Latest on Microsoft: News, Features, Opinions and More  New attack fells Internet Explorer
A hacker has posted attack code that could be used to break into a PC running older versions of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser. Control iTunes from the Windows 7 Taskbar
One of my favorite Windows 7 amenities is thumbnail previews, which appear when you mouse over any running program in the taskbar. Chrome shines, Gore opines, staffs decline
Google's Chrome OS captured a lot of headlines and hype this week after the company invited the media in to have a look-see, setting off a whole lot of opinions about whether it will be any good. Microsoft, predictably, doesn't think so. Otherwise, Al Gore offered his opinion on the role supercomputers can play to quell climate change, and for the first time we can recollect there were not one, but two, cat-related IT stories that caught our attention. Microsoft launches beta tests of free Office 2010, 'streaming' delivery
Microsoft has launched new betas for its free Office suite and for the "streaming" technology it will use to deliver some paid versions of Office 2010 next year. Ballmer: Windows 7 Sales 'Fantastic'
Excitable Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer actually had something to be excited about at yesterday's shareholder meeting, where he announced that Windows 7 sales are "fantastic." Windows 7 sparked surge in business demand for PCs
A senior Dell executive is bullish about a recovery in PC demand from businesses, saying the Oct. 22 release of Windows 7 sparked a surge in PC sales for the company. Microsoft, other rivals slam Google Chrome OS
Microsoft was, predictably, not all that impressed by Google's demonstration of its upcoming Chrome OS today, but neither were potential rivals who make Linux and instant-on operating systems. Google rides Chrome OS onto Microsoft turf
With Google Inc. working on its upcoming browser-based Chrome operating system, the company is intensifying its rivalry with Microsoft Corp. Microsoft denies it built 'backdoor' in Windows 7
Microsoft today denied that it has built a backdoor into Windows 7, a concern that surfaced on Wednesday after a senior National Security Agency (NSA) official testified before Congress that the agency had worked on the operating system. FAQ: All you need to try out the Office 2010 Beta
Microsoft yesterday launched the first, and likely only, public beta of Office 2010.Where is it, how do you install it, what do you need to run it, and how do you get rid of it if it's a can of worms? We've got answers. Ballmer: Windows 7 sells twice as fast as past operating systems
Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer said Windows 7 has sold twice as many units as any other Microsoft operating system in the same time period. Developers slowly rising to Microsoft's Surface
Microsoft remains optimistic that the Surface touch screen computer launched last year will generate interest among an increasing number of software developers. Remove Internet TV from Windows Media Center
As a longtime fan of Windows Media Center, I was excited to see what new features the Windows 7 version would bring to the table. The Future of ERP, Part II
Got Data? Making Sense of It All NSA helped with Windows 7 development
The National Security Agency (NSA) worked with Microsoft on the development of Windows 7, an agency official acknowledged yesterday during testimony before Congress. Image gallery: Office 2010 beta debuts major features
The first public beta of Microsoft's Office 2010 suite is fast and stable with some useful additions, including integration with Office Web Apps. Unfortunately, the most intriguing new features are only partially functional. Hands on: Office 2010 beta debuts major features
The first public beta of Microsoft's Office 2010 suite is fast and stable with some useful additions, including integration with Office Web Apps. Unfortunately, the most intriguing new features are only partially functional. How to Choose a Hosted E-mail Solution
Of all the technologies that run your business, chances are good that none impact your company as much as good ol' e-mail. While larger organizations have the hardware, infrastructure, and human capital to manage e-mail in-house, small businesses with tiny to non-existent IT departments don't have that luxury. Here's how to get big-business e-mail efficiency on a small-business budget. Microsoft to align BizTalk Server with Azure's AppFabric
Microsoft Corp. plans to make its Business Process Management (BPM) software, BizTalk Server, work closely with the just-announced AppFabric .Net application server within the next few years. Microsoft cuts Mac Office prices up to $50
Microsoft has cut the price of Office 2008 for the Mac by between $20 and $50 as part of its annual holiday sale. Firefox 3.6 locks out rogue add-ons
Mozilla is adding a new lockdown feature to Firefox 3.6 that will prevent developers from sneaking add-ons into the program, the company said. Service lets users build their own iPhone, RIM, Windows apps
A start-up is now offering to take the hard work out of creating mobile applications and even of porting them to the iPhone, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile platforms, all through an online service that gives novice developers simple templates for various types of businesses and organizations. Google, Bing take bigger bites of search market; Yahoo slips
With Google and Microsoft Bing taking slightly bigger bites out of the search market, rival Yahoo is hitting a bit of a slump, according to market analysis firm comScore. Migrating to Windows 7: Final Touches
For the past month or so, I've been leisurely migrating to Windows 7--at my own pace. If you've been following along, thus far we've partitioned the hard drive and installed Windows 7 on a new partition, and then used a couple free programs to install favorite apps and copy over Firefox bookmarks. This week I'll show you how to finish up the process by migrating your Apple iTunes library and copying over your data. Microsoft adds app, data marketplace to Windows Azure
Microsoft Corp. said on Tuesday that its upcoming Windows Azure cloud computing platform will come with marketplaces for both online apps built to run on Azure as well as datasets that companies can use to build their own apps. 64-bit Windows safer, claims Microsoft
Windows users running 64-bit versions of the operating system are less likely to get infected by attack code, Microsoft's security team said yesterday. Microsoft settles employee spying case
Microsoft has settled a lawsuit with a former employee that it once charged with fraud, misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of contract. How enterprises can (gently) squeeze their vendors during the recession
Enterprises can use the recession to transform their relationships with vendors without trashing them, while saving some or a lot of money to boot. Create Sticky Notes in Windows 7
Forget pasting analog sticky-notes to the sides of your monitor. They look terrible there, and they always fall off anyway. Instead, paste digital stickies to your Windows desktop. If you're a Windows 7 user, it's a snap: Just run the new Sticky Notes app. 25 best quotes from tech history
From Garry Trudeau to Al Gore, these notable quotes have become legendary sound bites. Developers giving SharePoint 2010 good reviews
Integration with Visual Studio is one change that makes SharePoint much easier to develop collaboration apps, developers say. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has lymphoma
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has been diagnosed with lymphoma. Force Windows Explorer to Launch The Folder You Want
Much as I'm pleased to see Windows Explorer finally getting a prominent spot on the taskbar in Windows 7, I'm a little disappointed that it opens to the Libraries folders by default. That's rarely the area I'm after when I open Explorer. Microsoft open-sources latest version of .Net Micro development framework
Version 4.0 has been released under the Apache 2.0 license, but the TCP/IP and cryptography stacks were not open-sourced. Dual-Boot with Windows 7
Thomas Wensel wants to install Windows 7 while keeping his older version. AMD and Intel patch things up, HP buys 3Com
We had a blockbuster deal this week, with Hewlett-Packard saying it plans to buy 3Com, and a blockbuster settlement, with Advanced Micro Devices and Intel ending a long-running legal dispute. By midnight tonight, Google, the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers are supposed to file a revised book-search settlement proposal, which could add to our top stories list for the week. For now, though, what follows are our top IT headlines of the moment. Office 2010 public beta leaks to Internet
Office 2010's public beta has leaked to the Web, days ahead of its anticipated roll-out next week, searches of file-sharing sites showed today. Microsoft developer technologies to take center stage at PDC
At the Professional Developers Conference next week, Microsoft will cover a range of efforts, from cloud computing to programming languages. Protect Your PCs from Windows 7's Zero-Day Exploit
It was a notable accomplishment when Windows 7 was not impacted in any way by the vulnerabilities addressed in the six Security Bulletins released by Microsoft for the November Patch Tuesday. It would be even more impressive if Windows 7 proved invulnerable to the zero-day exploit that hit the next day. Windows Mobile smartphone sales plunge 20% in Q3
Sales of smartphones running the Window Mobile operating system declined 20% in the third quarter at the same time that total smartphone sales surged 13%, according to an analysis of newly released sales data from Gartner Inc. For the enterprise, Google Apps fights uphill battle with Microsoft
While companies are starting to seriously look at the hosted applications from Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp., the latter's incumbent status gives it a leg up, according to some CIOs. Microsoft rebukes exec for Mac inspiration comment
Microsoft disowned a company executive who said his company's Windows 7 was inspired by Apple's Mac operating system, calling his comments "uninformed" and "inaccurate." Bing to use Wolfram Alpha results
Microsoft is rolling out some enhancements to its Bing search engine, including some that rely on computational information delivered by Wolfram Alpha. Hackers will exploit Windows kernel bug, researchers say
Hackers will quickly jump on one of the 15 vulnerabilities Microsoft patched Tuesday to build attack code that infects Internet Explorer users, security researchers agreed today. Worldwide online ad spending drops slightly in Q3
Global online advertising spending fell slightly in the third quarter, but there are signs that the market may be recovering and could start growing again soon, according to market research firm IDC. Image gallery: Top Windows 7 tips and tweaks
From finding hidden desktop themes to speeding up the display of taskbar thumbnails, here's how to bend Windows 7 to your will. Windows 7 tricks: 20 top tips and tweaks
Getting to know Windows 7? Don't stop now: From speeding up taskbar thumbnails to bringing back the Quick Launch toolbar to whipping UAC into shape, here are 20 ways to make Windows 7 act the way you want. Cisco showcases big bets on collaboration
Unveiling 61 new products and features for enterprise employees to communicate with each other and partners, Cisco Systems executives emphasized the importance of collaboration at an event in San Francisco on Monday. Windows 7 may be secure, but are Windows users safe?
Windows 7 users got a nice surprise on Tuesday when Microsoft released its first set of security patches since unveiling the new operating system last month. Of the 15 bugs patched, none affected Windows 7. Microsoft renames Oslo modeling platform
The technology is now called SQL Server Modeling, and Microsoft will release a community technology preview next week. Microsoft yanks Windows 7 tool over open-source code swipe
Microsoft has yanked a tool it touted as a way for netbook owners to install Windows 7 without a DVD drive after a prominent blogger accused the company of using open-source code without acknowledging where it originated. Microsoft plugs 15 holes, including critical drive-by bug
Microsoft today patched 15 vulnerabilities in Windows, Windows Server, Excel and Word, including one that will probably be exploited quickly by hackers. None affect Windows 7, the company's newest operating system. Opinion: SharePoint: Is Microsoft's biggest recent success at risk?
Yes, the user base of the collaboration tool is growing, but it might be shelfware whose hold on the enterprise could be threatened by easier-to-use offerings. Missing features in Windows 7 Starter will disgruntle netbook buyers, survey says
Microsoft may have ditched the three application limit on the Windows 7 Starter Edition, but other restrictions on the netbook-only version of the operating system will be an unwelcome surprise for many netbook buyers, according to a survey. Microsoft, Novell say alliance still bearing fruit
The alliance between Microsoft Corp. and Novell Corp. continues to bear fruit three years after it was first signed, say the two companies, one the world's largest proprietary software vendor and the other one of the largest of open-source software. Migrate to Windows 7--Slowly, Part 6: iTunes
In Part 5 of my series on how to migrate to Windows 7 a little bit at a time, you learned a simple way to sync your Firefox and/or Internet Explorer bookmarks. Firefox flaws account for 44% of all browser bugs
Firefox accounted for almost half of all browser vulnerabilities in the first six months of 2009, a Web security company claimed today. Dell, HP customers rage at Windows 7 upgrade delays
Dell and HP customers are angry that they have not yet received the Windows 7 upgrades promised them when they purchased new PCs earlier this year, according to messages on the companies' support forums. First look: Motorola Droid, HTC Droid Eris are risky for business
These hot new Google Android smartphones lack basic security and management capabilities, making them unusable in many business environments. SharePoint Server 2010 beta
The second paragraph has been changed in the Network World review, "SharePoint Server 2010 beta pulls it all together," which posted to the newswire Monday. News editors are asked to use the updated version of the story whose second paragraph now reads: Windows 7 Planning Tools Ease the Upgrade Process
Businesses planning a move to Windows 7 need a more rigorous planning and assessment tool than the consumer-grade Upgrade Advisor. The early success of the operating system notwithstanding, you need to do some due diligence up front to determine if the existing hardware and software you rely on will work with the new operating system. If you only have a handful of systems to assess the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor should do the trick. For larger deployments, the more appropriate tool is the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0--or MAP. Microsoft makes case for upgrade to Exchange 2010
Microsoft is emphasizing the potentially money-saving features of Exchange 2010, the latest revamp of its e-mail application officially released Monday at its TechEd European customer conference in Berlin. Microsoft buys Teamprise bridge between Java and .Net developers
The company is acquiring SourceGear's Teamprise suite, which lets Java developers build apps via Visual Studio TFS. Surprise! The Droid Eris is a better smartphone than the Droid
HTC's iPhone-like mobile device is more advanced in key areas than the Motorola Droid, whose physical keyboard is hard to use Image gallery: 3 Windows 7 touch-screen laptops
We review 3 new touch-screen notebooks that take advantage of Microsoft Windows 7's touch-friendly infrastructure. Review: 3 Windows 7 touch-screen laptops
We review 3 new touch-screen laptops from Fujitsu, HP and Lenovo that take advantage of Microsoft Windows 7's touch-friendly infrastructure. Microsoft to release security guidelines for Agile
Microsoft will release on Tuesday guidelines for developers building online applications and for those utilizing the Agile code-development process. Review: SharePoint Server 2010 beta pulls it all together
Microsoft's SharePoint Server 2010 is a significant improvement over SharePoint 07, providing IT execs with multiple ways to streamline their infrastructure and cut costs. Best and worst of Exchange 2010
Microsoft Exchange 2010 officially ships today, offering enterprises a bigger, better, faster messaging platform. In April, reviewer Joel Snyder tested the beta version of Exchange 2010. Update: Cisco doubles down on collaboration with 61 new products
Cisco Systems Inc. massively expanded its portfolio of collaboration technologies today, announcing 61 products, including a corporate-grade hosted e-mail system and a social networking application. Update fixes iPhone sync problem with Windows 7 for some
Gigabyte Technology issued a BIOS update on Friday that fixes a problem for some Windows 7 users who have been unable to sync their iPhones. Switchers Guide: Run Windows on a Mac
These days, buying a Mac doesn't mean you have to leave Windows behind. In 2005, Apple started building Macs with Intel processors. Among the other benefits of that switch: You can run Microsoft's operating system on Apple's hardware. Switchers Guide: Moving hardware and software to Mac
When you're switching from a Windows PC to a Mac, there's one piece of good news: Most of the peripherals you used with your PC--including printers, digital cameras, networking equipment, external drives, and scanners--should work fine with your Mac. The best way to confirm that is to plug each piece of hardware into your new Mac, one at a time; if OS X doesn't automatically identify it and set it up, visit the manufacturer's Web site and look for a downloadable driver. Switchers Guide: Move your files from PC to Mac
If you've been using a Windows PC but now want to move to a Mac, you likely have files--documents, PDFs, photos, music, and videos--that you want to bring with you. If you've had that PC for a while, that could mean you have many, many gigabytes of stuff to move. These days, most common file-types will work just fine on the Mac, without any need for conversion or special software. (One notable exception: If you have music and/or video in Microsoft's Windows Media formats, get Flip4Mac so you can play them in OS X's QuickTime.) The trick is getting those files from one hard drive to another. Microsoft seeks to leverage midmarket ERP
Microsoft can't boast the ERP (enterprise resource planning) application revenue earned by giants SAP and Oracle, nor equal their breadth of technological capabilities, but its tight focus on small and medium-sized businesses gives it an edge, according to observers and company officials.. MS Office battles Google in the cloud
When Microsoft releases the next version of its productivity suite, Office 2010, it will be into a very different competitive landscape than the one Office 2007 faced in late 2006. The search market created Microsoft's worst enemy
Throughout its history, Microsoft has earned a reputation for tenacity when entering markets created, and initially dominated, by innovative startups. Has Microsoft placed its last mobile bet?
When Microsoft first started talking about building mobile-phone software back in the late 1990s, handset makers that had been in the market for years scoffed. Sure, Microsoft was a huge software developer, but making software for mobile devices is different and more complicated than for PCs, they argued. After all, by the late '90s, some companies had already spent decades developing their mobile platforms. Microsoft battles on in mobile, search and the cloud
As Microsoft launches Windows 7 and seeks to banish the ghost of its less-than-successful Vista OS, it is fighting to defend its primacy as the world's leading software company. Update: Browser makers question Microsoft-EU ballot plan
Microsoft's rivals will ask European antitrust regulators to modify the ballot screen designed to give Windows users the chance to ditch Internet Explorer (IE) and choose another browser. Microsoft plans six patches next week, ties November record
Microsoft plans to will deliver six security updates on Tuesday, less than half the number it issued last month, to fix flaws in Windows and Office. Are You Neglecting Your Windows Key?
Today I saw something that made my eyes go wide: A friend reached for the mouse, clicked the Start button, and then went back to the keyboard to type the name of the app he wanted to launch. Google unveils e-commerce search tool in time for holidays
Google introduced a dedicated search engine built specifically for e-commerce sites of all sizes. Does Windows 7 Have Contacts?
Brian Colgin read that Windows 7 no longer has Vista's email program, but does it still store contact information? Microsoft rivals, consumer groups want browser offer changed
Microsoft's antitrust settlement offer to the European Commission needs minor, often cosmetic changes in order to restore fair competition to the market for Internet browsers, said some of the software giant's main rivals Thursday. Microsoft rivals, trade groups want browser offer changed
Microsoft's antitrust settlement offer to the European Commission needs minor, often cosmetic changes in order to restore fair competition to the market for Internet browsers, said some of the software giant's main rivals Thursday. Microsoft, Yahoo partnership could reach beyond the US
Microsoft's deal with Yahoo under which the software maker's new Bing search engine will be used to power Yahoo searches and Yahoo will sell premium advertising for both companies could be expanded overseas, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said Thursday. Windows 7 seeing 'fantastic' sales in Japan, says Ballmer
Initial sales of Windows 7, Microsoft's newest operating system, were "fantastic" in Japan and helped spur PC sales in the country, CEO Steve Ballmer said Thursday. Microsoft preps SQL Server for battle in two enterprise arenas
Microsoft is looking to bulk up SQL Server in the hopes of winning new customers and has fleshed out plans for the upcoming Datacenter and Parallel Data Warehouse versions of the popular database. Linux's share of netbooks surging, not sagging, says analyst
Reports that the Linux netbook is dead or dying are incorrect, at least globally, according to an analyst firm. Three-year-old Office patch stymies most attacks
Users running Microsoft Office can stump nearly three-fourths of all known attacks targeting the suite by applying just one three-year-old patch, according to recently published data. Microsoft lays off another 800 workers
Microsoft is laying off another 800 people, adding to the 5,000 the company has already let go this year. HTC ships its HD2 smartphone with 4.3-inch screen
High Tech Computer launched the HD2 smartphone, a thin, light handset with a big 4.3-inch touchscreen. Microsoft to open cloud computing center in Taiwan
Microsoft celebrated its 20th year in Taiwan by agreeing to open a joint cloud computing center with the island's economics ministry. Microsoft says Windows 7 doing well so far
Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system has been doing well in the market since it launched nearly two weeks ago, Microsoft executives said Wednesday. Microsoft launches new version of MSN
Microsoft plans to start rolling out a redesigned MSN.com on Wednesday in the U.S., the first major update for the page in more than 10 years. Microsoft-backed open-source foundation outlines project guidelines
The CodePlex Foundation seeks to connect corporate software developers with open-source community projects. Microsoft correctly predicts reliable exploits just 27% of the time
Microsoft's monthly predictions about whether hackers will create reliable exploit code for its bugs were right only about a quarter of the time in the first half of 2009, the company acknowledged Monday. Intel, Apple, Microsoft probe iPhone-Windows sync bug
Intel is investigating reports from iPhone owners that they're unable to sync their devices to new PCs, but Microsoft said it had received no calls from customers about the glitch. Apple is looking into the problem, too. Microsoft sets SQL Server 2008 R2 preview
Microsoft this month will release another CTP of SQL Server 2008 R2, this one features complete, and including new business intelligence integration tools and master data management features.
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Getting to know Windows 7? Don't stop now: From speeding up taskbar thumbnails to reining in UAC, here are 20 ways to make Windows 7 act the way you want.
Is Motorola's new Droid good enough to vanquish iPhone envy? To find out, we took it on a 3-day trip.
Sure, you could always use Linux as a desktop OS, but Corel Linux 1.0 was the first distro designed for ordinary users. It's been a long, strange trip since then.
New touch-screen laptops from Fujitsu, HP and Lenovo take advantage of Microsoft Windows 7's touch-friendly infrastructure.
Computerworld
It's time to download the beta of Microsoft Office 2010. In 
