Microsoft Office for Linux to be Launched in 2014

Microsoft is taking a “meaningful look” at releasing a full Linux port of Office in 2014. A Linux version of Office could be released sometime next year, possibly soon after the debut of the Android build.

Citing Michael Larabel of Phoronix, who in his turn talked to a Microsoft official on the matter, the report reveals that a full Linux port of Office is already in the works and could see daylight in 2014.

While this isn't the first time we hear about Office for Linux, Microsoft's decision to release such a version would pretty much make sense, especially because the company is working on an Android build. As we're sure you know, Android is based on Linux, so it shouldn't be too difficult to bring Office on desktop distributions.

The problem with this new Office flavor is the concept behind the Linux platform, the one that attracts users thanks to the open source license. An expensive Office productivity suite might not fit in this environment, so it remains to be seen if Microsoft's efforts to port the app to this platform would pay off.

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Windows 8.1 Preview Now Available for Download

Windows 8 was a necessary update for Microsoft but it received mixed reviews from users.  It had a lot of missing features and did not feel like it was one cohesive product.  It was as if Microsoft hastily incorporated touch gestures and a fresh UI to its operating system but did not really know what to do with it moving forward.  What Microsoft was only sure of, it seems, is that it had to make Windows relevant in a world where touch-operated displays are the norm.  Thankfully, Microsoft was listening to the complaints and suggestions of users.  The result is Windows 8.1 which is really a major update considering the features Microsoft added to the OS.

One of the most heated debates with Windows 8 was the removal of the Start button which has been present in all versions of Windows before Windows 8 came along.  In Windows 8.1, the Start button is back and you can almost hear a uniform sigh of relief from fans of the button.  The tiles can now be resized to more sizes, the most notable of which is the large tile which obviously can hold more information.  There is also a quick access to the list of apps which is by an upward swipe gesture on the menu.  This was not present in Windows 8.

  

Another important update on Windows 8.1 is the ability for users to boot directly to the desktop.  Before the update, booting Windows means you go straight to the Start Menu.  Another improvement when it comes to aesthetics is the addition of dynamic backgrounds which are also more customizable on Windows 8.1.
Before Windows 8.1 also now allows better customization when it comes to resizing windows which now supports 50/50 split view, for instance.  The OS also now makes it possible to set up multiple monitors.  There are other improvements and a lot of them are on the core Microsoft apps.  For more details on the update, watch this video.

Windows 8.1 is available for download for free for current Windows 8 users.  It is available as a free download to users of Windows Vista, Windows 7 and other versions but on an ISO format.  Go here to download Windows 8.1 Preview.  Note that the final version of Windows 8.1 will be released before the year ends.  The final version will no longer be free.

 

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Xbox One leading best seller chart at Amazon after Microsofts Uturn

Gaming enthusiasts were outraged by the strict limitations that Microsoft planned to enforce on the Xbox One. Amid a fury of negative feedback, the tech giant did a complete 180 – they announced yesterday that users will no longer have to establish an online connection every 24 hours to play games, and that trading disks with friends will be as hassle free as ever.

Perhaps the Microsoft retreat wasn’t sparked by the backlash of unhappy customers, but rather the fear of having no customers at all. Last week, Amazon ran a poll on their Facebook page which pitted the Xbox One against the PlayStation 4, and not surprisingly, the Sony console won in a landslide.

The poll was eventually taken down by Amazon, but at last glance, the final tally was 38,984 for the PlayStation 4 and 2,162 for the Xbox One. Gamers who visited Amazon’s Best Sellers list could draw a similar conclusion, seeing as the Sony system had solidified its position in first place. 

Following the Microsoft retreat, a huge debate ensued. Some users insisted that Microsoft’s reversal was too little too late, while others hopped right back on the Xbox One bandwagon. As a result, it became extremely difficult to assess whether Microsoft’s attempt at damage control was a success or a failure.

Currently, according to the Amazon Best Sellers list, the Xbox One has now surged into first place. If you look closely, you’ll see that the Microsoft console atop the leaderboards is the “Day One Edition”; a version that had already sold out for PlayStation 4 fanatics. Also worth noting is the fact that Sony's console has four different listings in the top ten -- the standard edition plus three bundles -- while the Xbox One has a single one.

That said, a similar response from game enthusiasts has been seen across Europe. Amazon UK shows that both consoles are pretty much even, with the Xbox One holding a slight 2.3% advantage in sales.

Regardless of who wins this horse race, the excitement surrounding the next-generation consoles is unbelievable, and probably pleases both Sony and Microsoft. After all, any publicity is good publicity.

Ketu Patel, head of video games at Amazon UK, added, “It will be fascinating to see how the battle between the two console giants develops over the coming months – the fight for who’s going to be the must-have Christmas present is only just beginning."

[Source: techspot]

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PlayStation 4 is destroying the Xbox One in Amazon customer poll

 

Amazon is running a poll on their Facebook page asking readers which next generation console – Sony’s PlayStation 4 or Microsoft’s Xbox One – they prefer. If you’ve been reading story comments or message boards since E3, the results probably won’t surprise you much.

With more than five days left to vote, the Xbox One has amassed 1,754 votes (as of writing). The PlayStation 4, on the other hand, has 31,689 votes. Yeah, it’s not even remotely close. Sony executives must be feeling pretty happy at this point but at Microsoft, the atmosphere probably isn’t as cheery.

True, we won’t know how all of this pans out for a few more years but right now, the results are pretty telling. That’s because, unlike other polls you may find on fan sites, Amazon is a neutral party with a huge fan base that consists of both Sony and Microsoft homers (as well fans of games in general).

A quick look at Amazon’s Best Sellers list in their video games category solidifies what we are seeing in the poll. As of writing, the launch day edition of the PlayStation 4 is already sold out. Sony’s standard edition console – with a release date of December 31, 2013 – is currently ranked first ahead of the Xbox One.

That said, do you agree with the findings in Amazon’s poll thus far? If you had to choose between the two right now, would you go with Sony’s offering or lean more towards Microsoft?

[Source: TechSpot]

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Xbox One will force gamers to stay online after all

For a console that has yet to be released, the Xbox One is garnering a lot of negative press from the media and its once loyal fans. To make matters worse, Microsoft described a few new features slated for the upcoming console – and they don’t look very good. As a matter of fact, they give off an eerie Big Brother vibe that is most unwelcome.

Through an online post made available on Thursday, Microsoft made it clear that they are striving for an interconnected gaming experience. In other words, offline play is over, whether you like it or not. Much like how parents place restrictions on their children’s internet usage by setting maximum time limits, Microsoft is requiring Xbox One owners to connect to the web at least once every 24 hours, or else your gaming privileges are cut-off.

Microsoft went on to say that Xbox One account holders would be able to access their personalized media through other people’s consoles; but in this particular case, the user must confirm their identity each and every hour.

“Offline gaming is not possible after these prescribed times until you re-establish a connection,” the software giant said in the statement. Luckily, these conditions will not extend to watching live TV or using the console’s built-in Blu-ray player to view movies.

The next big Xbox One announcement was targeted at second-hand game owners. Based on Microsoft’s new licensing model, publishers will be given the freedom to prevent the resale of used games, which means that reactivation fees will probably be the end result.

A related question was how the new Xbox would deal with direct disc transfers between friends. According to Microsoft, although there will be no fees associated with the transfer, there are still some limitations. The game can only be sent to individuals that have been formally listed as an Xbox friend for a minimum of 30 days, and each game can only be transferred once.

If there was any positive news regarding the Microsoft statement, it has to do with the Kinect feature. A lot of people held privacy concerns over the "always on" sensor, but Microsoft clarified that it will only be listening in on a single voice command – “Xbox On”. For those not completely convinced, Microsoft said that the feature can be easily disabled.

[Source: techspot]

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Beware: Microsoft is reading your supposedly private Skype messages

Despite its end-to-end encryption feature, conversations made on Skype aren’t as secure and private as most of its users think. A recent report by Ars Technica shows that Microsoft is snooping over Skype messages.

In a test that was coordinated with security researcher Ashkan Soltani, Ars sent four URLs through Skype and found that two of them were accessed by a computer with an IP address owned by Microsoft. An earlier experiment was conducted by The H Security and showed similar results. Both tests are proof that Microsoft is no doubt reading and monitoring Skype messages. Even if Skype currently employs 256-bit AES encryption to secure end-to-end communications, Microsoft is capable of decoding the encrypted messages and turning them back into their human-readable form.

If you have read Skype’s privacy policy, you may be aware that Skype may use automated scanning in order to identify malicious links. Furthermore, there are also rare situations where Skype performs manual reviews of instant messages for the same reasons. But given as it’s a lengthy disclosure on how the software giant handles the confidentiality of personal data, the privacy disclosure is something that most users have ignored.

To be fair, Microsoft’s monitoring behavior is understandable. After all, it has to ensure that its VoIP service is not taken advantage by ill-intended users. At least now you’re aware that your communications may be read by someone other than their intended recipients, not exactly as private as you previously might think. Perhaps it’s time to search for another messaging service if you want more privacy.

[SOURCE :noypigeeks]

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Microsoft unveils free Windows 8.1 update

SEATTLE -- Microsoft Corp.'s forthcoming update to its personal computer operating system will be called Windows 8.1 and will be available later this year free to existing Windows 8 customers, the marketing chief for the Windows unit said on Tuesday.

The world's largest software company has been touting the update, previously code-named "Blue," as a series of improvements to the Windows 8 software, launched in October, which has not been as popular as it had hoped.

Microsoft has sold 100 million Windows 8 licenses in the six months since launch, roughly in line with the previous version, but wants to combat sputtering interest in its flagship software with a substantial update to make it easier to use and compatible with smaller tablets.

"Windows 8.1 will be delivered as a free update to Windows 8 and to Windows RT and it will be easy to get right from the Windows start screen through the app store," said Tami Reller, head of finance and marketing at Microsoft's Windows unit.

A preview version of Windows 8.1 will be made available at the start of Microsoft's annual developer conference on June 26, Reller said, with the finished update released later this year.

[Source: ABS-CBN]

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Microsoft services hit by outage

9 September 2011 Last updated at 09:08 GMT  Hotmail, Office 365 and Windows Live Skydrive were unavailable to millions of users Millions of Microsoft users were left unable to access some online services overnight because of a major service outage.

Hotmail, Office 365 and Skydrive were among the services affected.

Microsoft was still analysing the cause of the problem on Friday morning, but said it appeared to be related to the internet's DNS address system.

Such a major failure is likely to raise questions about the reliability of cloud computing versus local storage.

Especially embarrassing is the temporary loss of Office 365, the company's alternative to Google's suite of online apps.

The service also went offline briefly in mid-August, less than two months after it launched.

View the original article here

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This Day in Tech: Microsoft plans to press Android patent case

Filed Under:

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Friday, August 19.

• In a hearing Monday before the International Trade Commission, Microsoft plans to press its case that Motorola's Android-powered devices violate its patents. The hearing will focus on the validity of Microsoft's patents and on whether Motorola infringed on them. The hearing should last 10 days.

• What are the risks of wireless medical devices? One security researcher discovered that he could hack his wireless insulin pump and remotely control it. "The second reaction was one of maybe sheer terror, to know that there's no security around the devices which are a very active part of keeping me alive," security researcher Jay Radcliffe said. U.S. lawmakers are looking into the situation.

• HP's shares dropped 20 percent after the company announced its plan to ditch its PC business. Meanwhile, stocks of U.K. software company Autonomy shot up 76 percent, after HP announced that it was acquiring Autonomy for $10.25 billion.

• Apple allegedly messed with an image of the Galaxy S smartphone to make it look more like the iPhone 4, a sister site of Computerworld reported. The site also claimed that Apple touched up pictures of the Galaxy Tab to make it look more like the iPad. The fight between Apple and Samsung is one of the more heated disputes going on in tech these days.

• The FTC tweeted that it will not pursue Ashton Kutcher for failing to disclose his investments in many of the tech companies profiled in a special online issue of Details magazine he guest edited.

• Mozilla hopes to help Web apps match phone apps, so developers have to write only one, cross-platform application. Mozilla, developer of the Firefox Web browser, plans on doing this through a project called WebAPI.

• Germany doesn't like Facebook. The "like" button on Facebook has been declared illegal in Germany. CNET reports, "the state of Schleswig-Holstein has ordered all government offices to remove the button from their Web presence and shut down any Facebook 'fan' pages, on the grounds that these things violate German and European data privacy laws." If the sites don't comply, they could pay a fine of up to 50,000 Euros.

If you have a question or comment for Boonsri Dickinson, you can submit it here. However, because our editors and writers receive hundreds of requests, we cannot tell you when you may receive a response.

Boonsri Dickinson is a multimedia journalist who covers science, technology, and start-ups. She is a contributing editor at CBS SmartPlanet, and her work has appeared in Wired, New Scientist, Technology Review, and Discover magazine. E-mail Boonsri.

Your destination for the latest news on enterprise-level information technology, from chip research and server design to software issues including programming, open source, and patents.

View the original article here

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This Day in Tech: Microsoft plans to press Android patent case

Filed Under:

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Friday, August 19.

• In a hearing Monday before the International Trade Commission, Microsoft plans to press its case that Motorola's Android-powered devices violate its patents. The hearing will focus on the validity of Microsoft's patents and on whether Motorola infringed on them. The hearing should last 10 days.

• What are the risks of wireless medical devices? One security researcher discovered that he could hack his wireless insulin pump and remotely control it. "The second reaction was one of maybe sheer terror, to know that there's no security around the devices which are a very active part of keeping me alive," security researcher Jay Radcliffe said. U.S. lawmakers are looking into the situation.

• HP's shares dropped 20 percent after the company announced its plan to ditch its PC business. Meanwhile, stocks of U.K. software company Autonomy shot up 76 percent, after HP announced that it was acquiring Autonomy for $10.25 billion.

• Apple allegedly messed with an image of the Galaxy S smartphone to make it look more like the iPhone 4, a sister site of Computerworld reported. The site also claimed that Apple touched up pictures of the Galaxy Tab to make it look more like the iPad. The fight between Apple and Samsung is one of the more heated disputes going on in tech these days.

• The FTC tweeted that it will not pursue Ashton Kutcher for failing to disclose his investments in many of the tech companies profiled in a special online issue of Details magazine he guest edited.

• Mozilla hopes to help Web apps match phone apps, so developers have to write only one, cross-platform application. Mozilla, developer of the Firefox Web browser, plans on doing this through a project called WebAPI.

• Germany doesn't like Facebook. The "like" button on Facebook has been declared illegal in Germany. CNET reports, "the state of Schleswig-Holstein has ordered all government offices to remove the button from their Web presence and shut down any Facebook 'fan' pages, on the grounds that these things violate German and European data privacy laws." If the sites don't comply, they could pay a fine of up to 50,000 Euros.

If you have a question or comment for Boonsri Dickinson, you can submit it here. However, because our editors and writers receive hundreds of requests, we cannot tell you when you may receive a response.

Boonsri Dickinson is a multimedia journalist who covers science, technology, and start-ups. She is a contributing editor at CBS SmartPlanet, and her work has appeared in Wired, New Scientist, Technology Review, and Discover magazine. E-mail Boonsri.

Your destination for the latest news on enterprise-level information technology, from chip research and server design to software issues including programming, open source, and patents.

View the original article here

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Microsoft announces Blue Hat competion: $250,000 in cash prizes

Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing Group today announced the BlueHat Prize competition with over $250,000 in cash and prizes for developing new computer security protection technology.

The Microsoft BlueHat Prize contest is designed to generate new ideas for defensive approaches to support computer security.

The inaugural Microsoft BlueHat Prize contest challenges security researchers to design a novel runtime mitigation technology designed to prevent the exploitation of memory safety vulnerabilities.

The solution considered to be the most innovative by the Microsoft BlueHat Prize board will be presented the grand prize of US $200,000.

Read more : Microsoft | BlueHat website.

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Microsoft: Tax review may have significant impact

 

A worker adjusts a logo on the Microsoft stand at the CeBIT computer fair in Hanover in this February 27, 2011 file photo.

Credit: Reuters/Tobias Schwarz

LOS ANGELES | Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:41pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp warned on Thursday that a government review of its U.S. tax obligations in past years could significantly affect its financial statements if not resolved in its favor.

The Internal Revenue Service has looked at Microsoft's use of transfer pricing, among other things, or methods of booking prices and sales between subsidiaries -- often leading to opportunities to report earnings in lower-tax jurisdictions.

Companies routinely and legally book profits overseas to enjoy lower tax rates and avoid stumping up a hefty 35 percent levy on profits in the United States.

But with the United States shouldering a high jobless rate and big budget deficit, there have been increasing calls in Washington for a simplified tax code with a lower corporate tax rate and fewer loopholes. There has also been pressure from major companies on U.S. President Barack Obama's administration to let profits parked offshore be brought home at very low tax rates, to boost investment and jobs.

On Thursday, the world's largest software company said it had accumulated $44.8 billion of non-U.S. earnings -- reinvested abroad -- as of June 2011, translating into deferred taxes of about $14.2 billion.

That marked a sharp jump from the $29.5 billion permanently reinvested overseas as of the end of 2010, meaning $9.2 billion in deferred taxes.

Microsoft did not offer specifics on how it employed cash earned abroad, but reinvestments could encompass anything from buying office equipment to parking it in a bank. While stashing money overseas avoids the repatriation tax, it also means companies have a lot less flexibility in using the money to invest in the United States or other purposes such as dividend payments.

In Thursday's filing, Microsoft said the IRS had issued a Revenue Agent's Report after an examination of the 2004-2006 tax years, but Microsoft was appealing several adjustments cited in the report.

It did not offer details. The company also said it remained subject to IRS examination for the 2007 to 2010 tax years.

"We do not agree with the adjustments in the RAR, and we have filed a protest to initiate the administrative appeals process," Microsoft said in an exchange filing. "The proposed adjustments are primarily related to transfer pricing and could have a significant impact on our financial statements if not resolved favorably.

"However, we believe our existing reserves are adequate."

Part of the IRS issue for the 2004-2006 years was resolved last quarter in Microsoft's favor, with the company recording a $461 million refund.

A DEFT HAND

Experts say Microsoft has proved adept at shrinking its tax bill, and the company itself states that it employs lower-tax foreign jurisdictions.

Microsoft said its lower taxes in the recent quarter were "primarily due to a higher mix of earnings taxed at lower rates in foreign jurisdictions resulting from producing and distributing our products and services through our foreign regional operations centers in Ireland, Singapore and Puerto Rico, which are subject to lower income tax rates."

The details of precisely how it does this have not been disclosed. U.S. companies do not have to break out earnings in foreign subsidiaries, making it hard to determine from financial filings how much tax they are saving through each jurisdiction.

In response to stock regulators' requests, Microsoft also took the extra step of breaking out sales by region and product, providing a more detailed snapshot of its business.

It said 46 percent of its sales came from outside the United States, or about $32 billion, in fiscal 2011, up from 42 percent in 2010.

However, pre-tax profits booked overseas nearly tripled over the past six years, to $19.2 billion in the fiscal year that just ended, from $6.8 billion in the year ended in June 2006, according to company filings.

In contrast, its U.S. earnings have dropped, to $8.9 billion from $11.4 billion in the same period. Foreign earnings now make up 68 percent of overall income.

(Reporting by Edwin Chan and Lynnley Browning; Editing by Richard Chang)

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Microsoft apologizes for 'crass' Amy Winehouse tweet

via Twitter

Two hours after encouraging Amy Winehouse fans to remember the recently deceased singer by downloading her "ground-breaking 'Back to Black' for Zune," TweetBox360, the official PR Twitter account for XBox360 UK started spitting out the "my bads!"

"Apologies to everyone if our earlier Amy Winehouse 'download' tweet seemed purely commercially motivated. Far from the case, we assure you," read the first tweet, quickly followed by a second. "With Amy W's passing, the world has lost a huge talent. Our thoughts are with Amy's family and friends at this very sad time."

via Twitter

"Classy." "Crass much?" and "Cheap" are how three Twitter users economized their disgust in 140 characters or less. There are many, many more.

"@tweetbox360 In poor taste, 'nice' job on cashing in on a celebrity's death @xboxshould reconsider their relationship with you," tweeted one outraged Twitter user. Notably, many ignored the ripe opportunity to make the obligatory Zune jokes. Others noted that Microsoft wasn't alone in its cryptic commercialization and pointed to the "Remembering Amy" advertisement over at Apple's iTunes store. (Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal.)

via Twitter

The Microsoft Xbox Amy Winehouse gaffe isn't the first tasteless adver-tweet from a major company, and as this trend reveals an inability for big business to learn from each other's mistakes, it's far from the last.

Kenneth Cole remains the king of the tacky tweet. As you may recall, the American fashion designerexploited the deadly riots in Egypt last February by co-opting the trending hashtag #Cairo (used for discussing the riots in Egypt on Twitter) to promote his new spring line.

via Twitter

Entenmann's, your favorite brand of fresh-baked goods since 1898, took home the Kenneth Cole Award for Tasteless Tweets earlier this month when it equated eating fresh-baked goods with murdering a child following the "not guilty" verdict in the Casey Anthony trial.

As the #notguilty hashtag climbed to the top of U.S. Twitter trends, @Entenmanns tweeted "Who's #notguilty about eating all the tasty treats they want?"

That sentiment quickly reached retweet goodness — though it resulted in more bemusement than outrage — and Entenmann's soon issued an apolo-tweet: "Sorry everyone, we weren't trying to reference the trial in our tweet! We should have checked the trending hashtag first."

As we continue to hold Twitter vigil, waiting to write this inevitable story: "Congressman tweets inappropriate comment, starts meme in response to debt ceiling agreement," remember, tasteless adver-tweets capitalizing on trending topics are all around us.

via The Telegraph 

More on the annoying way we live :

Helen A.S. Popkin goes blah blah blah about the Internet. Tell her to get a real job on Twitter and/or Facebook.  Also, Google+.

View the original article here

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Microsoft reports record revenue

 Microsoft's business division, which includes Office software - is its biggest seller The US technology giant Microsoft said its annual revenues hit a record of $69.94bn (£43.4bn).

Sales of the company's Xbox 360 videogame console and its Office software helped fuel the growth.

Net income at the world's biggest software maker jumped 23% to 23.15bn for the year.

The figures, which beat forecasts, showed final quarter revenues reached a record high of $17.37bn, leading to profits of $5.87bn.

Sales rose 8% to $17.37 billion, a boosted chiefly by sales of Office, Xbox and server software behind Microsoft's push into cloud computing.

Microsoft's business division, which sells the Office suite of programs, including Outlook, SharePoint and Excel, was the company's biggest seller in the quarter, increasing sales by 7% to $5.8bn.

The company's online services unit, which runs the Bing search engine and MSN internet portal, increased sales by 16.5% to $662m, but saw losses increase to $728m as it struggles to fight competitor Google.

One weaker spot was sales of its widely-used Windows product, which are slowing as tablet PC sales eat into demand for traditional PCs.

On Wednesday, chipmaker Intel warned that PC sales would not be as strong as it had expected this year.

Microsoft is itself expected to enter the tablet market next year with the launch of its next operating system, code-named Windows 8, which will be compatible with the low-power chips commonly used by tablet and mobile phone makers.

Microsoft is the latest technology company to exceed profit expectations.

Google, Apple and IBM all reported strong earnings recently.

View the original article here

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