microsoft

A new report reveals that only a tiny portion of all people with a tablet computer right now are using one that runs the Windows 7 operating system (OS). According to statistics from research firm Strategy Analytics, Microsoft's operating system ... provides the software basis for just 1.5 per cent of tablets sold during the fourth quarter of 2011. The report reveals that 27 million tablet computers sold in the fourth quarter of 2011, a big increase from the fourth quarter a year ago. "Global tablet shipments reached an all-time high of 26.8 million units in Q4 2011, surging 150 percent from 10.7 ... (view more)

Microsoft has now revealed the minimum hardware requirements for tablet computers to run Windows 8, another sign the company wants to extend its operating system (OS) to a wider range of devices. Windows 8 is the first Windows operating system ... designed to work on everything from desktop PCs to tablets. Aside from the classic desktop design, it boasts a user interface called 'Metro' that's intended for small touch-screens. Some critics fear Windows 8 might be so focused on tablet compatibility that it offers very little improvement to users of notebook and desktop PCs. Windows 8 Tablet: ... (view more)

Microsoft has just revealed that Windows was not its leading money-maker during the last three months of 2011. While this is shocking news to many, it may be only a short-term quirk, and, generally speaking, Microsoft continues to rake in the cash. ... For the three months ending December 31, the company took in a total of $20.89 billion, up five per cent over the same period in 2010. Once costs were deducted, Microsoft was left with just under $8 billion in profit for the quarter, down about two per cent, year-over-year. Both figures were very close to the consensus of predictions by stock ... (view more)

Microsoft claims it has taken steps to protect tourists from accidently stumbling into unsafe areas by developing and patenting a new feature for GPS (Global Positioning System) devices. One of the rarely discussed features of GPS is their ability ... to guide users through areas in which they would not normally venture. Although GPS devices are typically very helpful in plotting routes, so far they have not paid attention to the relative convenience, condition, or safety of those routes. It stands to reason that sometimes the shortest route to a destination might lead through a relatively unsafe ... (view more)

Microsoft has confirmed it will release a PC version of its Kinect hands-free motion control system on February 1, 2012. The new hardware offering will be expensive. Kinect was first offered for the Xbox 360 video game console in late 2010. It was ... Microsoft's effort to counter the Nintendo Wii system, which allows players to control on-screen action by moving a handheld device rather than a traditional controller. Microsoft One-Ups Wii Controllers with Kinect The motion-oriented controls of the Wii made games more accessible to casual players, while adding more realism to the game. Players ... (view more)

Days after a police raid in Ghana seized dozens of counterfeit versions of their software, Microsoft has once again set their sights on another international software retailer. This time they're pursuing legal action against popular UK electronics ... company Comet, after uncovering the sale of over 94,000 sets of counterfeit Windows CDs. According to Microsoft, Comet produced counterfeit recovery CDs for Windows Vista and Windows XP before shipping them off to be sold in their stores across the UK. David Finn, associate general counsel of worldwide anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting at ... (view more)

Microsoft has finally declared Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) dead. Internet Explorer 6 is considered to be one of the most dangerous web browsers to use online because it is easily exploitable and can become easily infected with malware (with can lead ... to identify theft, or worse). Internet Explorer 6 first debuted way back in 2001, the same year Microsoft released its Windows XP operating system (OS). The five years that followed were IE's heyday, with Microsoft's hold on the browser market its strongest ever. Today, statistics reveal that fewer than 1 per cent of American Internet users are ... (view more)

Patch Tuesday for January 2012 was released this week by Microsoft and includes seven updates designed to fix eight Windows security vulnerabilities. One patch in particular fixes a serious Windows Media Player exploit. The flaw could allow a hacker ... to take remote control of a PC running Windows. For those who don't follow Microsoft security news, Patch Tuesday refers to the second Tuesday of every month -- the day on which the Redmond-based firm normally releases a series of software updates intended to fix known problems in its various programs. The majority of patches are usually for ... (view more)

dMaintenance 1.2 dMaintenance is a tool designed to help automate "behind the scenes" maintenance tasks. It can be programmed to delete temporary Internet files, correct time zone settings, disable Internet Explorer toolbars, reset networking ... settings, and more. Note that dMaintenance makes no permanent modifications to the system. Click the "dMaintenance" link at the left of the page (link below), then scroll down and click the 'Download' link at the bottom of the page to obtain the software from the "Foolish IT" website. http://www.foolishit.com Microsoft Outlook E-mail ... (view more)

Microsoft will soon introduce its own social networking site, according to industry observers. Called 'So.cl' (pronounced "social"), the new service is designed to appeal to US-based college students. So.cl is part of a movement on many US ... university campuses to offer courses that investigate the rapid rise of online social media. It is designed to target a very specific niche market: post-secondary students looking to share research and information across various institutions. Students can create or join "video parties" for face-to-face interaction, or they can decide to share their content ... (view more)