Microsoft can’t convince Apple to update iTunes for Windows 8 Metro devices

By Ed Sutherland on May 10, 2013

Remember all the back-and-forth between Apple and Microsoft before tablets? We heard echoes of that earlier this week when the software giant announced Apple’s iTunes app won’t be available for Windows 8 Metro tablet users any time soon. Although iTunes continues to be available as a Windows 8 Desktop mode app, the lack of a Metro edition leaves owners of Windows tablets in the cold. Even worse is that owners of the Surface RT tablet – which by the way runs only Microsoft apps – will be stuck with just Redmond’s Music app… Read More

 

Apple releases OS X 10.8.3

By Jeff Benjamin on Mar 14, 2013

Just a few moments ago, Apple released an update to Mountain Lion — OS X 10.8.3. The update, which has been in beta since December of 2012, brings quite a few new changes into the fold.

The main people that will be happy with this update are Boot Camp users. First of all, Windows 8 is now supported with Boot Camp, which is obviously a big deal for those of you who dual boot your Macs. Secondly, Boot Camp now supports Macs with a 3TB drive. Check inside for more details on the release… Read More

 

How to jailbreak iOS 6 using evasi0n [Windows tutorial]

By Jeff Benjamin on Feb 4, 2013

We’ve already shown Mac users how to jailbreak iOS 6 using evasi0n, and now it’s your turn Windows users! Inside, you’ll find a step-by-step tutorial that shows how to jailbreak your iOS device on your operating system of choice.

In this example, I’m using Windows 8, but this should work on virtually any version of Windows, including Windows 7, Windows Vista, and even Windows XP. Take a look inside for our guide… Read More

 

Microsoft’s Surface Pro to land on February 9 with $899 price tag

By Cody Lee on Jan 22, 2013

After a bit of a delay, Microsoft today announced launch details for its new Surface Pro tablet. The device will become available for purchase on February 9, and will run $899 for the entry-level 64GB model.

The Pro’s release comes more than three months after its less-capable sibling, the Surface RT. And with reports suggesting that it didn’t do so well over the holidays, Microsoft is hoping the Pro will be a hit… Read More

 

The iPad mini means ‘very tough’ holiday for Windows 8 sales

By Ed Sutherland on Nov 2, 2012

Yes, the iPad mini is indeed going to be competitors’ worst nightmare. But Apple’s new 7.9-inch tablet won’t be terrorizing Android tablets as much as the last vestiges of PCs – many now with Microsoft’s new Windows 8. On the eve of sales of Apple smaller tablet, the Sterne Agee analyst said Apple has its bulls-eye on PCs and Windows. Clarifying his earlier “nightmare” comment, Wu said observers who believe the new device is chiefly aimed at Android tablets such as Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD or Google’s Nexus 7 “miss the point”… Read More

 

Samsung bets on Windows

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 30, 2012

Say what you will about Samsung, but it’s always been a multi-platform player. True, the company’s bet on Android has paid off big time, but Samsung also maintains another smartphone operating system, its own Bada software, and pledges to build a plethora of desktop and mobile products driven by Microsoft’s new Windows 8 desktop operating system and its Windows Phone 8 counterpart.

The South Korean conglomerate currently makes Windows-based Smart PC and Smart PC Pro, in addition to a Windows Phone 8 tablet and smartphone. All are marketed under the new ATIV moniker (whoever thought of that one?). I kinda like how the commercial above highlights different usage scenarios for these devices. By the way, what’s up with the evident James Bond theme to advertising recently? Read More

 

How the Surface was engineered

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 16, 2012

Following up on today’s Surface price list, pre-orders and a pretty nice commercial, Microsoft has also posted another interesting thingie which I think highlights how the engineering team went about designing  Microsoft’s iPad contender. Make no mistake about it: with the Surface, the Windows maker has raised the water line on its platform’s functionality. This tablet’s here to stay. It is at any rate refreshing to have a fresh approach to the tablet other than the boring iOS-Android duopoly. Microsoft also has a few other promo clips for the Surface, all included past the fold… Read More

 

Surface pricing revealed, 32GB base model to start at $499

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 16, 2012

As Microsoft is gearing up to launch its highly-anticipated Surface tablet next Friday, October 26 (just three days following Apple’s iPad mini keynote), the company began teasing the public with the first Surface commercial Cody told you about. And now, the Windows maker has officially revealed price points for the tablet: the ARM-based entry-level Surface RT will start at $499 for the 32GB model, the same asking price for Apple’s third-generation iPad with sixteen gigabytes of storage… Read More

 

Microsoft to launch new Xbox Music service, iOS app in the works

By Cody Lee on Oct 15, 2012

Microsoft announced Sunday evening that it was going to be launching its new streaming music service, Xbox Music, in the coming weeks. The move will pit Microsoft directly against Spotify, RDIO, and even iTunes.

Xbox Music will debut on — what else — the Xbox, and then roll out to Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 devices as they become available later this month. Microsoft says it’s also working on iOS and Android clients… Read More

 

First Windows 8 ads leak ahead of October 26 release

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 10, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkTDQ-b2MDs

As Microsoft gears up to launch Windows 8 later this month, arguably the most important software release in Redmond’s history, first television commercials have surfaced, revealing how the company will communicate the benefits of its first touch-focused operating system to the general public.

Windows 8 has a new tile-based interface consistent with the Metro design language, can run both legacy apps and those optimized for the touch interface, includes a digital store akin to the Mac App Store, features a unified kernel and scales up from the tiniest to the biggest screens and much more.

True to its form, Microsoft plans to offer Windows 8 in a bunch of flavors, including ARM and x86-based tablet versions, Windows Phone 8 for smartphones and standard desktop and server versions. Three more ads are right below the fold… Read More

 

Samsung unveils new Galaxy Note 2 phablet, Android camera

By Cody Lee on Aug 29, 2012

Samsung took the stage today at the annual IFA show in Berlin, Germany to unveil a slew of new devices. The keynote was the first in a long line of scheduled product announcements leading up to Apple’s September 12 iPhone event.

Among the new gadgets Samsung debuted this morning was the long-rumored Galaxy Note II. The device follows up a fairly successful Galaxy Note, which had the internals of a smartphone and the form factor of a mini tablet.

And now, it’s even bigger… Read More

 

Microsoft admits Surface competes with PC makers

By Christian Zibreg on Jul 27, 2012

In a surprising reversal of its position on competition related to the Surface tablet, Microsoft admits in an annual report its tablet competes with PC makers after all, going as far to note that the Surface might even hurt Windows 8 sales. Redmond has been criticized a lot for entering the hardware game to compete with vendors who make various Windows devices.

PC makers are unable to compete with Microsoft on level ground because their already thin margins are stretched even thinner as they must pay license fees to Microsoft to use Windows 8 on tablets, an added cost that makes their gadgets more expensive… Read More

 

Metroon theme brings Windows 8 to the iPhone

By Jeff Benjamin on Jul 12, 2012

A certain theme entitled Metroon has garnered all types of publicity from outlets that normally don’t cover jailbreak apps, tweaks, or themes. Perhaps that has a little to do with the fact that it’s one of the first Windows 8 styled themes to appear on the iPhone?

At any rate, we’ve decided to take Metroon for a spin. What we found was a solid DreamBoard theme that will set you back $1.50 on Cydia’s ModMyi repo. But is it deserving of the hype? Read More

 

Microsoft snaps up Perceptive Pixel, maker of badass multitouch displays

By Christian Zibreg on Jul 9, 2012

Microsoft’s boss Steve Ballmer just announced during his keynote talk at the Worldwide Partner Conference that Redmond has acquired touchscreen technology company Perceptive Pixel for an undisclosed sum. The company already makes a monstrous 82-inch multitouch surface that runs Windows 8.

We also know Steve Ballmer has an 80-inch Windows 8 tablet of sorts hung on the wall of his office. This acquisition of a hardware vendor that makes Gargantuan multitouch displays is another indication that Microsoft is now becoming a hardware vendor. But there’s more to this acquisition than meets the eye… Read More

 

Acer: Microsoft’s Surface is just a ploy to drive Windows 8 adoption

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 20, 2012

When Microsoft out of the blue announced on Monday it was entering the tablet race with its own Surface-branded product, many industry watchers and, more importantly, Microsoft’s hardware partners were taken aback and left scratching their head.

Just what the hell Redmond thinks it’s doing, many OEMs now wonder. Aggressive pricing (think $199 or below) is seen as key to Surface’s chance of success and OEMs can’t exactly compete with Microsoft on level ground because their already thin margins are stretched even thinner as they pay license fees to Microsoft to use Windows on tablets.

But Microsoft may not be in it for the money or hardware sales, warns Acer founder Stan Shih who has commented that the Surface is just a ploy to drum up excitement and drive Windows 8 adoption… Read More

 

Microsoft unveils its own tablet: the Surface

By Cody Lee on Jun 18, 2012

We had a hunch that Microsoft’s media event today would have something to do with a tablet, and it looks like we were right. The Windows-makers have just unveiled a new slate called the Microsoft Surface.

Described as a “tablet that’s a great PC, and a PC that’s a great tablet,” the Surface looks to be much more than an iPad competitor. It has a 10.6-inch display, magnesium casing, and weighs in at just 1.5 pounds… Read More

 

Poll: should Apple worry about Microsoft’s response to iPad

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 17, 2012

Microsoft summoned select members of the press for a media event tomorrow in Los Angeles.

The company is widely expected to respond to the iPad challenge by announcing its own tablet powered by the upcoming Windows 8 operating system.

We’re wondering about your assessment of the situation: should Apple be worried or is it already too late for the Windows maker to make a substantial dent in the tablet space? Read More

 

Microsoft to sell 80-inch Windows 8 ‘tablet’

By Christian Zibreg on May 25, 2012

Seriously, Microsoft has plans to officially sell a whopping 80-inch tablet, their VP has confirmed. This beast of a ‘tablet’ is powered by Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 operating system and is currently hung on the wall in CEO Steve Ballmer’s office.

It’s apparently become Ballmer’s whiteboard, email and phone replacement and the company plans to market it for office use initially. No word on pricing or availability yet.

I’d sure love to have such a Minority Report-style display adorn my office walls. The closes thing to this outrageous display in the Apple world? That non-TV TV from Apple that Forrester dreamed up yesterday… Read More