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Nokia Lumia 930 image leaks ahead of launch, looks like Icon

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If photos for the upcoming Lumia 930 prove accurate, we're looking at a global version of a phone that Verizon already sells.

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Sarah Tew/CNET

The death of Windows XP support helped stem the strong tide of receding PC sales. But the future still looks bleak.

Revealing their estimates for first-quarter PC shipments on Wednesday, both IDC and Gartner pointed to XP migrations as a temporary white knight for the industry. PC refresh projects in the business world received a push from the end of XP support, particularly in Japan, according to IDC. Gartner echoed that sentiment.

"The end of XP support by Microsoft on April 8 has played a role in the easing decline of PC shipments," Gartner principal analyst Mikako Kitagawa said in a statement. "All regions indicated a positive effect since the end of XP support stimulated the PC refresh of XP systems. Professional desktops, in particular, showed strength in the quarter. Among key countries, Japan was greatly affected by the end of XP support, registering a 35 percent year-over-year increase in PC shipments."

The end of support for Windows XP means that Microsoft will no longer push out bug fixes, security patches, or other critical updates for the 13-year-old operating system. As such, businesses have been rushing to upgrade to Windows 7 or Windows 8 to ensure that their PCs remain safe and secure.

IDC and Gartner each offered different estimates for actual PC shipments. IDC preliminarily came up with first-quarter shipments of 73.4 million units, a downturn of 4.4 percent from the prior year's quarter. Though still a sign of ongoing weakness, the number fared better than IDC's forecast of a 5.3 decline.

Gartner's preliminary estimate for the quarter pegged PC shipments at 76.6 million, a drop of 1.7 percent from 2013's initial quarter. Gartner analyst Kitagawa said he expects the impact of XP migrations around the world to continue throughout the rest of the year.

But the move away from XP is a temporary reprieve in a shrinking market wounded by lower consumer demand.

"On the technology front, the transition to more mobile devices and usage modes is unlikely to stop, although the short term impact on PC shipments may slow as tablet penetration rises -- as we've begun to see in some mature regions," Loren Loverde, vice president of IDC's Worldwide PC Trackers, said in a statement. "The net result remains consistent with our past forecasts -- in particular, that there is potential for PC shipments to stabilize, but not much opportunity for growth."

Among PC vendors worldwide, Lenovo remained the top dog with around 17 percent of the market. HP trailed closely in second place followed by Dell, Acer, and Asus rounding up the top five.

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Windows XP migrations offer temporary lifeline to sinking PC sales

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The death of Windows XP support helped stem the strong tide of receding PC sales. But the future still looks bleak. Revealing their estimates for first-quarter PC shipments on Wednesday, both IDC and Gartner pointed to XP migrations as a temporary white knight for the industry.

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Corning

Corning has begun selling a USB 3.0 optical cable that delivers theoretical peak speeds of 5 gigabits-per-second up to 30 meters.

The " USB 3.Optical" cables are thinner (by as much as 50 percent) and lighter (by as much as 80 percent) than comparable copper cables, Corning said. And they can withstand bending, squeezing, and tangling without damage, according to the company.

"Imagine having your computer at your workstation and the whir of back-up hard drives, printers, and other noisy peripherals in an entirely different room -- and still benefiting from unbelievable transmission speeds," Bernhard Deutsch, a vice president at Corning, said in a statement.

And Corning is targeting future technology too for both USB and Thunderbolt cables.

"With...new consumer applications driving consumer bandwidth demands to 10+ Gb/s, consumers are demanding innovative footprints and smaller cables. Optical fiber connectivity solutions are able to address these demands and move both the Thunderbolt and USB specs into the future. We are assessing the viability of providing the market with solutions for other protocols in the future," Corning said in a statement.

In addition to storage drives and digital cameras/camcorders, Corning is also targeting point-of-sale systems at retail locations, remote consoles in health care, and industrial automation settings.

Pricing starts at $109.99.

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Corning's USB 3.0 optical cable aims for 5Gbps up to 30 meters

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Corning has begun selling a USB 3.0 optical cable that delivers theoretical peak speeds of 5 gigabits-per-second up to 30 meters. The " USB 3.Optical" cables are thinner (by as much as 50 percent) and lighter (by as much as 80 percent) than comparable copper cables, Corning said.

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Video screenshot by Michael Franco/CNET

Robots working in conjunction with each other typically need complex onboard systems or input from a centralized computer or human overlord. Researchers at the UK's University of Sheffield have demonstrated that a much simpler system can get groups of robots working together. They've created a team of bots that are basic in design yet can recognize their own kind and move toward one other in a behavior known as "swarming" in the robot world.

Their findings were published Thursday in the International Journal of Robotics Research. The researchers say that someday, similar robots could form swarms that could monitor pollution or pollinate fields or be shrunk so small that they could move through our vascular systems to diagnose or treat us noninvasively.

The robots in the group of 40 used by the researchers measured about 4 inches wide. Each had a camera that could sense other robots and two wheels that let it move forward and backward and spin in a complete circle. Each bot was programmed to spin around until it saw another and then work its way toward its mechanical pal. Because the machines are so simple and don't require complex equipment, researchers believe they could one day be shrunk to the nano scale and deployed in large numbers.

"What we have shown is that robots do not need to compute to solve problems like that of gathering into a single cluster, and the same could be true for swarming behaviors that we find in nature, such as in bacteria, fish, or mammals," Roderich Gross, of the university's Sheffield Centre for Robotics, explained in a statement. "This means we are able to 'scale up' these swarms, to use thousands of robots that could then be programmed to perform tasks."

In the video below, researcher Melvin Gauci explains that the next step is to try to get robots to swarm in three dimensions rather than just on a flat plane. Yes, people -- that means flying, swarming robots. Add that to work done on swarming robots at Harvard a few years ago, and anybody who's read Michael Crichton's " Prey" knows what's coming next. Nice knowing ya!

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The secret to swarming robots? Simplicity

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Robots working in conjunction with each other typically need complex onboard systems or input from a centralized computer or human overlord. Researchers at the UK's University of Sheffield have demonstrated that a much simpler system can get groups of robots working together.

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Apple

Just as all the excitement over the next-gen USB connector is dying down, we have word of the Thunderbolt 3 update too.

Oh, and Thunderbolt 3 will double the throughput speed, according to Chinese-language site VR-Zone, which posted a slide with details of the next-gen connector technology, code-named Alpine Ridge.

Here's a summary of what to expect. Note that the next-gen Thunderbolt is tied to Intel's Skylake chip architecture, which isn't due until 2015.

--2X jump in speed. Bandwidth increase to 40 gigabits per second from 20Gbps.

--Displays. Can drive two 4K displays over a single cable, as The Tech Report points out.

--Support. PCIe Gen3, USB 3.0, DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0, and HDMI 2.0

--Charging. Support for devices up to 100 watts.

Getting back to the plug: the height will apparently be slimmed down to just 3mm from the current 4.5mm. That makes it a much better fit for ultraslim devices, which could conceivably include tablets.

Thunderbolt is familiar to MacBook users because it doubles as a DisplayPort connector. Hewlett-Packard uses the port on devices selectively, as does Lenovo and Asus.

But on consumer devices it's certainly not as universal as the USB. Will that change with a slimmer connector? Who knows?

Remember, changes in connector technology are generally glacial. Look no further than USB 3.0. It took roughly 10 years for the computer industry to migrate from USB 2.0 to 3.0 -- and it still hasn't happened on many devices, because it's just not necessary.

Intel declined to comment.

USB Implementors Forum

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After USB 3.1's new connector, comes Thunderbolt 3's

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Just as all the excitement over the next-gen USB connector is dying down, we have word of the Thunderbolt 3 update too. Oh, and Thunderbolt 3 will double the throughput speed, according to Chinese-language site VR-Zone, which posted a slide with details of the next-gen connector technology, code-named Alpine Ridge.

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Martin Hajek/YouTube

Will Apple outfit the next iPhone with a curved display? One source says yes.

The iPhone 6 will incorporate a curved glass display that will stay flush against the phone's new rounded corners, a new report from Macotakara claims.

As described by MacRumors, the iPhone's more rounded body would resemble the design used in the Squair Curvaceous Bumper, which envelopes the phone in a rounded case. Other reports have claimed that Apple will outfit the next iPhone with more rounded corners.

The curved display purportedly headed for the iPhone 6 would likely not be as curved as the ones used in the Samsung Galaxy Round and phones. Apple is not one to jump on the curved display bandwagon without a good reason. But if the rounded corner rumor is true, then it's possible the display itself might need to curve at the edges to fit properly.

Amid the flurry of rumors about the iPhone 6, Apple is expected to increase the screen size on the iPhone 6 from the current 4-inch display. Several recent reports claims that Apple will release two new iPhones this year -- one with a 4.7-inch screen, the other with a phablet-sized 5.5-inch screen.

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iPhone 6 will adopt curved display, claims latest rumor

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Will Apple outfit the next iPhone with a curved display? One source says yes. The iPhone 6 will incorporate a curved glass display that will stay flush against the phone's new rounded corners, a new report from Macotakara claims. As described by MacRumors, the iPhone's more rounded body would resemble the design used in the Squair Curvaceous Bumper, which envelopes the phone in a rounded case.

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There are those features on your phone that you'll probably never use, and then the ones you'll never want to use. Such is the case with Safety Assistance, an emergency tool that will alert up to four predetermined contacts when you sound the alarm.

Here's how it works: In time of need, you would press the power/lock button three times in quick succession. This action sends a series of text messages with your approximate mapped location, a photo from the front and rear-facing cameras, and a short voice recording.

This isn't to replace a call to 911, 999, 000, or other emergency services. Samsung's lengthy disclaimer also states that, since the tool is based on text messaging, it "may not work accurately, continuously, or error-free" depending on network conditions.

Still, for a little peace of mind, Samsung's twist on ICE, or In Case of Emergency, numbers, is easy to set up. Here's how you do it.

1.) Turn it on

Navigate to the Settings menu, then press Quick Settings. Select Safety Assistance from the list of choices, then tap Send help messages, and swipe the toggle to On.

Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

You'll be asked to read through and sign off on a lengthy terms of service that reminds you that this feature won't summon an ambulance, and that also absolves Samsung of personal liability.

2.) Check the boxes

If you want to scale back on the service to keep from inundating your contact with so many texts, you can uncheck the boxes to deselect sending a recording, and photos from the Galaxy S5's two cameras. In that case, triggering the emergency response would send an SOS text with your location.

3.) Set up your contacts

Back out of the help messages window and tap Manage primary contacts to select your emergency recipients. You can have up to four.

Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

It isn't a good idea to include emergency services here, since most government agencies won't accept texts, or even know who you are in the first place. (This is changing in some places in the US, but isn't widespread by far.)

4.) Test it out

It's worth letting your contacts know that you've added them. I'd also recommend a dry-run test so both sides understand what to expect in the event of the real deal -- may it never occur.

Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

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Use the Samsung Galaxy S5's emergency contact feature

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There are those features on your phone that you'll probably never use, and then the ones you'll never want to use. Such is the case with Safety Assistance, an emergency tool that will alert up to four predetermined contacts when you sound the alarm.

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Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

This was not your typical Microsoft earnings call. Marking just the second time that the company's CEO has presided over the quarterly kaffeeklatsch with analysts, Satya Nadella borrowed a rousing line from Friedrich Nietzsche while he pledged Microsoft would continue to embrace a future that may look very different from its past.

"In the months ahead, we will continue to intensely be focused on two things, rock-solid execution and pivoting the company towards the future. We will continue to push hard and move quickly, and you'll see the proof in that month after month in the products we build," Nadella said after the company reported better-than-expected earnings in its third fiscal quarter.

"What you can expect of Microsoft is courage in the face of reality. We will approach our future with a challenger mind set. We will be bold in our innovation. We will be accountable to our customers, partners, and shareholders," he added.

Nadella's "courage in the face of reality" line came -- unattributed -- courtesy of Nietzsche.

Nadella painted with broad brushstrokes many of the same themes that he's talked up since replacing Steve Ballmer as chief executive in February. And Nadella didn't have to sweat this one. He was on friendly ground with several analysts, who prefaced their questions by thanking him for making himself available on the call. The only other time a Microsoft CEO presided over a quarterly conference call was in 2009 when Ballmer attended because he wanted to be on hand after the company had announced layoffs.

Besides, this was a strong quarter for the company. Overall, Microsoft reported earnings of $6.97 billion, or 68 cents a share, on revenue of $20.4 billion, roughly flat with a year ago. Wall Street was expecting the company to report a per-share profit of 63 cents a share on revenue of $20.39 billion.
Product highlights:
Windows volume licenses: Up 11 percent

Server products (including Windows Server and SQL Server): Up 10 percent

Commercial Cloud business: Up 101 percent

Consumer Office: Up 17 percent

Revenue by segment:

Device and consumer license: $4.38 billion

Device and consumer hardware: $1.97 billion

Device and consumer other: $1.95 billion

Commercial license: $10.32 billion

Commercial other: $1.9 billion

RBC Capital Markets' Matthew Hedberg said that "the real highlight of the quarter" was strong growth in Microsoft's unearned revenue, which came in at $19.51 billion. That was almost $1 billion above consensus estimates. The upshot: a more than a 2.5 percent spike in after-hours trading as Wall Street apparently liked what it saw.

So it was that Nadella spent most of his debut in the spotlight setting a strategy -- a discourse that often tended to the abstract at the expense of the specific -- but that was in keeping with the unfolding plan. Since replacing Ballmer, Nadella has used his public appearances to present a Microsoft that's steering into "the mobile first, cloud world" as it navigates across a changed technology landscape from the one in which Windows and PCs dominated the terrain.

Nadella said that his first 10 weeks or so have been extremely energizing, giving him an opportunity to "recharge, talk to different constituents, and relearn the place...and see it for the first time. Even in spite of having spent 22 years here, it's been fascinating."

At one point, he almost let his guard down when asked whether Wall Street should expect big changes in Microsoft's strategy following a strategic review.

Nadella said he intended to plan "on a continuous basis, executing on a continuing basis. It's not episodic." He added, "The only way we're going to succeed here is by having the notion that you're planning all the time, and you're also making the changes to your plan based on the changed circumstances, and I think that's the way to run a company like ours in a marketplace that's as dynamic as ours."

That was a signal to cue the corporate buzzwords.

"So this mobile first, cloud first is a deep thing for us," he said. "When we say mobile first, we mean mobility first. We think about users and their experiences spanning a variety of devices. As we look to the future, what are the set of experiences across devices, some ours and some not ours, that we can power through experiences that we can create uniquely? So that notion of having a central focus and a central purpose is what I think we have already signaled, and we are well on our way to execute on it."

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Nadella summons Nietzsche in pledging pivot to the future

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This was not your typical Microsoft earnings call. Marking just the second time that the company's CEO has presided over the quarterly kaffeeklatsch with analysts, Satya Nadella borrowed a rousing line from Friedrich Nietzsche while he pledged Microsoft would continue to embrace a future that may look very different from its past.

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There are lots of great reasons to use an Android emulator. Perhaps you're thinking of ditching your iPhone in favor of, say, a Google Nexus, but want to test-drive Android first. Or maybe there's an app that would be convenient to run on your PC, like Messaging or WhatsApp. Heck, maybe you just want to enjoy Clash of Clans on a larger screen.

Whatever your plans, Andy should be able to accommodate them. Unlike BlueStacks, which merely runs Android apps, this free utility gives you a fully operable Android experience on a Windows or Mac system, and can even sync with your existing Android device. Here's how to get started:

Step one: Download, install, and start Andy. (I tested it on a system running Windows 8.) You'll need to approve a Windows firewall request the first time you run it.

Step two: After about a minute of "booting," you should see an Android Welcome screen, same as if you'd just booted a new tablet. (Andy currently runs Android 4.2, aka Jelly Bean.) Use your mouse to click Start (unless your system has a touchscreen, in which case you can tap!).

Step three: Sign into your Google account (if you have one), then complete the rest of the setup screens -- again, same as you would on a tablet. You'll also be asked to supply your Google account info for 1ClickSync, the app that lets you sync between Andy and your Android device.

Step four: Now you should be looking at an Android home screen. You can rotate between portrait and landscape orientations by clicking the corresponding buttons at the bottom of the Andy window. Likewise, there's a Fullscreen button that acts as a toggle between fullscreen and window modes. You'll also see Back, Home, and Menu buttons, which can be helpful if you encounter an app that somehow obscures those buttons within Android proper.

And that's it! Now you can knock around Android, visit the Play Store, install and run apps, and so on. However, Andy offers a few other features you might want to try.

First up, there's an Andy app you can run on your smartphone or tablet that lets you control the emulator from that device. This might come in handy if you want to play accelerometer-controlled games, or leverage touch capabilities on a desktop that lacks a touchscreen.

At press time, this remote-control app wasn't listed on the Andy website, but a company rep made it available for download via Dropbox. (Note that it's an APK file, so you'll need to download it directly to your Android device, and you may need to update your settings to allow apps from unknown sources.) Once installed, just run the app. As long as your PC and smartphone/tablet are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, the latter should immediately detect the former.

Second, if you launch the 1ClickSync app within the Andy emulator (it's on the main Apps page), you can sync any and all apps you've already installed (to your mobile device) from the Play Store. After launching 1ClickSync, click Google Play Store, then choose the app(s) you want to sync.

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Use Andy to emulate Android on your desktop

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There are lots of great reasons to use an Android emulator. Perhaps you're thinking of ditching your iPhone in favor of, say, a Google Nexus, but want to test-drive Android first. Or maybe there's an app that would be convenient to run on your PC, like Messaging or WhatsApp.

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Emotiva

You know it when it's right, and the new Emotiva Airmotiv 5s powered speakers' sound is very right. The bass, midrange, and treble frequencies' balance is spot-on; resolution is first rate; and the stereo imaging is spacious.

The Airmotiv 5s is a direct descendent of the Airmotiv 5 that debuted not that many years ago; the carryovers from the original model are the 5.25-inch polypropylene composite woofer and folded-ribbon tweeter. What's new? The cabinet and electronics are upgraded over the original design. There are two 50-watt amplifiers in each cabinet, one for the tweeter, another one for the woofer. The rear panel has RCA and XLR inputs, and three-position woofer and tweeter tone controls.

Each production Airmotiv 5s' frequency response is calibrated to be within a half a decibel of the factory's reference specification. That exceedingly close tolerance ensures every production speaker will sound the same.

One feature that didn't survive from the original's design is the front panel volume control knob. With the 5s you'll control the volume from your computer or other source. Or buy Emotiva's clever Control Freak volume control you hook up between any source (CD/Blu-ray player, etc.) and the speakers. I'll cover the Control Freak in a separate review. The Airmotiv 5s retails for $500 per pair.

The beveled front panel's look is based on Emotiva's higher-end Stealth monitors, and Airmotiv 5s' internal cabinet bracing is also based on Stealth design. The 5s' super solid construction is above and beyond what you'll typically find in desktop speakers in its price class.

Emotiva

The 13-pound speaker measures 10.9 inches by 7.1 inches by 8.4 inches. There's a rear-mounted bass port, and the threaded inserts on the bottom panel are intended for use with Emotiva's wall-mount brackets.

The sound is very transparent, you feel like there's nothing between you and the music. With Thom Yorke's "Atoms for Peace," the Airmotiv 5s not only delivered the full potency of the pulsing beats, the solidity of the bottom octave bass was incredible. Definition was another strength, bass pitches were very precise. The stereo soundstage expanded beyond the width of the two speakers on my desktop.

It's been a while since I heard the original Airmotiv 5, so I was eager to compare it with the 5s. The new one is more detailed from the bottom to the top, and subtle details like the vocalists' breaths are easier to hear. The original still sounds great, but it's softer and more laid-back. I feel more connected to the music with the 5s speakers.

I also compared the new ones with my Adam Audio F5 speakers ($500/pair). The F5 was less bright than the Airmotiv 5s (with the tweeter control turned down), but the F5 was just as pure and transparent. The F5's bass was fuller and richer than either Airmotiv, but the Airmotiv 5s' bass definition and clarity were ahead of the F5's. They're both excellent speakers; personal preference will determine which ones you'd want to live with.

I used the Airmotiv 5s as desktop computer speakers, but they can also work hooked up to a phone, CD or Blu-ray player for a small bedroom system.

The Emotiva Airmotiv 5s sells for $500 per pair on the company's website. The smaller Airmotiv 4s speakers run $400 a pair.

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Emotiva Airmotiv 5s advances the state of the art in desktop audio

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You know it when it's right, and the new Emotiva Airmotiv 5s powered speakers' sound is very right. The bass, midrange, and treble frequencies' balance is spot-on; resolution is first rate; and the stereo imaging is spacious.

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Samsung Tomorrow

Samsung wants to level up your ears: Samsung Level is a new range of lughole-massaging audio accessories complete with an app for your S5 smartphone and other Galaxy devices. Lend an ear for the Level Over wireless headphones, Level On cans, Level In earbuds, and Level Box Bluetooth speaker.

The Level Over cable-free headphones pair with your phone via wireless Bluetooth. The cans have a 50mm dynamic driver made of Neodymium, and there's a mic on the outside for active noise cancellation and to hear your S Voice voice commands.

Samsung

Then there's the Level On lightweight wired headphones, with a 40mm dual-layered diaphragm. And next up are the Level In in-ear headphones with two balanced armatures and a dynamic speaker for deep bass.

And finally, Level Box is a wireless, metal Bluetooth speaker measuring 164.3mm × 62.3mm × 69.2mm and weighing 600g. It pairs easily to your phone or tablet via NFC and has buttons to play or pause a song, adjust the volume, and accept or reject calls -- as well as pumping out choons, there's a built-in microphone for phone calls and conference calls.

Inexplicably, there's a few devices missing from the line-up -- where's the noise-cancelling Level Off, the waterproof sports-focused Level PlayingField or thumb-operated bass-heavy Level 42? I assume they'll be in the second wave.

The new audio kit all works with the Samsung Level Android app from Google Play Store or Samsung Apps. The app includes an EQ system called Samsung SoundAlive, with 25 settings for genres like pop, rock, jazz and the like. The app also has a smart volume monitor so you don't accidentally blow your eardrums when shuffle goes from to Norah Jones to Skrillex.

The new Level audio devices will be on sale from mid-May in "most markets around the world."

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Samsung Level up with new headphones and speakers

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Samsung wants to level up your ears: Samsung Level is a new range of lughole-massaging audio accessories complete with an app for your S5 smartphone and other Galaxy devices. Lend an ear for the Level Over wireless headphones, Level On cans, Level In earbuds, and Level Box Bluetooth speaker.

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Samsung to launch Galaxy S5 Prime in June -- report

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The so-called "premium" S5 would up the ante with a 2,560x1,440 display, according to Korean news site Asia Today.

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James Martin/CNET

Former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, starting his new job as head of Microsoft's devices group Monday, doesn't see the Nokia name sticking around for long at Microsoft.

"Nokia as a brand will not be used for long going forward for smartphones," Elop said in a Q&A on its Conversations blog (recently rebranded to Microsoft from Nokia). "Work is underway to select the go-forward smartphone brand."

The work actually began last week, when Microsoft completed its more than $7.2 billion takeover of the Finnish company's devices business, which it promptly renamed Microsoft Mobile. Elop, who worked at Microsoft before heading over to lead Nokia in 2010, proclaimed in a blog post that "We're one Microsoft."

The deal's closing marked the end of a significant chapter in Nokia's history, and the start of a new one under Microsoft, the world's largest PC software maker. Microsoft is looking to the devices maker to continue promoting its Windows Phone mobile operating system and to help in its plan to transform itself into a devices and services company.

Elop, in an "ask me anything" session earlier today, said he wasn't yet ready to share details of the plan to create a new brand. "It will not be Nokia Lumia 1020 with Windows Phone on the AT&T LTE network," he said. "Too many words! That somehow doesn't roll off the tongue."

The Nokia name will survive in the market--Microsoft didn't purchase the infrastructure business, mapping services, and advanced technology group.

Elop also answered some of the harsher critical remarks about him, including the conspiracy theory that he was a"Trojan horse" sent by Microsoft to sink Nokia.

"I have only ever worked on behalf of and for the benefit of Nokia shareholders while at Nokia," Elop said.

Likewise, his "Burning Platform" memo galvanized workers and instilled a sense of urgency into the company, allowing it to move quickly to produce Windows Phone smartphones, he said.

In response to a comment about Elop killing off Nokia's beloved -- but aging -- Symbian operating system and its next-generation Meego software platform, he justified the decisions by arguing that Symbian couldn't compete with the iPhone and Apple's iOS mobile OS. Meego, which suffered from delays in development, didn't have the promise of a broad portfolio in the near term, Elop added.

"I know that there is a lot of emotion around some of the hard decisions that we had to make," he said.

Elop was more optimistic about the devices unit under Microsoft, noting there would be ways the two could innovate together that they could not as separate entities. He said they had complementary strengths, with Nokia stronger in emerging markets and Microsoft stronger in developed markets. He also promised to bring more color to Microsoft, which has traditionally been more conservative in its styling. That color element is already evident in its first commercial after the deal.

"I'm pretty sure you will see Nokia's colorful personality transcend into Microsoft," he said.

On the role of his division at Microsoft, Elop said he wants to "make the market" and facilitate other manufacturers in creating their own Windows Phone devices, and said it was good for his company to encourage other players to participate in the ecosystem.

Elop noted his favorite apps include "Track My Life," an aviation tool called ATIS, and recent addition to the Windows Phone platform Uber.

Lastly, he offered up his favorite pizza -- prosciutto ham, mushrooms, green peppers, and tomatoes -- and even gave a shout-out to a local Finnish shop. He noted that he was getting hungry after a day of celebration.

Elop and his team will have a lot of work ahead of them.
Updated at 8 am PT: To include Elop's response on the Nokia brand. The answer wasn't previously available on the site's Q&A session.

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Microsoft's Elop: Nokia brand soon to vanish from smartphones

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Former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, starting his new job as head of Microsoft's devices group Monday, doesn't see the Nokia name sticking around for long at Microsoft. "Nokia as a brand will not be used for long going forward for smartphones," Elop said in a Q&A on its Conversations blog (recently rebranded to Microsoft from Nokia).

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Secret

Secret, an app developed by a former Google employee and part of a broader trend in social media allowing people to share their thoughts, rumors, ideas, and just about anything else anonymously, is already thinking about international expansion, according to a new report.

Secret, which recently secured $10 million in funding, plans to expand outside of the US into other English-speaking countries, including the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, TechCrunch is reporting. It's not clear when the full rollout will be complete.

Secret has made a splash in the mobile space since its launch earlier this year. The entire service was down temporarily in April due to massive usage. That Secret became such a hit practically overnight is all the more surprising, considering it is only available on iOS as part of the company's plan to roll out the service and ensure its ability to scale with extra usage.

Speaking to TechCrunch on Monday, Secret co-founder Chrys Bader-Wechseler said the Android app is "on the way."

Secret is one of a number of startups aimed at allowing people to share their thoughts anonymously with friends and the public. Whisper, another secret-sharing app, raised $30 million in funding last month on a $200 million valuation

CNET has contacted Secret for comment on the report. We will update this story when we have more information.

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Secret, an anonymous-sharing app, eyes expansion -- report

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Secret, an app developed by a former Google employee and part of a broader trend in social media allowing people to share their thoughts, rumors, ideas, and just about anything else anonymously, is already thinking about international expansion, according to a new report.

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Bradley Cooper

Selfies, first-person pictures taken with the front-facing cameras on mobile devices, will be the focus in an upcoming handset from Nokia, a new report claims.

Microsoft-owned Nokia is currently working on a new phone, known as "Superman" internally, that comes with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera to appeal to selfie-takers, The Verge reported Monday, citing people who claim to have knowledge of the company's plans. The Superman, if it exists and launches, would match HTC's recently launched One M8, which also comes with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera to enhance selfie shots.

Microsoft completed its $7.5 billion Nokia acquisition last week. The new arrangement means Nokia and Microsoft will work together to build devices running on the software giant's operating systems. It's likely, given the timing, that Superman was developed prior to the completed acquisition, which could mean its fate is in doubt.

According to The Verge's sources, Superman will be a "midrange" handset with components that likely won't match those found in the high-end HTC One M8. The handset will come with a 4.7-inch screen, the report claims.

CNET has contacted Nokia for comment on the report. We will update this story when we have more information.

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Nokia plans selfie-focused 'Superman' handset, report says

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Selfies, first-person pictures taken with the front-facing cameras on mobile devices, will be the focus in an upcoming handset from Nokia, a new report claims. Microsoft-owned Nokia is currently working on a new phone, known as "Superman" internally, that comes with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera to appeal to selfie-takers, The Verge reported Monday, citing people who claim to have knowledge of the company's plans.