Microsoft 10 aims to be hip video community

10 is a new Microsoft video project, which aims to be the hipper and cooler younger sibling of the nerdy Channel 9. Microsoft's Jeff Sandquist calls 10 a "sister site" of Channel 9. So what is 10? Basically it appears to be a daily shot of video blogging from Microsoft that will cover new Internet technologies - not necessarily Microsoft software, but there'll undoubtedly always be some kind of connection. Sandquist described it on the intro post to 10:

"Every weekday at 10:00 am (PST) we’ll update this site with a new video that highlights people, their passions and often the technology they are using. At the end of each week we compile these videos into a full length show with some extra surprises for you."

I watched the first show, where "Tina and Laura take a tour of KEXP 90.3, an independent radio station that streams live over the internet." It's offered in QuickTime format or as a WMV, iPod and PSP download. It was a slick and well-edited 4-minute video piece, hosted by two extroverted young blond women - Laura Foy and Tina Wood, who used to be on TechTV. Both are now Microsoft employees (they "drank the juice" as Tina put it in the comments). The camera was trendily jerky - a la all those crime tv shows - and there was funky music in the background throughout. The video was of a professional quality and wouldn't have looked out of place on MTV, but it was also faux-sloppy enough to pass for YouTube kewl.

There's also a behind-the-scenes look at the making of 10, on Channel 9.

I'm not sure that I'll be checking into 10 that often, but then I'm not really the target audience. I'm more likely to geek out over the nerdy Channel 9. However I'm sure Tina and Laura will get a strong following from teenage boys, as well as older marketing executives wanting to stay informed about what 'the kids' are up to these days. Don't get me wrong though, 10 is pretty kewl.