After announcing his plan in November 2012 to retire this month, Intel CEO Paul Otellini’s successor has been named. SEC filings Thursday revealed that Intel’s board of directors has elected COO Brian Krzanich as the company’s next CEO. “After a thorough and deliberate selection process, the board of directors is delighted that Krzanich will lead Intel as we define and invent the next generation of technology that will shape the future of computing,” said Andy Bryant, chairman of Intel. “Brian
“It’s No Secret” That JCPenney is Sorry For Ron Johnson
It’s clear that retail guru Ron Johnson couldn’t recreate the astounding success he enjoyed at Apple during his 17-month stint at J.C. Penney, but the situation is so dire for the retail chain that it has begun to run an apology commercial acknowledging that the changes instituted by Mr. Johnson were not appreciated by customers. After leaving Apple in late 2011 to assume the position of CEO at J.C. Penney, Mr. Johnson introduced broad changes to the company’s core business model.
EFF Reveals “Who Has Your Back” In Online Privacy
Consumers should trust Twitter, Dropbox, and Google to safeguard their personal information from improper government inquiries, while customers of Apple, AT&T, Myspace, and Verizon should check the street to see if any unmarked government vehicles are parked outside, according to the annual “Who Has Your Back” report from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the non-profit digital rights advocacy group. In an evaluation of 18 online firms, a surprising number of prominent companies were found to have few protections for user
Game Dev Tycoon: Minor Flaws Don’t Kill the Fun
In an ironic twist, software piracy may have actually saved a game, at least indirectly. After reading about the humorous trap that indie game developer Greenheart Games set for those attempting to pirate its first game, Game Dev Tycoon, I knew I had to try the game out. I had this desire to try the game not because I felt sorry for developer Patrick Klug, but because the game actually sounded entertaining, and I likely would have never heard of
Intel Details Haswell GPUs, Brands High-End GT3e “Iris Pro”
Intel revealed the details of the GPU lineup for its upcoming Haswell microarchitecture late Wednesday. The company announced that it is introducing three tiers of GPUs that will cater to most performance and power efficiency requirements. Along with the new GPUs is a new name to help distance the parts from the public’s perception that integrated graphics solutions offer poor performance. The high end GPUs will take on the name “Iris,” while lower end models will retain the current “HD
Apple’s iOS Tablet Share Falls in Q1 on Strong Android Growth
Apple’s once dominant market share in new tablet shipments continues to erode, according to preliminary data released today by research firm IDC. Apple’s share of worldwide tablet shipment in the first quarter of 2013 fell to 39.6 percent in the face of explosive growth from Android competitors, even as the company outperformed shipment expectations. Top Five Tablet Vendors (Shipments in Millions) Source: IDC 1Q2013 Shipments 1Q2013 Market Share 1Q2012 Shipments 1Q2012 Market Share Year-Over-Year Growth Apple 19.5 39.6% 11.8 58.1%
Microsoft’s IllumiRoom Brings the Holodeck One Step Closer
Microsoft’s proof-of-concept “IllumiRoom” system has the potential to drastically alter the way that consumers play games and watch movies in their homes. The immersive technology, first showcased at CES in January, uses a combination of cameras and projectors to expand a television’s content into a user’s living room. The company has just released a new detailed demonstration video that hints at Redmond’s plans for the next Xbox, set to be unveiled on May 21. While still early in its development,
Microsoft Invades Android with ‘Switch to Windows Phone’ App
Although badly trailing iOS and Android in terms of market share, Microsoft’s Windows Phone mobile operating system often leads in terms of clever marketing. Microsoft just released a “Switch to Windows Phone” app for Android that works with a companion app on the Windows Phone Store to help users migrate from Android to Windows Phone 8. Users interested in switching from Android to Windows Phone can download the free app on their current Android device. With the user’s permission, the
Three Ways to Play DVDs In Windows 8
In order to streamline its operating system and reduce licensing costs, Microsoft decided to omit native DVD video playback support from Windows 8. With fewer and fewer computers and devices shipping with built-in optical drives, the company assumed that users who really wanted to play DVDs in Windows 8 could do so via an add-on or third party software. Here’s how to prove Microsoft right and start playing your favorite movies on Redmond’s latest OS. There are several options to
Scott Stuber Reportedly Producing New Gears of War Movie Project
Marcus Fenix and his squadmates may be heading to the big screen after all. Following a series of delays and expected cancellation, Variety reported Monday that a movie project based on the Gears of War franchise is once again in the works. No details on cast or director have yet been revealed, but Scott Stuber has reportedly been selected to produce the film based on the sci-fi first person shooter. The game’s developer, Epic Games, is also on board to
Ratings Firm Nielsen Tests New Method to Measure Online Viewers
As a growing number of consumers view content online, one of the biggest challenges facing the television industry is finding a reliable and universal method to measure this digital viewership. According to The Wall Street Journal, ratings giant Nielsen thinks it has the solution. The firm is expected to announce Tuesday that it is testing a new tool to measure online video streaming with help from several major networks, including NBC, FOX, ABC, Univision, Discovery, and A&E. The tool, called
Microsoft Integrating Skype Calling and Chat With Outlook.com
More than 18 months after its acquisition of Skype, Microsoft is continuing to integrate the online communication platform into its broader service strategy. The company announced Monday that it will add Skype calling and messaging to its Outlook.com webmail portal. Outlook.com, introduced in 2012 as the successor to Hotmail, is Microsoft’s free online email, contact, and calendar service and has more than 420 million users worldwide. With Skype integration, these users will be able to initiate audio and video chats