Microsoft Hardware Blog

A laptop, like any piece of technology, is an investment. And to make sure your investment lasts as long as possible, it’s a good idea to protect it. One way to do that is to keep it cool during operation.

Just as a runner sweats to cool down and avoid injury, a computer uses a fan to maintain a healthy operating temperature for all its parts. However, this internal fan can only do so much, and if the computer continues to run hot, it slows down and runs the risk of sustaining permanent damage.

This is where devices such as our Notebook Cooling Base offer a solution. By slightly raising the machine and positioning a fan in the middle of the device, the Cooling Base allows your laptop’s components to run cooler, therefore increasing the machine’s lifespan and overall speed.  It’s a smart, inexpensive way to extend the life of your laptop and it makes a great gift for college students and tech enthusiasts alike.

The Microsoft Notebook Cooling Base comes in black or white and costs $29.95. Visit our product page for more information.

- Hardware Team

Ready for more words of wisdom from Art of Touch featured artist Marius Watz? Check it out.

How was your experience collaborating with fellow Art of Touch artists Dr. Woohoo and Erik Natzke?
Erik, Drew and I are all part of a fairly small international community of artists and designers working with code. I’ve followed their work for quite some time, and there are obviously certain similarities. Working with code there are some standard ways to achieve certain effects, but what gives the work a signature style is how the artist modifies those well-known algorithms and the parameters that control them. The results are as varied as they are for artists working with more traditional tools—coding is just as subjective as drawing.

What’s the future of art and technology?
The last decade has seen an amazing advance in art and technology, with Open Source artist tools like Processing and Arduino leading the way. Creative coding has invaded both art and design schools, with code becoming a tool for new types of aesthetic expression. Every year brings a new focus—for a while it was mashups, then locative media, generative art and so on. Each of these practices has been made possible by emerging technologies, but is also partly responsible for said technologies becoming popularly known. A recent example is the Kinect, which is rapidly becoming the de facto standard for live 3D scanning of spaces as well as movement. Again we see Open Source tools leading the way, with artists sharing both their experience and code. Combined with exciting new tools such as laser cutters and 3D printers, it certainly is a brave new world.

Which was your favorite Touch mouse product?
I use the Microsoft Explorer Touch a lot, but the Arc Touch Mouse is also surprisingly pleasant to use. Since I have two PCs on my desk I use both all the time.

Thank you Marius!

-Hardware Team

This week we got to pick the brilliant brains of Art of Touch featured artist Marius Watz. Learn more about his background and get his perspective on art and technology.

We hear you’ve been coding since you were 11. How did that evolve into visual art?
It’s been a long and strange road. I had no idea that I had any visual talent until I was 20, when I realized I could use code to make software that would create graphic forms. But at the time (ca. 1993) there were no schools teaching both code and aesthetics, so I ended up teaching myself about art and graphic design, until I was convinced that this was my calling. But it took many years before I decided to take the final step and be a full time artist.

What was your inspiration for Here Be Fire Dragons?
The first inspiration is fairly obvious. My brush produces swirling, rolling forms that somewhat resemble the tongues of flame that a fire-breathing dragon might produce. They also recall the serpentine forms of traditional Chinese dragons. The second inspiration is a little more obscure, since it’s a reference to an old cartographic tradition. Old sailors maps had blank areas, which would often prompt the mapmakers to get creative and fill those spots with mythical monsters. Such illustrations might bear the caption “Hic Sunt Dracones” — Here Be Dragons.

Stay tuned for Part Two, where we discuss the future.

Is it art, or is it code? It’s both. Generative art creates artwork algorithmically, usually through computer software. For example, rather than drawing one line at a time, a generative artist can write code that automatically draws several strokes to create an organic effect. With generative art, no two pieces are ever the same. Marius Watz is a leader in the generative art movement.

Watz started coding at age 11, and since then he’s gone way beyond programming—in fact, his artwork has been shown in the Victoria and Albert Museum. He is a lecturer in Interaction Design at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design. In 2005, he founded Generator.x, a curatorial platform set up to produce a series of events related to generative art and computational design.

Watz believes that accidents can be beautiful, and his upcoming brush for The Art of Touch, named “Here Be Fire Dragons”, expresses his unique vision through touch. Enjoy this sneak peek of Watz’s contribution, and try his brush for yourself when it launches on Monday, December 19.

In the meantime, you can create a few pieces using the standard brushes and the two previously released effects by Dr. Woohoo and Erik Natzke, then share your masterpiece for a chance to win this week’s prize package.

Go create art. Share it with friends. Win prizes!

Click on thumbnails to enlarge.

- Hardware Team

With tablet purchases expected to increase 81 percent from now until 2015, laptops and tablets have become essential technology tools both at work and home, and often our fingers and wrists suffer especially when confined to an on-screen keyboard.

Today, Microsoft Hardware offers a more comfortable keyboard experience with the new Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 — the perfect balance of portability and comfort for both tablet and laptop users. Featuring an ergonomist-approved Comfort Curve design, the Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 promotes a more natural wrist posture whether you’re typing from your office cube, the couch or your favorite café. The keyboard’s comfort does not compromise its portability because its slim design makes it lightweight and convenient to carry — just throw it in your bag and you’re off!

Ditch the cords, docks and USB Nano transceivers and connect via Bluetooth to Windows-based tablets, iPads and Android devices with ease. Whether you’re searching for the latest music, taking notes in a meeting or just catching up on email, make sure you’re getting things done comfortably. The Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 is available now in the U.S. for $49.95.

- Hardware Team

At The Art of Touch you don’t just get to create and share cool original artwork, you can print it on all kinds of stuff ranging from t-shirts to coffee mugs to shoes and yes, even US postage stamps (Aunt Myrtle will be doubly shocked when she gets a letter from you).

The print magic happens via a partnership between The Art of Touch and Zazzle.com, one of the largest producers of custom graphic applications in the world. It’s literally as easy as 1-2-3 and it happens right from the Art of Touch website:

1.  Make something new by clicking “Create your Art.”

2.  Once you’ve finished your piece, click “Save your art.” (If you haven’t already done so, you will need to create a profile at The Art of Touch or you can log in using your Facebook account.)

3.  Finally, click the “Print” button below your art and you’ll be taken to the Zazzle store, where you can put your art on selected items. Easy as that.

Visit The Art of Touch now and start making your own art >

Even if you’ve already created art over at The Art of Touch, there’s reason to go back and do it again. We just added  a new brush by artist Erik Natzke  to the site, lending more color and style to an already rich array of brushes.

Natzke has dedicated his life to making art that uses technology as an extension of human creativity. Describing his brush, Natzke says, “It’s is a continuation of a theme that I have been pursuing in my own digital artwork. Striving to create work that enlists the computational strength of the computer and then blends it with gestural input through the mouse … enabling me to create snapshots of emotions through abstract expression.”

We think you’ll enjoy the newest addition to the Art of Touch palate. Go check it out and show us what you can make!

Visit the Art of Touch now >

Greetings from Las Vegas, Nevada, where a few of us from the Microsoft Hardware team are attending the 2011 National Ergonomics Conference! This four-day event (Nov. 29-Dec. 2) draws ergonomics experts from all over to share their latest research and to show off innovative new products.

Microsoft has a booth here (#417) to showcase our ergonomic mice and keyboards (as well as other products like headsets and webcams) and to demonstrate our general thought leadership in ergonomics. If you can’t make it in person but still want to learn more about ergonomics, here’s a quick primer:

What is ergonomics?
Ergonomics is the scientific study of how people work. A great deal of ergonomic research is focused on matching human capabilities to task requirements, with the benefit of reducing the chance of injury and strains in the workplace.

Why is ergonomics important to my company?
How your employees sit, type, swipe, point, and click—and the products they use to do these things—can affect daily performance and long-term health. Odds are you and your employees spend quite a bit of time at a computer, whether at work or at home. And while you may not think of working on a computer as something that is physically demanding, the truth is, an improperly designed workspace can cause neck, shoulder and back pain, eye strain, headaches, poor circulation in the arms and legs, fatigue, and in many cases even debilitating Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs).

Does Microsoft build ergonomically designed hardware?
Yes. Designing products that integrate with how people work is a major goal of the Microsoft Hardware team. We study how people move and work at their computers for extended periods of time, and then build products that address musculoskeletal risk factors.

What does Microsoft mean when they says that ergonomic products can help improve my company’s bottom line?
The costs associated with workplace injuries can be high. Altogether, RSIs represent 62 percent of all North American workers’ compensation claims. They also result in nearly $15 to $20 billion in lost work time and medical claims each year, as reported by the US OSHA. Of the many risk factors associated with RSIs, one of the easiest to address is improper workstation configuration, including the use of an appropriate pointing device and keyboard. Properly designed ergonomic input devices have been shown to reduce computer-related pain and demonstrate a significant effect on the incidence of RSIs for primary prevention.

What are the issues with non-ergonomic hardware?
Keyboards and mice that are not ergonomically designed do not offer the clinically proven ergonomic benefits and can put undue stress on users’ arms, wrists, and hands. This leads to health issues and higher total cost of ownership from decreased productivity and even loss of work time.

How do I find out more about the costs of potential workplace injuries and how ergonomic devices can help?
Visit www.Healthy-Computing.com to find resources that address the costs associated with RSIs, how to avoid them, and some easy steps for businesses to follow.

Where can I find out more information about how to properly set up a workstation, how to select a mouse, and how to select a keyboard?
Again, visit www.Healthy-Computing.com and look for the Healthy Computing Guide.

So if you’re attending the 2011 National Ergonomics Conference, stop by Booth #417 and say hi!

- Hardware Team

Thinking about buying some new hardware for the people in your life (or maybe getting something for yourself from Santa)? Then the busiest shopping weekend of the year just got way better.

From “Black Friday” (Nov. 25) to “Cyber Monday” (Nov. 28), many favorite Microsoft Hardware products are being discounted. And in some cases, majorly so. For example, save 62% at Staples on the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 5000 Keyboard/Mouse combo (reg. $79.99, on sale for $29.99). Or save 25% at OfficeMax on the Microsoft LifeCam HD-5000 (reg. $49.95, on sale for $24.99). And you can get $20 off Microsoft Explorer Touch Mouse at Best Buy (reg. $49.99, on sale for $29.99).

Even the award-winning Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse will be on sale (reg. $59.95, on sale $39.95). Arc Touch Mouse is an on-the-go mouse that folds up to fit perfectly in any stocking—or in your pocket.

Many different mice, keyboards, and webcams will be on sale, but only for a limited time. To start shopping, simply go to any of these retailers: Microsoft Store, Best Buy, Staples, Amazon, OfficeMax, and CompUSA.

Make Santa proud.

- Hardware Team