Windows 8

Microsoft will be purchasing $40 billion worth of its own stock and increasing its dividend by 22%, the company announced. The news sent the stock up slightly by the close of markets. This is only the latest in a string of major moves by a weakened Microsoft which is now focusing all its efforts on getting Continue Reading →

When Asus released the Transformer Book line of tablet-laptop hybrids, it grabbed a lot of attention — and a lot of headlines. It was the first device from a major manufacturer to try to bridge the gulf between the fun and convenience of a tablet, and the use and productivity of a traditional laptop. Now Continue Reading →

SkyDrive in Windows 8.1 has a secret weapon no one’s talked very much about. It’s actually pretty amazing, in that small sort of way that doesn’t change much, but still manages to completely alter how you use something. In fact, it might just make SkyDrive the best cloud service around. If you install Dropbox, SkyDrive, Continue Reading →

Microsoft added some gestures to improve trackpads in Windows 8, but the underlying issues with laptop trackpads weren’t really addressed fully. With Windows 8.1, it appears that Microsoft is taking the issue seriously and working closely with partners to improve what has been a notoriously mixed experience for Windows users over the years. In a Continue Reading →

Microsoft’s Build developer conference officially kicked off on Wednesday in San Francisco, with CEO Steve Ballmer delivering the keynote address. Much of the three-day event will focus on courting developers and explaining how they fit into a new world that has seen Microsoft go from a software company to a software and hardware company. But Continue Reading →

The Ativ name may be silly, but Samsung Electronics is betting heavily on it as the namesake for anything related to Windows. In a showcase Thursday that featured a slew of products, Samsung’s Ativ line played a central role. Ativ has become the umbrella brand that includes laptops, tablets, all-in-ones, and smartphones, and some of Continue Reading →

Acer has kicked off Computex by announcing a series of new devices, including a refresh of the 13.3-inch Aspire S7 and the launch of the Iconia W3, an 8.1-inch tablet that brings the new Microsoft platform to a smaller screen size. The Intel-powered Iconia W3 weighs just 1.1 pounds and is 11.35 mm thick, it Continue Reading →

When Microsoft rolls out Windows 8.1, the update to its struggling, 7-month-old operating system franchise, the company will not be bringing back the Start button as many users have been requesting. But the company has acquiesced some. The company announced this morning that it will introduce something that a person close to Windows engineering is Continue Reading →

A Google security engineer accused Microsoft of treating outside researchers with “great hostility” just days before posting details of an unpatched vulnerability in Windows that could be used to crash PCs or gain additional access rights. Microsoft acknowledged the vulnerability late Wednesday. “We are aware of claims regarding a potential issue affecting Microsoft Windows and Continue Reading →

Microsoft has clarified that the next iteration of Kinect, the motion tracking peripheral unveiled alongside the Xbox One earlier this week, will be coming to Windows next year. We had previously known that the device would eventually be supported by Windows, but didn’t know when. Unfortunately, Microsoft is keeping quiet in regards to how developers Continue Reading →