Microsoft Archive

Microsoft: Apple vs. HTC “Positive Development”

Thom Holwerda 2010-03-16 Microsoft 17 Comments

And yes, the legal news just continues to come. With high-profile lawsuits going on in the world of technology (Nokia vs. Apple, Apple vs. HTC), we really can't get around lots and lots of news about the subject. This latest tidbit we have for you is most interesting, and only serves to further confirm the rumours that Bing might become the default on the iPhone: Microsoft has more or less endorsed Apple's lawsuit against HTC.

Rumour: Courier Is Real, New Concept Videos, Photos

Thom Holwerda 2010-03-05 Microsoft 60 Comments

Up until only a few weeks ago, I had little, very little faith in Microsoft ever doing anything serious with its spectacular Courier tablet-book-thing-whatever concept. However, this thing happened, and this thing is called Windows Phone 7 Series - it showed that Microsoft is willing to take risks, willing to introduce something new and fresh. As such, colour me intrigued about rumours from Engadget concerning the Courier actually being real - accompanied by a boatload of screenshots and concept videos.

Ballmer Bets Microsoft’s Future on the Internet

Thom Holwerda 2010-03-05 Microsoft 38 Comments

Seventy percent of the 40000 people who work on software at Microsoft are in some way working in the ~~cloud~~ internet, CEO Steve Ballmer said in a talk to comp sci students at the University of Washington. "A year from now, that will be 90 percent," he said. Ballmer also said that Microsoft wants to help foster the development of different ~~cloud~~ internet-computing services, both private and public. All Microsoft products including Windows, Office, Xbox, Azure, Bing and Windows Phone are driven by the idea of being connected to the ~~cloud~~ internet.

Microsoft Launches Its First Android App

Thom Holwerda 2010-03-04 Microsoft 4 Comments

"In December 2008, Microsoft surprised a lot of people by releasing an iPhone app - Seadragon Mobile. A month later, they ensured the move wasn't taken as a joke or gimmick by launching another app, Tag, into Apple's App Store. Now, they have a few, including an app for Bing. And starting today, they're doing the same for Android."

Microsoft Open-Sources Clever U-Prove Identity Framework

Submitted by poundsmack 2010-03-03 Microsoft 11 Comments

"Ultimately, we want to be able to securely make transactions without giving third parties the ability to masquerade as us; we want to be able to visit websites and make purchases without those sites being able to track us or combine different pieces of information to draw a more complete picture of us; we want to be able to be able to disclose some information about ourselves, but not everything. The U-Prove framework, released as a CTP today by Microsoft, aims to solve these problems."

Ballmer: One Day, Bing Will Actually Make Money

Thom Holwerda 2010-03-02 Microsoft 18 Comments

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer has insisted that one day, the company's Google-battling Bing search engine will actually make money. "Search is going to be an ever-growing share of Microsoft's profits," the big man bellowed - literally bellowed - during a wide-ranging question and answer keynote this morning at the search-obsessed SMX West conference in Silicon Valley, "First, we've got to get to break even. And then we're got to get to profitability. And then we've got to grow share. That's how I do my math."

The Browser Choice Screen for Europe: What to Expect, When to Expect It

Kroc 2010-02-19 Microsoft 31 Comments

Be prepared for choice to be thrust before you, the Microsoft browser ballot arrives in Europe around the 1st of March. It will also be available in Windows Update as an optional install for interested users to test next week. Microsoft have included screenshots of the process. Via BBC News

Where Microsoft’s Profits Come From

Thom Holwerda 2010-02-12 Microsoft 88 Comments

Sometimes, the sheer size of a company like Microsoft can make it quite hard to see and realise just how large and profitable such a company can really be. In these kinds of situations, there's nothing like a clear graph to make all those pretty numbers tangible. Up to a point.

Office for Mac 2011 To Feature Co-Authoring, Ribbon Interface

Thom Holwerda 2010-02-11 Microsoft 21 Comments

"Microsoft on Thursday detailed some of the new features in its forthcoming Office for Mac 2011 suite, including co-authoring tools, Web apps, and a redesigned ribbon interface more consistent with its Windows counterpart. Microsoft is a part of Macworld 2010 expo in San Francisco this week, and has used the event to divulge details on its forthcoming update to Office for Mac, expected to arrive later this year."

Microsoft To Patch 17-Year-Old Computer Bug

Thom Holwerda 2010-02-05 Microsoft 4 Comments

"The ancient bug was discovered by Google security researcher Tavis Ormandy in January 2010 and involves a utility that allows newer versions of Windows to run very old programs. Mr Ormandy has found a way to exploit this utility in Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and 2008 as well as Windows Vista and Windows 7. The patch for this vulnerability will appear in the February security update. Five of the vulnerabilities being patched at the same time allow attackers to effectively hijack a Windows PC and run their own programs on it."

Former Microsoft VP on “Microsoft’s Creative Destruction”

Thom Holwerda 2010-02-04 Microsoft 95 Comments

Now this is something you don't read every day. Dick Brass, vice president at Microsoft from 1997 to 2004, has written an article for The New York Times' Op-Ed section, detailing the flaws in Microsoft's corporate culture, and how they've severely affected the company in a negative way. Telling, and painful. And, in a way, very sad. Update: Microsoft responds. "For Microsoft, it is not sufficient to simply have a good idea, or a great idea, or even a cool idea. We measure our work by its broad impact."

Microsoft: Windows 7 Fastest Selling OS in History

Thom Holwerda 2010-01-29 Microsoft 125 Comments

Microsoft presented the results for its second quarter of the 2010 fiscal year yesterday, which ended on December 29 2009. As it turns out, thanks to sales of Windows 7, Microsoft experienced a record quarter, which is especially welcome after the previous two lacklustre ones. It sold 60 million Windows 7 licenses during this record quarter.

Microsoft To Delete Bing Users’ IP Addresses After 6 Months

Thom Holwerda 2010-01-19 Microsoft 2 Comments

"Microsoft will eliminate all data collected on Bing users after six months. The software giant said it sent a letter to the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party, a collection of the EU's top minds on data protection and privacy issues, today notifying it that the company would reduce the amount of time it stores IP addresses from searchers from 18 months to six months before deleting them."

Microsoft CEO Says No China Exit

Thom Holwerda 2010-01-14 Microsoft 30 Comments

Microsoft has no plans to pull out of China, its chief executive said on Thursday, playing down concerns about recent cyber-attacks and censorship raised by rival Google Inc. "There are attacks every day. I don't think there was anything unusual, so I don't understand," Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told Reuters after a meeting on modernizing government services at the White House.

Microsoft, HP Pump 250 USD Million Into Cloud Computing

Thom Holwerda 2010-01-13 Microsoft 13 Comments

Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard today announced a three-year $250 million partnership to simplify IT environments through a wide range of converged hardware, software, and professional services solutions. This is a broad agreement with many components, building on the 25-year Microsoft-HP partnership, which works toward new models for application delivery, hardware architecture, and IT operations. The goal is to deliver the "next generation computing platform" by leading the adoption of cloud computing.

Microsoft Office 2010: Simplification, You’re Doing it Wrong

Thom Holwerda 2010-01-13 Microsoft 38 Comments

Upgrade prices were mysteriously absent from Microsoft's Office 2010 pricing information, which they revealed last week. The upgrade versions of Office have been removed in an attempt to simplify the purchase process for customers, but sadly, it only makes matters more complicated. Simplification -you're doing it wrong.

Windows, Office Rentals Now OK with Microsoft

Thom Holwerda 2010-01-11 Microsoft 4 Comments

"At one time or another you may have used a rented-out Windows PC, be that at business kiosks or Internet cafes. Technically speaking, though, doing so has never been legal. As of January 1, 2010, the licensing terms for Windows and Microsoft Office have been tweaked so that those that wish to rent, lease, or outsource desktop PCs to third parties with either software can do so by paying an extra fee."

Ballmer Talks at CES, Underwhelms with HP Slate Tablet

Thom Holwerda 2010-01-07 Microsoft 28 Comments

Microsoft's CES keynote is behind us, and before the thing even started, it was rumoured that Microsoft would unveil a tablet PC together with HP. Well, they did, but to say it was underwhelming would be an understatement. Instant update: El Reg has a nice list of figures presented during the keynote.

Microsoft Not Planning Legal Action Against Ylmf OS

Thom Holwerda 2010-01-05 Microsoft 39 Comments

Late last year, news got out that an infamous Chinese pirate has moved beyond pirating Windows, moving on to creating an Ubuntu distribution that is almost a pixel-perfect copy of Windows XP, called Ylmf OS. Ars Technica contacted Microsoft about possible legal actions, but it seems Microsoft isn't really bothered by all this.

Microsoft Reveals Office 2010 Retail Prices

Thom Holwerda 2010-01-05 Microsoft 10 Comments

Microsoft has revealed Office 2010 pricing for Home and Student, Home and Business, Professional, and Professional Academic editions. Office will come in both boxed versions and "key card" versions that have no media.