Microsoft and the Subcarrier

[Clay JD Walker]

What exactly are they doing with it? I know they lease out subcarriers and place satelites/recievers at transmitter sites...what exactly are they putting on it?

[genlock]

There are some GPS units that give vioce traffic updates and such.
Maybe that is a microsoft deal.

[Cameron]

Microsoft's system is a third-generation system that started out after Atari tried to deliver video games across the subcarriers in the 1980s. 2400 baud modems were over $600 and an FM subcarrier could deliver 12kbps. Atari designed a cartridge that fit the 2600 (Sears model too) that received the signal and downloaded the requested game (about 4kb). Atari abandoned the system when you could put the games on tape like the Commodore 64 - but they kinda' went into hibernation before some of these ideas took-hold. Microsoft created a system called the Smart Personal Objects Technology or SPOT to be delivered on subcarriers to feed time-data, weather, stocks, scores, and other personalized information to watches. The data has evolved into Microsofts .NET architecture. MSN Direct is the new branded service and is providing data to Garmin GPS units as well as the Microsoft devices. For $60 a month you can get all of the MSN Direct channels plus one-way (like paging) messaging for the Microsoft devices. Garmin devices include local gas prices, movie times, and weather forecasts.

[cgarison]

MSN Direct is the new branded service and is providing data to Garmin GPS units as well as the Microsoft devices. For $60 a month you can get all of the MSN Direct channels plus one-way (like paging) messaging for the Microsoft devices. Garmin devices include local gas prices, movie times, and weather forecasts.

This is the basically the data service that Ford has used to make high end Sync system possible in the Lincoln MKS where it downloads current gasoline prices from stations you are approaching on a highway. Not sure if they use the reporting mechanism from Mobile MS Live which uses a gas buddy style system of watchers or if they have the ability to scan credit card transactions to see prices being paid for gasoline are in real time. The latter scares the bejesus out of me.

[fearpeddler]

you've seen the "table pc" for the home use they were showing at CES last year thats gonna have this service havent you?

[genlock]

I am confident that the business would have to pay microsoft to be included in the service.

[engineer]

Actually, the signals are used to corrupt existing operating systems. Namely, XP pro. You see, they want the world to switch to Vista for now. Once there (like my new desktop) everyone is extremely frustrated and wants to go back to XP. Enter Windows 7, or the Old XP Pro with some polish and bling. And the story ends with Gates and Co building several more Swiss banks.