Microsoft

Microsoft is reportedly planning to become a "virtual cable TV operator" through a broadband service. It's seen by many as an attempt to challenge Google TV. The plan, which wouldn't take effect for at least a year, would be to team up with cable TV ... networks towards offering channels directly to users via the Xbox 360 games console, with the content delivered through a broadband connection. The service would work along the same lines as traditional cable TV, with a basic tier-based package and then a premium fee for some individual channels. There will also be interactive, options such as the ... (view more)

Home users have expressed dismay at news that Microsoft is to remove a key feature from its Windows Home Server software. Drive Extender, a handy options that allows users to add extra hard drives, will be axed from Windows Home Server's next ... edition. Share Files Easily with Windows Home Server Windows Home Server is designed as an easy way for with multiple computers to share files. One of the computers is designated a server, and the others are classified as clients, in much the same way as many large businesses operate their networks. However, the system is specially designed to be easy to ... (view more)

Apple's new, 11.6-inch MacBook Air might look a little bit like a Windows 7 netbook, but it sure doesn't perform like one. According to recent reports, the super-light and very small Air easily outperforms its PC brethren, backing up Apple CEO Steve ... Jobs' claim that this piece of hardware is most definitely not a netbook. The new MacBook Air, available in 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch models, shipped in mid-October of this year. Within a couple weeks, the company received mixed reviews : some analysts criticized the device for not offering enough processing power for the price at $999 -- which is ... (view more)

Microsoft's recent decision to offer its free Security Essentials software through Windows Update has caused a major uproar amongst antivirus developers . In what appears to be an effort to make at least one major security firm happy, Microsoft has ... partnered up with Symantec to offer that company's software at no charge, too. Retailer PC Mall is also a part of the deal, which involves offering small businesses the Symantec EndPoint Protection Small Edition software package when they buy a new copy of Microsoft's operating system (OS), Windows 7. The offer will be available until the last day ... (view more)

Microsoft's hands-free peripheral, the Kinect , has already proven a runaway hit amongst consumers. Shoppers bought up an estimated 1 million units during the product's first ten days of availability, in what proved to be a very busy week for the ... video game industry. According to a report from Microsoft released on Monday, Kinect's 1 million unit plateau puts the device on pace to beat a projected target of 5 million sales by year's end. For those who haven't been paying attention, Kinect is a video game peripheral for Microsoft's Xbox 360 video game console. It uses a camera to track a ... (view more)

Following in the footsteps of millions of American home and business users, the United States Air Force has begun the process of migrating all of its computer systems from Windows XP and Windows Vista to the new Windows 7 operating system (OS). The ... Air Force expects its 600,000 desktop and laptop PCs will be fully upgraded by December 2011. With more than half a million PCs in need of attention, the Air Force recognizes the next year will represent an enormous challenge for its IT professionals. In a press briefing at the Pentagon this week, Air Force Chief Information Officer Lieutenant- ... (view more)

Imagine sitting in front of your computer and using hand gestures to control your PC. In the 2002 blockbuster movie "Minority Report," Tom Cruise did just that as he sifted through wads of information using his hands and a 3D computer screen. Fast ... forward to the 2010, and we are on the brink of using similar technology at home, but it's still officially under wraps. Hands-Free Video Game Controller Used on Microsoft Windows Recently, two hackers have found a way to use Microsoft's new Kinect controller-free video game peripheral on a Windows computer rather than an Xbox 360. Whether ... (view more)

Although Microsoft is working hard to keep the public's attention squarely on Windows 7, it seems that the Redmond-based giant can't quite keep the lid closed on burgeoning Windows 8 hype. More details about the next Microsoft operating system (OS) ... have recently emerged, and they suggest even more integration with cloud-based services than in the past. By no means has Microsoft been forward with details about Windows 8, which analysts have pegged for a 2012 release. The firm has every reason to keep consumers interested in its current OS, Windows 7, given than reviews and sales are both hot ... (view more)

A prominent security firm has taken a stand against Microsoft's decision to offer its free antivirus software, Microsoft Security Essentials , as part of its recent Windows Update. A member of Trend Micro's management team not long ago referred to ... the move as one "commercializing Windows Update". Last week Microsoft began offering U.S. Windows users its free antivirus program, Microsoft Security Essentials, through the Windows operating system's built-in update service. The offering works like this: if Windows detects that a user is not using any antivirus software, the option of upgrading to ... (view more)

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is raising a few eyebrows within the tech industry after opting to release US $1.3 billion worth of shares in the company. The move reduces his overall shares by about 12 per cent and marks his first stock sale in the ... past seven years. Not surprisingly, many believe that the sale points to a lack of confidence in the company and creates a strong indicator that the 54-year-old executive is preparing to leave in the very near future. However, Ballmer says nothing could be further from the truth. Microsoft CEO "Fully Committed" In a statement posted on ... (view more)