Sign Up Now to Get the New Xbox Experience Early

Major Nelson has just dropped the details on how to get into the New Xbox Experience early. They're looking for a "few thousand" participants. All you've gotta do is sign up and answer a few questions (click here) to be considered for the Preview Update. Gold and Silver Xbox Live members can apply, but Gold gets first priority. If you're accepted, you'll hear from them in about a week, meaning the preview should be within the next 10-14 days.

Surprise: Microsoft Surface Costs More Than Expected

When Microsoft announced its Surface multitouch computer, we knew it'd be a toy for well-funded, respectable news outlets long before Joe the Plumbers, since it was going to cost $10,000. Turns out, it actually costs more like $13,500. That's with a 10 percent discount! Microsoft is still expecting good ol' economies of scale to kick in to help fulfill its dream of fancy coffee tables in every home, but uh, you might want to hang on to that iPhone or something if you want the multitouch future anytime soon.

Microsoft Still Has a Vista Problem

Microsoft's earnings were surprisingly solid—another reassurance the world isn't quite melting to the core—with a revenue of $15.1 billion (beating Wall Street's expecations) and profits of $4.37 billion. Notably, however, it's still not selling enough Windows Vista.

Sure, more people might be PCs lately, but they're other, less profitable versions. Microsoft makes about $70 per Vista PC, but less than half of that on a netbook Windows license, which now makes up more of the Windows mix than ever. So the Windows division actually saw a 4 percent drop in operating income for the quarter. And it's likely not going to get better with Windows 7 looming so conspicously on the horizon.

Death and Taxes Shows Fascinating, Terrible View on Military Tech Spending

Death and Taxes 2009 is a detailed graphical account showing where your tax dollars will go next year in the most detailed and fascinating way: Everything is set to scale according to the amount of money spent on it, showing the amazing weight that military-related spending has in the total Federal budget. It's just mindblowing to see it all with one look. It's easy to get amazed with military technology and, like with Dubai's architecture and its slaves, I keep forgetting how much money really gots into developing hypersonic missiles, airborne lasers, invisible bombers, next generation fighters, body piercing tanks, torpedoes capable of splitting a huge ship in two, ever-vigilant drones, scary helmets, and other deadly gadgets. When you zoom in the interactive map, the numbers are just staggering.