New App (first from Microsoft!): Seadragon

[str1f3]

Just came up on the app store.
I'm surprised at how good an app
this is and could be. Viewable gigabyte photos
down to the intricate details.
I'd post the link but I'm doing this on the iPod touch.
By the way this is free.

[gilkisson]

Interesting app... It's died a few times on me, crashed on loading big pictures. Still interesting. I'll probably delete it soon.

By Microsoft. Even more interesting.

[Watabou]

Link: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/M...299655981&mt=8

Was not expecting an app from Microsoft.

[neiltc13]

I don't see why Microsoft releasing this application makes it any more noteworthy.

[Much Ado]

Originally Posted by neiltc13

I don't see why Microsoft releasing this application makes it any more noteworthy.

Really?

You don't think this is a tacit admission that the iPhone platform has huge potential and is massively popular?

[kas23]

Originally Posted by Much Ado

Really?

You don't think this is a tacit admission that the iPhone platform has huge potential and is massively popular?

I agree with you. This is a very good app. Functionally, it doesn't do much, but the graphics it has in it are astonishing (hmm, the irony is not lost on me). This app actually does a great job showcasing the power and ease of use of multi-touch gestures as well as the iPhone's graphical capabilities. So yes, this is very noteworthy.

I'm glad to see Microsoft get in the ring and welcome them. With their resources, I'm sure they could come up with some killer apps. What remains to be seen is will they? And will Apple allow them in the store?

As a side note, when the Zunephone comes out, I think hell would freeze over before Apple makes a mobile app for them (except for iTune$ for obvious reasons).

[gilkisson]

Originally Posted by neiltc13

I don't see why Microsoft releasing this application makes it any more noteworthy.

"If you can't beat them, join them", to coin a phrase.

[str1f3]

Interestingly enough, microsoft is saying that this will not be
the only app they're bringing to the iPhone. There is talk
about bringing their tellme service next year and making their web version
of office available to mobile safari.

[JonHimself]

Originally Posted by neiltc13

I don't see why Microsoft releasing this application makes it any more noteworthy.

Just like it wasn't noteworthy when iTunes was released for PCs (or the iPod was made compatible with more than Macs) or when Apple released Safari for PC.
Maybe it isn't a big deal, but I'm sure it's a little bit more noteworthy than Griffin releasing an app.

[Schtumple]

Originally Posted by neiltc13

I don't see why Microsoft releasing this application makes it any more noteworthy.

I would like to see one of those "Life without walls" adverts with an iPhone on there...

I think it's a sign that Microsoft is seeing the iPhone platform as a way to make money/advertise themselves as a cool, hip company, rather than an investment into a rival...

[thejadedmonkey]

Microsoft always was a software company, where as Apple, well, wasn't.

[talkingfuture]

This is possibly the start of something big from MS. I wonder if they have anything else in the wings.

[kas23]

Originally Posted by talkingfuture

This is possibly the start of something big from MS. I wonder if they have anything else in the wings.

It looks like they do. Go to:

http://livelabs.com

[MacBytes]

Category: Microsoft
Link: Microsoft releases its first iPhone app
Description:: Engineers in the company's Live Labs have released the company's first application for Apple's popular smartphone--even before making it available on Microsoft's own mobile platform. Seadragon Mobile, which was added to Apple's App Store on Saturday, is a free image-browsing app that allows users to quickly "deep zoom" images while online and is intended to demonstrate what is possible with a mobile platform.

Posted on MacBytes.com
Approved by Mudbug

[Trip.Tucker]

Awww how cute.

[Kilamite]

"Deep zoom"?

Just as well the iPhone doesn't have content filtering

[Winni]

An RDC client for their Terminal Servers would have been more useful.

[CommanderData]

Originally Posted by Winni

An RDC client for their Terminal Servers would have been more useful.

There's already two remote desktop clients out there- WinAdmin and just recently Jaadu remote desktop... Unless they'd like to put one out for free I don't think that Microsoft can do much better than these guys have.

[ltldrummerboy]

It's actually a good app. This one stays on my iPod.

[BornAgainMac]

I noticed that Cnet [linked article above] always has flame wars with Mac / PC users over anything about Microsoft or Apple. The war will never end.

[Saladinos]

This isn't all that surprising. Different areas of Microsoft have different objectives. The Office division, for example, wants to sell as many copies of Office as they can. The Windows division wants to sell as many copies of Windows as they can. That means that the Office team are much more receptive to Macs, as it doesn't compete with their goal of selling Office.

The Live division focuses on web services. They're supposed to be platform-neutral by design. That's why Live.com and Live Mail work on Safari and MobileSafari. If expanding their portfolio means having to write code for the iPhone, they'll do it. Being picky about who they serve will just stop them from trying to compete with Google, who continue to work on iPhone applications whilst developing Android (for the same reason that they are two entirely different company divisions).

I am surprised they started with SeaDragon, though. It's a boring tech demo. PhotoSynth or MSN Messenger would have been much better.

[raggedjimmi]

This is quite big news.

[Cleve]

http://blogs.computerworld.com/micro...pectations_met

and doesn't work on OSX obviously...

[alexbates]

I never would have expected Microsoft to have an Application in the App Store. I thought they would only be working on the Zune Phone that they might be coming out with. Microsoft, please come out with Office mobile!

[aafuss1]

I congratulate Microsoft on its first iPhone app-viewing ultra-high resolution images is intruiging and quite cool to me.