Thurrott Daily: November 2

Thurrott Daily: November 2

I spent the weekend sick on the couch thanks to my Vegas trip. Here’s what else is happening today.

11/2/2015 9:52:01 AM

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New Anthony Bourdain travel site uses Sway to tell stories

Reader Emilio M. tipped me off to the launch of Anthony Bourdain’s new travel web site, Roads & Kingdoms, which uses Microsoft Sway for a series of stories about Japan. You can find the complete collection on Microsoft’s Docs.com.

Microsoft just can’t stop punching itself in the face

This kind of thing makes me sad because it’s avoidable and comes at a time when the company really needs to get everything right. But I’ve now heard from multiple readers that Microsoft actually shipped Band 2s out to pre-order customers earlier, called them back, and then offered them a $20 promotional code (good for future purchases, not a refund). Which sounds great. Until you add the fact that their preorders were canceled and then replaced, putting them further into the shipping queue. Meaning that they will now get their Band 2s late, not early.

Oh, Microsoft. Come on.

“Google teaches its self-driving cars to be extra careful around children”

Makes sense. This is future data to mine.

Amazon will ship “Call of Duty: Black Ops III” for release night delivery

This is interesting, assuming you’re into the inconvenience of physical media for some reason: Amazon says that Prime subscribers will be able to get “Call of Duty: Black Ops III” delivered to their door at midnight on November 6, the game’s release night. This makes no sense to me, but …

Release night pre-orders must be placed using the Prime Now app with reservations starting at midnight eastern standard time on November 4. Customers will be able to choose a special delivery window, select additional items they might need for their late night mission — such as beverages, snacks or extra gaming controllers — and pre-order the game for late night delivery on its release night, Nov. 6. There is limited availability within each delivery window so customers are urged to download the Prime Now app and be ready to reserve their delivery on Nov. 4 at midnight eastern when pre-orders begin in the app.

Note that Prime Now is only available in select cities in the US.

Here’s my advice, if you need to be up playing this game at midnight on November 6, as I will be unless I’m still sick. Just preorder it digitally (via Xbox Store on the console if you’re an Xbox One user): The game will download and install, and then be unlocked for play at midnight your time. So you’ll be ready to go—really—right at midnight.

“Are the Lumia 950 and 950 XL victims of the Surface’s success?”

No. And this is a great example of fans not owning up to what’s really happening, as if we need an excuse every time that some Windows phone release doesn’t put the platform over the top. Windows phone is dying, not growing. And these phones, while wonderful in their own right, are simply victims of using the wrong platform. Don’t excuse it. Just own it.

“Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes resisted Android product placement in Spectre because James Bond ‘only uses the best'”

Actually, that didn’t happen, despite the best attempts by Apple nutjobs to make it seem that way, and hint that what they really wanted was, of course, an iPhone. What Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes resisted was using a Sony phone, arguing that James Bond ‘only uses the best.’ Something tells me Mr. Bond would have been OK with a trendier and more successful Samsung, a Nexus, or a Motorola phone, not just an iPhone.

Here’s the summary of what really happened by Business Insider, which examined the two leaked emails that triggered this story. (Hereand here). They never mention Android or iPhone, just that Sony’s phones aren’t good enough.

 

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