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Tag: Windows 8

  • Microsoft Makes A Few Advertising Announcements At Cannes Lions

    Microsoft has some advertising news today out of Cannes Lions. Last year at Cannes, Microsoft Advertising’s Yarn announced it would be working in partnership with creative agencies and brands on some new ad experiences. Today, they announced a new wave of prototypes they developed with agencies like BMB, Razorfish, Rooster Worldwide, UM, and VML and brands like All Saints clothing, Mercedes-Benz USA, Vans Shoes, MasterCard and Dell.

    Take a look:

    Microsoft’s Stephen Kim discusses all of these here.

    Microsoft also announced the availability of the Ad Pano format for all advertisers and publishers who use the Microsoft Advertising SDK for Windows 8.

    “The Ad Pano is a premium Ads in Apps solution for Windows 8 that was born from the original development sessions we conducted with agency and brand partners last year,” a spokesperson for the company says in an email. “The Ad Pano gives advertisers unlimited storytelling potential to customize their ad experience to deliver an interactive, immersive, panoramic ad experience comparable to a magazine fold-out.”

    Jenn Creegan, General Manager for Display Advertising Experiences at Microsoft Advertising, discusses this more here.

    As discussed in that same post, Microsoft also commissioned a study by Nielsen, which found that 60% of people exposed to ads on Windows 8 perceived the brands as innovative, cutting edge and trustworthy. Brands that advertise in Windows 8 are more than twice as likely to be seen as innovative compared to the “Nielsen norms,” Microsoft claims.

  • The Windows Store Is Coming To A Best Buy Near You

    Do you like shopping at a store while at a store? Microsoft thinks you might with its latest announcement of a Windows Store coming to Best Buy.

    Microsoft announced today that a Windows Store experience will be coming to 500 Best Buy locations across the U.S. and more than 100 Best Buy and Future Shops in Canada. In short, the Best Buy Windows Store will be “the premier destination for consumers to see, try, compare and purchase of range of products and accessories, including Windows tablets and PCs, Windows Phones, Microsoft Office, Xbox and more.”

    Microsoft even made a video for the announcement to show just how excited they are about this new partnership:

    Now, the Windows Store at Best Buy doesn’t mean that Microsoft is abandoning its own retail efforts. Microsoft’s Chris Capossela says that Microsoft Stores remain important to the company, but the Windows Store experience at Best Buy is all about hooking consumers up with the best Windows devices at the number one PC retailer in the country.

    By far, however, the most interesting thing about these new Windows Stores is just how big they are. Capossela says that the Windows Stores will take up to 2,200 square feet in stores so it will almost feel like you’re in an entirely different store. Best Buy is also hiring an additional 1,200 employees around the country to focus exclusively on selling Windows products.

    Microsoft’s partnership with Best Buy doesn’t end at the Windows Store either. Capossela says that “we will have a great Windows tablet inside the Best Buy tablet department, Windows Phones in their Phone Department, and lots of space for Xbox in their gaming and Home Theater Departments.” The online version of the Windows Store will also receive a major upgrade to mirror the resources being put into the retail experience.

    Of course, all of this begs the question – will it work? Windows PCs and tablets aren’t exactly in vogue at the moment. I hardly think that increasing their presence at an increasingly irrelevant retail outlet is going to do them any favors either.

    At this point, Microsoft needs to double down on its Windows 8.1 strategy. It’s pointless to sell Windows 8 devices to consumers wanting a more traditional Windows computing experience right now. WIth the release of Windows 8.1 later this year, Microsoft will be able to advertise the return of the Start Button and other requested features. In short, the Best Buy Windows Store strategy would be best for a soft relaunch of Windows 8.

    Regardless, the Windows Store at Best Buy will be coming to a retail store near you starting this July. The rollout will finish at some point in September. If you want a preview of the new Windows Store experience, check out the Best Buy Web site.

  • Here’s A Video Of Windows 8.1 In Action

    Here’s A Video Of Windows 8.1 In Action

    Windows 8.1 is real, and it’s coming later this year. Thus far, we’ve heard from Microsoft what the update will mean for consumers and Enterprise customers. Now a Microsoft developer has delivered the first video of the operating system in action.

    Microsoft’s Jensen Harris uploaded a four minute video today showing off some of the new features in Windows 8.1. He goes over the new customization options, the new app views and even previews the new Bing. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see Internet Explorer 11. He also never uses the returning Start Button, but it is there.

    If you want to try out all of this and more, the Windows 8.1 public preview will go live on June 26. It will launch to the public as a free download later this year.

  • Want A New Windows PC? Make Your Friends Pay For It

    Windows PCs are expensive. Well, at least the good ones are. Microsoft wants to make it a little easier on the poor college student with a new program called “Chip In.”

    Chip In is a new crowdfunding platform where a prospective Windows PC buyer can invite their friends and family to pay for the new PC. Think of like Kickstarter where the end result is you getting a new PC after enough people back it.

    In an obvious bid to get more people to buy Windows PCs, Microsoft contributes the first 10 percent of the total cost for the computer. After that, prospective buyers must beg and plead friends on Facebook to contribute random amounts of money to your fund. After funding is successful, Microsoft will ship off the PC to you.

    Of course, there are some caveats here. The first is that all the PCs are equipped with Windows 8. The second is that you’re stuck with the limited selection of PCs Microsoft offers on its Web site. That means that you’re not going to get some super powerful PC out of this. In fact, the most expensive PC on the list is the mid-range Sony VIAO all-in-one for $1169. Oh, and they’re all touch screens as well if that’s going to bother you.

    Oh, and all of these Windows 8 PCs come with equipped with Office 365 University. College students get three months of the service for free and only have to pay $1.67 a month for it afterwards.

    Still, this is kind of a cool idea. College students, and poor people in general, are always wanting new PCs. Surely you have a few hundred Facebook friends willing to toss $5 your way for a new PC. It’s not a bad deal at all if you’re willing to put up with mid-range Windows 8 PCs.

  • Halo Makes The Jump To PC And Windows Phone 8

    Microsoft has a certain strategy for its platforms that aren’t doing so well. That strategy is just to slap Halo on it, and hope fans of the sci-fi shooter franchise buy into it. The Halo-themed Zune strategy didn’t work out too well, but maybe an actual game will work for Windows Phone 8.

    Microsoft Game Studios announced today that its next Halo title – Halo: Spartan Assault – is not coming to consoles. Instead, the game is coming exclusively to Windows Phone 8, Windows 8 PCs and tablets. Obviously, the hope is that Halo fans take to Windows Phone 8 or Windows 8 devices to play this canon entry in the Halo storyline that takes place between Halo 3 and 4.

    If a new game in the Halo universe is not enough for you, Halo: Spartan Assault also ties into Halo 4 so players can earn experience and emblems in the console game by playing the mobile title. Microsoft promises more integration with Halo 4 after launch.

    Halo: Spartan Assault will launch this July exclusively on Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 devices for $6.99. Oh, and because it’s a mobile title, the game also has microtransactions for those who can’t be bothered to level up their in-game character normally.

  • Microsoft Reveals Enterprise Enhancements Coming To Windows 8.1

    So far, Microsoft has only unveiled the consumer features for its update to Windows 8. Now the company is starting to unveil what it will be doing to win back its bread and butter – the enterprise market – with Windows 8.1

    In a post on the official Windows blog, Microsoft’s Stephen Rose says that Windows 8.1 will be adding a lot of new features for enterprise users. These new additions can be corralled into four categories – BYOD enhancements, mobility enhancements, security enhancements and a modern UI experience.

    For BYOD, Microsoft is introducing features like Open MDM, Work Folders, NFC tap-to-pair printing, Wi-Fi Direct Printing and a better mobile device management system. The best new feature in this group, however, is Workplace Join. Here’s how Rose describes it:

    A Windows 8 PC was either domain joined or not. If it was a member of the domain, the user could access corporate resources (if permissioned) and IT could control the PC through group policy and other mechanisms. This feature allows a middle ground between all or nothing access, allowing a user to work on the device of their choice and still have access to corporate resources. With Workplace Join, IT administrators now have the ability to offer finer-grained control to corporate resources. If a user registers their device, IT can grant some access while still enforcing some governance parameters on the device to ensure the security of corporate assets.

    For mobility, Microsoft is introducing expanded VPN options, better mobile broadband support, broadband tethering and auto-triggered VPN support.

    In security, Windows 8.1 is introducing remote business data removal, pervasive device encryption, malware resistance, assigned access to the Windows Store, and an improved Internet Explorer. Alongside all of those, Microsoft will be implementing improved biometric scanning for companies that like to go a little sci-fi with its security:

    All SKU’s will include end to end biometric capabilities that enable authenticating with your biometric identity anywhere in Windows (Windows sign-in, remote access, UAC, etc.). Windows 8.1 will be optimized for fingerprint based biometrics and will include a common fingerprint enrollment experience that will work with a variety of readers (touch, swipe). Modern readers are capacitive touch based rather than swipe and include liveliness detection that prevents spoofing (e.g.: silicon emulated fingerprints). Access to Windows Store Apps, functions within them, and certificate release can be gated based on verification of a user’s biometric identity.

    As for the modern UI experience, Microsoft has finally confirmed that there will be a boot-to-desktop option in WIndows 8.1. That option alone should help increase adoption among enterprise customers. Alongside that, Microsoft is also implementing improved multitasking features, as well as improved support for mouse/keyboard support.

    IT professionals and Windows hobbyists will be able to test drive Windows 8.1 on June 26 when a public preview is released. Windows 8.1 will release as a free download to the general public later this year.

  • Windows RT Tablets Are About To Get Cheaper

    Nobody really wants Windows RT. That much was obvious when manufacturers started to pull their Windows RT tablets from store shelves. Now Microsoft is trying to increase interest in RT with a new pricing strategy.

    Bloomberg reports that Microsoft is lowering the price of Windows RT licenses. The hope is that manufacturers will pass their savings onto consumers in the form of low-cost Windows RT tablets. It could definitely work, but Microsoft will first have to convince manufacturers that Windows RT is worth it.

    It’s been a bit of a problem for Microsoft lately as Samsung confirmed earlier this year that it would not be bringing its Windows RT tablet to the U.S. despite showing it off at CES. A few months later, the company pulled its Windows RT tablet out of Germany citing weak demand. Other PC makers have also ditched Windows RT to work on Windows 8 Pro tablets, laptops and hybrids instead.

    So, will the price drop encourage those who have ditched Windows RT to come back? The report indicates that those who were burned on Windows RT before are now taking a wait-and-see approach.

    These manufacturers will then want to closely watch Acer in the coming months as it’s set to introduce its first 8-inch low-cost ($379) Windows 8 tablet shortly. It’s the first such device after Microsoft lowered the minimum requirements for Windows 8 devices allowing manufacturers to make tablets with lower resolutions, and by extension, smaller screens. It’s not Windows RT, but its success could at least convince manufacturers to create smaller (and cheaper) Windows 8 and Windows RT devices.

    Will smaller tablets be the saving grace for Windows RT? It’s hard to say. Even at a cheaper price, it’s hard to justify Windows RT over Windows 8 Pro. Microsoft should maybe just stick to Windows 8 Pro, and its upcoming Windows 8.1 update, and relegate Windows RT to the mound of good, but ultimately flawed, ideas.

  • Former Windows Boss Knew Windows 8 Would Be Polarizing

    Shortly after completing work on Windows 8, former Windows boss Steven Sinofsky left Microsoft. He hasn’t said much since, but he finally opened up during an interview yesterday at D11. The general message seemed to equate to he knew Windows 8 would be polarizing, but it was the right thing to do.

    Early on, Sinofsky was asked about the reaction Windows 8 received from the early testers. If you recall, there was a lot of negativity surrounding Windows 8 from longtime users of Microsoft’s operating system. Sinofsky says that feedback may not be the best, especially when dealing with a product that betrays their expectations:

    “When you test a product before it’s in market, the people who naturally go to use it will push it in the same way they pushed the old one. They like the old direction — that’s why they signed up [for the] pre-release. You have to break from them, and those first hundred people will be very upset, but you want a million people, not a hundred.”

    Speaking of that million people, Sinofsky says that he’s pleased with the 100 million Windows 8 licenses Microsoft has sold since it was released late last year. Of course, it should be noted that Microsoft has only reported 100 million licenses sold, and that number is not indicative of actual use. According to the latest numbers from IDC, manufacturers are buying a lot of licenses, but not selling a lot of machines. That’s not exactly a healthy business in the long run.

    Regardless, it’s obvious that Sinofsky is proud of the work he and his team did with Windows 8. If that’s the case then, why did he leave so suddenly after shipping the OS? All he’ll say is that “it was time for a change.”

    You can watch the entire conversation with Sinofsky below:

  • Microsoft Confirms The Return Of The Start Button In Windows 8.1

    A leaked screen from yesterday indicated that Microsoft would be bringing back the Start button in Windows 8.1. Now the company has gone ahead and confirmed its return alongside a number of other additions to the updated operating systems.

    In a blog post on the official Windows blog, Microsoft’s Antoine Leblond confirmed many of the details leaked in yesterday’s report. For starters, the Start button is indeed back in Windows 8.1. Here’s how he describes it:

    We’ve improved the way you navigate to Start with the mouse by changing the Start “tip” to be the familiar Windows logo. The new tip appears anytime you move the mouse to the bottom left corner of the screen, and is always visible on the taskbar when on the desktop.

    Leblond also says that there are options to “boot into alternate screens.” He doesn’t come right out and say that there is a boot to desktop option, but it’s pretty much a guarantee that it will be there.

    As for customization, Leblond confirms that Windows 8.1 users will be able to use their own custom backgrounds on the Start screen. Microsoft is also adding support for live wallpapers for those who want a little motion in their backgrounds.

    That about covers all of the stuff leaked from yesterday. Is there anything new in today’s post regarding Windows 8.1? Of course, there is. The first is an update to Search via Bing on Windows 8.1. You can read more on that here.

    Microsoft is also improving apps and the Windows Store in the newest version of the OS. All the built in apps will receive upgrades. Microsoft includes two examples from the Photos and Music app. The Photos app will include editing tools right in the apps so users won’t have to leave the app to crop and adjust photos. As for music, the app “has been completely redesigned to help pick and play music from your collection.”

    Finally, Windows 8.1 is bringing updates to SkyDrive, PC Settings and Internet Explorer. For SkyDrive, Microsoft is making it so that users can access all of their SkyDrive files across any and all devices as well as when they’re offline.

    PC Settings will be accessible outside of Control Panel for the first time. Users will be able to adjust their resolution, set power options and more from the new PC Settings menu.

    As previous rumors reported, Internet Explorer will be upgraded to IE11 on Windows 8.1. Microsoft says it will improve upon all the features and improvements that finally made Internet Explorer 10 a worthy contender in the browser wars. For now, Microsoft says that IE11 will be faster, feature support for unlimited tabs and feature tab syncing across devices.

    All of this and more will be available in the Windows 8.1 public preview on June 26. The release version will be made available as a free update to all Windows 8 users later this year.

  • Leaked Screenshot Shows Start Button Is Back In Windows 8.1

    Windows Blue is now officially Windows 8.1. It will enter into a public beta in June. It’s rumored that the start button and a boot to desktop mode will be offered alongside numerous other updates. Thanks to a leaked screenshot, we can seemingly confirm one of those rumors.

    Paul Thurrot’s Supersite for Windows shared the following screenshot today that shows the Start button is back in Windows 8.1, and it’s looking better than ever:

    Leaked Screenshot of Windows 8.1 Show Start Button

    The start button will behave mostly as it did in Windows 7 with a few key Windows 8 eccentricities. For starters, hovering over the Start button changes it color in much the same way the Start charm changes color in the current build of Windows 8. It’s also impossible to turn off the Start button, at least for now. That should ensure that newcomers to Windows 8 won’t be confused by the lack of a start button.

    Thurrot also reveals two more really interesting tidbits about Windows 8.1. The first is that you can use your own wallpapers now as backgrounds in the Start menu. Previously, you could only use a small number of Microsoft-designed illustrations and colors. Secondly, a boot to desktop mode is indeed present, but it is turned off by default. It’s understandable as Microsoft is still trying to sell consumers on the walled garden Start screen experience.

    Microsoft will presumably make all of this and more official later in June when it releases the Windows 8.1 public preview on June 26.

  • Windows Blue Officially Named Windows 8.1, Will Be A Free Upgrade

    Windows Blue Officially Named Windows 8.1, Will Be A Free Upgrade

    Microsoft has gone on record saying that Windows Blue was just a code name, and the final name for the Windows 8 upgrade would be different. The final name has now been revealed, and it’s not that creative.

    At the JP Morgan Technology, Media and Telecom Conference, Windows boss Tami Reller announced that Windows Blue is now Windows 8.1. Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc later said in a blog post that the new update will “help us to deliver the next generation of PCs and tablets with our OEM partners.” He also says that Windows 8.1 will “deliver the experiences customers – both consumers and businesses alike – need and will expect moving forward.”

    What does that mean? Microsoft isn’t saying yet. Prior rumors have said that Windows 8.1 will include some highly requested features, like the return of the Start button and a boot to desktop option. Both would be welcomed in business environments where employees have expressed confusion over having to learn new systems of control in the Metro UI.

    A leaked copy of Windows 8.1 from March also confirmed that Microsoft would be adding some improvements to its Metro interface, including better multitasking. Internet Explorer 11 is apparently going to debut on Windows 8.1 as well.

    During the original announcement of Windows Blue, Reller said that a public preview would be coming to consumers in June. At today’s conference, Reller narrowed down the date to June 26. On that date, consumers currently on Windows 8 or Windows RT will be able to download the Windows 8.1 update for free from the Windows Store.

  • New Windows 8 Ad Has Me Wishing Butt Ping-Pong Was A Real Sport

    Microsoft’s ads can be thoroughly confusing sometimes. Often enough, the ad has nothing to do with the product itself. This can lead to some really terrible ads. It can also lead to utter brilliance – as is the case with three recent ads for Windows 8.

    Neowin reports that the official Windows 8 channel on YouTube recently uploaded three new ads as part of a new Windows 8 Training Camp campaign. The title would suggest that Microsoft is finally taking the hint that it needs to show consumers how to use Windows 8, but that’s not the case. Instead, we get a series of bizarre ads featuring watermelon carving, butt ping-pong and high-speed makeup challenges.

    It seems that Microsoft thinks these ads are too bizzarre itself as the company yanked them from its YouTube channel shortly after posting them. The above videos were grabbed before the originals were taken offline, and we can only salute Sharkaat84 for making sure everybody gets to enjoy what may be the most entertaining Windows 8 ads yet.

  • Microsoft Has Offered To Buy Nook Media For $1 Billion [Report]

    Microsoft invested $300 million into Barnes & Noble last year to create the Nook media subsidiary. Now the company may be looking to outright acquire the subsidiary from the national bookstore chain.

    TechCrunch is reporting that Microsoft has offered to buy Nook Media from Barnes & Noble for a cool $1 billion. The information came from internal documents that also revealed the bookstore’s plans to completely renovate the Nook brand next year.

    Aside from the Microsoft acquisition, the documents also say that Nook is planning on ditching its Android-based Nook HD and HD+ tablets in 2014. It’s a little strange considering that Nook just pushed the Google Play store onto these tablets, but it would be part of a larger move that would see Nook going mostly digital. In other words, Nook would be another third-party app on other devices with no dedicated hardware for itself.

    Speaking of hardware, it seems that Nook may continue making e-readers despite ditching the tablet business. The logic here is that Nook will follow the gradual decline in e-reader sales while milking the business for as long as it can.

    While that’s all well and interesting, the big news is here is a Microsoft buyout. It would only make sense, especially with Nook’s intention to go all digital, as Microsoft needs a killer app for its Windows 8 tablets. There’s already a Nook app for Windows 8, but a Microsoft-controlled and curated Nook app would be right up the Redmond-based company’s alley. It would also help the company compete with Amazon, Google and Apple – all of which operate their own e-book stores.

    What makes this more interesting is the suggestion that Microsoft will be introducing a smaller Windows 8 tablet later this year alongside Windows Blue. A Microsoft-branded Nook app launching with Windows Blue could work wonders with a marketing campaign focusing on how Windows 8 provides music, movies and books from the Start menu.

    Of couse, we can’t forget that a Microsoft buyout would fit well with Barnes & Noble founder Leonard Riggio’s plans to buy the Barnes & Noble retail operation while ditching the Nook business. Both could work together to ensure that Microsoft takes on the digital operation while Riggio can procede with his plans to take Barnes & Noble private.

  • Windows Blue Is A Reality, Public Preview Coming In June

    The most persistent rumor concerning Windows 8 is that Microsoft would be releasing an update for it later this year called Windows Blue. Those rumors were pretty much confirmed as fact when a Windows Blue preview build was leaked in March. Now Microsoft has finally come out and confirmed that Windows Blue is indeed a thing.

    Julie Larson-Green, Corporate Vice President for Windows, announced today at the Wired Business Conference that Windows Blue is the codename for the next major update hitting Windows 8 later this year. In an interview with Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc, Larson-Green gives us an idea of what to expect from Windows Blue:

    Windows Blue is a codename for an update that will be available later this year, building on the bold vision set forward with Windows 8 to deliver the next generation of tablets and PCs. It will deliver the latest new innovations across an increasingly broad array of form factors of all sizes, display, battery life and performance, while creating new opportunities for our ecosystem. It will provide more options for businesses, and give consumers more options for work and play. The Windows Blue update is also an opportunity for us to respond to the customer feedback that we’ve been closely listening to since the launch of Windows 8 and Windows RT. From a company-wide perspective, Windows Blue is part of a broader effort to advance our devices and services for Microsoft.

    Larson-Green’s response is incredibly vague. The preview build that was leaked in March gave us far more information, including some improvements to multitasking and the existence of Internet Explorer 11. Most importantly, the preview builds also point to the return of the Start button and the inclusion of a boot to desktop option.

    There are bound to be other improvements coming to Windows Blue that have yet to be revealed. Leaked copies of Windows Blue are incredibly early builds, and are undoubtedly missing features that will be present in the public preview.

  • Skype Video Messaging Comes To Windows Desktop

    Not everybody can be online all the time. For those moments, it’s best to leave a message. That was a little difficult in Skype for Windows as you could only leave text-based messages before, but that all changed this week.

    Skype announced this week that it’s rolling out the preview of Skype Video Messaging for Windows desktop users. To be more specific, Windows 7 users can now send short video messages to friends that are currently offline. The feature will be coming to Windows 8 soon.

    Windows desktop users are just the latest to get Skype Video Messaging. Microsoft notes that the feature is available in preview for those using Skype on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android. Those on Windows 8 and Windows Phone can receive video messages, but they have yet to gain the ability to record messages. Skype says it will be fixing that soon.

    If you want to try out Skype Video Messaging for yourself, you’ll have to download the Skype 6.5 beta for Windows. You can grab that here. Alongside the new feature, the beta also includes two small fixes to help increase stability when calling:

    Skype Video Messaging Comes To Windows Desktop

    In other news, Skype recently announced that Outlook.com users can now make video calls from within their browser. More info on that here.

    UPDATE: Skype Video Messaging preview is now available on Windows 8 as well. Hit up the official blog post for all the details.

  • Microsoft Says It’s Working On Smaller Windows 8 Devices

    Earlier this month, it was rumored that Microsoft was working on a 7-inch Windows 8 tablet. The news came after Microsoft changed up its rules reducing the minimum resolution for a Windows 8 device to 1024×768. Now the company has confirmed that it is indeed working on a smaller tablet.

    During its earnings call yesterday, outgoing Microsoft CFO Peter Klein said that smaller Windows 8 devices are on the way. We can assume that he means that Microsoft itself is working on a cheaper, smaller Surface tablet, but don’t be surprised if Microsoft’s partners also announce smaller tablets.

    As I’ve said before, smaller tablets may be key to a Windows 8 revival. The touch-friendly OS and Microsoft’s Surface tablets haven’t exactly been flying off store shelves. One of the major reasons is the high cost as the base Surface RT retails for $499. A seven-inch tablet would lower the price barrier for consumers interested in Windows 8 hardware, but were turned off by the high price of entry.

    Of course, we have no idea when Microsoft or its partners will release these smaller Windows 8 tablets. A good bet is the latter half of this year as Windows Blue, or Windows 8.1, will be launching around that time. Microsoft is rumored to be completely revamping its marketing with Windows Blue and a cheap seven-inch tablet would fit nicely with marketing that extols an even friendlier Windows 8 experience on desktop and mobile.

    Microsoft’s BUILD conference will be held in June of this year, and the company will also have a large presence at E3. While the latter will be mostly focused on the next Xbox, it wouldn’t be an entirely bad idea for Microsoft to show off a smaller Surface that can act as a controller for the company’s next game console.

    [h/t: GottaBeMobile]

  • Windows Blue Will Feature A Boot To Desktop Option [Rumor]

    One of the more controversial decisions in Windows 8 was how the OS forced users to boot into the new Start menu metro interface. You could get into the desktop from that, but then you would be without the iconic Start button. There are unofficial workarounds, but nothing official just yet.

    That all may be changing if reports from WinBeta over the weekend are to be believed as people are finding an option in the leaked version of Windows Blue that adds a boot to desktop option. ZDNet spoke to a source who said this was the plan while saying that Microsoft will be bringing back the sorely missed Start button as well.

    Unfortunately, none of this is set in stone. ZDNet’s source says “Until it ships, anything can change.” Windows Blue, or Windows 8.1 as some are now calling it, will reportedly ship to manufacturers in August. That means we have a few months time in which Microsoft could go back on its currently rumored plans.

    Of course, doing so would benefit nobody. IDC recently reported that PC shipments are at an all-time low and much of the blame was placed upon Windows 8. Why are consumers avoiding Windows 8? The report specifically called out “radical changes to the UI” and “removal of the familiar Start button.” If these two issues are affecting Windows 8 adoption then Microsoft needs to address them.

    Besides the rumored return of the Start button, Windows Blue will also reportedly feature a number of enhancements to the Metro interface. Users will now be able to resize Live Tiles so more important apps are afforded screen real estate. Multitasking has also been improved with two apps being able to share the equal width on the screen.

  • Bing Rolls Out Updates To Windows 8 Apps

    Bing Rolls Out Updates To Windows 8 Apps

    Microsoft announced that it is rolling out updates across its six Bing apps for Windows 8 (News, Finance, Weather, Sports, Maps Travel). The updates focus on personalization.

    Users can now customize the Bing News app to keep track of specific story categories, topics or news sources. In what is likely a play to become your alternative to Google Reader, it also now supports RSS (and offline reading).

    The Maps app now has improved driving, transit and walking directions and “up-to-the-minute” traffic incident notifications. This even includes construction. You can also save places as favorite or pin them to your start screen.

    With the Finance app now includes an updated watch-list, real-time U.S. stock updates and customizable interactive charts.

    The Sports app had added 29 sports leagues bringing the total to 65.

    The Travel app has additional content from Lonely Planet, Frommer’s and Fodor’s.

    The Weather app now has dynamically moving weather maps for cities and regions in satellite, temperature, precipitation, cloud cover and radar layers. Users can also get weather conditions for ski resorts in 24 countries.

  • PC Shipments See Steep Decline In Q1, Windows 8 To Blame [Report]

    PC Shipments See Steep Decline In Q1, Windows 8 To Blame [Report]

    PC shipments and sales are declining. It’s an undeniable fact. What people can’t seem to agree on is the cause. Some say the rise of tablets and smartphones are to blame, while others think it’s just a longer than usual transition period. Both are right in their own way, but one research firm says the root cause can be traced back to Microsoft.

    IDC reports that worldwide PC shipments were at 76.3 million units in Q1 of this year. That’s a drop of 13.9 percent compared to the first quarter of 2012. It’s even worse when you consider that IDC was only predicting a 7.7 percent drop in shipments last quarter. Oh, and to just rub salt in the wound, IDC notes that this is the single worst quarter for PC shipments since it started tracking the market in 1994.

    What could possibly be causing this huge decline in PC sales? IDC says there’s a lot at play here including a decrease in shipments of low-cost Mini Notebooks, and an increase in consumer spending on tablets and smartphones. The high cost of PCs and Ultrabooks are also presenting obstacles as consumers don’t want to spend more than $1,000 on a PC.

    All of the above reasons have contributed to the decline of PC shipments, but IDC points to Windows 8 as one of the leading causes of the current slump the PC industry is facing:

    “At this point, unfortunately, it seems clear that the Windows 8 launch not only failed to provide a positive boost to the PC market, but appears to have slowed the market,” said Bob O’Donnell, IDC Program Vice President, Clients and Displays. “While some consumers appreciate the new form factors and touch capabilities of Windows 8, the radical changes to the UI, removal of the familiar Start button, and the costs associated with touch have made PCs a less attractive alternative to dedicated tablets and other competitive devices. Microsoft will have to make some very tough decisions moving forward if it wants to help reinvigorate the PC market.”

    IDC’s findings jibe with that of UK PC Merchants who in February reported that consumers were still buying Windows 7 PCs over those that came with Windows 8. In fact, one merchant said that he had to start offering Windows 7 as the default OS again lest he lose business.

    While this certainly looks bad, IDC reminds us that there’s at least one silver lining in all of this. Going against all expectations, Lenovo posted double year-on-year growth in the U.S. while everybody else, including Dell and HP, have posted double digit losses.

    So, what can Microsoft do to turn its, and the entire PC industry’s, fortunes around? That’s hard to say, but the company is obviously up to something with Windows Blue. Whether the improvements being made to Windows 8 can actually turn everything around remains to be seen though.

  • Microsoft May Be Working On A 7-Inch Surface Tablet [Rumor]

    The 7-inch tablet is the new 10-inch tablet. Consumers have stopped wanting the best instead opting for the cheapest, which explains why the Nexus 7 and iPad Mini are so popular. It would seems that Microsoft is finally catching on.

    The Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft is now in the planning stages of a 7-inch Surface tablet. The interesting part is that a 7-inch tablet wasn’t initially part of Microsoft’s Surface strategy, but the popularity of smaller tablets have reportedly forced the company to reconsider.

    Microsoft already hinted that it was working on a 7-inch tablet last month when its newly updated OEM guidelines said that Windows 8 now supported a minimum resolution of 1024×768. The resolution is perfect for cheap 7-inch tablets. At the time, Microsoft said the new resolution rules were for “partners exploring designs for certain markets,” but it seemed pretty obvious that Microsoft would be making a 7-inch Surface tablet of its own.

    A smaller, cheaper tablet could be just what Microsoft needs as Windows 8, and Surface tablets, have failed to capture much of the mobile market. Most of the problems stem from the high cost of Surface tablets with the Surface RT starting at $499. A 7-inch Surface could probably come in under $300, which would allow Microsoft to undermine the price of the popular iPad Mini. If Microsoft was truly crazy, it could even price it below the Nexus 7 at $200. Such a scenario is highly unlikely though.

    All of this is just a rumor for now, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it become reality sooner than later. It only makes sense for Microsoft to build a 7-inch Surface, and its own efforts may lead other OEMs to create cheaper 7-inch Windows tablets to help Windows 8 gain a little more marketshare.

  • Windows XP Users Only Have A Year Of Official Support Left

    Windows XP remains one of the most popular operating systems on the planet, especially for businesses that don’t feel like upgrading to Windows 7 or 8. That popularity will surely continue for years to come, but Microsoft won’t be along for the ride starting next year.

    As per its support schedule, Microsoft announced that it’s dropping extended support for Windows XP in April 2014. That means that businesses and users alike have a year to upgrade to Windows 7 or Windows 8. Doing so will ensure that users continue to receive support in the form of security updates and patches from Microsoft.

    Of course, Microsoft would love nothing more than to move more people to Windows 8. The new OS isn’t doing that well among consumers (except for gamers), but a forced upgrade from Windows XP may at least push some companies into buying bulk Windows 7/8 licenses.

    There are some problems with that though. In April of last year, we looked at how forcing users to upgrade to Windows 7 or 8 was going to cause some headaches for businesses that rely on Windows XP and its compatibility with older software. Upgrading to a newer OS would require more than just buying a bulk license – it would require the company to rewrite core software.

    As companies plan on upgrading from Windows XP, there are some companies waiting to pounce on those unsure of Windows 7 or 8. One in particular is Canonical, stewards of the Ubuntu Linux distribution. The company has been pushing Ubuntu’s enterprise capabilities for some time now, and the allure of a free OS would certainly be appealing to some.

    While we certainly can’t see what the future holds, we can at least look back on a good 12 year run for Windows XP. It was arguably the most popular Windows OS ever released, and it reigned during the golden age of PCs. Those days are long gone, but we can at least look back fondly at that green hill desktop that reminded us that the grass truly was greener on the other side of the personal computing revolution.