Surface Confusion in U.K., Canada
Microsoft is handing out vouchers to angry U.K. and Canadian customers who still have not received their pre-ordered Surface tablets.
The company has been doling out vouchers worth $50 to those whose tablets have not arrived, despite pre-ordering before the Oct. 25 launch. Customers were able to pre-order beginning Oct. 16.
According to The Record, Microsoft e-mailed some customers to say the Oct. 26 delivery date had changed to November. A later e-mail then confirmed the original delivery date.
In a statement to The Register, Microsoft said customers in the U.K. and Canada will receive their Surface devices by the original dates given at the time of their orders, between Oct. 26 and 30.
Sandy has Impact on Media
The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal have both taken down their paywalls to give readers free access to up-to-the-minute information on the arrival of Hurricane Sandy.
“The gateway has been removed from the entire site and all apps. The plan is to keep it that way until the weather emergency is over,” New York Times spokeswoman Eileen Murphy told Poytner.
Raju Narisetti, an editor with the Wall Street Journal, tweeted the entire site will also be available for free.
“In addition to comprehensive #Sandy coverage available now, all of http://WSJ.com will be open to all visitors…,” the tweet said.
Google, meanwhile, has posted an interactive map tracking the hurricane as it advances across the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast as well as a map detailing the storm’s impact on New York City.
According to Venture Beat, Weather.com has had 960 million page views in three days — an increase of about one-third of its normal traffic.
Google Unveils Larger Nexus Tablet
Google has added a few more devices to its fourth-quarter line up, including a larger version of its Nexus-branded tablet.
The devices announced Oct. 29 also include the Nexus 4 Smartphone and the Nexus 10 tablet.
LG Electronics is making the Nexus 4 Smartphone. It features a small update to Google’s Android operating system. A more thorough upgrade is to be rolled out in 2013. It also features a 4.7-inch display and tools for sharper photo taking.
The larger Nexus tablet, made by Samsung, features a diagonal 10-inch screen. It will retail for $399 to $499, depending on how much storage it includes.
Google also added new features to the Nexus 7, an Android tablet. Google said the price of the 16-gigabyte version dropped to $50 to $199. A $249 version with 32 gigabytes of memory is available as is a $299 version will feature access to wireless networks.
Two Top Apple Executives Leave Company
After less than six months with Apple, John Browett, the company’s head of retail is leaving. He is joined by longtime software chief Scott Forstall.
Rumors are swirling that user dissatisfaction with the iPhone’s voice-recognition tool Siri and its new Maps App may have played a role in the exit of Forstall.
It is thought discontent among Apple Store employees over pay could be a factor in Browett’s departure.
Technology News Briefs — Oct. 29, 2012