Microsoft's $100 Store Credit For PS3 And Xbox 360 Trade-Ins Smacks Of Price Pressure

Today, Microsoft is offering $100 of store credit to consumers for trading in their old PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 consoles. Microsoft’s move is really more of an acknowledgement, in my opinion anyway, that their pricing is a little out of line versus Sony’s offering.  And when you consider the fact that, graphically speaking at least, the PlayStation 4 is a more powerful system, you can see where Microsoft’s sense of urgency is coming from, beyond just the obvious leading indicator of being behind Sony in units sold at this point.

A Look Inside The Xbox One

Of course, Microsoft’s offering with the Xbox One also includes the new Kinect sensor, which many consumers will find is worth the $100 premium for the machine but for some, the Kinect just isn’t enough of a draw.  Couple that with recent rumblings that Microsoft is relaxing game development specifications, affording more power to graphics processing at the expense of available Kinect resources where desirable, and we start to see that Microsoft is perhaps retrenching in their efforts for the long haul, giving developers and gamers alike more flexibility.

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Fixing windows: Microsoft set to return to classic desktop when users first switch on their PC

• Latest test builds of Windows 8.1 take users straight to Windows desktop
• Microsoft recently forced to reinstall start button after customer complaints
• Update expected to be made available within months

Microsoft is considering abandoning its controversial 'tile' start screen and reverting to the classic windows desktop every time a user switches on their PC, it has been claimed.
The latest test versions of Windows 8.1 released to developers have this option on by default.
Microsoft was also last year forced to reinstate the start button to Windows 8 following customer complaints.

The controversial 'Metro' interface for Windows, which confused many users. Microsoft is now considering going back to the normal desktop when users first switch on their machine.

THE END OF METRO?

The firm hoped the Metro system, which uses tiles, would make it easier for touchscreen users.
It is the same across Microsoft's phones, tablets and PCs. 

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The week in Tech: 5 must-know things

This week in Tech, we tested out a curved smartphone, took a look at tech stocks and more. Here's what you need to know about the week in Tech:
1) Google agrees to sell Motorola to Lenovo for $2.9 billion
Google's efforts to break into the hardware market will go forward without Motorola products. The company sold Motorola to Lenovo this week for $2.9 billion.
Google will keep most of its Motorola patents and will license other patents to Lenovo. Lenovo will get the Motorola brand as well as its current and future products.
RBC analyst Mark Mahaney told USA TODAY's Alistair Barr this sale is a good move for Google: "This was an underperforming asset and was always a stretch for them. They probably never should have gone into the handset business."
2) Review: LG G Flex: The straight truth about a curvy smartphone
The curved smartphones introduced at this year's CES are finally here. USA TODAY's Ed Baig got a preview of LG's new G Flex smartphone this week. Here are a few things he had to say about the phone:
Pro: The Flex's curved display is a "unique and very large design" that cuts down on glare. The phone has "a decent 13-megapixel camera" and a "solid battery."
Con: LG says the phone has a "self-healing back" that automatically fixes scratches and nicks, but Baig said this claim didn't hold up in tests. He said he "had a [hard] time determining whether the experience was somehow more immersive — or superior — compared with your typical large display."
Should you buy it? Baig said the Flex has an "aesthetically pleasing approach to smartphone design," but he's "not rushing out to buy it."
3) The week in Tech stocks: Facebook beats estimates, Yahoo stumbles
Tech companies set Wall Street abuzz this week when they released fourth-quarter earnings reports, with wildly different results across the board.
Facebook reported a net income of $780 million on $2.6 billion in revenue, beating Wall Street's estimates. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a conference call that more than half the company's revenue came from mobile.
Yahoo didn't fare as well in its earnings report. The recently revamped company forecast reported earnings of $290 million to $330 million for the first quarter of 2014, and it reported that Alibaba Group, a Chinese e-commerce site owned by Yahoo, had slow growth in the same quarter. CEO Marissa Mayer remains optimistic and said she plans to focus more on advertising in 2014.
4) Facebook unveils Paper app
Facebook is branching out further into the media world with a news reader. The app, called Paper, gives a user personalized news and stories from major news outlets shared by a user's Facebook friends.
The app integrates a user's Facebook News Feed and allows for longer friend posts in a magazine-style layout. The app lets a user scroll through stories horizontally and vertically and comes with full-screen photo slideshows.

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4 of 5 popular small cars fail safety test

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