Fox News, the top-rated cable news channel here in the US, has recently embraced the future through their re-worked News Deck headed by Shepard Smith. The studio re-launch took a month to complete and with it, brought some massive new changes. Literally.
Found throughout the studio are BATS (big area touchscreens), which in reality are 55-inch computers running Windows 8. It’s so audacious that when Sam shared a picture of it this morning, I seriously thought it was a Photoshop job. But nope, they are real and they are being used by staff to monitor news, Twitter and various feeds for the latest information.
There’s also a 38-foot video wall that surrounds the studio, which isn’t too shabby either, and the whole studio looks like something out of Star Trek.
Fox News has evidently created some of their own custom apps for Windows 8 to manage those Twitter and incoming News feeds. Too bad we can’t get them leaked as then we can all play news reporter from our homes! No word on what exactly powers the hardware or the display resolution, though some information will probably come forward eventually.
You can see it all in action in the video tour above.
Imagine operating Windows 8 from a 55-inch “tablet” just a few feet from your face? It seems kind of crazy to us, but kudos to Fox News for pushing the boundaries. Incidently, we played with a similar setup back at CES last January: "The world’s most badass Windows 8 computer"
Fox News has always seemed to be a fan of Microsoft as they were one of the first news channels to offer a Windows Phone app, one that has continually been developed through WIndows Phone 8.
Source: TVNewser; Thanks, Patrick S., for the tip
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Fox News adopts Windows 8 and huge 55-inch touchscreen computers that dwarf humans
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Keyboard, mouse, and touch all being employed via Microsoft's Windows 8: The OS virtually everyone wants to complain about, but Fox News embraces for a bold and ambitious way of aggregating and presenting the news.
That guys playing Galiga...you probably didn't notice it...wait the whole world saw it!
What does the Fox say?
"That man is playing Galaga!"
Maybe mr Murdoch would like to bring some of his sky apps to the windows platform..
Fox news is a government funded propaganda machine which rarely post anything news worthy.. Thats for everyone asking whats wrong with fox news... Listen to the song Sly Fox - Nas , he sums it up pretty good
What I don't get is why in the 2 or 3 minute presentation not once is MS or Windows 8 mentioned. Has MS prohibited it or are Fox News scared to say it? I'm sure if they were iPads the words Apple and iPad would've been mentioned a heap of times. I've read a couple news articles that have referred to those things as giant iPads or giant iPad-like touchscreens. MS really need to step up and let the world know those awesome devices are Windows 8 touch screens!
In other news...thanks to minor metor shower, sir Shepard smith suffers a punctured retina after moniter explodes into his face after elusive maneuvers. Take that star wars fans.
This is a big win for Microsoft. Their product splashed all over the highest rated news channel combined with the Windows stores in all the Best Buys should really turn up the numbers.
About 1% of Americans watch Fox News' highest rated program on any given night. You probably don't want to hear that your bubble so tiny, but it's true.
CNN started with the biggest screen,but not windows8, that's different.. Alright HILARY FOR PRESIDENT
So all this Star Trek talk.... The Patrick S. Who was thanked for the tip is probably Sir Patrick Stewart. I am like 99% sure of this, he just tried pizza for the first time recently, so the next logical step would be to tip WPCentral right?
Big screens is the next step really, instead of Multiple monitors due to lack of screen work space. A while ago in different businesses they had Surface in a table form. This is excellent. Kind of like an artists drawing table but no initial pen and paper instead touch screens. Once again... Excellent!
Fox news regularly has equal sided debates on all political topics. Both opinions are openly expressed. You decide....that's why they're #1 and not just another mainstream media bashing machine! AKA MSNBC
Think of the por.....clean youtube vids though.......what's the ppi on these beasts? :P
Just to clear something up, "top rated cable news" IS an accurate description. Fox News consistantly gets the highest ratings.
Engineering, Damage Report........
Big "Area" Touch Screens. Sureeee that's what that stands for...
Why is Fox News...
Imagine playing halo or any games in that big screen! Better yet facebook or much better install a camera and do selfie on that big screen!
This reminds me of Star Trek. :D
Illogical, until shepherd impales himself on a corner of those bad boys!
Those... are... BIG.
OK. This is ...... AMAZINGGGGG. :)
one 55 inch screen seems a little unnessesary to me... Although maybe once they start snapping multiple apps it will pay off more... I'm used to multiple monitors yet..
The computers are ridiculous. The monitors resolution is that of a normal PC laptop, but worse. One of the images shows a guy on twitter and it only displays 4-6 tweets. I get more on my phone. Its a complete waste of the computer.
No matter what you think of Fox news, that "News Deck" is "decked out" :)
Looks pretty sweet.
-in shock-
So you all know fox news is the most popular news broadcast in the united states right? You are the minority...
some people, or certian political parties do not believe in numbers... I'd get into the budget but 1, we don't need to go there here, and #2, both sides have a problem with actually having one that is balanced or has a surplus.
The Fox football show with Jim Brown and Terry Bradshaw also chose Windows. They all have Surface Pros. I haven't seen a show that has done this yet.
On one end, I love the idea of it, but I imagine those things aren't 4K, and the low dpi at that range would wreak havoc on people's vision. Those people sitting at the screens are going to really hate this.
Kudos to Microsoft for getting Windows 8 out there on the most viewed news channel in a very visible manner, however. Solid marketing, even if their marketing partner is a blight on this nation. :/
I wonder what the resolution is on those. You'd think that if they were just normal 55in TVs that it would be horid to read text at a desk distance.
Fox Rocks! I get dizzy if i watch some of those other so called news cannels if you know what I mean. This system looks awesome, good luck to them with it, I hope it is very succesful!
Here is what you do: you watch fox news, MSNBC and CNN and the only thing they all report exactly the exact same way is the truth. So, you watch 3 hours for 10 minutes of actual news :) now that this is out of the way: the studio setup DOES look cool
Here's a thought put on fox for Ms fix w volume down, and listen to today show on your phone!, genius.
Today show is using something similar for the weather now too. You can see the big MS logo on it. Pretty cool.
I LOVE FOX AND WINDOWS.... I guess I'm just not a liberal elitist. Regardless of whether you're conservative or liberal this is GREAT MARKETING BY MICROSOFT. What a perfect place to flaunt Windows 8. On the most watched (by far) news channel.
Faster news is not better news. For example, during the Boston Marathon attack news incorrectly showed the wrong suspects on air. Just a thought.
Thanks, but we know they'll be using these things, genius.
I'm pretty sure that the guy that coined the BATS term, didn't have the word area in mind ;)
Cool :o
Star Trek News...Sorry Fox News. Lol
Closing apps would be interesting with the swipe down gesture...that's a lot of screen distance.
For my news I watch sesame street.
Breaking news. . . Oscar has gone missing: Big Bird is organizing a massive search!
Big hole torn through gordans wall, traces of garbage furr found!
Shep needs a command chair right in the center of the studio. How did he not get that included in his contract?
The only show I regularly watch on Fox News is The Five ( the girls are hot! ), now I'm gonna have to record Sheps show just to see these in action! This is a great advertisement for Windows! IF it works well, that is.
From what I've heard this is the setup that Shep will also be using during breaking news stories, not just his show so we should see a lot of it unless, like nothing ever happens. rolleyes
Luitanant Worf, fire the torpados.
Torpados? Is that a sister city of Tortuga and Barbados? ;-)
Can we buy these??
Fox news is really unrealistic. They play people for fools. When facts go agents them they play the dumb roll.
What do your political opinions have to do with the technology being discussed?
Yet you do not give an expample of a better new team. Why? Oh because there are none.
“It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.”
Yep, just like Jesus said it!
I do hope the staff will be getting regular breaks...i see a lot of industrial injuries here...shoulder and neck strains, backs staying hunched too long, sore asses, eye strain, not to mention the inevitable "BATS radiation made me sterile!" lawsuits.
Noooooooo....... I hate Fox News(?)
I would be impressed if they used standard 60" sets but apparently Fox is going through financial hard times.
It looks like a bunch of oompa loompas playing with Windows 8 tablets
Am I really the only one who thinks that these little humans look more than weird working on those monstrous screens? I very much doubt that it is a good working environment.
But hey, you wp-boys will tell me the opposite.
Geez. I knew I couldn't make it though the comments without seeing some folks cry. Pull up your big boy pants. Like Fox is the only bias news network on TV.
Am I the only one who would rather see the BATS acronym be "big ASS touch screens"?
Only you and everyone else who said it above ;-)
That's awesome. Great application of technology and a great win for Win8!
I want one of those! Let me think...yeah by 2030, if any of us are still alive, and Bob Geldof is wrong, I might be able to get one of these used at a yard sale. I'm gonna stake out a spot at Sheps home and hope he doesn't run me down.
BATS - Big Ass Touch Screen.
Wow, these big touchscreens... I wish I had one of these, even if I don't know where I should place it, because of its size. ^^ But really cool that they're using Windows 8 which is really the best Windows ever made. ^^
That looks like Bing news in that photo
I think it's great. I question their bias - but love the tech. Honestly it should be noted these aren't android OS hybrid devices, they are not OSX, they are not IOS. I guess MS isn't completely dead. Fly's in the face of the Apple, Google bias found on CNBC.
Seems a little much, but I am looking forward to seeing them in action! Might have to take a walk by the studio for a peak in...
Not Chrome either.
Windows 8 is only the beginning of the future.
Yeah, I heard their NASA's first choice for the first manned mission to mars!
I STOPPED READING @ TOP RATED
We all know fox news. It doesn't matter their rep. What matters in the this article though is the technology their using- w8!!!
And the dems use mac
They can use any shit they want.
You can't handle the truth.
Who's telling the truth?
The truth hurts
It does, especially when both parties have equal corruption. That's the truth.
No argument from me on that!
Daniel did, and sicnus couldn't handle it.
Is that because the other words were too big for you?
You talking to me, Dave? If so, why you insulting me for agreeing that both parties are corrupt? Are you so enthralled with your party that the mere mention of it's faults gets you riled. Well, that's sad.
Dave is a member of both parties
numbers don't lie...
Perceptive pixels screens!!! Woooo
Looks like a Surface for nearly blind People.
Who gives a fuck! I wouldn't mind getting one of those big ones. All that matters is they adopted w8 and that's plain awesome!
But but but windows 8 is counter productive and can't be used in a work environment. It destroys workflow and should never have existed. Enterprise will never adapt it and it will be known as the worst os in history.
/s
^^^LOL!!! Best post in the thread! My company will start the transition next year probably.
Sweet!
"BATS"; Where can I get one.
Does it come in gold? :P
It won't matter, you'll still look like knats!
With all the iPad success and apparent "coolness" of Apple hardware, nobody has taken anything to this extreme. Big thumbs up for Microsoft!
Soon, the iPad will be just a niche device. Nothing more.
Absolutely ridiculous gimmick.
Tom Cruise wants his joke back!
Very, Very Coooool.
Microsoft should be padding themselves on the back. Finally a company that appreciates the flexibility of windows 8 after all the media tried to bring the OS down.
What other OS can offer you apps and the backend that is the Windows desktop. With a swipe those journalist can get from their home made Twitter app from the Store and another swipe they can open up any video/image uploader or share through skydrive or this or that, ok you get my point lol
All these services and software Microsoft provides can really open up that 'Star Trek' feel, I am surprised they didn't bring in Kinect to control that badass 38 foot video wall lol oh well this is just V1 for Fox, perhaps when Kinect for Windows SDK flourishes a bit more :)
*patting, not padding :)
>:-0, not :) ;)
Yeh! Kinect and some Holograms e.g. Minority Report.
There would be strange scenes from the background though, as if people are Miming :)
Thanks for concentrating on the technology and not making it political.
Thank god they didn't make it political like the dems would if they ran WP Central
Yeah, look at the verge. They added "culture" to their site, just so they could get political. And as expected, they're as liberal as MSNBC.
So... What does the Fox say?
Ringa dinga ding ding dingy ding ding
Pow pow pow pow pow pow pow
Ha tee ha tee ha tee ho. Ha tee ha tee ha tee ho.
FA FA FA FAAH FA FA FAH FAHH FAAH FA FAHHH.
There lies the problem with humanity, Fox News is the highest rated, lol!
*with Americans, in the US. They're all largely irrelevant in the rest of the world
Sky News says hi
As in owned by the same guy...largest in the world, I think...
I'm Australian, so I don't watch UK news. It's either SBS or ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) news. Both are largely politically unbiased / neutral.
+1 communist party
What the hell is wrong with you? It's like you saying "I'm American" and me replying "+1 Nazi party". It doesn't make the slightest sense at all.
+2 Communist party
You really are an imbecile
+3 :)
I've always had a soft spot for "auntie", but unbiased ?
As unbiased as you can get... typically present quite balanced news reports. I don't even bother with Channel 7, 9 or 10 news although 10 is slightly more tolerable.
That's because the liberal opinion shows are unwatchable. Those guys take themselves too seriously and are always angry.
Lol. Good luck in life.
Thank god they are not using surface.I'd cancel my order immediately.
Star Trek called... they want their props back. I wonder how many weeks till someone pulls up some porn somwhere...
EDIT: I get what they're aiming at, but it looks kinda stupid, and rather uncomfortable. Trying to type tweets or whatever without a handrest is going to get painful fast.
From my experience, the onscreen keyboard scales according to the screen's DPI.
Look at the video they have keyboards :)
Watching the video....yeah, this is awesome. The stills did not do it justice.
Yeah, in the stills you can barely see the stilts!
All news channels are absurd, but out of the big 3 Fox has the least amount of douche-weasels. On topic......DEM MONITORS!
They don't give you much privacy.
They're at work with the screens facing a TV camera... I think privacy isn't a concern for them as it's part of the "show"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=v1m8a4Jl4ZI
see 1:17 :-D
haha at least he had good taste looking at Miranda Kerr ;) Let's see that on a 55" screen! :D
"journalists" don't know the definition of privacy.
These are work computers. There is no privacy. Use work computers for personal purposes at your own peril.
Who are you? My IT guy?
Finally, I have more use for my "third arm"!!!
LMAO
Wait, you mean IPADs didn't cut it, they needed a real operating system? Go Windows 8!
That is...kindof cool. Really bizarre, but unique for sure. I want my house to have these.
So how I do double tap something on that screen? Do I just hit it with my fist?
You just bump it with your chest. Its the only way actually.
It looks awesome but other than the video, wont watch them in action. Happy for w8 though.
I think its cool
Republicans (FOX) vs Democrats (MSNBC)..........3...2...1...... GO!
I'm Australian so I don't watch either of them :P
+1 communist party
That doesn't make any sense at all
Yeah wtf, me too. Nice set up though, good advertising.
Neither, whatever happened to unbiased news reporting. Maybe HBO should make a real newsnight program in the spirit of their The Newsroom TV series.
Yeah, because that show is unbiased. *rolls eyes*
HBO is as liberal as MSNBC.
Do you hear the crickets sing? That's the sound of the rest of the World not caring lol
(However, even though I'm European...FOX! Politics aside, without Fox we wouldn't get awesome series and comedy. Not to mention Jon Stewart wouldn't have source material for the Daily Show nor Seth McFarlane to his comedy)
DJ, don't mix up Fox News and Fox. While they are the same company, Fox News literally "reports" stories that The Onion posts. And its not because they don't know, its because they look for any reason they can to promote things that are anti-Democrat. If you have a brain, you despise Fox news. They promote blind faith and insist upon themselves.
Non-Americans don't watch or care about FOX News
Wow, you sound completely unbiased. Thank you for the enlighted truth./s
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/11/26/fox-nation-readers-confuse-onion-a...
Are you really daft enough to believe these surveys built to target groups? So, you must beleive in all the polls of Obama voters at howobamagotelected.com. Those surveys were used to position Dems as idiots who get their political info from SNL and the Daily Show. Don't be clueless like the vast majority of both Liberal and Conservative voters. I'm fiercely independent which is becoming easier and easier these days when both sides are spewing such bigotted attacks like you.
I don't care about your hate for anything or anybody different than yourself. I just wish that we could look at a story like this and be objectively excited about the cool tech. So let's all just try to be civil and objective.
I have a brain and watch both Fox and CNN because the truth is somewhere in the middle of those news reports. I cannot stand people who have to make it out like there isn't anything of value in news reporting from one or the other. As far as the setup goes, it looks like a lot of fun can I be a source producers so I can sit behind the 55' computer screen.
Its not because you can grope yourself while watching woman denigrate other successful, independent, woman!
I know Fox News operates a bit differently from Fox. I've heard Seth McFarlane talk about that. HOWEVER, from my European perspective, believe me, Fox is NOT as evil as you paint it.
The thing is, while in Europe news reporters aren't supposed to have political inclinations, in the US news channels are openly politic.
If you're a democrat, of course you'll despise the Republican side of the news. If you're a Republican, of course you'll despise the Democrat-connected channels.
For me...I don't care. As I'm not American, it's not a war that I care about. =P
(Although IF I were American, I would most probably vote Republican...however, I'm European. And Monarchic. So...there you have it LOL)
^^^^^^ @ade333 That is one of the stupidest comments of the day. ^^^^^
Don't be mad at me for forcing an education down your throat. Faux News will report anything: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/10/07/anna_kooiman_fox_new_c...
Please, actually read this and then respond. http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/09/11/sloppy-amp-wrong-11-fox-amp-frie...
Are you referring to the news side of Fox News or the political commentary side (O'reily, Hannity, etc)? I find the news side pretty much reports the same news as every one else. It all comes from AP anyways. They might slant the stories to the right a little, while the other news channels slant them to the left a bit. The political commentary shows are completely different. They are not news. They are opinion shows with some news in them.
Dumbest post ever. Off topic. Partisan cult influenced. Drivel. Can't we talk about tech and keep the playground style politics to ourselves. Ugh.
YMCPA Your comment is factually false. Spew your bias elsewhere, especially given Daniels specific req. Can't read eh?
+1 and The Simpsons :)
Fox. :)
But really, who thinks they are called Big Area Touchscreens?
They were definitely conceived as "Big Ass Touchscreens" but I think Fox toned it down, lol
Well, it's Fox. You expect it to be Family Friendly ;P
Also...they're already running W8.1 I guess? Since they get completely white backgrounds.
They better, so they can have more than 2 apps open at once. Only having 2 apps open on a 55 inch screen would suck.
You mean work! C'mon it Ms.(spell check proof positive).
I think its regular W8, since all the non-Modern UI apps are all the same colour on the start screen
The makers of Big Ass Fans would probably sue. www.bigassfans.com
Hey, I saw those in Ikea and was surprised by the name. They are big though.
For a second I thought it meant, "Big Ass Titties"
I think it is a pretty cool concept! I like it.
55 inch touch screen computers. I want one!
Yeah... "BATS" stands for Big "Area" Touchscreens .... Sure...
BFG
BFD!
Big azz tiddez
Very cool
Now they can fit more BS on the screen!
LMFAO!
Apparently not, look at the lousy screen resolution! Unless they just have it dialed down I think I see more on my 12" screen than they have on their 55's!
Mr Chekov, get ready for warp.
Witter, Witter . . .
LOL... I got this...
Shut up! You don't eat anything! You eat like a bean then you're done!
Actually....it's...Wicter Wictor two...
Nerd!!! Lolol! ;)
And proud of it! Lol StarTrek all the way!...it's better than star wars!
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