microsoft

Microsoft's new 'Scroogled' merchandise appears to be selling remarkably well. New reports suggest a lot of the gear, which rips on Google's controversial Gmail privacy policy, has already sold out. Microsoft began its Scroogled campaign earlier ... this year. The focus of the offensive is Google's Gmail privacy policy, which allows the company to scan both sent and received emails in order to formulate more effective advertisements. Microsoft insists its email service, Outlook, doesn't do that to its customers. To highlight the difference, Microsoft recently began selling mugs, t-shirts, ... (view more)

Microsoft has launched a new set of merchandise carrying anti-Google slogans. It's just a publicity stunt, but the blistering nature of the attacks may land Microsoft in legal trouble. The merchandise is the latest step in Microsoft's "Don't get ... Scroogled" campaign. That term, a mix of "screwed" and "Google", is Microsoft's way of arguing that its rival has a much more aggressive approach to using customer data for its own means. The campaign has largely centered on the fact that Google scans messages sent through its Gmail service and then uses the content to produce relevant advertising. ... (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)

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)

Microsoft has warned users of its software to beware bogus file attachments. The firm says a newly discovered vulnerability in Windows Vista and the Office software suite could allow hackers remote access to a victim's computer. The flaw affects the ... Windows Vista and Server 2008 operating systems. It also affects Microsoft Office 2003, 2007, and 2010, plus Microsoft Lync, a communications package. Later editions of Windows, such as Windows 7 and Windows 8, are unaffected. The problem does not affect Windows XP, either. The problem involves the way the affected software handles image files in ... (view more)

So far, the newest version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser, Internet Explorer 11, has been anything but stable. That's why Microsoft has now released a "reliability" update ahead of the next Patch Tuesday. Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) ... was released on October 17, 2013. New features include the ability to load up to one hundred tabs at once, side-by-side browsing, and a Reading View tool. However, in the week-and-a-half since its release, the new version of Microsoft's browser has faced its fair share of performance issues. (Source: maximumpc.com ) Google Pages Fail to Rend Properly ... (view more)

A new report from The Wall Street Journal suggests Microsoft is working on its very own version of Google Glass, the high-tech, Internet-connected spectacles. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) says it has learned from sources inside Microsoft that the ... firm has been discussing such technology with "several" component manufacturers in Asia. These companies are reportedly being asked to supply Microsoft with cameras and other parts as the Redmond, Washington-based firm works towards completing a prototype. Microsoft Afraid of Being Left Behind: Source However, the report provides a couple ... (view more)

Google says it will continue offering security fixes for people running the Chrome browser on Windows XP until April 2015. That's a year after Microsoft's termination date for the aging operating system (OS). For its part, Microsoft has warned users ... not to rely on the Chrome protection and says that even with Google's efforts, users of Windows XP will still face a serious risk of malicious software infection. After launching Windows XP in 2001, Microsoft stopped selling the operating system in 2008. The firm no longer offers Windows XP users technical support, but it has continued to offer ... (view more)

With Microsoft terminating security support for the Windows XP operating system (OS) next April, many businesses are finally starting to move away from the aging OS. But reports show enterprise users aren't upgrading to Windows 8.1; instead, they're ... shifting to the older Windows 7. If you haven't heard, Microsoft is finally terminating support for Windows XP in April 2014. That means most home and business users won't be able to download any security patches to keep the OS from being attacked by hackers (though there are some exceptions to the rule ). That is finally forcing many reluctant ... (view more)