Microsoft

The president of Fujitsu, a major PC manufacturer, has now blamed Windows 8 for the company missing its most recent sales targets. Some reports indicate Fujitsu computer sales are less than 80% of what they were a year ago, when the highly popular ... Windows 7 was the operating system of choice. PC makers like Fujitsu often count on new versions of Windows to boost hardware sales. This is because many consumers wait until the release of a new operating system (OS) to purchase a long-desired computer. Fujitsu Sales Take a Plunge However, at least one report says that sales of Fujitsu PCs running ... (view more)

Acer president Jim Wong has come out to defend Microsoft's new Windows 8 operating system (OS). Wong says people should spend more time learning how to use the OS before dismissing it as inferior to its predecessors. In an interview with technology ... blog DigiTimes, Wong noted that, "in the past, market observers would accuse Windows of lacking innovations." Wong suggests it's ironic that this time around, Windows 8's innovative new features, including a completely new user interface (formerly known as 'Metro', now known as 'Tiles' or 'Live Tiles'), have "been greeted with pessimism." (Source: ... (view more)

A leading consumer magazine has told its readers there is "no compelling reason" to switch to Windows 8. Consumer Reports opines that in most cases only touchscreen users will benefit from an upgrade. The magazine made those comments in a new issue ... filled with computer reviews, among which PCs equipped with Windows 7 received some of the highest ratings. Consumer Reports is not a computer software magazine. However, it is widely read and its reports have a significant impact on the technology industry. In fact, a couple of years ago Consumer Reports recommended users avoid buying Apple's ... (view more)

The president of a US-based PC builder says that approximately 80 per cent of his customers choose systems running Windows 7 rather than the new Windows 8 operating system. Puget Systems is an independent PC supplier based in Washington state. The ... firm is similar to Dell or Hewlett-Packard (HP), except that Puget Systems focuses almost exclusively on assembling customized, high-performance PCs. In a recent interview, Puget Systems president Jon Bach says the vast majority of his customers aren't interested in acquiring the new Microsoft Windows 8 operating system (OS). Familiarity, Reputation ... (view more)

According to a prominent analyst, Steve Ballmer's job hinges on the success of Microsoft's new Windows 8 operating system (OS). Gartner's Carolina Milanesi says if the new operating system (OS) fails to pan out, Microsoft's chief executive officer ... could find himself among those looking for a new job. It has been more than a month since Microsoft formally released Windows 8 to the general market. As you probably know, the new OS features a completely new interface optimized for touchscreen devices like tablet computers and smartphones. Early reviews have been mixed, primarily because those ... (view more)

Microsoft has released a series of updates designed to fix several 'critical' security vulnerabilities in its software. Adobe has also released a new security patch for its Flash Player software. Both Adobe and Microsoft are urging their users to ... make sure their computers have installed these repair modules, and if not, to install them manually as soon as possible. Microsoft says most of the ten vulnerabilities addressed by this week's Patch Tuesday updates have been rated 'critical,' the firm's highest security threat level. Adobe has also rated its patch as 'critical.' Internet Explorer ... (view more)

Since its launch in late October, 2012, the Surface tablet computer has been available for purchase only through Microsoft stores and websites. However, that exclusivity seems to be over, and the Surface will soon begin appearing in third-party ... retail stores. A new report suggests the Surface will go on sale in Best Buy, Staples, and other major retail outlets as early as January 2013. That is the same time frame in which Microsoft will begin selling its Surface Pro tablet computer. (Source: cnet.com ) Surface Range Not Yet Complete Right now the only Surface available to consumers runs a ... (view more)

On paper, Microsoft's upcoming Surface Pro tablet computer is a whole lot more enticing than the version of the Surface currently available in stores: it boasts more processing power, memory, and storage. It also runs the full version of Windows 8, ... whereas the current Surface uses only the less-impressive Windows RT operating system (OS). Up until recently, the only problem with the Surface Pro appeared to be its price: $899 and up. The current Surface sells for $499 and up. Twice the Price, Half the Battery Life But now there's another reason to worry about the Surface Pro's viability in the ... (view more)

Facing slower than anticipated sales of its new Surface tablet, Microsoft is reportedly slashing orders from its Asian manufacturers of the device. According to a new report, the cutbacks are drastic, with orders being reduced from four million ... units to just two million units. Microsoft says the report isn't true and that it's pleased with Surface sales thus far. The same report indicates that disappointing sales of Microsoft's current version of the Surface -- which is equipped with an ARM-based processor supporting a slimmed-down version of Windows 8 called Windows RT -- have prompted the ... (view more)

PC manufacturer Hewlett-Packard (HP) is advising its customers not to downgrade its computers delivered with the new Windows 8 operating system (OS) already installed. The company says that if customers install Windows 7 on HP computers originally ... equipped with Windows 8, HP will not provide them with support, drivers, or applications. Downgrading was a relatively common practice after the release of the unpopular Windows Vista in 2007, and some say it's being practiced again now that Windows 8 has received more than its fair share of criticism . Downgrading a new computer is especially ... (view more)