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Tim Schaaff came over to Sony from Apple back in 2005 with a mission of aligning its vast consumer electronics and entertainment interests, and today the company has announced he's retiring from his post as Sony Network Entertainment President at the end of the year. Schaaf's responsibilities will be taken over by current Sony Computer Entertainment president Andrew House to start 2013, although Schaaf will retain his seat on Sony Network's board of directors. In place and SNEI prez since 2010, he was around for the infamous PSN hack and subsequent outage in 2011, calling it a "great experience"... that he would not like to do again, of course. While Sony has made great strides in reorganizing the way its disparate arms work together since '05 (remember Sony Connect? No one else does either.) his departure comes amidst new company head Kaz Hirai's "One Sony" turnaround efforts along the same lines. A rebranding of PlayStation Network to Sony Entertainment Network hasn't pushed the Music and Movie Unlimited properties to the top just yet, nor connected devices like its tablets and phones -- we'll see if this executive shuffling has any effect on the company's fortunes going forward.

The first thing we noticed about Nintendo's next console when we last got our hands on it was the length -- the Wii U is Nintendo's longest console yet. Sure, sure, there's a tablet controller and HD graphics and yadda yadda yadda. That's immaterial. What matters here, folks, is how the new hardware -- the console itself -- physically stacks up against the first Wii. As you'll see in our gallery, length is the least of the Wii U's changes: in the Wii U, Nintendo added two more USB 2.0 ports up front and rounded out its hard right angles, for starters. Around back, the port layout of the Wii is nigh-on identical with that of the Wii U, albeit with the fan moved an inch (or so) to the right, making space for HDMI output. This is an HD console, after all. Wonderfully, unlike even the most expensive models of Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the Wii U includes an HDMI cable right out of the box. Not a huge deal, but it sure was a baffling move when Sony and Microsoft both skimped on such an important detail.

The only other change we spotted (outside of the power port being flipped from horizontal to vertical) is the lack of GameCube controller ports up top. Say sayonara to those old Wavebirds, as Nintendo's moving on to its new tablet controller and its updated Pro Controller. Take some super close-up looks at all the minute differences with us below.

Nintendo Wii U vs. Nintendo Wii ... fight!

Ferrari loves to extol the advances found in its drivetrains, but the unspoken rule is that its interior technology leaves something to be desired; unless you're thinking of a 458's manettino, even a less expensive car like the Tesla Model S is virtually in another league. The automaker may be narrowing that gap by putting Apple online lead Eddy Cue on the Ferrari board of directors. Without giving too much away, Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo points to Cue's experience with the "dynamic, innovative world of the internet" as the motivation -- as good a sign as any that the Maranello team wants to take connected cars seriously. Whenever the Apple Senior VP's experience comes into full effect, we may see one of the few supercar lineups whose cabins are as advanced as the engines. Just don't look for any tight integration with Ferrari-badged Acer gear in the near future.

If you're one of the first on your block to have picked up a Nokia Lumia 920, you might wonder why it's so forgiving with where you set it down on the wireless charging pad. TI is more than willing to share. The 920, 820, Fatboy charging pillow and JBL PowerUp speaker all use a new TI bq500410A controller whose support for new transmitters gives it a charging area four times larger than we're used to. The 2.76 by 0.79 inches of coverage might not sound like much, but it's much wider than the previous 0.71 square inches while preserving a 70 percent efficiency and a safety cutoff if something gets in between. As a companion, there's a bq51050B chip launching at the same time that represents the first Qi receiver with its own built-in battery charger, which TI claims can charge more quickly and in less space than its rivals. Anyone embracing Nokia's vision of Windows Phone 8 can get their hands on devices using the wireless power chips today; we're only left hoping that TI's official news means other phone makers can tag along.

Most larger North American cellular carriers still base their plans around voice minutes -- how quaintly 2006 of them. We're in an era of smartphones now, and Canada's Rogers is revamping its plans to reflect a data-first reality while possibly wringing out a few dollars more. A quartet of newly active Unlimited Talk and Text rates hand out the now-trivial messaging and voice time like candy: apart from a $55 entry plan that includes a still-healthy 1,000 minutes of talk, they all offer unlimited local or Canada-wide calling as well as unlimited MMS and SMS. The gotcha, as you'd anticipate, is getting enough data. Anyone but the most casual among us will want to skip the anemic 200MB from the $55 plan in favor of the $65 (1GB), $75 (3GB) or $95 (5GB) tiers that let smartphones flex their muscles. Rogers' strategy is no doubt meant to draw a few data-heavy Galaxy Note II and Lumia 920 buyers into more lucrative service echelons, but it's a refreshing break from pricing that still treats the basics as scarce resources.

Update: It's well-known that the major Canadian carriers tend to imitate each other's cellular plans, and there's no sign they're letting up. MobileSyrup has heard that both Bell and Telus should have uncannily similar plans as of November 9th and 8th, respectively. About the only practical difference is Telus' decision to focus on the top three tiers and hike prices by $5 across the board.

Looking to save some coin on your tech purchases? Of course you are! In this round-up, we'll run down a list of the freshest frugal buys, hand-picked with the help of the folks at Slickdeals. You'll want to act fast, though, as many of these offerings won't stick around long.

There's no doubt that a little online shopping can help turn the mid-week blues around. Luckily, we have a handful of new discounted items that are ready to greet your open wallets. Canon and Sigma digital cameras top the list, while a mechanical keyboard and powered subwoofer also make the cut. Head down past the break to take a gander, but don't delay. These bad boys are sure to be gone in no time.

Multi-Window is a key feature for the Samsung Galaxy Note II because it adds split-screen functionality to the device's 5.5-inch display -- allowing you to run two apps at the same time -- but unfortunately it has been noticeably absent on the phone's US versions. Until today, the carriers have remained oddly silent about if or when their model would even receive it. Two weeks after its initial release, Sprint's Note II will receive an update (L900VPALJC) that enables the missing feature, in addition to some minor enhancements to GPS, email and SMS. We're expecting to see the rollout start today, but Sprint advises us that it may take up to five days before it hits your particular unit. It's about time -- and we can only hope that the other carriers will follow up with updates fairly quickly. Head to the source link to find out how to install the update, as well as full details on the other fixes in the new build.

After just a few short months at v2.0, Microsoft's own SkyDrive app is now sitting pretty at 3.0. What's an extra point get you? For starters, it'll support all incoming Windows Phone 8 products, and it'll also allow users to search their SkyDrive files / folders. Moreover, you'll find new settings for photo upload and download size, as well as updated app icons and visuals. Microsoft has also improved performance when it comes to loading one's content, but as of now, the 3.0 update won't play nice with WP7 handsets. Hit up the source link if you're hungry for more.

We're wondering if Microsoft is a master of the non-denial. While it has twice downplayed rumors of an upcoming Office for competing mobile platforms, supposed new screenshots and details from The Verge hint that the Redmond team's use of the word "inaccurate" wasn't a flat-out rejection. The Android and iOS versions (iOS seen here) are believed to be real, but to serve mostly as hooks for those who crave Microsoft-sanctioned portals rather than full-fledged productivity suites. Excel, PowerPoint and Word apps would start off as free viewers and only unlock editing for those who dutifully subscribe to Office 365; to no one's shock, even the paid versions would be simple enough to leave Surface owners free from buyer's remorse. Anyone who hasn't already been lured away by Google Drive or iWork offerings may have some time to wait if the claims hold true, however. A mobile Office bundle may meet the rumored launch targets for iOS users with a launch sometime in late February or early March, but the Android fans among us might have to wait until May. It's safe to say that Microsoft won't clear the air anytime soon.

Microsoft's finally released the Windows 8 hounds, and retailers aren't skipping a beat on stocking up on pre-loaded hardware. TigerDirect is one such outlet eager to get you hooked up with a Windows 8 device, and to prove it, it's provided us with an ASUS S400CA-DH51T Ultrabook (currently an $899 value)! All you have to do is leave a comment below to enter, but you should definitely take a few minutes out of your day to check out TigerDirect's website for some great online deals!

Note: specs for the Ultrabook include a 3rd generation Intel Core i5-3317U 1.7GHz, 4GB DDR3, 500GB HDD + 24GB SSD Cache, 14.1" Touchscreen and Windows 8 64-bit. Head to the above link for more details.

Mastercard is already a big fish in the still tiny NFC contactless payment pond, and now it wants to take that same technology to a veritable ocean -- internet sales. The plastic purveyor is tag-teaming with ING in the Netherlands for PayPass-based smartphone internet payments that would have a "comparable level of security" to bricks and mortar purchases -- by transmitting an EMV-compliant cryptogram or QR code to merchants. That would theoretically make online shopping less risky, and the system would also allow coupons and vouchers to be applied, giving a "similar user experience in both the physical and digital world." The Dutch trial has already started and will continue until early 2013, but there's no word if new users can still jump in -- check the PR after the break to read the tea leaves for yourself.

The PlayPad and the PlayPad Pro controllers from Nyko have just reported for Android gaming duties, each carrying a $39.99 sticker. There's no sign of the multicolored options we saw back in June, but the PlayPad does come in black or white and is bundled with a carry case and a folding stand for phones and tablets, while its larger and apparently more ergonomic sibling is offered only in black and is a GameStop exclusive. The wireless duo latch on to Android (3.0 or greater) devices using Bluetooth and are optimized for those with a Tegra processor, such as the Nexus 7 and the HTC One X+. There's an app -- called Playground -- which lets either controller work with legacy titles that don't specifically support its Bluetooth instructions, along with a mouse mode, PC and Mac support, and even the option to play on iOS devices loaded with iCade games. Sure, these controllers may not have faux-recoil or venomous branding, but perhaps they don't need to -- especially since they're cheaper than some of the competition.

AT&T has announced that it will be dropping a cool $14 billion over the next three years to beef up its wireless and wireline broadband networks. Project Velocity IP (VIP) will see the company attempt to boost its 4G LTE network to support 300 million users by year-end 2014 and expand its wired IP broadband base to 75 percent of customer locations by late 2015. In addition, the operator intends to have fiber deployed to a million business locations and plans to expand U-verse (internet, TV and phone combos) by 8.5 million to 33 million customer locations. When it's all said and done, AT&T predicts that 99 percent of customers will get broadband services one way or other, with $8 billion in investment heading toward wireless projects and $6 billion goosing up wired broadband -- so, nobody can say the telecom giant is hoarding all those profits. Check the PR after the jump for a full breakdown.

Whenever we review Chromebooks, we always come to more or less the same conclusion: it's a neat idea, a computer where everything is done online, but it's not worth the money. That was back when Chrome OS devices were priced at $500, competing with netbooks that could run not just the Chrome browser, but all manner of Windows apps. Ditto for tablets, which can be tricked out with many thousands of apps on both iOS and Android.

But what if we told you the price had been slashed to $249? Then could you see yourself pulling the trigger? That's the gamble Google and Samsung are taking with the new Chromebook, which retails for $249 with an 11.6-inch display, 6.5-hour battery and a more compact design. All told, it's as good a piece of hardware as any netbook you'll find, only cheaper. And good luck finding a tablet-and-keyboard combo for less than $250.

There is one major change this time around, though, and that's the Chromebook's dual-core ARM processor, instead of something from Intel's Celeron family. The performance isn't likely to be as good, but will that matter if all you're running is the Chrome browser? Will the lowered price be enough to lure in parents, travelers and other folks looking for a cheap second laptop? Let's see.

Samsung Chromebook review (2012)

The publisher of PlayStation: The Official Magazine has confirmed to Game Informer that the Sony-minded periodical will board up its doors by year's end. This isn't the first gaming zine that publisher Future US has called it quits on this year -- news of Nintendo Power's closure broke this August. Just like the Nintendo-centric themed publication, the PlayStation mag's last issue will be its holiday edition. However, unlike Newsweek's leap to a purely digital existence, there's no indication that the magazine could see life online.

Drift has updated its HD action camera to help you better document your Baumgartner-esque death defying acts. The Drift HD Ghost gets a two-inch LCD screen with a refreshed control setup and chunky, 1,700mAh battery. The company is boasting that audio on this new unit should be greatly improved (something we took issue with last time out) so the world can hear your blood-curdling screams as you plummet through the stratosphere. It's available to pre-order from today for $399, with the device set to begin shipping from November 19th.

Drift HD Ghost Press Gallery

US Cellular's latest figures show that while the network saw its revenues remain constant, net profits fell by nearly half compared to the same period last year. It coined $35.5 million in net profit this quarter, down from the $62.1 million it made in Q3 2011 despite bringing in $1.04 billion in turnover both times. The cause of this reduced profitability is said to be down to higher subsidies on LTE devices, which represented a full 50 percent of the company's smartphone sales in the quarter.

While the carrier has reversed the trend of losing customers, it only managed to add a rather measly 9,000 new customers in the three-month period. That could be part of the motivation behind US Cellular selling off a big chunk of its Midwestern operations to the now cash-rich Sprint -- so it can concentrate on areas where business is stronger.