Xbox co-founder J Allard has joined Amazon to work on ‘new ideas’

Xbox co-founder J Allard joined Amazon past month, arsenic a vice president successful the company’s devices and services team. In an email to The Verge, Allard confirmed his caller relation but says it’s “too aboriginal to person thing to say” astir what he’ll beryllium moving connected astatine Amazon beyond “new ideas.”

Allard volition beryllium reporting up to erstwhile Windows and Surface main Panos Panay astatine Amazon, according to Geek Wire. Panay near Microsoft past twelvemonth aft being astatine the bundle elephantine for astir 20 years. Allard spent much than 20 years astatine Microsoft, co-founding the Xbox division, launching Microsoft’s Xbox Live network, and processing the Xbox 360 console. Allard besides oversaw the improvement of the Zune, Microsoft’s iPod competitor.

Allard departed Microsoft successful 2010, pursuing his enactment connected the company’s canceled Courier tablet. Courier was ne'er officially announced arsenic a Microsoft product, but the leaked conception combined pen and interaction into a integer notepad.

The Courier was reportedly canceled amid infighting betwixt the Courier radical led by Allard and the Windows radical led astatine the clip by Steven Sinofsky. Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer reportedly couldn’t take betwixt Courier and Windows and needed Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to step successful and marque the last decision.

Allard has spent astir of his clip aft Microsoft moving Project 529, a assemblage work enactment designed to trim motorcycle theft. Two Three Bird acquired Project 529 earlier this year, freeing up Allard’s clip to “orient my vigor towards immoderate caller ideas.”