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Windows News

Dell replays Windows 8 blame card as PC sales slide

Dell last week again blamed Windows 8 for contributing to a decline in PC sales revenue during the quarter that ended May 3.
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Windows 8 is an enterprise 'non-starter' because IT sees no value in changes

Windows 8 faces a number of hurdles in the enterprise, but the biggest reason it won't replace the current corporate champion, Windows 7, is simple: IT shops don't think it's worth the upgrade hassle.

Google issues YouTube ultimatum to Microsoft as Hatfield-McCoy feud heats up

Google yesterday sent a cease-and-desist letter to Microsoft, demanding that its rival remove the YouTube app built for the Windows Phone platform.

Windows 8 isn't New Coke, says top Microsoft exec; it's Diet Coke

Frank X. Shaw, Microsoft's head of corporate communications, defended his company's Windows information disclosure strategy, denying that Microsoft has adopted Apple's "cone of silence" approach to imparting news.

Dell slashes its Windows RT tablet price by $200; XPS 10 now sells for $300

Dell drastically cut the online price of its Windows RT tablet, reducing the price by $200 to $299.99 for Dell XPS 10.

Microsoft votes for free Windows 8.1, collects kudos

Microsoft today announced that Windows 8.1, the update later this year for Windows 8, will be free to current users of the operating system, confirming analysts' expectations.

Windows 8 app store fails Top 10 test

Microsoft's Windows 8 app store failed a test touted by a former Microsoft manager and distinguished engineer as a way to determine an ecosystem's relevance.

Microsoft to squeeze more devs into BUILD

Microsoft today said it has increased the head count for its June developers conference, and will sell the extra tickets Wednesday.

Microsoft's counter-attack against Windows 8 coverage makes it 'look weak'

Microsoft on Friday called some media coverage of its plans to update Windows 8 sensationalist and an effort to drive website page views.

Why Microsoft won't charge for Windows 'Blue' ... this time

Sometime soon, Microsoft will tell Windows 8 users whether they will have to pay for the upgrade code-named "Blue," and if so, how much. Analysts don't expect it to charge anything for the update.

Windows In Depth

KiraBook review: An ultrabook for the 1%

Toshiba's new KiraBook ultrabook offers a sleek, rich look along with high-end components, including a fine display and great speakers. The question is: Can you afford it?

Block rogue apps with Windows Server -- for free

It is a lot of work to set up policies; it takes trial and some error, too. But the payoffs are huge.

Three quick ways to ease your transition to Windows 8

Over the past few weeks I've had the opportunity to test-drive a couple Windows 8 laptops, and even though I've used the OS intermittently for months now, I still find it jarring every time the Metro interface (a.k.a. Start screen) appears.

Where to go for help with Windows crashes

Before getting into the installation and use of WinDbg for W8, I looked for additional sources to help with crash resolution. Just Googling "Windows 8 crash" returned forums, guides, tools and books, all offering varying levels of help.

How to solve Windows 8 crashes in less than a minute

Windows 8 has been out for a while, featuring an interface that's as cool as it is annoying . . . until you get the hang of it. But, like any computer operating system, it can fall over. Luckily, there is an easy way to solve the cause of most crashes; just call up WinDbg, the Windows debugger; a free tool to diagnose the most common causes of Windows crashes -- misbehaved third party drivers.

How Microsoft lost the future of gesture control

Microsoft squandered its five-year head start in gesture control technology and is now falling behind. By the time the company gets Kinect for Windows into the consumer market, Leap Motion may already own that market.

How to Downgrade From Windows 8 (Hint: The First Step Is to Know Your Rights)

For a variety of reasons, some businesses are looking to downgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 7. The good news is that Microsoft's business licenses come with downgrade rights, but the catch is that the rules can be tricky and compliance could become an issue. Here are some clarifications on your rights when downgrading from Windows 8 or standardizing on noncurrent Microsoft software.

Microsoft to roll out Windows Store app patches quickly

Microsoft will release security updates for applications in its Windows Store as those patches are available in order to speed up the updating process.

A touchscreen on your desktop: Three new displays

With the introduction of Windows 8, touchscreens are coming to the desktop -- but they're not cheap. We look at three of the latest monitors from Acer, Dell and ViewSonic.

HP brings sizzle to Windows Storage Server

The HP StoreEasy 5530 puts serious muscle behind Windows file serving, Hyper-V virtualization, and SQL Server workloads

Featured Microsoft Blog
Greg Lambert

We are back at it again with 10 updates in Microsoft's May edition of Patch Tuesday. Two are rated Critical, with the remaining eight rated as Important. This month's Patch Tuesday is really a story of a few steps forward followed by a step back, after the release of a seriously flawed patch released in last month's April Patch Tuesday update, which caused Microsoft to revoke, and then subsequently re-release the update. more