Microsoft Corp. and Canon on Wednesday said that they have signed a broad patent cross-licensing agreement. Thanks to the new pact the two companies gain licenses to each other’s highly valued and growing patent portfolios. Theoretically, Canon’s licensing of Microsoft patents may indicate that the company is preparing a family …
Read More »Windows 9 preview could arrive this year
Rumor has it that Microsoft is preparing a Windows 9 preview for the end of this year ahead of the Operating System's full release next year. It is currently believed that the next iteration of Windows will mainly target those still using Windows 7. “Before Threshold is released next spring, Microsoft …
Read More »Microsoft cancels Surface Mini media tablet
Microsoft Corp. has reportedly called off its plans to introduce Surface Mini media tablet. The company decided not to enter the market of smaller slates because it is already very crowded. Nonetheless, the software giant may reconsider its plans regarding smaller tablets if market conditions change. Microsoft was expected to …
Read More »Xbox One could cost the most in China
Considering most of the world's electronics are manufactured in China, you'd assume that the locals would get the best deals on it. That's not often the case though and it certainly doesn't look like it'll be for the Xbox One either. While it's unconfirmed and “expected” at the moment, rather …
Read More »Microsoft Mobile reveals Android-based Nokia X2 with new software
Microsoft Mobile on Thursday introduced Nokia X2, its new smartphone based on a modified version of Google Android operating system aimed at customers in budget. The new handset weds Windows Phone-like experience with Google Android applications. The device features numerous software and hardware enhancements compared to the original Nokia X1. …
Read More »Intel approached AMD about access to Mantle
Intel Corp. has asked its arch-rival Advanced Micro Devices to provide it access to the Mantle application programming interface (API), AMD said last week. While in its current form Mantle can hardly bring any tangible benefits to Intel, the latter could redesign the API in order to allow software developers …
Read More »Games for Windows Live isn’t shutting down after all
It turns out that Microsoft's Games for Windows Live PC gaming service isn't going anywhere, despite many assuming that it was being killed off. Even developers thought it was shutting down at the start of July as plenty of games switched from Microsoft's service to alternatives like Steam Works. Rumors …
Read More »Ubisoft: Far Cry 4 with ultra-high settings will look the same on PC, PS4 and XB1
Far Cry 4 is expected to be one of the best-looking video games ever made, judging by the trailers that Ubisoft published earlier this month. What is somewhat surprising is that according to a representative of the game developer, the game will look equally good on all modern platforms, including …
Read More »Android and Windows Phone will add ability to remote brick device
The call for Google and Microsoft to offer a remote “kill switch,” on their smartphone handsets seems to have been heard, as both manufacturers have announced that future versions of their respective operating systems would include the ability to brick your device by choice, remotely, thereby rendering a stolen phone …
Read More »Ubisoft expects new console cycle to be shorter and prices to be lower
The launches of both Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4 were pretty successful since gamers had waited many years for the systems to arrive. While it remains to be seen how successful the XB1 and the PS4 will eventually be, Yves Guillemot, the chief executive officer of Ubisoft, believes …
Read More »Kinect voice commands will always work on Xbox one
We've heard a lot about Microsoft's updated Xbox One development kit and how the company is giving developers access to the full GPU but how these changes would impact the Kinect was still up in the air. However, the company has now clarified that while gestures and the Kinect camera …
Read More »Intel raises revenue expectations as demand for business PCs increases
Intel Corp. on Thursday announced that as a result of higher demand for business personal computers its sales for the second quarters will be significantly higher than expected. The world's largest chipmaker also increased its revenue and gross margin forecasts for the whole year. It is believed that businesses and …
Read More »Dead Rising 3 on PC will be locked to 30 frames per second
If you were looking forward to playing Dead Rising 3 on PC at a nice smooth 60 frames per second then you are going to be disappointed as Capcom has “optimised” the game for 30 frames per second and warns that unlocking the frame rate could break the game. Dead …
Read More »Destiny will now perform the same on Xbox One and PS4
Microsoft recently announced its intention to sell a Kinectless Xbox One bundle, which led to the introduction of its new SDK, which will allow developers to fully access the GPU without having to reserve 10 per cent for Kinect functions. Fortunately for Microsoft, this decision is already paying off as …
Read More »AMD: next-gen game consoles may arrive sooner than we think
Chief financial officer of Advanced Micro Devices said that the next generation game consoles from companies like Microsoft Corp., Nintendo and Sony Corp. may emerge on the market sooner than we might think. The life-cycle of the currently available systems may be shorter than those of Sony’s PlayStation 3, Microsoft’s …
Read More »Microsoft starts to sell Xbox One without Kinect
Microsoft Corp. on Monday started to sell its Xbox One video game console without the Kinect motion sensor. The new version of the Xbox One bundle is designed to lower the price of the console and make it more popular among gamers than it is today. However, the new price …
Read More »Halo Master Chief Collection and Halo 5 beta announced
Microsoft didn't just announce the Halo 2 Anniversary Edition at its E3 press conference this evening, the company actually announced that it will be releasing the entire Master Chief collection on one disc with all of the multiplayer modes intact later this year. The collection spans across Halo 1-4. This …
Read More »Bungie’s Destiny ditching Kinect for GPU power
Microsoft might be keen to point out that turning off your Kinect will not suddenly give you an extra few frames per second in your favourite games, that's not the case for the devkits which will be getting an update this month to let them play around with the extra …
Read More »Fable Anniversary to come to Steam in September
The very first Fable game is widely considered as the best in the series, so when Fable Anniversary was first announced, both console and PC gamers alike got a little excited. However, the game only landed on the 360 and until now, we didn't know if it would ever come …
Read More »Kinect for Windows v2 available for pre-order, costs £159/$199
Microsoft Corp. on Friday began to take pre-orders for the Kinect for Windows v2 motion sensor. The device is initially intended only for software developers who plan to take advantage of the Xbox One’s motion sensing capabilities on the PC. The software giant plans to start sales of the Kinect …
Read More »Dead Rising 3 will be coming to PC
One of the Xbox One's biggest exclusive launch titles was Dead Rising 3 but the game won't be staying console exclusive for much longer as Microsoft has revealed that the game will be making its way to PC. Now gamers will be able to enjoy the zombie slaying title at …
Read More »Microsoft clarifies: Disconnecting Kinect won’t boost performance
Microsoft recently admitted that by making the Kinect optional, developers would be able to squeeze out an extra 10 per cent out of the GPU on the Xbox One. However, that doesn't mean that current owners will suddenly see a performance boost simply by unplugging the peripheral. Microsoft has now …
Read More »Microsoft release PC drivers for Xbox One controller
Microsoft has been promising to up its PC support recently but many were surprised to find that the Xbox One controller didn't support the PC on or even near release despite the success of the Xbox 360 controller on the platform. However, Microsoft has now released the PC drivers for …
Read More »Microsoft calls on US government to re-address NSA concerns
It was this very week in 2013 that first saw revelations of the NSA, GCHQ and the US government's advanced spying regime first hit the internet, as Edward Snowden divulged masses of secretive documents to Guardian journalists and ultimately, to the world, from his hideout in Hong Kong. Since then …
Read More »Dropping Kinect gives Xbox One dev kits 10 per cent GPU boost
There was a lot of speculation about Microsoft's decision to drop Kinect and whether it was just about getting the price down in line with Sony's PlayStation 4. It turns out that there was in-fact an ulterior motive too, freeing up the GPU to give the console a much needed …
Read More »The top 4 most valuable brands in the world are all tech companies
Out of the top ten most valuable brands in the world, the top four are all tech companies with Google leading the pack after overtaking Apple as the world's most valuable brand by $11 billion. Following on from Apple and Google in the two top spots, are IBM and Microsoft …
Read More »Windows 8.1 beats out Windows 8 in OS race
Windows 8 wasn't quite the disaster release that Windows Vista was back in the 00's, but it was far from great. People didn't like being forced into using a touch screen developed tab system on their desktop and laptop and the missing start button didn't help much either. Fortunately it …
Read More »Microsoft smartwatch expected to be a breakthrough, set to land in 2014
Rumours about Microsoft Corp.’s smart-watch have been circulating for a couple of years now, but no trustworthy details have ever emerged. On Friday Forbes reported that the device may be released already this year and may feature rather advanced health and fitness tracking capabilities. But, perhaps, the most important thing …
Read More »Microsoft has no plans to spin off Xbox division, says Satya Nadella
Recently a lot of discussions about the possible future of Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox division arose. A comment regarding the Xbox unit made by Bill Gates even inspired talks that the software giant could spin-off its console business. However, according to Satya Nadella, the new chief executive officer of Microsoft, there …
Read More »Nokia X2 smartphone may feature two operating systems
It is not a secret that Microsoft Mobile is working on the second-generation Nokia X smartphone that was originally expected to be based on the heavily modified Google Android operating system and was projected to be sold mostly in developing countries. Apparently, the new Nokia X2 smartphone will not be …
Read More »