Mysterious Project from Microsoft; Start Something PC

[Kent Pribbernow]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.startsomethingpc.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.startsomethingpc.com/</a><br /><br /></div>Microsoft has setup up a rather mysterious web site called Start Something PC, which is in partnership with the IDSA (The Industrial Designers Society of America). The site gives little information, but is most likely connected with the upcoming annual WinHEC conference, and probably relates to the ongoing "Athens PC" project that Microsoft has been pushing behind the curtains for some time now. <br /><br />The site hints that more details will be available April 25, and offers an RSS feed to stay up to date. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/watchthisspace.jpg" />

[Felix Torres]

MS usually shows lots of things at WinHEC.
This year, they should be showing new media center extenders, the LG/MS PVR set-top box, and possibly Magneto.
Also rumored: an 8" mini-tabletPC-like project that is most likely a personal media info-appliance (audio/video/e-book/PDA/webpad), possibly running CE or XP embedded.
Another possibility: action on the carPC front.

April 25 was already on my radar, but now with this web-site fingering it, the date is looking almost as interesting as May 12 (and sooner!)... 8)

Hopefully there's new toys headed our way by xmas...
(I *really* want one of those MediaPads!)

[sojourner753]

I feel like an outsider.

WinHec?
Athens Pc?

[Felix Torres]

WinHEC is the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference.
Every year, MS and its hardware partners get together to show off discuss protypes of new Windows-ecosystem hardware.
This is the place to be to see what the near (1-2 year out) future will *be* like.
They show off working models of future PC models; kinda like concept cars at auto shows except they're not ade for show but for real.
This is where MCE PC's and TabletPCs were hatches, as well as technologies like Win97 audio, UPnP, etc.

For a look at what was shown and discussed at last year's show try:
http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winhec_2004.asp
Check out the pics of what the late '05 laptops will be like.

What makes this new site news is that MS has not used WinHEC for product/initiative lauches before; the conference is intended for hardware manufacturers, not the press or the hype-spinners.

The Athens PC was a 2003 prototype new-gen office PC that integrated full executive suite functionality with software designed to provide seemless communications (audio, video, and data) and applications to knowledge workers. Think if it as an 06-vintage longhorn era office PC; a corporate-optimized counterpart to the MCE. Where MCE is the ultimate home pc, with little added value useful in the office, Athens is the opposite; little to appeal to the home user, but a *lot* for corporate computing.

Which makes sense, at 250 million units a year, the PC market is to big to be properly served just by three platforms; it is way past time it started spawning optimized sub-platforms, like MCE, XBOX, and TabletPC.

And, one of the obvious areas for a new splinter platform is in portable media. Hence the rumors/interest in a super media pad; a sort-of a three-way hybrid between PocketPC, TabletPC, and PMC.

[Felix Torres]

The yellow rag thinks its just an advertising campaign to grease the skids for Longhorn.

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+plans+massive+Windows+ad+campaign/2100-1016_3-5674137.html?tag=nefd.top

[sojourner753]

The yellow rag thinks its just an advertising campaign to grease the skids for Longhorn.

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+plans+massive+Windows+ad+campaign/2100-1016_3-5674137.html?tag=nefd.top

Which is not a bad idea. For all Apples vaunted stability and ease of use, another big plus (I'm sure no one would disagree) is that fact that they actually tangible.

M$ has long pushed frameworks and platforms (with a few exceptions). But in the end, the mass market needs eye candy. Something they can touch and see. Its all well and cool that they advertise what they can do, but consumers are interested in direct correlation to an end product.

The iPod didn't take off because it was stable. It took off because it was sleek. Attractive. Cool.

[Philip Colmer]

From a newsletter I get:

XP Reloaded, Phase 3: Windows Marketing Campaign on Tap

Microsoft has unveiled the third phase of its "XP Reloaded" plan, in
which it's attempting to renew consumer enthusiasm in Windows XP, its
3.5-year-old OS. In phase 1 (August/September 2004), Microsoft released
XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows Media Player (WMP) 10, the MSN Music
preview, and XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, while its partners shipped the
first Portable Media Centers. In phase 2 (October 2004) of XP Reloaded,
Microsoft shipped XP Media Center Edition (XP MCE) 2005, WMP 10 Mobile,
Photo Story 3, and the final version of MSN Music, while its partners
shipped Media Center Extender devices. Now, in phase 3, Microsoft is
unleashing a massive ad campaign, called "Start Something," that will
bring its message to the people.

"As we enter the third decade of Windows, the Start Something
campaign celebrates how people can follow their dreams and pursue what
they're passionate about--from creating an in-home music studio to
starting a new business or becoming the family photographer," said Will
Poole, Microsoft's senior vice president of the Windows Client
Business. "Windows has evolved to integrate a wide range of
applications, services, and hardware in a way that has become familiar
and expected as part of everyday life for millions of people around the
world. We hope that people will be inspired to experience the endless
possibilities available in the Windows ecosystem."

Start Something will run for 15 months and, according to Microsoft,
will "celebrate the countless possibilities for Windows to bring what
people are passionate about to life using the hundreds of thousands of
software applications and devices that work with Windows XP." The
campaign will include Web, print, and TV advertising; retail store
presence; online activities; and more, according to the software giant.
The advertisements will run in 11 countries, starting in the United
States and then moving to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India,
Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The company
noted that the campaign will showcase 13 themes spanning education,
science, music, sports, family and life management, gaming,
photography, cooking, travel, entertainment, work, productivity, and
entrepreneurship.

You might wonder why Microsoft is choosing now to launch this
campaign, but the truth is that the Start Something ad campaign has
been in the planning stages for about a year. However, conspiracy
theorists can have fun with this tempting bit of coincidence: The XP ad
campaign comes just before rival Apple Computer ships its next-
generation Mac OS X release, codenamed Tiger.

In related news, Microsoft and the Interactive Digital Software
Association (IDSA) are also promoting a related campaign for the "Start
Something PC" ( http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=7B7A:2BD8A ). My sources tell me that the Start Something PC is essentially a next-generation Athens PC prototype, which will be unveiled next week at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) 2005 in Seattle. A preview movie for the PC promises that "something is coming ... something fun ... something with reward ... something with recognition ... something with style ... something inspired." Something tells me it won't be all that exciting.
--Philip

[Felix Torres]

PocketPCThoughts has a link to a mini tablet headed for the wild:
http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news_9485.html

Not crazy 'bout the keyboard (any keyboard) but the size is just about perfect; slightly wider than a VHS tape; slightly narrower than a DVD.
Less than 1 pound.
If it has a decent HD and the price is around $1000 I'm game.
Should make a very nice portable MCE/ebook reader, etc...