IntellectBeat

Tesla Motors said it was stepping up production plans for its upcoming Model 3 mass-market sedan and would build a total of 500,000 all-electric vehicles in 2018, two years ahead of schedule, but warned that spending will ramp up in tandem. The company, which three months ago aimed to make a net profit in the final quarter of this year, gave no profit target on Wednesday and said capital spending would rise about 50 per cent more than previously forecast this year, to around $2.25 billion. New shares and debt will likely be issued at some point, Chief Executive Elon Musk added. Tesla, which produces the luxury Model S sedan and Model X sport utility vehicle, aims to become a high-volume automaker in a matter of years and already is valued on par with some of the biggest car companies in the world. Shares of the company, run by tech entrepreneur Musk, rose more than 5 per cent in after hours trade after it announced its first-quarter results and beefed-up production targets. Musk...

Microsoft announced Thursday that its latest Windows operating system designed to work on laptops, desktops, smartphones, Xbox One consoles and more is powering 300 million devices around the world. "We're seeing people at home, at schools, at small businesses, at large companies, and other organizations adopt Windows 10 faster than ever, and use Windows 10 more than ever before," Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Windows and Devices Group, said in a blog post. The adoption speed has likely been ramped up by Microsoft's move to make Windows 10 available as a free upgrade through July 29. After that, it will be available pre-installed on new devices or for purchase separately, with a home computer version priced at $119, according to the Redmond, Washington-based company. The tech titan is hoping the new version -- launched after a weak response to Windows 8 and aimed at integrating with a variety of devices -- can help it gain traction in th...