Microsoft Secret Project Unveiled

Yesterday, Microsoft Secret Project codename Origami was unveiled. It is not an iPod replacement or whatsoever. It is a transformation of Bill Gates' vision of an ultra mobile PC: a device with all-day battery life, yet small enough to fit in a pocket and much cheaper than a laptop.

Don't get me wrong, it is just Bill Gates' vision. This first generation device is not that powerful, yet so big, expensive and power hungry. However, this device is still promising. Origami just needs time to unfold and will transform to amazing device in the future. If you remember the first generation iPod, you'll notice that iPod was not so special and had so many limitations.

This is only the beginning.

Filed in: Microsoft, Origami

Demographic Targeting, Google's Response to MSN adCenter

Google quickly added a new feature to answer MSN adCenter. Now, advertisers can target the audience by age, gender, income or other factors using AdWords Demographic Site Selection.

"The demographic site selection option is found on the ‘Identify sites’ page when you create a new site-targeted campaign, or on the site tool in an existing site-targeted campaign. In both cases you’ll also be able to use two other options to find sites: listing site URLs and describing topics that match your ad. We recommend using those methods along with demographic site selection to identify the very best sites for your ad to appear."

Merely US customers can enjoy demographic site selection and yet this is applied to Google AdWords Content only. Meanwhile, Google still has no plan to expand demographic targeting into its search.

On the other hand, MSN is affected very much as previously demographic targeting is one of adCenter main turfs.

Filed in: Google AdWords, MSN adCenter, Demographic Targeting

Stop Eating Sushi

Sushi is a Japanese food that is more popular than ever before, however studies say that it has become the new Russian roulette in term of safety. These studies held by a California group show in some fish used by sushi may contain high mercury level that is very dangerous.

Samples were taken from six popular sushi restaurants in Los Angles for testing. As a result, most of tuna fish had mercury level about 88% higher than FDA (Food and Drug Administration) level.

Sushi restaurants mostly use big-eyed tuna and blue & yellow-finned tuna, because those tuna are considered best suited for sushi. Moreover, these kinds of tuna have longer live are suspected carrying more mercury than others. Whereas, seafood like shrimp and salmon do not pose any mercury risk as their life spans are very short.

Mercury is very risky as it can cause permanently damage the nervous system in fetuses and temporary memory loss in adults.

Meanwhile, according to the restaurant owner, sushi is still healthy to eat regardless of high mercury level. It is definitely safer and healthier than beef and chicken.

Source: MSNBC

Filed in: Food, Health, Sushi

Windows Live Expo Beta Lives U.S Nationwide

Microsoft makes Windows Live Expo Beta available to all U.S consumers last Monday. Windows Live Expo provides set of expansion to the traditional classified ad concept by providing social networking and community features through a trustworthy, convenient and free online service.

This beta includes the following marketplace features:

• Tight integration with MSN Messenger and Windows Live Local that makes it easy for customers to access, search for and locate listings and services they are looking for. Ultimately Windows Live Expo will be integrated with Windows Live Search, Windows Live Spaces and Live.com.
• Ability to choose to post items for sale or purchase among only MSN Messenger Contact List and/or e-mail groups, adding a level of trust and familiarity.
• The integration with Windows Live Local allows products listed in Windows Live Expo to be geo-tagged which can help users to locate the site of seller. It will be very helpful customers who want to buy or rent apartment / house.
• Advanced search methods that allows customer to provide more than one keyword. For example, when searching a house customers can search on other qualifying characteristics such as square footage, price range and location.

Windows Live Expo is available for free and it is very easy to setup. Customers can list their product in fewer than four steps by using a very efficient user interface. To learn more about Windows Live Expo you can visit Expo Website.

Filed in: Windows Live Expo

Windows Live Local Preview

The latest preview of Windows Live Local is so fabulous. After offering a bird-eye view, now you can enjoy the street level view by driving a sport car or walking. You can simply control the direction using either keyboard or mouse.

Every time you change the direction, it will refresh the background on top screen. It is like playing driving simulation game. In some stage, it offers wonderful sights of the city. However, this preview only supports map of San Francisco and Seattle.

Filed in: Windows Live Local

A Chameleon Keyboard

Keyboards with additional keys are very common. Usually, those additional keys are located on top of standard keys. You can also assign what applications will be launched once you pressed those keys.

But this keyboard is different. The keys can be transformed according to the application you launched. Amazingly, it can also be transformed based on the OS’ language setting. Say, if your language setting is Japanese, it will show Japanese character instead Latin. :D Saving money, don't have to buy additional keyboard though. Another thing is the keys are animated and colorful. Make it so beautiful.

This keyboard is called Optimus and developed by Art. Lebedev Studio. It is the largest design company in Russia. In addition, Optimus keyboard is expected to be released and available globally by the end of 2006. How about the price? Not known yet, but according to its website, it will not cost more than a good mobile phone.

Reduce Website Response Time by Implementing CSS

There are massive sluggish websites out there. Their loading time, oops, very slow.
If you are web designer / developer, you should aware that there are still tons of web users still using dial-up modems.

Despite of the facts I am in broadband connection, as a web developer, I always test my website response time with slower connection such as dial up. Response time is one of accessibility aspects. Your visitor will definitely close the browser or type another URL if your website still has not finished loading in certain time. Don't believe me? Try it yourself, and let see if you are still patience enough :)

I have some tricks that you can apply to your web site:

Avoid using images in HTML instead try to use background images and CSS
It's possible to achieve advanced presentation effects using CSS without putting any images in HTML, for example site navigation, web site background, etc. The advantage of doing this is when the browser loads web pages; it downloads the HTML part first. After it displayed, it continues downloading the CSS file and the images as well.

Design your web site layout using Layer + CSS, not tables.
Tables are considered very slow compared to HTML layer such as DIV. Moreover, layer needs less HTML code thus the amount of HTML code can significantly reduced. It means the response time can be reduced. Normally, before displaying the web site content, browsers need to read through tables twice, first to figure out the structure, and then determine the content. Once again, this process just slower the response time.

As I described, CSS offers many advantages in designing web. It also gives great flexibility, for example web designer can easily changing the layout and web site theme in the future without changing the HTML code.

Quaero, European Answer to Google

Following French President Jacques Chirac statement to media last week, The Quaero project is prepared as a search engine for European Union. This initiative is taken to match US domination in media search. At the present, most of search engines giant such as Google, Yahoo and MSN are based on US.

Last December, Japan government also unveiled their plan to launch their own search engine to lessen Google dominance.

Filed in: European Search Engine, Google, Quaero

Making Profit from PPC Advertising?

As click frauds are considered as one of the biggest threats to Pay per Click advertising model, you might think that advertising through PPC program such Google AdWords just a waste. Despite of the facts, PPC for some of people still one of the best way to drive the traffic and generate sales.

The writer of Cash from Your Camera Robert Hartness experienced that PPC advertising still efficient. Regardless the click frauds, choosing good PPC providers are a matter. In his experiment, his Google AdWords campaign drove fewer visitors than Kanoodle; however, Google AdWords resulted in better conversion rate.

Good Bye Passport, Welcome Windows Live ID

A new Microsoft's InfoCard technology will back up Windows Live ID service to provide authentication service for Windows Live family by 2007. A Microsoft spokesperson said that Windows Live ID would play a large part in making upcoming services possible. However, the service launch date is not known yet.

Windows Live ID was first revealed at RSA Conference earlier this month. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said that InfoCard was intended to replace Passport. InfoCard technology will provide integrated place for personal data and payment information.