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Microsoft names three new division presidents following recent departures
As you may have noticed, Microsoft has seen a few pretty significant executive shakeups as of late, with Robbie Bach and J Allard announcing their departures back in May, and Steven Elop leaving just last month to take the top job at Nokia. Now Microsoft has officially filled in some of those gaps, naming Kurt DelBene as president of its Microsoft Office Division, and Andy Lees and Don Mattrick as presidents of its Mobile Communications Business and Interactive Entertainment Business, respectively -- Windows Phone and Xbox, in other words. All three divisions are actually new (at least in name), but DelBene is effectively succeeding Elop, who led Microsoft's Business Division, while Mattrick and Lees are more or less splitting up Robbie Bach's former duties as head of the now dissolved Entertainment and Devices division. Head on past the break for the complete press release.
Engadget Podcast 198 - 05.29.2010
How many executives does it take to screw in a light bulb? Fewer than you would think! How many screens do you need to coordinate your digital life with the cloud? Less than 3, contrary to popular belief. How many Engadget Podcasteers need be present to convey the week's news to you in a succinct 90-minute audio package? Less than five. How many Foxconn employees should consider suicide to bring you a $99 iPhone? That's right, zero. This week, it's all about reductionism on the Engadget Podcast. Let's go on a trip together - to the clean, compact future. Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Bullet With Butterfly Wings Hear the podcast 00:04:15 - WSJ: Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division getting a 'shakeup,' J Allard expected to leave 00:04:35 - Microsoft's Robbie Bach and J Allard leaving as part of broader shakeup; Xbox and Windows Phone teams now reporting directly to Ballmer 00:06:00 - Robbie Bach: Project Natal a 'midlife kicker' for Xbox 360, 'absolutely confident' Courier innovations will appear elsewhere 00:08:32 - Apple and Microsoft now neck and neck in market capitalization 00:08:55 - Ballmer downplays Microsoft's shift in market value, says it's a 'long game' 00:30:23 - Windows Phone 7 pops up on a Samsung prototype device, plays Twin Blades 00:32:12 - webOS design mastermind Matias Duarte leaves Palm... and could be headed to Google 00:32:22 - Confirmed: Palm's Matias Duarte joins Google as User Experience Director for Android 00:42:07 - Lenovo kills Skylight OS in favor of Android, U1 Hybrid and Skylight smartbook being shelved 00:51:32 - The next Apple TV revealed: cloud storage and iPhone OS on tap... and a $99 price tag 01:04:00 - Confirmed: Apple's next iPhone will have video chat, feature to be shown in ads directed by Sam Mendes 01:09:53 - Foxconn raising wages, relocating 20 percent of Shenzhen workers closer to home (updated) 00:20:00 - Apple, Dell, and HP comment on suicides as Foxconn CEO shows off the pool 01:29:49 - Introducing Engadget Alt Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com. Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
Robbie Bach: Project Natal a 'midlife kicker' for Xbox 360, 'absolutely confident' Courier innovations will appear elsewhere
Now that the proverbial cat's out of the bag, Tech Flash has caught up with Robbie Bach about his impending retirement from Microsoft. In a far-reach interview, the former President of Entertainment & Devices Division says he made his ultimate decision just last Thursday, and that while he and also-gone J Allard "had been talking [Allard's] situation for awhile," the conversation never went both ways and the timing of the departures is "pure coincidence... serendipity." Bach further claims that it was his choice and was not asked to leave, and as for pundits who might've thought he was in line for one day taking the reins from CEO Steve Ballmer, Bach downplays that possibility and says he never had interest and such discussions never took place. But enough business talk, what about some of the projects Bach oversaw? There were a couple choice quotes we noted from the report. First up is Natal, a motion-sensing project that he views as a "midlife kicker for the [Xbox] 360." For those watching a calendar, that would give the console an approximately nine-year perceived lifespan on the corporate side -- from November 2005 to 2014. Of course, we could be reading too much into that, but we could certainly believe it. On the subject of Courier, Microsoft's now-cancelled internal tablet project, Bach is "absolutely confident... a bunch of that innovation will show up in Microsoft products." It's a stronger wording that what we originally read, and given just how excited we were watching that leaked video, we can only hope his prophecy is foretold. Do yourself a favor and take 15 minutes to read through the interview -- hey, you're welcome.
Microsoft's Robbie Bach and J Allard leaving as part of broader shakeup; Xbox and Windows Phone teams now reporting directly to Ballmer
Well, it looks like the rumors were true. Not only is Microsoft's J Allard now officially leaving the company, but so is Robbie Bach, President of Microsoft's Entertainment & Devices Division, amid what's described as a broader restructuring that will effectively dissolve the division and give CEO Steve Ballmer more direct oversight of Microsoft's consumer initiatives like Xbox and Windows Phone as of July. Contrary to earlier reports, Allard says that he's not leaving due to the cancellation of the Courier, but instead says that after nineteen years with the company, he simply wants to devote more time to his personal interests, "particularly adventure sports." Allard also insists that he won't be moving on to Apple, Google or any other Microsoft rivals -- in fact, he's staying on as an advisor to Steve Ballmer. Robbie Bach's departure is equally curious -- despite being just 48, his move is being described as a "retirement," and he says that the decision was his own and that he wasn't encouraged to leave. He'll also apparently remain with Microsoft through the fall to aid in the transition. When all's said and done, mobile communications VP Andy Lees and interactive entertainment head Don Mattrick will each separately report to Ballmer -- both have headed their divisions for some time now, so we'd assume that things will otherwise proceed as planned. Still, the loss of talent at the top is certainly noticeable -- we'll see how Microsoft responds now that Ballmer is firmly driving its mobile and gaming efforts. We've got Ballmer's full letter to the company and Microsoft's official PR after the break, so take a peek. Update: Mary Jo Foley has J Allard's parting email to his employees.
WSJ: Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division getting a 'shakeup,' J Allard expected to leave
We were surprised enough to hear tales of J Allard possibly leaving Microsoft, but the Wall Street Journal is painting a bigger picture, saying "the organizational shakeup is broader than Mr. Allard's departure." We're taking that to mean there could be a larger changing of the guard here, particularly since the article is worded somewhat oddly and seems to imply the reshuffling could reach even Entertainment and Devices Division president Robbie Bach. As for Allard, WSJ reaffirms Mary Jo Foley's earlier report that there's a strong correlation between his departure and the Courier's swan song. An announcement pertaining to these moves is said to potentially come as early this week, so stay tuned -- this could be big.
MusicDNA looks to supplant MP3, bring along updatable extras
As far as formats go, MP3 has managed to hang around for an impressive amount of time. To date, we've yet to see another digital audio file garner a similar amount of support (though ATRAC had a fighting chance!), but it looks as if an alternative from BACH Technology could be gunning for that crown. The new proposal is dubbed MusicDNA, and contrary to what you may expect, Dagfinn Bach -- who tinkered with the first MP3 player back in 1993 -- is all for it. Much like iTunes LP, the new format would include "lyrics, videos, artwork and blog posts, which [would] continually be updated." We're told that pirated files would still play back (as in, DRM shouldn't be an issue here), but none of the aforesaid updates would arrive. Currently, no major labels are onboard with the idea, but the company has suggested that the initial response has been pretty positive. Too bad it'll never go anywhere without a recognizable online storefront, but hey, we're rootin' for you over here! Update: The musicDNA used in the currently available musicGPS iPhone app is something completely different. Who knows if this will lead to a scuffle over naming rights.
Bach: Nope, still no Blu-ray Xbox 360 planned
Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment & Devices Division (you know, Xbox), has reiterated for the ... well, we've lost track of the amount of times he's said Blu-ray isn't coming to the Xbox 360. Just for the sake of tradition, TechFlash asked the question again and Bach balked saying, "We have no plan to do that."When pressed, Bach, having spiritually gone to his happy place, explained it's not a feature they get "a ton" of requests for. From a technical perspective it doesn't help the Xbox and it would raise the cost of the product. Bach emphasizes that HD content is available through Netflix and the Live Marketplace. Maybe Robbie will get lucky and the Blu-ray questions will end ... yeah, no chance.[Via CVG]
Bach denies Blu-ray Xbox 360 yet again
9:00AM pacific has come and gone and guess what kids? We still do not have a Blu-ray equipped Xbox 360 to announce, because it isn't real. So, that CrunchGear rumor was a total bust, who would have guessed? But we really didn't have to wait until this morning to be disappointed, because Microsoft's own Robbie Bach already dispelled (for the 39th time) any Blu-ray / Xbox 360 integration yesterday during an interview with SFGate. Again, Bach pretty much reiterated the fact that the Blu-ray format isn't something Microsoft is interested in adding to the 360 and doesn't think consumers really see value in it. Oh, and if you were excited about a Zune Phone (and really, who isn't?) don't hold your breath. Bach squashed that rumor too.[Via Engadget]
Bach sold even more stock before warranty announcement
Last month it was discovered that Robbie Bach, the head of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Unit (which includes Xbox), sold $6.2 million in company stock in the months leading up to the warranty extension announcement -- turns out, it was even more than originally reported. Bach actually sold another $3 million more in stock, which weren't filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Microsoft says that the extra few million weren't filed "as the result of an administrative error."Microsoft is still sticking by their story that the stock sales by Bach were purely coincidental in regards to the warranty announcement. Given that the stock price barely took a hit, one could see that as possible. Then again, Martha Stewart went to jail for issues surrounding insider dealing, even though the stock she sold eventually rebounded. Who knows what the truth is, all we want to know is what did Bach spend the $10 million on -- a PS3 or two?[Via GamePolitics]
Is the Wii less powerful than the original Xbox?
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Is_the_Wii_less_powerful_than_the_Xbox'; Microsoft's president of Entertainment and Devices division Robbie Bach made some interesting comments recently, claiming that the Wii "[doesn't] have the graphics horsepower that even Xbox 1 had." In order to determine if Bach's statement is true or false, Newsweek's N'Gai Croal decided to get to the bottom of the issue by speaking with two anonymous tech experts at large third party developers. What did they have to say?Well, apparently the Wii isn't as powerful as we think and the nickname of "GameCube 1.5" isn't all that far off. Interestingly enough, however, is one reply regarding the Wii's GPU, as the source stated "the Wii's GPU is not as fast or feature rich as the Xbox 360 or PS3, but that doesn't mean you can't get very close results." Hmm, we like the sound of that.Any tech buffs want to toss in their 2 cents?[Via Joystiq]
MS's Robbie Bach: Xbox 360 to be profitable next year
Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment & Devices Division, smells profits a'comin. Speaking to eWeek, Bach said that the Xbox 360 "[is a business that will be profitable next year -- we'll make money next year and that will be the first time, which is pretty exciting."As to where the profits will come from, exactly, Bach offers this explanation: Software, both first-party games and third-party title through royalties Xbox Live: Bach relates this to an amalgam of subscription, ad-based, and download-based business models. Peripherals (e.g. camera, controllers) Concerning the hardware itself, Bach asserts that they will probably break even in the console's lifespan (i.e. as the cost come down, the profits from the units will eventually compensate for the losses Microsoft endured in the system's early years), although he also notes that the price of memory "goes up and down seemingly like a yo-yo."It will be a landmark event if Microsoft begins to turn a profit, since as Bach noted they have yet to do so in the in almost six years since Xbox One debuted.
Inax's Satis Asteo Washlet toilet: pre-loaded with classical tunes
While there's certainly a market for techtoilets out there, Inax is apparently hoping that all interested john owners haven't already snapped up a Toto or Brondell, as its Satis Asteo Washlet doesn't do much to stand out. The musically inclined lavatory sports the obligatory SD slot, built-in stereo speakers, and an automatic lowering / lifting mechanism, but one interesting aspect of this iteration is the tunes that apparently come pre-loaded. While the translation is admittedly sketchy, Inax appears to have a number of classical pieces from the likes of Bach, Chopin, and Mendelsohn ready to rock, presumably to drown out less than pleasant ambient noises when you forget your own MP3-stocked SD card. Furthermore, the device can reportedly detect whether you'd prefer the lid up or down (saywha?) and the built-in nightlight should prevent any early morning surprises when sleepwalking into the restroom. Inax's latest toilets are available right now for those in Japan, and will set you back anywhere from ¥55,333 ($467) to ¥87,333 ($737), depending on model.[Via Core77]
Near-perfect glass CD hits stores in Akihabara, Shibuya for $831
You know how your audiophile friends insist on only the finest media on which to store their music -- forsaking MP3s and the iTunes Store in favor of vinyl or CDs? Well, if those audiophiles have deep pockets (as many of seem to), they'll probably be very interested in this new glass CD that's just come out of Japan. Suenori Fukui has recently invented a transparent glass CD that he says is guaranteed to not distort or warp. As Mainichi Interactive reports: "As glass CDs are completely transparent, information on them can be read perfectly, improving sound quality. They are not affected by heat or humidity and remain in perfect condition forever." The first glass CD recording of J.S. Bach's "Air on G String" (not to be confused with Sebastian Bach's "Show me your g-string," which we really wish existed) will be on sale at Ishimaru Denki in Akihabara and Tower Records in Shibuya for ¥98,700 ($831).[Via The Raw Feed]
