Microsoft

If you see anyone peddling ‘free Xbox points,’ steer clear. Microsoft announced that nefarious folks are out in force, attempting a farce based on the company’s birthday week: ‘Microsoft’s 38 now, and is giving away loot in celebration!’ They aren’t. In a statement posted to Facebook today, Microsoft plainly stated that it is giving away Continue Reading →

One thing has been missing from Microsoft’s foray into the tablet world so far: A cheaper, smaller tablet that can go toe-to-toe with the Kindle Fire HD and the iPad mini. ZDNet reports that recent changes to Windows 8 hardware certification guidelines suggest that Microsoft is giving OEMs more freedom to make 7-inch tablets since Continue Reading →

Social media influence scoring startup Klout announced Thursday that it will more fully integrate users’ Instagram and Microsoft Bing accounts. Now a users’ Instagram influence will be factored into a user’s overall Klout score. Bing accounts are able to be connected, but the data will be considered in Klout scores in the future. In the Continue Reading →

Barnes & Noble content and tablet subsidiary Nook Media, part-owned by Microsoft specifically to help boost content for its new Windows 8 platform, put some of that strategy into action: it has announced that people who download the Nook app for Windows 8 will get five books and five magazines free of charge. This is Continue Reading →

Microsoft has tweaked its Mail, Calendar, and People apps for Windows 8 and RT users with some much-need improvements. The three core apps, which are bundled together, received some long overdue tweaks last night that make them a bit more user-friendly. But along with those improvements comes one negative: the Calendar app will no longer Continue Reading →

MetroStore Scanner (MSS) indicates that the Windows Store has passed the 50,000 application mark. MSS, an unofficial tracker, has been generally accurate in the past. That said, treat the 50,000 number with caution, and keep in mind that not all apps will be available in your area. The growth of applications present in the Windows Continue Reading →

We have access to the most powerful smartphones that have ever been made. We carry around more processing power in our pockets than our laptops held even just a few years ago, our phones’ cameras are as good as – if not better than – most point-and-shoot cameras on the market and LTE is faster Continue Reading →

Some sellers have raised the price of Office 2010’s lowest-cost multi-license package after Microsoft discontinued retail sales of the suite. Giant online retailer Amazon.com, for example, now lists what Microsoft called the “Full Packaged Product” (FFP) of Office Home & Student 2010 at $170, $20 higher than the former list price, representing a 13% surcharge. Continue Reading →

Microsoft released information regarding government requests for information regarding its digital services. This the first time that Microsoft has done so. While it isn’t the first company to release this sort of information, the company has gone beyond normal reporting, providing a granular report of government requests for data that helps provide a better understanding Continue Reading →

At October’s Windows Phone 8 launch event, Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore stood on stage and eagerly announced a laundry list of popular apps that were confirmed to be coming to the platform in the coming months. To the delight of many, Pandora was on the list — and to top it all off, the music streaming Continue Reading →