Microsoft

The second quarter officially ended on June 30 with technology stocks leading all others. The question is, after a strong second quarter run, where do they go from here? Some analysts predict a dip in coming months as people avoid buying new PCs, opting instead to wait until late October when they can buy computers with Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 7.

An online ad for Internet Explorer 8 that showed a woman projectile vomiting has left such a bad taste in viewers' mouths that Microsoft has decided to remove it.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Microsoft is integrating messages from prominent users of Twitter, the hot micro-blogging service, into the results generated by its new Internet search engine Bing.

Looking for a competitive edge in the Internet search wars, Microsoft plans to index Twitter updates in real time for Bing, its recently rebranded search engine.

Microsoft may be introducing a Family Pack for Windows 7 Home Premium, with a shared license for three computers in the same household. The license details in the latest build of Windows 7 have the following clause under ‘Installation and Use Rights': "If you are a ‘Qualified Family Pack User,' you may install one copy of the software marked as ‘Family Pack' on three computers in your household for use by people who reside there," according to ZDNet's Ed Bott.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - New search engine Bing helped Microsoft increase its share of the search market in the United States in June but, still lags behind Yahoo! and Google, a Web analytics firm reported Wednesday.

LONDON/SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp's new Bing search engine gained U.S. market share in its first month in operation but still trails dominant rival Google Inc, according to data released on Wednesday.

BOSTON (Reuters) - Cisco Systems Inc is considering offering Web-based alternatives to Microsoft Corp's popular Office software as the networking giant expands on the Internet.

Mozilla's Firefox 3.5 browser launched today not only besting Internet Explorer 8 when it comes to features, in my opinion, but also when it comes to speed. As I'll predict here, for its next Internet Explorer launch Microsoft will crib innovative Firefox 3.5 features and skimp on giving credit. After all, haven't we seen Microsoft do this before? Remember where you spotted browser tabs the first time?

People may not camp out on the street to get a copy of Windows 7, but the latest version of Microsoft's flagship operating system is ringing up pre-orders.

Microsoft has done it again: The company has released another set of baffling and mystifying ads, but this time they're actually funny. The software giant released four new ads to promote Internet Explorer 8 starring Lois and Clark's Dean Cain as a 1960s style ad man- -- no doubt inspired by AMC's Mad Men. So far the new ad campaign is an online-only affair, and uses the tagline ‘Browse Better.'

San Francisco - A year ago today, Microsoft pulled the plug on Windows XP, no longer selling new copies in most venues. The June 30 kill date for XP followed a six-month outcry from users about Windows Vista, with demands that Microsoft keep XP available alongside Vista for the many users who were frustrated by ease-of-use, compatibility, and retraining issues.

San Francisco - It's the question that vexes free open source software advocates and commercial competitors around the globe: Why is Microsoft Office so difficult to dislodge from its perch atop the IT heap? Is it the exclusive bundling deals? The deep Software Assurance entrenchment? Steve Ballmer's backroom deal with the devil?

San Francisco - Call it serendipity. As I was working through my review of OpenOffice.org 3.1 and SoftMaker Office 2008, an early version of the Community Technology Preview (CTP) of Microsoft Office 2010 was conveniently leaked to the Internet.

After postponing the development of one data center and losing a couple of high-level managers in its data center group, Microsoft said it will soon open new facilities in Dublin, Ireland, and Chicago.

ASUSTeK Computer is joining other manufacturers in offering a free upgrade to Windows 7 on a number of its PCs as more details about the rollout to the Vista successor emerge.

Microsoft is planning to sell Razorfish, its interactive ad agency, according to a report in Monday's Financial Times.

In another blow to customers, Microsoft says free Windows 7 upgrades--for companies that purchase new hardware between now and the Oct. 22 release date of the new OS--will be limited to 25 machines.