amie

Microsoft picks Amy Hood as chief financial officer

Microsoft promoted Amy Hood to chief financial officer Wednesday, replacing Peter Klein, who announced plans to leave the software giant last month.

Hood, 41, joined Microsoft in 2002 and worked most recently as the chief financial officer of Microsoft's Business Division, a job she held for a little more than 3 years. There, she handled financial strategy for the $24.1 billion unit and was deeply involved in the acquisitions of both Skype and Yammer. Prior to that job, Hood was chief of staff in Microsoft's Server and Tools group.

"I'm excited to step into this … Read more

Amy Poehler tries to seduce Best Buy boys in Super Bowl

"Windows or Android?"

It seemed like an innocent enough question.

But for one moment, I wondered whether Amy Poehler would waft through her local Best Buy during the Super Bowl -- while being paid a lot of money to do it -- and avoid anything that might have been designed in Cupertino.

Still, the more she came on to the gorgeous, virginal men in the blue polo shirts, the more it was clear that this was an amusing fantasy. Poehler was there to make women feel good about gadgets. And sex.

There was, indeed, a more than subliminal … Read more

Can Amy Poehler help Best Buy during the Super Bowl?

In the first quarter of today's Big Game featuring big people doing big things to each other, Amy Poehler will be trying to do big things for Best Buy.

Unlike the players -- who will probably be tied 3-3 in a dull defensive battle when Amy appears -- Poehler has one shot to give the Best Buy brand a shot in arm. Or perhaps a shot at redemption.

Best Buy has been crossing some turbulent oceans recently, so securing the services of one of America' funniest actors is a pleasant coup.

The company has released a sneak preview (embedded … Read more

The Audiophiliac's favorite music Blu-rays, DVDs, and CDs

Every now and then, I like to report on the best new discs that have come my way. Let's get started!

Amy Winehouse: "At the BBC" (CD/DVD) Fourteen stunning performances from 2004 to 2009 showcase aspects of her talent that the studio recordings gloss over. The DVD, "The Day She Came to Dingle," is a documentary featuring Winehouse at the height of her powers in December 2006 in a tiny church in Ireland. She's backed up with just guitar and bass, so her voice, in all its glory, is upfront and clear. Awesome!… Read more

The 404 1,175: Where we return to forever (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- The Audiophiliac's top music tracks for testing speakers and headphones.

- Pick up Steve's mixtape, Chesky Records' Ultimate Demonstration Disc.

- Before you buy a sound bar speaker, read this..

- Are the Beatles groovy again?.… Read more

Man + machine: Joaquin Phoenix falls for computer in 'Her'

Do you spend more time with a computer, smartphone, or tablet than your significant other? Your life serves as the elementary premise for a futuristic love story, "Her," in which the film's star, Joaquin Phoenix, falls in love with an interactive operating system.

The movie, directed by Spike Jonze and made in collaboration with Annapurna Pictures, also stars it girls Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, and Olivia Wilde. … Read more

The 404 1,125: Where we're not gonna fall for a banana in the tailpipe (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Nokia again faces make-or-break point with new Lumia phones.

- CNET First Take: Nokia Lumia 820.

- CNET First Take: Nokia Lumia 920.

- Why Nokia nixed an SD card slot for the Lumia 920.

- The secret behind Nokia's 41-megapixel camera phone.

- Nokia's new PureView image stabilizer is amazingly faked in this promo video.

- 4Chan goes public with its API, boasting 22 million unique monthly visitors.

- Spike Jonze's new film is about a man who falls in love with his phone.

- Kinsey Institute pulls app encouraging users to log sexy time.… Read more

Are music streaming services reducing the number of albums released?

Opinions about the future of the music business cover a lot of ground, but one thing is certain: today's bands release albums at a much slower pace than bands did in previous eras. It's not just that Spotify and other streaming services have been taking their toll on sales; I doubt too many of today's top artists make albums at the rate Bob Dylan did early in his career. He released 21 albums between 1962-1981. The Beatles were even more prolific and released five albums in the U.S. in 1964: "Meet The Beatles!," "… Read more

Senators aim to cut through 4G baloney

A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday would compel wireless carriers to be more forthcoming about what exactly customers can expect from services marketed as 4G.

The bill from Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, along with Connecticut's Richard Blumenthal--all Democrats--is similar to the " Next Generation Wireless Disclosure Act," which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in June by Palo Alto Democrat Anna Eshoo.

Together the lawmakers are aiming to cut through the marketing mishmash that slaps the 4G label on a handful of next-generation network flavors such as LTE, … Read more

Missouri restricts social networking between teachers, students (podcast)

A new Missouri law, known as the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act, is designed primarily to protect children against sexual abuse from teachers and other education professionals, including those who might have been previously charged with abuse at a former district. The practice, known as "passing the trash," occurs when an educator is fired or resigns from one school district and winds up being hired at another district without the new district having knowledge of the alleged sexual abuse.

And while the law mostly focuses on physical misconduct, there is also a provision that would require districts to &… Read more