According to Bloomberg News, Ford has dropped Microsoft as its Sync software provider, and has instead switched to BlackBerry’s OS after the second-gen, MyFord Touch suffered from technical problems and consistent bugs. These issues were so persistent that Ford has continued to build on the first-gen system, and has left the second-gen system entirely. The QNX BlackBerry system will, ideally, provide engineers with a whole new type of mobile platform that the present systems lack, including support for touch screen, HTML5, and other interface enhancements. QNX is already in use with Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Acura, Porsche, Saab, and Hyundai, so for Ford to join on speaks more to a broad industry standard than anything else. And for BlackBerry, it represents a big bright spot in a new year of restructuring for the company.
Tag: microsoft
Bonnaroo Will Stream On Xbox
Microsoft and Superfly Presents, the production company behind Bonnaroo, have agreed to stream the music festival on Xbox consoles this summer. Xbox One and Xbox 360 owners will have access to the “exclusive” experience. The companies say that it will be streaming in high definition where possible, and fans will be able to switch between multiple streams – that is, different stages – and will be able to watch performances from year’s past. The lineup, of course, has yet to be announced, and Xbox will also stream this event, which features Bonnaroo’s trademark Super Jams. Whether or not you can have the full “festival” experience over Xbox is certainly debatable, but nevertheless the deal is just further evidence of the continued trend of decentralized, streamed on-demand media across screens and devices.
Microsoft’s Advertises Through YouTube Content Creators
The paid and earned lines are increasingly blurring. While media owners disclose paid content whether it be native ads or branded content, Microsoft’s YouTube promotion is less transparent. The tech company is paying $3 CPM for YouTube content creators to mention the Xbox One and incorporate game footage with a maximum payout of $3,750 for 1.25 million views. An alternative campaign might be creating a UGC contest around gameplay footage which would achieve a similar outcome.
Kindle & Surface Gain Tablet Share Over Holidays
Early holiday shopping data is trickling in, and we now know that Amazon and Microsoft both gained significant tablet market share over the 2013 holiday season. According to Chitika, Amazon is now at 9.4% market share, a 0.6% increase, and Microsoft is at 2.3%, which represents a 0.5% increase. Apple’s tablets are very clearly out in front, with a 76.1% market share, but there were clear chunks taken out of that lead over the past two months. The holidays didn’t spell entirely bad news for Apple; they were the only company to see good holiday news in the smartphone market, as usage numbers increased again last month.
Arctec Prints 3D Selfies
3D printing services are coming for you. Arctec, a manufacturer of 3D scanners is showing the capability of an easy-to-find off-the-shelf scanner with its new Shapify.me service, which uses the Microsoft Kinect camera to scan your entire body. The service is somewhat imperfect, as lighting issues and the constant turning can create problems with the scan, but the scans appear to be useable. At the end of the process, a user can download his or her scan or pay for a print for $59. While this application is whimsical at best, it could represent how we use 3D scanning and printing in the future, by scanning with easy to use home-based hardware for off-site printing.
Microsoft Announces Original Video Programming
Perhaps this explains why Microsoft is dragging its feet bringing Twitch onto the Xbox one – it seems as though they’re waiting until they can introduce their competing online video programming platform. They’re hoping to introduce the Steven Spielberg-produced Halo TV series, but it’s all taking a bit longer than anticipated. They’re trying to introduce live action series, in addition to Twitch-like integration, and it’s been slow to get off the ground. Whether it is actually successful, in light of such a saturated space, will be interesting to see.
XBox One Patch Released Today Improves TV Function
Microsoft is launching its first XBox One system update today, less than a month after the console’s release on November 22. This patch comes in response to a number of glitches found early on, and is said to be the first in a long series of updates set to come early in 2014. This update also updates the exciting TV feature of the One, which should become a progressively larger part of the XBox ecosystem over time. This update showcases the console’s automatic update process, and devices that are on standby will likely get the patch without owners intervening at all. All system owners not on standby today will be required to install the update after the grace period ends on Thursday, December 12.
PS4 Breaks UK Console Record
The Playstation Four broke the UK console launch record with over 250,000 units sold in 48 hours, which amounts to about $1.4 billion in sales. The PS3 only broke 100,000, while the Xbox One hit 150,000. Not much fuss has been made about international sales, with Microsoft and Sony touting their sales of over one million devices in North America. Neither console has taken a definitive lead in the “console wars,” but as the international numbers continue to trickle in it seems like the Sony device has more global appeal.
Xbox One Gameplay Broadcasting Delayed Until 2014
Twitch integration was touted as one of the better collaborative elements of Microsoft’s next-gen console, the Xbox One. Today, however, Microsoft dropped news that the Twitch.tv app won’t be available on the November 22nd launch date. The Xbox team is, “working to ensure the initial Twitch on Xbox One broadcasting experience meets the expectations of the Twitch community.” For whatever reason, it seems like Twitch and the Xbox One aren’t quite ready for each other yet. It’s a bad realization for Microsoft, as the Twitch integration was a highly touted feature of the new console. For what it’s worth, Xbox gamers will be able to watch Twitch on the console as an app, but that’s only half the battle. How this affects gamers’ proclivity to purchase will have to be judged later in the month.
PDP Releases Xbox One “Eye-Patch”
For Xbox users who own Kinects, the spectre of privacy infringement looms large. Indeed, with the Xbox One and the Kinect 2.0, Microsoft has had to reassure customers that their hardware won’t be used for spying on living rooms and people’s lives. For customers who remain unconvinced, PDP is now selling a solid layer of plastic over the device’s infrared and color camera sensors – for just $20 on Amazon. It retains the important voice control of the Kinect, but ensures that Microsoft can’t see into users’ lives. If products like this sell, it will prove just how hesitant consumers really are about new technology and privacy implications.
