Harrison: Blogged

RSS Wizard, Niall Kennedy, Leaves Windows Live

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 15:52:53 Z

Back in April when word came down that Niall Kennedy, of Technorati, would be joining Windows Live, I don't think there was a person that wasn't excited at the big news. Niall was a great asset to Microsoft and it will be a big loss for him to go.
The more troubling part of Niall's goodbye message is his reasoning behind leaving Microsoft.

Quote:
Windows Live is under some heavy change, reorganization, pullback, and general paralysis and unfortunately my ability to perform, hire, and execute was completely frozen as well...If we had the resources I truly believe we could have tackled the number of users Hotmail, Messenger, Spaces, or even Internet Explorer might supply, and then ask for more by opening up the platform to the world...It's easier to get funding outside Microsoft than inside at the moment, so I am stepping out and doing my own thing.

This obviously does not reflect well on Microsoft's Live division. Of course, these are just the opinions of one Windows Live employee, but if Niall's statements are true across the division, then the executives need to do some serious thinking about their direction. If Windows Live is going to move forward and be a leader in the online services space, resources need to be readily available to the teams, both big and small.
I talked with Niall today for a little bit to get his reactions on his time with Windows Live:
LiveSide: What do you think Windows Live could do to support their employees, more specifically the smaller groups?
Niall Kennedy: Microsoft is currently experimenting with new methods that could be a step in the right direction. teams are trying agile programming methods, shortened product sprints, and limiting their product horizon to react quicker to market conditions. I think some of the new office space in Bellevue and Redmond will help this effort, but the biggest change that could help Live would be to better distribute the locations of their teams, as Google has successfully done.
LiveSide: Ok, such as how they have the Mail team in Mountain View?
Niall: Yep. Microsoft has a "come to Redmond" mentality, which warps the world placing Redmond at the center of a software universe. Placing individual product groups in various locations will help solve overcrowding and spur innovation. we've seen it happen with moving Xbox and Bungie off-site, I think a change of workplace setup could invigorate the groups.
LiveSide: So, you think that a change in geography will help the resolve some of the gridlock that you were seeing?
Niall: I think it might create more autonomous groups, able to act quickly in an Internet marketplace.
LiveSide: Just one more quick question then. If Microsoft had provided you with the resources and employees necessary to carry out your project effectively, would you be leaving?
Niall: No, I would have remained as excited as I was when I joined the company in April.
That statement definitely says a lot about how Niall felt while working at Windows Live during the past few months. Niall, thanks for taking out a few minutes to talk to us, I am sure you are very busy today.
Any way you look at it, Microsoft just cannot afford to lose great minds like Niall Kennedy right now. We wish Niall the best of luck with his next project, but we are also sad to see him go.

Niall Kennedy: Leaving Microsoft
Valleywag: The Niall Kennedy Exit Interview

A gift from Gillette?

Sat, 11 Feb 2006 18:10:56 Z

Much to my surprise, I checked my mail this morning to find a box from Gillette (razor company). They sent me one of those new Gillette Fusion razors with 6 blades or something rediculous like that (if you watched the Super Bowl, you know exactly what I'm talking about) for my 18th birthday. Now, I have no clue how they knew i just turned 18, but it's cool nonetheless. If anyone has any info on this promotion, shoot me an email or just leave a comment here!

Check out the photos here

Spaces 10.5 Launched

Fri, 27 Jan 2006 01:26:56 Z

A major update to MSN Spaces has just been released. See LiveSide for the full story.

http://www.liveside.net

Lack of Posting

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 21:05:44 Z

Sorry for the total lack of posting this month. I have been focusing all of my energy on my new project, LiveSide. We've been going for under a month now and it has far surpassed anything that I thought it would be at this point.

On that subject, be on the lookout for the release of MSN Spaces 10.5 over the next couple of days. I'll be sitting down with Mike Torres to talk about the release for a LiveSide interview soon. So, I'll definately put a post up here and on LiveSide when that goes up for download.

Hope all is well with my readers. Do me a favor and check out LiveSide, we've got a lot of great content and things coming up. That's all for now!

LiveSide.net is Live

Sun, 08 Jan 2006 22:12:28 Z

While I was away at CES, we launched our brand new site, LiveSide.net. Myself and a few other people are working on this project right now. Our goal is to bring you the most up-to-date news on Windows Live, Xbox Live, and Office Live (among other things) in an easily accessible, central location. It definately still needs some work, so think of this as version 0.1. We look forward to seeing you all there. We've got some very exciting things planned for this site, so stay tuned!

LiveSide

LiveSide RSS Feed

Off to CES

Wed, 04 Jan 2006 18:42:02 Z

In a few hours I will be on the plane to Las Vegas for the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show. I'll keep my blog updated with the new products on display there. If you're going to be there as well, just leave a comment here. :-)

Windows Live Mail services for your mobile phone

Wed, 04 Jan 2006 18:39:08 Z

If you're participating in the Windows Live Mail beta, you can now access the Kahuna client from your mobile phone. Just follow the follow these instructions:

Open the Internet browser on your mobile phone
Access the address bar and type in: mobile.live.com
Select Windows Live Mail beta (sign in with your existing Hotmail account) or Windows Live Search beta
That’s it—you can start mobile e-mailing and/or searching right away.

Have fun!

Mobile Instructions

Happy New Year!

Sat, 31 Dec 2005 18:14:51 Z

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all go out and have some fun tonight. Be on the lookout for some exciting things next year. See you in 2006. :-)

Intel: Leap Ahead

Fri, 30 Dec 2005 22:57:23 Z

It's official, Intel's long time ad-campaign "Intel Inside" is dead. Their new logo and catch phrase are Intel: Leap Ahead. I'm sure we'll see a ton of Leap Ahead banners, signs, .etc plastered all over CES. By the way, anyone else out there going to CES?

Soon to Launch: Windows Live Expo

Mon, 26 Dec 2005 17:28:02 Z

As Windows Live Fremont is moving out of beta, it is moving into it's permanent home. Windows Live Expo will be the official name for Microsoft's new listing/classifieds service. The site is not live as of yet, but is returning a Runtime Error. When the site goes live, I'll update this post with the link (I don't want the site to get hammered as they're trying to bring it online). I must say, this is great timing on Microsoft's part with the release. The day after Christmas...I'm sure a lot of unwanted or duplicate gifts will be going up. :-)

Thanks to Chris for the initial heads up on this.

Microsoft Launches Xbox Live Diamond Program

Fri, 23 Dec 2005 02:56:46 Z

If you have an account on Xbox Live, you should definately check this one out. Microsoft has just started up a program which will provide Xbox Live subscribers with even more benefits. Free of charge to you, Microsoft will send you a spiffy looking card, personalized with your gamertag. Microsoft partnered with several companies, such as Hollywood Video and Quizno's Subs to provide discounts to cardholders. So, it may expand from here, but it's definately worth it for the sweet card. :-)

December CTP for Windows Vista Released

Tue, 20 Dec 2005 05:47:46 Z

Earlier today, Microsoft released its December "Community Technology Preview" of its next-generation operating system, Windows Vista to its beta testers. Build 5270 weighs in at a little over two gigabytes. The download servers are currently swamped, so I'll have a review up with screenshots sometime tomorrow after I get it all installed!

Rid Yourself of the Sony Rootkit

Sat, 17 Dec 2005 06:56:54 Z

I reccomend that everyone who has ripped a CD to their computer in the last 2 years download this tool from Lavasoft and scan for Sony's rootkit. It takes less than a minute. It's quick, painless, and your computer will be better off for it.

Lavasoft Sony Rootkit Remover

Windows Live Messenger Beta Released to All Testers

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 23:26:17 Z

The current build of Windows Live Messenger has just been released to official testers, "according to Leah" over at the MessengerSays blog. Some of the new features include Sharing Folders, VoIP, a totally redesigned user interface, and countless other improvements. The "Future of Messenger" is here. :-)

My New Phone?

Mon, 12 Dec 2005 16:48:56 Z

Cingular just posted thier new 2125 phone to their website today. Anyone heard anything about this phone? Thinking about getting it.

Cingular 2125

Best Web 2.0 Software of 2005

Mon, 12 Dec 2005 15:09:14 Z

Dion Hinchcliffe has put together a very nice list of Web 2.0 software for 2005. I can't believe it, Microsoft is actually noted for it's efforts with Start.com. Good to see that Microsoft is finally making some progress in being noticed for their Web 2.0 work.

The List

My Xbox 360 Launch Experience and Initial Impressions

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 22:11:17 Z

Just a little foreword for this Xbox 360 review, this is an article that I wrote for our school newspaper, so it may contain many things that you already know about Xbox 360 since much of it is geared primarily towards those sitting on the fence of whether or not they should purchase a 360. With that said...On with the show!

After nine hours of sitting in an enormous store with fluorescent lights, on November 22^nd after school, at 12:01 am myself and my fellow camper, Scott, managed to get two out of the twenty-six Xbox 360’s available at our local Wal-Mart. Judging from the number of people in line, all of the store’s supply was sold out by 4:00pm for a midnight launch. On “Day 1,” Microsoft sold a total of 400,000 Xbox 360’s, selling out in every single store across the country. Over the last few weeks, I had the chance to check out the system itself, accessories, and several of the launch titles. Here is what you get with the “Premium” Xbox 360 System (the white box):

- Xbox 360 Console

- 20 GB Hard Drive

- Wireless Controller

- Xbox Live Headset

- Cables for connecting your 360 to a HDTV or regular TV

- Ethernet Cable

All of this comes standard in the box for a MSRP of $399.99.

You may think that the Xbox 360 is just for playing the best games available on the market now. That is where you would be wrong. The Xbox 360 is arguably the best media device available now. Along with playing games, you can play DVD’s, listen to CD’s, connect your iPod or other MP3 player to it and listen to all of your music, connect your digital camera and view pictures on your TV, and stream music, pictures, video, and movies from your computer straight to your 360. You can even use your favorite music tracks on your computer as the music in your favorite 360 game. The 20 GB hard drive allows you to save as many games as you want without having to worry about buying more memory cards. It also serves as space to rip your CD’s and pictures directly to your Xbox 360. On top of that, you can play many of the original Xbox games on your 360.

The unit itself is a technical powerhouse. The Xbox 360 boasts a three core CPU, with all of the cores running at 3.2 GHz, 512 MB of RAM, 20 GB hard drive, 500 MHz ATI graphics processor, 3 USB ports, Ethernet support, and High Definition capabilities.

Xbox 360 is all about customization. Whether it is through snapping a new faceplate onto the front of the console, applying a theme to your 360 Dashboard, changing your Gamer Picture to fit your style, or playing all of your content on your TV Xbox 360 always revolves around what you want to do.

Xbox Live is taken to a whole new level on Xbox 360. Now, you can play your favorite games online against opponents across the globe, talk to your friends via the headset regardless of if they are playing a game or just watching a DVD, customize your GamerCard and Gamer Profile, and last but not least, use the Xbox Live Marketplace. Xbox Live Marketplace serves as a place to download demos for upcoming and current games, watch movie and game trailers, download customizable themes and Gamer Pictures, and have Xbox Live Arcade games delivered right to your hard drive.

The first Xbox 360 game that I got a chance to check out was Project Gotham Racing 3. When I fired up my first race in PGR3, I was stunned at the level of detail of not only the car I was driving, but also the buildings and scenery around me and the people watching from behind barricades and fences. The team that created PGR3 at Bizarre Creations spent a lot of time examining all of the high end cars included in the game, detailing their design, sound, and mechanics. PGR3 has a decent single player mode where you progress through series of races, unlocking new cars as you go. One thing that I love about PGR3 as opposed to other racing games is that when you start you already have cars which are comparable to the best cars in the game. Within fifteen hours of play, you can unlock almost all of the cars that are available. The game comes with its own soundtrack consisting of a mix of rock, alternative and hip-hop, but if you don’t like it you can always plug in your iPod or stream music from your computer to listen to while you play. The part of PGR3 which really stands out, however, is the online play. Project Gotham Racing 3 utilizes Xbox Live on 360 better than any other launch title. Online activities include an online career mode and their breakthrough feature, Gotham TV. Gotham TV lets you ride in the car as you watch your friends or even the best players in the world race. You can also save replays of your races for later viewing in Gotham TV. The first person, in-car, view provides a very immersive driving experience. You can look around in the interior of the car and dirt will even get on your windshield if you decide to take a spin through the grass. Overall, Project Gotham Racing 3 is the most solid racing game that I have played in a long time and it is definitely worth a look.

Next, I played around with Activision’s next-generation shooter, Call of Duty 2. COD2 has the best single player mode, by far, of any launch title that I have played. The realism that Call of Duty 2 creates in its Campaign mode is outstanding. It does a great job of showing what it might have been like to fight in World War II. One weak point of Call of Duty 2 that I see is that it forces you to play as Soviet, British, and American soldiers throughout the game. This creates a sort of discontinuity of the story. This fact is almost completely outweighed by the excellent game play and easy to learn controls. The online experience is definitely the weakest of the games that I have seen thus far. When the games work smoothly, it is great. The problem is that a lot of the time you end up with games that have a lot of lag for a portion of the match. It also lacks a lobby for you and your friends to hang out and decide what you want to play next. Despite the poor Xbox Live play, Call of Duty 2 is worth picking up just for the Campaign mode alone.

Finally, I was able to play the game that I was anticipating the most in the launch lineup, Perfect Dark Zero. Rare, the developer that made Perfect Dark Zero, is most famous for making the games GoldenEye and the original Perfect Dark for Nintendo 64. Those happened to be two of my favorite shooters of all time, so I was very excited to try out their next-generation follow-up. Released by Microsoft Game Studios, Perfect Dark Zero was probably the most hyped game for the Xbox 360. The single-player missions serve mainly as a warm-up for the intense multiplayer action, although some of them prove to be very trying, especially on the harder difficulty levels. Multiplayer, both on Live and locally is where Perfect Dark Zero excels. PDZ’s multiplayer features wealth of options for you to tweak to your liking. You can choose from different weapons sets, maps, and even mix in some bots with real people for a richer experience. Overall, Perfect Dark Zero is by far the best multiplayer shooter in the launch lineup.

My first impressions with the Xbox 360 are very positive. The user interface and services that Xbox Live provides feel very solid. The graphics of the new games look amazing, with even better games on the way. Although the Xbox 360 made a strong showing at launch with its game lineup, the best is yet to come.

My Xbox 360 Launch Games and Accessories

Sat, 19 Nov 2005 17:05:41 Z

On Thursday night, I managed to snag a copy of Call of Duty 2 and a Wireless Controller for Xbox 360 from a local unnamed store. Friday, my preorders for Project Gotham Racing 3 and Perfect Dark Zero (Limited Edition) came in at Best Buy. I have to say that the packaging for the Limited Edition Perfect Dark Zero is incredible. Easily one of the best packaging jobs that I have seen on a video game. I also have to compliment Microsoft on a great job with the Wireless Controller packaging. It was designed in a way that if you hold the box in your hand, as you would a controller, it feels really comfortable. You really don't even need to open the packaging in order to tell how nice the controller will feel. I have attached a bunch of pictures of all of this stuff for your viewing pleasure. :-) 3 Days!

Windows Live Mail Swag

Sat, 19 Nov 2005 16:50:16 Z

I came home yesterday to find a package from the folks over at Windows Live Mail. A nice little treat for trying out their new email service.

Start Something...Entertaining

Wed, 16 Nov 2005 22:35:17 Z

Today marks the start of Microsoft's new ad campaign for Windows Media Center. Following in the fashion of their "Start Something Inspired" campaign, "Start Something Entertaining" it timed to coincide with the launch of Xbox 360 and help to promote it's Media Center functionalities, thus, hopefully, thrusting MCE into the mainstream.

Beta Resources

Fri, 17 Jun 2005 03:22:00 Z

Podcasts I Listen To

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 18:35:19 Z

Cool Links

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 18:08:15 Z

Subscribe!

Sun, 14 Aug 2005 02:08:48 Z

Sun, 29 Jan 2006 22:53:52 Z

Longhorn Backgrounds

Sun, 05 Dec 2004 11:04:43 -0800

My Photoshop Art

Sun, 05 Dec 2004 11:08:03 -0800

MSN Toolbar Suite

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 11:11:43 -0800

Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta1

Fri, 17 Dec 2004 10:51:55 -0800

Windows Vista Beta 1

Wed, 27 Jul 2005 11:46:16 -0700

My Blog Photos

Mon, 26 Dec 2005 13:57:10 -0800

Blog Images

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 08:52:50 -0700

CNET

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 15:48:05 -0700