A properly functioning power cord is essential for giving life to electronics. That’s certainly the case for Microsoft’s Surface Pro tablets, except the cord that came with the device can overheat, leading the company to issue a recall and supply owners with new chargers. [More]
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Microsoft Changes Its Mind, Decides To Nag Business Customers To Upgrade To Windows 10 After All
By 1.14.16
If you’ve been using Windows 7 or 8 on your personal computer, you’re likely well aware of Microsoft’s recent nagging campaign to get people to upgrade to Windows 10. Despite saying it wouldn’t treat business customers the same way, Microsoft has changed its mind and now says it’ll be nudging those users to make the switch as well. [More]
Reminder: Today Is The Day Microsoft Pulls Support For Internet Explorer 8, 9, And 10 For Good
By 1.12.16
If you’ve been putting off your final farewells to Internet Explorer, it’s time to stop procrastinating: Microsoft is ending support for IE versions 8, 9, and 10, effectively sending the browser to that Internet pasture in the sky, where its friends Netscape Navigator, Mosaic, and other tech dinosaurs are waiting. [More]
Microsoft Ends An Era: Support For Internet Explorer 8, 9, And 10 Stops Next Week
By 1.6.16
The end is nigh: as of Tuesday, January 12, Microsoft will issue its final support patch for versions 8, 9, and 10 of its Internet Explorer browser, bringing one of the web’s clunkiest tools one step closer to vanishing. [More]
Zune Is Officially Dead After Microsoft Pulls The Plug On Streaming Service
By 11.16.15
Microsoft officially pulled the plug on its Zune streaming music service on Sunday, shoveling dirt on the final remnants of its digital media venture that began to unravel in 2011 when the company discontinued the media player. Users will no longer be able to stream or download content from Zune, but those who subscribed to Zune Music Pass will automatically be moved to Microsoft’s Groove service, which is compatible with Xbox One, Windows 10, Android and iOS. The Zune was Microsoft’s failed attempt at taking on the Apple iPod in 2006, and immediately received negative feedback. [PCWorld] [More]
Microsoft Confirms Some Windows 10 Upgrades Have Been Installing In The Background
By 11.10.15
If you’re a Windows 7 or 8 user who’s been surprised to find Windows 10 automatically installing on your machine, you aren’t alone: just a few weeks after many users reported accidentally downloading the new operating system’s installer, Microsoft admits that Windows 10 has also been installing itself without permission on some computers. [More]
Microsoft Warns Computer Makers They Have A Year To Build New PCs With Windows 7 Professional
By 11.3.15
The clock is now ticking on computer makers planning on building new PCs that come with Windows 7 Professional: Microsoft has issued a deadline of Oct. 31, 2016 to original equipment manufacturers (or OEMs) — after that date, no more new machines can be built with the operating system. [More]
Microsoft Will Push PC Users Into Upgrading Next Year With Update That Automatically Downloads Windows 10
By 10.30.15
Though Microsoft has been very eager to get PC users to upgrade from Windows 7 and 8 to Windows 10, it’s also been a bit restrained in its efforts so far, luring customers with a reservation system that allowed them to upgrade for free. But next year, Microsoft is going to get a little bit pushier. [More]
Your Xbox One May Finally Be Able To Play Your Old Xbox 360 Games
By 10.27.15
Next month, Microsoft’s Xbox One will celebrate its second birthday, which makes it as good a time as any for a software update that will finally allow users to play some of their old Xbox 360 games on the console. [More]
Google Will Give Companies, Government Agencies Free Software If They Ditch Microsoft Office
By 10.19.15
As technology companies compete with each other to gain not only individual customers but entire businesses and large organizations, Google has fired a shot against Microsoft designed to steal a share of their software business: if a company or government agency is fed up with using and paying for Office, Google will give them their competing suit of similar software — word processing, spreadsheets, email, calendar, etc — for free. Heck, they’ll even pay those companies and agencies to cover the cost of the switch. [More]
Microsoft Trade-In Program Pays $200 For Your Old Windows Laptop, $300 For A MacBook
By 10.16.15
Microsoft is hoping a $200 trade-in offer will help convince current Windows users to stick around, and that $300 is enough to win over Mac users. [More]
It’s Almost Too Easy To Install Windows 10 — Even If You Weren’t Planning On It
By 10.16.15
There are many reasons someone might choose to delay installing Microsoft’s Windows 10: maybe you just want to stick with Windows 7 or 8 a little longer, or you don’t feel like making space on your PC to accommodate the new OS. But if you aren’t paying attention, you could end up downloading the OS installer anyway. [More]
Microsoft Shows Off “Wearable” Holograms With HoloLens
By 10.6.15
While Sony, Samsung, Valve, the Facebook-owned Oculus, and many others are readying to unleash virtual reality headsets in the coming months, Microsoft is continuing to bank on HoloLens, an augmented reality device that brings holograms into your personal space. [More]
Microsoft And Google Decide To Kiss, Make Up And Drop All Those Pesky Patent Lawsuits
By 10.1.15
Giant technology companies — they’re just like us! Instead of continuing to duke it out over a slew of patent infringement claims in court, Microsoft and Google have decided that peace is the answer, and have announced they’re dropping all pending litigation against each other. [More]
Microsoft To Kill Off Zune Streaming Music Service You Probably Didn’t Realize Still Existed
By 9.16.15
While Microsoft stopped making Zune devices in 2011 and ditched its Zune music store in favor of Xbox Music in 2012, its Zune streaming music service was still hanging in there… until now: the company says it’ll kill off that service on November 15. [More]
Company That Paid YouTube Users To Promote Xbox One Settles Charges Of Deceptive Advertising
By 9.2.15
When Microsoft teamed up with Machinima to launch a promotion that paid affiliated YouTubers for shilling for the Xbox One console in January 2014, we questioned whether any potential negative publicity and regulatory hassle would be worth it. Turns out, we were right to think the company would face scrutiny from federal regulators, as the Federal Trade Commission says it has cleared Microsoft of wrongdoing and settled charges that Machinima pushed videos of people endorsing the video game without disclosing they had been paid. [More]
Scam Alert: Microsoft Is Not Upgrading Computers To Windows 10 Through Email
By 8.3.15
First and foremost: If you’re a Windows 7 or 8 user, Microsoft will not email you to upgrade to Windows 10. If you do get an email along those lines, it’s probably a scam and if you download what’s inside, bad guys could hold your computer’s files for ransom. [More]
Mozilla Displeased That Windows 10 Changes Users’ Default Browser
By 7.31.15
Over at Mozilla HQ, they make web browsers that run on various platforms, including Windows. Over at Microsoft, they have their own new browser that is part of Windows, and they’d really like everyone to use it. According to Mozilla, the new version of Windows steamrolls over a user’s preferred app settings and makes Microsoft’s Edge browser the default. Mozilla is not fond of this change. [More]
