Microsoft

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

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 24, 2016

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...

Microsoft airs first Surface commercial

Cody Lee ∙ October 16, 2012

It seems like it's been months since Microsoft first showed off the Surface tablet —the company's first foray into the space. Actually, it's been four months. But never fear, the long-awaited release date is almost here.

Microsoft is set to launch the tablet on October 26th, alongside the latest update to its operating system, Windows 8. And it kicked off its advertising blitz last night with a new TV ad entitled: The Surface Movement...

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

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

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...

Microsoft targets Android’s Google Maps app in German patent lawsuit

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 11, 2012

Google's pricey $12.5 acquisition of handset maker Motorola Mobility didn't change the dynamics of patent wars as Google hoped it would. Recently, Microsoft and Apple scored a major win in a patent dispute in Germany, forcing Google's Motorola subsidiary to pull all of its Android-based smartphones and tablets from store shelves in the country.

Luck continues to be in short supply at Mountain View, California. Today, the Windows maker has expanded the Motorola patent case to include Google Maps for Android, specifically naming Google as a defendant.

As the public fight between Google and Microsoft gets uglier, Google faces a real possibility of Google Maps becoming unavailable in Germany as early as next spring. Ouch!

First Windows 8 ads leak ahead of October 26 release

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

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...

Watch rapper MGK destroy PCs at a Microsoft store

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Adamant to lure folks to its retail stores, Microsoft loves to hire famous recording artist to perform for its customers. For example, Flo Rida, The Black Keys, Justin Bieber and Lenny Kravitz all played for Microsoft Stores in the past.

But something clearly went wrong with this one. Much to the bewilderment of store staffers, young rapper Machine Gun Kelly a.k.a. MGK (not to be confused with an American gangster during the Prohibition era) at one point jumped on the floor displays to do his act.

He bugged out terribly, destroying several notebook PCs in the process until staffers abruptly cut his mic. I guess MGK won't be performing for Microsoft in the foreseeable future...

Major Exchange bug spotted in iOS 6

Cody Lee ∙ October 3, 2012

Since its release two weeks ago, Apple has taken an enormous amount of criticism over iOS 6. The bulk of the heat has come over the new, so-called inferior Maps application, but there have also been complaints of Wi-Fi and App Store issues.

In fact, according to a new report today, some major companies are urging their employees not to update their iOS devices to the new firmware. But it's not because of Maps or Wi-Fi problems. It has to do with a major Exchange bug...

iPhone share rising, everyone else looks flat or down

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 2, 2012

Analytics firm comScore is out with new research data concerning the mobile landscape in the United States during August. Good news for Apple: the iOS is on the rise among smartphones, going from 31.9 percent during the three-month period ending in May 2012 to 34.3 percent in June, July and August.

During the same timeframe, Google's Android went from 50.9 percent to 52.6 percent smartphone market share. Better still, Apple grew at a faster clip than Google. Microsoft's Windows Phone, Research In Motion's BlackBerry and Symbian? All losing ground...

Google is now worth more than Microsoft

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 16, 2017

Shares of Google have been rising lately due to a number of factors boosting its revenue, from the growing Google Apps hosted productivity suite stealing biz from Microsoft to the successful launch of the Nexus 7 tablet and a new range of Motorola phones to nice ad sales, relentless Android march and steady dominance in search and maps, only highlighted by Apple's iOS 6 Maps woes. And now, the search giant has passed another milestone as its market capitalization surpassed that of Microsoft in early trading...

Microsoft to Safari users: Google screwed you, use Bing instead

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 29, 2017

Exploiting a record $25 million settlement Google negotiated with The United States Government over the iOS Safari privacy breach that erupted back in February 2012, software giant Microsoft put together a little web page meant to convince Apple users to use Bing as their default search engine.

The Windows maker is reminding us of Google's failed promise of not tracking Safari users without their permission, suggesting Google's credibility has been tarnished beyond repair. Want to do something about it?

Use Bing instead, the company proposes...

Nokia pre-empts iPhone 5 with new Lumias rocking Windows Phone 8

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 27, 2017

Software giant Microsoft and former cell phone champion Nokia held a press conference earlier today in a very wet New York City. Nokia is attempting to re-boot its ailing smartphone biz with some sleek new Lumia handsets, with a little help from its pal Microsoft and its new Windows Phone 8 operating system. It pays to keep tabs on what competition is doing and it's always exciting watching good ol' Windows maker playing a catch up in mobile.

With that in mind, the presser was basically a pre-emptive tease against the massive iPhone 5 launch due next Wednesday. Interestingly, Nokia hasn't shied away from criticizing Samsung for failing to deliver a working Windows Phone 8 phone. Conspicuously enough, Nokia itself did not announce price points or shipping dates for the new Lumias.

Perhaps it would have been better to hold this event a month from now? Be that as it may, Microsoft will hopefully play its cards right and over time establish Windows Phone as a third viable platform. I'm all for it: some balance to the force is needed as it's been disrupted lately by Android's relentless march. Here's what's new from the Microkia camp...

Apple’s iPhone business is worth more than all of Microsoft

Cody Lee ∙ August 20, 2012

In line with today's news that Apple has surpassed Microsoft's record for largest market cap, we've found another interesting stat involving the two companies that you might find interesting.

In looking at recent sales numbers, Apple's iPhone business alone is now worth more than all of Microsoft's products — that's Windows, Office, Xbox, you name it — put together...