We have some news coming out of the world of those new-fangled “search engines” that are so popular with the kids; it looks like Microsoft’s re-branded search product’s market share is creeping up on double digits in the U.S., currently sitting at 9.9% for September of 2009. Bing’s share of internet spelunking is up 1.4% for the year and 0.5% in September alone, compare that with -3% on the year for Yahoo! and +2.4% for Google. Not too shabby, considering bing.com was just launched on May 28th of this year. Here at BGR we are pretty loyal Googler’s, what about you? Any die hard, uh, Binger’s out there?

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When we first heard of Microsoft’s Project Natal, our immediate thoughts were about public availability. Sadly, it looks like this hot new hardware is going to marinate for another year before it becomes available to the public in November 2010. Microsoft’s plan is to release the camera unit, which registers body movement so that you are the controller, along with 14 games ready to go. The camera is rumored to cost somewhere between $50 to $80 (and it might actually include those 14 games for that price), which isn’t bad for what Microsoft is trying to accomplish — impulse buys. Why is it going to take so long to release a product that has already been demoed at E3? Well, the 14 compatible games are still being developed and Microsoft is trying to crank out 5 million camera units for launch. And just like refreshing gadgets with new color options, additional hardware and new ways to interface with games will keep the Xbox 360 from becoming outdated any time soon. Hit the jump for a demo ad.

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Well, the numbers for week 1 are in, and they look good for Microsoft and Windows 7. Microsoft’s latest OS venture has outpaced Vista in first week sales by, get ready for it, 234%. Not bad in a down economy for sure. The new OS has also outpaced Vista in terms of revenue: Seven has generated 83% more revenue for Redmond than the big “V” in its first week. We’ve got 7 on our fleet of machines, but how many of you out there have upgraded? What are your thoughts thus far? So far, we like!

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Things always get a little chippy between Apple and Microsoft when Microsoft one company is preparing for a large OS release, and with Windows 7 it has been no different. Justin Long and John Hodgman have been all over our televisions throwing subtle digs at the newest OS to come out of Redmond. However, Apple is — from a support standpoint — singing a different tune as the Mac maker has announced plans to fully support Windows 7 in its Boot Camp software before the end of this calendar year. The announcement (if you can call it that) came via a knowledge base article on Apple’s support website and states a software update to the Boot Camp software and an Intel Mac will be required. All this bickering reminds us of a scene in The Dark Knight where the Joker explains to Batman, “I don’t want to kill you! What would I do without you? No, no, NO! No. You…you…complete me.”

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Microsoft has started to ramp up its advertisement of Windows 7 and they’ve enlisted some serious star power to do it; Stewie and Brian Griffin. A special titled “Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show” will air November 8th on Fox at 8:30p  (EST and PST). You won’t have to deal with any commercials, just the constant subtle placement of Windows 7 into the plot line.  The deal is also said to include a 12-week college tour with outdoor movie nights hosted by Brian and Stewie. Can cartoon characters give Windows 7 the “mo” it needs to have a successful launch? We’ll see. And hey, if you need your memory refreshed, this is Microsoft’s last Windows advertising adventure, staring comedian Jerry Seinfeld.

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Sorry to be the bearers of bad news for T-Mobile Sidekick customers that are still without data after nearly two weeks, but it appears that you’ve got little to no chance of ever getting any information you had stored on Danger’s servers back. Said T-Mobile today:

“Regrettably, based on Microsoft/Danger’s latest recovery assessment of their systems, we must now inform you that personal information stored on your device – such as contacts, calendar entries, to-do lists or photos – that is no longer on your Sidekick almost certainly has been lost as a result of a server failure at Microsoft/Danger.”

Ouch. Can someone please check that Perez Hilton hasn’t had a heart attack? Just to clarify, there is a difference between no data access, which is now restored, and device data on handset. Because of this, T-Mobile urges you not to turn off your Sidekick or let its battery die.

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Microsoft is having a hard time containing Windows Mobile 6.5.  First, the HTC Pure hits retail shelves in advance of the October 6th unveiling, and now Windows Marketplace for Mobile has also reportedly launched prematurely. If you are already running Windows Mobile 6.5 on your handset or were amongst the savvy folks that scored an HTC Pure this weekend, you can now enjoy the ease of browsing and buying applications through Microsoft’s first mobile phone marketplace. Your pleasure will be limited as the marketplace reportedly only contains 34 applications, most of which have a higher price tag than the 99¢ price point that dominates Apple’s App store. Let’s hope that Microsoft is working overtime today to beef up the numbers and trim down the prices of the applications in their fledgling Marketplace. Otherwise, well, you can use your imagination.

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In case you’ve not heard by now, T-Mobile Sidekick users have been trying to live a normal life this weekend while suffering from the ill effects of what surely has to be the be all and end of all of mobile data outages. As it stands, it appears that every single Sidekick user across the country is unable to use any services that pass through Danger’s servers meaning the only thing they’re currently able to do is make calls and send text. Everything from email, IM and, perhaps worst of all, contacts are unavailable. Yesterday T-Mobile promised that it would have services up and running by late evening, but this obviously did not happen which is why our inboxes are being flooded by the suffering. We’re still waiting on an update from T-Mobile on this matter, but rest assured that we’ll let you know what’s going on just as soon as we hear.

Thanks to everyone that sent this in!

Back in May, blogs across the Web erupted when word of Microsoft’s planned maximum specs for Windows 7 Starter Edition emerged. To recap, Microsoft had decided to limit the specs for netbooks on which OEMs could pre-install Windows 7 Starter Edition. The move would, in theory, help ensure beefier (and pricier) editions of Win7 got enough attention. Fast forward to today however, and it appears as though Redmond had a change of heart — not only where maximum specs are concerned, but also with the long-reported three app limit. A Microsoft UK spokesperson had this to say:

OEMs and ODMs have the choice to install any version of Windows on a netbook. Starter is an entry version and doesn’t have many of the consumer or business features. The three application limit isn’t there anymore.

The bottom line is that it’s now up to the user to decide which is more important: the attractive price of 7 Starter Edition or the fanned out functionality of pricier versions. You know — the way it should be. Good show, Microsoft.

Thanks, Roger!

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It’s no mystery that manufacturers are dying to ship Windows 7. Regardless of its current state, there’s still just too much of a stigma attached to Vista and manufacturers are all too eager to move on. Moreover, so is Microsoft. As such, we highly doubt the Redmond-based giant will put up much of a fuss over the fact that small custom PC builders like Puget Systems are advertising the availability of Windows 7 ahead of its official launch on October 22nd. According to Puget’s site, Windows 7 is available for pre-order as of yesterday and PCs with 7 preloaded are expected to begin shipping on October 13th — slightly over a week ahead of Win 7’s official retail launch. Of course a week is hardly a long time to wait if you’re not into the idea of purchasing from a smaller computer shop, but early adopters will be glad to know they have options. In any event, 7 is almost upon us… Rejoice!

Thanks, Adrian!

[Via Ars Technica]

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Microsoft must be shitting bricks by now, because Gizmodo clearly has befriended someone very high up within the company. Yesterday they brought us information about the Courier tablet and now they’ve (temporarily) moved on to two handsets that represent the fruits of labor of Microsoft’s project Pink. If the Turtle and Pure don’t scream high end to you, good job; you’re amongst the most observant people on this planet. You see, Pink is all about assisting Microsoft establish a strangle hold on the very same market that Danger (a recent Microsoft acquisition) is going after with its Sidekick. And by that we mean pretty much everyone who wants a phone that can do more than make calls, has quite a lot of social media integration but doesn’t carry the costs or “un-hip” stigma that many smartphones possess. Having said that, it really isn’t clear what Microsoft is going to put into Pink handsets, but all rumors seem to point to them snuggling up fairly close to the Zune family of products. Hit the jump for a few more pics.

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Apple’s tablet might have captured our imagination but leaked renders of Microsoft’s secret Courier tablet have captured our hearts. Believe it or not, it’s actually quite difficult to describe the Courier. It’s comprised of two hinged multitouch displays that are each about seven inches diagonal. They open away from each other like a book, and rest in a case that resembles a book jacket. Responding to both finger gestures and the precise touch of a stylus, the screens cooperate with one another to allow users to drag documents, pictures, text and various other elements of the UI from screen to screen. Other notes: there is a home button on the hinge, status LEDs along the side and even a 3 megapixel camera with flash and 4x digital zoom for good measure. We’re dying to know more about and see more of the Courier, something which Giz is more than happy to do as it has made it clear that this is just the beginning of its coverage. Hit the jump to see some absolutely awesome eye candy.

Really digging the Courier after seeing these pics? You haven’t seen anything yet. Hit the read link to check out a video that we guarantee will blow your socks off.

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Good news, future Windows Phone owners — Microsoft has further clarified its position on the app kill switch tied to Windows Mobile 6.5 we reported earlier this week. Apparently it’s not as bad as everyone thought. In short, the remote deletion of apps from users’ handsets will supposedly only occur in the event an app goes haywire:

In the vast majority of instances where an application is removed from Windows Marketplace for Mobile, users of this application will continue to be able to use these applications on their phones. In the rare event an application from Marketplace exhibits harmful behavior or has unforeseen effects, Marketplace has the capability to remotely uninstall these applications. While we hope to avoid this scenario, we will make refunds available in such cases.

So in the end — assuming Microsoft holds true to its statement — the Marketplace for Mobile kill switch shouldn’t have any negative impact on users. Of course “unforeseen effects” leaves a bit of room for interpretation, but Redmond’s vow to issue refunds in the event an app is remotely uninstalled should help everyone feel all warm and fuzzy again. Satisfied, WinMo fans?

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We have a bit of troubling news from Windows world today as a developer in attendance at Microsoft’s Tech.Ed New Zealand has relayed some interesting tidbits. Regarding the “Windows Marketplace for Mobile” — Microsoft’s version of the Apple App Store — Microsoft has confirmed the existence of a ‘kill switch’ for apps. In the event an approved app is later removed from the Marketplace, the app will also automatically be removed from users’ handsets. We’re not sure what this means for paid apps, though we doubt refunds will be issued automatically as well. Microsoft isn’t the only company with this policy of course, but it’s a bit unsettling all the same. The bottom line is that this could spell bad news for users and developers alike, though we highly doubt Microsoft will rule over the Marketplace with an iron fist to the extent that Apple does. Let’s just hope that if and when Redmond does start killing apps, there’s a good reason for it. Hit the jump for more interesting tidbits from Tech.Ed as reported by The Unofficial Tech Ed Blog.

Thanks, Sean!

• Revenue sharing is always 70/30 for developers. Even if an operator enters the mix, Microsoft will pay the operator share from their 30%.
• It costs US$99 to enroll your first applications – up to five “slots”. Upgrades are free. New apps after this will cost US$99 each.
• Changing an application from “free” to “paid” is not considered an upgrade.
• Microsoft has a set of guidelines – applications have to follow these. For example applications that replace core functionality will be rejected. Mapping/routing applications will be rejected. Some applications may not be available in all markets.
• The marketplace launches in 29 countries.
• Developers are paid through EFT, currently currencies include US dollars, Japanese Yen, Euro, Australia dollars, British pounds.
• If an application is approved but later removed from the marketplace it will then be automatically removed from all mobile devices.
• The marketplace client software will show available updates and users can choose to install them when they want.
• Software can be reinstalled and activated up to five times – for example if you lose your mobile device or change devices.
• Developers are able to specify hardware requirements that will be checked before the software is purchased.
• Even if an application is rejected from the marketplace it is still possible for developers to sell it through other channels.

[Via PPCGeeks]

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Did you hear that? That’s the sound of Windows Mobile fans around the world breathing a simultaneous sigh of relief upon learning that Windows Mobile 6.5-powered handsets, or “Windows Phones”, will finally become available beginning October 6th. Official word just came down from Redmond and we couldn’t be happier to see 6.5 finally preparing to become a reality. As per the announcement, here is an official list of carriers and manufacturers around the globe that are already on board:

• In North America: Mobile operators AT&T, Bell Mobility, Sprint, TELUS and Verizon Wireless, and phone manufacturers HP, HTC Corp., LG Electronics, Samsung and Toshiba Corp.
• In Europe: Mobile operators Orange, Deutsche Telekom AG and Vodafone Group Plc, and phone manufacturers Acer, HTC, LG Electronics, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Toshiba
• In Latin America: Mobile operator TIM Brazil, and phone manufacturers HTC, LG Electronics and Samsung
• In Asia Pacific: Mobile operators NTT DoCoMo Inc., SoftBank Mobile Corp., SK Telecom, Telstra and WILLCOM Inc., and phone manufacturers Acer Inc., HTC, LG Electronics, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Toshiba

As for which devices we might see launch right out the gate, it’s still a bit of a mystery for the time being. Expect the HTC Mega to become a reality around that time of course, and odds are pretty good that the Samsung Omnia II and maybe even the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 will reach market on or soon after the 6th. Anyone as excited as we are to see WinMo 6.1 replaced?

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Hot on the heels of news that Sony’s PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 3 Slim would soon become available for $299.99, Microsoft has responded with a body blow. Redmond’s popular high-end gaming console is currently available in three different versions: Xbox 360 Arcade for $199.99, Xbox 360 Pro for $299.99 and Xbox 360 Elite for $399.99. While the Arcade will continue to sit at its already-attractive price point, beginning tomorrow Microsoft will drop the price on the Pro from $299.99 to $249.99 and the Elite will drop from $399.99 to $299.99. Ouch, Sony. The Pro will stay at its new $250 price point until current inventory is burned through and it will then get the axe, leaving just the $200 Arcade and $300 Elite to man Microsoft’s fort. The company claims that this move has been planned for months but we find it a bit too convenient considering Sony’s aggressive moves of late. So gamers, which sounds the most attractive at the $300 price point — Sony’s PlayStation 3 80GB, the PS3 Slim or Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Elite?

Thanks, Tarun!

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As it turns out, this weekend’s rumored Zune HD preview at Best Buy was the real deal. Tens or even dozens of anxious soon-to-be Zune HD owners (we kid; we want it now) gathered to see the sexy new PMP first hand and one of them even managed to snap an extremely blurry shot of a curious menu item. Mmmm, “Apps”. The attendee tried to access the mysterious menu but lack of Wi-Fi rendered his attempts fruitless. Word on the street is that the Apps menu will be home to various games at launch but we’re still not sure what else will find its way there — certainly something however, lest the menu heading read “Games”. Also of note, one preview attendee claims that the host of this event confirmed the existence of a Zune SDK. This is definitely rumor status right now but it would certainly go a long way to support the inevitable arrival of a Zune app store of sorts.

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Last week, Microsoft and Nokia announced a partnership that will bring native Office support to Symbian handsets. Considering the terrific third-party options currently available for S60 however, it was a bit hard to get excited to be honest. We would hope Microsoft has some amazing new features it will be adding to Symbian’s Office support, but all things considered… Meh. This past week however, a mobile-related tidbit has us truly excited about the future of Office. Microsoft has confirmed that its Office Web Applications will support mobile devices:

Yes, mobile browsers will be supported for Office Web applications. We are still in early phases of development and will share additional details around specific browsers and functionality at a later date.

Boom. While this initial confirmation is lacking in terms of details, the very fact that mobile browsers will be supported by Office Web Apps is huge news. Google Docs currently offers limited mobile browser support — and it’s only usable on a few platforms — but functionality is limited at best. In short, a solid showing from the Ballmer Bunch could easily make us forget all about Google’s offering. Microsoft, the reigning king of the productivity suite, is seemingly attacking the Web app space with guns blazing and we can’t wait to see what Redmond comes up; especially where mobile Web support is concerned.

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In a rumor that could spell doom (ok, maybe not doom) for Microsoft Windows Mobile, DigiTimes is reporting that Microsoft will adopt a two pronged approach for its upcoming Windows Mobile handsets when it finally launches Windows Mobile 7. Rather than go full bore with Windows Mobile 7 in early 2010 (as was expected), Microsoft will allegedly debut a more touch-friendly version of Windows Mobile 6.5 in early 2010. This will be followed by Windows Mobile 7-powered handsets sometime in Q4 2010. The rumor further states that Windows Mobile 7 devices will not replace 6.5 devices. In a rather interesting move, the two platforms will co-exist with 6.5 being a budget OS that will take on Android devices and WM7 being a premium version that will take on the iPhone. We’re not saying it’s impossible but it seems highly unlikely that Microsoft would choose to maintain two concurrent and very different mobile operating systems — especially when the company has struggled to be innovative with the single version of Windows Mobile it has developing for the past nine years.

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Forget the fact that we’re in the second half of 2009 and Microsoft is still releasing new versions of software with “2008″ in the name because the day countless Mac users have been waiting for is finally here: say goodbye to Entourage and hello to Outlook. Soon, anyway. That’s right ladies and gents, Outlook for Mac will ship with the next generation of the Office suite, hopefully some time in early 2010. Entourage, you will not be missed. Actually, Entourage isn’t going away completely just yet — a “Web Services Edition” is available immediately, free for current Office 2008 users, and it will continue to be supported indefinitely. The interim version of Entourage will also be included in the newly announced Business Edition of Office 08, which will be available for pre-order starting August 18th and will launch on September 15th. Pricing will run $399.95 for a new copy of Business Edition, $239.95 for a Business Edition upgrade.

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As if anyone had doubts surrounding the legitimacy of yesterday’s Zune HD leak, today Microsoft confirmed availability for September 15th and let it be known that pre-orders for the black 16GB and platinum 32GB models are now being filled through Zune.net, Microsoft, Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart. In case you’re waiting on the other five colors that the Tegra-powered portable will be available in at launch, you’ll just have to sit tight for now. Don’t cry though — maybe we can cheer you up by letting you know that pricing is now 100 percent confirmed: $219.99 for the 16GB model and $289.99 for the 32GB model. We’ll take six of each, thank you.

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In an interesting turn of events, Seattle PI is reporting that a Texas judge has ordered Microsoft to cease all sales of its famed word processor in the US within 60 days. No, seriously. The injunction came as the result of a patent dispute between Canadian software company i4i and Microsoft regarding the processes with which Word handles XML files. This isn’t the first victory for i4i over the Washingtonian beast either — back in May a court awarded the company $200 million in damages as it found Microsoft had knowingly infringed on the same patent. That judgment is still being appealed and of course Microsoft isn’t going to stop selling Word any time soon as a result of this new injunction. In the end, Redmond will appeal related rulings as long as it can and then it’ll cut a check and be done with the matter. Oh yes, it will be a large check.

[Via Mashable]

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Mark your calendars and get your credit cards ready as the Zune HD will be dropping in just over a month. Thanks to a leaked Best Buy pre-order flyer, we now have a tentative launch date to accompany the rumored pricing for the Zune HD. Zero hour for Microsoft’s slick new portable media player is September 15th, a week later than previously reported. With all the pre-launch leaks out of the way, now all we have to do is wait for Microsoft to make these details official and see if the folks in Redmond can do so before those rumored iPods try to steal the HD’s limelight. Hit the jump for some more Best Buy Zune HD signage and a quick peek at the Zune HD packaging.

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When Microsoft and Nokia team up for a press conference, what comes to mind? A sleek Windows 7 powered Internet tablet or perhaps the unthinkable, a Windows Mobile-powered Nokia phone? A little bit of bubble bursting is in order as in their press conference today, Microsoft and Nokia announced an alliance that will bring Microsoft Office to Nokia mobile phones. Currently, only Windows Mobile devices have native support for Microsoft Office; other mobile platforms rely on third-party software to bring this functionality to their devices. This partnership will expand native Office support and will put the world’s most dominant document editing software suite on the handsets of the world’s most dominant cell phone manufacturer. What’s more, Microsoft may not be done with expanding the reach of Microsoft Office as hot on the heels of today’s announcement is another announcement from Microsoft’s Mac Business Unit reportedly scheduled for Thursday. Office on the iPhone, perhaps? Hmm…

Read (Microsoft press release)
Read (Mac Business Unit announcement)

We wouldn’t go as far as to call Microsoft’s upcoming Zune refresh a PMP hail mary, but it’s pretty clear that a lot is riding on Redmond’s upcoming players. So far we really like what we’ve seen of the Zune HD — and that statement is now expanded to include pricing. Last night some Best Buy inventory screen caps revealed the Zune HD’s price points and as of this morning we can consider them confirmed thanks to Amazon. App Store aside, we’re looking at a device far more capable and exciting compared to Apple’s iPod touch, and according to Amazon’s pre-order page, the 16GB will launch at $219.99 (compared to $299 for the 16GB iPod touch) and the 32GB model will hit the streets at $289.99 (compared to $399 for the 32GB iPod touch). Yeah, that’s no typo — you’ll be able to get a 32GB Zune HD for $9.01 less than a 16GB iPod touch. The Best Buy screenshots also add weight to the previously rumored September 8th launch date so it looks like we’ve got less than a month until lift off. The only question is whether or not Apple’s impending iPod touch refresh will tout enough bells and whistles at launch to overshadow Microsoft’s new gem. Hit the jump for the Best Buy images.

Read (Amazon)
Read (Best Buy)

Microsoft and Yahoo fiiiiiiiiiiinally announced a search partnership this morning, bringing to an end months of endless rumors and speculation. The deal will provide Microsoft with a 10-year license to use Yahoo’s core search technologies and integrate Yahoo’s platform into Microsoft’s current search offering, Bing. Yahoo will focus on the advertising and will be the “exclusive worldwide relationship sales force for both companies’ premium search advertisers”. The partnership is subject regulatory review, a process that is expected to be completed in early 2010. Our favorite aspect of the deal is how much it has deteriorated — Microsoft first offered to buy Yahoo for over $40 billion back in February of last year, and then offered $1 billion for Yahoo’s search business a few months ago. Carol Bartz said at that point in time that it would take “boatloads of cash” for the two to work out a deal. Fast forward to today, and Yahoo gets a big fat goose egg up front. Awesome. The deal, by the way, was signed by both Bartz and Ballmer with a big purple pen. No, seriously.

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There it is, Windows Mobile developers — the day you’ve kind of, sort of, maybe been waiting for. Todd Brix, Senior Director for Mobile Platform Services Product Management at Microsoft has just announced that the company will begin accepting app submissions in 29 supported countries on July 27th. As in, less than two weeks from today. Woo! Brix goes on to report that Microsoft is on schedule to launch its “Windows Marketplace for Mobile” this fall alongside Windows Mobile 6.5. Current users shouldn’t fret of course, as the Marketplace will also be available on WinMo 6.0 and 6.1 before the year is out. So what say you, Windows Mobile fans — think the Marketplace can compete?

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As Microsoft gets ready to kick off its Worldwide Partners Conference 2009, the web is buzzing with an onslaught of premature Office 2010 info that came raining down from a variety of places — not the least of which was the accidental early launch of the company’s Office 2010 microsite. Of course details have been surfacing steadily for quite a while now, but there’s no info like official info. The most noteworthy topic of interest surrounding this latest iteration of Office of course, is the introduction of Microsoft’s free web-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. These cloud-based versions of Microsoft’s popular applications are positioned to be quite disruptive for the likes of Google Docs, Zoho and the rest of the SaaS productivity contenders. While companies like Google have a massive head start in the web-based productivity market, none have come anywhere close to approaching Microsoft’s reach in the space. Its reach, of course, is something Microsoft will certainly use to its advantage. But enough of that — hit the read link for all the Office 2010 video goodness you can handle.

[Via TC]

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Are you excited for the day Microsoft Windows 7 officialy drops but afraid of the potentially huge dent that it might put in your wallet? Well, at least the mystery is now over as Redmond has finally made its 7 pricing official. Those of you planning to upgrade from XP or Vista to Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate will have need to come up with $119.99, $199.99 or $219.99 respectively, while those who opt for a brand new retail copy will have to part with $199.99, $299.99 or $319.99. If that’s too rich for your blood, don’t resign yourself to piracy just yet — limited pre-orders start tomorrow with Home Premium upgrades running $49.99 and Professional upgrades coming in at $99.99. More good news: If you absolutely need to replace a dying computer ASAP, you should feel pretty good because nearly everyone who buys a new Windows computer as of tomorrow should be able to get a free upgrade to Windows 7 (although we must caution you that not all manufacturers are participating in this program). Thoughts on the pricing, kids?

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Perhaps the current crop of personal media players on the market just isn’t doing anything for you. It’s perfectly understandable of course, what with modern mobile phones catching up to dedicated players more and more each day. This very fact is the reason that Microsoft’s upcoming Zune HD continues to pique our interest. 3.3-inch 480 x 272 OLED capacitive touchscreen display, built-in HD Radio receiver, HD output (requires an optional dock), Wi-Fi, integrated web browser, multitouch support and Xbox LIVE integration… And of course we recently learned this little spitfire will pack NVIDIA’s Tegra processor at its core. According to a Gizmodo tipster, it looks like Microsoft plans to offer this peppy PMP in 16GB and 32GB varieties — fair enough — and it may be shooting for a September 8th launch. It’s as good a date as any we suppose, and leaves plenty of time to get early adopters on board before a nice little price drop/sale in time for the holidays. Why not?

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