Game Developers using Visual Studio are able to create games that can be made cross compatible between Windows (Microsoft) Operating Systems, including Windows Phone 7 and the Xbox 360. 90% of the generated code is the same between the various target platforms, leaving about 10% for platform specific stuff. Perhaps one could look at it as some sort of SDL-layer?

In this article, Microsoft demos a cross-platform game that can be run on a computer with Windows 7, a mobile phone 7, and the Xbox 360 console. A video shows how a Microsoft employee starts the game on one device, continues it and finishes it on others. The progress made within the game is automatically transferred from one platform to the other - probably by use of the Windows Live platform.

Windows Phone 7 development is mostly done with Silverlight and XNA.

Cross platform gaming between PC and Xbox 360 was possible before, just take a look at the game Shadowrun.

Microsoft Game Room ImageAccording to a Microsoft Press Release and confirmed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Microsoft will be releasing something called the "Microsoft Game Room" some time this spring, and, within three years, will see the release of over 1000 classic videogame titles, including arcade, Atari and Mattel Intellivision games, the latter of which was confirmed by Facebook friend Keith Robinson of Blue Sky Rangers fame as one of the available launch systems (other systems TBC). Apparently this area will be avatar-based, where your Xbox avatar will roam an arcade-like setting to find and play games (a bit like Sony's Home on PS3). There's a two-tier price structure, with one being an outright purchase of the game in question, and the other being a low cost, single play option, just like putting a quarter in an arcade machine in the days of old. We'll keep you posted as more news develops, but this is great news for those of us - like the readers of Armchair Arcade - who are passionate about classic gaming. The more love the current three consoles give (and each already has given a lot) to gaming's past, the better it is for all us as gamers, particularly since it looks like this is going to be a long generation with the big three. It's unclear how this will work with the PC as of this writing, but the fact that PC gamers are being invited to the party just makes it all the better, as well as the fact that owning it on one gives you access to it on the other.

I've been keeping an eye on news developments about Google's attempt at a true-blue operating system, and came across an op-ed today called Five Reasons Google Chrome OS Will Fail on, of all things, Google News.

Amidst all of the usual software-centric sequels and somewhat tired continuations of long running series at E3 was a clear, present and somewhat surprising focus on hardware accessories, and, more specifically and perhaps most exciting, next generation motion tracking and control systems. This wasn't just an attempt to copy Nintendo's almost-there original Wii Remote technology, but rather an attempt to redefine the technology once and for all and influence videogames and the technological world at large for generations to come (think integrated touch and motion controls in your 2015 laptop).

I heard about this from Leo Laporte on one of his TWiT.TV podcasts, specifically "Leo Laporte - The Tech Guy!", May 13, 2009, edition. Apparently Windows 7 is the "best Windows ever", is terrifically stable and performs much better on the same hardware than Vista. The best part? Microsoft is giving out unlimited product keys for both the 32- and 64-bit versions until at least June of this year, and the free license won't expire until March 2010. I'm very, very tempted to give this a go on my home Gateway Tablet PC, though as a critical "production" system and considering my present time constraints, I'm not really looking forward to dealing with any potential issues. With that said, I wouldn't mind more stability than I'm getting from Vista and I certainly have trouble resisting trying new tech.

One other interesting thing that Laporte mentioned - and I may have misheard since I was doing other stuff while listening - is that this release candidate may include the embedded version of Windows XP that runs under the embedded version of Virtual PC. I have been unable to verify that as of this writing, though I could just not have seen it in Microsoft's notes. That would certainly be another big plus in my book, as I have a few software items that require XP. (At the same time, I am running low on hard drive space, so the point is probably moot anyway in my case.)

Anyone else considering this? The download and more information are on the official Microsoft Website, here.

or In this new TV commercial by Microsoft 'Lauren' is challenged to buy a 17-inch laptop for a maximum of 1000 USD. Of course she fails in the Apple Store - which do offer the coolest laptops.

Microsoft has stopped supporting the first batch of original Xbox game consoles that have fallen out of warranty. Users owning newer consoles are still able to get support until their warranty expires.

The Windows 7 beta 1 has a new 'experience index/rating' that is quite different from the one we know from Vista. In contrast to the maximum score of 5.9 in Vista an index of 7.9 can be gained in Windows 7.

Today created a triple boot Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7 system - read this to find out how and how I will compare the 3 systems in a real world situation.