09 December 2009
Vertigo Helps Microsoft Give Back Through Their Giving Campaign Auction Web Site
Each year, Microsoft asks its employees to make a difference by giving back through its annual Giving Campaign. One component of the Giving Campaign is the auction site managed by Microsoft IT and redesigned with help from Vertigo. This year, Microsoft wanted to create a new experience that would enhance the visual design of the auction site, while leveraging the Windows Azure platform to enable the site to scale dynamically during peak traffic.
Vertigo worked with Microsoft to create the user experience and visual design using SketchFlow from Expression Blend 3. This approach expedited the design process and allowed for rapid development of initial prototypes. It also enabled both teams to simulate the user experience with simple animations for various user actions. By using custom behaviors and triggers, the designers were then able to drag and drop components using the visual toolset in Blend 3 to create rich interactive experiences within the application.
Once the design and prototypes were completed, Vertigo built out the Silverlight 3 application, while Microsoft IT completed the backend development effort on Windows Azure (see case study). The site demonstrates some key Silverlight 3 features including Pixel Shaders and 3-D Effects, such as Perspective Transforms.
Since its launch, the site has been successful in helping Microsoft achieve their goals for the Giving Campaign and was recently referenced in Bob Muglia’s keynote address at the 2009 Professional Developers Conference.
Please check out these case studies for more information:
24 November 2009
Managing Development to Inspire Innovation and Create Great User Experiences
Don’t let the title scare you. This is a great overview of Deep Zoom using fantastic examples. This session hits the perfect level of geek.
At PDC09 Scott Stanfield kicks off the session with a demo of the NBC Olympics site and then Bill Crow takes you on tour. Bill put together a great presentation of how innovation and magic happens at Microsoft Live Labs.
Check it out here:
18 November 2009
What is the Microsoft Silverlight Media Framework?
17 November 2009
Take Comics – Check ‘Em Out
17 November 2009
Vertigo Launches Silverlight Streaming Player for 2009 PDC
Today, Vertigo launched the Silverlight Live Smooth Streaming Player for the 2009 Microsoft Professional Developers Conference (PDC09 <www.microsoftpdc.com>). The keynotes will be streamed live in HD at 720p from 8:30am to 10am PT on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 18 and 19th. Vertigo also capitalized on our experience with live events, player design, social media and data integration to provide a live Twitter feed, conference schedule and news. Microsoft Channel 9 will also be streaming content live throughout the conference.
To learn more, visit PDC09 (link) or check out the blog <http://blogs.vertigo.com/personal/scott/Blog/archive/2009/11/16/vertigo-at-pdc09.aspx> of our CEO, Scott Stanfield.
Check out the Tweet traffic too!
The SIlverlight player made by Vertigo is really cool, Great picture quality in Switzerland ;)
PDC09 keynote smooth streaming is insanely good fwd'ing rewinding stream position is instant. Awesome!
PHX free wi-fi is awesome...streaming the PDC keynote great with nice clarity. Shows how good IIS smooth streaming is.
Watching the PDC Keynote from home with Silverlight and Smooth Streaming in HD, super impressive and awesome quality!
Watching #pdc09 keynote on my macbook, the quality is fabulous. Silverlight smooth streaming rocks.
13 November 2009
Vertigo and Hard Rock International on Surface Blog
Back in September Hard Rock International launched it’s new cafe on the Las Vegas Strip.
As part of the Hard Rock grand opening Microsoft interviewed the folks responsible for bringing the Surface to Hard Rock. That’s Vertigo and our friends at Duncan/Channon.
Vertigo’s Surface mastermind, Paul Osburn, is also interviewed and he provides some nice insight into the development and design of the project.
Check it out.
12 November 2009
Road Trip – Vertigo is Launching an Office in Sunny Portland, Oregon.
We’re scaling out with a full-service Portland office packed with creative Oregonians. The new office will help Vertigo meet the overwhelming demand for our web, mobile, and multi-touch design and development services. We're proud to be a part of the thriving Pacific Northwest community of designers and developers.
If you'd like to be among the first to celebrate with us, Vertigo CEO Scott Stanfield will be the keynote speaker at the first Portland Silverlight User Group meeting (http://www.portlandsilverlight.net/) on December 8.
Scott will discuss how Vertigo uses Silverlight, Blend, SketchFlow and a handful of development techniques (“Blendability”, MVVM and View State Manager) to enable our design and development teams to move quickly and build great apps like the Winter Olympics, Sunday Night Football, and Hard Rock International.
Whether you’re a designer, developer, or just plain curious please join us. More event details to follow soon.
If you’d like to join our Portland team please email Jobs-Portland@Vertigo.com.
09 November 2009
iStreamPlanet and Vertigo Team Up to provide Best in Class End–to-End Rich Media Services
iStreamPlanet and Vertigo formalize partnership to provide all inclusive, best in class, rich media services to their clients. This partnership combines the creative force of two award winning companies to deliver On Demand HD and End-to End HD Managed Services. Vertigo’s 13 years of experience as a premiere design and development firm, combined with iStreamPlanet’s high profile events with worldwide reach, make a winning combination.
06 November 2009
Vertigo and Silverlight Share Olympic Gold
Scott Stanfield, Vertigo CEO, will share our experience building the official Silverlight Media Player for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The event is NewTeeVee Live and will be held at the Mission Bay Conference Center on November 12, 2009.
Here’s a short blurb from NewTeeVeeLive that describes what to expect.
2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, Online
For the first time, every sport venue will be covered live, in stunning HD. NBC Universal is making highlights and full event rewinds available on demand during the games. And as of last week, viewers can access clips for Torino and upcoming athlete spotlights. The video and still photo gallery experience was built by Vertigo, Scott’s company. He’ll give us a quick tour of the highlights and let us know what to expect when the games begin, February 12, 2010.
The talk will begin around 12 Noon. Exact times and room number to follow.
15 October 2009
Vertigo Now a Microsoft Surface Strategic Partner
Vertigo is proud to be recognized as a Microsoft™ Surface™ Strategic Partner, the highest level of the partner program.
We’re off to a great start with customers like Hard Rock Cafe International on the Las Vegas Strip. Hard Rock has several Surface machines installed where you can see our apps.
Next time you’re in Vegas, take one for a a spin.
10 September 2009
Time for Some Football!
Tonight is the first game of the 2009 NFL season matching up last year’s Super Bowl contenders: The Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans!
And now you can watch the game in High Definition with the NBC Sport’s Sunday Night Football Extra live HD Silverlight video experience. Vertigo created the player in collaboration with NBC Sports and Microsoft to bring the action of the game to viewers in HD by using Microsoft’s Smooth Streaming Technology in a highly interactive experience filled with features you won’t find on TV.
You can watch all of the action live at http://snfextra.nbcsports.com.
The SNF Extra application is packed with features for football goodness:
- HD Quality video (watch in full screen mode to enjoy a 3.45 Mbps HD feed at 720p)
- Watch the game at every angle with 5 different camera angles
- Uses Microsoft’s Smooth Streaming to provide adaptive streaming to provide the best experience based on your computer and internet connection
- DVR style controls put you in the driver’s seat to control the game
- Interactive Timeline letting you jump to key plays instantly
- Live interactive Q&A with NBC’s Mike Florio
- All the Stats you need to analyze the game
- Highlight clips for the game’s biggest plays
We’ve already started to see some press on SNF Extra player from NBC Sports, Contentinople, and Streaming Media. Microsoft has a nice blog post on MSDN.
Make sure to check out the SNF Extra player tonight and every Sunday night during the season!
09 September 2009
Memorabilia Escapes: Found on Las Vegas Strip
It all started with the award winning Hard Rock Memorabilia website. This site provided an up-close-and-personal view of Hard Rock’s memorabilia collection without having to travel. The site now features 1,100 priceless pieces of rock history and will continue to grow by the thousands.
Vertigo recently helped our friends, the cool kids at Duncan/Channon, create three new interfaces for Hard Rock. These new applications break free of the web and show up on the Las Vegas Strip. The new Hard Rock Cafe boasts 38 booths with touch based interfaces and several Microsoft Surface machines, the multi-touch, multi-user, interactive tabletop.
Guests can browse memorabilia from around the world, check out merchandise from the famous Rock Shop, and vote on what upcoming music video should play next.
Need a reason to visit Vegas? Glad we could help. Can’t make it? Check out these videos and pics.
20 August 2009
AMC Presents PlayboyArchive.com
14 July 2009
#WPC09 New Orleans
We’re in New Orleans this week with thousands of other Microsoft Partners, trying to keep it cool. The one thing this muggy heat teaches you, is how to stroll.
A stroll is a welcome relief to the pace we’ve been keeping to get here.
We have three projects that came together for the conference, and every one of them was mentioned in a keynote. Here are two of them. Stay tuned for news on the third.
www.digitalwpc.com | http://hub.digitalwpc.com
15 May 2009
Microsoft Digital WPC2009
Vertigo is proud to launch the Microsoft Digital WPC2009 website. The Big Easy will host this year’s event, so prepare yourself, there is no way to avoid mixing business with fun in this city.
Come join us July 13th – 16th. I’m in no way advocating this, but you might think about packing your spare liver and some energy drink. Stay tuned for updates.
06 May 2009
13th Annual Webby Awards Official Honoree (x2)
20 April 2009
Vertigo at NAB in Las Vegas
This is our second year at NAB, the premiere event for content professionals, now in its 80th year.
This year we’re demonstrating our work with MTV Networks.
Vertigo has redesigned the MTV Archive Library Information Access System (ALIAS), using Silverlight. Our design provides significant improvements in performance, features, user experience, and workflow. The system tracks more than 2 million archived assets and serves all of MTV Networks’ diverse brands.
Vertigo and MTV were included in a Microsoft press release that provides more detail. You can view it here.
Update: A more detailed Microsoft Case Study is now available. Please check it out here.
28 January 2009
Vertigo at MIX09
We hope to see you in Vegas this year for Mix, March 18th-20th (Bonus: first day of Spring). In this video, Vertigo's CEO, Scott Stanfield offers his perspective on why Mix is a must see event, and a fun one too.
Scott and Vertigo have attended Mix every year. Last year he sent 18 people.
20 January 2009
Inauguration of Barack Obama
Most of America didn’t have the privilege of attending the Presidential Inauguration today, but without a doubt, no matter where you were, ignoring this historic event was impossible. With many options for viewing today’s ceremonies, Vertigo is very proud of the option we provided.
Vertigo teamed up with CBS, Microsoft, and Move Networks to create a HD quality live streaming player for the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on January 20, 2009. The Silverlight 2 player Vertigo designed and built provides a unique live experience by combining:
- Live streaming of HD quality video
- Multiple camera angles (up to 7 different feeds)
- Twitter integration
- Video gallery of all of the past Inauguration speeches since FDR
For more information please take a look at our Inauguration web page.
What others are saying:
18 December 2008
Rock your iPhone
02 December 2008
Hard Rock Widget: Rolls and Spins
I missed this, but a couple of weeks ago Hard Rock released its Memorabilia Widget.
Spin magazine featured the Hard Rock Widget online and Rolling Stone embedded the Widget in their website to show off Keith Richards' funky Italian guitar.
You can easily share your favorite piece of Memorabilia by clicking "Share" in the items info panel. You can either email it to a friend, link to it, or embed it in your own website.
14 November 2008
Vertigo’s a Surface >Play’a
You can find Vertigo and the Surface at the >Play Expo. This year's event showcases new and disruptive technologies in the realms of Design, Gaming, Social Media, and Ubiquity.
Check us out, and take the surface for spin.
07 November 2008
Register for Silicon Valley Code Camp!
07 November 2008
The Obama Experience
What do 66 countries and 730 publications have in common? Obama.
The 2008 presidential election generated headline news around the globe. Scott Hanselman and our own Scott Stanfield noticed this on Newseum and agreed, BigPicture™ was the answer.
05 November 2008
Mix09 Website Launched
We got the chance to make our mark early this year at Mix by building the Mix09 Website. Microsoft launched the site October 22nd and it's already chock full of what you need to know. If you want a little more back stage information, check this out.
Get started now and we look forward to seeing you in Vegas. Don't' forget your party pants.
