surface

Ballmer sees 'unprecedented opportunity' for Microsoft

You need a thick skin to be a CEO -- and an especially thick skin when you're the chief executive of a legendary software company whose stock has been flat for a decade.

But bolstered by strong early returns from Black Friday sales, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer nonetheless struck a confident theme today as he addressed shareholders, sketching out a picture of a company in the midst of a once-in-a-generation transformation.

"It's been a tremendously big year for us," said Ballmer, speaking at the company's annual shareholder meeting in Bellevue, Wash. He was clearly on … Read more

Reed Hastings says Microsoft's real test is Windows 8

Windows 8 is a much higher priority for Microsoft than the Surface v. iPad battle, according to Reed Hastings.

Hastings, CEO of video-rental service Netflix, was on Microsoft's board until stepping down last month. In a meeting with Dow Jones reporters, Hastings reflected on the challenges facing Microsoft.

"They got a better set of competitors than they've ever had, in Google and Apple, on different sides," said during the meeting according to All Things Digital, which is owned by Dow Jones. "So they've got some big, interesting competitive battles... I use the Surface. It'… Read more

Episode 21: Unboxing Google's Nexus 4 phone and Nexus 10 tablet

We're back, and just in time for the holiday shopping season! Welcome to the pre-Black Friday episode of Always On: the unboxing extravaganza.

This episode alone features Google's two new pure-Android Nexus devices -- the LG Nexus 4 and the Nexus 10 tablet. I so wanted to love the Nexus 4, since I'm definitely in the market for a pure-Android device, but I'm skeptical (as is our CNET reviewer, Lynn La) about the lack of 4G LTE in the unlocked model. Then again, I don't have to sit around worrying about it since the phone … Read more

Analysts turn negative on Windows 8 prospects

Windows 8 got pummeled today by analysts, who cited it as a major factor in tepid PC growth.

The launch of a new Microsoft operating system rarely, if ever, goes smoothly. But Windows 8 is having an especially bumpy takeoff.

The first reason Deutsche Bank listed today for cutting its PC estimates this quarter was a "lackluster initial uptake of Windows 8," in a research note from analyst Chris Whitmore.

After citing the impact of amorphous factors like "macro weakness" and the "fiscal cliff," Whitmore continues.

As in past cycles we expect the introduction … Read more

Microsoft starts Black Friday sale a day early

Microsoft is starting its Black Friday sale early this year by making most of its deals available on Thursday morning, according to a teaser on its site.

The company starts deals for its software and hardware at 12 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, except for its Surface tablet-related deal. That sale is reserved for Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Consumers who purchase a Surface bundle can save $50 on a second Touch or Type cover. The deal starts on Friday, ends on Sunday, and is limited to five per customer.

Other deals, like saving up to $… Read more

O, Oprah! Tweeting your love for the Surface... on an iPad?

In life, you have to get your story straight. Especially if you're a public figure. If your story becomes crooked, you might too -- even if it's a mere accident.

It's hard to know, for example, whether Microsoft's new Surface is one of Oprah's favorite things or not. It was very much on her recently-published list. She compared it to a Mercedes.

This might only mean, sadly, that she believes her iPad is a Ferrari.

For, in tweeting her continued love for the Surface, she made something of an O-Pas. Yes, she used her iPad. … Read more

To glimpse Windows' future, get thee to a Microsoft store

Getting to a Microsoft store isn't easy. That's a problem.

It's a problem because in the wake of the Windows 8 release late last month, the best selection of the coolest devices is at a Microsoft store. Throw in solid ambiance too.

Best Buy? I don't think so. Though my local Best Buy in Los Angeles has a few interesting Windows 8 PCs, like the Lenovo Yoga convertible, it's mostly business as usual.

Same old big box chaos with clam shells that look pretty much like the clam shells that were there last year.

And … Read more

Windows 8 sales 'well below' projections, report claims

Windows 8 may not be selling nearly as well as Microsoft projected, according to a report.

"Sales of Windows 8 PCs are well below Microsoft's internal projections and have been described inside the company as disappointing," Paul Thurrott wrote on his Supersite For Windows today, citing a source inside Microsoft.

The culprit? "Lackluster PC maker designs and availability," according to Thurrott.

But he lists plenty of other reasons too, including Windows 8 itself as "confusing" because of its mix of touch and a standard Windows 7 desktop.

And he cites the simultaneous release … Read more

Nintendo fans line up early for the Wii U

Thursday's CNET Update is ready for the next level:

Nintendo's Wii U goes on sale Sunday, and gamers are lining up early at the Nintendo World store in New York. The first in line is the Power Glove-wearing super fan Isaiah Triforce Johnson. He's been paid by corporate sponsors while waiting outside the store for nearly a month. Other fans began showing up on Monday and Tuesday.

This Nintendo World store will sell the first Wii U console at a midnight launch event. The system comes in two models, a Basic Set in white for $300, and … Read more