Entries for Max Zuckerman

Rakesh the Unified Communications Guy

Max — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:13:00 GMT

Do you use IM? A cell phone? E-mail? How about VOIP? Video conferencing? Desktop sharing?? OK those last few may be outside your normal day-to-day activities... but for Rakesh, the "UC" Guy, it's the norm.

He's a Senior Test Manager on our Unified Communications team where he works to bring all of the ways you are contacted or communicate together. You will see how he uses IM on his cell phone, receives a phone call on his phone, laptop, cell phone, and desktop computer simultaneously, and best of all... shares a video conferencing/code-debugging session with some of his teammates who are working remotely.

As a bonus, Rakesh describes some of the protocols and services required to run such a sophisticated system. So if you're interested in UC and what it's like at Microsoft, this one's for you.

Search Savant James on what it's like to work in Live Search

Max — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:03:00 GMT

How do you show your friends and family what you've been doing at work when your job is to optimize the retrieval and displaying of information?? Well, if you're the algorithm guy, it's tough... but if you work on Live Search, you get to show your friends (plus a few million other people!).

Search Savant James showed me some of the work he has done with Live Search and talked about what it has been like to be part of that team. As usual, some of the best out-takes are after the closer ;).

Mr. Mobile Dev, Jay, talks about Windows Mobile and Prototyping

Max — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:30:00 GMT

Jay is a development lead here at Microsoft on the Windows Mobile team who has worked on projects ranging from top-secret phones months in advance to his own personal digital photo frame that he built using Windows CE.

He showed off the way he prototypes some of his projects, his working environment including emulation and testing processes, and he even talked a bit about what it's like to work at Microsoft--specifically on the Windows Mobile team.

If you stick around to the very end, we found out Jay is quite the comedian...... but you'll have to come join his team to know what he was talking about ;).

Dell's Studio Hybrid Desktop: Stylish, Functional...... Winner?

Max — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:04:00 GMT

It's not often I look at a PC and think "that looks pretty cool." But when I first caught a glimpse of the Dell Studio Hybrid Desktop, I actively sought out more pictures of the thing before even looking at the specifications (and that's saying a lot for a geek like me)! At first glance, it conveys a simplistic look without compromising style... something I feel many consumers are looking for these days. I could easily see myself putting this next to an ultra-modern HDTV and it would fit perfectly! And for under $1000 you could max it out with some really good components that would make this a really solid media center or living room PC.

As an added bonus, this thing is TINY (like 80% the size of your normal desktop) and it runs on much less power... admittedly, however, it is using a mobile processor and chipset, so do not plan on flying in Flight Simulator X on the highest settings ;)

So what do you guys think?? Cool design or it doesn't really get your attention?

Mini-avatars on posts... likey or no likey?

Max — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:08:38 GMT

If you're paying attention to the homepage, you will notice a mini-avatar of the poster next to the post title.

Do you:
A) Like it
B) Love it
C) Hate it
D) Love it so much I wish every other site did it too!

PS: for those that pick A, B, or D... thank Duncan because he made it happen... if you chose C, blame me because I asked him to :)

Max is on Vacation for just a few days...

Max — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:15:04 GMT

I know the homepage looks the same as it did a couple days ago... that's because I'm on a short vacation, but worry not, I will be back soon!

University Hire Marco on Silverlight and Microsoft Life

Max — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:53:00 GMT

Are you currently in college and wondering what it's like to work at Microsoft as a college hire? Well in this first of a series of technology glimpses, check out what a fellow college hire has to say about his experience with his position, the technology he gets to work on, and Microsoft and Seattle in general.

Our first "subject-matter-expert" is Marco, a Silverlight Security Program Manager. He shows us one of the coolest demos I've seen showcasing Silverlight's unique capabilities. What's really impressive is that Marco, despite being so new, gets to impact this technology directly which in turn affects millions of people who use it on a daily basis... You say you want to change the world?? Well here, you can.

BONUS: stay tuned for after the video for a glimpse at Marco's maaaad ping-pong skills

Mega-Microsoftie shows off Windows Live Research

Max — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:24:00 GMT

I don't know about you guys, but when I'm ready to buy a new gadget or big-ticket item, I research it a LOT. I look at every review I can find, peruse over every specification, and make sure it's the best I can get for the money. And while expert reviewers are good, my favorite is if I can find real people just like you and me who have used the product and see what they have to say about it.

It takes a lot of time to really go through all of this information, which is why Windows Live does this Research for you! Check out Stefan Weitz the Mega-Microsoftie's demo of how this all works... pretty sliiiiiick.

Watched it?? Now go try it...

Mega-Microsoftie shows off a FREE 411 service

Max — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:23:00 GMT

Talk about starting off with a BOOOOOM!

Mega-Microsoftie Stefan is presenting in front of over 20,000 people Thursday morning and he is asking YOU, the 8ers out there, to decide whether or not he should do it with or without his fresh since his last video beard. Leave a comment to vote!

After some shenanigans, Stefan also demo-ed for us a really cool service based on Microsoft Speech Server and our TellMe acquisition from a bit ago. It's a FREE version of the well known informational 411 service you are used to dialing... all you have to do is call 1-800-CALL-411 and you will get the same affection from "Mary" that Stefan does.

Check it out, tell us what you think, and DON'T FORGET TO VOTE on Stefan's beard or no beard for his big presentation by WEDNESDAY NIGHT!

Joe Wilson Imagine Cup 2008 Video Blog: Day 5

Max — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:06:00 GMT

In our last meet-up in Paris, Joe once again showed us why Imagine Cup is one of the coolest experiences a student could possibly have. Next year we will be in Cairo, Egypt so make sure to start thinking about your projects!

In a cameo appearance, Edward Hooper of the winning Software Design competition team "Soak" Australia, jumped in to give Joe a little surprise... check it out.

So here's the only question that remains: will you try to compete in Imagine Cup 2009?!?

Imagine Cup 2008 Finals: Behind the Scenes and Awards Ceremony

Max — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:40:00 GMT

On the last day of the Imagine Cup 2008 Finals in Paris, all of the students headed once again to the Louvre where project showcases were set up for friends and visitors to see. It was pretty amazing to see how excited members of the press, dignitaries, and other special guests became when they saw the student projects. Joe Wilson often explains to people that the students are the real heroes of Imagine Cup, and when the visitors saw these projects first hand, they agreed.

In this clip you will get a behind the scenes look at what it takes to put on such a big show for the final ceremony. I headed backstage and showed you the venue before everyone jumped in. Then, see all the winners announced... congratulations to you ALL!

Imagine Cup 2008: DJ Fury... a Microsoftie?!?

Max — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:21:00 GMT

Some people really love their job... other people work so they can pursue their hobbies. But DJ Fury (Devaris Brown) gets to combine both his job (which he happens to love) and his hobby of being a DJ. In fact, some might say his job is DJ first and Microsoftie second ;)

He was asked to DJ the events at the Imagine Cup in Paris, so I met up with him to see how he is leveraging technology to make his tracks and spin on the fly... it was pretty cool to see it all in action. He even went on to explain he uses tools like PopFly to showcase what he's played from certain nights right on his website or his myspace.

Imagine Cup 2008 Finals: Digital Theater [Imagine Cup 2008 Finals: Digital Theater]

Max — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:01:00 GMT

The digital theater was a time to show off some of the more visually creative competition aspects of the Imagine Cup including photography, short films, and interface designs. This event gave the competitors a chance to showcase their work and explain their thought process.

It ended up being pretty amazing to hear why they made certain decisions and how they saw things from conception to completion. What most impressed me is the quality of work that was created in such a short time (36 hours or less!).

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Imagine Cup 2008: On the Boat

Max — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:01:00 GMT

By far one of the coolest events at the Imagine Cup finals wrapping up the "cultural day" was the dinner cruise. Throughout the day, students had five options of tours to participate in including Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre. On the cruise, I got to find out from everyone what their favorite thing so far was and see how excited they all still were.

I even got the Short Film category captain to do a little dance for us... make sure you don't miss that!

Imagine Cup 2008: Women in Technology and Science [Imagine Cup 2008: Women in Technology and Science]

Max — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:54:00 GMT

Jenny P. got a chance to take part in the Women in Technology and Science forum at the Imagine Cup finals. They discussed issues facing women in the technology field and how to get more women involved in this industry. The main point: the technology and science industry is a huge opportunity for students to jump into now and really make an impact. As one of the panelists said, "once you start, you don't want to get out!"

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Imagine Cup 2008: Software Design Demos

Max — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:20:00 GMT

I have to admit that some of the projects in the software design portion of the Imagine Cup finals in Paris are pretty amazing. The solutions these teams came up with using technology to help build a sustainable environment are just amazing.

One that caught me early on was a system that monitors if a tree is sick or not from team Korea... they literally process electrical signals from the tree to figure this out. Who knew trees even had electrical impulses!?

Imagine Cup 2008: Fillo talks with the Embedded Development Finalists

Max — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:13:00 GMT

If you're into microcontrollers, PICs, hardware C, and robotics... this is the one for you. Fillo managed to get a quick glimpse at all of the embedded development projects at the Imagine Cup finals in Paris.

The combination of hardware and software in this category makes for some really interesting results including remote controlled helicopters that sense pollution, cars running on vegetable oil heated up strategically prior to combustion, and more.

Software+Services: Bring it all Together Contest

Max — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:11:00 GMT

Let's start off by saying you have until July 31st, 2008. Now that that's out of the way, how would you like to "Bring it all Together" and win a trip to Macau!? And even if you don't win, at the very least every entry gets a t-shirt and even a Microsoft LifeCam (I'm not sure which one).

All you have to do is make your own video using this script, but remember to be very creative. Keep in mind that the competition is open to more than just students, but I think you guys have the upper hand in making fun stuff like this.

So read up, see more details and rules, check out other submissions, and go win yourself some cool prizes!

Imagine Cup 2008: Software Design Finalist Announcement and More

Max — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:22:00 GMT

Here's the recap of the morning announcement of the 6 finalists in the Software Design category. The software design finalist countries were (in no particular order): China, Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, Australia, and Slovakia. Check out the announcement...

Joe Wilson Imagine Cup 2008 Video Blog: Day 4

Max — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:13:00 GMT

We had just finished up the Digital Theater where the short films were viewed, interface design projects were shown, and the photography sequences were displayed. Joe is a "film nut" and loves photos, so he really enjoyed the theater.

Then Joe explained what happens at the "World Festival" coming up the next day which includes the awards ceremony, some amazing sights at the Louvre, and the project booth showcase as well. Oh and you might want to turn down your speakers for when Joe and I harmonize the word "paaahtaaaay." Yeah, we really did that ;)

Imagine Cup 2008 Finals: Short Film

Max — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:04:00 GMT

In the short film category in the worldwide Imagine Cup 2008 finals, students were asked to create a film within 36 hours. This meant drafting the story board, planning the locations, filming, editing, and post production... all within a day and a half non-stop. Like many of the other "challenge" style competitions, these marathon sessions can be very tiring as some of the students here explained.

This challenge was one of my favorites because it brought out a different side of the Imagine Cup's theme of how technology can help create a sustainable environment. The visual representation really immerses you in the students' approach. Later on, I will post the finalist pieces (which were all amazing) so stay tuned.

Imagine Cup 2008 Finals: Project Hoshimi

Max — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:03:00 GMT

"August 15 2097
Imagine that you are the only one that can save a person, a city, a nation and now...THE WORLD. Imagine that you can use the right combination of strategy and programming skills to do this. The Project Hoshimi - Programming Battle invitational brings to life the world of Professor Hoshimi and his faithful crew of scientists and programming experts in a fantasy of life and death."

With an introduction like that, who could resist? I met up with the finalists who were more than 20 hours into coding as part of the 24 hour challenge. Some were ready for sleep, others for Vodka (I kid you not), so check out what they had to say about their progress!

Imagine Cup 2008 Finals: IT Challenge [Imagine Cup 2008 Finals: IT Challenge]

Max — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:58:00 GMT

Imagine having to run an infrastructure of servers, desktop PCs, and users all located in disparate locations... and everyone is counting on you. Now imagine you're constantly bombarded by viruses, server crashes, power outages, and hack attacks.

That's the IT Challenge at the Imagine Cup and these guys have to do it for 24 hours straight. I met up with them at one of their emergency moments to see how they handled a server crash...

If you're into networks, unified communications, virtualization, and systems management; then this is the place for you!

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Imagine Cup 2008 Finals: Interface Design Competition [Imagine Cup 2008 Finals: Interface Design Competition]

Max — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:45:00 GMT

In the Interface Design Challenge, the students have 24 hours to create compelling user interfaces that act as the front end to the generally non-seen software back end. This is very complementary to the projects you have seen on the Software Design side of the competition.

In addition, these teams must always keep accessibility as a top priority with their designs alongside usability, aesthetics, and functionality.

They were definitely tired when I found them, but also very happy with how things were going; check it out.

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Joe Wilson Imagine Cup 2008 Video Blog: Day 3 [Joe Wilson Imagine Cup 2008 Video Blog: Day 3]

Max — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:11:00 GMT

Joe introduces us to a competitor in the original Imagine Cup "100 years ago" who ended up to go on to run the Imagine Cup in India! He then went on to talk about what he's enjoyed so far and the presentations he liked.

Then, he talked about the cultural day that everyone experienced by checking out the sights in Paris including Notre Dame, the Louvre, and their lack of use of "sunscreen." ;)

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