Cisco to lay off at least 5,500 employees

Photo courtesy of Sky News

Networking equipment company Cisco is making the shift from hardware to software and with it they’ll be losing seven percent of their workforce or at least 5,500 employees. There will be 70,000 employees remaining after the job cuts happen during the first fiscal quarter of 2017. The company made the announcement during its fourth-quarter earnings call on Wednesday afternoon. The layoffs could’ve been worse though as earlier claims said Cisco was supposedly going to let go as many as 14,000 employees.

Sales for the company grew two percent year-over-year (excluding a video unit) to US$12.6 billion during a quarter. Its stock was down 1.3 percent on Wednesday. It’s still going to be challenging for Cisco going forward as product or hardware make up almost half the company’s sales and three-fourths of its revenue in the last quarter. Meanwhile, its security business—which is its fastest growing segment—still represents four percent of its sales. It’s up 16 percent year-over-year or was worth $540 million during the quarter.

Source: Recode + Mashable

Microsoft’s new Surface ad hits back at the Apple iPad Pro’s computer claims

The Microsoft vs. Apple debate has been going on for as long as we can remember. So, when Apple market the iPad Pro claiming it’s a full computer, it was almost certain Microsoft wouldn’t take that lying down. True enough, a new Surface ad has surfaced mocking the full computer claims of the iPad Pro. This time they have Siri and Cortana talking to each other with Siri saying, “I just got a keyboard. I’m a computer now, like you.” Cortana fires back by talking about how the Surface Pro 4 tablets have trackpads, full desktop versions of apps, external ports, and an Intel Core i7 processor.  And ends the commercial with “Surface does more, just like you.” We’re pretty sure we’re not hearing the end of this.

Pizza Hut turns its pizza box into a DJ turntable

Looks like KFC isn’t the only one playing around with its containers, Pizza Hut is giving away five DJ pizza boxes in the UK. And yes, you read right. Pizza Hut’s UK division has made a DJ turntable out of its pizza boxes. The boxes were actually made by Novalia, who specialize in printed electronics. They’ve made a cheap inset system that has Bluetooth connectivity and is touch sensitive. It has pitch and volume controls, a mixer, and you can even scratch on the turn tables. We’re not sure if you’re going to want to do that after taking out the pizza. We’re hoping Pizza Hut in the UK ships this sans pizza. They’ll be updating on Twitter on how you’d be able to score one of these… if you’re interested and in the UK, that is.

Source: The Verge + PopSci

Ford setting the foundation for autonomous and driverless cars

Ford is chasing the futurw and has started by investing in or collaborating with four startups to enhance its autonomous vehicle development, doubling its Silicon Valley team and more than doubling its Palo Alto campus.

“The next decade will be defined by automation of the automobile, and we see autonomous vehicles as having as significant an impact on society as Ford’s moving assembly line did 100 years ago,” said Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company president and CEO. “We’re dedicated to putting on the road an autonomous vehicle that can improve safety and solve social and environmental challenges for millions of people – not just those who can afford luxury vehicles.”

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