Business

The 'Aero' interface was one of the few features of Windows Vista that people appreciated. It featured slick-looking translucent windows, and brought serious style first to Vista and later to Windows 7. Now it appears that Microsoft is dropping the ... Aero interface entirely from its newest operating system (OS), Windows 8 . Often known as 'Aero Glass,' the interface first shipped with the earliest versions of Vista some six years ago. Covering window borders and taskbars with a glassy look, Aero set the appearance of Vista and then Windows 7 apart from Microsoft's older OS, Windows XP. ... (view more)

Google has added to its search results a new feature designed to make the search function act "more human". The feature, called "Knowledge Graph", may make the site behave more like rival Microsoft's Bing. The main aim of Knowledge Graph is to deal ... with the shortcomings of using typical search terms, which frequently denote a range of very different meanings. Google gives the example of a search for 'Taj Mahal.' Someone using this term could be looking for the Indian landmark, a musician, a casino, or a restaurant specializing in Indian food. There's no way to know. At the moment, this search ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced that child safety measures built into the new Windows 8 operating system (OS) will be significantly different from those in Windows 7. It insists the new strategy will be more effective in keeping kids safe. According to the ... company, both Microsoft and third-party software developers have often been unsuccessful at helping parents and guardians to control exactly what children in their care can and can't do online. That's because such systems can be complicated and require constant parental involvement. For example, some children who sought to access certain websites ... (view more)

Earlier this week, reports emerged suggesting that consumers who buy a Windows 7 PC after June, 2012, would be able to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for a fee . Now there's more clarification on the offer: a new report indicates that the upgrade will ... cost those who can't wait and who buy a computer with the older operating system just $14.99. For some, the $15 charge won't seem like a lot of money. However, it's $15 more than what Microsoft charged buyers of new PCs to upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7, in similar circumstances back in 2009. There was also no charge to buyers of Windows XP ... (view more)

Things just got tougher for one of the most embattled technology companies: Yahoo. Earlier this year it announced a massive restructuring program designed to revive flagging profits. Now it will be looking for a new chief executive officer (CEO), ... after Scott Thompson tendered his resignation. Last week experts and observers were stunned by reports suggesting that Thompson had padded his resume , adding an extra, unearned degree in computer science from Stonehill College in Massachusetts. In actual fact, Thompson earned only a bachelor's degree in business administration from the small, post- ... (view more)

Under investigation for abusing its domination of the search market, Google has floated a new argument: that the way it chooses and arranges its search results qualifies as protected free speech under the U.S. First Amendment. The new approach is ... part of an attempt to stave off government investigations that could seriously hamper Google's ability to operate, as well as its profits and its reputation. The investigation is based upon two related issues: first, that Google has a dominant position in the search engine market, and second, that Google uses this position to support its own ... (view more)

According to a recent report, consumers who buy a Windows 7 PC between early June and next January will be given the opportunity to upgrade that operating system (OS) to Windows 8 Pro. At the moment, however, it appears that this opportunity to ... upgrade will not be free. Back in 2009, Microsoft offered a similar deal when it released Windows 7 . At that time, buyers of PCs running the company's previous OS, Windows Vista, were allowed to upgrade to Windows 7, provided they purchased their PC between June and the end of 2009. Microsoft also offered this same kind of upgrade opportunity in 2006 ... (view more)

A San Francisco jury has decided that Google did copy Java code when creating its Android system. However, the jury said it couldn't decide if this copying was 'fair use' or not, leading Google to demand a mistrial. The complex case involves Java, a ... computer language used in creating applications that can run on many platforms. The rights to the language currently belong to the software firm Oracle. Google stood accused of directly copying code from Java and using it when creating Android, its operating system for mobile devices like smartphones and tablet computers. Oracle launched a lawsuit ... (view more)

Last week Microsoft shocked many observers by revealing that the standard version of its upcoming Windows 8 operating system (OS) will not include DVD support. In order to get that support, customers will have to upgrade to the more expensive ... version: Windows 8 Pro. Since announcing this news, Microsoft has responded to widespread criticism of its decision. At first, Microsoft claimed that the absence of DVD support was related to the emergence of ultrabooks and tablet computers. The software giant stated that the limitations of these hardware devices (they lack optical disc drives) would ... (view more)

Microsoft's most recent security update includes fixes for a total of 22 flaws affecting the Windows operating system (OS), the Microsoft Office program suite, and the .Net Framework. The 22 fixes are spread across seven security bulletins, three of ... which Microsoft has ranked 'critical,' the company's highest security rating. Another four have been rated 'important,' which is one step down from 'critical.' Remote Code Execution Flaws Rampant All but two of the security bulletins address issues related to remote code execution vulnerabilities. Problems like these can put a computer system at ... (view more)