Tag: microsoft’s
Xbox sales during Microsoft’s third quarter fell 30% and there were little gains in content and services
Microsoft has released its financial report for the third quarter ended March 31, 2023, with the company noting a 30% decline in Xbox sales.
This was due to the prior year’s comparable high that benefited from increased console supply.
As part of the More Personal Computing segment, despite sales of Xbox falling, content and services revenue for the console increased by 3%. This was driven by better-than-expected monetization in third-party and first-party content and growth in Xbox Game Pass.
Microsoft’s proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition has been blocked by the UK
Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard King has hit a large snag on the road. The UK’s Competitions And Markets Authority (CMA) previously released their provisional findings on the $69 billion buyout, laying out concerns over less competition and innovation for UK gamers. Microsoft were allowed to respond to the CMA’s findings, but it seems they weren’t able to quell the regulator’s concerns, as the CMA have now vetoed the merger.
Shock! UK blocks Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition
The UK Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has opted to prohibit the Activision Blizzard King x Microsoft merger, as announced in its final report released today.
While the organisation found that the emrger would not have a substantial lessening of competition among console services, it did conclude that it may result in a lessening of competition in the cloud gaming space. This appears to have been the silver bullet to the approval process, and the main reason why the CMA has opted to prohibit the deal.
The final statement states: “In relation to cloud gaming services, we found that Microsoft already has a strong position. It owns a popular gaming platform (Xbox and a large portfolio of games), the leading PC operating system (Windows), and a global cloud computing infrastructure (Azure and Xbox Cloud Gaming), giving it important advantages in running a cloud gaming service. With an estimated 60-70% market share in global cloud gaming services, it is already much stronger than its rivals.”
Microsoft’s Xbox controllers are $40 at Walmart in the US after a $25 discount
I’ve written before about my love for the standard Xbox Series Wireless Controller, which provide a comfortable feel, responsive controls and laudable build quality for a default console gamepad. These units normally retail for $64.99 in the US, but today the Electric Volt colour is down to $39.99 at Walmart.
Google releases security LLM at RSAC to rival Microsoft’s GPT-4-based copilot
Microsoft’s big AI upgrade for ChatGPT-powered Bing makes it less stupid
Microsoft’s drive for accessibility has ushered in a nifty trick for PC gamers in Windows 11
Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday for April 2023 closes 97 security bugs, 1 zero-day flaw
The Surface Pro 9 is up to $300 off during Microsoft’s spring sale
Now is a good time to buy a high-performance tablet for your springtime travel — or some very early back-to-school prep. Microsoft is running a spring sale that offers up to $300 off Surface Pro 9 models, while Amazon is roughly matching many of those prices. Almost all versions are discounted, whether they’re Intel- or ARM-based, and the bargains get larger with more advanced configurations. An Intel Core i7 model with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is down to $1,600 (normally $1,900), while a Qualcomm SQ3 variant with 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and 5G has dropped to the same price.
Buy Surface Pro 9 at Amazon – starting at $1,000
Other deals are still worth exploring. A $100 discount effectively gives entry-level Surface Pro 9 buyers a free upgrade to a 256GB SSD, and the sweet-spot Core i5 model with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD is down to $1,300. If you simply must have the best, a Core i7 tablet with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD is down to $2,300. Surface Pro Signature Keyboards are up to $75 off, too.
The Surface Pro 9 unified Microsoft’s Intel- and ARM-powered tablet designs for the first time, and the results are mostly positive. This is a surprisingly thin slate that still has the power for serious multitasking, and you can even upgrade the SSD (a rarity in tablets) if you need more storage. The SQ3 version also includes 5G support to keep you connected while you’re camping or traveling on business.
We’ll be frank: you’ll probably want an Intel-based Surface Pro 9. It’s not only faster than its ARM equivalent, but compatible with a much wider range of software. And yes, the virtually mandatory keyboard attachment isn’t included in the price. Still, this is one of the precious few tablets that can truly be called a laptop replacement. It’s fast enough for serious work, yet portable enough for note-taking (with the optional pen) and other handheld duties.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-surface-pro-9-is-up-to-300-off-during-microsofts-spring-sale-151513214.html?src=rss