Microsoft World

GOOD GAME

Grand, integrated visions aside, wouldn’t it be great to take over the CBC for a night of gaming? Fret not, Microsoft is thinking the same thing. The space will on occasion transform into a VIP gaming zone for key media, complete with live multiplayer interaction. Key retailers are also given demonstrations of products within the room and major Microsoft enterprise customers are hosted within the surroundings to introduce any or all of the entire Microsoft consumer proposition.

“We also use the space as a specific event location, such as if we were launching a new product, say an Arc mouse, for example,” Matthew Ball said. “We would have the room entirely branded Microsoft – the screens, video footage, imagery, everything. We have product showcase plinths in the foyer, and these would present hardware models too.”

Given that the room is quite new, Microsoft is yet to implement any changes to its marketing or design strategy following the feedback from the audience inside the CBC, but this is considered to be likely once the testing of products via this method becomes more commonplace.

“The room was a significant investment for the business and return on investment did not follow any standard rules of thumb,” said Ball. “Firstly, because it is a room and secondly because it is a flexible platform. We were fortunate to have Microsoft executive David McLean as the project’s executive sponsor. He liked the vision for the room and provided strong direction on how to make our case to the business of the investment worth of this project.”

It remains too early for Microsoft to ascertain if the installation has been effective, but reportedly most of the 500-odd people entering the room so far, experience an ‘ah-ha moment’. Most comment on the design, the atmosphere, and the different way to demonstrate consumer experiences. “We have had nothing but positive feedback,” Ball told AV.

TECHNOLOGICAL IMMERSION

On the technology side, for Samuel Mangano, Microsoft Australia’s Technical Events Project Manager, the room is an excellent immersive environment. “All of Microsoft’s consumer hardware and software can be showcased in the one room,” he said.  “All the aesthetics of the room make it versatile for presentation, demonstration and trial formats. The room is very modern, loaded with technology, and very cool.”

The dominating feature of the room is the Sanyo PDGDHT100L 1080P projector running a custom short-throw fixed lens mounted on a custom floor stand. The projector’s native resolution is full HD (1920 x 1080) with an output of 6500 ANSI lumens. “The sheer size of the HD rear projection screen, gives us the ability to show up to five inputs at once,” Samuel Mangano said. “The modular lounge format allows the room to be transformed from a presentation type mode to a gaming room mode, and the room is fully automated from an AV perspective by the folks at Credible Audio Visual Solutions (CAVS) and includes C-Bus lighting control.” From start to finish, the build and installation took around three months to complete, with input from CAVS and Microsoft’s own V-Team.

HOWDY PARTNERS

In essence, the room is used to demonstrate the Microsoft products that you would expect, including Windows 7, Office 2010, Windows Phone, music players, the XBox 360 and other Media Centre and extender capabilities. The regular fare of mice, keyboards and webcams are included for good measure, as well as the impressive Microsoft Surface.

Some of those items are demonstrated and used in conjunction with partner’s hardware and are provided to Microsoft to assist with showcasing products. These include various laptop manufacturers and mobile phone suppliers.

This is what gives the room its versatility. From the aforementioned Connected Entertainment Vision to specialised product demonstrations, the ability is there to not only demonstrate a variety of products, but also control how the products can and should be demonstrated.

As far as is known, this facility could be a world first in terms of the platform’s flexibility. Other showcases do exist, such as the Microsoft Home of the Future in Seattle as well as many fixed gaming lounges around the world, but nothing along the lines of this Sydney installation. As Matthew Ball said: “It is a pleasure to use the room. To showcase the full power of the MS Connected Entertainment vision in a way that is simple to understand and simple to see and demonstrate. In action, it makes the ‘seeing is believing’ philosophy a reality.”