Microsoft

Microsoft has begun public testing of a new presentation application that could one day replace its incredibly popular and widely used MS PowerPoint. The main focus of the tool, named Sway, is to remove the barriers between presentations on ... different computing devices, such as smartphones and PCs. The idea of Sway is that it shouldn't matter what type of content you want to build into a presentation, or what device you want to show it on. That's a major contrast to MS PowerPoint, where it can be difficult to bring together multiple file formats or to create presentations that look the ... (view more)

Microsoft has patched a security vulnerability that somehow evaded detection for roughly twenty years. The bug has reportedly existed in every single version of the Windows operating system since Windows 95. According to reports, the bug can allow a ... hacker to execute code remotely when a user visits a malicious website. IBM security expert Robert Freeman says the bug is related to a flaw in VBScript, which first debuted with Internet Explorer 3.0 in the late 1990s. Freeman says that the bug remains invulnerable to Microsoft's anti-exploitation tools, otherwise known as the Enhanced ... (view more)

Microsoft has launched a new tool for MS Outlook designed to make it easier to deal with email overload. It will be available for business users at first, but could later be rolled out for home users. The feature will be available as part of Office ... 365 for business: that's the online edition of the Office suite, which is automatically updated when Microsoft adds new features or makes changes. The name of the feature comes from the problem Microsoft is trying to tackle: Clutter. That's meant to describe the category of emails that are from legitimate senders, but which you don't ... (view more)

Windows 8.1 users will soon have the opportunity to test a potentially revolutionary feature: live speech translation in Skype. Skype is a software program that allows users to make phone calls or video chat with other Skype users around the world, ... using the Internet. Skype is one of the most popular applications of its kind, with over 300 million users world-wide using the service. (Source: skype.com ) Skype Live Speech Translation - On the Fly The live speech translation feature has been in the works from some time, stemming back to 2011 when Microsoft bought out Skype for $8.5 billion . It ... (view more)

A new report suggests that many users who use the Windows Update feature to automatically download and install the latest security patches from Microsoft do not have an up-to-date operating system. Windows Update gives users two options: manual and ... automatic updates. With the manual option, users must initiate security downloads themselves, which can be carried out when it's most convenient. On the other hand, the automatic option alerts users to necessary updates and begins the download and installation process without requiring user input. Most Windows Users Delay Automatic Updates The ... (view more)

Microsoft has unveiled additional features for Windows 10, as well as making previously-announced features available for testing. Most of the changes are aimed at mobile computer users, but there will be a few extra improvements for desktop users . ... Windows 10 Testing being done in Batches Microsoft is taking a very deliberate approach with its public testing program for the new Windows 10 operating system. Rather than throw out a semi-completed version of Windows 10 for testing and deal with all the feedback at once, Microsoft is slowly adding new features to the test edition of the operating ... (view more)

It's the end of the line for Windows 7 -- sort of. After this Friday, October 31, Microsoft will no longer sell Windows 7 licenses to PC manufacturers, otherwise known as OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). That will force most PC makers to ... turn to Windows 8.1 -- at least, until Windows 10's release next year. For businesses who don't appreciate Windows 8's main features -- like the Start screen, touch integration, and "Modern" (or "Metro") user interface -- there's some good news. Microsoft will continue to allow PC makers to produce Windows 7 ... (view more)

Rumors suggest that Microsoft is primed to launch its own smartwatch in the next few weeks. Details are still hazy, but it seems it may connect with multiple devices , and not only Windows Phones. Smartwatches have been one of the big tech stories ... of 2014, becoming a serious mainstream product after years of hype. Apple is launching its own smartwatch running a modified version of the iPhone software, while firms such as Samsung have produced Android-based watches. Check Emails at the Flick of a Wrist Although smartwatches run a mobile operating system, they usually rely on a connection to a ... (view more)

When Microsoft launched the Windows 10 Technical Preview a couple weeks ago, the company offered users the chance to provide feedback through a "Windows Feature Suggestion Box." As expected, feedback is pouring in as to which features should be ... present in the operating system's final version. Windows Explorer Tabs Top List So far the most requested feature is adding tabs to Windows Explorer. Microsoft says more than 1,600 people have requested a feature that would effectively treat Windows Explorer the same as an Internet browser. As such, users would be able to create new tabs ... (view more)

Microsoft's decision to ditch Windows licensing fees for small-screen devices has led to a raft of ultra-cheap Windows-enabled gadgets. Approximately 50 new manufacturers have taken advantage of the offering, with some Windows devices sold in the ... far East now costing less than a copy of Windows itself. The move came earlier this year and is thought to be a response to the huge success of Google's Android operating system. Android is particularly popular with manufacturers because it's free to install onto their devices. That said, as tablet computers and smartphone prices have ... (view more)