Business

Microsoft has made significant changes to its Bing search engine, incorporating certain aspects of Facebook and Twitter to make its product a better social search platform. The company promises several improvements to the site layout, including ... features that offer users the ability to exchange ideas and share opinions. Microsoft likens this concept to bouncing ideas off a trusted friend. Facebook to Help Validate, Speed-Up Search According to the Bing community search blog, a recently conducted internal poll found that 75 per cent of respondents spend more time searching online for ... (view more)

Cyber-crooks have reportedly used fake Microsoft credentials to spread the new Flame malware. In response, Microsoft has issued an 'emergency security advisory', along with a guide telling people how to protect their computer systems and networks. ... The Flame virus is a bit unusual, in that it is designed to steal data rather than corrupt or take down computer systems. Described by researchers at Kaspersky Lab as a "complete attack toolkit," the Flame virus is considered by many to be an even bigger security threat than the massive Stuxnet worm, which it closely resembles. Flame Masquerades as ... (view more)

Two weeks ago Twitter made headlines by announcing a new "Do Not Track" feature that prevented the service from collecting information about the online behavior of its many users. Now, Microsoft has unveiled a similar plan for the next edition of ... its popular web browser, Internet Explorer. According to a blog entry written by Microsoft Chief Privacy Officer Brendon Lynch, Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) -- which is expected to launch alongside Windows 8 later this year -- will by default be set to avoid collecting data about the online activity of its users. Microsoft Says Privacy Setting Is ... (view more)

Microsoft has just announced that the Release Preview edition of its upcoming Windows 8 operating system (OS) is now available for download. This is generally considered the last build of the OS prior to its official launch, expected this fall. But ... don't confuse this version of the new OS with the Consumer Preview, which Microsoft released back in February, 2012. The Release Preview is generally considered much closer to the final product that will actually hit store shelves. Performance Improved, Apps Added There have been a few additions and improvements to the new OS since the Consumer ... (view more)

Microsoft chief executive officer Steve Ballmer probably has a lot of tech toys that fans would love to get their hands on. But one of the most enviable must be his 80-inch tablet computer. According to a new report, devices similar to the 80-inch ... tablet PC which Ballmer has in his office will eventually be available to high-end business users who can afford it. If the giant-screen tablet proves popular enough, the device could make its way into the wider marketplace. Ballmer Does Email On Giant Tablet In an interview with Wired.co.uk, Microsoft vice president Frank Shaw had a startling ... (view more)

A new in-car voice recognition system will reportedly use the same technology as Siri, the "virtual assistant" found on Apple's iPhone. The idea is to let drivers give the system commands in conversational language rather than having to use a ... specific (and often awkward) sequence of words. Siri, which stands for Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface, was one of the highlight features of the iPhone 4S when it debuted late last year. Siri: A More Natural Way to Communicate Siri is designed to process typical spoken language. For example, if it worked as designed the Siri software ... (view more)

Google's legal problems surrounding its unintentional gathering of personal data from home WiFi networks now seem likely to linger longer than previously expected. After the publication of an internal email that some consider a 'smoking gun,' ... British authorities are reportedly near a decision to reopen their investigation of the search giant's activities. The long-running case involves the vehicles carrying Google's roof-mounted cameras taking "Street View" photos for the company's map service. These vehicles housed computers that scanned for nearby wireless networks. According to Google, the ... (view more)

Google's Chrome has become the most widely used web browser in the world. Although its lead is probably temporary, the surge in popularity ends a 14-year-reign by Microsoft's Internet Explorer. The figures come from StatCounter's weekly usage ... charts. For the week ending May 20, the company estimates that 32.76 per cent of people across the world were using some version of Chrome, compared with only 31.94 per cent using Internet Explorer. Mozilla'a Firefox took third place with 25.47 per cent of all usage, while Apple's Safari lagged behind the other three browsers at just 7.08 per cent. ( ... (view more)

Last month the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) announced it was suing Apple and major publishers like Penguin and Macmillan for fixing the price of electronic books, or e-books. It has taken some time, but Apple has now responded to that ... suit by denying any involvement in e-book price fixing. In April, the DoJ said that Apple and at least five publishers colluded to increase the price of electronic books, starting in early 2010. The DoJ dated the beginning of this collusion to roughly the same time the Cupertino, California-based technology firm was preparing to launch its now very ... (view more)

Right now there are a lot of people wondering whether an upgrade from Windows 7 to the soon-to-be-released Windows 8 operating system (OS) is worth the hassle. You may be one of them. To combat this apprehension, Microsoft has been trying to build ... consumer interest in and desire for the new OS by highlighting its various new tools, features, and improvements. As part of this campaign, Microsoft is making much of another Windows 8 improvement: better support for using multiple monitors. Microsoft: 1 in 7 Desktop Users Employ Multiple Screens With the price of PC monitors dipping in recent ... (view more)