Channel Watch


Microsoft's Small Business Competency Gets Real

At long last, small business-focused partners will have their own competency in the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) next month.

Memo to Microsoft: Allow a Cleaner Hosted Desktop

An important licensing battle between Microsoft and gaming company OnLive over an app that gives users remote access to a Windows 7 desktop exposes a fault line running through Microsoft's products, business models and its hosting partners.

Microsoft-Yahoo, Microsoft-Nokia: Will They Ever Pay Off?

Microsoft is currently paired with some big partners, with big risks. With Yahoo in the midst of an executive upheaval and Windows Phone still trailing badly in the smartphone race, can these partnerships yield the results Microsoft is looking for?

All Eyes on the Windows Store

What Microsoft's partners learn about the new Windows Store when it opens this month may have major implications for the future of Windows.

The Microsoft Partner Network's On-Again, Off-Again Small Business Competency

The Small Business Competency will probably arrive in May, based on Microsoft's pattern of releasing MPN changes.

7 Things We Learned in 2011

For starters, this tablet thing seems to be really taking off.

Why So Secretive, Steven Sinofsky?

Now that the main elements of Windows 8 seem locked down, will Sinofsky be more forthcoming with information for Microsoft's hardware partners?

Start Your 'Windows 8' Engines

The era of Windows 8, for better or worse, has begun.

Windows Azure Appliance: Out of the Spotlight but Alive

There has been activity among Microsoft's appliance partners revolving around Azure -- but you wouldn't know it from this year's WPC, where the product played a backstage role.

With Office 365, Microsoft's Direct Billing Drama Continues

Microsoft created a new partner category when it launched Office 365 to fix the billing problems that vexed partners with BPOS. But there's a catch.

Why 'Mango' Matters

There are three reasons why Windows Phone "Mango" will finally move the needle for Microsoft in the smartphone market.

Microsoft's Once-Shiny Brand Needs Some Polish

While Apple and even IBM are rocketing up the polls in brand ranking, Microsoft's brand has been dropping. What gives?

Wanted: More Windows Intune Licenses

For some reason, Microsoft is being stingy with the partner licenses for Windows Intune, the cloud-based systems management and security toolset that launched in March.

Microsoft Partner Network: Questions Answered in Online Partner Forum

In a channel network that's 640,000 strong, it's a tall order to address the multitude of questions, concerns and grievances that partners may have. Thankfully, the leaders of Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Group seemed eager to hear them all.

BPOS Billing Reaction Floods In

If Microsoft doesn't get BPOS billing right, the sharks will certainly be circling.