Microsoft

Microsoft Research India in Bangalore has developed new screen-splitting software. The software splits the screen into two halves, with each half having its own keyboard, mouse, desktop and applications. (Source: theinquirer.net ) "At the most basic ... level, we are allowing two users to work completely independently on the same machine, sharing both the processor and monitor," explained Assistant Researcher and Project Leader Udai Singh Pawar. (Source: discovery.com ) The working prototype operates on a standard 19-inch screen, but the software also works on 15 and 17-inch screens. Since the ... (view more)

At this rate, it wouldn't surprise any of us if Microsoft constructed its own golden arches outside its Redmond, Washington headquarters with a handy counter recording the number of Vista units sold. It seems as though the company is constantly ... touting the retail success of its recently released operating system (OS). The newest sales figure? According to big boss Bill Gates, 40 million Vistas sold. Another conference, another update, it seems. Chairman Gates announced the numbers at Microsoft's recent Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, a forum for the company to let slip its upcoming ... (view more)

Sound Off! Yesterday, we asked Infopackets Subscribers what they thought of Microsoft's latest fiasco : the claim that various Free Open Source Software (FOSS) developers have violated some 235 Microsoft patents -- and now Microsoft wants to collect ... royalties. So, is Free Open Source Software really doomed -- or is Microsoft simply grabbing straws in hopes of resurrecting lost Vista sales? Infopackets Reader C. Williams was the first to chime in: " Okay, I'll admit it. I've been using a PC since late 2001, and during that time, I have used Windows exclusively. However, my experiences with ... (view more)

In what's being labeled by some as an attempt to deflect questions surrounding their floundering Vista reception and sales, Microsoft is threatening law suits aimed at open source distributors and users, claiming that Free Open Source Software ... (FOSS) violates 235 of their patents ... and they want royalties from it. If they get their way, free software won't be free any more. According to Microsoft , the Linux kernel violates 42 Microsoft patents, the Linux graphical user interface (GUI) violates 65 patents, the Open Office suite of programs violate 45 patents, Email programs violate 15 ... (view more)

... [continued from Part 1 ]. Others argue that Microsoft is at a turning point as they try to build a successful business around online services and advertising, waiting too long to adopt new business models similar to the ones that Google ... successfully launched. The Xbox 360 game console and the Zune digital media player have also proven to be unsuccessful. A January 26, 2007 memo issued by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) CIO Dave Bowen states he might permanently bypass upgrading the FAA's desktops to Windows Vista due to stringent hardware requirements and application ... (view more)

Here's a new one for the techie forums to debate: Who is more powerful online, Microsoft or Google? Surely, this is a tough answer -- with one boasting strength in crafting popular software, while the other dominates the future profits of thousands ... of websites. However, when it comes to searching the web, the big G has the market cornered. Too bad Yahoo, too bad MSN. That harsh reality may be behind rumors that Microsoft is pursuing a Yahoo takeover. First to the story is the NY Post, which reports to other media outlets that Microsoft recently approached Yahoo executives about a possible ... (view more)

Back in the earliest days of home gaming, Nintendo used to employ a little gold merit badge it called the "Nintendo Seal of Quality". It was a nice way for young and new gamers to navigate the enormous 1980s NES games library. Got the seal? It's ... probably decent. No seal? Avoid at all costs. Many companies have tried a similar campaign, with Microsoft's Vista logo now appearing on certain software programs deemed the most compatible with the company new operating system (OS). One industry insider recently blogged that when he found himself shopping for a TV tuner for his PC, there was a tough ... (view more)

Hewlett-Packard (HP) is offering the first affordable PCs with English and Spanish versions of Microsoft Windows Vista Basic and Home Premium to Spanish-speaking consumers and small businesses. "With this expansion of our PC portfolio, we are ... delivering products our Hispanic customers have told us matter most to them," said Mark Sanchez, vice president and general manager, Consumer Computing -- North America, HP. "This community is the fastest growing segment in the United States, and HP is committed to providing them with ready access to technology to work, play and connect with others." Two ... (view more)

Mozilla, the organization behind the popular Firefox Web browser, launched a new version of its free to download Thunderbird 2 email program, challenging Microsoft's Outlook email program. Scott MacGregor, Lead Engineer for Thunderbird at the ... Mozilla Foundation noted in a written statement that the program "has powerful new features and proven security, delivering an improved email experience to users worldwide." (Source: cbc.ca ) The Mozilla Project, which began in 1998, is dedicated to promoting Web innovation and developing open source Internet client software. Like the organization's ... (view more)

We've known for some time that the future of industry and technological development lay in Asia, especially within the massive (and still growing) populations of India and China. Now, head of Microsoft and famed billionaire Bill Gates is weighing in ... on the issue, recently telling the media that it's his own research centers in the region that he believes will lead the growth of the globe's tech infrastructure. He's proving it by doing as any businessman should, in good times -- by doubling Microsoft's workforce in Beijing and Shanghai. (Source: washingtonpost.com ) Speaking in front of an ... (view more)