Microsoft fixes some of the Surface Pro 2’s battery and sleep problems
Microsoft vowed that it would fix the numerous bugs plaguing the Surface Pro 2 in the wake of the flawed December update, and it made good on that promise by rolling out a patch this weekend. The company tells us that the update addresses the most serious problems for affected tablet owners, including reduced battery life and unexpected wake-ups. Future software will tackle the remaining glitches, Redmond says. The partial remedy isn’t quite what some were hoping for — we’re still seeing a few complaints — but it’s at least a step in the right direction. Check out Microsoft’s full statement below.
This weekend we released an update that addresses the unexpected wake and battery drain behavior experienced by a small number of Surface Pro 2 customers who installed the December Windows Update. This should have no impact on users already running the October Windows Update. We’re working hard to address the remaining Surface Pro 2 items from the December Windows Update.
Filed under: Tablets, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft Community, Surface Forums
Skype update for iOS brings two-way HD video chat to newer Apple devices
Did you get a new iPad or iPhone this holiday? If so, Skype has a treat in store for you — it just updated its iPad and iPhone apps to support two-way HD video chat on all A7-equipped devices. Not that Skype is leaving older hardware without an upgrade, mind you. The same update lets the software receive chat messages in the background, and those messages will sync faster across every gadget you own. Whether or not you live on the cutting edge, you’ll definitely want to visit the App Store for the update.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Microsoft
Via: iDownloadBlog
Source: App Store (iPad), (iPhone)
The Engadget Show 49: CES 2014 wrapup
Grab a wearable, switch on the ‘ole curved TV and fire up your favorite 3D printer. We came, we saw, we conquered and now we’re ready to distill it all for you in the form of some high-quality video content. We’re not going to suggest that it’ll replace the seemingly endless stream of posts we’ve churned out over the past week or so, but if you’ve got a cocktail party full of guests you need to impress tonight, it’ll help you drop some serious CES 2014 tech news knowledge on their collective heads.
We’ve pulled together some top editors to offer up an abbreviated view of tech’s biggest show of the year, charting trends in old standby categories like HDTV, mobile, tablets and cars, to emerging spaces set to define the changing face of the show for years to come. Oh, and we’ve also tossed in some fun video of the show’s gadgets, because, well, it wouldn’t be much of an Engadget Show without that sort of thing, now would it? Toss in a bit of video of your long-time host getting a bit welled up the end, and you’ve got yourself a little thing we like to call The Engadget Show 49.
‘Til we meet again, Engadgeteers.
Filed under: Announcements, Cellphones, Desktops, Cameras, Displays, Misc, Gaming, GPS, Handhelds, Home Entertainment, Household, Laptops, Meta, Peripherals, Podcasts, Portable Audio/Video, Robots, Tablets, Transportation, Wearables, Wireless, Storage, Networking, Science, Internet, Software, HD, Mobile, Alt, Apple, Samsung, Sony, Microsoft, HTC, Nokia, ASUS, Google, Amazon, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, LG, AMD, Intel, Blackberry, T-Mobile, HP, Dell, Acer, NVIDIA, Nikon, Canon, Facebook, Nintendo
Daily Roundup: Moto G Google Play edition, Spotify’s desktop app goes unlimited 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.
Moto G Google Play edition hands-on
Motorola’s Moto G is the latest phone to get made over with stock Android. And starting at just $180 for the 8GB model, it’s the cheapest Play edition available. Click on through for more details.
Xbox multimedia exec steps down
In the midst of Microsoft’s massive internal restructuring, Variety reports that Blair Westlake has resigned from his position as VP of Microsoft’s Media and Entertainment Group. Follow the link for more information.
Jawbone Era hands-on
What you’re looking at is Jawbone’s second-generation Era Bluetooth headset. This $100 device packs a 10-hour battery and is 42 percent smaller than the previous model. Click through for our hands-on photos.
Spotify Desktop goes unlimited
Spotify removed all stipulations from its desktop app, allowing users to listen to whatever they want without a subscription. Click the link for details.
Filed under: Misc
Microsoft: Xbox One is #1 in the US for December with 908,000 consoles sold
Microsoft and Sony already went head to head with worldwide sales numbers for 2013 and while the PS4 rode is out front there (4.2 million to 3 million), the Xbox One apparently sold more systems in the US last month. December figures from the NPD group arrived today, and Microsoft is touting 908,000 sales for the XB1 that put it atop the next-gen videogame systems, and 643,000 for the Xbox 360. That puts it third overall on the home hardware list and first for its generation of hardware. Per Joystiq, Sony’s response to the data is that the PS4 remains “cumulative leader for next-gen sales” since its launch November 15th, a week ahead of the Xbox One.
Nintendo hasn’t released specific data yet, but the 3DS was the highest selling console overall for both the month of December and all of 2013, and Liam Callahan of the NPD said the Wii U enjoyed its “highest month for unit sales.” The NPD’s release has more details about software, where GTA V took the crown overall for 2013, ahead of Call of Duty Ghosts, Madden NFL 25 and Battlefield 4. Microsoft is also pointing to those numbers, saying the Xbox One took six of the top 10 spots for next-gen game sales, and total software sales of 4.8 million to PS4′s 4.2 million. Now that fans have plenty of sales numbers to represent why their chosen next-gen game system is the best, the rest of us can get to the exciting business of waiting for the first round of major software updates.
NPD: Xbox One and Xbox 360 were the top selling consoles for each generation in the US in December. 908k (Xbox One) and 643k (Xbox 360)
– Larry Hryb (@majornelson) January 16, 2014
Some good #NPD SW facts: #XboxOne YTD 2013: 4.8M retail games vs. 4.2M for PS4. COD & BF4 both sold better on #XboxOne.
– Aaron Greenberg (@aarongreenberg) January 17, 2014
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo
Source: Xbox News Wire, Joystiq
Xbox multimedia exec steps down, cites Microsoft’s new ‘direction’
In the face of a CEO switch-up and massive internal reorganization at Microsoft, the Xbox business has seemed the closest thing to stable inside the company. But Redmond’s entertainment wing is hardly immune; Variety reports that Blair Westlake, VP of Microsoft’s Media and Entertainment Group, has just resigned.
“It has become clear to me that the organization is moving in a direction that does not fit either my expertise or my skill sets,” Westlake explained in a statement yesterday. He also added, “I truly believe that this move is in the best interest of all parties concerned.” Since 2004, he’s headed up both media partnerships and licensing agreements for Xbox, and it’s largely to Westlake’s credit that the Xbox platform expanded to include respectable music and video content in addition to a full library of games.
Westlake’s departure may cause some hiccups in the entertainment department, but original content is still on the agenda; expect to see a new series or two (including a live-action take on Halo) on the Xbox One and Xbox 360 in the coming months.
Filed under: Gaming, Microsoft
Via: The Verge
Source: Variety
Titanfall special edition Xbox One controller drops this March
Hey, Xbox One Day One Edition owner, we get it: you’re into special editions. So how about if we told you there’s another opportunity to own yet another piece of “limited edition” swag for your Xbox One? That’s exactly the news we’ve got today, as Microsoft and Respawn Entertainment worked together to create the limited edition Titanfall-themed Xbox One gamepad seen above. Like Titanfall, it’ll be available this March and it’ll cost over $60.
There are some flowery quotes about how it’s supposed to look like military tech from the game and stuff, but you really just wanna ogle the gamepad from every angle, right? We thought so. Gallery’s below, Vine’s after the break.
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, HD, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Samsung tipped to revisit Windows Phone 8 with the 5-inch, 1080p SM-W750V
Much like HTC, Samsung hasn’t expended a huge amount of effort on Windows Phone 8, having crafted just a few handsets running the platform before seemingly losing interest. Various clues are now pointing to a renewed curiosity in Microsoft’s mobile OS from the company, in the form of the high-end SM-W750V. Shipping documents from before the new year indicate a screen size of 5 inches and provide first mention of the model number, which matches a recent North American approval by the Bluetooth SIG. A user agent profile on Samsung’s site is even more fruitful: “Windows Mobile Lab” is named co-conspirator alongside Sammy, Internet Explorer is penned as the default browser, and a couple of specs point to an LTE-capable handset with a screen resolution of 1,920 x 1,080. As these things go, it’s probably just a matter of time before pictures of the handset start surfacing, and there is a large mobile conference a little more than a month away. With Nokia rumored to soon enter unfamiliar territory, perhaps Samsung is preparing a undercover agent of its own.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Samsung, Microsoft
Via: Windows Phone Central, SammyToday, PhoneArena
Source: Bluetooth SIG, Samsung (UAProf)
GoDaddy, Microsoft focus on small businesses with Office 365 partnership
Early last year, Microsoft extended its Office 365 subscription service to small- and medium-sized businesses and now it’s continuing that push with a new partnership with GoDaddy. The web-hosting and domain name company will offer Microsoft’s suite of productivity tools to its small-business customers, including the ability to easily connect users’ domain names to Office’s email services. It also brings the full suite of Office’s productivity software, including shared calendars, cloud storage and instant messaging. The move comes a little over a year after Blake Irving, a former Microsoft exec, took the helm as GoDaddy’s new CEO, where he’s focused on expanding its support for small businesses. Office 365 for GoDaddy is already available in the US and Canada and will open up globally later this year.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
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