So I was watching this Microsoft video…

Update: Microsoft has since replaced the video with one that has been re-dubbed to say the correct name. However since the video is still synchronized to the original recording, the lips are out of sync.

Made with Dan Awesome's Rage Maker.

It should come as no surprise to anybody that there are lots of talented software engineers at Microsoft. Even amidst all the geekery, many of them also have other talents. Earlier this year, Microsoft employees pooled their best photographs in a special photobook for a charitable cause.

The hardbound 300-page photobook titled “inspired” – now its third publication for three years running, is just a one example of employees taking initiative as part of a set of Microsoft corporate responsibility programs to promotes employee volunteerism and private donations.

Each October, the “Employee Giving Program” encourages employees to organize donation fundraisers through fun activities and projects. Throughout last year, they raised $96 million in donations.

Charlie Owen, program manager on the Expression Blend team, took notice of the photobook last year at the company store and decided to put his name forward to make it even better this year. He wanted “to partner with a group of folks to accomplish a good greater than I could do on my own.” He along with 11 other employees were responsible for the book’s planning, organization, design and printing.

Seeking contributions from the 2500-member strong Microsoft photography club email list, the organizers asked 25 judges to sort through over 2000 submissions from 706 employees from various product groups. They ranged from amateur photographers to serious professionals.

A two round selection process narrowed down the final set to just 300 photographs of the highest standards. Even Charlie’s own photo didn’t make the cut, although it is featured alongside all the photos submitted in a double-page thank you page.

Make no mistake, these aren’t just your average cat pictures (that’s a separate charity project). A quick flick through the book reveals page-after-page of gorgeous landscapes, interesting macros, inspiring portraits and even National Geographic-standard nature photos. Each is also accompanied by a story provided by the author and some handy EXIF data.

With 2,000 copies printed, all sales generated by the book will be matched by the Microsoft “Matching Gifts Program” dollar-for-dollar to be donated to the United Way organization.

Unfortunately due to the nature of the matching policy, only US Microsoft employees are able to purchase the book from the company store. Since I know many in the general public will no doubt be interested, I’ve asked them to investigate the opportunity to expand the book’s availability in the future. Of course Microsoft employees can contact [email protected] to learn more.

Update: Apparently the public can order the book, through the online store.

• Visit https://shop.ecompanystore.com/mseppstore/Login.aspx
• Create a new account by clicking the ‘All Other Shoppers, Signup Here’ hyperlink.
• Once logged in, search on the word ‘inspire’ to find the book.

Although there’s no substitute for the smell of fresh ink on paper, here’s some more photos of the photobook (photo inception).

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When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. With a few exceptions.

When I first read about WOWee’s One Slim portable speakers with patented “Gel Audio” technology which claims to produce bass when placed on flat solid surfaces, an eyebrow was raised. Now having actually played with it, I wonder why don’t phones have this.

This tiny little rechargeable device might not look like it has what it takes, but then again you don’t see the interesting gel surface at the bottom unit you flip it over. All I can tell you is you can actually feel a little bit of the bass when placed on a table or against the wall from it. As a demo, here’s one of the better YouTube demos I found.

Obviously I’d be lying if I said this device sounds as good as a home cinema or even a good car audio system, but for its portability it has its uses. As other reviews have also noted the speaker itself has issues with high volume mid-tones, there’s no doubt still room for improvement for future models. Otherwise it’s a great demo for the gel technology.

The company which licenses the Gel Audio transducer technology claims to target mobile phones as a potential application however it doesn’t appear anyone has signed up. I can only hope a Windows Phone manufacturer could give it a try. Samsung, HTC, Nokia, anyone?

In an age where most movie/TV scenes involving computer screen interactions are digitally manipulated beyond recognition of their real product counterparts, it’s delightful to see the latest Microsoft “Family” campaign not just advertises, but also informs.

Behind each of the ads shown so far (“Epic Share“, “Dog.PPT“, “Their Wedding“) is also a behind-the-scenes YouTube clip that acts as a tutorial to replicate the scenario step-by-step. First it shows what the software can do, then it teaches people on how to do it. Neat.

Upon seeing the latest “Keep Shopping” commercial, Rafael Rivera and I decided to put this to the test. Following the steps illustrated, we were able to replicate the same shopping list experience using OneNote Mobile and the desktop app, continents apart. Not only was the scenario reproducible but it’s also practical to a lot of people, including enthusiasts like ourselves.

In light of this, maybe Microsoft would consider adding a “Do try this at home” message at the start of the ads because people should.

The Microsoft Hardware blog yesterday featured the winners of the UIST 2011 Student Innovation Contest where university students were challenged to come up with interesting uses for the Microsoft Touch Mouse with the public sensor SDK. Between the 30 groups that participated, the projects ranged from the surprisingly practical to bizarrely intriguing.

As a highlight of some of the projects that I found interesting, TUI.TAR was the first prize winner in the creative category. This application turned the Touch Mouse into a virtual guitar with plucking and strumming capabilities. Even though the music it generates leaves a lot to the imagination, this was a very creative use of a device that otherwise would not have been used horizontally.

One of the most practical projects was “Window Manipulation“. As the straight forward name implies, it enables more advanced window manipulation through the Touch Mouse with gestures than what Microsoft ships out of the box. For example it allows users to move windows with simply three fingers on the sensor.

The most intriguing project has to be Moussage. This allows users to physically message another person on an electronically-controlled bed that translates the touch sensor input into motorized vibrations. Although the project sounds reasonably practical, the idea of being able “message oneself or a distant friend” as the authors describe it sounds a little bit awkward.

Other notable entries worth mentioning include the FlipMouse which simulated a tilt sensor by using the mouse upside down, and Grip to Identify which is a login replacement by sensing how users grip a mouse.

The six prized students teams took away a combined $6000 worth of prize money contributed by the Microsoft Applied Sciences Group. Video embedded of my favorite projects embedded after the break.

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Knowing how difficult working with WPF can be, it’s easy to appreciate a good app when you see one. “Flik” is a new Windows-exclusive application that aims to make local network chatting and file sharing as simple as yet ironically, the web.

You’ll be hard pressed to find an app easier to set up and use. There’s basically no configuration. Install it on at least two computers in the same Windows network and voila, the computers magically shows up for instant interaction. It’s like the modern version of NET SEND with the ability to transfer files, which are compressed before being directly transferred, a nice touch.

I know from my own development experience the simplest user experience often takes the most effort. The fact this app “just works” is a notable accomplishment in itself. Although I personally don’t have a need for this, the looks alone made it worth checking out. The app is $9.95 after a 10-day trial.