microsoft

In a recent study Microsoft surpassed Apple in value perception scores, meaning those participating felt they got more value when purchasing a Windows PC. The study, launched by advertising trackers BrandIndex, included some 5,000 people and lasted ... several months. Research began right around the same time Microsoft revved up its popular and controversial ad campaign dubbed "Laptop Hunters," which follows real consumers challenged by the Redmond firm to find the cheapest laptop with a specific set of features. Most of the time they settle on PCs for about $500 to $1,000, making premium Apple ... (view more)

After a steady increase in market shares since the first week it was made available to the public, gains for Windows 7 release candidate (RC 1) have started to decrease at a consistent pace each day, according to reports. This is dismal news for ... Microsoft, considering that RC 1 release date was just 2 weeks ago on May 4, 2009. The bottom line: if market shares are starting to decline now, while the product is supposed to be in high demand, the actual release of Windows 7's full version will not be very well received by the public either. Consumer Interest Decreases The reports don't suggest ... (view more)

Windows users have received a patch meant to fix a potentially serious security loophole in PowerPoint. However, Microsoft has earned criticism for not simultaneously issuing a patch for the Mac edition. Microsoft has been aware of the problem for ... weeks. The issue could let hackers trick users into opening an infected PowerPoint file, and would then be able to take control of a system. Microsoft figured out a solution for Windows, but hasn't yet done so for the Mac edition. This left the firm in an unenviable dilemma about whether to wait until it had a Mac patch ready or issue the Windows ... (view more)

Microsoft says it's working with 10,000 software and hardware manufacturers to maximize the compatibility of Windows 7, in an attempt to avoid one of the most critical issues with Windows Vista. Bill Veghte, the Microsoft executive who oversees ... Windows development, says the work of 10,000 firms towards optimum compatibility is evidence that his company is serious about making the Windows 7 experience a convenient, easy, and enjoyable one. Veghte went on to say that the current efforts are unprecedented for the release candidate stage and Microsoft normally doesn't get to the 10,000 firm ... (view more)

When Microsoft released Windows Vista "Ultimate Edition" a while back, many users purchased the special version because of the promised "extras" not available to standard Vista users. Imagine the disappointment when Microsoft failed to live up to ... the hype. (Source: cnet.com ) Now, a group of dejected consumers are urging Microsoft to give all Vista Ultimate owners a free upgrade to Windows 7 as compensation for their trouble. Vista Ultimate Disappointment In 2007, amidst the anticipation and fanfare over the upcoming "Ultimate" version release of Vista, Microsoft began touting all ... (view more)

In the tech world, Christmas time is key to successful sales. Failing to release Windows Vista by December 25, 2006 was a large setback for Microsoft, which afterwards watched in vain as consumers opted for the older XP instead. It's not clear if a ... Christmas release would have changed that for the likes of Vista, but holiday sales may have helped cement it as a 'must-have' for consumers. That said, Microsoft will likely not make that same mistake again. The Redmond-based company has confirmed that Windows 7 will in fact be released in time for the holidays, and the move could help drive up ... (view more)

For all the excitement that follows Nintendo's Wii and big-name releases for the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360, the video game industry is hardly impervious to attack by a spiraling global economy. Now, word comes that a fan-favorite ... developer and Microsoft are both laying off staff. The worst news might be word that 3D Realms, best known as the developer for the sensationally popular mid-90s hit Duke Nukem 3D, will close its doors, laying off all of its employees. Two decades ago 3D Realms began life as Garland, Texas' Apogee Software, owned and administered by Scott Miller and ... (view more)

Microsoft has revealed that it will go forward with previous plans to cut a significant portion of its staff. The company has now terminated 5,000 employees since the beginning of the year. Back in January, Microsoft announced plans to shave off ... about seventeen per cent of its global workforce. It immediately slashed 1,400 jobs that month, and planned to spread the remaining 3,600 or so over the next 18 months. However, with the recent announcement Microsoft also revealed it had already reached the 5,000 mark -- far ahead of schedule. No Security for MS Workers "As we move forward, we will ... (view more)

By gradually migrating to a complete open source desktop and web applications, Gendarmerie Nationale, the French national police force with 105,000 employees, has saved millions of euros. The move cuts Microsoft out of the equation, helping the ... French national police force slash its IT costs by 70 percent. Most of the money saved was on proprietary software licenses, beginning in 2004. Previously, the acquired Gendarmerie Nationale acquired 12,000 to 15,000 licenses annually. Gendarmerie National's decision to adopt a strictly open-standards IT policy began in 2002 with the intention of ... (view more)

One of Microsoft's senior executives has fled his post as director of the company's European Xbox operations. Richard Teversham is headed for Apple's business on that continent, ending a decade-and-a-half of service at Microsoft. It's not yet ... confirmed what Teversham will be doing with Apple across the pond, but given the iPhone and iPod Touch's continuing involvement in gaming -- and the promise these games have to eventually challenge the likes of Sony's PSP and even Nintendo's DS -- it's a fairly safe bet that he'll play a significant role in improving interactive entertainment on the ... (view more)