Microsoft
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While Microsoft impressed a number of people with the opening of its flagship store in Palo Alto last year, complete with a Maroon 5 launch party, Apple seems to think that the company has had enough time in the spotlight. Apple is currently hard at work on the construction of what is said to be a visually stunning retail store, right by Microsoft's impressive Palo Alto location. The move is reportedly being done to show up Microsoft's store with a more impressive looking Apple Store location. If you think that Apple's ... more -
Every new generation of consoles brings the fear that prices for video games will go up. It happened when entering into this current generation when games jumped from $49.99 to $59.99. Today it was revealed that an increase will not happen for first-party Xbox One titles. Polygon received a statement by a representative from Microsoft, which said:I can confirm that Microsoft Studios games on Xbox One will be $59.99 (MSRP).
This statement is only partially reassuring, as it leaves the door open for third-party titles on Xbox One to see an ... more -
If you thought your personal assistant Siri held some kind of loyalty to Apple, think again. Microsoft has just released a new commercial that pits its Dell XPS 10 tablet against Apple's iPad, with Apple's own Siri delivering the punch lines. The ad targets some of the iPad's lack of features, such as its inability to do two things at once and its lack of an SD card slot. It also makes fun of the iPad's price versus the Dell tablet, although it uses a 32GB iPad model and a promotionally ... more -
If you've ever seen one of Apple's mini-stores located inside of a Best Buy, you roughly know what to expect from Microsoft's newly announced "Windows Stores". In a new partnership, Microsoft has said that it will open 600 Windows Store locations within Best Buys over the course of this summer, bringing customers a " premier destination for consumers to see, try, compare and purchase a range of products and accessories, including Windows tablets and PCs, Windows Phones, Microsoft Office, Xbox and more." Stores will range in size from 1,500 to ... more -
At yesterday's E3 press conference, Sony dropped the bomb that the PS4 would in fact support used games as opposed to Microsoft's Xbox One, which has been receiving flack for its decision to place limitations on its users' ability to trade in/lend games. Now, however, it turns out that Sony might not have been as clear as they could have, and that third party publishers will in fact have the option to put some sort of DRM on their games. At yesterday's presentation, Sony Computer Entertainment America president Jack Tretton made ... more -
According to the Washington Post and The Guardian, the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Federal Bureau Of Investigation (FBI) are able to access the servers of numerous tech giants to gather information, and it seems that they have been doing it for years. The data collection program is code named PRISM and is used to prevent terrorism by accessing data, without warrants, of people they think will threaten national security. The Guardian verified a 41-page slideshow that was leaked to them by an intelligence officer who felt that ... more -
After speculation about Xbox One's used games market, Microsoft today clarified a number of points about the licensing of games, the privacy of Kinect, and the users' Internet connection in a few different blog posts. One big issue was what you could legitimately do with game discs, including who can play your games or even borrow them. The rules are a bit complicated about licensing, but there are a few key points. Anyone, regardless of relation to you, can play games on your console without limits. ... more -
As smartphones become more popular, luxurious and capable, thefts of the devices are drastically on the rise. To try and help solve the issue, the San Francisco District Attorney and New York Attorney General will be holding a "smartphone summit" next week to meet with four of the top smartphone players: Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung. While a number of phone carriers and manufacturers have taken some steps to help deter phone thefts, such as creating shared databases to track stolen phones, New York and San Francisco want more to be ... more -
Apple is reportedly in talks with Time Warner Cable, who wants to sign a video streaming deal for some of its content. Previously launched on Roku devices last March, Time Warner Cable is looking to bring its TWC TV app to the Apple TV, among other devices by competitors. Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt spoke at an investors conference in London on June 4, where he revealed that the company is interested in making deals with not only Apple, but Microsoft and Samsung as well. He told investors,"You should ... more
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Today, Microsoft and 343 Industries unveiled a game coming to Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 -- Halo: Spartan Assault. The game is expected to officially launch this July and could be the first halo application for platforms that run the shared Windows core. Halo: Spartan Assault is a third-person shooter game that will feature familiar characters seen in many of the series' other games. If you're a huge fan of the series, you might experience some feelings of nostalgia as the sound effects from the original installments have ... more