News


Microsoft Confirms Windows 8 Beta Arriving February

A beta of Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 8 operating system will be released in late February, a Microsoft official confirmed on Tuesday.

Microsoft Gives Peek Inside Windows App Store

Besides revealing the approximate release date of the Windows 8 beta, Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled details about its forthcoming online store for selling Windows 8 Metro-style applications.

IDC: Microsoft's Mobile, Tablet Strategy Will Hurt Windows 8 in 2012

Analyst firm IDC forecasts a less-than-stellar showing for Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 8 operating system, expected to be rolled out in 2012.

Microsoft Releases Exchange 2010 SP2

Service Pack 2 for Exchange Server 2010, which includes update rollups since SP1 and a few requested items, was released on Sunday.

Report Casts More Doubt on Desktop App Support in Windows 8 ARM

A report by longtime Microsoft observer Mary Jo Foley suggests that Microsoft may be rethinking its plan to support both "Metro-style" and legacy "Desktop" applications on ARM-based Windows 8 tablets.

Rumor: Windows 8 Beta Could Arrive Next Month (UPDATED)

According to two separate reports, Microsoft could release a beta of its forthcoming Windows 8 operating system in "late January" or "late February."

Parallels Adds 3 Execs, Including Microsoft Technical Fellow

Parallels announced Thursday the addition of three senior executives, including a Microsoft technical fellow, to support the cloud services enablement and desktop virtualization company's global growth goals.

Microsoft Credits Partners for Lync's Year 1 Growth

After one year on the market, Microsoft's newest unified communications offering has grown 25 percent -- with no small thanks to Microsoft's partners.

Microsoft-AgreeYa Licensing Pact To Boost Mobile Interoperability

Microsoft has inked a protocol licensing agreement with mobile solutions provider AgreeYa Mobility that will help Microsoft roll out an enterprise product that enables mobile devices to establish connections with Microsoft software and services.

Microsoft Releases Internet Explorer 10 Platform Preview 4

Microsoft released the fourth version of its Internet Explorer (IE) 10 platform preview Web browser prototype on Tuesday.

Microsoft Issues First Major Office 365 Update, Revamps SkyDrive

Microsoft on Tuesday announced major updates to two of its cloud-based services, Office 365 and SkyDrive.

Windows Tablets Losing Consumer Interest, Forrester Finds

Consumer interest in Windows-based tablets has declined over the past six months, according to a report released Tuesday by Forrester Research.

Microsoft Ranks No. 1 in 'Most-Hated' Software Vendor Survey

Microsoft has claimed the dubious honor of being named the most-hated software vendor worldwide, according to a survey by opinion-tracking firm Amplicate.

Microsoft Releases Windows Phone 7 Connector 2.01 for Mac

Microsoft issued version 2.01 of Windows Phone 7 Connector last week, adding a few fixes and some new features.

Virginia Rometty To Take Top Spot at Big Blue

Thirty-year IBM veteran expected to follow the strategies set by Palmisano, who remains as chairman.

Tribridge Named Third Microsoft Master VAR

Microsoft on Thursday named the third and, for now, final member of its Dynamics Master VAR program: Tribridge, a Tampa, Fla.-based business application partner with 350 employees.

Microsoft Opens Lync for Mac 2011 to Office 365 Users

Subscribers of Microsoft's Office 365 cloud service can now download the Lync for Mac 2011 unified communications solution, which Microsoft broadly released on Wednesday.

Windows Azure Gets Bundled Into Fujitsu's Hybrid Cloud

Enterprises with apps running on-premises will be able to tie them to apps running on Microsoft's Windows Azure service through a hybrid cloud offering launched by Fujitsu this week.

Microsoft Makes SQL Server 2012 Release Candidate Available

Forgoing a beta version, Microsoft issued the release candidate (RC) of SQL Server 2012, formerly code-named "Denali," on Thursday.

Ballmer at Microsoft Shareholder Meeting: 'We Are in the Windows Era'

For the most part, Microsoft's shareholder meeting on Tuesday was the usual, speedy, buttoned-down affair; one shareholder even argued that the event should be 30 minutes longer.