Microsoft today launched their Beta release of Soapbox on MSN Video. Soapbox is a user-uploaded video service like Youtube which allows people to upload and share personal videos. According to Microsoft Soapbox will be deeply integrated with its various online services including Windows Live Spaces and Windows Live Messenger. This will be a good news for all the Windows Live Spaces users and with their new music player, Zune released this week, its gonna be an exciting news for Zune too. Currently the beta of Soapbox is available on an invitation only basis in the U.S. If you want to check it out, request an invitation on the Soapbox homepage. Check out the official announcement by Microsoft too.
Monthly Archives: September 2006
Zune UI
Microsoft’s Zune unvieled
Microsoft, marking their next big milestone for its Connected Entertainment vision, unveiled details of its new digital media player Zune.
Designed around the principles of sharing, discovery and community, Zune will create new ways for consumers to connect and share entertainment experiences. The Zune experience centers around connection — connection to your library, connection to friends, connection to community and connection to other devices.#.
Microsoft says Zune starts with a 30GB digital media player with three choices, black, white or brown. Are they gonna release with more capacity too?. Anyways check out the features and additional information from the Zune’s fact Sheet.
Michael Schumacher retires from Race driving
Michael Schumacher will retire from race driving at the end of the 2006 World Championship. Thats the official news from the Maranello’s Motor Sport Press Office. Check the pdf version of the official release.
I guessed this will be the announcement after viewing some emotional moments just before the podium. For the first time or may be the first time I have seen, Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo jumped the barrier to congratulate his hero Schumacher after the lap of honor. But Schumacher went straight to his co-workers and the president has to wait to get hold of Schumi to give a hug. He then went straight to Jean Todt and his wife for a hug. Wat a moment it was.
Whatever the final result of this year’s championship, Michael leaves Formula 1 holding almost all the records. To date, he has taken seven Drivers’ world titles and has contributed to the same number of team wins in the Constructors’ Championship. He has taken part in 247 Formula 1 Grands Prix (178 of them at the wheel of a Ferrari,) won 90 (71,) been on pole 68 (58) times, setting 75 (52) fastest race laps. He has amassed a total of 1354 points, 1051 of them in a Maranello car. No one in the world of motor racing has done better.
Following his decision, the only record that will elude him is the one for the number of race starts. He will be able to reach the 250 mark, just six short of the record held by Riccardo Patrese.
Schumacher has been with Scuderia Ferrari for eleven seasons, a demonstration of loyalty without equal in Formula 1, to date securing five of his Drivers’ titles here and contributing to six of the team’s Constructors’ titles. No other driver has ever won as much with the Scuderia.
F1 will miss the legend.
Schumi single-handedly delivers for Ferrari at Monza
Michael schumacher wins the Italian Grandprix at Monza, the Temple of Speed. With Alonso retiring from the race, Schumacher is now just 2 points behind in Drivers Championship, while Ferrari move ahead of Renault in the Constructor’s championship. Ferrari’s future driver Kimi Raikkonen came home second after starting from Pole.
Schumacher almost lost his 2nd place in to the first corner but regained it immediately. Kubica moves to 4th but soon Massa passes him and Alonso in 7th tries to cut the chicane to pass Heidfeld for P6, but was lucky to escape with it. Till lap 16 the order at the top remained same as Raikkonen pits from the lead and the Schumachers stop on lap 17 has got him just ahead of Raikkonen. This was the defining moment and Schumi held on to the lead to win from there. But the main question is where is Alonso and how many points can Schumi take away from him.
On lap 20 Alonso and massa pits from 4th and 6th place with couple of drivers on single stop before them on the track. Nothing dramatic happened yet and it continued untill the second round of pitstop as usual. On lap 39 Raikkonen pits from P2 and joins infront of Kubica and Massa comfortably. A lap later Schumacher pits from the leap for a 7 second quick stop and rejoins comfortably ahead of Raikkonen in 1st place. On lap 40 Massa pits from 5th place and Alonso gets clean air to have a look at Kubica. On lap 42 Kubica and Alonso pits together and they emerge side by side down the pit lane with Alonso holding the lead. Most importantly they both came out infront of Massa which means Alonso has brilliantly managed to get himself into a podium position after his P10 grid slot.
At this point it looked like Schumi gonna cut the lead by just 4 points. But the most defining moment of the race and Word Championship happened on lap 45 when Alonso is out of the race with a mechanical failure. This made Massa who is behind him ran over the chicane amid the smoke from Alonso’s car. If the order stays at it is, Michael Schumacher will close to within 2 points of Alonso in the fight for the Driver’s Championship. Massa pits for tyres as a result and dropped back to 9th place and out of points.
It means Michael schumacher is alone to deliver for ferrari and he starts his final lap with Tifosi erupting all over in celebration already. And the man at the center of attraction all weekend crosses the line to take his 90th Grandprix win. With World Champion and Championship leader Alonso’s car in air held to the crane, Schumacher completes the lap of Honor.
Check the Ferrari’s official website frontpage from before the race, which shows how confident they are about today and the master of speed, Schumacher delivers it perfectly at the temple of Speed, Monza.
Note: The moment Schumacher won the race Ferrari’s official website went down, may be due to heavy traffic with people checking for Ferrari’s and Schumacher’s future decisions.
Present and future of Ferrari on front row
Kimi Raikkonen, who is going to be announced as Ferrari driver for the next season claimed the Pole Position from Michael Schumacher by just two-thousandths of a second at Monza. The crucial thing is though Alonso’s position, who qualified on 5th position. With two men between Schumi and Alonso and one of them being Massa, it’s gonna be an interesting race for Ferrari and Schumi. And with everyone waiting for Schumi’s future decision and Ferrari’s driver line up for 2007 and beyond, Ferrari has a big day ahead infront of Tifosi. It will be a shock if Schumi retires. Lets wait and see.
Vox is a new personal blogging service from sixapart. Its free but you need to be invited to use the service. I got 5 invites and if any one wants to try it out, please leave a comment and I will send you an email.
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Today is my birthday, yes I am getting old. The day started with a call from my parents and then messages, emails and calls from my friends. I spent most of the day relaxing, talking to my friends, checking greetings and watching movies. I am gonna finish the day having dinner with my friends.