Business

A new report suggests that Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 RT-based tablet computer, Surface , will retail for $199. Observers expect that such a price point is more likely to place Microsoft in direct competition with Google than with Apple. The ... report comes from the prominent tech blog Engadget. It states that the basic version of the 10.6-inch Surface, running on Microsoft's bare-bones Windows 8 RT (or runtime) operating system (OS), will cost $199. (Source: engadget.com ) That's the same price as Google's recently released 7-inch Nexus 7 and the similarly-sized Kindle Fire from Amazon. It' ... (view more)

Google has agreed to pay a $22.5 million penalty for misleading users of the Safari browser about its privacy policies. It's the largest penalty ever imposed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for this type of offense. The case involves cookies, ... the small text files which a website places on a user's computer to identify and help track them. In many cases, cookies help advertisers deliver particularly relevant advertisements (Amazon's "Recommended for You" feature is one example). Google Tricks Safari With Bogus Code Since many web users don't like being followed, Apple decided ... (view more)

The Apple App Store might be the single most important reason for Apple's dominance of the smartphone and tablet markets. But Valve, which is responsible for the wildly popular Steam video game distribution platform, now appears ready to challenge ... Apple, Microsoft, and Google with its own app store. According to reports, Valve is preparing to expand its operations into non-gaming areas, including computer applications. For those not familiar with Steam, it's basically an app store for video games. With tens of millions of users and more than one thousand games available for instant download, ... (view more)

It will be a busy week for IT administrators as Microsoft rolls out fixes for five critical vulnerabilities in its products -- including both Windows and Internet Explorer -- and as Adobe issues patches for similar flaws in its Reader and Acrobat ... programs. As part of its monthly Patch Tuesday update, Microsoft plans to release nine security bulletins on August 14, 2012. Five of those nine bulletins have been designated "critical", the Redmond, Washington-based firm's highest security rating. Windows, Internet Explorer Receive Updates Those five critical bulletins address serious ... (view more)

There has been quite a lot of discussion in recent months about the integration of Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 operating system (OS) with the company's current video game console (the Xbox 360), its next-gen gaming system (code-named "Durango") ... and its online gaming platform, Xbox Live. There are even rumors that the next version of the Xbox (which is expected to get its first unveiling at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, next year) will use an operating system very similar to Windows 8 . Xbox Achievements Makes Games More Fun, Addictive So it's no big surprise that Microsoft has ... (view more)

Microsoft has made a change to the final edition of its new Windows 8 operating system (OS). According to a new report, the change forces users who prefer Windows' traditional desktop layout to use the system's new interface (formerly known as ... 'Metro') every time the new OS boots up. This requirement could represent a major irritant for many Windows users. The most significant change in Windows 8 is the new user interface. It's a much different design featuring very large icons known as 'tiles,' and has already become fairly popular among users of Windows-based smartphones. Microsoft ... (view more)

For some time, gaming experts have been speculating about the release date, hardware specifications, and software capabilities associated with the next version of the Xbox video game console from Microsoft. Now, a slip up by a Microsoft ... representative may have revealed that the device will be heavily integrated with the Redmond, Washington-based company's soon-to-be-released operating system (OS): Windows 8. In a podcast with the hosts of the show Vergecast, Windows Live general manager Brian Hall listed the "new Xbox" along with a number of other products that will use or closely ... (view more)

Microsoft is reportedly scrambling to come up with a replacement name for its new user interface in Windows 8. According to reports, the Redmond, Washington-based company has decided to completely drop the name 'Metro' after a threat of legal action ... arose over possible trademark violations. Microsoft has reportedly told its staff they should not use the term in any applications or documents. Microsoft has been calling its new interface 'Metro' for some time. In the past it was meant to describe an overall design style, including both a typeface and a system incorporating very large icons. ... (view more)

Microsoft says its new 'Surface' tablet computer will be more like a traditional computer than other ultra-portable devices, such as Apple's segment-leading iPad. To help attract PC users the company is launching a range of new keyboards and mice ... specially designed to work with the Surface. The company is also adding the ability to interpret touch gestures to an existing high-tech mouse. Microsoft recently confirmed that the earlier, cheaper versions of Surface will be available on October 26, 2012, when Windows 8 is released. More expensive versions of the device, aimed at higher-end ... (view more)

Microsoft is finished with Windows 8, and has officially released the new operating system to manufacturers (a milestone called "RTM"). Hardware makers like Dell, Asus, Acer, and Hewlett-Packard will now begin the process of installing the new ... operating system (OS) on their computers slated for sale on or after the OS's launch date, October, 2012. By releasing Windows 8 to manufacturers, Microsoft is acknowledging that it has completed development and testing of the new OS. Obviously, work on the OS will continue so that updates and additions can be offered in the future. Windows 8 ... (view more)