Microsoft

Lenovo CEO: Microsoft’s Surface Is No Threat to Us

Many hardware manufacturers are none too happy about the imminent arrival of Microsoft’s Surface—especially Acer’s CEO. But Lenovo’s head honcho doesn’t seem fussed in the slightest. https://gizmodo.com/does-microsoft-even-need-hardware-partners-for-windows-5922460 In fact, Lenovo’s CEO Yang Yuanqing seems confident his company is going to wipe the floor with Microsoft. Speaking during an earnings call he explained: “[They’re] just one…

Windows Phone Store Bug Sees Microsoft Block New Apps

Microsoft is experiencing major problems with its Windows Phone Store as it updates from the backend system which used to power Windows Phone Marketplace. The result: major problems downloading software, and a block on new apps. In a blogpost, Microsoft pointed out that the problem is related to digital certificates and should only affect users…

Facebook Is Suing Mitel Based on AOL Patents It Only Just Acquired From Microsoft

Legal wrangling in the technology world is making increasingly less sense. In March, Canadian company Mitel struck Facebook with a patent lawsuit. Now, The Next Web is reporting that Facebook is countersuing Mitel over two patents it believes are also being infringed. So far, so normal. But there’s a weird twist. From The Next Web:…

The New SkyDrive Looks Totally Beautiful and Great

SkyDrive got a makeover, just like Outlook. The new Metro SkyDrive is going live today, according to Microsoft’s Inside Skydrive blog. It looks great. https://gizmodo.com/microsoft-did-the-impossible-the-new-hotmail-is-fantas-5930358 In addition to the design update, Microsoft also updated the apps for Windows and OS X to full release (they had been previews until now), will release an Android app…

Windows Surface RT Tablets To Be Lighter and Thinner Than the iPad

Microsoft’s new Surface tablets were announced with a whole bunch of hype, but the specs pf the things have been practically non-existent. Now, some details have come out about the Surface RT tablets, revealing that they’ll not only be thinner and lighter than the iPad, but also play HD video for 13 consecutive hours. For…

Microsoft Might Be Rushing Out Its Windows 8 Sequel

Windows 8 is coming. But the next version of Windows might not be far behind. According to the super well respected Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft could release the next version of its OS within the next year—a turnaround time that would be pretty much unprecedented for Redmond: I’ve heard the next version of Windows is…

Here’s Who Your Windows RT Tablets Will Come From

Looks like Surface didn’t scare everyone off like Microsoft said it might, because today the company announced some official Windows 8 partners. https://gizmodo.com/microsoft-totally-knows-that-surface-will-screw-over-pc-5929548 From the sound of it, we’ll see devices from Dell and Samsung all running the operating system. Lenovo is also on board, but we’ve already heard about the ARM-based convertible RT tablet…

Why Apple Won’t Sue Microsoft Over Surface

The latest revelation from the never-ending Apple vs. Samsung patent spat: Apple offered to license the contentious patents to Samsung and they declined, but Microsoft was offered the same deal—and took it. https://gizmodo.com/in-2010-samsung-declined-an-offer-to-license-apples-pat-5933860 There are, however, a few caveats to the cross-licensing deal between Apple and Microsoft. First, there’s an agreement between the two companies…

On Second Thought: Microsoft Is Calling Metro “Modern UI Style” Now

Word yesterday was that Microsoft was changing the official name of its Metro UI to “Windows 8.” Except, not totally. Today, the Verge is referencing several Microsoft listings for upcoming events referring to Metro/Windows 8/Fancy New UI as Modern UI. Ugh. https://gizmodo.com/microsofts-metro-ui-is-now-just-windows-8-5933407 If you’re going to confuse the hell out of everyone with an alternative…

WSJ: Lenovo Working on Convertible Windows RT Tablet

While Lenovo has already announced Intel-powered WIndows 8 tablets, the Wall Street Journal is now reporting that the company is also readying an ARM-based Windows RT tablet, too, which look set to compete directly with Surface. https://gizmodo.com/lenovo-thinkpad-tablet-2-looks-like-a-tablet-behaves-5933105 The Journal explains that Lenovo are teaming up with Nvidia to deliver a convertible tablet “with a keyboard…

Microsoft’s “Metro” UI Is Now Just “Windows 8”

Microsoft is ditching the “Metro” name for its live tiles UI in Windows 8 and Windows Phone. And it was a bit of a mystery what it was going to be called. Answer’s in: Just plain ol’ “Windows 8.” https://lifehacker.com/microsoft-no-longer-using-the-metro-name-for-its-new-5931657 It feels a bit like a missed opportunity for Microsoft to brand its whole ecosystem—especially…

Talk to the Outlook Engineering Team Right Here, Right Now

Have you switched to the fantastic new Outlook? Have some questions before you check it out? Having some problems after signing up? Microsoft’s dropping by Gizmodo at 1:30 pm ET for you to ask them whatever you want. https://gizmodo.com/microsoft-did-the-impossible-the-new-hotmail-is-fantas-5930358 Drop your questions, comments, complaints, or whatever below—they’ll be here for an entire hour to make…

What Microsoft’s Surface 2 Hires Might Tell Us About Surface

As TechRadar reports, Microsoft has spent the summer on a Surface-related hiring spree. And while that indicates that the company is already moving ahead with its Surface 2 plans—which isn’t remotely surprising—it could also tell us a decent amount about Surface itself. It’s easy to read too much into the hiring tea leaves; if anything,…

Nearly 30,000 Microsoft staff—a third of its team—have been testing Windows 8. Hope they did a good job. [Microsoft]

Acer CEO: Microsoft Should “Think Twice” About Surface—Or Else

It’s well known that hardware manufacturers are none too happy about Microsoft’s foray into tablets with the Surface, and even the company itself had admitted it will screw over PC manufacturers. Acer’s CEO certainly shares that opinion—and he’s being fairly vocal about it. https://gizmodo.com/does-microsoft-even-need-hardware-partners-for-windows-5922460 In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Acer CEO JT…

Microsoft’s in-app purchasing will be limited to WinPho 8. Ballmer and co can’t stop screwing people. [Microsoft]

Windows 8 May Force You To Boot Into the UI-Formerly-Known-As-Metro

Don’t like Windows 8’s new, currently-unnamed, obviously-tablet leaning interface? Too bad. Microsoft is apparently going to make you love it, and step one of the process is forcing you to boot into it, claims ZDnet. Citing Rafael Rivera, Windows enthusiast and co-author of “Windows 8 Secrets” Rafael Rivera, ZDnet says that Windows 8 users will…

Bloomberg: Nokia to Announce Windows Phone 8 Handsets Early September

Bloomberg is reporting that Nokia will announce its new range of Windows Phone 8-powered devices at the start of September—with the intention of shipping them in time for the holidays. The report cites “a person with knowledge of the matter”, who explains that the company plans to announce the new devices—perhaps unsurprisingly—during a new roadshow-style…

Microsoft Changes Up Its Windows 8 Activation Policy To Curb The Rampant Piracy It Seems To Expect

OEMs that want to have the latest version of Windows on their machines are going to find that things are a little different this time around. The new process should be more secure, cutting down on any piracy that may or may not happen. In the past, many OEMs who were shipping PCs with the…

Renaming Windows Metro: A Few Unsolicited Suggestions

Taking a cue out of the playbooks of famous name-changers like Ron Artest, Cat Stevens, and Prince, Microsoft isn’t calling its UI design Metro anymore. Although that’s the official title MS has been using for years, it’s reportedly making the shift due to legal reasons—ever heard of a German company called Metro? Neither have we.…