Author: Richard

A writer/editor by trade, owner of Word Edit and The Daily Opinion. @richwhite08

Windows Reimagined: The Microsoft Ecosystem

Amidst all the talks of the newly launched Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, talk has naturally focused on the specific systems. In the case of Windows Phone, the features have been getting all the attention – what does it offer? Is it as good as the iPhone? What most people aren’t observing, though, is the ecosystem; and it’s the ecosystem that is Microsoft’s main strength.

 

Apple positioned itself as the media leader with the release of the iPod and iTunes, and the reputation has only strengthened with newer incarnations of the iPod and iTunes’s increasing amount of content. Microsoft was never a serious contender to this crown because its services just weren’t very good – the home media centre was clumsy and complicated at best; Windows Mobile was outrageously cumbersome; and it just didn’t have the music and video content to compete with Apple. Microsoft had a reputation as the Old Guard, too far gone to ever compete with the trendy Apple.

 

But Microsoft had something of worth: the Xbox. With humble origins as a simple games console, it quickly blossomed into a media hub where you could watch things like BBC iPlayer and 4OD. Today you can use any number of apps, browse the Web, connect with friends, rent or buy films from Xbox (previously Zune) or streaming services like Netflix and LoveFilm. Then came Kinect, which lets users swipe their hand and scroll through their content, or talk to the console and tell it what to do, including Bing searches. The Xbox was Microsoft’s foot in the modern world that the company had to utilise to stay relevant in today’s world of sparkly, fast gadgets that rely on connectivity and being social.

 

Microsoft has utilised it to a commendable degree. While previous incarnations of Windows theoretically had home entertainment capabilities, they weren’t great. Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, however, really show what the ecosystem is capable of. The Smartglass app allows users to play a film on their tablet, then let the Xbox pick it up to continue playing, and switch it back to the tablet again. Better yet, when an actor comes on screen, Smartglass on the phone or tablet will tell you who that person is. Tapping on the name will bring up a bio and filmography – it’s like going to their IMDB page, without going to IMDB. If you’re watching a film on LoveFilm and using Smartglass, it automatically sees the film you’re watching and gives you the overview, cast and reviews. You can also pause, rewind and forward the film through the app.

 

Seeing all the devices work together at Monday’s launch event was an impressive sight, and it highlights the futility in focusing solely on one device’s specs. Forget the devices themselves for now, push aside the nifty features like Kid’s Corner, live updates pushed to your home screen and Nokia’s stunning features in the Lumia 920. What Microsoft has aimed for, and executed marvellously, is a complete home entertainment system. Google’s Web services may be extensive, but they don’t provide anything of this calibre. Apple has something similar with Apple TV, but the communication between the devices isn’t the same. For instance, Apple TV lets you play your media on the TV wirelessly, but the iPhone will not then recognise who is on the screen and tell you all about them, nor does the phone become a remote control. Xbox Music is a Spotify-esque service that provides unlimited streaming, and offline playlists, for a mere £90 a year. Films can be rented or bought from the console, computer or phone and synced seamlessly between the devices through the user’s Microsoft account. Microsoft also made the smart decision of giving users control of their content – media downloaded from Xbox will work on the devices you want it to, not only on Microsoft devices.

 

While there’s no denying that uptake of Windows Phone remains slow, it’s now clear that Microsoft has created a wonderful ecosystem and the phones are only one segment of that. The Xbox dashboard looks almost identical to Windows 8 and Windows Phone, and that universal design is exciting to see. The ecosystem is visually immersive and extremely attractive – suddenly the grey list on iTunes looks dated. The tiles interface has also been utilised by other companies, including Google’s Play Store, Netflix and LoveFilm, which can only help boost recognition of Windows too. With Microsoft having changed what a PC can look like, there are millions of consumers who may suddenly see the appeal of a personal system like Windows Phone.

 

Whether Windows Phone 8 gains any more traction remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: Microsoft has turned a corner and is reinventing itself as a fresh, vibrant company with what may be the most compelling ecosystem out there – and that’s before we even consider Office, Skype and the business offerings.

 

 

 

Interview with Damaged Goods Author Alexandra Allred

We had the pleasure of doing both a review and interview with Alexandra. You can check out the review here, and read on for the interview.

It is quite a brave thing to open a novel with the appearance of a blood-soaked tampon. At any point did you worry that it would put readers off? Or did you feel that the right reader for this book would not be shaken by a bit of blood?

I still worry about it!! And, yes, I’ve had people tell me they were a bit shocked with that opening but it has a purpose.  There is a very specific reason for that opening. . . I mean, besides being disgusting.

Pollution and environmental issues are clearly very important to you and the book depicts some quite harrowing consequences of pollution. Do you think that Damaged Goods will be an eye-opener for many people and increase awareness?

This is my dream.  This is what I want more than anything.  When The Writer’s Coffee Shop accepted my manuscript, I sent them a note thanking them … not as an author but as a mother and concerned (scared) citizen.  It means so much to me to get this story out and make people realize what is happening to our own communities, our children!  It’s crazy.  I’ve lived all over the world and I would never have imagined that cranking out cancer causing chemicals, DNA changing agents would be allowable in this country.  It blows my mind.

The support of a strong group of women is very important for Joanna and Brianna in particular. Was this friendship an aim from the start, or did it develop as you started writing?

That is such a great question!  I knew that Joanna would find friends but I never imagined the kind of bond they would form.  These women love and adore each other.  I had so much fun with them and was actually sad when it was all over.

Rape and domestic abuse are among some of the issues that are covered. At any point did you worry that you were including too many difficult issues in the story and how did you fit them together so that they weren’t overwhelming?

Ohhhhh, baby!  Welcome to my town.  This is real life.  You know, I always tell people that when I read a book and there are only four or five characters and one theme, it doesn’t feel real to me.  Not real life.  Think about your own life.  You know so many different people with so many different issues going on in their lives.  Yes, it can be overwhelming.  LIFE can be overwhelming.  I have gay and straight friends, a family friend going through chemo, another friend who has an abusive husband (and I secretly plot when I can don my ninja suit and beat the crap out of him in a parking lot one day), teenager issues with one daughter and hormones kicking in for my son.  My horse is going through rehab and I have a starving kitten I’m trying to befriend and I’m only getting started. I think my life is pretty nutty until I go into town and one of my students (at the gym) tells me her mom was arrested last night.  What?!?  There is no other way to portray a small, kooky town but to expose all of its chaos and glory.

Each of the women in the friendship group has a very strong personality, but you didn’t write from the perspective of all of them. How did you choose which of the women to write through and why?

Ahh! Another great question.  Joanna was easy.  As the new person in town, she was used to highlight the chaos.  It was overwhelming for her.  To the others, it was just another day in Marcus but for Joanna, the beer-swilling emu, the health threat, the illegal immigrants and prejudice, the small town politics and the madness of Jeanie Archer were shocking.  Suzette’s character is very dear to me as she is a real person.  Much of what you read about Suzette is true and so when I began to write, she just popped out in the first person.  I knew of no other way to present her.  And Dixie is sort of the straight man – pardon the expression – to Jeanie.  These women balanced everyone and everything around them.

You’ve created a lot of complex and over-lapping conflicts in the book. Did you find it hard to write them without confusing the reader?

ALL PRAISE THE EDITING STAFF OF TWCS!! Yes!  I had to make notes to myself to keep track of people and even then I would get emails from the editors asking me what in the blue blazes I was doing.  I HAVE NO IDEA! ARGHHH! MARCUS IS A MADHOUSE! You can never have a doctor, a dentist or an editor that is too good.

Throughout the story I was keen to keep turning the page. What is your favourite technique for keeping the reader hooked?

Lots and lots of coffee.  No. Seriously, my characters just took over.  Because much is based on real life and real people, I was often just swept into their world.

Where do you find the inspiration for the wild characters you create, such as the one-legged big cat lover and the stripper-turned-Mormon?

I know them!!!

The ending of the story is left open. Will there be a sequel?

This is the best question ever.  Yes.  I would very much like there to be a sequel because, like in real life, this fight is far from over.  I would love for there to be a sequel in which my characters could live through a resolution.  But it is far more likely that my characters will be engaging in yet another battle.  And like the women I know in real life … they don’t give up easily.