EU To Chase Google for Antitrust

The would-be do-gooders in the European Union who have given Microsoft such fits over the years are getting serious about going after another American target: Google.

And what incriminating stuff does the EU have on Google? Well...none, actually, but the European governing body is pretty darn sure that Google has been evil somehow. Check out these allegations leveled against the company, taken from the article quoted above:

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Posted by Lee Pender on December 01, 20104 comments


Google Offers Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office in Beta

You probably won't be able to use it yet, but the missing link between Google Docs and Microsoft Office (from the Google side, anyway) is in beta.

Posted by Lee Pender on December 01, 20100 comments


New Formats Threaten Microsoft's Way of Life

We read (and write) it all the time: Microsoft is behind the curve in developing for new technology formats. Redmond's smartphone operating system is an also-ran. Microsoft has no tablet strategy. Google, Apple and RIM are just killing the old dinosaur in those areas.

But so what? Microsoft is still raking in money, and there's still a Windows laptop on almost every...well, lap, we suppose, or desk. The company's server products are going like gangbusters, and even Dynamics is settling into a niche. No big deal, right? Tablets, trick-pony phones and all those toys can take a back seat to real technology.

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Posted by Lee Pender on November 29, 20106 comments


Supreme Court To Hear Microsoft-i4i Case

The Supreme Court is going to hear Microsoft's appeal in the patent case that led to an injunction on sales of Microsoft Word. We kind of like Microsoft's chances here given the pro-business nature of this court. Don't hold your breath for news on this, though -- the Supremes, with or without Diana Ross, hope to reach a decision by the end of June.

Posted by Lee Pender on November 29, 20100 comments


Microsoft Rolls Out New Security Baselines

We thought this had something to do with tennis, but evidently not.  

Posted by Lee Pender on November 18, 20100 comments


Reader Feedback: Microsoft Kin Do It

Just a note: RCPU has next week off, so you won't see this newsletter online or in your inbox. As we do every year (although I think we forgot to do it last year), we wish you our traditional Happy Thanksgiving from R-C-P-U!

Anyway, let's finish off the week by running some reader feedback. Although it's not exactly at the heard of our readers' concerns, we just love writing about (OK, making fun of) the Kin, which might be on its way back for a curtain call. Reader Michael, though, says that the Kin wouldn't necessarily be headed for failure again if it were to reappear:

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Posted by Lee Pender on November 18, 20101 comments


Microsoft Provides Missing Lync

Wednesday was the big launch day for Microsoft's revamped Unified Communications offering, Lync. The other members of the Mod Squad, as far as we know, were not in attendance. (Yes, that's at least the second time we've made that joke.)

Posted by Lee Pender on November 18, 20100 comments


Avaya Dumps Microsoft for Open Source

Version 6.1 of Avaya's IP Office communication platform says goodbye Windows, hello Linux. The company claims collaboration, productivity and cost improvements. We'll see.

Posted by Lee Pender on November 17, 20100 comments


Ballmer and Gates: Let's Stay Together

We can imagine that there were days of wine and roses at past Microsoft shareholder meetings. Champagne flowed, caviar gleamed and the whole affair had the feel of a huge gala dinner. OK, so maybe things weren't that fancy...but they were surely better than they are now.

The marriage between Microsoft and its shareholders, once so vibrant, has gone a bit...stale. Hence the decidedly not-party atmosphere at this week's shareholder meetings, in which rumblings and grumblings about the company's long-stagnant stock price drowned out whatever noise popping champagne corks might have made.

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Posted by Lee Pender on November 17, 20104 comments


Redmond Has a Consumer Hit in Kinect

OK, so maybe Microsoft isn't a total loser in this consumer business. Not only is the Xbox actually pretty cool, but Microsoft has also, apparently, sold a million Kinect motion-controller add-ons... in 10 days. That's a high score that'll be tough to beat.

Posted by Lee Pender on November 17, 20101 comments