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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 16 Issue 21
Volume 16, Issue 21 Atari Online News, Etc. May 23, 2014
Published and Copyright (c) 1999 - 2014
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Rob Mahlert, Associate Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- "CC: Classic Chips"
Rob Mahlert -- Web site
Thomas J. Andrews -- "Keeper of the Flame"
With Contributions by:
Fred Horvat
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=~=~=~=
A-ONE #1621 05/23/14
~ What Happened to eBay? ~ People Are Talking! ~ China Warns The U.S.!
~ Happy Birthday PacMan! ~ Surface, Forget Laptop ~ Cox Plans New Speeds!
~ Bushnell on Innovation ~ ~ eBay: Change Password!
-* Net Neutrality A Dumb Idea? *-
-* Atari Is A Hardware Company, Again! *-
-* DARPA Adds Oculus Rift Support to Cyberwar *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
It figures. Juat as I thought that I might be turning the page (no pun
intended) to find some extra time to focus more on some editorial content,
I got busy again. I just can't catch a break!
We're at the start of a long holiday weekend here in the States, with
Memorial Day celebrations on Monday. For many, we will be celebrating
the holiday; for others, it will be the celebration of the unofficial
start of summer. Hopefully, you can find time for both. But, however
you celebrate, please do so responsibly!
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - War Games: DARPA Adds Oculus Rift!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Atari A Hardware Company Again
Happy Birthday, Pac-Man!
And more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
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War Games: DARPA Adds Oculus Rift Support to Cyberwar
The Oculus Rift is a virtual-reality headset that makes wearers feel as
if they're in a video game. It might also help United States military
personnel feel like they're "in" the Internet.
The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is
working on a 3D visualization of online networks called Plan X the idea
is that hacking enemy networks would be easier if the data were arranged
spatially, as in a video game and it's now adding Oculus Rift to the
project, according to a report by Andy Greenberg of technology site Wired
News.
The idea is for Plan X to be a 3D interface that makes military personnel
and contractors feel like they're within the networks they're trying to
hack. The interface also gives them easy access to a number of "tools"
for both defense and offense in cyber conflict.
"You can look around the data. You look to your left, look to your right,
and see different subnets of information," Frank Pound, Plan X program
manager, told Greenberg. "With the Oculus, you have that immersive
environment. It's like you're swimming in the Internet."
Plan X may sound like a video game, but DARPA has plans to use this
technology in real combat situations.
"Say we want to turn out the lights in some place where we have boots on
the ground, but it's on a subnet connected to a hospital," Pound told
Greenberg. "We want to war-game that kind of situation with high
assurance."
Plan X is years away from being used in actual cyber-combat situations,
but Greenberg did see a proof-of-concept demo that included the Oculus
Rift at the Pentagon Wednesday.
The demo could easily be mistaken for a video game, with its neon blue
spiderweb-like representations of computer networks and glowing icons
representing different actions the user can take.
Greenberg saw DARPA employees demonstrating a series of "missions" in
Plan X, in which users "entered" a network and selected from a set of
"tools," such as scanning a network or searching for vulnerabilities.
Meanwhile, the simulated "enemy" counterattacked with distributed
denial-of-service attacks and other tactics.
Pound told Greenberg the Oculus Rift Plan X demo has already been shown
to members of Congress and the Pentagon's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Happy Birthday, Pac-Man!
That's right, 34 years ago Pakkuman arrived at Arcades and after
capturing our hearts and imagination, it capture our quarters much like
the Invaders from Space one year earlier. Namco made sure that he remains
strong in today's video gaming landscape, in fact I hope to have a "First
Play" video soonish for you guys to dabble. The original game also
remains as one of the very few games you can play with just one hand. So
here's to your good health , buddy! Keep munching on those pesky ghosts
for generations to come. Waka, waka!
Get Rid Of The Recipe: Innovation Advice From Atari Founder Nolan Bushnell
The phone rang. He picked up.
Hi guys, he said. Ive been doing a lot of research lately on the
correlation between happiness and learning. Studies are finding strong
correlations in both children and adults.
No, there was no exchange of pleasantries. There was no, Hello its
great to talk to you again, chitchat. Nolan Bushnell likes to jump
directly into conversations about ideas. And, thats what we love about
him.
Recognized as the founder of Pong, Atari, and Chuck E Cheeses, and now
an education company called BrainRush, Bushnell is obviously an
innovator. But, after reading his book Finding the Next Steve Jobs, it
became obvious to us that Bushnells ideas dont stop in product
development. Hes an innovator who understands how to find and manage
other innovators (like Steve Jobs).
We wanted to talk to Bushnell to ask some very pointed questions. We
quickly realized he was giving us more insight than we anticipated.
David Sturt and Todd Nordstrom: Many people assume that creativity and
innovation are reserved for specific industries (like video games and
pizza parlors with large mechanical animals that sing). How important is
creativity in not-so-creative work environments?
Nolan Bushnell: There is no such thing as a non-creative work
environment. No matter what your job is, its your responsibility to find
ways to improve the outcomemaking it faster, better, or more desirable.
Sturt and Nordstrom: What about the people who say, My manager only
wants me to follow the rules.
Bushnell: I believe that people are typically more creative than their
manager allows them to be. If companies want innovation, they need to
find more places to remove the opportunity for a manager to say no.
Sturt and Nordstrom: Thats a scary concept to a lot of organizations.
Bushnell: It is. But, if we dont trust our employees, why did we hire
them? Many organizations and managers spend so much time focusing on
process that it makes creativity and innovation almost impossible. We
all need to shift our focus to results. Let people run at results
sooner
or later the results will speak for themselves .
Sturt and Nordstrom: Whats your definition of process?
Bushnell: Of course, all businesses create ways and habits of doing
things. We figure if it worked once, it will probably work again. But,
the danger is when we start to create recipes and assume that our result
cant be improved. Recipes are simply for people and companies who get
lazy. Somehow a big portion of the world has made the manager believe
that its his or her job to make sure everyone follows the recipe. Take
this concept out of the office and into the classroom for a second. What
if we could unburden a teacher from all the disciplinary responsibilities
so he or she could focus on inspiring passion and curiosity in students.
That sounds like the perfect classroom. Well, its what we should have in
the officebecause weve hired adults.
Sturt and Nordstrom: Okay, so basically, youre saying that a company,
team, or culture that wants to inspire creativity and innovation needs to
A) Focus on results, and B) Reduce process and recipes. Is there anything
else?
Bushnell: Yes, they need to give out Turkey awards.
Sturt and Nordstrom:
Turkey awards?
Bushnell: If you focus on results, remove recipes so people can truly be
their best at work, and reward them for successes, then you can predict
increased innovation. But, if you really want people to empty their
pockets with all their passion and ideasthen they have to know that
judicious risks are rewarded, and failure is allowed. There isnt a
business plan or strategy map that can predict every single variable.
So, this is when you recognize people with a Turkey Award.
Sturt and Nordstrom: Do you have an example of a Turkey Award at Atari or
Chuck E. Cheeses?
Bushnell: Mr. Munch trashcans at Chuck E. Cheeses. We thought we could
make cleaning up after yourself fun for kids by turning trash cans into
entertainment. The cans had a slight vacuum that would suck dirty napkins
into it. And, they had a place to return your pizza tin in exchange for a
token so you could play another game. It seemed like a great idea. But,
it turned out to be a disaster. Families at Chuck E. Cheeses would often
order their pizza, eat some, go play games for a while and then come back
and eat some more. At normal restaurants, when people leave their table,
everyone assumes they are finished. So, other kids would be swooping up
pizza tins to feed to Mr. Munch for a quarter.
Sturt and Nordstrom: That was the unexpected variable?
Bushnell: Yes, but that doesnt mean the work shouldnt be recognized. It
was still great thinking. It deserved to be recognized. And, thats a
Turkey Award.
Sturt and Nordstrom: One final question before we let you go. Steve Jobs
worked for you at Atari. What was it about Steve that got your attention?
Bushnell: Steve was creative. But, more importantly, he was a guy who
didnt think about why things couldnt be doneeven if the hurdle was so
big that it seemed impossible. Think about the iPod. Sure, Apple AAPL
+1.13% revolutionized the MP3 player. But, thats not the most creative
aspect of the story. Instead, its how Steve convinced the record labels
to sell songs for 99 cents on iTunes. Its a total shift in thinking. Of
course, there are others like him. If you spend a day out in the real
world, youll find a ton of creative minds who have been misunderstood
and rejectedboth by the educational system and the workforce. Creative
people are squashed because their thinking doesnt always fit into the
process. But, if you listen closely to these people, theyll feed you
ideas of how something can be accomplished, as opposed to why it cant
be accomplished.
Innovation and creativity are often labels that people in organizations
find intimidating. If youre still wondering where you can start
innovating, remember what Bushnell said, There is no such thing as a
non-creative work environment. The first step any one of us can take is
to change up one of our tired old recipes. Try something new, add some
new ingredients, remove one you never really liked, experiment. Give
yourself and others you work with permission to focus more on the result
than the recipe. You might be surprised at what you discover.
Learn more about the NYT Bestselling book Great Work: How to Make a
Difference People Love.
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE Gaming Online - Online Users Growl & Purr!
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'Atari Is A Hardware Brand' New CEO Asserts
The Atari brand means many things to many people, but above all else it
remains a hardware brand.
Thats according to new CEO Frederic Chesnais who told VentureBeat that
while a successor to the Atari 2600 may not be on the cards the company
does occupy a special position in the market.
Its more than a software brand
its a hardware brand, he said. I
dont want to say its a hardware brand first and foremost, but it is
also a hardware brand.
Im not talking about a new console
but, like, a watch. A gamified
watch. Its not what we are going to do, but think about [something like]
that. Like a new type of watch is something we could do. A watch,
branded, where you dont have an ordinary watch.
[Atari] is a generational brand. Yes. Its a lifestyle brand. You could
never do that with a brand like THQ. I mean, back in the heydays, THQ
was never a lifestyle brand.
To give you another idea of something we could do, you have a jacket. We
have a plug-in so you can power your iPhone or Android. You had a solar
chip on your shoulder so that you power
so that you never run out of
batteries. Things like this.
Would you buy an Atari watch? Would you buy an Atari Jacket that you
could plug and repower your iPhone or whatever device you are using? I
think you would
I think you would. Thats what I mean by a lifestyle
brand. So its more than just gaming. It goes beyond.
Not that the 2600 is forgotten, of course.
We have a replica of the initial Atari 2600, Chesnais added. But that
is also something that we want to carefully announce in the course of the
next few years, which is that with new licensing with the right partners
we build the brand not only in the software space but also in the
hardware space.
Atari A Hardware Company Again
Frederic Chesnais is the new CEO of Atari and he's either got huge
ambition or a massive sense of humour because he's said that Atari's
future is in hardware.
First let's let Mr Chesnais make a sensible point regarding the sheer
problem of disentagingly the Atari ownership question, or problem. Over
the years the company behind the iconic 2600 console (and the less iconic
ST home computer) has been bought, sold, marketed and re-marketed. Right
now, it's probably bet known simply as a company that sells its logo to
t-shirt makers. Mr C' says, "Yeah
that is one of the challenges we
face in the next five years and we need to reposition the brand
gear
it more for the future.
But what of the hardware angle?
"Its more than a software brand
its a hardware brand. I dont want
to say its a hardware brand first and foremost, but it is also a
hardware brand. So we are carefully looking at
you know
we have a
replica of the initial Atari 2600, but that is also something that we
want to carefully announce in the course of the next few years, which is
that with new licensing with the right partners we build the brand not
only in the software space but also in the hardware space.
A new console from Atari?!!
Im not talking about a new console," he says. So, what then? "...like,
a watch. A gamified watch. Its not what we are going to do, but think
about [something like] that. Like a new type of watch is something we
could do. A watch, branded, where you dont have an ordinary watch.
Oh, right.
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
China Warns US Cyber Charges Could Damage Ties
China on Tuesday warned the United States was jeopardizing military ties
by charging five Chinese officers with cyberspying and tried to turn the
tables on Washington by calling it "the biggest attacker of China's
cyberspace."
China announced it was suspending cooperation with the United States in a
joint cybersecurity task force over Monday's charges that officers stole
trade secrets from major American companies. The Foreign Ministry
demanded Washington withdraw the indictment.
The testy exchange marked an escalation in tensions over U.S. complaints
that China's military uses its cyber warfare skills to steal foreign trade
secrets to help the country's vast state-owned industrial sector. A U.S.
security firm, Mandiant, said last year it traced attacks on American and
other companies to a military unit in Shanghai.
The charges are the biggest challenge to relations since a meeting last
summer between President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Xi
Jinping, in Sunnylands, California.
Ties already were under strain due to conflicts over what Washington says
are provocative Chinese moves to assert claims over disputed areas of the
East and South China Seas. Beijing complains the Obama administration's
effort to shift foreign policy emphasis toward Asia and expand its
military presence in the region is emboldening Japan and other neighbors
and fueling tension.
Beijing has denied conducting commercial spying and said it is a victim of
computer hacking, but has given little indication it investigates foreign
complaints.
"The Chinese government and Chinese military as well as relevant
personnel have never engaged and never participated in so-called cyber
theft of trade secrets," said a foreign ministry spokesman, Hong Lei, at
a news briefing. "What the United States should do now is withdraw its
indictment."
The Ministry of Defense warned that the U.S. accusations would chill
gradually warming relations between the two militaries.
"The United States, by this action, betrays its commitment to building
healthy, stable, reliable military-to-military relations and causes
serious damage to mutual trust," it said.
Despite the pointed language, damage to U.S.-Chinese relations is likely
to be limited, with little change in trade or military links, because
Beijing realizes the indictment of the five officers is symbolic, said
Shen Dingli, a director of the Center for American Studies at Shanghai's
Fudan University. He has close ties to China's foreign policy
establishment.
Beijing is unlikely to engage in tit-for-tat retaliation such as issuing
its own indictments of American soldiers and probably will go ahead with
plans to take part in U.S.-hosted naval exercises next month, Shen said.
He said cybersecurity cooperation is likely to be suspended
indefinitely, but that should have little impact because the joint group
achieved little in its three meetings.
"Political, security and commercial espionage will always happen," Shen
said. "The U.S. will keep spying on Chinese companies and leaders, so why
can't China do the same?"
The Cabinet's Internet information agency said Chinese networks and
websites have been the target of thousands of hacking attacks from
computers in the United States.
"The U.S. is the biggest attacker of China's cyber space," Xinhua said,
citing a statement by the agency. "The U.S. attacks, infiltrates and taps
Chinese networks belonging to governments, institutions, enterprises,
universities and major communication backbone networks."
Monday's indictment said the People's Liberation Army officers targeted
U.S. makers of nuclear and solar technology, stealing confidential
business information, sensitive trade secrets and internal
communications. The targets were Alcoa World Alumina, Westinghouse
Electric Co., Allegheny Technologies, U.S. Steel Corp., the United
Steelworkers Union and SolarWorld.
The Justice Department said the charges should be a national "wake-up
call" about cyber intrusions. American authorities have previously
announced details of cyberattacks from China but Monday's indictment was
the first accusation to name individuals. The Justice Department issued
wanted posters with the officer's photos on them.
The new indictment attempts to distinguish spying for national security
purposes which the U.S. admits doing from economic espionage intended
to gain commercial advantage for private companies or industries.
The United States denies spying for commercial advantage, though documents
released by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden said
the NSA broke into the computers of Brazil's main state-owned oil company,
Petrobras. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said if that was true, then
the motive would be to gather economic information.
"China has already expounded its stance and is strongly opposed to
stealing commercial secrets," said Xiong Zhiyong, a foreign relations
specialist at Tsinghua University. "I think there is no difference
between China and the United States in allowing cyberspying for national
security, though there is no open announcement by the Chinese
government."
The defendants are believed to be in China and it was unclear whether
any might ever be turned over to the U.S. for prosecution.
eBay Tells Users To Change Passwords After Hack Attack
The popular online merchandise site eBay is urging its customers to change
their passwords after hackers managed to slip into one of its databases
months ago.
In a posting on the companys website, eBay said a cyber-attack
compromised a database containing encrypted passwords and other
non-financial data.
Hackers broke into the database "between late February and early March,"
but eBay didn't detect a problem with employee log-in credentials - which
the hackers had hijacked - until about two weeks ago, the statement said.
The company assured customers that it's seen no evidence of any
unauthorized access to financial or credit card information, which is
stored separately in encrypted formats.
However, the company said, changing passwords is a best practice and
will help enhance security for eBay users. EBay said as of its last
quarter, it had 145 million "active buyers."
EBay said the hackers would have had access to customer information like
name, encrypted password, email address, physical address, phone number
and date of birth. "[T]he database did not contain financial information
or other confidential personal information," the company said. In a
separate Q&A post, eBay said it will not speculate as to who may be
responsible for the hack.
If shoppers use the same password on other sites, the company urged they
change those as well.
Working with law enforcement and leading security experts, the company
is aggressively investigating the matter and applying the best forensic
tools and practices to protect customers, the company posting said.
EBay is best known as a site for competitive bidding on merchandise, but
the company said it has evolved into a "global commerce and payments
company" where some 75 percent of items sold is new merchandise,
"available for immediate purchase."
EBay Urges New Passwords After Breach
In the latest prominent breach of a companys computer network, hackers
have infiltrated the online marketplace eBay, gaining access to the
personal data of 145 million customers, the company said on Wednesday.
The hackers broke into an eBay database containing names, email
addresses, birth dates, encrypted passwords, physical addresses and phone
numbers.
There was no indication that the attackers obtained financial information
such as credit and debit card numbers or gained access to customer
accounts at PayPal, which is owned by eBay, said Amanda Miller, a company
spokeswoman. The company has not seen evidence of fraudulent activity
that could be linked to the breach, she said.
Still, hackers could use the stolen data for identity theft. Personal
information such as email addresses, passwords and birth dates is
regularly sold to criminals who use it for phishing or identity theft.
Security experts warned that the stolen information would make eBay
customers easy targets for phishing attacks, in which criminals send
emails that bait victims into clicking on malicious links or direct them
to fake log-in screens where they are asked to enter more valuable
information like a password or a Social Security number.
Expect an uptick in phishing. Do not click links in email or discuss
anything over the phone, warned Trey Ford, a strategist at Rapid7, a
security firm in Boston.
EBay discovered the breach this month when the companys internal security
team noticed that some of its employees were engaged in unusual activity
on its corporate network, said Mark Carges, the companys chief technology
officer.
EBay contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigations San Francisco office
as well as an outside computer forensics firm. Working together, they
found that hackers had been inside eBays corporate network since late
February.
By studying computer logs, eBay discovered that hackers had stolen the
credentials of several of its employees and gained unauthorized access to
eBays corporate network. Once inside, they were able to copy a database
containing information on all 145 million of the companys customers,
according to Alan Marks, eBays senior vice president of global
communications.
Mr. Marks said eBay stored its financial data separately. Still, the
company advised users with the same password for eBay and PayPal to change
their passwords immediately.
Though notification laws differ, most states require that companies notify
customers of a breach only if their names are compromised in combination
with other information like a credit card or a Social Security number. But
there are exceptions for encrypted information.
In eBays case, the company stored users names, email and physical
addresses and birth dates in plain text but encrypted their passwords.
Most states would not have required eBay to disclose the breach. But one
state, North Dakota, requires companies to disclose a breach in cases
where a customers name is compromised in conjunction with a birth date.
Mr. Carges said eBay camouflaged customers passwords with encryption,
using a process known as hashing, in which passwords are mashed up with
a mathematical algorithm and stored only in encoded or hashed form.
To make cracking more difficult, Mr. Carges said, eBay also appended
several random digits to customer passwords a process known as salting
before encrypting the passwords. Salting makes cracking them more
difficult, although not impossible.
Mr. Marks said that on Wednesday the company would begin prompting users
to change their passwords and alerting customers to the breach.
Peter D. Lee, a spokesman for the F.B.I.s San Francisco field office,
said the F.B.I. was working closely with eBay to investigate the breach
and that he believed that arrests would be made soon.
The breach at eBay is one of several recent hacking episodes at prominent
companies. One that struck Target in December has cost the retailer $87
million in breach-related expenses, according to securities filings.
Forbes: Net Neutrality Is A Dumb Idea
Where do I even begin with this one? The Federal Communications
Commission voted last week to move forward with its controversial net
neutrality plan, which seems to be designed specifically to ensure that
the Internet is not kept neutral. Instead, the plan allows for the
creation of Internet fast lanes so that Internet service providers can
charge companies more for faster connections to end users.
If you oppose the new plan, there is action you can take. The FCCs
proposal is now in a period where open comments will be taken into
account before the FCC creates a final set of rules. Those who see the
slippery slope created by the FCCs proposal can make their voices heard
by reading the plan and submitting a public comment that addresses
specific problems with the proposal.
If you support the plan, you can also be heard
by writing a column for
Forbes.
Gene Marks blogs for The New York Times. He also owns a technology
consulting firm and writes columns for both Inc.com and Forbes. He is
clearly an intelligent person, so were not sure exactly what happened to
his latest offering, titled Why Net Neutrality Is A Dumb Idea.
The FCCs new net neutrality plan is already ruining the Internet by
preventing technology startups that rely on fast Internet connections
from getting funding. Imagine YouTube never came to be because its
founders were unable to secure funding.
If the plan goes through as-is and becomes a law, it will likely ruin the
Internet in a number of other ways. Large companies with deep pockets
will have a huge advantage over smaller companies that cant afford to
pay for premium connections. It will be inevitable. Consumers will also
be forced to pay more for services, since these large companies will
need to recoup costs associated with these fast lanes.
But apparently, real net neutrality is a dumb idea.
Wouldnt it be great if a two bedroom, 2,000 square foot apartment on
Park Avenue cost the same as one in Queens? Marks wrote in his latest
Forbes column. Or if a front row ticket to a Broadway show cost the same
as one in the mezzanine? Wouldnt it be great if you could buy a new BMW
for the same amount as a new Hyundai? Or if the price of a Harvard
education were equal to one from your local community college? These
things are priced differently. They are not neutral. Nothing is neutral
in a free market economy.
He continued, Which is why net neutrality is a dumb idea.
This is the basis for his argument, it seems. Americans live in a free
market economy so nothing should be regulated, regardless of its
necessity and regardless of how severely companies want to gouge their
customers.
Marks goes on to make a number of questionable arguments. For example, he
says real net neutrality rules will hurt big companies like Comcast and
Verizon, which employ hundreds of thousands of Americans. This would be a
terrific argument if it were true, but alas. Comcasts revenue grew about
14% to $17.4 billion in the first quarter this year, and its operating
income climbed more than 16% to $3.57 billion. In other words, it looks
like the ISP is doing just fine without fast lanes.
Perhaps worst of all, Marks admits that not having net neutrality
guidelines will result in increased costs for companies, and those
increased costs will be passed down to consumers. But thats ok, he
explains, because it probably wont cost consumers that much more.
Shoot me.
When Netflix had its scrap with Comcast a few months ago over access and
speed of delivery, they wound up paying more for the privilege, he
wrote. Was the cost ultimately passed down to their consumers? Yes. Not
to their existing customers (we pay $7.99 a month) but to new customers,
who now have to suffer brace yourself a one or two dollar monthly
increase for the service. A years worth of Netflix could cost a new
user up to $120! What a catastrophe! If Netflix wants you as a customer
they will have to justify their increased price by providing great
content. And the best part: the government hasnt been involved. Its a
free market. You choose.
Microsoft: No Need for Laptop With Its New Tablet
Microsoft bills its new Surface tablet computer as a laptop replacement
and it means it this time.
The Surface Pro 3 will have a screen measuring 12 inches diagonally, up
from 10.6 inches in the previous model. The Pro 3 is 32 percent thinner
and 12 percent lighter than October's Pro 2. The company said it
customized more than 100 parts and worked closely with chipmaker Intel
Corp. to maximize performance in a slim device.
Microsoft had also billed the Surface Pro 2 as a laptop replacement, but
Surface executive Ben Reed said technological advances and customer
feedback over the past several months led to the device unveiled Tuesday.
The Surface Pro 3 will go on sale this summer, in five configurations
ranging from $799 to $1,949. Microsoft will start taking orders
Wednesday. Older models will still be available. The starting price of
the Pro 2 is $100 more, at $899, but it has a faster processor than the
Pro 3's starting model.
A keyboard cover to make the tablet feel like a laptop costs $130 more.
The Surface is an important part of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's
mobile-focused strategy. The company is trying to boost sales of Windows
tablets and phones to stay relevant with consumers as computing habits
change.
Microsoft executives spent much of an hour-long presentation in New York
comparing the Surface with Apple's iPad and MacBook Air laptop and tried
to make the case for the Pro 3 to replace both.
In an interview, Reed said he believes people want to lighten their bags
by carrying a single Surface instead of separate tablet and laptop
computers.
Microsoft also faces competition from Samsung Electronics Co., which has
a line of large-size Android tablets aimed at professionals.
The first Surface came out in late 2012 to lackluster sales. The debut of
second-generation devices last October came with a greater marketing
emphasis on tasks people normally tackle on laptops, such as creating
documents and editing movies.
In the January-March period, revenue from Surface devices grew more than
50 percent from the year before to about $500 million. But that figure
pales in comparison with Apple's reported $7.6 billion in iPad revenue
for the same quarter.
In a research note, analysts Daniel H. Ives and James Moore of FBR
Capital Markets said the new Surface is progress for Microsoft, but "we
continue to believe Microsoft faces an uphill battle versus the likes of
Samsung and Apple." The analysts said Microsoft "has been late to the
game on the tablet front, and Surface's impact has been underwhelming
thus far."
The Surface line is notable for its built-in kickstand. With the Pro 3,
the kickstand can be adjusted to a range of positions, much the way a
laptop's screen can be opened at various angles.
The Surface line puts Microsoft in competition with some of its own
partners the makers of tablets and laptops that use Microsoft's Windows
operating system. Nadella sought to quell concerns by saying the
company's goal was to create demand in new types of products and boost
the entire industry.
"We are not building hardware for hardware's sake," Nadella said. "We
want to build experiences that bring together all the capabilities of
the company."
The vision of the Surface, he said, was to design a product that "takes
the best of the tablet and the laptop" and enable people to read,
create, write, watch and enjoy.
Cox Plans Gigabit Internet Speeds in Three Cities
Cable company Cox Communications says it plans to boost Internet download
speeds to 1 gigabit per second starting in Phoenix, Las Vegas and Omaha,
Nebraska, late this year. That is dozens of times faster than typical
broadband plans.
The move will bring its service in line with Google's fiber rollout in
cities such as Kansas City and Provo, Utah, and Austin, Texas; and an
AT&T rollout in Austin.
Cox also said it plans to add 1 Gbps Internet speed to any new
residential construction project in its footprint nationwide in places
such as San Diego; Providence, Rhode Island; Orange County, California;
Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Tucson, Arizona.
It plans to spread the faster rate to the rest of its service area by
the end of 2016.
The company also plans to double the most popular tiers of Internet
service for all its customers this year boosting those with 25 Mbps to
50 Mbps and those with 50 Mbps to 100 Mpbs. The two tiers represent
70 percent of all Cox's customers.
Privately held Cox serves about 6 million customers. It is the third
largest U.S. cable company.
=~=~=~=
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