Social Media Monitering Project

I have been monitoring Microsoft, with a focus on the Xbox 360. Even though I have been focusing on the 360 itself, Microsoft did develop something rather interesting. On February 28th of this year Microsoft came out with it. It is called the Kinnect smart-cart.The same Kinect sensor that allows you to play hands-free games on the Xbox may one day help you grocery shop, according to a Geekwire Video  that's being shared widely. Whole Foods and Microsoft have created a motorized grocery cart prototype that follows you around the store without being pushed; tells you when you've grabbed the wrong item (say, regular Coke instead of your preferred Diet Coke) and charges your credit card automatically when it hears you say "checkout" as you leave the store. The 'Smarter Cart' can tell you where items in the store are located, and checks goods off your shopping list. If it can also detect and correct wobbly wheels, we're sold.http://now.msn.com/money/0228-kinect-carts.aspx

Xbox has certainly been busy the past few weeks. There has been some big games released such as UFC Undisputed , and Mass Effect 3.  On February 23rd, on Twitter, Xbox tweeted asking all its fans how they like UFC Undisputed . It was mostly positive. The graphics, and overall game play were the main topic fans were raving about. Just another example of Xbox reaching out to its customers, asking for feedback to see what the overall level of happiness was with the game. On February 22nd, Xbox released the Mass Effect 3 " Take Back the Earth" trailer of Facebook. For all the fans of the game it was a big deal. Here take a look

when i was on IceRocket I stumbled upon, an interesting link. On March 14, Microsoft uploaded this article, and video. Andy Wilson, a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research, has been busy working with colleagues on a project dubbed Beamatron.  It's an augmented reality concept that uses KinectFusion, another Microsoft project, to create a 3D model of a space and build projected graphics onto it. It also gets Kinect to see the room and its many obstacles. Usually the Kinnect will only focus on you, and only you, but this is a whole new tthing that could revolutionize the Kinnect. See the video below.

Kinnect is applying some of this new technology in its new Xbox games. For example, the new  Star Wars game for the Kinect seems to be the most high tech., and most interactive Kinnect game yet. You can become a Jedi knight, actually fighting your enemies. You can re-enact scenes from the movies, where it puts you yes you into the scene replacing an actual character, and you interact with them. you can say your lines, or just improve. They even have a fun filled dance mode for the whole family.On March 12, Xbox posted this video on Facebook  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9VEyx4IeDM

When on Google, I searched Microsoft's most recent quaterly earnings , and found an astounding number.  On January 19, 2012 Microsoft announced that in the secoind quarter alone Microsoft made $20.89 billion.Operating income, net income, diluted earnings per share for the quarter were$7.99 billion, $6.62 billion, and $0.78 per share, compared to $8.17 billion, $6.63 billion, and $0.77 per share respectively in the prior year period.  These numbers were released even before these new games came out, so expect this quarters numbers to be just as high or higher.

If you have been waiting patiently for Wnidows Phone 7.5 Refresh  the “Tango” update, it appears your wait is coming to an end. According to Tech Crunch,it is supposed to be released in China on March 21ist of this year.Microsoft has been sending out Chinese-language press invitations for the Beijing debut of Tango on March 21st.

No official word on when it will release to the rest of the world, but presumably very soon thereafter. In some ways the Tango update is very much "the Nokia update"; Nokia’s bread and butter has long been lower-cost phones in developing markets, and by enabling Windows Phone to run on less powerful hardware they are really playing to Nokia’s market strength.