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Against all odds, this year has turned out to be an exciting one for the industry when it comes to hardware launches- though the last major round of console and handheld launches was less than three years ago, it seems we are already primed for major new hardware this year. This includes the three new VR headsets that launched this year, of course – the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR are all major new game platforms for the industry that launched, or will launch, in 2016 – but it seems we are also getting new consoles this year. One of them, at the very least, was expected- Nintendo’s NX, which is primed to be the successor to the disappointing Wii U, has long been marked as a 2016 launch. However, what was unexpected was the rumblings of new hardware launches from Sony and Microsoft, too- both of whom look to be launching new PlayStation and Xbox systems. Effectively, then, the launch of new consoles by all three companies leads to a mid generation reset– an all new generation, so to speak. What Microsoft is planning is as yet unknown- they were among the first companies to raise the idea of iterative consoles, but they went back on that notion shortly afterwards. Nevertheless, enough indications exist that we know they are working on something new, and Xbox head Phil Spencer himself has hinted at an announcement of something beyond the Xbox One coming soon. What that something is, however, is as yet unknown. "Xbox head Phil Spencer himself has hinted at an announcement of something beyond the Xbox One coming soon." On the other hand, the PS4K and the Nintendo NX, while both equally enigmatic and unannounced, are far clearer to us- the PS4K appears to be a highly incremental revision of the PS4, enhancing the base console’s specs somewhat to lead to better performing and looking games. The Nintendo NX is Nintendo’s brand new console, and is, according to the consensus found in most rumors and leaks, pegged to be at least a bit more powerful than the current PS4 (where it would stand with respect to the PS4K is unknown for now). So we have two new consoles coming this year that could conceivably lay claim to being the most powerful console ever released. The question is, will that be enough to sell them to the masses? Remember, the current console generation is only now hitting its stride after almost three years of wallowing in the shadow of the previous generation. Most customers have, within the last year or so, spent a few hundred dollars on new hardware- why would they buy either the NX or the PS4K? Both the NX and the PS4K will have to make a compelling case for their existence- however, equally important to their ultimate appeal to the mass market will be their value proposition. In other words, how much the machines cost could single handedly make or break their fortunes on the market. Sony must surely realize that- the reason the PS4 has done as well as it has is because of its consumer friendly pricing. When Sony announced the price of the system, it was just $399- a full $100 cheaper than the Xbox One, and it delivered on this cheaper price while being a more powerful and capable console as well. This good pricing for the PS4 is just the most notable incidence of good pricing moves by Sony in the last few years, which have all lent them a measure of success- the PS Vita was similarly well priced at $249, and the PlayStation VR is priced at an extremely low and attractive $399. Sony, it seems, understands the value of pricing their hardware just right. "Sony, it seems, understands the value of pricing their hardware just right." How much, then, should the PS4K be priced at? This is an interesting question that needs to be approached with the full context of the picture in mind: the PS4K, while a new and more powerful machine, is not meant to replace the current PS4 model. Rather, all indications are that the two models will exist side by side on the market- much like how Nintendo sells multiple variants of its handhelds at the same time. Given, then, that the PS4K is not meant to replace the current PS4, but simply complement it, Sony have a lot more breathing room with how they can price the system. Since the PS4K will not be the primary PS4 SKU on the market, but just a premium, high end addition to the PS4 line, Sony can conceivably price it higher than they would have been able to a regular mid cycle refresh, while keeping the regular PS4 model as their cheaper entry into the PlayStation ecosystem. All of which is to say, the PS4K could be pricy- it will at the very least be $399, a full $50 more expensive than the PS4 currently is (though that difference could go as high as $100, if Sony drops the price of the current PS4 to $299 permanently- as they should), but we could conceivably see it go as high as $449 as well. It would be a high margin SKU sold at the higher end of the market, to those that are willing to spend a little extra money to get the very best that their money can buy. At the same time, Sony will not risk alienating their mass market base either, since the current PS4 will continue to be sold at a lower price. They get to, essentially, have their cake and eat it too. With that said, a $449 price for the PS4K honestly seems unlikely- $399 seems to be what Sony will target, as that seems to be the magic price point for them. If they drop the price of the base SKU to $299 in this period, then they have a healthy price difference- if not, however, then Sony can make a compelling, implicit case for all would be buyers of the base PS4 SKU to spend just $50 more and get the best PS4 SKU on the market. Given all of these competing factors, we would argue that Sony will end up pricing the PS4K at $399- with the price for the base PS4 SKU probably being kept as is at $349. "Nintendo’s strongest market, traditionally, has been the family market- the family market is not looking at spending a lot of money." Nintendo is a far more interesting case to argue. Like Sony, they, too, have learned the importance of price- but because of the opposite reasons. The Nintendo 3DS and Wii U both launched at historic high prices of $249 and $349 respectively- and both did poorly on the market, until Nintendo dropped their prices, and managed to reverse their performance somewhat. Generally, in the past, Nintendo have done the best when they have kept their prices low- appealing to the mass market with their products, as it were. This is particularly important, because Nintendo’s strongest market, traditionally, has been the family market- the family market is not looking at spending a lot of money. But any discussion on the failure of the 3DS and Wii U at higher price points must be tempered with the realization that Nintendo were essentially trying to sell what was outdated tech at premium prices- while yes, the 3DS and the Wii U had state of the art autostereoscopy and low latency streaming tech to them respectively, they were essentially half a decade old tech being sold at shockingly high prices. The market did not perceive them to be good value at those price points, and it responded appropriately. The NX, by all accounts, appears to be different- while Nintendo is likely to skip out on the extraneous media functionality that both the Xbox One and the PS4 seem to espouse, it is rumored to be a capable machine- at the very least more powerful than the PS4, and, depending on how it ultimately pans out, possibly more powerful than the PS4K too- at the very least, it would be in the same general vicinity of hardware power as the PS4K. Then, too, is the fact that Nintendo has now understood the value of selling their systems at a loss should the need for it come- they did it with both, the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U when it was necessary. Nintendo will probably not balk at selling the NX for a loss upfront as much as they would have done before. "Any discussion on the failure of the 3DS and Wii U at higher price points must be tempered with the realization that Nintendo were essentially trying to sell what was outdated tech at premium prices." Given all of this, then, how much should the NX be priced at? If we assume that Nintendo will still want to appeal to their traditional family market, but that the NX is a capable, powerful machine, somewhere between the PS4 and the PS4K in terms of power, meaning that it will not be perceived to be outdated, out of value tech, and that they are willing to take a loss on their systems now, then the best price point for Nintendo to sell the NX at will probably be $349- at that price point, the NX will appear to be good value to most families, and avoid the ‘premium’ pricing label associated with prices $399 and above, they will be able to make a good value proposition (a very powerful machine being sold at a cheaper price than the PS4K’s projected $399), and probably not make enough of a loss for it to put a serious dent in their balance books- in fact, depending on how the NX is designed, they may even break even or make a small, tidy profit for themselves. Of course, these are all just predictions and projections- the final pricing may vary. Sony may decide to be competitive and go in for the kill with the PS4K’s pricing, and try to undercut Nintendo, a strategy they have tried with the competition in the past with the PS4, PS Vita, and PSVR. Nintendo may decide to change their strategy, and rebrand and reposition themselves as a ‘premium’ alternative for the console market. The Xbox One Elite may throw a wrench in Sony and Nintendo’s plans by being a far more powerful machine than either, sold at just $299- right now, it is naturally impossible to know. But given what we do know right now, or think we know, at any rate, we feel comfortable with predicting the price points for the two systems that we have predicted above. Whether or not Nintendo and Sony go for these prices remains to be seen- and that, among other reasons, is why we are so excited for E3 this year, when the gauntlet for the next round of the console wars will probably be thrown into the ring in earnest. Source http://gamingbolt.com/how-much-should-the-ps4k-neo-and-nintendo-nx-cost#HRUP6s2o3fdpztmS.99
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Microsoft’s giant-screen Surface Hub hits the market The device, aimed for use in corporate meeting rooms, is rolling out six months later than originally planned. The Surface Hub, Microsoft’s giant, touch-enabled screen meant for corporate meeting rooms, has started shipping to customers, about six months later than originally planned. In a blog post last week announcing the shipments, Microsoft didn’t address the cause of the delay for the device, which was scheduled for September rollout. The delay is the latest manufacturing hurdle for a software-focused company, which has occasionally stumbled when venturing into making its own hardware. The price also rose, by $2,000, from Microsoft’s first announcement of expected availability. The 55-inch model costs $8,999, and the 84-inch variant starts at $21,999. The Surface Hub is built in part on technology acquired in a 2012 deal to buy Perceptive Pixel, a builder of touch-screen displays that can handle more than one input at a time, a technology most famously used by CNN anchors to track election results. The devices are manufactured in Wilsonville, Ore., the old home of Perceptive Pixel’s engineering team. Microsoft is betting the devices, which tightly integrate Skype video and voice-conferencing services, and a whiteboardlike tool in OneNote, can replace much of the other audiovisual and conferencing technology in corporate meeting rooms. The Surface Hub comes with an array of integrated light sensors, cameras, microphones and audio, visual and Internet connectivity ports. As part of the pitch to justify the costly devices, Brian Hall, a general manager of devices marketing at Microsoft, cited potential cost savings for large organizations. Owning the device could cut down on the need to purchase other meeting-room equipment, cut printing costs and improve sales for teams presenting to clients with the device, Hall said, touting results of a Microsoft-funded study by Forrester Consulting. Sources: seattletimes.com Tech specifics: Operating system Windows 10 Exterior Dimensions: 84 – 46.12" x 86.7" x 4.15" (1171.5mm x 2202.9mm x 105.4mm), 55 – 31.75" x 59.62" x 3.38" (806.4mm x 1514.3mm x 85.8mm) Weight: 84 – 280lbs, 55 – 105lbs Color: Black Physical buttons: Power, Input Select, Volume, Brightness Storage 128GB SSD, 8GB RAM Display Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (84" model) and 1920 x 1080 (55" model) Aspect ratio: 16:9, Touch: 100-point multi-touch Pen input Surface Hub Pen (two included), Powered, Active, subpixel accuracy CPU 84": 4th Generation Intel Core i7 with Nvidia Quadro K2200 Graphics 55": 4th Generation Intel Core i5 with Intel HD 4600 Graphics Network Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) Ethernet 1Gbps Bluetooth 4.0 low energy NFC Reader Miracast Enabled Cameras and A/V Dual 1080p front-facing cameras, 100 degree Horizontal field of view High performance, 4 element array microphone Dual Front-facing stereo speakers Ports 84 – (1) USB 3.0, (4) USB 2.0, Ethernet 1Gbps, DisplayPort Out, 3.5mm Stereo Out, RS232 Serial (RJ11). Ingest: DisplayPort In, HDMI In, VGA In, 3.5mm Stereo In, (2) USB 2.0 type B 55 – (1) USB 3.0, (2) USB 2.0, Ethernet 1Gbps, DisplayPort Out, 3.5mm Stereo Out, RS232 Serial (RJ11). Ingest: DisplayPort In, HDMI In, VGA In, 3.5mm Stereo In, (1) USB 2.0 type B Sensors source: microsoft.com
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This is one of those moments in which you just have to applaud someone's work. But you'll applaud a little too hard because, secretly, you're absolutely furious that you've never done anything even nearly as impressive. Fellow people in the adoring crowd would nudge each other and nod their head towards you, raising eyebrows, questioning and worrying as to why this dude is clapping so hard until, finally, agonisingly, you are the only person making any noise amidst an otherwise nervous silence. Oh, and you're screaming now, too. Why the display? Well, Reddit user crruzi has made a functioning, lo-fi XCOM game entirely inside Microsoft Excel. For fun. Even more sickening/incredible is the fact that, two months ago, they couldn't write a single line of code. "I just learned VBA [Visual Basic] for my job and wanted to get familiar with it", crruzi explains. "Because I love XCOM I decided to make it my project to code a complete XCOM game in Excel. The game is set between the events of XCOM: EW and XCOM 2, where a group of guerrilla fighters try to liberate their city from ADVENT control." As you'd expect, it's not quite as graphically fully-formed as you might remember from the series, but seems to contain just about the full complement of XCOM's tactical options. Currently, the game's not readily available - crruzi says that only the tactical portion is done, with the management sections presumably in-progress - but going by past evidence, he'll have it knocked up in a couple of days, with no apparent difficulty. The bastard. Personally, I think fellow Reddit user, Tongfa sums it up best, saying: "As someone who is learning VBA now for an internship, this is the dankest shit I have ever seen and you are a f***ing legend. Vigilo Confido you based god." Quite. Source http://www.gamesradar.com/holy-hell-someone-made-xcom-game-microsoft-excel/
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Windows 7 has another year to go before it will no longer be preinstalled on new PCs. Still want to buy a PC that comes with Windows 7 or 8.1 from the get-go? You've got less than a year. Microsoft's "Windows lifecycle fact sheet" shows October 31, 2016, as the "end of sales for PCs with Windows preinstalled" for both Windows 7 Professional and Windows 8.1, a change spotted by CNET sister site ZDNet. After that date, the only choice for consumers will be to purchase new computers with Windows 10 installed. The lone exception will be businesses with license agreements that entitle them to choose which version of Windows they want preinstalled. The deadline puts pressure on consumers who have grown comfortable with Windows 7 and are reluctant to upgrade their operating system if they buy a new PC. For Microsoft, it's a necessary step toward its goal of having Windows 10 power 1 billion devices, which underscores the company's message that the new software can tie together PCs, tablets and mobile phones with apps that can run on any of them. Windows 7 users may not realize it, but they actually caught a break. Microsoft typically sets the end-of-sales date for each version of Windows two years after the release of a new version. That means Windows 7's cutoff date should have been in October 2014, two years after the launch of Windows 8. The lack of consumer demand for Windows 8 prompted Microsoft to keep Windows 7 alive longer than expected. Users who want to continue running Windows 7 on their existing PCs need not worry. Extended technical support will be available until January 14, 2020, when you'll still be able to get security patches, bug fixes and other updates. The same type of support for Windows 8 will run until January 10, 2023. Despite the extended deadline for Windows 7 and 8.1, Microsoft is heavily pushing Windows 10. The new operating system, which launched at the end of July, is available as a free upgrade to Windows 7 and 8.1 users for the first year. Microsoft has been using frequent pop-up notices to remind those who reserved a copy to install the new operating system. The company has also classified Windows 10 as an "optional update" and early next year expects to change that to a "recommended update," Windows and Devices Group executive vice president Terry Myerson said last week. Source http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-to-discontinue-windows-7-8-1-on-new-pcs-in-one-year/
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Pricing for the top-of-the-line Surfacebook "ultimate laptop" has been announced. As revealed on Microsoft's website (via Windows Central), the premium model will cost $3,200; its configuration includes a 1 TB SSD, 16 GB RAM, and Intel i7 processor with dedicated graphics. That's more than double the price of the introductory model, which has lower specs and sells for $1,500. Microsoft announced the Surfacebook during a Microsoft Devices presentation earlier this month. The 13.5-inch device, the first laptop Microsoft has ever built, aims to offer the "full punch of a high performance laptop with unprecedented versatility of a tablet." Microsoft claims the device is two times more powerful than the latest Macbook Pro. In addition, Microsoft worked with the Xbox engineering team to help with optimizing the GPU. Head to Microsoft's website to see a full rundown of configurations and price points for the Surfacebook. Preorders opened on October 7, while the device is slated to go on sale October 26. However, due to strong demand, shipment dates for this model and others have been pushed back to 7 or 8 weeks. Source http://www.gamespot.com/ http://www.cnet.com/
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Been thinking about a new laptop? If you're ready to part with your old one, Microsoft will give you $200 for it. Or $300 if it's a MacBook. That's the fairly straightforward offer from Microsoft's new trade-up program. All you have to do is buy a qualifying product from the Microsoft Store, submit a claim and then send in your old qualifying laptop. Of course, the devil's in the details, or in this case in the "qualifying." The new PC must be priced at $599 or above, and it must be one of the models listed on this Microsoft Store page. If you want the cheapest possible option, there's exactly one $599 system: the Acer Aspire R 13 Signature Edition convertible, which has some very solid specs but only middling reviews. A better bet might be the $699 Asus Zenbook UX305, a steal at the post-trade-in $499 price. I own one of these, and it has just two flaws: a non-backlit keyboard and a power button located in the worst possible place: right next to the Delete key. There are also a few all-in-one systems that qualify, including the popular HP Envy Beats, which is already marked down $200 to $849. A final price of $649 is awfully tempting. (Obviously it would be $549 if you traded in a MacBook. But I'm curious: Does anyone ever switch from Mac to Windows?) As for your trade-in, it must be no more than six years old, with a screen that's at least 11.6 inches, and it must be "operational" and "undamaged." (Be sure to read the full terms and conditions.) I couldn't find any indication of who pays to ship your old laptop, you or Microsoft. There have been other trade-in deals, of course, but typically the language reads "get up to $200 for your old laptop." And then you find out that "up to" means, like, $40. Here you get $200 or $300, period. Pretty nice option for anyone looking to, well, trade up. Source http://www.cnet.com/
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Havok, whose development tools are used in over 600 games, has been acquired by Microsoft from Intel for an undisclosed amount. The physics technology is extremely popular and has been used in games like Call of Duty, Destiny, The Elder Scrolls and much more. The company said on the Microsoft blog though that, “We will continue to work with developers to create great gaming experiences, and continue to license Havok’s development tools to partners. Havok is a fantastic addition to Microsoft’s existing tools and platform components for developers. [And] we will continue to innovate for the benefit of development partners. “Part of this innovation will include building the most complete cloud service, which we’ve just started to show through games like Crackdown 3.” Source http://gamingbolt.com/
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Happy Windows 10 release day! Are you planning on giving Microsoft's latest OS a shot? I wasn't expecting to get it today, but lo and behold, after doing some work with SFC, SFCFix, and rebuilding/repairing some Windows Update manifests, I saw a little surprise in Win Update.
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Samsung has been accused of disabling Microsoft's software in preference for its own, leaving computers insecure. Microsoft technical expert Patrick Barker said he had found Samsung software downloading and running a file called Disable_Windowsupdate.exe, while helping a user with a computer problem. He said "a few Samsung-manufactured computer systems" were affected. Samsung said it was just giving customers the choice about running Windows software. "It is not true that we are blocking a Windows 8.1 operating system update on our computers," Samsung said in a statement. "As part of our commitment to consumer satisfaction, we are providing our users with the option to choose if and when they want to update the Windows software on their products." According to Samsung, the SW update allows users "to download the newest drives, updates and software for your Windows PC". But the response baffled Mr Barker. "I never implied it specifically blocked a Windows 8.1 OS system update, just that their SW Update software is preventing Windows Update from automatically installing updates, and forcing the user to have it set to 'let me choose whether to download and install,'" he wrote in his blog. "It's disabling Windows Update from working as the user intends it to," he added. Mr Barker said if the Windows Update was turned on manually, it was disabled by the Samsung update when the machine was rebooted. The software did not come pre-installed on computers but downloaded in the background, he said. "It doesn't appear to uninstall properly," he added. Parts of the software remained, including the folder that contained the command to disable Windows Update, he wrote in his blog. Microsoft said: "Windows Update remains a critical component of our security commitment to our customers." "We do not recommend disabling or modifying Windows Update in any way as this could expose a customer to increased security risks. "We are in contact with Samsung to address this issue." Superfish Security consultant Graham Cluley said that turning off Windows Update was a "risky move" for any company. "As there are many instances of malware trying to deliberately disable Windows Update in order to get on with their dirty work, I personally wouldn't feel entirely comfortable if Samsung was going around doing the job for them," he wrote in his blog. The news did not go down well on Twitter either, with some comparing what Samsung was doing with an earlier Lenovo case. In February, the Chinese computer maker was forced to remove hidden adware from its laptops and PCs. The adware - dubbed Superfish - was potentially compromising security, experts said. Source http://www.bbc.com/
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Don't own an iPhone or Windows Phone, but rely on Microsoft's Office for writing, building presentations and crunching numbers? No problem. Microsoft's venerable suite of applications, including Word, PowerPoint and Excel, is finally making its way onto smartphones powered by Google's Android mobile operating system, Microsoft said Wednesday. Maybe best of all, the apps -- like their counterparts on Android tablets and devices running Apple's iOS operating system -- are free to download. Microsoft first made its Office suite available for Android tablets in February and announced a preview of the smartphone versions in May. The apps look and work much like the software designed for Apple's iPads and iPhones, meaning you can edit Word documents and wirelessly run PowerPoint presentations from your phone. Unlocking more mobile features and using the software's desktop versions requires an annual subscription to Office 365. That last part is core to CEO Satya Nadella's strategy for reinvigorating Microsoft's business software. The world's largest software maker hopes people will pay the fee for Office 365 so they can use the cloud versions of Outlook, Word and PowerPoint on their Macs or PCs. That's become especially attractive as employees shift activities between their corporate and personal devices. "The goal of these apps is to make sure that as people think about working, creating and doing, they think of Office as the default," said Ebun Onagoruwa, a Microsoft product manager. Onagoruwa said this is the culmination of a nearly 18-month journey -- since Microsoft first offered Office for iPad -- "transforming [Office] from a software suite into a platform that would work across devices." Nadella and his team want corporate customers to stop thinking of Office and Windows software as products they buy with onetime licenses. The company is following the lead of others in the industry, such as Adobe Systems, Oracle and Salesforce.com, which are pushing customers to pay annual subscriptions for applications, storage and other services in the cloud. Microsoft's cloud business currently accounts for $6.3 billion a year, or about 5 percent of total revenue. Nadella hopes the business will deliver about $20 billion in sales by 2018. Nadella in April said the mobile versions of Office for both iOS and Android have been downloaded more than 100 million times since June of 2013. To up that number, the company is partnering with more than 30 device makers, including Samsung, Dell and LG to preinstall Office and its Skype video-calling software on Android devices. Source http://www.cnet.com/ -
Following reports today that it had disabled Xbox One consoles belonging to individuals who broke a testing agreement with the company, Microsoft has denied that it does so for Terms of Use violations. "To be clear, if a console is suspended from Xbox Live for a violation of the Terms of Use, it can still be used offline," a Microsoft spokesperson told. "Microsoft enforcement action does not result in a console becoming unusable." The question then becomes what warrants a console being banned from use online. "Suspensions for both consoles and accounts are determined by looking at a number of factors," the spokesperson continued. "To avoid enforcement action including suspension from the service, users should follow the Xbox Live Terms of Use and Code of Conduct." This statement comes on the heels of a report from Kotaku that Microsoft had "bricked" consoles belonging to people testing the remastered Xbox One version of Gears of War. These individuals were allegedly responsible for the footage that's appeared online from the as-of-yet unannounced game. An email sent out by the company employing these testers, VMC Consulting, indicated that these testers had violated both a non-disclosure agreement and Xbox Live's End User License Agreement. The email said that, as a result of violating Xbox Live's EULA, the offenders' Xbox Live accounts had been permanently banned and their consoles "temporarily blocked." According to the email, this meant their systems were "entirely unusable" until Microsoft decided otherwise. This prompted concerns from Xbox One owners that Microsoft has a killswitch that allows it to completely disable any Xbox One console. Microsoft's statement suggests violating the terms you agree to when using the system will only result in the console being banned from use online. Microsoft did not directly address the bans supposedly handed out to these testers, so it remains to be seen whether their consoles have been rendered unusable offline--something that may have been stipulated by the NDA they are said to have broken. The NDA remains an important wrinkle, as these individuals were subject to rules that ordinary Xbox One owners are not. Source http://www.gamespot.com/
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Hey all, I don't know if you seen this already but the Xbox One SDK has been leaked out: Xbox One SDK Download - 473.9MB Xbox One SDK Docs Download - 49.9MB Note: You will need Visual Studio 2012 or newer to access some of the features. The links are hosted on mega.co.nz. Have fun, SuperTaz
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0 0 Microsoft will be holding a Windows 10 event at their Redmond campus next month, during which Xbox head Phil Spencer will discuss gaming on the operating system. “It’s time for us to talk about gaming on Windows,” Spencer said on Twitter in response to a fan question about whether UI footage of Windows 10 running on Xbox One would be seen at the event. Windows 10 is set to launch sometime late 2015. The new OS was unveiled in September. The event in question, titled “Windows 10: The next chapter,” will be held on January 21. Spencer will be joined by Operating Systems Group executive vice president Terry Myerson, corporate vice president Joe Belfiore, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. -
I've decided to put good use to the MicroSD card slot that lie embedded in my Surface Pro 2, and use it to hold some virtual disk files. I've always loved toying around with virtual machines, and to this day I never use just one computer. I currently have 4 that I could use at any time... Anyways, here is Manjaro Openbox running in Hyper-V on a live CD. It is currently installing, and then I'll get to tinker around
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Earlier this year, Microsoft launched the Kinect-less Xbox One in a bid to offer more options when purchasing the console. Now the company will make the Kinect available as a standalone product. From October 7, you'll be able to purchase the Kinect sensor as a standalone product. It will cost $149.99, and come with a copy of Dance Central Spotlight. Microsoft was keen to stress earlier this year that "Kinect remains an important part of our vision," although it's notable that there aren't a huge number of Kinect games currently in development. Via: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/224377/Standalone_Kinect_for_Xbox_One_available_from_this_October.php
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http://youtu.be/GBU_D4FVYmY Microsoft today announced a new installment in the Age of Empires series -- and it's the first to be built specifically for touch devices. Age of Empires: Castle Siege is due for release next month on Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 devices, and is in development from Smoking Gun Interactive, the studio that previously worked on numerous Kinect-based games. The game will comes with in-app purchases available. Age of Empires fans don't appear to be entirely happy, with the comments sections of both the announcement blog post and the YouTube trailer filled with complaints. Source: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/224135/Theres_a_new_Age_of_Empires_and_its_for_touch_devices.php
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Intel Corp. (INTC) Chief Executive Officer Paul Otellini told employees in Taiwan that Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)’s Windows 8 operating system is being released before it’s fully ready, a person who attended the company event said. Improvements still need to be made to the software, Otellini told employees at a company meeting in Taipei yesterday, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the meeting was private. Microsoft is eager to get Windows 8, the first version of its flagship software designed for touch tablets, into computers next month to help it vie with Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPad during the holiday shopping season. Releasing the operating system before it’s fully baked is the right move, and Microsoft can make improvements after it ships, Otellini told staffers. Intel, the biggest semiconductor maker, is Microsoft’s closest partner, and Otellini’s remarks echo criticism from analysts such as Michael Cherry at Directions on Microsoft. While Windows is fundamentally sound, the operating system lacks a wide range of robust applications and PC makers haven’t had enough time to work out kinks with so-called drivers, which connect software to such hardware as printers, Cherry said. “We are concerned at the level of bugs and fine tuning that appears necessary to get the beta systems we demoed ready for prime time,” Alex Gauna, an analyst at JMP Securities LLC in San Francisco, wrote in a Sept. 13 note in response to versions of Windows 8 shown at Intel’s recent developer forum. Intel shares rose 0.5 percent to $22.65 at the close in New York, while Microsoft declined less than 1 percent to $30.17. Vista Flops Technology vendors often release software before it’s completely ready and make adjustments on the fly. Still, the practice can backfire. Vista, a version of Windows that debuted in 2007, was introduced two years late. It was met with poor adoption as the software initially didn’t work with many applications and drivers. “With over 16 million active preview participants, Windows 8 is the most tested, reviewed and ready operating system in Microsoft’s history,” said Mark Martin, a spokesman for Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft. Laura Anderson, a spokeswoman for Santa Clara, California- based Intel, declined to comment on the internal meeting. She also said that the company “believes Windows represents a tremendous opportunity for our business and we’re looking forward to working with Microsoft on enabling a host of new experiences on a variety of devices.” Intel’s Sales During the meeting, Otellini declined to elaborate on the company’s outlook following the announcement this month that it’s cutting the third-quarter revenue forecast. Lackluster demand for PCs won’t be bad enough to cause the company to lay off workers, and the market will grow in 2013, he said. Intel said on Sept. 7 that third-quarter sales will be $12.9 billion to $13.5 billion, from a prior projection of $13.8 billion to $14.8 billion. Analysts on average had estimated sales of $14.2 billion, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Intel said orders in emerging markets and demand for chips used in business machines are lower than expected, compounding concern that the PC market may not grow this year as consumers flock to smartphones and tablets. Microsoft plans to release Windows 8 on Oct. 26. source
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Rumor: Microsoft developing two next-gen Xbox 720 console Microsoft could be preparing two gaming consoles to replace the current-generation Xbox 360, according to industry sources. It is believed that the new consoles could arrive sometime in 2013 Which would give Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) ample time to test and refine their 28nm manufacturing process. Redmond is said to be developing an entry-level system as well as a true next-generation console gaming hardcore. Multiple consoles are not a new idea as Microsoft sells the 360 at multiple price ranges but the differences are typically minimal: various capacity hard drives, limited edition offerings and game and accessory bundles. The lower-end model will come at a very low price point and positioned much like a set-top box. The report says this unit will target media streaming services like Netflix and cater to more casual gamers, Described as a Kinect-themed portal. The mainstream Xbox would be a true upgrade in every sense for hardcore gamers, featuring an optical drive, hard drive storage and backwards-compatibility with existing 360 games. Such a system would carry a premium over the entry-level model, with price and graphics performance reflective of it. It is therefore believed that Kinect will receive a substantial upgrade, perhaps in line with what Microsoft is planning to do with the Windows version sometime next year. We could see hard evidence of the next-gen console as early as January at CES. Rumors suggest the 720 could contain a six-core CPU, AMD graphics and 2GB of GDDR3 memory. Source DJ -
Microsoft has tried to catch up with some of the titans of the gaming world, such as Sony with the release of the Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 offers many new features that players will love: Free limited subscription to online gaming – This allows players who have not been participating in online gaming a chance to see what is available at no charge. All Xbox 360s come with Live-aware – This means you can get a friend invite or see who is online and what they are playing from your Xbox 360. The button in the middle of the controller makes all this very easy. It offers great media features including listening to music while you play games, the ability to create custom playlists and your own custom soundtracks, the ability to rip songs from original CDs to your Xbox 360 and stream music from your MP3 player to your Xbox 360. You can also create slideshows of photos to share with friends and family. Xbox 360 has a wireless controller. No more tripping over the wires, although it can support two wired controllers through USB ports in the front. The game console is not only great for gamers, but developers as well. It is a powerful machine with an unprecedented amount of RAM – a feature added on the request of developers. But, Xbox 360 still has some problems that need to be worked out: Their Japanese third party support is lacking – While some Japanese developers offer software for the Xbox, it is small in number when compared to what the same developers offer for Playstation. While the controller is wireless, it eats batteries rather quickly. Standard alkaline batteries only last about thirty hours, so if you buy Xbox 360, invest in rechargeable batteries to save yourself some money in the end. When they were set up in WalMart stores before days before the launch, many suffered what is known as the Xbox “360 screen of death,†an error screen. The Xbox 360 had also had some problems with overheating. Some report the Xbox 360 system as being very noisy when playing an Xbox 360 disc. Many people are eagerly awaiting the release of Playstation 3, which may occur as soon as November of this year. It has been said that the Playstation 3 has an outward feel (which allows it to stand vertically or horizontally on its own), as opposed to the Xbox 360’s inward feel. It is a much larger console than the Playstation 2 and closer to the original size of the Xbox. Game discs slide into the console like CDs slide into a car player. Here are a few attractive features of the Playstation 3: It is always on, so you can access your Playstation 3 from anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection. With a Playstation Portable, you can connect to your Playstation 3 and transfer media such as music and movies. The Playstation 3 appears to be much more powerful than that Xbox 360, Ninetindo Revolution, and Playstation 2. Initial reports say it will be twice as fast as the Xbox 360. Developers and publishers of over 230 games have announced titles for Playstation 3 games. Here are a few reported cons and problems with the Playstation 360: Comes with only 256 MB, less than the 512 MB the Xbox 360 will come with. Their Playstation Network Platform (the online service) is still in development and may not be ready by the time Playstation 3 is released. The launch of the Playstation 3 has already been delayed due to disk problems. Both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 are incredible gaming consoles. It seems that although the Xbox 360 came out first, the best bet is still the Playstation 3. The strongest point of the Xbox 360 is its online functionality, but Sony may be working on something similar to Xbox Live right now. However, Microsoft is closing the gap with Xbox 360 and probably will eventually catch up with Sony in gaming consoles. For some users, it may come down to something as simple as which one is more compatible with the games they already own.
