Microsoft

As of February 22nd, 2011, Microsoft is officially in the process of rolling out Windows 7 Service Pack 1 to all Windows 7 users via the Windows Update (automatic) feature, as well as through Microsoft's website. Why a Windows Service Pack is ... Imperative In general, a Windows Service Pack is a method of bringing together multiple changes to the operating system. Windows 7 Service Pack 1 ("SP1") is a single download (also available on DVD) that includes all major and minor security and bug fixes since the original release of Windows 7, up to the last software update made available ... (view more)

Despite only a having a marginal impact on the data storage market in the past, Microsoft has revealed their desire to help improve flash memory. Current plans call for the creation of software that uses solid-state storage (such as a solid state ... drive, or "SSD") in conjunction with RAM and hard disk, while eliminating random writes and other wasteful operations. Calling the program "FlashStore," Microsoft will be able to use flash storage as a bridge between RAM (primary storage) and hard drives (secondary storage). The current software would essentially fit between a hard drive ... (view more)

Back in late November 2010, Dell released a dual tablet/netbook computer called the Inspiron Duo. Netbook Similar to Apple iPad, but Runs Windows 7 The Inspiron Duo features a vertically rotating screen that switches between two independent modes: ... one that runs Windows 7 and the other a proprietary tablet mode which operates Dell software. At the time of release, the device raised lots of eyebrows -- but its $550 asking price was a bit steep for many. That is, perhaps, until Microsoft recently slashed that cost dramatically on its Microsoft Store website. Inspiron Duo Features Dual Core ... (view more)

Last week US President Barack Obama met with several big tech names, including Apple CEO Steve Jobs, Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, at a much-talked about dinner party in Silicon Valley. The ... point of the get-together was to discuss current technological innovations and how can they could improve the sliding United States economy. (Source: com.au ) One would think that a dinner meeting of such big names in the tech field would also include Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer, but it did not. Ballmer Not the Only Odd-Man-Out The ... (view more)

Reports suggest that Microsoft is planning to invest a vast amount of their resources in helping to make the Bing search engine a more "personalized experience" for its users. The new direction is further proof that Microsoft is serious in ... challenging Google's stranglehold on the search engine market. Memory Recollection and Geographic Location The "personalized experience" is centered around two concepts: memory recollection and geographic location. The memory recollection feature benefits those that search for similar results on multiple occasions. If an individual types in "car dealerships ... (view more)

Microsoft has unveiled what should be the final version of Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) before its official release to the public. The company says the latest round of changes take into account 17,000 different suggestions by beta users . The Internet ... Explorer 9 download currently available is in the Release Candidate (RC) stage. This is a stage forward from beta testing and represents the point at which Microsoft believes the current version of the program is (with a few exceptions) relatively bug-free, and good to go. At the Release Candidate stage, it usually means that there won't be any ... (view more)

A new zero-day security flaw has been found in Windows that could allow a hacker remote access to a PC. A security researcher recently disclosed the bug, which Microsoft is currently investigating. The programming code for the security flaw has been ... posted publically and is related to a Windows system file called "mrxsmb.sys". The file is related to Windows Server Message Block (SMB) protocol, used for network communications. Bug Rated Critical by Security Experts In short, the affected file is associated with file and printer sharing features within the Windows operating system (OS). ... (view more)

Microsoft has finally set the official date for the release of its much-anticipated Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1), due February 22nd, 2011. A service pack is a cumulative collection of bug fixes, patches, updates, and includes major changes to the ... operating system. In a recent announcement, Microsoft said Windows 7 Service Pack 1 was at the Release To Manufacturing (RTM) stage in its development, meaning the code is currently being shipped to PC and server makers. (Source: betanews.com ) Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Download For those who can't wait, Microsoft says subscribers to its TechNet ... (view more)

Google claims that Microsoft (via the Bing search engine) has been copying search results and presenting them as their own. The accusation comes after Google hosted a "sting" operation that caught Microsoft in the act of "borrowing" Google-hosted ... data. The covert plan saw the implementation of 100 obscure queries (that served as decoys) within Google search algorithms. For example, Google named one particular code "mbzrygiys" and linked it to smartphone maker Research in Motion (RIM). Interestingly enough, this same code (and a few others) appeared in Bing search results, proving that the ... (view more)

One of the world's most prominent PC makers has announced it will release a 10-inch Windows 7 tablet computer later this year. The company, which is currently ranked second in annual global PC shipments, said the device will be for consumers "who ... need greater mobility, as well as IT organizations that demand control, security, manageability, and integration with existing infrastructure investments." Dell's calling the device, which will use an Intel processor, the Windows 7 Business Tablet. The company says consumers should be able to pick one up sometime this summer, though a precise release ... (view more)