We’ve heard countless rumors in the past leading up to this day, suggesting that Microsoft might make the big move and acquire Nokia, along with its device and services division. And now, Microsoft has officially confirmed that the acquisition will indeed take place in an open letter from current Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer and Stephen Elop, the current CEO of Nokia.
Net Applications has just released its monthly NetMarketShare statistics, and with Windows 8.1 on the horizon, it throws up some rather interesting findings regarding adoption rates of currently available versions of the Redmond company's platform. Notably, Windows 8 usage seems to have seen a significant upturn, with a leap from 5.42 percent to 7.65 percent worldwide during the month of August alone. Meanwhile, Windows XP, which still enjoys a healthy market share despite its age, dipped from 37.19 percent to 33.66 percent.
Late last week, we heard through the grapevine that Windows 8.1 RTM had been finalized, and today, the process has begun. New devices and machines bundled with Windows 8.1 will become available from October 18th, with manufacturers now being issued with licenses to pre-install the software, everything appears to be running tidily to schedule.
A move which we have been expecting for quite some time: Microsoft has finally made the decision to rid Xbox 360 customers of Microsoft Points in favor of real-world local currency. A Xbox update that is starting to filter its way around the world puts an end to the Points system and converts any Microsoft Points on an account into the local currency of the user.
Windows 8.1 has spent the past few months being primed and prepared for its October 17th release date, and with build number 9600 now confirmed as the Release to manufacturing (RTM), the process of assembling Windows 8.1 for public consumption is all-but complete. In a week that has seen CEO Steve Ballmer announce his imminent retirement after 13 years at the helm, it's critical that this transitional phase has only a positive effect on the Redmond company's product range, and with Windows 8.1 now getting its RTM, the stage is set for a new wave of corresponding products.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will be retiring in the next twelve months, according to an official announcement from Microsoft. Ballmer, who succeeded Bill Gates at the turn of the millennium, will continue as the Redmond outfit's chief for the foreseeable future, as the company begins the hunt for his replacement.
Gaming fans looking to pick up Microsoft's Xbox One on launch day this November will be able to choose from a rather vast array of games when they get the shrink wrap off their new piece of kit after Microsoft made available a list of games that will be available at launch.
It's a well known fact that Europeans love their football, or soccer, as it known in some parts of the world, and as a sweetener, Microsoft is throwing in a free copy of FIFA 14 with every Xbox One pre-order. The move, which is an overt attempt to pull in consumers tempted by the PlayStation 4, was announced by the Redmond company at the Gamescom trade show in Germany, and will be available to all pre-orderers while stocks last.
According to rumor, Sony is looking to make a significant impression upon the smartphone photography market, and along with the recent news that the Japanese outfit could be plotting a new flagship handset capable of shooting 4K video, we also recently heard about the company's endeavor to bring a series of camera attachments to the fore. The Sony Carl Zeiss lens attachment would simply clip onto the back of a smartphone and, in turn, deliver a DSLR-like high-end shooting experience. Now, the two lenses in question - the QX10 and QX100 - have had their specs leaked online, along with the news that the official unveiling could take place on September 4th.
Every once in a while, there comes a new idea that truly makes consumers go crazy over the product that has been delivered (or proposed, for that matter). Ubi Interactive, a company that has no link whatsoever to Ubisoft, by the way, has come up with the new application that works in conjunction with Microsoft’s Kinect for Xbox, and has the ability to convert any flat surface into a virtual “touch-screen” that works with a projector.
