Microsoft

Microsoft will revive the complete Start Menu in a future version of its Windows operating system. That's the claim of Windows insider Paul Thurrott, who says he has learned from sources at the Redmond, Washington-based firm that the Start Menu ... could be back as soon as 2015. Thurrott suggests the new Start Menu could be far closer to the interface seen in Windows 7. Microsoft introduced what Computerworld calls a "pseudo-Start button" with Windows 8.1 (or Windows 'Blue'), which was released this fall. Thurrott's claim has resulted in an explosion of speculation about how and when the Start ... (view more)

Microsoft has withdrawn a deadline that would have blocked retailers from selling new Windows 7 computers. But it's sticking to another key deadline: that ending support for the Windows XP operating system (OS). Last week Microsoft posted a note on ... its website saying that computer manufacturers would no longer be able to ship computers running Windows 7 after October 2014. The statement is consistent with previous release schedules for Windows. In the past, retail copies of earlier editions of the OS (like Vista) were sold for one year after a new system was released. Meanwhile, OEMs (or ... (view more)

Microsoft has unveiled several new security features designed to help users protect their accounts against hackers. The list includes a recent activity log, security email notifications, and changes to two-step verification. The new features apply ... to Microsoft Accounts, or the platform used by Microsoft for its various online services, including SkyDrive, Office 365, Xbox Live, etc. Because many Microsoft Accounts contain sensitive information -- from email addresses to credit card and banking data -- the Redmond, Washington-based firm is taking security very seriously. Activity Log Shows ... (view more)

Microsoft has issued eleven security bulletins as part of its final Patch Tuesday of 2013. One of those bulletins addresses a zero-day flaw found in Windows XP, while another fixes a remote code execution vulnerability in the firm's web browser, ... Internet Explorer. In total, Microsoft's December Patch Tuesday includes five patches rated "critical", Microsoft's most alarming security classification. Windows XP TIFF Vulnerability Finally Addressed The first critical fix, MS13-096, addresses a TIFF image file vulnerability exploited via Word, Microsoft's word processing application. The good news ... (view more)

Microsoft thinks it has a solution for America's ongoing battle with the belly bulge: a new bra that monitors a user's mood in order to eliminate stress-related binge-eating episodes. Stress has long been associated with overeating. A February 2012 ... report from the Harvard Medical School found that stress can result in the releasing of a hormone called cortisol, which in turn leads to an increased appetite. (Source: harvard.edu ) To prevent stress from ruining a diet, Microsoft Visualization and Interaction Research Group manager Mary Czerwinski is working on a new bra that she says can ... (view more)

New reports suggest Microsoft is planning to take on National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance by stepping up its encryption. The hope appears to be that by encrypting more information the NSA will have limited access to Microsoft's sensitive ... data. Microsoft executives are reportedly meeting to determine what encryption techniques could be used to prevent the National Security Agency from spying on the company and its customers. Washington Post Report Alarms Tech Titans It's part of a response to a Washington Post report which appeared to prove that Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo are being ... (view more)

Microsoft's director of programming for Xbox Live, Larry Hryb (better known as "Major Nelson") says the soon-to-be-released Xbox One is more than another video game console. Instead, it's a central media hub that allows users to access social media ... and media streaming services with voice-activated controls. The Xbox One ships this Friday -- November 22, 2013. It's Microsoft's third video game console, following the original Xbox (released in 2001) and the Xbox 360 (released in 2005). It's designed to help Microsoft keep up in the competitive video game race with major rival Sony, which just ... (view more)

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)