There is a white Xbox One console and gamepad coming this October

   

The rumors are true: there is a white Xbox One game console on the way, and it's arriving alongside Xbox One-exclusive Sunset Overdrive. And the console isn't the only white bit, as there's a white gamepad coming too. It'll cost $400 when it arrives this October, and it comes with the standard 500GB of storage and the aforementioned gamepad. The bundle appears to come without Kinect, though we'll be sure to ask Microsoft as soon as this Gamescom 2014 press conference is over.

The Xbox One is getting major media updates: here's a breakdown

   

Microsoft has just kicked off Gamescom 2014 by announcing a plethora of new features coming to the Xbox One -- some you may have known about, and some not. First up is a much anticipated feature: a new app will soon turn the Xbox One into a media player, letting you stream movie and audio files from a USB key or DLNA network. Microsoft's Major Nelson has promised that the console will support many more media formats than the Xbox 360 did, including new file types like MPEG2 TS, animated GIF and MKV. A preview version of the app will arrive first with USB support, while DLNA and certain file formats like MKV won't come until later. (For a list of compatible file formats, check the source.)

Still on the media front, Microsoft also announced some interesting TV-related features. You'll soon be able to boot directly to your TV from standby mode, a big convenience if you use that app a lot. Another new feature coming is SmartGlass TV streaming: if you're in another room, you can watch shows over your home network on a SmartGlass-equipped tablet or smartphone on Windows, iOS or Android. That'll let you change channels and pause, play or rewind shows, all while still playing games on your Xbox One. The latter feature will arrive first to European countries receiving the new Xbox TV tuner by the end of the year. On a related note, regions with OneGuide will also get a mini guide that displays program information at the bottom of the screen.

For gaming, there's some new but important features, especially for chat users or social types. The new Friends section that rolled out to early access members will now come to the general preview program. To remind you, the new features let you keep up with your friends' activities at a glance, showing the games they're playing and a Gamerscore leaderboard. There will also be a brand new Snap Center where you can see messages, parties, friends and achievements in one place without leaving a game -- a feature that Xbox 360 users were sorely missing. And if you message a lot, you'll now see full conversation threads without interrupting gameplay -- including full discussion histories with embedded links and game clips.

Finally, Microsoft re-iterated that it's hard at work readying the Xbox One launch for 29 new countries, up from the 26 it announced before. It said it's still on track to release the console "in the coming weeks" to countries including Japan, Russia and Switzerland.

'Rise of the Tomb Raider' is a 2015 exclusive for Xbox One

   

Hoping for some Xbox One exclusives to be announced at Gamescom? You're in the right place. Phil Harrison, corporate VP at Microsoft, just announced Rise of Tomb Raider will be coming to the platform some time "holiday" next year (though we're not sure which). It'll be the latest instalment of the legendary franchise, one that's probably older than many of the people who will play it. Even if it isn't the "definitive version."

Microsoft's found a way to smooth out your GoPro shakycam footage

   

GoPro footage is great when well-shot, but the jittery results from less-talented individuals can induce nausea or seizures. If you're interested in doing sped-up time lapse shots, however, Microsoft researchers have created an algorithm that makes them video game-smooth. Their technique is not like regular video stabilization, however. Instead, the "Hyperlapse" method first calculates a 3D camera path and rough geometry of the scene. Then it creates a smooth new optimized camera path, which is used to stitch and blend existing frames to create new output frames. The team has created several sample videos as shown below, and we've got to hand it to them -- despite some artifacts, the final results feel like nearly like flying.

Microsoft unleashes 'Settlers of Catan' on the web

   

Microsoft has something of an extracurricular activity: When it's not releasing Office for iPad or updating Windows, it has a habit of helping other companies build websites. Its latest project is a web version of Settlers of Catan, the popular board game, which it co-developed with Bontom Games. As with previous Microsoft-backed sites, the appeal is that anyone, even Microsoft haters, can use it: The web version will run in any browser that supports HTML5 (in other words, not just IE). That's obviously a different approach from the existing Settlers of Catan apps for Android and iOS, which are of course reserved for people using those platforms.

The game's in beta for now, and Microsoft says more features and improvements are on the way. For now, the game can't set you up with computer opponents, nor will it pair with you some random online player. Instead, you'll have to find at least two other friends, who you can invite through either email or Facebook. (Obviously, since the game runs in any modern browser, it doesn't matter what device your friends are carrying.) Once you get a game going, you take turns asynchronously, with time limits to keep the game going. You can also opt into email notifications, so you'll know when someone's taken a turn. Throughout, you can talk to your opponents using built-in voice chat -- powered by Skype, of course.

Microsoft introduced other features too, including auto-trade and auto-roll -- again, to help keep things moving. Lastly the dice you'd normally use with the physical board game has been replaced with an on-screen button. Ultimately, the company says it plans to announce a complete rule set at GamesCon in August, including development cards, points and achievements, bringing the web game fully in line with the board game version. In the meantime, you can play the beta game here. Enjoy -- and do be patient if you encounter any performance hiccups. It's clear the site isn't fully polished yet.

Microsoft's first post-Nokia phone is the budget Lumia 530

With Nokia's range of Android-powered smartphones all but dead, Microsoft is pushing its newly-acquired Lumia line harder than ever. Today, it's introduced the lowest-priced Windows Phone to date, the Lumia 530, delivering middle-of-the-road specs for €85 ($114). For that, you'll get a 4-inch FWVGA (854 x 480) display, quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory (with support for 128GB microSD storage). There's also a 5-megapixel camera on the rear (no selfie camera here folks), which is controlled by Microsoft's latest Windows Phone 8.1 software. That, of course, offers access to Cortana (if you're in the US), the new WordFlow swipe keyboard and a multitude of other custom Microsoft- and Nokia-crafted apps. Like its older siblings, the Lumia 530 will also come in both single and dual SIM (3G) variants and offer interchangeable back covers, which will be available in the traditional orange, green, white and dark grey colors. Microsoft's latest Lumia will go on a global tour in the near future, starting with an initial rollout in "select markets" from next month.

The cloud is a big money maker for Microsoft as it rethinks hardware and content

   

We always want to know how Microsoft is doing, but today we're paying especially close attention: The company just released its earnings for its fourth fiscal quarter, the first full quarter that new CEO Satya Nadella was on the job. Also, let's not forget that Microsoft just announced it's cutting 18,000 jobs and axing Xbox Entertainment Studios. So how'd the company do? Not bad, actually: The company says revenue is up, largely thanks to its cloud business (previously led by Nadella himself). In particular, Microsoft has its loyal business customers to thank: The company saw big gains in commercial cloud revenue (up 147 percent), Windows licenses and server products. Other honorable mentions include Bing (up 40 percent), Microsoft Office 365 subscriptions and revenue from PC makers.

Largely missing from the report: mentions of hardware. Though the company's new mobile business added nearly $2 billion in revenue, but the firm also took a $38 million hit onSurface RT inventory after canceling the Surface Mini, according to Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood. Basically, then, there are few surprises here: Microsoft made the most money off its bread and butter -- things like enterprise services, the cloud and its core Windows business. And to be honest, we expected as much. Consider that earlier this month, Nadella posted an open letter to employees, reiterating that its mission was to offer productivity tools in a "cloud-first" world. That would indeed seem to be what Microsoft is good at.

All told, the company generated $4.61 billion in profit on $23.38 billion in revenue. To put that in perspective, revenue for the fourth-quarter was up 18 percent over the year-ago period. Profit by 7 percent, but that's to be expected considering Microsoft recently closed its massive $7 billion purchase of Nokia's mobile division. That's it for raw numbers, but Microsoft will be holding a conference call later today to discuss its earnings in more detail. We'll be tuning in, and will update this post as we learn more.

Update: On a call with investors, Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood confirmed that that $38 million hit the company took on "Surface RT inventory" was actually a product that had been in development, but was later canceled. That would be the Surface Mini.

Get a new look on the cheap with these customizable phones

   

Deep-pocketed power users may buy new smartphones once a year or even every few months to take advantage of improved displays, better cameras and faster processors, but the majority of owners are more likely to tire of their device's appearance long before its outdated specs. A few manufacturers have taken a new approach when designing their handsets, opting to include not only replaceable batteries, but also swappable backs, that let you change the look of your phone for only a few bucks. Samsung's Galaxy S5 and LG's G3 are two recent flagships that you can change up after purchase, but there are a few other options to consider, too. If you're feeling extra ambitious, you could even replace the backplate on, say, an IPhone 5S, but such an undertaking requires precise work, pricier parts and a voided warranty. Click through for our customizable picks that keep things simple (and cheap).

Microsoft will abandon Nokia's Android smartphone project

   

It's a day of upheaval over at Microsoft as the company has announced that it'll cut 18,000 jobs in the near future. At the same time, however, Satya  Nadella has cast doubt on the long-term future of Nokia's X series of Android-powered smartphones. In an email, the Microsoft CEO says that the company will refashion "select" Nokia X designs as Lumia smartphones that run Windows Phone. There's no word on if the other handsets in the range will continue, but it seems unlikely given that the phones run Android, Microsoft's biggest rival in the mobile space. If you're still on the hunt for one of these devices, don't worry, as Stephen Elop has added that the company will continue to support and sell the existing range of X series devices.

Microsoft cuts 18,000 jobs as part of its largest layoff ever

   

Microsoft today announced that it's cutting 18,000 jobs, the biggest round of layoffs in its history, as part of ongoing restructuring efforts. In a release, the company says that Nokia's Devices and Services business, which it acquired for $5 billion last year, will be most affected, with 12,500 "professional and factory positions" expected to go by the end of the year. In an email to employees, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella explains that the company's new strategy is designed to make it "more agile" moving forward, allowing teams to work more freely.

Nadella also hinted that Microsoft could end development of Nokia's Android-powered X smartphones by shifting "select Nokia X product designs to become Lumia products running Windows." As for the Xbox and Surface divisions, they'll see "limited change," as the company intends to continue building on plans it implemented earlier in the year. Nadella believes today's cuts will go some way towards helping Microsoft realign itself, allowing it to pursue its goal of innovating both in mobile and the cloud.

Nokia's MixRadio to be spun off as its own music service

   

The restructuring plans from Microsoft caused a ripple effect throughout the company, with its recently acquired Nokia Devices and Services business being the most affected one. Now, as part of this, The Guardian reports that Nokia's MixRadio music-streaming app is expected to spin out and live as a standalone service. Essentially, this means MixRadio will no longer be limited to Microsoft's platform, though it's still going to come pre-loaded on Windows Phone handsets made by Nokia. Not that the world needs another streaming service for tunes, but the eventual spin-off would give the MixRadio app the chance its current features to other platforms such as iOS and Android. At the moment, however, there are still things to work out: "I've been meeting with potential investors around the world in the last few weeks. We have very strong interest from investors in the US, Europe and Asia, and we remain open for further discussions," Nokia's Jyrki Rosenberg, VP of Entertainment, told the British publication.