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Flappy Bird no longer available from the App Store or Google Play
Oh no! We sure hope you were able to download Flappy Bird before its imminent extinction. Because, as promised, developer Dong Nguyen has officially removed the insanely popular game from both the App Store and Google Play. There's no need to shed tears if you've already installed it, since you can still play it and continue to frustrate over how terribly low your scores are. Even so, it's a little sad to see Flappy Bird go -- especially given that there are probably some people (like this editor's mom) who never got to experience it. Who knows, maybe it'll make a triumphant comeback one day.
Sony sells its VAIO PC business, is splitting TV arm into a separate company
Sony said it was "addressing various options" as recently as yesterday when it came to its VAIO PC and laptop arm, and while announcing its financial results for Q3 2013, it's apparently come to a decision. Amid reforming its TV arm (and splitting it into a standalone entity by June 2014), it's going to sell its PC business and VAIO brand to Japan Industrial Partners (JIP), with the final deal set to be done by the end of March 2014. The company has reported a drop in demand for its PCs in prior financial statements, and (barring the VAIO Flip 11A), Sony didn't really have much to show from its VAIO range at this year's CES. During the earnings call today, CEO Kaz Hirai said that it was an "agonizing decision", and that it was "a very Sony brand... It stirred up the PC market." The company says it's no longer designing and developing PC products, while manufacturing and sales will wrap up after the company's final VAIO range goes on sale globally. It has decided to focus on those post-PC products (yep, smartphones and tablets), meaning that it had to make some big decisions with less successful parts of the business. During Q3 2013, it saw "significant profit improvements" compared to the same period last year. Sony saw year-on-year sales increases from its mobile arm, but still forecasts an annual loss of around $1.1 billion (110 billion yen) for the full year: it had previously projected a 30 billion yen profit. The blame is leveled at the businesses its now looking to change. Other highlights include the PS4, which sold 4.2 million units and 9.7 million games in its first six weeks. The games arm also saw a "dramatic increase" in PlayStation Plus subscriptions -- something that's mandatory for multiplayer on the company's new console. Sony will cut a total of 5,000 jobs worldwide (1,500 in Japan) by the end of the 2014 fiscal year, while the new PC company has stated that it will hire around 250 to 300 Sony employees, encompassing design, development manufacturing and sales, and will be based in Nagano -- where Sony's current VAIO HQ resides. The company is promising to fulfill all its aftercare warranties. Sony is signed up to invest 5 percent of the new company's capital to support its launch and smooth over the transition. Restructuring costs across both the TV and PC segments are now set to cost an extra 20 billion yen. Sony is now set to focus on its high-end sets and 4K screens, and hopes that changes will ensure the TV business returns to profitability within the next financial year.
Super Bowl 2014 ad roundup: '80s stars raid a RadioShack, bears dance with Ellen and more
If you were one of those 110 million who tuned into this year's Super Bowl, you probably have some thoughts on those ads -- ads that cost a whole load of cash. This year, we had the predictable heart-tug from a soda brand, a shirtless Brooklyn Nine-Nine star singing along with the Muppets and a reunion with the boys of Full House over a cup of Greek yogurt. But since this is Engadget, let's start with what we know best: tech.
Lenovo buying Motorola's handset business from Google for nearly $3 billion
According to several sources (update: and now confirmed by Google) Lenovo is nearing a rather stunning deal that would put Motorola's cellphone business in its back pocket for roughly $3 billion. Google snatched up Motorola in 2011 for $12.5 billion. Since then it's slowly broken the company up, scaled back its device lineup and added its massive pile of patents to its legal arsenal. Now, after losing money for several years straight, Mountain View is reportedly preparing to offload the division on Chinese computer giant Lenovo. The purchase of Motorola will probably also put to bed rumors of Lenovo purchasing BlackBerry... at least for a little while. The company has been looking to step up its mobile efforts for the last couple of years, and Motorola's existing infrastructure, patent library and brand recognition should help it make a dent here in the US. The deal hasn't been officially announced yet, but when (and if) it is There are bound to be plenty of questions. For one, how will the sale of Motorola to a Chinese firm affect the company's recent efforts to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US? And how will this impact Google's own expanding manufacturing plans in the future? Or course, we may have also just figured out how exactly Google convinced Samsung to start putting more focus on Play Services. Update: Well, that was quick. Google has confirmed the deal, which will see Motorola Mobility change hands for $2.91 billion. Most of that money will be in the form of cash or a promissory note, but it will also include roughly $750 million worth of Lenovo shares. The deal will also cause more than a few cynics to shout, "I told you so," as Google will be maintaining ownership of "the vast majority" of Motorola's patents. Though, the deal does include a license for that intellectual property and Lenovo will take ownership of Moto's brand and trademarks.
