Topping tech headlines on Monday, Microsoft unveiled Xbox SmartGlass at E3, which will tie together Xbox content with devices on iOS and Android, as well as other platforms. Redmond showed quick switching between the Xbox 360, tablets, and smartphones, with the mobile devices offering additional information while users watched television.
Also at E3, Microsoft showed off several anticipated new titles, like Halo 4 and Splinter Cell: Blacklist, and provided a sneak peek at its own music service, dubbed Xbox Music.
In mobile news, Samsung confirmed that its Galaxy S III smartphone will be available on all four major U.S. carriers, as well as U.S. Cellular starting this month. The smartphone will be available on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and U.S. Cellular "in the coming weeks," Samsung said. The device will come to T-Mobile and Sprint by June 21, but other carriers have not announced exact release dates.
Meanwhile, social platform Meebo was snatched up by Google, in a deal rumored to be worth about $100 million.
Finally, Facebook is reportedly pursuing tools that would allow kids under 13 to access the social network with parental supervision. There were also rumors that Apple will deeply integrate Facebook in iOS 6, a tieup that could be unveiled at next week's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco.
In other Monday tech news:
- Will Apple's iOS 6 Bring Siri to iPad?: Siri is reportedly coming to the big screen.
- Tablets, Windows 8, Ultrabooks Look to Dominate Computex: Certain trends are starting to emerge that will define the rest of the trade show this week, and undoubtedly for months and years to come.
- Asus Announces 802.11ac Router: But despite the tablets, laptops, all-in-ones, and various combinations thereof, Asus hasn't left out the one most important piece: how you connect to the cloud in the first place.
- Acer Announces New Windows 8 Laptops, Tablets, All-in-Ones: Acer announced its new collection of laptops, tablets, and all-in-one desktops designed exclusively to run on Windows 8.
- Intel Sounds Off on Future of Thunderbolt: Intel used Computex to reinforce its commitment to the next-generation Thunderbolt data transfer protocol and to discuss what we can expect to from it in 2012 and beyond.
- Report: Office for iPad Launching in November:Looking to use Microsoft Word on your iPad? Well, evidence is mounting that it's in the works.
- Analyst: Next iPhone, iPad Mini to Launch in September: While most rumors indicate that Apple will unveil the next iPhone in October, an analyst said the highly anticipated smartphone could make its debut a month earlier.
- Top Tech Firms Prep for Switch to IPv6: "This time it is for real," reads the Internet Society's World IPv6 Launch website.
- Instapaper Releases Android App: Instapaper for Android launched Monday, adding to the growing list of iOS-turned-Android applications.
- Instagram Rival PicPlz Closing Up Shop Next Month: If you're a PicPlz user, then it's time to find yourself a new photo-sharing service.
For more from Angela, follow her on Twitter @amoscaritolo.
