End of an era as Microsoft’s new boss takes over February 4, 2014 Bill Gates, the world’s richest man, steps down as chair of Microsoft, the firm he founded from his garage in 1975 MICROSOFT founder Bill Gates will step aside as chairman from the technology giant that he established in 1975 as part of the most dramatic management reshuffle in the firm’s history, which will see Satya [...]
Chip king ARM hurt by phone sales slowdown February 4, 2014 BRITISH chip designer ARM said a slowdown in demand for Apple and Samsung smartphones was behind a smaller than expected rise in fourth-quarter royalty revenues. ARM, whose technology is in nearly every smartphone, reported processor royalties of £80.8m, up seven per cent, but shy of analyst forecasts of £84.5m. Shares in ARM closed down six [...]
Here’s how Microsoft’s new CEO pick signals a change in direction February 4, 2014 Microsoft’s new chief executive Satya Nadella comes from an entirely different background to the executives who led Microsoft previously. Steve Ballmer, who Nadella replaces, comes from a sales background having worked in the company’s Sales and Support division from 1992 to 1998 where he made his name as a prominent salesperson and evangelist of the [...]
Microsoft’s next CEO has 4 huge challenges to face February 4, 2014 As rumours surrounding Microsoft’s next chief executive continue to swirl, we take a look at the four big challenges they're set to face. 1. Mobile Microsoft’s success in mobile with Windows Phone has been mixed, on the one hand its share of sales in Europe is hovering around ten per cent, and on the other [...]
Apple facing $840m fine for ebook pricing February 2, 2014 APPLE faces a fine of up to $840m (£511m) from US state and consumer antitrust claims after last summer’s lawsuit, in which the tech giant was found to be guilty of conspiring with publishing companies to increase the price of ebooks. The class action lawsuit, comprised of customers from 33 states and led by attorney [...]
British gaming firm NaturalMotion snapped up by Zynga for $527m January 30, 2014 UK DEVELOPER NaturalMotion was last night snapped up by Zynga, the US games developer behind FarmVille and ChefVille, for $527m (£319.5m). NaturalMotion, founded by 41-year-old Oxford University graduate Torsten Reil, has created games like Clumsy Ninja and CSR Racing for Apple’s mobile devices. The firm has offices in London, Oxford, Brighton and San Francisco. Zynga’s [...]
Google sells off Motorola unit to Lenovo for $3bn January 29, 2014 LENOVO Group said last night it agreed to buy Google’s Motorola handset division for $2.91bn, less than two years after Google paid $12.5bn to buy the firm. The deal ends Google’s short-lived foray into making consumer mobile devices and marks a pullback from its largest-ever acquisition. However, Google will keep several lucrative patents, including the [...]
Carphone set to run 60 Samsung stores in Europe January 29, 2014 SAMSUNG and Carphone Warehouse have signed an agreement for the high street retailer to convert 60 of its stores across Europe into dedicated Samsung stand-alone stores. Carphone Warehouse was one of the top risers on the London Stock Exchange yesterday on the news with shares rising 6.69 per cent to close at 287.2p a share. [...]
We’re not witnessing the stirring of another Dot-com tech bubble January 29, 2014 IT MAY be chilly outside but, for those of us analysing the UK tech market, it couldn’t be hotter. It was a stellar year in 2013 for the sector. In the US, the Nasdaq index of technology-focused stocks reached highs last witnessed in 2000 – at the height of the Dot-com boom. Here in the [...]
iCame, iSaw, iConquered January 29, 2014 When Apple launched its iconic iPod it revolutionised the music industry. But with sales down 52 per cent on last year, its days may now be numbered. We look back at the glory days of the world’s favourite portable music player Classic 1st generationThis is where it all started: it was by no means the [...]