Microsoft

Microsoft's highly anticipated Windows Mobile application store has yet to launch, but the company has effectively stirred the tech market into a frenzy with the recent unveiling of several notable supporting developers at the CTIA Wireless trade ... show in Las Vegas yesterday. (Source: pcmag.com ) The list includes a number of recognizable names for anyone with a computer or a game console. Among the most notable developers currently working on apps are news and weather networks: Accuweather.com Associated Press CNBC Video game developers and retailers: Electronic Arts (EA) Mobile Gameloft ... (view more)

When's the last time you found a new Apple MacBook for less than $1,000? Never? Base pricing is the focus of Microsoft's recent ad campaign, which launches a frontal assault on its competitor's alleged "Apple tax". Although the last time Microsoft ... worked with popular ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky, it ended in Costanza-esque disaster -- however, this time the two are taking a different tact. Rather than prance in a fantasy world where comedians and geeky tech moguls journey across the United States , this new series of ads follows everyday computer buyers in their quest to purchase an ... (view more)

It's been almost one week since users have been able to experience Internet Explorer 8 , Microsoft's latest weapon in the browser war against rivals Firefox, Safari and Chrome. Unfortunately, fanfare doesn't appear to be overwhelming, and now there ... are reports that some users might actually be reverting to IE7 -- or even opting for competitor browsers. Early Highs, Later Lows It was reported that as much as 2.61% of all web surfers were using IE8 just three days after the release date. While some assume that these numbers would have doubled or tripled by now, the figures have barely improved ... (view more)

According to reports emerging this weekend, users have been slow to adopt Microsoft's new Internet Explorer (IE) 8 Release Candidate 1 (RC1), rumored to be the company's last version of the iconic web browser. Internet Explorer 8 RC1 was released ... late last week, and met with general satisfaction from security and usability experts. Although the new IE has the ability to blacklist known malware web sites and prevent phishing scams, it's been demonstrated already that it can be hacked . Reaction to IE8 "Underwhelming" Despite all the hacking, speed, and usability tests buzzing about ... (view more)

A recent study conducted by NSS Labs revealed that of the six most-used browsers, Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) RC1 is "head and shoulders" above Firefox, Safari and Chrome in its ability to detect and block socially-engineered malware. ... Socially-engineered malware is considered to be among the most prevalent computer viruses in existence. The infection process becomes a very familiar scenario: a user is enticed to visit an external website and agrees to the malware download under false pretences. NSS reported on the dangers of these attacks many times in the last year, urging users to constantly ... (view more)

When the leader of a nation makes an important change, the belief is that most citizens will support and echo their decision. Microsoft is hoping that won't be the case in Asia, after the Prime Minister of India abandoned his Microsoft Outlook ... account in favor of open-source email. The Indian leader voiced his concern over the vulnerabilities of his Outlook account following a nasty computer virus that caused massive disruptions when sending/receiving emails containing important (and at times, crucial) information. The Indian Central Information Commission admitted to the change, stating that ... (view more)

A computer running Windows 7 stayed secure for longer than a Mac in the "PWN2OWN" hacking contest this week. But the challenge showed that Internet Explorer 8 -- just released today -- is still vulnerable. The contest, dubbed PWN2OWN, takes place at ... the annual CanSecWest security conference. Participants have to find a way to breach security on one of several computers, each running a different browser and operating system which have been fully patched with all currently available security updates. The winner this year took just 10 seconds to compromise a MacBook. It's bad news for ... (view more)

Could this be the end of the storied relationship between Internet Explorer and Microsoft's Windows operating system? That may just be the case with recent rumors suggesting Microsoft may terminate the popular browser. According to reports surfacing ... last night, Microsoft may make Internet Explorer 8 the last in a long line of dominant browsers. Some are clearly happy about the possibility of a new Microsoft browser, one built from the ground up with, ideally, constant consultation between the software company and users (not unlike the Windows 7 beta). Montreal tech consultant Gerhard Mack is ... (view more)

The California woman suing Microsoft over Windows Vista's downgrade rights has revised her lawsuit to focus on the requirement that users must buy the most expensive versions of Vista if they want to downgrade to Windows XP. Los Angeles resident ... Emma Alvarado repeated her charges that Microsoft violated Washington state's unfair business practices and consumer protection laws by restricting computer makers' ability to offer Windows XP on new PCs after Vista's launch in the amended complaint. Microsoft Took Advantage Of Consumer Demand, Suit Says According to Computer World, the lawsuit says ... (view more)

Microsoft has released a study suggesting Internet Explorer 8 is faster than its rivals. The firm used a different testing method than most independent studies, but insists it is a more accurate and realistic way to measure speed. According to ... Microsoft, many testing systems steer clear of using live websites because there are too many variables which can affect speed. For example, the website itself may be experiencing particularly heavy traffic. Thus, most studies concentrate on a particular aspect of loading a webpage, such as how long it takes to receive any javascript information. ... (view more)