Microsoft

Microsoft takes on Apple, invests $300 million in Nook biz

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 27, 2017

Microsoft just announced this morning plans to invest in Barnes & Noble's Nook division, in an effort to better compete with the likes of Apple and Amazon in an increasingly competitive market for electronic books.

The Windows maker will form a yet-to-be-named subsidiary with Barnes & Noble, pouring a cool $300 million of its own money into the new entity. It will encompass all of the Nook biz, it has been confirmed, in addition to educational college content.

With this investment Microsoft is thinking big, securing a 17.6 percent stake in the new company valued at a whopping $1.7 billion...

Nokia lampoons the iPhone with web videos ahead of Lumia 900 launch

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 1, 2017

AT&T is saying its high-profile launch of the Nokia Lumia 900 in the United States will dwarf the iPhone. We'll see about that, but if a new Smartphone Betatest website is anything to go by, the Finnish cell phone giant isn't afraid at all to take pot shots at the carrier's 'hero' device.

Specifically, Nokia-posted videos on the site allude to the iPhone 4's perceived weaknesses, including the infamous cellular reception issue that culminated under the controversial Antennagate headline in 2010.

Windows Phone considered legitimate iPhone contender, but has no apps

Cody Lee ∙ March 28, 2012

Earlier today we reported that AT&T is preparing to launch the Nokia Lumia 900 — a Windows Phone handset that the carrier believes could outsell the iPhone when it debuts next month. And according to a new survey, that may not be as crazy as it sounds.

PC World recently conducted a large-scale survey for its annual Readers' Choice Awards. The poll collects consumer feedback on wireless carriers, mobile operating systems, and smartphones. And some of the results may surprise you...

Microsoft sees Windows Phone passing the iPhone in China

Cody Lee ∙ March 21, 2012

Apparently China is a hot topic today in the smartphone world. Earlier, we reported that the country's Android and iOS device activations finally passed up those in the US. And now it looks like Microsoft wants in.

The company's chief executive officer for the greater China region, Simon Leung, told Bloomberg this morning that Windows Phone will surpass the iPhone in smartphone market share in China by 2016...

Microsoft allegedly halting iPad purchases made with company funds

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 21, 2012

Just as the new iPad landed two weeks ago, taking off to a great start, software maker Microsoft is reportedly looking to put a ban on iPad purchases made with company funds. According to ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, a new policy is being put in place by Microsoft’s Sales, Marketing, Services, IT, & Operations Group (SMSG) which sent an internal email to employees specifically stating that iPads and Macs are a no-go.

Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit makes Office and other utilities for the Mac, but the company also makes iPad peripherals and a number of apps for iOS devices, such as the MSN and SkyDrive programs. They're also rumored to have been working on bringing the full-blown Office suite to iPad, which would help Apple's tablet penetrate deeper into enterprise world.

Even though SMSG encompasses 46,000 Microsoft employees worldwide, it's unlikely that the ban Apple products will put a noticeable dent in the iPad's performance. Apple shipped 55 million iPads as of last December and is projected to sell 12 million units of the new model in this quarter alone, excluding iPad 2. An alleged email to Microsoft employees is included right below...

Windows 8 tablet compared to the iPad 2

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 3, 2018

We know you're a devoted iOS user, but isn't it always interesting to know what goes on up in Redmond? Microsoft just released its consumer preview of Windows 8, which is designed around tablets. The lingering question of course is how it compares to the iPad. Microsoft's tablets haven't really succeeded in the past, so it will be interesting to see if Microsoft got it this time.

The Verge is ready to answer the question on our mind and has compared the iPad 2 to a Windows 8 tablet on video. The new Metro UI actually doesn't look too shabby...

Microsoft pits Windows Phone 7 against iPhone in “Windows Phone Challenge”

Oliver Haslam ∙ February 23, 2012

Microsoft is taking a leaf out of Samsung's playbook by going on the offensive in the battle for smartphone supremacy. With Windows Phone 7 not quite setting the world on fire with huge sales figures and just a 2% market share, Microsoft has apparently decided to go after the competition with a new ad campaign.

Posted to the Windows Phone Facebook page, the new push pits Windows Phone 7 against various other smartphones, including the iPhone, across a range of uses and applications. The premise is that Microsoft's WP7 evangelist Ben Rudolph is offering $100 to anyone who can perform tasks faster on their own handsets than he can on his Windows Phone.

As is to be expected, he's not handed over any money yet...

Is Motorola becoming a patent troll? Microsoft seems to think so

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

Last week, Apple lodged a complaint against Motorola with the European Commission regarding FRAND abuse. Apple believes that Motorola is not making its standards-essentials patents available under Fair, Reasonable, and Non Discriminatory terms.

The truth is, Apple's right. Motorola is asking the iPhone-maker for a ridiculous 2.25% of Apple's wireless device sales in exchange for the use of its industry-standard patents. Is Motorola becoming a patent troll? Microsoft seems to think so...

Microsoft Office might not come to the iPad anytime soon after all, but maybe it is

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Remember this article we published earlier today saying Microsoft Office might be submitted to the App Store for approval soon? Well, scratch that because as it turns out, the Redmond company might not even be working on it after all.

According to the New York Times, a spokeswoman for Microsoft commented on the matter saying "The Daily story is based on inaccurate rumors and speculation. We have no further comment."

Microsoft Office suite for iPad to be submitted for App Store approval soon

Sébastien Page ∙ February 21, 2012

With the success the iPhone and iPad have had in the mobile computing space, you'd imagine Microsoft would have done a better job at making their flagship Office suite available for iOS. But they haven't. Not until now anyway.

Back in November, the Daily reported that Microsoft was actively working on developing an iPad version of Office. Today, The Daily has once again scooped everyone when they got their hands on a working prototype version of the software...

Apple passes Google to take top spot in corporate reputation study

Cody Lee ∙ February 14, 2012

2012 has been pretty good to Apple thus far. Since the new year started, the company has announced record-breaking sales and revenue from its previous quarter, was named top smartphone manufacturer in the world, and has watched its stock price climb past $500 per share.

And then yesterday, the iPhone-makers received another accolade. According to the 2012 Harris Poll Reputation Quotient, a survey that measures corporate reputation for US brands and companies, Apple is now the highest-regarded company in America...