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ZenZui: Microsoft's New Web Interface For Phones

gizmodo.com — Probably thought out by some interior designer with too much sake inside him, ZenZui is both the name of a new Microsoft-backed start up and a new interface for phones designed to "transform how people engage, consume and interact with Web content through a revolutionary mobile user experience and information ecosystem."

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  • blusyit, on 10/12/2007, -6/+7is it real?
    • Boghiu, on 10/12/2007, -5/+21Yes.
    • alvinrod, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14Yes, but how far along is it and when can we expect it to be finished?

      I'm wondering whether this is a project that's nearing completion, or if at this stage we're looking at conceptual mock-ups to demonstrate how the interface will look and work.
    • wild, on 10/12/2007, -17/+14Looks pretty pedestrian. And that little navigation thingy looks prone to hitting the wrong button. And the animations are choppy.

      Yea, not really a fan.
    • mobilitatis, on 10/12/2007, -13/+2@alvinrod

      R U Hiring?, I am Interested. Today have started a new mobile interface experiment.
    • UO07, on 10/12/2007, -15/+7Whats with Microsoft and the rather stupid names?
    • CatcherInTheWhy, on 10/12/2007, -5/+25UO07

      Yeah they should pick a letter and just put it in front of everything like Apple. Or use names like "Lascivious Lemming". That'd be cooler. All these names are stupid; there's no reason to single out Microsoft.
    • fcekuahd, on 10/12/2007, -20/+18This definitely looks like they're trying to steal the interface from the iPhone. Except that the Apple interface is clean and elegant and this looks like a bloody mess.

      Especially ironic considering Ballmer's comments on the iPhone a few short months ago:

      "We have touchscreen-based devices, but I think keyboards are generally preferred for people who do much typing."

      http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=196901649
    • Seidoger, on 10/12/2007, -5/+10See why I think it's not efficient?

      I look at it and I just wonder how the hell does it work!
      Which denotes bad user interface designs to start with..
    • alwaysmc2, on 10/12/2007, -6/+9The iPhone is not going to be the first phone with a touch screen. Get over it.

      I like how there were lots of 3rd party services, as well as multiple hardware form-factors. Both mean that I get what I want, and the later means more competition which means lower prices for me.
    • arunforce, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8I think I'm going to call bluff. It might be an actual Microsoft product, but the logo animation at the end has me calling it bluff. It's not Microsoft quality, and the font/animation/colors look ugly as hell. Looks like a horribly 6 times exported JPG.
    • saggygrandma, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3ITS FAKE, WATCH THE DEVICES IN RELATION TO THE HAND.......
    • alwaysmc2, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4not fake. Microsoft blogged about it:
      http://on10.net/Blogs/larry/zenzui-comes-out-of-stealth-mode/
    • hackmyballs, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2Move ur ass M$, here comes the iPhone!!!

      hahahaha
    • inkswamp, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3> not fake. Microsoft blogged about it:

      So? MS has a long history of hyping products that aren't even at a beta stage, and the video looks fake to me. I think it's some kind of marketing promo with the video screen overlaid.
    • AppleOSuX, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Have any of you seen the development tools that Microsoft makes? How about the platform development kit that you get to build any style UI that you want for any platform that Windows runs on (including PDAs and Cell Phones with CE/Mobile)? With the right tools any half assed developer could have come up with an interface like the iPhone. Whip-dee-doo!

      I've seen video game interfaces that are more interesting than the iPhone's.

      Apple doesn't even let third party developers make apps for the iPhone. Microsoft is the one that makes things ubiquitous by building a platform for other businesses to stand on instead of shutting everyone out like Apple does. You should not be so blind and give Microsoft some respect.
    • AppleOSuX, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Uhh, and besides all that, the phone shown here also has an actual tactile keypad which makes it automatically 100% better compared to the iPhone.
    • ncaauwe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"the font/animation/colors look ugly as hell"

      So did Windows XP.
    • scotty1024, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Of course the demo is a fake/mock up.

      The documents make it clear that this concept requires modifications to the back end web content to make it work.

      And of course, when they actually have it working, those back end modifications will require you to use a Microsoft OS, Microsoft Web Server, Microsoft Development Framework and a Microsoft Development Tool. If you are on Linux/Solaris et al you'll be ZenZui-less.

      Say what you want about hype and the Apple iPhone but at least you don't have to drink anything for your web content to work with its touch enabled Safari browser.
  • R1Lawrence, on 10/12/2007, -20/+12Looks as good as Apples navigation process...
    • MBX1, on 10/12/2007, -15/+9yea riiiiiiight... (insert big sarcasm cupcake here)
    • stalefries, on 10/12/2007, -11/+6mmm, cupcake
    • nullcodes, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3I hope you were being sarcastic?

      Even if I were to ignore the nothing-but-annoying lack of responsiveness of the UI. I didn't see anything in that demo that was great. Not sure how interacting with that ZenZui square is more advantageous that actually clicking on the object or on the sides of the screen to carry out actions. There is a lot they could have added to the mobile phone experience but haven't shown. For example .. to move around a photo why not touch the center and drag? The system should be smart enough to tell the difference between accidentally doing that if there's a noticed delay between deliberate center touch and starting to drag. To expand/shrink the photo out ..you can click the edge of the photo. You won't need to license multitouch for that.

      Are there ways to beat iPhone's UI advancements without infringing? I don't know, but there are ways to get close to it .. and frankly these guys haven't shown if they can do it.

      Maybe they should look at that article on http://www.*****.com
  • eth3l, on 10/12/2007, -20/+14I like! Hifive!

    I think it looks better than the iPhone interface.
  • stuartjmoore, on 10/12/2007, -15/+5I want to like it, but I don't.
  • MBX1, on 10/12/2007, -14/+11yuck it's so ugly. i'm not saying it just because of ms. but even the zune ui/ interface is better.
    • DigitalDud, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6It's just a research prototype, man.
    • lateralus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2ms-research indeed....but that video clip reeked of ms marketing bacterium and that's a major turn off.
  • trunkster, on 10/12/2007, -7/+39Wow.. very fluid animation there Microsoft...
    • Phantastica, on 10/12/2007, -4/+23Seriously. If their interface is going to zoom in and out at 2 fps, they ought to just abandon the animating zooming for an instant zoom, rather than wastes a full second per crappy zoom.
    • kheldorin, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0@ Phantastica
      You're gonna waste those seconds loading the links anyway. This is a web (browser) interface not an operating system interface.
  • damonic, on 10/12/2007, -6/+5That video is so obviously faked. Look how "green-screen" the area around the thumb looks towards the end of the video...
    • sivartrussell, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3true...
    • inkswamp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I noticed that too. Also the image on the screen seems ever-so-slightly out of synch with the movement of the device. Something looks weird and fakey about this. Is this just a promo video for something coming soon or is this supposed to be the actual device in action. If it's the later, I don't buy it.
  • 1jaxstate1, on 10/12/2007, -10/+7That's one nice looking phone. I'd get one.
    • Deliorion, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It's the HTC TyTN. Cingular has their branded version called the Cingular 8525.
  • dyreschlock, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4could be useful for putting your IE bookmarks, and other program shortcuts on. it would save a click or two.

    hopefully you can skin it, or at least make it more presentable.
  • ImTheDarkcyde, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4i think it looks pretty neat, although i wish i had a phone that could take advantage fo it
  • heavensblade23, on 10/12/2007, -15/+18Steve Jobs can't even fart without Ballmer announcing he cut one too.
    • pimpzilla, on 10/12/2007, -12/+11If Steve Jobs farted, he could put in a box with an apple logo & there'd be a line around the block to buy the "iFart".
  • javij, on 10/12/2007, -10/+5I can't imagine Ballmer screaming


    ZENZUI ZENZUI ZENZUI ZENZUI





  • xerexes1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Did anyone see a demo on how to make a phone call? Or is this just an interface which can be added to any cellphone - as per the demos using tiny screens and normal key pads?
    • Maascamp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is a WEB BROWSING INTERFACE. It's not for making phone calls, adding contacts, etc. It is just a more interesting user friendly way to browse the web (tiles refreshing in the background is actually pretty cool by the way). Also, this is an EARLY version, so don't complain about frame rates (not to mention the fact that this is software that can be run on any phone, ie. DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF PROCESSING POWER WILL AFFECT REFRESH RATES).

      Relax people, why are you so scared of MS doing something well?
  • nick2, on 10/12/2007, -8/+7First time in history you can get the Blue Screen of Death on your cellphone!
  • aristotle0dude, on 10/12/2007, -3/+20Uh... how are you supposed it navigate it? It just looks like a web mashup. I did not see any icons in the video. Not intuitive at all.
    • streetstealth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4If the video showed navigation through things like phonebooks and text messages, it might have had some relevance. But how on earth is a zoomy pic of Stewie going to help me use my phone?
  • Disillusion, on 10/12/2007, -3/+21I like phones that you can call people with. WTF is this for? Better way to set your phone's wallpaper?

    Seriously though, battery life, signal strength, call clarity, size, and durability should be more important than all this frivolous garbage.
    • lateralus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You would love the Sidekick III. 2.0MP!!!
  • Hangender, on 10/12/2007, -9/+6wth? they just stole the interface from the iPhone...LOL
    • pimpzilla, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1The iPhone ought to steal a few things from Windows Mobile. Like 3G wireless internet, the ability to download .mp3s directly to your phone (though that'd be ridiculously slow over circa 2003 GPRS), 3rd party apps, a hardware keyboard, replaceable batteries, some form of removable solid state memory (SD, mini SD, micro SD), streaming XM or Sirius (again, GPRS is to slow to do this), Skype over 3G ( see last point), etc. etc. But gee, doesn't it look cool?
  • derekknight, on 10/12/2007, -10/+8M$ just patented tic-tac-toe.
    • danjal, on 10/12/2007, -5/+13... a dollar sign for an s... how clever..
    • nick2, on 10/12/2007, -8/+3@danjal

      Because they make money off of other companies' ideas.
    • TGMD, on 10/12/2007, -9/+4That's BS.

      Everyone uses everyone else's ideas.

      MS doesn't "steal" any more than Apple.


    • hackmyballs, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2M$ M$ M$ so what?
      Live with it...
    • superkendall, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Certainly more clever than the ZenZui would appear to be,
  • felchdonkey, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6So how do you click on a link? Use a dropdown menu? Tick a checkbox? Fill in a form?
  • wageslaven, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3In order to head off the apple-fanboys ignorant ramblings about "OMHGH!1! Tha M$ copiyed Jobs' iPohne!", does anyone know what Patent# is being discussed below?

    "ZenZui’s Zooming User Interface, a patented Microsoft technology, was initially developed by the Microsoft Redmond Research lab. Microsoft IP Ventures helps startups and growing companies speed their time to market through access to Microsoft’s innovation. ZenZui worked with IP Ventures to acquire the technology and prodide assistance in securing venture capital funding to help launch their company."

    Has MS developed, patented, sold and financed ZenZui since after seeing iphone? It might avoid much ignorant yelling around here i'll tell ya...
  • eunichs, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7Zen Zui? ZEN ZUI!?!?! ZEEENN ZUUIIII!?!?!?!?!?!
  • MonkeyFCoconut, on 10/12/2007, -7/+15Lame.
  • th3wiz4rd, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14Omfg... that is horrible.
  • KillerX, on 10/12/2007, -5/+14Looks lame, bloated and slow. Like a retarded version of Apple's iPhone interface.

    Typical mediocre Microsoft crap.
  • esperoboy, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Love the interface, hate the logo. it's fugly and wtf with the name Zenzui... it sounds like Japanese red bean soup
  • exothermic, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4If Microsoft really came up with this interface, then I'm impressed. That seems to be beyond Microsoft's creative abilities and intense desire to tell you how great the operating system is working ("you have unused icons on your desktop"). Despite the creative interface, I don't think the device would be useful to me.

    Microsoft's mobile visions seem to be centered on playing on the internet at every available opportunity. Apple too, but at least they seem to be throwing in the ability to maybe get a quality GPS map out of the deal. You know, something really useful besides a way to sell me music.

    Technically, the video looks to me like it's a key. The hand is holding the devices, but the OS video looks to be keyed onto the screen. I can see Microsoft wanting to let the world know about the OS, but if it's not actually running on anything close to production and they had to key it into the video, that's sad. If it's a reality, then it might give Apple some competition in the consumer electronics market. Or put another way, Microsoft finally moves into year 2000.

    As far as Windows though, bleech.
    • TomRemixed, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3Wow. You're cool...
    • EtherGnat, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3"Apple too, but at least they seem to be throwing in the ability to maybe get a quality GPS map out of the deal."

      What the hell? The iPhone doesn't have GPS support. It comes with Google maps, but so what? Windows Mobile has dedicated mapping applications from Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft or you can just access them through the web browser. Windows Live Search in particular is an awesome application. Windows Mobile 5 also has built in support for GPS and you can use TomTom or other third party apps and get voice navigation and all the other cool GPS services.

      Sure, Windows Mobile has its quirks but it's also really powerful.
    • lateralus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3operating system?? this was 5 seconds of UI eye candy. This clip reveals nothing other than some colorful screens switching from corner to corner. I think you're jumping the gun....as did the MS marketing department when they took this off the researchers desk.
    • lateralus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2My reply is out of place. I didn't fully understand parent post before i attempted to blast. Friendly fire, i take it back.
  • M05H3, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Microsoft and Apple have been copying each others homework longer than I can remember. It's not about who brings the innovation in the market but who brings it successfully in the market. People who innovate all have one thing in common. Frustration through user experience. The ZenZui looks promising, certainly an innovative interface, very Minority Report like, and it would be interesting where Microsoft decides to take this. But right now, that thing looks more complex than what's in the market.
  • inkswamp, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5OMG! A Microsoft product that resembles an Apple product? Who woulda thunk that?
  • ArminPiTT, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2why can't we have a damn conversation without someone posting "stolen from apple" , "iphone knock off", "steve jobs invented that before cell phones". jesus people, its a startup company that's microsoft owned, so what? they are trying something new, unlike the iphone which is basically a PMP/Cell phone with a apple logo for the fanboys. the UI on apple isn't revolutionary, just that apple somehow thinks that people dont want to deal with keyboards anymore.
  • kheldorin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2This isn't the general interface for the phone. It's ,I guess, a supplementary interface for the web part of the phone. So instead of browsing web pages, you're browsing through these special "web widgets" . Since they're releasing the SDK, I think alot of interesting things might come of it. They mentioned something about the popular icons being in the top hierarchy kinda, like the top ten for digg. And because they know which are the more popular ones, they can cache the information to make widget-browsing faster. If you look at the video, it's pretty fast for going from 1 link to the next.
  • moudig, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Lame
  • UrbanVoyeur, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Not to be confused with the Zensunni interface for Dune devices:

    "Touch the phone, not the GUI. Only then will you truly interface."

  • chrup, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3This is pretty - pretty ugly!
  • diggnationdevon, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Who ever designed that should be fired.
  • macewan, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3This has to be a joke. It functions & looks like the iPhone.
  • radiofrequency, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Another inferior copy of someone else's hard work by Microsoft. Microsoft: "our passion is squashing your potential".
  • M05H3, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Steve Ballmer is the worst thing to happen to Microsoft.
  • eitheehstsergei, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1microsoft just pwnd apple. this interface is efficient and fun, though it could be prettier
    • lateralus, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I couldn't agree more with you eitheehstsergei. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to enjoy a delicious McDonald's(tm) cheeseburger.
  • shawnz, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1damnit. this is the worst possible thing they could steal from apple -- the only reason i'm NOT getting an iphone is because of its ***** interface, i'd much rather have my WM2005 device.
  • HairyPoter, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2MeTooCrosoft strikes again!
    Microsoft should change its name to MacOSoft or MeTooCrosoft.
  • HairyPoter, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3As they are naming their last products with the Z letter, now they are placing the products on the right place: the last in every list. What a crappy name.

    Zey Zan Zook at my zew zhone. It's Zune Zhone with ZenZui Zinterface.
    Zool! Zicrozoft zules!
  • Stonekeeper, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1that ui looks horrible and slow.
  • stockjones, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Does look a bit like the iphone interface from a quick glance, but at least the phones using this will include buttons.
  • fuckingstudent, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Innit creep though? how the phone dont move?
  • SouLFacE, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0check http://www.zenzui.com/products.html
  • macspec, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yikes! How do you know where to go!? Scrolling in ALL FOUR directions? Where does this interface end?
  •  

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