There was a pretty cool ‘waiting’ animation for the Microsoft logo set against a moving aurora in the Microsoft booth at CES 2007. It was really subtle, but still cool. Without the Microsoft logo, that animation could make a nice DreamScene alternative to the busier aurora DreamScene.

Update: Might be coming as a DreamScene after all. 😀

Check out my Flickr photo gallery from the entire watershow.
Check out Steve Sinchak’s video capture from the entire watershow.
Start solving puzzles. You will be required to find clues from the watershow.

Update: If you are feeling a little wimpy like me (but still want to go to space), check out the answers from the Vanishing Point Wiki website. All puzzles from week 1 have been solved.

In under than less an hour, the first set of ‘visual clues’ for the Vanishing Point prize will be displayed at the Bellagio Fountains, so I took another trip to the location as marked by Loki’s video. What I found was, nothing. The tent is missing.

Where’s the tent?

All the barriers have been removed.

This is the space the tent was covering.

Could this have been the manhole for controlling the fountains?

My best guess is that they were reprogramming the lights and fountain show for the 6:30pm. We’ll have to see.

The smoke has finally cleared from Vanishing Point, 7 hours before the Bellagio Fountain show in Las Vegas. Some mysteries unraveled, but more mysteries to solve. This is what we know, with special thanks to the Neowin guys.

• Today is not the end of Vanishing Point.
• Prizes include:
• A space trip (weightless for 3 to 4 minutes).
• 15 sets of computers, devices and games.
• 75 individual devices.
• 150 software packs.
• 250 game packs.
• To win, you will need to solve weekly puzzles.
• This is a global challenge, puzzles will be located around the world.
• This is a random sweepstake.

Let it begin tonight.

Note: Live for Windows is a CES codename which may or may not be the final marketing name for the XBOX Live service on Windows. Rumors the web-services team won the name from a late-night game of poker with the games team.

Inside the Microsoft Partners Pavilion, Edward Un who is the Lead Program Manager overlooking the development of Live for Windows at the Beijing Advanced Technology Center for Microsoft Research, explained to the group of community leads including myself this morning more about the technology. I noted as much as I could, and here is as much as I can read from my own handwriting.

• Possible Aiming for Spring 2007 launch. Stage-by-stage release – first release may not include all the features mentioned below.
• A pre-beta build of Halo 2 on Windows Vista was demoed. Rumored to have cross-platform play which I did not see.
• Live for Windows framework are initially built into individual games. May eventually be built into the OS.
• Does not significantly affect the size of games.
• Features/services from Live ported includes:
• Guide
• Gamer card/profile
• Community
• Friends
• Live Arcade
• Works with XBOX controller on the PC.
• Voice chat and webcam will be supported in the future.
• Working towards out-of-game experiences (non-gaming services).

Brandon LeBlanc also briefly talks about this technology. Expect more news around March or April 2007.

Absolutely no one gave any loving to Microsoft Reclusa at CES today, not even Bill Gates who seemed to have covered everything from A to Z. Reclusa is the name of a Microsoft-branded gaming keyboard manufactured by Razer which was I uncovered the trademark from over 4 months ago.

Here is a photo of Reclusa from the Windows Vista Partners booklet.

Reclusa merges best-of-breed features from two hardware leaders – Microsoft and Razer. The keyboard integrates Razer Hyperesponsive&#153 Gaming Key Action for virtually no latency, on-the-fly Profile Management for creating and storing macros, blue LED backlighting for use in low-light conditions, and a removable wrist rest for added comfort.

The press fact sheet highlights a few extra details about Reclusa. Here’s a summary.

• Uses 2 (two) USB ports to reduce latency.
• Supports Windows XP and Vista (and Windows 2000).
• 4 (four) programmable bumper buttons on side of the keyboard.
• 6 (six) programmable gaming Hot Keys.
• 2 (two) 360 degrees jog-dials for volume, movement and more.
• Spring 2007. Estimated US$69.95

There’s no further information on this on Microsoft Hardware or Razer’s websites. Did everyone forget about this?