Latest news

Google has announced that its Play Music service on Android devices now has native Sonos integration and support.

The new integration should allow for even easier streaming of your tracks to the hi-fi speaker system. Previously, you had to download the Sonos Controller app to cast the tracks directly to the speakers, so the new move should eliminate one step in your hectic day.

Sonos confirmed Google is the first major service to offer the native support, but there are likely to be more in the future if the feature becomes popular. "As we continue to invest in the way you experience and control your music at home, curating and managing an array of services across multiple rooms, the benefits of playing your music to Sonos directly from these very services is clear. In Google Play Music, we've found a great partner to bring this vision to life for the first time on a global scale. Together, we've created a music experience that shows how media, devices, and sound can seamlessly work together in the home," reads the Sonos blog post.

Google did note that you will still need the Controller app installed, even though you are not using it to control your music. Google Play will give you the option to select which speaker you want to the music to come from, and also which system you want it to play from, if you have a multi-room setup.

If KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo is to be believed, Apple may be headed for a huge upgrade and new product cycle this year.

Kuo, in a note to clients, provided an expected product roadmap for the year, which includes a handful of new devices. Kuo has connections in Apple's supply chain, and has been relatively accurate in the past with his notes, at least compared to most.

If true, Apple will release two iPhone 6, one at 4.7-inches and the other at 5.5-inches, huge upgrades from the current 4-inch screens of its iPhone 5, 5c and 5s.

The iWatch, rumored for over three years now, will finally be released, as well, in two sizes. Most likely this means men and women will have slightly different models.

Finally, the Apple TV will be upgraded, as will the iPad Air, iPad Mini, iMac and MacBooks, which will allegedly be getting slimmer.

All of the products are slated for the end of the Q2 all the way until the end of the Q4.

Nintendo has revealed narrower time frames for the release of the new Super Smash Bros on its consoles.

The company revealed more info during a 39-minute Nintendo Direct presentation earlier this week.

Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai confirmed that the 3DS version will be released ahead of its console counterpart, with the handheld game reaching shelves over the summer compared to the Wii U version hitting sometime during the winter.

Between the game, there will be some differences, most notably the stages. Additionally, the 3DS will have a 'Smash Run' mode, but the rosters are completely the same.

There will most likely be added features for the Wii U console given its later date and to incentivize gamers to possible wait for it.

Nokia has unveiled its new 225 phone for the emerging markets, a device the company calls its "slimmest Internet phone" to date.

Selling for just EUR39 ($54), Nokia is making the device available in five colorways starting in the Q2.

The phone has a 2.8-inch screen and will come pre-loaded with the company's Xpress Browser, which is based in the cloud and helps to optimize sites for speedier performance on 2G/3G networks. The phone has a 2MP camera, a microSD slot, a dust and splash proof keymat, and dual band 900/1800MHz network support.

In addition, the device will come with Facebook and Twitter apps and five older games: Block Breaker 3, Asphalt 6, Assassins Creed 3, The Avengers and Real Football 2012.

Nokia has promised single and dual SIM models and up to 36 days of standby time. The operating system is Series 30+, meaning Nokia has stayed away from Windows Phone here.

Motorola Mobility, which was recently sold by Google to Lenovo, has named its new president and Chief Operating Officer (COO).

The executive will replace Dennis Woodside, who was CEO for MM while it was owned by Google. Woodside recently moved to Dropbox to become COO for the cloud storage startup.

Osterloh has been leading product management at Motorola for the past two years, and joined the company seven years ago via Motorola's acquisition of mobile security solutions provider Good Technology in 2007. The executive then worked at Skype overseeing design before it was acquired by Microsoft, when he then returned to Motorola.

"Since his return, Rick's had a key role in the company's reinvigoration," reads a Google post. "He's been a guiding visionary on the entire product front and a passionate advocate for our philosophy to focus everything we do on the consumer experience.

T-Mobile, in their ongoing efforts to turnaround the U.S. carrier market, has offered a new plan for budget-conscious consumers.

The new "Simple Starter" plan offers unlimited text, talk and 500MB of 2G/3G/4G data for just $40 per month. The data is a strong cap, unlike T-Mobile's other plans which offer unlimited data but the speeds are throttled to 2G after the stated amount.

If you reach 500MB, you will be prompted to purchase additional data via a day or week pass, but you will not be able to use any more mobile data.

Besides the cap, there are a few more limitations, as well. The Simple Starter cannot be added to family plans, and you will not have access to T-Mobile's new, free global roaming and international texting. You can, however, use the Jump program for quicker handset upgrades, and the plan also qualifies for zero down interest-free financing like T-Mobile's other plans.

Jony Ive, Apple's SVP of Design, may be behind the departure of another high-ranking Apple executive.

Human Interface VP Greg Christie will be leaving Apple after over twenty years, reportedly because of intense infighting between himself and Ive. Ive was also reportedly behind the firing of Scott Forstall in 2012, another executive that was close to former CEO Steve Jobs, but was said to have had friction with many co-workers.

Christie led the design of the new iOS 7 interface, and also played a prominent role in the "Slide to Unlock" feature of the iPhone.

While Christie was in charge of Apple software design, Ive received an expanded role in late 2012. The two did not agree on the direction of iOS 7, however, and Ive then reportedly took control of the design himself, undermining Christie's leadership.

Apple confirmed the move: "Greg has been planning to retire later this year after nearly 20 years at Apple. He has made vital contributions to Apple products across the board, and built a world-class Human Interface team which has worked closely with Jony for many years."

According to Microsoft, if you are a business trying to update Windows via the Windows Server Update Services, you will temporarily be unable to do so due to a new bug.

The bug was preventing business users from seeing future updates when using the service, so Microsoft deciding to rollback the update for the time being.

Says the software giant of the issue: "There is a known issue which causes some PCs updated with the Windows 8.1 Update (KB 2919355) to stop scanning against Windows Server Update Services 3.0 Service Pack 2 (WSUS 3.0 SP2 or WSUS 3.2) servers which are configured to use SSL and have not enabled TLS 1.2."

Of course, you can still get the update manually, through the Windows Update Catalog or via standard MDSN. Naturally, Microsoft does not recommend getting the update until it is patched.

If you still want the update, you can avoid the bug by disabling HTTPS on WSUS and then re-enabling it once the patch is finally released.

Source:
WSUS Product Team Blog

Following the death of Windows XP, Google has announced a number of promotions for enterprise customers that could be willing to move to Chrome OS.

Says Google in their post: "Today marks the end of an era for computing, as Windows XP meets its maker. I remember when XP was released in 2001--it seemed like a revolution that introduced computers to a whole new generation. But fast forward 13 years and we live in a very different world--one in which we expect the latest and greatest software, and the ability to access our stuff from anywhere. Even Microsoft admits: it's time for a change."

From now until June 30th, if you buy a Chromebook for Business you will get $100 off each managed device for your company. The biggest downside risk for businesses is the fact that many employees need access to desktop apps.

Taking that into account, Google is offering $200 off Chromebooks for Business if you purchase them with VMware Desktop as a Service (DaaS). Additionally, you can get 25% off Citrix XenApp Platinum Edition, which includes AppDNA software for accelerating Windows XP migration.

Last year, Microsoft announced it would be acquiring Nokia's device and services division for $7.2 billion as long as significant regulatory hurdles across continents were leaped.

Today, one of those major hurdles has been jumped as regulators in China have approved the deal.

"Nokia and Microsoft have now received regulatory approvals from the People's Republic of China, the European Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice and numerous other jurisdictions. Nokia and Microsoft continue to expect the transaction to close during April 2014, as communicated in our press release from March 24, 2014," said the Ministry of Commerce.

Microsoft had originally planned for the deal to close in the Q1, but it will miss that original deadline by a few weeks.The U.S. DOJ approved the deal back in December.

Additionally, Microsoft will license and use Nokia's mapping services. Microsoft is making a large, bold investment in the future of Windows Phone, expanding their partnership with Nokia from early 2011 that saw the start of the Lumia brand of smartphones. Microsoft is looking to "accelerate the growth of its share and profit in mobile devices through faster innovation, increased synergies, and unified branding and marketing."

The infamous hacktivist group Anonymous has launched another attack on the Israeli government, a year after their first such attack.

Under the group name AnonymousOpIsrael, a number of Israeli government websites were attacked, including sites for the Israeli Education Ministry, the Postal Service and the Central Bureau of Statistics.

The group, which is pro-Palestine, also posted threatening messages on YouTube demanding that our "brothers and sisters to hack, deface, hijack, database leak, admin takeover and DNS terminate the Israeli cyberspace by any means necessary."

AnonymousOpIsrael says the attack was retaliation for alleged "crimes against humanity" by Israel against the Palestinian people.

Last year's attack took down and defaced websites, and the hackers also released credit card numbers and info.

According to a new report, Comcast is actively considering launching its own wireless mobile phone service, one that would have to compete with massive players like Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T.

The service would need to used leased cellular network capacity and Wi-Fi and the service would likely be bundled with the cable provider's TV, Internet and legacy landline phone services. Such a package could certainly be attractive, especially if the prices are discounted for adding more to the bundle.

For now, any plans are in the concept stage, but it could come to fruition in the near future thanks to a deal Comcast struck with Verizon in 2011. Comcast has the right to buy access on Verizon's CDMA networks, and that could certainly provide solid network access when traffic cannot be handled on Comcast's Wi-Fi networks.

These major plans will complement their recent proposed acquisition of Time Warner Cable, the U.S.' second-largest cable company, for $45 billion.

Outspoken British video game programmer Peter Molyneux has made some interesting comments about the Xbox One, which has been struggling against rival Sony's PlayStation 4.

Always known for his bold (and sometimes controversial) statements, Molyneux says that he wishes "Kinect wasn't a requirement as it feels like an unnecessary add-on" for the Xbox One. The Kinect motion control system is one Microsoft's highly touted features for gaming and gamers overwhelmingly approve.

"Maybe it's because we're in England, and it doesn't really use the TV stuff, but it feels more and more like a joke. My son and I sit there saying random things at it, and it doesn't work," added the designer when asked his thoughts on Kinect.

In the UK, the Kinect has certainly had its issues. Being able to control your TV is not possible due to poor upscaling and framerate problems.

Molyneux previously worked for Microsoft, as a producer for Lionhead Studios (acquired in 2006) and then later as the Creative Director of Microsoft Game Studios in Europe.

Despite being wildly profitable, Samsung has seen its income fall for the second straight quarter.

Operating profit fell to 8.4 trillion won (~$8 billion USD) for the quarter ended March 31st, down from its then record 8.8 trillion for the same period in 2013.

Demand has stagnated for the company's components and devices businesses, causing Samsung to move further into the mid-range tier for smartphones and tablets.

Overall sales were 53 trillion won ($50.3 billion) for the quarter, lower than the 54 trillion won expected.

The company's most profitable division was also its biggest, the mobile unit, with an estimated 5.9 trillion won in profit. This was down from 6.7 trillion won in the Q3 2013, which was a record.

Oppo made the Find 7a superphone available for pre-order today, and it quickly sold out but there appears to be some back in stock as of writing.

In addition to the great spec sheet, Oppo is also including a free blue Easy-Cover (similar to Samsung flip covers), an extra 2,800mAh battery and a 32GB microSD card (valued together at $80).

The Find 7a has a 5.5-inch 1080p display, a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and a 2800mAh battery. The device has Gorilla Glass 3, a microSD slot (expandable up to 128GB), LTE, MaxxAudio plus Dirac HD audio enhancement and VOOC rapid charging promising "zero to 75 percent" in just 30 minutes.