Some shops may have gone days without giving a single demo of the Oculus Rift headset.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg dons an Oculus Rift VR headset.
Ask any expert: You’ve gotta try virtual reality before you can understand its true potential.
So it wouldn’t be a particularly good sign if, say, Facebook was having a hard time getting people to try in-store demos of its Oculus Rift VR headset .
Business Insider reported Wednesday that Facebook is closing 200 of its 500 pop-up Oculus Rift demo locations across the United States, due to «seasonal changes. »
«We’re making some seasonal changes and prioritizing demos at hundreds of Best Buy locations in larger markets,» an Oculus spokeswoman confirmed to CNET.
According to Business Insider’s sources, though, «seasonal changes» may be a euphemism. According to multiple unnamed Best Buy workers who reportedly spoke to the publication, it was common for the Oculus Rift pop-up stations to go days without giving a single demo.
It’s not clear why, though: One source suggested it was a lack of interest from the public, another software bugs, and a third that Best Buy wasn’t pushing people hard enough to try the headset.
(I can personally attest that whenever I walk into my local Best Buy store, the dummy headsets are left unmanned and it’s not clear how to actually try one on. But I understand many people start by signing up at this website before they walk into the store.)
It’s also not yet clear whether other stores beyond Best Buy, and other manufacturers, are experiencing a lack of interest in the headsets. (Microsoft Stores, for instance, also often do demos of the Oculus Rift.) Sony, HTC and Microsoft didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Google declined to comment.
Also worth noting: In Best Buy’s third-quarter earnings statement in November, based on data ahead of the busy holiday season, CEO Hubert Joly said Best Buy had already given 300,000 VR demos — though that could include other headsets demoed at Best Buy, like Samsung’s prominently placed Gear VR. Samsung declined to comment.
«We still believe the best way to learn about VR is through a live demo,» said Oculus in an emailed statement, pointing out that hundreds of Best Buy stores in the US and Canada will still offer demos , as will Microsoft Stores and other partners in Canada, the UK, France and Germany. «We’re going to find opportunities to do regular events and pop-ups in retail locations and local communities throughout the year. »
«Making seasonal changes to where we demo Rift at Best Buy is not an indication of the health of Oculus or VR as an industry,» an Oculus spokeswoman added.
Best Buy also points out that even at stores that are no longer offering Oculus Rift demos, the Oculus Rift headset and Oculus Touch controllers will still be on display and for sale.
«We’re always testing, trying and changing things in our stores to give our customers the best opportunity to experience and shop for technology,» writes the retailer, in an emailed statement.
While excitement was high early on, virtual reality has had a pretty slow start, and publicly, momentum seems to have slowed. You can read more about that from my colleague Ian Sherr.

© Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-oculus-closes-best-buy-pop-up-demo-stations/
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Microsoft’s software gets a mini-window for watching video or holding Skype chat. Also new: Windows 10 can lock itself automatically when you walk away.
Windows 10 can show a small video window that stays above other windows.
Multitaskers who need to watch video while crunching numbers in a spreadsheet will be delighted to know Windows 10 soon will be able to accommodate miniature video players better.
A test version of Windows 10 released Wednesday comes with a feature called » compact overlay window » that will always float atop your other windows. That could be handy for holding Skype video chats, keeping an eye on political hearings and yes, watching Netflix or the big game when you’re supposed to be at work.
Microsoft is trying to pep up Windows development with gradual, frequent updates that make users happy and encourage developers to build better software. Slumping PC sales, though, are evidence that it’s harder these days to fire up our enthusiasm for the latest laptop features.
Another new Windows 10 feature called dynamic lock is aimed at better security when you step away from your machine. «If your Bluetooth-paired phone is not found near your PC, Windows turns off the screen and locks the PC after 30 seconds,» said Windows programmer Dona Sarkar in a blog post.
The new version, on Windows’ «fast ring» geared for those who want the latest features before they’ve been fully tested, also includes dozens of bug fixes. If you’re interested, check CNET’s guide on how to get updates through Windows fast ring.

© Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/windows-10-will-let-you-watch-tv-as-you-work/
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It’s possible Nintendo could add it as a later upgrade.
If you were planning to use your Nintendo Switch to surf the web when it comes out March 3, you’re out of luck.
The Switch won’t have an internet browser upon launch, Nintendo’s president, Tatsumi Kimishima, revealed in an interview with Time this week.
«In terms of the internet browser, since all of our efforts have gone toward making Switch an amazing dedicated video game platform, it will not support it, at least at launch,» Kimishima said.
The Nintendo Switch can be played on the go, and docked into a TV (as seen above).
Nintendo’s daring mobile/home console hybrid needs all the help it can get. It’s pricey by most standards — $300, £280 or AU$470 — and will only launch about 10 games (here’s what’s been announced so far at launch and beyond ). So omitting the browser may not endear on-the-fence buyers, especially those who find they do use the internet on their Wii U or 3DS systems.
Even though both those consoles integrate browsers, it isn’t much of a staple for either gaming system. Nintendo has admitted it was challenging to create the Wii U’s browser; the company may have decided that in order to meet its deadline, a browser wouldn’t make the cut.
Still, Nintendo’s Kimishima leaves the possibility open that a browser could come later as some sort of update.
Here’s what else we learned in the Time interview:
The Switch is coming to a store near you next month. Check out CNET’s guide on preordering the Switch here.
Nintendo did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

© Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/nintendo-switch-no-internet-browser/
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Intel’s mothballed Fab 42 is back in business to make next-gen chips, and CEO Krzanich uses it to endorse administration efforts to boost US manufacturing.
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, left, stands next to President Donald Trump to announce a next-generation chip factory.
Intel chip factories come and go, but a new one planned for Arizona assumed new political importance amid President Donald Trump ‘s attempt to enliven US manufacturing.
Intel Chief Executive Brian Krzanich stood by Trump in the White House on Wednesday to announce a plan to resuscitate an Arizona chip factory called Fab 42, boasting of the company’s manufacturing prowess and criticizing US regulations. His close proximity contrasts with many tech companies’ displeasure with the new administration.
«Intel is proud of the fact that the majority of our manufacturing is here in the US and the majority of our research and development is here in the US while over 80 percent of what we sell is sold outside the US,» Krzanich said. «We’ve been able to do that even while the regulatory and tax policies have disadvantaged us in the past relative to the competition we’ve had across the world. »
Trump tweeted his pleasure at Intel’s move : «Thank you Brian Krzanich, CEO of @Intel. A great investment ($7 BILLION) in American INNOVATION and JOBS! #AmericaFirst»
Although Intel capitalized on the administration’s priorities, it had nothing to do with the company’s actual decision. «We’re thrilled to have the recognition for the investment and to be able to show people we’re investing in the future of innovation in the US, but it wasn’t tied to any specific policy or anything the administration did,» Intel spokesman William Moss said. «It’s driven because we anticipate demand for the factory along the time frame it’ll take us to complete. »
Intel no doubt would like more favorable regulations in the US, but tight ties with Trump can come with a cost, too. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick resigned from a Trump economic advisory council after customers uninstalled his company’s ride-hailing app en masse in part to protest Uber’s cooperation. Elon Musk, CEO of electric carmaker Tesla , hasn’t resigned despite some similar pushback, but he’s also offered some resistance to the Trump administration’s fondness for fossil fuels. For example, a tweet Wednesday from Musk pointed toward a The Wall Street Journal op-ed seeking a carbon tax to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Intel’s investment reawakens an old plant. Intel announced Fab 42 in 2011 as part of a $5 billion investment plan that would mean 1,000 new jobs, but mothballed it in 2014 because of slumping chip demand. Now it’s back on with a $7 billion plan that will mean 3,000 jobs in three or four years, Intel said.
Intel announced Fab 42 in Chandler, Ariz., in 2011, mothballed it in 2014 and is now set to begin manufacturing chips there in 2020 or 2021.
At the White House, Krzanich echoed Trump’s speaking style to boast of the plan. «This factory will produce the most powerful computer chips on the planet, powering the best computers , the best data centers, autonomous cars — the most powerful computing devices on the planet,» he said.
In an email to employees, he also lent his backing to Trump administration policy. «We support the administration’s policies to level the global playing field and make U. S. manufacturing competitive worldwide through new regulatory standards and investment policies,» he said.
But Intel also joined Google, Facebook, Apple , Microsoft and dozens of other tech companies that objected to Trump’s immigration ban .
«When we disagree, we don’t walk away,» Krzanich said in his email. «We believe that we must be part of the conversation to voice our views on key issues such as immigration, H1B visas and other policies that are essential to innovation. »
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich meets with President Trump at the White House and endorses his administration’s efforts to boost US manufacturing.

© Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/intel-chip-factory-trump-us-manufacturing-arizona/
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Intel’s 10-nm products are likely in production as we speak. Seven nanometers is the next stop on the roadmap, and the…
Intel’s 10-nm products are likely in production as we speak. Seven nanometers is the next stop on the roadmap, and the company revealed today that it’ll be pouring $7 billion into its Chandler, Arizona facilities to complete an entirely new foundry for production on that node. Intel expects that Fab 42, as it’ll be known, will require three to four years of construction before it’s complete. When Fab 42 comes online, Intel says it’ll be «the most advanced semiconductor factory in the world. »
Intel’s Chandler facilities
Intel already lays down many of its cutting-edge chips in Chandler, Arizona using its 22-nm and 14-nm tri-gate processes. The company employs more than 11,000 people at those facilities, and it expects to hire 3,000 more as a direct result of Fab 42’s operations. In total, the company expects that Fab 42 will support more than 10,000 jobs in the surrounding area.

© Source: http://techreport.com/news/31406/intel-plans-7-billion-fab-42-investment-for-7-nm-production
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