News


Dell Ousts Rollins, Returns to CEO Role

Michael Dell, founder and chairman, returns to CEO role at Dell; warns of 4Q shortfall

Microsoft Readies Live Services Platform

Microsoft has said that getting third-party developers to build their own applications on top of its Web services will help push its Windows Live initiative over the top. So far, however, despite some interesting applications mashups, the Live community has been a little murky on the details.

Vermont State Computer Hacked

A state computer containing names, Social Security numbers and bank account information for 70,000 Vermont residents was hacked into by a remote user sometime before early December, the state said Monday.

Retailer Takes Out Ads To Buffer Fallout from Customer Data Hack

TJX Cos. took a month to make public a computer security breach because it was trying to prevent further damage, the company's chairman said in an online message and full-page advertisement in Boston newspapers.

Vista's Rolling Start Is Now Official

NEW YORK -- The five-year run-up to Windows Vista culminated on Tuesday with the official consumer general availability of Vista and Microsoft Office 2007. The event was the second-step in the two-tier release, which included the volume licensing release in Nov. 30.

Sony BMG Settles CD Rootkit Charges

U.S. regulators said Tuesday that Sony BMG Music Entertainment agreed to reimburse consumers up to $150 for damage to their computers from CDs with hidden anti-piracy software.

Gates Promotes Vista on 'The Daily Show'

Bill Gates took some ribbing from "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, who opened the interview by noting the last major release of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system came in 2001.

No Huge Crowds for Midnight Vista Launch

Retailers around the world stayed open through the wee hours of Tuesday morning to sell the long-awaited Windows Vista operating system, even though most knew customers wouldn't be lining up out the door.

Wow! Vista Finally Here

Gates promises Vista will wow PC buyers.

Events: Introducing TechPartner

RCP invites readers to a first-time event in Florida.

Vista Goes on Sale Tonight

Microsoft is ready to begin consumer sales of its new Vista operating system just after midnight tonight.

MS Rivals to EU: Vista a Push for Internet Monopoly

Microsoft Corp.'s rivals renewed their call Friday on EU regulators to act against what they say are "illegal practices," alleging that the new Vista operating system is the company's attempt to extend its monopoly to the Internet.

Gates Promises 'Wows' Over Vista

"Wow" hasn't tended to be a big part of Bill Gates' vocabulary, but to hear him speak in the hours before Microsoft Corp.'s planned launch of the long-awaited Vista operating system, you'd never know it.

Intel, IBM Reveal Computer Chip Breakthrough

In dueling announcements, Intel Corp. and International Business Machines Corp. separately say they have solved a puzzle perplexing the semiconductor industry about how to reduce energy loss in microchip transistors as the technology shrinks to the atomic scale.

Yet Another Word 'Zero-Day' Exploit Surfaces

Don't look now, but word surfaced last week of still another Word zero-day attack. That brings the tally of unpatched Word zero-day attacks up to four. Microsoft's Patch Tuesday on Jan. 9 was conspicuously bereft of patches for any of then-extant Word exploits, and -- with a fourth one in the wild, and with proof-of-concept code possibly circulating -- it looks like Microsoft Corp.'s next Patch Tuesday can't come fast enough.

Constructing a Community -- One High-Achiever at a Time

Update on the Microsoft Certified Architect Program

The Vista Effect

For every dollar Redmond gets, partners see about 18 more.

Partnerships: Eyes on the Enterprise

Microsoft and HP partner to challenge IBM in the market for enterprise services.

Vista Delay Hurts Microsoft Profits

The long-delayed launch of the Windows Vista operating system cut into fiscal second-quarter profits at Microsoft Corp., which reported a 28 percent drop in earnings Thursday despite decent revenue growth.

VMware Workstation 6 Beta Begins

Virtualization vendor VMware announced Thursday it is shipping the public beta version of its Workstation 6.0 product.