Microsoft Partnering 101


Study: Nearly 30 Percent of Organizations Still Using Windows XP

An industry study of 750 organizations indicates that over a quarter still have not completely moved off the aging Windows XP operating system.

Court Favors Microsoft over Novell in WordPerfect Antitrust Case

Novell has lost its appeal in a case that alleged Microsoft abused its Windows monopoly to gain market share for Microsoft Office.

Microsoft Launches Next-Gen Surface Devices

The new Surface Pro 2 and Surface 2 devices shown Monday come with better speeds, feeds and battery life, as well as a new generation of accessories.

BlackBerry To Go Private After $4.7 Billion Acquisition Deal (UPDATED)

A consortium led by Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited has reached a preliminary agreement to purchase device maker BlackBerry for $4.7 billion, the two companies announced Monday.

Windows Server 2012 R2 Still Lacking Exchange Support

Windows Server 2012 R2 still cannot properly run any versions of Exchange, Microsoft said last week.

Getting Out of the CRM Trap

CRM applications promise a lot, but often fail to deliver. And that's a bad deal for sales managers.

Microsoft Talks Reorg, 'High-Value' Focus at Financial Analyst Meeting

Microsoft's annual Financial Analyst Meeting on Thursday featured talks by top executives, including outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer, who clarified the company's new structure and detailed a shift in the company's focus to "high-value activities."

Microsoft Reveals Windows 8.1 Pricing for Non-Windows 8 Users

Microsoft on Tuesday provided details for how those not currently running Windows 8 can purchase the forthcoming Windows 8.1 operating system update.

Windows 8.1 Enterprise RTM Released to TechNet, MSDN

Microsoft's TechNet and MSDN subscribers can now access the release-to-manufacturing (RTM) version of Windows 8.1 Enterprise.

Microsoft's Cloud Partners Face Hard Questions After PRISM Scandal

The recent revelations about the depth of the NSA's surveillance program are dragging old questions about cloud privacy back to the forefront.

Analyst Gives Tips for Purchasing Windows Server 2012 R2

Consultancy Directions on Microsoft recently offered a few suggestions on how to buy Microsoft's newest server, when it becomes available.

MPN 2.0: Behind the Microsoft Partner Network Overhaul

At the Worldwide Partner Conference, Microsoft laid out a major overhaul of the 3-year-old Microsoft Partner Network. The changes send several important messages about how the software giant is thinking about its partners and their role.

Microsoft Partner Network Competency Changes in 2014 (Flow Chart)

In January 2014, Microsoft will boil 25 competencies and one quasi-competency down to 22. Here are the key changes (and a list of the competncies that remain unchanged).

Report: Microsoft Developing Siri-Like Feature for Windows Phone

Several media reports indicate Microsoft is planning a voice assistant for its Windows Phone platform.

Gartner Lays Out Three Approaches to Dealing with Windows 8.1

Organizations moving to Windows 8.1 will have three approaches to consider when dealing with the updated operating system, according to a webinar Thursday by Gartner Inc.