Microsoft

Microsoft chief executive officer Steve Ballmer recently told the Wall Street Journal why he decided to step down. The main issue: it's time for change at Microsoft, and Ballmer's not sure he's the person to lead the charge. Ballmer's announcement ... that he would leave the CEO position within twelve months' time came in August 2013. "Maybe I'm an emblem of an old era, and I have to move on," Ballmer said in an emotional interview with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). "As much as I love everything about what I'm doing ... the best way for Microsoft to enter a new era is a new leader ... (view more)

Microsoft will be issuing Patch Tuesday fixes for several "critical" security problems today. Unfortunately, the firm says the list of fixes doesn't include a patch for a recently reported zero-day flaw affecting Windows and the Microsoft Office ... software suite. The November 2013 Patch Tuesday lineup includes a total of eight bulletins, three of which are marked "critical" -- Microsoft's highest security rating. These flaws involve serious security issues affecting some of Microsoft's most popular products, including the Windows operating system and Internet Explorer, the firm's web browser. ... (view more)

The man who helped Bill Gates found Microsoft says he thinks it's time to break up the massive Redmond, Washington-based tech firm. Paul Allen says Microsoft should consider spinning off some of its businesses, including Bing search and Xbox. Allen ... and Gates founded Microsoft in 1975. Today, Allen holds a $2 billion stake in the firm. Allen didn't speak directly to the media on this issue. Instead, Paul Ghaffari, the chief investment officer who manages Allen's $15 billion fortune, made the statements on behalf of Allen at the Financial Times Investment Management Summit. Microsoft Distracted ... (view more)

Microsoft has warned users of its software to beware bogus file attachments. The firm says a newly discovered vulnerability in Windows Vista and the Office software suite could allow hackers remote access to a victim's computer. The flaw affects the ... Windows Vista and Server 2008 operating systems. It also affects Microsoft Office 2003, 2007, and 2010, plus Microsoft Lync, a communications package. Later editions of Windows, such as Windows 7 and Windows 8, are unaffected. The problem does not affect Windows XP, either. The problem involves the way the affected software handles image files in ... (view more)

So far, the newest version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser, Internet Explorer 11, has been anything but stable. That's why Microsoft has now released a "reliability" update ahead of the next Patch Tuesday. Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) ... was released on October 17, 2013. New features include the ability to load up to one hundred tabs at once, side-by-side browsing, and a Reading View tool. However, in the week-and-a-half since its release, the new version of Microsoft's browser has faced its fair share of performance issues. (Source: maximumpc.com ) Google Pages Fail to Rend Properly ... (view more)

A new report from The Wall Street Journal suggests Microsoft is working on its very own version of Google Glass, the high-tech, Internet-connected spectacles. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) says it has learned from sources inside Microsoft that the ... firm has been discussing such technology with "several" component manufacturers in Asia. These companies are reportedly being asked to supply Microsoft with cameras and other parts as the Redmond, Washington-based firm works towards completing a prototype. Microsoft Afraid of Being Left Behind: Source However, the report provides a couple ... (view more)

With Microsoft terminating security support for the Windows XP operating system (OS) next April, many businesses are finally starting to move away from the aging OS. But reports show enterprise users aren't upgrading to Windows 8.1; instead, they're ... shifting to the older Windows 7. If you haven't heard, Microsoft is finally terminating support for Windows XP in April 2014. That means most home and business users won't be able to download any security patches to keep the OS from being attacked by hackers (though there are some exceptions to the rule ). That is finally forcing many reluctant ... (view more)

Windows 8.1 is the first set of revisions for Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system. It's available as of this morning -- Friday, October 18, 2013. So, what do you need to know about this significant new update? Here, we'll answer some of the ... questions we've received from our readers in recent weeks. Question: Is Windows 8.1 the same as a service pack? Answer: No. A service pack is a single download that contains all updates, bug fixes, and security patches to date in one package. Normally it's at least a year before Microsoft releases a service pack for a new edition of Windows. Question: ... (view more)

If you've got the skills, it can certainly pay to be a security researcher. One expert recently earned more than $100,000 after discovering a major security flaw in Microsoft's Windows 8.1 operating system. The award is part of Microsoft's "bug ... bounty" program, which the Redmond, Washington-based firm unveiled earlier this year. Google and Mozilla also employ similar programs , which allow major tech firms to save money by effectively outsourcing their security tasks to independent experts. "Mitigation Bypass Bounty" Includes $100,000 Prize The $100,000 award is part of Microsoft's ... (view more)

This month's Patch Tuesday brings two major fixes for Internet Explorer zero-day flaws. In total, Microsoft has released eight new security bulletins, four of which have been marked 'critical' -- Microsoft's highest security rating. Experts point to ... MS13-080 as the most important security update this month. It address ten different vulnerabilities in Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) and applies to every supported version of the web browser. Aside from the number of vulnerabilities addressed, the update is considered important because it's designed to eliminate two zero-day flaws that have ... (view more)