It is not a secret that Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Phone platform is far from being truly popular. Even though formally it is supported by a dozen of vendors, many have not released anything based on the operating system. As a result, it is not surprising that the most popular Windows …
Read More »Nvidia: Mantle does not bring any tangible benefits
Although many game developers have decided to support AMD’s proprietary Mantle application programming interface (API), whereas Intel Corp. even expressed interest in exploring the API, Nvidia Corp. has been relatively quiet about one of its arch-rival’s key technologies. This does not mean that the company does not have any opinion …
Read More »Electronic Arts unveils $4.99/month subscription offering for Xbox One
Electronic Arts on Tuesday unveiled a new offering for Xbox One gamers. For $4.99 (£2.94, €3.72) a month, or for $29.99 (£17.68, €22.36) a year, subscribers in the U.S. will get access to a collection of EA’s most popular games. Initially the offering only works in the U.S., but eventually …
Read More »LG readies Windows Phone 8.1-based smartphone
Although Microsoft Corp. and LG Electronics announced intention to bring Windows Phone-based smartphones to the market earlier this year, LG has not yet introduced any actual products. According to unofficial information, the South Korean maker of smartphones is working on a mid-range Windows Phone-based handset, which is projected to emerge …
Read More »Microsoft may cease using Lumia brand – report
Although Microsoft Corp. can use Nokia’s trademark and brand-name for ten years, it looks like the company plans to cease using the Nokia name rather shortly from now. Moreover, the company even plans to phase out the Lumia brand as well. DigiTimes reports that Microsoft wants to completely get rid …
Read More »We’re finally going to see the ET landfill documentary
Looks like the Nerd got his movie finished just in time, as the documentary for Atari's downfall that also touches on what happened with that infamous ET landfill site is set for release soon. To whet our appetite, Microsoft has released a trailer for the film, which will ultimately be …
Read More »Bungie opens up the Destiny beta
You don't need to beg for beta codes anymore, Bungie has officially opened up the Destiny Beta to everyone on Xbox One, Xbox 360, Playstation 4 and Playstation 3. You can now head over to the PS Store or Xbox Live marketplace and download the beta and jump right in. …
Read More »China Telecom to sell Xbox One starting from September
China Telecom will exclusively sell Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox One game console in China starting from September. The Xbox One will be the first gaming system to be released in mainland China since the government banned game console sales in 2000. The move may help Microsoft to greatly boost sales of …
Read More »Microsoft Surface sales are down 18% quarter-over-quarter
Sales of Surface tablets in the second quarter of calendar 2014 (Q4 FY2014) were significantly lower compared to the previous quarter, according to Microsoft. At the same time, sales of the company’s professional and media tablets in the fiscal 2014 were considerably higher compared to the Surface revenues a year …
Read More »Microsoft set to unify all three client operating systems
Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday confirmed rumours that it plans to unify all of its operating systems for client personal computers. The move will help the company to cut its costs and offer similar user experience on different types of devices, including personal computers, tablets and smartphones. “We will streamline the …
Read More »Microsoft to cease development of Asha, feature-phones
While Microsoft Corp.’s chief executive officer Satya Nadella outlined a lot of details about the future strategy of the company last week, recently some additional details have emerged. As it appears, the strategy of the company when it concerns smartphones in particular and mobile communications in general is very simple and …
Read More »Sales of Nokia Lumia devices improve, but not significantly
Sales of Lumia branded smartphones on the second quarter of calendar 2014 were up sequentially and year-over-year, but remained generally low. Despite of efforts by Nokia Corp. and Microsoft Corp., sales of Windows Phone-based Lumia handsets are below shipments of Nokia's Symbian-based smartphones several years ago. Microsoft on Tuesday said …
Read More »Lenovo denies plans to cease selling small Windows tablets
Lenovo Group has issued a special statement denying plans to cease selling Microsoft Windows-based media tablets with displays smaller than 10” in the U.S. and Canada. Apparently, the company is working on new tablets with smaller screens for the aforementioned markets. The slates are projected to become available later this year. …
Read More »Apple-IBM deal: good news for Apple and IBM, bad news for BlackBerry and Microsoft
The agreement between Apple and IBM will inevitably have a lot of effects on the industry of personal computers as well as mobile devices. For example, BlackBerry and Microsoft Corp. will clearly lose sales because of the new collaboration. Meanwhile, the partnership essentially brings IBM back to the personal computing …
Read More »Microsoft shutting down Xbox Entertainment Studios
Microsoft's original programming plans have been cut short as it has been revealed that Xbox Entertainment Studios will be shutting down as part of the mass job cuts taking place at the company. The studio was in charge of the upcoming live action Halo projects and the Atari E.T landfill documentary. …
Read More »Lenovo discontinues small-screen Windows tablets in North America
Several months after Microsoft Corp. made its Windows operating system free for devices with displays smaller than 9”, Lenovo Group decided to discontinue its Windows-based tablets with 8” screens in the U.S. because of the lack of interest from the end-users. The same actions can follow in other parts of …
Read More »Microsoft to phase-out Nokia X Android-based smartphones
As part of its major restructuring plan announced on Thursday, Microsoft Corp. will phase out its Google Android-based smartphones and will offer more affordable Lumia devices in order to address customers in budget as well as developing markets. Additionally, Microsoft announced plans to focus on higher-end smartphones and fight against …
Read More »Microsoft set to cut 18,000 jobs by March 31st 2015
Microsoft has officially announced its plan to cut 18,000 jobs by the 31st of March next year. However, it's the company's recently acquired Nokia device and services division that will be hit the hardest, receiving around 12,500 of the overall job cuts. The mass job cuts were announced by Microsoft …
Read More »US Xbox One sales doubled in June
Microsoft's decision to sell a cheaper, Kinecless Xbox One bundle is already paying off as US sales of the console actually doubled in June. The jump in sales could also be partially attributed to the holiday lineup of games announced at E3, including The Master Chief Collection and Sunset Overdrive. …
Read More »Intel: replacement of Windows XP-based PCs will help us in 2014
Chief executive officer of Intel Corp. said that replacement of Windows XP-based personal computers by businesses and enterprises will help the company to sell more microprocessors this fiscal year. While the company does not want to make predictions regarding next year, it does not exclude the possibility that the replacements …
Read More »Obama still wants access to all the world’s data
Despite the drumming that trust in government spy agencies has taken over the past year thanks to Edward Snowden's revelations about the NSA and GCHQ data collection and retention schemes, US president Obama's administration is still pushing its luck with the kind of data it's allowed to collect. In its …
Read More »Microsoft to announce huge job cuts this this week – report
Chief executive officer of Microsoft Corp. has already implied on strategy changes at the software giant. As it usually happens, strategic shifts happen in a combination with massive layoffs. A media report suggests that the job cuts will be announced as soon as this week. After Microsoft added 30 thousand …
Read More »Microsoft: ultra-affordable Windows devices are incoming
At its annual worldwide partners conference Microsoft Corp. said that later this year its partners will release ultra-affordable devices running the company’s Windows operating system. The family of such devices will include notebooks that cost $199 – $249 and tablets that are priced at $99. Microsoft’s most important rivals these …
Read More »Satya Nadella: Microsoft is the productivity and platform company
Microsoft Corp. may be just one step before of another major strategy shift. Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of the company, said that giant's goal is not only to provide devices and services, something that his predecessor wanted to do in 2013, but to provide productivity opportunities in the new …
Read More »Xbox exec doesn’t think you can tell the difference between 30 or 60 fps
The UK marketing boss of Xbox doesn't think its possible to see differences in frame rate or resolution on screens smaller than 60 inches, in-fact he even went as far as to say “I defy you to really see the difference.” Speaking to CVG, Harvey Eagle said that one of …
Read More »Satya Nadella vows to ’innovate and delight gamers with Xbox’
Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft Corp., on Thursday wrote an open letter to the company’s employees revealing some of his thoughts about the future of the company and the world we are heading to. Among other things the CEO of the world’s largest software developer said that the …
Read More »Microsoft’s Cortana continues World Cup prediction streak
There's a lot of nonsense prediction engines that show up during big sporting events, usually animal based. Whether it's an elephant eating this over that, or an octopus that goes for that fish over this one, it's all pretty random and any real correct predictions are likely based on the …
Read More »Microsoft to end mainstream support of Windows 7 in early 2015
Although Microsoft Corp.’s Windows 7 operating system is nearly five years old and it has been almost two years since the release of the Windows 8 OS, the Win7 is still the world’s most popular operating system, according to Netmarketshare. Moreover, some PC makers continue to install it on new PCs. Still, …
Read More »Microsoft offering $75 credit to Xbox One buyers
Microsoft's Xbox One sales are on the rise but the console still needs a bit of a kick if it is going to catch up to the Playstation 4 this year. Microsoft is currently offering select Xbox 360 owners $75 of credit to put towards games, DLC or even movies as …
Read More »Microsoft readies “Nokia by Microsoft” branding
Although Microsoft Corp. has rights to use the Nokia name for several years, it cannot use it forever. According to a leaked image, Microsoft will start to prepare its smartphones for transition to its own brand shortly. Initially the firm will introduce the “Nokia by Microsoft” trademark, but eventually the …
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