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☆ AMD delivers a Q4 beat amid industry headwinds, validating the Club investment case
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

But the deal was ultimately necessary for AMD, as it helped it expand its data center business, boost margins, and further diversify away from PCs. Bottom line Despite facing industry-wide headwinds, including a chip glut and soft PC demand, AMD managed to outperform low expectations. Q4 segment results Data center revenues increased 42% but were a little softer than what analysts had forecasted. Sequentially, embedded revenues are expected to increase, providing some upside, while gaming and PC revenues are expected to decline, consistent with seasonality. No specific financial guidance was provided for the full year of 2023, but management expects the data center and embedded segments to grow year-over-year.

☆ Microsoft Outage Hits Outlook, Teams and Xbox Live Users
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Gareth Vipers | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Microsoft Corp.’s popular Teams and Outlook software were hit by a global outage, with thousands of users reporting that the products were down early Wednesday, before the service was restored. Users said they were unable to access Microsoft’s collaboration software Teams, as well as Outlook and Xbox Live services and its 365 products, according to Downdetector, a website that tracks service disruptions on the internet. Many companies across the globe depend on Teams and Outlook for their daily operations.

☆ StoryCo and 'Halo' showrunner team up to launch 'Disco Ball,' a blockchain-based immersive story that's a model for Hollywood's move into Web3
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The blockchain-based creative platform StoryCo is launching a new immersive storytelling concept. People who sign up for a StoryPass (an NFT) can collect digital art and have creative control over "The Disco Ball." StoryCo just raised $6 million in a seed funding round led by VC firms Collab + Currency and Patron. At the end of "Disco Ball," NFT holders "will assume control over the infinitely expanding Disco Ball universe." Half of all net revenue from projects like "Disco Ball" would then be split among the treasury's members after its story writers and creators are compensated.

☆ Sony's gaming chief met EU's Vestager on Microsoft's Activision deal -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Sony's gaming chief Jim Ryan met EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager on Wednesday to discuss Microsoft's (MSFT.O) $69 billion bid for "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O), a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Microsoft is looking to Activision to help it compete better with leaders Tencent (0700.HK) and Sony (6758.T). The person declined to provide details of the discussion between Ryan and Vestager. The European Commission, which is scheduled to rule on the deal by April 11, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has sued to block the deal while UK regulators have also expressed concerns.

☆ 'GoldenEye 007' is coming to Nintendo Switch and Xbox
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

“GoldenEye 007,” a classic first-person shooter made for Nintendo 64 in 1997, is being revived for Nintendo Switch and Xbox more than 25 years later. For fans who subscribe to additional content on both gaming systems, the game will be available on Friday. The Xbox version has been “faithfully recreated and enhanced,” said one ad for the re-release, while the Switch game features an online multiplayer mode. The return of “GoldenEye 007,” often referred to as one of the greatest video games of all time, has been years in the making. Now, Rare, the game’s original developer, has recreated it for Xbox with “a few modern touches,” while Nintendo is re-releasing the original on its Switch console.

☆ Microsoft's forecast suggests gloomy tech environment will continue
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A metric dubbed Microsoft Cloud — including Azure, commercial subscriptions to Microsoft 365, commercial LinkedIn services and Dynamics 365 enterprise software — now represents 51% of total sales. Large organizations are optimizing their spending on cloud services, a key area of growth for Microsoft, CEO Satya Nadella said. Hood said said Azure growth would slow down more. In the full December quarter, revenue from Azure and other cloud services rose 42% in constant currency. Her forecast included flat revenue for Windows commercial products and cloud services, compared with a decline of 3% in the fiscal second quarter.

☆ Microsoft's slight earnings beat is not enough to lure us off the sidelines
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Dynamics 356 revenue was up 29% in constant currency, while LinkedIn's revenue increased by 14% in constant currency. Azure revenue growth increased 31%, or 38% on a constant currency basis, year-over-year. But Microsoft still beat Wall Street expectations for a constant currency growth rate of about 37%. Note: Constant currency growth rates help strip out fluctuations in foreign currency, namely a strong U.S. dollar, to provide a clearer financial picture. Of note, management sees Office 365 revenue growth sequentially lower by roughly 1 percentage point on a constant currency basis.

☆ Microsoft quarterly profit falls 12% but cloud computing business shows strength
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The tech giant reported revenue of $52.7 billion for the quarter, a modest 2% increase from the year prior but slightly less than analysts had expected. The earnings results come at a turbulent moment for Microsoft, and the tech industry as a whole. Microsoft said last week that it plans to lay off 10,000 employees as part of broader cost-cutting measures. On Tuesday, Microsoft reported revenue declines from its Windows OEM operations and from its Xbox content and services lines. Revenue from its cloud computing division, a key area of focus for Microsoft in recent years, increased 22% from the prior year.

☆ Xbox CEO says Microsoft's layoffs were 'painful choices,' after tech giant announced 10,000 job cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Xbox CEO Phil Spencer said Microsoft's layoffs were "painful" in an email to staff. Video game blog Kotaku obtained a copy of Spencer's email to staff working in Microsoft's gaming division. Kotaku obtained a copy of a company-wide email — through a current Xbox employee — sent by Spencer to all full-time staff in Microsoft's gaming division. "This is a challenging moment in our business, and this week's actions were painful choices," Spencer wrote in the email. The layoffs affected Microsoft's gaming studios including 343 Industries, Bethesda Game Studios, and its parent company ZeniMax Media, according to Bloomberg.

UFC 283 will stream live on January 21, with the main card starting at 10 p.m. How to watch UFC 283You can watch the main event of UFC 283 on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+, ESPN, and ABC. Ways to save on the UFC 283 pay-per-view priceIf you plan on signing up for ESPN+ to watch UFC 283, you can take advantage of a special discounted package. Here's the fight card for UFC 283: Teixeira vs. HillESPNEarly Prelims — 5:30 p.m.

☆ Microsoft employees are bracing for more layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Ashley Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft employees are bracing for an additional round of layoffs as soon as this week. Microsoft did a round of layoffs in October, cutting about 1,000 employees. Microsoft employees are bracing for an additional round of layoffs as soon as this week as the company extends hiring freezes across many teams. In October, Microsoft laid off about 1,000 employees from teams including the Xbox console gaming division, the cutting-edge Microsoft Strategic Missions and Technology organization, and other units, Insider reported. Several other tech companies have conducted an additional round of job cuts, following on from layoffs last year.

☆ Microsoft faces EU antitrust warning over Activision deal - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) is likely to receive an EU antitrust warning about its $69 billion bid for "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O), people familiar with the matter said, that could pose another challenge to completing the deal. The European Commission is readying a charge sheet known as a statement of objections setting out its concerns about the deal which will be sent to Microsoft in the coming weeks, the people said. The EU antitrust watchdog, which has set an April 11 deadline for its decision on the deal, declined to comment. U.S. and UK regulators, however, have voiced concerns, with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission going to court to block the deal. Microsoft was expected to offer remedies to EU regulators in an attempt to avert a statement of charge and shorten the regulatory process, other sources familiar with the matter told Reuters in November.

☆ Dividend stocks are beating the market — Here are Wall Street's favorite income plays for 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The companies are rated buy by at least 70% of the analysts covering them. Cabot, which yields 2.1%, has nearly 22% upside to the average price target. First Merchants, along with its 3.1% yield, has nearly 18% upside to its consensus price target. Of all names on the list, Broadcom has the highest dividend yield, at 3.2%. Lastly, payments company Visa has an 0.8% dividend yield and 12% upside, based on the consensus price target.

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According to Orange County Superior Court records, Roiland pleaded not guilty to both charges in October 2020. Roiland was arrested and released on a $50,000 bond in August 2020 and arraigned in October 2020. Over the past three years, as the domestic violence case has inched along, Roiland’s career has progressed. Roiland also released the video game “High on Life” in 2022, which he developed through his studio Squanch Games. Roiland won an Emmy for “Rick and Morty” in 2020 and a Hollywood Critics Choice Association TV award for the show in 2022.

Amazon's Fire TV Omni QLED is the company's latest 4K smart TV. The latest is the Fire TV Omni QLED, which is designed to compete with displays from popular value brands like TCL and Hisense. Amazon 65-inch Omni QLED Fire TV Amazon’s latest TV has advanced features like local dimming, quantum dots, and hands-free Alexa. Ryan Waniata/InsiderThe Fire TV Omni QLED is something of a mixed bag when it comes to image quality. That said, those looking to delve deeper into the Amazon ecosystem will find an ally in the Fire TV Omni QLED.

☆ The upcoming Harry Potter game is already a top seller, despite JK Rowling controversy and boycott calls
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"Hogwarts Legacy" is topping charts on Steam and the PlayStation Store, a month from its release. Warner Bros. has suggested it wants to cooperate with Rowling on future Potter-related content. "Hogwarts Legacy" is an open-world role-playing game set in the Harry Potter universe during the 1800s, and the player will play as a student at Hogwarts during that time. Warner Bros. Games representatives did not respond to requests for comment from Insider on whether Rowling will be compensated for "Hogwarts Legacy." But Rowling has far-reaching control over Harry Potter.

☆ The biggest announcements from CES 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Harry Rabinowitz | Harry Rabinowitz Is A Reporter For Select On Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Every year, the biggest brands in tech make their way to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show, or CES. TelevisionRoku, one of the top streaming platforms for smart TVs, announced that it is releasing its own Roku-branded televisions. Now, Roku will be launching its own brand, with Roku Select and Roku Plus TVs, alongside a Roku TV Wireless Soundbar. TCL, a top smart TV brand, is rebranding and overhauling its TV lineup. Now, all of its smart TVs will fall into two groups: the higher-end Q-Series and the budget-friendly S-Series.

☆ China's NetEase buys gaming studio involved in major titles including Halo Infinite and Minecraft
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Canadian firm SkyBox Labs is co-developing Halo Infinite for Microsoft's Xbox. NetEase acquired SkyBox Labs as part of an aggressive international push and as it eyes a slice of the console market. NetEase announced on Friday it had acquired Canadian gaming studio SkyBox Labs which is co-developing major games including Halo Infinte, as the Chinese technology giant continues its aggressive international push. SkyBox labs will operate independently under NetEase, China's second-biggest gaming company. SkyBox Labs is currently co-developing Halo Infinite and working on projects with Minecraft.

☆ The Microsoft-Activision deal gives Lina Khan a $69 billion problem in 2023. Defeating it will set the tone on Big Tech deals for years to come.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The FTC has a $69 billion headache to deal with in 2023 in the form of Microsoft's Activision buyout. Chair Lina Khan wants to rein in Big Tech but will be tested by one a Silicon Valley veteran. The outcome of the deal will have ramifications beyond Microsoft: the rest of Silicon Valley lies in wait before making their next big moves, as any decision will set the tone for Big Tech deals in years to come. That said, Microsoft's acquisition of Activision will prove even tougher to tackle than anything Amazon has thrown up for the FTC chief to date. Failure will likely embolden Big Tech to test the waters further.

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☆ These low-volatility stocks beat the market last year — and analysts see further upside in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

As market pros warn investors of bumpy times ahead , CNBC Pro used FactSet data to screen for low-volatility stocks that not only beat the market in 2022 but are expected to rise further this year. "Beta" is a measurement of a stock's volatility ; a beta of 1 means that a stock's volatility is equal to the market, whereas a beta below 1 means that stock is less volatile than the market. Its largest shareholder Deutsche Telekom made the list too, with the company given average upside of 34.5%. Fertilizer Stocks Fertilizer stocks Nutrien and Corteva made the screen too. Some 54% of analysts covering the stock still rate it a buy, however, with consensus estimates give the stock average upside of 38.6%

☆ Video game workers form Microsoft’s first U.S. labor union
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

A group of video game testers is forming Microsoft’s first labor union in the U.S., which will also be the largest in the video game industry. Communications Workers of America said Tuesday that about 300 quality-assurance workers at Microsoft video game subsidiary ZeniMax Studios have voted to join the union. The unionization campaign was sparked, in part, by Microsoft’s ongoing bid to buy California-based game giant Activision Blizzard. Microsoft, which is based in Redmond, Washington, made a June pact with the CWA union to stay neutral if Activision Blizzard workers sought to form a union. Microsoft’s legally binding agreement specifically applied to Activision Blizzard workers after the closing of the merger.

☆ Microsoft recognizes its first union as ZeniMax software testers organize
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile for Web Summit via Getty Images)Microsoft said Tuesday that it has recognized its first union of employees in the software maker's 47-year history. Last year, Microsoft said it would support approaches that would make it simpler for its employees to join unions. A supermajority of ZeniMax workers said they wanted to join the union, the CWA said in a statement. Microsoft operates 23 internal game studios in addition to selling Xbox consoles and operating gaming services such as Game Pass subscription packages. The workers become the largest group of quality-assurance testers at any U.S. game studio, the CWA said.

☆ No 'substantive' settlement talks between U.S. FTC, Microsoft over Activision -lawyer
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FTC attorney James Weingarten, speaking in a brief telephonic pretrial hearing, said there were no "substantive" settlement discussions between the two sides under way. The case reflects the muscular approach to antitrust enforcement being taken by the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden. Michael Chappell, the FTC administrative law judge, will rule on the deal after hearings set for August 2023. Either side can then appeal to the same FTC commissioners who voted to bring the challenge, and then to a U.S. appeals court. The deal faces scrutiny in the European Union which is to decide by March 23 whether to clear or block the deal.

☆ First pre-trial hearing in Microsoft-Activision case set for Jan. 3
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Industry Insight | Saw Law Firms Move Past The Pandemic Into A More Client-Focused Service Environment | Thomson Reuters Institute | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 30 (Reuters) - A judge has set Jan. 3 for the first pre-trial hearing in the Biden administration's case against Microsoft (MSFT.O) over its $69 billion bid to take over "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O). Microsoft has countered that the deal would benefit gamers and gaming companies alike, offering to sign a legally binding consent decree with the FTC to provide "Call of Duty" games to rivals including Sony (6758.T) for a decade. Microsoft made the argument in a filing aimed at convincing a judge at the FTC to allow the deal to proceed. The case is a sign of the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden taking a muscular approach to anti-trust enforcement. Reporting by Alexandra Alper; editing by Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Big Tech predictions for 2023: A rival for Twitter, Amazon deceleration, Google's AI wake-up call, Microsoft's serious game, cloud bills, and DTC decline
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Hugh Langley | Kali Hays | Ashley Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The painful adjustments will ripple across the industry in 2023.Insider's Big Tech reporters share what to watch this coming year. At $44 billion, the debt-fueled deal was completed quickly at valuations from the frothy tech bull market of 2021. Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThe slow breakdown of Twitter under Musk appears to be upon us. Mastodon has experienced a major influx of users, hitting more than 5 million accounts after Musk took over Twitter. With intense tech antitrust scrutiny, these new services are unlikely to be gobbled up by Big Tech.

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