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Microsoft E3 2008 press conference wrap-up

Jeff Bakalar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:03:00 GMT

The new Xbox 360 dashboard

(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News)

The E3 conference opened Monday in Los Angeles with a press conference from Microsoft. Here are some highlights.

Microsoft showed off first-ever game play footage from the post-apocalyptic title Fallout 3 and announced that there will be downloadable content exclusive to Xbox Live. We saw real-time action from Resident Evil 5, shipping on March 13. We got a peek at the new co-op feature in the game, where players will be able to team up and make their way through together. Developer Square Enix also made announcements that included the release of four titles for Xbox 360 including Final Fantasy XIII.

roundup
Complete E3 coverage

Expo is no longer a huge free-for-all,
but that doesn't mean Microsoft
and others aren't making noise.

As for console exclusives, we saw in-game action from Fable 2, shipping in October. Players will be able to seamlessly invite other friends who are also playing the game. Finally, we were blown away by the impressive game demo of Gears of War 2 shipping November 7. The game actually looks better than the original and will feature a five-player online co-op mode.

Microsoft will be releasing a new dashboard interface this fall that incorporates an avatar system--the Xbox answer to Nintendo Mii characters. The new feature allows you to join up with other friends to form a "party," a group of up to eight people where you can share multimedia items or start a game. A new mode called Primetime will actually incorporate real-life TV shows like 1 vs. 100 and allow Xbox Live members to play and watch these game shows and possibly even win real prizes.

Microsoft also announced ...

Yahoo's Yang throws jabs at Microsoft and Icahn

Dawn Kawamoto — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:48:00 GMT

Updated at 2:20 p.m. PDT, with details about an opinion piece by Yahoo board member Gary Wilson in The Wall Street Journal.

After taking a one-two punch from investor activist Carl Icahn and Microsoft on Monday, Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang threw a few punches of his own in ...

Legg Mason suggests $33 a share for Yahoo

Dawn Kawamoto — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:33:00 GMT

Yahoo's third largest investor offered up some advice Tuesday to dissident shareholder Carl Icahn on what it may take to swing investor votes his way in a proxy fight, according to a Reuters report.

Legg Mason portfolio manager Bill Miller had this observation to offer to Reuters, when queried ...

Daily Debrief: For Microsoft, one step forward, two steps back

Kara Tsuboi — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:15:00 GMT

Tuesday brought a mixed bag of Microsoft news. On the Daily Debrief, I sit down with CNET News senior writer Ina Fried to discuss the good, the bad, and the downright embarrassing.

Let's ...

Microsoft preps pay-as-you-go Web apps for business

Elsa Wenzel — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:34:00 GMT

Microsoft detailed on Tuesday its road map and pricing for Web-based software suites built for big companies and growing businesses.

Enabling telecommuting, which many employers and workers increasingly favor, is likely to be a selling point for the productivity and "deskless worker" tools within the Microsoft Online Services lineup.

The ...

Icahn also fighting clock in Yahoo board challenge

Dawn Kawamoto — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:00:00 GMT

Investor activist Carl Icahn needed a sign, a tangible sign, that Microsoft was still interested in buying Yahoo, or at a minimum, its search business, if he were to increase his chances of winning his proxy fight to unseat the company's entire board of directors.

On Monday, in a

...

Daily Debrief: Icahn, Microsoft team up on Yahoo

Kara Tsuboi — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:37:00 GMT

Ever since Microsoft first stated its intention to purchase Yahoo in February, and Yahoo said no, it's been a roller coaster as the deal goes through its on-again, off-again phases. On Monday's edition of ...

Microsoft probing ActiveX attacks targeting Access feature

Elinor Mills — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:31:00 GMT

Microsoft issued a security advisory on Monday warning about targeted attacks being launched that exploit a hole in the ActiveX control for the Snapshot Viewer in the Microsoft Access database management system.

Basically, an attacker would have to lure a victim, via a link in an e-mail or IM for ...

Wall Street keeps cautious eye on Yahoo

Dawn Kawamoto — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:26:00 GMT

Wall Street is largely keeping a cautious eye on Yahoo, despite Microsoft's announcement on Monday that it is interested in negotiating a possible buyout of Yahoo's search assets, or potentially making a renewed bid for the entire company.

Analysts, overall, still have a "hold" recommendation on the stock, ...

Yahoo: We're ready to do deal with Microsoft

Dawn Kawamoto — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:23:00 GMT

Yahoo was hit with a one-two punch Monday--first a right jab from Carl Icahn, which is calling for the removal of Yahoo's entire board, and then a left hook from Microsoft, which confirmed its support for Icahn's proxy fight and said it's interested in negotiating a deal ...