Liveblog: Microsoft Keynote at #CES2011

Packed into a massive (and I mean massive) room waiting for Microsoft’s CEO, Steve Ballmer to present the pre-CES keynote. People are still filtering in, lights are flashing, and music is blaring. The party goes down at 6:30 (PST) — a mere 29 minutes away. Hop inside and sit tight, we’ll be getting started in just a few…

Major Nelson says Stevie was wrong/confused/doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about — Blu-ray still not coming to Xbox 360

Remember that bit of Steve Ballmer loose lip that went down many hours prior to this very second? During an interview, Steve was quoted as saying not specifically saying that Xbox 360 hardware was to see Blu-ray add-on accessories, but that if the Xbox were to get Blu-ray, it would be via external forms. Many including myself took this as a sort of admission by omission if you know what I mean. Side stepping hot topics often leaves the Balms in a stuttering incoherent state, this wasn’t anything new.

Well, I’ve got a spoiler for ya. According to Major Nelson, during the now infamous interview, Steve Ballmer was apparently referring to Blue-ray accessories for PC’s. Case closed. No Xbox/Blu-ray love. Though Major Nelson does go on to highlight the importance of the Xbox platforms upcoming support for 1080p HD streaming — a first I believe.

So are you broken hearted? Or did you give up physical media years ago?

Major Nelson

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Steve Ballmer’s loose lips reveal upcoming Xbox 360 Blu-ray external drive? [Update]

**Update: Ya, not so much. ‘ol Stevie was off his rocker and was probably confused. That’s what Major Nelson is saying anyway.

Thank you Mr. Steve “The Balms” Ballmer for your clownish persona and loose lips. You may have just given us some hope for ways of enjoying HD content other than Xbox live. In an interview with Gizmodo’s Wilson Rothman, Steve Ballmer says the following when questioned about the potential for Blu-ray support coming to the Xbox line:

Well I don’t know if we need to put Blu-ray in there—you’ll be able to get Blu-ray drives as accessories.

Well, cat’s outta the bag on that one. While PR is busy with damage control and trying to hopelessly conceal any Xbox Blue-ray support by way of the typical “we have no plans excuse”, we can simply turn to Steve Ballmer for any undying questions we have. The Balms speaks no lie.

Of course, Ballmer isn’t exactly the most eloquent speaker nor does he seem to always have a firm grasp on internal operations. This revelation by Ballmer could also be a simple statement taken the wrong way. For example, claiming that we’d have to have an external Blu-ray drive could simply mean that there is absolutely “Zero” chances of every seeing the most requested feature offered internally.

Clearly there is plenty of room for interpretation and speculation. I would love to see a Blu-ray drive as I have a growing collection. Though being a digital person myself, the digital only method makes more sense. Who wants to be tied to a physical format? Of course, if I’m to truly embrace going completely digital, companies and “content owners” are going to have to stop being the assholes they currently are and allow to copy my legally paid for digital content. In reality, I do it anyway. So they don’t have to let me. Though doing so without fear of prosecution might help me sleep at night.

Gizmodo

Phil Schiller Tim Cook off his rocker. Calls 1st gen iPhone best phone on the market…still [Update]

If you’ve been reading any of the Apple Earnings reports circulating this fine EST evening, you have no doubt seen some verbiage repeated highlighting ‘ol Philly Timmy boys comments regarding iPhones and the current smartphone market. In particular, Phil Schiller goes on to say that everything on the current market is several steps behind the iPhone….the 1st gen, EDGE-only version.

Now I completely understand standing firm and representing your company, but blatantly tooting your own in such a way that makes you look like Steve Ballmer is pretty dumb if you ask me. And we all know how mentally “out there” the ‘Balms can be. A more accurate representation would have been “our current iPhone 3GS is perhaps a half step ahead of most everything else”. The Moto DROID meanwhile is by far the closest contender as of yet to come anywhere close to challenging any version of iPhone. Agree? (Can you tell I’m just a tad bit excited for DROID?) If Apple really wants to play this game of “we’re better than everyone…all of our hardware is superior” maybe they should stop…oh…you know artificially limiting their products’ abilities to even perform ancient tasks — iPhone 2G with no “official” MMS support, we’re looking at you. Of course, if you really want that, Google is your friend…

**Update: Well that’s embarrassing. Seems this post I made last night in a medicated, dreary eyed stooper failed to differentiate between “Phil Schiller” and “Tim Cook”. WTF? I don’t know either. Be kind. I’m sick.

Is a WinMo 6.5 “Touch Interface” going to usher in a two-tiered WinMo environment?

While Steve Ballmer aka “The Balms” may be steadfast on his belief and assertion that Windows Mobile will always be a single OS in the sense that their won’t be several tiers like the desktop variant, new information that is coming out seems to suggest otherwise. With the recent leak of the HTC Leo ROM which incorporates the new TouchFlo 3D 2.6, we can see that the interface appears to be moving more towards the finger users in the world and eschewing the trusty but old stylus. Further adding fuel to the good ‘ol rumor fire comes by way of DigiTimes with new information that an actual “Touch Interface” update to Windows Mobile 6.5 is due out sometime around February 2010. Now, this upgrade won’t be a new OS, merely an update to the October 1st release of Windows Mobile 6.5. Windows Mobile 7 on the other hand isn’t slated for public consumption until long into next year — Q4 of 2010 to be exact. So why bring a touch interface update to 6.5 later in the game?

Microsoft’s CES keynote leaked….*Crickets chirping*

Are you an avid Microsoft junky who drools at every Redmond announcement?  For those select few, get the drool cup and take pop a few Prozac because this post could be a little much for you.  Tech Crunch has received the CES keynote basic outline and boy is it as exciting as watching paint peel, exciting!  In fact it’s sooo exciting, Bill Gates himself had to sit this one out due to his ailing health and old age.  His energetic and youthful replacement, Steve Ballmer has enough excitement for just about every person that will be attending CES.  So what exactly will Microsoft be revealing at CES?  Pretty much everything that was “leaked” is old news.  But for the uninformed, jump ahead to get the juicy details.