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Amazon's second-gen, possibly larger Kindle Fire to set off at end of Q2?
Still anticipating the Kindle Fire's successor? Well, here's some gossip from the Far East for you Bezos fans. According to the well-connected China Times of Taiwan, it's been informed by parts suppliers that Amazon's next tablet does not yet have a finalized specification, though it hinted that a 10-inch OEM device from Foxconn could be a potential candidate. Amazon's chain of manufacturers -- including Quanta, ACES, Prime View, Singatron, CviLux and the newly added Foxconn -- is allegedly scheduled to supply sample parts in March, followed by mass production (assembled by Quanta and Foxconn, naturally) in May or June before releasing to market by the end of Q2.Additionally, China Times understands that as an attempt to further reduce manufacturing costs, Amazon will also be personally picking and approving parts; as opposed to the olden days where Quanta took full care of the first Kindle Fire. This is surely a bad sign for Quanta in the short run, but hey, cheaper tablets sell well. The real question is: do people actually want a larger Kindle Fire? We're a tad skeptical at this point.
Former Microsoft Flight Simulator devs form new studio
Earlier this year, Microsoft had to release longtime Flight Simulator dev team, ACES Studio, from the nest. Since then, Rick Selby and Kathie Flood have been working to start up a new studio -- and now that hard work has come to fruition. Enter: Cascade Game Foundry, the duo's new Washington-based studio that will aim to fill the gap in the hardcore sim market left by ACES' closure. Selby and Flood both offered some comments in a press release via the company's site, stating that those hardcore sim fans who are now flying blind will become the new company's "critical foundation," but by no means do they want Cascade to stop there. They envision the company catering to simulation junkies craving experiences outside of flying planes or conducting trains, offering examples such as "Scuba diving off Hawaii, traversing the Andes" and "hiking the Great Wall of China."The company is now working to get a demo in order for its first project. We'll keep you posted.[Via Edge]
Microsoft makes cuts to gaming: ACES studio closed, 30% of testers laid off
While Sony is avoiding any cuts to its games division, Microsoft is taking a very different approach. Details are still trickling in, but it appears significant changes are being made to Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices (E&D) division as part of the previously announced plans to axe 5,000 jobs. ZDnet's Mary Jo Foley has heard the E&D division will represent "the bulk" of Microsoft's immediate cuts.Already, one of their internal studios, ACES, is confirmed shut down. The studio was responsible for the Flight Simulator series. Dean Takahashi from Venture Beat has also learned that 30 percent of the company's video game testers have been laid off. It appears this may be just the beginning of a larger shakedown for the Xbox and PC gaming parts of Microsoft. Takahashi also notes that "the game group is expected to undergo a management restructuring" next week.Microsoft has yet to release an official comment. Stay tuned as we'll keep a close eye on this situation.[Via GameDaily]
