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Posts with tag Microsoft

More Xbox price cut rumors swirl

by Nilay Patel, posted Jul 1st 2008 at 2:26PM


The chatter surrounding a possible Xbox 360 price cut got a little louder today, as several news outlets have picked up on an anonymously-sourced Hollywood Reporter piece claiming that Redmond will drop the 360 Pro's price to $299 sometime before E3. That jives with all those leaked ads that hinted at a July 6th date, so we'll see soon enough -- and we'll bet you that extra $50 the $279 360 Arcade sees some price cut love as well.

[Thanks, cbost]

J Allard, CXO, surfaces at Microsoft C-level

by Thomas Ricker, posted Jul 1st 2008 at 5:28AM

J Allard, previously of Veep stature, has been elevated to the position of CXO (Chief eXperience Officer) and CTO of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division. That puts the man synonymous with the Zune, Xbox, and once questionable, 80's style in charge of "the technical architecture and user experiences related to products and services of the Entertainment and Devices (E&D) division." He's also cracking the whip on the E&D's "incubation team" responsible for scouting out new opportunities for the division. You know, like the Zune Phone, Xbox 360 with Blu-ray, and Microsoft Surface Sphere. Thus making him the most important man inside Microsoft... from our perspective anyway.

[via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

Local public school students get assigned Zunes

by Ryan Block, posted Jun 29th 2008 at 9:16PM

The latest edu-gimmick to hit small-town America: Liberty, Missouri's handing out a hundred and change media players -- Zunes, to be specific -- to local high school and middle school students for listening to lesson-supporting podcasts in the hopes of saving them "lost class time." Surely this will raise test scores, right? Or at least improve the Zune's cachet? Who knows -- even the district superintendent said, "Is it the next great thing? I don't know. Maybe. But it is another tool." Maybe the Kindle might make a better tool, but either way, Microsoft apparently intends to release data on the case study later this year.

Bill Gates Day wrap-up

by Ryan Block, posted Jun 28th 2008 at 3:27AM


You didn't really think we'd make it through his retirement without running the sexiest of all Bill photos, did you? We have to wonder what he'll feel like tomorrow morning, though -- we hear the headache on a 33 year software hangover is absolutely vicious.

Anyhow, just because the man's left the building doesn't mean you can't take home a few of his fine products. Hit the contests below, they close up Sunday night.

Feel the love
The Bill Gates Engadgethology
Bill Gates: top ten greatest hits (and misses) - the Microsoft years
Engadget's farewell card to Bill G
Bill Gates wipes away tears at Microsoft farewell
How would you change Microsoft if you were Bill Gates?
Celebrate Bill Gates Day with us here at Engadget

Contests
The Bill Day giveaway (part 1) - Toshiba Gigabeat T400
The Bill Day giveaway (part 2) - Office Ultimate 2007
The Bill Day giveaway (part 3) - Zune 80GB (black)
The Bill Day giveaway (part 4) - Windows Vista Ultimate

Read - Coverage of Bill's farewell town hall event
Read - Clip from Bill's little speech to employees

Engadget's farewell card to Bill G

by Engadget staff, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 7:54PM Featured Story


Well, Bill, it's just about quittin' time out here on the left coast, so with your final day at Microsoft drawing to a close, we wanted to present you with a little farewell card. It's not much, but we hope you like it.

Bill,
I can't believe you're already taking off! They even going to let your pension fully vest? Just kidding, I think heard somewhere that you're worth a lot of money or something. Thanks for the Xbox 360 and for always being so damn friendly -- promise I'll try my best to think only of Allchin whenever I bluescreen. Come visit soon and KIT, okay?
Yours Truly, Ryan

Continue reading Engadget's farewell card to Bill G

How would you change Microsoft if you were Bill Gates?

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 7:15PM Featured Story


Being that it is Bill's special day and all, we figured we'd give you a shot at stepping into his shoes and shaping Microsoft into something even more dominant that the juggernaut it is. Just imagine taking a seat in the biggest corner office Redmond has to offer, getting your Outlook set up, fiddling through a mess of old floppy discs and finally conjuring up a business plan. How in the world would you tweak / overhaul / etc. Microsoft if you were suddenly dubbed the big kahuna? We know this one's wide (and we mean gaping wide) open, so feel free to write a book down there.

The Bill Day giveaway (part 4) - Windows Vista Ultimate

by Ryan Block, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 6:14PM


Hey, if Bill can give away tens of billions of dollars, the least we can do to celebrate his last day is to give away some Microsoft-powered stuff, right? Next up: a full, non-upgrade copy of Windows Vista Ultimate.
  • Leave a comment below. Tell us about your favorite Microsoft-powered product. Or your favorite Apple product, too, since Bill totally bailed those guys out back in '97.
  • You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
  • If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  • Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  • Winner will be chosen randomly. That winner will get a brand new full, non-upgrade copy of Windows Vista Ultimate. Approximate value is $200.
  • Entries can be submitted until Sunday, June 29th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
  • Full rules can be found here.

The Bill Day giveaway (part 3) - Zune 80GB (black)

by Ryan Block, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 4:35PM


Hey, if Bill can give away tens of billions of dollars, the least we can do to celebrate his last day is to give away some Microsoft-powered gear, right? Next up: a black Zune 80GB.
  • Leave a comment below. Tell us about your favorite Microsoft-powered product. Or your favorite Apple product, too, since Bill totally bailed those guys out back in '97.
  • You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
  • If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  • Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  • Winner will be chosen randomly. That winner will get a brand new black Zune 80GB. Approximate value is $250.
  • Entries can be submitted until Sunday, June 29th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
  • Full rules can be found here.

Bill Gates wipes away tears at Microsoft farewell

by Donald Melanson, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 4:16PM

It looks like there more than a few misty eyes around Microsoft's Redmond campus today, where even the man of the day himself wiped away tears as he bid his official farewell to the company. According to Reuters, Gates was joined on stage at the employee-only event by CEO Steve Ballmer, who reportedly got choked up himself as he heaped praise on Gates, saying that "there's no way to say thanks to Bill. Bill's the founder. Bill's the leader," adding that, "this is Bill's baby." Ballmer also talked about how he had contemplated leaving Microsoft just a month after joining the company, only to have Gates persuade him to stay by saying "You don't get it. You don't get it. We are going to put a computer on every desk and in every home." Say what you will about some of his predictions, but he was sure on the mark with that one.

Bill Gates: top ten greatest hits (and misses) - the Microsoft years

by Engadget staff, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 3:33PM Featured Story


Damn, Bill, you have come a LONG way. Look at you there back in '82, you handsome devil. As part of our tribute, let's take a quick look back at the top ten greatest (and not so great) products created on Bill-time, shall we? Don't worry, it'll only sting a little.

Continue reading Bill Gates: top ten greatest hits (and misses) - the Microsoft years

The Bill Day giveaway (part 2) - Office Ultimate 2007

by Ryan Block, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 2:03PM


Hey, if Bill can give away tens of billions of dollars, the least we can do to celebrate his last day is to give away some Microsoft-powered stuff, right? Next up: the full, non-upgrade Office Ultimate 2007 suite.
  • Leave a comment below. Tell us about your favorite Microsoft-powered product. Or your favorite Apple product, too, since Bill totally bailed those guys out back in '97.
  • You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
  • If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  • Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  • Winner will be chosen randomly. That winner will get the full, non-upgrade Office Ultimate 2007 suite. Approximate value is $350.
  • Entries can be submitted until Sunday, June 29th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
  • Full rules can be found here.

The Bill Gates Engadgethology

by Ryan Block, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 10:49AM Featured Story


As part of our ongoing Bill Gates Day coverage, we present to you the Bill Engadgethology. This is by no means every Gates-related story from over the years -- just the choicest cuts from Club Bill Gates.

Bill and us
The Engadget Interview: Bill Gates, Part 1
The Engadget Interview: Bill Gates, Part 2
The Engadget Interview: Bill Gates (again!)
Bill Gates, Engadget reader
A lunchtime chat with Bill Gates at CES
Bill Gates: the exit interview

Bill Gates live
Bill Gates: Live at Microsoft's Digital Entertainment Anywhere Event
In real time: Engadget live from the Bill Gates 2005 CES Keynote at the Las Vegas Hilton
Live coverage of Bill Gates CES keynote
Live from the Bill Gates keynote
Live at the Windows Vista launch event
Steve Jobs and Bill Gates: Historic discussion live from D 2007 -> Poll: Jobs and Gates sit down in an alternate reality
Bill Gates: live at his 12th and final CES keynote
Live from D: Gates and Ballmer debut Windows 7

Bill in high society
Bill Gates to get knighted -> Bill Gates getting knighted
Bill Gates the dropout to receive honorary Harvard degree, will finally be able to do something with his life
Bill Gates gets Harvard degree, not at all smug about it

Bill vs. "PC"
"I'm a PC." "And I'm also a PC.": Gates vs. Hodgman on Daily Show tomorrow?
Bill Gates on Mac ads: "I don't even get it"
AdAge asks Gates about Hodgman to ill effect

More Bill after the break. Photo by Brennanator.

Continue reading The Bill Gates Engadgethology

Celebrate Bill Gates Day with us here at Engadget

by Ryan Block, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 12:00AM Breaking News


The end of an era; a fresh beginning; good riddance -- whatever you think of Bill's final day at Microsoft, it's impossible to deny that his tenure there helped forever re-shape not just technology, but the world as we know it. So we're declaring June 27th Bill Gates Day here at Engadget and hopefully you'll forgive us for, like, totally tearing up now that he's finally stepping out of his role as nerd-baron and into the shoes of full-blown immortal philanthropist. Hey, it's Sir William Henry Gates III's world, we just live in it -- that means you, too, Steve.

We'll miss you big guy.

P.S. -Keep this on the DL, but we heard this rumor he's thinking of returning to uni for his post-post-post-doc, and it won't even be honorary. We'll keep you posted. In the mean time today, expect plenty more Bill.

Continue reading Celebrate Bill Gates Day with us here at Engadget

Get down and dirty with Xbox 360's DRM / license transfer tool

by Ryan Block, posted Jun 26th 2008 at 8:37PM Breaking News


Since 2005, just about everyone that's ever had a RRoD or upgraded Xbox 360 asked for it, and strangely enough, our requests have been answered: Microsoft's pushing out its new web-based DRM tool in lieu of the usual spring Dashboard update. The intention is simple -- make your life a little easier when it comes to managing the worthless, arcane, irritating DRM that wraps the various bits of content (namely games and shows) one downloads from Xbox Live. If you have no idea what we're talking about, no need to worry yourself; but those familiar with the acute pain of being unable to manage content licenses across your Xboxen will be mighty relieved to see this light at the end of the tunnel.

Read - Joystiq interview with Xbox Live GM Marc Whitten
Read - The official home of Microsoft's Xbox 360 license transfer tool

Xbox 360 price dropping to $299.99 on July 6?

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Jun 26th 2008 at 7:19PM

Xbox 360 price drop
What's this? Could it be? An Xbox 360 price drop on July 6? According to this image, the Xbox 360 Pro will drop to $299.99, at least at K-Mart. The little image circulating shows the "Xbox 360 20GB console" with a $299.99 price, but no word on pricing on the Arcade and Elite versions of the console. We had a feeling price cuts would be coming at E3, but it's entirely possible Microsoft waned to get pricing out of the way before the gaming conference to concentrate on other goodness.
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