Tuesday: May 18, 2010
- Microsoft to give Hotmail service a makeover at some point this summer.
...users will encounter a first screen that’s on overview of new messages, sorted into categories, with e-mails from known contacts in the top heap, updates from services like Facebook and Twitter at the bottom, and a bar up top that lets you send a status message.
Tuesday: May 11, 2010
- Have a peek at some near-final screenshots of the Windows Phone 7 interface.
I find parts of this user interface to be very depressing (granted it's not final but near-final sounds like their pretty close). The data entry screens are bland, colorless, and lifeless. Almost as if you're signing a death warrant on someone when you want to add them as a contact. Not very inviting.
- Microsoft would like you know that Natal will launch this October.
Get your imaginary baseballs and soccer balls (anything imaginary will do really) ready because Project Natal will be available for your beloved Xbox 360 this October. Microsoft hasn't nailed down an exact date that month but they think they'll have that ironed out by the time E3 rolls around.
Tuesday: April 6, 2010
- Microsoft sends out press invitations for mystery event on April 12.
Microsoft seems to be a little tired of Apple hogging all the spotlight these days. The only information on the invite is something vague about it being 'time to share'. Hold on to your hats and/or excitement - whichever comes first.
Thursday: March 18, 2010
- Want to run Internet Explorer 9 on your Windows XP machine? Tough luck.
Microsoft has decided to give Windows XP users the finger and not allow them to use their latest and greatest web browser until they upgrade their OS over to Vista or Windows 7. Yet another reason why I'll be sticking with Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari or any other superior browser. Good work, Microsoft.
- Leaked photo of updated Xbox motherboard hints at upcoming slim version of Xbox 360.
This move would make sense given that Sony already has a much slimmer version of the PS3 compared to the bulky original one that was first announced. And while I don't mind the current design of the Xbox 360, it certainly could stand to lose a few extra pounds.
Wednesday: March 17, 2010
- Microsoft pulls the curtain back on Internet Explorer 9.
The good news is that there will be better support for web standards and a brand new JavaScript engine that promises to improve overall speed and page loading times. Bad news is that it's still Internet Explorer. You can take an early version of IE9 for a test drive on the other side of the click.
Friday: March 5, 2010
- Turns out that Microsoft has a secret phone waiting for use with Verizon's network.
The phone is dubbed as 'Project Pink' (but may just end up being called 'Pink') and runs the brand new Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system. Verizon is most likely the exclusive carrier.
- Funeral for Internet Explorer 6 held yesterday over in Colorado.
Internet Explorer Six, known to friends and family as 'IE6,' is survived by son Internet Explorer Seven, and grand-daughter Internet Explorer Eight. To better accommodate the overwhelming response, we're changing the venue.
Friday: February 19, 2010
- Ten year search deal between Microsoft and Yahoo finalized and approved by regulators.
Microsoft is hoping to give Google some viable competition with this new deal. Also, Yahoo's search will soon be powered by Microsoft perhaps spawning an even sillier name for a search engine like Bahoo or YaBing. One last point, both names are actually sounds (try it, YAHOO... BING!).
Wednesday: February 17, 2010
- Microsoft decides to go with AT&T for their upcoming Windows 7 phone.
Interesting move considering how much AT&T is bashed for their poor and spotty coverage as it relates to all things iPhone. Although, I have to admit I've never had a real issue with AT&T in terms of service here in the NYC suburbs. Maybe I have a magical account.
Tuesday: February 16, 2010
- Microsoft pulls the curtain back on their brand new Zune-like Phone.
That's quite an interesting user interface that Microsoft has come up with for this device and I wonder how useful it will actually be in day-to-day use. Also, I appreciate their underlying message/tactic of designing the gadget to be the complete opposite of the iPhone.
Wednesday: February 10, 2010
- Microsoft decides to finally fix a security hole that plagued them for seventeen years.
Much as been made of the fact that the hole is 17 years old, but Ormandy said he informed Microsoft about it in June 2009. 'You can criticize them for taking a long time to fix a bug,' but not if they didn't know about it, said Pedram Amini, who runs the Zero Day Initiative.
Monday: February 1, 2010
- Google decides to start dropping support for Internet Explorer 6.
All it took was a couple of cyber attacks from the aging browser to warrant Google's position to drop support. Seriously, if you still use IE6 (or IE7 for that matter) - upgrade your browser. Your making the Internet cry.
Tuesday: January 19, 2010
- Microsoft looking to give cable companies some competition via Xbox 360.
Whitten said Microsoft wanted to be a bigger player in television and film viewing. He declined to comment on the conversations with Disney but said more than once that 'there's going to be a ton of experimentation around business models and rights.'
Thursday: January 7, 2010
- Microsoft to bring classic arcade environment of the eighties into your beloved living room.
According to a company press release, Game Room will be a “place to relive the glory days of arcade games,” complete with a pay-to-play option that charges 40 MS Points (50 cents) per play of one game.
- You'll soon be able to tweet from your automobile thanks to the Ford Sync system.
Yet another way that technology is going to make the roads safer. As if cell phones, smart phones, app phones, GPS, XM weren't enough to distract from you from you know, actually driving.
Wednesday: December 30, 2009
- Ten reasons as to why Microsoft should acquire Palm immediately.
I've got a New Year's resolution for Microsoft: Buy Palm and use the hardware and software to jumpstart your mobile strategy. Palm the company is struggling and may not survive past 2010. But its technology is worthwhile.
Tuesday: December 22, 2009
- Ten things Microsoft managed to do right in 2009.
Microsoft didn't have all that bad of a year all things considered. But don't get too excited, BetaNews has also compiled a list of everything that Microsoft did wrong in 2009 as well.
- Brand new Microsoft patent encourages your avatar to exercise.
According to this new patent it looks like your Xbox 360 avatar will be able to closely resemble your real-life physical appearance. In some cases, you may be locked out of additional levels and other features until your avatar meets certain health demands.
Monday: December 21, 2009
- Microsoft gets themselves sued due to previous trademark of the term 'Bing'.
Bing! Information Design, based in St Louis, Missouri, launched a legal action last week in a local court - alleging that the multibillion-dollar software corporation 'had knowledge of the mark' and 'intentionally interfered' when it relaunched its search engine with a new name earlier this year.
Wednesday: December 16, 2009
- You can now use Bing on your beloved iPhone via their brand new app.
For some time Microsoft has tried to muscle onto the iPhone. In August Microsoft app developers made it possible for third-party iPhone app developers to integrate Bing into their offerings by providing a software developers kit (SDK).
Friday: December 11, 2009
- A list of Lifehacker's most popular tutorials of 2009.
An extensive list of tutorials that covers step-by-step guides on everything from installed homebrew on the Wii (without the need of Twilight Princess) all the way over to building your very own computer from scratch. Good luck.
Tuesday: December 8, 2009
- Ten of the most innovative viral advertisements of 2009 thus far.
You've probably seen more than a couple of these videos floating around the Interwebs at some point this year. If you haven't seen wedding dance spoof that appeared on The Office please go ahead and watch it on YouTube.
Tuesday: December 1, 2009
- Have a look at the top ten Bing searches of 2009.
Here, I'll spoil it for you: Michael Jackson took the number one position still managing to break all kinds of records even after his untimely demise (insert signature MJ 'hee-hee' sound right here).
Monday: November 30, 2009
- Microsoft's top developers prefer old-school coding methods over those fancy modern ones.
Graphical programming environments are usable when they are useless, but unusable when they would be useful,' said Jeffrey Snover, another Microsoft distinguished engineer and creator of Microsoft's PowerShell scripting tool for Windows.
Wednesday: November 25, 2009
- Microsoft decides to make .NET micro framework free and open source.
The gift to the open source community, however, does come with some strings attached -- or, rather, removed from the gift wrapping. Microsoft reduced some of the framework's functionality in making the Software Developer's Kit open source
Tuesday: November 24, 2009
- Bug in Internet Explorer allows for public veiwing of your PDF files.
Although the data isn't always exposed when the document is viewed with Adobe Reader, it is easily readable when the file is opened in editors such as Notepad, and the text is also available to Google and other search engines.
Friday: November 20, 2009
- Banned Xbox Live users decide to file class action lawsuit against Microsoft.
Abington are looking to get a class action lawsuit together, believing Microsoft's actions to be both heavy-handed and suspiciously convenient giving the proximity of the bannings to the release of Modern Warfare 2.
- Steve Ballmer quite pleased with how Windows 7 turned out.
Ballmer told the Microsoft Annual Shareholder Meeting that Windows 7 has been outselling previous versions of Windows, including Windows Vista, by a ratio of two to one. While Ballmer declined to give exact sales numbers he said that the sales were fantastic.
