New Gadgets
- Microsoft replaces Andy Lees as Windows Phone head
AllThingsD is reporting that Microsoft is replacing Andy Lees as head of its Windows Phone division… sort of. It looks like Terry Myerson, who has headed up engineering efforts for the group, will take over many of Lees’ responsibilities, though, he wont be inheriting his title. At least not just yet. In a memo seen by AllThingsD, Ballmer announced that Lees would be taking on a new position with the company, though it’s not entirely clear what that might be — describing it only as “time-critical” and “focused on driving maximum impact in 2012 with Windows Phone and Windows 8.” (So, it’s safe to assume he’s not becoming a janitor.) The shakeup isn’t terribly surprising, especially considering the CEO’s own admission that Windows Phone 7 was not performing as well as expected in the market.
The divisions interim leader, Myerson, has been with Microsoft since 1997 and previously headed up the team in charge of Exchange. For now he will continue to report to Lees will remain the president of the Windows Phone group, even if that is in name only.
Microsoft replaces Andy Lees as Windows Phone head originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 5:30PM
It’s Monday, and almost as regular an occurrence as the day itself, we’re here to help by letting you listen into the recording booth when the Engadget HD podcast goes to mp3 at 5:30PM. Please be a part of it by reviewing the list of topics after the break, then participating in the live chat as you listen in.Continue reading Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 5:30PM
Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 5:30PM originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
- Robots finally able to follow ‘make me a sandwich’ command (video)
Pancakes? No problem. Cookies? You got it! Sandwich? …is there a Subway near by? Why robots have such a hard time slapping meat and cheese on bread is beyond us, but we’re glad the crack team at the Technical University of Munich has finally figured out how to teach them. The dynamic duo of James and Rosie don’t exactly blaze through their task of making a sandwich and some popcorn, but at least they’re nice enough to toast the bread for your salami- and cheese-based chow. As usual, the moves here are not preprogrammed, the two bots make decisions on the fly based on a complex “reasoning” mechanism and data it can cull from a Kinect. Check out the videos below to watch two carefully construct a simple, layered lunch.
Continue reading Robots finally able to follow ‘make me a sandwich’ command (video)
Robots finally able to follow ‘make me a sandwich’ command (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink
Physorg, IEEE Spectrum | 
TUM | Email this | Comments - ASUS delays Transformer Prime’s release until WiFi fix is found (update: Prime to be released the week of 12/19)
If you were hoping to get you hands on a Transformer Prime this month, prepare to be disappointed. After hearing rumors of the ASUS slate’s delay due to Wifi issues, we’ve now received confirmation from ASUS Canada via one of our tipsters. The company says that “the WiFi range on the TF201 did not meet our quality standards” and that it will not release the product until the wireless is up to snuff. In order to combat the issue, ASUS “will be implementing a new solution,” though it declined to elaborate on what the solution would be. Naturally, no timetable for the Transformer Prime’s release was provided either. So, if you jumped on the pre-order, let us know if you’ve heard the same song and dance from ASUS in the comments below.[Thanks, George]
Update: We heard back from ASUS US and were told the Prime is still scheduled for release the week of 12 / 19.
ASUS delays Transformer Prime’s release until WiFi fix is found (update: Prime to be released the week of 12/19) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
- Lenovo IdeaPad U400 review
If you need evidence that the Ultrabook fad isn’t impressing everybody, look no further than our inboxes. More than a few of you have been inquiring about the Lenovo IdeaPad U400, the 14-inch big brother to the IdeaPad U300s. And we think we understand why. Starting at a more palatable price of $800, it offers the same understated design as the U300s, except it brings an extra inch of screen real estate, along with an optical drive and discrete graphics. The best of both worlds, right? Beauty and a little more brawn? Not exactly. Though it looks the same, the U400 trades various components, starting with the storage disk and continuing on to the touchpad drivers. (Specs, schmecs, are we right?) So how much of a difference does this new set of innards make? Meet us past the break to find out.
Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad U400 review
Lenovo IdeaPad U400 review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
- AT&T asks judge to stay T-Mobile merger court proceedings until January 18th (update: granted)
Just last week, the US Department of Justice indicated its desire to dismiss the lawsuit it filed to stop the union of AT&T and T-Mobile because of Ma Bell’s withdrawal of the merger’s FCC application. It looks like that’s given the telco plenty more issues to ponder, so now it’s asking Judge Huvelle to postpone further antitrust court proceedings until January 18. The folks at AT&T need the extra time to “evaluate all options” and “revise our current transaction to achieve the necessary regulatory approvals” for the merger. Because the DoJ has signed off on AT&T’s petition, it seems likely the court will go along with the plan — as opposed to killing the deal via a case dismissal at the hearing currently scheduled later this week. We’ll have to wait and see if the Judge Huvelle grants the request, but if she does, this much is certain: Ma Bell’s lawyers will be doing more work than merrymaking over the holidays.Update: It looks like Christmas came early for AT&T&T, as the New York Times reports that Judge Huvelle has granted the stay.
AT&T asks judge to stay T-Mobile merger court proceedings until January 18th (update: granted) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
- New quantum tunneling transistors to make PCs less power-hungry
Yes, that awesome new 8-core chip in your PC is the fastest thing on the block, but it’s got your utility meter spinning accordingly. Fortunately, researchers from Penn State have come up with a new high performance transistor that may turn future chips from power hogs into current-sipping silicon. The group, in cooperation with semiconductor manufacturer IQE, has created a high-performance transistor capable of significantly reducing power demand whether it’s idle or switching. Doctoral candidate Dheeraj Mohata’s the one who made it happen by inventing an alternative to traditional MOSFET (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors) technology capable of turning on and off using far less power. Mohata’s method uses a tunneling field effect transistor crafted from dissimilar semiconductor materials to provide instant on-off capability at 300 millivolts — compared to MOSFET’s one volt requirement — to provide a power savings of 70 percent. You can dig deeper into the technical transistor details at the source, but all you really need to know is that the ladies love a PC with paltry power consumption.New quantum tunneling transistors to make PCs less power-hungry originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink
Physorg | Penn State University | Email this | Comments - iOS 5.1 beta 2 out of the oven, ready for developer consumption
Ready to kick off Monday with some iOS flashing? Excellent, because Apple’s just released the second beta of iOS 5.1, lovingly christened 9B5127c. No Cupertino devices at Engadget HQ have taken the plunge, but as noted by MacRumors, the beta enables individual picture deletion from Photo Stream — which differs from the existing delete all or nothing implementation. Too early to tell if it’ll finally squash any lingering battery bugs once and for all, but you can hit Apple’s developer website to get your download on — just be ready for the next one in two weeks, cool?
[Thanks, Haseeb]
iOS 5.1 beta 2 out of the oven, ready for developer consumption originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Dish Network surfaces as possible Plan B for T-Mobile if AT&T merger falls through
Dish Network had reportedly been considered a potential candidate to receive divested T-Mobile assets from AT&T if it couldn’t secure initial approval of its acquisition from the government. Dish, however, has publicly opposed the acquisition — and now it’s clear that there were some ulterior motives in wanting to see the merger fall through, because Bloomberg reported this morning that the satellite provider wants to merge its spectrum assets with T-Mobile if things don’t go so rosy in the acquisition. According to CEO Joseph Clayton:We want to… create a national wireless network, video, voice and data. We’ve got expertise in satellite TV, and we will in satellite broadband. The voice part, we’ll need some help with.A partnership with T-Mobile would ideally help both companies: it would help Dish get one step closer to its goal of a wireless network that bundles smartphones, tablets and satellite under the same umbrella, and would cast a bright light on T-Mobile’s questionable future. How does “Ollo” with LTE-Advanced on Magenta sound?
Dish Network surfaces as possible Plan B for T-Mobile if AT&T merger falls through originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Bloomberg | Email this | Comments
Great post ! I so appreciate this site. This is the information I was looking for.