Paolo Marcucci (@paolom) gets his free BUILD goodies

Around 10 minutes before the 7pm scheduled time to hand out the “BUILD 2012 goodies“, Microsoft staff began the process of handing out around 2,000 sets of the Microsoft Surface RT 32GB with Touch Cover, a Nokia Lumia 920 and a coupon for 100GB of SkyDrive storage.

Although not all 2,000 attendees are expected to collect their freebies tonight – the queue was so long in one of the two buildings that it went around a corner and almost went out a fire escape door, most attendees were rightfully anxious to collect their free devices to play with.

Using a RFID (or NFC?) chip in their attendee badge, people were also asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement for the Windows Phone 8 device as they’ll be receiving future beta developer builds of the mobile OS before public release.

It’s day 1 of Microsoft’s BUILD 2012 developer conference and to kick things off with a bang was the first of two keynotes held in the “big tent” seating around 2,000 attendees.

Steve Ballmer came out on stage and spoke for a large majority of the 2-hour presentation, recapping launches and market numbers as well as demonstrating a number of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 devices and features. This was followed by a number of technology and partner presentations.

Last but not least, attendees roared in excitement as Steve Ballmer and Richard Kerris from Nokia announced that every person would be receiving a free Microsoft Surface RT and Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8 device to take home.

If the above slideshow doesn’t work, you can view the Flickr set here.

It’s that time of the year again where your favorite Microsoft bloggers come together to cover the most exciting Microsoft conference of the year, BUILD 2012. To help cover the keynotes, we’re doing another group liveblog with Mary Jo Foley, Paul Thurrott, Kip Kniskern, Rafael Rivera and myself, Long Zheng.

Today is day 1 and kicking it off is the first keynote where we expect the focus to be on Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8.

Note: We are using an experimental liveblogging app. If the embed below does not work, try this link.

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It’s the eve of the Microsoft BUILD 2012 conference where nearly 2,000 registered developers (and designers) are meeting at the Redmond campus to learn the latest about Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 development.

The registration desks opened up this late afternoon where attendees could pick up their badges and show bags. The campus Commons area was also opened up for a buffet dinner and drinks.

Numerous “you are here” signs and maps were also plastered on the ground around campus to help guide attendees navigate the huge and sometimes confusing Microsoft campus.

If the above slideshow doesn’t work, you can view them on Flickr here.

From the Wolff Olins Windows brand video. I believe these are purely conceptual but fun nevertheless.

How about some funky speakers?

On the go? Headphones!

Thirsty? Water bottles!

Need to bring something? Backpacks!

Something to wear? Shirts!

Laptop stand too.

A great post by Brand New (a great blog too) this morning uncovers much more detail about the rebranding efforts Microsoft undertook for the recent launch of Windows 8 and Windows Phone, two products using the new window “Windows” logo unveiled earlier this year.

To build a brand around the new Windows logo, Microsoft contracted world-leading brand consultants Wolff Olins, who has done branding work for the likes of AOL, GE, USA Today, Belkin and the controversially infamous London 2012 Olympic Games.

For Windows, Wolff Olins focused on brand flexibility – something that can work with both Windows and Windows Phone, as well as all the regions that Microsoft markets to.

With Windows, Microsoft has successfully brought together engineering and marketing, fully integrating both product and brand. Not unlike the Windows product itself, we’ve built an identifiable, yet flexible, brand platform that can be used by all parts of the business. One that can easily be adopted and adapted worldwide. One that can be built upon, and get better over time. And one that lays a solid foundation for what’s next from Windows and from Microsoft.

The agency worked with a number of partners including Color And The Kids who did the packaging illustrations – which looks even cooler on their own (outside of the packaging), packaging structural design by IDEO, and brand imagery shot by lifestyle photographer Todd Selby.

To illustrate the scope of a monumental effort to build a “brand operating system”, even the brand photos and videos like the ones below took weeks to shoot.

We travelled for weeks at a time creating an enormous photo and video library that is continuously being updated, and that allows the brand to better relate and be relevant anywhere it’s operating. … in Los Angeles, Paris, Berlin, Sao Paulo, Beijing, Barcelona, Dubai, Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur, and Tokyo so far.

The portfolio page of Wolff Olins also provides a sneak peek at some of the possible minimalistic print and signage advertising material for Windows 8 which I’ve yet to see in person yet.

And how about some funky Windows 8 merchandise?