Since Steve Ballmer announced his retirement in August 2013, everyone had been speculating who will be the new Chief Executive Officer.

On 4 February 2014, Microsoft announced that Satya Nadella, a 22-year veteran at the Redmond-based company, will take over as CEO effective immediately, making him just the third CEO in the company's history.

Who is Satya Nadella?Born in 1969 in Hyderabad, India, Satya Nadella finished his schooling at the Hyderabad Public School. Reminiscing about his early days, Nadella said that while growing up, playing cricket was his passion, and he played it competitively as a member of his school's team. "I think playing cricket taught me more about working in teams and leadership that has stayed with me throughout my career, " said Nadella. 

Knowing that he "always wanted to build things," Nadella joined the Manipal Institute of Technology to pursue a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics and Communication. It turned out to be a prescient decision, with Nadella saying, "it was a great way for me to go discover what turned out to become a passion."

He, like so many of the engineers at the time, followed his passion and completed his engineering education abroad, with a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 

Speaking about his thirst for knowledge, Nadella said:

"I'm a learner. I think the thing that I realised is, what excites me is that I'm learning something. I can learn something about some area. I can learn something from people. I can learn something from doing things differently. And I admire that in other people, too. I fundamentally believe that if you are not learning new things ... you stop doing great and useful things. So family, curiosity and hunger for knowledge all define me."

Till date, the high-powered corporate executive often signs up for online courses, and he says it is because of "just crazy ambitions in the 15 minutes I have in the morning. You know, I'm trying to listen to a neuroscience class or something. I kind of ask myself, why are you doing it? But I love it."

Nadella started his career at Sun Microsystems, before moving to Microsoft in 1992, where he joined as a Program Manager in the Windows Developer Relations group. Nadella had begun pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago, when Microsoft's job offer came in.

He decided to finish his degree while also taking up the Microsoft job - it took him two-and-a-half years to complete it. Nadella described those hectic days, saying, "I used to fly to Chicago Friday nights, attend classes Saturdays and come back to Redmond to work during the week." 

Looking back, Nadella, in his letter to employees after being named CEO, spoke about his reasons for joining Microsoft, writing:

"I am here for the same reason I think most people join Microsoft - to change the world through technology that empowers people to do amazing things... Many companies aspire to change the world. But very few have all the elements required: talent, resources and perseverance. Microsoft has proven that it has all three in abundance."

Nadella quickly rose up the ranks at Microsoft, becoming the Senior Vice President of Research & Development for the Online Services division, the Vice President of the Microsoft Business Solutions group (MBS), and notably, the President of the $19 billion Microsoft Server and Tools Business. 

During his meteoric rise, the Indian-American also founded and led the 'Microsoft bCentral' small business online services group, was general manager for the company's Commerce Platforms group, and is considered responsible for spearheading the development of the Microsoft Commerce Server, Microsoft BizTalk Server, Microsoft Office Small Business, and Microsoft Dynamics ERP and CRM products. 

Nadella is also considered to have played a significant part in Microsoft's foray into advanced technologies like digital rights management (DRM) and interactive television (ITV).

As the head of the company's Server and Tools Business, Nadella spearheaded the 'transformation of the business and technology from client-server software to cloud infrastructure and services,' according to Microsoft. 

Speaking about his job at Microsoft, Nadella revealed what to him is the high-point of his work day:

"One of the things that perhaps excites me the most is when I come across something at work, whether it's somebody who's really done a great feature in software, come up with a fantastic idea in pricing or done a great customer program, or just an approach to their job that is innovative or brought teams together - and I just, wow, I marvel every day at how people can excel - and that's what really gets me going."

Who is Satya Nadella, outside of Microsoft?
In his letter to Microsoft employees after being named CEO, Nadell introduced himself, saying: 

"I am 46. I've been married for 22 years and we have 3 kids. And like anyone else, a lot of what I do and how I think has been shaped by my family and my overall life experiences. Many who know me say I am also defined by my curiosity and thirst for learning. I buy more books than I can finish. I sign up for more online courses than I can complete. I fundamentally believe that if you are not learning new things, you stop doing great and useful things. So family, curiosity and hunger for knowledge all define me. "

Further describing himself outside of office, Nadella says he finds relaxation by reading poetry in all forms by American and Indian poets:

"It's like code. You're trying to take something that can be described in many, many sentences and pages of prose, but you can convert it into a couple lines of poetry and you still get the essence, so it's that compression."

Nadella also said he enjoys watching Test cricket, "which is the longest form of any sport in the world. I love it. There's so many subplots in it, it's like reading a Russian novel."

Perfect for the top-spot at Redmond?With his experience, Nadella seems to fit the envisioned role for the new CEO of Microsoft perfectly, a company that is hoping to metamorphose from a software giant into a devices and services company, a move heralded by the acquisition of Nokia's mobile division, first announced in June 2012, and development of the Surface tablet range. John Thompson, who is chairing the search committee, had described the role at Ballmer's retirement announcement:

"The board is committed to the effective transformation of Microsoft to a successful devices and services company. As this work continues, we are focused on selecting a new CEO to work with the company's senior leadership team to chart the company's course and execute on it in a highly competitive industry."

Bill Gates had also outlined the requirements for the CEO role at Microsoft, saying:

"It's a complex role to fill - a lot of different skills, experience and capabilities that we need. It's a complex global business the new CEO will have to lead. The person has to have a lot of comfort in leading a highly technical organization and have an ability to work with our top technical talent to seize the opportunities."

 Nothing is impossible, says new Microsoft CEO
Satya Nadella the new Microsoft CEO. The Hyderabad-born introduced himself in an email sent to all Microsoft employees as someone 'defined by my curiosity and thirst for learning'. Nadella said he wants to 'change the world through technology that empowers people to do amazing things.'

His message to the employees included a rallying call, saying the folks at Microsoft are 'the only ones who can harness the power of software and deliver it through devices and services that truly empower every individual and every organization'.
Nadella urged his staff to 'believe in the impossible and remove the improbable', rounding off with 'Let's build on this foundation together'.
Here's the full text of the email:

From: Satya Nadella
To: All Employees
Date: Feb. 4, 2014
Subject: RE: Satya Nadella - Microsoft's New CEO

Today is a very humbling day for me. It reminds me of my very first day at Microsoft, 22 years ago. Like you, I had a choice about where to come to work. I came here because I believed Microsoft was the best company in the world. I saw then how clearly we empower people to do magical things with our creations and ultimately make the world a better place. I knew there was no better company to join if I wanted to make a difference. This is the very same inspiration that continues to drive me today.

It is an incredible honor for me to lead and serve this great company of ours. Steve and Bill have taken it from an idea to one of the greatest and most universally admired companies in the world. I've been fortunate to work closely with both Bill and Steve in my different roles at Microsoft, and as I step in as CEO, I've asked Bill to devote additional time to the company, focused on technology and products. I'm also looking forward to working with John Thompson as our new Chairman of the Board.

While we have seen great success, we are hungry to do more. Our industry does not respect tradition -- it only respects innovation. This is a critical time for the industry and for Microsoft. Make no mistake, we are headed for greater places -- as technology evolves and we evolve with and ahead of it. Our job is to ensure that Microsoft thrives in a mobile and cloud-first world. 

As we start a new phase of our journey together, I wanted to share some background on myself and what inspires and motivates me. 

Who am I? 

I am 46. I've been married for 22 years and we have 3 kids. And like anyone else, a lot of what I do and how I think has been shaped by my family and my overall life experiences. Many who know me say I am also defined by my curiosity and thirst for learning. I buy more books than I can finish. I sign up for more online courses than I can complete. I fundamentally believe that if you are not learning new things, you stop doing great and useful things. So family, curiosity and hunger for knowledge all define me. 

Why am I here? 

I am here for the same reason I think most people join Microsoft -- to change the world through technology that empowers people to do amazing things. I know it can sound hyperbolic -- and yet it's true. We have done it, we're doing it today, and we are the team that will do it again. 

I believe over the next decade computing will become even more ubiquitous and intelligence will become ambient. The coevolution of software and new hardware form factors will intermediate and digitize -- many of the things we do and experience in business, life and our world. This will be made possible by an ever-growing network of connected devices, incredible computing capacity from the cloud, insights from big data, and intelligence from machine learning. 

This is a software-powered world. 

It will better connect us to our friends and families and help us see, express, and share our world in ways never before possible. It will enable businesses to engage customers in more meaningful ways. 

I am here because we have unparalleled capability to make an impact. 

Why are we here?

In our early history, our mission was about the PC on every desk and home, a goal we have mostly achieved in the developed world. Today we're focused on a broader range of devices. While the deal is not yet complete, we will welcome to our family Nokia devices and services and the new mobile capabilities they bring us. 

As we look forward, we must zero in on what Microsoft can uniquely contribute to the world. The opportunity ahead will require us to reimagine a lot of what we have done in the past for a mobile and cloud-first world, and do new things. 

We are the only ones who can harness the power of software and deliver it through devices and services that truly empower every individual and every organization. We are the only company with history and continued focus in building platforms and ecosystems that create broad opportunity. 

Qi Lu captured it well in a recent meeting when he said that Microsoft uniquely empowers people to "do more." This doesn't mean that we need to do more things, but that the work we do empowers the world to do more of what they care about -- get stuff done, have fun, communicate and accomplish great things. This is the core of who we are, and driving this core value in all that we do -- be it the cloud or device experiences -- is why we are here.

What do we do next?

To paraphrase a quote from Oscar Wilde -- we need to believe in the impossible and remove the improbable. 

This starts with clarity of purpose and sense of mission that will lead us to imagine the impossible and deliver it. We need to prioritize innovation that is centered on our core value of empowering users and organizations to "do more." We have picked a set of high-value activities as part of our One Microsoft strategy. And with every service and device launch going forward we need to bring more innovation to bear around these scenarios. 

Next, every one of us needs to do our best work, lead and help drive cultural change. We sometimes underestimate what we each can do to make things happen and overestimate what others need to do to move us forward. We must change this. 

Finally, I truly believe that each of us must find meaning in our work. The best work happens when you know that it's not just work, but something that will improve other people's lives. This is the opportunity that drives each of us at this company.

Many companies aspire to change the world. But very few have all the elements required: talent, resources, and perseverance. Microsoft has proven that it has all three in abundance. And as the new CEO, I can't ask for a better foundation. 

Let's build on this foundation together. 

Satya

Gates to be adviser

The selection of Nadella to replace Steven A. Ballmer, which was widely expected, was accompanied by news that Bill Gates, a company founder, would step down from his role as chairman and become a technology adviser to Nadella.
 
John W. Thompson, 64, a member of the Microsoft board who oversaw its search for a new chief executive, will become the company's chairman, replacing Gates.
 
"During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead Microsoft than Satya Nadella," said Gates, who will remain a member of Microsoft's board. "Satya is a proven leader with hard-core engineering skills, business vision and the ability to bring people together."
 
In a statement, Nadella said, "Microsoft is one of those rare companies to have truly revolutionized the world through technology, and I couldn't be more honored to have been chosen to lead the company.

In Nadella, Microsoft's directors selected both a company insider and an engineer, suggesting that they viewed technical skill and intimacy with Microsoft's sprawling businesses as critical for its next leader. It has often been noted that Microsoft was more successful under the leadership of Gates, a programmer and its first chief executive, than it was under Ballmer, who had a background in sales. Ballmer, 57, said in August that he was stepping down.
 
Nadella, 46, from Hyderabad, India, will be only the third chief executive of Microsoft, an icon of U.S. business that has struggled for a position in big growth markets like mobile and Internet search. The company has correctly anticipated many of the biggest changes in technology - the rise of smartphones and tablet computers, to use two examples - but it has often fumbled the execution of products developed to capitalize on those changes.
 
It remains to be seen whether Nadella's technical background, along with the closer involvement of Gates in product decisions, will give the company an edge it lacked during the Ballmer years. Microsoft said in a statement that Gates will "devote more time to the company, supporting Nadella in shaping technology and product direction."
 
"I think he's the right person for the company right now," Frank Artale, a former Microsoft manager who works with Ignition Partners, a venture capital firm in the Seattle area, said of the selection of Nadella. "A strong technical leader is truly needed there."
 
Nadella is a contrast to Ballmer in other ways. Most recently the executive vice president of Microsoft's cloud and enterprise businesses, Nadella peppers his conversations and speeches with technical buzzwords that people outside the industry would most likely find impenetrable.

A whippet-thin runner, he is known as a cerebral, collaborative leader with a low-key style that differs from Ballmer's bombastic manner. While many executives within Microsoft tend to be polarizing figures, Nadella appears to be well liked in much of the company. Still, those who know Nadella, say he is not a pushover.
 
"Managers have to keep proving themselves every day," Artale said.
 
Nadella's star at Microsoft rose considerably in the past several years as he took charge of the company's cloud computing efforts, a business considered vital as more business customers choose to rent applications and other programs in far-off data centers rather than run software themselves.
 
For years, Microsoft did not pay enough attention to how the cloud - primarily through services offered by Amazon, its crosstown rival - was attracting the creativity of a new generation of developers. When he got control of the division that included Microsoft's cloud initiatives, Nadella changed that. He began meeting with startups to hear more about what Microsoft needed to do to become more responsive to their needs.

When you look at the most exciting things happening in tech, all the platform shifts happening and disruption - social, mobile, cloud - Microsoft has not even been part of the conversation until recently," said Brad Silverberg, a Seattle-area investor and a former Microsoft executive. "With Satya's leadership, Microsoft is doing interesting things in cloud."
 
As chief executive of the entire 100,000-person company, Nadella will have to grapple with a much broader set of challenges in markets in which he has little experience, like mobile devices. He will inherit a deal to acquire Nokia's mobile handset business, along with 33,000 employees, and a wide-ranging reorganization plan devised by Ballmer and still in progress.
 
In an interview in July, Nadella was supportive of the reorganization plan, which he predicted would allow Microsoft to adapt to changes in the market more quickly than in the past.
 
"It's not like our old structure didn't allow us to do some of this," he said. "The question is whether you can amplify."
 
When Nadella joined Microsoft in 1992, it was still a scrappy, relatively small software company led by Gates that was just beginning its greatest years of growth. His familiarity with the company's history and culture was said to have been an important factor in Gates' comfort with Nadella as chief executive, according to someone briefed on the search for a new leader who asked for anonymity because the process was private.

But in an interview in April, he said the most important factor in Microsoft's ability to remain a growing business in the future was its ability to become a player in what he called new paradigms in computing, like cloud computing.
 
"That is, you could say, the existential issue for us," Nadella said.
 
"I think that with any new paradigm there will always be a couple of new players who come at it," he continued. "But to me the thing that is perhaps more interesting and challenging, and gets me excited, is, hey, how can we renew ourselves?"
 
In his statement Tuesday, Nadella said: "The opportunity ahead for Microsoft is vast, but to seize it, we must focus clearly, move faster and continue to transform. A big part of my job is to accelerate our ability to bring innovative products to our customers more quickly."

Ever fancy yourself to be a great football tactician like Sir Alex Ferguson or a transfer market master like Arsene Wenger? Well, you can be them if you play Ultimate Team on the latest FIFA 14 game.

January transfer window is still open and this is the period for you to upgrade your squad, earn some gold and get yourself the best team in the game. It might be difficult to get a great bargain for AAA players. However, things are getting much easier as a thread on Reddit is compiling a list of players worth selling to earn more gold.

The trick is to sell all your great players who are highly valued and yet to receive any upgrades. Once the upgrade arrives, those players you sold will be cheaper. Now the question is, which players are expected to get upgrades.

Many players feel that Arsenal’s Ramsey is the ideal candidate for a bargain. The Welsh midfielder has a great run this season and has yet to get any upgrades.

Other players like Jese Rodriguez, Pjanic, Janujaz, Shaw and Barkley are all tipped to get an upgrade over on the discussion forums. You can predict this as well by looking for players with upgrades in Season mode.

FIFA 14 is the most engaging football game yet. The Ultimate team mode is definitely a fan favourite as it closely relates to real life happenings in the football world.

The distribution of the upgrade to KitKat is proceeding pretty slowly with many devices still lagging behind to even catch up to Android 4.3 Jellybean. So what exactly does the Android 4.4 schedule look like for the different manufacturers? Here’s a summarized version of all the available information about the KitKat update.

KitKat

Android KitKat was not the big version jump that everyone had hoped for. However, the majority of the changes that KitKat brings with it are hidden away behind the scenes and bring some pretty good innovations with it. Hangouts has been integrated as the standard messenger, the status bar is now transparent with white icons, there’s a new full screen mode and improved phone app.

Motorola

The Moto G is in the forefront with the KitKat update and is among the first devices outside of the Nexus and Google Edition line of devices to get the update. This brings some promise for Motorola: both the Moto X and Moto G run an almost pure Android experience with very small changes to the core, making the adjustments to a new Android version a very simple case compared to other manufacturers. The Moto X, which will soon be available outside of the Americans for sale, is seeing the rollout right now and will be shipping from the factory with Android 4.4.

Samsung

Samsung Touchwiz is highly different from stock Android and as such, takes a bit longer for an update to roll out. Apart from having to customize any updates to their own UI, Samsung picks and chooses which of its devices are going to get the update and which aren’t. However, if you’ve got one of the latest Samsung devices (Galaxy S4 or Note 3) you are first in line for the update rollout. In fact, a test version of Android 4.4 for both the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Note 3 has already been spotted in the wild that can be installed if you so choose. As such, an official rollout has commence before the end of January, from experience, samsung updates do not depends on your mobile carriers since all samsung devices get connected to their server for direct update, and you can download update manually from samsung website

However, for older devices such as the Galaxy S3 and Note 2, it’s still unknown on when the update will begin.

Sony

Sony is currently lagging behind on its update schedule: all Sony devices currently are still waiting for their update to Android 4.3, despite reassuring customers in December that the update was going ahead as planned and was beginning to rollout. However, nothing has been noted to any of our test devices and we’re still waiting patiently for that long expected rollout.

For the Xperia Z1, ports of KitKat have been making their way onto the net, but nothing official is anywhere near the horizon. As for the Z1 Compact, if it comes to the market in February with Android 4.3, it would be the first among Sony devices to sport Android 4.3. Think about that for a second before buying a sony device

HTC

HTC is stating that the HTC One has start seeing the update since about a week, at least according to various twitter updates comfirming that to be true. As such, the HTC One, One Mini, and One Max should start seeing Android 4.4 sometime between 2nd and 4th of February.  In fact, as of January 20th, we’re starting to even see the rollout of Android 4.4 to various customers around Europe. With that new information pending, we should start see it rolling out to new areas over the next little while.

Later this year, the entry-level smartphone the HTC Desire 500, should also be seeing the KitKat update. However, the One X, One X+, One S, and One V will be left in the dust and will be receiving no more official updates from HTC.

LG

LG set off the end of 2013 with a bang with the LG G2. The much-acclaimed smartphone was unveiled at the IFA with Android 4.2.2 on board and should have received the update to Android 4.4 in late 2013. So far, however, we have yet to see anything despite reports coming last December about an impending update coming from LG. It was then reported that at least the French market would see the update before the end of January. Canada, however, would be left in the dust and not see anything until the end of March 2014. If you're in South Korea, however, you might be in luck.

According to various other reports, it seems that LG is skipping the Android 4.3 update all together and will bumping most of their devices straight to Android 4.4. If this is true, expect a whole swathe of LG products seeing the KitKat upgrade around the same time including: Optimus models, G Pad 8.3, G Flex, among others. While a schedule has not been announced per se, it is safe to assume it's pending.

Huawei

The Chinese manufacturer brought the Ascend P6 to the market last year, which brought some elegance and style to Chinese manufacturing. The Ascend P6 was, at the time, the thinnest Android smartphone on the market and was released with Android 4.2.2. Huawei has promised a release of Android 4.4 shortly with a super updated version of their Emotion UI.

The distribution was expected to start in January in China, with the new Emotion UI 2.3 being tested in a closed beta group. When the update will be available outside of China, as well as when it will be available for other Ascend models such as the Ascend Mate, is still to be determined. Even the Ascend Mate 2 which was presented at CES 2014 was still sporting a version of Android Jellybean on it.

Asus

Asus is going a little bit backwards on their update schedule, at least for their newer device. The Padfone A80 Infinity is expected to get the update in the first quarter of 2014, with its successor, the Padfone A86, not receiving the update until the second quarter of 2014.

Is your Phone included?

Apple wants to use natural energy sources to keep MacBooks powered while on the move.

The company has won a patent for a laptop with a lid that features a second display, touch inputs and solar cells. The latter could help users keep their MacBooks' batteries topped up without having to plug in an external charger.

Apple filed its application in 2010, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted the patent this week.

Solar Cells

The company's U.S. Patent No. 8,638,549 is for an "electronic device display module." It details Apple's proposal for a two-sided glass laptop casing that features a regular screen on the front. On the reverse, the display housing has photovoltaic cells for charging via sunlight and other sources. These are located under the rear part of the lid.

The two-sided display could be built using a number of materials, including glass, metal, ceramic and fiber composites. The rear could include electrochromic or smart glass. That type of material can alter opacity either to block light or allow it to pass through, effectively allowing Apple to hide the rear-facing display until it's activated by a user or to charge the photovoltaic cells when the glass is transparent.

Apple Design

Meanwhile, different layers of the glass could house their own elements, such as an Apple logo that would be lit using LEDs. The top layer of the glass could include touch input sensors that could be converted into system commands.

A user could use the rear panel for a security measure, for instance. Touching a certain section could unlock a magnetic latch that otherwise would keep the laptop from opening. The rear screen also could be used to manipulate media controls, passwords and other software functions.

Filing and being granted a patent is no guarantee that a product will come to market. Other dual-screen laptops exist, such as the Asus Taichi, and dual-screen smartphones such as the YotaPhone are available. Apple also has used dual-glass designs in iPhone models such as the 4 and the 4S.

However, if Apple does make such a device, it may choose to display notifications and other updates on the rear screen, so users can keep up-to-date without having to open up their MacBook.

"Apple is under a lot of media and analyst scrutiny to deliver truly innovative products and not just evolutionary features and enhancements,

The solar powered, dual-screen MacBook is potentially revolutionary for Mac desktops as well as other devices like iPhones and iPads, analysts said

Apple has always been a market leader in touch, and I expect they will continue to innovate with this device,

Looking further ahead, it's conceivable that Apple could use a fully functioning, tablet-style display on the rear panel, though it's not clear how much value for money that would provide users.

We currently live in a gaming future that would’ve seemed completely bonkers to gamers from the ’90s. Square Enix hasn’t made a good game in years and the Final Fantasy series is almost irrelevant, Nintendo is floundering, PC gaming is as popular and accessible as it has ever been, and phones have overtaken dedicated portable gaming. One of the first things to happen that would’ve seemed crazy to a ’90s gamer, though, is when Sega bowed out of the hardware business and Sonic began appearing in games with Mario. Nintendo could take this partnership to the next level, as CEO Satoru Iwata has stated that the company will begin looking into mergers and acquisitions.

For as long as Nintendo has been around, it has largely been an isolated company — you were either with Nintendo’s way of thinking, or against it. Occasionally, it ventured out from its cave and had some strange collaborations, such as the Zelda games on the Phillips CD-i, but it mostly stayed in its cocoon of doing whatever it felt like regardless of basic industry trends (such as a competent online service) or fan desires (new IPs, less mini-game collections). The Big N’s strategy sometimes worked, such as with the DS and Wii, but miserably failed other times, such as with the Wii U, which is why the company is now facing potential disaster. One strategy that Nintendo is mulling over to help stave off oblivion is that of mergers and acquisitions. If Nintendo can’t save itself, then it’ll hire people to help, but who could those people be?

In a discussion with PC Magazine editor Jeffrey Wilson, Sega came up as the optimal choice. The once-proud company still has a ton of great IPs under its belt, but simply doesn’t have the financial backing to develop them. For instance, with Fire Emblem: Awakening being a smash hit on the Nintendo 3DS, a new, fully fledged Shining Force could achieve a similar level of success stateside. Sonic and Mario have been pairing off in party games for some time now, and Sega is one of the only developers left in the modern gaming world that — more often than not — falls in line with Nintendo’s family-friendly persona. The companies have also worked together on one of the GameCube’s only modem-enabled games, Phantasy Star Online, and PSO2 is currently stuck in Japan without a US release in sight. Meanwhile, beloved franchises haven’t had new installments in years, such as Jet Set Radio, which last released 12 years ago. The list goes on and on.

If not Sega, then it only takes one quick look at a Steam sale to see that there are a bunch of indie developers creating successful games that hearken back to old-school Nintendo franchises. Nintendo has only been surviving thanks to milking every last drop of nostalgia gamers have left, and could certainly make a few pitches to some of these indie developers.

Sega seems like the best fit, but for now, there’s no word at allregarding which developers Nintendo is thinking about gobbling up. For Nintendo fans, the good news here is that the company is mulling over changing their (unsuccessful) strategies — something that also would blow the mind of a long-time gamer.

Microsoft is tempting PlayStation gamers to give up on Sony's seven-year-old system and upgrade to its next-generation hardware with in-store credit to its retail locations.

Its flamboyant "ditch your PS3" marketing push offers $100 (about £61, AU$114) of trade-in credit toward an Xbox Oneat the Microsoft Store in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico.

This eye-catching PS3 trade-in program is actually good for anything at the company's retail stores, not just an Xbox One, according to the official offer page.

In fact, it's also offering last-generation gamers the same exact amount if they trade in an Xbox 360 S or Xbox 360 E.

The fine print reveals that the deal comes down to a less provocative trade in a slim Xbox 360 and any PS3 console for credit to the entire Microsoft Store.

Microsoft has pulled the same stunts with both tablets and smartphones in the past.

It was offering double what it is currently paying for a PS3 if you traded in an iPad for one of its Surface tablets back in September.

That same month, it was paying top dollar for iPhone and Android devices, suggesting an upgrade to a Windows Phone 8 handset for the next two years.

Microsoft's crazy push to win converts through trade-in programs is continuing, a sign that it may just be on the rite-track enough to work.

The Xbox One is reportedly set to get its first big dashboard update in March, fixing a number of problems with the Xbox Live service.

The other good news is that the white Xbox One, initially for Microsoft employees only, is reportedly coming in October.

We might see a 1TB model of the Xbox One in November,since Microsoft has been testing versions of the Xbox One without an Optical Disk Drive.

The New Year hangover will officially be cleared by Thursday.

Sony is inviting journalists to a London event where it will – I'm certain – reveal its launch plans for the new PS Vita Slim in the UK. An invitation from Sony to journalists reads: "Following the biggest launch in PlayStation history, join us for an introduction to the slimmest."

The overwhelming likelihood is that the western world will soon finally know when they'll be able to buy the new PS Vita Slim. Right now the hardware model is only available in Japan, where it launched in early October.

The New PS Vita Slim specifications

We'll get to why we think this could well be Sony's last ever handheld console, but first - what's different about this model?

Well for a start, compared to the original PS Vita which first launched over here in 2012, this system is about 20% thinner and 15% lighter.

Sony's new handheld comes in six colours (white, grey, yellow, pink, brown, and black) and then, the original's proprietary charge input will be replaced with the common Micro-USB port.

Battery life is said to be noticeably better, though Sony's legal team can only guarantee it lasts an hour longer than the original model (in most cases, it'll run beyond that).

One of the key reasons for the extra battery life is that the PS Vita's gorgeous OLED display has been replaced by a more inexpensive and energy-efficient LCD. Sony insists this won't reduce image quality, though personally I find that hard to believe.

As a bonus, the PS Vita slim also carries 1GB of internal storage memory, meaning you won't have to pay for one of Sony's inexcusably expensive memory cards, at least for a little while.

The PS Vita is currently in a rare predicament. Its owners describe it as a wondrous, beautifully designed handheld with a growing list of amazing indie games

Along with this, it comes with the usual PlayStation Plus bonuses (including two free games per month) and the surprisingly functional Remote Play feature, which allows you to access PS4 games through the handheld via a Wi-Fi connection.

Yet, paradoxically, no one seems to be buying the Vita. In fact, you'd have to go all the way back to last January if you're looking for the system's most recently disclosed sales figures. Back then, Sony revealed that Vita had a paltry installed base of 4 million, and ever since, the corporation has willfully masked the sales figures in its investor reports.

It doesn't inspire confidence, but it's not much of a shock either. The very concept of handheld gaming has been endangered ever since Apple and Google began to offer an ocean of games on their app stores for a fraction of the cost.

 Mobile devices to kill handheld

Shuhei Yoshida, who runs the PlayStation hardware division, recently admitted there is "no question" about whether mobiles have hurt handheld sales. Considering its predecessor, the PSP, sold 76 million units, it's not unreasonable to believe the whole business has fallen off a cliff.

In fact, unless there's a dramatic upsurge in sales, I wouldn't be surprised if Sony abandons its traditional handheld business by the time PS Vita comes to an end.

The numbers are simply unsustainable from an investment standpoint, and Sony probably shouldn't hold out for the explosive growth of mobile games to end anytime soon.

So the new PS Vita Slim, presuming that's what this Thursday's event is all about, could be the final dedicated Sony handheld ever. A marvelous system that has fallen victim to the merciless speed of change. A premium system in a run-of-the-mill age. The last of its kind.

The difference between mobile devices and handheld are OS and sim-card support

One of the things that the Windows Phone platform often gets criticised for is its lack of big name applications when compared to the likes of Android and iOS, but one thing it does now have in common is the fact that the Asphalt 8 Airborne Windows Phone 8 game is now available free.

One of the most popular racing game titles Asphalt 8 Airborne has been made available to Windows Phone 8 users as a free download, and comes after the title got similar treatment for the Android and iOS platforms back in November last year.

Those that download the game are treated to the chance of taking control of 47 high performance cars from the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini among many others. There is high quality audio provided with realistic car motor sounds.

The game is not just about racing around various tracks as you can pull off some jumps and barrel rolls as your car hits some ramps and you can race in nine different settings such as Venice or the Nevada Desert finding lots of short cuts.

In Career mode you will find 8 seasons with 180 events and there is a realistic damage system, and in multiplayer you will find action for up to 8 real opponents. To find out more or to download hit the Windows Phone Store.

The designers behind Onewheel have come up with an ingenious new skateboard that, along with self-balancing technology, can make you feel like you’re flying.

If you decide to make a pledge through Kickstarter, you are promised to receive the most advanced motion sensing, hub motor and battery technology available, all of which is hidden from sight. Even when there is no snow or surf to be had, Onewheel can still give you the same experience as snowboarding or surfing.

Weighing in at 11kgs, Onewheel has a top speed of 20km/h and has a range of six to nine kilometers depending on what terrain you are riding on. The battery can be recharged in two hours but if you’re in a hurry then the ultra-charger will top it up in twenty minutes.

The frame is made from solid billet 6061 aluminium, making it strong yet light. The motor is built in to the wheel hub, whilst the deck has the same look as a high-end skateboard thanks to the high-quality Canadian maple.

What makes Onewheel special are the gyro and accelerometer sensors that feed a powerful processor to determine the exact speed to drive the motor, depending on how you lean your body. The further forward you lean, the faster it goes. To slow down you just lean back.

It can take a bit of time to get used to the technique behind surfing or snowboarding, yet apparently most people can learn to ride Onewheel in just a couple of minutes, even if they haven’t done a lot of boardsports. That sounds a bit optimistic but the designers have developed powerful sensors and sophisticated algorithms, which constantly help you to balance and control the board.

Onewheel still has a couple of days left for its Kickstarter campaign but that’s not a problem because so far it has raised over $380,000 of its original $100,000 target.

Pro kitesurfer Gretta Kruesi tests out Onewheel

If it reaches $400,000 then the plan is to develop an app for the electric skateboard that will work with both Android and Apple devices, which will connect to Onewheel via Bluetooth. The app will allow the rider to select various ride modes, limit the speed, lock Onewheel and track rides through GPS.

Windows manufacturer, Microsoft, is about to complete its acquirement of Nokia.  Obviously other Windows Phone manufacturers do not like this at all. When the deal has been completed, the innovative  software manufacturer will finish up owning approximately 90% of the Windows Phone market, thereby leaving little or no room at all for any healthy competition.

Monopoly is not something any company wants. But before you question this statement, think about this for a moment; in order to have a prosperous environment that can compete with the likes of Android, Microsoft needs numerous vendors to make Windows Phone devices in order to keep the prices low. If prices remain too high, consumers will switch to other devices, such as Apple. Microsoft needs to get current customers to stay on board by any means necessary.

Rumours have said that Microsoft will spend some $2.6 billion to subsidize other handset manufacturers. The largest portion of that amount goes to Samsung, which should receive the largest portion; Huawei and then Sony closely follow them.  The remaining amounts would no doubt be sliced up between the other manufacturers. HTC is apparently not on the list, although,  However, Microsoft has said that these figures are completely erroneous.

As a reminder, at the time Nokia announced support for Windows Phone, it apparently received approximately $1 billion from Microsoft. And allegedly, now other handset makers would like a similar deal.

What do you think? Are Microsoft’s statements about co-marketing with partners just an excuse for bribery? Or shall we say monopolisation tactics? Or is there a genuine reason behind the original figures put forward by Mobile-Review’s Eldar Murtazin?  As always your comments are always welcome.

The World’s ATMs Machines Moves to Windows 7

Microsoft is about to make a support change to Windows XP. Unfortunately this means that ATMs all over the world will need to be upgraded and changed to Windows 7. The scary thing is that, according to the largest ATM supplier in the U.S., NCR,  95-percent of the world’s ATMs are powered by XP.

Microsoft has announced an extension to its anti-malware support but eventually this support for Windows XP will be cut off leaving ATMs and anything else running XP, open to security risks.

This is not a surprise as Microsoft have been warning customers about a deadline for some time now, yet businesses using ATMs have been slow to respond to the announcements. It looks like Windows 7 will be the choice to replace XP but some may even need hardware upgrades, that’s if they don’t just need scrapping completely.

JPMorgan has admitted that out of its 19,000 ATMs, 3,000 will need “enhancements” before upgrading to Windows 7. This is likely to be a rather expensive event for banks and ATM manufacturers but is essential when considering the amount of use they receive each day by customers.

It is likely that when the change does come about, we will see improvements to the old and slow ATM. Let’s just hope the upgrades are completed in time so as to avoid any hacking incidents.

iPhone update, iOS 7.1 to solve reboot problem

Quite often we see new smartphone operating systems released to users that cause some of them to experience issues with the software. That has certainly been the case with iOS 7 that was originally released back in September, but the iOS 7.1 update is promised to correct the iPhone reboot problem once it has been released.

The latest beta for the iOS 7.1 update was released to developers a few days ago with the final public release of the operating system expected to come in March, but many iPhone users have been experiencing a bug that causes the handset to suddenly reboot with either a black or white screen

Some have been hit with the problem after the battery falls to the 30% level or below, while other users saw that the device will reboot if a certain application is fired up. The problem is being worked on and Apple have confirmed to Mashable that an upcoming update will fix this issue “that can occasionally cause a home screen crash”

This crashing of the handset can occur during normal use of the handset and is obviously very frustrating for owners of the smartphone, but it is not known for sure if the fix for this issue will come with the iOS 7.1 software or if Apple may release an iOS 7.0.5 updater before then.

Microsoft Smart Elevator Also Known as AI

It seems that everything around us is developing its own intelligence. Microsoft Research now wants to take elevators to a complete different level, one where they can actually tell which floor you require, without you pressing a single button.

Bloomberg reports that a research team applied sensors to the front of elevators, which observed peoples’ actions while in and around the elevator. Without using any extra programming or facial recognition software, they just watched for three months.

In those three months the artificial intelligence system learned to interpret peoples’ behavior and started to comprehend their intentions and desired destination. Once the learning portion was switched off after the three months, the AI system was able to understand where the user wanted to go and operated the elevator.

Head of Microsoft Research Peter Lee, told Bloomberg that the company is focusing on AI at the moment. He explains how the smart elevator could be used in practice:

“If your environment knows, for example, that it’s lunch time, that you had spoken yesterday about having lunch with a colleague on the second floor, and that it notices that you seem to be now leaving your office to go to the elevator, the elevator can be smart enough to take you, without your need to operate anything, to your colleague.”

Microsoft Research are dedicated to searching out the next big thing for computing: “We think in the future, you won’t be operating computers, but instead computers will be working on your behalf.”

How do you envision the world ending? Global warming? Do you see aliens finally coming to take us to the mothership? Maybe you imagine some kind of cataclysmic nuclear warfare? Or, maybe you picture some kind of all out World War 4 where all of the citizens left on Planet Earth do battle with each other. Whatever your picture of Earth’s ending, it’s probably not too pretty.

But did the world ending via drones ever occur to you? The U.S.’s drones have been a constant fixture on the news as of late, but it turns out that Uncle Sam’s not the only one with a lineup of drones. Apparently Russia is also slowly building an army of drones…that is if recent pictures have anything to say about it. What would Russia do with a drone army? Your guess is as good as mine, but they probably don’t exist to make friends with other drones. As some of the pictures show, Russia’s drones can move over land and over sea. It’s probably not too big of a stretch to say that some of them can even move throughout the air as well.

What Are Drones Design For?

It has already been reported that many believe robot soldiers will outnumber humans by the year 2023. Robots are even now being developed that can do everything humans can do and supposedly more. With all of this news of drones everywhere you look, that doesn’t seem as hard to believe as it may once have been. The earth may be laid to rest under the attack of drones.

It’s unknown how many drones there are in the world, but many believe it’s safe to say there are many, many that we have no idea about. Maybe it’s better that way, I don’t know. What do you think?

Gmail down for users around the globe

Google Inc suffered a service outage on Friday that briefly took down Gmail, the Internet email service used by hundreds of millions of people and many businesses across the globe.

Google, which first acknowledged the outage at 11:12 a.m. Pacific Time (19:12 GMT), said roughly one hour later that service had been restored for some users and it expected "a resolution for all users in the near future."

It remained unclear what triggered the outage, which affected users in at least India, Britain and the United States and prompted a stream of complaints on Twitter from users in many more countries.

"We're investigating reports of an issue with Gmail. We will provide more information shortly," the company said on its "App Status" dashboard online, which tracks the state of various Google services.

Two other Google properties, the social network Google Plus, and YouTube, appeared to load slowly as well.

Yahoo Inc, which runs a rival Internet mail service, seized the moment to post a screenshot of the Gmail error page to Twitter.

Google users attempting to sign on saw a "temporary error" message and a brief note: "We're sorry, but your Gmail account is temporarily unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience and suggest trying again in a few minutes."

Google did not respond to requests for comment.

HP looks as though it is taking its stand on Windows 8, the company has sent its customers emails, informing them that “Windows 7 is back”.

The PC making company has launched a new promotion on its website, offering people a saving of $150, if they choose Windows 7 rather than Windows 8.

If the message isn’t clear enough, then the slogan “back by popular demand”, should clear everything up. Upon entering the website, if you select to browse HP’s selection of desktop PCs, then you’ll notice that you are only given the option of Windows 7 machines by default. If you want to view Windows 8 PCs, then you have to actually customize the search using the optional filters. When searching for laptops, it is pretty much the same, though there are a few Windows 8 laptops included in the results. When it comes to the all-in-one section of the site, Windows doesn’t even get a look in, with the main feature being the company’s Android-powered PC.

Hp is the first company to sell Windows 7 over Windows 8. It’s no wonder Microsoft is keen to move away from the 8 branding. So expect big changes with Windows 9.

First Tizen devices Coming on February 23 2014

Samsung has sent press invites for a February 23 event just ahead of the Mobile World Congress at Barcelona, where it will showcase the latest Tizen devices, and speak about the development of the OS.

The press event will take place one day before Nokia's event at MWC 2014. The event is said to be attended by major carrier partners of Tizen, namely SK Telecom, Korea Telecom (KT) and LG U+, though NTT DoCoMo might not be able to attend the event, reports Sam Mobile. This might in part be due to NTT Docomo's pessimistic outlook for the 2014 launch of Tizen devices.

"Please join the Tizen Association Board on Sunday, 23 February 2014 for a welcome reception and kick-off to MWC 2014. During this invite only event, you will get an exclusive sneak preview of the newest Tizen devices as well as an opportunity to learn about the major milestones that the Tizen project has hit since last year's event, via jonesarena.blogspot.com live coverage of the event

We ask you to reserve time from 3-6 PM CET on 23 February 2014 at Hotel ARTS Barcelona where you will also have the opportunity to hear from and interview Tizen Association Board Members," states the press invite.

Mobile Review's experts recently claimed that the South Korean planned to launch the much-anticipated Samsung Galaxy S5 at an event in Barcelona on February 23, ahead of MWC 2014. experts  also claims that the alleged Galaxy S5 will be available by the end of April and suggests that a new TouchWiz UI is in tow. Shortly after however, claims suggest that the new TouchWiz UI will also be 

available for other Samsung devices that will receive kitkat update

Nokia, on the other hand, has also sent press invites scheduled for a February 24 event at MWC. In total, six Nokia handsets are expected to be revealed at the event, including a few large-screen smartphones, or phablets. These devices are namely 'Goldfinger', 'Moneypenny', Lumia 1520V, Lumia 1525, Lumia 1820 and Nokia X (also known as Nokia Normandy).

Should You Seduce Your Interviewer?

We all know the feeling, butterflies in the stomach, slightly clammy hands, constantly checking to make sure our hair's okay, etc. All you want to do is put your best foot forward, right? I'm not talking about first dates, of course, but rather the first interviews so many of us dread. Here's a list of why people would do well to consider courting an employer in the same way they (should) approach the dating game.

How many of us have spent years floating in and out of relationships with people that are never really that good of a fit? Well the same applies to careers. If you've spent the last five years bouncing between IT jobs with five different companies, chances are high that it's not the companies' fault, it's just that you don't enjoy your career path. Make sure you know what you really want first.

Check Your Manners
If you had a date with a big star like Charlize Theron or Justin Timberlake, chances are high you would be on your absolute best behavior. No food stuck in your teeth or anything, right? Treat your potential employer the same way. Until you get the job (relationship time!), there should be no off-the-cuff humor and you should use a body spray like ( Deodorant ) to avoid the discharge of bodily gasses

We've all experienced that one person we used to be interested by, you know, the one who ruined it by calling us an insane amount of times in a row. Think employers are any different? It's annoying, and on top of that, it shows that you have very low value. Anyone who believes in their own self-worth will not feel the desperation necessary to constantly contact their significant other, be it an interviewer or a date.

Dont Be Too Cheap 

People always want what they don't have, that's why playing hard to get works both in love and in business. The key word is hard, not impossible. Show the company you're interviewing with that you have options, that you are fine on your own, and that you have enough value that you could walk away if need be. Don't overdo it, or else people will think you don't care, but have enough self-respect to show that you are something worth chasing.

Stay Positive

This is the best way to impress a potential mate, because who wouldn't want to be with a positive person? Psychology has shown that seeing another person laugh and smile makes us want to mirror their behavior, and of course, everyone likes to laugh and smile. Though you may not have the best resume, if you can get your interviewer feeling at ease and in a good move, when they look back at your interview they will only be able to associate positive things to your name.