Microsoft May Resurrect "Beaming" For Win8, WP8, XB720

There's a new rumor in town that claims Microsoft may be resurrecting an old Zune 30 feature that allowed users to send songs from one Zune device to another via a Wi-Fi connection. Debuting back in 2006, it was called "squirting" (for some reason), and quickly disappeared due to the Zune's inability to saturate the market. But now the file sharing feature is supposedly resurfacing in future Microsoft products as "Beaming," and will do a lot more than just sling songs across 30 feet of air.

The rumor, stemming from well-known Microsoft tipster @MS_nerd, claims that Beaming will allow users to wirelessly transfer data among all three Microsoft platforms: Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 "Apollo" and the Xbox console. The feature will rely on NFC, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi direct pairing, and will likely choose just one of the three methods for file transfers, depending on the device hardware.

In the video demo below, the user simply "beams" a presentation from his Windows Phone to an HDTV. He then later "beams" a document from his phone to a Windows-based tablet. However there will probably be more to Beaming than mere file sharing: users may be able to carry their Windows 8 profile on their Windows Phone device and use their settings on any Windows 8 machine. They could possibly even stream a movie directly from an Xbox console provided Hollywood gives it the thumbs up.

As always, take this rumor with a grain of salt, but to some degree, it fits within Microsoft's vision of a unified experience across the three screens: PC/tablet, smartphone and console. Perhaps we'll hear more about Beaming next month during CES 2012.

  • jcb82
    Anyone thinking about certain feminine capability when they started reading this article?
    Reply
  • alxianthelast
    The proliferation of games on a mobile Xbox based on Zune was supposed to work best by friends sharing their favorite Xbox Live Arcade games this way.

    The rest if file format compatibility across platforms. First that the chosen file formats supported by Beaming are open and not proprietary. How do you control intellectual property on such a system, especially after it is hacked?
    Reply
  • alxianthelast
    @jcb82, no, but there was this odd rumour that Zune in Quebec meant pecker.. so you spread music around by squirting streaming data at your friends via wi-fi.. shame J Allard... Shame.

    http://www.canada.com/topics/finance/story.html?id=0013a614-239a-4210-89f5-7993f86d64fd&k=40444
    Reply
  • de5_Roy
    despite the naming, the concept seems to be good.
    in future news, numerous malwares exploit 'beaming', formerly known as 'squirting'.
    Reply
  • Oh wow, that brings me back the days of pointing two Palm devices at each other to beam apps and contact info. History really is circular, isn't it?
    Reply
  • Dacatak
    Funny, I'm busy squirting out data on a regular basis:
    http://www.tomshardware.com/news/data-storage-data-transfer-sperm-dna,14089.html

    But now I'm gonna be busy chargin' mah laser...

    ...and by "laser" I mean "penis".
    Reply
  • theuniquegamer
    Now i know why that is called squirting. I was squirting all the time at my desktop ( now called beaming at my desktop).
    Reply
  • No, sir, Snotty beamed me twice last night!

    It was WONDERFUL~
    Reply
  • back_by_demand
    jcb82Anyone thinking about certain feminine capability when they started reading this article?You mean the article was written by Kev Parrish?
    Reply
  • spookyman
    And considering how many devices come with WiFi.

    Its going to open a new can of worms in terms of malware and mischief.
    Reply