Microsoft AcquiresTwisted Pixel

OCT. 12, 2011 • Microsoft Studios acquired Twisted Pixel Games LLC based in Austin, Texas. The studio is best known for its Xbox Live Arcade titles such as Splosion Man and The Gunstringer. No financial terms were released. The acquisition was touted as a way to bolster Microsoft’s fortunes on e.....
xbox 360 brazil

Flextronics Starts Brazil Production for Xbox 360s

SEPT. 28, 2011 • Microsoft announced that its production partner Flextronics Intl. Ltd. is now producing Xbox 360s in Manaus, regional capital of Brazil’s Amazonas state. The production facility can produce up to 17,000 of the consoles a week.  Sales of these Brazilian-made Xbox 360s are expected to commence in Brazil during October. Such local production is expected to reduce the cost to consumers in the country by 40%. .....

AMD Partners With Happy Cloud

SEPT. 28, 2011 • Chipmaker AMD has partnered with Cambridge, Mass start-up Happy Cloud to sign deals with makers of Internet-connected televisions to bring on-demand online distribution of console quality games to the TVs. No licensing agreements have yet been anno.....

Sony Skimps on 3D Glasses

SEPT. 27, 2011 • The Hollywood Reporter reported that starting May 1 Sony Pictures will no longer pay to supply movie theater owners for the cost of 3D glasses. Estimates are the studio can save between $5 million to $10 million per major motion picture. Sony is encouraging a system where exhibitors sell moviegoers 3D glasses. That system is in place in the U.K., Australia, Italy and Spain. Im.....

A New Xbox TV Platform

SEPT. 15, 2011 • At a financial analyst meeting in Anaheim, Calif., Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said a new Xbox TV platform will launch this holiday season. Content will include live TV, video on demand, and content from hundreds of video suppliers. Ballmer said the service use the Bing search engine and voice input to make programming selections easy. Impact: Long-term this is where the futur.....

China PC Shipments Up

AUG. 24, 2011 • Research firm IDC estimates that China PC shipments reached 18.5 million units during the second quarter, an increase of 14%. That would mark the first time the Chinese market has surpassed the United States, where PC shipments fell 4.8% to 17.7 million units during the same period. Impact: Obviously, with four times as many people as the U.S., China is just getting started whe.....

PlayStation 3 Price Cut

AUG. 16, 2011 • Sony issued an immediate worldwide PlayStation 3 price cut. The 160GB model will have new suggested MSRPs of ¥24,980, $249 and €249; down from ¥29,980, $299 and €299.  SCE is also reducing the price of the 320GB PS3 from ¥4,980, $349 and €349 to ¥29,980, $299 and €299. Impact: The PS3 has a carved out a level of success in each its three major retail markets: Japa.....

HTC Invests in Beats Electronics

AUG. 11, 2011 • The Taiwan-based smartphone maker HTC Corp is buying a 51% controlling share in U.S. specialty headphone designer Beats Electronics for $309 million. Beats markets enhanced headphones that reproduce a fuller spectrum of audio, and was launched by music producer Jimmy Iovine, and rap artist Dr. Dre. The move is seen as a way to enhance HTC’s products against competition from Apple and Samsung. .....

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