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Microsoft

Microsoft's new 'deep tech' team hopes to lure developers

Microsoft's new 'deep tech' team hopes to lure developers

Just because a company builds a bunch of new frameworks and services doesn't guarantee developers will immediately flock to them. The current-day Microsoft -- in the midst of trying to win over brand-new non-Microsoft developers while keeping loyal ones in the fold -- knows this well.

Rather than simply sit back and wait for devs to (hopefully) embrace its growing set of new technologies, the Redmondians have decided to go proactive. On May 13 -- just over a month ahead of Microsoft's Build 2013 developer conference -- Microsoft is launching a new "deep tech" team inside … Read more

Microsoft responds to 'extreme' Windows 8 criticism

Microsoft responds to 'extreme' Windows 8 criticism

Microsoft appreciates the feedback on Windows 8. Up to a point.

"There is a trend to the extreme," Frank X. Shaw, corporate vice president of corporate communications at Microsoft, wrote on The Official Microsoft Blog on Friday, addressing some of the harsher attacks.

Here's a fuller quote:

In this world where everyone is a publisher, there is a trend to the extreme -- where those who want to stand out opt for sensationalism and hyperbole over nuanced analysis. In this world where page views are currency, heat is often more valued than light. Stark black-and-white caricatures are … Read more

City of Boston drops Microsoft Exchange for Gmail

City of Boston drops Microsoft Exchange for Gmail

As Google gears up for its big week in the spotlight, it's making another notch in its business software belt. The city of Boston has decided to switch the e-mail provider of its 20,000 employees from Microsoft to Google, The Boston Globe reported Friday.

In addition to using Gmail instead of Microsoft Exchange, Boston will also swap in Google Docs for word processing and Google's cloud service for storing documents. The city will pay Google about $800,000 for the move but will save around $280,000 a year for dropping the Microsoft products.

Google told the … Read more

Pete Rose, Rob Schneider mock Google for Microsoft Office

Pete Rose, Rob Schneider mock Google for Microsoft Office

Microsoft enlisted former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Rob Schneider and disgraced baseball star Pete Rose to denigrate Google Docs in two new videos that posted to the Web Friday.

The videos posted on Microsoft's Office 365 blog suggest that users gamble every time they trust their productivity to Google Docs.

Of course, it's a time-tested strategy for Microsoft, which rolled out its Gmail Man videos two years ago, broadsiding Google's email service for its contextual advertising program.

In one of the new videos, two buddies hit a casino. One asks if they should play … Read more

No iTunes for Windows 8 devices anytime soon

No iTunes for Windows 8 devices anytime soon

Microsoft Windows 8 users will likely get access to all the most popular apps in Apple's iTunes store. But it's doubtful they'll get iTunes anytime soon, according to a recent interview a Microsoft exec gave to CNN Money.

Tami Reller, chief financial officer of Microsoft's Windows division, said that by the holiday season the Microsoft will support the most popular apps in Apple's App Store in its own app store. Microsoft now has more than 60,000 apps available, and users have downloaded about 250 million of them.

But the one app that is likely … Read more

Microsoft making nice with Windows 8 partners, Acer says

Microsoft making nice with Windows 8 partners, Acer says

Microsoft appears to be listening to its partners a bit more when it comes to Windows 8.

That's according to Acer President Jim Wong, who spoke to The Wall Street Journal for a story published Thursday.

Acer has been among the most vocal critics of Microsoft, complaining that sales of Windows 8 devices have been disappointing and knocking the software titan's attempt to get into the hardware business with the Surface tablet. Even Microsoft has acknowledged that more work needs to be done to educate consumers on Windows 8 and Windows RT -- the latter being the stripped-down … Read more

The weirdest, most wonderful Windows 8 ads ever

The weirdest, most wonderful Windows 8 ads ever

I don't know where these have come from.

I don't even know if they're official Windows 8 videos. [Note: They are. See update at end of story.]

But I do know that these are works of utter, thorough, and complete genius.

Microsoft's Windows 8 has struggled to project an image that is anything that might be described as entirely relevant.

It doesn't mean Windows 8 has failed. But it does mean that it has inspired about as much excitement as the Kansas City Chiefs of late, the Kansas City Royals (until this season), or the authorities at the Heights High SchoolRead more

Should Microsoft purchase Nook Media assets?

Should Microsoft purchase Nook Media assets?

TechCrunch is reporting that Microsoft is mulling the idea of buying out the Nook Media venture in which Microsoft invested $300 million last year. TechCrunch says it has obtained "internal documents" that indicate Microsoft may pay $1 billion for the assets of Nook Media.

Does this make any sense? Given I thought rumors of Microsoft buying Skype and Yammer (both of which Redmond ended up purchasing) were pretty ludicrous, I'd say I'm probably not the best one to judge.

Microsoft officials, as one might expect, are saying they have no comment on rumors or speculation involving … Read more

Microsoft picks Amy Hood as chief financial officer

Microsoft picks Amy Hood as chief financial officer

Microsoft promoted Amy Hood to chief financial officer Wednesday, replacing Peter Klein, who announced plans to leave the software giant last month.

Hood, 41, joined Microsoft in 2002 and worked most recently as the chief financial officer of Microsoft's Business Division, a job she held for a little more than 3 years. There, she handled financial strategy for the $24.1 billion unit and was deeply involved in the acquisitions of both Skype and Yammer. Prior to that job, Hood was chief of staff in Microsoft's Server and Tools group.

"I'm excited to step into this … Read more

Microsoft continues its kiosk kick, will open new 'specialty stores'

Microsoft continues its kiosk kick, will open new 'specialty stores'

Microsoft's brick-and-mortar store expansion is increasingly happening via "specialty stores," which are kiosks and small storefront-type outlets, typically located in shopping centers and malls.

On May 8, Microsoft announced it will be opening four new specialty stores in May and June. The four newest locales: Roseville, Calif.; Arlington, Texas; Novi, Mich.; and Seattle. In April, Microsoft opened five new specialty stores.

According to Microsoft's Store locator page, there are a total of 34 specialty stores in the U.S. and Canada that are open now and/or opening soon. That's out of a total of … Read more

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