Microsoft to cut 18,000 jobs

Microsoft will cut approximately 18,000 jobs within the next eleven months, CEO Satya Nadella wrote in an announcement to staff.

This round of layoffs will be the largest in the company's history and the largest since former CEO Steve Ballmer cut 5,800 employees in 2009.

Roughly 12,500 employees brought on as a result of the Nokia acquisition, which occurred in April, will be let go. The deal added 25,000 employees to Microsoft's payroll. At the time of the acquisition, Microsoft said it would cut $600 million (about £350.8 million, AU$640 million) per year in costs.

How will this affect 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and Surface divisions.

The company-wide changes will dramatically affect Nokia products. In his July 17 memo announcing the cutbacks, Nadella said he is focused on integrating Nokia into the Microsoft business. As a result, select future Nokia X devices will be migrated from Android to the Windows Phone operating system.

This tactic allows Microsoft to continue to compete in the budget smartphone market and ensures that budget smartphones users are running on Microsoft's platform of choice.

Big changes to the enterprise

Nadella is also expected to make changes to the engineering organization, which will likely consolidate the roles of software testers and developers, as cloud building has made it easier for developers to test and fix issues autonomously.

Microsoft has more than 127,000 employees globally. The majority of employees who will be let go are expected to hear from Microsoft within the next six months, Nadella said in his memo.

As a result of the layoffs, Microsoft will have to pay $1.1 billion (about £640 million, AU$1.17 billion) to $1.6 billion (about £940 million, AU$1.71 billion) in severance and related benefits costs and related charges over the next four quarters.

Rumors of the impending layoffs began circulating earlier this week, shortly after Nadella outlined Microsoft's trajectory in an email to staff.

In the email, Nadella said he is focused on driving Internet of Things, mobility and cloud innovation.

• What does TechRadar think of the Nokia X?

TechRadar Phone Awards shortlist announced

We're just hours away from the first TechRadar Phone Awards, where a host of winners will be crowned on July 17 at an exclusive event in London, and to get you ready for the glitz and glamour we've announced the shortlist for the six categories.

Tonight we'll be celebrating the best budget phone, best budget tablet, best app, best innovation and of course the two big prizes: the best tablet and the best phone of the past 12 months.

Our expert panel of judges deliberated extensively on all six categories, narrowing contenders down to a series of shortlists and then performing the tricky business of actually deciding the winners.

The good news is that - after much discussion, tears, laughter and hard graft - we have picked our winners and all will be revealed on July 17.

Best phone

It's the award they all want to win - the prestigious TechRadar Best Phone Award. This award highlights the pinnacle of smartphone achievement from design and innovation to performance and usability.

Over the past 12 months we've seen manufacturers push the boundaries of our smartphones once again, producing some stunning devices and any one in our shortlist is a worthy winner.

• HTC One M8
• iPhone 5S
• LG G3
• OnePlus One
• Samsung Galaxy S5
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
• Sony Xperia Z2

Best tablet

Tablets huh. Just a few years ago tablet computers were nothing more than an extravagant slice of seriously geeky tech, but now they fill every home, boardroom and backpack from here to Hong Kong and back.

There are some many to choose from in terms of prize, screen size, operating system, brand and build - but there are a few which rise above the rest as truly standout slates and it's these select few which are honoured here.

• Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
• Google Nexus 7 (2013)
• iPad Air
• iPad Mini 2
• Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1
• Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet

Best budget phone

While flagships handsets may be grabbing the headlines, there's an enormous amount happening at the opposite end of the scale with some truly outstanding smartphones available for under £200.

They are great for first time users, those migrating from feature to smartphone, parents looking for an affordable handset for their kids or those who want something cheap to take to a festival or on holiday.

• EE Kestrel
• Huawei Ascend G6
• Motorola Moto E
• Motorola Moto G
• Nokia Lumia 520
• Nokia Lumia 630

Best budget tablet

Tablets are brilliant and we love them, but not everyone can afford the latest and greatest. Thankfully those on a tighter tablet budget are now spoilt for choice with high quality options available for under £200.

Whether it's a slate for the family, the kids, university or personal web browsing media consumption, a low cost tablet is just the ticket and they're taking the market by storm.

• Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
• PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5Bc3VzIDwvYT4=Memo Pad HD 7
• PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5Hb29nbGUgPC9hPk5leHVzIDcgKDIwMTMpPC9saT48bGk+TEcgRyBQYWQgOC4zPC9saT48bGk+U2Ftc3VuZyBHYWxheHkgVGFiIDMgOC4wPC9saT48bGk+VGVzY28gSHVkbDwvbGk+PC91bD48aDM+QmVzdCBhcHA8L2gzPjxwPkFwcGxpY2F0aW9ucywgdG8gZ2l2ZSB0aGVtIHRoZWlyIGZ1bGwgdGl0bGUsIGhhdmUgYmVjb21lIGVuZ3JhaW5lZCBpbiBvdXIgZGFpbHkgbGl2ZXMgLSB0aGV5J3JlIHNvIGltcG9ydGFudCBpbiBmYWN0IHdlJ3JlIG5vdCBzdXJlIHdlJ2QgYmUgYWJsZSB0byBmdW5jdGlvbiBwcm9wZXJseSB3aXRob3V0IHRoZW0gYW55bW9yZS4gPC9wPjxwPldpdGggc28gbWFueSBhcHBzIG5vdyBhdmFpbGFibGUgaXQgd2FzIGEgcmVhbCBjaGFsbGVuZ2Ugd2lubm93aW5nIGRvd24gdG8gb3VyIHNob3J0bGlzdCwgYW5kIHRoZXJlJ3MgcHJvYmFibHkgc29tZSBmYXZvdXJpdGVzIHRoYXQgaGF2ZW4ndCBtYWRlIHRoZSBjdXQuPC9wPjx1bD48bGk+PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5Hb29nbGUgPC9hPg==Maps
• Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
• Real Racing 3
• Sky Go/Sky+
• Spotify
• Swiftkey
• Uber

Best innovation

Best innovation is where we looked at the best the industry created, celebrating the achievements that make our phones, tablets and mobile life amazing.

• Android Wear by Google
• Boomsound by HTC
• Chromecast by Google
• Pureview by Nokia
• Snapdragon 801 by Qualcomm
• Touch ID by Apple

HTC One M8 wins TechRadar's Phone of the Year

The first TechRadar Phone Awards took place in the awesome Ticketmaster Offices in London tonight – complete with slide – and a packed room saw some of the biggest names being rewarded for their impressive efforts.

Poor attempts at humour from Phones and Tablets Editor Gareth Beavis and Editor in Chief Patrick Goss aside, a great time was had by all – especially the winners.

Innovation of the year

The first award went to Qualcomm for its excellent Snapdragon 801 System on a Chip. Here's what the judges had to say:

"The Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 System on a chip has changed the game in the mobile phone space, be it through power upgrades, better graphics or most importantly, more battery life for our phones."

Best app

This category speaks for itself: the app that either brought the best innovation, design, user experience or game-changing element to the mobile landscape - and it was Spotify which won the judge's hearts on the night.

Our judges said: "Spotify is fast becoming the de facto music service for any smartphone or tablet user, and the recent UI update has made things even cleaner and easier to use."

• Read our Spotify review

Best budget tablet

With so many affordable tablets available today this category looks beyond the spec and works out which slate offers the best value for money under £200 and our judges agreed that the Google Nexus 7 (2013) tops the bill.

"Pound for pound, the Nexus 7 brings stunning specs and follows on brilliantly from the original disruptive tablet that changed the budget market."

• Read our Google Nexus 7 review

Best budget phone

This category was really tough as the budget mobile market has exploded over the past 12 months with a vast array of excellent smartphones available for under £200.

After much deliberation our judges selected the Motorola Moto G as the worthy winner. Here's what they had to say:

"People are still wondering how the Moto G packs in so many great specs at a low price. The judges liked the fact it now comes in 4G and with a memory card slot, giving the users choice to get what they want."

• Read out Motorola Moto G review

Best tablet

Quite obviously this category celebrates the tablet that impressed the judges the most, taking into account style, power, price and build quality and this year it was the iPad Air from Apple which stole the show.

"The most unanimous award among the judges, the iPad Air is still streets ahead of its rivals, with an amazing design, slick functionality – and backed by one of the best app collections out there."

• Read our iPad Air review

Best phone

And finally, the big prize of the night went to the excellent HTC One M8, which fought off a fantastic array of handsets to be crowned as the best phone.

The judges looked for the handset they thought was most powerful, well-designed, impressive, and most importantly, offering a brilliant experience for the user.

The judges lauded it for having the 'best build quality', 'great design', 'packed with simple innovation', and just being a really, really good phone to have in your pocket.

• Read our HTC One M8 review

Have a peep at the alleged Nvidia Shield tablet

Nvidia already confirmed it's hard at work on a brand new gaming device, so it's no surprise that the rumor mill is spinning up.

The latest development in the saga of the alleged Nvidia Shield tablet - a slate-shaped successor to the Nvidia Shield gaming handheld - is the PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+cGhvdG8gPC9hPg==you see below.

The image comes by way of Evleaks, which at this point requires no introduction as the source of countless legitimate leaks.

The alleged snapshot of the rumored tablet was accompanied by a brief caption that leaves no room for ambiguity: "NVIDIA Shield Tablet, 2014."

The alleged Nvidia Shield tablet, folks (credit: Evleaks)

One-stop slate

The Nvidia Shield tablet is thought to be an Android tablet running Nvidia's powerful Tegra K1 chip, with a focus on gaming and the ability to stream PC games from computers with recent Nvidia GPUs.

The original leak from May came in the form of a benchmark that pegged an unknown Nvidia tablet with a 7.9-inch 2048 x 1536 display and the 2.1GHz quad-core Tegra K1.

More recently, Nvidia confirmed it has a new gaming device in the works, and sources said it would take on Valve's Steam Machines, like the Alienware Alpha, directly. That report may or may not have referred to the Shield tablet, but let's assume for the sake of speculation that it did.

This means a focus on gaming in the living room, and the Shield tablet's rumored specs seem to support that. Like the original Shield, the new tablet is rumored to be packing HDMI-out capabilities. However unlike the first Shield, the Shield tablet's controller will supposedly be sold separately.

Could the Nvidia Shield tablet be a one-stop slate for Android touch screen gaming, portable PC gaming, and living-room gaming with a controller in hand? Hopefully Nvidia breaks the silence soon and lets us know.

• Valve Steam Machines delayed till 2015

Kindle Unlimited looks a lot like Netflix for ebooks

Read a lot of ebooks? Amazon customers may soon have access to more than 600,000 titles for a monthly subscription fee, a deal that could be right up your alley.

GigaOM reported that Amazon may be planning to become the Netflix of ebooks as revealed by mistakenly leaked product pages advertising a new subscription service called Kindle Unlimited.

The pages in question were first spotted by publishers and readers on the Kindle Boards early Wednesday, although most of that evidence vanished from Amazon's website as quickly as it first appeared.

Thankfully, Google has come to the rescue, allowing those cached pages to be called up from the great beyond for further scrutiny ahead of Amazon officially launching the all-you-can-eat ebook subscription service.

Freedom to explore

One such screenshot touts "unlimited access to over 600,000 titles and thousands of audiobooks on any device for just $9.99 a month," which sounds a lot like what competing ebook subscription services Scribd and Oyster already offer. The price in straight conversions comes out to about £6 and AU$11.

For the moment, available Kindle Unlimited content appears to be flush with titles already available through the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, which allows Amazon Prime subscribers who also own one of the company's tablets to "borrow" one ebook free each month.

Conspicuously absent from the test pages, however, are major publishers like Simon & Schuster or HarperCollins, both of whom already offer titles to Amazon's subscription-based competitors.

One web page entitled "KU Test," which is still live at the time of this writing, displays a total of 638,416 available ebook titles, plus another 7,351 Whispersync for Voice-enabled audiobooks, which could offer Amazon a competitive edge over rivals.

• Check out our review of Amazon's Fire TV while you're here!

Nvidia's Shield follow-up may be a serious Steam Machine rival

Nvidia is preparing to launch a new gaming device.

According to the BBC, that device will be an Nvidia Shield follow-up with a different form factor - and it might focus on the living room.

Like the Shield, this new Nvidia device will be able to stream Windows games from a PC (one with a newer Nvidia GPU that can support the Nvidia GeForce Experience, at least) and play PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+QW5kcm9pZCA8L2E+games natively.

But unlike the narrow-marketed Shield, this gadget may focus more on rivaling the upcoming wave of Steam Machines, with a controller sold separately rather than built-in.

Form confusion

The new device is said to have an HDMI outport, though, granted, the original Shield did as well.

At this point, only the BBC knows exactly what form the new Nvidia gaming device might ultimately take.

The report never comes out and says it, but it seems the gadget in question might be one and the same with the rumored Nvidia Shield tablet that keeps popping up.

For one thing the BBC says it the device can "also stream PC games" to a television screen via thanks to the outport, implying it has its own screen. What's more, the report also says that Nvidia may intend the Shield follow-up to serve as an example for other companies making smartphones and tablets.

Tegra K1 in the house

Naturally this mysterious Nvidia gaming device is also said to be packing the company's flagship Tegra K1 chip, another similarity it has with the rumored Shield tablet.

A Nvidia spokesperson declined to confirm with the BBC exactly what the company is working on, but did share that Nvidia has an "awesome new gaming product that is launching soon."

With at least some Steam Machines delayed until 2015, Nvidia might be able to get a head start with whatever this new gaming device turns out to be.

For now, unfortunately, all the rest of us can do is sit back and watch the living room PC wars continue to play out.

• What makes Steam Machines tick? Why SteamOS, of course

Microsoft outs super-cheap Windows laptops to take on Chromebooks

Microsoft is looking to take back the affordable laptop market from the clutches of Google's Chromebooks.

Microsoft COO Kevin Turner revealed that HP is planning to release a $199 (about £116, AU$211) Windows laptop at the company's annual Worldwide Partner Conference going on right now in Washington, D.C. Supposedly called the "Stream," the laptop could be released in time for the holidays.

The Microsoft exec also revealed HP's plan to release the Stream in 7- and 8-inch form factors (i.e. tablets) that will run a version of Windows for $99 (about £57, AU$105) around the same time.

Against Chromebooks

Turner didn't detail any further specifications on the budget Windows machines, but he did make some pointed remarks at Chromebooks.

"We are going to participate at the low-end," Turner said. "We've got a great value proposition against Chromebooks, we are not ceding the market to anyone."

At these super affordable price points the Stream would come at a bargain, beating out many of Google's affordable cloud-powered laptops like the Dell Chromebook 11 and Toshiba Chromebook.

Bargains all around

Meet Microsoft's next affordable offerings

On top of outing the existence of the Stream, Turner also detailed two $249 (about £145, AU$265) laptop options from Acer and Toshiba.

First is the 15.6-inch Acer Aspire ES1 equipped with a 2.16GHz Intel Celeron processor. Storage-wise the affordable notebook will also come with a 500GB HDD and 4G of RAM.

Toshiba, meanwhile, will have a smaller 11.6-inch offering that weighs just 2.4 pounds. The unsurprisingly named Toshiba 11.6 will also hit shelves this holiday season featuring a slightly cramped 32GB SSD - which could be dangerously small considering the amount of space Windows 8.1 takes.

Microsoft also marketed Windows as a better option at the event, noting a few features it does better than Chromebooks. Specifically, the Redmond company stressed Windows is better at running desktop applications, working offline, and sending files directly to a printer.

Microsoft is taking the affordable market fight directly to Chromebooks, and it will be interesting to see if these Celeron-powered, budget machines become popular just as Netbooks did so many years ago.

• Here are the best Chromebooks on the market

Via The Verge

Future iPhones, iPads and MacBooks could run for weeks thanks to fuel cells

Gadgets of the future might run for weeks without needing to be charged, and Apple might help usher in that future with upcoming iPhones, iPads and laptops.

British company Intelligent Energy announced recently it had acquired a set of patents in partnership with an "international electronics company," and "senior sources in the US" told the Daily Mail that the company is in fact Apple.

The two companies are working together and hope to put fuel cells that can keep electronics charged for days or even weeks at a time in laptops and mobile devices "within in a few years," the report says.

According to the Mail, Intelligent Energy's fuel cells are both green and highly efficient, a welcome combo for users looking for long-lasting and environmentally friendly gadgets.

Friendly neighbors

There's more evidence for this partnership than just the hearsay of some anonymous sources, though.

Apparently Intelligent Energy's Chief Operating Officer Joe O'Sullivan used to be an Apple exec, and the energy company recently opened an office in San Jose, Calif., a short drive from PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5BcHBsZSdzIDwvYT4=Cupertino headquarters.

Intelligent Energy already supplies tech to companies including Suzuki and Boeing, but the pipe dream of fuel cell-powered consumer electronics has yet to be realized.

Apple was talking about putting fuel cells in MacBooks as early as 2011, though, so it's about time that idea came to fruition.

• Read TechRadar's latest MacBook Air review!

Nvidia's Shield follow-up may be a serious Steam Machine rival

Nvidia is preparing to launch a new gaming device.

According to the BBC, that device will be an Nvidia Shield follow-up with a different form factor - and it might focus on the living room.

Like the Shield, this new Nvidia device will be able to stream Windows games from a PC (one with a newer Nvidia GPU that can support the Nvidia GeForce Experience, at least) and play PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+QW5kcm9pZCA8L2E+games natively.

But unlike the narrow-marketed Shield, this gadget may focus more on rivaling the upcoming wave of Steam Machines, with a controller sold separately rather than built-in.

Form confusion

The new device is said to have an HDMI outport, though, granted, the original Shield did as well.

At this point, only the BBC knows exactly what form the new Nvidia gaming device might ultimately take.

The report never comes out and says it, but it seems the gadget in question might be one and the same with the rumored Nvidia Shield tablet that keeps popping up.

For one thing the BBC says it the device can "also stream PC games" to a television screen via thanks to the outport, implying it has its own screen. What's more, the report also says that Nvidia may intend the Shield follow-up to serve as an example for other companies making smartphones and tablets.

Tegra K1 in the house

Naturally this mysterious Nvidia gaming device is also said to be packing the company's flagship Tegra K1 chip, another similarity it has with the rumored Shield tablet.

A Nvidia spokesperson declined to confirm with the BBC exactly what the company is working on, but did share that Nvidia has an "awesome new gaming product that is launching soon."

With at least some Steam Machines delayed until 2015, Nvidia might be able to get a head start with whatever this new gaming device turns out to be.

For now, unfortunately, all the rest of us can do is sit back and watch the living room PC wars continue to play out.

• What makes Steam Machines tick? Why SteamOS, of course

Microsoft outs super-cheap Windows laptops to take on Chromebooks

Microsoft is looking to take back the affordable laptop market from the clutches of Google's Chromebooks.

Microsoft COO Kevin Turner revealed that HP is planning to release a $199 (about £116, AU$211) Windows laptop at the company's annual Worldwide Partner Conference going on right now in Washington, D.C. Supposedly called the "Stream," the laptop could be released in time for the holidays.

The Microsoft exec also revealed HP's plan to release the Stream in 7- and 8-inch form factors (i.e. tablets) that will run a version of Windows for $99 (about £57, AU$105) around the same time.

Against Chromebooks

Turner didn't detail any further specifications on the budget Windows machines, but he did make some pointed remarks at Chromebooks.

"We are going to participate at the low-end," Turner said. "We've got a great value proposition against Chromebooks, we are not ceding the market to anyone."

At these super affordable price points the Stream would come at a bargain, beating out many of Google's affordable cloud-powered laptops like the Dell Chromebook 11 and Toshiba Chromebook.

Bargains all around

Meet Microsoft's next affordable offerings

On top of outing the existence of the Stream, Turner also detailed two $249 (about £145, AU$265) laptop options from Acer and Toshiba.

First is the 15.6-inch Acer Aspire ES1 equipped with a 2.16GHz Intel Celeron processor. Storage-wise the affordable notebook will also come with a 500GB HDD and 4G of RAM.

Toshiba, meanwhile, will have a smaller 11.6-inch offering that weighs just 2.4 pounds. The unsurprisingly named Toshiba 11.6 will also hit shelves this holiday season featuring a slightly cramped 32GB SSD - which could be dangerously small considering the amount of space Windows 8.1 takes.

Microsoft also marketed Windows as a better option at the event, noting a few features it does better than Chromebooks. Specifically, the Redmond company stressed Windows is better at running desktop applications, working offline, and sending files directly to a printer.

Microsoft is taking the affordable market fight directly to Chromebooks, and it will be interesting to see if these Celeron-powered, budget machines become popular just as Netbooks did so many years ago.

• Here are the best Chromebooks on the market

Via The Verge

Future iPhones, iPads and MacBooks could run for weeks thanks to fuel cells

Gadgets of the future might run for weeks without needing to be charged, and Apple might help usher in that future with upcoming iPhones, iPads and laptops.

British company Intelligent Energy announced recently it had acquired a set of patents in partnership with an "international electronics company," and "senior sources in the US" told the Daily Mail that the company is in fact Apple.

The two companies are working together and hope to put fuel cells that can keep electronics charged for days or even weeks at a time in laptops and mobile devices "within in a few years," the report says.

According to the Mail, Intelligent Energy's fuel cells are both green and highly efficient, a welcome combo for users looking for long-lasting and environmentally friendly gadgets.

Friendly neighbors

There's more evidence for this partnership than just the hearsay of some anonymous sources, though.

Apparently Intelligent Energy's Chief Operating Officer Joe O'Sullivan used to be an Apple exec, and the energy company recently opened an office in San Jose, Calif., a short drive from PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5BcHBsZSdzIDwvYT4=Cupertino headquarters.

Intelligent Energy already supplies tech to companies including Suzuki and Boeing, but the pipe dream of fuel cell-powered consumer electronics has yet to be realized.

Apple was talking about putting fuel cells in MacBooks as early as 2011, though, so it's about time that idea came to fruition.

• Read TechRadar's latest MacBook Air review!