microsoft

Although it is, without doubt, head of the pack when it comes to operating systems and some of the software for those operating systems, Microsoft is nowhere near the lead as an online search engine. That title belongs to Google, although a recent ... initiative from Microsoft appears ready to challenge for the crown. So, what's 'ol MS up to? In the world of search engines, the king is often the one that can find the most results on a given query. Microsoft's new plan is to actually quadruple the number of sites its searches link to. Not only that, the company announced that a new core technology ... (view more)

While the debate over whether or not Windows Vista is driving sales for large PC vendors rages on, Vista reportedly appears to be helping push sales of ' white box ' PCs with Windows XP for smaller system builders. Some system builders have seen ... sales increase this year as consumers and small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) come to them for 'white-box' PCs with Windows XP installed instead of buying brand name PCs preloaded with Windows Vista. Small system builders say the demand for Windows XP has risen steadily this year as the hype after Vista's January launch wore off and complaints ... (view more)

Who might be the new face of Facebook? Microsoft. According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft plans to invest as much as $500 million in the social networking company. If the deal goes through, Facebook would value at $10 billion and Microsoft ... would own 5% of Facebook. (Source: pcworld.com ) But why Facebook? First of all, the company boasts some impressive stats; though it has only been running for a little over three years, Facebook has close to 50 million active users. As well, its client base is increasing rapidly. Another Facebook quality that Microsoft may find attractive is the ... (view more)

Although most people have been singing Microsoft's praises for the release of much-beloved Halo 3, computer junkies are still hankering for some good 'ol PC love. Not to be overshadowed by the final trilogy in the Halo universe, Microsoft has ... announced a few juicy details on operating system news, the juiciest being beta testing for Vista Service Pack 1. The Redmond-based company recently announced it had released the beta version of the very first Service Pack for Windows Vista to some 12,000 testers. That's a week or two late, considering in August it stated plans to begin testing within a ... (view more)

In what appears to be an attempt to end sluggish sales, in June Microsoft reportedly began quietly letting PC makers offer a "downgrade" option to consumers who buy Windows Vista Business or Ultimate machines that want to switch to Windows XP. Who's ... taken up the new initiative? Fujitsu started to include a Windows XP disc in the box with its laptops and tablets. "That's going to help out small and medium-size businesses," Fujitsu marketing manager Brandon Farris told CNET News.com. Lenovo is offering Windows XP Recovery CDs as a way to downgrade on "qualified systems" for an additional fee ... (view more)

Just about everyone is out to get Microsoft. That's the problem with being a virtual hegemonic state; like the U.S., everyone wants a piece of the pie and it often means taking it by force. So, just what are the primary threats to Microsoft? When it ... comes to its the company's Office "turf", the competitors are now lining up, and neither the products nor their makers are slouches by any means. In the following week, three tech titans announced plans to bring down the god of business software, Microsoft and its Office. Yahoo, Google, and even IBM have plans to develop competing software with ... (view more)

This morning, millions of people will line up and wait for a disc. Not a fancy iPhone, not a big 'ol PlayStation 3 or wee-Wii, but a disc. This morning, Halo 3 launches. According to some, it means more for Microsoft than just a few bucks. For those ... who only dabble in gaming, Halo 3 is the last installation in a franchise that has spanned the entire console life of Microsoft. First released in the fall of 2001 for the original Xbox, it took little time for critics and gamers alike to realize that this one was special. No, it didn't revolutionize gaming, in fact, it uses the standard First ... (view more)

In a ruling that's expected to have far-reaching implications, the European Union (EU) Court of First Instance upheld European Commission claims that Microsoft abused their dominant position in the operating system (OS) market, siding with ... regulators in an antitrust case. The law suit began in early 2004. (Source: CNET News ) "The court ruling is welcome for its confirmation of the Commission's decision and its underlying policy, but nevertheless, it is bittersweet, because the court has confirmed the Commission's view that consumers are suffering at the hands of Microsoft" said Neelie Kroes ... (view more)

In yet another shining example of Microsoft having too much control of your PC, the company is reportedly up to its old tricks again by secretively updating files on Windows XP and Windows Vista without consent of the user. Even with automatic ... updates turned off, nine small executable files needed by Windows Update in Windows XP and Windows Vista were secretly altered by Microsoft. Companies requiring testing of patches before deployment are not happy about receiving the updates. For what it's worth, Microsoft claims that only consumer editions of Vista were affected. No mention of the ... (view more)

If you have signed into your Windows Live or MSN Messenger services lately, you may have had to upgrade. Microsoft is forcing its users to switch to the newest versions of its instant messaging programs due to a security threat with these systems. ... Although this upgrade will take place on a voluntary basis, those who do not modify their Windows Live or MSN Messenger services will not be able to sign in until they accept the new versions. The services affected by the security vulnerability include versions 6.2, 7.0, and 7.5 of MSN Messenger, and version 8.0 of Windows Live Messenger. When the ... (view more)