Microsoft donates $1 billion to help US schools buy PCs
Microsoft isn’t just supporting White House’s ConnectED education program by lowering the cost of Windows — it’s also giving schools the cash they’ll need to buy Windows PCs. The company is donating $1 billion to make sure that students have the tech they’ll need for both getting online and learning technology skills. The funding comes alongside a new device pricing program that should make the PCs more affordable — to start with, it’s offering sub-$300 systems from Acer, ASUS, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo, Panasonic and Toshiba.
The company isn’t shy about having a commercial incentive behind its generosity; its Education CTO, Cameron Evans, tells CNET that there’s a hope that kids will become loyal Windows fans down the road. However, he adds that any eventual sales are secondary to the more immediate focus on improving education. The influx of cash should reduce the technology gap for less fortunate students, many of whom could miss out on digital learning without a little help.
[Image credit: Getty Images]
Daily Roundup: Raspberry Pi cellphone, HP’s Android laptop, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Raspberry Pi modded into a $160 cellphone
Combine a Raspberry Pi with a little know-how and you can build almost anything, including a phone. Programming savant David Hunt used $158 worth of off-the-shelf-parts to whip up his own touchscreen cellphone, and he’ll teach you how to do it too.
Leaked HP video hints at a 14-inch laptop running… Android
A leaked clip found by Notebook Italia teases a new HP Slatebook 14 with a 1080p display and quad-core NVIDIA chip. What’s so special about it? The laptop appears to be running a recent build of Android, not Chrome OS.
Xbox Entertainment Studios has at least 12 projects in production, committed to half
Xbox Entertainment Studio’s future plans remain ambiguous, but today, its push into original programming became a bit more clear. According to XES president Nancy Tellem, the studio has 12 projects in the works and Microsoft is “committed” to at least six of them.
E.T. unearthed: The dig for legendary Atari cartridges in pictures
A documentary crew recently traveled to a landfill in Alamogordo, New Mexico hoping to prove the existence of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, a legendary Atari game. And to the excitement of sci-fi enthusiasts everywhere, it appears the team was successful.
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Filed under: Misc
Watch this: Microsoft digs up long-buried E.T. games
This weekend, Microsoft’s project to find E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial videogames buried in the desert succeeded. The video game crash of the early 80s spawned the legend of a movie-licensed game for the Atari 2600 — developed in just five and a half weeks — that was so bad its publisher decided to trash thousands of copies rather than try to sell them, and now things have come full circle. We’ll have to wait for the AtarI: Game Over documentary on Xbox to get the full story, but there’s a new five minute video ready to take you through the crucial moments of the dig and the people behind it, including the game’s designer, Howard Scott Warshaw.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Microsoft
Source: Xbox (YouTube)
Skype now offers free group video calls on desktop and Xbox One
In order to compete with Google Hangouts, Skype has made group video calls free on the desktop and Xbox One consoles. Previously, the multi-pal chats were available via a premium subscription on the aforementioned platforms, but it’s now accessible at no extra cost. And Microsoft’s video-chatting service says its going to be free on more platforms “in the near future.” Now that those visual conversations won’t mean a hit to your wallet every month, Skype could be an attractive alternative to Mountain View’s offering.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Windows Phone thrives in Europe, but struggles in China and the US
Microsoft’s quest for smartphone market share is hitting a few roadblocks, it seems. Kantar estimates that Windows Phone is still gaining ground in Europe, where it’s up year-over-year to 8.1 percent of sales in the first quarter of 2014. However, it’s taking a bruising in other areas. In the US, Windows swung from increases this fall to a slight dip in the winter; while it’s still doing relatively well at 5.3 percent of US share, it’s not posing much of a threat to Android or iOS right now. The platform also took a drubbing in China, where its share was nearly cut in half to exactly one percent thanks to the rise of budget Android handsets.
Not that it was all sunshine and roses for the industry heavyweights. Android made strides in China, the US and parts of Europe, but it sank in Australia, Europe and Japan. Some of these losses were due to a recovery from Apple, according to Kantar. The iPhone is still having trouble in China and the US, but it clawed back share in Australia and Europe. It’s also dominant in Japan; 57.6 percent of local smartphone buyers chose iOS hardware this quarter.
Whether or not these trends continue through the spring isn’t certain. Windows Phone may get a helpful boost from the launches of the Lumia 630 and 930, while Android may get a lift from Samsung’s Galaxy S5 flagship. There’s also the wildcard of the 8GB iPhone 5c. Although it’s not dramatically cheaper than its 16GB counterpart, it could draw a few mid-range buyers to Apple. It’s safe to say that Microsoft will be watching very closely — now that it owns Nokia’s device business, it has even more incentives to see Windows Phone succeed.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Microsoft, Nokia, Google
Source: Kantar Worldpanel
Xbox Entertainment Studios has at least 12 projects in production, committed to half
There’s a lot to know about Microsoft’s push into original programming with Xbox Entertainment Studios. Why now? Why carry Xbox branding? Will XES content only run in certain regions? Is it free to all Xbox Live members, or only Xbox Live Gold? Will XES content also head to other digital video services, like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Instant and elsewhere? What about other Microsoft platforms, like Windows Phone and Windows 8? How will interactivity with the content work?
Much of that information is still up in the air, according to XES president Nancy Tellem (former president of CBS Television Studios, among other accolades) and executive producer Jordan Levin. The duo walked us through Xbox Entertainment Studios’ first projects last week, and left us with more questions than answers.
Here’s the high level: there are at least 12 projects in the works, and Microsoft’s only “committed” to half (full list below the break). That means that six are paid for and in production, while the other six are in various stages of creation and may never make it to our eyeballs. The first, a multi-camera, multi-stage, interactive version of Bonnaroo, premieres this June.
The six committed projects include announced works, like Steven Spielberg’s Halo project and the E.T. documentary, as well as new stuff like a Ridley Scott-produced Halo “digital feature” (due later this year, alongside the launch of a still-unannounced Halo game we’re betting) and a co-production with the UK’s Channel 4 of Humans (an adaptation of Swedish show “Real Humans“). There’s also Every Street United, a documentary TV series about street soccer (aimed at South American and European Xbox owners), and the aforementioned Bonnaroo experience.
But where will you watch these shows? For now, the only option is on an Xbox 360 or Xbox One, but support for other Microsoft platforms is in the works. How about competing services, like Amazon Instant Video or Netflix? Never say never, but there aren’t any plans to distribute XES content outside of Microsoft platforms just yet (either individually or in an XES app of some sort). Both Tellem and Levin repeatedly spoke to the 84 million strong worldwide Xbox userbase (the collective number of Xbox 360s and Ones sold), though they recognized that only about half of that group pays for Xbox Live Gold membership.
it’s still unclear which content will be free to all Xbox owners versus what’s locked behind the Xbox Live Gold paywall. The only certainty right now is that all Xbox Live Gold members will get all Xbox Entertainment Studios content for free (er, included in the $60 annual membership).
Tellem said that the content is being aimed at “millenials” (18-35 year-olds) especially the male portion of that group. That’s reflected in the selection of projects: two Halo-based shows, sports, and sci-fi. There was also a smattering of game universes mentioned: Halo, Fable, Gears of War, State of Decay, Age of Empires, and Forza Motorsport. The project list diversifies somewhat when looking beyond the six committed works.
Optioned or Given a Pilot:
- Deadlands: Xbox Entertainment Studios has committed to a script based on the successful pen-and-paper role playing game created by Shane Lacy Hensley. “Deadlands” is a genre-bending alternative history of the Weird West, filled with undead gunfighters, card-slinging sorcerers, mad scientists, secret societies, and fearsome abominations.
- Extraordinary Believers: Xbox Entertainment Studios is developing an innovative, hybrid stop-motion show dubbed “Extraordinary Believers” (working title) with Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, creators of the Emmy-Award winning “Robot Chicken,” the longest running stop-motion show on television. The executive producers on the project are Seth Green, Matt Senreich, and creators/writers/executive producers are Eric Towner and John Harvatine IV.
- Fearless: “Fearless,” (working title) is an unscripted series currently in pilot production starring Paul de Gelder, an Australian Navy bomb clearance diver and shark attack survivor who takes on an adrenaline-fueled quest to aid individuals who risk their lives to make the world a better place. “Fearless” will be produced by Australia’s International Emmy-Award winning production company, Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder (CJZ).
- Gun Machine: Xbox Entertainment Studios acquired the rights to “Gun Machine,” a hardboiled detective thriller based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Warren Ellis. Ellis will executive produce with Brett Conrad (“The Killing,” “Sons of Anarchy,” Netflix’s upcoming “Marco Polo”) who has signed on to write the pilot script about a detective tracking a serial killer who is tied to a mysterious collection of guns used in infamous New York murders.
- Untitled JASH Comedy/Variety Half Hour: In this unique comedy format developed by Xbox Entertainment Studios with JASH (a comedy collective founded by Sarah Silverman, Michael Cera, Tim and Eric and Reggie Watts), the biggest names in comedy will showcase the people that make them laugh. Each week, a different comedian will host/curate a show featuring new and unsung talent, in various video formats. Sarah Silverman will host the pilot episode and Daniel Kellison (“Late Night/Late Show with David Letterman,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Crank Yankers”) will executive produce. The series has a pilot commitment and will begin shooting in June.
- Winterworld: Xbox Entertainment Studios and IDW Entertainment are co-developing a limited event live-action series based on Chuck Dixon and artist Jorge Zaffino’s seminal graphic novel series “Winterworld,” in which our world has been encased in ice from pole-to-pole. The surviving humans have formed tribes that war, enslave and trade with one another in an effort to survive the infinite winter. Ted Adams and David Ozer from IDW Entertainment, and Rick Jacobs and Dave Alpert from Circle of Confusion (“Walking Dead”) will executive produce.
As for interactivity, it varies dramatically from project to project. In the case of Bonnaroo, users can jump between stages, different camera views, and even head backstage to participate in a Q&A with the musicians performing at the show. Tellem said that interactivity isn’t her priority with XES content, but that it’s actually entertaining. Functionality will also vary depending on the system you’re using — as every Xbox One comes with Kinect, there are opportunities there that may not exist on the aging Xbox 360.
It’s early days for Xbox Entertainment Studios, as you can tell by the previous 900 words explaining how little about the group and its projects is set in stone. Microsoft certainly has the resources and leadership pedigree to make XES a serious contender with the likes of Amazon and Netflix, but whether it has the execution and content to contend remains to be seen.
The director behind Alien and Blade Runner is producing a Halo project
That’s right, folks: the man behind sci-fi classics like Alien and Blade Runner, Ridley Scott, is executive producing a Halo-based “digital feature” (read: short film) for release “later this year.” The project is headed by Microsoft’s in-house Halo studio, 343 Industries, and Scott Free Productions — Sergio Mimica-Gezzan was tapped for directing duties.
This is a pretty different project from the other Halo show in the works; that one’s helmed by Steven Spielberg and is live action, whereas this sounds more like the digital Halo work we’ve seen in the past. Color us seriously surprised if this doesn’t arrive alongside the release of a new Halo game; one of those is even planned for 2014! How about that!
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Software, HD, Microsoft
How would you change Samsung’s ATIV Tab?
I don’t normally discuss products that I’ve reviewed on How Would You Change, but I’m making an exception for Samsung’s ATIV Tab. The Korean company pondered the merits of launching the device right up to its debut, and swiftly axed any US expansion before it could get off the ground. As one of the first Windows RT devices, it came with a hobbled operating system, but the hardware was staggeringly good. Unfortunately, it’s rare that anyone actually splashed out on this unit, but I’m still asking anyone who owned one of these units to chip in. Come to the forum and share your experiences of using the ATIV Tab. What did you like, what did you hate and what would you have changed?
Filed under: Tablets, Samsung, Microsoft
Source: Engadget Product Forums
Serious Internet Explorer flaw puts XP users especially at risk
We hope that you heeded our advice to finally ditch Windows XP in favor of a more modern operating system, because there’s a new security exploit that’ll leave stubborn XP users in the cold. In a security alert released on Saturday, Microsoft reports that there’s a serious vulnerability in Internet Explorer 6 through 11 that could allow hackers to take over your computer remotely if you happen to visit a malicious website. According to security firm FireEye, it has already found evidence of an attack that targets IE 9 through 11 that uses a well-known Flash exploitation technique to gain access to your computer’s memory. Microsoft has already said it plans to roll out an IE security update for all modern versions of Windows, but if you’re using XP, well, you’re out of luck, as support for that 12-year-old OS ended a few weeks ago.
In the meantime, Microsoft suggests enabling Enhanced Protection Mode if you’re using Internet Explorer 11 on Windows 7 for x64-based systems and all Windows 8 machines. Other workarounds include installing a free security tool called EMET (Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit), adjusting security settings to High and disabling Active Scripting. To get even more tips on how to get around the vulnerability before Microsoft rolls out the update, hit the source links below. Or just, you know, use another browser, at least for the time being.
[Image credit: Getty]
Filed under: Microsoft
Via: Computer World
E.T. unearthed: The dig for legendary Atari cartridges in pictures
Yesterday marked the climax of a decades-long story that surrounded one of the most poorly received video games in history. A Microsoft-backed documentary crew took to a landfill in the desert town of Alamogordo, New Mexico in an attempt to prove that Atari had in fact buried thousands of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial cartridges there. It appears they succeeded.
The game was an expensive failure and beckoned the demise of the once-great video game maker. It’s still unclear just how many cartridges the team discovered or what other failures treasures are buried in the trash heap, but Microsoft’s Xbox Wire says, “We can safely report that those long-buried cartridges are actually, 100 percent there.” The excavation will appear in an Xbox-exclusive documentary produced by Fuel Entertainment, tentatively titled Atari: Game Over. The film will appear later this year, but for now, here’s a closer look at the historic dig.
Reporters and spectators gather around a pile of trash in hopes of treasure. (John Thien)
A fan shows off a signed version of the game widely considered to be one of the worst in history. (John Thien for Engadget)
Breaking garbage. (John Thien for Engadget)
Film producer Jonathan Chinn and Alamogordo Mayor Susie Galea pose with the joystick that served as a sign of things to come. The crew found an Atari 2600 controller before hitting the jackpot. (AP Photo/Juan Carlos Llorca)
A new generation gets acquainted with the Delorean, because no archeological dig is complete without one. (John Thien for Engadget)
The day’s menu, woefully lacking in E.T. fingers and Reese’s pieces. (John Thien for Engadget)
The documentary’s director, Zak Penn shows off one of the first signs of a mass burial ground. (AP Photo/Juan Carlos Llorca)
Buckets of booty. (Microsoft)
And this is what we’ve been waiting for. This pile of trash is littered with E.T. packaging and cartridges along with a collection of other Atari artifacts. (Microsoft)
Success! Zak Penn, director of “Atari: Game Over,” and Andrew Reinhard, archaeologist, hold up Atari 2600 “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” game cartridges. (Microsoft)
Filed under: Gaming, Microsoft
Source: Xbox Wire
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