Microsoft

The highly-anticipated Windows Phone 7 smartphone operating system (OS) has been blasted by at least one popular technology website shortly before its release. InfoWorld, which recently reviewed the software, referred to the new mobile OS as a ... "tepid knockoff" of similar and older offerings of the Apple iPhone. "It's as if Microsoft decided in summer 2007 to copy the iPhone and has shut its developers in a bunker ever since, so they don't realize that several years have passed, that the iPhone has advanced, and that competitors such as Google Android and Palm WebOS have also pushed the needle ... (view more)

According to a recent report by tech industry analysts NPD Group, sales of Microsoft's new Office 2010 software have been "disappointing" since its launch several weeks ago. (Source: pcmag.com ) NPD Group says sales of Office 2010 aren't terrible; ... right now, they're the same as sales for Office 2007. However, they're far below the numbers Microsoft expected, numbers that would have been closer to the sales of Office 2007 in the period after its launch. Poor Office Sales Could Mean Big Trouble for Microsoft The slow start is bad news for Microsoft, which earned an enormous sum ( ... (view more)

The Windows XP operating system (OS) is still the first choice for 74 per cent of businesses, according to Microsoft. Because of that popularity, the Redmond-based firm has decided to extend Windows XP downgrade rights to 2020. (Source: techrepublic ... ) Microsoft announced that people running higher-end versions of Windows 7 will be able to 'downgrade' to Windows XP for up to 10 years. Based on past history, however, Microsoft typically terminates downgrade rights shortly after rolling out a new operating system. Downgrade Rights Available Throughout Win7's Lifecycle This is the second time ... (view more)

Microsoft on Monday announced that Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) has been made available to business users. The update package also affects Windows Server 2008 R2, which is structurally similar to Windows 7. A Service Pack is a collection of all ... previous Windows updates and hotfixes, and typically includes enhancements and improvements. Its installation is much more convenient and often safer than installing updates on a patch-by-patch basis. Microsoft Hush-Hush about Windows 7 SP1 Release Date Up until now, Microsoft has kept fairly quiet about its first Windows 7 Service Pack. The company ... (view more)

Microsoft will next week unveil a series of security bulletins meant to address five security flaws. The fixes are part of the company's monthly Patch Tuesday release, and will most importantly fix a critical Windows XP Help Bug flaw in Windows' ... Help and Support Center. The series of fixes include four patches for the five vulnerabilities, three of which have been dubbed "critical" by Microsoft -- the company's highest level of alert. Each of these critical issues involve holes that, if exploited, could allow a hacker to launch a remote code execution attack upon an unsuspecting user's PC. ... (view more)

Microsoft has unveiled a beta version of their latest software offering called 'WebMatrix'. The free tool is intended to simplify application-based development on Microsoft's ASP.Net web platform. Among its many features, "the (WebMatrix) tool is ... free, provides core coding and database support, integrates with an open source web application gallery and includes support to easily publish and deploy sites and applications to web-hosting providers" according to a recent blog post written by Scott Guthrie, corporate vice president in the Microsoft Developer Division. (Source: computerworld.com ) ... (view more)

Are you still using Windows XP with Service Pack 2? If so, you'll want to take note of Microsoft's warning that it will terminate support of Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) on July 13th, 2010. According to a recent PC Advisor poll, 37 per cent of ... respondents are still using Windows XP. Of that number, 15 per cent of those users still have not yet upgraded to Windows XP Service Pack 3. (Source: pcadvisor.co.uk ) Windows XP users who have not yet upgraded to Service Pack 3 will need to do so before July 13th, 2010 in order to continue receiving Microsoft's latest security updates. Without the ... (view more)

Microsoft has recently attacked Google in what critics say is the latest shot fired in the ongoing battle between the two companies. Microsoft openly criticized Google for their lack of customer support services. Microsoft has a reputation of ... offering consistent support via phone, email and online community sites like Microsoft Answers. Google, however, does little to offer support for their customers -- at least, according to Microsoft. Barbara Gordon, Microsoft corporate vice president of customer service and support, offered the following rhetorical questions as it relates to Google-based ... (view more)

Microsoft is currently investigating the emergence of a new critical bug affecting users of Windows 2000 and Windows XP. The Redmond-based firm made the announcement via Twitter on Tuesday, and says the issue can be found in the dynamic link library ... (.DLL) file "mfc42.dll." Security firm Secunia posted a detailed report, which they say is based on a third party proof-of-concept exploit. It's suggested that the vulnerability can be exploited via PowerZip version 7.2 Build 4010, among other utilities that use the mfc42.dll file. (Source: pcmag.com ) Bug Affects Moderately Popular ... (view more)

Internet Explorer (IE) has given Microsoft reason to celebrate after almost two years of market share decline. (Source: techflash.com ) Internet Explorer 8 is leading all other competitors, with figures that are predicted to be more than three times ... that of rival Google Chrome. Internet Explorer, in the various versions that are still in use, now account for three of the four top market share positions. IE8 Currently 25% Market Share Internet Explorer 8 leads the way, with a 25.84 per cent market share. Internet Explorer 6 is the second-most used web browser at 17.17 per cent. Mozilla Firefox ... (view more)