MSN Pretty in Ink

MSN has just launched a new application in Silverlight called "Pretty in Ink". What's cool about this application is it ties in a creative, realistic photo experience with the quality and an HD image experience using deep zoom. The application is a leap ahead of the previous site . I am sure you will spend a lot of time here, which again is a great testament to how Silverlight can help monetize applications. More time in the application, means more opportunity to connect with your customer, which could lead to additional ad revenue and that's good for everyone.

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Silverlight Coverage of the Inauguration

What a day it's been, we have seen tremendous coverage of the Presidential Inauguration and the use by many organizations to consume the streams using Silverlight. Our team has aggregated some of the articles today and it's nice to see the press and attention Silverlight has received, but in reality it's even better to be part of such a great historic event.

Some interesting things to note, we (thanks to Ben Waggoner) did some late night wrangling with Novel to get the linux version available and Istream (thanks Mio) did some test feeds so that the Novell team could get an early version running.

My favorite blog post was Dan Rayburn, who really enjoyed our CBS feeds with Move Networks.

My other favorite application is the CNN Photosynth application, where users submit thier own and we combine them into a large collage that you can drill into.

CBS Best Inauguration Video Quality, Hulu, CSPAN the Worst, Others Not LoadingStreaming MediaJanuary 20, 2009; by Dan Rayburnhttp://blog.streamingmedia.com/the_business_of_online_vi/2009/01/best-i.html

Original Articles:
Microsoft, CNN team up to make historians out of inaugural attendees
Computerworld
January 19, 2009; by Sharon Gaudin
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9126320&intsrc=news_ts_head

Silverlight to Stream Obama’s Inauguration
IDG News Service
January 19, 2009; by Elizabeth Montalbano
http://www.macworld.com/article/138284/2009/01/silverlight.html

Silverlight will be used to Stream Inauguration Ceremony
News Factor Network
January 19, 2009; by Jennifer LeClaire
http://www.newsfactor.com/news/Silverlight-To-Stream-Inauguration/story.xhtml?story_id=103009GSN3O7&full_skip=1

Inauguration coverage in cyberspace
Government Computer News
January 19, 2009; by Joab Jackson
http://gcn.com/articles/2009/01/19/inauguration-tools.aspx

Silverlight to follow Obama in US Presidency
The Register
January 17, 2009; by Gavin Clarke
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/17/obama_silverlight/

Microsoft’s Silverlight: Yes We Can
CNET
January 17, 2009; by Leslie Katz
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10145058-93.html

Microsoft’s Silverlight to Stream the Inauguration
Windows IT Pro
January 16, 2009; by Sheila Molnar
http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/101269/microsofts-silverlight-to-stream-the-inauguration.html

Blog Posts:
CBS Best Inauguration Video Quality, Hulu, CSPAN the Worst, Others Not Loading
Streaming Media
January 20, 2009; by Dan Rayburn
http://blog.streamingmedia.com/the_business_of_online_vi/2009/01/best-i.html

Microsoft, Moonlight reach across aisle to bring Obama inauguration to Linux desktops
ZDNet
January 20, 2009; by Paula Rooney
http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=3303

CBS Serves up 7 HD Streams for Inauguration Day
ZatzNotFunny
January 20, 2009; by Mari Silbey
http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2009-01/cbs-serves-up-7-hd-streams-for-inauguration-day/

How Will You Follow the Inauguration Online?
Washington Post / Faster Forward Blog
January 20, 2009; by Rob Pegoraro
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fasterforward/2009/01/how_will_you_follow_the_inaugu.html?wprss=fasterforward

Digital Overload at Inauguration?
The Wall Street Journal
January 20, 2009; by Marisa Taylor
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/01/20/digital-overload-at-inauguration/

Linux Users Enjoy the Inauguration Thanks to…Microsoft?
InformationWeek
January 20, 2009; by Serdar Yegulalp
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2009/01/linux_users_enj.html

Obama’s Inauguration coming to you live Through Silverlight
Waleg
January 20, 2009; by Raissa
http://www.waleg.com/techgadgets/archives/015017.html

Obama Inauguration shines on Linux too with Moonlight
Ars Technica
January 20, 2009; by Ryan Paul
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090120-obama-inauguration-shines-on-linux-too-with-moonlight.html

Technology Players Gear up for Inauguration
Contentinople
January 20, 2009; by Ryan Lawler
http://www.contentinople.com/author.asp?section_id=450&doc_id=170570

Inauguration: Help Capture the Moment
PC World
January 19, 2009; by Peggy Watt
http://www.pcworld.com/article/157950/inauguration_help_capture_the_moment.html

Obama’s Inaugural Address: A Tipping Point for Silverlight?
Mashable
January 19, 2009; by Jennifer Van Grove
http://mashable.com/2009/01/19/obama-inaugural-address/

Inauguration Streams Live with Silverlight
Tom’s Guide
January 19, 2009; by Kevin Parish
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/FLash-Microsoft-silverlight-Obama,news-3320.html

Some Linux backers upset about selection of Silverlight to stream Obama inauguration events
ZDNet
January 19, 2008; by Paula Rooney
http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=3302

Silverlight at the Heart of Obama’s Swearing-In Ceremony
Softpedia
January 19, 2009; by Marius Oiaga
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Silverlight-at-the-Heart-of-Obama-039-s-Inauguration-Swearing-in-Ceremony-102270.shtml

Silverlight and Photosynth to gain with Obama’s Inauguration
Ars Technica
January 19, 2009; by Emil Protalinski
http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2009/01/19/silverlight-and-photosynth-to-gain-with-obamas-inauguration

Microsoft’s Silverlight Technology Gets a Major New Client
eFluxMedia
January 18, 2009; by Michael Todd
http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Microsofts_Silverlight_Technology_Gets_A_New_Major_Client_33533.html

Microsoft Silverlight to be Used for Online Broadcast of Obama Inaugural
Gotta Be Mobile
January 17, 2009; by Warner Crocker
http://www.gottabemobile.com/2009/01/17/microsoft-silverlight-to-be-used-for-online-broadcast-of-obama-inaugural/

Silverlight to Shine on Obama’s Inauguration
NewTeeVee
January 16, 2009; by Chris Albrecht
http://newteevee.com/2009/01/16/silverlight-to-shine-on-obamas-inauguration/

Obama team chooses Microsoft’s Silverlight for streaming online video
TG Daily
January 16, 2009; by Rick Hodgin
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/41061/122/

Silverlight Makes History
Microsoft Watch / eWEEK
January 16, 2009; by Joe Wilcox
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/web_services_browser/silverlight_makes_history.html

Microsoft’s Silverlight to stream online video of inauguration
USA Today (Technology Live Blog)
January 16, 2009; by Byron Acohido
http://blogs.usatoday.com/technologylive/2009/01/microsofts-silv.html

Microsoft to Offer Inaugural Web Video
Tech Daily Dose / Congress Daily
January 16, 2009; by Staff Writer
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/microsoft-to-offer-inaugural-w.php

Obama inauguration to stream online in Microsoft Silverlight
Tech Flash
January 16, 2009; by Todd Bishop
http://www.techflash.com/Obama_inauguration_to_stream_online_in_Microsoft_Silverlight_37721089.html

Microsoft’s Silverlight chosen to stream the Inauguration
The Seattle PI
January 16, 2009; by Joseph Tartakoff
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/159655.asp?from=blog_last3

Radio Broadcast:
“Jeff Levy on Computers” interview with Eric Schmidt
KRLA-AM, Los Angeles
January 17, 2009
To listen to the full interview, please click here.

Silverlight Selected by Presidential Inaugural Committee to Enable Online Video Streaming of Inauguration Events

Following up our efforts from the Democratic National Convention we have been asked to participate in streaming live the Inauguration of our 44th president. No matter what side of the political spectrum you sit, this is unarguably going to be one of the most historic events in our country's political process and we are proud to be a part of it. I have included our press release below and want to say thank you to one of our premier partners IStreamplanet for their support and efforts to bring you this historic event. You can check out the committee's website for more information. http://www.pic2009.org/.

Scott Barnes on our marketing team has also posted a great list of other area's where Silverlight is being used for this inaguration. Companies like CNN, CBS are using our technology to deliver even more information on this historic event.

http://blogs.msdn.com/msmossyblog/archive/2009/01/17/silverlight-is-all-over-the-moment.aspx

Press Release Start
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2009/jan09/01-16PICMSSilverlightPR.mspx

Microsoft Silverlight Selected by Presidential Inaugural Committee to Enable Online Video Streaming of Inauguration Events

Official swearing in, President-elect Obama’s Whistle Stop Tour event to be streamed online.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jan. 16, 2009 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) has selected the company’s Silverlight technology to enable live and on-demand video streaming of the official inauguration swearing-in ceremony on the PIC Web site at http://www.pic2009.org/. As part of its efforts to hold the most open and accessible inauguration in history, on Saturday, Jan. 17, the PIC will also stream video of a Baltimore event on the Whistle Stop Tour that will take President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden to Washington, D.C., from Philadelphia.

“Microsoft is proud to be part of this event by helping to bring the inauguration activities online,” said Brad Smith, Microsoft general counsel. “Just as during the campaign itself, Internet technology is enabling people around the world to participate more directly in historic events in new and exciting ways.”

In August the 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) used Microsoft Silverlight to stream convention proceedings, including President-elect Obama’s acceptance speech.

Microsoft collaborated with iStreamPlanet Co. to develop and implement the rich media player experience powered by Microsoft Silverlight. “We welcome the opportunity to work with Microsoft again to demonstrate our expertise and ability to meet the challenges involved in such a watershed event in the history of webcasting,” said Mio Babic, CEO of iStreamPlanet.

“Microsoft Silverlight was built to enable people to consume online content in unique and engaging ways,” said Scott Guthrie, corporate vice president of the .NET Developer Division at Microsoft. “This will be a truly historic event, and we are honored to enable online viewers to participate and create really meaningful experiences.”

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

Windows Live Launch and Silverlight announcements during CES

Happy New Year to all of you and sorry for the lag between posts. I was able to take some very well deserved vacation and with the Holiday's tried to stay away from the keyboard. In case you missed the CES2009 Keynote by Steve Ballmer, we announced the availability of the next version of Windows Live Suite.


Windows Live is a free suite of communications and sharing applications. Windows Live makes it easy for people to communicate, share and keep their online lives in sync and in one place with one login. The new and enhanced Windows Live services — including PCMag.com 2008 Editors’ Choice winner Windows Live Messenger — along with Windows Live Mail and Windows Live Photo Gallery are designed to work seamlessly with more than 50 popular Internet services.



What's important about this announcement is that the Windows Live team has integrated Silverlight into their suite and they utilize Silverlight as part of their rich photo experience to play slide shows and organize photos.

I have been asked several times about Microsoft Silverlight usage and this is another great demonstration on how our internal product teams are adopting Silverlight to build more compelling user experiences as part of their applications online reach.

Some other great related announcements from the keynote:

• Dell Inc. In February, to offer a comprehensive experience for consumers to connect, share and personalize their content, Dell will offer preloaded Windows Live Essentials (a free suite of applications for instant messaging, e-mail and photos that complement Windows Live on the Web) and Live Search on a majority of its new consumer and small-business PCs globally.
• Facebook. In the coming months, Facebook users can choose to share content they post on Facebook, including photos, directly into Windows Live.
• Verizon Wireless. Under a new five-year relationship that covers mobile search and advertising, Verizon subscribers in the U.S. will be able to use Live Search to search for local business and shopping information; access maps and directions; perform general Internet searches; and find ring tones, games, wallpaper and other online mobile products and services.