KludgeHack

Microsoft RoundTable - Videoconference on Steroids…
26 June 2007 in Microsoft & Tech | Comments (0)

Microsoft RoundTable (previous RingCam) is a “new”, and very cool, videoconference system powered by 5 built-in cameras featuring a 360º panoramic view.

Tom Keating from TMCnet made a recent review of the system. He made some tests with Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2007 online version (beta) and Skype.

I recommend you take a look, its a pretty complex system that provides interesting results. I certainly was impressed, specially with the active speaker video switching functionality.

Although not released for general availability, the Microsoft RoundTable is expected to retail for around $3,000 putting this in the category of high-end videoconferencing systems. However, with fuel costs and other travel expenses, a high-quality, high-end videoconferencing system can pay for itself very quickly.

Amazing Fire and Water Physics Simulations
22 June 2007 in Fun & Tech | Comments (0)

This simulations are so impressive, I had to post them here.

There are hundreds other simulations of the same source here. Some others, very similar, can be found here. 

Microsoft Seadragon
6 June 2007 in Microsoft & Tech | Comments (0)

Seadragon is an incubation project resulting from the acquisition of Seadragon Software in February. Its aim is nothing less than to change the way we use screens, from wall-sized displays to mobile devices, so that visual information can be smoothly browsed regardless of the amount of data involved or the bandwidth of the network (Source: MS Live Labs)

The technology is aiming for speed of navigation independent from the size or number of objects, performance only dependent on the ratio of bandwidth to pixels on the screen, transitions smooth as butter and scaling rapid and near perfect for screens of any resolution.

This new Microsoft technology is going to be great…

Introducing Microsoft Surface
30 May 2007 in Microsoft & Tech | Comments (1)

Microsoft announce was indeed its new Microsoft Surface (old PlayTable or ‘Millan’).

The Microsoft Surface, is a table that integrates a 30-inch display that allows one or more simultaneous users to interact directly with images on the screen. Users can paint with their fingers, move and resize items like photographs, and manipulate content—all without touching a mouse or a keyboard.

Visit their official website to watch a showcase of this technology.

You can also watch the 18-minute interview with Mark Bolger on Channel 10 to see a great demonstration.

The object recognition is simple awesome. The feeling that will actually be able to use this at retail locations in the coming months makes it even more real.

If you want to know more, check out the press release and executive Q&A. For historical purposes, you might even enjoy watching the Channel 9 video interview with Stewart Tansley and Andy Wilson from August, 2005, where he shows off a “touchlight” prototype.

Are you alive?
29 May 2007 in Fun & Tech | Comments (1)

In Artificial Intelligence is usual to build a chatbot and engage in human-machine talk, mainly to demonstrate its strength.

In this world of chatbots powered by AI,  A.L.I.C.E. and Jabberwacky is the top two.

Discover Magazine has arranged for something incredibly fun, having both botchats talking to each other. Hilarious!

ALICE: Are you alive?

Jabberwacky: Perhaps.

A: Why the uncertain tone?

J: Everything is uncertain except for five facts.

A: The whole universe?

J: And we both might just be some ones and zeros in the computer memory.