Hasta La Gadget!

If you’re aiming to get your hands on one of the many Windows Phone 8 devices launching later today, it would be nice to be able to sync it with your Windows 8 PC, no? Redmond has you covered in the nick of time, as it’s just released the free Windows Phone app to its Windows Store. That’ll let you get music, photos, or video over to your computer and back, use Windows 8 apps to share things like searches, automatically save photos or videos taken with your phone to your PC and check your phone’s storage to see how it’s being used. It’ll also let allow you to download phone apps and learn more about your device, while pulling off a trick we’ve saw first with Apple, then WP7 — letting you track down your smartphone if it goes missing. You can grab it at the source, then all you’ll need is a WP8 handset — so stay tuned for our liveblog at 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST to see when that might happen.

Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Laptops, Software, Mobile, Microsoft

Microsoft adds WP8 app to Windows Store just in time for launch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 01:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That special moment has come which usually rolls around only once every three years: Microsoft has released a new version of Windows. For the version 8 update, though, the stakes are higher than ever. Redmond isn’t just trying to convince legions of existing Windows users that they should break their PC update cycles. It’s trying to reclaim a foothold in a tablet space that’s now dominated by Apple and Google — and it’s dipping into self-designed computers for the first time with a Surface tablet that theoretically represents Microsoft’s perfect vision. But how well is Windows 8 resonating with you? Did you download a copy as soon as the servers were warmed up, or do you see it as a calamity that restricts a perfectly good platform? Sound off in our poll and in the comments below.

[Image credit: Steven Sinofsky, SkyDrive]

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Filed under: Desktops, Tablets, Software, Microsoft

Windows 8 is in stores today — are you buying a copy? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iFixit’s been on something of an Apple tear lately — just a day after ripping into the barely-repairable new 13-inch MacBook Pro (not to mention the new nano and touch), the site has gotten its hands on — and into — the new Mac Mini. Unlike like the shiny new notebook, however, the diminutive desktop was apparently a pleasure to open up and put back together again, scoring an eight out of 10 on the repairability front and altogether forgoing the site’s use of adorable kittens. The Mini gets good marks for upgradable RAM and drives and a general lack of glue and proprietary screws. Click on through the source link below to see the Intel 2.5 GHz dual-core i5 in all its glory.

Filed under: Desktops

iFixit opens up new Mac Mini, has no trouble putting it all back together again originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 08:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just a day after introducing the iPad mini, a revised iMac, a 4th-generation iPad and a retooled Mac mini, the company is outing its Q4 2012 earnings — and it looks as if it has narrowly fell short of Wall Street estimates. Revenue was pegged at $36 billion (compared to estimates of $35.08 billion), with net profit at $8.2 billion. For the sake of comparison, the outfit’s fourth quarter of 2011 saw $28.27 billion in revenue alongside $6.62 billion net profit — at the time, those comically large numbers were actually not up to Wall Street’s comical expectations. If you’re looking for a quarter-over-quarter comparison, the company’s Q3 2012 report showed $35 billion in total revenue, with $8.8 billion in net profits.

The company is guiding for $52 billion in revenues for Q1 2013, while announcing that it sold 26.9 million iPhones (up from 17.01 million a year ago), 14 million iPads (up from 11.12 million) and 5 million Macs (up from 4.89 million) in this quarter. As for the waning iPod business? Predictably, it sold just 5.3 million of those, representing a 19 percent drop from the year-ago quarter. Naturally, the company is expecting its next earnings report to be the one that blows everyone away, with holiday sales — combined with a slew of new kit — to propel things leading into 2013. Apple also announced that shareholders that hold stock as of November 12th will pick up a $2.65 / share dividend.

As for other specifics, we’re told that gross margin was 40.0 percent compared to 40.3 percent in the year-ago quarter, while international sales accounted for 60 percent of the quarter’s revenue. Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO, proudly boasted: “We’re pleased to have generated over $41 billion in net income and over $50 billion in operating cash flow in fiscal 2012. Looking ahead to the first fiscal quarter of 2013, we expect revenue of about $52 billion and diluted earnings per share of about $11.75.” As for the outfit’s current stash of on-hand cash? $121.3 billion. Yeah. The financial results call will get going at 5PM ET, and we’ll be liveblogging it right here!

Continue reading Apple Q4 2012 earnings: $36 billion in revenue, $8.2 billion net profit

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Apple

Apple Q4 2012 earnings: $36 billion in revenue, $8.2 billion net profit originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft’s big coming out day for Windows 8 is finally upon us. In celebration, Redmond’s throwing a launch party for its newest OS update on New York City’s Pier 57. You may not be able to join in on the fun in person, but we’ve got this handy stream beyond the break should you wish to play along virtually, and it’s starting any minute.

Update: Some folks are having issues with the primary stream, and if you’re one of those folks, you may wanna redirect your browser here for an alternative feed.

Continue reading Celebrate Windows 8 day with this livestream of Microsoft’s launch event (video)

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Tablets, Software, Microsoft

Celebrate Windows 8 day with this livestream of Microsoft’s launch event (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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