Microsoft

Microsoft says the number of telephone scams involving fake Windows support technicians is on the rise. That means more criminals are executing schemes designed to dupe legitimate Windows users out of their hard-earned money. Most of the scams ... involve cold callers claiming to work for Microsoft. In this scenario, the victim is told that their computer is infected with some kind of damaging malware. Based on this author's experience, oftentimes the calls originate overseas - usually from India, with the caller having a thick accent. Scammers Sell One-time or Subscription-based "Solutions ... (view more)

A new report finds that fewer business workers are using Microsoft's Office software package. It's also suggested that many firms are wasting money by shelling out thousands of dollars in licensing fees each year in order to use the software. The ... report comes from online application analytics firm SoftWatch, and is based on a three-month study involving 51 companies and roughly 150,000 employees. Most Workers Only View Documents Using Office SoftWatch's major finding suggests that roughly seven in ten workers are not relying on any one of Microsoft's various Office ... (view more)

Microsoft is targeting school pupils with a special ad-free version of the Bing search engine . It says testing shows the software improves classroom performance, though critics suggest Microsoft's motives are far from charitable. The special ... edition of the search engine is called Bing in the Classroom. Microsoft initially tested it in five school districts last year and is now making it available nationwide. It will be available to all K-12 schools (meaning primary and secondary education) in the United States. According to Microsoft estimates, students using school computers see a total ... (view more)

Microsoft unveiled its future plan for Windows 8 at the 2014 Build developer conference this past weekend. The path appears to be backwards, with Microsoft introducing several new features that effectively revive Windows 7 functionality . For ... example, Microsoft executive vice-president of operating systems, Terry Myerson, showed off a new Start Menu that is fully integrated with Windows 8's "Modern" (formerly "Metro") interface. Myerson also said Windows 8 users will soon be able to launch Modern applications from the desktop interface. Myerson says the changes will be ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced that its Office software suite is finally coming to Apple's iPad tablet. Microsoft's newest Chief Executive Officer, Satya Nadella, unveiled the iPad version of Office at a news conference last Thursday. Microsoft ... Apprehensive About Releasing Office for iPad It's a bit of a mystery as to why Microsoft waited so long to release Office for a tablet that first launched roughly four years ago. Some experts believe that Office for iPad has been ready for release for a number of years. It's speculated that Microsoft wanted to keep Office on its own tablet ... (view more)

Microsoft has revised its Hotmail / Outlook email privacy policy. It's in response to concerns after the company admitted to reading emails and instant messages of a blogger who allegedly tried to sell Microsoft intellectual property without ... permission. Former Microsoft employee Alex Kibkalo is currently being investigated for stealing Microsoft trade secrets. According to Microsoft, in 2012 Kibkalo acquired pre-release Windows 8 source code, which he emailed to a mysterious blogger who has not been named. It's the anonymous blogger who had his email and instant messages snooped. ... (view more)

A leaked set of documents reveals some additional changes planned for Windows 8 due next month. The changes are aimed at making the operating system easier to use with a mouse and keyboard, but without returning to the traditional Windows desktop ... interface. The free Windows 8 update will be officially released in April through Microsoft's Windows Update system. It will be known as Windows 8.1 Update 1 , a sign that the changes won't be as major as the previous update from version 8 to 8.1 (which was released October 2013). The details became public as Microsoft briefly made the update ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced that it plans to release its first major update for Windows 8.1 this spring, and it's called "Update 1". The biggest improvement, according to the firm, is that Windows 8.1 will become easier to use with a mouse and keyboard. ... Microsoft's first significant update to Windows 8 was Windows 8.1, which was released last fall. Windows 8.1 Update 1 expands upon that, and has been rumored for a spring 2014 release for some time. To date, however, Microsoft has said very little about what's included in the package. Windows 8.1 Update 1: Easier for Mouse, ... (view more)

A software designer who claims to have contributed to the creation of Windows 8's "Metro" interface has taken to Reddit.com in an effort to explain why Microsoft ultimately made the decision to implement its controversial new interface. The designer ... in question is Jacob Miller, who says he worked as a designer for Microsoft prior to the release of Windows 8. Miller says that Metro (which Microsoft now calls "Modern") was created with casual users in mind. Metro: Designed for Faster, Easier Access Miller says the goal of the design is to make it faster and easier to ... (view more)

Microsoft says it has sold more than 200 million Windows 8 licenses in just fifteen months. That means the firm has sold an additional 100 million licenses since the last time Microsoft reported on Windows 8 sales in May 2013. In all, Microsoft says ... this is evidence that there's a bright future ahead for its newest operating system. The Windows 8 sales numbers don't quite match those of Windows 7, however. Microsoft sold 240 million Windows 7 licenses in less than a year. (Source: engadget.com ) Of course, Microsoft doesn't want anyone to focus on Windows 7. The firm's ... (view more)