LTE Carrier in The UK EE Announces The Closure of 78 of it's Shops

UK LTE carrier EE has announced that it will close 78 of its retail stores across the country in order to cut costs. The company found itself with numerous retail stores located within close proximity to each other after the Orange and T-Mobile merger — some even side by side — so the reduction in numbers shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. EE says there are other practical considerations, though, such as low footfall in certain areas as well as the decision not to renew specific leases that are due to expire.

Staff members at the affected stores won’t be losing their jobs either. Front line employees will be moved to different locations, which EE says should help "boost service levels significantly." The situation is somewhat murkier for managers, however. Only one manager is present in each retail location, so the ones affected by the closures can’t simply be moved across to a new store. Instead, EE says that it will "redeploy" managers where necessary, but it’s currently unclear as to what that will entail. [TheVerge]

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Xbox Set-Top Box in the Pipeline?

Xbox set-top box rumoured to arrive next year

Microsoft is working on an Xbox set-top box, according to internet rumours.

The Verge reports that the device will be mainly for casual gaming and streaming video. Several sources told the site that it’ll be out next year as a budget alternative to the Xbox 360.

It’ll run Windows 8 – Microsoft’s latest operating system for desktops and tablets – and play more casual games like you’d find on the Wii, or arcade titles. It’ll also be ‘always-on’, so should boot up quickly, and let you stream a host of movies, music and shows to your TV, providing an all-in-one entertainment hub.

These are all just rumours at the moment, nothing is set in stone.

It’s said to be part of Microsoft’s broader plan to expand the Xbox into other areas. The company is rumoured to have offered the core workings to telly manufacturers, hinting we could see an Xbox TV at some point. Which would certainly be interesting, considering Apple is rumoured to be working on its own TV set.

Microsoft’s next fully-fledged console, known commonly as the Xbox 720, should be out next year as well. The latest round of rumours suggest it’ll be called just ‘Xbox’, and feature enhanced Kinect capabilities for even better motion controls, and a Blu-ray drive. It should be out next spring, if the rumours are correct. [GadgetShow]

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