Microsoft plans 7,800 layoffs, $7.8 billion Nokia write-down
After cutting its workforce by around 18,000 over the past year, Microsoft is readying another round of heavy layoffs. The company will cut 7,800 jobs over “the next several months.” Many of the dismissals will come from Microsoft’s phone business, which joined the company’s newly formed “Windows and Devices Group” in June. As part of the merger announcement, Microsoft also revealed it would say goodbye to the last two major Nokia executives still at the company, Stephen Elop and Jo Harlow, in the near future.
It’s clear that CEO Satya Nadella wants Microsoft to be more focused than it has been in recent years. Nadella inherited a company in transition; its nascent Surface business had only just begun to find its feet, and the Nokia deal (arranged by the previous leadership team) had yet to complete. About that acquisition: Microsoft is writing-down a large portion of its value in the coming months — $7.8 billion — which is essentially a tacit admission that paying so much money for the flailing company was not the most financially sound decision.
At the end of March, Microsoft had 118,584 employees (down from 127,000 in July 2014). Losing another 7,800 represents yet another dramatic change within the company. In the past month, Microsoft has sold some of its Bing maps tech (and employees) to Uber, and also struck a partnership with (Engadget’s parent company) AOL to essentially hand off its display ad business.
In an email to Microsoft employees, Nadella says the company remains “committed to our first-party devices including phones,” but wants to “focus our phone efforts in the near term while driving innovation.” What does that mean? Apparently, it means running “a more effective phone portfolio,” with a narrowed focus of “three customer segments.” It says business customers will get “the best management, security and productivity experiences,” value phone buyers “the communications services they want, and Windows fans “the flagship devices they’ll love.” That suggests we’ll see more low-end Lumias, business-focused services and high-end Surface Pro-style devices in the future.
[Image Credit: Stephen Brashear / Getty Images]
Source: Microsoft
These were E3 2015’s best games
E3 is (thankfully) over, and that means the press that cover the event have recently cast their votes for what they thought were the best games from the show. You know those blurbs on box art saying “winner of over 90 awards” and the like? This is partly where they come from. Collectively known as The Game Critics Awards, the governing body for them is made up of staff from over 30 editorial outlets, including Engadget, that attended gaming’s Paris Fashion Week. For a game to even be up for consideration though, it has to be playable — a stage demo or non-interactive trailer won’t cut it. What’s it mean for you? In the end, a better idea about what it’s like to actually play the biggest games from E3, because we got to go hands-on with them. Without further adieu, the winners are in the gallery below. Spoiler: Fallout 4 was pretty successful.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo
Source: Game Critics Awards
Today Only! Unlocked Amazon Fire Phone with 1 year of Prime for $159
Today, Amazon’s Gold Box deal of the day is its ill-fated Fire Phone. When it originally debuted last summer, it was priced $199 with a two year service contract through AT&T.
Today, however, the phone is only $159 and comes unlocked without a contract, but only if you purchase today. As if that weren’t attractive enough, buyer’s still get a full year of Amazon Prime ($99 value) as well. That means you’re essentially paying $60 for the Fire Phone.
Key specifications of the Fire Phone
- Includes a full year of Prime benefits (a $99 value).
- 2.2GHz quad-core processor and 2GB RAM for ultra-fast app launch times and smooth multi-tasking
- Bright 4.7″ HD display
- 13 MP camera with optical image stabilization, HDR, and LED flash
- Includes unlimited free cloud storage for photos taken with Fire phone
- Amazon-exclusive features: Firefly, Mayday, Dynamic Perspective
- Over 33 million movies, TV shows, songs, books, apps, and more
- U.S. compatibility: All GSM networks including AT&T, and T-Mobile.
What do you think? Will you be purchasing the Amazon Fire Phone today? Is this a good enough deal for you to consider buying? Let us know in the comments.
The post Today Only! Unlocked Amazon Fire Phone with 1 year of Prime for $159 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Best Three Android phones (UK)
Three may be a smaller player in the UK market, but the company has recently been taking a stand against the established mobile carriers, promising not to charge extra for faster 4G data speeds or punishing their customers with expensive roaming charges. The company also bucks current trends by offering to unlock its smartphones for free and has some of the lowest pay-as-you-go call and text rates around.
It’s all quite compelling, so let’s see if Three has some equally tempting hardware on offer. Here are the best Three Android phones.
#1 Samsung Galaxy S6
As I’m sure you’re aware, the Samsung Galaxy S6 is probably the most cutting edge piece of mobile hardware on the market right now. In fact, it’s pretty hard to find a list that isn’t recommending this phone, but Three’s current contract options make it an even more appealing bargain.
Contrary to many other carriers, Three is actually selling the Galaxy S6 for cheaper than the LG G4, the HTC One M9, and Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus. Contract prices begin at just £35 per month with £0 down for the 32GB model, while rival flagships are all priced closer to £40 per month with at least £20 upfront. Over two years, that works out to a saving of £140! However, this offer is set to end on July 9th.
Three also has the Galaxy S6 Edge available with a slightly higher £43 per month minimum contract price and £49 upfront.
Specs
- 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 2.1GHz Samsung Exynos 7420 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32/64/128GB internal storage
- 16MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 2,550mAh battery
- 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm, 138g
- Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum or White Pearl colours
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
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#2 LG G4
If your smartphone has replaced your old point-and-shoot camera then the LG G4 is probably the next handset for you. Boasting an improved f/1.8 aperture camera with 16 megapixel resolution, the LG G4 produces impressive picture in both high and low light environments.
Coupled with LG’s latest and greatest QHD display, hexa-core Snapdragon 808 SoC, microSD card and removable battery, the G4 is a cutting edge device in every regard.
Three’s contract pricing starts at £39 per month with £19 up front. The handset is also one of the cheaper flagship options available with a pay-as-you-go SIM. The G4 has a price tag of just £479.99, which is more than £100 cheaper than the S6 or One M9.
Specs
- 5.5-inch LCD display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB internal storage with support for 128GB microSD card
- 16MP rear camera, 8MP front camera
- Removable 3,000mAh battery
- 149.1 x 75.3 x 8.9 mm, 154g
- White, Black
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
Read more
#3 Galaxy Note 4
A modern classic, the Galaxy Note 4 is still a go-to choice for customers looking for a larger smartphone with specs in the right places. Featuring a QHD 5.7-inch display, quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM and 16 megapixel rear camera, the Note 4 is still a competitor to 2015’s range of flagships.
Price wise, the Galaxy Note 4 is a little more expensive that other flagships on Three’s network. The 32GB model comes with a £32 per month two year contract with a rather large £99 upfront fee. PAYG is also an option, but at £600 the Note 4 doesn’t come cheap.
Specs
- 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB internal storage with 128GB microSD card support
- 16MP rear camera and 3.7MP front camera
- Removable 3,220mAh battery
- 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 mm, 176g
- Black Charcoal
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Read More
#4 Huawei Honor 6 Plus
These days you don’t need to spend a fortune to lay your hands on flagship level performance and Huawei has been at the forefront of lowering smartphone costs in Europe. Three is offering the Huawei Honor 6 Plus at almost half of cost of your typical flagship, which certainly makes it a contender for one of the best Three Android phones.
The Honor 6 Plus doesn’t come with the extra flagships bells and whistles, such as NFC connectivity, wireless charging or fingerprint scanning technology. But with dual-SIM support, a powerful HiSilicon 925 SoC and a 5.5-inch 1080p display, there’s very little to complain about at this price.
The Honor 6 Plus will set you back at least £24 per month over two years with £19 upfront. Three’s PAYG price is also reasonable at £299.99.
Specs
- 5.5-inch LCD display with 1080×1920 resolution
- 1.8GHz HiSilicon Kirin 925 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB of internal memory with 128GB microSD support
- Dual 8MP rear cameras with 8MP front camera
- Non-removable 3,600mAh battery
- 150.5 x 75.7 x 7.5 m, 165g
- Black
- Android 4.4.2 KitKat
Read More
#5 Motorola Moto G
If you’re looking for a more moderately priced mid-ranger, there are few handsets that offer more bang for buck than the Moto G.
Featuring a sharp 4.5-inch display with 720p resolution, Snapdragon 400 processing package, 8GB of internal storage and 4G connectivity, the Moto G offers a great balance of hardware and cost for your day to day tasks.
Three’s cheapest contract starts at £16 per month with £0 up front. However, the PAYG cost of just £129.99 is also quite an attractive prospect, given that you pay as little as 3p per minute and 2p per text with a Three SIM.
Specs
- 5-inch LCD display with 720×1280 resolution
- 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC
- 1GB of RAM
- 8GB of internal storage with 32GB microSD card support
- 8MP rear camera, 2MP front camera
- Non-removable 2,390mAh battery
- 141.5 x 70.7 x 11 mm, 155g
- Black
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Read More
#6 Samsung Galaxy A3
Style is certainly a subjective thing, but a good looking handset can be hard to come by in the mid-range market. Closing out our best Three Android phones list, the Samsung’s Galaxy A series aims to address this gap in the market with its metal unibody design.
Specifications wise, the Galaxy A3 includes a 540 x 960 pixel 4.5-inch display, a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 410 processor, 1GB of RAM, an 8MP rear camera and 5MP front facing camera, 16GB of internal storage and 1,900mAh battery, making it quite a typical mid-ranger.
Three has priced the Galaxy A3 quite competitively against the likes of the Moto G, which a monthly contract price of £17 per month for two years with £0 up front. PAYG is also a more expensive option, with the upfront cost leaping to £259.99.
Specs
- 4.5-inch Super AMLOED display with 540×960 resolution
- 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC
- 1.5GB of RAM
- 16GB of internal storage with up to 64GB via microSD
- 8MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 1,900mAh battery
- 130.1 x 65.5 x 6.9 mm, 110g
- Black or White
- Android 4.4.4 KitKat, upgradable to Android 5.0.2
Read More
Galaxy A8 picture, price and launch date revealed
The Galaxy A8 has been the subject of many rumours, including lots of details about the specifications but Samsung is yet to officially announce its new smartphone. A new report today from NoWhereElse.fr suggests that the wait is almost over, with Samsung expected to unveil the A8 in China on July 17 for around €439 ($485).
Based on previous leaks, we know the Galaxy A8 is likely to feature a 5.7-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display and be powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor with 2GB RAM. Unlike the Galaxy S6 Edge flagship, the Galaxy A8 will have a microSD card slot, allowing you to expand the 16GB internal storage; based on past handsets, this will probably mean the user-available storage is approximately 12GB.
Galaxy A Series in video
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The key selling feature of the Galaxy A8 is the impossibly thin body; at just 5.94 mm thick, the Galaxy A8 is even thinner than the Galaxy S6 (6.8mm) and the Apple iPhone 6 (6.9mm). Despite the thin body, Samsung have managed to add a 16MP ISOCELL camera with f/1.9 aperture and HDR. A series of recent leaks has also revealed that the Galaxy A8 will have a tap-based fingerprint sensor like the Galaxy S6, which should increase the handset’s appeal to the upper mid-range market.
The handset will be available in three colours – black, gold and white – and at 5.94mm thin, it is the thinnest Samsung smartphone ever made. A separate leak from Chinese website PC Online has revealed a gallery of images showing the Galaxy A8 in all its glory including a metal frame and the handset – which you can see in the gallery below – certainly looks a lot like the Galaxy S6 range.
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What do you think? Would you buy the Galaxy A8? Let us know your views down below!
Fleksy Keyboard Goes Permanently Free, Adds Improved GIF and Sticker Browsing [iOS Blog]
Third-party keyboard developer Fleksy today announced its popular keyboard app on iOS and Android will be going free on a permanent basis, increasing the potential customer base for full basic keyboard functionality while continuing to offer additional premium content such as themes and extension slots for in-app purchase. Fleksy has generally sold for $0.99 in the App Store, although it has occasionally been free for short periods of time.
By making the keyboard available for free, Fleksy is able to serve a much larger and more diverse set of users. With this increased user base, Fleksy will be focused on delivering new and exciting product improvements across all languages.
“We want every smartphone user to have the opportunity to experience fast, expressive, and intuitive typing,” said Fleksy’s Co-Founder and CEO, Kosta Eleftheriou. “We believe the best way to do this is to make the app free for everyone.”
To thank users who previously paid for the app, Fleksy will be offering a set of free themes and extension slots that typically cost $8.
In addition to the shift to a freemium model, Fleksy is also rolling out improvements to GIFs and stickers, building on a feature introduced in April. With the new “Highlights” view, users will be able to easily access relevant GIFs and stickers all in one place by searching and tapping on auto-suggested hashtag topics.
Like many third-party keyboards, Fleksy requires users grant “full access” to the keyboard, a capability that makes some users wary as Apple warns it allows keyboards to log keystrokes and send them back to remote servers. In a support document, Fleksy outlines the keyboard features such as language packs and personalization (as well as GIFs and stickers) that require full access to function, and the company outlines its privacy promises regarding the data it can collect and how it protects that data.
Fleksy Keyboard goes free on the App Store today. [Direct Link]
Twitch game streaming comes to Sony’s smartphones
Sony is launching a new app that’ll let you broadcast streams of your Android gaming to the internet, straight from your smartphone. Screen Recorder has been built to connect to both Twitch and YouTube’s Twitch-like live service, letting everyone across the world watch as you play mobile Minecraft. The app works with the company’s Xperia Z3+, Z4 and Z4v, as well as the Xperia Z4 tablet that we reviewed last week. It’s certainly a big coup for Sony as it continues to revive its formerly-flagging mobile division, since Twitch’s spectator-only mobile app has nearly 35 million installs. Tempting even a small proportion of mobile gamers to buy a Sony smartphone would do some impressive things to the bottom line. Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Software, Sony
Source: Screen Recorder (Google Play)
Swiss Post to start testing delivery drones this month
The Swiss Post might be one of the most advanced postal services in the world within a few years, if its plan to use delivery drones pans out. Here’s one good sign for those who want to see that happen: it’s slated to begin “testing the commercial use of logistics drones” sometime this month. We first heard about its intention to eventually use the machines for the delivery of small parcels back in April, when one of its program partners, California dronemaker Matternet, announced the project. As you’d expect, the agency will exclusively test several Matternet vehicles, specifically a model called “ONE.” It’s an autonomous quadcopter designed to follow pre-programmed flight paths and to carry payloads up to 2.2 pounds for over 10 miles in a single charge.
Don’t get too excited, though. The Post, Matternet and their other partner, Swiss WorldCargo, believe it will take at least five more years before dropping packages from flying contraptions becomes common business practice. They’re focusing on the use of drones for special cases at this point in time, such as bringing supplies to areas ravaged by storms and the quick transportation of samples for lab testing. it’s worth noting that Matternet is already experienced in that area, as it once flew drones to ferry meds in Haiti. If this pilot test is successful, the trio will launch a couple more rounds of testing in the future. However, their drones’ final applications will depend on what ends up being classified as legal under Switzerland’s regulatory framework.
[Image credit: Joeri Cornille/Flickr (Swiss flag)]
Filed under: Misc
Source: Swiss Post
Report reveals Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, Note 5 specs
The announcement of the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and the Galaxy Note 5 is expected to take place at Berlin’s IFA 2015 in September but a new report has revealed most of the details about Samsung’s upcoming smartphones. There have been plenty of rumours about the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and whether the Note 5 would actually exist alongside it and today’s report should help clear up a lot of the confusion.
The report – courtesy of SamMobile – reveals that both handsets do exist and they will both feature Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels) displays measuring 5.7 inches (or 5.67 inches to be exact). Both handsets will also be made available in black, gold, silver and white and will likely also feature fingerprint sensors in the home button like Samsung’s current flagships.
The Galaxy Note 5 (model number SM-N920) will have a flat display akin to the Galaxy S6 while the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus will come with a dual-curved display like the Galaxy S6 Edge. The report also reveals that both handsets will have a glass black like Samsung’s two Galaxy S flagships, which also means that the handsets could possibly lack a removable battery or microSD card slot.
The report goes on to state that the differences between the two handsets (other than the aforementioned display differences) are likely to be internal. The Galaxy Note 5 – which is known internally as Project Noble – is expected to be the first handset to use Samsung’s Exynos 7422 all-in-one chipset – featuring a 64-bit octa-core CPU, GPU, RAM, storage and LTE modem – and Samsung was reportedly considering a 4K display before settling on a Quad HD panel.
Moving onto the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus – which is known internally as Project Zen – will be powered by a hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor (like the LG G4 incidentally) and will have 32GB internal storage, a 16MP rear camera with Optical Image Stabilisation, a 5MP front facing camera and a 3000mAh battery. The handset is expected to run Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box, may have the ability to shoot images in RAW format and could finally bring a long-awaited fix for the RAM issues that are plaguing the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge.
The reported specs of the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and Galaxy Note 5 suggest that we’re now looking at two smartphones that are bigger versions of the Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6 respectively. Interestingly, today’s report doesn’t touch on the S-Pen – which is a mainstay feature of the Galaxy Note range – and although it’s not mentioned, it’s almost certain that Samsung will offer the S-Pen with its latest big-screen phablets.
Related Galaxy S6 / Edge videos:
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What do you think of these specs? Would you buy the Galaxy Note 5 or the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus? Let us know your views in the comments below guys!
Snapdragon 808 powered Samsung (SM-G9198) flip-phone spotted
Touchscreen handsets may have made the old flip-phone form factor seem obsolete, but there’s still a niche market for the classic design. A new Samsung phone, model SM-G9198, has just been spotted passing through China’s TEENA certification center, which might please those who are longing for a flip-phone with high-end specifications.
Starting with the display, the G9198 actually comes with two screens, one on the inside and one on the outside of the phone. Both are 3.91-inches in size and come with a 768×1280 resolution, which should be quite sharp at that size. The G9198 is packing a 1.8GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC, the same processing package found inside the flagship LG G4 which seems to offer pretty similar performance to Qualcomm’s flagship 810.
Other internals include 2GB of RAM, a 16MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, a heart rate sensor and 16GB of internal storage, which can be expanded upon with a microSD card. There’s very little to complain about here if you don’t mind the small display, the G9198’s hardware certainly pushes it into the high-end bracket.
The SM-G9198 also features 4G LTE connectivity and Samsung’s latest software complete with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. Size wise, the phone measures 119.7×66.6×16.7mm, which, as you would expect from this design, is a fair bit thicker than most flagships on the market right now.
No information on a launch date has been given yet. However, we aren’t expecting to see this handset appear in regions outside China, as has been the case since Samsung’s previous Galaxy Golden flip-phones.
AIVAnet 