Windows Topic Center

Find out all you need to know about Microsoft Windows, including news, reviews, tips, in-depth analysis and opinions

Microsoft slashes Surface RT prices by 60% for schools

Microsoft today confirmed that it has heavily discounted the Surface RT tablet to universities and K-12 schools, cutting the price of the entry-level model by 60%.
Read more...

The Microsoft breakup that never happened

Thomas P. Jackson, the former federal judge who in 2000 ruled that Microsoft should be split into two companies, died Saturday. What if his ruling, overturned before it could be implemented, had gone into effect?

Best Buy gets the best of Microsoft in Windows Store deal

While Microsoft gained space in 600 Best Buy stores yesterday, the electronics retailer got the better end of the deal, an analyst said.

Microsoft seizes floor space in Best Buy for Windows mega mini-stores

Microsoft has struck a deal with Best Buy to create 600 stores-within-stores in the U.S. and Canada to sell customers on Windows 8, the Surface tablet line, and new PCs and devices from other OEMs.

Nationwide makes SSDs standard on PCs, to employee applause

Nationwide Insurance is moving off Windows XP and the misery of an eight-minute boot-up time for some 40,000 users.

Best-guess $349 price for smaller Surface RT pits Microsoft against Apple for high-end Mini market

Microsoft will probably price its own 8-in. Surface tablet running Windows RT at $349, just 6% higher than Apple's iPad Mini but nowhere near the basement $199 of Android rivals, an analyst said this week.

Windows XP's demise will do more for PC sales than Win 8, HP says

Hewlett-Packard executives say that the coming demise of Windows XP may do what Windows 8 could not, and that's boost PC sales significantly.

Microsoft to tackle under-attack Office bug next week

Microsoft today said it will ship just five security updates next week, the fewest in any month so far this year, to patch 23 vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer, Windows and Office.

Launch of Outlook RT testifies to Microsoft's app troubles

Microsoft's announcement Wednesday that it will add Outlook to Office on Windows RT says as much about the company's app problem as it does about customers clamoring for a business-grade email client.

Windows Server 2012 R2 bulks up on storage and networking

The pending launch of Windows Server 2012 release 2 focuses on offering a number of advanced capabilities in storage and networking, which used to require the purchase of additional software, or even a full-fledged storage system.

Smacking SharePoint into shape

More than half of all SharePoint shops have had to add functionality to the core software, which came as a surprise to a number of them. Here's what they're doing.

How to Prepare for Windows 8 Even Though It's Not Coming to Enterprises

Windows 8 won't be adopted as a standard at your business anytime soon, according to a new Forrester report. But that doesn't mean IT shouldn't prepare for it to sneak through the BYOD side door. Here are five ways to be ready for Windows 8.

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.

Study lauds Linux code as the 'benchmark of quality'

Most recently, Coverity scanned 7.6 million lines of code in Linux 3.8 and found a defect density of just .59.

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.