Tech Tracks http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/ News, analysis and perspectives from the technology team at The Seattle Times. Have a news tip? Follow the links below to e-mail us. en Copyright 2008 Thu, 15 May 2008 17:50:36 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.01 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss April console sales don't get "GTA IV" jumpstart, but who benefited more? The Nintnedo Wii came closer to breaking the 10 million unit U.S. sales mark in April, vastly outselling Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3, combined, according to NPD Group figures released this afternoon. That performance was despite the April 29 launch of the biggest title of the year for the latter two consoles -- "Grand Theft Auto IV."

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/april_console_sales_dont_get_gta_iv_jumpstart_but.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/april_console_sales_dont_get_gta_iv_jumpstart_but.html Games & entertainment Thu, 15 May 2008 17:50:36 -0800 Microsoft Windows on XO laptop later this summer Microsoft is finally putting Windows on the One Laptop Per Child low-cost XO machines aimed at children in poor countries. Here's coverage of the development, which had been anticipated for some time, from The Associated Press.

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/microsoft_windows_on_xo_laptop_later_this_summer.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/microsoft_windows_on_xo_laptop_later_this_summer.html Hardware Thu, 15 May 2008 16:22:52 -0800 Gossip: Microsoft CEO Summit spouses cooking with Tom Douglas As Bill Gates hobnobbed with the chief executives invited to his CEO Summit yesterday, their spouses were getting a personal cooking lesson with Seattle restaurateur and chef Tom Douglas, according to a source familiar with planning for the hush-hush Microsoft event.

Updated, 5:43 p.m.: After the jump, details on a Douglas-led tour of Pike Place Market and what was on the lunchtime menu.

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/gossip_microsoft_ceo_summit_spouses_cooking_with_t.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/gossip_microsoft_ceo_summit_spouses_cooking_with_t.html Miscellaneous Thu, 15 May 2008 11:48:14 -0800 Microsoft quietly watching as Ichan raids Yahoo The billionaire financier Carl Ichan today disclosed his 4.4 percent stake in Yahoo and his plans to oust the company's directors in a bid to take control and sell Yahoo to Microsoft. In his letter to Yahoo, sent 12 days after Microsoft dropped its bid to acquire the company, Ichan writes that Yahoo's board "acted irrationally and lost the faith of shareholders and Microsoft."

Microsoft, meanwhile, is quietly watching the scenario unfold.

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/microsoft_quietly_watching_as_ichan_raids_yahoo.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/microsoft_quietly_watching_as_ichan_raids_yahoo.html Carl Ichan Thu, 15 May 2008 10:29:03 -0800 Xbox 360 cracks 10 million sales in U.S. Microsoft this afternoon touted the 10 million unit milestone for its current-generation game console, noting that it's the first of the three major current-generation consoles to do so. It did not note that the Xbox 360 has been on the market a year longer than the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. The latter had 8.8 million units sold through March, according to The NPD Group.

Also, Microsoft was so close to reaching 10 million units at the last NPD report -- 9,896,600 through March, per NPD -- that it would have been more astonishing if the console didn't make it to the milestone, particularly in the month that saw the biggest entertainment launch in history with "Grand Theft Auto: IV."

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/xbox_360_cracks_10_million_sales_in_us.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/xbox_360_cracks_10_million_sales_in_us.html Games & entertainment Wed, 14 May 2008 16:38:50 -0800 Gates looks to the future with top CEOs, unveils 'Touch Wall' Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates conceived of the CEO Summit 12 years ago as an exclusive forum to discuss technology and other issues worrying the business world's elite. It's also an excellent sales opportunity for Microsoft. This year's event kicked off last night at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle.

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/gates_looks_to_the_future_with_top_ceos_unveils_to.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/gates_looks_to_the_future_with_top_ceos_unveils_to.html Bill Gates Wed, 14 May 2008 08:30:39 -0800 A conversation with Stephen Elop, new president of Microsoft Business Division

ERIKA SCHULTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Elop, the new president of the Microsoft Business Division, said one of his biggest surprises since joining the company is "the extent of innovation."

Now that Jeff Raikes' move to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been made public, the man replacing him as president of the $16.4 billion-a-year Microsoft Business Division is making the rounds.

Stephen Elop, 44, took the job in January. Here's a brief profile of Elop we ran at the time. On Tuesday, Elop sat down to talk about how he's settling in, impressions of Microsoft and the challenges facing his part of the company.

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/a_conversation_with_stephen_elop_new_president_of.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/a_conversation_with_stephen_elop_new_president_of.html Microsoft Tue, 13 May 2008 17:22:33 -0800 Microsoft vet Raikes to Gates Foundation as CEO

DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Raikes at his Microsoft office in 2006.

Bill Gates is bringing one of his most trusted Microsoft generals with him to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Jeff Raikes will become CEO of the world's largest philanthropy beginning Sept. 2, the foundation announced this morning. ]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/microsoft_vet_raikes_to_gates_foundation_as_ceo.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/microsoft_vet_raikes_to_gates_foundation_as_ceo.html Philanthropy Mon, 12 May 2008 10:03:39 -0800 Microsoft appealing record EU antitrust fine In a curt statement, Microsoft said Friday it is appealing the 899 million Euro ($1.3 billion) antitrust fine leveled by the European Union. "We are filing this appeal in a constructive effort to seek clarity from the Court. We will not be saying anything further," the company stated.

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/microsoft_appealing_record_eu_antitrust_fine.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/microsoft_appealing_record_eu_antitrust_fine.html Legal issues Fri, 09 May 2008 11:55:54 -0800 Game retailers getting better at carding for M-rated content The Federal Trade Commission reported today that video game retailers are getting much better about checking IDs before selling M-rated games, such as "Grand Theft Auto IV." That's the Entertainment Software Ratings Board's "mature" rating, suitable only for people 17 and over. I experienced this first hand when I got carded while trying to purchase "GTA IV" at the Game Stop in Northgate Mall last night.

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/game_retailers_getting_better_at_carding_for_mrate.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/game_retailers_getting_better_at_carding_for_mrate.html Games & entertainment Thu, 08 May 2008 11:11:18 -0800 Video: Gates and Buffett on Fox Following this post, which highlighted excerpts from the interview Fox Business News scored with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett earlier this week, here's a video segment.

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/video_gates_and_buffett_on_fox.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/video_gates_and_buffett_on_fox.html Bill Gates Wed, 07 May 2008 11:44:11 -0800 "Grand Theft Auto IV" jacks title of biggest entertainment launch from "Halo 3" Take-Two Interactive today announced that "Grand Theft Auto IV" sold about 3.6 million units in its first day of sales. That works out to about $310 million. But here's the thing: Those are global sales figures. When Bungie and Microsoft delivered "Halo 3" last fall, they touted first-day sales of $170 million, but that was only in the U.S.

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/grand_theft_auto_iv_jacks_title_of_biggest_enterta.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/grand_theft_auto_iv_jacks_title_of_biggest_enterta.html Games & entertainment Wed, 07 May 2008 10:46:43 -0800 Joint WiMax effort between Clearwire and Sprint Nextel may be announced shortly, WSJ says The long-expected tie-up between Clearwire and Sprint Nextel on WiMax technology is close to happening, the Wall Street Journal is reporting this afternoon.

The deal, valued at $12 billion, would put the merged venture under the Clearwire name and be headed by Clearwire CEO Ben Wolff, the Journal reported on its Web site. Craig McCaw, the wireless pioneer who has led Clearwire's development after a series of earlier wireless enterprises, will be chairman.

The WiMax marriage has been discussed for some time, but was tabled last year as Sprint was hit by financial problems. But the talks were restarted under new Sprint CEO Dan Hesse, a onetime top executive in Seattle-based wireless and broadband companies.

The venture has drawn investments from top technology and broadband companies, including Intel, Google, Comcast and Time Warner.

The Journal said an announcement of the deal could come as early as Wednesday

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/joint_wimax_effort_between_clearwire_and_sprint_ne.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/joint_wimax_effort_between_clearwire_and_sprint_ne.html Tue, 06 May 2008 14:26:36 -0800 New CEO at Microsoft's consulting joint venture, Avanade Beginning Sept. 1, Adam Warby, will become the second CEO of Avanade, an 8-year-old Seattle-based IT consulting company founded by Microsoft and Accenture. Warby, who has served as executive vice president of sales and marketing, and general manager of the company's European and Americas markets, will replace Mitch Hill, who has led the company since the beginning, Avanade announced today.

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/new_ceo_at_microsofts_consulting_subsidiary_avanad.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/new_ceo_at_microsofts_consulting_subsidiary_avanad.html Corporate organization Tue, 06 May 2008 13:09:28 -0800 With proxy fight threat level lowered, Yahoo schedules shareholder meeting Yahoo announced the date of its shareholder meeting yesterday. It will be held on Thursday, July 3. Before Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer withdrew his bid to buy the company and took his finger off the hostile-takeover trigger, the announcement of Yahoo's meeting date was a much anticipated moment in the acquisition story.

]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/with_proxy_fight_threat_level_lowered_yahoo_schedu.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/05/with_proxy_fight_threat_level_lowered_yahoo_schedu.html Yahoo acquisition Tue, 06 May 2008 10:45:57 -0800