Microsoft

In a recent "Ask Me Anything" session on Reddit, Microsoft's Surface team addressed concerns about the Surface Pro, which hit stores over the weekend. At the top of the list: worries about the device's storage capacity. As we reported a few weeks ... ago, while Microsoft advertises that the Surface Pro ships with either 64GB or 128GB of storage space, the actual space available to end users is much lower. Microsoft Clarifies Storage Situation At the time, reports indicated that buyers of the 64GB version would be left with just 23GB of available storage space. Those picking up the 128GB version, ... (view more)

Microsoft is targeting Google's Gmail in a new campaign designed to steer Internet email users towards the Redmond, Washington-based firm's own Outlook.com service. The basis for that attack: Google doesn't do enough to protect the privacy of Gmail ... users. The Microsoft campaign, which is being carried out across the United States, is called "Don't get scroogled by Gmail." At the heart of that campaign: the fact that Google scans Gmail inboxes to figure out which advertisements should be displayed along with the messages. Microsoft Investigates Responses to Gmail ... (view more)

Consumers continue to show a reluctance to upgrade their computers to Microsoft's newest operating system (OS), Windows 8. According to a new report, Windows 8's uptake rate continues to slip behind that of Windows Vista. Analyst firm Net ... Applications reports that in January 2013 Windows 8's share of all Windows PCs was approximately 2.5 per cent. That represents an increase from December 2012, when Windows 8 accounted for 1.9 per cent of all Windows-based PCs. Add Windows RT-based computers to the list and Windows 8 is bumped up to a 2.6 per cent share. (Source: computerworld.co.nz ) ... (view more)

Microsoft's promotional pricing for its new Windows 8 operating system (OS) has come to an end. However, the company has announced that, starting February 1, 2013, students in the United States will have access to a special Windows 8 upgrade rate. ... Microsoft on Wednesday announced that the deal will allow students to purchase the Windows 8 upgrade edition for just $69.99. Students can access the bargain by visiting the Microsoft Store. Windows Campus Tour to Visit 150 Universities To promote the deal, Microsoft says that, starting February 18, it will be kicking off a Windows Campus Tour. That ... (view more)

After months of hype, Microsoft has finally released a subscription edition of Office 365. The new package represents a huge change from the past, when consumers simply bought a physical copy of the Office software and installed it on their machine ... using a disc. Instead, buying Office 365 means signing up to pay an annual subscription fee. Currently, it costs $99 for the Office 365 Home Premium edition. Subscribers will automatically receive any software updates released during this time (and this could include significant new features in addition to bug and security fixes). Access Your ... (view more)

According to a new report, Microsoft's Surface Pro tablet, which costs almost $900 and is due for release on February 9, 2013, suffers from some serious disk space problems. Specifically, the software that ships with the device leaves precious ... little room for a user's own software. In a new report, CNET says that, out of the box, the $899 64GB edition of the Surface Pro provides users with only 23GB of available storage space. CNET says it learned that information from Microsoft itself. Microsoft also admits that the $999 128GB version of the Surface Pro suffers from this issue. When first ... (view more)

Microsoft has revealed it plans to expand its range of Surface tablet computers. The Redmond, Washington-based firm says that building multiple Surface devices will increase the number of consumers who can afford to purchase the product. The ... revelations came during an investors conference call to discuss Microsoft's latest financial figures. The company's chief financial officer, Peter Klein, said the Surface range of tablet PCs had been one of the three main reasons -- alongside Windows upgrades and licensing to businesses -- that Microsoft's revenue has increased. According to Klein, when ... (view more)

Several prominent privacy groups say they're now concerned about the amount of user information that Skype, purchased by Microsoft in October 2011 for $8.5 billion, is collecting and sharing with other parties. In a recent open letter to Microsoft ... officials, a large number of privacy groups, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Reporters Without Borders, and GreatFire.org, have pressed Microsoft to publicly discuss exactly how much Skype user information it currently shares with third parties. The letter makes clear that those third parties to which Microsoft is handing private ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced its Surface Pro tablet computer will be available for purchase in the United States and Canada starting Saturday, February 9, 2013. The Surface Pro is an enhanced version of the standard Surface tablet PC that Microsoft ... released late in 2012. The original Surface, called the Surface RT , runs Windows RT, a trimmed-down version of Windows 8. Priced at $499 (and up), the Surface RT's hardware specifications include 16GB or 32GB of main storage, 2GB of RAM, and an ARM-architecture processor. Surface Pro: Core i5 CPU, Windows 8 Pro The Surface Pro, by contrast, includes ... (view more)

Upgrading from an older Microsoft operating system (OS), like Windows 7, to Windows 8 is about to get a whole lot more expensive. The changes are set to take effect on February 1, 2013. Right now, it costs just $39.99 to upgrade from Windows 7, ... Windows Vista, or Windows XP to Microsoft's newest OS, Windows 8. People who tried beta versions of Windows 8 can also upgrade from that test edition to the commercial release of the new OS for the same price. This promotional price was first announced last July, several months prior to Windows 8's October 2013 launch. (Source: zdnet.com ) Upgrading ... (view more)