“ Watch ” out! … Here comes the smartwatch.

Next time your off to work or just out and about in the city, take a look around at your fellow peers and quickly glance at their wrist area. That’s right ladies and gentlemen wearable’s are among us and smart watches are presently the tip of the iceberg. Microsoft’s plan for the “smartwatch” is no doubt in the works; but this early in the game all we have to go on are concepts and visual aids to tease us. Take a look at these smartwatch designs below to get an ideal or possible body style for the Windows smartwatch coming soon  -we hope!

As fans we are eagerly awaiting the flagship Microsoft “ Windows smartwatch ” to debut; but my thoughts at this point on the smartwatch for Microsoft – is time. Time to absorb the market for wearables and allow current beta releases from samsung and iso to provide feedback on early adopters.

What we do know is that the Windows smartwatch will be compatible to all platforms; which is a plus for various system users because of the no compromise factor. Also this time around unlike the Nokia Lumia branding on our smartphones; all new designs and branding will be labeled Windows going forward.

This is a concluding phase to the buyout of the Nokia devices and services platform; another plus to the Windows branding is though the name is changing the build quality of Lumia will remain the same for Microsoft.

As I mentioned before we only have concepts and mock-ups to visualize the Windows smartwatch experience for now. The following clip is from a fan concept design, based off the Lumia /Windows ideal smartwatch.

The thing about concept devices and 3D mock-ups are they tend to actually look better than the final product release; and unlike the recently released iso and samsungs models the mock-ups below are beyond awesome for the Windows smartwatch concepts.

       
   

  

Graphic artist ” Phone Designer ” does an excellent job rendering the Windows smartwatch designs, with thin wearable concepts and optional styles that complement the Windows smartphone as a combined outfit.

The design alone for consumers will most likely not be the deciding factor for the Windows smartwatch; however the apps and signature features like Cortana, Fitbit, and the familiar eco-system of Windows across all platforms will be the total package.

Now from a personal stand point on wearables, I’m excited to see what Microsoft does in this area moving forward. But… being from a generation that grew up in the original wrist watch phase, I’m also a little undecided on if I will actually wear them. It’s been over ten plus years since I’ve worn an actual watch,  and I can imagine it will feel a bit funny to rock a time-piece on my wrist again.

However when Microsoft releases the first official smartwatch for Windows I will be on board to purchase one; and if the designs look anything like the concept work from ” Phone Designer “ I will proudly be sporting the new Windows smartwatch as the newest addition to our Windows family.

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“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows” _________________________________________________________________________________________________
By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Home Automation with Windows

 

Have you ever wanted a smart home? Well now you can have one, Microsoft has several platforms to help make your home smarter. Home Automation has been around for quite sometime now; but with the internet of things the experience has blossomed tremendously.

While there are several options to choose from in home automation my focus will be about the INSTEON product line; Microsoft recently partnered with INSTEON to bring their platform to the Windows eco-system. The INSTEON application works compatibly with your Windows smartphone as well as your Windows tablet and PC; so no matter where you are you can control your home and appliances from anywhere.

The above icons indicate just some of the features INSTEON can control and provide instant alerts to you in real-time. The INSTEON starter package comes with a basic network hub and two appliance power adapters to get you started. You can always expand your smart home experience by adding additional adapters and INSTEON sensors for doors, floors and windows; take a look at the  product page for additional upgrades.

Your home will truly be smarter with these enhancements; and with the ability to send an email notification from any of them with specific information or warnings, makes the INSTEON product line priceless. If you invest in the system I recommend the addition of the INSTEON IP-Cameras; with these cams you can have an extra set of eyes on your home while away. The IP-cams can pan up to 300 degrees and tilt to 120 degrees allowing you to look almost anywhere you place them. I’ve included a video of the INSTEON automation system for your review and hands on demo by the Windows Phone Central Team; the video is about 6 & half minutes long so I hope you enjoy it.

If your impressed by the INSTEON system thus far your going to love this next part about Cortana. Cortana was also recently introduced to the Windows eco-system for the WP8.1 release update. Cortana is a life like intelligence application built for the Windows platform as a personal assistant and a very smart one at that.

The combination of any app with Cortana at the helm is like an instant upgrade to it; you see you can tell Cortana to do just about anything on your phone and she will carry out the command prompt as if you did it yourself. If you want to turn on your lights, unlock your doors, adjust the home thermostat just simply tell Cortana and watch her control the app process flawlessly. The following video below shows Cortana in action with a similar home automation app; take a look at how she stacks up to the command request for this app.

Well I hope you enjoyed this post on home automation with Windows; and the new possibilities and innovations made possible by Cortana. To conclude I leave you with a few places to buy the INSTEON system; and whether your interested in the starter kit or the basic home module with add-on’s, the price range will be around $119.99 to $299.99 depending on your home automation needs.

Retailers of INSTEON:

1. Microsoft  2. Best Buy 3. Smart home 4. Walmart 5. B&H 6. Tiger Direct 7. Amazon 8. Costco and more….

 

“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows” _________________________________________________________________________________________________
By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Go Ahead, Pick One! Windows Phone 8.1

With so many model options to choose from, picking the one Windows Phone to rule them all is getting a bit harder. If you’re currently not a Windows Phone user, then take heed to the blog title above -Literally! For Windows users and WP8 owners it’s a no brainer why the WP is the all around go to mobile device.

The platform is solid because its built off the Windows eco-system for starters; and with an array of models and manufactures to choose from like the Nokia Lumia, Samsung, Huawei, ZTE, HTC, Lenovo, LG, and the list goes on… You can bet you will find your style or brand for the Windows Phone line.

WP 8.1 is here and the upgrade is simply awesome; one of the most anticipated features with this enhancements is non-other than Cortana, the almost human like digital assistant. Let me be the first to tell you Cortana is in rare form when it comes to human interaction as a personal assistant; if you really take the time to learn what the Windows Phone can do, Cortana will make your experience that much better.

Well let’s take a look at what’s new in WP 8.1; Microsoft has compiled an excellent overview page full of details and helpful tips to get you started with the all new WP 8.1

As you can see from the above video Microsoft’s focus is on you, they are continuing to put people first when it comes to the standards of smartphone innovation. The WP 8.1 platform will benefit not only from the new features shown, but from the now overwhelming 300,000 plus apps available in the Windows Phone marketplace.

Partial thanks can be given to the all new version of Visual Studios 2013 and the awesome developers working with Microsoft. The new introductory tool of writing code once in common #DEV language; and have your app run both for smartphones and tablets is priceless to say the least. The participation and adoption rate from developers is beautiful for the Windows Phones eco-system and the family of WP users.

For me apps are great but to be honest with you they don’t make or break my overall decision when choosing a Windows Phone. I feel they can enhance your smartphone experience and even make you feel like your phone is new again; and that in itself is a good thing. But let’s turn the focus back to the available models to look at or even consider for your next upgrade or new Windows Phone purchase when it comes around.

Nokia no doubt for me is the best smartphone manufacture of the Windows Phones division; and just recently Microsoft has acquired the devices and services of Nokia so officially now Microsoft is the best smartphone designer today.

My personal hands-on device is non-other than the Nokia Lumia 1520 – and before you guys gasp at the size of this bad boy, just remember the term “don’t knock it before you try it”. The 1520 is extremely perfect for me mainly because in my profession as an IT Director, its easy to adapt to a device of this size which really resembles a hand size tablet or more to the point a phablet. The screen size and visual clarity alone of the 1520 is enough to make any smartphone lover stumble just trying to get a glimpse of it; but rather than continue to tease your senses take a look at the hands on review by Nokia.

As I mentioned before there are many Windows Phones to choose from and so as I conclude my blog post for today; I leave you with the link to the Windows Phone page to review the excellent options available.

The link to your next- or should I say “New” smartphone awaits… Click Here:

 

“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows” _________________________________________________________________________________________________
By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_

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Surface Pro 3 Review with Chloe & Ava – Surface Style!

Well – it’s officially been a month since we’ve purchased the Microsoft Surface Pro 3; and I must say I’m more than excited about the new form factor and build quality. Not only am I happy about the new size and features of the Surface Pro 3, but the family is too; especially the little ones – Chloe and Ava.

To get started with our review we’ve put together a homemade re-make of the original Surface Pro 3 promo video – Surface style! Take a look below at our promo efforts…

My lovely daughters Chloe and Ava suited up in their Surface lab jackets with Windows t-shirts and was ready for action; of course we had a lot of out-takes and false starts due to missed queues and a case of the giggles, but all and all we had a good time.

For those of you that pre-ordered or purchased your SP3 a month ago, then you can relate to the experience and perks of an all in one tablet / PC solution; and for those of you switching from a mac book pro to the SP3, then you guys are just in pure heaven right now.

Of course if your still longing for the SP3 or just holding out for the i7 model due in August; you are still in for an awesome treat. To start this review lets look at the specs listed below along with some visuals and hands-on video for confirmations.

Surface Pro 3 Specifications:

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The beautiful 12″ inch screen is a welcome slate of glass enforced with a gorilla type 2 toughness, and the resolution is so clear you wonder why they need retina on that other “i” device at all… Anyway on to the dimensions as you can see the 11.5″ by 7.93″ by 0.36″ is wide enough to perform just about any and all task of laptops and tablets on the market today.

The battery life was flawless on my Surface RT2 and with the SP3 I get to enjoy that same all day feeling, but with a major boost in power provided by the 4th generation Intel Core i5 processor. To provide you with a quick overview of the following features check out the video below to witness some of the great task you can complete with the Surface Pro3.

Now I must say the video above was awesome in detailing some of the key features of the SP3, as well as highlighting the five features referenced above; but that’s not all to the SP3. OneNote is accompanied by an interactive pen and from experience I strongly recommend that you test out the pen features when you get a chance.

When physically holding it in your hands the pen truly feels like your writing on pure notebook paper; the metal bodied pen is really responsive when writing with One Note as well as with other equivalent apps that utilize the pen input. It feels like a quality ball point with endless ink and it comes with a three button option to choose from; my overall favorite is the purple button located at the top of the pen, you can literary power on the SP3 with just one click. Take a look at the pen in detail here.

 

I have to agree the Surface Pro 3 is the tablet that can and for me “will” replace your laptop. Panos Panay quoted on stage during the SP3 keynote that “over 90% of people today have both a tablet and a laptop in their bags”. I don’t know about you but carrying two devices to accomplish one common task sounds like you need the Surface in your life.

For Windows users you can see clearly why the SP3 is the right choice when buying your next PC or tablet; and to be far to the users of those other devices like the ipad, droid pads; and of course the heavy mac book pro; I’ve included a video by You Tuber “Jerry Lan” who happens to be a hardcore mac user. I must say I was highly impressed by Jerry’s honesty as a mac user when comparing the top 10 advantages between the SP3 and the mac book pro. Take a look at why mac users are switching to the Surface Pro 3 as their one device for everything.

You can officially say goodbye to the ” Post PC Era “, because the birth of the Surface line has eliminated that term for good. All these great features packed into one device makes the Surface Pro 3 the ideal tablet, ideal PC and of course the ideal laptop. Lets look at a few more features before we finish this review on the Surface Pro 3; next up we take a look at storage availability.

When it comes to storage you have options with the SP3 that you just can’t fully experience right now with the i-devices; for starters you get the base level i3 processor with 64GB, the i5 processor with a 128GB up to a 256GB option and for the wrap up you have the i7 processor debuting with 256GB and a max of 512GB. By chance if you need additional storage options with either of these configurations, the SP3 comes equipped with a micro SD slot on all models that will support up to 64GB of added SD space.

Even though there’s one USB slot, the SP3 will support hub units up to 25 plus connections; and to top it off there is the almighty SP3 docking station, that will transform your SP3 into a full work-horse workstation. As an added bonus to all devices for additional storage on top of storage Microsoft provides 15GB of FREE ” One Drive” cloud storage to all service subscribers.

To concluded my blog post for today I leave you with one more of my favorite SP3 videos; it’s non other than Panos Panay the Vice President of the Microsoft Surface product line. – Please Enjoy!

In the above video Panos Panay’s ending question was –  “You want to create products that people love“…. Well ladies and gentlemen I have only two words for that question. “ I DO “.

 

“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows”
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By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_

 

 

 

 

App Presence for Windows Phone 8, Windows (OS) & Beyond

I’m probably preaching to the choir on this blog piece; but for those viewing the following as a new and also welcomed presence to our WP8 eco-system; I share your excitement! Must admit officially seeing the Windows Phone app label on major company websites, TV commercials and AD’s; really helps the WP8 ecosystem overall with developers, OEM’s and more importantly loyal fans and customers.

They say seeing is believing and when you see first-hand your preferred brand of product in the public hands or through mass media; it provides a since of confirmation to your taste and style.

 

I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a very slow, slow, slow and even slower process bundled with business politics and a bit of red tape; when it comes to the WP8 app development phase for a lot of key companies.

The overall excuse tends to be all about the market share presence; and keep in mind major companies today abide by the market as a code of conduct. You can still argue that it’s point A’s fault or point B’s fault when it comes to who’s holding up the process of pass-due apps or more to the point, NO app at all.

 

But… the fact still remains that the new and popular apps are not here when you want them to be. I strongly feel that’s why the new Microsoft has taken key steps to bridge the app gap even closer than previous road maps have proposed. In a previous keynote for Windows Build this year, Microsoft introduced a new Visual Studio’s feature with Universal apps tools.

The universal apps will allow developers to write code once and be able to use that same code for all Windows (OS), Windows Phone 8, Windows RT, and also other competitor ecosystems like android and apple. No matter what your coding language is Microsoft Visual Studios can accommodate your skillset to take advantage of this new universal app tool.

If by chance you are a developer or …maybe not; Microsoft has made available a free instance of Visual Studio’s that’s packed with more than enough coding army to produce an actual app from start to finish. There are a lot and I do mean a lot of free resources to use when you’re ready to try your hand at coding. I can’t name them all nor will I try to, but what I will do is point you in the direction of http://www.visualstudio.com.

From the home page I suggest taking advantage of the 90 day trail download, just to try out the full blown suite of Visual Studio’s 2013 and all it has to offer. You can access the support tab at any time to get a better understanding for Visual Studio’s or simply find out where to start.

I’m hoping to one day finish my first official app for the Windows ecosystem; and be able to honestly tell you that I am now an official Windows app developer.

Well folks that concludes my blog post for today; so …
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“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows” _________________________________________________________________________________________________ By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_

Cortana – An (AI) artificial intelligence with personality

Cortana – An (AI) artificial intelligence with personality:

Ladies and gentleman meet Cortana a digital assistant with style and personality of her own. You may recognize the featured image of Cortana as the (AI) from Halo – which is correct. The Windows Phone division has combine the character traits of Cortana with the power of Bing to create this unique innovation called Cortana.

Microsoft officially introduced Cortana just over two months ago during the 2014 Windows Build conference, along with an awesome menu of eco-system enhancements. (Please Note): the keynote is lengthy but worth every minute.

As you can see from the promo video and keynote, Cortana separates herself from the bunch with personality and the power to get to know you like an actual assistant would.

Just like an office assistant Cortana learns your habits and personal preference as you interact with her day to day. Cortana can take notes while you talk and deliberate; she can also think ahead based off you incoming text, emails, reservations, flight itinerary and reminders. Since this is Windows Phone first official digital assistance Cortana is still in beta mode for now; but I must say even in beta she performs if not better, right on point with today’s smartphone digital assistants.

Check out a few consumer reviews to see some real time comparisons of Cortana side by side with a few competitor devices. Now granted these are personal videos from various sources so prepare yourself for some biasness, but keep your focus on how Cortana stacks up while still in beta mode.

Cortana is coming soon to the family of Windows Phone users; the new rollout of WP8.1 is amazing and Cortana makes it even better with voice features to control your apps as well as amplify your smartphone experience like no other.

After seeing and experiencing Cortana on the Windows Phone a lot of developers have started to expand Cortana beyond the smartphone platform.

The possibilities of Cortana as an (AI) has sparked development in the entire Windows ecosystem; with the power of cloud Microsoft can position Cortana to be the first (AI) across all platforms. Can you imagine being able to really immerse yourself into full conversation, dialogues and spoken commands to your PC’s, TV, car, etc… The possibilities are endless when you think about it, I call this the “Cortana Effect” and I can hardly wait to see what Team Microsoft does in the coming months with Cortana.

To conclude my blog post for today I’ve added one more video below from members of the Windows Team, introducing Cortana and sharing some of her awesome abilities – please enjoy!

“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows” _________________________________________________________________________________________________ By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_

 

 

Surface Pro 3

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A tablet, a laptop, a replacement for both?  Microsoft has dramatically made this decision an easy one when it comes to the newer, lighter, thinner and faster Surface Pro3.

This beautiful device will be available to consumers on June 20, 2014; meanwhile there are a few ways to get a first-hand and an in-depth review of the SP3. For those of you fortunate to have a Microsoft Store in your area, there will be live demo’s available at each store for consumers and potential buyers to try before you buy.

If your location lacks a Microsoft Store don’t fret too much, there are several detailed reviews and un- boxing’s available online to choose from. I will list a few notable reviews below, but first let’s start with the new SP3 promo video.

I know, I know you all want one now, I felt the same way after seeing this video for the first time; and by the time Microsoft’s corporate vice president Panos Panay finished his keynote I was more than sold.

The weigh scale used in Panos Panay comparison between the mac book air and SP3 was on point. The notion of carrying two devices in your bag at once is undoubtedly true for most of us; whether you’re a novice or an all-around tech the Surface Pro 3 solves this dilemma.

Take a look at the specs in detail for the SP3, the work that went into this model resembles the thinness of a Surface 2; but with a total overhaul of the interior chassis with a welcome boost in horsepower.

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The SP3 has so much more to offer and my article alone can’t do it justice, after all this is a full PC; well a laptop and a tablet too but ultimately you’ll have to be the judge of that.

For now as promised, I’ve listed a few noteworthy reviews that I recommend you check out; I hope they help in your own review and decision process. Be sure to re-visit my site about a month from now and I should have a full review and unboxing of this new innovative form factor we all know as Surface.

 

“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows”
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By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_

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Noteworthy reviews on Surface Pro 3:

 By: Brad Sams  |    By: Paul Thurrott  |   By: Mauro  |    By: Ed Bott  |

  By: Die Bohn

 

 

 

Despite early reviews, Windows 8 & RT Shine!

The reviews are in…. but are they really?

I state the following, simply because over the past week questionable reviews from certain editorial columnists and senior journalist, have released an onslaught of cautious and almost bias like behavior toward the Windows 8 / Surface RT launch.

You see unlike most bloggers, tech editors, or product reviewers I tend to show my cards up front about who I lean towards as my chosen (OS); so throughout the course of my blogs and article post you will see clearly that my preference will always be Windows.

As I read the articles and watched my share of unboxing’s; I couldn’t help but throw a flag on the play while reading the majority of their review posts. For the average consumer of tech device, reviews and ratings like those would definitely detour consideration for any product.

It appears as though there is an un-spoken rule amongst the journalist who submitted a less than fair review for Windows 8 and Surface RT. But again on a brighter note despite the early reviews the real truth on Windows 8 & RT have literarily “Surfaced”.

While I sit here typing my blog post; I’m extremely happy to be doing it on my very own Surface RT tablet. This device was built by Microsoft and has already captured the hearts of millions of users.

Whether your a fan of Microsoft or of the opposing competitors, the Surface RT tablet has so much more to offer the average consumer than just the current BYOD type tablets on the market today.

A common issue I see with tablet devices such as the kindle, nook, ipad, and nexus is that they are all built with compromises or lack of required features. Features like a usb port, mini HDMI, and extra storage slots for expandable data. These key features allow the device to function like a PC or the ability to be productive with the worlds standard (OS) and full Microsoft Office.

Also to add just the ability to plug and play on the same device without costly app’s or add-ons that mimic the likes of a laptop or PC. Granted we have netbooks, ultra books, and PC tablets that have entered the hybrid arena, but to be completely honest about it they don’t match up to the build style of the Surface RT.

Windows 8 on all devices old and new has proven to be the best experience to date; the new OS launch by Microsoft was presented on stage during the original build, and recent key note. As you will see in the video below, the Windows 8 team will run through several form factors running Windows 8.

The take away for me was truly amazing just to see how this software could adapt to various processor speeds, chipsets and the advantages of a 1 second resume rate from sleep mode.

My advice to you as the consumer is to first review Windows 8 for yourself; give it a good run through with the old faithful mouse and keyboard. Take some time to familiarize the new features and key controls for the new start menu. The new Windows 8 was built as a no compromise OS, specifically because you still have the best of both worlds.

The desktop is one of the most common features that we know as a center point for Windows; this tried and true interface was tremendously brought to life by Windows 7. With Windows 8 we will continue to enjoy the fruits of the Windows desktop and explorer.

With the new touch enhancements for Windows 8 we get to keep the native software applications for the desktop, as well as benefit from the new app centered environment from Windows Store.

I’ve compiled a few reviews below and quick tips that I would like to share with you, and I hope they help in your decision making process.

Technology editor Joanna Stern of ABC News, recently posted a few hands on video reviews for Windows 8. She covers several form factors in her review and provides some basic how to’s while working with the new touch enhancements as well as the desktop.

If you found Joanna’s 3 minute video review informative, and helpful she has covered Windows 8 and Surface RT in-depth, you can see additional video feeds on the ABC video library page under tech reviews.

Next up I’ve listed video reviews on plug and play devices you can use with Windows 8 and Surface RT, along with a brief un-boxing for the Surface tablet. The following videos below were uploaded by you tube user Austin Ducann, he has several other video for reviews listed on his channel if you’re interested.

For the final review I save the best for last; just recently I had the pleasure to come across a 33 minute video review by Lisa Gade of Mobile Tech Review. I know you may be thinking 33 minutes for a review is a little overkill; but I have to tell you Lisa covered the Surface RT really well.

Just take some time to view her post and video review, I’m sure you will have a better understanding about the new Windows 8, and Surface RT features and enhancements.

In conclusion to my blog post I hope the next time you’re on the web reading a review, or just surfing the social sites, that you’ll be doing it on a Surface RT tablet or maybe one of the many new form factors built for Window 8.

“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows”
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By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_

Surface Fever

If a picture is worth a thousand words then you can say that the general public is going goo goo over the newly announce tablet/PC called “ Surface ”. I for one have to agree with the kid in the picture above. I feel every bit of excitement rushing through my veins as the countdown gets closer to the Surface release; so much so that I’ve given my condition the name “ Surface Fever ”.

Now let’s go over the facts and speak on some details; we know that this is the first official hardware PC created solely by Microsoft, we also know that when Microsoft makes hardware inspired by the windows operating system it’s already a success from the start.

Looking back over the years on Microsoft innovations with hardware, you can’t help but get the feeling that this will change everything. Generally speaking for the PC industry; but now with the announcement of Surface RT & Pro the so-called Post PC era takes another back seat. The Surface tablet will not only re-shape the PC industry, but will also restructure the thought process on entertainment devices such as the kindle, nook, ipad, nexus7, and many more mobile hardware platform.

The key factors that differentiate the Surface tablet from other devices would be the simple power of the Windows operating system. With Windows there is truly no compromise with productivity, entertainment, power, and mobile portability. The Surface tablet is seen as an all in one solution for the above mentioned. Granted you have people who just want to use a simple e-reader, and nothing more, but for those that thrive for unlimited freedom and the power of the PC will soon be buying a Surface tablet.

Just take a look at the specs for the Surface RT, and the Surface Pro; depending on your needs Microsoft has covered both audiences. The general public meaning you as the everyday consumer, and the pro users such as businesses, enterprise agencies, corporate industries, and of course the techies will benefit tremendously. If you would like a more detailed or firsthand review of the new Surface tablets, just set aside some time and view the video below.

In response to my current condition over the Surface, I find myself visiting the Microsoft Surface website every day in hopes to seeing something new or possibly a fresh link for pre-orders. I know – I know we are less than a month away, but I just can’t wait to see the official TV AD’s, or another awesome Surface teaser at least.

Well until then I will continue to make my own AD’s, and enjoy the popcorn before the show; so let the countdown began until we are officially one with the Surface on 10/26/2012.

“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows”
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By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_

Team Microsoft, take a Bow! JOB Well Done!

Hat’s off to Microsoft! The first half of 2012 has been a remarkable one; the hard work put in from all aspects of the Microsoft Team has really re-shaped the tech industry’s direction. Since the early stages of the build conference last year Microsoft has truly outlined a strategic plan of relevance for the PC industry.

Let’s start with the enhancements to the hardware platform for companies like Intel, AMD, Texas Instruments, Nvidia, and ARM. The following companies were challenged by Microsoft to build and bring forth the best hardware accelerations for PC’s known today. This small step of aligning the key players to produce a better chip & system experience was truly a great piece to the overall roadmap.

As you can see Microsoft has laid the foundation for building upon the new release of Windows 8. The design flow known as “Live Tiles” has blossomed across their eco-system, not just for the Windows Phone; but for the entire line of products.

Granted the Windows Phone was the first device to grace us with the beautiful presence of live tiles; but now as a complete experience we can enjoy the continued flow of metro throughout the following sources -> Windows 8, Xbox music, XBOX 360 Kinect, Windows Phone Apollo and soon to be added to the list, our very own Microsoft Surface Tablet.

It’s no secret that Microsoft Windows is the number one operating system in the world, and as we look back over 30 years of proven innovations, it’s easy to see why. Microsoft has its thumb on the heartbeat of the technology industry, and will continue to control the Post PC Era life line.

There are so many areas of success to cover on the behalf of Microsoft’s first half, but I want to zero in on just a few highlights. We start with an array of Mango enabled Windows Phones, they range from models such as the Samsung Focus 1&2, HTC Trophy, HTC Arrive, HTC Radar, HTC Titan 1&2, Nokia Lumia 710, 800, and the beautifully design Nokia Lumia 900.

At the start of the year Microsoft launched a contest at the 2012 CES to prove that the Windows Phone was the fastest mobile (OS) built today. To get the attention of literary millions of audiences, and not to mention the competition; Microsoft put up $100 per challenger, and they used a handful of the Windows Phone devices to prove their point.

The Windows Phone challenge was a success, they literary blew pass and smoked the competition by more than 95% during the challenges.

Next up we have the consumer release of Windows 8, the reaction to this preview was history in the making. Literally on the first day of the download release, Microsoft had over 1 million downloads recorded for the new (OS); and to think still today the downloads are continuing. Windows 8 has already been named the recommended (OS) for top OEM’s as they prepare for future hardware announcements later this year.

To ensure the success of Windows 8 Microsoft has invested billions in patents, purchased social influences such as Skype, Yammer, So.cl (pronounced ‘social’ and as an added bonus a percentage of Face Book too. In addition to this foot work Microsoft has invested over 300 million to start a company with Barns & Nobel to develop and build Windows 8 apps for the e-reader platform as well as the new Microsoft Surface Tablet.

Indeed thus far the road map looks great for this first half, and as we look forward there will be greater innovations to follow during the second half of this awesome journey. As we review the following accomplishments we have one more mile stone to look at; (Nokia) who has returned to the mobile arena not just as a mobile player, but a company who has partnered with Microsoft to bring about great change to the tech industry.

A few months back Microsoft and Nokia set out to build a flagship Smartphone, and today that phone is non-other than the Lumia 900. Nokia set the stage with awesome commercial ads, and suspenseful surprises such as the Smart Phone Beta Test count down; as well as a surprise performance in the middle of Time Square in-which they debuted the beautiful Nokia Lumia 900. Together Microsoft and Nokia have continued to reach millions of users with new promotions and efforts for awareness of the Windows platform.

In conclusion to my blog post we look at just two more events that helped shaped the awareness of the Windows Phone presence. One that I had the pleasure of attending myself was the “Behind the Tiles Event”; Microsoft held several invites at local Best Buys around the US to provide one on one informative sessions on the Windows phone. They provided detailed walkthroughs, contest, goodie bags, and awesome giveaways. Needless to say the event was a great success, and the turnout was even better than expected.

Just weeks after this event Microsoft met with a few celebrities to help promote the new Nokia Lumia 900; the theme for this event was titled “ Free Time Machine”, the message for this promotion was how well the Windows Phone was built, and designed to give you free time to do other things. Specifically how fast the phone was at performing basic task or everyday functions quickly allowing you as the user to get back to what’s important- your time.

So for this event, celebrities such as Vernon Davis & Kourtney Kardashian came out to give away free time with Microsoft. There where grand prizes such as all paid expense trips to tropical getaways, cash prizes, gift cards, and more.

As we come to a close I would like to say again “JOB Well Done” and thank you to the entire Microsoft Windows family; if indeed the 2^nd half of this year is anything like the first we are in for an awesome year.

“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows”
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By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_