3 posts and columns on Brian Hall

Making Hotmail Hot Again

in The Mossberg Solution on June 8, 2010 at 5:07 pm PT

Microsoft hopes a revamped version of the Web-based program will heat up interest among emailers.
hotmail

Microsoft Officially Facebooks, Oops, Socializes, Windows Live Internet Services

in News on November 12, 2008 at 9:00 pm PT

Microsoft officially rolled out its next version of its Windows Live Services tonight, with a heavy emphasis on socializing its online offerings and giving users better tools to share all sorts of information from across the Web within them. Microsoft said the changes–similar to those made by Yahoo and AOL recently–would “begin rolling out to customers in the U.S. over the coming weeks and will be made available globally in 54 countries and in 48 languages by early 2009.” You might call this the “Facebooking” of Windows Live, which is the brand name for Microsoft’s communications and other related online services aimed at consumers, especially because the much anticipated changes also include a new profile and a “What’s New” feed.

Microsoft's Project Granola–Facebook Tastier Than Yahoo?

in News on May 7, 2008 at 2:02 am PT

Project Granola? Apparently, that’s the jokey nickname that’s been given by some in the company to Microsoft’s new online strategy, in the wake of its failed efforts to acquire Yahoo that ended in a big heap of mess this past weekend. Now, sources tell BoomTown, it is all about “organic”–hence the image of a healthy handful of granola (except for the fact that, in my experience, nobody really likes granola after eating it as much as they think will before).