Freakin' Holograms - What I am reading 1/22/2015

Ars Technica - Hands-on: Microsoft’s HoloLens is flat-out magical - 

It looked for every bit like the holographic projection we saw depicted in Star Wars and Total Recall. Except that's shortchanging Microsoft's work, because these virtual objects were in fact far more convincing than the washed out, translucent message R2D2 projected, and much better than Sharon Stone's virtual tennis coach. The images were bright, saturated, and reasonably opaque, giving the virtual objects a real feeling of solidity.

Here's the problem - It's Microsoft, the same company that was first with tablets and smart phones (OK I know that there were other companies that were making both but I am talking about the first out of the Google / Apple / Microsoft triad) that got blown away later because they entered the market too early.  I am curious to see who the folks at Twit.tv react given that they constantly are saying Microsoft doesn't innovate.

Also +Jeri Ryan - Holodecks,.. just saying.



Endgadget - When did Apple become the boring one? -

But let's briefly summarize what Microsoft, energized by the appointment of Satya Nadella as CEO almost a year ago, just showed us. An operating system that runs universal apps across PC, tablet, phone and Xbox One. Streaming games from your home console to any Windows PC or tablet. A voice assistant for your PC that seems like a prequel to Scarlett Johansson's AI in Her. HoloLens. I mean, HoloLens! Microsoft is promising to make the distant dream of functional AR a reality very soon. It even held people's attention while showing off a new enterprise PC.

I asked above what the reaction would be from Twit.tv, I should have said, "and other like thinkers", because I just saw it in the comments on this article - "These are half-baked technologies that will never go to market.  Apple is the true innovator"

Pando Daily - Microsoft begs consumers for another chance with free Windows 10 upgrade -

It’s too bad Microsoft is hedging its bets by offering it to consumers for free. Even if the company truly believes an extended trial is the best way for its users to become acquainted with Windows 10, and has nothing to do with Windows 8’s botched launch, the decision reeks of desperation. That’s more worrisome than anything else it could’ve done with this update.

I believe that Nathaniel Mott, a writer who covers start-ups and technology from New York, is wrong in his description of the free upgrade.  It is my understanding that if you upgrade during the first release year the upgrade is free.  After that you have to purchase an upgrade.  Either way it's interesting that Mott sees it as a sign of desperation.  I also find it interesting that no one did a fact check and clarification.

Slashdot - Moot Retires from 4chan -

and seeing how uptight some of the mods are the freewheeling /b/ days are probably over.

VentureBeat - Disposable employees may be tech industry’s greatest achievement -

These companies are making a choice. They’re deciding that it’s faster and cheaper to chuck people overboard and find new ones than it is to retrain them. The economics of cutting rather than training may seem simple, but it’s a more complex calculation than most people believe.

Firing people is not free. Back in 2010, I wrote a story about how Hewlett-Packard had announced 75,505 layoffs since 2002. As part of those cuts, the company had to pay $5 billion in severance pay. Since then, HP’s layoff count has climbed over 120,000 since 2002. It’s an amazing number for a company that remains profitable.

And how’s all that cutting working out? I don’t think anyone would argue HP is anything but still adrift.But severance is not the only cost. There are intangibles, like morale. And there are other fiscal costs, like the price of recruiting and orienting new employees. There is a cost in time and money when you have to train new employees in your internal procedures and culture, get their computer hooked up, help them find the toilets, etc.

Again, I blame the MBA mentality that only allows a company to look 3 months down the road. Well that and the fact that most people think hidden costs are not real costs.