Microsoft closes Xbox Entertainment Studio

Microsoft closes Xbox Entertainment Studio

Microsoft announced a program to reduce almost 18 000 people this Weak, and Xbox- Division remained almost intact, the studio developing content Xbox Entertainment Studio closes.Recall that the studio was created for the production of the original TV content, based on the owners of Xbox. Until now, the studio employed about 200 people. "In the framework of the planned reduction in the overall working of the state as well as in the light of the renewed mission of the organization, we plan to simplify a significant portion of units and engineering related to Xbox - says head of Xbox Phil Spencer.

"One of the elements of such a plan would be the closing of the studio Xbox Entertainment Studios». In Microsoft limited formal comments, related to the closure of the studio, but in the online edition of Recode, citing sources close to Microsoft, reported that in recent Xbox Entertainment Studios became too disorganized and she did not have a clear business model. In addition, the studio recently not too active to enter into agreements with content partners, making it difficult to exit the original content for the Xbox. However, not all studio projects would be history.

 For example, a television project Halo, started with Steven Spielberg, will be continued, as well as the documentary series Signal to Noise.We also know that Microsoft hired the former president of CBS Entertainment Nancy Tella will continue to work in the Microsoft Entertainment Studios. This also goes part of the leadership closed the studio. Recall that only now in Microsoft employs about 127 000 people, of which 18,000 will be dismissed, with most of the laid-off - are employees of the Finnish Nokia, which moved to the staff of the corporation at the same time with the purchase of the latest smartphone business. Microsoft only moved about 30 000 people.

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Microsoft asks U.S. Attorney General permission to publish the secret data

Microsoft asks U.S. Attorney General permission to publish the secret data

      Microsoft Corp. on the eve of the newly issued a statement on the topical theme for the internet - with the cooperation of the U.S. NSA, or rather a lack of it. Trying to dispel the doubts people have accumulated in connection with the possible cooperation of Microsoft and the U.S. government, Microsoft reiterated that does not provide "direct access" to the user e-mails, instant messages, and they can not listen to the voice traffic Skype. Also, the corporation rejects data about certain master keys that give access to all its postal or voice traffic.

     Microsoft a letter addressed to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, the company asks permission to share large amounts of data related to its interaction with various government departments. Microsoft says that first they have on a constitutional right, and second, they say that there is a need to objectively because of the tension around the Internet companies. In a letter to Microsoft asks Attorney General to provide "personal assistance" of the corporation. Recall that the tension around the IT giants came after former U.S. NSA contractor Edward Snowden began to divulge the details of the program of espionage PRISM, in which U.S. intelligence agencies allegedly listen to Internet traffic of millions of users around the world. Obviously, this has provoked a wave of discontent to the online companies.

     Microsoft says that they are now constrained in their actions aimed at the disclosure of information about the interaction with special services, but can already tell that do not provide direct access to their servers and disclose only selected data and only on selected governmental request. Also, Microsoft asked permission to disclose some information regarding the work of cloud storage service SkyDrive. Press Service of the U.S. Attorney General until the request Microsoft has not commented.

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Microsoft launched a global restructuring

Microsoft launched a global restructuring

         Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on Thursday announced earlier declared program of the global reorganization of Microsoft, aimed at optimizing the internal structure of the company. He also made ​​a number of personnel changes, to senior executives of the company had more appropriate powers in the most important areas and successfully compete with Apple and Google in the segment of gadgets, Internet services and cloud solutions.

         In a letter to employees of the corporation Ballmer said that Microsoft will have to rethink ways to deliver technology innovation to customers. Also, he writes that the task before Microsoft "break down the walls" between large operating units, which are still not too dough interacted with each other. Many observers have blamed the recent prorvalov Microsoft in the market is in the weak interaction within the company.

          Notably, in 2005, when Ballmer became CEO of the company, he was an active supporter of a group of powerful and autonomous units within Microsoft. Time has shown that this model is not otpimalnoy, inhibits the exchange of ideas and development of products in general. way or another, but in a letter to Ballmer's main focus is still shuffling around ecosystems Windows, as the main generator of income of the corporation.

          Plans to significantly optimize Windows-units to what could actively develop Windows Phone OS and contrast the products Apple and Google. Planned Ballmer, Microsoft developers all will be divided into four areas, each of which is responsible for PCs, mobile devices, Xbox and games as well as services. Previously, all of these functions in a particular part was blurred between departments.

        Ballmer says that Microsoft is now before the task is to establish a common software platform for the entire range of manufactured solutions. Along with this, the head of the corporation also has centralized all of the marketing efforts of Microsoft and all the functions of business development so that these areas were personally accountable Ballmer, excluding divisional structure of the unit.

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