Google let loose their video chat to the masses. If your account doesn’t have the option yet, Google promises within a day or so you will. The new option for video is very simple and many users are wondering, how does this differ from other online video services like Skype?
Skype is a full-featured video calling program. It is easiest to think of Gmail voice and chat as augmenting their instant messaging chat rather than something completely new. One of the biggest differences is Gmail’s version only allows video chatting with other Gmail users who have downloaded the plug in (about 2MB). With Skype, users are allowed to contact both online and offline numbers, albeit for a fee. There is not an option to go offline with Gmail voice and chat.
Businesses dig Skype’s ability to conference in multiple users. Users won’t be enjoying this feature on the Gmail version as this capability does not exist (yet). Gmail only allows one to one communication.
Skype has a lot of fun features other than just placing the call such as voice recording. Again, Gmail keeps it simple and plain, as with everything they do. No voice recording is available.
While the addition is welcome and everyone loves something more for free, it should not be mistaken for the real deal by a serious Skype user.
To download the Gmail video and voice chat plugin just click here and it will automatically install and integrate with yor gmail account.
Once you install the plugin, to start a video chat, just click on the "Video & more" menu at the bottom of your Gmail chat window, and choose "Start video chat." You'll have a few seconds to make sure you look presentable while it's ringing, and then you'll see and hear your friend live, right from within Gmail. You can click the "pop-out" icon to make the video larger, or click the full screen icon in the upper left-hand corner
Google out with Video and voice chat for Gmail
10 Awesome Linux T-shirt
I often find it necessary to express my inner geek side through my t-shirts. Be it in the form of my views about politics, computers, nature or just confusing tees that most people don’t know what they mean. So today I will share with you 10 of my favorite geeky linux inspired t-shirts that I own. Please share your collection in the comments.
1) Linux Box Better than Windows.
2) Got Root?.
3) Sudo Make me a Sandwich.
4) Kill Bill.
5) Arrogant Linux Elitist.
6) Earth, Water, Debian.
7) Open Source - Open Mind
8) You > /dev/nul.
9) I Have Root You Dont.
10) Man Women.
The Web is a Trillion Pages Long: Google
The web is a trillion pages to Google, and growing at a rate of several billion pages per day, the company said in a blog post. Literally though, the interweb consists of more than the trillion pages that Google indexes. Google claims not to index every one of those trillion pages; not all of them, "We don't index every one of those trillion pages -- many of them are similar to each other, or represent auto-generated content..." Most of the pages consist of duplicate URLs -- with multiple pages containing the same content.
he first Google index in 1998 had 26 million pages, and by 2000 the Google index reached the one billion mark. The blog further charts the nature of this task and the evolution of Google's own methods: "Back then, we did everything in batches: one workstation could compute the PageRank graph on 26 million pages in a couple of hours, and that set of pages would be used as Google's index for a fixed period of time. Today, Google downloads the web continuously, collecting updated page information and re-processing the entire web-link graph several times per day."
The blog post led to Michael Arrington of TechCrunch to hint at something interesting come next week. Quoting that Google is proud to have the most 'comprehensive index of any search engine', Michael adds that "That may be true today, but it probably won t be true next week". A hint to a potential challenger to the search engine crown, if there ever was one.
Microsoft demonstrates Multi-touch with Video
For years Microsoft has been investing in many forms of natural input in order to simplify the way people interact with their PC's and devices. The advent of the original Windows graphical user interface forever changed the way people used their PC's. Today, advances in pen and handwriting technology in Windows Vista offers students a natural and intuitive way to capture searchable notes and diagrams in the classroom. Others are using this technology to quietly capture pen based notes during meetings. Speech recognition, something which was once considered science fiction, is enabling many Windows Vista users to see, hear, and use their computers for the very first time.
Last year, at the Wall Street Journal's D: All Things Digital conference, Bill Gates introduced a groundbreaking new computing experience called Surface. Surface harnesses touch and multi-touch capabilities to provide users with a natural way to interact directly with computing devices. Expect to see the table-like Surface devices in hotels, retail establishments, restaurants and public entertainment venues.
Touch is quickly becoming a common way of directly interacting with software and devices. Touch-enabled surfaces are popping up everywhere including laptop touch pads, cell phones, remote controls, GPS devices, and more. What becomes even more compelling is when this experience is delivered to the PC -on a wide variety of Windows notebooks, in all-in-one PC's, as well as in external monitors. In working with our broad ecosystem of hardware and software manufactures, we're excited to be showing some of the great work and investments we are working on in Windows 7.
Tonight, at this year's D:All Things Digital conference, Julie Larson-Green showed Walt Mossberg how a few of the multi-touch innovations first previewed in Surface will ultimately enhance the next version of Windows. A transcript of the demo can be found here: http://d6.allthingsd.com/20080527/gates_ballmer/.
Below is an abridged version of the demo that Julie delivered this evening. Please note, the applications you will see are for demonstration purposes only...but it's all Windows 7 underneath.
Microsoft: Xbox 360 Will Beat PS3 For Years On Software Sales
As the dust settles from E3, it's time to get back into the daily grind of the console wars. One man, Microsoft's Don Mattrick, is taking a stand. He claims that the Xbox 360 will see higher software sales over the PS3 for the rest of both console's lifecycles.
Them's fightin' words.
Mattrick is apparently annoyed at all the questions about the console war. "I did the math, I did the math a different way, I did the math... there was no equation that I came to where I got a different answer, and I went, 'You know what? This is getting boring,'" said Mattrick. "Like, instead of everyone standing on the sidelines trying to hedge, I'm just going to say it."
And say it he did.
He also alluded to Sony and Nintendo taking a "vacation" in terms of preparing for their E3 press conferences. "I think our team showed up for work every day, had more than 12 months of productivity, and it kind of feels like the competition took an extended holiday and didn't get as much done as a result," he said.
"I hope the other guys got some great pictures when they were away on vacation," he added later.
ZING!
Pair this up with Sony's Kaz Hirai saying he'd rather take a bullet to the dome over having a game like Gears of War 2 on the PlayStation 3 and you've got the makings of a brawl. Maybe we'll see it unfold at Leipzig while Reggie Fils-Aime sits off the side and counts his money.
Video games can weather poor economy-Microsoft
Microsoft Corp is not seeing any weakness in its Xbox business from the soft U.S. economy and expects the company and the rest of the video game industry to weather downturns in consumer spending, the head of Microsoft's Xbox business told Reuters.
By Reuters
Microsoft Corp is not seeing any weakness in its Xbox business from the soft U.S. economy and expects the company and the rest of the video game industry to weather downturns in consumer spending, the head of Microsoft's Xbox business told Reuters Wednesday.
Don Mattrick, a senior vice president at Microsoft's entertainment and device division, said video games remain a bright spot for consumer spending at retailers.
In an interview at the E3 video game industry trade show, Mattrick said the video game industry is fortunate that all the main consoles debuted in 2006 and 2007, which means many consumers do not need to go buy the more expensive hardware.
"That would have been a more challenging dynamic if it was a brand new box shipping for the first time this holiday," said Mattrick, who joined Microsoft a year ago after working at game publisher Electronic Arts Inc (EA) for 15 years.
Some analysts are concerned that a decline in discretionary spending, due to higher prices for gasoline and food, could crimp outlays for video games and other entertainment.
The video game industry, forecast to reach $57 billion in revenues this year, according to research firm DFC Intelligence, appeals to a wide audience since it offers a wide range of titles that provide something for everyone, according to Mattrick.
"Consumer spending is still going to exist, and people are going to prioritize," said Mattrick, once considered a contender for the corner office at EA. "I'm bullish about our growth prospects as an industry and as Microsoft."
Mattrick said video games offer many more hours of entertainment than a two-hour movie, making it less expensive over time.
Earlier this week, Mattrick claimed that the Xbox 360 would sell more consoles over its lifetime than Sony Corp's PlayStation 3, a bold statement since the PlayStation 2 has ruled the industry in the latest generation of game machines.
In late April, Microsoft said it sold over 19 million Xbox 360s since it debuted in November 2006, a year ahead of Sony's PS3 and Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii.
At the end of March, Sony had sold 12.85 million PS3 units, while Nintendo had sold 24.45 million Wii machines, according to data from each of the companies.
After losing roughly $5 billion since it entered the video game console business in 2001, Microsoft turned a profit in fiscal 2008 at its entertainment and devices division, comprised mainly of the Xbox business.
The division posted $614 million in operating profit in the first nine months of fiscal 2008 after a $1.9 billion loss a year earlier.
At its E3 news conference Monday, Microsoft said "Gear of War 2," the sequel to its blockbuster science-fiction shooter game, will be released on Nov. 7 in time for the crucial holiday shopping season.
The original game has sold 5 million units worldwide since its launch in November 2006, according to the company.
Mattrick said the sequel could do even better since there are more customers with Xbox 360 consoles now than when the original was released.
"We've established a new hit property, and now the installed base is larger," said Mattrick. "It's going to be a blockbuster."
"Gears of War" is especially lucrative for the company since the game comes from Microsoft Games Studios, which means Microsoft gets all the revenue and profit from game sales instead of a few dollars in royalty for third-party titles
Splinter Cell (Xbox 360 / PS3) Lacks Conviction, Delayed Until Fiscal 2009-2010
After Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction no-showed E3 last week, it led to natural speculation (given the game's rocky development history to date) that the title has been delayed yet again. Today, Ubisoft confirmed that very fact while reporting the company's fiscal Q1 sales (ending June 30th).
During the conference call in conjunction with the press release, CEO Yves Guillemot commented, "Splinter Cell is a very important franchise for Ubisoft and we have high anticipation for this game. It is a major product and we want it to be able to catch all the gameplay opportunities it is offering to us today. There are lots of opportunities that we want to take and so that is why we can give [them] a little bit more time to make sure it can become a huge product."
This latest delay now places release of the game in fiscal 2009-10, which means that it could see release anytime between April 1st, 2009 and March 31st, 2010. It also seemingly validates at least some rumors that the game is being reworked significantly, some of which have included Ubisoft ditching the game's original engine, to a re-working of the gameplay the game was to feature (that is, hiding by blending in with crowds ala Assassin's Creed).
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