkit:Accordion
Height=”600px”
ID=”navigation”
runat=”Server”
SelectedIndex=”0″
HeaderCssClass=”accordionHeader”
ContentCssClass=”accordionContent”
AutoSize=”Fill”
FadeTransitions=”true”
TransitionDuration=”200″
FramesPerSecond=”40″>

.

My javascript is then:

function ChangeIndex()
{
var accHost = $find(‘navigation_AccordionExtender’);
var i = accHost.get_SelectedIndex() + 1;
accHost.set_SelectedIndex(i);
}

Whenever ChangeIndex() is called, it moves the Accordion control to the next panel.  Of course needs some error checking to make sure you do not go past the end but you get the idea.   Hope it helps.

Engadget are reporting that Microsoft will be launching a home server (codename Quattro) at CES.  I’ve heard reports about Quattro before being a cut down version of 2003 but I’m not sure it would be released a CES – if anything it will just be an announcement that its coming.

Windows Connected has a image of the CES guide with Microsoft having an ad regarding data storage.  They are suggesting the Windows Live Drive launch, this I feel is a lot more likely than a server product and what I predict will be announced (in beta format of course).

I know this is required, with more and more data and computers in the house there needs to be a good reliable way of storing data.

Personally, I would like both 🙂

Time will tell, but not much time as CES is January 8-11.

The back network for WebDD is up and running.  This is new and “is a social networking site aimed at linking people and blog posts”.

I just registration and it looks cool and will be interesting to see how its used. 

THIS IS NOT REGISTRATION FOR THE EVENT

Recommend you check it out.

Visit http://www.webdd.org.uk/

I wrote an article on IronPython for the UK Student Zine newsletter which Microsoft sends out. The article is based around IronPython and has just been published.

You can read the article here : http://blogs.msdn.com/ukstudentzine/archive/2007/01/04/ironpython-python-net-framework.aspx

The MacWorld keynote is just around the corner (9th January) and its been announced that Steve Jobs is going to give a two hour keynote, instead of the usual 1-1 1/2 hours.  Guessing he has got a lot to talk about.

Rumors include:

iPhone (or whatever Apple will call it)
iTV
Leopard
8x Core Xeon for Mac Pro
iWork / iLife 07
One more thing – new video ipod?

Wonder if there is going to be new MB or MBPs, not sure if now is the best time to buy…

At DDD4, WebDD was annouched and it would take place on Saturday 3rd February. This is an event run for Web Developers and designers at Microsoft HQ UK (Reading). 

The organizes have just annouched the speakers and sessions, with Scott Guthrie (General Manager for ASP.net, WPF, WPF/E, WinForms, IIS7 – all the cool topics atm (apart from C# 3.0)) doing a couple of sessions.  How cool is that!!  They have also got some other great speakers with some great sessions.  Sounds like an amazing event!!! Can’t WAIT! 

More info at:

http://www.webdd.org.uk

UPDATE:  Plip just posted regarding registration

“Space is strictly limited and when all the places are gone, that’s it.

We’ll be opening registration fully within the next 48 hours.”

If its anything like DDD4 it will be gone in a couple of days…

The registration for the second Mix event is now open.  Mix is a Microsoft conference for web developers and designers with two great keynote speaks – Ray Ozzie and Scott Guthrie.  Also at a very cool location – Las Vegas!!

Sounds like a great event if you can go…

http://www.visitmix.com/