Microsoft tops the list as the best global workplace

Microsoft has been ranked as the number one global workplace by the great places to work institute.

The software giant topped the list this year based on its 90,819 global employees. “Being recognized as the number one global workplace by the Great Places to Work Institute is an honor,” said Microsoft’s chief people officer Lisa Brummel, in a blog post on Thursday. “Our investments in our employees and the opportunities for them have not gone unnoticed. We are particularly proud of the work people get to do every day, and the impact we have on the world around us.”

Brummel praised Microsoft’s Xbox group as an example of great opportunity and innovation. “Ten years ago, we had only a fledgling PC games business,” explained Brummel. “Since then, as a company and with the talented people in that group, Xbox has grown to be one of the most valued platforms in the entertainment arena.” The great places to work institute found that the average age of Microsoft employees is 38.5 and that the company offers flex time, telecommuting and jobs sharing. Microsoft Canada employes are allowed 40 fully paid hours per year to devote to volunteer activities. Employees time can be spent helping out at orphanages, setting up a soup kitchen or various other activities.

“Microsoft is a great community, and the voice of the employee will continue to drive us forward,” said Brummel. “Today, we’ll celebrate being the number one best global company to work for.”

Microsoft unveils amazing new vision of the future video

Microsoft has created a follow-up to its “Office 2019″ video and the latest concept of the future provides some amazing insights into how technology will impact our lives in the future.

The latest video builds on Microsoft’s previous concepts of touch based computing anywhere and everywhere. The video opens with a business woman visiting Johannesburg and having the audio around her translated in real time thanks to some futuristic glasses. Other scenes in the video feature highly personalised experiences and touch computing on every surface. Microsoft previously created an “Office 2019” video which also features the same opaque smartphones and touch walls.

Microsoft’s future vision is designed to show what the world might look like in the next five to 10 years.GeekWire’s Todd Bishop managed to speak to the videos creators at Microsoft in a recent interview. “We see an expanded definition of productivity where it’s not just about getting things done,” said David Jones, Microsoft’s director of envisioning. “It’s also about doing the right things, and doing them well and enjoying the process with other people in a very natural way.”

Microsoft believes that most of the technology in the video exists in some form or another today. “All of the ideas in the video are based on real technology,” explains Microsoft’s Office chief, Kurt DelBene, in a blog post on Thursday. “Some of the capabilities, such as speech recognition, real time collaboration and data visualization already exist today. Others are not yet available in specific products, but represent active research and development happening at Microsoft and other companies.”

Check out the video below and let us know in the comments what you think the future of computing will be in the next five years.

Nokia unveils Lumia 800 Windows Phone

NOKIA LUMIA 800

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop took to the stage at Nokia World in London on Wednesday to reveal Nokia’s first Windows Phone.

The Nokia Lumia 800, codenamed Searay, is Nokia’s first entry into an increasingly busy Windows Phone market. Elop revealed the device to the world on Wednesday. Elop described the Lumia as “the first real Windows Phone” before unveiling the specifics of the Lumia 800. The Lumia 800 includes a curved 3.7-inch ClearBlack LCD display and will be available in black, cyan or magenta colors. The Lumia 800 also features a 8-megapixel camera that includes an f2.2 aperture, and is designed for low-light environments. Nokia described the camera as one that’s for “ordinary people, under ordinary circumstances.”

Nokia has invested heavily in navigation, music and sports. Nokia’s Lumia 800 will include full voice guided turn-by-turn navigation with Nokia Drive. The Nokia Drive application includes an optimized horizontal view and will allow users to navigate whilst in their cars or on the go. Nokia’s Music application is an easy way for users to discover new artists and music. The headline feature is mix radio that provides pre-setup mixes of full length music for Nokia Windows Phone users.